#Alec Hardy is shy and bad at asking for what he wants

[kaylinelizabeth4004]

Beggin’

(Broadchurch) Alec Hardy x Reader

Synopsis: Alec has no concept of time and barges in Y/N’s house to investigate. Shenanigans ensue.

Tags: smut, fluff, established relationship, face riding/sitting, oral sex (f receiving), slight praise, no beta we die like his heart

She'd just come out of the shower, hair up in a half hearted bun. Y/N was exhausted, the current case was on her mind. A murder, that was evident. The victim was an old woman in her home, a single gunshot to the chest and her house ransacked. But it didn't look right.

As she changed into some comfy short shorts and an oversized Elvis Presley t-shirt, she visualized the scene in her head. It just wasn't right. She remembered a little purple jewelry box up near the dresser, and it didn't appear to be opened. She made a mental note to check that out, along with the neighbors alibi and how sound could transfer in a duplex.

Of course she knew when she agreed to be a Detective Sergeant that it was going to be time consuming, that this career would become you to an extent. And she wanted that. After she accidentally stumbled into this career and saw her first scene, she knew that was what she wanted with her life. But she hadn't realized that that would mean when she does even the most basic functions, her brain would be so wholly preoccupied. She took her hair out, brushed her teeth, pulled the covers down then went to turn out the lights before climbing into them. And all throughout it, she was speculating about silencers and times of death.

Her head had barely hit the pillow before she heard a banging at her front door. She laid there for a moment, contemplating her options. It was either some tragedy has happened or some idiot come to hurt her. And quite frankly she knew she could hold her own. Y/N wasn't a fool, she wasn't going to go answer it without precaution. She quickly went and retrieved a bread knife from the kitchen before going to the door.

The knife was in position when she opened it. Instead of finding some craved criminal, or even some sobbing family member, she found her boyfriend/boss with a box of papers.

"Alec? It's one in the morning."

His eyes narrowed at the sight of her. He looked tired, but he did always look just a little tired. His hair was messed up and his beard just a touch scruffy.

"I don't trust Anderson."

"What?" She asked. He didn't answer as he walked into her house and deposited the box of files on her kitchen table. She didn't mind Alec coming over, hell she loved the chance to see him, but this was all a little unprompted for her.

"Y/N, didya get anything on Imogen Walker? I don't like her. I also don't like this bloke, who does he think he is? Fucking hell," Alec started pulling stuff out to work on.

Y/N wanted to protest, but she also knew that she wasn't going to get much sleep even if she tried. This was at least productive and she got to spend time with him. She grabbed a blanket from the living room, wrapped it around herself, and sat down at the table.

"Imogen has a few misdemeanors but nothing of this caliber, nothing that would suggest murder." She said, "As for Gary, he did have a stay in the hospital back in his twenties for mental illness. I requested the documents for the diagnosis and behavior during the stay but they probably won't come in until later today or tomorrow. I think you need to focus on her niece, her alibi is shaky at best."

If Y/N focused on DI Alec Hardy's face, she might have seen the shadow of a smile on his lips that he quickly hid with other possible motives and questions. He'd never say so, but he loved these moments. The times when he could share what he was truly passionate about with someone that he truly loved ... Those moments were the best. All he would need was Daisy cracking jokes in the corner for this moment to be complete.

It was long after the sun came up before Y/N finally decided to make some tea for the two of them. She told Alec who grumbled a one worded response she didn't bother to try and understand. Maybe it was Alec or the case, but she strangely wasn't tired. Her mind kept whirling with all the possibilities and she enjoyed the time with Alec.

"Y/N! Do you have the SOCO reports from the car in there?" Hardy called to her. "I need to call -"

He stopped, looking at her from above his glasses, his lips still perched out from his words that fell forgotten. She gave him a strange look, placing the two cuppas down on the table then passing him the SOCO report he'd wanted. Yet he still stared, didn't even bother to say a word. "Hardy?"

DI Alec Hardy was not a man of many words, but when he needed to use words he always had the right thing to say. Or at least he believed it to be the right thing to say. But now, in a moment when words would definitely be helpful, he had nothing. He just stared like a man gone wild. Y/N didn't even know what he was staring at, and she shifted awkwardly on her feet. Which drew extra attention.

"Alec? What're you looking at?"

He seemed to snap out of it, shoving his glasses up his nose and glancing back down at the paper. Y/N didn't know what to make of it, but thought perhaps he was exhausted. She pulled the kitchen chair to her, putting a leg on either side so she could rest her chest on the back of it while she read. And yet again, she looked up to see his warm brown eyes trapped on her and her body.

"Alec?" He didn't answer. "Alec! What's going on?"

Alec adjusted in his seat and said calmly, "nothing."

"Bull."

"Nothing is wrong. Can we continue?"

She felt silly for a moment, maybe she was exaggerating. Then she propped a leg on the chair and she saw his eyes wander again. Okay enough was enough. "Alec, what the hell?"

"Y/N-"

"Oh ho, don't Y/N me to try and get out of answering my question. What's got you looking at me at all weird?"

A pink started to spread on his cheeks and ears, but he looked away. No way, she thought. There's no way 'shitface' just blushed. Yes they'd been dating and she knew he was more than that nickname, but sometimes the occasion calling for it. Like when was blushing early in the morning for no reason, and she'd never seen him blush unless they were making love. Oh. Oh. Her eyes widened, and she felt a little smile on her lips. She stood up slowly, watching the way he tried to fight his gaze from following after.

"Alec, anything you want to tell me?" Y/N went and sat down on the edge of the table in front of him. He swallowed.

"Don't laugh."

"Darling, I would never laugh."

He rolled his eyes and looked away, not having the strength to say it while looking at her. He swiped his glasses off and groaned. "I... those shorts. I really like those shorts."

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. That was not quite the answer she was expecting. "The shorts?"

"Your thighs, they... I like seeing them."

Her mouth fell open in a little o, adjusting her legs slightly as though thinking about them meant she had to move them. He likes her thighs, enough to distract him from work. Alec saw this reaction and immediately flushed darker, "you think I'm stupid."

"Gosh, no, no, no not at all," she said, "I just didn't know."

He still seemed embarrassed. Alec grabbed his glasses and shoved them back on his face, going to grab his work again. But Y/N felt bad, she certainly hadn't meant it like that, she would never shame him for something in the bedroom. She just wanted to know. And she found it very sweet that he found her so attractive. It made her feel sexy.

With a gentle touch she made him set his paper down. He looked with wide eyes. Y/N moved with slow, deliberate movements so Alec could take the time to digest it all. She carefully climbed onto his chair until her thighs were straddling him in his seat, though she hovered above him. She could see his adam's apple bob up and down as she placed her weight on him, leaning forward to take his glasses off. They were so close she could feel his warm breath on her cheeks. She smiled, "hi."

His large hands came to rest on her thighs almost instinctively, squeezing the flesh there. From under her, she could feel the hard length of his cock pressing against his pants. It made her rock her hips just slightly to meet it. He let out a hiss, grip tightening. She quite liked him holding her there, the way he ran his hands down the length of her thighs with a tight grip. He cherished them.

"Y/N..." he murmured, eyes half shut as he lifted a hand to cup her jaw. She leaned in and captured his lips with her own, exploring the kiss and grinding against his hips as he branded her with his touch. She always loved the feeling of his kisses, the way he fell into her touch like it was instinctual. His jaw was always delightfully scratchy and she loved to run her fingers along his beard.

When they broke and their foreheads fell against each other, each gasping for breath, he spoke softly. "Darling.. I have a request."

Alec didn't often ask for much in the bedroom. Y/N certainly wasn't trying to prevent him, he just tended to stay quiet. So she pressed a soft kiss to his scratchy beard and nodded for him to continue. He swallowed nervously before continuing, "I've this fantasy. I've only had it for you."

Alec got embarrassed sometimes when talking about sex. Oh sure, he was great during the act. But he always treated any fantasies or ideas as something stupid and silly. But Y/N didn't think that, she wanted to make it pleasurable for the both of them. If he was willing to do things for her, then she would be willing to do things for him. In a voice that came out far huskier than she intended, she said, "I want to hear it."

"I, I want you to sit on my face."

Her eyebrows shot up and she pulled away to look at him, to check that was what he wanted. His flush got darker and he tried to turn away, but she grabbed his face before he could. The corner of her mouth quirked up, "Alec Hardy, even in your fantasies you want to go down on me. Are you sure that's what you want?"

He nodded vigorously, his gaze intense. She nodded an affirmation and got off, offering a hand for him to take as she guided him into the bedroom. "Tell me where you want us."

Alec nodded. He began to take off his clothing, tossing them on the chair in the corner. Then he got onto the bed near the headboard and told you to strip as well. Here came the part he got excited about, even if excited for Alec meant a pair of wild eyebrows lifted high.

Now naked, Y/N went from the edge of the bed and crawled up to him, showing off her assets. He took a deep shaking breath. She situated herself so her cunt was right above Alec's head, thighs already shaking slightly but she was determined to stay above. Then she felt his hands grab at the back of her thighs, pulling her down.

"Alec!" She squealed, "I can't! What if I hurt you?"

"Hurt you?" He asked in an incredulous way, as though the thought was the furthest thing from his mind. "How could you hurt me?"

"My weight on you.."

He answered what he believed to be a silly question with a silly answer, and dragged her down squarely on his mouth. She laughed a little as she settled, but his hot tongue on her clit was enough to distract her to silence. Well, not silence, but certainly not laughter.

This was a sensation unlike any she'd had. Alec had gone down on her before and it was bloody fantastic, she always left panting and delirious with pleasure. But this seemed to open a whole new wave of sensations. He came into it with a crazed intensity, yearning to taste every part of her he could. His touch was everywhere, hot as it skimmed over her skin and seared her. His lips were plush as they parted to let his tongue slide along her folds, tasting her. That delightful beard was going to cause a rash tomorrow morning but she didn't care as she rocked her hips to meet his tongue's ministrations.

She tasted like sweat and sex and everything good in the world, if he could bottle it up he would. Though in the back of his mind he knew Y/N worried about crushing him with her weight, it was that sensation of being fully engulfed by her that he was so attracted to. Those burning thighs were right by his head, holding him there and clenching with each stroke of pleasure. He held onto them tightly, letting her know just how much he enjoyed it. It was better than just regular oral, it was deeper and intimate. One look up at her was enough to make him shudder and hold her tighter. She looked like a goddess, head thrown back with those raspy little moans pouring from her. Her breasts heaved on her chest, begging to be touched. If he died then and there, with the image of her above him, he'd die a very happy man.

Y/N gasped his name over and over, rolling her hips and meeting his expert tongue. He was everywhere, scorching all of her. Alec’s touch was making her dizzy with pleasure and if she wasn’t careful she’d never leave her spot here. That coil inside of her started to tighten, twisting as tingles were sent all throughout her body. She could feel her orgasm coming, tightening and tightening until with a sobbing gasp she came on Alec Hardy’s tongue.

He never stopped for one second, just lapping at her oversensitive clit until he could feel her coming down from her high. Then he adjusted, helping guide her down his body so he was sitting and she was straddling him. She melted against his chest, head in the crook between his shoulder and neck, breaths uneven.

“Oh my god,” she said finally.

Alec kissed her forehead and rubbed her back, “thank you, darling.”

She gave him a thumbs up, “you tell me all your fantasies, love, because holy fuck.”

Alec nodded, “duly noted.”

“Shut up,” she said, burying her face deeper into him with a smile.

[bewareofchris]

prompts! I’d be ecstatic with anything Illogical husbands.I’m craving more of them from you. But I did have a thought in my head about a fic like the one where Alec tries to help bill feel better about his body (sex in front of a mirror, prompt = take your clothes off) and thought it would be nice to see a fic where bill tries his hardest to make Alec feel better (with or without sexual content, your choice) about either his body..or anything else! Sorry didn’t know how to make a short prompt!

I stg I went looking for that fic just to review it and I cannot find it anywhere.  Ugh my inability to reliably tag things.

PG | Alec Hardy/Bill Masters | Broadchurch/Masters of Sex | Complaining | See Prompt for Summary

Alec had become accustom to exhaustion.  It had been his most constant, reliable companion for these past few years.  Maybe he’d been asking for a miracle, thinking that it might ever pass.  That he might get some semblance of normalcy back after the surgery.

But here he was, eight weeks post surgery, still doing his best to stay awake long enough to get through dinner.  Still dragging his body through the motions of a life worth living.  Still sitting on benches to catch his breath.  Still waking up every morning and finding a skeleton with a man’s skin stretched across it.

He was supposed to be better and he’d only managed stable.  If the best he could hope for was not getting worse he wasn’t sure what all the effort was really for.

But there was Bill, sitting next to him on the bench overlooking the beach below the cliff.  There was Bill squinting into the sun reflecting off the waves as he tried to work out what he was going to say this time.  What else was left that he hadn’t already said.  

Patience didn’t come to them naturally; life had taught them that sometimes you had to take your time.  Sometimes you had to think before you could.  (And how long had it really taken to learn that.)  

“Don’t worry about it,” Alec said.  He shouldn’t even have exploded.  He shouldn’t have ranted.  He shouldn’t have bothered just because his muscles were singing with exhaustion so early in the morning.  Just because he felt like he could have taken a nap right there.

Bill turned so his elbow was over the back of the bench, so he was facing Alec.  So he was looking right at him, as close and as serious as he ever had.  His tongue was a shy pink spot running across his pursed lips before he spoke.  “You were dying,” he said.  The words were as blunt as any doctor.  “You have pushed your body past the point of endurance.  And it has used every resource available to keep you alive.  It may not feel different to you yet because you are starting from nothing.  You have no reserves left.  You have nothing your body can use for energy except what you are actively giving it today.”  He sighed but it didn’t keep him from saying, “every doctor you had told you to stop.  They told you to rest.  They told you that it was getting worse.  That you needed to take care of yourself.  You didn’t listen then but you have to listen now.”

Alec scoffed at that. 

Bill’s hand folded over his where he’d dropped it uselessly into his lap.  His expression was agonized, like he had half the reason to be in pain.  As if he could barely stand to live this life they were stuck with now.  But his voice was strong and unwavering, saying: “Please.  It won’t be forever.”

It wasn’t as if Alec had a choice in the matter.  (Or if he had one, which he must have at some point, he hadn’t chosen the right way.)  “Fine,” was the best he could say.  

“That’s the attitude to have,” Bill said with something like a smile.  “Now, we’ll rest for a bit and we’ll head back to the car.  If you’re feeling up to it we can go and look at the house again.”

“We’ve looked at it six times,” Alec complained. 

“Perhaps this time you’ll give an opinion that isn’t just a sound.”

“I am not the one buying the damn thing.  I like it fine.  I liked all of them fine.”

Bill’s fingers squeezed around him because he was kind enough not to call Alec a liar while he was feeling down.  “You’ll be living there, I give you permission to voice your opinion.”

“I don’t have an opinion.”

Bill snorted and said nothing.  They lapsed into silence.  Alec shifted so he was closer to Bill and Bill laid his arm around Alec’s shoulders.  It was warm there up against Bill’s body.  It was quiet and pleasant and just then it wasn’t so bad how slow life had gotten.  It wasn’t terrible to be forced into standing still.  They had a lifetime of moments to share between them and every excuse they needed to enjoy them now.

“I love that house,” Alec said after a pause.

Bill kissed him without so much as a hint of arrogance.  “I know,” he said, “I just wanted you to say it.”

[judgement-free-sideblog]

Blood, tears and sea breeze

Warnings: ANGST, mental health issues, graphic depictions of violence, blood, cursing, mentions of sexual assault, mentions of sex, substance abuse.

Summary: The not so peaceful town of Broadchurch face dead again, while Alec Hardy continues his journey to redemption will this school teacher be the key to solve the mystery or just another victim of the ever watching evilness that seems to reside in the town.

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Chapter 13: Let's have a drink

"This one is on the house love" a handsome bartender said placing a full martini cup in front of the girl who, for a brief moment, seemed very angry at him, but immediately gave him a smile and he just walked away.

"Did she take it?" A young man said nervous on the bar gazing at the woman as she took a sip from the drink. He had been looking at her all night until the bartender offered a little help.

It was as crowded as usual but he had guessed correctly that the girl was alone, and she had ordered only one beer that was already finished, maybe a college girl overwhelmed with papers, she could use some fun, specially looking so bloody good.

"Relax mate!" He said with a grin in his face "After one special drink from Mike, any girl you want would be more than happy to go home with you" He gave the man an affectionate pat on the shoulder, he look like a simple guy, to shy to talk to the girl, and maybe if he chicken out, he thought remembering the woman legs, he could have his fun that night, but suddenly the guy's face turned somber and serious.

"Did you get that agent Harford? Are you coming home with me?" He said pressing a small button on his ear.

"Well I think I have a piece of shit to interrogate, so I'll pass" the beautiful girl had approach the bar without him noticing and the people around her were now looking. She had her martini glass in one hand and a little plastic circle with a bright pink line in the other.

Mike froze for a second, just long enough for the guy to stand up with handcuffs on his hands, was he that tall all along? He tried to run pushing customers aside but a strong pain in his leg stop him, the woman, officer, hit him on the calf with her police baton.

"That's on the house love" she said and people start running away in fear when the door opened and two other officers, Mike remind he saw them earlier that week, came inside and help him stand up so his partner could put the handcuffs on him.

"Well done Katie" Miller said once Mike Bolzano was safely sited in the police car. "This guys can't see a woman alone and not act like pricks, but at least this time we were expecting it"

"Thank you" She said and now she felt self conscious about how revealing her clothes were.

"Here have this" The young agent Derek Ramos said and gave her a police jacket and gave her a shy smile that didn't go unnoticed to Miller.

"Well we are going to take this fine man to the station, I want your report at my desk tomorrow DC Ramos" Miller said and then she add innocently "Have Katie help you, she is quite diligent for that"

"What was that about?" Alec said, he had been listening while guarding their suspect who was suspiciously calmed in the back of the car.

"I will tell you when you're older" She smiled and he rolled his eyes at her, it had been five days since they have learned about the assault to Y/N and after questioning Bolzano he had denied everything. So Harford suggested a honey trap, to his and other officers concern but it had payed off.

"Remind me Miller" He startedonce they have him on the interrogation room, the remove the handcuffs and were sited in front of him "What is the time for spiking drinks?".

"I'm pretty sure is up to 10 years, specially if someone suffers for any form of assault after" She say offering the man a cup of coffee.

"While Perverting the course of justice can get you life in prison" Alec said searching in his notes.

"I didn't pervert shit" Mike said, not angry just annoyed by their presence "You have nothing on me, and as soon as my lawyer gets here this is going to be over"

"Well that's where you are wrong sir, you'll see," Miller sitted next to Hardy and took out a tablet that he knew was from his office at the bar "Now that we know something wrong may be happening in you establishment we are granted to check all the evidence we require. Would you like to rethink your statement from earlier about the Saturday night and the attack on Y/N Y/L/N"

"Girl couldn't handle her booze, is not my fault some bloke wanted to take a piece, also she was being a whore" he said fully knowing that what was on the laptop will be his end but not wanting to gave them anything yet.

"Do you really think this woman..." Hardy put out a picture of the teacher, a bright smile in a summer dress surrounded by children "How do you called her a whore?" Miller could see him tens his fists under the table but his expression didn't change "Do you think any jury is going to believe you, and not consider you as guilty as the man who attacked her? before I formally arrest you for Perverting the course of justice, is anything you want to tell us, or should we found it ourselves?"

Mike remained silent, he was actually thinking about the problem and his stupid lawyer was nowhere to be found yet, but he was given precise instructions about what he can and cannot say so he finally took a sip of the coffee and speak.

"I didn't lay a finger on your precious teacher here" he started pointing the picture and Miller restrained herself to hold Alec on his site, but he was calmed. "I don't know who did it either, every month or so I get a package of this" He took a small box from his pocket filled with green pills, "I sell them to desperate guys or losers that can't talk to girls, I'm not proud of it, but most of the time the girls were already drunk this just make them less picky"

"Did you sell one the night of April 6th?" Miller said ignoring how disgusting he was.

"No, the day before, some girl came to the bar on Friday night and then the next night I saw that girl completely wasted walking out with some guy to the parking lot".

"A woman bought the pill?" Hardy asked astonished"

"Women are creeps too, don't be sexist" Mike said and tried to laugh for a moment but Hardy cold expression stopped him. "Yes, a nice looking woman, red hair and brown eyes" there like DiCaprio he thought, and he couldn't resist to add something else to the script "Quite bossy if you ask me, but nice red lips"

Do you know her name, or the guy that Y/N went out with?" Alec said, but he was sure they wouldn't get much more out of him.

"No, just another dude, although it surprised me that he have done anything to her, he was no that ugly if you ask me" he said and then a knock on the door stop his words "About bloody time!" He said once his lawyer entered the room. But Hardy couldn't care less.

"Now what?" Miller asked once they were at his office trying to access to Mike's computer "Do you think he is telling the truth?"

"Of course not, but we can let this affect our current investigation" he said and he went to fish for something on his jacket, "Also there was something strange about Ashley Langford" he said putting a napkin with a kiss on it and a phone number.

"What is strange? That a woman may be interested in you? She may be mental for that but I don't see anything wrong" Ellie tried to laugh, but he was visibly uncomfortable with the situation.

They have walked inside her deli three days before, it was pretty empty considering Y/N had said she was very successful, she was behind the counter, with her beautiful hair held on a messy bun, and for a moment the business woman she remembered was hard to see, until the moment she spoke to them.

"I already talk to the other officer, I'm happy to help but at least you could tell me about Y/N state, I haven hear from her in more than a week now and I know she is not right" Something about her concerns seemed to elaborate, but maybe it was just the fact that Miller was doubting about everything and everyone now.

"Miss Y/L/N is fine, she is staying in a secure location, for her own good until we found out who murdered her fiance" Alec said, and suddenly actual sadness could be read on her face. "Right now we are focusing on the weeks that lead to Jonathan Norbury's dead. We have been told that you often went out together, and that Mr Norbury didn't like that his fiance was exposed to alcohol, do you know why?" She was giving him an intense look but he didn't notice.

"Y/N has panic attacks, sometimes she blacks out completely, it has been like that since we were little. I lived with her family when my parents throw me out, so I learned to take care of her, and Jonathan, well he simply wanted to put her on a bubble, and a couple weeks ago something bad happened... I know we should have called the police but ..." she looked nervous and started destroying a napkin in her fingers. "She was... I can't even say it... someone raped her" her eyes began to get wet and she took another napkin to clean her view.

"Please take your time, and tell us what you remember" Ellie said holding her hand reassuringly.

"I lost track of time, I was dancing and when I came back to the table she was gone, I called Jonathan, and we start looking for her, then we thought that maybe she was on the car, and we saw the door was open, someone was running out a tall man, I didn't saw his face, but when we see inside she was... undressed and unconcious, Jonathan tried to look for the guy but we chose to take her home, and when she came back she didn't remember a thing" she said and tears went down her face again. "I was glad she didn't remember so I just slip a morning after pill on her tea and hope for the best, that's why he didn't want me to take her out, but I never went back to that bar, I swear" Miller was about to question her again but a ring from her phone distracted her and she walked out for a moment.

"There are many other things we would like to discuss with you Ms. Langford, if you have the time" he said and took out a note pad, do you happen to know the owner and bartender of the club you went to? Mr Mike Bolzano?"

"I'm so sorry DI Hardy, but I have a lot more to do today, but I have an idea, let's have a drink" She wrote down her number on the napkin and to his surprise marked down a kiss on the paper. "I'm out of here at 9, you give me a call and I would gladly tell you all you want to know" she gave him a radiant smile that didn't quite correspond with the concerned friend crying just minutes before.

"Sure, we'll be in touch" he said politely and exited the room.

Miller had make fun of him for it, specially since nothing particularly relevant came from the exchange whe later that day he joined her to take that drink.

And now with a creep in custody and the time running out he was desperate to find answers, and yet the only thing he was hoping was for the day to end to get to his house and saw her reading on his couch like he had been doing all week.

Tag list:

@allonsymexgirl @laciesaito @tf18unipups @dazedkrosupreme @timey-wimey-lovi @coffees-and-constellations

[paigenotblank]

How about Rose Tyler/Alec Hardy

who hogs the duvet - Rose “bed head” Tyler. Hardy learns early on that you don’t come between Rose and her sleep. He tried burrowing into her blanket burrito once, but the growl she emitted when his cold feet touched hers had him scrambling nearly off the bed. Now he makes sure to leave a spare on a chair next to his side of the bed for when Rose inevitably steals all the blankets in the middle of the night.

who texts/rings to check how their day is going - Rose checks up on Hardy often throughout the day. She’s relatively new to the area and doesn’t yet have an extensive network of friends, so she’ll send a text when she’s feeling lonely. At first, he was mildly irritated - he’s a grown adult, if he doesn’t want to eat lunch that’s his business - but when he realizes why she texts him so much, he makes an effort to suggest meeting for lunch at the little cafe across the street. He eats and she gets out of the house. A win win for them both.

who’s the most creative when it comes to gifts - Rose. She listens even when she doesn’t seem like she is and always surprises him with things he wants. Hardy hates having to buy presents and gets very anxious about it. After Rose’s last two relationships, she is shocked that he thought to even buy her flowers (not to mention the wine and chocolates). Her huge smile at his thoughtfulness has warmth spreading throughout his chest. After that first date, he stresses less about buying Rose gifts and he finds that he often sees things at the shops he thinks she might like. And she always does.

who gets up first in the morning - Hardy. He has a job that requires lots of early mornings. Rose works part time and so very rarely does she need to be up as early as Hardy, but she does try and join him for breakfast before he has to leave.

who suggests new things in bed - At the beginning, they are both very shy around each other. Hardy had been coming off a 10 year dry spell and Rose had recently left a very toxic relationship - both experiences had done a number on their self esteem. After they had been together for a while and felt totally comfortable with each other, Rose started wanting to experiment and try new things. Hardy is more than happy to comply and to let her take the lead in their sex life.

who cries at movies - They both have been known to shed a tear. Rose typically cries when it involves an animal, while Hardy cries when it involves a kid being murdered.

who gives unprompted massages - Rose loves touching Hardy and frequently gives him a massage at the end of a hard day. In bed, however, Hardy loves running his fingers over Rose’s naked back when they’re spending a lazy afternoon in bed. He’ll often give her an impromtu massage and it’ll either end with her falling asleep in bliss or them making love.

who fusses over the other when they’re sick - Rose hates that Hardy doesn’t take care of himself and it affects his health. She is definitely a fusser, and tries to get him to sleep and eat regularly. When Rose gets sick, Hardy doesn’t handle it well, and Rose has to talk him down. He is very good about pampering her. Goes out to get her favorite foods and rubs her feet and makes sure she has plenty to read. He, also, for once, calls to check in on her on those days.

who gets jealous easiest - Rose’s history with Jimmy is hard to overcome and she thinks that women are trying to pull her detective. He is embarrassed to tell her that women in Broadchurch don’t think of him like that - most consider him a knob and a bastard. She can’t believe it, because she has eyes and he is gorgeous and sweet and kind and the most amazing man she’s ever met. “Must not have met many men.” She swats his chest and drags him home and they shag half the night.

who has the most embarrassing taste in music - Hardy. He has a collection of amateur bagpipers.

who collects something unusual - See above.

who takes the longest to get ready - Rose. She likes to make an effort, even though Hardy tells her she’s the most gorgeous creature he’s ever laid eyes on. Still it makes her feel good about herself and so he doesn’t complain when they invariably leave the house late.

who is the most tidy and organised - Hardy. He’s gotten used to moving frequently these last few years and so he has less stuff and keeps it orderly.

who gets most excited about the holidays - Rose. She loves the energy around the holidays. And the decorations. And the smells of season. And giving gifts to those she loves. There is nothing that doesn’t make her happy that time of year.

who is the big spoon/little spoon - Usually Hardy is the big spoon, but sometimes he has nightmares of past cases and then Rose doesn’t hesitate to be the big spoon.

who gets most competitive when playing games and/or sports - Rose Tyler, daughter of Jackie Tyler, is of the mind that losing is not an option.

who starts the most arguments - Hardy has the bigger bark, but watch out for Rose’s bite.

who suggests that they buy a pet - Rose found a stray puppy stuck in a surface water drain and got Hardy to send someone from the fire department to rescue it. There was no question that he would be returning home with Rose, newly dubbed, “K-9.”

what couple traditions they have - they try to go out for dinner on Friday or Saturday. They try to get to London once a month to visit Daisy at uni and Rose’s mum. Every year, on their anniversary, they go away for a long weekend.

what tv shows they watch together - Alec doesn’t really like watching telly, but Rose loves singing competitions. He watched one with her on a lark and quickly got sucked in, though he would never admit it to anyone. One thing that Rose finds absolutely charmng is his method of scoring the singers - he rates them by how well they sing in comparison to her. “Och, Rose, this one’s nowhere near as good as you. If she gets through it’s definitely rigged.” “Ah, Rose, this one’s not bad, like you in the shower, not quite singing in the car level good, but still nae bad.” “Oh, Rose, I like this one. She’s verra good. Reminds me of you when you’re singing to K-9 in the morning cooking breakfast.” “Oooh, that’s high praise coming from you, Alec.” “Mmhmm. We should see if she’s available to sing at our wedding.” “Wedding?” “Aye, will you marry me?”

what other couple they hang out with - they don’t really like to spend their date nights with others, but they do have a lot of friends - or well Rose has a lot of friends after about a year of living in Broadchurch, Hardy has Miller - they socialize with on weekends

how they spend time together as a couple - watching telly, socializing with Miller and her boys, spending time at the beach, exploring other coastal communities, reading, board games with Daisy when she comes to visit, and Rose jumps Hardy’s bones as often as possible.

who made the first move - It was an instant attraction for both of them, but she didn’t think he’d be interested in her because he was an older bloke with his life together and he didn’t think she’d be interested in him because she was a gorgeous young woman. Miller got annoyed with his moon eyes and threatened to ask her out on his behalf if he didn’t get his head out of his arse. Panicking that she would go through with it, he stumbled through an introduction and stammered out an invitation to dinner. Rose found him adorable immediately.

who brings flowers home - Alec brings Rose flowers once a week, and has a standing order with the woman who sells them outside the station. She knows he never buys roses, so she makes sure there are plenty of peonies for him to choose from.

who is the best cook - Rose is the better cook. Hardy can manage the bare basics, but Rose makes an effort. She even signed up for a cooking class at the community center.

Send me a ship and I’ll tell you who…

[blueboxesandtrafficcones]

Do you think Fred would ever call Alec dad?

Ooooh… that’s an interesting question.  Maybe?  But more as a teenager/young adult versus a kid.  Actually, you just inspired a little ficlet…

*trudges back from the word mines with a much heavier bag than expected*  Not sure ‘ficlet’s the right word here anymore…  Enjoy?

Hardy looked up at the knock on his office door, surprisedbut pleased to see his stepson instead of another junior officer with a trivialcomplaint, as he seemed to get constantly now that he was the chief.

“Fred!  Come in, comein.”

The teenager slunk through the door, an unsure expression onhis face.  “I don’t want to interrupt.”

“Nonsense, you’re fine.” He took a moment as the boy settled to close the file folders on his deskbefore joining him on the sofa.  “Whatbrings you by?  Everything all right?”

“Yeah.”  Fred refusedto meet his eye though, clutching his backpack for dear life, and Hardyfrowned, watching him.  Between the threekids, Fred was by far the easiest to deal with as a ‘teenager’.  Not having had a traumatic divorce happen inhis early teens like Tom and Daisy helped. Typically easy going and lively, the shy young man in front of him was amarked contrast from even the night before, and a heavy weight settled in Hardy’sstomach.

Checking his watch and seeing he had plenty of time, hedecided to wait Fred out.  Consciouslyrelaxing his pose, he did his best to be unthreatening and un-cop-like, morelike a safe space for him to share.

After a solid five minutes, Fred finally raised his headenough to stare just past Hardy’s left ear. “So, how’s your day going?”

“Good, good.  Your mummade an arrest about an hour ago, so it’ll probably be just us for dinner.”

“Pizza?” he asked hopefully, and Hardy hid a grimace at theidea and nodded.

“If you like.”

They fell silent again long enough for Hardy to saycarefully, “You know, you can tell meanything.”

Fred nodded, staring down at his backpack.  “A new kid started in school today.  Family just moved to town.”

“Oh?  What’s theirname?”

“Jake.”

“Did you want to invite him round for football or videogames or something?  Cause that’s fine,so long as you give us proper warning.” Hardy didn’t think that was it, but sometimes you got more informationwith misdirection being automatically corrected rather than flat out questions.

“We were talking about our families,” Fred mumbled.  “His dad’s an electrician, mum’s a teacher.”  He was playing with the straps of hisbackpack, a long-held nervous habit that told Hardy they were close to thetruth.

“That’s nice.”

“I told him my parents were cops.”  It was said with the gravitas of arevelation, though no lightbulb came on for Hardy.

“Well, it’s true,” he considered in confusion, stillwatching carefully, “though perhaps a bit of an understatement.”

Fred’s head popped up, staring at him in disbelief as thoughhe’d missed something egregious.  “Didn’tyou hear me?  I said my parents were cops.  Parents. Plural.”

Enlightenment slowly dawned on him, his heart sinking.  “Oh.”

“I’m sorry,” Fred blurted, now eager to explain with theconfession off his chest.  “It justslipped out.  I tried to fix it but thenthe bell rang and I didn’t see him again and his parents will be at the back toschool night tomorrow and they might say something and I didn’t want you to beoffended or anything.”

“Wait, what? Offended?  Why?”  Whatever reaction Hardy was expecting, itwasn’t that.

“You’re not my dad.”

This was an indisputable fact.  Fred had been a year old the first time Hardyhad moved to Broadchurch, almost seven when he and Miller had finally starteddating.  Yet the words still felt like a blowto his heart, more painful than any episode he’d ever had before thepacemaker.  “Right.”

“It’s just you’re alwaysthere, and Joe never is, much less mentioned like Mark’s around for Lizzie, andsometimes it’s just easier to think of you that way, as my parent, but I didn’tmean to say it.  Please don’t be mad.”

Hardy’s brow furrowed as he tried to follow the madramble.  “Hang on, let’s stop for asecond.  To clarify, you accidentally talkedabout me to your new friend like I’m your dad?”

The teenager nodded slowly, a fearful expression still verypresent on his face.  At this rate, thestrap of his backpack would be nothing but string.

“Fred… I’m not offended,” he started carefully.  “I don’t mind if you think of me as yourparent, or dad, or whatever – actually, I’m honored.  But you don’t seem happy with that.”

Confusion overtook the fear in Fred’s eyes, back slowly unhunching.  “I didn’t want you to be upset.”

“Of course not!” Hardy leaned forward, putting his hand on top of Fred’s and stilling hisnervous twitches.  “Fred, of course not.  I just- you were ten when we married, I didn’tthink… I mean, I consider you my child, but I thought you wouldn’t- I’m sorry,”he gave up trying to make sense, sighing. “I didn’t think you thought of me that way, or would want to.  Especially since Tom made it very clear he didn’t, though I don’t blame him in theleast.”

“So… it’s okay, then? That I basically said you were my dad?”

“Yes,” Hardy said firmly. “Absolutely.”

Fred nearly melted from relief, sagging back against thecouch.  “Thank fuck.”

“Fred.”

“Oh come on,” he grumbled, suddenly looking like his normalself again.  “You and Mum curse all thetime.”

Hardy merely gave him a stern look, unable to deny it.  He wasn’t too bad unless furious, but especiallynow that Fred was older Ellie was much freer with the language she used.

“Fine,” Fred rolled his eyes, his heavy sigh incongruouswith his teasing smirk.  “Dad.”

A smile spread on Hardy’s face before he could stop it.  “Thanks, son.”

After a moment they started snickering, and it was justsettling down when his door opened again.

“Hey, did you happen to bring- Fred!  What a lovely surprise,” Ellie beamed, herexhaustion seemingly melted away.  “Whatbrings you by?  Were you waiting for me?”

“Hi, Mum,” Fred rose to give her a brief hug and submit to acheek kiss.  “I needed to talk to… him,actually.”

Hardy heard the hesitation even if Ellie didn’t, saw thenervous look in Fred’s eye and smiled at him. “Don’t fret Miller, just having a father-son chat is all.”

That sparked a round of cooing and hugging, the men sharingfond eyerolls as she fussed over them.

To an outsider walking by, they looked just like what theyfinally were – a real family.