#hannah celebrates 1.7k

[literallyprentissstwin]

Stronger than you´ll know! - Aaron Hotchner x Daughter!OC

This is my entry for @reiding-and-writing ´s trope challenge to celebrate 1.7k followers and it kinda took me forever to get a decent idea for the request i picked. thanks to the help of @illegalcerebral i finally found my way of writing it so here it comes <3 also thanks to her for prereading it :) 

I picked Aaron as the main character. The challenge was to include an OC character. I proudly present Melinda “Mellie” Hotchner, the sixteen year old daughter of our favorite fearless leader. She currently attends highschool and has a rather difficult time there.

Prompt: “One character is sick/injured, so anotherone takes care of him.”

Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Melinda “Mellie” Hotchner, Jack Hotchner, the team

Warnings: angst (as usual), mention of bullying (bullying is an important topic so please if you experience something like it, talk to someone about it!)

A/N: I kinda based this story on myself. I was bullied back in High School on many levels (mostly psychological and cyber one). i would love to hear some feedback on this one here bc I kinda had a hard time writing it. Also i´m not sure if i fulfilled this given prompt correctly, so i apologize if i did not :)

“Melinda, hurry up! You´re gonna be late for school!”, Aaron Hotchner screamed as he put a plate full of pancakes on the table in front of Jack who immediatley started eating. It was a morning like any other. Aaron prepared breakfast for his kids and afterwards, he would drive them to school before heading to work. Five minutes later, Hotch was still waiting for his eldest child. Usually, Melinda (or Mellie as her family and friends called her) was the first one to get up in the morning. It wasn´t typical for her to be that late. 

Hotch checked the clock and frowned. They needed to leave in half an hour, so he again started to scream. 

“Mellie, come on. We have to leave soon.”

“Stop screaminng, Dad. I´m coming.”, the teenager replied, annoyed, as she came down the stairs. 

“We´re going to be late if you keep moving like this.”, Aaron said. Melinda just shrugged with her shoulders and made her way into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. 

“Who cares about school?! It sucks, teachers suck and especially people suck.”, the girl said as she put on her jacket and got ready to leave. 

“No, school is fun. I love school.”, Jack said, a huge, carefree smile spreading on his face. 

“Wait until Highschool, buddy and remember my words.”, Melinda told him as she ruffled his hair. 

“Come on, sit down. I made breakfast.”, Hotch said, but Melinda shook her head.

“A-ahm, I´m not that hungry, Dad. And is it okay if I´ll walk to school today?”, she asked, earning a concerned look from her Dad. 

“Yeah, sure, but I think you should anyway eat something. I don´t want you to starve.”

“I´ll grab something from on my way.”, she reassured him as she checked the clock, “I have to go. Bye buddy, bye Dad.”, she both kissed them goodbye and then left the house in a hurry. 

“Yey, more chocolate chip pancakes for me!”, Jack cheered at which Aaron smiled and watched his son eat while he kept wondering what was going on with his daughter.

Two hours later, Hotch was discussing a case file with David in his office as his phone rang. 

“SSA Aaron Hotchner, hello? How can I help you? Oh, hello...yes...e-ehm okay, she actually left this morning to walk to school...okay, no, I understand. I´ll call her and see what I can find out. Thanks for the call, Miss Johnson. Have a nice day. Bye!”, he ended the call and frowned. 

“What´s wrong?”, Dave asked. 

“That was Melinda´s teacher. She said that she hasn´t attended any classes today, which is very unlike Mellie.”, Hotch answered as he dialed his daughters number.

“Maybe there´s a simple explenation for it, Aaron. Maybe it´s about a boy.”, Rossi smirked.

“I hope so.”, he said as he pressed the call button and waited for Mellie to pick up the phone. The longer it took her to pick up, the more nervous the agent got. He was scared that something bad had happened to her. He couldn´t loose any more people. 

“Hello?”, he suddenly heard his daughters voice which sounded like she had been crying. 

“Oh, thank god. Mellie, it´s me. Where are you?”

“I´m at school, where else should I be?”, Mellie replied. 

“Miss Johnson called me and said that you hadn´t been in her class this morning which is so unlike you.”

“Well, I actually was in class. Maybe she just did not see me, I don´t know...”, Mellie sniffled. 

“Melinda, what´s wrong? I know you and I think we both know that this is not true. Tell me what´s going on.”

“Nothing is going on, Dad. I´m just...stressed. But I have to go now, the next class is starting soon. Bye Dad!”, and with that, she hung up. 

“I know that look.”, Dave said, “what´s going on in that mind of yours?”

“Something is wrong, but I can´t make out what it is. She´s been so closed of and nervous for weeks now and as soon as I mention school or friends, her mood skips. I don´t know..maybe she has some troubles at school. God, I´m a Profiler. I analyze tons of people a day, but I can´t make out what´s going on with my teenage daughter.”, Aaron said frustrated. 

“Don´t beso hard on yourself, Hotch. She´s a teenager. Maybe it´s just a phase. You should try and talk to her when you´ll get home tonight or I can try and talk to her. Just don´t pressure her in telling you. This will only make it worse.”, Rossi adviced as he took a sip of his coffee. 

Aaron sighed. “You´re right. I just wanna help her. She´s my daughter, Dave.”

“I know and you will. Just one step at a time. One step at a time.”

Later that day, David made sure that Hotch would leave earlier so he could have a talk with Mellie. They all knew the girl since she was born. They all truly and deeply cared for her. So it was also in the team´s interest to fix whatever was bother the young girl, so she could be her shining self again. Rossi actually pushed Aaron out of his office at around 4pm and made sure that he took nothing but his keys, cell and wallet with him, so he could completley focus on his daughter. 

When Aaronn arrived at home, Mellie wasn´t there so he decided to prepare some dinner. An hour later, Jessica brought Jack over, but Melinda still wasn´t there. Hotch texted and called her, but none of it reached her, because she had turned off her phone. Around 8pm, when she still wasn´t there, he decided to let Garcia track her down after he had put Jack into bed. Just when he was about to call Garcia, the front door opened and Melinda sneeked into the house. 

“Can you tell me where you´ve been? School was out around five hours ago. You know you´re supposed to give me or Jess a call when you´re gonna be late.”, Aaron spoke as he walked towards his daughter. 

“Sorry, I forgot to call. I went home with Lucy after school to prepare a presentation for our french class and I kinda forgot the time.”, she replied, not looking at her Dad. 

“It would have taken a minute at least to actually just send a text message, Melinda.”

“Yeah..okay, I got it, Dad. I screwed up, you´re mad. I get it. I´m sorry I forgot. But I´m here so no need to worry.”, she said as she headed towards the stairs. 

“But I am worried about you. First, I get this call that you´re not in class, then you´re obviously lying to me and now, you come home at 8 in the evening without saying a word to anyone. You´re behaving completley strange and unlike you.”, Hotch ranted while Melinda looked at her buzzing phone. Something inside of him snapped, so he took Mellie´s phone away from her to get her attention. 

“Hey, give it back! This is mine.”, she argued as she tried and reached for it. While doing so, her huge jumper sleeve rolled up and revealed a white bandage which was covering a part of her arm. Melina immediatley tried to put the sleeve back down, but it was too late. Aaron grabbed her wrist carefully and looked concerened at the bandage. 

“Mellie...what..”, he started, but she pulled her wrist out of his grip. 

“I just hurt myself during sport class today..I´m fine.”, she said as she grabbed her phone when her father wasn´t paying any attention to it. 

“No, you´re not. Please, talk to me, princess. I´m worried. I care for you and...”, he again started but got interrupted by his daughter. 

“Don´t...don´t say it. Don´t pretend to care, Dad. You´re always away, so how could you possibly care? This is my business, so back off.”, the young girl said, choking on tears as she ran up into her room and locked herself in while leaving an even more concerned and hurt Aaron Hotchner behind. 

The next morning went as the last one. Mellie got up late and was looking like she did not get any sleep last night. Her phone kept buzzing which she tried to ignore. Hotch tried talking to her, but she also tried to completley ignore him. Without saying a word, Melinda left the house in a hurry. If Aaron´s heart wasn´t broken enough yet, it definitley ripped apart more as Jack asked if he did something wrong because Melinda wouldn´t kiss him goodbye. How do you explan the stuff that might be going on to a six year old boy who should not be bothered with things like these? 

After breakfast, Hotch drove Jack to school and the got to the BAU. He needed a plan. He needed to help his daughter. With quick steps, he made his way through the bullpen without greeting his co-workers. He went to his office and immediatley called Jessica to ask if she could take in Jack over night so he could at least again try to talk to his daughter. He won´t give up.  When he ended the call, he heard someone knock at his door. 

“Come in.”, he replied as he sat down at his desk, opening a case file. 

“Hey, is everything alright?”, Emily asked as she slowly entered his office and closed the door behind her. 

“Yeah...I don´t know exactly. I´m worried about Mellie.”

“Did you talk to her yesterday? Rossi told me that she´s going through a rough phase when I asked him how he got you out of your office this early.” Hotch smirked. 

“Yes, it was my intention to talk to her, but instead we ended up fighting because she came home way too late without telling me and then, she had this bandage covering half of her arm which had me concerned.”

“She´s a teenager, Hotch. Maybe there´s something going on with which she isn´t comfortable of talking to you about it.”

“She told me that I didn´t care about her.”, Aaron stated, a hurt look lingering on his face.

“I bet she actually did not mean it. You´re a great father, Hotch. You do everything in your might possible to be there for them both. If it would help, I can try and talk to her. It´s Wednesday and Mellie and me ususally meet on Wednesday´s for lunch and girl talk.”, Emily suggested. 

“You would do that?”, the agent asked.

“Sure, I´m always happy to help. And if it means figuring out what´s going on with her, I´m in.”

“Thank you, Emily. That means a lot.”, he said as he gave her on of his rare smiles. Emily smiled back and left the office, praying that lunch break would be here soon. 

“Hey, Em.”, Mellie smiled as she greeted the dark haired agent with a hug. 

“Hey, girly.”, Prentiss said as they broke the hug after what felt like an eternity, “shall we go inside?”, the agent asked at which Mellie nodded. 

Together, they entered the small bistro which was down the street from the BAU. After Hayley died and Melinda didn´t get that well along with her aunt Jessica, but Hotch still thought that she kinda still needed some “motherly” advice, Prentiss offered to take that role. She did not want to replace Hayley. She just wanted to be a human sounding board for a sixteen year old girl who sometimes might need an advice from a woman (especially when it come to girls stuff and boys.). Emily and Mellie bonded really fast since they both know eachother for quite some time already. Aaron couldn´t thank Emily enough for what she did. 

After they got settled at a table back in the corner of the restaurant, they both ordered their usual meals and started some small talk as they waited for their food.

“So, how you´ve been?”, the brunett woman asked. 

“I´m okay. School is stressful as usual but only two more years to go and then I`m off to college. What about you?”, Melinda said. 

“I´m great. Sergio is great. I´m still enjoying my job and thank god, we didn´t had a case the last few days.”, Emily sighed, “you already got some plans what you wanna do after Highschool?”

“I´m not sure yet. I thought about going to study law or criminology, but I also love working with kids. Media is also pretty interesting.”

“Well, at least you already got some sort of a plan. But you got plenty of time left yet. Just enjoy Highschool as long as you can.”

Mellie laughed nervously. 

“Ha, yeah...well...”, she said as the waitress moved over to their table and placed their food in front of them. The girls thanked her and started to eat. While eating, Melinda´s phone kept buzzing. She quickly checked, but annoyed clicked the messages away. 

“You okay?”, Prentiss asked as she observed the nervous girl. 

“Ehm, yes...I`m fine.”, Mellie said, giving the agent a fake smile. 

“You´ve got some quite resistent friends, huh?”, Emily went on. 

“Kinda..”, the girl replied as she poked around in her salad. Emily couldn´t tae it any longer and snapped. 

“Okay, Mel. What´s going on?”

“I don´t know what...”

“You know exactly what I mean. You´re really closed off. Everytime your phone is buzzing, you tense up. Oh and not to mention that white bandage looking out from under your sleeve.”

“Did Dad tell you to talk to me or why are you profiling me like I´m one of those unsubs you hunt?”

“He´s worried about you and so am I. I can see that you are not okay.”

“Emily, I...”, Mellie said as the phone buzzed again and the girl subconsciously tensed up. 

“Give me the phone.”, Emily ordered.

“Em...”

“Mel, give me the phone.”

The girl hesitated for a moment, but then gave in; there was no other way out of it. Tears gathered in her eyes as she gave Emily her unlocked phone and waited for her to say anything. The agent needed a minute to actually understand what was going on, but eventually, she did. 

“How long has this been going on?”, she asked angrily. 

“It started two weeks ago a-and i-it only got worse. They put my number out there so everyone is able to call or text me. It´s horrible. I don´t know what to do. I don´t know why they are doing this.”, Mel sobbed as she hugged herself. Emily, on the other hand, put some money on the table and got up.

“Come on.”

“W-where are we going?”, Melinda asked confused. 

“We´re gonna head back to the BAU:”

“N-No, no, Dad doesn´t need to know.”

“He already knows that something i going on. We only wanna help.”

Melinda felt too weak to fight any longer, so she gave in. She got up and together, they made their way back to the bureau. 

“Mellie...what happened?”, Hotch asked concerned as he was about to exit Rossi´s office. Before saying a word, the girl rushed into her father´s arms and immediatly started crying. 

“Derek, can you bring Garcia this phone? Let her track every person who send a message on here.”, Emily said as she handed Melinda´s phone to Morgan, who gave ger a confused look. 

“We have a severe case of cyber bullying here and I want to find those kids.”

With this, Morgan ran off to Penelope´s office, anger boiling inside of him. No one messes with his family. 

“I-I´m so s-sorry, Dad.”, Melinda whispered, still hugging her father tight. 

“What´s going on?”, he asked as confused as Derek did a few seconds ago. 

“Maybe we should go and talk in private.”, Emily suggested at which Hotch nodded, so he guided his scared daughter up to his office, followed by Emily, who closed the blinds and the door to create a safe place for the girl. Aaron and Mel sat down on the couch, while Prentiss took a seat on the armchair across from them. The crys of the shaking girl have subsided, so Aaron tried to talk to her again.

“Mel, can you please tell me what´s going on?”

The girl tried to gather herself and sat up while wiping away the tears from her face.

“I-It all started like two weeks ago. You know, there´s this group of girls at school who pretend they rule over everyone there. Well, I saw them pushing around a little girl and I wanted to help. So I jumped in front of the girl and eventually, they let it go and left, saying that they will be watcing me. Then it only got worse. One day, I saw them lurking around in the classroom where Miss Johnson left her stuff at and also the example of the class test we were about to write the next day and they stole it and went off. I don´t know what came into my mind, but I just wanted to do the right thing. I told Miss Johnson, who told the principal and he confronted them, ending in them getting suspended from school for three weeks. Someday after dance class, they waited for me and threatened me that this was a mistake and I´ll regret what I´ve done. Well, they weren´t wrong.”, Melinda explained as her Dad and Emily were listening carefully. 

“What happened then?”, Emily wanted to know. 

“It was calm for the next two days until these weird messages started coming up. They posted my number on several social media pages and I got many terrifiying calls. One day, someone even tracked my cell and waited for me at the library. He tried to get me to come witch him but I fought him off. This is why I have this bandage. Also, people in school started to bully me, but I was too scared to speak up because who knew what else would happen. So I kept shut about it and pushed people away. I tred to deal with it alone, but I failed. God, they said all thos hurtful things like that I´m a disgrace and that I should go and kill myself. They tried to get inside my head by telling me I´m not good enough and that I´m fat and ugly. I didn´t know what to do...I´m so sorry, Dad.”, she finished as she started crying again. Hotch put his arms around her and did his best to comfort her. 

“There´s no need to be sorry, princess. I´m so proud of you for doing the right things and protecting others and speaking your mind. We will get them and everything will be okay again, I promise. No one will ever hurt you again, I´ll make sure of that.”

And he kept his promise.

Three months later, everything started to turn out quite good for Melinda. After the talk back in her father´s office, the girl squad got arrested and put into prison as it turned out it wasn´t the first time them doing such things. Garcia also was able to track down all thos cringy messengers who harrassed the girl. They also got a warning from the police. Melinda herself decided to change school after everything that happened and she couldn´t be happier about it. Hotch, who stood close at his daughter´s side during this time, made sure that he made up more time for both of his kids. He also got Mellie to go to talk to a professional about the last months to cope with everything. Aaron and the team were there for the girl every step of the way. He took care of his daughter when she woke up at 4 in the morning from nightmares, he helped her rebuild her confidence and Morgan offered to teach the girl some self-defence-lessons. Overall, Melinda was surrounded by people who truly and deeply cared for her and she couldn´t be more thankful. 

“Good morning, Dad. Good morning, bud.”, she said happily as she came down to the kitchen to go and have breakfast like it used to be.

“Good morning, princess. Slept well?”, Hotch asked, putting her plate down in front of her.

“Thanks and yep, no nightmares.”, she answered proudly as she enjoyed her chocolate chip pancakes and coffee. Aaron smiled and was about to say something when Jack spoke up.

“Aunt Jessica and I are gonna go to the cinema later today. You wanna come to Mel?”, he asked. 

“Sure, why not?”, she agreed. The relationship to her aunt also got better in the last few months since she realized that she didn´t want to replace her Mom, but actually just wanted to help. They continued having breakfast in silence when Hotch checked the clock. 

“Alright guys, finish up. We need to leave in five.”, he said as he got ready. The kids both cleared their plates and got their bags before getting into the car. They first dropped Jack off at his school before heading to Mel´s new school. 

“Okay...so after school, I´ll directly head over to Jess´ place.”, she said before the got out, “I´ll text you when I get there.”

“Okay, have a nice day.”, Aaron said as he waved his daughter goodbye. She smiled at him, closed the door and made her way towards the school as she felt her phone buzzing in her pocket. Confused, she picked it out and opened the message which put a huge smile on her face: 

“Always remember: You´re stronger than you´ll know!” 

She smiled at the words and turned around to look at her Dad who gave her a final look before driving away starting a new day...

- You don´t know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.- 

* Bob Marley 

Tag List: 

CM: @imagicana @marvelfanlife @illegalcerebral @milkandcookies528 @liz-a-22 @sunreid @reiding-and-writing @rachficrecs

Hotch: @michellelisa @littledizzyhurricane @iammostdefinitelyonfire26

[stunudo]

...when you're attracted to someone, it just means that your subconscious is attracted to their subconscious, subconsciously. So what we think of as fate is just two neuroses knowing that they are a perfect match.

Dennis Reed from “Sleepless in Seattle”

Going Down With The Ship

One of the Six: A Criminal Minds Fan-fiction

Featuring: Bethany Devereaux x Gideon

A/N: Okay, here is the Trope List challenge for @reiding-and-writing. I chose #9 Sleepless in Seattle Moment. This fits into my OC Series “One of the Six.” The trope scene takes place during the original investigation of Season 3 Episode 19 “Tabula Rasa”.  So it seems like 99.7% of the fandom does NOT like Gideon. Therefore the title fits the expected disinterest/ loathing of this, plus- well Bets was in the Navy people. Also you may have a reason to hate him more... xoxo Stu

I cannot tell you the moment it happened. I wasn’t paying attention. I am unable to pinpoint even the day it happened. It was a slow realization, but a quick shame. Hotch knew. He never said so, but Hotch knew. Damn it I wonder who else knew? Oh well, can’t do anything about it now. I was never a romantic person. If someone gave me the warm fuzzies, I would probably make out with them though.

This wasn’t the puppy love I had with T.J. Stevens my sophomore year at the academy. It wasn’t even what the few months I dated Janet Hyde before she left me for a rookie cop she met at the gym were. This was something else entirely and that is why I never saw it coming. After four years working together I woke up to the unfathomable revelation that I was in love with Jason. What the hell was this?

185 Days Remain

We were still working through the case files when Haley popped in with some take out. I don’t know what Aaron did to win this woman over, but it was not enough. She tried to swing by when we weren’t busy, feeding the wayward profilers or just checking in on us. She was extremely good at her job, but I knew she was only a little blue line away from dropping it all. The way Lover Boy and her looked at each other it was a surprise they didn’t have a litter already.

“Hey H-2, how are you?!” I called, tossing the folder back on to my inspection worthy desk. Her big grin greeted me, I rushed over to help with the bags of Chinese. The Crab Rangoon was calling to me, it had only been 9 hours since breakfast after all.

“Bets, thank you. I thought I was going to lose a quart of Kung Pao Chicken to the carpet!” We wound around the matrix of desks and dropped everything on the break room table. Finally Hotch realized his wife had arrived so I left them alone and headed back with my stash of fried goodness. As Jason walked past me the sparkle in his eye caused a rush to my cheeks. I was confused so I just shoved a piece of food in my mouth and grinned like a goofball.

“We should really bring her along on cases, she always finds the best egg rolls.” Jason explained, rubbing his hands as he headed to the waiting meal. It had been a few weeks of odd nerves and slight blushes up until that point. I now only associate Crab (or what passes for it) with my embarrassment, needless to say I no longer eat it.

I was working late, not that that was odd. What was off about it was that I didn’t need to be. Morgan had left, the SAs had left, even the Bird had left. I headed up to the offices because I wanted to say goodnight. Jason was at his desk with a projector watching film strips. It brought back memories of the awful stuffy afternoons in the science classroom when we were forced to watch an un-medicated birth or terrible animations of sperm swimming.

But there he was laughing. It was a silent film but it was clearly the grandfather to modern physical comedies. I pictured a young Jim Carey attempting the same bits. It was so raw and silly. I got lost in the story. I didn’t see when he came over to lean on the door jam with me. We stood there for the rest of the reel, enjoying the gags. It was a comfortable quiet.

When the tell tale clicking of the end of the film had reached an awkward rhythm I finally looked at him. He was smiling warmly at me, nothing new. “Have a good night, Bethany.” I smiled shyly. “You too, sir.”

I was frozen for a moment in his dark eyes, but then the moment passed and I went home.

“You don’t have the capacity to love these women!” Jason spat at the unsub as he held the victim by the hair, a machete in the other hand. “Put down the knife, Reynolds. Tell me your story, but let her go.”

The unsub was a certifiable idiot. He threw the victim at me, I caught her in my free arm, keeping my gun locked on his head. I tried to reassure her, but I just held on until Hotch had sent Morgan in with the cuffs. After I holstered my weapon, I really hugged her. I shushed her as she fell apart. She had been held for four days, she smelled and could barely stand.

Watching her be loaded on to the back of the ambulance was like watching Vaughn’s isolated cot in the infirmary. I had been a witness to the end of the pain, but couldn’t fathom what these women had endured. We had to do better. Jason had stood next to me while the boxy vehicle pulled away.

“These are the days that I take out that projector. To remember to laugh. Someday soon, she’ll remember how to laugh. You did good today, Bethany.”

I nodded, watching the night descend on the crime scene. It was then I knew that I didn’t want to keep doing this alone.

“Where are you heading this time?” Hotch asked Jason as he locked his office for a week off.

“Cape Hatteras National Seashore.”

“You like the Outerbanks?” I asked.

“Piping Plovers, I’m going birding.” Jason kept it short, he was in a hurry to enjoy his vacation.

“Enjoy the lighthouse if you get the chance!” I called to him as he waved to us behind his back. It actually hurt to see him walk away so brusquely.

“The Bodie Island Lighthouse was erected in 1872.” The baby bird squawked.

“I know, I’ve been there.” I shrugged off the annoyance at the new kid. “I kind of have a thing for lighthouses.” I don’t know why I was admitting that, but it just came out. I shoved a hard candy into my mouth to stop myself from being too chatty.

“Does he take vacations a lot?” His meager voice was trying to be casual.

“Not really.” I thought about it. “But more often than Hotch.”

The next morning we got a case and they were letting the string bean into the field for it. It wasn’t far, just over to Roanoke. They had dubbed him the “Blue Ridge Strangler.” I said a silent prayer of gratitude that Jason was out of town for this one, he hated when they gave the unsubs catchy names.

I woke up a little out of sorts. I don’t know why I was being emotional, but it was frustrating. Going over the crime scene photos with Morgan was nauseating. They looked like me. Dark hair and eyes. Sure they were prettier, but I couldn’t help but feel even more “off”.

I let Hotch and the boys head to the active body retrieval. I stayed behind to start piecing together a profile. When I dug in my purse I found a new key chain in the shape of a lighthouse. There was no note. I jumped at the chance to escape. To run. I picked up my cell.

“Hotch, I am using that IOU from Haley’s last birthday. I will meet up with you back in Quantico.”

“Is everything alright?” He was concerned.

“Everything is fine, besides you have the genius on hand now. It will only be a couple days.”

“Okay, but Bets, call me, when you get there?”

“Deal. Square?”

“Square.”

I hung up and called for a rental car. I wasn’t stopping back home. The drive to North Carolina was a blur.

I knew that Jason hadn’t left me that key chain, but I wanted it to be from him so badly that I tricked myself into hoping. There is nothing more cruel than hope. I don’t even know what I was expecting to find when I arrived at the National Seashore. I walked the beach and trails for hours. After not finding him among the protected coves, I made my way to the lighthouse.

The salt in the air and the sting on my skin brought my Navy brain back to me. I wasn’t this pathetic love-struck girl who chases her crush by crossing state lines. But I was. Visitor hours were drawing to a close at the summit and yet I stared off as the sun set behind me.

“If I had been a younger man, I might have assumed you were here for me. But not after this, this view is the real heart-breaker, eh?” Jason’s voice brought the delusion crashing down around me.

“Some people don’t see age as a barrier, but as experience to cherish.” I called over the wind, defending my recklessness. He walked over to me, his face that of a concerned teacher. I had made an ass of myself. “But you don’t have to say it, I get it.”

“I’m sorry, Bethany. I am not someone you should be wasting your youth on.” He stood there, his hands moving constantly. “Honestly I am flattered and a little frustrated.” He smiled.

I laughed through my tears. He was being charming and it added to the bitter-sweetness. “What is frustrating you?”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I had profiled you as a lesbian.” Admitting he had been half-wrong about me was probably the humblest thing he could have said in the moment. This esteemed mind acknowledging he didn’t know something, was as genuine an offering as I could have hoped for.

I shook my head, laughing again. “If only it was that easy.”

I dragged myself off the lighthouse and into the rental car. I found a run down motel and crashed for two days. I slept off the embarrassment and the disappointment. When I got back to headquarters I was recognizable again.

“Row? Where did you skip off to?” Morgan teased, ruffling my hair.

“Nun-ya. Nice work messing up your ankle though.”

“Right, right. But you left me with the kid. I mean he talked to the victim’s parents and everything!”

“Wow! Looks like he can ditch those water wings after all.” I teased.

“I can hear you.” Baby bird chirped.

“We know.” Morgan and I said in unison. I high fived him and he low fived me. Turns out, I was okay after all. I had my team. Who needed love anyway?

Next Chapter: The Last Case

@criminalwriting @dontshootmespence @cherry-loves-fanfic @imagicana @hotchnerfuckmeup @teatimewithtiya @dontcallmedad

[idkthisisjustforfanfic]

Summer 2022 blurb

story page | talk to me/join the tag list | the playlist

WC: 1.7k

Summer was in full bloom in London. The trees billowed with leaves and the air was thick and humid on the Thursday you landed at a small private airport just north of the city. 

Tinted windows and leather seats on the way to set. It had been a while since you saw any of them. Facetimed with Jason, of course, even a few where you waved to Daisy and Otis and asked about their days. 

But after a month on the road you were excited to see them—him, most importantly—so your car sped you towards the film studios and you knew you’d be there in time for lunch. 

Mia typed on her phone, stared intently at her screen when you pulled up. 

“We’re here,” you said quietly, the familiar sight of the dollies and trailers brought a wave of excitement when the car slowed to a stop.

“Down, girl,” Mia teased, her eyes narrowed at you in the backseat when you perked up, decidedly puppy-like.

“Leave me alone,” you laughed at her. “I have a fiancé now.”

“How on earth could I forget?” 

She was right. The news broke quickly after you posted a casual Instagram: your arms wrapped around his neck backstage after the opening weekend, the ring was visible on your finger and while neither of you confirmed anything, other famous friends tipped their hats in the comments section: congratulations!

And, realistically, this had been the longest you’d been apart in a while. So you bounced out of the backseat, led Mia through the parking lot and waved at the crew that still seemed too star-struck to say hi.

You kind of knew where you were going, a right then a left and through a set of doors and down a hallway when Juno did a double take. 

“Y/N!!!!” She screamed when she saw you, ditched whoever she was with and ran until her arms wrapped around you. “Jason said you’d show up at some point but I didn’t know it’d be so early! Let me see it!”

She grabbed your hand and tugged it forward, inspected the ring on your finger and moved it side to side to see it glisten beneath the overhead set lights. 

“Holy shit,” she looked up at you seriously. “He did good.”

“I know,” you let your eyes get wide, nodding when she looked back down at it.

“Excuse me!” Another voice from down the hall.  Hannah, hair done and coiffed as she approached with a look of jealousy. “Where’s my invite to this little rendezvous?”

Juno stepped aside so Hannah could hug you, another inspection of the ring and a recounting of your flight: fine, a red eye, but easy! 

He’d told you how excited the whole cast was, plenty of celebrating when he came back into town after that weekend in New York. 

But you weren’t there for it, obviously. Show after show in city after city and now you finally had a few days off after tomorrow’s sold-out night at Wembley.

You heard his voice before you saw him, an eye roll when the playful accent floated overhead and pulled laughter from Hannah and Juno.

“Well I’ll be,” he shook his head at you. Khakis and a navy sweater, a smile on his face. “Did someone leave the doors unlocked?”

“Funny,” you made a face, let him kiss the side of your head when he came and squeezed you tight. He kept his arms around you, looked down at Juno. 

“How long has this Angel been on premises?”

You knew the character would melt off him soon, decided that you’d let him hang off you when a few others came to say hi. They were excited, hadn’t seen you since it happened and now they were ready to do another round of celebrating.

“There’s a show to put on first,” you reminded Brett, who was now rattling on about the plans for the weekend.

Nothing crazy, dinner at your place (Jason’s? Now that you were officially moved into a tour bus), a fancier dinner before your show and a London after party for your friends who were in town or local. 

Eventually Jason tugged you back to his trailer, a moment alone when he locked the door and looked over at you.

“I smell like airplane and I haven’t showered,” you held up a hand to put the kibosh on whatever sexual endeavor he seemed to be contemplating. 

“Am I not allowed to look at my fiancé? Admire her beauty?” He asked with extended arms. 

You folded, let him hug you and press a kiss to your lips when you inhaled his scent. 

“I missed you," you confessed, you crinkled your nose and looked up at him. "But you smell like Ted."

“What does he smell like?”

“Hairspray,” you tilted your head to the side in contemplation. “Fresh linen."

“Not a bad scent,” he nodded, adding a shrug: “I would imagine.”

"Not bad," you agreed, "just not you."

"Is that what you missed most? My smell?"

"No," you laughed. "I missed your dumb jokes and your annoyingly good looks as well."

A knock on the door, Cara and Mia with lunch and a filming update from a PA. You watched a few scenes from the sidelines, sat in a chair with his last name on it as you tried to stifle your laughter at the jokes and they’d written when they came to life.

A locker room shot, a pep talk before a game and someone brushed powder on his forehead. He almost made it all the way through a mini-monologue, sunk by a quick glance in your direction as you had a quiet reaction.

“Sorry—“ he broke, laughter through the room when his lips twitched into a smile. “I’ll get it, I’ll get it,” he reassured. 

Another take, the same exact slip before he confessed: “I’m getting distracted by that one, over there,” his finger pointed right at you.

“Oi,” one of the boys on the team turned around to tease you. “We’ll have to kick you out!”

They all laughed, you made a face at Jason and watched him stick the landing on the third take. Eventually you headed back to the house, thankful for a night at home with him before the weekend took off.

The kids came in the morning, an awkward hug from Olivia at the front door. She didn’t ask to see it. but she did say she was happy for you. You’d take it. 

You got to the venue in the afternoon, Daisy tornadoed through the hallways on her pink scooter during soundcheck. 

It’s not that you were nervous, per se. You’d seen them all do their thing: endless takes on set when they’d laugh and mess up and start again. 

Now it was your turn to perform. 

And that definitely ignited a wave of butterflies beneath your ribs when you rose up to the stage. You knew where they were but couldn’t pick them out—too many people too far away. 

Twenty songs, an hour and a half on stage before the lights went down and you were done. They were already waiting when Mia brought you back to your dressing room. Applause and cheering when you came through the door. You played it off.

“For me?!” You giggled a little, offered your hand to Juno when she kissed it. 

“Flawless, absolute perfection!”

“That was the craziest shit I’ve ever seen,” Brett nodded, a look of shock on his face when he hugged you. They already had drinks in hand, already feeling the buzz of the evening.

“Yeah?” You asked with a smile. “More fireworks at the end than I expected.”

“That was the perfect ending though—honestly felt like I could feel the whole stadium shaking,” Juno gushed. "You might be my coolest friend."

You appreciated the compliments, always excited after a show to recount the things that went right. 

“I definitely fucked up a dance move in the first song,” you shrugged, Jason pushed through the others, a bucket hat on his head.

“Yeah I noticed that,” he teased, pulling you into a  hug when Brendan and his wife moved to make room. 

“Of course you did,” you offered a challenging smirk. 

“But you did phenomenally,” he complimented. “Better every time I see you.”

The backstage area was still fluttering with excitement. Crew hurried to begin the breakdown process, everyone huddled in your green room now when Mia brought a bathrobe.

“Go shower,” Hannah teased. “You stink and we’ll have some drinks in your honor before you come back!”

She kept her promise: handed you a glass of champagne when you emerged from the shower and a quick stop at the glam chair for a refresh.

You rode with them in cars out to a club, mingled with friends and clinked your glass against Juno’s when she bumped her shoulder against yours.

“You've come a far way from the girl at The Emmys…”

You laughed, nodded as you watched Jason across the room as he chatted. “You’re telling me!”

“I kinda like that you showed up, turned our world upside down a bit,” she motioned around the room. “We were far less famous with you!”

“Oh stop,” you rolled your eyes and laughed, offering a compromise: “I just expedited it.”

Hannah appeared between your heads when she offered a huge grin. “I’m getting quite tired of this! What’s happening over here without me?”

“Just a horrifically sentimental moment between the two of us,” Juno admitted. 

“I knew it,” Hannah threw her arms around you both, a dramatic smile on her face. “You’re stuck with us forever now.”

“Oi,” Juno said. “Don’t scare her off, she already said yes!”

You all laughed, shared another bottle before a car whisked you home under a damp London sky. Another hand off with Olivia in the morning, this time she stayed and drank a cup of coffee in the kitchen and it actually felt pleasant. 

You watched a movie on the couch with him in the morning, pajamas and a quickie before he made grilled cheese for lunch. 

I don’t know what’s better, you said. Your grilled cheese or your dick.

Tea in the afternoon under a tree in the back garden, he laid his head in your lap and told you about the last few weeks. Happy to be quietly with him, phones face down on the kitchen counter inside when you cocooned into a world with him that felt under the microscope far too often.

People started to show up around 7–endless wine in the garden and a catered dinner from a place in Hammersmith beneath twinkling lights. It only took an hour before someone pulled out a joint and laughter floated up to the trees. 

His arms hung around your shoulders and you laughed with them into the evening, amazed by the way a person was starting to feel like home. 

“Hey,” Juno called from a few spots over, tipsy from tequila soda. “Isn’t it crazy what we were saying before?“

“What?” You asked.

“That we didn’t even know you not that long ago, none of you, even—” she gestured around the whole group. “Yet in such a short time it feels like a place I’ve always known,” she smiled.

You nodded, felt Jason kiss the top of your hair. You couldn’t agree more.

story page | talk to me/join the tag list | the playlist

AN: WOW a summer blurb to visit everyone's favorite newly engaged couple UGHHHHHHHH

tag list: @golden-hoax @fineelineee @baueoud @westcoastrry @missing-you-like-war @trulymadlykiki @caplikeme @tiredbuthappy @whymyparentscheckmyphone @tedlassostan @tegan8314 @yourgoldengirls @loganrwebb @rubberduckingaro @flannelplanet @15christyxoxo @stankface @outofthecradlex @moonlightspencie @ljej95

[fireofjudgement]

Love that lets go (Part 1)

Fandom: Alice in Borderland

Pairing: Aguni x Hatter

Summary: Aguni is alone in this world. He always has been and he probably always will be. This date is his last chance at finding a soul mate but just as expected, it goes all kinds of wrong.

Word count: 1.7k

Warnings: the main topics are loneliness, heartbreak and sadness, mentions of death, alcohol, swearing. No sexual content in this one, not sure about future chapters. This is mostly angst (and so will be future chapters).

A/N: Thank you so much @hatterstan-shameblog for requesting this, I instantly got an idea for a story. I'm sorry for making this so long, if you don't like it feel free to ignore it. It's very different from what I usually write but I'm pretty happy with it. I promise one day I'll write that Hatter x Aguni x Reader ;) Also yes, the title is a Hannah Montana song. Yes, I listened to a Hannah Montana playlist the whole time while writing it. Yes, Hatter makes Aguni listen to Hannah Montana, no I don't take criticism on that.

Request are open!

--

Aguni was alone in this world. It was an undeniable fact. He grew up alone, he lived alone, he woke up alone and he fell asleep alone. He went through the most difficult and challenging times of his life alone and he achieved all of his goals alone. Moreover, Aguni was lonely. For as long as he could remember he had nobody to share his dreams and fears with, nobody to talk to when he was feeling down. Nobody he could call a soul mate. He wasn't even sure if he believed in such things, nobody's ever cared enough to at least try and find out what kind of man Aguni really was behind this stoic, intimidating facade he kept for the public. He's never been one to initiate any kind of interaction or purposefully seek out relationships either so he just..accepted his fate and came to terms with his loneliness.

Years have passed, the world around Aguni changing drastically. Wherever he looked, something new was happening. Everything he once knew became more and more unfamiliar. New neighborhoods appeared right in front of his eyes. Wars happening and innocent people dying, the shocking news quickly replaced by a controversial and most likely fake rumor about some celebrities he's never heard of. It really felt like the world was moving forward, leaving Aguni behind. Nevertheless, he tried to stay optimistic and remain open to meeting new people and new opportunities. Mostly with little to no results but every now and then it seemed as if the curse would finally be lifted. A phone number exchange here, a Tinder notification there - he genuinely believed one day his efforts would be matched and he wouldn't have to go through life alone anymore. 

Well, today was not the day. What started as a friendly conversation between two strangers on a dating app that looked exactly like all the other ones, quickly became one of the most cherished, most intimate interactions Aguni has ever had. At first it was just how are you and have a nice day. Then came good morning and good night messages which lead to phone calls that lasted an hour, then two, then three.. Technology has never been Aguni's strong suit but for them he was willing to learn, willing to change his lifestyle and step out of his comfort zone. For them he was willing to do anything and everything, because in such a short time they managed to tear down the countless walls he's built around himself and showed him that eventually everyone gets their chance in life.

It was all happening so quickly and if it seemed too good to be true at times, it was because..well, it was too good to be true.This was supposed to be his night. Their night. Their first date. He had it all planned; where they would go and what they would talk about and how the night would end.. He even brought flowers from his very own garden, the one thing in his life he was so proud of. He hoped one day he could show it to them and teach them about something that made him truly happy. Even though they have not met physically yet, they made so many promises and so many plans. He even started to believe he wouldn't be left behind anymore. He would move forward, finally with someone else by his side. Maybe it would turn out he actually did believe in soulmates.

Aguni has always been alone. Currently he was eating alone, at a restaurant way too fancy for him, surrounded by happy couples and classical music. And he had to face the harsh reality - his date stood him up. The very same person who couldn't stop talking about how excited they were to meet him the night before and how much they were looking forward to their forever. As if you could have a forever with anyone, Aguni was cursing himself for being so naive and allowing himself to be so vulnerable to a complete stranger. Was he really that desperate for any kind of human interaction, was he this touch starved? Maybe. Or maybe he was just lonely. And loneliness, just like love, tends to be blind.

At least the food is nice, he thought. It was hard for him to think of any positives to the situation he found himself in. It was even harder to ignore the stares of all those disgustingly happy couples around him. Some looked amused by the fact he was the only person sitting at a table alone (clearly not on purpose either), some looked like they genuinely felt bad for him. Aguni didn't know what was worse. And he didn't even get to the dessert yet. In all honesty he was considering skipping it and going straight to the bar. He wasn't a big fan of alcohol, nor could he really hold it but what did he have to lose tonight? I can't wait to find out how much this is going to cost me. Made a fool of myself, got catfished and lost this week's paycheck before I even got to see it. Can this night get even worse?

Lost in his thoughts, Aguni didn't notice the sudden ruckus in the front of the restaurant. It was only when a bunch of visibly distressed waiters and waitresses rushed into the dining room that he snapped out of it and started wondering what the hell was going on now. Though the possibility of someone trying to rob or shoot up a restaurant wasn't very likely, it also wasn't too far off, considering Aguni's luck that night. Come to think of it, he wouldn't mind that either, maybe it would give him the opportunity to punch someone in the face and release the stress and anger he had bottled up inside. Maybe it would get him free meals at the restaurant for the rest of his life? Or at least make the people there look at him with respect instead of pity or amusement..

Unfortunately Aguni's hopes were crushed within seconds when he realised that the person who caused of all this fuss was someone who looked..very far from being a murderer or a thief. In fact, he looked like he couldn't hurt a fly even if he tried. The longer Aguni stared at the man, the more baffled he was by the situation. For starters - he wasn't wearing a shirt. Nor a sweater. Even a dress would be more appropriate. No, this man has entered what was probably the most fancy restaurant Aguni has ever been to..shirtless. Unless a very expensive looking, colorful silk robe counts. Now, Aguni has never been one to pay attention to trivial things like the size of someone's ass or tits, he truly couldn't care less. However the stranger's pants didn't leave much room for imagination, or anything else really, with how tight they were. To top it off, he was also wearing a pair of sunglasses. Inside a building. 

Ehh, it's probably some crazy homeless person, Aguni quickly dismissed his previous thoughts. He almost felt bad for the stranger now, he would most likely get kicked out. He doubted the owners of this horrible place cared about homeless people. Or anyone who couldn't afford dining there for that matter. Hopefully they don't call the police on him, he seems like a nice guy. Averting his eyes from the man, Aguni tried to focus on his food again, it wasn't right to stare at someone clearly not in their right mind. All he wanted to do now was to finish this goddamn meal, the name of which he couldn't even pronounce, pay and go home. Alone. He couldn't help but sigh when he remembered how excited he was just a few hours before. Nervous, anxious, stressed. But excited nevertheless. It was hard for him not to blame himself. The thoughts that it was most likely something he said, something he did, kept crossing his mind. Maybe it was the way he looked? Or maybe he was just unlovable. That would explain pretty much everything happening in his life up until this point.

Years of loneliness. All of the rejection and the breakups. The awkward let's be friends and this isn't the right time for a relationship conversations he's had way too many times. And finally this. Fuck, he couldn't even enjoy his one man pity party because the weirdo in the front was still causing a fuss. Aguni didn't understand why the guy was still there. Why didn't they kick him out yet? He didn't look like he was about to fight them or cause trouble. He wasn't dressed appropriately for causing trouble anyway. Forgetting his meal once again, Aguni looked up to see what was happening. He expected anything at this point, from a fight scene to seeing the man completely naked for whatever reason. What he didn't expect was for the stranger to take off his sunglasses and look him directly in the eyes right at that moment. He also didn't expect a smirk to appear on his face as soon as their eyes met. Something about him made Aguni forget his manners, he found himself unable to look away.

For a brief moment it was just the two of them, making Aguni forget about his disaster of a date. About the disaster that was his life in general. It wasn't lust or sexual attraction of any kind..but for some reason looking into his eyes made Aguni feel at peace. It didn't feel like looking at a stranger, even though they've never seen each other before. He finally snapped out of his trance when the realisation kicked in that the man wasn't going to be kicked out. In fact, looking closely, it seemed like the staff knew him quite well. They didn't look at him with fear or disgust but rather..admiration and respect. They were all trying to spark a conversation with him, both men and women. However, he didn't seem interested in any of that, eyes locked on Aguni as he suddenly walked past all the people surrounding him, only to  head in the lonely man's direction, promptly followed by his entourage. Aguni wasn't startled easily but at that moment he wasn't sure what he was supposed to say or do. Should he leave? Wait for the man and ask him what his problem is? He didn't get a chance to even finish going through all his options when the stranger finally got to his table. 

"Darling, I'm so sorry for making you wait! I hope you're not mad at me..?"

[notnaturalanahi]

1.7k 7 Drabbles Celebration Masterpost

Original Idea by @stardustkeith 

Unasked for AUs

1- The Time Of My Life (I’m sleeping over at my friend’s flat from university after study group and just got woken up in the middle of the night by their roommate, who is sitting in the kitchen, listening very loudly to the dirty dancing soundtrack and crying. Like wtf, I didn’t even know they had a roommate and normally I would yell at you but damn you are cute. You really need to stop tho dude, its 4am, some people in this house want to sleep AU (Dean x Fem!Reader for Anon)

2- I am a barista and you are a customer who comes in every day and orders the same thing and today my friend brought you with them, I didn’t even know we had mutual friends and WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT IS NOT ACTUALLY YOUR NAME HAVE I REALLY BEEN WRITING A NAME THAT IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO YOURS ON YOUR CUPS FOR OVER HALF A YEAR WHY HAVE YOU NEVER CORRECTED ME AU (Dean x Female!Reader likesiriusly )

3- Lucid Dreams (The house party me and my friends threw kinda escalated and after throwing out everyone I found this half naked person passed out in my bed but I can’t be bothered to wake them up now so I’m just gonna go to sleep and deal with it in the morning, they are kind of cute anyway AU - Sam x Female!reader @leatherwhiskeycoffeeplaid)

4- A Hungover With Prince Charming (or alternatively) I just woke up in a stranger’s bed and I’m half naked, I cant remember anything about yesterday besides that the party was great and that I got absolutely wasted AND OH MY GOD THERE IS A HOT PERSON NEXT TO ME IN BED AND THEY ARE NOT WEARING MUCH WHAT DID WE DO YESTERDAY AU - Cas x Male!Reader @thegreatficmaster ) 

5- Warmed. By. The. Blood. Of My. Open. Wrists (You are my new coworker and I’m pretty sure I’ve never met you SO WHY ARE YOU LOOKING SO FAMILIAR FUCK I THINK YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE ANGSTY EMO KIDS I USED TO STALK BACK IN THE MYSPACE DAYS I CANT BELIEVE THIS AU (Sam x Fem!Reader for @celahcain )

6- We work out at the same gym and you are my declared rival because we have the same workout routine and you are always better than me and on my way to the locker room I passed you in the shower where you were singing the opening of hannah montana and I can still hear you and you switched to the lion king now and even though I hate you I think I am kind of in love with you AU (Sam x Reader for wheresthekillswitch ) 

7- I’m hiding in the bathroom of a restaurant from a spectacularly awful tinder date and you are in a similar situation because a guy at the bar just won’t stop hitting on you and now we are planning an epic escape together even though we only met ten minutes ago AU (Sam x Fem!Reader for barbwireandbubblegum and Anon)