#javy being protective because of jake at first but then becoming just as protective because of bradley and the drift

[nixie-deangel]

Sweet Nix,

Yell at me about your Pacific Rim AUs... 😍😍😍😍😍😍

XD So tumblr didn't tell me you'd asked about this!!! I'm so sorry, @redfurrycat!!!

BUT!!! The Pacific Rim AU's are based off the ideas you gave me actually!!! No surprise there really! lol

But the first Pacific Rim AU is where they are both pilots and Bradley actually grows up and becomes Mav's partner and they are a dream team but then when things come down just before the BIG fight, there is an accident and Mav is hurt badly, so they need to scramble and find a pilot that can drift with Bradley and uh oh the only one on the planet besides Mav that can drift with Bradley, is Jake who hasn't been inside a jaeger in almost half a decade since he lost his partner while they were still in the drift. (It's a bit of a mash up of both Pacific Rim movies!)

The second Pacific Rim idea is Jake being a pilot and Bradley being the lead engineer/mechanic on his jaeger. The thing about this one, is that Bradley hasn't spoken to Ice or Mav in more than a decade (they washed him out of the pilot program) and when Jake is brought in to the dome because they are getting all the jaeger's together for one massive attack, it's the first time Bradley see's his godfathers. And it's the first time gets a first hand look at the men who hurt the love of his life. So Jake is extra asshole, and Javy since he knows all because he's with Jake in their jaeger, which puts them at odds with those in charge.

[tgmsunmontue]

Saga of Solitude 17/21

Nepo!Baby Bradley and his life at USNA and afterwards. DADT fully in force. IceMav AU. (Begun prior to 'It's not who you know' - the non-angsty version). (Side Hangster, which is ALSO angsty).

PROLOGUE (He remembers)

HANGSTER FIRST MEETING (Lonely Nights - set 2009)

PREVIOUS CHAPTERS

ONE (2000) TWO (2001) THREE (2002) FOUR (2003) FIVE (2004) SIX (2005) SEVEN (2006) EIGHT (2007) NINE (2008) TEN (2009) ELEVEN (2010) TWELVE (2011) THIRTEEN (2012) FOURTEEN (2013) FIFTEEN (2014) SIXTEEN (2015)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN– 2016 – Jake Seresin Interlude 2

                He works at making himself harder, tries to give himself a hard shiny protective shell that can’t be broken through. He succeeds for the most part, his tongue and words become sharper, weapons he wields with cutting precision. He fosters his reputation as an asshole. Selfish and arrogant. It’s fine, he doesn’t need people to like him. He has his small circle of friends who know him. The real him. It’s an exclusive circle, numbering three whole people. That the circle grows to include Phoenix had been weird at first. Then he’d discovered that they had quite a bit in common, their hard shells worn like armor not even the start, but less than ideal families and Javy’s easy open friendship attracting them like moths to a flame.

                “You ever been in love?” Phoenix asks and Javy is snorting around the mouth of his bottle of beer.

                “Jake’s still in love with the first guy he ever slept with…”

                “Fuck off Javy,” Jake mutters, annoyed, because he’s admitted that in confidence. Isn’t even sure if it’s true. Doesn’t even know if Phoenix knows he’s gay. He’ll have to punch him for that later. There’re different levels of letting people in, and he hadn’t let that one slip yet, had taken every opportunity to flirt with Phoenix and make her believe he’d be down for a friends with benefits situation. Now of course she’s staring at him, one perfectly sculpted brow lifting and Jake just shrugs.

                “Oh. I didn’t realize… And you mean it’s not… you?” Phoenix asks Javy, as she looks at Javy. He’s grinning and shaking his head.

                “Nope. Not me. We’re just friends, only thing we’ve ever been. I’ve never even been curious enough to kiss the fucker…”

                “Your loss,” Jake throws out and Javy laughs, and he can’t help but be amused in response. Phoenix is laughing, and Jake just shakes his head, relaxes at her complete non-reaction. Then again, she’s also best friends with Bradley, so she might know about Bradley…. Maybe. He’s never let anyone know who it is, not even Javy. It’s only ever been between him and Bradley, which he knows is exactly how Bradley wants it. Something secret and hidden. He might not get a dishonorable discharge now, but neither is he out and proud and shouting anything from the rooftops. His family only talk to him if he never brings it up.

                Which is why the whole thing with Bradley is so confusing. He lies in bed and thinks about it some nights. He’s heard the rumors about Maverick Mitchell being Bradley’s… godfather. Maybe father, but he’s going to err towards godfather because from the pictures he’s seen of Maverick Michell he looks nothing like Bradley at all. So if Maverick Mitchell is indeed part of Bradley’s life, then it means Admiral Kazansky is as well. Which means that Bradley grew up seeing this solid loving relationship between two men in active service. Sure they would have had to keep it on the downlow, but it was probably an open secret or something, given how far Admiral Kazansky has moved up the ranks. It makes him admire the man more than he already did, that he’s managed to serve under DADT and still climb the ranks and then get married and be happy. Jake wants all that, suspects he probably needs to be kissing more asses and greasing wheels if he wants to start moving up the career ladder. He’ll worry about that later. If he ever figures out the enigma of Bradley.

                And he should really try and call him something, anything, other than Bradley. Bradshaw and Rooster both work, as does asshole and dick. Not that Bradshaw ever promised him anything. Never whispered sweet nothings. Jake isn’t an idiot, they couldn’t have had anything other than something secretive seven years ago. But he’d sort of hoped, only to have that hope dashed every single time they’ve met since. The fact that all Bradley has to do is smile at him has his resolve and hard shell shattering and crumbling around him breaks him. He’s kept the fucking moustache and wonders if Bradley has done it on purpose, a constant reminder of Jake saying he liked it. And he does still like it which is infuriating. On anyone else he can’t stand them, and the one time he tried to grow one had been a mistake of epic proportions. Bradley however looks effortlessly confident and sexy and Jake hates it.

                Hates him.

                Except he doesn’t, despite how much he wants to some days. He thinks he even loves him and Jake hates himself for loving someone who just… doesn’t care about him. He thinks back to the last time they hooked up, and it had been a complete surprise, neither of them expecting the other to be there. They’d still gotten drawn towards each other like they were trapped in the same whirlpool. Afterwards, not long enough after, because Jake could have stayed there with Bradley pressed against him for hours, breath warm on his skin before he’d pulled away. Jake remembers feeling cold.

                “Fuck. Fuck.”

                “We did that already.”

                The laugh Bradley had let out then had been strangled, bordering on hysterical maybe. Jake bit back the question he wanted to ask, which was whether Bradley was alright. Hard shell. He had to be better at not letting it crack.

                “I was trying to fucking apologize.”

                “Weird way to go about it,” Jake had replied, and he’d started moving then, pulling clothes back into place.

                “Jesus Jake… I don’t… Fuck. I really didn’t mean to let this happen. Again.”

                A little part of him thrills at the memory, that he’s apparently as irresistible to Bradley as he is to him. It doesn’t mean that they’re good for each other though. He knows Bradley can be sweet. Has memories of their first time together, that entire weekend, which had felt… well. He doesn’t want to use the word magical, because that’s horse shit. However it had given him hope.

                “It’s all good Bradshaw. Not like it was a hardship. Guess it’s back to pretending we can barely be civil with each other though…” Jake had said, and he hadn’t meant for bitterness to creep through, but the look on Bradley’s face had told him that he’d failed horribly.

                “I… I’m sorry if I gave you the impression that I was, uh, looking for something more. I’m not. Not at the moment.”

                “No. I didn’t think you were.”

                “Shit. Jake. I’m sorry. You don’t have to go. I'll go.”

                “Uh, I kind of think I do. I’m… I am looking for something more so I think I better not waste any more of my time here if it’s not on the cards.”

                Saying the words had felt right at the time, but he still feels like he’s broken his own heart.

                Still.

                He has hope for one-day.

                Doubts very much it’ll ever be Bradley Bradshaw, however much he might want it to be, no matter how ill-advised that is.

EIGHTEEN (2017)

[myfaveficrecs]

Lavender Haze

Pairing: Jake x Reader

AN: Taylor Swift read that Lavender Haze was a term used in the 50′s when describing love, so I went with that. Thank you @cherrycola27​ for letting me be a part of your celebration!

Word Count: 1,238

Warnings: None, just a fluffy little one shot

You never realize how fast time passes you by until something happens to make you stop in your tracks. You’d never really celebrated much since your family died when you were so young. The only family you ever remember having is your current one. It has gotten smaller and smaller over the years, but it’s still your family.

Jake and his squadron have been in your life for ten years now, give or take a year. You love them all unconditionally and would do anything for them, and you have on more than one occasion. You just loved them differently. Phoenix was the one you went to for advice, Bob was your little brother in every sense of the word. Rooster was the one to tease you constantly, all in affection, of course. Coyote was the surprising one, the one you should not get along with, but you do. Your relationship was built around deep conversations, common interests, and a protectiveness that ran deeply. Your relationship with Jake, on the other hand, was built around passion, shared dreams, and a love that only grows more every day.

Jake loved you; you knew that. You also knew that it wasn’t something he could say often, fearing that the words would be followed by something tragic. You had learned to accept this little fact years ago, and it didn’t bother you like it would most women. Jake showed you through his actions just how much he loved you. Sharing the last of his meal, knowing your moods better than even you did, making sure your favorite snacks were always well stocked in the kitchen and your locker at work…hell, he even let you drive his truck.

Waking up this morning you knew something was off because you woke up alone. You could count on one hand the number of times Jake had left the bed before you were awake, wanting to hold you as long as he possibly could before the real world came crashing down around the both of you. Reaching over you felt the cold sheets and knew he had been up for a while, which only confused you more. You quickly got out of bed, throwing on Jake’s sweater to ward off the chill, and making your way down the halls in search of your missing husband.

Searching in all of the usual places, you still had yet to find him. You didn’t know whether you should be worried or pissed off at this point. What if he was in pain again? It wouldn’t be the first time he hadn’t woken you to tell you about it. Walking back down the hall you passed Coyote in the guest room just as he opened up his door.

“Mornin’ Y/N”

“Good morning, Javy. Have you seen Jake at all this morning? I can’t find him anywhere.”

“Uh, yeah. He ran to the market about an hour ago, should be back soon.”

“The market? This early?” You furrowed your brow in confusion, your voice laced with disbelief. Jake never made runs that early in the morning without you tagging along.

“Yeah. He’ll be back soon, don’t worry.” Giving you the patented smirk, they all seemed to carry, and patting your shoulder, he quickly escaped your questioning gaze, making his way to the kitchen where breakfast sounded wonderful. Shaking your head, you decided to go through with your morning routine, and you would just question Jake when you saw him. First, you needed a bath before you could really start your day.

The bath unfortunately wasn’t as peaceful as you are used to experiencing. No matter what you did you couldn’t stop wondering what Jake was doing and why was he being so sneaky about it. By the time you were finished you didn’t realize how irritated you were becoming until it slammed into you like a freight train while brushing your teeth. Hearing the door creak and slam, you rinsed out your mouth and practically jogged to meet Jake, determined to find out why he was being secretive.

“Woah, hello my love. Where’s the fire?” Jake asked while putting some bags onto the kitchen counter and taking off his jacket.

“Where were you?” He froze at the tone of your voice, analyzing your posture and trying to figure out what exactly had set you off so early. Then it suddenly hit him, you didn’t know what day it was which made him let out a little laugh and quickly embrace you into his strong arms.

“What are you laughing at, Jake?” You fisted your hands into his tshirt, loving the feel of him against you. It was a feeling you didn’t think you would ever grow tired of. His body was firm and soft at the same time, broad and slender, just the perfect enigma.

“I’m laughing at you, my love. Do you know what today is?” The cocky smirk on his face only furthered your frustration and confusion as you mentally ticked through the days, trying to see if you had missed an important appointment or birthday. Taking pity on you, Jake squeezed you tighter against him with one arm and used his other hand to lift your chin, placing a chaste kiss to your pouted lips. “Happy 10 years, my love.”

“10 years?”

“Yes…it’s been 10 years to the day since I grew some balls and made you mine…I know we don’t really celebrate anything but I figure 10 years is a celebratory milestone, so I went out to get some stuff to make you breakfast myself. Eggs, bread, apples, and I got that stupid honey you like to put on your bread.”

You could see the slight unsureness in his eyes, that maybe this had been a bad idea, but it most certainly was not. The idea that Jacob Seresin of all people remembered something as silly as an anniversary with the lives you lead, made you tear up in the best way possible.

“That’s perfect, Jake…thank you.” You quickly pulled his lips down to your own, giving him a passionate kiss and only pulling away when the lack of oxygen became apparent. The glazed look in his eyes were enough to make you let out an uncharacteristic giggle which only made him smile in return at your happiness.

“Well if that’s the thanks I get for breakfast I’m gonna start cooking more often.”

“There’s plenty more where that came from, husband.” You cocked an eyebrow to emphasize your innuendo, loving the way his face lit up at the prospect of getting you in bed sooner rather than later.

“I am counting on it, wife. But first, breakfast!” A quick kiss to your forehead and he was off to the kitchen, eagerly using the ingredients. You couldn’t help but smile as you looked at the love of your life cooking for you while humming along to Lavender Haze.

“Jake?” Looking over his shoulder he gave you a quick smile.

“Yes, my love?”

“I love you too.”

With a quick wink and smile, he turned back to the task at hand and your smile widened. You didn’t know what you had done in life to get so lucky but you were thanking your lucky stars for 10 wonderful years. Walking up behind him and wrapping your arms around his waist, you whispered out a wish that you had no doubt would come true, “Here’s to 10 more.”

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@phoenix1388​

[na-ta-sh-aa]

AHHH! The revelation literally left me speechless, you wrote it in a beautiful way, you managed to create the atmosphere, to convey so many different emotions and you managed to put me directly into the story as if I were living that moment, you did all this in an incredible way!

“It’s not nothing if you’re worrying about it so much,” she countered, sitting down in the chair across from you, her brow pulled together in concern. “You know you can tell me anything.”

I love how Nat has always been so supportive and helpful to her from the beginning.

“I trust him,” you settled on finally. “I trust him with my life.”

This was so beautiful 😭 I think that being able to trust a person so much it's one of the best feelings you can have. The fact that she has complete faith that Jake will never hurt her and will always do everything to protect her fills my heart with joy.

“I’m saying,” she paused, sucking a breath before letting it out slowly. “I’m saying that you can hear as many things as you want to hear. Whether it’s good or bad or somewhere in between. It’s okay to be scared of what you don’t know, but don’t let it keep you from the things that you do know. Don’t let fear keep you away from a lifetime of happiness.”

I would like Nat as a best friend, she is so precious🥹

“Reuben was smart and funny when he wanted to be, having taken time to show you how to sail when the gang would take the boats out on the sunny, summer days. He made sure you stayed hydrated when Jake wasn’t around to do it instead, who acted so much like an older brother towards you.”

Him making sure she's hydrated🥹

“Javy was another brother you never realized you wanted. Teasing you and making sure you got home safe when the others were busy or when he picked you and Nat up to take you home. Even when it was just the three of you, he always made sure you felt included and never like the third wheel you knew you were being.”

Javy who cares about her safety and always puts her at ease.

“Bradley rounded out the trio of your new older siblings. Always making sure you were safe and out of harm’s way. Sweet Bradley who coped with the loss of his security at such a young age with an easy smile and flirtatious nature. The man who never once made you feel like an outsider in the longstanding group of friends.”

Bradley who is like her older brother😭🫶🏼

“Then there was Jake. A man who was perfect by no means, but was clear about his intentions with you from the first moment you met. Who would rather suffer the wrath of others than lie to you even for a second. Who made you feel safe and wanted even when you thought your own mind was playing tricks on you. He was everything you wanted.”

And finally Jake who had clear ideas about her from the first moment their eyes met and who loves her and wants to protect her with all of himself🥹 I loved how you wrote about the different relationships between Skipper and the group of friends, they have become so close in such a short time!

“A smile found its way to your lips as Jake picked up his pace, nearly running to stand next to you. His strong arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you gently to him as you rested a hand on his chest to steady yourself.”

Jake's reaction as soon as he saw Skipper was pure perfection🥹

“Hey,” he murmured, leaning down so that his lips hovered over yours. “Missed you.”

“Missed me?” You giggled. “How could you have missed me? You saw me just this morning.”

“Always miss you,” he hummed, letting his lips rest against yours.

I love them so much🥹

“Jake pouted at her, but considered her words for a moment. The smile once again finding a home on his face, he offered you his arm, which you took gratefully.”

“Well, what are we waiting for then?” He taunted, already pulling you towards the festival. “Let’s get a move on. I have a lady that needs showing off.”

Jake taking Bradley's words literally but being stopped by Nat because she says that Skipper needs to be shown how beautiful she is was an interaction that I absolutely loved!

“Skipper, come find me.”

“You looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. Several other people looked around with frowns on their faces, but you paid them no mind as you scanned the crowd frantically.”

“Come find me, and everything will be fine. Don’t you want to find me?”

I'm so anxious right now!

“The man looked back at you, tears now in his eyes as he let out another anguished cry, turning on his feet and racing through the crowd.”

“Cole.”

AHHH!! I had suspicions about him but wasn't totally convinced, it was so exciting the way you wrote and made the revelation, I was anxious the whole time I read the last part!

This was truly a wonderful chapter, Jake I'm sure will rush to help Skipper and I can't wait, just as I can't wait to know what happens next! I literally loved how you managed to render and create tension throughout the story to make me doubt and suspect everyone, when I thought I had found the murder then you inserted details that made me wonder again if he was the right person, really perfect, I'm loving this story so much!💗✨

Meet Me at the Sea: Chapter Eleven

Meet Me at the Sea: Chapter Eleven

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Reader

Summary: Your best friend, Bob Floyd, had insisted you join him for the summer at his family's home along the Carolina coasts. You had been hesitant at first, but ultimately agreed to his request. Now, here you were in a new town with strange locals who spoke in hushed whispers and cryptic retellings about glistening scales, glowing eyes, and haunting songs that echoed from the sea. You didn't believe them at first, but when you wake up on the beach one morning after having fallen overboard the night before, you can't help but think that maybe you hadn't imagine the strong arms and deep, green eyes of the man that had saved you.

Trigger Warnings: Reader expresses doubt, Reflection on relationships, Flirting, Mildly suggestive conversations but not really, Chaste kissing, Jake being handsy, The boys being idiots, Magic, Siren songs/mind control, Reader is lured, Identities revealed. I think that's it, but please let me know if I missed anything!

Word Count: 3.2k

Series Masterlist || Moodboards || Playlist || Jake "Hangman" Seresin Tag List

Trust was a funny thing, when you really sat down to think about it. You could believe someone with every fiber of your being, but there will always be a single shred of doubt, no matter how small. That’s where trust comes in.

Trust isn’t belief. Trust is the bridge between belief and fear. Trust is what you grip on to when everything else tells you to give up hope. Trust is the thing that prevails when all else seems lost, that morphs itself into hope. It’s the thing that will always keep you going.

Which is why you were sitting on the edge of Nat’s bed, thinking back on your conversation with Jake just a few days before.

“You’re being awfully quiet,” she commented, eyeing you carefully as she strolled back into the room with her makeup bag in hand. “Have been for the past couple of days, actually.”

You sighed, offering her a smile that felt half-assed even to you. Grimacing, you shifted on the bed, running your hands over your thighs as you watched her set up her vanity with everything she would need.

“What are you going to do when I’m not around anymore for you to treat like a living doll?” You joked. Her eyes met yours in the mirror, and she raised an eyebrow at you. You squirmed under her gaze, letting out a sigh as you grimaced. “It’s nothing, really.”

“It’s not nothing if you’re worrying about it so much,” she countered, sitting down in the chair across from you, her brow pulled together in concern. “You know you can tell me anything.”

“It’s just,” you paused, chewing on your bottom lip, “I found out about what the mating bite entails.”

Her head jerked back in surprise, her eyes growing wide as she absorbed what you just told her.

“You…what?”

“I was talking with Cole when I went to pick up the masks the other day,” you murmured, eyeing the masks in question as they sat on the vanity. “He told me more about the mating bite and the legends surrounding it, and truth be told, it’s all I’ve been able to think about since.”

“Have you talked to Jake about it?” She frowned.

“Yeah,” you nodded, your cheeks heating up at the thought of the other night. “I’ve talked to him. He told me that it was all true, but that he’d never hurt me.”

“And?” She pressed. You glanced up at her, confusion plain on your face.

“And what?”

“Do you believe him?” She clarified, crossing her arms and leaning back. “Do you believe that he’ll never hurt you?”

You didn’t say anything for a moment. Jake had never given you a reason to believe that he would hurt you in any way. Still, even the slimmest possibility that you might not resurface from the depths of the water when Jake pulled you down under had the familiar sinking sensation of anxiety fill your belly, a chill running down your spine at the thought.

But then again, there was no doubt in your mind that you would let him pull you under in the first place. It wasn’t a question of “if,” but “when.” Jake was many things, but someone who intentionally hurt others was not on that list.

“I trust him,” you settled on finally. “I trust him with my life.”

“I know it’s scary,” she murmured, eyes searching yours for any sign that you might be having doubts. “After all, the claiming ritual is what the old myths and legends of mermaids and sirens are based on, you know?”

“Yeah,” you nodded, “I guess you’re right.”

“But those stories are wrong, Skipper,” she said, leaning forward to take your hand in hers, squeezing it gently. “Those stories are born out of fear of what people don’t understand, of what they want to believe. The monsters in the stories aren’t the people we know and love.”

“What are you trying to say, Nat?”

“I’m saying,” she paused, sucking a breath before letting it out slowly. “I’m saying that you can hear as many things as you want to hear. Whether it’s good or bad or somewhere in between. It’s okay to be scared of what you don’t know, but don’t let it keep you from the things that you do know. Don’t let fear keep you away from a lifetime of happiness.”

You stared at her for a moment. Of course you knew everything she was saying was true. You knew that Jake, Bradley, Javy, and Reuben weren’t the monsters in the stories you’ve heard. They were your friends.

Reuben was smart and funny when he wanted to be, having taken time to show you how to sail when the gang would take the boats out on the sunny, summer days. He made sure you stayed hydrated when Jake wasn’t around to do it instead, who acted so much like an older brother towards you.

Javy was another brother you never realized you wanted. Teasing you and making sure you got home safe when the others were busy or when he picked you and Nat up to take you home. Even when it was just the three of you, he always made sure you felt included and never like the third wheel you knew you were being.

Bradley rounded out the trio of your new older siblings. Always making sure you were safe and out of harm’s way. Sweet Bradley who coped with the loss of his security at such a young age with an easy smile and flirtatious nature. The man who never once made you feel like an outsider in the longstanding group of friends.

Then there was Jake. A man who was perfect by no means, but was clear about his intentions with you from the first moment you met. Who would rather suffer the wrath of others than lie to you even for a second. Who made you feel safe and wanted even when you thought your own mind was playing tricks on you. He was everything you wanted.

“I won’t, Nat,” you smiled, squeezing her hand back. The brunette let out a relieved sigh, smiling softly back at you before standing from the chair and dragging you towards the vanity.

“Alright, we’ve got a lot of work to do before the festival starts, so let’s get to it.”

The sun was slowly nearing the horizon when you set foot on the boardwalk, a sizeable crowd already gathered on the boardwalk. Several booths and stalls were set up along the sides, the local vendors doing their best to advertise items from their shops to the tourists that stopped to look.

Everyone was dressed like they were going to a party. The women who walked down the streets were dressed in a rainbow of different outfits - mainly dresses. The men were dressed more casually, but some still wore suits as they escorted their dates up and down the festival walkways.

“I’m definitely getting some stir fry for dinner,” Nat beamed as she looked over at Javy. He chuckled, resting a hand on the small of her back as the three of you waited by the entrance for the rest of your friends.

“We said 6:30, right?” You murmured, glancing down at your phone before back up at the crowd that parted to pass your tiny group.

“Don’t you worry, Skipper,” Javy smirked, waggling his eyebrows at you. “I’m sure those nerds will be here any second. They probably wanted to make sure they look nice and pretty for all the girls tonight.”

“Aren’t they wearing masks?” Nat asked, arching a brow up at her boyfriend. He shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets as he turned his attention to the crowd in search of the others.

“Yeah, probably.”

“You’re so helpful.”

“I know,” he grinned, raising a hand to wave to someone in the crowd. You followed his line of sight, sucking in a breath when your eyes met green ones. A smile found its way to your lips as Jake picked up his pace, nearly running to stand next to you. His strong arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you gently to him as you rested a hand on his chest to steady yourself.

“Hey,” you breathed, practically in a whisper as you gazed up at him through your mask. His lips pulled into a smirk as his grip tightened on your waist, your cheeks heating up at the gesture.

“Hey,” he murmured, leaning down so that his lips hovered over yours. “Missed you.”

“Missed me?” You giggled. “How could you have missed me? You saw me just this morning.”

“Always miss you,” he hummed, letting his lips rest against yours. It wasn’t a kiss, not really, but your heart fluttered in your chest nonetheless. His face was half covered by a white mask with golden accents, the offending object bumping against your own, causing another chorus of giggles to slip past your lips as he smiled. You heard a gag from beside you, and you glanced over to see Bradley gagging as the others watched you.

“You two are gross,” he asserted, wrinkling his nose. “Get a room.”

You rolled your eyes, squeaking when Jake chuckled and pulled you impossibly closer.

“If you insist,” he grinned, moving to pull you back towards town and away from the boardwalk. You stumbled after him, lurching when a hand grabbed your upper arm, pulling you back and away from Jake.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Nat snapped, shooting a glare at the blonde. “I worked too damn long and too damn hard for you to steal her away this early. She deserved to be showed off.”

Jake pouted at her, but considered her words for a moment. The smile once again finding a home on his face, he offered you his arm, which you took gratefully.

“Well, what are we waiting for then?” He taunted, already pulling you towards the festival. “Let’s get a move on. I have a lady that needs showing off.”

The others followed the two of you with rolls of their eyes, and you looked back grin at Nat excitedly.

“So, what’s first?”

“Well, I’m starving,” she declared, rushing past you with Javy in tow. “I say we get something to eat first and foremost.”

“What are you thinking?” Bob asked, his eyes darting down to look at where Nat and Javy’s hands sat intertwined. His eyebrow arched slightly, blue eyes meeting yours for a brief second behind his silver mask. You shook your head slightly, and his face told you that the two of you would most definitely be talking about the development later.

“Stir fry,” Nat grinned, wagging her eyebrows at him. Bradley scoffed, earning a glare from the brunette.

“We’re not getting stir fry,” he said, an edge of disgust in his tone as he crossed his arms over his chest. “We are treated to delicious fried food but once a year, and you want to waste this opportunity getting stir fry?”

“The stir fry is the best damn thing here, Bradshaw, and you know it,” she fired back, letting go of Javy’s hand to cross her own arms as she glared the man down.

“Why don’t we just get our own things?” Reuben suggest, coming up to stand next to the two, placing gentle hands on both of their shoulders.

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Mickey chirped, rubbing his hands together as he scanned over the different booths, shooting a dazzling smile to a group of girls huddled by one of the jewelry stalls. The girls giggled, whispering amongst themselves as they eyed your group in appraisal. Reuben let out a low whistle as he followed Mickey’s line of sight.

“Damn,” he murmured, a charming grin sliding onto his face.

“We’ll, uh, catch you later,” Mickey threw over his shoulder, making a beeline for the other group with Reuben hot on his tail. Bob rolled his eyes, already moving to follow them.

“I’ll go make sure they stay out of trouble,” he muttered. Bradley gave him a broad grin, letting out a loud cry of encouragement that set the bespectacled man’s cheeks ablaze.

“Yeah!” Bradley called, clapping his hand and earning a few looks from the passersby. “Go get’em tiger!”

If looks could kill, you surmised he’d be dead ten times over with the glare Bob shot back at him.

“Can we go now?” Nat groaned, looking around at the rest of you. “I’m starving here!”

“Yeah, but we’re not getting stir fry,” Bradley asserted once more. Nat bristled, and you watched as the two went in for round two of their argument. Jake leaned down so that his lips brushed against the shell of your ear, sending a tingle up your spine that nearly took your breath away.

“They could be at this a while,” he whispered, his breath fanning over your cheek as his arm came to wrap around your waist. “Let’s get out of here and go find our own thing to do.”

You nodded, allowing him to lead you discreetly away from your friends and towards the booths. The two of you walked in silence for a moment before he turned to look down at you.

“Are you even hungry?” He asked, stopping as you looked at the jewelry at one of the booths.

“Not really,” you murmured, eyeing a set of the handmade earrings on display. “Are you?”

“Nah,” he replied, wrinkling his nose. “We can just walk around for a little bit, if you want?”

“That sounds just fine to me,” you smiled, meeting his gaze and stopping. For a moment, it was like everything else faded away and it was just the two of you, standing and staring at one another. Jake’s eyes began to glow an iridescent green the longer he stared at you, his breaths coming out a little more ragged. You could get lost in those eyes, you were sure of it.

“Can I help you find anything?”

You jumped, turning to the woman behind the table as she smiled at you.

“What?” You asked, breathless as your mind scrambled to catch up. “Oh, no! I’m just looking right now, but thank you!”

The woman nodded before turning her attention to another customer. You looked back at Jake who looked like he wanted to say something. Before he could, a chime sounded, and he dug in his pocket for his phone. He pulled it out, scanning the message before casting an apologetic look towards you.

“It’s my mom,” he explained, gesturing at the phone. “She wants to talk to me. Do you mind if I…?”

“Not at all,” you smiled, waving him off. “You go ahead, just text me when you’re finished and we can meet up again, yeah?”

He gave you a small smile, leaning in to brush his lips against yours in a gentle kiss before turning and walking away.

You perused several different booths before the pangs of hunger made themselves known. You decided to get yourself a bag of popcorn to tide you over while waiting for Jake to text you that he was done, bouncing excitedly at the thought of the buttery treat. You scrolled on your phone while you waited in line, skimming different articles as the line inched forward slowly.

Skipper.

You glanced up, expecting to see one of your friends, frowning when you didn’t. You could have sworn you heard your name, and an uneasy feeling made its way across your skin, clutching at the pit in your stomach. A low hum could be heard on the breeze, and you noticed a few of the vendors glance around uneasily.

Skipper, come find me.

You looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. Several other people looked around with frowns on their faces, but you paid them no mind as you scanned the crowd frantically.

Come find me, and everything will be fine. Don’t you want to find me?

“Yes,” you whispered, stepping out of the line, eyes still searching for the source of the honeyed voice. “Yes, I want to find you. Where are you?”

Follow my voice, Skipper.

Your head felt light, your body like it was floating as you took another step into the dense crowd. Your eyes still scanned the crowd, stopping as they made contact with glowing green. They stared at you intently from behind a solid black mask, the top half of the man’s face covered entirely. His lips twitched up into a knowing smirk as he watched you, slowly raising his hand in offering to you.

There’s a good girl. Do as you're told, and everything will be just fine.

The fact that his lips weren’t moving should have concerned you, but you were so focused on getting to him that you didn’t even notice. You took a few steps towards him, only stopping when the mark on your neck pulsed.

Come on, Skipper. You’re almost there. Just a few more steps and then we can live happily ever after. Don’t you want that?

You hesitated. Did you want that? You were sure you did, but somehow this felt wrong. It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

The mark on your neck pulsed again, almost as if it were pleading with you not to go. You frowned, reaching up a heavy hand to run your fingers over it.

Ignore it, Skipper. Listen to me. You want to come with me, don’t you? I would never hurt you. I can give you everything. Trust me.

Yes, that was what you wanted. You wanted to go with this man. How could you have thought otherwise? This man looked at you so intensely, almost like he was driven mad with need as he called for you.

Just a little more, sweetheart. Then we’ll have nothing to worry about ever again.

You were only about a yard away now, so close and still so far. You wanted to please him, make him proud. All you had to do was take a few more steps, and-

You let out a grunt as someone bumped into you, nearly sending you to the ground with the force of it. It was like everything came rushing back to you all at once. The floating feeling stopped, and suddenly you were aware of your surroundings once again. You looked around at the surrounding crowd, noticing how a few of the local vendors stared at you with unease, their eyes flickering away to focus on something else. No, not something. Someone.

Your head whipped up, locking onto the figure who stood before you. Your eyes widened in terror at the way he looked at you, his eyes shining with a mix of anger and despair as you fought for coherency once more. You knew those eyes.

Someone bumped into the man, startling him, and you watched as he let out a strangled cry filled with frustration and anguish. The passerby stopped, raising his hands to put some distance between the two of them.

“Woah, man,” the stranger said, eyes widening as the man tore his mask away in anger, glowing eyes seething as he bared his teeth. “I’m sorry, okay? It was an accident.”

Your breath caught in your throat as you continued to stare, your mind trying desperately to reconcile what you knew with what you were seeing.

The man looked back at you, tears now in his eyes as he let out another anguished cry, turning on his feet and racing through the crowd.

Cole.

A/N: Welp...here's the reveal, at long last. What do you guys think? Was it worth the wait? What's going to happen next?? Only two chapters left! As always, reblogs and comments are greatly appreciated. If you enjoy my work, consider leaving me a tip! You can also find my works on AO3 under the username sailor-aviator!

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[ladyelissarose]

          Prologue of

      “A Heart With Wings”

 Constantine Rose Oceans, was 24 years old when she got into her profession, she had a Masters in Aeronautical engineering. Making her more than credited to enter. Though she knew everything about what any Navy plane or jet contained and how to fly them, for she had a license to for it, Oceans decided to chase a her mechanical career instead. Constantine, as known as ‘Connie’ chose to be a Aviation Structural Mechanic. At first she was stationed on USS Enterprise (CVN-65) where she was treated badly by her fellow co-workers, because of her determination to go by the book and being a perfectionist. While they tended to play off the rules. Fortunately, after an especially hard day, and while drunk and crying she vented to a stranger which was Penny at Hard Deck, she cried to her about her situation, leaving a very curious Captain that was near by listening on the look out for her. Then out of the blue, she was transferred and stationed on Aircraft Carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, where she met Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell, and his fellow aviators. Maverick knew her past, only because he had read her profile, and was intrigued to shield her from unnecessary harm, that was part of the reason why he specifically chose her to be their specialized mechanic. Oceans became great and close friends with Natasha ‘Phoenix’ Trace, and Robert ‘Bob’ Floyd. Sharing secrets and pranking everyone was their goal and what kept them sane. Reuben ‘Payback’ Fitch, Mickey ‘Fanboy’ Garcia, and Javy ‘Coyote’ Machado, were more like her bodyguards for some times, then others her annoying brothers, but very soon she came to appreciate their presence. Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw, had become like an older brother to her, protecting her from anyone that dared to come in her way, just like Maverick, and he supported her from beginning to end, including her into the family he had made with Maverick. Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin on the other hand, didn’t know how to feel about this certain sailor, his heart felt something different every time he was in the same room as her, but his mind tried to tell him that he was just overthinking. So, he chose to despise her instead, pushing her away with his boasting ego and sometimes hurtful words. His goal was to get her to hate him, which she was very close to, but soon she found out his truth to his game and chose to pursue it, hoping she’d change his mind. But Hangman’s heart was already hurt from someone in the past that had recently just broken his heart terribly, and just felt that falling for a Mechanic, another girl, would make it more painful. Beginning with he felt that she’d probably do the same to him, and also thought that falling in love was worthless because of the missions he had sometimes, that didn’t always promise his safe return. Little did he know, that no matter how much he broke Oceans heart, soon she’d be the one to mend him, with the strings he pulled on her heart. Showing him that it was more than possible, that he was more than possible.