#jake seresin scenario

[luveline]

would loveeee to see your version of jake!! maybe just something fluffy and domestic, sorry im leaving you to fill in the blanks so much bby ;; <3

thank you for your request lovely ♡ fem!reader

Jake does this thing whenever he sees you like he's trying not to smile —or eat you alive. 

Face desperate to stay impassive but eyes giving him away, his lips and the space just above his left brow twitch at the same time, and the pool cue he holds is swiftly given to a nearby friend. 

"Now what do we have here?" he asks, sizing you up shamelessly. 

You hide your own smile and turn from him. Predictably, Jake follows you from the pool table and toward the bar, where you open your purse for a rumpled ten, the warm summer air ruffling your layered skirt and the air con above battling to keep your cheeks cool. 

He covers your hand. "What's with you?" 

"What's with me?" you ask lightly. 

"Don't tell me you've been this pretty all your life and you still try buying your own drinks?" 

"I'm a big girl," you say, flagging down Penny for your usual. 

Jake, still predictable, declares it on him. Despite his insistence and his easy compliments, he doesn't look at you as Penny pours your drinks, eyes meandering lazily around the Hard Deck and its patrons like he hadn't just followed you up here. 

"I can pay for my own drink," you say. 

He still doesn't look at you, but his smile turns smarmy, almost, his tone wry, "Ah, but should you have to?" 

"Jake–" 

"A first name basis?" He nods at Penny in thanks as she finishes up. A prop for his derision, he picks up his drink and smirks at you from over the rim. "We're getting somewhere."

You place your elbow on the bar and rest your cheek in the cup of your hand, relaxing each feature. You're as unashamed as he was to look at him, though for a different reason, cataloguing the little differences since you last saw him. His tanned cheeks apple the longer you look, and for the first time since this morning, he smiles at you genuinely. 

"Shit," he mutters through it, putting his drink down. "You know I can't handle it when you're looking at me like that, angel." 

"Almost like that's why I do it," you say softly. Your smile melds from contented to something with a little more excitement as Jake puts his hand on your waist a deliberate, slow placement, each finger in a specific set. Thumb pressing into soft tummy, pinky finger teasing the waistband of your skirt. "S'why I wore the skirt, too." 

He catches your lips for a sudden kiss. You laugh into his mouth, grabbing a handful of rigid, corded forearm muscle to stop him from getting too close. (You'd love for him to get closer, but you hope to be able to show your face here for the rest of your life.) 

"I win," you say, the tip of your nose bumping his as you break the kiss. 

"You win," he says. "You were supposed to be here half an hour ago, you know that?"

"So you could subject us to your weird foreplay just after dinner?" Fanboy asks, rocking up to the bar with Rooster beside him. 

"It's not foreplay," you say, mortified but quickly mollified when Rooster waves a hand. 

"He's kidding. Doesn't mean he isn't half right. Why do you guys do that?"

"What, pretend not to know each other?" you ask. 

Jake's arm moves from its risqué grasping of your waist to cover your back. He's not hulking but he's not a small man, you feel his presence behind you like a steadying, remarkably handsome constant. You've no trouble leaning against him with all your weight, your hair pressed to his shoulder. 

"You boys wouldn't understand," Jake says, arm curving around you like a seat belt locking into place. He gives your tummy a squeeze. You place your sandal clad heel on his boot as though that might scare him into behaving, and he likes you enough to pretend it does. 

"It's just fun." You reach for Jake's drink and take a sip, your own ignored and weeping condensation. "Keeps life interesting."

"'Cos I'm such a bore," Jake drawls, nosing behind the shell of your ear. 

You smile and huff a laugh through your nose as he shakes you from one side to another playfully. You're being downright disgusting in public, in broad daylight, but you're so in love you don't mind. It's not as if you're necking, anyways. Jake's just soft-handed when he wants to be, and with you, that's all the time. 

"You're the worst," you say. Your tone is honeyed enough that it's obvious from the first syllable that what you're saying isn't true. 

"I'll drink to that!" Rooster cheers, flagging Penny for another beer.

Jake ignores him. "I really do like the skirt, doll." 

"Thank you. I'm thinking I might get it in white." 

"Oh, yeah. I'd like to see that on you. Almost as much as I'd like taking it right fucking off of—" You step on his toes until he stops.

[pampelushka]

Jake Seresin's mom group

You can't convince me Jake would not enjoy the mom group dynamics. He would bask in the attention the moms would inevitably give him.

This is crack treated only semi-seriously. Tbh, I giggled my way through this thing.

***

Jake's heart is overflowing with love as he watches his little girl bounce around the park. Her big brown eyes wide with joy, her smile too bright for this dull world. She’s the most beautiful human being under the sun, parental bias be damned. 

Resting in his palm, like a treasure, is a glittery pink bow, long forgotten by its little owner, traded instead for a little too big, well-loved San Diego Padres baseball cap adorning her long chestnut curls like a crown for the princess she is. 

“She’s the sweetest,” Veronica leans in, bumping into his shoulder. Her eyes follow his line of sight and she smiles, a pleased private thing, only for Jake to see. They stand like this, shoulder to shoulder, watching the scene unfold in front of them. 

The kids play some sort of game only they know the rules of. They're in the middle of an excited outburst when Veronica's little boy, overwhelmed by the noise, new surroundings and too many friends all at once, starts to spin on the spot, screaming his lungs out.

And Jake’s little girl, bless her, joins him in immediately, matching his energy. She spins with her arms outstretched, dress twirling. Leaning her head back, she loses the cap, but she doesn’t care. Jake watches enamored, noticing that with her head thrown back like that, her hair almost reaches under her knees. It’s a miracle, she hasn’t yet pulled half of it out by stepping on it. 

The rest of the kids run to join them too, making it look like a flash mob, rather than a successfully dissolved tantrum. They soon switch to a weird version of tag, chasing each other while still spinning.

That’s when Jake turns back to Veronica, not really keen on seeing the next skinned knee the game will inevitably bring upon them.

“She’s always ready to include him, no matter what,” Veronica says gratefully. “Got a heart of gold, your little one,” she adds, squeezing his shoulder. Her words make Jake’s heart expand in his chest. 

Sometimes, the feeling gets so big. It’s like he’s ready to explode any moment, letting it consume him in a way only love can do. But then he holds it in for a while, cradles it in his aching arms. And lets it loose to the world. Everytime, his heart stays a little bigger than it was before, aching with the intensity in the best possible way.

“Well,” he aims for a joke, because there’s no way he can let her see what’s happening inside of him right now, “She’s got it from her dad,” he says with a smirk. 

Veronica laughs at that. “Sure, ‘cause you’re such a sweetheart yourself.” 

Jake winks at her, enjoying his own secret joke, while maintaining his persona. He was not talking about himself, but she doesn’t know that. Him. Not yet. 

“Yeah, well, I made the raspberry pop tarts she loves so much,” Veronica says, waving her hand at the table their little group is currently occupying. 

Jake nods his thanks while he turns around to take in the rest of the women currently setting up what looks like an entire aisle of snacks of the nearest supermarket spread onto the wooden picnic table. 

They might not look like it, but they're his people. Together, they form one very average mom group - perfectly curated, very typical, a bit bonkers. Just the way he likes it. They’re like pokemons and he has them all. 

There’s Alice, the I-can-and-I-am-doing-it-all single mother, who hit on him HARD the first time they met but backtracked immediately when he flashed her the ring on his left hand, becoming his bestie instead. They’re THE team when it comes to field trips and class meetings. Always ready to jump in and help each other when life and school pick ups get complicated.

Then there’s Tess, the overzealous extroverted stay at home mom, who will plan everyone’s week just so she doesn’t have to stay with her kids at home alone. Play dates and coffee dates organized for the rest of the school year, art supplies always ready.

Veronica, always complaining about anything and everything, but secretly the most tender and loving person, who makes the best and most beautiful cakes. She’ll also drive around half of the town just to come back for you when your car won’t start.

Also Emily, the chaotic mom, always running late, kids in mismatched outfits picked by themselves, her cheeks covered in sparkles from the last time her little boy wanted to try his hand at make up, fake Anna and Elsa tattoos covering her forearms. 

And then there’s Jake, the designated dad of the group. Always cracking jokes, always low-key flirting with all of them at once, basking in the attention naturally given when a group of mothers adopts a fellow parent who also happens to be a man. 

They've been his village for the last five and a half months, since his little girl started school and Bradley left for his latest deployment. 

They follow all the unwritten rules of any mom groups out there:

Do not ask too many questions. Any information must be given freely.

Talk about the kids. Safe territory.

Complain about your partner once in a while. The group’s foundation stone is solidarity. 

Engage in the WhatsApp group chat, for fuck’s sake. We need to hear your opinion. 

Be there for each other. Everyone needs an adult conversation once in a while.

“Oi, darling, careful,” they hear from afar, and that’s Emily. Arms full of backpacks and hats and snacks, finally arriving, only forty minutes late this time. She’s stumbling behind her three kids that are already running wild joining their other friends on the playground. 

Jake runs up to her, taking all the backpacks from her arms. 

“Hi Em, are you moving or something?” he asks jokingly, looking down at the amount of stuff she’s bringing. 

She just laughs. At herself mostly. She may always bring chaos with her, but she’s never in a bad mood. “The camo one is yours, actually,” she says, nodding with her chin to an old worn-out camo backpack that’s got a pink stuffed arm of Jake-doesn’t-know-what peeking out of it.

“Mine?” He asks, eyebrows raising. 

“Yeah, Bee said it was her dad’s?” she says, frowning. “She gave it to Timmy last time he was at yours. Apparently, he had collected too many rocks and needed something to put them in, so he could bring them home,” she clarifies while unloading another snack aisle on the already overflowing table.

At the same time, Jake spots the rooster keychain dangling from the zipper and understands. “Oh, right. Her dad’s,” he mumbles with a little smile.

The thing is, they haven’t met Bradley yet.

The thing is, they haven’t heard of him yet either. At least as far as he knows.

Though their little girl is always talking about her dad, they have no idea there’s two of them. 

He fights the urge to giggle. It’s a little stunt they pull anytime they get the chance. And they move a lot, so there are always new opportunities waiting. 

It doesn’t work out everytime, but when it does, it’s glorious. 

“Jake, did you manage to get that gluten-free cake thingy for Hallie?” Tess asks, pulling him out of his thoughts. 

“Of course,” he drawls, “but I’m never going back to that shop ever again. As much as I love Hallie,” he adds quickly. 

Tess frowns but Alice snorts, almost drowning in her Iced Blond Vanilla Latte. “You should have seen him,” she’s laughing now, coffee splashing around as she shakes with it. “He almost fell out the door, basically running to my car,” she heaves with laughter, taking the piss out of Jake, because she knows she can. “He jumped in, go, Alice, go!” She mimics Jake’s drawl, which earns her the group’s full attention and one very intense green-eyed stare.  

“And I’m like… all confused, what the fuck’s going on, is there a zombie going after you?” she’s acting out the whole scene now. “But before I can even start the car, there’s a lady bursting out of the shop, Sir, sir!” And Alice apparently missed her calling because she should have been an actress. Jake can already feel the embarrassed heat reaching his cheeks. “And she’s waving the paper bag with the cake up in the air like it’s a handkerchief and she’s flagging down fucking Titanic.”

She has too much fun with the story. That’s when Jake needs to intervene and try to save some of his own dignity. If that’s even still possible, that is. “Alice,” he cries out, “you saw her! She was insane. She literally wrote her number on the,” he lowers his voice, because there are kids running around and he’s a good parent, for fuck’s sake. “Fucking paper bag.” He says, eyes wide, emphasizing the words quietly. He rummages the table to find said gluten-free cake thingy, and from underneath pulls out a paper bag, which has, indeed, a phone number written on it in big black, desperately looking numbers. 

“And,” he continues pointedly and fishes out the receipt from the bag, “on the fucking receipt, too,” he says, pulling out the thin strap of paper, showing the unmistakable digits to everyone. He holds it high above his head, pinning Alice with his glare. She’s still laughing, nonetheless. “She would have written it on the fucking cake, if she could,” he mumbles, scrunching the receipt and paper bag in one ball and throwing it into the trash can resolutely. 

They’re all laughing now, mostly at his and Alice’s dramatics, rather than Jake’s despair, but he’ll have none of that. “I’m a married man, for fuck’s sake,” he mutters under his breath, arms crossed over his chest, lips pouting, willing the blush from his cheeks away. 

“Speaking of which,” Alice sidles up to him, “When’s your significant other coming?” she asks, eyebrows raised, all business like. 

And suddenly, there are four very intense pairs of eyes on him. They circle him like prey. “You promised.” 

Yeah, he did.

Jake thinks back to the day he made that promise and his heart thumps a little faster in his chest. It was the day Bradley finally came back home. After long, long six months of deployment in stupid, far away, across-fucking-too-many-time-zones Japan, he came back. And Jake was so happy, holding their girl and his husband in his arms, after so long. The three of them finally together again. 

He made that promise on a whim, out of pure happiness.

“Should be here any minute,” he says, smirking, confidence back where it belongs. 

“Oh, I can’t wait to finally meet her.” - “Is she even real?” - “She must be a real one, putting up with you.” - “Little Bee must be her mini-me, right? ‘Cause she sure didn’t get those curls from you, blondie.” - …

He doesn’t correct them. 

His eyes go back to his little girl. She’s sitting in the grass, laughing at something Timmy just said. The sun is painting her hair in gold, her skin too. She’s picking daisies the way all the kids do - the cap in her lap full of flower heads with no stems. Jake forgets how to breathe for a while. 

Until…

“God almighty!”

“Holly fucking shit!”

And of course, that gets Jake’s attention. “Come on, there are kids arou…” His scolding fades away as he catches the sight of his friends. They are staring, jaws half way on the ground, hands on chest. 

He follows their line of sight and oh… 

He forgot. He totally forgot. 

Bradley had an official meeting today. Which means he’s now striding towards them, all easy confidence, crossing the park like the whole world belongs to him, in his uniform. 

And Jake stares too. 

Because he’s allowed to. Because he couldn’t for so long. Because it’s Bradley. 

It’s that simple.

He’s … Gorgeous. He’s always been the most handsome man Jake has ever laid his eyes upon. And he still is, after all those years. Even with silver strands in his chestnut curls, even with his midsection getting fuller over the years. All of these things only add a layer of beauty to the man he once was. A layer of life. A shared one. A layer of love. 

The uniform leaves nothing to imagination, hugging him at all the right places, accentuating the broadness of his shoulders, his impossibly long legs, the swell of his strong arms. The sun finishes the picture by painting him in every shade of gold, from his curls, to his skin, to the deep brown of his eyes. The uniform cap is tucked under his arm. The wings, pinned on his chest proudly, glitter with light. 

Eyes and heads turn in his direction. Women stop in their conversations, ducking their heads, trying not to stare too obviously. And failing. Kids stop in their tracks, eyeing him suspiciously - in the intense way only kids are able to. 

But Bradley’s eyes are on his own target. He strides with intent, crossing the grass like it’s tarmac and he’s ready to embark on a mission. Only the mission is Jake. 

He doesn’t slow down until he’s right in front of their group. All eyes on him. He stops then and smiles, eyeing Jake’s friends with amused grin - Jake’s forever favourite expression of his. 

Jake’s always so excited about the big reveal. He can’t wait to see his friends finally connecting the dots. Laugh at their surprised faces. But he always misses it, too busy staring at his perfect husband. 

Alice is the first one to come to her senses. She clears her throat, breaking the moment of silence. 

"You looking for something, Sir?" she squeaks, cheeks pink, all her usual game gone with the wind.

Bradley smiles a bit more, steadfast and confident. “No,” he answers simply. And there’s a whole life hiding behind that one short word. “I’ve got everything I need,” he adds, locking his eyes with Jake. 

And Jake knows what flying feels like, he knows what being the best of the bests feels like, what being completely utterly totally free feels like. But nothing ever compares to this. 

He can’t hold his act any longer, he needs his husband’s arms around his waist, his lips against his lips, the affection currently consuming his whole body and soul out of his system before he explodes with it.

He takes a deep breath. How is it possible that after all those years, he still gets butterflies in his stomach just by looking at the man? He smiles at that thought and makes a move to finally step closer and erase the distance between their bodies, but someone beats him to it. And Jake can’t even be mad about it.

“Daddy!” a happy squeak breaks the silence and Bradley has just about the right amount of time to turn around so he can catch his little girl jumping into his arms. She hugs him with all of her body, koala-style, burying her face into his shoulder, uniform be damned.  

“Hi, sweetheart,” Bradley says with the soft voice he only keeps for his little girl. He hugs her back tightly, but she’s a kid at a park and has no time to waste, so it only takes a second before  she wiggles her way out of his embrace, running back to her friends again.

She makes room for Jake to finally step in. He leans in, planting a soft kiss to his cheek. 

“Hello, darling,” Bradley purrs, pulling him closer by the belt loops on his pants.

“Hi, husband,” Jake says, grinning into another kiss, chasing Bradley’s lips. 

Loud gasps slice through the air behind his back. 

[ddejavvu]

this might be a weird ask but what abt a short blurb where a younger reader is getting flirted with by an older man at the Hard Deck and Jake who's been trying to get with her for ages comes in to "save the day and get rid of the creep" but turns out that the older man is actually her husband and non other than ssa aaron hotchner

sorry if it's kinda weird I just thought it was funny😭😭

THIS IS SO SILLY AND FUNNY AND GOOD THANK YOU <3333

--

Jake Seresin is undeniably cocky, but he doesn't often go too far. He's snapped once or twice, but comes away from it a changed man, and stays on the lookout for any ways he can redeem himself.

Having pushed once or twice a little too hard over the counter of a bar, he's been on the prowl ever since for men who haven't picked up the same knowledge as him. The Hard Deck is a perfect place to exercise his keen observational skills, and there's an older man sitting at the counter whos been there for almost an hour.

Usually patrons mingle, but his ass has been on the stool for far too long, his eyes glued to your figure as you work. He's not exactly confused by the man's infatuation with you, as he shares the same feeling, but you keep having to cut off whatever he's saying to serve someone another drink, and Jake thinks that by now, this middle aged douche should have figured out that now isn't the time to chat.

You're clearly strained trying to keep up with both your job and conversation, and the next time someone cuts in to ask you for a beer, Jake sees your eyes pinch shut in frustration. You turn around as happy as can be, always cheery for customer service, but your shoulder sag when you complete the man's request, and the man at the counter doesn't give you two seconds to recover before he's blabbering on again.

Jake's made up his mind.

He strides to the counter in long, confident steps, leaning over opposite the man to call for your attention.

"Y/N, darlin'?"

You cast a tense glance over your shoulder, features relaxing when you see Jake, "Hang on, Lieutenant."

You seem relieved when you turn to face him, a tired smile on your face and his usual order already in your hand, "A refill?"

"That'll do," He grins, that charming expression that he's hoping is wooing the pants off of you, "Hey, honey," He leans in slightly, lowering his voice so that the man subtly observing you two from behind doesn't hear him, "That guy talkin' your ear off?"

A sly grin flits over your face, "It's okay, Hangman. I'll let him."

"You don't have to." Jake presses, eyes clouded with worry, 'If you're trying to make a tip off of him or something, I'm sure it's not worth hearing about what bars were like back in his day. Hell, I'll pay you to let me chuck him out."

"I promise you!" You laugh, "I'm okay, Jake. Thank you for worrying about me."

"M'always gonna," He admits, face gently curved in a frown as you lean back, no longer whispering in hushed tones, "Just let me know if you need me, darlin'."

"Will do," You grin, "But Jake? Tone down the pet names around my husband, would you? I don't want him getting jealous."

Jake blinks.

Jake blinks again.

Then casts his gaze over your shoulder at the older man, who's sitting there nursing his drink with a poorly concealed smirk, his eyes downcast to avoid Jake's.

"That guy's your husband?" Jake verifies, heat at his cheeks and stomach at his feet, "You're married?"

"I don't wear my ring 'cause it gets nasty in the dishwater," You lament, "'Thought you knew, Jake."

"I did not know." Jake nods slowly, gnawing at the inside of his cheek, "Well- uh, alrighty then. Get back to your little chit-chat."

"Thank you for the offer," You call after him as he pushes off of the counter, even if your words fall on deaf, mortified ears, "I really appreciate it!"

"Sorry, Aaron," You grin bashfully at your husband, turning back to take his large hands into yours, "He's like that with everyone. Real sweet guy, just a little forward. He thought you were bothering me."

"It's okay," Aaron hums, leaning across the bar to kiss you, something you normally wouldn't allow during your shift.

"I liked it more than I thought I would," Aaron muses, and you ghost your thumb over the wedding band on his ring finger, "Hearing you tell him I was your husband."

"I don't think he liked it," You nearly cringe at the memory, "Hopefully things aren't awkward."

"Mm, they might be." Aaron chuckles, locking eyes with a dark-haired woman who looks a little bit like she might want to kill him, "I think he told his friends."

[sunlightmurdock]

I was thinking about the newest chapter of Apollo and like all the photos you were talking about being leaked and stuff and was wondering if you could make a mood board maybe of all the leaked photos? No pressure 💚☺️

This might be my favourite thing ever requested of me, so here’s the Jake & Apollo leaked pics inspiration <3

[xiaokuer-schmetterling]

slow ride by foghat w. lyrics

-----

btw prev i adore your choice of gif

Jake, at the Hard Deck: oh my gosh Bradley is here. Ugh. He’s still so hot. I’m so mad at him. But he’s sooo hot. I bet he misses me. I bet he misses me WAY more than I miss him. Yeah. Ok what do I do? Play it cool Seresin, just play it cool. I am above all this. I am Beyoncé. He doesn’t affect me at all. Not his stupid sexy mustache. Not that ridiculous sexy shirt. Not those…long legs or pretty brown eyes. No. I’m over him. And those perfectly tousled curls. Yea I’m totally beyond over him. I’m just gonna go be Joe Cool and let him know I’ve moved on without him.

Also Jake: *immediately plays a song about sex on the juke box and bends over a table while making intense eye contact with Rooster*

Coyote:

[roosterforme]

Mr. Right Now Part 2 | Hangman x Reader

Summary: As soon as you decide that Jake is the one you want for your first time, he's very clear that you'll be playing by his rules. You're ready to get this over with and get on with your life, but he's determined to make you admit that you're allowed to feel good. And maybe you want to enjoy this with him.

Warnings: adult language, mentions of sex and virginity, sexual touching, 18+

Length: 3800 words

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Female Reader

Why is Jake on my masterlist!? Mr. Right Now masterlist

"Jake," you whispered as his soft hair glided through your fingers. You liked his name. He was handsome. He was older. His lips tasted delicious. He had green eyes.

Why had you been so focused on Rooster? Oh, right. Because your roommate, Kylie, said he was good after she slept with him. She told you all about the Navy bar and the different guys with call signs, and you made it a point to remember that Rooster was the one who she said was the gentlest. 

You froze. Jake had his hands around your waist, his hips pressing his semi hard length against you. Those pretty green eyes were locked onto yours, and you knew it would be a long shot to get him to agree, even now. But something else was bothering you about this whole scenario. You suddenly wondered if Kylie and Jake ever had sex.

For some reason, that idea alone was enough to piss you off. Going blindly after Rooster would have been no big deal, but Jake seemed to actually give a shit about you. He just took the time to make sure you were really twenty, and he kept questioning you as to why you were here in the first place. In this bar where you apparently stuck out like a sore thumb.

But you wanted Jake specifically for your first time, whether he had already fucked Kylie or not. You leaned in and kissed him again, and he seemed more than willing now. You hoped your little skirt and tight shirt weren't going to fail you after you made it this far. He just needed to take care of this one, basic thing for you, and you'd be on your way. Then you could go out with Cooper who you were actually so ready to date, and you wouldn't completely embarrass yourself with him.

You let yourself touch Jake's hair again as you asked, "What's your call sign?"

His hand felt huge against your butt, and you went willingly when he pulled you even closer. "Hangman," he said in that cute Texan drawl. That didn't sound familiar at all, and Kylie was pretty proud of all the call signs she'd managed to collect. Maybe she hadn't gotten to him yet. Or maybe she wasn't his type. That thought alone made you smile even more as he continued to touch you.

"Okay, Hangman," you whispered against his mouth in the middle of this crowded bar. "I'm ready for you to take me to your place."

He kissed you gently and shook his head. "Let's go out to my truck, and I'll drive you back to your apartment or dorm."

God, he was such a good kisser, but he was really grating on your nerves at this point. You were a little nervous that he would keep saying no and then ruin your chances with Rooster or one of the other guys in attendance tonight, even though they would be clear backup options now. You whined in annoyance. "Come on, Jake."

"No. I'm not taking you home with me," he replied firmly. 

You stomped your foot; you really wanted to lose your damn virginity, and you couldn't give it away. "You don't even have to take me back to your place. We can fuck in the parking lot."

"Jesus Christ, Darlin'. That's not happening either," he said, looking scandalized. "Definitely not for your first time. And a leather mini skirt is an impractical outfit to get fucked in anyway."

You tipped your head back and groaned. "Well how was I supposed to know that?" Then you looked at his handsome face, pretty much ready to call it a night and try again tomorrow at a different bar. "I'm doing everything wrong."

He had the nerve to laugh at you again. "No. You're really not. The skirt is just going to make guys want to work harder for it. And honestly, somehow the sneakers are doing something for me?"

A small glimmer of hope flashed inside you as you ran your fingers along his stubbled cheek. "Yeah?"

"God. Damn. It." He was practically growling now as he started to haul you toward the exit. "If we're doing this, then we're doing it right."

"Okay!" you replied immediately, not really sure what you were agreeing to as he led you outside to the dark deck, letting the door close behind the two of you. The loud interior of the bar was a thing of the past now as he took your chin between his thumb and fingers and kissed you a little rough with the ocean as the new soundtrack. 

You almost dropped your purse as you tried to wrap your arms around his neck, already wanting more of him. "If you really want to do this," he said between kisses, "then you're playing by my rules." You were practically whimpering as his lips found the side of your neck, because why did his words sound so sexy?

"Absolutely," you whispered. "Jake's rules."

He half carried you out to the dimly lit parking lot as he muttered, "This is a terrible idea." He squinted at your face and added, "You seem like the type who never learns her lesson."

"I resent that," you said, running your lips along his ear even as your feet left the ground. "I have a 4.0 GPA. I always learn my lessons."

He grunted as he helped you into what you assumed was his truck before standing outside the door with his hands on his hips. "Like I said, you're a real smartass. Now listen up. I'm going to be as gentlemanly as I possibly can during this whole thing."

"Whole thing?" you asked, wondering what he could possibly mean. He just needed to get completely hard, shove his cock in you for a little while, and then call it a night.

"Yeah," he grunted, his green eyes a little wild in the glow from the truck's dome lights. "I'm going to make sure you come. I'm going to be as sweet as I can be. But you need to be clear if you're not having a good time, or if you want me to stop. If you can't abide by those basic ground rules, we're absolutely done here."

Oh. He was really taking this seriously. You chewed on your lip, and his face became more apprehensive. But you weren't debating with yourself whether or not his ground rules would work for you. You were actually trying to figure out why he was already being better than anything you anticipated tonight. Anticipated ever.

"Oh, my god," you gasped. "Are you married?"

"What the fuck kind of question is that?" he shouted, looking angry now. "Of course I'm not married!"

You reached out to him and grabbed his hand. "Sorry! It's just that you're sweet, and you seem to be taking this really seriously! I was just checking!"

Jake scowled, and his tone was one akin to hurt. "I'm not letting you make yourself believe that all you deserve for your first time is a careless fuck in a bar bathroom or a parking lot, and I'm certainly not letting one of those drunk assholes maul you apart!"

The more you thought about it, you really didn't want to be manhandled or have to pull your skirt up in a bathroom stall to make the best of things tonight. You squeezed his hand which you were still holding as you softly said, "Thank you."

He ran his free fingers through his soft hair and muttered something that sounded like, "Yeah, don't thank me yet." Then he kissed your lips and said, "Buckle your seatbelt," before he let go of your hand and closed the door. 

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

You were pretty quiet on the drive back to Jake's place, but you didn't seem as nervous now. If anything, he thought his nerves were ramping up while yours were calming down. He couldn't remember how many condoms he had left in his bedside drawer, and when he tried to estimate how many he might use tonight, he almost missed his turn. Was he really going to do this?

"You live by the beach," you remarked, playing with the hem of your tiny skirt while you looked out the window.

"I do," he replied, mentally cancelling his morning run if you were going to stay over. The implications of letting you spend the night were creeping up on him, but kicking you out was absolutely not going to be an option. You likely had the entirety of the rest of your life to be disappointed by men, but he wasn't going to set that precedent. 

"How old did you say you were?"

Jake felt a little dirty now when he said, "I didn't. But I'm thirty." He tapped the brakes when he was about a block from his house. His truck already smelled sweet like your perfume or shampoo, and he glanced at you when he turned onto his street. "Let me take you back to your place."

You laughed softly as you leaned a little closer to him. "Negative, Hangman. I have a twin bed and a nosy roommate. I think we're better off doing this at yours."

"Come on, Darlin'. That's not what I meant, and you know it."

He coasted up to the stop sign on the quiet side street; he could see his little, white cottage on the next block, but he turned to look at your face in profile as you crossed your arms over your chest. You were looking straight ahead, chin proudly held high as you said, "If you really don't want to have sex with me, then turn right and head back toward Pomona Avenue."

It wasn't that he didn't want to. You were all pouty lips and feminine curves and perky tits, and yeah... he did want to fuck you. And he wanted to make it so good, you'd ask for more. He wanted to take his time and pull that first orgasm from you while he gave it to you exactly how you needed it. When he didn't turn his truck back toward Pomona, you looked at him and whispered, "It's okay if you're not into it, Jake. You can take me home. You don't have to worry about me."

He made a noise at the back of his throat and licked his lips. "That's not it." He wanted to say more, but for now, he answered your concerns by moving his foot to the accelerator and driving straight through the intersection. You visibly relaxed in the seat next to him, and a few seconds later, he was pulling his truck up to his house. You were looking out the window toward his cottage, and when you reached for the door handle, he let his hand rest on your bare knee. You turned his way immediately, and he said, "You never agreed to play by my rules."

"I agree."

He shook his head. "Then tell me what my ground rules were."

You bit your bottom lip, and he could feel you squeeze your legs together as you whispered, "You said you'd make sure I come. And that you would be sweet. And that if I tell you I'm not having a good time, you'll stop." Jake let his hand slide a few inches higher, and you responded by easing your legs apart and telling him, "I agree with the ground rules."

Jake nodded once and said, "Looks like I'm stuck with you now."

You kissed him. Somehow you caught him off guard every time you did it. You were tentative and inquisitive, and when you moved closer, his hand eased up your thigh. "You're stuck with me," you murmured between kisses. "For probably at least a half an hour." Jake started laughing, and you pulled away slightly. "What's funny?"

"Darlin', you're playing by my rules. You want me to teach you about sex? Half an hour isn't even going to be enough to get you warmed up."

You looked surprised as you reached up to run your fingers through his hair. "Teach me about sex? I thought you were just going to fuck me and call it a night."

Jake moaned. "Definitely not. Now let's get started."

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

You found yourself in Jake's living room, eyes darting around, trying to figure out what to focus on first. He was an actual adult with award commendations from the Navy and a massive TV. You felt small in his space, and some of your bravado melted away as he chuckled and said, "I'd offer you a drink, but, you know."

You tapped the toe of your sneaker against the hardwood floor and said, "According to my ID, I'm the same age as you. I like white wine, thanks."

He was trying not to laugh as he walked into his kitchen, and you followed along behind him, watching as he reached for a wine glass and filled it with ice water. "Enjoy your chardonnay, Darlin'," he drawled, and now you were also trying not to laugh.

"Thanks," you whispered before taking a sip. You tried to set your purse on the counter, but the clasp caught the edge, and both of your IDs came sliding out along with a strip of three condoms. When Jake met your eyes you said, "I made sure I was prepared before I left my place. I'm young, not stupid."

"But the Hard Deck?" he asked, closing the distance between your bodies. "Not your smartest move, parading around in there with a fake and some condoms. The guys that hang out there wouldn't know their ass from a hole in the ground when it comes to making sure a woman enjoys herself."

"You hang out there," you told him with a little eye roll, and his fingers came up under your chin. He tilted your face up until you were staring into his pretty green eyes, and your core clenched with need.

"I don't make promises I can't keep," he told you, and you absolutely believed him. "Now, you said you're a virgin, but why don't you go ahead and tell me how experienced you are."

You swallowed hard, chin still held in place by those rough fingers. "Is that really necessary? I'm ready to go, Jake." You set your glass of water on the counter next to the condoms and reached out to touch his solid abs through his shirt.

"There's a little more to it than that," he told you, stroking your jaw with his thumb. "Let's talk and get to know each other a bit."

The last thing you wanted him to know about was your complete lack of experience with guys. "We don't have to do that." 

"Yeah, well I want to," he told you, finally releasing your chin.

"You're very old fashioned," you said with a smirk, and your hands settled on his belt.

"I'm a lot older than you, smartass. Humor me." Instead of responding with anything about yourself, you held eye contact with him while you yanked the end of his belt free from the belt loops and started to unbuckle it. A smile danced along his lips, and he said, "Fine. I'll start. I'm a Lieutenant in the Navy. I grew up in Texas, but I've lived all over the country. My favorite food is chili. I love running on the beach in the morning before it gets too hot out. I have four sisters. And I'm a Scorpio."

You had the button of his jeans undone, and you were easing his zipper down as you said, "You do seem like a Scorpio, Lieutenant Jake." His green eyes were still on yours as you officially went further than you ever had with a guy by letting your fingers run along his impressive length through his underwear. He licked his lips as you reached the tip and then dipped your hand inside his snug boxer briefs. He was warm and velvety soft while also getting harder by the second, and you gasped at the look in his eyes. "Does this feel good?" you asked softly as his pupils widened.

He nodded once, and his voice sounded raspier as he told you, "Yes."

"Good," you mused out loud, unable to contain your smirk as Jake grunted softly. "If you like it, then the guy from my physics class who I want to go out with will probably like it, too."

Suddenly, Jake's hand was on your wrist in an iron-tight grasp, preventing you from stroking him. "What?" you gasped, his hand tightening incrementally as something dangerous flashed in his eyes.

"Lesson number one. When you're with a guy, and you have your hand wrapped around his cock, you shouldn't be talking about a different guy."

You pouted up at him and said, "I already told you earlier that part of the reason I wanted to lose my virginity was so it would feel good when I get with Cooper."

"And I'm telling you right now that you're done talking about him," he grunted. "Got it?"

A chill of delight ran up your spine as you whispered, "Yes. Understood."

His grasp on your wrist released immediately, and he leaned in, kissing you softly one time. "That's just a surefire way to get a guy jealous," he informed you, and another little chill ran through your body as you considered that maybe you just made him a little jealous. 

When you ran your hand along his length again, his lips were back on yours immediately, and he moved you so your leather covered butt was pressed against the edge of his countertop. Then he took your hips in both of his big hands, and you whimpered into his mouth. He teased you, pulling away slightly just so you'd chase him for more. He was throbbing against your palm as your other hand found his hair once again. 

He was sexy. Even the rough stubble on his face felt delicious as it rubbed your chin and cheeks. Then, just as his lips started to migrate along your jaw, he carefully reached for your wrist again, withdrawing your hand from his jeans. "Yes, it feels good, but this isn't about me, Darlin'."

When his lips skimmed down your neck before settling on your pulse point, you whimpered his name. Then he sucked gently on you there while he toyed with the zipper at the side of your mini skirt. He was big and strong, and he smelled good, and as he worked your zipper down, inch by painstaking inch, you shifted so you were rubbing against him.

As soon as his fingers dipped inside the elastic of your underwear, it felt like you were clenching around nothing. Usually you had to use your fingers for a while to get that kind of result, but he hadn't even touched you there yet. Then you realized you were wet. Really wet from his lips and his touch. Your thong felt damp against your skin as your skirt started to slide down your hips, and your voice was a little too loud as you gasped and said, "Okay, I'm ready. I'm definitely ready. Let's do it. Where's your bedroom?"

Jake's lips released your neck. He brought his mouth up to your ear and told you, "Absolutely not. Not yet."

Your skirt slipped a few more inches as Jake ran his nose along the shell of your ear. "God. Do you need me to ask nicely or something? Please?"

"You're playing by my rules. Did you forget? We're not rushing through this." Your skirt dropped to the floor at your feet as Jake pulled away and looked at your face. "Unless you're not having a good time, Darlin'. Say the words, and I'll stop."

You had no control of your body as your head tipped back, a low moan escaping as you said, "I don't want you to stop." You panted as you rubbed your wet panties against the open fly of his jeans. "It feels so good. But I want more."

Jake's hand found the back of your head, tilting it forward until you were looking at him again. "What do you want me to do to you?" he asked as one of his calloused fingers played with the lace trim along the top of your underwear.

"I want you to fuck me," you whispered with a moan, nodding your head as he smirked at you. 

"Really, pretty girl? You sure that's it? Because it sounds more like you want me to make you feel good." His fingers stroked up to your belly button and back down again as you bucked against him. "I think you know by this point in our conversation that you're allowed to enjoy this. And I can tell that's what you really want." 

"What could possibly feel better than getting fucked?" you asked in desperation. "I want you to fuck me!"

"No, you don't," he whispered, voice harsh and needy. He kissed you hard on the mouth two times before adding, "You want me to make you feel better than you've ever felt before. You want me to touch you with more skill than you can touch yourself. And none of that has to do with me fucking you. Tell me I'm wrong."

You bit down on your lip as his hand reached around to your butt, and suddenly you knew for sure it wouldn't have been like this with Rooster or any of the other guys at the bar. They would have fucked you and unloaded into one of the three condoms by now. Maybe you wouldn't have even gotten wet for them. You'd probably be back at your place in bed, planning on seeing Cooper on Monday morning with a new outlook on life. But it wouldn't have been like this.

Jake wanted more than that for your first time, and now you were starting to see that you could have more as his rough fingers kneaded into you. If you were already about to come just from rubbing yourself on him, then playing by his rules and letting him take his time was sounding better by the second.

You took a deep breath, let your lips brush against his and told him, "I want you to make me feel good."

"That's more like it, Darlin'," he crooned. "I'll take care of you."

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

Jake is about to show you that he's a man of his word. He keeps his promises, and he's already made some to you. Thanks @beyondthesefourwalls

PART 3

@blahehblah

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[allthingsfangirl101]

Not Hangman To Her – Jake "Hangman" Seresin

"We are about to embark on an emergency rescue mission," Maverick said. Instantly, all of the pilots straightened up as he continued. "The U.S.S. Reynolds set off three days ago. Their mission was supposed to be simple but it took a bad turn. After a dogfight, three out of their four pilots were killed."

"What about the fourth?" Rooster asked.

"She's MIA," Maverick sighed. "We are close to her last known coordinates. We've been asked to complete a search and rescue."

"Who's the pilot?" Phoenix asked.

"Her name is Lieutenant Y/F/N Y/L/N."

Hangman's heart jumped into his throat when Maverick put the pilot's picture on the screen. His mind raced as his eyes and thoughts were glued to the girl he met in training.

Y/N? There's no way she would be mixed up in all this. She's the best pilot. Whatever happened was not pilot error. Y/N didn't do anything to put her in this position. She's too. . . perfect to make a mistake that would cost her her life or the lives of her team.

"Hangman."

Hangman jumped when Rooster walked by, kicking his shoe. "You good?"

"I'm fine," Hangman said, clearing his throat.

"You sure?" Payback scoffed. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Do you know someone on the U.S.S. Reynolds?" Phoenix asked.

"No," he said a little too quickly. "Why would I know anyone on the U.S.S. Reynolds?"

Before his team could tell he was lying, he left the room. He went back to his bunk and slammed the door shut behind him. Hangman frantically searched through his stuff, and at the very bottom, finally found the picture of him and Y/N in training.

~ • ~

"Keep up, Seresin!" Y/N laughed as she ran ahead of me.

As fast as I pumped my legs, I could never outrun Y/N. Then again, I didn't try to. I couldn't help but like the feeling I got when she bragged about being the better pilot. I loved how happy she got as she excitedly jumped around after beating me. I liked that it made her so happy.

"I win again!" Y/N giggled as she jumped and spun around. "Say it. Say that I am faster than you, Seresin. Say it. Say it. Say it."

I pretended to be angry as she jogged around me and chanted for me to say it. I didn't mind saying it but she expected me to push back, so I did.

"If I say it, will you stop circling me?"

Y/N stopped right in front of me. She smiled cheekily at me as she bounced on her toes. "Did you have something to say to me, Seresin?"

"You are the faster runner, Y/L/N," I recited just for her. "You're better than me."

"And don't you forget it!" She giggled as she went back to jumping up and down. Suddenly, her ankle gave out. I instantly caught her and pulled her close to my chest.

"You okay?" I asked, my voice soft.

"I think so," she said slowly.

"Are you sure?" I asked, starting to panic. "Maybe I should take a look at it. Here, sit down and I will. . ."

"I'm fine, Jake," Y/N chuckled as she patted my shoulder.

She turned away from me and stretched her legs as I overthought the last 2 minutes. The thought of Y/N in pain made me want to do anything I could to make sure she wasn't in it anymore.

I'd do anything to make sure Y/N was happy, healthy, and safe.

~ • ~

Hangman snapped out of the memory, his hands shaking as he held the picture. The idea that Y/N was out there somewhere, lost and alone, filled him with more fear than he knew what to do with.

"She's okay," he mumbled to himself. "She's safe. We are going to find her. We are going to find her. I will find you, Y/N, I promise."

* * * * *

The next few hours went by in a blur for Hangman. The ship changed course toward Y/N's last known location. When they got there, Hangman and a few others took off in their planes and began searching the water for any sign of Y/N or her plane.

As he searched, all Hangman could do was think of the worst-case scenarios.

What if they're looking in the wrong area? What if they find her plane but not her? What if they find her but it's too late? What if they find her and get her back to the ship, but can't save her? What if he never finds her? What if he loses her? What if he loses her before he gets a chance to tell her how he feels?

"We got her!" Rooster yelled, pulling Hangman out of his spiral.

"Well, we got pieces of her plane," Payback sighed.

Hangman quickly turned around and flew to them. He started searching the sea for any sign of the girl he was crazy about. Finally, his eyes landed on something that instantly burned into his brain - Y/N unconscious on a piece of her plane.

"I got her," he said, his voice not nearly loud enough. He cleared his throat and tried again but louder this time. "She's over here!"

"Maverick, we got her! We need a search and rescue party now!"

"Stay there," Maverick instructed through their headsets. "We're sending one to your coordinates now."

Hangman didn't move his plane an inch. Instead, he stayed right where he was and kept a close eye on Y/N's unconscious body. He wanted nothing more than to dive into that water and swim to her. Instead, he hovered close enough to keep an eye on her as the ship sent a medical boat to their location. Hangman watched as the divers pulled her out of the water and safely onto the boat.

Once they had her, Hangman sped back to the ship. He landed and instantly jumped out of his plane and ran as fast as he could to the infirmary. When he got there, they were just bringing her in.

"Y/N?" Hangman panicked. His heart jumped into his throat when he caught a glimpse of her unconscious and pale body.

"Woah, stop," Maverick said as he grabbed Hangman before he could run into the exam room. "The doctors have her. They will do whatever they can to help her."

Hangman looked behind Maverick to see the exam doors close, separating him from the girl of his dreams.

"They will come get us as soon as they have any news about Lieutenant Y/L/N's status," he said with a knowing look in his eyes. Maverick wasn't sure how Hangman and Y/N were connected, but one look at the worry in his eyes and Maverick knew there was something.

"I just want to. . . I wish there was. . ." Hangman stuttered. "I just want to help her, Mav."

"All we can do now is relax and wait," Maverick said gently. Maverick studied him briefly before finally asking, "How well do you know Lieutenant Y/L/N?"

"Y/N and I were in training camp together," Hangman sighed as he sat in a nearby chair. "Some guys in our group were giving her a hard time. I defended her and after that, we got close. We ran together, trained together, studied together. We did everything together until we got our orders to ship out. We were sent to different ships and. . . I haven't talked to her since she shipped out. I tried to keep track of her but. . ."

Maverick waited for him to continue, but Hangman got distracted by his memories. Maverick sat next to him and gently patted his shoulder. "The good news is we found her," Maverick tried to comfort him. "The doctor told me that he thinks we got to her just in time."

"That's good," Hangman said numbly, "I guess."

The rest of their team slowly trickled in as they waited. Two hours later, the doctor finally came out.

"How is she?" Hangman panicked as he jumped up and met the doctor.

"She's okay," the doctor reassured. "She's dehydrated, a little sunburned, and has a slight concussion from the crash. Honestly, she should be way worse. She's extremely lucky."

"So, she's going to be okay?" Hangman double-checked.

"She's going to be fine," he nodded. "All she needs is a couple of good nights' sleep and some healthy meals. She should be back on her feet in a few days. I would, however, recommend that she not return to her ship just yet."

"Why not?" Bob asked.

"Well," the doctor sighed, "if we send her back to her ship, they will most likely put her back in a plane. She may be physically alright, but we have no idea how she is mentally. And that's something we can't check or test until she wakes up."

"Thank you," Maverick said, shaking the doctor's hand before he went back to Y/N.

"Wait," Hangman said, jogging to catch up to the doctor. "Is there. . . I was just wondering. . . I know her and. . . I was hoping. . ."

"She's not awake," the doctor said gently, "but you can sit by her bed until she does."

Hangman took that invitation and instantly went into Y/N's room. When he saw her asleep in the bed, his heart broke. He numbly walked over and collapsed into the chair next to the bed. He scanned her, searching for any injuries. She had a pretty big gash on her forehead, pieces of glass were taken out of her face, and she had bruises across her chest from her harness.

With shaking hands, Hangman reached over and gently grabbed Y/N's hand. "I'm right here, Y/N," he whispered. "And I'm not going anywhere until you wake up."

* * * * *

Y/N was unconscious for the next 14 hours. Hangman stayed by her side the entire time. His crew tried to get him to leave, but he refused. He barely ate and didn't sleep as he waited for her to wake up. He was starting to fall asleep when he felt her hand tighten around his.

"Y/N?" He whispered.

"Jake?" Hangman instantly leaned forward when he heard her beautiful voice whisper his name. "What are we. . . I thought you were. . . Where am I?"

"It's okay," he instantly soothed. "What matters is that you're safe. What do you remember?"

"I don't know," she said, shakily. "It was supposed to be a simple mission. But. . . I was shot down."

Hangman tightened his grip on her hand and scooted closer to her. He watched, his heart breaking as she remembered what happened. When the tears started streaming down her face, he gently caught one with his thumb. He kept his hand on her face as he tried to comfort her.

"Y/N," he said gently, "everything's okay. You're safe, okay? We found you and we are going to take care of you."

"Jake?" Her voice broke. He moved his hand from her face and scooted closer to her.

"Yeah?"

"Were you the one that found me?"

"Well," he cleared his throat, "I just. . . My whole team was there."

"But you found me," she said, already knowing the answer. "Right?"

Hangman laughed awkwardly as he reached up and scratched the back of his neck.

"I knew it," she chuckled weakly. Hangman felt his face burn as she smiled at him.

"How'd you know?" He chuckled.

"I like to think I know you pretty well, Seresin."

Hangman smiled when he remembered why she never liked calling him Hangman. She actually hated his callsign. She always said it didn't fit him. And when it came to her, she was right. He'd never hang her out to dry.

"Because," she continued, "You always find me when I'm in trouble."

"I would've searched the entire ocean for you," Hangman mumbled. Y/N's face softened when she saw the seriousness in his eyes.

"Jake," she whispered as she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward her. He didn't fight her as she pulled him down so he was lying next to her.

"I'm really glad you found me," she whispered, cuddling into his chest.

"Me too," he mumbled as he looked down and saw the exhaustion in her eyes. "I promise I won't let you out of my sight this time."

She let out a small giggle causing him to tighten his arms around her.

"I've really missed you, Seresin."

He looked at her and watched her eyes flutter closed. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

"I've really missed you too, Y/L/N."

[accioprocrastination]

Phone Calls Home

Jake "Hangman" Seresin x reader

Summary: Two snapshots of girl dad Jake calling home.

I know I said it was a one shot but this is technically another follow up to His Girls but can be read alone.

A/N: I haven't proof read this and don't think it's any good but releasing it from the drafts for you

Masterlist

GIF by unicornships

Jake leaves the hard deck early enough to get the bunk to himself. Finally free from the background noise, he's dialling your number before he's even taken his jacket off.

"Hey." You grumble sleepily.

"Shit did I wake you up?" Jake responds looking at the time and finally registering the time difference - it's the middle of the night back home.

"I can go." Jake says instantly.

You wipe your eyes to force yourself to be more alert. "No don't go - it's nice to hear your voice. I wasn't really sleeping anyway. Abs it at a sleepover and you know what she's like, I'm surprised she hasn't called me to pick her up already." You respond.

Jake smirks at the memory and retorts "Last time you made me get up at 3 am to go get her, so it is your turn."

You feign outrage. "You jumped at the chance to go because Ivy had colic. Both were bad options but you know picking up Abbie was the better one!"

He giggles because you've called him out.

"How was your day?" You ask him.

"Meh." He responds.

"Wow, that good?" you ask.

"It was okay - it's nice to see some of the squad again but I miss you guys." Jake answers.

"We miss you too." You respond - neither of you acknowledging it's only been a couple of days. God only knows how much longer he's going to be gone.

"It's quiet without you here... Well maybe not quiet with Ivy's singing but you know what I mean." You reply missing having him here to chat to.

"I feel like an awful parent for missing their events." Jake confesses as tears of guilt fill his eyes. You'd wipe them away if you were with him.

His voice falters as he admits, "I feel like I'm missing loads of them growing up. I took the training job to be home more and I don't feel like I have been."

"That science project is pretty much yours Jake, short of presenting it for her there's nothing else you could do to help her." You retort.

"And I'll record the play for you even if I have to hold my phone up for two hours." You assure him.

Jake smirks slightly in response, he's mentally transported to the last time you were in this scenario and your hand shake made the video almost unwatchable.

He nods, internally already feeling homesick.

"You're a great dad to them." You say after he's silent in thought for a beat.

Jake's eyebrows are scrunched together in worried thought before he says, "I love you."

"I love you too" you reciprocate wishing you could make him believe everything you've just said.

"Are you going to be okay without me?" he questions voice breaking again as he begins to spiral about being far from home.

"We'll be okay I promise, you don't need to worry." You assure him.

Jake will never vocalise how uneasy he finds it away from home. He's seen your depression at it's worst and he knows if your pills stopped working you wouldn't be able to look after the kids. You've been medicated since right after you met him, so he knows it's stupid to think about that but it doesn't stop him - especially if he has to go no contact.

He can't tell you it's no contact indefinitely from next week.

Fanboy comes in and starts chatting his ear off as Jake gestures at the phone and for him to shut up.

"I've got to go. I'll call you soon." Jake promises.

"Okay." you yawn before adding, "text me when you get bored, I miss hearing your random thoughts throughout the day."

And to think we wondered where Abbie gets her anxiety about being away from home, she's just like him.

*

A few days pass before Jake's able to call Abbie to get the lowdown on the sleepover she went to. He knows he's on a time crunch already as Fanboy walks past the window for the second time in 5 minutes.

"I wish I could be there to see it baby." Jake says in response to his daughter talking about her science fair tomorrow.

"Thanks for helping me with it." She responds quietly, afraid to speak up and tell him how much she's missing him.

"It was actually really fun." He admits with a smile. "Much better than when you ask for help with your English homework." he adds making her laugh.

"Yeah because you're my go to person for that." She sarcastically rolls her eyes on the other end of the phone, both of them aware that he's the worst person to ask for help on that subject.

"How's your sister?" Jake asks hesitantly knowing her answer will only make him miss them more.

"Loud!" Abbie sighs.

"How's her practice going for her play?" He persists.

Abbie laughs, "I don't think you'll be missing anything there Dad."

He chuckles despite the wave of homesickness that hits him, "that bad?"

"She's less musically inclined than you and mum put together. I don't know how I'm going to keep a straight face through the play." she worries making him smirk.

"Yeah. I wanted to ask actually is a-" She gets cut off by you talking to her In the background.

"What's she saying?" Jake asks.

"She said she's still okay to record the play for you as long as you don't complain about the video not being central." Abbie says.

Jake laughs again at the memory - wanting to play it back for Abbie to understand how horrendous it was.

"I miss you." Abbie says quietly.

Jake silently nods, feeling a lump in his throat from his unspoken longing to come home.

"I miss you too." he says voice breaking slightly as Phoenix, Fanboy and Bob signal him to hurry up.

"I've got to go Abs but I will call you back as soon as I can." Jake promises, coughing to cover up the wobble in his voice. "I love you guys."

"Bye Dad." She whispers.

"Bye Abs." He says heart momentarily cracking as he hangs up.

Tags:

@onlyrealjoy - There's plenty more where this came from!

A/N: I just finished reading the new hunger games book so my drafts are getting really angsty but I feel like my heart has been ripped out 😭

[midnightdevotion]

Not Real (1)

Hi Guys!! I mentioned writing this fic back in august??? anyways sorry for taking so long. I'm trying to have more balance with my creative hobbies and do them more regularly.

Description: Hangman, ever elusive and avoiding commitment finally finds the one. Except she doesn't think love is real anymore. Part 1

Warnings: Depression, Reader loses themselves, Slow burn, and I do use y/n so sue me ig

Pairing: Jake Seresin x female Reader

Readers POV

It's an uncharacteristically rainy day in Southern California. You heave a small sigh at the ever lasting grey clouds. To be completely honest, your life has felt like an everlasting grey cloud recently.

Heart broken one too many times, seemed to take the color out of life. You were someone who looked at fuzzy bumble bee's and grinned. Who felt the wind blow against her skin and let it relax any tension.

Now it was like nothing but grey existed in your mind. You didn't know how to escape the hallow shell you have turned into. It felt like the person you were is so far gone and yet you still vividly remember every thing. Every thing you loved about the version of you, you just can't seem to reach any more.

The easy laughter no longer came, the yellow sunshine your personality was described as now ashes and dull. The worst part of all of it was nobody noticed.

Nobody put together how your entire world was ripped away and nobody saw how it changed you. How you could barely get through the day, crawling back into bed as soon as you get home.

These endless grey days lasted months. A good thing would happen, you got a raise, and cried to yourself later that night. It was good, why didn't anything feel good, why didn't you feel like enough anymore.

------

You could feel the change, not sure when it happened but it felt like it was so slow and then all at once. One day you couldn't imagine being happy ever again, and suddenly, one day you had your spark back.

You'd never wish on your worst enemy the 8 months you had just lived through, the thoughts that haunted you now just painful memories you can push to the side and leave behind.

You found friends you genuinely feel happy to know. Who have your back in every scenario. It started with meeting Phoenix, or rather Natasha. You first met Natasha after forcing yourself to go to the gym regularly. Hoping the endorphins that release from exercise would help your depression.

In ways they did, like the butterfly effect. You went to the gym, every day for a week and Natasha noticed. She noticed the empty eyes, and came up to you one afternoon. She introduced herself and asked if you wanted to be friends, In her exact words

"I'm sorry if this sounds weird but I work with all dudes and I genuinely need someone to talk to that doesn't rage testosterone, soooo brunch Sunday?"

And it sparked a real laugh out of you, a sound that use to be so common to you now unfamiliar to your own ears.

It's been six months since then, you and Phoenix have grow very close, She has introduces you to a few of her coworkers 'the safe few' she has dubbed them.

It was a usual Thursday night for you when you get a call from her, asking you to come to the hard deck. Which is unusual for her, she usually liked to keep her aviator life separate from her friendship with you.

It didn't bother you, her reasoning of pilots are assholes and your aversion to getting hurt again made it pretty straight forward to take her word for it.

So when you pulled up to the parking lot of the infamous bar she frequents with her navy friends. It feels a little like going into the lions den.

You roll you shoulders and sigh. An old version of you tickling the back of your mind that this is what you should be doing when you're young and single. Not moping because your heart got shattered beyond repair. Or so you believed anyways.

The loud ambiance of the bar was startling slightly, for a Thursday night the bar is packed. A sea of never ending khaki it takes you a few minutes to find your friend.

"y/n!" Rooster calls, one of the few 'safe friends' you have met. He has always been nice to you, and in fact regularly joins your girls nights.

"Hi rooster" you grin at the mustached golden retriever. Giving him a side hug, trying not to feel intimidated by the eyes on you. "nobody told me khaki was the move tonight" you laughed

Rooster shook his head grinning. "I know, it's bad isn't it" and okay it definitely isn't the look for some, but you will definitely attest that rooster and every in this area seems to pull them off well.

"oof" a grunt leaves your lips as you are suddenly hugged from the side, a slightly taller brunette almost taking you down with her on impact.

"Nat what on earth" you laugh.

"I-II knew you would c-come!" She slurred her words and her eyes looked at you unfocused. You furrow your brow and help balance her.

"uh phoenix why did you ask me to come? do you need a ride home?" there was a small part of you that was hoping she would say yes and you could leave the loud crowd, especially feeling like a sore thumb being one of the very few people in denim shorts and a tank top.

"No- No, si-silly. Hangman here said I didn't have any friends, so I bet him I did and that you would come here and prove it." you laughed because Natasha was always betting on things, especially when she gets tipsy. "he owes me fifty bucks now" she grins

"HANGMAN!!" you wince as she shouts in your left ear. You hear a slow drawl that sounds like he's somewhere from the south in reply.

"Yea yea Phe, I will get you cash tomorrow" You turn your head and notice the tall blonde man leaning against the wall. Clearly watching this whole interaction. He gives you a wide grin, one you can tell right away means he gets what he wants and has no problem breaking hearts.

"what I can't figure out is why phoenix has been hiding you all this time" his eyebrow raises when he notice you grimace, his clear attempt to be charming not impressing you.

"probably cause pilots are assholes" is your albeit maybe a little to monotoned reply. It's not that you wanted to be mean. You just had to shut down any attempt at flirting. You don't think any version of your heart could ever love again.

What you didn't expect was for him to cock his head a small smile playing on his lips.

"well Phoenix has always been smart that way" not offended that you basically called him and half the people in this bar an asshole. "I'm Jake though, or as you heard earlier, hangman"

You just nod, finally getting introductions to the rest of the group. Excluding bob and rooster, the only other pilots you had been introduced too.

Despite only being called upon to win fifty dollars (which phoenix is buying brunch for on Sunday) You found yourself enjoying the company and getting to know the people Phoenix spent most of her time with. Finally putting names to faces she has definitely complained about.

At a certain point rooster goes up to the piano, something you had heard he does before coming tonight. You exited the bar for a few minutes to breathe. Thinking about the past and how the old you would be relishing in the socialization, singing along with rooster and the others, no worried and unbroken.

"Penny for your thoughts?" you startle looking to the left and seeing hangman leaning against the wall to the bar.

"Trust me you don't want to spend a penny on those" you laugh, but it feels a little hallow.

"why not, I already spent fifty bucks to prove you existed" that laugh comes a little easier.

"why'd you do that by the way?" you question. he had to have known you were real.

"honestly because phoenix talks about you a lot, and rooster and bob started mentioning you and I was curious"

"curiosity cost the cat fifty dollars apparently" you throw a grin at him, walking out to the sand kicking your sandals to the side to feel the coldness of the sand touch your skin. You weren't surprised when he followed, you kind of expected it.

"it sure did... but I have a gut feeling it was the best money I've every spent" It makes something old and dead flutter inside you, and it scares the shit out of you.

"I don't know you ever spend fifty bucks on pizza when it's just you? cause that's some pretty good self care to me" you can't tell how he takes your evasion of his comment.

"that's pretty good too, but my gut feelings are usually right." in the past maybe heat would've rushed to your cheeks at his comment. Now though, fear rushed to your heart. You turned to look at him. No response on the tip of your tongue, and you were scared how awkward this interaction was going to get.

"well goodnight Darling, hope I see you again soon" and he smiled at you, then turned and walked to his truck. You watched as he pulled out of the parking lot, until his taillights faded. You headed back into the bar to say your goodbyes.

Later that night as you crawled into bed, mind blazing over everything that happened unexpectedly and knowing you'll be in for a tired tomorrow.

You couldn't get the thought of a certain blue eyed pilot out of you mind.

----

Jakes POV

He'd been hearing stories about you for months, Funny, sarcastic, kind, caring, every thing you could imagine in form of stories for months. At first he thought nothing of it, Phoenix having a girl friend is probably good when she deals with him everyday.

Then Bob started talking about you and funny stories with you and Phoenix. Then Rooster added into the group. It was safe to say Jake was feeling severe FOMO.

He had a plan. Get phoenix tipsy and she's pretty suggestible to anything, especially betting. So yes he planned on getting you to the bar, shamelessly flirting with Phoenix's friend and annoying Natasha the next day.

The universe had other plans, because when Jake laid eyes on you, it was like a spotlight was shining on you, he couldn't see anyone else. The bitter rage he felt at roosters hand on your side when you gave him a sheepish hug, burned hot.

So when he hit you with a flirty one liner, and you retorted, usually he wouldn't have given up. He saw it though, in your eyes, the cold dark fear. He became curious, what happened to make you so guarded, and why did he want to solve that so badly?

He sat in that bar and watched you laugh and joke, the smile never really reached your eyes though.

So Jake went home that night, focused on a new goal.

He wants to make you smile-- really smile.

[all-my-love-for-harry]

❧ Almost Eden (part four)

pairing; jake seresin x childhood friend!reader

summary; you and Jake finally talk, and he offers a sincere apology for the way he treated you years ago. But while his words may come from the heart, rebuilding trust isn’t easy—especially when old wounds still ache and doubts linger beneath the surface.

word count; 3.9k

a/n; another long one! I wanted to get all the tension between them out so we could get to the fluffy parts!! comments and reblogs are appreciated, i love reading what you think, thank you for reading <3

also! i was toying with the idea of writing little blurbs about these two if you have any scenario in mind or it could be a flashback, anything! my requests are open for both this universe or any other idea!

series masterlist

It seemed like every time life started to feel even slightly manageable, something blew up in her face. And this time? The ticking bomb had a name: Jake Seresin.

Of all the things you imagined saying to Jake if you ever saw him again, silence wasn’t one of them. In your daydreams, you gave him a hard time—maybe rolled your eyes, maybe made him squirm—but in the end, you always forgave him. Because that’s who he remembered you as: the ever-forgiving girl, too soft to hold a real grudge.

But he caught you on the wrong day. The new meds had your moods swinging like a pendulum, and the stifling Texan heat wasn’t doing you any favors. You weren’t thinking clearly. You were just tired—of pretending, of holding it together, of being the girl he used to know.

So you snapped. The shock of seeing him again caught you off guard, and instead of finding the right words, you reached for the sharpest ones—anything to make him turn around and leave. You saw the moment his eyes landed on the pill bottles spilling out of your bag, and you didn’t miss the way his expression shifted. That flicker of concern. Or maybe pity. Either way, it stung.

It shouldn’t have mattered. He wasn’t anything to you—not anymore. He hadn’t known you in over fifteen years. So why did it hurt so much to see that look on his face? Why did you care what he thought of you?

Knowing Jake Seresin was back in town left you unsettled, like the air itself had changed the moment he arrived, tilting everything just slightly off balance.

Unfortunately, if you knew Jake was back in town, it was only a matter of time before she did too.

“Imagine my surprise when Caroline Seresin mentioned her son’s return,” Elizabeth drawled. And there it was.

She stood tall in her signature red bottoms, towering in every sense of the word, her gaze fixed on you with that familiar, calculating glint. She looked at you like she always did—like she knew something you didn’t, like she was already three moves ahead. Her voice dripped with condescension, the way it always did when she spoke to you, like you were a child she’d long since given up on understanding.

If you didn’t know any better, you might’ve mistaken the look in her eyes for pity.

But your mother didn’t do pity. Only disappointment. And disgust.

"I remember how you used to follow that poor boy around like a lost puppy. You were obsessed with him." She laughed; not because it was funny, but because she knew it would sting. And she liked that. The cruelty was light, almost casual, like it cost her nothing to twist the knife.

Still, you chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I remember."

“I just don’t want you to get hurt again, sweetheart. You do remember he only spent time with you because he felt he had to… not because he actually wanted to.”

She left the room like a hurricane—sudden, furious, and without looking back. In her wake, she left nothing but wreckage, never once pausing to consider who she'd torn apart.

And you?

You were always the one left to pick up the pieces.

“Did she say Jake Seresin is back? Oh, I remember him from when you were little,” said Marleen, the oldest housekeeper in the house, and the only one who ever truly looked after you when your mother couldn’t be bothered.

“So he’s a local celebrity now?” you muttered, rolling your eyes.

Marleen didn’t miss a beat. “Keep rolling them like that and one day they’ll stick back there.”

You didn’t say a word—you didn’t need to. She simply set another cup of tea in front of you and gently ran her fingers through your hair. Slow, comforting, like she knew something you hadn’t found the words for yet. Like a mother might soothe her child—quietly, tenderly, as if touch alone could ease the ache.

The gesture alone should’ve brought you to tears—but lately, you’d felt so numb, you weren’t sure you remembered how.

“Why don’t you invite him over? It might be nice to catch up.”

“Catching up is something old friends do. And in case you missed the delightful conversation I just had with my mother—Jake and I were never friends.”

“Miss Elizabeth, bless her heart, says a lot of things. Doesn’t mean she’s ever been right.”

You let out a quiet laugh—of course she’d say something like that, bold as ever, with your mother still lurking somewhere in the house. Only Marleen.

But the mention of Jake made your smile falter. You pressed your lips together, unsure. Not because you didn’t want to see him… but because, deep down, some part of you still felt like that little girl who would’ve given anything just to be near him.

“He looked rough, you know? Had a sling on his arm and was all bruised up.”

Marleen glanced at her again, trying to suppress the knowing smile tugging at her lips. She’d always known it only took a gentle nudge to get you talking. You were never much of a chatterbox when the medication changed—quieter, more withdrawn—but she hated the silence.

She preferred when you filled the room with your voice, turning small moments into conversation. Like when you asked for help with a new pie recipe, or when your eyes lit up talking about something you loved. Those were the moments that reminded her of the bright, curious little girl she’d met all those years ago.

“And did you ask him why?”

“We didn’t exactly stop to chat.”

“Mhm. And whose choice was that?”

You groaned. “Why do I have to be the one reaching out? Last time I did, you know how that ended.”

“Well,” Marleen said gently, “from what I’m gathering now, he did reach out—and you shut him down.”

There was no malice in her voice, no judgment—just calm honesty. She wasn’t trying to scold you. She just knew how much Jake had once meant to you. And if his return meant you might finally have someone to lean on again, she wasn’t about to let pride get in the way.

“You don’t get it. He looked at me exactly the way he did back then, like nothing’s changed. Who’s to say he doesn’t still see me as that clingy little girl he had when he was younger?"

"There's only one way to find out."

[...]

Jake hadn’t had a moment to let his thoughts settle. His father was back, and the house—once full of warmth and laughter—had fallen silent again. The air felt heavier now, thick with an old tension he hadn’t missed. It was like stepping back in time, to when he was a boy, flinching at every sharp word, every disapproving glance, waiting for the next reprimand over nothing at all.

The less Jake saw of his father, the better. So he asked his mother to move him out of his childhood bedroom and into the guest house. It was quieter there—peaceful, but in the right way. The kind of quiet that gave him space to think, to breathe… to figure out how he was going to earn back your trust.

From the moment his mother finally told him the truth—raw and unfiltered—he knew he couldn’t stay on the sidelines. He hadn’t seen you in years, hadn’t known the version of you that had endured so much. But deep down, he knew you weren’t the girl your mother made you out to be. He wanted to help. He wanted to do what he never did back then—

Show up.

He couldn’t quite explain why this felt so personal. Or maybe he could—he just wasn’t ready to admit it. For now, he told himself this was just a way to cope with being on leave, grounded and away from the skies. But something had shifted the moment he set foot back in Texas. It was like flipping a switch—Hangman faded into the background, and all that was left was Jake.

Over the years, he’d built himself into a cocky, calculated, arrogant son of a bitch—armor he wore well in the cockpit. But maybe, just maybe, this was his shot at something more. A chance to make things right. A shot at redemption.

“Honey?” His mother’s voice cut through the sound of the running shower, snapping Jake out of his thoughts. “You’ve got a doctor’s appointment.”

“Just a sec!” he called back.

Caroline wandered through the small guest house, taking in the tidy living room with a fond smile. It was so like him—everything in its place. He’d always been a bit of a clean freak. But one thing stood out: his laptop, left open on the coffee table. She hesitated. She wasn’t one to snoop—never had been, not with her kids—but this time, curiosity nudged her forward.

She leaned in to glance at the screen.

It was you.

He had several tabs open, all about you. Local news articles mentioning your name, stories about the charities and organizations you supported, and even a few pieces from your time abroad. Most were filed under the “society” section, painting the picture of a well-connected young woman. One headline, bold and underlined, even poked fun at you—something snide about nepotism, dressed up as humor.

“You know what’s strange? A lot of these articles mention her being committed. If it were my child, I’d pay anything to keep that out of the headlines.”

“The press isn’t always for sale, sweetheart. Maybe Elizabeth tried, but some things still slip through.”

Yeah, right. He thought.

Caroline Seresin, bless her heart, had never been good at recognizing evil. Raised as the only daughter in an impossibly wealthy family, she’d been sheltered from the worst of the world. Maybe that’s why she was still with his father—or so Jake liked to tell himself. She wasn’t naïve, not exactly, but she had a stubborn habit of searching for redeeming qualities in people who had none to give. It would take more than cruelty or indifference to convince her someone was beyond saving.

“There’s more to it, Mom—I can feel it.”

“I’ve told you everything I know.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s everything there is to know.”

She knew that once Jake set his mind on something, there was no stopping him, no words that would make him let it go. So she didn’t try. If chasing the truth meant he might be able to help you, then she would let him chase it. Caroline was too gentle, too kind-hearted to speak out on your behalf without proof, and the truth was, she didn’t have any. Just instincts. Quiet observations. And the ache of knowing something wasn’t right.

[…]

Jake didn’t find you at the café this time. He wandered through town, glancing into every shop window, hoping for even a glimpse of you—but you were nowhere to be seen. Logically, he knew you were probably at home. But logic didn’t quiet the hesitation in his chest. He wasn’t sure if showing up there would get him the chance to talk… or a door slammed in his face.

“Well, if it isn’t Jake Seresin. So the rumors were true, you do look a little worse for wear.” The voice came from behind him—warm, teasing, and familiar in a way that made him pause. He didn’t recognize it right away, but the tone told him he probably should.

Marleen.

He remembered her now. She used to sneak you cookies when your mother wasn’t looking, even after being told not to. She was older, of course. The last time he’d seen her was over fifteen years ago, and the silver streaks in her hair told him just how much time had passed. But her smile was the same: warm, familiar, just softened by a few more wrinkles.

“I don’t expect you to remember me,” she went on with a chuckle. “Truth be told, I barely recognized you myself. Last time I saw you, you had chicken wings for arms.”

That did make him laugh. "And you're as sassy as I remember you, Marleen."

"What brings you back to town? Haven't seen you around in a long time, boy."

“Fell flat on my face from a thousand feet, literally.” He lifted his left arm, still wrapped in bandages despite the sling being gone. “Turns out, the Navy gets a little touchy when you break half your body mid-flight. Who knew?”

Now it was her turn to laugh softly. “You should stop by the house sometime. She could use a friend… even if she pretends she doesn’t. And don’t let that tough act fool you—she’s already forgiven you. Probably long before she even realized it.”

“Actually, I’ve been looking for her, been wandering around like a fool.”

“Well, you are a fool,” she scoffed. “Who in their right mind walks around in this heat on purpose?” She shook her head, already turning. “Come on. Her mother’s too busy planning some fancy charity gala for the weekend, she won’t even notice you slipping through the door.”

He knew better than to argue, so he followed her to a sleek black SUV parked at the curb. The driver, a tall and broad-shouldered man he didn’t recognize, gave off the kind of quiet authority that matched the barista’s description from the other day.

Jake wasn’t someone who got nervous—years in the cockpit had taught him how to keep his emotions in check. But as he settled into the back seat, an uneasy feeling pooled in his stomach. Seeing you at the café had been one thing. Showing up at your home, uninvited, was something else entirely. He had no idea how you’d react.

Your family’s estate matched his in size, but the road leading to it felt longer somehow—as if the weight of everything that had happened made each turn stretch out just a little more.

“She’s by the pool,” Marleen said with a knowing smile. “I’m guessing you still remember the way.”

“Thank you,” he replied, offering her one last smile before stepping outside.

There you were—seated cross-legged on a lounge chair by the pool, completely absorbed in the small canvas balanced on your lap. From the soft strokes and the glint of color on your fingers, it looked like oil paint. He nearly laughed. Of course you’d be painting by the pool. Who does that? But somehow, it suited you perfectly.

“You never liked swimming, not even when we were kids.”

Your hand paused mid-stroke, but only for a second before you kept painting, pretending you hadn’t heard him. “What are you doing here?” you asked, voice flat.

“Can I sit?” he asked instead, gesturing to the chair beside you. “I won’t talk if you don’t want me to.”

You didn’t answer right away. The silence stretched before you finally spoke, eyes still fixed on the canvas.

“Art therapy. Doctor’s orders.”

“What are you painting?”

“My emotions,” you said dryly. “But if I had a choice, I’d rather be drawing.”

He said your name. Softly, almost like a memory slipping through his lips.

Somehow, that was enough to make you look at him.

“I know you probably hate me,” he said, voice low but steady. “And honestly, you have every right to. I left without a word, and I carried on like none of it mattered—like you didn’t matter. But the truth is, I’ve regretted it every damn day. I should’ve stayed. I should’ve said goodbye. You didn’t deserve the way I treated you.”

“Yet you still did it.”

There was no anger in your voice—no bitterness, no edge. Just quiet acceptance. And somehow, that stung more.

He hated it. Hated that you weren’t yelling at him, telling him to get lost, or demanding answers he didn’t have. He would’ve preferred if you’d thrown that damn canvas at his head—at least then, he’d know where he stood.

“It’s fine, you know? I understand. You grew up, moved on—no one wants a kid clinging to them forever. If this is just about guilt… You don’t have to carry it. I already forgave you. A long time ago.”

His brows pulled together. “Honestly, I’d understand if you wanted to slap me.”

You tilted your head, a hint of a smirk tugging at your lips. “I think whatever happened to you is punishment enough, don’t you think?” There was a flicker of humor in your voice that made him exhale—relieved, almost. He smiled.

“What happened to you, anyway?” you asked, finally glancing at him.

“Jet malfunction,” he said with a shrug. “Had to eject. Turns out parachutes get tangled real easy when the universe’s out to get you.”

He shifted a little closer, just enough to feel like he hadn’t lost you completely.

“I can’t believe it took a plane crash to bring you back.”

“I wasn’t lying,” he said, voice low. “I didn’t know how to come back.”

He hesitated, eyes flickering toward you. “And for the record? I did see you as my friend. Always. I’m sorry—Ba—” He caught himself, swore under his breath. “I messed up. Bad. And instead of fixing it, I ran.”

“We were just kids,” you murmured.

“Still. That doesn’t excuse anything.”

“If you felt that bad… why didn’t you ever call?”

He went quiet. The truth sat heavy on his tongue—too messy, too full of shame.

“I wish I had a good answer,” he said finally. “The truth? I was a coward. Guilty, embarrassed. And by the time I found the courage… I thought it was too late.”

“That your best apology?”

Your voice was flat again, unreadable, but the faint spark of humor in your eyes was enough to stop him from feeling like the world’s biggest asshole.

“You’re making me sweat more than any admiral ever has, you know that, sweetheart?”

He knew he was pushing his luck—especially after you barely tolerated the nickname Bambi a few minutes ago—but some habits were hard to kill.

In return, you shrugged. "Five minutes ago you wanted me to slap you, I'd say I let you off easily."

"So I'm off the hook?"

“Depends,” you said. “Did you just come here to apologize and disappear again?”

He shook his head without hesitation.

“I came because ever since I set foot back in this town, I’ve been looking for you—on every street, in every crowd. And when I couldn’t find you, I started seeing you in my dreams.”

He let out a quiet sigh.

“I’m not usually this open, but after everything, the least I owe you is the truth. All of it.”

“When did you grow up, Jake Seresin?”

He smirked. “Didn’t have much of a choice, princess. The Navy doesn’t exactly coddle you.”

“You think that’s ruthless? Try living with my mother.”

He chuckled, even though there was more truth in your words than either of you wanted to unpack. He didn’t press. He couldn’t—not yet. So instead, he played along.

“Not that I’m not glad you’re back… but why leave Europe?”

“Too cold.”

You were lying. He knew it. But he let it slide. Just this once.

“Remember when we were kids? You’d step outside in October wearing three coats.”

You smiled, soft and fleeting. “Then you would’ve had a field day with me in Switzerland. I looked like a walking closet.”

He laughed with you, savoring the sound like it was something rare—something he hadn’t realized he missed until now.

Conversation between you flowed more easily than you ever expected. Jake spoke about the Navy—the places he’d seen, the sky he called home, and the people who’d become family when he wasn’t even looking for one. You told him about boarding school, the friends you'd made from every corner of the world, the countless extracurriculars that kept you sane. You talked about your apartment in London, about the freezing winters, and how—despite everything—you never outgrew your love for horses.

It felt effortless. Natural. Like the kind of reunion your younger self used to dream about. For a moment, it was easy to believe your mother was wrong—that you were just two old friends catching up after too many years apart.

Your canvas sat forgotten at your feet, fingers still streaked with dry paint, but your attention was fixed on the man across from you. He spoke like someone unlearning how to guard his heart, letting you see a side of him that no one else had.

It was like meeting a stranger and recognizing him all at once—someone new, yet unmistakably Jake.

For the first time in years, your problems faded into the background, tucked away in a quiet corner of your mind where they couldn’t reach you. It was a calm no pill had ever managed to offer, a moment of stillness that felt almost foreign in its gentleness.

But no matter how hard you tried to hold onto it, the echo of your mother’s voice crept in, sharp and persistent. The hairs on the back of your neck prickled, a quiet reminder that peace, for you, was always borrowed time. She was never far, always looming, always ready to shatter whatever fragile bubble of happiness you dared to form.

Your mother could only be distracted for so long. You knew the moment would end—your time with Jake had always been fleeting, and tonight would be no different.

“I think I should head out,” Jake said, not meeting your eyes at first. The reluctance in his voice was obvious; he didn’t want to go. But he also knew better than to overstay in a house that watched his every move.

“Planning to disappear again?” you asked, the words lighthearted on your tongue, but the shadow of doubt in your voice gave you away.

He looked at you then—steadily, earnestly. “Are you kidding? I just got you back.”

He stood, offering you his hand with that same boyish charm that had once made you trail after him like a shadow. You took it, and together you walked toward the back door. As soon as you stepped into the quiet of the house, the warmth of the evening was replaced with a cold kind of stillness. It wasn’t late enough to be improper, but it was late enough that silence settled heavily in every hallway.

“Can I see you tomorrow?” he asked. Confident on the surface, but there was a hint of something softer beneath it—hopeful, maybe even desperate.

“See if Marleen can sneak you past security again, and we’ll talk,” you said with a small smirk. But you nodded. That was enough. “Goodnight, Jake.”

“See you tomorrow, Bambi,” he said, the nickname gentle, almost reverent. A promise wrapped in three syllables.

Then he slipped out the front door, and with him went the lightness you didn’t realize you’d let in.

“You still can’t hide it,” your mother’s voice floated down from the top of the staircase, slicing through the quiet. “That silly crush you’ve had on that boy since you were what—eight?”

You froze.

She stood with both arms resting elegantly on the railing, watching you like a hawk. “He’ll leave again, sweetheart. They always do. The sooner you accept that, the better for everyone. We wouldn’t want another... episode, would we? Not like last time, when your little boyfriend decided he’d had enough.”

Her tone was casual, almost amused. But the sting behind her words landed exactly where she wanted it to—right in the wound that hadn’t fully healed.

She smiled then—serene, composed, cruel. “Get some rest, darling. You look like you need it.”

❧

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[thewulf]

Whispers in the Night || Jake "Hangman" Seresin

Summary: Request - Can i request a jake x reader where they're partners/married and she's pregnant (maybe like 6 months) and he has to go on a mission. when he gets back she's just super clingy because 1) she was worried and scared and 2) she just missed him. and maybe he snaps at her

A/N: TY for the request. Love Jake sm!! Enjoy!

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Female Reader

Word Count: 2.4k +

T/W : Angsty in the beginning

The house felt different without Jake. His absence echoed through the rooms leaving a void that seemed impossible to fill. As you sat on the couch the silence of the house felt deafening in Jake's absence. Your fingers absentmindedly traced patterns on your swollen belly seeking comfort in the life growing inside you. But despite the reassuring kicks and movements from your unborn child there was an undeniable sense of unease that settled deep within your heart.

Each day without Jake felt like an eternity. The minutes dragging on as you counted down the moments until his return. You tried to distract yourself with mundane tasks, but the worry and anticipation gnawed at your insides like a relentless tide. Jake made sure you weren’t completely alone though. His mom came to stay with you for a few weeks. Your mom popped over as she could as she lived a few hours away. Even friends would come over keeping you busy, and mind occupied when he wasn’t there. But the nights were always hard. Always when you craved his touch and sweet whispers. Six weeks was a long time for him to be away in the middle of your pregnancy, but you knew what you signed up for when you married him a few years ago.

Being accustomed to Jake's dangerous line of work did little to ease your anxiety this time around. If anything, the realization that you were six months pregnant only amplified your fears. Every news report, every phone call filled you with dread. You mind always seemed to imagine the worst-case scenarios playing out. To add insult to injury you couldn’t even call him or write him. They were on a no contact mission. Your least favorite.

You longed for his presence, his reassuring touch, his calming voice. But as the days turned into weeks, the void left by his absence only seemed to grow larger, consuming you with a sense of longing for the man you called your husband.

Perhaps it was just your maternal instinct kicking in, but the fear of the unknown loomed over you like a dark cloud. It cast a shadow over even the brightest moments. You tried to stay strong for yourself and for your unborn child, but deep down the uncertainty gnawed at your heart with every passing moment. Fortunately for you it was coming up on six weeks and thankfully it had been radio silent. That was the best-case scenario for these types of missions.

The familiar sound of the front door opening stirred you from your slumber though you remained in that hazy state between sleep and wakefulness. As you shifted slightly in bed you felt a pair of strong arms enveloping you pulling you into a warm embrace. Startled by the touch your eyes fluttered open. Y you were met with the sight of Jake, his beautiful face illuminated by the soft glow of the moonlight filtering through the window.

"Jake?" you murmured, your voice heavy with sleep and confusion.

He smiled over at you with his eyes filled with tenderness. "Hey, sweetheart. It's just me. Go back to sleep love." he reassured you. His voice a soothing melody in the quiet of the night.

You blinked trying to process the sudden appearance of your husband. "You're home early though," you observed, your heart fluttering with a mixture of surprise and joy. You were supposed to pick him up from the base in a few days’ time. This was a wonderful surprise though.

Jake nodded as he pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead. "The mission ended earlier than expected. Everyone was eager to get back home.  We all voted on coming back. I just couldn’t wait to see my beautiful wife." he explained. His voice tinged with relief as he watched you with the utmost love in his eyes.

You melted into his embrace. Feeling the warmth of his body against yours, the familiar scent of his cologne enveloping you like a comforting blanket. Despite the initial shock of being awakened from your sleep there was no place you'd rather be than in Jake's arms. As you nestled closer to him you became acutely aware of the changes in your body since he had left. The baby had grown significantly in the six weeks of his absence. Evidence of the new life growing inside you.

He shifted slightly in bed his hand finding its way to your larger belly now. With a tender touch, he traced gentle circles on your skin, his touch sending shivers down your spine. "The little one has grown a lot," he whispered, his voice filled with wonder and awe as he held you close to him revealing in your heartbeat. It was always a silent comfort he craved and missed so dearly while deployed.

You smiled feeling a surge of affection for the man lying beside you. "Growing big and strong just like his or her daddy," you teased while running a hand through his now shaggy hair. The two of you opted to keep the gender a surprise.

He chuckled softly as he pressed another kiss to your forehead. "I missed you, angel" he murmured. His words a silent promise of his unwavering devotion. And as you lay entwined in each other's arms the worries and uncertainties of the world faded away leaving behind only the overwhelming love and warmth that bound you together.

As the next day wore on, Jake couldn't shake off the feeling of being overwhelmed by your presence. Not that it was your intention. But the sheer intensity of your need for him seemed to permeate the very air around them. You craved him, your every move mirroring his own as if you couldn't bear to let him out of your sight for even a moment.

At first Jake found your clinginess endearing. It was a testament to the depth of your love and longing. A quiet declaration of your desire to be close to him after his long absence. He welcomed your affection. Your constant need for his presence filling a void he hadn't even realized existed.

But as the hours stretched on your constant proximity began to grate on his nerves. Every time he turned around you were there watching him with worried eyes. Your need for him palpable in every touch, every word. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate your affection – far from it. But the intensity of your clinginess seemed to smother him leaving him gasping for air in the suffocating embrace of your love.

Jake's time on the carrier had left him overstimulated. He was constantly surrounded by noise and activity. Now back in the familiar confines of home the silence seemed deafening, yet your presence felt like an onslaught of sensory overload. He longed for solitude, for a moment of peace to collect his thoughts and decompress after the chaos of his mission.

Your concern for him only heightened the pressure he felt. The weight of your worry pressing down on him. He knew you meant well, that your clinginess was a manifestation of your love and longing for him. But right now, he just needed space. With every touch, every word, he felt the walls closing in around him. The need for air becoming more desperate with each passing moment. He tried to push down the rising tide of frustration. To swallow the bitter taste of guilt that lingered on his tongue. But it was a losing battle.

As he retreated into himself seeking solace in the quiet recesses of his mind, he couldn't help but feel a pang of remorse at the hurt he knew his words would cause you. But in that moment he couldn't bear to think about anything except the overwhelming need to be alone. To find respite from the constant barrage of emotions threatening to engulf him.

No sooner had he settled on the couch trying to catch up on some much-needed rest. He felt your presence hovering nearby. You stood at the edge of the room. Your eyes never leaving him. Your need for his attention a silent plea that echoed in the silence of the house.

"Y/N, can't you find something else to do?" Jake finally asked. Unable to contain his frustration any longer.

Your heart sank at the sharpness of his tone, the hurt evident in your eyes as you took a step back. A tear welled up in the corner of your eye showing him the hurt you felt inside at the words he just spoke.

"I'm so sorry, Jake," you whispered. Your voice trembling with emotion. "I think it's the hormones."

Jake's heart sank at the sound of your voice. The weight of your words hitting him like a ton of bricks. He could see the hurt etched on your face. The vulnerability in your eyes tugging at his heartstrings.

His expression softened at realization of the pain he had caused evident in his eyes. "No, angel, it's not your fault," he murmured. His voice filled with regret. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I was just... overwhelmed."

He reached out to touch your hand, but you pulled away feeling self-conscious over your sudden clinginess to him. With a heavy heart you turned away walking out of the room despite his profuse apologies. Jake watched helplessly as you retreated into yourself. The distance between you growing with each passing moment.

Jake felt a heavy sense of regret weighing on his chest as he watched you retreat away. Despite his apologies he couldn't shake the feeling that he had let you down. That he had failed to provide the comfort and reassurance you needed in that moment of vulnerability. He wanted nothing more than to reach out to you. To wrap you in his arms and soothe away the hurt he had caused, but he knew that he had to give you the space you needed.

As the hours passed Jake found himself pacing the empty rooms of the house. The silence you had grown accustomed to weighing heavily on his shoulders. He tried to focus on the tasks at hand to distract himself from the gnawing sense of unease that lingered in the back of his mind. But no matter how hard he tried he couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that seemed to permeate every corner of the house. Was this how you felt when he was gone?

Meanwhile, you lay curled up on the bed. Your thoughts consumed by the events of the day. Despite your best efforts to push them away the hurtful words and the sharpness of Jake's tone echoed in your mind. You couldn't help but feel self-conscious of your actions, second-guessing every word you had spoken and every tear you had shed. Even when Jake checked in on you with his concern evident in every word and gesture you couldn't bring yourself to face him. Your need for solitude outweighing the comfort of his presence. You were embarrassed. How could you not pick up on the signs? Of course, he needed space. Missions were a drag. You knew that better than anyone.

And so, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the darkness of night descended upon the house you remained cocooned in your own thoughts. The distance between you and Jake stretching on indefinitely.

But as night fell and the quiet of the house enveloped them, Jake couldn't bear it any longer. He found you in the bedroom where you’d been all day, curled up on the bed. Your tears staining the pillow beneath your head. Without a word he crossed the room and pulled you into his arms holding you close as he pressed a kiss to your forehead.

As Jake held you in his embrace he felt the tension in your body slowly begin to melt away, replaced by a sense of warmth and comfort that washed over him like a gentle tide. He knew that you were pretending to be asleep, your breathing steady and even, but he also knew you too well to be fooled by the facade.

"I know you're awake, angel," he murmured, his voice a soft whisper in the darkness of the room.

You remained silent. Your eyes closed as you listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. The warmth of his body enveloping you like a protective shield. Despite the hurt and the distance that had grown between you, you couldn't deny the overwhelming sense of relief that flooded through you at his touch. The knowledge that he was there by your side, ready to mend the cracks in your fragile heart.

"I'm so sorry, angel," Jake whispered, his voice filled with sincerity. "I never should have snapped at you. I shouldn’t have taken that out on you."

You opened your eyes meeting his gaze with a mixture of sadness and longing. "I'm sorry too," you replied. Your voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean to be so clingy. I don’t know what’s going on with me." And with that you felt more tears falling.

Jake shook his head. His expression softening as he cupped your face in his hands. "No, baby, you have nothing to apologize for," he insisted, his voice gentle but firm. "I love how much you care, how much you need me. It's what makes us work. I let my own stress get the better of me rather than talking about it with you. I should have leaned on you instead of pushing you away."

As his words washed over you, a sense of relief flooded through you, the weight of guilt lifting from your shoulders. You realized that despite the challenges you faced, the love and understanding between you were stronger than ever before.

Jake's thumb gently brushed away the tears that still lingered on your cheeks. His touch tender and reassuring. Pulling you close, he wrapped his arms around you, holding you as if he never wanted to let go. His hands drifted down to cup your growing belly, whispering sweet nothings to the baby growing inside. The sensation sent your heart into overdrive with a surge of warmth spreading through you at the sight of Jake's adoration for your little one.

And as Jake leaned in to capture your lips in a tender kiss, you felt the steady emotion of love wash over you. The barriers that had kept you apart crumbling away in the face of your shared love and forgiveness.

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[darlingyougotthis]

Gravity

Jake “Hangman” Seresin Fanfic

Chapter Two: The Storm Beneath

The morning sun burned through the hangar’s glass, striping the concrete with long shadows. Inside, the Top Gun squad filed into the briefing room, most still shaking off sleep with half-finished coffees and lazy banter.

Jake strolled in last, sunglasses perched low on his nose, the familiar cocky tilt in his step. He looked as he always did—golden, loose, in control.

But he didn’t feel like it.

Because she was already there.

Nova sat in the second row, legs crossed, flight suit zipped to her collarbone. Her Strike Six patch—dark, understated, deadly—rested over her heart. She didn’t speak. She didn’t need to. The guys weren’t even trying to hide it anymore—the sideways glances, the hushed murmurs.

Jake didn’t look at her.

Not right away.

He took a seat across the aisle, a few rows back, and told himself he wasn’t keeping her in his peripheral vision. That his attention wasn’t already bending toward her like gravity.

But it was. She looked composed. Polished. Effortless. She didn’t scan the room. Didn’t try to place herself. She already knew where she stood.

Like nothing from last night lingered—not the dart game, not the way she’d shut down that “ghost squad” comment with a single line, not the way she’d looked at him when she said goodnight.

That look still echoed somewhere in his chest.

Phoenix dropped into the seat beside her, nudging her lightly. “Morning, Ghost Girl.”

Nova huffed a quiet laugh. “You still calling me that?”

“I don’t see you denying it.”

Rooster leaned toward Coyote behind them. “Think she’s as lethal as her badge looks?”

Coyote muttered, “Think she could kill you with her flight helmet.”

Jake didn’t speak, but he was listening. He tapped his boot lightly against the floor, jaw tight.

Then the room shifted—straightened—as Admiral Beau “Cyclone” Simpson entered with his usual no-nonsense scowl. Behind him came Maverick, flight suit half-zipped and eyes scanning the room like he already knew everything they didn’t.

“All right,” the commander called out, pulling up the screen behind him. “Hope you’re all feeling sharp this morning, because we’re diving straight into classified scenario prep.”

A chorus of “Yes, sir.” can be heard from around the room as Cyclone explains the perimeters of their training.

“What you’re about to see hasn’t been flown before. It’s a prototype extraction op, low-visibility, multi-vector. You’ll be running it in sim, then in air. We’re assigning pairs. These rotations will stick for now.”

He tapped a button. Names appeared on the screen. Jake’s stomach tightened when he read his.

Seresin – Brooke.

He blinked. Brooke. Nova.

One beat of silence passed before he let out a low breath. Phoenix smirked beside Nova. “Lucky boy,” she muttered.

“Pairing decisions weren’t random,” Cyclone went on. “Brooke’s experience with Strike Six makes her a critical asset in scenario building. She has logged over 1,200 hours in black zone operations, has confirmed three air-to-air kills during classified missions, and holds the record for the lowest successful terrain-hugging exfiltration on file. She’ll be leading some of the tactical phases.”

Heads turned toward Nova, someone—Rooster, probably—let out a low whistle. She didn’t react. But, Jake did. He couldn’t help it—the way his brow ticked up, the way his focus narrowed on her profile. Tactical lead? That wasn’t casual. That was trust.

Maverick launched into mission parameters, the room adjusting around the sharp angles of strategy and simulated risk. But Jake was only half-listening.

He was watching Nova.

She sat straight, eyes forward, fingers loosely laced on the desk. When Maverick threw out a question—“What’s the fastest vertical split response in a blind canyon at high-altitude entry?”—Nova didn’t pause.

“Two-point-six,” she said. “Three, if you’re flying with deadweight.”

A low whistle came from Coyote.

Mav gave a short nod. “Correct.”

Jake leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. He was impressed. Too impressed. Maybe that was the problem.

This wasn’t some pretty blonde with a mysterious past and a good aim at the dartboard. This was someone who didn’t just deserve to be here—she could fly circles around half the room. Maybe including him.

“Gear up. Wheels up in 30.” Maverick dismissed them as the briefing wrapped up, chairs scraped and conversations sparked. Rooster clapped Coyote lightly on the shoulder as they passed, muttering something like “Damn, she really is a ghost.”

Coyote rolled his eyes. “Told you.”

Jake stood slower than the rest. He told himself he wasn’t waiting for her to look at him.

He told himself wrong.

She rose gracefully, gathering nothing—she hadn’t even brought a pen. She didn’t need to. That brain of hers probably held more classified knowledge than half the intel office.

And then, just as she passed him, she glanced sideways. Their eyes met. No smile. No word. Just that look. Like she saw right through him.

Then she was gone, boots tapping steadily out of the room like she wasn’t leaving a trail of tension in her wake. Jake let out a slow breath, dragged a hand through his hair, and muttered under it— “Shit.”

The locker room was quiet, filled with the rustle of gear bags and the low creak of hinges as Phoenix pulled her locker open. Nova leaned against the bench, zipping up the top half of her flight suit, blond waves falling down over one shoulder. She looked calm. Almost serene.

She was still new here. But it didn’t feel like it.

Not to Phoenix.

“You really don’t rattle, do you?” Phoenix asked, tossing Nova a water bottle from the top shelf. “Not last night. Not this morning. Not even when Cyclone dropped your kill count like a mic.”

Nova caught the bottle one-handed and smirked. “Why waste energy?”

Phoenix rolled her eyes, grinning. “I swear, Strike Six must teach emotional detachment with flight mechanics.”

Nova chuckled, soft and low. “It’s more like… perspective.”

Before Phoenix could reply, the door opened behind them.

Tiffany stepped inside.

Her heels clicked against the tile, and even out of uniform she looked like she’d walked off a magazine cover—sleek hair, perfect blouse, clipboard clutched in one manicured hand.

“Didn’t realize this was an open meeting,” Phoenix muttered under her breath.

Nova said nothing, just tightened the strap on her gear bag and focused on tucking in the edge of her sleeve.

Tiffany smiled. Wide. Pleasant. Deadly. Eyes landing on Nova.

“Just thought I’d drop by and check on the pilot side of things. Big flight coming up. Heard you’ve been paired with Jake.”

Nova glanced over, expression unreadable. “That’s what the board said.”

“Interesting choice,” Tiffany said, head tilting slightly. “They usually don’t shuffle partners unless there’s… potential.”

Phoenix turned fully now, one brow arched. “I’m sorry, are you implying something?”

Tiffany didn’t even blink. “Of course not. I’m just surprised how quickly things move around here.”

Nova finally looked at her then—calm, open. No edge, no bite.

“I’m just here to do my job.”

Tiffany’s smile tightened. “Naturally. Though it’s a little jarring, I guess… how someone can show up one day and have everyone talking.”

Nova didn’t respond. She didn’t need to.

She just swung her bag over one shoulder, smooth and practiced, then offered Tiffany a gentle nod. “Nice to meet you, by the way. Officially. Professionally.”

Tiffany blinked. “Right. Yes. You too.”

She extended her hand.

Nova took it without hesitation—firm, respectful, brief.

Tiffany’s grip lingered half a second longer than necessary. “I hope your time here is… productive.”

Nova’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “So do I.”

With that, Tiffany turned on her heel and walked out—head high, hips swaying, and a tension in her jaw that didn’t match her parting grace.

The door clicked softly shut. Phoenix let out a breath.

“I don’t know what Jake sees in her,” she muttered.

Nova, still facing her locker, didn’t look up. “That’s not really my business.”

Phoenix scoffed. “She doesn’t like you.”

This time Nova did look at her and shrugged.

“Yeah,” she said simply. “I noticed.”

She grabbed her gloves from the bench and tucked them under her arm, not a trace of bitterness in her voice. Just fact. As if it meant nothing at all.

Phoenix studied her for a moment, then nodded slowly. “You’re kind of a badass, you know that?”

Nova gave a faint smile. “You’re late to that conclusion.”

Laughing, Phoenix followed her out of the locker room, boots hitting the tile in sync. Together, they headed for the sims—two women, side by side, walking into fire without ever needing armor.

The tarmac shimmered under the late afternoon sun, the heat rippling off steel wings and freshly laid jet fuel. Jake “Hangman” Seresin adjusted his gloves out of habit, attention flicking toward the runway.

Then he heard her.

Boots on pavement. Confident, steady, unhurried.

Nova.

Helmet under one arm, Strike Six patch gleaming over her heart, eyes hidden behind aviators that somehow made her even harder to read. She walked past him like he wasn’t even there—but her words landed with precision.

“Try to keep up, Hangman,” she said casually.

Jake’s grin came slow, easy, and way too honest.

“If you’re setting the pace,” he replied, eyes following her, “I won’t complain.”

She didn’t stop. Didn’t look back. But he noticed the subtle rise of her shoulders, the slight pause in her step—just enough to let him know she’d heard it. Then she was climbing into her jet, silent and composed.

Jake shook his head, laughing under his breath. This wasn’t going to be a routine flight. Engines ignited moments later, rumbling under the weight of two high-performance birds preparing to punch through the sky.

Jake launched first, Nova tight behind him. Separate jets. Shared objective. Shared frequency.

“Hangman, airborne.”

“Nova, on your six.”

Her voice crackled into his headset—low, precise, unreadable.

Jake checked his radar, watching her icon slide effortlessly into formation behind him.

“Targets ahead,” he said. “You want high or low?”

“Split left. I’ve got upper sightlines.”

He didn’t hesitate. Jake banked hard into the turn, Nova slipping above him like they were two pieces of the same machine. Her movement was clean. Automatic. Every minor shift predicted the air before it changed.

Strike Six. Ghost team, sure—but her instincts were all too real.

“Ping at nine o’clock,” she called out. “Cut wide. You’ll ride through clean.”

Jake adjusted without hesitation. She wasn’t giving suggestions—she was anticipating and she was right again.

“Sharp eyes,” he murmured.

“Comes with the ghosts,” she replied. He could almost hear the shrug.

Jake exhaled a tight laugh. “Remind me to get one of those Strike Six manuals.”

“There isn’t one,” she said simply. “You either get it… or you don’t.”

They flew tighter. Cleaner. Every shift in position felt choreographed, but it wasn’t. It was trust. Immediate. Natural.

Nova called another move. “Thrust down two percent. You’re drifting.”

Jake followed without thinking. A beat later, she added, “Clean correction. Didn’t think you’d actually listen.”

“Only when it counts.”

“You mean when I’m right?” she teased—just enough to twist the knife.

Jake smirked. “You’re not wrong.”

There was a pause in the comms—brief. But not empty.

Then Nova spoke again, voice softer now. “You don’t fly like the rumors.”

Jake arched a brow. “That a compliment?”

“Take it however helps you sleep.”

They dropped low into canyon terrain—tight ridges, red rock shadows, and simulated fire zones. Jake cut between walls like he’d done a hundred times before. Nova was right with him. No errors. No corrections. Just harmony.

Then came the final run. Target acquisition.

“Visual on the mark,” Nova said. “You ready?”

“Always.”

“Then let’s finish this.”

He aligned, locked in, and struck clean.

Nova confirmed it a second later. “Target hit. Smooth shot.”

Jake pulled up into open sky, adrenaline still humming.

“Hell of a run,” he said. “You always this easy to fly with?”

“Only when they can keep up.”

Her tone was still even. But something in it curled beneath his skin like a spark.

Minutes later, both jets touched down—Jake first, Nova gliding in behind.

He powered down his jet, lifted his helmet, and slid out onto the ladder. The heat hit again. So did the buzz still crawling down his spine.

She joined him near the tarmac, helmet still tucked against her hip, eyes calm.

“Nice flying,” she said, meeting his gaze.

And then, with just the faintest smile:

“Jake.”

It hit harder than it should have.

Not Hangman.

Just Jake.

Before he could reply, she turned and walked away—like she hadn’t just unbalanced his entire axis with two syllables and a smile.

Jake didn’t follow. He just stood there, watching her go and thinking, she’s dangerous.

The debrief room buzzed low with chatter, but Jake barely registered it. His gaze was locked on the footage playing across the screen—silent, stunning, undeniable.

Nova’s jet carved through the sky like she owned it. Every move was instinct. Every pivot, every shift, every call—it was all just ahead of where it needed to be. Not rushed. Not guessed. She wasn’t reacting. She was reading the sky.

“Look at that,” Rooster muttered beside him, chin propped in his hand. “She’s already banking before the radar even picks up the threat.”

Jake didn’t respond. His jaw ticked once, eyes locked on the way Nova’s jet sliced low through the canyon like she knew exactly where the danger would be.

“Damn,” Rooster said. “That’s not flying. That’s something else.”

“She flies like she’s dancing,” he said quietly, the words slipping out before he could catch them.

Rooster tilted his head. “That’s either poetic or horny, and I honestly can’t tell which.”

Jake’s mouth twitched. “She’s precise. I’ve never seen anyone fly like that.”

Nova’s voice crackled over the recorded comms. “Cut thrust two percent. You’re drifting.”

Jake watched his own response—fluid, immediate. He hadn’t questioned her in the moment. Just followed. Trusted.

He hadn’t done that with anyone else. Not like that.

“She doesn’t hesitate,” Jake murmured. “She just knows.”

Rooster leaned back in his chair. “It’s hot.”

Jake didn’t respond at first. Then - quietly, almost as if he wasn’t aware he said it. “Yeah…”

Rooster glanced at him, brow raised. Jake didn’t look away from the screen.

Rooster added, more softly this time, “Careful, man. That kind of attention’s hard to hide.”

Jake’s mouth twitched. Not quite a smile.

“It’s just flying,” he said.

But he said it too fast. Too flat. And his jaw clenched a beat too long. Rooster didn’t call him out on it. He just looked back at the screen. At the woman carving through simulated death zones like she was painting in the air.

“Sure it is,” Rooster murmured.

Jake didn’t reply. He didn’t have to because somewhere between her voice in his headset and the way she said his name after they landed, he knew damn well— It wasn’t just flying.

[tgmsunmontue]

Season to Taste - 42/42

Explicit Hangster - Celebrity Chef Bradley and Naval Aviator Jake Seresin who have a relationship spanning the globe before they realize how tightly bound they are to one another.

PROLOGUE/1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (interlude) 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 (interlude) 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 (interlude) 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 (interlude) 41

CHAPTER FORTYTWO

                “I don’t care about the weather ruining the day Maria. As long as Leo and I am married then I consider the day a success. Mission accomplished.”

                Jake is quite frankly sick of talking about nothing but the wedding. Reassuring his sisters, Silvia, and Vi that he doesn’t care if they end up getting married in a fucking barn. However, he guesses he should have listened and answered some of their questions more clearly, because it’s come back and bit him on the ass. Or come home to roost as Phoenix has gleefully pointed out.

                “I’m not spending the night before our wedding day apart. We spend too many of our days and nights apart as it it…”

                “It’s bad luck!”

                “It’s bullshit is what it is. We’re doing this together and this is just… making it very very public.”

                He doesn’t care about the photographers and cameras that will be there, he cares that Leo will be there, and as if summoned by mere thought he’s there and Jake reaches for him.

                “Come here…” Leo says, and he’s wrapping his arms around Jake’s waist, nuzzling into the crook of Jake’s neck and Jake knows exactly what he’s doing, which is distracting him and calming him down all at once. “Jake’s right, I already talked to Olivia and Nicola. We aren’t spending the night apart beforehand.”

                “Fine,” Maria huffs, and she stalks off and Jake lets himself slump again Leo a little, because of course his sisters will respect what Leo wants but try and browbeat Jake, despite it being his fucking wedding.

                “Just a couple more days and it’ll all be over and we’ll be on a beach lying in the sun…”

                “Yeah. You in nothing but a swimsuit for an entire two weeks. Definitely looking forward to that…”

                “Who says I need a swimsuit? It’s a private beach.”

                “Ugh. Killing me…”

                “What a way to go,” Leo says with a laugh and Jake laughs with him.

…            …            …

                The rehearsal and dinner go off without any problem, and it’s loud and chaotic and Jake is so glad his Italian is as good as it is, because he understands what everyone is saying. Mostly. Because he’s the asshole Jake knows and loves, Leo has taken to switching to French whenever he doesn’t want Jake to know what he’s talking about, which Vi, Leandro and Silvia all speak perfectly fluently as well.

                They’ve just finished practicing their first dance, led by Jake seeing as he actually had to learn when he was at USNA, and Jake shakes his head as Leo starts a rapid fire conversation in French and Jake pulls a face and rolls his eyes, catches Leo’s quick glance and pokes his tongue out. He gets a quick kiss pressed to his cheek, later murmured in his ear and he shakes his head and decides to go and annoy Leo’s other parental figures.

                Maverick is standing beside Admiral call me Tom Kazansky, and they’re both looking emotional, but then again it seems par for the course recently, everyone’s emotions close to the surface. They’re having the ceremony as early in the day as possible to allow for the hope that his mom will be less confused, but he’s also prepared himself for the scenario where she simply cannot attend.

                “Maverick. Admiral.”

                Admiral Kazansky lets out a tired sigh, he finally seems to have given up trying to get Jake to call him anything less formal, and Maverick also seems to get a kick out of it. He wonders when Admiral Kazansky will click that Jake is now doing it more to be a bit of an ass than anything else.

                “Hangman… you. The. Uh. The dance song. Did… you choose that?”

                “No. Leo wanted it.”

                “Oh…”

                “What?”

                “Did Bradley tell you why he wanted that song?”

                Jake hears Maverick’s voice crack, then the cough to clear it.

                “No. He didn’t…” he’s about to ask why it’s significant, but like Leo has pointed out, he’s smart about the important stuff. He knows without asking that this song was part of Leo’s parents’ wedding ceremony in some way, maybe their first dance song as well. Sneaky asshole.

                “Excuse me Mav, Admiral. I need to go and talk to someone…”

…            …            …

                Bradley wakes up with Jake pressed along his back. In deference to the fact that it was the night before their wedding they had let themselves be booked into a little boutique hotel. Vi told him in no uncertain terms that he wasn’t going to be cooking the morning of his wedding when he’d moaned about there not being a kitchen. He turns in the bed to face Jake, kisses him slowly and sweetly to wake him, grins against the answering smile he feels appear.

                “Morning.”

                “Morning.”

                They keep kissing, fingers trailing over bare skin and Bradley wonders if they’re going to have time for anything before they’re meant to be up. It’s still early though, and they’d definitely made time last night, leaving early despite the catcalls. Jake had seemed a little preoccupied but happy, and Bradley’s pretty sure he could have been described the same way.

                “Happy wedding day…”

                “Yeah… going to make it happier?”

                “Of course,” Bradley laughs, licking over Jake’s collar bone and inhaling deeply, smelling the peppermint-rosemary-green-tea of his own body wash that Jake now exclusively uses, regardless of whether he’s deployed or at home and it reminds him of what he got made. “Wait, wait… I got you something…”

                “You got me a present?” Jake asks, pulling back to judge him, one eyebrow going up and Bradley can’t help smirking, feeling smug. Because he has, but it’s not just for Jake. Neither is the other little surprise he has planned. “You… of course you did. What did you make me this time?”

                “I didn’t make anything. I had an idea and got in touch with the company and… well. Here. Open it.”

                He hands the bottle over. It’s the same brand of body wash that Bradley has been using for years; sent to him to try out for free years ago, and to feature on one of the shows. The particular scent of peppermint-rosemary-green-tea had touted itself as reducing stress, and Vi had told him he needed it. Now it reminds him of a lot more, so many moments with Jake. However he misses the citrus undertone of Jake’s old bodywash, smelling that sharp sweetness mixed with the mint and he watches as Jake flips the lid open.

                “It smells…” Jake frowns. “It’s like you’ve mixed your body wash with my old one…”

                “Yeah. Probably a bit more complicated than that, but that’s pretty much what I asked them to do,” Bradley says, and he goes back to placing a trail of kisses up Jake’s neck, the smell of the open bottle tickling his nose and he knows this moment is going to be a new scent memory and he breathes in deep.

                “You… got us a bespoke body wash?”

                “Yeah. Want to go try it out?” Bradley asks, pulling back to grin at him.

                “Oh… yeah. Fuck yeah.”

                They keep kissing as the shower warms up; he hasn’t had a chance to look at the time, but at least he and Jake don’t have hair and make-up to worry about. It feels early enough. Phoenix and Vi both had muttered about unreasonably early starts, and Jake’s sisters are also getting everything done. He’s glad he only has to worry about shaving and doing his hair, knows Vi will have opinions regardless. Does even when there is a team of makeup and hair artists working on him.

                Jake is grabbing supplies from his toiletry bag, grumbling under his breath about having to stay away from home the night before his own wedding and Bradley laughs, catching his mouth in a kiss as he takes the lube from Jake’s fingers, wants Jake’s hands on him instead. They don’t have infinite time; he knows Vi won’t hesitate in barging in if they don’t keep to the timeline she’d pressed into their hands two days ago. Fortunately, he’s pretty sure this won’t take long.

                After years together they know each other’s bodies intimately, how to get each other off as quickly as possible, and how to drag it out and make it really good. Jake has treated it like a job to learn all of Bradley’s little quirks, ones he himself didn’t know he had, and he loves Jake more every day for it. He pushes his ass against Jake’s cock, lets his head tip back so Jake can lick at his neck.

                “Can’t wait to marry you…” Jake murmurs, and his fingers are already slippery with lube, slipping between his ass cheeks and Bradley lets his eyes fall closed and just relax into the sensation. “Getting to call you my husband.” He’s still a little loose from last night, when he’d insisted on Jake fucking him just in case they slept in today or ran out of time. He should have known that wasn’t going to happen, not with how early Jake rises, but still.

                “Yeah…” Bradley murmurs, because it’s the same for him. They’ve had quiet conversations in the dark and feel the same about so many things, fingers tracing over ring fingers and pulse points. And right now pressing lube into him.

                “You want me to wear a condom? Or you want to have my come dripping out of you all day?”

                “Jesus Jake…”

                “Or I could just pull out and come all over your ass…”

                “Yeah. Yeah. That…” Bradley breathes, because he also doesn’t want Jake to leave him to go and hunt out a condom. He groans then, breath catching as Jake just slides into him. It’s tight, just the way he likes, the fine line between pleasure-pain as Jake presses into him, fingers of one hand digging into his hip, the other wrapped around Bradley’s cock, not yet doing anything other than hold him proprietarily. His mouth and teeth are on Bradley’s neck and shoulders, stubble scraping against skin already sensitive from last night.

                He braces his forearms against the wall, spreads his legs further apart and pushes back, a little gasp escaping as Jake pulls out a little and then fucks straight back into him sharply. Jake’s groans make his own cock jerk and that’s what get Jake’s hand moving, a rhythm he’s perfected while he fucks Bradley. He mixes it up depending on what he’s aiming for; and Bradley knows better than to reach down and touch himself. Jake will tell him if he’s allowed, has never failed to make it good for him. Sometimes turning him around and dropping to his knees and sucking Bradley down until he can’t take it anymore or dragging it out and edging him for fucking days; the resulting orgasm bringing him to tears and scream-sobs of pleasure.

                He can count the number of times he’s fucked Jake on one hand. Past the first time he’s never felt the urge, more than content to have Jake’s body covering him, holding him, pressing into him. The few times Jake has asked, and Bradley uses the term ask very loosely, it’s been intense, sure Jake was going to shake apart, certain he was going to halt Bradley in the act. The most recent time had been about ten weeks post mission, and Bradley is fairly certain Jake was trying to chase away the fact that he had almost died by reaffirming their own connection.

                “Leo… you with me?”

                The hand on his cock is tight, Jake grinding up against him and Bradley’s attention snaps back to the present, the realization that this is the last time they’re having sex as un-married men and he lets out a little half-hysterical breath and nods, his breath coming in hot hard pants, mixing with the steam from the water.

                “Jake… yeah… yeah… come on…”

                “Fuck I love you…”

                Bradley laughs again, because Jake sounds almost angry about it as his hips slap against Bradley’s ass, then he’s shifting slightly. Bradley swears under his breath, the head of Jake’s cock now incessantly pushing, dragging over Bradley’s prostate with every thrust of Jake’s hips. The hand on his cock has sped up and his entire body is lighting up with all-over shiver-tingles, nerve endings all alive and he groans, so close to coming, his gut and balls tight with anticipation. He’s repeating Jake’s name over and over like a mantra, then the fingers digging into his hip are gone, and he knows Jake is jerking himself off frantically. Feels the hot splatter of come on his lower back, Jake’s teeth in his shoulder, his groan vibrating against his back and he lets out a whine.

                Then Jake’s kissing what is undoubtedly going to be a bite mark, and there are fingers pressing back inside him, seeking with practiced precision and –

                “Jesus fucking Christ Jake…”

                “Yeah… come on. You can come for me now…”

                He shudders apart at the request-command, Jake’s hand working his cock and fingers inside him and he knows when his knees go from beneath him Jake will be there to catch him.

…            …            …

                “Oh for fucks sake… you’ve both got beard burn. This is why you should have spent the night apart…”

                “Pretty sure you don’t want us fucking each other in the aisle…”

                “You wouldn’t.”

                “You willing to risk it?” Jake asks and Bradley snorts in amusement.

                Vi rolls her eyes and scoffs, and she looks stunning in her burnt-orange off-the-shoulder dress, dark curls pinned artfully on top of her head.

                “You look beautiful…”

                “Grazie. Vorrei poter dire lo stesso…”

                “Fuck you too…” Bradley says with a laugh and Jake is laughing as well and he’s so glad that Jake can understand Italian now.

                “He’s plenty beautiful,” Jake murmurs, giving him a wink and Bradley knows he’s blushing, can’t hide how Jake makes him feel even if he wanted to.

                “Ugh. I can’t even with you two. Not on your wedding day. Here. I got you both something…”

                Then she’s shoving little boxes at them and Bradley takes it with curiosity.

                “You got us…”

                “Cufflinks… oh my god. It’s… are they F-18s?” Jake asks, and of course he’s already well ahead of Bradley, opened his and looking at them closely with a wide grin on his face. Bradley snaps his little box open and stares at the tiny golden whisk and knife crossed over each other.

                “Grazie Vi…”

                “Mmm. Now do something sappy like swap one with each other and there, you’ve got something new and something borrowed…”

                Jake mumbles under his breath about superstitious bullshit, but his fingers work effortlessly to remove Bradley’s plain cufflinks and replace them with one each of their new pairs, before he places a kiss on the side of face and he turns his head to capture his mouth in a proper kiss, although not a long one because he doesn’t trust Vi to not kick them both in the shin.

                “Right. You now both look… ready to get married. Jake, Javy is waiting for you downstairs. We’re doing the illusion of you seeing each other for the first time. Try and look like you’re in love… oh… huh. You won’t have a problem.”

                “I’d hope not.”

…            …            …

                It’s obviously not the first time he’s seen Leo today, but it is the first time they’ve locked eyes with the intention, knowing they’re walking toward each other. Their aisle song had been some song that both he and Leo had agreed on, from a list made by Maria, but played by a string quartet; it had sounded good. Fine. Neither of them had had an opinion. Until last night when he’d pivoted and likely caused Maria and the string quartet more stress. However this is better, an instrumental version of the same song that Bradley had asked for as their first dance song.

                As the music starts playing he pauses and waits, wonders if Leo will notice the change, and he does. Jake is watching him closely enough as they walk toward one another that he catches the falter in his step as he notices the tune, his mouth dropping open slightly as he registers. Then his lips go flat and Jake can see the trembling of Leo’s chin and fuck, he’s crying, but okay, no, he’s also smiling, a little shaky, but Jake knows he’s done a good job as they get closer.

                They’re both in dark blue, bespoke suits he has no idea when he’ll wear it again. However he doesn’t care, because Leo looks stunningly gorgeous and happy as he walks toward Jake. Then they’re standing face to face and he reaches for Leo’s hands, brings them up and presses a kiss to the knuckles of each hand.

                “You asshole…” Leo breathes and it just makes Jake grin wider, because his words might be saying one thing, but his eyes, the look on his face, they say something completely different.

                “You could have told me…” Jake says under his breath.

                “I… I didn’t want to say anything. How did you… Did someone tell you?”

                “I figured it out…”

                “Smart…”

                “Mmm. I mean. Maverick was sort of emotional about the song choice, so I did have a hint that maybe the song was more important than you let on…”

                “I didn’t want to make you have a song you didn’t like…”

                Jake rolls his eyes and shakes his head minutely, because they’ve gone over this before but he’s suddenly aware that they’re having this conversation in the aisle of their wedding and everyone is waiting on them, and Leo seems to have the same realization.

                “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

                “I love you. Ready to get hitched?”

                “More than ready.”

…            …            …

                Apart from the little stolen moments everything seems to blur, but he tries to set in amber the moments he wants to really remember. Seeing Leo for the first time, linking fingers as they turned to walk down the aisle together, the officiant welcoming everyone, Vi doing a reading and speaking about having a front row seat to their developing relationship.

                His mom as she sits beside his dad, it isn’t a good or great day for her, she’s a little confused but she knows what a wedding is and recognizes Leo; has had time to watch the small collection of videos so she knows she’s a guest of honor. It’s enough, and the fact that she’s here at all is something he’s grateful for, the earlier hour of the ceremony meaning she won’t be as tired, and then the lunch celebrations which are just going to roll into an all-night party.

                As they read their vows with shiny-wet eyes he knows that someone is translating them into Italian for over half the guests, little headphones pressed to ears so they can follow what is being said. Then he’s taking rings from Javy and holding Leo’s hand in his, the officiant looking between them.

                “Jake, repeat after me. I take you, Leonardo Bradley Bradshaw Gallo…”

                There’s a sob from the crowd and Jake turns, notes that Leo does as well. Sitting beside Admiral Kazansky and Maverick, Leandro has gone pale, is now crying along with Silvia and okay, Jake’s clearly not the only one in the dark with this little surprise and he turns to Leo and shakes his head a little. Asshole he mouths and he didn’t think Leo could look happier, but his grin widens, eyes glint with mischief and Jake’s entire life feels perfect.

                “I take you Leonardo Bradley Bradshaw Gallo,” he repeats dutifully.

                “To be my lawfully wedded husband.”

                “To be my lawfully wedded husband.”

…            …            …

                He doesn’t have a chance to bring it up, there are so many people. It’s family, and the Dagger squad, and Jake did not expect for there to be so many brass at his wedding. The fact that they’re there as Leo’s side of the family is wild, and he wonders if this is what it would be like marrying into some type of royalty. There’s so many photographers he knows he’s going to be so grateful for them capturing lots of moments he will either forget or simply won’t get to see. Lincoln dumping the rose petals in a single move by overturning the basket. Lincoln’s younger sister then sitting down and picking them all up and placing them back into her basket. Little anecdotes he’s heard from his sisters throughout the day.

                He never thought about his wedding day, but he can’t imagine it getting better than this. The small details don’t matter, it’s the big things, like the happiness and love he just feels surrounded by. The combination of English and Italian which all just blur together now.

                The food is of course plentiful and amazing, and Jake isn’t sure, but he thinks they may have shut the restaurants down for a week and pulled all the staff here. And because his husband loves him there are little bottles of sauce on every table; every single member of the Dagger squad finds him to give him shit about it personally, however they also congratulate him and Leo. The number of admirals who have congratulated him has started to make him sweat, a little panicky because while no one is in uniform they’re still admirals.

                Clearly Leo picks up on something because he drags Jake off to the house, has clearly given instructions that they’re not to be interrupted and Leo drops to his knees and sucks him off to distract him, not wasting any time and not wanting any type of reciprocation because he likes drawing out his own arousal. That’ll be fun for both of them later. He’s fucking perfect for him.

                “Fuck, getting too old for that. Need a cushion for my knees.”

                “Serves you right…” Jake mutters, although he already has plans for them to have a bath together later. Relax and sleep. First though, he has a bone to pick now that they have a moment alone and he’s not getting a blowjob. “You changed your name.”

                “Well, figured I’d be changing it anyway. So might as well go the whole way. Make it a five-barrel abomination…”

                “You ever thought of double-barreling the last name Gallo and Seresin?”

                “Uh… no.”

                “Well. Maybe we should talk about that. And if I had Gallo as well maybe Hangman would get a different meaning…”

                “Yeah? You’d want that?”

                “Well, pretty sure my reputation as a complete asshole is completely shot to hell after today…”

                “Yeah, it was definitely today that did it,” Leo says with a grin and Jake shoves him playfully, aware that he probably has a point. He’s always made it known that he had a soft spot for his family and boyfriend. Husband.

                “Come on, we’re meant to be the guests of honor.”

                “I wasn’t the one that needed to be distracted.”

                “I thought all that was because you can’t keep your hands off me.”

                “Mmm. True. Just a happy coincidence that it also distracted you then…”

                “So happy…” Jake says, and he knows Leo understands him without spelling it out any further.

…            …            …

                Despite their years together they’ve never managed to spend time in Italy together. It was something they had both agreed on immediately, a ten-day honeymoon in Italy. Private house, private beach. Big kitchen. Pool. No need to wear clothes, maybe just an apron when he’s cooking, which he knows Jake loves. It reminds him a little of their first chunk of time they spent together, when they’d both been circling around each other uncertain about what they were doing. He’s so glad he trusted his gut all those years ago.

                Right now Jake’s swimming laps, his wry comment about how if he’s going to be doing nothing but eat Bradley’s food for ten days he needs to ensure he’s still fit enough to work. Bradley had simply said it sounded like a him problem, that he’d be in the kitchen. He’s made fresh pasta for later, as well as some dough for bread rolls. He’s not meant to be working on a new book, but he finds himself scribbling down some ideas anyway, startles a little when he feels a much cooler body press up against his bare back.

                “Hey…”

                “Hi. Mmm. Smells good.”

                “I haven’t even made anything…”

                “Wasn’t talking about food…” Bradley laughs, twists around so he can get a proper kiss, feels Jake’s arm go around his waist. “Why do people write that?”

                “Write what?” Bradley asks, not quite sure what Jake is talking about, then sees Jake’s hand pressing his scrappy notebook open.

                “Season to taste… surely people are going to do that anyway right?”

                Bradley laughs, turns around so he can kiss him more easily.

                “Yeah. You’d think so. But some people are sticklers for following a recipe. So it’s like a little addendum. Season to taste… make it perfect for how you want it.”

                “Huh. So that’s what I’ve been doing all along with my ketchup then?”

                Bradley opens his mouth to argue, closes it again.

                Jake has a point.

                An annoying one.

                He’s lucky Bradley loves him.

                “Yeah. You’ve been making it perfect all along.”

--- THE END ---

Their aisle song - instrumental of their first dance song.

Thanks for coming on the journey with me. It's posting on AO3 if you want to go and bookmark it, or re-read it with chapters going up Mon-Wed-Thurs.

I've also got two one-shots planned, which is why I have made it a series on AO3, so feel free to subscribe to the series there if you want to be notified of those updates. 👌

🌻🌻🌻

[mynameismckenziemae]

It’s nearly halfway through summer so I thought it’d be fun to host a little pool party (mostly in hopes that I’ll be inspired to work on my WIPs 🥴). I did something similar this last year and it was a lot of fun!

Choose one of these summer smut prompts (or another steamy scenario you want) and any of the following characters: Jake Seresin, Bradley Bradshaw, Bob Floyd, Rhett Abbott, or Tyler Owens. It can be any of the couples/throuples I’ve written already or just reader.

I’ll work on them tonight and the next few days!

⁵⁾ at-home swimsuit modeling that quickly devolves with Jake Seresin

¹⁾ shower sex because the cold water is the only way to manage the heat with Tyler Owens

¹³⁾ road head on scenic drives with Tyler Owens

¹⁰⁾ awkwardly tender post-sunburn sex with Jake Seresin

¹⁾ shower sex because the cold water is the only way to manage the heat with Rhett Abbott

⁹⁾ helping each other wash off after the beach quickly turning into something else and ¹¹⁾ being late for the barbecue because someone couldn’t keep their hands to themself with Bradley

[roosterforme]

also how would jake react to any guys hitting on her from her college- I think he'd be confident in his pull and their relationship but he is a possessive man at the end of the day- (or maybe an ensign hits on her)

oh also- the squad and Bradley's reaction to her, esp when Jake or her let's it slip she was going to go for him but Jake got to her first lol

Ohhhhh, if an ensign hit on her, he would go from Jake to Hangman sooo fast (I know you know what I mean). And maybe Darlin' hasn't seen him like that before. He's not quite jealous, but definitely possessive and territorial, and that is his girlfriend. (I'll address the Bradley scenario in a different ask!)

You were finally twenty-one. You were enjoying an ice cold drink at the cookout that Coyote was throwing. You were even having a nice conversation with this guy named Chad who was close to your age and in the Navy. And maybe you were just a tiny bit drunk.

You laughed at the idea of Jake having to carry you inside later if you fell asleep on the ride home. Oh no, Chad seemed to think you were laughing at him, and now you could feel his breath on your neck as he leaned a little closer and smiled at you.

"Darlin'," Jake barked as his strong hand wrapped around your waist, and Chad took one large step away from you.

"Hi, Jake," you giggled, looking at him through your lashes as you bit your lip.

He groaned, face stern before kissing you hard on the lips.

"Uh... hi, Jake," echoed Chad, standing there awkwardly as you tucked your fingers up inside the back of Jake's shirt.

Jake's laugh did not sound as playful as yours had. "You can address me as Lieutenant Seresin or Hangman or not at all, Chad. Understand?" You watched the other man's eyes go wide in fear as he nodded. "Now go clean the grill and the patio table."

"Yes, Sir, Lieutenant Seresin, Sir."

As Chad tripped over his own feet to get away as quickly as possible, you asked, "Was that really necessary?"

Jake smirked. "Absolutely. He'll never look at you that way again."

[fishfooddude]

Day 11: Murphy’s Law

Jake Seresin x Reader

Summary: This one was on my idea page forever lol

My Directory

Birthday Blurbs 2024

“So you won’t be back before her birthday?” you asked Jake over FaceTime, trying to hide your disappointment. Jake picked up on it immediately and began apologizing, “I’m tryin’ babe. This group of pilots just doesn’t get it. I’ve explained the manuveer, I’ve demonstrated the manuveer, I’ve punished them and made them read but they just don’t get it.” he sighed, “I can’t believe this is the first birthday I’m missing…” Jake trailed off, his frustration evident. “Ellie’s a big girl, babe, she’ll understand,” you tried reassuring him. 

“She’s my princess, and I’m missing her 16th birthday… I’m stuck in the Florida heat, and I won’t see my baby’s reaction to her car.” Jake started wallowing in self-pity on the call. You laughed, “I’m sorry. Do you think I’m giving her the big present before you get home?” Jake chuckled as your comment had brought him back to reality. “If you are gone, I’ll take her to dinner, we’ll go to Sephora, maybe get our nails done… she’ll feel nice and special, then when you get back we’ll go to a nice dinner and present the princess with her carriage,” you reassured.

Jake sighed as he pushed his hand through his greying blonde hair. “It’s just, this is a big birthday, ya know? Her sweet sixteen… I guess I’m just feelin’ sappy.” Jake chuckled as he leaned back in his chair. “It’s okay, baby. We love you and appreciate everything you do for this family. Be safe, okay?” Jake grinned at your comment, “Baby, I’m on a base in the middle of Florida, there’s no danger.” 

“Shut up. Ellie needs her Daddy, and I need my husband.” you laughed, “Love you baby.” Jake smiled as he stared at you through his screen. “Love you more. Bye babe.”

~

“Seresin,” an admiral called as he walked toward Jake in the hallway. “Yes, sir?” Jake asked as he turned around to meet his gaze. We need you to extend your stay,” the admiral said bluntly. Jake swallowed, trying to keep a straight face. " Three more weeks on base, then we’re going to the Truman for open training.”

Jake had missed Ellie’s birthday, and as soon as he’d gotten back to Florida from the USS Truman, he was on a red-eye flight to San Diego. He’d been on a media blackout for the entirety of his time on the boat. His phone had died, and he couldn’t find his charger anywhere. He’d spent his flight nervously bouncing his leg as he thought about missing Ellie’s birthday and how much it broke his heart to think about it, he swore up and down that it was the reason there was a new patch of grey hair by his ear. The guilt was killing him.

“Jake!” you called as soon as you saw Jake walking up with his suitcase rolling behind him. Ellie waved when she saw Jake coming toward them. He flashed his signature dazzling smile and waved back as he closed the distance between you. He dropped his bag and swung his arms open, bringing the two of you into a firm embrace. “My girls…” he trailed off as he kissed the top of Ellie’s head and then your lips softly. 

“Hi, Daddy.” Ellie smiled as Jake pulled her in for an individual hug, “I’m so sorry I missed your birthday princess.” Jake apologized. “It’s okay…” Ellie said hesitantly as she looked at you for the courage to tell Jake what her birthday had actually consisted of. Jake picked up on the tension immediately, “What happened?” he asked jumping to the worst case scenario.

You sighed softly, “Well, someone stole her car…” you started. Jake’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief, “What?!” he exclaimed. You put a hand up, “Bradley needed to bug bomb his garage, so he parked his car in the driveway and her car on the street. He said he went to the gym, and when he got home, it was gone…” Jake stared at you in awe, “We called the cops, but there’s been no luck yet.”

“That’s not even the start of it.” Ellie laughed as Jake looked between the two of you. “We went out to get our nails done and then we went shopping and to get dinner- but while we were getting dinner, someone broke into Mommy’s car and stole everything we bought.” Ellie recounted to Jake’s horror. “Oh, and I got food poisoning.” 

“You had a bad birthday… well, Daddy’s home, so hopefully, we can turn it around,” Jake offered as he wrapped his arm around Ellie’s shoulders, trying to be reassuring. Both you and Ellie laughed at his optimism. "Okay, let’s get you home. I’m making lasagna.” you laughed as you led Jake out of the airport.