#especially allen bc she's grown to trust him so much over the years

[sugarcoated-lame]

katie, my heart !!!! 😭 the angst, the tenderness ugh, this chapter has me feeling so many emotions!!

I'm so glad Apollo finally knows the truth about the first break-in and the note, but I feel for her bc it's terrifying and she must be so hurt that everyone kept it from her ):

And that little moment between Allen and Jake !!! I love it!

“I’m not going to say anything about this, but you know that it’s got to stop,” + “You can’t do your job properly if you’re blinded by your feelings for her.”

Allen being so kind and understanding about Jake's past, and just accepting the fact that him and Apollo clearly have feelings for each other, but telling Jake they have to stop because he cares about her and just wants her to be safe 😭 I'm gonna cry !!

I'm living for the sweet, tender moments between Jake and Apollo, and I love how gentle Jake is with her 😢 the bathtub scene was so soft !!!!!

'Not in the same way, but Jake understands mourning a future that you thought you were going to have. You’ve both had to live with the loss of a future in different ways.' This line stabbed me straight in the heart 💀😭

'It might not have been the one that either of you were planning, but a future like this wouldn’t be so bad.' sighhhhh I love their love, I'm gonna go cry my eyes out now !

I'm so not ready for the inevitable angst I feel coming, but I'm so excited to see what happens next!! ❤️💕

Operation Apollo | 1.6 | Jake Seresin x Reader AU

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Synopsis: After a threat is made against her life, the President’s grown up daughter gets her security tripled. Her long term detail is about to retire and needs replacing, only — she isn’t the easiest to work with. Ex-Navy and current Secret Service, Jake Seresin is devoted to being the best at everything he does. He isn’t going to let a bratty little girl cost him this job.

Warnings: age gap, power imbalance, enemies to lovers, danger and angst. Drinking, mentions of passing out

…

You shouldn’t be listening to this, you’re well aware of that. You had just wanted to find Jake before tonight’s gala and speak with him about what the hell happened in the bathroom earlier. You’re not complaining, but still, it seemed out of character for him.

You want to make sure he’s okay. And show him your dress.

Instead, you’re standing outside of an office, listening to the defence team talking about you. It had taken you a few seconds to realise that it was you that they were talking about.

At first, you had thought that it couldn’t have been you.

If there had been someone in your house at the beginning of summer who had left a threatening note on your pillow, you would have known about it. Allen would have told you about it. You’re sure.

You stand with your back pressed to the wall, listening to them discussing it.

There was someone in your room back in June. They were in there for approximately twelve minutes. There’s no knowledge as to how they got in without being spotted, but there is footage of them leaving.

The letter was graphic, but the team don’t go into detail about what it said. It’s clear that they already know the contents of the letter well enough to not need to be reminded. Including Jake and Manny.

Your stomach drops.

Your security was raised, and yet another invasion happened. Jake argues this point. He reminds them that they’re the one who lowered your threat level again.

The options are: to raise your security further, and have the house manned twenty-four seven with a crew of up to eleven people, or for you to move home.

It’s clear that they’ve got no intention of keeping you in the loop or asking your opinion about any of this.

Being in Texas with Jake had helped you feel safe again, but it was stupid for you to fall for that. You’re in more danger than you thought, and they’ve been lying to you the entire time.

You understand why, it’s just that now you feel stupid. You aren’t stupid. You graduated at the top of your class and you always excelled in your extracurriculars — you’ve made senior politicians look like idiots since you were in middle school. But you trusted that Allen would tell you the truth.

Now, looking back on how you behaved after Jake arrived, you look like an idiot. Thinking you knew better than he did when you didn’t even have half of the information he did.

Your rest your head back against the wall and exhale softly. You need a drink.

Jake’s the first to notice that you’re missing. Manny says he saw you an hour ago leaving your father’s office and looking for Allen. Allen says he hasn’t seen you since this morning.

Jake’s heart thuds in his chest.

Allen’s technically retired now, but the three of them spend the next hour looking for you. Jake’s about ten seconds away from declaring you as officially missing when he gets word from Manny.

“Guys, I found her but I’m going to need some help. Like right now.”

Jake’s heart sinks as he presses the earpiece deeper into his ear. His chest tightens.

“What? Where are you?” Allen speaks first.

“West Hallway bathroom, first floor.” Manny relays.

Jake has been taught never to sprint if it’s not an absolute life or death situation. It just creates panic. He doesn’t have the details yet, he needs to keep this under wraps.

But he walks quickly, stepping around people, bumping into others if they’re particularly unobservant and in his way. The lump in his throat feels like it hasn’t left room for anything else at all.

He frowns, eyes going wide as he rounds into the west hallway. Manny’s standing there, outside of the door, alone. Allen rounds the other end of the hallway, he and Jake head towards Manny together.

“Where is she?” Allen demands.

“In there.” Manny nods towards the door sheepishly. He loosens his tie slightly.

“Why do you need help to stand and watch the door while she uses the bathroom?” Allen rolls his eyes, immediately relieved for this situation fo have played out the way that it has. Jake isn’t so quick to relax.

Manny opens his mouth to answer, interrupted by the sound of retching from inside. He closes his mouth and looks silently between Jake and Allen, then bows his head, “She locked the door.”

“You’re in the fucking secret service and you can’t get through a bathroom door lock?” Jake sighs. He brushes Manny out of the way and shoves a hand into his pocket, retrieving a coin. He sets it into the slot in the door and twists, pushing the lock back.

“I could — but I didn’t want to —“

Jake tries the door handle. The door opens a fraction and then your foot hits it, you kick it shut behind you. “Leave me alone!”

“She’s drunk.” Allen shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Y’know, I don’t know what they pay you two knuckleheads—“

“Us? — Where the fuck have you been all night?” Jake challenges, brows furrowing as he turns towards Allen. “She went off looking for you!”

“Get out of my face, kid.” Allen answers.

“Fuck — can both of you fucking stop it? — If her dad sees her like this, we’re dead. If a journalist sees her like this, we’re worse than dead.” Manny reminds the two of them.

Jake sighs, lifting his hand and pinching the bridge of his nose. He looks around them. The hallway currently is empty.

“I mean, the cameras are going to catch this anyway.” Allen points up. Jake and Manny lift their heads. There is a visible camera in the middle of the ceiling, but they’re both aware there are more that are harder to spot.

Allen comes up with the plan quickly. He isn’t as incompetent as Jake had grown to believe. Manny runs interference, making sure the hallways up ahead are clear and that no one is going to run into you.

Jake and Allen carry you to your room, then the plan is for Allen to go and speak to Paul — he’s the guy who deals with the footage, and explain what happened.

Allen notices the platonic way Jake touches you. It’s too regimented, like he knows that one finger out of place is going to get him in trouble. Like they weren’t already, Allen’s suspicions just keep getting confirmed.

Once you’re inside of your room and the door is safely shut behind you, Jake lets Allen lift you off of your feet and set you down on your bed.

You’ve been drunkenly complaining the entire time, and you don’t stop now. You writhe out of Allen’s grasp the moment you touch your mattress, groaning in frustration.

“I want Jake.” You complain, pushing against Allen’s hands. You can barely keep your eyes open, but you know that it’s not Jake touching you.

Allen’s head turns and Jake tenses. He stares at the older man with about as much calm as he can muster. Allen knows, he has spent all day knowing, but seeing the way that Jake straightens up and forces a calm and collected expression — that’s about as much of a confirmation as he’s going to get.

“Can Jake stay with me?” You interrupt them staring at each other. You words are slurred but both of them understand what you’re asking.

Allen stands up straight and turns towards Jake. Jake doesn’t react in the slightest, but that’s an admission of guilt in itself.

“Well, someone’s got to, sweetheart,” Allen answers softly, nodding his head slowly without taking his eyes off of Jake. Jake’s brows furrow slightly. “You want him to stay?”

You nod and make a tired sound of agreement, face pushed into your pillows as you curl up on your side.

“Alright,” Allen agrees tenderly, nodding again. Jake’s nose scrunches slightly, confused. “He’s not going anywhere. You just rest up, princess.”

You smile softly as he squeezes your hand and lets it go, visibly relaxing down onto the bed.

Allen crosses the room to stand in front of Jake. He searches Jake’s features for answers.

“I know about your wingman.” Allen tells him quietly, knowing that you’re too drunk to hear their hushed conversation.

“I know.” Jake answers.

He’s grateful, in a way, that Allen didn’t use her name. It’s an odd thing to be protective of, but Jake doesn’t like hearing people say her name.

“Wasn’t your fault.” Allen tells him.

Jake’s brows furrow slightly. He’s been told that a lot, by a lot of different people, but he wasn’t expecting to hear it from Allen. He doesn’t have an answer for once.

“You loved her?” Allen notices Jake tense up at the word love. It was the hardest thing about losing her, that he thought he had time.

They were best friends, they told each other they loved each other all the time. But never like that. Jake just assumed that one day they would. He never got a chance to tell her.

He swallows softly as he nods to Allen.

“Can’t imagine what that was like, son. I’m sorry,” Allen says softly. Jake doesn’t reply. “But you can’t bring that mess here. You can’t let it get in the way of your job.”

“I know, sir.”

This surprises both of them. Allen’s shocked to hear the first polite thing that Jake has said to him in a couple of weeks now.

“I’m not going to say anything about this, but you know that it’s got to stop,” Allen explains calmly. Jake knows that he’s right, but doesn’t like hearing it. “You can’t do your job properly if you’re blinded by your feelings for her.”

Jake’s first instinct is to get defensive. To argue. His initial thought is that he doesn’t need some old man telling him how to do his job. But, then he reminds himself of how much Allen cares for you. He has spent the past seven years putting your life before his.

Jake nods.

“You’re not a bad kid,” Allen decides, reaching out and parting Jake’s arm platonically. “I want you to have a good future. You’ve just gotta make the right choice here.”

“Yes, sir.” Jake answers quietly.

Allen gives one more look back to you, already asleep and curled up on your side. He nods, “Alright. I’ll tell Paul that she’s sick and you’re sitting with her. Don’t make me regret vouching for you.”

“Yes, sir.” Jake agrees again.

Allen gives one last, curt nod and turns from the room. Jake’s left alone with you. You’re passed out, brows knitted together in concern, maybe already caught up in a bad dream.

Jake loosens his tie and pops open the top button of his shirt. He kicks his shoes off and leaves them beside the bed, then leans down to take your heels off. He sets them down beside his.

Finally, he lays down beside you. On top of the covers, curling his body against yours, careful not to disrupt you. He leans down and kisses your forehead gently, already thinking of the argument that this will probably cause in the morning.

That’s a problem for the morning. Jake lays at your side, stroking his fingers tenderly over the exposed skin on your arms, occasionally your hair — though that makes you stir more than touching your skin. He listens to your soft breaths as you relax into his touch.

The pattern of your gentle breathing becomes so familiar that once there’s a disruption, it snaps Jake back to reality immediately. He cranes his neck forwards, careful not to move his body, examining your features.

You stir, pushing against him at first, then pushing into him when you realise he’s there. Your hands move in his direction, searching for him as you come to.

Jake glances over at the alarm clock on the bedside table. 3am. He silently wills you to just go back to sleep so that he can observe how peaceful you look again. He’s sure that he doesn’t look that peaceful when he sleeps, he’s glad that you do.

“Jake?” You whine softly, voice soft. You don’t open your eyes, instead you turn slowly and press your face into his chest.

“I’m here, honey.” He brushes his fingers over the top of your hair, careful not to mess it up too much. A sad noise slips your lips as you pull yourself closer to him.

“I’m sorry.” You whisper.

Jake chuckles breathily, then shakes his head. “We can talk about it in the morning, just go back to sleep.”

“Wanna take a shower.” You tell him tiredly.

“Right now?” Jake questions, half-concerned that you’ll drown given how drunk you were a couple of hours ago. You nod against his chest. “I don’t think that sounds like a good idea.”

You hum softly like you’re agreeing with him. Jake’s just in the middle of thinking how easy that was to get you to give in when you speak up again.

“What if you took a bath with me?”

He looks towards your en-suite, then back down at you. He shoots a quick glance towards the door. There’s a chance someone could come check on the two of you. Jake looks down and brushes your hair off of your face.

“Honey.”

All signs point to it being the wrong thing to do.

“Please.” You mumble into his shirt, running your fingers along his stomach. You lift your head and look up, blinking tiredly at him. One look at your face and the word no slips Jake’s mind.

Ten minutes later, he’s sitting with you between his legs, using cotton rounds to wipe any residual make up from your face.

You brushed your teeth and had some water while he had drawn the bath, you’re already feeling less hungover.

You settle down, your back to his chest, sighing contentedly at the warmth of the water. Jake winds a strand of your hair around his index finger and uncurls it again, kissing the back of your shoulder tenderly.

“Are we going to talk about what the hell that was earlier?” Jake asks softly as his fingers trail absentmindedly along your forearm. You shake your head in response.

“I thought you said we would talk about it in the morning.”

“We will,” Jake confirms, nodding his head as his fingers work delicate patterns over your skin. “Just wanted to see if you had anything to say for yourself now that might help your case tomorrow.”

“No, sir.” You answer quietly, looking down and watching your fingers move along the tanned skin of his thigh. Jake’s brows scrunch slightly. You’re lying.

He sits forwards and turns your chin so that you’re looking at him.

“Want to try that again? — With the truth this time?” He suggests calmly, those dazzling green eyes locked on yours. You want to pull back, but it’s like forces stronger than just his hold on your jaw keep you there.

“I just freaked myself out. It was stupid.” You insist, shaking your head softly.

“Freaked yourself out about what?” Jake presses.

It’s no use lying to him, he’s not going to drop this. You pull your face away from his touch, looking down sheepishly as you trail figure eights on his thigh under the water.

“I listened in on the defence meeting. I heard everything, about that guy… about him being in the house before.”

“Honey…” Jake sighs. He presses his lips to the back of your head and wraps his arms around you, holding you closer against him.

“It’s … it’s okay. I just—“

“You don’t have anything to worry about, we’re working on finding him. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

“I know.” You nod slowly, you know that Jake will keep you safe for as long as he can. “But this is going to keep happening. It’s been happening. And it’ll happen for the rest of my life. I’m never going to live like my friends do.”

There’s a soft pause before you continue again. Jake nuzzles his face into the curve of your neck, securing his arms around you as he waits for you to go on.

“I’m sorry that I took it too far tonight.” You tell him softly, your voice quiet and ashamed. Jake kisses your neck softly. It happens. “I’m just scared.”

He nods.

Not in the same way, but Jake understands mourning a future that you thought you were going to have. You’ve both had to live with the loss of a future in different ways. The silence helps remind you of that.

You half-turn in his arms. He lifts his hand and cups your jaw, stroking his thumb over your cheek.

It might not have been the one that either of you were planning, but a future like this wouldn’t be so bad.

He sits forwards and kisses your lips tenderly, pulling you in against his chest, closing his eyes.

…

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