#mike duarte imagine
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âDo you really think I hate you? Just because weâre rivals doesnât mean I hate youâ for the enemies to lovers prompt with Mike Duarte, please!
The problems only start when youâre made the acting captain of Bronx SVU.  Housed in the same building as the Gang Squad, youâre on the same side (technically) as Captain Mike DuarteâŠbut in practicality, youâre rivals.
Your rivalry extends from the mundane (the two of you fighting over the same handful of parking spots available at your building) to the profound (the two of you fighting over the too-few budget dollars, the same junior detectives to backfill vacancies in your organizations).Â
SVU and the Gang Squad share a breakroom, a locker room.  You suspect Mike is the one who nabbed your lunch from the refrigerator. Â
You wonder if he suspects that youâre the one who dumped out his orange sodas in retaliation.
He purposely hits the âdoor closeâ button on the elevator when he sees you sprinting towards it. Â
You purposely kick shut the fire door to the roof while heâs out there indulging in a cigarette.
Itâs childish and stupid, and if life were a romantic comedy, some wise third party would step in and remark that you and Mike are flirting.  But you arenât flirtingânot at all.  You have a good gut and are a good read of people, and Mike Duarte?  You get nothing but irritation from himâon a good day.  On a bad day?  You feel like he loathes you.
It's a million little tells.  The way his easy smile drops when you enter a room.  The way his eyes slide away from the sight of you.  The way heâs relaxed, friendly, easy with everyone else when thereâs drinks at the nearby barâŠ.everyone but you.
You can pretend it doesnât bother you, but itâs a lie.  You canât figure him out.  Maybe he had someone else slated for the SVU captaincy.  Maybe heâs a closet misogynist.  Maybe you remind him of his ex-wife.
You can pretend it doesnât bother you, but youâre a people pleaser at heart.  You want to be liked.  Or, if you canât be liked, you at least want to understand why.
-----
Itâs a cold war between you and Mike.  Itâs mostly just tense with the occasional skirmishes that threaten a larger war.  When SVU cases brush against gang stuff, you each outsource to your detectives as much as possible.
A case comes up when youâre both short-handed.  Youâve both been the victims of poaching from Manhattan.  You have to pair up.
The cold war tension heightens:  early mornings, late nights.  Greasy take-out eaten at opposite ends of the conference room table that youâve commandeered for the case.  Uncomfortable silences paired with rolled eyes, gritted teeth.  Time crawls.  The case is ugly shit:  gangland violence intertwined with the trafficking of women.  Sleep evades you, so you pull all-nighters fueled by bodega coffee. Â
Sleep must evade Mike too:Â Â heâs usually in the office with you during those all-nighters.
The progress on the case crawls until it breaks wide open, all at once.  You and Mike make a good team, you begrudgingly admit.  Itâs old-fashioned police work:  knocking on doors, interviewing witnesses, palming cash to informants.  The two of you scare up a lead that brings the feds into it, and the case is solved and handed off to the FBI in the same day.
You glance over at your temporary partner as the special agent thanks both of you during the handoff.  You catch Mike looking at you, but when you offer him a truceâan acknowledging nod, the smallest of smilesâhe only looks away.
-----
Youâre exhausted.  You havenât had a good nightâs sleep in weeks, but you have that wash of adrenaline making you jittery and anxious.  So you go to the bar near your apartment instead.  You try to dampen the anxiety, the jitters, the visions of those trafficked women with gin.
Halfway into the night (tipsy enough to unclench your jaw but not drunk enough for your shoulders to drop from where theyâre pushed up near your ears), someone sidles up beside you.  They settle into the stool, and you donât have to turn to see who it is.  Youâd recognize that cologne/secondhand smoke scent anywhere.
âThe case is over for us, Duarte,â you tell him as you stare into your half-empty glass.  âWe can go to our separate corners.â
âSeparate corners donât stop you from pouring out my soda in the break room,â he retorts.  He flags down the bartender and orders his own drink.
âThe soda was retaliation for stealing my lunch.â
He chuckles around the rim of his glass.  âIt was your own fault for bringing in baked ziti.  I love that shit.â
âYou really telling an SVU detective that she had it coming?â  You glance at him out of the corner of your eye, but heâs facing forward and not looking at you. Â
He shrugs.  âYou gotta bear some of the responsibility.  It was too tempting.â
Itâs so close to joking.  So close to flirting, or even just that companionable teasing that you have with other detectives.  But Mike doesnât turn towards you, doesnât look at you.  He keeps his elbow tucked into his side so it doesnât brush against you. Â
The conversation peters out and you sit in silence, each sipping your drinks and thinking whatever lonely thoughts you each have.
-----
Itâs hard to know how much time passes in a bar.  Youâve passed the threshold from tipsy to drunk, but with Mike perched beside you (silent as always), you canât relax.  You lift a hand in a limp wave to the bartender for your tab, but when he set it in front of you, Mike reaches outâsurprisingly quickâand snags it from you. Â
âNo, no,â you protest.  You reach out for the slip of paper, but heâs faster and surer in his motions.  He puts down his credit card just out of your reach, and you dare not touch him.
âLeast I can do.â  You hear his words, the rounded off quality and realize heâs pretty drunk too.
âWhy?  Because of the baked ziti?â
âNah.â
âWhy then?  You hate me.â
He turns in surprise and actually looks at you, makes eye contact with you.  âYou think I hate you?â
You shrug.  âYeah, kinda.â
His bleary eyes widen.  âDo you really think I hate you?â  His soft voice goes a quarter-octave higher in disbelief.  âJust because weâre rivals doesnât mean I hate you.â
âOkay, maybe not hate.  ButâŠ.like, dislike.â
He gapes at you, opens his mouth to retort, but the bartender brings his card and receipt back and interrupts.  Mike glances away, turns to sign it, and suddenly the bar feels too closed-in, too warm.  You slide off your stool and mumble a weak thank you to him, an even weaker good night and get home safe, and then your feet are taking you out the door into the cooler air and away from him.
Or not.
Someone strides up behind you, then beside you.  You donât have to turn to see who it is.  Youâd recognize his cologne and smoky scent anywhere.
You donât have to turn because he doesnât just fall in step beside you:  he puts his hands on you, clumsy from the whiskey.  He turns you, makes you stumble, steadies you against him.  Then heâs pushing you into a narrow alley, pushing you against the cool brick exterior.  He presses his body against yours, pins you against the building.  He pushes his face close to yoursâclose enough for you to smell the faint cigarettes, the stronger whiskey on his breathâbut he doesnât kiss you.
âYou really think I hate you?â he growls.  âReally?â
âMike, Iââ
âFuck, I donât,â he interrupts, and he finally looks at you, peers deep into your eyes as he says it.  âI donât hate you at all.â
If you werenât so addled by all the gin, you could give him the laundry list of reasons why you thought he hated you, but your mind spins uselessly.  Youâre stunned to near-silence by this momentâfrom the cold war to this, his big hands kneading at your curves, cupping your face, his knee tantalizingly close to where you suddenly seem to ache for him. Â
He's just drunk, you think, but then he bridges the gap between you and his mouth is on yours, firm but not harsh.  His calloused thumb brushes over your cheekbone as he kisses you, then drifts over your jaw, down the line of your throat.
He breaks the kiss, just barely.  His breath fans across you as he mutters, âdonât hate you,â and then he dives back in, pushes his tongue into your mouth, groans as he tastes you, then groans again at the little whimper he manages to pull from you.
Heâs just drunk, you think again, but under the gin and under the intoxicating feeling of his hands and mouth on you, another thought surfaces:Â Â maybe youâre not as good at reading people as you thought.
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Homecoming
Pairing: Mike Duarte x Reader
Rating: T
Notes: .....I've seen one episode. I blame my darling @massivecolorspygiant
Not beta-read and written partially last night and mostly this morning
Warnings: Angst. Angst angst angst angst, mention of spanking, cigarette smoking, friends to enemies to lovers, has a happy ending
Summary: Mike almost hadnât let you go. Heâd placed his hand against the door, eyes skimming your face, gaze lingering on your lips. You had to report at nine the next morning. That was surely enough time to get you out of bed, showered, dressed, down to the precinctâitâd be so easy. Heâd have time to pick you apart the way heâd been thinking about for months before putting you back together. Heâd have time to savor you, to give you something good, something warm to think about while you were undercover, to show you what youâd be coming back to.Â
Itâs been eight months. Eight goddamn months of Duarte getting limited intel on you, spending most days without knowing whether you're alive or dead. And now youâre telling him that if he canât handle your lip, youâll fucking transfer.Â
Heâs been distracted, on tenterhooks, wary, terrified. Heâs shrugged it off resolutely, and done his best to hide it from himself, from his team.Â
Youâve been a piece of flint ever since you returnedâready to spark at any moment, at once the rock and the hard place.Â
He waits for the others to leave the briefing, tells you that he needs you to stay behind for a moment. He sees the attitude you cop at the order, catches on the slick sound of you sucking your teeth, the roll of your eyes. Your attitude is damn near intolerable. If he had less composure, less focusâif the two of you were at his place, or at yours, heâd spank the insolence out of you. But he waits. He waits until heâs absolutely certain the others are gone before crossing the room, gripping your jaw tightly. He sees your eyes flare, your lips part just a touch in shock.Â
âListen to me,â He growls low, âI donât know what the hell has gotten into you, but shape up or fuck off.âÂ
You jerk your chin out of his grip.Â
âGlad to,â You snip, nodding. âGive me a week, Iâll get my fucking transfer.âÂ
Itâs not what he wants, but he doesnât get to tell you that. You skim right past him, your body pushing against his as you storm out of the room. His eyes settle on the spot where youâd been just a moment ago, ears deaf to the slamming of the door behind you.Â
--Â Â
This rift, your harsh manner in the face of his warnings, all seemed unfathomable just months ago.
You were going undercover. You were resigned to it. The team had had a gone to Mikeâs for a send-off dinner, and youâd stuck around longer than the others. It had been under the guise of any last words of advice from your captain. Youâd spent two more hours, had three more drinks apiece, had taken a long time to say goodnight. The two of you had lingered in his entryway for at least half an hour, still talking. He could sense your unease with the case ahead in the way you kept moving, your hand raising to fiddle with the necklace that you always wore. You couldnât settle in one place either, and had moved to lean against one wall, and then the other wall, and then back against the door.Â
Mike almost hadnât let you go. Heâd placed his hand against the door, eyes skimming your face, gaze lingering on your lips. You had to report at nine the next morning. That was surely enough time to get you out of bed, showered, dressed, down to the precinctâitâd be so easy. Heâd have time to pick you apart the way heâd been thinking about for months before putting you back together. Heâd have time to savor you, to give you something good, something warm to think about while you were undercover, to show you what youâd be coming back to.Â
Fuck, he couldâve done it. Heâs certain he couldâveâuntil heâd said something so phenomenally stupid, something heâd been thinking about for months.Â
âIâll be back before you know it,â Youâd offered. Mike nodded, shifted from foot to foot with a lazy smirk on his face.Â
âIâm not worried about you.âÂ
Five words. Five stupid little words that made your face shift, your head duck, and your mouth push out a mumble that you had to go, that you had an early morning. Youâd turned, said one more goodnight, and left. He couldâve stopped you between his door and the elevatorâhell, if heâd run, between the elevator and the front door. But he didnât start overthinking it until a couple of months later. By the time the case was closed, the perps were indicted, and you were back in the office, heâd realized how bad it had sounded.Â
Now, Duarte has nothing of you in that room but the scent of your perfume, and the ring of your voice playing in his ears:Â
âGive me a week, Iâll get my fucking transfer.âÂ
--Â Â
âYou liking SVU?âÂ
âSure. The workâs challenging, but I love it. Why?â Graceâs eyes sparkle with a tease as she watches you take up your drink. âYou looking to transfer?âÂ
When you donât answer right away, when you take a long, long pull from your glass, Graceâs smile wilts. She leans forward just a little against the table, folding her arms on the table.Â
âYouâre not, are you?â She presses. You still donât answer, you just look down into your drink, trying to sort out the muddling of feelings in your gut. Grace gives you the time, raising her fingers to her lips to gnaw at her nails.Â
âI donât think thereâs a place for me in that unit anymore,â You finally admit. âThe way I operateâŠThe way Iâve had to operate, itâsâŠâ You shake your head, tightening your grip on your bottle as your emotions swell. You swallow thickly, averting your gaze. Christ. Thank god you came to this boozy little dive. It isnât anywhere like Duarte would go to unwind after work. The man likes a little more atmosphereâsomewhere that precludes the possibility of having to subdue a drunken disorderly on his off-hours. You donât think you could handle seeing him outside of work right now. You can hardly handle seeing him at work. You clear your throat, blinking rapidly to push back frustrated tears.
âCome to think of it, I donât think there was one for me before I went undercover,â You add, raising your drink again.Â
âCome on, thatâs not true,â Grace argues. âYou just need some time to readjust. Captainâll get that.âÂ
âHe told me to shape up or fuck off.âÂ
âSo youâre fucking off?â Grace scoffs a laugh. âCâmon, you know heâs only saying that to try and snap you back into focus.â She pauses, eyes narrowing as she searches your face. âYou sure this is about what he said to you today, or is it what he said before you left?âÂ
Your gaze snaps sharply to her, shock sparking through your system.Â
â...He told you about that?â Â
âI mean,â Grace sighs, âI kinda already knew there was something between you. We all did.âÂ
âWhat?âÂ
âNot the whole time!â She insists, âBut the night before your assignment, we could all kinda tell, you know. You couldnât keep your eyes off each other.âÂ
You groan, bracing your elbows on the table and tipping your head into your hands, scrubbing your eyes with your palms.Â
âHe tell you what he said, then?âÂ
âThat he wasnât worried about you? Yeah. He was pretty tipsy when he told me. He told me about what he said, how quickly you leftâŠâ Grace grimaces, remembering the way her captain's eyes had shown with regret. âHe said he fucked up.âÂ
You lean back in your seat, breath punching out of you like youâve just been socked in the gut.Â
âHe didnât care if I came back,â You insist.Â
âThatâs not true! He was worried about you, we all were. Someone would bring your name up once in a while, and I could kinda see it in him. Heâd go stony for a second there, like he was bracing himself to hear the worst. He just..." Grace frowns. "I think he was trying to be reassuring, you know? Say that he wasn't worried that you'd be back because he knew you would. It just went sideways."
You look around the bar again.Â
âWell,â You mumble. âI donât know if I can keep my place at the BGU. I told him Iâd be out of there by the end of the week.âÂ
Grace blinks at you, a smile widening her lips.Â
âFuck, you two are awful.â
âI know!â You crow, throwing your hands up. Grace laughs, and it rouses your weary laugh, too.Â
âTell you what,â Grace adds, âJust go in, work whatever this case is, do your due diligence and see how you feel. Make whatever happened between you and Mike secondary, focus on the work. If you really donât think you can stand it after the week, Iâll talk to Captain Benson. Sheâd be happy to have the help. Okay?âÂ
You sigh softly. âOkay,â You mutter. âOkay. You want another? I need another.âÂ
--Â Â
âCan I bum one?âÂ
Your question seems to catch him off-guard. Mike hesitates before he draws the pack back out of his pocket, holding it out to you. You take hold of it, drawing one out of the pack and lightly tapping the bottom against the cardboard before holding it back out to him. He takes it, holding his lighter up to you in turn. You lean in, hovering the end of the cigarette in the flame and drawing in a deep breath. You sigh the smoke out softly through your nose, leaning against the closed storefront beside the bar.Â
â...Since when do you smoke?â He asks. You draw the cigarette from between your lips, rolling it between your fingers.Â
âPicked it up. Iâm trying to cut back.âÂ
âHowâs that going?âÂ
âHow does it look like itâs going?â You glance at Mike, raising the cigarette to your lips again. He huffs a laugh, lips twitching with a smile. You canât help but smile a bit yourself, lowering your gaze to the ground. Itâs been two weeks since you told Duarte that youâd be gone. Your most recent case is closed, your place on the team feels solid again, but your relationship with Mike is still a stunted mess. You have good moments and bad ones. He runs as hot and as cold as he did before you went away, but the cold seems more chilling than it used to be.
Mike shifts from foot to foot beside you, bringing himself just a little closer to you, the toe of his shoe brushing yours. You look down at your feet again, stomach flipping at his increased proximity.Â
"They still going strong in there?" He asks, nodding toward the bar where the rest of the team is still celebrating closing the latest case.
"Yep."
â...You still fixinâ to jump?â
âI donât know,â You admit. âShould I be?âÂ
âI canât make that decision for you.âÂ
You smile ruefully, shaking your head a little as you tip your chin up and look out over the street. âNo. You certainly canât.â And itâs cruel, but you dig the knife in just a touch: âMuncy offered to speak to Benson for me.âÂ
Mike laughs, mutters, âShit,â As he raises his cigarette back to his lips. âThatâs all I need. Before I know it, Iâm gonna be the whole unit.âÂ
âEh, youâd be fine.âÂ
âNah, I canât do it without the team.â And then, more softly, âCanât do it without you.âÂ
Your stomach flips at his insistence. You can feel him looking at you again, but youâre too scared to look.Â
âYou did fine without me,â You point out.Â
âBecause I had to. I didnât want to.âÂ
You swipe your tongue across your rapidly drying lips, toying with the cigarette. Mike straightens, rounding to stand in front of you.
âLook,â He adds, dipping his head into your field of vision. âYou wanna go, then go. Iâm not gonna beg you to stay, but Iâm not gonna pretend to be happy about it, either.âÂ
Your gaze flickers to his, stomach flipping when you find him so close. Heâs as close as he was the night before you leftâbefore he said what he said, and you tucked tail and ran.Â
âI donât wanna go anywhere,â You admit.Â
âThen donât. But you gotta watch that lip.âÂ
Your mouth twitches with a smile, your tongue darting over your lips, leading Mikeâs gaze there.Â
âWhat for?â You murmur. âYouâve been doing a hell of a job watching it for me.âÂ
Mike groans a curse. He moves so quickly that you hardly register him flicking his cigarette away and taking hold of your face in his hands. You grin as he presses his lips to yours harshly. You lean right into it, swaying into his chest and curling your arms around his shoulders. Mike backs you up more tightly against the storefront, groaning as you slip your free hand into his hair.Â
âFuck,â He mumbles, knocking his forehead against yours as the kiss breaks. âStay here, call a car. I'll be right back.âÂ
âWhy?â You pout, chasing his lips. â Where are you going?âÂ
âTo close our tabs and get us out of here before the team books us for public indecency.âÂ
You grin, letting him go as he steps back.Â
âBetter make it quick, Duarte,â You warn, raising your cigarette back to your lips. âIâve waited long enough.â
#Mike Duarte x Reader#Mike Duarte x You#Mike Duarte/Reader#Mike Duarte/You#Mike Duarte fic#Mike Duarte imagine#Homecoming
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đ„čđ„čđ„čđ„č This is so amazing, my heart canât take it!
You wrote Mike so amazingly, Iâm excited for the next part!
The Dog: Part I
Pairing: Mike Duarte x Fem!Reader
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Lots of talk of injuries, blood, PTSD, depression, alcoholism, seizures, acquired brain injury, violence, and eventually sexual situations.Â
Summary: After BX9âČs attack, Mike finds himself having to rebuild his life after an acquired brain injury forces him into early retirement. But how do you rebuild your life when your life was focused on bringing down one man for so long?Â
Mike Duarte did not want a dog.Â
He didnât want a lot of things at the moment. He didnât want early retirement, a plaque for being wounded in the line of duty, an acquired brain injury with a seizure disorder, and he definitely didnât want the pity heâs currently seeing in Grace Muncy and Olivia Bensonâs faces.Â
But he really doesnât want the service dog that is currently sitting politely between the two women.Â
It looks like a mutt, some kind of Collie - Golden Retriever type dog with one ear bent over and the other standing straight up. He looks nice enough with his longish orange and white coat, sharp eyes darting around the inside of Mikeâs home. Probably looking for something to chew up. He sighs as he steps aside to let the women and the dog inside.Â
âThis doesnât mean the dog is staying,â he warns them.Â
Keep reading
#mike duarte#mike duarte x reader#mike duarte x you#captain mike durate#mike duarte imagine#law and order svu#law and order special victims unit#maurice compte
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orgasm headcanon
With the SVU boys, please.
Terry Bruno - Tugging his hair, as soon you run your fingers through his hair and tug it just a little, it takes him 0 to 60 in a heartbeat. I imagine him on the couch with you straddling his lap fully clothed and the instant you do it, his hips jump and you're like ohhh....
Nick Amaro - Words of affirmation. Knowing that you're so desperate for him, that you need him and only him and I think would make him lose his mind. Stuff like, you're the only one who can do this to me, please I need more.
Joe Velasco - Praise - You tell him he's going a good job, or call him sweet boi, good boi anything like that, it makes him feel loved and treaured. I think Joe gets off on intimacy and part of that is feeling emotionally safe with his partner.
Mike Duarte - Vulnerability- I swear I think knowing that you are giving yourself to him wrecks Mike. Telling him how you feel exactly in the moment gets him off, knowing that he's the one that makes you feel loved, wanted or good about yourself. The fact you're putting yourself out there, gives him an emotional boner, which leads to a very satisfying orgasm.
#captain mike duarte#mike duarte x reader#mike duarte#mike duarte x you#terry bruno x you#terry bruno x reader#detective terry bruno#terry bruno#joe velasco x you#joe velasco x reader#joe velasco#jose velasco x you#jose velasco x reader#jose velasco#nick amaro x you#nick amaro x reader#nick amaro imagine#nick amaro
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Stomping Grounds
Mike Duarte x F!Reader
Summary: Months after everything between you and Mike crumbled in the worst of ways, the two of you are put face-to-face all over again.
Warnings: 18+, language, alcohol, light angst
Word Count: 2.7k
A/N: What can I say??? I catch up on SVU and immediately decide that canon has no place here đ This is my first SVU fic, and by extension my first Duarte fic. I already want to write more for him lmao but one thing at a time
SVU Taglist (currently just tagging other people I've seen write or enjoy SVU things lol): @the-hinky-panda @bullet-prooflove @nessamc @proceduralpassion (If you want to be added to any of my taglists, please let me know!)
It had been a long time since you were in the right part of the Bronx to run into Duarte. Itâd been purposeful avoidance at first, but then it just became your new routine. The reasons for the switch started to fade from memory the farther your life moved on.
But then it all came rushing back the second you walked into the bar and saw Duarte there with Muncy and the rest of his team. There was no hiding from him, not when he was always clocking every single person who walked in or out of every room he was in. Clearly that was one thing that hadnât changed. The first scan you took around the bar you found him already looking at you. You almost didnât believe it until you heard Muncy's laugh. There was no way you were just imagining both of them.
If someone else hadnât been walking in behind you, you wouldâve frozen up right where you stood. You fumbled your way farther inside, too deep to just turn around and walk back out without it feeling strange, without it feeling like a missed opportunity.
You were about to go to the bar, get a drink to try and steel your nerves a bit before throwing yourself into the thick of things. You were a few steps away from being able to order when you heard Muncy call out to you. Being addressed by your last name felt so foreign now.
âWe just ordered another round,â she said when you walked over. She greeted you with a grin and an awkward hug as she sat in her chair at the table they were all gathered around. âYou can have Duarte's,â she said it like a joke, but you knew that when the drinks got brought over she would be handing one to you.
Judging by the look on Duarte's face, he wasnât going to fight it, but he wasnât going to be happy about it either. That seemed to be his MO with your after all.
âWas starting to think you left the Bronx altogether,â Duarte said, letting that be his greeting instead of extending you a real one.
To an outsider looking in, it wouldâve seemed harsh. But it was Duarte, and pleasantries were never his strong suit. You considered the acknowledgement a win in and of itself, because you knew that if Muncy hadnât called you over, Duarte definitely wouldnât have. You couldnât really blame him considering how everything played out. It wasnât anything malicious, even if it had felt that way to him. The two of you were just the victims of the worst timing in the world.
You tried not to think about it as you caught up with everyone. They told you about everything that had been going on, the details they could spare at least. You gave them the broad strokes of what youâd been up to since you saw them. It was hard to separate it out, what you were telling them from the reasons Duarteâs jaw was clenched so tightly the bone of it was about to break.
You didnât know if you should call it a shame or a blessing. Maybe it could be both. Regardless, you knew that it was unfortunate timing. After months of trying to figure out your place in Duarte's unit, you finally figured out that you werenât meant to be in it at all. In fact, you figured out that the badge wasnât for you in general.
That wouldâve been unfortunate enough, but those realizations just so happened to hit you the day after Duarte had spent the night at your place. The first and last time.
It had nothing to do with him, with what happened between you. And you tried to tell him that. He didnât hear it, though, didnât see it in your eyes how much you meant itâall he saw was you turning in your shield.
The conversation flowed around the two of you. Duarte staying quiet wasnât exactly out of the ordinary, but you felt the weight of it, the way that it was different this time. Apparently you were the only one, because everyone else was talking circles around him, throwing comments and jokes his way that he didnât respond to. Despite the gray cloud looming over Duarte's head, you were having a good time catching up with everyone else. Youâd always meant to keep in touch, but at first it was painful, and then you all were just busy.
Eventually, that same busyness slowly started pulling everyone away from the table. You couldâve gone too, before it was just you and Mike left. You saw it going that way, and as much as part of you wanted to avoid it, another part of you wanted to see what would happen, if anything would happen.
âI guess I owe you a round,â you said when it was just the two of you left, the first thing that youâd said directly to him all night, âsince Muncy gave me one of yours.â
You half expected him to reject it, to get up and leave. Instead, he quirked his eyebrow and gave a small nod. âI guess you do.â
When you returned with your drink and his, you asked, âSo how've you been? Youâre the only one who didnât give me a run-down.â
He watched you take a sip of your drink. âYou know how Iâve been.â
You laughed. âDo I?â You shook your head. âYou never answered any of my texts. At one point I was pretty sure you blocked my number.â
âI didnât.â He took a long sip of his drink. âThought about it, though.â
You sighed, toying with the glass in your hands. âI meant what I said, you know. It really was justââ
âDo you like it?â he cut you off. âYour new job, do you actually like it?â
âWhat, you think Iâm lying just to save face?â You chuckled at the look he was giving you. âI like it a lot. And for what itâs worth, itâs not a new job anymore.â
He shook his head. âItâll always be your new job.â
Hearing the sarcasm without the anger was reassuring. For a second things almost felt like they used to be. You missed him, truly. For as gruff and insufferable as he made himself sometimes, you really had missed him.
âSo,â he sighed as he leaned back in his seat, âfinally decided it was safe to cross back into my territory?â
You let out a small, slightly uncomfortable laugh. Of course he knew you had been avoiding him. Heâd been doing the same thing, to be fair, which was why all of your texts went unanswered.
âActually, no,â you admitted with a sad laugh. âI just had kind of a shit day, and this was where I ended up.â
âShit day got shittier.â
You gave a small smile as you shook your head. âNot that much shittier.â
âWork?â
You nodded. âYea. Stakes are different, obviously. Shitty day now doesnât mean the same thing as it used to.â
âThose kidsâŠâ he trailed off, shaking his head.
The laugh you let out was a little more genuine. âI love âem. They test me, but I love âem.â
âHow many of them are gonna end up on my radar in a few years?â he asked, always the brutal cynic.
You shrugged, trying not to let it faze you. âHopefully fewer now that Iâm there.â
He didnât want to admit it, but he could see it on your face that you were where you belonged now. He wanted it to be with him, on his team, but it wasnât. The tone of your voice, the look in your eyes, you never had any of that when you talked about your work with the gang unit. And he wanted to be happy for you, but he was still stubborn and selfish and admitting things to himself wasnât the same as admitting them out loud to you.
âYou like your boss?â he asked.
All his years of police work and yet he still couldnât sell that sentence to you in a way that would stop you from seeing through it.
You smiled, nodding. âYea, heâs, you know, heâs a good guy.â
He saw the look on your face and tilted his head back just slightly, just enough so that you knew he was trying to piece apart what your expression meant. âWhat?â
You had to laugh. âNothing, nothing. Heâs just, you know, heâs nice.â
âHm,â Duarte drummed his fingers on the outside of his glass, âI was never good at that.â
You chuckled, not disagreeing with him necessarily. âHeâs nice because he can be. YouâŠitâs hard. Itâs hard to do what you do and still be nice.â
âGood thing you got out then.â With his tone and attitude it was hard to tell if he was being snide or genuinely grateful.
âYeaâŠâ your voice trailed off as you tried to figure out what you were trying to say to him. âI miss it sometimes. Not,â you chuckled quietly, ânot all of it. But I miss parts of it.â You paused. âI even miss you sometimes, too,â you joked.
âOnly sometimes?â he quipped right back.
You laughed. âMaybe if you were nicer Iâd miss you all the time.â You were joking, of course, because of course you missed him all the time. And you could tell by the look on his face that he knew that too. Clearing your throat, you asked, âWhat about you?â
âWhat about me?â
You rolled your eyes, finishing off your drink before you asked, âYou ever miss me sometimes?â
His expression was serious for all of a moment before he recovered, putting the same façade on that he always had. âSometimes.â
It wasnât much longer before the both of you squared up your lingering tabs. Neither of you said anything while you were still in the bar about how you were getting home. You knew that Duarte wasnât going to drive, and you didnât even have the option if youâd wanted to. You didnât want to walk home alone, not with everything that had been going on in the city lately, but you also had no desire to get a taxi either.
Going against all the little voices in your head that were telling you not to ask, when the two of you stepped out of the bar and onto the sidewalk, you said, âThink you could walk me home, Captain? For old timeâs sake?â
He hesitated, looking at you. You could tell from his expression that he was trying to figure out if there was a play here that he wasnât seeing. He mustâve decided it was safe enough, because he nodded and started walking in the direction of your apartment.
It was a nearly-silent walk back. You wished you knew what the right thing to say to him was. You felt like you had said everything youâd wanted to say to him when it ended, but he never said anything in return. He still hadnât ever said how he felt about any of it. Actions speak louder than words, sure, but you still wanted to hear something from him. After everything, it felt like you deserved at least that much.
âItâs been shitty, you know,â the words flew out of your mouth before you could stop them, ânot hearing from you at all.â
âYou looking for an apology?â
You rolled your eyes. âNo.â You knew better than that. âBut I justâŠyou never said anything after I left. Like, at all.â
âIf I had said something, would it have made a difference?â he asked, glancing over at you as you waited for the crosswalk sign to change. âWould you have stayed?â
You took a deep breath as you both walked across the street. âWould I have stayed on the force? No.â The two of you reached your building and you didnât extend an invite for him to come up, hoping that continuing to talk to him as you walked through the main door of your building would do the work of that for you. âBut just because I left the force, it didnât mean, you know,â you hesitated as you started walking up the stairs, âit didnât mean that I was leaving you.â
He scoffed quietly as he followed you. âIn the same twenty-four hours that weââ
âI know my timing was bad,â you cut him off, already knowing what his argument was going to be, âbut never once did I actually say that I didnât want to be with you.â
âHow else did you want me to take it, then?â
âI was done with the job!â you said, exasperated. âIt wasnât, it wasnât right for me. Thereâs no way that you didnât see that.â You glanced over at him as you said it and you saw the resignation on his face. âExactly.â
âYou couldâve been a good cop if you wanted to be.â
âBut I didnât want to be.â There was a long pause as the two of you walked down the hallway and came to a stop outside your door. âI hated that you just cut me off.â
âI hated that you quit,â he snipped back.
You chuckled softly as you took your keys out of your bag. âTouchĂ©.â
âI thought I was part of the reason that you left,â he admitted as he watched you slip the key into the lock on your door.
âI told you that you werenât,â you replied. âIf youâd read any of my texts, or listened to any of the voicemails I leftââ
âI didnât believe you.â
You looked over at him. âBecause Iâve always made such a habit of lying to you?â
It was the most that the two of you had ever talked about any of it, and yet he cracked a small smile and you couldnât help but to mirror it back to him. The two of you were standing in your doorway, both of you knowing that you were lingering longer than necessary, longer than you shouldâve. Youâd pushed your door open halfway, your hand still on the knob. You watched as his eyes flicked down to your hand before going back up to your face.
âI should go.â
âDo you want to come in?â You both spoke at the same time, resulting both of you to chuckle awkwardly, trying to figure out which one of you was going to follow through on what youâd said.
Duarte cleared his throat. âI shouldnât.â
âDidnât stop you before,â you said, more hopeful than you shouldâve been.
âAnd look how that turned out.â
You let go of the door and stepped in closer to him, close enough so that you were chest-to-chest. âNothing happens the same way twice.â
His shoulders rose and fell with the deep breath that he took. He looked at you, and you could feel the indecision radiating off of him. You knew that there was nothing you could really say that would sway him one way or the otherâhe was always going to do whatever it was that he wanted to do.
When he didnât say anything for a few more seconds, you took it as your answer. You took it as one more loss. Taking a deep breath, you said, âGoodnight, Mike,â and pressed your lips to his cheek, over the stubble that he never stayed on top of shaving.
You went to step into your apartment, shut the door on all of this one more time. Before you stepped too far, he pulled you back to him and right into a kiss. His hands came up to cup either side of your face, thumbs brushing against your cheeks as his lips moved against yours. All the hesitancy, the manufactured distance heâd put between you, all of it was gone as you melted against him.
When he pulled away, he still held onto your face. He was close enough that you could still feel his breath against your skin, smell the alcohol that still lingered on it. You pushed forward just enough so that your lips brushed against his again.
âJust tonight,â he said, his voice low and rough. It almost sounded like he meant it.
You let him have it, if thatâs what it took for you to have him. âYea,â you agreed, stepping through the door and pulling him with you, âjust tonight.â
#law and order#law and order svu#svu#svu fanfiction#law and order fanfiction#mike duarte#captain mike duarte#mike duarte fanfiction#mike duarte x reader#mike duarte x you#my writing#fanfiction#drabblesmc
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Orphanages where Michael stayed: Oklahoma City Good Sheppard of Hope Catholic, St Agnus of Dallas, twelve main orphanages with outlets in Dallas,.. Ellyson Home for Children Dallas, ...Dallas Child Development Center Analysis and Orphanage,..Catholic Orphanage in.Yukon, Ok., Taft School near Littlerock, Ark..., " Arbeque" with the clinical name, owned and managed by Dr Joseph Arbeque M.D. Psychiatrist, Imagination Dragon of New York City, plus 14 other places where children can stay in NYC., then The Spicer in Germany, ...then The Loughe of Paris, France. 14 places in Paris, France....12 in Germany.  Michael Duerksen is " The Black Rose " of Germany, Tuscany and France and " The Black Pearl" of France. Also " The Only Gift Child according to Illuminati Wisdom", "The Edge of Nightshade", " The Dark Fairy of the Night", " The Sacred Red Rose of Infiniti ", " The Son of the Evil Wickerman", " Buttercup of Remembrance". " Karen " Mariah" " Taylor (?)" Siguer Taro Telo Rothchild", " Mariah Rothchild Montasort, Redi LaMont, Snafa Al Ghul, Tilly Ting Evertyting C. Grant, Mara /Mario Silo Parmiese Devereaux, Michael Alluese' Silo Parmiese Devereaux, Tuolo Paoli Marcheti Luchia Geyford, Tonie Gilbraltor Luchia, Rachel " The Saint" Luchia, Rosalie Luchia, Michael Duerksen Steinem Vanderbilt Montrose, Mike Duerksen Huntford Carlton, Carry Cardin Carlton, Carlotta DeBakey, Patricia DeValley DeGeneres, Michael Duerksen Gurley, Michael Lauren Hatch Bacall, Michael Duerksen Bancroft Castilano May,  Mary May Ham Rothchild, Cassandra Gilbert Der Rothchild, MaryAnn Richardson Rickert Weiner Rothchild, Marie Rothchild Harrington, Marie Rothchild, Marie Marianette, Marie Rothchild Hall, Arthur Michael Ann Rothchild Bach, Ms.LaGuardia, Ms. Costello, William Preston, Eric Dathan, Matilda ( Michael ) Avager Rothchild Ponti, Arthur Michael John Commencia, Michael Arthur Ann Rothchild Snelson Streisand, Carolina Michal " Muriel" Hemingway Winters Rodgers, Isabelle or Emilia Duarte Galveston Rothchild Darlington, " Emmanuel Bogotta Rothchild" ( donor), Maria Angelus Mata Hari Rothchild, ( donor), Michelle L. Rouchefourde Phillips DeSousa DeMentos, Phillip Newman Morris, Michael Newman, Angelina Isabelle Rothchild Childress ( donor) , Michael Rothchild Burnett, Princess Rothchild Luchia Hampas, Princess Maria Diedra Lyons Windsor, Michael Jean Paul Getty, John Robert Robin Blake, Princess Maria Guttenburg Furstenburg Oldenburg Mountbatten DeGeneres ( Lafite), " Prince of Tides ", Princess Marissa Oldenburg Hamburg, Jack Michael Bouvier' Kennedy, Michael Dean Duerksen Garland, Michael Duerksen Monroe, " Michael Briarcraft Hyatt", Michael Stouphlous, Michael Casa Linda, Michael Feingold, Michael Feinstein, Michael Forester Turner, Michael Dan Turner, Cicelia Rothchild Luchia Hampas,Â
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@the-hinky-panda Thank you so much for the tag babe!
Mike lost it then. Something inside of him imploded and all he could imagine was the noises that Tommy McGrath would make as he beat him to death with one of the fucking trophies in his office. He wanted to watch the fucking light die in the other manâs eyes and he wanted McGrath to know why.
A snippet of Past Mistakes Part 8 with Mike Duarte
No pressure tags for: @storiesofsvu @adarafaelbarba @plaidbooks @cosmic-psychickitty @daniacat @annieradcliff @blackleatherjacketz
Last Line Tag Game
I was tagged by @ninjasawakenedmystar :)
Grace put a hand on her holstered gun, hesitant to let it go. She hated this. But it wasnât hers anymore. It wasnât the Second Massâ. It belonged to Charleston now.Â
They all did.
I tag @littletonpace @ageless-aislynn @darklydeliciousdesires
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Strange Academy Presents the Death of Doctor Strange #1 by Skottie Young (writer), Mike Del Mundo (artist and colorist), Niko Henrichon (artist), Peach Momoko (artist), Humberto Ramos (artist), Alessandro Cappuccio (artist), C.F. Villa (artist), Gustavo Duarte (artist), David Baldeon (artist), Luciano Vecchio (artist), Natacha Bustos (artist), Marco DâAlfonso (colorist), Edgar Delgado (colorist), and VCâs Clayton Cowles (letterer)Â
Strange:Â âYou are the worst. You know that, right?â
Enchantress:Â âIndeed I do.â
Oh boy, this issue is one of the things I adore when comics do. I had thought that weâd only be getting a story about Iric, Alvi, and the Enchantress - but instead, we also get mini looks at the lives of the other Strange Academy students once they go home. Each student has a different artist/colorist team working on their mini stories, allowing us to have a huge sampling not only of these quiet moments but also just amazing artists that we may not have seen otherwise.Â
The main plot of this book is that the Enchantress, back in the day, had made a deal to give her firstborn son to a wizard in exchange for an amulet. Strange turned the wizard to stone but when he died, that spell was undone, and Iric is kidnapped to be used as a magical battery Ă -la Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. To save Iric, Alvi and the Enchantress venture into Weirdworld. My gods, the art is incredible. Weirdworld is an ever shifting world like the imagination of a child and the artwork reflects this, taking on this surreal, imaginative, and childish tone at points - the map that the mapmakers make for them is a prime example of this, something so believably made by a six year old that I had to wonder if Del Mundo actually had a child assist on the artwork for a moment. Even the lettering becomes something appropriate for this whimsical place, with variations in the coloring and style of the letters. You can really tell a lot of thought and care went into this.Â
The only thing I didnât like during the Iric/Alvi/Enchantress plot was how quickly Iric and Alvi forgive the Enchantress for more or less abandoning them and selling Iric to a wizard as infants. I get that weâre going for a heartwarming story about reconnecting as a family, and while the Enchantress does save Alviâs life during the fight and they manage to save Iric, it doesnât feel earned to me. Rather than having the twins call her an amazing mother, I would have preferred for them to have a quiet moment with her where she vowed to do better and they agreed to give her a chance - that wouldâve resonated more deeply with me.Â
The other mini plots are advertised as revealing the secrets of the students of Strange Academy, but we donât really see any secrets revealed. We see some bleak realities, but also just little quiet moments of joy. Thereâs something for pretty much every major character which is nice, but I also wish we wouldâve had one moment just showing the staff (namely Voodoo, Magik, Wanda, etc etc)Â and how they were dealing with this, but I suppose theyâre all off trying to keep the world in shape.Â
Overall, if you love Strange Academy, youâll want to pick this up.Â
Verdict: Seven out of ten firstborn sons
#strange academy#death of doctor strange#the enchantress#iric#alvi#weirdworld#skottie young#mike del mundo#doctor strange#comic review#marvel comics#character driven
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my worst enemy
romanceisreal:Â Neither of them can get the baby to sleep so they start enlisting team mates to come over and help
Did I steal at least the inspiration for this premise from The Office? Definitely. Am I proud of that? Eh.Â
read on ao3
It was entirely possible that at the grand old age of 41, before heâd even managed to make it onto the ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame or master the art of the one-handed diaper change, Mike Lawson had finally lost his mind.Â
Sleep-deprivation-induced insanity was a thing, right? Theyâand he didnât know who exactly, but he was willing to bet someone out there believed thisâsaid that too many nights without hitting a REM cycle could do that. Mike had to have left that particular benchmark in the dust at least a week ago.Â
Heâd either lost his mind or heâd actually crashed the car on his way home from the grocery store and this was some hallucination courtesy of a concussion and an infusion of the good shit at the hospital. Because he definitely hadnât stumbled his way through laying up his haul, probably stowing boxes of spaghetti in the freezer and the Eggos in the pantry, in his fatigue and eagerness to get upstairs for Rubyâs bedtime only to be confronted by... this.Â
Because this could not be real. Not unless some very serious brain damage was at play.
It was the only way to explain what Mike was witnessing in the nursery. It had to be his eyes playing tricks on him. His exhausted brain had finally given up the charade and melted into a puddle of goo thatâd come dribbling out his ears any minute.Â
That, after all, was just as plausible as the scene heâd just walked out on:Â Ruby Baker-Lawson for once sound asleep at her designated bedtime.Â
Of course, that wasnât what made him turn on his heel and go in search of her mother. That, if anything, was a dream come true. Had he mentioned how goddamn long it had been since heâd had a good nightâs sleep?Â
(If he were less tired, heâd remember that heâd started keeping track on the calendar on his phone. As it was, Mike was just relatively sure itâd been too fucking long.)
The problem was who, exactly, had finally, miraculously, gotten her down for the count.Â
It wasnât Rubyâs mother or father; their kid had proven over and over again that she had little respect for his or Ginnyâs authority.Â
(Or their begging and pleading, for that matter.)Â
It wasnât Al, whoâd been more than happy to adopt yet another grandchild, in spite of the fact he already had a horde of his own.
It wasnât even Blip or Evelyn, which wouldâve probably stung a little. In the interest of reintroducing his daughter to something even approaching a regular sleep schedule, though, heâd learn to get over it.
He was less sure heâd get over this.Â
Mike wasnât sure how to even begin wrapping his brain around the sight of Livan fucking Duarte in the nurseryâ settled as comfortably into the rocking chair as if heâd been the one to spend hours cursing over the incomprehensible instructions just to construct the damn thingâa sleeping Ruby nestled into the crook of his arm.Â
Was it too late to ask for that total mental breakdown?
âGinny!â Mike hissed, probably too loud considering his daughter was soundly asleep for the first time in what felt like weeks just a room away. He wanted answers. Right fucking now.Â
Which, okay. If it was possible that Mike had actually lost his mind, it was more than possible that he was overreacting.
He knew this. Somewhere in the last reasonable part of his mindâthe part that wasnât operating solely on day-old coffee, adrenaline, and three hours of dozing, one ear always cocked for fussing from his baby girlâwas fully aware that this was not the hill he wanted to die on.
(If he had to pick, heâd definitely go with something more important. Like the superiority of Empire Strikes Back over Return of the Jedi. Or implementing Pants-less Thursdays in the Baker-Lawson household like heâd tried before Ginny got pregnant.Â
At least as long as Ruby was too little to notice. How else was she going to get a younger sibling?Â
Well, given his track record, in a multitude of ways, but this would definitely up the odds, right?)
Problem was: that part, that utterly reasonable part of him that he wanted so desperately to listen to? It was weak. Defenseless. Beaten down by weeks of failure to get his daughter to do one of the four things all babies were constitutionally designed to excel at: sleep.
So much so that every other part of himâthe ones that had turned a little ruthless in the face of too little rest and too much stressâhad no problem squashing it like a bug.
Poor thing. It never even stood a chance.
His wife, as relentlessly productive as usual, though she had to be operating in the same thick fog of fatigue as him, stuck her head out of the laundry room but stepped into the hall when she caught sight of his thunderous expression. She padded along the plush runner, wafting the soothing scent of dryer sheets and warm linen as she approached.Â
Mike didnât let himself be lulled out of his anger in spite of the way she smelled exactly the way heâd always imagined home would and looked even better. (It was always something of a marvel that Ginnyâd actually agreed to hitch her wagon to his, not least because she still managed to look like a goddamn supermodel with bags under her eyes and dried spit up on her shirt.) He steeled himself, didnât let the indignation sputter and die, instead stoking it to a crackling roar.
How could she have called him? Of all the people who wouldâve dropped what they were doing to help them outâand Mike could even admit that they probably needed itâit had to be Livan?Â
âSeriously?â he demanded, unwilling or unable to translate hisâGod, there was no word for it butâbetrayal into more something more eloquent.Â
He didnât really need to, though. They knew each other too wellâwhich was almost always a good thing, even if something ugly was stirring in the pit of Mikeâs stomach nowâfor there to be any question of what he meant.Â
Her jaw squared, shoulders drawing back as she braced for his response to her answer:Â âHeâs babysitting. So we can get some sleep.â
Mike snorted, even if the thought of actually getting to sleep with Ginny in the same bed at the same time nearly made him tear up in desperation. Itâd been too fucking long since heâd had that and goddamn it, he missed it.
Livan Duarte, hotheaded hotshot still tearing up the NL West and coaxing Ginny through her starts, had lowered himself to babysit? And Mike was supposed to just go to sleep with him in his house? Jesus, what had the world come to?Â
Theoretically, it wasnât such a bad idea. It was pretty brilliant, actually. Mike would just chalk it up to sleep deprivation that he hadnât come up with it himself.
It was the reality of it all that bothered him. Livan had already taken one job from Mike. He couldnât have this one too.
If Mike were just a little less exhausted, he was pretty sure he could put up a better fight. Then again, if Mike, or Ginny for that matter, were a little less exhausted, thereâd be nothing to fight over.
Heâd been tired before, but this was something else. Worse than any burnout from a playoff push, worse than back to back doubleheaders in the depths of July, worse than his bouts of insomnia during his separation from Rachel. Worse because there was no end in sight; he and Ginny were responsible for this messâunder ordinary circumstances Mike would never refer to his six-month-old daughter as a âmessâ unless sheâd managed to blow out yet another diaper, but he figured it might be allowed in this particular instance. Ruby was theirs to raise and love unconditionally and, yeah, at the moment, grit their teeth and deal with until she eventually grew up and moved out.
Which, to be clear, Mike still wanted to come only after sheâd graduated or maybe turned at least 35. Still, it was a little hard to remember that sometimes.
Because for what seemed like the past eternityâbut could only have been a month tops or theyâd already be dead instead of just dead on their feetâlittle Ruby Baker-Lawson had been running her parents ragged. His own progeny.
Spawn seemed more accurate lately.
God knew Mike loved Ruby more than life itselfâremember: no moving out until after she had her own 401K and maybe not even thenâbut would it really kill her to cut them a break? To go the fuck to sleep and stay asleep for more than an hour or three at a time?
Given Rubyâs continued refusal to do soâeven in the face of her parentsâ increasingly desperate tactics: swaddling, long car rides, the rock nâ play she was rapidly outgrowing, sprawling her bare-skinned and squirming against Mikeâs chest to be lulled by his breathing, endless circuits of the house as Ginny bounced and rocked her into drowsinessâMike suspected that it just might.
As soon as they thought they had her down, settled into her crib, white noise machine whirring, and began to sneak out of the room, the baby would begin to wail, upset at finding herself left alone.
On darker days, Mike found himself wondering from which parent sheâd inherited her clear terror of abandonment.
It wasnât that Mike would rather endure his daughterâs sobs, his heart broke every time her little lip so much as wobbled, but did it really have to beâ
âHim?â he hissed, not bothering to keep his voice down. So what if Ruby had been quiet the whole time heâd been home and this woke her up again? Apparently, theyâd hired a goddamn Cuban manny without Mike even realizing. God, how long had he been at the grocery store? âGinny, Jesus! You called him? To our house? Where we live?â
"Neither of us are gonna be living here much longer if we canât get Ruby to sleep through the night! Weâre gonna lose our minds, Lawson,â she hissed right back, albeit at a far more reasonable volume. Any louder, though, and Mike was sure she mightâve just given in and yelled. Clearly, neither of them were at their best tonight.Â
Well, at least he wasnât the only one entertaining that possibility. Maybe going crazy wouldnât be so bad if Ginny was in it with him. It sent a funny wave of warmth rushing through him; he really did love this woman. Wouldnât trade her or her ability to understand him for anything, not even a solid eight hours.
âBesides,â Ginny continued, apparently oblivious to the rush of affection sheâd just inspired in her husband, or she wouldnât ask, âwho else should I have called?â
âAnyone!â Mike was aware there was a distinct whine to his voice, but he didnât really care.Â
Out of all the people she could have asked to come lend a hand, (Blip and Ev, Salvi, Al and, weirdly because he had no kids of his own, Omar all had pretty good track records with Ruby, even if only for short periods. They were better than what Ginny and Mike were currently managing. Some other time, when Mikeâs brain wasnât shrouded in a haze of sleep deprivation, he would feel worse about the fact that his baby only went to sleep for men who werenât him.) she had to pick the smirking asshole whoâd taken his job.
After he retired on his own terms, of course, but it still fucking rankled.
She rolled her eyes. âYou never complain when Omar babysits.âÂ
Which wasâ
Well, absolutely true. But for good reasons!
For one, Omar had never set himself up as the Baby Whisperer, easily getting Ruby to cooperate and fall asleep where neither of her parents could. Omar definitely hadnât looked up at Mikeâs entrance into the nursery, baby cradled peacefully in his arms, smirked, and said, âHeard you needed my help, old man.â
Because for two, Mike actually scared Omar.Â
Thatâd never been true of Livan.
Of course, now Livan had even less reason to be afraid. He had an ace in the hole.
The kid loved him. She loved lots of thingsâstrained carrots and her stuffed turtle, Ginnyâs dimples and his beardâbut there was no doubt in anyoneâs mind that she loved Livan Duarte.
It was a bit of a sore point.
Even before this latest bout of sleeplessness, Ruby always lit up whenever the Cuban catcher happened to walk by when Mike took her to Petco to visit Ginny. Livan, in turn, was slightly less obnoxious while interacting with Ruby; he grinned rather than smirked and it didnât matter if he spoke to her in crooning Spanish because it wasnât like she really understood him anyway.
If it were anyone else, Mike wouldâve been happy to admit Ruby babbling in excitement as she was danced around the Padresâ clubhouse was pretty fucking cute.
Except it was Livan and, seriously, fuck that guy.
Still, Mike didnât really have much interest in delving into his lingering resentment and jealousy of the guy whoâd taken his job.
So, he replied, âBecause Omarâs not gonna teach our kid Spanish pickup lines before she can even walk.â
Ginny laughed, a short, almost hysterical sound that immediately had Mike catching hold of her hands to draw her in close. She took the invitation gratefully, but didnât collapse against him the way he really wanted. She held herself up, looking him straight in the eye as she asked, âWhat did you want me to do? Neither of us have slept for more than an hour at a time all week.â
âSheâs just reverse cycling,â he tried, feeble and well aware of it.
Sensing the flicker in his resolve, Ginny shifted her grip and twined their fingers together. The cool, platinum band of her wedding ring against his skin flicked a switch somewhere deep in his gut. Immediately, his hammering heart rate dropped, the flood of anger and desperation leaking away. She looked up at him, big, brown eyes weighted down by heavy shadows. Mike doubted his were much better.
âIâm this close to losing it, Lawson,â she said, honesty and a little shame coating her words. Automatically, he squeezed her hand, bringing a flicker of a smile to her face. Still, Ginny shook her head. âLivanâs the only one to reliably get her to stay down for more than an hour or two at a time, and sheâs so little. She needs to sleep. If that means he has more opportunity to push your buttons, Iâm willing to put up with it.â
âBecause itâs not your buttons heâs pushing,â he muttered.
âMike,â she pleaded, pressing her forehead into his shoulder and otherwise sagging against him. His arm wrapped around her waist, support and comfort all at once. He marveled, not for the first time, that in six months sheâd already worked off all the baby weight. He didnât necessarily miss the extra softness, though itâd been nice while it was there. Honestly, he loved Ginny any way he could have her. Besides. Her rack? Still phenomenal. A fact he could appreciate all the better with her pressed to him. He did manage to drag his thoughts out of the gutter to listen to the rest of her request. âI need to sleep. We need to sleep.â
She sounded so exhausted, so close to throwing in the towel in a way he wasnât used to, not from Ginny fucking Baker, that he immediately caved.
âI know,â he murmured, rubbing soothing circles up and down her back. Ginny sighed, and Mike was sure that if he kept it up, theyâd fall asleep standing right there in the hall, mere steps from their bedroom. When her arms came up to wrap around his waist, and she snuggled in, warm and close and perfect, he thought he might not even mind.
Except, that was the moment Livan chose to emerge from the nursery, cradling their sleeping babyâthe love of Mikeâs life right alongside her motherâand smirking that insufferable smirk of his. He raised a brow at the position he found them in, but otherwise managed to keep his thoughts to himself.
âMami,â he murmured, low and concerned enough that Mike felt a stab of affection rush through him; anyone who cared about Ginny that much couldnât be all terrible, âI thought I was here to babysit. Let you and the old man get some sleep. What are you still doing up?â
Ginny pulled away and any charitable thoughts Mike might have harbored went up like so much smoke.
âWeâre going, weâre going,â she replied, tugging on Mikeâs hand, to lead him to their room. He followed along, only a little grudging.
âYou sure it had to be him?â he muttered, low enough to seem like he didnât mean for Livan to hear it while still making absolutely sure he did.
Ginny just squeezed his hand. Livan, though, hadnât quite learned when to keep his trap shut.
âDonât be mad, Lawson,â he said, that god damn smirk somehow audible. âYour girlâs just got good taste.â
Whether he meant Ruby or her mother was up for debate. Neither option left Mike feeling warm or fuzzy, though.
He glared but still allowed Ginny to pull him away, into their dark bedroom. Which was made only darker when she shut the door, cutting off the hall light and any more snark from their babysitter.Â
Smart move.
In the dark with just his wife to worry aboutâfor all his faults, Livan could handle a sleeping baby on his ownâthe world seemed to slow down. Mike wasnât quite so aware of the way his pulse rushed in his ears, became more attuned to Ginnyâs quiet breaths filling the space, the warmth of her hand still clasped in his.
At the foot of the bed, she turned back to him. Her hands skated up his arms, over his shoulders, fingers finally lacing behind his neck to hold him just where she wanted.Â
Mike waited.Â
Not for long.
In the weak light filtering in through the windows, she leaned up to press a less than chaste kiss against his mouth. It didnât take much convincing for MIke to sink into it, even with a cocky Cuban somewhere outside their door.
It didnât matter that he couldnât quite remember the last time heâd done more than swig mouthwash; Ginnyâs tongue was curled around his, sweet as the first time heâd ever kissed her. For the first time in weeks, Mike was at his leisure to reciprocate, working a hand into his wifeâsâGod, he was never gonna get tired of that; Ginny Baker was his goddamn wifeâhair and drawing her in close. She came eagerly, leaning against him the way she had in the hall, though there was nothing weary about her now. She licked eagerly into him, rising on her tiptoes to get her own taste.
For once, nothing interrupted the moment.
For once, Mike got to languidly undress Ginny, fingertips skimming over miles of smooth, brown skin, and enjoy her hands against his arms and chest and thighs as she did the same for him.
And, yeah, once they made it into bed, they were too fucking tired to do much more than curl together and lazily kiss until their eyes and lips grew too heavy to do anything other than give in to the heady call of sleep. But Mike wasnât going to complain.
Sure, it was Livan playing babysitter to his daughter, but there were worse things in the world. Especially since it meant Mike was going to wake up after a full nightâs sleep with Ginny Baker in his arms. Maybe, come morning, theyâd even be able to finish what they started. A little morning sex would more than cancel out putting up with a smirking Cuban in his house.
Plus, once he was properly rested, Mike could start coming up with some appropriate payback. Livan could joke about Ginnyâs, or Rubyâs as yet unproven, taste in men all he wanted.Â
Just like Mike could bribe his former teammates to replace all of Livanâs expensive hair products with glitter-infused knockoffs.
He chuckled in spite of himself.
From her place draped over his chest, Ginny let out a sleepy sigh, nuzzling her cheek over his heart as she settled more firmly against him. Mike didnât bother reining in his beaming smile as he dropped one last kiss on her forehead and closed his eyes, arms tightening around the love of his life.
Didnât matter how satisfying it would eventually be; payback could wait. He had something much better to focus on now.
#bawson#bawson fic#pitch#pitch fic#i wrote something#i am 95% sure#all of my kidfic#takes place in the same time line#i haven't gone back to check#re: continuity#but from now on#that's what i'm thinking
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GODâS KINGDOM | FILM
vimeo
**Dim the lights, click fullscreen and pop on a pair of good headphones for the full theatrical experience.
GODâS KINGDOM | Short Film
Jack and Ella travel alone, taking the path less trodden. Dishevelled and dirty they keep away from people, towns and cities, off the grid. They are hiding and on the run, but from what and why?
QUOTES
Ian Durkin â Vimeo Staff Pick Curator â âGripping short. Great production.â
Rob Munday â Directors Notes / Short of the Week â âYour work never fails to impress.â
Luke Rodriguez â Modern Horrors â âWe all know that genre producers love turning these things into features, and Godâs Kingdom is practically begging for it.â
MGDSQUAN â Horror Society â âHollywood will come banging on his door one day, I guarantee youâ
Jay Creepy â Severed Cinema â âHis eye for pacing and detail grows along the way to be nothing short of awesome.â
Jack Bottomley â UK Film Review â âSoulsby has delivered a most interesting film and I can only pray we shall see more good things on the horizon.â
FILM FESTIVALS
Imagine Film Festival, Amsterdam
BIFFF â Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival
Grimmfest, Manchester
CPIFF â Crystal Palace International Film Festival
Shorts on Tap, London
The Royal Television Society Awards, West of England â Winner Best Composer and Best Sound
CAST
Alistair Petrie â (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Rush, The Night Manager) Anthony Flanagan â (The Terror, Versailles, Red Riding: The Year of our Lord 1974) Mark Wingett â (Quadrophenia, Snow White and the Huntsman, The Bill) Paul Hurstfield â (Dead Manâs Shoes) Jack Johns â (Call the Midwife, Maigret Sets a Trap) Robert Goodman â (Gangs of New York, Joan of Arc) Rod Glenn â (Ripper Street, American Assassin, The Hippopotamus) Amanda Foster â (Die Another Day, Harry Brown, World War Z) Introducing Leah Rhodes
CREDITS
Writer / Producer / Director â GUY SOULSBY Producer â JOE BINKS Director of Photography â NICHOLAS BENNETT 1st AD â TRISTAN HEFELE 1st AD â DAN GIBLING 1st AD â ANDREW POTTER Production Manager â FELIX JUDE WEST Camera Assistant â TOBY ROTHWELL Camera Trainee â JOE SALKEY Art Director â NOAM PIPER Production Sound â RUSSELL EDWARDS Production Sound â STEVIE HAYWOOD Boom Op â THOMAS MARKWICK Wardrobe â SAMMY CORNEILLE SFX Make Up â ROBBIE DRAKE Make Up â JO TURNER Make Up â PAULA J MAXWELL Casting â ANDREW MANN @ FRUITCAKE Casting â MATT ZINA @ THE YORKSHIRE SCHOOL OF ACTING Chaperone â KADY RHODES Armourer â NEIL MOUNTAIN SFX â ROWLEY SFX Runner â MICAH HARBON Runner â JAMES MAZUR Storyboards â JAMES HUSBANDS Catering â MICHAEL KERNALL CATERING Accommodation â BAROLIN FARM GUEST HOUSE Northumbria Cars â PHIL TERNENT Camera Equipment â FOCUS 24 Playback â TAKE TWO FILMS Film Poster â TOM MAC
THE NATIONAL TRUST
Head of Filming and Locations â HARVEY EDGINGTON Visitor Experience & Marketing Manager â ALEXA MORTON Marketing Officer â AIMEE RAWSON
BRADFORD COUNCIL / LEA
Childrenâs Services â TARA WATSON Childrenâs Services â TRACEY JEFFREY Childrenâs Services â NEIL HELLEWELL
IMMANUEL COLLEGE
Head Teacher â MRS TILLER Head Teachers PA â MRS GRAY Pastoral Support Assistant (Attendance) â JUDIE HEANEY
CUT & RUN
Executive Producer â KAYT HALL Producer â MAGGIE McDERMOTT Editor â NICK ARMSTRONG Edit Assistant â MEREL SCHUURMAN
JOGGER STUDIOS
Film Colourist â YOOMIN LEE Digital Compositor â RICHARD HARRIS Digital Compositor â PAVEL IVANOV Digital Compositor â ANDY BROWN Digital Compositor â DAVIDE PASCOLO
UNIT
Executive Producer â KEVIN DOCHERTY Trailer Colourist â SCOTT HARRIS Flame Op â ANDREW CURTIS MCR â ADRIAN THOMAS
AUTOMATIK
Digital Compositor â VIKRAM CHADHA VFX Supervisor â SEBASTIAN BARKER Producer â JENNIFER THOMPSON
STORMBORN STUDIOS
FX TD â GORAN PAVLES
VISUAL EFFECTS
FX Artist â MARTIN MIROLA FX Artist â JOEL LELIEVRE 3D / Digital Compositor â JIMMY LOTARE Digital Compositor â NICHOLAS HURST Digital Compositor â OLIVER NEWBOULD Digital Compositor â ALAN PRADO
ECHOIC AUDIO
Composer â SAM FOSTER Composer â DAVID JOHNSTON Sound Designer â OWEN HEMMING-BROWN
SLATE & ASH
Musical Sound Design â SIMON ASHDOWN Musical Sound Design â WILL SLATER
EVOLUTIONS
Producer â GABRIEL WETZ Rerecording Mixer (Final Mix) â WILL NORIE
FOUND
Executive Producer â MIKE SHARPE
STUDIO OUTPUT
Executive Producer â IAN HAMBLETON
CREDIT SEQUENCE
PUSH VFX
VFX Supervisor, Lighting, Shading & Compositing â PEDRO MOTTA Houdini TD, Additional Lighting and Shading â JOAO AGOSTINHO 3D Modelling â JOAO JACINTO Compositing â DUARTE GANDUM Concept & Pre-vis Development â RICHARD HALLSWORTH
CREDIT MUSIC
Music and lyrics by Michael Malarkey Performed by Michael Malarkey, Kent Aberle, Brandon Bush, Jenn Cornell, Benji Shanks, Kevin Spenser Produced by Michael Malarkey, Brendon Bush and Tom Tapley Recorded and Mixed by Tom Tapley Recorded at The Projector Room, Decatur, GA Mastered by Billy Joe Bowers Courtesy of Cap On Cat Records
Managed by Danny Keir at Sound Diplomacy Likes: 90 Viewed:
The post GODâS KINGDOM | FILM appeared first on Good Info.
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Prompt TRACING PERSON B'S TATTOOS for Mike Duarte please!!! I was LIVING for the Carrillo content you had too! Youâre fantastic, thank you đ„čđ„čđ„čđ„č
Itâs the heart of summer, the night hot and muggy.  Mikeâs anemic window AC unit belches out tepid air as the two of you lie in the tangle of sheets, sweat cooling on your skin.
Itâs new.  Not the hooking upâthatâs been going on for months, back when the weather was still cool and crisp.  Back when he bumped into you at his neighborhood bar after months of flirting.  That night, youâd both been keyed up and restless. Â
It was easy to fall into this thing between the two of you.  It was more difficult to keep feelings out of it.
Mikeâs the one who breaks.  Tonight, after the two of you exhausted each other, took your pleasure from each otherâŠafter you returned from the bathroom from cleaning yourself up.  You had scooped up your clothing, ready to do your usual late-night scamper home. Â
Mike stopped you.  The cloying, choking feeling in his throat became too much, finally, so he croaked out, âstay?â
Youâd arched a curious eyebrow at himâat his words or tone or bothâbut youâd nodded, dropped your clothing, and crawled back into bed with him.
Now here the two of you are:  him sprawled out, you halfway on top of him.  Your chin digs into the soft spot below his sternum and above his belly, but Mike doesnât care.  He doesnât care about the way youâre watching him, trying to figure him out.  He doesnât care that heâs breaking his own rule of no sleeping over. Â
Or the rule of no feelings.
They were stupid fucking rules anyway.  His own rules, put in place to try and forestall future pain when you inevitably got tired of his shit and moved on.  Stupid rules because despite them, despite the shallow nature of your hooking up, youâve crept into his wizened heart all the same.  Despite the rules, youâve become a friend, first and foremost.  You shoot him texts throughout the day.  You check in on him.  Once, you even brought him dinner to the precinct when he was running on fumes.  The thoughtfulness almost made him cry that nightâto be thought of, remembered, cared for.
Youâre more to him, and he knows it.  Heâs always known it.  Now he can admit it to himself.
Next step is to finally admit it to you.
That can wait.  Right now, the moment is perfect. Â
Your weight on him is heavenly.  You tilt your head and reach out a fingertip, trace it over the tattoo on his pectoral, right over his heart.  The older ink used to spell out his ex-wifeâs name.  Fresher inkâwell, fresh as of ten years agoâturned the name into Gothic script gibberish.  Like Viking runes or something.
Then your finger moves, traces over the ink on his forearm.  Itâs a NYPD policemanâs badge with his fatherâs badge number.  Then onto the tattoo on his ribcage, the memorial to his mother, a dove with a cross and her name.
Itâs shit like this that did it.  The tender, everyday touches in between the rough and fast hookups.  The finger-combing out the snarls in his bed-head.  The soft press of your lips to his temple before you pushed away from the bed to get dressed and leave.  The cup of your palm on his stubbled cheek, the gentle way you pat him.  All those soft, gentle touches.  They were Mikeâs undoing with you.
âIf I stay much longer, Iâm gonna fall asleep,â you warn him, and your voice has a lazy, heavy quality to it.  Your breath fans against his skin, makes goosebumps break out despite the heat of the night.
âI asked you to stay.  I meant it.â
That eyebrow arches again, and you pause in your tracing of his tattoos.  âItâs against the rules.â
âTheyâre stupid fucking rules.â
You snort, grin at him.  âTheyâre your rules, Mike.â
He shuts his eyes, smiles back at you.  âSounds like Iâm fucking stupid then.â
You snort again, and he cracks an eye open to peek at you.  You lift your head and press your lips against the tattoo over his heart.
âOnly sometimes,â you murmur against his skin.  âYouâre only fucking stupid sometimes.â
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Valentine's Day Weeklong Event!
With Valentine's Day coming up that means one thing...
Love is in the air and I have booked in a week long smutfest for all of you wonderful people!
The titles for that week are:
Monday 13th Feb: Lemon Trees - Benny Miller x Reader (NSFW) - Whilst trapped in the Andes, Benny remembers that time in Tuscany.
Tuesday 14th Feb: The Perfect Moment (NSFW) - Luke Alvez x Reader - There's no such thing as the perfect moment.
Wednesday 15th Feb: Fantasy (NSFW) - Hasim Khaldun x Reader - Hasim fulfils a fantasy of yours. - A birthday gift for @adarafaelbarba
Thursday 16th Feb: Lover's in the Backseat (NSFW) - Mike Duarte x Reader - Mike gives you a first in the backseat of his vintage Mustang.
Friday 17th Feb: Only With You (NSFW) - Will Halstead x Reader - It's been a year but somethings don't change.
Saturday 18th Feb: Forever (NSFW) - Joe Velasco x Reader - Joe can't remember the moment he fell in love with you, only that he has.
Sunday 19th Feb: Mine (NSFW) - Brian Zvonecek x Reader - Brian doesn't get jealous... Until he does.
#brian zvonecek#brian otis zvonecek#brian otis zvonecek x reader#brian zvonecek imagine#brian otis zvonecek imagine#will halstead x reader#will halstead#mike duarte x reader#maurice compte#joe velasco x reader#joe velasco#hasim khaldun#hasim khaldun x reader#luke alvez#luke alvez x reader#benny miller x reader#benny miller
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WHERE WE LIVE BENEFIT ANTHOLOGY CONTRIBUTORS ANNOUNCED
LG: This is text of image comics press release:Â
On October 1, 2017, Las Vegas, Nevada suffered the worst mass shooting in modern American history, resulting in 58 deaths and over 500 injured. It broke my heart. Las Vegas is my home. I felt like something needed to be done to help in a unique way.â
âJH WILLIAMS III, Artist & Curating Editor
PORTLAND, OR, 03/27/2018 â Image Comics is pleased to announce the list of WHERE WE LIVE: LAS VEGAS SHOOTING BENEFIT ANTHOLOGY contributors. Â
Curated by JH Williams III, Wendy Wright-Williams, Will Dennis, and Image Comicsâ Publisher, Eric Stephenson, one hundred percent of the proceeds for the WHERE WE LIVE anthology will be donated to
an existing GoFundMe campaign
for the survivors in Las Vegas.
The WHERE WE LIVE anthology contains over 70 stories from over 150 different creators and clocks in at around 300 pages total. Â
âIt's a strange place, this time and this country, in which having tools that can only be used to murder is seen as human right. I wanted to write something to help raise funds for the victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting and for their families,â said Neil Gaiman, bestselling author and a contributor to the WHERE WE LIVE anthology. âIt's about wounds and healing, about death and forgiveness, about pain and childhood and the dark. Â I hope it helps make people think, and I'm honoured to be part of the conversation.â
The book will include a variety of perspectives with key themes exploring gun violence, common sense gun control, value of a compassionate society, mental health stigmatization, aftermath of tragedy and how individuals and communities persevere, and an appreciation of Las Vegas as a vibrant community.
The WHERE WE LIVE anthology is a riveting collection of both fictional stories and actual eye-witness accounts told by an all-star lineup of the top talent working in comics today as well as Las Vegas locals. All the creators have graciously volunteered their time and talent to help bring some sense to this senseless act and, in the process, raise money for the survivors and their families.
WHERE WE LIVE ANTHOLOGY contributors:
Michael Allred & Laura Allred
Henry Barajas, Isaac Goodhart & Kelly Fitzpatrick
Jennifer Battisti, Geof Darrow, Dave Stewart & Bernardo Brice
Jennifer Battisti & J.H. Williams III
Brian Michael Bendis, Michael Oeming, Taki Soma & Bernardo Brice
Haden Blackman & Richard Pace
Haden Blackman, J.H. Williams III & Todd Klein
Jeff Boison & Tyler Boss
Ivan Brandon, Paul Azaceta & Bernardo Brice
Ryan Burton, Tony Parker, Dee Cunniffe & Bernardo Brice
Kurt Busiek, Andrew Maclean, Lee Loughridge & JG Roshell (at Comicraft)
Amy Chu, Gabriel Hernandez Walta & Alexander Chang
Rachel Crosby, J.H. Williams III & Bernardo Brice
Al Davison
Kelly Sue DeConnick, Joelle Jones, Dave Stewart & Bernardo Brice
J.M. DeMatteis & Mike Cavallaro
Gustavo Duarte
Aaron Duran, Joe Mulvey, Jules Rivera & Bernardo Brice
Joshua Dysart, Pere Perez & Bernardo Brice
Pierce Elliott & Monica Gallagher
Joshua Ellis, Jeff Lemire & Bernardo Brice
Lucia Fasano, Tess Fowler & Bernardo Brice
Ray Fawkes
Joshua Hale Fialkov, Noel Tuazon & Bernardo Brice
Neil Gaiman, J.H. Williams III & Todd Klein
Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, Dee Cunniffe & Clayton Cowles
Brandon Graham
Justin Gray & John Broglia
Lela Gwenn & Matthew Dow Smith
Matt Hawkins, Aaron Campbell, Dee Cunniffe & Bernardo Brice
Daniel Hernandez, Moritat & Casey Silver
Talia Hershewe, Jock & Bernardo Brice
David Hine, Brian Haberlin & Geirrod Van Dyke
Joe Illidge, Ray-Anthony Height, Andrew Dalhouse & Deron Bennet
Van Jensen, Eric Kim, Chris O'Halloran & Bernardo Brice
Scott David Johnson, Phil Hester, Eric Gapstur, Mark Englert & Bernardo Brice
Justin Jordan, Tom Fowler & Taylor Esposito
Jarret Keene, Craig Cermak, Marissa Louise & Taylor Esposito
Neil Kleid & Nick Pitarra
Greg Lockard, Tim Fish, Michael J DiMotta & Sal Cipriano
Ollie Masters, Jason Harris, Sina Grace & Shaun Steven Struble
Mariah McCourt, Ariela Kristantina, Bryan Valenza & Bernardo Brice
Mike Mignola & Dave Stewart
Mark Millar, Alex Sheikman, Marissa Louise & Bernardo Brice
Gary Spencer Millidge
Fabio Moon
B. Clay Moore, Kelly Williams & Chas! Pangburn
Greg Pak, Triona Farrell & Simon Bowland
Alex Paknadel, Chris Wildgoose, Triona Farrell & Aditya Bidikar
Curt Pires, Matt Lesniewski & Alex Petretich
Christina Rice, Richard Pace & Bernardo Brice
Darick Robertson, R. Eric Lieb & Christopher Crank
James Robinson, Dean Kotz, Stefano Gaudiano & Casey Silver
Robert Rose & Matt Strackbein
Chris Ryall, Gabriel Rodriguez, Nelson Daniel & Bernardo Brice
Rafael Scavone, Rafael Albuquerque, Patricia Mulvihill & Bernardo Brice
Erica Schultz, Liana Kangas & Cardinal Rae
Alex Segura, Marco Finnegan, Kelsey Shannon & Janice Chiang
Gail Simone, Ryan Kelly, Giulia Brusco & Bernardo Brice
Matthew Dow Smith & Michael Gaydos
Matt Sorvillo & Sean Phillips
Jason Starr, Andrea Mutti, Vladimir Popov & Bernardo Brice
Cameron Stewart
Larime Taylor & Sylv Taylor
Paul Tobin, Dustin Weaver & Bernardo Brice
David Walker, Damon Smith & Motherboxx Studios
Malachi Ward
Rob Williams & Javier Pulido
Scott Bryan Wilson & Cliff Chiang
Chris Wisnia, Bill Sienkiewicz & Jeromy Cox
Wendy Wright-Williams, J.H. Williams III & Todd Klein
Warren Wucinich
And more!
Follow updates on the WHERE WE LIVE project on Twitter:
@WhereWeLive_LV
List of WHERE WE LIVE contributors
GoFundMe where all Proceeds from the book will be donated
###
ABOUT IMAGE COMICS Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of bestselling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.
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---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Michael Duerksen <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, Oct 5, 2023, 5:58 AM
Subject: Names 2023
To: Michael Duerksen <[email protected]>
    Orphanages where Michael stayed: Oklahoma City Good Sheppard of Hope Catholic, St Agnus of Dallas, twelve main orphanages with outlets in Dallas,.. Ellyson Home for Children Dallas, ...Dallas Child Development Center Analysis and Orphanage,..Catholic Orphanage in.Yukon, Ok., Taft School near Littlerock, Ark..., " Arbeque" with the clinical name, owned and managed by Dr Joseph Arbeque M.D. Psychiatrist, Imagination Dragon of New York City, plus 14 other places where children can stay in NYC., then The Spicer in Germany, ...then The Loughe of Paris, France. 14 places in Paris, France....12 in Germany.  Michael Duerksen is " The Black Rose " of Germany, Tuscany and France and " The Black Pearl" of France. Also " The Only Gift Child according to Illuminati Wisdom", "The Edge of Nightshade", " The Dark Fairy of the Night", " The Sacred Red Rose of Infiniti ", " The Son of the Evil Wickerman", " Buttercup of Remembrance". " Karen " Mariah" " Taylor (?)" Siguer Taro Telo Rothchild", " Mariah Rothchild Montasort, Redi LaMont, Snafa Al Ghul, Tilly Ting Evertyting C. Grant, Mara /Mario Silo Parmiese Devereaux, Michael Alluese' Silo Parmiese Devereaux, Tuolo Paoli Marcheti Luchia Geyford, Tonie Gilbraltor Luchia, Rachel " The Saint" Luchia, Rosalie Luchia, Michael Duerksen Steinem Vanderbilt Montrose, Mike Duerksen Huntford Carlton, Carry Cardin Carlton, Carlotta DeBakey, Patricia DeValley DeGeneres, Michael Duerksen Gurley, Michael Lauren Hatch Bacall, Michael Duerksen Bancroft Castilano May,  Mary May Ham Rothchild, Cassandra Gilbert Der Rothchild, MaryAnn Richardson Rickert Weiner Rothchild, Marie Rothchild Harrington, Marie Rothchild, Marie Marianette, Marie Rothchild Hall, Arthur Michael Ann Rothchild Bach, Ms.LaGuardia, Ms. Costello, William Preston, Eric Dathan, Matilda ( Michael ) Avager Rothchild Ponti, Arthur Michael John Commencia, Michael Arthur Ann Rothchild Snelson Streisand, Carolina Michal " Muriel" Hemingway Winters Rodgers, Isabelle or Emilia Duarte Galveston Rothchild Darlington, " Emmanuel Bogotta Rothchild" ( donor), Maria Angelus Mata Hari Rothchild, ( donor), Michelle L. Rouchefourde Phillips DeSousa DeMentos, Phillip Newman Morris, Michael Newman, Angelina Isabelle Rothchild Childress ( donor) , Michael Rothchild Burnett, Princess Rothchild Luchia Hampas, Princess Maria Diedra Lyons Windsor, Michael Jean Paul Getty, John Robert Robin Blake, Princess Maria Guttenburg Furstenburg Oldenburg Mountbatten DeGeneres ( Lafite), " Prince of Tides ", Princess Marissa Oldenburg Hamburg, Jack Michael Bouvier' Kennedy, Michael Dean Duerksen Garland, Michael Duerksen Monroe, " Michael Briarcraft Hyatt", Michael Stouphlous, Michael Casa Linda, Michael Feingold, Michael Feinstein, Michael Forester Turner, Michael Dan Turner, Cicelia Rothchild Luchia Hampas,Â
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Road tested: Gear from Aether, Pagnol and Vaktare
Weâre always trying to unearth motorcyclingâs latest and greatest apparel around here. So we cast a pretty wide net, and whittle our catch down to the finest of gear. But every now and then, kit from lesser-known, independent makers gets dragged in with the haul.
These indie gear gurus donât have corporate bean counters to appease, so they can take chances the big names wonât. New and interesting styles are developed, different fabrics are experimented with, and some exquisite protective pieces are created. Here are three of the best indie brands Iâve found lately.
Aether Moto Gloves Iâm an unapologetic fanboy of Aether Apparel: their gear consistently nails that balance between aesthetics and functionality, and everything is built to last. Company founders (and avid riders) Jonah Smith and Palmer West not only scrutinize every product to receive their stealthy logo, but also put their products to the test themselves. That means rider-specific features that some big names miss during the design process are caught and created.
The latest piece of gear to survive Jonah and Palmerâs riding rigors is the Moto Glove, an all-leather, short cuff mitt that has quickly become my go-to this summer.
Iâm picky when it comes gloves. I want my hand protection to feel almost non-existent on the controls, but beefy enough to save my skin if I take a tumble. And the fit needs to be spot on. To that end, the Moto Glove delivers the goods with soft, pliable leather for the fingers thatâs all-day comfortable, plus an attractive diamond-stitched, secondary layer of protection at the palm.
The party piece, though, is an elasticized panel that runs along the fleshy part of the thumb. It delivers a fit that few gloves can match, and allows the thumb to flex properly whenever your fingers arenât curled around a grip. Itâs that little bit of ingenuity, a simple solution that makes all the difference in the world.
There are additional leather runners atop each finger and a thin, flexible layer of armor sits beneath the continued pattern of diamond-stitched detailing. A large Velcro closure flap resides at the cuff and two more elasticized panels, both top and bottom, keep things sealed at the wrist.
The Aether Moto Gloves retail for $150, which isnât exactly chump change. But if you subscribe to the buy once, cry once philosophyâand donât need a full-blown technical gauntletâtheyâre a stellar piece of kit. And should last for years to come. The Aether Moto Gloves are available in both black and tan and are backed by Aetherâs lifetime guarantee. [Buy]
Vaktare Bomber jacket Vaktare owner and lead designer Estefan Duarte wasnât impressed with the cookie cutter products in his local shops. So he started making his own. Designed and manufactured in Los Angeles, California, Vaktare (pronounced âVictoryâ) Motorwear Company is a small upstart thatâs taken a unique approach to riding gear.
I was first introduced to their products just over a year ago when they launched a protective Peacoat named the Draugr. It was a decidedly fresh take on a riding jacket that broke all molds of convention by being a fashionable coat, made from wool, but designed with riding in mind.
The Bomber model that Iâve been riding with lately is actually the jacket that started it all for the Vaktare crew. I had my doubts as to how versatile a white wool jacket would be, especially when it came time to swing a leg over a bike. It didnât seem like the most practical choice for the summer riding seasonâŠ
On the aesthetic side of things I can honestly say the Bomber has grown on me. At its core itâs a jacket with a tried and true design that stays true to its aviator roots. I dig the inclusion of epaulettes, and the contrasting brown touches at the pockets, cuffs and stitching add some subtle sophistication. Be warned though, this jacket will grab attention. You need to be prepared to answer questions at stoplights and when you get to your destination, because it doesnât look like anything else on the road. The only thing you need ask yourself, stylistically, is whether a white coat is something you can pull off or not.
If you can, know that the fit is similar to a tailored trucker jacket. On my 6-foot, 200-pound frame, that means a size 42 delivers a touch more room in the shoulders to allow movement in the saddle and hugs comfortably at the waist. The sleeves are cut to fall just beneath my cuff, so they sit pretty both on the bike and off, provided the bars on your bike sit low.
With a high bar, the extended reach causes the jacket to rise, devouring your neck, resulting in an ill fit and boxy look. I spoke with Estefan after wearing the Bomber for a bit and let him know about my issues. My guess is a stretch panel between the shoulders or a more articulated, radial sleeve style would help, but Iâve left that in his capable hands. Also, if you like to layer, jump up a size from your normal suit jacket choice as the fit runs slim.
In terms of protection the Melton wool outer is of the 14 oz. variety. That means the fibers that hit the road first are a bit tougher than an equally thick denim jacket, but the true protection of all Vaktare products actually lies beneath. A layer of 1000D Cordura lines the entirety of the jacket, which handles abrasion in a fashion similar to Kevlar but doesnât offer the same level of heat resistance. On top of that, there are pockets integrated into the silky smooth Bemberg liner at the shoulders, elbows and back. The only downside here is that Vaktare do not supply armor, so youâll either have to swap some out from another jacket or pick up an extra set. I slotted in my own D30 bits and there was little disruption to the fit.
In the elements, the Bomber again performs reliably well. On the Scout Bobber launch I was seriously concerned about how well the wool would breathe: temps in Minneapolis were boiling the mercury to the mid-nineties. To my surprise, the jacket actually ran cooler that I imagined. Did I sweat? Sure, but everybody was dripping on that ride, regardless of what layers they were sporting. Back home in Toronto Iâve had the Bomber out in a range of temperatures and the wool regulates things nicely. It even stands up to the odd downpour here and there, although it wonât replace my Aerostich for torrential rides.
Outside of my concerns about the sleeves, and pleas for the inclusion of armor, thereâs little I would change here. The Bomber is a unique piece of kit that delivers on its promise of style and substance. That being said, a white, wool riding jacket isnât going to appeal to everyone. And at the price point it occupies, $599, itâs definitely a stretch to add to your closet if you see it as a once-in-a-while piece. But if youâre looking for an everyday jacket that will raise eyebrows and start conversations, whether youâre riding or not, the Bomber has you covered. [Buy]
Pagnol M3 Pants Paulo Rosas has an undying passion for motorcycles. He has a history of involvement in the motorcycle industry and regularly rubs elbows with Southern Californiaâs most celebrated builders. He also has roots in fashion and design. So it should come as no surprise that his line of products, produced under the Pagnol Motor banner, tick every box for performance and style.
Rosasâ work first grabbed my attention when the M1 Moto Jacket was featured on this very site . Needless to say, I had to have one and Iâve kept a keen eye on every piece of Pagnol gear thatâs has come out since.
Leather pants are a tough sell. Unless your name is Jim Morrison, the thought of plunking down on bovine strides probably hasnât crossed your mind. But as a rider, the abrasion protection afforded by leather is superlative, so maybe it should. So, in the name of science, I decided to give the M3 pants a try, to see if theyâd channel my inner Lizard Kingâor have me ending up like Ross on Friends.
First things first: anybody concerned about access and egress issues should know that the M3 comes equipped with a ventilated lining. (Trust me when I say this is a good thing, especially after the 90-degree ride through the Land of Lakes). It maintains airflow and works as a wicking layer, doing a great job of preventing you and your pants from becoming one.
The M3 has âaccordionâ paneling at the knees to allow for flex in the saddle, and has interior pockets at the hips, tailbone and knees, designed for slim fitting armor. Pagnol recommends SAS-TEC stuff but, again, D30 products slide in without any worries. The leather itself is 1.2mm tumble-aged cowhide that has a robust yet buttery smooth feel to it.
Itâs the styling of the M3 that makes them a standout item, though. If you have memories of the racers of yore, youâll spot the inspiration: itâs a classic style that wouldnât look out of place on Mike Hailwood on the Isle, and it lends itself to the current trends in riding gear. Added features not common to retro-racers include functional pockets both front and rearâwhich are zippered for stowage and belt loops to customize fit.
Outside of my racing onesies, the M3 is the only leather legwear I currently own, so comparing it to anything similar is kind of tough. In terms of fit, these pants are as comfortable as a well worked-in pair of jeans, and sizing is true. I wear a 34 in Levis and the same works here. They do have a slim fit though, so if you want extra room, sizing up is a good idea.
Incidentally, my wife told me that the M3 âhugs tight in all the right places,â and paired with a white V-neck and a pair of boots off the bike, the look is âbadass.â
As for negatives, the only thing I can see stopping anyone from loving the M3 is a stance on leather pants. Theyâre the kind of item that either suit you or donât. If they do, know that supplies are currently limited. But the good news is that a new crop will be hitting shelves in the coming months. Right after Paulo finishes prototyping his new riding boots⊠[Buy]
Model images: Barry Hathaway (Indian Bobber) and Carolyn Merey.
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Text
Turf War
Characters: Â Mike Duarte and F!Reader
WC: Â 4610
Other Pieces: Â This is currently a stand alone.
CW: Â Slight violence (punches); mistaken identities; angst; smut (impaired sex, drunk; a sad, failed attempt; oral, m!receiving; PiV, unprotected). Â 18+ only.
A series of coincidence, miscommunication, misunderstanding.
Manhattan SVU is investigating a serial rapist. Â Scant details on the perp: Â dark hair, facial hair. Â Race undetermined. Â Middling height. Â Middling build. Â
The way in is on the victims, all of a type: Â same coloring, same build, same hair. Â A lucky thing for Olivia Benson then, that she has a detective who fits all of those things. Â Youâre the rapistâs dream girl, so setting up a sting operation on the fly is easy. Â Rollins cracks the pattern, figures out his rotation through the boroughs, finds a likely place heâll strike next. Â Benson sends you off to get into your costume for the night: Â amateur sex worker, scantily clad, nervous-looking.
In an entirely different borough (and bureau), Captain Mike Duarte is planning his own shoestring string operation: Â as the head of the Bronx gang unit, heâs investigating a new gang, an up-and-coming bunch that donât hold ties to nationality or creed or color. Â This gang is purely built on violence for violenceâs sake, and their MO is to use honeys posing as sex workers to pull in vics from other boroughs, then drag them to the Bronx to rob and beat the shit out of.
One of his detectives figures out where the gang is planting their women. Â Mike sets himself up as bait.
The coincidence then: Â that Manhattan SVUâs sting and the Bronx Gang Unit sting happen on the same night in the same place.
-----
The miscommunication:
You standing on the corner near a seedy bar. Â Youâre in a miniscule skirt, a tiny halter top. Â Your face is buried under thick makeup, heavy mascara, a deep red stain on your lips. Â You look terrified, like itâs your first night working the corner.
Mike sitting in his car near the same seedy bar. Â He sees you, thinks, âholy shit, thatâs one of the girls.â
You turn your head, see him staring at you, think, âdark hair, facial hairâŠthatâs our guy.â
You walk over to him, tentative. Â If you act too bold, heâll take off: Â your guy only likes the innocent-seeming ones, not the pros.
Mike watches you, just as tentative. Â If he acts too bold, you wonât suggest a different, quieter spot where your guys are waiting to jump him.
âAre you looking for company?â you ask him.
âI wasnât,â he replies.  âBut if youâre offeringâŠâ
âI guess I am,â you answer, shy.
âThen I guess I am too,â he says.
You climb in his car, and you direct him to an alley nearby. Â You know that Rollins, Fin, Benson are watching all of this.
Mike obliges. Â He knows his detectives have his back.
In the car, once he parks: Â he turns towards you, sees how nervous you look, and he wonders if heâs made a mistake.
In the car, once he parks: Â you watch him turn towards you, and you see a flash of unease cross his features. Â Is this the wrong guy?
When you lean forward to reach into your purse, he cranes his neck and sees it: Â the butt end of a gun, so he reaches across you, quick as a viper, grabs for it, and you react, finally. Â You jerk your purse away, fumble for the gun too but it falls to the floor of the car and in your scrambling, it gets kicked under your seat.
The miscommunication then: Â that neither Special Victims nor the Gang Unit shared their plans. Â That he thinks youâre bait for a gang initiation while you think heâs a rapist. Â That he sees your service piece and thinks youâre about to hold him at gunpoint until your gang buddies can come. Â That when he lunges at you out of nowhere, you think heâs the serial rapist youâve been looking for.
-----
The misunderstanding:
The two of you fighting. Â You each think youâre fighting for your livesâyou have no way of knowing the other is a copâso itâs brutal.
Mike would never hit a woman, usually, but he thinks youâre about to pull a piece on him, take him to the Bronx to be beaten to death. Â And youâre strong in your own right, fierce as a wildcat, twisting out of his hold as he tries to subdue you enough to cuff you, then get you out of the car.
He pops you right in the face, a quick jab that stuns you for a half-second before you respond in kind: Â you punch him in the face, a fucking hook he never thought a woman your size would be capable of delivering, and when heâs stunned for his half-second, you follow up with another hitâthis time a jab to his solar plexus, enough to push the air out of him.
âYouâre done,â you snarl, and he feels the cuffs on his wrists, the quick, efficient way you snap them on, the chain wound through the steering wheel, holding him in place.
But itâs not any vicious gangbangers who come for him: Â itâs a riot of cops. Â Manhattan SVU, Bronx Gang. Â And a very, very unhappy Brooklyn captain, who is beyond pissed that two separate bureaus came onto his home turf and fucked everything up.
The misunderstanding then, the entire fucked-up situation revealed: Â Captain Mike Duarte, nursing a sore gut and a bloody nose in one corner. Â In the other corner, Detective Right-Hook, you, holding an ice pack to your face and glaring across the alley at him.
*****
Mike recognizes the bruise before he recognizes you.  He sees the woman at the corner table in his neighborhood bar.  Sheâs nursing a drink, and the bloom of purple and blue, the slightly-swollen eyeâŠit pulls his gaze, and when he looks closer, he sees that itâs you.
Detective Right-Hook, from Manhattan SVU. Â The honey with the red lips and the halter top who punched him so hard that it hurt to breathe.
What are you doing here?
He orders his drink and makes his way over to you, and he sees the moment you recognize him: Â if you had hackles, heâd see them go up. Â He sees the wariness in your eyes, the way they narrow as he grins, says hello, sits down across from you.
âCaptain,â you say.
âDetective,â he replies.
âRun any disastrous stings lately?â you ask, and your lips (lovely, even devoid of red stain) curve into a mean little smile.
âI could ask the same of you.â
âAh, but itâs different for me, Captain.â Â You annunciate his rank clearly, each syllable crisp and distinct. Â âIâm a lowly peon detective. Â I donât make the decisions. Â Benson tells me to throw on a miniskirt and look cute, I do it.â
âYou did look cute, right up until you punched me in the face.â
You take a sip of your drink. Â âYou punched me first.â Â You raise your hand, flourish it under your black eye. Â âBeen getting a lot of looks on the subway with this baby.â
Mike settles into his seat and sips his own drink. Â âIâm surprised to find you in my bar. Â You live here?â
A nod. Â âJust a few streets over. Â My old bar got bought by some investor group, turned it into a mixology bar.â
âSo now youâre here.â
You smile, and this time thereâs no meanness to it. Â âI donât want to start a turf war with you, Captain. Â I think the barâs big enough for the both of us.â
He smiles back at you, waves down a passing waitress to order you each another round. Â âFair enough,â he says. Â âBut here, Iâm just Mike. Â None of that Captain bullshit.â
âYes, sir,â you reply, and he judges by your playful tone, the curve of your lips around the rim of your glass, that youâre a teasing little shit, an instigator, and he finds that he likes it.
-----
He sees you probably once a week. Â Some weeks, he doesnât see you at all, and he finds himself grumpier those days. Â But then other times, he sees you a few nights in a row, say, and it makes him inordinately happy. Â Unexpectedly so.
You are a teasing little shit, he finds. Â You banter with him, you make off-color jokes. Â Sometimes you pay for his drinks, so he wonders if your flirting has some intention behind it. Â
He deals it right back to you, flirts back. Â Why not? Â Youâre cute as hell and tough as shit. Â His face, his chest remembers the force behind your fists. Â He likes a feisty woman. Â
He remembers the way you looked in your UC gear, all that skin exposed. Â Even now, when he sees you at the bar and shares a few drinks with youâyouâre much more covered up, in the same dark jeans, the same button down shirt and blazer, but youâre cute like this too. Â
One night, his joking gets a little rougher than usual and you scoff at him. Â Roll your eyes.
âKnock it off, Mike,â you tell him. Â âOr else Iâll have to cuff you again.â
A feisty, teasing little shit, cuffing him? Â Putting him at your mercy? Â The implications are intriguing.
âKeep talking like that and weâre gonna need a safe word,â he retorts with a smirk.
You shake your head, smile back at him. Â âYou, maybe. Â I donât need one.â
-----
Then thereâs a night when he comes in and youâre already thereâŠand already well on your way to being completely blitzed.
In the entire time Mike has known you, you never drink like this. Â You have one, maybe two drinks. Â Not even enough to make you tipsy, just enough to relax and warm you.
Tonight? Â Tonight youâre lining up the shots and throwing them back with an artful flick of your wrist, and when he greets you, your face is grim. Â Haunted. Â He recognizes its source: Â youâve had a rough day. Â Caught a bad case, one that hits close to some part of you. Â The kind of case that disturbs, that drives sleepless nights.
Heâs had plenty of those.
âTough day?â he asks, and he sits down beside you. Â Watches as you order a whiskey, and instead of your usual careful sipping, you swallow it down in two, three mouthfuls. Â Which is answer enough, he guesses.
Tonight, he cuts the joking with you, and he drinks with you, and when he reaches the point where heâs almost too far gone, he cuts himself off and cuts you off too.
âSheâs done,â Mike tells the bartender, and he settles both tabs, helps you with your coat, leads you outside.
He knows you live over a few blocks away, but he also only lives a few blocks away, and youâre silent as you walk beside him. Â Steady enough on your feet, but wavering a little here and there.
âWant me to walk you home?â he offers, and his breath comes out in plumes of vapor in the crisp air.
âYou gonna come up and join me for a nightcap?â
Itâs what heâs wanted, and his own blood runs hot with the shots he paced with you.  Still, thereâs a quiet voice in the back of his headâŠ
âYouâre pretty drunk. Â Seems risky, going home with a Special Victims detective when sheâs wasted.â
You scoff. Â âNot wasted at all. Â You cut me off before I got black-out, which was my goal after the last few fucking days I had.â
âSo youâre going home to finish the job?â
âMm-hmm.â Â You nod, then turn to face him, and even with that haunted, serious look on your face, Mike thinks youâre gorgeous. Â You reach out, trace your finger down the seam of his shirt where the buttons lie. Â âUnless you have a better way of getting me out of my head, Captain.â
Itâs the Captain that seals it. Â The glimpse of the teasing little shit you are, underneath whatever hurt youâre working through at the moment. Â
-----
Itâs everything heâs dreamt of with you, almost. Â Almost. Â
Thereâs a desperation in the way you kiss him thatâs more than eagerness and more than your usual feisty boldness. Â He can taste the liquor on you, but he drank a lot too, and itâs easy to lose himself in the way you kiss him. Â The feel of your mouth on his, the softness of your lips, the impatient way you run your tongue along the seam of his mouth, and when he opens up to you, the impatient way you claim his mouth and taste him.
Thereâs a desperation in how fast you strip, shedding clothing as you lead him through your apartment and into your bedroom. Â Desperate how you strip him as well, your booze-clumsy fingers fumbling at his belt, at the button and zipper on his pants, and thatâs when he nearly stops you. Â He nearly tells you to slow down, to take it easy, but then your hand is on him. Â You slip your hand under the waistband of his boxers and find the half-hard length of him, and it takes all of a moment of you grasping him while you kiss him to coax him to his full length.
And itâs desperate, the way you push his pants and boxers down, how you push him backwards until heâs sitting on the edge of your bed, and then you sink to your knees in front of himâfar more graceful than he would have thought, with all that you drankâ
And thenâŠthen that feisty fucking mouth is on him, hot and wet, your tongue laving the sensitive underside before you take more of him, and he can only choke out a single fuck before you swallow against himâ
And a moment later, you pull away from him, and he thinks youâre just catching your breath but then he hears itâuneven breathing, a quiet snuffling, and the ice-cold reality hits him, sobers him up more than any blow job could: Â youâre crying.
âHey. Â Shit, hey.â Â He sits up, leans forward. Â Tries to look at you in the mostly-dark room, but he canât make out much. Â Just the general shape of you, naked except for your panties. Â Kneeling in front of him. Â Head bent, shoulders shaking as you try to hide your tears.
âSorry,â you mutter. Â He sees you shake your head, and you start to reach for him again, but he catches you hand, gently lowers it. Â
âSorry. Â Sorry. Â Iâm sorry. Â Sorry.â Â You repeat it over and over, a broken record until youâre openly crying, and then the words come out garbled between sobs, and Mike realizes this isnât just a moment of sloppy sex following a sloppy night of drinking. Â This is a breakdown.
âJesus Christ.â Â He slides off of the edge of your bed, tugs his boxers back up, then sits on your floor in front of you. Â âCâmere. Â Jesus. Â Itâs okay.â
âNo, Iâm sorry. Â Sorry, I couldnâtâjust need a minute, then Iâllââ
âNo, come on. Â Itâs fine.â Â He manages to manhandle you, pulls you against him. Â He sits, legs splayed wide, and tugs you until youâre between his legs, and he holds you, tucks you in tight against him. Â Itâs only then that he realizesâunderneath the shuddering cries, youâre trembling. Â Honest to god shaking.
âWhat happened out there today?â he asks, and you shake your head against him. Â He tightens his arms, sighs. Â âYou can talk to me. Â Itâs okay.â
You donât, and he doesnât push it.  He might be abrupt, brash, grating on other captains across the city, but he didnât make it to a captaincy for nothing.  Heâs seen plenty of cops, detectivesâŠhell, even captainsâŠheâs seen all sorts of breakdown like this.  Doesnât matter the type.  From the most hard-boiled detective to the one with the softest heartâŠeveryone catches a case that pushes them into a dark spiral.
It takes a long while for you to calm down and stop crying. Â It takes so long his ass goes numb on your hardwood floor, but he doesnât complain. Â Something has clearly broken in you, and he knows that broken cops can quickly develop serious problems.
When the trembling stops and your tears stop, he pushes your face away from him until he can see you. Â In the weak light from the street, he can only just make out your features: Â your tear-streaked face, your swollen eyes.
Your swollen eyes that refuse to meet his gaze.
âLook at me,â he orders softly. Â He repeats it, and then you do, and he sees pure shame. Â Shame, probably, for ruining a hookup that the two of you have been steadily building towards across the span of months.
Shame, probably, for losing your shit. Â For crying.
âYou donât need to talk to me,â he continues. Â âBut you gotta talk to someone. Â Understand? Â You canât bottle that shit up, and you canât bury it in alcohol.â
You gaze back at him. Â You donât reply.
âSay, âyes, Captain,ââ he tells you with a smile. Â âSay, âIâll absolutely find someone to talk to, Captain.ââ
You blink in surprise. Â âIâm sorryââ
âNo. Â No, no, no.â Â He shakes his head in mock disappointment. Â âItâs âyes, Captain.â Â Say it.â
âYes, Captain.â
âAnd?â
âAndâŠIâll talk to someone.â
âGood girl.â Â He leans forward, kisses you lightly. Â âHow about I get you a water?â
-----
Mike isnât comfortable leaving you. Â For one thing, you still seem shaky, emotional. Â For another, you keep fucking apologizing to him, and he hates that you even think you have to.
He sits you on the edge of your bed and makes his way to your kitchen, gets you that glass of water. Â He brings it to you, and as you drink, he gathers up his discarded clothes. Â He puts his undershirt on, but when he goes to lay his button-down over a nearby chair, you snag it from him andâshyly, not at all the feisty woman heâs knownâpull it on.
It's unfortunate. Â Seeing women in his clothing is his oldest, tamest kink, and the sight of you in his button-down and a pair of panties makes his lust roar back to life in a single beat.
He pushes it down. Â He plays the part of a gentleman.
âI can take the couch,â he offers, but you shake your head, so he joins you in your bed, holds you a second time as you cry againâmore softly this timeâand then cry yourself to sleep.
-----
Mike wakes up too early. Â He wakes up slowly, comfortably, which is strange. Â He almost never sleeps well in a strange bed.
Beside him, in his shirt and little else, snoring softly: Â Detective Right-Hook.
Itâs too early. Â Thereâs not a hint of dawn out of your window, so he moves closer to you, pulls your warm, soft body to his. Â You mumble something in your sleep but donât wake, and Mike smiles as you turn towards him, tuck yourself under his chin. Â Your bed is warm and itâs still dark outside, likely cold as well, so itâs easy to fall back asleep.
-----
When he wakes for real, he wakes from vague dreams about someone. Â A womanâyou, he guesses. Â He wakes up hard and aching. Â He wakes up already in motion, pressing against you in his sleep, pressing the bulge of his erection into the lush curve of your ass, and the motion must wake you because you wake with the goddamn cutest little moan that makes none of this easier.
As you wake, you press back against him, and all of the ease and flow he always imagined is suddenly here: Â he rasps his face against the back of your neck, which pulls another moan from you, and you whisper his name. Â Sleep-rough, it comes out low, Mike, and it curls around his gut like a line of smoke, fills him up, makes him feel drugged.
His arm is over your waist, his hand resting on the bed. Â You reach down and take his hand in yours, draw it under the hem of his own shirt and then up. Â You guide him to your breasts, and he cups one then another. Â Huffs out a heavy breath at the feeling of you in his palm, molded to the shape of him, your nipples hard and peaked as he ghosts his fingertips over them, then pinches at them.
All the while, you press your ass back against him. Â Even through your panties, his boxers, he swears he can feel the heat of your arousal. Â
âIâd kiss you,â he murmurs against the side of you neck. Â âMake it more romantic and shit. Â But I didnât brush my teeth and would hate to ruin a good thing.â
You laugh, breathless. Â âSuch a gentleman.â
âI can be gentle. Â Too early to use cuffs.â
You turn your head enough to meet his gaze, and thereâthere you are. Â Finally. Â The feisty little shit who enjoys tormenting him at the bar. Â
âYou gonna keep talking about it or are you gonna do it?â Â A beat, then you add, sweetly, âCaptain.â
He nips at the side of your neck, lightly. Â âHow do you want me, Detective? Â Like this?â
âPlease. Â Sir.â
He removes his hand from under your (his) shirt, and he reaches down, pushes his boxers down enough. His cock springs free, and he feels the hitching breath you take to feel it against you.
âIâm clean,â he mutters, his voice rough with need. Â âBut I have a condom in my wallet. Â I just gottaââ
ââm clean too,â you whisper back.  âHave an implant.  JustâŠdonât stop, Mike, please.â
He reaches down, doesnât even bother to try and get your panties off of you. Â He runs his fingers against the fabric between your legs, bites back a groan at how soaked they are. Â He hooks a finger under the lace edging, hooks your panties to the side, and then he pushes forward until the tip of him presses against your foldsâslick, swollen. Â Ready for him.
âYou sure?â he asks, and he hopes to fuck you say you are because heâs so fucking hard, aching to be inside you, and you breathe out that you are sure, please, Mikeâ
He parts your folds, notches the head of his cock against your entrance. Â He wants to romance it, just a little, but you use your bit of leverage to push back against him and he slips inside, the widest part of him just inside you, and he pauses, takes a breath before he pushes more of himself into you.
Youâre so goddamned good. Â Wet and hot, tight as a fucking vise, and he goes slow, works you up to it. Â Warms you up to him. Â Thrusts into you inch by inch, feels the way your pussy gives way to him, takes on the shape of him. Â When he bottoms out, he stills and takes a steadying breath. Â Brushes a soft kiss to the back of your neck, then winds his arm back around you and under your shirt, cups your breast as he starts to rock against you.
âThis okay?â he asks, and you whisper yes, itâs perfect, not to stop. Â You reach an arm up and back, and he feels your hand on his head. Â Your fingers tangle in his hair, tug against him lightly.
Its slow and leisurelyâperfect just as the sun starts to rise and washes your room in a weak, rosy light. Â He hardly pulls out; he just rocks against you, grinds into you. Â Bites back his own groans when he feels how he nudges against the end of you, so deep that you hiss out curses each time he does.
Something about the angle, the paceâŠthe feel of his stubble rasping against your neck, or the feel of his hand cupping your breast and his thumb brushing against your nippleâŠ.he feels you as you get close to coming.  Hears the way your breathing gets ragged, feels how you press back against his gentle thrusting.
âClose,â you whisper.  âMike, pleaseâŠ.fuck, right thereâŠso closeââ
âRight there?â  He buries himself in you, pushes just a fraction more against your perfect ass, gains an extra bit of depth, and you groan out his name againâŠthen he feels it.  The way your bear down on him, the smooth muscles of your cunt rippling against him, pulling him deeper, gripping him so hard that he can barely move.  Feels the hot wash of your arousal as it coats him and grants him that extra ease inside you.
He doesnât come. Â Not yet. Â Heâs able to close his eyes. Â He breathes through his nose, ignores the sweet little whimpers you make just after you come, and he keep rocking against you. Â He savors the aftershocks of your orgasm, and he coaxes you towards another.
âCome for me again.â
âI donât thinkââ
âItâs an order. Â Gonna come for me again.â
You move your hand from his head, curl it against your waist. Â âI canât,â you whine.
âYou can. Â Touch yourself. Â Touch that gorgeous little clit for me and come on my cock, baby.â
You whine again, but you listen to orders so well. Â You reach down and touch yourself, and he can feel it: Â your fingers as you rub your clit, your fingers as you reach down and touch where heâs split you open. Â He feels your fingertips, touching his cock, slick with your cum, feels where he disappears inside you.
âIâŠIâm close.  Mike, Iâmââ
âI got you.â Â He kisses the back of your neck. Â âI got you, baby.â
And he does: Â he wrings another orgasm out of you, feels the way you grip him, and this time, he doesnât bother to hold back. Â He deals you a few final, deep thrusts, and then he gives in to the pleasure crackling and sparking deep in his belly. Â He buries himself as deep as he can, and then he comes with a pained groan, filling you with his cum, painting your insides with his spend.
-----
You each clean up, and you change into different clothes. Â When you try to return his shirt, he shakes his head. Â Grins. Â
âLooks better on you anyway.â
You smile back at him. Â âYou gonna do the walk of shame in just an undershirt and a jacket?â
âNo shame here. Â And I donât live that far from here. Â Weâre literally only a few blocks away from each other.â
Your smile falters, and you look down at the folded shirt in your hands. Â âIâm really sorry about last night, Mike. Â I know you came over here with different ideas than what happened.â
He steps up to you, looks down at you. Â âTold you last night to cut out that sorry bullshit. Â You donât have anything to apologize for.â
âI know. Â I justââ
âWhatâd you promise me last night? Â Do you remember?â Â He cuts you off gently, but firmly.
You hesitate, then answer. Â âThat Iâd talk to someone.â
âDamned straight. Â You can always talk to me, but it can be anyone.â
You try to wave it off. Â Minimize it. Â Like heâs seen a hundred times before, a hundred cops who played off the darkness of their lives. Â
âHonestly, itâs fine. Â I just drank too muchââ
âYou promised,â he cuts in. Â âYou promised me. Â You the type of person to break a promise?â
ââŠno.â
âDidnât think so.â Â He puts his hands on your shoulders, smooths them over your upper arms. Â âSo take care of it. Â Promise?â
ââŠyes.â
âGood girl.â Â He catches the sight of your pleased smileâyou might have an unexplored praise kink, and he files that fact away for later interrogationâand he kisses the top of your head.
âSee you at the bar?â he asks.
âYou know where to find me, Captain.â
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