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ereardon · 1 year ago

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Before I Knew [Jake Seresin x Reader] Chapter One

A Jake Seresin unexpected pregnancy fic

Overview: On your first night after moving to San Diego to spend more time with your brother Bob, you unknowingly have a one night stand with his teammate Jake Seresin. For the first time in his whole life, Bob has a closely knit friend group and you’re desperate not to rock the boat. But an unexpected and unplanned pregnancy upends your world, forcing you and Jake closer together, against Bob’s wishes. What will happen when you find yourself actually falling for the father of your unborn child?

Pairing: Jake Seresin x Reader; Bob Floyd x Sister!Reader

Warnings: Pregnancy, cursing, eventual smut, alcohol

Chapter summary: Y/N meets Bob's squadron, and encounters someone she thought she'd never see again; the Daggers celebrate Jake's birthday where he and Y/N have their first conversation after the one night stand

Masterlist here

You were late. Bob was going to kill you. Your brother was a stickler when it came to being on time. It came as no surprise to anyone in your family that he had gone into the military.

You rushed through the door, purse strap getting caught on the handle and you tugged it free, chest rising as you spun around, searching for Bob. He stood in the corner of the coffee shop, pristine in a khaki uniform, eyes wide behind his wire glasses.

“Hi Ducky,” he said as you tossed yourself into his arms, breathing in his familiar scent. He felt like home, even though it had been years since you and Bob had lived under the same roof. You had been barely a teen when Bob left for the Naval Academy, and his stints on land were far and few between after. His assignment to Top Gun was the first time he had settled somewhere on a more permanent basis. It’s why you decided to move to San Diego after college. All of your friends had scattered around the country – grad school in New York, policy analysts in Washington, even one friend had taken an internship with an art dealer in Miami. But you had packed up and left Tennessee with one goal. Be closer to your brother.

“Bobby,” you grinned, stepping back to admire him. Every time you saw him it was months apart and so much had changed, but also so little. He was the same Bob who had thrown you over his shoulder to win the family flag football game on Thanksgiving. The same Bob who had carried your book bag for you when you were in elementary school and he was a middle schooler and went a mile out of his way every morning to make sure you got to your homeroom class safe and sound. The Bob who always picked up, day or night, when you called. The Bob who listened to you weep about your college boyfriend who broke your heart. The Bob who took care of you when you were seven and had the flu and your mom was working a double shift at the hospital and couldn’t stay home with you.

“Ducky,” he said, dropping your hands. The familiar nickname on his tongue brought forward a flood of memories: spring weekends flying kites in the nearby park, sitting on the back of a tandem bike with Bob on a trip to Florida to visit your grandparents, the fort the two of you made the one time it snowed two feet in Tennessee in under a day in March. “This is my squad. Guys, meet my sister, Y/N.”

You tore your gaze from Bob, looking over at the table he was gesturing to, a smile plastered on your face. A beautiful brunette with pearly white teeth and a tight bun was on the far left. That was Phoenix. You had received a handful of letters from Bob talking about her. Next to Phoenix was a handsome, bulky man with a mustache in a plain blue t-shirt. Wow, he was gorgeous.

Your eyes shifted over one more, breath halting in your throat as your gaze slowly crept up. First you spotted the dog tags. Eerily familiar, but then again, a lot of military guys wore dog tags, right?

Then the chin. Ridiculously cut jaw, slight bifurcated butt chin that you had found weirdly adorable two nights before. Plump, pink lips, puckered up in a grin. You felt your heart sink. There was only one thing left. You raised your eyes to his. Clear, seafoam green. An ocean in two small orbs. He smiled as you screamed internally.

Bob’s voice drew you out of your coma. “That’s Bradley.” The mustache man waved a hand. “And Jake Seresin. Hangman.”

Jake. Your stomach did a somersault.

Last time you had seen him, you had been teetering on the edge of drunk, standing outside of the bar with one hand on the railing, the salty ocean wind licking at the sweat on your collarbone, flicking the ends of your hair up against your chin.

The next moment, his tongue was on your throat, in your mouth, fingers in your hair, pressing your body against the railing of the deck as you whimpered into his lips.

You had crept out of bed before he woke up. Just a gorgeous, tan, muscular back sticking out beneath crisp white sheets as you tugged on your short dress and called an Uber. You had expected to never see him again.

And here he was, smirking at you as your brother’s gaze narrowed.

You had fucked up. Correction. You had fucked Jake Seresin. And that was a major fuck up.

***

Bob had never been the type to have a huge friend group, or any close friends really. So the first time he called from Top Gun, giddy with excitement, you had been elated for him. Your brother deserved a tightly knit friend group.

Before you had moved to San Diego, Bob had filled you in on the group’s antics. Their flights, their wild nights out, the dynamics. But he had centered mostly on Phoenix and Rooster.

Jake had conveniently been left out of the majority of the conversation.

“Well?” Bob asked as the two of you headed back to his house in your rental car. “What do you think of the group?”

“They’re nice,” you said.

“That’s it? Nice?”

You sighed. “I’m really happy for you, Bobby. You have a good group of friends. I know that’s what you always wanted.”

Bob leaned back against the seat. You were the one person that Bob confided in. He was an open book and you could read him with one glance. Looking over, you spotted his furrowed brow, the tense way he was squeezing his knuckles together.

“Are you OK?” you asked, turning your eyes back toward the road, slowing down to take a right turn.

“Tell me you didn’t move here for me.”

“Then I’d be lying.”

“Y/N,” Bob said. His voice had taken on Big Brother™ mode. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

“Don’t you want me around?” you whispered.

“Of course I do,” Bob replied. “I just don’t want you to waste your life following me.”

“Living in California a waste?” you asked. “No way.”

“What’s the plan, Duck?”

“Not everyone was born potty trained and with a plan, Bobby.”

“You’re twenty-three,” he countered. “It’s time to be an adult and figure out what you’re doing with your life.”

“You sound like mom.”

“And we both know she’s never wrong.”

You sighed. “Just because you got your life together at seven doesn’t mean I have to.”

“Duck—”

You cut him off. “Bobby, please. It’s been a week. Give me a little time and I promise, I'll figure out what I’m doing. Just be my brother, OK, instead of acting like my dad.”

That silenced him. Bob had taken your father’s disappearance harder than you had. He put on a brave face. He stepped up. He became the man of the house. But that meant that he had taken it upon himself to be your brother and your dad. So even at twenty three he still saw you as a child.

The two of you drove the rest of the way back to Bob’s house in silence. Inside, you were just about to close the door to your guest bedroom when Bob’s voice floated down the hall.

“By the way,” he said, “I told the squad we’d go out for drinks with them tonight. It’s Jake’s birthday.”

You grimaced. “Sounds good.”

“Leave at nine?”

“Sure.” You closed the door, plopping down on the bed face first. You had moved to San Diego to figure your life out. And of course the first thing you had done was have a one night stand with one of Bob’s teammates. If he had been anyone else in the world you would have been able to avoid him.

What do you get someone for their birthday when you hoped you’d never see them again?

***

“Floyd!”

You turned at the same time as Bob. Bradley grinned. “Oh this is going to get confusing.”

“Here.” Natasha pointed to the bar stool next to her. “Have a seat. Boys will get you a drink. Bradshaw?”

Bradley tipped his head. “On it, ma’am.”

She rolled her eyes as you settled into the seat, crossing your legs beneath the short skirt. “So, Y/N. Bob’s told me all about his little sister. But he left out that you were coming to live here.”

“I’m not much of a planner.”

Phoenix laughed. “The anti-Bob. I like you already.”

“He’s told me a lot about you,” you replied. “And Bradley.”

“And nothing about Jake I’m guessing?” You nodded and Phoenix took a sip of her beer. “Trust me when I say, you don’t want to even go there.”

“Are you speaking from experience?”

Phoenix craned her neck around, making sure the two of you were out of earshot before nodding. “Just steer clear of him. That’s my suggestion. Hangman is fun for a night. But things get messy quick. And he and Bob have a little bit of a history.”

You frowned. “What kind of history?”

Just as Phoenix opened her mouth to respond, Bradley pressed a beer into your open hand. “Ducky.”

You grimaced. “Bobby, you didn’t!”

He shrugged. “Sorry.”

You rolled your eyes. “I’m so going to eat your last Pop-Tart tomorrow just to get you back for that.”

“Fill us in, will you?” Phoenix asked.

“When she was four, Y/N became obsessed with those little yellow rubber ducks that you put in your bath.” You groaned as your brother recounted the full story. How you had thrown a fit when your mother had tried to take you out of the bath and the only thing to calm you had been to fill your bed with the rubber ducks. And how the next morning that continued, one rubber duck gripped firmly in your chubby hand as you ate breakfast, went to the park, tagged along to the grocery store, went to daycare. This continued for weeks.

You didn’t want to admit to the team that you still had a rubber duck stuffed inside your suitcase back at Bob’s house. It was a safety net of sorts.

“Sorry, Duck,” Bob said, squeezing your shoulders and placing a small peck on the top of your head.

You looked up at him. His cheeks were flushed, he had a massive grin on his face. He was happy. All you had wanted in as long as you could remember was for Bob to be happy. He took your happiness more seriously than his own. It was time you returned the favor.

“Am I interrupting?” All eyes turned to Jake. He had on a tight black t-shirt and a pair of jeans with cowboy boots peeking out the bottom. He shot a grin your way and you did your best to avoid his eye contact.

“Happy birthday, Hangman.” There was a chill in Bob’s voice, or perhaps you were reading into it because of what Phoenix had said earlier.

Jake nodded. “Thanks, man. Anyone up for a game of darts?”

Bob dropped his hand from your shoulder, following Phoenix and Jake back toward the darts board on one end of the bar. You sat back in your seat, tipping the beer down your throat, watching as they played. There was an easy banter with all of them.

You finished your beer, the darts game still ongoing. Quietly, you slipped around the edge of the room, out the door that led to the back deck.

It was quiet outside, just the sound of the waves crashing against the hard sand and the soft hum of the music as it seeped through under the door and from behind the old windows. You laid your fingertips on the wooden railing, tipping your head back toward the moon that was slung low in the sky, feeling the cool breeze dry the sweat that had started to form on the base of your neck.

“Mind if I join?”

You turned. Jake stepped out onto the deck, a beer in one hand. He approached the railing, putting the green bottle down and smirking over at you. This time you were far less drunk. You shrugged. “It’s your birthday. Who am I to say what you can or can’t do?”

He frowned. “Don’t be like that.”

“Just because you’ve seen me naked doesn’t mean you know me.”

He looked bristled. “Y/N. I had no idea you were Bob’s sister when we met the other night. If I had known, I—”

“Wouldn’t have fucked me?”

He grimaced. “You’re the one that left without saying anything.”

You folded your arms over your chest. “It’s not like you were falling over yourself to drive me home. It was better that way and we both know it.” You allowed yourself to look up. God, he was stunning. Green, wide eyes. Tanned skin, the way his forearm flexed as he gripped the railing. You could remember the way his touch felt as he dragged his fingertips over your skin. You tried to shake the memory from your mind. “Just do me one favor.”

“Sure.”

“Don’t tell Bob,” you whispered. “Let’s just forget the other night ever happened.”

Jake’s gaze lingered. “If that’s what you want.”

You pushed up off of the railing. “It’ll be better, trust me.” You headed for the door, turning around at the last moment. Jake was still leaning against the railing, watching the waves in the dark. “Jake?”

He turned, green eyes wide. There was something almost sad about him, you thought. It was a fleeting glimpse, but you saw it.

“Happy birthday.”

He smiled. You turned, peering through the glass on the wood door. Bob had his head thrown back in a laugh as Bradley pounded against the piano keys and Phoenix danced. You smiled. Your brother was happy.

You weren’t going to ruin his perfectly crafted life by saying you had slept with one of his friends. It would be easier for everyone if you and Jake Seresin pretended you had never met before.

How would they ever catch you in your lie?

Please follow my library page @ereardonlibrary as that will largely serve as my tag list. Anyone I previous promised to tag is here:

@bobfloydsbabe @blue-aconite @wkndwlff @mamachasesmayhem @mandylove1000 @djs8891 @clancycucumber230 @rosiahills22 @buckysteveloki-me @kmc1989 @gigisimsonmars @eloquentdreamer @mjisbby @shanimallina87 @seresinslady @seresinhangmanjake @blackwidownat2814 @yanna-banana @bbyvanessaa @mrsjobarnes @midnightmagpiemama @ingoaliesitrust @rockbottomphilosophies-blog @iangiemae @joaquinwhorres @boiolay @sometimesanalice @spinning-away

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inthedayswhenlandswerefew · 7 months ago

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Where Will All The Martyrs Go [Chapter 4: Read Between The Lines]

Series summary: In the midst of the zombie apocalypse, both you and Aemond (and your respective travel companions) find yourselves headed for the West Coast. It’s the 2024 version of the Oregon Trail, but with less dysentery and more undead antagonists. Watch out for snakes! 😉🐍

Series warnings: Language, sexual content (18+ readers only), violence, bodily injury, med school Aemond, character deaths, nature, drinking, smoking, drugs, Adventures With Aegon, pregnancy and childbirth, the U.S. Navy, road trip vibes, Jace is here unfortunately.

Series title is a lyric from: “Letterbomb” by Green Day.

Chapter title is a lyric from: “Boulevard Of Broken Dreams” by Green Day.

Word count: 5.6k

💜 All my writing can be found HERE! 💜

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the taglist 🥰

It is your first week of basic training at Great Lakes on the north side of Chicago, and as you lie in the top bunk of your assigned bed you wonder what the hell you’ve done. You enlisted right out of high school, eighteen, no driver’s license, no work history, never been more than fifty miles outside of Soft Shell, Kentucky. The drill sergeants are always yelling and you’re bad at push-ups; you can’t understand the recruits from big cities like Los Angeles, Miami, Las Vegas, Detroit, Houston, and they don’t seem to get you either, and aren’t interested enough to try. Sometimes you wish you hadn’t signed that five-year contract, but where would you be if you weren’t here? Home is not words but textures, colors, fumes that still burn in your sinuses: cigarette ash on rose pink carpets, red embers glowing in the wood stove, Hamburger Helper and Mountain Dew, coffee creamer in Hungry Jack potatoes, laughter and heavy footsteps and slamming doors, scratch-off games, dogs barking, collecting coins from couch cushions for gas money, scrubbing clothes in the bathtub when the washer quits, Mama taking gulps from her favorite cup—plastic, Virginia Beach, filled with equal parts Hawaiian Punch and vodka—when she thinks no one is looking, blue shows flickering on the television, Family Feud, Maury, Good Morning America, WWE SmackDown. For as long as you can remember you’ve known you couldn’t stay. Now you’re getting out, but nothing in life is free.

You are at Class A Technical School in Gulfport, Mississippi, and even though it’s hotter than some noxious, volcanic hellscape—Mercury, Venus, Io—you are beginning to like it. You taste the salt of sweat when you lick your lips, sugar in the sweet tea they serve in the chow hall. There’s a magic in building something where there was only empty space before, in patching roofs and painting walls. Here being quiet and watchful is exactly what they want from you: head down, hammer striking nails, measurements and angles and long hours under the sun with no complaints. You’re not just running away anymore. You are creating something new.

You are sitting beneath swaying palm trees and a full moon on Diego Garcia, draining cans of Guinness with Rio, and he’s telling you things he shouldn’t, too personal, too honest: Sophie wants to try for a baby next time he’s home on leave, and part of him wants that too but he’s terrified. As thunder rumbles in the distance and raindrops begin to patter on the waves of the Indian Ocean, you tell Rio you think he’d be a good father. He wonders how you figure that, and you say because he’s not like any of the men from home. He gives you one of his crooked smiles—a flash of teeth, knowing dark eyes—and doesn’t ask what you mean.

But of course, when you swim up from the inky currents of sleep you are in none of these places. You are curled up on the floor of a bowling alley in Shenandoah, Ohio, cheap worn black carpet peppered with stars and swirls in neon green, pink, blue. You stretch out with a yawn. Someone has left a Lemon Tea Snapple within reach; you twist it open and guzzle it, hoping to extinguish the pounding in your skull, a rhythmic thudding of warm maroon, half Captain Morgan and half misery. The music isn’t helping. From the green Toshiba CD player, a man is singing in Spanish. Aegon and Rio are sitting at the nearest table and playing Uno.

Aegon says as he ponders his cards: “You know Enrique Iglesias, right Rio?”

“You are so racist.” Rio puts down a wild. “And the new color is red. Racist.”

“So what’s he saying?”

“Aegon, buddy, I told you, I was born here. My grandparents came over in the 60s. I don’t speak Spanish.”

“You can’t understand any of it?” Aegon is skeptical. He plays a skip, a reverse, and a seven. “My dad never taught me a word of Greek but I can recognize plenty of phrases. Vlákas means idiot. Spatáli chórou is a waste of space.”

Rio sighs, relenting. He puts down a two. “The song is called Súbeme La Radio, Turn Up The Radio For Me. Bring me the alcohol that numbs the pain… I don’t care about anything anymore…You’ve left me in the shadows…”

“Damn, now I’m sad. Draw four, bitch.”

“When the night comes and you don’t answer, I swear to you I’ll stay waiting at your door…” Rio studies his cards. “What’s the new color?”

“Green.”

“Yes!” Rio slams down a skip. “Fleeing from the past in every dawn, I can’t find any way to erase our history…”

Everyone else is awake already. As muted late-morning daylight streams in through the small tinted windows, Aemond is weaving between tables, pointedly checking on each person. He glances at you, says nothing, turns around and walks the other way.

“That’s tough,” Rio says sympathetically, popping open the tab on a can of Chef Boyardee and shoveling ravioli into his mouth with a plastic fork.

Aegon gives you a smirk. “You want to fake date now?”

“I’ll think about it.” No you won’t.

Helaena appears, a prairie girl vision in a modest blue sundress and with her hair tied back with a matching scarf. She reaches into her burlap messenger bag and offers you a choice between a ranch-flavored tuna pouch or a silvery pack of Pop-Tarts. “Strawberry,” she tells you.

“I’ll take the Pop-Tarts.”

Helaena gives them to you and then shakes a bottle of Advil. You’re so groggy it takes you a few seconds to figure out what she wants, then you obediently hold out a hand. Helaena lays two tablets in the center of your palm and moves on, soundlessly like a rabbit or a spider.

You wash the pills down with Snapple. As you nibble half-heartedly on a Pop-Tart—trying not to look at Aemond, multicolored sprinkles falling down onto the carpet—your eyes drift to the tattoo on the underside of Aegon’s forearm. It’s not over ‘til you’re underground. You’ve spotted it before. Only now do you remember where you recognize the lyric from. “Is that Green Day?”

“Yeah,” Aegon says, enthused that you noticed. “Letterbomb.”

“I love that whole album.”

“Me too. I could sing it front to back if you asked me to.”

“I’m not asking.”

Aegon cackles and resumes his Uno game with Rio. Baela is wearing denim shorts and a crop top, slathering her belly with Palmer’s cocoa butter from Walmart as she chats with Rhaena and eats Teddy Grahams. Daeron is waxing the string of his compound bow. Jace is gnawing on a Twizzler as he scrutinizes Aegon’s map, annotated with Xs and circles and arrows in sparkling gel pen green.

“I’m going to be a thousand years old by the time we get there,” Jace mutters.

Aegon hits the table with his fist. The discard pile collapses and cascades, an avalanche of Uno cards. Rio, undisturbed, continues contemplating his next move. “You know what, Jace? The cities are full of zombies, the interstates are blocked by fifty-car pileups, if we bump into anyone else who’s still alive they’re just as likely to rob and murder us as want to be friends, and on top of all that I’m trying to do you the favor of preventing you from getting so irradiated you turn into Spider-Man. If you have a better route in mind, I’d love to hear it.”

“Spider-Man…? You’re such a dumbass, what are you talking about?!”

Luke says from where he stands by a window: “Aemond, someone’s outside.”

“What?” Aemond stares at him. “Zombies?”

“No. People.”

Aemond bolts to the doors, the rest of you close behind him. Rhaena turns off the CD player. You, Rio, and Aegon squeeze together to peer out of one of the windows. There are men—three of them, no, four, all appearing to be in their forties—passing by on the main road through town. They are armed with what are either AR-15s or M16s, you can’t tell which.

Rio whistles. “If you get shot by one of those, the exit wound will be the size of an orange.” Everyone looks at him. This was not an encouraging thing to say.

You elaborate: “Thirty-round magazines. Semiautomatic, assuming they’re AR-15s for civilian use. I guess they could have gotten ahold of M16s somehow. Those have a fully automatic setting.”

“So regardless, we’re out-gunned,” Jace says.

“If they know how to use them. Some men think guns are wall decorations, like deer heads or fish.”

Aegon recoils. “Fish?! What the fuck. I’m glad the colonies left.”

“Maybe they’ll keep walking,” Daeron says hopefully. One of the men stops and points at the bowling alley, saying something to his companions. They laugh and begin crossing the small parking lot. They are less than two minutes from the door. “Oh, great…”

“There’s an emergency exit in the back,” Baela says.

Aegon snorts. “Yeah, that we stacked about twenty boxes of bowling pins in front of to zombie-proof.”

“We won’t be able to get out before they hear us,” Aemond says. Then he abruptly orders: “Grab your guns, let’s go. Helaena, Baela, Rhaena, you’re staying here.” Aemond’s remaining eye—briefly, reluctantly—skates over you as Rio, Aegon, Jace, Luke, and Daeron scatter to obey him. “You too.”

“But I’m the best shot.”

“I don’t want them to know we have women with us.”

“I’m of more use to you outside.”

Aemond rips his Glock out of its holster, pointing it at the floor. His frustration is palpable, an electric shock, heat that refracts light rays until they become mirages on the horizon. “You’re going to stay here, and if a stranger comes through those doors you’re going to kill them. Okay?”

His urgency stuns you; his eye is blue-white summer storm lightning. “Okay.”

“Now get back.”

You soar to the nearest table, duck under it, reach for your Beretta M9 and double-check the clip, fully loaded. You click off the safety.

“Aemond, wait, let me go first,” Aegon is saying by the door. “I’m better at de-escalation, I’m less…uh…intimidating.”

“Less socially incompetent, you mean,” Jace quips.

“I’ll lead,” Aemond insists. “Aegon can talk. Rio, you’re up front with me.”

Rio pumps his Remington 12 gauge. “I’d be delighted.”

Jace is amused. “I’ve been demoted, huh?”

“He’s bigger,” Aemond replies simply, then opens the door and vanishes through a blinding curtain of daylight. The others follow closely; Daeron, the last one out—his compound bow in hand, the strap of his Marlin .22 slung over his shoulder—shuts the door behind him.

Very faintly, you can hear Aegon: “Hey, guys! What’s happening? How’s the apocalypse treating you…?”

Baela, Rhaena, and Helaena are under the table with you. They deserve to have options. You tell them: “If you want to go hide behind the lanes or try to get out the back door, now’s your chance.”

Helaena shakes her head, clutching your t-shirt: black, Star Wars, pawed off a shelf at the Walmart. “I want to stay with you.”

“Same,” Baela says determinedly, gripping her Ruger. She barely knows how to use it, but she’ll try. Rhaena is shaking, her eyes filling up her face, small fragile bones like a bird’s.

You can’t hear voices from outside anymore, but there are no gunshots either. You keep your M9 aimed at the doors, your breathing slow and deep, your heart rate low. Your hands are steady. Your eyes hunt for the slightest movement, for the momentary shadow of someone passing by a window. Against your will, your thoughts wander to Aemond. I hope Aegon is on his left side. Aemond can’t see there.

“Rhaena, get your gun out,” Baela says sharply. “Come on. Turn the safety off. What if you were alone right now? What if we weren’t here to protect you?”

Rhaena nods, fumbling to free her revolver from its holster. “I’m sorry…I’m trying…”

Now there is a stranger’s voice, gruff and deep. He must be just beyond the door, the farthest one to the right. There is a creak of hinges, a sliver of sunlight. “That’s just too damn bad, fellas. You got a nice little hideout here, and you’re gonna have to share it—”

The door opens. Two unfamiliar faces, too shellshocked to raise their rifles in time. You close an eye, line up your sights, fire twice, and that’s all it takes: one headshot, one in the throat, blood like a fountain, spurting scarlet ruin, thuds against the carpet strewn with neon stars, gurgling and spasms as their brains send out those final electrical impulses: danger, catastrophe, apocalypse. Rhaena is screaming. Helaena is covering her ears with both hands.

You run to the doorway; there are more booms of gunfire out in the parking lot. You cross into the late-morning light to see the other two men on the pavement: one with an arrow through the eye, the other with a gaping, hemorrhaging hole where his heart once was. Rio is admiring his work, holding his shotgun aloft. He scoops a handful of Cheddar Whales out of his shorts pocket and shovels them into his mouth.

“Goddamn, I love Remington Arms Company.”

“Oh, that was awesome,” Aegon says, wan and panting, hands on his waist. “Yeah, that was…that was…” He bends over and vomits Snapple and Cool Ranch Doritos onto the asphalt.

“Everyone okay in there?” Rio asks you.

“Yeah.” Behind you, Baela, Rhaena, and Helaena are stepping through the doorway. Your thoughts are whirling sickly: I killed someone. I killed someone. “They wouldn’t leave?”

“We told them the bowling alley was ours,” Aemond says, not looking at you. “We asked them very politely to keep moving. They chose to try to intimidate us into letting them stay. They weren’t good people, and these are the consequences.”

You click on the safety and re-holster your M9. You’re wearing Rio’s on your other hip. They seem to weigh so much more than they did ten minutes ago. I’m not supposed to be a killer. I’m a builder.

“Aegon, are you okay?” Daeron asks, a palm on his brother’s back.

Aegon retches again. “Shut up. You can’t even buy fireworks.”

“Zombies.” Luke is peering through his binoculars. “Not many, just two. Way up the road.”

“There will be more.” Baela’s cradling her belly; you don’t even think she’s aware of it. “They heard the gunshots, the sound carries for miles.”

“We’re leaving,” Aemond says. “Right now. Everyone get your things.”

As backpacks are hastily zipped and Daeron and Aegon stand guard in the parking lot, you kneel down beside the men you murdered and check their rifles. They are M16s, either stolen or illegally purchased: there’s a little switch by the trigger to choose between semi-automatic or the so-called machine gun mode.

“They barely had any bullets left,” you tell Rio. Just like us when we were trapped on that transmission tower.

“Yeah, same story for the other two guys. Four bullets in one magazine, a half dozen in the other. But it only takes once. We don’t have any ammo that will work with M16s, do we?”

“No, we definitely don’t.”

“Fantastic. Well, we’ll throw them in a Walmart cart and take them with us just in case.”

You’re staring down at the man you shot through the head. His eternal resting place is a puddle of blood and brains in a bowling alley in rural Ohio; surely no one deserves that. “He was a real person,” you say, dazed. “Not a zombie. Just a person.”

“Hey.” Rio grabs your shoulders and spins you towards him. From where he is helping Luke gather up the remaining food, Aemond’s head snaps up to watch. “You hurt him before he could hurt us. You did the right thing.”

“Sure.”

“I killed a dude too. I blew his heart right out of his chest. You think I’m going to hell for that?”

“No,” you admit, smiling. “And if you’d be there with me, I guess I wouldn’t mind so much.”

Rio grins, wide and toothy. “Well alright then. Let’s finish packing.”

The ten of you depart from Shenandoah, Ohio heading northwest on Route 603 just like Aegon marked on his map, Jace chauffeuring Baela in one shopping cart, Rio pushing another loaded high with food and M16s.

“It looks like rain,” Helaena says.

Everyone else peers up into a clear, cerulean sky, wondering what she means.

~~~~~~~~~~

You’re a few miles north of Shiloh when the storm rolls in, cold rain and furious wind, daylight that vanishes behind dark churning thunderheads, jagged scars of lightning in an opaque sky. The road is only two lanes, surrounded by fields of wildflowers and ravaged crops and untilled earth; it would look like the patchwork of a quilt if you were gazing down from an airplane, but of course the FAA grounded all flights over a month ago when the world went mad: Revelations, Ragnarök, the fabric of the universe unweaving as death burned through families, cities, nations like a fever, like plague.

“Maybe we should cut across one of these fields,” Jace says, pointing. He is soaked with rain; it drips from his curls, runs into his eyes. Baela is in her cart again; each time she tries to get out and walk, she’s gasping and can’t keep up within half an hour. You’ve all taken turns pushing her, much to Baela’s dismay. She’d be humiliated if she wasn’t too exhausted to keep her eyes open.

“Here, let me do it,” you offer, and Jace gratefully relinquishes the cart. Baela gives you a frail wave of appreciation.

“We stay on the road,” Aemond insists, flinching as rain pelts his scarred face. “Farmhouses have driveways and mailboxes, we’ll pass one eventually. If we lose the road, we might not be able to find it again. We’ll end up wandering around in circles in the woods.”

“Just like the Blair Witch Project,” Aegon says glumly, his Sperry Bahama sneakers audibly soggy.

“There!” Luke announces, spotting something with his binoculars. “Up ahead on the left. Past the bridge.”

You can’t see what Luke does until there is an especially brilliant flash of lightning: a farmhouse, old but seemingly not derelict, and with a number of accompanying buildings, guest houses and stables and barns and towering silos.

“Home sweet home!” Rio says. “And I don’t care if I have to kill a hundred of those undead bastards to get in, it’s mine.”

“Well, hopefully not a hundred,” you reply, in better spirits now that a sanctuary has been found. Aemond keeps glancing back at you as you push Baela’s cart. If he wants to say something, he’s doing a good job of resisting the temptation. “We don’t have that much ammo.”

There is a concrete bridge over a river, probably unremarkable and only five or ten feet deep normally but now torrential with rain. Water rushes by beneath, a muddy incline on each side as the earth rises back up to meet the road. A reflective green sign proclaims that you are only two miles from Plymouth, which Aegon plans to skirt along the edges of. It’s a decent-sized town; he thinks you might be able to find a car to steal there, something with gas in the tank and keys on a hook just inside the house.

“I call the master bedroom,” Jace says craftily, rubbing his palms together. You’re near the center of the bridge now, another ten yards to go. “Nice big bed, warm cozy blankets, and I was up for half of last night keeping watch so tonight I am off duty, I am a free man, it’s going to just be me and my girl and eight glorious uninterrupted hours of sleep—”

Rhaena shrieks, and then you hear it over the noise of the storm, pounding rain and rumbling thunder: moans, growls, hisses like snakes. Not one zombie. A lot more than one. They’re crawling up from under the bridge, from the filthy quagmire at both ends. There was a hoard of them waiting, aimless, dormant, almost hibernating. But now they are awake. They are grasping for you with bony, dirt-covered claws. They are snapping with jaws that leak blood and pus and bile as their organs curdle to a putrid soup.

“Get off the bridge!” Aemond is shouting. He has his Glock in his right hand, a baseball bat in his left. He’ll shoot until he’s out of bullets, and then, and then…

Rio helps you get Baela out of the cart, then opens fire. His Remington doesn’t just pierce skulls, it vaporizes them. When he’s out of shells—there are more in his backpack, but no time to reload—he yanks the M16s out of the other Walmart cart and empties each of them, mowing down zombies as the rest of you scramble across the bridge. All around you are explosions of gunshots, thunder, lightning, zombie skulls crushed by bullets and blunt force trauma. Baela is firing her Ruger as you half-drag her, one arm hooked beneath hers and around her back. When the last M16 is empty, Rio starts clubbing zombies with the butt of it. You’ve all reached the north side of the bridge, except…

“Fuck off, you freaks!” Jace is screaming. They’ve backed him up against the guardrail, a swarm of ten or more. His Remington shotgun is out of ammo; he’s swinging it wildly, but he doesn’t even have enough room to maneuver. There are still more zombies emerging from under the bridge. You can hear them snarling and groaning. You swipe an M9 off your belt and put a bullet in the brain of a zombie as its fingers close around your ankle, then you start picking off the ones mobbing Jace. You aren’t fast enough. As they lean in to bite him, teeth gnashing at the delicious throbbing heat of his jugular, Jace throws himself over the barrier and into the surging water below.

“No!” Baela cries. She careens off the road and into the field, running parallel to the river as swiftly as she can. You are helping her, steadying her, firing at any zombies you have a clear line of sight on. The others are here too: slipping in the muck of the flooding earth, shouting for Jace. He surfaces through the frothing current, flails pitifully, disappears beneath the water again. You glimpse a white hand, a shadow of his dark hair, a kicking shoe. There are more zombies on the opposite side of the river, trailing after Jace, lurching and slobbering viscous, gory saliva. They cannot swim, but they can follow him until he washes ashore.

Jace bursts up through the waves, gasping. “Help! Aemond…Aemond, for the love of God, help me…” He blubbers and then is dragged under. Aemond and Luke are continuing frantically after him. Baela is hysterical, sobbing, trembling with adrenaline. Aegon is yowling as he swings at zombies with his bloodied golf club. Helaena is darting around almost invisibly, always cowering behind Daeron or Aegon or Rio.

You glance north towards the farmhouse, growing not closer but farther away. We can’t leave shelter. We can’t leave the road. You lock eyes with Rio. He’s thinking the same thing.

“Aemond, we have to go,” Rio says, but in the midst of the rain and the turmoil it barely registers.

“Jace, we’re coming to get you!” Aemond swears. The ground is increasingly sodden, deep, difficult to trudge through. Jace resurfaces, coughing and sputtering.

“Jace!” Aegon wails. He caves in the skull of a zombie who was once a registered nurse as Helaena crouches behind him. “Jace, I’m sorry! I’m gonna miss you, man!”

Jace splashes in the rising river, his arms flailing helplessly. He is being swept away far faster than any of you can move on foot. “Aegon, you dumb bitch!” Jace manages, then slips beneath the water and doesn’t reappear.

“Where is he?!” Baela is saying. “Aemond, where…?”

You are trying to soothe her, to bring her back to reality. She was always so pragmatic before; you have to wake her up. “Baela, listen, we can’t stay here, he would want you and the baby to be safe—”

“Aemond! Aemond, we have to go!” Rio catches him, wrenches him around, roars into his face as driving rain pummels them both: “We have to go, or we’re going to die here too!”

It hits Aemond all at once; he understands, horror and agony in his sole blue eye. “We have to go,” he agrees. And then louder, to everyone: “Get to the farmhouse!”

Baela collapses into the mud, howling, tears flooding down her face. “No, he’s still alive, he’s still alive, we can’t leave him!”

You and Rhaena are trying to haul Baela to her feet. Now Aemond is here, pulling you away from her—his fingers tight and urgent around your wrist—as he and Luke take your place. “Go,” he commands. “You run. Don’t wait for us. Rio?”

“I got her,” Rio replies, grabbing your free hand with an iron grip. Gales of wind rip at you; every millimeter of your skin is soaked with rain. As you flee across the fields towards the farmhouse, dozens of zombies pursue you. More are still staggering along the banks of the river, swept up in the hoards chasing Jace and the promise of his waterlogged corpse when it reaches its final destination. Daeron has run out of arrows and is shooting with his .22, which is very much not his preference. Aegon trips, getting covered in mud as he rolls, and Rio stops to help him. While he is distracted, you look back at Aemond. He, Luke, and Baela are moving quickly, but not quickly enough. A drove of zombies is closing in on them. You have a spare few seconds at last. You yank your backpack off, grab a box of ammo inside, and reload your M9.

“Chips?!” Rio calls over his shoulder.

“I’m fine.”

He knows you well enough to listen. The world goes quiet as your finger settles on the trigger. There’s a rhythm one slips into, an impassionate lethal efficiency. It’s easier to keep going than to stop and have to find it again. You fire over and over, dropping eight zombies. You sheath your M9 and whip Rio’s out of your other holster, the sights finding grotesque decaying faces illuminated by lightning. You pull the trigger: blood, bones, brains, corpses jerking and convulsing as they fall harmlessly to the mud. Aemond is here; when did he get here?

“I told you to run!” he’s shouting through the storm, furious. He’s shoving you towards the farmhouse. You resist him.

“Let me kill as many as I can—”

“Go! Now!” Aemond orders over the clashing thunder, and then sprints with you all the way to the front porch to make sure you listen. Everyone else is already there. Helaena has fetched a spare key from under the doormat and is turning it in the lock.

Daeron observes her anxiously. “We don’t know if it’s safe in there, Helaena.”

“Not in,” she says, insistent. “Through.” Through this building, and maybe through the next one too. The average zombie is not terribly clever. If they lose sight of you, without the benefit of the momentum of a hoard they are lost. Helaena opens the door. The living rush inside, and she locks it behind you. As you are bursting out the back door, you can hear zombies pounding their rotting palms against the front one. You soar through a stable full of dead horses and donkeys, leaving the doors open; this should keep the zombies distracted if they make it this far. Then you race to the farthest guest house. Luke, swiveling with his binoculars, spies no zombies approaching as you steal inside. There is no spare key this time; Rio punches out a first-floor window for you to climb through. Once everyone is inside, he and Aegon move a bookshelf to cover the opening.

You all stand in the living room, gasping and shivering, dripping rain down onto the rug and the hardwood floor. The air is dusty but clean of any trace of vile, swampy decay. Outside, thunder booms and lightning flashes bright enough to illuminate the lightless house. The sky is so dark it might as well be nightfall. Baela sinks to her knees, clamping both hands over her mouth so she won’t sob loudly enough for a zombie to hear. Rhaena and Luke are beside her, both weeping quiet rivulets of tears, trying to comfort her in whispers. Helaena is rummaging around searching for candles; she has already taken a lighter out of her soaked burlap messenger bag.

“Daeron, bro, come over here,” Aegon chokes out. He embraces Daeron, clutches him tightly and desperately, doesn’t let go. Rio is reloading his Remington 12 gauge.

Jace is dead. Jace is dead.

Aemond says to you, his voice low but seething: “What the fuck was that?”

You blink the raindrops out of your eyes as you stare at him, bewildered. “You needed help.”

“I told you to run.”

“I’m an asset, I have skills that can keep you alive, why am I here if I’m not going to be useful—?”

“You’re not in the fucking Navy anymore!” he hisses. “When I tell you to run, you run, you don’t stop, you don’t look back, because I can’t worry about you and take care of everyone else.”

“Nobody asked you to worry about me.”

“But I do.”

“Aemond,” Aegon pleads, waving him over. Aegon’s plump sunburned cheeks are glistening with rain and tears. “Man, it doesn’t matter. Nothing else matters now. Please come here.”

“I’m going to clear the house,” Aemond says instead.

Rio raises an eyebrow at you—this is one fucked up guy, Chips—and then pumps his shotgun. “Me too.” He sweeps with Aemond through the main floor and then vanishes up the staircase.

Helaena is lightning candles she found in the kitchen and arranging them around the living room. Daeron starts gathering food from the pantry. Rhaena and Baela are murmuring to each other softly, mournfully. It doesn’t feel like something you should intrude on. Luke is peeking out of a window with his binoculars, vigilant for threats. Aegon sniffles, wanders over to you with large, sad, shimmering eyes, pats your shoulder awkwardly.

“Hey, Chocolate Chip. You doing okay?”

“No,” you answer honestly.

“Yeah. Me either.” Then he flops down on the hideous burnt orange couch and lies there motionless until Daeron brings him a can of Dr. Pepper. Aegon pops the tab, slurps up foam, and then begins singing to himself very quietly, a song so old you can remember your grandfather saying it was one of his favorites as a boy: A Tombstone Every Mile.

When Rio comes back downstairs—heavy footsteps, he can’t help that—you meet him at the bottom of the steps. “The house is good,” Rio says. “And Aemond’s in the big bedroom on the right if you’d like to go up there and talk to him.”

“I don’t think he wants to see me right now.”

“I could not disagree more,” Rio says with a miserable, exhausted smile. Then he goes to the couch to check on Aegon.

You pick up one of the flickering candles, white and scentless, and ascend the staircase. You find Aemond in the master bedroom, the same accommodations that Jace laid claim to when he was still alive. He is sitting at the edge of the bed and staring at the wall, at nothing. Tentatively, you sit down beside him, placing the candle on the nightstand.

“Aemond…what happened to Jace…it wasn’t your fault.”

“Criston said I was in charge, that’s the very last thing he told me. They might be the last words I ever hear from him, and I just…” His voice breaks; he wipes the rain and tears from his face with open palms. “I really wanted to get everyone home.”

“I’m so sorry about what I said at the bowling alley,” you confess, like it’s a dire secret. “I don’t want to fight with you, Aemond, I…I want to help you. I can see what you’ve done for everyone here, me and Rio included, and I believe in you. I want to be a part of this.”

He nods, an acceptance of peace, but he still doesn’t look at you.

“Can we start over? I’ll never bring it up again, okay? I wasn’t trying to guilt you or upset you or anything. I should have just dropped it. I overreacted. And I understand why being with someone like me maybe wouldn’t be…super appealing.”

“It’s not about that.”

“Then what’s it about?”

Aemond wrings his hands, shakes his head, at last turns to you, golden candlelight reflected in his eye, his scar cloaked in shadows. His words are hushed, clandestine, soft powerless surrender. “I’m already so afraid of losing you.”

He cares, he hopes, he wants me too? “I’m here right now, Aemond. I don’t know what else I can say. I’d promise you more if I could.”

He reaches out to touch you, to ghost his thumb across your cheekbone, wet with rain. Then he kisses you, so gently you cannot help but imagine the wispy borders of calm white summer clouds, the rustle of leaves as wind blows down the Appalachian Mountains. You don’t have to ask him what he’s thinking, what it feels like. You can read it in the startled, firelit wonder on his face.

You taste like the beginning of something, here at the end of the world.

#aemond targaryen x reader #aemond x you #aemond targaryen #aemond one eye #aemond x reader #aemond x y/n #aemond targaryen x you #aemond targaryen x y/n

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mxtantrights · 1 month ago

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Sé que se puede, se puede amar

a/n: anddd he strikes again. when I said I was down bad for this man I really meant it. it's bad. anyways this isn't gonna be a two parter (I know I said that last time but this time I mean it!! mostly)

for the sake of this fic: Armando and Mike are still working on their relationship but they are close enough to have each other's phone numbers, Armando is out of prison, he didn't kill the chief, Armando is in some form of therapy.

also based on this song which I've had in my playlist forever.

Armando knows things about life. Like how to aim a gun to kill and how to aim a gun to send a warning. He knows the difference between a friend and an enemy. He knows that life isn't fair, that it's messy and takes no prisoners.

Of course in therapy he's learning to see the positives. He gets to wake up every day in a bed, under a roof, with food to eat and a family (of sorts) to talk to.

And all of those things do him just fine. He just feels like there should be more. Like there is something missing.

This is why, and the only reason why, he pulls out his phone and calls Mike. It takes three rings, and on the third Armando is ready to hand up and text him saying it was a butt dial. But Mike picks up.

They both greet each other. Mike asks how Armando is doing. Armando should say okay, or fine. But he doesn't really want to lie. So he tells the truth which is still a bit rare for him at this point in his life.

He tells Mike about this feeling he has in his chest. How quiet his apartment is and how boring it looks. How when he's done with work, he hangs out with the only co-worker he can stand and then shuffles home.

Mike jokes with Armando that he's missing a love life. Which Armando doesn't take seriously at all. He's a good looking man in Miami, he's not missing out on anything.

Then Mike tells him that there's a difference between whatever one-night stands he's had and the real thing. Mike goes on a tangent about his former ways and how he's glad he wrapped it up and fell in love with his now-wife.

They end the call joking around with each other, Mike tells him to stay out of trouble, and Armando tells him to not hold his breath.

But as Armando falls asleep that night, or tried to, Mike's words hit him. All the meaning less hook ups, hook-ups that he might've wanted to be more. He was searching for something and he didn't even know it.

-------

THREE WEEKS LATER

There are boxes in the hallway up to his apartment. It makes him do a double take. It made him highly suspicious but it's still something he's working on getting used to. Not exactly trusting other people out right but not thinking the worst without having evidence to do so.

Armando hears the elevator ding. He took the stairs up, because it was coming down from the forth floor. From his floor. Whoever it is could be his new neighbor.

He turns around, wanting to see who it is.

Seeing you isn't like how they describe it in the movies. It's not like he's instantly in love with you or something. This is real life, that's not how it works.

But he sees you, with a box in your hands. In a short sleeve pink shirt and a pair of jean overalls. And you come walking his way, with a smile on your face. And he doesn't smile at people. Never to be polite, never to ease tension or awkwardness.

He smiles when you stop just a foot in front of him.

"You must be my neighbor. I'm sorry for all the boxes." you say.

"Don't worry about it. Do you need help?" he asks.

He never offers to help people. But it just came tumbling out of his mouth before he could think any better. He didn't know you, he doesn't know if he can trust you, but here he is offering to move your stuff in.

You ramble about how he doesn't have to, but he just takes one of the boxes that line the hallway floor into his arms. You lead the way to the apartment across from his and key open the door.

When he puts down the box inside your apartment you offer him a bottle of water. He jokes that it was only box and there are a few more he wants to help you with before he can earn a water from you.

So as you head back down stairs to get more boxes, he moves the ones in the hallway inside your apartment. Most of them pretty heavy. He can see why you were just lining them up instead of bringing them in one by one.

The two of you talk friendly, which his also something he doesn't usually do. Armando? Friendly? Either he says nothing or he says something that would get him smacked. Or at least that's what his mother always said.

It takes about an hour and change to get all the boxes inside your apartment.

When you finally get the last one inside, you exhale in relief. Then you go over to the fridge which only has a carton of eggs, milk, a measly half opened package of bread and a case of hard seltzer. You offer him one now.

He takes it, leaning against the wall. None of your furniture is ready to sit on.

You talk casually about what you do for a living, why you moved to Miami, where home is, etc. He learns things about you then and wonders if this will be a one off.

He's the one to cut it short. Armando says he's got early hours tomorrow so he's going to go. Which isn't true per say. Yes he has work but he doesn't need to leave because of that. It's not like he's going to go to bed right at this moment.

But he also doesn't want to take up your time. You obviously have somethings to unpack. He doesn't want to keep you any longer. So the two of you say goodbye.

A MONTH LATER

He's starting to think he's weird. He's weird, he has to be, for noticing these things about you. Like what time you get up in the morning because he can smell your breakfast through his apartment. Or which days you happen to have off because he can smell your cleaning products.

He's weird. Definitely.

Mike said he has a crush.

Out of all the things Armando was expecting Mike to say, it wasn't that. He's a grown man! He doesn't have a crush on you! That's stupid. He likes running into you, and when you two have time to talk you do.

But he doesn't have your number. He hasn't been in your apartment since he helped you move in. And you've never stepped foot inside of his.

He doesn't have a crush on you. He doesn't really even know you.

Well he knows that you moved to Miami because of a better job opportunity and to be closer to your family. While you liked the east coast you didn't really think of staying there your whole life.

Okay he knows a little bit about you. But only what you've told him. It's not like what Mike said over the phone. There aren't little things he notices you do.

A knock comes from his door. Armando isn't expecting someone so at first he doesn't answer.

There's another knock. Then he can hear your voice calling out his name. He gets up from the couch quickly. Quicker that he likes.

He unlocks then opens the door.

There you stand, a case of coronas in your hand.

He notices right away that you look good. He always thought you were good looking but you look really good right now. You're in a little black dress, and your hair isn't in it's usual state.

Damn. He might have a crush on you.

"Had a bad date, wanted to hang out with someone that doesn't make me want to throw myself off a very tall building." you say.

He opens the door wider, and invites you in. And he feels like a dog for closing the door after you and taking in your full figure. He'll punish himself later, when you're gone.

You take a seat on his couch like you've been here before. You sit all comfortable like, against one of his pillows. You take out one of the glass bottles.

Armando thinks to himself he doesn't know where he put the bottle opener. But then he sees you take out your keys and bend the cap open. He laughs to himself.

He joints you on the couch. Taking a beer for himself and sitting across from you. He opens the bottle on the end of the coffee table. And you laugh at him.

"You know the date wasn't that bad." you speak.

Armando's eyebrows raise, "So what did it?"

"When he started talking about how he wants to get back into stocks. How he misses the rush and feeling like he's on top of the world." you answer.

Armando makes a face. He knows guys like that. Guys that wear the cleanest suits and do the 'finest' drugs. Only to be the worst men walking earth because of how they treat others as objects.

"What made you go out on the date with this loser anyways?" he asks.

You shrug your shoulders and take a swig of beer.

"Thought I would try the dating scene in Miami. I've been proven wrong." you reply honestly.

Armando takes you in for a moment. You were looking for something too. He doesn't know why that thought makes him a little bit happier than before. That you could possibly be in the same boat as him, looking for something a bit more.

You seem to notice him not answering so you wave your hand in his face. But he's not dozing off, he's looking right at you. So when your hand goes left to right his eyes follow your movements.

"I suppose you have no complaints in the dating department." you say.

Armando shrugs his shoulders this time, "I don't."

There's a silence. He watches your face scrunch in confusion. You're too smart. Armando has a way of answering sometimes that is truthful, if you read between the lines.

You're reading between the lines very quickly. Like you see through him.

"As in you don't have complaints, or you don't date?" you ask.

He chuckles and leans back into the couch.

"There are no complains because I don't date." he answers.

"Oh. Wow I just thought because you're good looking and you seem kind-"

"You think I'm good looking?" he cuts you off.

There's a smile on his face. The front row of his teeth showing. He's happy that you find him good looking. He's not saying anything is going to happen between the two of you. But the prospect of it seems, fun.

You laugh, "Of course I mean come on. That's like not even subjective, that's pure fact."

"Wow. Did you have a drink before this? You're bold tonight." he replies.

With that you take the glass bottle and raise it up to you lips. You finish off the beer and set the empty glass back down on the table to your side.

"Don't lie, you like it."

A WEEK LATER

He thinks you're doing this on purpose. Yes, when you showed up in that dress the other night that was an accident. A happy accident. But ever since then it's like you've been on his radar.

Just doing things that pique his interest. More than usual.

Like when you were re-painting your front door in that short sleeve and overall combo. He doesn't know what it was about that outfit but he'll never forget it.

Or that time when you asked if you could use his shower. Your was down. Which, he knew about because the landlord had said that whole line was down for the day. You came over in the cutest robe and all your shower products.

He's losing his mind. At least he thinks so.

Thats's the only reason why he's waiting up for you. He got home five minutes ago but he's leaning against his door and playing on his phone.

Because he's losing his mind over you.

He hears the elevator ding. He doesn't look up from his phone yet. Not yet.

"Armando?" you ask.

He looks up.

You've got a bit of a pout on your face. He can't help the smile on his face. You walk up to him, your feet shuffling against the hallway floor. Your bag is slung over your shoulder.

"Hey." he says.

"Are you locked out or something?" you ask him again.

He thinks, there's an idea. Should he though? It wouldn't be very honest of him. But he isn't really feeling like being honest will get his mind off you.

"Forgot my keys at work." he says.

You move over to your own door. He watches as you unlock it and open it wide, gesturing him inside. He peels himself off his door and walks into your apartment.

He feels you behind him, you close the door.

"If you want a drink you're shit outta luck. Forgot to get some this weekend." you say.

He chuckles, "That's alright. I'm just waiting for my coworker to drop my keys off."

"Oh yeah, how far out are they?"

Armando knows how to lie. He's been lying his whole life. Doing those jobs for his mother, being a part of the world he was in. Lying was like breathing. If you didn't do it, you didn't last an hour.

But remember he's losing his mind.

So he comes up with the only answer that he can think of.

He watches you take off your shoes and take a seat on the couch.

"An hour."

You tilt your head at his answer. He had said before that his job was only twenty minutes away. So of course an hour seems like an unreasonable answer.

"I thought-"

He cuts you off, "someone else closed up. so he has to come from his place, which is about twenty minutes in the other direction."

In his head that makes perfect sense. It's just confusing enough to not be pondered for too long. You nod your head, and shed the blazer off of your body.

He joins you on the couch, resting his bag on the floor. His bag which as his keys inside. He'll be sure to not kick it so you don't hear the jingle of the metal.

"How was your day?" you ask, an emphasis on your which means your day sucked.

If he couldn't already tell by the pout you had when you strolled off the elevator.

"Nothing new. But I think I wanna hear about what has you so stressed." he answers.

You sigh, "I'm just bring passed grunt work. I hate it. But I'm new so I can't really say no."

"You want me to come down there and knock some skulls?" he jokes.

You laugh.

"No, I promise. Thanks for the offer though Hercules." you tease.

You see, that right there. That right there is what gets him. You do these things, you say these things and he doesn't know if you possibly feel the same way he does.

You suddenly get up, heading for the kitchen. You do it with a smile. He watches you in pure amusement. He doesn't know why.

When you come back, you have two beers in your hand. It confuses him for a moment. You seem to be able to read his face.

"Well, I figure if I stopped lying, you would too." you say.

You put his beer on the coffee table in front of you. Then you open yours and take a sip. His eyebrows raise on his forehead.

"Okay. I have my keys." he says.

You nod, "So why were you waiting outside of your door?"

"I was waiting for you."

You sit up at that answer, "because..."

He lightly chuckles.

"Because I think I'm going crazy." he answers.

"Crazy about what?" you ask.

"Crazy about you."

You smile wildly, "You just made my day so much better."

THREE MONTHS LATER

Armando knows you have an affect on him. But he didn't notice quite the affect he has on you. How could he? He doesn't really put it together like that.

Yes, he knows you like him. You like teasing him. You like riling him up a bit. You also like hearing him talk. Whenever he decided to say more than four sentences you were always so ready to listen.

Which is why he didn't notice that affect he had on you when he said those words a few moments ago. You asked him to repeat it.

You're standing in between his legs as he sits on the couch. His hands are comforting you, rubbing up and down ont he back off your thighs. Your hands are around his neck.

"I said I want to go to bed with you." he repeats.

You look around the room. Which makes him laugh. Of course there is no one else around. Even if there were he would only be talking to you.

He brings you in by the waist, looking you right in the eyes.

"You heard me querida." he says softly.

You smile widely, "I know but I just can't believe you would say something like that. I mean you're making me melt."

He kisses your stomach though the button up shirt you're wearing. You run your hands through his short hair as he does.

He looks up at you.

It's been three months of dates, late night texts, and dropping by each other's places. He didn't think he'd get here. To this point in his life. Asking for something so mundane. To go to bed with you.

But right now that's all he wants.

After a long day of work, he just wants to change his clothes and have you sleeping next to him. He wants to see your nose twitch in your sleep like it usually does. During a movie night at his place you fell asleep and he saw it for the first time. Couldn't get it out of his mind for days.

"Do you have a change of clothes for me?" you ask quietly.

He nods his head, "I have everything. All you have to do is say yes."

You smile.

"Take me to bed, 'Mando."

He wastes no time. With no other words he lifts you up from the back of your thighs and carries you to his room. You latch onto him and nestle your face into the crook of his neck.

Armando wants to remember this feeling forever. It's not love. Not yet. It's the possibility of falling in love.

#Armando aretas x reader #Armando aretas fic #Armando aretas imagine #Armando aretas

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judes-hoe · 9 months ago

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Help together ~LN4

Parrings~Lando Norris x teammate!reader

Summary~ being the new rookie at McLaren and only being 19 you caused your anxiety to go through the roof and Lando helps you cause he went through the same thing.

Warnings~ mention of mental health, anxiety, panic attacks!!!!!!!!!

A/N~ from this TikTok:( also Lando and you have a 4-5 year age gap your 19 turning 20, also pretend Oscar like doesn’t exist for this fic lol😭

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McLaren had decided to sign you for the 2024 season after Oscar signed to go somewhere else. You were beyond excited to be teammates with Lando, he was someone you looked up to. He was almost just like you.

So far in the first 5 races you’ve started with the best rookie year. Getting p3 2 times and p2 1 time and p4 2 times. But the Miami Grand Prix, the 6th race.

You ended up spinning out almost mid race. Your anxiety kicked in, worried about what people will think about for you crashing on social media. It was like the walk of shame once you got back to the pit lane walking to the McLaren.

Your anxiety made it seem like everyone was watching and looking at you. You stand next to your engineer and watch the rest of the race there. You started picking at round your nails,something you do out of habit.

Your eyes light up when Lando starts to lead the race at the last. You watch as everyone starts to cheer as this will be their star boys first win in formula one. You try to keep smiling and being happy but your anxiety is still eating at you.

You started picking your nails to much making a few fingers bleed, grabbing the bandaids they had in the garage and putting them on the fingers that were bleeding.

You soon watched as the garage erupted into cheers everyone hugging someone. Lando won his first race. You smile when you listen to his radio. He sounded so happy. When he pulls up to the number 1 spot and getting out his car, the cheers in the stands were loud.

You stand to the side when the team is against the barriers waiting for him to celebrate. You watch as he runs to them and jumps the barriers into their arms. You smile at them, happy that he finally won a race.

You watch as he did his interview and went to the cool down room. Your anxiety started to get bad as you started getting uncomfortable even standing. You knew that your panic attack was coming, you always got uncomfortable no matter when or where you knew that was a sign it was coming.

You walk to your drivers room not trying to disturb or make a scene. You sat on the small couch in the room, pulling your knees to your chest trying to calm down.

Lando was up on the podium, first step. He looked down at his team while the British national anthem played. He noticed you weren’t there, he saw how you stood away when he was celebrating with the team, picking your nails. He decided to enjoy his moment. In the back of his head he worried about you.

He celebrated with the team a little more and did a few more interviews before he started to worry about you. It’s been almost 30 minutes and he still hasn’t seen you. “Where is she?” He asked your race engineer. “Last I seen she went into her drivers room?” They told Lando.

He rushed to your drivers room. He knocked on the door. “Darling, It’s me, let me in.” Lando said softly. “C-come in.” You said through short breaths. He walks in closing the door behind him.

He looks at your current state. Teary eyes, stuffy nose, short breaths, and bandaids on your fingers. He walks over and sits next to you. He’s had to help you before sometimes after a bad practice or qualifying.

“I’m here darling.” He spoke softly making you look at him. “Listen to my voice not the ones in that pretty head.” He says to you. “Breathe with me.” He takes deep breaths with you. “Listen to my heartbeat” he said pulling you to his chest laying your head on his chest.

You slowly calm down and breathe normally again. “Sorry for ruining your special day.” You spoke quietly when you felt ready to speak. “Don’t apologize, I did my celebrating I knew you weren’t ok and knew you needed me” he spoke pressing a kiss to your head. “You did great today through, wasn’t your fault you crashed” he said rubbing your back. “Let me see your phone.” He said with a hand out and you hand him you phone. “I’m keeping this until we go our separate ways, you don’t need to worry.” He said stuffing the phone in his pocket.

“Thank you.” You spoke with a smile. “I’ll always be here for you, even if in the future we aren’t teammates, and I know what you’re thinking, you’ll win a race soon, and I’ll be right there to celebrate with you.” He said looking down at you.

You smile at him and nod. “Let’s go celebrate your first win!” You said excitedly your anxiety now gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

#judes-hoe😚#lando norris x reader #lando fluff #lando fic #lando smut #lando x reader #lando imagine #lando norris #f1 x you #f1 x reader #f1 imagine #f1 fic #f1 fanfic #f1 #mclaren

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probablyasocialecologist · 1 year ago

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What if Tucson’s million new trees — and the rest of the country’s — didn’t just keep sidewalks cool? What if they helped feed people, too? That’s what Brandon Merchant hopes will happen on the shadeless south side of Tucson, a city where about one-fifth of the population lives more than a mile from a grocery store. He’s working on a project to plant velvet mesquite trees that thrive in the dry Sonoran Desert and have been used for centuries as a food source. The mesquite trees’ seed pods can be ground into a sweet, protein-rich flour used to make bread, cookies, and pancakes. Merchant, who works at the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, sees cultivating mesquite around the city and surrounding areas as an opportunity to ease both heat and hunger. The outcome could be a network of “food forests,” community spaces where volunteers tend fruit trees and other edible plants for neighbors to forage. “Thinking about the root causes of hunger and the root causes of health issues, there are all these things that tie together: lack of green spaces, lack of biodiversity,” Merchant said. (The food bank received half a million dollars from the Biden administration through the Inflation Reduction Act.) Merchant’s initiative fits into a national trend of combining forestry — and Forest Service funding — with efforts to feed people. Volunteers, school teachers, and urban farmers in cities across the country are planting fruit and nut trees, berry bushes, and other edible plants in public spaces to create shade, provide access to green space, and supply neighbors with free and healthy food. These food forests, forest gardens, and edible parks have sprouted up at churches, schools, empty lots, and street corners in numerous cities, including Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle, and Miami. “It’s definitely growing in popularity,” said Cara Rockwell, who researches agroforestry and sustainable food systems at Florida International University. “Food security is one of the huge benefits.” There are also numerous environmental benefits: Trees improve air quality, suck carbon from the atmosphere, and create habitat for wildlife, said Mikaela Schmitt-Harsh, an urban forestry expert at James Madison University in Virginia. “I think food forests are gaining popularity alongside other urban green space efforts, community gardens, green rooftops,” she added. “All of those efforts, I think, are moving us in a positive direction.”

#food forest #trees #urban trees #food security

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bloodlinemadness · 30 days ago

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Stress Ending (Tama's Version II)

Gif is mine

A/N: I appreciate the interactions, but would appreciate feedback the most so I can continue writing more or if y'all enjoy it! It would be greatly appreciated. Please & thank you.

I had the fic up before, and it was longer than this, but Tumblr wouldn't make it visible 😭 It's a long story, it got deleted & I wasn't able to copy & paste the whole thing, sorry about that 🤧

Link to previous part.

Pairings: Tama Tonga x Fem! Reader

Mentions of Roman Reigns x Fem! Reader

Warnings ⚠️: 18+ Swearing, Angst, Fluff, a bit of arguing, a creep hits on the reader, mentions of past relationship, drinking, dirty talk, Sm*t (it's my first time writing it so please don't judge!). Implied shower sm*t. Not PROOFREAD. MINORS DNI

WC: 7.4k

Cr: @firefly-graphics ⬆️

Written for fictional purposes ONLY!!

A few seconds later, you heard gasps coming from the doorway of the studio. You both quickly pulled away & looked at the door. You saw your co-worker Rachel, and your best friends Giulia & Stephanie Vaquer looking at you both with surprised looks on their faces. You quickly got off Tama's lap & brushed yourself off.

Rachel broke the awkward silence "um hey, these lovely ladies wanted to meet you. Hopefully we weren't interrupting anything?" "No, not at all! OH MY GOSH!!! GIULIA, STEPHANIE HIII!!" you screamed running over & hugging them. They both hugged you back. You invited them into your studio. You knew both ladies since your days in NJPW, you did their makeup during their days at Ice Ribbon & Stardom & became the best of friends from there.

When you moved out of yours & Tama's shared apartment, you stayed with both girls & they were there for you when you went through that difficult time. They knew about him & were your shoulder to cry on. You were over the roof when you heard about their debuts on NXT & couldn't wait to reunite with them. However, your busy schedules kept the 3 of you away. You were touched that they took their time out to come visit you.

"Well, I better get going" said Tama, "Y/N, Giulia, Stephanie, Rachel. I'll catch y'all later" he said, awkwardly waving at you all before leaving. As soon as he left Giulia looked at you eyebrows raised with her hands on her hips, her older sister instincts kicking in, you knew you were in trouble "Tama-san?!" she said in shock, Stephanie crossed her arms looking at you. "I can explain, please sit" you said motioning over to the client chairs.

You were returning from catering after your break & were heading back to the studio. "Hey ladyyy" you heard a deep familiar voice behind you, you turned around & saw Roman smiling at you walking towards you. "Ro, hi!" you said, hugging him. "I have a request, my arms & back are in pain from the brutal match I had at the PLE & I can't really lift them up to wet my hair with this spray. Could you please be a dear & help me with that?" he asked. "Of course!" you said. "Appreciate you, thank you" he smiled handing you the spray bottle. You led him into your studio.

You sectioned out Roman's hair, preparing to spray it. "So what's new?" he asked "not much, just living the dream. How's the wifey & kids?" you asked. "They're good, we all went on a little vacation last week to Miami. Perfect bonding time for us all" he said. "Lovely" you said spraying his hair. There was silence for a few seconds, and only the spritz of water was heard. "So, a little birdie told me that you & Tama are back together?" he questioned in curiosity. You froze in shock & stopped spraying. How did he know this? "Huh?" you asked. Three people saw you & Tama kissing. You doubt Giulia or Stephanie told Roman or anyone, cause they left the arena right in front of your eyes. It's gotta be Rachel, you thought to yourself. "Was that little birdie Rachel, Ro?" you guessed. He nodded.

"I'm so getting her ass for that" you gritted through your teeth. "So it's true?" he asked. "We kissed, but we haven't really talked about getting back together" you said resuming spraying his hair. "Well, I have no issue with you two getting back together. I'm glad you both are working things out. It seems like Tama is doing better. Just hope he apologizes to us when he's able to, cause we haven't forgotten" he said. "True" you nodded. "We're just taking baby steps, he'll come to it soon" you finished spraying Roman's hair, he got up & looked at his reflection in the mirror at the result. "Thank you sweetie, appreciate it" he smiled. "Of course Hun, tell the wife & kids I said hi" you said. "For sure, hope things work out between you & Tama" he said. You both embraced each other. You heard someone clear their throat, you & Roman pulled away, and looked to the door only to see Tama in his ring gear this time, looking at the two of you with an unsatisfied look on his face. "Hey man, nice to see you. This isn't what you think it is by the way" defended Roman. "Tama, I can explain" you said. He shook his head, and turned to leave. You excused yourself from Roman & went after him to an outside patio.

"Tama, please listen to me, I'm not with him anymore. Yes, we loved each other, but we just weren't compatible. I've realized that what I've had with you was always something special. Your love was like no other. Nobody can love me like you, and I still love you. I'm willing to give you a second chance, what you said the other day, I believed in it all & you've truly proven yourself that you have changed." you said, making him slowly turn around & look at you again.

"Roman & I were just having a friendly conversation, it meant nothing!" you said. "Friendly? He seemed to enjoy that hug too much!" yelled Tama. You sighed "You want the truth? Roman is back with his wife & kids, we've both moved forward Tama. I suggested that he'd rekindle with his family again, it's for the best. Apparently big mouth Rachel told him about us kissing, he said he was happy to hear about us. If you want, ask him" you revealed. There was silence for a moment before he spoke up "really?" he said, you nodded. "You're the only one I want Tama" you said. He looked at you. You ran over to him, cupped his cheeks & crashed your lips against his, immediately he kissed back hard wrapping his arms around you.

You pulled back from him "he's still expecting an apology though to his family" you whispered against his lips. "I'll do it when I see him" he said lifting his up by your thighs & sitting you down on the balcony railing, smashing his lips back onto yours. You were elevated, you got your man back, but you wondered if it was official to him & if you were both going to make this a regular thing again, too early? You both smiled against each other's lips & were so lost into each other until you heard a voice call for Tama, you both pulled away looking back & seeing Loa at the doorway smirking at you two.

"I gotta go" said Tama; "of course, go right ahead. Good luck for tonight" you smiled, he nodded smiling at you "merci ma chérie" he whispered, you nearly combusted hearing that pet name after so long. He went back into the hallway, Loa still smirked at him. "What?" he said. "Nothing, I've seen it all" he teased. "Shut up" he blushed hard walking with him to the Gorilla for their match.

Loa: So are you thinking of getting back with her?

Tama: Idk man, it's complicated.

Hikuleo:

Loa: Hikuleo ???

Tama: Can y'all stop having a meme party & help me out?

Loa: Okay, do you still like her?

Tama: ...

Loa: I'm not playing connect the dots toko, what does that mean?

Tama: I still felt bad when she mentioned about her & Roman. Maybe there's feelings left. I'm still mad about the situation I was kept in.

Loa: Well to be honest, you hurt a few people too to get there. It worried me about you.

Tama: I know...and they worked on that with me while I was at the center. Along with ways to cope with the issues I come across.

Loa: And I know you've changed, just talk to her & see where it goes. Hopefully you both come to an agreement & you figure out where your feelings stand.

Tama: Damn, you sound like my therapist

Loa: I'm just wise as they come 😁

Hikuleo: I disagree

Loa: @ Hikuleo you've never had a break-up in your life have you?

Hikuleo: Nah

ELP: HE'S LYING! YOU LEFT ME IN JAPAN 😭

Tama: @ELP WTF?! When did you get added into this chat?

Hikuleo: I added him last year when we were all in Japan & that was supposed to be between us only 😒 @ELP

ELP: 🤐

Loa: Betraying your wifey here & your ass still hasn't debuted yet 🤣

Hikuleo: And when I do, I'm running to Smackdown & coming for your ass first 🙄

Tama: Anyway, I'll speak to Y/N tomorrow about this.

Hikuleo: Seriously?

Tama: Trust me, bro

Hikuleo: #ThankYouCMPunk

Tama: Get tf out, I'm telling them to delay your debut 😑

Hikuleo: @Loa Are you sure he changed??? 👀

Tama:

Hikuleo: God, help us all.

You took a seat at the café, Tama texted you to meet him at. You saw him coming in, his eyes scanned the room looking for you. He saw you & came over to your table taking a seat. "Hey" he said. "Hi" you said. "You want anything to eat or drink?" he asked. "Oh, I'm good, thanks I just finished my mocha, you go ahead" he nodded & went to go order. You wondered why he called you over. Does he want to give you both another try? Did he find someone else? Couldn't be that since you both kissed twice yesterday. Your thoughts were cut off as you heard the chair in front of you, being pulled out & someone taking a seat, except it wasn't Tama.

You looked up to see a man probably in his 30s smiling at you. "Well, hello gorgeous. What are you doing sitting in this café all alone? Looks like you need company" he smirked. You felt uncomfortable, "no thank you, I already have company" you said. He chuckled "that's what they all say. Where is he? I don't see him" he said looking around. "Why don't you turn around, dumbass?" you smiled in relief at that voice. The man turned around & saw Tama looking at him with fury in his eyes. He stood up "well, if that's the case. Maybe you shouldn't leave her on her own" he spat. Tama cocked his brow at him 'uh oh' you thought you knew that's never a good sign. He put his drink down, and grabbed the man up by his collar "and maybe you should learn to leave women the fuck alone when they say 'no.' Now get out of here & leave my girl alone before I put my foot up your ass" he gritted through his teeth. The man quickly scurried away & ran out of the café.

All you could think about was Tama calling you his girl. He sat down in front of you. It was quiet between you two for a minute while Tama was sipping his drink. You spoke up "Tama?" "Hmm?" "did you really mean that when you said I'm your girl" you asked. He was silent for a few seconds, thinking of what to say. He took a deep breath before speaking "truth is Y/N, I wasn't sure about this whole thing. After seeing you with Roman & the whole rehab process. I had second thoughts about letting you back in. But, I gotta say I do accept my mistakes for what I put you through. I'm surprised that you still want to see me. I wasn't sure about my feelings for you. But knowing that you still stood by me through everything & even coming back for me after your relationship with Roman, my feelings are still there for you" you felt your heart pounding against your chest hearing his words.

"The little things that you've done for me like my hair this morning, coming to my welcome back party & talking to me, despite hugging Roman & the history you both had, you still came running after me, then telling me you love me. My feelings for you grew & came back & then when that guy was hitting on you just now, I knew I had to protect you, because I love you too" he confessed. Your eyes watered up. "I love you Tama" you smiled. He smiled back eyes watering up too "I love you to too Y/N, and I apologize for everything I put you through in the past, I regret it so much & I want us to have another go" he offered. "Of course!" you exclaimed. He smiled back, you went over to him & sat on his lap. "Let's start this all over again & do it right" said Tama, you nodded pressing your lips against his. He immediately reciprocated, you both were back as a couple & you felt like all is well in the world, rekindling yours & Tama's relationship again.

He pulled away, "so..." he trailed running his hand down your arm, "wanna come over & have a movie night?" he asked smirking. "Sure" you smiled blushing, "your family wouldn't mind right?" you asked confirming. "Mom & Dad are with my sis. Loa's out with his nephew & pup Samson. I don't know about Hikuleo" he said. "That's my worry" you frowned. "Hikuleo isn't gonna be too happy if he sees us back together" you sighed. "Ah, he'll fall in place. He's just looking out for me even though he's my little brother but that's just him being protective over me & Loa. I'll talk to him, it just takes time. We'll quietly sneak our way into my room. He's probably at the downstairs gym working out, this is usually his time" assured Tama. You nodded "okay." "Let's go" said Tama, standing up, and helping you up as well. You both held hands & left the café, God it was such a great feeling having him back & being together with him again.

2 months later (Sm*t Warning ⚠️)

You and Tama, patched things up & went back to officially dating each other. It took awhile for his family to accept it which you understood but eventually they came along & accepted you two. Loa already did from the start & was elated seeing you both working things out & getting back together. Tama eventually apologized to Roman, the Usos, Solo & Jacob mending his relationship with them & coming back into the new Bloodline.

Tonight was special, you were all on vacation on an island. You planned something special, showing Tama how much you love him tonight. Tama was sitting on the king sized mattress bed, wearing a silky robe & watching some comedy show while sipping on his champagne. He heard the sound of the bathroom door open. He looks up only to see you in a silky lavender colored robe with a matching colored set underneath. He nearly drooled at the sight of you.

"Whatchu up to ma chérie?" he smirks putting his drink down on the nightstand. "Just showing how much I love you tonight" you said, making him shudder. You twirled your hair, shyly. You took a lighter & lit up the lavender scented candles beside you, making Tama breathe heavily as you made this night more romantic. "I don't bite, unless you want me to. Get over here" he commanded in a deep voice. You smiled as you slowly strided towards him. He moved so he was seated at the edge of the bed taking in your lacey attire & robe. "All this for me? Yeah, you're mine tonight" he said as he pulled you onto his lap & kissed you hard.

You kissed him back, feeling his soft lips on yours. He licked at your bottom lip, and you let him in locking his tongue with yours. You moaned in satisfaction as you tugged on his curls. He caressed your hips as you both were in a heated make out session. You were spun around & your back hit the mattress of the bed as he hovered over you, his gold chain dangling above your face. You bit your lip, you always loved it when he wore jewelry it made you more attracted to him for some reason.

You played with his gold chain looping it around your fingers & tugging it towards you, bringing his face closer to yours, and kissing him he hummed in response. You tasted the champagne he drank earlier on your lips & tongue. You pulled away from him & sat up, taking his drink from the nightstand & finishing it off, making him growl.

You shrugged "what's yours is mine, right?" you teased, putting the empty glass back on the nightstand. "Oh, I'm about to make you scream tonight for doing that" he chuckled darkly. He pressed his lips against your neck, you tilted your head back giving him more access. He kissed all over & found your sweet spot, making you moan lightly. He smirked against your skin & sucked & bit on the area, making his first mark on you for the night. He pulled back admiring his work & licked at your bruise.

He slowly took off your robe, taking the covering off & sliding the sleeves down your shoulders to get a better look at you. Again, he bit his lip taking you in, he trailed his fingers down your legs, feeling your skin. He was about to pull away when the cuff of his robe got caught with your anklet. He groaned, "way to come off as sexy" you giggled. He inspected the sleeve tugged by the anklet chain. "How do you get this thing out?" he asked. "Allow me" you said, slowly moving forward & carefully undoing your anklet from his sleeve. You tried not to tug on his sleeve too much, you knew how much Tama adored his precious robes. The anklet was successfully separated from the cuff & left just a little tug of string. However that didn't satisfy Tama.

"Done" you assured. "Yeah, that doesn't do much justice, it's still a bit damaged" he said taking his burgundy silk robe off, you sighed in response. "Lay down" he commanded. You saluted him referring to his days in the Air Force, making him groan. You laid back down & he hovered over you. It didn't even take 10 seconds as he undressed you & then himself.

Nothing, but moans, groans & pants were heard as you both made love to each other's bodies with your mouths & touches. Giving each other all the love you had to offer that was hidden during your time away from each other. You both confessed how much you missed each other & never wanted to be apart again. Tama then made love to you with his body as he pushed into you, making you both moan in satisfaction. You both sure as hell missed each other like crazy. Only the two of you knew each other's bodies very well like no other.

Tama pulled out of you & laid next to you with a huge grin on his face. "Wow" he breathed "words can't describe how much I missed that, how much I missed you, baby" he said turning to face you. You smiled shyly, facing him "I missed you too, babe" you said. "Thank you for letting me love you again" he said. "No Tama, thank you for providing an opportunity for us to love each other again. It just needed time, patience, and growth to realize that we needed each other again" you said moving over to him to rest your head on his chest.

He wrapped his arm around you, "and I'm glad we did" he said "Through the fights, the break-up, rehab & all that other hell we've been through I'm so happy that we found each other again" he said, his eyes watering up "I'm so sorry for everything Y/N, I beat myself up so much for the day I hurt you & everyone else I've encountered I-" you wiped away his tears with your fingers. "It happens Tama, you were going through difficult challenges externally & internally, but I'm glad you got the help you needed you've truly proved that you've changed" you said smiling.

He smiled back at you "you're the only woman I'll ever love" he said. You smiled kissing him deeply, he kissed you back as he wrapped his arms around you while you wrapped your arms around his neck. Again, you let his tongue in locking it with yours as he moved his hands down to your rear making you moan & you ran your nails down his back making him growl.

Your makeout session was cut off by a knock on the door. You & Tama both quickly pulled away from each other & looked towards the door. He grunted "room service always interrupting at the wrong bloody time" he said getting up & putting his boxers & robe on.

"I'll shoo them away, you cover yourself up" he said. You did as you were told & fully covered up your body with the thick sheets. Tama went over to the door, slid off the chain & opened it revealing both of his brothers with bed hair & eye bags, not looking very happy.

Tama smiled turning back to you "would you look at this babe? Our brothers our delivering our food to us today" he chuckled. "Shut the fuck up!" scoffed Hikuleo, making Tama flinch at his own blood "the hell's up with you?" he asked. Hikuleo lunged towards Tama only to be stopped by Loa "easy, easy, Daddy's got this" he said, calming the tall brother down. Tama snorted "that's funny, cause I'm the oldest here & was called Daddy not too long ago" smirked Tama looking back at you, making you bite your lip.

"OKAY YOU KNOW WHAT?! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" yelled Loa, getting Tama's attention. "Tell him!" encouraged Hikuleo. "Hikuleo has been carrying around our shit all day, don't you know that this big guy needs his rest? And so do we. Think about the others at least" said Loa.

"Sorry y'all, it's just that I'm psyched to have Y/N back with me" he gushed. Loa nodded, "I understand" he looked over Tama's shoulder to wave at you "hey Y/N" you smiled waving back at them "hi boys" you said. Hikuleo squinted his eyes at you "no, no, don't tell me is she?..." he trailed. "What did you think? They were having a Steel Cage match in there?" asked Loa, making him cringe. "Hey!" said Tama "my eyes are down here!" he said diverting his not so little brother's attention to him.

"Just keep it down, we're on vacation too & don't want our sleeping schedules to be fucked up by hearing both of your noises. We want to fully enjoy our time off" said Loa. "Of course, I'm glad that it's only you two that complained right?" said Tama chuckling nervously.

"Well..." trailed Loa. Hikuleo moved his frame to the side revealing a cranky El Phantasmo & their father. Tama widened his eyes. He slapped Loa on his stomach "you didn't tell me dad was here! He heard everything?!" he whispered. "So daddy huh?" their father asked. You quickly immersed yourself under the sheets, embarrassed. Tama's face flushed red. "If you don't turn the lights off & go to bed, the real Daddy here will throw your ass into the pool! No more noises!" We need sleep! he exclaimed. Hikuleo, Loa & ELP snorted in the back earning a death glare from him, the trio stopped & nodded giving him a thumbs up.

Tama nodded in understanding, "We'll wash up & go to bed" he said. Their father nodded "goodnight son" he said. "Goodnight dad, ofa atu" said Tama. As soon as he went back to his room, shutting the door, all three men bursted out laughing. "I had to bring reinforcements in. How else were you two going to behave?" said Loa in between his laughs. You peeked your head out from under the sheets "fuck all y'all" you snapped at them. "Aren't you exhausted from doing that?" joked ELP. They bursted out laughing again, Tama lunged towards them & they all ran back to their rooms, laughing.

"Annoying ass pricks" he mumbled under his breath, shutting the door. He turned back to you. "They really haven't grown up, have they?" you asked. "They're just jealous little kids & clearly one trapped inside a grown ass man who loves his sweets" he sighed referring to Loa. "I heard that" said Loa behind the door. "Back for more? Your ass better fucking leave before I cancel the ice cream trip tomorrow!" exclaimed Tama, you heard footsteps walking away.

You laughed "your family is something" you said. "Yeah, but don't forget, they're your family too" smiled Tama sitting down on the bed. "I love them though" you smiled. "And I'm sure they love you too" he said with a toothy smile. You leaned over & pecked his lips "I love you Tama" "I love you too Y/N" he whispered against your lips.

You got off the bed, and limped towards the bathroom, Tama laughed watching you "I got you good, didn't I?" he asked. "Yup, and last one into the shower gets nothing" you teased quickly making your way into the bathroom. His eyes darkened "oh, it's on ma chérie" he said going after you.

Translations

Toko- Bro/Dude/Sibling (in this fic it's used to address them as bro) 🇹🇴

Ofa Atu- I love you 🇹🇴

San- Dear or Honorable Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss (Suffix used in respect of one) 🇯🇵

Ma chérie- My dear/darling 🇫🇷

If any are incorrect please correct me.

A/N: Due to the fic being accidentally deleted previously, there might be a part 3 to this. Idk yet though.

#wwe x reader #wwe x y/n #wwe fic #wwe fanfiction #wwe fics #tama tonga x female reader #tama tonga x you #tama tonga x reader #tama tonga fanfiction #tama tonga imagine #wrestling fanfiction #tama tonga #wwe imagine #wwe imagines #x female y/n #wwe x fem reader #wwe x you #x reader #roman reigns

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violetmuses · 5 months ago

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Sacred - A. Aretas 💍

Title: Sacred - A. Aretas 💍

Fandom: “Bad Boys” Film Universe

Character: Armando Aretas

Pairing: Armando Aretas + Female Reader

Main Storyline: Armando Aretas wants you to marry him! 🏷 @nelo0wesker

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2024

This afternoon marked that first AMMO cookout of the year. Miami sunlight met this known park as coworkers gathered around family and friends.

As you enjoyed lunch near weapons expert Kelly and tech genius Dorn, Detective Mike Lowrey heads to your spot by the large picnic tables.

“Excuse me.” Mike stepped in. “Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but Armando needs to talk.”

“Goodness! What now? Should we hide candy from Marcus again?” You've giggled after throwing away some drink.

“Uh-uh. I got rid of today's sugar problems! This is important.” Mike guides you away from Kelly and Dorn, facing one shaded tree.

“Aw! Hi, baby.” Armando stands beneath that tree while sporting the Bud Light t-shirt and American trucker hat. His jeans look new this time around.

“Hey.” Nearly coy, Armando revealed slightly accented English while facing you.

You've dated each other for quite a while now and Armando practically lives underneath your roof at this point.

Once Aretas held your cheek, your favorite man reached into his pocket and knelt, prompting everyone from the department to start cheering.

“Oh my God! What? Why didn't you tell me, Mike?!” Fellow detective and Mike's “brother” Marcus Burnett yelled through tears.

“Will you marry me, Cariño?” Holding back nerves, Armando gave you the question of forever.

“Of course.” You nodded feverishly and watched Armando slip that beautiful engagement ring, kissing your best friend as loved ones smile.

Hand in hand, you could never walk away.

#movies #jacob scipio #bad boys #armando aretas #bad boys ride or die #bad boys for life #armando aretas x reader #armando #armando x reader #💍#🥰#au fanfiction #fanfiction #drabble requests #my work #violetmuses #💜#my writing

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livelaughlovelando · 1 year ago

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Drag Racing In Miami (TZ11)

Warnings: Suggestive, Kissing? Idk what else

Authors note: for the longest time i've been obsessed with racing movies especially the Fast and Furious series so I had to write Trevor as a street racer like Brian O'Conner!

Today like most days I was in the shop working on a new car. A Nissan Skyline had made it's way in for slight body work repairs and some upgrades. As of current I was underneath the car changing the oil as it was low. "Hey how's it going man," I hear Ry say to someone entering the garage. "Ah not to bad, how's it going?" The person asks with a slight recognisable voice. "Pretty good, body works done now we're just doing some maintenance and service and it will be good to go," Ry answers. I hear their footsteps get closer to me indicating i'm working on the customers car. "Well, well, well if it isn't Y/N working on my car," Sliding out from under his car I am met with Trevor Zegras standing over me looking directly in my eyes. His hair wavy under his cap as he wears a white shirt and long shorts. It had been months since I heard or saw from him I can't help but slightly check him out.

"Zegras," I sigh. "You trying to sabotage me for our next race," He chuckles in a low voice. "Pfft as if Ry would let me do that," I laugh back. "I'd have her ass hanging off the roof," Ry nods. "Good," Trevor smiles, "so when you think it will be ready by?" "I've done most of the maintenance shit, just need to give it a little clean and polish and you can have it this afternoon," I say sitting up. "Sounds good i'll hang around then," He smirks at me. Rolling my eyes I lay back down and slide back under to see the oil has drained completely. Taking the container holding the left over oil I screw the cap back on and slide out from under the car. Carefully placing the container next to me I sit up. Long and behold I see Trevor sitting on a chair against the wall in front of me. Rolling my eyes at him I get up and carry the container to the table. "Just making sure your doing everything right," He laughs. "Yeah whatever," I sigh. Grabbing his car keys from the wall hooks I walk over to his car to unlock the doors. Opening the drivers door I lean in and find the instrument panel. After finding the leaver I hear the hood pop and I carefully get out shutting the door.

Making my way to the front of the car I lift the hood and pull down the stand to hold it up. Feeling Trevors eyes burning into my skin I know for a fact he's enjoying my outfit. A pair of short black bike shorts and a white tank top stained with dirt giving him a clear view of all my curves he adores so much. Leaning into the hood to place a funnel into the oil tank entrance I feel a pair of hands hold my hips. The persons lower body is pressed up against my ass as they lean down to get a view of what i'm seeing. "Do you know what your doing?" Trevor asks lowly in my ear. "It not hard to change a car's oil I do it all the time," I say turning my head to look at his. "I'm not talking about my car i'm talking about me, do you know what your doing to me," He says in a way that sounds almost like a whine. As if I wasn't sweating from working in the shop all day I definitely felt myself getting hotter everywhere. "I don't know what your talking about," I shrug trying to play it cool but I obviously do know what he's talking about. "Y/N," He whispers in my ear slowly bringing his lips to my neck. Shivers rush down my spin as I pour the oil into the funnel with shaky hands. "Trev stop," I say with a breathless voice. "Oh so i'm Trev now am I?" He chuckles recalling me referring to him as Zegras not that long ago. Putting the bottle down I turn myself around so i'm completely facing him. Carefully placing my arms around his neck I look into his eyes. His hands still holding my waist as he looks down at me. "You've been gone for months with no call, no nothing," I frown. "I know baby I had a job off the grid," He says apologetically. Turning my head away to not look at his face but he immediately uses his hand to softly bring my face back towards him. "I'm here now and i've missed you so much," He smiles. Watching his face soften a smile grows on my face. "How much?" I ask. "So fucking much," "Yeah?" I ask with a large smile. "Mhmm hmm," He nods. "I missed you too," I reply. As if his smile couldn't get any wider he leans down hovering his lips over mine. Using my arms to pull him further down I lean back and press my lips on his. Closing our eyes we deepen the kiss to show how much we truely missed each other. "Eh mhmm," I hear someone cough next to us. Pulling away I look over to see Ry cross armed looking directly at us. "Stop making out with the customers and finish his car," Ry chuckles. "Yeah finish my car," Trevor chuckles letting go of me and stepping back. Rolling my eyes playfully I give Trevor a small peck before taking the funnel of out the oil tank and placing it in the sink. Ry walks over to the cupboard to get the polishing and cleaning stuff to start finishing off the work on Trevor’s car. Checking everything under the hood is good I help Ry clean the car as Trevor hovers around us. With the music playing in the background I sing and dance around while wiping down the car. Once all the work was completed we tested everything was working right before handing the keys back over to Trevor.

“Your keys kind sir,” I say slightly bowing.

“Why thank you,” he smiles taking them from me.

Trevor stares at me for a second in deep thought before opening his mouth.

“You wanna take it for a drive?” He asks holding the key up for me to take.

“Trevor Zegras letting someone else drive his skyline?” I smirk, “unheard of,”

“I only let special people drive it,” he smiles.

A smile paints across my face as I hear his words.

“You saying I’m special?” I question.

Watching him walk closer to me he places his hand on my waist and lean down.

“So special,”

Quickly taking the keys out of his other hand I smile.

“Shall we?”

“We shall,”

Both of us walk to his car and I open the drivers door. Sliding into the seat I feel the steering wheel and admire the inside even though I’ve seen it before while working on it. Trevor notices the seat perfectly adjusted to my liking already and chuckles.

“Looks like someone was already sitting in here before,”

“Maybe,” I shrug giggling.

Starting the engine I listen to the roar which is music to my ears. Putting the car into gear I carefully drive the car out of the garage. It was already starting to get dark. Making my way to a quiet straight street I stop at the start. Looking over at Trevor for his approval he gives me a nod and I start to rip it down the straight. My smile grows as I feel the adrenaline rush through me. Trevor chuckles at my amusement and we quickly make it to the end of the strip. Not slowing down I drift round so we are facing where we started.

“You sure are something else,” he laughs.

Smiling I start the car back up and slowly drive us to a peaceful spot overlooking the beach. Parking up on the grass I look over at Trevor signalling we’re getting out. I open the door and slide out shutting it behind me. Climbing up on the bonnet of the car I sit with my knees to my chest and Trevor joins me doing the same. Placing an arm around my shoulder he brings me closer to him as I rest my head on his chest. The wind lightly blowing our hair around as we watch the tide come in.

“Never leave me without a message again,” I sigh, “I was worried sick, I thought you had a race and died without my knowledge,”

“A race without you with me, never, your my lucky charm,” he says kissing my head, “I’m sorry but I promise this is the last time I’ll be leaving you,”

“Good,”

Both of us lay back looking at the sky holding each other’s hand.

“What have you been doing while I was gone?” He asks intrigued.

“Well working on your car for starters, going to races, knocking on your door hoping you’d answer the door at some point, writing music like always and driving around searching for you,”

He sighs feeling awful for what he had done, “I’m sorry baby, you wanna stay the night at mine?”

Letting out a large yawn I nod.

“I’ll drive,” he says.

Both of us get up and I get into the passengers seat reclining it so I can sleep. He starts the car up and I shut my eyes slowly falling asleep. A hand rest on my thigh coming off and on as we slowly make our way to his place. A whisper of my name and I am shaken awake. Rubbing my eyes I see a familiar bungalow and Trevor leaning in the door. Sliding out of the car he shuts the door behind me and holds the backs of my shoulders guiding me to the front door. Unlocking it he opens the door and walk in. As he shuts the door he wraps his arms around my waist from behind resting his head on my shoulder.

“So are you hungry or should we just go straight to bed?”

“Sleep,” I chuckle.

“Alright then sleep it is,”

We walk through the lounge to his room and I take a seat on the edge of his bed. Watching him rummage through his drawers he throws a grey huffer shirt at me. Sliding my own white shirt cover in dirt over my head I expose my choice of bra. Feeling Trevor’s eyes burn into my skin as I slide of my bike shorts leaving me in just undergarments. He himself takes his shorts off leaving him in his shirt and boxers as he climbs into his bed. Following him I crawl towards him situating myself on top of him. Straddling him I see him smirk up at me with his arms behind his head.

“We’re sleeping you perv,” I chuckle.

“Yeah ok,” he smiles.

Leaning down I place a small peck on his lips before flopping down completely. Wrapping my arms around his torso I rest my head on his chest.

“Good night Trev,”

“Good night Y/N,”

Letting out a large yawn I talk, “I love you,”

I hear Trevor’s heart speed up, “what was that?” He asks trying to clarify why I said.

“I love you Trevor,” I repeat.

There’s a large pause as Trevor takes it all in.

“I love you too Y/N,” he says kissing the top of my head and wrapping hair arms around me to bring me closer.

#trevor zegras #nhl #nhl fic #fast and furious #trevor zegras fic #trevor zegras x reader #nhl x reader

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