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chaotictarlos · 2 years ago

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The Carlos POV Breakup Era fic is being beta'd as you read this, and will be posted soon. While you wait... here's some from TK's POV that I'm working on now. this is still a bit rough, but I hope you enjoy it anway.

tw: talk of addition, mentions of underage sex, mentions of abuse, cheating, divorce, homophobia

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TK knew from a young age that he wasn’t meant to have good things in his life.

It started when his parents started fighting shortly after 9/11 happened. He wasn’t sure why they fought, but he hated it. He hated laying in bed and listening to them be so mean to each other and not understanding why. When he asked his mom about it, she would give him a sad look and tell him that everything was fine.

They weren’t, though, and TK knew that. His dad stopped being around so much, working at all hours and when he was home it wasn’t like he barely paid attention to TK. The only time TK ever got attention from his dad was when he was at the firehouse - then his dad would spend hours telling him about fire trucks and how important his job was, how his team was, and his family. TK hated his dad’s team sometimes, he couldn’t understand why when he was younger but when he grew up he knew it was because they always got the attention that he was desperate for.

When he was seven the first good thing he had was ripped away by his parents getting a divorce. It was the most devastating loss that he had experienced up to that point in his life. No longer were their family meals and a shared home, no he was being sent between two homes and having to split his time between his parents - when they had time for him. His mom was busy being a lawyer and making a career so even when he was with her, she had to work a lot but she always tried. She took him out to get dumplings on Spring Street and spent as much time with him as she could when work allowed it. She would even take him to work if it meant she could spend time with him.

His dad was more or less the same. His dad spent all his time at the fire station so when it was his turn to have TK, TK also spent all his time at the fire station. For the most part, TK enjoyed it. He was young and to be in the midst of so much action was exciting for him when he was there he got the attention from his dad that he always wanted. His dad would let him sit in the fire truck seat when they had downtime and tell him about the different things he and his crew did. He would tell TK about how excited he was that one day, TK would follow in his footsteps and become a firefighter.

TK was sure he never made that decision for himself, it was just always a known fact - and a way to get his father's love and attention.

Right when things seemed to be looking up for TK, they went back down again. He had settled into the routine of being passed between mom and dad and had even made friends with a few boys at the new school he had gone to.

But at 10, he lost all his friends because he tried to kiss Billy on the playground. It was then that he learned that he was gay and that wasn’t okay with the boys in his grade. They outcast him and wouldn’t talk to him, and even the girls stayed away because nobody wanted to play with the weird boy who wanted to kiss other boys.

He cried to his mom a lot and she did her best to make things right, but there wasn’t much of anything that she could do. In the end, she and dad agreed to pull TK from school and enroll him somewhere else where nobody knew him so that he could have a fresh start. TK learned to be quiet about who he was unless he was with his parents.

At least they loved him and were okay with him being gay.

TK had his first boyfriend at 13. His name was Dan, he was 14 and TK thought he was just the coolest guy he knew. He told his mom that he was going to be with Dan forever and that they were going to get married one day. His mom just smiled and said that she was happy for him.

Dan didn’t stay long. Neither did Bradly. Or Kyle. Or Lincoln.

Nobody ever stayed with TK long. It was something that he grew to accept so he had fun while he could and let them go when they wanted to leave. Good things didn’t stay for TK and he learned to accept that.

That was until he met Jackson when he was 16. Jackson was 17 and seemed like he had seen the world in ways that TK hadn’t. Jackson made promises, and told TK he was going to change his life and make him feel the best he ever had. Jackson was the first guy TK ever let fuck him because he believed that he would stay.

Jackson was also the one that introduced TK to the world of drugs and TK dove in headfirst. It made all the pain go away and made him feel as if he was on cloud nine all the time. His parents didn’t notice, not at first, and Jackson liked him better when he was high so TK let Jackson give him all the drugs that he wanted without a care in the world.

TK was so desperate to be wanted that he failed to see any problem in what he was going.

When Jackson broke up with him two years later, TK was devastated. He had spent two years committing himself to Jackson, to letting his guard down and falling in love with him and that was ripped away from him as if it never mattered.

That was the first time TK overdosed. He knew the pills would make him feel good and he just wanted the pain to go away.

His mother found him passed out on the floor with an empty bottle of Oxy by his side.

She was the one to call 911 and save him, to stay by his side at the hospital and beg him with tears in her eyes to tell her what was going on. She was devastated when she learned that he’d been getting high for years and she - nor his dad - had noticed.

She encouraged TK to get sober and sent him to rehab.

It was a cycle that would continue for years to come.

TK would get sober enough to do good things in his life that he knew his parents would be proud of him for. Getting dual certified to be a firefighter and a paramedic, landing a job on his dad’s crew, saving people, and - for the most part - getting his life together but there was always something that would tip him off and lead him spiraling down to drugs again.

His mom always knew when things were getting bad but could never stop them before it was too late. She was the one who would come and find him in the drug dens, drag him out and make sure he lived to see another day. She was the one who sat beside him on the plane and took him all the way to California to go to one of the best rehab centers she could find.

That last time he got sober before meeting Alex, he had been determined to make stick. He couldn’t stand the disappointment in her eyes.

He met Alex a few years after he got sober. He had wanted to take time to get to know himself before putting himself back out on the market and finding someone to live his life with. When he found Alex, he thought he had truly found the one and he held on as tightly as he could. For a while things were more or less great, TK looked over the red flags and just accepted them because he was convinced that Alex was the best thing that would ever happen to him. TK didn’t deserve someone who would flatter him or commit fully - he knew that - so he settled.

And when Alex started to pull away, TK grabbed on harder.

It’s why he proposed when he felt Alex slipping away even though they didn’t live together. He took a page out of his dad’s book and did the whole grand gesture thing even though it made him nervous and uncomfortable to do so. He really thought that maybe Alex was just looking for a sign to stay, a sign that TK was fully invested.

Instead, he was looking for a way to leave because he had been cheating on TK and had fallen in love with someone else.

It was the most crushing blow to TK’s self-esteem and self-confidence that he had ever had in his life. He had been through some bad relationships and had partners who used him for sex, who lead him down the path to having an addiction to drugs, but he had never had a partner who cheated on him.

It was a blow that was hard for TK to handle.

So on his way home, after being told that the person he was in love with, who he had thought was his soulmate didn’t love him back, he traded the engagement ring he had bought for a bottle of Oxy. When he got home he took a handful for the first time in years. He just wanted the pain to go away and to not feel for just a little bit.

He took too much and the next thing he knew, his dad was hovering over him and TK was apologizing for almost dying… again.

TK didn’t want to move to Austin and didn’t think it would be a place that would be good for him but he allowed his father to drag him along and it turned out to be the best thing TK could have done.

Because he met Carlos, but he should have known the moment he laid eyes on Carlos he wouldn’t be able to keep him.

Carlos was good.

Carlos was pure.

Carlos was sweet.

Carlos was everything that TK had ever wanted and knew that he would never be allowed to have.

He knew that and he still let himself fall in love and be swept off his feet. Carlos made it so easy to love him and the closer they got, the more good things got, and the more scared TK got that he was going to blow things up and make a mess of things. He always did, it was just a matter of time before he did and he was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.

He knew that some people would say he was just setting himself up for failure, but he couldn’t help it. Everything good had been taken from him all his life.

It took longer than he expected, but things between him and Carlos did end up being ruined and he was the reason for it.

#t's wip wednesday #wip wednesday #tarlos #tk strand #carlos reyes #breakup era fic #tarlos breakup era fic #i'm so nervous for these fics #i would really love to hear from you guys about what you think so far #tarlos wip

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gallavich-headcanon · 2 years ago

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HONEYBUNS HI so I cannot stop coming back to this future fic I have lately?? It might be just a wee bit inspired by bluey shhh

Mickey and Ian have three year old twin girls named Eleanor and Jean (they like old music, Eleanor Rigby was Mickey's song inspiration and Billie Jean was Ian's) they also have Yev part time

Yev is 11 now and he's got questions about the world and he *loves* his sisters

They move to an actual house, and Mandy is moving back to Chicago so when they got the house, they offered her a spare room till she finds her own place

Debbie comes back from Texas the same day, and- what are they gonna do, kick their favorite niece to the curb?

(this is a sitcom)

Mickey is running the buisness aspect of their company from home now bc he hurt his back a few years ago and between that and all the other shit he's been through his body was like "if you ever try to work a strenuous job again I'm going to rebel"

Ian works on location with their employees and volunteers as a firefighter since he can't legally be employed by an ambulance service with a felony to his name

They're just really fucking happy, okay?? I just wanna write them being happy and being amazing parents. They love their kids sm

Oh my god hi aliciaaaa 🖤🖤🖤

This is such a sweet sitcom idea!!!

I love fics where I&M take Franny in to live with them. They both have such sweet connection with her that it makes me feel so many things whenever I read about the three of them!

I feel like a house full of kids, reminds Ian a lot of how he grew up with Fiona. I bet he feel so good being able to be that person for so many kids and to be doing it with the love of his life? Hell yeah!

Mandy and Ian adult bffs? Sign me the fuck up! (Not gonna lie in my head I imagine s2+ Mandy but with more s1 Mandy personality, because she had such a beautiful connection with Ian) we did no get enough of the Ian Mandy and Mickey dynamic and I desperately want them to reconnect as adults.

Yevgeny! Oh I haven’t thought of him in such a long time! Does he see Ian as his step dad? Or more of his dad’s husband? Yevgeny loving his sisters is so sweet, I bet he tries to take care of them. How much is he like Mickey?

I think it kinda fits them, Mickey likes to feel like the boss man, having people work for him (I bet he still calls Ian his employee) and Ian loves being hand on, in the field, getting stuff done, you know?

Yes please give me all the fluff and lightheartedness 😭🖤

#Alicia your idea are always so good #gallavich #shameless #gallavich headcanon #flamingbluepanda #ian x mickey #parents gallavich

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camaro-hargrove · 10 months ago

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Vehicular Accident

word count: 1.3k

The wreckage is silent in that there’s no one around to hear the crunching metal that’s wrapped around the trees of the dense Hawkins forest. Billy lays slumped over his steering wheel, broken glass littering his hair and blood pouring out of his nose.

It’s by pure chance Hopper happens to be driving down this road. He doesn’t normally go this way but the main roads are overcrowded due to the upcoming 4th of July weekend and he just wants to go home. He’s driving along when he sees the dark skid marks of tires and the broken foliage on the sides of the road, dirt and mud sprayed everywhere.

He pulls over and grabs his flashlight from the passenger seat to go and investigate. The smell hits him immediately, the smell of burnt rubber and gasoline. He carefully makes his way down the embankment and only then does he realise who’s car it belongs to.

Hopper swears to himself as he rushes over, covering his nose with the collar of his shirt and sees the Hargrove kid unconscious behind the wheel. His immediate thought was this was a drunk driving accident, that he was driving recklessly. He shakes that thought because regardless of how Billy was driving, he needed to be pulled out now.

He runs as fast as he can back up to his patrol car where his radio is and immediately calls for backup and ambulance to assist. He waits until he gets confirmation and makes his way down again.

The driver's side door is the one against the tree, making the car into an almost ‘u’ shape with Billy in the middle of it all.

“Hey!” Hopper shouts “Hargrove!”

Billy doesn’t move a muscle, just stays bent over the steering wheel. He can see one of his legs is trapped in bent metal and his arm closest to the tree looks like it’s in rough shape as well.

The sirens become louder and suddenly there are two more patrol cars, an ambulance and a fire engine at the scene. Things are fast after that, the firefights jump right into action by attaching a rig to the camaro so they can move it away from the tree. His body moves, head lolling back to reveal the cuts scattered around his face and the blood matted in his hair.

The firefighters use one of their tools to pry the drivers’ side door open so they can access Billy as it would be too dangerous to try and pull him out of the nearly non damaged side. There’s already a back board prepared so the paramedics are able to carry him up the slope and take him to the hospital.

They put a neck brace around him first, just to be safe because no one knows exactly what happened. The kid is still unconscious when they tug his clearly broken leg out from the twisted metal, a deep scratch evident from his knee to ankle.

Hopper winces as the kid doesn’t wake up once, assumes he could be dead for all he knows but a paramedic calls out that they have a pulse. A slow one but a pulse all the same but they need to get to the hospital now to make sure he’ll make it.

They strap him to the board and then two medics, a firefighter and Hopper all grab onto it to carry it up the embankment and place him on the stretcher waiting at the top. They quickly secure him and put him in the ambulance, placing an oxygen mask on his face and hoping for the best. Hopper audibly lets out a deep breath when he sees the mask fog up.

Hopper follows them to the hospital, keeping up speed and pulling up near the ambulance bay. They rush the teen out, meeting the doctors and nurses who take over and barking out the necessary information, Hopper filling them in when they need to.

He doesn’t know a lot about the boy. He knows that he can be a troublemaker, he’s eighteen years old, he moved here from California, he likes to speed, he’s Max Mayfield’s step brother and he once got into a fight with Steve Harrington at the Byers’ place. He still never got the full story on what happened that night seeing as no one was giving him a straight answer. But he puts everything aside as the boy lays unconscious, limbs moving with no control as they transfer him onto a hospital bed.

Then he’s left alone in the ambulance wing.

He heads towards the reception area, to ask if he can make a call to the boy's family. She nods and hands him the phonebook which he lugs over to the phone in the hallway. He rubs a hand down his tired face, he needs to call El as well and explain an emergency came up.

He locates the Hargrove's number in the book and punches the numbers in, leaning against the wall as he listens to it ring out and go straight to the answering machine, the voice of Mr Hargrove apologising that they can’t come to the phone right now. Hopper sighs and waits for the beep so he can leave a message, deciding he’ll call again in an hour. He does ring home, hoping El will answer which she does.

“Hey kiddo” Hopper says “I know I said I was gonna be home soon but there was an emergency”

“What kind of emergency?” El asks, ever so curious

“Car accident” Hopper replies “Teenager drove off the road and is in pretty bad shape”

“Okay” El accepts his answer “I will see you later, alligator”

Hopper takes the phone book back and now all he can do is wait. He gets some shitty coffee from one of the machines, kicks at the vending machine as it eats his money so he can get a bag of chips and sits down again.

“Chief” someone calls out, causing Hopper to look up. “Has the kid been to this hospital before?”

“Not that I know of” he shrugs “Why?”

“Kid broke his wrist pretty recently and it healed incorrectly” the doctor crosses his arms “No record of him being checked in”

“Strange” Hoppers getting a bad feeling about this “Family moved from California. San Diego I believe”

“Right” the doctor nods “Guess we’ll send a fax to every hospital in San Diego to get his medical records because this kid has been through a lot prior to the accident”

Hopper is allowed to see Billy after they've finished checking him over. He’d eventually come to somewhere in between the MRI and the x-ray but had promptly fallen asleep again once the pain medication had been administered.

Billy had always carried himself as if he was bigger than everyone around him, confidence oozing out of him and creating this aura of untouchableness. But right now, he’s never looked smaller.

They had to shave part of his hair off, close to his ear so they could give a deep gash some stitches. His right arm was in a cast as well as his left leg, his arm laying across his chest which was covered in the hospital gown and thin hospital bedding. The cuts on his face had been cleaned, only leaving slight scratches and a small pad of gauze had been placed over his nose to keep the bleeding under control.

Hopper comes back the next day and is met by the same doctor as the night before who had actually found the San Diego hospital pretty quickly and had been sent the file.

“You might want to look at this” is all he said as he handed over the file full of information as well as pictures. “Police issued photographs”

“Yeah” Hopper nods, shifting through the papers “This is what I was worried about”

#billy hargrove #fanfic

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happilylovingchaos · 10 months ago

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Post-ep Thoughts: This is in case I’m not fast enough to join in the live discussion… knowing what comes in the next one, this feels like a breather episode. Think the “bum steer” definition comes in most w/ Owen, Billy and Judd’s whole dynamic, though.

Malachi:

I know Owen was half-joking about the convertible but seriously Stan, this is more on you. Malachi deserves his freedom.

THOSE FACES. THAT EXCHANGE OF GLANCES. TK, Paul, this probably ain’t everything you seen. (Also, I wonder if Ronen was trying not to corpse?)

Feel better and live long, Malachi. That neck wound seemed kinda nasty.

Remember the yoga call? Carlos was me just before Malachi got jump-scared by the car. (Yes, I’m too chicken to look him up in gifs. Enjoy this replacement.)

Miscellaneous:

I don’t want to imagine how tightly Carlos was winding himself inside when that blue car was towed out of the river. Much less how long he’s had to do this since there are finally some successful leads on Iris’ whereabouts.

Nice to meet you, Detective Washington. Just a question: is it Sarina? Or is it Serena?

Side note, Michelle: You give off mean vibes, you receive meanness in self-defense.

Carlos, Michelle, you were THAT CLOSE to checking out that purple tent! “Sad Eyes”!!!! “SAD EYES”!!!!!

CPAT:

TK coaching Owen and having his back, even after Owen over-exerted and went over time? That’s a hard yes. Just— full gear? Srsly???? There’s showing you can persevere, and then there’s denying that going plus ultra is synonymous irl to over-exertion.

See, Owen? You got three sons who share concerns about pushing too hard. And will give you and the hell-raiser hell. (I call that going IRL Plus Ultra. Usually fatal, do not try at home/ maybe try with incremental practicing and MODERATION).

Paul raised a salient point about what Billy could do as 126 captain, racial biases and all.

I will occasionally cite the 911 LS Roundup podcast when it comes to certain details. For instance: in the hypothetical event that Billy were to become the new 126 captain and triggered biases towards the minority firefighters on team, it’s true that Paul + Marjan + Mateo would get hit hard for not originally being from Texas, non-heteronormative, and not-white. But the podcasters also noted TK would likely get a triple whammy in discrimination too: Jewish, gay, direct first responder family member. So, really, tldr none of the MCs would be safe from prejudice.

Since Billy’s character is already immunocompromised, I feel like I’m the only one kinda concerned that the lightning strike added a whole new slew of health concerns: cardiac issues, increased pain/ PTSD symptoms/ concentration issues. If this was God’s “plan” it’s shockingly ruthless.

Judd Ryder officially becomes the first (or second) person on the “people who takes no Strand bs” list.

TSP: Okay, maybe I’m not as confident on this (not that I was to begin with). But, well… let’s see.

General timeline: Malachi call —> failed CPAT practice —> Billy’s karma (1-7 days) —> the CPAT cancellation.

Iris Blake investigation: Malachi call —> homeless shelter volunteering (1-7 days) —> blue truck lead + Detective Washington debut —> blue truck is fished out (2 days).

Episode 1x07 Bum Steer Discussion Thread

Please feel free to use the comment thread and tags of this post throughout the week as a place to liveblog while watching the episode, discuss with friends, post your metas and thoughts etc. Anything you’d like to discuss while watching the episode is welcome!!

Please reblog this post for visibility!!

#911 lone star rewatch 2024 #911 lone star #episode 1x07 discussion thread #owen strand #judd ryder #tk strand #marjan marwani #mateo chavez #michelle blake #carlos reyes #iris blake #grace ryder #nancy gillian #tim rosewater #billy tyson #no other bulls were harmed in the making of this ep #hope the bull playing malachi is doing ok

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marvelmusing · 3 years ago

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Reunited

Part of the Guilty of Love AU

Pairing: Vigilante!Billy Russo x Fem!Reader

Summary: Life carries on, and you follow the news with growing concern, until a note arrives at your door.

Word Count: 1.4K

My Masterlist

As you close your eyes, glaring red numbers stare back at you from under your eyelids, the image of your bedside clock ingrained into your consciousness. You had tried to sleep. But you also had your phone’s news alerts turned on for anything vigilante related. It seemed every news source in New York and beyond was talking about the Castle case, meaning you spent more of the night searching articles in the hope of not seeing Billy’s name than actually getting any rest.

Without opening your eyes, you reach out and fumble for the snooze button, just as the alarm begins to sound.

Billy has only slept at your side twice, but the lack of his regular visits has your bed feeling empty. Part of you feels as though he’ll return at any moment. He had always appeared when you least expected him. Another part of you feels like he isn’t even gone. This is likely due to the presence of his things.

His knives are under your bed, next to the box filled with his letters. His watch is tucked away in your jewellery box. Some of his clothes are in your closet, though they don’t stay there long - either being worn by you or thrown in the laundry again. His cologne sits next to your perfume on your vanity table. You had unpacked the contents of his toiletry bag. You had placed his razor, toothbrush, and toothpaste in a cup next to yours. His shampoo and conditioner stood next to yours in the cupboard, along with his body wash. With reminders like these, Billy isn’t too far from your life.

Work passes as usual. You don’t know where Billy is, but neither do your colleagues, which alleviates your concern a little. Billy is one of the most determined people you know. If he thinks he can fix this, then you believe him.

You sit in on the ‘The People vs Frank Castle’ hearing, and are thoroughly reminded why you didn’t go into this side of the law keeping. You’re an exhausting mixture of boredom, confusion, and anxiety - to the point where some might view you as guilty for the crimes listed based on your nerves. Your mind helpfully supplies the fact that you are directly involved in all this - which does wonders for your stress levels.

When the court declares him guilty, you can’t help but feel numb. You have no idea what Billy will do. He said he would fix this. But now you’re realising you have don’t actually know what fixing it means.

Then word of Frank’s escape reaches you. The entire city is on edge, waiting for The Punisher to strike again. You’re busier than ever at work, but you can’t find it in yourself to truly focus. At heart, you don’t want the authorities to find Frank, and certainly not Billy.

When you receive a call from NYPD informing you of a suspected Punisher related incident, you’re the first on the scene. Greeted by the sight of a ship torn apart by an explosion.

You manage to gather most of the details. Gasoline and gun power had ignited when a group of drug dealers had opened fire, likely during a firefight with the Punisher. There’s several bodies found, but to your relief there’s none that you recognise. With only a few witnesses, you struggle to determine whether Frank or Billy were here, and whether they managed to escape.

You’re shaken by the ordeal, even several days later as you make your way home after a long day at work. When you open the front door and spot a note lying on the floor, you can hardly breathe. Shutting the door quickly behind you, you snatch the note up eagerly. Billy’s handwriting stares back at you, detailing a meeting place and time. Tomorrow at 6pm.

Nothing could suppress the excitement bubbling inside you. You were going to see Billy again. You can only hope that he has good news, which you suspect is the case as he was risking a meeting with you.

»»---------------------►

Rocking on the balls of your feet, you look up and down the deserted street for the third time. You’re early. Nerves and excitement flood through you as you wait for Billy to appear. Just as doubt begins to linger in your mind, Billy steps out from an alleyway.

He doesn’t see you at first. His brow is furrowed as his eyes search his surroundings. Your feet are moving before you even realise it. Then Billy’s gaze locks onto yours. The tension slips from his shoulders as his eyes scan your entire body. He strides forward, he doesn’t need to move much because you’re already rushing to him.

You collide, your body slamming into Billy’s and you grasp onto him as hard as you can. His arms hold you tight against his chest as you’re lifted from the ground momentarily by the force of your body hitting his. He cups the nape of your neck, cradling your head as you press your forehead against his chest.

You wrap your arms around his waist, pulling him in even closer. His chin rests against the top of your head, and he breathes in the scent of your shampoo.

The two of you stay quiet in each other’s arms for a long moment. Before you finally ask,

��Are you alright?” He nods, but you can’t see there’s something heavy in his eyes. “Billy?”

“There was an explosion. Frank… he didn’t make it.” Billy’s voice breaks a little, and your heart plummets. Pier 81. Memories of the wreckage flicker through your mind.

“Oh Billy.” You breathe out softly, cupping his face in your hands. “You did everything you could.” You feel the muscle in his jaw twitch.

“You don’t even know what happened.”

“No I don’t.” You concede, your hands sliding down to rest against his chest. “But I know you, and I know that there’s nothing you wouldn’t have done.” He presses his face hard into the crook of your neck, clutching tightly onto your hips. If he wasn’t so close to you, you wouldn’t have heard the tiny,

“Thank you.” You run your fingers through his hair, trying to offer comfort as your heart aches for him. Billy stays buried in your embrace for a long moment. You place a kiss on the top of his head and he slides his hands back up your body.

He lifts his head up, dark unwavering eyes meeting yours. His hand moves from the nape of your neck to cup your cheek, his thumb tracing delicate circles there. He eyes your parted lips, the traces on a smirk lingering on his own. Your own gaze falls to his lips, and his smirk widens when he notices.

“We gonna dance ‘round this any longer?” He asks teasingly. You laugh softly,

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The two of you smile at one another, before Billy suggests,

“Perhaps I should show you.” His thumb drags lightly over your bottom lip. Your voice is a near whisper as you reply,

“Perhaps you should.” Your stomach flips in anticipation as Billy finally leans in.

The kiss is as soft as he always is with you, and Billy puts every ounce of care he has for you into it. You meet his lips firmly, wanting the reassurance that he’s here in front of you, to which Billy responds immediately. He cups your jaw, continuing the kiss, ensuring that he captures every delighted hum, and blissful sigh from your lips. You’re both breathless, but you don’t stop.

Billy presses his forehead against yours as you chase his lips. He breathes out a small laugh and kisses you again. Your fingers thread through the hair at the nape of his neck, before tugging him closer. You’re both smiling as you finally stop to breathe properly. Billy adores the slightly dazed look in your eyes, as you try to process the last few minutes.

“I missed you.” You admit softly, and Billy kisses you again.

“I missed you too, sweetheart.” Now that he has you back he can’t keep his hands still. He’s cupping your face, smoothing over your hair, pulling your hips closer. He needs to reassure himself, that you’re alright. You revel in the attention, after being starved of his presence for so long.

Billy sees something fragile appear in your eyes, and he nods tenderly, encouraging you to ask,

“Can we go home now?” Billy’s heart soars. He hasn’t had a home before. Not a real one. He never could have dreamed of having someone like you. He presses a kiss to your forehead, and the familiar sign of affection comforts you.

“Of course, sweetheart. Let’s go home.”

»»---------------------►

Billy Russo Tag List: @blackbirddaredevil23 @restingbitchsblog @tiredbeebo @rafaelakelley @theysayitscrazy @hummelmi @nyx2021 @skybridgerton @dragon-of-winterfell @earthfairytale

#billy russo #billy russo x reader #vigilante billy russo #billy russo the punisher #billy russo x y/n #billy russo x you #billy russo x female reader #billy russo fic #billy russo fanfic #billy russo fluff #billy russo imagine #billy russo drabble #marvel au #marvel x reader #marvel imagine #ben barnes #ben barnes x reader

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wordsnwhiskey · 3 years ago

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As It Should Be | Chapter 13: Purgatory

(moodboard by mi esposa, @danniburgh )

Pairing: Agent Whiskey x F!Reader x Frankie Morales

Summary: The way home isn’t easy and the way back to yourselves is even harder. Sometimes, you just need to lose yourself a bit to find yourself again.

Rating: Explicit

WC: 5.2k

Warnings: Angst, canon typical violence, guns, language, minor medical procedures (getting stitched up), something akin to wound play…(think Billy Russo in the Punisher), pain play, feral sex, unprotected PiV.

A/N: I have to thank @whistlingbirdie for beta-ing for me. I can't thank you enough bby!! Also a huge thank you to @flora-screeches @pascalslittlebrat and @danniburgh who really helped me through this chapter!! I know this took forever, but I wanted to get the vibes right for this scene and boy, did I struggle between work and deaths in my family BUT WE’RE HERE! I hope you enjoy!

Just a quick reminder on vocab: A magazine refers to something ammo is stored in and used to feed into the gun. Also, taxiing a jet, is when you drive it out onto the runway/tarmac.

The rain had stopped, but the clouds remained, pinning the horizon down with an overcast gloom. In those moments, time seemed paradoxical; the ground swimming past you while you sat in the standstill of the Black Hawk cockpit. The landscape was beautiful and serene, but you found your gaze drawn to the darkness of the shadow cast by the aircraft. It seemed to have a hold on you, pulling you deeper into your thoughts of the last 24 hours.

Just last night Jack was in your arms, the two of you tense, but confident in the outcome of the mission. Now, Jack was wrapped in a thermal blanket in the back of the bird, and you barely recognized your own reflection. It seemed silly, but you knew it was you staring back; if only because you’d seen the same face looking back at you from a broken, dirty mirror while you were traipsing through whatever war zone your unit had gotten deployed to.

An eternity had passed in the blink of an eye and eventually, it was Frankie’s voice that brought you back from the murky shadows.

“Hey, baby,” he called out to you gently and chanced a glance at you. The steely concentration in his eyes softened slightly out of concern for you as you startled, blinked, and then turned to face him.

“Hey,” his voice was just a little softer this time. “You good, cariño?”

“Y-yeah, babe.” You shook yourself out of your haze and nodded as you gave him a small smile. “I’m good.”

Frankie stared at you for a moment longer than he would normally take his eyes off of the sky in front of him. Something unspoken passed between the two of you, and Frankie nodded his acceptance of your answer. He knew you weren’t ok, but he also knew that neither of you were in a place to talk about it, mentally or physically.

<Airport in 30.> Frankie’s voice crackled over the headsets and Santiago froze for a second before his gaze met Tequila’s. Hours had been poured into minutes for them, too.

Frankie glanced over to you and nodded, letting you know he had control of the bird and you were free to go prepare for the inevitable firefight once they landed.

You kissed his cheek, then clambered out of your seat and made your way to the back of the helicopter. Pope and Tequila nodded to you as you walked past them, reloading their weapons, and made your way to the bag you had left near Jack. Duke, for his part, seemed to understand that it would be best if he remained still and quiet.

You pulled the rifle out from your bag, reloaded it and took stock of the spare magazines you had.

“You guys ready?” The question was more of a manifestation of your nerves than an actual question; people were rarely truly ready to step into a firefight.

“Just like old times, eh, Halcón?” Santiago had met your question with a forced smile as he sauntered over to you and patted your arm.

You smiled back at him, the action not quite making it to your eyes.

Landing a helicopter in a hail of bullets with minimal back up and a cartel after you. Yeah, just like old times.

***

As the airport came into view, Frankie let out a long exhale as he turned his comm back on and waited for Ginger to answer before he identified himself. <This is Catfish, ID code Delta-Bravo-Whiskey-Niner-Niner. We’re about 40 klicks out and making our approach. T-minus 5 minutes.>

<Catfish, good to hear. I’ve got Cran on the line here too.> Ginger pulled her lip between her teeth, mentally preparing herself for the chaos that was coming.

<Copy that, Ginger, Cranberry.> Frankie licked his lips nervously as he scanned the rooftops ahead of them, looking for any combatants waiting to pluck them out of the air with an RPG. <Can either of you confirm a visual on any hostiles?>

<None in the open, Catfish.> Cranberry’s voice was terse and Frankie could hear her load her own rifle in the background. <But there’s a hangar next to me I’ve seen armed patrols come in and out of.>

<Copy.> Frankie’s lips pulled back in a grimace, hating that he was flying virtually blind. <I’m going to try to bring us down to land.> He called out, mostly to you, Pope, and Tequila, then began his descent.

The shimmering stasis of anticipation that suspended everyone and held you taut, broke, like a slow motion video suddenly thrust into fast forward. It was almost a relief when the familiar pinging of bullets pelting the metal exterior of the helicopter pierced the building tension that held everyone captive.

Frankie felt the old familiar rush of adrenaline spike in his veins like a drug, putting his senses into overload, and focusing him. Fuck, he had missed this.

Your heart thudded at the sounds of the building chaos around you, allowing yourself a moment before you swallowed and took control of yourself, moving to the co-pilot’s seat to engage the .50 caliber guns mounted to the helicopter. The swarm of combatants on the ground dispersed like ants as you rained lead down on them. In the midst of the chaos, the sound of Cranberry, Ginger and the guys on comms, threaded between the alternating thunder of the helicopter blades and the steady beat of the .50 cal.

<Cranberry, can you get clear of the hangar?> Frankie shouted.

<Guys, they’re radioing in for backup. You gotta get out of there quick!> You could practically see Ginger’s eyes wide and lips pressed together as she stared worriedly at the screen.

<Copy, Catfish. Standby. I’m going to pull out so you can land and transfer quickly.> Cranberry’s voice was the essence of calm, as if she wasn’t about to taxi the jet out into the middle of a firefight.

As the nose of the jet began to poke out of the hangar, Frankie looked up to see one of the men below drop to one knee and take aim at them.

<Hijo de puta> He swore as he pulled up in a hard, jerking movement to avoid the incoming RPG. You maneuvered the guns and took aim at the shooter, leaving a small crater where the assailants had been.

<What the fuck is going on, Catfish?> Santi yelled into his mic as the helicopter jostled all of you and he staggered to the entryway of the cockpit.

<Fuckin’ RPG.> Frankie’s tone was thin and distracted as he worked quickly to get the helicopter back into compliance while they took heavy fire. <Trying…> He cocked his head and furrowed his brow in concentration. <To get us even so we can land…>

You turned to look at him as he trailed off and his eyes darted around the scene below as he ran through a variety of calculations and scenarios in his head to figure out the best course of action.

<I’m gonna bring her down.> Frankie gritted his teeth and the helicopter creaked under the sudden shift in velocity. <Brace for a rough landing and get ready to make a run for the jet!>

Pope rushed back to the belly of the helicopter and assessed Duke’s state. There was no way he would be able to make the run, even if Frankie managed to get as close to the jet as he possibly could.

“Oye, pendejo!” [Listen, bastard!] Santiago shouted to Duke over the cacophony. “Tendré que llevarte cuando aterricemos.” [I’m going to have to carry you when we land.]

Duke blinked up at Pope in disbelief, but fear dawned on him as a bullet punched daylight into the helicopter then whizzed past them and he realized that Pope was dead serious. Another bullet pelted the helicopter and Duke nodded, wide eyed, as he quickly did the sign of the cross, praying he’d make it out alive.

The helicopter dipped and shook, jostling you, Santiago, and Tequila as Frankie did his best to evade the brunt of the heavy fire they were taking. Pope stumbled and caught himself on the beam bolted to the ceiling, then cast a worried glance towards you and Tequila; they needed to decide how the hell they were going to get off the helicopter and to the jet in one piece.

“We better get ourselves a plan an’ we getter get one quick!” Tequila hollered as he clung to the same beam Pope was.

You looked around at everything and quickly decided on the best course of action.

“Ok! Pope’s on Duke. Tequila, you take Jack.” Tequila glanced at Jack, then nodded and started moving towards him. “I’ll take point and Frankie’ll take rear. Everyone, copy?”

A chorus of affirmatives sounded off over the headsets and then for a second, everything seemed to quiet, like the volume had been turned down and you had been plunged underwater. The tense calm that harmonized with the steady roar of the helicopter gave way to a clamoring discordance that matched your elevated heartbeat as Frankie landed the bird and all of you sprung into action.

You took a steadying breath and burst out of the helicopter, pointing your rifle and shooting at the men who were firing on you as you weaved through the bullets flying towards you. Santiago followed behind you, Duke slung over Santi’s shoulder, scared shitless as Santi fired his pistol and ran towards the jet.

Frankie scrambled out from his seat, bullets punching holes through the glass and upholstery of where he had just been seconds before. He grabbed his rifle and hurried to cover Tequila and Jack as they exited the helicopter and found themselves in a storm of lead.

The promise of back up had emboldened the men shooting and they crept around either side of the helicopter in a pincer maneuver. Frankie moved on a swivel, falling into the familiarity of being in a firefight with each pull of the trigger and every person he shot. He glanced back at Tequila, relieved that he was almost up the stairs with Jack. From his periphery, Frankie saw you perched at the entry of the jet providing cover fire and he kept shuffling back until he was at the base of the steps.

A sudden flurry of extra footsteps thundered on the pavement and the first wave of backup charged in as Frankie was jogging up the steps. He reached out to grab the hand you held out for him to help haul him in when he felt a searing burning sensation rip through him and he pitched forward.

“Fuck!” Frankie shouted, in frustration and pain as he scrambled the rest of the way up the steps and threw himself into the jet.

“Frankie!” You quickly hit the button to raise the steps and shut the door, bullets pinging as it went but you were more focused on Frankie who was grimacing as he dragged himself to the other side of the cabin.

“Cran!” Tequila shouted as he laid Jack down. “We’re all on board. Get us out of here!”

“Let me see.” You dropped to your knees in front of Frankie and immediately started ripping his tactical vest from him.

“‘M fine, baby.” Frankie tried to give you a reassuring smile, but it broke off into a hiss and a “Fuck!” when you pressed down on his wound. “Just need the medkit, amor, it’s not bad.”

Santi slid down beside you and Frankie with the medkit in hand. He pushed Frankie so that he was leaning on his side, giving him better access to the bullet wound. “You’re a lucky son of a bitch, Fish. Bullet went through.”

“Yeah, I know.” Frankie nodded, his hair plastered to his forehead and his hat askew as he bared his teeth and dragged in deep breaths while you and Santi went to work patching him up.

Once you were finished, you and Santi each took one of Frankie’s hands and hauled him up into the closest seat, then you took the one next to him.

“Can’t scare me like that, Frankie.” You breathed out, taking his face in your hands, pressing your forehead to his and shaking your head.

His eyes left yours, falling to where Jack had been laid down, lingering there for a moment until he finally nodded.

“It’ll take more than this to get rid of me, baby.” He tried offering you another reassuring smile but it came out as more of a tired quirk of his lips.

You hadn’t even realized the sound of bullets had since quieted until you felt the plane level off and you let out a sigh of relief.

“We made it." The words sounded much more relieved in your head but tumbled from your mouth in a dissociated monotone. You were clear of the firefight, but there was still so much to do, so much that was left unknown.

Santiago nodded in agreement almost imperceptibly; the same sinking feeling of apprehension he’d had in the helicopter, like the rug was just seconds from being pulled from under him, was acid etched into his bones. The echo of the bile he’d tasted when Tom was shot stung his throat–he didn’t need to see Jack at the back of the jet to see him. He saw Jack in the way you and Frankie clung desperately to each other in the wake of all the death and darkness. He had seen Jack, lifeless, in the way Frankie had torn through the cartel thugs like a jagged piece of shrapnel intent only on piercing whatever lay in its path. He saw it again in the bottomless well of fury iced over in your eyes, in just how far you and Frankie had been willing to go when the two of you tortured Duke.

They’d made it…but what had been the cost?

You and Frankie were like two wheels, wobbling and careening towards a moving target on broken tracks, kept on course only by a frayed ribbon of hope that Jack would be ok. He was worried–concerned–about what would happen if Ginger couldn’t turn back the metaphoric hands of time and bring your Jack back.

How much more would it cost to finally complete the mission?

You spent the entire flight connected to Frankie in some way, his thumb rubbing small lazy circles on your thigh, your thumb doing the same to the bullseye tattoo on his hand; but for as languid as your movements were, your mind was racing. Every little vivid detail cycled through your mind, skipping through the memories as if you were impatiently flicking through channels.

The bounce of the jet as it landed shook you from your thoughts, and the aircraft had barely come to a halt before you were helping Frankie to his feet. A few members from the Statesmen medical team rushed in as the door to the jet was lowered, carrying a stretcher and brushing past the rest of you as they made their way straight to Jack. The five of you stayed out of their way as they carried Jack away to where Ginger was no doubt waiting in the lab.

Frankie stepped forward to follow after them, his feet moving on instinct of their own accord, before his side twinged and he grunted in protest at the pain. You caught him before he could stumble and one of the medics who had been lingering just outside, hurried in as the others left, to help you get Frankie out.

The medic unfolded a wheelchair and held his hand out to steady Frankie so he could get in, but Frankie pushed the hand away.

“I don’t need a fucking wheelchair.” He spat, letting go of your arm to stand on his own, and leveling the medic with a hard glare.

“Alright, Frankie. No wheelchair.” You waved the medic away, then nodded towards the door Jack and the rest of the medic team had disappeared through, gesturing for Frankie to follow you. “But you need to get checked out and stitched up. Trust me,” you scoffed. “Ginger won’t let us leave without clearing all of us first.”

“Ok.” Frankie relented with a sigh, wiping his glare away as he scrubbed his face with palm, he knew he shouldn’t have snapped at the poor medic, the kid was just doing his job.

You led the way to the medbay, just a half step in front of him in case he faltered. Cran made a beeline for the main building while Santiago and Tequila filed in behind you and Frankie.

Outside, the last of the Statesman tours for the day were finishing, people following their tour guides, eager for the tasting at the end of it. Inside, Ginger was ordering the medical team around with a gentle firmness that compelled obedience even from the most stubborn of wounded agents. Jack had been placed on a bed, the nanomites working to repair the damaged tissue while Frankie sat on another hospital bed, hissing as the medic stitched and patched him up.

“I know you’ve had worse, Catfish.” Ginger let out in response to the hissing, more in reassurance of the new medic who was tying off his stitches. “There, you’re done. That wasn’t so bad.”

Tequila cleared his throat, having been let go first, he had gone to check in with Champ.

“Champ was adamant that we all go home now, an’ we’ll meet in the conference room t’ debrief in the mornin’.” Tequila looked at Ginger while he spoke, even if his message was for you, he wouldn’t cross Ginger on the best of days. “Once y’all are finished here, of course.”

“They’re free to go, Tequila.” She nodded to him then turned to you and Frankie. “You’re more than welcome to come down here and visit him any time. It'll be longer than usual considering the circumstances.” The soft sympathy in her voice was back and she rubbed yours and Frankie’s shoulders reassuringly. “Just promise to get some rest first.”

“Thanks, Ginger.” You let out as you stood up from your chair while Frankie tugged his shirt back down, then slid off of the hospital bed.

A tense, heavy silence followed your group as you shuffled out of the medbay and rode the elevator down to the lobby. There were a few scattered glances cast towards your ragged appearance, but all of you had shed your tactical gear, the articles of clothing that were too obviously bloodstained had been replaced, and most of the blood had been wiped away, so you couldn’t find it in yourself to care

You just wanted to go home, to wash what remained of the mission away, to try to calm the adrenaline still running through you– keeping you on edge, and to find peace with Frankie, if only for a moment.

“Hey, Halcón?” Santi’s questioning tone reached your ears as his hand tentatively rested on your shoulder and you blinked yourself back to the present, a worried expression on his face. He was looking at you expectantly like he had been talking and only just then realized you hadn’t been listening.

“Sorry, Santi.” You sighed and stopped, giving him your undivided attention. “What were you saying?”

“Hey, don’t worry about it, Halcón.” He waved his hand, dismissing your apology. He understood. “I asked if you guys wanted to grab drinks tomorrow? It’s been a while, but we sure as hell shouldn’t break tradition now.”

Santi gave you and Frankie a small smile that you couldn’t help but try to return with a soft scoff. Back when you were all still in the military, the team would get together for drinks after every mission; success or failure, it didn’t matter, but more and more each one of you came to realize how much you needed the time to decompress by talking or just sitting in silence together.

“Yeah.” You agreed after looking to Frankie and seeing the slight nod he gave you. “Can’t break tradition now.”

“Great!” Santi’s smile widened, faltering slightly when he looked down at himself. “We all really need a shower.” He muttered as he checked his phone. “17:00, tomorrow?”

“Sounds good, Santi.” You said, trying to muster a more upbeat tone. “We’ll see you guys then.”

Pope and Tequila walked off talking amongst themselves, while you and Frankie went your own way. You stepped outside and Stan caught your attention by waving to you both and you silently thanked Champ for asking Stan to come get the two of you.

Stan didn’t ask why it was just you and Frankie climbing into the back of the car, in fact, he didn’t say anything at all. He didn’t even ask if you wanted to go to your place instead, and you didn’t correct him. The haunted, tired, far off stare that was mirrored between you both told him all he needed to know.

You sagged against the back of the elevator, watching as Frankie leaned against the wall next to you, arms crossed in front of him and his chin tucked into his chest. Your eyes fluttered closed for a moment, you could feel the echoes of Jack’s presence all around you: his casual touches, his searing kisses, and those enveloping hugs he would pull you into on the way back up to his place after a long day. There was an answering echo in your heart, a pang lancing through you at the memory of the comfort he always brought you.

You pushed off from the elevator as it dinged, trudging towards the door to Jack’s penthouse, and you couldn’t help but think that the key had never felt so heavy as you opened the door. Frankie lumbered in after you, and closed the door behind him, the stomp of his boots as heavy as the air in the penthouse felt.

There was a deep seated emptiness inside of you, making the thud of your heartbeat even louder in your ears as you made your way to the bedroom, eager to wash the day away. You heard Frankie let out a sigh behind you and he nearly stumbled into you when you stopped suddenly to take him in. He looked stretched thin, the stoic mask he had plastered on his face since you landed was peeling, revealing more of the man you loved, barely hanging on. His brow was scrunched together, deep in his own thoughts, a storm of emotions swirled in his eyes. He blinked, murky confusion quirking an eyebrow as you brought a hand up to his cheek and caressed the spotty patch of his beard. His eyes fluttered closed as you stood there, grounding each other and when you hummed as he leaned into your touch, he opened his eyes again, the swirl of emotion in them solidifying into something dark, hungry, vibrant and familiar.

Your hand slipped down to his neck, his pulse racing under your palm as you stroked his jaw with your thumb and you knew your heart was doing the same. Blood was roaring in your ears and your body was still tense, as if waiting for the next tragedy lurking around the corner.

Frankie’s gaze flickered from your eyes to your lips, then lower, snagging on the shiny metal chain around your neck holding his dog tag. He sucked in a sharp breath, the bright, cold metal against your warm, soft skin a stark reminder of what he could have lost. It felt like he was in free fall, as if his sense of self was being pulled from his body, but there you were, holding him together and accepting all of him. His eyes found yours again, then he leaned in and kissed you, clinging to it like a lifeline as he poured all of himself into the kiss.

The ferocity of it tore a moan from your throat as you matched him in his neediness, deepening the kiss, as you crashed into each other as if you were both trying to reassure the other that you were truly home. You gripped his shirt tightly, fisting it and tugging him to you only for him to roughly walk you back against the wall, his hand slapping against the hard surface as you landed against it. A dull ache radiated from where your head connected with the wall, but you didn’t care. There was nothing gentle about the way you pulled at and bit each other as you kissed in a dizzying fever.

His strong, thick fingers found the collar of your shirt and he yanked, the sound of fabric tearing and buttons clattering on the floor clashing with your yelp of surprise. You tugged on his shirt, ripping it off of him, greedily pulling him back to you and digging your nails into his back as he sucked a deep mark into your neck. He quickly undid your jeans, a sharp punched out groan leaving his throat as he shoved them down and you dragged your nails up his back, leaving a white hot bloom in their wake. You stomped down, and stepped out of your jeans and underwear, gasping when Frankie cupped you, fingers finding your already soaked core with practiced ease and the frantic desperation to feel you.

“Frankie please, just fuck me.” Your plea dipping into a growl before he pulled his fingers from you and shoved them into your mouth, wanting to taste you on your tongue the next time he kissed you. You sucked on his fingers greedily, pulling a small moan from Frankie, while his other hand fumbled with his belt.

His belt clinked as he pushed his boxer briefs down, and pulled his cock out, already pearling precum at the head and aching to be inside you. He grunted in approval when you wrapped a leg around his hip, one hand gripping your knee while he lined himself up at your entrance with the other, burying himself inside you with one forceful snap of his hips.

The air was thick with your gasps and his groans as he thrust into your wet heat, pressing you further up the wall when you wrapped your other leg around his waist and he set a quick, hard pace–fucking you the way he needed to fuck you, the way your plea told him you needed too.

Both of your hearts were racing, a thin sheen of sweat coating you as you clung to him, the adrenaline pulsing in your veins, making you feel everything so much more intensely; his hot breath as he panted into your chest set you on fire, his hard grip on your thighs throbbing and going straight to your core. The feral grunts each thrust tore from his throat were sending you higher and higher, until you arched into him–cumming hard around him and squeezing his waist with your thighs.

“Fuck!” Frankie jerked suddenly, slamming his hips up into you with a cry that was somewhere between a sob and a moan.

As you came down you felt something rough against your knee instead of the hot sweaty stick of Frankie’s skin and you realized you had accidentally pressed into the bandage covering his stitches.

“S-shit Frankie, I’m-” The apology spilled from your lips, but he shook his head quickly, panting as he held you to him, not letting you remove the pressure and leaning further into you, into the feeling.

He looked up at you, a tendril of vulnerability tangling with the lust in his feral eyes. You could feel him twitching and throbbing violently inside you and your confusion gave way to realization, to how much he needed to feel the pain.

“S’fine, hold on.” Frankie grunted as he adjusted his grip to your ass then carried you to the bed giving you time to do hardly anything more than yelp and cling to his neck.

The breath left your lungs as you fell back onto the bed, and then Frankie was on top of you, kicking off his pants and sliding back into your warm, slick cunt. There was no burn from the stretch like before, but he still made you feel so full, each hard, deliberate thrust sending sparks dancing up your spine. One hand pressed your hip into the mattress, pinning you beneath him as he rutted into you with renewed desperation.

You let that desperation fill you, let it plug the gaping holes in your soul the mission had bored into you. He grunted above you, the rapid puffs of air frantic, but breathing new life into you all the same. His hands grabbed at you greedily, your soft flesh under his rough palms, simultaneously taking you apart and putting you back together; stitching together the scarred pieces of you that had been ripped open by the darkness you had readily let consume you to torture Duke. You let yourself go to all of the sensations, surrendering to the man you loved, a man as broken as you were, and hoped you would somehow come out the other end in more of one piece than you started.

Frankie wrapped his arm around your leg, grasping your thigh roughly in his bruising grip, and keeping your knee pressed against his injury, not caring if the stitches broke, he’d endure them again. The pain, the high he got from it, felt good. It focused him on the present, on being there with you, and it reminded him that he was alive. He panted against your lips, his barely grazing yours, and he growled as you met his thrusts, each one pulling a grunt from him and a hitched moan from you. He wanted to lose himself in the pain and ache radiating from his injuries, physical and not, and find himself in you.

His eyes met yours and suddenly you were both so overcome with emotion the two of you had to look away. Frankie buried his face in your neck while you mirrored him. You both saw so much of your own reflections in the other, it was fitting that your bodies would meld into each other, as two broken halves form a whole.

Your second release caught you both by surprise, and your entire body seemed to pulse and throb with pleasure; each cresting wave overwhelming you with emotion. Frankie fucked you through your high, chasing his own and when your knees squeezed around his hips in the aftershocks of your climax, he came with a choked out cry. Pain lancing through him, and racing sweet pleasure up his spine as he rocked into you, grinding himself and his spend deep inside of you.

The cant of his hips slowed but his breathing remained erratic and it wasn't until you felt the hot wet of tears falling and sliding over your shoulder that you realized Frankie was crying. He stiffened as if reading your mind, but you felt him gradually relax into you as you brought your hand to the back of his head and gently stroked the back of his neck.

You wrapped your other arm around him and held him tight, relishing his weight on top of you as little shudders rippled through his body and you felt the sting of your own tears pricking the corners of your eyes. There were no words, nothing to say, only quiet acceptance.

Eventually, he slipped from your grasp, shifting so that you were facing each other on your sides, a tangle of emotion and limbs. You would wash the dirt and grime off in the morning, for now, you and Frankie would soak in it, and in each other.

Thank you so much for reading and for bearing with how long it's taken me to write these chapters! I appreciate all of you! Comments and Reblogs are much, much appreciated!

#Agent Whiskey #Agent Whiskey x reader #Agent Whiskey x f!reader #Jack Daniels #Jack Daniels x reader #Jack Daniels x f!reader #Frankie Morales #Frankie Morales x reader #Frankie Morales x f!reader #as it should be #aisb #Catfish Morales #triple frontier fanfiction #kingsman fanfiction

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woodchoc-magnum · 3 years ago

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L*ne St*r Hate Watch 3x07

I nearly completely forgot about this show 😅

Disclaimer: you love the show, I hate it! Don't read this, move on with your life and have a great day.

Eddie Diaz because he's beautiful sunshine:

Surprised with this show that they didn't actually show us the dude splattering on the road sign

Loving this cop with a chip on his shoulder about firefighters

Imagine rolling up and demanding they move a fucking firetruck

HE'S WRITING THEM A TICKET! A TICKET??? NUISANCE OBSTRUCTION?????

Hilarious 10/10 for comedy

A man is sitting in Grace's seat

Of course his name is Dave

I've seen this dude in something but I cannot place him, I'm getting What We Do in the Shadows vibes but I know that's not right (side note - that'll be back on TV soon!!)

Carlos is going to give himself an ulcer one day I swear to god

"red vs blue" kind of like Queensland vs New South Wales but like, with emergency personnel (that's just a little Australian rugby league State of Origin reference for all you Americans reading this)

I genuinely don't care about this

In this scenario, even though it's LS, I am team firefighter because who the fuck wants to be team police? Like honestly

This man HAS EATEN GRACE'S FOOD

Who the fuck goes into a communal fridge and just takes food that's not theirs

Grace hates Dave, this is the only rivalry I care about

Quick life update – I baked a chocolate cake today, absolutely fucking crushing it you guys

THE COP TOWED THE FUCKING FIRE TRUCK????

I feel like this would never happen in real life, but I appreciate how bonkers it is

Oh no Dave's going to jump in on Grace's call and she's going to kill him

Oh wait maybe Dave's proving himself to Grace?

He did still steal her potato salad though so like, he's going to have to make up for that

I hate that we see the 126 bunk room but never the one at the 118

Because you just know Buck and Eddie sleep right next to each other, like, 100%

Judd and Grace make this show worth watching

So they're having a baseball game against the cops which I think is dumb

I have been sitting here eating a bag of chips and not really paying attention

But I can tell you what's going to happen – someone, probably Owen Strand, is going to hit a home run and win the game

Because there's no way the 126 is losing this

Man I really thought they were going to bring in Billy to help them play baseball and I'm so annoyed it's this random medic from last season (remember when Tim got smashed by a lava rock? Good times)

The random medic seems to have stood them up for the baseball game

The song they're using in this scene is the "Mahna Mahna" song from The Muppets -> https://youtu.be/QTXyXuqfBLA

Also it was used in a sunscreen commercial in Australia - "banana boat, it's 30+, banana boat, it lasts for hours and hours and hours, banana boat!"

Anyway what I'm saying is that I think it's a weird song choice

Yo I think the cops are winning

Also I don't care about this baseball plotline but I'm annoyed they did it on LS and not the OG so we could see Ryan in baseball gear

Damn I was hoping TK would get hit in the face with a baseball

They called Nancy "the big whiff" in high school, in Australia that means something very different

Oh the cops temporarily arrested the new medic

Wow baseball is fucking boring

I just know that Owen is going to score the winning home run or something

Oh maybe it'll be Nancy? That'd be a plot twist

Owen is being very supportive of her and not completely terrible so that's a good thing

Oh she did it

And wow the 126 win

Amazing

What a triumph of the human SPIRIT – OH WAIT SOMEONE TRIPPED HER

I think this might turn into a rumble

"You hose jockeys" all right calm down you big turd

Owen threw a punch and now they're fighting, and when I said "this might turn into a rumble" earlier, I didn't actually think it would

The new medic is displeased

His name is Pearce and he is not a team player and he's quit so it literally does not matter

Such a missed opportunity for Eddie Diaz to show off his baseball prowess on the OG, honestly

Dave's either going to prove himself in this scene or not

Oh yeah he's proving himself

Dave's got some issues

Dave's having a heart attack

Dave might die and I kind of hope he doesn't

This has been a literal rollercoaster of emotions

Oh no he's fine, we're all good, everyone can chill

"There's like, a fire, man, but don't worry, it's cool" – hilarious (there's a fire at a marijuana grow house)

Okay so now the 126 is going to prove themselves to the dickhead cop and he and Owen are going to shake hands with a newfound grudging respect for each other

HA THE COPS ARE ALL STONED

Owen is going to rescue the dickhead cop, and then there'll be a handshake and grudging respect, mark my words

Okay so the dickhead cop is stoned off his fucking tits

I was wrong about the handshake, it was a hug instead

Pretty gay, you guys. Pretty gay

This episode feels weird to me, like it's cop rehabilitation or something. The cops were being fucking dicks this whole episode

Oh wait here's the stoned dickhead now

Here comes the handshake, and now he's having dinner with them. I think he and Owen might fuck later

L*ne St*r: After Dark

Oh, Grace is visiting Dave in the hospital and she brought him kale. I'd kick her the fuck out

Oh shit DAVE LIED TO THE SUICIDAL GUY ON THE PHONE ABOUT HIS FATHER COMMITTING SUICIDE? That's ice cold Dave

Dave's joining the day shift, good for him

Grace may murder him yet

Oh they're having a party at TK and Carlos' house

A trophy ceremony ugh this is so fucking dumb

"It's my Mom," TK says in a monotone. "She's dead."

I was spoiled for this so it's not a shock, but fuck do I have some feelings about it – like, she's barely in the fucking show, she's just had a baby at like, 50 years old, and they fucking killed her? They've fucking KILLED HER?

It just pisses me off because I don't care about TK and Owen, and the whole next episode is going to be about this and you know it's going to be a total fucking shitshow. If they wanted to have a relapse storyline for TK – which I feel like this is where it's going – then they could've done it with the breakup? Or like, his near death experience, or something?

Unless the plan is that they're going to give the baby to TK to raise because the father is dead as well, but honestly, whatever the plan is, I think it's dumb as all fuck and I'm mad about it.

Lisa Edelstein deserves better and this reminds me why I hate this fucking show.

Sure, it has moments, and I'm invested in Grace and Judd's storyline, but they pull this Grey's Anatomy shit and I'm like, first of all, fuck you. Fuck you for randomly killing off a character who is barely even relevant to the show just to give TK and Owen some man pain; just because you were too lazy to come up with some other storyline for them.

Killing characters willy nilly is lazy fucking writing and this show has been guilty of that before (hello, zombie Tim) and they're doing it again. It just smacks to me that they have no fucking idea what they're doing, where the show is going or how to write for any of the other characters except the two white male leads.

It's fucking bullshit.

This has been a rant.

Eddie Diaz to CLEANSE:

THE MAN LOVES BASEBALL, THIS IS SUCH A MISSED OPPORTUNUITY

#lone star hate watch

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sakura-83 · 3 years ago

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Things from Anne with an e that I feel like writing down

Season 1 Episode 4: An Inward Treasure Born

1. The really good transition shot following the firewood as Gilbert chops wood, Ruby carries it inside, moody putting it in the fire, and Marilla closing the stove, despite none of it actually being in the same place. You almost don’t notice it because of how smoothly the transitions are shot

2. “Not going to school again today?”

3. Anne singing to herself wandering around in a daze

4. “If she doesn’t go back to school soon, you may have to send us both to the looney bin.”

5. The ladybug rhyme

6. Marilla actually asking for Rachel’s advice

7. The cuthberts remind me a lot of my grandparents tbh

8. Anne getting so distracted the oven catches fire, I’ve done that before

9. Anne screaming at Marilla about how it’s hard to do well in life when you have no friends. I’ve been there before

10. Starting to think Matthew is autistic but that could be its own post

11. “She can’t like me when no one else does.”

12. The mention of Katie Maurice, one of Anne’s imaginary friends made from her reflection. The show doesn’t really explain it as thoroughly as the book does so I was confused until I started reading the book

13. The way Anne reminds Matthew of himself when he was younger

14. Jerry fixing his clothes any going “hello ladies~” except he’s like 12-13 so it’s completely ineffective

15. “We’ve been worrying about her.” “Diana especially.”

16. Anne skipping school but still continuing to teach herself anyways

17. Griselda the pinecone

18. When they call the minister on you 😔

19. The way Marilla, self proclaimed conservative, still doesn’t agree with the idea of Anne learning only to be a wife, to not go back to school.

20. An unexpected but intriguing conversation about the integrated concepts of gender and class privileges. Jerry has opportunities Anne cannot because he is a boy but Anne has opportunities Jerry cannot because his family is poor. Anne will always be looked down on by some because she’s a girl but Jerry will also be looked down on for being from an immigrant family.

21. “I don’t see how I’m ever going to be a very good wife quite frankly.” “Probably not.” “I have such a bad temper-“ “true!” “And I’m dreadfully wicked and impatient and skinny and homely DON’T SAY ANYTHING JERRY-“

22. Anne laying down in the middle of the hayloft to lament while poor Jerry is trying to move the hay

23. Anne saying words and Jerry just standing there like 🧍🏻

24. “This is unlike you.” “I have no idea what’s like me. None at all.”

25. Poor Matthew asked if her mind was burdened and Marilla was like “is there anything I can cook or mend or fetch for you” like ma’am please calm down

26. It is very interesting to see how in pre-modern technology era, stopping a fire was way more of a community effort

27. Anne knowing how to help stop the fire because of every fire manual she read and rushing inside without a second thought

28. Jerry being like “she ran inside!!! It was Anne!!! Anne slowed down the fire!!!! :D”

29. “😏 Maybe you could be a firefighter.”

30. “After the events of this evening you should be grateful to have a bed to sleep in at all.”

31. “It doesn’t matter what the other girls think Ruby, it matters what you think.”

32. “I am NOT a Gilbert Blythe fan.”

33. “It’s a shame you’re not in school anymore. You seem awful smart about things.”

34. “As long as they bring food, I don’t care if it’s Quasimodo.”

35. “Go home, and bake cookies!” “Headline, they already did.”

36. Anne yelling at Billy 💖

37. “Gilbert is so chivalrous 🥰.” “Oh hes somethin alright.”

38. Anne bring sure that she could fistfight Billy

39. Matthew teaching Anne how to fight and fake sparring with her

40. The avonlea story club

41. I think Ruby understands what Anne is saying less than Jerry does

42. RUBY SAYING THAT SHE’LL MISS ANNE

43. That prompting Anne to return to school

44. “In my day we didn’t get to choose. I think you should make your own decision.”

#anne with an e #renew awae #awae #anne shirley cuthbert #anne of green gables #gilbert blythe #ruby gillis #diana barry #mathew cuthbert #marilla cuthbert

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marjansmarwani · 3 years ago

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It feels like an out of body experience

2k || ao3

“He was talking to both of us,” he repeated, aware that he sounded like a broken record. “Both me and Gabriel. He was going to take what was most important, from both of us.” --- Just a missing 2x12 scene of the moment after Owen realized TK and Carlos were in danger and what follows. Featuring an in-depth look at his guilt because why else do I ever write Owen Strand anymore?

This has been sitting mostly done on my google drive since May and I finally decided to finish it today, for some reason so I hope you’re all in the mood for some angsty Owen content.

Beta’d by my loves @silvarafael and @justaswampdemon

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

“You thought he was talking to you?” Billy asked with a snort. “I thought he was talking to Reyes.”

Judd let out a laugh beside him and Owen rolled his eyes, picking up his glass to take another sip of the whiskey. He rolled Billy’s words around in his head as he twirled the glass, watching as the whiskey sloshed around the sides. The thought came suddenly and hit him with all the force of a steam engine.

“He was talking to both of us,” he said quietly, pulling Judd’s attention to him. He could see the other man frowning but he ignored him. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t seen it sooner; he couldn’t believe it hadn’t been his first thought.

“He was talking to both of us,” he repeated louder, now pulling the eyes of all the others to him as well. Tommy sat up straighter as she clocked the fear in his eyes.

“What are you saying?” she asked evenly, using her steady, tempered captain’s voice that he had heard so often on patients in the field.

“He was talking to both of us,” he repeated, aware that he sounded like a broken record. “Both me and Gabriel. He was going to take what was most important, from both of us.”

His words hung in the air for a moment as they all processed and began to connect the dots. Owen set down his glass as they did, his hands were shaking too much to hold it. He was already reaching into his pocket for his phone when Judd’s expression cleared and he let out a curse as he figured out what Owen was implying, but he didn’t have the focus to see anything but the phone in his hands.

Billy still hadn’t figured it out though so Owen spelled it out for him as the phone now clutched to his ear rang: “Our sons. He meant our sons, who live together. He meant TK and Carlos. He rigged their house to burn too.”

There were horrified looks all around now but Owen couldn’t focus on them. The fear coursing through his veins was too all-consuming; there wasn’t room for anything else.

The ringing stopped and for a split second, Owen thought that maybe, just maybe he was in luck, that TK had finally answered. But his voicemail answered instead at the tail end of the moment and Owen could feel some of the hope he had managed to cling to slip away.

The others were watching him intently and he knew that the fear was written all over his face. Grace was the first to speak, breaking the tense silence.

“You all need to go.”

They all turned to her and Judd opened his mouth but she shook her head, “Those boys need you. With the 126 closed, there isn’t a house close enough to get to them in time. But you’re close here. I’ll call it in to dispatch, and pray a whole lot.”

Owen nodded, already standing with Judd on his heels. The younger man paused for all of a moment, turning back to his wife who only shook her head.

“TK and Carlos need you right now Judd, I’ll be fine. Just be careful, and call me when you’re done.”

Judd nodded and leaned forward to give her a quick kiss, “I love you, Gracie.”

“I love you too, now go!”

Owen didn’t need to be told twice. He was already halfway out the door before Grace even finished speaking. He jumped into his truck and was momentarily surprised when the passenger door swung open beside him. He turned, hand frozen over the ignition to see Billy climbing in beside him. The other man took a look at him and scoffed.

“Well, what are you waiting for, New York? We’ve gotta go.”

So Owen started the truck and sped away from the curb because Billy was right. TK was in danger and nothing else mattered.

He pressed the speed limit the entire way from the Ryder’s house to the condo. It wasn’t far and Owen was making excellent time as it was, but that fact did nothing to quell the racing of his heart. He can’t believe he hadn’t thought of it before. What kind of father was he that when he was told that someone was going to take what was most important to him and he didn’t immediately think of his son?

If they were too late and the worst did happen, how did he live with himself?

Billy had the scanner app running beside him, and the sound of his son’s address being relayed by dispatch sent an entirely different chill through him. It made it real, hearing the words outside of his own head. All the while his phone rang between them until TK’s voicemail picked up again and Owen swore. He took a breath and tried to let logic in. Maybe Raymond was just trying to scare them; rigging two places to burn might have taken more time than he had. Maybe they weren’t home, maybe they had decided to go out after everything that had happened today. Maybe they had been able to get out at the first signs — TK had been a firefighter, after all. He would have noticed, he would have known how to safely get them both out. He...

His conjecture broke off sharply as they finally reached their destination and Owen suddenly found that he couldn’t breathe.

There were flames already eating through the first story, their ominous glow cutting through the night. Owen knew in his gut he had been right but seeing it stoked an entirely new fear within him. TK was in there. Carlos was in there. He needed to get them out.

He moved towards the structure but suddenly there were hands on him, pulling him back. He rounded on the hands holding him, ready to fight back only to be met with Judd’s unimpressed gaze.

“Running in there half-cocked and getting yourself hurt isn’t going to help them,” he told him, pressing an AFD t-shirt into his hands. “Cover up your face and let me grab the extinguishers, then we’ll go in.”

Owen followed his instructions without much thought, his shaking hands moving on autopilot to fasten the shirt around his face. His gaze never left the flaming structure before him, his chest aching with the knowledge that his son was trapped in there. It wasn’t long before a fire extinguisher was pressed into his hand by Judd, but it felt like an eternity as he watched the flames grow ever higher. He felt as if he were in those flames himself, the fear and guilt eating away inside of him with every passing breath that he got to take that his son might not.

And then they were moving, bursting through the front door and attacking the flames with their extinguishers. Owen barely took a moment to survey the downstairs — to see the familiar living space charred and destroyed — before he led the way up the stairs to the bedroom, Billy on his heels. The sound of breaking glass had him running faster and he burst through the door to feel his heart jump into his throat at the sight of Carlos preparing himself to jump out of a second-floor window, TK a step behind him.

He shouted at them to follow him as Billy did his best to quell the flames that threatened to stop them. But Owen knew they wouldn’t because he wouldn’t be deterred. Now that he had the boys in his sight, he wasn’t about to leave here without them; no matter what.

They both turned and looked at him in shock and he can only imagine how little sense this all must make. But then TK was pulling Carlos towards them and then they were out of the room and down the stairs

He noted the hand that TK kept on Carlos as he stepped in front of them and wondered how much of it was his training and how much of it was the need to know that he was still with him. It was an instinct he understood, as he led the way and did his best to clear their path with the one fire extinguisher he had. He could hear them behind him but he was almost afraid to turn around, as if somehow if he looked back they would be gone; a modern-day Orpheus giving into his doubt and losing it all. So he focused instead on the flames, on finding the next step. On the way forward.

His mind had almost started to wander again — pondering the terrors and what-ifs even now — but a piece of the ceiling falling to the ground before him interrupted that spiral, wrenching him back to reality. Being surrounded by fire on all sides without a stitch of gear was unlike anything else and he bit back a cry as some of the smoldering debris landed on his arm. But he pushed on because TK and Carlos were behind him and that was all that mattered. He could weather any amount of pain as long as the boys were safe.

Finally, they burst through what remained of the front door, and before he even paused to take a breath he turned on his heel to make sure that they were behind him, that he hadn’t failed even more than he already had.

But there they were, hunched over on their front lawn; taking heaving breaths of fresh air and coughing out the remnants of smoke still trapped in their lungs.

Distantly Owen heard the sound of footsteps behind him and Tommy ran to join them and of shouts as Judd and Billy spilled out of the front door. Tommy gave him a quick look before making a beeline for the boys, reaching out for TK who shook his head and nodded towards Carlos. Her expression softened ever so slightly as she reached out a hand for Carlos, guiding him (and therefore TK too) further away from the flames still eating through the darkness of the night sky.

Owen watched them go as Judd appeared at his side, following his gaze before glancing down at Owen’s sleeve.

“Those could be some nasty burns, Cap,” he observed. “You should get those checked out.”

Even as he said the words the 129 was piling out of their truck and the captain was calling out orders. Owen watched them go but knew with a sinking heart that the damage had already been done in so many ways. He shook his head at Judd a moment later, “They’ll keep.”

Judd opened his mouth to argue but trailed off when he followed Owen’s gaze back to where TK and Carlos were now getting checked out by the paramedics, Tommy hovering at the edge. His expression turned sad at the sight of Carlos hunched over and TK wrapped around him, running a soothing hand up and down his arm even as his mouth moved in what were likely soft reassurances.

“Do you think he’ll ever forgive me Judd?” he heard himself ask, and he wasn’t surprised when the other man looked at him sharply.

“Who?” he asked, “TK?” He started to speak but then stopped as he glanced back over his shoulder at the home that was crumbling to soggy ashes behind them. His eyes turned back to the couple currently seeking solace in each other in the back of an ambulance before he sighed: “Yeah, he will. He’s good like that. It’s just gonna take some time.”

Owen nodded his agreement but kept his mouth shut so what he was really thinking didn’t slip through. Maybe, he thought, forgiveness isn’t even what he is looking for. Forgiving could be easy and TK had perfected the art over the course of his life. He knew his son loved him, but love didn’t always mean the same as trust. Trust was something else entirely and Owen couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be before his son ever put his trust in him again.

#911 lone star #911 lone star fic #my writing #oh look another 2x12 coda #userkimmy #userjilly #userac #userbones #usermaximus #tuserpaige #reyesstrand #reyeslonestartag

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strangerthingsharrington · 4 years ago

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Can’t Fight This Feeling

-24-

Steve held my hand tightly as we climbed up the escalator slowly. My body had had enough. I was exhausted, tired...just drained.

After reaching the top, I stopped and looked behind us to the others in the party moving slowly up the steps. Max came up first with tears streaming down her face, which still bore a shocked expression.

She looked to me and her lip trembled. I let go of Steve’s hand and walked quickly to her wrapping my arms around her in a tight hug which she reciprocated. My tears overflowed as Max let out a sob.

“It’s okay,” I told her quietly, closing my eyes, “it’s gonna be okay, Max. He saved all of us. Billy is a hero.”

She continued to sob into my shoulder, I leaned my head against the side of hers and opened my eyes, seeing the party around us with sad, solemn looks on their faces.

Lucas stepped up and put his hand on Max’s shoulder, “Come on, Max,” he said gently, “let’s go outside.”

Max slowly removed her arms from my waist and looked at me, I pushed some of her hair behind her ear and smiled sadly at her, “We’re gonna get through this, all together. I promise.”

She nodded to me before turning to Lucas and reaching for his hand.

Steve had come up and stood next to me, he put his arm around my shoulder, “Come on,” he said quietly.

I nodded, turning with him to walk towards the doors to go outside and away from the devastation.

I could hear the guards yelling at one another back in the food court. I could smell the fire burning. I was trying to think about how I’d explain marks on me to my mom when I saw her.

Most importantly, I needed to figure out how to get Dustin and Erica back from the Hilltop.

Steve pushed open the mall door for us and the fresh air hit me like a ton of bricks. Even though it hadn’t been long since I was last outside, it felt like an eternity especially after being that close to fire and smoke.

There were police, ambulance and fire trucks all coming from what seemed like everywhere trying to park and get into the mall. I wondered if they managed to move the monster out of sight in the food court. I wondered how this story was going to be told to the public.

“You okay?” Steve asked me gently.

I looked up at him and shrugged, “I’ll give you an actual answer tomorrow. I need to get Erica and my brother.”

He nodded, rubbing my arm. He began looking around, hopefully trying to find someone who’s car we could use to get them.

“Louise!”

My eyes went wide and I looked around until I spotted her. My mom.

I let go of Steve’s hand and ran to her and hugged her tightly as the tears began to spill over and down my face.

“Where’s Dusty?” she asked.

I sniffled and pulled away from her, “He’s at the hilltop,” I said with a shuddering breath, “we have to get him.”

She nodded and wrapped her arm around me, I looked behind me to Steve and saw him scanning the crowd. Was he looking for his parents?

I looked around and caught sight of Lucas and Max walking towards his mom, before she began looking around frantically.

“Mrs. Sinclair!” I called to get her attention, “I know where she is, she’s with my brother! I’m going to get them!”

Relief flodded her face and she nodded, “Thank you!” she called before turning her attention back to Lucas.

I looked back to Steve and he was looking down at his shoes.

“Steve!” my mom called to him, he looked up instantly, “Come with us!”

He looked quickly around again before jogging over to us, “Come on, Steve,” she said, looking over his face, “you’re just as much a member of the family as anyone, so let’s go.”

At that, tears fell from Steve’s eyes and he pulled my mom into a hug, “Thanks, Mrs. Henderson.”

They broke apart and she smiled softly at him, “Lets go and get these kids.”

We walked to her car and got in, she questioned what had happened and between Steve and myself we managed to tell her about a fire that had broken out in the mall. Where one of us would falter with the story, the other would step in and continue to spin the lie.

Steve gave directions to my mom, as she told us about how her and Mrs. Sinclair came to find out they hadn’t seen any of us for two days, and that they came to the mall to look for us.

Erica was right, Mrs. Sinclair really did want Erica back for Uncle Jacks party. She went to the Byers house to see if Lucas and Erica might have been there, but obviously the house was empty. She then went to the Wheelers house that was empty, before finally coming to my house. They deducted they hadn’t seen any of the kids in about forty eight hours and thought we might have been at the mall, since that was where we all had been spending most of our time.

“When I pulled up I could see the smoke billowing up,” mom explained, “I was so worried but no one would let me in!” she told us as she parked at the bottom of the hill after Steve told her to take the left, giving her more time to make the turn than what Dustin gave him.

Once the car began slowing down, I hopped out and began running up the hill, with Steve calling out my name behind me.

I just needed to get them back. My legs were burning and I felt like I couldnt breath anymore. But I needed to get them.

“Guys!” I called once I almost reached the top.

“Lou?” I heard Dustin call out.

I reached the top, and bent over trying not to vomit.

“Whoa, Lou, you okay?” Dustin asked me.

I breathed in deeply and stood back up, “Come on,” I said ingorong him, “let’s go.”

“What happened? Is everyone okay?” Dustin asked.

I looked over to him, “The national guard came in, if anyone asks there was a fire at the mall,” I said looking between the two of them.

“Lou, is everyone okay?” Dustin asked again a bit more stern.

“Billy died,” I said quietly.

His eyes went wide, “Holy shit. Are you serious? Is-is Max okay?”

I shook my head, “No,” I answered honestly, “come on,” I said, extending my arm out towards them, “mom drove us, your mom is waiting for you at the mall,” I told Erica.

I turned around just as Steve took the last couple steps to the top of the hill.

“Lou, I would’ve gotten them,” he told me breathlessly, “your legs have to be killing you,” he said when he reached me.

I nodded, not even bothering to deny that fact.

“I just...needed to get them,” I said quietly to him.

He watched hesitantly, before reaching out to me and putting his arm around my shoulder, “Come on, let’s get Erica to her mom and then you need to sleep.”

Without saying another word, I put my arm around Steve’s waist and walked carefully back down the hill with Dustin and Erica in tow.

Steve helped me into the front seat of the car as Dustin and Erica talked to my mom about what they had been up to. Steve got into the backseat right behind me, with Dustin going next to him and Erica behind the drivers side.

Mom drove us quickly to the mall with none of us really talking. I stared out the window, watching as my small town of Hawkins passed me by. A week ago this was my boring town. Nothing exciting ever happened here.

I knew differently. Too much had happened in the town. More than anyone would ever believe.

We got out of the car after reaching the mall and Erica ran back with her mom and Lucas. Robin was at an ambulance with her parents talking, she caught my eye and waved to me before making a phone sign with her hand and mouthing tomorrow at me. I nodded to her before I saw El wrapped in Mrs. Byers arms, as they both cried.

I looked on in confusion, unsure of what had happened since I left.

I looked to Jonathan and Will but Jonathan was already looking back to me.

Glancing quickly around the group, I realized who was missing. Hopper.

‘Where’s Hopper?’ I mouthed.

Jonathan looked to El then back to me before shaking his head softly.

In an instant I understood. Police Chief Hopper didn’t make it from the underground lair. Another victim to the fire at Starcourt, I assumed they would tell everyone.

“LuLu?”

I looked over to my mom who pushed some of the hair that had fallen out of my ponytail behind my ear, “Come on, baby. Let’s get you home and get cleaned up and go to bed.”

I nodded, taking another look at the mall that was still smoking, with police and firefighters around the doors looking in.

I turned and walked back to the car with everyone. Dustin went to the front seat while I went to the back seat, with Steve taking the middle seat so we were next to each other.

We kept our hands wrapped tightly together, and I had my head leaning on his shoulder.

“Steve,” mom asked softly looking into rear view mirror to us, “do you want to stay at our house for the night, or are you heading home?”

I lifted my head up and looked to him, he lowered his head and sighed, “I should go home...my parents might be wondering where I am, and I need the extra key to my car.”

“I can come get you in the morning to pick up your car?” I offered.

He looked down at me with a small smile, “Thank you,” he said softly.

I smiled a little back at him and laid my head back on his shoulder for the rest of the silent drive to his house.

When we pulled up the lights were all off and I felt Steve deflate slightly. I guess neither of his parents stayed up to wait for him. Even though he hadn’t seen either of them in almost forty eight hours at least.

“Are you gonna be able to get in?” I asked as mom put the car in park.

“Yeah,” he answered quietly, “I hid a key outside...not the first time this has happened,” he explained to me.

I nodded solemnly, lifting my head from his shoulder and opening the car door, our hands staying locked together even when getting out the car.

“Thank you, Mrs. Henderson,” he said once he got out of the car, “see ya later, Dustin,” he added before closing the door.

“Call me tomorrow when you’re ready and I’ll come get you, okay?” I asked him.

He nodded before letting go of my hand, only to let his arms go to my waist and pulled me to him, resting his face on the side of my head. My arms laced around his neck and I held him tighlty to me, ignoring the pain going through my arms.

He moved his head back a bit and made eye contact with me. His eye was incredibly swollen, dried blood was still around his nose and mouth. He was tired. But he held my gaze with such a sincerity that everything, for just an instant, felt okay.

He leaned down and lightly pressed his lips to my forehead, kissing me softly for a second.

“I’ll call you tomorrow, Lou,” he whispered, with his lips still pressed against my forehead.

I nodded slightly, “Okay,” I whispered back.

We let each other go and Steve took a few steps backwards towards his house I smiled lightly at him which he reciprocated before turning around and walking up to the front of his house.

I got back into the back seat of the car and watched him go.

“I just wanna make sure he gets in,” mom said quietly.

Steve bent down once he was at his front door and went into a flower pot that was out there, he straightened up and opened the front door a second later. He turned to face the car and brought his hand up in a small wave, before turning and going inside the dark house, closing the door behind him.

Mom started the short drive back home, thankfully leaving us in silence, aside from her oldie music station in the background playing quietly. I think she knew we had a rough little while and didn’t want to pester us. For the moment at least.

Once we were inside our house, that’s when she began her different line of questioning.

“So...why haven’t I heard from you guys for almost two days?” she asked once she closed the front door.

I sighed and turned to face her, “We’re sorry, ma,” I told her, “I’ve been hanging out with Robin and I have this thing with Steve that I’m trying to figure out...Dustin’s been hanging out with the party and talking to Suzie on Cerebro...then we were at the mall and the fire and everything...” I drifted off, looking to Dustin to confirm my answer to her new question.

Dustin nodded quickly to her, “Yeah...we’ve just been hanging out.”

“Why are you so bruised up, Louise?” she asked me, “what happend to Steve’s face?”

My breathing stopped, “Um-huh...my arm um-someone grabbed me when we were trying to get out of the mall, to make sure I kept up,” I told her before lightly touching my neck, “I think I was grabbing my throat because of the smoke...I was scared, ma. I don’t really remember,” I explained trying to think quicker.

“Steve got in a fight,” Dustin chimed in, “he won this time at least.”

Mom looked back to me, eyeing my arm and neck again, “Are you sure you’re okay, Lou?”

I nodded, “I’m really okay, mom. A little sore and...yeah, I think I just need some rest.”

Mom sighed and wiped her face of the few tears that had fallen, “I beleive you guys,” she told us, “I do...I was just so afraid when I found out...when I heard that Mrs. Sinclair hadn’t seen Lucas or Erica for a while either...I just couldn’t stop thinking that something bad had happened, to both of you. I don’t know what I’d do if something...” she looked away from us and shook her head.

I glanced over at my brother and saw him looking down at the ground, feeling probably the same way I did. Terrible. Mom was reiterating back to us to reason why Dustin never told me about any of this from the beginning. If something happened to both of us, she was going to be alone and that wasn’t fair.

I looked back to mom as she sniffled loudly, and I knew that was the end of the questioning and she would be changing the subject immediately. When the conversations got to heavy and started making her or us upset she always tried to change it to make us all feel better.

“Go to bed guys, I’ll make a nice big breakfast in the morning, sound good?” she asked looking to us, with tears ready to spill over from her eyes any moment.

“Yeah, sounds good mom. See you tomorrow,” Dustin said before turning and going down the hall to his room.

I nodded once, “Night mom,” I said before following Dustin down the hall.

I followed Dustin to his room and stepped in.

“What is it, Lou?” he asked, taking a seat on his bed and looking at me.

I closed his door and walked the few steps to the bed, taking a seat next to him, “I’m sorry you guys went through this before.”

He sighed and shrugged, “It’s not like we went out looking for this before, and we definitely didn’t this time. But we got through it.

“We’ll all meet up tomorrow with the party and talk out everything. Fill everyone in on the last little bit...talk about Billy and Hopper...” he drifted.

I nodded and stood up, “Yeah...yeah, okay. I’ll see you tomorrow, Dustin.”

“Lou.”

I turned to him again and saw him watching me, “It’s like I said before,” he started, “you just gotta...close your eyes and eventually, no matter how scared or nervous or upset you are, you’ll go to sleep. And another day will start again. It’ll pass. The fear and shit...feels overwhelming to start, but eventually it’ll lessen. It’s worked out for me before.”

I felt my chest tighten just thinking about how Dustin and the rest of the group ha been through this before. How they had to keep quiet about the things that had gone on. That must have been extremely difficult for them to deal with.

“Night, Dustin,” I said softly before turning and leaving his room, closing his door behind me.

I walked right to the washroom and turned the shower on as hot as I could stand it.

I stripped down and stepped in washing off the past forty eight hours worth of grime and dirt and blood and vomit, probably.

My brain was too tired to process anything else. It felt like it was the longest and shortest two days of my life. I couldn’t explain it...it was too much going on all at once.

Once I felt sufficiently clean and like I rubbed my skin raw, I turned the shower off and stepped out, wrapping myself in a towel.

I went to my room and changed into pyjamas, placing my towel on a hook to dry off.

I laid on my bed for hours. I tried to just close my eyes and let sleep find me like Dustin said. But I couldn’t do it. I wanted to scream and cry, out of both relief and sadness. Relief that this was finally over, sadness over all the turmoil we had all gone through and that we were going to continue to go through because we lost Billy and Hopper.

When I couldn’t pretend anymore I opened my eyes and looked at the clock on my nightstand. 3:47am.

I sat up and got up off my bed and heading to the front door, hoping that fresh air would help me in someway.

The house was quiet. I was positive that mom and Dustin were both sleeping, or pretending better than me.

I opened the front door, stepped out, and closed it quietly behind me. I turned to the small two seater we had on the porch, but someone was already there.

“Steve?” I questioned.

He was already looking at me with wide eyes, “Hey...why aren’t you sleeping?”

I tilted my head at him, “I couldn’t sleep...better question is why are you here?”

He grinned at me as I sat next to him, “Same reason.”

“How long have you been out here?” I asked.

He took my hand in his and sighed, looking out across the front yard to the quiet street, “I was home long enough to shower and have my mom and dad wake up because I had the shower on so late, and then my dad got mad at me. I grabbed the spare key and just...started walking,” he told me before looking over to me, “so maybe...two hours.”

I adjusted so I could look at him a bit better, “Steve, you should’ve knocked on the door or something! You didn’t have to sit out here for two hours!”

He breathed out a laugh, “I thought you’d be sleeping!”

I smirked and shook my head before it faded, “What did your dad say?”

Steve hummed and looked to me, “He was mad about me using the shower so late. I asked if he even noticed that he hadn’t seen me in two days...he didn’t,” he said sadly, “I asked my mom and she thought I had been home. I asked them if they even noticed my face. Mom asked if I was okay, dad asked if this was another losing fight of mine. Then he said he was going back to sleep and for me to ‘stop whining’ and get a hold of myself.

“So I left,” he explained looking down at our hands, “they just...whatever,” he sighed.

“Hey,” I said, shaking our hands, he looked over to me, “if it upset you, then it’s not ‘whatever.’ It matters and is-it’s valid, Steve. And it’s important to me, how you feel.”

He brought our hands up and kissed the back of mine, “Thank you,” he said quietly barely moving his lips from my hand.

I smiled shyly at him, “Come on, Steve. I can get the couch ready and you can sleep there, or I can and you can take my bed?”

He shook his head and leaned back, “Can we just...sit for a while longer?”

I bit my lip with a small smile, sitting further back in my seat, leaning my head on his shoulder, “Okay,” I whispered.

Then, in what felt like an instant, sleep finally found me.

——

Title credit to REO Speedwagon and gif credit to owner! I’m so sorry, there’s probably so many spelling/grammar issues!

#Steve Harrington #steve harrington x reader #stranger things #stranger things imagine #netflix #steve harrington imagine

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bluenet13 · 4 years ago

Text

I'll Be There for You

The morning after the fire, an exhausted and bruised TK and Carlos find their family and friends have already taken steps to help them recover from their devastating loss.

Links: ff.net - AO3

Rousing slowly from a deep sleep, Carlos sighed in content as he instantly felt TK's arms wrapped protectively around his body. Burrowing further into the embrace, he ran his fingers over his boyfriend's arm as he enjoyed the moment of silence. If the alarm wasn't currently going off, then it must mean they had a day off, and Carlos smiled to himself already thinking of the best ways to spend their free time. Maybe they could go to the farmer's market, or take a walk at Zilker Park, or they could just stay at home and spend the whole day tangled together on the couch. All good possibilities, and even better when they all included TK close to him.

But then various sounds caught Carlos' attention, rhythmic beeping, voices he didn't recognize, doors slamming shut; all noises that didn't fit into their bedroom. And with his sense of hearing also came smell. Taking it all in, Carlos' frowned when he didn't easily recognize TK's distinct body wash that always clung to their sheets, but the smell of smoke mixed with antiseptic, neither of which belonged in their home. Opening his eyes, Carlos' frown deepened as he took in the unfamiliar surroundings. And suddenly a trapped door seemed to have opened below him and Carlos was falling. The memories of the days before overtaking him with such force that his breathing caught in his throat. Gasping for breath, Carlos' eyes went wide as he was assaulted by a coughing fit. All the memories and pain from the last two days returning to the forefront of his mind, and an empty feeling setting deep in his stomach as realization hit him all at once; he had fought with TK, then their home had gone up in flames.

"Carlos?" TK's asked, voice slurred and still laced with sleep and tiredness. "Are you okay?"

At any other moment Carlos would have felt guilty for waking up his boyfriend but right now he was panicking too much to really care. He tried to answer but only air escaped his parted lips, so instead he shook his head, desperate to let the other man know that he wasn't okay.

"Carlos?" TK asked again, carefully disentangling his body from Carlos' and turning around, his own eyes now going wide as he took in his boyfriend's look. "Carlos, babe, breathe. Everything is okay, we're okay." Paramedic mode instantly took over as TK grabbed Carlos' hand and placed it over his heart, hoping the beat would ground him. "Try to match my breathing. Please." Taking in deliberate slow breaths, TK locked eyes with Carlos, his other hand moving to his wrist to take in his pulse, even when there was a perfectly capable machine located to their right who could have told him that information. But TK needed the physical reassurance more than anything.

"That's good, Carlos. Just breath, slow and easy," TK continued to instruct as Carlos' breaths finally began to even out. And at that moment he could only be grateful that neither of them was currently hooked up to a heart monitor or the entirety of the hospital would have been descending on their room right about now. "Here, just breath." Grabbing the oxygen mask that he had been wearing the night before, TK set it over Carlos' mouth before moving his hand further up to Carlos' messy curls, and running his fingers through them, the motion usually able to put his boyfriend at ease.

"Sorry," Carlos mumbled as soon as he was able to take in a normal breath again, his cheeks looking slightly pink and his eyes cast downward.

Nodding, TK leaned forward and kissed Carlos' forehead, giving him a few extra seconds to compose himself.

"What happened?" TK asked eventually.

"I sort of had a panic attack?" Carlos offered not-so-helpfully.

Fighting the instinct to roll his eyes, TK just nodded again. "I figured as much, but why? For how long had it been going on before I woke up?"

"I, uhm, I…" Carlos struggled to find words, his lips parting a few times but only little, nervous exhales coming out.

"Take your time, I'm right here." TK continued to run his fingers through Carlos' hair, his other hand still holding Carlos' over his chest.

"I just woke up, and thought it was a day off. You know, the alarm wasn't on, so it only made sense. But then I remembered everything, the fight, the fire. And -"

"And it all became too much," TK finished for him, "it's alright, babe. But you're okay, we're okay."

"Are we?" Carlos asked softly.

"We are. We're still together and that's all that matters right now, we can worry about the rest later," TK said, not an ounce of doubt in his tone or mind. "Let me call for a nurse so someone can check you out."

"I don't need a nurse, I'm okay," Carlos interjected, his eyes still looking a bit disoriented but his breathing finally back to normal.

"Okay," TK easily agreed, "but we still need a nurse if we want to get out of here." Both TK and Carlos knew they didn't really need to spend the night at the hospital, the oxygen mask sure helped, but there was a reason they weren't hooked to many machines. Their injuries had been mild and they could have gone home after the doctor gave them a clean bill of health. But they had no home to go to, and everyone at the hospital knew that, and knew them, so someone must have decided to take pity on the pair and insisted they spend the night. But there were real patients that needed the room, and TK and Carlos didn't want to inconvenience anyone more than absolutely necessary.

"Yeah," Carlos said softly, briefly remembering his previous thought of spending the night at home tangled in the couch with TK, and he chuckled sadly. They didn't have a couch or home to go to.

TK noticed, but decided to let him be for now, and instead turned around to press the call bottom for a nurse. And soon enough someone was checking them over one final time before bringing in discharge papers and letting them leave, but not before what seemed like every single medical professional in that floor, stopped by their room to wish them their best and apologize for what had happened to them. Not that it was anyone's fault, but most people here knew the officer and firefighter turned paramedic, and were fond of the pair and not-so-secretly rooted for their relationship. It didn't surprise them -it was the sort of thing that came with the territory, both their jobs sending them to the hospital often, to drop or interrogate a patient, or with injuries of their own- but it did warm their hearts.

Walking into the waiting room, Carlos and TK were greeted by Owen, Gabriel and Andrea standing by the nurse's station, no doubt waiting for them.

"My boys." Andrea was the first to speak, only taking one look at the battered pair before she closed the distance and engulfed them both in a hug. "I'm so happy to see you both okay."

"Gracias, mami," Carlos whispered, closing his eyes and letting his mother's comforting presence and touch wash over him.

"How are you two doing?" Andrea asked when they broke the embrace, her eyes soft and pained as she took in their tired faces and slumped shoulders.

"We're alright," Carlos said, his voice timid and doubtful, even as he tried to make himself sound stronger.

"No, you're not, Carlitos. But you will be. And we're all here to help you both." Andrea spoke with the certainty, care and understanding that only a mother could provide, and both Carlos and TK found themselves standing a little straighter upon hearing her words. A little hope blossoming in their chests.

"Thanks, Andrea," TK answered this time, smiling to the woman he hoped was his future mother-in-law.

"Anytime, TK, anytime," Andrea said softly, moving her hand to cup TK's cheek and holding it there for a moment.

During the brief conversation, Owen and Gabriel had continued to stand next to the nurse's station, both looking uncharacteristically quiet and evidently trying to make themselves small. They had accompanied TK and Carlos to the hospital the previous night, Andrea staying in the ranch since Gabriel had driven there straight from work, but the silence between the four had been too charged so they had left early, promising to be back the following morning.

"TK," Owen eventually said, taking a couple of tentative steps forward, his eyes on TK but still looking at Andrea out of the corner of his eye.

"Dad."

"How are you feeling, son?" Owen asked, releasing a nervous breath.

"I'm okay," TK mumbled, still not sure how he felt about his father at the moment. Owen and Billy might have rescued them, but they wouldn't have been in that position if it hadn't been for Owen, Billy, and Gabriel keeping them in the dark, and taking too long to understand Raymond's threat. Painful detail which they had learned the night before when they asked Judd how they had gotten to the condo so quickly.

"Ready to go home?" Owen wondered.

"I -" TK hesitated, turning sideways to look at Carlos, and finding a blank look on his face. And TK wasn't sure if it was due to his earlier panic attack or because he was also having conflicting emotions seeing Owen and Gabriel again.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Owen added quickly, deflating a little but his tone was even and calm.

"You should come with us to the ranch," Andrea offered, "I can prepare some soup for you, or anything else that your heart desires."

"Or to any of your friends' houses. You know they all offered," Gabriel pointed out, speaking for the first time, then wincing as soon as Andrea glared at him. "I'm just reminding them, vieja. No need to shoot daggers out of those beautiful eyes."

"Don't try to flirt with me right now, Gabriel Reyes," Andrea hissed. "You know that's never a good thing when you have made me this angry."

"What's going on?" Carlos asked, joining the conversation again after noticing how both fathers flinched at her words.

"Oh, your father knows, Carlitos. Nothing for you or TK to worry about. I already had a nice, long talk with Gabriel and Owen about what happened in this case, and they both know this isn't over." Andrea's tone was sweet, but her eyes were a storm of emotion, and all the thunder and lighting in it would be directed to the Ranger and Fire Captain in due time. "But, it's your choice boys. You can stay wherever you prefer," she added, well knowing Carlos and TK would be staying together in whatever place they picked, no way they were going their separate ways to each of their parent's houses.

At a sort of standstill, Carlos and TK turned to each other, easily communicating with their eyes as they both nodded silently. "We will stay at your place, dad," TK said softly, hating to be in this situation in the first place, having only moved into his new home less than three weeks ago.

"For now we just want to be closer to the city. We want to start looking for a new place soon, and I assume they're also going to want our statements," Carlos explained quickly, not liking the sad look that overtook his mother's eyes.

"There's time for that, mijo. Just focus on getting better now," Gabriel said, still hanging back and clearly avoiding his wife's gaze. Then he shook his head, and swallowed a few times, seemingly bracing himself. "I'm sorry for what happened Carlos. You too, TK. We're not proud of what we did, we just hope you can forgive us. Next time, if there's a next time, we will include you guys and not let you in the dark."

"Thank you, sir," Carlos said, his tone clipped, not really believing his father's words, and thinking that there would definitely be a next time because Owen and Gabriel seemed to have become a team of their own. "As for the statements, we'd rather just be done with it and put what happened between us as much as we can, so it's better to stay close. But we will head to the ranch this weekend," he added, looking directly at his mom as he finished.

Andrea perked up at that, her eyes regaining their spark. "That's great to hear, Carlitos. Anything special you want me to prepare for you?"

Carlos took a few minutes to mentally run over all of his mother's recipes, a small smile gracing his lips when he finally settled on one. "Chilaquiles? TK tried them at a restaurant a few weeks ago, and really liked them, but I keep telling him that yours are the best."

For a moment Andrea looked horrified that Carlos took TK to eat one of her signature dishes at a restaurant instead of asking her to make them, but remembering what they just went through, she decided to cut her son some slack. "Chilaquiles, it is," she said with a smile that was so much like Carlos' that it almost made TK's heart burst.

"Pero bajo en picante, por favor," Carlos whispered, trying to casually point at TK who just glared at him.

Andrea chuckled, but nodded. "Don't worry, boys. I know our white boy isn't yet used to the Reyes' level of heat."

"Thank you," TK said shily, trying not to look as embarrassed as he felt, especially because he was more than used to that level, just not necessarily in the kitchen.

"No need, my sweet boy," Andrea said, patting TK's cheek again, before turning to her son, who had a big smile on his face because this level of love and interaction between his parents and his boyfriend was a dream come true. "Now, go. You had a long night and need to rest. Nos vemos el Viernes, mi corazón."

"Te amo, mami, gracias," Carlos moved forward and hugged his mother one last time, taking a moment to share a look with his dad who was still standing behind the group. He loved his father, and he knew he would forgive him eventually, soon actually, but his deception still hurt. Especially when it had caused a fight with his boyfriend and then almost cost them their lives. So he deserved some time to process his feelings.

When mother and son parted, Carlos moved to TK and held his hand, fingers instantly being intertwined, before they followed Owen towards the parking lot.

"Owen, you will take care of the boys, right?" Andrea asked with a pointed look, as she got into her husband's truck.

"I will, promise." Owen swallowed roughly, shifting uncomfortably under Andrea's unforgiving stare. Then turned to look at his friend, already sitting in the driver's seat, and shot him a sympathetic look. Gabriel would have it much worse than him as he was going home with the enraged mother. But he knew they would both be in the doghouse for the foreseeable future. And if he was honest with himself, Owen knew they deserved nothing less for being stupid enough to put a case over their sons.

-x-x-x-

Reaching Owen's house, Carlos and TK got out of the car and sadly walked to the front door. Both of them finding it hard to believe that the clothes they wore, and whatever they had left on their lockers at work, were their only material possessions at the moment.

"I already prepared TK's old room," Owen started as he moved to open the door, "but if there's anything missing or anything you want, please let me know."

"That's Mateo's room now, dad," TK said quickly, not wanting to take his friend's room for the second time in three nights.

"Nonsense, TK. That will always be your room," Owen pointed out, "besides, you know how many guest rooms we have. And Mateo was happy to move to one of those and finally have a place to make his own."

"He could have made the other one his own, dad, this is only tempo-" TK's words cut short as soon as the front door opened and his eyes landed on the many bags and boxes occupying his dad's living room. "What's all this?"

"This is all for you, boys," Owen said with a big smile on his face, his arms wide open as he pointed to the room.

"This is too much, Captain Strand, you didn't have to. We can't accept this," Carlos rambled, eyes wide as he took in the sight in front of him.

"I didn't, Officer Reyes. Everyone did," Owen explained proudly, his heart bursting with love because the team that he had put took together not even two years ago had really become a family, always ready to help each other. And whether that was after a shooting, concussion, falling off a bridge, or a house fire, didn't matter; they were just always there for each other. "And call me Owen."

"What do you mean everyone, dad?" TK asked, his expression a lot like Carlos', eyes full of surprise and joy even when some treacherous tears pricked at the corners.

"I mean everyone, TK. That box over there is from Judd and Grace," Owen began, pointing to a different box or bag as his explanation continued. "Paul brought those two bags with Marjan. Those three are from your parents, Carlos. And that big one is from your precinct, Mitchell and your sergeant dropped it off. Nancy and Tommy brought that box on the table, and Mateo bought some groceries he's sure you both like. Those are already on the fridge or kitchen counter."

Carlos and TK looked at each other, both at a complete loss for words. Tears not flowed freely down their faces as they leaned towards each other for a chaste kiss.

"And I got you this," Owen added, grabbing a plain cardboard box with a bow and giving it to TK, "for now. I ordered other things, but they're on the way and should be delivered sometime later this week."

Grabbing the box, TK had a heartbreaking sense of déjà vu as he remembered moving into Carlos' condo a few weeks ago and his dad handing him a similar box. Déjà vu quickly became reality when he opened the box to find another box inside, one for a new blender still in its original packaging.

"It's not Marlon," Owen began, taking a step closer to his son and putting his hand on his shoulder, "but you can name this one together. And I just wanted this to be the first kitchen appliance for your new home." Owen's voice broke at the end, and he had to blink his eyes a few times.

Setting the box on the ground, TK turned to his dad and threw himself into his arms, much like he had done that day back in NY when he OD. His shoulders then started shaking as all the emotions from the last days came pouring out of him. "When we got to the condo I thought we had lost you both, there was just so much fire and smoke already," Owen began softly, his eyes darkening as he remembered the brief moment when it felt like his heart had stopped beating as he came face to face with the inferno that had become his son's home. "I never wanted any of my decisions to trickle down to you, but it happened, TK, and I hate that I can't do anything about it now. My actions cost you and Carlos your home, and I'm just so very sorry." Opening one of his arms, Owen turned to the officer who was standing rooted in place looking at them, his own eyes clouded with tears. "Come here, Carlos."

Not needing to be asked twice, Carlos moved forward and hugged Owen too, his other arm going over TK's back. Not at home, but finally at a place where he felt safe and comforted, so he allowed his tears to fall once again.

When the three men finally broke the embrace, Owen turned to look at the man he hoped was his future son-in-law. "I also need to apologize to you, Carlos. That was your home before you ever opened it to my TK, and I'm sorry my actions took that away from you."

"It's okay, Owen," Carlos said, letting out a little chuckle as Owen smiled widely, and extending his arm to TK and pulling him towards his body, before kissing his temple. "The most important part that made that condo a home is still here with me, so I'm sure we can make another place our home. It will be hard, but we have help," he continued, pointing to all the things their friends had gotten for them. "And, I think my mom already laid into you and my dad because of what happened, so we should cut you guys some slack." Breathing slowly in and out, Carlos made a point to remember those words on Friday night so he could forgive his father too.

"She sure did, Andrea Reyes is a very scary woman, especially when her baby boy is involved," Owen said, laughing as Carlos' cheeks gained some color, "But you're very lucky to have such a strong and loving mother in your corner. You both are. At one point I wondered who was TK's parent because of how fiercely she spoke about you." TK let out a little, nervous chuckle after hearing those words, and his face turned a nice shade of red, but he said nothing.

Silence quickly overtook the room after Owen suggested the boys take a look at the items left for them, TK quickly squealing excitedly as he opened a box to find at least 7 hoodies, all in different colors, and all in his exact size, and various printed button downs with different patterns ranging from Hawaiian to colorful stripes, and dots, which must have been picked out by Marjan or Nancy. And Carlos quickly joined in TK's delight as soon as he looked into a bag from Paul to find a variety of polos and t-shirts, all in various shades of blue, dark green, grey and a couple black ones, along with some sleeveless gym shirts and some shorts. Finally, moving together to a box marked 'From Judd' in black Sharpie, they both frowned taking in its weight. Opening it, TK dropped his hands to his sides, and Carlos' eyes went a shade darker, as they took in the two fire extinguishers stashed inside.

"That one came with a note," Owen called from behind, handing them a small piece of paper.

'One for the kitchen, and one for the bedroom. We're glad you're both okay. PS: Offer still stands to come stay with us if your parents start driving you crazy. Just give me a call or shoot a text. Or even just show up at the door.'

"He must have heard us," TK whispered, choosing to focus on that inconsequential fact than over the enormity of that and this moment.

"Yeah," Carlos said, voice equally low. "I'm still sorry that -"

"Stop," TK interrupted before Carlos could get another word in. "No more apologies, we both already did, and now it's time to move forward." They had talked about it the previous night and both apologized, even when TK knew he was the only one that really needed to be forgiven.

Carlos nodded, grasping TK's hand and pulling him towards the boxes from his parents and coworkers. "Wow." Was his only response as soon as they began opening them, finding a new video game console along with games and an additional controller, various books, some of which were Carlos' favorites, along with new towels, and a couple of sheets for the bed.

"Everyone left receipts too," Owen pointed out, handing them a stash of paper. "Just in case there's something you'd rather exchange."

Taking in the receipts, TK shared a thought that had just occurred to him. "Dad, it's not even noon, and the fire happened last night. When did everyone have time to drop all this?"

"Oh, I'm not exactly sure, but I think the first knock on the door was at 7:30."

"Wow," TK exclaimed now, echoing his boyfriend's comment from a moment ago. "They didn't have to," TK added more to himself than anyone else.

"They didn't" Owen agreed, "but of course they would, you two are family to everyone that came to drop something. And you would have done the same for any and all of them."

"We would," TK and Carlos said in unison, sharing a smile, and then a more passionate kiss as they turned to look at each other.

"And that's my cue to leave." Owen chuckled to himself, already halfway to the kitchen. "I will be here making lunch, you boys just take it easy and relax. But don't be surprised if there's a knock or two on the door, I know a lot of people want to make sure you're both really okay."

Carlos and TK spent the next few hours opening all the boxes and bags, finding more clothes and other personal items, among other things, but true to Owen's words, they were interrupted every half hour or so by someone knocking on the door wanting to see how they were doing. At the end of the day, Carlos and TK not only had a lot of new items under their possession, but a fridge and kitchen counter full of dishes their friends had brought so they didn't have to waste time cooking and instead focused on their hunt for a new home.

"This one seems nice, the complex has a pool and gym," Carlos said later that night, when they had retreated to their room after eating dinner with Owen and Mateo. "What are you doing?" He turned around to show his phone's screen to TK with his newest Zillow discovery and snickered when he saw TK standing in front of the mirror

"Just trying on some of the new outfits," TK replied with the first sincere smile Carlos had seen in the last days, "need to pick something nice to wear to dinner with your parents on Friday." TK and Carlos had spent most of the afternoon thanking people in person or over the phone for their kindness, but now more than ever TK felt infinitely grateful for the gesture and the distraction and hope it had provided. It seemed that when the world was determined to show them how dark it could get, their friends were there to shine their light upon them.

"I like this one," Carlos said, holding a blue and white button down to TK, before turning back to his phone and continuing to browse the app after bookmarking his latest find.

TK nodded and grabbed the shirt, picking an outfit for Carlos to try and throwing it to him with no words but a little smirk on his face.

Not being able to deny his boyfriend anything, Carlos set his phone on the bedside table, and joined TK in front of the mirror. Taking off his shirt so he could try the one TK had selected for him.

TK's eyes darkened as he took in his boyfriend's body and he had to bite his bottom lip to stop it from quivering. "On second thought, I like you better that way," he whispered, taking back the shirt and throwing it onto a chair. Moving his hands to Carlos' hips, he began to run his fingers over every inch of exposed skin. Their lips colliding a second later.

"I can go to the ranch naked, I don't think my mother would approve," Carlos breathed against TK's lips when they parted for breath.

"We can continue playing dress-up tomorrow, but you can be naked for me tonight," TK croaked, his hand on Carlos' wrist as he pulled him towards the bed. "We need to finish what got interrupted yesterday."

"Your dad and Mateo are here," Carlos hissed, but still followed.

"They can just wear headphones," TK said with a smug grin, "besides, they insisted we stay here. What did they think would happen after surviving that fire yesterday? I doubt they thought we would go for a run or the gym to release all this pent-up energy and emotions."

Carlos and TK had survived the fire the night before and today their parents and friends' actions had warmed their hearts, but now it was time to create some heat of their own.

#911 lone star fanfiction #911 lone star #tarlos #tk strand #carlos reyes #owen strand #reyes family #126 crew #coda 2x12 #The Big Heat

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bellakitse · 4 years ago

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can you pls gimme a short version of what happend this ep? i wanna know but i cant watch it until next week 😭

under the read more nonnie.

Billy saves Owen from the fire, Owen makes it to dinner and Gabriel explains he's been following the fires too and also thinks it's arson. He explains it's got to be a firefighter and why. Owen thinks it's Billy.

Gabriel arrests Owen for it, while Billy goes to the arson investigator from last week and says it's Owen.

Carlos has to tell TK about Owen and they get into a fight.

Gabriel questions Owen, makes it seem like he's convinced it's him. The investigator tells Owen he believes him and wants to help, but Gabriel interrupts them and says there is a survivor at the hospital, and when they wake up they will point the finger at Owen.

We see a pair of legs at the hospital, ready to kill the witness when the cops come in and we find out the investigator is the arsonist and that Owen and Gabriel were working together to trap him.

They have in in the interrogation room where he tells them he planned other fires that haven't happened yet and that he is going to take what matters to them before he kills himself.

Owen realizes one of the fires is that the firehouse and calls warning them to get out as the place catches fire.

TK and Carlos have made up and are back home, while Owen is with Judd, Tommy, Billy, and Grace and is still worried because the arsonist said he planned more than one fire.

Owen realizes that when he said he was going to take what he and Gabriel cared about he meant the boys. They rush to TK and Carlos' house, trying to reach them but the boys are upstairs in their bedroom and don't hear the phone.

TK and Carlos are about to make love when TK smells smoke and they realize the house is on fire. They try to find a way out and are about to jump out the window when Owen and Billy come and save them with Judd.

TK and Carlos' place is totally destroyed but the boys are safe and everything seems to be okay but Tommy goes home to find a non-responsive Charles, it seems like he had a stroke or more likely an aneurysm. The episode ends.

Hope that helps nonnie, enjoy the episode when you get to see it.

#anon #ask #911 lone star spoilers

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obvious-captain-rogers · 5 years ago

Text

For Evan Buckley Week Day Three! This was a LOT but I think it’s fun so :)

Prompt: “Please don’t close your eyes” + hurt

It was supposed to be a routine call.

A small kitchen fire that had gotten just this side of out of control.

When they got there, there was a woman with two relatively small children outside, huddled together near the curb despite there not being any imminent danger from the fire. Bobby sent Eddie and Buck into the house to deal with the fire while he talked to the woman and had Chim and Hen look over the small family for any burns or smoke inhalation.

Buck and Eddie had made quick work of the fire, putting it out and turning off all the possible sources. Bobby would have to come in and look around so that he could fill out his incident report. Buck was carrying their tools back out to the truck when Chim came over and patted him on the back. “Hey, the mom was able to get everyone out pretty quickly so there aren’t any injuries. Cap’s given up the go-ahead to head back, but could you stay with her until the cops show up? She seems pretty shaken.” Buck nodded as he shut the compartment on the truck.

“No problem,” Buck said and clapped Chim on the back before making his way over to where the mother and kids were huddled by the curb. Buck smiled at the kids to help put them at ease, neither of them could be over ten years old. There was a boy and a girl, the girl looking like the younger of the two. “Hi,” Buck said a little awkwardly, “I thought I might keep you guys company until the officers arrive to take your statement.”

“Do the police have to come?” She asked with a worried glance around.

“It’s just protocol, ma’am. They’re just going to-” But before Buck could finish, a battered looking car pulled up to the curb, parking lopsidedly, and an irate man was stepping out of the car with a look that made Buck’s blood go cold. The kids backed up as the man stomped toward them, Buck instinctively stepping between the woman and her children and whoever this was- presumably her husband or boyfriend.

“What the hell happened here?” The man demanded harshly, trying to side-step Buck to get to the woman, but Buck simply shifted his weight to continue shielding her.

“Just a small accident, sir,” Buck said as calmly as he could. “No one was hurt and there’s no structural damage.”

“A fire?!” The man snapped once he’d taken in Buck’s turnout gear and the truck parked a little ways down the street. “You set the place on fire? Goddamn it, Lizzie!” The man lunged towards her and Buck took his shoulders and pushed him back the way he’d come. He wasn’t going to let this guy anywhere near Lizzie and her kids.

“Sir, I’m going to need you to stay calm,” Buck said despite wanting to just tell the guy to go to hell and leave this family alone.

“I am fucking calm!” The man shouted at Buck. “Who the hell do you think you are to keep me away from my own wife and children?!” Buck didn’t respond, just clenched his jaw and squared his shoulders.

“Billy, please,” Lizzie said from over Buck’s shoulder. “Just let them do their jobs.” The man looked furious for a moment but then he was stomping back to his car.

Buck turned to face them fully, still shielding both the mother and children from the view of the father. “Hey,” Buck said softly and gave the kids reassuring smiles to help quell the obvious fear in their eyes, “why don’t we go stand by the firetruck and you guys can have a look inside while I talk to your mom? How’s that sound?” The kids looked up at their mother with wide-eyes and she shakily nodded.

Buck put a hand to the small of Lizzie’s back as he walked them away from the house, and where Billy was rifling through the glove compartment of his car, and over to the truck. He let the kids step up and investigate the back before turning to look at Lizzie. “You know you don’t have to let him treat you like that,” Buck said quietly. “You don’t deserve it and you shouldn’t have to live in fear of every night when he comes home.”

“It’s hard… the kids,” she glanced at them and her eyes teared up.

“I get it,” Buck said and glanced over to where the kids were looking at the headsets that they wore in the truck. “My sister, she, um had a similar situation. No kids, but still. I get that it’s not easy, might even seem impossible, but there’s always hope.” Buck patted her arm before climbing into the truck so that he could show the two kids how some of the stuff in the truck worked.

He should have been paying more attention, or maybe he should have just known better than to leave her alone in the first place. Buck glanced out the windshield from where he was pointing out the controls for the sirens to see Billy with a gun in his hand as he walked toward Lizzie, who was watching Buck with the kids and not paying him any attention.

…..

Bobby was just finishing up jotting down some notes, Eddie helping him move some stuff around when need be, when they heard a gunshot. They both exchanged a glance of confusion before they both had the same thought: Buck. Bobby radioed dispatch about shots fired at their location as they made their way outside.

Buck was shielding the woman, his body all but wrapped around hers as he crowded her back against the truck, while the children were safely inside of it. Bobby was going to say something, try to convince the man to put down the gun before anyone got hurt, when Eddie jumped in. His Army training must have taken over as he expertly wrestled the gun out of the man’s hand and pinned him face-down into the pavement with his arms twisted behind his back.

Thankfully, that was when the officers arrived, an ambulance not far behind it. Bobby hadn’t even heard their sirens.

“Cap,” Buck’s voice brought Bobby’s eyes over to him. He’d stepped away from the truck but he didn’t seem right. His face was a little pale and he seemed to be unsteady. “I think I’ve been shot.” And with that Buck staggered backwards and collapsed into the grass. Bobby’s heart kicked up in his chest as he made his way over to where Buck was laying.

“Buck!” Bobby shouted as he knelt down and went into firefighter mode. He needed to think of Buck as another citizen, not the kid that he’d watched- and had a hand in- grow up. He found where the bullet had gone in and out, though it was at an angle that Bobby wasn’t sure he’d seen in a gunshot before. The paramedics came over and Bobby took a step back to let them work.

One of the paramedics lifted her radio to her mouth. “We’ve got an incoming GSW to the upper left quadrant with-” The paramedic continued but Bobby felt like he couldn’t hear any of it. Not until he heard his name.

“Bobby, are they okay?” Buck asked, his voice coming out small and pained as he pushed the oxygen mask away from his face.

Bobby couldn’t say he was surprised by Buck’s priorities, but he was definitely exasperated by them. “Yeah, kid, they’re fine. Everyone’s fine except for you, so quite fighting the paramedics. Alright?” Bobby crouched down and tapped his fingers against Buck’s shoulder.

“Yeah,” Buck said and he let out a breath that made Bobby’s protective instincts flair up. It didn’t sound right.

“Are you going to ride with him?” One of the paramedics asked and Bobby nodded without hesitation. He wasn’t going to leave Buck alone, not until he had to. “We better get going now then.” Bobby stepped back so that they could lift Buck up onto the gurney and wheel him into the ambulance.

Bobby turned to where Eddie had been handing off the man- now in cuffs- to the officers. “Call Maddie and tell her what’s happened, then I want you to take the truck back to the station and call in the next shift and see if they can come in early to cover.” Eddie nodded and he sent a look over to where they were loading Buck up. “You gonna be able to handle that?” Bobby asked.

“Yeah, of course,” Eddie said and straightened his shoulders. “Go with Buck, Cap. I’ve got this.” Eddie turned and he started speaking with the woman and her kids.

“Captain Nash, we need to go!” The paramedics called and Bobby nodded and climbed into the back of the ambulance.

“I thought we agreed that you weren’t gonna take anymore trips in the back of one of these,” Bobby joked and settled his elbows on his knees so he could lean forward to where Buck would be able to see him.

“Sorry, Cap,” Buck said and he sounded genuinely ashamed of himself.

“Hey,” Bobby said and slipped his hand into Buck’s to give it a gentle squeeze. “You did good, alright? You protected those people. I just wish that I didn’t have to see you like this.”

Buck quirked a smile under his oxygen mask and tugged at Bobby’s hand weakly. “Such a dad.”

“Something like that,” Bobby said with a smile of his own. It quickly slipped off his face as Buck’s eyes slipped shut sluggishly and didn’t open. “Buck, come on you know the drill.” Buck didn’t stir. “Please don’t close your eyes, kid.”

A moment later there was a sharp beeping and Bobby was having to lean back to let the paramedics work.

…..

Athena came down to the hospital as soon as she was free, and she found Bobby in the one place that she was sure she would find him- the chapel. She settled silently at Bobby’s side as he prayed, his eyes closed and his hands folded in his lap.

They sat in that silence for a while until Bobby took a deep breath and opened his eyes tiredly. “Hey.”

“Hey, yourself,” Athena said and wrapped an arm around Bobby’s shoulders, rubbing his arm reassuringly. “How’re you holding up?”

“No matter how many times I’ve had to come in here,” Bobby said with a heavy sigh, “I never get any better at the waiting part. I just… he’s so young, Athena.”

Athena hummed and she leaned in to press a kiss against the side of Bobby’s head. “Yes, he is. But he’s strong too. He’s fought harder than anyone else I know, and he’s never gonna quit. He’s too stubborn for that.”

Bobby let out a short laugh and nodded, a smile pulling at his features. “That he is.” He rubbed a hand over his face before pinching his nose. “All I keep thinking is that if Eddie or I were out there with him-”

“It might have been both of you instead of just Buck. Not that it makes it better, but then who would be praying for Buckaroo’s soul?” It was light and teasing and it made Bobby roll his eyes, so Athena took it as a win. “Come on, let’s grab coffee for everyone and see if there’s been any updates. We can come right back here if you want.” Bobby nodded and stood, slipping his hand into Athena’s as they made their way out of the chapel and down towards the exit. Over the years they’d both learned that hospital coffee was not to be trusted.

…..

Maddie tapped her fingers against the arm of her chair distractedly. She’d been in the hospital waiting to hear if Buck was going to pull through way too many times. It made her remember why she was a dispatcher instead of returning to nursing.

“Evan Buckley?”

Maddie and the entire 118’s heads snapped up in unison. She stood and hurried over to the nurse with her hands twisting at the hem of her sweater nervously. “I’m his sister,” Maddie said.

“Mr. Buckley has pulled through. His surgery went smoothly, the only tricky part being that the bullet ricocheted off his rib and the surgeon wanted to be sure there were no bone fragments embedded in his lung. Thankfully, this wasn’t the case. In fact, it seems like the bullet’s path actually saved his life. He should make a full recovery, though with the fracture in his rib it may take a while. Another nurse will come out when they’ve got him settled in a room.” The nurse gave Maddie a smile before going back to the nurse’s station.

Maddie let out a breath and nodded. When she turned to look, the 118 were all looking pretty relieved besides Bobby and Eddie. “He’s going to be okay,” Maddie said to them despite knowing that they’d already heard.

“Of course he is, he’s still got like five lives left,” Hen joked and knocked her shoulder against Chim’s. Chim snorted and shook his head.

“Kid’s certainly got at least luck on his side,” Chim said as he moved to wrap an arm around Maddie’s shoulders.

Hen checked her watch and winced. “I should get home. Karen’s been at home with Denny and Nia all day and I’m sure that she’s gonna need a break soon.”

“Yeah, of course,” Maddie said and hugged Hen before she left.

“You call if you need a thing,” Hen said and leveled Maddie with one of her- as Buck called them- Big Sister Looks.

“I know,” Maddie said with a warm smile. “I’ll tell Buck that you’re thinking about him.” Hen nodded and she made the rounds to tell everyone good-bye, lingering a bit at Eddie’s side, before walking out.

…..

Maddie and Bobby had walked in together to check in on Buck the moment that they’d gotten Buck settled in his room. He was still completely out from the anesthesia and the doctor, when he came in to update Maddie, didn’t think that he would anytime soon.

“Thank you,” Maddie said with a tired smile, her exhaustion catching up to her. She moved to sit in the chair beside Buck’s bed and she scrubbed a hand over her face.

“He’s a tough kid,” Bobby said and put his hand on Buck’s shin, his thumb sweeping over the hospital blanket.

“That he is,” Maddie said and propped her cheek against her fist, settling in for a long wait. She wasn’t sure she could go home and rest easily knowing that Buck would wake up in the hospital alone.

“I’m going to let Eddie come in here before he paces a hole in the waiting room floor,” Bobby said with a short laugh. “Then I’ll probably head home with Athena.”

“Right,” Maddie said. “Goodnight, Bobby, and thank you for being with him.”

Bobby nodded. “Of course, and not that I need to tell you this, but if you need-”

“Anything,” Maddie finished, “I will call. I promise.” Bobby looked at Buck one last time before he stepped out. “You better wake up soon, Evan. You’ve got people waiting for you.” She leaned forward to brush a stray hair back into place.

Eddie came in tentatively not long after Bobby left and he seemed nervous as he hovered near the edge of Buck’s bed. “I can bring some things from his apartment, so he doesn’t drive you up the wall. To keep him occupied,” Eddie said abruptly after a minute.

“I’d appreciate it, but if it’s too much trouble-”

“No trouble at all,” Eddie said, cutting Maddie off. “And whenever you need a break, I can sit with him.” Eddie didn’t look at her when he said it, just kept his focus on Buck. Maddie watched him contemplatively for a while before nodding.

“I may take you up on that,” she sighed and settled in for a long night. “But for now, go home and get some rest. He’s not going to be up anytime soon and I’m fine to stay overnight with him.”

Eddie shifted on his feet restlessly before ducking his head. “Yeah. I’ve got to figure out to tell Chris that Buck’s in the hospital, again.” He ran a hand over his face. “And how to talk him out of coming up here so Buck can get the rest he needs.”

“Good luck with that,” Maddie laughed lightly. “Christopher definitely has a stubborn streak when he makes up his mind about what he wants.”

“You’re telling me,” Eddie snorted. “Night, Maddie.”

“Night, Eddie. I’ll call you if he wakes up.” Eddie seemed to relax a little at that as he waved and shuffled his way reluctantly to the door. Maddie cracked a smile and shifted in her chair. “He’s got it bad for you, you know that?” She shook her head and fussed with Buck’s blanket before leaning back in the chair.

…..

Maddie went to go and get coffee for her and Eddie. He’d shown up once he’d dropped Christopher off at school. He’d brought the book from Buck’s bedside table as well as one of those books of brain teasers that Buck had enjoyed the last time he’d been stuck in the hospital despite Maddie telling him that Buck still hadn’t woken up.

She was making her way back and she stopped just outside the door. She could hear Eddie talking and part of her wondered if Buck had woken up in the time she’d been gone, but when she stood in the doorway, Buck’s eyes were still closed and Eddie was just talking to him quietly in Spanish as he held onto Buck’s hand. “Necesito que te despiertes, Buck. Christopher no puede verte así y ya te está extrañando como loco.” His smile was a little strained as he stroked his thumb over the back of Buck’s hand softly. It made Maddie’s chest ache to realize how much Eddie adored her brother. “Y si no te despiertas, no podré decirte que te amo. Incluso si eres un idiota y te disparan tratando de ser un héroe.”

“They say talking helps,” Maddie said and she couldn’t help but laugh as Eddie jumped and pulled his hands away from Buck’s.

“Maddie, I-”

“Don’t worry, Eddie. He’s the only Buckley that speaks Spanish,” Maddie said and held out the coffee in her hand. He took it and cradled it between his hands sheepishly. “But I think I get the gist.”

“I-” Maddie held up her hand to forestall whatever it was that he was about to say.

“You don’t have to explain anything to me. I like you, Eddie. I really do, but more important is what Buck thinks and how he feels. He’s a big boy that can make his own decisions.” Maddie shrugged. She could put Eddie out of his misery and just tell him that Buck is head over heels for him, but she wasn’t going to take that away from Buck. It was his secret to keep or tell as he chose.

“Right,” Eddie said and took a drink of his coffee to keep from having to talk.

“Is Christopher coming after school?” Maddie asked as she took a drink.

“Yeah,” Eddie said and he sighed heavily, though it was immensely fond. “He swears that he won’t be scared and that seeing Buck will make Buck ‘all better’. I tried telling him that it was more complicated than that, but he refused to listen. Abuela’s going to bring him by.”

“Good.”

Both of them jumped to hear Buck’s voice- though raspy and a little weak. “Hey, brother,” Eddie said and hastily put his coffee cup aside so he could stand and smooth a hand over Buck’s hair. “Had us worried there for a bit.”

“I know,” Buck said and he winced as he tried to shift a little. Eddie helped him settle a little more upright and Buck, to Maddie’s surprise, didn’t protest a bit. “Thanks.” Buck went to lift his hand to scrub over his face but he winced at the pull from his stitches and dropped it into his lap with a hiss.

“Are you in pain?” Maddie asked. “I could call a nurse in.” Buck waved his other hand.

“It’s not that bad, really. I mean, it hurts, but I don’t want any more pain meds. They make me loopy if I’m awake or they just knock me out.” Buck frowned a little as he clearly was trying to think. “I don’t really remember what happened. I remember being shot but…” Buck’s frowned deepened. “Was everyone okay?”

“Yeah, Buck,” Eddie said and gave him a soft smile. “Everyone was fine, thanks to you.” Buck blushed under Eddie’s praise and he smiled down at his lap. “But if you ever do something like that again, I’m pretty sure Cap’s gonna kill you. And he’ll be the first in a very long line.”

“A very long line,” Maddie confirmed.

Buck huffed indignantly and he leaned back against his pillows as he rolled his eyes. “I did what anyone else would have done.”

Maddie laughed as Eddie and Buck started bickering back and forth. It soothed her fears about whether or not Buck was going to be alright. If he was up for joking and not-so-subtle flirting with Eddie, he was going to be just fine.

#my writing #evanweek2020 #ew2020 #evan buckley #eddie diaz #bobby nash #captain bobby nash #chimney han #howard han #howie han #hen wilson #henrietta wilson #maddie buckley #maddie buckley kendall #911 fox #911 fic #911 fanfic #buddie #it's sort of buddie tbh because it's not est but it's there

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