#pedro pascalxreader

[bluepink-y]

Sway - part 1 (maybe?)

Javier Pena x female!OC

Word count: 2.690

Summary: One of Javier’s former informants came back to Bogotá. On his way to get to find out why, he encounters some unexpected trouble.

Warnings: guns, strippers, mentions of sex, language

A/N: No one asked for this and I doubt many people will read this, but I was so proud of myself for writing more than a few sentences, I decided to post this. My first fic in maybe 3 years? This is also my first time not writing for a ship and my first time posting something with my OC (very exciting and terrifying). I have a little more in mind with this, but we’ll see.

English is not my first language and I have no one to beta for me. That is just a very long way to say: sorry, my English sucks.

However he thought, or God forbid hoped, this night would go, this was not even in his top ten. Sweat rolled down his back, as the barrel of a gun dug under his chin. The mixture of gunpowder, iron, and raspberries hitting his nose while a pair of green eyes looked up at him. All he saw were flames. It was hard to connect her to the woman he saw just 5 minutes ago dancing with soft blue lights reflecting off of the glitter on her body. Along with the soft smiles and white bodice, she looked almost angelic. It was a stupid thought back then, and it’s even more stupid now.

“Layla! I don’t think this is a very good idea,” a shaky voice of reason came from the most unexpected source. Sweet Valentina hasn’t moved from the door since she brought him here, and he almost forgot she was standing there.

“Yeah? You know what’s not a very good idea? Bringing strange men backstage! How many fucking times have I told you?” Layla barked back without taking her eyes off of him. Her voice was angry and annoyed, but she was a complete picture of calmness.

“Look, my name is Javier Pena--”

“And you are looking for Izzy. I heard you. Where is your badge?”

Oh, so she knew who he was. He just hoped that was a good thing.

“Jeans. Back pocket.”

Layla moved to stand by his side as she blindly reached to his pocket. Instead, her hand landed on the small of his back, and she pulled out a gun from the back of his jeans. Without giving it a look, she threw it on the small couch behind her. Finally, she pulled out his badge, and her eyes left his for the first time since he came into her dressing room.

“What the fuck am I supposed to find out from this?” She closed her eyes forcefully, scrunching her nose in frustration.

“I am a DEA agent,” he answered a bit confused. No one ever questioned his badge before.

“So fucking what? Is there only one DEA agent? Anyone can fucking have this. Where’s some kind of picture, name… something. Jesus. Where’s your ID?”

Before he could tell her that it was in the inside pocket of his jacket Valentina started slurring words in a panic. By the look on Layla’s face, she wasn’t sure of what was said either, but it didn’t take much guessing when her last words were, “HE IS THE POLICE?”

“Why the hell are you still here, Val? Just get out.” Layla sounded as tired of all of this as he felt. He had some actual fucking work to do and instead he was here. Trying to figure out why one of his former informants came back to Bogotá and make sure she got out safe again.

“I’m not leaving you alone with him. What if he does something to you?”

“And how exactly would you help me?” There was a silence for a few moments, and then he heard Valentina move. Judging by the sound, she moved very slowly. Layla’s eyebrows raised in question and then her lips turned into an amused smile. “Good girl,” she said finally. Javier tried to turn his head and see what was going on, but Layla dug the gun even deeper into his skin making him hiss. It didn’t matter much either way because Valentina stopped in front of him. His own gun pointing at his chest.

“Now, where’s your ID?” Layla turned her attention back to him.

“Jacket.”

He felt her patting the side pockets and finally find her way to his wallet and ID. She studied it for a moment, looking up at him and back down to the piece of plastic and then, finally, lowering the gun.

“Give him back his gun, Val,” she nodded at her. Valentina almost threw it at him before Layla even finished her sentence. He caught it and put it back into the back of his jeans.

Layla took a few steps back and took Valentina’s hand into her own, giving it a kiss. “Go home, love,” her voice was full of tenderness and warmth as she spoke to the younger woman. Such simple gestures and somehow it felt too intimate for him to witness. “I’m sure Agent Pena will gladly pay for any emotional distress he caused you tonight.” Layla looked up from the woman up to him again with one of the fakest sweetest smiles he’s ever seen.

God, he hated strip clubs. You always pay way more than necessary for much less fun than a fucking brothel. Still, he took out a few bills from his wallet and reluctantly gave them to her. Valentina shoved them into her bra and, with a promise of a call from Layla, left.

“Unbelievable,” he let out, the bizarre nature of the situation finally hitting him.“Can’t say I’ve ever been held at gunpoint by a stripper.”

“I believe that,” she shot him a cold look. “Considering,” she gestured vaguely at him, “your whole deal. I mean, most strippers don’t have the inside information you want and very few of them fuck for money.”

He felt her words burn in his chest as he lit a cigarette to avoid her stare. He pondered if he should defend himself, but it seemed like she only wanted him to know that she knew what went down between him and Izzy. “Where is she?” he asked instead, trying to get to the point of this whole night.

“Safe. Her grandma got sick, so she came to visit her. She leaves tomorrow afternoon.”

“I would like to see her and make sure she’s alright,” he pressed. He didn’t come all the way down here and got his head almost blown off for words of reassurance.

She studied his face, lighting a cigarette of her own. Javier wasn’t sure of what she found out, but after a few moments, she turned her back to him and started packing her things into a bag. “Give me five minutes, and I’ll meet you outside.”

----------

The second she heard the door close behind him her hands tore away at the robe draped around her body. The material was light, but it felt like she was caught in a vice. Letting the flimsy material pool around her feet, she was finally able to take a deep breath. It still did not seem like enough. It did not matter though, she had no time to panic and wouldn’t have until Izzy and David were safely out of Colombia.

Taking one more deep breath she took off the silver bra and thongs and exchanged them for the more comfortable cotton pair she came to work in. She hastily stuffed all the costumes she used that night into her bag and then swept all the trinkets on the table on top of them with one broad sweep of her hand. She was already annoyed at the mess she’d have to go through later.

In her own clothes, she made her way through the back door outside the club. It took a little longer to get to the main street, but still better than being stopped by patrons asking for a private show. 

Agent Pena was leaning on the hood of, what she thought had to be, his car. He was just finishing another cigarette, his eyes already on her as she stepped from around the corner of the building and into the street.

“That was more than five minutes,” he commented when she was within the earshot. Pushing off the hood of the car, he walked to the driver’s side without giving her a second look.

“I was hoping you’d fuck off,” she muttered to herself before sliding into the passenger seat.

He started the car and looked at her impatiently, waiting for instructions. She reluctantly told him their destination, not exactly ecstatic that she was about to take him to her flat.

Silence fell over the car when they hit the streets he was familiar with, and she didn’t have to navigate him anymore. Her head rested on the window, and she watched him drive. He seemed tired. Bags under his eyes and even his hands on the wheel kept sliding down now and then. She smiled to herself when his nose scrunched up as if something tickled it. 

Pena turned his head as he stopped at an intersection and did a little double-take when he noticed her watching him. “What?” he asked seeming almost self-conscious. It made her laugh.

“Nothing,” she shrugged and kept her eyes unashamedly on him.

He looked at her again, holding her gaze for a few moments as if he was testing her, averting his eyes back to the road when she didn’t flinch. “I thought you wanted me to ‘fuck off’.”

“Oh, I do,” she agreed, completely serious. “I’m also kinda intrigued. I mean, Izzy risked everything for you. I’m just trying to figure out what it is about you that was worth it.”

He seemed to be caught off guard by her honesty. His fingers tightened around the steering wheel, and he shifted in his seat. This was obviously not a very comfortable topic for him. “I think you are giving me more credit than it’s due. I just offered her a safe way from Colombia with her son.”

“Sure,” she nodded, “seems reasonable enough.” The sarcasm in her voice did not escape him, but she just did not want to talk about that anymore. Both of them knew Izzy liked him more than she should have. She didn’t risk only her life, but also the life of her son and her grandmother. It didn’t matter now anyway.

“Is Layla your real name?”

She let out a laugh because the question was simply ridiculous. Especially after that little exchange they just had. The corner of his lip quirked up just a little. He seemed happy she wanted to move on from the conversation as well. “You are the big DEA agent here. What do you think?”

“So, what is your real name?” he looked at her again. The streetlights reflected in his eyes, and she realized that they were not as dark as she previously thought. 

“Why? So you can go back to work tomorrow and try to look me up in one of your files?” she kept her tone light, teasing. He seemed more responsive to that, and it was nice to see him relax a little. Plus, she felt she owed him after holding a gun to his head.

“Of course not,” he shook his head, “I’m going back to the office right after I’m done with this.”

She laughed again, and he joined in with his reserved chuckle. “Well, I’m tempted to see how good you are and what you come up with only my address and a stage name.”

“So,” he turned his head to her and slowed down the car when she motioned to the apartment complex she lived in and parked right in front of it. “You think we will see each other again.” 

“I think you like a challenge, agent Pena,” she winked at him as she got out of the car.

She closed her eyes in the cool air, mentally banging her head against a wall. Why did she always have to flirt? Barely, but still. It was like a curse she couldn’t get rid of, and it always came up in the most inappropriate of places. Like with a fucking DEA agent who fucked one of her best friends.

Pena closed the car door and caught up with her on the steps into the building. She led him to the second-floor terrace when he tried his luck one last time. “So you won’t tell me your name?”

“No,” she answered simply as she unlocked the door to her flat. “Izzy!” she called out into the apartment, but instead of Izzy, little David came running from one of the rooms.

“Auntie, Nat! Auntie, Nat!” he almost tackled her to the ground trying to show her little cars his grandmother bought him. 

“No way! These are amazing!” she yelped, trying to match little David’s energy even if he just told Pena her real name. 

“Auntie, Nat,” Pena repeated after the boy with a winning smile.

Natalia just shook her head at him disapprovingly, “that’s cheating.”

“Nat! I made di--” Izzy’s words died in her throat as her eyes landed on the man next to her. “What are you doing here?”

“Izzy,” Pena walked slowly to her, “I just wanted to make sure everything was alright.” 

Izzy nodded at him, her eyes blown in shock. “Why are you with Nat?”

Hearing her name, Natalia took David into her arms. “Why don’t you two have a little chat and David,” she turned her attention to the youngest one, “can tell me all about these fancy cars.” The little bugger nodded furiously and twisted his way out of her arms.

“Yes! Of course! He couldn’t wait to show you,” Izzy agreed, kissing her son on the forehead as he ran past her and into Natalia’s room. Nat followed him in silence, only squeezing Izzy’s hand as she walked past her.

Her room was a mess with bags and clothes and toys all around the place. It looked like Izzy was in the middle of a packing up. Natalia made some room on her bed and sat down with David, trying to give him her full attention. It wasn’t as hard as she thought it would. David made damn sure she wouldn’t have anything on her mind but the story of the two racing cars. 

It didn’t take long before the doors to her room opened and Izzy came in. She was genuinely smiling, content. “He’s leaving, but wants to talk to you.”

Nat nodded and walked out of her room and to the living room, where Pena was standing by the door with his hands on his hips. He didn’t seem very happy with anything that just happened. “What’s going on?” She stopped closer to him than necessary, but she didn’t wanna risk David hearing anything.

“Do you know how to use that little gun of yours?” he ducked his head down, bringing him even closer. 

“I-I,” she stammered. The intensity in which his eyes bore into hers scared her. “Yes… Yes I know how to use it.”

“Good. Izzy doesn’t want me to go with you tomorrow.” He handed her a little white card with his name and put it into her hand. “If there’s anything weird. If you see anyone you don’t like or even if you have just a bad feeling,” he closed her hand around the piece of paper with his hand, not letting go just yet. “I want you to immediately call me, okay?”  Somehow he was even closer now, but instead of recoiling from him, she stood motionless. 

His eyes slid to her open lips that were unable to form the word to go with her nodding. 

“Good,” he said slowly, dragging his eyes up to hers again. She felt as if she was under a microscope as if he could see every emotion she was feeling at that moment plainly in her face. Could he tell how scared she was? 

“Good,” he repeated when his eyes landed on hers again. “Call me.” 

“I will,” she finally found her voice. It was quiet and shaky and downright pathetic. She should have stuck with nodding like an idiot. 

His head was tilting back and forth as if he could not bring himself to get out of her space even though he should. There was no reason for him to stay this close to her now, and she wasn’t sure if there was any need before, but neither of them was ready to make the first move.

 With a quick swipe of tongue over his lower lip, he finally stood up to his height, squeezing her balled up fist in his hand as he turned to the door. “Good night, Nat.”

[deansgirl79]

If someone could do a lengthy insanely filthy smut piece of pedro pascalxreader based around this new photo shoot that would be great thanks. Cause this photo shoot is making me FERAL. Holy shit.

[geliditramonti]

Movie Night - Pedro PascalxReader

You can barely see his face in the dim light of the room, illuminated only by the images of the movie flowing on the TV screen. It's been a really long time since you and Pedro were together like this, that you didn't give yourselves some time to do something you like. He travels a lot for work and stays away for very long periods, but when he comes home and you're together you don't need anything else. Of course you didn't expect him to fall asleep after just ten minutes, but...is that really important? You felt his body relax and lean against yours, collapsing from fatigue after the long fly before wrapping his arms around your hips, sighing softly. Poor thing, seems exhausted. You looked at him for a moment and then you decided to lie down, with slow movements to not wake him up, making him lie on top of you in a more comfortable position. With a sigh Pedro moved his head a bit, settling on you and immediately falling back into a deep sleep, holding onto you a little bit more. You want this moment to never end.

"That's why you let me pick the movie..." you whisper to yourself with half a smile and eyes full of love, chuckling at the thought that, deep down, you knew this was supposed to end this way.

You don't mind the weight of his body lying on top of yours, the only thing you care about right now is that he's sleeping so peacefully, finally in your arms after so long. You gently slide your fingers through his brown hair and you get lost looking at his features, his beautiful face now asleep in a relaxed expression with those lips half open. God, how much you missed him. Every inch of him. Every time he has to leave and you know you won't see him for months...it's a painful knock-down. Endless days that never go by. With your fingertips you touch his hair and the movie no longer interests you, completely lost in the thoughts and emotion of having him there in your arms. So sweet, so vulnerable. You keep looking at him in the twilight, stroking his head softly and all you can think about is how much you love him and how lucky you are. In recent months his success has exploded and, although that's the reason why you two are forced to stay away from each other, you're really happy that he's finally having the recognition he deserves, for which he has always worked so hard. Pedro loves his work and you're thinking about how much passion and love he puts in it every time, transforming himself and taking on the role of many different characters, sometimes so different from his way of being. But looking at him now, so calm and relaxed...all you can see is just Pedro. Your man, the guy you fell in love with a few years ago and he's completely himself just when he's with you. You hear a slight groan as he moves a little before opening his eyes slightly to smile, a bit confused by sleep.

"It's not over yet?"

You smile again.

"No...you know, you fell asleep pretty quickly this time"

"I'm sorry" he answers you with a deep and husky voice "...I have jet lag to blame."

Your gaze got used to the dark and now you can see his eyes looking at you in silence. You just smile at him as his eyes move over your lips, then back into yours.

"We can restart it if you want."

You said it, okay. You both know you just said it. Pedro smiles a bit as he leans forward, almost carefully, bringing his face closer. His lips meet yours in a slow and gentle kiss, kissing you again and then again with a hand resting on your cheek, gently caressing your face with his thumb continuing to kiss you so softly. No one can kiss you the way he does.

"I'm gonna take that as a no" you tell him in a whisper before tasting his lips again as he lifts his body lying over you, settling himself between your legs. The scent of his aftershave is intoxicating your senses as your body melt and burn like fire under the touch of his warm hands, running under the lightweight cotton of your shirt. His tongue caresses yours as a small groan comes out of your throat when he presses his bulge against your most sensitive part. You love the way he touches you, the way he kisses you. How is it that he can make you feel so loved and so desired at the same time? You want to make sweet love to him but you also want to get fucked so rough. Damn. His hand runs over the skin of your back and you grab the flaps of his white shirt, lifting it and pulling it off, revealing his beautiful body that you look as if it were the eighth world wonder. Pedro doesn't waste time and takes off your shirt too, throwing it and making it end up on the TV screen. Your kisses are deep as if you wanted to devour each other while he caresses your breasts, pushing his body more and more against yours and making you breathe faster, tremble with the urge to have him inside you. 

"I want you so bad" he tells you between one kiss and another before sliding the tip of his tongue on your upper lip, making your body feel run by electricity from the head to toe. Your fingers are sinking into his hair, his moustache is slightly tickling the skin of your neck and his hand is slowly slipping under the elastic of your pajama shorts, making you gasp when his fingers reach your slit and gently sliding over it. A grin appears on his face.

"...looks like you want me too."

You lift your butt a little to make it easier for him to take off your shorts that in a few seconds are on the floor along with your panties. Pedro stands there looking at you for a few seconds, naked under him with the skin quivering.

"What did I do to deserve you?" and after another kiss he takes off his boxers, going back to lie on top of you. God, you never get tired of seeing him like that. His cock is thick and hard, you feel the tip that rests on your entrance while you no longer resist: you want it, you need it. Feeling him closer, finally inside you, fused together in the oblivion of love.

"Pedro"

Your lips are barely touching.

"Yes, mi amor..."

He’s leaving so many little kisses all over your face.

"I love you."

He smiles and kisses you deeply as he slips inside you, so slowly, filling you up completely and taking your breath away. It’s the most beautiful feeling you’ve ever felt. Making love with Pedro takes you straight to heaven, he moves his hips sinking into you and holding onto your body, touching and kissing it as if you were made of sugar and gold. He accelerates his pace and his blows become more decisive, sinking into you as your sighs and groans intertwine in a crescendo of passion and pleasure.

"I love you more" he answers you in a sigh, his mouth tastes yours again and your head starts to spin as you’re about to reach your orgasm, with your eyes watery and your soul shining. 

"Cum for me, baby" he moans "I want you to cum."

The sound of his voice in your ear, the smell of his skin, his lips upon thee go to your head and you reach maximum pleasure, moaning loudly and throwing your head back on the couch, almost screaming his name while your body trembles sinking your fingers into his back. For a moment Pedro slows down giving you a chance to catch your breath, licking your lips, biting your skin. He's smiling.

"Fuck, I love to see you like this" he tells you softly as it keeps moving inside you, going out and then all the way in "I love to pleasure you...and make you feel...good"

He starts fucking you again, grabbing you and pushing harder with his eyes full of love and fire.

"Fuck, babe... don't stop, please!"

You close your eyes and almost scream, wrapping your legs around his waist and feeling his dick pulsating inside your wet cunt, he's filling you with his hot liquid as you're enjoying his moans of pleasure against your neck. Your body reaches its second orgasm and you hold onto his body, with a short breath and a running heart.

"Oh, God..."

After a few minutes Pedro comes out of you, extends his arm to the floor and hands you a tissue before laying on your body again, holding you close.

"Hey..."

With a finger on your chin he turns your face towards his and kisses you so slowly, a kiss full of love and devotion to the woman he loves more than his life. You’ve never felt so at peace, so happy, so alive.

"You know...I think movie night is by far my favorite"

He looks at you and smiles, tired and happy to have you in his arms.

. . . . . . . . . . .

Thanks for reading! Follow me on Wattpad for more stories ❤️ 👉🏻 @DropTheLeash 👈🏻

[bluepink-y]

Sway - part 2

Javier Pena x female!OC

Word count: 2.879

Summary:  Javier decides to go back and check on Natalia.

Warnings: guns, mentions of sex, drugs (weed), language

A/N: Ahhhh I got high for the first time in 5 years and decided to write a sequel. Yay for me!

Part 1

English is not my first language and I have no one to beta for me. That is just a very long way to say: sorry, my English sucks.

She should’ve known by now that smoking weed and reading a book wasn’t the best combination. The book kept slipping from her hand, and she read the same sentence for the fourth time and still did not understand it. She just wanted to sleep and thought maybe the combination of the two would help. Safe to say it did not. Maybe smoking another one? 

She put the book down on her bedside table and got up from her bed. She didn’t bother putting her shorts on as she made her way to the kitchen. Turning on just a small yellow light above her sink, she opened one of the drawers that had already rolled joints stacked in it. She lit one and leaned out of the kitchen window that was facing into small gardens. It was quiet now, dark, but during the day there were kids playing football, or chasing each other around. She always let the window open to hear them screaming and laughing while she read or cleaned, it made her feel less lonely.

Natalia blew out a perfect ring of smoke, watching it disappear into the night when she heard a knock on the front door. Her whole body went rigid. She held her breath, trying to hear what was happening, hoping it was just her imagination. 

The knocking came again, this time louder and more than one. Natalia jumped, letting the joint fall from between her fingers. “Shit,” she cursed silently, watching the small dot of light go out in the grass below. 

Every hair on her body stood up, cold sweat rolling down her temples as she tried to calm her breathing. Ever since Izzy and David left the country, she felt a little on edge. Then again, who comes for a friendly chat at 3 AM?

She walked slowly to the kitchen door, peeking from around the corner to see the front door and her living room. It did not seem like anyone was trying to get in by force, but she was sure she could see something move behind the window curtain. She needed her gun. She tiptoed into her bedroom right across the kitchen and took the gun from under her pillow. 

Just as she walked out of her bedroom with the gun pointed at the door, the knocking came again. It was rough and acute.

“Who is it?” She called out as she slowly walked towards the door.

“Pena. Can you please open?” 

Natalia almost fell to her knees, tears prickling in the corner of her eyes when she heard his name. Wiping the tears she opened the door with hands that refused to stop shaking. Pena stood there with hands resting on his hips, looking at her almost angrily. Before she got the chance to say something he made his way inside.

“Hey man! What the hell?” she closed the door behind him.

“You didn’t call,” he turned to her, his voice was quiet, rough. 

His eyes widened when he noticed she was standing there in a shirt and panties. They weren’t even nice ones. It was the kind that is super comfortable, and it’s great to wear to sleep or when you don’t expect anyone to see you in them.

His eyes looked away from her legs, and he turned slightly to the side.

“Everything went smoothly. There was no need to call.” She walked past him into the kitchen, pushing him out of the way. Her mouth felt like she ate a handful of sand, and she needed water before she would be able to continue with this conversation.

He followed her quietly, but she could hear him inhale deeply a few times. 

“You should have called and told me that!” he really seemed angry now, but she couldn’t answer before drinking something. Natalia took out a bottle of water from her fridge, handing him one, but he just shook his head. 

She could feel the water trickling down her chin and onto her shirt as she tried to soothe her throat. He leaned his hips against her kitchen counter and looked around, sniffing. At first, she was offended, but then it hit her. The weed. He could smell the fucking weed!

She put the empty bottle down on the counter and took a step closer to him. His head snapped back to her, and she smiled sweetly. “You wouldn’t be here now if I called you,” she took another step, looking up at him from under her eyelashes. He straightened making the distance between them even smaller, his jaw flexed as he watched her put her hand on his chest, her nails scraping over his shirt just above his heart.

It was pathetic and low, but the last thing she needed was a DEA agent asking her about the weed that was in a drawer right behind him. She just needed to get him interested enough to follow her into the living room and forget about what he just smelled, but when he licked his lips as he put his hand over hers, she completely blanked. He leaned closer to her, his eyes moving to her lips. Her heart sped up in her chest when his hot breath fawned over her, her lips falling open on their own, aching for him to make the final move. “Don’t be cute with me. You are stoned out of your mind,” he said sternly, taking her hand off his chest and twirled her aside.

She turned back to him, annoyed and slightly out of breath. “Are you gonna put me in handcuffs?” Natalia chuckled, trying a slightly different approach with him since the first one seemed to affect her more than it did him.

“No,” he shook his head. “But only because you look like you’d enjoy it.”

 “It does sound like fun, Agent.” 

“It is very fun,” he nodded, loving the way her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

She watched him for a moment, imagining him with handcuffs and how they would feel around her wrists. How he would fuck her. Would he want her on her back with access to her breasts and pussy? Or maybe he’d like her from behind holding onto the handcuffs with her head in the pillows and completely at his mercy…

Natalia blinked. Realizing she zoned out for way too long and was just staring at him with an open mouth that was once again dry.

“Do you want coffee? You look like you need it,” she offered quickly just as it looked like he was about to say something 

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. “I don’t wanna keep you up.”

“Nonsense!” she bumped his hip with hers to get him out of the way as she walked to the counter. He looked down at her questioningly, but when he found her smiling he moved from the counter and sat down by the kitchen table. 

She didn’t wanna say it out loud, but having him there felt good. If only because she felt a bit safer, and she did find his grumpiness funny.  Especially in the state, she was in.

She reached into a cupboard, and the breeze on her ass reminded her she still had no pants on. She turned around to look at him, heat rising in her cheeks when she noticed he was watching her. His arms resting crossed on his chest and an amused smile on his lips. For once, she was glad for the shitty lighting.

“Care Bears? Really?” he raised an eyebrow, chuckling. 

“What? Were you expecting something sparkly and sexy?” 

“I mean,” he tilted his head as if that would allow him to see the front of her underwear under the shirt, “they may not be sparkly, but you still make them work.”

Natalia scoffed, shaking her head as she poured him a cup of coffee. “Come on, Pena, you can do better than that,” she challenged as she put the coffee in front of him along with milk and sugar.

“I thought that was pretty smooth,” he shrugged nonchalantly.  “You still should have called me,” he reprimanded her again when she sat down across the table from him with another bottle of water.  “So there were no problems? No one suspicious coming to your work or around here?” She rolled her eyes at him, she would much rather discuss the illegal drugs she had in her possession than this. Why was he so obsessed with this.

“I work at a strip club, most men there look suspicious,” she tried to keep the conversation light, but the look on his face let her know that this was no time to be funny. “No,” she sighed, “I don’t think so.”

“Are you sure?” he pressed, and it was irritating.

“I don’t know! How am I supposed to know, Pena? It’s not like they wear a sign around their neck!” she didn’t mean to yell at him, but the last week was hard. She expected every man who talked to her to put a bullet between her eyes or worse and Pena coming here and asking her if she was sure? How could she be sure of anything?

His eyes lowered to her hands that were nervously playing with the bottle, and he put his own hand over them. He didn’t speak until her breathing slowed down and the panic disappeared from her eyes. “I know, but I need you to stay calm. It’s been three days since she left and everything’s alright, right?” he talked slowly, soothingly, the tone of his voice putting her more at ease than his words. 

She did not want to look at him, feeling embarrassed for losing her temper, especially now that he was so nice to her. “Thank you for checking up on me,” she whispered, afraid she’d start crying if she tried to talk any louder. She hadn’t realized how lonely she felt until that moment, how much she wanted to talk to someone about it. She did talk to Izzy over the phone, but she was too scared to bring any of this up. Izzy would never ask her for help again or maybe even come back if she knew how scared Natalia was.

------

Javier squeezed her hand in his. He couldn’t help but be in awe of this woman. From the confident, sexy dancer, to the badass that held a gun to his head and helped her friend, who had a price on her head, in and out of Colombia, to the woman that was wearing Care Bear underwear, scared and vulnerable.

To think that he wasn’t even going to come by. It took him three days and a restless night to get his ass up into his car and to her door. He felt awful. Sometimes he forgot how these things affected people who got mixed up into this bullshit by accident. Not that he was completely desensitized, but after so many years you find your ways to deal with all of it. Some may argue that drinking and fucking wasn’t the best way, but he hated running.

Suddenly her hands disappeared from under his, and she wiped the lone tear that escaped her. She smiled cheerily at him. Her green eyes were still glassy, but it was more from the weed than anything else. He was glad to see the flames were still there.

He smiled back at her, taking a sip of his first good cup of coffee he had in days. Neither of them spoke for a long while after that. They just sat there, watching each other. She looked soft in the washed-out shirt with a lazy smile plastered on her face and her curls in a disarray around her face. He wasn’t sure when was the last time he saw a woman look so domestic.

“Stop staring, Pena, or I’m gonna blush.”

He couldn’t help but smile; still, he wouldn’t look away. He loved how she did not know where to look.

“Pena!” she kicked him playfully under the table. 

Plenty of people called him by his surname, but coming from her, it just sounded wrong to his ears. It was too impersonal, too formal. It bothered him because, despite the flirting and the fact he’s seen her in her underwear twice now, she was obviously trying to keep her distance. All the while he was trying to get as close as possible.

“What? I like your stoner face,” he lied, making her roll her eyes at him. “Seriously though, you should stop that bullshit. I wouldn’t want to come after you next.”

“Oh yeah, because right after Escobar I’m number one on your list,” she scoffed. She wasn’t wrong. It was just a different list than she had in mind. “By the way, maybe pick a better hour next time you decide to come by. I almost shot you.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” he teased her, but the words ‘next time’ did not escape him. “Do you have even papers for that thing?” he forgot to ask her the last time.

“What do you think?” she raised an eyebrow, chuckling.

“Stupid question,” he admitted. “I could help you get them for free… if you want.”

She looked surprised by his offer but somehow amused at the same time. “Why would you help me?”

“Because I don’t wanna see you go to jail for 4 to 15 years,” he shrugged, hoping she wouldn’t want to over-analyze it and just take the gesture. 

“Aww, would you miss me, Pena?” she mocked him playfully, and he almost regretted it. He had some clever retort, but when he saw the self-satisfied smirk on her face, it made him fold a like deck of cards. She looked like a little kid who just won a basket of her favorite candy, and it was hard for him not to smile.

“Do you want the help or not?” he said roughly, trying to stay impassive. She rolled her eyes at his grumpiness but then nodded.

“What would I have to do?”

“Just come to a shooting range with me a few times and take a test.”

She thought about it for a moment, but she was smart enough not to let an opportunity like this pass by. 

“Alright then,” she said finally, “when do we start? Also, what test?”

“Give me your number, and I’ll call you with details.”  He wasn’t sure when he’d have the time, but he knew that Wendy, who took care of the shooting range, had a thing for him. Maybe he could arrange some late-night lessons. 

Natalia got up from the chair and went looking for pen and paper in her drawers. He could hear utensils clanking together as she dug through them. Frustrated, she opened a cupboard, granting him another peek at the pink underwear, and took out a box of cocoa. She ripped the lid off the cardboard packaging and sat down again. 

He watched her scribble her name and home number in messy handwriting, and then she slid it over to him. “Oh wait,” she took it back before he had a chance to react. “I’m gonna add my working hours, so you can catch me home.”

“Great,” he took the piece of cardboard from the table and briefly looked at it before putting it into his shirt pocket. “I’ll call you by the end of the week. My working hours are not as predictable as yours.” He drank the last of his coffee and look at his watch. It was a little after 4 am, and he was supposed to be at work in 4 hours. He didn’t think he would stay there for so long.

“You have to go?”

“I do work during the day, so I should,” he stood up somehow reluctantly and patted his pockets to make he had everything he came with. She stood up as well, walking with him to the living room.

“Thank you, again, for stopping by,” she leaned against the door frame when he was already outside. He turned to her and the soft smile she had on her face almost made him go back.

“Thank you for the coffee… and the Care Bears,” he winked at her, and she flipped him off. 

“Hey, you’re the only man who’s ever seen me in those. It’s a privilege.” Somehow, he believed her. 

“Well, thank you for the honor, then,” he bowed his head, making her laugh. He was sure that by that point he’d be able to recognize her anywhere, anytime only by the joyous sound of her laugh.

“Well, I did get a free gun permit out of it, so…”

“Strippers,” he shook his head in fake disappointment.

It was kinda awkward after that. Both of them standing on a joined terrace, in silence like two idiots, but she seemed just as reluctant to see him go as he was to leave. He didn’t know if it was because it made her feel safe, or because of something else, but it made him feel warm.

“Call you later then,” he said slowly as a form of goodbye, maybe hoping she would stop him. He wasn’t so lucky.

“You better!” she called after him, and then he heard the door close and lock.