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#tennessee i get low
tennessee-igetlow · 9 months
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current obsession
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dawnthefluffyduck · 1 month
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I drew this explanation post for why I was completely inactive for a week, but then felt too anxious and drained to post it, and subsequently disappeared for a second week
Two main blog drawings and one side blog wip later, I remembered I made this and still think it's funny, so even though I stopped being dead (TM) I still wanted to share lol
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Brief series of events at work
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^^^old, but I'm still taking it easy so posts on both this blog and my alt will continue to be scattered for now
#so for those of you that don't know; i have moderate combined scoliosis#my entire back is always at least a little strained so i have to really watch my physical activity#but i live in Tennessee where we have the lowest federally allowed minimum wage#so in order to pay for college i have to work in a package distribution company because it's the only place that pays well/has a scholarshi#I'm in the small package dept thankfully (bc spine)#but for the last three months one specific manager kept sending me out to a different area with the heaviest packages in the building#when i first disappeared it was because i was having trouble walking and using stairs lmao#I complained to that manager and it seems I'll be in smalls again for the foreseeable future; so I've had time to recover and am better :D#every day i didn't post after that was due to anxiety and a low social battery BUT I'm getting slightly better on that front too#i have been *very* aware of my spine lately though#the last time I got an xray was ten years ago and i wonder if it's changed since then... not that i can afford a new xray lol#also can i just take a space to complain about the US not using the metric system#so many packages have kilograms ONLY and i have NO frame of reference for that since we don't use kilograms anywhere else#''ooh wow 70 is a big number but surely it can't be that baD- HOLY SHIT THAT'S 154 POUNDS'' <- me all the time#at this point I myself will just switch to metric and make life harder for both myself and life around me out of principle
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cottagecryptic · 1 year
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second air national guardsman from tennessee got arrested and is likely facing prison time bc he applied to be a merc on a joke hitman website. which wouldve been fine if he had just sent the app in for funnies but he followed it up multiple times over the course of a MONTH, sending info like his home address and a PICTURE OF HIS FACE, until the owners of the website contacted the FBI.
The FBI set up a sting op and offered to meet the dude in a park and give him $2.5k up front & $2.5k when it was done. Bro agreed.
Obviously it was fake and he got arrested but imagine begging to be a mercenary only to accept a measly $5k to kill somebody. most state car insurance life coverage starts at $25,000.
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waywardxrhea · 6 months
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Heart's Desire - a Spencer Reid one shot
pairing: Spencer Reid x BAU!fem!reader (no use of y/n)
word count: 9.58k
When working a serial killer case in Tennessee, you become the bait for a violent unsub whose victims all match your description. When going after the man you collapse and are rushed to the hospital for medical treatment.
a/n: so yes, this is a Reader one shot, but it is super niche so...whoops? this honestly was just a super self-indulgent fic for me to write because i can't say i have ever seen the heart condition i had presented in the media and i really wanted to explore how Spencer may interact with it, so here we are! this is my first time writing for the criminal minds fandom, so shout out to my bestie who helped me out with coming up with case details and smaller plot points that have been incorporated into this little one shot!
content: fluff (oh how i adore the fluff in this one!), multilingual Reader, secret relationship, implied smut (if you squint lol), insecure Reader, Reader fits the victimology, graphic description of canon level violence, Reader is bait for the unsub, protective Spencer, mentions of jealous and possessive Spencer, language, medical emergencies, small medical inaccuracies (no AED on the scene - i had to do it for the drama don't judge), crying Spencer.
(not my gif), CM dividers by @firefly-graphics , EKG dividers by me
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“Good morning, beautiful,” you heard Spencer’s sleep ridden voice mumble from behind you as you began to stir awake with the sun that was filtering in through the curtains of Spencer’s bedroom. The two of you had just gotten back from a case the day before and you were utterly exhausted. All you wanted to do was sleep in, and although he had bought blackout curtains for this exact reason, the sun still somehow managed to slip through, which you cursed the manufacturer for every time…
You flipped around in his arms to face him and sent a sleepy smile at him before mumbling, “Bonjour mon amour.” 
“Oh so it’s a French morning?” Spencer asked with a quiet chuckle as he took your hand in his and kissed your knuckles.
“I was debating between that and Italian, but… French usually gets us to where I would love to spend this free day with you,” you replied with a smirk before leaning up to kiss him.
After a few slow and loving kisses, Spencer pulled away for a brief moment to rest his forehead on yours and say, “You know since we just got back from a case out of state that took so long to solve, the odds of the team getting called back out are significantly lower than if-”
And then your phones started ringing. 
“What were you saying about the odds being low?” you muttered with a sigh as you turned back over in the bed and grabbed your phone off of the nightstand. You heard the automated voice on the other side tell you that there was a case the BAU was requested to work and that your presence was requested as soon as possible. 
As you sighed and closed your eyes briefly while you tried to sink back into the pillow, Spencer noted, “Well I did say the odds were low, not zero…” You couldn’t help the smile that slipped onto your face at the comment as you laughed and lightly hit him in the bare chest with a throw pillow. 
“‘Never tell me the odds,’” you told him as you reluctantly began getting out of bed, sitting up on the edge and stretching to wake up your tired muscles. 
Spencer positioned himself to where his legs were on either side of you and wrapped his arms around your torso before kissing your neck and mumbling, “No matter how many times you quote Han Solo at me, it’s not gonna stop me from telling you the odds of things, you know that right?”
“I know, I know…” you told him with a giggle as you toyed with his hands that were clasped in front of your stomach. “So how far apart do we have to leave again so they aren’t suspicious?” 
“Well your apartment is about a thirty minute commute from the office while mine is twenty depending on traffic, so you'll leave ten minutes after me,” he reminded you as you both began to get up and untangle yourselves from each other. “I have an extra go-bag packed for you in the closet as well as a few outfits so you aren’t wearing the same clothes you came home in yesterday.”
“You’re the best, Spence,” you told him quietly as you both made your way into the bathroom to get ready for the day. 
As you jumped into the shower to take advantage of your extra ten minutes, you thought about your relationship with Spencer. You two had started dating about a year after you joined the BAU and out of fear of getting in trouble, like two teenagers you hid the relationship from your teammates. Your transfer from Homeland Security was prompted when your interrogation and hostage negotiation tactics landed you on the BAU’s radar and you very quickly became fast friends with the whole team. So with the guise of being your usual friendly self, it truthfully hadn’t been too hard to hide the relationship from your friends. And while Spencer was hesitant about hiding a relationship from a group of people like the BAU team, your fear of being let go as the “more inferior” member out of the two of you was what convinced him to keep it a secret. It also prompted him to lecture you on your clear inferiority complex, but that was neither here nor there. 
“I’ll see you there, drive safe,” Spencer told you before kissing your cheek as you wrapped yourself in your towel to dry off while finishing your routine. 
“You too,” you replied, giving him a peck on the lips before he began walking out of the restroom and apartment to head to headquarters. 
When you got to HQ, you yawned as you made a beeline for the break room for some much needed caffeine. When you got inside, you cordially told Spencer and Derek, “Good morning you two,” as you poured your coffee, creamer, and sugar into the mug you always had on your desk. It was your parting gift from your Homeland team that was in the shape of the sun and what prompted your nickname from Derek. 
He laughed as he watched you and Spencer prepare your coffees, telling you, “You know Sunshine, I think with how much creamer you put in that you may have Pretty Boy beat on sugar consumption.”
“Ha ha very funny,” you told him with a playful roll of your eyes as you turned to walk from the break room and into the bullpen. 
As the three of you ambled into the area, Hotch emerged from his office and announced, “Sorry to call you all in so soon after getting back from a case, but this one is something we aren’t taking lightly and needs to be stopped because the unsub is escalating quickly.” So after a quick briefing on what he knew of the case, Hotch told you all to be prepared for wheels up in thirty. 
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When the plane landed in Tennessee later that afternoon and you stood up from your perch, you stumbled a bit when you felt your heart give an irregular stutter in your chest. “You okay, kid?” David asked you with concern in his eyes after seeing the brief moment of panic flit across your features. 
“Yeah, fine, just feeling a bit off after that flight I guess,” you replied, taking a deep breath and straightening up which seemed to do the trick as your heart began beating in a regular rhythm once more. 
“You know, I wouldn’t say I blame you if you were a bit anxious,” he told you as you both exited the jet and started making your way to the black SUVs awaiting your arrival. “It isn’t every day we get cases as violent as this one, especially when the victims…”
“All look like me?” you supplied quietly when he trailed off at the end of his sentence. It was true that when you began going over the pertinent files on the flight that all of the unsub’s victims shared many of your physical features, and while that did alarm you, you knew that your team would have your back during this case no matter what. You placed a small smile on your lips as you told him, “I’ll rest easier when this guy’s behind bars.”
“That’s the spirit,” he told you with a warm smile as you loaded into the SUV, your bag at your feet and your case file in your lap as you continued to read over what all the unsub had been up to in the last couple of months. 
After you all got to the local police precinct and got settled in and assigned tasks, you made your way to their break room for another cup of coffee, only to be followed in by Spencer a few moments later. As you both made your drinks, you casually turned so you were leaning on the counter and watching over the office as Spencer asked, “Are you okay?”
“You know, Dave asked me the same thing, I’m starting to think you guys are more worried about me than I am,” you told him, your lips covered by your cup in case anyone you couldn't see was watching. 
“I always worry about you,” Spencer told you softly as he stirred his sugary drink. 
“And I, you, but for now we need to work on getting this guy in cuffs and it won’t happen if either of us get distracted,” you said with a sort of finality in your tone, determined to make sure you conveyed a sense of confidence or else you too may fall victim to worrying about yourself instead of working the case. 
As you walked out to the desk where you were allowed to set up, Penelope ran past you, almost toppling you over as she shouted, “Hotch, I found out how he’s luring the victims!” 
“How?” your unit chief asked as she made his company. The team had barely been here a couple hours and the locals' work was already being combed through and missing clues were being found. 
“Dating apps! On every victim’s phone was a dating app and she had planned a date with a man from there. None of the men’s accounts were the same and none of them had common pictures, but the unsub always used the same lines when chatting the women up!” she told him in a rush as she showed him pages she had printed out while doing her dive into the womens' phones. 
Spencer emerged from the break room with his coffee in hand, saying, “Well based on that knowledge we can assume that dating apps have a significant meaning to him.” 
From her place nearby, JJ spoke up, saying, “Every victim had her left ring finger severed off, maybe his wife cheated on him using one?”
As Derek walked into the room with David hot on his heels, he added, “And turns out they also had their ovaries taken out by the unsub.”
“As well as their cervix glued shut with industrial sealant before their genitals were mutilated,” David supplied, his head shaking as he handed Hotch the ME reports. 
A scoff huffed out of your chest before you mused, “So he feels slighted by his ex wife and has decided that in order to pacify that anger he does what he wishes he could to her to the victims…” 
“Do we know if any of the victims was the ex wife?” Derek asked. 
“Nope, all the victims are single women who have been on dating apps for quite some time and none of them have an active or otherwise marriage license under their name,” Penelope replied. 
“Good work everyone, let’s get to work finding this guy,” Hotch said. “Find out all you can, I want to give this brief before nightfall.”
“Yes sir,” you all replied before once again splitting off into your assigned tasks. 
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Right as the sun began to set that evening, Hotch called everyone together and the team began giving the locals the brief on the unsub. Hotch of course began the brief, informing the locals, “The unsub is a caucasian male in his mid thirties to early forties who we believe to have a medical background in surgery and likely just went through a rough divorce." 
You were the next to speak, announcing, “We believe he was cheated on by his ex wife, which is what triggered the break and the murders. The victims all share common features which we assume are also shared by the ex wife.” As you said this, you clicked the remote in your hand and on the board behind you popped up the faces of the victims. 
With the slightest tremor in his voice, Spencer was the next to piggyback, saying, “The victims have all been found with mutilated genitals as well as their left ring finger cut off. The unsub also took the time to use industrial glue to seal the victim’s cervix shut and to cut out her ovaries.”
Derek was next to speak, adding to Spencer’s statement, “The cause of death in all the victims was prolonged blood loss. This tells us that he's performing these rituals while the victim is still alive.”
“He’s tech savvy, enough so that he is able to create difficult to trace profiles on dating apps on which he seduces victims before murdering them,” Penelope said sadly. 
JJ was next, telling the team, “The only evidence that he’s left behind are the bodies in secluded dump locations and as of right now we do not know where the victims are being killed.”
David was the last to speak, rounding out the brief with, “All of this combined leads us to believe that he is a very calculated and dangerous individual who needs to be found before he strikes again.” When he was done, Hotch dismissed everyone to begin their search with this new information. 
“Hey chief?” came a voice from the front of the office a few minutes later. Both the local police chief and Hotch looked up at the young man expectantly before he replied, “There’s been another victim…”
“He’s escalating again…” Hotch mumbled as he ran a hand over his chin. “There was a lot less time between victims. We need to work faster.”
“Yes sir,” everyone replied before attempting to double down on their work. 
As they all began working, the gears in your mind began to spin and when you finally formulated a plan, you approached Hotch and said, “Sir, I think I may have an idea on how to catch him.”
“How?”
“We do a sting. Penelope makes a dating profile for me on one of those apps and we use me as bait,” you told him, never breaking eye contact to convey that you were serious about the idea. “If we can get someone inside then we get our guy as well as possible evidence for half a dozen murders.”
Hotch sighed before saying your name warily. “You know how risky that is.”
“And that risk is something I am willing to take in order to stop this guy. If we don’t do this then there may be another victim tomorrow, maybe two,” you said. Squaring your shoulders, you added, “I agreed to take this job in order to help people. I fit the victimology. This is how I can help.”
A few moments of silence passed as Hotch seemed to weigh his options before he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he said, “Fine. I’ll think through the details. I want everyone well rested tonight before we start planning tomorrow. You and Garcia share a room at the hotel so she can start making that profile for you.”
“Yes sir,” you replied with a small smile and a nod before heading off to find Penelope so you two could head to the hotel and begin. 
“So are you on one of these apps normally?” Penelope asked as the two of you sat beside each other on the hotel bed, laptop and phones in hand to create this fake profile for yourself. 
“Me? No, I don’t trust them for this exact reason,” you replied, shuddering as you thought about the poor women who thought they were simply going to meet a new man but paid with their lives and dignity. 
“Oh I see,” Penelope said before instructing you to find a specific type of photo in your camera roll that the unsub may find attractive. “Are you dating at all?”
“Oh, uh, not really,” you said, trying to pace your words so they didn’t seem panicky. “This job takes up a lot of my time and all so it would be hard to find time for a relationship between cases.”
“You have an excellent point, but you can’t let something like that hold you back! You deserve all the happiness in the world!” she told you cheerfully as she continued typing away at the laptop. “What are your interests?”
Smiling inwardly at how the subject turned from your dating life you told her, “Reading, rom coms, coffee, patisseries, art, the occasional drink.” As you thought for a moment, you added, “Ooh, make sure you put ‘not looking for anything serious.’ I think that’s something that may trigger the unsub into choosing my profile.”
“Smart!” she replied before selecting that option on the profile. “We should do this more often! Maybe when this is all said and done we can make you a real one and I can just do a background check of the person before you go on a date!”
You laughed lightly as you told her, “Let’s make sure I survive this case first then we’ll go from there.”
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The next morning came and went as the team tried to track the guy to no avail, so right before lunch, Hotch gathered everyone around and announced, “Okay, this unsub is proving hard to find by other methods, so we’ve decided to pull a sting. We can’t just sit around waiting for our surprisingly extensive list of divorced surgeons to make a move.” He motioned to you and Penelope and said, “These two worked on creating a fake dating profile that the unsub may fall for. The plan is to get him alone and our resident interrogator will pull a confession out of him.”
“Wait what?” Spencer asked immediately, his eyes wide. “Is it a good idea to send her in when we know the unsub is escalating?”
“It’s the only lead we can get right now,” Hotch told him. “If we don’t do this tonight then we may risk another woman dying at his hands.”
“Yeah, and it may be her,” Derek said a bit sharply, the idea of sending you into the belly of the beast not sitting right with him either. 
“Not if we’re all on our A-games when it goes down,” David said in an attempt to calm the younger men down. “If you’re so concerned, we can send you into wherever he asks to meet her so we can have eyes on her the entire time." He chuckled before adding, "Derek, not you Spencer, no offense but you do tend to stick out like a sore thumb in certain environments."
“But-” Spencer tried, but was cut off by Hotch. 
“No buts, we’re doing this. Tonight. Garcia, activate the profile.”
“Yes sir,” she replied quietly before opening up her phone and clicking a few buttons. “It’s done.”
“Good.” He turned to you and said your name to get your attention. “Just make sure you reply to any account that may fit the profile. Garcia will run a trace on it to see when it was created since we knew he makes a new account for every victim.”
“Yes sir,” you replied, nodding your head as you pulled out your phone and got to work. While you scrolled through the app and took a seat in one of the secluded offices to eat your lunch, you were startled by another presence entering the room without knocking. “Geez Spence, you scared me!” you scolded him, clutching your chest in a vain attempt to slow your racing heart. 
“And you’re scaring me,” he told you as he shuttered the blinds to prevent any passersby from seeing the two of you in there together. As you sat your phone down on the table, he covered your hand with his and asked sincerely, “Are you okay with this plan?”
You nodded. “It was my idea. We need to get this guy before another innocent woman dies.”
Echoing Derek, he asked, “And what if that turns out to be you?”
You scoffed humorously before deadpanning, “And you really think you’d let that happen?” After he floundered with his words for a few seconds, you kissed him gently before saying, “I trust that if anything goes sideways you’ll be there to save me. You always are. I just need you to trust me and my judgment on this one. Do you trust me?”
“Of course I trust you, it’s just-” he tried, but you cut him off with another kiss. 
“Just trust me, love,” you told him once you pulled away again. 
After you said this, your phone pinged with a notification that caught your attention. You picked it up and saw that there was a new message in your dating app’s inbox. “Hey beautiful, you look like you are in need of some company. How about you meet me at Monroe’s tonight and we see where this goes,” Spencer read with disdain in his voice. He cringed before saying, “Please say that’s not what I sounded like flirting with you…”
You laughed, telling him, “No, the poetry you quoted at me was much more romantic than that line.” You placed one more quick kiss to his lips before telling him, “I’m gonna have Penny run this profile and we’ll see if it could be our guy.”
Turns out there was a high chance of it being your guy, seeing as the profile was created just hours before and yours was the only account that he interacted with. So after a chat with Hotch about the plan to get this guy to confess, you got dressed in a little black number and silver heels, finishing your look with the most effortful hair and makeup you had done in a while. When you emerged into the precinct you saw that Spencer was the only one in the immediate area. “Where is everyone?” you asked. 
“Getting the gear ready and briefing the police. I got the distinct honor of greeting you,” he told you with a warm smile as he drank in your appearance. His eyes darted around the room to ensure the two of you were alone before he wrapped you in his arms and kissed the top of your head, mumbling into your hair, “Tu es magnifique.”
“Merci beaucoup,” you replied, feeling a heat rush up your neck and into your cheeks at his words. No matter how long you and Spencer had been together, whenever he flirted with you, especially in any of the different languages you spoke, you still got flustered. 
When Spencer’s arms quickly untangled themselves from your embrace you rightly assumed that the team was emerging into the offices once more. Hotch called out your name before asking, “Are you ready?”
“As I’ll ever be,” you replied with a nod, smoothing out your dress before joining the team near the door. 
On the way to the bar in the taxi you were assigned to take, Hotch went over the plan once more, detailing to you that Derek was already at the bar to keep an eye on you in case things went sideways, that you are to attempt to get any sort of confession out of the unsub, and if you can get information on where the killings were happening that would be even better. You had a plan in mind to attempt and get inside his head and get him to confess without even realizing it, so as you walked into the bar you feigned confidence as you walked up and sat on a barstool to wait for the unsub to approach you. 
Derek sat across the room behind you to your left, near the door, and his soothing voice came through the in-ear you had, saying, “All right Sunshine, if things go sideways you just say the word and I’m all over this guy.”
“Just trust me,” you told him quietly as you took your first drink from the water glass that the bartender handed you with your drink. 
“I believe I’m supposed to be meeting you here?” came a voice from beside you a few minutes later. 
You turned toward the voice and smiled in greeting. He did fit the profile, strikingly actually. You noticed a tan line on his left ring finger and how his hands were slightly cracked and dry, perhaps from surgical scrubbing at his job. You offered out your hand for him to kiss as well as your name before telling him, “I believe so. And you’re already nearly half a drink behind, so why don’t you catch up, handsome?”
“I think we can make that arrangement,” he said after kissing your knuckles.
"That was smooth, remind me why you're single again?" JJ asked with a quiet laugh through the in-ear.
You kept your facial expression in response to the comment neutral as the unsub ordered his drink from the bartender. When the two of you began talking, the team kept their ends of the coms silent as you worked to get what information you needed from the unsub. 
During the conversation, you almost dragged out what you wanted from him, but he always skirted around it. You knew he was your man though, that was plain as day when he spoke about his ex wife who he told you moved off to California to be with the man she cheated on him with. During the conversation, Penelope informed you quietly that she had found record of the woman as well as IDing the man sitting across from you as Doctor Samuel Costner, who specialized in abdominal surgery.
After another paced drink from you and a couple more for him, he stood behind you and wrapped his arms around you, his hands splaying out over the tops of your thighs as he asked, “How about I take you back to my place and show you a good time?”
Bingo. His place. One of the things the team couldn’t figure out was where the unsub lived, otherwise it would have been much easier to locate him and the possible murder site. With this information in mind, you leaned back into his embrace and told him, “I like the sound of that.”
The silence from the team was broken as Spencer’s voice asked, “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“As long as we tail them it should be fine,” you heard JJ tell him. 
“We have his name now though, can’t we just have Garcia dig into where he lives and go from there?” Spencer countered.
“And go in with what suspicion? We need evidence that he’s killing there in order to step onto the property,” JJ replied.
“But this is a controlled scene, if she gets in the car with him we can’t control what happens in there. What if we lose the truck on the backroads? This is too risky, I’m-”
“Reid sit down and trust her,” you heard Hotch scold him, a finality in his voice. “What we need is a location and she’s getting us exactly that. Now sit back and let her work or else I’m pulling you from this case.”
“Yes sir…” Spencer eventually said. 
“Remember the signal,” Derek mumbled as you and the man made your way out of the bar and to his truck. 
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A nearly thirty minute drive took you to a farm that had vast amounts of pastures and trails hidden within the woods as well as a large picturesque barn that looked just like they all did in the movies. “So this is where you live huh? It’s beautiful…” you breathed as you looked around, trying to take in any specific details you may need to relay to the team in case they weren’t able to tail you. 
He nodded as he pulled up in front of the barn, putting his hand on your thigh as he said, “Family owned and operated since the 1800s. And while I don’t do much of the labor around here because of work, I am still the proud owner. Maybe you could be too one day.”
“Oh yeah?” you asked in your most alluring voice as you slightly widened the space between your thighs, the gesture making you feel filthy, but if this was how you caught the unsub then so be it. 
The kisses that he gave you started off innocently enough, but soon turned aggressive and you cringed inwardly at the fact that you knew the team was listening to everything from their end of the coms. You didn't even want to think about what was going through Spencer's mind - the man had a reputation of being jealous and possessive sometimes when you two went out and guys flirted with you.
Before you knew it, the unsub was coming over to your side of the truck and opening the door. He pulled you into his arms and asked, “How about we go for a roll in the hay?” You giggled innocently before agreeing, subtly eyeing the black SUVs that had begun to creep onto the outskirts of the property line with their headlights out. They followed you. Good.
So as he took you deeper into the barn and to an area that was lined with tarps that had seen better days, your eyes began scrutinizing every little thing that could be evidence that he had killed those women here. And you found it as you eyed a corner of another tarp that seemed to have dried blood on it. 
Right as you were about to sneak in your code word to the team to signal you had what you needed, you heard Spencer’s distinct voice shouting, “FBI, hands where I can see them!”
“Shit!” the man shouted before jumping off of you and darting away, the large knife you had somehow not noticed before dropping to the ground as he sprinted off. 
“We’ve got a rabbit!” you shouted, tossing off your heels and beginning to run after him. “I’m taking the back exit, someone go around the side!”
“On it!” JJ called as she began running around the other side of the barn to cut him off. 
When you ran out of the door you saw him leave out of, you were met with a wooden fence that he had jammed in the few moments you were distracted. Not wanting to waste any time, you opted to climb the fence, jumping over and landing awkwardly on your feet. When you did, you felt your heart give an irregular stutter in your chest before starting to beat rapidly. As you stood up, you began to get light headed and it felt like cotton filled your ears as you faintly heard a commotion around the corner of the barn. Heat seemed to fill every part of your body and your vision started to tunnel as you gasped for air, stumbling around to try and steady yourself on the side of the barn before your body gave in and collapsed. 
“Stay down!” JJ sternly told the man as she pinned him to the ground and cuffed him. “Samuel Costner, you’re under arrest for the murder of six women.” 
As JJ recited his rights and escorted him to one of the police cruisers that had emerged on the scene, Spencer looked around and asked where you were. “Didn’t she say she was going out the back?” Derek asked. “I didn’t see her come back around…” 
Panic filled Spencer’s body immediately and he began quickly making his way around the barn with Derek hot on his heels. What if Costner got to you in desperation before JJ arrested him? What if you were bleeding out behind the barn? He had to get to you quickly. 
When he rounded the corner and saw you collapsed on the ground, he shouted your name before sprinting over and feeling for a pulse. After a few seconds and some quick math, he said, “Her heart rate is 238 and she feels clammy… She’s not bleeding that I can see, but she’s hardly breathing. Derek!”
“On it!” he shouted, pulling out his walkie to dispatch an ambulance to the location. “They said it’ll take about twenty minutes to get here.”
“She might not have twenty minutes!” Spencer snapped as he watched your now frail body and how you were losing color quickly. With a strength that Derek didn’t know he had, Spencer lifted you into his arms and began carrying you to one of the SUVs, telling him, “Get one of the officers to give us an escort, we’re taking her!”
“Oh, got it!” Derek stuttered out before barking orders at an officer and getting into the driver’s seat of the SUV. 
“What’s going on?” JJ asked as she quickly jumped into the passenger seat while Spencer got you and himself into the back seat. 
They took off at a rapid speed, Derek intending on cutting the ride to the hospital in half at least as he pushed the pedal into the floor as far as it would go. 
“I don’t know, her heart is racing though and we found her collapsed,” Spencer told her, his own breath beginning to come in rapidly as he began to panic. 
“Spence, look at me,” JJ told him gently which prompted him to look up at her. “We’re gonna figure it out. She’ll be okay. What do we know?”
As he ran his thumb over your jaw in a way of soothing himself, Spencer rattled off to JJ, “Well obviously she was in a state of stress during the sting, but even a panic attack wouldn’t cause her heart to beat this fast, panic attacks top out at about 200 beats per minute. She’s usually good at controlling her anxiety anyway, especially under pressure like this… He couldn’t have drugged her at the bar because she got all her drinks directly from the bartender and she was cognizant of what she was doing and saying the whole time. As far as I know, at her last doctor’s appointment she was given a clean bill of health…”
“Well not being drugged is good, we can work with that,” JJ reassured him. She checked the map on her phone and said, “We’re almost there, just hang in there.”
When you arrived at the hospital, Spencer carried you in and placed you on the stretcher that was waiting at the triage door. “What happened?” a nurse asked as a doctor walked up while the team began placing EKG leads all over your chest. 
“We’re FBI. We were working a case and she was chasing down a perp. I didn’t see her come back from where she said she was going and I found her like this,” Spencer replied as he began following them while they pushed you into a room, JJ and Derek hot on his heels. 
“Any significant medical history?” she asked as they began plugging the wires into machines which immediately began blaring with alarms. 
As Spencer began rattling off your medical history, two of the nurses escorted JJ and Derek into the hall to clear some space for the medical team. After two nurses got IVs started in your left arm, another came running in with some syringes, vials of medication, and a cart. As they began preparing the medication, the doctor looked toward Spencer and told him, “We’re about to give her a medication that’s going to stop her heart.”
“What?!” he shouted, his eyes wide. 
Calmly the doctor continued, saying, “It’s got a super short half-life so it’ll only be for a few moments and then her heart should go back into a normal rhythm. It’s a very routine drug. She may feel sore afterward but that is to be expected.”
And so a pair of nurses worked together to quickly administer the medication and sure enough for a few moments he watched the monitor as your heart stopped and Spencer could practically feel his own stop too. The tension in his shoulders eased up slightly as your heart returned to a normal 88 beats per minute but then alarms started blaring again within seconds as the EKG suddenly looked like a toddler was scribbling on the monitor. Spencer knew that rhythm from a book he read one time and knew that it was deadly if not treated quickly. In a blind rage, he shouted at the doctor, “You said that medication would help! Look what happened! I want a different doctor on her case right now and-”
“Get him out of here! Geneva get the defibrillation pads on her and deliver 200 joules. If that doesn’t work start CPR!” the doctor called before shouting more orders to the rest of the team, two of which began trying to escort Spencer from the room. 
“You can’t just-!” he shouted in frustration before he felt a hand on his shoulder that squeezed gently. 
“Let them work,” came Derek’s voice from behind him. 
When Spencer wrestled himself out of the nurses’ hold and watched them go back into the room and close the door that now had a blue light above it, both JJ and Derek saw the dangerous look in his eye, but JJ was the one brave enough to ask, “What the hell was that about Spence? You can’t just yell at the doctor like that! He was trying to help!”
“Him trying to help sent her into v-fib and now her heart isn’t working!” he retaliated, running a hand through his messy hair. He tried to hide the tears in his eyes as he turned away and stalked off down the hall, unsure of what to do with himself at the moment. 
“Spence!” JJ called after him, about to follow him, but was stopped when a gentle hand grabbed her forearm. 
“Let him go,” said David as he too watched Spencer’s retreating form. 
JJ sighed in frustration and said, “I just don’t know what’s gotten into him! Why would he yell at them? Yeah I’m worried too but that was a whole other level. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen him that mad.”
“Just think about it from his perspective,” David told her vaguely before encouraging the two of them to meet the rest of the team in the waiting room. 
Once the pair of them parted ways, David sighed and took off in the direction he saw Spencer going. When he found him a few hallways over staring out a window into nothingness, David cleared his throat and asked, “How long has this been going on?”
“From the time I found her with her heart beating that fast it’s been twenty-eight minutes and thirty-seven seconds give maybe three minutes from the moment she took off after Costner. It’s been two minutes and forty-eight seconds since that doctor sent her into v-fib and effectively made her heart useless as a pump,” Spencer mumbled.
“That’s not what I meant, kid,” David told him, a small smile playing on the corners of his lips. He leaned his back against the window and said, “I know love when I see it.”
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Spencer said, his back straightening as it clicked in his mind what he was implying. 
Now David chuckled as he said, “Don’t lie to me, kid. I see the way you two look at each other. The way you joke around together. You’re relaxed around her.” He paused for a moment before adding, “And between you and me, I’ve seen you two sneak off together when you thought no one was looking.”
Spencer cringed at the last bit, but couldn’t help the small smile that graced his lips at the thought of you. “We’ve been together for just over a year,” he said softly, the smile growing wider as he remembered your anniversary a few weeks prior. That smile quickly faltered though when he remembered what was happening in that hospital room a few halls down. 
“She’s going to pull through,” David said gently, his hand landing on Spencer’s back, giving him a gentle pat. 
When he said that, Spencer’s phone started ringing with a call from Hotch, who told him, “She’s stable and resting, they gave her a sedative so she doesn’t overwork herself again. The rest of us need to finish up at the scene. I trust you can get your paperwork done on the jet later. Call with updates please.”
“Yes sir,” Spencer replied, a tinge of hope in his voice at the words. 
“Well?” David asked expectantly when Spencer hung up.
“She’s stable!” he told him, the tension in his shoulders leaving as he exhaled deeply. 
“Then go to her!” David said, a smile on his face. 
“I-I will!” Spencer said, turning to take off toward the room he left you in. Before he could leave the older gentleman’s presence though, he asked, “David?”
“Yeah?”
“Please don’t tell Hotch.”
“It’s not my secret to tell,” he replied with a nod before he answered his cell, presumably with his own call from their unit chief.
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The wait for you to wake up took longer than Spencer would have liked, and by then they already had to move you out of the emergency department and to a cardiac monitoring floor to make room for more emergencies. When your eyes finally fluttered open in the early hours of the morning, you cringed at the bright light coming from the window before orienting yourself to your surroundings. You were in a hospital room that much was clear, and beside you was Spencer, with one hand in yours and the other holding up what looked like a map that you assumed was a medication insert. Only Spencer would be reading up on whatever medications they may have given you for whatever you ended up in here for…
“Spence?” you whispered to get his attention. When his hazel eyes flicked away from the pamphlet and met yours, you could see how they instantly flooded with tears as a smile made its way onto his face. As he gently threw his arms around you, you asked, “What happened?”
“When you ran after the unsub you collapsed and your heart was beating extremely fast. I got you into the SUV and Derek drove you here to get treated,” he replied, his voice muffled by your hair. You could hear this disdain in this voice as he added, “They gave you this medication that stopped your heart and was supposed to put you back into a normal rhythm but it ended up making things worse. You went into an even deadlier heart rhythm and they had to shock you. No CPR thankfully, but the nurses said that if that first shock didn’t get you back they would have had to…” He pulled you impossibly closer as he whispered, “I was so scared. I thought I lost you…”
“Hey, hey, hey, I’m right here,” you whispered, your voice thick with emotion as you attempted to comfort him by rubbing soothing circles into his back. That was a lot to take in, but you hated seeing Spencer so upset and that was your biggest concern at the moment. 
You cleared your throat, but before you could ask what was on your mind, there was a knock at the door and two people came in, a nurse and a doctor of cardiology. The doctor sent you a warm smile and said, “It’s good to see you awake Miss, you gave the ED team a real scare last night!” 
“It was the doctor down there that caused such a fuss…” Spencer muttered, which earned a squeeze of your hand that warned him to be cordial. 
“Yes, that’s actually what I came up here to talk to you two about, er, you Miss.” He glanced down to your hands and didn’t notice a ring, so he asked, “And what’s your relation may I ask? Are you okay with him being here for this?”
“He’s my boyfriend and yes he’s allowed to be here. If I don’t remember something that big brain in there will,” you said, a quiet laugh leaving your lips. 
“Okay, great!” the doctor said as he clapped his hands together. “So when you came in, you were in what we call SVT which they treated with a medication called adenosine since you were unresponsive. It’s a fairly routine drug for emergent SVT conversion. When they gave it to you however, it threw your heart into V-fib which essentially caused your heart muscles to quiver instead of contract. In my years of experience, I’ve only ever seen one condition that would cause that medication to make your heart react like that.” He motioned for the nurse to hand the two of you a piece of paper as he continued, “What I think may be going on is called Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome. It’s a condition in which the conduction system in your heart misfires and sends you into SVT. Luckily enough it’s easily treated with a heart ablation surgery, but you will have to go through the steps of a formal diagnosis before going through with that as this is just a guess. Do you have any questions for me?”
You looked at the doctor for a moment, your eyes wide as you shook your head no, unsure why you did it, but in your state of shock you didn’t know what else to do. You were sure whatever research Spencer does on the condition would answer any of your later questions anyway. Through the ringing in your ears you of course heard Spencer’s muffled voice asking the doctor as many questions as he could think of after reading through the education packet, but you paid no attention as you thought of the implications this might have on your job and life as a whole…
What felt like only a few moments passed in the fog of noise and chaos in your brain before you were gently pulled back to reality by Spencer’s soothing voice as he called out your name to get your attention. “What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?” he asked when your eyes finally met with his concerned ones. 
“Too much… I don’t wanna think about it right now…” you whispered, a tear slipping from your eye as an array of emotions blasted through your body. He pulled you into a hug and rubbed your back, not pushing the topic further for the moment. 
Wanting a change in subject, you cleared your throat and focused on work, asking, “Did we get him? The unsub?”
As Spencer pulled away and tried to discreetly wipe a tear from his cheek, he laughed incredulously before saying, “All thanks to you.”
“Good. At least he’s put away now,” you said, relaxing as much as you could into the stiff hospital bed. 
Spencer looked at you and shook his head in disbelief as he said, “Only you could be told your heart stopped practically twice and that you may need surgery to fix it and you’re still more concerned about if we caught the unsub or not.” 
“What can I say, I was passionate about putting that one away,” you said, forcing a small smile on your face. 
Spencer for the first time in a while was at a loss of words for what else to say on the subject, so instead he simply whispered, “I love you,” before leaning forward to place a chaste kiss to your lips. 
The two of you quickly broke away from each other when you heard a squeal and something hitting the floor behind Spencer. When you both looked over to identify the sound, you saw your team standing in the room holding various gifts as well as your go-bag and some palatable food for breakfast. “You two! I- We- You-!” Penelope stuttered out as her eyes darted from your face to Spencer’s and back. She quickly crouched down and picked up what turned out to be a pack of makeup removing wipes before asking, “When did this happen?!”
“My man!” Derek said with a sly smile on his face as he went over to clap Spencer on the back.
“I- We can explain!” Spencer said, a bit of desperation in his voice as he watched Hotch place his get well balloon down on the table before walking out of the room. 
Spencer took one look at the returning terrified look on your face before starting to stand up to go after Hotch, but stopped when David placed a hand on his shoulder to stop his movement. “I’ll deal with it in a minute, kid. You stay with her.”
After a few moments of tense silence, you managed to say, “Surprise?” as Spencer once again resumed holding your hand. 
JJ laughed quietly as she sat down on the couch in the room, asking, “Like Garcia said, when did this happen?”
“Just over a year ago,” Spencer replied, squeezing your hand as his smile once again appeared. 
“A year?!” Penelope and JJ asked at the same time, their eyes wide in shock. 
David laughed and shook his head before asking, “And how did anyone else not notice?”
“In my defense, I thought it was an unspoken rule not to profile each other,” JJ mumbled, shaking her head in disbelief. 
“It’s not profiling if it’s obvious,” David said with a chuckle. He leaned over and placed a kiss to the top of your head before telling you, “Rest up and get to feeling better, you scared us all.”
“Yes sir,” you replied, huffing out a laugh as you watched him exit the room followed soon after by the rest of the team who gave you their well wishes too. “Well I guess that cat’s out of the bag now…” you whispered, pulling your blanket closer to your body as your anxiety began to creep in. 
“Hey, we’ll figure it out,” Spencer reassured you, his eyes flicking up to the heart monitor and noticing that your rate was beginning to climb. He squeezed your hand as he said, “Right now we just need to focus on figuring out if you have that condition the cardiologist mentioned. Dave is talking with Hotch and I’ll talk with him soon too, okay?” 
He gently lifted your chin and mumbled, “Deep breaths, sweetheart…” You simply nodded in response as you closed your eyes and tried to breathe in time with him to calm your racing heart and mind. 
After a few moments, Spencer reached over you and grabbed the pack of makeup wipes and took one out, starting to bring it to your face, which prompted you to ask, “What’re you doing, Spence?”
“I’m helping you take your makeup off,” he replied simply as he began to gently run the wipe over your jawline. “I know you hate when you get acne from your makeup when we're busy with cases…”
“I can do it, love, I’m sure you’ve been up all night and you need rest too,” you told him, gently grabbing his wrist to stop his movement. 
“I don’t mind,” he told you with a small smile on his lips. “This gives me an excuse to admire your beautiful features…”
You could feel yourself blushing as you mumbled, “You’ve had my features memorized intimately since around two months into our relationship.”
“And I’ll never tire of your beauty,” he told you as he coaxed your hand off of his wrist and began gently working the makeup off your face. 
“Je t’aime, Doctor Reid. You always know how to make me feel better,” you whispered a few minutes later when the last makeup wipe was discarded. 
“I love you too, sweetheart,” he replied, placing a gentle kiss on your lips once more. 
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When you were cleared to discharge the next morning, the rest of the BAU had already flown back home. Hotch offered to send the jet back to get the two of you, but knowing that they could be called out on a case, Spencer declined, also citing to him, “People with unstable heart disease and arrhythmias have the risk of deadly episodes while in the air due to the pressure changes within the cabin as well as the lower oxygen levels and higher risk of dehydration, not to mention the added stress both physically and emotionally.”
“Is that your way of telling me you’re just renting a car to get back?” Hotch asked and the pair of you could practically see him pinching the bridge of his nose as he asked this. 
“Yes sir,” Spencer replied shortly. “If anything comes up feel free to call. We’ll both get our paperwork done before coming back to the office.”
“Thank you,” he said simply before hanging up. 
Since he hadn’t wanted to leave your side, Spencer hadn’t gotten the chance to speak with Hotch about your relationship and over the phone it was hard to tell what the annoyance in his tone was over… As you began to think about those implications, Spencer glanced over at you before taking your hand in his and saying, “You’re working yourself up again…”
“I’m just scared is all…” you mumbled as the pair of you followed the rental car agent to the car you would be taking back to Virginia. 
Once you were both in the car after Spencer inspected it for cleanliness, he took your hand in his and kissed your knuckles, reiterating to you, “We’re going to figure it out. David said he thinks Hotch will come around, and if you’re worried about your heart, we’ve already got your appointment scheduled for when we get back home. Whatever happens we’ll take it on together like we always do.”
“Thank you, Spence,” you whispered, tears welling up in your eyes once more. You felt like you had done more than enough crying in the past few days, even though there had been more than one occasion when Spencer had rattled off some facts about crying being a great form of stress relief. 
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Walking into headquarters a few days later, you tugged at your shirt uncomfortably as you and Spencer stepped into the elevator together. You had been to the doctor the day before and they had attached you to a 24-hour heart monitor that they would use to aid in your diagnosis, and you’d be lying if you said all the wires didn’t cause you to be filled with an overwhelming feeling of insecurity. 
Taking note of your shifting, Spencer asked quietly, “Would you like to wear my jacket?”
“And give Hotch another reason to let me go?” you rebutted, your voice breaking at the end. 
“That’s not going to happen,” Spencer reassured you as the doors to the elevator opened and you two walked out and toward the BAU offices. 
It definitely felt that way though when the first thing you heard when emerging into the bullpen was Hotch calling both of your last names and saying, “You two, my office.”
Feeling like two teenagers caught in the act, when Spencer closed the door behind him, he immediately started rambling. “Hotch, please I can explain, we-”
“I don’t need an explanation, I need you to sign these forms,” your unit chief said, handing the both of you a packet of papers that you began reading even though the papers shook with the tremors in your hands. 
“If you just give me a second to-” Spencer tried again as he took the packet but didn’t so much as glance at it. 
“Sign the papers,” Hotch said, ignoring Spencer’s pleas for him to listen. 
“But-”
“Spence, read it,” you said a few moments later after you had read the summary of the form on the front page of the packet. 
At your words, Spencer finally looked down at the packet in his hands and within moments had it read, his mouth opening a little in shock as he asked Hotch, “Wait…you’re not mad?”
“Oh I’m mad. I’m mad that you two would keep such a secret from us, not only because I thought we functioned as a family here, but also because of how much your relationship played a role in that Tennessee case," Hotch told him sternly. "Seeing as even I never noticed before now and up until that case, it has never interfered with your work, I asked around and came up with some forms that should appease the higher-ups if for some reason this relationship were to get out to other teams.”
“So if we sign these forms then we’re both allowed to stay on the team as long as it doesn’t interfere with our work?” Spencer asked, slightly breathlessly. 
“Correct,” Hotch replied, the corners of his mouth almost tugging up into a smile. “We can’t afford to lose either one of you from this team.”
“Well that’s a relief…” you mumbled as you grabbed a pen out of the cup sitting on his desk and signed the paper in the appropriate places. 
“No more secrets, okay?” Hotch asked sternly as he eyed the two of you, pointing his own pen at each of you in turn. 
“No more secrets,” you both agreed, giggles flying out of both of your mouths as you looked at each other after saying the same phrase. 
“So when’s the wedding?” Derek asked with a chuckle as the two of you emerged from the office once everything was filed away. 
“Once we get her heart situation figured out because I know she’ll want to go to Europe for the honeymoon,” Spencer replied as he pulled you close and placed a kiss on your forehead. The statement made your heart leap in your chest and you began to think of excuses to tell the cardiologist about what caused that reading on the monitor. 
So with your job at the BAU still secure, you took a seat at your desk across from Spencer’s and sipped at the decaf coffee JJ had bought for the break room, completely grateful for the team, but even more so for Spencer. You weren’t sure how you would navigate this crazy and unpredictable life without him.
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itneverendshere · 12 days
Text
all that talk is killing me - rafe cameron
request here: Fighter!Pilot!Rafe AU x Sweet!Reader. word count: 6.5K (YIKES) warnings: tooth rooting fluff and rafe being too charming.
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There was that god-awful distinct scent of jet fuel in the air, a reminder that you were in one of the Navy’s busiest air bases. The hum of roaring engines wasn’t anything new; it had become a part of your day-to-day existence. The bar you worked at, The Mirage, was a hotspot for pilots, flight crews, and pretty much anyone else who was stationed nearby. A quiet coastal town didn’t offer many options for a social life, and if you wanted to get a cold drink or unwind, The Mirage was the place to be.
You’d been working here for just over a year and a half, long enough to recognize the distinct swagger of a military man when he walked through the door. They were easy to spot – especially the pilots.
Sunglasses permanently glued to their faces, that stupid untouchable arrogance radiating from them, the knowledge that they were some of the best in the world at what they did. It was almost admirable, if it wasn’t so…predictable. 
You had sworn off pilots. No, you’d sworn off men in a uniform all together.
It wasn’t like a hard rule or anything, but after what happened with your last boyfriend—who, shocker, also wore a uniform—you weren’t about to make the same mistake twice. You’d learned the hard way that guys like that came with way too much baggage. 
Long deployments, their egos inflated to the size of fighter jets, and let’s be real, they weren’t exactly known for being faithful. Military men had a reputation, and in your experience, they earned it. You weren’t about to get your heart broken again.
You’d been there, done that, and had the emotional scars to prove it.
So yeah, working at a bar right next to a Navy air base wasn’t exactly ideal, but you weren’t here for the guys. The Mirage was just a job, a way to pay the bills while you figured your life out. It was a decent gig. Good tips, a steady flow of regulars, and every now and then, you’d get to watch a squadron of cocky, ego-driven fighter pilots try to charm their way into someone’s pants. 
Fun to watch, but that was about it.
The first time Rafe walked into The Mirage, you felt it immediately—the shift in the air. 
You had your back turned, trying to keep busy wiping down the bar, but you could practically feel his presence as he swaggered up, like the whole place had just taken notice of him at once. Lean and built like he was carved from the side of a mountain, with shoulders that filled out his flight suit just right, and a chest broad enough to make any woman’s heart skip a beat.
And when you finally turned around? He was standing there with that stupid, lopsided grin, a couple of dog tags peeking out from beneath his half-zipped flight suit, the sleeves pushed up like he had zero intention of playing by any rules but his own. He had this ridiculously good-looking, disheveled kind of vibe going on, like he’d just gotten off a jet and didn’t care that his hair was all over the place.
You almost hated how good he looked.
He didn’t even hesitate when he caught your eye. He walked right up to the bar and leaned on it like he owned the place.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he said, flashing you a panty-dropping smile that probably worked on most girls. “Can I get a beer?”
Sweetheart? Oh God, one of those guys. His voice had that low, southern drawl, smooth as Tennessee whiskey, dripping with charm. It was the kind of voice that could make anything sound like a compliment, even when he was teasing. And the way he leaned on the bar, just a little too close, just a little too familiar, like he’d been doing it his whole life and knew exactly what effect it had—it was almost criminal.
“Sure,” you said, not bothering to match his energy. You grabbed a bottle and slid it across the bar to him, intentionally keeping it short and sweet. You weren’t about to give him the satisfaction of a flirty smile or small talk. Guys like him lived for that.
“Thanks, darling.” He tipped the bottle to you, still grinning like he knew something you didn’t. You sighed, turning back to your work, already half-expecting him to hit on someone else.
But over the next few days, Rafe kept showing up.
Every night, like clockwork, he’d stroll in after his missions with that same laid-back swagger. You noticed how people gravitated toward him, like he had this magnetic pull. His squadron buddies? They idolized him. Girls? Yeah, they fell for him hard, like they didn’t see the giant walking red flag that he was.
But the worst part? He kept coming back to you. 
Every time he walked into The Mirage, he’d make a beeline straight for the bar, leaning in with that smirk that was starting to get under your skin.
“You’re not like the other girls around here,” he said one night, lounging across the bar like he was settling in for the night.
So typical it gave you chills. He was a natural-born flirt, and he knew it. He wasn’t subtle; he didn’t have to be.
You snorted. “Oh yeah? How’s that?”
“They all like a guy in uniform.” He motioned to his flight suit, like he was showing off. “But you? You don’t seem impressed.”
You met his gaze and deadpanned, “I’m not.”
That should’ve been the end of it. Usually, when you gave guys the cold shoulder, they got the hint. But Rafe? He wasn’t so easily shaken. If anything, your disinterest seemed to make him more determined.
“Gotta say, I like the challenge,” he said, watching you like you were some kind of game he was about to win.
You rolled your eyes, but part of you couldn’t help but laugh. The guy had confidence, that much was clear. But you had to remind yourself why you’d sworn off pilots. This wasn’t your first rodeo. You’d been with a guy like Rafe before. The type who’d make you feel like you were the center of his universe—until you weren’t.
“I don’t date pilots,” you told him flat-out one night after he tried to get cute, leaning closer than necessary over the bar. You were done playing games, and he needed to know it wasn’t happening.
He just raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable for a second before that grin returned. “That a hard rule?”
“Pretty solid, yeah.”
“And why’s that?”
You raised an eyebrow, skeptical as hell, “You don’t even know my name.”
He leaned in slightly, that annoying grin never leaving his face as he took a sip of his beer, eyes never leaving yours. “You’re right,” he said casually, placing the bottle back down. “So, what’s your name, sweetheart?”
The audacity. Like his smooth confidence was supposed to melt away all your reservations like you were just another one of his conquests. You could see it so clearly now—the cocky smirk, the way his voice had that low, drawling quality that practically screamed “I get what I want.”
You let out a humorless laugh, shaking your head as you wiped down the counter. “I’m not giving you my name, Rafe.”
"But you know mine," He arched a brow, not even remotely phased. “Fair enough. Guess I’ll just have to earn it.”
“Not happening,” you shot back, trying to keep your tone firm. 
But you could feel a tiny sliver of amusement creep into your voice despite yourself. He was relentless, and for some stupid reason, it was kind of fun to watch him keep trying.
There was something about a man in uniform that made women lose all sense of reason, and you weren’t about to be that girl again.
And yet, Rafe Cameron kept coming back. 
Like a stray, relentless and impossible to ignore. And as much as you tried to play it cool, to not be another notch on his flight log, you couldn’t help but notice how his grin deepened every time you turned him down, like he was getting some kind of kick out of the challenge.
“You really don’t give up, do you?” you asked, throwing him a sideways glance as you refilled a couple of drinks for some regulars down the bar. You could feel his eyes on you the entire time.
He chuckled, that easy confidence still dripping from him. “Not when I see something I like.”
You fought the urge to roll your eyes, grabbing an empty glass and polishing it to distract yourself. “Well, you’re wasting your time,” you muttered, half-hoping that would be enough to shut him down for good.
But he didn’t take the hint. Instead, he leaned in a little closer, lowering his voice just enough to make it feel like the two of you were in on some kind of private conversation.
“Maybe. But something tells me you’re not as immune to my charm as you think.”
That did it. 
You turned to face him, arms crossed over your chest, giving him the most unimpressed look you could muster. “I’ve met guys like you before. You roll into town, flash that cocky smile, and think you can get anyone in bed because you’re a hotshot pilot. You’re probably great at what you do, and I’m sure girls throw themselves at you left and right. But I’m not one of them.”
His posture faltered just a little, and you almost—almost—felt bad for bursting his bubble. But then he just laughed, “You really don’t hold back, do you?”
You shrugged, nonchalant, but you could feel a small sense of satisfaction. “Why should I? Guys like you are all the same.”
Rafe leaned back, studying you with a look that was half amused, half intrigued, like you were some kind of puzzle he couldn’t quite figure out.
“Nah, I don’t think we are,” he said, almost to himself. “But I guess you’ve got your reasons.”
That hit a little closer to home than you expected, and you felt your defenses kick back in full force. “Yeah, well, they’re good ones.”
“I don’t doubt that,” he said, his tone softer than before. He tapped his fingers against the bar, like he was considering his next move. “But just so you know, I’m not looking for an easy win here.”
You raised an eyebrow, skeptical. “Oh really? Because everything about you screams ‘I always win.’”
He laughed—more like he was in on a joke that only he understood. “True. But this feels different.”
Different. Sure, like every smooth-talking pilot didn’t say the same thing when they were trying to get a girl to let her guard down. You’d heard it all before.
“Look,” you started, leaning on the bar now, “I’m sure you’re a nice guy when you’re not playing the whole ‘bad boy in uniform’ thing. I’m not about to go down that road again. Especially not with someone who spends more time in the sky than on the ground.”
His eyes stayed on yours, unwavering. “But you don’t know me. Not really.”
“And you don’t know me either,” you shot back, feeling a bit defensive.
“That’s true.” He nodded, but there was a spark in his eyes that made you feel like he was more than ready to change that. “But I’d like to.”
You laughed, shaking your head. “You don’t give up, do you?”
“Nope.” His grin was back, but this time, it felt less like a game and more like a challenge. Not in the annoying, overconfident way, but in a way that made you almost—almost—want to see how far he’d go. “And I’m willing to take it slow, if that’s what you need.”
You weren’t used to guys like him offering to go slow. In your experience, they wanted everything fast—fast cars, fast planes, fast relationships. The fact that he was even suggesting the idea caught you off guard.
“I don’t need anything from you,” you said, though your voice wasn’t as firm as you wanted it to be.
“I know,” he said, his voice soft but steady. “But maybe you want to give me a shot. Maybe.”
You stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out if this was some kind of trick. But all you saw was that stupid grin and those frustratingly blue eyes that were starting to chip away at your resolve.
“I’ll think about it,” you muttered, not fully committing but not entirely rejecting him either.
Rafe’s grin widened like he’d just won a small victory. “That’s all I’m asking for.”
You rolled your eyes, turning back to the drinks you were supposed to be serving, but you couldn’t stop the smile tugging at the corner of your mouth. Damn it.
You weren’t ready to let him in, not yet, but maybe—just maybe—you didn’t mind the idea of him trying.
Because, against your better judgment, you kind of liked the way he made you feel.
Over the next few months, Rafe didn’t just disappear like the others. 
He stuck around, but not in the way you expected. At first, you thought he was still working some angle—coming into The Mirage every night, sitting at the bar, chatting you up like he was trying to wear you down. But after a while, something changed. It wasn’t like he was chasing after you anymore. It was more…normal. Friendly, almost.
It started small. He’d ask you about your day, your shift, little things like that. He didn’t push for more. When he wasn’t in the bar, he’d still check in—he’d send these short, goofy texts from time to time. Just little updates, nothing deep.
“Heading out on a mission, don’t burn down the bar while I’m gone.”
Or, when he was away for a while:
“Bet the place is boring without me around, huh?”
It wasn’t anything serious. Just light, casual. And you liked it that way. It was enough to feel like he was there, but not so much that it freaked you out.
Sometimes he’d ask about your life outside of work—how your art classes were going or if you’d gotten your car fixed yet. He never let you walk home alone. You hadn’t expected that from him. Like, when you first met Rafe, you pegged him as the type of guy who only cared about himself. But he’d actually listened to you, remembered stuff you’d said, which was…surprising. And kind of nice.
Still, you kept your guard up. You weren’t about to let him in fully. Not after everything you’d been through before. But you couldn't deny that a part of you enjoyed his company.
One night, about six months in, he came into The Mirage after being away on a longer mission. He looked more exhausted than usual, but his grin was still there as he slid into his usual spot at the bar.
“Miss me?” he teased, tapping the counter as if he’d been gone for a year instead of a few weeks. That flight suit clung to him like a second skin, half-zipped just enough to reveal a sliver of tanned skin and a hint of a tattoo peeking out. The sleeves were rolled up, showing off forearms roped with muscle, veins running down like they were tracing a roadmap to all the trouble he’d been in. His dog tags swung carelessly against his chest, catching the dim light of the bar.
He looked good enough to eat.
“Not even a little,” you shot back with a smirk, pouring him his usual. But the truth was, things had felt kind of off when he wasn’t around.
He took a sip of his beer, watching you closely like he always did. “Sure about that?”
“Don’t flatter yourself, Cameron.”
You expected him to throw some cocky line back, but instead, he just chuckled. “You been good?”
It was such a simple question, but there was something in his voice that made you pause for a second. “Yeah,” you answered, nodding. “Same old, same old.”
“Good.” He nodded, his gaze lingering on you for a moment longer before he turned his attention to the rest of the bar.
Everything felt kind of…easy with him now. You didn’t really know how or when it happened, but somewhere along the way, you’d started to see Rafe as more than just a cocky pilot. He was still all of that, sure, but there was more to him than you thought. He wasn’t just the guy who flirted relentlessly; he was the guy who checked in, who listened, who made you laugh when you didn’t even feel like smiling.
It was nice.
That night, The Mirage was packed. The air was thick with cigarette smoke and loud laughter. The usual suspects were there—pilots unwinding, a few locals mixing in, and the occasional sailor trying his luck. You’d been running around non-stop, the orders coming faster than you could keep up. Rafe had disappeared to the bathroom a few minutes ago, and you were focused on getting through the rest of your shift.
That’s when someone came up behind you. You didn’t even see him coming—just felt the sudden press of a hand on your waist, fingers gripping too tight, a body too close. Your breath hitched in your throat, heart picking up speed as you twisted around to see who the hell thought they could just grab you like that.
It was some guy you hadn’t seen before, a stranger with bleary eyes and a stench of cheap whiskey rolling off of him. He leaned in, way too close, his breath hot against your cheek. 
“Hey there, gorgeous,” he slurred, his hand sliding lower, and you felt your stomach twist.
“Get off me,” you snapped, trying to shove him away, but he didn’t budge. Instead, he grinned, like he thought this was some kind of game.
“Aw, come on, don’t be like that,” he drawled, his other hand moving to grab at your arm, pulling you back toward him.
Panic flared fast in your chest. You tried to twist out of his grip, but he tightened his hold, pulling you closer.
“I said, let go!” you shouted, shoving him harder this time, your voice cutting through the noise of the bar. Your heart was racing now, pounding in your ears.
You glanced around, hoping someone would see what was happening, maybe step in, but everyone seemed too caught up in their own worlds, too fucking drunk to notice.
The guy just laughed, a low, sleazy sound that made your skin crawl. His hand slipped lower, fingers pressing into your hip, and you felt a cold rush of fear. “Just want to have a little fun,” he murmured, his voice thick and rough.
You opened your mouth to scream, to shout for someone, anyone, but before the words could come out, you heard it—the sound of glass shattering. You blinked, confused for a second, and then you saw Rafe.
He was back, and he was livid.
You’d never seen him like this before, eyes dark and wild, his jaw clenched so tight you could see the muscles twitching. He shoved through the crowd like a storm, fists already balled at his sides, his whole body taut with rage.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he snarled, voice low and dangerous, like he was barely holding himself back.
The guy barely had time to turn around before Rafe grabbed him by the collar, yanking him away from you with a force that sent him stumbling back into the bar. 
“Get your hands off her,” He spat, his voice like gravel, his eyes blazing.
The guy looked stunned, confused for a moment, before his face twisted into a sneer. “Hey, man, relax—”
But Rafe didn’t let him finish.
“Don’t ‘hey man’ me,” he growled, stepping closer, his hands still clenched into fists. “You touch her again, and I’ll break every bone in your fuckin' hand.”
You were still trying to catch your breath, your pulse racing, adrenaline pumping through your veins. You’d seen him mad before, but this was something else entirely. His whole body was tense, like he was ready to pounce, and there was a look in his eyes that was almost… feral.
The guy seemed to sober up real quick, his eyes flicking nervously between you and Rafe. “Alright, alright, I’m going,” he muttered, hands up in surrender as he backed away, disappearing into the crowd.
Rafe watched him go, his chest heaving, his fists still clenched like he wasn’t quite done yet. He turned to you, his eyes softening a little, but his face still hard, still angry. “You okay?” he asked, his voice rough, breathless.
You nodded, swallowing hard, trying to steady your breathing. 
“Yeah, I’m fine,” you managed, but your voice was shaky, betraying the fear still thrumming through you.
Rafe stepped closer, his hands reaching out to gently touch your arms, his fingers light against your skin. 
“You sure?” he asked, his eyes searching yours, his face so close you could see the worry etched into his features.
You nodded again, feeling a little steadier now, your heart still racing but slowing down, your breath coming easier. “Yeah,” you whispered, “Thanks to you.”
“You don’t have to worry,” he said quietly, “Not with me around. I got you.”
You felt your heart stutter in your chest, and you realized—maybe, just maybe, you were really starting to trust him. And that thought, more than anything, scared you to death.
It's why it felt so hard to be around him from that day on. You were trying to balance between wanting to keep things normal with him and avoiding getting too close. After what happened that night, you were more on edge than ever, and it didn’t help that Rafe was still making his usual appearances, his cute texts and late night calls. His protective streak had only made things more complicated.
“Everything alright?” he asked, his tone casual like he was trying to read between the lines.
You shrugged, “Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?”
He didn’t buy it. “You seem off. Did something happen?”
“Nothing happened,” you said, a little too quickly. “Just a long night.”
Rafe didn’t push. Instead, he grabbed a drink and started chatting with you about mundane things—the kind of small talk that was meant to fill the space without digging too deep. 
He casually mentioned his plans for the weekend, how he was heading out with some friends, making it clear that he was open to other social opportunities.
“Gonna be out of town for a bit,” he said with a shrug, almost as if he was testing the waters. “Thought I’d let you know.”
You looked at him, trying to keep your expression neutral. “Okay.”
He paused, a smirk playing at his lips as if he was waiting for a reaction. “You sure you’re okay with that?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” you asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but the tightness in your voice gave you away.
Rafe’s smirk widened, clearly satisfied with the effect he was having. “Just checking. Didn’t know if you were going to miss me or somethin''.”
“I’m sure you’ll manage to find plenty of people who will,” you shot back, grimacing.
He chuckled, his eyes glinting with mischief. “You know, you’re more complicated than I thought.”
“That’s what makes life interesting,”
You finally let yourself admit it—his casual flirtation and the way he seemed to enjoy getting a rise out of you was starting to mess with your head. And that was exactly what he wanted.
So maybe, your petty self, doesn't answer to a single one of his texts while he's away. You figured if he wanted to play the game, you could play it too. It wasn’t like you were avoiding him or anything; you just wanted to make a point.
The first day, you didn’t think much of it. The second day, you told yourself it was no big deal. By the third day, you were trying not to obsess over the fact that your phone hadn’t buzzed with a message from him in the past twenty four hours. Like he'd given up. You kept yourself busy with shifts at The Mirage, catching up on sleep, and even dabbling in a new painting project.
When he finally came back, you were trying to act like it was just another day. You were behind the bar, pouring drinks and chatting away when he walked in.
Rafe’s usual swagger was in full force, but today, there was a hint of weariness in his eyes, like he’d been through the wringer. He slid onto his usual stool and flashed you that same charming grin, but this time, it felt a little more… tentative.
“Hey, stranger."
“Hey,” you replied, trying to sound casual, like you hadn’t been avoiding him. You set a beer in front of him and went back to wiping down the bar, giving yourself something to do so you wouldn’t have to meet his gaze.
Rafe took a sip of his beer, “So, you’ve been quiet lately. Everything alrigh'?”
“Just been busy, I guess.”
“Busy or just avoiding me?” 
“Why would I be avoiding you?” you chuckled, trying to keep your voice steady. “I’ve been working and catching up on things.”
“Uh-huh,” he said, clearly not buying it. “Did I do something to piss you off?”
Uh, duh. He was making you fall for him. Recklessly. 
“Nope,” you said, popping the ‘p’ with a little too much force. “Everything’s fine.”
Everything was not fine, especially not when a girl you'd never seen before decided to eagerly join him on the stool next to his. 
You didn’t mean to be staring at them. You really didn’t. 
But there she was, practically hanging off Rafe’s arm like some kind of human accessory, her giggle obnoxiously loud over the music in The Mirage. She had this glossy, perfect hair, one of those flirty little dresses that clung to all the right places, and legs for days. And she was touching him. All over. Laughing way too hard at whatever stupid joke he’d just made.
You could feel your stomach twist into a knot, and for the life of you, you couldn’t figure out why it bothered you so much. It’s not like you hadn’t seen this before—girls throwing themselves at him like he was the last guy on Earth. You’d watched it happen a dozen times. Maybe a hundred.
But today? Today it felt different. Today, it felt like there was a boulder lodged in your chest, and you could barely breathe around it.
God, this was so stupid. You didn’t even like him like that. He was just…a friend. A hot, annoyingly charming friend who maybe made your heart race a little bit every time he walked into the bar. Whatever. It didn’t matter. You were not—repeat, not—catching feelings. You couldn’t be.
Still, your hands were gripping the bar a little tighter than necessary, your smile plastered on your face as you poured drinks for some regulars, trying to pretend you weren’t glancing over at them every five seconds.
But then she had the audacity to look right at you, her big doe eyes blinking innocently, and ask, “Hey, could you get me another drink?”
Your fingers tightened around the beer tap, and you felt a jolt of irritation shoot through you. The girl was practically hanging off his arm, and here she was, smiling at you like you were her personal waitress. 
You forced a smile, the kind that didn’t reach your eyes, and nodded. “Sure, what do you want?”
She twirled a strand of hair around her finger, leaning in even closer to Rafe as if she needed to be attached to his hip. “A tequila sunrise, please,” she chirped.
You had to grit your teeth to keep from rolling your eyes. “Coming right up,” you muttered through clenched teeth, turning your back to them as you reached for the tequila.
You could feel Rafe’s gaze burning into the back of your head, could practically hear the smirk in his voice without even looking. He was loving this. Watching you squirm, seeing you get all pissy while he played the charming flirt. God, he was such an asshole.
“Here you go,” you said, managing to keep your voice steady.
She beamed up at you, completely oblivious, and took a sip. “Thanks! You’re the best.”
He looked like he was having the time of his life. That stupid grin plastered on his face, his blue eyes sparkling as he leaned in close to hear whatever the girl was saying. And she was soaking it all up, practically melting into him, flipping her hair like she was auditioning for a shampoo commercial.
You felt this weird, hot sting in the back of your eyes and immediately blinked it away. Oh, hell no. You were not going to cry over this. Over him. No way.
But it was getting harder to hold it all together. You turned away, busied yourself with wiping down the counter, anything to stop looking at them.
And then it happened.
He looked over at you.
Just a quick glance, but enough to catch your eye. Enough to let you know that he knew you were watching. And damn it if he didn’t look like he was enjoying every second of it.
That did it. You felt the flush of heat creep up your neck, the anger boiling under your skin. You slammed a glass down a little harder than you meant to and mumbled something about taking a break.
“Hey, you okay?” one of your coworkers called after you, but you were already pushing through the back door, needing some fresh air, some space to get your head straight.
You ended up in the alleyway behind The Mirage, your back against the cool brick wall, eyes squeezed shut as you tried to keep it together. You felt so stupid, so ridiculous for even letting this get to you. He wasn’t yours. He was just…Rafe. And you were just you, the girl who’d sworn off guys like him a million times.
But it hurt. Way more than you wanted to admit. And before you knew it, a tear slipped down your cheek. You quickly swiped it away, cursing under your breath.
And that’s when you heard it—the creak of the door swinging open, footsteps on the gravel.
You didn’t even have to look to know who it was. Of course he followed you. Of course he did.
“What’s this?” Rafe’s voice was teasing, that familiar low drawl that usually made your heart flutter, but right now it just grated on your nerves. “Are you crying?”
You scoffed, keeping your back turned, hoping he’d take the hint and leave you alone. “No. Just…got something in my eye.”
“Sure you did.” You could hear the smirk in his voice, that stupid, smug grin that he always wore like some kind of armor. “You jealous or something, sweetheart?”
God, he was such an ass. “No,” you snapped, turning to glare at him. “Why would I be jealous? You can flirt with whoever you want. I don’t care.”
He stepped closer, still grinning like he’d won something. “Really? ‘Cause you looked pretty pissed back there.”
You felt another tear threatening to fall, and you bit down hard on your lip, willing it to stop. “I’m not pissed,” you lied, crossing your arms over your chest. “Just…busy. And you’re distracting.”
Rafe laughed softly, and you wanted to smack that grin off his face. “Distracting, huh?”
He was closer now, close enough that you could feel the warmth radiating off his body, and it just made everything worse.
“I’m serious,” you said, your voice shaking just a little. “Just…leave me alone."
But of course, he didn’t. Instead, he took another step closer, reaching out to tilt your chin up so you had to look at him. His thumb brushed against your jaw, and you hated how good it felt, how much you wanted to lean into his touch even though you were mad as hell.
“Hey,” he said, his voice softer now, all teasing gone. “Talk to me. What’s going on?”
You sniffed, trying to pull away, but he wouldn’t let you. His grip was gentle but firm, and for some stupid reason, that only made the tears come faster.
“It’s nothing,” you mumbled, hating how weak you sounded. “Just…go back to your fan club, okay?”
His eyes searched yours, and for a moment, you saw something there, something that wasn’t just amusement. “Fan club?” he echoed, his brow furrowing slightly. 
“You mean that girl?”
You nodded, swallowing hard. “Yeah. That girl. You seemed pretty into her.”
He let out a low chuckle, but it wasn’t mocking. It was almost…gentle. “Sweetheart, you think I’m interested in her?”
You blinked, not trusting yourself to speak, so you just shrugged.
Rafe shook his head, his thumb still brushing your cheek. “Nah. I’m not. I was just…” He paused, a grin tugging at his lips. “I was just waiting to see how long it’d take you to get jealous.”
Your mouth dropped open. “You—what?”
He grinned, his eyes lighting up with mischief. “Oh, C'mon. You think I didn’t notice the way you were glaring at her? You looked like you wanted to rip her hair out.”
 “I did not,” you protested, but the redness in your cheeks betrayed you.
Rafe’s grin widened. “Yeah, you did. And I gotta admit…kinda hot seeing ya all riled up over me, sugar.”
“Shut up,” you muttered, but there was no heat in your voice now. It was hard to stay mad when he was looking at you like that, like you were the only person in the world.
He laughed softly, but then his expression softened, and he cupped your face with both hands, pulling you closer. “Hey,” he murmured, his voice low and serious now. “For the record, there’s no one else. Just you, okay?”
Your heart did a stupid little flip at his words, and you wanted to be mad, you really did. But instead, you just felt relief flood through you.
“Okay,” you whispered, and before you knew it, you were in his arms, his lips pressing against your forehead, his hands wrapping around you like he was never letting go.
“You don’t have to pretend you don’t care, you know,” he murmured against your hair. “I kind of like that you do.”
You sighed, finally letting yourself lean into him, burying your face in his chest. “I hate you,” you mumbled, but your arms were wrapping around him all the same.
He chuckled, pulling you even closer. “Nah, you don’t.”
And damn it, he was right.
Then, you shifted back a little, looking up at him. His face was closer than you’d realized, his breath warm against your skin. You could see every fleck of gold in his eyes, the way his lips curved slightly like he was trying not to smile too much.
"You’re an asshole, y'know that?" you whispered, but your voice came out softer than you meant it to.
He laughed, a low rumble that you felt in your chest more than heard. "Yeah. But you kinda like that about me, don't ya?"
There was no hiding the grin tugging at your lips. "You think you’re so charming."
"That's 'cause I am," he shot back, but his voice had this low, husky tone to it now. His gaze dropped to your lips, lingering there a beat too long. You could feel your heart speeding up. It was like everything slowed down in that moment.
Before you could overthink it, he leaned in. Slowly, like he was giving you a chance to pull away, his eyes locked on yours, searching, waiting for any sign that you didn’t want this. But you did. More than anything, you wanted this.
So, you didn’t move. You let him come closer, closer until you could feel the warmth of his lips brushing against yours, so light at first it was barely there. A soft, testing touch, like he was still making sure this was okay. And then, when you didn’t pull back, he pressed his lips fully to yours.
It was gentle at first, careful, his hands still cupping your face, his thumbs brushing over your cheeks like he was memorizing every inch of you. You could taste the faint hint of beer on his lips, feel the scratch of his stubble against your skin, you felt something sweet, something that was just him.
You kissed him back, tentatively at first, but then something in you snapped. You sighed against his mouth, a soft, involuntary sound, and that was all it took for him to deepen the kiss. His tongue brushed against your lower lip, asking for permission, and you granted it without thinking, opening to him, meeting him halfway.
All the tension, all the months of pretending you didn’t feel anything, it all spilled out at once. You wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him closer, your fingers threading through his hair, deepening the kiss.
Rafe groaned softly, his hands moving to your waist, pulling you flush against him. And you kissed him back just as fiercely, letting yourself feel every bit of it. When you broke apart for just a second, gasping for air, but he didn’t go far. His lips hovered over yours, his breath warm, his eyes dark and intense, like he was seeing straight through you.
"God," he whispered, his voice ragged, "I’ve wanted to do that for so long."
You didn’t even have time to say something before he captured your mouth again, this time slower, deeper, like he wanted to savor every second. His hands were everywhere now—one in your hair, the other sliding down to the small of your back, holding you like he was never going to let go.
You broke apart again, both of you panting, his forehead pressed against yours. “Fuck,” he breathed out, a smile spreading across his face. "You sure you don't hate me?"
You laughed, breathless, your heart hammering against your ribs. "Maybe just a little," you teased, but there was no hiding the smile that was stretching across your face, the way your fingers still tangled in his hair, like you couldn’t let go.
He chuckled, leaning in to steal another quick kiss, softer this time, sweet and playful. "Well, I can live with that." he murmured against your lips.
And as he kissed you again, you realized that maybe you could, too.
214 notes · View notes
briarberrythornedhart · 2 months
Text
Well... That’s Settled
Cw: none. Just fluff and eventual romance
It’s Saturday. A rare Saturday where you and your co-worker Eddie both aren’t working.
You knock on Eddie’s front door. Waiting a bit and hearing nothing. You knock again.
You hear “Coming. Shit! Fuck! Coming!! shit shit… Hold your gaddam horses” from Eddie— kinda muffled.
He opens the door with a scowl … and a glint catches your eye. A sewing needle in his mouth. He pulls the needle from between his teeth, it is trailing black thread. His scowl is softening into mild surprise.
“Oh it’s you??” He says
“It’s me. You…are... sewing ?? something?”
“Got a new patch for my vest at the show last weekend.” He holds up a black patch that says ‘Sloppy Seconds’ on it. “What’s up?”
“You said you were off today, and you could help me??? But your phone was busy… and probably I should have waited but it’s nearly eleven…”
“Nono, it’s cool, c’mon in.” He holds the screen door for you with his palm, fingers spread wide. “You are always welcome at Casa Munson. Didn’t think you’d take me up on my offer s’all.”
“But, Eddie Munson, you’re my only hope.” You did your best Leia Organa and Eddie grinned at you in acknowledgement of your effort.
“So you’re saying I’m a space wizard??” He fished for the compliment with typical cocky swagger.
“I’ve seen you use the Force on people with weak minds.” You wiggled your fingers in the air.
“When?? When have I ever done that?” He laughed.
You imitated Eddie’s midwestern accent that had that Munson Family brand Tennessee honey drizzled on it. “Golly, Officer, I didn’t think I was speeding. Oh - Keith, you said you didn’t want me to close on Tuesday, you personally want to walk the deposit to the bank, remember. Nah, you don’t need to roll to detect cursed objects right now after picking up that innocent looking pendant ...?”
“Well.. my magic doesn’t work on you, anyway.” He wryly pursed his lips.
It does though. It always does.
You watch him put the needle into a pin cushion that looked like a tomato and he laid his project aside.
He bends over the couch arm to do this and you can see the bit of un-inked skin above his gray boxers where his shirt rides up and his jeans ride low.
You can see the nice curve of his butt where one of the pockets is torn and his boxers show there too and you wish to hell he wanted you back.
You sigh. That would be so nice.
He stands and looks at you with his eyebrows raised in query. “What??”
So you change the subject. “Why don’t you put patches on your jeans? They are rapidly becoming more hole than fabric. Denim isn’t supposed to be... lace.”
He grins again. “That’s just air conditioning for my knees. S’very practical.”
“Including the hole on your left ass cheek - that’s for air circulation too, is it?”
His eyes widened. He runs his hand down his butt, fingers dipping into the hole. “Shiiiiit, why didn’t anyone tell me??”
“Presumably because we were all enjoying it?” You suggested playfully.
His eyes snap to yours. “Enjoying what? Me, looking like a total dork??”
“It’s called deshibile - it’s very fashionable.”
“What are you even talking about?? You're so... aggravating sometimes, I swear to gawd!” Eddie jogs down the hallway and you follow. He tries to get a good look in the mirror by his custom Warlock - she’s so pretty - but he calls her ‘Sweetheart’ - lucky tart. “ How long were these jeans ripped to hell on my ass??!! I only have two pairs - so - you saw!! You totally saw this yesterday and you didn’t even say....”
“Your boxers are keeping you decent - you just have a ripped pocket. It’s fine - You look fine. Why do you care? Keith doesn’t care about ripped pants - like - you wear shoes to work... so you are one up on Argyle with the flip flops. Now if you went commando, that might be a problem.”
He is running his hands through his hair. “I can’t afford more jeans right now... fuuuuuuck.”
“You have sewing supplies right here - You just need another patch, Eddie - from older jeans or an old t-shirt... it would barely show - until our next pay day and then we could go thrifting together? If you want?”
“Yeah.... yeah... sorry - just went to that concert and I shouldn’t have because we needed a plumber last week and money’s tight.”
You nodded. Money is always tight. The job pays you both very little. You know why you stay (to see Eddie) - but you don’t know why Eddie doesn’t get a better job.
“Hey - I’m sorry, I said you were ‘aggravating’, man, I-I didn't mean it - I mean, you do Drive Me Insane, but I guess I kinda like it... how we joke around.” Eddie leaned his forehead into the mirror - closed his eyes. “You’re a good friend, you know?? And... and I promised to help you out. But, I kinda forget what with??”
“Because I didn’t say. Because it’s a secret.”
“Oh! Covert mission, huh?” Eddie turned with - well it wasn’t elegance but it was beautiful just the same. He clapped his large hands together and rubbed them up and down with glee. “What are we up to?”
“I’m making a mix tape. For a guy I like. And I know you have the perfect set up to record on.”
“For a guy??”
“Yeah - I’m into them - dudes - in general.” you snarked. “Girls aren’t out of the question , but I do tend to go for...”
“I know-ah. I mean. You wanna use my equipment - and my music, I assume??”
“Some of it.” You nodded at Eddie. Eddie has a great music collection.
“My stuff... To court some loser...”
“He’s not a loser. He’s perfect.”
“No guy is perfect, I guarantee you.”
“He’s handsome. He’s kind and generous. He’s funny... on purpose. He has these lips...”
“Stop - I do not want to hear about his lips. Where’d you even meet him? At...”
“You know - around Hawkins...” You cut him off before he can ask ‘at work?’ and you’d have to come up with some crazy lie.
“You sure he’s single?? Maybe he’s dating half of Hawkins?? Maybe he’s gay?” Eddie is not looking at you - he’s flipping through records in a milk crate.
“Maybe he is all of those things - or he’s not into me at all - or maybe he’s not into anyone - that’s why I’m making the mix. I can tell him I like him in the j-card and in the musical subtext - if he’s not into me and can never be - we can just be friends. I’ll die a little, but that’s okay - every day we die a little more, right?”
“Morbid. But, accurate.” Eddie turned back to you. “Okay - I said I’d help you and I’ll help you - but we are making two mix tapes. One to express your interest in this guy - who probably doesn’t deserve you by the way. And one for you. Just for you. Deal?” He asks this like he’s the one convincing you of this project. Your idea - your excuse to spend time with Eddie - as much as you can finagle.
“Deal.” You go to shake on it and Eddie stops and spits in his right palm first. He checks you to see if you are grossed out. By his saliva?? No. Opposite really. “So - not a blood pact?” You kid and spit as delicately as you can into your palm - hold it out for him as brave as you can be. He grins, shakes it. You try not to think about your spit combined on your hands. Fail utterly at that.
“Okay... tell me about this Paragon of ‘Manly’ Virtue...” Eddie rolls his eyes.
“You said you didn’t want to hear about his kissable lips, his pretty eyes, his nice ass...”
“God! Stop - I didn’t know you were so fucking horny!! I meant his musical tastes.”
“He’s beautiful and I am an appreciator of his physical attributes. He’s not just a piece of meat though... he’s also got a great voice... and he’s very clever...”
“And you’re what - gonna only put really horned up slutty music on this tape and probably sleep with him immediately - you Can’t!! I mean, don’t - he might have crabs or something. You gotta be more careful.”
“He’s probably not going to like me back, but if he asks me on a date I’ll be sure to ask him point blank if he has crabs, first thing.”
“I’m just sayin’ maybe get to know him a bit before you offer your... body.”
“Okay - noted - Hmmm - ‘Horned up Slut Music’ What’s that filed under in your milk crates system ‘H’ or “S’?? Wait - did you just mean SKA?”
Eddie pushed into your shoulder with his, playfully, and was unusually quiet for a while. Picking up records and tapes and showing you song titles. Gently steering you away from anything that sounded like a Direct proposition for sex with the ‘mystery guy’.
Finally stopping you. “Now you’ve got 97 minutes of music, you’ve got to edit.”
“I thought we were making two mix tapes?’
“I’m making the second one. You have enough on your mind with mr. wonderful. When he breaks your heart you can listen to my mix and cry on my shoulder, and I’ll go kick his ass sideways.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I wouldn’t ask you to do that.” You looked down in your lap.
Eddie put two fingers under your chin and lifted your eyes to meet his. “Is he...like... is he so much better than me?” His voice broke a bit on the end.
You couldn’t speak - why wouldn’t words come out??
Eddie sounded put out but his eyes weren’t mad. “Like, other than the lips and the ass... or whatever - what’s he got that I don’t?”
You kinda... launched into his lap. You absolutely kissed him with tongue right off.
Eddie scootched like a crab into his bed - pulling you with him. Kissing you back.
“Am I a close second? You could settle for me, I’m kinda okay with that, considering the kiss you just laid on me didn’t feel like second prize.” Eddie looked so sweetly befuddled. “I do not have crabs and I’m not secretly dating anyone and I’ve been into you since day one.”
“Eddie, you are the guy.”
He blinked.
“You made me a mix?” Eddie’s pretty eyes got a twinkle in them. “But the messaging is so vague - how will I know if you are really attracted to me when you didn’t use any music to indicate a deep lust for my person.”
“You’ll just have to read the j-card.” You teased back.
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ereardon · 7 days
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Before I Knew [Jake Seresin x Reader] Chapter Seventeen
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A Jake Seresin unexpected pregnancy fic
Overview: On your first night after moving to San Diego to spend more time with your brother Bob, you unknowingly have a one night stand with his teammate Jake Seresin. For the first time in his whole life, Bob has a closely knit friend group and you’re desperate not to rock the boat. But an unexpected and unplanned pregnancy upends your world, forcing you and Jake closer together, against Bob’s wishes. What will happen when you find yourself actually falling for the father of your unborn child? 
Pairing: Jake Seresin x Reader; Bob Floyd x Sister!Reader 
Warnings: Pregnancy, cursing, smut, angst
Chapter summary: Ducky and Jake rekindle their physical romance
WC: 1.6K
Masterlist here; previous chapter here
You fiddled with the strap of your dress. 
You felt silly. You had felt silly buying it – a silky midi dress that dipped low in the back with a folded cowl neck, a slit up the side that let you move seamlessly. 
And the fact that it was a deep, savory red. Like Jake had requested. 
You left your hair down, and applied a thin layer of pale pink lipstick, fingers shaking as you slipped on a pair of kitten heels, taking a deep breath before exiting your bedroom. 
Jake swiveled as soon as he heard the door creak open, green eyes wide with excitement. 
“Damn,” he whispered. 
You shook your head. “Stop.” 
“Woman, you’re hot, let me at least fawn over you for a moment.” 
“I’m wearing two pairs of underwear that go all the way to my boobs.” 
He grinned. “Stop trying to turn me on.”
You held out your hand and Jake took it, wrapping his warm fingers around yours. “Come on mama. Got a surprise.” 
***
Jake’s surprise was a restaurant where they put the tables in the ocean, so your feet dangled in the water. You laughed as he bent down, hiking up the edges of his pants before pulling your heels off, one by one. 
“Well?” he asked, taking a sip of his martini. Your mouth watered for gin as you opted for sparkling water. 
“This is just an excuse for you to show me your calves, isn’t it?” You nodded toward his rolled up trousers. 
He flexed his toes, forcing his calf muscles to contract. “You know it.” 
“It’s perfect.” 
“So you’ve got a foot AND calf fetish? I learn something new every day.” 
“Is this where you take all the ladies? Make them fall in love with your sexy legs?” 
Jake nodded. “Yes it is. And then on a second date I wear those cargo pants where they zip off under the knee to really get in a good show.” 
You tilted your head. “I mean it, Jake. Is this your spot? How many times have you brought girls here?” 
“Including tonight?” You nodded. “Once.” 
“Be serious.” 
“I am.” He reached across the table, folding his fingers over yours. “Nothing about being with you is like anything I’ve done before.” 
“So you don’t have ten baby mamas running around San Diego?” 
Jake slipped his fingers between yours, the heel of your palm resting on the cold table. It took every ounce of courage you had to look up at him. His face was soft, golden. 
And honest. 
“There’s no one else,” he whispered. “Not now. And I don’t think there will ever be anyone else.” 
“You can’t say that for sure.” 
“Maybe I can.” 
***
“Have you told mom?” 
You frowned from the passenger seat. “No. Did you?” 
Bob shook his head tightly, turning back to face the road. “No. But you should. You can’t hide it forever.” 
“We both know she doesn’t leave Tennessee. No chance she’s going to surprise us here.” 
“She deserves to know, Ducky.” 
You huffed, crossing your arms over your chest, which was getting harder by the day. “Do we have time to stop for a milkshake?” 
“I see you changing the topic. And yes, if we’re quick. I told Sena I’d pick her up for dinner.” 
“Is it serious?” you asked as Bob pulled into the drive thru and ordered your favorite – a vanilla milkshake, extra whipped cream. The baby flopped around inside of your stomach, expectantly.
“I like her a lot,” he whispered. 
“I want you to be happy, Bobby,” you replied, laying a hand on his arm. 
He turned to you. “That’s all I want for you, too, Ducky.” 
“So give Jake a chance?” 
He grunted. “I don’t know why you had to choose Hangman of all people to have a baby with.” 
“Choice makes it sound planned,” you said, unfurling the straw from its paper confines and taking a frosty sip. “And he’s a good guy. I’d like for you to give him a chance.” 
“I think you forget he was my friend first.” 
“Friend? More like enemy.” 
“Whatever.” 
“Not whatever. Jake is going to be in your life, for the rest of time. Unless you’re walking away from us.” You placed your hands on your belly. 
Bob slid the car into stop at the red light and turned to you. “Walking away from you is the last thing I’m ever going to do.” 
“Then you need to figure out how to be OK with Jake being in our lives.” 
“Fine,” he replied through gritted teeth, pulling into the intersection and taking a left. “I’ll try.” 
“Are you ever going to tell me why the two of you have beef?” 
Bob refused to match your gaze. “That’s something Jake should tell you.” 
***
“Ow, ow, ow!” You rolled over, lifting the hem of your camisole. “Honey, please, I’m trying to sleep. Kick me tomorrow after I’ve had breakfast, alright?” 
Despite the fact that you knew from the books that babies develop ears by ten weeks, your daughter decided she was already having a teenage meltdown and wouldn’t listen. That’s how you found yourself pacing around the living room at three in the morning, hands rubbing your belly methodically. 
You were so caught up in the incessant kicking that you didn’t even hear Jake’s door open. “Y/N?” 
He stood in the doorway to the living room, rubbing one eye, ridiculous six-pack on full display in just a pair of gray sweats. 
“What’s wrong?” 
“Can’t sleep,” you huffed. “She’s kicking me.” 
“That’s a good thing, right?” 
“She’s treating my ribcage like it’s a goal and she’s Mia Hamm. No Jake, at this very moment, it’s not great.” 
“Here, sit down and I’ll make you some tea.” 
You sat down on the couch, wiggling left and right to try and get comfortable. Jake emerged a few minutes later, holding out a warm cup of peppermint tea that you sipped on gently, letting the steam open your pores. 
“What can I do?” he asked. 
“Distract me.” 
“With what?” 
“A story.” You flinched. “Anything. Your favorite vacation. Favorite ice cream flavor. Best sex.” 
“Greece, I was fifteen. Chocolate peanut butter. You.” 
You threw a pillow at him. “I’m serious!” 
He laughed. “Maybe I am, too. Did you ever think of that?” 
You frowned, the laughter dying in the air. “It was one time, Jake.” 
“Two times if I remember correctly.” You rolled your eyes. “And I think it means more when you care about someone.” 
“We didn’t even know each other.” 
“Well now I know you,” he said quietly. “And that makes it the best in my book.” 
Finally, the baby stopped kicking. You signed with relief, practically euphoric. “Oh my God, thank you.” 
“You’re welcome for the great sex.” 
You flopped back onto the couch. “Shut up. She stopped kicking. I can finally sleep.” 
“You should go back to bed.” 
“I can’t move. I’m a whale with no legs.” 
Before you could even protest, Jake had his fingertips rolled beneath your hips and lower back, tugging you into his arms as if you weighed five pounds. His green eyes never left yours as he carried you silently through the apartment, pressing open the door with his foot, setting you down gently on your queen-sized bed. 
There was a moment where Jake removed his fingertips from beneath you, but his golden face was hovering close enough. You reached out, threading your fingers into his hair, tugging him in closer, pressing his lips to yours. He practically groaned into your mouth as you slid your tongue between his lips. Jake’s hands slipped down, running over your bare arms, one hand palming your breast over your silky tank top. 
Before you could even think, you rolled over on top of Jake, straddling his hips, hands pressed against his bare chest. His fingertips found your hips, holding you in place. 
“God, you’re beautiful.” 
“I’m enormous.” 
Jake shook his head. “No, you’re fucking gorgeous.” He paused. “Can I?” 
You nodded and he lifted the hem of your shirt, pressing his large, warm hands against the stretched expanse of your belly. You watched his eyes widen as he traced across your stomach, holding you. 
“Jake?” 
“Yeah?” 
“Touch me.” 
He frowned. “I am?” 
“Touch me.”
His eyes turned into saucers. Gently, you rolled off of Jake, settling back against the mattress. He slid his lips across your throat. “Where do you want me baby?” 
“Everywhere.” 
You let out a breathy moan as Jake slid further down the bed, nails scraping gently at your skin as he tugged your silky shorts down your legs, exposing your wet core. And the second you felt his mouth against you, both of your legs thrown over his shoulders, his hands gripping your hips, holding you down, you let go. Gave in to the waves of pleasure as Jake’s tongue worked you to a high, your moan delving into a screech as you came across his face, your hands threaded into his hair, holding him close. 
“Oh my God.” 
Jake grinned, his hands still holding your thighs apart. Slowly, he pushed himself onto his knees, your legs falling to either side of him. You could see, easily, through his sweatpants to how hard he was. It made your insides squeeze. 
“I’m scared,” you whispered. 
“Why are you scared?” 
“What if it feels different?” you asked. “Or God forbid the baby feels it.” You paused. “Or you hate having sex with me when I’m this huge.” 
To your surprise, he leaned forward, pressing his lips to your belly. “It might be different,” he said softly. “I read that one book and it didn’t say anything about the baby being able to feel it, so don’t think you’re traumatizing our kid this early.” You smiled. “As for you? You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever known. Now more than ever.” 
“You’re just saying that to get into my nonexistent pants.” 
He shook his head. “Believe whatever you want, Y/N. But deep down, I know that you know I’m into you.” 
“Go slow, OK?” 
You had been so drunk the first time you and Jake slept together. Even now, it only came in small, fragmented waves of memory. 
This time, everything was different. The way he held your hip gently as he eased himself against your folds, the nudge of his cock against your entrance, your small gasp as he pushed himself inside, bare, for the first time in however many months. 
How gentle Jake was as he pressed against your walls, making sure you were comfortable before reaching down, sliding your butt closer toward him, his length hitting against your front wall, causing you to groan. 
It was the way Jake held your hand above your head as he pumped inside of you, slowly, methodically, his lips hot against your throat, his other arm wrapped around your back, holding you close. 
When you came around him, his eyes were glued on yours, his mouth open in a wail as he let himself go inside of you, thrusting hard, twice, before his chest was heaving, fingertips still gripping your hips tightly. 
The two of you lay on top of the bed covers, sweat drying across your skin. You turned to Jake, pressing one hand against his cheek. “Before we do this again,” you whispered, “before anything else happens, I need you to tell me something.” 
He frowned. “Anything.” 
“What happened between you and Bobby?” 
Jake froze. 
Please follow my library page @ereardonlibrary as that will largely serve as my tag list. Anyone I previous promised to tag is here:
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eyesthatroll · 11 months
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my love, mine all mine | quinn hughes
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pairing: qh43 x fem!reader
warning(s): kissing, established relationship, nothing else i think. barely edited
summary: a lil somethin’ i wrote while listening to my love mine all mine by mitski
word count: 1.5k
author’s note: i am the most tired i have ever been right now and i have to get up in an hour or two for a ten hour shift 😔 but i hope you enjoy this lil number, it’s my first time writing for quinn n i hope i did alright. as usual, sending my love. go canucks! —mari
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Yawning softly, you nestled yourself deeper into Quinn's warm embrace, allowing your eyelids to gently shut as you turned your back to the crackling fire. The animated conversation among the boys continued, the sound providing a soothing backdrop to the peaceful moment. Quinn's right hand moved in soothing circles on your back, while his other hand held onto a half-finished beer, the cool glass a stark contrast to the warmth you found in his arms.
During the sporadic lulls in the conversation, the mellowness of country music, Jack's choice, enveloped the space. The soulful chords of "Tennessee Whiskey" by Chris Stapleton, dominating the atmosphere. As you rested against Quinn's comforting presence, he quietly hummed along with the song, his voice adding a subtle layer to the music just low enough for only you to hear. Your fingers aimlessly toyed with the drawstring of his gray sweatpants, a futile effort to battle the creeping fatigue that had been amplified by the day's events. You were determined not to squander the night by retiring early, as the impending end of summer loomed overhead, casting a bittersweet shadow as it heralded the departure of everyone you loved, including your boyfriend of nine months.
Lowering his head, Quinn tenderly places a kiss on your forehead, his affectionate gesture infused with fondness and adoration. His hushed voice carries a gentle suggestion as he speaks to you, "Why don't you go up to bed, Baby-Doll?"
In response, you lightly shake your head, brushing aside his words. "I'm okay."
He doesn't press further, recognizing that your decision to head to bed will likely come only when he joins you. Nevertheless, he doesn't mind this compromise. Every moment in your embrace is precious to him, particularly with the imminent knowledge that in a week, he'll be heading back to Vancouver while you remain here. He keeps his inner turmoil hidden, unwilling to burden you with his feelings, but the strain of a long-distance relationship is slowly taking a toll. With your final year of university on the horizon, he hopes that you might consider moving to Vancouver with him, yet he's well aware of the magnitude of that request and the challenge it poses to both of you, so he's yet to bring it up.
Quinn spends the next twenty minutes or so caught in his head, his thoughts consumed by you and the possible future you might share. He absentmindedly nods at whatever topics the boys are discussing, their voices blending into a background hum as he drifts through his contemplations. In his mind, he envisions the two of you sharing a home, the two of you building a family together, and he can't help but smile at the idea, even if it remains unsaid in the midst of the casual banter.
"What do you think, Q?" Trevor asks, raising a beer to Quinn from across the flickering fire pit, where the warm glow dances in the darkness.
Quinn blinks, momentarily drawn from his reverie. "Huh?"
The group shares a collective chuckle, their laughter adding to the background melody of the evening. "Another beer, you want one?" Josh offers, extending a cold bottle towards Quinn.
A sudden hush fell over the group as they waited for his answer, emphasizing the gentle, rhythmic snores that escaped your lips. You looked utterly enchanting, cocooned in an old, oversized Michigan sweater of his, your delicate features half-hidden beneath your tousled curls. The dancing firelight painted your silhouette with warm, flickering hues, casting a soft, otherworldly glow around you.
In that poignant moment, as he looked down at you, all Quinn yearned for was to steal you away to your shared room. Just the two of you, wrapped in the comforting embrace of the warm duvet. He offered a tired smile. "No, actually, gonna call it for the night." The murmured words sounded like a gentle promise to both himself and the alluring vision before him.
You had always been a notoriously light sleeper, a trait Quinn found endearing. It was, therefore, a genuine surprise to him that you didn't stir the moment he scooped you into his arms and began carrying you into the house. However, as he carefully closed the screen door behind him, its echo resonated through the stillness of the house, and you stirred to consciousness. Blinking your eyes open, an expression of confusion graced your features as you tried to make sense of your surroundings. Your voice, soft and laden with sleep, slipped through your lips. "Quinn?"
"Goin' to bed, Baby-Doll," Quinn replies simply, his gaze momentarily fixated on you before he turns his attention to the path ahead, ensuring a safe ascent up the stairs with you in his arms.
He gently sets you down on the bed, and you flop back dramatically, savoring the comforting embrace of the sheets against your back, releasing a contented moan. Quinn chuckles at your playful display, beginning to shed his day clothes. And as much as you admired his physique, you spring out of bed, heading towards the en-suite bathroom, your intention to quickly wash your face and brush your teeth.
Soft footsteps echo through the bathroom as Quinn follows you inside, his tall and muscular frame comfortably settled in nothing but his boxers. The intimate setting feels soothing, and he joins you at the sink, standing side by side as you begin to brush your teeth.
You sneak a peek at him from the corner of your eye, and a playful glint in your eyes prompts you to initiate a playful toothpaste battle. Quinn's eyes widen as you start flicking tiny drops of toothpaste toward him, and he quickly retaliates, with laughter filling the room. Soon, both of you are playfully dueling with your toothbrushes, smirking and giggling like teenagers.
After the impromptu skirmish, Quinn doesn't put up any resistance when you give him your best puppy-dog eyes and plead for the privilege of conducting your nighttime skincare routine on him.
A comfortable silence envelops you both, the bathroom's soft lighting casting a warm, intimate glow. Perched on the bathroom counter, you have Quinn standing between your legs, your feet just barely wrapped around him. With gentle motions, you apply moisturizer to his flushed skin, your fingers caressing his cheeks with care.
Quinn's gaze is fixed on you, his eyes locked onto your face with an intensity that doesn't go unnoticed. As you work the moisturizer into his skin, you can't help but sense a subtle tension in his furrowed brows, a hint that something might be bothering him. You break the tranquil silence, your teeth grazing over your bottom lip, a nervous habit surfacing. "Are you okay?" You ask, your voice tender with concern, your eyes searching his for answers.
His response comes swiftly, as if he's been waiting for the right moment to share his thoughts. "You graduate this year," Quinn replies, his voice carrying a mixture of pride and a touch of uncertainty.
Your smile beams at him, and you gently place your hands on his strong shoulders, a gesture of reassurance. "I do," you affirm with a nod.
Quinn lets out a deep, contemplative breath, his hand instinctively moving up to run through his unruly, dark brown hair. His lips part and close a couple of times, as if he's grappling with the words he wants to convey, caught in a moment of indecision.
Your sudden, sweet kiss catches him off guard, his initial surprise giving way to a warm, affectionate response. Before he can fully process the gesture, you've already withdrawn, leaving a subtle, bashful grin dancing on your lips. "What's on your mind, My Love?"
He exhales another sigh, his tongue moistening his lower lip in contemplation before he voices his admittance. "I can't stand this long-distance thing."
Your lips contort into a pained frown, and an instinctive retreat pushes you further away from him, your back connecting with the mirror's cool surface. "Are you breaking up with me?" Your voice quivers at the fear of Quinn ending things so suddenly.
His eyes widen in alarm, a rapid motion closing the gap between you as he firmly grasps your waist, pulling you back into his comforting proximity. "No, no, baby, I'm not saying that at all." He emphasizes with a reassuring tone.
Relief floods your entire being, a soothing balm to your anxieties as the erratic thud of your heart settles back into its regular rhythm.
"What would you think about moving in with me, in Vancouver after you graduate?" His head tilts to the side, a distressed look on his face as tries to gage your reaction.
You crush your lips against his once more, the fervor of your kiss matching the intensity of your emotions. A delighted grin creeps across his face as your hands weave their way into his hair. Your mouths mold together in a harmonious dance, each movement executed in perfect synchronization. A subtle exploration ensues as you lightly trace your tongue across his bottom lip, coaxing it between your teeth, which elicits a throaty moan from him. With his defenses down, he grants you access, and your tongues engage in a sensual tango, his fingers pressing into your side involuntarily.
Breathlessly, you break apart from him. "I thought you'd never ask."
904 notes · View notes
ellielatinagf · 6 months
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Ellie Williams in Covid head cannons
Sooooo this is just a small idea I had because I’ve never seen anyone else do this soooooooo. Our poor girly in yet another epidemic. Love you all!
Warnings: a tiny bit nsfw content, cursing, for the girls only pleaseee, lmk if there’s anything else
Was absolutely thrilled when everyone was advised to stay inside because she’s such an antisocial loser untilllllll she saw how everyone was rapidly spreading the disease. She’s low key a germaphobe.
Totally had a YouTube channel which consisted of her recording herself doing nothing but laying on the couch with you watching tv. Her only subscribers were Jesse, Joel, and Dina and some rando from Tennessee.
She found a new obsession every week and now the garage is filled with boxes of old paintings, crochet chickens, and diy art stuff.
Had ranked every Ramen noodle flavor from best to worst
Absolutely freaked OUT when you got Covid from your job and she ended up sleeping over at Joel’s. She actually refused to come back untill you showed her how you deep cleaned the whole house.
Ellie on FaceTime
Ellie: wait babe lemme see right there on the dresser
You: Ellie I literally wiped it down twice
Ellie: well I didn’t see it
Tried to make cookies one time and thought they were perfect and crispy around the edges. They really tasted like chips and she got mad when you laughed and claimed you never take her seriously.
Okay I’m sorry but she was a horny monster like cmon she was in the house all day with you like how can she not.
Had an obsession with the Big Bang theory and made you watch it with her and explained all the science stuff which she knew for the most part. On the ones she didn’t know she’d yap about it till you looked it up and she’d gaslight you into thinking she was right.
You: “Umm babe google says……”
Ellie: “that’s literally what I was saying”
She was at Joel’s house one time helping him make more guitars. She accidentally cut herself and when you demanded she go to the hospital which she was terrified of because of all the Covid patients getting her sick she went like this
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“Hold on babe i watched greys anatomy”
Fell victim to the meme pages all in her camera roll that were like this
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Hated zoom meetings but she’d be the type to hold her phone on the screen and watch those Roblox Tik toks.
I know i already said she was a fortnite god but that girl watched every single fortnite concert at the time and made sure you were right there with her and she made sure to clip the whole thing even though when watching the clip back her and Jesse were yelling their asses off. She loved season three of fortnite.
Ellie: “ HURRY UP BABE TRAVIS SCOTT IS GONNA PREFORM OH MY GOD JESSE WHERE ARE YOU!!!”
Ellie hated when people overstocked at the grocery store meanwhile she did the exact same thing because she was paranoid and it came in hand since you guys wouldn’t need to go grocery shopping for at least a week and a half
Ellie also discovered games with an emotional storyline like Detroit becomes human, red dead redemption, resident evil, ect. And had a phase where she’d be all poetic and shit thinking she was Shakespeare, she got tired of talking like she was from the 1800s.
Ellie: “my love, your eyes, they remind me of a thousand sunsets…”
You: “did you take out the trash?”
She had all her favorite YouTubers and would watch them on the tv and she’d make you play among us with her because that was “the game of century” as she proclaimed.
She actually had a small mini breakdown because our poor girl found out Joel had Covid and remember that in the news it said older people were more at risk. The poor girl though Joel was gonna die and you laid in bed with Ellie who was sniffling and crying in your shirt while you rubbed her back. Those always calm her down. Then when Joel was better again she made you pinky promise not to tell anyone anything. But she did end up calling Joel more frequently.
You guys actually had spent a lot of time together and most couples who spent so much time together broke up and got bored and such and such but you two actually enjoyed you time together. You and Ellie would would go to an open park where no one was around and watch the sunset and talk about what your plans were after everything was back to normal. Ellie asked if you two could get a puppy and who can ever say no to those eyes and freckles cheeks?
Another thing you guys liked to do was spent all day in bed and cuddling. Now a lot of people will assume Ellie would be the big spoon and that can be true sometimes but the girl is a hugeeeeeee softie. She loved being the little spoon because she felt safe by feeling your soft breath ok her back or shoulder. And she’s hold a dinosaur plushie. Like always.
She cried when she watched videos of family’s finally being able to reunite or grandparents watching their families through a class. Who didn’t cry?
She loved playing just dance with you and she’d purposely pick a song where you both had to dance together because she never has the balls to ask you to dance to with her.
She had a little camcorder where she recorded almost everything in your lives at that point. You brushing your teeth, both of you eating cereal, having tickle fights, ect. What Ellie doesn’t know is that now you sometimes go to the camcorder and watch the old videos and she’d a tear here and there because you loved the memories.
Some how she was actually a beast at the toilet paper kick up challenge and got a good 14 kick ups.
You cannot tell me she didn’t buy those apple juices that actually founded like apples when you bit into them.
I lowkey just had an idea of what Ellie would be like at this time sooooo lmk what other hcs you guys might want! Also be sure to let me know if you’d like to be in the Taglists! Don’t forget to talk about Palestine guys! Free Palestine 🇵🇸 🇵🇸🇵🇸
Taglists: @vqxen @bready101 @lilylynne11 @Lively-blues @Yurixxiii @vampyangel @gato-chino @a-little-bit-of-everybody @abbysbraids
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Tennessee Whiskey - Jamie TarttxFem!Reader
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Tennessee Whiskey - Jamie Tartt x Fem!Reader 
Content : tenderness, flirting, friends to lovers, love triangle, jealousy 
Word Count : 1.7k
Plot Summary : Out at a quirky themed bar with the team, Jamie approaches the reader to apologize for what he deems as dickish behavior. Flirty words turn to a tender moment, but the reader doesn’t realize someone else is pining after her. 
A/N : This was a fun piece to write! Still on my Jamie Tartt bs, bc I love him so much. As always, pls like and reblog if you enjoy it, and let me know if you would possibly want a part 2??
Music drifted through the speakers in the tiny, hokey, Southern American themed bar, and you sighed, eyeing Ted and Beard singing along jovially. You took a sip of your sickeningly sweet sweet tea, just the way you liked it. You had come along to London with Ted and Beard to continue your job as their personal assistant. Let’s face it, they needed help keeping up with everything that needed to be kept track of, and you were the one for the job. Sure, you were younger, but you had proven yourself a capable office manager back in Kansas. 
Your view of the two men was obstructed by another, admittedly more handsome man. Jamie. Your breath hitches slightly, and you cover it with another sip of your drink. You had grown a friendship with the young player, and considered him someone you could go to for anything and everything. What Jamie didn’t know, however, is that you had deep feelings for him, and care about him more than anyone else. 
“Hi Jamie!” You chirp, setting your empty drink glass on the bar. Jamie peers at you, looking at the drink you had sat down. You rarely drank alcohol, so this was a rare form for you. You follow his gaze, snorting slightly. “It’s sweet tea, no alcohol. What brings you to my dingy little corner of the bar?” You ask, stepping a bit closer to him, feigning needing to hear him better. 
“I came to apologize.” He says, his lips close enough to brush your ear. You pull back, eyebrows knitting together out of concern. 
“Apologize for what?” You ask, going through every interaction you had with him recently, coming up short. “You’re worrying me, Jamie.” You say, studying his face. 
“I feel like I’ve been a prick lately, and I’m sorry. I’ve been stressed about the Man City game, and you know me dad-”
You hold up a hand to stop him. “Jamie, you haven’t been a dick to me at all, ok? I get that you’re stressed, and your dad sucks. But you haven’t been any less kind to me than you’ve always been.” The hand you held up moves to squeeze his hand. 
“You’re too good for me, love.” He says back, lifting your hand to his and kissing your knuckles slightly. You try to pretend that your heart didn’t skip a beat, and you just roll your eyes at him. 
“Please. You flatter me.” You wave your hand away, as if to say he needn’t mention it, that’s what friends are for. 
But Jamie moves closer to you, your torsos almost pressing into each other. In this dingy bar, the low light accentuates Jamie’s handsome features, and you gaze up at him, an eyebrow raised. 
“I really mean it. Even when I was bein’ a little prick all the time when you and Ted and Beard first got to Richmond, you were nothin’ but nice to me.” He shrugs. “And I never thanked you.” 
“You really don’t have to thank me, I’m glad I forced you to be my friend.” You flash a grin at him, which makes him laugh, looking away from you slightly while he absorbs your presence. When his gaze finds yours again, it’s considerably softer. 
“Darlin’, I was putty in your hands the first time you bossed me around.” You snort incredulously, and he laughs. “I was. You got on me arse about being on time and it kicked me into gear.” 
“You were stressing Ted out, and a stressed out Ted is a stressed out assistant.” You confirm. “Jamie.” You say, looking at him. “Did you really come to seek me out just to tell me you’re glad I yelled at you the first week we met?” 
“Of course not. I needed an excuse to come talk t’you.” He murmurs, absentmindedly tucking a piece of hair behind your ear. 
“You never need an excuse to be near me.” You breathe out, and you’re faintly aware of a slow, sweet country song playing in the background. You clear your throat, drawing back slightly from him, “I love this song,” you say, tucking your hair behind your ear and trying to change the subject at hand. 
"You're as smooth, as Tennessee whiskey, you're as sweet as strawberry wine..." the old jukebox plays, and you close your eyes a moment.
Jamie doesn’t respond, he takes your hand delicately and leads you to the small dance floor. Your heart pounds, wondering what this change in Jamie is all about. Of course, the two of you were friends. But he had never been so tender with you. You were usually the one giving hugs, patting hands, brushing hair away…did he actually mean to be this sweet and touchy-feely with you? Or was he drunk? Jamie draws you close, holding one of your hands to his chest while the other wraps around your waist. He rests his head against yours and murmurs something you can’t quite hear. 
“Hm?” You manage to squeak out, a little more high pitched than you meant to be. 
“I said, I always want to be near you. I know you only think of me as a friend, and I get it, but I wanted you…”He clears his throat, “wanted you to know.” He finishes. 
You pull your head back to look him in the eyes. “What makes you think I only think of you as a friend?” You say softly, raising an eyebrow. “Because I don’t.” 
Jamie knits his brows together. “You don’t?”
You can’t help but let out a laugh. “No! Why would you think that?” You look into his eyes again, and the sight of you making eye contact seems to instantly soften his gaze again. 
“Because you’re…well, you.” He says. “Always seemed too busy to get involved with an athlete, not to mention one that you’re friends with.” 
“I must be good at hiding the fact that I am desperately drawn to you, then.” You say, causing Jamie to smile and press a kiss to your temple. “Jamie.” You say. 
“Yea?” He responds, rocking the two of you gently to the music. 
“Kiss me.”
Nothing else needed to be said. Keeping a hold of your hand pressed to his chest, Jamie draws his face back to look at you. When he sees that you’re being serious, he presses his lips to yours. Slow, sweet, longing. You bring your free hand up to rest lightly at the back of his neck, and when he breaks the kiss, you keep it there. It’s intimate, familiar. 
Jamie pulls you close again, resting his head against yours. “I guess this makes us more’n friends, yea?” He whispers in your ear. 
You laugh, nodding along. “I guess so.” You reply, blushing happily as the two of you danced in the low light. 
“Good luck gettin’ rid of me, love.” He says playfully, peppering your face with kisses as you laugh. 
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A low growl escaped the burly man’s lips as he watched Tartt slowly spin you on the dancefloor.
You seemed to be deep in conversation, and he feels Ted and Beard both looking at him. 
He sighs, setting the beer bottle in his hand down on the bar with a clink signalling the cowboy hat clad bartender to swap it out with a fresh, full one. 
“I heard a growl there, Roy.” Says Ted, who then looks over Roy to catch Beard’s attention. “What’s got this one more riled than a junkyard dog, Coach?” Beard jerks his head towards you and Jamie, swaying slightly to the music, and Ted breaks into a smile. 
“Well hey, isn’t that nice?” Ted says, earning a glare from Roy. “By that look I’m collecting that you don’t think that’s nice.” He states. 
Roy just grunts again in response, lifting his bottle to his lips, his eyes watching you. 
Beard shrugs. “Seems like you might have a crush.” 
Ted nods knowingly. “Well, I could have told you that, Beard. You seen the way Roy looks at her when she comes into our office? Like she’s the sun, I’m telling ya.” 
“Oi, shut it, you two.” Roy interjects, “and don’t pretend I can’t see the sly look the two of you are about to give each other. I’m not in denial about it.” 
Ted and Beard look at Roy, waiting for him to finish his thoughts. Rushing him would just get them a “fuck off!”. So they had learned to wait. 
“The thing is- I know she’s special. And clearly Jamie does too. Clearly we have the same taste in women.” Roy grunts as he watches Jamie pull away to look you in the eyes. He clenches his jaw, trying not to appear more jealous than he already was. “She’s just…she’s great. And I like her, okay?” 
Ted and Beard exchange another look and Ted clears his throat slightly. “Listen Roy, we know she’s great. Wouldn’t know which way was up without her, but maybe you should actually try talking to her if you want her to like you.” 
“How do you mean? I talk to her!” Roy says indignantly. 
“Grunting in response to questions she asks you isn’t considered talking to her.” Beard chimes in, Ted nodding along and pointing to his long time friend. 
Roy isn’t listening though. He’s watching Jamie lean in and kiss you, your hand reaching to cradle the back of his neck. It felt like everything stopped. He didn’t realize just how much he liked you until he saw you happy with someone else. Thinking that should be him. And that made him feel like an utter prick. 
“Fuuuuuccckkkkk.” He groaned. This was not good. 
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tennessee-igetlow · 9 months
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obsessed with tennessee I get low at the moment, hence the username
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libraryofgage · 11 months
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Steddie PJO AU Part One
One (1) person asked for this, and it was only after I told them I'd had an idea, so, like, fuck it we ball.
The parents of the various kids will be revealed as the series goes on, but I'll look forward to your guesses along the way!
Also, I haven't read the books in a hot fucking minute, but the trailer has had me in a chokehold. This is written more for fun than anything else, so just shut off your brain and enjoy the ride without thinking about accuracy. You'll love it, I promise!
As always, if you see any typos no you didn't ;)
---
With a low, frustrated growl, Eddie tears a page out of his notebook, crumples it into a ball, and throws it on the floor of his tent. All he gets for his troubles is another page of lyrics underneath the first that fail to actually do what he wants. "Fucking shit prophecy," he mutters, tearing that page out, too.
It hits the ground right as Chrissy pokes her head into the tent. She watches it bounce once before settling on the ground. "How's the songwriting?" she jokes, letting the tent's flap fall shut behind her.
"Bad," Eddie says, dropping the notebook and standing. He glares at the paper balls and kicks one away. "Just as bad as the prophecy itself."
"Aww, it's not that bad," Chrissy says, walking a little closer and playfully punching Eddie's arm. Her smile is bright enough to make Eddie feel like he needs sunglasses, and that isn't even because Chrissy's father is Apollo. That's just all her. "At least your prophecy doesn't promise, you know, horrible death."
Eddie scoffs, turning to look at Chrissy as he gestures at his Def Leppard shirt and torn jeans and chunky rings and general metalhead vibe. "Do I look like someone who should be getting that prophecy?" he asks.
He doesn't wait for her to answer before scrunching his face and reciting in a high, mocking voice, "You shall witness an unfair fight between land and sky where feathers with great reluctance fly. And as the sun is shining bright, you shall be swaying in the moon's sweet light."
By the time he's done, he's clasped his hands and held them up to his face with an exaggerated doe-eyed expression. Eddie drops it the moment he finishes, his nose scrunching in disgust as he rolls his eyes. "I have a reputation to uphold, Chrissy."
She doesn't take his complaints seriously. Instead, Chrissy rolls her eyes and sits on the edge of Eddie's cot. "Sure, sure, you're too cool for anything good to happen to you. Still, you might be better off if you didn't try turning that prophecy into something angry."
Eddie huffs, kicks another paper ball, and drops to a crouch next to the cot. After a few seconds, he begrudgingly admits, "Yeah, maybe."
Chrissy sympathetically pats his head, her touch warm and light, and smiles at him. "In other news, we've got another retrieval request for you," she says.
"Oh, boy, work."
"C'mon, you enjoy them," Chrissy says, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a folded piece of paper. "A cyclops sighted some demigod kids running around with, well, she wasn't sure if he was also a demigod or not. But they won't be safe long when they're clustered together like that, so, go bring 'em back."
She passes Eddie the piece of paper and watches as he unfolds it and frowns at the two words written there: "Athens, Tennessee."
"Are you kidding me? That's so cliche," Eddie says.
"Yeah, but at least it's not California or something."
"Thank fuck for small miracles," Eddie mutters, folding up the paper again and shoving it into his pocket.
Looks like he's got packing to do.
The sun is shining, birds are tweeting, and a cool wind is blowing across the park. Steve lets out a slow breath, his shoulders starting to relax as he leans against a tree and watches Will and Lucas lay out a few blankets, Mike and Dustin get into an argument about the scale proportions of the Parthenon, and Max, Erica, and El throw a frisbee between them.
It's been a long month, one that seemed to be filled with more running and near-death experiences than they're used to. And they're used to a lot of running and near-death experiences.
So, taking a day to just relax in the park sounded great when El suggested it, but Steve had still hesitated. Who knows what could find them if they linger in a park too long. When he voiced these concerns, the kids just banded together to convince Steve, and he relented when they compromised on him bringing the nail bat along.
"Steve, do you wanna lay down?" Lucas asks, gesturing to the blankets. Will is already there, stretched out and smiling up at a rainbow stretching across the sky.
Steve joins them, pulls a Bluetooth speaker out of one of the backpacks holding the blankets down, and connects his phone. Music starts playing, and he sprawls across a blanket, pillowing his head on his arms and taking in the sunshine. "You know, this is nice," he says.
"Yeah. We should do this more often," Will whispers, nearly drowned out by the grass rustling in the breeze.
Between the breeze and the music, Steve starts to drift off, his breathing evening out as his mind wanders. He's half asleep when he hears Dustin shout, "It's a fucking one-to-one asshole!"
His words are quickly followed by Mike shouting back, "Who gives a shit?!"
Steve sighs and adds his own voice to the mix. "Stop fighting!"
"Yeah, guys, stop fighting," Max says, and Steve can imagine her tongue sticking out at them as he hears Erica snort.
"Oh, fuck you," Dustin shoots back.
"That's it!" Steve announces, sitting up and glaring at the kids. "Get over here."
His voice leaves no room for argument, and he'd feel bad at how the kids deflate if he didn't already know they're all menaces. Once he's got all seven kids on the blankets, he sighs and says, "Look, guys, let's not fight. How about we all just sit here for a bit, enjoy the breeze, and then we'll go get lunch."
The kids glance at each other, a silent conversation that Steve barely follows passing between them before Mike nods. "Yeah, sure, I guess."
"Great, now, just re--"
"Oh, how cute!"
The sudden, saccharine voice sets Steve's entire body on edge. He slowly looks over his shoulder, staring at the middle-aged woman smiling down at them. Something about her is familiarly off, but he tries to give her the benefit of the doubt. So, Steve flashes a charming smile and asks, "Hi, can I help you with something?"
The woman's smile turns a little sharp, and she shakes her head. "Oh, no, I just had to commend you on your ability to round up these kids like that," she explains.
Steve hums and pushes himself up, keeping a hold on his bat so he can rest the end on the ground and lean on it. He feels more than sees the kids start to shift until they're behind him. "Well, thanks. Did you want advice or something on caring for your own kids?" he asks.
She laughs, short and grating on Steve's ears, and then tilts her head not unlike a bird. "No, no. It's just impressive that you've managed to keep them alive for so long," she says, her voice distorting and becoming shriller as she speaks.
Yep. There it is.
"Wow, that's even faster than usual," Lucas says.
He's right, which just makes Steve even more upset. Can he not get more than fifteen minutes of peace? Can he not just lay back and enjoy the sunshine without worrying about some monster coming after his kids? Can he not fucking relax for once?
Steve feels the frustration build and build in his chest, crackling through him until he's ready to burst, and he stands up straighter. "I'll give you one warning," he says, his voice low as he watches feathers sprout from the woman's skin. "You walk away right now, and I won't beat the shit out of you."
The woman, who seems to be mostly bird by now and is probably a harpy, just laughs again, like Steve's told her the funniest joke she's ever heard. "You? Defeat me?" she asks, her eyes roaming over Steve before she laughs again. "I am worse than your nightmares. I have eaten more demigods than you can count. I have feasted on their screams and crunched their bones between my teeth, and I look forward to doing the same with these children. What could a lone son of some lesser god possibly do to stop me?"
From behind him, Steve hears a few of the kids inhale sharply, an almost sympathetic sound. "Well, she's done it now," Erica says.
"Yes. Steve is going to kill her," El agrees, her voice soft and brushing against Steve's ears like a tiny snake.
And yeah, they're right. Maybe Steve would have just beaten her unconscious and then gotten the hell out of dodge, but now she's threatened his kids. She's lost any chance at mercy from him.
With a twirl of his bat and a vicious grin, Steve rolls his shoulders back and says, "Wanna find out, overgrown chicken?" he asks.
He doesn't even bother waiting for an answer before swinging his bat, the nails dragging across the harpy's chest and ripping a shriek from her. Now that Steve is thinking about it, violence is also a great way to relieve stress, and he's certainly not going to look a gift harpy in the mouth.
----
If you'd like to be tagged in future parts, just let me know!
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stars-and-the-min · 5 months
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☆ the wrong way to hard launch (6) | OP81
summary : oscar's girlfriend is a walking pr problem for literally everyone (including herself) social media au
pairing : oscar piastri x zhou!fem!singer!oc
a/n the highs (friends) and lows (exes) of life aka lina lore 👀 preface : i know nothing about nfl or american football so suspend ur beliefs if u happen to know a thing or two, also my amateur photoshopping skills are really improving from this
masterlist | last part | part 6 | next part
INSTAGRAM
logansargeant
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liked by alex_albon and 142,394 others
logansargeant The long-awaited ultimate rematch tagged: selinabui and oscarpiastri
alex_albon Wait, why wasn't I invited?
selinabui ok captain america pack it up ↳ logansargeant @ selinabui Stay mad 😎 ↳ oscarpiastri @ selinabui Why would you challenge two professional racing drivers to a racing game? ↳ selinabui @ oscarpiastri i thought you loved me? ↳ oscarpiastri @ selinabui Ah but you love winners more 😏 ↳ logansargeant @ oscarpiastri Stop flirting in my comments???
cofrisy_f1 LOSCAR??? OSCALINA??? LOLINA???
beemiepie she chose the orange car 🥺🥺🥺 ↳ siera_mblanc @beemiepie a true papaya girlie 🧡🧡
cameliazzz just posted to their story
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replies selinabui cami, did u or did u not insist u'd be fine 😭
lukaszhang the SLANDER??? didn't we have loads of fun???
aidan_ebass Touché Millie, see you soon?
eb_jonno sidenote: can you bring mochi on the plane? are there food restrictions?
oscarpiastri
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liked by opeightyone and 121,983 others
oscarpiastri 次回まで trans: until next time
piastri_lina obsessed with this couple's dedication to never tagging each other
opeightyone Get 'em next year 💪
selinabui currently feeling like a 1930's housewife waiting for her husband to return from war ↳ cameliazzz @ selinabui HELLO NOT YOU PLAGARISING MY STORY??? FOR A GUY??? ↳ selinabui @ cameliazzz nooooo wifey i didn't mean like that :(((
TWITTER
lina !!! @EB_selina · 37m you've gotta be shitting me
NFL Jersey Numbers @nfljerseywatch · 1h Tennessee Titans RB Thomas Howard (@THowdy) is wearing number 24. Last worn by Kenny Vaccaro. #Titans
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↳ kayla @luna_apocolypse · 34m no fucking way... i don't wanna jump to conclusions but... ↳ emme @flowersforcami · 32m he tweeted about it. girl- jump to those conclusions.
Thomas Howard @THowdy · 58m The move to the #Titans has been a huge change, and 24 has been a number close to my heart for many years, I'd consider it a lucky number for a lucky year 👊 ↳ liv is SEEING EB LIVE!! @olivielina · 23m eat shit and die i'm so fucking serious you have no right to wear her number ↳ kayla @luna_apocolypse · 22m hahaha (not) funny but april fools was last week say sike RIGHT NOW
fiona🩷 @fififorlina · 29m thinking about how tommy is playing with lina’s number i'm weak 😭 ↳ 🕯️manifesting EB3 🕯️@ linabelles · 13m no, we're absolutely not doing this, it's not sweet at all, do you even know how badly he treated lina? ↳ emme @flowersforcami · 11m there are tommy-supporting linami’s in this day and age???
oscalina real ?! @emptyginbottles · 39m lina watching her ex and cousin play/drive with her number be like:
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↳ lila💚 @kasdanrights · 23m idk how to feel bc it's kinda hilarious that our little rockstar is slowly plaguing the sporting world with her number
lina !!! @EB_selina · 22m @LoganSargeant for my own mental health we're not going to talk for the next... 50 years ↳ Logan Sargeant @LoganSargeant · 8m I'm sorry? Did I do something wrong? ↳ lina !!! @EB_selina · 5m it's not you, it's just your countrymen (i'm generalising again)
MESSAGES
from the phone of selina bui
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TWITTER
liv is SEEING EB LIVE!! @olivielina · 35m WHY IS EVERYONE FLOODING MY TL WITH T*MMY SHIT ↳ liv is SEEING EB LIVE!! @olivielina · 34m lina is one of the only music girlies who is SO SO SO vocal about how much she HATES her ex and you still can't listen to her??? ↳ liv is SEEING EB LIVE!! @olivielina · 34m not just with her music but as in SHE OUTRIGHT HATES HIS GUTS ON MAIN she COULD NOT possibly make it clearer that she would rather shoot herself in the head than ever consider getting back together with him ↳ liv is SEEING EB LIVE!! @olivielina · 33m i'm so tired can't you just let the woman be happy with oscar ↳ abby <3 @devilvows · 17m liv, baby, i think you need to change ur name to 'defense minister of linami nation'
INSTAGRAM
selinabui
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liked by oscarpiastri and 139,204 others
selinabui some weird second string loser who's not worth mentioning
cameliazzz thought the message was 'let everyone know i'm doing ok'? ↳ selinabui @ cameliazzz message appropriately sent :)
oliviarodrigo AAHHH stunning as always 💝💝 ↳ selinabui @ oliviarodrigo watch out, the literal moment we're in the same city i'm hunting u down (my favourite american 🥺)
oscarpiastri Haha not me though right :) ↳ selinabui @ oscarpiastri idk maybe...?
TWITTER
lina !!! @EB_selina · 1h this is really hindering my enjoyment of 'so american' ↳ Oscar Piastri @ OscarPiastri · 1h I reaaally hate to break it to you but I think you might be the American in this relationship ↳ lina !!! @EB_selina · 53m take that back rn i'm serious ↳ Oscar Piastri @ OscarPiastri · 49m Which one of us has lived in California for half a decade? 🤔
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↳ abby <3 @devilvows · 37m can you imagine waking up to that face? oscar piastri, you lucky bitch
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↳ lila💚 @kasdanrights · 2h oscar piastri i was not familiar with your game ↳ lila💚 @kasdanrights · 2h selina, i understand you now, i get it now, truly i do, hooooly
oscalina real ?! @ emptyginbottles · 1h i think the entire empty bottles fandom and oscalina shippers trying to cleanse the tl by posting some of the most jaw-clenching, hottest pictures of oscar and lina is so funny ↳ oscalina real ?! @ emptyginbottles · 1h the best part is that it's actually working and also so many more empty bottles fans are realising how unfairly attractive oscar piastri is
INSTAGRAM
selinabui Seoul, South Korea
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liked by oscarpiastri and 138,958 others
selinabui heal my s(e)oul tagged: cameliazzz, blublublupi, and lukaszhang
lukaszhang i thought i specifically asked you not to post that ↳ selinabui @lukaszhang i actually wasn't gonna but then you told me not to so obviously i had to
oscarpiastri 🧡 ↳ selinabui @ oscarpiastri any other fucking colour heart i beg ↳ oscarpiastri @ selinabui You know I'm contractually obligated
emptybottlos i'm convinced they agreed to go on tour just to travel, visit friends and eat a bunch of authentic food
ceciliapham someone else is in seoul rn 👀 ↳ marie_h.sb @ceciliapham in what world do you think your gonna see lina and chris yamada in the same room again?
✧・゚: ✧・゚:✧・゚: ✧・゚:✧・゚: ✧・゚:
taglist @ririyulife @ashy-kit @fionaschicken @namgification @cherry-piee
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ythankucaptainmccoy · 1 month
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The Cowgirl and The Aviator Ch4
Next installment will they kiss who knows read to find out. @smoothdogsgirl
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The morning rays hitting your face woke you, and when you took in a deep breath it smelled like Jake. Then you woke up with a start remembering that you in fact were in Jake’s apartment. You looked around noticing you were in a bed and not on the couch where you remembered falling asleep. You got up and walked into the living area seeing Jake sprawled out on the couch still asleep. Gentleman indeed you thought to yourself as you opened the fridge. 
You grabbed the new carton of eggs, thick sliced hickory smoked bacon and some potatoes to make hash browns. As you cooked you turned on the small radio on the counter and turned it low enough not to wake Jake. As Alan Jackson played through the speaker you sang along as you bopped from the oven back to the fridge to put the rest of the eggs away. The station continued to play different country songs as breakfast was almost done. 
When Tennessee Whiskey started to play you swayed back and forth singing along. You hadn’t heard Jake get up as he watched you sway while making food. You happened to see him out of the corner of your eye and couldn’t help the laugh that escaped your lips. His hair was sticking up at odd angles and he looked ridiculous, but also so domestic looking that it had you thinking about waking him up every morning.
“What’s so funny?”, he asked, coming to take the spatula out of your hand. He then laid it on the counter and took both of your hands in his as he started to sway like you had earlier. Both of you smiled at each other as you both continued to dance. Then he let go of one of your hands to twirl you and the feeling in this moment just felt so right. He took hold of your hand once more as the song came to an end and he dipped you back as you laughed. 
When he pulled you back up you gestured to the stove as he let you go. He disappeared down the hall most likely to the bathroom as you finished up making two plates. He rounded the corner as you poured the orange juice into each glass then placed it back in the fridge as well. “Ya’ know I could get used to this. Rooster should bring women home more often”, he joked. “Well if this one holds steady, which I highly doubt it, it may happen more often”, you implied.
You watched as Jake took a bite of bacon and groaned. That groan had you rubbing your thighs together. “This is delicious. I'm seriously thinking about having you move in with me rather than Rooster”, he laughed. “I bet Rooster would have something to say about that”, you respond with a laugh. “Yeah well he should have been more considerate of you last night”, Jake grouched. “Well to be fair it is his apartment I’m just crashing there for now”, you explain.
Jake let it go as you both continued to eat, and you liked being around him. He made you feel good about yourself. “Tell you what. If the date on Saturday goes well. Any time Rooster brings a woman home I’ll crash here”, you say. “Sounds like a plan darlin”, he smiles. You loved when he called you that and there was something about the way he smiled that you loved. Jake was already mentally going through places he could take you out on a date, but all of them seemed dull compared to how he felt about you. 
You got up to take care of the dishes, but Jake beat you to it. “No, you already made breakfast. What kind of man would I be if I made you do the dishes”, he said. You smiled and flicked water at him and the fake shocked look that crossed his face had you laughing again. “I’m gonna head back and see if I can shower and get ready for the day”, you tell Jake. “You start work tomorrow right?”, he asks. “Yeah I’ll see you after you get done with training?”, you inquire. “Yeah I’ll see you tomorrow”, he replies. 
You got back to Bradley’s apartment and didn’t see any evidence that anyone was awake. You went straight to the guest room then it dawned on you Jake also had a guest room, but let you have his bed and he slept on the couch. You shook your head with a smile as you grabbed a change of clothes, put your dead phone on the charger and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. When you got out and changed you realized you needed to do laundry. 
You grabbed a basket and got your clothes together to take down to the laundry room. When you got there the heat was staggering in there, but you would just have to endure. You put them in and walked across the street to the small shops. One grabbed your attention right away and you quickly walked in. The smell of books hit your nose as you started going through the different isles. 
You end up buying a couple of books for something to do on days you were bored. When you get back to the laundry room you have about fifteen minutes left on the wash cycle so you start one of the books you had bought. When the buzz sounds you place all of your clothes into a dryer and press start. The book is actually pretty good as you continue reading not realizing someone had walked in. “So where did you go last night?”, Bradley asked.
When you looked up from your book he stood there putting his clothes into a washer. “I stayed at Jake’s”, you respond. “I can’t believe you would stay with a guy you hardly know”, he gruffs. “Well I wouldn’t have had to if you hadn’t brought a fuckbuddy home”, you explain. “We were in my room and you had a guest room”, he argues. “Okay but I didn’t want to hear any of that while I was trying to sleep”, you sigh. 
“So you slept with him”, Bradley accuses. “For your information I didn’t. He was a gentleman and gave me his bed while he slept on the couch. Not that it would be any of your business anyway”, you seethed. “I’m telling you if you date him he is only going to hurt you later. He is a womanizer (Y/N). I have seen him take women home from the bar dozens of times”, he huffs. “Like I said before, if I make a mistake it’s mine to make. I’m going on a date with him on Saturday and I swear if you try to scare him off I’ll put my foot up your ass”, you reply.
“Just be careful”, Bradley sighs. “I will”, you say. “Sorry for what I said about sleeping with him”, he apologizes. “Apology accepted”, you conceded. When the dryer buzzes you take all your clothes and start folding them putting them in the basket when Jake walks in with a basket of his clothes. Bradley stiffens as Jake smiles at you and winks. You give Bradley another glare to make him stay quiet. You say goodbye as you go back to the apartment.
“So what is your plan with (Y/N)”, Bradley grills. “I plan on taking her on a date and hope for more dates after that”, Jake replies. Both men sizing each other up as they wait on their laundry. “Did you sleep with her last night and don’t fucking lie to me”, Bradley growled. “No Bradshaw I didn’t. I let her have my bed while I slept on the couch. Not that it’s any of your business”, Jake replies. “I know you think I’m some kind of skirt chaser and yeah I’ve had my fair share, but I do like (Y/N) and I intend to treat her with respect”, Jake admits. 
When you enter the apartment you decide to go ahead and clean up. Vacuuming took longer than you expected when Bradley comes in and gets ready to head out. “I’m going to meet with Mav, I'll be back later”, he said. You nodded as he headed back out the door, and continued to clean moving into the kitchen. You decide to go to the beach and swim for a while, and then lay out in the sun. 
When four thirty rolled around you made your way back towards the apartment and shower again. You're sitting on the couch when a text rolls in on your phone. It’s from Jake asking if you like chinese take out and you reply with a thumbs up emoji. It was such a random text, but you wondered if he was trying to figure out date ideas for Saturday. A few minutes later another text rolls in and you open it expecting it to be Jake. 
Unknown number and when you open it the text reads ‘YOU THINK YOU’RE SO FUCKING CLEVER! OF COURSE YOU WOULD CALL THE POLICE, BUT I AM GOING TO FIND YOU BITCH AND WHEN I DO YOU’LL BE SORRY FOR LEAVING!’. You snapshot it to keep records if you ever take it to the police. At least your brother and his family are safe now. “Bring it on fucker I’m not scared of you anymore”, you say out loud to no one. A knock on the door has you looking through the peephole.
Jake stands there holding bags in his hand and when you open the door he looks sheepish. “I picked you up some food so you didn’t have to cook tonight”, he says. “Come on Bradley’s out for a while and I was watching some reruns”, you explain. You sit down on the couch and pull the coffee table closer to you all as he sets everything down on it. “What are you watching?”, he asks. “I’m watching M.A.S.H.”, you respond. You both grab what you want and share different things from the little to go boxes. 
At some point you both end up lounging on the couch with you under his arm watching The Lost Boys. “I’m not going to lie if I was to go back in time Kiefer Sutherland would be my hollywood crush”, you say. “Okay, who is the best batman of all time?”, Jake asks. “That's easy Michael Keaton and he was also amazing as Beetlejuice”, you answer. Jake seems placated by your answer as you continue to watch the movie. 
It isn’t too much longer when Jake admits it’s getting late and that he has to go. You walk with him to the door and close it behind him after your good night. Once in bed you started reading your book and must have fallen asleep. When you woke you heard noises coming from the kitchen and looked at the clock. It was way too early and you knew it had to be Braddley getting ready to go to training for the day.
You went back to sleep and didn’t wake again until your alarm rang to get ready for the day. Your shift didn’t start until 1PM and ended at 9PM so you had a little time to kill. You decided to go to the local grocery store to buy some food items that you were going to make dinner with. When you made it back home you made your dinner so you wouldn’t have to make it when you got back home and put it in the fridge. 
You left the apartment and were thirty minutes early for your shift. When you went in Penny was happy to see you as she explained that they had needed a waitress for so long. When the first wave of people came in you went to their tables and waited on them. Everything was going smoothly even though this was the first time you had ever waited tables. By five the bar was starting to get crowded as the bartenders worked to keep up with drinks.
You felt like you were running from table to table to keep up with the influx of people when someone reached out and grabbed your arm. “Hey sweets, how about a date after you get off?”, a gruff man asked. “No thanks I’m super busy and don’t have time”, you politely replied. “Oh come on just one date I’ll make sure you feel real good”, he insisted. “Like hell, Now I done told ya’ I’m busy. Don’t make me ring that bell at the bar”, you hissed. 
The man let you go calling you a bitch under his breath, but he got the message. Penny had been watching the interaction and knew that she made a great choice in hiring you. “Hiya Penny how’s (Y/N) doing her first day on the job?”, Maverick asked as he sat down. “She is doing great. She is handling the rowdy guys and has even threatened some of them with ringing the bell”, Penny responded. “Told you she could take care of herself”, Mav sighed.
You had just waited on another table when you spotted the dagger squad come in. You waved at them as they waved back and headed for their usual spot. Jake watched as you took the table's order and headed back to the kitchen to give the order to the cook. When you came back out Jake two fingers saluted you and you smiled back at him. He seemed to be enjoying watching you work as a man got mouthy with you. 
You walked behind the bar and rang the bell, and Jake started making his way over with Coyote to deal with him as the patrons chanted overboard. “What do ya’ think darlin’?”, Jake asked. “Overboard soldier, that's an order”, you said. “Yes ma’am”, he replied, and you noticed his pupils dilated slightly. You would have to remember that for possible future use.  Watching him in his khaki uniform was like looking at art as him and Coyote tossed the man out. 
An hour later and you took your break to grab some food and sit with the squad. They were discussing their next mission, and you watched as they took bets on who would be picked as mission leader. Jake seemed upset when they all bet that it would be Rooster. You finished eating and then looked for a place to sit and had the perfect idea. You walked right up to Jake and sat down on his lap. “Relax soldier I just needed a place to sit”, you explain as he tenses under you. 
His eyes become hooded as he watches you talk with Nat about the mission, but not anything classified. He thinks he has this under control until you shift on his lap and he can feel your heat radiating from your jeans. He feels his blood start rushing south as he tries to will it away, but it doesn’t seem to help. He is totally screwed when you turn your head to smile that tantalizing smile at him. “At ease soldier”, you whisper. You can feel him twitch under you and you let out a small laugh. 
“I think we should take things slow”, he says. “I can do that”, you reply. A few minutes later and you have to get back to your shift. When you get up you notice Jake adjusts himself under the table and you smirk at how easy it was to rile him up, but if he wanted slow you could do slow. You also couldn’t wait to see where he was going to take you on your date. The mission was in two weeks so if the first date went well you were going to set up more before he had to leave.
The rest of the night goes smoothly and the dagger squad leaves except one. Jake sits at the bar waiting until your shift ends. He is talking with Maverick about something, but quickly stops talking when you clock out. Jake stands and comes over to you and explains he wanted to walk you to your truck. “I’m sorry if I overstepped earlier by sitting in your lap”, you apologize. “It’s alright darlin’ I didn’t mind”, he responds.
“Thanks for walking me to my truck”, you tell him. You turn to open your truck door as he turns to walk to his truck. “Wait”, you say. He turns right as you lean up on your toes and place a quick kiss to his cheek. By the time Jake registers what happened you’re in your truck and backing out of your spot. You can’t believe you just did that. What was happening to you? You had never done anything that bold before, and you haven’t even had a first date. 
The rest of the week is mostly the same except the dagger squad only shows up a couple more days. Nat and Bob give you their number if you ever need it, and you have to admit Bob reminded you of your brother before he became resentful of you. When Friday rolls around at the Hard Deck Nat pulls you away from the others asking what you're going to wear on your date. “I was just going to wear my usual”, you reply. “You are not going to wear Jeans and a t-shirt for your date even if it’s with Bagman”, she sighs frustratedly.
She insists that she is showing up to take you shopping in the morning. When you get home you shower and head to bed. Nat is at your door at eight in the morning and she hands you a coffee. You thank her and head off to go shopping at one of the local consignment shops. You are at a total loss as dresses aren’t your thing so you let Nat go crazy. She searches for what feels like hours as she brings a whole bunch of them for you to try on.
None of the dresses feel right, but Nat doesn’t give up as she continues searching. When she comes back with a vintage floral dress you try it on and step out of the dressing room.”Holy shit that is totally the dress you need to wear”, she beams. “I don’t know do you think Jake will like it?”, you question. “If a man doesn’t like that then they are dead sexually”, she laughs. You end up buying the dress then realize you don’t have any shoes. Nat takes it upon herself to help you in that department too. 
You refuse heels much to her dismay and so she goes and finds some cute beige lace flats that go perfect with the dress. She treats you to lunch as she asks if you know where Jake is taking you. You tell her he didn’t tell you and she smiles as if she knows more than she is letting on. “I’m sure you’ll love it”, she responds. When Nat drops you off you thank her and tell her you will let her know how the date goes. You then take time to relax until you have to get ready. 
“Are you going to be coming back tonight?”, Bradley asks. “I don’t know, but if your fuckbuddy is coming over I can crash at Jake’s”, you explain. You can see him warring with himself as he is trying to decide. “You know what, I'm sure Jake wouldn’t mind. I'll just ask to stay at his place if the date goes well. If not I can text Nat real quick as a backup plan”, you explain. He accepts that answer and that’s all the reassurance you need.
You go and get your sundress and flats on then apply a little lip gloss that Nat bought and slipped in your dress bag. When you exit Bradley is at the kitchen counter texting. “Hey Bradley, how do I look?”, you ask. “Holy shit you look great! I don’t think I have ever seen you wear a dress. Jake better not fuck this up or I’ll shoot him out of the sky myself”, he says. With that there is a knock on the door and you go to answer it. Jake stands there with a sunflower and lilac bouquet and you smile as he takes you in.
“You look gorgeous”, he breathes. “Thanks you look handsome”, you smile. Bradley makes a gagging noise behind you as you turn and flip him off. Jake offers you his hand as you make your way to his truck. He opens the passenger door for you and when he drives off you make small talk. You notice the picnic basket in the back seat and something large rolled up in the back floorboard. “So where are we going?”, you ask. “You’ll see when we get there”, he replies. 
He ends up driving up to a spot overlooking the beach and backs into a spot. “Here, take the basket of food and I’ll be down in a few minutes. I have to get the other stuff out of the truck”, he tells you. You do as he says and after taking off your shoes find a beautiful spot. Within fifteen minutes he comes down the stairs and over to the spot you picked, but you noticed he is carrying an inflatable pool and a small plastic bin. 
He puts the pool down and tells you to wait after he takes the picnic basket and sets it in the pool. He then walks to the water's edge and scoops some seawater into the bin. He brings it back and sets it right outside the pool. This way we can wash the sand off before getting in. “Jake this is amazing”, you say. “Thanks, should we eat now or later?”, he questions. “We can eat later if that’s okay with you”, you say.
You both walk down the beach and when you hear the roar of an engine you look to the sky as a jet flies over. Jake loves the way you light up and get excited about the jet. “Holy shit and you fly those. I bet it feels so liberating being able to fly”, you sigh. “Yeah it is”, Jake says, but he is taking in your every expression as the jet flies out of sight. You start walking ahead of him and stop to look out at the ocean. The light is hitting you just right and he quickly pulls out his phone and snaps a picture. 
When you turn towards him he catches up to you. You both talk about how he joined the Navy and what you studied in college. An hour later and your stomach growls so you both start walking back to the pool. When you get back you both wash your feet off and dig into the picnic basket. There was cheese, sandwiches and wine with two glasses. You teared up a little and Jake leaned forward to cup your face and wipe the tears with his thumbs. “What’s wrong darlin’?”, he asked worriedly. 
“It’s just no one has ever done anything like this for me before”, you smile. “Well you’re worth all this and more”, he responds. You had already made up your mind that if he wanted more dates you would say yes. You both ate and drank as the sun continued to lower. About thirty minutes to sunset he was leaning back on the side of the pool with an arm behind his head. You slid over snuggling into his side as he wrapped an arm around you.
The sunset was beautiful and you watched it until the sun completely disappeared making the sky turn different colors. You stayed like that for a while and you were almost asleep when he said something about taking you home. You sat up as he did as well, but put his hand behind your head and slowly pulled you towards him. You leaned in as he looked down to your lips as if asking for permission. You nodded and he took the opportunity to kiss you. It was slow and sensual until you both had to pull away for air. More kisses followed as you slowly straddled him and sat in his lap.
The kisses started heating up as his hands skimmed down your sides to hold your hips. “Darlin I want to be a gentleman but you make it hard”, he said between more kisses. He finally pulled away as you smiled at him. “How about I get you home”, he says. You nod and help pack everything up and take it back to the truck. He asks about a second date after you both are back in the truck which you agree to. A text message comes through and you realize it’s Bradley saying he had company. 
“Hey Jake”, you say. “Yeah sweetheart?”, he asks. “Roo has ‘company’ and I was wondering if I could crash at your place again”, you say sheepishly. “Absolutely”, he replies. When you make it back to the apartment complex you help him get everything put away and he lends you clothes to sleep in. You go take a shower then let him shower while you change into the clothes he gave you. 
Once you've changed and wait until you hear him leave the bathroom you go to the living room where he is lounging on the couch in nothing but gray sweatpants. “I feel bad about you sleeping on the couch. Come sleep in the bed please. I promise I’ll stay on my side and we can take this slow”, you pout. He hesitates until you grab his hand and tug. He rolls his eyes but follows you to the bedroom where you both get under the covers.
Jake watches as your breathing slows and you look completely relaxed. He hasn’t felt like this ever and it’s foreign to him but he likes it. He made up his mind he would much rather have this type of connection with you than any one night stand he has ever had. Your small snores lull him to sleep a few minutes later.
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quickiesgirl · 2 years
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Alone at Last - Joel Miller
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Paring: Joel Miller x Fem!Reader
Warning: 18+, Smut, Dom/Sub, Vaginal Fingering, Praise Kink, Established Relationship, My Shitty Writing.
A/N: It's been a hot minute since I posted my last fic, but while writing requests I thought I'd make this little fic because I'm so in love with Joel rn. <3
 “Mind pouring me a glass, cowboy?” You asked from a distance, gazing into the living room at Joel, who sat on the couch, awaiting your arrival with an open bottle of Jack Daniels.
It was a housewarming present from his brother, welcoming you into the community of Jackson, Wyoming, where you and Joel decided to settle down with Ellie. 
“Sure thing, sweetheart.” Joel’s low southern accent melts like honey as it flows through your ears. You’ll never get used to those initial butterflies you feel when he speaks. 
He swallows back the dark liquor and grabs the bottle on the coffee table, pouring you a fine glass of Tennessee whiskey. His chocolate brown eyes narrow on your body, ogling the way your hips sway in those tight, blue jeans as you walk over to him. 
The tips of your fingers pulled the glass out of his hand before plopping down beside him, feeling his arm wrap around your shoulders and pull you in close, allowing you to snuggle comfortably into his side. 
You hadn’t had a drop of whiskey since you were in the Boston QZ, which felt like years ago. You savored every sip of the aged liquor. Smooth with the flavor of oak and vanilla on your tastebuds. For being one of the last sold bottles, weeks before the outbreak, it was still delicious. 
You rest your hand upon his thigh and take this opportunity to admire your lover. Especially the sexy salt and pepper look sprinkled in his messy hair and scruffy beard, and those adorable lines creasing by his eyes as a smile spreads across his plush lips before taking another sip.
The sight of Joel made your hips shift against the cushion and your thighs feverishly clench together. An action he can’t help but notice. 
 “You know, Ellie’s asleep in her room...” You say with that yearnful, needy gaze, Joel knew all too well. He couldn’t tell you the countless times you’ve given him that look, then the next minute, you were being pounded with his hand over your mouth, trying to keep you quiet. 
“Oh, yeah?” His brows raise knowingly, watching you smirk as your hand moves further up his thigh. “Mm huh, and I think you know what that means.” 
“Oh, I bet I do, sweetheart,” Joel mutters, leaning in slowly and meeting his soft lips to yours. You carefully set the glasses aside and lay your hands against his clothed chest, fingers gripping at the fabric material of his button-up. Warmth consumes your body as you hungrily push deeper into the intimate kiss. 
“C’mere, honey.” His thick, calloused hand pats his upper thigh and offers you a seat, which you immediately take, grabbing ahold of his shoulders and straddling his lap. 
Joel’s warm breath tickles your inner neck as he moves in close and suckles your sweet spots between hot, sensual kisses while undoing the buttons of your flannel shirt till your tits are exposed. 
“Fuck, baby.” He sighs, hands gliding along your body and up your curves, caressing your soft, supple skin, sending shivers of lust down your spine. His hands reach up, cupping your bare breasts in either hand and massaging them gently, feeling your nipples harden against his cool skin. 
Your fingers run through his hair, gently tugging as you roll your hips into the prominent bulge beneath you, putting pressure upon your labia, attempting to relieve the ache between your thighs. You bite at your bottom lip, shutting up all the needy whimpers you wanted to let out at that moment to not wake Ellie. 
 “I’m gonna make this sweet, little pussy feel so damn good,” Joel whispers in your ear, feeling the heat radiating off your clothed cunt against his thigh as he reaches down and pulls at the zipper of your jeans. 
A shiver shoots through your body, watching him slip into the waistband of your pretty black panties and begin gliding his fingers through your lips.
“Shit, baby, you’re so fucking wet.” He groans, circling your entrance with his calloused fingertips before slipping two digits into your tight pussy. 
Your bottom lip parts from your top, and a pretty pornographic moan escapes your mouth. Joel's fingers are much thicker than your own, becoming coated with your juices as they slide along your inner walls, and swirl themselves in a clockwise motion. 
Keeping that rhythm for a moment before his strong fingers curl forward against the rough patch of your upper wall, simulating your g-spot, making your hips buck at the sensation, your bushy mound filling the palm of his hand. 
“Oh, J-Joel-” You moan breathily, a coil tightening in your stomach and pussy gripping around him. All your nerves suddenly set to fire as your mind enters a lustful haze, only able to focus on the intense pleasure coursing through your veins. 
 Joel's heavy cock strains against the rough material of his jeans, and eyes dance over every inch of your body, like how your bosom was heaving in that thin flannel and how your thighs practically vibrated around his. The sound of your wet pussy and sweet moans was music to your ears. 
“That’s it, baby, you’re takin’ me so well~” 
Your eyes roll to the back of your head, moaning loudly as his thumb moves up and makes lazy circles around your swollen clit, which throbbed beneath the pad of his thumb. Your walls contract around him. The tension grew greater, ready to snap at any second. “J-Joel, I’m so close!”  
“C’mon, sweetheart, cum all over my fingers.” 
That was all you needed to hear to send you crying out in pleasure, orgasmic shockwaves gripping your body as your toes curl in your heavy boots and thighs shudder til they are weak. 
Arousal gushes across his thick fingers, whispering sweet praises in your ear, working you through your powerful orgasm before you’re so sensitive and dazed that your head lulls forward, resting upon his shoulder. 
-
A smile spreads across your lips as you feel your lover's fingers remove themselves from your fluttering cunt, and instead slip them into his mouth, suckling off your sweet juices. 
You press a couple of kisses along his scruffy jawline and snake your hand down, palming the large, protruding tent in his pants. Joel moans softly, messy hair pressing into the wall behind him as his dick twitches in your grasp. 
You shift off his lap and kneel between his spread legs, eyes gazing up into his so sensually as you begin undoing his jeans, “Let me take care of you.” 
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twdgwritings · 3 months
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Hii! Could you do a Marlon twdg smut, the reader becomes insecure feeling as though since Marlon’s the leader they aren’t enough. One day a random character ( can be made up) says something and it just breaks the reader, Marlon ends up going to see the reader and when he finally realizes how she’s feeling he shows her how much HE needs her.
Thank you! There’s not a lot of Marlon writers!
I need you.
Paring: Marlon x Fem! Reader
Warnings: NSFW/SMUT, foul language insecure! Reader, sub! Reader, established relationship, gentle dom! Marlon, unprotected sex(wrap it before you tap it), made up character who is an asshole, reader is besties with Mitch, violence, swearing, typos, hurt and comfort, Marlon calls reader princess/baby, mention of Marlon’s anger issues, handjob, fingering, pull out method(don’t do this irl),
A/n: I LOVE MARLON, that’s why he is the face of my blog. Random guy is named Dylan, umm his whole purpose is just being an asshole for this and future one shots. This was longer than I expected.
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You’ve never been confident in yourself, not when it came to your skills in survival. Louis and the others always raved about your hunting skills and ability to take down walkers, but you just couldn’t see it. Sometimes you wondered if they only said it because you were Marlon’s girlfriend, though you never voiced these concerns to anybody. After all these negative thoughts that you had bottled up threaten to spill, but you were determined to hide it from everyone. Especially your overprotective boyfriend… The only one who knew was Mitch, and he had basically taken on a brother role towards you. Almost everyday he tried to ease your worries, but it never worked.
Recently you all had accepted a new guy into the group. A guy named Dylan. He was a little bit of an asshole, but he was useful in taking down walkers. Almost every night this guy would spout stories of what happened during his time on the round, all the walkers he killed and other things. Sometimes it felt like bullshit or at least over exaggerating the details, but the only ones who laid any attention were the little kids. Aj, Willy and Tennessee… and maybe Louis… Tonight was no exception to Dylan’s overdramatized stories, ranting and raving about how he fought his way through a herd. While sitting with you, Louis, Violet, Mitch and the kids. You hadn’t been paying attention much, lost in your head as you pushed some of your food around in the bowl. Suddenly somebody wrapped their arm around your shoulders, pulling you from your thoughts. It was Dylan.
“See it’s a good thing I came along, cause even Marlon’s bitch doesn’t even compare to me.”
The newbie’s words caused everyone to go silent, their eyes widen and focused on you in disbelief. Never did they expect Dylan to take it this far, looking to each other before everyone took turns speaking.
“Dude… That’s not cool.”
Louis spoke louder than everyone, trying to defuse the situation with no luck. The kids were mad, Violet was pissed, and Mitch was basically foaming at the mouth with rage. Quickly you got yourself out of Dylan’s grip, scooting down the bench seat to try and distance yourself. Cheeks burning with embarrassment, your eyes fixed down on the table trying to fight back the forming tears.
“What? I’m just telling the truth! I’ve seen her with a bow, she misses every other shot!”
Dylan started up again, clearly still not getting the hint or maybe he didn’t even care. Mitch spoke through gritted teeth, his fists clenched against the table.
“Dylan.”
Your best friend’s voice was low and threatening, a tone everyone recognized and knew an explosion was near. Nobody even noticed Tennessee leaving the table and running towards the Admin Building, anxiously searching for Marlon in an attempt to stop what was about to transpire. Just as Dylan was beginning to bash your fighting skills you took off too, instantly running back towards the dorms. The blood was pumping so loudly in your ears, but you could hear the muffled voices of everybody else followed by yelling. You didn’t look back, you didn’t want to. Hot tears flowed down your cheeks as you ran back to your old dorm room, you hadn’t been there since you moved into Marlon’s office/bedroom. But it was the only place you could think of to be alone, to cry your insecurities out and feel sorry for yourself.
You had no idea how long you were crying in the old dorm room, to caught up in your emotions to pay attention to anything outside of your own head. It wasn’t until you felt a gentle hand on your shoulder did you snap out of it. You jumped, started by the sudden contact. Your head shot up, eyes instantly landing on the sad, sympathetic face of your boyfriend. Marlon brows were furrowed slightly as he studied your face, noticing the tears and snot. Your puffy eyes red eyes, wet cheeks and slightly messy hair. The blonde haired boy cupped your cheek wordlessly, using his thumb to brush away the tears. A small, sweet smile formed on his lips as he spoke;
“If it makes you feel better, Mitch kicked that guy’s ass... It was not a fun fight to break up.”
Marlon spoke light heartedly, attempting to get a laugh or smile, anything from you. He hated seeing you like this, sad and hurt because of some jackass who couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Of course after he stopped the fight, he got the story of what happened from Mitch and Dylan. But he wanted to hear it from you, putting your feelings first before a possible punishment for anyone. As Marlon sat down on the bed you practically threw yourself at him, arms wrapped tightly around him as you buried your face into his neck. The warmth of his skin felt soothing as your boyfriend hugged you back, hands rubbing small circles into your back. No matter how silly you felt over your feels, how often you cried, Marlon was always there to reassure you. To let you know he loved you, and didn’t care if you were on the sensitive side.
“Wanna tell me what happened, princess?”
Marlon’s voice was warm and sweet, as he slowly pulled away from you. His stormy blue eyes searching your face, an encouraging expression on his face. No matter how many times you were comforted and reassured by him, you always felt a little embarrassed each time. Nodding your head as you wiped your face with the sleeve of your jacket, taking a deep, shaky breath.
“Dylan- He just said I wasn’t good enough, that I was horrible with a bow and… Dylan called me your bitch.”
When you began explained what happened that caused you to be so upset, you swore you saw a flicker of rage in Marlon’s eyes. It wasn’t a surprise though, you and everybody else knew sometimes Marlon had anger issues. But he was working them, doing better to control them and not act out. The young man didn’t speak, instead only nodding for you to continue, which you did.
“It just bothered me so much because-… because I feel like I’m not good enough for you- Marlon, you are the leader a-and you do so much for everyone! I… You don’t need me.”
After you finished speaking a heavy silence filled the air, a look of shock shot across Marlon’s face. His blue eyes widen, eyebrows shot up and his mouth hung open slightly. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing! While he knew you were sensitive and struggled with insecurities sometimes, he never thought this would be one of them. What you jsut expressed to him was farther than the truth, he absolutely needed you. The countless nights of stress, his own insecurities and issues. You were there! You were always there, no matter what happened. Without you… he’d be alone, lost, and suffering in silence.
Marlon cleared his throat and shook his head, as he readjusted himself on the bed. His calloused hands found yours, holding them tightly as he leaned in and down toward your tear stained face. The look in his eyes was nothing but full of love, affection and sympathy.
“Don’t say that, it’s not true! Damnit… I need you!”
His voice was deep, firm and full of emotion. Stormy blue eyes searching your face, wishing he could do anything to take away the pain… When you didn’t respond, Marlon pressed his lips into a thin line. Gaze wandering down fork your face, to your neck and then to your chest. Dirty thoughts instantly flocked his brain, a way to prove he needs you and help ease your mind. Without another word his hands moved to your shoulders, holding you still as blonde gently pushed you back into the mattress.
Your eyes widen, cheeks burning as you felt your breath caught in your throat. Watching as Marlon positioned himself above you, legs on either side of yours. His hands now by your head as he leaned himself down, capturing your lips in a deep, gentle kiss. One of Marlon’s hands moved to your hip and rubbed small circles, before slipping under your shirt and stroking the warm skin of your side. A gasp escaped you, muffled by the kiss, but Marlon took the opportunity to slip his tongue into your mouth. He smirked as his tongue danced with yours, then he pulled away breathing heavier.
“Let me prove to you… just how much I need you.”
The way he spoke sent a pleasant shiver down your spine, you recognized that tone of voice. Marlon’s voice always got deeper, more airy whenever he was horny, whenever he NEEDED you. Your cheeks burned as you glanced toward the semi-bordered up window, slightly worried about the idea of anyone walking in on you two. But right now you couldn’t care less, you needed Marlon too, to wash the comfort and make you forget your insecurities. Looking back up to him you stared into the stormy blue eyes you loved so much, and you nodded softly. Allowing Marlon to take this moment to the next level, allowing him to show how much he wanted and needed you.
Once he had your permission Marlon dipped his head down, lips brushing against the shell of your ear, nibbling softly. Earning a soft moan from you as you descended to your neck, leaving opened mouthed kiss as he trailed down to the sweet spot he knew so well. This wasn’t the first time he had you like this, pinned underneath him and a blushing mess. Marlon took pride in how well he could please you and how well he knew your body too. Once he heard you try to fight back a groan, he attacked the spot. Soft sucking and gentle nips, as he felt your fingers tangle into his messy blonde hair. Tugging slightly as he made his work on you, which only earned a groan from him.
You could feel Marlon’s warm calloused fingers slide under your shirt and up towards your breasts, making your stomach swirl. Shyly you buried your face into the side of his head, as your hands slid to his Ericson’s letterman jacket and slipping it off his shoulders. Marlon momentarily pulled away, satisfied with the hickey he had left on your neck. Sitting up the blonde boy pulled his jacket the rest of the way off, throwing it to the floor somewhere. His blue eyes searched over your body all the way to your face, making sure you were still comfortable with what was happening. After that he removed himself from on top of you, standing next to the bed as he clumsily fumbled with the hem of his red striped shirt.
“Take your clothes off for me, princess.”
Marlon spoke with a husky, deep voice. Pulling his shirt over his head to reveal his topless body to you. Two or three scars littered his chest and side, as well as dashes of acne along his shoulders. Your heart was racing so fast, combined the excitement and nervousness in swirling in your stomach, it was almost too much. As your boyfriend began to undress you quickly followed after him, starting with your shoes and then began removing each layer of your clothes.
Neither of you were sure how much time you had together, so you both ended up in your underwear fast. You looked up to see Marlon staring at you with lustful but loving eyes, tilting his head slightly as he walkers toward the bed. You couldn’t help but admire his entire body. Your eyes trialing down from his chest, to his stomach, then to his boxers where it was evident how much his body craved yours. Marlon couldn’t help but chuckle as you looked away completely embarrassed, the reddish of blush forming on the tips of your ears as you leaned back into the bed. Allowing your boyfriend to climb in with you, instantly his lips were back on yours. Hands wandering one another’s skin, groaning and scratching as your tongues twirled together. A deep groan escaped Marlon as he bucked his hips forward, his hard on brushing against your leg, craving some sort of attention. Carefully he grabbed one of your hands, placing it on his chest before slowly guiding it downwards. You could feel your heart skip a beat, shyness overtaking you as you pulled away from the kiss and hid your face into Marlon’s neck. You had touched him before, always with his help and guidance since you were too nervous to try on your own. You also were always too shy to show your face or look him in the eye, which he understood.
“It’s okay, baby… you always make me feel so good.”
Marlon spoke in a whisper, a smile on his lips as he kissed the side of your head. He couldn’t help but find your shyness endearing, no matter how often you two found yourself like this, your shyness took over. Marlon slipped your hand under the waistband of his boxers, your fingertips brushing the soft blonde hair as he guided you to his throbbing cock. Once he felt your fingers curling around him he pulled his hand away, letting out an airy groan as you slowly began to stroke him. His cock was warm and hard in your hand, as you tighten your grip a bit and began to move a little faster. Marlon closed his eyes as a whimper escaped him, you always knew how to jack him off, how his tip was extra sensitive and you teased it with the pad of your thumb.
As you toyed with your boyfriend’s hard dick, his own hand found itself in your panties, calloused fingers eagerly searching for your wet sex. One of his fingers circled your clit, teasing it softly as he would brush against it every now and then causing you to jolt slightly from the sudden contact. Marlon lead out a noise between a chuckle and a moan, his hips rocking into your hand as his own finger slipped inside your pussy. Your moans were muffled as your buried your face further into the crook of Marlon’s neck, his breathing became heavy as you began to pump his slower, to focused on the feeling of him finger-fucking you.
Carefully he pushed you back into the bed, his head ducking down to your breast where his hot tongue circled your nipple. Marlon added a second finger as he took a perky bud into his mouth, sucking softly and rolling it between his teeth. Your soft moans and shaky gasps echoed the room, but there was nobody around to hear what your boyfriend was doing to you. Fingers tangled in his mullet as he continued his assault, his fingers picking up speed as he felt you clench around them.
“You’re so fucking beautiful… I need you baby, I need you so badly.”
Marlon muttered against your skin, his tongue swirled around your perky bud before pulling away. He curled his fingers inside of you, giving a few more thrusts before pulling them out, your wetness costing his digits. He pulled away from you yanking down his red boxers and kicking them off, before he slowly rolled your panties down your thighs. You opened your eyes to watch him, a dark and hungry look in his lust filled blue eyes. Marlon bit his lip as your pretty pussy came into view, feel his cock throb in anticipation. It wasn’t the first time he fucked you and it certainly don’t be the last, but man he could never get enough of you.
Once your soaked undies were tossed aside, your boyfriend’s hands found your legs and slowly began to move up. Massaging into the soft flesh of your skin, nails scrapping every now and then. Carefully he pushed your legs apart to make room for himself between them, already stroking his painfully hard dick at the sight of you. Embarrassment flooded you as you watched him pump himself, when he caught you he chuckled deeply. Marlon’s eyes were dark and pupils blown out with lust, drinking in your naked form with a groan. His one of his hand guiding your leg to wrap around his hip, as the other rested by your head, trapping you underneath him.
Marlon teased your pussy with his swollen tip, running it along your folds and brushing it against your clit, making you jump slightly. Your hands found his shoulders, nails slightly digging into the skin as you tried to fight back a whimper. At a painfully slow pace he slowly eased his cock into you, hissing softly as he felt his tight you were around him. He gripped your like tighter, trembling slightly as he tried to go slow not wanting to cause you any pain.
“God… Fuck- you are so tight..”
He mumbled, letting out an airy moan as he sheathed fully inside you. Your legs were shaking slightly beneath him, feeling how he made you feel so full. You snaked your arms around his shoulders, pulling him down slightly to hide your face in his neck again. Marlon chuckled at how shy you were with him still, wondering if you were ever going to overcome it. He moved to lean on his arm so he could be closer to you, he wanted you to hear every noise he made, how you drive him crazy. Slowly he began to thrust in and out of you, desperate, shaky gasps slipped past his lips as he rocked his hips into yours.
“Marlon!”
You moaned out his name, muffled slightly by the skin of his neck. Your nails clawed at his back slightly, though it didn’t seem to bother your boyfriend. A grunt escaped him as he picked up speed, his blue eyes screwing shut as he lowered his lips to your ear. All you could hear was Marlon’s moans, grunts and whimpers. Even when he tried to be that rough, dominating guy with you, but the minute he was inside of you he lost it. You felt so good and he loved you too much, he wanted you to feel how much he needed you, how he craved you.
Marlon was so focused on fucking you, his trusts deep and strong. Eyebrows knitted as he made sure to hit the spot inside you, the spot he knew you loved so much. His tongue shot out of his mouth, gently tracing along the shell of your ear as his breathing grew heavier. His teeth nipped at your earlobe, earning a sharp noise from you which made Marlon laugh slightly. His hot breath against your ear, you could almost feel his smirk as he began to move faster.
“You’re so beautiful, Princess… I love you so much.”
Your body felt even hotter at his sweet words, a familiar feeling began to pool in your stomach as a knot formed. Marlon cursed slightly, snapping his hips harder then before cause lewd sounds to echo the room, but he didn’t care at this moment. All he cared about was the woman clinging to him for dear life, he loved you and he needed you. The blonde felt you grow tighter around him, making it harder for him to thrust into you. A pleasant shiver went down his spine, he knew what was coming.
“Oh, you gunna cum? Huh, baby?”
“That’s a good girl-… Ah- hmm, so good.”
All you could hear was Marlon’s words and the thundering of your own heart before you came undone. Your orgasm hit your hard, waves of pleasure came crashing over you as moaned louder than you’d like. You swore you saw stars fucked you through your high, pulling out suddenly with a shudder. Marlon pumped his cock quickly, squeezing himself as his own orgasm hit. White ropes shooting out of him and coasting out stomach, thrusting into his own hand as he gasped.
For a moment you stayed still, the only sounds in the room now were both of yours heavy panting, trying to catch your breaths. Slowly Marlon unhooked your arms from his neck, sitting back on his heels as he looked at you. Hair a mess, flushed face and covered in sweat. You looked so cute, then he noticed the mess he made on you, his embarrassment flooded him. You opened your eyes to see your boyfriend blushing down his neck and on the tips of his ears, making you giggle softly. He shot you a lighthearted glare, slowly climbing off the bed to grab a random piece of cloth from ground so he could clean you up.
“S-Shut up.”
Marlon stammered out, which only made you laugh more. A smile formed on his lips, looking at you with adoring eyes as he cleaned up your stomach.
“I guess you really did need me.”
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