#always lemme know what to keep track of when tagging ty

[boyybites]

If I don't draw him every once in awhile my besties scream cry and throwup in despair.

Also it's very hard to clothe him in a way thats not ooc and still shows off the lines im most proud of.

[plaidbooks]

Everyone Deserves Love chapter 9

A/N: Devon and Barba have to find out how to live alone again after almost 4 months of living together. Devon seems to have moved on, going back to work for the FBI. But it doesn’t take long for SVU to call her back into work.

This chapter follows Devon--Barba is mentioned a few times, but he’ll come back next chapter. This chapter also goes through Olivia being kidnapped by William Lewis in the episode “Beast’s Obsession.” I don’t go into super detail, so I suggest watching the episode if you haven’t.

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Tags: normal SVU stuff, gunshot wounds, William Lewis (if he’s a trigger in himself), kidnapping, at the end, I do describe a man taking a school classroom hostage, so if guns + schools aren’t something you want to read, be wary of that

Words: 5k+

Taglist: @the-baby-bookworm @beccabarba (lemme know if you want to be tagged)

FBI Headquarters

Thursday, May 29th. 2:04pm

Devon was in the vault, putting on the familiar bulletproof vest, then a shirt on over it. Looking in the mirror, she examined herself; she could see the outline on the vest under the shirt, but that was fine. The time for subtlety was gone. Ever since Devon went back to work for the FBI, she had thrown herself into as many projects as she could. Anything to keep busy. Jenkins started her off slowly, joining a raid on a sex-trafficking ring, doing a simple UC—only lasting a night or two at most—here and there, maybe throwing in a hostage situation when they came up. But this case had been two weeks in the making. It was a high-level drug-ring. Devon had infiltrated the dealers and found the supplier. There was a team setting up to take him out as she geared up. Her job, however, was to go after the producer. The man was paranoid, armed to the teeth and always with his two bodyguards. It took Devon days to find where his safehouse—where he cooked the drugs--was. But now that she knew, she was taking him out, dead or alive.

Devon made her way out of the vault, heading towards the transport vehicle. She’d be going in first while her team would establish a perimeter, then they would join once she had a visual. The safehouse was small; just a hallway, main room, and kitchen. Which is why she opted for a pump-action shotgun; she wasn’t planning on taking the bodyguards alive, because she knew that she wouldn’t be given the same courtesy. She made her peace with this choice, even though she hated it—and she knew a certain prosecutor would have hated it, too. But she shook the thought from her mind, shutting out how his bright green eyes would have looked at her with disappointment.

 SVU Department

Thursday, May 29th. 2:30pm

Olivia Benson was shaking as the department moved around her. She had just addressed the public, appearing on TV, to confess that she had lied during William Lewis’s trail. She didn’t care about the consequences, didn’t care what it meant for her job. All she wanted was to find the bastard—or more accurately, find the little girl he had taken hostage. Though, she also felt a strong pull to find him, too, just so that she could finally get rid of him. Whether that meant jail or death, even she didn’t know, but she just wanted him gone, out of her life. Suddenly, she remembered Devon’s words, spoken softly in her office.

“Do you want me to deal with Lewis?”

Olivia caught her meaning, shaking her head. “No, no, it’s fine. He’s not an issue anymore; he’ll be in jail for life.”

Devon nodded. “That just makes it easier to get rid of him. If you ever want me to, I want to be your first call.”

Olivia jammed her hand into the pocket of her dress blues, clutching her phone and whipping it out. She scrolled through the contacts until she found Devon’s name. Desperate and resolve hardening, she hit the call button.

450 Aloe Ave.

Thursday, May 29th. 2:45pm

Devon crept slowly through the front door, having picked the lock. By now, her team was stationed at the back door, the windows, and behind her at the front entrance. She crouched low, holding the shotgun up and at the ready. She made her way on silent feet down the hallway, towards the kitchen. She could hear utensils hitting various pots and pans, liquids bubbling, people murmuring in hushed voices. The walls were extremely thin; any sound Devon made, they would hear. So, she took her time, lifting one leg slowly, then placing it softly on the ground, toes first, before shifting her full weight onto it, then repeating the motion. It was the slowest she had ever moved, but she had all the time in the world. She made it halfway down the hallway when it happened. She put her full weight on her left foot, about to shift and pick up her right when her phone rang out, deafening in the silence. There was a beat of silence in the small space, broken only by the ringtone muffled in her pocket, before she dropped to the floor, gunfire exploding through the wall above her.

Dust and debris rained down on her as she covered her face, her phone still ringing through the explosion of noise. Once the gunfire stopped, the back door exploded open, the team stationed there running in, while the front team burst through the front. Devon rolled out of the hallway, stopping in the main room, laying on her stomach. Grunting, she pushed herself up, charging to join her team in the kitchen. It was over in a matter of minutes; the bodyguards lay dead, bodies sprawled on the floor, blood pooled around their corpses. The producer had been hit in the leg, screaming profanities at the armed officers, but was otherwise unharmed. No FBI agent was injured in the raid. That is, until someone pointed at Devon.

“Motely, you were hit,” one of her teammates said, pointing to her arm. She looked down and sure enough, blood was pouring out of her upper, left arm. It was weird seeing it; the adrenaline still coursing through her meant she didn’t feel it. But she couldn’t deny the blood gushing down her skin. She reached and touched the back of her arm, but there was no exit wound; the bullet was still in her arm.

“Here,” the man said, taking his handkerchief and tying it above the wound, a makeshift tourniquet. It would work until she made it to the hospital to get the bullet removed. “What the hell happened in there?”

“Oh!” Devon said, remembering her phone. She was cursing herself for not turning it off beforehand; how could she have forgotten? I’m never taking it off silent again, she thought. Looking at the screen, she was shocked to see that she had a missed call from Olivia. She dialed the voicemail, curious to see why she called. Her face fell as she listened to the message. William Lewis had broken out of jail? The hospital could wait; she’d make it there eventually.

“I gotta go,” she said, making her way to the door.

Her teammate was stunned. “But, Motely, you’ve been shot! You have to get that checked—”

“I gotta go,” was all she kept repeating as she left. She made her way to one of the cop cars parked along the street. She flashed her badge, said, “I need to take this. I’m just going to the hospital,” and left the officer standing in the street, looking confused.

Under JFK Bridge

Thursday, May 29th. 4:05pm

Devon called Olivia a couple times, but to no avail; it went straight to voicemail every time. Devon fought the urge to scratch her arm; it stopped bleeding—thank god for tourniquets—but the bullet was still in there, and she knew she’d have to get it taken care of soon. But not until she knew Liv was safe. She debated going to SVU, but she knew they’d force her to seek medical attention, so instead she worked on searching for Lewis. Every time she thought she was getting close, all she found was bodies, still warm from when he was there. It wasn’t until a couple hours later that the trail ran cold.

Fuck it, Devon thought. She knew what Olivia would say if she saw the state that Devon was in, but she didn’t care; she had to know that the Sergeant was okay. Devon sighed, pulling up a program on her phone that she had an old FBI buddy install. It was something that she’d never tell Olivia, or any of the SVU detectives, about, but after spending about a year together, Devon had bugged their phones. She updated the tech every time they had a new phone. Though since the force had changed so much since her UC in California, it was only active for Liv and Fin…maybe Munch and Cragen, if they didn’t change their phones. She felt slightly ashamed about it, but this was the first time she had actually used it. It was to keep them safe, she reminded herself. Sure enough, once the tech synced up, there was a little blip on a map, showing Devon exactly where Olivia—or at least, her phone—was.

Weird, Devon thought, looking at the dot. Olivia was apparently in the middle of nowhere—not a promising sign. Turning the engine on, Devon drove to where the blip was, eyes peeled for any sign of Liv, or Lewis. She got out, looked around for a moment, and found a discarded bulletproof vest, and a cell phone. She squatted down, looking at the tire tracks in the dirt; she could follow them for a little, but outside of that, it was a dead end. Getting back in her car, Devon pulled up the map of surrounding areas. There was nothing around, nothing except…an abandoned mill. If I were a serial killer hellbent on torturing a police Sergeant, that’s where I’d take her, she thought, starting the car once more.

She pulled up to the place, seeing a black car parked at the base of the structure. She parked a little way away, not willing to get too close. If her hypothesis was correct, and William Lewis had kidnapped Liv once again, then any interference could mean the Sarge’s death. But Devon thought she could outshoot the man; she shot Marco first, she could do it again. Only one way to find out. Hold on, Liv.

Devon had a thought; she pulled out her phone, texted a quick message to Fin, then threw it on the seat. Not getting caught by a ringtone again, she thought ruefully, and headed towards the construction, shotgun heavy in her hands. She eyed the structure warily, trying to gauge the situation. Once she entered the building, she realized how lightheaded she was; at some point while driving, her arm had started bleeding again. She looked at it now, and she saw a trickle of blood leaking out of the wound, tickling her skin as it pooled down to her hand. She wiped it on her pants, trying to keep a grip on her shotgun. Using her teeth and free hand, she retied the handkerchief.

As she made her way towards the first set of stairs, she felt her legs beginning to shake. From what Olivia had told her, and what she had researched about the man herself, she was positive that Lewis would’ve taken her to the highest point. It gave him a better viewpoint of the land, plus it gave him more time to do whatever he wanted to Liv. Renewed rage coursed through Devon, and she pushed herself to start climbing the structure.

With every step, her arm started bleeding anew, red gushing out of the bullet hole in her arm, the tourniquet loosening. I’m coming, Liv, Devon thought, regripping her shotgun. She had to make it to the top; no one else was there, though, hopefully Fin got her message about their location. But her vision was fading, her knees were buckling underneath her. No…she thought, sinking down to one knee. She leaned against a wooden support beam, gasping for breath, trying to blink away the spots in her eyes.

She heard car doors in the distance. Over here, she wanted to yell, but couldn’t make her mouth vocalize the words. She could hear footsteps below her—she couldn’t remember what floor she had made it to, she could only hope they came to the same conclusion that she did. Go up, she thought.

“Look, blood,” she heard a voice say. It sounded far away, but whether it actually was far or just her blacking out, she didn’t know. She heard radio static, but it was too far to make out the words. At least I know they’re cops, she thought. She must have passed out for a moment because the next thing she knew, she felt a strong hand shaking her shoulder gently, her face smushed against the support beam, shotgun hanging limply from her hand.

“Devon? Are you okay? What happened? Have you seen Liv?” It was Detective Amaro shaking her awake.

Devon’s tongue felt thick in her mouth as she struggled to answer. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out except a pained groan. It was then that Amaro noticed that she had been shot.

“Shit, we got to get you outta here,” he mumbled. He looked behind him; Fin was moving past him, gun ready and heading up the stairs, Rollins hot on his heels. Another man, older and clearly the one in charge, was standing by Amaro.

“You take her, we’ll find Benson and Lewis,” the man commanded. Amaro didn’t seem happy about being left behind, but he didn’t complain. He took the shotgun, handing it to the man, and pulled Devon’s uninjured arm around his neck, standing with her, arm supporting her waist.

“Top,” Devon whispered out. Before Amaro had a chance to relay the information, however, the radio turned back on, a man’s voice—must be Lewis’s—came through.

“Two chambers left, one bullet.” And then the radio was off again. Even with Devon’s fading mind, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what was happening.

“Go,” Devon took her arm back, pushing Amaro towards the stairs. “Go up.” Without him to support her, she slumped against the beam, sinking to the ground. Amaro gave her a hard look, then turned and followed Fin and Rollins. The man holding her shotgun opened his mouth to speak, but then there was a gunshot from above. This head whipped to look up, then he looked back at Devon, then tore up the stairs.

Devon forced herself to her knees, Olivia’s name repeating in her mind, hoping, praying, that that gunshot was her killing Lewis and not the other way around. She started crawling up the stairs before everything went black.

Mercy Hospital

Friday, May 30th. 10:15am

Devon awoke in the soft hospital bed. Her arm stung, but not as bad as it did yesterday. She tested the muscles, clenching and unclenching her hand over and over again. Everything seemed to be working, which was good, though the muscles were weaker. She laid in silence for a few moments before a nurse came in, checking the IV bag.

“How are you feeling today, Miss Motely?” she asked, smiling sweetly.

“Fine, all things considering,” Devon smiled back. She thought back to yesterday, to the botched raid, getting shot. The phone call. Lewis escaping jail. Olivia kidnapped—

“Is Sergeant Benson okay?” she blurted out, jerking upright off her pillows.

The nurse smiled at her, and gently, but forcefully, pushed Devon back onto the bed. “You have a visitor,” was all she said before she left the room. Devon watched her go, confusion furrowing her brow. She remembered the gunshot echoing in her mind, Olivia…was she—could she be--?

“Hey,” a voice said.

Devon turned and relief flooded through her as Olivia walked over to her bed. “Holy shit, you’re okay. I mean, you are okay, right? I see you’re alive, but I know that—”

Liv put her hand up, causing Devon to fall silent. “Physically, I’m fine. Emotionally…this is going to take me…a while….” She trailed off. Devon nodded, knowingly. They both knew trauma and PTSD. All they could do was be there for each other.

Olivia grabbed a chair, brought it over to Devon’s bed. “I don’t want to talk about IAB right now. Right now, I want to hear about why the hell you were found at that abandoned mill with a bullet in your arm. The doctor said you were lucky to be alive, that you didn’t bleed out, that you only have a mild infection.”

Devon grinned darkly. “Well, when I got your call, I was in the middle of a raid. I was injured, and I did plan on going to the hospital, I really did. But then I heard that Lewis was out, and then I couldn’t get a hold of you, and I knew—I knew that he had you. And I was going to shoot that bastard.”

Olivia’s face darkened at her words. “William Lewis is dead. He…he shot himself in front of me,” she chuckled, but the sound had no emotion in it. “He’s actually framing me for it.”

Devon let the words sink in. “Are you kidding me? That…that sick bastard! God, I wish I could bring him back so I could kill him again!” she yelled. “Sorry,” she said, seeing the look on Liv’s face.

“No, I…I get it. He…he definitely knew what he was doing.”

Devon took a breath, calming herself. Liv didn’t need a hothead right now; she needed a friend. “Do you need a place to stay? Or someone to stay with you?”

Olivia reached out and squeezed Devon’s knee. “No, thank you. I’ll be fine. I have a really good therapist, and an even better support system.”

Devon nodded. “Okay. But if you need anything, anything at all, you call me. Deal?”

Liv smiled. “Deal. Though, I feel like last time I called you, I got you shot.”

Apartment of Devon Motely

Tuesday, June 17th. 9:05am

Devon was enjoying a rare day off, stretching on her couch. She groaned as her body burned from her morning workout; she was done with physical therapy for her gunshot wound, but her arm still burned from some of her workouts, the muscles taking longer to heal than the rest. It was getting better, though; she could almost bench press her normal amount, and she could do 3 sets of pullups, compared to her normal 5 sets. But that wasn’t the only reason she was in a good mood; she was going to meet Liv for lunch today. Devon hadn’t seen her since the whole William Lewis thing, only talking to her on the phone; Devon still couldn’t bring herself to go to the courthouse, even in support of Liv, which she felt insanely guilty about. They were going to eat at the precinct—being Sergeant meant she was stuck there most of the time—but that didn’t bother Devon at all. She was just happy to see her friend.

SVU Department

Tuesday, June 17th. 11:10am

Once the elevator doors to the precinct opened, Devon knew something was wrong. The department was alive with activity, officers and detectives alike scrambling to grab their equipment and heading out the door. Devon ran to Liv’s office, catching her right as she was grabbing her jacket and heading towards the office door.

“What’s going on?” Devon asked, instantly alert.

“Got a disgruntled father that took a classroom, including his own kid, hostage. I’ll give you the details on the way,” Liv had responded, not pausing in her flight out of the precinct. Devon followed, mind racing. So much for chatting over lunch.

Once on the scene, Devon had all the facts, plus extras, that she needed. The perp’s kid, Jake, had been sexually abused by his mother for months, hence SVU’s involvement. The father, Steve, had been deeply disturbed by this, and the mother, Delilah, had been taken into custody, though the court date was still looming in the distance. Olivia didn’t know the details on Steve’s reasoning behind the hostages; she only knew the facts. Steve had entered the school—a summer school/day care for elementary kids--with a loaded pistol. He entered the classroom, not letting anyone, even the two teachers, leave, effectively gaining exactly 30 bodies to barter with. The rest of the elementary school was free to evacuate. ESU was already there but couldn’t get a shot on the father—the blinds in the classroom were closed, and they were hesitant to storm the building with so many children in danger. Cops were surrounding the crime scene tape, keeping what looked like the parents, away from the situation.

“Do we have blueprints on the school?” Devon asked as she suited up. She was glad she layered two shirts today: an undershirt and a regular shirt. She stripped off the top shirt, strapping the bulletproof vest on, then stuffed the discarded shirt down the front of it, Rollins and Amaro giving her a weird look. Liv had learned at this point to not ask questions.

“No, but we have a rough outline from the principal,” Liv replied. She mic’d Devon up, and Amaro handed her glasses that had a built-in camera. The glasses were a little annoying at first, but she knew that she’d tune them out soon enough.

“Good enough,” she said, taking the crudely drawn outline from Olivia. She looked it over, picking out and memorizing the path she had chosen. The school had two floors; the entrance she had picked was on the roof, where she could drop into the second floor and on the opposite side from where the hostages were. It was a little harder, but it made it so that Devon didn’t have to be completely silent. She wished she had more info—the type of flooring, whether the doors squeaked, etc.—but she rarely got all the facts before an infiltration anyways. This should be a piece of cake…she hoped. Kids were a sore spot of Devon.

“Am I live?” she asked Rollins, who was in the police van, on the cameras.

After checking audio and video, Rollins gave her the thumbs up.

“Be careful,” Liv said as Devon walked towards the school. She didn’t reply, mind already focused on the task at hand. She made her way to the left side of the school, as far from the targeted classroom as she could be. There was no fire escape or wiring draping from the roof, so Devon had to get creative. She examined the windows, their ledges, and the wall material. She shook out her arms, the soreness from this morning no longer there, but knowing that this was the real test of her injured arm, whether she was healed or not. Taking a deep breath, she climbed on the bottom of the first-floor window, then reached up to the second story window. She was able to get a good enough grip to pull herself up. She struggled her way up the side of the school, arms shaking but never failing her. Once on the roof, Devon caught her breath as she looked for the skylight that the principal had put on the outline—people trying to help often put in too many details, but it would come in handy now. Unsheathing her dagger, she cut a hole in the screen covering the skylight, large enough to fit a hand through it and pop it out from the inside. The glass would be tricky here, but something Devon had done multiple times before. She put pressure on one side of it. It finally gave, popping inward. Like a seesaw, the other side came swinging upwards towards her face. Devon scrambled to grab the side coming at her, catching it before it hit her, or the glass pane fell. She pulled it back out and placed it gently on the roof by the discarded screen. Next, she took the shirt that she had half-stuffed down the front of her vest, and went about cutting it in half, starting a tear with the knife and then ripping it with her own strength. The floor inside was tile, as she had expected with most schools, so she needed to silence her shoes before dropping in. She wrapped her feet in the now ruined shirt and tied it around her shoes as tightly as she could. Satisfied, she lowered herself through the skylight, hanging for a moment before dropping into the second story of the school on near-silent feet.

Devon waited a moment, listening, but heard nothing alarming. Standing up straight, she walked over to one of the classrooms by her, tested the door. It took her four tries to be able to open it silently, but after the fourth try, she was able to continue doing it. There was also a built-in doorstop, a good omen. Plan formed, Devon made her way silently down the stairs. She had unholstered her gun as she crept closer to the classroom. Once crouching outside it, she pressed her ear to the door. Silence. She carefully peeked into the window in the door.

A man with a gun—holding it limply by his waist, pointed at the floor--was standing just inside the door but had his back to it. That meant that 1) he didn’t see her and 2) he had all the kids in front of him. And that meant that she couldn’t blitz him, not when the kids were in danger of being shot.

The kids were either crying silently, hiding under a table, or were pressed into the teacher’s arms. The teachers had a brave face on for the kids, but their eyes betrayed how terrified they really were. But no one looked injured. Good. Now came the hard part; the distraction and the hope that children could keep quiet. Liabilities that Devon hesitated to rely upon but found it necessary to do so. She ducked down, taking a couple steps from the door. She sent a text to Olivia.

Pull him to the window

Devon counted the seconds before she heard a megaphone going off outside. She couldn’t understand what was being said, but she didn’t care, as long as it worked. And work it did; she peeked in the window once more to see Steve head towards the big windows on the far side of the room. He pulled open two blinds to look out, right as Devon silently opened the door. She put the door stopper down, then started to slowly, slowly crouch-walk towards Steve’s back. She had one hand holding the gun steady to his broad back—a bigger target than a headshot—and one hand by her face, holding a finger to her mouth, silently shushing everyone else. She didn’t take her eyes off of Steve, so she didn’t notice if the children or teachers noticed her at her crawling pace.

Steve released the blinds, causing Devon to stop, holding her breath. Steve then put the gun down and leaned on the counter with both hands. Devon forced herself to resume the slow pace, even with the rush of adrenaline that coursed through her seeing him disarm himself. His body rocked with silent sobs, and he put his face in his hands. Once Devon was within reach of the target, she stood to her full height. They were about the same height; that made this easier. She placed the muzzle of her gun against the base of his skull, causing him to jump.

“Freeze, FBI,” Devon said loudly and clearly. “Put your hands above your head.” Steve seemed to think through all of his options in a couple seconds, then made the decision to raise his hands above his head, defeated. Devon reached past him, grabbing the gun and putting it in her waistband before holstering her own gun and cuffing him, releasing a breath she didn’t know she was holding. This could’ve been worse…much, much worse.

“I-I’m so sorry,” Steve said through tears. “M-my son….”

Devon felt a pang of pity for the man—he was under a lot of duress--before remembering the looks of the terrified children behind him. “I know you are, Steve. But we have to go now.”

She turned him from the window and walked towards the door. At that point, the classroom exploded with activity; teachers started thanking her, children started hugging her legs, voices overlapping in fear and relief. Devon knew it was an elementary school but was still shocked at how small the kids were. This could’ve ended much worse.

“Round up all the children and follow me,” Devon ordered. She suddenly wanted to be out of the building, away from this situation. The teachers set about rounding up the 5- and 6-year-olds and followed Devon out into the hall. Devon gave them all a once-over, checking for injuries, before heading towards the school’s entrance. Something was off in the back of Devon’s mind, but she shook it off, more worried about getting everyone out safely. Once at the double doors leading to freedom, Devon stopped the group.

“Stay behind me,” Devon instructed in a low voice to the teachers and children. Raising her voice, she called out, “Coming out! Suspect is restrained; hold your fire!” She then pushed the handle on the door slowly, showing her face first before dragging out the now openly weeping Steve. The teachers and children came out behind her, taking off towards their parents. A little boy, most likely Jake, gave Steve a sad look, tears running down his face, before running to what looked like his grandparents. Devon handed Steve over to a waiting officer and took a deep breath of relief. It wasn’t until she saw a pair of worried parents looking frantically around that the weird feeling she had in the hallway hit her; there were only 29 people grouped together in that hallway. Saying nothing, she turned around and sprinted back to the classroom.

She almost lost her footing when she made it in the classroom door—she still had her shirt wrapped around her feet, making her steps slippery on the tile floor. She looked around the room, panic raising in her throat. Then she heard it, a little sniffle from under a table. She made her way to it slowly and crouched down. A little girl was underneath, holding onto a stuffed tiger like it was a lifeline, and crying silently.

“Hey honey, are you okay?” Devon asked softly. The girl nodded but made no move to come out. Devon thought for a moment on how to approach this; she knew that her parents must be freaking out, but she didn’t feel right dragging the girl out from under the table. Instead, she asked, “what’s your name?”

“A-Ashley,” she whispered back.

“Hey Ashley. My name is Devon,” she gave her a small smile. Devon sat down on the floor, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Not the easiest thing to do with a bulletproof vest on.

“Hi Devon.”

“May I ask you why you’re hiding under the table? You know your parents are worried about you, wondering where you are.”

“I-I’m afraid,” she sniffled, fresh tears spilling over. The fear in her voice was like a punch to the gut. This poor kid is going to need counseling for sure after this. She made a mental note to talk to the parents.

“Can I tell you a secret?” Devon asked. Ashley nodded, sniffling. “I was pretty scared, too.”

Ashley’s eyes widened with this admission. “You were?”

“Uh-huh. Will…will you walk with me until we’re outside? Please?” Devon asked. She learned a long time ago that most afraid kids don’t want to be told to not be afraid, that their fear isn’t valid. But they liked when they heard that adults were afraid, too, and were more willing to help adults overcome their fears.

“O-okay,” she replied in that small voice. Ashley scooted out from under the table, taking Devon’s hand in her own, the stuffed tiger still clutched in her other. Together, they left the classroom quickly, Devon stopping her short of the doors outside, announcing their exit before heading out in case ESU was still around. Her parents cried tears of joy seeing their daughter safe and sound. Devon handed the mother her business card, telling her to feel free to call her if Ashley needed any help, and to find her a counselor. She squeezed Ashley’s shoulder, giving her a small smile and thanking her for helping her outside, then found her way over to Olivia.

“Great work, Dev,” Liv said once within earshot. Devon brushed her off while taking off the vest, the mic, and the glasses. She noticed in the back of her mind that the whole interaction with Ashley was recorded; she had stopped paying attention to the glasses and mic by the time she had climbed onto the roof.

“Tell the principal that I’ll pay for a new screen and window for the skylight,” Devon replied, half-joking. She knew the city would replace it anyways, but Devon would be a faster route. She placed a bracing hand on Olivia’s shoulder as she stood on one foot, unwrapping her shirt from the other.

Liv smiled, then burst Devon’s bubble by pointing out the press that had been held at the line. “Ready for your 15 minutes of fame?” Devon groaned, taking the other half of shirt off her foot.

Devon already hated talking to the press, but something else had caught her eye. The police van’s doors were open and standing outside them were Detectives Amaro and Rollins. And standing right next to them, already staring at her, was Rafael Barba. Even from this far away, their eyes locked. Devon steeled herself, keeping her face as neutral as possible, even though her heart ached at the sight of him. Barba, however, was not as skilled; she saw longing, remorse, and most apparent, a terrible sadness in his eyes. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, even though there was no possible way that Devon would hear it, but instead, Devon broke the eye contact, looking back to Olivia.

“I, uh, would rather sneak out the back way.”

Olivia noticed the look that Devon had shared with the ADA, but said nothing, nodding understandably—she hated talking to the press, too—before flagging down an officer who was parked away from the front lines. Devon followed him to his car, and he gave her a ride home. He talked the whole way, asking where she learned to climb buildings like that, details about what happened once she was inside, and gushing about how great she was. She gave flippant responses, just hoping to be home and trying to erase that look of Barba’s haggard form and intensely sad eyes out of her mind.

[kookiekeys]

A List of 101 Jungkook/Jimin Recommendations

Since I began reading Jungkook/Jimin stories early last year, I’ve tried to keep track of all the ones that left a lasting impression. Unfortunately, I most definitely have missed out on other amazing stories that I have either not read or have not been able to recall (a lot of the ones on Tumblr I’ve unfortunately got no way of digging out of my 20,000+ likes). Regardless, I hope you find something in this list :) (List is in no particular order, and I’ve tried to include summaries as provided by the authors themselves. Also, please read the tags accordingly, as the list includes stories covering a wide array of topics)

Start a Riot by chihiro (Rating: E)

- Jeongguk and Jimin have been at this for a long time. The only difference now is that Jimin has grown up and Jeongguk sees no reason why he shouldn't have what he has wanted since a long damned time.

sweet like honey by graseun (Rating: M)

- we've been making shades of purple out of red and blue

Nowhere We Can Really Be Free by bangswing (Rating: E)

- Jeongguk is awakened to the supernatural walking beside him, wearing an ugly sweater and the sweetest smile.

Mine for the Taking by staycute1234 (Rating: M)

- Alpha Jungkook wants to mate Omega Jimin, but Jimin likes to play hard to get.

practiced by wordcouture (Rating: M)

- the fans have another thing comin'--but speaking of coming...

that spin i’m in by wordcouture (Rating: T)

- Open your mind, let your fantasies unwind. Welcome to the Moulin Rouge.

Blow Me Like Your French Horn by ohdizzy (Rating: T)

- In which Jimin undergoes a transformation from Cinnamon Roll to Sinnamon Roll and Jeongguk is a little too competitive, a little too tsundere, and a little bit too moony-eyed for his own good. “i see that you adore playing your loud ass trumpet at random moments in the middle of the night, well fyi i happen to be a master at the French horn so fuck u i challenge you to a brass off” AU

i guess you say (what can make me feel this way) by jungkooks hyung (Rating: T)

- in which jimin works at a country club at the pool and jungkook is a member

Rain All Day and I Don’t Mind by jams_and_suga (Rating: T)

- Jimin and Jungkook spend a rainy morning together. Inspired by the song "Banana Pancakes" by Jack Johnson

Sorry But I Need to Have You by eightninetwo (Rating: T)

- Jeongguk's never one to back down from a dare. But when said dare involves making out with Park Jimin, Jeongguk finds himself wanting it to be more than just that.

my only wish this year by atechamcham (Rating: G)

- jeongguk won't be back for the holidays, and that's fine with jimin. but on christmas morning he wakes up to a text saying he's got a present under his tree.

tying the knot by empressium (Rating: E)

- it's kind of a big fucking deal

star boards by wordcouture (Rating: T)

- "You should never dream about finding true love." "Why not?" "Because once you find it, the only thing that's left is heartbreak."

Little Pieces by Jikookiejar (Rating: Not Rated)

- My Jikook ficlets from Tumblr

lemme hear you beg for it by fatal (Rating: E)

- jeongguk's always been a tease, you'd think jimin would have caught on by now.

Who Let His Boyfriend Be so Fucking Hot? by Halottie (Rating: Not Rated)

- “I woke up early so we can have some fun before you have to go to class.” Jeongguk flashes him a sleepy smile, “I love you.” “I know.”

just one chance to make me blush by ninagum (Rating: M)

- Sometimes love is just a hand to hold and someone to listen.

i like how desperate you seem (in the way you look at me) by fatal (Rating: E)

- packs merge all the time. it's survival. jimin knows that, but what he's not prepared for is the attention he's getting from a certain jeon jeongguk, the alpha's son.

Picture Me With You by novilunar (Rating: E)

- Dealing with being in the same class as his favourite camboy is not an easy task for Jungkook

sugar, we're going down swinging by aborescent (Rating: T)

- modernsherlock!au - The first time Jeon Jungkook meets Park Jimin, the other boy is dissecting what looks like a penis.

Relax, Don’t Do It by yoongidontdoit (Rating: E)

- Jeongguk likes to party. Jeongguk likes to party hard. When he wakes up half naked in a Denny's parking lot, for the third time, he decides to commit to something for once and swear to be completely straight-edge for a full 90 days. That includes no partying, no late nights, and absolutely no sex. Easy until Jimin decides to crash land, literally, into his life.

talking body by empressium (Rating: E)

- "I'm a big fan of your work, author-nim"

Him by PinkBTS (Rating: M)

- “I mean a muse,” explained Yoongi, eyes traveling to Hoseok. “Someone that makes you feel the shots. Not only take them.”Jeongguk snorted. “You’re just whipped.” “Maybe,” agreed Yoongi, winking. “But it works.”

love exposure by pettey (Rating: E)

- “You’re in love with my brother. Do you know what he does?” “He dances.” In which Jeongguk is a soon-to-be journalist with a camera and Jimin lives in nightclubs, sort of.

officially by wordcouture (Rating: M)

- Jungkook usually fucks his interviews up the ass, figuratively speaking of course. Except for this one time when he literally did.

You're My Achilles Heel by miskeen (Rating: E)

- Jungkook just likes the taste of Jimin's cock in his mouth

nothing will be bigger than us by busan_brat (Rating: T)

- A fucking hypocrite, that's who Jimin is. A fucking hypocrite who makes sure that Jungkook is alive and as well as anybody can be in this concrete jungle made of too many broken dreams and too little hope.

Blooming Period by yourcupoftae (Rating: T)

- Jungkook learned, after years of studying them through his camera lenses, that flowers always flourished to their most beautiful blossoms right before they withered.

Ears by Usui (Rating: E)

- Jimin has been going through a dry spell. Taehyung decides the best way for him to get laid is dressing as a sexy cat for Halloween. Jimin meets Jungkook, a guy armed with bad cat puns who definitely approves of the costume.

listen to my heartbeat (it's calling you at its own will) by poplolli (Rating: T)

- Park Jimin has fluffy sweaters, green glasses, chubby cheeks and a smile what could make flowers grow. Jeon Jeongguk has Reputation (with capital R), a motorcycle, way more black leather jackets than necessary and a Secret (with capital S). And may or may not, Jeon Jeongguk has a teeny tiny Crush, too. (It's really tiny though, the capital C must be a mistake, okay.)

You Left This Here by RoxasJinsei (Rating: M)

- Red eyes, a shade or so deeper than blood, make Jimin's body freeze, a shudder racking his frame when a slow smirk makes it's way across the man's face.

I Promise, I Promise. Calm Down. by RoxasJinsei (Rating: T)

- Jungkook meets Youngbae, Jimin's charge. He likes him. Jungkook also meets Jimin's neighbors. He doesn't like them.

In the Line of Fire by bubbleteafics (Rating: E)

- For some reason, Jimin was everyone's favorite target.

A God's Star by TheHalesNyx (Rating: E)

And Back Again by novilunar (Rating: E)

- Jimin wishes he could stay away from Jungkook

underdressed and oversexed by gangbang (Rating: E)

- jungkook just needs the money. it’s kind of unfortunate jimin happens to be the porn star he's jacked off to for the past three years.

Flower Talk by soranosuzu (Rating: G)

- Jimin works in a flower shop and Jungkook is a delivery boy who drives a pastel pink van.

Captain Cuddles by goog (Rating: M)

- In which Taehyung learns that he is not entitled to call Jeongguk 'Captain Cuddles'.

Track one: I love you by dalliancee (Rating: T)

- Just way too close, just by the fingertips — and only by the fingertips. That's all they will ever be.

you're intoxicating (I can't stop) by astrochild (Rating: T)

- and what a strange love this is.

Dream Maker by graesun, Polkari Seuta (VeritasEtVita) (Rating: M)

- Oh, dream maker, you heartbreaker / wherever you're going, I'm going your way. Several days in the lives of Jimin and Jungkook living off instant ramen and lots of kisses.

check one two by gangbang (Rating: E)

- for the first time ever, camboy jimin has a couple of guests on his show. or: Local Twink Gets Fucked Hard and Raw by Two Hotties.

Hate the way I don't hate you by blt_prf (Rating: T)

- 10 things Jimin hates about the new kid in his dancing team.

Varsity by Noona (Rating: E)

- In which Park Jimin and Jeon Jungkook are rivals.

Baby, Take Care of Me by rapmonstsr (Rating: M)

- Jeongguk wants to protect Jimin.

wet by wowoashley (Rating: T)

- Jimin’s arms flex as he pulls the top off and tosses it to the side, and Jungkook feels the sudden need to sit down. It’s suddenly too hot. He needs a drink. He needs something.

i’ve been drinking, i’ve been drinking by decompositionbooks (Rating: T)

- Jungkook tries to figure Jimin out with Yoongi's trademarked "What Your Drink Says About You" alcohol psychoanalysis.All he knows is that Jimin likes fruity little drinks.

Web of lies by untrueee (Rating: M)

- Weaving a web of lies I can see it in your eyes Jimin is a liar and a spy, but that's why Jungkook loves him.

Boy You Belong To Me by rapmonstsr (Rating: M)

- When Jimin tries out for the cheer leading squad, he doesn't expect to be humiliated in front of the entire football team. He certainly didn't expect to get closer to the handsome star fullback, Jeon Jeongguk, but it seemed his senior year was beginning to become a series of unfortunate events.

Mizu by renaihyung (Rating: T)

- Jungkook and Jimin grew close in high school through their swimming club. Eventually, both swimmers developed feelings for one another, but it isn’t as easy as one may think. Jungkook is incapable of voicing or showing his emotions, and he isn't sure why. When high school ends and the couple split, never getting further than lingering touches in terms of their relationship thanks to Jungkook’s doing, it’s no shock that Jungkook regrets his decisions every day after Jimin has left. All he has is the swimming competitions to somehow bring him closer to the boy he loves.

Move Your Body by novilunar (Rating: M)

- Jimin has nothing on his mind but practice, and Jungkook has ways of getting into places he shouldn't be. The dance department of Jimin's university is one of them.

if i get in, i just might drown by fatal (Rating: E)

- fucking jimin has always been jeongguk's favourite hobby. ruts just made it that much more special.

Hamartia by chihiro (Rating: M)

- Jimin mistakes Jeongguk for a siren and makes a promise to him he is not prepared to face the consequences of.

The Bet by jonghyunslisterine (Rating: T)

- Where Jeon Jungkook makes a bet that he can get the notoriously single Park Jimin to sleep with him by the end of the semester.Needless to say, things don't go exactly as planned.

Paths by novilunar (Rating: T)

- Jimin is the son of an inn keeper, Jungkook is an adventurer. They make it work.

Gods & Monsters by rapmonstsr (Rating: M)

- Jimin is not entirely human. Jungkook is a ghoul hunter. And someone is pulling the strings behind a curtain.

you're a hard soul to save with an ocean in the way (but i'll get around it) by namakemono (Rating: T)

- Jimin has the whole ocean at his fingertips, but for some reason he can't help but look up to where the humans are, and wonder what it’s like to be part of their world. (or: the Little Mermaid AU that no one asked for)

Training Wheels by jeonify (Rating: G)

- everything starts when jeongguk moves over, and jimin teaches him to ride a bike. everything ends when kim taehyung moves over, and jeongguk abandons his bicycle. +“they say that if you watch the sunset on that hill for 31 consecutive days, your unrequited love will be reciprocated.”

the waiting game by bonnia (Rating: E)

- It’s a waiting game. Jimin knows that Jungkook doesn’t have to come back, but with every little touch, every time Jungkook does, and every time Jungkook lies down right next to him, pressed up close, torturously warm and smelling like cigarette smoke and cologne, Jimin can’t help but feel like he could — would — wait years just for Jungkook to come back to him again. (Or: In which Jimin is a prostitute and Jungkook is his favourite customer.)

I Don’t Need a Map My Heart Points Me to You by busantanboys (Rating: T)

- “Well,” He paused for effect, throwing a wicked smile Jungkook’s way before continuing, “I’d like you a whole lot better if you’d untie me, sweet cheeks.” “Sorry, no can-do, sunshine. Cap’n’s orders. Looks like you're stuck with me.” - (In which Jeon Jungkook is enamored with tiny, pirate, Park Jimin.)

When You Look Here by jimjamgguk (Rating: E)

- In which Jungkook and Jimin are paired together for an assignment. Stuff happens.

flashing lights (you've got me faded) by bonnia (Rating: E)

- getting married to the heir of his father's rival company, multi-billionaire-playboy-sexgod jeon jungkook in a bout of drunken insanity and consequently being forced into a fake relationship with said asshole, is Very Low on jimin's bucket list. (actually, it doesn't even make the list.) but, jimin would grudgingly admit, at least the sex is good. (actually, the sex is better than good. but you didn’t hear that from him.)

yankee doodle by Hurley (Rating: E)

- Jimin’s fourth relationship is with a guy who wore a policeman uniform to happy hour at the local bar. (aka the fic where Jimin likes older guys.)

Soft Times by rapmonstsr (Rating: M)

- Jeongguk takes care of his Jiminie.

once upon a timeshare by namakemono (Rating: M)

- Jungkook is in desperate need of a vacation, but spending two weeks in Namjoon and Hoseok’s timeshare in Okinawa with his recently separated ex of three years was probably (definitely) not what he had in mind.

Glass Diamonds by GinForInk (Rating: E)

- Jungkook accidentally fires his skateboard through the window of a dance studio.

warm me up (with your lips) by graesun (Rating: E)

- Jungkook feels like maybe it should be a bigger deal that most of the population chooses a lifelong mate before they turn twenty-five. But truth be told, Jungkook has always been a sucker for love stories--for the story of his parents finding each other at eighteen and nineteen, for the promise of belonging to somebody, for the legends – old stories of alpha, beta, and omega instincts finding the one without any effort at all. Jungkook had been sure of his own hopeful love story not long after he met Jimin, the both of them imprinting on each other while Jungkook was still too shy to say more than a few stuttered words to him. It’s been a long time coming. And Jungkook can’t wait for them to finally belong to each other.

I’m Not Sorry by bananacookies (Rating: Not Rated)

- Jungkook never would've expected a text from a stranger to turn out like this.(A story in which Jungkook's lonely, Jimin's a sweetheart, and Yoongi's the cat)

Perfect by miskeen (Rating: E)

- jimin and jungkook get ready to go out. eventually

hypnotic (you got me talking in my sleep) by ninagum (Rating: M)

- Jungkook plucks off the icicles around Jimin's heart, one at a time, despite the continuous blizzard.

i am a good good boy by narrowrule (Rating: E)

- The ideal couple. Jimin was short and soft in all the ways Jeongguk was tall and hard. The stuff of highly rated KBS dramas, Taehyung supposed. Until recently.aka taehyung stumbles upon (more like into) the true dynamics of his best friend's relationship ft. power bottom jimin, eager to please jeongguk and thirsty taehyung

When the Sun Goes Down by rapmonstsr (Rating: M)

- “Yeah? You must feel like a god right now.” Jeongguk glances out to Gangnam’s sparkling nightlife and hums in agreement. At least Jimin is aware. “What does that make you?” OrJeongguk is a sad rich boy who falls in love with his best friend.

crush(ed) by fatal (Rating: M)

- jimin's been lost for so long, he's forgotten what it feels like to be found.

Rubies for a King by TheHalesNyx (Rating: E)

- Prompt: Twenty years ago, Jimin's father struck a deal with Jungkook, the dragon to ensure that the crown will remain in the family. Twenty years later, Jungkook has come to claim his prize.In return for Jimin’s life, his health, in return for an heir to the company throne, Jimin’s father had made a deal with a dragon.

Sleepy Cuddles by jimin_to_my_ship_we_got_kookies (Rating: G)

- Jungkook just needs his cuddle buddy back in bed.

100% success rate by bonnia (Rating: T)

- Legend has it, that whenever Kim Taehyung unleashes the ;) face, things do not bode well for Jeon Jungkook. But legend also has it, that Jeon Jungkook has a penchant for making terrible decisions. (or: in which jungkook has a crush the size of manhattan, taehyung is his alleged wingman, and jimin is only wilfully oblivious)

you make my heart saur by sugrpill (Rating: M)

- "'I gotta go.” “Go where?” Taehyung asks as he settles back into the couch, admiring his new ink. “Do someone,” Jimin says cheekily as he rises, clambering over Taehyung's legs. Taehyung shoots up, back straight, eyes pleading. “Don't fuck Jeongguk.'” (In which Jimin goes out looking for a hook-up, and they both get a little surprise.)

Guilty Pleasures by jimin_to_my_ship_we_got_kookies (Rating: G)

- Everyone's got a guilty pleasure, some sweeter than others.

Bloom by mnsg (Rating: T)

- Jimin has a soft spot for Jeongguk the size of Jupiter and it’s hard not to take advantage of that, sometimes. Especially when Jimin looks so good and sweet and happy Jeongguk could just…eat him.

if i can be with you by goldenhearts (Rating: Not Rated)

- collection of shorter stories originally posted on tumblr (@springjeon)

You Read Me Like a Book by dyegu (Rating: T)

- The university library has really really tall bookshelves, which kinda sucks for someone who's short like Jimin.

could you stop being so high up, please? by dyegu (Rating: T)

- If someone wants a kiss, someone is going to have to stop being so freaking high up.

Park and Recreations by miskeen (Rating: E)

- Jimin and Jungkook play laser tag. It's pretty much a fight to the death

Cuddling Misadventures by nutterbutterbisquit (Rating: M)

- Jimin wakes up in the middle of the night to give Jungkook the wake-up call he's wanted since they started sleeping (literally) with each other.

longing: a yearning desire by NaHe (Rating: T)

- The first words a person’s soulmate will say to them appears on their left wrist on the day of their 18th birthday. Unless, of course, their soulmate has passed away. Jungkook was a 21 year old with a blank wrist.

your body is a place to stay by jonghyunslisterine (Rating: T)

- In which Jungkook juggles a five-year-old daughter, Jimin the pretty bookstore employee, and coworkers who like to tease him too much.

Just a joke by pastelrainbows (Rating: G)

- Jeongguk pranks jimin. Jimin is not amused.

numbers by memechele (Rating: T)

- jungkook loves his job: after all, being a cashier in 7/11 isn't exactly rocket science, and it pays well. He starts to love it even more though, when the christmas exhibition a mere 25 metres away from the store gets a new santa, and jungkook has the best seat to ogle him. or jimin is the new santa in jungkook's local mall, and jungkook ends up on jimin's lap on christmas eve.

Share a kiss with me tonight by Themboybandsthough (Rating: Not Rated)

- It's a social experiment

drop our anchors in a storm by merrimint (Rating: M)

- In which Jimin and Jeongguk's last night together before Jeongguk has to leave for the military results in nine months worth of stress and the consumption of a frankly ridiculous amount of chocolate covered strawberries.

Of course, it had to be you by Rose_gold715 (Rating: T)

- Park Jimin is an Omega wolf who simply wants to find a mate who will accept him. Jeon Jungkook is a mysterious, devastatingly handsome Alpha who confuses Jimin.

promise rings by cupidsus (Rating: E)

- cliche friends with benefits problems with slight twists of some sort

Practicality by rapmonstsr (Rating: T)

- Jungkook manages to piss off his crush and Secret Santa all in one go.

hit me (with your best shot) by happy_tokki (Rating: G)

- The first time they meet, Jeongguk hits him with a snowball. And that is how it all begins.

Won’t Let You Sink by jikookie (Rating: M)

- Jungkook considers it his life mission to make sure his boyfriend doesn't let the stress and pressure get to him. Based on when Jimin lost his part in Autumn Leaves to Tae. Jungkook taking care of his precious boyfriend who is always there for him. With just a tiny bit of smutty goodness.

All the Way Home I’ll Be Warm... by Anonymous (Rating: T)

- Lately, it seemed like Jungkook was always running. Running to work, running to the gym, running from gallery opening to gallery opening, trying to network and make a name for himself in this city, and currently, tonight, running very, very late to catch the last train home for Christmas.

White T-shirt and Brown Timberlands by Rose_gold715 (Rating: G)

- Jimin is filing for divorce after eight years with Jungkook. He needs to let go, and yet, he wants to hold on a little longer.

Well Done! by annafeu (Rating: E)

- Running low on provisions to last them through the winter, wolf-pack leader Jungkook captures an unsuspecting rabbit to have for his Christmas dinner.

Return with the Tides by baepsaeved (Rating: T)

- Jimin has been to six different worlds, but he ends up falling in love with a boy from his hometown.

Metallic by snarcsics (Rating: E)

- Jimin is an elegant killer, he’s sweet and careful and he makes every slice feel like hell. Jungkook learns from him, watches him, moans out with him when Jimin’s eyes flutter in satisfaction at the agonized muffled screams he receives with every glide of Jungkook’s kitchen knife.

baby you got devotion in every little motion by automatic_dick (Rating: E)

- jimin's six months pregnant when his boyfriend leaves him: unemployed, nothing in savings, three months from having a second mouth to feed. he gets a job getting fucked. can't be that bad. he's been getting fucked over his whole life, might as well get paid for it.

In some cases, I’ve had to shorten summaries a little bit. Please let me know if that is not acceptable and would like that changed.

If there are any errors, or if you have any recommendations for a better way to organize this, let me know!