#hale-writes

[halestrom]

riding down this highway with you, Jake/Bradley, E, 160k

At loose ends after the mission, Jake and Bradley end up on a spontaneous roadtrip that changes their lives forever.

[quotefeeling]

No matter how attractive a person’s potential may be, you have to date their reality.

Mandy Hale

[perfectfeelings]

The person you’re meant to be with will never have to be chased, begged or given an ultimatum.

Mandy Hale

[perfectquote]

If you don’t love yourself you will always be chasing after people who don’t love you either.

Mandy Hale

[thoughtkick]

You can love them, forgive them, want good things for them… But still move on without them.

Mandy Hale

[resqectable]

The person you’re meant to be with will never have to be chased, begged or given an ultimatum.

Mandy Hale

[shitpostingsterek]

credit

[thehopefulquotes]

You don’t always need a plan. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go, and see what happens.

Mandy Hale

[arhvste]

“this is killing me.” kuroo mumbled as he tossed his phone to his side. “just trust me bro,” his best friend-turned roommate bokuto grinned. “this works everytime for me i swear!”

kuroo sighed before grabbing phone again to refresh his instagram story views once more. several people had already viewed the post-gym mirror selfie he’d taken in attempts to garner attention from one particular follower of his; you. “maybe it’s too cringe…” he muttered while over analysing the photo that had already gained a couple of likes within the twenty minutes it had already been up for. “nah.” bokuto reassured him and pat his friend on the shoulder. “you look sexy.” kuroo stared back at the two-toned haired boy. “… thanks bro.”

this isn’t something kuroo would typically post but times were tough and he was desperate. he’d seen you around campus but luck was not on his side when it came to scheduling and the two of you barely had class time together. yet the little class time you did share, kuroo hung onto it tightly and would let scenes of these weekly one hour classes replay in his head more often than he’d like to admit.

“i feel like a modern jay gatsby,” the ex volleyball captain huffed. “my selfie is the equivalent of the wild parties he’d throw in hopes to get daisy’s attention except i don’t want to post every night, i’ve already made myself cringe with this one post.” bokuto stared back at his friend blankly. “yeah… whatever that means.” kuroo frowned back “it’s a classic, you should know what i mean!”

how much longer was he going to have to wait? bokuto had promised him quick results with this method and so far he’d felt deceived and lied to. if talking to you when he got the chance wasn’t enough to get a conversation going outside the classroom, then social media seemed like the next best attempt to start interacting more.

what were you doing? why weren’t you viewing his story? could you even see his story? did he accidentally block you?

these questions ran through his mind as he quickly rushed to check to make sure he hadn’t for some reason blocked you from seeing his story. he half wished he did because then at least he’d know what on earth was taking you so damn long to see the photo he was increasingly starting to hate more the longer it was posted.

“this is stupid.” he stated as he faced bokuto who had zero concerns in his method in gaining someone’s attention. “it works you just have to wait, trust me.”

kuroo frowned as the little red hearts of others who weren’t you fluttered from the bottom corner of the photo. “look!” his best friend grinned as he leaned over kuroo’s shoulder and pointed to the screen of his phone. “you’re getting likes on it!”

“what’s the point if they’re not likes from the person i posted this for in the first place.” kuroo grumbled back in response. he couldn’t believe he’d been subjected to such an attempt to gain some attention from you. it was ridiculous.

it had been about forty five minutes since he’d posted it and he was slowly losing his mind. sure, the post was going to be up for twenty four hours (if he didn’t give into the voices in his head telling him to delete it) so forty five minutes was nothing, but the minutes were beginning to feel like hours and he was dying inside. why weren’t you viewing it already and what could possibly be keeping you off your phone right now?

“this is stupid.” he decided as notifications from his old team mates started to flash up on his screen. the last thing he needed was lev replying with ‘looksmaxing’ to a post that was secretly dedicated to you. “no, it’s barely been up!” bokuto whined. “you look hot so you should get some replies anyway what’s the big deal?”

pinching the bridge of his nose, kuroo huffed. “the big deal is the person i posted this for hasn’t replied!” what was the point in making sure to go to the gym during a rest day just to take this photo if he wasn’t going to at least make his existence more known to you? he’d even worked his legs enough to the point of managing to achieve the sweaty but sexy look. the muscles in his legs were dying, but his dignity sure as hell wouldn’t.

the college student opened up his phone with the intention to end the mental war inside his head once and for all by deleting the post altogether. bokuto watched his friend in defeat but his eyes flashed. “yes they did!” he yelled and pointed to the screen as your name flashed at the top of his screen.

kuroo’s heart jumped at the sight of your profile picture he’d made a daily routine of staring at and the now blue dot indicating a message from your profile in his inbox. to think he was going to delete this post just a second too, what were the chances?

psyching himself up, kuroo took a few quiet deep breathes before letting the time next to your message pass for a few minutes. he wasn’t an instagram warrior by any means, but he knew enough about general rules in order to not look desperate online.

bokuto watched over his friends shoulders as the two stared in anticipation awaiting the message kuroo had been dying for. this was it. leg day two times in a row was gruelling and he’d regret it for the next few days but it would have been worth it. the countless messages from his old teammates mocking his attempts at a thirst trap could be looked past now that you had finally given into the bait he’d so carefully laid. this is what he’d been waiting for. days of preparing and deciding how to gain your attention had finally paid off and he was about to reap the rewards he’d sown.

clicking the message with baited breath, his heart raced as bokuto’s grip of his shoulder tightened. finally.

‘the label on your shirt is sticking out, make sure to cut it’

“a wins a win.” bokuto filled the silence between the pair as kuroo stared at his phone with a blank expression. “… a wins a win…”

[stay-close]

Growth is painful. Change is painful.But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.

Mandy Hale

[halestrom]

hungry man

“No.”

Bradley turned from where he was staring at Jake from the corner of his eye to look at Coyote who was squinting at Jake, and then looking at Bradley, back and forth before he shook his head.

“Oh, fuck no, Jacob.”

Bradley glanced at Jake who finally turned, raising an eyebrow at Coyote. “What?” Jake asked, face innocent.

“Don’t you what me,” Coyote said, pointing a finger at Jake, looking pissed off. “I thought we agreed we weren’t going to fuck Rooster anymore.”

The silence that followed was loud before everyone started speaking at the same time, the noise getting louder and louder as Bradley tried to figure out how Coyote had figured out he and Jake were doing something again. They had been quiet, they hadn’t been looking at each other in public, they hadn’t left at the same time, they hadn’t been doing anything that would give away that, for the fifth time in knowing each other, they had fallen back to bed together and this time, this time, Bradley felt like it might actually stick.  

“Since when is fucking Rooster a we thing?” Jake demanded, voice cutting through the noise.

“Since, we,” Coyote waved a hand around the room to include all twelve of them, “have to deal with the fall out each time you fuck. Flight school, Oceana, Top Gun even though you were in different classes, that one mission in Germany and fucking Lemoore.”

“I thought Lemoore was before Germany?” Nat asked.

“Was it?” Coyote asked.

“Definitely before,” Halo piped up.  

“Fuck all of you, especially you,” Jake said, glaring at Coyote. “For the record, we’re not fucking.”

That at least was correct. For the first time they weren’t fucking, they were dating, a fact they had agreed to keep on the downlow until they made sure it would stick.

“Bull to the shit,” Coyote replied.

“You’re an asshole,” Jake shot back.

The door opened and Mav appeared, thankfully breaking up the beginnings of a fight. Jake and Javy might be best friends, but they were also both stubborn assholes who could argue like top level prosecutors. Bradley remembered the aftermath of the 2016 argument that had started over something. Bradley had never gotten a straight answer, but he knew he never wanted to be around that again. He’d rather face the SAM’s.

“Yo, Mav. Did you know Rooster and Hangman are fucking?” Coyote called, leaning back in his chair.

Maybe a fight wasn’t the worst idea suddenly.

“Wow,” Bradley said, finally speaking up and glaring at Coyote who looked unrepentant. “Way to out me without my permission. Real fuckin’ solid ally right there. I never told Mav I was gay.”

That at least had Coyote suddenly looking nervous and guilty as he glanced between Bradley and Mav who had stopped part of the way into the door, frowning around the room before he shook his head and kept walking in.

“Oh, no worries. I knew,” Mav said, making it to the front and dropping his pile of folders on the table.

“The fuck you mean you knew? I never told you?” Bradley demanded, glaring at Mav.

Mav snorted, looking up at him. “Yeah, kid. I knew. What? You suddenly missed my cooking anytime Ice was visiting?”

Bradley sniffed, leaning back in the chair. “No one reheats a Hungry Man like you do, Mav. No one. Be proud of that.”

“Kazansky, really?” Payback said with extreme judgment.

“It’s like Hangman version one,” Harvard said.

“The lesser version,” Jake snapped immediately.

“Are you seriously comparing yourself to Admiral Kazansky?” Nat demanded, glaring at Jake.

“He hungry for a Hungry man? Or a Hangry man?” Fritz said, elbowing Omaha with a grin.

“Way to have a type, Rooster,” Fanboy called, causing more than one of them to chuckle and Bradley just rolled his eyes.

“We’re missing the point,” Coyote said, waving a hand around the room before pointing at Bradley and then at Jake. “Fuck…ing.”

“No, we’re not,” Jake said, getting the shit eating grin he always got on his face when he was about to drop a bomb, and Bradley loved that look. Loved Jake’s ego and loved how fucking smart he was. Jake turned, shooting a grin at Bradley that had him smiling back, incapable of not when Jake was looking at him like that. Bradley could hear the groans from around the room, but Bradley ignored them in favor of meeting Jake’s eyes and hoping he’d never have to go a day when he couldn’t see that look on Jake’s face directed at him.

“Nah, Yotes. We’re not fucking. We’re dating.”

The room was silent, and then Coyote groaned, dropping his head onto the desk as Nat started to rub her temples, the rest of the room breaking out into conversation, but all Bradley could do was smile back at Jake because they were dating, and Bradley had never been happier.

Never.  

[quotefeeling]

Until you get comfortable with being alone, you’ll never know if you are choosing someone out of love or loneliness.

Mandy Hale

[nvmjccnluv]

My Escape

a little jasper hale x reader blurb before I go to bed :)

12:38 AM the clock reads, as it sits slightly illuminating my nightstand. A yawn creeps up my throat but I push it back down. No, I’m not tired yet. Not yet…but that reminds me.

“Does it ever get annoying? Y‘know, not sleeping.” I ask while tilting my head up towards him a bit, not too much so I can still rest it on his shoulder comfortably.

Jasper shakes his head, “No, actually quite the opposite. All the commotion during the day stops at night, for eight hours of peace.” His golden eyes peer down at me, a smile fighting its way onto his face. “Plus, eight uninterrupted hours with you, doll.”

I roll my eyes, though I know he can feel that I’m not really annoyed. Flattered really.

“Doesn’t really count, does it? I mean, I'm asleep so it's not like we’re chatting up a storm at night.”

He chuckles slightly, shaking his head, “No, but I’m still here with you, right? Counts in my book.” The arm he has wrapped around me begins to rub small circles in my waist. Not sleeping, not yet. “But it's rather enjoyable for me too, other than being in your presence, of course. I can feel everything you’re feeling, all your emotions while you’re experiencing a dream. It’s quite soothing, almost like I'm resting right with you.”

The murmur of the tv in front of us is all that fills the room for a moment as his words sink in, but then he continues.

“I miss dreams. Used to love having them, all the different places they could take you. Some good, some bad. Some soothing, some exciting. It was always a surprise, something new. I don't have that escape anymore.” My arm tightens around him as I listen, feelings of sadness seep out. He notices, like always.

“Don’t be sad for me, sugar. See, even though I miss all that, it's okay. I have a new escape now, you. When I lay here with you each night, and feel what you’re feeling, that’s my escape. Being with you is an escape from everything, all the danger that surrounds us suddenly disappears when I see you. And I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

My smile grows impossibly bigger, “I love you so much, Jasper.”

He laughs, that smooth sound I love so much. “I love you too, honey.” I watch as his arm leaves me for a second to grab the blanket beside us, dragging it over our bodies. “Now sleep, I know you’re tired.”

The drawl of his voice slowly lured me towards sleep much faster than I had realized. My eyelids are threatening to close for good, but I choose not to fight them.

Fine. We will continue this conversation tomorrow, after I sleep of course.

[perfectquote]

Learn to be alone, and to like it. There’s nothing more freeing and empowering than learning to like your own company.

Mandy Hale

[thoughtkick]

Until you get comfortable with being alone, you’ll never know if you are choosing someone out of love or loneliness.

Mandy Hale

[resqectable]

Ten years from now, make sure you can say that you chose your life, you didn’t settle for it.

Mandy Hale