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worldspotlightnews · 1 year
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Israeli defense minister breaks ranks and calls for halt to judicial overhaul | CNN
Jerusalem CNN  —  Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has become the first government minister to call for a halt in controversial plans to change the country’s judicial system. In a statement on Saturday, Gallant – a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party – called for a pause “for the security of Israel, for the sake of our sons and daughters.” The proposed laws would…
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reportwire · 1 year
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Taiwan says soldier who went missing has been found in China | CNN
Taipei, Taiwan CNN  —  A Taiwanese soldier who went missing last week from an island near the Chinese coast has been found in mainland China, a Taiwan official said on Monday, raising the possibility of a highly unusual defection amid heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait. Speaking to reporters, Chiu Tai-san, minister of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, said China had notified Taiwan…
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the-authoress-writes · 8 months
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If You Please
Jake “Hangman” Seresin x Lawyer!reader
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Written for @roosterforme’s Top Gun Rocktober Playlist Fic Challenge
Synopsis: It’s not everyday that one’s best friend gets married, it’s not everyday that one is asked to be said friend’s Maid of Honor, and it’s certainly not everyday one meets a gorgeous, blond naval aviator.
Much less that one gets to dance the night away with the aforementioned naval aviator.
Warnings: Nothing, really, just a prerequisite creepy cousin, and a little teensy bit of cursing, but other than that, I don’t think there’s anything else.
Author’s Note: This is my first fic written for a fic challenge, and I am so grateful to @roosterforme for organizing this, and for allowing me to use one of my favorite 80s songs—Alannah Myles’ “Black Velvet”, as well as to @bradshawsbaby, who made the absolutely gorgeous moodboard for this fic.
You are both incredible, lovely people, and amazing writers!!
Everyone should go check out their stories—go, seriously.
I’ve made liberal use of lines from the song in this fic, but it’s just so absurdly appropriate for Jake that I didn’t even really feel that bad.
It’s also my first time writing Jake, so I’m not exactly sure I did him justice, but I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone thinks!
One down, one to go!!
And so, here we go!!!
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She looked at her best friend dancing with her new husband, a smile on her lips.
She couldn’t be happier for her best friend, Cristina Nievara, formerly Cristina Machado.
The wedding was perfect, and went off without a hitch, and now, as the Maid of Honor, she could now relax—the hard part was over.
She sighed, sipping from her glass of rosé, rolling her neck from side to side.
At that moment, as if the very air shifted around her, or some preternatural sense alerted her, she became aware of a masculine presence behind her.
“Everyone’s dancing.”
At the smooth Texan drawl, a smile involuntarily split her lips. “That they are.”
“Everyone but you, Counselor.”
She angled her head to look into the emerald eyes of Jake Seresin. “Neither are you.”
“Hmm—little old me, well, I’m just waiting for the right partner.”
Her mouth ran a little dry, and she sipped from her glass again, trying to keep her composure. “And who would the right partner be?”
He hummed lightly, “I have an idea; she’d be kind, gentle—sweet, even—but opinionated when she needs to be, absurdly competent, insanely beautiful, and incredibly sexy.”
She hissed a breath between her teeth. “That’s quite the criteria.
Not sure you’ll be able to find a girl like that.”
“Well, I’m thinking I’m looking right at her.”
She couldn’t help it, her head whipped around to face him, so fast she worried she got whiplash, for her to find that his gaze was fixed intently and intensely on her.
A shiver ran down her spine, and she swallowed reflexively. “You sure you’re looking right?”
Jake made a show of looking at her up and down, his gaze somehow respectful despite the intensity she could see in his eyes. “I know I’m looking right.
Would you like to dance, Counselor?
Only if you please, though.”
She huffed a chuckle, shaking her head. “Well, since you asked so nicely, how can I refuse?”
And she set her glass down, before placing her hand into his outstretched one.
As Jake led her to the dancefloor, she mentally looked back—a month ago, never in a million years did she imagine that she’d be dancing with this man.
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One month earlier…
She had no idea how Cris had managed to rope her into this.
But that wasn’t completely the truth; actually, she did.
Her best friend, Cristina Machado, was getting married to her fiancé, Gabriel Nievara, in her and Gabriel’s hometown of New Orleans.
And of course, Cris had to have her best friend as her Maid of Honor.
It wasn’t that she didn’t love Cris, on the contrary, she’d do anything for that woman, they were each others’ ride-or-die since college, but it was moments like this, where she was currently being hit on by Cris’ creepy cousin, Marco, that almost made her reconsider.
And this was only a family and friends get-together at the large Machado family home a month before the wedding.
Marco was going on and on about how much money he made as a real estate agent, and she had been trying to get out of this conversation repeatedly, but she couldn’t get a word in edgewise.
If she had more energy, she wouldn’t hesitate to tell him off, but she had just come from a too-long deposition (literally throwing her dress on after), and her attitude was habitually completely different from the shark she had to be as a lawyer and in courtrooms, like a coat she put on, as a way of keeping her work separate from her personal life.
At this point, she was debating on dissociating from exhaustion, or looking for a way out, any way out—she was even debating the merits of just running away, and locking herself in the bathroom, which was looking more and more appealing by the second—when a drawling voice proclaimed, “There you are, I’ve been looking all over for you!”
She turned and saw a vaguely familiar dark blond-haired man striding towards her, looking rather like something out of a grocery store romance novel, with his movie star-blinding smile, in a pair of dark jeans, and a thin jacket over a henley, Wayfarers tucked into the collar.
“Hey, I’m sorry, I—I just got caught up with Marco,” she beamed, relief coursing through her.
“Well, uh, Cris wants to talk to you, asked me to come get you,” he nodded.
She latched onto that like a drowning woman. “Oh, I better go then, Maid of Honor stuff, you know—it was a pleasure talking with you, Marco, hopefully I’ll see you around,” she said, all in one breath, as she backed away, before immediately turning to follow her savior.
She blew out a breath, running a hand through her hair. “So, Cris wanted to talk to me, right?”
He clicked his tongue, glancing back to Marco, now on the prowl for his next hapless victim, “Not really, I just saw you looking like you would rather the Good Lord struck you dead then and there rather than continue talking with Marco.
But then again, most people tend to look like that when they talk with him.
So I decided to rescue you.”
She blinked. “Oh—well—thank you so much for the assist.
That was pretty good back there.”
“Not a problem, I’m used to coming in clutch.
And I am very good,” he winked, which made her huff a laugh as she fought the urge to tug the collar of her dress—how did it seem to get two or three degrees warmer just then?
He continued, sticking out his hand, “I’m Jake, Jake Seresin.”
She reciprocated the gesture, telling him her name, to which Jake replied, “Mmm, pretty name for a pretty girl.”
She rolled her eyes, “I bet you say that to all the girls.”
“Can’t help it if it’s true,” he smirked.
God, why was it so hot?
Even for New Orleans, November had absolutely no right being this hot.
“So, uh, how do you know Cris?” she blurted, saying the first thing that came to mind.
“Through Javy,” Jake replied, referring to Cris’ older brother, “we—we’re both in the navy, but I’ve known the Machados for almost fifteen years,” he finished, almost bashfully.
At that moment, it clicked for her who Jake was; she’d seen him in the Machado Christmas photo for several years. “I know Javy’s a pilot, so, are you—”
“We prefer the term naval aviator—but yes, we both fly F-18s,” he finished, a somewhat smug and proud look on his face.
“Fighter jets, huh?
You any good?”
At this, he looked indignant. “‘Any good’?
I graduated number one in my TOPGUN class, you are looking at one of the best fighter pilots in this country.”
“Okay,” she nodded, a chuckle escaping her as she ducked her head, “my sincerest apologies.”
When she looked back up, she saw him turn to face the deck, rubbing the back of his neck, the stone on the ring on his right middle finger catching the light.
“Uh, apology accepted,” he murmured. “And er, Cris is up there on the deck if you wanted to talk to her anyway,” he gestured, turning to face her again.
Well, her romance novel moment was nice while it lasted.
“Ah, I know when I’m not wanted,” she nodded.
“No,” Jake literally yelped, garnering several glances, which made him rub the back of his neck again, “I mean, no, it’s, it’s not like that, I just thought that you might want to be around friends, not a random stranger.”
“Well, I’d hardly call you a random stranger—you did save me from Marco, so I’d say that at least puts you firmly in acquaintance territory,” she deadpanned.
An honest to God guffaw escaped him, and she couldn’t help but note the way it made the corners of his eyes crinkle.
When he got control of himself again, he breathed, “In that case, I am pleased to make your acquaintance.”
“Same here.”
Silence soon fell over them, but strangely, she didn’t feel it was in any way awkward—it felt almost easy, despite the inexplicable rising tension which she could feel beginning to draw tightly.
“Jerk!!!”
She whipped her head in the direction the call had come from, grinning when she saw the jumping figure of Cris, on the deck, as Jake said, who was waving her hand, beckoning her over.
“Bitch!!!” she eagerly called back, replying with the matching nickname she had for Cris, which the latter always joked Supernatural stole from them.
“Huh… so it is true, girls call each other that,” she heard, and she turned to see Jake watching her with a grin on his face.
“It’s a thing we have,” she brushed off, knowing that others might find that strange.
“Hey, no judgment here—I call my wingman Chicken or Big Dick.”
That actually made her splutter. “I’m going to need an explanation for those nicknames next time.”
He looked at her with an expression she couldn’t quite pin down. “‘Next time’, huh?
You uh, looking forward to a next time?”
“Yeah, if only to get an answer for why those nicknames for your wingman,” she breathed. “You’re going to be around—for the wedding, right?”
She tried not to sound too hopeful.
“I’m thinking I will be, and I think for the in between,” he stated, seriously.
“Okay, so I guess I’ll see you around, then.”
“I’ll be seeing you,” and he warmly nodded in a way that made her oddly think that if he were wearing a Stetson, he’d be tipping it to her, before going off towards the grill which was currently being manned by Mr. Machado.
She exhaled sharply, then began to ascend the stairs to the top of the deck, where she was immediately intercepted by Cris.
“I see you met Jake,” Cris grinned.
“Yeah, I did, it’s nice to finally meet the odd man out on your guys’ Christmas card,” she breathed, trying to keep her tone light.
“Mm-hmm,” Cris replied, an odd glint in her eyes. “You two looked… cozy.”
“I—he saved me from Marco, and I was making conversation, you know, but he was nice; a little cocky, but nice,” she replied, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“Uh-huh.”
That glint was unfortunately still present in Cris’ eyes, and she lightly shoved the other woman in the shoulder. “It’s not like that, you—you are just… projecting because you’re so stupid happy with Gabriel.
We literally had one conversation, for God’s sake.”
Her best friend poked her in the arm, “‘One conversation’ was how it started for me and Gabe.
And I’m not projecting, you and Jake looked very comfortable together.
And for another thing, you cannot tell me you did not notice how hot he is.”
“Cris!” she hissed, glancing around to see if Gabriel was around. “You are engaged!”
“I am an engaged woman, but I can admit when a man is hot as hell.
And Jake Seresin is hot as hell,” Cris stated, raising her eyebrows, looking expectantly at her.
At first, she just stared, not sure what Cris wanted from her, but when it clicked, she sighed, “Seriously?”
“Admit it.”
“I—” she pinched the bridge of her nose, “I—w—oh, fine.
Jake is hot.
Happy?”
“Very.”
And with a smile, Cris practically bounced over to the other side of the deck.
“Cris! Cris!” She hurried after her best friend, knowing the other woman was undoubtedly planning something. “What are you planning?” she called, soon catching up.
“Planning what?”
“My bestie here finally met Jake, Jav,” Cris beamed, turning to face her older brother.
“Ah, that’s good,” Javy nodded, before also catching the glint in his sister’s eyes. “Okay, glint, you have a glint, what happened?”
“I had one conversation with your friend, Javy, and Cris is blowing it all out of proportion,” she interrupted.
Unfortunately for her, Javy’s eyes lit up in what was practically a carbon copy of Cris’ expression. “Oh. Cozy?” he asked, addressing Cris.
“Very,” her best friend nodded.
“Huh.”
In what was an unnerving display of sibling synchronicity, they both looked at her with identical glints.
“No.
Absolutely not.
Whatever you two are planning, no.”
“What makes you think we’re planning anything?” Javy protested.
She offered them a raised eyebrow.
Javy sighed, “Cris wants you happy, I want my boy happy—you could be happy together!”
“No, I am not going to be matchmade at a wedding!
It’s a walking cliche!” she protested.
Cris and Javy looked at each other, some sort of understanding passing between them.
“Okay, fine, we won’t try to set you up with Jake,” Cris sighed.
“Thank you!”
That was a month ago, and well, if they weren’t going behind her back, and orchestrating things like puppetmasters, which was highly unlikely, she could only chalk the amount of times she’d been thrown together with Jake to fate.
She had been seated with him at every lunch and dinner they were both invited to, paired with him at every wedding-related event and activity, every friends and family outing.
And somehow, there was always one person extra in the outing, and somehow, Jake was always the one to drive her, and only her, in his rental.
If she were being honest with herself, she wasn’t going to complain, especially not when it led to easy conversations allowing her to see below the cockiness, to see and know Jake, and she definitely wasn’t going to complain when it came to the… very hands-on crash courses she received from him when it came to mini-golf and bowling.
She was only human, after all.
And now, after numerous dinners, wedding related events and activities, after getting to know and see him, she could honestly say that she was more than halfway in love with Jake Seresin.
But she was uncertain of where things stood with him.
Yes, he hadn’t looked once at the bridemaids and various women who’d been throwing themselves at him, but that wasn’t a guarantee of anything.
However, that didn’t stop her from taking pride in the somewhat dumbstruck, glazed way he looked at her as she stood there on the altar, his eyes only for her, even as Cris was walking in her very elegant and beautiful dress down the aisle of the church.
She couldn’t remember the last time someone looked at her like that.
The next time their gazes met, Cris and Gabriel had just been pronounced husband and wife, Gabriel dramatically taking Cris in his arms and dipping her before kissing her, to whoops and cheers.
She couldn’t help the way her eyes drifted to Jake, only to find that he was already looking at her, and she swore that that was longing she could see in his piercing gaze, but she couldn’t completely determine the expression before she had to follow Cris and Gabriel out of the church, and from there, they hadn’t seen each other.
Until he asked her to dance.
Now, as they moved on the dancefloor, all she was aware of was him, the feeling of his arms around her, his eyes gazing into her very soul, making heat like fire dance along her spine—but it wasn’t like a wildfire, relentless and uncontrollable.
Rather, it was like a cozy fire on a cold day, one you wanted to just lie down in front of—getting closer and closer until the fire seeped into your veins, into the very marrow of your bones, into your very soul.
And wasn’t that more dangerous?
The filament of her mind that was still cognizant of things, dimly registered that Jake was leading her fluidly and elegantly across the floor.
“You’ve got moves, Seresin,” she said.
The corner of his mouth tipped up. “Enduring two years of cotillion and being pressganged into filling in for uneven numbers at Annapolis’ Ballroom Club will do that to a person.” He gracefully spun her before pulling her back into him. “You ain’t half-bad either, counselor,” he drawled in that slow, southern style.
“I too, bear the scars of cotillion,” she smiled.
That provoked a chuckle and a smile from Jake—and like it always did, that smile did its level best to bring her to her knees.
It wasn’t the obnoxious shark-like grin he had when he was being annoying on purpose, nor the cutting, sarcastic one he used when he was knocking someone down a peg or two.
No.
This one, which she’d only seen directed at her, was like his whole soul was smiling, and it had an innocence about it, despite the fact that at first glance, this man seemed made for nothing but sin.
“Well, in that case, you’ve got very graceful and elegant scars.
And I must admit, I’ve never had such a beautiful woman dancing in my arms before.”
She couldn’t help but scoff and laugh incredulously.
“What?” Jake inclined his head.
“I don’t know if you’re bullshitting me or being honest with me, because I somehow can’t believe that I’m the most beautiful woman you, of all people, have danced with.”
He narrowed his eyes slightly. “What exactly do you mean?”
“You—you want me to spell it out?”
He hummed, “Let’s just say this witness would like a little leading here, counselor.”
She laughed, before sighing, “You, Jake Seresin, are… well—more than a little bit attractive, and I cannot believe that there wasn’t more than one pretty southern belle in your arms.”
He smirked wickedly, “You sayin’ I’m hot?”
Flustered, she exclaimed, “O—objection—hostile witness!”
“Overruled, witness will answer,” he easily parried.
“Th—that’s not your line.”
He playfully sniffed, “I’m still thinking I’d like an answer, there.”
“You’re killing me here,” she breathed, wanting to duck her head and hide, but in Jake’s arms, there wasn’t exactly any place to escape.
Jake leaned closer, pressing her against him, clouding her senses even more, as he ducked his head to murmur into her ear, his breath warm against her neck, “But you like it.”
She looked up at him, blindly following his lead, placing her trust in him to not let her fall flat on her face, and whispered, “You’re trouble, Jake Seresin.” She shook her head, picked up the frayed threads of her wit and courage, and plowed on. “Yes, I think you are more beautiful than any man has a right to be.
And not just because of the way you look.”
Jake, who had been wearing a somewhat smug expression during her declaration, froze at her last sentence. “That’s new.”
“What?”
“Someone seeing more than a pretty face here,” he replied incredulously.
“I’d kind of have to be blind to not see it, but, I’ve seen what you’ve shown me—what you’ve let me see, and while I won’t presume to completely know you already, I… I like what I see; in every way.”
Some sort of emotion broke in his eyes, something the shadowed dancefloor didn’t really allow her to see clearly, but he murmured, “Dance with me?”
“We already are,” she smiled gently.
“I mean…” he strangely foundered, before continuing, “may I fill your dance card, counselor?”
Teenage her wouldn’t believe what was happening. “Won’t it be boring, dancing with me all night long?”
“Don’t care.
May I?
Only if you please.”
They danced through a more brightly lit area, and she saw the honesty in his piercing sea foam eyes.
In that moment, something told her that if she said no, she’d regret it for the rest of her life, leaving her longing for one more dance. “Well, looks like I’m yours for the night.”
Jake blinked, a rough chuckle escaping his mouth. “You are, huh?”
“Not—not like that—I—” she stammered.
He laughed this time, full and loud, “Relax, counselor, I don’t make it a habit of taking what I’m not given.
I was raised a good Christian boy, after all.”
“Didn’t even know the word good was in your vocabulary,” she breathlessly replied.
“Oh, don’t you remember, counselor,” he leaned in, voice dipping low, making everything fade into the background, “I am good—I’m very good.”
Her breath hitched, and he swept her across the floor, the two of them dancing the night away.
An hour and a half later, the night was wrapping up, and it was time to send the new Mr. and Mrs. Nievara to their honeymoon suite in the hotel upstairs.
She and Jake promptly got separated, eventually finding herself in the press of women lined up for the bouquet toss.
She personally disliked it because it baffled her how a literal bunch of flowers could turn a group of women into feral cats.
So, she was determined not to reach for it, no matter what.
Cris walked to the center of the dancefloor, and counted down. “Three, two, one!!”
In the space between one blink and the next, a massive bouquet of red roses was in her arms, and she couldn’t help but gawk.
Most of the women cheered as they dispersed—though some sent her dirty looks—while Cris approached her, beaming from ear to ear. “Thank you so much, Jerk, I don’t know how I would have been able to make it through without you.”
She clasped Cris’ arms, “It was my pleasure, Bitch.
Now you go get some rest with that husband of yours—” she paused, considering, before finishing with a wink, “or not.”
Cris just laughed, “You too—don’t think that I didn’t notice who you danced with—or rather, who you danced the night away with.”
She scoffed, but Cris whispered, “You do know the tradition behind the bouquet toss, right?”
“Cris—”
“I’m not saying you’re going to be walking down the aisle with him any time soon, but what I am saying, is let things play out, you never know.”
She stared at Cris’ earnest face for a beat, before slapping her lightly on the arm. “You’re so in love, it’s fried your brain.”
“I’m thinking yours is too.
Think about it.”
And with a final hug, all the guests cheered as Gabriel carried Cris out of the ballroom.
Soon after, she was hanging around Candice-Marie, the wedding planner, trying to help in any way she could, but the kindly older woman, with whom she’d been working closely leading up to the wedding, shooed her off, saying, “You go on now, you’ve done enough, sweetheart.
I can handle this.
You go enjoy the rest of your night with your handsome gentleman,” she winked.
She didn’t even have time to reply, or to be shocked, before she was swiftly left alone in the middle of the dancefloor.
She turned, blinking, seeing Jake slowly walking onto the dancefloor to stand before her. “So… looks like it’s just you and me, counselor.”
“Certainly looks that way, Lieutenant.”
He mock-winced. “What happened to ‘Jake’, I thought we were getting along so well.”
She couldn’t help her laugh. “I’m sorry—Jake.”
He fleetingly grinned, before turning serious. “So…”
“So… no plans for a… wild night with Javy?
Night’s still young… ish.”
“He can survive without me.
On the ground, at least,” he teased, inclining his head. “So it looks like my dance card’s empty.
I’m all yours.”
“Oh, are you?” she said, poorly concealing her laughter, at the way the tables had turned from earlier.
He looked at her, wondering what was funny, and she got to see his lightbulb moment. “I—I did not mean it that—I mean—unless—I—I mean—I’m—I’m just going to shut up, now,” he lamely finished.
“That was incredible and adorkable.”
“I’ve been called many things in my life, but never adorkable.”
“First time for everything, I guess.” The moment hung for a beat, before she continued, “Well, you’re in for a pretty boring night, then, because I am exhausted, and I am going to go up to my hotel room,” she sighed.
A frown creased his brow. “You live in New Orleans, and yet you rented a hotel room.”
“I am what, again?”
Jake clicked his tongue, an expression like he was berating himself on his face. “Exhausted.”
It was late, she’d had a couple of drinks (though that excuse was wearing a little thin, given that she’d drank them hours ago), so she allowed herself to be a little silly, and she whipped out double finger guns. “Star witness, here.
But… you can walk me to my room.”
His eyes lit up, and he extended his elbow in the old-fashioned way. “Lead the way, madam.”
They slowly walked out of the ballroom, moving towards the elevator bank.
It was a decent walk, and it was done in a comfortable silence, during which she narrowly kept herself from leaning her head against his arm.
When they arrived at the elevator bank, there was still a decent crowd of people from the wedding stood there, which made her groan. “This is going to take forever.”
“If you’re up for more of a walk, there’s another elevator bank up on the mezzanine,” Jake offered.
A despairing look up at him. “Stairs?”
“Stairs.
But you’ll be in your room sooner.”
She deliberated. “Fuck it—stairs.”
This time, she followed him up the grand oak staircase, wincing with each step—no matter how broken in a pair of heels were, at a certain point, they all became instruments of torture.
At the top of the stairs, she saw that there was blessedly, no one around, but the thought of walking one more step in her heels was a bridge too far, and she tugged Jake towards the mezzanine railing. “Wait, let me take these off.”
Keeping one hand on the wood rail, she eased the strap of her heel out of the buckle, when she overbalanced, and lurched forward.
Strong hands caught her to a firm chest, and she looked up into his verdant eyes, her whole being caught.
“God, but I really want to kiss you right now, counselor,” he rasped, his voice, pure tone draped in yearning.
“Technically, I don’t kiss on the first date,” she instinctively spoke, and she could see his gaze shutter as he began to loosen his grip slightly, when she drew him even closer, pulling him in by fisting her hand in the lapel of his black velvet suit jacket. “But… technically… we’ve already had so many first dates, haven’t we?”
It took him a moment, but she could literally see the shutters on his gaze being flung open, being replaced by a mischievous sparkle. “We have, haven’t we.”
“Hard to see a reason why you shouldn’t kiss me, in that case.”
He smiled, the innocence of his little boy’s smile contrasting with the smoldering desire in his viridian eyes.
The next thing she knew, Jake’s lips were on hers, and he was kissing her.
In a split second, the fire that had warmed her very soul, now rushed through her blood, consuming everything that wasn’t Jake Seresin, until the only coherent thought was of him.
If not for his arms around her, the deep, searching caress of his mouth on hers was enough to bring her to her knees then and there, his kiss a new religion.
The kiss lasted a moment, it lasted eternity, but she knew that from that point on, she’d never have enough—he’d always leave her longing for more.
The breath which so rudely surged into her lungs seemed like poor recompense for his kiss.
Jake looked about as wrecked as she felt, his lashes fluttering over half-lidded eyes, his forehead leant against hers. “An absolutely stunning, whip-smart woman who sees me and likes it, with a gorgeous smile and laugh—damn, I think I’ve found the reason my dance card’s going to be full for the foreseeable future,” he murmured.
A sound between a chuckle and a gasp of air slipped from her lips as a thrill raced through her.
“Only if you please though,” he added, a teasing note in his voice.
“I very much please,” she replied.
“Yeah?”
God, his smile—screw halfway in love—her heart was his through and through.
“Yeah,” she nodded. “Now kiss me again.”
Jake chuckled, “Well, since you asked so nicely, how can I refuse?”
He kissed her again, and in that kiss, forever laid at her feet, spread out before her.
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What does it say about me that I know exactly what model Ray-Bans Glen used in TG:M?
😂
I did totally take the the “Jerk. Bitch.” interaction from Supernatural.
If you look at the nametags in TG86, below the names, you’ll see “TOPGUN 1”, so I’m going to assume there’s more than one TOPGUN class/session in a year, at least in the TG/TG:M universe.
There’s a headcanon going around that Jake and Javy were either tied, or one and two respectively, in their TOPGUN class, so I went with that.
(I headcanon that Bradley and Natasha were in the same TOPGUN class, and Natasha was number one, while Bradley was number two.)
I vacillate between Old Money!Jake and Working/Middle Class!Jake on a fairly regular basis, but for the purposes of this story, I went with Old Money!Jake.
Apparently, cotillion is still alive and well in Texas, so Jake having that experience is highly plausible.
USNA does have a Ballroom Club, although, like with most things in fanfiction, I might be taking liberties with the time of its establishment, because I don’t know when that got started.
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Under Donald Trump’s leadership, the West Wing operated more like a pill mill than the White House, at least according to a January report by the Department of Defense inspector general, which capped a six-year investigation into the administration’s medical practices.
But sources knowledgeable on the matter paint an even more dramatic image than that, describing the nation’s highest office as “awash in speed,” reported Rolling Stone.
Common pills included modafinil, Adderall, fentanyl, morphine, and ketamine, according to the Pentagon report. But other, unlisted drugs—like Xanax—were equally easy to come by from the White House Medical Unit, according to sources that spoke to the magazine.
At least two senior staffers would regularly mix the depressant with alcohol, a potentially life-threatening combo, to deal with the stress of working with a highly erratic boss.
“You try working for him and not chasing pills with alcohol,” one source told Rolling Stone.
While other presidents were known to take a mix of drug cocktails to fight off back pain (like JFK) or bad moods (like Nixon), no previous administrations matched the level of debauchery of Trump’s, whose in-office pharmacists unquestioningly handed out highly addictive substances to staffers who needed pick-me-ups or energy boosts—no doctor’s exam, referral, or prescription required.
“It was kind of like the Wild West. Things were pretty loose. Whatever someone needs, we were going to fill this,” another source said.
Ultimately, the unmitigated access to controlled substances fostered an environment that would have been considered highly illegal and problematic anywhere else in the nation—if it weren’t inside the very office that helps craft those regulations.
“Is it being done appropriately or legally all the time? No. But are they going to get to that end result that the bosses want? Yeah,” said another, referring to the high demands of the office.
Meanwhile, pharmacists described an atmosphere of fear within the West Wing, claiming they would be “fired” if they spoke out or would receive negative work assignments if they didn’t hand pills over to staffers.
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sher-ee · 2 months
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This right here 👆🏻
He said it.
Republicans can continue to reject the truth and deem everything they don’t want to hear “fake news”, but Trump said it.
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lonestarflight · 1 year
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Concept art of Martin X-24A being launched into orbit by a Titan III launch vehicle.
Art by Fred Wolff for Popular Mechanics July 1968 issue.
Posted on Flickr by Ed Dempsey: link
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mudwerks · 14 days
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(via Marilyn Monroe's Official Department of Defense ID Card - Neatorama)
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worldspotlightnews · 1 year
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China's new defense minister is a general the US sanctioned for buying Russian weapons | CNN
CNN  —  China on Sunday appointed a US-sanctioned general as its new defense minister. The country’s rubber-stamp legislature unanimously confirmed the appointment of General Li Shangfu, a veteran of the People’s Liberation Army’s modernization drive, during a session on Sunday. Experts said the appointment would be closely watched by Washington given Li’s background, even though the post is…
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reportwire · 1 year
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China's new defense minister is a general the US sanctioned for buying Russian weapons | CNN
CNN  —  China on Sunday appointed a US-sanctioned general as its new defense minister. The country’s rubber-stamp legislature unanimously confirmed the appointment of General Li Shangfu, a veteran of the People’s Liberation Army’s modernization drive, during a session on Sunday. Experts said the appointment would be closely watched by Washington given Li’s background, even though the post is…
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ljf613 · 2 months
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Went to visit my parents and walked in on my dad listening to The Tortured Poets Department.
"It's kind of meh, no?" I asked him. "It's all the same song," he said, nodding. "Like I asked an ai generator 'Create generic Taylor Swift songs. Oh, and throw in some cursing.'" Good to know we're on the same page.
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dandelion-blues · 28 days
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To Percy, Sally Jackson’s son.
Why do you stay with her?
When your bloody and bruised
When her pride almost gets you killed
Loyalty truly is a fatal flaw
Why do you smile?
Her lips are stained red
Her heart always beats for another
And you can never compare
Why do you let her use you?
Your achievements are hers
Your dreams useless to hers
Normality killed by the world she insists on making
Why do you let her mock you?
“Seaweed brain, all your plans are useless”
“Coward, admit your feelings for me before your reaped”
“It’s our ‘guy secret’ remember brain boy”
Why do you let her hurt you?
You’re stupid, a kick to the shins
Stop speaking, an elbow to the ribs
Don’t leave, a judo-flip where your mortal spot from Achilles’ curse once was
Will you die for her?
Worse, you’ll fall into Tartarus for her
Protecting her while she keeps you on your toes
Only to have to suffer and suppress yourself
How can others stand this?
Easy, you are a monster that needs to be restrained
So you try to kill yourself in poison she made you promise not to control
And Loyalty never knows abuse when it is absolute
To clarify, it’s Riodan’s Annabeth I don’t like, and when writing her, it will be as a friend, and her more extreme behavior is changed or addressed. Though, Percy is always my focus anyways. 😊
First - Previous - Next Poem
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the-authoress-writes · 4 months
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Coming Soon…
Safe and Sound
A Bradley Bradshaw x Seresin OC Story
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After leaving her violent and abusive husband, Anastasia Seresin has known nothing but fear for months.
Always looking over her shoulder, wondering if he’s found her and their son, Luke, again.
With nowhere left to go, she turns to her younger twin brother, Jake, hoping that finally, she’ll have fled far enough.
But when she meets Bradley Bradshaw, her world is turned upside down, and she’s left wondering…
Will she have the courage to love again, and to let herself be loved?
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definitelynotisabel · 2 months
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i need thg edits to who’s afraid of little old me
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short-wooloo · 3 months
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A watch of Transformers (1986) got me angry at Star Wars fandom
A dying Optimus tells the Autobots not to grieve for him and that he will be one with the Matrix soon
This is basically the same thing that Yoda tells Anakin
But no one hates on Optimus for this (probably because they're too busy unreasonably hating Hot Rod but still)
Meanwhile this apparently makes Yoda an unfeeling idiot because he didn't know exactly what Anakin was worried about beyond a broad "I'm scared someone's going to die"
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brokenbackmountain · 5 months
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stranger things moots ily all so much but i need that franchise to crash and burn a la harry potter. wdym one of the creators + MULTIPLE cast members are zionists and people are posting about how hyped up they are for the 5th season. enough. leave this shit in 2023
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