#bachelorette challenge entry

[riverofjazzsims]

Forest Green for Simply Lilac BC by @ethicaltreatmentofcowplants

Name: Forest Green

Age Group: Young Adult

Pronouns: He/Him

Orientation: Heterosexual.

Hometown: Granite Falls

Occupation: Park Ranger Intern

Skills: He is a work in progress in this department

In Depth: Forest was born and raised in Granite Falls. His parents are 3rd and 5th generation Park Rangers. Forest is set to graduate from Ranger academy and become a new generation of Rangers, making his family proud. Except Forest, he never wanted to be a Ranger, he didnt know what he wanted to be for the longest time. Last year he was helping his parents clean out their attic, while up there he discovered a journal written by his great grandmother. He had heard stories of her, mostly that she walked out on her family, leaving her children to be raised solely by her husband. Reading through the journal he found that was the farthest thing from the truth. Seems his family had some secrets they happily have kept hidden for the last 75 years.

Those secrets are what have him continuing with Ranger academy, Those secrets that have him no longer trusting his own family, those secrets that have twisted and curled up in his brain that he doesnt know how good of a person he is. Those same secrets are also leading him to the countryside because the weight of what is coming has him in a choke hold and an adventure, mischief, maybe even some woohoo and good laughs will be what he needs to clear his head and make some hard decisions ...

Does he turn his parents into the police or....

👀👀

Watcher

Are you comfortable with your pixel person:

Flirting with other contestants? Y

WooHooing other contestants? Y

Flirting with/and or woohooing NPCs?  Y

Flirting with the host?  Y

Changes to traits via gameplay prompts? Y

(Humans Only) Becoming an occult?  N

he may or may not be wee chaotic, a touch evil maybe even a little narcissistic but he is all yours now😏

PRIVATE DOWNLOAD

[honeytraits]

[End Audition]

Valentino, heir to a wealthy winery and known for his prowess in romance, stumbled upon an intriguing opportunity one morning over breakfast: a dating reality show in the newspaper. 'What harm could it do?' he pondered, rallying a trusty crew to assist with his audition.

Can Valentino become the prime minister's secret paramour, whisking her away to a fairy tale ending? Or will he find himself packing his bags instead?

He/Him Aspiration: Soulmate Traits: Romantic, Loyal, Ambitious

Extra Background: Valentino's scar is as intriguing as his mysterious past. Rumor has it that he tangled with the underworld in Tartosa, rubbing shoulders with shady figures linked to the mob. How scandalous! Is he a pawn in their game or the one pulling the strings? The truth is shrouded in whispers and secrets.

For @rebelangelsims 's BC Challenge!!!

[kirsicca]

Erin, is it Harley you're looking for?

introducing Harley Salo for @loveryss's bachelorette challenge!

Harley is the kind of gal who wouldn't normally put herself out there for any kind of social challenge, but after seeing what she'd be competing for, she'd grit her teeth and muster all her courage to try her luck.

She is the only child of a globetrotting couple who settled in Chestnut Ridge to enjoy the local nectar business, raising their trans daughter far away from troubles of the city. Having no siblings, Harley grew up with the neighbor's horses and developed a lifelong love for riding and all things equine. She hopes to be a championship rider one day, and so far it has been the only goal in her life. But could she have some room for romance as well?

Harley has always been awkward, shy and... well, different. Though coming to terms with her gender and sexuality wasn't much of a fight, she has had a lot of troubles socializing with people all her life. She's the kind of person to act all cool and funny, but it's all just a charade to hide the fact that she's hopelessly awkward around other people.

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

Harley Salo loves outdoors / bro / socially awkward trans woman / she/her / lesbian ❤️ • the color brown • spooky music • shabby decor • horse riding • mixology 💔 • dancing • polished fashion • lullabies radio music Skills horse riding ●●●●● comedy ●●● mixology ●●

[rheallsim]

Azure Keahi for @wrixie's "Jumping for Juniper" Bachelorette Challenge

Let me introduce Azure Keahi! 🏝️

Age: 23 y.o.

Pronouns: They/Them

Traits: Jealous, Maker, Vegetarian

Azure is a trans non-binary sim from Sulani. They're an only child, but they were the youngest by a couple years of all the other children living nearby, so they were constantly treated like a baby by friends and relatives. This lead to a bit of a tendency to over-achieve, rebel against authority, and try to prove to people that they're more grown up than they look.

[More under the cut!]

That being said, Azure is a bit of a quiet, old-soul. They're really into fixing up old things and engineering new furniture out of scraps they find around the island. They spend more time thinking and observing than they do talking, and love spending time outdoors in nature whenever they can.

They're a socialist anti-capitalist and have so far only worked odd jobs around the islands to supplement their family's rather meager income. One of their dreams is to live in a commune where its members help each other out and try to be as self-sufficient as possible. That may not be very feasible, but they live their life around the ethos of trying to consume as little as possible (and sticking it to 'The Man' whenever they can).

When it comes to love Azure is pretty inexperienced (never been kissed!), but they're impatient and eager to find their special someone and have so much love to give. They're very attracted to hard-working feminine sims, and love nothing more than sitting on the beach around a campfire talking about hopes and dreams for the future long into the night. <3

(They were assigned male at birth but take female hormones.)

Fun Facts:

Has had many burning crushes, but hasn't yet had the courage to act on them 😥

Their family has an ancient pet iguana named Humphrey that was treated like Azure's sibling growing up

They absolutely love anything with cherries in it 🍒

They're responsible for much of the "If it's called 'tourist season' why aren't we allowed to shoot them" graffiti hidden around Sulani 😅

Loves old-timey film noir and mystery movies (The Maltese Falcon is their absolute favourite movie of all time and they have a powerful crush on Peter Lorre 👀)

Still doesn't have their driver's license (not much call for it in Sulani, though they are pretty good at piloting boats of all kinds!)

Likes: Film noir/mystery movies, cherry-flavoured everything, grunge music and aesthetic, tinkering, thrifting, thunderstorms

Dislikes: being condescended to, pessimism, capitalism, cooking, littering, tourists, the colour pink, shopping

I tried my best to make them as CC-Free as possible! Wrixie, please feel free to dress them up or re-do them however you like to match your aesthetic/preferences. ^^ Also get in touch if you want more info or have any other questions. I'm so excited to see how this BC goes! <3

Here's a screenshot of their likes/dislikes and traits in-game:

[mangosimoothie]

Three days! Submit your simmies and/or rb to spread the call. Can't wait to start the shenanigans on Halloween 😈

This Halloween, Attica Riot presents 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝐹𝐴𝑀𝐼𝐿𝐼𝐴𝑅: a different kind of Bachelor Challenge. 

Vampire supercouple Atticus Winthorpe and Ryan Kato are looking for that special someone: the perfect mortal to join the Katowin household as their familiar. Do you live to serve? Would you die to serve? Do you perform well under immense pressure? Are you not the slightest bit squeamish? Then you might just be that one. Maybe. Atticus and Ryan are very particular.

RULES:

Submissions must be sent by October, Friday the 13th

Tag #katowinfamiliar and @mangosimoothie

One outfit per category and no alpha hair

CONTESTANTS:

8 will be chosen

Must be human and mortal - no occults

15 skill points spent however you please

Young Adults only

The winning sim will join the Katowin household and welcome a life of servitude (plus a cushy salary) under their two new caretakers.

Will they fall in love? Will they get turned? Will they die trying? Who's to say.

In your submission, please include some background on your sim, why they want to be a familiar, any special skills they might have, and their blood type (yes, really)

Can't wait to see your submissions! Happy Halloween and reblog instead of liking to spread the call 🖤

start | prev | next

[ficsilike-reblogged]

Hungry For Heaven

Summary: Beau knows he shouldn’t have feelings for his young, pretty secretary. But he can’t help it. Pairing: Beau “Cyclone” Simpson/F!Reader (No Y/N) Word Count: 4.6k ABSOLUTELY NO MINORS ALLOWED A/N: This is my second entry for the 80’s Rocktober Challenge hosted by @roosterforme - I picked Dio’s song “Hungry For Heaven.” I hope you enjoy! Warnings: Naval inaccuracies, Cain is a creep for plot reasons, my gratuitous use of italics and song lyrics, a coyote ugly reference, female receiving oral sex, power imbalance

His girl. Cyclone’s girl. Simpson’s girl. The Admiral’s girl. That’s how most people referred to you when speaking with Beau. And he had never admitted how much he liked it, instead telling people to at least acknowledge your rank. But in the dark of his rooms, in the recesses of his mind, Beau liked it. He liked that you were his. 

Sort of.

Beau knew it was cliche. Falling for his young, pretty secretary was probably the most cliche thing that he could have ever done. But it hadn’t been a choice, really. You had appeared one day, three years ago, like a whirlwind and Beau had been left in your wake. You kept a tight ship, just as he did. You had been a perfect match for him, keeping him organized and on time for all his meetings and classes. You had made the mountains of paperwork he was always saddled with much easier to swallow and he had thought he was dreaming when you’d first handed over a thick stack of papers and told him he just needed to sign at the bottom of the last page. You’d basically done a week of reports for him and had left Beau with a pen in his hand and a tight stomach as you sauntered back out of his office. But that was what you did, he learned. You made his life easier. Gave him time to breathe. You were his girl. 

It was more than a little embarrassing to realize his…affection for you was noticed by anyone. Thankfully, the only person he knew for a fact suspected anything was Admiral Bates, who had quietly told him that it was about time he was happy. Embarrassing. It was a kindness, true, but Beau would have preferred if he hadn’t said anything at all. These feelings were inappropriate and completely against Naval regulation and protocol and he couldn’t stop.

“You’re not staying much later, are you?” 

Beau looked up from his computer, reading yet another request from Maverick about his insane dog fight simulations he wanted the newest Top Gun class to try, to see you in the doorway of his office. The usual, soft smile was on your face—the smile he liked to think you reserved just for him. His mouth curled up at the edges too; he couldn’t help it. “Just trying to rein in Maverick.” 

You scoffed and shook your head but your smile remained. “You’re going to be here all night, then. Again.” 

Beau had to hide his laugh behind his hand. You knew him too well. “I won’t.” 

You hummed, obviously not believing him. “I’ll order you dinner. Do you want Chinese or Italian? You had barbecue two nights ago.” 

His heart twisted, like it usually did whenever you so easily showed how well you knew him. “Italian, if you could, Lieutenant. With-”

“With extra breadsticks, I know. I’ll make sure they don’t forget again.” 

You were gone from the doorway before he could thank you but you returned not thirty minutes later with his promised dinner and another smile. A cursory glance let him know that the extra breadsticks were indeed included this time and you set a silverware roll from the mess hall beside the bag. 

“You’re too good to me, Lieutenant.” Beau winced as soon as the words left his mouth but you simply smiled. “And I thought you were on your way out for the weekend?” 

Your smile widened. “I am. But I wasn’t about to leave you hungry.” 

Beau’s entire chest ached and he tried to smile again but he was sure it looked more like a grimace. “Big plans?” 

“My friend’s bachelorette party. We are going bar hopping after getting pole dance lessons.” You paused before a grimace crumpled your features. “You didn’t need to know that. I apologize. That was unprofessional.” 

Beau felt his throat bob, mouth suddenly dry. Seeing you in your khakis or in any of the other Naval uniforms had been all Beau had been given, aside from when you needed to grab something from your office over the weekend a few months ago and he got to see you in a sinful pair of shorts and low cut top. But imagining you in one of those tight, tiny dresses he knew women your age wore and learning how to dance like that had his stomach in knots. 

He was being unprofessional. He was supposed to be the one who approved or rejected paperwork for relationships like this. He wasn’t supposed to be wanting one. And he wasn’t even sure if you saw him as anything other than the old man who needed help keeping his meetings and paperwork in a row. 

Sure, you joked with him, nursed a glass of expensive bourbon with him after the Uranium Mission, and Beau liked to think he caught you appreciating the view when he partook in the swim call during your last shared deployment and you handed him a towel to dry off…but that did not mean anything in the grand scheme of things. 

He knew that. 

But he couldn’t get you out of his head. 

“I hope you have a good time. You’ve certainly earned it. I know I run you ragged here.” 

The hard line of your shoulders lessened and your smile returned as you shook your head. Your hand settled over his and you gently squeezed his fingers, touch not retreating immediately and Beau tried not to revel in it too much. “I love working for you. You have to know that by now.” Beau watched your mouth open again before you bit your lip. 

Beau could imagine a million different things you could have said after that. But you didn’t say any of them. You didn’t say anything at all aside from a soft, “anyway, have a good night, Admiral. Please don’t stay too late.”

And then you were gone, leaving Beau alone with the scent of your floral perfume, the echo of your warm hand on his, and an ache in his chest. 

It was fine. 

This was fine. 

He ate his dinner as he tried to find the least insane simulation Maverick had requested and hoped that it would end well next week. Honestly, having the Captain as the permanent Top Gun instructor was bad for his heart.

“Are you coming?”

Beau looked up from his paperwork to see Admiral Cain in his doorway, arms crossed over his chest. Oh, that was right. Cain had been invited to see the current Top Gun class in action. The higher ups thought it would be a way to “soften” Cain’s animosity toward manned aircrafts. It was ridiculous because Beau outranked Cain and he still walked around like his shit didn’t stink.

Mostly what it did was raise Beau’s blood pressure and had you running circles around base trying to keep Cain out of Beau’s office. It was a valiant effort, Beau knew, but Cain hardly ever followed any recommendation from someone who he deemed ‘beneath him.’ 

He glanced down at the calendar on his desk and saw your neat handwriting over today’s date. Drinks with Cain? :( 

Dammit.

“Yeah, let me just clean up and-”

“I’ll give you fifteen minutes.” And then he was gone, too. 

Biting back every swear he’d ever learned, Beau stood and cleared his desk of his dinner’s trash and filed everything away to deal with on Monday. He pulled on a different shirt and slacks he kept in his office’s closet for times like this and tried not to seem too unenthusiastic when he met Cain out in the parking lot. The effort was completely negated when the other man started bragging about the bar he wanted to try, touting that it was apparently popular with younger women who preferred older men. 

And while Beau did think of you for a moment, his stomach still rolled with the thought that Cain was on the prowl for someone younger when Beau knew that he had a wife and kids waiting at home for him. But still, he went, knowing the higher ups would frown at him not wanting to “play nice.” 

(Beau pocketed the thought that he could have Cain dishonorably discharged if he actually did something.) 

The drive to the bar was thankfully short and Beau had repeatedly told himself that it would be fine to leave after one overpriced drink before parking. He could hear the classic rock pouring from the stout brick building and he could still hear the waves crashing against the shore as he stepped up toward the front door. The bouncer at the front waved him in and Beau saw Cain already striding up toward the bar, turning his head to watch as a woman, carrying a tray of shots to a different table, walked by. 

Cain settled at the bar and Beau begrudgingly stood near him and waited for one of the three bartenders to take their order. When they were noticed, Cain was more than a little shameless with staring down the bartender’s shirt when she came to their corner of the bar top so Beau made a mental note to give her an extra tip with his drink as a silent apology. 

“What can I get started for you?” She asked, turning to Beau with a roll of her eyes. She’d apparently already had a long night. 

“Cognac, please.” 

The bartender quirked an eyebrow but almost smiled. “You seem like a top shelf kind of guy. Am I right?” 

Beau nodded and watched her grab a bottle of cognac he also had in his personal bar back home (where he’d rather be, but that was beside the point) and poured a few fingers of it into a glass before setting it atop a monogrammed napkin and pushing it in front of him. He handed over his card without a fuss and she seemed grateful when he didn’t ask to open a tab. 

Beau vacated his spot at the bar after leaving his promised tip and it was quickly taken by a woman who had to be about your age with a sash across her chest that read “Made of DisHonor” in bold, pink lettering. It was funny—there must be a bachelorette party here somewhere. 

Again, he thought of you—you had said your friend’s bachelorette party was tonight. 

As Beau settled into an overstuffed booth near one of the stained glass windows, he saw Cain still at the bar, now turned around to lean against it as he sipped on his martini. His gaze was bouncing from one woman to the next while completely ignoring the other men who would have probably preferred his spot at the bar to order. But it hardly mattered, really. Beau would have been content with finishing his drink by himself and not interacting with Cain at all. But Cain did eventually did spot him and Beau raised his glass in half hearted welcome but hoped that it would not be taken. 

Cain didn’t pick up on the abject disinterest on Beau’s face and started to make his way over. Dammit. However, he made it only a half dozen steps before getting pulled to a stop by a woman in a tight dress and a bright smile. 

Damn. All right. Apparently the reputation this bar had was not completely unfounded. 

Beau was quick to drag his gaze away from the uncomfortable scene and spotted the girl with the sash walking away from the bar with a tray of what looked like Jell-O shots in her hands. Beau watched her go with a smile, remembering his days back in college when his tongue was blue from drinks like those. She quickly passed out the small plastic cups and the grip Beau had on his cognac nearly slipped when he recognized one of the women in her group. 

You. 

God. You had always been beautiful but right now you were truly something else. Sinful and ethereal all at once. Stunning. Short dress. High heels. Burgundy lips. You were dressed for the festivities. Your sash read “Miss Behaving.” 

Of course it did. 

The bride, a cute woman in a tiny white dress with a giant white bow on the back of her head, herded everyone a little bit out of the throughway so a small group of men could get to the bar without needing to walk around. And you ended up closer to him. He could hear your laugh over the music as your friend pushed one of the Jell-O shots into your hand. 

“I’m driving tonight! I can only have one drink.” 

The woman with the Made of Dishonor sash pouted but still made sure your fingers were curled around the tiny plastic cup. “You said that at the last two bars, too. That’s why I got you a non-alcoholic Jell-O shot. Congrats. That is pure sugar and water, babe.” 

You laughed and Beau found himself smiling at the sound of it; he liked hearing you be happy. And he should have known that you would be the designated driver for your friends—you were always taking care of someone. (Usually it was him.) 

He watched you and your friends take the caps off the shots and clink them together with a shout of cheers for the bride as he took another sip of his own drink. It nearly came right back out as he coughed, watching your tongue skirt around the plastic. 

“There we go!” The bride cheered before patting your cheek with uncoordinated fingers but you laughed anyway. “I want you to have fun. Have fun with me.” 

“I am having fun! I promise,” you said before catching her hand and kissing her fingers, earning a giggle of your own. “And tonight isn’t about me!”

“I picked this bar for you!” The maid of honor said with a laugh of her own. “I was hoping I would be able to get your mind off that man who shall not be named.” “No, you chose it because they let you dance on the bar.” “That’s besides the point,” she retorted, finger pointed in your direction. “Two birds, one stone or whatever.” 

“What?” The bride asked, dragging out the single syllable. 

The maid of honor shook her head. “Babe, it has been over a year and you’re still hung up on him. You either need to get under him or get over him.” 

You swirled your finger around the empty, plastic container, pretending to care about the remnants of your Jell-O shot. “I can’t help it.” 

“What’s so special about him?” Another woman asked, stealing a second shot. “A year’s a long time.” 

“Oh no,” one of your friends groaned. “Don’t get her started.”

The bride pouted again. “But I wanna hear it. I don’t hear anything anymore! I don’t even know who we’re talking about!” 

“I’ve told you about him twice but that just…doesn’t matter,” you said, probably noting how intoxicated she was at the moment. “You’re busy with wedding planning, sweetheart. We don’t want to bother you.” 

She waved it away, pout persisting. “Tell me. Tell me right now! I’m your best…” she hiccuped. “Best friend. Tell me.” 

You licked your lips before sighing. “He’s…my boss.” 

There was an answering squeal from the bride and a few others in your group before you waved it away with a halfhearted scowl, like you were trying to keep the smile from your face. 

The grip on his drink was near painful now. 

You were talking about him. You had been hung up on him for over a year. 

“He’s just handsome and kind and funny. He’s nice when he wants to be and he’s always nice to me.” 

“But not to everyone else, right?” The maid of honor said, sounding like she’d heard this before. 

Beau adjusted his posture to try to hear your group better over the blaring guitars and thumping drums. He wanted to know what you had been saying—apparently repeatedly. 

“Yeah. I mean, he runs a tight ship-”

“That is a terrible pun.” 

“-but he tries to keep everyone safe and he just expects everyone else to do the same. So-”

“You’re burying the lede here. He’s smoking hot. A complete silver fox who’s got a banging bod.” 

You gaped at the Maid of Honor’s outburst and Beau watched your mouth open and close a few more times without a single word coming out. Is that what you had told your friends?

“And he’s sweet to you?” The bride repeated, hazy eyes sparkling. “You hafta marry him.” 

“They’re a sight for sore eyes. Good choice.” 

Beau felt something in his neck pop when he quickly turned his head to see Cain settling opposite him in the booth. The other man’s eyes were dragging all over your group without a care in the world. Dragging all over you. “Did you strike out?” The words were out of his mouth before he could even begin to think of a different response. “I saw you talking to someone else.” It was a pitiful recovery but Beau hid his distaste for the entire situation behind another gulp of his liquor. 

Cain’s mouth curled into a scowl for a moment. “You’ve been sitting here alone all night. You’re not doing any better.” A familiar sneer pushed at his features before he once again looked at your group. “Are you one of those that just likes to look?” 

Thankfully or not, Cain didn’t wait for an answer and stood again, making his way over to your group. Just for a moment, Beau thought about just leaving. Just getting up and leaving and pretending this entire night never happened. 

“A-Admiral Cain.” 

Your voice cut through Beau’s thoughts with ease. 

“I…I didn’t expect to see you here.” 

Cain squinted at you, probably trying to place your face and Beau saw the exact moment Cain recognized you, a smirk pushing at his mouth. A few of your friends started whispering into each other’s ears, probably wondering if this was the Admiral you were hung up on. “Ah, Lieutenant, I should have known it was you.” 

“Oh?” 

Cain’s smirk grew. “Yes ma’am. I think I’d recognize that-”

Beau had heard quite enough and stood abruptly, cognac still in his hand. “I think we’ve had enough tonight, Admiral. Time to head out.” 

The shock on your face only grew more apparent as you looked at him. “Admiral Simpson. Um…h-hi.” 

“That’s him,” the maid of honor hissed into the bride’s ear. 

Cain’s eyes were hard as they bored into the side of Beau’s face. He could feel them. But he couldn’t take his eyes off you. You were even more beautiful up close. Dammit. Again.

“Why don’t we let the ladies decide if I’ve had enough?”

Your eyes went wide and you took a step in front of your friends, hands fanning out to keep them behind you. “I apologize, sir, but I don’t think that is entirely appropriate.” 

“It could be our little secret and shouldn’t I be the one who says whether or not something is inappropriate? I’m sure we can all keep a secret.” 

Something Beau had spent years trying to suppress started to bite at the back of his mind. Cold rage. He moved to step in front of Cain, blocking you from the other man’s gaze. “We’re done here, Cain.” 

The tense line of his shoulders relaxed when he felt your warm hand press against his back. A quiet thank you. And the simple touch had warmth bleeding over him. 

“We are just about to leave-”

“Bride and babes!” The bartender who had served Beau hollered. “You’re up!” 

The maid of honor let out a curse and muttered something about never planning anything ever again before pushing everyone toward the bar again. And then Cain was saying something, Beau could hear the rumble of his voice at the back of his mind like a buzzing fly, but Beau couldn’t take his eyes off you. 

You as you tugged down your skirt after it had ridden up when you climbed. 

You as you helped the bride step onto one of the barstools. 

You as you followed suit until you and the rest of your friends were lined up on the bar. 

“Ladies and gents,” the bartender’s voice cut through the din of the bar just before the last song ended. “We have a special group here tonight. And they want to put on a little show for you all.” 

The crowd gave a raucous cheer and then the opening chords of a song he knew well swelled over the bar’s speakers. And then you (and your friends) started to dance. It was filled with spins and giggles followed by twists and turns that had your legs nearly glowing in the low light of the bar as Dio continued to sing. 

You're in danger, the last of a line

But the vision lasts forever…

The watching crowd hollered when you and the maid of honor showed off the moves you must have learned at your pole dancing lessons on either side of the bride. Beau couldn’t take his eyes off you. Wouldn’t. 

“I see it now.” Cain’s voice pulled his attention for just a moment. “You want her all to yourself.” 

He didn’t deign it worthy of a response. And honestly, what could he say? Denying it would be fruitless and accepting it would be handing over power to Cain. So, Beau said nothing. 

The young just getting older

We are sunlight

We can sparkle and shine

And our dreams are what we're made of… He just watched you. 

He dragged his eyes up your form and saw you looking straight at him. 

Just hold on You can make it happen for you Reach for the stars and you will fly You're hungry for heaven Hungry for heaven Hungry for heaven But you need a little hell, oh, hungry…

And, just for a moment, Beau felt like you were doing this all for him. This entire show was for him. That little dress and the way you inched it up your thighs as you moved was for him. The burgundy-tinged smile was just for him. The way your half-lidded gaze never strayed far from him in the crowd was for him. And maybe it was. Maybe it was all for him because as soon as the song ended and you helped your giggling friends off the bar—taking extra care to help the bride down as she poked at the tip of your nose—you turned to him. While your friends were swarmed by other patrons of the bar who had appreciated the show, you only looked at him. And then you were moving, pushing your way through the accumulated crowd and toward him. You licked your lips just before you slowed to a stop in front of him and Beau tracked the movement with his heart hammering in his throat. “Did you enjoy the show?” And what was he supposed to say to that? He had the wherewithal to notice Cain had retreated to a darkened corner with another drink and a different woman, his attention completely diverted. Beau paused for a moment before nodding. What good would lying do now? Something had shifted, irreparably changed. For better or worse. 

He could smell your perfume again as you moved closer, closer, closer. God, you were beautiful. And a voice that sounded almost like himself was screaming at the back of his mind that this was wrong, this was against all sorts of Naval regulations, that this would only end poorly- But it quieted as soon as your fingers pressed against his chest. He could feel each of your breaths against his mouth. He could smell your floral perfume with each of his own inhales and wanted to bury his nose in it. In you. But what Beau happily noticed was the lack of alcohol that hit his nose. You were sober. 

He knew adrenaline could make people do things that were out of character. Plenty of pilots, himself included, had landed their jet and jumped out, heart hammering and nerves buzzing. Maybe it was that for you, high off the little performance. Confident enough to approach your direct superior in a crowd. You sought him out. There was a silent conversation between you; were you going to do this? Could either of you stop? And Beau surged forward with his inevitable answer, closing the gap.

You tasted like heaven. Sticky sweet with a bite of something else and your hand gently curled over his chest as you sighed against his mouth. Your fingers inched up to press at the side of his neck as he licked between your lips. 

Every sigh, every little noise, every brush of your mouth against his had his heart racing. This was what he needed, what every part of him had wanted since you had first spent the night at his side, helping him do monotonous paperwork. Just you, in his arms, and your taste on his tongue. 

He didn’t even recall pulling you toward the small hallway that led to the bathrooms but he felt your smile against his mouth when he backed you against the wall. Your next breath puffed against his wet lips and your eyes still sparkled in the hallway’s shitty light. “We might have fifteen minutes before someone comes looking.” “I can do a lot in fifteen minutes.” 

The bathroom door creaked when he pulled you through it and the lock gave an answering click when he engaged it. You were soft everywhere and Beau groaned against your mouth as his hands skirted up your thighs, dragging the minuscule skirt of your dress with it. And you were sweet everywhere, too, as he tugged the tiny scrap of lace between your thighs to the side and drank you down. Your hands curled into his hair as he pulled one of your legs up and over his shoulder. He kept you upright as each flick of his tongue had you shaking and whimpering and filling his mouth. 

He could do this forever, even if his knees ached and his trousers were unbearably tight. 

Just as you shook in his grip and he felt you sliding down his chin, there was a sharp knock at the door. 

“We’re leaving! I’m giving you exactly thirty seconds to meet us outside.” 

Beau recognized the maid of honor’s voice on the other side. It was quickly followed by a chorus of giggles. But he hardly heard any of it as you sighed and curled your hands beneath Beau’s chin and pulled him up with a gentle tug. You kissed him, undoubtedly tasting yourself on his tongue, as your thumb swept gentle circles against his cheek. 

Your eyes were hazy and half-lidded again and you stole another kiss against his mouth when he pulled your dress back down. 

“You can definitely do a lot in fifteen minutes, Admiral.” Your finger swept beneath his lip, gathering the evidence of your secret and you licked it away. “I’ll return the favor. I promise.” 

Before you slipped away from him again, Beau kissed you again. He couldn’t get enough of it, of you. Nor the soft laugh you let out as you whispered you’d see him on Monday. 

Monday was going to be interesting. He didn’t know what it would bring, how any of this would turn out, but he had hope. And he liked to think you did, too. 

Beau couldn’t wait. 

A/N: please let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!

[wrixie]

🍒 CHERISHING CHERRY | A BACHELORETTE CHALLENGE

🍒 Introducing Josette "Cherry" St. Cloud | Age: 29 | Pronouns: She/Her | Traits: High Maintenance, Self-Absorbed & Dog Lover

🍒 Growing up in Chestnut Ridge, you'd think this little lady would be drawn to horses and the cowpoke lifestyle however she always looked to broader horizons to leave her little town behind and start anew - after losing most of her family to freak accidents, Cherry moved to Brindleton Bay to hopefully get her feet off the ground and start a new life for herself

🍒 Can this high maintenance, self absorbed lass find love in her new town or will she be forced to remain alone in her little trailer off the beaten path?

🍒 Likes: Cherries, Fostering dogs, The color red, Late afternoon, Hardwood floors, The moon, Body Modifications, 70s music, napping and Tommy (her puppy) 🍒 Dislikes: Biting her nails, Cooking of any kind, Summer heat (sweating), Hairless animals, Getting dirty, Thunderstorms and Gardening

🍒 Fun Facts about Cherry:

Grew up in Chestnut Ridge

Iced tea is power source

Dreams of running a clinic for animals

Her favorite drink is a tequila sunrise with extra cherries

Has a southern accent

Hates to cook

Gets jealous easily

Needs glasses/ Can't see

🍒 Contestant Entry Guidelines:

Must be young-adult or adult

Humans are only being accepted this time!

Must have at least one negative trait

Can be any gender, but males preferred

Cannot have the romantic trait

Skills don’t matter!

Should have Likes + Dislikes (if ya like)

Maxis-Match or CC free

I own mostly every pack with the exception of a few kits but I can get them if needed

Must be comfortable with changes such as eyes, skinblend + lashes as I have my own defaults and preferences as well as outfit changes to fit into my game style (the outfits will mostly stay the same if you've styled all of them)

🍒 Remember to at me @wrixie or use #cherrysBC to make sure I see your entry+ ask if you have any questions

CONTESTANTS:

Julian O'Neal @hauntedtrait

Terrance Capman @alltimefail-sims

Nikolas Knight @seyvia

Matt Adler @aniraklova

Billy Pierce @simmenycricket

Wesley Drakos @druidberries

Bruno Aguado @bramblewoodsims

if you haven't already please send me your hunky sims <3

[akitasimblr]

mad about dodo: the bachelor no one asked for... challenge 🌴🩷🌞

i know this is - probably - a mistake. but i can't help myself 😶 after watching dodo fail three attempts in bachelor/bachelorette challenges; deeply inspired by nafisa's bc (@flocy-sims); and somewhat persuaded that dodo needed his time to shine, am i right, @ethicaltreatmentofcowplants 😉? i decided to give dodo a bachelor challenge of his own.

who is dodo?

dodo, short for orlando harper, is a 7th generation spare. twin brother of the one and only, leonardo harper, and son of virginia harper and paolo rocca.

dodo is a sports enthusiast, being himself a one-star famous athlete. despite not having the ambitious and selfish nature of his twin brother and superstar actor, leo harper; orlando can be a somewhat attention seeker as well.

there’s nothing he loves more than to spend time at the gym or the football field. he’s not the romantic type... IN FACT, he performed many mean behaviours with all the bachelor and bachelorettes he interacted with 🙄 so i wonder, is there someone out there who could sweep dodo off his feet? that's what we'll find out, right?

important notes

the bachelor challenge will take place on sulani and will follow the island challenge's rules (with some adaptations here and there).

the bachelor and contestants will live off-the-grid and with just very basic survival items. they can’t leave the island (lot) and they are cut off from civilization completely.

first impressions + wicked whims will be in effect (but no adult content will ever be published). we'll be having rose cerimonies, solo dates, group dates and free days schedules. until we have only 7 sims left in the challenge, 3 sims will leave by round. also, leo harper is gonna try to steal the show once in a while 😄

submission rules

open to up to 21 contestants

no occults allowed

all sims/genders/sexualities are welcome

all previously existing skills will be erased to level 0

give them likes and dislikes at your will

only one outfit per category - remember they are on a deserted island so no polish attire is advised ;)

cc allowed to the amount of your desire, but keep it maxis match (i have all expansions, packs, stuff, so no worries)

give your sim a brief, medium or testamentary backstory (i will read everything!)

please tag me and use the tag #madaboutdodo with your entry! no deadline until i have all spots filled.

if you have any questions about it, feel free to send me a dm or leave a comment :) thank you so much!

🌴previous | next🌴

[dawnvy]

FAR FROM HOME BACHELORETTE CHALLENGE ACCEPTED CONTESTANT LIST 👽💕

I can't believe all the amazing responses I have gotten from you all!! I think its time I officially set out a participant list for all the lovely, interested contestants seeking to gain Sputnik's affection!! I have placed a reminder of the entry guidelines under the cut as this post is a work in progress and will be regularly updated until the available contestant spots are filled up. I'll keep you posted!!

mitsugu laws by @invisiblequeen

olaf cricketwind harper by @akitasimblr

felix hazelthorn by @jonquilyst

finnie echou by @flocy-sims

keola makana by @thosegothsims

xenos ocean by @riverofjazzsims

TBA

TBA

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS JUNE 30TH 2024 I might extend the contestant list, depending on interest - but for those of you who have not submitted your tray files, please PM me!!

CONTESTANT ENTRY GUIDELINES 👽💕

Must be either a YA or an Adult Sim

Accepting Human, Spellcaster, Mermaid, Alien and Falien Sims

Must NOT have romantic traits - negative traits are encouraged

Preferring Male Participants, but Sputnik isn't against the idea of flipping the narrative of her dream life for a special someone.

Backstories, likes/dislikes, preferences and skills (except for charisma) are encouraged - careers are a plus in Nikki's eyes.

Maxis Match Sims Only - CC is encouraged but please include it. I own every pack except for the most recent kits and SWJTB.

Please include two everyday outfits, two formal outfits and a swimming outfit - if you want certain CC details to be fluent throughout please add them to other categories, just in case.

You must be okay with any necessary changes I make to your entries: eyes, skinblend, lashes etc. If you want to set all the outfits yourself, I would be happy to keep them - but some personal preferences may apply to changes - please be accepting of that.

[eljeebee]

It's Isabella Manalo!

Sim submission for @changingplumbob for the bachelorette challenge she's organizing!

She's an aspiring Musical Genius, who was born in Tartosa and raised in Del Sol Valley!

Belle is a cousin of Beatrice Valderama, renowned model and now-girlfriend of a Vanderburg Royal, Lord Seamus II. She loves her dear cousin very much, even though Belle had been compared to Bea a lot of times. She doesn't hold it against her cousin though, and she tries her best to get all (and deserving) spotlight when it comes to her career as a singer.

Unfortunately, trying to live and get other people's attention to her work gets her frustrated that she became a hot-headed person. Still, this hot-headedness has driven her to become an ambitious music lover. No matter how many times she tries getting inspired from her birthplace and in her hometown she knew that there's just one thing that Belle thinks that she lacks: a subject, or a muse, if you will, that she could dedicate her music to.

Profile

Name: Isabella Manalo

Traits: Ambitious, Music Lover, Hot-Headed, Muser

Aspiration: Musical Genius

Identity/Orientation: Cis female, Demisexual, She/Her

Eye color: Brown

Birthplace: Tartosa

Resides in: Mainly in Del Sol Valley; Tartosa on Holidays

Likes: Dancing, Writing, DJ Mixing, Guitar, Piano, Singing, Wellness, Orange, Red, Yellow, Deep Thoughts, Stories, Affection, Discussing Hobbies, Discussing Interests, Gossip, Complaints, Luxe Decor, Modern Decor, Mid Century Decor, Country Fashion, Polished Fashion, Preppy Fashion, Idealist Sims, Emotional Decision-Makers, Cerebral Sims, Hard-Working Sims, Soul Music, Singer Songwriter Music, Retro Music, Romance Music, S-Pop Music, Winter Holiday Music

Dislikes: Fishing, Gardening, Baking, Deception, Silly Behavior, Ambitionless Sims, Egotistical Sims, Pessimistic Sims, Easy Listening Music, METAL MUSIC

Wardrobe

Entry Details

ALL IN (Hit me up whenever, wherever, ask box or DMs)

Even though the main part is to woo Deanna, I will not stand in the way if Isabella falls for someone else!

Isabella is monogamous.

Isabella is open to woohoo in later parts of the competition, so long as she had already gotten to know the other person properly.

I also don't mind if she flirts with Joey, ahem.

Download is sent privately.

[meggyreap]

📖 Dating Daphne 📖

A Bachelorette Challenge

Daphne Pepper is looking for love! Does your sim have what it takes to win her heart?

I need 7 contestants to participate in this challenge!

Entry Guidelines:

Males are preferred but women are also welcome

Must be Young Adult or Adult sims

Humans only; No occults fake or real

Must have 1 negative trait; Can't have Romantic trait

Maxis Match; please do all outfits

No custom face presets (I'm trying to avoid them)

I own all packs except for CAS kits and Journey to Batuu

Must be comfortable with minor changes such as defaults and skin details

No deadline, I'm accepting entries until I get 7 sims.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Make sure to tag me @meggyreap and use the tag datingdaphne

[riverofjazzsims]

Cortez Cranberry

Love For Lira: a Bachelorette Challenge hosted by @simsinfinitylt

Cortez Cranberry 28 Straight - well there was that one time at…🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️👀👀 Aspiration : Country Caretaker Traits: Paranoid, Loves outdoors, Snob, Adventurous, clumsy

PRIVATE DOWNLOAD

[honeytraits]

Searching for Love!

Modeste Ward: A Bachelorette Challenge

Born and raised in Del Sol Valley to Judith Ward and a presumed one-night stand, Modeste has been in the limelight from birth, following in her mother's footsteps as an actress.

You'll often find her strolling the streets of the Valley or enjoying San Myshuno, cameras and crowds in tow.

Modeste has a talent for embracing her fame, though it's a double-edged sword. Sims fainting? Probably near Modeste. Teens clamoring for autographs? That's Modeste. A famous baseball player caught in a steamy exchange with a Ward in her car? Definitely not Modeste.

In relationships, Modeste seeks kindness but hasn't always been treated well. A hopeless romantic, she craves attention from anyone, regardless of how they treat her.

Entry Guidelines: All Genders are welcomed, we welcome all races, etc! Be diverse! Go semi-crazy with your sims lore! Must be Young Adult/Adult sims! Humans only sadly :C I own all packs! If you have any CC, please add them in tray files or however its done, i'm not quite sure.. but make sure its maxis match! No romantic trait, everyone is looking for romance here! At least one negative trait! Add hobbies, likes & dislikes, or sim characteristics This is all for good fun and I thought this would be a great way for people to show off their sims! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask! One outfit per category, please! When entering, when you pose your entry, please use the tag: #modestebachelorette or just tag me!

Contestants: 1. Cole Bautista (@simsinfinitylt) 2. Pixie O'Grady (@invisiblequeen) 3. Cassie King (@deathclawfaggot) 4. Harper Levine (@changingplumbob) 5. Skye Robin Langley (@daedriyth) 6. Plearnpichaya Petchsutee (@dridsimsheart) 7.

No deadline, I'm accepting entries until I get 7 sims! Send me a private dm so you can be slotted! First come, first serve!

Meet Modeste Ward she/her | twenty-three Pansexual

High Maintenance Snob Materialistic

likes - money, duh - ballet concerts - retail therapy - extravagant parties - expensive getaways - physical touch

dislikes - cold weather - dogs - spicy foods - her mother Judith (sometimes) - rude people

Fun Facts

Modeste knows ballet but its a hidden talent of hers She loves spoiling/being spoiled people that are close to her she wants to be a ballet dancer instead of a fashion model she's somewhat of a people pleaser to her mother and other celebrity friends she has.

….she has some mommy issues

Modeste is looking for her Miss/Mister right, will you be them?

[changingplumbob]

So I've had an idea...

It involves my girl Deanna York being in a bachelorette challenge with getting to know people BUT also random challenges from her family and friends. Devin would host obviously.

Now Deanna did roll being a lesbian when she aged up to a teen so the entries would have to be female (trans females included obviously) or non-binary. I'd be willing to take sims from people who would prefer to not identify themselves as their sims maker, as well as the traditional entries. I'd accept some maxis match cc but no sliders.

I need time to plan so it probably wouldn't start until January. I would like to have contact with you, for example you choose which of say five skills you would like your sim to focus on for their self improvement time that would help in various challenges, but if you prefer I could roll a dice for your contestant.

[sanitysims]

my sim for the dating deanna bachelorette challenge by @changingplumbob!! ٩(^ᗜ^ )و ´-

(there are slots open until christmas!!! go check it out wink wink)

Evelyn Huang is a communications student at Foxbury who's recently discovered her attraction to women.

Growing up in a cramped apartment with a single dad and two younger brothers, her getaway has always been engrossing herself in fantasy novels. She might be studying to become a journalist, but who says she can't write a bit on the side? And get popular enough to focus solely on writing novels? A girl can dream...

Either way, she hasn't had much luck with love, so she's taking a big step out of her comfort zone by joining! She hopes Deanna can see past her awkward exterior and get to know (and maybe love...?) the wonderful person underneath. And at the very least, maybe she'll get better at writing romance.

name: evelyn huang, eve/evie to family & close friends age: 19 (young adult) identity: cisgender bisexual female, she/her traits: socially awkward, generous, bookworm aspiration: bestselling author likes: blue, orange, writing, singing, pop, r&b dislikes: red, mischief, gardening, spooky music

open to getting flirty with other contestants? hey, if anyone would want to flirt with her, she'd be down!

open to polyamory? the heart wants what it wants! she's never explored polyamory before but she's down to try it.

open to woohoo? it's certainly a big step, but if she's got a good connection with someone (or someones 👀), she's not opposed to the idea!

open to flirting with joey? why not? she's here, might as well be open to everything! it certainly helps that he's good looking as well 🤭

entry style: all in!! woot woot 🥳🎉

[download] - let me know if it blows up your computer or doesn't work 🥹 the traits will be off since i don't have the pack-specific traits 😵‍💫 if there's anything else different please let me know as well 🫡

[ficsilike-reblogged]

Take On Me

Summary: What happens when the love of Bob’s life finally makes a move…the night before he deploys? Pairing: Robert “Bob” Floyd/F!Reader (No Y/N) Word Count: 4k ABSOLUTELY NO MINORS ALLOWED A/N: This is an entry for the 80’s Rocktober Challenge hosted by @roosterforme - I picked a-ha’s song “Take On Me.” I hope y’all enjoy! This is Bob’s side story from my Jake series, Invisible Smoke. But you don’t need to read that to read this. Warnings: Naval inaccuracies, unprotected sex, cockwarming (?)/unrealistic post-sex activities, angst (with a happy ending), being bad at feelings

Bob didn’t particularly like nights before deployment. There were the obvious reasons—being shipped out and stuck on a carrier for weeks on end wasn’t exactly the best part of his job—but the pageantry of the night before, the dress whites, the careful goodbyes, that was what he really hated.

Natasha had dragged him to the Hard Deck so he could at least say goodbye to a few friends in person since he had already video called his family. He watched Natasha pull Bradshaw out onto the deck for a quieter moment alone. It was about time they got together. Bob had been one of the few who knew about her feelings for their fellow aviator and he had accidentally discovered that they were reciprocated a few days after the Uranium Mission. It really had been kind of ridiculous watching them dance around each other for months.

He was happy they were finally together. Really. Who wouldn’t be happy to see two of his closest friends be happy? But it really just twisted the dull knife behind his ribs that always came when Bob realized how alone he was. He didn’t have someone to say goodbye to like that.

Penny gave him another ginger ale with her usual sweet smile before he started back toward the table in the corner where he’d left his hat. He pushed through the crowd, earning a few slaps to his back and claps to his shoulders by other patrons who knew what awaited him in the morning, and settled back into his seat with a sigh. He scanned the crowd, seeing Harvard and Yale chat up two women on what looked like a bachelorette trip and then Payback and Mickey dancing with their wives near the jukebox. Payback’s wife, a stunning woman named Sidney, pulled back just enough to wipe tears from her cheeks. Payback gently knocked her hand away and finished for her before kissing her forehead. Bob turned away, feeling like he was intruding with a persistent tightness in his chest.

And his traitorous mind conjured your smiling face, bright and happy.

What Bob had with you was…nice. It was quiet and gentle and strictly platonic, right now. Bob would never understand how Hangman was the one to introduce you to him.

“Trust me, Baby on Board, you’ll love her. She’s perfect for you.”

Bob had been fully prepared to grit his teeth and bear whomever Seresin had deemed ‘perfect,’ and expected to meet an Instagram model or a gym buddy of his—not that there was anything wrong with them, they were usually lovely but just a little intense. But then you walked in.

You with your thick-rimmed glasses and soft smile and softer laugh.

While Jake bragged on your behalf, stating that you were the best CPA in the city, the only person he’d trust with his taxes, andthat Penny trusted you with the Hard Deck’s books, you fiddled nervously with the bendy straw Penny had given you in your little cup of pop.

It was Jake’s fiancée—a good friend of Bob’s who deserved the world, if anyone asked him—who quieted the man’s well-meaning rant with a hand on his arm. “I think he gets it. She is amazing.” The other woman winked and earned a soft smile from you before turning back toward her fiancé. “But you still owe me a game of pool, yeah?”

As the couple walked away, leaving you and Bob alone, your (beautiful) eyes tracked up to meet his gaze. Your smile was small and soft and you drummed your manicured nails against the plastic cup in your grip. “It’s nice to meet you.”

And that was it, really. You had asked Bob if he knew how to play pool and then he offered to teach you. That led to soft giggles and missed trick shots and then quiet conversations about your lives and phone numbers exchanged before you parted ways for the night.

It was…good. Really. Even if it always teetered on the edge of becoming something more but never did.

Bob liked your good morning texts and the way you insisted on paying for brunch every time you invited him to try a new restaurant that just opened up. He liked that you didn’t mind helping him get the rest of the Daggers home from the Hard Deck if they had one drink too many. He liked that the people he trusted with his life liked you.

He…liked you. And he knew it was getting dangerously close to a different L word and that just had his mind circling back to how much he hated nights before deployments. You weren’t here. Bob didn’t blame you, of course. One of your more “difficult” clients had needed your attention immediately and had flown you out to Los Angeles about a week ago and Bob hadn’t wanted to disturb you with the news of the deployment. He’d asked Jake’s fiancée to tell you when you got back into town and he had an email queued up to be sent to you, too, crossing his fingers that he’d be able to still talk with you when you both had a moment to spare.

His gaze once again roamed around the bustling bar and unintentionally picked out all the couples. Dammit. Maybe, he just needed to get some sleep. He needed to be on the carrier early tomorrow morning anyway and wallowing in self pity wasn’t really a good waste of time. He finished his soda and waved to Penny and then placed a few bills on the bar to cover his tab before setting off toward the door.

This was good. He could get back to base and get some sleep before getting to the carrier just after dawn. But, as he moved around a rambunctious pair of lieutenants jockeying over their stances for darts, he nearly collided with a solid, soft body.

“Oh, I’m sorry!”

Familiar hands pressed at his chest in a bid to stay upright and the scent of rose and amber immediately flooded his senses. And Bob knew immediately it was you.

Bob set his hands on your hips with a growing smile and watched the realization dawn on your face. “Bob!” A smile he could see in his dreams broke across your lips before you wrapped your arms over his shoulders in a tight hug. “I’m so happy I caught you. I thought I wouldn’t make it in time.”

It took Bob a moment to shake himself free of the shock of your arrival and gave you a smile of his own. Some higher power was laughing at him right now (or maybe it was just Seresin) because Bob thought you’d never looked more beautiful in your short dress with buttons all the way down the front and strappy heels. “I didn’t know you were back.”

Your smile widened the slightest bit and you glanced at something over his shoulder, raising one hand to wave at someone. Bob turned in time to see Jake and his fiancée both raising their glasses in his direction. They knew. They had planned this.

But, when one of your hands swept over his shoulder to rest over his happily thrumming heart, all the embarrassment and gratitude he could have expressed at that moment crumbled away. He could deal with them later (and by ‘deal with them,’ Bob meant probably buy them a round and say thank you).

“Want to get out of here?” You asked, fingers brushing over the carefully arranged pins on his chest before thumbing at one of the ornate buttons of his jacket.

Bob knew you didn’t mean it like that, despite your wandering fingers, but he still had to suck in a quick breath to steady his thoughts before smiling. “Yeah, let’s go, sweetheart.”

You were quick to drop one of your hands to his, tugging him toward the door with a soft laugh he knew so well. The night air was tinged with salt water and the barest hint of spilled beer as soon as you stepped outside and down the handful of steps onto the parking lot. You gave him another smile over your shoulder as you started, “I hope you don’t mind-”

Bob fought the urge to say something that had been on the tip of his tongue for months and instead settled for, “you have to know that I never mind.”

You laughed again and shook your head but the noise quickly stalled when your foot connected when one of the concrete parking dividers and you nearly toppled for the second time that night. Bob tightened his grip on your hand and kept you upright with a quick tug that had you stumbling forward until you collided with his chest with a soft ‘oof’ and you laughed as you tucked your face into his jacket for a moment. You had a habit of doing that, hiding your smiles in the safety of Bob’s body. His neck, his chest, his shoulders, his arms. All of them had been places for you to squish your face. He never did mind, happily accepting any sort of physical affection you would bestow. Knowing you trusted him enough to keep you safe when you felt vulnerable.

Again, Bob knew he was dangerously close to that other word.

“I swear I haven’t had a drink at all. I don’t know what’s wrong with me tonight.” Your voice shook and Bob tried not to read too much into that either as you looked down and groaned. “Oh, maybe that’s why. My shoe’s come undone.”

Bob didn’t even blink before kneeling on the pavement and grasping at the delicate straps. He could feel the heat of your skin as he carefully threaded the strap through the buckle again and as he tugged it closed again, the pads of his fingers brushed against your ankle and you were just as soft as he imagined.

What he had not imagined was the shiver his simple touch would elicit from you. You let out a strange, stuttering breath as Bob looked up at you. Oh.

Maybe it was the growing adrenaline from the impending deployment, or maybe the way the low lights were reflecting in your eyes, or maybe it was a dawning realization that you could maybe feel the same as he did. His fingers trailed up your leg as he took his time standing, almost smirking when he felt how goosebumps raced across your skin.

Your next breath stuttered and Bob felt it against his neck as he finally stood straight and once again settled his hands on your hips.

“I um…” Your throat bobbed. “Th-thank you.”

“Anytime, sweetheart.”

His position and training as a WSO had Bob picking up on minute details, but he’d always been that way. He was the kid who was delighted with a ladybug landing on his jeans when the rest of his family watched booming fireworks on the Fourth of July. So, he noticed when your eyes flickered down to his lips. You moved closer and your lips puckered.

You were going to kiss him. You wanted to kiss him.

But Bob didn’t move forward to close the distance, no matter how much he wanted to and he watched your face crumple.

“Bob?” Your voice was weak as he took a small step back; Bob didn’t let you go far and kept his hands firmly planted on your hips. He wouldn’t let you go. Not yet. “Did I do something wrong? I…I’m sorry. I thought-”

But he just shook his head, ducking his chin the slightest bit toward his chest. “You didn’t do anything wrong, sweetheart. I just want to make sure this is what you actually want and not because I’m shipping out in a few hours. Deployments make people think-”

You moved to grasp his face, trying to tilt his chin just enough to make him look at you again. There was a desperation in your gaze that let him know that you needed him to hear you, make him understand. “Bob, I can’t lie and tell you that this deployment has nothing to do with it, all right? But this is the first time you’re being sent away from me. I know these things can be dangerous. I know that. I’ve heard horror stories about…” You couldn’t even finish the thought and shook it away. Your thumbs pressed gentle arcs into his cheeks before you dropped your hold. “Let’s just get out of here, okay? We can pretend none of this happened and just go get ice cream and sit and silence and watch the water until you’re sick of me.”

“I don’t think I could ever get sick of you,” Bob said, words tumbling out of his mouth before he could even think of how that would sound to you.

An unsteady smile pushed at your mouth as you took a step backward and then another and another until you were leading him toward your car—Bob quickly redirected you toward his trusty GMC and opened the door for you with a smile of his own. The air in the truck’s cab was tense for a slow song or two, just long enough for you to squirm in your seat until Bob reached over and grabbed your hand.

He didn’t want to upset you—it wasn’t an outright rejection, not at all—he just wanted to be sure that you wanted him like he wanted you.

Bob didn’t do this. He didn’t spend the entire night talking, laughing, pretending he didn’t have to disappear for a few weeks. But with you it felt right. It felt like he should have been doing this with you for months. Years.

Ice cream was purchased at a small roadside shop and Bob pulled onto an overlook and shut off the truck, letting the dim moonlight fill the cab as you both quietly ate your sweet treat—strawberry for Bob, pistachio for you. It was calm and peaceful, a far cry from the noise of the Hard Deck, but he could feel when you started to get nervous again, curling your hands into the skirt of your dress for a moment before starting to fiddle with the cloth-covered buttons on the front.

“Why didn’t you tell me about the deployment?” You asked, and Bob could hear the trepidation in your voice. You turned in your seat to face him and Bob was quick to do the same and you both scooted a little closer to each other on the bench seat, legs awkwardly skirting around the stick shift. “I would have come home sooner.”

But Bob just shook his head and felt his nose scrunch as he tried to pick his words carefully. He didn’t stop until he felt you trail your finger across his brow, wordlessly telling him to relax. Bob couldn’t even remember when you had started doing it, but he had savored it every time and felt his shoulders slump while he finally found the words. He carefully reached up and grasped your hand, linking your fingers together for a moment. “I don’t think I knew how to say goodbye to you.”

You searched Bob’s face and he tried not to hope too much with the look in your eyes. “Bob, I… you don’t have to have anything special to say to me. But please just say something.”

Bob didn’t even realize he was moving until his lips were firm against yours, almost unyielding. Your glasses clicked together as his hand anchored itself on the back of your neck and tilted your face just so but neither of you seemed to mind. He could feel your smile against his mouth.

Your fingers sunk into his hair as his tongue slid against the seam of your lips. He’d give you anything anything anything, and this was no different. All his thoughts about the deployment, about what waited for him in the morning, flew out the window as he hauled you closer, pulling you onto his lap. The warmth of you immediately sank through the heavy fabric of his trousers and he groaned. The noise earned him a breathy sigh against his mouth and your hips sinking and rocking against his again.

“I wanted to do this right. I wanted to do this right with you,” Bob murmured against your mouth as his fingers swiftly undid the buttons down the front of your dress.

“You are,” you said, tone breathy and bordering on needy. “I promise you are. This feels right. Everything feels right with you.”

Bob’s fingers stalled and his bright blue eyes moved up your face until they were boring into yours. “Sweetheart…”

“I mean it,” you said. “Everything feels right with you.”

It might have been less of a shock for Bob if someone had hit him in the chest with a baseball bat. Something whispered at the back of his mind to tell you, to tell you now and make sure you were saying what he thought and hoped you were saying. But he didn’t. Because wouldn’t that be cruel? To draw that out of you before leaving for weeks at a time with no firm promise to return to you? So, instead he kissed you again and tried to press into his mind the way you felt against his mouth as he pushed your dress from your shoulders. He moved to press you down across the bench seat and licked at the thrumming pulse in your neck as he peeled the little scrap of lace down your legs and then shoved them into his pocket.

He would keep those.

Bob moved, knee knocking into the steering wheel for a moment, shoving himself between your thighs after shrugging off his jacket. He pressed a kiss to your ankle, your knee, your thigh, before nosing at your perfect hip bones.

“Bob,” you whined. “Bob, please.”

The salty tang of you was immediately addicting and Bob wrapped his arms over your thighs and dragged you closer closer closer with each flick and twist of his tongue. He could do this forever. He shouldn’t have waited this long.

Your fingers curling through his hair knocked any other thought right out of his head and all that was left was you you you and how your thighs clamped over his ears as you came.

When your legs stopped shaking enough, you hooked your hands behind his head and hauled him up, pressing a rushed, sloppy, perfect kiss against his mouth. Bob’s hands skimmed over the soft skin of your thighs as he settled between them, feeling your wet heat soak his skin.

“Please,” you whispered against his mouth. “Please.”

Bob’s knee hit the horn when he went to shove his trousers and briefs down and he was embarrassed only for a moment but laughed along with you as you dragged him back into your hold, kissing him sweetly as you helped him move back into the cradle of your thighs. You felt divine. Warm, wet, and tight…and perfect. And every movement felt even better. You were clawing at his back as Bob mouthed at the swells of your breasts. You were everywhere, he was everywhere, and he couldn’t get enough.

“Pleasepleaseplease,” you whimpered when he raised his head again to lick into your mouth.

Faster and faster, Bob drove into you until you were shaking in his grip, sighing against his spit-slick lips and Bob was quick to follow, collapsing over you and hips rutting into yours lazily in a mindless haze until you whined against his mouth. “Sorry, sweetheart,” he murmured as he maneuvered just enough to press up onto his forearms on either side of your head. Bob didn’t move to pull out, not just yet, enjoying your warmth for a little longer. Just a little longer.

You were beautiful. Sweaty and makeup smudged, you were gorgeous. Bob trailed a finger across your cheek, catching a tear as it slid from your eye.

“Sweetheart?” Did he hurt you? Did something happen-

“Stay with me?” Your eyes were wide and pleading as your grip tightened on his shoulders just a fraction. “Just… Can we just stay like this a little longer?”

Something in Bob’s chest twisted, almost uncomfortable, almost too close to that other word. But still, he said, “of course, sweetheart. Of course.”

The conversation that followed was soft and quiet, filled with everything and nothing, and Bob’s eyes slowly closed with the sound of your heart and the waves outside lulling him to sleep.

A noise woke Bob up some time later. It could have been a passing car or the waves against the shore, it didn’t matter, really. It was still before dawn, the sky an inky shade of blue. He turned to the side, his back protesting the slightest bit, and saw you beside him. Your mouth was parted with sleep, soft breaths escaping in deep, even intervals.

You were beautiful.

And he had to let you go.

**

You hardly remembered waking up and getting dressed again. But you remembered leaning out of the truck to straighten Bob’s hat atop his head. Last night had been perfect and tinged with some sort of unspoken melancholy. Why had you waited so long? “Can I…can I come with you to the carrier? Wave you off?” It was a selfish ask, but you wanted more time, just a little more to cling to before your heart leapt out from between your ribs to try to follow him out to sea. For one of the few times in your life, you knew it wasn’t better to be safe than sorry. You had to take a chance.

Bob’s unfairly pretty blue eyes nearly sparkled in the low light of dawn as he smiled at you. “Of course, sweetheart.”

The ride out to the carrier was quiet aside from Bob asking if you could drop his truck off with Bradshaw. You readily agreed and hated how your stomach twisted when he parked. The imposing behemoth of a ship loomed on the horizon and you walked beside Bob, his duffel in hand, as you weaved through the early morning crowd. He slowed to a stop a few paces away from the carrier’s ramp and turned back to you.

You watched his jaw flex, tight and wanting, and you wanted to tell him how you felt, how you had felt for months, and you could taste the words on the tip of your tongue but they crumbled to nothing when the carrier blared its horn, calling everyone in and pulling Bob’s attention for a moment.

Tears started to build at the backs of your eyes as the carrier blared its horn for a second time. You had to let him go. You just learned what it was like to have him, and you had to let him go.

Bob turned back to you and you recognized the determined set of his jaw as he reached for you after dropping his bag at his feet. His hands smoothed up your arms and hooked at the back of your neck, thumb pressing an incessant pressure at the hinge of your jaw. You could have melted then, you were puddy in his hold and it almost made it worse. “I shouldn’t ask you this. It’s selfish and cruel-”

“Ask me anyway,” you said, the syllables cracking in your throat.

“Will you be here when I get back? Will you wait for me? I know it is a lot to ask, to take me on and-”

Those damn tears came back and you surged forward to press your lips to his again. The kiss was unhurried and uncoordinated but you couldn’t pull away. Not just yet. Not until your lungs burned and your cheeks felt cold. “I’ve been waiting for you for months. What’s a few weeks more?”

Bob’s smile was small but you knew you’d remember it for the rest of your life. He kissed you, soft and breathless, before scooping up his duffel again and walking backward toward the ramp. He was keeping his eyes on you. And you wouldn’t look away. Not now.

In eight weeks’ time, you’d be back here, ready and waiting. And you knew he’d come home. To you.

A/N: Please let me know what you think! Thank you for reading!