#If it didn't have the chance of being so hot in San Diego (where the con is located) in October

[midnightdevotion]

Anyone Else

Requested: Can I get either a Bradshaw!reader or Mitchell!reader x Robert 'Bob' Floyd fic where the reader dated Jake before she ever met Bob, so when she meets the Dagger Squad as Bob's girl, it's the first time she's seen Jake since they broke up? Reader would be engaged or married to Bob and her and Jake would have ended on really bad terms. If this isn't up your alley and/or makes you uncomfortable feel free to ignore this request. Lots of love regardless! 🥰🥰🥰

Pairing: Bob x Bradshaw!Reader, Past jake Seresin x reader

When bob first got called back to top gun you panicked. Not only was your husband called back but so was your brother and the closest thing you ever had to a father. You stressed everyday, hoping they would be safe and sound.

Two and a half weeks later when the mission was successful and bob had thankfully made it home safe and sound, he called you to let you know that the dagger squad was being made permanent and he would be coming home to help you pack up your house and move you both down to San Diego. Nothing sounded better than living near everyone you considered your family. In a whirlwind you two had packed up the house, put it on the market to sell and made an offer on a new house.

It didn't take long to sell your old home thankfully, and you two found a perfect home five minutes from the beach and close to work for bob. It all seemed like everything was falling perfectly into place.

Letting out a dreamy sigh as you look around the open floor plan for the home you just got the keys too, your husband turns to look at you.

"everything okay dear?" you can't help the grin you let shine on your face when you turn to look at your husband's concern.

"Everything is perfect." He gives you a soft smile and kiss on the forehead then continues voicing his thoughts on where you should hang the tv for least amount of glare during the day.

You listen to him rant about where he wants to put the couch and how he wants to hang your wedding photos, giving an occasional hum of agreement.

"oh and also I want you to meet my squad" this causes you to raise an eyebrow. Usually over protective bob keeps you away from the dirtbags in the airforce he's typically assigned to deal with. You didn't question that too much, because you have upfront experience with how most air force men are.

"you do?"

"Yeah- these guys- they're different and I want them to meet the most important person in my life"

"awe, of course I wanna meet them honey and I'm glad you are finally part of a team that aren't just egotistical assholes- though I know how Bradley can be" He laughs at your joke, but he knows how excited you really are at being able to live near everyone. Too often the navy drags people away from the ones they love, so you are both grateful for the chance that it brought you all together.

It's about six days later- after everything is unpacked and settled that you are meeting the rest of the dagger squad. Say what you want but bob is nothing but efficient when unpacking- and bossing maverick and Bradley around for help.

When you arrive at the beach- you are delighted to see Penny and Maverick rekindling their love. However, before you make it over to them Bradley rushes over.

"I have something I need to tell you and I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier but I didn't think you would come and-"

"What is it?" you furrow your brow trying to look over your brothers shoulder. Bob looks just as confused as you do unsure as to what is making rooster so frazzled.

"Jake is here."

This confuses bob even further- because of course Jake is here?

"w-what" It feels like you take a shot of icy hot. both heat and freezing cold rushes through your veins.

"Does someone wanna clue me in?" You swallow and look up at your sweet husband- living proof that the sweet soft genuine love you always wanted does exist and you have it.

"Well- about 5 years ago, Jake and I were engaged..."

---Flashback---

It's late on a Friday night and you and your fiance Jake are laughing at an inside joke you two have. Your heart has never felt so full. You're both ignoring whatever movie you had turned on in the background- enjoying the night together instead.

In fact you remember spending the whole weekend like this- so wrapped up in each other- so in love that nothing else mattered. Laughter echo's the walls in your shared apartment.

That Sunday night- you giggled as he traced each of your features. Adamant that he would be able to memorize every piece of you, mind body and soul.

You just laughed at him and told him you'd be there for him to study every night. You didn't focus on his smile not reaching his eyes, nor the shaky breathe he let out.

You went to bed after a weekend that felt like a dream- a montage in a movie really.

And you woke up to a note on his empty bedside table saying I'm sorry- with his silver ring sitting on top.

-----

Bob knew the story- he knew everything about you and your past. Losing your father, losing your fiance and every other thing your brain would ever think of telling him.

He just didn't know that Jake was the ex fiance.

"I think I need a minute" Is all bob said- rubbing his hands down his face as he turns in the opposite direction for a walk.

"bob wait-" he turns and you can see the worry on his face- all his anxieties displayed right there.

"Honey- It'll be okay I just need a minute to process I promise"

and you understood- of course you did. If roles were reversed you don't know how okay you would be coming face to face with bob having an ex fiance and then it turning out to be someone that you would see everyday.

So you heave a sign and turn back to face rooster. Only he's twenty feet further away then you expected and he's blocking one very frantic Jake Seresin.

"Bradshaw just let me talk to her" You could see Bradley shake his head, but honestly you needed to clear the air. Hell you were married and happy- you've moved on.

"Bradley it's okay" your brother tenses his shoulders. You watch him tell Jake to stay put for one minute and he comes over to you.

"Are you sure? because if you're not sure or not ready to deal with all of this then say the word and we will go home and you can meet everyone another night" You laugh at his over protective big brother tone and shake your head.

"Bradley it was five years ago- I'm happily married I don't need to eat ice cream and cry about the past." you watch his serious face and he nods more than necessary

"Okay okay, but I will be right there and you just holler if you want me to kick his ass, I never got to the first time so" You just shove him away and watch as he does the I'm watching you signal to Jake.

You watch as Jake makes his way over to you, stopping with about three feet between you. The silence stretches for a minute, and he clears his throat.

"I- um Hi"

"hello" and you don't give anything more than that- the way you see it, you were ready to share every part of you for life with him and he threw it away. You don't owe him any more of you. You watch him- seeing the struggle in his green eyes you once knew so well. The ones you had nightmares about after he left. You watch as he heaves a sigh and tugs on his blond strands.

"I- I know words will never explain or show how truly sorry I am for how I treated you back then- for how I.... For how I ended things between us, I just want to say I'm so sorry. Genuinely I am so sorry and everyday I wake up and for a blissful three seconds I forget every stupid mistake I ever made and think I get to roll over and see your face but I never do..." His words shock you a little more than you thought they would. You never expected him to regret when he walked out that night. You figured he was a navy man through and through and navy men alway choose their jets over everything else.

You know that's not fair- that bob would choose you everyday of the week, but you watched it all your life. Jake knew that you watched Maverick choose his jet over ever settling down, you watched Bradley do the same, and then when Jake of all people did it to you- you never thought you would be able to mend that heartbreak.

The Irony of it was not only did you heal, you still chose a navy man who was in jets everyday.

When you first met bob you were smitten- so was he. However when you found out what he did and he watched your face turn sour- he thought he would never have a chance with you. He watched you distance yourself from him and bob was never good with confrontation so when he showed up drunk at your door asking why you suddenly didn't want him after you made him fall in love with you- you spilled everything.

Here the very reason that bob drunkely confessed to being in love with you stands before you and you can't help the heartache that surges through you. Not because your unhappy now- or that you would even change anything.

No the heartache surges through you because Jake looks lost. Like he left himself in your apartment that night and you left him there too when you moved places and moved on.

"Look Jake, did I hate you for a long time for what you did? Yes, but I've moved on, for so long I wanted this day to come- this apology to spill out of your mouth. Thinking someway the words would heal all the hurt you caused, and it doesn't. The hurt still happened, the pain is still a memory for me, but it grows more distant everyday and I'm really grateful. Jake as much as I loved you- I deserve someone that would choose me even when it's hard."

you watch as he swallows hard, nodding his head. You see the exact moment his eyes land on your left hand, the furrow in his brow and he takes in the shining diamond sitting delicately on your left hand. You see the shaky exhale he lets out.

"you found that then?" it's phrased as a question but you know it's more of a statement.

"yes, I found that" he nods and he looks everywhere but you.

"In another life... I would do things differently"

"I know" and you do, you can see his regret all over his face, you can see the heartache in his eyes- the same heartache that stared back at you in the mirror for months on end. You also know he will be okay, that he will heal and move on just like you did. You step closer, and rest your hand on his shoulder.

"things work out Jake, you'll be okay" and with that you step away, and make your way towards the rest of the group.

----

It takes bob a while to join the group again, and it has you worried. You never would've thought bob would be so hurt by this when he knew the story.

So when he joins the group in dog fight football but doesn't greet you know something isn't right. You try and let it going knowing when he is ready you two will talk but as the night progresses and he continues to ignore you, you start to get frustrated.

It's nearing the end of the day- bob just help score the last goal and his team won, the boys lift him up and start chanting his name which makes you grin.

They finally all make their way back over to you and Penny- who has been a great soundboard for how stressful today has been for you.

"That was great honey" you send bob a sweet smile- hoping that playing whatever insane version of football that was helped get his frustrations out.

"thanks." and he turns to talk to Phoenix. Penny shoots you a glance and you just sigh.

When everyone moves inside the bar to keep the party going, you make your rounds in getting to know everyone now that they aren't running around like maniacs.

However, during this bob strategically always seems to be on the opposite end of the bar from you. When it reaches a point that you are socially drained and talked to everyone you move to the bar, and sit by yourself nursing whatever drink penny concocted for you.

You're starting to get tired but whenever you try to get bobs attention he turns his body another direction. It reached a point where you are so frustrated that you call an uber.

"penny I'm gonna head- If bob asks I got an uber home" her eyebrows shoot up in surprise but she agrees to pass on the information, and watches you leave.

---

Now bob might've been mad- not really at you and he knows that. God he knows that, but he's so mad because he didn't realize jake was the Jake and he's mad at himself because he feels so insecure. How could you want someone like bob over someone like Jake.

He's really mad because he's scared. He is so in love with you, but what if you want jake back? What if you want to leave him now because your real love, your first love was never really bob?

What does he do when every time he looks at you, he sees you saying your leaving him, that you're sorry but it was never him and it never will be?

So when he turns around because he has been checking on you every five minutes- he has a timer on his watch so he doesn't do it too often and your gone he panics.

His eyes frantically search the bar- and he hates that when his eyes land on jake standing with coyote he's relieved that you aren't right there.

He searches the bar high and low, and still nothing. He waits, because maybe you just went to the bathroom but when ten minutes have passed and he realizes that is unlikely he anxiously makes his way to penny.

"penny where is she" and penny doesn't even have to look up to know it's bob asking about you.

"she went home"

"home- but- I drove"

"she took and uber" he swallows hard at that. Thinking of every time he saw an article about a woman getting attacked in an uber- You were alone out there with some stranger all because bob couldn't get his shit together.

So he hightails it out of there, and he drives home maybe a little quicker than he should. He gets home and all he sees is the light you left on in the entry way when you left, and he panics even more- where are you?

He rushes to your room, feeling like he is going to vomit up his own heart any second now. He sees the bathroom light on to your shared bathroom and the rush of relief cools his veins like he just got a cold glass of water in the Sahara.

He flings the bathroom door open and sees you jump as you wash your face.

"god bob you scared me" you mutter, trying to rid the soapy bubbles from your face.

"I am so so sorry honey" this causes you to look at him through the mirror.

"for scaring me or ignoring me today." your statement isn't angry, just blunt.

"both... god I'm sorry I was an ass today"

"yeah you were, care to explain?" you watch and he swallows.

"I'm so sorry darling, I was just so gutted with fear when I realized that Jake was your Jake and I realized maybe--- maybe you would want to leave me and take him back and god why wouldn't you he looks way better than me and then i go and treat you like shit on top of it, makes it an easy choice doesn't it and-"

"bob" you cut him off from his rant.

"I do not want to get back with Jake. I married you because I love you, with my whole soul, you make me laugh and you make so so very happy, even my best days with Jake don't compare to how happy I am with you every day." you watch his shoulder sag in relief. You make your way towards him, and pull him in close for a hug.

"I never want to hear you say that you aren't attractive, honey you are the most attractive man I have ever met, physically, emotionally, and in every other way imaginable." you hope he can see all the love you have for him shining in your eyes.

He hugs you back and squeezes like he really thought you might disappear on him and that breaks your heart more than anything else ever could.

"when I said I do honey, it's because I wanted to be with you for the rest of my life, nobody else. I love you more than anything or anyone else in the world and that will never change."

"I love you so much darling, I am so sorry I was stupid.... Please never uber anywhere again though they are so dangerous and I would've given you a ride" and you laugh at his antics because even clouded in his own insecurity and heartache he was worried about your safety.

Maybe that's why it was always meant to be bob, not anyone else. Bob may have bad days just like everyone else but above all else he cares so much it just scares him. You needed someone like bob to care for you after losing so much and he needed someone like you to choose him and soothe his worries away when they get to be too loud.

"it could never be anyone else"

you repeat the words a million times that night, and when you think about it, even the best weekend you ever had with Jake doesn't compare to everyday you have with Bob. It really could never have been anyone else.

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[roosterforme]

I'll Take You There | Rooster x Reader

Summary: Bradley's best friend is moving to San Diego, and she asks him for a little help.

Warnings: Fluff, smut, swearing, slight self doubt, piv intercourse without condom

Length: 4700 words

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Female Reader

This fic is based on a super hot request from an anonymous friend!

Check my masterlist for more fun

Bradley couldn't stop smiling just thinking about you. "She's moving to San Diego for law school," he told Phoenix over a drink at the Hard Deck.

"That's awesome, Rooster! Remember how much fun we had last year when she visited for the weekend? We'll have to take her to that weird taco restaurant again where we got locked in the bathroom!" Phoenix said with a laugh. It turned out Bradley's two best friends got along great when they had met each other. 

"Yeah, well I can't wait to see her," he said as he took a sip of his drink. "It's been a long time."

Phoenix eyed him skeptically. "You think she picked San Diego State to be near you?"

"Nah. She got a scholarship." But Bradley wished you had picked the school based on him. He'd had a crush on you for over a fucking decade, since you were both at the University of Virginia. But you'd always had him firmly in the friend zone, and that was okay with him. You were beyond cool, liked to go to baseball games, could drink him under the table, and didn't put up with anyone's shit. Plus you were so gorgeous, he wasn't sure you had been talking to him the first time you met. He actually turned around to make sure there wasn't someone else behind him. 

The only time he hated being friends with you was when you were dating one of the fraternity fuckboys you always seemed to favor. He had told you so many times that you could do better, but you never listened to him. Maybe you'd meet someone better in law school. 

Phoenix shook her head. "I still think there's more going on between the two of you than what you've told me."

"No way, Nat. There's nothing between us. Never even a drunken kiss where you both go 'Eww, let's never do that again' and then avoid each other for a week."

She clicked her tongue. "Shame, that. I think she has a thing for you."

Bradley shook his head. "Nah. Definitely not."

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

You were a nervous wreck, moving from snowy Colorado to sunny San Diego to start law school. You had worked so hard for years as a paralegal, saving as much money as you could to pay for more schooling, and now it was finally happening.

And in the same city as Bradley Bradshaw, no less. What were the chances you'd end up in the same place as one of your best friends once again? You even really liked his friend Nat and couldn't wait to hang out at that fun bar again. What was it called? The Top Deck? 

You were supposed to be meeting them there as soon as you arrived tomorrow, and then Bradley promised he'd help you unpack into your new place this weekend. Just thinking about him gave you butterflies. He was so hot, and his voice could melt butter. But you'd known him for too long, and he'd seen you at your worst moments. There was no way he was even close to being interested in you. And that would just have to continue to be okay, because he really was a great friend and someone you could trust. 

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

"She should be here soon," Bradley mumbled as he peeled the label off of his beer bottle. "Should I text her again?"

Phoenix laughed and threw a dart, narrowly losing to Hangman. "Just give her a chance to get organized. It's only 7 and she's probably tired from her long drive."

"Who are you talking about?" Hangman drawled as he gathered the darts from the board.

"Rooster's friend from UVA. Remember meeting her last summer?" Phoenix asked. 

A sly smile crept along Jake's face, making him look extra punchable to Bradley. "Oh yeah, I remember. About this tall? Cute smile? Nice ass? Is she single?"

"She's not interested in you," Bradley said with an eye roll. There was no way in hell he'd let that happen in a million years. Sure, Jake was the king of all fuckboys, but you usually always went for brunettes. 

"Bradley Bradshaw!"

Bradley spun around and his entire face broke into a smile as soon as he saw you. "Hey!" he said as you launched yourself into his arms. "I've missed you."

You were pressing yourself against him and laughing next to his ear, and Bradley had to think long and hard about the most un-sexy things (his landlord, that one bathroom on base, the filthy interior of Phoenix's car) just to get through the hug without getting hard. 

"I missed you, too," you said, placing a kiss on his scarred cheek. "I was afraid you might have shaved off the mustache."

"Nope, it looks too good on me," he told you with a smirk as you eased yourself out of his arms and gave Nat a hug as well. 

"Remember me? I'm Jake," Hangman said with a charming smile. 

Bradley almost laughed out loud at your response of, "Sort of?" Then you turned back to him and demanded he get you a beer and a shot of tequila. 

"Anything you want, babe," Bradley told you.

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

He kept calling you babe just like he always did. Your heart and body were in dire straits at the moment, because every time he said it, you thought about kissing him. He had just excused himself to use the bathroom, and Nat was all over you. "Are you going to make a move on him, because he's definitely not going to go for it, even though he wants to."

You just blinked at her. "What are you talking about?"

She shook you gently. "Come on! It's obvious the two of you want to hook up with each other!"

"Did he say that to you?" you asked, suddenly very flustered.

Nat tossed her head back and groaned. "He doesn't need to say it! I know it's true regardless! Please, consider putting him out of his misery?"

And then Bradley was back, and you were still flustered. 

"What did I miss?" he asked, settling into the seat next to yours with a crooked grin. He should have looked like an idiot with the Hawaiian shirt and the mustache, but he somehow looked dashing. And now Nat had given you a glimmer of hope that maybe he'd kiss you back if you kissed him. 

"You didn't miss anything, but I'm ready for a second shot, and you're buying," you told him as you poked him in the side with your finger. "Holy shit, you're solid muscle," you muttered as Bradley caught your finger in his hand. 

"Yeah, well I kind of get paid to stay in tip top shape," he said with a chuckle before flagging down the bartender for another round. "So, you gonna tell me what's new with you? You dating a new fuckboy?"

"No," you said with an eye roll. "I'm done with fuckboys. I'm in law school now, Bradley. Gotta keep it classier. I'm going to find myself a fuckman to date."

You watched as he erupted into laughter before leaning closer to you, his brown eyes shining. "Don't let Jake hear you, or he'll be all over that."

"The blond one? No thanks," you said before taking your tequila shot. 

"Yeah, you never did go for the light hair."

"You've kept a catalog of the guys I was into?" you asked with a laugh. 

Bradley scratched the back of his neck and didn't meet your eyes. "Yeah, kinda. It always pissed me off a little bit that you never went for someone sweet."

"Oh. Well, I can't change what I like," you said with a shrug, mentally weighing the pros and cons of attempting to kiss your best friend.

"And what exactly do you like? Maybe I already know someone in San Diego that would be great for you."

You took a deep breath and went for it. "I like brown hair. And brown eyes. And stupid, cute puppy dog expressions. And sometimes mustaches and Hawaiian print shirts...." 

Bradley's mouth opened like he was going to say something, but no sounds came out. His eyes were darting between your eyes and your lips, and he was blushing a bit. Maybe Nat had been correct about him! 

"Sound like anyone you know?" you asked sweetly. 

"I..." he shook his head slightly. "Not gonna lie, babe, I think I just blacked out."

Now you were squirming a bit. "In a good way? Or a bad way....? Listen, pretend I never said that!"

"I don't wanna do that," Bradley whispered, leaning in close with intention. And then he kissed you. 

He kissed you right there at the bar, and it was so sweet and so perfect. His mustache tickled you a bit, and he rubbed his thumb across the back of your hand before releasing your lips. 

"Mmm...maybe just one more?" you asked, barely cracking your eyes open before his lips were on yours again. This time you let your fingers trace his cheek and jaw, and his hand was at the back of your head, messing up your hair. 

"You okay with this?" he asked when he paused to take a breath. 

You looked at him with wide eyes. "Is this what I've been missing out on for thirteen years?"

Bradley chuckled, cradling your chin in his large hand. "I'm kicking myself right now, babe."

You leaned in and pressed a harder kiss to his mouth before whispering, "Can we go outside or something?"

Bradley was immediately out of his seat and taking your hand in his. "Hey, Penny! I'll settle up later, okay?" 

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

Oh, shit. You were kissing his neck and sighing softly, and his dick was so hard. The cool, night air outside in the parking lot wasn't helping Bradley clear his mind at all. 

"Hmmm," you hummed as your lips landed on his chin again, and he knew there was no way he would ever recover from kissing you and then getting put back in the friend zone, but he couldn't stop. 

He roughly pushed his fingers through your hair and mashed his lips against yours until you moaned. You knew he was hard. He knew you knew he was hard. And you were rubbing your body against the front of him, making it even worse. 

"This is probably a bad idea," he grunted as you kind of wiggled yourself against him. 

"I think it's a great idea," you whispered. "Where's the Bronco?" 

Bradley tossed caution to the wind and guided you toward his truck, never taking his lips off of you the whole way there. Once you were inside, he took a few deep breaths before climbing into the driver's seat. 

"Want me to take you to my place? We can hang out for a bit," he said as he pulled out of the parking lot. 

You giggled. "Yeah, I don't have a bed yet."

"A bed?" he groaned. "You want me to take you to bed?"

"Yeah, Bradley. I really do. If you want to?"

He grunted and adjusted himself. "Yeah, I want to, babe. My dick has never been harder."

The two of you eventually stumbled into his apartment, all wandering hands and laughing smiles. 

"I really like this," Bradley said when you kissed his neck and ran your nails along his scalp. "I never thought this would be happening to me."

"I never thought you'd be into me at all," you whispered as he scooped you up into his arms. "You're so hot, Bradley. Remember when we went on that ski trip? I kept thinking about sneaking into your room at night."

"Fuck, you should have. I would have loved that," he groaned before claiming your mouth hard while he palmed your ass and carried you to the bedroom.

He was going to fuck you. He was going to fuck his best friend, and he couldn't wait. 

He set you down on his bedroom floor and froze as your hands went to his shirt buttons. He watched your fingers in the dim light from the hallway as they worked downward until his shirt was open and you were running your hands under his white tee shirt. 

You looked up at him and pulled both shirts off. 

"Holy shit," you said softly before running your hands up his torso. 

Bradley let you explore him for a moment before he reached for the hem of your shirt, and you let him take it off. He'd seen you in a bathing suit many times, but you were curvier now than you used to be. And he really liked the way you looked. All soft skin and rounded shapes. He kissed the tops of your breasts where your bra had them on display for him. 

You held his head in place as he licked down inside your bra and undid your jeans. But when he slipped his hand inside the front of your underwear, he could feel you tensing up. 

"What's wrong?" he asked you, already slightly out of breath. 

He watched your eyes dart back and forth between his as you swallowed hard. "Nothing. Keep going." 

So he hesitantly knelt in front of you and pulled your jeans down, kissing you just below your belly button. When he started to pull your underwear to the side to kiss you there, you took the tiniest step away from him, and he shot to his feet. 

"Shit, I'm sorry," he apologized as he watched you chewing on your lip, just out of his reach. "We can stop, babe." Panting, he reached for your jeans where they had come to rest at your knees and started to pull them back up. 

"Bradley," you whispered softly. 

"You don't need to feel bad about this, okay?" he promised you, gently grasping your chin and forcing you to meet his eyes. "The last thing I want to do is fuck up our friendship."

"No. I want you to keep going," you insisted, trying to force his hands to pull your jeans down again. 

He shook his head. "No way. If you're not a hundred percent sure about it, then let's stop."

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

You wanted to scream. You were so turned on by him. Even the way he was gently pulling your jeans up over your hips had you dripping wet. And the way he looked at you was almost too hot, because you knew he loved you, even if just as friends. 

If you were ever going to trust anyone, it should be him, right?

"Bradley, wait." You put your hands on his and forced him to touch your bare waist. He looked very conflicted, but you could see that he was still hard inside his pants. "It's not what you think. I really want you. It's just that... I've never been with a partner who could make me come, and sex never really feels that good for me. And I don't want you to regret sleeping with me if I don't seem into it or I don't orgasm." You winced as you shrugged.

You watched his brow scrunch up, and he wrapped his hands around you, almost possessively. "What do you mean? I'm confused."

You inched closer to him and pressed your lips together before saying, "Guys can't make me come. Like ever. I'm sure I'm the problem, since I'm clearly the common denominator here." You laughed sardonically. 

Bradley cocked his head slightly to one side, and rubbed his huge hands along your back. It felt very good.

"Can you get yourself off?" he asked, in that very low raspy voice. 

Without really meaning to, you felt yourself rubbing against the front of him again. "Yeah, I can make myself come. Just never with a partner."

Bradley shook his head slowly and grinned down at you. "Then you're not the problem, babe. And you should have listened to me when I told you to lay off those fuckboys."

You laughed and buried your face against his warm, muscled chest. He just held you for a minute before whispering, "If you'll let me, I'll try my best to make you come. And I won't get upset if you don't. But, you know, if you don't want to-"

You grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him down to kiss you. He was such a great kisser; you should have done this part a long time ago. When you started gently sucking on his tongue, he broke away. "I'm gonna need a verbal response to that one, babe."

You bit your lip. "As long as you won't be upset with me, I want you to try."

And as soon as the words were out of your mouth, Bradley had his hands at the back of your bra, unclasping it and tossing it across the room. You gasped as his hands and mouth found their way to your breasts, and he had you practically screaming as he circled your nipple with his tongue. 

"Jesus, you're so sexy," he whispered against your belly as he returned to kneeling in front of you. "You look fucking hotter than ever."

You looked down at him, taking in his messy hair and flushed cheeks, and you knew right then that he would do everything he could to take care of you tonight. He slid your jeans down your legs once more and helped you step out of them. Then he shook his head reverently before removing your underwear as well. He looked up at you and groaned before placing a soft kiss on your smooth pussy. He stroked his thumb along your ribs as he stood, making you shiver.

"First, you're gonna tell me what you like best about foreplay," he informed you as he licked his lips.

"Foreplay?" you asked with a chuckle. "Guys usually just start ramming their dick inside me, or beg me for a blowjob."

"Fuck, babe," Bradley said, running his fingers along your cheek. "While I'm sure that's been very disappointing for you, it is very good news for me. Because I like foreplay. A lot."

"Oh?" you asked, and your thighs clenched together. That was a positive sign. 

"Oh yeah, so how about I give you a sampling of all my best moves? Then if you decide you want to do this again, you'll know what you like the most for next time."

"God, you're kind of cocky, Bradley. I didn't expect you to be like this," you said a little breathlessly. "I like it. So much."

He scooped you up into his arms and sat on the edge of the bed with you straddling his denim covered legs. "I just want you to feel good," he said before trailing his lips and mustache softly across your collarbone before sucking gently on the side of your neck. It felt wonderful. Then his tongue peeked out and teased you behind your ear, and you gripped his shoulders. 

You were dripping wet and trying to rub yourself on his jeans, but he was holding your hips tight and wouldn't let you. When he returned his attention back to your breasts, you cried out softly. He pulled one nipple into his mouth and teased you, releasing you with a soft pop before focusing his attention on the other. And when he started rubbing that mustache along your nipples, you were actually whining. 

"You feeling good, babe? Because I am feeling great," he said, keeping eye contact while he licked the side of your breast. 

"So good! Are you going to fuck me soon?" you asked, wondering when he was going to try to get you off with his dick. You were kind of dying to see it. 

He shook his head slowly. "No, I'm not gonna fuck you for awhile, babe," he grunted, running his knuckles along the undersides of your breasts before kissing you. His lips were persistent but not overpowering as he tasted you. You could hardly believe this was Bradley, your friend of so many years, making you feel this good. 

As his fingers trailed along your sides, you squirmed a bit on his lap, dying for some friction. "Not yet," he scolded before picking you up and practically tossing you down onto your back in the middle of the bed. You squealed as he pressed his body weight on top of you. He leaned on one forearm, giving you a great view of his bicep and kept your hips still with his other hand. God he weighed a lot, and his weight smashing you into the bed was delicious. 

The smirk on his face as he leaned in to kiss your lips was ridiculously sexy, and you slid your fingers through his wavy hair. "I can't believe I get to touch you like this," he whispered, with a grin. He kissed you softly as he toyed with your nipples, pinching them into hard peaks and then soothing them with his palm. You could tell you were dripping wet, and you were making sounds you couldn't even identify. 

You'd never been this turned on before. 

"Usually the guy would have blown his load in me by now, but you've still got your jeans on," you moaned as he moved his lips back to your neck. 

Bradley chuckled against your skin. "I was raised by a woman, babe. She taught me it should always be ladies first."

You almost jumped off the bed when you felt Bradley's fingers rubbing the top of your thigh. He nibbled on your bottom lip as he inched his hand closer to where you wanted him. You were no longer nervous that he might not be able to make you come, because your entire brain was focused on how good he was making you feel.

When his fingertip blissfully connected with your wetness, you cried out his name.

"Oh, babe. You're soaking wet," he whispered, and you watched him bring his finger to his mouth and lick it clean. 

"Mmm," he moaned before kissing your mouth so you could taste yourself on him. "I'm going to love this."

Then he was shifting down your body and wrapping his massive hands around your thighs. You propped yourself on your elbows, dying to watch what he was doing. He pulled your legs apart and settled between them, looking up at you as he kissed you pussy once. You almost cried out, but he focused his lips on your legs instead. 

"You're practically dripping," he whispered between nips to your inner thigh. "Can't wait to get that all over my mustache."

"Please, Bradley! Please! Get me all over your mustache!" You weren't above begging at this point. 

"Soon," he managed to grunt before running his tongue lazily just above your clit. You were afraid you were going to start stroking yourself soon if he didn't hurry up. You loved him for his current endeavor of trying to get you off, but you had no issues with touching yourself in front of him if you needed to. You were beyond needy and your body was craving relief. 

And then his tongue was licking your slit, and you thought you might black out. "Bradley!"

But he didn't stop. He licked up and down, over and over, slowly separating your folds and exposing you to him. "So pretty," you heard him whisper right before his lips closed around your clit.

"Oh," you gasped. Sure, you'd had guys venture down there with their lips before, but this was already better than every other guy combined. And he still had his jeans on!

Bradley swirled his tongue slowly and softly around you. And then he made eye contact with you, so you encouraged him by saying, "That feels incredible."

He released you and said, "Great, but I'm just getting started," and then proceeded to kitten lick you instead until you were squirming. You watched him dip his tongue down repeatedly, occasionally grunting or groaning as he did so.

You were mesmerized, looking down the length of your body and watching him give you head. Occasionally the light from the hallway would catch his mustache, and you could see your wetness there. Which just made you even hotter for him. 

And then he dragged the length of his tongue slowly yet firmly along your clit, and you felt your hips jerk off of the bed with a gasp. His eyes met yours as he did it a second time, and once again your body jerked in response. You gasped, and shook your head back and forth on the pillow. You felt so good and so relaxed, and you could already tell what was about to happen. One more long pull of his tongue, and you were starting to see stars at the edge of your vision. You felt yourself starting to clench around nothing. 

No way. This had never happened before. 

Then he wrapped his lips around your clit, let that tongue work some magic, and you were crying out incoherently. Pleasure washed through your limbs and soaked through your torso. You couldn't process much, but you knew your legs were shaking as Bradley sucked on your swollen bud. 

"Oh Fuck!" you screeched. "Oh my God!" You were literally riding his face through your orgasm, but instead of stopping, you could feel Bradley slide one of his fingers inside you. "Oh! What are you doing?" you asked quietly, gasping for air. You were literally scandalized and shocked that Bradley had made you come, so you could barely think.

"Gonna try for number two," he said, and when your eyes met his, the cocky look you found on his face was incorrigible. You tried to talk, but your voice broke immediately, as he worked two beautiful fingers in and out of you. He kept those fingers moving in a rhythm that was really working for you as he eased his body on top of yours. He gently kissed your lips and you moaned. He tasted like you. His mustache was wet from you. You licked his face a few times until he was moaning too. 

"You keep doing sexy shit like that, and I'm not going to last long at all."

"Bradley, you made me come!" you said through your lust-filled, hazy brain. "You going to fuck me now?" you asked, really dying to see his penis.

"Not yet, babe. Soon though." He smiled as he kissed his way down you body.

He deftly worked his fingers inside you in tandem with his mouth on your clit, and you were so close again. You couldn't believe this was your body.

"Babe, you on birth control? Or do I need to get a condom?" Bradley asked you when he took a break from eating your pussy like a professional. 

"I'm on birth control. You're good," you managed as you felt your hips starting to jerk again. 

"Can I cum inside you?" he asked, and his words had you absolutely moaning at the prospect.

"Yes!"

Bradley somehow got his jeans and boxer briefs down with just his left hand as he kept you jerking off the bed with his right. 

As soon as you got a glimpse of his dick, he was lining it up to your opening. "You're huge," you whispered and then groaned as his dick replaced his fingers. He thrust into you slowly a few times, filling you up as he tossed his head back and growled your name. Then he put his gorgeous fingers gently on your clit and kissed your mouth hard. Your hips bucked again and again as he moved his lips to your neck.

"I'm in heaven," he murmured next to your ear.

And you were coming. Again.

When your vision fully returned, you watched Bradley as he kissed your breasts while slamming into you, and soon enough, he was cumming inside you.

He collapsed against your chest, just a sweaty mess. He had worked so hard. Just for you. 

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

"How did I do?" Bradley asked between breaths as his heart rate finally started to calm down. He rubbed his nose against your tits and lifted his head to look at your face. He was pretty sure you had two orgasms before he got off, but he wanted to confirm, because he did not last long once he was inside you.

You raised a thumbs up into the air. "Good job, Bradley. Great effort. You were right, I'm not the problem."

"No more fuckboys?" he asked, placing a kiss on your collarbone.

"No more fuckboys," you confirmed as you ran your fingers gently through his hair. "In fact... you think we could do that again? Maybe like a regular thing since I'll be in San Diego now?"

"Babe, I'm taking you on a date tomorrow night. Kinda tired of being your friend, honestly. Thinking I want to make this something more. Sound good?"

You bit your lip and smiled at him. "Yeah, sounds good. I don't really want to be your friend anymore either."

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

Hope my anonymous friend enjoyed this one! Whew, this one really got away from me, clocking in at almost 5000 words! Thanks for reading!

@hotch-meeeeeuppppp

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@o-the-o-grim-o-reaper-o

[prettyboy-like-you]

HOUNDS OF LOVE

2276 words, EXPLICIT, POV billy, period-typical homophobia/slurs, past promiscuity, angst, emotional hurt/comfort, car sex, billy hargrove cries during sex, steve harrington is a sweetheart, boys in love.

written as a gift for lyd my beloved <3 @stevewhoreington

.

Running never made a lick of difference. It was still there, looming. Biding its time. Always lurking like a trench coat-creeper just around the next corner, no matter how far he ran. Breathing heavy, waiting. Because unlike Billy, it could be patient. So very patient. It was his personal stalker, The Longing. The murderous type. Some sorta desire cannibal—and Billy was its prey. No matter what, it always came looking. Would seek Billy out, no matter where he hid or however many times he would run from it, it followed. Hunted Billy down for sport, it seemed

Billy Boy Blue, dirty little fag, sweet-still-not-sixteen and always wanting what you shouldn't.

So, Billy The Wretch, he played his part in the stomach-turning game and he ran. Sprinted so fast he could've won a damn medal. Oh, because Billy, he wanted what The Longing had on offer. Wanted it more than 'most anything. Billy wanted so much it hurt his insides. Like chewing and trying to digest crystalline glass. Like if he could just breathe in deep enough he'd be able to smell its heady scent, if he only licked his lips X amount of times he'd taste it pricking like spice on the tip of his tongue. Didn't even know why he wanted so bad, not really. Why it was he craved that kind of touch, why he needed the way he did. Only knew it was the same sort of deal as his body needing food or water or oxygen; a biology that just was.

Girls didn't take the edge off. Nowhere close. It was wild. And it got so much, being taunted, being wanted by The Longing, too much, an angry need, and Billy just couldn't take it any longer, having only the emptiness to keep him company every minute of every hour of every day. The nothingness being the only one to ever wrap arms around him. Ghost-dead arms. He just got so fucking tired of it. So, so much more tired than any kid should be, so tired that in the end he caved, giving in to it just to fucking survive.

Billy knew a lot about survival. 

When he slowed down enough to allow that fucker to find him, is when Billy had the revelation: there'd never really been a thing as hopeful as choice, not for him. And in knowing he hadn't had a chance, never granted so much as a fair crack at a game he'd never even asked to play, Billy then swan-dived into it so drastically that the thing was forced to consume him fully, absolutely. It chugged him down and swallowed him whole—and Billy was gonna make sure it fucking choked on him. Billy Hargrove was nothing if not flush with spite. 

That's how he found himself wide open and hiding in plain sight in the not-so-loving arms of those hot, hot Cali nights; shirtless and high and strung out like filthy ripped-denim bunting strewn around the streets of downtown San Diego. Ushered into a lonely playpark after sundown. Shushed and pushed down dirty alleyways. In the shadows, that's where he’d wait for them; Men. Never other boys. Never anyone his own age. Nobody who would want anything more. No, he'd wait for men twice his age, thrice his size and almost as desperate as he was, just as his queerboy nature had waited for Billy Boy Blue to succumb to it. And those men—so many men—they always came for Billy. 

These days when he hears the siren song Billy answers without quite so much thought. Call and response. Day-O. Not that there ain't still a fight just underneath the surface of his skin. There's always that. But as much as it might surprise him, and it does, maybe it was inevitable, him clinging to this. To being wanted by other guys—no. No, being used, is what it is. Honestly. It's being used up and spat back out. No change given, no receipt.

And at once, in the here and now, it's dawning on Billy like dead flowers in the morning sun: if ever he'd taken the time to look at the thing, to really look at it, he'd have seen he knew the truth all along.

There is nothing else for him.

Now here he is in Hicksville, Indiana, not-quite eighteen and knowing his garbage existence is spiralling even further down Life-with-a-capital-L's disposal drain. So. The things Billy finds himself clinging to even tighter than the things he's not supposed to want? Pain. Rage. As if they're gonna be the knights in shining armour to save his damsel-ass in this shitty story of his that no self-respecting cunt would wanna read. From all of this. From himself.

Billy has always been a coward. Ever since—ever since Her. Since she did the double-up on him. Since she switched off and let her light go out of his life forever by taking off and leaving Billy Boy Blue's sorry ass behind. 

Harrington doesn’t know any of this though. Nobody does. Nobody will. And nobody should anyways because Billy, he shouldn't be so pathetic. He’s supposed to suck it up and shut the fuck up not moon over it, not be a little pussy while he's getting his boy-pussy railed. And he certainly shouldn't be moaning through this feral fucking need of his like some frilly pink-pantied cheerleader, hell.

Never did know what was good for you, boy.

But Steve, he’s gripping Billy’s hips like sex is going out of fashion, fingers bruising into Billy’s freckled flesh as his own hips snap forward again, stuffing Billy full of long, thick cock. His tongue, it's in Billy’s ear, licking it out, fucking it and sucking it into his warm, wet mouth.

“You like that, huh baby?” he mumbles around a mouthful of lobe, saying shit he shouldn't be saying.

You love it, whore.

Breaks the spell.  

Billy reaches behind himself and, finding what he’s feeling around for, shoves three fingers into Steve’s runaway mouth until the King is almost gagging on them.

“Shut up and fuck me, Harrington. And not the way you fucked her, neither. Fuck me like a goddamn man.” As if this is the first time they’ve screwed around, ha. The King and Wheeler have been split for half the school year now.

There you go again.

As if Steve and Billy are anything like Steve and Nancy. As if. There is no Steve and Billy. 

Then Steve's man-handling him, all tough-guy and that's—that's absolutely not what Billy was expecting.

Shoving Billy down, rough, Steve pulls out of him abruptly and before Billy can even begin to mourn the sudden emptiness of his gaping asshole he’s being flipped over, bare shoulder blades hitting the expensive blood-red leather seats of Steve’s Beamer with a loud slap. Billy loves it, actually, because of course he does—dick leaping and leaking for it—yet he also instantly regrets asking for it because now flat on his back they’re face-to-face and. Yeah, no. Billy’s not ready for that. Will never be ready for that. But roomy as the backseat is, Billy is still wedged in pretty tight between that and the front seats; having Steve’s full weight now bearing down on him means there’s no real means of escape. 

Like you really want one.

“Wanna turn back over,” Billy lies.

“No. You don’t,” Steve informs him and why the fuck does fucking Harrington have to know exactly what it is Billy wants?

Billy can’t deal with this. He struggles to move, but Steve. He knows Billy's heart isn’t in it.

Because the boy above you is holding your glass heart oh-so-gently in his pretty cupped hands like it's something precious, even as it pumps away uselessly.

Steve says, “You wanted me to fuck you like a man, you said so. So, missionary it is,” and then Steve’s pressing his lips together and sliding home again and Billy, instead of fighting like he should, he's opening his legs wide as the space he’s crammed into will allow and gasping loudly as his body goes slack, that frilly pink whore once again.

Now it’s his own mouth he’s shoving fingers into. Ramming his whole fucking fist in there. Fists are all Billy deserves. Not this. 

Fucking coward.

Steve, bolstering himself with one hand by holding the headrest of the driver's seat, takes his other hand and reaches down and then Billy’s actually fucking letting him remove that fist from where it's trying to silence his pathetic grateful moans. Gripping at Billy’s wrist, Steve now stretches their arms above the both of them as his cock stretches out Billy’s ass again, and then he’s pinning Billy’s hand to the bodyheat-wet window underneath his own. Spreads and links their fingers like he's hoping they'll draw heart shapes in the condensation, like Billy's his fucking girl or some shit.

“Fuck you,” Billy snarls, even as he’s nestling a thumb into to the gorgeous cavern below one of Steve’s hip bones.

“No, actually. I’m gonna love you, Billy. Because it’s what you want.”

Before Viper Billy can spit his self-hatred and shame at Mr and Mrs Harrington's perfect little rich-boy, Steve steadies himself as he lowers his top-half, hand leaving the headrest and snaking around the back of Billy’s neck until it’s cradling his thick skull, long fingers threading through the damp curls and fisting a handful. Pulling, just enough.

Billy shivers as his chin is forced upwards and feels his eyes pricking with salt, and ohhhh. He’s going to wail on Harrington for this. Going to fucking kill him for it.

Later. He will. Later. 

Later because right now, Steve is doing things Billy wants too, too much. Off-limit things that are off-limit for good fucking reason. Things the guy should not be doing because Billy told him no right from the start. Because they're the things Billy’s not allowed. Things dirty little sluts like Billy Hargrove should never even dream of wanting.

Liar. Coward.

Steve is running the tip of his nose along Billy’s jaw, under his chin, while fucking into Billy but going slow—so, so slow—inching into him, carefully, as if Billy’s really something to be taken care of.

Billy squirms some more. Roars. Aches so good. Squeezes his eyes shut tight and winces at that pacific seawater gathering in the corners. 

“Fuck you,” he breathes again but it’s a whisper now. A plea, this time.

Don’t let me go.

Steve hears it. He leans in even closer, filling Billy to the very hilt, trapping Billy’s dick between them both and it’s now not just leaking but practically gushing with pre-come, exquisitely swollen.

Steve’s plush lips are then feathery against Billy’s as he says, “I want you, Billy.”

Billy arches up violently, the angle nudging Steve’s cock into that sweet-spot. He calls out as the tears threaten to fall from his stupid, stupid eyes, fucking traitors.

“Hold me down.” Billy begs.

Don’t let me go.

And Steve is there.

Leaning heavy on the arm where a hand is wrapped around the back of Billy’s neck, Steve releases his grip on his other hand, the one linked with Billy's. Then he lays that arm parallel to the other with his weight on both forearms and, using his elbows for leverage, his hands are now free to frame Billy’s face and they do, thumbs finding cheekbones and stroking softly. So soft Billy wants to scream.

Rocking in and out of Billy, still so slow, he says, “I’m going to kiss you.”

Love me, love me, love me.

And then Billy is being kissed by a boy and he isn't hiding from it. He's being kissed by Steve Harrington and he's kissing Steve Harrington back so needy and with such urgency it should hurt but it doesn't and he's not a coward or a liar anymore because Billy wants this boy who’s kissing him, and this boy wants Billy back.

“Hey, open your eyes, Billy,” and he’s kissing the words right into Billy’s mouth.

Billy dares himself. “Steve.” He utters it, a tiny one-word prayer as he sees, that briney water now escaping his eyes and streaming down his temples and Steve must know it’s the first time—probably the first time a boy’s kissed Billy, definitely the first time Billy’s called Steve Steve outloud, and honestly the first time Billy has let go.

Shit, and Steve’s fucking Billy like… like…

“I love you, Billy.”

…like that.

They're staring at each other and Billy’s gonna come. He’s gonna come and he knows that Steve can feel it and so Steve’s then telling Billy he’s gonna come too and yeah. Billy knows that because Billy, he can feel everything.

And Steve, he gets it. What Billy wants. Knows what Billy needs.

So he tells Billy he loves him again. Tells him again and again till Billy is crying and spilling all those old tears, new tears, and his milky come all over the both of them while Steve smiles and groans and comes too, filling Billy up to the brim and right fucking over it with that sweet, sweet love of his.

 

A little later, when all they can hear are the cricket calls reverberating off the quarry walls and each other's slowing breaths and heartbeats, Steve says, “I know what’s good for you, Bills. Even if you wanna pretend to the both of us that you don’t," and, "It'll be okay," and, "I got you." 

Hold me down among the hounds of love.

And yeah. Billy might not be able to say it, not yet, but he knows he's done running.

.

[callsignthirsty]

For your 801 follower celebration,

I don't know if you write for him, but prompt 66 with Wolfman?

Thank you for being patient with me. This is the first time I’ve tried writing for Wolfman, and I really hope that I did him justice (or at least didn't butcher his character). The man is horribly underwritten (like most of the ‘86 crew).

Also, I changed the prompt ever so slightly (that > the). Oops.

Pairing: Leonard "Wolfman" Wolf x F!Reader (Henry "Wolfman" Ruth x F!Reader) Word Count: 900 Warnings: dirty talk (mild), smut, oral (f! receiving) Minors DNI

Smut Prompt #66

After weeks of dodging your friends, they finally convinced you to come to a girls' night. They claimed you couldn't spend all your time holed up with your boyfriend, but that was precisely what you'd been doing. Not that any of them should've blamed you; your Leo was convincing. But he hadn't stood a chance against all of your girlies (most likely because he wasn't there to defend himself), and you'd been booked.

That afternoon, you called Lisa to confirm the night's plans were still good and spent the rest of the time it would take Lisa to pick up your friends to freshen up with a change of clothes. It was the height of summer, and your work-appropriate slacks were hardly comfortable in San Diego's oppressive heat, so you'd changed into a simple skirt and sighed in immediate relief as fresh air swept through the window and across your legs.

When Wolf came home from classes, you were sticking a note to the fridge and heading out the door. He caught you around the waist, exuberantly spinning the two of you before he planted a kiss on your lips. "Hey, baby." Wolf smiled at you beneath the crooked rim of his Stetson, your gloss sticky on his lips. "Where d'you think you're going?"

"To the movies," you'd insisted, preening as he nuzzled into the curve of your neck, helplessly batting at his shoulders to get him to let you go.

"Dressed like that?" came his muffled reply as he gave the swishy hem of your skirt an appreciative tug. Before you could reply, to complain about the heat, Lisa rolled up to the curb and laid on her horn.

"Leo," you giggled as you tried to work yourself out of your boyfriend's strong arms. "I've gotta go. You're going to make me late for the movie."

But instead of letting you go, Wolf had reeled you in closer. "If you leave the house wearing that, then the second you get home, I'm going to bend you over the bed." Your cheeks grew hot, but Wolf's a flirt. Playful by nature. This isn't the first thing he's said to try and rile you up, and you're sure it won't be the last.

"Sure you will," you grinned, not entirely believing him as you slipped from his arms and left him with a bubblegum smooch to the cheek as Lisa began yelling from her convertible that she would drag you out of the house if she had to.

That, of course, had been your mistake.

Assuming that Wolf wouldn't make good on his promise.

It takes a second for you to open the door, waving as your friends speed off. As the TV drones on in the living room, you toe off your shoes and smile at the thought of cuddling up with Wolf while he finishes whatever he's watching before you both call it a night. So he catches you by surprise when you look up, and he's suddenly there. Cupping your cheeks between his palms and pulling you into a sloppy kiss before corralling you toward the bedroom.

"God, baby," he breathes when you break apart, lips skimming to the corner of your jaw before stealing a shorter but no-less-urgent kiss, one of his hands dropping to play with your skirt. "You know what this does to me?" You shake your head, but as the evidence presses hot to your hip, you begin to get the picture. Wolf hums, his lips turning up against the column of your throat. "Guess I'll just have to show you, then."

Wolfman gives you a peck on the lips that contrasts the way he turns you around and promptly bends you over the side of the bed, your arms fanning out across the mattress to steady yourself. Wolf falls to his knees behind you, nudging your legs further apart as his hands trail up the sensitive insides of your thighs until he's gotten rid of your underwear.

One of his hands travels under your skirt to spread your pussy lips, the other holding onto the small of your back to keep you in place as he licks into you with a groan. And he doesn't stop until your thighs are quaking, his name leaving your lips in little mewls.

"Leo, please." He hums, tongue curling to suck on your clit. "Leo."

"Yeah, baby?" his voice is rough. Not wrecked but well on its way.

"In me," you gasp, wanting nothing more than for Wolf to climb onto the bed with you and cursing as he sucks a bruise into your thigh.

"You think you deserve it?" he asks, licking another broad stripe up your cunt. "After you got all dressed up and left me alone with a fucking hard-on?" Well, when he puts it that way, you probably don't. But it doesn't stop you from wanting.

"I didn't know," you whimper as Wolf finally pulls away, leaving you bent over the edge of the bed and your sanity. "But I can make it up to you," you promise. "Want to be good for you, Leo."

There's the metallic clink of a belt buckle and the rumple of fabric as it falls to the floor. The bed is dipping beneath Leo's hand as a warm thigh nudges your own further apart. A familiar weight settling over top of you and teasing between your legs. "I know you will."

[peachyxboy]

A Love so Sweet, it Hurts 🥀 - Prologue

Scripps Memorial Hospital - San Diego, CA

Feburary 13th, 2011

Footsteps padded across the linoleum floors as people walked by, the elevator dinging as it made it to the ground floor, and espresso being grounded up as the barista started on the hazelnut latte with whipped cream. The custodian pushed their cart over to the spilled juice near the gift shop, where a little boy had dropped it only 9 minutes ago. Speaking of which, the cashier scrolled on her phone as a man awkwardly browsed the 'Congratulations it’s a Boy!' cards he would give to his best friend and wife, whose baby potentially could be his. And in the middle of it all, a journalist beelined towards the woman standing by the coffee counter, who was finishing a sudoku puzzle. Head held up high, heels clicking against the floor, and a uncontainable grin plastered on her lips. "Dr. Velasco?" she asked as she approached the attending in maroon scrubs, "It's Dr. Tala Velasco, right?"

"Who's asking?"

"My names Lyla McDowell, I'm a journalist with The Washington Post, but I'm here on more of a...personal matter," she explained with a slight chuckle to break the ice, "You see, I'm writing a book about Walter White and Saul Goodman and what happened in Albuquerque. You were Hector Salamanca and his mother's cardiologist at the time, and I just wanted to ask if you knew anything about the Salamanca's, or suspected them of anything?"

For a second she stopped, but continued on, not interested enough to even look at the journalist. Though, she did murmur something that Lyla did hear at first. "I'm sorry what was that?"

"I said: piss off."

Finally, Dr. Tala turned her attention to the woman. Her expression was apathetic, unreadable to anyone. Her tone was as well. She didn't sound angry or upset, just indifferent to the conversation. Lyla nodded, but tried to keep a friendly expression. To be frank, she's received worse responses over the years. "Dr. Velasco, I know it's been a while and might be hard for-..."

"No, not hard at all. But, apparently, it is for you. So, let me make myself very clear: I don't know anything about the Salamanca's and I don't care. And if, by chance, I happen upon your book at the airport or checkout line at the grocery store, and see my name anywhere in it, you're not gonna hear from my lawyers. You'll be hearing for me. So, you can take 'Walter White: From Mr. Rogers to Scarface,' or whatever cheesy title you already decided to call your book, and shove it up your ass. Now, you can either leave my hospital, or I'll stab my pen in your eye. Understood?"

Lyla stood there speechless, mouth agape as she listened to her calmly explain the situation. A chill rolled down the writer's spine as she starred deeply into the doctor's eyes. She seemed so detached, it was a littler unnerving. "I-I...Have a good day."

Without another word, she scurried away, tail tucked between her legs and she didn't dare look back. Tala just shook her head and sighed before turning back to her sudoku. "And you wonder why the interns here call you the general," the barista remarked as he frothed up the milk.

Tala chuckled, "And I thought it was the barista's just to keep their mouths shut and keep the coffee hot."

He put a hand over his chest, as if the comment actually wounded him. "Ouch, here I was gonna give you a discount," he teased.

"Danny, if I can't get a new Hoyer lift till April, there's no way in hell you're allowed to give discounts," she said, he just laughed.

Danny finished up her drink before handing it over, "So, is it true?"

"That I was Hector Salamanca's cardiologist? Yeah. And Dr. Mike Kukral was classmates with Jeffery Dahmer," she replied with a shrug, "Everyone has their alumni, mine just happen to be drug dealers. Thanks, Danny."

Tala took her sudoku puzzle and latte as she walked off to the closest bathroom. She set her things down and made sure no one was around before locking the door and letting a deep breath, sobbing as the tears began to roll down her face. Her guts twisted and her heart burned as she fell to her knees, not caring if anyone heard her at this point.

Salamanca.

It's been years since she every uttered that name, but it always been in her mind. One Salamanca in particular. No matter how far she went, no matter how hard she tried, Lalo would always be apart of her.

[dracothedeatheatingcupcake-ao3]

Ooooh I just bought a Taka cosplay outfit, since I'm going to TwitchCon next month and I wanted something to wear! I'll have to get a black spiky wig from a costume store to go with it, but I have knee high black boots that I can just stealthily attach temp white shoelaces to to complete the look. It'll be awesome! It won't be arriving until I get back from a trip to Vancouver in a week and a half, but it hopefully will be here before the con.

I've wanted to get a Taka cosplay for ages, but feared I wouldn't have anywhere to wear it, since I can't exactly wear a Danganronpa Halloween costume to work. I can imagine the parents calling my supervisor like "uhh yeah, why is my 5-10 year old child talking about a video game where the students murder each other???" Though, I did have an eight year old girl once who was OBSESSED with the Danganronpa anime. And these kids are into some messed up stuff. But still, not taking that chance, ha. But this was a good excuse to buy the costume, and maybe I can convince my brother to dress up in the Mondo costume and we can do a photoshoot together, ha.

Anyway, I just wanted to share my excitement!! When I told my mom and brother, my mom was all "who was Taka again???" and was still confused even after my brother and I explained, even though she watched him play all the games. SMH, mom. I'll post pictures when it gets here. ^-^

[ticklikeabomb]

Clumsy - One-shot

Pairing : Henry Cavill x Plus Size Reader (Neutral He/She/They)

Warnings : Language ; Innuendos

Word Count : 2.1k

A/N : One-shot not planned to be posted today but hey why not :) Trying to be as neutral as I could, so that everyone can identify themselves, no matter the gender :) Hope you like it.

It was that time of the year again. The time hundreds of fans were waiting for - San Diego's Comic Con Event. It was time for you not only to attend this major Event as an actress/actor but also as a fan yourself. The Comic Con was featuring different panels during the weekend. Stars of shows like Supernatural, Gotham, The Walking Dead or The Originals were walking the same ground you were now standing. Frighten, excitement, thrill, joy, you name it, all those emotions bubbling in you. And what more of a fabulous experience than living it with a fabulous cast. You were Marvel's new addition and were part of the panel's headline, alongside Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlet Johannson, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Elisabeth Olsen, Tom Holland, Paul Betthany and Samuel L. Jackson. All great names and especially all great people that quickly became your little small second family.

You were all standing backstage waiting to be called by the host. You repeated your mantra in order to keep your nerves at bay and smiled brightly when you saw RDJ doing an entrance like only he mastered. Your friends were being called one by one until only you and Tom Holland remained. "Hey it's gonna be ok, relax and enjoy", he told you and gave your shoulder a small squeeze. You nodded and saw him climb the stairs and walk down the stage.

"And finally but not least, welcome Y/N YLN", the host's voice echoed through the gigantic room. You took a deep breath and stepped on stage. Hundreds of people applauding and yelling. It was overwhelming and at your left, you caught the sight of a group of people cosplaying your character. You gasped a little and waved at them, still walking on stage. At some point when you looked the opposite direction you were face to face with the host. 'The hell', you thought and he laughed loudly. You looked behind you and noticed that you crossed the whole cast. Because you were so mesmerized and focused on the fans cosplaying your character you didn't notice that you passed way your standing point. "Sorry", you mouthed at the host. You smiled nervously and did the walk of shame back to your position, passing by a laughing cast. "That started well", you mumbled to yourself, a little embarrassed. You waited until the host gave you permission and took a seat when so, indicating that the panel officially began.

45 minutes later

Wandering across the wave of people, a male stature in a Vendetta mask made his way to support one of his colleagues. That man being none other than Henry Cavill. The British actor was in town to start a new project and since he settled down a week earlier to prepare for his role, he decided to take some fresh air and stop by the Con to support Jason Momoa that was promoting Aquaman. He came across the board and saw that Aquaman's panel was after the Marvel one. He still had an hour to wait, so decided to judge the competition by himself. He entered the panel and discretely found a place to sit.

The panel was going well, the Marvel cast always amazing in interacting with their fans or tell jokes. "I know you have strict orders to not reveal anything but is there by chance some funny moment on set that you might be able to share with us?", asked the host curiously. RDJ looked at your direction and smirked. Your eyes immediately widened, scared about what he might reveal. The cast followed his gaze and once they settled on you, some of them laughed and smirked. 'Oh shit', you thought. The host caught the movement and smiled, "I see there's something, come on tell us."

"I don't know if we're allowed to tell but it's just too good to not mention it", finally replied RDJ. You discretely shook your head, pleading him to not reveal whatever he had in mind and his smirk grew even wider. He took a deep breath and faced the audience, who was ecstatic, waiting for any juicy detail. "So, Evans, Y/N and myself had that scene together."

"Oh No", your voice was heard through the mic while you face-palmed yourself. The cast laughed and RDJ continued. "It was a rather dramatic scene, lots of tension between Cap and Iron Man. There's a moment where Y/N's character is suppose to say 'Improvise', which was in the script. But for some reason, she/he/they got the message wrong and instead of saying the line, she/he/they actually began to improvise the whole dialogue and began to blabber some nonsense that was absolutely not scripted", stuttered RDJ in laughter. The whole cast, the host and the audience began to laugh and you just wished you could die. You couldn't deny that it was actually funny but at the moment of the shooting it was not. "Right and then the Russo Brothers yelled 'Cut' and asked her/him/them what was she/he/they talking about and she/he/they replied that she/he/they improvised like it stood in the script…and … and we were all cracking. It was hilarious’’ ,Evans finished the story while he whipped his tears off.

"Are you really crying of laughter right now?", you asked him in disbelief but amusement written all over your face. He nodded and continued laughing. "You're not visualizing her/his/their face when she/he/they finally got that her/his/their line all along was only the word 'Improvise'. Your face was priceless", he said and looked back at you. You chuckled and shook your head, a small smile ornamenting your face. "The cut made it to the movie actually", suddenly exclaimed Joe Russo out of nowhere. "Whatttt?", your high pitched voice rang across the room. "Yeah, we thought it was hilarious, especially Stark and Roger's confused face and what you said during that scene was kind of funny so, we showed it to Kevin Feige and he loved it." The cast applauded and you smiled while shaking your head, not believing it.

It was now time for some fans to step in and ask their questions. By the 6th question, a fan asked, "Who was/is the clumsiest person among all of you?" Without hesitation everyone exclaimed 'Y/N' in unison. "Not gonna deny that", you replied back with a small chuckle. "I'm such a mess. On set, I fell more times than it's socially acceptable and I've punched two stunt men by accident. I'm still so sorry guys", you said while turning to the camera, apologizing for what felt like the millionth time. A male fan took the mic and asked " I know this is maybe a controversial matter but I'm curious, are you all devoted to Marvel or is there a character that you still love but that it's part of the DC Universe?"

The room erupted at the question, eager to know the cast's response. "Well I for sure know someone who's been cheating on Marvel and went to the dark side", exclaimed Anthony Mackie while giving you a judgmental look. Sebastian who was at his side laughed at his friend’s innuendo and your face heat up. "Why are you looking at me? I don't know what you're talking about", you told him. He smirked and nodded, "Yeah yeah don't play that innocent act on me, I know that you have the hots for a certain Superman." Your eyes widened and you gasped, not believing that he dared to say that. Well what could you expect, Mackie and a mic, of course he would. People were shouting in the audience at this point and you chuckled. "Alright, I confess but can you blame me? He's fine as hell, not my fault", you revealed making the room erupt in loud screams and whistles. "God I hope Henry Cavill will never see or hear about this. It would be so embarrassing", you said and hid your face in your hands. If you knew that he was actually in the audience, never would those words leave your mouth.

"Alright I've got to know Y/N : Captain America or Superman?", asked the host out of nowhere. You chuckled and face-palmed yourself again, feeling the heat burn your cheeks.  You thought for a second and decided that it was the moment to really impress your colleagues and show them a different and more playful side of yourself. "It's not my type but fuck it, I'll take both", you exclaimed triumphantly once seeing your friends's shocked expression, not expecting you being so bold. You smirked and wiggled your eyebrows playfully. "Wow and here I thought you were the innocent one", replied Evans. "I never said I was innocent", you teased back. He raised an eyebrow and smirked back at you. Unfortunately you couldn't keep up with the whole mysterious and intriguing persona and chuckled at the situation, not believing that you dared saying that in front of hundreds of people. "That's it for us. Thank you so much for coming to the Marvel Panel and enjoy the rest of the day", exclaimed the host and closed the Panel.

Henry was surprised to have a good time at the Marvel Panel. He knew some of the cast members and was friends with them. But who really caught his attention was Marvel's new addition, Y/N. He thought you were beautiful and talented. He saw in one of your movies and was intrigued by you since and seeing you in flesh and bones made his heart beat just a tab faster. He laughed at your coworkers teasing about you being clumsy but what he didn't expect was you revealing that you found him hot. He smirked behind his mask and quickly exited the room as soon as the host closed it. He couldn't stop thinking about your voice mixed with your deep gaze and smirk, your teasing leaving him clearly flustered. Without noticing his feet led him to the Marvel signing booth and he didn't hesitate. He waited in line to get to you. After a good half hour, he finally reached you. "For who should I sign it?", her/his melodic voice invaded his eardrums. "Henry", he declared. His voice caught the attention of C.Evans who studied the man standing in front of you.

You were about to look back at the man in front of you when you noticed that your jacket had fallen of your chair. You quickly turned in order to grab it and when your gaze returned to the fan in front of you, you let out a small high-pitched scream. Not expecting to see the one you just publicly declared that you had the hots for in front of you, made you jump a little on your chair, your knee hitting the table and your plastic glass falling right at his trousers, wetting his crotch. "OMG I'm so sorry !!!!", you exclaimed mortified. Evans was laughing loudly beside you and declared, "Already trying to get into his pants Y/N?" You turned his way and gave him a deadly look mixed with embarrassment, making him laugh even more.   "I'm so so so sorry", you apologized to him. You handed him napkins and he took them with a bright smile on his face. "It's ok don't worry about it." There were no stronger words to describe how horrified you were. "I'm gonna go and die now", you mumbled and handed him a new fresh set of napkins. He laughed at your antics and declared, "Wait, not before I get the opportunity to invite you to a date." Your eyes almost popped out of your head and you stuttered, "You wan-na go on a date w-with me?" A bright smile crossed his face and you were so mesmerized by his blue eyes that you didn't hear his answer. You cleared your voice and replied, "Excuse me, what?" He chuckled and replied "You're cute"

"No you are", you breathed out, your brain not functioning correctly anymore. He chuckled again and you adverted your gaze elsewhere, "Ehh, i mean haha. Funny", you stuttered and mentally slapped yourself. "So would you go on a date with me?", he asked again. You nodded without hesitation, "Yes, I-I would love to." He borrowed your pen and wrote his number down. Before handing it to you, he leaned further making you stop breathing for a second and he whispered so that only you got it, " And so that you know, I don't like to share what's mine !" Heat and goosebumps crept all over your body, realizing he told you that because of the Captain America vs Superman comment. He winked and you saw him leaving. "You're drooling all over the place", commented Evans. You rolled your eyes and replied "Shutttt uppp". You bit your lip not realizing that you just got your crush's number and that he asked you on a date.

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[stevishabitat]

The test results that hot day in early August shouldn't have surprised me — all the symptoms were there. A few days earlier, fatigue had enveloped me like a weighted blanket. I chalked it up to my weekend of travel. Next, a headache clamped down on the back of my skull. Then my eyeballs started to ache. And soon enough, everything tasted like nothing.

As a reporter who's covered the coronavirus since the first confirmed U.S. case landed in Seattle, where I live, I should have known what was coming, but there was some part of me that couldn't quite believe it. I had a breakthrough case of COVID-19 — despite my two shots of the Pfizer vaccine, the second one in April.

I was just one more example of our country's tug and pull between fantasies of a post-COVID-19 summer and the realities of our still-raging pandemic, where even the vaccinated can get sick.

Not only was I sick, but I'd brought the virus home and exposed my 67-year-old father and extended family during my first trip back to the East Coast since the start of the pandemic. It was just the scenario I had tried to avoid for a year and a half. And it definitely was not the summer vacation I had anticipated.

Where did I get it? Who knows. Like so many Americans, I had loosened up with wearing masks and social distancing after getting fully vaccinated. We had flown across the country, seen friends, stayed at a hotel, eaten indoors and, yes, even went to a long-delayed wedding with other vaccinated people.

I ended up in quarantine at my father's house. Two rapid antigen tests (taken a day apart) came back negative, but I could tell I was starting to feel sick. After my second negative test, the nurse leveled with me. "Don't hang your hat on this," she said of the results. Sure enough, a few days later the results of a PCR test for the coronavirus (this one sent to a lab) confirmed what had become obvious by then.

It was a miserable five days. My legs and arms ached, my fever crept up to 103 and every few hours of sleep would leave my sheets drenched in sweat. I'd drop into bed exhausted after a quick trip down to the kitchen. To sum it up, I'd put my breakthrough case of COVID-19 right up there with my worst bouts of flu. Even after my fever cleared up, I spent the next few weeks feeling low.

Of course, I am very lucky. I didn't go up against the virus with a naive immune system, like millions of Americans did until vaccines were widely available. And, in much of the world, vaccines are still a distant promise.

"You probably would have gotten much sicker if you had not been vaccinated," Francesca Torriani, an infectious disease physician at the University of California, San Diego, explained to me recently.

As I shuffled around my room checking my fever, it was also reassuring to know that my chances of ending up in the hospital were slim, even with the delta variant. And now, about a month later, I've made a full recovery.

The reality is breakthrough cases are becoming more common. Here's what you should know about getting a breakthrough case — and what I wish I'd known when those first symptoms laid me low:

Is it time for a reality check about what the vaccines can — and can't do?

The vaccines aren't a force field that ward off all things COVID-19. They were given the greenlight because they greatly lower your chance of getting seriously ill or dying.

But it was easy for me — and I'm not the only one — to grab onto the idea that, after so many months of trying not to get COVID-19, that the vaccine was, more or less, the finish line. And that made getting sick from the virus unnerving.

After all, there were reassuring findings earlier this year that the vaccine was remarkably good at stopping any infection, even mild ones. This was a kind of bonus, we were told. And then in May the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said go ahead and shed your mask if you're vaccinated.

"There was so much initial euphoria about how well these vaccines work," says Jeff Duchin, an infectious disease physician and the public health officer for Seattle and King County. "I think we — in the public health community, in the medical community — facilitated the impression that these vaccines are bulletproof."

It's hard to keep dialing up and down your risk calculations. So if you'd hoped to avoid getting sick at all, even slightly, it may be time for a "reset," Duchin says. This isn't to be alarmist but to clear away expectations that COVID-19 is out of your life, and keep up your vigilance about common-sense precautions.

With more people vaccinated, the total number of breakthrough infections will rise, and that's not unexpected, he says. "I don't think our goal should be to achieve zero risk, because that's unrealistic."

How high are my chances of getting a breakthrough case these days?

It used to be quite rare, but the rise of delta has changed the odds.

"It's a totally different ballgame with this delta phase," says Dr. Eric Topol, a professor of molecular medicine at the Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, Calif. "I think the chance of having a symptomatic infection has gone up substantially."

But he adds, "Quantifying that in the U.S. is very challenging" because our "data is so shoddy."

The vaccinated still have a considerably lower chance of getting infected than those who aren't protected that way. Look at data collected from Los Angeles County over the summer as the delta variant started to surge in Southern California: Unvaccinated people were five times more likely to test positive than those who were vaccinated.

Recent research has tried to pin down how well the vaccines are working against preventing any breakthrough cases during the delta surge, but much of that comes from other countries and estimates vary significantly.

In the U.S., a study published recently in The New England Journal of Medicine concluded that vaccine effectiveness "against any symptomatic disease is considerably lower against the delta variant," dropping from over 90% earlier in the year before delta was the predominant strain to only about 65% in July. Research on breakthrough infections over the summer in New York found the vaccines were still overall about 80% effective against any infection. Each study has its limits.

It's hard to disentangle what's most responsible for the rise in breakthrough infections this summer — whether it's the delta variant itself, waning immunity in some people or that much of the U.S. dropped public health precautions such as masking.

"We don't have good evidence of what's the cause, but we do know all of these things coming together are associated with more breakthroughs," says Rachael Piltch-Loeb, a public health researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

How careful do I need to be if I want to avoid a breakthrough?

Looking back, I wish I'd taken some more precautions.

And my advice is different now when friends and family tell me they want to avoid having a breakthrough case such as mine: Don't leave it all up to the vaccine. Wear masks, stay away from big gatherings with unvaccinated people, cut down on travel, at least until things calm down.

The U.S. is averaging more than 130,000 coronavirus infections a day (about twice what it was when I fell sick), hospitals are being crushed and the White House has proposed booster shots. Scientists are still making sense of what's happening with breakthrough cases.

What's clear is that in many parts of the U.S., we're all more likely to run into the virus than we were in the spring. "Your risk is going to be different if you are in a place that's very highly vaccinated, with very low level of community spread," says Preeti Malani, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Michigan. "The piece that's important is what's happening in your community."

Even with delta, the goal is not to go back to a lockdown mindset though, Malani says. "My hope is that people who are fully vaccinated should really feel like this risk is manageable."

She says, "Feel good about spending time with your friends or having a small dinner party, but make sure everyone is vaccinated."

What does a "mild" case of COVID-19 feel like?

In my case, it was worse than expected, but in the parlance of public health, it was "mild," meaning I didn't end up in the hospital or require oxygen.

This mild category is essentially a catchall, says Dr. Robert Wachter, who chairs the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. "Mild" can be "a day of feeling crummy to being completely laid up in bed for a week, all of your bones hurt and your brain isn't working well."

"So even if we call them mild cases, as you've seen, sometimes these are ones you really don't want to have if you can avoid it," he says.

There's not great data on the details of these mild breakthrough infections, but so far it appears that "you do way better than those who are not vaccinated," says Dr. Sarang Yoon, an occupational medicine specialist at the University of Utah Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational Environmental Health who was part of a nationwide CDC study on breakthrough infections. "In general, in terms of symptom duration, it's much shorter."

Yoon's study, published in June with data collected before the delta surge, offers some reassurance: The presence of fever was cut in half, and the days spent in bed reduced by 60% among people with breakthrough infections, compared with unvaccinated people who got sick. "These are meaningful decreases," says Matt Thiese, an epidemiologist and colleague of Yoon's who worked on the study. "It can be the difference between having a fever for almost nine days and having a fever for just under three days."

A recent study from the U.K. also shows that if you're sick because of a breakthrough case, it's generally not as bad, and people have fewer symptoms. In fact, the top five symptoms for people with a breakthrough infection were headache, sneezing, runny nose, sore throat and loss of smell. Notably absent: fever and persistent cough, which are in the top five for unvaccinated people, according to the data compiled by the U.K. researchers.

If I get a breakthrough infection, how sick could I get?

Even with delta, the chance of getting a case of COVID-19 that's bad enough to send you to the hospital is still rare.

If you're vaccinated, the risk of being hospitalized is 10 times lower than if you weren't vaccinated, according to the latest data from the CDC. Those who get severely and critically ill with a breakthrough case tend to be older — in one study done before delta, the median age was 80 — with underlying medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease.

When I was sick, one thing was in the back of my mind as I monitored my symptoms: Would I have problems catching my breath?

Thankfully, when you get exposed, the vaccine has already set you up with antibodies, a first line of defense, that will neutralize parts of the virus that attach to the mucosal surfaces of your upper respiratory tract, says Torriani at UC San Diego.

"That initial moment when our body is attacked by the virus, that can lead to some disease," she says. It's a bit of a race. The virus may cause you to get a cold, but, in most people, your immune system will "get its act together and thwart that infection from going down into your lungs," Wachter says.

That later stage of COVID-19 also seems to trigger the immune system to get "overly exuberant" and attack your own body, causing severe respiratory problems such as shortness of breath and destructive inflammation. "So if you can prevent that sort of second stage from happening," Wachter says, "you can prevent a lot of the severe illness from COVID." Other parts of your immune system, such as T-cells, are also ready to kick into action if you get sick.

If you're concerned, you can keep an eye on your oxygen levels with a pulse oximeter. That's much more important than your temperature or symptoms, he says.

Can I spread it to others, and do I need to isolate?

Unfortunately, you still have COVID-19 and need to act like it.

Even though my first two tests were negative, I started wearing a mask at my house and keeping my distance from my vaccinated family members. I'm glad I did: No one else got sick.

The delta variant is more than two times as contagious as the original strain of the virus and can build up quickly in your upper respiratory tract, as was shown in a cluster of breakthrough infections linked to Provincetown, Mass., over the summer.

"Even in fully vaccinated, asymptomatic individuals, they can have enough virus to transmit it," says Robert Darnell, a physician scientist at the Rockefeller University. "Delta is very good at replicating, attaching and inserting itself into cells."

The science isn't settled about just how likely vaccinated people are to spread the virus, and it does appear that the amount of virus in the nose decreases faster in people who are vaccinated.

Even so, wearing masks and staying isolated from others if you test positive or have symptoms is absolutely critical, Darnell says. He also advises getting tested if you are exposed to someone who has COVID-19, even if you've been vaccinated, "because you could very well get infected or ill, and you want to protect those around you, including all the children who aren't vaccinated."

Could I get long COVID-19 after a breakthrough infection?

The chance I might go on to develop long COVID-19 was front and center in my mind when I had a breakthrough case.

While there's not a lot of data yet, research does show that breakthrough infections can lead to the kind of persistent symptoms that characterize long COVID-19, including brain fog, fatigue and headaches. "Hopefully that number is low. Hopefully it doesn't last as long and it's not as severe, but it's just too early to know these things," Topol says.

Recent research from the U.K. suggests that vaccinated people are about 50% less likely to develop long COVID-19 than those who are unvaccinated. The underlying cause of long COVID-19 is still not yet known, so it complicates the picture for researchers even more, but this early evidence offers some reassurance.

"There may be some symptoms like fatigue [that linger], but studies appear to show that vaccination might also decrease the chances of getting long COVID symptoms," Torriani says.

This is not true for everyone, and it's a compelling reason to avoid getting infected altogether, Wachter says. "Some of those mild cases will go on to be long COVID, so you have to factor that in," he says.