#she will always climb into his moving truck and fall

[wanderingsoul6261]

Credit for gif goes to dailyflicks

Tyler Owens x Reader

PART ONE OF TWO (too long-hehehehe- to post in one. Do we are doing it in two, so fasten your seat belts for a long ride)

Warning: swearing, I think? I'm too lazy to check. Nothing else really I think.

Y/N walked over to the overly rigged up red truck, two cups of stale gas station coffee in her hands. She was very well aware of the rest of StormPar watching her, most of them probably glaring holes into her back as she approached the man none of them seemed to be able to stand.

She watched as the man peeked up over the bed of the truck, flashing her a cocky grin as he saw her advancing towards him, closing the distance in the matter of only seconds.

Two of his fingers moved up to tip his hat in greeting, his eyes having moved past her only briefly as he took in the group of StormPar employees watching them, Javi and Scott being two of them.

“Mornin’ Sugar.” his southern drawl came out, the sound of scraping on the truck bed filling the air between them as he reorganized a few things.

“Morning cowboy.” Y/N peeked around him, catching sight of Boone on the other side of the truck fiddling with the camera, Lilly next to him. “Boone. Lilly.” The two looked up at the mention of their names, tossing a wave in her direction before going back to their task.

“They really don't like you hanging out with us.” Tyler pointed two fingers behind her, tilting his head slightly as he climbed out of the back of the truck. He graciously accepted the coffee from her, a thank you falling from his lips as Y/N replied.

“I’d like to see them try and stop me. I can do what I want. It's fun seeing them getting all riled up.” Tyler's eyes crinkled at her antics, a chuckle escaping his throat as he leaned against the truck, Y/N standing in front of him. “it's half the reason why I do it.”

“You’re a little hell raiser.”

“I like the term fun. Or spontaneous. Captivating. Those are all good ones.” She said, her voice slightly muffled by the cup pressed to her lips, but a grin present behind it. Tyler's grin turned wider, taking in her appearance, her hair slightly disheveled, as if she only partially brushed it. The flannel she wore fell nicely around her body, the jeans she wore accentuated her curves wonderfully, and her eyes shown with mischief as she looked up at him.

“They don't know what they are missing.” He claimed, his eyes roaming over her face. The grin remained.

“They don't, do they?” Y/N glanced up at him. “If I wasn't good at what I do, I would have been off the team by now. Most of them think me a nuisance. Problem maker. Javi is the one always saving my ass.”

“Well you guys are old friends.”

“Well, with Kate now, if they can get her to stay beyond the week, I'm not so sure my space is safe.” She said honestly, the chaoticness leaving her tone and was now filled with a sense of unsureness.

“You’ll always have a place with us. I'll kick Boone to the back seat. Shotgun will be yours.”

“He’s been waiting.” Boone shot over, causing Tyler and Y/N to turn around and look at him.

“I figured.” She chuckled, a hand coming up to pat his chest. “It's okay cowboy. Your secret's safe with me.” She teased, her eyes filling with mischief once again. Tyler rolled his eyes, appreciating the way her hand felt against his chest before she retracted it.

“So this Kate chick?” He asked, taking another sip of his coffee. Tyler adjusted his stance against the truck, turning more of his body towards Y/N. Her smile faltered, but remained.

“Old friend of mine and Javi’s. All went to college together. Me and her didn’t leave on good terms.”

“I'm sorry.” He sounded genuine.

“Not your fault. Things just didn’t go as planned.” her smile faltered as she spared a glance back in the direction of StormPar. A few of them still watched her while others started to load up the vehicles. Javi and Kate seemed in deep discussion, the two sparing glances at Y/N and the renowned Wrangler every few seconds.

When she turned back to him, he looked at her with a small smile. The two were silent for a minute before her eyes filled with a mischievous fire as she took another step closer to Tyler. He raised an eyebrow in question.

“I know that look on your face. And I think I'm gonna like what's going on in that pretty head of yours.”

“Oh I know you will. You like getting on StormPar’s nerves right?”

“All but yours,” He said honestly, and her heart fluttered in her chest.

“I think it would really irk them if something was going in between us.” Tyler’s grin grew wider, and Boone’s and Lilly’s giggles could be heard. “they like the idea.” She pointed out.

“and how do you suppose we do that?” He asked. Her smirk widened, setting her coffee down on the side of his truck, fished two fingers between his belt, and pulled him forward slightly, catching him by surprise.

“Do I have their attention?” His eyes moved from her to behind her, swallowing as he nodded.

“Sure do, sweet thing.” his eyes moved back to her just as she got the idea to steal the stetson off his head and put it on hers. Tyler’s eyes glazed over, his lungs jumping into his throat.

“You know what that means Darlin’?” He asked,his voice sounded husk, a hand settling on her waist as he pulled her impossibly closer.

“You must forget I'm also from the south.” She grinned wickedly. “I am well aware of cowboy etiquette. I like you, Tyler Owens. But you're gonna have to work for it.” She whispered, tapping his chest. “Not going to make it easy for you.” Grinning, she moved forward as if she was going to kiss him, but instead grabbed her coffee and turned away from him, walking back towards her group.

“What was that I called you? A little hell raiser?” He called out to her. Y/N turned around so that she was walking backwards back towards StormPar. Her eyes found his own from underneath his stetson and she used two fingers to tip it in his direction, the grin still present on her face. Then she turned back around, her back once again to him.

She didn't miss the heavy groan that fell from his lips, the grin on her face growing impossibly wider.

“You're going to just let her take your hat, man? That's like, your emblem.” Boone spoke up, earning a mumble of agreement from Lilly.

“I'll collect it.” He said, the second part added under his breath. “One way or another.”

Tyler watched her as she finally reached the group. He watched the interaction, as Mr. MIT said a few things before turning around, Y/N head snapping immediately to him. Tyler's eyebrow raised as Javi and Kate stepped in, between the two of the him before Y/N stomped over to Lion, climbing into the front seat.

“Someone has a temper to her.” Boone whistled as he stood next to Tyler. Tyler clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

“Something like that.” The two of them watched as the StormPar vehicles started to roll past them. Tyler trained his eyes on her, her own eyes meeting his as they drove by. Regardless of her interaction with Scott just minutes prior, she smirks at him, stetson still on her head, pointing two fingers in the air and twirling them around in a circular motion.

Tyler smiles, watching as the StormPar storm chasing caravan left him and the others in the dust.

—---

The rest of StormPar begrudgingly joined Y/N as she entered the bar, a large and cocky grin on her face, her eyes immediately catching sight of Tyler and the rest of his group.

Kate, Javi and Scott, along with some others of the StormPar crew, found a table in the corner, eyes watching Y/N as she walked to the bar to buy the first round of drinks. To say she immediately caught the eyes of a Mr. Tyler Owens is an understatement. It was like he knew she was coming, eyes constantly trained on the door and waiting, waiting for the woman that plagued his mind to walk into the dingy bar for a couple of drinks after a long day of chasing tornadoes.

The two locked eyes as he stood over the pool table, body bending at the waist as he leaned over to take a shot, a crack resounding through the bar as he easily beat Boone at a game of pool. Y/N grinned, her eyes flickering to the StormPar group, who all gave her disgruntled looks, watching as she walked over to Tyler.

He straightened his body, a slight smirk on his face, eyes not once, moving from her as she strolled over, leaving Javi to collect the drinks from the bar.

“Cowboy.” His flickered up to watch her fingers as she tipped his stetson.

“Sugar.” Tyler greeted her back, eyes moving back to her face as he leaned against the pool table, pool stick in one hand, a tall glass of beer in the other.

The two stared at each other for several moments, grins growing wider on their faces as both groups watched them.

“You like putting on a show don't you?” Tyler asked. “ the Wranglers are getting A kick out if us. But darlin’, I'm afraid MIT and Boss man aren't enjoying it.”

“They just don't like me conspiring with the enemy.” Tyler set his glass on the edge of the pool table, using two fingers to find a belt loop on her pants, pulling her towards him.

“Is that how you see me?” He asked.

“That's how they see you.” Tyler looked her in her eyes, moving briefly to her lips and then back up, the grin growing softer. Something about those words coming from her stirred something inside of him. The words were genuine, sounding almost like a promise for something more in their future.

“Are we still making them believe that there is something between us?” He asked suddenly. Y/N grinned. Her eyes were full of a challenge from beneath his stetson.

“I told you that you had to work for it.”

“What if I felt I worked for it long enough?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. “How long have we known each other?” Tyler asked. She looked up at him, amusement in her eyes as she accounted for the time that they knew each other. It's only been a few weeks, having met him just shortly before the start of Tornado season. She couldn't help it when her eyes dipped down to his lips.

“Play a game of pool with me.” She insisted. “Then maybe I'll think about it.” A teasing lilt to her tone. His fingers slipped from her belt loop, his eyes moving to the StormPar crew watching them, his smirk widening as he looked back at her and nodded.

“You got yourself a game then, Sugar.”

Y/N smiled, amused as she brought a hand up to his chest, her fingers slipping underneath his shirt where it was unbuttoned. His breath became stuck in his throat as she gently grazed her fingers across his skin, walking past him to get a pool stick. His eyes followed her as she walked past him, turning his body slightly to unashamedly watch her back side, and she knew it. He then turned his head to look at the StormPar table, winking at them as he turned his body to set the game, his eyes catching the knowing expressions of his own friends.

“Oh, want your hat back yet?” She asked, putting chalk on her pool stick. He shook his head, letting her catch his gaze as he grinned at her.

“Nope. Looks better on you anyways.” She raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile on her face as she tread towards him, her eyes remaining on him as he moved to make the break, his own on the pool balls on the table.

“Is that the only reason?” She asked. Her eyes watched his form, watching as he got into stance and as his muscles seemed to push against the sleeves of his flannel. Y/N kept her eyes on him, even as he made his play and made the break, standing up and turning to her, a cocky smirk on his face as he turned to her, leaning dangerously close.

“I'll come and collect it when I'm well and ready. What was it you said?” He asked, pretending to think about it, her grin increasing. “Oh that's right. Making you work for it, because I'm not going to make it easy for you.”

Y/N was surprised to have her own words used against her, but it increased the fun of the game. Tyler winked in her direction. And then the pool game started.

The game started easily enough. One or the other was sometimes able to land a ball into a pocket, other times they were not. There was a lot of looking though, from both parties, as they either took in each other's techniques, or they were staring just to stare. The Wranglers found it amusing, knowing instantly that this charade was only a charade to both Y/N and Tyler, and that the feelings were definitely real and mutual.

Tyler watched as Y/N, by some luck of the draw, was able to land three balls in pockets one after the other. This now put her above by two, as she was previously down only by one.

As the two looked at the playing field, they seen that Y/N now only had three balls left, whereas Tyler had five. His eyes had moved to her, already catching the amused look from Y/N after she missed what would have been her forth score in a row.

He couldn't be upset though. Tyler was losing, yes, but something about getting his ass handed to him in a game of pool, especially by her, entertained him. Dare he say he almost found it hot.

“Your turn, Cowboy.”

Tyler moved around her to take his next shot, pleased to find he had an easy one.

“We should make this a bit more interesting.” Tyler leaned over to line up his shot, sparing a glance at Y/N. She was leaning against the pool table, a coy smirk on her face as she stared at him. Clearing his throat, he looked back towards the cue ball, paying more attention to that than her. She would in fact be the death of him.

“How so, Owens?” She asked. Her sweet sounding voice, even if she was anything but that, filled his ears and he faltered his movements, getting the ball into a pocket, but the cue ball unfortunately followed behind it, once again, making it her turn.

“A bet.” He didn't revel in the unfortunate moment, but instead turned to her with a smirk, eyes moving quickly to glance between the two groups, before finally landing back on her. She had an eyebrow raised in curiosity, almost begging for him to continue.

“What kind of bet?”

Tyler strolled slowly to where she stood, standing between her and the pool table, so that he blocked StormPar's view of her. His hand settled on her waist, fingers slipping underneath her flannel as he pulled her closer and leaned over her. Her hands came up to rest on his chest, the pool stick falling and hitting the floor, her breath hitching as she stared up at him. Tyler caught the action, grinning mischievously as he looked down at her, his head tilting slightly, making it look as if they were in the throes of a heated kiss. The rest of the Wranglers hoot and hollered, throwing out whistles.

“Whoever wins gets to pick who chases which storm tomorrow.” he said.

“Deal.” She whispered, unable to help it when her eyes drifted to his lips again. It only boosted Tyler's ego, his grin widening as his grip on her waist tightened briefly. He clicked his tongue, before letting her go so that she could take her shot. She let a mental groan, closing her eyes briefly before she continued the game.

Y/N ended up winning, but she was almost certain that he let her. Her eyes narrowed slightly at him, knowing he didn't seem to do his best towards the end. And the sheepish grin he gave her as he strolled over to her almost confirmed it.

“You let me win.”

“Did No such thing. You won fair n’ square darlin.” Her eyes narrowed more as she stared at him. He leaned closer to her, a playful smirk across his face as he watched her. His eyes moved to his stetson, adoring the way it sat upon her head. Tyler could get used to it sitting on her head.

Then his lips were on hers.

It shocked the poor man at first, as he wasn't expecting it. Boone, Lilly, and the others let out whistles and cat calls, and Tyler relished in the way her fingers scratched at his beard scruff and wove into his hair, finally kissing her back with as much as she gave. His hands trailed down to her hips, pinning them against the pool table, before his hands came to rest on her cheeks.

Remembering they needed to breathe, the two pulled away, lips barely brushing as he cracked a smile.

“That will really get your people goin’.”

“Then when you come to my motel room tonight, will kill them.” She said, her breathing heavy as she poked his chest. Tyler swallowed, his lips barely brushing against hers as he spoke.

“It sure will.”

[erwinsvow]

omg i keep thinking about reader teasing rafe all day, and like reader keeps like finding reasons that they can’t have sex just to see how far rafe would go. i feel like rafe would either not stand for it or he would get so angry

so bitchy reader coded!!!! she loooves to do this

teasing rafe is fun because it's so easy. he's such a sucker, falls for your same tricks everytime. you have him running in circles without doing anything at all.

and at heart, you like to see it. it's fun for you—watching him chase you. he cares enough to do it, hasn't stopped even though it's been weeks and months of the same, ever since you caved and allowed yourself to realize you wanted rafe to be your boyfriend.

it starts the same—his favorite dress. strapless, with a pretty blue pattern and a ribbon border that ties into a bow on the neckline, at the curve of your tits. you look pretty, you always do, but this dress makes you even prettier, you think. you pick it out knowing he goes crazy over it every time, knowing you were going to make it hard for him today.

it's not really a day dress, so you slip your white cardigan over your shoulders to make it seem more so, climbing into the passenger seat of rafe's truck with a little too much show, revealing a little too much leg and hands lingering on the seatbelt across your chest a little too long.

when rafe sees you, he swallows hard, and you already know your plan is working. he stares, where the seat belt tightens on your body and the expanse of your thighs that's openly visible now that you're seated.

"rafe?" you question, staring back at your boyfriend while his eyes are hyperfocused on your exposed skin.

"hm?" he looks up at your eyes for a second.

"are you gonna drive or just keep looking at me?"

"oh. uh-" he shifts the car into gear, taking off, though you catch him staring back at you every few minutes. the next time he does, you move your hand to his cheek, pushing it gently so he's looking on the road.

"eyes ahead, perv. i don't wanna die because you're horny," you say it with a laugh, though he doesn't take it as one.

"shut up. why'd you wear that dress?"

a good question. why had you worn the dress? because you and rafe had gotten into a little fight the night before, and there was nothing more satisfying to you than making him cave first in your fights.

"my others were in the laundry. tough."

when he arrives at the country club, it just hits him there's a fully planned day ahead—lunch with top and kelce, golf, dinner with your parents and then the party later that night. there's hardly any time to get you alone.

"listen, princess, i think-"

"gonna be late, rafe! let's go," you say, making a show out of getting out of the truck and flashing him in the process. he groans before getting out to join you.

the day moves painstakingly slow for him. at lunch, you take off the cardigan and lean in to tell him something twice, letting him stare down the front of your dress for a moment before you pull away. when you go to the bathroom to freshen up, he gets up to join you, but you yell out to a friend in the distance and walk in with her, smiling back at rafe.

he sits back at the table grumbling something.

"what's wrong with you?" kelce asks, "never seen you this mad before golf."

"shut it."

on the course, his game is completely off. you keep bending over to retrieve the golf balls after he holes out, walking back and placing it into his palm with a sweet smile, though you are anything but.

"what're you doin'?" rafe asks, holding you close with your arm in his hand.

"getting the ball for top. what else?"

"no, you're fuckin' not." he grips your arm a little tighter, but you break loose, turning around and smiling back at him, before bending over to pick up top's golf ball and placing it in his hand.

he makes it to dinner with your parents angry and horny. you're seated next to rafe, rattling on about your day to them with a hand on rafe's arm. your foot rubs against his ankle, crawling further up while he tries to tell your dad about his golf score.

"the new course is great," your dad says, just as rafe feels your hand on his thigh.

"y-yeah," rafe chokes out.

"you okay? drink some water," you say, smiling like a concerned girlfriend instead of the little devil you really are.

a full day's events later, he gets you alone at the party, setting his beer aside to yank you by the back of your dress into the nearest empty bedroom. your friends stare while rafe drags you away, though you don't look the least bit upset about it.

"hey! you're gonna rip my dress," you say, trying to get free from his insanely strong grip.

"shut it. what the fuck was that all day? huh? thought that was cute?" rafe sounds about as angry as you've ever heard—it's a lot hotter than you had expected.

"what? i didn't do anything."

"shut up. get on the fuckin' bed."

"okay!" you chirp, agreeing immediately. teasing rafe was only fun because you got what you wanted out of it—him, at the end, all angry and tense and pent up. you reach back to undo the bow on your dress, getting ready to unzip it when rafe's hand stops your own.

"no. leave it on."

[megalony]

You've Been Hurt

This is an Eddie Diaz imagine, based on a request by anon. I hope you all like it, any feedback is always lovely.

Taglist: @lunaticspoem@sj-thefanthefan@hellsdragon@im-an-adult-ish@crazylittlethingg@allauraleigh@onceuponadetectivedemigod@ceres27@avyannadawn@sleepylunarwolf@coverupps@justagirlthatlovedtoread @musicistheway @avada-kedavra-bitch-187 @luula @missdreamofendless @bradleybeachbabe @woderfulkawaii  @amberpanda99 @daggersquadphantom @marvel-and-chicago-fan @angryknightstatesmantrash @minjix @lyjen @kmc1989 @itsmytimetoodream @noonenuts @hiireadstuff @ashie-babie @classyunknownlover @jayyeahthatsme

911 Masterlist

Summary: The 118 is shook up after a call out when someone open fires on them. Eddie does everything he can to protect his wife. Luckily no one gets hurt, or so they think.

Enjoy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The wave of tiredness that washed over (Y/n) started to drift away like the tide leaving the ocean when her eyes landed on a very familiar mop of brown curls and a set of broad shoulders that straightened out in front of her. She pushed forward and leaned up on her toes, gluing her chest and abdomen up into his back while her arms cocooned around his neck.

Her chin perched on Eddie's shoulder and she leaned across to peck his neck cheekily. She could feel his head turn towards her and he kissed her temple while he brought his hands up to hold her wrists.

"Is it time for home yet?"

"Hm, afraid not mi amor. Six more hours."

(Y/n) burrowed her face further into his neck to smother her groan of disappointment. She wanted to go home now. She wanted to be curled up on the sofa with Eddie wrapped around her like a comfort blanket.

They had been on shift for six hours, they were halfway through their shift but (Y/n) just wanted to go home. The only good thing was with them both having Chris, they didn't do that many double shifts because of childcare. (Y/n) wasn't sure she'd be able to cope on the double shifts anymore when she barely managed to sleep at home unless Eddie was there beside her.

"Let's pack it up and get back for lunch." Bobby waved his hand and motioned to the truck. They needed to go and refuel before another call dragged them back out again and kept them busy.

(Y/n) nudged her nose up and pecked Eddie's jaw, reaching to sink her teeth down into his skin just to hear him growl before she pulled back and scuttled over towards the truck.

She whipped her helmet up from the floor and grabbed the hacksaw she had been using earlier, ready to pack them away in the truck. The compartments slammed open and closed as everyone put their equipment and helmets back. (Y/n) almost lost herself in her thoughts as she put her helmet back but a spark of adrenaline lit up in her stomach when she felt Eddie lean over her shoulder to put his helmet back.

He muttered a quiet "Excuse me," against her ear and let his hand wander down to her bum before he turned and headed after Evan to pile into the truck.

Evan pulled himself up into the truck and moved to take a seat while Eddie climbed up behind him. He could feel (Y/n) close behind him and he found himself smiling.

Until a gunshot rang out through the air.

He could see Evan jerk forward with his arms up over his head and his knees jolted up like he had been given an electric shock and was starting to spasm. And when another gunshot fired into the truck and smashed through a window, Eddie was sure he screamed.

Eddie felt (Y/n) scream into his back when more shots started to fire and her hands clamped down on his arms. She glued herself into his back, trying to get him to move before they got hit because they were still in the firing line. Eddie scrambled to get one arm behind his back so he could grab (Y/n)'s arm and make sure she stayed behind him, but he wasn't sure whether she pushed him or whether she fell into him.

Either way, he stumbled down onto his knees with (Y/n) on his back and his free hand slammed into the floor to break his fall and stop his head from colliding with the metal floor and giving himself a nosebleed.

No one at this scene had been going around waving a gun. They weren't here to sort out a fight or a threatening situation with a gunman. If they were, the scene would be flooded with police. They didn't even have the ambulance with them today because they had no injured persons to deal with. Who was shooting at them? Why were they being targeted?

"Get down! Get on the floor!" Evan jerked his right arm out and pulled Chimney's arm before he moved to do the same to Hen, trying to drag them both down onto the floor.

Someone was shooting at them, they needed to cower down in the footwell below the windows so they weren't easy targets. Sitting in their seats made them easy to spot and aim at. (Y/n) and Eddie had been stood up when the shots started, they might have been aiming for both of them.

Chimney and Hen went down on their knees and leaned forward with their heads hunkered down low and their hands braced on the seats in front of them.

When the shock started to turn into adrenaline, Eddie shifted around so he was laid on his back instead of his stomach. He coiled one arm around his wife's waist and reeled her up into his chest, pulling her until her legs were no longer dangling out the door. He nudged her in Evan's direction before he shimmied down on his back to try and reach for the door.

He counted to three in his head before he bolted up like he was doing a sit up and grabbed the door to swing it shut.

Once it was closed, Eddie turned back around and reached both his hands out for (Y/n).

He hadn't been shot at since he was in the army and that was over five years ago. Eddie didn't think he would ever have to worry about someone aiming a gun at him for the rest of his life. He thought that part of his life was over. He was back home with his family, gunshots should only ring in his ears when he was having a nightmare. This was the worst nightmare there was. His wife was here with him. Eddie never wanted (Y/n) to have that kind of experience or be in the line of fire.

Everything within (Y/n) turned to mush. Adrenaline sparked through her blood and flurried through her stomach that was tingling with nerves as all the blood rushed to her head.

She cocooned her arms to her chest but she let herself go limp when she felt Eddie grabbing her. He reeled her over to him until she was curled around his thighs but her breath caught in her lungs when Eddie moulded himself over her like he was trying to press them both together and merge them into one being. His chest weighed down on her back, but it was a soothing, comforting weight like a blanket. He kept an arm around her waist and smothered his lips into the back of her hair.

She knew he was whispering something, but through the panic and the blood pumping through her ears, (Y/n) couldn't work out what he was saying. It didn't take a genius to guess that Eddie was reverting back to his army training and whatever he said was some kind of mantra to get him through this.

She dug her fingers into his thighs and closed her eyes tight, letting each breath fan into his thigh and dampen his trouser leg. Hoping it would stop her from having a panic attack and also give Eddie something else to focus on.

"Drive! Drive- go!"

"Everyone stay low!"

Bobby turned the lights on but not the sirens and leaned forward until his head was level with the steering wheel for extra coverage and protection. He didn't think twice before slamming his foot down on the gas to get them moving. Whoever was shooting was aiming for them and they needed to move.

"This is Captain Nash, shots fired! Repeat, shots are being fired we need police assistance. Is anyone hurt?"

There was nothing they could do. They couldn't stay and try to see if anyone was injured or hurt or stop the gunman when they seemed to be the targets.

Everyone took a quick glance down at themselves before they looked over at one another. No one seemed to have been hit and one of the windows had smashed but the glass hadn't cut any of them. They had escaped that one safe enough, but it had been close.

They were all still bowed down, no one dared lift their head above the chairs but Hen braved it first to move around until she was sat on the floor instead of kneeling down. She slouched until her head was resting back on the chair behind her and her arms could curl around her knees that she brought up to her stomach. Chimney stayed kneeling down and kept himself wedged into the corner and Evan stayed hunched over on his knees with his hands rubbing up and down his thighs to try and calm himself down.

Silence continued to envelope them as they all looked around at each other, but their eyes started to linger on Eddie longer and longer when he started to rock back and forth. He had his eyes closed as tight as possible and both his arms were keeping (Y/n) pinned between his legs and his chest so he could stay coiled around her. But when they began to hear what he was whispering, they all looked at each other.

"Shots fired… we're going down."

He must have repeated himself over ten times before Evan finally worked up the courage to rest his hand on Eddie's shoulder. He hated the way his brother in law jerked away from him and the rabid, frightening look when Eddie glared up at him.

"Are you both okay?" Evan didn't think they had been shot or caught bu the bullets, neither of them were screaming in agony or seemed to be bleeding out anywhere. But he needed to check that his little sister and his brother in law were alright.

When Eddie didn't respond, Evan reached over and tried to carefully pull Eddie up. Eddie allowed Evan to help him sit up and he shuffled back until he was slouched down much the same as how Hen was sitting. His pupils had blown wide and his chest was rising and falling so quickly he was going to make himself pass out. His panicked state made it somewhat easier for Evan to check him over and make sure he wasn't hurt. He didn't have any injuries.

But when Evan tried to reach for his sister and reel her up, he jerked back into Chimney when Eddie gripped his wrist. His hold was ferociously tight and his fingers were already bruising into Evan's skin and making him shake.

His face fell into a look of despair and that was enough to make Eddie realise what he was doing. He dropped Evan's hand with a very quiet apology and tried to stop the trembling from setting in through his system. But (Y/n) was his wife. She was his girl and he wanted to protect her. Eddie needed to protect her. No one else needed to touch or her get close to her apart from him.

Shivers bolted up and down (Y/n)'s spine when she felt Eddie's shaking hands curl around her elbows so he could reel her up. She let him pull her up and when she was close enough, she shifted around. She sat down between his thighs, wiggling closer until her back was pressed into his chest and Eddie's thighs clamped down tightly into her legs, squeezing her between him.

(Y/n) couldn't find her voice, but she managed to nod her head at her brother. She was okay, she had to be okay. She didn't feel like she was in agony and that was a good sign.

Her head slumped down against Eddie's chest and she bound both her arms around his middle as she closed her eyes. She whispered "it's okay," and pressed a kiss against his chest through his shirt until Eddie coiled his arms around her waist and smothered his face against the top of her head.

Her ears were pounding with her heartbeat that was beating beneath every inch of her skin like she was a drum or a sound machine vibrating madly. Adrenaline was still forming and churning in her stomach and it made her feel sick. The gunshots had sent her falling into Eddie and it had made her lower back twinge in pain which was still aching and there was a dull throb between her hips from how they landed.

The shots must have been close.

"Is anyone hurt? Do I have to make a trip down to the hospital?" Bobby needed an answer. The turning for the hospital was coming up and he could either take that turn, or carry on straight and head back to the station.

"We're good, Cap."

None of them wanted to move when the truck pulled up in the station.

All of them seemed to exchange looks before Evan sighed and took the plunge. He used the seat behind him as leverage and pushed up to his feet so he could carefully climb over Eddie and his sister. He opened the door and hopped down. He cracked his neck into place and stretched his arms in front of him while he waited for everyone else to follow him out.

Hen climbed over Eddie to get out, followed by Chimney. She folded her arms over her chest and rubbed her hands up and down her sleeves to try and calm herself down. Any one of them could have gotten a gunshot wound today.

"Are you okay?" It was the first proper thing Eddie managed to say and he fought every instinct within him to unravel his arms from (Y/n)'s waist.

His hands moved to cup her face and he leaned his forehead down against hers, brushing their noses together as he stared into her eyes that worked wonders on calming his soul. He wished she had been stood in front of him instead of behind him. He could have pushed her down quicker and covered her better if she had gotten in the truck first. Grabbing her from behind him had been so much harder and she could have gotten hurt.

"I think so… help a girl up, handsome."

(Y/n) pressed a quick, wet kiss against his lips before she felt his hands move to hold her hips. He stood on shaking legs and pulled her up with him, kissing her again and moved to climb down first. Their hands stayed tangled together and (Y/n) curled her free hand around Eddie's bicep, gluing herself into his back.

Bobby had his hands on his hips, his foot was tapping against the floor and he moved one hand to drag across his chin before he scratched his nails into the back of his head.

"The police will be down here soon to take statements, and I'll need you all to complete some paperwork for the Chief, but that can wait until tomorrow. Does anyone need to see a councellor or have a session before you carry on with your shifts?"

The police would no doubt be here within the hour to take statements and talk them all through what happens next. And Bobby would need to fill out an incident report and have everyone make their statements for the paperwork. He could let that wait until tomorrow, until the shock had worn off and everyone felt better.

But they all knew that they had a right to see a councellor or therapist and if they wanted to, they could have an appointment to be cleared to come back to work. Bobby wouldn't want anyone to carry on working if they felt too shaky or unsettled and thought they should talk it through with someone first. Their health and wellbeing came first and they had almost taken a bullet today, it would be understandable if anyone wanted to go home.

(Y/n) buried her nose into Eddie's jacket and tightened her hands around his arm when she felt a little lightheaded. The shock was starting to set in and she couldn't tell who was shaking more; her or her husband.

"Are you all sure you're okay?"

A chorus of 'yes' and nodding heads filled the air and Bobby waved his hand at them. They all knew what to do. Go get changed, get themselves a drink and try to calm down while he sorted dinner before the station became flooded with police.

(Y/n) closed her eyes for a few seconds when everyone started to disappear and float around the station.

She didn't now what to do. She wanted to be sick. She wanted to collapse and pass out. Her head was spinning so violently she thought it was going to disconnect from her neck. Her lower back was aching and thumping with her heartbeat and her knees were starting to wobble. All she really wanted to do was go home and lie down in bed.

But she would feel silly and cruel and weak if she asked to go home. She didn't want to speak to a councellor, Eddie would be the one out of them all who would benefit the most from that. (Y/n) wanted to take him home, but she knew he wouldn't want to go home just yet and she wasn't leaving his side.

"Let's hit the gym."

(Y/n) let her eyes drag over to her brother who was shaking his hands at his side, clearly full of adrenaline that he didn't know how to get rid of.

She knew what he meant by that. He meant he was going to go into the gym and break the equipment. He had ripped the last punching bag they had at the station after a bad fallout with their parents when they were last in town.

Eddie nodded in agreement and he glanced his eyes over at (Y/n) who squeezed his arm. She would go along with them, she didn't want to be parted from Eddie just yet and they had nothing else to do but calm down. Her face stayed buried in his arm and she closed her eyes, letting Eddie turn them both around and guide them down towards the gym.

She felt dizzy.

Her legs were starting to tremble again and (Y/n) pinched her fingers into Eddie's arm as they reached the gym.

She felt his lips press against the top of her head and he helped her flop down onto the bench like she had turned to jelly. When Eddie shrugged off his jacket, a smile pulled on his lips and he looked a little more human and relaxed when (Y/n) reached her hands out in a grabbing motion. She took his jacket and coiled it into her chest, breathing in his scent to see if it would calm her down and ward away the shock rattling through her body.

"You sure you're okay mi amor?"

"In shock I think."

(Y/n) managed a smile when Eddie cupped her chin and dragged his thumb across her lower lip, pulling it down. He bent forward and kissed her sweetly and then he waited, watching closely as (Y/n) leaned to her right and laid out on the bench.

She held Eddie's jacket against her chest and kept the collar pressed into her nose to calm herself down and breathe in his scent again. When her eyes fell closed and she started to hum, Eddie turned around and moved over to Evan. He didn't feel like doing any training or exercises just yet, but he would gladly watch Evan and chat to him if he wanted to talk.

(Y/n) didn't know how long they had been in the gym, all the noises around them seemed to fizzle and drown out and she was sure she passed out for a little while. It could have been a few minutes, but it could have been half an hour for all (Y/n) knew.

"I think Bobby wants us." Evan heaved and nodded towards the door where Bobby was waving them over. It would either be to get something to eat or have a chat and do a quick statement with the police. Either way, neither of them cared, they would do whatever they needed to. Half an hour in the gym had calmed Evan down and cooled Eddie off back to a more human form of himself.

Evan took off his boxing gloves and headed out the room, glancing his eyes at his sister who was still laid out but he knew Eddie would check on her and get her up. He figured they both needed some time together.

"Mi amor, do you want to come and get a drink?"

Eddie crouched down in front of (Y/n), resting his elbows on his knees while he reached one hand out and brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear. He grazed his fingertips across her cheek and down her jaw until she opened her eyes and tried to smile, but when she winced, Eddie tilted his head to the side.

"Do you feel okay, baby?"

"Hm," (Y/n) didn't have any energy to speak so she tried to shake her head, but she found she could barely do that either.

Her throat felt dry and sticky and her eyes wouldn't open or focus properly, she could barely narrow her vision on Eddie's mesmerising eyes. Her body felt so heavy she couldn't move and her back was now aching and killing her with a more intense, throbbing pain that made tears well up in her eyes.

She managed to move her hands just enough to reach them out towards Eddie, sweetly and silently asking if he would help her up.

He obliged with a tender smile, moving his jacket out of her grip so he could hold her hands and gently sit her up. He stood in front of her and pulled her up but the moment she was on her feet, her head started to spin. Her knees trembled and her head flopped forward into Eddie's chest as she groaned. She felt dizzy and sick and feverish all at once.

Her knees juttered into his thighs and her hands gripped his exposed arms before he cocooned his arms around her waist to stop her from going down to the floor.

"Shh, come here, I got you." He leaned her back and sat her back down on the bench. He needed to take a look at her, she clearly wasn't feeling well. The shock might be getting to her and taking over and if that was the case, Eddie needed to take her home.

After what they had been through, it would probably be best if they went home.

A frown formed on his lips when he pressed the back of his hand against her temple and realised she was sweating and starting to get a fever. Shock wouldn't necessarily push her into a feverish state like this.

"Do you feel sick, baby? You're burning up."

"Hurts," Her voice croaked and a few tears trickled down her face, making Eddie's heart drop down to his stomach.

"What hurts, hm? Talk to me, it's okay." He tried to cup her face and tilt her head up but even then, her eyes were still hooded and they wouldn't focus on him. (Y/n) finally closed her eyes and flopped her head forward onto his shoulder with a thump that jostled him.

He barely managed to hear her mutter 'my back' into his neck before she tried to wrap her arms around his neck.

"Let me take a look, sweet girl."

Eddie reached behind him and pulled (Y/n)'s arms back down so they dropped between them. He carefully rolled her florescent jacket down her shoulders and shimmied it off her arms before he dropped it to the floor along with his. He hushed her quietly when she nuzzled her nose into his neck and whimpered and he trailed his hands down her back and around to her hips as he straightened up and tried to lean over her shoulder.

But his lips curled into a frown when he felt something wet on his hand.

Terror was the only thing Eddie could feel when he lifted his left hand from her back and held it up in front of his eyes.

Blood.

Why was she bleeding? What had happened to her? Why wasn't she groaning or screaming in pain and telling him she was hurt? Why didn't she tell him she was bleeding from somewhere like this?

"Oh God- baby you're bleeding!"

Eddie pushed up and swiftly sat down beside her on the bench so he could try and see what was going on. He shuddered when (Y/n) flopped across his lap with a thump and buried her face into his thighs that she tried to squeeze to show she was still conscious and awake.

With her laid over his lap, Eddie grabbed the hem of her shirt and tugged it free from her trousers so he could yank it up to her shoulders. His fingers hooked into the hem of her trousers and he gave them a little tug down but his heart dropped down to his stomach and bile rose in the back of his throat when he saw what the problem was.

She had been shot.

The wound was small, not much larger than a mole and Eddie figured the bullet couldn't have been from a sniper because there was no exit wound in or around her stomach. That was a good thing. He didn't want to have a hole shot through his wife's stomach, she wouldn't survive from that.

It was rather close to her right hip but Eddie couldn't pinpoint what had been hit. She could have caught a kidney, her intestine, even her hipbone. At least it wasn't close to her spine.

The adrenaline must have countered out the pain and it amazed Eddie that (Y/n) had gone this long without collapsing. But that meant she had gone almost an hour, bleeding out and steadily getting worse right before his eyes and he hadn't known. He hadn't done anything to help her or make her better, he had done absolutely nothing for his wife.

When he dared to sneak a glance down to the floor, he reached down and moved her jacket around a little. And sure enough, right there between the A and the Z of their shared last name, there was a small circular rip in the fabric with gunshot residue caked around the fraying cotton.

How had he missed that?

"Baby, baby we gotta go now. Come on, come here."

Eddie slipped his hands beneath her arms and lifted her back up into a sitting position. He hated the way her head flopped forward into her chest and how her shoulders slugged down and made her look like a puppet with no strings.

"Go?" (Y/n) tried to mumble and reach her hand out for Eddie's wrist but she could feel herself starting to drift off.

Where were they going? What was the sudden rush? Why did she feel like she was slowly draining away?

"You've been hurt baby, I need to take you to hospital. Just stay with me, hm? You stay awake and talk to me, sweet girl. Come on now."

His hands stayed under her arms while he moved to crouch back down in front of her. He grabbed her hands and slung her arms loosely around his neck and lifted her head onto his shoulder before his hands moved to cup her bum. Eddie hoisted (Y/n) up and secured his right arm around her bum while his left hand cradled the back of her neck to keep her steady on his chest as he began to run.

He didn't know where his sudden burst of adrenaline and energy had come from but it powered him to run out the gym and down the corridor until he was back in the main floor of the station.

"Buck! Buck, go- go someone start the ambulance we need to move!"

"What? Eddie what's wrong?"

"Eddie, what's going on?"

Evan hurried up down the stairs when he saw Eddie run past him and his eyes narrowed. He was sure he could see (Y/n) in his arms. What the Hell was he doing carrying Evan's sister around the station like that? Why was she limp and fraying in his arms? What were they doing?

Eddie moved his hand from the back of (Y/n)'s neck to point Hen towards the ambulance until she seemed to get the hint. She dropped whatever paperwork was in her hands and flung open the back doors although she had no idea why.

"Eddie-"

"She's been shot! The adrenaline's wearing off, she's been shot in the back- get us to the fucking hospital now!"

Eddie didn't break his stride. As soon as he was close enough, he reached his hand out for the ambulance door and used it as leverage to propell himself up the steps to get inside. He hunched over, cradled the back of (Y/n)'s neck again and leaned over the gurney to lay her down as carefully as possible. He laid her on her left side so she was facing him and stretched her arms out in front of her so they hung off the side of the gurney.

He bolted round to stand on the other side of the gurney just as Evan clambered up into the back with them and Bobby and Chimney hung at the doors, desperate to know what was going on.

"Eddie, what the fuck… (Y/n)? Sis, hey stay with me," Evan crouched down in front of the gurney and moved his hands to cradle his sister's face in his palms. He shook her head until she managed to open her eyes but he looked up at Eddie when he grabbed a pair of scissors and slashed up the centre of (Y/n)'s scrunched up shirt. He ripped it apart and pulled it off her arms before he sat down behind her.

"She was shot?"

"There's a bullet hole here, I- the adrenaline must have clouded the pain, come on we have to go!"

Bobby pointed Hen towards the driver's side of the ambulance, muttering that he and Chimney would follow along behind them and meet them there.

Reaching across the gurney, Eddie handed Evan a pulse monitoring clip so he could attach it to (Y/n)'s finger while Eddie slipped a blood pressure cuff onto her arm.

"Fuck, her BP is dropping fast, I don't know what kind of internal bleeding she's got. Here, give her some adrenaline, I need to pack the wound." Eddie handed over a pre-filled needle of adrenaline before he sat down behind his wife and got to work. He grabbed two sheets of gauze and pressed them as forcefully to (Y/n)'s back as he could until she weakly mewled and her arms spasmed in front of her.

He ripped some medical tape between his teeth and taped it tightly over the gauze to keep it in place. He then stood up and leaned over the gurney while he pressed his fingertips around (Y/n)'s hip, squeezing her waist and pressing down over her stomach. Her skin was flushed and the squidgy, jelly feeling told Eddie she did have internal bleeding.

"Alright baby, you can keep the pressure on that for me, hm? You can do that, can't you?"

Eddie's hands shifted to (Y/n)'s shoulder and he reached around and hooked a hand beneath her tummy so he could carefully roll her onto her back. Laying directly on her back would add all her weight onto the wound and stop the blood from oozing out as quickly. They needed the blood to stem as much as possible so she didn't bleed out in here.

They had no transfusions to give her and an IV would do nothing if she had no blood left to circulate through her body.

Reaching beneath the gurney, Eddie found the oxygen machine and switched it on before he strapped the mask over (Y/n)'s nose and mouth. He leant down to kiss her burning temple but he pulled back when she started to gasp. Her chest juttered up and down like she was starting to seize and a horrible tremble set in across her body as her heartbeat began to drop.

"She's going into shock," Eddie ransacked one of the drawers until he found a thermometer and pressed it into (Y/n)'s ear. "Fever's burning high, she's gonna shut down. Get the compress packs out and find me all the saline bags. Now Buck!"

The same tremors that rattled through (Y/n) began to shudder through Evan as he turned around and shakily pulled out drawer after drawer to find what he was told to search for.

He found the cold compress packs and he took a sharp breath when his brother in law snatched them and placed one over (Y/n)'s chest near her neck. The rest went over her stomach, against her wrists and down her legs.

Once Evan handed over the four saline bags that were stocked up this morning for emergencies, he frowned. What was Eddie going to do with those? He couldn't hook (Y/n) up to four at once, it wouldn't work it would only overload her system. And they weren't that cold to act as more cold packs to try and bring her fever down.

"Sorry baby, you're not gonna like this."

Evan stumbled back with wide eyes when Eddie held one of the saline bags and pierced it with a scalpal. It burst wide open and Eddie let all the water spray across (Y/n)'s stomach and splash up her neck. He did the same with the other ones that Evan had dumped on the end of the gurney. Each one got torn open and water sprayed all across (Y/n)'s trembling body and splattered up the walls and across both men.

It was the quickest way Eddie could think to drop (Y/n)'s temperature before her organs began to shut down from her fever.

Hen found no words when she opened the back doors and stared at the scene in front of her.

(Y/n) was subtly trembling on the gurney, covered head to toe in water that was dripping down onto the floor as if a tidal wave had washed over the three of them. Compresses were piled up on (Y/n)'s body, both Eddie's hands were smeared with blood that was steadily dribbling down his arm in a strange burnt orange shade, dampened by the saline.

Saying nothing, Hen grabbed the end of the gurney as Evan reached for the top and they both juttered it down to the floor. Eddie kept a tight hold of (Y/n)'s hand as the three of them bolted in through the paramedic's entrance over to a team of doctors that were clearly waiting for them.

"GSW to the lower right side of her back, a lot of internal bleeding. She's running a fever and going into shock."

"N-naproxen and ibuprofen, she's allergic to both. Don't give her any." Evan dragged his hand through his hair when they snatched the gurney and started to steal away his sister.

They had to save her.

***

"Finally! How is she? What's happening?" As quick as a shot, Evan bolted up from his seat and stumbled forward. Tripping over his feet when he realised his hand was still tangled with Maddie's and she wasn't quite stood up yet.

He turned to look at his big sister for a brief moment until she stood at his side, her hand tangled with his and her free hand wrapped around his arm that she had confiscated and pulled tight to her chest.

The last few hours had felt like an eternity had passed them all by. They had filled up the waiting room. Maddie, Evan and Chimney had sat beneath the window, worrying, humming and crying the afternoon away. Hen had gone on multiple coffee runs for everyone and Bobby and Athena had been pacing up and down the hallway. Bobby's rosary beads were wrapped tight around his wrist and curled between his fingers to let him pray.

Eddie had been sat on the floor, knees pulled up to his stomach and his hands clasped together pressed against his lips.

He only moved when the doctor dragged him down the hall to talk in private and no one knew if that was a good thing or not.

"How'd it go?" Maddie tried to control the trembling in her voice as she looked over at Eddie, trying to decipher the expression on his face but he was always hard to read. He was stood in front of them, chest heaving, hands clamped down on his hips and shoulders bursting through his shirt.

Eddie reached a hand up to run across his jaw and scratch down his neck while his eyes danced around the waiting room. He didn't know where to look or who to focus on.

"The bullet ruptured her right kidney, they had to remove it. That's why it's taken so long."

"Y-you can live with just one kidney, right?" Evan wasn't a doctor or a medic, he didn't know how well the body would cope with just one kidney when it was supposed to have two. He'd never had any problems with any of his organs and when he had his accident, it was his leg that had been damaged.

Maddie patted Evan's arm and nodded, trying to smile up at him to reassure him. It wouldn't be easy and it would come with complications, but (Y/n) would be able to live without one kidney.

"They've got her fever down and done two blood transfusions. The only thing they're worried about is if she gets sepsis… we can go see her now."

Eddie felt his brother in law follow closely behind him like he was a shadow, always present and looming behind. But it was oddly comforting to feel Evan this close and he could almost feel the adrenaline rolling off of Evan in waves. He wanted to see his sister. The last look he got of her was seeing her lying on a stretcher, shaking and deadly close to falling into cardiac arrest.

Evan wanted a better image of (Y/n) in his mind. He wanted to see his younger sister smile and take his hand and tell him she was okay. He wanted to hear her speak and see her move around and reassure himself he wasn't about to lose any of his family.

A wide grin broke out across Evan's face and he weaved around Eddie to move and sit down on the chair pulled close to the bed. He reached his hands out and coiled (Y/n)'s hand up to his chest while he watched Eddie move to sit down on the opposite side of the bed. And he felt Maddie move to stand behind the chair, both her hands holding Evan's shoulders comfortingly like they were all children again trying to care for one another.

"How you feeling?"

"Sore…" (Y/n) squeezed Evan's hand but when she tried to push up, she felt Eddie's hands on her shoulders, gently but firmly pushing her back down.

"No, no mi amor. You need to rest." A gentle smile formed on Eddie's lips when he leaned over to kiss her temple and felt her free hand brush across his jaw. She didn't need to be sitting up and moving around when she was only just waking up from the anaesthetic. The last thing they needed was (Y/n) moving and rupturing her stitches.

"Only you could get shot and not even know about it, sis."

[roosterforme]

Here's a fluffy blurb for the nonny with the new Bronco neighbor. May you enjoy every happiness in life.

Ouchie

Bradley looked at his wife laying next to him in bed. Her hand was resting on his chest, and her lip was a little bit puffy from being overworked by his mustache, but she was smiling softly, eyes closed and lashes brushing her cheeks. 

"I'm still shocked that you agreed to go out with me, let alone marry me," he muttered, leaning down to kiss your forehead. "I must have looked like an idiot that first day we met."

Your soft laughter left him grinning as you ran your fingers through his chest hair. "No, you didn't look like an idiot. You were sweet."

Another uhaul truck. The cute little rental house across the street from yours seemed to have a new tenant every other month. As soon as you took a freshly baked treat over to meet your new neighbor, it felt like they were moving out again. Maybe this one would stay longer?

"Sweet Lord," you muttered when you set eyes on him. He was tinkering around under the hood of his vintage Ford Bronco on the driveway next to the uhaul, and he looked up to smile at you as you parked in your own driveway. You wouldn't mind if this one stuck around longer.

When you climbed out of your car, his soft eyes were still looking your way, and you saw that he had a mustache too. Well, you didn't have any fresh out of the oven chocolate chip cookies for him, but you definitely wanted to get a closer look.

"Hi," he called out with a smile that just made him look even more handsome, and he waved the wrench in his right hand in greeting.

"Hi," you replied, walking toward the street, and he looked so happy that you were coming his way. You felt giddy inside, and somehow your feet got tangled up at the curb. 

"Oh, no," you gasped, falling as if in slow motion. Your palms hit the pavement first followed by your knees. And yeah, the scrapes hurt, but the sting of mortification washed over you just as fast. You wanted to disappear and reappear in your bed which you were never going to leave again after this. Because your hot new neighbor was rushing over to get to you as you scrambled to your feet.

"Are you okay?" he asked, skidding to a halt in the middle of the street. Why was he stopping in the middle of the street? You looked down at your hands as the small cuts started to bleed, and you just held your palms up for him to see like some sort of weirdo.

"I'm fine," you replied sheepishly. But he winced and started your way again as a car pulled down the street. 

He slipped his wrench into the pocket of his jeans and reached for your hands. His thumb stroked gently along your wrist, and then he glanced up at you. "Ouchie."

And you couldn't help but smile at his sweet expression of concern. "Yeah. Ouchie."

Then he blushed, probably realizing what he had said, but he didn't stop stroking your wrist. "If it makes you feel any better, I actually hit myself in the face with my wrench earlier while trying to change my oil."

You laughed at that. "You know... that does somehow make me feel a little bit better." 

"I'm Bradley," he said, giving your wrist a little squeeze.

You told him your name and then asked, "Do you like chocolate chip cookies?"

"I like all cookies," he replied easily.

"Perfect," you said softly. "I always make some for my new neighbors. Maybe after I get my hands cleaned up, I'll bake them for you."

Bradley nodded once, gently lacing his fingers with yours, but still careful not to bump your palm at all. "Want me to give you a hand?"

"No," Bradley disagreed. "I looked like an idiot. The first thing I said to you was 'Ouchie'. Who even says that?"

You laughed and rolled on top of him. "That wasn't the first thing you said. It was like the second or third. And you were so sweet, and I was already mesmerized by your mustache, so it didn't really even matter."

"And then I almost burned down your kitchen."

You pressed your lips together to try to stifle your laughter. "Okay, yes. That's true."

"And you still agreed to go out to dinner with me," he said, kissing the tip of your nose.

"I sure did. There's just something about you." You slid up a little further and kissed his lips as you whispered, "Ouchie."

[xetswan]

Youngest Shadow- Crash It

One | two | three | four | five | six |

Today was the day of my 6th Volleyball game out of 14. It’s a Home game.

Every single game has been attended by Jacob, Quil and Embry. Sometimes Sam and Billy. Bella made it to about two. Clearly needing to do her own thing I understood. If I didn’t understand a sport I wouldn’t want to go either.

She makes me sit with her at lunch still, I got kind of close with Angela. She’s cool. She also comes to games but that’s to take pictures, helping with the yearbook committee.

Bella and I walk out of the house together. I see my bike is gone and remembered I had to give it to Jacob for maintenance. Since he offered I was getting it done for free.

It’s also raining so I’m kind of glad I don’t have to choice to ride it. Sometimes the rain drops hurt like a bitch. I lift my hood up, walking behind Bella as we go down the steps. “Great.” She mutters under her breath.

Charlie pulls in with her truck. “Dad I can drive us to school myself.” As we get closer to the bottomed step she slips and falls on her ass. Tripping due to not watching where I was going I go forward.

“You okay, Bells? [Name]?” Charlie climbs out of the truck, helping Bella up and then the both help me. I ripped a new pair of jeans, hissing in pain from my hands I wipe it on my sweater that’s not so new. Luckily I didn’t bleed at all. “Ice doesn’t help the uncoordinated.” Bella frowns at her own joke.

“Clearly.” I groan.

“That’s why I got you new tires.” Charlie points to the red truck. “The other ones were nearly bald.”

“You got me new tires. No one’s ever don’t that before.” Both Charlie and I look at her confused. “I mean… nothing.”

He glances at me, not getting it but he heads to his cruiser.

“I won’t make it to dinner or the game. I’m heading down to Mason County. A security guard at the Grisham Mill got killed by some kind of animal.” He explains to us.

“An animal?” Bella asks, confused.

“You’re not in Phoenix anymore, honey. They’ve been hunting it for a week with no luck. Thought I’d lend a hand.” He puts it simply. “Be careful.” We say in unison.

“Always am.”

“And thank you for the tires.”

I’d thought by now they wouldn’t be so awkward with each other but I am very wrong. The tension is so thick it couldn’t even be cut with a knife.

Change of pov

Rain was still hitting hard. Eric and Bella walk together into Biology. She brushes off her coat as he talks. “And yeah, prom committee is a chick thing, but I gotta cover it for the paper anyway and they need a guy to help choose the music. So I need your playlist.” Eric explains but before the girl can respond Mike comes up behind her. “Come on, Arizone. Give it up for the rain.” He shakes his wet baseball cap onto Bella’s head.

“Terrific.” She walks away, ignoring them to get to her seat.

She freezes once she notices Edward. She straightens her posture, striding to the shared table confidently. Dropping her books in front of him, ready to address him but instead he looks up at her and speaks.

“Hello.”

She stops, automatically stunned. “I didn’t have a chance to introduce myself last week. My name is Edward Cullen.”

She’s too shocked to respond, she wasn’t expecting him to talk to her. “You’re Bella.” He stares, not questioning.

“I’m… yes.” She finally sits, feeling stupid.

He abruptly moves to the edge of his seat away from her. She’s baffled to say the least, smelling her hair as if she stinks.

“Onion root tip cells! That’s what’s on your slides. Separate and label them into the phases of mitosis. The first partners to get it right win the golden onion!” Mr. Molina holds up a gold spray painted onion but disappointed by the little to no reaction.

“Come on people, tick tock.”

Everyone gets to work. Edward pushes the microscope towards Bella, still keeping a distance.

“Ladies first.” She grabs it defensively and snaps the first slide in, adjusting the lens. “You’ve been gone.”

“Out of town. Personal reasons.” He was curt like her, short with his answers.

“Prophase.” She says, going to remove the slide. “May I look?” She slides the scope to him, he looks into it. “Prophase.”

“Like I said.”

He writes it down on the work sheet. He takes a deep breath, turning to her. “Enjoying the rain?”

“Seriously? You’re asking me about the weather?” She seems offended. “It appears.”

“No, unlike my sister I don’t like the cold, or the wet. Or the grey. Or the parkas. Or the turtlenecks.”

There was a small smile that played on his lips.

He actually seemed interested in what she had to say. He studies her like her sister did to him days ago. But she can’t tell if he despises her or not. “What?”

He shakes his head and turns to the microscope, switching out the slides. She continues to stare at him, appreciating his evident beauty. His cheekbones to his lips.

“Anaphase.” She snaps out of her daze to go back to giving a dry look.

“May I?” She mocks him for before, looking into the lens.

“Anaphase.”

“Like I said.”

They change the slide.

“If you hate the cold and rain, why move to the wettest place in the continental U.S.?” He quizzes her.

“It’s complicated.” Simple answer, but he’s intrigued so he pushes.

“I think I can keep up.” She looks at him quickly then looking away back at the scope. He seems to be paying attention very intently.

“My mother remarried.” Another simple response.

“Very complex. So you don’t like him.” A statement, he doesn’t question himself.

“Phil is fine. Young for her but nice enough.” She tells. “Interphase.”

At the end of school she’s still holding the golden onion. She bumps into Edward on accident. “Why didn’t you stay with your mom and step dad? Or your sister?” He waits patiently for her to say something, studying her like before.

“Alright, Phil’s a minor league baseball player, so he travels a lot. My mother stayed home with me and [Name] but it made her unhappy. And my sister has always been a daddy’s girl. So I decided to spend time with my father too.” She explains everything. “But now you’re unhappy.” He states himself again.

“No I… I just.” She turns away, embarrassed.

Back to You

At the end of the day I stood beside Angela and Jessica. Since our game was today I don’t see a point in going all the way home just to come back to the school.

I watch my sister head for her truck, shivering. Once she got there she looked back, making little eye contact with me and then staring at the Cullens. More specifically, Edward? I think that’s his name if I’m remembering correctly.

Their eyes met then there was a loud screech only getting louder by the second. A van skids out of control, heading right for my older sister.

I felt frozen for a second, running over there immediately. The van comes to a complete stop after spinning out. Like something forcefully stopped it. I didn’t see anything as it had happened so fast. The van had only hit the back of the truck, leaving a dent that was definitely noticeable to the eye.

After milliseconds everyone went berserk, roaring into screams of trying to get help, calling 911.

Mike and Eric yell if she’s okay, I watched Edward who was once at his Volvo now leaving the scene. Wanting to ask him what happened I shake my head, pushing the two boys out of my way. “Bells, Bella?!” I cried out, falling down to her level, feeling the pain in my knees from earlier but ignoring it. I took her into my arms as she was obviously in shock.

I ended up driving her and the boy who crashed into her, Tyler a ride to the hospital.

I told him to shut up on our way there. Even sitting in the room as they got checked up on I sat there glaring at him.

Minutes later, Charlie rushes in. “Bells, are you alright?“

“I’m fine dad, calm down.” She assures gun but it’s not enough. “I’m so sorry Bella. I tried to stop.” Tyler apologizes.

“It’s okay Tyler.” Bella tells him and I scoff. “It sure as hell is not okay.” Charlie says, I nod agreeing. “Dad it’s not his fault.”

“We nearly lost you.”

“But you didn’t.” She says, I pull her into a hug since Dad is glaring at Tyler like I once was. “You can kiss your license goodbye.” He sternly tells the boy and I watch his body falter.

I notice Dr. Cullen approach us and if I didn’t know anything I would’ve thought he was a movie star. I didn’t pay Trenton to what they were talking about. I focused on his face, observing him as he talked. Just like I did with his foster kids. Then I heard Tyler apologizing once again, since I was closest I closed the curtain getting a fist bump from my dad.

“It would’ve been a lot worse if Edward hadn’t knocked me out of the way.” Bella says ignoring dad and I’s antics.

“Edward? Your boy?” Charlie asks only to not get a response.

Dr. Cullen adverts his eyes, I watch Bella press. I’m guessing she knew something that was making him uncomfortable. “It was amazing he got to me so fast. He was nowhere near me.”

The blonde man smiles.

“As long as you’re safe.”

We leave the treatment area. “I just have to sign some paperwork. You better call your mom.” He points to Bella.

“You told her?! She’s probably freaking out!” He just shrugs and walks off.

She pulls her phone out and I laugh, earning an eye roll. Then we both look down the hall, hearing an argument. “Stay here.” She orders as if I was so much younger than her. She gets a little closer to whatever was happening.

Not meaning to but the curiosity getting the best of me I do the same thing.

“This isn’t about you. It’s about all of us.” It was Rosalie. I raise an eyebrow but Dr. Cullen definitely saw Bella, taking Rosalie inside his office.

I sit for a moment, but I see Bella talking to Edward so I just walk the other way, pulling out my phone as I felt it vibrating.

It’s Jacob calling, shit.

I answered it quickly. I forgot all about my Volleyball game that’s in… 35 minutes.

“Hello?” I spoke to,

“Hey, where are you? Are you okay? I heard something about an accident with you and Bella?” He freaks out, i why shush him trying to calm him down.

“Hey, everything is fine. No damage was done. Bella was apart if it but no scratches, just a bump on the head. I’m sorry I should’ve called.” I told him, hugging my self with my open arm.

“Oh, I’m glad you’re both okay, I’m glad shes okay.” He sighs like he had just been holding in a long breath.

“Yeah, yeah. Everything is good. I’m just going to keep watch on Bella for a little. Could you let my coach know what happened. I’m sure she knows but y’know?”

“Totally understand, I will let her know. Call me later tonight?” He sounded hopeful and I smile to myself.

“Of course, I’ll call around 9.” I say

“Can’t wait…”

“Knock it off.”

I was going to ask what he meant by that but I hear the other guys in the background and I laugh.

I hung up, not seeing Bella come up to me, she grabbed my shoulder causing me to jump and almost drop my phone.

“Who was that?”

“Jacob. He asked if we were okay since he went to my game as usual. Seeing I wasn’t there freaked him out.” I take a deep breath through my nose.

“I completely forgot about that. We can still make it.” She says in a hurried tone but I shake my head.

“Coach wouldn’t let me play anyway. There’s no point.” I laugh, putting a hand on her arm.

“I’m sorry.” She frowns.

“No need, you should call mom though.”

She whines to herself, pulling her phone out again.

Charlie walks out and we go outside. I drove the truck home.

Later that night I call Jacob like I told him I would. He tells me about the game since they stayed due to Quil wanting to.

“It would’ve been a better game with you for sure.” He says and I could hear the smile.

“I know, I’m just so amazing.” I brag, playing with my tongue piercing as I hear his laugh.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have boasted your ego.”

“What ego?” I jokingly say.

I look over ti my clock, seeing the time and it was already 11:30.

I was surprised Charlie hadn’t come and told me to go to bed.

“Ah, we should go to bed.” I start to say, I heard a small thump from Bella’s room upstairs and I stood up carefully strutting towards the door.

“[Name]?” Jacob calls, I snap out of whatever trance I was in. Not hearing anything else from Bella’s room so I go back to my bed.

“Sorry I got distracted. Goodnight, Jake.” My voice was a little raspy from being tired.

“Goodnight.” He ends up hanging up the phone and I lay back in my bed.

Thinking about everything that happened today.

Chapter three, unedited.

[slushiepizza]

Lazy Bones

Relationship : Guy & Guy's Dad, Guy & his parents

Tags : Father-Son Relationship, Dysfunctional Family, Mental Health Issues, Angst, Hurt-no-Comfort, Executive Dysfunction, Guy is more similar to his dad than he thought much to his dismay, and he has to grit his teeth and move on Toxic Family Dynamic

Word Count : 1,772

ao3 notes: something something he's gonna make it through this year if it kills him /j; both guy and his father are hinted to have mental health issues that i didn't specify for fear of ruining the immersion, but i do have a specific condition in mind when i wrote them this way

Guy knew what sort of day it was as soon as he woke up that afternoon.

His small dorm room was a vacuum, where time moved both like molasses and the speed of light. The dollar-store curtains did little to keep the afternoon sun away from the room. The AC slowly hummed. He could hear laughter outside- probably people coming back from class. His bones were stationary, and the defeated sort of embrace of the blanket welcomed him like a home. 

He mentally started counting down from ten and forced himself to move. He slowly made his way to the bathroom in the muted darkness, wincing when he accidentally kicked something plastic and sent it skidding across the floor. He’ll get it later. 

Guy found himself in front of the bathroom mirror and recognized what was in his eyes as something pathetic. The look on his face was familiar, and he’d seen that look a million times before. 

He hated what he saw.

—

Small hands slowly nudged a weary shoulder that early June. Everything was hazy in the heat of summer. A talk show- no, a sports program, was playing in the background from the CRT screen. 

“Dad. Daaad. Play with me,” he whined at the fresh age of five. “I’ll be the fire truck, ‘an you’ll be the train.” 

His Dad, a mountain of a man impossible to climb, laid himself against his chair. In that house, everyone shared everything except for that chair in the corner of the living room. That chair was his, and over the years, it’d soon mold itself into the shape of his body and its fabric would be stained with his beer. 

“Why don’t ‘cha bother your mom, instead, huh?” he grunted, unmoving. 

“She’s at the store,” Guy replied. 

“Go outside, or something. Y’know when I grew up, we used to just go to the woods and just. Played with sticks. You young’uns are soft, always need coddlin’ and buggerin’. Can’t even sit still for a second.” 

He looked up at his father’s stubbled, rugged face. Marred by the heat of the sun. “I can do that?!” 

“Sure, son,” the man looked at him with an almost sad sort of look. His labored arm, wiry and thick from long hours at the auto shop, reached out to muss up his hair.  “Your Pa’s… tired.” 

Guy was hunting for bugs in the backyard when his mother came back home from the store and yelled at her husband for letting him get dirty. And for sitting there all day, never doing anything useful. And that she wished that she never married someone who’d give up so easily as him.

He remembered that his father was tired a lot. 

—

Guy did the least he could do. He brushed his teeth and had a single slice of bread for breakfast. Anything is better than nothing, a dear friend told him. He guessed it was right because, on days when he felt like he wanted to let the mattress mold itself to the shape of his body, the only way he could survive was by keeping the ball rolling. A routine- or some form of it. What he did barely counted as one, but it was better than letting himself fall into the trap of falling back asleep. 

He opened the laptop, checked the calendar, and mentally kicked himself. 

The deadline was today. 

Guy liked to believe that he was a capable, competent person. But as soon as he opened the word document to write the last act of his script- a task that he’d put off from days before- his mind was full of noise. 

He craved mind-numbing comfort, so he sought it. He sunk into his chair and scrolled on his phone. In the back of his mind, he felt angry. 

_

Business was rough for the auto shop, and it later closed when Guy was sixteen. His dad never looked for another job- and he soon took his role as a stay-at-home father. 

The arguments soon died down, maybe because his parents had already worn each other out by that point. They barely saw each other anyway- his mother’s job at the hospital as a residential nurse kept it that way. 

His father was itching for control- and home was the only thing close enough to that. 

He was neurotic about where things were supposed to be. The chairs were supposed to be aligned with the floorboards, and Guy has had to sweep the floors multiple times. If a strand of his hair was found- it’d send his father into ballistics. 

Hair was another issue. 

“Isn’t it time for a haircut?” his dad asked as he vacuumed, without ever meeting Guy in the eyes. 

"I like it this way,” he replied. 

“Makes you look like a chick.” 

—

The videos on his phone flashed colors and various soundbites. It felt incomprehensible to him, and his mind fell into the space between awareness and daydream- a thick fog. 

He didn’t feel like catching the deadline. Maybe he should just give up and not do it. He could lie down and not do anything at all. 

“This is how I stayed productive even on days when I was exhausted and didn’t have any motivation. The Eisenhower matrix can help you manage your time-” the YouTube video droned and Guy felt himself slip away. 

He probably was just lazy.  He needed one day to get himself together and he could train himself to have discipline and not rely on motivation, or start time blocking, or start writing bullet journals and get his life together. 

—

Guy grew to realize that he hated his father. Hated the way he seemed to always park himself in front of the TV and not shower for days. Disgusting and good-for-nothing. The way he would only get up to go around the house and make sure that everything was in pristine condition. Unused, untouched. Guy hadn’t eaten in his dining room for ages. 

His father could’ve tried if he wanted to. He could’ve applied for other jobs, could’ve cared more about him. But he wallowed in the unknown frustrating corners of his mind and let days pass him by.

He could see the weight sagging his mother’s shoulders-the exhaustion in her eyes as she picked him up from school before going to her night shift. 

Guy’s biggest fantasy when he was growing up was for his parents to get a divorce. It never came, and in a sick and twisted way, they did need each other to survive. She needed the illusion of a family, and he needed the money.

“Why can’t you do it for me!” he yelled in a particularly heated fight. 

“I’m doing this for you! What do you even want?! For this family to be torn apart and to become the talk of the town?” 

“I don’t need you to stay together when all you do is yell at each other,” he pleaded. 

“You don’t understand,” she said and ended their discussion there. 

—

Before he knew it, it was dark outside and he hadn’t written a single word for his script. The deadline was in five hours, and he was sure that he’d be dropped from the project if he didn’t manage to make it.  

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. A mix of voices rang in his skull: ‘The deadline is in five hours. You’ve done nothing, stupid.’ And ‘maybe you should eat something. You’re hungry, and you’ve only had bread.’ with ‘you should try starting now. You can still fight for this gig. It’s not over yet.’ 

Guy stood up and approached the pile of laundry on the corner of his bed. He mechanically folded them and arranged them in his drawer of clothes. It gave him the feeling that he had his life together. He hated the fact that he had to do such an ordeal just to do basic tasks. Double the effort for half the result. 

Everything felt like a hill he had to climb. Strategies, timers, to-do lists, tricks. It was frustrating, the fact that he was so damaged that he couldn’t straightforwardly do anything. 

Tears started to cloud his vision and all he could do was blink them away in anger. Anger at himself for being affected by people who do not care for him in the slightest (A lie, he will soon realize. They did care- but it was the only sort of care that they understood.) He hated that he was a carbon copy of his father despite having tried so desperately to be different. 

He studied hard in school, and he worked double, and triple shifts at Max’s to support himself. But he couldn’t escape from what he was. This… sickness, the willingness to give up so easily was passed down from his father like a curse. It was in his blood, written in his bones. At the end of the day, he was still his father’s son. 

—

The thing is, his dad did try. Between the narcissist, and the mid-life crisis-ridden man, there were glimpses of what he was underneath it all. What he could’ve been. 

He remembered when it stormed all morning before he had to turn in a science project for freshman year in high school. He’d woken up late, and by the time he was at the bus stop, lugging poster board and styrofoam diagrams in a wheelbarrow behind him, it’d left. 

His father had run to catch up with him with an umbrella. 

“I’ll walk ‘ya to school. Don’t want ‘em to get wet when you’d barely sleep making them.” 

It’d been embarrassing. For someone his age to be walked to school by his dad. But all he noticed was the fact that his father had leaned the umbrella completely over him and the wheelbarrow. He was drenched, and he’d never been too fond of the cold. 

“I can wear my jacket,” he mumbled. “Just tilt it your way. You’re getting wet.” 

“Doesn’t matter,” his dad replied. “The only thing that matters is for you to get to school okay. Get good grades so you don’t become a loser.”

—

Guy wiped his tears and sat himself back down in front of the laptop. He let the all-encompassing, overwhelming mix of anger and sadness run through him. He wasn’t going to fuck it up. He wouldn’t let anything get in the way of the work that he loved doing. He gritted his teeth and did it even when every part of him protested. 

Despite his father, despite his restless mind. 

Despite it all, he’ll die fighting, bruised.

[the-winter-spider]

Kinda Don’t | B.Barnes

Warnings: Angst, character death

Word count: 3.5k

A/N: Never proof read, going through my drafts and just posting shit lol, enjoy?

Master list

****

Bucky and you had a long history, and I don't mean long as in only a decade but 7 of them.

You were the girl next door literally, you grew up directly next door to Bucky. You moved in right before puberty hit not just the boys but you too.

It was always just you three and it was the first time you had any real friends, your father was part of the army, science sector of it so you were constantly moving never having enough time to actually make any life long friends let alone fall in love but when he went missing, later discovered dead in some secret lab he had under your house, your mother and you packed up and moved to the city that everyone wanted to live in, New York.

With the endless amount of possibilities or more so the endless amount of men your Mother could shack up with and have them support her and yourself. You didn't mind of course as long as she was happy, you were happy.

That was until her latest husband David started yelling a lot, then he started drinking a lot, then he hit you for the first time. Your mother told you it was the wrong place at the wrong time, you walked into the house right as they were fighting and he struck you. You never said anything except went straight to your room, then climbed out your window back to where Bucky was.

And when he saw you, you broke down. He promised he’d always be here for you and you were the only girl that would ever have his heart. He was true to his word to a certain extent. That was until puberty hit and every girl was throwing themselves at him, it was inevitable he was gorgeous.

He went out with every girl in town, except for you because you weren't as pretty as them even though he always would get drunk and end up climbing through your window instead of his, telling you just how you were the most beautiful girl he’d ever laid eyes on how he was so lucky to have you, but then the next day when you woke up he was gone, back out the window and back to holding some other dame in his arms.

But when the war got worse and people were getting their letters left and right you knew Bucky’s were coming and he stopped seeing other girls and he spent all his time with Steve and you.

It was different, he would hold your hand on the street, he would take you dancing, he would take you on dates. You found yourselves constantly under the sheets intertwined with one another and then one night when he thought you were sleeping he told you while running his fingers through your hair that it was only ever going to be you, it was only ever you and when he saw any future it was always with you.

He told you he was hopeless in love with you since the day he saw you standing by the moving truck holding a box and you tried your hardest not to open your eyes and tell him you were in love with him too.

The next day he enlisted and spent the last night he had with Steve and you at some Stark thing you cared nothing about but at the same time everything about because Bucky cared about it and you cared about Bucky.

And just like that he was gone and the first decade and a half of your history had ended before it ever really started. When Steve showed up on your step to tell you about Bucky and to give you the book that Bucky wrote to you every single day, he told you he was going to avenge his death and he would come back to you, and then he never did either. When Peggy Carter knocked on your door to tell you about Steve you shut the door and shut anyone out that was left in your life.

Till sometime in the 50’s in the paper it said Howard Stark was looking for volunteers and you never forgot how much Bucky would beam at the opportunity so you showed up at the base and he said yes before you could even speak after hearing how you were Steve’s best friend.

You were injected with the closest hope to the next super soldier serum without the drastic physical changes. They called you Miss America, and you hoped you would have made your boys proud but when Howard noticed you weren’t ageing as you should they ran tests, discovering that your cells rengernated at an extremely fast rate now allowing you to age as you should before you could run more tests and possibly find an antidote or even how enchanced you really were, Howard died.

You were alone again, Peggy tried her best to keep you company and to keep you hidden, you should have been in your late 60’s like her but instead you looked 3 decades younger than her, she thought it would be best to fake your death so that's what you did.

Y/N Y/L/N died in 1995 at the age of 75, your cause of death was undetermined. That’s when Lily Barnes was created, born in 1965 making you 30 years old, which is what you would stay looking for the next 2 decades, when they found Steve on ice you could have sworn you saw a wrinkle that was never there before.

When he found out Peggy was alive he was of course over the moon but when he saw you he couldn’t believe his eyes. He had Fury look into you and when he saw a death certificate, they found where you were buried and it was beside Bucky. But yet you were standing directly in front of him looking like you had only aged 5 years in the last 70. You told him everything, he was so mad at first but he came to terms with it when he realised he wasn’t going to be alone.

Fury tried to recruit you for the avengers but you wanted nothing to do with making new friends and losing them your heart simply couldn't handle it. Fury understood told you he didn't like it but he understood, he put you in a safe house Steve respected your wishes and besides Fury, Steve was the only one who knew where you were that until a red head knocked on your door, Steve beside her and he told you to suit up, you did no questions asked.

The next thing you knew you were on a jet, getting debriefed about someone by the name of Thano’s. But when you were getting close to a place called Wakanada, your heightened sense picked up on something you.

–

“Steve, what's wrong?” You stood by Natasha putting all your weapons in their correct spot.

“What isn’t wrong?” Natasha tried to joke but you ignored it.

“Stevie” You asked again “You know I can tell right? I can sense literally everything”

He gave you a soft smile “I forgot you were enhanced” he sighed “There’s something i haven't told you”

“No shit” You smiled

“She doesn’t know?” Sam asked from the front seat, Steve shook his head in response.

“How much doesn’t she know?” Natasha whispered

“None of it”

Natasha looked at you, placing a hand on your shoulder “I’m sorry in advance, I didn’t know” she then proceeded to sit by Sam, giving Steve and you the space you apparently needed for this conversation.

“I’m so sorry, i just, there was so much going on and you wanted to stay out of it and i know if you knew you would have been brought back in, but then Natasha happened and i didnt know about their history and he was so happy, I haven't seen him smile like that since you, then Wakanda happened, he deserved to be free, he deserves to be happy and so do you and it was wrong of me not to say anything, your my best friend you took care of Peggy, I – “

“Steve, slow down, what are you talking about?” Your senses were in overload, you could feel every atom, every fibre in the air, alerting you that you needed to run, that you needed to fight.

He gave you the same eye’s he gave you when your Ma past, the same eyes he gave you when Bucky forgot about your birthday because Dot said yes to a date, the same eyes he gave you when he told you Bucky died. “He’s alive, Bucky’s alive”

“What? Steve that's not funny”

“I know, I’m not joking” He reached just beside the shield and handed you a file that said CLASSIFIED in big red letters “Were arriving in an hour, I’m sorry I should have told you sooner, everything you need to know is in here. I’ll be right over there if you need me, I’m here for you”

The file was heavy in your hands, your mouth was dry. When you read his name at the top it felt you were swallowing a razor blade. You read everything as fast as you could, you held back tears, letting the metaphorically razor blade cut any emotions you wanted to have. You were angry, so angry, so hurt that this was kept from you, you wanted to kill Steve Rogers, you wanted to murder Captain America. But no more than you wanted to kill yourself, he was alive this whole time, the same time you were alive. You could have done something, why didn’t you know to do something? You should have felt he was still alive and in pain, he was your soulmate, he said you were soulmates. That was until you got to the second last page in the file, it was an HR paper from Stark Industries and your eyes were blurring with tears when you saw the world's relationship and saw two signatures at the bottom one reading James Barnes and the other Natasha Romanoff.

“Landing in 5, 4, 3 – “ You heard Sam counting down, you placed the file down. You took a deep breath soaking in every fibre of information presented to you in the last hour. You stood up having an internal battle of whether you should kill Steve now or later, you wanted to strangle Natasha, but it wasn’t her fault, you couldn't blame Bucky, she was amazing if you swung that way you would have fallen for her too, you should have known the second Steve told you he was alive, before you even opened the file, he always had a thing for redheads. You clipped your last knife to your thigh.

You gave Natasha a small smile and she returned it. You could feel Steve’s presence hovering beside you, as the doors whired open “Does he know?” you didn’t even look at Steve as the doors slowly opened.

“No” He sighed “Im so sore –”

You shook your head “Don't”

Natasha was the first one out, no doubt in your mind wanting to see Bucky, Steve followed shortly after, then Sam, then Bruce, the Rhodey, than you’

Her arms wrapped around his neck, her lips grazed his you heard her mumble an ‘i miss you’, that metaphorical razor you swallowed sliced your heart in half.

Steve hugged Bucky, whispering something to him and his blue eyes searched for you, disbelief written all over his face. He started to make his way to you, but stopped just before he could reach you, his eyes trailed over your figure, tears brimmed his eyes “Doll, I -”

You cleared your throat, shifting your demeanour from heart broken and love sick back to someone you swore you never wanted to be again and that was Miss America “We have a fight to win Sargent.”

He blinked a few times, shifting his gaze to Steve and he shrugged in return, he turned back to you “But I - “

Steve came up beside him “She’s right Buck”

Bucky looked like he was having an internal battle within himself before he nodded and the team made their way to the battle ground, Bucky never leaving your side, his pace stayed with you the whole time until the fight started, he kissed Natasha on the cheek wishing her good luck, before he got the chance to say something to you, your back was already turned getting in your fight stance.

You lost him for a while during the battle, while still keeping an eye on him without being too obvious. You did the same with Steve you knew he was more than capable and was no longer that little boy from brooklyn, even though you were still mad at him he was still your best friend, well one of them.

The fight dragged on, and when you thought you had any possible chance of winning, people started turning to dust all around you “no no no” you mumbled running closer to Steve, your eyes locked with Bucky “Y/n….” he trailed off before he was completely gone.

—

F i v e whole years.

Five whole years of losing Bucky again, five years of growing so close to Natasha you would consider her your best friend. It was just you two in the compound, you came back to the whole superhero lifestyle and tried your best to do anything you could to keep things running smoothly. It was hard half the fucking world was missing, but your whole world was.

You wanted to hate Natasha you did, she had everything you ever wanted in the palm of her hands and yet you couldn’t. She was everything you aspired to be. You were nothing like her and it made sense why Bucky kept anything you thought you had in the dark, it wasn't because you thought he was savouring it, soaking up every moment, no it was because he was ashamed.

You wanted nothing more than to hate her, it would have made things so much easier but she was just as amazing as everyone made her out to be, you hoped you could somehow find a way to get Bucky back and selfishly you hoped he would wildy confess his undenying love to you but you knew that would never happen, and at the same time you were rooting for them, he was your everything then and she was your everything now.

You could push your heart break aside for decades again couldn't you?

Could you die from a broken heart? You hoped it would make everything so much easier.

But you didn't and here you were about to do fucking time travel. Standing on the platform you tried to tune out all the energy and nerves you could feel radiating off of everyone, a hand found its way on your shoulder “Were gonna get him back Natasha smiled at you before turning to the rest of your teammates, her family “See you in a minute”

—

“You know, i thought living as long as i have would have been the craziest thing to ever happen to me” You smiled thinking of all the crazy shit you experienced in your overly lived lifetime.

“But here we are, in space going to some place called Vormir, don’t be too full of yourself y/n'' You laughed, bumping your shoulder against hers.

“Welcome” A voice echoed behind you. Grabbing your knife, Natasha reached for her gun. “Natasha, daughter of Ivan. Y/n, daughter of Lilith.

As you both made your way forward you tensed immediately recognizing who is in front of you.

“Who are you?” Natasha questioned, your knives still raised.

“Consider me a guide, to you and to all who seek the Soul Stone”

You eyed her cautiously before taking a step forward “Oh good, you tell us where it is, then we’ll be on our way”

Red skull looked at you “If only it were that easy”

He turned around starting to move forward, you looked at Natasha, she shrugged in response and then the two of you followed him near the edge of a cliff, what looked to be a sunset in the distance.

“What you seek lies in front of you, as does what you fear”

Natsha pushed ahead peering over the edge “The stones down there” Her back to you.

“For one of you” Red skull respond

You were overwhelmed, you could feel the stone, you could feel the calmness, the sureness radating off of Natasha, her pure willingness. Your feet dragged you forward, peaking over hoping the stone would be in reach, which you knew it wouldn't be, because it would be crazy for something to be that easy.

“For the other” He continued “You must lose that which you love, an everlasting exchange” He paused dramatically, you swallowed the lump in your throat “A soul for a soul”

She took your hand in hers, pulling you away from the ledge. Taking a seat on a rock, while you leaned on one. You knew what you had to do, what had to be done “Y’know, I think our hopefully chatter doomed us”

She smiled at you “We cant seem to ever catch a break huh?”

“People like us never really do it seems”

She stood up turning to face you “And here i thought we found a little bit of break in each other the last 5 years”

You smiled back at her “It's always too good to be true”

“Whatever it takes” She took your hand in hers

Swallowing back the lump in your throat “Whatever it takes”

She stared in your eyes, you felt nothing but love and longing radiating off of her “If we don't get that stone y/n, millions of people stay dead, Barnes stays dead”

Nodding in agreement “He deserves a life Nat” You placed your other hand on hers “A great one and you —“

“I'm starting to think we mean different people here y/n”

“For the last five years Nat, all we've been trying to do is get to right here, that's all its been about. Bringing every body back, getting Bucky back”

“Don't you get all sappy on me now y/n/n”

“Nat..” you trailed off

“You think I want to do this? I'm trying to save your life you idiot”

You squeezed her hand “Yeah, well I don't want you to. I've lived long enough Nat, this would be a great way to go” You smiled back your tears “Bucky has you, i have you” you looked off towards the sunset “It's not that bad of a sight, y’know if its the last thing i see”

She placed her free hand on your cheek, turning your head to face her again “I love Bucky” her eyes piercing into yours “But i love you more”

“No, Nat -“

I wasn't finished” Her thumb swept one out of a dozen fallen tears finding their way down your cheek “But he could never love me, his heart belonged to someone else but the little piece of it i got to see”

You shook your head as she brought your forehead to hers before she continued “Whatever it takes”

“Okay, you win” You released her hand before sweeping your leg under hers, placing your arm across her chest and pinning her down “Tell Bucky and Steve i love them”

She grunted before hitting your arm, and using her legs to flip you around before standing up and pointing her widow bite at you “You tell em’ yourself” before shooting it at you, an electrical charge attacked your body.

She started to run towards the edge before you recovered, grabbing your knife and aiming it at her leg grazing the side enough to knock her down.

Before you started to charge at full speed to the edge, as you were about to fall, she wrapped her arms around you shooting your grappling hook at the top of the cliff, you both swung back at full force smashing into the edge, you looked up “No no no” you tighten your grip on her but you could feel her slipping “How do you know i love you! This could be for nothing you dont know”

“I know”

You tried to reach her with your other hand for a better grip but failed

“Let me go”

“No” you sobbed “No please no”

“Its okay” she smiled

“Please” Tears were burning down your face, before she kicked off the wall her arm ripped from your grip.

“No!” You screamed till your throat was raw, as you looked down you saw her lifeless body laying there.

Everything went black and you could hear water running, you sat up frantically, you were no longer hanging off the cliff, as you lifted your hand out of the water a single stone laid in it. Your tears meshed with the water before you were being brought back.

“Did we get 'em all?”

“Are you telling me this actually worked?”

You dropped to the ground, cheeks raw from crying, you could feel all eyes on you, “Y/n? Where's Nat?” Bruce questioned, you turned to look at Steve, shaking your head no, avoiding all the other eyes because you wouldn't dare look into their eyes, you were nothing to them.

She was their family and you came back and she didn't.

[prettypinkporkchop]

-3 years ago-

Jake groans while standing up from fixing the new engine in his old red truck. "So, who is Bella?" You ask, picking up a tool and examining it. He smiles at you, grabbing it from your hand. "Just a childhood friend. She hasn't been here or really with Charlie in a long time." He sighs. "Is this someone I should be concerned about?" You raise an eyebrow. He shakes his head and then kisses your forehead. "Nope." He walks away.

---NOW---

Oh, but you should have been worried. He was up her ass. You went from a teen and in love to an adult and watching everything fall apart. All of his friends have separated. Jake and Quil are the last of them. The others joined Sam's gang. That's the last you've seen or heard from them. You moved away for a job that did not feel right.

You park your car in the driveway to your old house. Your eyelids are heavy, considering you've been driving for nearly seven hours. You barely slept the night before because of anxiety. The front door opens, and it's your old guardian.(can be anyone for you).

After settling back into your old bedroom, you climb in the bed and attempt to rest some more. "Y/n! You have a visitor!" You groan and push yourself up.

You walk towards the open front door.

Of course. It's Jacob Black. Short hair and a tattoo. You're not so surprised. You're not even mad about the teenage love drama anymore. You just hope the dude isn't in any drugs or gang related shit because of Sam.

You look up at him and lean on the door frame. "Long time, no see, Black." You smile. He just stands there, staring. It seems like he's in shock. His eyes are wide open, and his eyebrows are raised. "I know. I'm still super hot." You joke. Saying this brings him back, shaking his head and then smiling. "Hey y/n. Small town noise, ya know. I heard you were back, and I just wanted to say 'hi'." He tucks his hands in his pockets. "Thank you? I mean, not that I mind you being here, but why is it important to say hi to me?" You giggle awkwardly. "Also, I'm not mad. We were kids. But, how's your lady, Bella?" He sucks in a breath. "Uh, yeah, about that. She's with the weirdo Edward Cullen. They're married now." He chuckles.

"Oh, I'm sorry." You awkwardly say. Deep down, you're singing JoJo Siwas Karma. But, at the same time, you're over all of it. But truthfully, you don't care. "It's not a problem. I've learned some lessons."

"Yeah, which made you join Sam's gang?" You raise your eyebrow with a smirk. "It's not a gang. It's a lot more than that. No drugs like we thought. We are just helping people and each other."

You don't respond. "Well, how about we catch up? I'm sure my people would love to see you again." He smiles. "Eh, I mean, it'd be nice to see your dad. I just don't want to bring back memories I've worked so hard to let go of." He frowns, and you can see the guilt wash over him. "I have some things to say. I really think it'll be worth your time. Everything will make sense."

You think and then nod, "Okay. When do you want to go?"

He perks up with a grin. "Now, I mean, whenever you are ready!" He pipes up.

"Look who's back. Couldn't stay away from Jake, could you?" Embry nudges you. You roll your eyes. "You haven't changed a bit." You laugh. "Hey! That's the joys of being an imprint. The universe always brings you back."

"Embry." Jacob glares at him. "Imprint? What?" You look at them. Embry raises his eyebrows. "Oh. My bad, cuh." He runs away. "Damn it."

A couple weeks later:

"DAMN IT!" You scream and drop the knife in the sink. A stinging pain runs through your whole hand even though the cut is just your middle finger. Blood drips into the sink. You try to keep it away from the food you are cooking. "What? What is it?" Jacob runs to you. He grabs your arm and looks over your hand. "Oh, baby." He wraps a paper towel around your finger. He kisses the top of your head. "Are you going to be okay?" He anxiously looks over your face. You nod through the pain. It's not deep enough for medical attention.

"Come on." He brings you over to the first aid cabinet. He wraps your finger and kisses your forehead. "I'll finish cooking." He presses a quick kiss to your lips. You lean up and press a lingering kiss on his lips. One that he melts into. He presses your back against the counter and has his hands on your waist.

His phone starts buzzing on the table. "UGH. What the hell." He goes to see who it is. "Bella." He groans and declines the call. "She's been blowing up my phone. Something about Edward getting her pregnant. I don't know. I don't care. It's not my problem." He laughs. You smile at him and walk up to him. You grab onto his shirt and pull him down, attacking his lips.

He groans and bites your bottom lip. "You trying to tell me something?" He breathes out before kissing your neck.

"Mhm."

[ellabsweet]

[*ੈ✩] 𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐌𝐄 & 𝐘𝐎𝐔 • 𝐀.𝐀

synopsis: abby anderson and owen, long time friends and lovers, finally tie the knot, and during the celebration, abby starts a friendship with the pretty wedding florist.

pairing: abby anderson x florist!reader

warning: multiple part series based off the movie imagine me & you so it contains the love at first sight trope, will have heavy mentions of comphet, eventual smut and reader is explicitly a lesbian! some use of y/n but i try to limit it

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄: 𝐖𝐄𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐀𝐘

“I want something that says I’m sorry he’s dead… but not that sorry. He was a dog and you loved him more than you loved me. Can you do a bunch that says that?”

You’re stuck between laughing and sighing, looking through your inventory for subtle grief flowers, whatever those may be. The last customer of the day is always bound to be the hardest, a cheating boyfriend who needs forgiveness, an uncertain last moment gift, occasional odder ones that would go straight into the stories kept to gossip at your friends from an otherwise untuburlent life. You give the woman violets and start loading your company pickup truck as she leaves.

“What’s the job?” Dina from the store next door asks, helping with your boxes of potted flower arrangements, wiling the sweat off her forehead as she does so, the usual bright smile plastered across her face in a familiar warmth you have grown to adore.

“Another wedding, rich people really do love their spring engagements” You chuckle, tossing them out in the back of the truck, hands on your waist with an audible breath as you stand finally facing Dina into your focus.

“Nice couple?”

“Haven’t met them, it’s all about the mother in law” Dina rolls her eyes at that but silently agrees, her own distaste of weddings being duo to her on and off boyfriend’s mother aswell.

“Hey, me and Jesse are going out later, wanna come with after your ceremony?” You nod happily at her, her surprise being caught off guard making you laugh as you climb onto the front seat, hands ready on the steering wheel, you exchange a few more pleasentries and promises before you are truly on your way, feeling uncomfortably underdressed already by the pantsuit you barely had time to put on nearly stained by dirt around the heels.

You stare around the venue’s outdoors as some well dressed men come pick up your arrangements and spread them across the place, it doesn’t take long before you spot who you assume to be the groom amongst some family members well spread out. Staring briefly down your clothes and running your fingers through your hair to tame it pretty you walk towards him, arm extended forwards for a handshake.

“Are you Owen, the groom?”

He nods uncertainly, taking your hand and his as a little girl tugs on his suit, excessively calling out his name in effervescent curiosity only known to an eight year old girl, bubbly in all her existence, you smile down at the child, nearly distracted.

“Hi, I’m y/n, I did your flowers”

“Well I wouldn’t know a nice flower from a poke in the eye, but I’m sure they are lovely, yeah, thank you!” The girl wouldn’t stop as he spoke, the words Owen Owen Owen please still echoing.

“Owen I have a question, please!”

“Not now, Olivia!” His mother scolded but the guy still smiled warmly, kneeling down to her height level in good familiar fashion and asked her what it was, bright eyes becoming brighter.

“Owen, what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?”

“It never happens” You chime in istinctively, regretting it the second you do so as all eyes fall on you, yet you continue for the sake of the child’s curiosity “If there's a thing that can't be stopped... it's not possible for there to be something else which can't be moved, and vice versa. They can't both exist. You see, it's a trick question… is the answer.”

“Can she sit with me?” Olivia asks enthusiastically making you laugh as she grabs onto your hands and bombards you with new questions, like why is the alphabet in that order.

“Flower girl is hot” Ellie speaks to Owen as you are out of sight, his hand coming up to his face to press against his temple as he sighs looking back at you utterly entertained by his sister “I got a vibe from her, she’s a lesbian for sure, you think she’s into me?”

“I think she didn’t even look at you” Owen points out.

“Yeah, well, by the end of this she’ll be into me”

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God and in the face of this congregation to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony.

Abby takes a deep sigh. She’s ready, she thinks, grasping onto her father’s arm while the song echoes her through the aisle. It has been a long time since she has had all eyes on her in this manner and it wasn’t exactly a comfortable feeling as it once felt, uncertain whether to look straight towards her future husband, at the ground to not trip, or towards her guests. She glances at Owen for a moment, his smile brightly unfaltered and immediately regretted it with a weird feeling in her stomach. She turns to the guests then, smiling around at familiar faces and finally, she sees you, and you see her. You see her. You see her, she feels.

Something else replaces the anxiety in her stomach, and it feels oddly like the fluttering wings of a butterfly. Her heart speeds up and her palms get sweaty, rubbing against the white fabric of her dress, she’s self conscious in a different way, a raw way. Her smile sends you shivers. The moment passes sooner than it began as her steps quicken towards Owen. She can’t shake the feeling something has changed. A divide.

taglist: comment if you’d like to be tagged on the next part!

[monstrousdesirestudy]

So I forgot that Ao3 makes it so that you need an invite to join and they are telling if I’ll get the invite AUGUST 4th. So. I’m posting my lesbian pirate x selkie romance here lol.

Prologue

From the bobbing ship deck, a small child watched as her home burned. She had long since stopped sobbing, though the tears continued to run freely down her cheeks in silent trails. Flames engulfed the shore, so brilliant and bright it hurt the child’s eyes to watch. But she dared not look away. Not from the smoke that choked the sky, from the monastery which could hardly be seen as it was swallowed whole by fire. Not from the bodies of the clergy that lay limp and still on the dark sand, between the thick copses of trees.

The acrid smoke tore at her throat, the tender skin of her wrists raw from the rope biting into them. A scream was building inside her small body, expanding in her lungs and crashing against the back of her clenched teeth like waves breaking against the cliff sides. The child dared not make a sound.

There, just behind the crumpled body of Brother Eamon was the tree she used to climb at least once a week. Flames consumed it, eating at its pine foliage and thick truck before the great tree snapped with a tremendous crack, hurdling to the ground. She had never seen bodies so still, not even while they slept. Eamon had always been a restless sleeper, tossing and turning in his narrow cot. He had never been this still before. Nothing more than a lump of rumpled robes.

All those busy clergymen who had hustled to and fro within the monastery like bees in a hive, their robes flapping around them as they chastised her for stealing from the kitchen or tended to the herb garden, just. Gone.

Beneath the roar of the fire, she could hear a low, unearthly, groan building. She caught glimpses of the monastery through the shifting veil of smoke and fire. Was it a trick of the heat, her own eyes failing her, or was the structure actually shuddering?

A heavy hand speckled with blood and ash clapped her shoulder, causing the child to flinch. She hadn’t even heard the man walk up behind her.

“Come, boy,” the man commanded.

She didn’t move, not yet. Not as she watched the monastery where she had been taken in as a small child collapse. It died much in the same way the clergymen had, giving one last painful breath before folding in on itself and toppling to the ground in an ungraceful heap.

“Come,” the man said again, this time with impatience.

She followed, but even as the ship began to sail, she did not take her gaze from the island. She did not look away when the island became small and inconsequential. She did not look away when the island had all but disappeared on that long, lonely horizon.

Chapter 1

There were many places that Síleas could be found: hunched over a table assessing maps and coordinates in her captains quarters; tangled in the unwashed sheets of a random wenches’ bed, her face buried between buxom bosoms or twitching thighs; at the bottom of a bottle, slumped wherever her drunk carcass decided to fall. And since their raid had gone rather successfully that week, if she did say so herself, she would no longer be relegating herself to the perfect, wretched, confines of the Luath.

Tonight—and for a blissful, agonizing, week— she would be free from the unwashed stench of her crewmates; from Cabbage’s poor excuse for cooking; from Crux’s rattling cough that kept everyone up on the ship, no matter their vicinity to his hammock.

She would also be free from the wide open world all around her, the smell of cannon powder coating her nostrils, and the salty wind against her burnt cheeks.

Sìleas stopped short at that thought and peered around her small room, grimacing. It was a room she commonly got at the Fat Goose Inn while they all marauded around the island, drinking, fighting, and fucking themselves into enough trouble that someone inevitably drove them out of Perthlochry and back onto the Luath. Tavern owners who had enough of the gambling sessions her boatswain Santino hosted, and cheated at; the drunken fights her powder monkeys and gunners wound up in, because they were still riding the highs from raids; angry citizens whose wounds got worse after seeing her surgeon Twoosies. And then there were the hefty unpaid tab bills that she and her first mate, Asher, racked up. Even with purses fat with stolen gold, it could never amount to how much they drank together.

Sìleas considered herself lucky she could even count on room and board at the Fat Goose because of her piss reputation, however, her schmoozing of the inn owner’s wife Maggie had helped her considerably. Then again, it wasn’t always a given: she had been tossed out in a fit of jealousy a few times after being caught with another woman.

The room was sparse and worn, but clean enough for it to be a reprieve from her quarters in the Luath, which had begun to take on a stench and needed to be aired out for a few days. Her room had a rickety, wooden chair in the corner; a lumpy but decently-sized bed against the wall; and a bedside table with a melted candle that had fused itself to the surface after years of use. If she managed to find herself in Maggie’s good graces, Sìleas knew she could have a hot meal, on the house no less. Tonight it smelled like some sort of stew and fresh, chewy bread. The cook wasn’t superb, but was certainly better than Cabbage.

Her trunk sat in the corner, ragged like a defeated stray dog. For a moment, Síleas felt an overwhelming urge to tear through the trunk’s innards to find her tin box of cigarillos, buried somewhere under her clothes. Tension crept into the back of her neck, a tremble settling in her hands. She needed a drink; no–she needed to get drunk.

It was always like this after docking. She couldn’t really blame her powder monkeys and gunners for being lawless animals constantly looking for a fight; being on land after long durations on the Luath made her agitated as well. The crew knew to scatter like the roaches they were after pulling into the harbor, far from her dour mood. All except Asher, who weathered her surly glares and grunts. Asher knew that Síleas’ mood was not long-lived and after enough ale and port, she would be back to yelling shanties at the top of her lungs and howling with laughter at bad jokes. It didn’t hurt if a few beautiful women were involved as well.

A knock on the door shook Síleas from her thoughts. Answering it, she found Maggie on the other side.

Ah, Maggie.

Maggie brushed the fringes of her brown blonde hair from her face with fluttering hands. It was as if she couldn’t keep them still as Síleas grinned and leaned up against the door frame. Maggie’s hands oscillated between her hair and her skirts, where she wiped her palms against the stained fabric, trying in vain to smooth them.

“Ah, I see you’re settling in well,” Maggie said, clearing her plump throat. Her eyes darted from Síleas to the room behind her. The perpetual flush in her cheeks darkened.

“Mhm. All thanks to you,” Síleas replied. Maggie stammered out an incoherent sentence, her hands even more restless as they twitched at her hair and clothes. Síleas’ amusement rose. “Where’s Robert?”

Síleas already knew where Robert was: far, far away from the inn, oblivious–or perhaps, uncaring–of his wife’s actions. Robert often left Maggie in charge of the inn while he went to trade for booze and metal goods in the Arasen desert. It left Maggie exhausted as she was to now look after the business of the inn on her own, on top of chasing their three children. It did, however, afford them to have their trysts without having to sneak around and, more importantly, provided Síleas free room and board. Not that Robert was perceptive enough to spot anything so clearly under his own nose.

“Another one of his trips to visit the Yurukhan. He shouldn’t be back for another fortnight,” Maggie said, feigning casualness, but Síleas could see the bright gleam in her eyes. It was a look she knew well, one that normally led to them closing the door and retreating to the darkness of her bedroom, but Síleas found that tonight it made her stomach ache.

Maggie had once been a beautiful woman–she still was a beautiful woman, but life and all of its responsibilities had lay claim to her body: deep-set lines bracketed her pursed mouth and cut between her furrowed brow, her face appearing to sag with a defeated weariness that dulled her brown eyes. She had once asked Síleas if she could leave with her on the Luath, to never come back to the Fat Goose or her children or her husband. And in a moment of weakness, that was less of a moment and more a habit, Síleas had talked her out of it. She wouldn’t have liked it, Síleas had argued, the ship was disgusting and full of farting, vulgar men. It was too dangerous, too uncomfortable.

But the truth of the matter was, if Maggie was with her on the Luath, where would Síleas stay when they docked? She had enough enemies in Marauder’s Cove without adding Robert to the ever-growing list, who would invariably be furious that his wife had upped and left him with their children and the inn. The reality that presented itself in that turn of events was a bleak one: Robert in a probable fit of rage burning down the inn to free himself of it once and for all, and Maggie everywhere on her ship, around every corner. Síleas knew she’d never have a moment to herself after that. Maggie would be waiting for Síleas in her captain’s quarters with hopeful eyes that Síleas couldn’t bear to look at: hopeful that she’d stop drinking so much, stop fighting so much, stop slinking around and fucking so much.

Maggie stepped closer, trailing a finger up Síleas’ shirt, her knuckles chafed from continuous handling of boiling-hot laundry. She forced herself to stay still, to not put distance between them, as Maggie raised her head and gave a coy smirk. “So, you can stay for however long you like. No need to rush back to the Luath. Hope you’re not too tired from your travels.”

It was now Síleas’ turn to feign casualness as she shrugged. “I could definitely eat.”

Maggie’s face fell, her eyes dimming briefly, before she nodded and found her momentum again. “Of course, you must be half-starved after all your travels,” she soothed, her fingers playing with Síleas’ shirt strings. “We can go down to the kitchen and fix you some supper right quick. I’ll join you–”

A loud raucous crash came from downstairs and both Síleas’ and Maggie’s heads swiveled towards the cacophony. Baritone voices were yelling, arguing, the noise cut by the adolescent squawking excuses of children. Children that Maggie immediately recognized.

“What is going on down there?” she yelled, bolting down the hallway and leaving Síleas behind, forgotten.

Síleas huffed a relieved sigh and darted back into her room to grab her cigarillos from her trunk. It took a moment too long for her to find the tin before she rushed from her bedroom, almost forgetting to lock her door.

The fighting downstairs was still ongoing, only now Maggie’s voice had joined the pandemonium. As Síleas crested the staircase at the end of the hallway, she pieced together the scene within the dining room: three, large men, dirty and tired from their travels, were yelling at Maggie with aggressive, jabbing fingers. She stood firm, a barrier between the men and her two eldest boys, who hid sulking behind her. The drama didn’t seem to affect the other patrons within the dining room, who either watched with detached amusement or kept their heads down in their drink and food. From the chaos, Síleas could pick out snippets of the argument, something about Maggie’s children trying to pilfer from their coin purses; which, having known Maggie’s shithead children for some years, Síleas could absolutely believe. Perhaps they were the way that they were because Maggie was more concerned about keeping the inn up and running than raising her children; or perhaps it was because all sorts of dubious figures–herself included–came and went at the Fat Goose while the children grew up. Síleas was suddenly struck with the memory of teaching the middle child, whatever his name was, how to play pinfinger when he couldn’t have been older than six. In her defense, she had taught him with a dull butter knife. Nothing the child could have really hurt himself with.

Apparently the accusation was not far-fetched for Maggie to believe either. As Síleas crept down the stairs, careful not to draw attention to herself, Maggie turned on her boys. Síleas kept close to the wall as she reached the bottom of the staircase and slunk to the left, behind the fighting group. Maggie had turned her back towards the men, new lines drawn in the sand as the men and Maggie began yelling as a unified front at the boys, who had long since given up on their martyred, silent-suffering appearances and shouted in return.

Síleas was so close to freedom, the door a stone's throw from her. She knew that once she left the Fat Goose, it would be easy enough to find Asher and begin their night of revelry. Perhaps she could convince the owner of the Smoking Fox to let them in; she had plenty of gold this time around to cover her outstanding tab. Their ale was cheap and the barmaid was a young woman who thought Síleas was charming, charming enough to fill her glass to the top every time.

Without warning, her stomach growled and Síleas hissed in frustration at the reminder. She hadn’t lied when she told Maggie she could eat; the smell of stew, with whatever mystery meat they put in it, permeated the air. But if she stayed any longer Síleas knew that she would be spotted and pulled into the mess or made to stick around. At the moment, she would have rather danced with Jack Ketch, which meant she would have to skip supper, to her chagrin.

Síleas weaved around the last table, her hands quick as she snatched a piece of bread from the plate of a pock-marked patron who was paying more attention to the escalating scene than her. While it wouldn’t satiate her, it was enough to take the edge off her hunger. Besides, Síleas tried to reason with herself, drinking on an empty stomach was much cheaper.

With the hunk of bread clamped between her teeth, Síleas opened the inn door and escaped into the night without a backward glance.

Read the rest of the first chapter on Ao3 here!

[yourmomsawh0r3]

Joel Miller x wife fem reader

Family Emergency

Joel rolled over in bed, the soft glow of the clock illuminating the early morning hours. His wife, Y/N, lay peacefully beside him, her steady breathing a comforting reminder of her presence. Joel closed his eyes, trying to fall back into sleep, when the phone rang abruptly, shattering the tranquility. Groggily, he answered, only to hear his father’s voice, fraught with panic and pain.

"Joel, it's Dad. I think something's wrong. My chest... it hurts."

Joel's heart skipped a beat. "Hang on, Pops. We're coming."

He hung up and turned to Y/N, gently shaking her awake. "Honey, wake up. It's Pops. He's having chest pains."

Y/N's eyes snapped open, instantly alert. Years of working as a Med Surge Nurse had trained her to switch from sleep to action in a heartbeat. She leapt out of bed, her mind already racing through the steps she needed to take. Joel dashed downstairs to start the truck, while she grabbed her stethoscope and a bag of supplies she always kept ready for emergencies.

They raced out of the house, the cool night air biting at their faces as they hurried to the truck. Joel's hands were shaking as he fumbled with the keys, the engine roaring to life. Y/N jumped in beside him, her bag clutched tightly on her lap. Joel sped down the empty streets, his worry etched deep into his furrowed brow.

"He's going to be okay," Y/N reassured him, though she couldn't hide the tension in her own voice. "We'll be there soon."

The drive seemed to stretch on forever, each minute feeling like an eternity. Joel's fingers drummed nervously on the steering wheel, his eyes flicking between the road and the clock. Finally, they pulled up in front of his father’s house, the familiar sight bringing a small measure of relief.

Y/N bolted from the truck and rushed to the front door, Joel close on her heels. She burst into the house, her voice echoing through the hallway. "Pops? Where are you?"

"In here," came a weak voice from the living room.

She found him slumped in his recliner, his face pale and sweaty. Kneeling beside him, Y/N quickly assessed his condition. "Pops, did you take your medication today? Have you checked your blood sugar?"

He shook his head weakly, his hand clutching at his chest. Y/N's eyes widened as she realized what might be happening. She pulled out her glucometer and checked his blood sugar levels. The reading was alarmingly low.

"Alright, Pops. It's just your sugar. I'm going to get you a spoonful of peanut butter and some orange juice," she said, her voice calming and professional.

Joel watched anxiously as Y/N moved with practiced efficiency, grabbing the necessary items from the kitchen. She returned to his father's side and carefully administered the peanut butter and juice, keeping a close eye on him as he slowly regained his color.

"Pops, you really scared me," Joel said, his voice choked with emotion.

His father managed a weak chuckle, the color gradually returning to his face. "I'm sorry, son. Guess I just forgot to eat something."

As his blood sugar stabilized, Y/N helped him back to bed, ensuring he was comfortable and had everything he needed within reach. She knelt beside him, her eyes filled with concern. "If you feel anything else, or if you’re unsure, call me immediately. Promise?"

He nodded gratefully, squeezing her hand. "Thank you, Y/N. You're a lifesaver."

Joel and Y/N finally made their way back home, the adrenaline of the night slowly wearing off. They climbed into bed, the first light of dawn creeping through the curtains. Joel turned to her, his eyes filled with gratitude.

"What would I do without you? Thank you for being there for my dad," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

Y/N smiled, her hand resting gently on his cheek. "I wouldn't change it for the world.”

Joel pulled her close and said” I’m glad you did, because you’re fucking amazing at it. plus you look so hot in your scrubs.”he smirks already getting a hard on. he rubs up against his wife trying to get her in the mood

Next thing he knows he is getting smacked with a pillow she laughs and says “Go to sleep, now’s not the time” he grunted and kissed her and flipped over to hearing his wife’s silent snores “Damn that was fast.” he chuckled and slowly falls back asleep himself.

like and comment 🫡

[erwinsvow]

YOU LOOK SO SWEET — RC.

“i can’t believe you made out with sarah’s brother,” your friend comments. you choke on your water. 

it had been an hour or so since your friends had dragged you out of the bar, bringing you home with them for the pre-planned sleepover that you had been ready to ditch for rafe. in that time you and your friends had taken off your makeup and changed into pajamas, munching on pizza on the floor of your bedroom while discussing the night’s events like you always did. you wipe your mouth, looking up at them incredulously. 

“what?” 

“you didn’t know that was rafe cameron? shut up.”

“he’s a psycho, that’s what she always says-”

“he was really nice to me,” you defend, not liking the way your friends sound right now. the rest of the night goes like that—you trying to counter and justify everything rafe did for you last night with your friends telling you it’s a good thing they dragged you away. 

they fall asleep shortly after, but you lie awake, staring at the ceiling and wondering what time your friends will leave in the morning. you’re making plans to go to tannyhill. 

normally breakfast the morning after going out is a sacred ritual between you and your friends, which is why they’re extra surprised when you usher them out without any real reason. you hurry back to the kitchen after their car drives away, getting everything ready to make cookies and wondering which kind rafe likes best.

rafe sees it from inside tannyhill—the white bike with the wicker basket pulling up the driveway, the tiny figure dressed in pink parking it next to his truck. you climb off your bike and even from up here he can appreciate how short your dress is, how you almost gave the gardeners a show. he's gotta teach you to be more careful.

you reach into the basket to pull out a matching pink container, walking up to the front door. he’s down the stairs and opening the door before you’ve even had a chance to ring the doorbell. 

you beam at rafe, hoping he remembers you and wasn’t drunk during that entire encounter. you smile brightly, offering the pink box of cookies to him.

“sorry to just drop by like this. i made cookies for you. um, to say thank you.”

“yeah, kid? that’s real cute.”

“oh. thank you.” he looks down at you, leaning against the door frame.

your chest is heaving, material of your tight dress moving up and down while you keep your gaze fixed on him, eyes big and blinking fast. you don’t even realize how you look right now, trusting and innocent and staring up at rafe like you’d do whatever he asked. if you looked like prey yesterday night, you’re the definition of an offering today, walking straight into the predator’s den.

“i didn’t know what kind you liked, so i made a whole bunch.”

“yeah?”

“yeah.” you stare back at rafe for another few seconds, then tear your eyes away. you think he wants you to go, and as much as you like him, as much as you feel a little brainless around him, you’re not stupid—you can tell when you’re not wanted. “well, i should go. thanks again for last night.”

“stop thankin’ me. it was nothin’.” rafe steps out of the house, just a foot from you on the porch now. his hand comes to rest on your shoulder and you nearly jump at the touch. “come inside. can’t eat all these myself.”

your pretty smile comes rushing back, following him inside just like you had followed him to the dance floor yesterday, looking around at the walls of tannyhill. you’d been once before, years ago for a party for sarah’s birthday that the entire class had been invited to,  but you hadn’t admired it then. nor did you realize what other treasures laid inside.

“want milk?” rafe questions, opening up the fridge while you rest your hands on the marble island in the kitchen. you nod your head, still looking around and taking in the new environment. rafe comes back to you with the jug of milk and two glasses, pouring you a cup first.

“how was the rest of your night?” you ask tentatively, breaking an oatmeal raisin cookie in half and offering rafe the other piece. he accepts it with a grin. you’re nervous—scared of the answer, wondering if another girl took your place after you left.

“boring. i left after you did.” he bites into the cookie, and then takes a sip of milk. if he thought you were beaming earlier, you’re radiant now—looking up at him like he’s hung the moon for you. your laugh—and even that’s pretty—fills the room.

“that’s not how you’re supposed to do it, rafe,” you giggle, dipping your own cookie into the milk first to demonstrate. “see?”

it’s quick. rafe takes your wrist into his hand, guiding it up to your mouth, making you take a bite. he doesn’t let go while he speaks, either.

“now it’s soggy. see?” you nod, watching where he’s touching you with big eyes. if you’re this reactive to a little skin contact, he’s dying to see what you’ll be like naked in his bed. he reminds himself to be patient.

“i didn’t realize i was doing it wrong,” you comment, picking up another cookie, this time snickerdoodle, to break in half. he’s half surprised at your compliance, half wondering what else he could convince you of with a little manhandling and kissing.

“don’t worry, kid. i’ll teach you right and wrong.”

[megalony]

Breathe

Okay, as promised, this is my first Tommy Kinard imagine, requested by a lovely anon. I hope you will all like it, feedback is always appreciated I love to know what you all think.

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Tommy Kinard Masterlist

Summary: After becoming good friends with Eddie, Tommy also gets to know his sister, (Y/n). And when she is in an accident, Tommy does everything he can to look after her.

Enjoy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You okay?"

(Y/n) opened her eyes and looked to her left when she felt a hand on her knee and a shoulder bump into hers. She smiled across at Chimney and nodded, but he could see the wince she was hiding and the pain behind her eyes.

"Someone else can go up the ladder tomorrow." (Y/n) moved her hand to touch the left side of her chest. She knew her ribs weren't broken, but they were going to be banged up and bruised by the morning. In all the hustle and bustle trying to get people out of the top floor of an apartment building and onto the ladder, (Y/n) had taken a fall.

It had been a good job she was hooked on a wire connecting to the top of the truck, but it didn't make her landing on the edge of the ladder any easier. All the wind had been knocked out of her and she stumbled down the ladder whilst helping a woman down. And (Y/n) didn't breathe at all until she was almost passing out on the roof of the truck.

She felt Chimney pat her knee with a grin before he shook his head and turned to look out the window. They were almost back at the station now.

At least her shift was over.

(Y/n) could go get a shower, get changed from her uniform that needed a good wash, and then she could head home.

With a sigh, (Y/n) flopped her head back on the headrest and messed with the headphones that made her ears feel fuzzy. She continued to graze her fingers up and down her side, keeping her touch light to see if a small massage might make her chest loosen up and take away the ache in her chest.

It felt strange to be sat in the truck with Bobby, Chimney and Evan but without Hen and Eddie. The pair of them were on their way to the hospital with a patient. The young boy had become so attached to Eddie that he wouldn't let anyone else treat him. So he and Chimney had switched places.

"Alright, who needs a coffee?" A few grumbles came through the headset as Bobby backed up the truck into the station.

(Y/n) whipped off her headset and slumped them on the spare seat on her right while she undid her belt.

Her hands moved to rub up and down her knees and she plastered a smile on her face as she waited patiently for the boys to climb out first. They would be quicker than her and she needed a minute to click her spine into place and make sure her chest wouldn't tighten when she got up.

Her eyes followed Evan as he practically jumped out the truck, and once Chimney followed suit, (Y/n) sighed and stood up. She tilted her head down and clicked her back into place, leaning from left to right to loosen herself up.

The pain in her chest wasn't too bad now she was up and able to stretch her chest and take a deep breath.

"Alright," She murmured to herself. Maybe getting a coffee with the team would be a good idea to loosen up before she went home. And Eddie had given her a lift in this morning. She needed to wait for her brother to get back to the station so she could catch a ride home with him.

Dragging a hand across the scruff of his neck, Tommy clicked his neck from side to side as he walked past the truck that had just reversed into the station. Eddie said his shift ended around this time and they were supposed to be heading out tonight for a quiz night at a local bar.

He knew he was welcome to hang around the station and wait for Eddie and he had just seen Chimney jog towards the stairs to the kitchen. He could always go and have a chat with Chimney while he waited.

A shiver rolled down Tommy's spine and he jumped when a scream broke out from inside the truck.

He barely managed to twist his body to the right towards the open door before a loud thud echoed through the station and a body tumbled towards him.

On instinct, Tommy lurched his arms forward and he braced himself when a body propelled down towards him. A head bashed into his shoulder, hands grappled with his biceps and a small chest smashed into his. He had to deadlock his knees and brace his back as he leaned backwards to steady them both before whoever it was took him down to the floor.

His arms deadlocked around a slimmer waist than his own and his hands pressed flat against the back of their chest.

"Oh," (Y/n) pushed her forehead up off a very hard chest and her chin tilted into the man's sternum as she tried to stare up at him.

Her eyes went wide when she was met with a pair of dark, blown pupils that were locked on her. She could feel herself shaking and her fingers dug into his biceps like tallons refusing to let him go.

The feel of (Y/n)'s chest smushed up against a very hard chest felt like (Y/n) was slumped against a brick wall. She didn't recognise whoever it was that had graceously caught her from her fall. He wasn't in the station uniform. He wasn't in a uniform that read a different station house either. He was wearing a plain white sleeveless shirt and a pair of dark black jeans that looked a little too tight when (Y/n) dared to glance down at him.

"I- um-"

"You look a little stuck."

His words took her by surprise and (Y/n) blinked, parting her lips but she didn't say anything. She could see his eyes finally tear away from hers so he could look behind her and (Y/n) dared to twist her head round to the right.

She had caught her boot in Evan's seatbelt.

He must have flung the belt off and it didn't reel back up into the holder. (Y/n) had stood in the loop and got herself tangled up like a fish being reeled up on a hook. Her chest was leaning heavily on the stranger in front of her, she had her right leg bent and her foot wrapped up in the seatbelt. And her left leg was hanging on one of the steps leading down from the truck.

If this rather handsome stranger hadn't caught her, (Y/n) would either have fallen to the floor or headbutted the steps on the truck. He had saved her from a big dilemma.

"Okay, just hang tight a minute." Tommy inched his right arm a little tighter around her waist and took two steps closer. He braced his chest up against hers and held her weight easily for her while he reached his left hand out to grab her ankle.

He tried to be careful but his eyes kept drifting back to those big doe eyes that were staring up at him like she had never seen anyone like him before. He could feel her fingers grabbing his arms tightly and she was taking short, shallow breaths that panted against his chest.

Tommy lifted her right ankle up and wrangled with the seatbelt which he flung back into the truck once it was uncurled from her leg.

(Y/n) sucked in a deep breath and moved her hands up from his biceps to grip his shoulders when his arm swooped around the back of her thighs. She held her breath as deeply as she could and tried to stay floppy when he stepped back and pulled her along with him.

He lifted her up as if she weighed nothing. His arms stayed tight around her and he suddenly grinned down at her, making (Y/n)'s stomach flutter with adrenaline.

Once she felt him lean forward and her boots suddenly touched the floor, she could have fainted. Her head went light and bubbled up with air and her breaths came out quick and panting, but she couldn't find it in herself to let go of him. Not yet.

"There you go," He spoke so quietly and softly that (Y/n) almost didn't hear him.

All she could focus on was the feeling of his arm bound tight around her waist and his hand flat out against her back. She could feel his fingertips spread out against her skin and each finger began to tap against her like he was creating a rhythm.

"Are you okay?"

(Y/n) felt the way both his hands moved to her hips, but he didn't let go of her. Even though both her feet were now firmly on the floor instead of tangled in the back of the truck. And (Y/n) somehow couldn't bring herself to let go of him, either.

"Hm, thank you." She dipped her head down and glanced at her boots as she felt heat rising on her neck and swarming along her skin.

She gave his tough shoulders a squeeze before she found the courage to let go of him and hold her own weight on her trembling legs. Her hands moved to run up and down her hips and thighs out of anxious habit. (Y/n) had to tilt her head back to get a good look at the man in front of her. He was tall. He was built very sturdy.

Broad shoulders. Thick, tense arms. A chest as hard as rocks and hands that finally left her hips and clenched into tight fists at his sides.

His quirked smile was something to stare at too. He dragged his tongue across his lower lip and danced his eyes up and down her frame while he moved his hands to hold his hips.

"Do you make it a habit, falling onto people?" His tone was light in jest and his voice was quiet but rough and rugged around the edges.

"Not usually," (Y/n) clasped her hands together behind her back and took another glance down at her boots that hadn't even scuffed on her fall. She was a bit of a clutz at times, but (Y/n) had never fallen onto someone like that before. It wasn't one of her better moments, she would admit. And it was a good job he had been walking past, whoever he was.

Turning to the right, (Y/n) gave the truck door a nudge and leaned against it once it was closed.

"Thank you, and I'm sorry I uh, landed on you. I'm (Y/n)," She held her hand out in front of her but her breath caught in her throat when his burly hand locked in hers.

He had such a firm grip (Y/n)'s arm shuddered and she gave his hand a squeeze.

"Don't worry about it, I'm glad I caught you." The way he let go of her hand to drag his hand across his chin made (Y/n) intrigued. "(Y/n)… you're not Eddie's little sister, are you?"

Her smile gave Tommy his answer. He had just bumped into his new friend's sister. The girl Tommy had been rather intrigued and eager to meet. Eddie didn't tell him (Y/n) worked with him at the fire house, Tommy wasn't expecting to walk around the station and bump into her on his way.

"I'm Tommy."

(Y/n) smiled as she sucked in a deep breath and gave him another once over. So this was her brother's new friend. The guy everyone else at the station had bumped into at one point or another. The guy that used to work here before (Y/n), Eddie or Evan ever tranferred here.

Despite what she had heard about Tommy, (Y/n) didn't expect him to be like the person stood in front of her. So tough and tense and outwardly cold yet soft and approachable on the inside.

"Eddie talks about you a lot, it's lovely to meet you. Are you here to see him?"

"Uh yeah, we're heading out to a quiz night when he finishes." Tommy stuffed his hands into his back pockets but he tilted his head to one side when (Y/n) pursed her lips and dropped his gaze. "Something wrong?"

"No, no… he was supposed to be my ride home. I'll see if I can catch a lift with Buck."

She stole a glance to the right but she couldn't see up into the annex from down here. Once she'd seen Eddie when he got back, she would see if Evan would be graceous enough to give her a lift home. They were all used to doing car shares when they were on the same shifts, it was easier than everyone driving in and driving home after long or particularly hard shifts.

Her eyes snapped back up to Tommy when he took a step closer. She felt her chest tighten and her stomach pool with adrenaline when he leaned his arm on the truck. He stood so close (Y/n) could almost feel each breath he took and his quirky smile made her shiver right down to her toes.

"Why don't you come with us?"

"Really?" It was a tempting idea, and not just because being so close to Tommy was making her stomach flutter. She hadn't been out in a while and it would be good to spend some time with Eddie too without being on shift and having to go into burning buildings or drag people out of crumpled cars.

Being around Tommy was a very tempting idea, as long as (Y/n) wasn't going to feel like a third wheel or like she was the little kid tagging along behind her brother.

"Course. And it's free drinks if we win." The way Tommy drummed his fingers on his hip caught (Y/n)'s attention. And she noticed that even though he was leaning against the truck and was stooped over, he still managed to tower above her.

"Well, you did just save me from a broken ankle, so I think I owe you a few drinks."

His smile made her heart flutter. Tommy had just saved her from a harsh landing, the least (Y/n) could do was buy him a drink to say thank you. And she wanted to spend a bit more time with him, even if they would be in the company of her big brother.

***

"What have we got?" Tommy placed his hands on his hips and took a look around the scene.

There wasn't very much to look at when the road was barely lit by the street lights and the sky was as black as midnight oil. All Tommy knew was that they needed more units. At least four cars were piled up here and Tommy's unit was the first one to get here. They had one ambulance. That wasn't going to be enough to help them. It wasn't going to get everyone out of here.

"I need you all to spread out, check for casualties and direct anyone who can walk over to the side of the road for the EMTs to arrive."

Tommy did his best to refrain from rolling his eyes when a medic bag was thrust into his chest. He slid it on his shoulder and set off into a fast jog.

He wasn't a medic.

He wasn't trained to be a paramedic, he rarely helped out on the medical side of things except for transporting patients to and from the hospital. Even way back when he had been with the 118 and had been friends with Chimney, he didn't take that much notice of the procedures.

He rounded the back of a dark blue Ford only to have one of his team wave him over to the next car along that had yet to be checked out.

Tommy was suppposed to be on the rota for the helicopter ride tonight. He had been switched last minute because they had no available units to a major pile up on the motorway and they needed all the help they could get down here.

"Okay, LAFD, can I-" His words tapered off into the brisk midnight air and the bag on his shoulder slumped to the tarmac when he wrangled the passenger door open.

Oh God.

It felt like all the air sucked out of Tommy's chest and he crashed his knees against the bottom of the car, crouching beside the driver's seat.

It was (Y/n).

Tommy had only seen her two days ago when he went round to Eddie's house for an indoor games night with most of the 118.

When I said I wanted to be alone with (Y/n), this is NOT what I meant!

Tommy wanted a moment, an hour, a day alone with (Y/n). He wanted to be at the quiz night with her or go out for a drink or just sit and have a chat with her without anyone else on the team around. But this isn't what he had in mind. He didn't mean he wanted to have to treat her in an accident on his own. He wasn't a medic. This wasn't his field of expertise.

"(Y/n), hey, are you with me?" He reahed a tender hand out to cup the side of her head while he pushed up on his knees to be level with her.

"Tommy…" The surprise was evident in (Y/n)'s voice, but it was the way her eyes locked on him that had him shivering in his boots.

Her trembling hand reached out and curled around his wrist, holding him with such a grip he almost lost the feeing in his fingertips. He could see the tears in her eyes and the track marks down her face and each breath she took seemed to hitch higher and higher until she was barely breathing at all.

"Yeah, it's me. I thought you told me you didn't do this kind of thing often, hm?"

Her lips quirked into a baiting smile and (Y/n) managed a deeper breath. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes for a few seconds, but she didn't let go of Tommy's wrist. Not until he slowly pulled out of her grip so he could assess her.

"Can I take a look at you?"

"Please, g-get me out."

"I will, don't worry. Just hang in there, I need to check you over first before I try moving you, okay?"

(Y/n) stayed briskly pushed back in the chair and moved her hands to grip the seat to keep herself still. She winced when Tommy trailed his fingertips down her sides and she tried not to let the rush of adrenaline overwhelm her when the heel of his hands pushed into her abdomen. It had been a while since he'd had his training, but Tommy couldn't feel anything abnormal, at least he didn't think he could.

When his hands trailed down to her legs, he winced. That didn't look good.

"Jackson! I need a medic over here."

"Kinda got my hands full with cardiac arrest, Kinard. Give me ten."

That wasn't the response Tommy was hoping for. He needed any medic over here that he could get. He didn't know what he was meant to do. His medical training was rusty. (Y/n) had a major wound in her leg that was bleeding out and Tommy couldn't just wait for her to bleed out on the seat.

"Ah fuck… okay, I'm gonna get some advice-"

"Don't go!" (Y/n) latched her fingers so tightly around Tommy's wrist that she could feel his skin splitting beneath her nails. He couldn't leave her. She had been crying for help since the moment she came back around. Tommy couldn't leave her now when no one else was around or coming to her aid.

His left hand moved to clamp around hers and it was a strange yet thrilling feeling to have his hand engulf hers. His fingers squeezed around hers and his palm was warm yet slightly calloused as he dragged his thumb across the side of her hand.

"Look at me." His hand moved up until his fingers were beneath her chin and she had no choice but to look down at him. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise. But I need to call someone so I know how best to help you. And Eddie is the best medic I know."

He wasn't about to walk away from her, Tommy would never do that. (Y/n) needed him and she needed help, he was going to make sure he helped her. But Tommy needed someone to walk him through this and tell him what to do, and Eddie was one of the best medics in the field.

"Don't tell h-him it's me."

"I won't."

He already knew if he rang Eddie and said (Y/n) had been in an accident Eddie would go into a flustered panic. He would make his way down here and risk a crash himself. He couldn't walk Tommy through this if he knew (Y/n) was the one who was injured and needed treatment.

Tommy let (Y/n) keep a tight grip on his right hand while he fumbled around in his pocket for his phone.

"Eddie. Eddie, I've got a situation. We're on a call but I've got no medics around and I need to get my patient ready to transport. Can you walk me through it?"

"Fuck, I… I suppose so. What's the injuries?"

He muttered a quiet 'Brilliant' to himself and set his phone on speaker in the footwell. When his eyes dragged up to lock on (Y/n), she tried to smile down at him and let go of his hand so he could help her.

"Okay, patient is trapped in her car, the bonnet's crushed down on her right leg and she's bleeding out… she's got a cut just below her knee." His eyes darted back up to (Y/n) just as his hands reached out to hold her knee.

Her fingers latched around his broad shoulder and she pushed back straighter in her seat. He didn't say anything. If (Y/n) needed to hold onto something, Tommy was more than happy for her to hold him for a while.

"Is the blood spurting out or is it slow?"

"I'd say slow, that's good?"

"That's a vein so yeah that's good. You need a turniquet, tie it two inches above the cut and do it tight to stop the bloodloss. If there's any metal or anything in the leg, leave it for the doctors to remove."

"Give me a minute."

Tommy rattled through the medic bag on the floor until he found a blue, plastic strap. He reached across and put the phone on mute so he could look up at (Y/n). "Try and stay still for me." His touch was light as he slid the strap beneath (Y/n)'s thigh and pulled it tight. He could feel her trying hard to stay still but her fingers tightened on his shoulder when Tommy popped the pin through the band.

The blue plastic sank deeply into (Y/n)'s thigh like an elastic band and he worried for a moment that it was going to cut her leg in two. But when he looked down and realised the trickling blood flow had started to taper off, he sighed in relief.

"Alright, that's done."

"How's their heartbeat and blood pressure? If BP is rising the turniquet hasn't worked." This was the first time Eddie had had to help someone over the phone like this. It was strange, but it was a new thing to add to his resume and he was glad to help out a friend when he could.

(Y/n) flopped her head to the right to look at Tommy and she let go of his shoulder so he could slide the blood pressure cuff up her arm so it was settled just below her shoulder. The tightening band made her eyes roll to the back of her head and she could feel her head filling up with air.

But her lips parted and a jolt of electricity ran through her nerves when a finger pressed beneath her jaw and she felt Tommy's thumb digging into her chin. He turned her head from side to side and when she managed to focus her eyes on him, (Y/n) had to take a deep breath.

He had moved closer.

He was no longer crouching beside the bed. He was stood up with his knees bent forward and his body hovering over hers.

Tommy's frame looked a little too tall to fit into the car and the back of his shoulders were slammed up against the roof of his car. But it was his face hovering mere inches away from hers that made (Y/n) gasp and feel like she was going to faint.

"Eyes on me."

His words and that tone of voice were so stern that (Y/n) accidentally mumbled "Yes sir," and she wasn't sure if Tommy knew she was joking or not.

The quirk of his brow and the slight smirk on his lips sent her heart racing.

He clicked the mute button off the phone again and slid the cuff down (Y/n)'s arm. "No, BP's starting to reduce now, it's working."

"Good. Heartbeat?"

Tommy swiped his thumb across (Y/n)'s chin so delicately it clearly made her shiver before he pulled away so he could put the stethoscope in his ears. He leaned down a little closer and slid the metal beneath her shirt near her sternum.

He couldn't help but arch a brow when he looked down at (Y/n). Her heart was racing.

Their eyes locked for a few seconds and (Y/n) could see the panic swirling in Tommy's eyes. Surely this wasn't normal. Her heart was worse than a drummer crashing out a beat. If it went any faster Tommy wouldn't be able to differentiate between the beats.

"Nerves." (Y/n) whispered but she realised she was so close that Tommy could probably taste her words in the air.

"What's making you nervous, your injuries… or me?" He couldn't refrain from asking. It wasn't strictly professional but he needed to know whether he had to unmute the phone and ask Eddie what injury could be causing her heart to skyrocket like this. Unless he was the reason (Y/n) was nervous, that meant it wasn't an injury and therefore Tommy didn't have to panic.

Her eyes darted down to his lips that were flushed and parted enough for (Y/n) to see the way his tongue was pushing up against his teeth. While he waited patiently for an answer.

"You."

He didn't seem to have an answer for that. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say or what he should do. He couldn't walk away and leave her and everyone else was busy so he couldn't swap. Tommy doubted (Y/n) would let him walk away from her now. He wouldn't allow himself to, either.

(Y/n) watched the way he tilted his head down to clear his throat and she held her breath to stay silent when she watched him unmute his phone.

"Heartbeat is a little high, but nothing worrying." His lips curled into something soft which was a mixture of a smile and a smirk.

"Good. You'll just need to check for any spinal or nerve damage to find the best way to get the patient out."

Upon hearing her brother's words, (Y/n) clicked her head from side to side and shimmied in her seat. She could move. She could feel and move her hands, she had already proven that. She had control over her chest and torso and she could wiggle one of her feet; although she couldn't feel her right foot from the constricted blood flow. But that was expected.

It felt strange and somehow thrilling to feel Tommy's hands glide down her shoulders, along her arms and press down on her chest.

He felt her push back in her seat when he touched the left side of her chest and he bit his lip, silently apologising with his eyes.

He tried to be careful and keep his touch light as he moved his fingertips down. She had broken one or two ribs, but she had no damage to her pelvis which was a big relief. He could get her out of here easily. He didn't have to wait for help and struggle to ease (Y/n) onto a backboard for any spinal injuries.

When Tommy's hands moved down to check her legs and try to carefully ease them out the car, (Y/n) braced her hands on the bottom of her chair.

Her chest didn't feel right.

She tried to suck in a deep breath and hold it for as long as she could, but a tightening, pinching pain in the left side of her chest made her wince. Deep breaths weren't an option.

She switched to shallow pants that she hoped Tommy wouldn't notice. She was probably feeling a broken rib moving out of place or had a torn muscle that was causing her some discomfort. Her lips pulled into a thin line and she moved her right hand to cradle the left side of her chest while her other hand gripped Tommy's arm when he reached out for her.

(Y/n) tried to focus on the feeling of Tommy's hands on her hips and the way he spun her carefully on the chair so her legs were now hanging out the car and she was facing him.

"Okay?" His voice was nothing more than a murmur in (Y/n)'s ear while his hands held her thighs and he leaned over her. He didn't want to speak too loudly and grab Eddie's attention. He only had Eddie on the line still because he wanted to move (Y/n) and make sure she was truly okay before he thanked Eddie and let him get back to his evening.

His head tilted to one side and (Y/n) knew if she lifted her head at just the right angle, their noses would brush and she would most certainly be touching his lips.

But she couldn't lift her head. All she could do was deadlock her fingers around Tommy's wrist and shake her head.

She couldn't breathe.

"What's wrong?"

Tommy pushed his hands to gently part (Y/n)'s knees to the sides so he could crouch between them. He felt her knees touching his chest and he tried to stay balanced on the heel of his boots. His head tilted back at an angle and his eyes focused solely on (Y/n)'s eyes which were beginning to water.

The tender look on Tommy's face washed away like footprints on the sand when he realised (Y/n) wasn't breathing properly.

He watched her lips part into a look of panic but she was barely pulling in any air and she wasn't exactly breathing out, either. She was wheezing. Her right hand pressed harder into her chest but it only made her cringe and she gave a sharp tug on Tommy's wrist to move his hand near her chest.

Tears began to roll down her cheeks and her wide eyes followed Tommy's movements as he pushed up on his toes so they were level.

"Eddie, she's not breathing!" Tommy tilted his head to the right and rose his voice so Eddie could hear him clearly through the phone.

"At all?"

"She's wheezing and holding the left side of her chest… she was breathing fine a minute ago." Well, Tommy wasn't actually sure whether (Y/n) had been breathing 'fine' but she had certainly had no problems a couple of minutes ago. He thought she was taking quick, shallow breaths because she was panicking. Not because something else was wrong.

(Y/n) snapped her eyes closed as a strangled, hoarse sound tore past her lips. She couldn't breathe. She felt like she was drowning. Why was it so hard to take in a proper breath? What had she done?

"Check her airways for any obstructions." Eddie's response somehow made a shiver crawl down Tommy's spine.

His hands moved to cup (Y/n)'s chin and he tilted her head back while he pressed over her throat and looked in her mouth. Nothing was blocking her airways. They were clear but she was gasping like she was being smothered.

"Eddie, it- it's like she's drowning."

Unease rattled through Tommy's veins as he spoke. (Y/n) was gasping like he was holding her underwater and she was starting to drown. If Eddie didn't tell Tommy what to do soon, she wasn't going to be breathing at all. He couldn't do nothing and watch her starve of oxygen.

He could hear a crackling sound through the phone but Tommy couldn't take his eyes off (Y/n). His hand stayed on the side of her neck while his other hand moved down to try and touch her chest to see what was going on. But he couldn't feel her chest deflating properly; it was like she was a balloon, but Tommy couldn't tell whether she had too much air in her chest or not enough.

"Get the stethoscope and listen to her lungs. If she's got fluid in them it will sound like water sloshing around. If you don't hear anything like that and no static, then she's breathing into her chest cavity."

(Y/n) closed her eyes and tucked her chin into her chest when Tommy let go of her neck. She moved both hands to grip his shoulders and held tight, waiting for him to make the next move.

It was almost a relief that she couldn't breathe when he pressed his chest up near hers and leaned over her shoulder so he could look at her back. She could feel the stethoscope against her back and she could smell Tommy's cologne wafting through her nose, distracting her from her current torment.

"No sloshing or static noises. Eddie I've never treated someone for this before-"

"If you don't move fast she'll pass out and be starved of oxygen. Get her laid flat, find a scalpel and an open-ended needle, the needle should be green."

It felt as if Eddie was stood right over his shoulder, looking through the medical bag. He had a picture in his mind of what he needed Tommy to do and look for and it was comforting.

"Hang on."

(Y/n) wasn't sure who Tommy was talking to but she made herself go limp like jelly when Tommy pressed their chests together and bound his arms around her waist. She tried not to focus on the hand that was cupping the back of her thigh and instead felt the hand that was near the base of her neck.

He lifted her from the car with ease and (Y/n) was shocked with how swift yet tenderly Tommy moved her. It felt like he was laying her down on a soft mattress rather than the hard concrete road.

She batted her hand out until she clenched her fingers around his thigh and she was too panicked to feel embarrassed. (Y/n) needed something to focus on, to ground her and control her panic. And Tommy didn't seem to mind.

He snapped on a pair of gloves, found the scalpel and what he guessed was the right needle. It was a needle for letting air and fluids escape the body, not one with a syringe for injecting anything. And Tommy already knew what he was going to have to do, no matter how hard this was going to be or how badly it was going to make him cringe.

He didn't have time to overthink.

"Walk me through this, Eddie."

He placed the phone next to his leg so he could have Eddie's voice right in his ear. And he sank back on his heels while (Y/n)'s fingers started shaking and tapping against his upper thigh like she was letting him know she was still conscious and believed in him.

"You wanna be doing this on the side of her chest level with her arms, not the top." Eddie wanted to rush through this and reel all the information off but he knew he had to go slow. He had to wait for Tommy to follow his instructions one by one, he had to walk him through this not throw everything at him and wait.

A very quiet "Excuse me," passed Tommy's lips and he saw the way (Y/n)'s arms tensed and stiffened at her sides when he rolled up her shirt. He tucked it beneath her armpits which exposed her bra and cleavage to his eyes, but his focus was clearly elsewhere.

"Alright…"

"Find the fifth and sixth ribs and press down on them, the needle needs to go right between the ribs into the chest cavity. As soon as it's in, open the cap and let the air out."

If this were any other situation, (Y/n) would have jumped or felt ticklish when Tommy started pressing the pad of his finger down on her chest, counting the ribs until he found the right ones. He pressed his fingers down until they touched the bone and a bump of flesh pressed out between his fingers.

"Just push it straight in?"

"Yep, about two inches."

Tommy winced and sank his teeth down on his lower lip when (Y/n)'s nails cut through his trousers and sank into his flesh. She clawed desperately at him to try and stay still and tears streamed down her face as she dug her head back into the floor. If she could, she would of arched her back off the floor and screamed. But all she could manage was the gasping sound of her throat muscles rubbing together.

As soon as he got the needle in, Tommy unclipped the green cap and listened to the fizzling sound of air disippating from the needle.

Eddie was right. That had been the problem.

He could see the weight lifting from (Y/n)'s shoulders and her throat tensed as she sucked in a deep breath which made her eyes roll to the back of her head. When he was sure her chest was clear, Tommy clipped the needle again and sank back on his heels with a huff.

He studied her chest, the way it sank down like a weight pressing on her before rising with such deep breaths he was surprised her lungs didn't pop. But she was breathing. She wasn't gasping, she wasn't wheezing or drowning. She was back to taking in proper air.

Before he could stop himself, Tommy brushed his thumb over her chin until he was touching her lips.

"Breathe." His voice was so quiet, so gritty yet soothing and lulling that (Y/n) found herself taking more even, deep breaths without realising. Her chest stopped panting and heaving and aching like her ribs were about to snap. Her breaths became softer and her eyes focused on Tommy's own lips that he darted his tongue across. It was as if he was coaxing himself to breathe deeper as well, not just her.

"Have you done it?"

Eddie's voice cut through the air and as quick as anything, Tommy dropped his hand and turned his head towards the phone at his side.

"Yeah, yeah… she's breathing. Thank you, Eddie." Tommy wiped his sleeve against his temple before he reached down for his phone and clicked it off speaker.

This was the part he had been dreading. This was where he was going to have to tell Eddie that it was in fact his sister who he had just helped save. And that he needed to meet them down at the hospital. Tommy knew Eddie wouldn't be pleased. He would be infuriated he hadn't been told earlier, but Tommy had to have Eddie help him with a clear head instead of one clouded with panic.

"Well, that was a first for me,"

"Eddie, listen… you're gonna want to meet me down at the emergency room. The girl I just got out the car, it's (Y/n)."

(Y/n) wasn't sure what curse words flew past her brother's lips, but she recognised the odd Spanish cursive. And she could see from the way Tommy winced that Eddie wasn't happy. But when she watched Tommy hum, mutter a quiet goodbye and hang up, she was relieved when he smiled down at her. That hadn't gone as badly as she thought it would.

She realised she was still gripping his leg and quickly let go but before she could stop herself, she clamped her trembling hand around Tommy's wrist. She squeezed as much as she could while she tried to get her lungs to keep working and find her voice.

"T-thank you. That's twice, y-you've saved me."

A tender smile formed on his lips and (Y/n) noticed the way his nose scrunched up when he properly smiled like that. She liked it.

She liked it even more when he curled his free hand over her wrist and brought her hand up to his chest. She could feel his erratic heartbeat through his chest, it was almost at the same frantic rhythm as hers. When Tommy leaned his head down and kissed the back of her hand, (Y/n) felt like she was floating.

"How about, instead of me saving you again, you let me take you on a date instead?"

***

"It's for you."

A grin spread across (Y/n)'s lips and she nodded over at Carla who was stood with raised brows, practically jumping up and down behind the front door she was holding open.

"Be good, wish me luck." She pressed a kiss to the top of Chris's head and gave him a hug before she hobbled across to the door.

With her being signed off work for a few weeks, it made (Y/n) the ideal person to look after Chris after school while Eddie was on shift. She had mostly been staying over with Eddie and Chris for the last week since her accident. It was better because (Y/n) didn't have to climb any stairs here like she did in her apartment building. And it meant Eddie could keep an eye on her.

She looked over her outfit one more time until Carla gave her a thumbs up and squeezed her shoulder.

She made sure to shut the front door behind her just so Carla and Chris couldn't try and be nosy before she let her eyes drag up and down her date.

Tommy was stood on the path just below the doorstep, hands casually tucked into the pockets of his slate grey jeans. His shoulders were slightly hunched up making his biceps tense and it made his frame look even bigger if that were possible, casting a large shadow across the path behind him.

He wore a jet back button up shirt with the collar and the first few buttons undone, exposing his chest and the top of his collarbone to (Y/n)'s prying eyes. But it was his smile that enamoured her. The way his lips quirked up to the right in a slanted grin and the tip of his nose scrunched up and caused his eyes to crease.

"Hi,"

"Hey, you look lovely."

Tommy let his gaze fall down to do another once-over when (Y/n) looked down with a bashful smile.

Her dress was a dark shade of strawberry, with a sweetheart neckline and a band of dark rouge ribbon around the waist. It fanned out around her thighs and stopped an inch short of her knees.

He let his eyes fall on her legs for a second, then another, then another. She wasn't wearing tights. It allowed Tommy a perfect view of the row of stitches that slanted along her right leg and disappeared behind the support she was wearing over her knee.

It was a familiar sight. Tommy had seen Evan wearing a similar brace when they went to play basketball each week. He knew from what Eddie had told him that (Y/n)'s knee had taken a bashing in the car, it hadn't been bruised or dislocated but it caused some pain. And with her vein needing to be joined back up, (Y/n) couldn't even her weight out, she was limping and using her left leg rather than her right.

And when Tommy glanced down, his smile widened. She was wearing black and white Converse. Not the typical footwear expected to match her outfit, but again, he could understand why. She could hardly walk properly as it was, heels or flats weren't exactly helpful right now.

Unless (Y/n) wore her Converse in case of a quick getaway tonight.

"I'm a little mismatched tonight." (Y/n) kept her voice soft and quiet as she brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and took a step closer to Tommy.

"I like it."

His eyes followed her as she leaned around him and realised he had driven here. That meant he wasn't drinking tonight. (Y/n) didn't want him to think he couldn't drink just because she couldn't at the moment.

"No chopper?" Her words surprised him but the laugh he let out made (Y/n)'s heart flutter and she couldn't help but grin.

"And risk you throwing a blood clot, no thank you. I'll save the flying lessons for our next date."

When Tommy held out his left elbow towards her, (Y/n) hooked her hand through his elbow and she couldn't refrain from leaning her head on his arm. She tried to even her weight out between her legs and ignore the pins and needles that felt like sharp scratches cutting up the back of her knee. She had refused crutches from the hospital and made a point of walking up and down the hospital stairs so they wouldn't have cause for keeping her under observation.

She was determined to get back to work as soon as possible, and to make an effort on this date tonight. (Y/n) didn't want to catch her foot in the seatbelt or trip on the curb or lose her balance and crash into something.

The only fall she wanted to make was her heart falling for man on her arm.

But she could tell Tommy was more than happy for her to lean on him. He would take her weight for her if she needed to, all she had to do was slump against him or lean on his arm and he would help her. She wouldn't have to ask.

Her lips curved into a softer smile when he leaned in front of her to open the car door. She was suddenly glad he drove a car and not a jeep like Eddie and Evan. (Y/n) was sick of clambering up into the jeep and sliding down with how high up they were. God only knows what she would be like with the fire truck once she went back to work.

She watched Tommy motion his free hand towards the car, clearly waiting for her to unhook herself from his arm and climb in. But she didn't.

Instead, (Y/n) turned so she was standing in front of Tommy, her heels teetering dangerously on the edge of the curb.

She could see the confusion in Tommy's eyes as he tilted his head to one side, wondering why she was now stood in front of him instead of getting in the car. He didn't move or make a sound, he just watched her with intrigue pooling in his eyes as (Y/n) danced her hands up his chest until she was holding onto his shoulders.

He wasn't quite sure what she was up to but he rolled along with it, curving his left arm around her waist so their chests were pinned together. He wasn't about to let her stumble off the curb and fall into the car.

She took him by surprise. (Y/n) pushed up on her tiptoes, using Tommy's shoulders as leverage so she could take a leap and kiss him. She could taste coffee on his lips and the familiar smell of his cologne flooded her nose and made her feel lightheaded.

But it was the feeling of his palm pressing firmer against her back between her hips that made her breathing hitch. And how he pressed down on her to pin her tighter into his hard chest that froze beneath her touch. She felt his tongue swipe across her lip and when his free hand grazed along her chin and up her jaw, (Y/n)'s knees almost gave way.

Spots danced in front of her eyes when they finally parted, but she watched him intently. Focusing on how his nose brushed against hers and how his lips parted into a breathless grin and his chest puffed out against hers.

And she waited, feeling his hand glide across her jaw until he was gently cupping her chin and his thumb swiped across her lower lip.

"Breathe."

[world-of-aus]

All I'll Ever Need

Pairing: Bull Rider!Bucky x Reader

Warnings: None.

Author's Note: I've been in my cowboy, bullrider funk and I needed this out! I hope you all enjoy this piece, as always happy reading! Now back to my dark cave, I go.

It’s a high live event tonight, the grounds large enough for not only the main attraction bull riding, but the other rodeo sports being held this evening. You work your way through the crowd, the boy on your hip wiggling around in hopes to get higher to spot his father over the large crowd. You hike the brown haired, grey-eyed boy higher on your hip, the excitement coursing through his tiny body as you cross the arena grounds. Natasha and Wanda had texted you minutes prior after having parked the truck that they had just barely managed to secure the four of you good seats in the stands overlooking the ground.

Squeezing your way through the masses your feet meet the stands wooden stairs, you climb them carefully till your standing on the landing looking left then right as you look for your group. “Look!” Your attention is directed by the six-year-old over to the farthest corner on the right, Wanda and Natasha waving at the two of you wildly with their hats, Bucky standing tall behind them on the iron gates.

Grant snatches the hat that matches his dad’s off his head, waving it around just as wildly as his aunts. A sharp whistle pierces the air the boy’s eyes snapping past the awaiting women to the matching pair of cerulean blue waiting for him, how he hadn’t seen his father yet surprises you, but the boy becomes a bucking bronco in your hold till you’re releasing him from your grip. His form slips from your body as he runs through the stands to where his father awaits perched.

You chase after him, excusing yourself past the other patrons already in their seats. Natasha waits for the tiny brunette who is feet ahead of you with open arms, his body falling into his aunts hold as she hoists him high, his hat surpassing the both of them as he lets out a squeal of joy. He reaches for his father next, who takes him in even stronger arms squeezing his son to his broad chest.

You nearly falter in your steps at the sight, your heart racing, body warming at the sight before you. The bond the two shared was unlike any other you had experienced. Bucky Barnes had a hard time believing he could be the father his son needed when his mother just up and left two months into Grants first year of life, but he had proven himself wrong time and time again. There’s amazement in Grants eyes and love in Buckys as he explains to his son all about the ongoing events.

You close the distance saddling up next to Natasha as you hear Bucky’s promise to Grant to take him riding for the first time this week that he had off. “I’m all your’s bud, whaddya say? Uncle Steve and Sam can help too, aunt Wanda and Natasha can bring your favorite snacks.”

“Can y/n come too daddy, can she!” Bucky’s eyes find yours, pink lips curling into a breathtaking smile. “Of course she can bud,” he replies eyes never leaving yours, “that’s of course if she wants, think she might need a break from us boys bud, you’ve get her chasing you all day.”

Your lips curl in return, “I haven’t missed one of his firsts yet Barnes, don’t plan on doing so anytime soon. You can count me in, besides there’s no one I love to chase more.” A squeal of joy erupts from the smaller long-haired brunette and you’re just barely moving forward to catch his form as he jumps at you, his hat knocking yours clean off your head. Small but mighty arms wrap around your neck, his round cheeks smushing against yours as he thanks you profusely, promising you bouts of fun. Bouts of fun that you knew no matter what would be delivered. You’d spend the rest of your days with the Barnes boys if life itself allowed it.

The world melts away in the hug, your focus solely on the boy in your arms as you squeeze him just as tightly to you. “You going to show your dad how it’s done, how the real cowboys ride?” you question in a teasing tone as you pull back to look at the boy. The excitement he lets out draws a laugh from your group, “he’s going to be a hell of a lot better than I am that’s for sure.” Bucky chuckles, your eyes find his, “If he is, it’s only because he has a pretty awesome father to thank, give yourself credit B, you’re doing an amazing job with little man here.”

You don’t think you’ll ever tire catching the moments Bucky goes bashful under your gaze, the only sign that the man before you could feel the same, well as for what your friend's turned family all say. The brunette goes to reply but Steve is calling for him over his shoulder; his turn was coming around. You wave at the bearded dirty-blonde, grant following suit the hat coming too as he waves it around. You move forward into Bucky’s space to say your goodbye’s, grants arms going around his father as he gives him a tight squeeze. When the two pull away you fall in next, your arm that isn’t holding grant going around Bucky’s back, “you better be safe out there B,” you murmur into his ear, “you’ve got a little one that’s going to be watching your every move.” His chuckle rumbles deep within his chest, fingers curling tighter into your skin as he squeezes you much like his son, “is he the only one that’s going to be watching me ride tonight?”

The pinch you deliver to Bucky’s back has the broad-shouldered brunette pulling back that same chuckle bubbling out of his chest this time. “don’t be a smart-ass B, I’m being serious be safe out there.” His hand finds yours fingers curling with your own, lips meeting your intertwined fingers, “riding bulls is in my blood sweetheart you know I’ll be careful.”

“James Buchanan Barnes I’m being serious.”

His grin is heart melting as he pulls you and Grant back in, squeezing the two of you before placing a kiss to the side of your head. “I promise, I’m coming out of those gates to you.” His words stall your heart, but you tell yourself he’s not coming for you, he’s coming for the son you hold, his boy, his whole world. You let him go with Grant yelling for his dad to be careful, Bucky sends him a wave over his shoulder as he moves over to the gates Steve and Sam wait for him by. You take your seat between Natasha and Wanda settling Grant on your legs as you let him watch the current rider burst through the farthest Gate. Grant is lost in the show, his eyes bright as he watches the rider hold strong to the bull.

“Don’t know how much more proof you need.” Your eyes flit over to the blonde sitting next to you, “proof?” you question. A smile pulls at the corners of her mouth, “yeah, proof to see that that man by those gates is just as taken with you as you are with him.” You snort eyes gliding over to said man that stands at the farthest bucking chute awaiting his turn. There’s a snorting angry bull just below him, but his eyes are on you, your retort gets stuck on your tongue. Steve’s passing him his protective headgear an exchange for the hat he wore on his head. He sends you a final wink before placing the helmet on and falling over the bull who only bucks harder with his added weight.

Your heart races away in your chest as you watch him get into position, one hand going just above his head as the other laces its way around the rope tied to the bull. A buzzer goes off somewhere in the air, the gate slams open the bull racing out. Grants high on his feet as he watches his dad, fingers curled around the railing as he watches. You didn’t even notice the boy crawl off your lap your own breath caught in your throat as you watch that bull buck for his life to get Bucky off of him. Just 8 seconds you think as you push to your feet standing behind grant, just 8 seconds, hold on, hold on, hold on....

The air is electric as the buzzer goes off, patrons flying from seats to cheer Bucky on just as he falls from the bull, the clowns running in to get him out. Grant can hardly wait to get to his father once he’s getting out of the main arena. He’s grabbing your hand pulling, barely giving you a chance to tell the girls where you’re going, though they already know.

You follow the brown-haired boy as he tugs your through the stands, getting you two down on the ground before racing his way to where he knows he’ll find his dad and uncles. The crowd on the dirt ground clears, Grant seeing Bucky ways ahead laughing with his uncles. His hand falls away from yours the boy barreling with all his might towards the three men his fathers names falling from his lips to grab his attention. The three men turn to the barreling boy, Bucky moving forward to meet his boy halfway.

You slow your steps watching the two reunite Bucky lifting Grant in the air as he pulls his son in. Natasha and Wanda catch up to you, linking their arms with yours as they pull you forward. Steve and Sam move also, your group, your family moving closer as you close the distance. Hugs are shared as you finally greet Sam and Steve, “good to see you sweetheart!” Steve greets as he pulls you in for a hug

You pinch Steve in the ribs as if you hadn’t seen him earlier in the morning when you went to help Bucky with a still sleeping Grant. “You saw me this morning Steve,” you laugh, “it’s good to see you too though.”

“Move it over Rogers, favorite coming through,” Sam says as he pulls the bearded blonde coming in for a hug of his own. A wet kiss is pressed to your cheek, “Sammy,” you breathe squeezing the man just as tight, “always so good to see you!” Sam's grinning, "see," he tells the group, "favorite." Wanda moves in when you pull away her lips finding Sam's, "everyone knows Grant is y/n's favorite," she laughs as she pulls away, "but you're mine." Your group coo's at the two, Steve holding Nat under his arm, Sam holding Wanda, "Grant's not the only Barnes that y/n favors," Natasha grins.

You want to roll your eyes at her attempt, but the strong arm falling over your shoulder has you biting your tongue. You look over at the bearded brunette who's already looking right back at you, holding the bright boy who holds your heart, "good thing she's our favorite too." You could out yourself now to the man holding you protectively under his arm but you bite your tongue instead leaning further into his touch. His lips find the side of your head, "we should go catch the rest of the rides," Steve mentions, "we've gotta go check the trailers locked though," Bucky answers.

"Why don't you and y/n go check," Natasha offers, already moving forward to grab Grant, "we'll stop at the concessions first, save y’all a seat." They leave you no space for argument as Natasha urges your group to go, "see you in a bit," she calls over her shoulder, "take all the time you need!"

You inwardly groan at their antics, Bucky chuckles pulling you with him, "C'mon sweetheart, let's go check that trailer." You let him whisk you along the arena grounds, the feeling of being under his arm all consuming, it felt right, it felt like the two of you belonged, though there was never a moment in the years that you've know Bucky that being with him didn't feel right.

Then why couldn't it have been you?

Why her?

"You know," Bucky starts suddenly as he turns you towards the lot that holds the trailers, "you really are our favorite." You glance up at him smile on your lips as you continue to walk further into the lot, "that so B?"

He nods, the corner of his mouth ticking up in a smile, "how could you not be," he answers, "know you almost my whole life, you've stuck with me through it all even those moments you didn't need to, seen me at my worst and never thought to hell with this and walked away from me because nothing was tying you to me. If anything you grabbed my hand held tight and dragged me from the fire and Grant, god with Grant - I - I could never express how grateful I am for you, you took up a responsibility you didn't ask for, helped me raise a boy that wasn't yours. You never gave up on us."

You're glad you've come up to his trailer because his words have you halting in your step, your body stopping his from going any further. You turn to face him, "And I would do it all over if I had to," you respond with conviction, "you, Grant, you both mean the world to me. There's nothing you could ask of me that I wouldn't do for you. For either of you. You've been my best friend for years, stood with me as well when I needed you." He shakes his head the two of you knowing that statement isn't all true especially when Dolores had been in the picture, but you couldn't bring yourself to blame him, not now, not then. He was in love, and he thought she was too. He thought she was the one, you all did.

"I could have been better to you, after all you've done for me, for us."

You're shaking your head in return, your hand coming up to rest against his stubbled cheek. An act you've done before that feels so different now. "You were what I needed when I needed you to be B, I was in no position to ask more of you. All I knew was that when the time came I wanted to return that favor, I wanted to be what you needed." It falls silent between the two of you, eyes locked on one another in a gaze that you aren't sure you'd ever say Bucky Barnes would look at you with.

Strong warm hands come up to cup your cheeks, your breath is stolen in a moment. "Sweetheart - you're all I ever needed, I just didn't think I deserved someone like you, but the more time I spend with you, the more time I see you with Grant - I want to be that someone, I don't want to waste anymore time just being your friend."

You've lost count of how often Bucky has left you speechless, so you do what you've only ever dreamed of doing. Curling your fingers into the lapels of his shirt, you tug him closer, your lips finding his in an all-consuming kiss.

You didn't want to waste any more time either.

[callsign-magnolia]

Undiagnosed // Ch. 19

Mature Content 18+

Jake Seresin x Neurodivergent OC

Summary: Katie Blair grew up trying to be the perfect daughter. She always struggled to be the prim and proper little girl her parents wanted. Big personality as a kid, but now at 25, she's the shy admiral's daughter who just keeps her head down and tries to get through law school. So what happens when she's had enough and with help from a certain Lieutenant, she gets out.

A/N: Please read blog update, here.

Warnings: Emotional abuse, trauma response, abusive parents, smut.

Word Count: 6.0k

Chapter 18 | Masterlist

Friday night rolls around and of course, it comes with a Hard Deck invitation. After the last time I was in a room full of naval officers, I was feeling nervous. I slipped on a cream colored sundress which had little daisies dotted on it. I slid my feet into the tan platform sandals and pulled my hair up into a ponytail. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves as I made my way downstairs. “Ready, darlin’?” Jake asked, clicking off his phone as he put it in his pocket. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” I asked, hoisting my purse onto my shoulder. “Nothing is going to happen.” He said, stepping closer and gently holding my biceps. “That’s what you said last time.” I narrowed my eyes on him. “I promise you, nothing will happen this time. If anyone tries we’ll deal with it. It won’t blow up like last time.” 

I sighed, looking up at him as his arms went around my waist. “Jake-” “I promise, darlin’. I’ll make sure you have fun tonight and it’ll all go smoothly.” I sighed, my forehead falling to rest on his chest. “Okay.” I huffed and he chuckled, leaning down to kiss my head. I pulled away, leaning up to kiss him and he met me halfway. “I love you.” I said and he just smiled at me. “I love you too.” He held my hand as he led me out of the house. He made sure the front door was locked before he led me over to the truck, opening the door for me and helping me in. He pulled my seatbelt over me, clicking it into place before he kissed my cheek and made his way over to the drivers side. He immediately grabbed my hand, kissing it before he rested our intertwined fingers on the center console. The ride was quiet, the only noise coming from the radio that played a local country station. We pulled into the sandy lot, the neons illuminating the inside of the truck. I took in a shaky breath, staring at the crowd. 

“Hey.” Jake whispered softly. I turned to see him, turned in his seat to face me. “If you don’t want to tell them. We won’t, this is all up to you, darlin’.” I gave him a small smile and crawled over the center console to perch myself in his lap. “I want to. I want everyone to know. I’m just nervous of the repercussions.” I told him as my arms wrapped around his neck. His hands held my waist tightly as he looked up at me. “What do you think the repercussions will be?” He asked and my fingers played with the hair at the base of his neck. “My dad stripping you of everything. Me somehow winding up back in that house.” As soon as the words left my lips he yanked me impossibly closer, his green eyes boring into my own. “I don’t care what he takes from me, so long as it isn’t you. If I lose my career then it is what it is, but I swear to you, Katie. You will never go back to that house. I will do whatever it takes to keep you with me, and no one, you hear me, no one will take you away from me.” My forehead dropped to his as my hands moved to cradle his neck. “I love you.” I whispered before I leaned down and kissed him. “I love you too, darlin’.” 

With that he slid me off of him and climbed out of the truck, before turning to me. “C’mon darlin’. Let’s go have some fun.” I smiled and let him help me out of the truck before he intertwined our fingers. He held my left hand as I reached my right over, my hand resting on his bicep. We walked in and immediately multiple people turned to us and greeted Jake. He flashed everyone a bright smile and introduced me to everyone as his girlfriend. It scared me but also made me feel good. Wanted, loved. Once we were left alone he led me back to the pool tables where the rest of the team was. “Hey!” He said loudly, catching everyone’s attention. They all turned to us, greeting us with big smiles. “What’s this?” Javy asked, nodding to our hands. Jake held up our intertwined fingers, kissing my knuckles. He looked at me with a questioning look and I nodded. “We’re together.” He said out loud and immediately Natasha jumped up from her spot next to Bradley and rushed over. “Oh my god!” She wrapped her arms around me in a hug. “I knew it would happen.” She said to me. “Pay up Coyote!” She turned and said, the man huffing and pulling out his wallet. “You knew?” I asked and she nodded as she let me go. “I’ve seen the way you two look at each other. I knew it would happen eventually.” With that Bob came over. “It’s about time.” He said, pulling me into a hug before wrapping Jake into one as well.

Everyone was happy but Bradley kept his distance. Mav and Penny even came to say congratulations but also that Jake better not fuck up, which made me laugh. I gave Bradley his space but about halfway into the night I walked out onto the back deck where he was leaning against the wooden railing. “Hey.” I said and he turned to me before facing the water. “Hey.” He muttered and I stepped closer. “Are you okay?” I asked and he sighed. “Yeah.” He sounded so annoyed it made tears well in my eyes. “Are you sure? If I did anything, I’m sorry.” I said and he chuckled. “Come here.” He opened his arm and I stepped closer, allowing him to throw his arm over my shoulder. He squeezed me to his side, staring out at the ocean. “What’s going on?” I asked and he sighed. “Are you happy?” He asked, looking down at me and I nodded. “I’m very happy, Bradley.” I told him. “What’s this about?” I asked him. “I just worry about you. You know, mom never saw anyone else after dad died. So I was always an only child, but I don’t know, I worry about you like you’re my little sister.” He said, not looking my way. “I’m an only child too. But it’s nice to have someone like an older brother looking out for me.” I said, leaning into him. He just chuckled and patted my shoulder. “I guess if you’re happy that’s all that matters.” He said and I nodded. “I’m very happy. Truth be told, I don't think I’ve ever been this happy.”

“Get tired of being inside?” I heard a voice behind me and turned to see Jake. In all honesty, it was a little overwhelming in there. “A little. Just stepped out to talk to Rooster and catch my breath.” I said and he nodded, walking closer. “Did you win?” When I first walked out here, he was in a match against Fanboy, who was secretly a pool shark. “No. You know that nobody can beat Fanboy.” He said and I giggled as he wrapped his arms around me. “Except me.” Rooster said. “One time. You beat him one time and it was because you got lucky.” They laughed together before Rooster went back inside. “You okay?” He asked and I nodded. “I got a little overwhelmed in there. Plus after we told everyone Bradley kinda disappeared.” I told him and he furrowed his brows. “Was he mad?” I could see his shoulders tensing and he stood a little straighter. “No. Calm down.” I said, placing my hands on his arms and he visibly relaxed. “He just asked if I was happy.” I said and he raised a brow. “And what did you say?” It was my turn to raise my brow at him. “Do you think I’m unhappy?” I asked and he chuckled, wrapping his arms around my waist. “No. I would know if you were unhappy.” He said, pulling me close. “Oh, you would? You think you know me so well?” I asked and he chuckled, leaning down and kissing me. “Yes. I do.” I smiled up at him, gently smacking his shoulder. “You’re so sure of yourself.” I told him with a laugh. “When it comes to you I always am.” 

He pulled me ever closer, before turning us and backing me into the railing. “So, what did you tell him?” He asked, smiling down at me. “Did you tell him you’re the happiest you’ve ever been?” He joked and I just grinned at him. “Yeah.” His eyebrows shot up. “Wait, really?” I nodded. “I told him I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy.” My hands rested on his forearms, as his hands held my waist. He smiled at me before dropping his forehead to mine. “You have no idea how happy that makes me.” He said before I smiled up at him. “So I guess we’re both happy.” I said and he nodded before lifting me up onto the railing. “Unbelievably happy.” He said as he stepped between my legs and kissed me. My arms went around his neck and I moaned as he tugged on my bottom lip. “This reminds me of one of our favorite positions back home.” I said as he pulled away. “You mean when I fuck you on the kitchen counter like the dirty girl you are?” He said, kissing beneath my ear and sending a shiver down my spine. “You fuck me on any surface you can get me on.” I told him, capturing his lips with mine. “Mm, you’re right.” He said. “But you know what surface you haven’t fucked me on?” I asked, gripping the hair at the nape of his neck in my fingers. “What?” He asked, nipping my neck. “Your truck.” He stopped, his eyes meeting mine. 

“Are you serious?” He asked and I nodded. “Why not?” He smirked at me. “Are you feeling needy, darlin’?” He asked, hand slowly slipping between my legs, nudging my panties and making me whine. “Yeah.” I was breathless. He pushed a little harder against my clit and I gasped, him taking the opportunity to kiss me, tongue licking into my mouth. “You’re already so wet for me.” He muttered, lips moving to my neck as he rolled my clit with his thumb. My breathing became heavier and I arched into him, one arm around his neck, the other gripping the wrist of the hand under my dress. I moaned quietly as he sucked on my neck and a shiver ran down my spine. I opened my eyes, and gasped again. “Jake.” I whispered, not taking my eyes off the guy in the corner. He hummed but didn’t stop. “Jake.” I said again and he pulled back from my neck, looking at me. “What?” He asked. “It seems we have a voyeur.” I said, nodding to the guy in the back corner. He stiffened and turned around. The guy kind of reminded me of Bob with his glasses.

“Wanna watch?” Jake smirked at the man and immediately the man became cowardly and ran back inside. I smacked his shoulder as he chuckled. “Really?” I asked and he chuckled. “Oh come on, you’re not into exhibitionism?” He asked. “Not with strangers.” I replied and he paused, staring at me. “We’ll explore that later.” He said and I giggled. “Later is good. Because right now, I need you in the back of the truck.” I whispered and he practically growled. He pulled me off the railing and smacked my ass. “Let’s go.” He said and I took off around the building. He grabbed at my waist, making me laugh as I rounded the front and ran for the very back of the parking lot. Jake unlocked the truck as we got closer and I immediately swung the back door open. “Get your ass in there.” He said, smacking my ass again as I climbed in. I tossed my purse in the front seat as he slid in next to me. As soon as the door was closed we were grabbing at each other and Jake immediately pulled me under him. I quickly worked to get his jeans off before pushing his boxers down. He was rock hard, cock slapping against his stomach as he pushed me back down in the seat. 

He pushed my dress up before yanking my thong down, tossing them to the floorboard. “Jake.” I whined, the chilly air reminding me how bare I truly was. “I know, darlin’. Just sit still for me.” My hands were up by my head when he grabbed the straps of my dress, pushing them off my shoulders before yanking it down, allowing my breasts to bounce free of their restraints. He lifted one of my legs, my foot pressing against the ceiling as one of my hands held onto the door handle while his lips latched onto my nipples. “Jake.” I gasped, fingers of my free hand weaving into his hair. I reached between us, fingers wrapping around his cock. “Need you.” I whined, guiding him closer to my entrance. I was startled when his hand wrapped around my neck. “You need me, huh?” He asked and I nodded as best I could. “Gotta give my girl what she wants, don’t I?” With that he thrust into me harshly. The pain made me yelp but it felt so good at the same time. 

Jake stilled for a moment, lips meeting mine. “You okay?” He asked. I found it sweet that he cared but at the same time, I didn’t want him to stop. “Just fuck me right.” I said and he chuckled. “Whatever you want, darlin’.” He kissed me again as he pulled out, before slamming back into me. He found a rough pace which I loved and I threw my head back as I moaned loudly. “Oh fuck, Jake!” I cried out as he hit that one spot deep inside me. “You like that?” He asked and I nodded. “Does that feel good?” He sat up, keeping me close as he fucked into me. “You’re not getting out of this truck until you cum on my cock, darlin’.” I moaned loudly. “Yes. Fuck, Jake! Don’t stop!” I begged and he didn’t, his pace became more rough and I couldn’t resist reaching up and kissing him. 

But I was startled when he pulled me into his lap, sitting back in the seat. I whined as he stilled. “Use your words, darlin’.” He said, rolling his hips and making me gasp. “So big.” I mumbled, burying my face in his chest. “So full.” I truly did feel full, like there was no space left inside me at all. Jake continued to roll his hips until I sat up, rolling my own. Our moans both filled the truck, his hands groping my breasts as my own hands rested on his shoulders. I started bouncing on him and his hands left my breasts for my hips, helping me in my movements. I felt my orgasm slowly building and I picked up my pace. “You gonna cum for me?” He asked and I nodded. His lips found my nipple and the pleasure inside me built more. “Yes, Jake!” I cried out. “I’m so close, darlin’.” So was I. “Jake. Jake! Cum inside me!” I said as I chased my high. I was a babbling mess as I met his thrusts. “You want me to?” He asked and I nodded. “Please. Fill me up!” I had never needed something so bad in my life. He gripped my neck, making me look at him as he fucked up into me. 

“I’m gonna keep your pretty little pussy so full.” His other hand wrapped around my neck as well, keeping me still as he fucked me roughly and with one lick to my nipple I was tumbling over the edge. I screamed as my orgasm had my body shaking and not long after he pulled me down onto his cock, hot ropes of cum filling me up. We were breathing heavily as he pulled me into a kiss, trying to come down from his own high. After we caught our breath I took a minute. I was so full of cum, it was dripping onto our legs. “I’m gonna need my panties back.” I said and he raised a brow. “I’d rather see my cum drip down your thighs all night.” He said and I chuckled. “I’d rather keep it inside me.” I said, nipping at his bottom lip. With that I took a deep breath, laying my head on his chest as his arms went around me. “I love you, Katie.” He whispered in my ear. “I love you too, Jake.” I said, leaning up and kissing his cheek. 

With that we got dressed and straightened ourselves out before wandering back inside. “Where’d you two go?” Phoenix asked, handing us some drinks. “They were in the back of Jake’s truck.” Coyote said, appearing next to Jake. My jaw dropped and a blush crept up my neck at his words. “Ho-how did you know?” I whispered and he laughed. Jake wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me in close. “How could we not?” He asked and Payback walked over. “We saw the truck rocking from the front doors!” He yelled out, making the blush grow. My eyes shifted to the floor and suddenly Jake’s arm disappeared from my shoulders, making me feel vulnerable. “You don’t have to yell it out.” He said to Payback, his tone low. “Now quit laughing, both of you.” He said and they stopped. Jake turned back to me, his arm going over my shoulders again. “You okay?” He asked and I nodded. “Just ridiculously embarrassed. We hung around for a few more hours and just before we left, Coyote and Payback both came up to me when Jake walked away. Neither of them looked at me and I didn’t look at them. “Katie?” Coyote asked and I turned to him. Now they were looking at me. “We just… wanted to apologize for earlier.” Payback said. “We crossed a line, and we’re sorry.” Coyote continued. I felt awkward sitting here with both of them. “Oh, don’t worry about it, it’s okay.” I said, and they shook their heads. “But it’s not. We’re deeply sorry, Katie. Can you forgive us?” Payback asked and after a second of silence, I nodded. “Yeah, I can.” They opened their arms and I pulled them into a hug. “Everything okay over here?” Jake asked as he came back. “Great.” Coyote squeaked out as I squeezed both of them.

That weekend was spent studying, and having a lot of sex. We couldn’t keep our hands off each other. I decided come Sunday I would shower, alone. Much to Jake’s dismay. I took a lengthy shower, taking the time to shave my legs, exfoliate, do a hair mask, the whole nine yards. By the time I was done the water was running cold. I shut off the water and opened the curtain. I took a deep breath, feeling much better than I had before I got in. I reached for my towel but jumped back when something fell off. I looked on the ground to see a spider. It was so big it would probably barely fit into the palm of my hand. “JAKE!” I screamed, grabbing the extendable shower head and aiming at the spider. If this thing so much as moved I was ready to completely soak the house. “What?!” He sounded panicked and even looked it when he saw me. He saw where I was aiming and he paled slightly. “Holy shit. That thing is ginormous.” He said, looking down at it. “Kill it!” I demanded. “I’m not gonna kill it.” He said. 

“Then get it out of here and take it far away!” I said. He just chuckled and disappeared. “JAKE!” He just left me here?! “Calm down. I went to get this.” It was a flyswatter and he bent down, sliding it under the spider's legs. “If that thing gets near me, I’m drowning it.” I said as he stood. “It’ll be fine.” He said. But it wasn’t. The spider fell off of the fly swatter and I screamed. Jake stood still until it started towards him and as a reaction he stomped on it. Then, it was like my nightmares came to life. Thousands upon thousands of tiny black dots came out from under the crushed bug, covering the floor. A high pitched squeal escaped Jake and I both as they started up his legs. “SPRAY IT!” He squealed and I turned on the water, soaking the floor as he ran out. But not even a second later he rushed back in. “GET THEM OFF ME!” He all but dove into the shower and I soaked him from head to toe with the sprayer. It felt like an eternity before we felt like he was clean and the floor was safe. “I’m sorry Jake but we now have to burn this house to the ground.” I said and he shook his head. “No, we don’t. But we will bomb it and I’ll get an exterminator in here.” He said as we both stared at all the dead spiders on the floor. “Might wanna get someone to make sure there’s no water damage as well.”

A little while later we had the floor cleaned up, killing a few stragglers as we went. But I had changed into one of his sweatshirts and some shorts before walking downstairs. “I can’t believe that happened.” I said, a shiver running down my spine. I reached into the fridge, pulling out some chicken for dinner and setting the package in the sink. I looked up to see Jake holding a bouquet of roses. “Aw, Jake.” I said, stepping forward and taking the bouquet from him. “But what are they for?” I asked. He looked nervous, fiddling with something behind his back. “To soften the blow.” I furrowed my brows and grew nervous. “A-are you breaking up with me?” I asked, tears welling in my eyes. “What? No! Darlin, no!” He said, wrapping his arms around me. “But you said they were to ‘soften the blow’.” He quickly shook his head. “For me! The blow to me.” I furrowed my brows even more confused. “Don’t freak out. But after Friday night, we went without condoms the entire weekend. It’s completely up to you, but just in case…” He set a small box on the counter and I looked at it. “Plan B?” I asked, setting down the flowers on the counter and picking up the box. “It’s just in case. I know that we made our decision to go without the condoms. But I wanted you to have it if you wanted it. This isn’t me forcing it on you, it’s just if you want it.” I bit my lip, looking down at the box. 

“Thank you.” I told him. “I know we never discussed kids or anything, but I want you to know I support you in whatever you want.” He said and I smiled up at him. “Thank you, babe.” I said, standing on my toes and kissing his cheek. We cooked dinner together, me sitting in his lap as we ate. The night was relaxing. We watched a movie together before we finally decided to go to bed. Jake was lying in bed as I brushed my teeth and stared at the box on the counter. I was torn. Jake and I never talked about kids, but it’s not something I ever saw myself having. I could never imagine myself as a mother. Once I finished brushing my teeth I grabbed the box, opening it and popping the pill out of the blister pack and popping it in my mouth. I stuck my mouth under the stream of water from the faucet and swallowed it. Once I was done and ready for bed I crawled in next to Jake who already had the lights off. I laid down and immediately his arms went around me, pulling my side into his chest. 

“Goodnight, darlin’.” I didn’t respond. I simply laid on my back and stared up at the ceiling as he held me. “I took the pill.” I whispered. It was quiet for a second before he spoke up. “Are you okay?” He asked, shifting so he could look at me. “Yeah. I just felt like you should know.” I told him and he smiled at me. “Like I told you, I’m following your lead here.” I turned to him. “So you’re not upset?” I asked and he shook his head. “I could never be upset at you for doing what you think is best.” He said and I stared at him for a minute before leaning in and kissing him softly. “I love you.” I told him. “I love you too, darlin’.” 

That week we managed to get an exterminator in there and someone to check for water damage. Everything in the house was fine and there were no more baby spiders, so Jake and I could finally breathe. It was early October and I was knee deep in studying for midterms. “Hey, darlin’.” I looked up to see Jake walking towards me. He was only in a pair of shorts, deciding to forgo a shirt which was very, very distracting. “Hi.” I said, going back to focus on my notes. Just after midterms we’ll start our clinicals and that has me on edge. “Can I have a moment of your time?” He asked. “Only a moment.” I said, grinning at him. “I wanted to talk to you about Halloween.” He said, sitting down across from me. I raised a brow at him as I copied another note. “Okay. What about it?” In truth, I haven’t thought about Halloween once. I got to trick or treat a few times as a kid but by the time I was nine, it stopped. We didn’t even hand out candy. My parents just pretended the holiday didn’t exist. “Do you have any preference on costumes?” He asked. “Um no. I didn’t think we were dressing up.” I said and he looked at me, shocked. 

“Not dressing up? We have Mav’s halloween party to go to! Then we have to hand out candy on Halloween! We have to dress up to give the kids candy!” He said. “Okay,” I said, a little surprised. “I don’t really have any ideas or preferences on costumes.” I told him, setting my pencil down. “Okay good, because I think we should go classic. Cowboy and Cowgirl.” He said, using his hands to make me see the ‘picture’. “I’m at a little disadvantage here. You have everything you need for that costume. I don’t.” I said and he shook his head. “That’s why we are going shopping after your midterms. Jeans and a shirt should be easy to find, boots and a hat will take a little longer.” I smiled at him. “I may already have a shirt. But we can go shopping for everything else.” I said and he seemed excited. “Great! We’re gonna be the best looking couple there!” He said, standing and kissing my cheek before he disappeared upstairs. 

Soon midterms came and I was shaking the morning of. Thankfully, we can fit all of our tests into one day but it was overwhelming. I got dressed and did my hair and makeup before going downstairs. “What are you still doing here?” I asked, shocked to see Jake in the kitchen. He’s supposed to be on base by six, which is when I get up. “I told Mav I would be a little late today.” I furrowed my brows, confused. “Why?” I asked just as the oven timer went off. “Because you have midterms today.” He said, pulling what smelled like egg bites out of the oven. “So you need a good breakfast.” He popped a few on a plate. “Some coffee.” He also slid a mug of coffee, just how I like it towards me. “And I wanted to make your lunch.” He said. “Oh, Jake.” I said as he slid my lunchbox closer. ���And you need good luck kisses.” He came around the counter, taking me in his arms and kissing me until I was dizzy. “You’re amazing.” I said, kissing him again. “No, you are. You’re going to blow that test out of the water.” He said. 

“You didn’t have to stay home to do all this for me.” I said and he shook his head, walking back towards the fridge. “No, I wanted to, so I did.” He opened the fridge and reached inside before pulling out my water bottle and setting it next to my lunchbox. “I love you, have a good day and I’ll see you back here this evening.” He said, kissing me again before heading towards the door. “Absolutely amazing.” I muttered before taking a bite of my breakfast. Once I was done, I put the dishes in the dishwasher and grabbed my stuff, heading out the door. I rode to school quietly, trying to just breathe and keep myself calm. I walked inside with plenty of time to spare and I decided to go ahead and get into my classroom to get prepared. I was being very meticulous about my setup when Annie sat next to me. “How do you feel?” She asked and I let out a shaky breath. “Like I’m going to cry and throw up.” I replied. “Me too.” Brooke said, sitting on my other side. I took a sip of my water, visibly shaking. “Good morning, everyone.” One of our professors, Dr. Drakes said as he walked in. “Your microbiology exam is the longest, so we will be starting with that.” I shook some more. Microbiology was my worst subject and now I was terrified. “Good luck.” He told us before handing out our exams. 

I cried the whole way home. As soon as I got into the driveway I put the parking brake on and got out. I took my time gathering my things and tried to stop my tears before walking inside. Once I felt like I calmed down enough I got out of my truck, slowly making my way inside. But as soon as the door closed behind me the tears started. “Katie?” I could smell food cooking as he stepped out of the kitchen. “Hey, how’d it go?” He asked and I immediately started crying again. “Hey, hey. What’s wrong?” He asked and I dropped everything before rushing to him. I wrapped my arms around him, squeezing him as he wrapped his own arms around me. “What’s wrong?” He asked, his tone a little more serious. “I’m sorry.” I cried. “For what?” He asked, fingers running through my hair. “For failing.” I said. “You failed your tests?” He asked, holding me at arms length. “I think I did.” I said and he looked at me confused. “You think? So you haven’t gotten your results yet?” He asked and I shook my head. “No.” He chuckled, wiping the tears from my eyes. “Then you have no reason to stress.” I furrowed my brows in confusion. “You’re not mad?” I asked and he furrowed his brows. “No, why would I be?” He asked. “I think I failed Jake. That’s not good.” I said and he pulled me close again, kissing my forehead. “I don’t care if you did fail. That’s no reason for me to be mad at you, and you gave it your best shot. I could never be mad at you for doing your best.” He said. 

“Really?” I asked and he nodded, kissing my gently. “Yes, really. Now, why don’t you go shower? Dinner will be done in about an hour.” I sniffled and nodded before slowly making my way upstairs. I took my time in the shower and once I was done I slipped into one of Jake’s Longhorns shirts. I looked into the mirror, seeing my eyes were still puffy. I wet a rag and put cold water on my eyes for a moment before ringing out the rag and making my way downstairs. I was stunned at what I saw before me. The lights were off but candles were lit all over the room, there was music playing softly and Jake was setting plates on the dining room table. “You like it?” He asked, turning to me. I gave him a soft smile. “I don’t feel like I deserve it.” I said and he sighed, coming over and taking my hand. “Of course you do. You worked hard.” He said as he led me over to the table, pulling out my chair for me. I sat down, the smell of the steak wafting into my nose. “God this smells heavenly.” I said as he disappeared into the kitchen. He came back out a moment later, bottle and glasses in hand. “And champagne to celebrate.” He said. “Jake. I already said I don’t think I did well.” I told him and he smiled at me. “Well then, we’ll celebrate the fact that midterms are over.” He said, making me giggle as he filled my glass. He sat down, holding up his glass. “To peaceful days from here on out.” He said and I smiled, clinking my glass against his and taking a sip. 

“Jake, I don’t know.” I told him, looking in the mirror in the dressing room. “Come on, darlin’. It can’t be that bad.” He said and I sighed. “But I feel like it is!” I told him. “Just let me see.” I sighed before pushing open the dressing room door. Jake brought me down to a few western stores in San Diego to get me an outfit for Halloween. “Oh… my god.” He said and my cheeks grew warm. “I told you it was bad.” I said and he shook his head, standing from the chair. “No, no it’s not. You look… breathtaking.” He said. I sighed and turned to a mirror, looking at myself. The jeans were nice. They were light wash flare jeans that accentuate my curves. But the shirt was pushing my comfort zone. It was like a cropped corset, with bones in the front. It was a one shoulder top with a cut out on the chest. It looked like it just barely cupped my boobs and held them up. “I think you look gorgeous, darlin’.” He said, resting his hands on my waist before he kissed the back of my head. “You sure?” I asked. “Positive. How about this…” He said, turning me to face him. “We buy it. You try it on next week, and if you still don’t like it then we’ll get you something else.” He said and I nodded. 

I changed back into my dress and Jake carried the clothes as we looked at all of the boots. “See anything you like?” He asked. There were a bunch and they were beautiful. “I see a lot, but I don’t like this rounded toe. I like this square shape or the pointed ones.” I said and turned to find him smiling at me. “You have exquisite taste in boots.” He said. After another hour, and many boots later we found the pair I loved. The uppers were a deep brown color but the shaft was white and they were gorgeous, and surprisingly comfortable. “Alright, let’s check out.” He said and I furrowed my brows. “I thought you said I needed a hat too?” I asked and he chuckled. “You do, and I’ve got that covered.” He said, taking my hand and leading me up to the register. “So, you’ve seen my outfit. But I have no idea what yours looks like.” I said, resting my hand on my hip. “That’s because it’s a surprise, darlin’.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[lotusity]

chapter 01: guess who’s back

“y/n, hurry up and get the last box so we can get out of here!” her dad shouted from downstairs.

“coming!” she called back, taking a last look at her room before carrying the box downstairs and into the u-haul. she’s finally moving back to hyōgo after 3 years, excited to soon be reunited with her childhood friends atsumu and osamu. although she didnt grow up with suna, she talked to him plenty online. atsumu insisted y/n to talk to all his friends on the volleyball team as a way to stay connected while she were away which is why she’s so well-acquainted with suna.

she won't lie though, she’ll miss the friends that she made at nekoma… she’ll miss her study sessions and weekly gaming nights with kenma and kuro. they were sure a fun pair to be around, making those three years feel like three months.

y/n slid into the seat of the truck as her dad turned on the engine.

“arent ya excited to go back to hyōgo after three years? you made sure to tell your friends that you're returnin’... right?” he asked, buckling his seat belt before pulling out the driveway.

y/n fiddled with the hem of her shirt nervously, “well– i haven't told them anything yet…” she confessed, “I kept waiting for the right moment, but it never came…” she sighed, leaning back while gazing out the window, admiring the scenery pass by for the last time.

“that’s alright kiddo. you can always surprise them, y'know” he smiles, ruffling his daughters h/c hair. “don't stress; it'll all work out.” he reassured.

after a long drive, they finally arrived at their new home. “that was sure a long car ride… my muscles are stiff~” her dad grumbled as he stretched. y/n tiredly rubbed her eyes. just as she was getting ready to fall asleep, they just had to arrive.

“cmon y/n, these boxes aint gonna move themselves,” he said.

‘okayy” she yawns, i just wanna sleep… thirty minutes later and they were finally done moving all the boxes in their new house.

“okay, we're all done. i’m heading to bed. my back’s sore from all that lifting. you're free to explore the neighborhood, just don't stay out too late.”

y/n nodded and climbed up the wooden stairs to her room. “there's boxes everywhereee~” she whines. “i guess i should at least be productive and unbox some stuff to kill time.”

after a bit of unpacking, y/n decided to take a break. “i guess it wouldn’t kill to roam around the block; i could use a convenience store run,’’ she thought. she grabbed her house keys and slipped on a hoodie to shield her from the cold.

familiar with the area from her previous time here, finding the nearest convenience store was quite easy. she lazily walked in, scanning the aisles, she decided to make her way to the candy isle. while she was engrossed in the candy section, the door chimed indicating that another customer had entered the store.

“i still can't believe yer dumbass accidentally spiked kita yesterday” the cinereous haired boy laughed.

“right? japans best setter and server? i think not…” another voice chimed in.

“can you guys both stop HATING right now? It was a ACCIDENT!” the accused huffed.

“that serves yer ass right. i knew you were aiming for me!” the twin shot back.

“i'll make sure to aim properly next time.. just wait.” the blonde threatened with a grin.

“brr shiver me timbers” the twin said sarcastically, earning a smack from the blond.

“guys, stop fooling around before we get kicked out…” the brunet sighed, crossing his arms in annoyance. “yea, let's stay focused, atsumu. we came here for candy for our movie night!”

“why are you blaming me like you didn't start this whole fight, asshole?” the blond retorted behind the duo.

“hmm what should i getttt~” y/n sighed, still undecided about her candy. “hmm, maybe sour patch kids–”

“y/n..?” a familiar voiced called.

y/n abruptly turned her head toward the voice and saw her childhood friends, plus suna, standing in front of her. shit– she had entirely forgotten to tell them that she moved back here… awkward…

“oh my gosh, it really is you!” atsumu exclaimed in shock, his eyes wide. “it's been three years and you magically pop back in town?” without another word, atsumu enveloped y/n into a big bear hug, nearly knocking her off balance.

“woah there, you're about to make me fall! someone sure missed me” y/n teased, earning a flushed look from the honey-haired twin.

“you never told us you were coming back?” osamu questioned, his mouth curling into a small smile as he ruffled y/n’s hair.

“heyyy, you're gonna mess up my hair asshole!’’ she grumbled, swatting osamu’s hand away.

“so youre the famous y/n huh” suna asked, eyeing her up and down with a dramatic, exaggerated scrutiny, like he was assessing a celebrity.

“yup, that’s me!! not sure how i'm famous though,’’ she laughs

“oh you're famous alright. atsumu won't shut up about you. every day it’s, ‘i miss y/n’, ‘when will y/n come back’, ‘did y/n forget about us?’ so annoying.” suna teased.

“shaddup suna stop exposing me!” atsumu shouted, his ears turning red.

“so, are you here for vacation or somethin’ ?” the grey-haired twined asked, tossing a few bags of candy into the shopping cart.

“oh, we actually moved here, my dad got a new job here in town. i’m sorry i didn't tell you guys… i just didn't know how to bring it up, and i was scared that you guys wouldn't want to see me after so long…” she admitted, nervously fiddling with the hem of her sweater.

the blond smiled warmly, “that's alright y/n. we're just glad that yer back. it's been sooooo long!”

“anyway, we were just stopping by to get snacks cause we're having a movie night. you wanna join us?” suna asked.

“oh, yea sure! i would love to,” y/n grinned.