#tara talks ;; (ic post)

[taraandtarot]

PAUSE. ✋🏻 How long was I gone??

Because what do you MEAN my bestie got all up close and personal with Onichynus’s leader?? 😵‍💫

And there are Aether cores all out there willy-nilly now?? 😱

You go on ONE☝🏻spiritual retreat and suddenly there is madness in Linkon…!

[taraandtarot]

This reminds me of someone! I just can’t quite put my finger on who. Hmm…

Stained glass tulip teapot

[taraandtarot]

↪️[My place or your place this time?]

[Xavy-Baby 🩷🩷🩷] ➞ Ooooh you’re so baddd. 😍

[Xavy-Baby 🩷🩷🩷] ➞ Mmm, yours this time! I promised MC I would drop off that wine we’ve been obsessed with, and no time like the present!

[Xavy-Baby 🩷🩷🩷] ➞ I’ll wear that purple skirt you like. 🥰

[inkdrinkerworld]

I saw you're looking for more post prison spencer and sunshine reader!

What about sunshine reader having a badass moment and save spencer from an unsub? Spence would definitely be worried but amazed at the same time

Only if you want to write it haha thanks! I love your writing always ❤️ 💕

cw: mentions of episode '300' and Spencer and Garcia being taken by the cult. Spencer suffers from a busted lip, broken nose and being in love, so does the reader :)

You were cold with worry and anger. They’d taken Spencer and Penelope from right under your nose. You were gone twenty minutes and the entire BAU is shut down and ripped open because they’re gone. 

Then Penelope came back, disheveled and shaking and you were seeing red. “We’ll find him, Penny.” You whisper to her as you strap your kevlar vest on and set your guns to your hips and boot. 

“Be safe.” She says, gaze wild as Tara ushers her to a seat and you all begin filing out to an SUV. 

When you get to the field, you can hear Spencer talking but you’re not focused on that. 

Emily would have you sit down in her office after this is all over to tell you that you were militant and that you probably hadn’t done everything by the book, but you don’t care. 

You take down two of the guards Ben’s believers have hovering the entrances, and you wait till you catch Spencer’s eyes before breathing out slowly. 

Emily and Matt cover your sides as you sneak around to the back of their altar. 

You’re moving outside of your body, your mind just focused on freeing Spencer and getting to him safely. You just feel your body, using your training to knock them out rather than shoot at them. 

“FBI,” JJ announces and then the gunfire ensues. 

You’re aware of taking down two more members of the believers who try aiming their guns at you and Spencer before Emily, Luke and Tara are barking orders. 

“Hands where we can see them. Everybody on the ground!” Your ears feel stuffed with cotton, all you can see is Spencer; his face bruised and his nose looking a little more crooked than it usually is. 

You cut Spencer free of the rope, arms around his neck as you hold him close. 

“They burst your lip.” Your hands bury themselves in his hair, holding his face close to your shoulder. 

“I’m okay,” he whispers back. Eyes closed and breathing you in. “How’s Penelope?” 

You sigh, “She’s okay, a little shaken up but I’m gonna call her. Let her know we saved you.” 

He breathes a laugh through his nose, pulling away and finding you more worried than he’d expected. 

“It’s not the first time I’ve been with them.” You know Spencer’s trying to make this situation seem lighter but your frown worsens. 

“Spencer, that is not the comforting thought you think it is.” 

He laughs outright this time, walking with you back to the SUV. You call Penelope as soon as you’re back in the car. 

“Hey Pen, we got him and we’re on our way back to you.” She breathes a long sigh over the phone. 

“I’m okay Garcia, thank you for helping save me.” 

The phone call doesn’t last much longer, and you use the time to just stare at Spencer as you sit next to each other in the back. 

“They broke your nose. And you’re going to mottle on your pretty cheekbones.” 

Spencer rolls his eyes. “I set it already, plus the bruising can be helped if I ice.” 

It’s your turn to roll your eyes, your hands hovering near Spencer’s face. He leans into your hand and you smile, your thumb grazing his bottom lip and your index finger brushing his nose. 

“You should take martial arts classes,” you say softly. 

“I don’t like cardio, not that type anyway.” He says the last part so quietly you almost miss it, but you choke on your gasp all the same. 

“It would help stop all these abductions. You could disarm your attacker much easier if you did,” 

“Jiu jitsu, I know. It’s too coordinated and I’m too clunky at that sort of stuff.” 

Your eyes glint with mischief as you pull away your hands from his face. “But you’re good at other types of cardio?” 

He smiles, his dimples popping out making you want to poke his cheek. 

“How’re you feeling? No shaking with the adrenaline comedown?” Spencer deviates from your loaded question with one of his own. His eyes scan your entire body, focusing on your eyes and your hands. 

“I’m just tired now, Spence. Kicking ass is tough. Is the adrenaline supposed to do that?” He nods, you lean your head on his shoulder. 

“Yeah, you can sleep but I think it might be better to stay awake so you can do your reports once we get to Quantico.” Spencer knows how anal you are about doing your reports right after wrapping a case when the memories and details are fresh and unstained by how you wish things went. 

“No, I can do it. I won’t forget it if I sleep,” you yawn. “Plus, I could feel your eyes on me the entire time so you can look it over to make sure I didn’t miss any details.” 

Spencer laughs, Emily and Luke filing into the SUV as he strokes your arm, lulling you closer to sleep. 

“You’re ridiculous, but I’ll look it over for you, sweet girl. Get some sleep.” 

Emily cuts Spencer a look from the rear-view mirror that has his cheeks flushing but he ignores it in favor of setting his cheek to your head and closing his eyes as well; the smell of you flooding his senses as he starts dozing off.

[natti-ice]

I saw that you posted about sending in some smutty requests for cm 👀👀. Maybe you could do some headcanons on what they like in the bedroom/kinks?

Includes: Aaron Hotchner, Luke Alvez, Spencer Reid, Derek Morgan, Emily Prentiss, Jennifer Jareau, Penelope Garcia, Tara Lewis.

Warnings: 18+ mdni, NSFW Headcanons, multiple kinks, turn ons, favorite sex positions, all HCs are for female!reader.

If you don’t know a position, these are my sources for the names! Lesbian positions hetero positions

Reblogs and comments are greatly appreciated<3

⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡

Male Characters:

— Aaron Hotchner:

⟡ Kinks: Dom/sub play, bondage (handcuffs, ropes, etc), blindfolds, impact play, orgasm control.

⟡ Turn ons: Aaron LOVES when you wear your hair up, seeing you in tight clothing, when you're being really clingy in public, long wet sloppy kisses, he loves when you tell him dirty jokes.

⟡ Favorite positions: Aaron is pretty open to any positions but he has his go tos, missionary (of course), cowgirl, reverse cowgirl, wheelbarrow, the seashell.

— Luke Alvez:

⟡ Kinks: mutual masturbation, role playing, ice play, face fucking, daddy kink.

⟡ Turn ons: he gets so turned on when you smell good (warm scents like vanilla and cinnamon are his favorite), playful competition, verbally teasing each other throughout the day, accidental touches, loves when you're overly flirty.

⟡ Favorite positions: doggy style, spooning, standing (any position where you both stand), the lazy man, table top.

— Spencer Reid:

⟡ Kinks: cuckolding, voyeurism, breeding, edging (both you and him), cock and ball torture. Bonus: lactation.

⟡ Turn ons: soft whispers of affection, sharing your deepest fantasies, intelligence, playing with his hair, stripteasing.

⟡ Favorite positions: 69, pretzel dip, leap frog, ballet dancer, the chairman.

— Derek Morgan:

⟡ Kinks: DADDY KINK, degradation, wax play, extreme dirty talk, public sex.

⟡ Turn ons: good hygiene is a big one for him, self confidence, not backing down from his advances, seeing you in/stealing his clothes, he's big into lingerie.

⟡ Favorite positions: flatiron, the pinball wizard, the upstanding citizen, the snake, the socket.

Female Characters:

— Emily Prentiss:

⟡ Kinks: role play, Dom/sub play, sadism, nipple play, spanking.

⟡ Turn ons: she likes her girls a little more feminine but not overly girly, jewelry, when your collar bone is exposed, humor, hearing your moans.

⟡ Favorite positions: tribbing, standing ovation, cowgirl, mountain climber, the rocket.

— Jennifer Jareau:

⟡ Kinks: erotic asphyxiation, discipline, role play, gagging, orgasm control.

⟡ Turn ons: soft kisses, seeing you in her favorite color, lacy panties, wet hair clinging to your skin, hearing your soft giggles.

⟡ Favorite positions: lazy girl's 69, the rockin rockette, the G whiz, the caboose, seated wheelbarrow.

— Penelope Garcia:

⟡ Kinks: BDSM, wax play, blindfolds, humiliation, exhibitionism.

⟡ Turn ons: being inexperienced, TEASING, bashfulness, slightly toned arms, smaller boobs.

⟡ Favorite positions: the kinky jockey, missionary, scissoring, cowboy, spork.

— Tara Lewis:

⟡ Kinks: age gaps, mommy kink, voyeurism, lactation, food play.

⟡ Turn ons: exposed midriffs, small booty shorts, witty sense of humor, she loves a good bush, soft facial features.

⟡ Favorite positions: doggy style, spooning, the face off, magic mountain, the valedictorian.

⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ ⟡

Tags: @scftierhee @eddies-puppet @mommymilkerfanclub

Join a tag list!

[taraandtarot]

Bonus points if there are tit-teas involved!!

[taraandtarot]

I’m not resentful. I promise I’m not. She’s my bestie, and she’s great, and Iove her to death and back. She’s pretty, smart, capable, empathetic, compassionate… She’s got high physical prowess and she deserves to be in the elite UNICORNS squad. She does! She’s the freaking coolest and I an so proud to be her friend.

I guess I’m just … Sad? I don’t know how to put the feeling. I mean, wouldn’t anyone be a little bummed if you were out with your friend and, without them even doing anything, they get fawned over at all angles by basically everyone and you’re just … there? Is it not normal to feel a little less then, sometimes? Maybe?

Everywhere she goes, there is at least one guy, at least, that is vying for her attention. And obviously romantic attention isn’t all there is in life, but… It’s like blinders go on with these guys, you know?

I’ve gotten pretty good at finding reasons to wander off on my own when this happens. It’s become a pretty frequent occurrence, after all. And that’s been nice, I guess, the learning how to be with myself, making my own fun. And I love when we get to have our own game nights and sleepovers and brunches. I don’t know how to say any of this without making it sound like it’s her fault somehow, because it isn’t!! I swear it isn’t!

I just… I feel like I’m see-through. I feel like I’m there to be the support, the bent ear, the shoulder and… That’s it.

… I’m trying to remember the last time somebody asked how I was.

I don’t think I can recall…

[sickeddyville]

In Your Arms

Pair: zayne x reader

Prompt: you moved into a new city, but everything is a reminder of him

Genre: Angst, Hurt, Comfort

Word Count: 2.1k

Warning: strong emotional scene, physical intimacy (slight making out), zayne's evol slightly getting out of hand.

Note: sorry yall (not srry) its still angst (hehe), but trust they will meet again🙂‍↕️. This is my first time posting stories, ty guys for reading it!! I hope u guys enjoyed this series 🩵🩵

Part 1 | Part 2

You stepped off the train, your heart still pounding in your chest as you adjusted to the steady atmosphere of the terminal. You had done what you thought was necessary. What you believed was the best for the both of you.

The bright lights of the terminal and the busy sounds of people moving around you felt like they were in a different world, one that didn't quite match what you were feeling. You had told yourself that you'd be free here, But every corner, every step forward only made you feel more distant from yourself.

Your phone buzzed in your pocket. You had hoped for peace, to breathe without thinking about what had happened—what you'd left behind. But there was no escape from reality. Zayne's name flashed on the screen, and with a shaky breath, you ignored it.

But it didn't stop. The messages kept coming, and the little pinging sound seemed to echo in your mind, gnawing at your thoughts like a constant reminder of him. He wasn't letting go.

♡--♡--♡--♡--♡--♡--♡--♡

It had been a week since I left, I had changed everything–my phone number, my socials– everything that could possibly lead Zayne back to me. I even talked to Tara, just in case he asks her about my whereabouts. I couldn't bear the thought of him finding me. It was better this way.

Winter had finally come and the streets are blanketed in snow and ice.

I stepped into the warm cafe, hoping the warmth of a hot chocolate might just be the one to distract me, even for a little while. As I browsed the menu, a young couple caught my attention. They stood a few feet away, their laughter soft and carefree.

"What do you think we should get?" the girl asked, her eyes scanning the display.

The guy leaned in, his gaze settling on the colorful tray of macarons. "The macarons look tasty," he said with a grin.

My chest tightened, the words striking a nerve I didn't expect. Zayne loves macarons, always eyeing them whenever we passed by a bakery. He'd get a box and insist we share, though he'd always end up eating most of them. I shook my head, forcing myself to move on.

As I stepped out of the cafe, I took a sip of my drink, but it did little to nothing in comforting me against the biting chill of the air.

Ahead of me, a little boy tugged on his mother's coat, his tiny voice cutting through the cold air.

"Mom, can I have a popsicle? Please?" His mother stopped in her tracks, turning to him with a mix of exasperation and disbelief. "A popsicle? Are you serious? It's freezing out here!" she scolded.

The boy pouted, crossing his arms. "But I really want one," he muttered under his breath, "Not a chance," his mother replied firmly, taking his hand and pulling him along. "We'll get something warm when we're home."

I couldn't help the faint smile tugging at my lips, as I continued walking, the cold biting harder with every step. My thoughts swirled with the past I was desperately trying to leave behind, the memories I couldn't seem to shake. I tugged my scarf tighter around my neck, quickening my pace towards my apartment.

Macarons, Popsicle, Snow, Ice, Zayne— I froze mid-step, my breath catching in my throat. For a moment, I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. But when I looked again, there he was. Standing by the gate of my small apartment, hands shoved in his coat pockets

My heart stopped, and panic surged through me like fire in my veins. He noticed me and I marched toward him, with each step heavy and cold.

"What are you doing here?" My voice shaking with frustration and something else-something I couldn't quite place.

"Shall we go inside?" he asked gently, like he hadn't just ruined everything I'd worked so hard to build over the past week.

I didn't want him here. Not now. I needed him to leave. So I repeated, "You're not supposed to be here."

He ignored my words completely, as if they didn't matter to him. He let himself in and held the gate for me. Knowing this is a battle I can't win, I lead the way in defeat.

I opened the door and let him in, the air between us growing thick. As he sank into the couch, I stood my ground, keeping my distance. My face remained unreadable, hiding any trace of emotion.

"Come back home with me" he said his voice gentle but firm.

Frustration bubbled up inside me. This wasn't supposed to be happening. "Leave," I said, trying to sound firm, but it cracked as I spoke, betraying the fear and pain I had been holding inside. "Please..."

He didn't even acknowledge what I said. His eyes were full of that familiar, unwavering determination, and he stood up and took another step closer. "Should I help you pack or...?"

"Zayne" I interrupted, my voice barely above a whisper, as I backed away, but he just closed the distance instantly, reaching out to touch my arm.

I shoved him with all my frustration going forward, "Why are you doing this to me?" He caught my wrists easily, pulling me against his chest.

"Why don't you listen to me?" I cried, trashing against him, yet his hands held firm and steady, as if my struggle meant nothing to him.

"Just. Leave. Me. Be!" Each word came with a punch, my fists colliding with his chest in desperate defiance. But his hold only tightened, encircling me with a grip that left me no room to escape.

I'm exhausted, my knees giving up, and the tears start streaming, hot and fast, burning down my cheeks. I stopped fighting. I was unable to hold it together anymore. It all came crashing down.

He held me tightly, not letting go, as if he was trying to keep me from breaking any further.

"I dont care about what has happened or what's about to come." "But I need you, Y/N. My life does not serve a single purpose without you in it." he whispered, his voice full of raw emotion. In that moment, all I could do was cry.

I didn't know how to say what was in my heart. I didn't know how to tell him that this was never about not wanting him, but about wanting him too much.

He held me gently but insistent, like he was grounding me, holding me together. And for a moment, I let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, everything could be okay.

"I'm not going anywhere," Zayne murmured softly, his breath warm against my hair. "No matter what you think, I'm not leaving, not without you."

I'm crying uncontrollably against him. I couldn't help it anymore. I realized that nothing had changed. We were still stuck in this tangled mess of fate, the curse looming over us, and the future uncertain.

Yet in that moment, in his arms, I felt as though I could hold onto him forever—as if it made the world pause, and I might never have to let him go.

♡--♡--♡--♡--♡--♡--♡--♡

Zayne moved around the apartment like it was his home, adjusting things here and there as though trying to make it feel like it wasn't just a place I had escaped into. He was patient with me, never pushing for answers I wasn't ready to give.

He seemed to understand the space I needed, but I knew, deep down, he was waiting for me to speak, to finally say what was in my heart.

Later that night, as we sat together on the couch, the silence was finally broken. Zayne turned to me, his gaze soft yet serious, his voice low.

"We'll figure this out," Zayne added, his voice thick with emotion. "Together."

"If you're scared I'm going to run away again... I won't." I chuckled softly, the tension in my chest easing just a little. "Probably not anymore," I said, my attempt at humor faltering slightly as I added, "I mean, there's no point. You'll find me anyway."

Zayne didn't laugh. Instead, his expression softened, and he placed his hands gently over mine. "I'm serious, Y/N. No more games. Stay with me. Please." His voice was so sincere, so filled with emotion, that it broke something inside me.

I inched closer, my breath catching in my throat. His eyes searched mine, a quiet plea in them. Slowly, I cupped his face, my thumb brushing across his cheeks.

He leaned into my touch, his breath hitching. And then, as if the world around us had melted away, he closed the distance between us, his lips crashing against mine. As he suddenly shifted forward, making me lie back on the couch beneath him, his hands moved to the back of my head, cushioning it. His weight settled on top of me, his body pressing into mine.

I kissed him back, tugging at his shirt, pulling him closer, trying to merge our bodies into one.

The kiss wasn't gentle–no, it was urgent, as though he couldn't wait any longer to feel me, to know I was still here, still with him. His lips were insistent, demanding, but there was softness too, a silent confession of the love he holds for me.

I weave my hands into his hair as I pulled him closer. The kiss deepened, and it felt like every part of me was drawn to him, as if this kiss was the only thing that could fill the empty space between us.

We pulled away for a second, our foreheads barely apart. Quickly, our lips found each other again– It was more than just a need, it was instinct; clinging to the connection that felt as vital as air we breath.

Suddenly, Zayne pulled away. We're both panting for air, and that's when I saw it–the snowflakes drifting softly around us. His evol...

"Zayne, are you okay?" I asked, my voice soft but urgent.

His eyes met mine, still flickering with an icy storm, but he shook his head slightly. "I'm fine," he said, his voice low and strained. "Did I hurt you?"

I frowned, I sat up, my hands gripping his shoulders tighter. "No, But your evol-"

"Don't worry," he said quickly, brushing off my concern as if it were nothing. "It'll be fine in a few moments"

I shifted closer, our knees brushing, I cupped his face and kissed his forehead. He closed his eyes, his breath uneven as he tried to steady himself. I gave his hands a gentle squeeze before standing and reaching for him. "Come on," I said softly, tugging him toward me. "Let's go to bed, Zayne. You need to rest."

As we lay down, his arms wrapped tightly around me, holding me close.

"Goodnight, Zayne," I murmured, my head resting against his chest, "Goodnight, my love" he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to the top of my head.

The snowflakes drifts slower and slower until they vanished entirely, dissolving into thin air like a fleeting memory. His body slowly warming up and his breath becoming steady.

As the night settled into quiet stillness, Zayne, always so aware, still held me close, his arms around me tight, as if fearing I would slip away if he let go. His grip was firm, yet tender, and it was the kind of hold that spoke of both reassurance and fear.

I lay there, my head resting against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. His breathing slowed, the tension in his body easing as he drifted off, but his arms remained securely wrapped around me, unwilling to let me go. It was almost as if, in his sleep, he was making sure that I was truly there and safe.

I tried to move, to adjust the pillow beneath me, but his hold only tightened. A quiet, soft murmur escaped his lips, something like a plea in whisper, but the words were too faint to make out. His body was warm against mine, and I felt the weight of the night settle around us, a heavy comfort I never wanted to leave.

I didn't protest, didn't try to pull away, knowing that his need for closeness–his silent need for security–was just as real as mine.

Slowly, sleep began to claim me as well, but before I fully surrendered, I pressed my hand gently over his, letting him know I was still there, still holding on.

In the quiet darkness, we found peace, bound together by something far stronger than any past, any curse, or any fear.

[taraandtarot]

Hey, Tar, I had a joke up my sleeve for ya.... but it was kinda tara-ble.

...Pffffft...

Bahahahahahaha!!!

Ah, Jeremiah, you're so cute!

I haven't heard that one in a while, actually.

Though I'm a little annoyed I can't give you ample pun-ishment with your name!

I still appreciate the laugh, hehe.~

[taraandtarot]

Oh, would you look at that. Just as I was in the middle of making my yellow chickpea curry… It’s not particularly meaty, but I can give it a kick of a certain cowboy needs something on the spicier side. 😉

[rabesbabe]

I like the way you kiss me p1.

sam carpenter x reader

i like the way you kiss me pt.2

Summary: You catch sam’s eyes in a grocery store and slide her your number and after you guys call she comes home one day to see you and Tara working on a project together.

A/N: hey yall…it’s been so long uhm 2 years to be exact but, i’m back!! And we’re not gonna talk abt how it’s been two years and my writing hasn’t improved… Anyway, Here’s a fic abt sam from scream shes literally so fine and a cutie patootie so ofc I had to write about her. Also part two for this fic has already been made so I’ll post that soon!

——————————————————————————

Milk, Pickles, Ice cream, Spray deodorant and, Toothpaste. Milk, Pickles, Ice cream, Spray deodorant and, Toothpaste. Milk, Pickles, Ice cream, Spray deodorant and, Toothpaste. Sam reads over her grocery list times and times again to make sure she doesn’t leave anything. After what happened last Halloween the corner store is her least favorite place to be. So she tries to make her trips as fast as possible.

Sam looks up at the clock above the glass covered register to see the time. Suddenly something or, someone catches her eye. A beautiful woman with y/h/c and y/e/c walks toward the counter and grabs a few bags before going to other isles. Sam stops in her tracks shocked by the woman’s beauty.

It’s not like she didn’t know she was bi but for some reason every-time she saw a beautiful woman it was a different feeling than when she would see an attractive man. It’s like water suddenly being poured on her. A feeling almost impossible to explain unless you’re experiencing it in the moment. It takes Sam a moment to realize she hasn’t stopped staring at you for almost 30 seconds. You notice this and raise your eyebrow at Sam which causes her to look down and pretend nothing happened.

You walk over to her and Sam stays still as a mannequin not daring to move. The closer you get the more Sam starts to sweat. “Excuse me?” You say as u let out a chuckle. Suddenly Sam realizes she’s standing right in front of the toothpaste as if that wasn’t what she came here to get the whole time. “Oh.” Sam moves away obviously embarrassed and shocked by her behavior towards the shorter woman.

She’s usually not this awkward.

You grab your toothpaste and move on puzzled by the interaction until it hits you why the girl in the isle reacted towards you like that. On a whim you decide to write your number on a piece of paper. After you check out you look around the corner store to find the girl and as you go up to her all you say is “Just incase you wanna go grocery shopping again.” And you hand her the number with a smirk. Sam is left confused by your attempt at flirting with her and gives you a puzzled look as you leave the store.

“Tara,” Sam says as she opens her apartment door. “I’m home.”

“God, what took you so long?,” Tara asks practically sprinting into the kitchen to see what groceries Sam got. “No hot fries? Sam I requested one thing come on…” Sam looks down at the girl and laughs. “Whatever, you know I’m trying to get us to eat healthier.” Walking to the sink to wash her hands Sam empty’s her pockets not noticing the paper with your number falling out.

“Hey what’s this?” Tara asks grabbing the paper before Sam can. “Nothing” says Sam desperately trying to dry her hands before her sister reads the note. “Looks like a special someone’s number to me…” “It’s nothing Tara come on give it up.”

“Fine whatever you say Sam” Tara says in a teasing voice. “I’m going to back to my room, oh and also, one of my friends from uni is gonna come over tomorrow we need to work on a project together.” Sam nods as she finishes unpacking her groceries.

“Don’t forget to call that girl Sam” says a giggling Tara.

Later that night as Sam is showering she wonders why you would even give her your number and if she should call you. Would it be rude not to? It’s not like she was looking for anyone to date. She hadn’t dated since (I forgot his name lmao). And she wasn’t sure she ever would again. Maybe you guys could be friends? She doesn’t have a lot of those. Sam decided she’d call you after she got out the shower but If you didn’t answer the first time then she wouldn’t try again.

Sam sat on the edge of her bed biting her fingers out of anxiousness. She dialed your number and prayed you wouldn’t answer. But secretly she knew she wanted you to. After two rings the phone clicked and she heard a sweet voice say “Hello.”

She stumbled across her words for a second before she said “Hey, uhm I’m the girl from the grocery store I’m not sure if you remeber but you gave me your number?” “Oh my gosh hi! Of course I didn’t forget how could I?” “What do you mean how could you?” Sam asks. “Well you were gorgeous first off and we had a funny interaction!” You say your smile visible in your voice. Sam lightly chuckles as she replies with a shy “oh”. That night you guys talked for hours about whatever you found interesting until you had to say goodbye saying you had things to work on the next day but you promised you’d call her again when you got the chance.

That was the first time in months Sam went to bed not feeling sick to her stomach.

Sam served her last latte of the day before walking home to her apartment. She constantly looked over her shoulder hands ready to grab her pocket knife at any moment if she needed to.

You sat on Tara’s living room floor talking to her about the project you two were doing, clothes, and relationships. All while stuffing ur faces with snacks and watching she’s all that. Suddenly you heard keys jingling. “God my sister’s home, if she’s makes any rude comments toward you please ignore it and forgive me. She’s a tad bit overprotective.” You eyed Tara and nodded. Once the door opened your jaw was on the floor.

Sam was her sister? You didn’t dare utter a word as Sam looked at you as if she had seen a ghost.

“Sam this is y/n. We’re doing our project.” She looked up at Sam begging and praying she wouldn’t say anything out of pocket. Sam nodded and set her stuff down as fast as possible before going into her room to get away from where you two were.

“Well that was weird.” Tara said. You nodded and tried to wrap your mind around what just happened. You and Tara worked for hours not once seeing Sam. It was so late by the time you guys decided to call it quits Tara offered for you to just stay the night since she didn’t want you waking alone at night. You got comfy on the coach until Sam walked out of her room for the first time in hours. She eyed you and the blankets on the couch then she looked over at Tara. “Are you really making your guest sleep on the couch?” “What my beds too small for us both to fit where else can she go.” Tara rolled her eyes at her sister. “Unless you wanna offer your bed up…?” You went wide eyed, “No please I’m fine on the couch I swear.” Sam let out a breath as she said “No. You’re not. You can stay in my bed tonight I really don’t mind.” Trying your hardest to escape the awkwardness you just nodded and let Sam walk you over to her room.

As you set on her bed you called her name before she walked out. She turned back to look at you her expression shockingly cold. “Sam, I’m really sorry I didn’t know Tara was your sister-“ “You don’t need to apologize y/n.” She said cutting you off. She walked out of her room leaving you sitting on her bed slightly upset. She knew it was better this way. Neither her or Tara would get hurt. But she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if she told you she still wanted to talk to you.

[shdysders]

haunted

pairing: tara carpenter x reader

summary: in which tara finds herself getting a visit from you.

warnings: mentions of shooting & death

word count: 1200+

author’s note: so this is my first time actually posting my work for real people to see, so hopefully i’m not embarrassing myself. this imagine is not proof read or anything like it, so if you notice any mistakes or errors, please let me know!

"Hello Tara." Your ice cold tone caught Taras' attention, making her focus shift from the book placed between her hands to you.

When Tara had turned her head to where the voice came from, she immediately regretted her decision. Even though she knew who the voice belonged to, the sight still scared her.

You were standing there all pale and lean, your big eyes that was always squinted when you smiled, now looked empty.

"Y/n?.." Tara swallowed thickly, her heart racing faster by just the sight of you, standing in her bedroom. She tried moving further up the bed, feeling the need to get away.

"What are you doing here?" She asked you, heart racing as she locked eyes with you, feeling mixture of fear and confusion, her question made you tilt your head in confusion.

You started to slowly walk around Tara's room, making her jump off of her bed, her feet landing on the floor quicker than she could process.

"Please-" Tara almost yelled out when she saw you began moving, a bit too close for her liking.

You immediately stopped when you heard her loud voice, furrowing your eyebrows at your girlfriend.

"Please.. don't walk any further." She tried to speak calmer, but your hurt expression made Tara want to delete what she just said.

"I just came to check on you.." You spoke coldly, meeting Tara's brown eyes.

The look in your eyes scared Tara, there was no emotions behind them. The first thing she fell in love with you was your eyes, now the sight of them made her want to crawl out of her skin.

The frightened look in Tara's eyes made you want to laugh, how could she look scared after what she did to you? If anything, you should've be the scared one.

Tara who was now trembling with fear, but eventually she managed to find her voice, who came out more shaky than she liked. "Please, just leave."

An evil stare flashed through your eyes, but instead of leaving, you kept on adding salt to the wound.

"Don't you miss me?" You asked, voice trying to sound pity.

Tara didn't answer, she just stood there biting her lip, tears threatening to spill from her eyes because of sight you. But you didn't stop.

"Don't you miss...the way I would kiss you or....the way I would touch you." Y/n spoke slowly, now talking small towards Tara again.

"Stop." She responded quickly before you could talk any further, shaking her head and closing her eyes, telling herself it was not real.

The tears were now beginning to roll down Tara's cheeks, and her whole body was shaking too much to wipe them away.

"Don't you miss how we would lay on that exact bed and make love to each other." You kept going, making Tara full on sob.

"Please....stop." Tara voice cracked with emotion as tears streamed down her face, she tried to contain her sobs, covering her mouth with her hand, hoping to keep them hidden from Sam.

"Stop what?" You asked confused, face stiffened, not even two meters away from your girlfriend.

"Tara, why would I stop?"

Her cheeks were drenched with tears as she walked into the wall, her whole mind going blurry.

"You didn't think about stopping when you pulled that trigger, did you?"

That sentence made Tara feel sick to her stomach, like she couldn't breath and the room suddenly felt smaller. She tried to tell herself it wasn't real, none of it was. The real you would never say something like that, right? the real you would never say that if it never actually happened. But it did. It did happened.

"I'm sorry.." Tara sobbed out, louder this time. Silently repeating it over and over again, hoping that you would hear her. But Tara knew darn well that not even thousands of apologies wouldn't bring you back. Nothing could, and it was all her fault.

But when all you did was to look at Tara with those confused big eyes and a tilted head, she felt the need to continue talking.

"It was an accident.." Tara stammered, shaking her head, tears flowing continuously. Each new tear replaced by the last.

It was, it was an accident, she thought it was ghost face, and by the previous attacks she had suffered from, she learned to never ever hesitate.

But that turned out to be the biggest mistake she'd ever make, and she now had to live with it forever. You never let her forget, not when she was sleeping nor when she was awake.

You'd always show up, either flashing her your toothy smile that she'd admire every second of the day, or the evil stare she'd never seen before.

She couldn't tell Mrs Davis either, the therapist that her older sister basically forced her to see against her will.

Because if she did, she'd ask how you died, who had killed you and if that person was charged.

She couldn't bare to tell Sam either, she would go all into mom-mode, being even more protective than she already was. But it also felt like a betrayal to you, she had never asked you how you'd feel about it, but she just couldn't.

Because if she told anyone at all, there would be a chance she would never see you again, and she didn't want that. She'd rather see your evil stare, making her relive that night, or making her bawl like a baby every day, than never seeing you again. She would rather die, than never seeing you again.

But maybe that's what she deserved? Dying. She ended your life. the person she wanted to spend her whole eternity with. You wouldn't be able to turn 80, nor 20, because she had taken that away from you.

"How can you live with yourself knowing you caused this?" You had said one time, pointing to your heart, exactly where the huge red spot had been situated. And to be honest, Tara couldn't live with herself, she wanted to disappear knowing she had taken someone's life, your life, in fact.

Being haunted by you wasn't exactly helping either, although in some ways it did. Just having you close to her made her heart swell more than it should've, just like the times when you where actually there.

Just when she was about to say something again, you were gone, as if you vanished into thin air in the blink of an eye.

Like it had been the majority of the times she saw you, she was about to say something, but when she looked up, you would be gone.

She stared dumbfounded at the place you were just standing at, marks where her tears had been just seconds before was burning onto her skin.

Tara's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her bedroom door, her sisters voice calling her name going through the thin wooden door, making her jump.

She was back to reality now, a reality that you weren't in. Maybe you would come visit tomorrow, or maybe in a few minutes again?

Tara would never know, but neither would you, because the version of you that Tara kept seeing, wasn't the version she fell in love with. It was the one that her hallucinations and trauma wanted her to see, it wanted her to see the worst.

But no matter how traumatized she was, by the opposite version or the right version of you, she would never forget you, or the reason why she is feeling haunted.

[captainsophiestark]

Guest Appearance

Dick Grayson x Reader

Masterlist - Join My Taglist!

Written for my personal fic writing challenge for 2024, Sophie's Year of Fic! Featuring a new fic being posted every Friday, all year long :)

Fandom: DC

Summary: As a PA on a nightly talk show with all kinds of celebrity guests, the job always comes with some level of unexpected chaos. But when Dick Grayson's interview is interrupted by a New York supervillain, the events of the night might reach a whole new level of wild adventure

Word Count: 2,967

Category: Fluff, Humor, maybe a little bit of Angst

Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.

"Can you believe he's really here?"

"No. How is it possible that he's somehow hotter in person?"

I stifled a laugh behind my hand and turned to look at my coworker, Tara, who had an absolutely shameless grin on her face. I shook my head, but I couldn't stop a similar smile from spreading across my own face, too.

We'd become work besties since we got hired and added to the crew of the same talk show together at the same time. We'd worked with a laundry list of truly incredible guests (and some truly terrible ones), but today was officially the record best for the both of us.

Richard Grayson, the famous, charming philanthropist and eldest son of Bruce Wayne was our guest for today's show. My job was making sure talent knew where to go and that they got there on time, so even better, I'd actually been able to interact with him a bit.

"Was he nice?" asked Tara, keeping her voice low as we watched our host go through the interview as planned. "Please tell me he was nice. I don't think I could handle it if he was an asshole."

"Oh, Tara, he was so sweet. You should've seen the smile he gave me when we were introduced. And he remembered my name, he said thank you specifically to me when I got him to the stage earlier!"

Tara sighed. "I'm in love."

"Honestly? Same."

The two of us fell into comfortable silence as we returned our attention to the shoot before us. The host was asking about some charity work Dick Grayson and his dad had gotten behind recently, and every time the host tried to give him accolades, Dick deflected and turned all the attention back to the volunteers and the people they were trying to help.

I was quite literally melting. Next to me, Tara seemed to be having the same reaction.

"I wish he could come on every week," she muttered, shaking her head. "They're about to wrap this part though, I need to get in position to set up for the game they're gonna play. Continue this after the show?"

"You're on."

She shot me a wink, then headed over to where all the props were resting for the game our host was going to play with Grayson. I turned my attention back to the interview, then frowned. Something weird was going on with the backdrop of the set. The color was changing to an icier white, as if frost was spreading across it. I squinted, trying to get a closer look, when everything around me exploded.

Cold wind swept through the studio as the lights went out. Members of the audience screamed, and I whirled around a moment later to see exactly why. Killer Frost, one of the supervillains who sometimes operated here in New York, was at the top of the audience seats, sending ice and freezing wind through the entire studio.

I shook my head, taking a few steps backwards before I thought better of it. I turned to the main stage where our host, guest, and a few others had been, searching for anybody I could help out of here, only to find it empty. A moment later Tara rushed up to me, a panicked look in her eye.

"Tara! You have to get out of here!" I said, trying to be heard over the increasing commotion as Killer Frost slowly but surely made her way down the stairs and towards the main stage, moving as if she had all the time in the world. "Get anybody you can to follow you, go down the stairs and get the hell out of here as fast as you can! And call somebody for help on your way out!"

Tara nodded, her grip on my forearm still like iron.

"Are you coming with me?"

I glanced over her shoulder at Killer Frost with a grimace, then turned back to Tara and shook my head.

"I want to see if I can help anybody else get out of here, especially Grayson. Talent's supposed to be my responsibility, and it seems like she's probably after him for a ransom or something. Since he's not familiar with the studio, I don't want him getting lost or stuck somewhere if there's something I can do to help."

Tara shook her head, but I started pushing her towards the exit and moving in the opposite direction before she could stop me.

"Go! I'll meet you outside!"

With that, I turned on my heel and ran.

Thankfully, I'd gotten to know this place well enough in the time since I'd started working here that I was able to navigate quickly through the back hallways. Everything back here was deserted now, which hopefully meant that everyone else had already gotten out. I threw open every door I passed anyway, looking for stragglers trying to hide that I might be able to send out the back stairs instead, getting them further out of harm's way.

The temperature in the hallway dropped with every extra second I spent here, and I knew I was running out of time, but I was determined to finish checking this space. Every room so far had been empty, but the last door at the end of the hall was our guest dressing room. Once I cleared it, I could get the hell out of here myself. With one quick glance over my shoulder to make sure Killer Frost hadn't reached this place yet, I threw open the last door on my list.

I froze in the doorway, but not because of a supervillain. Basically the opposite, actually. Before me, in the middle of the room, was Dick Grayson. He was shirtless, but more notably, he was halfway into the very recognizable superhero costume of Nightwing.

We locked eyes, just staring at each other for a few long moments while my brain tried to compute what I was seeing. I blinked, thinking this had to be a prank or an illusion or something, but then the temperature dropped another few degrees and Dick Grayson—Nightwing—started moving.

"What are you doing in here?" he asked as he quickly pulled on the top half of his suit. I just shook my head, trying to get my brain engaged again.

"I... I was checking if anybody was still here, I wanted to make sure you got out the back stairs since Killer Frost is probably here for you... are you seriously Nightwing?"

Dick grimaced as he slipped on a domino mask, giving me all the confirmation I needed.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anybody. But right now, you need to get out of here."

"Right. Right, yeah, you're right."

Dick nodded, crossing the room to gently take my arm and lead me out of it. I turned to the door at the end of the hallway that would lead to the stairs and out of the building, but before I could take so much as a step towards it, a blast of ice exploded against the wall, sealing the door completely shut.

I heard Dick swear under his breath as he yanked me back against his chest, moving me out of harm's way just in time.

"Get in the dressing room and keep your head down," he muttered to me before gently pushing me in that direction. I paused in the doorway to watch as he slowly turned to face Killer Frost, who'd finally caught up to us.

Nightwing shot me a wink and a confident smile before stepping forward, past where I could see his face. I knew I needed to take cover; I couldn't do much against Killer Frost, and neither could Nightwing if he was worried about protecting me. But before I shut the door, I figured there was one last thing I could do to try to help him.

"Dick, take cover back there," I said, faking pushing someone just beyond sight of the doorway from the hallway. "Nightwing's here, he's going to take care of it. It's going to be okay."

I wasn't sure if that would convince Killer Frost, or if Nightwing's secret identity was even something I should be concerned about right now, but I figured it at least couldn't hurt to try to help him out. I chanced one last glance behind me, but couldn't see more than a blinding flash of light as the two supers collided and I shut the door.

I took a deep breath, trying to gather myself. It still didn't seem completely real—it felt like a mistake. Richard Grayson, the famous son of Bruce Wayne, was one of the last people I'd expect to be a vigilante. Yet the proof was pretty irrefutable.

I crossed the room, shakily easing down into the nearest chair. Hopefully Dick, or Nightwing, or whoever the hell he was would be able to beat Killer Frost. If he wasn't, this room would surely be her next stop, and she'd probably be pretty disappointed to just find me, without the billionaire's son she'd been looking for.

The clashing and shouting sounds of fighting continued outside, setting my nerves on edge with every second that passed. Finally, they came to a stop, and that was honestly worse. I perched on the edge of my seat, ready to jump up at a moment's notice, and watched the door like a hawk. I shot halfway to the ceiling when it came flying open, then collapsed back onto the couch when I saw it was just Nightwing.

"You scared the hell out of me," I breathed, putting a hand to my chest. He shot me a grin as he slammed the door shut behind him.

"Sorry about that. I don't have a lot of time to spare, here."

"You... won, right? You beat Killer Frost?"

He nodded before ducking behind a rack of clothes to one side of the room. I could still see his face as he slipped off the domino mask, revealing the kind but non-super guest of the show that I'd met earlier today.

"She's unconscious, and I made sure she was subdued for whichever authorities get here first. But I couldn't stay out there to wait for them, since it might make my identity a little obvious. Especially when they checked this room and found you alone in here."

I huffed a laugh. "Yeah, people might have a few questions about that, my boss included."

He shot me a smile that made me melt, then stepped out from behind the rack of clothes a moment later, his nice suit for the talk show looking as good as when he'd first come in this morning. I frowned.

"What?" he asked. I shook my head, gesturing to his overall appearance.

"You look too put together. You were almost kidnapped by Killer Frost, you got shoved into this room by a vigilante and me... I don't know, I think you're supposed to look a little more rumpled."

He laughed. "You know, that's a good point. Hold on."

He ran his hands through his hair a few times to mess it up, then ripped at his nice white button up shirt until it looked sufficiently messy. Once he'd finished, he turned back to me with a smile, arms out to his sides.

"How's this?"

I smiled. "So good you might need to start worrying about the threat our hair and wardrobe people might pose to your safety when they see you instead of Killer Frost."

"I'll take it," he said, still beaming. A moment later though, the smile melted off his face and he took a step towards me. "Look... I appreciate your help covering my identity with Killer Frost... can I trust you to keep doing that? Nobody knows this secret."

I stared at Dick, one of the nicest guests we'd ever had on this show and apparently secretly the superhero Nightwing, as he came to a stop just a few inches from me. His wide, sparkling blue eyes and messy black hair made my heart melt and race all at the same time. I still didn't really know him, although I now knew something pretty major about him, but nevertheless, I couldn't help feeling that my sense about him—that he was a good, kind person—was right on.

I took a deep breath to give him an answer when the door to the room came flying open. On instinct, I shoved Dick backwards and behind the couch, and stepped forward. My producer, the show's host, and someone I assumed was a detective here for Killer Frost stared back at me.

"What happened?" I demanded, trying to look scared and wary as I shifted slightly backwards towards Dick. "Where is... is she gone?"

Everyone in the room relaxed a little at my question, the detective nodding as Dick stepped up to stand next to me.

"Killer Frost has been neutralized," she said. "What happened to the two of you?"

I glanced at Dick, still making a show of being rattled, and he did the same. I took a deep breath and turned back to the trio before us.

"I ran down here to try to make sure everyone got out, but Killer Frost showed up before Dick and I could make a run for it. She would've..." I paused, letting my gaze go a little unfocused as I swallowed hard, doing my best to sell the fear of the experience, which really wasn't all that hard. "I think we would've been in some serious trouble, but Nightwing showed up in the nick of time. He told us to wait in here while he took care of Killer Frost. Is he... is he okay?"

The three people before us shared a look, before the detective's eyes slid over me and Dick standing beside me. I very intentionally didn't look at him, instead focusing on keeping my eyes wide and worried. After a moment, the detective sighed and shrugged.

"He's not here and Killer Frost is subdued on the floor, so I'd say it's safe to assume he's fine," she said. I sighed, letting my shoulders relax and leaning slightly into Dick. He slumped a little too, putting a hand on my shoulder, like the both of us were incredibly relieved. We sat down on the couch together while the detective made sure we were both alright, and then my producer and the show's host checked in as well. They'd obviously decided not to finish filming today, and Dick was kind enough and thankfully in town long enough that we were able to schedule an alternate filming day.

Once we'd finished going through plans and questions and being checked on, we were told to head outside and go home. Dick and I didn't say much to each other throughout the process, until we stepped outside the building together, the sun shining down on the both of us. I took a deep breath then turned to Dick, only to find him already watching me with a smile.

"Thanks for that," he said. I returned his smile.

"Thanks for saving the day," I replied. "And I know it wasn't really your choice to share... you know... with me, but I promise your secret's safe."

Dick met my eyes, the smile off his face and replaced by a much more serious expression. He took a breath, then slolwy nodded.

"I believe you. Thank you."

The corner of my mouth quirked up, and we just stayed there for a moment together, letting the new reality wash over us. Even though we'd only met today, and neither of us knew the other well, things felt different, and closer, than they had before, now that we'd shared such a wild experience today.

"So... I know tonight, you probably just want to go home and get some breathing room from everything," Dick started, his eyes drifting to the city around us as he spoke. I watched him carefully, one eyebrow raised. "But I was thinking... after I come back for our replacement shoot, maybe I could take you out to dinner once we're done? I at least owe you a drink for everything we just went through together."

I laughed. "You owe me a drink? I'm pretty sure Nightwing is the only reason I'm not a frozen popsicle in that studio right now."

Dick smiled, and I couldn't help mirroring his expression as my heart pounded in my chest.

"But... I'd love to take you up on dinner," I continued, ignoring the rush of blood and nerves in my ears. "As long as you know the first round of drinks is on me."

Dick absolutely beamed back at me.

"Deal. Here, let me get your number and we can coordinate the best place for dinner and drinks."

"Perfect," I said, somehow keeping my hand from shaking as I held out my phone to him and took his in return. We exchanged numbers, then shared another smile as we handed back each other's phones. "Well... I guess I'll see you soon, then?"

"Can't wait." He flashed a grin that made me melt, then took a step closer to me and lowered his voice. "And thanks again for all your help today. I really, really appreciate it."

I nodded. "Likewise. Happy I could help."

He shot me a wink and another smile, then backed away, heading down the street and away from the building that housed our studio. He waved over his head at me as he went.

"See you soon!" he called. I grinned and waved after him.

"See you soon!"

I watched him go until he turned a corner, then finally started making my own way home. I didn't expect to end the day with a date scheduled with Dick (no matter how many times Tara and I had joked about it), but I was certainly happy with the unexpected outcome, despite what it took to get here.

****************

Everything Taglist: @rosecentury @kmc1989 @space-helen

[taraandtarot]

Tara cannot come to the phone right now, as she is too busy fanning herself and making barely-coherent babbling noises. Something about "that's mine!" and "I get to touch that!" and "how in the name of the gods is this man even remotely in my league?!" Please allow 1-3 business days for her to recover.

"Let me take your measurements, Miss Hunter."

Sorry something about the witty remarks and those curls....

I'm not getting the type of Jeremiah content I want on this website so fine I'll make it myself.

[jojopesto]

Tell Me Twice

Summary: Tara finally confesses her feelings for Emily

Pairing: Emily Prentiss x Tara Lewis

Category: Slowburn Angst (?) with eventual fluff

Author's note: I am still new to Tumblr and this will be a multi-part fic. If I figure out how to post the next chapter here, I will, if not you can find it on AO3 here.

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

Emily Prentiss is beautiful.

All of the time, really, but right now, her face half flush from the wine, hair pulled back away from her face, and legs tucked under her on Garcia's couch, Tara is sure the woman has never looked better.

Emily laughs at something JJ says, and Tara swears she can feel it in her own chest. With her inhibitions down she finds herself leaning closer to Emily on the couch. Feeling her shift, Emily looks over to Tara with a warm smile.

“I love you”

The words slip out of Tara’s mouth before she can stop them and her blood runs ice cold. She’s frozen in panic. She glances at the two other girls in the room, who luckily are far enough away to not hear the whispered confession, but pick up on her sudden panic. She looks back towards Emily bracing herself for her reaction but Emily is still smiling.

…no, that can’t be right.

“I love you too Tara,” Emily says, as if it were the easiest thing to admit. “I love all of you guys. It’s nice to have nights like these with my girls again.”

Oh.

Tara is frozen for a moment as Emily goes back to her discussion with JJ. She wasn’t sure how to feel. On one hand, she’s relieved that the confession didn’t ruin anything, but on the other…a rejection when the other person didn’t even realize they were rejecting you was a pain she hadn’t braced for.

Tara says to nobody in particular that she needs to refill her wine. It’s just an excuse to leave the room, she was definitely done drinking for the night. In the kitchen, Tara leans her hip against the counter and takes a breath. She looks down at the little wine she has left in her glass, swirling it once before pouring it out in the sink. She turns the water on to wash it down the drain, rinsing her glass out in the process. She lets the water run over her fingers longer than she needs to, hoping it'll center her, and calm her pounding heart. 

Emily had said exactly what Tara wanted, but it was wrong, so completely wrong. She squeezes her eyes shut and turns off the water, setting the glass down before she drops it. She needs to pull it together. She is an adult, acting like a schoolgirl with a crush on her teacher. Seriously what did she expect? Emily was going to hear her confession and pull Tara into her arms? No. She got the best possible outcome and yet she's still in here moping.

She blames it on the wine. 

She finally opens her eyes and she startles as she sees Garcia standing in the kitchen with her. 

"God Pen, you scared me." 

"Sorry," she says with an apologetic smile. "I thought you heard me walk over. I was just checking on you." 

"Yeah," Tara says with a breath. "Right, yeah I'm good. Thank you."

"Weren't you getting more wine?" Garcia asks, noticing the glass now lying in the sink. 

"Changed my mind," Tara says with a shrug, but Garcia gives her a look that says she's not convinced. 

"You know you can talk to me..."

"I know," Tara says quickly. She hopes it wasn't too quickly. She gives Garcia a smile that she hopes is convincing enough. Garcia nods, lingering a moment before heading back into the living room. For what feels like the first time, she doesn't pry, and Tara is thankful. 

After another breath, she follows Garcia and makes her way back into the living room again. But this time she doesn’t sit next to Emily. The distance feels strange.

The night goes on and every minute feels like an hour. Tara laughs with them but it feels hollow. She knows it doesn’t reach her eyes, but they don’t notice. She wonders if she could just leave without them knowing any different. Probably, but she figures it's best to at least say something. 

“I’m gonna head out, I don't feel well.” She hears questions and protests from the girls behind her but she keeps moving towards the door. Once she’s outside and the cool night air hits her face, she takes a deep breath, holds it for a moment, and then blows it back out until her lungs are empty, before walking to her car and heading home.

- - - - - - - - - -

Tara has always been distant.

The first time Emily met her was when the BAU assisted her with a case when she was still at Interpol. Emily could tell she was a brilliant agent, and from what she saw the team seemed to love her, but she also noticed the way she kept the rest of the team at arm's length. Though it never sat right with her, it wasn’t much of her business. She was leaving for London the next morning. But when she came back, eventually replacing Hotch, she noticed the same pattern and frankly, it bothered her.

Emily insisted that the girls start inviting Tara to their girls' nights. They tried to explain that they had, and she had always politely declined. Still, Emily wasn't sure if she believed them because when she invited Tara, she had agreed. That girls' night set into motion not only just a great relationship between the four girls but also a strong friendship between her and Tara.

Tara still has her moments of course, so when she excused herself into the kitchen for more wine Emily didn’t think much of it. She didn’t even bat an eye when she returned and didn’t take up her usual seat next to Emily. She even thought that her quiet demeanor for the remainder of the night was just because it had gotten so late, she was feeling a little tired herself. What she doesn’t miss though is the way Garcia shoots her cautious glances or the mumbled excuse Tara gives as she heads out early instead of staying the night.

She watches Tara with a furrowed brow before turning back to the girls who are now looking at each other. It seemed like Tara had taken the spirit out of the room when she left.

“That was weird right?” Emily asks, but the girls don’t respond, still sharing nearly identical expressions, that in Emily’s wine-filled haze she can’t decipher. “Come on…you guys know something don’t you?”

“I don’t know anything, honey, I’m just the technical Analyst, not a profiler,” Garcia says.

“Don’t ask me,” JJ says as Emily’s gaze shifts to her. “You must’ve said something to her”

“Me?” Emily asks. “Why do you think it was me?”

“Because you talk to her the most,” Garcia says picking up their snack bowl and standing up. “Process of elimination means it has to be you.”

“That’s not at all how process of elimination works,” JJ says to Garcia as she stands too.

“I talk to her because I want her to feel included,” Emily says.

“Em, she’s been on the team for over a year, I think she knows she’s included,” JJ says moving into the kitchen with Garcia.

“What are you guys implying?” Emily asks, scrambling to follow them.

“Nothing,” the girls say at the same time and Emily lets out a small groan.

“I’ll just talk to her on Monday,” Emily says.

She has a sneaky feeling that everyone else knows something she doesn’t

- - - - - - - - - -

Tara's drive wasn’t long. She doesn’t really remember it, and with the wine she had she’s lucky she even made it, but she knows the drive like the back of her hand. She’s dazed as she walks through the doors and drops her keys onto the table. Mind still reeling, she pulls off her jacket and collapses onto the couch. She has half a mind to pour herself another drink. 

She pulls out her phone as it buzzes in her pocket. She opens it to see she has two missed calls and three text messages. Both of the calls are from Garcia, and two of the texts are too. 

Garcia | You ok? What happened?

Garcia | If you’re ok, you owe me drinks for leaving early. And for the emotional stress you're putting me through worrying about you. Answer your phone! But not while driving!

JJ | Get home safe? 

She shoots a quick text back to JJ, hoping she’ll relay the message that she has gotten home safely to Garcia. She doesn’t miss the fact that there was nothing from Emily. 

With a sigh, she leans her head against the back of the couch. Above all else right now she just feels dumb. Not only for letting her feelings slip but also for now sitting at home instead of brushing this off like a normal 40-something adult would. It’s not the first time she’s been rejected, not even the most humiliating way that she’s been rejected. But why did this feel so different? 

“I love you too.” 

The words still reverberate in her head and they make her heart flutter for a moment, the what-ifs flying through her mind. What if Emily had meant it? What if Tara had stayed to clarify instead of running away? She presses the palms of her hands to her eyes and stands up with a groan. She was better than this, too old for this. She wasn’t sure yet how she was going to get over this but she had to. And she had to do it before Monday.

[taraandtarot]

So guess who's finally back on active duty? Got a clean bill of health so it's time to get back to work! [[ @deepspacepunk ]]

Ollie-pop! I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever! Did you try that echinacea and elderberry tea I gave you? The Double E Tea! It was supposed to help the symptoms and prevent worse ones from cropping up. 🥺🥺 I hope it tasted okay!