#glen powell x oc

[crossfandomskylines]

In the Space Between: Chapter 26

OTHER CHAPTERS:

Chapter 1 I Chapter 2 I Chapter 3 I Chapter 4 I Chapter 5

Chapter 6 I Chapter 7 I Chapter 8 I Chapter 9 I Chapter 10

Chapter 11 I Chapter 12 I Chapter 13 I Chapter 14 I Chapter 15

Chapter 16 I Chapter 17 I Chapter 18 I Chapter 19 I Chapter 20

Chapter 21 I Chapter 22 I Chapter 23 I Chapter 24 I Chapter 25

Pairing: Glen Powell x OC

Summary: As Gabby arrives in Austin, excitement and nerves swirl as she prepares to introduce Glen to her father, Mike, and her uncle, Joe. Tensions run high at first with Mike’s protective instincts kicking in, but Glen remains steady under pressure. Over the course of the evening, Mike observes Glen not just through conversation, but through the way he interacts with his family and, most importantly with Gabby. Later, Mike takes Glen aside for the classic "dad talk," testing his intentions and ultimately finding himself surprisingly impressed.

Warnings: Mild Family Tension (Protective Father), Mild Intimidation ("Dad Talk"), Mentions of Grief & Deceased Parent, Mild Alcohol Use (Social Drinking)

Word Count: 4.4k

Gabby stepped off the jet bridge, adjusting the strap of her bag over her shoulder. The warm Texas air hit her as soon as she entered the terminal, a stark contrast to the cooler breeze she’d left behind in Los Angeles that morning. Even though she’d been looking forward to this trip for weeks, a mix of excitement and nerves settled deep in her chest.

She spotted them instantly, first her dad, Mike, standing near the baggage claim with his arms crossed his stance effortlessly exuding protective father energy. Next to him Uncle Joe leaned casually against a pillar scrolling through his phone, completely unbothered.

As soon as Mike saw her, his expression softened. “There’s my girl,” he said, pulling her into a hug that nearly lifted her off her feet.

Gabby laughed, hugging him back. “Missed you too, Dad.”

Joe grinned as he pocketed his phone. “Hey, kiddo.” He leaned in, kissing her temple. “How was the flight?”

“Long,” she admitted. “But worth it.”

Mike raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? And how much of that has to do with seeing us and how much has to do with seeing this guy?”

Gabby sighed. “Here we go.”

Joe chuckled. “Oh, he’s been dying to ask about Glen since we got in the car.”

Mike ignored the comment, picking up her carry on like it weighed nothing. “So, what’s this guy like? Should I be worried?”

Gabby rolled her eyes. “No, you shouldn’t be worried.”

He gave her a look. “That’s exactly what a daughter would say if she didn’t want her dad to be worried.”

Joe shook his head. “Mike, the man flies fighter jets in movies and wears cowboy hats. He’s probably fine.”

Mike grunted. “We’ll see.”

As they started walking toward the exit, Gabby sighed, deciding it was best to get ahead of this now.

“Listen,” she said, looking up at her dad. “Just… be nice, okay? No interrogation, no intimidation. I actually like him, and I don’t need you scaring him off.”

Mike smirked but didn’t make any promises. “I’ve got to make sure this guy is good enough for my little girl. If he can’t handle a little conversation with me than maybe he ain’t the one sweetheart.”

Gabby groaned. “Oh my God, please don’t say things like that when you meet him.”

Joe laughed as he slung an arm around Gabby’s shoulders. “I cannot wait for this.”

The drive out to Glen’s place was filled with long stretches of open land, rolling fields, and the occasional herd of cattle lazily grazing beneath the sun. It was a stark contrast to Los Angeles, and yet, Gabby had grown to love it from just the one other time she’d been here.

She glanced down at her phone, fingers hovering over the screen before finally sending a quick warning text.

Gabby: We’re five minutes out. Please don’t be weird.

The three dots appeared almost immediately.

Glen: Define weird?

She huffed out a laugh, shaking her head.

Gabby: Just be normal. My dad is already skeptical.

Glen: Noted. Normal cowboy mode activated.

She rolled her eyes, slipping her phone into her lap just as the truck turned down the gravel road leading to Glen’s ranch.

As soon as the house came into view, Gabby spotted him. Glen stood on the front step, hands resting in his pockets, watching as they pulled up. Casual but put together in worn jeans, a fitted T-shirt, and boots that had clearly seen a day’s work. His hair was a little messier than usual, the late afternoon light making the golden strands even more noticeable. He looked ridiculously good, and her heart jumped into her throat at the sight of him.

Before Mike had even fully parked, Gabby threw open her door and practically launched herself out of the truck.

“Could’ve waited for me to at least turn it off,” she heard her dad mutter behind her, but she didn’t slow down.

Glen’s grin was instant the second he saw her, his arms open just in time for her to jump into him, wrapping her legs around his waist.

“Hey,” she breathed, hands threading through his hair as he caught her effortlessly.

“Hey,” he murmured back, holding her just a little tighter than necessary.

He spun her once before setting her down, but even when her feet touched the ground, he didn’t let go right away. His hands rested on her waist, hers on his chest, their eyes locked.

Gabby barely registered the sound of the truck doors closing behind her. It had been a month since she’d seen him in person which was too long. And judging by the way Glen’s fingers tightened on her hips for just a second, she knew he felt the same.

He tilted his head, dipping slightly not quite kissing her, but hovering close enough that her breath caught. It was a little more than PG, but still okay.

A pointed throat clearing from behind them.

Glen pulled back like he’d just been caught committing a felony. Gabby whipped around, finding her dad standing there, arms crossed, face unreadable. Her uncle, on the other hand, was barely containing his amusement.

Glen recovered quickly, his easy charm slipping back into place as he stepped forward, offering his hand.

“It’s really great to finally meet you, sir.” His tone was polite, confident, but not forced.

Mike took the handshake, firm, unyielding. “We’ll see about that.”

Gabby groaned internally.

Joe, ever the peacemaker, grinned as he shook Glen’s hand next. “Ignore him. He’s just mad Gabby didn’t tell him she was dating a movie star sooner.”

“I wasn’t hiding him,” Gabby defended. “I was just—”

“Delaying the interrogation?” Glen finished for her, smirking slightly.

Mike narrowed his eyes. “Smart man.”

Joe laughed. “Oh, this is gonna be fun.”

Glen didn’t hesitate. He grabbed Gabby’s carry on with one hand and rested his other hand lightly on the small of her back, guiding her up the porch steps.

“Come on in,” he said easily, glancing at Mike and Joe. “Make yourselves at home.”

Inside, the warm scent of home-cooked food filled the air, mixing with the faint crackle of music playing in the background. Gabby instantly recognized the lively hum of conversation. Glen’s family was already here.

As soon as they stepped inside, Cyndy appeared from the kitchen, her face lighting up.

“There she is!” she said warmly, pulling Gabby into a familiar hug.

Gabby sank into it, smiling. “Hi, Cyndy.”

“Glad you made it in okay, sweetheart” Cyndy said before pulling back, giving glen a knowing once-over. “This one’s been counting down the minutes.”

Gabby glanced at Glen, amused as he shook his head. “You didn’t have to tell her that, mom.”

“Sweetheart, you’re not subtle,” Cyndy teased before turning toward Mike and Joe.

“You must be Gabby’s dad,” she said, offering Mike a warm handshake. “Welcome.”

Mike took her hand, nodding. “Thanks for having us.”

“Of course! We’ve heard a lot about you,” Cyndy said with a smile before glancing at Joe. “And you must be the uncle we’ve heard about!”

“Hopefully all good things,” Joe said, grinning as he shook her hand.

Leslie and Lauren entered next, both already smirking.

“Well, well,” Leslie said, arms crossed. “Look who’s back.”

Lauren grinned, nudging Gabby. “Still putting up with our brother I see.”

Leslie turned toward Mike and Joe. “Welcome, y’all. Hope Texas is treating you well.”

Before they could respondGlen’s dad, Glen Sr. stepped forward, offering Mike a firm handshake.

“Good to have y’all here,” he said, his deep Texas drawl evident. “Hope the trip wasn’t too bad.”

Mike met his handshake evenly. “Not bad at all.”

Joe, on the other hand, grinned and clapped Glen Sr. on the back. “I gotta say, I feel like I already like you.”

“Oh?” Glen Sr. raised an eyebrow.

Joe nodded. “Because the second I walked in, your wife hugged my niece like she was already family, and your daughters are roasting your son. Reminds me of what happens when some of our family gets together.”

Leslie smirked. “It’s our love language.”

Glen sighed. “Again, we’re done with that.”

Lauren grinned. “Sure, birthday boy.”

Gabby laughed, feeling a little overwhelmed but in the best way. The Powells were so effortlessly welcoming, loud, and full of energy. Still, she snuck a glance at her dad, wondering how he was taking all of this in.

Mike, to his credit, didn’t seem rattled. But there was a carefulness to his expression, like he was still taking stock of everything.

Glen, sensing the moment, gave a nod toward the hall. “Let me show y’all around.”

He led them through the house, giving them the full rundown.

“This is nice,” Joe said, whistling. “I see why you left LA.”

Glen nodded, hands in his pockets. “Yeah. Always knew I’d come back here.”

The late afternoon had settled into one of those perfect Texas evenings warm but breezy, the kind that made you want to sit outside for hours. As the group stepped onto the deck, the scent of smoked barbecue lingered in the air, mixing with the laughter and easy conversation of Glen’s family and friends.

A few people were already gathered some of Glen’s childhood friends, a couple of his college friends, and even a few Gabby recognized from L.A. all blending seamlessly with his family.

Glen Sr. had already settled into one of the Adirondack chairs, bourbon in hand, looking completely at ease. When he saw Mike and Joe, he gestured toward the open seats nearby.

“Y’all drink bourbon?”

Joe grinned. “Is that even a real question?”

Glen Sr. chuckled and leaned forward, grabbing a bottle from the small table beside him. The label was slightly worn, the kind of bottle that had been aged and saved for special occasions. He poured three glasses neat and handed them over.

Mike took his glass, hesitating for half a second before nodding in approval. “Alright. Let’s see what Texas has to offer.”

Glen Sr. smirked. “Careful now. This one’s got a bite.”

They clinked glasses, and Gabby watched in mild disbelief as her dad took a sip, let it sit for a second, then gave an approving nod.

“Not bad,” Mike admitted.

Joe took a sip, letting out a satisfied sigh. “Damn, that’s smooth.”

Glen Sr. grinned, clearly pleased. “Good. Now that we got that settled tell me, Mike, are you one of those fair-weather football fans, or do you actually know the game?”

Gabby blinked.

Her dad tilted his head. “Oh, I know the game. Played a bit of it in college back in the day.”

Glen Sr. raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Longhorns fan?”

Mike scoffed. “Bulldogs, actually.”

A collective groan came from the group.

Glen, from across the deck, shook his head. “Well, this just got interesting.”

Glen Sr. leaned back, swirling his drink. “I should’ve known. You’ve got that stubborn energy.”

Joe smirked. “Oh, you have no idea.”

The conversation naturally rolled from football to old rivalries, and even a few dad jokes that made Gabby physically cringe.

She sipped her drink, watching her father who had walked in here prepared to be skeptical now looking completely at ease, talking to Glen’s dad like they’d known each other for years.

Joe elbowed her lightly, chuckling. “Well, that was unexpected.”

Gabby shook her head, still processing the sight in front of her. “Yeah, I thought I’d have to drag him here.”

Joe grinned. “Looks like you might have to drag him away from here instead.”

The evening soon settled into a comfortable lull. The fire pit crackled low, drinks were being refilled, and conversations had broken off into smaller groups.

Gabby was deep in conversation with Leslie and Lauren when Mike noticed Glen standing alone near the edge of the deck, watching the night sky. Mike took a sip of his bourbon, then set his glass down with quiet finality. 

He crossed the deck, coming to stand beside Glen. “You serious about her?”

The question landed like a weight in the quiet space between them.

Glen turned fully to face Mike, no hesitation. “Yes, sir. I am.”

Mike studied him, his expression unreadable. “Serious is a strong word.”

Glen nodded, choosing his words carefully. “I know it’s only been a few months, and I get why that might seem fast. But I’ve never felt like this about anyone before.”

Mike exhaled, taking a slow sip of his bourbon. “You know, I’ve been around long enough to recognize when a guy’s just saying what he thinks a dad wants to hear.”

Glen met his gaze evenly. “I’d expect nothing less. But it’s not just words, sir. I mean it.”

Mike gave him a long, measuring look before leaning against the deck railing. “Alright then. Since it seems like you’re going to be around…at least for a while, might as well get to know you.”

Glen perked up slightly, a little surprised but open.

“Let’s start simple what do you do when you’re not making movies?” Mike asked. “What’s your thing?”

A small, easy grin tugged at the corner of Glen’s mouth. “Planes.”

Mike raised an eyebrow. “Planes?”

“Yeah.” Glen leaned against the railing too, suddenly more relaxed, more in his element. “I’ve been obsessed with them since I was a kid. I got my pilot’s license a few years ago. Any chance I get I’m up in the air.”

Mike hummed, genuinely intrigued now. “Commercial or just for fun?”

“Just for fun.” Glen shrugged. “I love the freedom of it. No cameras, no scripts just the sky and me. It’s kind of my escape when I need to get away.”

Mike nodded slowly, seemingly satisfied with that answer. “Alright. That’s actually pretty cool.”

Glen smirked. “Thanks. High praise coming from you.”

Mike side-eyed him, fighting a smirk of his own. “Don’t push it, kid.”

Mike swirled the bourbon in his glass. “So, movies. That the plan all along?”

Glen chuckled. “Yeah. It’s all I ever wanted to do since I was a little kid. Liked entertaining people.”

Mike raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

Glen exhaled. “I went to school at UT here in Austin. But I dropped out when acting took off. At the time, it felt like the right move.”

Mike’s expression didn’t shift much, but Glen felt the weight of his silence.

“So you never finished?” Mike asked after a beat.

Glen hesitated before shaking his head. “Not yet. But I’m working on it.”

Mike’s eyes flicked to him. “Yeah?”

Glen nodded. “I’ve been taking online classes to finish my degree. It’s a slow process, but it’s important to me. I want to finish what I started.”

Mike’s lips pressed together, considering. “That’s good to hear.”

And Glen could tell he meant it.

Mike sighed, shifting the glass in his hands. “Gabby’s been through a lot. She’s worked hard for the life she has. The last thing I want is for her to be an afterthought in yours.”

Glen’s jaw tightened slightly, his easy charm fading into something steadier, something real. “She’s not,” he said firmly. “I would never let her be.”

Mike took a slow breath. “You’ve got a big life, Glen. A flashy one. It’s a lot of attention, a lot of pressure. You’re used to it, but Gabby? She never wanted to be in the spotlight.”

“I know,” Glen admitted. “And I’m not gonna pretend to understand exactly what that feels like for her. But I do know that whatever she needs, whatever makes this easier I’ll do it. I don’t care if that means keeping things private, changing my schedule, or slowing down if I have to. She comes first.”

Mike studied him for a long moment. Finally, he gave a small, slow nod. “Good,” he said. “Because she deserves that.”

Glen nodded back. “I know she does.”

Mike tilted his head slightly. “And you? You deserve her?”

Glen swallowed, but his voice was steady. “I hope so. I’ll admit I have my flaws, but I really do my best to be good for her.”

Mike sat with that answer. It was the best one Glen could have given.

The evening had cooled, but the Texas heat still lingered in the air, softened by the breeze rolling across the open land. The sky was deep blue now, speckled with the first signs of stars, and the backyard was alive with movement laughter, quick footsteps, playful shouts carried through the night.

Mike stood on the edge of the deck, bourbon in hand, watching.

Below, a game of family football had broken out. It had started as a simple game of catch between Glen and his nephew, but then his sisters jumped in, then his mom got involved, and before long, Gabby with that fire in her eyes Mike knew all too well had grabbed the ball and challenged Glen to stop her.

That had been it. Now it was chaos in the best way. Glen’s dad stood a few feet away, watching the game with a lazy kind of amusement, shaking his head every so often at whatever stunt his son was pulling.

Mike, however, wasn’t looking at the game anymore. He was looking at Glen. And the way he was with his family. The way he let his nephew tackle him to the ground, even though he could’ve dodged easily. The way he high-fived his niece after she faked him out and scored. The way he laughed with his sisters, completely unfiltered, comfortable.

And then there was Gabby. Mike’s grip on his glass tightened slightly as he observed the little things. The way Glen’s eyes landed on her, even when she wasn’t paying attention. The way he looked at her, like she was the only thing in the world that mattered.

Gabby was sprinting down the yard, ball in hand, her expression all determination and mischief. Glen caught up in a few easy strides, grabbed her around the waist, and lifted her off the ground, spinning her around to stop her.

Gabby’s laughter rang out, her head thrown back against his shoulder, completely unguarded. Mike felt something tighten in his chest. He hadn’t seen her laugh like that in a long time.

Mike hadn’t realized how quiet he’d gone until Joe appeared at his side, hands in his pockets, following his line of sight.

For a few beats, Joe just watched. Then, smirking, he let out a soft chuckle. “So,” he said casually, “you like him.”

Mike scoffed, not looking away. “Didn’t say that.”

Joe hummed, taking a sip of his drink. “Right. You’re just standing here watching them with a smile on your face.”

Mike exhaled sharply through his nose, shaking his head. “He’s a good guy.”

Joe grinned. “Knew it.”

Mike rolled his shoulders, setting his glass down on the railing, jaw tightening slightly. “It’s just…” He sighed. “She’s my little girl, Joe.”

Joe nodded. “Yeah.”

Mike kept his eyes on Gabby on the way she and Glen moved together without even realizing it. The way Glen reached for her hand instinctively when she stumbled. The way Gabby swatted at him playfully, but never pulled away.

“She’s all grown up,” Mike said quietly.

Joe gave him a look. “You knew it was coming.”

Mike let out a slow breath. “Doesn’t make it easier.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The fire crackled in the background, the sounds of Gabby laughing as Glen spun her again filtering up from the yard.

Then Joe, a little softer this time, asked, “What do you think Michelle would’ve thought of him?”

Mike huffed out a quiet laugh, shaking his head.

“Oh, she’d have loved him.”

Joe chuckled. “Yeah?”

Mike turned, finally looking at his brother. “I mean, look at him. Charismatic, good with people, big personality, damn good smile. She would’ve liked him even more than Gabby does.”

Joe laughed shaking his head. “You might be right about that.”

Mike exhaled, a mix of amusement and something heavier sitting in his chest.

“She always said Gabby needed someone who could keep up with her,” Mike murmured. “Someone who wouldn’t try to dim that fire she’s got.”

Joe watched him carefully. “And?”

Mike finally looked back at the yard at Glen and Gabby, still wrapped up in their game, still looking at each other like nothing else existed.

“And I think she found him.”

Joe smiled, clinking his glass against Mike’s. “Guess that means you better start being nice to him.”

Mike scoffed. “Not a chance.”

Joe laughed, shaking his head. “Come on, you can’t be too hard on the kid.”

Mike just smirked, watching as Gabby tackled Glen to the ground.

Maybe he was being a little hard on Glen. But he was her dad. And it was his job to keep this kid on his toes.

Out on the lawn, the game had somehow turned even more competitive. Glen had the ball now, holding it just out of reach as Gabby circled him, eyes narrowed in determination.

“Oh, come on,” she taunted, hands on her hips. “What, you scared I’ll take you down?”

Glen smirked, spinning the ball between his hands. “Not scared. Just trying to figure out if it’s even fair to make you lose twice in one night.”

Leslie snorted from across the yard. “Glen, you’re talking a lot of shit for someone about to get absolutely wrecked.”

Gabby grinned. “Exactly.”

Glen just arched a brow, playing it cool. “Alright then. Come and get it.”

And that was all she needed. Gabby launched herself at him, fast and determined, catching him by surprise. Glen had half a second to react before she tackled him full force, sending them both tumbling to the grass. The ball slipped from his grip as they hit the ground, Gabby’s triumphant laugh ringing out into the night.

Pinned beneath her, Glen let out a dramatic groan. “Oh, so that’s how we’re playing, huh?”

Gabby grinned, straddling his waist, her hands planted on his chest. “You said to come and get it.”

Glen tilted his head, lips quirking up. “Should’ve been more specific.”

She laughed, and it was that sound the one that was easy and full and real that made Mike’s chest tighten again.

From the deck, Mike just shook his head, sipping his drink, watching it all unfold.

Joe, still standing beside him, let out a low whistle. “Man, she got him good.”

Mike smirked, unable to deny it. “Yeah. She did.”

And what was more surprising?

Glen let her win. He could’ve held onto the ball longer, could’ve stopped her from taking him down—but he hadn’t.

Because winning wasn’t the point for him. Gabby was.

Out on the grass, Gabby finally pushed herself up, still grinning like she’d won the Super Bowl.

“Alright, get up, old man,” she teased, reaching down.

Glen huffed, grabbing her hand. “I am in peak athletic form, thank you very much.”

She snorted. “Sure you are.”

Glen let her help pull him up, but instead of letting go right away, his hands brushed along her arms, then instinctively down to her waist, steadying her.

It was subtle. Effortless. Like holding onto her was something he didn’t even have to think about.

Gabby tilted her head up at him, still catching her breath, her smile softer now. For a second, it was like the whole game had disappeared. Just the two of them, standing there in the glow of the string lights, eyes locked, bodies close.

Then, Glen dusted grass off her arms, his touch lingering for just a beat too long.

“Can’t have you getting all dirty,” he murmured.

Gabby rolled her eyes, but she didn’t pull away.

From the deck, Mike watched it all. The way Glen looked at her. The way Gabby leaned into him without even thinking about it. The way they just fit.

Joe, who had also caught the moment, nudged Mike’s arm. “Well,” he said, “if you weren’t already coming around to him, that right there should seal the deal.”

Mike didn’t say anything at first. He just took another slow sip of his drink, exhaling through his nose.

Then, quietly, he admitted, “Yeah.”

Joe grinned. “Knew it.”

Mike shook his head, watching as Glen tugged Gabby back toward the game, their hands brushing as they walked.

“She’s all grown up, Joe.”

Joe nodded, his voice softer this time. “Yeah. She is.”

And as much as it ached in a way Mike wasn’t sure he was ready for, he also knew she was happy. And at the end of the day, wasn’t that what mattered most?

The football game had finally settled into easy conversation, the competitive energy fading into the comfortable hum of a warm Texas night.

Mike glanced at his watch, exhaling. “Alright, we should probably head out.”

Joe stretched, rolling his shoulders. “Yeah, wouldn’t want the old man to get too cranky.”

Mike shot him a look but didn’t argue. As they stood from their seats, Glen Sr. stepped forward, already reaching for the bourbon bottle on the table.

“Well, since you both held your own tonight,” he said, pouring a slow sip into his glass, “I’d say y’all are welcome back for another round tomorrow.”

Mike raised an eyebrow. “That an invitation?”

Glen Sr. smirked. “More of a challenge.”

Joe grinned. “Now that’s something we can’t turn down.”

Mike huffed, but there was no real protest behind it. “Fine. But don’t water it down just ‘cause I’m the new guy.”

Glen Sr. chuckled. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

As they stepped toward the truck, Mike paused, turning to Glen.

For a second, it felt like a test all over again. Then Mike looked him in the eye, his voice calm, steady. “Take care of her.”

Glen didn’t hesitate. “I will.”

And Mike must’ve believed him, because he gave a slow nod before turning to get in the truck. Glen stood there, watching the taillights disappear down the gravel road, only letting out a breath once they were gone.

Glen exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I think that went okay.”

Gabby let out a laugh, stepping up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

“Yeah,” she murmured against his chest. “I think it did.”

Glen draped his arms over her shoulders, pressing his chin lightly to the top of her head, holding her close.

“So,” he said, voice teasing now, “does this mean your dad actually likes me? Or is he just tolerating me.”

Gabby pulled back just enough to grin up at him. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

Glen smirked. “Guess I’ll just have to keep winning him over, then.”

Gabby shook her head, laughing softly.

[mlqueen89]

Six Sentence Snippet Sunday!

is it that time again? it is! here you go! *sprinkles like confetti*

The lights were bright, the couch uncomfortable, and Aimee’s stomach churned as she tried to stop herself from fidgeting, squeezed between Glen and Lila on the interview set.  

Aimee hadn’t prepared for any interviews today—Isla had texted her, in all caps, to summon her to set, 911! Emergency Rewrites, she’d reasoned. Aimee had mad scrambled to drop Noah off at school early, throw on something that was acceptable for public outings (in this case, a comfortable sweater, jeans and her favourite worn suede boots) swiped on deodorant at a stop light and managed to dab on some makeup in the parking lot.  She looked appropriate for a meeting with Isla and a day spent locked in a room with a red-noted script. 

So, when a handler she didn’t recognize intercepted her on her way back from Isla’s trailer and hustled her toward the couch on the riser (too small for three people) in front of the interviewer in a pink blazer and hounds tooth skirt, Aimee’s heart stuttered. She'd protested, told them that they didn’t want her in front of a camera, but her words fell on deaf ears. Now, now she was here, trying her best not to hyperventilate or wriggle, her right thigh pressed against Lila’s leg and her left against Glen’s. She looked neither of them in the eye. 

This is going to be so great! I’m so happy you’re here, Aimee! Isla called from behind the interviewer between sips of her egregiously large iced coffee. The producers are going to be so so happy.

She shifted nervously as the interviewer, a polished woman in a chic blazer, smiled at her. “Aimee Wright, the brilliant mind behind Beneath the Surface, New York Times Bestseller, BookTok trendsetter. Now, a Netflix adaptation, it’s a pleasure to have you here.” 

“Thank you,” Aimee said, gripping her hands tightly in her lap, the sound of her own voice echoing in her ears. 

“And of course, we have Lila Marks and Glen Powell, who bring your characters, Ben and Ivy, to life on the big screen. How exciting is this for you, Aimee? Seeing your words turned into this cinematic masterpiece?” 

“It’s surreal,” Aimee admitted. “I never imagined this when I was writing the book. It’s been an incredible journey in a really short amount of time.” 

The interviewer nodded before glancing at her notes, her perfect smile never faltering. “Speaking of writing the book... there’s been some speculation online, Aimee.” 

Aimee’s stomach dropped. Speculation. The word had never been associated with anything good and she’d seen the articles and TikTok videos her friend Allie had been sending her since last week. Speculation in this instance was definitely not a good word. 

The interviewer’s smile turned sly as she glanced up at Aimee before her eyes passed to Glen, sitting at her side. “Rumors suggest that the character of Ben—the dashing, complicated love interest—was actually inspired by Glen himself. Care to tell us if there’s any truth to that?” 

From the corner of her eye, Aimee could see Lila’s head snap toward her with an exaggeratedly amused expression, clearly enjoying the moment. Without looking, Aimee could feel Glen sat up straighter. When she dared a glance at him, a brief, reflexive one, he was already looking at her, one eyebrow raised, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. 

Aimee’s heart pounded, her stomach flopping oddly as she scrambled for an answer. “Oh, um, well,” she started, struggling to keep her voice even, “the book was written long before Glen was ever cast. Ben was inspired by... well, just the idea of hope and second chances. He’s not based on any one person.” 

Lila leaned forward, grinning. “So, that’s a no? Or a maybe?” 

Glen chuckled, leaning back casually. “I think what she's asking is: Was I subconsciously in your mind before we ever met?” 

Aimee shot him a look, her cheeks burning. “That’s not what she’s asking.” 

The interviewer, clearly delighted by the tension, pressed on. “I mean, I’ve read the book.  It’s pretty hard to ignore how perfectly Glen embodies the character, though. It’s almost as if the role was written for him.” 

Aimee took a deep breath, forcing herself to smile though she really wanted to vomit, wanted to go back in time and spend at least two more minutes in front of her closet, picking anything to wear except for this. “I believe that’s a testament to Glen’s incredible talent and the keen eye of the casting department. He really brought Ben to life in a way that’s even better than I could have imagined.” 

“Good save,” Glen teased under his breath, just loud enough for Aimee to hear. 

Lila laughed, throwing her arm over the back of the couch to pat Aimee on the shoulder. “Well, if the rumors are true, I think Glen should be flattered. Aimee writes a very attractive leading man.” 

If the floor opened right now and swallowed Aimee, she’d gladly accept it. She’d disappear into the expanse and never emerge. The last footage of her embarrassment would be forgotten next to her tragic demise; a coincidental sinkhole right beneath her feet. “The book is fiction,” she said firmly, her voice tinged with exasperation, the sound of the attorney on the last television show echoing in the back of her mind. “Any resemblance to real people is purely coincidental.” 

The interviewer grinned knowingly, clearly unconvinced but satisfied with the answer. “Well, whether or not there’s any truth to the rumors, one thing is certain: the chemistry between Ben and Ivy is electric. And it’s clear that your words, Aimee, set the foundation for that magic. Lila, how can you speak to—” 

Aimee managed a polite smile as the conversation shifted focus back to the movie and over to Lila, but she couldn’t help feeling Glen’s amused gaze on her for the rest of the interview. 

i can do it with a broken heart - glen powell x ofc

a/n: thank you hyperfixation gods. i won't waste this sudden power you have given my brain. i feel like he man with access to a computer and a word document.

tags for this wip: @readingislife @marrianena @dizzybee03 @lunatygerqueen @mrsevans90

** more tags in comments **

[genrockstar]

Under the Midnight Sky

pairing: glen powell x oc

summary: glen and his co star have spontaneous night out

author's note: scroll down and listen to the song while reading!!

The moon hung high and full over the Santa Monica Pier, casting a silvery glow across the ocean. Glen Powell leaned against the railing, taking in the rhythmic sound of the waves crashing against the shore. He was in LA for a break between filming, and the night had felt perfect for a spontaneous getaway. Little did he know that the evening would turn into something he hadn’t quite expected.

He glanced at his watch, wondering if she'd arrive soon. He had invited her on a whim, intrigued by their previous conversations and a spark of chemistry that seemed undeniable. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out to find a text from her.

“Hey! On my way. See you soon. :)”

Glen smiled, his nerves easing. He turned his attention back to the ocean, the cool breeze ruffling his hair. He was lost in thought when he heard a soft voice behind him.

“Is this seat taken?”

He turned to see Lily, a vibrant woman with a warm smile and eyes that seemed to hold a thousand stories. She was dressed casually, but there was a grace to her presence that made the evening feel even more magical.

“Nope, all yours,” Glen said, stepping aside to let her take a seat on the bench next to him. “I’m glad you could make it.”

Lily sat down, her gaze drifting out to the water. “It’s beautiful here. Thanks for inviting me.”

They spent a few moments in comfortable silence, the only sounds the distant laughter of other beachgoers and the gentle lap of the waves. Glen glanced over, his curiosity piqued.

“So, what’s been on your mind lately?”

Lily’s eyes met his, and she smiled softly. “Oh, you know, just life. Work, trying to find balance, and dreaming about new adventures.”

Glen nodded, understanding more than she might have realized. “It’s easy to get caught up in everything and forget to just enjoy the moment.”

She chuckled. “I think we’re on the same page. Sometimes I think we need a little nudge to remember what really matters.”

Their conversation flowed easily, like an old friendship rekindled. They talked about their passions, their favorite books, and even their most embarrassing moments. The hours slipped by unnoticed until the pier began to empty, leaving just the two of them under the expansive sky.

Glen hesitated for a moment before speaking, his voice a little softer. “I’ve really enjoyed tonight. It’s been a nice change from the usual whirlwind.”

Lily turned to him, her gaze steady. “Me too. I didn’t expect to have such a great time. It feels... special.”

He looked at her, seeing something in her eyes that made his heart skip a beat. “It does, doesn’t it?”

Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the world seemed to stand still. Glen leaned in slightly, his voice almost a whisper. “I know we haven’t known each other long, but there’s something about you that feels incredibly right.”

Lily’s breath caught in her throat. She reached out, her fingers brushing against his hand. “I feel it too, Glen.”

Without thinking, Glen gently took her hand in his, their fingers intertwining. The touch was electric, sending a shiver up his spine. He looked down at her, his eyes searching hers for any sign of hesitation. All he found was an openness that mirrored his own feelings.

Slowly, he leaned in, his heart racing as he brushed his lips against hers in a tender kiss. It was soft and gentle, like the first light of dawn breaking over the horizon. Lily responded with equal warmth, her arms wrapping around his neck as she deepened the kiss.

When they finally pulled away, their foreheads resting against each other’s, Glen whispered, “I didn’t expect to find something like this tonight.”

Lily’s smile was radiant, her eyes filled with affection. “Neither did I. But I’m glad we did.”

They spent the rest of the night talking and laughing, their connection growing stronger with every word. The pier, once bustling with activity, had become their private haven, illuminated only by the soft glow of the moon and stars.

As the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon, Glen and Lily knew that the night had marked the beginning of something truly special. The world might have been waking up, but for them, it felt like they had discovered a little piece of forever under the midnight sky.

And as they walked hand in hand along the shore, the promise of new adventures and shared moments seemed as endless as the ocean stretching out before them.

[nikkirando]

Double Shifts

Glenn Powell x SingleMom!Reader

Summary: Going grocery shopping with your daughter(Elena). One moment she was next to you. You look away for one second she's gone. You look everywhere to see her "harassing" a certain actor.

Warning: Change of POV, Elena is an adorable sneaky kid, Glen is good with Elena, and Language, short story

A/N: Maybe this could be a mini-series lmkkkk @sarah-bear706318 for this story! and moodbored!

The one day you wished you didn't need to go shopping but were glad at the same time. It was like your daughter was being your wingman...or wing woman..or wing child..? Doesnt matter all that matters was finding your daughter who was lost in the damn store. "Elena!?" you yelled for her looking everywhere for the little demon.

Everyone kept looking at you like you were crazy like you were talking to an invisible person. But like in the real world, they were unhelpful in finding the demon you love your daughter. "Elena?!" you yelled again pushing the shopping cart god damn you're about to leave all your groceries behind to find her.

But what you didn't know was possible had happened...

"Excuse me, sir" Glen heard a small quiet voice behind him. He turned around to see a small girl who looked no later than 6. Glen looked around to see no one other than the little girl in the aisle with him. Glen kneeled down to her level "Hey there" He said with a small smile "You lost?" he asked. The little girl nodded before she spoke "I can't find my mama..." she said sadly. "Hey don't be sad little one...What's your name?" he asked softly as she looked up at him and tilted her head slightly "Elena..." she said "You look familiar" she says again. Glen raised an eyebrow "Oh?" he says before he could ask Elena smiles.

"You that actor..! My mama says you're a hunk! Whatever that is" she shrugs as Glen chuckles "Oh? Is that so?" He asked as Elena nodded quickly which made him giggle again "Let's go find your mommy ok?" He says grabbing her hand as they walk Elena keeps talking and it makes Glen smile and nod. Then behind him, he heard "Elena!" Which made both of them turn around "Mama!" she yells letting go of Glen's hand and running to you as you hug her.

"God you gave me a heart attack!" You yelled and hugged her more tightly which made Elena frown "I sorry mama" she said quietly "Its ok..."You said softly before looking up at the man who was holding your daughter hand which made your freeze....Glen Fucking Powell. Standing right in front of you. "Holy...Holy shit" you muttered and stands up quickly.

Your daughter looks at Glen "Mama he helped me come find you!" she says smiling as you smile at him "Thank you" as he smiles back at you and Elena. "I should get going though," he says. As he starts to walk away you yell "Wait!" he turns around to look at you "Is there anything I could do...to repay you" which made him chuckle and shake his head "No no it ok it's basic human decency" he says "What about dinner?" you ask softly "My treat" you said again which made him smile.

"Sure...dinner sounds lovely"

[cowboybeepboop]

Please please please write something angsty with Hangman that ends with smut, it doesn't have to be too angsty but I really like how soft you write him

Pairing: Jake “Hangan” Seresin x fem! Reader 

Genre: Smut

Word count: 6.6k 

Summary: You’re a psychologist who is currently working with Maverick which means that Jake Seresin is back in your life. The two of you used to be friends but things changed between you during senior year. Seeing him again brings back memories, and feelings you thought you’d suppressed.

Warnings: not even slightly accurate to irl navy experience (I feel like that would be an assumption but nevertheless), mentions of bullying, Jake being a horrible person in the past, hand stuff, oral fem receiving. 

a/n: lowkey this was rlly fun to write, I'm not so great at angst so I hope this is good. Again, as always, I hope you enjoy and please send any requests you might have <3 I love to write requests so feel free to send anything! Also also, send me a message if you want to be tagged in future Glen Powell/Hangman fics.

You and Jake went to the same highschool and were great friends yet both late bloomers. You grew into yourself during your sophomore year of college whereas Jake did in Senior year of high school, when he got his big growth spurt and lost his braces. Something about him entirely humiliating you by standing you up on Prom night, something you were looking forward to, simply because of how much you liked him has you holding a grudge. 

So when you ran into him during your new position as a clinical psychologist for the Navy, your heart quite literally stopped. You thought that pretending you didn't see him would suffice, but, unfortunately the universe has a completely different plan. 

Your boss had introduced you to Maverick, they planned to have you check out his new team in order to make sure they are competent for the missions the government plans for them to complete. That's how you ended up in the gruff man's office every morning, despite his obvious disdain for your presence in their team. 

The evening sunlight beats down on you as you stand next to Maverick, watching the team go through their training drills. You notice him glance over at you, before focusing back on the team in front of you.

"How's that observing going for you?" He asks with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, never taking his eyes off the team performing push-ups.

“Honestly Sir,” you glance over to him, “You’re really good at training, but I think you should be flying missions. You’re too good of a pilot to be stuck on teaching duties.” 

Maverick pauses for a moment, caught off guard by your unexpected compliment. It's clear he wasn't expecting you to say that. He huffs, shaking his head as if trying to dismiss what you said.

"Well, aren't you just full of surprises, sweetheart." He smirks and turns to look you in the eye. "I take it you read up on my file, huh? Got all the dirty little details on Mr. Top Gun himself."

“Of course, but my father trained here a couple years after you.” your gaze returns to the aviators, “He’s always looked up to you, says you're one of the greatest.” 

Maverick's smirk falters for a second, his expression unreadable. He shifts his weight and adjusts the collar of his shirt, suddenly looking a bit uncomfortable.

"Your old man, huh?” He clears his throat. “I had no idea." There's a brief pause before he speaks again, his voice taking on a slightly softer tone. "What's he doing nowadays?"

You reply with a shrug, “Not sure. He wasn’t so keen on having a *shrink* hanging around. Said it cramps his style.” Maverick snorts, that sarcastic smirk returning to his face. 

"Yeah, that sounds like a pilot, alright." He says with a chuckle. His gaze flicks over to the team, currently going through flight drills. He lets out a deep breath before speaking again, a hint of contemplation in his voice. "Did you ever think about becoming a pilot?”

“I did, but I don't think I meet the height requirement.” you smile up at him. Maverick chuckles at your joke, a rare glimpse of genuine humor in his expression.

"Ah yes, the height requirement. The bane of many short people's existence." He teases, his smirk widening. Before you can respond, both of you turn your attention to the sound of the aviators approaching. They look exhausted but pleased, clearly proud of a job well done.

Jake walks towards you, sweat dripping down his forehead from the strenuous training. He stands a little too close, his eyes fixed on you and his breathing heavy. "Hey, Y/N." Jake says, his voice strained from the workout. "You got a minute?” you shift your gaze to the older man at your right, clearing your throat before speaking. 

“No, I’m quite busy.” your usual playful tone is replaced with a distant and cold one.

Maverick picks up on your plea immediately, his expression hardening at the sight of Jake's attempt to speak with you. He steps forward slightly, creating a small barrier between you and Jake.

Jake looks taken back by your cold response, his cocky demeanor slipping slightly. He glances between you and Maverick, clearly confused. "Ah, come on. Just a quick minute." He presses.

“There’s time to talk later.” Maverick interrupts, making you sigh in relief. Jake's cocky smile falters at your cold rejection and Maverick's intervention. He glances at the older man, clearly annoyed by his interruption. 

"It's alright, Maverick," he says, trying to shrug off Maverick's protective stance. "I just wanted to talk to Y/N for a second. It won't take long."  you cower behind Mav, unwilling to face Jake alone again.

Rooster interrupts the tense situation, “Mav, should we hit the showers? Or is there more training to be done?” Jake’s face darkens at Rooster’s question, clearly frustrated that his attempt to speak with you is being constantly interrupted. He clenches his jaw, his irritation palpable.

Maverick, however, remains calm. He gives you a reassuring look before turning to face his team. "Yeah, you guys go ahead and hit the showers." Maverick says, his hand still on your shoulder. "I’ll take care of the situation here." The team nods, sensing the tension in the air, and starts making their way towards the showers.

You avoid Jake's gaze, biting down on your lower lip as you sigh with the tension between the three of you. As the team heads off to the showers, the tension in the air still hangs heavily. Jake stands there, hands on his hips, as he stares at you with a mix of disappointment and anger.

Meanwhile, Maverick's hand goes to your shoulder, a silent show of support. "You really going to keep avoiding me like this?" Jake finally blurts out, breaking the silence.

“If I can.” you say, voice barely above a whisper. “You’re like a damn hawk.” Mav gives you a quizzical gaze before you sigh. “It’s okay Sir, I’ll talk to him” he gives you a soft nod, heading off toward the buildings. 

Once Maverick leaves, Jake's attention refocuses on you, his gaze narrowing as he steps closer. "You’ve been avoiding me all week. We need to talk." His voice is firm, his frustration evident.

“It’s only been a couple days,” you protest, Jake's annoyance only grows at your words, his jaw tightening as he steps even closer, closing the space between you. 

"A couple of days?! It's felt like an eternity. And yeah, I remember our last conversation. It didn't exactly go well." He crosses his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowing as he looks down at you. "You can't keep brushing me aside like this." 

You take a few steps back, sighing with defeat. “Jake, why do you care so much now?” Jake's eyes flick down to the space between you, watching you take a few steps back. His expression softens slightly as he hears the resignation in your voice.

He runs a hand through his hair, frustration etched across his features. "Why do I care?” he repeats, as if the answer should be obvious. “Because I..." He trails off, his own emotions catching him off guard. He pauses, grappling with the words he wants to say, before finding them again. 

You gulp, brushing past him heading toward the buildings. Jake turns, his eyes following you as you try to brush past him. He reaches out, his hand encircling your wrist, stopping you in your tracks.

"Hey, wait." His voice is softer now, more pleading. "Please, just stop and listen to me for a second."

“Okay, fine.” you pull your wrist from his grasp. Jake's hand hangs in the air for a moment after you pull away, your sharp movement surprising him slightly. But he quickly regains his composure and drops it back to his side.

He takes a deep breath and steps closer to you. He wants to reach out and touch you again, but he restrains himself. "I just... I can't stand this. This constant avoidance." 

“Worked well for you when it was you avoiding me.” you bite back. 

Jake's face flushes slightly, guilt flashing across his features. Your words hit him like a punch to the gut, reminding him of his own past behavior. He lets out a frustrated breath, his gaze dropping to the ground. "That was different..." 

“It’s not and you know it.” your head lowers as your mind goes back to your previous conversation, where you confessed your feelings for him and he shut them down quickly. Jake looks at you as your head lowers, regret in his eyes. He instinctively reaches out, gently placing a hand on your shoulder.

"Baby, please." His voice is soft, almost pleading. "Just let me talk for a minute." His touch is tentative, as if he's afraid you'll brush him away again. He wants you to hear him out, but he doesn't want to push you further away in the process. 

You’re taken aback by the pet name, allowing him time to speak. Jake notices the effect his words have on you, a flicker of hope sparking in his eyes. He realizes that he might have a chance to explain himself now.

He takes a deep breath and begins, his voice steady but sincere. "When you told me about your feelings, it took me completely by surprise. I didn't expect it at all. And, honestly, I didn't know how to handle it." His gaze drops to the ground for a moment, his hand lightly squeezing your shoulder. 

You take a deep breath, “Jake,” you move his hand from you. “The only reason you care now is because, because I’m finally *decent* enough for your attention.” 

Jake's expression darkens at your words, a mixture of anger and regret in his eyes. He knows your words carry truth, and it hurts. "That's not true." he protests, his voice tight. "If I'm here now, it's not because I suddenly think you're *decent enough*. It's because..." 

“Because what?” your eyes scan his face. 

Jake runs a hand through his hair, struggling to find the words to explain himself. His eyes lock onto yours, as he tries to convey the depth of his emotions.

"Because I realize now what an idiot I've been," he bursts out, his frustration and remorse clear in his tone. "But... something changed and I..." 

“What changed?” you sigh, Jake's eyes drop to the ground as he grapples with how to answer. He runs a hand through his hair before looking back up at you.

"I don't know," he admits, his voice quieter now, "maybe it was time, or realizing I'm not a kid anymore, but..." He takes a deep breath, steadying himself. "You're different now. You've grown, you've become this..." He gestures towards you, struggling to find the right words. 

“Jake stop..” you look up at him with wary eyes, “That's not fair,”

Jake stops, his eyes widening at your words. "What do you mean it's not fair?" He steps forward, confusion and frustration etched in his expression.

"I'm trying to explain myself, to make you understand why I care now," he says, his voice straining to remain calm. "How is that not fair?"

“Why? Why now?” your voice becomes louder with your growing frustration. Jake's own frustration flares up in response to your growing anger. His hands clench into fists at his sides as he tries to control his emotions.

"I can't explain why now!" he snaps, his voice rising to match yours. "I don't know why I didn't say anything before. I was a dumbass, and I'm sorry!" He runs a hand through his hair, his eyes never leaving your face. "I... I just wish I could go back and fix everything.” 

You open your mouth to speak, yet nothing leaves your lips. Jake notices your hesitation and his expression softens slightly, hope flickering in his eyes. He takes a step closer, his voice quieter now.

"Please. Just... say something. Anything." his hand snakes around your waist, pulling you closer, his hand pressing into the small of your back. You stay silent, unable to process his words and find a response. 

Jake's touch on your waist is firm but not overpowering. He pulls you closer, his eyes searching your face for some kind of response. He notices your silence, the way you seem to be frozen in place. His brow furrows with concern. "Please, talk to me," he pleads. "Don't just stand there." 

You cover his mouth with your hand, needing a second to think. Jake freezes as you place your hand over his mouth, preventing him from speaking any further for the moment. He instinctively responds to your touch, however, pressing a soft kiss against your palm.

His eyes fix on yours, full of hope and anticipation, waiting for you to speak. You feel your guard dropping with his affection, leaning into his body. 

Jake pulls you closer as you lean into him, his arms wrapping fully around you. The tension in the air eases slightly as he holds you tight against his body, his heart racing against your chest. He takes a deep breath, his chin resting on the top of your head. "Please, just talk to me," he whispers into your hair, his voice gentle and desperate. 

“Jake…” you press your forehead against his shoulder, “I..” Jake feels your forehead press against his shoulder, and he holds you a little tighter, his arms encircling you like a protective veil.

"Please," he repeats, his voice barely a whisper, "tell me what you're thinking." He gently tucks a finger under your chin, gently tilting your head up to meet his gaze. His eyes search yours, desperate for some kind of response. 

Your eyes glance to his lips, hands grasping his sides. “I, uh. I don’t know what to say,” your tongue flicks out to wet your lip. Jake's body tenses as he leans in towards you, his breath warm against your lips. He holds you tightly, his grip firm but gentle.

"You don't have to say anything," he murmurs, the corners of his lips barely brushing against yours, "Just... just let me show you." His eyes search yours, filled with a deep mixture of desire and vulnerability. Waiting for your response, for any sign that it's okay to proceed. 

“Jake..” you murmur, his breath hitches at the tone of your voice, the sound of his name on your lips sending a shiver down his spine. He leans in even closer, his lips mere millimeters from yours, his eyes locked on yours.

"Say it again," he whispers, his voice low and rough. "Say my name again." you shake your head in response,  pressing your lips to his. Jake's heart stutters at the touch of your lips against his. He responds immediately, the tension between you snapping as he kisses you back.

He molds his body against yours, one hand gripping your hip to pull you tighter against his chest. The other hand moves to the back of your neck, his fingers tangling in your hair. He kisses you deeply, a thousand unsaid words translated through the contact. 

Your desire momentarily outweighs your grudge against him. Your resistance fades further as Jake's hand slides down your back, his touch igniting a fire within you. He caresses your body with a combination of firm desire and tender finesse, as if he's both demanding and reverent.

His hand cups your ass, his touch a combination of possessive and loving. He pulls you even closer, pressing your body fully against his, his tongue delving deeper into your mouth. He kisses you hungrily, his body craving more, but his hands remain gentle and careful. 

Jake pulls back from the kiss, his forehead resting against yours. Both of you gasp for air, chests heaving as you take a moment to catch your breath.

His eyes remain locked onto yours, a mix of desire, hope, and something else - something deeper - swirling within them. His hands remain on your body, his touch possessive but tender. He runs his thumb over your cheek, a soft gesture of affection. "Say something," he murmurs again, his voice gruff with need. 

“I think,” you take a deep breath, “I think I should leave Jake.” your hands fall from his sides. 

As you speak, as those words leave your lips, something flickers in Jake's eyes. Fear, regret, desperation, all battling for dominance within him. He feels your hands fall away from his sides and his own hands tighten slightly on your hips, as if reflexively trying to pull you back.

"Please, don't go." His voice is thick with emotion, his grip on you bordering on pleading. "Please." your hands cup his cheeks, pulling him in for another deep kiss. Your brain constantly fighting the way your body clings to him. 

As your lips meet in another deep kiss, Jake melts into your touch like a man starved. His hands move to your waist, pulling you flush against his body, his touch firm and possessive.

He kisses you hungrily, his tongue delving into your mouth, seeking connection and reassurance. His heartbeat thuds against your chest, his body reacting to your touch with a mix of need and desperation. 

He doesn't want to let you go. Not now. Jake's body presses even closer against yours, his leg slipping in between yours, creating a tantalizing friction as he wedges himself between your thighs.

His hands roam your body, his touch both rough and tender, a manifestation of the emotions he can't quite find words for. His mouth moves down your neck, his kisses becoming more insistent, more possessive, like a man marking his claim.

He needs you, and he's making it painfully clear. You moan softly, your head leaning to the side to give him better access. Jake's hands grip your hips as he kisses your neck, his lips tracing a path of fire along your skin. The sound of your soft moans only emboldens him, his own body responding to your noises in kind.

You feel him harden against you, a physical reminder of his desire for you. His kisses grow more intense, his teeth gently nipping at your skin as he tries to reign in his self-control. 

He wants more. He needs more. He growls against your skin, his hands moving under your shirt, his fingers tracing up your sides. He nips lightly at your collarbone, his own need growing with each sound that leaves your lips.

“Mm Jake,” you push against his chest, “Wait.” Jake's body stills as you push against his chest, his mind still clouded with desire. He pulls back just enough to look at you, his eyes hazy and dark.

He tries to process what you're saying, his breath coming in short, ragged bursts. He swallows hard, trying to control his racing heart. "Wait... what?" His voice is low and hoarse, his body still pressed against yours, his hands gripping your hip. 

“Take me home,” you murmur, intoxicated by his body on yours. Your lips press to his with hunger, arms wrapping around his neck. Jake's brain struggles to process your words, his body still caught in the haze of desire that surrounds you both. But as your lips brush against his again, the sound of your voice, filled with need, cuts through the fog.

He responds to your hunger with his own, pulling you even closer, his arms wrapping around your waist. He deepens the kiss, his tongue sliding against yours, his body pressed completely against yours.

When the kiss finally breaks, he rests his forehead against yours, his voice a ragged whisper. "Yes. Anything you want." you nod against his head, pulling him closer as you’re unwilling to let him go. 

Jake holds you tight as you nod, his arms encircling you possessively, not wanting to let you go either.

He takes a moment to compose himself, taking a deep breath and trying to gather his thoughts. But the feeling of you in his arms, the sound of your voice, the scent of your skin, they all cloud his mind and make it difficult to do anything but touch you.

He nuzzles his face into your neck, his voice low and rough. "We need to go." 

“Mhm,” your hands wander down his chest, to his lower abdomen, moving to his belt. “We really need to,” Your touch on his body sets his nerves on fire, his muscles tensing under your hands as you move them lower. The feel of your fingers on his belt sends a shiver down his spine, his breath hitching at the contact.

He swallows hard, trying to maintain his composure, but your proximity and your touch make it difficult. He grips your hips tighter, his fingers digging into your skin as he tries to control himself. His voice, when he speaks, is a rough murmur. "Not here.”

You reluctantly pull away from him, handing him the keys from your pocket. Jake takes them from you, his fingers brushing against yours, the contact electric. He watches you pull away, his eyes following your movements closely.

He clenches the keys in his fist, the cold metal a stark contrast to the heat in his veins. His body thrums with need, the need to touch you, to hold you, to *claim* you.

He takes a deep breath, trying to compose himself. "Lead the way." you slide into the passenger seat of your car, putting your address into the gps, restlessly waiting for him inside. Jake slides into the driver's seat beside you, his movements quick and urgent. The sight of you in the seat next to him, the knowledge that he's about to take you home, only serves to heighten his desire.

He starts the car, his hand gripping the gear shift tightly, his knuckles turning white. He glances over at you, taking in your restless demeanor, and a smirk crosses his lips. He knows exactly how affected you are, and it only makes his own need surge. Your hand falls to his lap as you squeeze your legs together in anticipation of what's to come. 

Jake's breath hitches as your hand lands on his lap, the touch sending a jolt through his body. He can tell how tightly you're holding yourself, how the anticipation is affecting you, and it only adds to his own desire.

His eyes flicker down to your hand on his lap, and he has to fight the urge to pull the car over and take you right then and there.

He keeps his eyes on the road, his grip on the steering wheel white-knuckled. "We're almost there." His voice is hoarse, filled with tension. 

“Almost,” you whisper in response, moving your fingertips over his bulge, teasing his body. 

Your fingers brush over his erection, and he lets out a strangled gasp. His hand flies to yours, pressing your hand against him, as if trying to both stop you and encourage you at the same time.

He clenches his jaw, his body tensing at your touch. "Tease," he mutters through clenched teeth, his eyes darting from the road to you and back again. He groans, his body aching for release. You move closer, using your free hand to unbuckle his belt. 

You successfully remove his belt, fingers fumbling with the button and zipper. Jake's breath catches in his throat as you move closer, your hands working on removing his pants. His body tenses, both in anticipation and because he's trying to focus on driving.

He bites back another curse as you unbutton and unzip his pants, his eyes flickering between the road and your hands. He grips the steering wheel tighter, his knuckles white with tension. "We're almost there," he repeats, his voice strained. "Just... just hold on a little longer." 

“Fifteen more minutes,” you groan, hand sliding into his pants. Jake's body jerks at your touch, his hips lifting involuntarily, seeking more of your touch. He lets out a low, ragged groan, struggling to keep his focus on the road.

He looks at you, his eyes dark and intense. "Fifteen minutes," he repeats in agreement, his voice gravelly and rough, "that's it. I can last fifteen minutes." He reaches down, his hand covering yours, but not pushing you away, his touch firm and possessive. 

“Mm, but I can’t.” you murmur as you free him from his boxers, his erection standing straight up. Your words and your touch send a shiver down Jake's spine, his body responding to your every move. 

He closes his eyes for a moment, your touch like fire to his skin, the air in the car suddenly thick. "Jesus," he breathes, his head falling back, "you're going to make me crash."

As you stroke him gently, Jake's eyes fly open, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. "If you keep doing that, I'm not going to be able to drive," he warns, his voice strained with desire.

Ignoring Jake's warning, you lean in and press a soft kiss to his jaw, sending shivers down his spine. His body jolts with surprise and pleasure. Your hand continues to stroke him as your mouth moves closer to his erection, and with a strangled groan, he abruptly pulls the car over to the side of the road, the tires screeching against the pavement. 

His eyes lock onto yours, a mix of desire and alarm, but he says nothing as you wrap your lips around the tip of his cock, the heat of your mouth enveloping him. His hands fly to the back of your head, his fingers tangling in your hair as you begin to suck, the rhythm slow and tantalizing.

His hands grasp your shoulders, gently but firmly, and he pulls you away from his lap. "Wait, wee can't do this here," he says, his voice strained with need and concern. His eyes are dark with desire, but he's visibly fighting to regain control. "Not here, this wouldn’t be right." His words hang in the air, and for a moment, the only sound is the heavy panting of your breath and the pulsing of his erection against your hand. 

You reluctantly pull back, your own desire warring with the understanding in his gaze. "Let's go to your place," he suggests, his voice still thick with lust. "We can... talk things out properly there." He releases you, his hands dropping to the steering wheel as he takes several deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart.

He speeds to your place, rushing to get you inside. The tension in the car is palpable as Jake shifts it into park, his eyes never leaving yours. You both exit the vehicle, and he takes your hand in his, his touch surprisingly gentle given the fiery passion that had flared between you moments ago. As you enter your townhouse, the urgency from the car seems to dissipate slightly, allowing for a brief moment of awkwardness to settle in. 

You unlock the door and lead him inside, the cool air conditioning a stark contrast to the heat that still simmers between you. Once the door is closed, Jake turns to you, his gaze searching your face for any hint of regret or hesitation. Seeing none, he leans in, capturing your mouth in a kiss that's both desperate and tender. 

Your arms wrap around his neck, pulling him closer, as if trying to erase the years of hurt and distance. His hands roam over your body, reacquainting themselves with your curves, and for a moment, it feels like no time has passed at all.

The kiss deepens, and Jake's hands move to the button of your pants, his fingers deftly undoing it and sliding the zipper down. You gasp into his mouth as he breaks the kiss, his eyes never leaving yours as he kneels before you. He hooks his thumbs into the waistband of your pants, pulling them down along with your underwear, exposing your bare skin to the cool air. 

His gaze travels downward, taking in your wetness with a mix of hunger and awe. "Fuck," he murmurs, his voice thick with desire, before pressing his mouth to your inner thigh, kissing and nipping the sensitive flesh as he moves closer to your center. His tongue traces the line of your pussy, eliciting a moan from deep within you. His hands grip your hips, keeping you in place as he kisses and licks you with purposeful strokes, the heat of his breath sending waves of pleasure through your body. 

You lean back, falling into the couch, your legs spreading wider, giving him full access to explore and taste you. The tension of the day dissipates as he worships your body, his mouth working magic on your clit, his hands exploring and caressing you as if trying to make up for lost time. The air is thick with the scent of arousal, the only sounds in the room your muffled moans and the wet sounds of his tongue against your skin. 

Jake's eyes meet yours again, and you can see the need in them, the raw desire that matches your own. You reach down, threading your fingers through his hair, urging him closer, whispering his name as you feel yourself getting closer to the edge.

As Jake continues to kiss and suck on your clit, you can't help but squirm against his mouth, the sensations building to an unbearable peak. You grab onto his shoulders for support, your moans growing louder with each passing moment. 

Suddenly, the dam breaks and you cum hard, your body shaking with the intensity of your orgasm. He doesn't pull away, instead, he laps up every drop of your release, groaning with his own pleasure at the taste of you. 

As the waves of pleasure subside, you collapse onto the couch, panting and trembling, your eyes fluttering open to meet his intense gaze. He stands, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, a smug look on his face. "See, we can still get along," he murmurs, his voice thick with lust. 

The sight of him standing there, looking so confident and desperate for more, makes your heart race. You can't deny the pull between you, the undeniable chemistry that's always been there. But as you look into his eyes, you know that this isn't just about sex. 

Jake's kisses slowly travel up your legs, turning from hungry to gentle pecks that make your skin tingle with sensitivity. His eyes never leave yours as he shifts his body, moving from his knees to the couch beside you. He wraps his arm around your waist, pulling you closer to him, and you can feel his heart racing in sync with your own. 

His other hand continues to trace patterns on your bare thigh, the softness of his touch a stark contrast to the fervor of moments ago. His eyes are filled with a tenderness that you never knew existed within him, and it's this that has your chest tightening with a mix of emotions. 

With trembling hands, Jake fumbles with his zipper, the metal teeth parting with a low hiss. His eyes never leave your face, the intensity of his gaze setting your skin alight. He swiftly pushes his pants down to his thighs, freeing his erection. It stands tall and proud, a testament to his desire. The room feels like it's closing in, the air thick with anticipation.

You pull him to you by his collar, kissing his lips hungrily. The fabric of his shirt is rough against your skin, but the heat of his body underneath is anything but. His tongue meets yours with an urgency that mirrors your own, your kisses deepening as his hand slides up your shirt, palming your breast. You arch into his touch, a soft moan escaping your lips as his thumb grazes your nipple.

He pulls you onto his lap, your legs straddling his thighs. He kisses you again, his tongue invading your mouth with a passion that leaves you breathless. You can feel him, hot and hard, pressing against your wetness, and it's all you can do to not grind down onto him immediately.

Jake's hands are everywhere, exploring the curves of your body as if he's worshiping a sacred relic. You can feel the heat of his breath against your skin as he kisses down your neck, leaving a trail of soft, sucking marks that make you shiver with pleasure. His teeth graze your skin, not hard enough to break it, but enough to leave a sting that makes your pulse race.

As your moans fill the quiet room, you can't help but move your hand to wrap around his erection. Your grip is firm, your strokes measured as you watch his face contort with pleasure. His eyes are closed, his head thrown back, and the noises he makes are pure, unadulterated ecstasy. You stroke him faster, your hand moving in a rhythm that matches the beat of your racing heart.

His hips buck upward, meeting your hand with each stroke, his breath coming in short, ragged pants. You can feel the tension in his body, the coiled spring of his muscles ready to snap. And when he's right there, on the precipice of climax, his head falls forward into the crook of your neck, his mouth finding your skin.

The feel of his needy moans against your flesh sends a shiver down your spine, your own body responding to the raw, primal sounds. You tighten your grip, your strokes becoming quicker, more erratic, your own breathing syncing with his. Each moan that escapes his lips is like a command, urging you to bring him over the edge.

His body tenses beneath you, his muscles tightening like a bowstring about to snap. And then it happens. With a guttural moan, he cums undone in your hand, his release hot and sticky as it coats your palm and fingers. His hips jerk upward, his cock pulsing in your grip as he rides out the waves of pleasure. His eyes squeeze shut, and his breath comes out in sharp gasps.

For a moment, there's silence, save for the sound of your own racing heart and his labored breathing. You sit there, still straddling him, watching him come down from the high of his orgasm. His chest is heaving, his eyes still closed as he savors the feeling.

You slide from his lap, relaxing into your couch as the weight of your actions crashes over you. You turn your back to him, biting your lip as you think about what to do next.

Jake watches you, his eyes tracing the curves of your body, still trying to regain his breath. He reaches out, his hand brushing against your arm, his touch gentle but insistent. "Look at me," he murmurs, his voice raspy and rough.

You turn to him with a breathy sigh, avoiding his gaze. Jake notices your averted eyes, his fingers moving to your chin, gently lifting it until you're forced to meet his gaze. 

"Don't look away," he whispers, his eyes searching yours. "I want to see you."

"Jake," you whisper his name, eyes softening at his expression. You knew it wasn’t a mistake, it couldn't be, not on your part. You've been in love with him your whole life, but what if it was all lust for him. 

Jake cups your face in his hands, his thumbs tracing the lines of your cheekbones. He can see the mixture of emotions in your eyes - love, lust, fear, and regret. He gently shakes his head, his gaze intense.

“Jake, is this really what you wanted?” you take a deep breath, “Not just some game to you?” 

Jake watches you intently as you withdraw, his hands falling to your waist, his touch firm yet gentle. "This isn't a game to me," he says, his voice serious. "It never was." 

He pulls you closer, his eyes locked onto yours. "I've always wanted you, more than anything else," he continues, his fingers tracing patterns on your skin. "But I thought I lost my chance with you a long time ago." he presses a soft kiss to your chest. 

The tension in your body vanishes the second he speaks, you relax into his touch, audibly sighing. “Always?”

Jake smiles, his hands roaming your body as if trying to memorize every contour. "Always," he confirms, his voice a whisper. "Since we were kids." He pulls you onto his lap, cradling you against his chest. He can feel your tension melting away, replaced by an air of comfortable intimacy.

“You’re confusing,” you sigh, feeling his hands pulling you closer to him, his chin resting on top of your breasts. 

Jake chuckles, his breath warm against your skin. "I know," he replies, his arms encircling you possessively. "I've always had a habit of making you scratch your head, haven't I?"

He nuzzles his face against your chest, his tongue tracing a gentle line between your cleavage. "But that's nothing new," he whispers, his voice husky with desire. "I've always gotten a kick out of confusing you."

You gasp in response to his tongue, hands squeezing his shoulders. “Mm, fuck.” Jake feels your hands clenching his shoulders, and he grins against your skin, his tongue continuing to explore the valley between your breasts. 

"Language, princess," he teases, his voice laced with amusement. "You know how I feel about filthy mouths."His lips move up to your neck, gently nipping at the sensitive skin. "Makes me want to shut you up."

“Are you going to be able to be professional at work?” your murmur, hands tangling in his hair as you force him to look at you.

Jake chuckles, his eyes meeting yours. "Are you kidding me?" he counters, his grin widening. "When have I ever been professional when it comes to you?"

He shakes his head, pulling you closer until your bodies are flush against each other. "I've been trying to hide how I feel about you for years. Do you really think now that I've finally got you in my arms, I'm going to play it cool at work?"

“Jake,” you purse your lips at him, pressing a quick peck to his. “You know that I already have a problem with your coworkers…I don't want to make it worse.”

Jake lets out a groan of frustration, his hands moving to the small of your back, pulling you even closer. "I know, I know," he mutters, his lips returning to your neck. "But can you blame me for acting like a possessive jerk? You've got all those guys drooling over you, and it drives me insane."

“They only drool over me because of how form fitting my uniform is,” you reply sweetly, “Now imagine if they saw me in a bikini.” you whisper against his ear teasingly. 

Jake's grip on you tightens, his breath hitching at your words. "A bikini," he repeats, his voice dropping an octave. "Now that's a mental image I'll have trouble getting out of my head."

He pulls back slightly to look at you, his gaze dark with desire. "You like teasing me, don't you?" he accuses, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "You know what that does to me."

“I think we need to take a beach trip one of these days,” you smile innocently.

Jake's hands continue to roam your body, his touch growing more possessive. "A beach trip?" he echoes, his mind already filling with images of you in a bikini. "That's a dangerous idea, princess."

He leans in, his lips moving to your ear. "But I like how you think," he murmurs, his voice low and seductive.

[bradshawsvinyl]

Castles Crumbling

Tolerate It (Part two)

read part one here.

authors note: not sure if this is the ending you guys were expecting but I hope you like it!

warnings: mentions of cheating, mentions of death, miscommunication tropes.

It was two in the morning when Jake softly unlocked the door to the home he shared with you. He silently took off his shoes and went upstairs to see where you were. He knew taking off on you was wrong. He knew that you just wanted to let him in. All you ever tried to do was love him and all he ever did was shut you out.

He had been planning to propose to you. He was constantly in communication with your best friend Julianna. He was talking to her about things he didn’t quite understand like ring sizes and diamonds. He wanted to make this proposal perfect for you. He wanted to give you everything you deserved and more.

But work was stressing him out. Maverick warned Jake and the rest of the squad that they would be shipping off for an important mission in the next three months. The mission details were classified. All Maverick said was that they’d better prepare their families for the possibility that they might not come back.

Mortality had never scared Jake away from doing his job. He knew he was one of the best fighter pilots in the nation. That was why he was a part of Top Gun.

Mortality never scared Jake until he met you. He knew he loved you. You were the only person he ever saw a future with. Kids, a dog, a white picket fence, he wanted that with you. But in the back of his mind, he knew there was a chance that something could go wrong on a mission. He didn’t want to leave you alone with kids or make you a widow. He couldn’t do that to you. And so he did the only thing he knew how to do. He ran.

Jake crept upstairs and found you sitting up in bed reading a book. “I thought you would be asleep by now.” He said while sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“I can’t sleep if you’re not here. You know that Seresin.” You replied, still looking at the words in your hands.

“I’m sorry.” He said softly. “I shouldn’t have done that. It wasn’t right to shut you out and I-“

“Don’t even,” You interrupted him. “You can’t keep doing this to me Jake. It isn’t fair. All I've ever wanted to do was help you. You can’t keep shutting me out.”

“Baby, I know I'm sorry I'm just overwhelmed with work. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“You didn’t know what else to do?” You replied, voice rising from anger. “You could’ve talked to me. You didn’t have to leave me here crying like an idiot over something that I don’t even know about.”

“I know it’s just that I'm not the best at dealing with my emotions.” He said softly. “I love you.”

“Why was Julianna calling you then?” You changed the subject.

“What do you…” Jake started.

“Don’t play stupid Seresin. I saw her call you five times in the span of 10 minutes. She’s my friend. You’ve only met her a few times. Why would she be calling you at ten o'clock at night?”

Jake’s just looked at you in disbelief. There was nothing going on between him and Julianna. He was simply asking her for her opinion on how to propose and what ring to buy. She was your best friend after all. He couldn’t believe that you would think he was cheating on you with her. If you asked him to give you the moon, he would’ve done it. No questions asked.

“What are you insinuating?” He said slowly growing more angry when he realized what you thought he was doing.

“I’m insinuating that you’re seeing her on the side.” You said, near tears. “Just tell me the truth Jake. I can’t keep sitting here wondering why you’re shutting me out. You can’t keep leaving me here like an idiot.”

“Listen,” he said while grabbing your hands. “There is nothing going on between me and Julianna. I just needed to ask her something. That’s it. I would never cheat on you. You’re the only person I could ever love.”

“So why won’t you let me in.” You whispered. “If it’s not her then who? You won’t talk to me anymore. You won’t touch me. You barely even look at me.”

Suddenly Jake’s face dropped. “I might not come back.” He said, so softly that you might have missed it if you weren’t right next to him.

“What do you mean you might not come back?” You said growing more and more confused.

“Maverick said that this next mission is going to be dangerous. He said to hope for the best but expect the worst and I just-“ Suddenly Jake started sobbing.

You were shocked. Suddenly things started making sense. He was shutting you out because he didn’t want you to be hurt if he didn’t come back. You knew Jake tended to be more quiet when there was a tough mission coming up.

You pulled him into a tight hug and began to comfort him. “Why didn’t you tell me? I can’t help you if I don’t know what is going on with you.”

“I didn’t know how to tell you. I never wanted to hurt you. I was just trying to protect you.” He said.

“I’m here for you no matter what.” You said, eyes beginning to fill with tears. “We’re a team. You have to tell me if there’s something happening. I love you.”

“I’m sorry.” He said while kissing your cheek. “I didn’t want to be a burden. I should’ve told you about the mission sooner. You’re my rock. I love you.”

As your tears and Jake's tears subside, he holds you tightly. You hold him back feeling all the walls between the two of you crumble.

Jake knew two things for certain. He would come home to you, and he would marry you.

[whatislovevavy]

11. Strawberry Kisses & Lovers’ Reprieve 

Jake Seresin x OC (Caledonia Hughes)

WC: 11.4 k (God, I’m so sorry…but I’m really not)

Masterlist  Previous Part   Next Part

Warnings: swearing, smut (18+), oral ( f & m recieving), p in v, a touch of angst, Jake still needing to do some groveling, bits of fluff sprinkled throughout

AN: Thank you guys for your immense patience with this story. Hopefully the fact that it’s hella long makes up for the wait. I hope you guys like it. I put a lot of thought and effort into this one. Thank you @sebsxphia for the encouragement to write this story when it was in development, it means the world <3 

All of my writings will be added to my writing side blog @sophs-writing-nook 

These characters, except for Caledonia and Ella, are obviously not my own. This is an 18+ fanfic, so minors scoot pls. You are responsible for the media you consume. Do not copy, plagiarize, repost, or translate this fic without my explicit permission as it is my own creation. 

The soft glow of the morning sun softly stirred you from the depths of slumber that clung to your mind like cooling tar. It couldn’t have been that early, could it? Your toes sought to stretch out, but were hindered in their efforts, ensnared by a pair of taut, strong legs.  Eyes fluttering open, you were immediately met with soft, tan skin and pink, parted lips. 

Has he always looked so peaceful like this?

Your lip quirked, eyes tracing over each fine feature of his face. You almost felt like you were intruding, seeing something truly vulnerable and rare, like a doe tending to her fawn in a free meadow. His soft puffs of breath washed over the crisp white pillow case, his feather-light eyelashes brushing against the soft material as you silently admired him in the morning light. You snaked your arm from between your bodies, letting the back of your forefinger brush against the slight scruff of his exposed cheek, drifting to his temple, and softly brushing some of the stray blond strands of hair away from his forehead. Your teeth find their home in your bottom lip as you gently trace his cupid bow with the pad of your forefinger. A soft sigh passed his lips that almost had you jolting against his warm body that was intimately intertwined with your own, retracting your finger with a suppressed bright grin. 

It made you eternally grateful for saying yes to Jake in the frayed maroon booth of Francisco’s. You were so scared and unsure, like a newborn foal shakily coming to its feet. The memories of your arrangement came through your mind like a gale through a house on the coast.  

From how he started calling you Lass the first night you started working at Penny’s bar.  

When he kissed you for the first time.

Left his first love bite on your neck.

Unraveled you like no one ever had.

Held you oh so closely at the retirement gala and fiercely defended you at the turn of a dime. 

How he held you securely, yet delicately. 

Was so kind and understanding during your first time, and with every experience thereafter. 

How he never looked at you with pity.

The immense sense of safety you felt when around him. 

How much you loved him, and how much he loved you in return. 

“What’s goin’ on in that pretty head of yours?” 

His sleep riddled tone broke your train of thought, eyes flashing to his still closed ones. You hummed, lips morphing into a smile. A content smile grew on his lips as you gently scratched your nails along his scalp, eyes still closed. “Just thinking,” you whisper. He peaked his eyes open, letting the sunlight pass through the verdant hue of his eyes. His eyebrows rose teasingly. “Hmm, about how much of an amazing lover I am?” You bit into your lip, shaking your head as a grin overcomes your features, a soft laugh coming through your plush lips that makes him grin. “No,” you teased, softly shoving his bare chest with your hand, a soft chuckle passing his lips, “just how much has changed for the both of us since that night at Francisco's.” He hummed, letting his hand settle at your waist, gently toying with the thin material of your cotton panties that made goosebumps blossom on your skin. 

“Only good things, I hope,” he whispered as he leaned in closer to your lips. 

“Only good things,” you affirmed, eyes darting from his eyes to his lips. 

His comforting smile met yours, gently nudging more and more into your personal space with an increasingly heated energy. He gently rolled you onto your back as he supported himself on his bent elbow, his finger gently running along the smooth skin of your collarbone. Softly, he separates, letting his forehead settle against your own and giving you that same charming smile that had you pouring him an extra few ounces at the bar top. 

“God, you drive me crazy, Caledonia.” 

Your breath hitched at the heavy sincerity of his tone that almost makes you clutch your thighs in need. And the way he said your name always, always, made you giddy. 

 “Aw, Jake, you just can’t get enough of me, huh?” You teased with a playful gleam in your eye. A perfect mix of playfulness and lust gliding through the waters of his irises. 

"I'm not entirely to blame for that," he whispered, leaning in closer to your face, his hand sneaking under the covers to run his thumb along your hip, "You're the one laying here in your tiny pair of panties makin’ it hard to think about much else." You snorted, rolling your eyes as his infectious chuckles met your ears. He brings his lips to your own, humming at your taste as your lips meld to his, languidly making out like two well-acquainted lovers. Moans slipping past your lips as his calloused hand gently slips between your hot skin and the thin layer of your undergarment, your thigh adjusting to grant him better access. Breath hitching against his lips as the tips of his fingers meet your clit. He smirks against your lips, starting to rub the pads of his fingers over your sensitive pearl of nerves. The soft whines he pulls from you stroke his steadily beating heart, encouraging him to continue his soft, tender ministrations as his lips trail down your neck to your bare breasts, gently pulling the sheets down below you. He smiles against your skin at the feeling of your nipples stiffening in the AC. Your hips bucking in anticipation against his hand. 

“Easy there, Lass.” You want to glare at him. The smug bastard. He wears his cat-got-the-cream grin as he takes your slowly stiffening peak into his mouth, softly nibbling and toying with the sensitive flesh. His tongue peaks out to tantalizingly flick at your taut nipples, almost making you taste blood with how hard you’re biting into your lip. Squirming as he softly bites down, making you cry out, almost missing him start to crawl down your body, and settle between your plush thighs. His eyes meet yours, that same playful gleam as he slides your panties down your thick thighs. Breath hitching as he leaves tender kisses along your ankle, to behind your knee to the inside of your thigh. He takes a deep breath, his cock throbbing at the sight of your bare cunt, gleaming in the morning sunlight, like morning dew on a petal. His gaze pinpoints on a single drop of your peach sweet essence that teases him as it rolls down your blush pink folds. His tongue peaks out to wet his lower lip. 

“Jake.”

His eyes flashed to yours, a wry grin curving his lips, “what is it, pretty girl? What do you need?” You huffed, thighs clenching around his shoulders in the volatile brew of lust and frustration. His smile grew tenfold.

“Need your mouth.” 

The taste of iron is almost present as your teeth imbed themselves into your lower lip.

He hummed, letting his hand run along the sensitive complexion of your inner thighs. His chest filling with pride at each shiver and flinch of your thighs against his feather soft caress. 

“You're missing something, beautiful.” 

Your eyebrows furrowed in your lust hazed state. What the hell was he- oh. “Your such a fucking tease, you know that?” His eyebrows rose vexingly, waiting for you to rectify your statement that was borderline a command to keep your sanity in check. 

You licked your lips, “Please, J-Jake, I need your mouth on my pussy.”

His smirk grew into a devilish grin. 

“Good girl, Lass… can't have you forgetting your manners.”

Your breathing hitched, fingers twisting harder into his locks of hair making him groan. Any defiant answer died on your lips as he toyed with your clit using the tip of his tongue. His mischievous eyes locked on yours as he teasingly flicked at your clit, caressing it with his smooth muscle. His sinful smile grew across his face as his tongue worked its steadily overwhelming magic on you, each shot of electricity making your toes curl. 

“You're like m’own personal honey stash,” he chuckled, giving your flushed folds a broad lick, a deep chested groan of satisfaction meeting your ears. Eyes fluttering shut as his dextrous muscle met your plush bundle of nerves, the feeling like the return of spring after a barren winter. You can feel him rocking his hips into the mattress as he nibbled and sucked at the soaked lips of your cunt. It made your head spin thinking about how this man acted when it came to getting on his knees for you. 

“So fucking perfect, taste so damn good, sweetheart.” You shivered as he growled, his tongue running through your folds, lapping up everything you offered to him. You’re helpless, laying on your back cushioned by his soft sheets and pillows as he drinks from your flushed cunt. Your thighs try to squeeze around his head but his broad hand pins one of your thighs above your hip, his free hand placing your other thigh over his shoulder, leaving you completely at his mercy. No choice, but to let him softly feast on you. “Oh, yes,” you crooned, thighs shivering as his stubble scratched at the delicate complexion of your inner thigh, your fingers threading tighter into his locks of hair making a sly grin overtake his features and eyes glint with mischief. The obscene slurps and groans from between your thighs made your cheeks heat, his hands almost trying to physically conjoin to your hips and pinned thigh. It wouldn't surprise you if you found marks in perfect resemblance to his broad hands on your thighs from his ministrations. 

“Yes, yes, I missed your mouth so much,” you moaned out with a whimper. His eyes fluttering shut as your nails pierce into his scalp, weaving into his gilded tufts of hair. The tantalizing touch of the blunt-edged, ruby red nails digging into his scalp paired with the sweet, intoxicating taste that dribbled from your cunt made his spine tingle between his hips. He could definitely get used to lazy mornings like this with you, savoring and worshiping your body the way it deserved- the way it always deserved. He let his lips leave your cunt, your soft whines marking his exit. Softly, he lathed kisses on the inside of your thighs, sucking and nibbling at the tender flesh. Your mewls of pleasure and increasing neediness made the marks he left on you that much sweeter. Beautiful blotches of magenta, lavender and deep blue litter your thighs and thick hips. 

He gently teased two of his thick fingers at the ingress of your cunt, letting them run through your folds and soak up the sweet nectar you always gave him an abundance of. You tugged at his hair, “Jake, please.” He chuckled against your thighs, littering one last blotch of color to his favorite canvas. 

“Shh, princess, I’m just takin’ my time, no need to get hasty.” 

You pouted, making him chuckle, and that saccharine grin that always made your stomach flip to grace his features. Your breath hitched as he pushed his fingers in, letting your walls embrace his welcomed digits. He whistled, “jus’ like a hot knife through butter, baby.” A fresh wave of heat courses through you at his drawl, the vice of your cunt tightening around his fingers, much to his delight. He gently brought his tongue back to your sopping cunt that gushed beautifully for him. Thrusting into your soft, welcoming embrace, his tongue danced along your clit. Toying with your sanity with each playful suck and nibble of your sensitive gem. Your hitched breaths and mewls filled his bedroom as every cohesive thought left your head. He felt your hands move frantically between grasping the back of his head and the pillow beneath your own.

"Oh, Jake." 

He swore he would never get used to the wanton, sultry, desperate tone your voice took in this state. A high pitched whine left your throat as your thighs shook against his iron hold. 

His fingers continuing their steady rhythm into your dripping cunt, against that sweet, delicious, little spot that had your mind hazy and incoherent syllables leaving your perfect lips. Your eyes clenched shut, silent screams, and broken cries leave your lips as he pulls your release from you. Playing your body and mind with the ease of a professional violinist in concert. 

His lips lathed open-mouthed kisses along the insides of your plush thighs, gleaming eyes dancing to your teary ones as he diligently watched you return back to your body. His fingers moving at the same soft pace, relishing in your walls fluttering around his thick digits like the butterflies he got in his stomach whenever you smiled at him. 

He knew you could handle another one; it was all part of making up for lost time. He softly brought his hand up, gliding it along your skin, to settle at your breast; fondling, squeezing, and pinching at your taut nipple, smirking at the noises he brought past your lips. 

"Such a good girl…missed taking care of you like this," His thick, sleep graveled drawl made your walls clench around his fingers. You hummed, a soft whine passing your throat. 

He grinned from his spot between your legs, "you missed that too, Lass? Missed when I took care of my pretty, little pussy? Stuffed you full with m’ fingers." You feverishly nodded, a whine passing your lips. His lips quickly advancing back to your swollen folds, languidly toying with your already sensitive clit. 

A hiss leaves your throat at a particularly harsh suck, clit throbbing between his soft lips. If there was one thing you’d learned from your time with Jake, he loved, no, craved, being the best. He needed there to be no doubt in your mind that he was the best candidate for taking care of you; whether that was eating you out or fucking you into the mattress. And if that meant he made you lose your mind at the hand of his sinful tongue and intoxicating cock, then that was the sacrifice he was willing to make. 

"Fuck, baby." Your sweet gasp made his cock throb against his sheets. Eyes clenched shut, your nails dug into his hand and the back of his head. He moved his fingers more diligently, feeling your pretty noises and the constriction of your walls increase so. A sharp cry left your lips as he gave a delicious suck to your clit. 

You’re far too sensitive, his mouth too much. 

Chest heaving as you summoned any strength you had to push his head away, your release following suit with a shriek. He shuddered at the gush of liquid downing his chin and neck, immediately forcing his way back to your dripping cunt, your hands clawing at his head and the back of his neck as he claimed your cunt again, latching back onto your poor, abused clit, letting it leave his mouth with a lecherous pop, feeling a few spurts leave your pussy as your whines of pleasure met his ears. 

"Such a perfect girl, squirtin' all over me," his tone a mix between a growl and pure awe. Your thighs shook at the overwhelming feeling of his savory timbre. If all of your brain cells hadn't been fried, you might have been embarrassed. He thrusted his fingers more diligently, keeping his gaze on you.

"Come on, beautiful, I know you have at least one more for me," he purred, giving you that same panty dropper grin that made you blush at the bar top as his fingers stroked that sweet spot inside you, a string of your arousal linking his lips to your cunt, shining in the light through his curtains. Your liquid lust makes his chest and shoulders glimmer with the light peeking between the shades. You feverishly nodded, letting out a pathetic, little whimper. He wracked your lower body with the strength of his entire arm, making you mewl and cry out. Nails digging into his taut forearm, his veins bulging with exertion. You could feel your core tighten, and as he removed his fingers, your release coated his bare chest and bed sheets. 

"Such a good job, Caledonia, such a good girl squirtin' around my fingers." He goaded with pride, his breathing heavy as he rubbed his open palm over your flushed folds and engorged clit. Shocks of intense pleasure racked your brain, sharp gasps leaving your lips, your hands shooting to keep his hand still. 

He smirked, a small chuckle passing his lips as he settled on softly rolling your tender clit between his forefinger and thumb. Your mind tried to grasp any semblance of normal brain function, but with Jake touching you oh so sinfully, it was fruitless. Your chest swelled and fell as soft sparks of pleasure shot up your body as your hands softly clutched at his own. He lathed soft, open-mouthed kisses along your plush inner thighs as you slowly came down from your high, your breathing heavy still.  

Shakily, you sit up and reach out to him, bringing your lips to his, passionately savoring the heavenly combination of your taste and his natural one as your tongues meld together like metal; melting and emulsifying into a perfect alloy. He chuckled as he felt your nails tangle into his hair. Gently crawling over him, you pushed him down onto his back as you kept your lips on his with a soft thump against his sheets. A mischievous smile breaks out as you see his eyes gleam, his breath hitching at the change in position. His hard length twitched against the flesh of your ass, an immense sense of pride filling you.  

You had this effect on him. No one else.

You.

Your soft breaths met his ears as you ran your palms over his toned chest, down to his chiseled abs, tantalizingly scratching your nails along his flesh, goosebumps following in their wake, head still spinning from the intense high that wracked your brain. He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing as he watched you scoot further down to settle over his knees, his cock thick and hard, standing at attention for you. Watching as he bites his lip, his pupils fully dilated, hiding that lovely shade of green, his chest heaves as he waits with anticipation. His breath hitches as you grasp his hot, throbbing cock with the perfect amount of pressure. You spit on his dick, demanding the attention of the man below you, letting the viscous fluid dribble down from your pink lips to his sensitive tip. He twitched in your hand, making you grasp him tighter, shooting him a flirtatious smile that makes his stomach flip. His eyes clenched shut, his tongue wetting his lower lip in anticipation. 

“Cal-sweetheart.”

You smirked, grasping his cock harder in your silken palm. 

“I think you're forgetting something.”

He turned his chin down to get a better look at you and the bratty look in your eye. 

His Adam's apple bobbed and cock twitched in your hand. Your grin widened at the sight, posture straightening at the further change in power, a special gleam in your eye he didn't see often. His broad hands knead at your thick hips and thighs. 

“Cal-.” 

“Come on handsome, I'm not the only one that needs to have manners.” You said wantonly as you gave his engorged length a squeeze, one of your manicured nails drawing hearts on his Adonis belt and abdominal muscles as you waited patiently. His muscles softly twitching under your tantalizing touch. 

He bit his lip, a scoff bubbling from his throat making your grin widen. “Such a fuckin’ minx,” he growled. A teasing chuckle leaves your lips as you lean down to place a feather soft kiss to his swollen tip, making him sigh and eyes flutter shut. A gentle squeeze to his balls has his words leaving before he can think. 

“Fuck, cal-, please.”

You grinned, clearly pleased with yourself  as you lean down, letting your tongue run up the length of him. "Fuck, sweetheart," he croaked, eyes fluttering shut. You look so perfect like this, he thought. "Missed your pretty mouth so much," he groaned, rambling as his eyes clenched shut as you playfully sucked at his red, inflamed tip. Your heart and walls fluttered at his words. "Mhm, I missed sucking your thick cock," you purred, pumping his length. His stomach jumping at your confident, lustful tone. You were getting more and more confident with each perfect, tantalizing moment with you. 

Especially with that little please stunt. 

And he loved every second of it. 

He had a feeling you would outmatch him one day, and he needed to be the one to experience it. He’s completely entranced by your molten lapis lazuli gaze as you sucked a love bite on the underside of his throbbing dick. His eyes clenched shut with a hiss, your perfect, soft hands squeezing his balls as you continued your sinful acts. "Fuck, your mouth is perfect-so fuckin' good, Caledonia," he growled, his hips bucking into your hand. Each squeeze of your hand and impure suck to his tip had the thread of his soul reeling loose from its spindle. Every coherent thought seemed to dissipate as you soaked his cock with your perfect mouth. You held his length, giving him a sultry smile as you pushed your copper locks over your shoulder to the other side. His hand quickly intertwined with your soft, wavy hair, letting his fingers card through the strands. The way your hair glowed in the morning light and how your perfect, pink lips wrapped around his saliva soaked cock made his core tighten and heart flutter. He sighed as you gripped his hips, nails digging into his adonis belt as you brought your mouth down over his swollen dick, savoring each ridge and crevice of his fat cock with your tongue. 

"Shit! So fuckin' good, baby." 

If you didn't know any better, it almost sounded like the cocky, self-assured Hangman was pleading for you. You let him leave your mouth with a pop, "does that feel nice, handsome? Feeling me suck your dick like a goddamn bomb pop?" He feverishly nodded, willing to let you do whatever you want to him. 

"God, I love how thick you are, feel so good in my mouth and balls deep in my pussy," you moaned out, eyes full of intense flames of lust as you stroked him with a steady rhythm.

Fuck, where did you learn to talk like that?

He realized how stupid of a question that was. 

His chest heaves, his breathing shaky as low moans passed his lips as you quite literally sucked his life source from his throbbing cock. His eyes clenched shut as his load is about to burst, hips bucking into your mouth. "Oh, fuck, sweets, keep doing that, such a good girl." He choked out, his eyes rolling back as you gave him a sinful, perfect suck to his tip. You squeezed his hips harder as they became wracked with tremors, feeling his hand desperately reach the back of your head, fingers intertwining with the soft strands. “Holy shit, Caledonia.” He gritted his teeth as he groaned, his back arching as his release hit the back of your throat in thick ropes, almost startling you as his hand kept your head in place. His slightly salty taste eased you as you continued to lathe your tongue around his dick, collecting any last remnant of his release. Jake's breathing evened out as he recovered, opening his eyes to you placing a sweet, oh so tender kiss to his tip.

 It would almost make him smile if it didn't make his dick twitch. 

You licked your lips, letting your gaze meet his blissed out one, giggling at the sight of his bed hair, and soft, rosy cheeks. His breath hitched as you licked the last of his essence from your fingers. Crawling back up and over him, you gently placed a kiss on his lips. The taste of himself on your lips making his core ache in reinvigorated need. 

"How was that?" You bit your lip, smiling with awaiting eyes. He takes a deep breath, licking his lips as he takes in the mix of your tastes, his lip lifting into a smile, making you giggle. His fingers digging into your plush hips, bringing you closer.  His hand travels up to the base of your neck, bringing your lips down to his. Your soft sighs against his lips has his libido rising by the second. 

In one quick motion, you’re below him, letting out a squeal of delight that morphed into a titter. His grip on your hips tighten as he towers above your sprawled out form. He stands on his haunches, spreading your legs with his broad hands. A low whistle meeting your ears, “God, I need to be inside you,” your clit tingled at the prospect, “You want me inside you, sweetheart?” You pathetically nodded. His eyes tracing your fingertips as they traverse the curves of your plush body that lead to the sensitive little pearl at the apex of your thighs, your soft fingertips gingerly rubbing at your clit. 

“Please Jake, I need it so bad.” 

A deep groan resonated in his chest as he manhandled your knees to hook over his shoulders, pressing onto you.

"Jake." 

“Shh, baby, I'm gonna take care of you.” He murmured, fighting off the deep rooted urge to slide all in at once and fuck you till the headboard breaks. He gave you that same salacious smile you love. Running your fingernails down his torso, you nodded. His lips parting as he notches his tip at your entrance. He leans down, keeping his gorgeous evergreen gaze on you. A pitiful whimper leaves your lips as the bulbous head enters you, already stretching you. His hands quickly intertwine with your own, placing them by your head, nose nudging yours.

"Shh, it's ok, Lass, taking me so well, just breathe." You nodded, eyes glassy as you focused your gaze on him as he continued to enter you inch by inch. He can’t help but feel the warmth in his heart with each pinch of your brow and soft mewls that passed your lips as he split you open. 

You’re absolutely perfect. 

And you’re all his.

He smiled so softly and tenderly at you. "I love you so much, you have no idea how much I missed you," he whispered. 

Your eyes starting to tear up, voice thick, "I love you too, Jake." 

He leaned down, passionately, desperately kissing you like you’re the only keeper of his sanity. "I'm not going anywhere," you whimpered out against his lips, his forehead resting against your own as he gently rolled his hips into your own, fully sheathing himself into the welcoming embrace of your cunt. His rhythm has moans pouring from your lips and his bed frame rhythmically banging into the wall. Your breathing intermingles, gazes staring into one another. The focus solely on the feeling of Jake on you, holding your hands so tenderly yet firmly, and the way he throbs gently inside you with each thrust. He savors the velvet feeling of your walls around him, and the twitch of your knees against his shoulders. 

Each moan and whimper spurring him on with each soft thrust, rubbing that sweet spot inside you that had you clutching onto his shoulders for dear life. 

"Jake," 

He nipped at your neck, putting his entire lower body weight into his thrusts, making you gasp and cry out as he ransacked that special spot that made you see stars. Your lips muffled his groans as he continued to thrust into your perfect cunt that he would swear under oath was made for him. 

"God, you feel so fucking good, Jake!" His growls and groans are a reply enough to your broken moans and gasps of breath. 

You both are consumed only in each other, not the headboard banging into the wall or the possibility of Javy hearing your escapades- just the perfect mix of you and him. He lifted your hips letting him thrust with all his strength into your welcoming cunt, your walls begging him to never leave. 

"Such a good fucking girl, wanna spend every mornin’ like this… God, such a perfect, tight, little pussy," you gasped and cried out as he punctuated each graveled word with a deep, perfect thrust. "You love it when I fuck you like this, don't you?" You nodded feverishly, tears welling in your eyes. 

"You just feel so good, please don't stop," you choked out, the dull edges of your nails digging into his hands that encased yours. He grinned at you, placing a soft kiss to your plush lips, feeling pride swell in his chest.  “Love seeing you get all teary eyed taking my dick,” he cooed. You moaned as he set a brutal rhythm, making you see entire galaxies behind your clenched shut eyes. Shuddered gasps left your throat as he leaned down to mouth at your tits, sucking at your peaks, and releasing them with gentle pops. 

"Baby, look at me," he purred, his voice strained from his excursions. Your dazed gaze met his, your vision hazy from your impending orgasm. But even then, you could still make out the thin halo of green that surrounded a sea of black. 

“So fucking pretty, baby.” The sight of his lust dilated eyes and the constant assault on the soft spot inside you has your sanity unraveling, your high rushing over you with broken gasps, chest heaving up into his. 

“Jesus Christ, so fuckin’ tight.” He groaned with that sinful graveled tone into your ear as you mewled and shook as your high consumed you. 

His eyes clenched shut as your walls choked his cock, making his release hit him like a bullet, groaning into your neck as his release painted your soft velvet walls. 

You relished in the feeling of his weight on your body, softly running your fingers through his hair as his cock gently twitched in your molten cunt. Heaving breaths and the soft smell of sex filled the room as the AC hummed lowly. He gently lifted his face to meet yours, a sweet, dazed smile painting his lips, sweat beading at his hairline. You bit your lip, “good morning.” His relaxed smile morphed into a grin, “mornin', my beautiful girl.” Your grin matched his as you gently pulled him into a sweet kiss, letting your nails gingerly scratch at the base of his neck. He softly whined in protest as you pulled your lips away for air. “I have to breathe, Jacob,” you teased, “I’m not going anywhere.” 

Your warm gaze met his own, a soft smile on your lips that made your dimples pop. His eyes glazed over, tracing over each wisp of color in your sapphire eyes and the rouge dusting your cheeks. How did I get so lucky? 

“What’re you looking at me like that for?” You whispered softly.

His lip quirked, “jus’ thinking about you,”

Your blush deepened, biting your lip to hide your grin, “only good things, I hope.”

“Only good things.” He repeated with a gentle smile. 

You lightly pulled his lips back to yours, lips languidly melding with his. Savoring the taste of you on his lips that he never wanted to forget. 

—

Jake’s breathing evened out as you traced the edge of your nail on his pec, gently scratching at the sparse chest hair. Your head nestled into the crook of his neck, eyes tracing over the freckles sparsely peppering his bare skin, following the tip of your finger. His fingers mindlessly toy with your wavy locks, watching the soft strands curl around his finger and the glow of that lovely copper hue in the morning light. He felt like he needed to pinch himself, just to make sure this was all real. He refrained; pinching himself may cause all of this to go away. You listened to his steady breathing, softly letting your eyes flutter shut. 

“We should get cleaned up and something to eat,” you whispered against his chest. He hummed, still coming down from his high. You giggled, sitting up before rising off of the bed. Softly stretching in the morning light, bare to the world, walking towards his bathroom on shaky legs that had his chest filling with pride. Turning towards him, you leaned against the doorframe, “you coming, cowboy?” His mouth felt dry, eyes glued to your full body that was fully exposed for him to admire in the soft, golden morning light. Your eyes caught on. A playful smile tugged at your lips as you watched his eyes travel from your eyes down to the rest of your body. The gaze of others had always planted a pit of insecurity in your stomach that caused your heart to quiver. But being with Jake, he eased your insecurities. Softly and slowly, he eased you to expose yourself to him. But even in these moments there were small pockets of self-consciousness that broke through the protective layer that Jake helped to cultivate. 

Soon enough he'll realize that your body type isn't what he wants.

This is all a ruse and he didn't mean it when he said he loved you. 

He'll get sick of your body at some point. 

You felt your lips threaten to tug into a frown, his gaze feeling more scrutinizing as he held his gaze on your body. In all the time you had known him, Jake had never been a quiet man. Maybe he didn't like how your thighs were so thick. 

Or the soft flesh of your tummy. 

Or how your breasts weren't as perky as with the other girls he’d been with. 

He nodded, a beat of silence passing, “that sounds perfect.” There was no air of cockiness in his tone, only the heavy sincerity of his whispered words. He rose out of bed, sauntering towards you. You tried to keep your gaze on him instead of the way his cock was starting to harden again and animatedly bob with each stride. He took your hand in his, anxiety easing as he brought your hand to his lips, eyes full of love before silently leading you with him into the bathroom. 

—

“Jake, stop, that tickles,” you protested teasingly as you manned the stove top, flipping the eggs and bacon in the skillet as the toast finished with a ding. His chin lifted from its place at your neck with a groan, halting the teasing rubs of his freshly shaven cheek against the column of your neck. His hands playfully squeezed your hips as he stepped away to collect the toast. 

“So, sweets, do you have any plans for the rest of the day?” He placed the plate with the warm toast on the counter across from you, letting the edge press into his bare lower back as he buttered the pieces of toast. Shutting the burner off with a click, you grabbed both of the filled plates before joining him at the countertop. You could feel his eyes settled on where his shirt barely covered the curve of your panty-clad ass. The attention made your cheeks heat. Granted, you should have been used to it by now, but it was so hard to adjust when every time he looked at you, your entire body heated up like a fireplace. And his bare chest on display certainly didn’t help. Or the fact you could trace out the bulging veins in his forearms. 

“Um,” you cleared your throat, “I have a shift at Penny’s later tonight, but besides that I’m free.” He turned to lean on his elbow against the counter to face you while he held his plate, eagerly digging into his breakfast. You leaned forward against the counter, foraging at the strawberries Jake had cut up earlier. He smiled around his piece of toast, “glad to hear it, I was hoping for a few more hours with you.” He teased, pinching under the curve of your ass as your blush bloomed on your cheeks. You swatted at him, his chuckles meeting your ears. He placed his plate down, moving to embrace his arms around you, the small droplets of water from the shower falling onto your neck and shirt. You yelped as his broad hands grasped the underside of your thighs, placing you onto the edge of the countertop, out of the way of your plates of food. Your chuckles died down as your gaze met Jake’s playful one. His thumbs rubbed small circles on your hips as he stepped between your spread thighs. The back of his finger gently caressed your cheek. Your teeth digging into your bottom lip, hands gently rubbing at where his broad shoulders met his neck, fingers occasionally toying with the chain of his dog tags. Your eyes traced over the fine features of his face, fingers cradling the back of his head, leaning down to kiss his passion-swollen lips. 

Groaning against your lips, he pulled away. 

“I meant what I said last night and this morning…about being in love with you. I don't want you to feel that it was just in the heat of the moment for me.” He softly whispered, as if it were a secret from the rest of the world. Your eyebrows rose a little, your heart warming. “I know Jake. It wasn't a heat of the moment deal for me either. I love you too. Just promise me something.” 

“Anything.” He reassured.

“I know relationships are a complicated thing for you,” you diverted your gaze to your fingers playing with the pebbled chain of his dog tags, “but if you get scared or anxious, please don't pull away and make a rash decision. Be open with me. Talk to me.”

His warm eyes melted more if that was possible. 

He nodded, murmuring “I will, promise.” His nose touches yours before he places a sweet kiss to your lips. He hummed at the taste of strawberries on your lips.

“Glad to see you guys made up.” 

Javy’s voice made you jolt against Jake, trying to discreetly reach to slide Jake's shirt under your ass, much to Javy's amusement and Jake's disgruntlement. 

Javy made his way to the coffee maker with an amused expression on his face as he poured himself a cup of coffee. You could feel Jake's hands tighten on your waist. 

“Coyote, I thought you were at Delilah’s.” Javy smirked around the rim of his mug at Jake's tone. He leaned against the opposite counter, an amused expression on his face as he took in his much more kept together appearance; shaved cheeks, diminished bags under his eyes. 

“Good morning to you, too. I got back late last night after dropping her off for her red eye for her business trip.” Javy grinned, diverting his gaze to you. “Hey, Caledonia.” 

“Hey, C-Coyote” you stammered, cheeks flushed.

“You know, we were kind of having a moment. Alone.” Jake bit back, attitude rolling off of his tongue, as he tried hiding your body with his. That only made Javy smile all the more. 

“Sorry, I must have missed the part where this was your kitchen.” He placed his mug in the sink. “But really, I'm happy for you both. He was much more tolerable when you both were messing around.” Jake continued to glare at him, his grip on you getting more and more possessive the more your cheeks heated. “Oh, and if you guys decide to utilize the counter, use the Lysol afterwards.” Javy winked at Jake, giving him a pat on his bare shoulder and stealing a strawberry as he passed, heading towards the front door, closing it with a click. As soon as the door closed, you giggled into Jake's chest, a mix of amusement and mortification filling your chest. 

“God, I'm gonna kill him.” 

Your laughter brought his gaze down to you. 

“He's just being supportive.”

“Yeah, well, I wish he wouldn't look at you while he's being so supportive.” Jake huffed.

“Jake…”

“What? I don’t like him looking at what’s mine, especially when you’re looking like a wet dream out of a Playboy Magazine.”

Your smile grew with the shivers that ran along your spine at his tone. 

“I wouldn’t say that-” Your eyes diverted from him to focus on the tiled floor. Your hair was still messy from your roll in the sheets and shower, and your eyes still felt sticky with sleep. 

He gently lifted your chin to meet his gaze. 

“I would. Every time.”

You swallowed at his tone that dripped with loving sincerity. He grinned, placing a gentle kiss to your forehead before quickly reaching your lips with a deep hum. 

If you had a mirror, you’d assume your face was the color of fully-bloomed roses.

His tongue traced the seam of your lips, lewdly persuading entrance to tangle with your own. You moaned against his mouth as he gently laid you back against the cold countertop, his mouth trailing down your neck, gently teasing your pert nipples through the cotton of his Navy shirt with his expert tongue. 

“Jake-”

He hummed, “What is it, pretty girl? Tell me what you want.”

Your breath hitched as his fingers tugged down your panties to the cold tile floor with a soft thump. His hands pushed your shirt up over your head to expose your lush breasts to his warm touch, flinging the piece of cotton onto the couch.

“We don’t know when Javy’s getting back.” Your hands coming up to cover your bare chest.

His eyebrows furrowed in amusement, a gentle smirk on his lips.

“Javy always does his errands on Saturday mornings. He’ll be gone for a good few hours.” 

You swallowed, biting at the inside of your cheek. 

“Plus, he was right about one thing.” 

Your eyebrows scrunched together, his nose trailing along your neck as his lips reached the shell of your ear. His hands gently move to replace yours on your breasts. 

“The counter would be smart to utilize while he’s gone.” He nipped at your earlobe, relishing in the soft moan and shudder than accentuated his improper words and actions. His eyes rose to meet yours as his broad hands pushed down on the counter to show its sturdiness with a smirk. 

“We’ve barely touched our breakfast, and-” you words paused on your lips as his hands squeezed at your hips and thighs, nudging them further apart, “don’t you get tired of being this horny?”

Deep chested grumbles of laughter bubbled up as he brought his lips to yours. 

“You just have that effect on me, sweetheart, and I have a lot of time to make up for.” He teased with a grin, gently running the pad of his forefinger through your already soaked folds. 

“And it feels like to me, you don’t seem to mind.” He husked. 

Your chest heaved with a shortness of breath you didn’t know you had. You pulled his lips to yours, moaning against his now strawberry sweet lips. A sharp whine leaving your own as he eased two of his thick fingers into your molten, awaiting cunt. 

“Easy there, Lass, I’ll take care of you.” His saccharine grin made you realize you would be on this counter for as long as time would allow. 

—

“So I noticed your car was parked here this morning.”

Penny’s amused tone made you almost drop the clean glass in your hand.

“Yeah,” you awkwardly chuckled, “I stayed the night with a friend.” You gave her a tight lipped smile. Penny’s eyebrows furrowed, but she didn’t press. Her typical kind smile passed her lips, “Well I’m glad to see you got over Hangman. You’re too good for him, and he’s still not welcome here.” You swallowed as her eyes grew ever sharper with each word. 

“Yeah,” you fiddled with the towel and the glass in your hand, “well, actually, I wanted to talk to you about something.” You bit your lip as her face grew concerned. Your eyes darted around the empty bar, hoping to find something to take the edge off of the conversation. Taking a deep breath, you let your eyes focus back on her.

“Hang-,” you cleared your throat, “Jake came by here last night.” Penny’s posture straightened as her eyebrows furrowed. 

Your eyes grew wide in panic, “But it’s ok! He came by to apologize to me.” The sharpness in Penny’s gaze dulled as your tone and words registered. “And, I spent the night with him.” You breathed out. “He told me he loves me.”

Penny’s gaze was trying to fight for any semblance of sharpness. She’d known Hangman for years before you came along. Seen all the hookups that transpired in her bar because of his charm, and the inevitable wreckage afterwards. And not once did he have the decency to apologize for breaking a poor girl’s heart. Much less tell them he loved them and make up with them. 

“Even after we… did things.”

You frankly didn’t know what compelled you to share that detail. Maybe it was because Penny had become a maternal figure to you during your time at grad school and you could be vulnerable with her about this. She would probably know more than most, given her history with Maverick. You bit your lip, hoping and praying that Penny wouldn’t tear Jake to shreds if he stepped foot into the Hard Deck. Penny had had her fair share of relationships and only one of them resulted in her being told she was loved after sex- Maverick. Penny’s eyes reverted to the same trademark warmth she always looked at you with, a small smile on her face. “I’m glad you and Hangman made up, but if he hurts you… promise me you’ll tell me. Ok?”

You nodded, ”Does this mean Jake is ok to come back to the Hard Deck?”

She breathed through her teeth, before chuckling, “I think you’ll need to clear the air with Phoenix first. My jurisdiction only goes so far. If she sees him here, she’ll do a lot worse than punch him in the nose.”

Your eyebrows furrowed.

“Did Nat punch him in the nose?”

—

“Well, you’re looking better.”

You quickly turned at the sound of Phoenix’s encouraging tone. Her eyes tracing over your lush, wavy hair and your scintillating blood moon manicured nails that made your eyes pop. 

“And it looks like it in more ways than one too.” She smirked, eyes tracing over the poorly concealed hickey.

Your blush spread like waves over a shoreline, bringing your hand up to hide the mark with a nervous smile.

“Yeah, I’m feeling better since last night.”

You swallowed as your eyes darted to see Bob settle against Phoenix at the bar top. Giving Bob a smile, you placed a cup of peanuts from under the bartop in front of him. 

Phoenix smiled at the gesture. 

“So did you end up going out with Halo’s friend from the gym?” Bob asked before scooping some peanuts into his mouth.

You always admired how perceptive Bob was. He could piece together a conversation like the snap of his finger. 

“N-no, I didn’t.” You bit at your lip. 

I really hope they don’t kill me for this, you thought. 

“Well,” Phoenix urged on, “was it somebody who came in last night?”

You crossed your arms over your chest, nervously puffing out laughter.

“You could say that.”

Her eyes lit up, “Ok, so who’s the lucky guy… or girl?” she teased.

Rolling your eyes, you shook your head. 

Phoenix had been encouraging you to explore your sexuality since the whole situation with Hangman went down the drain. Well, before Jake pulled it out of said drain less than 24 hours ago. 

You bit your lip, “Um.” You swallowed.

Phoenix’s eyebrows furrowed and Bob watched on with piqued interest.

“Jake came by last night.” 

You internally winced as both of their smiles fully faded.

“Cali…” Phoenix’s voice was laced with frustration and pity, the latter burning the most. 

“I know it sounds bad, but-”

“How could you take him back?” Phoenix’s voice rattled your heart. Bob stood by silently. But his face spoke the words just said. 

You took a breath, swallowing “he came by to apologize.”

Her gaze softened. But only slightly so. 

You still slept with him, again, She thought. 

But then again, Hangman didn’t apologize. Ever. 

“And, he told me he’s in love with me.”  

And he most definitely didn’t tell hookups he loved them. Much less in love with them. In fact, in time Phoenix knew him, Jake never had anything serious with anyone. Not even a date.

Phoenix and Bob exchanged looks.

“And that he can’t let me go again.” You finished, watching them apprehensively as you toyed with your nails. 

“I just don’t want you to punch him again.” You softly state.

Phoenix took a breath, before scoffing.

“It doesn’t excuse him from what he did-”

“I know that-”

“But, nothing. You’re too good for him, and how can you trust he won’t hurt you again?”

You swallowed, trying to stave off tears.

Bob winced at her words. Phoenix was right to be concerned. Angry, even.

But he saw how Jake had changed since spending time with you, and how he was when you ended your arrangement. That had to mean something more than what words alone could reveal. There was even a running joke regarding how much time Hangman spent with Caledonia, even just helping her at the Hard Deck. 

“Nat,” Bob interrupted. 

She turned to him, eyes still bright with fire. “You’ve seen how he’s been lately and how he was before.” Her jaw tensed. Of course Bob had a point. He always had a point. 

A thick silence settled over your corner of the bar top as regulars started to trickle in.

“I can’t explain how I know, but I just know that he means it.” You turn your gaze from Bob to Natasha, making your stance clear.

She sighed, “look, I just want you to be safe and happy, and if you truly believe he can be that for you… then he’s in serious trouble if he hurts you again.”

You embrace Nat in a hug that has her a bit startled. Sniffling, “I will. Thank you.”

You pull away, wiping away the last remnant of your tears with your apron. 

“Promise me you’ll take it easy on him on base? Well, easier?” Your borderline plea made  Natasha purse her lips before breathing out of her nose.

“Yeah, I’ll do my best. But if he starts something, I have my right to respond with a full arsenal.” 

Your lip tipped up into a grin. 

“I hope you know that you’re the only person I would ever do this for. You know that right?” 

You nodded, cheeks aching from your grin.  A regular had called you over, excusing yourself from your friends. Phoenix and Bob watched on as you served drinks. 

“Hangman better watch out if something happens to her. He doesn’t know what he’s got in a girl like her.” She huffed, snagging a peanut from his cup.

“I think he does now.” Bob’s quiet comment stops her mid chew.

His gaze still on you across the bar before turning to her. 

She huffed again. She had a scintilla of belief that Bob was right. 

—

Your shift passed you like a blur, lost in the fluid routine of serving drinks and orders. The comfort of familiarity flooding your fingertips and eased your senses. The laughter of your friends around the pool tables and Penny’s words of encouragement as things got busier as the night went on made you feel at home again.

“Here’s a whiskey neat for you.” You smiled, turning back to where the beer taps were, grabbing more glasses from underneath the polished wood. 

“Excuse me, Darlin’.”

Your eyes darted up to a voice that had excitement thrumming through you, your grin barely contained. Evergreen eyes greeted you, “a whiskey neat on my tab please.” His bright grin soon matched yours.

“What are you doing here?” you asked warmly as you made his drink.

“Penny texted me saying I could come back to the Hard Deck.” His lip quirking, “On the condition that I help you close up after your shifts for the foreseeable future.” He chuckled, letting his lips tilt into a smile, “and I wanted to see you.” 

He leaned in closer to you, his eyes tracing your full lips up to your eyes that held so much warmth. “She did mention that I needed to worry about Phoenix, though.”

You snorted. “I think you’ll be ok, just stay here at the bar top with me. I’ll protect you.” Your playful wink made his chest rumble with laughter. 

Jake stayed at his spot at the bartop, even when you slipped away to serve drinks. The more you were gone, the more exposed he felt, and the more he felt his confident facade was weakening. He could still feel a bounty on his head, hence the lack of appeal the pool tables held for him tonight. He took sips of his drink, keeping his gaze on you.

“You have a lot of nerve showing your face here.” He almost flinched at the familiar baritone. He turned, met with a questionable choice of Hawaiian shirt and a mustache he could barely stand. 

“But given how miserable you were, it’s not entirely a surprise you came crawling back to her. And by the looks of it, she took you back.” He stated more flatly. 

“Hey, Rooster, can I grab you something?” you asked sweetly, eyes darting from Jake’s to the aviator in front of you.

“Yeah, Rooster, what do you want? It’s on me.” Bradshaw’s eyebrows shot up as Jake laid down his card on the glossy surface. Bradshaw eyed him suspiciously before diverting his gaze to you. “One Blue Moon, please, thanks.”

You smiled at Jake, taking his card. 

As you turned away to grab his glass, Bradshaw was back to facing the last man he thought he’d see tonight.

Jake took a sip of his drink, rocking the glass in his hand. “For what it’s worth, I’m trying to make it right.” Bradshaw couldn’t find a sliver of anything to indicate Jake had ill intent, making his eyebrows furrow for a split second. 

“Here’s your beer, enjoy.” You smiled at Bradley.

“Here’s your card, baby.” You leaned in giving Jake a kiss, sliding the card over the bartop to him. Bradshaw had only seen Hangman blush when he was relentlessly teased in the break room and locker room. It was…different, to see Jake blush when the reason for it was right in front of him. As soon as you were there, you were whisked away to serve another customer. Bradshaw’s gaze followed you before turning to Jake, seeing the smile on his face. Not a cocky, confident smile, but a genuine one that was getting less and less rare with you around.

“I don’t know what she sees in you, but you better not fuck up again.” Bradshaw’s tone didn’t hold the same bite it had before. His hand gave an attempt of a friendly pat on the shoulder before turning to leave. Some semblance of an olive branch being passed to him.

“I won’t.” Jake said just before Bradshaw left ear shot, saying it more to himself than anyone. 

   As your shift progressed members of the team came and passed, relations settling at the sight of you and Jake at the bar top when you weren’t being pulled away to serve customers. Soon the end of your shift had arrived and your friends waved goodbye and some even acknowledged Jake as they left. Phoenix’s gaze towards him as she waved goodbye wasn’t as sharp as it had been the past few weeks. The last chair was stacked above the tables and soon you were dragging Jake out of the Hard Deck with you after bidding Penny a goodnight. Penny’s watchful yet warm gaze settled on you both as Jake held the door for you to go outside, and followed you till your cars left the parking lot, heading in the same direction. 

—

"Well, who is this little miss?" Jake crouched down in the hallway and let your new addition to the Benjamin's home softly sniff at his hand and rub her head against his leg.  

"Oh, um, that's Chanel. I got her a few weeks ago,” you replied.  

"Chanel," Jake tried out, "that's a very pretty name for a very pretty girl," he cooed as she let him scratch under her chin and purred. You smiled at the sight, "she's been a little shy around…well, everyone. It's nice that she's warming up to others." A snort left you as Jake tried to stand up, but was met with charged meows of protest. 

"I'm sorry, Chanel, I thought I gave you enough attention…but you're just like your mama, can't get enough." He winked at you, making you smile and your cheeks warm. 

 "Where'd you find this little attention magnet?"

"There's an animal shelter near the lab that was having a meet and greet. Ella took me when… when you ended things.” You tried to push down the somber thoughts that threatened to bubble up after all the positive progress that was made tonight. Jake's gaze softened at your words. “She was huddled in the back of the room, so I took her home." You could feel your eyes get teary at the resurface of the freshly scabbed wounds. Jake’s eyebrows furrowed in concern, his lips pointed in a slight frown. “I’m so sorry, Caledonia.” Your eyes met his heavy, sincere ones as he gently took your hand in his soft grasp. 

“I should never have done what I did to you.” 

You bit the inside of your lip, taking a step closer to him, gently cupping his freshly shaved cheeks. Letting your thumbs rub against his smooth skin.

“I know you’re sorry, and,” you took a breath, “I forgive you.” 

Jake feels his heart beat halt in his chest. He couldn’t describe in words how much those three words meant to him. “But you should know, I don’t give out second chances easily, and…for what it’s worth, Phoenix clocking you is quite the punishment.”

You gently ran your fingers along the edge of his nose.

He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, feeling his lip quirk. 

“You heard about that, huh?”

He cringed a bit as your lip tilted into a smile. 

“Surprisingly, Penny was less discreet about it than your colleagues.” You breathed out a chuckle. He watched as Chanel trotted to your crouched down form, circling in front of you, sliding your open palm along her arched back, her tail that rivaled that of a Swiffer duster oscillating above her. Jake knew he would do whatever it took to stay with you. He’d already been given a chance he didn’t deserve and he sure as hell wasn’t going to waste it. His warm jade gaze watched on as you gingerly picked her up as little trills and chirps left her, supporting her, and gingerly stroking her chin as she closed her eyes. "Do you wanna come upstairs? Watch something?" His gaze snapped to your own, nodding. 

"Sure," he murmured.

—

“You, know, I haven’t taken you out on a proper date, yet.” Jake whispered, his warm gaze shifting from Chanel’s purring form between you both on the bed to your bright ocean blue one already on his. 

“Glad to hear that’s where your mind is at after watching the X-Files with me, lover boy.”

His grin widened at your teasing tone. He scooted closer on his side, leaning down to kiss your ever-so sweet lips. 

“I’m serious. I want to do this right with you.”

Your heart pulsed all the faster, your lower lip trapped between your teeth, warping your smile. 

He took a breath. “Ms. Hughes, would you do me the honor of going out with me this Saturday night?”

Your blush bloomed on your cheeks like a field of poppies. He watched tentatively as you tilted your head to the side, gaze diverting as if thinking hard about the question. 

You sucked in air through your teeth, “Hm, I don’t think I can.” Jake’s face dropped.  “There’s this guy I really like that asked me out, and well, he’s sweet and very well endowed. And I don’t think I can say no to him. I’m sure you can understand.” You playfully examined your scarlet red manicured nails, fighting to keep your resolve neutral. His eyebrows furrowed, before a teasing smile lit up his features. 

“Hm, well endowed, huh?” His eyes matched your gleam.

You hummed in agreement, “Yeah, he’s always calling me Lass and, well, he recently came to his senses about me, and,” you pursed your lips, tucking some hair behind your ear, “I don’t think I can say no to him.”

Laughter bubbled up his throat, shaking his head as he gently brought your lips to his, taking in your sweet hums and sighs. He slid his tongue into your mouth, scooting closer into your personal space, almost forgetting that Chanel was settled comfortably between you both. Her meows and yowls of discontentment separating both of you with a jolt. His eyes darted from her lounging form back to your eyes, chuckles passing both of your lips.

“Well, it sounds like I have some competition.” He murmured, eyes bright with that teasing glint you loved.

You hummed in agreement, gently running your fingers over Chanel’s delicate fur, your playful eyes meeting his. 

“Is he also hoping to pick you up at 8 on Saturday?”

Your smirk widened.

“Somewhere in that ballpark.” You teased.

“Somewhere in that ballpark?” Jake scoffed, “doesn’t really sound like you're too wild about this ‘well endowed’ guy if you can’t even remember when he’s supposed to pick you up.” 

Your smile broke out into a grin at his playful tone, his chuckles soon following yours.  

You placed a sweet kiss to his lips, your noses brushing.

“I’d love to go out with you on Saturday night.”

Jake could have sworn his cheeks hadn’t hurt this much from a grin in his entire life. Chanel jumped down from the bed, opening up more space for you to lay closer to Jake. His grin widening as you promptly filled the space. 

“Perfect, I’ll pick you up at 8.” He whispered, leaning his lips down closer to yours. 

You pulled away, slightly out of breath.

“One question, though-”

“Anything.”

You bit the inside of your cheek, “can we still do our fun, little lessons together?”

His eyebrows shot up. 

 Can we still do our fun, little lessons together?

He smirked, that charming smile bubbling below the surface.

Fun, little lessons, huh?

“Yeah, Lass, we can still do our fun, little lessons. We go as long or as short as you want, remember?”

Your eyes diverted away before your grin took over, bringing your eyes back to his.

“I mean, we’ve definitely covered a lot of bases.” You murmured, toying with your nails as you let your head settle into where his neck meets his shoulder. 

“Yeah, we definitely have,” he chuckled, his hands rubbing soothingly along your back and waist as he mentally tallied off the list.

“There’s still some more things I want to try with you, though…that we didn’t get to add to the list.” He murmured against your forehead as he gave you a soft kiss. 

You hummed, the body heat encasing you making you realize just how tired you really were, “Like what?” 

He leaned his head back against your bed frame, your body adjusting to lean against him. His hand taking hold of one of your own, gently running his thumb along the back of your hand. His eyes drawing to the deep red hue of your nails that suited you well. 

“Well, Lass, I was thinking you might like being tied up a little. We still have those fuzzy blue handcuffs to try out,” he noticed the slight clench of your thighs at the statement, making him grin. He didn’t have to see your face to know it was beginning to bloom like the Indian paintbrush flowers that grew in his family’s garden.

“Maybe you’d like it if we brought some whipped cream and chocolate into the mix, maybe some ice cubes-”

Your core stirred at the idea of licking delectable treats off of his body. And him doing the same to you. 

“Ice cubes?”

“Yeah, Lass,” he chuckled, through his drawl, “Ice cubes, it feels mighty fine from what I’ve seen and heard, especially on your pretty clit and tits.” 

You sighed, feeling your horniness start to brew.

“And I was thinking maybe we could try some role playing, we never did try out that mini skirt we bought, and I have a nice suit in my closet, and, forgive me if I’m overstepping, but you strike me as someone who had the hots for one of your professors in college.” He smirked as you blushed, fully taking in the proposed scenario. You couldn’t deny his hunch. 

“And I was thinking anal might be something you’d like to try.” Your head shot up, eyes widening as you met his warm gaze, like melted jade simmering in a cauldron, his smirk still drawing your attention. You’d never even considered anal as something you would want to try, but you couldn’t deny the quick flash of excitement in your clit at the idea. 

“But we don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable doing.” He quickly reassured. He still had the sapphire blue heart cut crystal butt plug from Myrtle’s shop, and he could always return it. But he swore he could see a glint of excitement in your eyes regarding the topic. 

“What else do you want to try?” Your breathless tone made him smile and heart buzz with excitement. 

“Well, I was thinking, if you’re up for it, we could use some more of the sex toys we bought, you could also take the lead with some of them if you’d like, like the cockring we bought,” he cleared his throat, a blush starting to work its way up his neck. 

Your eyebrows furrowed before a gentle smile took over. His demeanour when talking about taking control and relinquishing it always differed in a peculiar way.

“I’d like to try taking more control with you…Too bad the cockring is at your place.” You whispered coquettishly.

His eyebrows shot up as your body rose for you to maintain eye contact with him. His eyes followed your every move as you settled onto his lap, letting your sharp nails scratch down the material of the front of his shirt. He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, his pupils blown wide with lust. 

“We do have to be careful. Penny and Amelia are probably asleep.” You whispered out as he huffed. 

Right. He forgot you didn’t have your own place. 

“We’ll just have to be quiet then, handsome.” You smirked, bringing your lips down to his. 

He moaned against your lips, completely trapped under your body and your sweet, delicious lips consuming him. 

—

Jake gently closed your bedroom door with a soft click after you gave him many kisses goodnight and made him promise to visit you on your shift tomorrow. He quietly crept down the stairs. He didn’t need Penny and Amelia to be upset with him, again, for waking them up. His footsteps fell soft against the hardwood flooring as he stepped into his shoes.

“This seems a bit more comfortable than going out the window.”

Jake almost jumped out of his skin, quickly turning to see Amelia at the counter with a glass of water and her plaid pajamas. A displeased expression on her face, making him nervous. 

“Amelia, you’re up late-”

“So are you.” She quipped, eyes sharp. 

He sighed. Right. It made sense that Amelia would be mad at him. 

“Listen, Amelia,” he ran his hand over his face,” me and Caledonia-”

“Just don’t break her heart again.”

He swallowed, watching the teenage girl maintain eye contact that matched her sharp tone before gathering her things and disappearing up the stairs.

The door clicked shut behind him, his shoes crunching under the gravel of their driveway. He turned back to look at the window he crawled out of weeks prior. His lip quirked at the memory of your sweet smile and words that soothed him like balm on the cracks in his heart.

I forgive you. 

Taglist: 

@marvel-hotchner @nemesis729 @a-lil-bit-nuts @mizzzpink @themusingofagothicsoul @sebsxphia @potato-girl99981   @a-beaverhausen @withahappyrefrain @hangmans-wingman   @callmemana @joalslibrary @peachiicherries @whiskeyswriting @entertainmentgirl80 @jkbindigo11 @princess76179 @clancycucumber230 @teacupsandtopgun @chaoticassidy @superskittles @cherrycola27 @h-ngm-ns @emma8895eb @djs8891 @novastories @urmom-999 @taytaylala12 @zombicupcake3 @abaker74 @kmc1989 @hangmanshoney @caidi-paris @i-wanna-be-your-muse @shara-ne @memeorydotcom @memoriesat30 @shanimallina87 @whoeverineedtobe @gigisimsonmars @slippinginto-theairwaves @phoenix-rising-starbird-one @cardi-bre91 @yuckosworld @blackcatdhisgf @isabelstardis @marbledaesthetics @goldenseresinretriever

[echoingbirdsofprey]

Delicate (Jake's Version)

1 - Iceman's Daughter

Pairing: Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x OFC Samantha Kazansky

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: swearing (as usual) and Jake just getting shit from everyone

WC: 2.5k

A/N: So I'm borrowing the twins idea...so Tyler and Jake are twins so those stories will coincide at some point. Enjoy please! Don't be a silent reader either!

Playlist

Sam didn't need a damn thing in this world. Not a thing. She certainly didn't need a man. She certainly didn't need any of these cowboy fighter pilots in Fightertown. They all seemed to want to flirt with her, but it always ended there. No one ever made a move because of who her father was.

Iceman.

U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky.

Her father was one of the highest ranks in the Navy. And when she walked in a room, in a bar, or almost anywhere in Miramar, California, people knew exactly who’s daughter she was. 

To say that Sam wanted for nothing was an understatement. Sam would consider herself well off with her almost brand new truck, that yes, daddy did buy, and all her pretty clothes, that yes, daddy did buy for her. She flaunted the fact that her dad bought everything for her. So it was no surprise that there hadn't been a man who could match up. Especially where Sam was much smarter than most of them, and worked harder than most of them too. She had a younger brother and sister, Mark and Alexandra, who were both in high school. Sarah, their mom, had always been a stay at home mom, and took the best care of them all, while Iceman did his duty. He provided a beautiful home, and whatever they wanted or needed. 

But it didn't stop the guys from trying.

As she stepped through the open doors at The Hard Deck, a local bar where most of the military personnel hung out, Sam made a vow to herself. None of these stick jockeys were getting in her pants. Not now, not ever. These guys weren't getting a single thing from Sam. She went toward the bar and sat, noticing the sign that said ‘disrespect a lady, the Navy, or put your phone on my bar, you buy a round’ and she made sure to keep her phone off the bar. 

“Nice touch, Penny, the sign’s new, huh?” She asked the brunette woman behind the bar. Penny had known Samantha since she was little and it had been about two years since she’d seen her. Penny whipped around and a huge smile that went all the way up to her eyes formed as she nearly ran to Sam. 

“You’re back!” She exclaimed as she hugged Sam tight. “And you graduated?”

“I did. Dad was able to make it too.” Sam said, her tone turning slightly solemn. Penny hugged her again, tighter this time.

“I heard he’s not doing well...” Penny said quietly to her and Sam nodded.

“Yeah. So I’m home for now. Working remotely so that I can be here for as long as I need to.” Sam explained. “I’m meeting a friend here.”

“Well, it’s five so the entirety of the Navy should be showing up soon. Speaking of...” Penny said, glancing at someone as they came in. Someone that Sam also knew. 

“Mav.” Sam said as Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell walked up and pulled her into a hug. He then sat and his eyes traveled to Penny. Sam knew they had some history, so she checked her phone and then saw Maverick turn to her. 

“Tell your dad thanks for saving my ass. Again.” Maverick said and Sam laughed.

“What are you doing here?” Sam asked and he explained that he was there on a special assignment. Sam nodded and felt a hand at her back. She turned to see her friend Natasha ‘Phoenix’ Trace. Another big hug and when the two parted Nat had a big smile on her face.

“I’m so happy you’re here. I’m glad I’ll have a friend to go to the beach with while we’re on assignment.” She said and Sam smiled wide. “And you can tell me all about Harvard and all those boys you met. By the way, you look super pretty as always.” Sam had worn a pretty, lacy dress, pink on the top and blue with flowers on the skirt. She had dressy flip flops on and her phone which had her wallet with her cards and cash attached to the case.

Nat said shed be back in a few and went over to the other Naval Aviators that were there. Sam took a moment and glanced around, taking in the familiarity of it all. There were the tables and high tops on one side, some booths here and there, and then there was a jukebox, a piano, and a pool table overlooking the view of the ocean. The sun was going down so the rays were shining in through the windows, creating interesting shadows. 

She hadn’t even noticed the other aviators filing in, all meeting in the corner with the pool table. There was a tall blond, another blond with glasses, a rather handsome black guy about the same height as the first blond, and a shorter Hispanic man. They were all dressed in tan uniforms, names on their right chest, patches and wings on their left. All well put together.

Sam ordered a cider beer, and took a sip. That was the biggest thing she missed about Harvard. Every bar around had a different cider beer. She was going to miss being there in the chilly autumn months when the leaves were changing colors and falling, and everyone was decorating stupid early for Halloween. Penny smiled back at her as she chatted with Maverick, noticing Sam had seemed to be stuck in a daydream, her pink lips on the edge of the bottle opening. She was deep in thought until more of the tan uniforms walked in. A blond with a mustache who wore a Hawaiian shirt, whom she knew as Rooster, then a bearded black guy, two asian guys, an asian woman, and a dark haired white male who winked at Sam as he walked by.

Fuck.

She was trying to not be noticed and of course, one of them noticed her. She should’ve just taken her cider and gone outside onto the beach deck. She couldn’t now though. She had a great spot on the bar. And she did like people watching.

The taller black man and the tall blond had come over to the other side of the bar, asking for a round of drinks for them and their friends. Eleven beers in all. They had to come back and when they did, the black man smiled at Sam. She tipped her head down. 

Well fuckity fuck.

She noticed Nat glance over and she decided to shoot her a text. 

Sam: don’t mind me i’ll just hang out by myself

She saw Nat glanced down atr her phone and then up at Sam and mouthed a ‘sorry’ and then texted her back.

Nat: i’ll come back over in a few, catching up with Chicken Little

Sam: thought I recognized him, i forgive you as always 🥰

Sam nursed her cider and flipped through her Instagram, looking at her friend’s stories who were back in Boston. 

“You here all by your lonesome, darlin’?” A voice asked from beside her. She turned to see the tall blond leaning on his elbow over the bar. His friend, the handsome black man, was standing to his left, staring at Sam with a smile. She sighed and pursed her lips.

“Waiting for someone.” She said, trying not to look at his stupid, very handsome face. He had an air of arrogance about him that unfortunately, Sam was instantly attracted to, but she couldn’t let him know that. And the accent? Fuck.

“Well, someone isn’t here yet, so...” He said as he scooted in a bit closer. His friend whacked him on the shoulder and the blond glanced at him with a smirk. 

“New in town?” His friend asked and Sam’s eyes flicked to him. She took a sip of her cider and looked him up and down, just as another one of the tan uniforms walked up. This was the one that winked at Sam. Now she had the attention of three very good looking, very testosterone driven males, who were looking at her like she was a very unattainable snack. And they didn’t seem to know who she was. She saw Nat’s eyes gleen over and a horrified look spread across her face. Sam smirked at her. 

“You’re TopGun pilots, huh?” Sam asked with a grin, as she left the beer close to her lips. The blond’s eyebrows shot up and a wild smirk spread across his very pretty, very kissable lips. God, did she want to kiss him. FUCK.

“Jake. Jake Seresin.” He said, holding his hand out for her to shake. She did, immediately noticing how warm his hand was. He flicked his head toward his friends. “This is Reuben Fitch, and Neil Vikander,” pointing first to the handsome black man and then the brown haired, freshly shaven white guy. Reuben held his hand out for her to shake and she did so. Neil did not, instead he just smiled at her. 

She took another sip of her beer and glanced at each of them, up and down, before asking, “What are your callsigns, boys?” 

Reuben said his was ‘Payback’, Neil’s was ‘Omaha’, and then Jake...Jake took a second, tipping his nose down and flashing his pretty smile before speaking.

“Know a little bit about pilot shit, huh?” Jake asked and she rolled her eyes at him. He smirked.

“I know a lot about a lot of shit. What’s your fucking callsign, Jake ?” Sam said, the swears rolling off her tongue calmly. Reuben and Neil broke out into a fit of laughter and they both patted Jake on his back as they left. Neil leaned in and said, ‘good luck’ to him. Jake’s eyes followed his friends for a moment before the sage green locked back on her mahogany brown ones. 

“ Hangman .” He said as he sat on the stool next to Sam. 

“See that wasn’t so hard was it?” She said, finishing her beer.

“Penny, m’dear, she’ll have another, on me.” Jake said and Penny shook her head and smiled as she took Sam’s empty and replaced it with a full, ice cold bottle. 

“Oh, all I have to do is insult you and I get free beer? Excellent.” Sam said, starting on her second. Jake tilted his head and scooted closer, manspreading next to her. She placed her hand on his chest and looked him dead in the eyes. “Easy there, Peacock . I get it. You’ve got the prettiest feathers . Don’t need to see them any closer.” 

“Goddamn you are somethin’ fuckin’ else.” Jake said, shaking his head, an opened mouthed grin plastered to his face. “ Let me buy you dinner .”

“Don't need you to buy me anything else, handsome.” Sam said and Jake just kept on smiling. He looked like a love struck puppy, all wide and sparkly eyed. The only thing that was missing was the wagging tail and the tongue hanging out of his mouth. 

“Hard to get is your game then? I can hang .” He said and Sam laughed down the barrel of the bottle. 

“That why they call you ‘Hangman’?” She asked and he didn't have a come back this time. He just sat there, smiling like a fucking idiot at her, clearly hoping his handsome fucking face would get her to do whatever he wanted. Oh, boy, when he found out who her dad was, he’d change his attitude for sure. She saw Nat heading back over.

“I see you’ve met Bagman.” She said as she placed her arm around Sam’s shoulders.

“Oh no, are you Phoenix’s girlfriend. Shit. Now I really wanna take you to dinner...I didn’t even catch your name, sweetheart.” Jake said, eyes darting between Sam and Phoenix. She scoffed at him and side hugged Sam.

“I'm not going to dinner with you.” Sam said, taking her phone out and opening Instagram back up. She scrolled for a moment as Jake watched her. Waiting for the right moment. Waiting for her to give in.

“You really don’t know who she is, Hangman?” Nat asked, with a knowing smile. Sam glanced at her, Here it comes. The implosion of his self confidence. “Sam Kazansky...” Nat said and Jake’s eyes locked on Sam’s, then widened. He touched his beer to hers and then smiled and tipped his head.

“My Insta is jseresin90 when you decide to follow me.” He said, as he stood. He began to walk away and Sam's eyes followed him. He turned and smiled at her, saluted her and said, “Can't wait to see all your pretty pictures, Sam!”

She followed him with her eyes as he made his way back over to his friends. Sam turned in her seat as Nat sat at the bar next to her. She motioned to Jake.

“ So tell me more about Jake Seresin. ” She said and Nat smirked and asked Penny for another beer.

🛩️🛩️🛩️

As Jake continued drinking and playing pool, his friends and co-pilots teased him. 

“What the fuck, Jake? Tell me you got her number.” Neil said, and took a sip of his beer. 

“Yeah,, seriously, she’s hot as hell, man.” Reuben said, shaking his head.

“Well?” Bob piped up, with a smirk. Jake stopped as he was about to make his next shot, glancing around as everyone got quiet. And then he lied.

“Course I got her number.” He said, a bit sheepishly, and Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw, the dirty blond with the mustache, raised a brow. He’d give him shit later but not here. They all laughed, a few of them sighed and rolled their eyes, and then they went back to drinking and conversing with each other for a couple more hours. When everyone was sufficiently drunk or buzzed, they all decided to head home. 

Jake stepped out onto the patio and gazed out over the ocean. Behind him was his friend Coyote, aka Javy. He clapped him on the shoulder and shook him a bit, making Jake smile. 

“You okay, man?” Javy asked, and Jake nodded.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m good.” Jake said tentatively and Javy patted him on the back.

“When you wanna talk about it, I’m here.” Javy said and went back in, just as Rooster came out. Jake had turned to go back toward the parking lot and he drew in a sharp breath as he caught Rooster’s disapproving stare.

“You didn’t get her number.” He said and Jake shook his head.

“Why do you have to be an ass about it...” Jake said and Bradley stepped into his space.

“ Don’t ruin her. You’re gonna be in a world of shit if you do. You have no fucking idea who she is. ” Bradley said and Jake bumped his shoulder into his, as he brushed past him.

“There’s a whole side of me that y’all won’t ever see because you think I’m a dick. Fuck off and let me be.” Jake said as he went down the patio stairs and toward the parking lot. 

“Maybe stop acting like a dick then, Bagman!” Bradley yelled as Jake got in his truck and slammed the door. He punched the center console and swore. He took his phone out and checked to see if he had any notifications. Nothing. 

Fuck.

[writing-until-i-drop]

The Devil Doc & The Flyboy | Sneak Peek

Hangman x Marine Corpsman-Devil Doc!OC

Every time Fiona "Kitten" Reid is deployed, something bad happens. Win-a-medal type bad. And when Warlock is looking for a survivalist instructor for the Daggers during the uranium mission, he's shocked that the top recommendation from his colleagues is a young medical corpsman the Marines she served with dubbed "Kitten." After making a grand entrance at the expense of Jake's older brother and Bob's sanity, Fiona finds herself squarely in Hangman's sights. But he better pay attention in class because her lessons come from more than a textbook...

“Corpsman Reid, at ease.” The Rear Admiral better known as Warlock motioned for her to take a seat. It was the first time that morning she was happy to be in uniform, she would have felt naked in scrubs. 

“Sir,” She dug her short nails into her palm under the table, keeping her composure even as her pulse skyrocketed. You’re a marine, she chided herself, get a damn grip. She felt like the kid she had been before her first deployment with a marine detachment. A timid, little midwestern girl who didn’t drink or curse. The rough necks had had a fun time breaking her in. 

They jokingly called her Kitten. As in a scared little kitten afraid of her own shadow. Then the worst had happened and they’d discovered that the kitten had claws. That’s when she became one of them, a marine. She felt the ghostly weight of two hands on her shoulders and sat a little straighter, meeting the Vice Admiral’s gaze head-on.

“I read your file, corpsman but your ribbon rack tells one hell of a story on its own.”

“Oorah, sir.”

“Two Purple Hearts, three bronze stars with combat valor, if you weren’t a corpsman you’d be well on your way to admiralty and a senate seat.” She must not have done a good job at disguising her disgust at being part of the brass, Warlock’s laughter filling the room.

“I asked for a shortlist of men for a special assignment and imagine my surprise when the first recommendation from a general was someone named Kitten.” Aw fuck. 

Fiona’s smile couldn’t be helped. General Matteo Alverez. He had visited her detachment in Iraq for a dog and pony show and when things went south, as they always seemed to do when she was involved, he’d seen Fiona in action, running towards danger with a stethoscope around her neck.

“Am I going brown side out again, sir?” She could already feel the sand in her boots from another desert deployment. “Give the word.” She wanted him to give it to her straight. As much as she wanted to stay, she would always go if the Navy asked her to.

“I’m sure you’ve heard the scuttlebutt about a classified flight mission,” Warlock raised a white brow, knowing nothing classified stayed fully secret in a town like North Island. She nodded. “Enemy territory is a rough place to be,” Rough was putting it lightly in her experience and opinion. “I want you to prepare them, teach them how to survive. No manual, no guidelines, your experience will be their gospel.”’ That was…insane. She wasn’t an instructor. She would run towards live fire, snap a man’s neck, and put her phone on the bar when Penny wasn’t looking. She was used to doing dangerous and ill-advised things. But teach?

“Sir, I-”

“Before you respond, the General said to remind you that a true marine never runs from a fight.” Fiona sighed,

“Aye aye, sir. Just don’t give me a big chicken dinner when I kill your flyboys’ egos.” Warlock laughed, spilling coffee on his pristine uniform.

“If you can do that, I’ll give you another damn medal for doing the impossible.” 

Big chicken dinner = Bad conduct discharge

Scuttlebutt = gossip

Can't wait for more? Let me know, I'll add you to the taglist.

Fiona and Jake's story is going to have mentions of combat, war, torture (nothing too graphic), too many Navy/Marine inaccuracies to count (I'm doing a lot of research though), plenty of good times at the Hard Deck, Warlock being an enabler, and Jake being the next in a long line of Top Gun students to be hot for teacher.

[crossfandomskylines]

In the Space Between: Chapter 25

OTHER CHAPTERS:

Chapter 1 I Chapter 2 I Chapter 3 I Chapter 4 I Chapter 5

Chapter 6 I Chapter 7 I Chapter 8 I Chapter 9 I Chapter 10

Chapter 11 I Chapter 12 I Chapter 13 I Chapter 14 I Chapter 15

Chapter 16 I Chapter 17 I Chapter 18 I Chapter 19 I Chapter 20

Chapter 21 I Chapter 22 I Chapter 23 I Chapter 24

Pairing: Glen Powell x OC

Summary: Gabby surprises Glen on set along with some of Glen's family! There's an accidental Glen and Gabby moment that gets put on social media, and Glen and Gabby have a tough conversation.

Word Count: 7.9k

A/N: As always please let me know what you think with Hearts, Comments, and Reblogs. I love seeing your thoughts on this story as it progresses!

The sound of excited chatter filled the air as Lauren, her husband, and their two kids strolled onto the bustling set in Atlanta. Crew members moved back and forth, adjusting lighting rigs and hauling equipment, while the distant hum of conversation and the occasional bark of direction blended into a steady background rhythm.

Glen stood near one of the trailers, rubbing the back of his neck as he reviewed the next scene with the director. He looked tired but focused, his brow furrowed in concentration.

“Uncle Boom Boom!”

The high-pitched squeal cut through the noise, and Glen barely had time to turn before his niece and nephew barreled into him. They wrapped their arms around his legs, nearly knocking him off balance.

“Whoa!” Glen laughed, crouching down to hug them. “What are you two troublemakers doing here?”

“We came to see you!” his niece beamed, her hair bouncing as she threw her arms around his neck.

“And we brought snacks,” his nephew chimed in, holding up a crinkled bag of gummy bears as if it were a prized treasure.

Glen chuckled, ruffling his nephew’s hair. “You guys are the best. I missed you.”

Lauren approached, smiling at the scene. “They’ve been counting down the days,” Lauren said, her voice warm.

Glen straightened, still holding his niece in his arms. “It’s so good to see you guys. Thanks for coming.”

“We wouldn’t miss it,” Lauren replied, and then, with a playful glint in her eye, she added, “I hope you don’t mind, but I invited a friend to come with us.”

Glen raised an eyebrow, his expression curious. “A friend?”

“She was really excited to see you,” Lauren teased, her tone light.

Before Glen could ask more, movement caught his eye over Lauren’s shoulder. He glanced up, his curiosity shifting to disbelief as he froze in place.

There, standing a few steps behind Lauren, was Gabby.

For a moment, he couldn’t move. His tired mind struggled to catch up with what his eyes were telling him. The noise of the set—the hum of conversation, the clatter of equipment—faded into the background as his entire focus zeroed in on her.

She looked a little unsure, clutching the strap of her bag with one hand while the other hovered nervously at her side. Her lips curved into a tentative, almost shy smile, and Glen’s chest tightened. It was as if seeing her was the first deep breath he’d taken in weeks.

“Hey,” she said softly, the single word laced with warmth and vulnerability.

His heart kicked into gear, pounding against his ribs as the realization hit him—she was really here.

“Gabby,” he said, her name escaping his lips in a breathless whisper.

She nodded, her smile growing a little. “Surprise.”

For a second, Glen didn’t know what to do. His emotions were a tangle of disbelief, relief, and overwhelming gratitude. And then, as if his body decided for him, he was moving. He crossed the distance between them in a few long strides, his boots scuffing against the concrete, and before Gabby could say another word, he pulled her into his arms.

Her bag slipped from her shoulder, landing with a soft thud on the ground as Glen’s arms wrapped tightly around her. Gabby melted into him, her hands clutching at the back of his shirt as if she didn’t want to let go.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Glen murmured, his voice low and rough against her ear. His hands moved up her back, as if to assure himself she was real.

“I missed you,” Gabby whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

He pulled back just enough to look at her, his hands framing her face. His thumbs brushed against her cheeks as he took her in—the familiar warmth of her green eyes, the way her hair fell loose around her shoulders, the small nervous twitch of her lips.

“I missed you too,” he said, his voice soft but fervent. 

For a brief moment, the two of them just stood there, lost in each other. Glen’s eyes searched hers, and Gabby could see the exhaustion and stress etched into his features, but there was something else now—something lighter, as if just her presence had taken a weight off his shoulders.

“I didn’t want to wait weeks to see you,” Gabby admitted, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. “And I knew you were having a rough week.”

“You have no idea how much this means to me,” Glen replied, his voice thick with emotion.

Gabby smiled, her nerves dissipating in the warmth of his embrace. But before either of them could say anything more, a polite cough interrupted them.

“Uh, not to break this up,” the crew member standing nearby said, his tone apologetic but amused, “but we’re still on a filming schedule here.”

Glen sighed, a hint of frustration flickering in his eyes, but he managed a small smile as he glanced at Gabby. “Guess I’m still on the clock.”

Gabby chuckled softly, her hands still lingering on his chest. “Go. We can talk more when you’re done.”

He shook his head. “No, you’re coming with me. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

Glen laced their fingers together, gripping her hand tightly as if afraid she might disappear. He turned back to Lauren, who was watching them with a smug smile.

“You knew about this?” he asked, his tone accusatory but playful.

“Of course I did,” Lauren said with a shrug. “Who do you think helped her plan it?”

Glen gave her an exasperated but grateful look before turning his attention back to Gabby. His voice softened as he said, “Come on. Let me show you around.”

Glen led Gabby through the bustling set, his hand still firmly clasping hers as if he couldn’t bear to let go. It was the first time she’d ever stepped onto a working set, and the energy was electric. Crew members darted around with headsets and clipboards, cameras on massive rigs moved like machines from a futuristic world, and actors in full costume lingered between takes.

Gabby’s eyes widened, taking it all in like a kid seeing a theme park for the first time. She turned in a slow circle, her gaze flitting from the intricate set design to the bright lights suspended above them. 

“This is… incredible,” she breathed, a sense of awe in her voice.

Glen smiled, watching her reaction with obvious amusement. “It’s a lot, huh?”

“A lot doesn’t even cover it,” she replied, still wide-eyed. “I’ve seen behind-the-scenes stuff in documentaries, but this? This is insane.”

He chuckled, clearly charmed by her enthusiasm. “I’ll warn you—it’s not always this glamorous. Sometimes it’s just a lot of waiting around.”

Gabby rolled her eyes playfully. “You don’t have to undersell it for me, Glen. Let me be in awe for a minute, okay?”

He laughed and shook his head. “Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

They made their way to a spot near the monitors, where Glen had to prep for his next scene. Gabby lingered nearby, trying not to get in the way as Glen briefly introduced her to a few crew members. One of them—an assistant producer with an easy smile and a clipboard tucked under his arm—stopped to chat.

“You must be Gabby,” the man said, offering his hand. “I’m Mike, one of the producers. Glen’s mentioned you a few times.”

Gabby shook his hand, feeling a small burst of pride at the idea of Glen talking about her. “It’s nice to meet you. And yeah, guilty as charged—I’m the girlfriend who’s never been on a set before and is probably way too excited right now.”

Mike chuckled. “Nothing wrong with that. We like having fresh eyes around here. Keeps things from getting too routine.” He tilted his head slightly. “So, what do you do, Gabby?”

“I’m a college student,” she said, a little shyly. “I’m studying film and media, so this is kind of… surreal. I mean, seeing it all in action.”

Mike’s interest visibly piqued. “Film and media, huh? You’re in the right place, then. Ever think about working in production?”

“Oh, all the time,” Gabby admitted, her excitement bubbling up. “I love the idea of being part of something like this—whether it’s writing, editing, or even being behind the camera. I’ve done some small projects for school, but nothing like this.”

“Well, if you ever want some advice or a foot in the door, let me know,” Mike said, giving her an encouraging smile. “We’re always looking for people who are passionate about what we do.”

Gabby’s eyes lit up, and she opened her mouth to respond, but a voice interrupted from behind her.

“Am I gonna have to fight Mike for your attention?”

Gabby turned, startled, to find Glen standing there, his hands in his pockets and a teasing smirk on his face.

Her face broke into a sheepish smile. “I didn’t even notice you were done.”

“Clearly,” Glen said, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at Mike. “You two seem to be hitting it off.”

Mike laughed, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “Hey, don’t look at me. She’s the one who’s interested in the business. Just doing my part to inspire the next generation.”

Glen shook his head, his expression softening as his eyes flicked back to Gabby. “You’re gonna steal the show if you’re not careful.”

Gabby laughed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “I think you’re safe for now.”

Glen reached for her hand, giving it a squeeze. “Come on. I’ve got a little time before the next scene. Let me show you the soundstage—they built this insane set for one of the big sequences.”

As they walked away, Gabby glanced over her shoulder to give Mike a grateful wave, and he nodded in return, a knowing smile on his face.

“So,” Glen said as they headed across the lot, “you thinking about ditching hanging out with me for a production job now?”

Gabby grinned. “Not a chance. But I might have a million questions for you later about how all this works.”

He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Deal. But for now, let me show you my favorite part of this crazy place.”

Gabby trailed alongside Glen as he led her deeper into the maze of the soundstage. The crew buzzed around them, hauling equipment and adjusting lights, their movements smooth and practiced. Glen pointed out details as they walked—the green screens towering behind the carefully crafted sets, the fake rain rig hanging from above, and the hidden wires snaking across the floor.

“You’re geeking out a little, aren’t you?” Glen teased, watching her expression.

“A little?” Gabby replied with a laugh. “I’m geeking out a lot. This is amazing.”

They stopped near a section of the set where a handful of crew members were resetting props and adjusting cameras. One of them, a younger guy in a headset, noticed Glen and waved. “Hey, man, perfect timing. We’re about to run some blocking for the next scene. Can we borrow you for a minute?”

Glen turned to Gabby, his smile warm. “Do you want to stick around and watch?”

“Of course,” Gabby said eagerly.

As Glen walked off to join the cast gathering near the set, a woman in a production vest approached Gabby, holding a clipboard and smiling. “First time on a set?”

Gabby nodded. “Is it that obvious?”

“Just a little,” the woman said with a laugh. “I’m Marie, one of the ADs. Glen’s mentioned you before.”

“He has?” Gabby asked, her cheeks warming slightly.

Marie nodded. “Yeah, he wouldn’t stop talking about how excited he was for you to maybe come visit.” She paused, then glanced at Gabby thoughtfully. “You want to try something?”

“Try what?” Gabby asked curiously.

Marie motioned for Gabby to follow her over to a camera rig set up near the monitors. “We’re about to do a lighting test before the scene. You can help me adjust the focus if you want.”

Gabby hesitated for only a second before nodding. “I’d love to.”

Marie handed her a headset and explained how to adjust the lens as the camera operator walked her through it. Gabby bit her lip in concentration as she carefully rotated the focus ring, watching the image on the monitor sharpen.

“That’s perfect,” Marie said, her tone approving.

Gabby stepped back, beaming, as the crew prepared for the test. Glen glanced her way from his mark, a proud smile spreading across his face when he saw her with the camera team.

“Looks like you’re a natural,” Glen called out teasingly.

“Don’t distract her,” Marie scolded playfully, waving him off.

Gabby laughed, her nerves melting away as she realized how much she was enjoying the hands-on experience. When the test was done, Marie thanked her and suggested she take a seat near the director’s monitors for the upcoming scene.

Gabby hesitated. “Are you sure? I don’t want to get in the way.”

The director, a tall man with glasses and an air of calm authority, overheard and smiled. “Not at all. Glen told me you’re studying film. Why don’t you come sit with me? I’ll show you how we piece everything together.”

Gabby’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Really,” he said, gesturing to an empty chair beside him.

Feeling like she’d won the lottery, Gabby took the seat and leaned forward as the director explained the setup for the scene. He pointed out how the monitors displayed different camera angles and talked about what he was looking for in each take.

“See that shot there?” he said, nodding toward one of the screens. “I’m framing it tight to highlight the tension between the characters. Body language is everything in this moment.”

Gabby nodded, absorbing his words like a sponge. She asked questions here and there, her excitement evident, and the director answered each one patiently.

When the cameras rolled, Gabby watched in awe as Glen and the other actors brought the scene to life. It was surreal, seeing him shift so effortlessly into his character, his expressions raw and magnetic.

She was so engrossed in the process that she didn’t notice Glen approaching after the take was finished until he leaned down beside her chair.

“Having fun?” he asked, his voice soft and teasing.

Gabby jumped slightly, then turned to him with a grin. “This is incredible.”

Glen chuckled, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. “Glad to see they’re putting you to work. I was worried you’d get bored.”

“Not a chance,” she said, her smile widening.

Glen kissed the top of her head, his gaze soft. “I’m glad you’re here, Gabby.”

She looked up at him, her chest swelling with warmth. “Me too.”

The soundstage buzzed with activity, but the atmosphere had lightened considerably as the day wore on. The football field set, complete with bright yard lines and towering goalposts, sprawled across one end of the training facility. It was an impressive replica, so lifelike that it felt like stepping onto an actual field.

Glen stood near the fifty-yard line, tossing a football back and forth with his niece and nephew. The twins, were buzzing with energy, darting back and forth as Glen barked mock plays like a quarterback.

“Princess, you’re wide receiver!” Glen called, pointing to the end zone. “Little man, I need you to block me!”

His nephew puffed out his chest and crouched like a lineman, ready to take on the imaginary defense. His niece, meanwhile, sprinted downfield, her arms outstretched as Glen launched a perfect spiral toward her.

Gabby, watching from the sidelines, couldn’t help but smile. She’d been working with the director and camera team for most of the afternoon, getting an inside look at how the shots were framed and coordinated. The lead cameraman nudged her and grinned.

“You’ve got a good eye,” he said, handing her one of the cameras. “Why don’t you give it a try? Let’s see what you can do with a moving target.”

“Really?” Gabby’s eyes widened as she accepted the camera, careful with her movements.

The director chuckled. “Go ahead. Just follow Glen and the kids. Capture the energy.”

Gabby positioned herself, gripping the camera tightly as she focused on the scene. Through the lens, she watched Glen scoop up his nephew in one arm and spin him around, both of them laughing. His niece came charging back with the football, and Glen gently tugged it from her grip before hoisting her onto his shoulders.

“Touchdown!” Glen shouted, lifting his niece high as she stretched her arms in triumph.

Gabby couldn’t help but laugh as she filmed, adjusting the camera to capture the movement. She zoomed in on Glen’s face, his wide smile and easy laugh making her heart flutter. She followed the twins’ gleeful expressions as they ran circles around him, their joy contagious.

After a few minutes, Gabby lowered the camera and handed it back to the lead cameraman, who played the footage on a nearby monitor. She leaned in, watching intently as the scene replayed on the screen.

“That’s solid,” the director said, nodding in approval. “You’ve got a natural instinct for framing. See how you caught that moment when Glen spun the boy around? That’s gold. It feels authentic.”

Gabby’s cheeks flushed with pride. “Really? I was just trying to keep up with them.”

“That’s half the battle,” the cameraman said with a grin. “Capturing energy like that takes skill, especially on running targets. You’ve got it.”

As Gabby leaned closer to study the screen, Lauren stood off to the side. She watched Gabby with a small smile, then turned her gaze to Glen, who had come over to grab a water bottle. He followed her line of sight and froze for a moment, his eyes softening as he took in Gabby’s excitement.

“You’ve got it bad, don’t you?” Lauren teased, her tone low and warm.

Glen tore his eyes away and looked at his sister with mock indignation. “What are you talking about?”

Lauren smirked and nudged him with her elbow. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. Look at her. She’s perfect for you, Glen. Sweet, smart, funny. And she loves all of this,” she said, gesturing to the set around them.

Glen glanced back at Gabby, who was deep in conversation with the director, her hands gesturing animatedly as she asked another question. A smile tugged at his lips, wide and unrestrained.

Lauren shifted her son to her other hip and softened her voice. “Mom loves her. The family loves her. And you? You’re happier with her than I think I’ve ever seen you.”

Glen exhaled, the weight of Lauren’s words settling in his chest. “She’s... she’s something,” he admitted, his voice low.

“Understatement of the year,” Lauren teased. Then, her tone shifted, gentle and encouraging. “Don’t let her go, Glen. She’s good for you.”

Glen nodded, but his heart raced as he looked at Gabby again. He had loved her before—he was sure of it—but seeing her here, in his world, thriving and excited, made him fall even harder. It scared him, how deeply he cared for her. He’d never fallen like this, never pictured a future with someone as vividly as he could with her.

As Gabby turned to look at him, her face lighting up with a smile, Glen felt the corners of his own mouth lift.

“Go on,” Lauren said, giving him a playful nudge. “Go get your girl.”

Glen chuckled and took a sip of his water, heading back toward Gabby with his heart full.

Glen approached Gabby, his footsteps slow and deliberate, as if savoring the sight of her. She was still leaning over the monitor, her face alight with fascination as the cameraman explained how certain angles could emphasize movement and emotion. Her questions came quickly, eager and curious, and her hands gestured animatedly as she spoke.

“Having fun?” Glen asked, his voice warm as he stepped beside her.

Gabby turned, startled, but her face softened the moment she saw him. “This is amazing, Glen,” she said, her excitement bubbling over. “I mean, I knew film sets were complicated, but seeing how everything works up close? It’s just... it’s a dream.”

He chuckled, his hand brushing against her lower back as he leaned in slightly. “Told you it’d be fun. You’re a natural, by the way. Everyone’s saying it.”

Gabby blushed, biting her lip as she looked down at the monitor. “I don’t know about that. I just got lucky with the shot.”

Glen tilted his head, giving her a playful nudge with his shoulder. “Come on, Gab. Give yourself some credit. You’ve got the instincts for this.”

Her smile grew as she met his gaze. “You think so?”

“I know so,” he said, his tone soft but firm. His hand lingered at her back, a comforting weight that made her feel steady even as her heart raced.

Unbeknownst to them, Lauren stood a few yards away, her phone in hand as she recorded a quick Instagram story. The twins were running around on the field, her son attempting a clumsy somersault while her daughter tried to tackle him. Lauren laughed quietly, her camera panning the scene.

But as she shifted her phone slightly, the frame caught Gabby and Glen. They were close, their heads inclined toward each other as if the rest of the world didn’t exist. Glen’s hand moved from her back to gently brush a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering just a moment too long.

“You’re amazing,” he said softly, his voice just loud enough for Gabby to hear.

She blinked up at him, her cheeks warm. “Glen...”

Before she could say anything more, the twins came barreling toward them, each of them holding a football high above their head.

“Uncle Boom Boom! We need you!” His nephew shouted, skidding to a stop in front of them. “She says she can tackle you, but she can’t.” He added pointing to his sister.

Glen laughed, stepping back from Gabby but letting his hand slide down her arm, squeezing her hand briefly before letting go. “Oh, yeah? You want to prove it?”

His niece puffed out her chest. “I can take you down!”

“Alright, let’s see what you’ve got, tough girl,” Glen said, grinning as he jogged back onto the field with the twins.

Gabby watched him go, her heart fluttering as she traced the spot on her arm where his touch lingered. She turned back to the monitor, but the warmth in her chest made it hard to focus.

Meanwhile, Lauren posted the Instagram story with a caption: Family time on set! The twins are in heaven. 🏈🎥

Minutes later, her phone buzzed with comments. Most were about the kids, but one caught her eye:

“Wait... who’s that with Glen? 👀”

Lauren’s brows shot up as she replayed the video, realizing the camera had caught more than just the twins. In the background, Gabby and Glen’s tender moment played out in soft focus, their affection unmistakable. Lauren smirked, muttering under her breath, “Well, that’s one way to make it official.”

As Glen jogged back toward Gabby with his nephew on his shoulders and his niece clinging to his arm, Lauren couldn’t resist snapping another picture.

“You guys look good together,” she teased when he passed her.

Glen shot her a warning glance, though the corners of his mouth twitched in amusement. “Don’t start, Lauren.”

“Oh, I already have,” she said, waving her phone at him.

Gabby, oblivious to the exchange, was still engrossed in a conversation with the cameraman. But when Glen stopped beside her, his nephew still perched on his shoulders, she looked up and smiled.

“Back already?” she asked, her tone light.

“Couldn’t stay away,” Glen said, his voice teasing but his eyes sincere.

His nephew leaned down and whispered loudly to Gabby, “He likes you a lot. He like likes you.”

Glen groaned, pulling him down from his shoulders and ruffling his hair. “Alright, buddy, that’s enough from you.”

Gabby laughed, her cheeks flushing as Glen gave her an apologetic smile. Lauren, watching from the sidelines, couldn’t help but grin. She didn’t need to say it—Glen and Gabby were a perfect match, and everyone could see it.

Later in the day, as the crew was wrapping up and the twins were running around with an endless supply of energy, Lauren strolled over to where Gabby and Glen were standing by one of the production carts. Gabby was holding a bottle of water Glen had handed her, her expression still glowing from their earlier moment on the field. Glen stood next to her, relaxed, his arms crossed as they chatted casually.

“Hey, lovebirds,” Lauren called out with a teasing lilt.

Both Gabby and Glen turned to her, but Gabby’s cheeks instantly flushed at the nickname.

“Lauren,” Glen warned, though his tone was amused. “What are you up to now?”

Lauren smirked, holding up her phone. “So, funny thing... I posted a quick Instagram story earlier of the twins on the field.”

“That’s cute,” Gabby said, her smile brightening.

Lauren raised her eyebrows. “Yeah, it was cute—until my phone started blowing up with comments.” She bit her lip, trying to suppress a grin as she opened the app. “I didn’t even realize you two were in the background until someone pointed it out.”

Glen’s brow furrowed as he leaned closer. “What are you talking about?”

Lauren handed him her phone, showing him the story. The video started with Glen’s nephew attempting a somersault and his sister tackling him, but in the corner of the frame, Gabby and Glen were clearly visible. The brief moment of Glen brushing Gabby’s hair back and leaning closer to her was unmistakable, even if it was slightly out of focus.

Gabby’s eyes widened as she leaned over to see the screen. “Oh no...”

Glen tilted his head, a faint smile playing on his lips. “That’s not so bad,” he said casually.

Lauren snorted. “Keep watching.” She tapped the comment section, scrolling through the messages.

“Who’s the mystery girl with Glen?”“That’s not just a co-star moment, right? 👀”“They look so cute together! Are they dating??”“Glen’s off the market?? My heart!”

Gabby groaned softly, bringing a hand to her forehead. “Lauren, you didn’t tell me I was in the background.”

Lauren held up her hands defensively. “I didn’t know! I swear! I was focused on the twins. I didn’t realize I caught you guys until someone commented on it.”

Glen chuckled, scrolling through the comments with an air of nonchalance. “Looks like the internet has already decided we’re a couple.” He handed the phone back to Lauren, his smile widening as he turned to Gabby. “Guess we’re trending now.”

Gabby looked mortified, fidgeting with the cap of her water bottle. “Glen, this could get out of hand. What if people start... I don’t know, speculating things? Or making up rumors?”

He reached out, his hand brushing lightly against her arm. “Hey, it’s okay. It’s not like we have anything to hide. Let them talk—it doesn’t change anything for us.”

Her eyes searched his, still unsure. “You’re not worried about it?”

“Not even a little,” he said with a shrug. “People are going to say what they want, Gab. If it gets too out of hand my team will handle it.”

Lauren watched the exchange, her smirk softening into a warm smile. “You guys are seriously the most wholesome couple I’ve ever seen,” she said, slipping her phone back into her pocket.

Gabby shook her head, though the tension in her shoulders eased a bit. “You’re not helping, Lauren.”

Glen chuckled, sliding an arm around Gabby’s shoulders and pulling her a little closer. “She’s right, though,” he said lightly. “We’re pretty great together.”

Gabby’s lips twitched, her nervousness melting into a small laugh. “You’re impossible.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, his eyes twinkling. “But you love me.”

Lauren clapped her hands once, drawing their attention. “Alright, enough with the PDA for now. Let’s go grab the twins before they tear down the set.”

As Lauren walked off toward the field, Gabby glanced up at Glen. “Are you sure this won’t be a big deal?”

He tilted his head, studying her for a moment. “It’s only a big deal if we let it be,” he said, his voice low and reassuring. “And besides...” He grinned, leaning down to press a quick kiss to her temple. “I’d post about you myself and tell the world that I have the most amazing girlfriend in the world if I thought it’d make you feel better.”

Gabby raised an eyebrow, the corners of her lips twitching into a playful smile. “Oh yeah? What would you even post?”

Glen’s grin widened as he pretended to think. “Something like, ‘Found this gorgeous girl on set today—don’t know how I got so lucky.’”

Gabby laughed, nudging him lightly with her shoulder. “Smooth. Real smooth.”

“I try,” he teased, his eyes softening as he looked at her. “But seriously, I wouldn’t mind telling everyone about you.”

She paused for a moment, her smile turning warm. “I know,” she said softly. Gabby’s hand slipped into his as they turned to follow Lauren toward the field. “But maybe hold off on posting anything for now,” she added with a teasing glance. “Let’s not give the internet too much to work with.”

“Deal,” Glen said, squeezing her hand lightly. “For now.”

As the evening wound down, Lauren gathered the twins, their energy finally waning after a long day of excitement. “I’m taking these two wild ones back to the hotel before they get their second wind,” she said, adjusting her son’s jacket.

Gabby bent down to ruffle his hair and give his sister a quick hug. “I can go with you if you want,” she offered, glancing at Lauren. “I need to check into my room.”

Before Lauren could answer, Glen chimed in, his hand lightly brushing Gabby’s arm. “Or you could stay with me tonight,” he said, his voice soft but firm. His gaze met hers, a flicker of hope and longing in his eyes.

Gabby felt warmth spread through her chest as she smiled and nodded. “Okay,” she said softly.

Lauren smirked knowingly but didn’t comment. “Alright, you two. Have a good night,” she said, ushering the kids toward the car. She threw a playful glance over her shoulder at Glen. “Don’t let her wear you out, Glen.”

Glen laughed, shaking his head at his older sister’s relentless teasing. “Night, Lauren.”

Gabby waved as the car pulled away, leaving her alone with Glen under the dim glow of the parking lot lights. He slipped his hand into hers, their fingers lacing together, and led her to his car. The drive back to his short term apartment was quiet, the kind of peaceful silence that only existed between two people deeply comfortable with each other.

When they arrived, Glen unlocked the door and pushed it open, stepping aside to let Gabby in first. The apartment was modest but cozy, with a lived-in feel that came from weeks of use. A stack of scripts sat on the coffee table alongside an empty coffee mug and a notebook filled with scribbled notes.

“Home sweet home,” Glen said, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it onto the arm of the couch.

Gabby stepped further inside, taking in the space that was simple but cozy. “This is nice,” she said with a smile, turning back to face him.

He took a step closer, his expression softening as his eyes met hers. “Yeah, but it’s missing something,” he murmured.

Gabby tilted her head. “What’s that?”

“You,” he said simply, his voice low and steady.

The words made her heart flutter, and before she could respond, Glen closed the distance between them, his hands finding her waist as he leaned down. Their lips met in a kiss that started soft and slow but quickly deepened, days and weeks of longing and unspoken emotion pouring into the moment.

Gabby’s arms wound around his neck, pulling him closer as the kiss grew more passionate. There were no cameras, no family members—just the two of them, finally alone. Glen’s hands slipped up her back, holding her tightly against him as if he couldn’t bear to let go.

When they finally pulled back, both slightly breathless, Glen rested his forehead against hers. “I’ve been waiting for this,” he said softly, his thumb brushing against her cheek.

Gabby smiled, her hands still resting on his shoulders. “Me too,” she whispered.

Gabby looked up at Glen, her heart still racing from the intensity of their kiss. There was something so simple yet profound about being alone with him like this. After weeks of distance—both physical and emotional—they were back together again.

Glen cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing over her cheekbones as he studied her face, as if memorizing every detail. “I’ve missed you,” he murmured, his voice rough with the rawness of the admission.

Gabby smiled, feeling the warmth spread through her. “I’ve missed you too. Every single day,” she said, her voice soft but steady. She pressed her hands over his, holding them in place. “It’s just… it’s not the same without you. I didn’t realize how much I’d gotten used to having you around until you weren’t.”

Glen leaned in again, this time planting a soft kiss on her forehead. He held her there for a moment, his arms wrapped around her like he was afraid to let go. When he pulled back, he gazed at her, his eyes intense. “You know, it’s funny. I never realized how much I’d gotten used to having you around, either. But as soon as I’m not with you, it feels like something is missing.”

Gabby chuckled softly, resting her head against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat steady under her ear. “You’re probably just trying to get me to stay longer,” she teased, her fingers tracing absent patterns over his shirt.

He chuckled in response, the sound so genuine that it made her heart skip a beat. “Maybe,” he said. “But I wouldn’t mind if you did stay longer. I think we’re both used to the distance, but it doesn’t mean it gets easier.”

Gabby nodded, her hand moving up to rest over his heart. “I know what you mean,” she said. Her fingers grazed the fabric of his shirt, tracing the faint outline of the muscles beneath. “Being away from you… it just makes me want to be here more.”

Glen broke the silence, his voice low but steady. “I know you got a hotel with Lauren. But you should stay here while you’re visiting,” he said, his hand slipping to her back, pulling her closer.

Gabby’s breath caught in her throat. She had been so focused on the idea of being together—of just being in the same space—that the thought of staying with Glen instead of the hotel Lauren and the kids were staying at hadn’t fully registered. 

“You mean here?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “In your apartment?”

His eyes softened. “Yeah. I want to be with you, Gabby. Just… us.”

Gabby nodded with a small smile and then said “Okay.”

Glen’s lips curved into a grin as he looked at her. “Okay?” 

Gabby’s smile widened and she nodded. Glen then took her hand and led her over to the couch. He sat down and then pulled her down with him. Gabby rested against Glen's side, her head nestled into the curve of his shoulder while his arm draped casually around her. The faint hum of the city outside filtered through the windows, blending with the soft background music Glen had turned on earlier.

For a while, they didn’t speak, just enjoying the stillness. Glen’s fingers ran through Gabby’s hair, his movements slow and soothing, while her hand rested on his chest, rising and falling with his breaths. It was such a simple moment, but to Gabby, it felt perfect—like they’d carved out their own little bubble, separate from the demands of the world outside.

Gabby let herself relax completely, her body sinking into his warmth. It was in these moments—the ones without fanfare, without anything but their presence—that she felt the most connected to him. He made her feel seen, steady, safe.

After a while, Glen glanced at the clock on the wall. “You ready to call it a night?”

Gabby nodded, but neither of them moved at first. She let out a content sigh, snuggling closer for just a few more seconds before finally sitting up. “Okay, okay, I’m getting up.”

Glen chuckled, standing and stretching before offering her a hand. She took it, and he led her to the bedroom, their fingers still laced together. The apartment’s bedroom was simple but cozy, with soft lighting that cast a golden glow over the space. Gabby perched on the edge of the bed, slipping off her shoes while Glen disappeared into the bathroom to shower and get ready for bed.

When he came back out, his hair slightly damp and his face freshly washed, Gabby was already in one of his oversized t-shirts, her legs tucked under her as she scrolled through her phone. She looked up when he entered, a smile tugging at her lips.

“Much better,” she teased, setting her phone aside as he crossed the room and climbed into bed beside her.

“What, you didn’t like me sweaty and disheveled?” Glen joked, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her down so she was lying beside him.

Gabby giggled, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. “I mean, you’re always handsome, but I think I prefer you like this.”

They settled under the covers, Gabby resting her head against Glen’s chest as his hand found its way to her back, tracing lazy circles. Neither of them said much, the silence between them speaking louder than any words. Gabby could feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat under her ear, grounding her, reminding her of how deeply she cared for him.

Glen’s voice broke through the quiet, soft but curious. “So, whose idea was it for you to come to Atlanta?”

Gabby tilted her head slightly to look at him, a sleepy smile tugging at her lips. “Mine,” she said simply. “Lauren helped me work out the details, but it was my idea.”

His brow lifted slightly, and he let out a quiet laugh, though there was a note of something else beneath it. “You should’ve told me,” he said, his tone warm but a little chiding. “I could’ve helped. Made sure you had flights sorted, a rental car…all of it.”

Gabby propped herself up on her elbow, looking at him with a playful yet affectionate expression. “And ruin the surprise?” she teased. “No way. The whole point was for you not to know I was coming.”

Glen let out a low chuckle, his hand moving to rest on her waist. “I get that, but still… you shouldn’t have to handle all of that on your own. I want to take care of you, Gabby.”

Her teasing demeanor softened at his words, and she reached out to gently cup his face. “I know, and you already do,” she said, her voice full of sincerity. “But this was something I wanted to do for you. I wanted to surprise you because I knew you had a couple of bad days. And I missed you.”

His hand slid up her back, fingers grazing her hairline as he gazed at her. “You’re something else, you know that?” he said, his voice full of warmth. “I don’t think I’ve ever had someone put this much thought into doing something for me.”

Gabby leaned down, brushing a soft kiss to his lips. “Well, get used to it,” she whispered against his mouth, a playful smile returning. “Because I’m not going anywhere. And I’m definitely not done doing nice things for you.”

Glen pulled her closer, their foreheads touching as his smile widened. “Good,” he murmured. “Because I don’t want you to.”

She settled back into his chest, her fingers lightly tracing the tattoo on his arm. “And for the record,” she added, her voice quiet now, “Lauren wasn’t going to let me handle it alone either. She made me let her book my hotel.”

Glen laughed softly, the sound rumbling beneath her cheek. “That sounds like her.” He tightened his arm around her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Just promise me next time, you’ll let me know, okay? Surprises are great, but I’d rather make things easier for you.”

Gabby smiled, her eyes already drifting shut. “Fine,” she mumbled sleepily.

They fell into a comfortable silence again, their bodies relaxed and warm under the covers. Glen continued to hold her close, his fingers brushing through her hair as he stared up at the ceiling, feeling more content than he had in weeks. Gabby’s soft breaths against his chest were the only sound in the room, and he let himself savor the moment, thinking how lucky he was to have her there.

Glen’s hand gently stroked Gabby’s arm, the quiet intimacy of the moment grounding them both. After a while, he broke the silence, his voice light with a hint of excitement. “You know, my birthday’s coming up in a month..the guys were talking to me about it earlier.”

Gabby shifted slightly, tilting her head to look up at him. “Oh yeah? What’s the big plan? Some crazy boys trip?”

“Well,” Glen began, a grin tugging at his lips, “I’ve got about a week after this project wraps before I head to London for the next one. Tanner and Chord are putting something together for me in Austin. Just a chill weekend—Friday at my place, then Saturday, we’re going to the Longhorns game. Texas versus Georgia.”

Gabby smiled at the way his eyes lit up as he talked about it. “Sounds like fun,” she said softly.

“It will be,” he agreed. “But you know what would make it even better?”

“What’s that?”

“You coming with me,” he said, his tone casual but hopeful.

Gabby froze for a moment, her lips parting like she was going to respond, but no words came out right away. Glen noticed the subtle hesitation, his brow furrowing slightly. 

“You don’t have to decide right now,” he added quickly, trying to keep the mood light. “And you can say no. But… it’d mean a lot to me if you were there.”

She swallowed, forcing a smile. “I don’t know, Glen. It’s your birthday. I don’t want to mess up whatever your friends have planned.”

“Mess up?” he echoed with a soft laugh, clearly amused. “Gabby, you’re my girlfriend. You being there wouldn’t ruin anything—it’d make it better.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she dropped her gaze to his chest, absently tracing a pattern on his shirt with her finger. “I know, it’s just… I don’t want to get in the way.”

Glen shifted, gently tilting her chin up so she had to meet his eyes. “You could never be ‘in the way.’ You’re part of my life now, and that includes stuff like this. Birthdays, hanging out with my friends, all of it. I want you there, Gabby.”

His sincerity was impossible to miss, and Gabby’s heart softened, though the nervous knot in her stomach remained. She hesitated again, then finally sighed, deciding it was time to share the real reason. “It’s not just that,” she admitted quietly.

“Then what is it?” Glen asked, his tone gentle, encouraging her to continue.

Her fingers fidgeted with the hem of his shirt as she spoke. “My dad… he’s going to be at that game.”

That gave Glen pause, though his expression remained calm. “Your dad?”

“Yeah,” Gabby said with a nod. “He went to Georgia in college, and he always tries to make at least one game a year. This year, he and my uncle decided on Texas versus Georgia in Austin.”

Glen’s lips curved into a smile. “Well, that’s perfect! I’ll get to meet him.”

Gabby’s eyes widened slightly, and she sat up a little, leaning against the headboard. “I don’t know if ‘perfect’ is the word I’d use,” she said, her voice tinged with nervous laughter.

Glen followed her lead, sitting up beside her. “Why not?”

“Because my dad is… protective,” she admitted, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “He’s a great guy, don’t get me wrong. Loving, supportive, all of that. But when it comes to me, he can be… intense. And I haven’t brought anyone home to meet him since mom died. And he’s become even more protective since then.”

Glen leaned back slightly, processing what she was saying. His smile softened into something more reassuring. “Protective, huh? So, what are we talking about here? Big handshake and a couple of probing questions, or am I looking at a full-on FBI levels of interrogation?”

Gabby couldn’t help but laugh, though it was tinged with nervous energy. “Probably somewhere in the middle. He’s not the ‘scary dad with a shotgun’ type, but he’s definitely going to be paying attention to everything you say and do. And he’s got this look…”

Glen raised an eyebrow. “A look?”

“Yeah,” Gabby said, nodding emphatically. “It’s like… this silent, stern thing he does when he’s trying to read someone. It’s not exactly intimidating, but it’s definitely unnerving if you’re not used to it.”

Glen chuckled, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from her face. “Gabby, I get it—you’re nervous about me meeting your dad, and that’s okay. But I’m not afraid of a little overprotective dad energy. And I get that this is a big deal for you—it’s a big deal for me, too. But meeting him at the game? Honestly, that sounds like a great way to break the ice. Something casual, low-pressure, and I won’t have to worry about him interrogating me over a formal dinner or something.”

Gabby laughed softly, though her nerves still lingered. “You say that now. You haven’t seen him in full-on dad mode.”

“Gabby,” Glen said, his tone turning serious but still gentle. He reached out, taking her hand in his. “I know you’re nervous, and that’s okay. But you don’t have to protect me from your dad. I want to meet him. I want to know the guy who helped make you who you are.”

Her chest tightened at his words, emotion welling up in her throat. “You make it sound so simple,” she murmured.

“Because it is,” he said with a soft smile. “I like you, Gabby. A lot. And I’m pretty sure that if he sees how much I care about you, he’s going to like me, too. You already met my family, now it’s time for me to meet yours.”

She managed a small smile, her hand tightening around his. “You really think so?”

“I know so,” Glen said, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. “And hey, if he’s a Georgia fan, we already have something to bond over. I can compliment his team…before Texas crushes them.”

Gabby rolled her eyes but couldn’t help laughing.

“But seriously, Gabby, if you’re not ready for me to meet him yet, that’s okay. I won’t push you to come down for the game. But if you are okay with it, I’d really like you to come and I’d really like to meet your dad.”

Gabby exhaled slowly, her nerves easing just a little. “Okay,” she said softly. “I’ll come to Austin.”

His grin was instant and contagious, and he leaned in to kiss her, his lips lingering against hers. “Good. Because there’s no way I was celebrating my birthday without you.”

[mlqueen89]

i can do it with a broken heart - glen powell x ofc - coming soon

❥ playlist ♡ moodboard ♡ taglist ❥ 

summary: Aimee Wright's dream has always been to be a writer. Now that she has just published her first big novel, she's finally realizing she's made it.

Quickly, her debut novel garners attention and sits on the NYT Bestsellers list for weeks, topping BookTok trends and flying off shelves. Netflix wastes no time in scooping up the rights and moves to produce a movie based on her book about a young teacher who falls for the uncle of her troubled student. While Aimee's wildest publishing dreams are coming true, behind the curtain, her life has just fallen apart.

A newly divorced, single mom, Aimee has to navigate her new life with her young son Noah, against an emotionally and financially abusive ex who wants to take Noah away from her at any cost. The last thing Aimee needs is drama.

So, when Glen Powell, the actor cast as the love interest in her novel turned movie comes along asking for advice on his character, Aimee finds herself falling for him and his easy-going charm unexpectedly.

Between an ex looking to destroy what happiness she finds after their divorce, does Glen feel the same and does Aimee want another relationship with the potential to turn her life and that of her young son’s, upside down?

Snippets: one | two

a/n: still working away on this one - if you want to be tagged when it finally comes out, let me know!

in the meantime, may i offer you a side of jake seresin x ofc?

[coloraturadiva]

Afterburn (Jake "Hangman" Seresin x OC One shot)

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x OC (Stephanie)

Summary:  Jake Seresin returns to his Texas home after a long absence, haunted by the loss of a comrade and the weight of his choices, grappling with regret and the realization that some wounds may never fully heal.

Warnings: angst, ANGST, character's death, marriage issues, absent father, fighting, and hopefully I didn't miss anything.

Word Count: 6000

A/N: english is not my first language (or even the second) and this story hasn't been betaed, I just had some help from Grammarly.

My personal and love life has been so angsty lately, so I guess I want everybody to suffer like me 😅

Disclaimer: a strict work of fiction, I own nothing except the original characters and the plot line. In no way am I affiliated to any of it.  

Feedback, reblogs and constructive criticism are always appreciated!

Please don’t post any of my content anywhere else without my permission. Comments and reblogs welcome!

AFTERBURN

The setting sun bathed the Texas countryside in a golden haze, the kind that seemed to stretch out forever, blurring the lines between earth and sky. The air was thick with the scent of dry grass and wildflowers, mingling with the faint sweetness of honeysuckle that clung to the breeze. Jake Seresin gripped the steering wheel loosely, his knuckles brushing against the smooth leather as the truck rumbled along the winding country road. It had been long since he’d driven these roads, but the rhythm of the turns felt ingrained, like an old song you never quite forget.

He rolled down the window, letting the warm evening air rush in. It carried the faint hum of cicadas, their rhythmic chirping rising and falling like a lullaby. The sound was as familiar as the taste of his grandmother’s sweet tea, a reminder of summers spent running barefoot through fields and climbing trees. The horizon burned in shades of amber and crimson, painting the fields in fiery hues that seemed to set the world ablaze. Fences lined the road, weathered and leaning, but still holding strong. Beyond them, cattle grazed lazily, their silhouettes sharp against the dying light. He caught sight of a sprawling live oak tree, its gnarled branches stretching wide as if to embrace the fading light. The tree’s shadow stretched long and thin across the road, a dark ribbon cutting through the golden landscape. He’d climbed that tree once as a kid, on a dare from his friends. He’d sat up there for hours, watching the world from above, thinking about everything and nothing at all.

Jake’s lips twitched into a faint smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. The memories were a comfort, but they also weighed heavy. The road ahead stretched out in endless curves, each mile bringing him closer to something he wasn’t sure he was ready for. The fields on either side seemed to close in, the tall grass swaying like a silent audience, watching him return to a place he’d left behind. He hadn’t been home in too long. Too many excuses, too many days spent somewhere else. The Navy had been his life, his purpose, but it came with a price. A price he was still tallying.

As the truck crested a hill, the landscape opened up before him. The wide-open plains seemed to breathe, endless and free, the golden light catching on the tips of the grass like fireflies. It was beautiful, in a quiet, understated way. Jake slowed the truck, letting the moment settle over him. The sunset seemed to linger here, as if it, too, didn’t want to leave, the sky a canvas of deepening oranges and purples. He leaned his arm against the door, resting his chin on his hand for a moment, eyes scanning the familiar sights.

There was the old tree by the river, the one he’d carved his initials into when he was twelve. The bark was rough and weathered now, the initials barely visible, but the memory was as sharp as the day he’d made them. The barn in the distance, its red paint faded to a muted rust. The structure leaned slightly to one side, as if tired from years of standing guard over the land. And the sky—so big it felt like it could swallow him whole. He’d always loved that about Texas, the way the sky seemed endless, like it was daring you to dream bigger, reach higher. But tonight, the sky felt different. The dreams it offered weren’t the ones he’d chased for years. They were quieter, simpler. The kind of dreams he hadn’t let himself think about in too long.

His chest tightened, and he shifted in his seat, pressing his foot on the gas. The engine roared softly in response, and the truck picked up speed, eating away at the last few miles. The wind whipped through the open window, carrying with it the faint scent of rain, though the sky was clear. It was the kind of smell that promised a storm, even if it never came. Jake wasn’t sure what he’d find when he got home. The thought twisted inside him, a knot of uncertainty and hope. He let out a slow breath, his fingers drumming against the steering wheel as he tried to focus on the road, on the present, on the way the fading light turned the world golden.

Whatever waited for him, he told himself, he could handle it. He had to. The road curved again, and he followed it, chasing the horizon, chasing the light. The sunset wouldn’t last forever, but for now, it was enough to guide him home.

-- - -- - - -

Jake Seresin was everything the Navy dreamed of when it came to their fighter pilots. He was a natural—the kind of aviator who seemed born to be in the cockpit. Every movement he made, every decision, carried a precision that spoke to thousands of hours of training, honed instinct, and a rare kind of brilliance that couldn’t be taught. The F/A-18 felt like an extension of himself, as though it responded not just to his hands but to his thoughts. In the air, he was untouchable—a predator with a keen eye and nerves that stayed steady even in the most chaotic moments.

His colleagues often joked that he could fly through a hurricane and come out the other side without a scratch. There was some truth to it. Jake had an uncanny ability to keep his head when everyone else was losing theirs. When the stakes were highest, when lives were on the line, he thrived. It wasn’t just skill; it was a kind of unshakable confidence that bordered on arrogance. That confidence earned him respect from some and resentment from others.

To those who admired him, Jake was the poster boy of the Navy. His sharp jawline, perfectly tousled dark blonde hair, and piercing green eyes didn’t hurt either, but behind the carefully crafted image was a man who knew exactly how good he was and wasn’t afraid to show it. That attitude didn’t sit well with everyone. Some of his peers found him cocky, too sure of himself. They whispered that he was more interested in being a legend than a team player.

Jake didn’t pay much attention to the gossip. He lived alone in a sleek, modern bungalow just a few miles from the naval base in San Diego. The house was all clean lines and large windows, perched on a hill that offered a stunning view of the ocean. Inside, it was meticulously kept, a reflection of the man himself. It was a bachelor’s home, though not in the clichéd sense. There were no signs of wild parties or fleeting romances. Just quiet, ordered spaces—a sanctuary from the demands of his career.

Still, rumors swirled. Jake Seresin, with his movie-star looks and easy charm, was a favorite topic of speculation. He was seen laughing with women at bars, flashing that effortless grin that seemed to make people gravitate toward him. Some swore they’d seen him leaving with someone, though no one ever had proof. Others insisted he had a string of women waiting for him in every city. If Jake was aware of the talk, he never acknowledged it. He didn’t owe anyone an explanation.

The truth was, he kept his personal life as tightly controlled as everything else. Work came first, always. His focus on being the best, on pushing himself further, left little room for anything else. And if he had secrets, they were buried deep, locked away behind that confident smile and the impenetrable shield of his persona.

In the air, Jake Seresin was unmatched. On the ground, he was an enigma. And that was just the way he liked it.

- - - - - 

The gravel crunched under the tires as Jake turned onto the narrow driveway, his truck's headlights cutting through the encroaching dusk. The house came into view, perched at the end of the long stretch of drive like an old photograph brought to life. It hadn’t changed much, not in all the years he’d known it. The wraparound porch still hugged the front, and the paint—white, now fading to a gentle gray—still clung stubbornly to the wooden siding.

Jake killed the engine and sat there for a moment, letting the silence settle around him. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles whitening as he stared at the house. He exhaled slowly, his shoulders rising and falling with the effort, before finally releasing his grip and running a hand through his hair. This place had always felt different. It wasn’t just a house; it was a time capsule. Stephanie’s grandmother had lived here once, years ago, back when summer afternoons meant lemonade on the porch and laughter echoing through the big yard. Even then, the house had felt like the center of the world, warm and steady, full of life. He’d never expected it to become theirs, but when it did, it felt right. It was a piece of history, of her history, and now, of his too.

He smiled faintly as a memory bubbled up, unbidden. He and Stephanie couldn’t have been more than sixteen, maybe seventeen, the summer they decided to fix up the old barn. Her grandmother had mentioned it offhand one day, saying it would be nice if the door didn’t stick every time she tried to open it. Jake had jumped at the chance to impress Stephanie, and the two of them had spent days sanding and painting under the sweltering Texas sun. They’d ended up covered in sawdust and streaks of white paint, laughing so hard they could barely stand when Stephanie’s grandmother, Mary, brought out a pitcher of iced tea and insisted they take a break.

“You two look like you’ve been wrestling a cloud,” her grandmother had said, shaking her head with a smile. They’d sat there on the porch steps, sipping tea and listening to the cicadas, feeling like the world could wait forever.

His fingers lingered on the door handle as nerves twisted in his stomach. It wasn’t like him to feel this way. In the cockpit, he was unshakable, his confidence carved from steel. But here, on this quiet patch of earth, with this house standing like a sentinel of everything that mattered, he felt something closer to uncertainty. He exhaled sharply and stepped out of the truck, the cool evening air brushing against his skin.

The porch steps creaked under his weight, just as he remembered. He paused halfway up, his hand gripping the railing as if to steady himself. His heart pounded in his chest, each step feeling heavier than the last. He’d spent countless evenings here, sitting side by side with Stephanie, watching the sun sink into the horizon, their voices blending with the symphony of cicadas. Now, those memories seemed to rise from the wood itself, each step a whisper of the past.

Jake hesitated at the door, his knuckles hovering just above the wood. His hand trembled slightly, and he clenched it into a fist before knocking, the sound sharp and final in the quiet evening. The faint glow of a light inside spilled through the curtains, and his chest tightened at the thought of who might be waiting. He clenched his jaw, summoning the same determination that carried him through dogfights and endless training missions. Whatever came next, he would face it. He had to.

With one final breath, he knocked on the door.

- - - - - - - - 

The roar of the F/A-18 engines filled Jake’s ears as he soared over the ocean, the carrier a distant memory below. It was supposed to be a routine mission—a patrol over contested airspace—the kind of assignment that called for vigilance but rarely escalated into anything more. Jake, call sign “Hangman,” flew in formation with his squadron, the sun glinting off their wings as they carved through the open sky.

Ahead and to his left was Lieutenant Mark “Hawk” Turner, one of the newer pilots in their group. Hawk was solid. Not flashy, but reliable. They weren’t particularly close, but Jake respected him. Hawk had a steady hand and a calm demeanor, the kind of guy you didn’t mind having on your wing. Hawk had mentioned his family once or twice—a wife named Carly and a baby boy, barely six months old. Jake hadn’t thought much about it at the time...

The ambush came out of nowhere. A warning blared in Jake’s headset, followed by a scramble of voices over comms. Enemy jets, sleek and fast, appeared on the radar, closing the distance with alarming speed. Jake’s pulse quickened, but his mind stayed sharp, instincts kicking in as he broke formation and banked hard to the right.

“Hangman, I’ve got your six,” Hawk’s voice came through, steady despite the chaos.

“Copy that, Hawk,” Jake replied, his hands flying over the controls. “Watch your flank.”

The first missile streaked past, missing him by inches. Jake rolled into an evasive maneuver, his vision narrowing as adrenaline surged through him. He returned fire, locking onto one of the enemy jets and watching it explode into a ball of fire and smoke.

“Splash one,” he called, but there was no time to savor the victory. Another jet was on his tail, and he pulled into a steep climb, the g-forces pressing him back into his seat. The sky was a blur of motion—tracers, missiles, and contrails weaving a deadly tapestry around them. Hawk’s voice was in his ear again, cool but urgent, directing the others as the squadron fought to regain control of the situation.

Jake managed to take out a second enemy, his reflexes razor-sharp as he fired off another missile. But in the chaos, he caught a flash of movement on his radar that made his stomach drop. Hawk was in trouble, two jets closing in on him.

“Hawk, break left! Break left!” Jake shouted, pulling hard on his stick to intercept. He could hear Hawk’s strained breathing, the tension in his voice as he tried to shake his pursuers.

“I’m hit,” Hawk said, the words clipped and final.

Jake’s heart pounded as he scanned the sky, searching for a sign of Hawk’s jet. Smoke trailed behind it, spiraling downward, and then—a fireball. The explosion was bright against the blue, a terrible blossom of flame and debris. Jake’s stomach turned, but there was no time to process it. He had to focus, to keep himself and the others alive.

The battle ended minutes later, the surviving enemy jets retreating as the squadron regrouped. Jake’s cockpit was suffocatingly quiet, the adrenaline fading and leaving behind a heavy emptiness. As they turned back toward the carrier, his eyes flicked to the empty space in formation where Hawk should have been. He felt the weight of it settle over him, a mix of anger and guilt clawing at his chest.

He thought of Carly and the baby—the family Hawk had talked about with quiet pride. Jake’s jaw tightened, his grip on the controls white-knuckled. He’d done everything he could, hadn’t he? Two kills, two less threats in the sky. But it hadn’t been enough. Hawk wasn’t coming home.

By the time Jake’s wheels touched down on the carrier, the reality had sunk in. He climbed out of the cockpit and stood on the deck, the salty wind biting at his face. Around him, the crew bustled, but their movements felt distant, muted. Jake stayed rooted, staring out at the endless horizon. For all his skill, for all his training, he couldn’t shake the bitter truth that even the best pilots couldn’t win every fight.

Hawk’s absence was a hole in the formation, a reminder of how fragile it all was. And as the sun dipped below the waves, Jake made a silent promise to himself: to fly smarter, to fight harder, to never forget the cost of what they did out here. Because he couldn’t let himself forget. Not now. Not ever.

_ _ _ _ 

The porch light flickered as Jake stood under its glow, his boots rooted to the wooden planks. The cool night air brushed against him, but it wasn’t the wind that made him shiver. It was the thought of what waited on the other side of the door. He’d knocked already, the sound echoing through the quiet of the Texas countryside, and now he waited, heart pounding in his chest. The warmth of the house, the faint glow spilling through the curtains, felt like another world entirely—a world he’d left behind.

The door creaked open, and there she was. Stephanie. Her blonde hair caught the light like a halo, and her blue eyes—those same eyes that had once looked at him with so much love—now narrowed in guarded recognition. She froze for a moment, her expression shifting from surprise to something colder, sharper. Her arms crossed over her chest, a defensive barrier he couldn’t hope to breach.

“Jake,” she said, her tone as frosty as the night air. It wasn’t a question. Just his name, flat and emotionless, like a closed door.

He swallowed hard, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. His hands fidgeted at his sides, fingers twitching as if searching for something to hold onto. “Stephanie,” he began, his voice steady, though his hands betrayed him, fidgeting at his sides. “I know I… I should’ve called or… something. But I had to see you. To see them.”

Her jaw tightened, and she shifted her weight, still blocking the doorway. Her foot tapped lightly against the floor, a small, impatient movement that spoke volumes. “You should’ve thought about that before,” she said, each word deliberate, cutting.

He nodded, exhaling slowly. His shoulders slumped slightly, the weight of her words pressing down on him. “You’re right. You’re absolutely right. But, Stephanie, please. Just hear me out. Five minutes. That’s all I’m asking for.”

“Five minutes won’t undo months,” she said, her voice low. She hadn’t moved, her arms still crossed, her posture unyielding. But she hadn’t closed the door either.

Jake’s hands flexed, and he took a small step forward, careful not to cross the threshold. “Stephanie, I’ve been a damn fool. I know that now. Losing Hawk…” His voice cracked for a moment, but he pushed through. “It made me realize what I’ve been risking. What I’ve already lost. I can’t… I can’t keep pretending my job is the only thing that matters. It’s not. You are. The kids are. And I… I know I screwed up, okay? But I’m here now. I’m here to make it right. Please.”

Stephanie’s gaze didn’t soften. If anything, it grew colder. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she tilted her chin up slightly, as if daring him to say more. “You don’t get to walk back into our lives just because you’ve had a change of heart. You left us, Jake. Your ambition left us. And now you think a few words can fix everything?”

“No,” he said quickly, shaking his head. His hands rose slightly, as if to reach for her, but he stopped himself, letting them fall back to his sides. “No, I know words aren’t enough. But I want to do whatever it takes to prove to you that I’ve changed. That I get it now. I…” He hesitated, the confidence he usually carried faltering under the weight of her glare. “I’ve missed so much. I’ve missed them. I’ve missed you.”

“You see them,” she said sharply. “Every week. I send the emails, the pictures. That’s more than most men like you deserve.”

Jake flinched at the words but nodded. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, then relaxed, as if he were trying to steady himself. “And I’m grateful for that. You have no idea how much those pictures mean to me. But it’s not the same. I want to see them. I want to hold them, to…” He ran a hand through his hair, searching for the right words. His shoulders slumped again, and he looked at her with a pleading expression. “To be their dad again. I want to be the man you married. The man you deserve.”

Her laugh was short, bitter. She shook her head, her arms tightening across her chest as if to shield herself from his words. “The man I married? He wouldn’t have left us in the first place.”

Jake’s shoulders sagged, and he let out a shaky breath. “You’re right. You’re absolutely right. I don’t deserve forgiveness. But I’m asking for a chance. Just a chance to try. Please, Stephanie. Let me in.”

He hesitated, then added softly, “Did you hear about Hawk? I mean… I know it’s been in the news. I…” He faltered, unable to find the words, but her expression didn’t change.

“I did,” she said curtly, her tone still guarded. Her eyes flickered for a moment, a brief crack in her armor, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. “I’m sorry for him. For his family.”

Jake nodded, biting the inside of his cheek. His hands fidgeted again, and he shoved them into his pockets to keep them still. “Yeah. His wife and the baby… It’s just… It hit me harder than I thought it would. Makes you think about what really matters, you know? About what you’ve been doing wrong.”

Stephanie’s lips pressed into a thin line, and she didn’t respond. He tried to fill the silence. “How are they? The kids, I mean. They’re okay, right? I mean, they look happy in the pictures, but…” He trailed off, his voice cracking slightly.

“They’re fine,” she said stiffly. “They’re resilient. Strong. They have to be.”

Jake winced at the unspoken implication but nodded. “I’m glad. I… I hope I can make them proud someday. Make you proud.”

For a moment, there was silence. The only sound was the wind rustling through the trees, and the faint hum of cicadas in the distance. Stephanie’s expression didn’t waver, her arms still crossed, her stance unbroken. She looked as beautiful as ever, but the beauty he has been familiar with for more than 20 years now felt untouchable, like a distant star—something he could admire but never reach.

- - - - --- - - 

The warm glow of the late afternoon sun filtered through the windows of their cozy family home, casting a golden hue over the living room. Toys were scattered across the floor, remnants of the children’s playtime, and the faint sound of their laughter echoed from the backyard. Jake stepped inside, his boots clicking softly against the wooden floor. He paused for a moment, taking in the familiar warmth of the space—a haven they’d built together. A genuine smile crossed his face as he thought about sharing the good news.

“Stephanie?” he called, his voice betraying his excitement.

Stephanie appeared from the kitchen, a dishrag in hand, her blonde hair styled in a simple, elegant updo. Her blue eyes lit up at the sight of him, and her smile widened as she walked closer, clearly eager to hear what had brought him home early.

“What is it?” she asked, concern lacing her tone. “Is everything okay?”

Jake stepped forward confidently, his excitement bubbling over. “Yeah, everything’s fine. Better than fine, actually.” He tried to smile, but it came out forced. “I… I got promoted.”

Her brow furrowed, and she stepped closer. “Promoted? That’s good, right?”

“It is,” he said quickly. “It’s a big deal, Stephanie. They’re moving me to San Diego. I’ll be working with some of the best pilots in the world. It’s… it’s an incredible opportunity.”

Her smile faltered, and she crossed her arms over her chest. “San Diego? So, we’re moving again?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, it’s a great place. The kids will love it. And it’s not forever,” he added quickly, sensing the storm brewing. “Five years, tops. After that, I can transition to teaching. You know, like we talked about.”

Her arms tightened across her chest, and her eyes narrowed. “Five years?” she repeated, her voice rising. “Jake, we agreed. You promised me. When you finished your training, Top Gun and a couple of years of missions you were supposed to start teaching. You said you wouldn’t keep flying missions forever. That you wouldn’t keep risking your life.”

“I know what I said,” he replied, his tone soft but firm. “And I meant it. But, Stephanie, this is important. This is my career. I can’t just walk away from it now. Not when I’ve worked so hard to get here.”

“Your career?” she snapped, her voice trembling with anger. “What about your family, Jake? What about me? The kids? We’ve followed you all over the country for years, waiting for the day you’d keep your promise. And now you’re telling me it’s just… what? Five more years? And you say it like it’s nothing!”

“Stephanie, this is such an amazing opportunity for us,” he said eagerly, stepping closer to her. “It’s not just about me. This promotion… it means a better future for all of us. The pay, the benefits—it’ll set us up for life. And there’s no war on the horizon. I’ll be flying routine missions, nothing dangerous. It’ll be fine.”

“Fine?” she repeated, her voice breaking. “You think it’s fine for me to sit here, wondering every day if the next knock on the door is someone telling me you’re not coming home? To raise our kids alone while you’re halfway across the planet?”

“Please,” he said, his tone pleading now. He reached for her, but she pulled away. “I’m doing this for us. For our family. I’m trying to build something better.”

“Better?” she said, tears streaming down her face. “So what we have already is not good, right? How is any of this better, Jake? You’re breaking your promise. You’re choosing your career over us.”

“That’s not fair,” he said, his voice rising slightly. “I’m trying to do what’s right for all of us. Can’t you see that?”

“No, Jake,” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t. Because all I see is a man who’s willing to risk everything—his life, his family—for his own ambition.”

His frustration mounted, but he forced himself to stay calm. “I’m doing this for us,” he said again, quieter this time, the desperation creeping into his voice. “Stephanie, I love you. I love the kids. Everything I’m doing is to give you the life you deserve.”

“What do I deserve?” she snapped, her tone icy. “I deserve a husband who keeps his promises. I deserve not to go to bed every night wondering if the father of my children is still alive. You don’t get it, Jake. You never have.”

“Don’t say that,” he said sharply, his jaw tightening. “You know that’s not true. I’m doing my best here.”

“Your best?” she countered. “Your best for the Navy. Your best is putting your career above your family again and again. Your best is deciding what’s best for us without even talking to me about it first.”

“Stephanie, this promotion is everything I’ve worked for. It’s everything we’ve worked for. Can’t you just trust me on this?”

“Trust you?” she asked, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “Jake, you’re asking me to trust you after you’ve already broken the biggest promise you ever made to me. How can I trust you when you don’t even see what you’re doing to us?”

“I see it,” he said, his voice cracking. “Don’t think for a second that this is easy for me. I’m trying to make this work. For us. For the kids.”

But she was already shaking her head, her resolve hardening. “No, Jake. Not this time. I’m done. The kids and I… we’re going back to Texas. To my family. You can go to San Diego, chase your dreams, do whatever you want. But we won’t be there waiting for you.”

“Stephanie, please,” he begged, his voice raw with emotion. “Don’t do this. Don’t take them away from me.”

“You took yourself away from us, Jake,” she said quietly. “When you chose this life over the one we built together.”

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut, and he opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. She turned and walked away, leaving him standing in the living room, the warmth of their home now feeling unbearably cold.

- - - - 

Jake’s knuckles rested lightly against the wooden doorframe, the silence of the moment punctuated by the distant hum of cicadas. Stephanie stood before him, her posture resolute and defensive, arms crossed tightly across her chest. The air between them was thick, the unspoken words from a long separation hanging heavy like storm clouds refusing to burst.

“Stephanie, please,” Jake began, his voice softer now, almost pleading. His green eyes searched her face for any sign of the woman who had once believed in him unconditionally. “I know I’ve made mistakes. Big ones. But I’ve had a lot of time to think. To see what really matters. I… I’ve changed. I’m trying to make things right.”

She didn’t move, her blue eyes unwavering as they bore into his. Her silence was deafening, her lips pressed into a tight line that spoke volumes of her inner turmoil.

He shifted on his feet, desperate to fill the void. “About Hawk...” he said cautiously, though the weight of the subject wasn’t new between them. Her eyes flickered for a fraction of a second, but she remained silent. "When we talked about him before, I couldn’t stop thinking about his little boy. It’s just… it hit me, Stephanie. Losing someone like that. Realizing how fragile it all is. How much I’ve taken for granted."

Stephanie’s gaze hardened. “What’s your point, Jake?”

He swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. “It’s just… it hit me, Stephanie. I don’t want to waste any more time.”

“You’ve wasted enough already,” she said bluntly, her voice cold and unyielding.

His chest tightened, but he pressed on. “How are the kids coping with the situation?” he asked, his tone softening further. “Jimmy, Mary… are they doing okay?”

Her expression shifted slightly, a flicker of pain breaking through her icy demeanor. “They’re learning to live a new life here, with little cousins, uncles, aunts and grandparents…” Some seconds of silence and a sigh, before ending her answer. “But they miss their dad.”

The words hit him squarely in the chest, and he exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. “I miss them too,” he said quietly. “I miss all of you.”

“Don’t,” she said sharply, holding up a hand to stop him. “Don’t stand there and act like it’s that simple. You made your choice, Jake. You chose this life, and we… we’ve learned to live without you.”

Her words stung, but he didn’t retreat. Instead, he stepped closer, his voice trembling with emotion. “Stephanie, I swear to you, I understand now. I was blinded by my ambition, by what I thought I had to be. But losing Hawk… seeing what it’s done to his family… it’s changed me. I’m not that same man anymore.”

She stared at him for a long moment, her features unreadable. Then, from somewhere upstairs, a small voice broke the tension. “Mommy! Mommy! Can you read me a story?”

Jake’s breath hitched, his heart lurching at the sound. Mary’s voice, soft and sweet, carried down the staircase like a beacon calling him home.

“Mary,” he murmured, his voice cracking. His eyes widened, and he took an involuntary step forward, his hand reaching out slightly before he caught himself. He turned back to Stephanie, his eyes glistening. “Can I see her? Please. Just for a minute. I… I could read her that story.”

Stephanie’s hand gripped the edge of the door tighter, and she shifted slightly, blocking his view inside. “No,” she said firmly. “You’re not coming in, Jake.”

“Stephanie, please,” he said again, his voice breaking as a single tear slipped down his cheek. He wiped it away quickly, but not before she noticed. She froze, her eyes widening in surprise. She had never seen him cry before.

But then her expression hardened once more, and her voice rose, trembling with pent-up anger and pain. “I always did what you wanted. ALWAYS! Since high school. Everything revolved around you. We saw each other when you wanted it, we kissed when you wanted it, we first had sex when you wanted it, we married when you wanted it, we had kids when you wanted it. Me and the kids followed you wherever you wanted, and I always bowed my head to you because I loved you more than I lvoed myself and believed in the fact that you cared for us and did everything with our future and wellbeing in mind. I only asked you for one thing, just one: not to go to war. I know the world is full of military wives that do it for their whole lives, but I really didn't want to spend most of my life home alone, with you on the other side of the planet, waiting and praying for you to come back all in one piece. I really don’t want to do that! Now you made that decision and it’s fine, of course you can do whatever you want with your life, but it’s time I finally get in control of my life and the life of my children. You can go wherever you like, but we aren’t be waiting for you anymore.”

Her words left him stunned, the raw intensity of her emotions slicing through him like a knife. He staggered back a step, his gaze dropping to her hands. That’s when he saw it—her wedding band, still glinting softly in the fading light. A stark contrast to his own bare finger. He had stopped wearing his ring when he moved alone to San Diego, wanting to keep his private life private, his sorrows hidden, and to avoid the questions that a wedding ring would have raised. He had thought removing it would make things easier—less painful. He wanted to forget, or at least keep his sorrow boxed in a hidden part of his brain, like the ring was in a box inside the drawer of his bedside table. The weight of its absence was something he had tried to ignore, though it lingered like an ache. After she had left him, he refused to talk about the situation with anybody, even his close family, brushing off concerned questions with forced smiles and vague reassurances. And since then, he had also never tried to get in touch with her, except through the weekly emails that were clinical in tone, devoid of any mention of Jake and Stephanie or their relationship—focused only on updates about the kids he longed to hold but felt increasingly distant from.

“You’re still wearing your wedding band,” he said softly, almost to himself.

Her blue eyes flashed with something indiscernible, a quiet strength as she met his gaze. “I’m still your wife.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Jake’s mind raced, memories of their life together flooding back in a torrent of emotions. But before he could speak, Stephanie’s expression softened slightly, though her resolve remained intact.

“Jake,” she said quietly, her voice steady but firm. “Go. For the good of the children. Please.”

He hesitated, his heart aching with every fiber of his being. But he saw the unwavering determination in her eyes, the protective fierceness of a mother who had drawn her line in the sand. Finally, he stepped back, his boots heavy against the wooden porch.

As he turned and walked away, the faint sound of Mary’s voice drifted through the open window once more, mingling with the cicadas and the ache in his chest.

[djs8891]

Such a beautiful, dreamy glimpse in their lives.

Under the Midnight Sky

pairing: glen powell x oc

summary: glen and his co star have spontaneous night out

author's note: scroll down and listen to the song while reading!!

The moon hung high and full over the Santa Monica Pier, casting a silvery glow across the ocean. Glen Powell leaned against the railing, taking in the rhythmic sound of the waves crashing against the shore. He was in LA for a break between filming, and the night had felt perfect for a spontaneous getaway. Little did he know that the evening would turn into something he hadn’t quite expected.

He glanced at his watch, wondering if she'd arrive soon. He had invited her on a whim, intrigued by their previous conversations and a spark of chemistry that seemed undeniable. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out to find a text from her.

“Hey! On my way. See you soon. :)”

Glen smiled, his nerves easing. He turned his attention back to the ocean, the cool breeze ruffling his hair. He was lost in thought when he heard a soft voice behind him.

“Is this seat taken?”

He turned to see Lily, a vibrant woman with a warm smile and eyes that seemed to hold a thousand stories. She was dressed casually, but there was a grace to her presence that made the evening feel even more magical.

“Nope, all yours,” Glen said, stepping aside to let her take a seat on the bench next to him. “I’m glad you could make it.”

Lily sat down, her gaze drifting out to the water. “It’s beautiful here. Thanks for inviting me.”

They spent a few moments in comfortable silence, the only sounds the distant laughter of other beachgoers and the gentle lap of the waves. Glen glanced over, his curiosity piqued.

“So, what’s been on your mind lately?”

Lily’s eyes met his, and she smiled softly. “Oh, you know, just life. Work, trying to find balance, and dreaming about new adventures.”

Glen nodded, understanding more than she might have realized. “It’s easy to get caught up in everything and forget to just enjoy the moment.”

She chuckled. “I think we’re on the same page. Sometimes I think we need a little nudge to remember what really matters.”

Their conversation flowed easily, like an old friendship rekindled. They talked about their passions, their favorite books, and even their most embarrassing moments. The hours slipped by unnoticed until the pier began to empty, leaving just the two of them under the expansive sky.

Glen hesitated for a moment before speaking, his voice a little softer. “I’ve really enjoyed tonight. It’s been a nice change from the usual whirlwind.”

Lily turned to him, her gaze steady. “Me too. I didn’t expect to have such a great time. It feels... special.”

He looked at her, seeing something in her eyes that made his heart skip a beat. “It does, doesn’t it?”

Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the world seemed to stand still. Glen leaned in slightly, his voice almost a whisper. “I know we haven’t known each other long, but there’s something about you that feels incredibly right.”

Lily’s breath caught in her throat. She reached out, her fingers brushing against his hand. “I feel it too, Glen.”

Without thinking, Glen gently took her hand in his, their fingers intertwining. The touch was electric, sending a shiver up his spine. He looked down at her, his eyes searching hers for any sign of hesitation. All he found was an openness that mirrored his own feelings.

Slowly, he leaned in, his heart racing as he brushed his lips against hers in a tender kiss. It was soft and gentle, like the first light of dawn breaking over the horizon. Lily responded with equal warmth, her arms wrapping around his neck as she deepened the kiss.

When they finally pulled away, their foreheads resting against each other’s, Glen whispered, “I didn’t expect to find something like this tonight.”

Lily’s smile was radiant, her eyes filled with affection. “Neither did I. But I’m glad we did.”

They spent the rest of the night talking and laughing, their connection growing stronger with every word. The pier, once bustling with activity, had become their private haven, illuminated only by the soft glow of the moon and stars.

As the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon, Glen and Lily knew that the night had marked the beginning of something truly special. The world might have been waking up, but for them, it felt like they had discovered a little piece of forever under the midnight sky.

And as they walked hand in hand along the shore, the promise of new adventures and shared moments seemed as endless as the ocean stretching out before them.

[spasmsofthought]

you fell hard, I thought good riddance (j.s. x reader)

An angsty thing inspired by “Best” by Gracie Abrams. (I wrote this at work cause I had the free time and couldn’t help myself.) Let me know what you think! (Probably some inaccuracies, especially if you squint - my step-dad may have done a career in the Navy, but I did and will not lol.) Wrote this all at once, so please have grace for any spelling or grammar mistakes. xo 

Next

https://open.spotify.com/track/5HO2RD12vZ5NcIdAULo43M?si=0ce82485daa44829

+++

Jake knows what he did. 

While not at the forefront of his mind, it weighs on the deepest part of his consciousness and he’s reminded of what he did in what feels like the most random moments. 

When he’s swallowing the last drops of beer in the bottle that’s pressed to his mouth. Or when he’s standing on the beach as the waves are softly rolling against the shore and it’s quiet. Or when he ends up on the couch watching crappy television at 3 a.m. because his flashbacks are keeping him awake and the moment his eyes close, he feels like he’s startled awake because a brightly-colored ad is flashing on the TV screen. 

He sees you every once and a while, he thinks. Whether it’s when he’s tipsy at The Hard Deck and sees someone turn the corner who looks just enough like you from the back. Someone can laugh just the right way down the hall when he’s in the office at work and he has to do a double-take to make sure it’s not you that’s laughing. 

He’s never actually, though, confronted with your physical presence until he finds himself at a joint military exercise in European waters and you are on the same carrier. He’s walking into the cafeteria after a morning of training exercises and immediately zeroes in on you. Once he’s aware of you, he can’t look away. 

It takes a moment for your senses to catch on. (To be fair, the cafeteria is not really known to be an oasis of peace. It’s loud and busy. You’re sitting with friends anyhow.) Your eyes flit to the area where he’s making his way in and he can tell the moment your mind makes sense of what you’re seeing. You glance at him for one long moment, and then you turn towards your friends and stay that way until you all leave. The only thing that has changed about your demeanor is the frown that settles on your expression throughout the rest of your meal. 

He thinks you look even better now than you did back then. 

He thinks he took you by surprise. That you’ve gotten so used to not seeing him around on your deployments and where you’re stationed that you didn’t think you would need to brace yourself on this go around. 

Jake knows what he did and he feels terrible. He didn’t then, but he does now.

Seeing you in actual flesh and blood makes him remember. 

He remembers your utter devotion during your brief time together. 

He remembers that the first time he approached you, he made you laugh. The kind of laughter that leaves a person gasping for air and makes their eyes water. You fell hook, line, and sinker. He remembers the way you would try to make time and space for him whenever you could, despite how busy you were trying to progress in your career. He remembers how he didn’t do the same. 

He remembers that on your off days, you would come over and stay the nights. He remembers the smell of you when you would climb into bed next to him after showering. And when he couldn’t sleep, when his mind was churning and taking him back to things he just wanted to forget, you would sit next to him on the couch at 3 a.m. as he turned the television on. When he closed his eyes, he knows you were the one to turn to TV screen off so he didn’t wake up. He remembers how you would kiss him: sweet and complete and open, always moving in step with him. 

He remembers how wholehearted you were when you were with him. Giving your whole self, all the time. 

Even when he would say sharp, caustic words that would make tears form in your eyes, even when he shut his bedroom door so he wouldn’t feel responsible for making you cry, you stayed. 

He remembers the way you stayed. 

And he remembers how his half-hearted attempts, quarter-hearted attempts really, to draw you back in eventually ran you dry. You were willing to do so much, and he wasn’t really willing to do anything. He was young, but he knows that’s not an excuse now. 

He remembers the light in your eyes changing. He remembers the way you stopped coming over. He remembers the way you didn’t have the courage to tell him you wanted to leave. 

He remembers that you held onto him until the bitter end. 

He knows you won’t talk to him. Every time you see him on the carrier, you make a point to avoid him or walk the other way. He knows you probably resent him (there’s a reason he can’t find you on any social media platforms). He understands why you don’t seem to want anything to do with him. 

So, he investigates. He does what he knows how to do best: he talks and charms and weasels his way through the crowds of people on the carrier. Making his way from one group to another, day and night, Jake gleans for information and eventually finds what he needs. He knows your bunkmate’s name now (and their shift and their position, and even where they like to hang out and what time they prefer to go to the gym). 

You may never read it, he knows. You may can it or tear it up and throw it out into the ocean. You may even wait until you can set it on fire and watch it burn. 

But he knows he has to try. 

So when he finds your bunkmate, he hands them a piece of paper and tells them it’s for you. It’s small and doesn’t take up much room. Your bunkmate only nods, a look of confusion passing over their face. He says it’s important that it be delivered to you. Those are his only instructions. 

If he had the opportunity to talk to you in person, he might have the chance to elongate. To say more, be more. But he might not ever get the chance to do that, so he’s going to take what he can get. 

You pass your bunkmate between shifts: you’re just getting back for some sleep, and they’re heading out. They say there’s a piece of paper you need to read on your pillow. Hand-delivered, they say the instructions were. No follow-up is required. You wait until they leave. Until you’re left alone. 

You open up the folded-up piece of paper. 

This is what it says: 

I’m sorry. You deserved better. 

[bradshawsvinyl]

Tolerate It

Things had been off with Jake recently. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. Or so you thought.

read part two here.

warnings: mentions of cheating, angst, jake is a jerk, reader has anxiety but not explicitly stated, gaslighting??

Jake had been off recently. You couldn’t exactly place your finger on what was wrong but he had been acting differently. The longing glances you used to share seemed to become shorter each passing day. The eyes that once looked at you with love and trust had slowly started to fade until there was nothing left.

At first, you thought he had just been busy with work. After all, he was one of the best pilots in the Navy. You thought it was just another bump on the road that was your relationship. You figured he’d tell you what was upsetting him and you guys would be able to go through it and move on together.

“Jake,” you said while knocking on the door to your shared bedroom. “Please talk to me.”

He had come home from work and seemingly blown off all your attempts at affection. He just went straight upstairs to your bedroom and began talking on the phone.

That was another thing. Jake had been using his phone a lot more recently. He had tried to hide it and use it at times when he thought you were sleeping or were too busy to notice but you had been paying attention.

A part of you wanted to believe that Jake wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. You had known him for years. You had been together since high school. You followed him all over the country. You waited for him when he was deployed. You thought that he would do everything in his power to protect your emotions.

The rational part of you knew that he had to be hiding something. Your relationship had seemingly gone in limbo. You felt like you were trying and giving your all while Jake was giving you nothing back. You were tired of feeling like a burden. You needed reassurance. All you wanted was for him to tell you what was going on.

“Jake,” you knocked again. “Please open the door.” You were on the verge of tears. You just wanted to talk to him. You just wanted him to look you in the eyes and tell you that everything was okay. You wanted to hear him say “I love you.” Finally, the door opened.

“What is your problem,” he said, voice laced with anger.

“My problem? You’re seriously asking what my problem is.” You spat back at him. “My problem is you don’t talk to me anymore. There’s something off about you recently. You’ve been acting differently.”

Jake just stared at you and then walked downstairs.

“Where are you going,” you asked while running after him.

“Out.” He replied.

“What do you mean you’re going out? Jake just talk to me please it doesn’t have to be like this. I love you.” You said as tears started welling up in your eyes.

“I’ll be back.” He replied coldly. “I just need some space.” With that he slipped on his shoes and slammed the door to your shared home.

You went upstairs to your bedroom with the intention to just go to sleep. He’d talk to you when he was ready. Maybe something had happened in training today. That had to be the reason he was acting so cold.

As you settled into the bed, you noticed a vibration. You quickly realized Jake had left his phone at home.

You looked at the screen and saw that he was receiving a call from your friend, Juliana. No no no no no no. You thought to yourself as the tears began again. This couldn’t be true. Of course, you had your suspicions but you thought you were being silly. Jake wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. Or would he?

Why would he need to be talking to Juliana. She was your friend after all. They had only met briefly a few times. They had barely exchanged two words. You wanted to believe that there was nothing wrong with the interaction. Maybe they were trying to get to know each other better, for your sake.

You walked downstairs and started pacing the living room, waiting for Jake’s arrival. You had to get to the bottom of this. Maybe Juliana was helping him out with something. You thought. Or maybe this was who he had been sharing all these secret phone calls with. Maybe this is who he was referencing everytime he said training had run late or he was going out.

How could you be so naive? There had to be an explanation for this. Jake was the love of your life. He was your first everything. He wouldn’t betray your trust like this. He wouldn’t be seeing another woman. Let alone your friend. Or would he?

[whatislovevavy]

Most of Freedom and Of Pleasure

Jake Seresin x OC (Cherry)

Hangman and Cherry have never been able to be in the same room as the other without nearly ripping each other's throats out. Hangman provides a solution that provides her a sense of freedom and pleasure that she begins to crave.

Warnings: Smut, P in V, degradation, hot pilots being delusional and horny

Word Count: 3.4k

Soph's Collection of Literature

A note: This is a nice little piece I made for @roosterforme's TopGun 80's Rocktober Challenge using Tears for Fears' Everybody Wants to Rule the World. The lovely divider was made by @animatedglittergraphics-n-more. I hope you enjoy <3

All of my writings will be added to my writing side blog @sophs-writing-nook 

This is an 18+ fanfic, so minors scoot pls. You are responsible for the media you consume. Do not copy, plagiarize, repost, or translate this fic without my explicit permission as it is my own creation. 

“God, you’re such a dick,” 

You almost missed the way his lips curved into a smirk into the sensitive flesh of the column of your neck. Hands gripping into his shoulders as he sucked at your pulse, pushing your hips into the cold metal lockers behind you with a resonating bang, his broad hands digging into your Nomex clad waist enough to leave marks.  

Time was not in your favor, and you could sense that the team had their suspicions about what Hangman and Cherry were doing while they weren’t trying to rip the other to shreds on the tarmac.  

“I always did like you more when you were too busy takin' my cock to say your little bratty comments,” he growled into your throat. 

You closed your eyes, trying to ignore the way his gravelly tone and filthy words made you want to clench your thighs around his lean waist.

A huff left your lips. 

He was absolutely vexing. 

His hands gripped harder into your hips, squeezing into the flesh of your ass, making you let out what could be best described as a repressed sigh. 

And shameless and cocksure. 

He harshly sucked at the flesh of your neck, sure to leave angry, deep purple marks in his wake, the act making you hiss.

A significant part of you had stopped caring to cover up the traces of your rendezvous; new ones would be there the following day or later in the week anyway.

And was absolutely filled to the brim with brazen confidence and a glaring disregard for others. 

You had to bite into the soft, plump flesh of your lip to silence yourself as his mouth made you want to softly whimper. 

Chewing him out only turned him on, and ignoring him just made him press harder into your nerves. 

You couldn’t win with him. Maybe that was why you let yourself have this arrangement. 

To see if you could win, and claim victory over the infamous Hangman that had women for miles lined up for a chance to warm his bed. 

Because just like him, you craved victory. 

His fingers frantically reached for your front zipper, pulling the dark green material down your body, exposing more and more flesh by the second to his ravenous mouth. 

A sigh passed your lips as he fondled your breast, bringing your tank top down to expose your pebbled nipple to the cooler air of the locker room with a gasp, taking the sensitive flesh into his warm mouth with a deep growl. 

You hated that he had this effect on you. 

Not in a way that itched your skin, but in a way that made your insides swirl and buzz with…

A low whine pulled its way past your lips as he let the rough pads of his fingers run through your folds. 

“Mhm, so wet, Cherry. This all f’me?”

His chest inflated with pride at the glare you shot him. 

He watched with salacious eyes as he removed his fingers, “Come on, sweets, we both know ya don’t get this wet for just anyone.”

You watched as he let his tongue glide over his bottom lip, his gaze heavy on your flushed cheeks and glazed over eyes. 

Agitation overcame you at the sight of him as he closed his eyes, humming at the taste of you on his fingers, trying to ignore how much you ne-wanted his touch again. 

And trying to remember how much you hated it when he called you that little endearment with that irritating southern drawl of his. 

Maybe this whole arrangement was to gain some freedom from this chase you both did with each other, to put your hatred for him to better use. 

To have an outlet. Yeah that was it. An outlet. A reprieve from your hatred induced frustrations. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

His dry laugh made your insides burn and your nails dig into his shoulders just that much harder. 

He nipped at your jaw as your nails dug harshly into the back of his neck.

The act made him growl into the column of your throat, the vibrations making you almost shiver. 

“I already do, sweets. You wouldn’t keep coming back if it weren't the case.”

You scoffed. 

“You’re insufferable.” 

His lip quirked. 

“And so god-damn frustrating.”

He hummed, his ego growing like his cock in the thin confines of his flight suit with each breathless word that passed sweet, no-faults-in-sight, perfect straight shooter Cherry’s lips. 

“But I’m not wrong,” he replied, giving your neck a playful nip. 

“I never said you were right, and don’t call me sweets,” you quipped back, trying to keep your voice steady as he sucked at your pulse point. 

He chuckled against your skin, his breath hot against your skin, “always so feisty, Cherry,”

Your words died on your lips as his lips lathed at your chest, softly biting into your nipple. A soft sigh left your lips as he soothed your flesh with his frustratingly nimble tongue. 

His touch almost made you miss him as he took a second to pull down his flight suit, his white undershirt clashing with his golden tan skin and clinging to his biceps. The imprint of his dog tags showing through his cotton shirt. Your eyes followed the path of the white fabric as he unveiled the sharp ridges and dips of hard muscle from his defined adonis belt, to his marble carved abs that seemed to go on for days, to his pectorals and thick, broad shoulders. 

"We don't have all day, Bagman," you said, voice lacking the authority you hoped it would still have.  

His muffled dry laugh made your jaw clench and stomach flip. 

Your voice couldn't have sounded that desperate, could it? 

His lip quirked, revealing pearly white teeth.

"Didn't realize you were in a rush, got a hot date later?"

Your eyes narrowed, his teasing smile grating on your nerves. 

"As a matter of fact, I do," you managed to say without your voice sounding too breathless or shaky. 

His eyes narrowed for only a millisecond. 

A flash of something you've never seen before.

In his eyes, at least. 

But as soon as it appeared, it was gone.

"Mhm," he bit the inside of his cheek, leaning down to kiss at your neck, coming up to your tender ear lobe, giving the soft flesh a delicate bite that had a hitched breath leaving your parted lips.

You hated how well versed he was in the subtle language of your body.

He firmly squeezed your hips in his broad hands, his fingers sneaking under the fabric of your bunched up flight suit to your ass.  

You almost shivered at his warm breath settling against your ear. 

"Does he know he's gonna be getting sloppy seconds?"

A scoff passed your lips, "I don't see how that's of any concern to you."

He hissed as your nails dug harder into the back of his neck. 

"We both know you don't date. That's why this works so well, "he said dryly as he kissed at your neck, slowly pulling the Nomex material below your waist, your legs moving at their own accord to step out of the sleeves. 

He had a point. An annoying and frustrating point.

"It's the first date anyway," you replied, choosing to ignore the evident vibrations of the chord he just struck through your chest.

He let his jade, evergreen eyes settle on you. 

Those same eyes that could read you like a book he's read a hundred times over. 

His lip quirked, eyebrows scrunching in amusement.  

"That's really romantic, Cherry, really. Showing up with another man's cum dripping down your thighs as he sweats himself on the first date." 

Your mouth dried up, utterly speechless at the  words he said with that trademark Hangman confidence.  

Your eyes narrowed, eyebrows softly pinching together. 

A smirk grew on his lips that made you want to slap him, or pull his lips towards yours. 

You couldn't decide. 

He kept his heated, lust-bright gaze on yours as he trailed his calloused fingers in between the material of your panties and your soft, supple skin, relishing in the feel of gooseflesh he left in his wake. 

You watched as let his gaze shift downwards, clicking his tongue. 

"Cherry, you shouldn't have... you wore my favorite pair just for me?"

You bit your lip as he continued to toy with the soft, blush pink material of your undergarment. 

That same full-of-himself smirk that you hated curved his lips. 

But do you know what you hated more?

The fact that you couldn't help but feel like some part of you purposely decided to wear the pair, and not because you purely wanted to, but because there was a part of you that wanted to wear them just for him. 

He gently rolled them down your thighs, letting you step out of them. 

He let his hand drift under the back of your thigh to behind your knee, grasping your leg and lifting it to bend at his hip before snatching the pair of pink panties that hung off your ankle. 

Your eyes followed his hand as he bunched the material between his dexterous fingers. 

"Excuse me, I'd like those back," you snipped.

His lip quirked. 

"If you're good, I'll consider it, sweets."

You huffed, glaring at the smirk and subsequent wink he sent you. 

Your glare worsened as he brought the material to his nose, taking a deep inhale, a deep sigh of satisfaction leaving his lips, doing your damnedest to ignore the soft throbbing of your clit at the sight, and to suppress the whine that threatened to bubble up in your throat. 

"Always smell so sweet, Cherry, like a perfect, little cherry pie." He murmured as he placed the debauched material into the pocket of his flight suit.  

"You're disgusting and don't call me sweets," you gritted back, raising your voice with a snarl that Jake knew was all bark and no bite.

At least with him. 

He gave that salacious smile that always made you want to slap him. Or kiss him. Or knock his perfect teeth out. Or fuck him. Or grab him by his hair and-

Your jaw tensed, nostrils flaring. 

His smile widened, evidently proud of the rouse of emotion he pulled from you. 

You were too much fun to tease. 

"Shhh,” you could have sworn that you saw red the moment the condescending noise left his lips, “someone's gonna hear ya if you keep that up, and ya wouldn't want someone to see just how well I can get along with ya, right Cherry? Make ya make such sweet, absolutely sinful sounds f’me?” 

Heat rose to your cheeks, much to your unending irritation with the visceral response this man managed to pull out of you each time he had you. 

Whether it was the Hard Deck bathroom during the saturday night rush, that one time at the beach long after Bob Floyd’s birthday celebration, or on the other side of Admiral Simpson’s white fence during the Fourth of July BBQ that past summer. 

A chuckle broke free from his chest as you laid a smack to his thick pectoral, eyes still sharp and full of what could be described as a cauldron of hate and lust to anyone else who had the misfortune of interrupting their, what could be described as, animalistic rutting.  

He pulled down his flight suit to settle down to the tiled floor with a small thump, his body only clad in his signature pair of Calvin Klein briefs. 

That was another thing you hated about him; he looked good in anything. 

It pained you to say that he could easily have become a model if the Navy hadn't worked out. 

Your nails dug into his shoulders before softly tracing down his body, over each ridge, each chord, each plane of muscle and bulging vein that made you salivate more than you would care to admit. 

He pulled his briefs down, letting his thick cock that always forced you to take a minute to adjust to sprung up against his adonis belt with a soft tap. 

A soft sigh passed your lips as he gently traced at the embarrassingly soaked folds of your cunt with the pads of his fingers.

Jake "Hangman" Seresin would never admit it, but he was disappointed he didn't have the time to taste you, to savor what he would describe as the intoxicating taste of candied cherries that dribbled down your flushed folds like a sweet nectar. 

Sweet nectar from a poisonous, intolerable, type-A personality fruit. 

He hated that he wanted to quirk his lip at the birthmark just above your soft, sensitive little clit. To hear that sweet sinful sound he, disappointedly, hadn't been able to find in anyone else when he fucked you with his tongue. 

A soft puff of breath passed your lips as he lined up the angry, red bulbous head at your flushed cunt. Grunting as his sensitive head met your drenched folds. 

His entrancing eyes hurriedly met yours. 

You feverishly nodded. 

Jake pushed his length into the delicious inferno of your tight, little pussy. 

Your breath felt like cement in your lungs as he let his full, long, thick length accommodate itself into your welcoming heat. 

He let his head fall to the crook in her shoulder, her nails still gripping into the thick cords of muscle of his shoulders, trying to ground yourself. 

"Jesus, Cherry,” he murmured. 

God, the way his voice graveled out praise was the most unfortunate consequence of this arrangement that still affected you hours after your trysts. 

His cock seemed to push any capability of forming coherent sentences out of your body. 

All that passed your lips were sharp intakes of breath and low mewls that left your throat without your consent. 

He gave an experimental thrust into your heat, letting your soft sighs of pleasure meet his ears as you adjusted to his length.  

Your breath hitched as he brought your other leg around his waist, his biceps bulging with the effort of thrusting into you against the smooth, metal locker doors. 

"More."

"Come on, sweets, you can do better than that." 

He smirked at your breathless tone.

If his cock didn’t feel like the only thing you needed at the moment to live, you would have told him to go fuck himself. 

You laid your head back against the dark gray metal surface, eyes meeting his fiery, lush, emerald gaze, voice frozen in your throat, lips parted. 

He manhandled your legs, forcing them to cross around his waist, gripping your waist in his broad hand in a borderline painful grip. 

His other hand brought up to grip at the sides of your throat. A low moan came from your lips that had him smirking deviously and your cheeks turning red, utterly at the mercy of him and his thick cock that was rubbing deliciously at that spot he always found with maddening accuracy. 

“Please, more,” 

Those two words made you cringe with embarrassment, unable to stop the small whimper that passed your bite swollen lips. 

His salacious chuckle met your ears, making your cheeks burn brighter.

“God, I can never get used to you like this… so needy and desperate. You become such a sweet girl when I get my dick in ya. Haven’t even started yet, and you're already babbling like a cock-drunk little slut.”

All you could do was part your lips and muster enough composure to utter two simple words. 

“F-fuck you,”

His eyebrows rose in pleasant surprise, leaning his head towards your ear. The scent of bergamot and cedar wood filling your senses.

“You already are, sweets,” he growled, sharply thrusting into your sopping wet cunt. 

Your gasp and tightening of your grip into his shoulder and hand that settled at your neck had him throbbing against your velvet walls that oh so begged him to never leave. 

“Fuck, Cherry, I bet you don’t even hate me,” he panted, “not,” thrust, “even,” thrust, “a little,” thrust, “bit.” 

Your cries of pleasure spilled from your lips and into the empty on base locker room, fingernails gripping and scratching into him almost enough to draw blood.  

He gripped your throat just a bit harder, enough to have your eyes rolling back, wanton moans pouring from your lips as he pistoned his hips into your cunt. 

He yanked your neck closer to his. Close enough to see the small specks of hazel in his almost unending green eyes. And the kink in his nose he got when he broke it back at the Naval Academy. And to smell the potent scent of you on his breath. 

“I think you just need someone who can fuck you like this. Treat you like a slut and fuck your tight, little hole. Just like you need.” He gritted out, continuing to pound up into your dripping heat that dribbled your arousal to the tile floor below. 

You couldn’t help the labored pants of breath as you nodded feverishly, your consciousness shutting down and your own body taking over. 

He let out a dark chuckle with a carnal grin, his abdomen feeling tight as his balls slapped against the underside of your ass, his release building. 

“God, you’re fucking adorable for thinking anyone else could fuck you like this,” he snarled.

Your high pitched whines and obscene moans had him gripping you that much tighter and chasing your high. 

“Oh, fuck, please!”

He could feel the sweat building at his forehead and chest as he pistoned his hips into your pretty pink, flushed, little pussy.

He ne-wanted you to come first. His ego demanded it. Demanded that he bend you to his will. 

His spine tingled at the feeling of your walls spasming around his dick at his brutal pace.

You shuddered at the feeling of his mouth near the soft cartilage of your ear, breathing caught in your throat.

“Please what, sweets? Use your words.” he growled. 

“Please, Please… make me cum.” 

A deep chested groan rumbled through his throat at your pathetic whine, “fuck, I’ll make you cum, sweets, I’ll make you cum,” he growled. 

Your body was wracked by tremors as he thrusted, channeling each ounce of strength in his body into pummeling your flushed cunt. 

He watched as your eyes clenched shut, eyebrows pinching together as your feather soft lips parted into a strangled moan that was much louder than the previous ones.

In a split second, he crashed his lips to yours, swallowing each sound of pleasure that escaped your body as he finally felt your walls choke his cock for all he was worth. Your breath mixed with his as your chest heaved, his hips still pistoning into your no doubt raw cunt. 

Oversensitivity wracked your body, making you cry out as his chest heaved and lips swallowed each cry and moan. Stars and galaxies flashed before your eyes as he kept his grip on your throat, chasing his high as your second one consumed you.  

You could feel with each thrust, how his cock throbbed against your slick, sensitive walls.

“Jesus fucking christ,” he grunted out, a gut punch groan resonating against the locker walls that encased you both. 

Your clit tingled at the feeling of his release painting your walls, squirming with each soft impact they landed against your delicate cervix.  

His head fell down to your shoulder as his chest heaved, breathing heavy. 

You felt as though your head was spinning as your breathing evened out, absentmindedly running your fingers along the pebbled chain of the dog tags that settled between his pecs on a soft bed of sparse, golden chest hair and freckles sparingly scattered across his chest.

Your fingers paused, retracting them to hold onto his shoulder as his breathing settled.

This arrangement was meant to get you both the most of freedom and of pleasure. 

Nothing more and nothing less. 

He placed a kiss along your neck. His soft touch almost made you sigh.  

Almost.

You let out a soft breath, eyes fluttering shut, basking in the moment of feeling him still inside you. His softening cock letting his release dribble around the seams of where his cock perfectly encased itself between your folds.  

His head rose up to meet your face, cheeks flushed and sensuous evergreen eyes that seemed to glow with a post high gaze.

“Meet same time tomorrow?”

People who may be interested <3

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