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rhettrosunsets · 6 days ago

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Dog Days Are Over? Bob Floyd X Fem!Reader

Pairing: Robert (Bob) Floyd X F! Reader, Natasha (Phoenix) Trace X OC!F

Category: Fluff! Yearning, Longing, Stolen Glances, Brushing Of Hands One Too Many Time To Be Platonic!

Masterlist

Summary: You didn’t expect the Navy to ever need a vet tech, but when they launched a new mental health initiative featuring therapy dogs you jumped at the chance to join. You liked animals more than people, and you always said the way someone treated a dog said everything you needed to know about them.

Which is why your eyes locked on him that first day.

And just like that, you knew you were gone.

Word count: 7,241

Warnings: Mentions of reader being socially awkward around people, inaccurate depictions of Vet-Techs, Their Jobs and therapy dog training. No description of reader outside of Bob brushing a piece of hair behind the readers ear, mention of reader having shitty-first dates (none are written out), readers overthinking and longing. No use of Y/N. Maya and Reader being chaotic with each other.

Notes: Omg, Omg, Omg! I’ve been so excited to get this one out, I’ve had the idea for this for a few days (before I decided to bite the bullet and create this blog) I hope you enjoy this and have as much fun reading it, as I did writing it!!

You never expected the Navy to need a vet tech.

But when they decided to announce a new mental health initiative, and a new training program for therapy dogs, you jumped at the chance to broaden your resume, always being one to try to get as much experience and interaction with animals as you could.

You weren’t military and you never had an interest in it, being a bookworm your entire childhood, and often declaring that you liked animals more than you could any human. You knew animals, you knew their signs, their tells, and you learned how to gain their trust and what a rewarding experience that could be as you bonded. Because of that, you also knew that the way someone treated a dog said a lot about them.

Which is why your eyes followed him that first morning.

Tall. Glasses. Fluffy Hair. Soft-spoken. All nerves, but never forgetting his manners, treating each of your staff members with respect, never letting his soft quirked smile drop. He stood apart from the other pilots, gently rubbing the small golden retriever’s head while the others jostled and joked. You caught the way he murmured, “Good girl” with a quiet reverence, and gentle tone, like the Golden Retriever was royalty. You wished someone would talk to you like that.

“That’s Bob Floyd,” your coworker, and best friend Maya says standing next to you, her gaze watching the way you’re looking at him so intently, like he’s holding the sun. “They call him ‘Bob’ and that’s his callsign as well. He’s like, super smart. A bit shy, but one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet. He's Phoenix's WSO.” She replies, nodding her head to the female aviator crouched beside a German Shepard, grinning as she held up a chew toy.

You nod, your gaze still focused on the shy aviator in front of you. “Uhuh.” You mumble out softly, still distracted, before snapping your focus back to Maya. “How do you know so much about them anyways?” You ask with a raised eyebrow, intrigue evident in your tone.

Maya stutters softly, “I-I just do my research before we come to these things.”

You didn’t press Maya for more. Not because you weren’t curious, you a hundred precent knew there was more behind her shitty reply, but because Bob was now looking in your direction, and even though you weren’t the one calling the orders, or running the show he smiled at you in a way that made you feel like you were the only one in the room.

Your heart did a little somersault, as you averted your gaze feeling the heat rise on your cheeks, before focusing back onto Bob and the Small golden retriever. Daisy, the golden retriever in question, nudged her head beneath Bob’s hand again, clearly as taken with him as you were. The little dog’s tail thumped against the tile floor with pure joy as she nipped at his hand softly, letting out happy barks. You couldn’t help smiling as you watched the gentle interaction. Bob’s smile widened slightly as Daisy jumped, trying to put her paws on his chest.. It was the kind of look that didn’t try too hard, it just was. And it made something twist quietly inside your chest.

“Looks like she chose him,” Maya murmured near your ear, folding her arms as she watched Daisy settle practically into Bob’s lap, like she belonged there.

You didn’t even argue.

By the end of the day, Daisy had refused to interact with anyone else, including a very, very, patient senior chief who tried to bribe her with treats, something the dog had never ignored before. Bob didn’t seem to know what to do with the attention, he kept glancing at the other handlers like someone was going to tell him he wasn’t allowed to be there, or that he needed to let Daisy interact with the others for this first day of the program. But when you came over with a clipboard and a shy, yet welcoming smile, he stood up so fast he startled Daisy, who peered up with him in confusion, and a bit of annoyance.

“Sorry” he said immediately. “Did I-? S-Should I move?”

You shook your head immediately. “Not at all. She likes you. That’s kind of the point of this whole thing.” you say with a shy chuckle, keeping your eyes firmly planted on Daisy, afraid to look in his eyes and say something embarrassing in front of the aviator.

He glanced down at Daisy, who flopped back down onto the grass, with a soft huff, her head resting on her paws, upset she’s no longer the focal point of his attention. Bob smiled again. “She’s very sweet.”

“She’s the sweetest one, I love getting to take her for walks,” you said, scribbling his name on the volunteer list. “She’s never been paired up with anyone before, she’s brand new to our program, only a year old, I've just been gettin to know her myself lately. You’re amazing with her, like truly, a natural.”

Bob’s ears turned a little pink at your soft praise. “Not really sure I’m right, for this whole thing.” He says waving his hands gently.

You looked up at him then, meeting his eyes properly for the first time, and you feel like you can see his entire soul being laid before you in that moment. His eyes are kind, thoughtful, like the color of lake water under morning sun, a soft blue that seems like it could solve any of your problems before you even knew what they were.

“You are,” you said in a firm voice, before you could think better of it.

His eyebrows lifted slightly, and then, he laughed. A low, warm sound that made your stomach flutter. And from that moment, you knew this was going to be a problem if your almost wobbling knees had anything to say about it.

The next few weeks passed in a rhythm you hadn’t realized you’d been missing in your life.

Every morning, the therapy dog teams gathered on the base's green patch. It was quiet enough there, with room to run or sit. Bob came to every session, always with Daisy, always on time, and always nothing but respectful. His first few days, he trailed behind a bit, fumbling with Daisy’s leash, or trying to make himself seem sparse. But by the second week, you noticed he walked with more purpose, he seemed to become more comfortable in the environment and Daisy trotted beside him, tail high and always wagging, like she was proud to be his.

You found yourself looking forward to those mornings more than anything else. The sun, the dogs, the sea breeze, and..well Bob. The man who always greeted you with a quiet “Morning” and a smile that made it feel like he meant it, like he actually cared.

He wasn’t loud like the others, Rooster who often cracked jokes with the handlers, Hangman flirted shamelessly with Maya (who, to her credit, usually shut it down with an eye roll and a snarky comment immediately, often stating the dogs are more well mannered than him, but never holding any real malice), and even Phoenix made herself known with casual charm and easy going confidence that made you intently listen to every word she speaks.

But Bob, well..Bob was soft. He listened, he always took his time, never rushing you when he needed to ask you a question, waiting to make sure you weren’t swamped with other people asking you things. He always remembered to ask about a dog’s progress or if one had been limping the day before, he read every handout you gave him, probably twice to his credit, and when he spoke, it was because he’d actually thought about what he wanted to say to you, not just talking mindlessly to fill the silence.

It made you feel seen in a way you weren’t used to.

One afternoon, after a long walk around the far end of the base trail you took with Bob and Daisy, Bob slowed beside you and cleared his throat, as his eyes gently traced your figure, taking in how you interact with Daisy.

“Hey, Is it okay if I ask you something kind of personal? Y-You don’t have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable” He rambles softly, not wanting you to feel any type of pressure. You paused, letting Daisy sniff at a bush before nodding. “Go for it, lieutenant” you say with a shy smile.

He hesitated a bit, but finally asked “Have you always worked with animals?”

You blinked, and then smiled wider, not used to people asking about your work much, oftentimes becoming bored when you ramble on excitedly about what you do. “Yep!, Pretty much since high school, I volunteered at a shelter the moment I turned sixteen. I just fell in love with the way I could understand the animals, how they made me feel..seen? With animals there’s no undertones, or missed signals that I think about when I can’t sleep and end up overthinking all night. They trust me, and I trust them, you just have this bond with them that's so special to me. I started vet school a few years ago, and have been working with therapy dogs ever since. I’ve always been more comfortable around animals than people.”

Bob gave you a small smile, his blue eyes softly running over your face, admiring the way you seemed to light up when you got to talk about your job. “I get that.”

“Yeah?” you ask looking up from where Daisy is trying to chase her own shadow, to meet his gentle eyes.

“I was, well I was pretty quiet growing up. Still am, I guess.” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “It took me a while to find people who didn’t try to change that fact about me.”

You watched the way he looked at Daisy when he was talking, and how his eyes protectively monitored to make sure she wasn’t near any danger, “Well, Daisy clearly thinks you’re perfect the way you are.” You reply in a soft tone.

Bob looked down at the golden retriever sprawled in the grass, tongue out, blissfully lounging in the soft rays of the sun. “Same can be said for you,” he replies quietly, his hand accidentally grazing yours as he reached for where Daisy’s leash layed. And your heart did another one of those flips, feeling like it was going to leap right out of your chest.

It was this day that you truly felt something change between you and Bob Floyd.

The longer the program went on, the more Daisy seemed to view her role less as “emotional support therapy dog” that she was supposed to be training for, and more like “matchmaker enthusiast.”

It wasn’t subtle, in the way she’d wedge herself between you and Bob just long enough to force you guys to accidentally nudge your hands together, or she’d refuse to sit unless you both gave her attention at the same time. Once, during a group walk, she sat down stubbornly and refused to move until Bob offered you his hand to help you step over a leftover puddle blocking your path from the storm that had happened the night before. She trotted off, pulling Bob along as he held her leash, her tail wagging after that, tongue out, as if she’d just conducted her plan seamlessly.

Bob didn’t seem to notice at first, at least not consciously. But you began to catch the way he looked at you when he thought you weren’t paying attention, and you definitely noticed the way his fingers brushed yours more and more when handing off the leashes or while reaching for the same toy, the way you’d both linger for a second too long to be considered platonic.

You found yourself beginning to linger after the dogs were back in their kennels for the day, helping Bob brush out Daisy’s gold coat, even though your shift technically ended fifteen minutes earlier, you never minded, in fact, it became one of the most cherished parts of your day. You liked hearing him talk, even when it was about the most random, and mundane things. You loved hearing about his favorite movies (mostly classics, some you hadn’t seen, to which he proclaimed that you had to watch). His weirdly detailed knowledge of birds and bird calls that he would show you, and even demonstrate for you, always making you laugh on the long walks you took, and how he was always, always the last to leave any room because he didn’t want to seem rude.

That last one made you smile, because of course he didn’t.

You only had a few more weeks left of the program, a fact that had been eating at you, the knowledge of the fact that you’d no longer be seeing the Naval Officer who weaved his way into your heart everyday, and that your routine that you’ve picked up and come to love, would soon be gone, left to just your memories.

While you were packing up your bag after a session one morning, Bob suddenly asked out of seemingly nowhere

“Do you want to get lunch?” Bob’s voice had been so casual, so soft, that you almost didn’t hear him, your brain seemingly short-circuiting at the question. You looked up, blinking a few times, before realizing you needed to respond, “Lunch?”

“Yeah. Like, at that little sandwich place near the beach. If you're not busy.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s okay if not. I just thought... We talk a lot here. Maybe we could talk somewhere that doesn’t smell like dog shampoo, get to know each other outside of this?”

You laughed softly, shyly averting your gaze, with a gentle shrug of your shoulders. “I like the smell of dog shampoo.”

He smiled, glancing down at Daisy, then back at you. “Me too now, But still.”

“Okay,” you said, responding, finding the courage as your heart flutters, feeling like it may leap out of your chest. “Lunch sounds great.”

The sandwich shop wasn’t anything fancy. A hole-in-the-wall spot with chipped yellowed counters, sun-faded menus, and an old vibe telling you it hadn’t been renovated in years. But the outdoor tables were shaded, the lemonade was fresh and had real lemon slices in it, and the sandwich was one of the best you’d ever had.

You talked for three hours.

About everything, about nothing. He told you about flight school, about growing up in Montanna as a kid and why he chose the Navy, he talked about getting picked on for his name, about the day he realized that being quiet didn’t mean being invisible, and about how the daggers had become like a family to him. You told him about your old rescue dog, the one that made you fall in love with veterinary work that you had convinced your parents to adopt when you turned seventeen, promising to pay for everything the dog could ever need, seeing the old dog and just wanting to give it somewhere where it could be loved and cherished. You talked about how shy you were growing up, always being told you needed to speak but, and how you were often described as ‘a delight to have in class, but needs to participate more.’ You told him about wanting to open your own practice someday, something small and cozy, where animals could be safe and taken care of, where each animal got the treatment they truly deserved, and felt like they were loved and cared for.

When the sun dipped low enough to cast a golden light hue across the tabletop, you realized you hadn’t stopped smiling the whole time, your cheeks hurting from how long your face had seemed locked into a smile. Time felt like it didn’t exist when you were together, and that was new to you, it scared you, but it intrigued you.

“I like talking to you,” Bob said as he walked you back to your car, “It’s easy.” He says softly before opening your car door after you unlock the car.

You peer up at him from your seat, heart thudding in your chest. “Yeah. It is.” you say with a soft smile.

You didn’t kiss that day. But when he touched your arm lightly and said, “See you tomorrow?” Before closing your car door, it felt like a promise.

The next morning Maya was waiting with a smirk so smug it would become permanent if she tried any harder. “Well?!” she asked, eyebrows raised.

“Well, what?” You ask softly as you two begin to walk towards the building.

“Don’t play dumb with me. I know Bob asked you out yesterday! Phoenix told me he was going to. I think he practiced in the hangar for, like, three hours or something to get the courage to do it.”

You blinked. “Wait, what?”

“Oh yeah.” Maya grinned, striking a similar appearance to the cheshire cat. “Apparently Rooster walked in on him reciting how to ask you out to lunch.”

You snorted, shaking your head. “That’s not true.”

“It’s absolutely true. And it’s adorable! You deserve someone like him. Your prior experience with men has just been depressing!” You rolled your eyes, but your cheeks were warm. “We just got lunch.”

Maya’s eyes sparkled. “Mmhm. And I just ‘accidentally’ keep running into Phoenix every time she’s off-duty.” Your lips parted in realization. “Wait. You and Phoenix?”

“Working on it,” Maya said casually, like it wasn’t the most exciting thing you’d heard in weeks.

You grin as you slap her shoulder softly. “You absolute flirt! Why didn’t you tell me?” You exclaim in shock, walking after her.

She winks softly, as she turns back to you. “Takes one to know one. You should ask Bob to dinner, you deserve to be happy, and he would make you happy.”

You shrug softly as you open the door to walk into the make-shift kennel set up area that had been made for the program. “Maybe..”

A few hours later during a particularly long training session, Daisy decided she was done with subtlety, she was going to take action. Daisy sat obediently for about ten seconds, then stood up, turned around, and trotted straight over to Bob, who was standing beside you and flopped onto her side between your feet, rolled over, and let out a loud, dramatic whine, gently pushing her paw up in the air towards the two of you.

You both laughed at the small golden retrievers' antics “I swear she’s trying to get me fired,” you murmured, with a soft shake of your head.

“She’s very committed to her role,” Bob said solemnly

And then, without really thinking, you reached down to scratch behind her ears, except Bob’s hand was already there.

Your fingers touched, but neither of you moved, as time seemed to completely stop as his pinky brushed yours again, tentative. And when you didn’t pull away, he let his whole hand shift, warm against yours, as he intertwined your fingers softly, away from the peering glances of your co-workers.

Still bent over, the dog between you, both of you looking anywhere but at each other, you whispered, “You want to come over for dinner?” in a tone so quiet, Bob could’ve missed it, he looks up, startled at how bold you became in that moment, but his lips quickly quirking up into a smile. “Yeah. Yeah, I’d really like that.”

You spent most of the afternoon overthinking absolutely everything after you arrived home.

You tried to tell yourself it wasn’t a true date, just dinner, just a friend, just someone you worked with who had taken you out to lunch. But then you remembered the way his hand had felt brushing yours, the way his voice softened when he spoke to you always making sure his tone was gentle with you as if to not scare you off, The way you caught him looking at you sometimes, like he didn’t know if you were real or not, and like every moment he needed to soak you up, like you’d disappear.

So yeah. It was a date, it was a date you were freaking out, you didn’t do this. You didn’t do dates like this, you went on shitty first dates and then would go home and declare you were just going to live life happily with your animals, while drinking a glass of wine and watching reruns old of tv-shows while you called Maya, ranting about what went wrong this time. You were, to put it lightly, freaking out, and out of your element.

You vacuumed the floors, even though you knew Bob wouldn’t notice, you suddenly decided that you needed to change the throw pillows on your couch, deciding that the ones you’ve always had on the couch suddenly just weren't the right color anymore. You changed your outfit three times and ended up back in the first one, jeans and a soft sweater, cozy and low-pressure, declaring to yourself that if he can’t appreciate you in something simple, then he’s not the one. You tried to cook something simple. A simple spaghetti, with roasted vegetables and garlic bread. It turned into a full-scale operation when you realized you didn’t know if Bob liked mushrooms or not.

You were still hovering near the oven, trying to figure out what to order if dinner is an absolute disaster when he knocked, trying to calm yourself down and convince your nervous system that this wasn’t a life or death situation, you wiped your hands on a dish towel and opened the door to find him standing there with a bottle of wine in one hand, and a charming bouquet of grocery store flowers in the other. His hair was slightly windswept and his glasses a little fogged from the cooler night air, blowing from the beach just a few miles away

“Hey,” he said, smiling nervously, his soft lips curled up into a gentle expression “I wasn’t sure what wine to bring, so I called Phoenix, and she said, quote, ‘It’s not a test, Bob, just don’t bring boxed wine.’ So, this is what we ended up with.”

You laughed, a real laugh, not one of the fake laughs you oh-so often have to do on your dates. You take the bottle and the flowers with a warmth that rose all the way to your ears, “You passed with flying colors, Lieutenant.”

He exhaled softly, visibly relaxing as he stepped inside, seeing that you liked the flowers. “And, um, Daisy approved this shirt, had to ask her opinion before I left today, and she let out a happy bark. So I'm assuming that means she liked it.” He said as he gestured to his navy blue button down that was slightly wrinkled, in a charming way.

“She has excellent taste, but we already knew that.” You say with a widening smile. You placed the flowers in a jar on your windowsill and poured the wine, handing him a glass as he took in your kitchen like it was something sacred, He looked so at ease, yet like this moment meant something truly sincere to him. Getting to see all the parts of you that nobody else does, the knick-knacks you have set up around the kitchen, the themed salt and pepper shakers you have, the goofy photos you have of family and friends that line your walls. He was getting to see the parts of you that not many do, and that made his chest tighten with a feeling of want, to be able to see you like this everyday, and have it be photos of you two together lining the walls someday.

The food turned out surprisingly well. He took a second helping, complimented your garlic bread like it was gourmet and made from scratch, and insisted on helping clear the table afterward, before standing next to you, while you guys did the dishes, with him washing them, and you drying them, before he insisted he’d put them away, and that you should go sit on the couch and relax, as ‘payment for dinner.’ It was something so domestic, something that felt so right, that you couldn’t help but acknowledge butterflies fluttering in your stomach.

After finishing the dishes, you ended up next to each other on the couch, the wine glasses forgotten on the coffee table, some movie playing lowly in the background as you two talked, going on and on, before you reached the topic of beloved Daisy.

“Daisy seems happier when we all go on walks together, I try to take her myself, but she whines the whole time like something’s wrong, she never used to do that before.” You tell Bob softly.

He shrugs with a smile as he looks at you intently, “I just think she’s happier when we're together, like a little team.” He says

You giggle at him calling you guys a team, tucking your feet beneath you on the couch. “She’s pretty fond of you, it was like from the moment she first saw you she knew that she was gonna be yours for the program.”

He looked at you, and not just a glance, but the kind of look that tells you that he sees you, like he understands you and everything that you are.

“I’m pretty fond of you.” he says, his voice a little low, a bit uncertain, like he hadn’t meant to say it out loud, and it just blurted out without permission.

Your breath catches in your throat, a soft gasp escaping you, as you shift slightly closer, your knees brushing his, as you look up to meet his wide gaze, like he’s afraid of what you might say. “I’m really, really, glad you came tonight Bob.”

“I almost didn’t,” he admitted. “I sat in the car for, like, five minutes trying to talk myself out of being weird about it.”

You laughed quietly, the sound shaky in your chest as you feel your heart beating a million miles a minute. “And?”

“And, well, then I remembered how you look when you smile at Daisy, the way you sound when you’re talking about something you love, the way you light up when people ask you questions about the animals, the way your hand feels against mine when I brush against it, and how that makes me feel, so I figured I’d rather risk being weird and messing this up, than to not come at all.”

Your heart twists at his confession, pounding away in your chest, as you softly respond “You’re not weird, Bob, and you're not off putting, not to me.”

He looks at you, eyes searching yours like they hold all the answers he’ll ever need. “Not even a little?”

You shake your head desperately, trying to tell him how you feel, the way he makes your heart feel like it's going to leap out of your chest, the way that he takes care of you without even knowing it, the way he makes you..feel like you, and how you never have to fake being yourself around him, because he brings you the real you out, and doesn’t push it back in, like so many others have done to you before.

“You’re just..good.” You muster out softly, looking into his baby blue eyes, hoping you convey what needs to be said, when you can’t find the words.

He reaches up, slow and deliberate, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear. His fingers lingered a second longer than they needed to, your breath hitching in your throat at the action, and when he leaned in, it wasn’t hurried or unsure, It was gentle and soft, just like his soul.

The kiss was soft, warm, and a bit clumsy in the best way. It's like neither of you knew quite how to go slowly because you’d been waiting for this longer than you realized, the kiss felt special, it felt like you two, with no other way to describe it because simply, you.

When you finally pulled away, panting quietly as you smile against his lips, he whispered, “I really like you.”

You rest your forehead against his, before grabbing his hand, intertwining your fingers and responding, “I really like you too, Bob.”

The day after dinner felt different.

Not in a huge, fireworks, sparks flying, Nicholas Sparks romance kind of way. But in the way Bob smiled at you when you arrived at the base that morning, like he was carrying a little secret only the two of you knew about. And In the way Daisy practically dragged him toward you, running as fast as her paws could take her, like she’d been counting the minutes since you last saw her.

“Morning,” he said, voice low and full of something that made your stomach flutter, and your knees wobble. “Morning,” you echoed, biting back a grin, as you bent down to gently scratch Daisy behind the ears, laughing at her soft barks.

Maya clocked it instantly, She waited until Bob had walked away to go handle something Daisy along in tow, before sidling up next to you and whispering, “You’re glowing so much you’re practically radioactive! What happened?”

You tried to play it cool, but immediately failed, turning to look at Maya with a big dopey grin on your face, that couldn’t be wiped off even if you tried. “We had dinner.”

“Dinner,” she repeated, slowly, with a raised eyebrow, seeming like she was waiting for something far more dramatic than that. “And?”

“And.. and we kissed.” You gushed out softly, trying to keep your voice quiet. Maya squealed so loudly it came out like a squeak. Phoenix, from across the yard, looked over, a concerned look on her face as she looked at the two of you, before Maya gave her a thumbs-up so casually it was almost suspicious.

You narrowed your eyes. “Are you two finally..? Ya know?”

Maya blinked. “What?”

You roll your eyes, “You know what Maya, You and Phoenix, are you dating yet?”

Maya stands up, turning to walk away, yelling. “I plead the fifth.” As you shake your head softly, hoping that they get together, knowing how much Maya truly likes phoenix, even if she hasn’t vocalized it yet.

Dating Bob was like learning a new language, it was quiet, intentional, and oh-so tender at all times. You texted more now, little things at first, things like a photo of Daisy with her nose buried in a tennis ball bin with a funny caption, or a link to a spotify playlist of your combined favorite songs to listen to when you walk daisy together that Bob had created for you two. Or one of your favorites, a picture of his hand brushing against yours during a walk that Maya took and sent him before you had started dating, that made you smile like an idiot in the middle of your shift.

He was thoughtful in ways you weren’t used to, he remembered that you liked your coffee with almond milk most days, and the exact order you get when you aren’t feeling your best and need that extra pick-me-up. He remembers that you hate when people wear cologne that smells like cleaning products and are so strong you can smell them from far away, as they give you a headache. He remembered your favorite restaurants and you order at each of them so he can go pick you up lunch and surprise you with it, and the way you would gush over what types of coffee he just had to try, and even if he didn’t like them, he never would tell you that, as just getting to spend time with you was enough, the coffee becoming irrelevant to if he had a good time or not.

Bob didn’t try to fill silences with mindless conversation, instead, he just existed beside you, solid and steady incase you needed him, always being there for you to lean on if things got hard. He was always reaching a hand out to open your door first before you could even think about touching the handle, and he would gently guide his hand to your low back to lead you in front of him when you entered a room, his touch always soft, delicate and warm. Then it was the way he always made sure you were on the inside of the sidewalk when you guys would walk Daisy never once breaking that rule, and always keeping his arm on either your low back or around your shoulders.

But then it was the way he always carried extra gum of the flavor you liked, and your favorite chapstick around with him at all times. And when he saw the wide smile on your face, and the brightening of your eyes when he first handed you that chapstick when you complained your lips were feeling chapped, he knew he was in deep.

But the night he knew you were absolutely the one was when you immediately moved into the middle seat of the bench seat in his truck to sit next to him, when he dropped you off after a date one night, claiming you wanted one last kiss for the evening, but really just wanting to spend more time with him, he vowed from that movement on that he knew you were the one for him, forever and always.

The first time you held his hand in public with everyone around was during a group dog walk, no one said anything. No one felt they had to. Maya gave you a quiet little nod across the trail, Phoenix smirked and pretended not to notice as she walked close to Maya, her own hand often grazing Maya’s as she blushed and answered phoenix’s questions, while Rooster high-fived Hangman, telling him he owed him $20, and that he knew it all along.

Bob looked at you in that moment like he was the luckiest man alive.

One Saturday, the week the program was meant to finish up, you spent the entire afternoon together off-base, you’d decided to make the most of it and you drove to a quiet coastal trail with Daisy in the back seat, her head sticking out the window, tongue flapping in the wind, pure joy evident as she lets out little barks of contentment.

Bob brought a backpack full of snacks, drinks, a blanket, and even a thermos of coffee he made just the way you liked it. You found a quiet bluff overlooking the ocean and laid in the sun while Daisy nosed around happily, sniffling the fresh ocean air, as you and Bob laid together, admiring the view.

“You ever think about the future?” you asked lazily, sunglasses slipping down your nose, as you peered up at your Boyfriend, seeing his hair get blown softly by the coastal breeze as you reach up with your hand and softly run your fingers through it. Bob shifted onto his elbow to look down at you, so he could see your face better. “Sometimes.”

“Does it scare you?” You ask softly. He thought about it, before shaking his head. “It used to. Not so much now.”

“Really?” You ask in a gentle questioning tone, “Why’s that?”

“I think it just depended who was in it, that’s what made me so nervous, but knowing what I have now, i’m not afraid anymore” He says so calmly like he didn’t just make your stomach burst into butterflies. Your heart squeezed tightly, as you leaned over and kissed him, slow and soft, wrapping your arms around his neck. When you pulled back, he looked dazed, with a soft smile on his face, like maybe he’d just fallen out of the sky and landed in a dream. “I’m in it,” you said quietly, making sure he understood how much you meant what you were saying. “If you want me to be, I'm here.”

He nodded, his throat closing softly, as his eyes fill with tears that he blinks away quickly, as he manages to say. “I really, really do. You and Daisy, I don’t know how, but you two are my family, it’s like we're meant to be one. I want both my girls in my life”

You didn’t have words for the warmth that bloomed in your chest at that, but the way you slid your hand into his said everything you needed it to in that moment, and the kiss he gave you next only solidified it, as you hear Daisy happily barking at a bird, and the waves crashing against the rocks in the background, nothing seeming to matter except you two in that moment.

The therapy dog program was wrapping up its first run, and it was sort of bittersweet. You'd come here to learn new things, to gain more real world experience, and to pad your resume up. But you’d also found something you didn’t know you were missing, A quiet man with careful hands and a heart that surprised you daily, a man who took care of you in ways you didn’t know you’d ever want or need, and a man who absolutely stole your heart, making it no good for anyone else ever again. And along with that man, you gained an energetic, golden retriever who acted like your lives revolved around her, and who maybe wasn’t wrong, as you and Bob doted on Daisy like she was your own child, after you got her adoption papers finalized, always letting her ride up in the front of the truck with you, and giving her one too many treats every so often.

A few weeks later, on a warm afternoon, you found yourself heading back to base for the first time since the program had officially ended. You'd accidentally kept Bob’s spare phone charger in your bag after a night at his place and figured it was a good excuse to see him, not that you ever needed one. Daisy sat in your passenger seat like she owned it, tail wagging every time you glanced her way, like she knew exactly where you two were heading.

“You miss him too, huh Daisy-Girl?” you said gently taking one hand off the steering wheel, and ruffling her fur, before focusing back on the road, and she woofed in agreement. Making you smile wide. “Yeah, me too Daisy, me too.”

You found Bob fairly quickly after you parked, a pencil tucked behind one ear as he talked to another pilot about something, knowing he was on his lunch break. He looked up when he saw you and broke into the kind of smile that made the thirty minute drive worth it. “Hey Baby, what are you doing here?” He asked, walking over with a wide surprised smile on his face, the sun reflecting off his baby blue eyes, giving them an extra glimmer.

“I brought your charger,” you said, holding it up. “And your dog.”

Daisy bolted to him instantly, circling his legs with delighted barks. Bob crouched to greet her, ruffling her fur, and letting her lick all over his face, as he laughed loudly at her antics, and when he stood, he pulled you in for a kiss that was warm and familiar and made everything around you seem to blur, as his kisses make you feel like time doesn’t matter, and anyone who may be watching is irrelevant.

As you pull away and look over, you notice on one of the benches shaded by the wide awning, sat Maya. Her head was tipped to the side slightly, her eyes crinkled in that soft way that said she wasn’t just laughing, but rather that she was truly happy, Her whole posture had changed from her normal sarcastic and confident demeanor she so often puts on as a show, but rather, she seemed relaxed, and content, And Phoenix, Natasha, was sitting beside her.

Close.

Their knees brushed, but neither of them moved away. Natasha was saying something in a low voice, something you couldn’t quite catch from where you were standing, but the smile on Maya’s face grew wider, shyer, and more bashful. Maya glanced down, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, and when Natasha reached out to take her hand, she let her.

Your heart swelled, feeling so insanely happy for your friend, who you know absolutely deserved this, and being glad that it was with someone like Phoenix. You didn’t want to interrupt their sweet moment, planning to tell Bob that you’d see him later tonight, and start making the drive back home and call Maya later to interrogate her, but Daisy had other plans. She let out a happy bark and ran straight up to them, tail sweeping the ground wildly like she knew exactly what she was doing, as she barked and licked at their hands, as they noticed her presence.

“Daisy!” You exclaim with an exasperated sigh, as you run over to where she’s whining, hearing Bob’s gentle laughter behind you as you run. Phoenix turned her attention toward you, immediately clocking your presence a few paces back, her expression not shifting much, and her hand still holding Maya’s. You offered them both a soft smile as you stepped forward to grab Daisy’s leash. “Hey Guys, m’sorry to ruin the moment, she seems to have forgotten how to act in public, apparently.”

Maya’s face went a little pink as she blinked up at you, words seemingly stuck in her throat, as you smile, glancing between them. The warmth in the air, the way neither of them had pulled away. The kind of silence that settles when something new is evident and no one’s quite sure how to say it out loud yet.

“You two look happy.” You say softly smiling at your best friend, and Phoenix.

Maya’s blush deepened as her gaze looked away softly, and Phoenix’s smile tugged higher as she looked at Maya.

“We are,” Maya said, voice a bit wobbly, as if, even she’s surprised at the situation. “We, were um, we’re kind of figuring things out.”

You crouched down to scratch Daisy’s ears, grinning. “I’m happy for you two, if anyone deserves this Maya, it’s you two. I guess Daisy just really knows when couples seem to work.” You say in a joking tone, looking at your best friend.

Phoenix chuckles, finally releasing Maya’s hand, but doing so to wrap her arm around her shoulder instead, tugging the girl close to her. “She’s got a perfect record so far.”

Maya glanced at you, eyes seemingly glowing in the joy she feels, as her cheeks heat up again. “Please don’t make it a thing.” she says with an eye roll, referring to Daisy being a matchmaker. “Oh, it’s a hundred percent, already a thing.” you say, standing up, and making sure you have Daisy’s leash in a much tighter hold this time.

You bid them a goodbye, as you head to say one last goodbye to Bob, leaving them curled into one another under the canopy of late morning sun, Maya giggling into Natasha’s shoulder as Daisy trots triumphantly next to you, like her job here was done.

And honestly?

You couldn’t argue with her.

#bob floyd #bob floyd x reader #x reader #top gun x reader #top gun maverick #topgun #phoenix trace #OC!#ninismasterlist

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