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sorchathered · 10 months ago

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Sacred New Beginnings- Chapter 8

A/N- thank you guys so much for being patient with me, I know that cliffhanger shook everyone up but I promise your patience will be rewarded!

Pairing- Jake Seresin x Reader (OC Stormy)

Warnings- injuries, cursing, smut

Song inspo- “Like I’m gonna lose you” - Meghan Trainor

It had been nearly 6 weeks since your accident, ejecting over the ocean in an aircraft during a dogfight which resulted in your shoot not properly deploying, sending you spiraling towards the ocean at a speed that thankfully didn’t kill you or your pilot. The emergency team that life flighted you to Maryland had to sedate you heavily to manage your pain, so excruciating that it required what the doctor had called a medically induced coma. Broken collarbone, broken left wrist, fractured femur and a gnarly concussion that had you out for several days, waking up alive certainly not what you were expecting; the first thing that caught your eyes was the golden blonde hair and green eyes of the man you loved. Jake had been there through it all, every sleepless night, surgery, pt until you were finally released to go back to your home in Pensacola. You knew your godfather had facilitated some sort of miracle to allow Jake so much time away from his job and for that you couldn’t be more grateful, Uncle Beau couldn’t be your support team so he made sure you had everything you needed.

You were exhausted, the plane ride had been painful and as much as you’d tried to put on a brave face Jake could tell you were suffering, he got you inside and settled in bed and refused to let you do anything other than rest, you knew he had to be running on fumes but if he was he didn’t show it. You weren’t wrong, he was wrung out both emotionally and physically but if he stopped pushing forward he knew he’d break down, there had been nights when you were sedated that he worried you wouldn’t get through it and having to face life alone without you was too much for his heart to bear. Now that he had you home and safe he couldn’t imagine going back to North Island, let alone watching you get back into your jet, the thought sent a shudder through him; losing you was never something he’d imagined before all of this but now it consumed his every waking moment. It wasn’t healthy, and he was a bad liar so he knew you could tell he was fraying at the edges, your doctor had suggested that it would be beneficial for you both to do therapy together or separate and he was sure that was an option that needed to be explored. He started a load of laundry and as the clothes swirled in the washer he scrolled through his phone to find admiral Simpsons number, maybe requesting a transfer could give him the peace he needed to sleep at night.

A week goes by, pt is going well, your godfather has extended Jake’s leave once again but his request for transfer was denied (which you expected and told him at least 1,000 times you didn’t need him to move across the country to babysit you), but you could tell his nerves were shot. when you woke up most nights he wasn’t in the bed, usually in the living room reading or watching tv, sometimes on a run that would last for hours. Therapy hadn’t been easy the first session, you’d rehashed the drama of your crash and had ended it in tears, you’d been assured it would get easier but it felt like it never would, especially with the walls it felt like Jake was building around you. He treated you like glass and it was becoming more and more frustrating, he didn’t want to talk about what was going on in his head, he definitely wouldn’t sleep with you and all you’d gotten were a handful of kisses and hand holding since you’d come back to Florida. It felt like he was pushing you away and that was what you knew would push you over the edge, injuries you could heal from but losing him? That would destroy you.

Jake of course is clueless to your fears, he is just pushing through each day trying to make sure you are healthy and getting better, the thought hasn’t even occurred to him that he’s been distant, how could he be? He’s with you all the time! But when he gets back from his nearly 10 mile run the tension he hadn’t noticed is palpable, you’ve somehow showered and changed without him and when he catches your eyes from your spot on the couch he knows you are ready for a fight. He’s seen that look over a dozen times but never aimed at him, the storm is raging in your features, jaw clenched and eyes red rimmed with tears; you’ve been crying and somehow it’s his fault.

“Baby what’s wrong? Are you hurt? Why didn’t you wait for me? You shouldn’t be doing anything by yourself-“ he started but you waved your hand dismissively and continued to scowl and tear up, he didn’t know what was going on but whatever he’d done he would get on his knees and beg for forgiveness if he had to. “I’m not hurt, I managed to take my brace off to shower and put it back on by myself, that’s not the problem. The problem is us.” You said the last part in almost a whisper as you burst into tears, you’d never been much for crying when you were upset but everything had gotten so overwhelming and you couldn’t get your thoughts together, Jake surged forward to scoop you up and it didn’t matter that he was sweaty and gross you needed his touch more than you could say. You clawed at his skin and gasped out as you tried to stall your tears, pulling at his face to kiss you and he reciprocated but continued to hold you as gently as possible, afraid to jostle you too much and hurt your leg. Your eyes looked wild as he pulled you back a little to calm you down, but you kept clinging to him and trying to pull him closer, he didn’t want to stop but the fear of hurting you was prevalent so he pulled back completely and stood up, only to be met with another round of tears. “Hey hey, you gotta talk to me sugar I don’t understand what’s going on? You’re scaring me baby, just tell me what it is and I’ll fix it ok?” You looked at him and huffed like a petulant child and he almost laughed but knew it would only make it worse, something was eating you up and he didn’t have a clue where to start. “I don’t understand how you don’t get it, you’re doing it to me right now! You’re pushing me away, I’m not made of glass Jake! You’ve barely touched me since we got home, it’s like you don’t even want me anymore and I can’t stand it!” You wailed out and he had never felt more idiotic in his life. He had been so focused on your recovery that it had never even occurred to him that you would want him like that right now, but of course you did; you needed him physically just like he always had when things were hard and somehow he’d completely missed it. You were still sniffling as he ran his hand over his face and chuckled, which made you scrunch your face up angrily at him because how was this funny? He had been acting like an ass, of course he’d done everything to be your caretaker but damnit you wanted your boyfriend.

“Oh sweet thing I’m so sorry, I really have been stupid huh?” He said as he stepped back into your space and wiped your tears with his thumbs. “I didn’t realize, baby, can I fix it? Take you to bed and show you how sorry I am?” You nodded furiously and put your hands out for him to scoop you up, letting him carry you down the hall to the bedroom as you kissed his face and neck, running your hands through his sweaty hair and down his shoulders. He still treats you like your fragile, but it’s in the form of soft touches and gentle kisses placed all over your body as he removes your clothes, there’s a reverence in the way he loves you, you’d missed the intimacy of being with him so much it hurt, and now that he knew what you needed you knew he’d give you everything. He could tell you were irritated by the leg brace, couldn’t quite get close to him the way you wanted, you were terrible at hiding it with your furrowed brows and frustrated huffs as you tried to gain leverage and push up against him. He stilled you with a hand on your hips and kissed you sweetly on the forehead trying to smooth away the irritation. “You’re so stubborn, lay still and be a good girl ok baby girl I’m gonna get you there I promise, be sweet for me like I know you can.” You huffed out again but did what he asked, watching as he kissed down your torso and hitched your good leg over his shoulder, you were already so wet and gasping for him but he was going to draw this out as long as possible, you said you needed him to touch you so he would until you couldn’t take it anymore.

He was so damn lucky, and he knew it. He could’ve lost you, missed out on moments like this, watching you come undone for him as he tasted you over and over again until you were a crying mess, taking you to the precipice as you writhed and begged for him to let you cum, but he wouldn't let you just yet, white knuckling the sheets and sobbing his name, pussy leaking all over his hands and mouth as your beautiful eyes rolled back, it was heaven on earth being with you like this and he’d never take it for granted. You were positive that you’d come out of your own skin if he didn’t let you come soon, pulling at his hair and pleading him with wasn’t working, and soon you were too far gone to even do that, just letting little noises out as you rolled your head back and forth and gasped his name, and finally he pulled away from you, climbing back up your body to sloppily lick into your mouth, he was covered in you and it was sinful, you couldn’t stop bucking into him and squirming and he just chuckled as he groped your chest and kissed your neck. “Jake- I get it ok, I was being a brat just- just please please fuck me, need it oh fuck please please” you couldn’t stop babbling even as he began to glide his cock through your slick, and he slid into you with no resistance, your body so wound up that you couldn’t stop, immediately clamping down on him and succumbing to your orgasm. He growled into your neck at how good you were, continuing to fuck you through it as you gushed all over him and onto the sheets, he’d been so turned on by edging you that he was hopeless to hold back his own orgasm, thrusting into you hard a few times and spilling into you, both of you sweat slicked and sated, finally feeling like maybe you’d made it through the worst of this season of life.

You’d fallen asleep shortly after, going in and out as he cleaned you up and tucked you in, promises to come back after he started the laundry. You knew it hadn’t been long because the sun was still out but when you woke his side of the bed was still made and cold, so you hobbled down the hall until you could hear him talking to someone on the phone. “I know Mama, she’s gonna be alright but I don’t know how to leave her, I’m scared to death to let her out of my sight let alone in her jet again. Yeah, they’re sending me back next week, I’m gonna do everything I can to make things easier but- I don’t know mama I can ask if she wants the company, she’s got an extra room but I don’t want to overwhelm her, I just want to keep her safe.” You could hear the rawness in his voice, and your heart broke, you weren’t ready to be without him either but he had to go back, you’d already been given too many favors and the navy wasn’t likely to give anymore. “Jake” you called to him and he fumbled with the phone and swiped his eyes, looking up at you with the saddest smile you’d ever seen. “Tell your mama I’d love to have her here, you’re right I could use the company and we are definitely overdue for the girl time.” There it was, his thousand watt smile you fell in love with, he crossed the room to scoop you in his arms and you could see the relief on his face. You swiped the phone from his hand and laughed, “Hey Mama Leigh, how about we order you that plane ticket? We’ve got all sorts of catching up to do, and you can fill me in on all Jake’s most embarrassing stories.”

Leigh Seresin was the very picture of a southern grandma, styled blonde hair and perfect makeup, but none of the catty attitude, just warmth and kindness. When you and Jake picked her up from the airport she pulled you both up into a hug, fussing at you for not using your crutches and producing a big container of homemade chocolate chip cookies. She reminded you so much of your grandmother in so many ways, she wasn’t pushy but she wouldn’t let you lift a finger, making sure you were settled and then ushering Jake into the kitchen to help her make dinner as you dozed on the couch. She knew you were the one for her son, could see it on his face months ago when he’d admitted that you two were together, she wasn’t surprised one bit, she’d known for years that he had a thing for you and eventually you two would figure it out. Checking to make sure you were still asleep she dug through her never ending coach bag (Jake always called her Mary poppins because she seemed to have everything) and produced a small velvet box. “You said you wanted me to give this to you when you were ready, and I know right now may not be the right time but son one day it will be. She’s the right one sweetheart, I can feel it in my bones.” There inside the little green box was the thing he’d dreamed about putting on your finger from that very first weekend, Grandma Seresin’s vintage engagement ring. He knew he’d have to wait a little while, let you heal up all the way and see where your career took you but holding it in his hand and watching you sleep on the couch he couldn’t help but feel like everything was falling into place.

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spacetimewithstuartgary · 3 months ago

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Can Life Exist on an Icy Moon? NASA’s Europa Clipper Aims to Find Out

With a spacecraft launching soon, the mission will try to answer the question of whether there are ingredients suitable for life in the ocean below Europa’s icy crust.

Deep down, in an ocean beneath its ice shell, Jupiter’s moon Europa might be temperate and nutrient-rich, an ideal environment for some form of life — what scientists would call “habitable.” NASA’s Europa Clipper mission aims to find out.

NASA now is targeting launch no earlier than Monday, Oct. 14, on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Europa Clipper’s elongated, looping orbit around Jupiter will minimize the spacecraft’s exposure to intense radiation while allowing it to dive in for close passes by Europa. Using a formidable array of instruments for each of the mission’s 49 flybys, scientists will be able to “see” how thick the moon’s icy shell is and gain a deeper understanding of the vast ocean beneath. They’ll inventory material on the surface that might have come up from below, search for the fingerprints of organic compounds that form life’s building blocks, and sample any gases ejected from the moon for evidence of habitability.

Mission scientists will analyze the results, probing beneath the moon’s frozen shell for signs of a water world capable of supporting life.

“It’s important to us to paint a picture of what that alien ocean is like — the kind of chemistry or even biochemistry that could be happening there,” said Morgan Cable, an astrobiologist and member of the Europa Clipper science team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, which manages the mission.

Ice Investigation

Central to that work is hunting for the types of salts, ices, and organic material that make up the key ingredients of a habitable world. That’s where an imager called MISE (Mapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europa) comes in. Operating in the infrared, the spacecraft’s MISE divides reflected light into various wavelengths to identify the corresponding atoms and molecules.

The mission will also try to locate potential hot spots near Europa’s surface, where plumes could bring deep ocean material closer to the surface, using an instrument called E-THEMIS (Europa Thermal Emission Imaging System), which also operates in the infrared.

Capturing sharply detailed pictures of Europa’s surface with both a narrow and a wide-image camera is the task of the EIS (Europa Imaging System). “The EIS imagers will give us incredibly high-resolution images to understand how Europa’s surface evolved and is continuing to change,” Cable said.

Gases and Grains

NASA’s Cassini mission spotted a giant plume of water vapor erupting from multiple jets near the south pole of Saturn’s ice-covered moon Enceladus. Europa may also emit misty plumes of water, pulled from its ocean or reservoirs in its shell. Europa Clipper’s instrument called Europa-UVS (Europa Ultraviolet Spectrograph) will search for plumes and can study any material that might be venting into space.

Whether or not Europa has plumes, the spacecraft carries two instruments to analyze the small amount of gas and dust particles ejected from the moon’s surface by impacts with micrometeorites and high-energy particles: MASPEX (MAss SPectrometer for Planetary EXploration/Europa) and SUDA (SUrface Dust Analyzer) will capture the tiny pieces of material ejected from the surface, turning them into charged particles to reveal their composition.

“The spacecraft will study gas and grains coming off Europa by sticking out its tongue and tasting those grains, breathing in those gases,” said Cable.

Inside and Out

The mission will look at Europa’s external and internal structure in various ways, too, because both have far-reaching implications for the moon’s habitability.

To gain insights into the ice shell’s thickness and the ocean’s existence, along with its depth and salinity, the mission will measure the moon’s induced magnetic field with the ECM (Europa Clipper Magnetometer) and combine that data with measurements of electrical currents from charged particles flowing around Europa — data provided by PIMS (Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding).

In addition, scientists will look for details on everything from the presence of the ocean to the structure and topography of the ice using REASON (Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding to Near-surface), which will peer up to 18 miles (29 kilometers) into the shell — itself a potentially habitable environment. Measuring the changes that Europa’s gravity causes in radio signals should help nail down ice thickness and ocean depth.

“Non-icy materials on the surface could get moved into deep interior pockets of briny water within the icy shell,” said Steve Vance, an astrobiologist and geophysicist who also is a member of the Europa Clipper science team at JPL. “Some might be large enough to be considered lakes, or at least ponds.”

Using the data gathered to inform extensive computer modeling of Europa’s interior structure also could reveal the ocean’s composition and allow estimates of its temperature profile, Vance said.

Whatever conditions are discovered, the findings will open a new chapter in the search for life beyond Earth. “It’s almost certain Europa Clipper will raise as many questions or more than it answers — a whole different class than the ones we’ve been thinking of for the last 25 years,” Vance said.

TOP IMAGE: This artist’s concept (not to scale) depicts what Europa’s internal structure could look like: an outer shell of ice, perhaps with plumes of material venting from beneath the surface; a deep, global layer of liquid water; and a rocky interior, potentially with hydrothermal vents on the seafloor. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

LOWER IMAGE: The puzzling surface of Jupiter’s icy moon Europa looms large in this reprocessed color view made from images taken by NASA’s Galileo spacecraft in the late 1990s. The images were assembled into a realistic color view of the surface that approximates how Europa would appear to the human eye. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SETI Institute

#science #space #astronomy #physics #news #nasa #astrophysics #europa clipper

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trickphotography2 · 1 year ago

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Overtime

It was just supposed to be a football game. But then Hangman took Syla up on her invitation to watch the Blue Angels perform at the Miramar air show. A month after meeting and facing the last home show of her career, the history making Naval Aviator invited Hangman to visit her in Pensacola. She didn't actually expect him to accept. Payback definitely wasn't happy.

A continuation of First and Goal. This got away from me at 5.1K words. No physical description of the reader, callsign is Syla (pronounced like Cilla) and she's a Florida State fan.

Cross-posted on Ao3.

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The humidity hit Jake in the face as he exited the Pensacola airport. His eyes darted up and then to the line of cars. “I’m under the Delta sign.”

“Okay, I’m pulling out of the cellphone lot,” Syla said. He heard her humming and felt his lip twitch. Over the month they’d been talking, he’d heard it many, many times, usually when she was focused on something. Once, when they’d done a video call while she was in Oregon, he’d asked her if she hummed while flying and was promptly flipped off. “I...think I see you.” The call disconnected as a blue convertible Mini Cooper stopped in front of him. Payback scowled, elbowing him out of the way as Syla got out and circled the car.

“Reuben!” she squealed. Jake rolled his eyes, grabbing the other man’s bag as he hugged Syla, lifting her off her feet. Payback hadn’t been thrilled to find out he wasn’t the only one who had requested leave to head down to Florida for the Blue Angels homecoming show. Hell, Syla had been surprised when Jake had quickly accepted her half-joking invitation.

Jake had gone to the show in Miramar. It was his first time seeing them since their flyover at his Academy graduation, which he’d only half paid attention to back then. The Blue Angels were good PR for the Navy but had never caught his attention - pilots stuck repeating the same maneuvers every time? Sounded almost as bad as being assigned to desk duty. He'd take dog fighting every time if given the choice between it and the flying equivalent of synchronized swimming. But, after going through flight school and some experience with formation flying, he had a new respect for the Angels.

The way Syla filled out her tight blue flight suit definitely didn’t hurt matters. Jake had managed to get close enough to watch the team march in a line to their jets and climb in, trading out their caps for helmets before taxiing and taking off in formation. For an hour, he watched them execute loops, inversions, pitches, and breaks. After the show, he’d joined the queue for her autograph and grinned at her surprised look. As she signed the team picture, he asked her about not wearing a g-suit that helped keep blood from pooling in the lower extremities and forced it toward the brain. From his estimation, they were pulling at least 7Gs at points.

“Can’t,” Syla had shrugged. “We have our right arm on our thigh for stability and to help with the 40-pound spring tensioned on the stick. Air bladders would inflate at the worst time and ruin the maneuver. ‘Sides, since we fly it constantly, we know when to tense to avoid G-LOC.” Sliding her aviators down her nose, the Blue Angel smirked and slid the picture across the table to him. “Good to see you again, Hangman.”

Her phone number was under her loopy signature.

“Hey,” Jake said when she turned her attention to him, eyebrow raised over her sunglasses. Crossing her arms over her chest, forcing her breasts higher into the tank top she wore, Syla cocked her hip.

“I have so many questions. First - what the hell is with the pornstache?” Grinning, Jake ran a hand over his mustache.

“Don’t like it?”

“You look like the other guy in your squad… um…” she snapped her fingers, glancing at Payback.

“Rooster.”

“Rooster! That’s right. He can pull off a mustache.”

“I make a mustache look good,” he chuckled, dropping the bags into the open trunk. Shaking her head, she stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his waist.

“Jury’s out. Also, people are gonna think you’re a Gator or Canes fan in that orange.”

“Hook ‘em, baby.” Over her head, Jake caught Payback’s eye roll.

“Alright,” Syla said, stepping out of his loose embrace and slamming the trunk closed. “Get in so we can go grab dinner. I’m starving.”

“Please tell me we’re getting some seafood,” Payback moaned, beelining for the front seat. Jake rolled his eyes, following Syla around the car and pulling open the door for her before ducking into the back seat. His knees pressed into her seat, and he shifted to try and get more comfortable.

The two aviators chatted while Syla pulled out of the airport and drove through Pensacola. It had been years since Jake had been back. Like many Naval aviators, his career had begun at a local flight school while stationed at NAS Whiting Field, just across the bridge and a couple of miles down I-10 in Milton. While he’d enjoyed his time at Annapolis during the Academy, it had been fun to cut loose and spend weekends on the white sand beaches, flirting with tourists and drinking at dive bars. But after he’d moved on to Intermediate Flight Training, he’d never looked back. North Florida had little appeal for him. If he had to be stationed in the state, he would go for the Keys.

“You good back there, Hangman?” Syla asked, pulling him from his musing. She’d twisted in her seat, strands of hair that had escaped her regulation bun framing her face.

“All good, just looking at how much it’s changed.” She smiled, turning back around when the light turned green.

After grabbing dinner by the beach at a local spot called The Oar House, the trio made their way to Syla’s place. It was a cute little white house with a red - “garnet,” she’d corrected - door. As another condition of his coming, Payback claimed the one guest bedroom while Jake was relegated to the couch.

It helped to know that Payback only had the bed for one night and would join him in sleeping in the living room when Syla’s parents arrived the next day.

So, while Payback went to bed early to call his kid, Jake and Syla hung out. At first, there had been some initial awkwardness, trying to navigate a friendship conducted mainly over the phone. It didn’t take long until Jake found himself itching to tuck her hair, free from the tight bun and damp from her shower, behind her ear.

“Okay, I have to know,” she said, setting her glass on the coffee table before facing him. Propping her elbow against the back of the couch, she buried a hand in her hair and smirked. “What’s with the mustache? You weren’t deployed, so it’s not a deployment ‘stache. Or is this like a normal thing for you?”

“Definitely not a normal thing for me,” he chuckled, setting his beer on the coffee table and turning to mirror her. At her cocked eyebrow, he shrugged. “Payback.”

“Are we talking Reuben or revenge for something?”

“A bit of both. He’s real protective of you and wasn’t happy to hear that we’ve been talking. Or that I was coming here.”

“Oh god, are you telling me you look like that because of me?” She let her head fall back at his shrug while taking a deep breath. The move pulled her sleep shirt tight against her chest, and he could see her pebbled nipples through the material. “I’m gonna kill him.”

“It’s fine.” And it was. It was worth it if this was the penalty for violating the bro code - as the rest of the Daggers had ruled when they found out about his contact with Syla.

“Your pretty face shouldn’t be sacrificed for his petty male ego.”

“You think I’m pretty?” Jake teased. Syla lowered her head and gave him an unimpressed look. With a huff, she ran her thumb over his mustache.

“When you don’t have a fuzzy caterpillar on your face.” Amusement sparkled in his green eyes when Syla raised hers from his mouth to meet his. Her fingers rasped on his stubble as they glided across his jaw. Jake watched, biting back a groan when she played with the hair on the nape of his neck. Gentle pressure guided him closer as her tongue darted to wet her lips. A smirk curved his mouth as his gaze narrowed to hers.

A throat cleared, and Syla jumped, her hand falling to her lap. Payback stood beside the television, arms crossed over his chest. “Am I interrupting something?” he asked.

“Absolutely,” Syla replied, even as pink dusted her cheeks. Payback’s eyes darted to Jake, who shrugged. “Oh no - this is not… If you have a problem with me talking to Jake, you’ll talk to me about it, Reuben.”

“Okay. I don’t like it. You don’t know Hangman.”

“Cool. Good to know. That’s part of why we’re talking - to get to know one another.” He groaned her name, running a hand down his face.

“He’s got a reputation in Miramar.” Jake flushed with embarrassment. Sure, he enjoyed a one-night stand, but he hadn’t had one in a while. Definitely not since he’d started talking to the pilot beside him.

“So you’re telling me he knows what he’s doing and can probably find the clit. That’s great to know.” Both men sputtered, and Syla laughed. “In case you haven’t noticed, Payback, I’m not the 22-year-old girl you met. And as much as I appreciate you looking out for me, I’m a pretty good judge of character. So if I want to talk to Jake, kiss him, and maybe have sex, that’s our decision.” Patting Jake’s shoulder, she stood and gave Payback a sweet smile. “And with that, gentlemen, I’m going to go to bed since I have work in the morning. You know, where I’m a history-making Naval aviator whose judgment is tested and proven every day that I’m in the air flying inches away from other aviators, where one small deviation could mean death for either of us. Night boys.”

The two men watched Syla walk to the hallway, pausing to pat Payback’s chest and closing her bedroom door.

Jake fell a little bit in love.

“Morning,” Jake said, his voice rough with sleep. Syla smiled and waved, continuing towards the kitchen where the coffee pot gurgled. Scrubbing a hand through his hair, he joined her, taking the mug she slid across the counter and leaning against the stove, scratching his bare chest.

“How’d you sleep?” she asked.

“Not the worst place I’ve bunked.”

“It’s a step above the carrier.” He smiled over the rim of his mug. He’d never dated a woman in the military and never would have even thought about pursuing another aviator. Sure, he enjoyed flirting with Phoenix to get a rise out of her, but their careers overlapped too much for him to ever think about pursuing anything. Plus, Rooster would kill him if he ever worked up the nerve to admit his feelings about his “best friend.”

But there was something comforting about talking with Syla. Over the last month, he’d enjoyed not having to explain things in his daily life. No explanation was needed when he rescheduled calls because he was doing late maneuvers. Honestly, she was the one doing the rescheduling more often than not. She was also the one who fell asleep when they were on the phone. He’d never admit it, but Jake usually stayed on the line for a few more minutes, listening to her soft breathing and half-heartedly hoping she’d wake before hanging up.

“What’s your day look like?” he asked. Syla frowned and stepped past him to look at the calendar hanging on the refrigerator.

“We’re briefing the show this morning and then going to a middle school. Not sure if we’re doing the interview there or if the camera crew is just getting footage. Then final dress rehearsal over the Gulf.” There was something sad in her eyes when she turned to meet his gaze.

“What?”

“I just…” To his surprise, tears gathered in her eyes as she looked up at the ceiling and swallowed. “Sorry, just kinda hitting me that this is it.” Setting his mug down, he opened his arms. Syla rested her head on his shoulder, palms flat on his chest. Jake's hand ran up the back of her flight suit, tugging her closer as he brushed his lips against her temple. When she lifted her head, he kissed her cheek. But when he tried to do it again, she turned to meet him.

Their first kiss was a sweet one. Syla’s hands drifted up his chest to wrap around the back of his neck and tug him down as she surged onto her toes. He steadied her with hands on her hips, gripping the blue fabric tightly as she licked into his mouth. A groan escaped him as she smiled. The mustache prickled against her skin.

“It’s too early for this.”

“Morning, Reuben,” Syla sighed, dropping back onto her heels and resting her forehead against Jake’s chin. Slowly, she pulled away and looked at her friend. “Sleep well?”

“Other than a nightmare, yeah.” Chuckling, she stepped out of Jake’s arms and grabbed her travel coffee mug.

“Duke is gonna pick me up so you can have my car for the day. I’ll be home around 5:30 or 6:00. My parent should be here around that time, too, so we’ll go out for dinner. I have to have an early night for the show tomorrow, but we can take two cars so you can have fun downtown.” The flight leader was happy to help her with a ride, seeing as he lived down the street.

“An early night sounds good to me,” Jake nodded.

“Great. Duke’s pulling up, so I’m headed out.” With a quick peck to both men’s cheeks, she left.

“You’re an ass,” Payback grumbled while opening the cabinets for a mug. Ignoring him, Jake returned to the couch and grabbed his cell phone, quickly pulling up their text thread.

Can confirm I know where the clit is

A few minutes later came her reply.

Seeing is believing

Syla woke early and pulled on her running gear. It was hard to sneak out of the house with the two aviators crashing in the living room, but she managed it. After slipping her earbuds in, she started her pre-show tradition of a five-mile run while mentally practicing the flight maneuvers. Hands clenched in front of her, she imagined Duke’s voice and positioned the stick and throttle. Deployed the smoke that allowed the crowd to follow them as they climbed. She would have the privilege of a sneak attack on the beach, buzzing the crowd who watched her wingmen fly ahead.

Even after three seasons, every show made her nervous. And performing in front of the hometown crowd, while amazing, brought its own level of pressure. North Florida was the home to a huge military population. These people saw them the most - they practiced over the Naval Aviation Museum twice weekly and signed autographs. Hell, there was a sign as you got into town that said ‘Home of the Blue Angels.’ Pensacola had the Blue Angels, Corry Station, and Whiting Field, where many aviation careers started. The Air Force had three bases just an hour up the road - Hurlburt Field, Duke Field, and Eglin. Eglin had its own place in military aviation history, as it was where the pilots of the Doolittle Raid - the US’s retaliation on Japan following Pearl Harbor, where modified bombers had launched from the USS Hornet with no fighters as backup - had trained. The Air Force had their own fighter and test wings stationed there, and the Army was training special forces.

Further out were the two bases in Panama City - the Naval Support Activity Panama City and Tyndall Air Force Base, which housed their own fighter wing. That wasn’t even considering all of the veterans in the area. Syla had briefly dated someone who worked for the Veteran’s Administration, who had told her that the Gulf Coast was one of the fastest-growing areas for vets.

So yeah, hometown shows made her nervous. And her dumb ass had invited a certain Lieutenant, who made her even more nervous. Who she outranked. As a Lieutenant Commander, she was responsible for ensuring they didn’t break any fraternization rules. And even though Jake wouldn’t be under her command - the Daggers were stationed at Miramar under TOPGUN but were not instructors - they might still get some looks.

Which was presuming that Jake even wanted something other than a fling. Panting, Syla stopped running and bent, wiping away the sweat on her brow. Even this early, the humidity was killer. “Fucking focus,” she ordered herself.

There was nothing like an airshow. From the moment Syla stepped onto the tarmac, the energy was electric. For her last home show, they’d picked the theme of Celebrating Women in Aviation, focusing on the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPS) that began in WWII when the US needed pilots. Women could join the military to ferry, test, and deliver planes for repair.

From the civilian aerobatic pilots to the Air Force’s Viper and F-35 demo teams and the explosive Tora Tora Tora reenactment, there was something for everyone. She joined her parents, Reuben, and Jake after the Angels’ morning briefing. While her parents and Reuben stayed in the tent, she and Jake did a quick walk around, pausing so she could sign autographs and take pictures. She was glad her sunglasses were on when a little girl traced over her embroidered wings and said she wanted to be a pilot, too. Jake’s fingers brushed hers as they walked, and she fought a smile.

And then it was show time. Syla forced herself to focus on the moment. Doing anything else would endanger the team and her aircraft. So, she focused on saluting her flight crew and doing her checks. She wasn’t part of the diamond take-off formation but would be doing a high G vertical climb into an inversion. And then she thought about Duke’s final order - “Have fun.”

So she did. She allowed herself to smile as she fought against gravity, admired the beautiful ocean she flew over, and laughed at the startled crowd as she executed the sneak pass.

And yes, she did hum while doing it.

Sunday was harder. Syla woke up early for her run and was surprised to find Jake awake in the kitchen, shirtless and wearing running shorts and sneakers. He joined her, her extra reflective belt wrapped around his bicep. It was still dark, their way lit by streetlights and the occasional passing car. Jake glanced over as she ran through the show, hands at her stomach moving the imaginary stick and throttle.

Everything for her last show needed to be perfect.

“You’ve got this,” he said when they turned back into her cul de sac. Feeling like a teenager sneaking around, she tugged him around the side of the house and pressed him against the siding. His hands wrapped around her hips, holding her tightly as her hands slid up his sweat-slicked skin to wrap around the back of his neck. It was still dark out, the sun not due to rise for another hour. If her neighbors looked out the glass door in their living room or someone drove past, they would easily be spotted. But that didn’t stop her from pressing against him, feeling his heat through her sports bra and running shorts.

Jake pressed teasing kisses to her forehead, nose, and cheek before Syla gripped his hair and kissed him hard. His hand slid to her ass, squeezing and tugging her closer. She could feel his cock through his jogging shorts and dug her nails into his skin to keep from touching him. Nothing in the world would make her jeopardize her career with a public indecency charge.

When his attention shifted to her neck, licking the salt from her skin, Syla forced herself to push against his shoulders and step back. His grip tightened, not letting her go too far. “Everything okay?” he asked. In the semi-darkness, she could barely make out his confused expression.

“I need to know,” she said, biting her kiss-swollen lower lip. “I know we’ve only known each other for a month, but am I pissing off one of my best friends for a fling?”

“A fling?”

“I outrank you, Jake. If there’s blowback, it’s gonna come back on me. Not only because of rank but because I’m a woman. I will always have Blue Angels in my bio, so I will always be held to the highest standard. So I have to know - is this just having fun? Or is this something we want to pursue? Because I’m fine either - ”

Jake’s lips silenced her, his tongue insistently licking into her mouth as he turned them to pin her against the siding with his hips. With his hands braced by her head, he pulled away, smirking when she chased his kiss. One knuckle traced from her temple and swept across her jaw before tilting her head up as he tutted her name. “You think I’d risk pissing off my entire squad for a fling? If I wanted that, I would have just waited for you to get to Miramar instead of coming out here, annoying Payback, and meeting your parents. This is my first vacation in years, and I wanted to spend time alone with you. If you want this to be a fling - ”

“I don’t.”

“Good. Cause I don’t either.” They stood there, smiling at one another for a long moment until they heard a dog bark. Shoving him away, Syla turned and waved at her neighbor as he stepped out of the house across the street, dressed for his own morning run. Taking Jake’s hand, she tugged him back towards the front door, enjoying how he pressed himself against her back as she unlocked it. “Just wait until we’re alone, and I’ll show you just how well I can find your clit,” he growled in her ear as she gripped the doorknob.

“Just out of curiosity,” she said, glancing at him over her shoulder. “Did you tell Reuben that you were staying for a week? Or does he think you’re flying out tonight, too?”

“Now, where would the fun be in telling him?” Jake asked. Syla laughed, turning in his embrace to pat his cheek.

“It’s your funeral, Hangman.” His grin was blinding as he leaned down to kiss her.

“What a hell of a reason to go.”

Emotion nearly choked her as Syla drove down Blue Angel Parkway toward the base. She’d left her parents to drive the other aviators in, wanting some time alone that morning. The squad had invited her guests to watch the last briefing of the season so they wouldn’t be too far behind. Reuben or Jake would be able to get her parents on base. While the air show gates didn’t open until 8:00AM, a few cars were already waiting at the Visitor Control building’s parking lot. After flashing her ID to the gate guard, she made her way to the hanger to quickly inspect her plane. Their flight mechanics were among the best in the world, and Syla trusted them with her life, but you could never be too careful. Once assured that everything was fine, she made her way to the briefing room, pausing to talk to some of the other early birds and to grab a shitty cup of coffee from the break room. Rather than take her seat, she took the opportunity to read the plaques that decorated the walls, running her finger over her name engraved on the list of pilots.

“Big day, Syla. You ready for it?” Duke asked, coming into the briefing room and standing beside her. She glanced up at him and rolled her lips together, swallowing hard against the lump in her throat.

“As I’ll ever be,” she replied hoarsely.

“One more flight, and then you’re back in the greens,” he chuckled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and tugging her close.

“I look so much better in blue,” she smirked, glancing down at her flight suit. After three years, going back to a green suit that didn’t have her name and plane number embroidered on her chest, that had a different squadron patch, would be strange. This wasn’t the first time she’d left a squad, but it definitely was the hardest. Their team, from the flight and ground crew to the Marine pilots that flew Fat Albert, the C-130J that carried the crew show to show, spent so much time together. From January to November, they saw each other every day - on Thursdays, they flew out to the show location and returned to Pensacola on Mondays; Tuesdays and Wednesdays were practice days. For three years, Syla had celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, new babies, and graduations with these folks. She’d babysat for their kids and hung out at their houses. They had gotten her drunk to celebrate her promotion before dragging her to the beach and tossing her into the Gulf in her whites - she made sure that they also got drenched - and teased her relentlessly whenever she dated someone.

The other squad members slowly filed in, and Syla was subjected to brotherly teasing. When her guests arrived, she introduced Jake and Reuben by their callsigns. The looks her squad sent her when Hangman shook their hands were priceless - they’d seen his name pop up on her phone more than a few times. The corner of Jake’s eye twitched at every shake, making her wonder if they were squeezing his hand harder than necessary. Payback looked happy at the cooler welcome the other pilot got.

“Alright,” the flight leader said once everyone had taken their seat around the table, him at the head. Crew and her guests sat along the wall. “We’ll leave the sentimental stuff for the boat party later, but as you all know, this is Syla’s last flight with us. And while we’re excited to welcome Lieutenant Commander Reyes in a few months, she will have big shoes to fill. So we’ll be perfect today, not only for Syla but for our hometown crowd. I want the debrief to be short this afternoon so we can go celebrate another successful season and get some downtime. Now, conditions today allow for the high show…” Syla opened her folder and retrieved the aerial map of Pensacola as he read out the wind and view data. The tip of her pen traced the maneuvers they would go through, as he called them.

She could feel eyes on her as they pushed away from the table and did a chair flight, Duke’s comforting cadence helping her block out everything else. Her own eyes remained closed as they talked through the flight, visualizing and practicing the throttles and stick positions, where they would have pull on the stick, tensing to fight the Gs, her calls on the radio, turning to check the alignment of their synchronized ascent into the loop, deploying smoke - every second of the 45-minute show.

And when she opened her eyes, they caught on a pair of green ones that stared at her from across the room. The corner of Jake’s mouth twitched as he gave a curt nod. Beside him, her parents beamed. Payback sat back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest and grinned.

Syla couldn’t help the tears that fell as she taxied back into position. Even over her engine, she could hear the crowd cheering as they announced her name and thanked her for her years of flying with the Blues. As the canopy rose, she swiped at her face and took a deep breath.

It was over.

After three years, she was now returning to the fleet. She would be assigned a new Super Hornet, grey instead of bright blue, with her name and callsign painted below the canopy. The next few months would be spent reviewing tactical and weapons updates, and she’d have a few weeks to refresh her air combat skills before taking on her first TOPGUN class. She was pretty sure that she'd spend some time with the meatball, the machine that helped baby aviators learn the dimensions of the ship's flight line; she felt rusty even with over 600 carrier landings under her belt.

Thankfully, she was sure there was an active-duty pilot who would be more than happy to help her study.

“You good?” Syla looked up at her crew chief and nodded at the woman. Quickly, she handed over the helmet, realizing it would be one of the last times she wore it. Soon, she would be back in her garnet one with gold arrows - her nod to her alma mater. After smoothing down her hair, she put her cover back on and prepared to exit the cockpit.

Three years. Over 900 days on the road. Hundreds of hours in the air.

It was over.

A Week Later

Fanboy glanced at his phone, frowning at the text from Hangman. The Miami game was on a commercial break, so he quickly opened it and saw it was a video.

He recognized the place immediately - Florida State’s football stadium. Doak Campbell. Fucking Hangman was at the Miami-FSU game. Hangman panned the camera around the stadium, and Fanboy realized he was standing on the field. In the endzone. The announcer’s voice was a bit muffled but became clearer as Hangman refocused the camera on Syla.

“Callsign Syla made history as the first female aviator on the Blue Angels, carrying on the proud FSU tradition of excellence. Let’s give a loud welcome home to Syla!”

The crowd roared, chants of “USA” echoing as Syla held up her hands and waved before doing the tomahawk chop. In the background, he saw that she was being broadcast on the jumbotron. As it cut away, she held her hands up again. She brought her thumbs together to form the University of Miami ‘U’ symbol before dropping all but her middle fingers. The student section started a chant of ‘Fuck U’ as she laughed.

“Fuck Miami!” Syla grinned.

“Fuck Miami!” Hangman echoed, swinging the camera around to show himself flipping off the camera, that god-awful mustache still on his face. For once, he wasn’t wearing Texas gear but had swapped it out for a Seminoles cap and t-shirt.

Oh, Fanboy thought. He was definitely gonna have to deal with way more bro code violations once he got back. Especially after he forgot to turn off the recording before kissing Syla.

Fanboy debated forwarding it to the group chat but decided against it. Having a bit of blackmail was never a bad thing.

The group chat started popping off in the 4th quarter.

What the fuck is this? Payback fired off, sharing a picture of Hangman with his arm around Syla and their back to the field. Her hand rested on his stomach.

Damn, Rooster replied. Phoenix added a gif of Stephen Colbert eating popcorn.

Looks like fun, Bob added.

Fuck the Noles, Fanboy typed out.

Is no one bothered by this??? Payback demanded. The chat went silent until Hangman’s name popped up.

Syla here. Two things - 1) Fuck Miami, and 2) I’m begging you to let the man shave the fucking mustache. Facial hair is not my thing.

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

Note: I didn't expect to write a follow up to First and Goal, but I also didn't expect the engagement with it. Thank you to everyone who read it. A major thank you to @mayhemmanaged for helping talk me through this fic and reading a rough draft of it. And @dreamlandcreations for saying she wanted a part 2.

The North Florida panhandle has a huge military population. I recently moved away from the Gulf Coast, after my dad was stationed at Eglin AFB. That is where I first got to see a jet engine up close and see how beautiful the afterburner could be. It's where I went to my first stateside air show. I completed an internship at the VA in Pensacola, and was able to see the Blue Angels fly every week. Like Jake, I didn't really appreciate the panhandle until I left. There's nothing like shifting from pine trees to an ocean view as you cross the I-10 bridge, going from Whiting Field to Pensacola.

Like Syla, I'm a diehard Seminole, graduating from there a total of 4 times. I actually stole her flight leader's callsign, Duke, from a guy I went to high school and college with, who flies for the Air Force.

So long story short, this fic was inspired by aviation and Lieutenant Commander Amanda 'Stalin' Lee, the first female Blue Angel. Thanks for reading ❤️

Tagging those who reblogged and commented on First and Goal:

kmc1989; gigisimsonmars; starset21; the-slytherin-library-12; ssa-sadboi; fanficfandomlove; shanimallina87; myfaveficrecs; roosterforme; thefandomimagines; dreamlandcreations; topherwrites; roosteraloha; tgmreader; love-in-light; starlightmoon2020; clockworkballerina; bibissparkles; top-hhun; just-in-case-iloveyou; scarlettwidow19; themusingofagothicsoul; milani-marie; rooseresintg; lets-turn-and-burn; bellaireland1981; shanimallina87; sydthekid1518; gspenc; mimi-8793; novagreen04; fulla02reads; alldaysdreamers; atarmychick007; onceupona-happilyeverafter-love; rosiahills22

#hangman fic #hangman x reader #jake seresin x reader #Jake Seresin #jake hangman seresin #top gun #top gun fanfiction #top gun x female reader #First and Goal fic

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fannyyann · 2 years ago

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Matthew Tkachuk, the Panthers’ goalie-goading throwback, delivers hits — and wins — when it counts

by Hailey Salvian and Jeremy Rutherford

Matthew Tkachuk put his father in “timeout.”

That’s why Keith Tkachuk, an 18-year veteran of the NHL and one of the league’s best American-born players, wasn’t available to talk about his son’s remarkable run that has taken the Panthers from “biggest disappointment” to one win from the Eastern Conference finals.

On a Toronto radio station in March, the elder Tkachuk called the Panthers “soft.” By many accounts, that assessment was accurate at the time, and the words seemed to light a fire under the team — as did Paul Maurice’s tirade on the bench the same day during a game against the Maple Leafs.

Florida won its next six games and went 6-1-1 down the stretch to qualify for the playoffs.

Now, there’s no time for distractions, and Matthew wants to keep a lid on his pops, who informed The Athletic of his “timeout” via text.

After upsetting the 65-win Bruins in the first round, the Panthers are the betting favorites to win the Stanley Cup, leading 3-0 in their second-round series against Toronto with a chance at a sweep Wednesday at FLA Live Arena.

And the 25-year-old Tkachuk — in the midst of another career year that would have been MVP-worthy had it not been for Connor McDavid’s otherworldly season — has led the way, from scoring game-winning goals and delivering rousing speeches in the room, to delivering cross checks and goading goaltenders into fights.

He’s the player people love to hate, and he’s building a following of haters as he pushes the Panthers along in the postseason.

And even though the person who’s been most influential in Matthew’s career isn’t talking, others are. The Athletic spoke with a dozen people who for years have tracked Tkachuk’s brand of hockey — he’s a highly skilled agitator (a modest 6-2, 201 pounds) who opponents hate to play against.

Keith — known as ‘Walt,’ a nickname given to him by Winnipeg Jets teammate Eddie Olczyk because his surname was so similar to former Ranger Walter Tkaczuk — was traded to the Blues in 2001. Matthew, only 3 years old at the time, would start playing hockey with a youth program in St. Louis. Let’s just say he wasn’t a phenom.

Chantal Tkachuk, Matthew’s mom: They thought they were getting this ringer of a kid. We went to his first game and he was terrible. He was by far the worst player on the ice.

But that wouldn’t last long. Tkachuk improved steadily, adding a diverse skillset, and working through minor hockey, the U.S. national team program and the Ontario Hockey League.

Jimmy O’Brien, longtime family friend, owns OB Clark’s bar in St. Louis: They had a goal in their backyard, and 50 pucks would be lying in the driveway. Anytime you pulled up to the back of the house, you had to watch from running over the pucks because the driveway was littered with them.

Jon Benne, longtime family friend and strength trainer: I used to take wrist shots at him, and he’d knock them into the net. So when I see him tip a goal in now, I’ve seen that a million times.

Jordan Janes, St. Louis Junior Blues coach (2009-10): Matthew would do some of these between-the-legs (moves) before anybody was doing that. I would always look over at Keith and smile because in my mind I’m thinking, “Holy s— ,” like this is incredible that a 14-year-old is doing this. But you could tell that Keith, who was a “go to the net hard” type of guy, it drove him crazy.

O’Brien: His father told him, “If you ever do that stuff in a game and it doesn’t work, you won’t get off the bench.”

Taryn Tkachuk, sister: He’s not going to do that stuff just to do it. The through-the-legs goal against Nashville, he was like, “There was no way I could’ve shot that regularly.” He practiced that all growing up, so he knows he’s going to be able to do it.

Rob Simpson, assistant general manager of the London Knights: He would try new things all the time. It speaks to how smart a player he is. He was always trying to be creative in different ways to produce or make plays based on what he is seeing against defenders or what they’ve done against him before. He’s always been a creative, out-of-the-box thinker.

There are elements of Tkachuk’s game that can be traced back to the fact that he is Keith Tkachuk’s son.

Don Granato, Tkachuk’s coach with the U.S. National Team Development Program (2013-15): I think you can give some credit to — if not genetics, then just being around his father over the years.

Chantal Tkachuk: When Keith was still playing, they got to go down to the rink, skate after practice. Some of the players would play around with them.

O’Brien: He was a rink rat. He was always hanging around his dad, always going to his practices.

Barret Jackman, Blues defenseman (2002-15): I remember the coaches would have to come by and say, “Hey Walt, practice was supposed to start 10 minutes ago. Can you get Matthew off the ice?”

Benne: Matthew would be sitting on the bench the whole practice, and Keith would come over and say, “Watch T.J. Oshie. Watch how he goes into that corner and comes out.” Matthew would just be sitting there with a helmet on, just absorbing it all.

O’Brien: It’s hard to get a better education in the hockey world than sitting there with professionals and watching them at a young age.

Chantal Tkachuk: Every night, we always watched hockey. The boys would get up before school and the first thing they would do is turn on NHL Network.

Taryn Tkachuk: That was the only thing we really watched on TV. We never really watched other shows on Disney channel.

Chantal Tkachuk: Keith retired in 2010 and stepped away from his career and took almost five years off. In that time, he totally devoted all his time to youth hockey. That happened to align with the most important developmental years of the boys’ lives.

Janes: Keith knew what it took to get there. He demanded a work ethic out of his boys. Goals or not, assists or not, he just wanted to see you work. If you worked, Keith was happy. He knew if you did that, everything else would come.

O’Brien: One of Walt’s favorite things to say is, “Hey, you didn’t win? Play better!”

Taryn Tkachuk: Oh, he says it all the time. If someone didn’t play as well and maybe they’re complaining, like, “The ref did this or that,” or, “The other team wasn’t letting me do this,” my dad is just like, “Play better!” Nothing else. It’s just “Play better!”

Janes: That quote is the most Keith quote I’ve ever heard.

Growing up, Matthew was always competing with his brother Brady (23), and sister Taryn (20). Whether it was roller hockey, basketball or a made-up game they called “trampoline football.”

Benne: Matthew, Brady and Taryn would be on the trampoline, which was enclosed, and I would throw the football in the air as high as I could into the trampoline. It became an MMA wrestling match to see who got the football.

Taryn Tkachuk: I don’t even know how the game got made up. I just remember it being very physical. Literally whoever had the ball, you were about to get decked.

O’Brien: We were playing a two-on-two basketball game, and there were some of the most violent fouls you’ll ever see in your life. I had a bloody nose when we were done.

Taryn Tkachuk: If we were playing basketball, Matthew would never let me just go in for an easy layup. Of course he was going to foul me.

Jackman: I remember during one of the lockouts, Matthew was 15 at the time, and he skated with some of the NHL guys. I went into the corner with him, thinking I was going to play him hard. He tried to reverse hit me, and then he came out of the corner with the puck on his stick. He didn’t back down, even at 15, and I was in my early 30s.

Chantal Tkachuk: The most somebody hates to lose, that would be him.

Tkachuk committed to play at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program a few years before his first season there. But, at 16 years old, there was a learning curve playing with the national team and in the USHL, an under-20 league. In his first USHL season, he scored only 17 points in 33 games. He would double that production one year later in fewer games.

Granato: We knew of his talent, but in his first year, his production wasn’t there.

Nick Fohr, U.S. NTDP associate coach (2013-15): He wouldn’t shoot it. He literally wanted to show off those hands all the time.

Granato: I would tease him a bit. I’d say, “Hey Matthew, do you like to score?” And he’d say, “Yeah.” And I’d say, “No, you like to stickhandle.” He was so good at it, but I needed him to see that he wasn’t going to be that up-and-down-the-rink player.

Fohr: He wanted to have that agitator piece to him because it was kind of ingrained into him at that point, but he wasn’t big enough or strong enough to do any of that stuff at 16 years old.

Chantal Tkachuk: It was the second year in the program. That was the point where we thought he could make it.

Fohr: He played most of his second year with Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic, which was an unreal line. Auston was the marked man, and Matthew — after being around his dad — was like, well, “Auston is my center, nobody is touching him.” And he started to become that guy. Any little scrum, he was right in the middle of it to make sure that his teammates were taken care of.

Granato: By the midpoint of the second year, he was playing just like he plays in the NHL right now. He was great in the same areas of the ice, great in the same ways.

In the 2016 Memorial Cup Final, the London Knights were in overtime against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. Tkachuk, in his first (and only) season in the OHL, took the puck up the left side, toe-dragged around a defender and scored the game-winning goal.

Aaron Berisha, London Knights teammate: At first, it looked like he was on a harmless rush.

Simpson: Matthew could always elevate at the right times.

Robert Thomas, Knights teammate (2015-16), and family friend: We always joked that Christian Dvorak actually tipped it, but obviously Matthew got all the credit for it. Just a big-time player making a big-time play.

Simpson: It’s not just by coincidence that he’s big in the right moments. He puts in the work.

Fohr: He’s in those moments because it’s just who he is. You saw it on the overtime goal against Boston. He knows somebody’s got to go in there and get the puck, somebody’s got to go screen the goalie.

Simpson: He wasn’t the one who shot it in the net, but if he didn’t have the sense and savvy to pop out and screen the goalie, it doesn’t go in.

Fohr: It’s no surprise that you see him do it in overtime in Game 7 because he does it every shift, every game.

Janes: The way Matthew was (growing up) and the way he is today, he will do what it takes for his team to win a hockey game. Period.

Because of his ability to stir up drama on the ice and (at times) cross the line, Tkachuk is one of the most polarizing players in the league.

Fohr: He’s that guy that everybody hates unless he’s on your team.

Benne: I don’t think Matthew came into the league fearing anybody. He just played with that edge, like, “I’m here, I’ve arrived, and look out!”

Granato: He could stoke a situation and get it stoked and get everybody’s emotions running on overdrive. And then, even in a highly emotional state that he stirred up, he will execute where many, many skilled players cannot.

Fohr: If he’s agitated somebody somehow, now a little bit of their focus is on Matthew and it takes just a little bit of focus off what they’re good at and impacts so much of the game.

Granato: It’s like a diversionary tactic, and a highly effective skill that he brings. He’s always ready to score the goal after he disrupts the situation, where other guys just want to take his head off. He never loses sight of, OK, while you’re trying to do that, I’m going to be scoring a goal.

Benne: He’s just going to play hard. He’s going to hit you, and he expects to get hit himself. If you watch that game against Toronto, he hammered two guys, and then he got hammered. Not whining, that’s the way the game goes. That’s the way he plays. He’s pretty fearless out there, but I think he plays right on the line. That’s where he wants to be.

Thomas: It was in full force in London. He’d always find himself mixing it up. He’s feisty and he’s got all the skill in the world. Some people just have it, and he definitely has it.

Berisha: It’s funny when people play against him and say, “Man, I hate playing against him, he seems terrible.” He’s actually one of the best guys ever.

Taryn Tkachuk: Matthew has this switch. Off the ice, he’s a completely different person: super nice, super fun. Once he steps on the ice, the switch just goes off and he puts on these different goggles and just has this compete level that you don’t even know how to explain.

The most common ways to describe Tkachuk: He’s a throwback. He’s a unicorn. He’s just like Keith … and maybe better.

Eddie Olczyk, TNT analyst, former teammate of Keith (1991-96): You see (Matthew) and it’s like turning back the clock 25, 30 years to when we played with each other in Winnipeg.

O’Brien: Walt played in an extremely physical era, and the way Matthew plays is refreshing because it’s a throwback to how it was all the time.

Janes: One thing Keith taught these boys at a young age was, if you want to score, you’ve got to be around the net. They got that right from Keith. They just took it a step further as far as their skillset goes.

Fohr: It’s just a place he’s not afraid to go to. Some players are. They don’t want to go there because it’s a hard area to play in because the D are big and strong. There’s an art to getting there and doing it the right way and Matthew has mastered it.

O’Brien: When Walt was playing, you’d see a big guy out there and you wouldn’t think a guy like that has deft hands. But Walt had sick hands, especially tipping pucks. And that’s one of Matthew’s strengths, too.

Olczyk: Matthew will make a play and you go, “Well, there’s Walt.” It’s eerie, but it’s not surprising that the boys are a chip off the old block.

Chantal Tkachuk: To this day, they tease me because skating has always been Matthew’s deficiency, so they make fun of the fact that I taught him how to skate. Keith will take credit for everything else.

Granato: Matthew plays the same kind of style as his dad. He just does it with more talent.

Fohr: To be a thorn in the side of the opponents and then have that elite ability on top of it, that’s pretty special.

Simpson: It’s very hard to find hockey sense that is that elite but also comes with the poise to make the play when it matters most.

Taryn Tkachuk: He’s literally doing every single aspect of what different players bring in a hockey game. It just makes him so unique.

Benne: Matthew doesn’t care what the media writes about him. Matthew doesn’t care if the fans boo him. Boston is going to hate him now, and Toronto is going to hate him after this series. But that’s what drives him. He wants to perform. He wants to put on a show. But more important than anything, he just wants to win.

#matthew tkachuk #for those without an atheltic subscription #because this profile is golden

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storiesofsvu · 2 years ago

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A Dangerous Game Ch 23

Emily Prentiss x reader warnings: language, some teasing, that's about it. Welp. We've come full circle. We are at the end of the fic. It's been a bit of a wild ride, but we made it, right? lol. thank you all for commenting, reblogging and interacting! <3. Bingo starts next month and Emily is currently dominating that one, so there's plenty of Prentiss to come! Otherwise, if you're interested in an Alex Blake series fill out that taglist to be notified when it starts! Love you all!

Buy me a ko-fi

Over the next couple of weeks you and Emily always made sure to set aside Friday nights for each other, though that wasn’t really anything new. Some nights were out on the town, finally happy to get a chance to show the other one off, while some remained tucked in one of you apartments with take out and cuddles. You got through your first couple of cases with no complaints from any of the higher ups and the reins got loosened a little bit as it was realized you were both trustworthy and putting the job above all else. You still managed to keep things hidden from the rest of the team, Garcia getting enough joy out of gossiping with Derek or one of the two of you in the meantime.

Derek had stuck true to his word, making sure to jump on the chance to bunk with you on out of town cases, much to your annoyance. Although now that you’d actually figured things out, you didn’t need to stick to your ‘Vegas’ rule, you were together at home already. But that wasn’t enough to stop Derek, little teasing remarks the entire week on a case out in Atlanta.

Currently, you’d just taken down an unsub down in Jacksonville, Florida. While the case was solved and the paperwork was done by dinner time, the jet had been loaned out to another department which meant another two nights in the sunshine state. Considering the weather in DC had started to dip, no one was really complaining about the extended vacation. The hotel had a large courtyard out front that included an oversized patio connected to the lounge just inside the doors and that’s where the team debriefed, drinks flowing, tables covered in appetizers, bits and bites to share as laughter and stories filled the air. You did your best to linger as late as you could as everyone started trickling off but Derek was holding out just as long as you were, Emily shooting him a glare when you finally caved, saying you were heading to bed and he followed your lead.

Emily rolled over in the uncomfortable hotel bed, her eyes scrunching before they opened to find the room still bathed in darkness. The air conditioner was whirring away under the window, but not a sliver of light was sneaking its way through the curtains. She let out a soft sigh, rolling onto her back and her head swivelled to look at the other bed where JJ was peacefully sleeping still. She curled back around herself under the blanket, shutting her eyes again in an attempt to actually sleep in considering this was the first day they could. It didn’t matter though, she could feel it already, her brain was awake and unwilling to shut back off, she was up for the day. Grimacing, she quietly reached out, plucking her phone from the bedside table to check what time it was, praying it wasn’t still the middle of the night.

You were just about to approach the café’s counter when the bell above the door rang, signalling another customer and you glanced over your shoulder. Your head tilted in surprise as a grin took over your lips,

“Hey…”

“Can’t say I’m surprised.” Emily chuckled in return, easily moving through the space to link your hand with hers, pressing a soft kiss to your cheek.

“What’re you doing up?”

“Couldn’t sleep.” She shrugged, “and someone once told me this was the best breakfast in the state.”

“You’re not wrong.” You smiled, turning back to the counter to double the order.

“You could’ve texted me.”

“We both know your phone’s not on silent, I didn’t wanna risk waking up Jayje.”

“True.” She replied, somehow managing to slip between you and the counter to pay for the food, passing you your coffee. “thought about swinging by your room but I figured if I even so much as walked down the hallway Morgan would have it out for me.”

You laughed in agreeance, thanking the worker for the sandwiches before you and Emily made your way out of the shop. Her fingers tangled with yours, thumb stroking over the back of your hand as you walked the block down to the beach. Wordlessly you both kicked off your sandals, wandering through the sand to a familiar piece of driftwood that you set up camp in front of. Emily’s free hand stayed on your thigh while she took the first sip of her coffee, letting out a happy sigh at the feeling of you nestling into her side.

It was so incredibly peaceful, the waves softly crashing against the sand while the sky began to light up, colours bursting through the clouds on the horizon, slowly climbing higher and higher into the sky. Hues of orange, pink and even a hint of lilac graced the sky as a warm breeze wafted through the air. You felt Emily take a deep breath, her shoulder moving under your head as she tried to immortalize the moment, the beauty of the sky, the salty smell of the ocean, the warmth of you beside her in the cool sand. Your gaze shifted from the ocean, flicking up to look at Emily and you practically melted at how stunningly beautiful she was with the shades of the sky reflecting off her skin, the sparkle alive in her eyes. Your hand wrapped around the one of hers she had on your thigh, linking your fingers together and she finally glanced down at you.

“What?” She asked with a small smile that you returned.

“I love you.” You murmured and the smile on her cheeks broke into a bigger one. Her free hand came up to cup your cheek, guiding you off her shoulder so she could kiss you, lips lingering against yours longer than you’d expected.

“I love you too.” She replied, a misting of happy tears invading both of your eyes as she gazed adoringly at you. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be right now.”

“Same.” Smiling, you kissed her softly once more, a small giggle escaping your lips before you tucked yourself back onto her shoulder once more and her lips brushed the top of your head. A very happy silence overtook the two of you while the sun continued to climb in the sky until the array of colours had finally faded away to the classic baby blue, picture perfect fluffy clouds scattered through the air. “I wish we had sunrises like this back home.”

“Guess we’ve got a reason to come back to Florida more often then.” She replied.

“Really?” You lifted your head up, glancing over at her.

“I mean, if you want to. That’s what vacation days are for, right?”

“I say we try to find the prettiest sunrise in the entire world.”

“I mean, it doesn’t matter where we are, as long as I’m with you I know it’s gonna be the prettiest.”

“Emily!” You laughed, swatting at her arm.

“I know.” She winced, “I already regret saying it.”

“You’re a fucking cheeseball sometimes, you know that right?”

“You make me… incredibly soft.” She smiled, stroking at your cheek again and you leant in to kiss her.

“Good. Maybe I’ll get the upper hand on you one of these days.” You replied with a tease, smirk on your lips before wrapping yourself around her body once more, shifting slightly in the sand to be more entangled with each other.

It was a couple more hours by the time you and Emily made the call to head back to the hotel. The sun was fully in the sky, humidity hanging in the air and the crowds had started to pick up. Rather than the relaxing mood of the sunrise, there were people sprinkled through the sand, splashing their way into the water and setting up camp for the day. You scooped up your belongings, accepting Emily’s hand when she held it out to you and the two of you wandered back towards the hotel.

On the walk back you’d already started talking about lunch, figuring it’d be best to stop at the lounge, see what the options were so you were crossing through the courtyard rather than the lobby. You made a joke that pulled a loud laugh from Emily before she tugged you to her, kissing you deeply without a care in the world. And it was certainly lucky that she didn’t care considering the voice that you heard next was one you both recognized.

“It is about damn time! Where have you two been?”

“Penelope?” You asked, pulling away from Emily, although her arm stayed firmly wrapped around your waist, “what’re you doing here?” It was then that you actually glanced around the patio, noticing a nook of it covered in very Garcia esque decorations and balloons, “what’s… going on?”

“Garcia had this all set up back at the office, but when I told her we were staying the extra two days…” Rossi started, eyeing you and Emily with a sly grin on his cheeks.

“I figured I’d hop on a plane and bring the party to you.” Penelope smiled brightly across at you, “congratulations. You’ve been part of the BAU for a year now.”

“Pen…”

“Hold up!” JJ cut in with a laugh, “better question is what’s going on here…” She gestured toward you and Emily, who laughed at the question, her cheeks tinging pink. “Where were you?”

“Down at the beach.” You replied with a shrug, doing your best to not attempt to hide in Emily’s shoulder as you laughed it off.

“Oh please don’t tell me you were doin’ the nasty down there.” Morgan groaned.

“Hey!” Emily cut him off, “maybe if you hadn’t hijacked my girlfriend’s hotel room we wouldn’t have to sneak off for some alone time.”

“Also,” you grimaced, “absolutely not. Sand would get everywhere.”

“Okay, okay.” Penelope laughed, “interrogations later. Now…” She grabbed your hand and Emily’s arm finally slipped from your waist, letting the blonde guide you over to the table, “it’s mimosa time.” She picked one up from the table, handing it to you as everyone paused to pass out glasses until everyone had one. “congratulations to our dear sugar plum y/n. You’ve made it a full year with our chaotic little family and we wouldn’t have it any other way. You were the missing part of our team and now we’ve found you and couldn’t be happier, we love you.”

Glasses clinked together as murmurs of agreements and other well wishes were heard from around the space. Penelope pressed a gentle kiss to your cheek that you returned before taking a sip of the mimosa and accepted a soft kiss from Emily, which resulted in a little bit more hooting and hollering from the team than you would’ve normally liked, but there was still a smile on your face when you pulled back from the kiss.

“Alright, the brunch buffet is open, and the mimosa’s are bottomless. Let’s enjoy our last day in the sunshine state.” Rossi announced to another rousing cheer from everyone as little conversations started to take over.

You were immediately sucked away by JJ and Garcia, Emily watching with a fond smile as the three of you gossiped over the rims of your glasses, laughter and smiles evident all around. She took a sip of her drink as she debated browsing the buffet, despite the breakfast sandwich earlier, that had been a while ago and she was thinking about eating again when Derek stepped up to her.

“Hey,” he extended out a greeting card sized envelope.

“What’s this?”

“Just wanted to get you a little something.” He smiled, “it may be Wilson’s one year with the team but that means it’s an anniversary of some sort for you too, right?”

“I guess.” She chuckled, ripping open the envelope and flipping the card around to the front then flipped it open, her brow furrowing, “Derek did you bother reading this before you bought it?” She glanced up to him, suddenly worried by the sly look on his face, “this is a father’s day card.”

“Last time I checked, you were somebody’s daddy…”

“Morgan!” She shrieked, smacking at his chest with the card and he burst into a fit of laughter, reaching out to squeeze at her shoulder.

“Okay, okay. I couldn’t resist.”

“You fucking menace.”

“I am happy for you Prentiss, really. Happy looks good on the two of you, I’m glad you got everything sorted out.”

“Yeah.” She smiled fondly in your direction, catching your eye and you excused yourself from the girls “me too.”

“He’s not torturing you, is he?” You asked, arm easily winding around her waist and she scoffed, rolling her eyes while she showed you the card. Your eyes widened in realization as the heat began to creep up the back of your neck before you shot Derek a glare.

“You’re rooming with JJ tonight, just for that.”

“Only if you buy me ear plugs first.”

“No.” You shook your head, “you don’t deserve that. You’re gonna have to hear whatever you happen to overhear.”

Derek grimaced, raising his hands in defeat before wandering off without another word, leaving you and Emily laughing together, her lips brushing against yours briefly.

“I love you.” She murmured, simply eager to say the words again, to make it known just how important you were to her and that you always would be.

“I love you more.” You replied, leaving a kiss on the tip of her nose.

“I’m not sure that’s quite possible.”

“Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.” You grinned, clinking your glass with hers before she leant in to kiss you again.

It didn’t matter how long you would wait, because your love would be forever. And the two of you knew it that day, surrounded by your friends, your found family that you’d created and made just for yourselves. The ones who were there for you every step of the way, who’d helped you through some of the hardest times over the past year and proved that they loved you time and time again, and always would. There was part of you that had thought you would never be able to find and achieve this level of happiness, that love was a mythical concept people only talked about. But now you knew that was the farthest thing from the truth. With Emily by your side and in your corner you’d unlocked the ultimate level of peace, the greatest experience that life could bring you was one with her, and Emily couldn’t possibly be any happier than getting to be your person.

____________________

@mickey-gomez @momlifebehard @melindawarnersgf @itisdoctortoyousir @emilyprentiss4life @somethingimaginative17 @temilyrights @alexxavicry @daddy-heather-dunbar @aliensaurusrex @rustyzebra @ilovemycrayons @mandy-asimp @thegrantwater @leftoverenvy @kades95 @dextur @m00nkn1ghts @supercriminalbean @daffodil-heart @msvenablesbitch @its-soph-xx @going-gray @just-a-torn-up-masterpiece @hopelesslyfallenninlove @peanutbutterprincess @kdaghay @emilyprentisssluvr @lex13cm @awolfcsworld @zizzlekwum @emobabeyy @riveramorylunar @s1ut4nat @midnight-sapphic @scorpsik @prentiss-theorem @unsubologyy @strongsassysexysloane @svushots @overtrred28 @happenstnces @sapphicprentiss @heidss @geekyandgay98 @pagetboobstarcomments @onmykneesformarvel @inlovewithemilyprentiss @aws-l

#emily prentiss #emily prentiss x reader #a dangerous game #criminal minds #criminal minds fanfic #emily prentiss series #emily prentiss fluff #found family

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sergeifyodorov · 6 months ago

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Any interest in grading everyone’s first day of free agency? Would love to hear your thoughts!!

ooh okay ! well as tuned in as i am i didn't catch everything so this is going to be pretty incomplete/fairly uninformed but here's my attempt:

boston bruins: that zadorov contract LOL AND LMAO (i say as if hes not going to immediately skyrocket to excellence.) that lindholm contract might be even worse with the same caveat. A+ for me, a hater

buffalo sabres: what did they even do? C.

detroit red wings: kane is a bad move + jack campbell is fine at that contract + cam talbot is the epitome of "goalies? what's up with goalies?" + why do they have 4 goalies now. C-

florida panthers: lost montour, lost oel, lost lomberg. that reinhart contract is really good though. C+

montreal canadiens: if slaf continues on his upward trajectory that contract looks great; if he doesn't, they're already bad so it doesn't matter all that much. B

ottawa senators: what did they even do? get noah gregor? i hear he's very fast. C.

tampa bay lightning: where do i even start with this one

toronto maple leafs: the problem w/ all of the leafs' acquisitions is that they are Fine, some of them even Good, but they're just overpaid enough for me to not only get annoyed about it but also see 30 ft of insufferably rancid discourse every time i open twitter. B+

carolina hurricanes: appear to have lost half the guys i remember being on their roster, but the one dude they did end up signing was one of the small handful of good deals i saw handed out today. C

columbus blue jackets: this team's quality does not matter. you know what does matter? gaudreau/monahan reunion. A

new jersey devils: brett pesce's good. B+

new york islanders: anthony duclair's good but i mourn what lou lamoriello will make him do with his hair. C+

new york rangers: what did they even do. C.

philadelphia flyers: MATVEI MICHKOV IS COMING. TELL YOUR FRIENDS, TELL YOUR ENEMIES, TELL TRAVIS KONECNY, TELL EVERYONE!!! A

pittsburgh penguins: incredibly committed to the bit of only signing players over 30 and they don't have poj back yet. C

washington capitals: genuine home runs in here. chychrun... pld... matt roy... didn't even give out valuable picks to acquire these assets! A

chicago blackhawks: i think they're trying to crawl out of this rebuild with no other serious potential core members other than bedard, which don't get me wrong is a bad move, but i also think they're not doing a terrible job of crawling out of the rebuild. B

colorado avalanche: kept jo drouin. C+

dallas stars: lyubushkin is incredibly bad and they gave him 3.25 aav. and casey desmith is there. F

minnesota wild: extended one of the sexiest toothless men on earth jake middleton. A

nashville predators: A+

st louis blues: what did they even do. C

utah hockey club: that durzi price is a bit steep but hey, if you've never had the money before i guess you might as well spend it. also sergachev was a BALLSY move i will miss you my cunty mistress. also we (the nhl) have a fucking iginla again... for our health. we need an iginla. B-

winnipeg jets: what did they even do. C

anaheim ducks: what did they even do. C

calgary flames: sharangovich extension + anthony mantha. tidy bit of business. zayne parekh YOU are the 2025 calder trophy winner. C+

edmonton oilers: managed to get a couple good players on nice cheap contracts, improved their rush game even more somehow, and will have to re-print their goalie's jerseys because they now have two different guys named skinner. A

la kings: gave joel edmundson nearly 4 million dollars a year. D

seattle kraken: stole brandon montour from florida. B+

san jose sharks: unlike the hawks, seem to be actively prepared to break out of the rebuild and trying to do it. toffoli? great! wennberg? a little overpaid but they're trying to hit the cap floor at this point so it's quite good! rumours of pavs return to san jose but you didn't hear it from me. B+

vancouver canucks: jake debrusk is gonna be a good linemate for petey imho. the hronek and myers contracts were a little rich but honestly they seem to be a lot more coherent ideologically than they were just a couple years ago. B

vegas golden knights: basically lost every remaining original misfit/otherwise quality forward in an effort to keep marchessault, and then lost marchessault anyway to the Power Of Divorce. and now they have ilya samsonov as their starting goaltender. F

#asks #getting an automatic C for doing nothing is bc it is super duper easy to fuck your shit up by doing something.#thank u sarah ! ^-^

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trulybetty · 3 months ago

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october | 09 x ravens

pairing: frankie x f!reader word count: 719 warnings: smoking, as always unbeta'd summary: it's been over a week since Frankie was supposed to be home, an ominous sign brings news. ao3: linked

{ x. series masterlist }

author note: prompts are not in chronological order, the story is told throughout the life span of the relationship. once all are posted, I'll post a list of the prompts in chronological order.

09 x Ravens.

The cigarette felt foreign between your fingers, its weight wrong, like it didn’t belong to you. You didn’t smoke, in the past maybe the odd one here and there, but never a habit. You took another drag, feeling the harshness of it in your lungs—it wasn’t even one of your own. It was one of Frankie’s. His secret stash he thought you didn’t know about. He’d promised—sworn—that he was done with it, quit finally for good. However, the pack remained a quiet lie tucked away. It felt fitting somehow.

The sun had already dipped below the horizon, casting the yard in the dim hazy light of early evening. Everything felt thick—the air, your head, the suffocating silence that had grown louder with each passing day since Frankie left for Colombia.

Your hand shook as you tapped the ash against the side of the porch, staring out at the yard, hoping the nicotine would calm the anxious pit in your stomach. But nothing could settle the gnawing dread that had taken root there days ago.

Three days. That’s how long this ‘consulting’ trip was supposed to last. Maybe four, tops. But now it had been over a week. You hadn’t heard a word from Frankie since his plane touched down in Colombia. No calls, no texts, nothing. It was like he’d vanished off the face of the earth.

You flicked the ash again, biting down on your bottom lip as you remembered how casually he’d mentioned it. Just some quick work with Pope, babe, it’s nothing. In and out. A week, max. You’d been through this before, but something about this time had felt different. Maybe it was the fact that Santiago had managed to get everyone involved, including Tom, or maybe it was the way Frankie had hesitated before kissing you goodbye, like he knew something you didn’t.

The smoke curled from your lips as you exhaled slowly, your phone buzzed in your pocket startling you. Without even checking the screen you knew who it wasn’t. You’d been ignoring Molly’s calls for days. She was desperate for answers like you, but you couldn’t face her—nor the others, not when you knew no more than any of them did. Every call from each one of them felt like salt in the wound. None of you had any information. What would it do to talk to them when you were all in the same boat, stranded without a word?

It was supposed to be a simple recon mission, in and out, nothing dangerous, but the silence spoke volumes.

As you took another drag, holding the smoke in your lungs, like it’d fill the void in your chest. Your eyes caught movement at the edge of the yard. There, perched on the fence, was a raven. Its jet-black feathers gleamed against the setting sun, a stark contrast to the greenery of the garden. You froze as it stared back at you, its beady eyes locked on you.

You blinked, momentarily confused. Ravens weren’t supposed to here—certainly not in Florida. They were rare, seldom seen. And yet, there it was, staring at you as if it had come with a message, its head cocked slightly, watching, waiting. A shiver ran down your spine, your pulse quickening, a chill creeping over you despite the sticky warmth of the evening.

You took a step forward, the cigarette forgotten between your fingers, as if to confront it and if its presence had some significance. It tilted its head, watching you. But before you could even take a full step forward it flapped its wings with a loud rustle and took off. The sound of its departure was unnerving in the stillness of the evening.

You exhaled slowly trying to settle the unsettled beating of your heart as you took a final drag of your cigarette. Just as you started to stub it out on the railing, your phone buzzed in your pocket in quick succession. Notifications pinged one after the other in rapid succession. You pulled it from your pocket, the screen lit up in your hand, notifications still buzzing though as an incoming call waited for a response. Your heart skipped a beat and the nicotine that once served as a quiet buzz now made your stomach churn as you read the caller ID.

Frankie.

#frankie morales #frankie morales fanfiction #frankie morales fanfic #frankie morales x you #frankie morales x reader #frankie morales x f!reader #francisco catfish morales #triple frontier fanfic #triple frontier #pedro pascal character fanfic #pedro pascal character fanfiction #pedro pascal characters

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breezybangtanbebe · 1 year ago

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Heaven: Changkyun❤️‍🔥

Tags: Monsta X's IM x Reader, long-distance relationship, lazy morning sex, kinda fluffy then kinda nasty, pussy eating..something short and sweet. :)

2.7k words

24 hours.

That was all the time you had with him and he had already wasted a third of it in bed.

The Miami humidity was less offensive from inside the luxury suite. Oceanview balconies welcomed in the breeze that morning as you lay tangled in sheets as white as the sands with your long-distance lover.

Changkyun was..busy, to say the least.

Promotions. Rehearsals. Fittings. Video shoots. Interviews. Fan meets. Group studio sessions. Solo studio sessions. Performances.

With all he and his group members had scheduled, it was out of sheer luck his managers granted the guys one full day of rest before they got to work on promoting their two new albums internationally.

Though being back in the states after such a long time seemed like a vacation, the young rapper had his fill of obligations and you couldn't bring yourself to be upset with him for choosing the first several hours of his rest day with you to be spent sleeping.

Ok, maybe you were a little mad.

Slightly pouty at best. But not at him, only at time and the lack thereof.

He deserved the rest after all.

It was barely noon and the room service you'd ordered for breakfast was surely cold when your boyfriend opened his eyes. You're seated upright in the large bed with the TV remote in hand, channel surfing in silence.

You were freshly showered, smelling like warm sugar and decadently scented body butter, shaved and exfoliated, and primed for a day of making up for the lost time. Considering how tired Changkyun was last night when he and his group members touched down in Florida, you didn't expect him to be actively intimate with you when you went to bed.

When you awoke that next morning, inhaling his warm masculine scent with your face nuzzled in his neck, you didn't mind the stillness or silence. After being separated for so long, it felt like heaven to finally be in his arms.

You were happy to be pressed against him with his leg slotted between yours, causing a teasing friction every time one of you stirred.

He felt so good. His skin was smooth and soft, contrasting his muscles that were firm and toned beneath it.

"G'mornin" Changkyun croaks from beside you, not even lifting his head as he pulled himself from his slumber.

You glance over to find him still smushed against the fluffed pillow with his jet black hair fanning over half of his face. All you can see are his dark pink sleep swollen lips as they moved.

"I smell peaches..." were his next words and you chuckle breathily as you shook your head.

"Good morning." You smirk, resuming your attention to the television only to turn it off. You weren't watching it anyway and you preferred to take advantage of the opportunity to talk. Changkyun groans tiredly as he rolls over on his back, running the palms of his large hands over his face.

"Fuck......how long have I been out?" he grimaced tiredly, leaving only one eye open to adjust to the daylight. You looked over at him fondly for a beat before responding.

"A while." is all you say, sounding much more resentful than you intended. Changkyun tenses at your tone and turns his head towards you with a lazy frown.

"Uh oh...You're mad," he states and you mirror his frown, shaking your head adamantly.

You watched Changkyun rise up from the pillows, shaking his bed head out until his long mane of black silk was falling over his perfect head in the sexiest way. His spine was curved as he sat up, making the lumps of his abs and chest protrude attractively.

Damn...

"No. Why would I be mad?" you respond distractedly.

"Because.......I fell asleep." Changkyun pauses to stretch his arms over his head midsentence.

"You came here straight from the airport babe...after an 18-hour flight." you point out, now leaning against the headboard and shamelessly admiring his body as he woke himself up fully.

After rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck, Changkyun lets out a strained sigh before plopping back against his pillow again. You smirk at how he did all of that for nothing.

"And you're obviously still tired so..." you trail off, not even wanting to finish your sentence since it would add insult to injury.

"Nope! I'm up...I'm up... Tired or not, we only have half a day left together.." Changkyun groans tiredly, his words muffled slightly as he rubbed his hands over his face again in an attempt to wipe the sleepiness away.

"Not really. I mean I'll be here for as long as you all are in Miami." you shrug and Changkyun wrinkles his nose in disagreement.

"Yeah but then I'll be too busy or too tired to spend time with you. It'll be more nights like last night. Coming in late and going to bed soon after." he almost whines. The guilt and regret in his tone are enough to make you feel like a turd for showing any signs of disappointment.

He really was working hard and the distance wasn't just hard on you. He missed you too and when this opportunity for you to be together came about, he was more excited than you to board that flight.

"Hey.....I knew what I signed up for. I'll be here for as long as you are. If that means the bulk of our alone time is to be spent in bed, laying together, I'm ok with that." you shrug, actually believing what you were saying for once.

Changkyun squints at you incredulously.

"You sure?"

You nod at him with a soft smirk.

"It can deal with it. One of the few of cons being with you."

At that, Changkyun's eyes widen in offense and amusement.

"Cons??? ....with an 's'? As in plural? More than one?" he asks, his tone climbing with each question. You laughed at his expression and roll your eyes as you moved to get up from the bed.

"Oooh, yea. You think being IM's secret lil girlfriend is a walk in the park?" you toss over your shoulder on your way across the suite. Changkyun sits up just enough to watch your thickly toned legs move as you walked, keying in on the way the shirt you wore barely concealed your ass cheeks beneath it.

"I mean. Not really but..." he murmurs, trailing off and tilting his head to get a different view of your curvaceous body. From up close and under the covers, Changkyun hadn't realized you were basically naked underneath that loosely fit shirt. Well, his loosely fit shirt. One of the many you'd sifted through from his luggage. It was always comforting to have his scent on your skin, even when he was laying next to you.

Knowing now that you were naked made any trace of jet lag or fatigue fade, waking up other parts of him as he watched you venture across the room in the direction of the outlet where your phone was charging.

Your nudity is further confirmed when you bend over thoughtlessly to pick it up, exposing your naked ass and the slit of your lips to him for only a second. As you stand and turn to the side, the shape of your full breasts and nipples poke through the thin fabric, and Changkyun stares shamelessly as you checked for any missed notifications.

God, he loved your body.

Dreamt of it almost every moment he wasn't with you in Korea.

Spent countless nights envisioning it as he stroked himself repeatedly, calling your name as he came in his hand, and doing his best to ignore the heartache he felt once the haze faded.

But now, you weren't just a beautiful part of his imagination.

You were here.

A few seconds pass and you were making your way back to join Changkyun in bed, mindlessly texting away in response to your friends that had been checking in with you since landing in Miami. As you resumed your spot beside him, Changkyun watched you settle back against the pillows with your phone still in hand. He drags his bottom lip between his teeth while you sent your final text, setting the phone aside on the nearby dresser.

You felt his eyes on you immediately and glance over with a smirk.

"What?" you perk your brow. For a moment Changkyun doesn't respond, only dragging his heated gaze over your body appreciatively. His mouth shrugs innocently before laying his head back down against his pillow.

"Oh, nothing...Hey, why is it that every time you move...I suddenly have the strongest craving for peaches....." he asks randomly. You grunt softly in amusement at his question and shake your head.

"You probably just smell me. I took a long shower before you woke up..." you shrug nonchalantly, not expecting Changkyun's interest to be peaked by the small fact.

"Foreal?..come here?"

Without warning, Changkyun reaches out to pull you towards him by the neck. He nuzzles you playfully while inhaling the sweet scent of your clean skin, making you giggle and push back against him.

"Now you know I'm ticklish..." you complain lightly while trying to escape his hold, only encouraging Changkyun to pull you into him tighter and chuckle mischievously against your skin.

His lips were pillow soft on your neck, the tip of his nose brushing just beneath your jawline as he inhaled the soft peaches and cream scent. His new favorite smell on you next to his. His hands held the fabric of his shirt firmly, trapping you against his body as he kissed up and over your jaw until his lips were on yours.

He tasted surprisingly fresh despite having woken up a few minutes ago and you allowed yourself to melt into him with every luscious peck. He sucks at your bottom lip before taking it between his teeth, making you moan at the sting.

He releases it to resume the languid dance between your tongues, sighing in contentment as his hands snuck beneath the shirt covering your body. The moment he touches your bare skin, you flinch in reaction to the chills they inspired as if electricity flowed through his fingers.

He squeezes your hip and allows his grip to travel lower to cup your ass cheek, pushing the shirt higher from your body.

"Take it off.." he whispers against your lips and you immediately comply, pulling away so that you could pull the loose shirt over your head. The moment it's gone, Changkyun's mouth is on you again. Starting at your lips, he pecks them softly before returning to your neck. His hands glided up your waist as he moved to guide you back against the mattress.

You allow him to dominate you gently, sinking into the pillows and opening your legs as he settled between them. The weight of his body is comforting and your hands stroke the skin of his back as his lips traveled downward.

The middle of your throat.

The center of your chest.

Over your left nipple briefly. Then to the right.

As he sucked the pebbled flesh into his mouth, you grind your body against that stiffness in his underwear. He was hard and thicker than you remembered if that were even possible.

You angled your hips in a way that makes the fabric between your bodies seem thinner than air and Changkyun groans with your nipple still caught between his lips. He pulls away to flick his tongue over it a few more times before abandoning it to attend to the annoying shred of clothing blocking him.

He settles between your legs and takes a moment to admire you beneath him. You blush under his gaze, feeling it hover over the swelling pink flesh between your legs.

He wastes no time in scooting down to push them back and smother the heat thar gathered with his mouth and tongue. You gasp on contact, eyes already rolling back at the feeling of Changkyun's tongue sliding sinuous flat licks over your folds.

The warmth of his opened mouth kisses on your clit has you moaning softly to the ceiling and Changkyun digs his fingers into the meat of your thighs as he ate.

His deft tongue plunges inside of you while his thumb rubs rhythmically over your clit, just the way he remembered you loved it. His eyes are on you, watching you bite your lip and screw your eyes shut with the struggle of holding on.

Suddenly, your fuse is blown and in an explosion of colorful language, you came all over Changkyun's waiting tongue. He presses his thumb against the hood of your clit while your walls twitched and pulsed around him, savoring the taste of your climax with a satisfied groan.

You were still panting when he pulled his mouth away from your pussy and the mattress bounces slightly as he sat up on his knees.

The print beneath his shorts was prominent as fuck and Changkyun hurriedly frees himself from its captivity. Your eyes immediately fall on his dick as he pushed his black Balenciaga boxer briefs down his toned thighs.

He's already got you wet and wanting him, legs still spread wide to accommodate his body.

There's an unspoken plea between the two of you and Changkyun responds to it by grasping your thighs and pulling you towards him over the sheets. In the same movement, the tip of his dick slides past your entrance and stretches you well until you're pressed firmly against his pelvis.

From here, he goes in. Mindlessly fucking you like there's no tomorrow. As if all of his frustrations from being away from you, having to love you from a distance, wishing he could be inside of you every night, were all being channeled through him.

Boosting his stamina.

Feeding his need to make you call his name.

Which you did. Over and over as he drove your body back up to the head of the bed.

You felt so good. Warm and wet. Tight and welcoming. It was like you were made for him and the distance hadn't affected a thing. Muscle memory molded you around his thick shaft and you took every inch of him like you were designed to do. His forehead was pressed against yours, noses touching and mouths agape as his rhythm hastened. Your walls were clenching at his pressure hungrily and your voice was reduced to barely audible yelps.

Your body trembled endlessly as you reached your climax and Changkyun smiled wolfishly against your parted lips.

"Yep, that's it. Gimme that shit, baby. Let it go.." he coaxed and praised you through the mind-numbing orgasm he rewarded you with. He continues pounding into you until tears pooled from your eyes and you weren't sure if you'd cum again from the sheer overstimulation.

All you knew was that everything he did, every move and rasped word he spoke, he was pushing you higher than you ever thought you could go.

Holding you close, Changkyun rolled his hips into you feverishly until he was stalling out. An unbearably sexy groan escapes his lips when he came deep inside of you and you took every drop of him with pleasure, squeezing him as he stroked you to his completion.

"Fuuuuck, I missed you...I missed you so much.." his husky deep voice whispers lovingly in your ear and you moan softly in response as he pressed himself deep inside of you for emphasis.

"I love you...fuck, I love you..." he continued, his voice almost breaking with the known profession. As he comes down with his face buried in your neck, Changkyun plants a series of lazy wet kisses over your sweat-coated skin.

When his teeth graze that same ticklish spot, you giggle and shy away from him. He grumbles in protest but promptly ceases his tease to rest his head on the pillow you shared.

He remains inside of you, his body weight nearly smothering you. But you didn't care.

Because being with him in any way felt like heaven.

And you were happy to die...