#RoDAW Epilogue Day

[zaffrenotes]

[ROD] Adventures in Babysitting

Book: Ride or Die Pairing/Players: Logan x Jin, Mercy Park Crew with a focus on Colt, OCs Rating/Warnings: PG – language/swearing, but mostly fluff   Author’s Note: * All main characters belong to Pixelberry, I’m just borrowing them * OCs are my creation * A kind Nonny requested a future fic to have the crew look after Logan and Jin’s toddler * My submission for @rodappreciationweek Epilogue Day; thanks again to @brightpinkpeppercorn @choicesarehard @client-327 for hosting another successful event! * 31 days of ficlets and one shots using Jasmine’s Situational Summer Prompts – Popsicles * Word Count: +/- 5500 🙃

Perma/RoD Taglists: @ao719 @blackcatkita @brightpinkpeppercorn @gibbles82 @innerpostmentality @loveellamae @smalltalk88 @thecordoniandiaries // @choicesarehard @client-327 @everythingchoices​ @burnsoslow​ @debramcg1106​ @omgjasminesimone​ @emichelle​ @iplaydrake​ @lovehugsandcandy​ @lovemychoices​ @saivilo​

11:48 AM

Colt was in his office, on the phone with one of his suppliers, when he was interrupted by a rapid succession of knocks on the opposite side of the door. “Paul, lemme get back to you,” he sighed. He hung up the phone and scribbled a note on an invoice in front of him. “Toby, WHAT?” He exclaimed, just as the office door swung open.

Toby’s wide-eyed, nervous expression made Colt clear his throat, and he softened his tone before speaking again. “What is it?”

“Someone’s looking for Logan,” Toby replied, holding up the front desk phone in one hand, covering the base with his other hand. “They sound official, wouldn’t tell me why they’re calling,” he added, walking briskly into the room to hand over the phone, “said you were the only other person they were authorized to speak to.”

Colt’s brows raised in question, and the made an effort to keep the rest of his expression calm so as not to spook Toby into a panic. He beckoned Toby to hand over the phone, making sure to cover the mouthpiece, and took a deep breath before speaking. Toby quietly sat down in one of the chairs on the opposite side of the desk, clasping his hands together.

“Hello?” Colt paused for the caller to speak. “Yes, this is Colt Kaneko, you’re trying to reach my partner, Logan Rhee?” He side eyed Toby. “Uh huh. He went out this morning to pick up parts, his service might be spotty…Have you tried reaching his wife?” Another pause. “I see.” He covered the mouthpiece again, looking over to Toby. “Where’s Jin supposed to be?”

Toby picked up the tablet charging on one side of the desk, and opened an app. “Uhh… according to the schedule, she’s in a research lab until 4:30.”

Colt pulled his hand away from the receiver. “Mrs. Rhee’s doing lab work all day today, that might be why you haven’t been able to reach her…Okay. I understand. Got it.” His brows pinched together in annoyance. “Lady, I got it!” He exhaled loudly and jammed his thumb on a button to end the call. He clenched, then unclenched a fist, counting to himself as he breathed hard and slowly worked to calm down. Tossing the phone over the desk in Toby’s direction, Colt got up from his chair and reached for his cell phone, slipping it into his pants pocket. “It was just TJ’s preschool,” he replied, answering the questioning look in Toby’s eyes. “She spiked a fever and they haven’t been able to reach Logan or Jin, so I gotta pick her up.”

11:57 AM

Heading to the preschool took longer than anticipated. Colt initially grabbed his helmet, as he normally would, when he would get ready to leave the shop during open hours, but cursed at himself and set it down. Jin and Logan wouldn’t have to maim him for putting their only child on the back of a motorcycle; he would’ve kicked his own ass for all of them. He didn’t quite ask, but rather insisted, that Toby hand over the keys to his car. Toby’s car was definitely out of service, as evident by its raised placement in his workspace, halfway through a tire installation. Colt rolled his eyes when the rest of the group - Mona, Ximena, Ryan, Quincy, and even the latest addition, Jordan - drew straws to determine who would have to loan their car to him.

“Christ, I just need a car. Any car. To pick up the kid!”

Everyone held up the wire remnants Toby had cut up to use as straws, and Mona and Ryan laughed quietly, holding up long pieces in their hands. “New girl’s outta luck,” Mona smirked, casting a subtle wink in Colt’s direction. Jordan held the shortest wire between two fingers.

Colt pursed his lips together and swallowed. “C’mon Tanaka,” he sighed. He held out his hand, waiting for Jordan to drop her keys, but she just stood there. “Jordan?”

The young woman across from him shook her head lightly, and she crossed her arms over her chest. “Nuh uh. Nope. Nobody drives my car but me.”

Colt rolled his eyes and sighed. “For the…fine, go get cleaned up, we’re leaving in five.”

He waited impatiently for Jordan to change out of her coveralls and wash off some of the grease and grime on her hands. She’d been working at the shop a little over six months, to keep up with the growing demands of Logan’s endeavor of restoring vintage cars with an extra kick.

Seven years had passed since the chaotic spring when Colt returned to LA, competed for Jin’s heart against her now-husband, lost his father, took down the Brotherhood, and began to rebuild his life. Since then, he’d rebuilt Kaneko Auto Body, and with his reluctant assistance from the others, restored the shop to be something bigger than he ever thought it could be. When Jin transferred back to school on the West Coast, she was a driving force for Colt and Logan to go to college. Colt earned a business degree, and Logan studied engineering. Somehow, between group study sessions and days spent working at the shop, his hatred towards Logan diminished to mild irritation; it was mostly Jin’s doing, seeing how she bloomed around Logan. The two of them made sense together, even though Colt would always argue that he could’ve ruled the city with Jin by his side.

It was a sliver of a dream that faded away as soon as she flashed a sparkling ring on her finger, just after graduation. Any feelings that remained were affectionate and friendly towards the girl that used to look out of place at side shows, once she and Logan announced that they were going to have a baby. Right around the time of TJ’s birth, he and Logan signed paperwork to become silent business partners - and bought out a section of property next to the body shop to expand operations.

Logan’s new skills as an engineer and technician, combined with his fascination in restoring classic cars that most people would’ve given up on, created a niche market that lured in a new level of clientele. Logan’s rebuilds were in high demand, so they hired Quincy to help with paint jobs and reupholstering. Ryan was hired on to help with Colt’s side of the business. Between work, raising a baby, and Jin attending grad school, they were spread thin.

Colt offered Jordan a job the night he saw her at a side show. Her ridiculously pink Honda caught his attention first, with My Melody and Kuromi characters painted all over it. Her magenta and lavender hair ticked a box he didn’t know needed ticking, and her initial brushoff stoked a tiny ember in his heart. When she pushed her car past its limit in a race and sent up a pillar of smoke at the finish line, she hollered at her crew to get her tools, and she repaired the engine within minutes. She was a candy-colored mechanical magician, and he needed her in his shop.

While hearing “Mercy Park Crew” and “Kaneko” didn’t instill the same level of fear as it did when his father had been in charge, most circles knew what Colt Kaneko was capable of. It was a line no one challenged, even now.

“Where we headed, boss?”

“Need to hit up Target and get a ca—“ Colt blinked several times, stunned into silence when he turned around to answer Jordan. She’d changed into temptingly low-rise jeans and a fitted tank, the former making him twitch in his pants. “Carseat. Carseat,” he finished. He ignored the impish smirks Mona and Ximena had on their faces, and got into the passenger side of Jordan’s very pink, very girly car, flicking the sparkly bunny charm hanging from the rearview mirror.

1:13 PM

After a harried stop to pick up a carseat, Colt and Jordan made their way to Sunny Days Preschool to pick up Logan and Jin’s daughter. TJ was a precocious three year old, and he not-so-secretly indulged in her every whim as her godfather. He converted part of the upstairs loft space just for her, even before she’d been born. When Jin told the group that she was pregnant, Colt renovated the loft to include a cozy nursery room for the baby, knowing Jin would want someplace quiet if and when she’d have the baby with her at the shop.

TJ loved all things pink, purple, and any little car she could get her hands on. When Colt gifted her a tiny plastic tool set last Christmas, her smile warmed his heart. They spent countless afternoons together, with TJ on her play mat mimicking whatever Colt was doing, while he cleaned up pieces of engines when Logan or Jin needed a babysitter. TJ’s little brows would furrow together when she twisted plastic bolts and screws apart, and she’d stick her tongue out the side of her mouth the way Jin would when she’d pause to think about something. And then there was the unmistakable mop of curls on her head, courtesy of Logan’s genes; soft, soot black hair that flared auburn in the light.

Colt kept stashes of chocolate around the loft for her, though they were often out of reach for her tiny hands. He and the rest of the group took turns looking after her, reading books and teaching her words in Spanish, Korean, and Tagalog. When Logan or Jin had to work or study late in the evening, he’d stay in the loft with TJ, often times singing her to sleep. It was something he only reserved for her ears.

“Must be pretty tight with the Rhees to be the emergency contact for their kid, eh boss?” Jordan pressed her foot on the gas, and her car accelerated in kind as she drove down the long stretch of highway.

“Makes sense from a practical point of view.”

“What about family though?”

Colt scratched the back of his neck. While there were no secrets about the parts everyone played to form their non-traditional family, the original crew never really talked about the fallout Jin had with her father. That was her life, and her details to share. TJ’s birth helped to begin to rebuild that bridge, but as far as Colt knew, there was still a long way to go. “You’re looking at their family. Me, Tobs, Mona, Xi…Ryan and Quincy, we’ve been looking out for each other for years now. Even if Mona tells you otherwise. You’ll see.”

Jordan pulled up to a cheery looking building with a bright yellow sun and dancing flowers painted on the front. She pulled into a visitor’s parking spot and Colt opened the door, glancing back down at her when she set the car in park. “I’ll just wait,” she said, peering up to him. “Keep the car cool for the little one.”

Colt nodded and shut the door, tapping the roof twice before heading inside the building. He offered a small grin to the woman at the reception desk. “Colt Kaneko here to pick up TJ Rhee…she was running a fever?”

The woman moved a mouse around and clicked on something on the screen. “Poor sweetheart, yes,” she answered, typing something on a keyboard. “Do you have photo ID with you? We need to verify you’re the emergency contact listed on the form.” Colt pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and pulled his ID from a slot, sliding it over the ledge of the desk. The receptionist looked over his ID and back up to him before handing it back. She picked up the handset from the phone on her desk and punched in several numbers. “Hi, it’s Carrie at Reception. Mr. Kaneko is here for TJ…oh, okay, I’ll let him know. Thank you.”

“Let me know what?” Colt’s stomach clenched with anxiety.

“Nothing to get alarmed over,” Carrie replied. “She’s still got a slight fever, ninety-nine point eight, but she doesn’t seem to want to drink any fluids, and she hasn’t used the bathroom in a few hours. She’s wearing pull-ups as a precaution.”

“What kind of fluids would be good for her?”

“Small sips of water, ice chips, something like Pedialyte or watered down fruit juice, broth if she has an appetite. One or two tablespoons every fifteen to twenty minutes, or as often as she can stand to drink. Bland solids like toast or mashed potatoes if she’s hungry and hasn’t vomited. I—“ she paused to see Colt typing frantically into his phone. “Would you like me to write this down for you?”

“Uh, yeah. Thanks,” he muttered. Carrie began writing things down on a piece of paper. “I’ve looked after her plenty of times, but she’s never been sick before.” He saved the e-note and pocketed his phone.

“It’s not too uncommon at school, being around other kids. The amount of stomach bugs and colds that run through here would make you want to keep your kid in a bubble some days!” She glanced up to see Colt’s blank, wide-eyed expression. “Not that we don’t keep the facilities clean! It’s just…nature of things, you know?” She folded up the paper and handed it to him.

“Uh huh…” Colt slipped the paper into his back pocket, just as someone walked out with TJ in their arms. Her hair was in pigtail buns, and he grinned softly. “Heyyyy there, Meatball Head.”

TJ’s head perked up and she twisted around, tiny smile crossing her face when she recognized Colt. “Ahjoosh Coco,” her tiny voice rang out. She stretched her arms out towards him, and the staff member handed her over to Colt.

TJ wrapped her arms around Colt’s neck and immediately laid her head down on his shoulder. He could feel the warmth radiating from her head against his skin, and his heart sank, knowing she didn’t feel well. The staff member handed over a backpack - it was pink and sparkly, with the shape of a unicorn’s face on the front. “TJ’s things,” she said, proactively answering Colt’s unspoken question. “Change of clothes, lunchbox and water, blanket and stuffed toy for naptime.”

He slung it over his free shoulder, thanked the ladies for their help, and TJ weakly waved goodbye to them as he exited the building.

After wrestling with the safety straps in the carseat and a quick introduction to Jordan - Jorjan, according to TJ, with the pretty, pink car - they were back on the road to return to the shop. Colt began looking through the backpack for any form of medicine, but came up empty handed. “We need to go back to Target,” he sighed. “Pick up some baby Motrin or something, maybe some Pedialyte and juice.” He craned his neck back to look at TJ. “Hey Meatball Head, did your teachers give you any medicine, or just water?”

“Ummm…water,” TJ replied. “Ahjoosh, Ahjoosh, you sit wif me?”

“The car’s moving, I have to stay in my seat, but you wanna hold my hand?” Colt twisted his arm behind the console and gave TJ’s leg a tiny squeeze.

“Nooooo Ahjoosh! You sit! Wif me!” TJ began to cry, letting out an ear-piercing wail.

“Good god!” Colt exclaimed. “Pull over! Oh my god pull over!” Jordan eased off the gas and pulled into a bank parking lot, and Colt got out of the car, quickly trying to dial Logan’s number as he climbed into the back seat. “Pick up, pick up, pick up!”

“‘Lo?”

“Where have you been?!” Colt scrunched his face at the casual tone to Logan’s voice.

“I just got a signal back on my phone, man,” Logan replied. “What’s going on with TJ? There’s a bunch of messages here. Did they get a hold of Jin?”

“She’s still in her lab, as far as I know. Look,” he sighed. “I picked up TJ and I’m here with Jordan. She’s bawling her eyes out because she wanted me to sit in the back with her.”

“Ah, yup, she doesn’t like riding by herself,” Logan answered. “It’s a new thing. Just sit with her, give her a toy or a book from her backpack. If that doesn’t work, play some Elvis on the radio.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“Nope, she loves him,” Logan chuckled. “Dead serious. She got to watch Lilo and Stitch this month and it’s her new favorite. Hey, I gotta go, I think I’m go—“

Colt frowned as he pulled the phone away from his ear and saw the call had dropped. “Hey Jordan, d’you have satellite radio or bluetooth to connect to your speakers?”

“I’ve got both,” Jordan called out over her shoulder. “What’s up?”

“Elvis might calm her down.”

“On it!” Jordan giggled as she tapped at a screen, and soon Elvis’s velvety voice filled the car.

Slowly, TJ’s wails turned to sniffles, and it wasn’t long before she began to sing along as she made up words to Heartbreak Hotel and Jailhouse Rock. Colt messaged Logan and Jin for any new tips in case TJ had another meltdown, and it wasn’t long before he and Jordan were back in the Target parking lot.

After a longer than necessary trip to pick up baby Motrin, apple juice, Pedialyte, snacks, a coloring book and new crayons, and an ear thermometer, Jordan was back on the road, headed back to the shop. She smiled when she glanced in the rear view mirror and saw Colt reading to TJ, while Elvis’s greatest hits continued to play.

2:22 PM

“Ahjma Xie!” TJ scurried over to Ximena in the garage, hugging her tight as Ximena scooped her up.

“There’s my little warrior!” Ximena patted TJ’s back and pressed the back of her hand to one cheek. “Feeling warm today, hmm?” TJ nodded, and Ximena looked over to Colt, who had his hands full with shopping bags and a bright backpack on one shoulder. “Has she eaten?”

“Give me two minutes,” Colt sighed, dumping the backpack on a shop couch. “Didn’t want to give her anything in the car in case it didn’t stay down.” Jordan and Toby helped him carry everything up to the loft, Ximena following them.

After putting things away, Toby popped batteries in the thermometer and took TJ’s temperature. “Ninety-nine point six.”

“It went down a little.” Colt prepared the liquid Motrin and brought it over with the water bottle from TJ’s backpack. “Okay Meatball, time for kusuri, it’ll make you feel better.” (A/N: kusuri = medicine in Japanese)

“Yuck!” TJ clamped her mouth shut and buried her face in Ximena’s shoulder.

Several minutes of coaxing proved fruitless, and Colt’s patience was beginning to wear thin, when he remembered something. “Jordan, gimme a K-I-S-S,” he whispered, jutting his chin towards a small ceramic bowl on the counter.

“Um, okay,” she replied, leaning towards Colt.

“No, no,” he grinned. “I meant the uh, C-A-N-D-Y kind in the bowl over there…but I’ll take the first kind another time.”

“In your dreams, boss!” Jordan covered an embarrassed smile with her hand and plucked a chocolate kiss from the bowl, hiding it behind her back.

“Meatball,” Colt spoke softly. “If you take your kusuri like a good girl, you can have a chocolate.”

TJ turned her face towards Ximena’s neck. “Loc-late?”

Colt nodded. “That’s right, locolate,” he repeated. “But you have to swallow up all your kusuri first, to help you feel better. Okay?”

“Okay.” TJ turned around and let Colt give her the clear syrup, making a face as it went down. She took a few sips of water from her bottle, smacking her lips when she was done. “Loc-late, Ahjoosh Coco?” She held out her tiny hand towards him, waiting for her reward.

Colt looked at Jordan and ticked his head in TJ’s direction. “She deserves it,” he grinned, shaking his head. Jordan unwrapped the chocolate and TJ’s eyes lit up. “Do you want a story or a movie with Auntie Xi? Or Uncle Toby?”

“Lilo ‘hana, Ahjma Xie!”

Ximena looked at Colt, hoping for a translation.

“Lilo and Stitch, current favorite movie,” Colt replied.

4:45 PM

Colt was back in his office, trying to finish up his paperwork from the morning. Ximena and Toby had taken turns watching the movie with TJ, and Mona read two books in an effort to get TJ to settle down for a nap. Logan messaged that he was stuck in traffic, and Jin’s lab experiment was taking longer than she anticipated.

TJ’s energy level went up and down while everyone took turns watching her. One minute she was curled up next to Mona, pointing at pictures in her storybook, and a few minutes later she wanted to have a dance party with Toby.

Colt watched it all from an old baby monitor they’d stored with TJ’s baby things in the loft.

He was surprised when Mona let TJ color in the tattoos on her arm and sang some sort of lullaby in Arabic.

He was less surprised when Toby played The Ramones and Save Ferris for a tiny rock concert. 

7:02 PM

Dinnertime came and went, and with it, most of the crew. Logan and Jin were still trying to get back as fast as they could, but Colt was the only one left at the garage, along with Jordan. She cleaned up and kept an eye on things while Colt was up in the loft with TJ.

Her temperature was close to normal, at 98.9 degrees, as evidenced by the renewed level of energy. “What do you feel like eating for dinner? I could eat the left side of Kelso’s menu right now.” He descended the stairs with TJ in his arms; she had her new coloring book and a pack of crayons in her arms.

“Bimbap!” TJ exclaimed.

“Bibimbap, hmm?”

“Bimbap!” TJ repeated.

Colt set her down on the ground and patted her back. “Okay, how bout you color with Jordan while I make dinner?” He took out his phone and tried calling Logan again, remembering that Jin said she’d call once she was leaving campus. Thankfully, Logan answered. “Dude, how far away are you?”

“Still at least forty-five minutes from there, give or take,” Logan grumbled. “Why I thought I could do this drive in half a day is beyond me.”

“You should know better by now,” Colt laughed. “Look, her temp’s nearly down to normal, but she says she wants bibimbap for dinner. Anything I should avoid adding so she actually eats it?”

There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds, before Logan spoke up. “No meat, no chili garlic sauce, no shallots. Scrambled egg instead of fried if she says she wants one…but you might have to eat it anyway,” Logan chuckled. “Sometimes she’ll just eat two bites of egg and decides to hate it.”

“So… rice, cucumbers, carrots, and spinach? Soy sauce and sesame oil?”

“Sprouts, if you have those.”

“We might, actually. Toby got pho for lunch.”

“Try to get her to have some of the broth if it’s chicken,” Logan added. “Nap. Yes? No?”

“Nope.”

Logan sighed. “So…she might get cranky in about an hour, fight off the sleep. I’ll try to get there as soon as I can. Totally fine to let her watch a movie until she passes out at this point.”

“Got it.”

“Hey, Colt?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for watching her today.” Logan coughed lightly and cleared his throat. “Total clusterfuck with schedules and shit.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Colt replied. “You know this kid has us all wrapped around her finger.”

Logan laughed on the other end of the line. “Don’t I know it. See you soon.”

Colt ended the phone call and walked back to the small kitchenette area in the back of the garage, peering over the couch as Jordan watched TJ color a page full of kittens in her coloring book. He got to work putting together bowls of bibimbap as best as he could with what he found in the fridge. He warmed up a small cup of broth from the leftover pho and called Jordan and TJ over when the food was ready.

“Nice of you to stick around.” He glanced up at Jordan before blowing on a spoonful of broth for TJ.

“Didn’t have anywhere to be,” Jordan shrugged. “And Miss Tater Tot was pretty nice company,” she added, smiling over to TJ.

“I no tader tod, I meatball head!” She beamed a smile at Jordan. “Right, Ahjoosh Coco?”

Colt grinned softly at her, tapping one of the buns on her head. “That’s right.”

“What’s ‘ahjoosh’ mean?” Jordan took another bite of food from her bowl. “Also, who knew you could cook?”

Colt grinned again, jabbing his chopsticks at the rice in his bowl. “This kid loves her bibimbap, I had to learn how to make it once Logan and Jin introduced solid foods to her.” He took a bite of a cucumber slice, chewing and swallowing before answering the second question. “Ahjoosh is her way of saying ahjussi…it’s kind of like ‘uncle’ in Korean. Ajumma is ‘auntie’. They tried to teach her Tito and Tita for Tagalog, but we’re still workin’ on those T’s, aren’t we?” He patted TJ’s back affectionately.

“And Coco?” Jordan looked over to Colt and grinned.

“Mama, Dada, Coco… Mona’s Momo,” Colt shrugged, but he could feel the back of his neck prickle with warmth. “Only the kid gets to use those names.” He wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but he’d grown fond of the nickname, hoping to keep it even after her enunciation improved.

7:42 PM

After cleaning up their dinner - Colt ended up having to eat most of the scrambled egg from TJ’s bowl - TJ was allowed to have one ice pop; she picked a pink one, naturally. Instead of the brightly colored Fla-vor ice pops found in most stores, he kept a small supply of the ones found in Asian markets - pastel colored plastic tubes that had to be snapped in half in order to be consumed.

The dose of slushy sugar water was enough to get her to stay awake long enough to get cleaned up. He went back up to the loft to get her ready for bed, searching through dresser drawers for something that would work as pajamas. He kept extra clothes in the space for the nights he’d work late and would be too tired to ride home.

“Ahjoosh, can you sing for me?” TJ asked, face contorting as she yawned.

“Yeah Meatball, just as soon as I find you some jammies.” He ruffled some shirts in one drawer. “What song do you want to hear tonight?”

“Umm, nice song,” she replied. “White dress song.”

Colt paused. “White dress song?”

“Dada Mama princess song, king song.”

Colt sighed. She was talking about Logan and Jin’s wedding song. Can’t Help Falling In Love.

There was a soft knock on the door before Jordan stepped in, holding something bundled in her hands, and a case on her back. “Overheard you on the monitor,” she said, walking towards them. “Thought this might help. It’s clean, I keep a change of clothes in my trunk.” She handed Colt the cloth in her hands.

Colt held up the cloth and the corner of his mouth quirked up. Hello Kitty was emblazoned on the front of the shirt in glittery neon pink, and he momentarily thought about what the miniature tee would look like on Jordan. He turned and held the shirt up for TJ. “Whaddya think? You want to borrow Jordan’s shirt?”

“Kitty!”

He turned to look back at Jordan. “Think you just won extra points with her,” he smirked. “What’s with the case?” He turned back to help TJ change out of her clothes and into the Hello Kitty shirt.

“I…I play a little guitar,” Jordan replied. “I thought I could play while you sing, if I know the song?”

“You know Can’t Help Falling in Love?”

“More Elvis?”

“More Elvis.”

She giggled softly. “Yeah, yeah I know that one.”

“You get ready while this little meatball goes potty, yeah?” He looked down at TJ. TJ hopped off the bed and made her way to the bathroom, and Colt gave Jordan a shy grin before following TJ to make sure she didn’t fall into the toilet.

Jordan took her guitar out of the case and strummed her fingers across the strings a few times, tuning them as she played a few notes from the song. She felt nerves flutter inside her chest when she heard water running from the bathroom sink, knowing Colt and TJ would be back soon. It was rare that she ever played in front of anyone; more often than not, she just played melodies she’d make up in her head to help her unwind from the day. She straightened up when TJ skittered back into the room and climbed onto the bed, Colt boosting her up onto the covers.

“Keep your meatball hair up? Or should we take them down?” Colt sat down next to TJ  and held up the thermometer again. “One more time, yeah?”

TJ sat up and let Colt take a reading, setting the thermometer in her ear. “Hair down, pweez.”

The thermometer beeped, and Colt sighed with relief. “Normal.” He set it on the table next to the bed and started undoing the buns in TJ’s hair, gently tugging the elastics from her hair. It fell down in large, fluffy curls. “Okay, time to get comfy, find that sweet spot for sleeping now!” He smiled softly as she wiggled under the covers, and he pulled a small fleece blanket from her backpack. He laughed when he pulled a replica Scrump doll from the pack as well.

“Scruuuuump!” TJ hugged her doll tightly.

“Ready?”

“Ready, Ahjoosh!”

“Here we go.” He patted her head gently and looked over his shoulder to Jordan. “Whenever you’re ready.”

Jordan nodded and adjusted the guitar in her hands, and slowly she began to play the notes to the song. Colt began to sing, and the richness of his voice caught her off guard. He sang soft, but clear notes as TJ closed her eyes and squeezed her rag doll to her chest; it wasn’t long before she drifted off to sleep, one arm falling limply to her side. Jordan played on for another minute or two after Colt stopped singing, before quietly tucking her guitar back into its case. She flipped the hinges down as silently as she could, and leaned back into the couch cushions, looking over to Colt.

He pressed a single finger to his lips with a tiny grin, making small movements to push himself off the bed without disturbing TJ. He switched off the lamp by the bed, and turned on a small nightlight plugged into a wall socket, before making his way over to the couch, and sat down next to Jordan. “You’re pretty good on that,” he whispered, motioning to the guitar case on the floor.

“You’re a surprisingly good singer,” she murmured back. “I…did not expect to see this side of you today.”

“What side?”

“This soft, ridiculously cute, caring side.” Jordan let out a tiny puff of air. “You’re really good with her.”

“She’s family.”

Jordan shook her head. “It’s more than that. She’s not spoiled, but I can see how all of you care about her so much. She’s a lucky kid.”

“We weren’t all so lucky. I guess we’re trying to make up for our crappy childhoods by making sure she has a decent one.”

“You need to stop saying shit like that,” she scoffed lightly.

“What? Why?”

“Because,” Jordan exhaled. She rubbed her palms against her thighs. “It makes it that much harder to keep myself from kissing you.”

Colt’s Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat, and he looked over to meet Jordan’s eyes. “Maybe you shouldn’t try so hard then.”

“Mayb—“ Jordan’s words were lost to Colt’s lips, melting into soft whimpers as his tongue pressed against her bottom lip. Her thoughts dissolved into pleasant sighs when he pulled her close, and he kissed her over and over and over again, until their lungs begged for air.

“Maybe,” he panted softly, brushing a few stray hairs away from her face, “we should go out, next night off.”

-

Down in the garage, Logan and Jin stood in the back room, looking at the grainy black and white video from the old baby monitor. His arm was wrapped around her shoulders, and they were both grinning at the small screen. “About damn time,” Logan whispered, leaning down to kiss Jin’s temple.

[choicesarehard]

Art Commission: Colt by @the-strawberryfarmer for #RoDAW

[thefirstcourtesan]

Ride Again: A Ride or Die Sequel, Chapter 1

So this is a Shorter first chapter than I intended, but I also wanted to keep it short because I wanted to end at this specific point. The next chapters will be longer and more action packed. And hey, I managed it for RODAW epilogue day. @choicesarehard @brightpinkpeppercorn @client-327

Ride Again By Misha

Chapter One

*ring*

Ellie glanced down at her phone, about to hit accept when she saw it was a blocked number. Weird.

Well, she wasn’t in the mood to talk to someone she didn’t know, and it was probably just a telemarketer or a robo scam anyway, so she hit ‘end call’ and slipped her phone back in her pocket as she continued to her car.

She made the short drive from campus to the townhouse she shared with two other girls frowning when she noticed that there was an unfamiliar car in the spot next to her, the second spot reserved for their house. Though it wouldn’t be the first time one of the neighbors’ guests had parked there ‘by accident’.

It was annoying, but not the end of the world, she decided, and then grabbed her books from the car and headed towards the house.

“Ellie, is that you?” Lauren, one of her roommates, called out as soon as she opened the door.

“Yeah.”

Ellie had barely taken off her shoes when Lauren appeared, a strange man in his late 20s with her.

“Oh good, I was hoping you would get home before Chris and I left!” Lauren said, clinging to the guy’s arm, “he wanted to see your car.”

“My car?” Ellie asked in surprise.

“Lauren told me you had a 1969 Chateaux Panther,” the guy commented, smiling at Ellie. “I love older cars.”

Ellie refrained from expressing her suspense that her roommate had been able to identify her car and nodded, “sure, it’s in my spot.”

She waved her hand, expecting them to go look at it without her, but Chris pauses at the door, obviously waiting for her and Lauren sent her a pleading look. Damn, she must really like this guy. Ellie repressed a sigh and slipped her shoes back on, following the couple outside.

Chris let a low whistle when he saw it. “This is in excellent shape.” He ran a hand over the hood reverently. “It’s not the kind of car you’d expect to see a college girl driving.”

The words were innocent enough but they set her teeth on edge. “My high school boyfriend was a mechanic,” she said tightly, “he fixed the car up for me.”

“Not many people can handle a car like this,” Chris said, his tone light but the words an obvious challenge.

“Ellie’s the best driver I know,” Lauren said, obviously trying to defuse the tension, “she drives like she could be a race car driver.”

Chris sent her a long, appraising look. “Is that so?”

“I can handle myself,” was all she said. She forced a smile, “I really should get inside. I have a ton of reading before finals. Have fun tonight, you two.”

She turned and walked away before either of them could say anything, unsure why Chris had set her off that. He had been a little condescending sure, but he wasn’t the first guy to question whether she could handle her car and usually she didn’t react like that and yet... He had set off everything warning instinct she had, something in the way held looked at her, as if he was studying her, had just screamed “danger”.

Just then her phone rang again. Another blocked call.

A shiver ran up her spine. This was a weird day adn she was obviously on edge. She had to study, yes, but first she was going to take a long bath and relax because she obviously needed it.

She set her phone down on her dresser, completely unaware when it went off again, this time a text message from her dad. One that simply said call me.

**

Ellie poured over the books, making notes and taking occasional sips of her wine.

The house was empty, both her roommates having plans for the night, and despite the weird feeling of foreboding she’d had earlier, she actually appreciated it. Or maybe that was why, because she felt more at ease when she was alone.

She really hoped that Lauren decided to stay at Chris’s place or come home alone.

She glanced at her phone, eager for a distraction, and then willed herself to ignore it. She had one more chapter to read and then she could fool around on Tumblr.

She was just finishing the chapter, running the purple highlighter over the last paragraph, when she heard a noise. A persistent one. Was that the doorbell?

She glanced at the clock, it was almost midnight. Who was ringing the door? Maybe Lauren had forgotten her keys, though wouldn’t she call?

Ellie was tempted to pretend she wasn’t home but whoever it was was persistent, the bell ringing every few seconds. She sighed and closed her textbook before walking down the hall and throwing the door open.

“How can I—“ the words froze on her tongue when she saw who was there. Someone she hadn’t seen in almost four years. Someone she had both missed desperately and hadn’t been sure she had ever wanted to see again.

“Colt.”

**

[argylemnwrites]

Falling

Pairing: Logan x MC (Ellie Whitnall); Colt x MC (past, mentioned)

Book: Ride or Die (~27 years later)

Word Count: ~1800

Rating: PG-13 (innuendo)

Summary: Taking a leap - together.

Author’s Note: Written for @rodappreciationweek. Decided to take advantage of the extended posting window for a little follow up/epilogue to my two previous pieces submitted this go around - “Sliding In” that was written from Logan’s perspective and “Then and Now” from Ellie’s perspective in this same general time frame. This piece is also from Ellie’s perspective, so it probably functions more as an MC Day post, but it focuses a lot on her budding romance with Logan in their mid 40s, so he is heavily featured as well. Thanks so much to the RODAW team for hosting!

“Where are you taking me, Troublemaker?”

Ellie glanced over at the passenger seat, smiling as Logan scanned the passing landscape. “I told you, it’s a surprise.”

The traffic around LA had, as always, been a nightmare. But now that they were far enough southwest and on the I-15, she was able to open things up a bit, actually get a little bit of speed. Not as much as she would like, of course. That wouldn’t come until the last stretch of the drive. But it wasn’t the stop and go, heavy traffic that plagued the freeways of LA itself.

“I don’t think you care that much about surprising me, Ellie. I think you just don’t want to let me drive this car.”

She laughed, cutting across a couple lanes to pass some slower moving cars. “Can you blame me? She’s my baby. I was eyeing her for a couple of years, before I could afford her about five years back. I know a Mazda MX-5 isn’t as flashy as what we used to drive, but-”

“-No, she handles great. When did you get rid of the Fourier?”

“I had to sell her when I was between jobs after Colt and I split up. I’d kept her up for so long, but I needed a down payment on a house, and my resume at the time was… rather lacking in my chosen field.”

“Well, things have to come to an end at some point, right?”

She glanced back over at him. “Not everything though.”

He grinned at her. “No, definitely not everything.”

It was sometimes still surreal to think that after all the years, after lives they’d lived thousands of miles apart, they were giving this a shot. But they’d been dating for almost five months now, and in so many ways it felt completely natural. The long distance was tough, of course, but there really wasn’t an alternative at this point. Logan was co-parenting in Dallas, so moving was not even close to an option for him.

Ellie was slowly starting to wonder the longer their relationship went on and didn’t blow up in a giant mess if maybe she should be looking to move closer. With her father gone and Margot off halfway across the country for college, the only real ties she had to LA, besides a sarcastic and intermittently moody ex, was her rock-climbing group. Seven single mothers who had been there for each other over the past decade. Babysitting and emergency pickups and carpools - they’d been such a wonderful source of support and community. But as much as she adored them, she wasn’t going to stay in the area just for them.

But LA was the only real home she’d known. As she watched the mountains start to take rise as they got closer and closer to their destination, she couldn’t help but feel the way that LA settled in her soul. The ocean, the mountains, the desert, all nearby. A sprawling city with neighborhoods with such widely varied character. It was a part of her, the only place she’d ever wanted to come back to in her life.

But… just like he’d done all those years ago, Logan was opening doors for her to the potential for something new and different. A chance to expand her horizons, to push herself out of her comfort zone, to see more than her sheltered world. Not that she felt particularly sheltered at this point in her life. But that sense of wonder he brought to her was still there after decades and decades.

She knew intellectually that thinking about moving halfway across the country for a boy after less than half a year of dating was dumb. But Logan had always made intellectually dumb things feel like a great idea. All he had to do was smile at her and she was cutting class. Drag racing. And now, apparently thinking about moving to Dallas.

They hadn’t even talked about it, and she knew deep down it was too early. While he’d met Margot, she hadn’t met his kids yet. She’d flown out to see him twice, and last time she met his ex-wife and she thought it went pretty well, but she respected that Lucy and Logan were being cautious with introducing a girlfriend to a thirteen year-old girl and a six year-old boy. They still both had full lives in separate states they needed to navigate. But for now, Logan was in LA for 10 days, and all Ellie could do was soak them up and enjoy them for what they were.

Eventually, she pulled off the I-15 just past Lake Elsinore and drove a couple miles to a private airfield.

“Are we going skydiving?” Logan asked, checking out the signs and buildings as Ellie swung into the parking lot.

“Unless you have some crippling fear of heights, but something tells me the rush of falling from about 15,000 feet will be worth it for you.”

Logan smiled, climbing out of the car. “Oh, it’s on, Ellie. It’s on,” he called out over the roof of the car. “Have you ever done this before?”

She cocked her head and gave him what she hoped was a coy smile. “Why, you hoping to be my first?”

He laughed at that, closing the passenger door. “Not first, but best maybe. I will take that as a ‘yes’ to my question, though. How many times have you done this?”

Ellie kept smirking as they walked around the car, hands finding each other as they met up and walked toward the main building. “Oh, you know. A few.”

He raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Is that so? You promise you aren’t just pretending to have all this experience so that you come across as cool and badass?”

She chuckled, spinning to face him. “Seeing as I couldn’t manage to do that even in high school, I’m not going to start now,” she said as she wrapped her arms around his waist. “Besides, we don’t lie to each other anymore, right?”

Logan’s face got instantly more serious. “Right,” he agreed, reaching forward to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“And we trust each other fully, right?”

“Of course, Ellie.” His hand settled on her cheek as he nodded, his eyes so intense.

“Good, because I am going to be your tandem jump partner.” She dropped her arms and spun away at that, continuing along towards the building to check in and get into their gear.

“Wait, hold up,” Logan called out, quickly catching up to her with his much-longer legs. “You are going to control the parachute?”

“And when we jump and where we land. Unless that’s a problem.” Her voice carried an edge of teasing, knowing he would appreciate that.

“Not at all,” said Logan, threading their hands back together. “I know I am in very capable hands. Besides, there is no one else I would have picked to be my first.”

She laughed at that as he tugged her by her hand so she spun to face him again. “What?” she asked, still chuckling as he slid his free hand over her leggings, around to her ass, pulling her closer.

He just shook his head. “You really are a troublemaker. You know that right?”

Ellie felt her cheeks grow warm. It was a little embarrassing how easily he still could make her blush. “I don’t know. Seeing as I picked up skydiving as an alternative to larceny and grand theft auto, I think this probably qualifies as a downright safe hobby.”

“So this is how you get your adrenaline fix these days. I like it.”

“Yeah?”

“Very sexy,” was all he said before he leaned over and kissed her, slow and deep. It was amazing that kissing him still made her feel like a giddy teenager, bubbly and excited.

Eventually, he pulled back, but not before giving her ass a little squeeze. “Yeah, very sexy.”

Ellie knew her cheeks had to be flaming at this point. “Just wait until you see the oh-so-flattering jumpsuits before you jump to that conclusion.”

Logan shook his head again. “You being a badass expert at something, I am telling you that will always be sexy. In fact, I think I’m going to need to find a skydiving place near Dallas for when you come next time.”

“Maybe you should wait until after our jump to see if you like it,” she suggested as started strolling towards the office yet again.

“I know I’m gonna love it, Ellie. It’s always a privilege to share the atmosphere with you.”

She smiled up at him, remembering his goodbye to her all those years ago. Back then, everything had been awful, and those words had felt like a punch to her soul. Even if she’d felt betrayed and violated and hurt by him, knowing she would probably never see him again had just been painful. Plus, the way he’d talked about himself, how he hadn’t seen how meaningful his presence in her life had been, had been so disheartening. Between dropping Mona at the hospital and saying goodbye to both Colt and Logan, she felt like so many parts of her self and her newfound spirit left her that night.

But now it was different. They’d grown and changed and finally were able to build something healthy together. She knew he had to have chosen those words for a reason. It was almost like a reminder of how far they’d both come to be here together at this moment.

“I love you,” she said, giving his hand a squeeze. She wanted to say it now, before it could be attributed to adrenaline or the heat of the moment. She wanted to say it just because it was what she felt.

She watched as Logan’s eyebrows shot up, but a massive smile soon crossed his face as well. “I love you, too.”

It wasn’t the first time she’d heard him say those words. But this time, she didn’t feel torn in half, didn’t feel stupid and naive and angry, didn’t think he was just manipulating her because he’d been caught in a lie. She believed him in her heart now, and it made her feel light and hopeful in a way that those words hadn’t in a very long time. Maybe never had. 

“Good,” she said, her lips stretched in such a big smile it was almost painful. “Should we go get ready?”

Logan nodded, a goofy smile still plastered on his face. “Yeah, sounds good.”

And so they kept walking, hand in hand, ready to fall together.

Perma: @mom2000aggie @octobereighth @kingliam2019 @lovingchoices14

ROD: @burnsoslow @mskaneko @iplaydrake @louvregirl

Logan x MC: @ridemelikeiamyourdevoregt @zaffrenotes​

[rodappreciationweek]

RoDAW Master List

We’ve gone through the tags to check (and recheck, and recheck, and recheck again) that everyone who participated has been included in our lists. 

Please help us confirm that we have you! Here is the RoDAW Masterlist. You may also want to double check the checkmarks to make sure we have you listed under the “melty car challenge” and “epilogue day” as well.  

Send us a message here if there is something we missed or if you have any questions! We will have this available through 10/8/20 (11:59 CST) then draw and announce the winners.

We cannot thank you all enough for participating in this week and making it a success. It was such a fun event and we hope you all enjoyed it as much as we did!

Signal boosts are appreciated so this can reach as many creators as possible

[brightpinkpeppercorn]

hiii i hope this isn't too soon since rodaw just ended but i wanted to ask if you will host esaw some time soon? i miss that book so much and had a lot of fun in the previous one. have a great day :D

Hi lovely!! This is a wonderful idea and thank you for thinking of me. ES appreciation week was so much fun when we had it back in 2018.

I actually think we could do an Endless Summer Day or Weekend!

But first! We do have something up our sleeve ... another book appreciation day on the horizon ... which we will announce on RoDAW Epilogue Day, August 28th.

Stay tuned!

[dancingboba]

Masterlist

Writing (Ride Or Die - Colt x MC)

Stay (RoDAW 2020)

Early Riser (RoDAW 2020)

Thunderstorm (Choices August Challenge 2020)

First Move (RoDAW 2020 - Epilogue Day)

Promise

Sleeping In (CFWC Kinktober 2020)

Sidetracked (CFWC Kinktober 2020)

Waterpainting

Sunset Dive (Colt and Ellie’s cliff diving scene in Ride Or Die)

MPC (Vehicles of Ride Or Die characters)

[omgjasminesimone]

The Hot Exchange Student Part 5

Logan x MC (Ellie)

Previous Part: Part 4

Author’s Note: Final part! Thank you to everyone who read, liked, commented, and reblogged this story! And happy RoDAW Epilogue day! What an appropriate time to conclude this story.

Rating: Implied NSFW at the end

Summary: Ellie graduates from high school and makes decisions for her future.

Word Count: ~3000

18 months later:

Ellie wakes up to the sound of her phone buzzing. She rolls over, blindly groping for the phone on her nightstand. She struggles to pick it up. “Logan?” She asks sleepily.

“What? No, it’s Riya. Where are you?” Her best friend asks, Ellie can hear a lot of commotion in the background through the phone. “Graduation is about to start!”

Ellie’s eyes fly open. She’d completely forgotten about her high school graduation for a moment. “Crap! I’ll be right there!”

Ellie hurriedly gets dressed in her cap and gown, hastily brushing her teeth as she fights with her hair. Ellie orders a ride from Dryve (her dad still won’t let her drive even though she’s legally an adult now) and hurries off to make it to graduation before she misses giving her valedictorian speech.  

Ellie arrives in the nick of time, taking a seat on the football field beside Riya and Darius. Ellie barely listens to the principal give his opening remarks, she’s too nervous about her own speech. Ellie has written at least 20 drafts of the speech over the school year. This is her big moment. She’s sacrificed a lot for the honor.

Before she knows it, the salutatorian, Ingrid, is introducing her with a smile. Once Ingrid lightened up on her after Logan’s sudden departure, the two had become friendly, if not exactly friends. Ellie steps to the podium and glances out at the audience. She spots her father in the front row of the bleachers, smiling proudly. Over the last 18 months, they’d rebuilt their relationship for the most part. Detective Wheeler hadn’t really changed much, still as overprotective as ever, but Ellie has better learned how to deal with him. And soon, she’ll be all the way on the other side of the country, free from her father’s ‘my house, my rules’ mantra for the first time.

As Ellie glances down at her prepared statement, she thinks better of it and speaks from the heart instead. Her speech is well received, and she basks in the cheers and hollers of her classmates and their families for several moments, before retaking her seat.

They start calling names, and they finally reach her own. “Ellie Wheeler!” Principal Suarez calls. Ellie walks onto the stage proudly. She sees tears in her dad’s eyes as she grasps her diploma, shaking Principal Suarez’ hand. 

…

..

.

The week between graduation and when she needs to leave for her summer program passes in a blur. She spends most of her time with Riya and Darius, but she and her dad also try to fit in a lot of family time when he’s not working. Ellie worries about what Detective Wheeler is going to do without her. He’s been so focused on Ellie’s life since her mother died, that she fears he forgot to create a life of his own.

As they eat their Ellie specials at the kitchen table, Detective Wheeler assures her that he’ll be fine. “I’ll pick up a hobby.” He promises.

“That’s great. But you know what else might be good?” Ellie prompts. Detective Wheeler winces, knowing what she’s going to say. “Maybe….you could start dating?” Ellie tentatively proposes.

“Honey, I don’t need a girlfriend. I’m married to my job.” Detective Wheeler insists.

“Yeah, but your job isn’t going to grow old with you. Or make sure you get out of the house every once in a while when I’m gone.” Ellie insists.

Detective Wheeler rolls his eyes. “I’ll consider it.” He finally acquiesces. “But on one condition.” He adds.

Ellie raises an eyebrow. “What?”

Detective Wheeler smiles. “One last game of Infestation before I drop you off for your flight.”

Ellie smiles back. “You’re on.”

One very competitive game of Infestation that Ellie just barely manages to win later, the father and daughter drive to LAX. Detective Wheeler has tears welling up in his eyes, but he tries not to let them fall. “You know, there’s an online version of Infestation we can play together. Only if you have time of course, after your classes.” Her father chokes out.

“Dad, I’d love that.” Ellie reassures him.

“And you’ll call me when you land in Boston? And then when you make it to Langston from the airport?” Detective Wheeler continues.

“I promise Dad.”

“And you don’t need any money Ellie? I have $60 in my wallet.”

Ellie rests her hand on his shoulder as he drives. “Dad, I’ll be fine.”

Detective Wheeler sighs, merging into the exit lane as they approach LAX. “I know. I’m just…going to miss you more than you can ever know. It’s just been me and you for such a long time.” He glances at Ellie, and it’s almost like he sees her as an adult for the first time. “But I know you’ll make me proud.” He concludes.

“I’m going to miss you too Dad. But it’s not like I’m going to be gone forever. I’ll be back for breaks.” Ellie promises.

“You’re right. I just have to make it to Christmas.” Detective Wheeler responds.

The Wheelers pull up to the curb at LAX, and Ellie grabs her luggage from the trunk. Her father steps out of the car, giving her a big hug. “I love you Ellie.”

“I love you too Dad.” Ellie squeezes tight before letting go.

“Have a safe flight!” Her dad calls out, getting back into his car.

Ellie nods, waving as she walks into the terminal. She pauses just beyond the automatic doors, turning to see her dad driving off. She gives it a few moments, and then Ellie turns, walking back outside.

A yellow and black Devore GT pulls up to the curb. Logan steps out, smiling at her. Ellie smiles back, launching herself into his arms and allowing herself to get lost in his passionate kiss.

“Hey, move along! No sitting!” A security guard yells, signaling for them to move the car immediately.

Logan smirks, giving his girlfriend another quick peck before grabbing her luggage and putting it in his trunk. “Ready troublemaker?” He asks, holding the passenger door open for her.

“Always.” Ellie assures him, sliding into the vehicle.

…

..

.

9 months ago

Ellie wanders through the casino, sipping on a diet coke. She’s never been to a casino before, and it’s louder than she expected. Ellie also suspects she might be overdressed in her short, tight, and pink dress, based on the casual attire most of the gamblers don. Ellie was surprised Riya wanted to come to a casino for her 18th birthday. Ellie tried to tell her the odds, and how the house always wins based on statistics, but Riya was having none of that.

Most of the friends invited are already 18 so they can gamble, but Ellie doesn’t turn 18 until March. However, of course Riya insisted Ellie come anyway, there’s no way she’s leaving out her best friend. The security had marked Ellie’s hand with a giant black ‘X’, indicating that she’s not allowed to gamble.

She did get to enjoy dinner at the casino restaurant with the group, and she’d enjoyed watching Riya, Darius, and Ingrid play black jack for awhile. But then they switched to the slots, and Ellie was bored. She’d taken to wandering the casino, killing time.

Ellie pauses when she sees a familiar face at the roulette table. Mona, stunning in a short dress of red lace. What is she doing here? Ellie can’t help but be curious. It’s been almost a year since she met the MPC. She hasn’t seen Logan since their fight in the van, despite the strong urge she’s had to call, text, randomly show up at the sideshow hoping to find him. She’s resisted, telling herself it’s for the best.

Ellie moves behind a marble column where Mona can’t see her, but Ellie can see Mona. Ximena and Colt approach her.

“Can we get this show on the road already?” Colt asks impatiently, loosening his blue tie.

“What, did you fill your diaper already?” Mona retorts, passing some chips to the dealer as she places her bet.

“Stay cool. The handoff isn’t for another half an hour.” Ximena tries to soothe.

Colt sighs, irritated. “I hate standing around and waiting.”

“Well, this job is a lot of that Kaneko Junior. If you don’t like it, maybe you should have gone to college after all.” Mona antagonizes, smirking at him mockingly. Then, Mona freezes for a moment, looking in Ellie’s direction. She quickly moves further behind the column, no longer able to see Mona.

“Mona, what is it?” Ximena asks.

“Do you see the Brotherhood?” Colt questions.

“..No…just thought I recognized someone. Come on. Let’s get in position.” Mona replies. The three of them walk off, and Ellie peeks her head around the column, watching them walk into a roped-off room.

They’re clearly up to something. Ellie wonders if they’re in any danger but shakes off her concern. They’d made their choice. It’s really none of her business. Ellie quickly turns back in the direction she had been going, coming face-to-face with Logan. “Ellie?” He questions, obviously surprised to see her.

He looks so handsome in his suit. Ellie has never seen him dressed up before. She shakes her head, telling herself to focus. “Logan.” She finally responds.

Logan looks around anxiously, grabs Ellie’s hand, and pulls her into a private lounge. Once they’re alone, Logan stares at Ellie for a long moment before speaking. “What are you doing here?” He asks.

“Riya’s birthday. What are you doing here?” She turns his question around.

Logan shoves his hands in his pockets. He clearly knows that she already knows. “A job.” He answers anyway.

“I see you’re still with the Mercy Park Crew then.” Ellie responds, trying not to sound too judgmental.

“Yeah, I am.” Logan admits. “Does…does that upset you?” Logan asks softly, looking at her guiltily.

“I just think you could be better than this Logan. You’re going to get yourself in some serious trouble someday if you keep this up.” Ellie admits.

“I know you’re right Ellie. Salazar got caught by the police after our last job and they gave him 20 years, 10 with good behavior but we both know that’s not gonna happen. It was a wake up call for me. I’m turning 18 soon, and then I could get serious jail time if I ever got caught. I don’t want that. It’s not worth it.” Logan explains.

Ellie’s breath hitches, wondering if he’s saying what she thinks he’s saying. Is she just putting words in his mouth because she wants this so desperately. “What are you saying Logan? Are you going to get out?” Ellie asks for clarification.

“Not today, or tomorrow, but yes Ellie. Soon. I’m saving up for mechanic trade school. I should have enough in a couple of months. I’m working on getting my GED. I’m…I’m working on being a better person. One who deserves you.” Logan answers.  

Tears well up in Ellie’s eyes. “Really Logan?”

Logan pulls her into his arms, hugging her tightly. “Yes, really troublemaker. If this lifestyle means I can’t have you, then I don’t want it. I still love you Ellie. I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too. I love you too.” Ellie admits out loud for the first time.

Logan freezes, in disbelief. Somebody loves him? Somebody like her can love him? “Can…can you say it again?” He pleads.

Ellie laughs, tears streaming down her cheeks. She pulls away far enough so that she can look up at him. “I love you. I love you. I love you Logan. I lo-“ She’s cut off when he captures her lips, kissing her like he’s trying to make up for the last 9 months he’s spent not kissing her. He only pulls away when the need for air becomes too much.

He looks at her with so much love that she knows that he’s serious about leaving the Mercy Park Crew, about getting his mechanic certification and doing right by her. “I love you Ellie. More than I thought I could.”

..

Since that day, they’ve been together. She still has to hide her relationship from her father, and Logan can’t bring her to the garage because the crew doesn’t really trust her (daughter of a cop and all), but they make it work. Logan even takes her to prom, picking her up at Riya’s. Ellie has to hide their prom photos in her school locker, and she makes sure to get some pictures with only Riya and Darius to show to her dad when he asks.

Despite the obstacles, they’re now stronger than ever. Logan decides he’ll follow Ellie to Boston, and after Ellie decides she doesn’t need the dorm room experience (after hearing Colt’s horror stories of living in the dorms during orientation week before he quickly dropped out), the couple decides to get an off campus apartment together.

They’re both excited for the future, to put Los Angeles and all the adversity they faced here behind them. Logan takes Ellie’s hand and squeezes, and she smiles softly as she gazes out the window, the distinctive LAX pillars fading behind them.

..

A motel somewhere in Arizona

Logan is awoken by Ellie’s loudly vibrating phone. He rolls over, glancing at the clock on the night stand. Why is anyone calling her at 3:23 AM? He rubs at his eyes, grabbing the phone and peering impatiently at the screen. Logan rolls his eyes when he reads the screen contact info, ‘Dad’. Of course it’s him. 

Logan briefly imagines answering the phone. Detective Wheeler would be none too pleased to learn that Logan and Ellie are back together. He can just imagine the huge blow up that would follow. As much as he would love to rile Detective Wheeler up now that he can’t do anything to stop them, he knows Ellie isn’t ready to tell him. And Logan loves her much more than he hates her father. 

Logan rolls back onto his left side, kissing Ellie’s bare shoulder as he gently shakes her awake. “Your dad is calling baby.” He announces when her brown eyes open, blinking blearily at him. 

“Oh! I forgot to call him when my plane should have landed!” Ellie exclaims, quickly taking the phone.  

“Dad?” She answers, sounding sleepy. 

Logan can just make out the sound of her dad’s voice through the receiver. “I got worried when you didn’t call. I know you had that long layover in Texas, but I remembered your plane landed hours ago.”

“I’m sorry. It was just a really long day of traveling and I was so tired I forgot.” That’s not a total lie. They drove 10 hours before stopping at the motel. 

“That’s okay, I’m just glad to know you got there alright. How was your flight?” Detective Wheeler asks.

Ellie rolls onto her back as she chats with her father. “It was fine. I had a middle seat both flights, so that kind of sucked, but I survived.” Ellie lies. 

Detective Wheeler murmurs something else, and Ellie laughs, but Logan is no longer interested in listening. He trails his fingers over her belly, gradually moving his hands up towards her bare breasts as he kneads her warm skin. 

She shoots him a warning look, mouthing ‘Stop’. “Yeah, the dorms are nice. And my roommate won’t be here until school starts so I currently have a single.” Ellie responds to her father. 

“Stop what? This?” Logan questions softly, hands reaching their destination and squeezing her breasts. 

Ellie pushes his hands off and rolls to her side, leaving him facing her back. “No, the room and board check isn’t actually due until 2 weeks into the semester.” She continues conversing with her father. 

Logan’s lips move to that spot behind her ear he knows she likes, and she shivers involuntary as his tongue traces slow leisurely circles. He places his right hand on her bare hip, drumming his fingers dangerously close to where she clearly wants them.

“Dad, I have to go. I’ll call you back at a decent hour your time. Okay. Yeah, I love you too. Bye.” Ellie hangs up quickly, rolling back over to capture his lips in a searing kiss. She pushes him to his back, crawling on top of him. 

“You’re a jerk.” She complains between kisses. 

“Me? He woke me up at 3 in the morning! He’s the jerk.” Logan counters.

Ellie shrugs. “It’s 6:30 East Coast time. But now that we’re up...”

Logan grins as they lose themselves in each other for the second time that night. 

..  

The cross country road trip from LAX to Boston is exhausting, but there’s no one else either of them would rather do it with. They stop at the Grand Canyon, countless diners (they dance to Frank Sinatra at each one), wake up in each other’s arms daily (a new and pleasant change, with her previously living at home and him in the loft above the garage she wasn’t allowed to go to), and watch America blur by from the Devore’s windows.  

After a week of driving, they finally make it to Boston just in time for her summer immersion program. 

In Boston, Logan makes good on his promise to learn a legitimate trade, enrolling in a trade school program in the suburbs. When he gets his certification after 2 years, Ellie finally feels like she can reveal their relationship to her father. Despite the changes Logan has made, Detective Wheeler is still not pleased, He’s convinced Logan just wants to open a shop to use as a front for some criminal enterprise.

But they don’t need her father’s approval, not anymore, and they live happily ever after.

…

..

.

@choicesarehard @ifyouseekheart @brightpinkpeppercorn @regina-and-happiness @choicelogansbitch @flyawayboo @fairydustandsarcasm @alesana45 @umiumichan @maxwellsquidsuit @lahelable @god-save-the-keen @mrsmckenziesworld @paisleylovergirl @iplaydrake @sinclaire-made-me-sin @hazah @lovehugsandcandy @desiree-0816 @cora-nova @justdani14 @lady-dianelewis @emceesynonymroll @emichelle @badchoicesposts @client-327 @riverrune @liamzigmichael4ever @princessstellaris 

[domesticatedantelope]

an exercise in faith

Pairing: Colt x MC

Rating: Explicit | NSFW 18+ (*breathplay*)

Word Count: 2150

Summary: The one about faith; or, the one where Colt is well-acquainted with a belt. For RoDAW Epilogue.

@brightpinkpeppercorn @choicesarehard @client-327 @desiree-0816 @leelee10898 @octobereighth @liamzigmichael4ever @navigatorholmes @sibella-plays-choices @lovehugsandcandy @dr-casey-lahela

Colt has never considered himself a believer.

He relies too much on calculation, choice and action, chess moves in potentia: three, five, ten steps ahead. Fate and faith have little place among the concrete and mundane when he learns from experience, from plunging terrified into the dark, sea salt and stinging skin and fighting tooth and nail against the tides. Anything beyond that is hopeful at best, and foolish at worst, and in the interest of all things within the realm of possibility - he’ll take his chances.

And then there is Mercedes, named after saints, after salvation. Nineteen years of life without the need for any gods or promises to guide his path, and then he stumbles into Mercy and abruptly every freckle set against her blushing cheekbones feels like something holy all its own. He’s not exactly one to pray, but given such an altar he has learned to supplicate; there is no shame in kneeling when true heaven lies before him.

If faith is knowing beyond any shadow of a doubt, then she holds his in its entirety. 

She holds his hopes, his heart, the only home that he has left; his lifelines run the valley of her palm, where the stiff black leather of his belt fits neatly in her fist. When her fingers curl and pull taut, cinching the weight of tension in against his pulse, his breath is hers to hold as well. 

The pressure cleaves into his breathing, leaves him grasping at the barest sips of oxygen; he drinks and drinks and still he craves, and craving turns to hunger, turns to heat clawing its way out from his aching lungs and scorching every muscle. The grip he’s fastened at her hips begins to twitch. His vision throbs, and numbness slowly takes him, washes out the course of Mercy’s breathing and the distant bassline of an r&b song, swallowed up under the frantic double-beat his heart batters against his ribs and echoes in his ears.

His world is shrinking, caged and strangled, evanescing into empty void and nothing nothing nothing, like the darkness between heartbeats, everything he’s worked so hard to take and make his own removed entirely from his control, and oh my god oh fuck it’s - 

Perfect.

Relief. Surrender.

Mercy.

Her lips nudge kisses at his cheekbones and his parting mouth, where she can track the slow tide of his breathing. She murmurs low, honeyed approval, soft fingers teasing through his hair, his belt still secured firmly in her fist and leashing every breath he struggles to drag past it. Dazed, he hangs suspended in that weightless headspace and lets all the little wounds he’s worn into himself slowly bleed out. 

Brute force therapy. Her words, the first time, awed and shaken after watching him completely shatter under her grip. Between the soothing tiptoes of her lips against his skin: You don’t have to break to feel good, querido. 

Not breaking, gasped into her fingers, kissing, pleading, thanking all at once. Not with you.

She cannot break what she makes whole, not then and certainly not now, when her body is backlit by rods of sunlight slanting through the blinds, outlined in everlasting glow as if the world is gold around her, and he knows with the conviction of believers Mercy is the closest he will ever see to god.

She tips her mouth against his, lazily unfurling two fingers of pressure. “You okay?”

Breath surges to fill his lungs, just enough to set his head spinning and stoke the scorching in his chest, hot flickers of a yearning so urgent it burns. His senses trickle back in fragments, dense block words he lacks the voice to form. He offers her a sluggish nod instead, thrilling at the limits of his movement when she has him under her palm.

“Mmn. Good.” Mercy pins him with a pleased look, licks her fingertips and drops them to the stiff jut of his cock, humming when he gasps and tenses in response. “Pobrecito,” she sighs, pressing her lips in messy kisses to his face, his clenching jaw, the bare stretch of his throat above the belt as her fingers tease him with the lightest touches. He feels her palm, the soft pad of her thumb, her fingers closing in for one slow, lazy stroke.

His hips buck against her, fucking into her hand, chasing that too brief glimpse of reprieve. Hushing him under her breath, Mercy tightens her hold around his belt, tugging until he stills beneath her. “Easy,” she soothes him, in the softest snowfall tone. “You work too hard.”

“Hah -” Almost laughter. Brat. 

And in the same thought: God, I love her. 

She smiles as if she can lift the words right from his mind; if she were able, he would let her read him start to finish. “Love you, too, baby.” When she wraps him in her grip once more, her fingers move with purpose, curling tight around him, and he tries, but there is just no fighting down the whimper of relief that climbs his throat. Every muscle thrums with frenzied energy, tensing against his frayed restraint. He grits his teeth and clings with slipping fingers to the heady numbness that still pulses in his brain, some small center of calm among the storm. 

She hums a thoughtful sound, considering. The flush of want colors her cheekbones, eyes lidded and dark and warm with longing. There are fewer finer things to see in life than Mercy at the waning limits of her patience. “I’ve been thinking about you all day,” she breathes, whispered like a woman at confession, soft enough to ache somewhere among the chambers of his heart. 

Colt swallows hard, throat cramped behind the leather of his belt. If he only had the breath, he would spell out every fantasy that wanders through his thoughts, the countless forms of worship he would happily perform with Mercy to affirm his prayers. Instead, he weaves a shaking hand into her hair, feeling the silk of it against his fingers, and his heart swells when she leans into his touch.

“I should make you wait...” She breathes the sweetest laugh, dropping kisses to the palm of his hand. Something shifts in her expression, sinful and indulgent, all the reckless bliss of giving in. “But I kinda want you right now.”

Every atom of his being pleads with yes. Mercy must read it on his face, because her fingers soften to the barest touch, velvet murmurs of I love you pressed against his skin before she lifts her hips and sinks herself so slowly down around him. He swears that he hears church hymns in his head, some perfect harmony that borders the divine as she slips lower, lower, liquid fire lighting up his nerves, and Mercy whimpers out the softest squeak when their hips find that perfect fit together.

“Oh,” she moans, and “Fuck,” he mouths, and both their voices fall apart at the first clumsy circle of her hips. His words have all unraveled past the border of articulation; he can only comprehend in pleasure and sensation, heat, wet, tight, the tantalizing panic of constriction when her fingers curl once more around the tail end of his belt.

“Oh,” she says again. “Oh, god. Okay.” She wets her lips, locking the echo of a moan behind her teeth. Struggle twitches in her features, glimmers of impatience to the angle of her mouth, and it thrills him to no end that even when she has him at her mercy, he can test the limits of that finely regimented focus. Her palm rests trembling over his heart, and she waits to feel his chest expand with breath before she squeezes down around his throat once more. 

The belt loops in with little hesitation, riding to the brink of where his limits lie but never crossing. She tempers her grip until he can just barely breathe, and it’s like blindly reaching out into the dark, like needing and not having, wanting, falling short. His fingertips exalt the softness of her skin, her thighs, her hips, whatever parts of her that he can find beneath his touch while Mercy whines and starts to rock against him, coaxing him over that perfect point inside of her. 

Pressure pounds like battle drums between his ears, but he fights through it, thrusting up to meet each languid shift of her hips as his lungs begin to tingle. He knows his limits, knows her strength, knows he can afford to get a little reckless with the last of his remaining breath, and tugs her down around his cock as deep as she will take him, eyes rolling at the blinding heat and all the frantic noises that spill from her lips. 

Mercy curses, filthy words that never grace her tongue and oh he loves that he can fuck them out of her, the points of her nails biting at his shoulders as they rock together. The kisses that she sets against his mouth are far too urgent to be kind, but he wants every part of her, the softness and those little claws and all the stinging lines they score over his body. 

With his neck so thoroughly restrained, he can only search his fingers blindly down the soft flat of her stomach, seeking a clumsy path across her skin. Mercy gasps and arches when his touch settles between her thighs, teasing at the slick, sweet point where they connect. “Baby-!” And there is almost outrage in the word, like she might call the heavens down upon him for daring to make her come first, but the utter bliss of watching her unravel is well worth eternal damnation.

“Please,” he pants, an offering in breath when he has little to begin with. She’s close enough that he can stretch to kiss the warm flush in her cheeks. “Please.”

She tilts to kiss him fully, cradling his face against her palm as she allows herself to melt under his touch. The faithful need to pray; this is the body where he lays his fears and fleeting dreams, and he will see her properly exalted, will press his love and his devotion into every touch until she can see heaven too.

From the hitching in her voice, it won’t be long now. Her arm curls tight around his shoulders, clinging there like she might drift away without his hands to anchor her. She sobs his name and broken pleas and faltered invocations, hips clenching with tension as she rides into his touch. When she unravels, he can feel her everywhere, nails and thighs and teeth biting a scream into his skin, and that devastating heat between her legs squeezing so perfectly around him. He thrusts into the feeling, verging on delirious, gripping Mercy tight with cramping knuckles as his body rages, close, so close, if she would only -

Mercy lets go, and the belt releases, breath flooding his starving lungs in an exhilarating rush of air and finally he comes. Pleasure spirals out and fries his nerves with scalding bliss, and for a moment he is almost fearful he will never be the same, that every breath will carry some small echo of this ecstasy. Stained glass colors glitter in his vision, sound and sight all rushing back too fast to fully comprehend. A broken groan rips through his voice and saps the very last remnants of energy from his weak muscles, and he collapses back against his seat with a wounded shudder.

Her fingers are still shaking when she fumbles to free him from his belt. He keeps a hiss of relief firmly trapped behind his teeth, blinking bleary eyes when she tuts over him with soothing noises. An otherworldly warmth glows in her skin, that angel’s light of hers still shining through, lips showering his face with kisses as he tries to catch his breath. “Baby. Are you okay?”

“I‘m fine,” Colt rumbles, laughing, gathering her hands against his lips to kiss her fingers. “Honestly, I’m fucking fantastic.”

The worry eases from her features, and she allows herself the smallest smile, triumphant and yet somehow still so shy, even with his cock sticky between her thighs. Her mouth trails with the utmost softness down his throat, gentle where she has been so rough. She soothes her nails over his scalp, the sharp points sending shivers of warm bliss down his spine. “Mmmn. We should get clean.”

His limbs all ache in protest at the mere idea of moving. But he thinks of Mercy in the shower, her skin steam-kissed and bronze against white tiles, her body that most holiest of forms. He’s left a filthy mess of both of them, but there is something spiritual, too, in washing her clean, and after all she’s offered him, it seems the least that he can do.

If only as a show of good faith.

[zaffrenotes]

✨ Logan ✨ for RoDAW Epilogue Day ✨

the amount of squealing I did when I pulled back the foil to see the finished print 😆 Bonus video to enjoy the shiny, shiny gold...

Tagging @rodappreciationweek @brightpinkpeppercorn @choicesarehard @client-327 @burnsoslow and sharing Logan love with @troublemakerinspace @omgjasminesimone @thecordoniandiaries

[choicesarehard]

You know what’s kind of amazing? This is the content split between the three LI’s for #RoDAW ...and it’s absolutely even! I know it will change after Epilogue Day, but I’m just so into our little corner of the fandom, and the amazing representation for a female love interest y’all made possible! I wonder who will come out ahead after this weekend?

[baldwinboy5ive]

Another last-minute RODAW thing on last-call day, sorry I’m always coming in JUST under the wire with these! @client-327 @brightpinkpeppercorn @choicesarehard please accept my favorite Logan face claim as my final little contribution for Ride or Die Appreciation Week Epilogue!

[rodappreciationweek]

RoDAW Prize Winners

Thank you again for your patience while we compiled our entry list and selected our winners! We are still stunned at how many of you took part in this wonderful, ridiculous week, and in awe of the incredible pieces you created. Without further ado, the randomly selected winners of this year’s Prizes are:

Aesthetics/Edits Category: @michaelrharrison

Art Category: @yaushie

Writing Category: @zaffrenotes

Misc Category: @choices-en-espanol

Melty Car Challenge: @dancingboba

Epilogue Day: @annabelleswife 

To ensure a truly random outcome, we used wheelofnames.com to draw our winners. You can review the entry rules here and find screen recordings of each selection here! 

[zaffrenotes]

WIP Wednesday 08.05.20

Thanks for the tags @loveellamae and @mrschoicesobsessed - there are entirely too many docs open on my computer, haha...

from the epilogue of elpída: 

Teddy makes her rounds, chatting amicably with her cousins and the next generation of nobles that will become members of her court. She finds it odd, how seamlessly she steps into her role as queen; she stands straighter, her movements are more refined, and she smiles a little softer. She’d love nothing more than to kick off her heels and run around the ballroom, skirts gathered up in her hands, the way her mother used to unwind after functions.

When all their guests had departed, and only the royal family and their close friends remained, Maxwell would put on a playlist of their favorite songs and everyone would run around in their bare feet while the palace staff cleared tables. It was her favorite part of the evening; her mother and father would check on her, Amynta, or Liam, and one of them would inevitably be awake. They’d gather everyone in their pajamas for an impromptu dance party, before one of them would take Teddy and her siblings back to their private residence to settle down with another story.

from 31 Days of Summer challenge (more Serendipity @the-soot-sprite !!):

She stands in line with Liam by her side, as they slowly make their way towards the entrance to the carnival. It’s been years since she remembers going to one – some time when she was a child, when a carnival set up for a week in the parking lot of a nearby shopping center. Since she had to look after her sister, they couldn’t go on all the rides she wanted to; Josie was too short for some of the more adventurous ones, so they spent most of their money on food and carnival games. Tonight she’s the short rider, but well over the height requirements to scream to her heart’s content.

from 31 Days of Summer challenge (RODAW preview for Colt):

The neighbor’s dog barking pulled Colt away from sleep, and he tried to muffle the sound by lifting a pillow over his head, only to roll over in frustration because it was too hot to breathe. “I hate that yappy little monster,” he sighed, rolling on his side to see if Jin was awake. He sighed again when he saw that her side of the bed was empty.

He rolled out of bed, picking up a day old t-shirt from a chair, and made his way out to the living room, where he found Jin curled up on the couch. The coffee table was littered with her textbooks, notes, and a vast array of highlighters and pens; she’d even fallen asleep clutching a notebook like a stuffed animal.

lol more 31 Days of Summer challenge (Modern!AU Blades):

Lost in thought, Mal jerked to attention at the sound of his name from a familiarly pleasant voice. “If it isn’t Mal the Magnificent.”

He could see the smirk on Rin’s taunting lips before opening his eyes, mentally cheering in victory when he looked up to see her smirking as she stood over him. Peering above the frames of his sunglasses, he admired the braid that Hello Kitty styled in Rin’s raven locks, and his heart beat a little faster when he saw the sparkle in her eyes, noticing that she wasn’t wearing a drop of makeup. She didn’t need it. “Welcome back, Rin,” he grinned up at her and pushed himself out of the chair to stand up.

---

aaaaand that’s it for now, until I can type up more. Whatcha workin on tonight @ao719 @burnsoslow @debramcg1106​ @thecordoniandiaries​ (pssst Lis are you gonna make that kdrama AU?! pretty pretty please??)

[zaffrenotes]

✓ got a Nonny one shot RoD ask

✓ so cute! will write! short ficlet of MPC shenanigans!

...nope.

not short at all. 2k in and nothing's even happened whyyyyyy am I like this

also hello whyyyy am I suddenly creating an LI for one of the characters?

like, it's not even necessary but here I go anyway 🙃

just gonna... word vomit for now and see where it takes me. 2 days is plenty of time to edit before RoDAW Epilogue Day, right?

😅 RIGHT?

[brightpinkpeppercorn]

Hi!! When are the results of rodaw coming out?

Hi lovely! With epilogue day yesterday, we have finally concluded an AMAZING RoDAW!! We will be putting together our lists and will be getting the results out soon. Stay tuned!