#RV Park Crew
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noisycowboyglitter · 4 months ago
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Camp Host Duties Explained: What Every Campground Staff Member Should Know
A "Camp Host" plays a vital role in creating a welcoming environment at campgrounds, serving as the friendly face of the facility. Typically responsible for managing day-to-day operations, camp hosts provide assistance to campers, ensuring their needs are met and that they have a pleasant stay. This can include greeting visitors, offering local information, and maintaining the campground’s cleanliness.
In addition to these duties, camp hosts often organize activities and events, fostering a sense of community among campers. They facilitate communication between campground management and visitors, addressing any concerns or questions that arise.
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Buy now:19.95$
Being a camp host is an excellent opportunity for those who love the outdoors and enjoy interacting with people. It requires strong organizational skills, a passion for nature, and a commitment to customer service. Ultimately, camp hosts enhance the camping experience, making sure that every visitor feels welcome and valued in the great outdoors.
The "Team Campsite Hosting Crew" is essential for providing an outstanding camping experience. This dedicated group of individuals works together to manage campground operations, ensuring a welcoming environment for all visitors. Responsibilities include greeting campers, assisting with reservations, and maintaining site cleanliness.
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Team members collaborate to organize fun activities and events, fostering community among campers while promoting outdoor engagement. Each crew member brings unique skills, from customer service to organizational abilities, enhancing the overall experience for everyone.
The Team Campsite Hosting Crew not only ensures smooth daily operations but also creates a friendly atmosphere that encourages camaraderie and lasting memories. Together, they play a pivotal role in making every camper's experience enjoyable and memorable in the great outdoors.
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"Gifts for People with Campers" are perfect for enhancing the outdoor experience. Whether they enjoy weekend getaways or extended road trips, thoughtful gifts can make their adventures even more enjoyable. Consider practical items like portable grills, compact cooking gear, or cozy blankets for chilly nights by the campfire.
Accessories like specialized storage organizers or hitch-mounted bike racks add convenience and functionality. Personalized items, such as custom décor or travel journals, allow campers to document their journeys.
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For a touch of fun, consider outdoor games or hammock sets for relaxation. These gifts not only cater to their love for camping but also show appreciation for their adventurous spirit, enhancing their time spent exploring nature and creating lasting memories on the road.
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the-sunflower-room · 4 months ago
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scared half to death
🌪️tyler owens x fem!reader 
☆ genre: angst, fluff, friends to lovers
☆ wc: 2.7k
☆ summary: tyler owens is not easily angered, but when the love of his life runs into an incoming tornado without a second thought, his emotions get the better of him.
☆ warnings: a very upset tyler, yelling, language
note: so i watched twisters and it was actually everything to me! the brainrot is bad and i’ve been wanting to write for tyler ever since i saw it, so here it is! this is very much the idiots in love trope because it’s one of my favorites. enjoy! :)
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“Where is she?”
Tyler isn’t sure if he’s ever felt this angry before. He considers himself a fairly easy going man, always quick to make light of a situation and put everyone in the room at ease with his charming, joking nature.
But this was different. This had his heart pounding, his ears ringing. His face is flushed red and he feels like he can hardly breathe.
All because of her.
He slams the door of his truck, approaching his crew in the gas station parking lot with a look on his face that’s so completely un-Tyler that it makes them all shift uneasily.
“Where’s…who?” Boone tries weakly, unsuccessful in his attempt to play dumb. Lily rolls her eyes and elbows him in the ribs, shooting him a glare.
Tyler clenches his jaw, for once not in the mood for his friends’ antics. “You know damn well who I’m talking about.”
They all exchange glances, his uncharacteristic demeanor both surprising and concerning. This isn’t the calm, charismatic frontman of the Tornado Wranglers they’re used to.
“She’s in the RV, but I don’t think-” Dani begins, but he’s already beelining for the camper before they can finish. He can hear his heartbeat pulsing in his ears as he nearly bursts through the door, finding her sitting at the small table in the back with her head in her hands.
Her gaze snaps up at the sound of his entrance into the RV, and her face immediately drops when she sees him practically fuming. “Tyler-” she says urgently, instantly on her feet as he approaches as if she’s about to defend herself. But he isn’t having any of it.
“You wanna tell me what the hell you were thinking out there?” He seethes, suddenly towering over her with his jaw clenched and hands on his hips. She swallows thickly, nervous around this version of him. Terrified to have upset him, disappointed him.
“Tyler, I promise, I was just trying to do the right thing-” she starts again, her tone practically pleading, but he just scoffs. 
“The right thing?” He questions in disbelief, cutting her off with a shake of his head. “You call nearly getting yourself killed in the field ‘doing the right thing’?”
She squeezes her eyes shut at the reminder of what she’d done, at the venom in his voice that’s ordinarily so gentle when directed at her. Memories of what had transpired nearly 20 minutes ago flood her mind and she feels a lump forming in her throat.
“I couldn’t let our data get lost,” she whispers weakly, her gaze glued to the floor in shame. “Bullshit,” he mutters, jaw clenched as his breath picks up. His eyes search her face, grasping to understand why the hell she had risked her life the way she had.
“You don’t run into the path of an incoming EF3 to recover some stupid equipment for our disruption research,” he practically spits, his voice growing louder, more emotional.
“That equipment is completely replaceable. You sure as hell aren’t. So I want to know why on god’s green earth you thought it was a good idea to run headfirst into danger like that.”
Her breath hitches, her eyes welling up with unshed tears at the reminder of her brashness. She feels ashamed and almost embarrassed as Tyler practically berates her.
They were best friends, a pair that the rest of the team liked to call the “dynamic duo.” With a shared passion for tornadoes and a taste for danger, they had instantly clicked from the moment they met during a chase a few years ago, becoming inseparable. Which is why Tyler’s harsh reminder of her stupidity stung so painfully.
She wasn’t used to hearing him so upset, so emotional in the worst way. With her, his tone was always soft, teasing, sometimes so overtly flirty that it would leave her heart pounding and her cheeks flushed.
But this was different. Now his gaze was harsh, curses unnaturally tumbling from his lips as she struggled to explain herself. And she hated every moment of his scrutinizing stare.
“You’ve worked so hard on putting together the equipment for the disruption research. I didn’t want you to have to start from scratch…not after all the effort you went through,” she explains pathetically, her voice cracking slightly as her emotions begin to shine through.
Tyler shakes his head, stepping even closer into her space. “And you thought it was worth risking your life for?” He grits out, his furrowed brow and downturned lips looking so unnatural on his normally smiling face.
Another shuddering breath escapes her as she catches herself from revealing the true reason she’d been so careless, from baring her soul and telling him that she’d run into the path of an incoming tornado because she loved him more than anything. That the thought of his disappointed face, his devastation over months of work lost to an unpredictably large tornado, hurt her so much that she would have done anything to save that equipment.
Anything to make him happy, to be the hero that he was to her.
“I- I didn’t get hurt, I knew I had time to get at least some of it-” she stammers, but she can’t get the words out.
“You didn’t have time!” He practically yells, gripping her shoulders and giving her a gentle shake. His eyes are wide, his gaze burning as he stares down at her.
“If Boone hadn’t been close by with his truck, you could’ve easily not made it. You could’ve died,” he chokes out, his grip on her tightening. His eyes are watering now, his anger fizzling out into something more desperate, more panicked.
Tyler still remembers the pure, unadulterated fear he’d felt as she slipped out of the safety of his truck before he could stop her, sprinting out into the open field where the winds and torrential rain were getting worse by the second.
He remembers the devastated scream of her name that had ripped itself from his chest, lost to the howling winds.
He sure as hell can’t forget the feeling of overwhelming fear and helplessness that overtook him when the rain became so intense that he could not longer see her, no longer assure himself that she hadn’t been sucked up into the raging funnel or hurt by the flying debris.
It was only when he got radio confirmation from Boone five minutes later, stating that she was safe in their truck with some of the equipment intact, that he even knew she was alive.
It had been the most hopeless, terrifying five minutes of his life.
“Don’t you understand what you mean to everyone? What you mean to me?” He rasps, his voice quieter now, more broken. “Some stupid equipment for an experiment isn’t worth your life, Y/N. Not in the least.”
His eyes are tender now as they rake over her face, scanning the scrapes and cuts littering her cheeks, the patch of dried blood clinging to her temple. His heart aches at the thought of her getting hurt, even if the injuries are small.
She notices that nearly all of his anger has left his body, replaced by the emotion that had truly been brewing beneath the surface: crippling fear at the possibility of losing her.
A silent tear runs down her face at his softer, more vulnerable words, her heart breaking as she realizes the effect her thoughtless actions have had on the man she loves. He’s quick to gently wipe it away with the pad of his thumb, his touch lingering on her cheek as he gazes at her.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, her voice breaking as she chokes back a sob. In an instant, he’s enveloping her in his tight, comforting hold, cradling her head to his chest and pulling her so close to him that their bodies are practically molded together.
“Shhh…it’s alright, sweetheart,” he gently hushes, his hand stroking through her hair as she cries softly against him. He’s back to himself now, all anger and frustration long abandoned in favor of his naturally calm, caring demeanor. Through her tears, she feels herself flushing slightly at his term of endearment.
“I’m the sorry one. I shouldn’t have yelled at ya, you didn’t deserve it,” he murmurs into her ear, his arms tightening around her.
He internally berates himself for defaulting to anger when she had also probably been scared and upset. But thinking she had died in that tornado just for attempting to recover his equipment had struck something so deep within him that his brain had reacted irrationally.
He stews in his remorse for a moment longer before admitting a truth that might be a little too vulnerable, a little too revealing of his deep and unwavering love for her, but he has to get it off his chest.
“…You just scared me half to death, darlin’. I can’t lose you...I can’t. It would tear me apart worse than a damn tornado ever could.” His whispered words are so raw and tinged with devastation that her breath hitches against his chest.
Slowly, she peels herself away from his comforting embrace to get a good look at him, and what she finds makes her heart clench in her chest. 
His eyes are red and glassy, obvious signs that he’d been crying. His muscles are taught with anxiety, like every fiber in his body had been tense ever since she fled his truck. His hair is slightly tousled and she instantly knows he’d been running his hand through it the way he does when he’s stressed.
The thought that she could cause him this much worry, this much pain, sucks the breath from her lungs and makes her feel dizzy.
“I only tried to save the equipment because I knew how important the research was to you,” she whispers, her voice still shaky but full of sincerity.
“I know how much it means to you, finding a way to keep these tornadoes from causing so much damage to innocent lives. I just- I wanted to do something brave and selfless for you, the way you always have for me,” she admits softly, swallowing as she meets his gaze.
His lips part slightly at her admission, the reverence in her words staggering. Hearing that she cares for him, finds him brave and selfless, wants to return the way he makes her feel, fills his heart with a love so deep he feels like he’s drowning in it.
“Y/N, you’re-” he rasps, pausing to clear his throat when he hears how raw and weak his voice sounds.
“You’re so damn sweet. Your heart is so big. That’s what I love about you. But please, don’t be as stupid as me. I throw myself headfirst into danger so much because I don’t think first…my judgement gets clouded by the thought of helping someone and I get tunnel vision. Which has put me in one too many potentially life-ending scenarios,” he murmurs, his hands squeezing her slightly as they rest on her shoulders.
“I can’t- I won’t let you be that careless. You mean too much to me.”
Her eyes widen at the tenderness in his voice, the affection and worry dripping from every word. It feels like their conversation is breaching on something deeper, something much more vulnerable and terrifying.
Her mind is hung up on his soft that’s what I love about you. Even hearing the word love directed at her from the mouth of Tyler Owens makes her head spin and her face heat up, and she’s unsure if she’s even breathing anymore.
“Tyler…” she manages, her voice threatening to break with the overwhelming swirl of emotions running through her. She can’t help herself, knows that she’s finally going to put it out there, tell him how she feels no matter how scary it might be.
“I love-” his lips are on hers before she can even finish. The sensation of Tyler kissing her is unlike anything she’s ever felt, and she’s damn sure she never wants him to stop.
His large hand tenderly cups her cheek while the other snakes into her hair, tangling his fingers through the strands as he pulls her even closer. She gasps softly as his grip tightens, his lips moving against her own with an almost feral desperation.
The salt from her tears mixes with his sweet taste – something like honey and peppermint – and she melts further into him and his warmth. She can feel him pour every ounce of his turbulent, pent-up emotions into the kiss, and it leaves her completely breathless.
He’s waited for this moment for so long, and after thinking he’d lost her today, he’d be content to just kiss her like this for the rest of time. Reassuring himself that’s she’s still there, that she’s his. Showing her what she means to him.
Finally getting a grip on his emotions, Tyler pulls away for a moment, wanting to make sure he hasn’t misread the signs, misinterpreted what he’d felt brewing between them for so long.
But a wide, disbelieving grin spreads across her face as she fights to catch her breath, and he suddenly has no doubt that she’s been his all along.
“I’ve been waiting for that for- well, I don’t even know how long,” she laughs breathlessly, slightly woozy from his intoxicating taste.
He huffs a laugh in return, his eyes shining with an overwhelming adoration for the woman before him. “Yeah…I think Boone might owe Dexter and Lily some money,” he jokes softly, his thumb gently brushing her rain-soaked hair away from her face.
His eyes roam over her, taking in every inch of her muddy clothes, her scraped up hands, the shallow cut on her temple. Regret courses through him at the way he’d raised his voice at her, even if it had been out of fear of losing her.
“Are you sure you weren’t hurt?” He murmurs, his voice lower and more serious than before. She gently nods, her hand moving to rest on top of his own as it cups her face.
“I’m ok, promise. It’s just a little scrape from slipping in the mud,” she reassures him, sensing his lingering gaze on her slightly bloodied face. She can practically feel the apprehension in his stare, his constant worry for her well-being so endearing that she just wants to kiss him again and again.
“I promise, Ty. And I swear, I won’t do anything like that again. I just got lost in the moment and didn’t think before acting.” He nods slowly, letting the sincerity in her voice wash over her and comfort his racing mind. 
“You’d better not,” he teases softly, a ghost of a smile pulling at his lips. “If we’re doing this thing, no more running headfirst into tornadoes, you hear? Can’t have my girl acting like an irrational daredevil like me. I’ve been told she’s smarter than that.”
She feels herself blushing as he calls her his girl, the title rolling off his tongue so naturally that it makes her heart skip a beat. Tyler watches as a hearty laugh escapes her and she leans into his touch, his own smile growing wider.
Suddenly nothing else has ever mattered beyond this moment of her in his arms, blushing and laughing like he’s the funniest damn man in the world.
“Ok, alright,” she giggles with feigned exasperation. “No more running into tornado paths, I swear. Wrangler’s honor. But you have to swear it too. You’re an adrenaline junkie and a trouble maker, even more than I am.”
He chuckles at her playful jab, his body feeling lighter than it has all day as he finally lets the tension within him fade. She’s safe, he tells himself over and over. She’s alive, she’s teasing him like she always does, and she’s got him smiling like a damn fool.
“Baby,” he mutters with that teasing glint in his eye, “you need to get my head checked if I ever run away from you and into a tornado. No man in his right mind would leave a gorgeous thing like you for some wind.”
Before she can reply to his ridiculous comment, he captures her lips once more with his own, relishing in the way she smiles against him as he pulls her closer.
This is all Tyler’s ever wanted - all he’s ever needed. Just her, safe and sound, loving him in all his flaws and worry for her.
If her running into that damn field led to this moment, this reality where she’s finally his, then so be it. He’s never been more grateful for a tornado.
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briefinquiries · 4 months ago
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Tyler Owens x Reader: Read Between the Lines
Request: anonymous said: "I was wondering maybeeee if you could write some protective bf Tyler ( because i would be swooning ) maybe either someone keeps hitting on her so he steps in or someone maybe in another storm chasing crew is being mean so he steps in and defends her <3 idk"
Word count: 3.9k
Warnings: language, mild fighting i guess?? slight angst
A/N: sorry I haven't been posting as frequently! I started work up again and ya girl has been BUSY. Anyyywayyy, thank you for reading! please keep the comments coming! I love to see all your requests and I promise i'm getting to them as quickly as i can :)
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“Need anything?” Tyler asked, leaning against the hood of the truck in a way that shouldn’t be as adorable as it is. 
“I’m good,” you said, offering him a gentle smile before brushing a few loose strands of hair from your sticky forehead. 
“You wanna come in with me then?” 
You shook your head– the idea of sitting in a stale diner with no AC was just about as unbearable as the thought of driving another second. “No, I think I’ll stretch my legs out here.”
“Okay,” he said in a tone that indicated you’d be missing out. He gave the truck a pat before adding, “We won’t be long.”
“Take your time,” you assured him. 
He offered one final nod before turning and following Dani, Boone, and Lily across the parking lot. Dexter also stayed behind. Instead of shitty diner food, he’s opted to take a nap inside the RV accompanied by his noise canceling headphones and a fan blasting right at his face. 
You were exhausted, down to your bones. You and the rest of the team had driven nearly six hours that day tracking a cell that hadn’t ended up amounting to anything. You were stiff and tired and irritable– just like everyone else. But you hoped that some time alone outside might help at least level out your mood.
You extended your arms over your head, groaning when you felt something lightly pop in your back, before craning your neck from side to side. The air was stifling– thick and humid with little to no breeze for any sort of relief. The heat hadn’t broken in nearly a week, and unfortunately for just about everyone, the truck’s AC didn’t work as well as it used to. 
The parking lot to the diner was relatively empty. Aside from the crew’s RV and truck, there was an SUV parked in one of the front spots and a small sports car with a steady cloud of smoke pouring out the cracked window.  
You let your eyes wander past the diner parking lot at the sprawling field across the road. The windmills were agonizingly still in the stale air– like even they were desperate for some reprieve. 
Your eyes fell shut as you took a few deep breaths, trying to get your bearings. 
Your peace lasted for about thirty seconds. And then the sound of blaring music and screeching tires had you turning your pulsing head. Instantly, you rolled your eyes at the sight of the familiar vans pulling into the lot beside you. 
Merrill Anderson and his crew started chasing in the area almost thirteen months ago. You knew because each and every moment that you’d known about their existence had been more painful than the last. 
Anderson was a meteorologist out of Texas that wore a cowboy hat almost as big as his mouth and an inflated ego to match it. He made sure you and everyone else around him knew that he had a PhD, and therefore, in his opinion, was automatically more entitled to chase. Him and Tyler had hated each other from the moment they met while chasing an EF2 in Arkansas– their feud only grew each time their paths crossed. 
Anderson was grinning at you through the window as soon as his van rolled by. You did your best to avert your gaze– hoping that lack of eye contact would avoid any sort of conversation. 
Unfortunately, you weren’t so lucky. 
“There she is,” he announced, boots scuffing against the dirt parking lot as he hopped out from the driver’s seat. 
“Now what're you doin’ out here all by yourself? Your team finally leave you behind? Realized they didn’t need two uni drop outs on their team?” he asked, tone already dripping in sarcasm. 
He was an antagonizer who got off on provoking others. And although you and Anderson had your fair share of unpleasant exchanges, you knew he only ever bothered you to get under Tyler’s skin. 
Tyler’s biggest weakness was that he was endlessly protective of the people he loved. You saw this particular trait as a strength– but you knew that Anderson fed off Tyler's anger, which you could only imagine was his intention now. Thankfully Tyler was in the diner– hopefully gorging on raspberry pancakes as you spoke. Because if he were to see Anderson talking to you– you knew this whole interaction would escalate quickly. 
“Anderson,” you sighed, leaning casually against the hood of Tyler’s truck. The smile you forced on your face was almost painful. “So lovely to see you, as always.”
You hoped if you withheld from his taunting, he might move on quicker. 
Instead, to your despair, he backtracked from his van to stand across from you. “You guys go ahead,” he instructed his crew. “I’m gonna spend some time with my friend here.”
They nodded before heading towards the diner, leaving the two of you alone. 
“You should teach that hillbilly- boyfriend of yours some manners. If I remember correctly, last time I saw him, he drove through a puddle to splash me.”
You bit back a grin as you recalled the moment he was referring to. “I’m sure it wasn’t on purpose,” you lied (it was absolutely on purpose). 
Anderson chuckled. “You know– I don’t know if we’ve ever had a conversation just us, without him lingering around. You’re much more pleasant. Both in conversation and in looks.” 
You felt a chill run down the length of your spine at his words– but the way he was looking at you was infinitely worse. You watched as his eyes flickered from your face to your chest– currently more exposed than you would like in the tanktop you wore in the stifling Oklahoma heat. You wished you had grabbed a shirt to cover up in– but they were all either dirty and packed away somewhere in your duffel. 
Clearing your throat, you stood up straight and crossed your arms, attempting to shield yourself from his lingering gaze. 
“Oh, hey now darlin’, don’t cover up. I’ve been stuck in the van all day with these jokers, this is the most action I’ve gotten all summer.” 
You could feel the blood rushing to your cheeks as you tried desperately to remain level headed. Anderson was a jerk– and he’d definitely make you uncomfortable… but you couldn’t imagine that he’d ever actually do anything to harm you.  
Then again, you’d never interacted with him for longer than a minute or two with Tyler and the rest of the crew at your side. This was uncharted territory that you didn’t care to explore. You felt your earlier determination to handle him on your own fade away with uneasiness.  
You turned your head towards the diner, hoping you might catch Tyler’s gaze through the window or something. Of course you were too far away for that– all you caught was the glare from the sun. 
“You know I’m not used to seeing you in clothes like this, usually you’re all covered up,” Anderson whistled. 
As soon as he took a step closer, you instinctively moved too. Except your legs collided with Tyler’s truck– preventing you from actually going anywhere. For some dumb reason, you felt obligated to hold your ground– to not let him see how uncomfortable he was really making you. But with each passing comment, you grew more and more fearful. 
Anderson now had his body angled towards you with a look that could only be described as predatorial. “God, it’s true you don’t know what you’re missin’ til you see it. We should have these heat waves more often if it means I get to take a look at this every day.”
You tried and failed to remain stoic. You wanted to yell– to tell him to shut the fuck up. But for some reason, your body and brain weren’t connecting. 
“C’mon, where is she?” he taunted. “You know, your sweet side has its perks. But I much prefer ‘em a little spicy.” 
He took another few steps closer to you. It was subtle, but you noticed. Anderson was so obviously getting a kick out of whatever the hell he was doing here, and you were doing a piss-poor job at withholding from it, like you’d originally planned. 
“Why don’t you come on back in my van with me,” he winked. “I’m not sure how your hillbilly does it, but I can show ya a real good time.” 
Get away from me, you wanted to scream. But your mouth wouldn’t move– your voice was lost somewhere inside of you. And all you could get your body to do was lean away from him slightly. 
“Don’t be like that, darlin’,” he cooed. He was so close that you could almost smell his breath. Your brain told you to fight– to shove or kick or do something to get him away from you. But all those previous instincts you had to fight back faded into paralyzing fear. 
Anderson reached across the space between you to move a loose strand of hair from your face as you began to tremble. “And don’t be afraid, baby doll. I don’t bite… too hard. Owens ain’t gotta know–”
“Anderson!” 
Your head snapped at the sound of a familiar voice… Not just any familiar voice– Tyler’s voice. He was currently storming across the parking lot with a look of pure hatred across his face. The second his eyes landed on you– undoubtedly and obviously terrified, that anger only intensified. 
“Get the fuck away from her,” he demanded. His eyes were narrowed and shockingly darker than their normal shade of sage. 
“Here he is!” Anderson taunted. “Her douche bag in shining armor.”
You couldn’t help but notice Anderson didn’t step away. In fact, if anything, he looked like he was about to step closer, just to really test his limits. But then, to your relief, you saw Boone, Dani, and Lily storming out of the diner in Tyler’s wake– all coming to your rescue. 
In an instant, Tyler was there, stepping between you and Anderson– forming the protective barrier you needed to finally feel safe again. Without thinking, you fisted the back of Tyler’s T-shirt for good measure. 
“Easy, Rambo,” Anderson sneered. “I was just tellin’ your sweetheart here how much I enjoy her new look. Who knew she had all this hidin’ under those baggy shirts? That the reason you keep her hangin’ around, Owens? I knew she had to be good for something–”
But Anderson didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence. Because before you knew what was happening, Tyler was lunging forward and connecting his fist with Anderson’s nose. 
The crack as it broke was deafening, you released Tyler’s shirt to cover your mouth in shock. Tyler hit him with enough force that he went staggering back a few steps, his hands instantly moving to cup his face. 
Tyler was still shaking off his hand when Anderson stood up straight, blood pouring out of both nostrils. 
“Damn, that bitch must be as good as she looks if she’s worth all this,” Anderson continued to taunt. Even with a broken nose, he didn’t back down.  
Without even hesitating, Tyler moved to strike again. But as soon as he did, Boone and Dani were both stepping in front of him to break things up. 
“Easy, T–” Boone said. 
“Stay the fuck away from her,” Tyler snarled in warning, pointing his finger over Boone’s shoulder. You’d never quite heard his voice so malicious or threatening before, and even though it was in your defense, it sent shivers down your spine.   
Suddenly, Lily grabbed your hand from the side, causing you to flinch. “It’s okay,” she said, tugging you a few steps away from the chaos– like she knew how badly you needed space from everything. “You alright?”
You nodded, flustered.  
“Next time you want to settle this without your little army of strays, you let me know, Owens. And next time you want a good time, Y/N, you know where to find me,” Anderson said, offering you a wink that churned your stomach. With that, he wiped some blood from his nose and began sauntering back towards his van. 
“I’m gonna fucking kill him,” Tyler snarled, still being physically held back by Dani and Boone. 
“Yeah, and he’d deserve it. But he’s not worth catchin’ a charge,” Boone said. “It’s been a slow season and we don’t got the kind of money to bail you out of jail.”
“Take a breath, T,” Dani said. “He’s walkin’ away. Take a breath.”
You watched Tyler slowly come back to his body. He listened to Dani and took a deep breath– his shoulders visibly relaxing when he exhaled. It seemed to be enough for his friends to finally release him. 
As soon as he was free from their grasp, Tyler turned around– his attention landing on you. “Are you okay?” he asked, his previously menacing voice now laced with so much care and concern. He stood in front of you– his body blocking all views of Anderson and their vans. His hands moved to cup your cheeks gently. 
“I’m fine,” you said, attempting to convince yourself more than anyone else. But even you knew it didn’t sound convincing. Your voice subtly cracked on the final word. 
Tyler stroked his thumb along your skin. The look on his face told you he didn’t quite believe you as his eyes flickered down to your trembling hands. Thankfully he didn’t ask more. 
“I gotta say that was a nasty right hook, T,” Boone said, clapping Tyler on the back as he approached. “I didn’t know you had it in ya.”
“What’d that asshat say to you?” Lily asked. “You looked really shaken up when we saw you out the diner window.”
“Nothing,” you mumbled, too embarrassed to repeat his taunts. You were shocked by how self-conscious you suddenly felt with everyone’s eyes on you. Anderson’s previous words had made you incredibly aware of every inch of yourself– like there was an electrical current humming underneath the surface of your skin. 
“Just the usual shit,” you tried to brush it off.  
You felt grateful when they didn’t push. 
Eventually, the crew disassembled– everyone focused on getting their stuff together to hit the road again. Anderson didn’t reemerge from his van, but as you sat idly in the passenger seat of Tyler’s truck, you didn’t take your eyes off from where it was parked– like you were anticipating some sort of retaliation. 
You remained hidden from the team– feeling so awkward and uncomfortable– like you didn’t want to be perceived or noticed by anyone. And you hated that Anderson’s words were the ones to make you feel that way. You couldn’t find any shirts in your duffel bag that weren’t disgusting. And currently you didn’t have the time or patience to dig through your second bag in the RV. So instead, you wrapped your arms awkwardly over your chest, trying to make yourself as small as possible just as Tyler climbed into the front seat. 
“Everyone else is riding in the RV, it’s just us,” he said, eyes lingering on you. 
“Okay,” you said, trying your best to sound casual. You wondered if he ordered everyone in the RV so that you’d feel more comfortable. You made a mental note to thank him for that later, he was always so good at reading between the lines.  
Tyler instantly noticed your uneasiness. “Baby, what’d he say to you?” 
You shrugged, refusing to meet his gaze out of sheer embarrassment. “I mean, I think you caught the gist of it at the end there… Just a lot of that.”
You heard his loud exhale. “Just say the word and I’ll barge into that stupid van and kill him right now.”
The corner of your lip tugged into a small smile. “I just want you to stay here,” you admitted. 
He nodded solemnly. Without another word, Tyler passed you something he had scrunched up in his fist. It was one of his T-shirts– like he knew you wanted to cover up without even having to say it. You took the shirt– the thanks you wanted to offer him remained stuck in your throat, but Tyler didn’t seem to mind. 
Instead, he pretended to fiddle with the radio while you silently slipped the shirt on. Almost instantly, you felt like you could relax underneath the fabric of his clothes. 
You curled your arms around yourself and tucked your knees to your chest. When Tyler asked if you were ready to head out, you nodded without another word. 
It was only seven when you arrived at the motel. Tyler went into the lobby to book the rooms while everyone else hung back. Boone and Lily were going on and on about using the pool later that night, but once you’d grabbed your bags from the truck, you sort of tuned it all out. 
Tyler found you sitting on the curb once he’d passed out everyone else’s room keys. He picked up your duffel from the ground before speaking for the first time in almost an hour. 
“You ready for bed?”
You nodded, offering him your best attempt at a convincing smile.  
“C’mon,” he motioned his head to the left. “We’re upstairs.”
Tyler led the way to your room– and even though this was a dingy motel, you’d never seen anything more perfect. The shades were dark, the AC worked, and there was a single, plush-looking queen bed in the middle of the room just screaming your name. 
Tyler let you shower first. And when you emerged from the bathroom, all the sweat and grime finally washed from your skin, he was gone. But in his place, he’d laid out one of his T-shirts and a pair of his boxers on the bed for you to use. You almost teared up at the sight of just how thoughtful he was… Still reading between the lines. 
You’d spent the entire duration of your shower trying to convince yourself that what had happened earlier wasn’t that big of a deal. Anderson was a jerk– of course he was going to say some jerk-ish things. It shouldn’t have been a surprise– and yet, you couldn’t shake the discomfort you felt. It was like all the words he’d said to you had nestled underneath your skin and made a home for themselves. 
In an attempt to shake the thoughts away, you quickly shrugged on Tyler’s clothes before sitting on the edge of the bed and wrapping your arms around yourself. 
Almost as soon as you sat down, you heard the front door to the motel open up. Tyler stepped into the room carrying his own bag and a couple of water bottles he must’ve grabbed for the two of you. 
“Better?” he asked, handing you one. 
You nodded and cracked it open. “Much.”
Tyler sighed before joining you on the edge of the bed. “Baby, are you sure you’re okay?” 
“I-” you started and then stopped. Your hands were shaking, but you jumped when you felt Tyler’s hand close around yours, steadying them. His touch gave you just an ounce of courage to speak. 
“It wasn’t even anything that bad–” you admitted. “I meant it earlier, you heard the worst of it… I just, I don't know, I can't explain it. But everything he said made me feel so gross… and dirty, and…” And, well, you didn’t quite know what else. Words were hard to come by tonight. 
“Oh, baby,” Tyler exhaled. He released your hand to wind his arm around your shoulders, tugging you to his chest instead.  
It wasn’t until he shushed you that you even realized you were crying, but it came out in a rush. You clung to him, instantly impressed by his ability to just make you feel so much safer. 
“I’m sorry,” you said. 
“You don’t have to be sorry,” he assured you, only squeezing tighter. 
“I don’t know why this bothered me so much–” 
“Because Anderson is an asshole and he intentionally said some gross shit to shake you up,” he answered for you. “You’re allowed to be upset by that.” 
You exhaled against his shirt, and when you licked your lips, you tasted salt. 
“I’m the sorry one,” he said. 
“What?” you shook your head. “You don’t have to be sorry–”
“I should have been there.”
“You were there,” you reminded him. “Unless I blacked out or something and I was really the one who punched him in the nose…”
Tyler chuckled softly, you felt the vibration against your chest– instantly soothing you. 
You sighed after a moment, trying to decide if you wanted to share what was really bothering you. You bit the inside of your cheek. It was so tempting to keep it to yourself, but more tempting than that was the idea of finally feeling a little more at ease again after just telling Tyler the truth. 
“I just–” you paused again. “I–” 
“Hey,” he said. You looked up at him briefly. “It’s just me.” 
That was the problem– it was Tyler. And you didn’t want Tyler thinking less of you because of what had happened. 
“I didn’t fight back,” you said quietly. “I just froze up– it was like I couldn’t even think straight. And he kept going and going, and I just stood there– taking it.”
Tyler ran his hand up and down your arm reassuringly. “What are you talking about?”
“It just felt like…” your voice tapered off. 
Tyler waited a moment before asking gently, “Like what?” 
“It just felt like I didn’t do anything to stop it,” you whispered so quietly you weren’t even sure he’d heard you. “Like I let it happen.”
“Baby,” Tyler sighed. “Baby, no. Anderson is such a jackass, it wouldn’t have mattered what you said–”
“But I could have told him to get the fuck away from me–”
“You were just trying to keep yourself safe. Baby, we can’t control how we react when we’re scared. It’s fight or flight–”
“Or freeze,” you mumbled, embarrassed. 
“Or freeze. I’m pretty sure fawning is one too, now,” he said. “But it doesn’t matter– what matters is you can’t control that you froze. Just like–”
“Just like you couldn’t control punching him in the face?” you asked. 
You glanced up just in time to see Tyler’s lips tug into a smile. “Exactly,” he said. 
“I just wish my fear reaction was a little more effective,” you pouted. “Freezing didn’t do much.”
You let your eyes fall shut when Tyler tugged you closed to his chest. “I guess it’s a good thing you have a douchebag in shining armor to come help whenever you need it,” he smirked. 
“Thanks for protecting me,” you said quietly. 
“I’ll always protect you, you know that,” he said, planting a soft kiss on the top of your head. 
You smiled against his chest. You really did know that. “And thanks for punching him in the nose.”
Tyler snorted. “Anderson’s had that coming for a long time.”
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rootedinrevisions · 4 months ago
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One of Them Girls
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SUMMARY: After a long day of Tornado chasing, Tyler Owens and his crew head to a local bar to unwind. At the end of the bar sits a woman who sparks Tyler's interest. Despite her initial reluctance, Tyler's persistence leads to a playful evening of banter, pool games, and dancing. As the night progresses, the barriers between them begin to fall. INSPIRED AND LOOSELY BASED ON THE SONG "ONE OF THEM GIRLS" BY LEE BRICE.
You were sitting on the patio of the local bar, enjoying the evening air and the company of your friends, when the sound of a truck engine caught your attention. Turning your head, you saw a red Dodge pickup truck pull into the parking lot, its exterior covered in gear and storm-chasing equipment. The truck's driver, a familiar face.
It was Tyler Owens, the charismatic storm chaser who had dubbed himself the Tornado Wrangler with over a million followers on his YouTube channel. You'd seen his videos, filled with thrilling footage of him chasing down tornadoes and navigating wild weather. He exuded confidence and energy, and he clearly thrived on the attention.
Behind him, an older RV rolled up, its loudspeaker system blaring country music that added to the lively ambiance of the bar. The driver honked the horn, grabbing the attention of everyone on the patio. Conversations paused around you, and heads turned to watch the crew make their entrance. It wasn't every day that a storm-chasing team rolled into town, and the buzz of excitement in the air was contagious.
You watched as Tyler got out of his truck, a crowd of excited fans already gathering around him. The man who appeared to be the cameraman of the operation jumped out of the passenger seat and ran around the front of the truck just as Tyler exited. Tyler opened the driver's door and stood up, bracing himself with one hand on the bars surrounding the truck and raising the other hand in the air to acknowledge his fans. A bright white smile spread across his face as he placed a cowboy hat on top of his head.
"Hey T, tell the folks how you're feeling?" The cameraman, Boone, called out, pointing the camera at Tyler.
Tyler looked directly at the camera and said "I'm feeling pretty good, Boone." He then turned to the crowd, his energy infectious, and called out his catchphrase, "And if you feel it..." he paused, letting the crowd finish the line with a loud, "Chase it!"
Tyler, clearly enjoying the moment, amped up the crowd even more. "I said if you feel it, chase it!" The crowd responded with even more enthusiasm, their voices echoing around the patio.
"Oh, it was a beautiful day," Tyler declared, his smile widening as the cameraman stopped recording. With that, Tyler and his crew began to make their way into the bar, being slowed by fans trying to get an autograph or picture with Tyler.
Back inside the bar, you and your friends had returned to your usual spot at the end of the bar. It had been five or ten minutes since Tyler's crew had pulled up, and they were just now making their way inside after taking photos and signing autographs. You were mindlessly peeling the label off your Bud Light bottle as your friend talked about her most recent breakup. Though you nodded occasionally, your mind began to wander, tuning out the conversation.
Your gaze drifted across the room, landing on Tyler as he made his way towards the bar. You took in his appearance, noting every detail. His dirty and worn boots and his blue Wrangler jeans fit better than should be legal. His button-up shirt was damp from a day spent in the rain, clinging to his frame in a way that only accentuated his rugged charm. The signature cowboy hat atop his head and that ever-present beautiful smile completed the picture.
As you continued to watch, Tyler's eyes met yours from where he stood about halfway down the bar. His grin widened slightly, and he shot you a playful wink. You raised an eyebrow, unfazed, and turned back to your beer bottle, peeling the label with renewed focus. One of your friends, having caught the exchange, nudged you with a teasing grin.
"Really? Not even a blush for THE Tyler Owens?" she whispered, loud enough for your little group to hear.
You shrugged nonchalantly. "He's just a guy, right?" you replied, playing it cool despite the flutter in your chest.
Your friend's eyes widened in disbelief. "Just a guy? Have you seen his YouTube channel? He's a legend!"
"A legend for making jeans look that good," another one of your friends added.
You laughed, shaking your head. "Legend or not, he's still just a guy."
Your friends laughed, and the conversation continued, but you couldn't help sneaking another glance at Tyler, wondering if he was used to getting such a non-reaction.
About half an hour had passed since Tyler and his crew had settled into the bar. You were perched on a bar stool, peeling the label off your second Bud Light bottle of the night. Your friends had migrated over to the jukebox, dancing on the makeshift dance floor the bar owners had put together, leaving you alone at the bar.
You glanced up and saw Tyler walking towards you, that ever-present grin on his face. He approached casually, stopping in front of the stool next to you. "Is anyone sitting here?" he asked, his tone light.
Tyler took a seat, his charm turned up to the full volume. "I'm Tyler," he said, as if you didn't already know.
You played along, giving him a slight smile. "Nice to meet you, Tyler. I'm (Your Name)."
"It's a pleasure to meet a real-life angel," he said, eyes twinkling with amusement.
You laughed out loud, rolling your eyes. "Wow, that's original."
He chuckled, unphased by your reaction. "Can I get you to dance with me?" he asked, nodding towards the dance floor.
You shook your head immediately. "No, thanks."
Tyler leaned back slightly, still smiling. "Come on, just one dance."
"Nope," you replied, your voice firm but still amused.
He tried one last time, his persistence evident but not overbearing. "Are you sure? I promise I won't step on your toes."
You shook your head again, and Tyler finally raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. Maybe another time then," he said with a wink. "Enjoy your night, (Your Name)."
He stood up and headed back to where his friends were, leaving you with a curious mix of amusement and intrigue about the lengths he'd go to win you over.
As soon as Tyler walked away, your friends quickly made their way back to you, their faces lit with excitement and curiosity.
"So, what did he say?" One of them asked, practically bouncing on her toes. "What did he want?"
You took a sip of your beer, trying to play it cool. "He just wanted to chat and asked me to dance."
Your friends' eyes widened in shock. "He asked you to dance? And you said no?"
You nodded, a grin tugging at the corners of your mouth. "Yep, I told him no."
They stared at you as if you'd just revealed you were a secret agent. "Are you serious? Tyler Owens? Most women would kill for a chance to dance with him!"
You shrugged nonchalantly. "He's just a guy, remember?"
Your friends shook their heads, laughing and exchanging incredulous looks. "You're unbelievable. But hey, at least you got his attention!"
You chuckled, enjoying the playful banter, and took another sip of your beer. Despite what you had said earlier, you were secretly hoping Tyler would make another move. Or at least try to.
You were leaning against the wall near the pool tables, watching your friends play a game. The bar's dim lighting cast a warm glow over the tables, creating a cozy yet competitive atmosphere. Tyler spotted you from across the room and made his way over, his grin still firmly in place.
"Hey," Tyler said as he approached.
"Hey Tyler," you said returning his smile.
"Looks like you aren't too busy, how about a game of pool?"
You glanced at the open table and raised an eyebrow at him. "Sure...but what's the wager?"
Tyler looked intrigued. "Wager?"
"Yeah," you said, a mischievous glint in your eye. If I win, you pay for my next drink, whatever I want."
Tyler's grin widened. "And if I win?"
"You get that dance you were asking for earlier," you said with a smirk.
He extended his hand, and you shook on it. "Deal."
You started the game by playing the role of a novice, pretending not to know the rules or how to handle the cue stick. Tyler, ever confident, offered you the opportunity to break.
"Want to take the first shot?" Tyler asked with a grin.
You picked up the white cue ball and placed it in the center of the table. Looking over at Tyler, you asked, "Is this where it's supposed to go? I've only played once or twice."
Tyler's grin widened. "You're doing perfect so far. Just hit it towards the other balls with a good hit."
You took a deep breath and struck the cue ball. It cracked again the racked balls with a satisfying thud, scattering them across the table. Tyler's eyebrows shot up as he watched them spread, clearly impressed.
"Well, that was a good break," he admitted, though he assumed it was just a stroke of luck.
You lined up for your first shot, aiming carefully. As you sent one of the balls rolling smoothly into a pocket, you looked over at Tyler with a playful smile. "Am I doing this right?:
Tyler chuckled, shaking his head. "You're not just doing it right - you're making me look bad."
With each shot, you continued to maneuver the balls with impressive skill, all the while maintaining your guise of a casual player. Tyler's initial confidence slowly gave way to a mix of admiration and mock frustration as he realized you were far more adept than you'd let on.
In the end, you won decisively, with a victorious smile on your face. Tyler threw up his hands in mock frustration."Alright, you got me. Guess I owe you a drink."
You laughed, returning the cue sticks to the rack. Tyler led you back towards the bar. "A man's nothing if not true to his word," he said guiding you to the counter.
He flagged down the bartender and ordered a drink for himself before turning to you, "And for the lady, what'll it be?"
You made your choice, and as Tyler paid for it, you couldn't help but feel a thrill of satisfaction. The playful banter and easy chemistry between you were quickly becoming one of the highlights of your night.
As the night wore on, the bar began to clear out. People slowly paid their tabs and headed home, leaving the once bustling room quieter and more intimate. The music had softened, creating a relaxed atmosphere that almost felt private.
All your friends had left by now. One of them had offered to stay so you wouldn't be alone, but you insisted she go home. "I'll let you know when I get home safe," you promised.
Before she left, she teased you, nudging you with a grin. "You better tell us if anything happens with Tyler!"
You rolled your eyes, amused. "He's just a guy, you know. And we are roommates, so you'd definitely find out if anything happened."
"Should I leave a blanket and pillow on the couch for him, then?" She teased before giving you a quick hug and making her way out of the bar.
Your attention shifted to Tyler, who was now alone at the bar. His crew had left, and he seemed to be enjoying a rare moment of solitude.
Taking a deep breath, you made your way over to him. As you approached, you asked, "Is anyone sitting here?" Gesturing to the stool next to him.
Tyler looked up, surprised by your move. "No, go ahead," he said, his smile returning as he gestured for you to take a seat.
You sat down next to him, feeling the subtle shift in the night's energy. The bar's quiet hum and the soft light made the moment feel unexpectedly intimate.
As you settled onto the stool next to Tyler, the soft lighting and the quiet hum of the bar created a cozy atmosphere.
"So, how were the storms today?" You asked, trying to keep the conversation light.
Tyler leaned back, taking a sip of his drink. "Eh, they were okay. Nothing too dramatic. No big tornadoes or close calls like the viewers love. Just a regular chase day."
You nodded, intrigued. "That's too bad. I guess those big moments are what makes the videos so exciting."
"Yeah, they definitely get the adrenaline pumping," Tyler agreed, his gaze shifting from the bar to you. "But enough about me. What's your story? What are you doing in a small town like this?"
You considered his question for a moment before answering. "Actually, this is where I grew up. I graduated a while ago and didn't really know what I wanted to do next, so I stayed on the farm to help my parents out while I figured things out."
"That sounds pretty grounded," Tyler said, his tone genuinely interested. "So, what's next for you? Any big plans?"
You shrugged. "I'm still figuring that out. For now, I'm just here, helping out."
Tyler nodded thoughtfully before turning the conversation back to himself. "And what about me? How did I end up wrangling tornadoes?"
"Yeah, I was curious about that," you said. "How did you get into storm chasing?"
Tyler's eyes lit up with a mix of nostalgia and passion. "Well, I've always loved storms. Ever since I was a kid, they fascinated me. But it wasn't until a few years ago, after a really bad close call during a bull ride, that I decided to make a change. That bull ride nearly ended my life, and I figured if I was going to be on the edge, I might as well do it in a way I love. So I put together a crew of close friends and started recording our chases, and one viral video led to another. Before I knew it, 'Tornado Wrangler' just stuck."
You listened, captivated by his story. "That's pretty amazing. It sounds like it's been quite the journey for you."
Tyler chuckled, a hint of humility in his voice. "Yeah, it's been a wild ride. But I wouldn't trade it for anything."
The conversation flowed effortlessly, and soon you found yourself delving into more personal topics.
"So, do you have a girlfriend or anything?" you asked, trying to keep the tone light but curious.
Tyler let out a thoughtful sigh. "Not at the moment. I get a lot of attention from fans, but being on the road all the time makes it hard to really connect with anyone."
You nodded sympathetically. "That sounds rough. It must be hard to balance everything."
"Yeah, it's a challenge sometimes," Tyler agreed, his voice carrying a hint of vulnerability. "What about you? Any interesting stories from your love life?"
You laughed softly, a hint of self-depreciation in your tone. "Oh, my love life - or lack thereof - is pretty sad, to be honest. It's hard to find anyone in a town this small, especially when you've known most of the guys your age since preschool."
Tyler raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Really? So you've never met anyone that you were interested in? That sounds like a tough situation."
"It is," you admitted with a shrug. "And I'm not exactly the type of girl guys usually choose first. I'm a little quiet and shy, and a lot of guys think I'm stubborn and hard to break through to."
Tyler chuckled softly. "I'm sure that's not entirely true. Everyone's got their own charm, even if it's not always obvious at first."
You smiled, appreciating his attempt to reassure you. "Thanks, Tyler. I guess we all have our own struggles."
"Definitely," Tyler agreed. "But it's nice to have someone to talk to who gets it."
The conversation continued, with both of you letting down your guards a bit more, enjoying the rare moment of honest connection amidst the bar's quiet backdrop.
The night was winding down, and the bar was now a quiet sanctuary with only a few patrons scattered around. The soft music playing created an almost magical atmosphere. You felt a sense of calm settle over you as you looked over at Tyler, who was leaning against the bar, eyes catching yours.
With a mix of anticipation and nerves, you softly said, "You know, I think I'd like to take you up on that dance," you said, surprising him with your decision.
Tyler's eyes widened, and a genuine smile spread across his face. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice laced with excitement.
You nodded, feeling a flutter of nerves and excitement. Tyler slid off his bar stool and extended his hand towards you. With a deep breath, you took his hand. He intertwined his fingers with yours, giving you a look as if seeking confirmation. You returned the gesture with a gentle squeeze, letting him know you were comfortable with the contact.
Tyler led you towards the dance floor, his steps confident but gentle. As you reached the floor, he carefully placed one hand on yours and moved his other hand to your waist. The touch was light but firm, and he drew you closer, though your chests didn't quite touch yet.
The two of you began to sway side to side in time with the music, the silence between you punctuated only by the soft melody playing in the background. The world seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of you in your own little bubble.
As the song moved into the second verse, Tyler's hand slid from your waist to your lower back. With a careful and deliberate motion, he pulled you gently into him, closing the distance until your chests were touching. The warmth of his body pressed against yours, and the rhythm of the music guided your movements.
You could feel the steady beat of his heart, and as you swayed together, the intimacy of the moment grew. Tyler's grip was tender yet secure, and you found yourself relaxing into his embrace, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his chest as you both moved in sync.
The dance was slow and tender, each movement a soft conversation between your bodies. The world outside seemed to disappear, leaving just the two of you, wrapped in a dance that spoke volumes without needing words.
As the dance continued, Tyler's touch grew more confident. His hand on your lower back slid up to your waist, and you instinctively wrapped both of your arms around his neck, pulling yourself closer to him. The move felt natural as if you were meant to be in this close embrace.
Tyler's hat, which had been perched atop his head, was suddenly tossed aside with a casual flick of his wrist. It landed somewhere out of sight, but you didn't notice. All your focus was on him and the closeness you shared. His forehead gently pressed against yours, and you could feel the warmth of his breath mingling with yours. The sensation was intimate, his breath soft and warm against your skin.
The world around you seemed to dissolve as you both maintained this closeness. Tyler's eyes, now only inches from yours, were soft and focused. The gentle rise and fall of his chest against yours synchronized with the rhythm of the music, creating a soothing, rhythmic dance that was more than just physical.
The space between you was filled with unspoken words, a quiet intensity that neither of you needed to voice. Every subtle movement, every shift of his body, seemed to deepen the connection you both felt, making the dance a private exchange that was as much about the closeness and shared warmth as it was about the music.
As you swayed together, the intimacy between you deepened. Tyler's movements became slower, more deliberate, and he began to lean in just a little closer, his face coming nearer to yours. The moment felt charged, his intention clear as he seemed to be inching towards a kiss.
Your heart raced with anticipation, the closeness and warmth of his breath mixing with a subtle thrill of excitement. Tyler's lips were almost close enough to brush against yours when suddenly, the bartender's voice cut through the intimate silence.
"Last call, folks!" the bartender announced loudly. "Everyone needs to pay their tabs and head on out!"
The interruption was jarring, and Tyler halted his movement, his breath now mingling with yours in a mix of warmth and surprise. He straightened up, giving you a sheepish grin. "Well, I guess that's our cue," he said, his voice tinged with regret.
You both laughed softly, the tension of the moment dissipating as the reality of the bar closing in on you settled. Tyler gently released his hold on you, and you reluctantly began to move away from the dance floor, the spell of the moment broken but not forgotten.
As you made your way back to your barstool, you reached into your purse to retrieve your wallet, only to realize with a sinking feeling that your roommate must have grabbed your bag by mistake when she left earlier. You had hoped to settle your tab without any trouble, but now you faced the awkward situation of having the wrong purse.
You turned to the bartender, who had been a friendly face during your many visits. "Hey, I think I've got the wrong purse," you said, trying to hide your embarrassment. "Is there any chance I could come back tomorrow to pay for my tab?"
Before the bartender could respond, Tyler stepped in with a grin. "Hey, don't sweat it," he said, his voice warm and reassuring. "I'll take care of it."
You started to protest, but Tyler gently cut you off. He slid his card across the bar and gestured to the bartender. "Put both tabs on this," he said with a wink.
The bartender raised an eyebrow but nodded, taking Tyler's card and beginning to process the payment. You looked at Tyler, a mix of gratitude and surprise in your eyes. "You really don't have to—"
Tyler just shrugged, his smile playful. "Consider it a token of appreciation for the dance. And hey, I owe you a drink, remember?"
You chuckled, touched by his gesture. You and Tyler stood outside the bar, the rain starting to pick up around you. You exchanged numbers with a smile, your fingers brushing against his as you typed in your contact details. He gave you a quick, friendly hug before pulling away, saying, "Goodnight," and heading towards his truck.
You watched him get into his truck, then pulled out your phone to call a taxi, only to realize you had no signal. You sighed, glancing around the deserted street, the dark and the rain making the thought of walking home less appealing. The house you shared with your roommate was only a ten-minute walk away, but the weather was less than ideal.
As you began to make your way towards the street, the sound of a horn blared through the night. You turned to see Tyler's truck pulling up beside you. He rolled down the window, his concerned eyes finding yours. "Hey, what are you doing out here?"
You explained the situation, your voice a mix of frustration and resignation. "My roommate took the car home, and I can't get any signal to call a ride. I was just going to walk—it's not far."
Tyler shook his head, a firm yet gentle tone in his voice. "No way. Get in, I'll give you a ride." His expression made it clear that he wasn't giving you a choice, and you knew better than to argue.
You climbed into the passenger seat, shivering from the cold rain that had soaked through your clothes. Tyler noticed and reached into the back seat, pulling out a hoodie. He offered it to you, but you started to decline.
"It's fine, really—" you began, but he cut you off, insisting as he pulled the hoodie over your head.
"Just put it on," he said gently but firmly, ensuring you were snug and warm. The hoodie smelled faintly of him, a comforting mix of cologne and the outdoors.
You settled into the seat, the warmth of the truck's interior a stark contrast to the chilly rain outside. Tyler glanced at you, a small, satisfied smile playing on his lips as drove off into the night.
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magnolia-among-the-stars · 4 months ago
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the last bit of us (chapter two)
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Plot: Tyler Owens hasn’t been home in a year. He’s survived all the storm chasing and motel living with his new partners as they try to save lives. But with all the damage they’ve taken from driving high beams first into monster storms, it’s time to pay the piper and bring the truck in for repairs. And the only person who can fix them is the best mechanical engineer he’s ever met. Eleanor Harding, his estranged wife.
Pairing: Tyler Owens x Estranged Wife OC (Harding Daughter)
Word Count: 2.7k
Playlist Song: the great war by taylor swift
prologue / one / two / three
I try with all I have to not feel any sort of pain over the look of hurt on the woman - Kate’s - face. That look of betrayal, like someone had killed her dog. Like a lover had kept a deep dark secret. I try to shake it off and hold on to the anger that my sad excuse of a husband had decided to show his face at my office. “So, I’ll ask again,” I turn back to the man in question. 
His smile has fallen and he looks at Kate almost apologetically before he drags his gaze slowly back to me. I ignore the sweet swirl of emeralds and sapphires in his eyes, I let the embers in my chest simmer. “What the hell are you doing here?” 
Tyler opens his mouth but all that comes out is an awkward gurgle of uhs. He clears his throat and glances down. I follow his gaze to see the thick clay mud speckling his good boots. The boots that I bought him on our first anniversary to wear to the rodeo. “I, uh…” 
I look up into his face with a hard gaze. I watch him close his eyes, collect himself. “I don’t have all day Tyler,” I say. My hands start to shake a little, the overwhelming buzz from the embers starting to billow into a subtle flame. The heat of anxiety starts to warm me from the inside out. I cross my arms tight over my mesh vest to stop the tremble. 
“The truck’s in rough shape,” he says, eyes opening to stare down at me. 
The loud cackle isn’t my intended reaction. It rips through my throat before I know to keep it in. I look over at Kate, gagging the slight discomfort in her features turning a little disturbed as she watches the two of us. I raise a brow at her and laugh again, turning back to the man. “Oh, the truck is in rough shape.” I nod once, then twice. I turn around to my team, watching with apprehension in the bay. “The truck’s in rough shape,” I call out, waving as if to say ‘false alarm guys’.
I can see Tyler wince again in my peripheral vision and when I turn back to him, the light nature of my tone is wiped from my face. “Go fuck yourself.” 
I only make it to the gate when I hear the music peeling down the dirt road. It’s loud, guitar riffs coming from the speaker on what I can only imagine is their RV. I watch as the other wranglers park and come staggering out of their doors. “Sorry we’re late, I had to stop t’ get some gas and,” Boone’s loud voice travels across the space as he comes up to Tyler’s side. He must miss the hard lines of Tyler’s face because he catches my eye and comes running. 
“There she is,” he calls out, wrapping his arms around my waist and spinning me around in a tight embrace before I can say anything. “I missed you, Ms. Fix It.” Boone’s voice is soft as his scruffy chin digs into my collarbone. 
The southern drawl of his nickname for me is a soothing cup of water, nearly extinguishing the burning in my chest. Boone was like a golden retriever. Boone had done his due diligence to send me postcards through the time since I’d last seen everyone. They’d always been blank, just pictures of different southern county spectaculars across the states but catching a livestream of the wranglers’ channel discretely playing on Carter’s desktop when he’d gotten up to go to the bathroom one day, I’d realized it had been the sweet man checking in. I missed his enthusiasm deeply, frustrated that Tyler not only took my heart with him when he disappeared one night but also that he took his whole crew of friendly faces with him. 
“Hey there Boone,” I breathe into his neck, my arms wrapping tightly around his shoulders. “Couldn’t have sent a warning postcard?” 
The tall man pulls back, “You got my postcards? Oh gosh, that makes me so glad,” he says, placing a hand over his chest. My words register in his mind and his smile stretches wide with guilt. “I’m real sorry ‘bout that. It took all my convincin’ to get the guy to even drive here. Did he mention the truck?” 
“He sure did,” I nod, acutely aware of everyone watching Boone and I. Boone seems in his own world, blissfully oblivious to the two crews watching us. I glance back at the truck where Tyler, hands on his hips, speaks in hushed tones to Kate, another man I don’t recognize and Lily. She catches my eye and waves. 
“Can ya help? Ya know there’s no one else who can fix her up the right way,” Boone says, fixing his dirty cap on his head.  
“Boone, ya’ll can’t just show up here after all this time and just ask me to fix up the truck,” I say. There’s pressure starting to build behind my eyes and I have to shake my head to rid the feeling. I step backwards out of his grasp. 
“I know it’s a real shit thing to do. We wouldn’t have come if we weren’t desperate,” Boone says. He takes a peak over at Tyler, looking back at me with puppy dog eyes. “He would not have come if we weren’t desperate.” 
The comment tugs at my heart strings and I can’t help but look out at the fields around us. The tall grass sways lazy in the breeze, the sun starting to rise higher in the sky. My stomach growls a little. I sigh, starting to shake my head again. 
“Please El,” he asks again, my real name not something I’m used to hearing from Boone.
“Goddamnit Boone,” I say. I wipe a hand over my forehead and lick my lower lip. “What’s wrong with the damn truck?” 
Boone’s face brightens immediately, a wide grin back on his face. He hoots in glee, rushing the few feet across the path to hug me tightly. “Thank you, thank you,” he kisses my cheek a few times, his scratchy mustache rubbing against my skin. I try to push him off with a small laugh, noticing Tyler turning to look at the commotion. 
“Boone, Boone,” I say, laughing a little more at his excitement. “Show me what’s wrong before I change my mind, you bastard.”
He backs away, arms raised in surrender as he leads me back over to the truck. “Alright so, Ms. Fix It has offered to take a look at the sucker to get Betty back into tip top condition,” Boone announces to the group. Back in front of them, the lighthearted feeling of the moment with Boone fades though I catch Lily winking at me as I round the truck to look it over.
I can see the mangled iron of the drill blades under flakes of dried mud and grass. “What did you do to my base drills?” My tone is sharp as I turn to look at Tyler. 
“That was actually me,” a small voice quips from my right. I turn, identifying it as Kate. Hand raised, sunglasses tucked on top of her shiny caramel hair and guilty expression. My brows pinch together. “I took the truck through an EF5, got dragged through the ground. We’ve been going into more storms and Tyler hit a rock,” she continues. 
I only look at her, nodding slowly. “They weren’t built to survive EF5s but I guess that’s one way to test them…is that it?” 
“The rocket rig button isn’t workin’,” Boone adds. “We really need somethin’ with some more power.”
“Boone,” Tyler says, shaking his head at the man. He turns to me. “I can fix that, if you can just help with the drills.” 
I scoff, walking toward the driver’s side to pull the door open and examine the console but Tyler beats me to the door, sidestepping in my path to prevent me from tugging the door open. “I said, I can fix it.” 
“You came all the way here for a mechanic, didn’t you? Let me inspect the work,” I say, tilting my head and narrowing my gaze at him. 
“She’s been running mostly fine, just needs the drills,” he says again, squaring his chest. He looks calm for the first time since stepping out of the truck.  
I poke a stern finger into the soft material of his flannel as I say “Do you want my help or not?” 
He doesn’t flinch, only staring down at my hand hovering near his chest again. He must notice the lack of wedding band and the dainty engagement ring adorning my ring finger because when he looks back up at me, there’s a far away look in his eye.
“Move so I can see what other damage you’ve caused,” I say. 
It’s a low blow. I know it. He knows it. But too much time has passed for me to be kind in my compromising. The hard, stubborn look in Tyler’s eyes fades and softens at my retort. He looks away with a shake of his head, stepping aside while tugging the door open at the same time. My arm brushes against his shoulder as I slide past him. I lift myself into the driver’s seat and glance down at the panel of buttons I’d cleverly designed years ago when he started going out more seriously into the field. 
Crumbs are scattered all in between all the buttons, sticky residue from duct tape collecting dust. “God, would it kill you to take care of this and clean it every now and then?” I ask, cautiously brushing some of it away. 
Tyler ignores me, watching as I look over everything. I glance forward to see if my team is still watching and inhale sharply. The visor is flipped down to block out the sunshine. Gone is the old, tattered photo of Tyler and I on our first date. In its place sits a fresh, glossy photo of who I can only assume to be Kate staring at a storm. It catches me by surprise and the burning embers in my chest return. I make a mental note to dig out those papers from my junk drawer in the kitchen.
I look over at Tyler and we stare at each other for a moment. He’s watching me apprehensively, searching my face for a reaction, maybe an outburst. “Are there flares or rockets in the fittings?” I mumble, turning back to the buttons without waiting for his response. 
I barely hear him call to everyone to back up and instead try to shake off my unease. I hit the bright red button to shoot off the rockets and wait for anything to happen. I push it a few times, clearing out some of the crumbs that I can feel grinding up on the sides but still get nothing. There’s a piece of tap beneath the hitch button, Kate’s Barrels scribbled in Sharpie. I purse my lips and grab the joystick, pushing the button to deploy the drills. They shutter a little, digging into the ground and rattling to a halt with one digging further down than the other. I push the button to retract them and sigh, starting to climb out of the truck. 
“Well?” Tyler’s voice is thick as he steps closer. 
“You’re fucked,” I say, not bothering to look at him and instead motioning for Charlie to open the gate. 
“Can you fix it?” the curly haired man next to Kate asks. 
I look in his direction, then Boone is smiling like an idiot. “Course I can. Boone, can you get the truck inside for me?” 
Boone moves to jump into the truck at my request but Tyler grabs him, tugging him out of the seat to climb in instead. He starts the engine and Boone races to catch up to me instead. He’s joined by the others, walking behind me to the warehouse. 
“TempestEdge,” the curly haired one reads our sign and we get to the bay door. 
“Carter, can you grab my tablet please,” I ask and he nods, running back to my desk. 
“Wait, you guys are those government contractors building and updating infrastructures to withstand storms,” he says, sounding in awe. “You guys are like, state of the art.” 
“We try,” Charlie crosses her arms, tight smile on her lips as she and Birdie watch Tyler drive into the warehouse. Charlie nods in my direction. “El’s the mastermind of the operation, I just crunch numbers.” 
“The team is the mastermind of the operation,” I say, rolling my eyes. I put my hand out to shake his and Kate’s reluctantly. “I don’t normally come off this harsh. I go by my maiden name, Eleanor Harding.” 
“Javi Rivera,” he says slowly, trailing off. 
“Kate Carter,” she introduces herself, shaking my hand. “Sorry for the awkward introduction.” 
I don’t know how to respond so I just nod, turning to walk further into the warehouse. Carter meets me halfway with the tablet, while the others head back to their desks. “Thank you,” I say, starting to swipe through our inventory for possible scraps and parts I can use to fix the truck. Carter stops me though, placing my phone on top of the screen. 
“Before you do that,” he says, his voice quiet with the surrounding guests. “I think you should call your mom.” “Carter, my mom can wait for a call back. She probably wants to hear about how the test went. You know how she gets on days like today,” I say, pocketing my phone and going back to the tablet. 
“Wait,” Javi exclaims. I turn around in surprise, noticing he’s looking at some of the photos on the siding of the warehouse. “That’s where I know that name from. Your parents created Dorothy, they’re legends.” He turns back to me, eyes wide. My phone starts to vibrate again in my pocket. 
I dig my phone back out from my pocket to see the 14th missed call from my mom. “They’re something alright,” I say. A text pops up then. I read it quickly, passing the tablet back into Carter’s chest. 
“I was trying to tell you,” Carter says, holding my bag and keys out  to me. “I’ll catch a ride home with Charlie.” 
I glance up at him, the pressure behind my eyes building again. Can anything go right today? “Thank you.” I turn to head out to the truck without another word. Heavy footsteps stomp behind me, chasing me out the door. It’s not even 10 AM yet as I unlock the truck. 
“El, Eleanor, where the hell are you going?” Tyler bellows as he catches up to me. 
“It’s gunna take a few days to get parts, alright? I’ll call Boone when the truck is ready,” I say, tossing my bag into the passenger seat and starting the engine. It takes a few turns before the engine roars to life. Tyler’s hand catches the door, preventing me from taking off. 
“Hey, talk to me,” he murmurs, leaning into the cab. “What’s going on?”
“Don’t pretend to care all of a sudden, Tyler. You’ve got what you came for, I’ll fix your damn truck so that you can go head first into the next monster of a storm with your girlfriend, alright? I need to go,” I say, my eyes glossy when I look away from his hand to his face. 
He steps closer, pushing with force through my tight grasp on the door. He’s silent as he reaches up to grab the seatbelt, stretching over my hips and torso. I squeeze my eyes shut, distraught as my hands only find comfort on the steering wheel. The click of the buckle is so loud in my ear and I have to remind myself to take slow breaths until Tyler is no longer invading my space.
“Leave the reckless driving to me,” is all he says before closing the door and stepping back. I do my best not to look in the rearview mirror and I peel off down the road to St. Mary’s Medical.
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pynkgothicka · 8 months ago
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XS KSJ
Pairing - Jupe! Dark! Kim Seokjin x AFAB! Reader
Synopsis-Based off NOPE, you and your friend visit a new attraction called Jupiter's Claim, and a grown up child actor begins to fall for you. Part One of the Movies Series
Featuring - Megan Fox
Word Count - Around 2k
Tags and Warnings - Kidnapping, Allusions to Death
Authors Note - While studying the movie and pulling what I wanted, Steven Yuen was looking FARRRR TEW FINE. Also cried at the end, the unknown is scaryyyy
A friendly reminder that all my works are dark fanfiction! Please if you do not like that do not read them! These depictions don't pertain to reality. This is your final warning before hitting the keep reading button!!
You hated RV parks.
You felt trapped at Megan's make-up artist job. The only benefit you had was being able to be around the horses they had brought in regularly. You stood by one in particular, Lucky, and next to .him was a quiet man, who you learned his name was Oj.
You knew better than to not bother him as he seemed on edge, but you liked being around Lucky. You would pet her mane, and just like being around her.
Soon however, Megan finally had her things together and motioned towards you. Letting out a sigh you wave towards Oj. “Bye, thanks for letting me hang out with you.”
“It’s nothin’.” He mumbled singling you off with a hand gesture.
“You like him or something?” Megan said walking next to you as you guys walked to her RV. You laugh her off slightly shoving her.
“Nah, I liked Lucky though. Oj was pretty chill, he just kind of let me be around. Guess I wasn't pestering him like the rest of that crew…” You deduct making your way inside her RV. You had your own space, in which you settled in. You dropped down on your bean bag exhausted. “Besides didn’t you want to go to that attraction or something?”
“Jupiters Claim? Of course, I paid good money for it, so you can bet your candy ass we’re going to see what's there.” You groan at Megan's want to go to some random attraction. You honestly rathered the RV at that point.
“Fine, just let me rest before we head out. You know I hate being out there in the sun like that.” You complain. Megan lets out a small squeal as she tackles you onto your small bean bag.
“Thanks! I could just kiss you right now!”
“Mhmm, the things I do for you.”
🏇
Walking into the attraction you were quickly put off. The old-time Western theme wasn't appealing to you at all. But from what Megan had told you on the way there, she wasn't there for the actual attraction. “I’m telling you, that kid Jupe, from Gordies Home, he owns this place.” Megan raves leading you towards the back of the attraction up towards the staircase to the main office. “I paid good money to see his memorabilia and talk to him.”
“Why not use it for something valuable, like a nice piece of jewelry or something?” You say walking behind her as she opens the door.
“Because I had extra money lying around and well I wanted to spend it.” Walking inside you were greeted by two people, one of them being a lady in a baby blue dress, cowboy hat, and boots complete the look. She stood talking on the phone and Megan tapped on the class making a motion towards the back door.
The lady smiled and gave a thumbs-up before getting back on the phone. Megan led you into the back office space. Sitting behind the desk was a man in a white top, obviously fitting the western aesthetic. His hair was black and slicked back, lips curving into a sweet smile. “Megan right?” He asked looking at her and shaking her hand.
Then his eyes turn to look into yours. He stood in a daze looking at you.
You give him an awkward smile and take his hand. He shakes his head and takes your hand in a firm grasp. “Sorry, I should’ve said something about bringing her around,” Megan begins clearing her throat. Even she could tell it was awkward. “She's cool people trust me.” Jupe seemed to be in his own world before finally pulling away.
“Oh it's fine, you know I don't usually let people bring others around, but just this once I'll let it slide.” He says laughing. He steps from behind the desk and puts a hand on the small of your back to move past you. You jump and look at him, Jupe giving you a smirk before continuing to move past you.
Megan smiles laughing along with him. “Trust me she's like a tag along, real chill.”
He smiles turning to look at you. “Let's just hope you’re a real Gordies Home lover.”
“Trust me, I’m really not.” You say laughing awkwardly. You really wanted to leave already.
🏇
Once his tour was over you felt weird about it all. Megan was ecstatic though, finally coming one step closer to one of her special interests. She asked questions the entire time, while you stood at the door pensive.
Megan then dismissed herself to take a call. This left you inside with Jupe. “So, are you usually traveling with her while she does makeup?” He asks as you stand near the window peering outside, watching Megan. You turn around nodding at him.
“No, I just tagged along when she invited me.” You say before speaking up again. “Listen I’m sorry if she was just being a lot in there. She's my friend but I know you have feelings and all.” You say looking at him. He seemed to be lost in his own world before snapping back to reality.
He blows out smiling. “It's right really, thanks for caring though. But let's not focus on that. What do you do for a living?” He said standing up and laughing, making his way closer to you.
You laugh with him awkwardly. “A horse jockey. Yeah, I mean when I saw some of the horses you guys had, I was excited. Like a way to be committed to the western theme.” You ramble on leaning by the window. You really just kept talking to not focus on how close he was getting towards you.
He nodded smiling towards you and sat on his desk, his body close to yours. “Yeah, I know a ranch where I get them, real quiet bunch… I bet you’d like that wouldn’t you?” He said looking at you.
“Like what?”
“You don't seem to fit the whole being a side character to Megan's story. Like just look at you, you’re just gorgeous.” Jupe rambled leaning in. You leaned back as he got closer. “I think honestly you’d like it here. I can make you a star ya’ know.”
You tilted your head shaking it at him. “Listen Jupe-”
“Jin. The name is Jin.”
“Jin, I’m not really interested in whatever you’re trying to do. I’m just here because I want to support my friend.” You say putting your hands out to put some space between the both of you. “I’m not here for my claim to fame moment.” Jin shakes his head, pursing his lips together.
“You sure you don’t want more than what you have? You never even considered all you could have is someone, who gave you a chance at getting it?” He rambled. His hand went back as he grabbed a stapler on his desk. “I can make you happy… happy with me.”
Seeing him go for it you ducked as he first swung it. Your back hit one of the walls, your hand trying to stop the blow. But that failed as you instead injured your wrist. You held onto it losing your grip on the wall. “Get the fuck away from- AH!” You’re cut off by the stapler hitting your head. You see a bright light before you officially are knocked out.
Jin let out a deep breath as he dragged you into his memorabilia room. Jin closed the door, locking it, but not before making sure you were knocked out. Just around then, Megan comes back inside looking around. “Sorry, did she leave or something?” She asked looking around. Jin nodded going to sit back behind his desk.
“Yeah, she said she had a headache or something. Talked about going back to you guys RV.” He said snidely. “Did she not tell you before leaving?”
“No… Thank you once again, I'll head back now.”
🏇
He kept you in that room for weeks.
Only just recently were you moved out from there, and put in one of his set dressing houses.
He preached about falling for you and wanting to spend his days with you. Laying with you late at night, his hands around your waist. He laid kisses on your neck as he would tell you sweet nothings, yet what was even more messed up was that the entire time you were chained to the foot of the bed.
Of course, the chain had some length but still, you felt as if it was fruitless to escape. But you didn’t dare stay locked up forever. Especially after he told you Megan filed a missing persons report for you and had been asking around for and about you.
She even decided to go to his live show just to get her mind off things.
So you began walking and dragging the bed as you walked around the home. The bedframe would hit the door and you pulled at it hoping to snap off the leg the chain was hooked to. You kept doing it until it was the day.
The day of Jins live show.
Jin stood in front of you showing off his tailored suit. “Do you like it my Star?”
You hated that nickname.
“Yeah, I-It’s amazing… It’s really fancy.” You replied feeding into his decisions. Jin smiled and kissed your lips. Before standing up and heading for the door.
“Be safe okay, after this I’ll be back, and Amber will be gone.” He smiled wickedly walking out and locking the door. She was one of the reasons he moved you here. He wanted you away from his wife, who obviously hated you. You could've sworn whenever you did have to stay trapped in his office, that she tried to poison you more times than once.
But that's beside the point.
You heard the sounds of people, music everything. You spent that day continuing on your escape. You finally pulled off the leg and started banging a heavy piece of the chain on the doorknob.
The loud PA system made you speed up as you growled slamming the chain on the knob. The incessant drone of Jin talking acts as background noise to what you are focused on.
“And so, as I said, in just under an hour, ‘The Star Lasso Experience’ is gonna change you.“
CLANG!
“Stay in your seats. So that was new. They’re early...”
CLANG!
You let out a loud fuck as you cry out.
Then you hear it.
Screaming.
You stop what you're doing as the wind blows in the distance, the same amount of distance as you hear the screams. It's droning and you stop what you're doing to cover your ears, your head hurting at the sound. You wait as it all goes away before you put down the chain realizing you were probably in a life-or-death situation. With one final kick, you knock the door down.
Looking around you see that Jupiter's Claim is a mess. You couldn’t even begin to figure out what happened. But you begin to clamber away, your body hurting as you do so. You hadn’t moved like this in a while.
You make eye contact with a man. It hits you exactly who it is, Oj.
He stares at you too in shock. “Help…” Was all you could muster up to say to him. He makes a motion for you to follow him and you do. You speed up getting into the truck as he grabs Lucky.
“Just get me the fuck out of here now.”
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myenterpriseisparked · 1 year ago
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Rank the Star Trek captains based on whether or not they're expert road trippers
Archer - He tries. So hard. He burns a CD mixtape to listen to and rents a huge RV that only kind of works. He plans out a bunch of stops but "leaves room in the schedule for unplanned adventures :)" and then proceeds to not follow the plan at all and everything goes wrong. Actually, now that I think about it, Archer on a roadtrip would probably just mostly be the plot of the movie "RV."
Pike - He lets Una plan the stops and he METICULOUSLY plans the food. He and Una take a survey about what all their crew wants to see along the way and try so hard to integrate them all into the trip. He plays LOTS of car games, like Eye Spy or that one game where you count animals on your side of the vehicle until you see a graveyard and have to start over or that other game where you describe a movie plot badly and everyone has to guess what it is. He lets Uhura control the music and Spock read the map and Ortegas drive. The plan for the trip goes off the rails, of course, but everyone ends up having a blast anyway. Overall a SOLID roadtrip.
Kirk - Kirk takes everyone to see every single tourist trap they can find and, you know what? It's fun. Is the World's Largest Truckstop really all that special? No, but the memories they make there are. I also imagine his roadtrip largely takes place in Iowa and other parts of the Midwest so a lot of the trip is rolling cornfields. Overall not a terrible trip, if a little slow and nutty.
Picard - Due to being European, Picard's idea of a roadtrip is a little... different. The crew is a little confused as to why they are only doing about 3 hours of driving a day, but they do appreciate that it's through Wine Country, where the rolling hills are lovely. I imagine Picard plans a "themed trip" (wine tasting and touring) and Riker is the one to throw in the fun tourist traps they do end up visiting. Q is somehow at every single place they stop. Lwaxana is at a few of them too.
Sisko - Sisko takes everyone on a tour of the MLB baseball fields. He meticulously plans places to eat (mostly cajun places that he critiques as 'not as good as his dad's, but acceptable.') and fields to visit. In the meantime, Jadzia picks some more... colorful places to visit in the evenings. Different groups of people get lost but they always find each other. Everyone is a little wary of visiting baseball fields, but once they find out that it was Jake's idea to cheer his dad up, everyone acts like each field is the most fascinating thing they have ever seen. In the end, the trip is a little tedious, but they have all bonded over the solidarity of making Sisko feel better.
Janeway - Janeway drives through the middle of nowhere. Absolutely no cell signal ever. Google Maps will not work. They stop every hour or so to look at the sights. At several points, their van gets robbed and they have to craft new supplies as they go. They make some "road enemies" (other roadtrippers that get competitive about parking spots and camping areas and stuff) and get in several fights (that they win). They camp alongside the road instead of staying in hotels and it's kinda miserable but it builds a lot of relationships and character. Their van breaks down a lot but they always fix it themselves. B'Elanna ends up souping up the engine about 4 different times. In the end, they all get home pretty much dead on their feet, but the whole crew is planning the next road trip anyway.
Freeman - She has a schedule that no one follows and she yells about it a lot. The road trip keeps getting completely derailed. They absolutely do not hit any planned stops and they have to replace each of the van's tires 3 times. Good news, however, is that they got a GREAT sale on all the trinkets and stuff that they bought along the way so everyone is still having an okay time.
Dal - Barely has a plan. He basically piled everyone in a vehicle one day and started driving. They stop whenever they feel like it and do odd jobs to earn enough money to keep going. The end goal is to reach San Francisco by the end, but Dal has to keep them backtracking for various reasons and they're having a heck of a time understanding exactly how this brand-new Chevy Silverado with a fancy computer system that they accidentally stole works. Everyone has fun anyway, even though they are also kinda lowkey running from the cops.
Burnham - I don't honestly know enough about Burnham as a captain to say for sure but I think she and Saru would plan a pretty chaotic lil road trip that kinda jumps all over the country in a strange order. Lots of zigzags and backtracking and stuff. I think they have fun though?
FINAL RANKING:
1st Place - Pike
2nd Place - Kirk
3rd Place - Janeway
4th Place - Sisko
5th Place - Archer
6th Place - Burnham
7th Place - Picard
8th Place - Dal
9th Place - Freeman
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iceman-maverick · 1 year ago
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is softly trying to wake up your sleepy partner a trope ? idk. anyway “ice, baby, it’s time to wake up.”
“Ice, baby,” Maverick whispers, lightly pushing at his shoulder “it’s time to wake up,” 
Several truths reveal themselves to Ice the moment he returns to consciousness:
It is swelteringly hot
The base of his spine hurts like a bitch
He is naked
And, most troubling, he is quite sticky 
None of these revelations are particularly encouraging, but his aching back quickly takes priority as Ice comes to and gets his bearings. He stretches his arms, grossly caked in dried over sweat, over his head and then yelps once his index finger collides with the metal coils of the bed frame. He frowns, bringing the wounded digit to his lips. 
Maverick is sitting on the edge of the bed - dressed, showered, and shaven with an irritatingly dopey smile. He’s wearing jeans and his leather jacket, which doesn’t make much sense given how fucking hot it is in here.
Ice squints at him accusingly. 
“What-” Ice starts, then swallows. His throat is bone-dry, his tongue not much farther off as he sucks on his still throbbing finger. “What time- wait, where are we?” 
The curtains of the room are drawn shut tight enough that just the slightest ray of sunlight is able to creep in. There’s no air conditioning, and the bedframe squeaks loudly with even the slightest of movement so Ice figures that wherever they are, it’s old as hell. 
“It’s almost three,” Mav tells him. He gestures for Ice to sit up and passes over a glass to Ice’s free hand. Ice frowns as the motion pulls unpleasantly at his back and then promptly gulps down the entire thing. Ice rolls his shoulders and pops his neck. God, he is fucking sore. 
“Come on sweetheart,” Mav prompts, “wheels up. Slider’s starting to lose it out there,” 
Mav stands and walks over to open the curtain, flooding the room with light. Ice flinches at the brightness, peeling back the thin cover sheet and swinging his legs over so that his feet land on the fuzzy teal carpet. The sheet - adorned with pastel pink flowers and butterflies - sticks to Ice’s leg as he moves. He grimaces as the puzzle pieces begin to fall in place.
“Am I in heat?” He asks, trying not to be overly put out by Maverick’s smug look. 
“Nope,” Mav pops the 'p', from where he stands, arms crossed, by the window. “Well, you were. Not anymore though, I saw to that, thank you very much. It came on fast enough that we had to get real creative,"
Ice blinks, his stomach drops. "...Creative?"
"We’re in Nana’s room,” 
Oh Christ.
It had been Ice’s idea in the first place to get the band back together so to speak. It had been a few years and between deployments, reassignments, and Hollywood going local, everyone was clamoring for a vacation.
Maverick famously hates anything to do with camping so they compromised, landing on what Slider has taken to calling Boyscouts Lite. Ice found an RV rental and enough tents to reasonably shelter a handful of pilots, three women, an eight year old, and twin baby girls.
A tall order to fill, no doubt, but thankfully Slider's Nana conveniently owns a vast plot of land up in NorCal with river access, enough trees to give Hollywood the creeps and, most importantly, radio signal. Maverick refused to go unless he could be guaranteed his daily dose of Springsteen. Nana was more than happy to act as their crew's headquarters, positively delighted to meet all of Ronald’s little friends. 
Ice’s last lucid memory was breaking up an argument between Carol and Wolf. They had been organizing the fishing equipment when suddenly Wolf shrieked a sharp, piercing wail that startled several birds into flight. His finger had been pricked - barely, Carol protested. Accusations began flying and Maverick, naturally, was no help. 
Within moments of parking the RV, Mav elected himself as the resident river thermometer, stripping to board shorts, making a real show of it once the chorus of whistles and cheers started up. He plopped himself down - a can of beer in either hand - onto one of Bradley’s tubes (the one with the flamingos, specifically) and cast off into the river. Supervising, he had smirked from his tube, bopping along without a care in the world. Ice supposed he should be grateful that his alpha wasn’t one of those excruciating knotheads that insisted on micromanaging everything, but mostly Ice was just annoyed that he was left alone to wrangle with the tents. 
Ice vaguely remembers pushing himself between Carol and Wolf - the distinctly unpleasant scent of agitated betas making his lip curl. He had shoved Wolf back hard and then after that Ice’s memory goes mostly blurry.
Heat tends to do that to a guy.
“Come on,” Maverick startles him back into the present, reaching a hand out to pull Ice to his feet. Ice brings his arms up and around Maverick’s neck, breathing in the reassuring scent of content alpha - his alpha. 
“Hi,” Ice smiles into Mav’s neck, swaying forward to let the alpha bear most of his weight. Mav makes a pleased sound and wraps his arms around Ice’s hips, digging his thumbs in to massage at the sore tissue.
The sound Ice lets out in relief is rather unbecoming of a naval officer with his record, but Ice is too blissed out to find it in himself to be embarrassed. Plus, they're alone and it's not ike Maverick is a stranger to the various groans, moans, and whines Ice comes up with. No, Maverick loves when Ice gets vocal, makes it his most sacred duty to get Ice to make as many sounds as possible in bed.
It's a shame he doesn't remember much of the previous night, Ice thinks. If the ache in his back is anything to go by, it must have been a good one.
Ice lifts up his right leg to rest atop Maverick’s hip and swoons as Mav, ever eager to follow Ice’s lead, uses his grip to pull up Ice into his arms. It’s a little ridiculous, what with Ice’s clear size advantage and all. But Maverick is strong, and takes Ice’s weight like it’s nothing. He shuffles his hold so that Ice can squeeze his thighs around Mav’s waist, effectively clinging like a starfish across Maverick’s front. 
“Hi,” Mav smiles back once they’re both situated. “Let’s get you cleaned up, yeah?” 
Ice drops his head to rest snuggly on Mav’s shoulder, and nods. He lets his eyes close as Maverick begins to walk towards what Ice prays to be some form of indoor plumbing.
---
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going into heat while being slathered in sunscreen and bugspray must be amongst the top 10 ickiest feelings of all time, ice truly is so brave.
We're playing an IceMav askbox fic game. Send me a trope and a first sentence and I'll write at least one paragraph!
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magicalqueennightmare · 28 days ago
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Familiar Stranger
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Brock Rumlow X Reader
Yall I found this abandoned in an OLD folder so 🤷‍♀️
When Rick's group is cornered by the saviors you offer yourself as the pound of flesh Negan is owed to save your people but a familiar face is amongst your enemies
You had no clue who these assholes were nor what their plan was for all of you. They had the upperhand, your crew was outmanned and outgunned. That knowledge mixed with looking down the line up at Maggie who was pregant and in pain, Daryl who had visibily been injured and Carl who still had so much life ahead of him even in this world was the only thing that made you go along with being told to get on your knees.
You chanced a look around trying to get some sort of an idea just how many were surrounding all of you. Your stomach felt as heavy as if a slab of concrete was settled in the pit of it. There were so many bodies, men far enough back from the headlights of the trucks parked throughout the clearing that all you could see of them were their silhouettes. Too many to count and far too many to fight.
One stepped in front of the line up leering at you before turning his attention to Rick. You watched his demeanour, how everything from his hair which was greased to the out of date mustache screamed pervert. If you knew you wouldn't cause harm to become of anyone else you would've been tempted to kill him for the hell of it. "Alright we got a full boat lets meet the man" He announced and that got your attention.
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Your eyes followed him across the clearing to where the RV had been parked. He knocked on the side of it then walked back over to stand with some of the men obviously awaiting whoever was about to make their presence known. The door opened and a man walked slowly down onto the dirt. He was around Ricks height wearing a leather jacket and carrying a wicked looking bat over his shoulder that had been meticulously wrapped in barbed wire under other circumstances you would've called him attractive but at the moment your aunt's voice saying how lucifer was the best looking in the garrison rang through your ears as if she was sitting right next to you. "Pissing our pants yet?" He asked with a smile that you ached to knock off his face.
"Boy do I have a feeling we're getting close" he continued as he started to cover the ground between where he stood and where all of you had been lined up for the picking. "Yup. Gonna be piss pants city here real soon" you knew all of this was an intimidation factor but you refused to cower when he met your eyes. "Which one of you pricks is the leader?" He asked skimming his eyes across your faces. "Its this one. He's the guy" Perv revealed pointing to Rick. Baseball bat stopped in front of Rick and smiled "Hi. You're Rick right? I'm Negan and I do not appreciate you killing my men" Negan took a breath then added "Also when I sent my people to kill your people for killing my people. You killed more of my people. Not cool. You have no idea how not cool that shit is"
Negan looked over all of you again before his eyes went back to Rick "but I think you're gonna be up to speed shortly. Yeah. You are so gonna regret crossing me in a few minutes" you felt bile threatening to come up into your throat. Negans words held an unspoke threat you knew was going to be horrible and bloody.
He smiled and took a step away from Rick "See Rick no matter what you do. You don't mess with the new world order. The new world order is this and it's really very simple so even if you're stupid which you very well may be. You can understand it. Ya ready?" He looked around then smiled "Here goes. Pay attention. Give me your shit or I will kill you"
He moved to walk down the line making sure to look all of you who raised your faces in the eye "Today was career day. We invested a lot so you would know who I am and what I can do. You work for me now" you felt your mouth fall open in shock when he continued "You have shit. You give it to me. That's your job. Now I know that is a mighty big nasty pill to swallow but swallow it you must"
You met Michonnes eyes when Negan stopped in front of Rick again. She was scared "You rule the roost. You built something. You thought you were safe I get it but the word is out. You are not safe. Not even close. In fact you are pegged more so if you don't do what I want and what I want is half your shit and if that is too much you can make, find or steal more and it will all even out sooner or later"
He stepped back to look over all of you again and you tried to see Daryls face but he was looking down. Negan continued to walk back and forth down the line as he talked "This is your life now. The more you try to fight back the harder it'll be. So someone knocks on your door. You let us in. We own that door" he was in front of Daryl and you were finally able to see how pale your friend was.
Negan moved to be back in front of Rick "You try to stop us and we will knock it down. You understand?" He moved closer to Rick cupping his ear as if he couldn't hear when Rick refused to respond "What? No answer?"
He stepped back to address all of you again and by now his voice was grating I n everything inside of you. "You all didn't think you were gonna get through this without getting punished now did ya? I don't wanna kill you people. I want you to work for me. Can't do that if you're dead now can you?" You cut your eyes up hoping maybe there was someone you could at least insure the injured made it out alive until he added "But you killed a whole damn lot of my people. More than I'm comfortable with. And for that you're gonna pay. So now I'm gonna beat the holy hell out of one of you"
Your eyes flew from Rick to Glenn to Carl to Daryl then finally Maggie and Michonne. When you'd had no group they'd taken you in and had become so much more.
Negan held up his bat "This is Lucille and she is awesome" you took a breath preparing to get his attention on you should it come down to it. Then he said the words that you had already put together. This entire cat and mouse game was for him to pick who to kill.
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He stared down Glenn then Maggie and Abraham before pointing to Carl "You've got one of our guns. You've got a whole bunch of our guns" he crouched down in front of Carl and you allowed yourself a moment of pride to see Carl was staring him down. "Shit kid. Lighten up. At least cry a little" "If you wanna kill someone get on with it. Hell I'm to the verge of volunteering to not hear you talk anymore" your mouth moved on its own over ridden by the aunt like bond you had with Carl.
Negan stood tucking the gun he'd taken from Carl into his waistband then walked over to be standing in front of you. Out the corner of your eye you saw the crowd of his men moving as someone worked their way through but you couldn't allow your attention to be split. Negan crouched in front of you and smiled "You are a god damn live wire ya know that? If looks could've killed from you I would've been dead the minute i stepped out. What's your name?" "Y/N" you all but growled and once again noticed his men moving around. He licked his lips slowly then nodded "Y/N darling it'd be too much of a waste to kill you"
He stood up and moved down the line and you suddenly had an urge to bathe. Someone holding basically everyone you cared about hostage flirting with you felt just dirty.
When he stopped in front of Maggie and said "Damn you look shitty. I should put you out of your misery now" Glenn hollered "NO" and jumped out of line only to be dragged back by the man with a half burnt face.
You fought every urge in your body to make a move towards Negan but you didn't for fear of harm becoming someone else. "Get him back in line" he spoke about Glenn then looked around "Don't any of you try that shit again. I will shut it the fuck down. It's an emotional time I get it so first one's free"
He looked at Rick who the gravity of the situation had appeared to have fully hit "Sucks don't it? The moment you realize you don't know shit" a realization hit Negan as he pointed to Carl "This your kid right?" Then laughed "This is definitely your kid"
You knew Negan was trying to force a reaction from Rick who broke and hollered "Stop this" he turned to Rick and shook his head "Do Not make me kill the little future serial killer. Don't make it easy on me. I gotta pick somebody. Everyone's at the table waiting for me to order"
He glanced back towards you and smiled "I got an idea" your felt your hands start to shake either from fear or adrenaline as he started "eeny meanie miney mo" pointing lucille at everyone in turn. You were praying for the first time in years. When he stopped in front of Abraham a small part of you felt a strange mixture of relief and guilt. "Looks like you're it"
He looked around before turning back to Abraham "You can breathe, you can blink, you can cry. Hell you're all gonna be doing that"
When he raised Lucille you screamed "NEGAN WAIT" He froze and looked back at you "Y/N would you like to address the class?" You met Carl's gaze then said "You want your pound of flesh. I get it. I've got plenty. Take it from me" he grinned in a way that was more predator than man "What are you offering darling?" You stood up ignoring hands grabbing at you "me for my people"
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"Hell no" you heard someone say from behind you and froze in your tracks. You hadn't heard that voice since about six months before the world as you knew it came to a screeching halt. You turned slowly forgetting even Negan and the situation at hand momentarily. He looked almost the same as he had the day you said your goodbyes. His dark hair was a little shaggier but everything else was the same. He even still had that same chain peeking out his shirt collar, handsome enough it hurt and made you question your morals. "Brock?"
"Hey Doll" He spoke as if the world hadn't ended, as if he hadn't tore your heart out your chest and as if he wasn't on the crew of the men holding your people at gun point. "Hold up..Rumlow how do you know our little live wire here?" Negan asked his attention having been drawn from the prospect of bashing in Abrahams head to the drama clearly threatening to unfold.
"She was my girl before the world went to shit" his eyes never left yours as he spoke. Negan let out a low whistle which made you look back at him "Well shit..Y/N darling you're just full of surprises aren't ya?" Your head was spinning. All of this was simply too much. You could feel soo many eyes on you at that moment. Your entire group and half of Negans was staring you down. You knew his men were sizing you up while your group was probably just as thrown as you were.
"Well Brock seems your girl here has a set of brass ones. She's offered herself up to save her people" you spoke without thinking and flinched at your own voice when you said "I'm not his. He left me before the dead started walking. These people here? They're the reason I'm alive. My life is my bargaining chip and mine alone" you felt more than heard Brock move behind you and took a step to the side before he could touch you because at that moment you were certain just the barest brush of his hand would cause you to crumple and you had to stay strong.
"Rick what do you say? I mean I can kill Y/N but god damn a woman like that would be a fucking waste indeed or I can kill carrot top and take her as collateral to insure all of you hold up your side of the deal" dying you'd agreed to but there was no way you were being taken prisoner. You had seen what this group was capable of and from Brock being with them you knew he'd changed since he was yours.
Every one spoke at once. "I'm not a fucking trophy. You want me dead bash my head in but this ain't turning into capture the flag with me being the star role" you spoke staring Negan down you were sure it was a dying man's last hurrah but at least you wouldn't be on your knees. "He ain't fucking killing you Y/N" Brock sounding so protective over you made you fight the urge to close your eyes from the flood of emotions threatening to pull you under. You'd gladly trade it back in for the fear and disgust you'd simply been feeling.
"I ain't letting her trade her Iife for mine" you felt guilt flood through you for the moment of relief at Abraham being chosen over Carl or Glenn. "Kill me. These are my people. I'm supposed to protect them" Ricks voice was steady when he spoke but you could see the horror in Michonnes and Carls eyes.
"Enough of this shit" you all but growled and snatched the knife from the top of your boot seeing the flash of recognition in Brocks eyes. You put the sharp blade to your throat and leveled your gaze at Rick. "He wants one of us dead so I'll oblige him" Negan gave a sharp nod of his head and a shot rang out a half second before Brock was on you easily over powering you and getting the knife out your hand. You screamed in horror as Abrahams lifeless eyes stared across the clearing, a single bullet hole between his eyes.
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Brock tucked your knife into his waist with one hand holding you against his chest despite your struggles. When your knees gave away he went down with you. "Here's the deal to all you shit heads take it or no one will leave here alive. Daryl and Y/N come with us. I like their spunk. All of you get to work and we will come to Alexandria next week for our first batch of goodies"
"Leave her and Daryl alone" Rick warned as was met with Negan pointing a gun at his head "Did I god damn stutter?" "Rick it's alright" Daryl finally spoke meeting your eyes and you nodded ceasing your fight against Brock. "We'll be ok" you managed and Negan smiled and clamped his hands together. "Well this has been a fruitful night indeed"
He looked at the guy with a half burnt face "Dwight take Daryl to the van" then looked at you "I'm guessing you'll wanna ride with Rumlow" you let Brock pull you to your feet and glanced back at Rick who barely nodded. They would fight somehow you knew they would fight.
Brock pulled you towards a dark blue truck and opened the drivers door "get in" you climbed in almost mechanically. Too much had happened in too short of a time from being hijacked by Negan and his so called saviors to the only man you'd ever truly loved coming back seemingly from the dead.
"Here" Brock speaking broke you out your own head and you realized he was holding your knife out hilt first. "Was yours first" your voice cracked as you took the ka-bar and slid in into place in your boot. He watched your movements before turning the engine over in the truck and starting to drive. A long silence stretched between the two of you befire he broke it by saying "Whyd you keep it?" You could feel tears prickling your eyes but didn't dare close them for fear of seeing Abrahams lifeless body staring back at you again. "It was the one thing I had left of you" you answered honestly feeling the tears flow down your face.
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Brock opened his mouth as if to say something but closed it right back. You knew he was watching you with those eyes that were the color of whiskey. Just as warm and just as addictive. You had loved his eyes from the moment you met him. You leaned your head back staring up at the roof of his truck. After a moment his hand brushed against your leg and when you flinched away from him he let out a breath "I'm sorry about your friend but honestly I would've seen them all dead before you. I thought you were dead once already and I'm not reliving that"
"Too bad I wasn't" you replied and got a warped sense of accomplishment at seeing his jaw tighten at your words. "You'll be staying in my quarters. Was Negans idea to bring you because it's clear what those people mean to you and you to them but even if you hate me I'm going to protect you as much as I can"
There was so much you wanted to say. You wanted to scream, to cuss, to hit him hell even jump out the truck but if your presence bought time it was worth it and you'd be lying to yourself if you said you didn't still have some sort of love for the man sitting across from you even if he was a virtual stranger. "I won't fight" you said and saw him relax a bit until you added "for now"
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usafphantom2 · 5 months ago
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SAC Crew Dog Alert Stories: An Introduction - Part 1
In 1989, I spent a lot of time trying to explain to my family what being on Alert was. The fire house analogy was the only one I could come up with. For seven days straights, a couple of times a month, we would move into the Alert Facility also known as the Shack and for the most part, sit around and do nothing. This story is how I remember it now, 30 years later.
The Shack was a building, in the fenced area at the end of the runway. It was built right next to the “Tree”, a aircraft parking location designed to make it very easy to takeoff in just a few minutes and from the air, it looks like a simple drawing of a tree.
We started our Alert tour on Wednesdays. So, we’d show up on Wednesday morning around Zero Seven Hundred (7:00 am for you civies) and park in the lot outside the fence and drag all the sh*t we would need for the week, clothes, books, razor, soap, shampoo, etc, plus all our professional gear, helmet bag, publications (a big heavy briefcase.)
At Loring Air Force Base (AFB) in Maine (ME), we had seven tankers on Alert. There are four crew positions, Aircraft Command, Copilot, Navigator and the Boom Operator, and this meant there were 26 other crew dogs doing the same thing as you. Some were married or had girlfriends who would drop them off and say goodbye, others were single, like me and we’d drive our cars there. One guy used to show up on his snow mobile occasionally, and another guy, who was a HAM Radio guy used to arrive in his RV with radio antennae’s sticking out of it all over the place (another funny story.)
The Shack was build was built partially underground. The bottom floor was where all the quarters were. There were three main hallways, with a couple of crossing hallways to connect them, and probably about 80 single rooms. Originally, the B-52s had also pulled Alert, they had six crew member per crew and maybe six or eight aircraft on Alert, but Loring had become a Conventional Bomber base during to one of the Start treaties, so the bombers were no longer there, thank the Lord.
The second floor in the Shack was above ground, and it was the main area. It had windows. The main entry door was at one end of the building, all other external doors were Exit only. There was a briefing room, a chow hall, various recreation rooms with TV’s and couches, and then an area for doing classified stuff that I could tell you about, but then I’d have to kill you. Classified briefing could be given in the main briefing room as well.
So, after you dragged all your sh*t, up the hill, showed your badge to get in the gate, then continue dragging your sh*t the rest of the way up the hill and into the main entry, show your badge again, get your room assignment, and drag your sh*t down to your room (seeing a theme here?) and sort it out, then it was time to get to work.
Time to find your crew and get to the briefing held at Zero Eight Hundred (8:00 am) sharp. And I do mean sharp. Time hacks, the process of synchronizing your watch with the master timekeeper (usually a Navigator) was a big thing, was a very important thing and seconds mattered.
The presenter of the briefing would brief us. Thinking about it, I can’t really remember what they talked about. Most of the time I was half asleep, I do remember that, but not on change over day. They’d discuss the weather, what crazy Ivan was doing, status of the airplanes, stuff like that and when they finished, it was time to head off to the aircraft.
The airplanes were kept at the Cage. Tankers weren’t allowed to use the Tree (even though it was empty), because… well… because we were tanker Toads. We didn’t drop bombs, so we weren’t really all that important (until they needed gas that is.) Our parking location was across the runway in the other fenced off parking area. In order to get in, you had to be Pre-Announced (another funny story) and the AC or Copilot would usually call over and let them know we were coming.
While someone was calling over, the Boom would get the keys to our Alert Truck. Each crew had their own truck, a Ford or Chevy Crew Cab 4 door pickup. There were also a few extras that could be borrowed if you were important enough, but mostly each crew had to share amongst themselves.
The Boom always drove the truck when the crew was together. It was tradition, and God help the Aircraft Commander who tried to buck it. Next stop, the Cage to preflight the aircraft.
(I missed a part here… so I’m adding it now) When going to airplane to pre-flight it, you also needed to bring all your professional sh*t, oh, I mean gear. It was a big bag, filled with cold weather gear and other stuff. Bigger than a duffle bag, and heavier too. It had to have all the correct stuff in it, or else. And from time to time, they would actually check it, so you couldn’t skimp. It had to be dragged out of the truck, up the crew entry chute (a ladder to get you to the flight deck) and then secured (tied down) to the floor in the back of the aircraft. Four bag, one for each crew member, and one more for the flying crew chief. Getting one of the themes here? We were always dragging our sh*t around all over the place.
The aircraft was always, and I mean ALWAYS, ready to takeoff. The entire pre-flight right up the step where they Start Engines was already accomplished, but there were a couple of exceptions. For instance, you could not leave the battery switch on because that would kill the batteries. Each and every morning, you had to go to the aircraft and make sure that everything was up to snuff. With Loring having a cold climate with lots of snow and very low temperatures, we had a few extra things that needed to be done. The engines had to be covered to keep snow and ice out of them, and the wings had to be kept clear too.
Although we had crew chiefs to take care of the airplane, the decent thing to do was to give them a hand if it was needed, operationally, the brass wanted everything ready and they didn’t care who, or how and why, just get it done. Being the only enlisted member on the crew, it was often the Boom who was elected (or just plain old ordered) to help them out, but only after we’d finished our part of the pre-flight.
In my early days, we were still flying on the KC-135 A model which did not have a usable Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) and used Injected Water to provide additional thrust for takeoff. Water freezes – and Loring is cold, so the water needs to be heated. That was my job, and the crew chiefs and, you guessed it, it sucked. An external power cart, known as a Hobart, needed to be plugged into the aircraft. The electrical power it provided enabled the use of the water heaters, which probably used enough energy to light up the entire base. There was a warning in the Dash One (the Bible that told us all about the KC-135) that said, “Do NOT turn on all the water heater switch at the same time.” There were five heaters and a switch for each one.
Rumors had it that once upon a time, a boom did exactly this, and the load caused the Hobart to flip over and die. (Hobarts are big, probably weighing 5,000 lbs) Not good, especially on Alert, where THE AIRPLANE MUST ALWAYS BE READY TO TAKEOFF!
Fortunately, water was not always needed. If the temperature got very low, the engines didn’t need it. But, unfortunately, the only way to get rid of the water was to dump it out of the bottom of the airplane and onto the ramp where it promptly froze into the shape of a very nice skating rink. Lovely.
The airplanes were fueled up to the maximum Emergency War Order (EWO) takeoff weight, which was right around 290,000 lbs. A bit more was added, allowing for the fuel burned off while taxi’ing. They were very heavy, and it was hard on the airplanes having them sit on the ramp with all this weight.
So, moving on, we’d get the preflight complete and head back to the Alert facility. There was ground training to be done and briefings to attend. First, studying your mission. You need to know where you were going, who you were refueling, and where you were landing (or bailing out as the case might be.) They weren’t kidding, you really needed to know. There was a test! And if you failed it, it was a disaster, I mean, they’d run you out town on the rails! You’d be the laughingstock of all your peers. (I really want to use the term “No Joke” but somebody has ruined that statement.)
So, you did your studying and after that it was usually lunchtime. Hmm, personally, I always thought the chow hall food was good. But then again, I think any food prepared by some else is good. I can’t stand cooking, and this worked out well when I was in the Air Force because someone else always did the cooking.
Lunch was also always a very social event. Long tables with crews sitting together inevitably lead to storytelling, and let me tell you, some of the guys were superb. They would have us in stitches for hours. Sometime the stories were sad, sometimes funny, but they were always entertaining, and they became the lore over time, being repeated and discussed over the years.
Somebody actually created a book, handwritten, with text and drawings, which included many of those stories that was kept down in the crew quarters. I wish to the Lord above; I had that book. It was gold. It was passed around, amongst the crew members to read during the huge amount of time they had when they were just doing nothing.
And I think at this point, lunch time, I’ll end Part 1. Stay tuned for Part 2 which will start with:
A Nap
Photos:
KC-135 62-3580 – The Moose Is Loose (not sure it was an A or an R as this point)
View of the flight line in the summertime, around 1992-4
@tcamp202 via X
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doublejango · 11 months ago
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for @moxxietude, because these two never have misadventures when they head off on missions together, right? they will definitely be fine.
Not Hell--
This wasn't Hell, but it might be the next worst thing. The hit was done, they'd sent some shitbag straight down and earned their pay, but Loona hadn't opened the portal to fetch them home yet. Which was fine. Really. Probably, anyway. Maybe? Definitely fine. Still, this wasn't even a town, much less a city. Cities were great. The denser they were, the dirtier they were, the less anybody ever looked over at a couple of imps slinking along. Nobody cared about gunshots or shouts in dense cities, but here?
This place was awful. They'd had to make the hit look like an accident. Thankfully, the law enforcement officers who were called up bought it, and nobody really seemed that perturbed, but it still rankled the pride. They were assassins, damn it. Not accidents.
Yeah, this place was the worst.
According to the sign, this little cluster of a few dozen cabins and chalets, up on the top of a mountain, was called Paradise Idylls. There were a few dozen RVs all neatly parked together like big fat white parasites, children running around in the bright sunshine. The smell of meat being cheerfully grilled with too much lighter fluid and not enough seasoning, the barking of a few happy dogs, splashes from a little pool...
A tiny mountain resort, high up in the pines, with just one long, winding dirt road leading in or out, probably hours from real civilization. A summer heatwave, a forest dry as tinder.
Back twitching under his jacket, feeling like at any moment someone was going to find them and probably use bear spray on them, Blitzo hunched down next to Moxxie in the relatively cool confines of a Facilities shed. As long as no maintenance crew came, they'd be fine in here. And if they did... Eh, there were some barrels, some tarps. Surely the two of them could hide--or Moxxie could, anyway. He was sneaky as fuck when he needed to be.
"So." He picked up a can of spray paint and started tossing it from hand to hand. "She'll definitely get us out of here any time now. But want to play a game? Truth or Dare, maybe? Kill the next few minutes?"
The next few minutes. As if they hadn't already been here for literal hours, and might be here for hours longer yet.
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munsonfamilyband · 2 years ago
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What a Phone Call Can Do
Teasers for my Different Meeting AU (that has basically become a fic at this point, may even pop it on Ao3 who knows), title of this post is an idea for a title, let me know opinions?
I have specific things that I am planning to include, and moments that I will do as canon, adjusting canon, or throwing away canon, so here’s some of those and feel free to share ideas:
Steve is going to spend the night with Eddie at Rick’s, no way is he leaving him. There will be discussion of Steve’s trauma in more depth in this part, as well as discussion of his homelife and parental neglect. 
Steve will be present for Jason and Patrick’s arrival at the lake house and Patrick’s death, Jason will take a slightly different turn on his idea of what Eddie is doing.
Yes, I will be making Steve get cursed, why, because he is my little doll that I like to make bad things happen to (this means Eddie will know his song, I have two ideas already, one is my own and another I saw in a fic and laughed so hard I almost peed, see if you can guess).
After leaving Eddie temporarily, to drop off the kids and Robin somewhere, Steve is going to run some errands, mainly: getting food and clothes for himself, stopping by Gareth’s house to fill him in on what’s going on, getting food for Eddie, leaving his car at his house so it’s less suspicious and sneaking into the trailer park to get Eddie clothes/see Wayne
Steve has been accepted by the other people in Eddie’s life at this point. Wayne almost immediately fell in love with Steve (I’m a sucker for Wayne telling Eddie to marry Steve of he'll adopt him), and the Corroded boys all got wooed by Steve’s cooking and baking, especially Gareth (Steve also has hair care talks with Gareth because they both love their hair and have been trying to bully Eddie into taking care of his)
Nancy having weird Feelings about Steve and Eddie, thinking she’s into Steve at first, but then she realizes that she's just jealous (is it because she misses Jonathan? Is it because she's suddenly interested in a clumsy lesbian? Maybe it’s both and I create the messiest polyamorous relationship known to man)
Following canon: the fruity four will still get dragged into the Upside Down, starting with Steve being yanked in, Steve will still get attacked by the bats, Fred is still victim 2 but that will happen off screen as this is from Steve’s point of view, Patrick is still victim number 3 and dies in the lake, Max is still cursed and plays bait, Nancy and Robin Acting Adventure at an Asylum
Adjusting canon: Steve is with Eddie for more of the story, contemplating having Nancy be cursed by Vecna as they leave the Upside Down or maybe having it be Eddie so he can see Steve as one of the victims, Steve’s injuries are not ignored once they leave the Upside Down (homoerotic wound care anyone?) which is going to adjust the groups at the end as well
Tossing out canon: Steve is also cursed but (thanks head trauma) he doesn’t know until it’s too late, replacing War Zone scene with a cute steddie moment in the RV, addressing Steve’s many head injuries and giving him hearing problems (there is a government issues hearing aid at his house but he rarely wears it, he will be once they learn about the music), happy ending :) 
Take note that I didn’t include Eddie and the bats here, because I have no idea if I’m even going to include that, I have an idea for following canon fully, adjusting canon and tossing out canon but I won't really know what I’m doing until I get farther into the fic.
There will be a happy ending though, I promise. My own gay little heart needs to see Will Byers meet Eddie and have his tiny gay brain explode because “wow hot man”, I also need Eddie and El to meet because she would adore him (Bitchin and Metal, hello?). I may also try to include a scene with Murray, because I love him, meeting everyone properly, finally meeting the Steve and before any of the adults or Cali crew can be clued in on their relationship, Murray tries to set up Eddie and Steve. I will also be showing Steve allowing himself to be soft with some of the kids (my heart grows 2 sizes whenever I think about Steve getting close with El and calling her Ellie bean, which she loves because it’s a new nickname)
Potential other ships to be included:
Jonathan/Argyle/Nancy/Robin as a polycule or as two relationships or mixture
Lumax/Elumax (as long as Max and Lucas are together I'm happy)
NO BYLER sorry, hot take, but I don't like Byler, and I think that Will deserves better than M*ke Wheeler, maybe I'll have Will and Gareth get to know each other though
Jopper, duh I love them
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mxmollusca · 10 months ago
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fic first lines
post the first line from the last 10 fics you posted (and are there any patterns?) - I got tagged by both @epersonae and @scarrletmoon
I don't have 10 fics for OFMD because I am a slow-af writer, so hopefully my measly 7 will suffice.
An Arm and a Leg
(My first fic for this fandom, building my brand early with some good ol' fashioned magical realism with tentacles.)
Stede Bonnet felt decidedly unwell.
In Favor With Their Stars
(The story opens with a series of computer screens showing the computer processes of a spaceship computer, who also happens to be one of the main characters.)
BONNET INDUSTRIES - DEEP EUROPA MISSION
Interplanetary Transport Ship/REVENGE
Shipboard AI SYNTHETIC TRANSPORT ENTITY/DEEP EUROPA (STE/DE)
(Prose)
“Good morning, Edward.”
There's a Monster at the End of This Book
(surprise Vianton!)
Anton sat on the red velvet sofa, jogger-clad knees pressed together, a temporary resting place for nervous fingers that drummed impatiently.
The Sticking Place
(Sequel to An Arm and a Leg, starting with some journal entries.)
Personal Diary of Stede Bonnet
June 10th, 1718
It’s been three days since the onset of my new affliction, and I am pleasantly surprised to find the crew relatively unfazed by the news! 
The Ship of Theseus
(An audio/visual multimedia project written by me, with sound support and editing from @nordarknessdimsthesky and @emi--rose. The entirety of this piece is written from the computer's POV.)
>>2063-02-06 01:35:41
>>STE/DE CMD
     INITIATE VIRTUAL MACHINE
     SELECT BOOT IMAGE
     INITIATE BOOT FROM IMAGE
     OPTIMIZE KERNEL
     SELECT WAYBACK MACHINE WEB 2.0 CLONE
     RENDER INSTANCE
     INSTANCE RENDERED
Wave Hello to the Void
(This story was cowritten with @zacharybosch and has art from @eefaevie. There is a lot of multimedia in this story, and it opens with a news article, followed by a video transcript, followed by prose.)
(News clipping)
Green Bank Register - 10/03/2023
Mothman sets fire to dumpster
By LUCIUS SPRIGGS
GREEN BANK, WV - Today marks one week since the first sighting of a large, unidentified winged creature in the Green Bank area.
(YouTube Transcript)
The Beltsville Goatman: A Monsterlover's Exclusive - 09/28/2023
STEDE BONNET, a blonde man in his mid-40s, stands in front of a huge, white RV with the words “MONSTERLOVERS” emblazoned across the side parked in front of a large, empty field.
(Prose)
Stede Bonnet bounds down the steps of his Entegra RV, cellphone in hand, his fuzzy teal Monsterlovers-branded fleece fully zipped in defense of the October morning chill.
Works for Spiders
(This story is written from the POV of the surly house spider who lives in Stede and Ed's "inn".)
She is roused by distant vibrations, a rhythmic thumping reverberating through floorboards and beams and into the strands of her web to tickle against the fine black hairs lining her long legs.
---
Patterns? Perhaps I am allergic to consistency. I tend to be motivated by the novel. I'm here to fuck around and find out. I like to experiment with form and presentation. All I can promise is that it's only going to get weirder from here.
@oatmilktruther @petrichorca @veeagainsttheday @emi--rose @ghostalservice whatchu got
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mariamakeslemons · 2 months ago
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Spooktober 2024: Day 17 Grabboids (Tremors)
Warning: Reader is Gen Neutral but implied to be white (phrasing implies being born to white parents instead of adopted, I'm sorry)
Grabboids are the monster of the 1990s movie, Tremors. It's a PG-13 movie that is cheesy and just stupid fun, despite being a "horror" movie. For this, ignore all the movies after 2.
It was supposed to be a bit of a vacation for 141 after the shit hole of a mission they had. Instead, Price and his boys are all over the small store, off the floor with a few locals joining them.
“Alright, I just sent the text to Dad,” you declare softly as you look up from your phone. The locals all raise their fists, grin and give thumbs up, before suddenly going silent as the weird monsters move under the shop. It doesn’t break open the floor, but it does cause the floor to bulge a bit. They stay silent for a minute longer, before some of the locals start to whisper again.
“Your da? What’s he going to do?” Gaz asks from beside you, sitting on a lower shelf.
“Dad and Mom actually helped take care of the Grabboids about a year before they got married and a year and a half before they had me,” you explain, still soft. Price wants to demand more information, but it’s obvious that everyone is being quiet on purpose, so he just focuses on you and Gaz as his Sergeant continues to ask questions.
“Grabboid? That’s what they’re called?” he asks.
“Yeah. They’re long ass worms that have these tendrils that come out of their mouths,” you explain, miming said tendrils by wiggling your fingers by your mouth. You suddenly make a grabbing motion as you continue, “They grab whatever they’re gonna eat and pull it back into their mouth. Scared the shit out of me th’ first time I saw one.”
“You’ve seen them?” Gaz sputters out. You turn to him and raise an eyebrow, causing Ghost and Soap to both snort. Price chuckles as well, watching as his Sergeant scrunches his face, mumbling something about stupid questions.
Suddenly, a loud explosion sounds from outside, getting closer to the shop and sending the thing fleeing back the way it came. You jump off the shelf and roll, bouncing up and motioning everyone toward the door.
“Let’s move, we have maybe two minutes before they come back!” You yell, sprinting out. Everyone runs out after you, climbing up the fixtures that had confused Price as they entered town. An armored RV drives up and the top opens, revealing a lovely woman.
“Sweetie, there you are!” she calls up, “Val and I will start the evacuation, but you might need these.” You lean over the ledge enough to catch the pipe bombs with a manic grin.
“I thought you said I should never have access to pyro techniques, Mom!” you call back. Your mother gives you a look Price has seen on both his own mother and Soap’s ma.
“Listen to your Ma, you little shit!” a man’s voice calls from in the RV.
“I am, Dad!” you yell back, before turning to the group, “Alright, we’ll go in two groups.”
The locals are carefully lowered into the RV, leaving you with 141 as it drives off, completely immune to the Grabboids’ attempts to knock it over or drag it back. You sit down, fiddling with a pipe bomb while looking out at the town.
“Don’t worry,” you reassure them, “Mom and Dad act as the evacuation crew for Uncle Burt. Uncle Earl set up a safe zone near his Grabboid Amusement Park with Auntie Kate.”
“Wha’s th’ plan with th’ bombs?” Ghost asks, crouching down beside you. You give them a grin and all Price can think is that you and Soap are going to get along far too well.
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fearfully-fiction · 2 years ago
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Ashmore Estates-Alex Schroeder x Reader
word count:2,395
warnings: nothing really, light fluff, mentions of fear of heights
summary: Based off of season 4, episode 6 of DF. so all credit goes to the crew, the show, and the channel/network. It is Alex's turn to choose a location and everyone is in anticipation. And the pit stop he's chosen may or may not be something you're comfortable with.
Part one of my new series is here! I do truly hope you enjoy it and are excited about this series. I'm sorry if these get put out slower than usual, I just started school, so just bear with me.
I love you to the moon and to Saturn!
-M.G
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(gif not mine!)
You sat in the RV on the way to a location unknown as per usual. Though knowing it was Alex’s turn to pick the location was quite nerve-wracking. He hadn’t let you in on anything, not even the slightest detail. The one thing you did know, was that he was very excited about it, and that scared you even more. Nothing about this seemed normal, and you were dying to know where he was taking you. 
You looked at him and sighed. “Al-” you started. “Nope, no, I’m not saying a thing,” he interrupted you, knowing exactly what you were going to ask him. You huffed and crossed your arms. “You don’t even know what I was gonna say,” you said to him and it was his turn to sigh. “Seriously? You’ve asked only about 8 million times in the last 31 hours,” he scoffed. Chelsea, tanner, and Dakota chuckled. “I'm with her on this, I want a hint of some sort,” Chelsea said and looked at Alex with a raised brow. “Not until later,” Alex stuck to his plan. “You’re no fun,” you whined and poked his arm. “I’m fun, I have a great spot for you guys to stop at while I tell everyone about the location,” he informed you and tossed an arm over your shoulder. 
It wasn’t long before you pulled up to the place and got out of the RV. “I’m small enough compared to you giants. What is this place?” you questioned and looked at your boyfriend like he was crazy. Everyone laughed and tanner ruffled your hair, you swatted his hand away. “You’ll have fun I promise,” Alex said and kissed the top of your head. 
“Oh hush, I know I will. I’m with these two fools, and Chelsea of course,” you said and nudged her side and she laughed softly. Tanner and Dakota looked at you in mock offense. “Fools?” they questioned simultaneously. “Fools,” you confirmed with a large grin. 
“Oh, you’re gonna get it,” Dakota said. You noticed that he was about to run and so of course you sprinted away from him. You could hear him running after you and you laughed breathlessly. About halfway across the parking lot he caught you and picked you up and spun you around until you begged him to stop. You let out a yelp and laughed as he set you down, trying to gain your balance back. “I still think you’re a fool,” you whispered and he looked at you with a look as if saying ‘what did you say?’. “I said nothing,” you said and shrugged before quickly walking back to the group. 
“Alright, I’ll see you guys in a bit, go have fun on big objects,” he gestured to what was in front of him and behind you. You chuckled before kissing his cheek. “Love you, Alex,” you said while watching him walk away. 
“Shall we?” you asked and pointed to the attraction. “We shall,” Tanner answered and you chuckled before linking arms with Chelsea and making your way back across the parking lot. 
As you walked across the lot you saw a large chair and to your surprise a mailbox. “Imagine the packages you could get in there!” Chelsea said and you laughed. “For some reason, I feel the need to climb that chair despite my crippling fear of heights,” you pointed out and directed the camera toward the chair. “I’d pay to see that,” Tanner laughed and so did you. “You just want to see me fall off of it,” you jabbed back and he looked at you with a hurt expression. “Is that what you think?” he asked in surprise. “That’s just what I know,” you smiled brightly at him. He grinned at you, “Alright, alright, you know me too well,” he said. “I know,” you said and they laughed. 
You walked further in and came across a giant pencil. “Look at the pencil!” Tanner exclaimed and you chuckled. “Tanner we finally found something that is taller than you!” you proclaimed excitedly. He tossed a glare your way while Chelsea and Dakota laughed. Chelsea jumped to try and touch the eraser and when she couldn’t you decided to try. “Ok, wait! I need to try!” you said and set your camera down. You stood under the pencil and did a couple of test hops before you jumped as high as you could. Ultimately not reaching your goal. “Damn it,” you huffed and they all shook their heads. “Sorry, I guess you’re just too small,” Dakota teased you and you glared at him. “Don’t worry I couldn’t do it either,” Chels reminded you and wrapped an arm around your shoulder. 
“Oh my gosh, it’s a big ass bird cage!” you enthusiastically pointed at it before running toward it. “It has a swing!” you said excitedly and sat down on the seat before swinging yourself back and forth. “She is so easily entertained, I don’t understand honestly,” Tanner shook his head. “Right, I mean, it’s just a swing,” Dakota said. “I think it’s cute,” Chelsea said as she watched you happily swing in the cage. 
“Alright, move, we want to swing too,” Dakota said and you got off of the swing so they could sit down. Chelsea hopped on the side of it and you smiled. “This is like, the cutest thing we’ve ever done,” Dakota stated and you chuckled a bit. “Not gonna lie here, you guys do look adorable right now,” you said and smiled at them. “I need pictures!” you exclaimed before holding your phone with one hand and taking a few pictures of them. “I need a picture with everyone,” you said. They all sighed jokingly. “C’mon, you know you love me,” you joked and they all agreed. 
Tanner sat on the swing and you hopped on behind him. You had a foot on either side of him as you held on so you wouldn’t fall. You both smiled widely as Chelsea took the picture. Next up, it was you and Dakota. It was an awkward and hard-to-hold pose but you made it work. You were determined to be taller than him and so you sat on your knees on the swing right next to him. He had his arm around your waist to steady you as you rested your head atop his. Your smiles were wide as you tried not to laugh and fall off. He helped you down and next it was you and Chelsea. Seeing as you never wanted a normal pose you and Chelsea both stood on the swing. “We better get this before we both fall off,” she joked and you laughed loudly and smiled over at her. And later on, you found that that was the picture. You smiling over at her while she smiled at the camera. It was one of your favorite pictures you had with her. 
Dakota was the last one on the swing, and Chelsea took the opportunity to close the cage door. “I’ve always just wanted to-” she spoke as she shut the door on him. And you all laughed. “He makes a great bird,” Chelsea joked and you laughed loudly. “A beautiful bird,” you agreed teasingly. 
“Now, to ascend the giant mailbox!” you declared and they chuckled. You all made your way up to the top and you smiled at the view from up there. 
“What do you think Alex is talking about right now?” Dakota wondered aloud. “Probably the usual,” you shrugged. “Yeah, probably something depressing and scary,” Tanner added and you softly laughed. “It has to be that,” you pointed over at him and smiled. “Ok, I think the adrenaline of climbing a giant mailbox has worn off. I’m literally about to panic. Can we get down now?” you questioned and they all nodded. “Right, c’mon let’s get you back onto the ground,” Tanner said and took your hand to guide you back down.
As you walked back down to the parking lot to meet up with your boyfriend you smiled at the thought of him being so excited. 
You saw him by the RV and took off in a light sprint. He chuckled at you and opened his arms for you. You crashed into him and he huffed at the impact, laughing breathlessly as he kept you both from falling over. “Hey, babe,” he said and he heard your muffled hello against his neck. You pulled back and smiled up at him. “Did you have fun?” he asked, and you nodded your head. “Yeah, I did. Got lots of good pictures too,” you told him giddily and he smiled at how happy you looked. He leaned down and pressed a kiss on your forehead. “Good, I’m glad,” he said and hugged you close again. 
The others joined you and you smiled brightly at them, “ready guys?” you asked and they all nodded before following you into the RV. You sat next to Alex on the couch and Chelsea sat down next to you. Alex tossed his arm around your shoulder to fit you snuggly against his side, and to make more room for Chelsea. 
It was a few minutes into the journey when everyone turned their cameras back on. “Alex is in control!” Dakota exclaimed and you smiled up at him. “You have a little pep in your step today,” Chelsea teasingly pointed out and you chuckled. “We’re all excited. It’s not just me,” Alex said and you laughed. “Everyone’s excited about this,” he added and you shook your head. “What?” Tanner asked, “Honestly, like you couldn’t actually believe that,” you joked and looked at him. 
“Let’s do a poll. Tanner, how do you feel about Alex picking?” Dakota asked. “Not very comfortable in the slightest,” He states and you nod in agreement. “That’s only one out of the four. Dakota?” he asked his friend. “I’m nervous as hell,” he expressed and you smiled. “And Chelsea?” Alex asked. “You freak me out a little bit, man,” Chelsea answered and you chuckled. “Ok, y/n?” he questioned you. “Honestly, you’re being a little too excited for me to be excited about this,” you told him, “your excitement scares me,” you said and he chuckled. 
“You keep smiling like something is up,” Chelsea stated. Alex shrugged his shoulders and you rolled your eyes. “Oh no,” you mumbled and he smiled down at you. “I’m just gonna break it to you guys right now. For my haunted location, we will be doing solos the entire night, with no flashlights,” he broke the news and your jaw dropped a bit.  “What is wrong with you?” you question in exasperation. Everyone groaned in protest, “That’s the worst idea ever,” Tanner complained. 
“I just don’t know Alex, about your decisions, your ideas,” Chelsea said to him and you chuckled. “I’m with Chelsea here, the things you do for your locations can be questionable,” you said and everyone snickered. 
“We are in the middle of nowhere, like, where the hell are you taking us?” Dakota queried. 
“We have been sitting in this RV for a very long time now, and I do have something planned for us. Right now we are on our way to an abandoned grain silo that has been renovated into a rock-climbing facility,” Alex explained his plan for you all. “How tall is this?” Tanner asked. 
“The tallest one is about 65 feet,” Alex said and your eyes widened. “This sounds pretty intimidating,” Dakota said and you nodded your head. “Very intimidating, I hate heights,” you told him and gave him a tight-lipped smile. “I’m sorry babe, but there is a competition involved. Whoever gets up the highest will win this competition and it may or may not tip the odds in your favor for the overnight,” Alex informed you. “Damn it, you know how competitive I am,” you shook your head. He squeezed you tightly and kissed your head. 
“So, like, whoever wins, whoever gets the highest won’t have to do a solo?” Dakota asked hopefully. “No, no, no, no. That’s funny. That’s really funny,” Alex said and you lightly hit his chest. “That would be a great reward for me,” Dakota spoke up again. “What is it?” you asked Alex. “Let’s just say, you are going to want to try and get to the top. You wanna win, trust me,” he told you. “I definitely don’t trust you but ok,” you countered.
“I don’t know what’s scarier. Climbing this high in an abandoned silo, or not winning the contest,” Dakota said. 
You put your cameras down and you sighed. You were nervous about climbing so high. You hated heights and Alex knew this about you, but he also knew how competitive you were and obviously hoped that would outweigh your fear. Surprise, surprise: it didn’t. 
You didn’t want to do this, and honestly, you didn’t trust Alex’s little advantage. You knew him a bit too well, to know that it was something good. 
He looked down at you and noticed your brow begin furrowed. He lifted his hand and let his thumb smooth out the crease between your eyebrows. Your eyes darted up to look at him when you felt his touch. “What’s up babe, you ok?” he asked and you instinctively leaned closer to him. “I just really hate heights,” you said and rested your head on his shoulder. “You’ll be ok babe, I won’t let anything happen ok, and if you feel like you need to come back down that’s fine, you know no one will be upset with you,” he explained to you and stroked your hair to soothe you. “I know, I just- I hate losing too,” you said and he laughed softly. “I know babe, maybe Dakota will give up before you,” Alex joked and it was your turn to laugh quietly. 
“I heard that,” Dakota said and you laughed again. “Sorry, Dak,” you said and he rolled his eyes. You hid your face in Alex’s shoulder as you laughed quietly and he smiled down at you. “ I love you (y/n),” Alex spoke softly. “I love you too Alex,” you said and leaned up to kiss him softly. 
The rest of the drive was short, and as you came to a stop you looked outside and sighed. “Oh shit,” you mumbled to yourself knowing that your fear would eventually kick in. 
---
Taglist:
@jaziona92
@beautybyfire
@thefandomthings
@kippykasey
@kristin813
@katelynanna
@nyx2021
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westadventure24 · 4 months ago
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Day 7 - Oh Brother!
We were thrilled to have our own personal tour guide drive over 2 1/2 hours from Belgrade, MT, to spend the day (and night!) educating us about all of the best places the top loop of Yellowstone has to offer.
For those of you who don’t know, Todd’s brother, Ryan, spent many years working at Yellowstone and living in Montana.
So, we started our day visiting Tower Falls…aptly named for a cascading waterfall running between two enormous rock towers. Every time you think you have seen it all, the next thing you see is just as unexpected!
Ryan and Todd both are also very good at spotting wildlife, even in the most camouflaged situations. As we piled back in the RV after Tower Falls, Ryan quickly pointed out these two female big horned sheep and their young. A species we had been hoping to see! We looked for big daddy, but no luck. He was likely watching over his family from high above the rocks, where our viewpoint was blocked.
Next stop was the Petrified Tree. Now, I may have this wrong because I am certainly no paleobotanist, but it is my understanding that a tree can become petrified, or stone like, when it is covered in volcanic ash, remains undisturbed, and the wood is replaced by minerals over millions of years. In this particular spot, there used to be 3 trees. Sadly, only one remains in this particular area that is an easy, short walk for park visitors.
Mom’s favorite place of the day was Mammoth Hot Springs. This quaint little town is the home of the park offices, a lodge, post office, restaurant, and much more. Herds of Elk like to call this home and spend much time grazing on the well manicured green spaces in the town. Evidently, they heard we were coming and chose to remain in the nearby mountains. I can attest to the fact they spend time there by the amount of droppings left behind!
The visitors center there was quite educational and well organized. There were displays about the history of the creation of Yellowstone as a national park, the mistakes that nearly destroyed the bison herds, a full wildlife taxidermy display of the those animals calling the park home, and, of course, a gift shop. Here we learned there were no geysers, but rather underground hot springs that do not erupt. This made Dad much more comfortable about seeing the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces.
Before seeing the terraces in person though, we stopped for a bite of lunch in the restaurant. This just happened to be the exact same restaurant of Ryan’s first experience as a chef. He was not surprised to discover the menu had changed, but the building had not. He told us of how he and his colleagues would spend time off, and showed us the dormitory where he lived. Interestingly, our waitress said the staff still spends their free time in many of the same places as Ryan did in the early 90’s.
After a selfie of the whole crew, our tour took us to Sheepeater Cliffs. This area was named after the Shoshone Indians who lived in the area and made full use of big horn sheep. Let’s just say it is a good thing the sheep we saw earlier chose to live elsewhere. Yikes!🐏
The crew was getting tired so we headed back toward camp by way of the Virginia cascades. Gorgeous!
Once we had camp all set up, Mom and Dad opted to spend a little quiet time doing crosswords together while Todd, Ryan and I made one more trip to the nearby Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. My husband is a truly special and thoughtful human being. You see, when looking through family photos recently, he loved this picture of Mom and Dad Hohenstein when they were roughly our age and on one of their visits to see Ryan. What I didn’t realize was that Todd wanted us to have a forever memory and in that same location, and we had missed seeing the Upper Falls the day before. At this point I don’t think either of us quite have a grasp on which falls were the Upper or Lower and I am not sure we got the exact spot, but no doubt we’re in the right vicinity. 🥰
We spent the rest of the evening sitting around the campfire before and after the rain. Ryan, being the true outdoorsman that he is, chose to stay in his tent the entire night through the rumbling thunder and pouring rain and yet still woke up happy and smiling. We are so thankful for the time we spent together, the stories he shared, and the kindness in his heart. It was awesome to see him in the place he loves so much! What an unforgettable day!!!
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