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smolbeandrabbles · 6 years

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Science & Faith - Talos/Keller (Captain Marvel: AU)

I AM NOT FOLLOWING CAPTAIN MARVEL CANON. For reasons that will be obvious if you’ve seen it / when you read this.

Author’s Note: Special Thanks to @my-world-of-imagines for our AU discussion! 😘 Okay. I was dumb enough to write this before seeing the movie. I was dumb enough to think this was going to work out for me. I can’t just leave it sitting on a word document on my computer. Because it deserves to be read... I wanted to give you this, not because it follows canon. But because one damn picture inspired this...!

Gonna tag it with spoilers just in case. But I wrote it essentially right after his poster was released. (HOW COULD I NOT!?!?) Not x Reader... But I didn’t want to waste her... Just... uh, I’m flexing a few writing muscles here...!

Disclaimer: She is my OC baby, she is all I have! setting in an AU to Captain Marvel for obvious reasons. I’m really not into Keller, I’ve called him Jonathan Richards Comic Canon! For TOO long! But, Keller it is! Premise: Talos is no ordinary man, but he can’t tell her that... If he does, he will break her. If he doesn’t, he risks destroying himself. Word Count: 2467 Warnings: Sexual Relations hinted at. Deceit

You won't find faith or hope down a telescope You won't find heart and soul in the stars You can break everything, down to chemicals But you can't explain a love like ours.

It's the way we feel, yeah this is real. ---

Talos studied her from the doorway as she stirred under the sheets. The sunlight streaming through the open blinds bathed his white, clinical apartment in a dazzling haze. He'd thought about vocalising it more than once, who he really was... He'd gotten so far as to being half way through a confession before he'd stopped. He couldn't. Not with the way she looked at him when he was in this form. He himself had never really expected to fall for her either. She came all the way from Xandar, though, she herself was not Xandarian. And she'd told him, or, she'd told Jonathan on more than one occasion that she was surprised that she would fall for a human. Problem being, she hadn't...

Her ship had crashed in a remote part of the US and he just so happened to be the lead of the S.H.I.E.L.D team sent to investigate. After being tasked with studying the ship, they had found her. She looked human enough; only three things distinguished her - her natural shades of pink and purple pastel hair (though. In the day and age...) her blood - thicker than many races he’d seen, a deep blue-purple - not unlike his own, and the distinctive patterns of light that rolled over her skin when she experienced heightened emotions - or was with a lover. But she had to have their DNA for that. Which in the long run he hadn't been so unwilling to give.

At first they had captured her and taken her back to the lab to study. But for something that looked so human he had soon put a stop to something so inhumane. He had decided to study her on his own terms. At first, he had allowed her to wander as freely around his S.H.I.E.L.D research facility as she wished as long as he was accompanying her. He'd ask all the appropriate questions, blending what his job description was with furthering future plans for the Skrull empire. It made him more than uneasy that she was not hostile about answering him; perhaps she felt humans posed no threat to her. He guessed that she would be right - but he was a shapeshifter, and knew he could do her more harm than her him. But it was when she began asking questions back that startled him. Why would she want to know anything about humans? About Earth? He'd perfected blending as a part of his race, his very DNA... But she didn't need to. And yet she was fascinated, with him in particular. Talos had given Jonathan Keller a back story, a life he'd never really had - but the more he told her about it, and the more she wanted to know. The more he found himself believing that it WAS his life...

She called herself Maliyah Saal. A name he recognised (but of course pretended he didn't) from Garthan Saal; head of the Nova Corps. The strongest military power in her sector of the galaxy. He was related to her by name only - she had come from a dying planet and had been adopted by his parents on Xandar. She'd travelled very far in her short life span; flitting between planets and jobs like it was nothing. She'd been a prominent member of the Nova Corp herself, before being sick and tired of being tied to one place and looking for adventure, had joined a crew of Ravagers - before eventually settling in with Yondu Udonta. She obtained her own break out crew within a short period of time after that, and, after what she called a disagreement but he could already tell was so much more, broke her small crew away and began treasure hunting - essentially sounding to him like being a Ravager without the attached title. Then she'd given her crew a break and linked back with her brother at the Nova Corps - stolen a ship to explore the galaxy and had proceeded to crash to Earth. Only for him, of all people, to find her.

Maliyah had a child like innocence about everything she discovered on Earth. 'What is that...?' 'What are you doing?' 'Oh! We have something similar back home!' 'Really!? That's SO cool!' And an Elders lament about everything Earth didn't have '...Dollars?! Pounds!? Euros!? Why so many damn forms of currency, just use credits..!' 'You know if Earth didn't spend so much time caring about itself it would be intergallactically trading by now' '...Is this what you do with all - sorry, Aliens? - that crash to earth? If you spent less time studying us and more time letting us help you your tech would be vastly superior. Then you'd actually get to GO to Xandar. And you should! You humans don't know what you're missing."

Eventually Talos knew he couldn't keep her locked up in the S.H.I.E.L.D base, so in a moment of recklessness - which hadn't as yet cost him anything - had transferred her to Jonathan's apartment. Bare and clinically white she instantly added the colour it needed. And she started telling him things about home her home, both the planet she came from and her house on Xandar. It felt less like he was studying her when she wasn't in the lab, and the conversation flowed much freer. He wasn't prepared to let her explore yet, but he knew she wanted to go into the open world every time he watched her stand on the balcony. Sometimes she glanced at the stars, but she never talked about going back. Something was keeping her here, and he hadn't been naive enough to believe it was him.

He crossed his apartment to her, buttoning his waist coat and straightening his tie; the one problem with keeping her here was that he still had to work at the lab. He missed her any time he wasn't with her. But he could only make a working from home excuse so many times a week, this wasn't one of those days. She was still lost in dreams as he brushed her hair from her face delicately with his fingertips. When he grazed her skin the patterns that ran nearly the entire length of her body began to glow faintly in his colours. Every mix of DNA created a different pattern, and a different set of colours. Maliyah had her own that would run with her emotions. But every time he touched her it was his all over her skin - her race could sense emotion too; so every time his emotions ran into extremes she would know about it. She would also glow when he was in proximity, if their bond was strong enough. And part of him wanted that - but she had not entirely let him in yet. He wondered what she was really reacting to; he didn't have Human DNA as such, but had the physique... wouldn't she know if she was mixing her own DNA with a completely different race? Skrulls and Humans must feel different to her? Must feel emotions differently? Did she even know what a Skrull was? He couldn't believe she didn't.

She stirred under his touch and opened her eyes; he perched on the bed and let his fingers linger on her skin. She turned those purple-blue eyes on him as she focused, then she sighed in discontent; "You are leaving..?" "I would stay. You know that." She sat up quickly; "Well. Hurry home." She always said it like they were really living together - and not cohabiting. "I miss you." He looked away from her for a second, it tore him apart nearly every day. The way she looked at him - Jonathan Keller she trusted… she loved... Would she look at Talos in the same way? Every second he didn't tell her, that he let her believe the lie that Jonathan was the real him would give her so much more reason to hate him when he finally had the courage to tell her what he really was, "I know you do..." She placed a hand to his cheek, brushing his hair into place around his glasses. Her eyes searched his for something more than that, for something he couldn't give her. Until she smiled, leaning forward she pressed her lips to his and the soft colours on her skin burst into life; dancing across the white walls of his apartment for far longer than the kiss lasted. She pressed her forehead to his "Be careful." He chuckled; "Maliyah... What about my job is dangerous?" He stood, easing himself into his gun holster "This is merely precautionary." "Because you're human... And when you've seen as many lifeforms as I have that could crash here like I did..." She eyed his gun, weaponry was about the most dangerous thing humans had and she didn't like that he had to carry it. "...I would just hate for you to have to use that. Or get called out and not come back..." He slid his jacket on and smoothed it out; "Maliyah, that's never going to happen... Trust me." "I DO trust you." And it was her one mistake. She tilted her head; "Only, with your eyesight I just..." It came back to his glasses again. They had been little more than just a stylistic choice. However, Talos' eyes didn't accustom very well the amount of endless small print reading he had to do. He needed glasses. And Maliyah was fascinated. Apparently she'd never seen any other life form with them. He had, once or twice, they weren't exclusively a human invention. But glasses whose function was not fashion or that didn't hold a technological dynamic. Glasses that you had to wear all the time or you couldn't SEE!? To her it was a completely a foreign concept. He raised an eyebrow; "You think just because I don't have 20:20 vision I'm going to miss?"

She made a shrug like she didn't know what he was talking about. He knew she was just making excuses. He liked to feel like he could at least defend himself. And all S.H.I.E.L.D agents had to wear one, it was the rules. He could tell by the look on her face she wanted to ask him something more, but she wasn't meeting his eyes - chewing her lip. He bent as far as his perfectly tailored three-piece suit would allow. Which, he had to give credit to Humans, was pretty far - and took her hands in his; "Maliyah... I want you to be happy... What can I do to make you happy? What is it you aren't telling me?" The words cut both ways, look at everything he wasn't telling her. She laced her hands with his; "Every time you walk out of that door you are too far away." Her statement hit harder than his ever could; and his eyes betrayed him because he hadn't expected it. Did she even realise what she was saying? He sighed and looked to the polished wood floor. Then to his balcony... Maybe, just maybe...

"I'll make my excuses as soon as I can. I promise you, I'll be home early..." He nodded to the outside world "I'll take you out of here..." She turned, and he saw her breath catch, the smile on her face; "But you have to do everything I say, alright? Not everyone is going to understand who and what you are..." He stood, running his fingers over the colours on her skin; "...They will not understand this...." She nodded. She knew. Every human was the same, afraid of what they could not comprehend. Afraid even of things they could. His race had infiltrated easily because they COULD; if his race was incapable of seamless blending no doubt humans would more than fear them. He gathered her hands to his chest; his heartbeat. "I know I am too far away. But I promise you, it will not always be this way. Someday they WILL understand you..." He tilted his head "I get the feeling, Maliyah, that you will not be the only shooting star to fall." He meant it as a compliment - but also in reference to the necklace she wore. Jonathan would call it a North Star; for that is what it resembled. Maliyah referred to it as Nova. Jonathan would say Super Nova - the final hurrah of a dying star... Talos didn't know what Nova was - It wasn’t an obvious link, despite the name to the Nova Corps or Nova whatever considering her planet of origin - but it was obviously Xandarian. Never the less, she smiled at his reference. So, he made another, "You are... a Super Nova..." She stood then, a glint in her eye told him that meant far more to her than just a scientific expression. "...Jonathan... I..." She let it go, whether important or not he would never know, but he wanted her to call him by his own name. His real name. His heart ached as she wound her arms around him again. Instead she opted for an even more devastating sentence. "I love you." And by the look in her eyes she really meant it "If something ever happened to you... I..." He could tell by the way the lights on her skin changed that she was making herself sad. So he silenced her with a kiss. "I know..." But in truth, he didn't. "Nothing will happen to me Mali..." He loosed himself from her embrace reluctantly and collected his bag - pointing back to her as he exited his apartment. "I promise you that." And he was glad he could make Jonathan sound so sincere. She nodded, like she believed him. "I'll be back before you know it." He added in reassurance as his apartment door swung closed. Then he breathed out, his heart was being pulled apart... running his hand through his hair he stared at his door for a few more seconds, it crossed his mind more than once to walk back in there and tell her, tell her NOW. Instead he took a step back, and then another. She loves him... How could he promise her nothing would happen to Jonathan? Jonathan was a mirage. Jonathan wasn't real. This visage was unsustainable; Talos couldn't stay like this forever even if he wanted to... How could he make a promise like that without thinking it would have consequences? He stepped into the lift and stared hard at the reflection in the polished steel, he looked down at himself - this body... these finger tips. All of it foreign to him... But every little thing she truly loved. He closed his hands into fists, then opened them flat again and placed his head in his hands.

All he knew right then - Is that the only promise he could ever make to Maliyah. Is that he was going to break her heart.

And it would destroy him. Because he loved her too.

Geez, can someone just GIF every Keller scene for me ASAP?! Will be #ForeverGrateful 😘❤

#Captain Marvel spoilers #captain marvel #Talos #Ben Mendelsohn #Talos x OC #Linzi Writes #Linzi Queues Things #Keller #kinda upset its not gonna be Jonathan Richards tbh. Then he'd have the same last name as me #6 #Maliyah #Science & Faith

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smolbeandrabbles · 6 years

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For the record. I’m using all of this.

AKA Scenes that broke me

#Bloodline #Danny Rayburn #Season 3 #Sway Context For Later #Linzi Queues Things #DAMN THESE LAST TWO EPISODES #is it bad that I don't even mind the hair?#Ben Mendelsohn

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smolbeandrabbles · 6 years

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Selfish - Sheriff of Nottingham x Reader (Robin Hood 2018)

Author’s Note: So, for all that Robin Hood (2018) could have been... It just... Wasn’t? For me at least. STILL that didn’t stop me falling for the Sheriff. For beginnings this isn’t great. Stick with me and trust me a little! 😉 Selfish is really the working title, due to the song the lyrics I’m using came from. It’ll probably stick..!

Disclaimer: ROBIN HOOD 2018 ENDING SPOILERS! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!! I own nothing but my OC. Obvs.

Premise: This is going to work a bit like the Origins of the “Origins”... How did we get to where we ended up in the Movie? I’ll start at the end, then go back and come full circle. First off, let’s change that ending...

Word Count: 2850.

Warnings: Attempted Murder (!), Questionable safety for unborn children... THIRD PERSON READER INSERT (is that weird? will this be weird?!) I tried to edit it to be second person and it just wasn’t working for me... So I’ve just removed my OCs name and put Y/N instead. It may be the ultimate in Lazy but at least it gives YOU a bit more freedom!

I'm a bad man James Dean, kinda Steve McQueen Straight out the bad lands I rolled in and rained down Like a storm cloud or a heat wave That make you stay undercover where it's safe Don't give a damn about the plans you made We're staying in the bed all day 'Cause I'm selfish Restless like a river, can't help it I'm taking what you give me but I still want more I still want more 'Cause I'm selfish Yeah I'm selfish, I'm selfish for you His voice choked against the thick rope binding his neck, his hands grasping for relief... She was frozen in place at what she was seeing, normally she would have jumped to action before either of the other men had the chance to react but the baby…

“I am the sheriff of Nottingham!” He managed, pushed up against the iron incense casing. Robin pulled his bow taut and she realised that as soon as he released, the counterweight would do the dirty work for them. She had barely less than a second to save his life – luckily for her, he wasn’t the only one who had taken to hiding a blade up their sleeve. Robin loosed his arrow as her judged throw sent the silver blade spinning through the air, both connected with their intended target milliseconds apart. She was impressed, that throw was surprisingly accurate for 8 months out of a job…

The blade narrowly missed Robin’s left ear and he flinched slightly as it flew past and clattered on the other side of the church, both him and his companion turned towards the sound; “What the HELL!?” They both tensed into fighting positions as they attempted to scour the gloom. The sheriff wasn’t going anywhere, now on his hands and knees and still choking in an attempt to free himself and breathe again… No matter, they could still finish the job right here. Robin took one step forward and –

“Y/N!?” He took one back; seemingly from nowhere the woman he had seen so often with the Sheriff, though had hardly gotten the chance to speak to, had now positioned herself between him, John and the Sheriff. For a second he was taken aback – surely she hadn’t just freed him? But if not her then whom? He shook the look from his face; “Y/N stand aside.” She shook her head “You want him you go through me.” Her stance, he noticed, would have made it awkward for him to even get a good shot off with his arrow and he had to think twice about trying to go through her. Ordinarily he might try it, aside from the look she was giving him and the fact that she was also heavily pregnant. That she would throw herself in front of him like this was almost suicide. John however was quick to take her up on her offer; “THEN WE WILL!” “NO!!!” Robin has a job to hold him back; “NO! JOHN!!! STOP!!! THIS ISN’T YOU!!!” She didn’t want to take the step back that everything within her was telling her to take and Robin tried desperately to hold his bigger companion – now known as John – back “I can’t let you kill both a woman and her unborn child!!” “AFTER WHAT HIS WAR DID TO MY SON---!!” She felt a tension in the pit of her stomach that she didn’t like, maybe John would really do it… “IF you kill her and that baby you are NO BETTER THAN HE IS!” John halted his struggles against Robin, still staring murder at her. He shrugged the smaller man off, clearly far from happy. But, she supposed, content not to be framed in the same picture as the Sheriff… Robin, to make sure he had control of the situation planted himself between John and her; “Y/N, just think for a second about this… about everything he’s done… about what he’s been planning with the Cardinal against the KING!!! You can’t honestly expect me to drop that!? He deserves everything that is coming his way!!! You’re essentially delaying the inevitable!! You must have been standing here long enough to have heard EVERYTHING--!! What do you think the King will do to him when I--” There was a sharp crack; and suddenly Robin was rendered speechless as his head snapped to the left. His cheek now stung, and with the added pain from the metal of her rings, the hard slap she had dealt him he would probably be feeling for a few days.

He looked back to her icy stare, cold as the Nordics she hailed from; “How DARE you.” Robin touched his cheek as it began to smart “Why he told you is of any wonder to me and is nothing but his fault. But to threaten that?! ROBIN! He trusted you enough to tell you something he tells no-one and you taunt him with it here?! Do you have no ounce of shame for what you have just done!?” She took a step that made him take one back; “YES. I know everything, I knew before I walked into this room, but what do you know of anything Robin? For five years you’ve been a part of this war… and the King…?” she shook her head, with a bitter smile that told him she’d already said enough. There were some things Robin didn’t know, and she was content to keep that information at bay, for now. She was decisive in her words; “Leave.”

“What…?” “I said LEAVE.” She pointed to the door; “GO. NOW. And for your sake I better not see you any time soon…” “You’re letting me leave with what I know…?” “With the confidence that if it goes anywhere else I know where it came from…” Robin wasn’t sure if that was meant to be a threat or not… The best that Nottingham seemed to be able to do was Guy of Gisborne and his troupe, and even they had been fairly unsuccessful at stopping him. But her look, was at least a warning. They could both hear the sound of further guards approaching, and weren’t sure if they weren’t better heeding her advice to leave. “I won’t let this go.” Robin shook his head “You’re making a mistake!” He backed away from her, his eyes showing his clear disappointment “Well then it won’t be my first…” Her look was still hard and John was still staring at her like she was next on his hit list; “This isn’t over.” With that both of them hastily made for the exit. As their footsteps began to fade she took a deep breath in… out… She placed her hands on her stomach… The tension beginning to unwind would not be good for her baby… she knew. She had just bet her and its life on the line for the Sheriff and she had barely gotten away with it. As if he was worth more than the two of them combined… She took another breath and turned around. He was still on his hands and knees, almost breathing as heavily as her – he had managed to relieve himself of the rope at least, but there was now a raw looking ligature mark around his neck. She prayed that wouldn’t stay permanent. She knelt beside him, placing her hands delicately on his shoulders she touched her forehead to his, his ice blue eyes locked with hers; “Thank God you’re alive…” Her right hand brushed his cheek, he had a few bad cuts and goodness knows what John’s punch had done to the rest of his head… “Me..!?” His voice was raspy, still faint “You---! You just…!” He felt into another coughing fit, bowing his head forward… The sound of metal on the stone flooring announced the (late) arrival of the reinforcements. “M’am! Sheriff! Are you alright!?” She rolled her eyes at the stupidity of the question and turned to them, “NO! Of course not! Where were you ten minutes ago!?” The lead man opened his mouth to answer her question, but she snapped at him instead “It doesn’t matter! Get a doctor and be quick about it!!! GO! Now!” A few rushed off on her order, whilst the rest went to inspect the rest of the church and the thrown open doors. Once he had recovered, she placed her forehead back against his; “—You just bet your life… you risked the life of our child on—s-saving me!!!” The tone of his voice let her know that he thought it was ridiculous and ridiculously dangerous; “D-Don’t EVER-” his voice strained again, and he placed his hands on her knees; she hushed him; “Don’t strain yourself right now… We’re okay… we’re both okay…” she caught him in a gentle embrace, being sure to hold him close enough to feel safe but loose enough to let him continue to regain his breath. For the we she was referring to, she wasn’t sure…. Her and him? That was true, but his direct line of questioning would immediately be the safety of her and their baby. He’d grounded her the second she’d told him and chided her that she hadn’t said so sooner for all the things he’d let her do. She knew this would be his immediate reaction of course, which is why she had held off telling him. She was as much surprised that he actually let her out of the castle at all but figured that he had liked her on his arm before, he probably liked it even more now. As if to chide her for her stupidity also their child stirred within her. He obviously felt it too, as his hand moved to her bump, but this only made the movement worse developing into a kick that made her catch her breath and place her hand over his. She guessed it could have been worse, considering how stressed she felt; she had just watched someone try to take his life and then stood up to them when they attempted again. She should be dead. They should both be dead. Surely without the baby Robin would have at the very least man-handled her out of the way… However, without the baby she wouldn’t have let her lover get into this position in the first place… He let out a chuckle at the kick – she knew that he was proud of it now when it was just a bump. How he would run his hands lovingly over it whenever he got the chance. She wondered how he would be when the ‘it’ became a he or a she… The doctor arrived faster than she expected, and she helped him to stand the Sheriff back on his feet. Following them both back to the doctors room once he had inspected that it would be safe for him to transport the both of them back. This time flanked by armed guards. A little late, she thought, considering.

The Doctor busied himself with cleaning cuts and bruises “Well… I’m sure you knew this. But you’ll be fine. Careful that no concussion sets in, I’m sure Y/N will watch out for you though. That mark around your neck is already fading Sheriff… You’re in better shape than the city though I might add…! Although, considering the situation I possibly shouldn’t…” “The situation?! I was almost assassinated!” “…Forgive me I didn’t-” The Sheriff waved away his apology, and indicated to her, seated on the other side of the examination room; “And her?” The doctor turned, concerned, as if he had missed something, and he would of course dread missing something if the Sheriff’s other half wasn’t pregnant let alone now. “I’m fine.” She was quick to wave off the doctors panic “…Neither of them touched me…” She’d appease the look both of them were giving her; “…I guess I got a bit tense, scared and upset… Probably not a great combination being 8 months pregnant…” the doctor nodded, “Stress is certainly not good for you, and I understand with recent events you may well have been put under a lot of it… It would be best for me to check up…” She nodded politely; “Of course.” He turned quickly back to the Sheriff, who seemed satisfied with her agreement “You are clear to go, Sir, I suppose the city will be needing you…” His jaw tightened slightly, but again he let it go… crossing the room to her, he placed a hand gently on her arm “…Come straight to me.” And then to the doctor “and I want a full report on her health.” She resisted the eyeroll and sigh she was feeling, the doctor nodded “It will be done, Sir.” He turned again, bowing his head gently to her, before walking from the room.

“So much for just having a near death experience…” She folded her hands into her lap “…He’s going to go out there and yell at a few people to calm down now I suppose…” She looked slowly up at the doctor “Honestly, I’m fine. And you needn’t tell him I’m anything less. He’s already pinned me down in the castle, better not make it our bedroom too.” “Be that as it may, you only have one month or so to go Y/N, and I would appreciate if you took the upmost care of yourself until then…” “What was I supposed to do!? Watch him die!?” He put his hands up to get her to calm down; “Getting angry after the event is not going to help either… But he’s probably already made that point…” “That there is one of him… And I count as two? Perhaps… But you think I would be any better off with him dead?” “No, far worse…” He sat beside her “Still you must permit me to at least check things are fine…” “Go ahead…” “And you must promise both me and him that you will not put yourself under any un-necessary stress during the next four weeks.” “Yes. I promise.” She knew the way she thought though…. And thought that her poor baby was in for a rougher time of it than she could possibly promise anyone.

** “What are you thinking?” His calm voice cut through the darkness and cool night air and most importantly, her thoughts. How he knew she was awake was beyond her. She had no idea what time it was or how long she’d been lying here wide awake… but it had probably been hours. “Why are you still awake?” She heard his frustrated sigh at being posed a question and not an answer. “It’s not exactly been an easy day.” “Then you know what I’m thinking.” They were lying back to back, obviously both preoccupied with their own thoughts. She heard him shuffling around as he rolled over and propped himself up, through the pale moonlight she could just about make out his silhouette above her as he ran his hands through her long dark hair; “Tell me anyway…” She didn’t look up at him… only straight ahead “…You think I would rather be lying here without you?” There was an annoyance to her voice she didn’t mean, but she couldn’t keep out. “No. Do you think I would want the same? Y/N, darling, if that didn’t work it’s not only you I would lose…!” “Robin doesn’t have it in him! All I care about is if I didn’t step in you’d be dead. And if I wasn’t there….Well I…” She trailed off; “If it was just Robin…” “I’m still angry at him.” She shook her head “He never should have said that.” “I’m not entirely blameless…” He did his best to hush her with a tone of voice that made her shiver “What happens now…” “Well… We can step up security… As we should. Robin and his band of outlaws aren’t likely to come back SO soon… The priority will be to get Nottingham back in running order after the stunts they pulled today.” “Your security will be useless for at least another month!” she joked against his calming tone; “Longer if I have anything to say about it.” “Oh come on! Guy of Gisborne is doing you no favours…!” “He’s the best I have… And a damn sight better than anyone else.” “Yeah well. Whose fault is that?” “I would not change our baby for anything.” “I think after today I know that…” “Y/N…” “I need you. I’m here because of you. If anything like that ever happens again I would do the same.” “I know. You’re reckless.” “I think that’s what made you fall in love.” “Oh yeah?” “Mm hmm…” She giggled lightly as he brushed his lips against her cheek “…I would like to see any of your other women do what I just did…” “Y/N there are no other women…” “For now.” He sighed again “I won’t argue with you on this one…” “And the King?” she changed the subject, and he hesitated with his next kiss; “What?” “What Robin said is true… So… Is it likely he’ll go through with trying to tell the King… Or…” she shook her head again and turned to him “…If I have to go through all that again…” “Robin, the outlaw, would surely not.” “This war needs to stop.” “I had the solution!” She pursed her lips “…Not a good one.” “If it had worked out…” “Stop thinking like that…” She took his hand in hers; “…King? You? Now? With a baby? Are you ready for this…” He brought his hand to her stomach, “WE are ready for this…”

#Sheriff of Nottingham #Robin Hood 2018 #Ben Mendelsohn #Robin Hood Origins #Sheriff x Reader #God this is SO HARD when he doesn't get a freakin' NAME #Its okay I did some historical research and gave him one in later parts...! ;)#Linzi Writes #Linzi Queues Things #Loraina #Selfish #9

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smolbeandrabbles · 6 years

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...The Next Two Weeks...

UP AND COMING FICS Posting Monday, Wednesday, Friday of both weeks Danny Rayburn - Sway (5/10) - Monday 11th Talos/Keller - Science & Faith (1/3(or 4)) - Wednesday 13th Talos (Platonic) / Keller (Relationship) - Out of Nowhere Girl (1/?) - Friday 15th Nolan Sorrento - Gioco Finito (1/?) - Monday 18th Sheriff of Nottingham - Selfish (1/?) - Wednesday 20th Danny Rayburn - Sway (6/10) - Friday 22nd

See you on the other side of my 2 week vacation! Everything is Queued and ready to go - They will post between 11pm and Midnight (UK/GMT time...)

Told you I wouldn’t let you down whilst I was gone Side note: My Birthday is March 23rd, the day I get back... If anyone wants to... I dunno... Send me any pictures of my favourite Ben Mendelsohn characters you’ll make me extremely happy 😉❤😘 That’s the above 4 plus Krennic, if you were wondering...

#Ben Mendelsohn #Linzi Queues Things #Linzi Writes #Danny Rayburn #Talos #Keller #sheriff of nottingham #nolan sorrento #captain marvel #ready player one #bloodline #robin hood (2018)#robin hood #Bloomin heck these tags!#My Birthday!!!

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smolbeandrabbles · 5 years

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Science & Faith Pt.2 - Talos/Keller (Captain Marvel: AU)

Part 1

Authors Note: I could have left it as just the first part. If I’m honest I would have. But I wanted a definitive ending. There are three distinct pieces. This is only the second.

Disclaimer: I basically nicked the entire Pegasus hangar thing*, switched it to a S.H.I.E.L.D hangar and went - yeah that makes sense for this part. So #Context for where they are and what is happening. Only, obviously we’re following S&F universe here...

*Note: I wrote some of this, again, before watching the movie.

Keller is the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D according to the Wiki... Director!? Gosh darn that gives me a lot of feels... Anyway, that means we’re obviously incorporating this fact...

Premise: Discoveries are made. Hearts are broken. This love will never be the same...

Word Count: 2317

Warnings: Oh. Look. I wrote Angst again.

Alternate Universe Used. NOT READER INSERT.

Well you really did it this time. Everyone watched as you took the stars right out of my sky The light out of my eyes I’m broken embarrassed… I know there’s nowhere I can go All I know is that I need Space

If it takes a rocket, Ok. Somewhere more than a planet away… Put a light year between me and you - How does he sleep at night? Momma, the nerve of this guy Am I gonna be alright? I wanna kick myself for falling so hard Momma, can you die from a broken heart?

--- "What is a joyride?" "Aha...!" He laughed, wondering exactly how to explain that, she was paying too much attention to lyrics on the radio in the car these days. And Talos didn't know everything, much as he tried; "It's like... Going very fast in a car. Like you would take a car for a joy ride..." used in its proper terms anyhow… Not in the context of THIS song though. He found himself turning the radio down before she figured that one out. She tilted her head, like she wouldn't call this drive a joyride, he drove far too carefully. "Why would you want to do it in the car if you had a ship?" then she smirked "Oh yeah. You don't have a ship." "No. But you do." Her eyes suddenly lit up, like he had made a suggestion... That he didn't actually mean to make "Can we!?" "Can we what?" "Take it out?" "Don't see why not... It’s in a hangar not too far from here..." As director of S.H.I.E.L.D Jonathan Keller could do whatever he damn well wanted – meaning Talos could do whatever he damn well wanted. She grinned "So… I get to take you on a joyride?" He shook his head, looking across to her with a smile; "Maliyah every minute with you is a joyride..." * He couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he watched her run towards the blue and yellow star-shaped ship. It was mostly intact, despite the crash – every so often there was a score across the metal, but, clearly the Xandarian’s knew what they were doing whilst constructing it… She danced around it for a minute… Her skin lighting up in warm, happier tones, as if he didn’t know that already. She turned back to him as he made his way slowly over, content to watch her a little longer. Talos adored her. For every life he’d lived – and as a shapeshifter he’d lived many – he’d never encountered another quite like her. “Hurry up!” She called him, turning back to her ship “…I think my engines could be out… But it’s certainly nothing we can’t fix.” He also couldn’t help the way she made him laugh again; “You can’t fix.” She ran back; rounding him and nudging his back, forcing him to walk faster – “I’ve seen your schematics! You know how to fix a ship like this!” This time it was his turn to learn. What he was learning he didn’t really know; because Talos spent his time studying her. Not what she was doing. The intensity and passion with which she talked about the ship – and which wires went where to spark this and start up that… It was all lost on him. But he nodded where appropriate and gave her smiles of encouragement. And every so often asked a question of her where she wanted him to – even though he wasn’t sure exactly what he was saying. It made her happy; and all he ever wanted was to see her happy. His pager had beeped more than once; each time she asked if he needed to check it. Each time he’d silenced it with a ‘No’ and focused back on her. This time she stopped working and turned to him; “Someone really wants to contact you.” “It can wait…” “…Jonathan… You should get it…” He only checked because of the insistence on her face; and immediately wished he hadn’t. She watched his face fall and the way his eyebrows furrowed. It was important. Her heart sank; that meant he had to leave… “…What?” He looked to her, hesitation in those beautiful blue eyes; “…I…” “Do you need to leave…?” “…No…” He checked it again and his voice held the significance of something she could never understand; “…It’s here.” She looked confused “It? What?” He shook his head, because to her it didn’t matter. It couldn’t matter. “…I just… give me a few minutes…” “…You don’t want me to come?” “NO… No Maliyah… Continue doing what you’re doing… I’ll be back I promise…!” He gave a smile; “This won’t take long…” She gave a nod as he began to walk away… Then he paused… Turning back, Talos gathered her in his arms. If it was urgent, the minute he spent staring into her eyes without a word was wasting precious time… Still in silence he placed his forehead gently against hers and closed his eyes, prompting her to do the same. Once again Keller’s colours reflected back to him from her skin… and he took her hands in his. He made a sound, insignificant if she missed it… But she didn’t… Akin to an Earth cat. He pulled away from her, still staring into her eyes, and bit his lips together; she knew right then what he was saying, without him even having to say it; I love you… * Maliyah winced at the sudden pain in her chest... What?! She looked down as it began to course over her abdomen. Then her eyes widened; red streams of light pulsed from the middle - lightly at first, but she cried out in pain as they became angrier. Jonathan was in trouble. A lot of trouble. Taking a hit this painful? For a human?! She took a few steps away from her ship half in panic, adrenaline already rushing through her veins at her species’ instinct to rescue her lover. He needed her - now.

Multiple shots rang out from the hangar above hers, almost making her jump in the relative silence, her eyes flicked to the ceiling. Guns. So much for him wearing it as a precaution only. God... Keller... please be Ok! She was still cautious as she approached the hangar as quickly as possible. Every fiber in her body was telling her to move quickly... But, even she wasn't sure how much of Earth's weaponry she could take on at once...

She heard shouting and footsteps bouncing down the hangar as people approached, and hung back. Her chest still smarted making her place a hand against it to somehow calm herself down, and his signature was here somewhere. She pressed herself further into the wall and tried to ignore the urgency... Jonathan just hold on... They passed as a large group and all looking like S.H.I.E.L.D agents. They were supposed to be his kind – but he had warned Maliyah they wouldn’t understand what she was. She was curious, but no less fearful; why did it not surprise her that humans would turn on one of their own...

Now the majority had gone she sprinted across the landing strip to the strength of his signal, calling his name more than once. But as she neared him she went from panicked to horrified... Maliyah stopped. The colours flowing on her skin ceased. Her blood began to run cold and an involuntary shiver ran over her body that made her feel sick. It wasn’t even that he was standing there. It was that he wasn’t even bleeding...At the sound of footsteps behind him Talos turned away from watching the ship take off, forming fast calculations in his head as to where it could be going. The information he so desperately needed now inboard. Of course, he wished he hadn't.

Maliyah was about 10 good paces from him. The red colouration of her light now dissipating over her chest, signalling to her that he had been hurt, the very reason she was standing here. Only he was, for a human, miraculously intact. And he was dismayed to realise very quickly that that was no good thing. There was no coming back from this. A pain like that would leave Keller as a human broken... At least heavily bleeding. And Talos was doing just fine. And the look in her eyes - which wouldn't leave his - of betrayal. They became watery, the purple-blue lightening by several shades, and he knew that not only was she about to cry. But by her stance, and her choice of weaponry, he was now in trouble. She didn't even give him time to explain himself. He'd just told her he loved her. Now he was standing here, by his presence alone, letting her know plain and simple - Jonathan was a lie. The Yaka arrow danced in the air, hovering just in front of Maliyah above her left shoulder. She wouldn't even need to move to kill him and he knew that. Her eyes were brimming with tears; it was everything he had always feared but it was so much worse. Every so often flashes of orange would flicker through her and pulse across the arrow. He’d known that whatever she had with Yondu was more than just a disagreement…. That didn’t stop him from being insanely jealous every moment he saw it happen.

"Don't you dare take another step!! Don't come ANYWHERE near me!!" She knew how much she had told him; about both a powerful dying race AND Xandar. Whatever he was, Maliyah knew this, if he wasn’t human he knew her universe. He could travel through her universe. And do God knows what damage with all the information she had imparted to him. That made her instantly more terrified of him than she should be. And it showed on her face. "Maliyah... Just let me..." Talos took a step forward, making the arrow glow ominously. He hesitated, swallowing. She looked angry. "WHAT ARE YOU!?!" She shook her head "Who Are You!?!" Tears blurred her vision and she was only glad because she couldn't see him clearly. He wasn't real. He had deceived her all this time. Jonathan Keller wasn't human. HELL, for lying to her for so long he was barely a man... "Maliyah please... You don't have to do this... It doesn't have to be this way..." He was reluctant, at the look in her eyes, to tell her what she so badly wanted to know. But the illusion of Jonathan was well and truly shattered. He only hoped that staying in this form would make it so much harder for her to walk away from him. Tears poured from her eyes like rain, and neither of them could stop the downpour; "I trusted you!!!" It was the first time ever he had wanted the ground to swallow him. It was the first time in any form he'd ever felt anything like this. "WHAT ARE YOU!?" she screamed it this time. "... Jonathan... I LOVED you...! Is that - is that even your name!? TELL ME!!" He couldn't take that. Loved, in the past tense. Suddenly he realised just how human he was, the blue eyes he fashioned himself with blurred as if he wasn't wearing glasses... But not for that reason. "Maliyah... Please... Hear me out..." She took a couple of steps back as he reached for her, shaking her head - she looked completely broken. She was. And she could see he was starting to break too. "You're breaking my heart." She said it so concrete. So final. "So let me fix this!" Because he wanted nothing more than that. "You can't." Her voice broke, and more tears spilled - her skin lighting up in a multitude of blues... It hurt even more that he now had a feeling he'd never see her display Keller’s colours again... She took a few steps back, still crying. "Maliyah... Please you can't..." She shook her head "Stop it! Stop it! Stop talking!" She couldn't take it. Everything about her hurt; this was a different kind of heartbreak, because it wasn't even Jonathan breaking it. She didn't even know who was breaking it. It was now or never. He decided. He could walk over, take her in his arms and apologise and try to explain and hope against hope she would listen, and understand and stay... That was a mistake. He took three steps forward and she screamed "NO!" the Yaka arrow responded and shot at him, and for once Talos was glad he wasn't human as his reflexes would have had no way of saving him. The arrow hit the metal plating of the hangar and sparked instead, coming at him twice more before it streaked away in a purple flash of light. Following it with his eyes, he realised she'd also gone.

"No... No, no, no...!" He took off running as fast as he could, knowing exactly where she was heading. He'd brought her here to see her ship. Because she was going to show "Keller" how it worked... Talos didn't know a lot about the Nova Corp ships either, and the star shape seemed inconvenient and not in the least bit aerodynamic. No amount of study could ever compare to someone piloting the thing, after all. The hangar was directly below the one he was in and when he found nearly every door barring his way locked, on strength alone he was also grateful he wasn't human. She was quick. Too quick. And he damned himself for not being quicker. "MALIYAH!!! WAIT!!!" In vain, though, as the engines of her ship had flickered into life. It didn't stop him sprinting for it "You can't leave!!! Stop!! Let me explain... I want to explain..!!" The starship left the hangar. And he watched. Heart breaking as it didn't just leave the USA, it left the atmosphere, and then it left orbit. He was breathless and in tears... Placing his hands on his knees, the echoes of his breathing bounced off the now empty structure. That was twice in the space of minutes he'd watched two ships with everything he cared about leave... He wiped his eyes and stared back into the sky; the wake of her ship streaking the sky like the shooting star she was.

She'd left and she didn't even know who he was. Hell, now he felt like he didn't either... @my-world-of-imagines @morganadarkladyofall Question; is it more cliche that she doesn’t accept who he is? Or would it be more cliche if she did?

#Talos x OC #Talos #Keller #Captain Marvel #Ben Mendelsohn #Keller x OC #MCU AU #Linzi Writes #Linzi Queues Things #Linzis Mendelweek #God the queue better WORK tonight!#Maliyah #Science & Faith #11

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smolbeandrabbles · 6 years

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Sway Pt.5 - Danny Rayburn x Reader (Bloodline)

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Here / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 / Part 10

Author’s Note: This is it! The infamous chapter I wrote twice!! To make up for it, I’ve added in a bunch of stuff that wasn’t there before like more Jase/Javi/Danny banter. I actually LOVE their dynamic... Yeaaah I wrote a scene based on another scene because I couldn’t HELP it. The gifs will prove that! Valentine’s Day doesn’t even necessarily have to be the setting for any of the following to happen... Only, it was near Valentine’s Day at the time and it all made a lot of sense in my head. So, celebrate Valentine’s Day a month late, why don’t you? (haha...) + Bonus. I made a Gerry reference. 😉

Disclaimer: As started before, I own nada by my OCs. I took some lyrical liberties with ‘Slow Dance in a Parking Lot’ by Jordan Davis. Sue me! Please don’t actually sue me. I finished Bloodline and it actually hurts, so, I’m going to be “stealing” a bunch of ideas/lines... Here is the very first scene stealing moment, though.

Premise: The Premise is Valentine’s Day, need I say more? I tried not to be horribly Cliche...

Word Count: 7748

Warnings: Drinking, Sexual Pre-Amble (a-la-pt-4). The knowledge this will never be as good as the version I actually deleted? I had a breakdown in the middle of my living room over that, it deserves a warning

…And I don't care what song comes next I'm falling right here, don't want a safety net. In a slow dance with you Spinning you around by the restaurant sign Moving our feet over the painted white lines Getting close to you Making the most of whatever we got Even if it's just a slow dance in a parking lot

----

I want to wear his initial On a chain round my neck, chain round my neck Not because he owns me, But 'cause he really knows me Which is more than they can say

Danny couldn’t believe that another month had flown by. As he flicked the calendars in the restaurant to February. You’d been dating since the previous summer. And things were getting serious. He couldn’t remember the last time that he had been in a relationship this long. But, he was glad for it. Jason whistled as he turned over the calendar in the kitchen; “Busiest day of the year ahead Danny! You gonna leave us in the lurch!?” Danny turned to him, confused “What?” “Valentine’s Day! C’mon man, what are you doing with Y/N!!” He turned back to the calendar, eyes wide, oh. God! “…I wasn’t going to go anywhere… I was gonna come… here… Oh my God!” “Danny!!!” Jason couldn’t believe it “Did you forget about Valentine’s Day!?” “When was the last time I ever did anything on Valentines!?” He turned to Jason “It’s always been just another day…! Crap! She’s gonna kill me!” “Probably!” Jason laughed Javier poked his head through the kitchen window at the commotion; “What is up!?” “Danny forgot Valentine’s Day.” “WHAT!?” Javier laughed “NO! Danny! THE most important day for any girl in a relationship!?” “Stop it! Both of you! What am I gonna do! I can’t leave you all – you’re right, it’s traditionally one of the busiest days of the year…! God, can I really bring her here again??”

Whilst he mulled this over in his head, half in panic, Javier disappeared from the window, and then waltzed through the kitchen doors. The grin on his face obvious with what he was going to do; “…How are you gonna approach that one?” “He’s got 14 days…” Jason folded his arms, just as intent on hearing Danny’s plan – that he had about 5 seconds to come up with… Danny put his head in his hands “I’m just gonna have to owe her big time…” He thought on it “No, maybe… Maybe I can make this right… I’ll go a little off menu… Something she’ll really like. Then in a few weeks when it isn’t so busy I’ll take her out…” “It’s almost booked up!” Javier turned to the book to check it out, and became concerned with how busy he would be that night; “I’ll find somewhere for her! It’s my place!” “…Well, You got two weeks!” Jason pointed back to the calendar he had just changed. “Don’t forget the gift! Girls love gifts!” Danny made a noise like they weren’t making it any easier, which they weren’t. Javier almost tutted “Can you imagine? Poor, poor Y/N... She'll be expecting a long-" "Loooong!" Jason chimed in, with an eyebrow wiggle "Romantic night...!" "So romantic!" Jason put his hand over his heart as Javi put an arm around him and continued; "Michelin star restaurant, Miami skyline view, Danny's money paying... The works Valentines... As only she deserves. But picture this instead..." He held his hands out emphasising the two words of the restaurant name; "Viva Caputa. Again! And two measly hours of her boyfriend’s time." Danny looked like he was on the verge of anger at their teasing, and Javier narrowly missed the towel that was thrown his way. "You two are SO not getting paid this month!" "What!! DANNY!!" "OH! NO!!" But he cracked a smile and laughed anyway "You fuckin' deserve it! Overtime. Neither of you are getting on dates either!" "Oh! Just another romantic evening with Danny Rayburn - lucky us!!" Javier laughed at Jason's statement as he left the kitchen: "We’ll be Danny's dates! We’ll actually see more of him than she will..!" "Javi, don't you have tables to wait!?" "I'm going!" He called back as the doors swung closed behind him. "Good cuz I don't pay you to stand and chat!" "You just said you weren't paying us." Danny gave Jason a warning look "You can get back to work and all!" Jason beamed; "I love you too Danny!"

* You rolled your car to a stop outside his restaurant later that day; “Hey!” “Hi.” He hopped in, unsure how to broach the subject “…So…Uh… I was thinking…” “Yeah? Go on…” “…Valentine’s Day’s coming up.” You looked across to him, you knew that… Of course you knew that. You just hadn’t expected Danny of all people to be talking to you about it. He didn’t seem like the type to be taking you on a Valentine’s date. And you had to be honest, that was fine with you… You weren’t sure you’d mind not doing anything. “Yes?” “…Well… It’s… one of the busiest days in the business… And I can’t leave those guys all alone in there…” “And that’s fine…” “SO I was wondering…” he bit his lip “…If you wanted to… or you wouldn’t mind, coming down to my restaurant.” Before you had chance to reply he continued quickly “I’ll do something off menu, it’ll be exclusive. I know you… So… I think I can get that right… I just, I’m sorry. I’ll have to make it up to you…” You smiled, Danny Rayburn was so full of surprises; “Ok. Fine, I’ll come down to your restaurant “…On one condition.” He looked across to you, suddenly nervous about what you might say, and swallowed hard “…Anything.” “…Don’t buy me anything. Please? We’re not doing gifts it’s too… cliché… We’re not… No. Please, don’t buy me anything… I don’t need anything either…” “What!? So you’re not going to get me anything!?” He faked hurt, his mouth open “No! Shut up! That’s not what I said, I said – you can’t buy me anything! I just won’t get you something either then it’s fair!” He took out his mobile to call back to the restaurant. "Are you sure!? This is your last chance before they pick up! All I can promise is a good table and me for a couple of hours, not even the whole evening - You can back out!" If you weren't with him you didn't want to be out on Valentine’s Day at all. You couldn't believe when it would be so busy he'd even take a few hours out for you... "Danny I don’t care!" You forgot the rest of your sentence, and paid for it. He gasped in pretend shock "You don't care!?...AND I’m not good enough for a gift!?” He laughed, turning his attention back to his mobile as you heard Javier pick up; “Unbelievable!” * You studied yourself in the mirror. Was red too much of a Valentine’s Day colour? Were you about to become the cliché you’d sworn you weren’t!? You had to be honest with yourself you weren’t even sure you’d be wearing red, if it wasn’t for the fact that you had gone out and brought this dress specifically for tonight. It was the same cut as the one you had worn the first time you had frequented his restaurant. And the split up the side showed off your Miami tan. You had gone all out tonight to look flawless. Not for yourself. But for him. Your hair and makeup was perfect, your heels just the right height, and you felt good. The final touch, as ever, was your favourite perfume… You wondered if Danny would remember it from before… Gathering your things together you walked confidently down to your car, loving the sound of your heels striking the floor. You turned up your music loud as you made your way to his restaurant. You weren’t sure about the alcohol involved in tonight for you to be driving… You’d either have to take it slow, or take a cab. It didn’t matter; you could simply collect your car tomorrow… No-one would mind you leaving it overnight. When you arrived in the parking lot you weren’t surprised to see it packed. Luckily for you, dating the man who owned the place had its privileges. Tonight it really paid off; as only the staff parking spaces were free. You knew Danny had a car but, he didn’t have it with him tonight… You rolled your own neatly into his parking space and took a deep breath. Time for your big entrance. When you rounded the corner to the front of the restaurant they were queuing out of the door. Surely this wasn’t people who had reservations!? It was crazy; even for Valentine’s day you’d never seen Danny’s this busy. You smiled to yourself, quite proud – he was going to do well tonight. You walked past the line, which continued inside, where Javier caught you;

“Amorcita! Come, come! Right this way!” “I don’t think I’ve ever seen it this busy!” “Trust me… neither have we…” He took your hand and led you; “You look stunning… By the way. Danny doesn’t know what he’s missing by not taking you out!” “When it’s this busy, you best be glad he’s here…!” You followed Javier to a table in the back of the room, where it was quieter. Danny had clearly carefully chosen this spot… “You better like this table! You will not believe the number of times I have had to set it and re-set it!” You could imagine, it was for you - Even perfection would not be good enough for Danny tonight. You smiled gently as Javier sat you so you faced the kitchen; “Now you can at least look at your man whilst he’s working… Though how dare he, when you look this good?” You laughed “Well, Javi, let’s face the facts… We’re both going to be in agony waiting…” He smiled; “I’ll let him know you are here. Trust me, I’ve never seen a man more excited about creating off the menu pieces… He’s been looking forward to this for two weeks… Can I get you your usual drink?” “Oh. No. Javi… That’s okay… I don’t want to get too… drunk?... Tonight… I’m driving.” “Oh… Well, you know, I’m sure Danny’s got something in mind that goes with EVERYTHING he’s made…” He checked his watch; “You think he’d come say Hi…” “He’s busy Javi… But please do let him know I’m here…” He nodded, and left to remind Danny EXACTLY what time it was.

* Javier made sure all of his tables were happy before he made his way back over to you. “SO, whilst Danny is busy. I’m going to be your date!” You laughed; “Why?” “Sorry… Why…?! Because you are the most beautiful girl in the room. And everyone knows it.” You had to admit, whilst you had been sitting here alone, with your thoughts, nearly everyone in the room had been staring at you, glancing over and whispering about the mystery girl who had shown up here dressed to perfection without a date. Who was the guy? And when would he be showing up? It had only made you smirk to yourself. You wondered how they would react when they realised it was Danny? That man sure deserved to show you off tonight; what was wrong with being the eye-candy on his arm just this once? You wanted to prove that he could get the girl – and you had dressed up for him. Not for anyone else. Still, you were flattered by Javi’s compliment “Thank you…” He placed a bottle of your favourite coloured wine on the table, and by the label clearly an expensive one; “Danny says nothing less than the top shelf will do tonight. So he’s really treating you. As I knew he would…” Javier smiled “You’re really good news for him… You know?” “…SO many people tell me that, like’s he’s bad news.” “He’s had his ups and downs. Especially in his love life. They are quite some stories…” He lent on his hand; “But the way he talks about you… man… it’s something else…” You were determined not to blush, so you expertly changed the subject “What about you? Shouldn’t you be out with someone special tonight?” “ME! You’re the best I got. I’m single.” “Single!? NO!” You pulled out your mobile “Are you serious?!” He nodded and then got suspicious as you typed something into it “…Why?” “…Because, honey, do I know the girl for you…” “OH, really?! Matchmaking?” “Yes really… And you’ve already kinda met her….” If you could do a little matchmaking in Danny’s restaurant, why not? After all, it was your interaction with Danny here that had got you together. He raised an eyebrow, and took a breath “Is it the crazy one?” “Define crazy…?” You grinned, knowing both your friends had been flirting with him “Y’know the… order everything off the menu, drunk on Friday night, don’t ask me any questions, staring at me a lot, type crazy one.” “…Would you have a problem if it was…?” He chewed his lip for a moment and then smiled; “I dunno… I think I could go for a little crazy.” You laughed, and wrote her number down on a napkin; “Her name is Amanda, and she’s very dear to me. Be nice.” “What are you doing?! You have got to be kidding? I have to wait two days for you to call my number and you’re just giving yours out to Javi?!” Danny shook his head and folded his arms as he stopped at your table. He had changed out of his chefs’ whites into a black button-up shirt, his attempt to look smart for your date. It worked, in a Danny kind of way. “No…” You looked at him innocently “…I was simply doing a little matchmaking…” “Is that so…” He smiled and leant in to kiss your cheek. He turned to Javi, who stood to take his leave “When you’re ready, my good man, Jason knows how it goes…” “Alright! I’m on it!”

Danny slid into the seat that Javier had just vacated and blew out a breath; “You look… I just… Words… honestly fail me…” You smiled “Well… I just wanted to look good for you.” “For me!? Darlin’, you needn’t have you always look good. Tonight you look…” He made a motion to indicate he couldn’t find the right word. “And everyone is quite rightly staring at you…” “At you…” You leant on your hand, “…I like that…” “Oh. Really…” He reached for the bottle Javier had placed on the table and poured you a sensible glass full “Yeah. It’s about time people knew I was yours…” He chuckled, “Alright… Sweetheart… Well, you’ve clearly made one hell of a point…” He placed his hands together “…Now in advance, I apologise that I can’t stay. But I sure as hell want to make these hours count…” “Baby that’s ok…” “And when I leave, I don’t expect you to stay… It’s going to be a long night. And I’ll be here helping them out until closing. So…” He took a sip of wine, and made a face like he was pleased with his choice “…Please, feel free to leave at any time.” “No… No… That’s ok… I want to stay… I have my car… You can just come back to mine tonight…” He smirked suddenly and leant towards you; “Oh? Is that where this is heading…? A little cliché for Valentine’s Day don’t you think…?” You suddenly realised what you had said; “Danny no! I didn’t mean it like that-!” “No need to be shy about it Y/N… It’s just you and me…” His eyes flicked to the cut of your dress. You were still determined not to blush, lowering your voice to a whisper; “Stop it! You can’t talk like that! Not here!” “Why not? It’s my restaurant… My rules… No-one cares… Why, baby? Don’t you want me?” You had to look away from his intense stare… But you bit your lip… Wondering if that was where your night might end… You ran your finger lazily around the rim of your glass whilst he took another sip of his “I didn’t say I didn’t want you…” You looked back into his eyes, pouring some sugar of your own; “I just said you can’t talk that way here…” He was right. He knew you. Every off-menu dish he’d created was something you’d talked endlessly about or a variation of something off his menu you truly loved. You realised that every time he’d seen you eat he’d studied you – to the letter. Everything went well together, and everything paired with the wine he’d selected. You were beyond flattered. He continued to flirt with you through the entire meal and you felt like the only girl in the world. Even though your aim had been quite the opposite. He was way too good to you for the man his family made him out to be. “…Oh. Yeah. Just one thing…” He shuffled around in his seat and began rummaging in his pocket it got you curious “…I… Kinda broke your rule…” You could swear your heart was about stop beating and instinctively put your hand over it in relief. You opened your mouth as he placed the box on the table, It was small, black and wrapped intricately with silver ribbon. By its size and shape that he wasn’t about to get down on one knee in the middle of his own restaurant, especially after the previous conversations you’d had here. He followed your train of thought; “Geez! Don’t die on me! Give me SOME credit! I am in NO way sickeningly cliché enough to propose to you in front of my whole restaurant... on Valentine’s Day. Besides I’d never live it down!” He was right, Javier and Jason would never let him hear the end of it. Then he laughed, like he couldn’t resist it “Maybe I’ll do it when we’re alone later!” Still, the joke didn’t ruin the way you felt and you almost had to stop yourself from crying; “Oh! Danny!” “Now it’s not much… But I wanted you to have something…” He slid the box towards you; “You can’t open it until I’m gone… though, ok?” “…You didn’t have to.” “I know. You made that clear. But I wanted to…” He smiled, and poured himself another glass. He looked around the restaurant. It was in a lull period, before the next sitting, and he was glad he’d get to sit with you for a little while longer, at least until you had finished.

When the restaurant started to get busy again, you knew he had to take his leave. “I’m sorry I can’t stay longer.” “No. No… Baby, go do your job…” He stood and rounded the table to kiss you again. It didn’t last nearly long enough; “I promise not to make you wait too long…” But you didn’t mind. You could at least watch him working. “Thank you, for coming here!” “I love coming here!” “I know but… I wish I could have taken you out…” “You’ll get the chance.” You winked “I get to see the guys too…” “True…” He smiled “…See you later. And honestly… Go… Don’t sit here on my account!” Although, he knew you’d wait there forever if you had to. On his way back to the kitchen he was stopped by another long-term patron. You loved to see Danny laughing, but as he did so he nodded and looked across to you. You couldn’t help but smile until it hurt. This was what you wanted. You wanted them to realise what he had. The man Danny Rayburn really was. And that look of adoration on his face, that was for you… And it wasn’t the only time he was stopped...

* “How you doing? Can I get you anything else? Another drink…? Coffee?” Javier came over to clear away the plates; “Was it good?” “Incredible.” “I told you he was excited…” “I’ll uh... Take you up on coffee, Javi, that would be great. Put in a shot of Bailey’s too.” “Well, that sounds like an idea…” “Oh. And, the check.” “The check-!? Danny will NOT let you pay.” Javier looked taken aback by the very idea. “Javi, He can’t do that again. Let me.” “…Amorcita… I don’t know… Half this stuff was off menu I don’t know if I can…” “Just do your best… Please… Let me pay.” He still seemed hesitant “Look. If I drink any more… Those can go on the house, just… Let me pay. Let me pay all of you, too, with all the hard work you guys do? You deserve it.” “Okay… But this was all your idea…” “Thank you…” You handed him your card and he went off to get your coffee too. When he came back you had pulled the box closer to you; “Here you are… And your coffee… Call me if you need anything else…” “I won’t hesitate… Thank you Javi…” You scribbled out your signature and pulled delicately at the silver ribbon until it unravelled. You were curious… It wasn’t anything so cliché as chocolates or flowers by the size of the box… What would Danny break your one rule in favour of? You lifted the lid gently and had to smile, touching your hand to your chest. The fine gold chain winked in the gentle restaurant candle light as you lifted it delicately from the box, it ran smooth through your fingers as you studied it. Sitting on the end, however was the exact answer to your question. Small, plain, but with symbolism that could not be understated, was a delicate cursive initial. D, for Danny.

The next time the restaurant buzz died to quiet you realised how late it must be getting. As you looked up from your phone you witnessed Jason leave the kitchen. If Danny was letting his staff go, it must have been near the end of the night. Jase caught your eye and wandered over; “Y/N! Have you had a good evening.” “Letting Danny go for a couple of hours was very kind of you Jason… Yeah. I’ve had a great time… I guess it isn’t over yet!” “No, but, should be soon. The kitchen is winding down, Danny said he can take care of the dessert now. Which, for Danny is a big thing. You know he hates baking right? Says it’s all about Chemistry… but cooking… That’s about feel!” He rolled his eyes and you hated to laugh at the way he imitated Danny, but that was exactly something he would say “…Like he doesn’t know what Chemistry is. When he has you…!” He grinned, “I dunno. Anyway, if Danny can handle it, we’re almost done. He won’t keep you waiting much longer.” “How you spending the rest of your evening? You got someone special?” “Yeah, my girl’s pretty understanding. I’ll take her out properly tomorrow… But I’m sure there’s enough evening left to make something of it. Make sure you do to, when he’s finished, alright?” “I will. Now get on to your girl!” He smiled “See you soon Y/N!” He walked away, but then turned and call back down the restaurant “It looks good on you! By the way!” You realised he was talking about the necklace, and you looked down. Its length allowed it to be more visible the deeper the cut of whatever you were wearing. You guessed that was the point, people were more likely to stare at you if you were wearing something that showed your skin. So, it was best to show them that you were already taken. At least, that’s probably how Danny’s feelings went – you didn’t think he was so insecure. He just as likely wasn’t one to put up with another guy putting his eyes on you.

Your phone eventually buzzed and you couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the text; Are you at Dannys!? Maybe… 😉 Did you give me NUMBER to the waiter we had?! And If I did? C’mon. Amanda, you were so into him… I can’t believe you!! Have fun – you’re welcome! At that moment, you heard laughing and the kitchen doors swung open again to more staff leaving. Including Javi, now out of uniform, who interestingly had his phone in his hand. He waved to you, but Danny caught him; “OY! Who said anything about you leaving your tables aren’t all clear!” “What!? C’mon Danny! There’s one left!” “If all your tables aren’t done, you don’t go!” “But she’s…” Danny gave him a significant warning look, making Javi sigh and wander over to you. You nodded to his phone; “Anything I should be interested in.” He grinned “Yeah, matchmaking service… We’re heading out for drinks.” “Wow. You move fast! I thought she had a date.” “It clearly went well…” He gave a wink and then looked to the table. Every other table was neatly cleared and stacked, awaiting usage tomorrow. You were the only one left down this end of the restaurant “So, Danny won’t let me go unless my tables are clear… So… I guess I’m not drinking until you leave…” You got up slowly; “No, let me help you – don’t want you to miss a date I basically initiated…!” You smiled, content to help him carry things back to the kitchen, still chatting excitedly about his plans. Danny sighed; “She can have some of your pay check for that!” “Aw – c’mon! It’s clear now!” How many times was Danny going to threaten to take away his pay check this month?! “Yeah, alright! Off you go!” Danny turned to you; “Sit down Darlin’, at least I can watch you from here now…” He gave a wink as you sat yourself at the bar, Javi came back around and could not resist wrapping his arms around you and kissing your cheek; “Goodnight Amorcita!” Danny shook his head “…Don’t bother coming back tomorrow!” He yelled after Javi, who laughed “You don’t mean that! You love me really!” That had you and Danny laughing; “Good luck on your date! Let me know how it goes!” He waved to you “I will Y/N!” Turning back to Danny you realised the kitchen was now empty besides him. And the two tables left were finishing up their drinks and paying their tabs. Danny was essentially just clearing away; “Give me half an hour sweetheart and I’ll be done…” “What’s thirty minutes more?” You shrugged. You loved watching him work, you were a little disappointed you’d missed out. Still, watching him clear away meant you were one minute closer to having him in your arms again. *

Finally he waltzed out of his kitchen, bag over his shoulder. He didn’t come to you immediately, instead walking to the back of the restaurant, checking everything was clear and ready for tomorrow and flicking off lights as he made his way back to you. “OK… We can go…” He took your hand in his as he helped you off the bar stool and you wrapped your arm around his. He liked that. You could tell by his smile. Once outside it wasn’t as cold as you would think, even for February. He kept your hand in his as he locked the door; “So, you like it?” You noticed him look across to the necklace, now flashing in the streetlights. “Like it? Danny… I love it…” You got the feeling now it was on, you would never take it off. “Really?” He smiled; “Good… It looks better on you… I’m almost proud of myself. Bet you’re glad I broke that rule.” “…Yeah. This once…” He pocketed his keys, and walked you to your car. You felt alright for driving, thank goodness. You hadn’t had too much to drink and you had eaten enough. You were just about to pull your keys from your bag when he stopped. You weren’t paying attention, so you were pulled back by his arm. You were about to voice your question when he looked at you; sincerely. “Dance with me.” “…What?” “I didn’t get to take you out properly… Dance with me…” You looked around; here? In the middle of the restaurant parking lot? Was he serious? “Danny, there’s no music? Without music?” He shook his head “We don’t need music. You should know that.” When you still didn’t respond he sighed, letting you go he put his bag down, and held his hand out to you, taking up what you recognised to be an awkward version of a Waltz stance. You took a breath, and smiling, you put your hand in his. He placed his other hand gently on your waist and pulled you closer to him. Placing your other hand on his shoulder you laced your fingers together, and he began to sway you. “You’re crazy… you know that?” “And yet, you’re the one dancing with me…” He smiled, as you relaxed into his arms, resting your head against his chest as he continued to rock you. Bringing your hand in, he placed it against his heart; and you quickly realised that you were dancing to the rhythm of his heartbeat. He kissed your hair, and then your forehead, brushing his cheek against yours to get just that little bit closer to you. The way he enveloped your body with his was protective; and you felt safer now than you had ever felt in anyone else’s arms. The only sound was the cars that occasionally drove passed on their way back from Valentine’s Dates of their own. You wondered how many passengers in them looked over and saw the two of you, moving in a circle under the yellow glow of the floodlit parking lot – and thought you were insane. But you couldn’t have cared less… You were lost in his motion, in the way he held you - as strong as it was delicate – his attempt to show you he would hold you forever but that he would never break you… Any part of you. And you knew that included your heart. You thought it was dangerous for him to make that promise; but you badly wanted it to be true. Your rhythm came to a gentle stop, but he continued to let you get lost in his embrace. Your fingers tangling themselves in the fabric of his shirt, telling Danny you wouldn’t let him go either… You looked up to him; and his blue eyes glowed in the wake of the lighting. He kissed your forehead, the bridge and tip of your nose and finally your lips. You wound your arms around his shoulders and let the kiss linger as long as he would allow. Full of further unspeakable promises. He broke it, finally and chuckled; “Let’s go home…”

* “UGH!” Danny collapsed on your couch. Now changed into a grey vest top and shorts he ran his hands over his face and through his hair; “That was HELL! Never let me do something like that again!!!” He tipped his head back, making you laugh; “Well. There’s always next year.” “Oh GOD! I’ve only just gone though this year! Remind me to take the day off!” “I wouldn’t let you do that to them!” He made a sound that was painful; “God. I need a drink…” “What a great idea… I like your train of thought…” You wandered over to one of your cupboards and pulled down a bottle and two tumblers. He raised an eyebrow in curiosity; “Is that… whisky? Girl, I like the way you think.” “… I think you’ll find Woodford Reserve brands itself as Kentucky Bourbon…” You looked across to him “Is it a two or three fingers type night?” He laughed; “Three, at LEAST!” You poured him a generous two and a half, and poured nothing more than a dribble for you. A night cap. That was all you wanted. You put the bottle away and handed him the glass. You loved the way Woodford tasted. It wasn’t sweet, it had a savoury quality but by God did it have a burn, it was that that made it your favourite. You took a sip, he studied his glass and then looked back to you; “What? No ice?!” You pointed to your fridge “You have legs!” He puffed his cheeks and narrowed his eyes but he clearly wasn’t about to get up; “Cheers…!” He swirled it before taking a sip, you watched the way he rolled the liquid over his tongue before swallowing, and the breath he let out as it burned; “Oh-! That is good!” You nodded your agreement as he sat back. Now he really allowed himself to study you, he already knew what you were wearing was gorgeous. The deep-V neckline, now complete with his very own initial. The split up the side showed your beautifully tanned legs, giving him just enough but leaving him wanting so much more… it hugged your figure well too. He hadn’t forgotten your little conversation back at his restaurant… Now he was just wondering if you would act on it, or not. “You are so, damn, beautiful…” His voice was quiet, and it edged on sinful promise. You took another sip and looked back to him, then wished you hadn’t at the look on his face. The look in his eyes. Your heart began to pound in your chest. “…Don’t look at me like that…” “Baby…” He shook his head, running is fingers over his lips in a way that sent shivers over your skin; “Why not…” “Because I…” You had to look away, look to your balcony, then to your wall…To anything but his eyes – you couldn’t hold that stare. You noted how deep the breaths you were taking were… Your stomach and your heart and your HEAD were all in agreement on this one. It was Valentine’s Day, why not act on this…? Eventually your eyes had to wander back to his. He was leaning back casually on your couch, and had you locked in his intense gaze. He tapped his finger against the side of the whisky glass that he was holding casually by the rim – he was waiting on you and you knew it. He read you too well, and Danny was always hard for you to resist…

You realised that you too were tapping your glass, but for a different reason; the nerves were building up inside of you… You somehow tore your gaze away from him again. And it fell to your glass; gripping it so tight your knuckles were white… If you were going to do this, then it was your house. And your rules. Decisively you tipped the glass back to finish it and set it down. Walking over to him, slow, confident, with purpose. You would make him wait for you… brushing your hair back you gave him a look to let him know that you were going to be in control here. He ran his eyes back up you again, and by the time they reached your eyes they were dark blue. You sank yourself down onto his lap, straddling him. Locking your legs with his, your feet barely touched the floor as he was sat so far back. You ran your tongue over your lips and took his glass from him, taking one sip for yourself you placed it on the table beside you. He gave an almost defiant whine; you pulled him to you by his top; “My house… My rules…” He seemed to agree with this as you pulled him into a kiss; tasting like whisky that lingered on his tongue he ran his hands up your smooth thighs, hitching your dress just a little higher as you wound your arms around his shoulders to deepen the kiss…. You were now locked in a completely different form of dance…. He hummed gently in approval at the way you ground your hips into his. Continuing to run his fingers over every inch of skin he could get his hands on; he kept his voice low, almost a whisper as he kissed your neck; "You know, now would be a perfect time to start a playlist..." You almost laughed, digging your nails gently into his biceps; and catching his lips with your again; "That would just make it something else..." He squinted slightly; "Darlin'... We've always been about something else..." He ran his hands through your hair, kissing your beautifully tanned skin over and over "...That is why we work so well..." You accepted his kisses with kisses of your own, but he certainly wasn't affording you breathing space; and soon he had you breathless again. Not only that, but he had the situation back under his control. Kissing you wherever he wanted, he offered resistance and held you back from kissing him - that made you whine in discontent - which is exactly what he was looking for; by the smirk on his face. "...That's it baby girl..." His voice, seductive, was back to giving you that shiver; only this time it ran through him too... So he let you kiss him... running his hands back down your body they lingered for a second at the ties on your dress, before he thought better of it. You felt him shift under you, and then he swept you up. You gasped, leaving his lips and gripping his shoulders tight. He cleared his throat, as he began to walk you towards your bedroom; "Mmmh.... There isn't nearly enough room here to do everything I want to do to you tonight..." He let his husky whisper linger for a moment, with a sinful wink. Trouble was, whatever that promise was... You couldn't wait.

** You woke up without him, and you weren’t sure you liked that. Looking around for any signs of where he might be you were disappointed not to find any. Surely, he wouldn’t have gone off to work already? Considering how late it was last night!? And if he did, wouldn’t he have left a note? You hopped out of bed, pulling on a shirt and shorts of your own and wandered out into the corridor. You almost breathed a sigh of relief when you heard sounds emanating from your kitchen and echoing down to your bedroom. Guess it was finally time you took him up on breakfast… You shuffled down the hall and stood watching him for a minute. He was adsorbed in everything he was doing, moving from one thing to another – he hummed to himself. “Mornin’…” “Good morning Sunshine…” He turned to smile at you “…How are you?” You suppressed a yawn; “Good. Yeah… You’re making me breakfast?!” “Figured that you couldn’t say no to this…” He teased… but then made a face “Actually, I’m trying to make you breakfast… uh, note to Y/N… Please actually stock ingredients!” “Uh, note to Danny, you don’t live here. I will have in this house what I damn well like!” He shook his head “You’re lucky I can make what I’m making! Nothing in your cupboards constitutes a balanced meal, I’m shocked you’re still alive!” “…Well I usually spend all my time at work! When do I get the chance to eat here? Let alone cook.” “That’s no good for you either. And you have an extremely sweet tooth, I’m worried.” You shrugged “It doesn’t bother me!” “No clearly…” he opened another cupboard and lamented “…C’mon… You’re killing me here!” “Well, I didn’t ever expect my boyfriend to be a chef..!” “Well, your boyfriend thinks he needs to take you grocery shopping…” You leant on your counter with a smile; “So… Do it!” He turned to you “…OK… I will… If it gets you eating better, I will.” You shook your head at him, until he pointed to the breakfast bar; “Now sit! I’ll be done in a minute.” “Don’t you want me to help?” “No, Darlin’, this is for you. Sit.” He insisted. Finally you understood what Danny meant as he set everything out for you. Everything was simple, and most of it was leaning towards the sweet side of breakfast. You stared at the pancakes for a minute; “Are there sprinkles in the pancakes?” “Yeaaaah...” You scoffed; “Alright, international house of pancakes...” He narrowed his eyes at you and tapped you with his fork “I’m just trying to make things interesting! And with your limited amount of ingredients I worked with what I had...!” You pointed to the sauce “Syrup?” He looked like he was about to give up on you entirely “... Caramel. Easy to make butter, cream, sugar. Surprised you had those to be honest.” “Ah. You’re being very resourceful...” You clearly weren’t awake yet, pointing out to yourself that there was actually already a syrup bottle on the table. “God, please let me take you shopping...” “What today?” He hummed tilting his head one way and then the other “if that’s what you wanna do, Darlin’...” “I kinda don’t wanna do anything… But… I feel like you’re only gonna complain at me if we don’t…” He didn’t quite nod his agreement, but he took your hand in his and rested it on your knee “…If we do… Then at least I can cook for you more often.” “Are you really THAT worried?” “Yeah. I really am.” And you had to smile, because not only was he being sweet – he was also being serious.

What Danny really admired about you was the way you ate. As a chef that was important to him, and it was important you liked what he made you. But the way you thought about every bite you took impressed him. He couldn’t help but love you more as he watched you eat; “What?” “…You… You just… Amaze me, sometimes…” But he pointed to your plate with his fork “Just, less sugar. Next time. Please?” You got this innocent but defiant look on your face as you tilted your head “…Well, I can’t get ALL my sugar from you…” He laughed, and then leant towards you to brush sugar from your lips with his own. It was a good move, and was rewarded by you pulling his shirt to bring his body closer to yours. He deepened his kiss and all that did was threaten for you to take it back to the bedroom. You pulled away, savouring the taste of his lips on yours for just a moment longer; “Hmmm…” He agreed satisfied “I guess you’re right.”

*** Later that morning you found yourself on a short road-trip; because he was serious about taking you grocery shopping and apparently no other day would do. But now he was driving you, humming along to the radio. It was another nice day, and he had the windows down and his shades on. He looked hot, you had to admit, he was just something else and you were damn proud that he was sitting here beside you. You couldn’t resist texting Amanda, knowing you wanted all the gossip from her night with Javier. It wasn’t like they didn’t ask for every excruciating detail of every date Danny ever took you on. You always remained mysterious about it; Danny showed too much of himself to you and all of it was for you to keep. Not to tell anyone else. Did you wake up with a 10? I didn’t wake up with anybody Amanda! I’m shocked! What happened!? I’m taking it slow. How’s your 10? Well, he’s at least a 12. But yeah, I woke up with him 😉 Ugh. You are beyond lucky. I know. I knnnnow x You were laughing, which got Danny curious. “What?” he nudged your arm when you shook your head “What’s so funny!?” “Nothin’! I’m just…” you waved your hands “Complimenting my awesome boyfriend.” “OH!” He smirked; “IS he now!?” “Well he better damn well think he is too.” “He, uh, I guess he thinks he could be. I mean… He has you.” He let you take his hand in yours; “Well… He takes good care of me… Which is what matters. As he’s proving right now.” “Yeah well. Someone’s gotta do it!” He laughed “Of course I’m happy to do it…!” “Well anything to stop him complaining.” You could tell he was rolling his eyes behind his shades; “Eh….!! I’m not sure he’ll ever do that.” “Shame…” You shook your head “I love him anyway…” “He wants you to know…” he laced your fingers together and looked across to you “He loves you too.”

* You were both tangled up together on your balcony in the late afternoon sun, having the best of lazy days. Your head against his chest as he stroked his hand absentmindedly through your hair… You knew you could stay like this forever… Hell, maybe after your next move you would get that wish. “Danny…” “Hmm?” He blew out smoke in answer, taking another drag of his cigarette as you shuffled around, producing a box tied up in blue ribbon. “I’m actually kinda glad you broke your promise, Because… Now I get to give you this…” He shook his head, “You didn’t have to get ME anything…” Although his eyes flicked to the necklace you were still wearing proudly… He rested his cigarette in the ash tray and took the box from you, “Are you sure?” “Yes!” “…Seriously you didn’t have to.” “I wanted to, too. Anyway, this one is important…” He looked to the box, pulling the blue ribbon slowly he met your eyes again. Would this be as important to you as that necklace was to him? he wondered. You sighed; “Danny! Just open the damn thing the suspense is killing me!” He gave it his full attention as he lifted the lid gently. Then looked a little confused as he was presented with a set of keys; “Are these… The keys to your apartment…?” He lifted them from the box and studied them with careful interest. “…You’re giving me the keys to your apartment?” “No…” You were careful with your choice of words, “Well. No, yeah that’s what they are, but that’s not what I’m asking.” He turned his attention to you out of curiosity… You took a deep breath. Only your parents had keys to this apartment besides you. But, you’d already made up your mind on this one. Danny wasn’t just someone you were seeing, he was the man you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. And it wasn’t Valentine’s Day, or whisky or heck even sugar talking. This was pure and simple; it was the way you felt and you had to let him know it. You looked at him with nothing but adoration; “Danny… I’m asking, please, and in the most real… honest, wholehearted way I can… For you to move in with me.”

@stcphstrange - Protect this one with your life! It’s been through a lot!!

#Danny Rayburn #Danny Rayburn x Reader #Bloodline #Ben Mendelsohn #danny rayburn x you #Linzi Writes #Linzi Queues Things #Sway #5 #Liliana #Valentines Fic!

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smolbeandrabbles · 6 years

Text

Sway Pt. 6 - Danny Rayburn x Reader (Bloodline)

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Here / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 / Part 10

Authors Note: ‘Better At Being Who I Am’ (Jason Aldean) Is angst theme GOALS. Whilst I always look for lyrics to suit the overall chapter theme, I also like looking for quotes. Two from Bloodline in particular hit me hard during season one; so not only is this part based on them… But I will also be using them during the part… It’s a pretty heavy part, I interspersed some lighter moments, because it’s not always all bad… even when things aren’t going great for our boy…

I wanted to note this chapter takes place over a period of years and is kinda like... the “Lowlights” of those years.

Disclaimer: Direct Quotes from Bloodline season 1 episode 6 & 11 used! Vaguely in context…! This is where I change Canon a little. He is no longer in jail when the resturant burns down... Because I had this idea before I found that out and I didn’t want to change it.

“Okay. Try this. I don’t care about you. You don’t mean anything to me. And if I mean something to you… You mean less than nothing to me.” Danny Rayburn, Season 1, Episode 6.

“I don’t hate you! I could never hate you! That’s my Fucking problem!” John Rayburn, Season 1, Episode 11.

Premise: Danny was known to go off the rails, you thought you’d seen it all. Until the day his restaurant burned down…

Word Count: 9492 (oh yeah. The long haul.)

Warnings: This part is pretty angsty. Essentially it details where in your relationship / pre-to-the-series that Danny’s life starts to fall apart. Drinking/Underage Drinking/Drug Mis-use/Swearing/

What doesn't destroy you Leaves you broken instead Got a hole in my soul growing deeper and deeper And I can't take One more moment of this silence The loneliness is haunting me And the weight of the worlds getting harder to hold up

I'm not OK and it's not all right Won't you drag the lake and bring me home again

Who will fix me now? Dive in when I'm down? Save me from myself Don't let me drown Who will make me fight? Drag me out alive? Save me from myself Don't let me drown

'Cause you know that I can't do this on my own…

Danny’s Apartment, Miami - PM

Whilst Danny had told you he’d move in (Although, it had taken him about five minutes to actually talk in complete sentences) he’d always wanted to keep that little bit of just in case independence for himself. He told you this one morning over breakfast like it wasn’t a big deal – he was simply moving from his apartment into a newer one. “Oh really? Need help?” “Well. As you know the majority is in boxes. But I’d appreciate another car… Yeah.” “So where are you moving?” “First floor, one floor. Detached. Lot bigger. I was just thinking for Nolan, y’know… If he ever wants to come and stay… It’s a little better.” “I totally get it. AND I think it’s a great idea.” You understood Danny’s hesitancy of introducing Nolan to the apartment you lived in, judging on Danny’s own initial reactions. “Do you want to see it first?” “Danny…” You sighed, shaking your head “It’s your apartment! You go for it.” “Well, I want to know if I’m making the right choice.” “…What does your heart say?” “My heart…?” He looked at you questioningly but then changed his mind “…Says yes…” “Then your decision is made. I’ll see it, when I help you move in!”

You actually had a hard job of moving his boxes. Because your first night together came flooding back at everything you saw and everything you touched. This would be the final time.

Danny clearly couldn't care less - he was always in between with this place - now where he was couldn’t be clearer to him. But you were slow and careful with everything, and it didn't escape his notice. "What?" he walked past you with another box "I dunno I just... This is the first impression I really got of you..." "Yeah. I'd rather not think on that. It was such a great impression you didn't call me for two days. Heck if you hadn't been persuaded into my restaurant I'd still be waiting...!" "...But I was right." "Owww...!" his voice echoed down the stairs, making you laugh as you followed "Having said that... We really should have had one last night here. For old times sake..." he gave a shrug "just have to christen the new place instead." "Do you ever stop!" "When I think about you?" he paused for effect, to pretend he was doing just that "No." He pushed his fingers to his lips "Not really." You smacked his arm, before walking back upstairs "C'mon baby! With a body like yours!?! How can I not!!! That would be injustice!!" "Danny SHUT UP!!" you knew he'd said it louder just to catch the attention of everyone that might be within earshot. His grin told you that too. He followed you; “It’s literally the second thing we ever did. And it was YOUR idea. I'm the innocent party in this." "You knew what you were doing..." you swung around the door, now the place was almost bare it had more space than Danny had ever made it look like it did. "Yeah, well you're still here... Can you imagine if I didn't! Oh, man..." Even he had to hesitate as he looked at the last box. You watched him as he picked it up carefully, but stood for a good thirty seconds, before turning to you like he wasn't so sure what to do. You sighed;" Alright, give this place the send-off it deserves... Take me dancing." He smiled "in Little Havana?" "That exact dance floor." "I still get to take you back to the new place?" "Depends what the new place is like. Don't it." he remembered you hadn't seen it yet. "You'll like it. I've already started on fixing it up, see!!! Your boyfriend is just THAT considerate!" he gave a wink "Whatever he says..." you threw an arm around him "…I didn't spend nearly enough time here..." "Oh come on. You won't miss it and neither will I..." he puffed his cheeks "... I'll give it this. We started here. I guess I just never would have expected it to work out. Not this well." he tapped the wall "guess I owe it more than I realised!"

His new apartment was much bigger. Ground floor and light, with distinct rooms. You were impressed. Or you WERE impressed until you started staring at his decor. It wasn't even like he was trying to make it unnoticeable. About 2ft square the canvas was the only thing on his living room wall. This was the statement piece. Which, you wouldn't have minded. Were you not staring at yourself.

You weren't looking at the camera, but it was taken on your balcony. A bright summers day, you had a glass in your hand. By the dress you were wearing it had to have been a date... And it was recent telling by the 'D' around your neck. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?!" "That is you..." he was nonchalant You pointed at it "Daniel Rayburn you take it down right now!!!! You are NOT keeping that up!!!" You were turning your usual shade of red. "it's damn huge...!! I don't want it there!!!" He scoffed; "Tough. My apartment and I want you on my wall!" "When the heck did you take it!?" "I take photographs all the time! Did you NEVER realise!?" "NO!!!" you were horrified, but it only made him chuckle. "That's probably good, Candids are the best... You look beautiful up there, what's wrong with you!? You ALWAYS look beautiful I had trouble with choosing just one...!" "Well, now I gotta put you up on my wall." Eye-for-an-eye style. If that was the plan, it didn’t work. Instead you were treated to another cheeky wink. “Well, I was beginning to wonder why I wasn't..."

It’d been a few years since that day. And in those intervening years much had happened... Too much... Some of which you’d rather forget.

Beth’s Apartment, Miami - Late AM

You pulled your car up to Beth’s apartment and rested your head on the steering wheel for a moment. Danny, what the hell did you get yourself into!? What the hell did you get ME into!? Beth was nice and all – she’d called you to help Danny out more than once; which had quickly made you see why Danny didn’t want you at a lot of the parties he attended - but she didn’t particularly sound pleased with you. You knew whatever it was was Danny’s fault and she couldn’t tell you over the phone, but she was certainly angry and nothing would do other than you driving out here to pick him up. You hopped out of your car and ascended to her apartment. You barely got to knock before she wrenched it open – she certainly looked angry. And you, without context weren’t exactly sure how to react; “Hi Be-” “Do you have ANY idea what your JACKASS of a boyfriend has just put me through!?!” Oh dear… “No. What’s he done?” “I just had to BAIL him from JAIL. BAIL HIM. ME!!” You furrowed your eyebrows together “…And I can pay you back…Beth, I’m sorry I don’t know why he wouldn’t…” You fished your phone out of your bag in preparation to transfer her the amount “I DAMN WELL DO!!” She stopped yelling at the expression on your face and took a deep breath, still sounding angry, she put her hands to her head “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be yelling at you… I just…” she folded her arms; “He won’t list you, Ms.Ervin because if it gets back to your family or leaks to the press that the daughter of Jack Ervin is dating the guy that held up a drug store with a gun and then was caught selling and in possession of said drugs, he knows he’ll fuck everything up.” You knew your mouth was hanging open; “He WHAT!?” “That’s what they told me!” “God, Danny!!!” You placed a hand to your forehead “Geez… Beth, I’m sorry… How much do I owe you.” “…It’s not even about the money, Y/N… He better damn well pay you back.” She told you the figure and you shook your head “You didn’t have to do this…” You handed your phone over after typing out an almost eyewatering $8500 “…It’ll transfer instantly.” “I couldn’t just leave him there… He’d get stuck in the system… I mean, even I know he’s been through enough… Then what about you?” “Next time, just call me and I’ll go down.” “Well, we both better hope for his sake there isn’t a next time.” She took the phone from you apologetically as she typed her account in; “He’s still here?” “Yeah. I’m not letting him walk out there alone…” she opened her door, “C’mon.” Danny was sitting with his head between his legs and his hands over his face, Beth kicked his foot. “Time to go, Rayburn! Get out of my house.” He looked up to voice the obvious question, when he spotted you and his face almost went white. He turned to her again; “YOU CALLED HER!?!” “Of COURSE I called her!!” “I told you NOT to call her!!” “Well who else was going to come get you Danny!? Hmm? No way after that you are going home alone.” She pushed his back to get him to stand himself; “Now go home!” She wandered into the back of her apartment “Also! You owe your girlfriend the bail money she just paid me! Do not screw this one up!!!” He was silent as his eyes followed her and then he turned back to you. You weren’t intent on staying very long, standing in the doorway you flicked your head and walked outside. He scrambled to follow you; “Y/N! Y/N! It’s not what you…! God, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry..!” You stopped on the stairs and turned to him, you didn’t feel angry but knew you looked it at the way he stopped. “Danny. I don’t want to hear it. I just want to get you home.”

He slumped into the passenger seat and chewed his lip. You took a deep breath and started the engine. You didn’t like it when Danny got quiet – it meant he was calculating, it meant he was upset or worse... And you knew which one it was. “…Can I light up.” “NO.” “Y/N…” “NO! Danny, when has it ever been OKAY to smoke in my car!” “But I really need to-!” “NO. Don’t push it! Ok?!” He got quiet again and just stared out of the window. Fidgeting the whole way with the pack of cigarettes, he tapped his foot to a beat that wasn’t there... Truth was you weren’t exactly sure what to say to him – what he’d done was serious, and he clearly wasn’t blameless. You just wondered how in the hell he’d gotten himself into it. You wanted answers, but he was hurting, and that hurt you. You rolled the 4 x 4 into your parking spot after what felt like hours but was barely a 30-minute drive. You both sat in silence for a moment… You were staring out of your own window, before you took up the same position against your wheel again. Why? He noticed this and turned to you; “Y/N…” When you didn’t respond he tried again; “I know… I fucked up. Like I seriously fucked up. I get it… And I’m sorry… I’m really sorry… and you have, every, right to be mad at me… And I don’t… Well, I guess the problem is I DID know what I was thinking but I… I wanted to protect you from… This whole… God… I’m such a mess…” He sighed and opened his car door; “…Okay, you know what, you’re right. You don’t want to hear it and you don’t need this. Lemmie just call a cab, and I’ll get back to my apartment-” You moved, grabbing his hand as he was half way out of the vehicle; “You are NOT going anywhere. Danny Rayburn.” You shook your head “Yeah. You probably did fuck up. Considering what Beth told me. But don’t you DARE think about walking out of here.” You took his hand again and held it firmly upon exiting your vehicle. Pulling him through the security door and across the lobby to the lift bank; “If this ever happens again will you PLEASE call me?” “It wasn’t even supposed to go down like this…” The lift pinged and you both entered, as you pressed the button to your floor; “So you weren’t meant to get caught. Danny, that doesn’t make robbing the damn store in the first place alright!!!” “I know, and I’m sorry!” “You don’t have to say sorry to me. I’m not mad at you!!” Well, maybe you were a little “…I’m frustrated. You have Nolan, you have your restaurant, you have me!! You don’t need to do this!” “I told you, that restaurant does not pay all the bills.” He owed people, that’s what he was telling you, without saying it. “Danny, look at my family! LOOK at me!! TRUST me, you do not need to go anywhere else for money.” “NO! I can’t take it from you! Or your family!” “It’d be a loan, it’d be fine!” “NO.” He’d point blank refused to let you help out before, but honestly, if he was going to make money illegally you didn’t know why he was being so stubborn about this. Getting into debt with your parents, or you, would not be the same as falling in with bad people. You opened your apartment door and pointed to the balcony; “Now, you can light up… Just… give me a second…” He watched you go… then crossed your kitchen and living room, sliding open the balcony door – he pulled a cigarette from the pack and flicked the lighter taking a drag. Were you mad at him? You said you weren’t. But you looked mad, or maybe you looked hurt. Or maybe both… He could understand why you would be both. He was nearly two cigarettes down when you joined him outside. You pressed your hands into the metal railing and the wind played with your hair as you stared out towards the ocean. He took another drag of his cigarette before he turned to you… Then he stopped and squinted; “…Oh…Oh…Darlin’…” He closed the few steps between you “…Have you been cryin’?” You didn’t answer, so he reached out and turned your face towards him; “God… I’m so sorry…” Just how many times was he going to say that line? You shook your head, dipping from his line of sight, and pulled him close to you; “Do you have ANY idea what could have happened if it had gone wrong!? Danny… Don’t you EVER do something like this again…” “…I promise…” He whispered it softly, “Baby, I promise…” The last thing Danny Rayburn ever wanted was to make you cry… You squeezed him tighter to you, so you could feel that calm and steady heartbeat of his reverberate through your body, then you let him go, gently. Wiping your eyes, you looked into his. “I love you… Danny. I love you. But sometimes, the people you hang out with… some of the things you do. Baby, you scare me…” You shook your head gently, “Please… Stop…” He pondered your words for a moment, taking another drag from his cigarette, but he knew he wasn’t sure what to say. “I feel like I knew that….” And he was sure he did “…I’m sorry… I’m not thinkin’ and I think you know that… But, I’ma try… for you… and for Nolan. Ok?” You nodded, you knew Danny was better than this. But it was a long hard road for him – you just wanted to see him right on it. “Okay…” You leant up to kiss him, and he accepted by kissing you back. “I love you, too…” This time when he pressed his cigarette to his lips his look was sincere. And you knew he meant it. REALLY meant it.

Danny’s Apartment / Miami Coast Line - Noon/Late

You sung along to your radio all the way to Danny’s apartment. It wasn’t often he insisted staying in his own, he just still wasn’t ready to introduce Nolan to yours yet. It made sense, Nolan was a young impressionable teen… Danny was intent on making the best impression. You were dancing in the front seat, windows down, music blasting – shades on. It was nearly mid-day and the sun was high but the breeze off the water today was cool. You turned into the apartment complex and rolled to a stop. Even with the radio off you were still humming along as you stepped out of the car. And you realised you had until you walked up to Danny’s front door to decide on something for you all to do today… Well. There was always the boat… Maybe not the one you’d taken Danny on though… too many memories completely inappropriate to be reminded of around his teenage son. You shouldered your bag and pushed your shades into your hair. By the time you’d looked up you realised they were both already outside… Geez, give a girl a minute…! You began walking up the path, and opened your mouth to greet Nolan. Then stopped when you realised that he wasn’t smiling as he started down the path towards you; “Hey…You, okay?” He barely stopped “No.” “…Nolan!” “No, you know what it’s fine!” “Where are you--!?” “Anywhere else!” He yelled, taking off down the sidewalk. You looked on after him, for a few seconds before turning to Danny, who was standing in the door arms folded; you pointed behind you – “What…?” “It doesn’t matter.” “Doesn’t!?” You turned back to Nolan, now nearly half way down the street “DANNY! Did you guys have an argument?!” You checked your watch, “You can’t have been back from the restaurant 20 minutes! What happened!” “Y/N – It doesn’t matter.” “Of course it matters!” “Why?” He gave a nonchalant shrug, “He’s made it perfectly clear he doesn’t want to see me.” He closed the door behind him and shuffled down the path to you. You looked to him, “But we were gonna…” “Yeah, well. Not anymore. Just let him go.” “You don’t mean that…” You could see he was trying to keep his face from betraying him “…Danny… you don’t…” You turned back to Nolan, “Oh. Geez…! NOLAN WAIT!!” You ran back down the path; “What the hell are you doing!?” Danny called after you, making you turn back; “I won’t watch your son walk away from you Danny. I can’t…!” For one, you knew it would break your heart. You had to run to catch up with him; “Nolan! Nolan… wait up…” It was almost a surprise that he did in fact stop and turn as you jogged to a stop; “…I don’t need to know what it was about…” You held your hands up “Hell, I know – but equally I know I don’t know…!” Danny could be difficult, and you couldn’t fathom what his relationship with Nolan really was. Danny wanted to pour as much into Nolan as he did keep him at arm’s length. It hurt the teen more than Danny thought it did. “…Look, I wanted this to be a good day for you… So… If you want to do something… We can just… I’d just... Really appreciate it if you didn’t leave.” “…He doesn’t care.” “No, he only acts that way. And it’s a dumb way to act… He’s good at pushing people away when he cares… It’s a constant uphill battle. You shouldn’t have to fight it…” you threw your arms as if to say hell if you could ever understand Danny Rayburn “… The problem is having to accept we do. Look, I got a good plan going… And I’d like you to be part of it. But, only if you want to sweetie.” You really really liked Nolan. You weren’t about to watch Danny waste this. He huffed and folded his arms too, looking away from you and thinking on it for far longer than he had spent making up his mind; a typical teenager. “Does he have to come?” You laughed, “Just push him off the Yacht, you’ll feel better. Honest.” You turned back to unlock your car that Danny was now leaning against, watching you both shyly. “Sorry!? Did you just say Yacht!?” Nolan then jogged to keep up with you “You have a yacht!? Awesome!” And it almost sounded genuine. “Can I leave you two alone for five minutes without you wanting to walk all the way back. Because you will be walking from here…” Your question was more directed at Danny, and you only received a half nod. Neither of them had spoken more than about two words yet. You’d rectify that. You were determined to rectify that. You left the car, hopeful it might give them some time to cool off and apologise for whatever... But fully expecting to see your dad’s assistant greeting you with keys, you were surprised to discover that it was him. “Papa?!” “I’m only working on the waterfront,” He pointed in an unclear direction; “thought I’d come see your boys.” “I left them in the car!” You indicated behind you “but I’ll go get ‘em...” “I’ll meet you down there!” He was already walking down the pier. You shook your head, it was all men... you were pretty sure. ALL of them were like this! You wandered back to your 4x4; it still didn’t look like they were talking... “Okay, out you get. Dad is here. Best behaviour.” Today was obviously going to be like having two kids, rather than your boyfriend and his teenage son.

They walked apart down nearly the entire pier... you wondered if it was more a game of who could hold out the longest without apologising. Honestly! They both instantly changed their attitudes as your dad stepped off the smaller vessel. “Jack!” “Danny! A pleasure as always! Nolan!! Great to see you!” He gave Danny a firm handshake, but went for a full hug with Nolan. When you first told your parents about Nolan you were wondering what they would say. At that point you shouldn’t have been surprised by their surprise reaction. You guessed it might be because they had expected a man of Danny’s age to have been in a serious relationship, or married, before. Certainly the kind of relationship where children was plausible. Of course their first reaction was, how did you feel about that and then, seen as you were totally cool with it (obviously), when they would get to meet him. Since then, your parents had invited Danny and Nolan to dinner on numerous occasions, and included Nolan in any family event. If Danny was family to them, it was only natural that Nolan would be too.

You left them to chat with your dad as you checked the boat was ready to go. Considerably smaller than the yacht it was moored next to, your dad had already seen to nearly all preparations in the time it had taken you to walk here. Your dad turned back to you “Sure you’re okay with how fast this thing goes?!” Oh here we go... if he could get a dig in at the first few times you’d been out, when he was trying to teach you how to drive NO less!!, then he would. You wondered how it had factored into the conversation this time... “I’ll be okay. It’s been a while since...!” “I’m only saying you got a couple of strong men here... one of which can actually drive a boat.” You let out a sigh, and heard both Danny and Nolan laugh. “If I can steer the other one, this’ll be just fine.” “Yeah I’m glad I got her back in one piece.” “Guess you’ll be thanking Danny for that too, huh?” You and your father both folded your arms defiantly “Yeah. He’s a good man. I’m only worried about the speed.” “I know what I’m doing.” “My red tape mark says otherwise.” This was leaving the other two cracking up. “... Oh my god... you are kidding!!!” You turned around to check; sure enough, your father had taped back the little marker he used for the top speed you were allowed to go. Back in your teens. You were sure that was just for Danny and Nolan’s entertainment. “Now you boys take care of her alright, make sure she doesn’t go too fast! And not a shade over that line!” Still chuckling they both boarded; “Don’t worry Mr.Ervin we won’t!” “We’ll have her back with you this evening. Say 9?” “Woah. Danny... 8:30, don’t go getting ahead of yourself.” Finally you could laugh at someone else. “Estrellita, no staying at the houses of other men tonight!!” He winked “... You’re lucky I trust you with this one!” “I’m in good hands dad don’t worry!” “Oh I know! I wouldn’t trust just anyone with you!” He had a sincerity that you could tell hit both Danny AND Nolan hard. Your dad held out the keys, “So? Who is getting these.” You pointed to Danny “As you’re so confident in the Rayburn’s.” Danny opened his mouth to protest but missed his chance as Jack chucked him the keys. “Be careful with her!” “I’ll get it back in one piece, Sir...” Your father chuckled, unmooring the boat “Not what I meant...!”

Danny made sure the boat ran smoothly as he headed out across the stretch of water; “You just wanna head out anywhere...” He was clearly addressing you, as you watched the Miami skyline unfurl in front of you. Nolan was at the other end of the vessel running his hands through the sea. You stood and crossed to Danny “Uh... I didn’t have a place in mind... I wasn’t going to take him where we were last time, if that’s what you mean...” “Okay...” he checked the gauges; “I’ll take her a few more miles...” you were still looking to Nolan “I’ll do it.” “What?” He turned his attention to you “Why?” You nodded back towards his son; “I don’t care what happened, but one of you needs to be the bigger man.” “Me?!” “You’re his father, Danny, yes you!” He sighed and gave you something close to a pout; “So you think this is my fault?!” “NO! I didn’t say that. I’m trying to fix it. Go... Go on…” you pushed him gently “I got this. Just... talk to him!!”

You took the boat another few miles out and let her coast perpendicular to South Beach. When you turned back they were at least talking. Both of them hunched over the side and mumbling, looking back towards the city. You left them for a little while, going through what exactly your dad had decided to ‘get ready’... The cooler was a good indication of what he thought the day would entail. You opened it; breathing a sigh of relief when you realise that he remembered Nolan was underage. You guessed as it would just be an afternoon trip you didn’t need anything more than a few good drinks. You pulled one out and popped the top. The sound made both of them turn towards you. “Oh. I notice you heard that!” Danny pointed at you, “That better be alcohol!!” “NO! It’s soda! I don’t want to be the bad influence on this one!” You took a sip, indicating to Nolan; “Aw c’mon Y/N - you really think YOU’RE the bad influence here?!” Nolan looked between you and Danny a few times before Danny realised what he was doing; “Hey-!” You both laughed at that. “But there is alcohol in there, right?!” “Looks like...” “Excellente!” Danny stood and opened the cooler up; before you realised what was going on, he had handed Nolan a bottle. Nolan thanked his father, but you weren’t so keen “Uh! That better be Non-Alcoholic young man!” He hesitated, making Danny laugh; “Aw, C’mon! Like you didn’t do a little underage drinking!” “Yeah – My parents didn’t condone it!” “His mom’s not here!” Nolan took a sip with a laugh, making you cover your eyes “Oh God! I’m not seeing this!!” “Go into international waters! You’ll be fine!” “NO! That might get me in even MORE trouble!”

“Nolan you know how to drive one of these right?!” “What?!” He looked to you, “He doesn’t. But no time like the present.” Danny took a gulp of beer. “I was gonna say, my dad put that marker on as a joke but it’s a good little marker for beginners...” “Are you serious?!?” Nolan jumped out of his seat; “You got a good teacher. I’m not too bad either.” You laughed, realising Danny was referencing you. “Oh. No. Rayburn, he’s your son!!” “Yeah alright, Ervin. Then we’ll do this together...!” “He doesn’t need my bad habits!” “At least you admit you have them!” Danny beckoned Nolan over; “C’mon. I’m sure she’ll help get the basics down...!”

You observed the hysterical exchanges going on between Nolan and Danny the whole way back to port. Glad that now they were at least laughing in each other’s company. As you watched them, framed by the boat, the water, the Miami skyline, you knew perfectly well you could stay here forever. It might not have been that kind of family… But you were a family none the less… You loved them both. Truly, you knew what you already knew. This would be long haul. Ride or die. All or nothing.

Viva Caputa, Miami - PM

You wanted to be in that restaurant. When Danny told you he was doing this you wanted nothing more than to be there. He forbid it. You absolutely were NOT setting foot in that restaurant today under any circumstances. And you continued this back-and-forth until he pulled up outside; “You should let me.” “No. Absolutely not.” “Why?! Are you scared of what I’m going to say to him?!” “I kinda am. Yeah.” You folds your arms to prove your point “You don’t think I’m scared of what he’s gonna say to you?!” No dice though. So in the car you stayed.

This was the most nerve wreaking hour of your life. Part of you thought about defying Danny and just heading into the restaurant anyway... or sneaking in to listen to the conversation. But you knew you would be betraying Danny’s trust, and you knew Robert. If he said anything, no matter how small or veiled, you wouldn’t be able to contain yourself and then there would be problems.

Eventually, Nolan wandered out of the restaurant and to the car. You raised an eyebrow; “What’s going on?” Nolan shrugged; “He told me to wait in the car...” You tapped your fingernails on the dashboard “...Robert has NO idea I’m here does he.” “Nope.” You shook your head, staring back at the door from the window... “What did you think?” “Of Robert...? He’s uh... okay, I guess. I mean, I thanked him... He doesn’t need to send money every month.” You opened your mouth and then decided to hold your tongue. Nolan was right, you guessed, but he was also their Grandson... and if they knew about him they should have been doing a lot damn more than sending money each month. It was another while later that Danny and Robert exited the restaurant. They said goodbye like strangers, and went separate ways... you figured this couldn’t be good. Danny took a deep breath before he opened the car door; “Alright. Let’s go.” “Did it go okay?” “It went Ok.” But he didn’t look at you, and his voice was level. Something was clearly off, because of Danny had got what he wanted he’d be running his mouth. You let it go, if only for Nolan’s sake. Danny started the engine and turned back to Nolan “Thank you for doing this...” “No problem dad! It was kinda good to meet him.” You watched Danny carefully, but he was being just as careful not to show anything on his face... “Yeah... you’re right...” The drive back to Nolan and Eve’s was quiet. Each of you preoccupied with your own thoughts. You clearly desperate to say something and Danny swearing you to silence with his body language alone. Nolan hopefully none the wiser... but he was a smart kid, so he probably figured something was going on.

You only opened your mouth once Danny pulled away from the curb; “Tell me what happened.” He released the breath he’d been holding waiting for you to say it; “With Nolan he was actually quite amicable. Which I’m glad of... because the last thing I want is him to cause my kid any problems... with me? Well... You know my dad.” “Danny...” you shook your head “...So he said no?” “Not exactly.” “Baby it’s clear he didn’t say yes...” Danny shook his head “No. He made me chose.” “What?!” “Money for the restaurant. Or the money he provides for Nolan.” You were almost speechless. That money was hush money for a start, and seen as Danny had already confessed to you his parents tried to stop Nolan from ever happening, it made you even more angry. Robert was making Danny choose between arguably his greatest achievement and his dream. You weren’t having it. “And?” He gave a half laugh “I chose Nolan. No question.” You were grateful. But it was also clear Danny had no other choice. That didn’t stop you from being pissed that after all Danny’s hard work and what he had to show for it his family still treated him SO badly. It was horrific for you to think that after everything Danny still literally couldn’t do anything right in the eyes of his own family. And you damned every single one of them.

“Danny... that’s just... absolutely... your family, your parents, are just despicable...” He knew there was more to your statement than just this single event. Suddenly you realised this has nothing to do with Sarah, Sarah was an excuse. Sarah was long in the past… Danny had made mistakes (with no wonder WHY!!) and you’d seen them. But to tear him down when he’d done all this ALONE was the most heart-breaking thing. It was sick and to your horror you knew it’s never going to stop. It should have ended on his accomplishment with the restaurant alone. Danny had bet on himself and STILL... it was obvious to you now if it wasn’t clear before; HE was too good for them. He just gave a helpless shrug “What can I do about it?” He laughed “He actually asked me to go to my siblings! Can you believe that?! Meg and Kevin - I don’t think so... and John? He’s given me enough... he’s a better big brother than I am...” You folded your arms; “Screw it. Danny you don’t need them...” shaking your head you looked out the window again “You know I’m so angry that I don’t even know what to say but I just can’t shut up!!” He laughed; “Exactly why you being there would not have been a good idea...” “How are my parents friends with yours?!” “Oh yeah cuz this is the exterior my dad gives off...” he waved his hand “... what do your parents know.” “What I know is that my parents are better parents to you than your own.” He tipped his head “That’s not untrue... they certainly treat Nolan like family.” “Well then.” You ran your hands through you hair and breathed out “Danny I’m sorry.” “You keep sayin’ that... but you can’t change them. Or the past.” “If they continue to use what happened as an excuse... then I think it’s them that needs to change.” You placed your hand over his on the wheel “You’ve done enough. And you have so much more to show for it than them. And More importantly Danny. You’re a better person, and they can’t ever take that from you.” He lifted your hand to his lips and kissed your knuckles, mumbling against your skin “…That’s why I have you…”

Viva Caputa, Miami - AM Your phone rang in the middle of an important work meeting. Buzzing loudly against the table you picked it up so not to disturb your colleagues train of thought. Catching a glimpse of the caller, however, made you stop in your tracks. He barely ever called you when you were working. And never on your work phone. “Sorry. I have to take this!” Your boss waved you out, understanding, and you picked up on the final ring which clearly didn't help whatever the situation was; “Dan-” you barely got his name out, “Y/N..! Oh T-thank God-I- I...” He sounded panicked and he was most certainly in tears. “My God... Danny what's wrong??” “Just... G-Get down here. Please.” “To the restaurant? Danny are you okay?” “No... Just... Please hurry.” With that he hung up, and his panic transferred to you. But now was not a time to panic. You tapped on the door to beckon Rich over, “Is everything okay?” “No. Danny doesn't call at work and not on this number ever. Somethings going on... I need to go...” He smiled “Take all the time you need, take the rest of the day at home. We'll be fine.' “You sure?” “You know this back to front. Go...! If he needs you, go!”

You drove as fast as the limit and traffic conditions let you, but a few blocks out you could see the smoke rising. No, please God no... As you got even closer water was running all over the street from the fire trucks present. And you couldn't park up fast enough. When you found him he was sitting in the middle of the parking lot, his legs crossed. Staring at the restaurant but not seeing it. He had a pack of cigarettes and his lighter in front of him, but it was like he couldn't even bring himself to calm down yet. You ran across the lot then slowed as you reached him, without hesitation you crouched to his level and threw your arms around him. “I'm sorry... I'm so, so, so sorry” You were crying too now. This was Danny's life. And it'd just gone up in flames like everything else. Eventually he responded, winding his arms tightly around you as you both sat crying in the parking lot. He was broken enough, he didn't need this, and he certainly didn't need to say anything.

It was early, and there was no-one here yet. But as people turned up for their shifts you decided to start directing them back home. Only Javier and Jason stayed. They were clearly concerned for their friend, but you kept them down the other end of the lot; “Is he gonna be OK?” Jason peered around you. Danny was still sitting in the same position you'd left him in. “I don't think it's even registered yet...” You shook your head “he's in shock. God knows what I tell Nolan...” Javier frowned “Wasn’t this Danny's life? Geez after the remodel we just went through... I feel terrible.” He was right. And Danny still owed a lot of money for that loan. You turned to them both; “You better get off home… I got him… Thank you… For staying.” “If you need anything…” Jason put his hand on your shoulder, sincere “ANYTHING. Help with Danny or… CALL me. CALL us.” You nodded, grateful and thinking you might need it before the week was out. “Thank you. Both of you…”

“Danny...” You sank back down to the floor “Danny, sweetheart we need to go... we need to let them finish up here... Baby, there’s nothing we can do...” “Y/N! N-No-! Just-! Please!” You picked him up off the floor, and he was only a little reluctant to let you tug his arm around your shoulders. You gathered the cigarettes he still hadn’t touched; “Baby, please... let me take you home...” You almost had to drag him back to the car and help him into the front seat. He still wasn’t entirely in the moment and aware of the situation... You’d done all you could here and you couldn’t watch him sit there and suffer anymore. You placed his things in his lap and wandered back around to your side. Without daring to look back at the restaurant once, you started the engine and pulled away.

So as to keep Danny moving, you took the long scenic route back to your apartment. You wanted to keep him lucid, but knew half of what you were talking was nonsense. You were talking at him and not to him... He kept flicking his lighter, back and forth, staring hard at your dashboard... You guessed it was a blessing that he hadn’t told you to shut up yet, because you needed to talk... Eventually, you ran out of things to say but you were still driving. He was still playing with his Lighter... You sighed and slowed your car down... Leaning across him you wound down his window. Danny only moved to steady the wheel for you, you sat up, looking across to him. “If you’re gonna do it... Danny...” you nodded to the window, “Please do...” He looked back to you. Danny smoked sometimes to relieve tension. You’d seen him do it to stop himself arguing, as much as he did when he had finished an argument. Of course, he smoked a lot anyway but this was another one of his ticks... He pulled one out of the pack and held it delicately between his lips. Looking across to you again, his eyes gave his question for him. Signalling you could back out. You wouldn’t. This once, you wouldn’t. When you didn’t respond he flicked his lighter and lit up. It was a long drag, and the sigh he made when he breathed out was the unhappiest you’d heard Danny in a while. **

Your Apartment, Uptown Miami - AM

About a week past where nothing really happened. Danny became quiet, withdrawn and didn’t have much of an appetite to do anything. You guessed that was better than him going and getting himself thrown in jail again. Still, that didn’t stop you from worrying all day when you departed in the morning only to come back to find him in exactly the same place you’d left him – wondering if he’d moved at all during the day. Every time you tried to broach the subject of fronting any money for him to rebuild he wasn’t having it. And you stopped trying when he seemed to only get angry about it, rather than politely saying no.

This weekend was another when you would be seeing Nolan, though. And you thought it might cheer him up. Apparently no such luck, at least not this morning. You wrapped your arms around him and kissed his shoulder; “We’re meant to pick Nolan up… you know?” “…Hmm…” That was close enough to acknowledgement “…So…Are you coming?” “…No…” You guessed it was an actual word “Baby, why not?” “…NO…” You sighed; “Well, you’re gonna be alright when he gets here, right…?” You propped yourself up on your elbow to look at him properly, he just continued staring at the wall. And for once you’d give anything to know what was going on behind those eyes. “…Yeah…Go get him.” It didn’t sound at all convincing, but you knew it would be on Danny if no one turned up for his kid. Eve was pretty much always on the edge of ‘just had it’ with Danny as it was. Better not to make her that way with you too. You dressed and got ready quickly, turning as you went to shut the bedroom door behind you; “I’ll be back within the hour, okay?” “Ok…” “Danny…” “Yes?” “I love you.” “Hm.” You shook your head. If he wasn’t going to play ball you’d just have to do something with Nolan yourself. You closed the door behind you and ran to catch the lift down to the parking lot.

“Hey!” “…Where’s dad?” “Let’s not even go there…” You waved to Eve from your driver’s seat, she smiled and waved enthusiastically back. “…We will have to see when we get back to mine.” “Oh. Well. Shit.” Nolan opened the car door, and also waving to his mom, belting himself in as you pulled away from the curb. “That sums it up yeah…” “He’s really that bad!?” “…I dunno… He’s not really… Talking. That worries me only because he talks about everything…” “I can’t imagine that.” “Yeah…” You agreed with a laugh, “You’d think it’d be okay. It is, for the first hour.” You sighed “Anyway, plans for today?” “Won’t it depend on him?” “No! If he’s not gonna come out I’m determined to take you out somewhere…” “Surprise me.” “…Fine! How’d you feel about ice-cream?” “What?” He had an edge to his voice that let you know he thought you were treating him like 6 of his 16 years. “…That’s a clear No.” “I didn’t say that!” “There’s a great little homemade ice-cream bar I know down by South Beach… Puerto Rican… You can practice your Spanish on someone who isn’t me. I haven’t even taken Danny yet so…” “Yeah… sure…” You liked that he sounded at least curious. If Nolan was to give anyone any of his teenage attitude he never gave it to you. You unlocked the door to your apartment and stepped in. Within 5 seconds, and horrified, you attempted to usher Nolan out and close the door on him before he could walk in. In vain; the kid was strong. “…Is that…?” He didn’t dare voice it either. “Shit! Danny!!” Your alcohol cupboard was also open. A half-finished bottle of vodka stood on the counter. The bottle next to it, you couldn’t read the label of, was tipped on its side and clearly finished. Across your kitchen counter, however, was a line of white powder that you weren’t stupid enough to think was sugar. Drinking was one thing, illegal substances in your apartment was quite another. What do you even do about that!?! You placed your hands against your head trying to think quickly, until there was a crash from your bedroom. At least he hadn’t left. Nolan took a step forward but you pushed him back; “NO. No, no. I got this.” “Y/N..! Do you think that’s a good idea!?” He indicated to the counter. “…If he’s high and drinking then yeah, it is. Wait here.” You crept up the corridor, knocking gently on your bedroom door - your heart was racing. When you didn’t receive a response you opened it carefully. Danny was sitting on the end of your bed, head in his hands. Amazingly the room didn’t look out of place, until you glanced to the wall, whatever liquid was in the glass was now running down it, the remains of the tumbler was shattered and covered the floor. You kicked the door to with the back of your heel; “…Danny?” Dammit, you couldn’t have hated yourself more for the timid nature of your voice. He didn’t look up “…Danny.” You tried again, a little more confident “…Baby… What…?” He groaned “Just. Leave.” “What!?” This was your apartment. And you weren’t about to leave him alone with drink AND drugs “No- What?! I’m not just gonna leave!” He made a sound like he was angry and looked at you; “GO! GET OUT!” You weren’t sure you liked his tone of voice either. “I am NOT leaving you! Don’t you dare ask me to!” He stood and you backed yourself against the door “I am NOT ASKING.” Despite this you still tried; “Danny. You are high and god knows how much you’ve drunk. You need help. RIGHT now. And I can’t leave!” He took a step forward “WHY?! WHY THE HELL DO YOU EVEN CARE Y/N!? Look at me!” You were, and you didn’t like what you were seeing “I’m a fucking MESS!” “I care because I LOVE you.” Why was he being like this!? Well, you knew WHY… But that didn’t mean you understood. He shook his head and advanced on you, and it pained you that you could feel yourself shaking; “Okay. Try this. I don’t care about you. You don’t mean anything to me. And if I mean something to you… You mean less than nothing to me.” Owch. It was like being stabbed through the heart, and you hated even more that your vision blurred and tears started running. He laughed at that, hollow. Not the man you knew. “SEE!! SEE! This is so fucking perfect! THIS!! THIS IS ME!” You couldn’t believe that for a second. You wouldn’t and you knew you were right. But you couldn’t stop how much what he had just said was hurting you, he kept yelling, but you weren’t even registering what he was saying. Only he was getting closer and you didn’t like it. He was trying to push you away, you weren’t having that. “STOP IT!” You were loud enough to stop his tirade. You shook your head, tears still running, your voice trembled, but you would not raise it; not to Danny. Not now. That’s exactly what he wanted, he wanted you to scream at him, he wanted you to tell him to leave and slam that door behind you and never see him again. You wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of being right “…I don’t know who the hell you think you are Danny Rayburn. But don’t you EVER tell me I mean nothing to you. I don’t know what is wrong with you. But I know you’re high, and you’re drunk and you are going to regret EVERYTHING you just said to me.” You pulled your bedroom door open and slammed it behind you. You weren’t sure if you could stop Danny from leaving, but you could take every set of keys that was here to try. You walked back through into the kitchen trying to dry your eyes before you got back to Nolan. But he was standing there in shock. And you realised he’d heard everything. “He can’t talk to you like that…” You took a breath; “Nolan. Don’t.” “HE CAN’T!” It took everything you had to push him back “Leave it!! Nolan! Please! I beg you just leave it!” “You’re crying! How can you say that…!!” “Nolan… Please… For me. Don’t go in there…” “…Why?” “He is not himself…” “No shit! He’s drinking and has God knows how much cocaine in him!” “Please..! Can we just… go…” Nolan sighed, because you clearly weren’t giving this one up. “Okay…” He headed towards the front door and that’s when you noticed your kitchen counter was spotless, the cupboard was closed and the empty bottle was sat for recycling. “…Did you just do this…?” “Yeah.” “What did you do with the…?” “It doesn’t matter.” “Nolan!” “It’s not here anymore. That’s all that matters.” “Does he have anymore…” Nolan blatantly lied; “I’d say not. I think he did enough to finish it.” You didn’t question that Nolan had likely found the rest somewhere and had disposed of it, but if he wanted to keep that to himself you didn’t blame him.

***

You still weren’t sure what you were going to find when you opened the door. Inserting the key you leant your head against it. “Do you want me to go in first?” You took a deep breath “Nope…” If things were better, you needed to talk to his father first. If not you weren’t about to let Danny say something stupid. The lock clicked open to the apartment looking exactly how you had left it. “Danny?” You were still met with silence. “Could he have left?” “He wouldn’t get far. I’ve got all the keys…” You walked on through, there were no signs of him, and your bedroom door was still closed; “Just let me check…” “If he starts yelling again you can’t stop me!” You turned back to Nolan; “Yeah okay… Get settled!” You opened your bedroom door. No? He wasn’t clearly in your bedroom, you glanced to the wall. The glass had disappeared from the floor, and the bed looked half made. Surely he hadn’t actually walked out of your front door? You said you weren’t leaving so he did? Well, at least he could only go back to his apartment. Then you heard it, faint with the door closed your onsuite fan hummed almost inconspicuously. You placed your bag down on the bed, also noticing his mobile was still on the bedside table. You placed your hand on the cool metal handle but it took you a good minute to open it. He was sitting with his knees up, head back against the cool tiles of your shower cubicle. His eyes were closed and he had one hand against his forehead and one over his knees. The rise and fall of his chest let you know he was at least alive. “…Danny…?” “Ugh…” He laughed, again un-genuine, “…What are you doing back…? Can’t you go hate me somewhere else…?” You shook your head. His voice was dry and it cracked in places. He coughed and took a sip from the glass of what you hoped was water next to him. “It at least sounds like you might be sober?” “Maybe…” He breathed it “Everything hurts and I’ve more than paid for it…” That left you to guess he was in here because his stomach was now empty. “…I’m such an fucking jackass…” You stepped over to the wall opposite him. “This might be the one time I don’t disagree with you.” “…I can’t believe I…” He sighed “Go on… Just… tell me you’re done. Kick me out… I get it.” “...Look at me.” He didn’t. He dipped his head before he opened his eyes. “Danny. LOOK at me.” “So I can see how disappointed you are? Or how angry or… how…” he shook his head “Scared? I can’t get that LOOK out of my head.” “Look at me.” You repeated it again, and slowly he raised his eyes to meet yours, he looked incredibly guilty. You took a deep breath; “I’m not kicking you out. OR leaving you.” “Why?! I would! After saying that!? Even in my state that was TOO far!” “Yeah, I know what you said. I know what you wanted. Because it’s easier for you, isn’t it? To deal with something by not having to deal with anyone else. But you’re stuck with me. As for Nolan…” “SHIT!” “Yeah well, he heard everything, so I’d apologise to him first.” “I haven’t even got sorry out yet. I didn’t even… SEE! This is why you should just…” He stopped for a minute and you thought he might be sick. “You okay?” “Yeah… Yeah… I…” He placed his hands on his stomach “Oh… God…” “How much did you take?” “…I did three lines… and drank something like a bottle and a half…” “THREE lines!?” “I know I know… I shouldn’t even have it.” “NO. There’s that…” He placed his arms across his knees again and rested his head against them; “Y/N... I just lost... everything... there’s nothing left... except...” he waved in the general direction of the kitchen... you shook your head.

“Daniel Rayburn you’ve never been more wrong of anything in your entire life.” He lifted his eyes to look at you, you’d called him Daniel so, this was serious “I know... The restaurant is your life. A symbol of everything you built and everything you achieved... But it is material... Baby... You have me. More importantly than that you have Nolan... And that boy... He’s going to be a great man...” “In spite of me, not because of it.” “... You’re wrong. He is going to be a great man LIKE his father is. Self-made. Resourceful. Smart.” You couldn’t keep from laughing to yourself “One hell of a looker...” You leant on your hand for a second “That’s what I love about you Danny. Not your name, who you are. Not what you came from, what you have DONE. You don’t think I would want to stick around? You’re at a low point and I know it... And you know it... But, baby, I can’t wait to be around to see the bounce back...” He sighed and looked back to you, “…Please… I’m begging you to stop looking at me like that.” “Like what?” You weren’t aware that you were looking at him like anything “Like you love me.” “Well that’s unfortunate…” You slid down the wall to his level. “I DO love you.” “After what I just said…?” “You weren’t you. Half YOUR problem is you want to push people away… I understand why. But I don’t think you understand that not everyone wants to be pushed away…” “Don’t you hate me…? You must hate me a little…?” You smiled, shaking your head with a little laugh; “I don’t hate you… I could never hate you. That’s my Fucking problem...”

@stcphstrange - We made it!! All the way here! 4 to go! ❤

#danny rayburn x reader #Danny Rayburn #Ben Mendelsohn #Bloodline #Sway #Linzi Queues Things #Linzi Writes #danny rayburn x you #Better At Being Who I Am makes me cry every time I listen to it.#Liliana #Holy shit I lost the number somewhere-!#S C R E A M I N G

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smolbeandrabbles · 5 years

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Alright, I wrote Martin...

I wrote for him. Twice. Because #NoHalfMeasures.

So you get one tonight one tomorrow

You’re welcome!

GIF CREDIT: @benmendo

#Martin #Untogether #Ben Mendelsohn #Linzi Writes #Linzi Queues Things

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smolbeandrabbles · 6 years

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Out of Nowhere Girl - Talos/Keller/OC (Captain Marvel)

Set In Canon MCU Captain Marvel / Guardian’s of the Galaxy Universe with a few out-of-canon ‘twists’...

Author’s Note: Posting this a week after I see Captain Marvel (AS FOLLOWS CANON!) but still tagging with spoilers.

Oh my god. I was having an existential crisis after the movie and the fic that I posted that is not canon (Science & Faith. If you want to read you can click the thing) That I wrote this between acts at the C2C country music festival on 9th March... That makes this the quickest write and edit I have EVER done. It’s probably quite telling... (It’s 10/3/19 @ 8:26 PM GMT.) She is with Keller, Talos just simed him. I’m making that clear right now! It’ll make sense when you read! This is an alternate version to ‘Science & Faith’ - so that characters there are the same. This one just follows actual movie canon.

Don’t worry it’s not the same story. It has a few similar elements... It will likely go back and forth between the two time periods. Please someone get what I did with his full name... 😂😭

NOT reader insert. Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC... I am slightly bending canon on Supernova; but I liked the concept. Maybe I've set it so there's more than one? Like a special forces part of the Nova Corp? (Tbh still figuring this out) So you can have it coming from another Saal... sorry not sorry Expositional conversation-narrative heavy... Sorry!

Simmed? Simed? Sim-ed? Which is it!?

Premise: When Keller gets sim-ed by Talos as a result of the Kree-Skrull war the aftermath is of no great consequence to his partner... However, when exploring on behalf of the Nova Corps Keller’s distress signature coming from a planet half way across the galaxy leads her to investigate...

Word Count: 4384

Warnings: Spoilers! Murder (I guess) Actually this might assume you know about her from Science & Faith...

My little out, out of nowhere girl Where you been all my life? Where you been trying to hide? It's like you’ve come Come from another world Fell right out of the sky And landed right here tonight...

Keller had had a day. He’s had days before, as a S.H.I.E.L.D agent and sometime-Scientist he expected for days to be a part of his life. But this had been something else entirely. When he opened the door to his apartment, he was at least glad to be greeted by an essence of normality. Well, as normal as it could get he supposed…

Maliyah was pouring over drawing after drawing and ship schematics. She still couldn’t get something on that ship of hers to work right. Or, maybe she knew she was just stalling for time… She looked up with a smile; “I can already tell you have a lot to tell me…” “Yeah…” He sighed, throwing his keys on the counter and allowing a pause. “It’s where to start…” He looked across to her, at the way her skin sparkled just at his presence… She’d crash landed to Earth nearly two years previously. Through studying her they had built a friendship – and now it was a lot more than that. The blue lights across her skin; because, all of his were blue or white, or purple… used to only light up when he touched her. Or, when he was feeling something at the extreme end of the spectrum. They turned red every time he got hurt, and that hurt her too… So he’d tried to make his life easier. Tried. Now the lights appeared just because he was in proximity… She said that showed they had a strong bond. Keller was only human, so he felt proud of that. He hadn’t ever expected to see anything else otherworldly – until today happened. “Maliyah… You know a lot about the other species out there… right?” She put her pen down and turned her full attention on him; “Yes. Enough. Why?” “Because you were the only other race I thought I’d ever see. But clearly, I was wrong. Because-” He faltered, squinted in remembering and then tried again “…Tell me about shapeshifters?” “Narrow that down. It isn’t an exclusive trait…” She tilted her head “…But now I’m worried.” “Okay, uh… Green… pointed ears… Like… linear markings or patterns…or…” “Skrulls!?” She was takenaback “Skrulls on Earth!?” Then she slammed her hands on the table, more in interest that anger; “WAIT! Did you get SIMED by a Skrull!?!??!” Clearly he had no idea what that meant by the look on his face, but she couldn’t hide her laugh; “…Wait. Skrulls are on Earth? Okay, I’ll roll with it… Did a Skrull shapeshift into YOU.” “…Yes.” She laughed again “Oh God!” Then she attempted to stop herself “Oh! Baby, that’s terrible!” “Doesn’t sound like you mean it.” She cleared her throat, “Whilst it’s funny it’s not exactly good news…” She rested her hands on her thighs and chewed her lip “…What did you think about..?” “Huh?” “Your last thoughts. Before they simed you.” “Probably something like: Oh GOD I hope I don’t die?!” “You didn’t think about me, at all?” He hesitated, it probably wasn’t the best idea to confess to his other half he hadn’t thought about her whilst waiting on the fate of his own life… “…Uh…No…?” “Good.” “Good?!” She was clearly as full of surprises. As any ‘alien’ should be, he guessed. “Yes. I’m an Auron, my race and my planet are dying… Sightings of us are rare even in our part of the galaxy… As an adult female I am worth a hell of a lot to my home planet – And a lot of my abilities will be worth something to a race like to Skrulls.” “…So you’re telling me that not talking about you – like you asked - and therefore obviously not consciously thinking of you is good?” She nodded; “I wonder if the Kree war has come all the way out here?” She almost laughed again “That’s no good for me either… Considering my affinity with Xandar… You’ve done very well if they don’t know a THING.” “…Have you seen me today!?” Her sentence sparked panic in him. “Right now and when you left. I haven’t been out of here even once. I’ve been working this algorithm…” she shook her head “You haven’t come back, I haven’t called you… Zip. I promise.” “…Okay…” “Don’t worry about me… I’m more worried about you… Getting Simed is not the experience you want to have… are you okay?” “Seeing someone change into me… That’s bad, getting tied up and left in a Blockbuster though… Ehhhhh….!” She shook her head “…You really went through it then, huh?” She beckoned him over, and he was all too glad to walk into her arms… She brushed some stray hairs out of his face, her touch gentle and welcoming… A different set of colours formed on her skin – these lights pale and milky… pastels… enveloping him in her arms the effect was instantly calming… “I’m sorry…” “…You don’t need to be sorry…” “I told you, nothing about another race coming to Earth is good…” He almost laughed; “That makes you an anomaly then… You must be the one good thing.” ** Nick Fury almost jumped at the next knock at his door. This time it was Keller that opened it. "Oh! SIR!!!" He looked more than a little weary and Keller knew why. "Nick, I swear it's actually me! And I can prove it, but to do so you have to come with me." "Yeah that sounds... Safe." "Unfortunately I'm not the one who needs to information in your head. Or I could just stand here." He winced as he realised it maybe wasn't the best choice of words "Urm. Look just... Come to my office..." He backed out with an attempt at a convincing smile and wandered down the corridor to his own work space.

As usual it was hard to get Maliyah to look inconspicuous. This time she put up a fair argument of she'd only be going car, to security door, and then to his office. Still, she was sitting in a top that cut across her shoulders AND exposed her stomach and a short, layered skirt that showed off her legs. The marks across her skin, and all his fault, were more than just visible. And the jacket she'd brought because he insisted she wore one, was of course emblazoned with her Nova Corp rank insignia. Geez... He almost thought about loosening his tie just looking at her. She was curled up in one of his chairs reading a file of his. He rolled his eyes, of course the first thing Maliyah would do was break into his cabinet. She had a stack in front of her too. Her shoes kicked off and left by the chair. "I've asked him. The rest is up to you." "Does he trust you?" She didn’t look up "Would you?!" "...Not entirely. Depends what Sim Keller did!!!" "Well it probably wasn't GOOD!!" He sat behind his desk and nodded to her files; "Careful with those." She turned a page towards him "Why do you have a Nova symbol?" "It’s a very complicated astrological algorithm..." Why she thought everything centred around the 8-point star of Xandar was beyond him. "... Did you do this..." she nodded to the algorithm itself "Yes" "You're a scientist!?" "Part time... I don't... Not all the time... I dabble..." "That's why you wanted my blood. Right?" "Your bloodwork is... Incredible." "You should have tried some Skrull blood if you think MINE is interesting." He was at least amused; "... Bit late for that advice!!" then tilted his head; "Does it… Change? Now we are... Now we have a...?" connection? Did her race give that a name? "Yes?" "We should do yours again." "Worry about your own." She noticed the way he furrowed his eyebrows in concern; "... What we did... It'll affect yours too." He stared at his hands with wide eyes "And I'm not entirely sure what being simed will do to you…" "Geez! I clearly just need to take you everywhere with me don't I!?" "I don’t wanna get Simed...!!!!" That was the wrong thing to say as his door opened.

Jonathan knew it, and Malyiah knew it by the way he put his head in his hands. She thought it was cute. She thought a lot of things humans did to display their emotions were cute. She hadn't known a race feel so acutely as this. She'd chosen well, she couldn't have ever expected to. He was the best surprise. Nick looked across to the female voice that had spoken and almost had a heart attack; He wasn’t faced with a straight-laced, suited, female S.H.I.E.L.D agent. Instead her purple fading to pink hair, eyes so deep blue they were purple, the mish-mash of clothes she was wearing - that still strangely matched - and the foreign markings visible every so often on her skin, like someone had tattooed her with white ink, made him think she wasn’t human at all. "Who the hell are--!?!" Jonathan Keller jumped quickly to her rescue; "Nick there's a lot of classified stuff that's happened in the last two years..." "Two years!? WHAT!?" "Remember that crash we were called to in Utah?" "... Yeah. Highest level. You were there ages... No-one ever spoke about it." "Yeah... Uh..." he brought his hands together and pointed across to the girl in the chair. "...Hi!" she smiled "You must be Nick Fury." He turned to Keller "Sir!!! Don't start telling me there's more of them!!! What is she S.H.I.E.L.D intelligence!?!" "... The fact there IS more of them is exactly why we NEED to tell her everything. But I was tied up in a Blockbuster ok, so I'm no help! You are." She was looking down at herself; did she look like S.H.I.E.L.D intelligence? Nick wasn’t sure he was following; "He employed you... Right? That's why you're here and you know everything...?" "No I'm not employed. HEY! Jonathan there's a thought!" "I'm not paying you. That's got implications I'd rather not have...!" If Maliyah didn’t catch on, Keller's agent did; "Wait---!! Are you two!?" Nick quickly grasped the situation as he pointed between the two of them. Keller nodded in silent admittance "It wasn't meant to be like that. I had to study her... But they were... It was inhumane Nick. I moved her out here... She's trying to get her ship back in order." Malyiah shrugged as if that wasn’t the explanation she would give; "I won't know what I'm gonna do until it's fixed. At the moment it's in a high security area back in Utah..." "Yeah, I've seen it. I didn't know there was anyone involved... So you know about the Kree? And Skrulls." Her jaw tightened at the mention of the Kree; "So they DID bring their war here." "I'm not sure it was intentional." she hummed, fingering the pages of the file she was reading for a second "And what happened? Where are they now?" "Gone. Why..." "Gone where!? Like gone, gone!?" Keller looked glad of that, juxtaposing Maliyah’s sudden panic. "She didn't say where she was taking them..." he narrowed his eyes "Whose side are you on!?" Fury wouldn’t risk Carol’s life. Never. "... I'm not really on anyone's side... BUT... I guess I align better with the Skrulls..." She gave a shrug. "... The war isn't my problem. Them siming Keller is my problem. The Kree out here with me here that's ALSO my problem. " " Maliyah..." It was Keller’s warning " I'm not trying to start anything!" she held her hands up and turned back to Nick; "You can't help me, but you know they’re all gone? " " We have a Flerken though... " "I can tell by your eye... " she tilted her head, reading Fury’s own emotions; "What are you afraid of?? Is it him or me?? I'm stronger than you Terrans are but I'm not dangerous... And he's him. But I can understand the wary feeling there... " Nick tried to make it look like he wouldn't be afraid of Keller and he didn't know what she was talking about... And it worked. For around half a second. He took a breath and pointed to his boss; "Prove he isn't one." "He's not. He reacts to me." "Prove you aren't one." "I doubt they can get my empathic abilities spot on... They can probably try, but I doubt that they can get their skin to react exactly the same... It’s a unique pattern... And it's triggered through a DNA reaction. A Skrull would need both, but it can only sim to one set of DNA... " "Hang on... What?! And - WHAT!?" Nick realised he hadn’t listened to her first explanation clearly. She took a breath; "Like this..." She watched him carefully as she guided years of evolution through her race to latch onto Keller... The feel of him around her was intense enough to let the bright lights flicker over her skin in all his shades. Nick was at least staring at her in wonder. "That's how you know I'm not one.” "... How does... That work?" She tilted her head "At first instance. For these unique patterns... Intimacy. Real physical intimacy. For anything more than that... For a real connection... Blood. His mixed with mine, mine with his." "That sounds... Painful…” His eyes flicked to Keller again, who was keeping his gaze locked on Maliyah; "Have you..." "No. I wouldn't ask that of him." She didn't like that Nick would insinuate that she would "It is by far a conversation for another time..." Nick at least noticed that Keller look uneasy, which settled him a little. He changed the flow of the conversation again; "Why are you so intent on knowing where they went?" She shook her head "I'm just trying to make sure they don't know about me. And the only way to do that is to check in on their simed memories." "I don't think they are much of a threat to you... Right?" "Huh." Maliyah folded her arms "I'd rather they didn't tie him up and sim him. Guess we'll let that one go too, huh?" He had to crack a smile, she wasn’t human. Obviously, but she was so human. He wondered if that was her upbringing or Keller’s influence; "Nick Fury, S.H.I.E.L.D Agent.” She stood to shake his hand; "Maliyah Saal. Nova Corps. Ravager Captain... Auron by way of Xandar... Pleasure to meet you." She gave him a warm smile, and it was like he instantly got why Keller had been taken in. She seemed strong, she had a sass about her that clearly EVERY extra terrestrial had... But she had an instant warmth... She turned to Keller which made Nick do the same; " I think we could be in the clear... Guess we'll need to keep a check on everything. " "You'd make a good agent. Are you sure we can't hire her!? " "Absolutely not." Keller let him know he thought he must be joking. She laughed, with a wink; "It's okay, Nick. My duty is to the Nova Corps. I leave S.H.I.E.L.D in the capable hands of its Human workers... "

" I think I've figured it out. " "What? " "The problem with your ship...? " "... At 3am!?" "You’re clearly not sleeping either..." She rolled over to stare at him. He was looking at the ceiling. His glasses were pushed up into his hairline and he was squinting "... No, I really think I've cracked it." "At least I was awake for something that wasn't stupidly thinking about fixing my damn ship." "No... But... I looked at your notes. You've been working on them for two years... I wanted to help... And formulate some for myself. I think I've got it Maliyah. I think I can get you home..." He turned to face her, but the look she gave was one of fear. "Don't you dare say that like I want to leave!" "Maliyah... You know it is dangerous for you to stay here... " He was extraordinarily calm. Like he was already letting her go. It only caused her to shake her head. "NO!" She buried herself in him; digging her nails into the skin of his arms and her head on his chest her colours burst into life and illuminated his darkened room. "Maliyah..." He ran a hand through her hair "... Let me let you go... Earth is not where you belong." She shook her head again; "Look at this..." He took her hand in his free one and lifted her arm, the way the colours danced for him. "Jonathan. I don't belong out there either... I belong with you." "I cannot protect you from your planet..." "Do not ask me to leave. I will not leave you." He was pretty sure she was crying... He gathered her close in his arms. "I'm human.... Maliyah... My race is breakable. It's vulnerable... It’s clear to me we have NO idea what’s really out there... You don't want this..." "Stop telling me what I want. I HAVE what I want." "Anywhere else in the world and I would believe that." "... What about anywhere else in the universe?" "Huh?" She looked at him, sadness in those purple-blue eyes... But something else too. An idea sparking to life: "If you can really help me fix my ship... Come with me. Come back to Xandar with me..." "Mali... I can't just leave..." "WHY!? Everything in your head we could use on Xandar." "Maybe... Maybe one day..." He said it softly "But your planet... If it’s at war.... It needs YOU and until you win; and you will win it my supernova... Until Earth gets a good grip on things out there... You cannot stay. And I cannot go."

** …10 Years Later… Maliyah piloted the Milano very cautiously. She knew the sector of space; just not as well as she would have liked. Kree these days were still running havok. Maybe not too much around Xandar... But things were shaky at best, which is why she was piloting her tiny Milano though this, rather than her Nova Corps star ship. The planet that Keller’s "distress signal" was coming from looked small and harmless. But it was the other side of the galaxy. Keller, even on Earth’s best space day, was not reaching here any time soon.

It made her hesitate. She shouldn't trust it, but what choice did she have? It didn't mean that someone hadn't taken Jonathan here, although that was unlikely it was not impossible. And it wasn't like it was a signal to her ship... Or any communications device. Keller’s very DNA and feelings were sending a direct signal to her. And for nothing in this known universe would she ignore something like that. Entering the planet’s atmosphere she knew exactly why the feeling was of distress. It looked dead. Or at least incinerated. The earth was scorched and there wasn't a trace of greenery or life anywhere. Yet, the feeling persisted. Which meant whatever was giving off Keller’s signal was here. And was very much alive.

She landed on about the clearest strip of land she could find that the Milano would fit into and took a deep breath. Whatever she was about to face would not be good. She was already suited up for Supernova... Hopefully she wouldn't have to use it. Exiting the Milano she kept her blaster holstered. She wouldn't fire unless fired upon and whoever did that would be making a big mistake.

Pillars of smoke rising from the debris made the perfect cover... She breathed in and out, closing her eyes she focused on what ‘Keller’ was feeling. It wasn't nice for her to feel it, either. She pinpointed a location in a matter of seconds and headed towards it. Only for her to start noticing the purple, everywhere. And it was blood. She continued through the mess of debris, every so often a body or two would present itself. They're Skrulls. She realised. The bodies were Skrulls. She knitted her eyebrows together. Carol Danvers, who she had met a few times whilst traversing the galaxy, had told her nearly everything to help her piece together what had happened when they were on Earth. She had given them a home, and finished the war. Clearly someone was trying to start it up again... And if this was the planet that Carol had made their haven. The Skrulls were from Earth. Which meant one thing... From what Keller had confessed to her that could mean only one thing... And it was something she didn't even think possible.

She sprinted to the signal on that notion alone; across the ground that kicked up with every step she took. What had the Kree done here!? Why was he still alive when so many others were not!?! She stopped. Suddenly tense. He was walking toward her. His stance was fighting and she could read those emotions a lot clearer now. Her race and its engineering had failed her. It was confusing Keller’s real DNA with simed DNA from years gone by. Hopefully that wasn't about to cost her her life. Upon recognising him, she took two steps back. She'd made a point of studying Skrulls as soon as Keller had mentioned them. Talos. And he was big news. Huge news. He was a General that ran a whole sector, he was a good leader. He'd simed her life partner. Maliyah held her hands up in an attempt to show she wasn't trouble, as far away from her weapon as possible... "I've come from Xandar. So... I'm not here to destroy you like everything else... Unless you don't care; in which case... You're much more of a threat to me..." He took a step forward, which made her concede another, he was studying her uniform carefully. The eight-point shining yellow star running from her chest down her abdomen, framed by a metallic light blue. The three-point ‘V’ of the Nova Corps shimmering just behind it, glowing faintly every so often. The rest of the uniform navy. Except the gold stripes up her boots. She thought she should have worn her Nova Corps over-jacket; multicoloured rank ribbons and clearer Corp red star emblazoned sleeves. Too late now, though.

He straightened, seeming satisfied but tilted his head. “Who are you?” She tilted hers in turn; “You should know. The fact that you don’t means he did real good to keep me out of his thoughts…” Or any part of his life. Keller’s desk, his car, his pager, his wallet. If nothing held the slightest trace of her then she owed Jonathan her very life. God, she knew that already. He looked confused, as he rightly should. “My name is Maliyah. Quite a few years ago when you were on Earth you simed a Terran known as Jonathan Richard Keller. Unbeknownst to YOU at the time of doing so I had already formed a connection with his DNA. Now, apparently, because siming creates an exact DNA copy of his - I have got some kind of connection with you.” “…You’re Auron.” She was more than a little surprised that he knew that, it made her smile; “Correct.” “Keller… Fury’s boss? How is he and his beautiful blue eyes.” She raised an eyebrow to a phrase she didn’t expect; “…That’s the man. And he’s well… No thanks to you and his constant reoccurring nightmare…” Every so often Jonathan would still wake up in cold sweats with the word simed coming off his lips – Usually it was drink induced, but telling him to stop drinking was pointless. She smiled, but it faded as she looked around her “…So… About this distress that I felt from half way across the Galaxy and came to investigate because Jonathan should be nowhere NEAR this sector… Human’s still haven’t figured out their space travel, God bless ‘em…” “…Well. It’s pretty obvious isn’t it.” “Yeah… Your distress signal tells me one thing I am grateful for. You need help. It looks like a lot of it. And I am here to offer my services... First off, you need to tell me what happened.” “Why should I trust you.” “You have no reason to, and I have no reason to trust you either – In fact I have LESS reason to trust you considering Keller – But Fury trusts you, and so does Carol. So. Yeah, I trust you. Just put a little faith in me…” His eyes flicked back to the Star emblazoned on her uniform and he nodded to it; "If you are really from Xandar then you know what happened." She swept the landscape with her eyes again "Kree... WHY!? It's over, your wars are over..." "There are those in the outside that think they should just end it." "... Is this planet all that’s left!?" "No... Thank god. There are still some of us back home..." She turned again, not wanting to voice it but feeling like she should know everything; "Are you...?? Did they..." "Not everyone. A few, as a statement. An example. My family... They are..." He looked to the stars for a minute "I don't know where they will have taken them but for now they are alive..." She followed the trace of his eyes "I can track that... I'm sure I can track that." She turned back to him; "Obviously first things first. I can't leave you here." "Oh really." She tilted her head at the sarcasm he was displaying. It wasn’t unlike that of her older brother. She couldn’t help but smile, Perhaps she would have more affinity with him than just Keller… "One, you're alone. Two, whatever this connection to Keller you have is... It won't let me leave "Keller" here. So. You simed the right guy. I guess... " Maliyah half turned back to her ship; but kept her eyes on him. He knew the reason she was putting faith in him was the same reason she was still standing over there looking at him like any moment he might change. Or change form. It looked more like a stand off than a potential team-up. Because Jonathan Keller for him was just a Terran male that worked for S.H.I.E.L.D had all the access codes and clearances he needed and eventually got him to his family. For Maliyah, Talos had inadvertently intervened with something sacred. The very fabric of her race’s evolution. Her relationship with Keller now blurred into him. And without this travesty none of them would be any the wiser. "Does he know?" "Jonathan? No. Why would he? I'm the only one that feels anything... He knows all the intricacies of what I am. Whether he understands them...” She afforded explanation with a shrug "He’s human. After all. About the only race out there not involved in the rest of the universe. And integrating even one of them isn't easy... But you should know that." She gave a small, mysterious smile, “So, congratulations. Siming Keller had consequences that you and I are both stuck with.” Talos folded his arms; for all her talk of helping, he hadn’t seen anything that would actually help them out yet. He decided to test that one; “How do we even get out of here… They’ve destroyed all the technology we had. You are some kind of… Supernova. So…” “Supernova is just the name, Jonathan used it all the time it kinda stuck, And I didn’t get here via the Nova Force...” Yet again Talos surprised her with just how much he knew… She wondered if he’d ever been to Xandar… If he’d ever Simed someone from there. Now was not the time to ask the question. “Then how DID you get here?!” She looked back at her Milano, now at least partially visible through the dust clouds as the sun hit the shiny paintwork, then turned to him with a significant look; “…Are we going to save your family, or not?”

#Talos #Keller #Captain Marvel #Captain Marvel spoilers #OC #KellerXOC #Ben Mendelsohn #Oh my god I wrote this TOO quick #But I don't care #I need more Keller in my life #Linzi Writes #Linzi Queues Things #Maliyah #7 #Out Of Nowhere Girl #OONG

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