#slivko x conrad

[stonesandswords]

I’ve been re-reading some Kong: Skull Island fics and I forgot how much I shipped Conrad/Slivko and Slivko/Mills.

So if y’all see me hyper-fixating ... here we go

[winchesterbrotherstan]

Kong Skull Island- Childhood Homes and Childhood Traumas

Pairing: Reg Slivko x Irene Brown (OC), James Conrad x sister!OC

Summary: James and Irene are home, but they continue to relive the trauma of their lives.

Warnings: cursing, crying, nothing else i'm pretty sure

Word Count: 2358

“You feeling alright, Ire?” James asked as we stepped out of the airport, back in England.

I shook my head. “I miss them already.” I looked up at him.

He sighed and wrapped an arm around me, letting me bury my head into his shoulder. He sighed and flagged down a cab.

“Where are we going?”

“Home.” He held the cab door open for me.

I sighed as I slid in. He helped the driver with our bags before slipping in next to me. When our parents died, they had left the house to us. James had his own apartment, which is where I lived while he was gone, fighting in the war.

“Which one, Jay?” I asked after he leaned back, having given the driver a destination.

“Back to the house.”

I huffed. “Why there?”

“Because, Irene. We need to sort things out.”

“Sort what out? We went…” I lowered my voice and leaned in. “We went, we almost died, we made it out, we got paid. End of story.” I settled back. “What is there to sort out?”

He sighed and turned to look at me. “You’re eighteen. You’re not gonna live in England with me forever.”

“James…”

“Unless that was the plan, in which case, I am entirely delighted.”

I sighed, looking out the window with my chin in my hand. It was raining, as it always did in London.

“You and Slivko are in love with each other, anybody could see it. I don’t think you want to stay 4,000 miles away from him.”

Of course, I wanted to go live with Reg more than anything. I wanted to be close to Jack, close to his family, and I wanted to be able to see Stephen if things went well. But James wasn’t going to leave England. This place was, and always would be, his home.

I didn't seem to have the same luxury.

TEN DAYS LATER

“Do you think your mom would be sad if we sold this painting?” I called down the wooden stairwell, holding the large canvas in my hands.

“Which one?” James called back, probably from the kitchen.

“The one of my dad and I.” I trotted down the steps, showing him the painting.

He cringed. It was one that his mother had commissioned after Stephen was sent off to boarding school. My father and I were dressed in a military outfit and hunting gear, respectively. I had my crossbow in my hands, and my father had a rifle slung over his shoulder. I never quite understood why she had wanted it.

“No, I don’t think Mum would mind if she knew the truth about him.”

I chuffed. “Thank god, I cannot stand seeing this thing outside my bedroom door.”

James chuckled from the other side of the kitchen island and slid a mug of tea my way. I set the painting down on the ground, leaning against the counter.

“Mint tea, two sugars, just how you like it.”

I smiled at him. “Thanks, Jay.”

Since we had gotten home from the island, I had been having non stop nightmares. It felt like a terribly edited montage. One night, it would be the crash, the next I would dream that our first encounter with a Skull Crawler ended with Jack dead. Then it all melded together. Cole, the tooth through my arm, watching people get eaten. The one I had the night before was new, and I was shocked that it took so long for my brain to conjure it up.

Reg, dying, in my arms, at the hands of Packard.

It was, by far, the worst one yet. James had woken up to my stifled sobs. I wanted to call Reg, but we were five hours ahead of them, and he needed the rest, probably more than I did.

“Ire?” James called, waving his hand in front of my face.

“Sorry.” I shook my head, coming back to reality.

“You okay?”

I nodded. “Thinking about my nightmares.”

“We should get you a therapist.”

I snorted. “What’re they gonna say? Oh, you seem to be experiencing trauma. As if that’s anything new.” I shuddered, eyeing the painting.

James sighed, sitting down on one of the stools. He pulled out another one, further from the painting, and patted on it. “Come sit, Ire.”

I shuffled over and settled into the stool, blowing air onto my tea.

“So… I talked to Chapman, who talked to Cole’s wife. Stephen is still living with them. She said that he still talks about you. She suggested that we head out extra early.”

“Why?” I sipped my tea.

“So that you two can see each other, before the funeral.”

“Fuck, is that a good idea?” I felt my eyes bug out of my head.

“He misses you.” James gave me a sad look.

“God.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I… is he okay?”

James shrugged. “I didn’t ask much, I don’t think Chapman did either. We just all think that you two should see each other before the funeral. It might make it easier for him.” He sighed. “Less of a shock, less to process all at once.”

“Does he know?”

“Know what, Ire?”

“Does he know that our dad is dead?”

James paused.

“Does he? Because he adored that man, Jay. I don’t wanna have to be the bad guy who tells him his dad’s dead. Okay?”

James nodded. “I’m not sure if he knows. But it’ll be okay. We’ll figure it out. Okay? I promise.”

I scoffed, pushing the rest of my tea away.

“Irene-”

“I’m gonna go toss this painting into the sell pile, and then I’m gonna go shower.”

“Irene…” He reached for my hand.

“Jay, I…” I pulled my hand out of his reach and shook my head. “I’m tired, okay? I’m tired of the shocking news, and I’m tired of thinking about people who are dead. I’m tired of this already, and Stephen and I haven’t even seen each other.” I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “Honestly, the only thing I want right now is to lay in bed with Reg and read a book.”

James sighed, holding his arm out for a hug. I trudged to his side and rested my chin on his shoulder. I began to cry the second my skin hit the fabric of his shirt. He wrapped his arms around me and rubbed my back as I sobbed.

“I feel so terrible and I don’t even know why, Jay. We survived, I should be happy.”

“You’re traumatized, Irene. A lot happened on that island. And now, knowing that Stephen is alive, it’s bringing up trauma you sustained during your childhood.”

I sniffed. “This sucks.”

“I know, Bitsy.” He cooed. “We’ll find you good help. I promise you we will. But I really do believe that seeing Stephen before Cole’s funeral would help a bit.”

I sighed in his hold, wiping my tears. “When are we leaving?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

I nodded. “Okay. I’ll finish packing my things.”

“Still gonna go shower?”

I nodded, wrapping my arms around his neck and returning the long hug. “Yeah.”

“I’ll take care of the painting. I don’t want you to worry about it, okay?”

I nodded. “Okay. Thank you, Jay.”

He kissed the side of my head, and my bottom lip quivered once more.

“Of course.”

*******************************************************************

I stepped out of the shower and shook my hair out. I tugged the plastic cover off my cast and tossed it into the sink. I no long had to wear the sling, but I still had a cast for a little bit. My first instinct was to wonder if I would be able to use my crossbow. Then I remembered that I was no longer on a deadly island, no longer with a father who thought hunting humans was a game, and no longer on my own in London.

I finished drying off and got dressed, throwing on the shirt I had worn when we had all gone our separate ways. It was Reg’s, he had given it to me before we had gotten off the ship. Most nights, I slept hugging his army jacket. It still smelled like him, even though James had made me put it through the wash. In hindsight, I probably did not want my bed smelling like the island.

The phone on my nightstand rang, and I grabbed the hairbrush from my bathroom counter before sitting on my bed.

“Hello?” I put the phone up to my ear and began to brush my hair out.

“Hey, doll.”

I couldn’t help the giggle that rose from my chest. “Hi, love.”

“How’re you feeling?”

“I’m okay.” I rushed to finish brushing my hair. “I keep having nightmares.”

I heard him sigh on the other end. “They won’t end anytime soon, doll.”

“I know.” I tossed the hairbrush onto the counter and rolled onto my stomach, kicking my legs up.

“I’m sorry, doll.”

I shook my head, even though I knew he couldn’t see me. “It’s okay, love. James said we would find a therapist, so…” I sighed, trailing off.

“That’s good, right?”

I huffed. “I think so. I’m not sure. I’ve been through so much at this point… I dunno if a therapist could be much help.”

“I’m sure it couldn’t hurt, doll.”

“Yeah, that’s a good point. What about you, how’re you doing? How’s your leg?”

“I can walk without crutches now.” I could hear his grin.

I giggled. “That’s good. I’m happy for you, love.”

There was a beat of silence, and then he sighed.

“What’s wrong, Reg?”

“I just really miss you is all.”

My heart clenched in my chest, and tears began to form in my eyes. “I miss you too.”

“You remember, how, at the airport, I said I was gonna ask you to marry me?”

I giggled, butterflies floating in my stomach. “Yeah, I do.”

“If I were to ask you… for real… would you say yes?”

“God, Reg, without a doubt. Yes, of course I would.”

He chuckled. “Still no kids?”

“No, that’s a non-negotiable.” I shook my head. “No kids, ever.”

“Never?” He repeated incredulously.

“Never. I don’t know how to be a parent.”

“Why not?” He whined playfully.

I took a breath. “Never had a good example.”

“I’m guessing that’s the reason two four year olds ended up living in the amazon with tattoos on their arms?”

I chuckled. “Yeah. My mom, she died when we were little. Less than two years old. I don’t remember her, I’m not sure if Stephen does.”

“I’m sorry, doll.”

I shook my head. “It’s okay. I don’t mind talking about it. About her.” I sighed. “My dad used to say that… the only good thing that came out of her dying was that he could travel the world with us.”

“That’s a fucked up thing to say to a kid.” Reg practically growled, and I could sense his anger through the phone.

I scoffed. “Yeah, especially when she’s only five years old and all she wants is her mom.”

“Your dad sounds like a horrible person.”

I laughed.

“Sorry, that was kinda harsh.”

“No, it’s the truth. My dad’s the reason I know how to use my crossbow. He um…” I trailed off. “Actually, no. This is kinda heavy, I shouldn’t-”

“Irene. If you’re comfortable telling, I’m comfortable listening. I’m here for you okay? No matter what.”

I grabbed his jacket from the hook next to the bed and held it to my chest, curling up tightly.

“He used to… um… when we were six, he gave us weapons as gifts. My crossbow, it used to be his. He gave Stephen… a katana that he… took from a Japanese soldier that he killed.”

I heard him mumble a curse on the other end, and I fell back into the bed, wishing he was here to hold me.

“He would set us loose in the woods, and hunt us down.” I shook my head. “He used to say that he was just trying to keep us safe. Keep us prepared. We were ten years old, I… I still don’t get it. I don’t get what he thought he was trying to protect us from. He was so messed up. I don’t know. Maybe it was the war. I just know that my parents shouldn’t have had us.”

“Don’t say that, doll.”

“Cole adopted Stephen.” I blurted out, feeling tears stream down my face.

“What?”

“My dad sent him to a boarding school. Both of us, together, we were too much to handle. So James started taking care of me, and my dad sent Stephen away. We tried to find him when my dad died, but… it was like he disappeared.”

“Cole didn’t talk about his family much. But I know that all of his kids are adopted.”

“Exactly. Stephen’s one of them. That’s what Cole told me, before…” I looked at the crumpled polaroid that was pinned to my bedroom wall. “He gave me the picture, and he said that he had a son named Stephen. That he was adopted. And that I reminded him… of Stephen.”

“Does that mean…”

“He’s gonna be at Cole’s funeral.”

“Shit.” I heard him hiss.

I looked at the time. It was 2pm here, which meant it was 9am there.

“Do you have to go?”

“I’m so sorry, doll, I-”

“It’s okay. I know you’ve got stuff to do today. We’ll see each other in a few days anyways.”

“I love you. So much.”

I smiled softly. “I love you too, Reg. Thanks for listening to me.”

He gave a soft chuckle. “Thanks for trusting me, doll.”

“Reg, let’s go!” I could hear his older brother, Kenny, on the other end.

“Go, before he takes your car and leaves you stranded.” I giggled. “I love you. Be safe.”

“Always, doll. Kenny, fuck off.” He lowered his tone for that as he hissed. “Okay, doll, I’ll see you soon. Love you.”

I hung up the phone and sighed, turning to lay on my side. These next four days could not drag on any longer.

Previous: Airport Kisses

Next: Waffles

[merakiaes]

Home Is In Your Arms - Reg Slivko

Pairing: Reg Slivko x reader 

Requested: By @socialambivert​

Prompts: None. 

Warnings/notes: Not proofread so I apologize in advance for any possible mistakes. I was really unfocused when writing this so it might be a mess, but I hope you like it. Let me know what you think xx

Wordcount: 8019

Summary: When continuously being put in life-threatening situations, hidden feelings are bound to be confessed as it might very well be your last moment together. 

You first met Reg Slivko when you arrived at training camp together, both of you having signed up for the Vietnam war fresh out of high school.

He had set his eye on you pretty much instantly, seeing as you were the closest to each other’s ages and you also happened to be the only girl, and the first thing you had thought when first seeing those soft, brown eyes and that wide, silly smile of his, was how cute he was.

Oh lord, he was cute. He was dimmer than a broken lightbulb, but he was cute. 

Unfortunately, however, it was not the time nor place to get romantic or sexual, even though a lot of the soldiers in training with you turned gay-for-the-stay, so you kept your relationship on a friendly level.

If constant flirting, teasing and lingering touches, along with the occasional grope here and there, was what was considered to be ‘friendly’, that is.

On a more real note, though, everyone knew you were more than friends, but you kept insisting to everyone pointing out your closeness that you were nothing more than best pals. You insisted on it so much, in fact, that eventually, you kind of started believing it too.

But when you were a part of Preston Packard’s Sky Devils team, you didn’t get much time to think about it.

There was always work to be done, and when there wasn’t, the boys were never up to any good, running circles around you and nagging your ears off.

And this afternoon would be no different, you knew, as you stepped into the canteen of the ship you had boarded not long ago, wasting no time in walking up to your fellow soldiers when you spotted them at their table.

“What’s up, rat bastards?” You asked with a grin, holding your arms out to present yourself as you approached them.

All of them greeted you and Cole and Jack made room for you between them, where you effortlessly sat down on the bench.

Reg’s eyes were instantly set on you, but before him, or anyone else for that matter, could say anything, they watched as you brought your hand up to your face to slowly tilt your sunglasses down, setting your eyes on something across the room.

“Oh, yes please.” You spoke in a murmur, and their eyes instantly followed your line of sight, landing on the tall, muscular man standing at the other side of the room, conversing with a blonde woman.

Jack chuckled, slapping Cole’s back, who in turn slapped Mills, all of them joining in on the silent laughter and hooting. “Oh, look out. (Y/L/N)’s on the prowl.” Jack teased, and while you joined in on the laughter, Reg’s face pulled into a scowl.

“No, she’s not.” He spoke, maybe a little too quickly, causing you all to turn to him with raised eyebrows.

When seeing all eyes on him, he neutralized his facial expression and shrugged, slumping in his seat and averting his eyes to the food in front of him. “I mean, he’s like forty years old. He’s basically an old man.”

He looked up again to meet your eyes, and you smirked at him, eyes squinting with playfulness. 

Without breaking your stare, you stood back up and stepped out of the bench again, took off your sunglasses and leaned forward to give him a devilish grin.

“Maybe that’s how I like them.” You whispered, and then you stood up straight, slapped your own ass to tease him further, and walked away, smiling to yourself as you had successfully sent them all into a laughing fit.

You obviously didn’t care for the man you were now walking in the direction of, no matter how nice he was to look at. But Reg didn’t have to know the truth because where would the fun be in that?

In reality, you were more interested in the woman, whom you had been told, judged by the description of her appearance that you had gotten, that you would be bunking with during the trip to the island.

When you reached them, the two greeted you politely, introducing themselves as Captain James Conrad and Mason Weaver, and after a moment of conversing, you were all called in for a briefing during which the scientists and Jack told you why you were there and how you were going to go about the mission.

After that, you showed Mason where your room was, as she had arrived later than you and therefore hadn’t gotten the chance to find it yet, and when she excused herself to do… well, whatever it was she was going to do, you moved outside to sit with your fellow soldiers.

You joked around like you always did, until it started getting late and you started feeling tired.

Your room and Reg’s room were on complete opposite sides of the ship but still, he was right there by your side, walking through the corridor on your ship-side, banging his fist against the wall as you went.

You were used to his spastic antics at this point so you barely even paid any mind to it. You were so used to it, in fact, that you would’ve been more surprised if he didn’t make any noise.

But other than the sound of his knuckles knocking against the metal walls, both of you had been walking in silence this far, the only other sound behind heard being your dog tags clinking against your chests.

But then he threw his arm around your shoulders, pulling you into his side and asking. “So, what’s our plan for tonight?”

Again, you were barely fazed, simply raising your hand to grab a hold of his where it hung of your shoulder. “We do not have a plan.” You replied, turning your head to look at him to see his eyebrows raise.

“Well, let’s make one.” He said, mimicking your tone.

In response, you plastered on a sarcastic, playful smile, nudging his side. “I have my own plans, that doesn’t include you.” You said, and his face instantly pulled into a deeply, genuinely offended expression.

“I thought we were a team!” He exclaimed, stopping in his tracks and removing his arm from around your shoulders.

“We are.” You just raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on your lips. “Which is exactly why I need a break.”

“You need a break? From me?” He scoffed, raising a hand to his chest. “I’m seriously wounded. Like, worse than the time you accidentally shot me in the shoulder at camp.”

You chuckled at the memory, leaning back against the wall and looking up at him when he stood in front of you, a hand placed at the side of your face. “Yes, so I’ll still like you in the morning.” You answered the first question, ignoring the last part.

At that, he couldn’t keep up his offended act anymore, his lips lighting up in a smile and a chuckle leaving his lips. “Wow, I’m that bad, huh?” He asked.

“Oh, the worst.” You said, frowning in a feign-serious expression.

“Well, that’s too bad.” He replied. “Because I was just gonna go take a shower. Thought you could join me, save water.”

He shrugged, a goofy smile lighting up his entire face, and you could only laugh, your head falling back against the wall. “That has got to be the lamest pick-up line in existence.”

“Don’t worry.” He smirked. “That’s just Plan A.”

“What’s plan B?” You asked, raising an eyebrow.

He backed you further into the wall, and you had to really strain yourself to keep your smile at bay when he leaned in closer to your head.

“To take you hostage.” He continued after a moment of suspenseful silence, an evil grin overtaking his features, and the look he was giving you was enough to cause your entire stomach to flutter.

But you pushed the feeling down, raising a hand to his chest, trying not to think too hard about the sturdy muscle under your fingers and giving him a push to put some distance between the two of you.

He did nothing to fight it, keeping the smile on his face, as did you as you replied. “I already am. A hostage in this friendship.”

He simply chuckled, raising his eyebrows suggestively. “Are you sure you don’t want to join me, though? Last offer.”

“Pass.” You chuckled back.

He held his hands up in surrender, taking a step back from you. “Alright, your loss.” He said, and you shook your head at his antics, your smile now wider than ever.

“Bye, Reggie.” You sang, and turned around to enter your room, that you only now noticed that you had conveniently stopped in front of.

You pushed the handle down and pushed the door open, but before you could enter, you felt a finger being jabbed into your side, causing you to jump right back around with a squeal.

Out of pure instinct, your hand shot out to slap Reg’s arm, watching as he shrunk back into himself and raised his hands for protection.

“Get out of here!” You lightheartedly scolded him, and with one last look, he disappeared down the hallway without another word, laughing at himself.

You could only shake your head, looking after him until he turned a corner and disappeared from your field of view, only then backing into the room and closing the door behind you.

“He’s charming.” Mason’s voice reached your ears the second you stepped inside, and you raised your eyebrows playfully, looking over to her where she was sitting in her bed.

“He might seem like it but he loses a great deal of that charm when you get to know him better.” You told her, causing her to chuckle.

“If you say so.” She mused, and then looked back down into the book in her lap without as much as another word.

You didn’t say anything else either, going straight to your bed. You quickly got undressed down to your underwear and slid under the covers, falling asleep in no time with only one person on your mind; just like every other night.

The next morning, you were up and at it bright and early; significantly earlier than Mason who was still snoring away by the time you left your room. 

It was only seven o’clock so you supposed you couldn’t blame her, you were just used to being up at dawn from your military days.

You were in a good mood, excited to get some food into your stomach, but it became evident the second you entered the canteen that your fellow soldiers weren’t as excited as you were to be up that early.

They were the only ones in there, and you wasted no time in grabbing some breakfast and walking up to them.

“Good morning, shitheads!” You exclaimed as you got closer, and Mills visibly flinched at the volume of your voice.

“Stop that.” He said, leaning his head against the table. “It’s too early for you to be in such a good mood.”

You could only chuckle at his dismay, and all of their bad moods, plopping down beside Jack who looked to be a bit less miserable than the rest of them. 

“I take it you had a good night.” You said, and Mills brought his head up at that, heaving a heavy sigh.

“It was fun while it lasted. Not so fun now.”

Jack hummed, chuckling as he ate. “At least we’re not Cole.” He said, and your eyebrows rose, your interest instantly piqued.

“What about Cole?” You asked, and this time it was Mills’ turn to chuckle.

“He drank himself under the table last night.” He said. “Almost stumbled overboard.”

“Why am I not surprised?” You shook your head, laughing and looking around while you prepared your cereal. “Where is the idiot, anyway?” You asked, and right then, Reg came up to your table and wasted no time in sliding in beside you.

“I’m right here.” He replied chirpily, the only one besides yourself who wasn’t hungover.

You chuckled at him, dumping your plastic spoon into the cereal and getting ready to eat it. “Surprisingly enough, I’m not talking about you this time.” You answered, and before anyone could say anything else, Cole, the man you were talking about, approached the table too, raising his fist into the air.

“Right here.” He muttered, sliding into the seat next to Mills across from you and wasting no time in leaning his head into his palm and closing his eyes.

“Well then, if everyone’s accounted for, let’s eat.” You said simply, turning your attention back to your tray and picking up the sandwich laying on it, holding it out for Cole to take.

He took it without a word, unwrapping it and silently starting to eat it, and the rest of you took his silence as a hint to keep the conversation on a down low to allow him, and everyone else too, to wake up properly.

By lunchtime, everyone, including Cole, was feeling as good as new, and the entire canteen was filled with chatter; more so from your table than anyone else’s.

For this meal, Mason had asked to join you and of course, you couldn’t turn her down, bringing her with you. She didn’t say much, but she clearly wasn’t bothered by the loud conversation going on at the table, laughing along as you joked around.

“Hey, (Y/N).” Reg’s voice reached your ears from right beside you when you were all coming down from one of many laughing fits, and you turned to him, still chuckling lightly.

“What?” You asked, and he smirked at you.

“Close your eyes.”

“What?” You asked again, raising an eyebrow, suspicion filling you. “Why?”

“Just trust me.” He said, and you narrowed your eyes accusingly at him.

“The last time you said that you always burned my hair off.” You told him flatly, your face pulling into one of annoyance.

But his smile didn’t falter. “Well, yeah, but you didn’t die.” He pointed out, and again, you narrowed your eyes.

“That’s so not the point, Reg.”

“Come on, please. For me.” He whined, sticking his lower lip out in a pout and widening his brown eyes, making them look even softer and prettier than usual.

You kept your glare on him for a moment longer, but the longer you looked into his puppy dog eyes, the harder it got. So soon enough, the scowl fell from your face, a sigh leaving your lips. “Fine.”

He silently cheered, and you closed your eyes with another sigh.

“Open your mouth.” He said then, and you squeezed your eyes shut tighter, growing more and more suspicious.

“Slivko…” Jack warned, but the younger soldier only hushed him.

You were about to open your eyes again, and call whatever it was he was going to do off, but before you could, something incredibly sour was shoved into your mouth, and you instantly stared spluttering at the bitter taste overtaking your taste buds, opening your eyes again.

Your nose scrunched up and your eyes hardened. Spitting the lime out on the plate in front of you, you turned and glared at your best friend, violently slapping his chest.

“For fuck’s sake, Reggie!” You exclaimed. “Are you clinically insane or just incredibly annoying?”

“Probably both.” Cole wasted no time in answering for him.

Everyone was laughing, including Slivko, which only made you more agitated, causing you to slap him again, only with more force this time.

His smile fell at that, his hands coming up in front of him to protect himself from the hits that just kept coming. “Stop hitting me! Why are you so mean?!” He yelled, and you finally stopped hitting him.

“I don’t know. I think it’s just my factory setting.” You glared. “Or maybe it’s because you’re such an incredibly big pain in my ass!”

The smile returned to his face, his lips pulling into a shit-eating grin. “Come on, you know you love me. Give me a smile.”

He brought his hands out and pulled at the corner of your lips with his finger, and in return, you hardened your glare, crossing your arms over your chest. “No.”

“Fine.” He said, giving up. “I’ll just smile then.”

“Please, don’t.” You replied, but he was already holding the corners of his own lips up.

“Smiles are contagious.” He spoke through his teeth to his best ability as his lips were stretched up so hard.

He looked absolutely ridiculous, and even though you wanted to throw back some kind of insult, you found yourself unable to, your lips quivering as you fought to hold back the smile.

But he noticed it, letting go of his lips and pointing a finger at you excitedly. “See! See! What did I tell you?” He said, and you laughed.

“I hate you.” You said. “You are the worst human being on the face of the planet.”

“Aw, that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.” He said, bringing his hand up to his heart.

Mason watched the two of you with a light smile on her lips. “You seem like really close friends.” She spoke up, for the first time since sitting down. “Did you know each other before the war?”

The sound of her voice attracted everyone’s attention, and Slivko instantly shook his head, throwing an arm around your shoulder.

“We’re not friends.” He stated flatly, wiping his face free of emotion. “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

“Intimately close. Seduce your enemies.” You joined in, grabbing his hand that was hanging down above your collarbone.

Reg nodded in agreement, reaching out to grab your boob to prove your point. 

Without ever looking away from Mason, you delivered a slap to his wrist, causing him to pull back, but he wasn’t fazed, continuing. 

“Marry your enemies and poison the wedding cake. Boom.” He made an explosive gesture with his fist, and you turned to him with a glare. 

“I’m not marrying you if you’re going to bring the wedding cake into it, that’s just unnecessary.” You said.

In turn, he looked down at you, nodding his head with a regretful gaze. “I agree. I went too far. I apologize.”

While you kept looking at each other, Mason’s eyes flickered between the two of you from the other side of the table, her eyebrows raised in both confusion and amusement.

Seeing her questioning stare, Cole took it upon himself to explain, briefly looking up from his food to wave a hand in your direction. “They met in training, and we’ve had to put up with this shit every day since.”

Mason slowly nodded, a chuckle leaving her lips. “Sounds fun.” She said, and when you turned your head back to look at her again, she asked you. “What are you gonna do when you get back?”

You heaved a heavy sigh at the question, shaking your head. “I don’t even know, I haven’t really thought about it.”

“She’s gonna get herself a man. Pop out a few kids.” Jack joined in on the conversation, pointing at you with his fork.

To this, you raised an amused eyebrow, but before you could say anything, Mills let out a loud laugh from his seat. “You’re telling me you can actually see (Y/N), (Y/N) (Y/L/N), being a housewife?” He asked, and you shook your head in agreement.

“Yeah, no. I’m way too picky.” You admitted, turning your attention back to the food in front of you. “And either way, men aren’t very appreciative of women with strong minds and opinions.” You added, looking up at them while shoving a forkful of rice into your mouth.

Jack’s lips turned up in agreement and he dropped the subject, but Reg had other plans, scooting closer to you and leaning his head closer to yours. “I’m single and I don’t mind.” He tried, and you spared him a sideways glance.

“Dream on, lover boy.” You said, bringing your hand up to shove his head away from yours.

The boys, once again, broke into laughter, and Mills offered the discouraged boy a slap on his back. “It was worth a shot, my friend.” He said, and the smile was back on his face just as quickly as it had fallen.

Later that day, the boys were all out on deck in the nice, warm afternoon sun, mentally preparing for the mission that would officially start the next day.

When you had gone to join them, Packard had stopped you and presented you with a box of cake mix, telling you he had pulled some strings to get you into the kitchen if you wanted to treat yourself and the boys to something sweet your last night on the ship.

And how could you refuse?

It wasn’t the fanciest cake. You had to make do with the few decorative ingredients that you could find, but for a cake baked on a ship, it turned out pretty well.

It was around five o’clock in the afternoon when you finally stepped outside with the cake and a stack of plastic plates and forks on a tray, your eyes instantly rolling in amusement when you caught sight of a shirtless Reg posing in front of Mason’s camera.

Cole was sitting off to the side, as somber as ever, getting his hair cut while the others joked around with Reg in the sunlight.

Cole was the first one to spot you coming over, the others being too busy to even notice you. 

He was the only one who had known that you were going to make a cake, having walked into the kitchen while it was still in the progress to get one of his many snacks.

He wasted no time in sitting up straight in his seat when he saw you coming, waving his hand out to alert the others of your arrival.

When they turned to look at you, you held the tray up for them to see. “Behold. From chaos, order. From ugliness, beauty. From basic ingredients and an oven, cake.” You dramatically presented you work of art.

Reg instantly lit up in a large smile. “Nice!” He exclaimed, while Jack’s face pulled into one of disbelief. 

“Did you make that? By yourself?” He asked, helping you clear the empty beer bottles off the makeshift table they had made out of a wooden crate so that you could put the tray down.

“Why do you sound so surprised?” You asked, raising an eyebrow. “It’s the first time we have an actual kitchen and get to eat food that isn’t coming from a can. It was either go big or go home, and the latter isn’t really an option seeing as we’re in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.”

“A woman who can fight in a war and bake a cake?” Mills said. “Where the hell do I get one?”

All of them pulled their chairs up around the crate, Mason sitting down on one side of you, and Reg sliding in on your other side, wasting no time in reaching for a plate and then for the cake.

You instantly slapped his hand away, snatching the plate from his hand. “I promised the first piece to Cole.”

“What?” His head whipped around to face you, his eyes widening. “I’m your best friend, the first piece should be mine!”

You gave him a narrow-eyed look. “My cake, my rules. Cole gets the first serve.” You said and held the plate out for Cole to take without breaking eye-contact with Reg.

“That’s right. Suckers.” Cole said, wasting no time in grabbing it from you and serving himself a piece, the size of it causing everyone to look at him strangely.

“You gonna eat all that yourself, man?” Mills asked him, and before Cole could reply, you did so for him.

“The more you weight the harder you are to kidnap. Stay safe, eat cake.” You said with your eyebrows raised at him, all while grabbing a plate and fork of your own.

Cole nodded, his head already stuffed full of chocolate. “What she said.” He agreed, and you turned to him.

“Right on.” You said, clinking your fork to his before moving to serve yourself a piece of your own, the others following suit.

No surprise with Cole there, the cake was gone in what seemed like just a second, and all of you spent the rest of the evening out on the platform together, listening to music and fooling around.

Mason slipped off without any of you noticing, and eventually, you went your separate ways too, Reg walking you to your room just like he had done the night before.

Come next morning, you were up and packing everything into the choppers bright and early, ready to head straight into the big, never-ending storm.

“Ready to do this?” Reg asked you, standing beside you and working on packing the record player into its briefcase while you packed a rucksack full off necessities.

“Yup. Today’s just a light recon day.” You answered in a breath without looking at him.

“Then why are you packing five pounds of explosives?” He chuckled, and only then did you turn to look at him, just as you finished packing said explosives into the leather bag.

“I want to be prepared.” You told him, pulling the zipper up. “I don’t trust those shady scientists.”

He raised an eyebrow, brown eyes sparkling with amusement. Before he could say anything else, however, you were joined by another person.

“That makes two of us.” Packard muttered as he came up between you, looking down at your bag and giving it a nod of approval. “Good call, (Y/L/N).”

You gave him a curt nod, followed by a playful smile. “I got you, sir.”

He nodded at you with a small smile of his own playing on his lips, and before you knew it, you were on your way.

You were in a chopper of your own with one of the scientists, struggling to keep the flying vessel straight with the way the strong weather was pulling on the controls in your hands. 

But in the end, you persevered, with a little help from Packard’s motivating speech.

The sight you were met with once you passed through the last of the storm clouds was the most beautiful sight you’d ever laid eyes on, but the moment of admiration was cut short for all of you when you began dropping the bombs and shortly after, were hit out of the sky one by one by a giant gorilla.

Everyone was screaming over the comms, but you kept going for as long as you could, opening fire at the gorilla like the rest of the choppers until you, too, were hit to the ground.

Reg yelled your name as he saw your chopper going down, and only a second later a body came flying into his windshield, his chopper crashing, too.

You didn’t know how long you were out for, but when you woke up again, there were no more choppers in the sky, and the radio in yours was dead, along with the scientist who had been with you, oh so gracefully having been impaled by a piece of metal.

It was horrible, but you were used to seeing death and weren’t too affected, just lucky that the bag of explosives hadn’t exploded in the crash.

You had no choice but to go on and venture into the forest on your own, hoping to come across someone else before dark fell.

Your peaceful walk took a turn for the worse rather quickly though and soon enough, you were being chased by some monstrous skull-lizard.

You weren’t stupid. You realized immediately that your chances were pretty slim, but you couldn’t let that stop you. It was escape or death, and you weren’t ready to die. 

You had to see Reg again, but it was going to be easier said than done, and just when you thought your life was gone for, you lost your footing and rolled down a hill, landing right at the feet of a bearded man.

You put your guard up immediately, shifting back on your hands and feet and fumbling for your rifle, raising it right to his head in all of your panicked glory.

He wasted no time in taking a step back and raising his hands in his defense, eyes widening. 

“Easy, easy. I’m a friend!” He exclaimed, and even though it went against your better judgment to trust a man you just met, you lowered your gun and dropped to your back on the forest floor, bringing your hands up to your face as you caught your breath.

A few minutes later, you were walking side by side with Marlow, which the man’s name had turned out to be, the two of you conversing.

Although, he was doing most of the talking, going on and on about how excited he was that “you had finally come for him”.

You, on the other hand, were still traumatized from the “Skull Crawler” you had been chased by just a few minutes prior, constantly on your guard with your rifle in the fear that it would jump out at you.

Eventually, you were joined by island natives that he introduced to you as the Iwi. Their faces were painted and they didn’t say much, a nice change from the man you had been walking beside up until then, who never seemed to shut up.

The sun was just beginning to set and you were just nearing some stone ruins, when the Iwi suddenly picked up on something and ran ahead.

You exchanged a look with Marlow, before the two of you sprinted off after them.

Marlow entered the ruins first, holding his hands up to calm the situation down, whatever it was, and when you entered after him, you instantly realized what was going on, and you had never been so happy to see the face of Reg as you were then.

His eyes found yours and he wasted no time in lowering his rifle, his face falling in disbelief. 

The Iwi all had their spears pointed at him and the people he was with, but the second they lowered their weapons, he came rushing forward to take you into his arms.

“Oh my God, (Y/N).” He breathed into your ear, and you closed your eyes tightly, taking in the feeling of his arms around you. “I thought you were dead. We found your chopper and-  Shit, your head.” He cursed, taking note of your bloody forehead when you came back apart.

He met your eyes again, holding you by your arms. “Are you okay?” He asked, and you put on a feign confused expression.

“I- Who are you?” You asked, and you watched as his face immediately fell.

“I-“ He struggled to find the words, and you held his sad stare for another moment, before the laughter bubbled up in your throat, your head throwing back and your hands coming to grab your stomach.

“You should’ve seen the look on your face!” You laughed, and his face instantly pulled into one of enragement.

“That’s not fucking funny!” He roared at you.

The tone in his voice and the look on his face was unlike anything you had ever seen with him before; he hadn’t even reacted like that when you had shot him in the shoulder.

Because of that, your laughter quickly died down, a confused look overcoming your features. “What? It was just a joke.” You said, chuckling. “Why are you getting so mad?”

The scowl on his face only deepened at that. “Because, because I-“

“Because you?” You raised an eyebrow, and watched with amusement as he threw his arms out.

“Because it’s just not funny! Okay?!” He said and you raised your hands in surrender, nodding your head.

“Okay, Mr. Serious.” You said, flashing him an amused smile.

You moved back to Marlow, who was now talking to Conrad, and when introductions were out of the way, you were on your way again, reaching the Iwi’s village not long after.

During your stay in the village, you tried spending some time with Reg, but for some unknown reason, he was still mad at you for pretending you couldn’t remember him and pretty much gave you the cold shoulder, instead busying himself with fixing the engine of the boat.

After getting the boat to work, you finally got in contact with Packard. He set on a flare to give away their location, and you wasted no time in heading in that direction, trekking through the jungle in silence, staying on your guard.

It was so silent, in fact, that when Reg let out a loud scream from beside you, you couldn’t help but almost jump out of your own skin.

But when seeing why he had screamed like he did, you instantly broke out into laughter, going up to him.

“Calm down, you big baby. It’s just a chameleon.” You told him, reaching up to carefully grab the body of the reptile that he was trying to slap away from his shoulder. After putting it down on a branch in passing, you gave him a smug smirk. “You scream like a girl, by the way. I’m embarrassed to be your acquaintance.”

Your teasing wasn’t as appreciated as it usually was, much to your dismay, only getting a scoff and a sour look in return before he sped up and walked ahead, leaving you to walk by yourself.

Smile falling off your face again, you sighed, keeping silent the rest of the way, until James stopped by a small stream of water.

“We’ll stop here. They should be close.” He said, turning around in your direction. “Rest up, fill up your bottles.”

Everyone did as told, sitting down wherever they could find a comfortable spot, Reg included who sat down on a log right by the water.

Meanwhile, you stayed behind by a tree, leaning your back against the trunk as you watched him from a distance.

You knew that he could feel you looking with the way he was doing everything with unnecessarily aggressive movements, but not once did he spare you a look, causing your eyes to narrow with annoyance.

He might be cute, but he was also petty as hell, something you had never been on the receiving end of up until now.

A few minutes later, all of you turned to face the forest at the sound of rustling  in the bushes, and before you knew it, Packard, Cole, Mills, Reles and Randa appeared, walking into the clearing where you were currently waiting.

Reg was the first one up on his feet, rushing over to greet his friends and fellow soldiers, and you weren’t far behind, greeting Cole, Mills and Reles with tight, brotherly hugs, and Packard with a firm handshake.

“Good to see you alive, (Y/L/N).” He said with a smile, and you nodded curtly, returning his smile with one of your own.

“You too, sir.”

Not long later, you were all, once again, running for your lives, having walked right into the graveyard of Kong’s family on Packard’s orders, which also happened to be somewhat of a Skull Crawler lair.

The memory of being chased down by the giant reptile-like monsters only a few days prior was still fresh in your mind, and having to relive it now was stressing you the fuck out.

But you kept going, running in zigzags through the giant skulls of Kong’s parents with your rifle held closely to your chest, trying your hardest to see through the mustard-yellow fumes.

You were all passing each other several times, focusing on yourselves and shooting at the Skull Crawler whenever it came too close to any of you.

A while into the fight that, at this point, seemed completely unwinnable, Reg ran up to you with his rifle raised just like yours, running by your side and yelling out over the loud gunshots. “Before we die, there’s something I need to tell you!”

Without looking at him, the two of you turning a corner, you hardened your face. “We're not gonna die, stop saying that!” You yelled back.

“I still need to tell you!” He kept fighting, and you growled under your breath in annoyance.

“Can it wait?! I’m kind of busy trying not to die!”

“No! It can’t wait!”

Right after he said that, a loud screech reached your ears, and you instantly recognized the thundering rocking of the ground under your feet, throwing a look over your shoulder to see that you were now the main targets of the Skull Crawler.

Turning your eyes back forward, you cursed, picking up your pace. “You’ve been ignoring me for well over two days, you can wait another!” You yelled, and just as you were about to be swallowed whole, you grabbed Reg’s arm and tugged him to side, the two of you sliding into one of the Kong skulls.

You were protected by the thick bones, but the Skull Crawler kept snapping at you, trying to get through, and you wasted no time in backing up and firing at it.

“I love you!” Came Reg’s voice then, and you widened your eyes, your head whipping around to face him.

“What?!” You exclaimed, your face briefly falling in disbelief, but when you realized he wasn’t shooting, but rather just staring dumbly at you, the disbelief turned into a hard glare. “What the hell are you doing?! Shoot, you idiot!”

He seemed to snap back to his senses when hearing your words, shuffling back and starting to shoot at the Skull Crawler that was still snapping at you, until it spotted something somewhere else and left.

Once it was gone, you allowed yourself to take a breather, but you barely even got the time to do that, your face being grabbed in Reg’s hands a second later.

“I love you!” He repeated shaking your head lightly. “I am absolutely, definitely, positively, unquestionably, no strings attached, beyond any doubt, unconditionally, in love with you. I want to grow old with you and love you, make you smile and hear you laugh, every single day for the rest of my life. I get butterflies every time you look at me, every time you touch me, like some freaking teenage girl. I know it may not make any sense but when I look at you, I can feel it. I look at you, and I’m home, and if you stay with me I promise to make you smile everyday with my weird jokes, I promise to share my food with you, give you good massages and laugh at your stupid jokes. I like you so much I don’t know what to do with it.  My heart beats so fast when I know I’m going to see you again. And then, when you look at me the way you do, I feel like the luckiest guy in the world. I don’t want to go a single day in my life without you. I love you. I knew it the minute I met you, and I’m sorry it took so long for me to catch up. I just got stuck. But I- I need to know, if we’re going to die, if you feel the same way, bec-“

Without any warning, you grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him into you in one single, rough movement, pressing your lips to his in a kiss so forceful your teeth clashed together.

He let out a soft “hmpf” at the force, but wasted no time in pulling you closer, the two of you kissing each other with such desperation, hadn’t you been in the situation you were currently in, your clothes would’ve been on the floor in a second.

But this was neither the time nor place, so you pulled apart way too quickly for your liking, meeting each other’s equally as wide eyes, both of you completely breathless.

“Does this mean-?”

“Yes.” You interrupted him. “You’re a fucking idiot and I’m going to be mad at you for a while for giving me the cold shoulder and then choosing literally the worst possible time to confess your love for me, but I love you too.”

His eyes, still wide, widened even more at that. “Whatever possessed you to do that should possess you more often.” He breathed out, and you gave him a stern look.

“It can possess me more later, but right now, our main concern should be getting out of here alive. Okay?” You asked, and he nodded.

“Okay.”

“Okay.” You repeated in a breath, pressing another quick peck to his lips before grabbing your rifle and running back out of the skull, leaving him to watch after you with literal heart eyes, the poor boy now more in love than ever.

Once you had made it out of there with your lives intact thanks to Mason throwing a lighter into the fumes and causing an explosion, you wasted no time in getting out of the graveyard.

Reg had a close call back there and you had never felt a panic as intense at the one you felt then, rushing to his aid once James had pulled him into safety to check on his hurt leg.

You were a loyal soldier, loyal to your brothers and your superior. The only thing you were more loyal to was your own morals, and when Packard, even after what you had just been through, still insisted that Kong was the enemy, you had no choice but to go against him, much to Reg’s dismay.

The look on his face when you moved to follow James, Mason, Brooks and San was one out of pure betrayal, but you knew he would get over it, if the two of you made it out alive.

Just like you, he was a loyal soldier. But while you were more loyal to your morals, he was more loyal to you.

One look into your eyes was all it took for him to, with a trembling lip, turn his rifle onto Packard, the others following suit, more loyal to their brothers than their superior, who was clearly losing his mind.

Still adamant on killing Kong, he got what he had coming to him while the rest of you fled for your lives, running all the way until the dark lifted and the sun was coming up.

When you reached the edge of the island, Mason was sent up on the rocks with the flare gun to attempt to signal Brooks and San who were at the boat, and while she did that, Reg dragged you along by your hand toward the water; away from the loud screeches following you, which were only coming closer.

It didn’t take long for the Alpha Skull Crawler to catch up with you, and while the rest of you kept running, Cole came to a stop turning to look at the giant creature while slowly reaching for a grenade in his vest.

Mills and yourself were the ones to notice it first, stopping to call after him, and when he didn’t acknowledge you, you set off into a sprint in his direction without a second thought.

“No, (Y/N)!” Reg called after you, trying to catch your wrist to stop you.

But you were too quick, running up to Cole and starting to pull at him. As a response, he began pulling back, and you glared.

“Don’t be an idiot, Cole. Come on.” You scolded him simply, and before he could protest, you ripped the grenade out of his hand, pulled the spring out and launched it straight into the open jaws of the Skull Crawler, hurrying to throw your bag full of explosives in the same direction and pulling Cole away just as it all blew up.

The huge explosion caused the two of you to be sent flying forward, and although it didn’t kill the Skull Crawler, you were sure it weakened it, along with giving you the chance to get away.

Slivko was at your side in an instant, yelling at you for being stupid, before pulling you into his arms. 

Everything happened so quickly after that and hadn’t it been for Kong, you would’ve all died.

But he was there, giving you all a second chance at life and getting you all out of there with your lives intact.

The only thing you could hear as you drove away from the island was the sound of the boat’s engine and the wind howling in your ears.

No one had spoken a word since you got out of there, all of you just letting reality of what you had been through sink in.

You were convinced that no one would say anything the entire ride, but of course, Cole would be the one to break the silence, in the most inconvenient of ways.

“I could die for a smoothie right about now.” He spoke, breaking the silence and causing all of you to look at him with various expressions.

While most people looked at him with either disbelief or annoyance, you could only chuckle in amusement.

“After everything we’ve just gone through, you really think that’s an appropriate metaphor?” You asked him, and he just spared you a glance, shrugging his shoulders before looking back into the floor.

You shook your head at him, before pushing yourself out of your seat with an exhausted sigh, moving out from underneath the roof and climbing on top where Reg was laying flat on his back, hands clasped together on his stomach and eyes staring into the sky.

You said nothing as you stepped over him and sat down beside him, making sure you weren’t too close to the edge before laying down on your back at his side.

The second you were situated, his hands unclasped, one of them moving out to seek after yours, and you met him halfway, your fingers intertwining.

You laid there in silence for a moment, just taking everything in, before he spoke up quietly from beside you.

“On a scale from one to ten, how bad of an idea do you think it would be if we got married?”

At the sound of his words, you turned your head in his direction, raising a doubtful eyebrow. “You just confessed your love to me yesterday and you’re already proposing?” You asked, and watched as he turned to look at you.

“You’re an idiot, I’m an idiot. We’re co-presidents of Club Idiot. I can’t think of a better match.” He shrugged. “So how ‘bout it? Would it really be that bad?”

A chuckle left your lips at his poor proposal. “It would be off the charts.” You replied, your lips pulling into a gentle smile and your eyes staring into his. “Let’s do it.”

He matched your smile with one of his own, sparing you one last look before wrapping his arm around you and pulling you into his side, your head resting on top of his chest.

“I’ll take care of you.” He promised, and you closed your eyes and smiled, letting out a content sigh. 

“I know.”

Cole, Mills and Reles all looked at you from below, watching as you cuddled close.

They had all known that you had liked each other long before either of you had spoken those feelings aloud. Maybe even before you had realized it, yourselves.

They could see it in Reg’s eyes, the way he looked at you. As if you were the sun, and he was a child seeing it set for the very first time, and then the way your eyes sparkled right back whenever you looked at him.

Being able to find someone you clicked with so naturally was the best feeling ever. You felt like you had been best friends your whole life, and you were so comfortable with each other.

Maybe that’s what a soulmate really was. Not someone who shared every single thing in common with you, but someone who made you feel like you were coming home, which was exactly what you felt like when he wrapped his arms around you.

No matter where in the world you found yourselves, as long as he was there by your side, you would be home.

Tagged: @marvelously-flawed​

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[judgement-free-sideblog]

Ghosts from the rainforest

Captain James Conrad x Reader

Summary: A simple rescue mission will bring him back to a place full of nightmares, and maybe this time he could find redemption. Situated in 1975, 2 years after the events of Skull Island.

Warnings: Violence, blood, wounds, mentions of war, cursing, implied smut, smoking, angst.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

I finally manage to write the end to this tiny fic, I hope you like it, and I'm going to start on my ideas for a Jonathan Pine adventure, but I haven't decide yet.

Chapter 7: Fever [Final]

The helicopter was already on motion, and the rescue crew that Brooks had sent for you were charging everything for the trip. The guys were excited to finally going back home, the Celebes Sea was ahead of you in the military base you were staying, and waiting in the Pacific the majestic USS Constellation  (CV-64) waiting to take all of you home.

Home? A country that had make more damage and taken everything from you, your family, and had force you to live away to mend some of the atrocities they had committed in the name of freedom.

"Not looking so charming today are we?" You said to him once he walked in your room to pick up your bags, you have finally stop the hostilities after he had offered you his shoulder to cry while you mourned Shukri on his funeral and after all the physical torture he had endured so you could safely leave Borneo.

He had been clear about letting you stay if that was what you wanted, and even when the rest of the crew asume you were coming back to USA, he knew you would have to say goodbye sooner or later, so instead of telling him all the things your heart was keeping from him you kept teasing him and pretending the chopper was not waiting for him.

"I have a minor headache love, but it's okay, are you ready to say goodbye?" He said and you noted how his temple had a few wrinkles, he was trying to smile over the pain in his head "It's a shame you don't come with us, I have a lot of things I wanted to show you" he grabbed your hand and all your alarms started to scream.

"Conrad are you okay?" Those words were all you have hoped for, however the radiant heat from his skin told you he was not exactly fine. "Dear God you are burning up" You said touching his head and looking desperately for a thermometer in your belongings.

"I like you too doctor, but why don't we wait until we get to the ship, we can share a bunk bed" He was definitely not himself.

"103° damn it Conrad!" You said, and for some oddly reason remember the night he told you about Randa and how much he complained about mosquitoes while he was dressing "Look at me, I'm not kidding, did you take Chloroquine before we leave Malaysia? I told you guys you had to..."

He nodded negative, and before he could speak he simply throw up in the nearest trash bin, making you suspect of the worst, specially since all the medicine was now gone and the only viable solution now was the aircraft carrier in the middle of the Pacific waiting for you.

"Also you have perfect legs you know that? I could spend my life sleeping on them." He kept saying things like that while you helped him to the heliport "Come here princess your prince charming needs your love" he said trying to kiss you.

"Later dear, preferably when you're not dying or smelling like vomit" you tried to stop him.

"Well you didn't mind me covered in dirt and sweat" He tried again but he stopped to scream "Reg! I love you man, you are like a son to me" and also tried to kiss the boy on the forehead.

"What happened to the Captain?" Slivko asked concerned once you help him to board the chopper while carrying his luggage and your medical bag.

"I have no idea, but I'm afraid it might be Malaria" you said bluntly and all of them looked concerned at you, while he vomited again "Do you have medical equipment here?" You asked the pilot and he only raised his thumb while you make sure he was steady on the helicopter floor, and almost didn't feel the machine take off while you tried to put an IV on his arm.

After one hour that felt like ten you could no longer see the island, only the immensity of the Pacific, and growing in the horizon the USS Constellation, even when you despised war and everything it represented the enormous carrier was enough to let you speechless, specially when a team of nurses and a doctor was already with a stretcher waiting for him.

"It's going to be ok James" you told him holding his hand while the experts rushed him inside.

"You really like men to die quite literally for you right?" He tried to joke, fighting the impulse of vomiting again, "Hey it's okay, I have to take care of you remember?" He smiled and you hold his hand trying to not get on the way of the medical staff, but he was too weak and fall asleep.

After they had stabilized his temperature, and take samples of his blood to determine the pathogen they let you in, the beds inside the medical bay of the ship were oddly spacious, and you could be sited next to him without any other person listening.

"Y/N?" He asked opening his beautiful eyes, "Hey it's okay love, I'm feeling better" He said and tried to reach for the glass of water on the table.

"Let me" You said and put it closer to him, "I know, once they identify the plasmodium they will know what is the best treatment for you, they take test and interrogate all of us, don't tell him I told you but Reles almost passed out when he saw the needle " He attempt to laugh but was still weak so he only smiled.

"Well is rewarding seen you on my dead bed, I'm quite honored, tears look oddly beautiful on you" He said and a small smile form in your lips.

"And you are still delirious" You said looking for a piece of cloth, and cold water from the sink to put on his head. "Here, try to rest, I'll come see you later" you told him but before your hand could leave his head he hold you still "What?"

"I might be dying, so you owe me at least listening me like adults" He said forcing you to stay next to him.

"You are not dying" you said trying to sound like it didn't matter and failing miserably "you are not, but fine. Let's talk" you concede.

"I'm sorry" he started contrary to what you had expected. "I had no idea how you looked before we met, and i was under no circumstances trying to seduce you to lure you back to America" you blush and regret your decision to stay by his side.

"I'm sorry too" You responded after a while "You have done so much helping me, even when half of the trouble I caused was preventable if I haven't trusted in the wrong people." You said and he hold your hand softly, he didn't want to hear about that, and you knew it so you took all the courage you have to continue. "And I'm sorry I over reacted, I am so used to people coming to me with second intentions that I just pushed you away to avoid getting hurt, and I just end up making other people hurt you"

"I'm sorry I make you come to the ship, I knew you wanted to stay" he said sincerely.

"It's okay, I have to make sure you stay alive, you know for the boys, maybe working at Monarch with you and Brooks won't be so bad"

"Well you can always run away from us in Hawaii, or maybe... we could run away together" He gave you a pleading look, and for moment you could imagine that life, keep running away, by his side, the soldier that never came home, and the idealist doctor, and keep leaving ghosts in every island, trying to find happiness apart from the world, but together. He kissed you, but this time it wasn't a lusty hunger kiss, nor passionate and angry like before, it was reassuring and you knew no matter what your answer was, he was on your side, for the first time you had someone on your side "So what do you say?"

But you couldn't answer because out of nowhere your stomach make you nauseous and you rush to the toilet to empty its content.

"Are you okay dear?" He screamed from the bed "I'm trying bloody hard to not take this as criticism"

"I'm okay, but I'm going to check your tests and start taking the pills before I end up confessing my sins on the fever like you" you said and walked out of the bathroom to saw him "We can talk later" you assure him.

You marched inside the medical office and started to look in the cabinets, when the young doctor that had received Conrad walked in.

"I'm sorry, I start feeling the symptoms and I thought it would be better if I start on the chloroquine before it gets worse" you excuse yourself.

"That would be great, if any of you had Malaria" he said offering you a seat that you take since he speak with a Texan accent and an authoritarian voice that made up from his young face "But we test all of you and what our SAS friend has is more likely a stomach flu from some bad shrimp, I was just on my way to tell him." He said and you sigh in relief, but also concerned about your own symptoms

"Oh that's great, but I start barfing too, and I didn't had the shrimp last night" you said and he took out a small file with your name that the nurses had put together earlier.

"Well it may be motion sickness, we are in a boat after all, or maybe... you told the nurse you didn't remember when was your last period?" He said looking the file.

"Well we have been in the jungle almost a month so I wasn't exactly counting" you tried to joke.

"The change of environment can trigger the vomit, or if you had sex in the past three weeks you might be pregnant" He smiled and all the weight of the world fall into your shoulders instantly. "In any case you should rest and let alone my medical cabinets, go with nurse Matthews she will give you some vitamins" he said but you were not longer listening.

No, it couldn't be that, right? You tried to convince your mind, but deep down you knew it was true, what would he think? He was a soldier, a man of the field, not a father, and you were obviously not a mother, what will happen now? Now that he wanted to run away in the world next to you, a baby had a place on that plan?.

Two days later Conrad was out of the medical bay and trying to approach you, offering you a fresh start from the afternoon you pause all those weeks ago in Malaysia.

But the stolen kisses on the hallways, and his nightly incursions on your cabin only made it harder for you to find a way to come clean about your news, even when the idea had already sink in your mind, because it was a baby, and it was his baby, how could you not be happy and grateful? Yet you haven't say anything to him.

Four days later he had spend the whole day walking on the deck with you, like if the planes and choppers were an appropriate sighting for a date.

"We'll be in Hawaii soon" He started "If you want to go out for a walk in the morning and get lost in the jungle we have to star planning now" he said and you were looking at the ocean trying to make up your mind.

"Maybe... I was wondering about the work you do at Monarch, maybe I will give it a chance" you start not sure how the whole we are having a baby situation will fit in your speech "I mean if you want to travel the world it might help to have a paying job for a while" you were nervously touching your hands.

"Of course, also when the baby comes I would like to have a proper house for him to be... or she, I don't care you know? as long as they're healthy" he said and you nodded yes.

"Yeah of course... what??" You look at him and he had the most radiant smile on his face, and he was clearly holding his laugh and apparently tears, of joy? "How do you know?

"Well nurse Matthews saw us kissing and then she complained about how Children this days keep having children out of wedlock" he said and you hide your face on your hands.

"I was really going to tell you... for real is just..." but you didn't have the words in you, and the tears were running on your face

"I know, it's fine, I mean is a little soon but if I'm honest I'm tired of running, and after all we've been trough I couldn't imagine a single person to share this experience with" He said cleaning the tears from your face.

"You sure?" You asked again, needing to hear it from his mouth.

"I'm sure, I fall in love with you when I saw you scaring local vendors in Malaysia and then fighting guerilla liders in Borneo, I even loved you when you vomit after kissing me for real, I'm completely taken by you Y/N"

"I fall in love with you too James" you said, and his expression got serious for a moment. "What?"

"Nothing, is just that I'm going to miss Prince Charming" he said giving you again the disarming smile that had started all this adventure.

The end

@damalseer

@kinghiddlestonanddixon (I hope you like the end)

[sarapyon]

Favorite James Conrad & Reg Slivko’s moments ﾍ(´∀｀ﾍ)

from Kong: Skull Island

[tryhoney-moved]

I don’t take orders from you!

[sserpente]

A/N: I re-watched Kong the other day and I just felt so inspired. This is based off a request from anon. Slivko makes an appearance too! ;-) Have fun reading!

Words: 1881 Warnings: injury/implied infection

Two days. It had been two days since you arrived on this bloody island. Two days since you cursed yourself for accepting to join this excursion and two days since that… thing had bitten you. A giant creature unlike any animal you had ever seen, although it had rather resembled a gigantic insect rather than an actual animal. You couldn’t get your head around what it was but that didn’t matter now. The only thing you knew was that the bite hurt like a bitch, pulsating and throbbing non-stop. Your first-aid kid had helped disinfecting it and had you put a clean bandage around it but that hadn’t helped against the rash spreading. It covered your whole forearm now, looking red and nasty and disgusting. If it killed you, surviving on this bloody island and trying to find back to your group would have been completely and utterly in vain and you certainly couldn’t have that.

You grunted. Slivko was the one who had found you first, being stranded a few miles from where the rest of your troop was and helping you putting new bandages on the wound. Together, you had made it through two long and terrifying days accompanied by strange, threatening and eerie noises and disgusting dried meat. You didn’t dare to touch the plants and berries. For all you knew, they could be poisonous.

“Hey, you okay there?” Slivko asked, a worried expression on his face. You had been wandering through the thick forest for hours now and your water rations were slowly coming to an end. Soon, you would have to find a new source of water, until then, you were damned to dehydrate. Your injury made the feeling even worse. You felt sick, like throwing up what you had just eaten. Panting, you leaned against a tree, feeling Slivko stepping up behind you and putting an arm on your shoulder.

No. You were not okay. God damn it, you wanted to slip back into Conrad’s arms and have him protect you. Just why had you had to be separated? James wasn’t exactly your boyfriend but he wasn’t just a friend either. Right before the mission, after the two had been introduced to each other, the erotic tension had been sizzling between you.

You had fallen so hard for him, it had stolen your breath away, for he was everything you had ever wanted in a man. Determined, intelligent and ambitious but also intimidating, controlling and strict. Not to mention his good looks so before you knew it, he had ended up in your hotel room, fucking you senseless the night before you had left for the island.

Neither of you knew where you were going to take this but ever since the crash—the sorrow, the pain and the fear—you were sure to have feelings for him. And you truly wanted to tell him that before you died in this bloody place.

“I’m alright,” you finally replied. “Just… exhausted. We need to find the others as quick as possible, I really don’t know how much longer I’m going to make it.”

“Yeah. We will find them. The rash looks pretty bad, (Y/N). What if it spreads and…”

Hissing, you stopped him. “Don’t. Just don’t.”

Millions of possibilities bumped into your head. The bite killing you, causing a chronic illness, having your guts rot from the inside out or infect you with rabies or some shit like that. God, you really hoped you’d make it back home alive.

The radio set had stopped working after your crash from the helicopter. Slivko’s was still working at times but all the responses he got from his Colonel were distorted and barely audible. The only thing you had understood was the order to reach the north end of the island as soon as possible.

“We should be there soon. Only a few miles and we’ll see—(Y/N)!” The soldier rushed to your side when you tripped over a root or something and fell face-forward to the ground like a wooden stick. You hardly had any energy left in your body, your limbs weak and unreliable. Shit.

“Can you walk?” Slivko was almost hysterical as he helped you up again but before you could even answer the question, he had already lifted you up and carried you bridal-style, your rucksack hanging from your arm loosely.

“You can’t carry me the rest of the way, Slivko.” You protested weakly. It was hardly convincing.

“Betcha I can.”

It was dawning when you finally arrived at the boat. It was ready to take off, the rest of the troop already there or… what was left of it. You heard James before you could see him, hurrying towards you as if the devil himself was after him.

“(Y/N)! (Y/N)!”

Anxiously, he took you from Slivko’s arms and pressed you close to his body. “Thank God, you’re safe.”

“Were you worried about me, Captain?” You joked weakly, hugging him as tightly as you could. Relief flooded your body when he touched. Instantly, you wished for him to never let you go again.

Then, after a moment of silence, he pulled away a bit so he could look you in the eye.

“Are you alright?” He asked, setting you to the ground carefully but supporting you to make sure you wouldn’t drop to the ground again.

“Not quite,” you whispered, showing him the rash the bite had caused. It looked even worse than this morning. Shit, what if they had to amputate your arm back home?!

Immediately, concern flashed in his blue eyes as he slowly led you to closer to the boat, with Packard watching you curiously as you approached. He was in the middle of a discussion with the others, debating whether or not the boat was going to carry you all without sinking.

“What happened?” James asked quietly.

“I got bitten by some strange… thing. It was huge, came down from the tree like a bloody giant squirrel on ecstasy.”

“You got bitten by something?” Packard interrupted with a scowl. “By what? That monkey?”

“Ah, no. He would have probably swallowed me whole.” You shot back, rolling your eyes in the process. You were in pain, god damn it. All you wanted was help and instead you were confronted with suspicion. Could this day possibly get any worse? James pulled you close again, noticing you trembling.

“Conrad, you know the rules. This boat might not transport all of us safely.”

Frowning, you looked at your almost-boyfriend. “What’s he talking about?”

James shot him an angry glare.

“Soldiers who get bitten by an unknown species of insects or animals usually fall back. To ensure they won’t endanger their troop by infecting them too. Whatever bit you could carry a contagious disease that will kill us all.” He explained calmly, his grip around you tightening so much it almost hurt.

Packard nodded. There was no emotion in his face whereas you were on the verge of freaking out. What did that mean? That they wanted to leave you on the island to die?!

“We can either make it back home safe and travel by this boat or we can take you with us and risk that all of us die because of you.”

He did. He did want to leave you here. Panicking, your breathing quickened, your lower lip quivering. You were not going to cry. No.

“I am not going to leave her behind, Packard.” James said coolly. His voice was still calm and controlled, it was like he chose each and every word of his wisely and calculated.

“Who are we not gonna leave behind?” Slivko jumped on the boat to join his comrades, a smile playing on his lips as his gaze fell upon you.

“(Y/N) is gonna come with us and if you are to impede that, you’ll have to go through me first.” There was a hidden, threatening tone in James’ voice, this much you could tell. Packard, however, seemed but unimpressed.

“I have no problem with shooting you both,” he answered coldly. Slivko flinched.

“Sir, I’ve been with (Y/N) for the past two days. The rash is bad and she’s ill but I’m sure that if it was contagious, we would know by now. Leaving her here or…” he gulped “shooting her… wouldn’t that be irresponsible for a colonel?”

He was going out on a limb. As a soldier, this was not how you were supposed to talk to your colonel, especially not if he had one hand wrapped around his gun. Questioning Packard meant questioning the military and that was one of the first thing they knocked out of you when you joined it as an honourable soldier to-be.

James was still staring daggers at Packard. He didn’t budge, instead lifted you up again and carried you on the boat, ignoring his protest.

“Let’s take off!” He shouted then. “I’ll be fucking damned if that girl is gonna get us all killed.”

You only winced. The thought of Slivko defending and James coming through for you warmed your heart. Would he have done it? Stayed on the island with you or risk getting shot just to save you? Did he… did he feel the same for you that you felt for him?  

With a loud rumble, the boat took off, gliding over the water almost gracefully. It was calm. Peaceful, even and still, you wanted nothing more than to finally leave this godforsaken place.

“You were bitten? What did it look like?” The man speaking up and approaching you had a half-heartedly tamed beard. He was wearing rather worn-out clothes, introduced himself as Marlow and looked pretty lost but there was no time to ask questions, though he was probably the one who owned this… what he called a boat. Well, as long as it floated.

“Like a giant… oh, I don’t know, it didn’t really look like an animal, more like an insect. It was black and crawling on six legs. Dark red eyes, eerie and big and those pincers…” You shuddered. “It bit me.”

“Got a rash?”

“Yes,”

“Nothing to worry about then. What you described sounds like one of the ants to me. Sound like birds and hide in the trees but they’re nasty beasts. Their poison is supposed to paralyse their prey but it doesn’t work on humans, just hurts like a bitch until it’s out of your system again. Nothing contagious, really. Only comes with a bit of nausea now and then.”

Once again this day, relief surged through your whole body, numbing your pain for a few seconds before anger took over. You were going to survive this.

And Packard had wanted to leave you behind. Disgusting coward.

You gnashed your teeth, allowing James to lift you up and position you on his lap. He held you close, knowing that it was no use to start another fight. After this nightmare, you’d never have to see that cruel and soulless colonel again anyway.

“We’re gonna be home soon,” he whispered, resting his forehead against yours. “You’ll be alright. Everything will be alright.” You only managed to nod in response before you pressed your lips against his, kissing him gently but passionately until all the pain in your body ceased to exist.

[catnipandjaegerpilots]

I ship James Conrad/Reg Slivko and Glenn “Mills” Mill/Cole so much.

And I’m not even a little bit ashamed.

[its-complicated-isnt-it]

Conko or Slivrad Headcannons

• Reg Slivko fucking loves music because, no matter what happened or where he had to go, music was always a constant. Whether he was drumming on his thigh after a long day or finding rhythm in the terror of raining bullets, music was always there. • Conrad figured this out after they crash landed when Reg began to quietly sing beautiful nothings to the stars as the moon came out that night. • James loves it when Reg sings • and dances for that matter because Marlow loves to swing dance, and Reg doesn't really have the heart to say no to Hank when he gets sad about his old friend's death. • James once mentioned to Reg, partially jokingly, that he kind of missed Kong, and the next day he came home to an outrageously large stuffed monkey, the kind he had only seen in carnivals • James figured out that Reg was homosexual when he saw Reg staring longingly, albeit quietly almost unnoticeable, at two of the male villagers on the island holding hands. • Surprisingly enough Marlow was the one who got the two together. He saw the two dancing around each other and decided to sit James down and talk to him about how "life is short" and "you never know when weird skull lizard things go for the kill" and "just kiss the kid already; it's getting desperate" • Reg is actually a brilliant engineer • I just, ugh, Dad/Parent Figure Hank Marlow. My fucking aesthetic • Hank totally gave James the "you hurt Slivko, I'll rip you a new one" talk • Reg calling James "Captain" when he feels particularly cheeky and • James calling Reg "Reginald" when he wants to sound admonishing • Also Reg is a sassy ass motherfucker. He seems cute and lovable, which he is James insists, but he's also just really fucking witty when he wants to be, and not always in the nicest way

[ridiculousn3sswrites]

Out of My Sight

*James Conrad (Kong: Skull Island) x Reader

*Request: “ @midnight-queen-1 asked: Back again! 2nd request, James Conrad x reader. Reader (can be a journalist, photographer, doctor, or scientist. Your choice) is on the expedition/mission to skull island, she is an old "friend" of James so when a creature of the island takes her as food. James doesn't hesitate to save her from becoming the creatures meal and becomes overprotective of her after because he can't stand the thought of not having her w/ him. Hope this is enough info. Thx! As always and love ya😘❤💓💕💖💗💙💚💛💝💞”

*Warnings: Swearing, drinking, slight violence, injuries, mentions of guns and shooting, death. Let me know if I missed anything.

*A/N: This request has been sitting for a while, so sorry it took so long to write. I skip around the plot of the movie a bit because I didn’t want to just rewrite the entire movie, so sorry about that. Right now I’m working through my requests from here and Wattpad, then I’m going to start writing for My Princess again.

My Ko-fi if you want to support my writing

**********

You swore that you were done with James Conrad, and yet, somehow you found yourself here with him again. The two of you had parted ways once you’d settled in Saigon, James going off to drink away his days in shady bars while you decided to do something worthwhile with your time. You took your experience in the medical field and started practicing with a local doctor, though you were starting to consider it your practice with how often you were showing up and he wasn’t. The two Americans had come into your practice, saying that James wouldn’t take the job if you weren’t on it too. So you found yourself in Bangkok, getting briefed on a mission you didn’t even want to be on. You had a feeling you knew why James was here too; the money was just too good.

“It’s been a while,” James said as you tried listening to the briefing. You were sure all of the military men here had some kind of field medicine training, so you really didn’t know why James insisted he needed you on the mission. He hadn’t even come to you himself to ask, just sending the Americans while you were sure he spent the time in the shady bars he loved so dearly.

“Yes, it has been,” you said, not taking your eyes off of the screen in front of you. The boy from Yale (Brooks, if you remembered right) was talking about their goals, and you didn’t want to interrupt him. “I see you’ve shaved. Must be important for you to do that.”

You could tell James wanted to say something, but his attention was diverted when Brooks started talking about seismic charges to chart the island. “You’re using explosives?” James asked, blunt as always.

“Scientific instruments,” Brooks tried correcting. Even you had to roll your eyes at that.

“You hear that, boys? We’re scientists,” one of the soldiers immediately piped up. You couldn’t help the smile of amusement that drew, even though you knew where James was coming from. If it was simply a charting expedition, they wouldn’t need a tracker, they probably wouldn’t need a doctor. It didn’t make sense for them to be bringing bombs, let alone dropping them on an uncharted island. There was something more to this that they weren’t telling you.

After the briefing was done, James left you. It didn’t even surprise you at this point, so you went to speak with some of the scientists leading the mission - Brooks and San. San was the first to notice you approaching while Brooks was messing with some papers. “Hi, I don’t think we’ve been introduced,” you said, addressing her first.

When Brooks heard your voice, he quickly turned to greet you with a smile. “Hey. Right, San, this is (y/n). She’s going with us as a doctor,” Brooks said.

“I don’t really know why I’m needed, but yeah, I’m a doctor,” you joked, shaking San’s hand. “I do have a couple questions though. Why use explosives for charting? It seems counterintuitive to charting an undisturbed island.”

“The seismic charges will help us to chart the underground structures of the island,” Brooks explained.

“But with explosive charges that just disrupts the surface area, not to mention the damage it will do to the wildlife,” you said, turning to San. She was the biologist, maybe she’d have some interest in that. If she even tried to tell you a halfway decent lie, she’d be concerned about it. “It doesn’t make sense. So, what are you guys really doing?”

**********

You and James didn’t see each other again until you were on the ship to the takeoff point. Weaver was on deck, taking pictures of the soldiers and seemingly having a good time with them. You had just spoken to Packard, figuring out what the soldiers didn’t know and where you could help if you were needed, when you found James. He was just sitting, watching the commotion on deck. “Why aren’t you down there with them?” You asked, sitting next to him.

“I don’t see a reason to be,” he told you, glancing over at you before returning his gaze back to the soldiers. You decided to push even though you knew he wouldn’t tell you.

“Not even with Weaver down there?” James turned and looked at you as if scandalized by even the suggestion. “I mean, you disappear last night and then the next time I see you, you’re returning from the cargo hold with that photographer.”

“I was looking at the containers for the explosives,” James groaned, tilting his head back and hitting it against the wall. “I see you haven’t changed a bit.”

“I could say the same to you, James. I just saw the pattern and decided to leave,” you immediately argued back, even though the last thing you wanted to do was argue. “Why did you want me here? We haven’t spoken in months and then suddenly Brooks and Randa show up to my job saying you won’t go on a job if I don’t go too.”

“You’re the only one I trust if something happens to me,” James admitted.

“Don’t talk like that-“

“I’m being honest. We’re going onto an island with no idea of what we’re facing geographically or in terms of predators. Something could happen, and I only trust you to make sure I don’t die,” James interrupted you. “I’ve never known you to be overly optimistic.”

“Then maybe you didn’t know me that well.”

**********

When the expedition started, things seemed to be going fine. Bombs were dropped, Brooks and San were picking up seismic activity, and the scientists seemed to be picking up the readings they needed. Then two of the helicopters went down.

Of course the solution seemed to be packing everyone onto different helicopters to see what happened. James got in next to you, resting his hand on your thigh as your helicopter went up. You had a couple soldiers in the helicopter, but none of you were prepared for what happened next. 

“We’re going down! Brace!” Slivko yelled as the helicopter began taking a nosedive into the trees. James grabbed your hand and squeezed before bracing for impact. With how rough you landed, you were amazed your group wasn’t more injured. Other than Slivko having a minor laceration to his forehead, no one was suffering injuries you needed to tend to. Once you made sure his wound was properly cared for, you went to join James where he was watching the thing that attacked the fleet walk away.

“Did we just get attacked by a giant monkey?” You asked as James put down his binoculars.

“A gorilla, actually. It didn’t have a tail,” James corrected you before turning. He looked you up and down, checking to make sure you didn’t have any visible injuries. “Are you okay? You’re not wounded, are you?”

“I should be asking you that. I mean, I’m the doctor, after all,” you tried joking. James just looked at you, not even cracking a grin.

“Don’t joke like that. You could’ve died.”

“We all could’ve died. We’re lucky more of us weren’t injured,” you corrected him. So what if you were using humor to cope? He could sue you. “We should get back to the rest of the group.”

James nodded, and the two of you returned to your companions. Slivko was trying to get in contact with the others, while simultaneously freaking out about what happened. Nieves looked like he was about to have a major meltdown, while Brooks looked like he was in the middle of one. San was shaken, and Weaver was obviously trying to hide it as she just stood there next to the downed helicopter.

No one talked about what just happened, much to Slivko’s dismay. While your relationship with James was now tentative at best, he was still the best tracker you knew, so you didn’t question his decisions. What you did question was why he insisted on you travelling right behind him, practically close enough to touch. The two of you had worked together on countless jobs - him often dragging you into them - but he’d never behaved like this before.

Eventually, your group reached what looked to be ruins. Where there were ruins, there were people. Right before you could tell James, Weaver screamed, and then your group was surrounded by people with spears. You lifted your gun like everyone else - except Weaver, who only had her camera - as your group crowded together. 

“Don’t shoot,” James instructed, even though he still had his gun raised. You kept your gun raised, but kept your finger off the trigger. One misfire and everyone would be doomed. Even as the group crowded closer together, James managed to shove you behind him. You glared at him, even though this wasn’t the best time to get upset. Just as you were beginning to accept your fate, a gruff looking man came through the people, greeting you all.

Once you met Marlow and he started talking about his time on the island, it didn’t really clear anything up for you. The only thing that really made sense was the idea that Kong wasn’t the worst thing out there and he was stopping the worse things, but even then, that was a tentative understanding. Then again, you were beginning to abandon the concept of normal, so you might as well accept what was happening.

Before long, night fell and everyone was starting to get settled in. Slivko was immensely amused by Marlow, while everyone else was trying to gain their bearings. You watched as Weaver set up her camera to take a picture of the light phenomenon occurring in the night sky, and as James gave his lighter to help her. You grabbed your bag of medical supplies and went to sit outside of Marlow’s little home, not wanting to see whatever was developing between the two.

You rifled through your bag, finding what you were looking for in record time: a silver flask filled with whiskey. You had painkillers and some local anesthetics, but some pains couldn’t be numbed by medicine. You took a swig of the whiskey, looking at the night sky. It was a shame the most beautiful places seemed to be the most dangerous. “There you are, I was worried when you weren’t inside,” James said, disturbing your peace and taking a seat beside you.

“Funny. It looked like you were busy,” you told him, taking another drink. “You know, you’ve brought me on some pretty wild jobs, but I think it’s gonna be hard to top this one.”

“There won’t be another job after this one. When we get out of here, we’re going home.”

“That’s a lot of ‘we.’ Before all this, we hadn’t even spoken in months,” you reminded him. “And what home, James? Saigon?”

“England. After the things we’ve seen here, the whole settling down thing doesn’t seem so bad,” James admitted. “With the payment, we’ll have more than enough to start again. When that helicopter started going down, and even before then, if something happened to you, I never would’ve forgiven myself.”

“James, I knew what I was signing up for, don’t blame yourself,” you told him. “So, you gave her your father’s lighter. Did she get to hear the story too?”

“She asked about the Royal Air Force inscription,” he said. “Darling, you’re the only one who knows me. We’re just working with her now. Once we leave all of this, she won’t be part of the picture anymore.”

“We’ll see what happens. We still have to get to the north side of the island.” You held the flask to him. “Do you want any?”

“I shouldn’t. We have work to do in the morning.” James put his arm around you, pulling you into his side. A month ago, you wouldn’t have let this happen. Then again, that was before all of this.

**********

“Where have you been?” You asked as James came back into your shared apartment. It was the early hours of the morning, long after he told you he’d be back. You stayed up, worried about him, and here he was, walking in like nothing. You did a quick once-over of the man, glad to see he wasn’t hurt. If he wasn’t hurt, you could be upset with him.

“I was at the bar, like I said,” James said, throwing off his jacket. He threw a stack of bills on the table, letting you know just what he was doing at the bar in addition to drinking.

“You also said you’d be back hours ago. I was worried,” you argued. “So you could do what? Bet on pool?”

“We needed money, I did what I needed to.” James made his way to the liquor cupboard, as if the drinks he had at the bar weren’t enough. You took a breath, trying to calm yourself. You succeeded, until he took the lid off the whiskey bottle and took a drink.

“I’m working at the general practice now. We’re fine on money, James. This isn’t a conversation to be had when you’re drunk.” You walked into the bedroom, locking the door behind you. James tried following, but when he found the door was locked, he knew it was a losing battle. He tried knocking, asking you to let him in, but that didn’t last long before he gave up, going to sleep in the living room.

That wasn’t even the first time you’d had that argument. You didn’t care that he was betting on pool - he pretty much always won and it was decent money - you cared that he came home safe. When he came home hours after he said he would, that’s when you started doubting he would come home at all. You knew he got into a fair share of fights - that’s why he had started going to the shady bars that he didn’t want you to go with him for fear of your safety - and the stakes were higher now.

A week later, you left. Four more nights like that, four more arguments, and you were done. You found a small place you could move into not far from your practice, so you packed your bags and left. You gave James one last chance, that was the last night he decided to not come home when he said he would. So you left. That was the last time you saw him before Bangkok.

You woke up slightly disoriented. You heard James and Marlow talking about a boat to get to the north side of the island, and the previous day came rushing back to you. Kong taking down the fleet, trekking through the jungle, Marlow finding your group, your talk with James. You sat up from your bedroll, taking in the room. Everyone was either already awake or waking up, knowing the day ahead was going to be a long one.

You went with James, Slivko, Nieves, and Marlow to the boat, wanting to make yourself useful. While Slivko worked on the wiring and the engine, you just kind of sat there. It didn’t take long for you to realize there wasn’t really much you could do to help, but you still preferred to sit there and listen to the banter between Slivko and Marlow. James walked up next to you, wiping sweat from his brow. “I think we’ll be on water soon,” James told you. “Then we head to the extraction point.”

“Great, we’ll be out of here in no time,” you told him. “Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful, but at least I was here if someone got cut or something.”

“That’s more than enough, darling,” James said, pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

“What’s going on between the two of you?” Slivko asked as he continued working. “Like, you guys weren’t talking before, but now you’re all over each other. What’s the deal?”

“(Y/n) and I are partners. She was working as a medic when I was in the forces, and we’ve stuck together since then,” James explained. “Except for a few months in Saigon when we weren’t talking.”

“Which, you don’t need to know the reason for,” you jumped in before Slivko could ask.

“Alright. Well, I think I got it. Someone should call the others,” Slivko said, hopping up from the engine block. You nodded, figuring you could at least do that. Finding San and Brooks was easy, but it took a bit longer to find Weaver in the village. When you brought everyone else back to the boat, Slivko was already trying to start up the boat. Once, twice, and then on the third time, the boat started up and you guys were ready to go.

Gathering your supplies and personal items didn’t take long, but as you were pushing off from the little dock, Marlow’s goodbye to the Iwi sobered your little group. Travelling down the river was probably the most peaceful part of your journey, even with the little pterodactyl-looking birds circling overhead. Slivko was able to get ahold of the others on the radio (telling them about your little ‘ploat’), and your group was celebrating. Then things took a turn for the worst.

The little pterodactyl-looking birds swooped on you and Nieves where you were standing near the front-end of the ploat. You felt the talons cut into your shoulder, and you were able to pull a knife from your waistband and stab into the bird’s leg. The bird released you, dropping you into the murky waters below. Nieves wasn’t so lucky.

You were able to resurface close enough to the ploat, just as you saw James and Slivko aiming their guns at the birds before James lowered his. James put his gun down, scanning the water for you. You saw the relief flood his face when he saw you in the water. You were sure he’d jump in to look for you if he hadn’t. “Can you swim over?” James called to you.

“My shoulder’s a bit hurt, but I can try, yeah,” you called back. You got lucky you weren’t too far from the ploat, but your shoulder still burned as you treaded through the water. James and Slivko helped pull you back onto the boat, James immediately pulling you into a hug despite your soaked clothes.

“You’re not leaving my side,” James murmured into your ear as he hugged you. He pulled back, immediately looking you over for signs of injury. When his eyes landed on your shoulder, you could see the worry return to his face. “How bad is the wound? Can you move your shoulder?”

“I was able to swim back here, so yeah. I just need to clean it up. Being in that water probably wasn’t the best thing for it,” you explained. “We should probably keep moving. Can someone hand me my med bag?”

Brooks handed you the bag full of your medical supplies, and you had a fleeting moment of relief that you hadn’t been holding the bag when you got picked up. Everyone was watching you as you grabbed the things you needed: your flask, antiseptic spray, antibiotic ointment, and some bandage wrap. Everyone was still just standing around, watching as you gathered your materials. “You heard her, let’s keep moving. We’re not too far from Packard,” James instructed, coming back to his senses.

You opened the flask, taking a drink before you got to work. It was starting to feel light, so you’d have to calm down your drinking apparently. You took some drinking water and rinsed your shoulder, patting it dry with one of your other shirts. You could tell James was hovering nearby, watching as you worked. “I’ll need some help with the wounds on the back of my shoulder, if that’s why you’re watching me like that.”

“Yeah, I’ll help with whatever you need,” James told you, going to sit next to you. You sprayed the wounds on the front before handing the bottle to James who took care of the wounds you couldn’t reach. You repeated the process with the ointment, and then handed James the bandage so he could properly wrap your shoulder. The rest of the ride upstream was quiet compared to the first half, no one wanting to talk about what just happened. For once, even Slivko was quiet.

It didn’t take long for the ploat to reach the meeting point. You had a moment to regroup while you waited for Packard and his men to reach you. James insisted on helping you out of the ploat, and then refilling your water from the little stream as you waited. You were looking around, wary of your surroundings after the attack. When the underbrush started rustling, everyone went on high alert. Guns were raised, you were pushed behind James, and then Packard and his men emerged from the brush.

Men were missing from the group, but that was expected after the attack. Learning about Kong and the things Marlow told you, you didn’t necessarily blame him. You did warn about what would happen to the wildlife if they dropped the bombs, you just didn’t expect it to be on this scale. “We’re still missing a man. Chapman crashed not far from here. I’m not leaving without him,” Packard argued.

“No way, that’s through Skullcrawler territory,” Marlow started before freaking out about not going. That was where the nest was, and you were on Marlow’s side here. If they were even half as bad as Marlow had been telling you, you didn’t want anything to do with them. Packard ignored Marlow, turning his attention back to James.

“That’s your job, right? You’re a tracker, you’re supposed to find lost men. Help me find my man,” Packard said. James looked to you for a second before looking back at Packard.

“We all stay together, head straight where he’s supposed to be. If he’s not there, we leave. We’re back by nightfall and we leave,” James instructed. Packard nodded, and your group went off to find Chapman. James kept true to his word, keeping you close as you trekked through the jungle yet again. If you weren’t right next to him, he made sure you were within arm’s reach. 

Your group reached the mass grave, Weaver making some comment about seeing enough of them to know one. Now you were entirely in Skullcrawler territory, so you had to tread carefully. There was a small explosion from one of the soldiers dropping a lit cigarette in a field of natural gas, and you didn’t quite remember what happened after. When the Skullcrawlers got near, James made sure to pull you along with him, never actually letting you out of his sight. The Skullcrawler coughed up the half-digested skull with the dog tags, but that wasn’t the end of it.

Randa was the first one to get killed, and then all hell broke loose. There was more gunfire, Packard and his men trying to fight off the Skullcrawlers, and then James saw Slivko was in trouble. James pushed you towards Brooks - though you weren’t sure why he chose Brooks - and took off to Slivko. You were going to run after him, but Brooks held you back.

You couldn’t see much, but Brooks still had to hold you back from running into the chaos. The Skullcrawler was running after James and Slivko, but then Weaver threw James’s lighter into one of the natural gas vents. There was an explosion, larger than the ones before, and the Skullcrawler went down. The coast was clear, so you ran to James. 

“You are so fucking stupid,” you said, voice wavering as James sat up. Before he could say anything, you grabbed his face and kissed him. That just seemed to stun him even more. “Come on, are you hurt?”

“Just sore, you should take a look at Slivko,” James told you as he stood. He held out his hand to help up Weaver, and then you helped him bring Slivko to the rest of the group. Once you got to a relatively safe spot, you started tending to everyone’s wounds. The encounter with the Skullcrawlers left everyone beat up, but no one was hurt too badly. You heard James having an argument with Packard, and when you actually started paying attention, you saw Packard dangling the dog tags of the other soldiers lost.

“Then we split up. Me and my men will go to Chapman’s helicopter, the rest of you can go back to the boat,” Packard instructed. “I don’t care what you say. That thing killed my men, it’s going to die.”

That’s when all hell broke loose again, which was starting to happen a lot. Marlow, James, and Weaver tried arguing that killing Kong would throw everything on the island off balance, but Packard was just concerned about avenging his men. Eventually, the group split off, civilians going back to the ploat, and the soldiers going to Chapman’s helicopter. James led the group back through the jungle, making sure to keep an eye on you. When your group reached a small clearing, you took a break. “I need to get to higher ground to figure out where we are. (Y/n), come with me.”

“Wait, I’m coming too,” Weaver said, following you and James away from the clearing. James helped you with climbing up the cliff face, making sure that you weren’t straining your shoulder too much. Considering he was the one to bring you there, it was a bit ironic. As you looked out at the island in front of you, you couldn’t help but feel amazement at the beauty of the island. Maybe some things that were uncharted should remain uncharted.

James and Weaver looked over the island, James trying to locate the landing point of the ploat. Just when he found it, all three of you saw something that made you stop dead in your tracks. Kong was approaching the cliff you were on. Immediately James moved you behind him, putting himself between you and any potential danger. James grabbed your hand, holding it tight as though trying to reassure you that everything would be okay. Maybe he was trying to reassure himself. As Kong grew nearer, none of you dared to move. You were caught in a staring contest with Kong, until Weaver stepped forward and just placed her hand against Kong’s face. He closed his eyes until Weaver stepped back. The moment of peace was broken when explosions started somewhere in the distance. Packard and his men reached Chapman’s helicopter.

Kong ran off, and your little trio made your way down the cliff face as fast as you could. James immediately went into Captain mode, directing Brooks and San to make their way to the boat and leave if you weren’t back at dawn. Marlow wanted to know what was going on, and the second he heard that the three of you were going to save Kong, he wanted in. Once again your group split up, and you headed back into the jungle, hoping you could get there in time to save Kong.

**********

When you got to Packard and his men, they had already downed Kong. There was a moment where guns were pointed at each other, Marlow had his sword drawn on a couple soldiers, and the argument from before resurfaced. It wasn’t until you had managed to convince Slivko to defect that the other soldiers joined him. You left Packard there to his suicide mission, James giving him one last chance to do the right thing before the group made their way back to the ploat.

Everything that happened next seemed to be a blur. The big Skullcrawler was chasing after your group. Cole dropped his AK and went to sacrifice himself, only to be thrown into the side of the mountain. James sent Weaver off to go send a signal flare for the boat, and the remaining soldiers started shooting at the creature. Kong showed up, and it was on sight with the Skullcrawler. Everyone watched in horror at the events unfolding before them, Kong getting trapped in a wrecked boat and the Skullcrawler trying to take advantage of it. Then Weaver shot a flare at the Skullcrawler, the flare embedding itself in the creature’s face. As it was trying to claw the flare from its face, Kong freed himself somewhat.

In the fight, the cliff edge Weaver was standing on got hit, the ground under her crumbling. You and James watched as she was plunged into the water, James immediately jumping into action even though Kong and the Skullcrawler were still fighting. Not long after, Kong finished off the Skullcrawler. He reached into the water where Weaver had fallen, pulling her out and placing her on the banks before walking away. You trudged through the water, going to Weaver as fast as you could. James saw what happened and got out of the water. 

“C’mon, Weaver,” you said, lifting her upper body up. She’d been underwater for a few minutes, and you needed to get any water out of her system. James kneeled beside the two of you, watching as you worked. It took a minute, but she started coughing up water, coming back to the world. The second she came to, she hugged James, like he was the one who saved her life. Then Brooks and San came on the ploat, having missed everything exciting.

“When word gets out, they’re not going to leave this island alone,” you muttered, resting your head on James’s shoulder. James wrapped his arm around your waist, pulling you closer.

“We’re the only ones that know, and I’m not going to say anything,” Weaver spoke up. James nodded, and even though nothing more was said, the agreement was understood.

“So, England?” You asked James, looking up at him. “I’ve never been.”

“I can’t wait to show you,” James said, giving you a quick kiss.

**********

Permanent Tag List: @treatallwithkindness

Tag List: @midnight-queen-1

[leagarland]

[stonesandswords]

My Top 9 Romantic ships:

I was tagged by @cecret-with-c 💙

These are in no particular order and TBH it was painful deciding which ships to not include.

9. Owen and Caitlin (The Way, Way Back)

8. Conrad x Slivko (Kong: Skull Island)

7. Diego x Eudora (The Umbrella Academy)

6. AndyGabe (The Office)

5. Nick x Jess (New Girl)

4. Colin x Jan x Richard (Ted Lasso)

3. HughesMaas (Ted Lasso)

2. McaHughes (Ted Lasso)

1. Two Aces (Ted Lasso)

I tag @dexcoded @boasamishipper @lonelyheartsmotel @samwpmarleau @approxtwelveangrybees​ @mearpsdyke​ and anyone else who wants to <3

[winchesterbrotherstan]

Kong: Skull Island- Airport Kisses

look at this bean i would give my left arm to marry this man fuck

Pairing: Reg Slivko x Irene Brown

James Conrad x Irene Brown (brother-sister relationship)

Jack Chapman x Irene Brown (brother-sister relationship)

Summary: The gang reassesses their next steps, and reassurance is given as they go their separate ways.

Warnings: cursing, crying, nothing new really

Word Count: 2300

“God, it is good to be back on solid land without giant monsters.” Mills grinned.

Reles elbowed him playfully and dropped to his knees, kissing the ground. Mills followed suit. I giggled, and Reg looked down at me with a goofy smile.

“What?” I stopped walking.

“I wish I could hold you right now is all.” He grinned.

I rolled my eyes as a blush spread across my cheeks. “Here.” I stuck myself to his side and maneuvered my arm around his crutch. I placed my hand on his bicep and smiled up at him. He bent down as far as he could and pressed a kiss to the top of my head.

“Alright, let’s keep moving.” Jack teased from behind us.

“Oh, shove it, old man.” I stuck my tongue out at him.

He flicked the back of my head as he passed by my side, a huge smile on his face. James and Mason followed, and Hank stopped to stand at our sides.

“What’s up?” Reg looked over at him.

“You two remind me of my wife and I. So young, so in love. Perfect for each other, really.”

Reg and I met eyes, both blushing. I bit my lip as Reg thanked Hank before looking down at me.

“Man, next thing you know, we’re gonna be popping kids out too.”

My nose wrinkled up and I shook my head. “No.”

“No?” He gave me puppy eyes.

“Absolutely not, love.”

He grinned and pressed another kiss to the top of my head.

“Come on, lover-boy!” Reles and Mills teased from their spots on the back of the truck.

Reg rolled his eyes, and I giggled once more, letting go of his arm so that we could catch up with the rest of the group.

                                                         ***

“Weird to be in a civilian airport.” Reles looked around, shifting in his seat.

James and I looked at each other, and he smiled softly. Three weeks ago, we had landed at this exact same airport, ready to have fun in Vietnam. Now, we were coming back with a large sum of money, and enough trauma to burn through a few therapists. Reles and Mills sat on the furthest end of the seats, and Mason and James were sitting on the ground in front of us. Hank was on Reg’s other end, and I was between him and Jack. San and Houston had to fly out as soon as possible. They gave us our money and split, explaining that they had to inform Randa’s family and catalog their results in a way that would be safe for the island.

“Alright, I know nobody really wants to talk about this, but we should.” Jack leaned down from the end of the row, sighing deeply.

“Cole’s funeral… it’s gonna be in two weeks. I already talked to his wife. She wants us there. All of us.”

I shivered, and Reg’s arm tightened around my shoulders. I hadn’t told him anything more, but he had pieced together that my brother and Cole had been connected somehow.

“So…” Mason sighed. “Are we meeting there?”

Jack nodded. “I thought we could. Just so that we can all be together. I’m sure that’ll make it easier.”

“We should get together the day before.” James spoke up. “It’ll be easier to readjust.”

Jack mumbled something in agreement, but I had tuned them out. Whatever they settled on, James and I would do. I had my head resting on Reg’s shoulder, arm still in a sling and wedged between his torso and my own side. He noticed that I had seemingly dipped out of the current plane of reality, and he pulled me closer toward him and rested his chin over my head.

I huffed, nuzzling as close to him as I could, trying hard not to think about everything that had happened to us.

“So it’s settled.” Jack’s voice broke back through my haze.

“Two weeks from today, we’ll all meet at this location, in Nebraska.”

A thick silence settled over our group, and I looked up to see Reg lost in his own thoughts this time. Reles’s face had dropped, and Mills was holding his head in his hands. Cole had loved him like a son.

They called the boarding of a flight number over the loudspeaker, and Reles placed a hand on Mills’s shoulder.

“Come on, man. That’s us.”

Mills wiped the tears from his eyes and sat up, clearing his throat. I let go of Reg, and he and Jack got to their feet along with Mills and Reles. The four of them exchanged hugs and whispers, then rough pats on the back.

“We’ll see you guys soon.” Reles saluted at Jack, and then waved at the rest of us as he grabbed Mills by the shoulder and began to lead him toward their gate.

Reg settled back into his seat, and I let him sling his arm back around my shoulders. Jack sat down again, and I looked up at him, feeling my heart begin to strain. I was, once more, faced with the question of what would happen after we all went home. He noticed this, and he whispered something to Reg, who lifted his arm away from me.

I turned from my boy and snuggled into Jack’s side, my eyes beginning to well with tears. Mason and James took the seats that the boys had left behind, with James gently touching my knee as he passed by.

“We’ll figure it out. Hell, maybe you can come stay with Gracie and I for a while.” Jack gave me a goofy smile. “I’m sure Billy would love that.”

I shook my head, wiping my tears away. “It’s not just that, Jacks.”

“Then what is it, Ira? I mean, you’re eighteen now. You can travel the world, like you’ve always wanted to.”

“Stephen.” I whispered, looking up with a sigh.

“What about Stephen, honey?” His voice softened even more as he used the nickname he had only used twice for me before.

Once, when I told him about our father, and the second time, when I told him that I was leaving with my father and Stephen.

“He’s Cole’s kid now.” I fished the picture out of my pocket and showed him.

“God…” Jack’s accent was thick, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “I… Cole was private about his family, I never knew.”

“He’s gonna be there. And… and I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”

They called for another flight over the loudspeaker before Jack could give me an answer, and Hank stood from Reg’s side. Jack looked up and nodded to him, asking for a minute.

“Look, Ira… that’s our flight, I’m escorting Marlow home, but…” He sighed. “We’ll figure it out, okay? We always have before, and we will again. I promise.” He held my face in his hands and put his forehead to mine.

I put my own hands over his wrists and nodded, taking a breath. “Okay.”

“We’ll see each other soon, Ira. Two weeks, yeah?”

I nodded as he kissed my forehead. “Two weeks. Go home to Grace and Billy, I’m sure they miss you like hell.”

He chuckled. “I’ll tell Billy that he gets to meet you soon.”

“Come on, Chapman. We’re gonna miss our flight.” Hank stood in front of him.

“Yeah. Let’s go.” Jack kissed the top of my head again before standing up.

Reg went to stand, and Jack shook his head. “At ease, Sliv.”

I smiled at the nickname, and looked at Jack with watery eyes. James stood and shook his hand, and Mason smiled warmly at both of the men.

“Thanks for taking care of our sister.”

“See you soon, Conrad.” Jack extended his arm for a side hug, the way that men usually hugged, patting each other’s backs roughly.

Reg saluted Jack off with two fingers, and I gave him a big goofy smile.

“Be safe, Jacks. See you soon.”

“Later days, guys!”

“See ya, Hank!”

“Good luck with your wife and your son!” I cupped my hands around my mouth and called after them.

Hank turned on his ankle and waved as he walked backwards, following Jack off to their gate. I grumbled as I changed spots, taking the one to Reg’s left so that I could rest my leg over his good one. He slung his arm around my shoulders, and I wiggled closer to him, practically sitting in his lap now. Mason and James were close together, Mason’s head on his shoulder and his head over hers. It seemed like they weren’t exactly at the level that Reg and I had jumped to, but they definitely had some feelings about one another.

“You okay, doll?” Reg’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I turned back to him with a soft smile and nodded. He put his hand on my cheek, and I leaned into his touch, letting my eyes flutter shut.

“I’m gonna miss being able to kiss you all of the time.” He whispered.

I gave a sad smile, opening my eyes. He was looking at me with so much love in his eyes, that I wanted to cry again. He caught onto it and pecked my lips, thumb holding my chin up.

“Oh, I-uh, I wanna give you something.” He pulled back, rummaging through the duffel bag at his feet.

“What is it?” I shifted, turning so that my side was completely perpendicular to his torso.

He pulled out his green army jacket and held it out to me with a big, goofy smile. “Here.”

“Wait, Reg-”

“I’m done with the army. Hell, we were supposed to be going home for good before Packard signed us up for the island expedition.”

“But… Reg, I… I can’t take it.”

“Please?” He gave me his puppy eyes, hand holding my cheek again. “I think it would look good on you. And you gave me your hair tie earlier.” He held up his wrist, the thin black hair tie still around it.

I gingerly grabbed the jacket, and he grinned, draping it over my shoulders, since I couldn’t put my arm through it just yet. I smiled and pulled him down to me, kissing him softly.

“I love you so much.” I whispered against his lips.

He ran his hands through my hair before grabbing my hand in his and kissing my knuckles. “I love you too.”

“Hey.” I felt Mason softly tap my shoulder. “Sorry, my flight is boarding.”

We both turned to her, and I grabbed her into a one-armed hug, resting my head on her shoulder. I was going to miss her over these next two weeks.

“Be safe. Please.” I begged her.

“I will be. I promise.”

“I’ll walk you to your gate.” James offered, standing up and holding a hand out for her.

Mason nodded at him and said goodbye to Reg, patting his shoulder with a gentle smile. James shouldered her bag and they walked off, leaving Reg and I alone in the busy airport.

“Hey, doll?”

“Yes?” I turned back to him, eyes wide.

“Do you wanna meet my family?”

I felt a blush creep onto my face. “Are you sure?”

“I mean, I already met half of yours.” He grinned, referring to Jack and James. “Also, I can’t wait to show my brother that I’ve got the best girl in the entire world.”

“Oh, shush.” I let my head fall onto his shoulder. “I’d love to meet your family, Reg.”

He only kissed the top of my head. The loudspeaker spat out another flight number, and Reg’s head popped up. I sighed.

“Yours or mine?”

He nodded. “Yours. Come on, I’ll walk you down to meet up with Conrad.”

                                                        ***

“Alright, Bitsy. Ready to go?” James hoisted my bag over his shoulder so that I wouldn’t have to struggle with it.

I sighed. “Yeah, just…” I looked over my shoulder to see Reg leaning against the wall.

He would wait for us to board before he went for his own flight.

“Didn’t you guys already say bye?”

“Yeah, but it didn’t feel like enough, Jay.” I mumbled.

“Go. I’ll wait here.”

I gave Reg a look, and he opened his arms, still leaning against the wall. I ran toward him the way I had in the river, which felt like ages ago. He caught me in his hold and pulled me tightly against him.

“I don’t know how I’m gonna go two weeks without sleeping in your arms.” I whimpered.

His grip on me tightened. “It’ll be alright, doll. We all just need a second to get things settled. After that, we’ll be together. Okay?”

I pulled my head back, ignoring the tears in my eyes. “How?”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “May or may not ask you to marry me, no big deal.”

“God, Slivko.” I held a hand over my mouth.

He pulled it off and kissed my lips. “I love you, but we have to go. You two are gonna miss your flight.”

“I want more kisses.” I whined, pulling him down to my level.

“Doll, we’ll see each other in two weeks.”

“I don’t care.” I mumbled in between each kiss. “I want kisses.”

“Irene! We’re gonna miss our flight, let’s go!” James called.

I groaned and kissed Reg harder before pulling back. “I’ll see you soon.”

He winked. “I’ll call you?”

I blushed. “Sounds good. I love you!” I started making my way back to James.

“I love you!” He cupped his hands around his mouth.

James grabbed my good arm and began to tug. “Come on, Bits. Let’s go.”

Reg and I kept our eyes on each other, and right before I was out of his line of sight, he gave me a wink. My heart swelled within my chest.

Previous: Tears and Worries

Next: Childhood Homes and Childhood Traumas

[merakiaes]

Unexpected, But Loved All The Same - James Conrad

Pairing: James Conrad x reader

Requested: Yes. 

Prompts: #7 from the angst-list.

Warnings/notes: Not proofread so apologies in advance for any possible mistakes. I hope you like it, let me know what you think.  

Wordcount: 1783

Summary: James comes home from Skull Island and is greeted with a surprise he was not expecting. 

Getting a man like James Conrad to settle down was not an easy task. Many women had tried, and failed miserably.

He was simply not the kind of guy to settle down. He never thought about marriage, or having a family. The only thing on his mind was following in his father’s footsteps, to serve as a soldier whether it was in a war or in more private affairs.

He never really returned from the war, even after he resigned, and no one had been able to change his goals in life, until you came along.

Your first meeting took place in Malaysia, at a bar. You were there with your best friend on vacation, and he was there on a mission – one that had gone terribly wrong.

Your friend had run off with some guy she barely even knew, leaving you to drink your depression away all by yourself, and he was shaken up and regretful about the failed mission.

In short, you were both in dire need of a warm body to hold, and you ended up spending the entire night with each other. You were both heavily intoxicated, but that didn’t make it any less meaningful – for the both of you.

You didn’t think much about it back then. Not at all, actually, as you simply slipped out of his room when he was sleeping early the next morning and he went about his life like nothing had happened.

But then you ran into each other again. Once again, after your friend had left you alone for a man on what was supposed to be a girl’s trip, and James had come back from a job.

You ended up spending another night together, this time in your room, and much to your surprise, he was still there when you woke up, lying beside you flat on his back and staring into the ceiling.

You didn’t really know how it happened, but you just… stuck together, getting married, rather spontaneously, during a trip to Las Vegas and moving in together and settling down.

He put his old life behind him and you dropped your so-called best friend, finally realizing how badly she had neglected you and what a bad person she was when she tried moving in on James, who sternly turned her down and came right to you despite her pleas not to tell you.

You lived a pretty basic life. You worked as a nurse at the local hospital and James kept taking on fairly safe jobs every once in a while to make it all go around.

You didn’t like it, not one bit, but you couldn’t control him, and at the end of the day, you knew he could hold his own, and he was only gone short periods of time at a time, so you were never too worried.

He always returned to you when he said he would. All of the times but this one, that is.

He had been gone for a job in Saigon for four weeks now and he was supposed to come home tonight, but when you were standing in the kitchen preparing dinner for his homecoming, you got a call from him, telling you that he had been offered a lot of money to go on another mission and that he would be gone three more weeks.

You would’ve been okay with it any other time, but not now. Not when you had found out that you were pregnant the day before, which you were planning to tell him over dinner.

Now you were forced to wait for three entire weeks to tell him, and while you wouldn’t have been too worried in any other case, you were worrying for two now.

You were worried that something was going to go wrong and that your unborn son or daughter would never get to meet their father, and also that you were going to be forced to raise him or her on your own.

You had no living family left and neither did he. Without him, you would be all on your own, and now that you were controlled by pregnancy hormones, that thought literally never left your mind.

The only thing that momentarily took your mind off of it was to distract yourself by preparing for the baby’s arrival, even though you had seven months left until your due date.

So soon enough, your entire house was littered with baby stuff. Clothes, toys, blankets, diapers, pacifiers, everything you would be needing.

You did a decent job putting it all away so that the house didn’t look like a pigsty, and also because a part of you feared that James would spot something upon arriving back home and that it would give it up.

You wanted to tell him yourself, face to face.

What you didn’t think about, however, was that the crib you had assembled in your bedroom was still on full display, obviously, as you weren’t able to hide it.

You were completely oblivious to it, carelessly humming along to the music playing from the record player in the living room where you were sitting on the bedroom floor, folding baby clothes into a drawer you had cleared out to make room.

You were so distracted that you completely missed the sound of the front door opening and closing, and the volume of the music entirely drowned out the sound of your name being called from the hallway, too.

Not until James was standing right in the doorway, asking you: “Are you having a party?”, did you finally notice him, jumping with a surprised yell leaving your lips and whipping your head around to face him.

Your eyes met his and he pushed himself off the doorframe at that, chuckling in amusement as he approached you. 

“Sorry, darling. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He said, and you quickly scrambled to your feet, your foot discretely kicking the rest of the unfolded baby clothes under the drawer.

“I didn’t hear you come in.” You said and, again, he chuckled.

“Clearly.” He replied, finally reaching you and wasting no time in taking you into his arms. “Hi.” He mumbled as he looked down at you, and you smiled, wrapping your arms around his neck and bringing your face close to his.

“Hi.” You whispered back, the two of you leaning in to kiss.

Before you could meet each other in the middle, however, he stopped himself, his eyes narrowing slightly. “There’s something different about you.” He pointed out, and your heart instantly dropped in your chest, your mouth turning dry.

“Is there?” You asked, forcing yourself to smile and not make it too obvious that you were lying.

He hummed in return, inspecting your face. “Did you get a haircut?” He asked, and you wasted no time in nodding.

“I did, yeah.” You confirmed, the words slipping out easily as it was, in fact, the truth.

His lips pulled into a smile again at that. “Ah, well, that’s probably it, then.” He agreed, and moved in to kiss you again.

This time, you successfully met each other in the middle, your lips pressing together, and you smiled into it, your eyes fluttering shut.

James was about to close his eyes, as well, but just as they were shutting, he spotted something behind you; something that made him pull away quicker than you’d ever seen him move before.

You let out a small sound of surprise at the sudden movement, and your eyes opened wide when you saw his eyes, sparkling with disbelief, knowing already what they were looking at.

"There's a... crib." He struggled to get out, and you nodded, pulling a hand over your face.

"Yeah." You sighed, slowly stepping up to his side to watch it with him.

He took a moment to collect himself, his arms crossing over his chest and his hand moving up to his face, where he pulled it over his mouth and chin, taking a deep breath before asking, “How far along are you?”

You swallowed, averting your gaze as his eyes met yours for a brief moment. “Two months.” You replied quietly, and your words caused him to draw in another breath.

“So either you got together with someone else right after I left, or you-“

“James.” You quickly interrupted him with a glare, looking back up at him. “The baby. It’s yours.” You told him sternly and clearly, and watched as his head nodded and his jaw tensed.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked, and this time it was your turn to sigh.

“It didn’t seem like appropriate news to deliver over the phone.” You confessed. “And I didn’t want you to be distracted, because I know you would be.”

He pulled his hand over his mouth again, having to take another moment.

“Are you keeping it?” He asked after a moment of silence, and at that, you could only scoff and cross your arms over your chest, a glare once again rising to your face.

“Well, obviously.” You deadpanned, and his face instantly fell, his eyes becoming regretful.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Yeah, you did.” You quickly answered, and he shook his head softly.

“No, I promise you, I didn’t.” He repeated, slowly stepping up to you and gingerly taking your upper arms in his hands.

You glanced down at his hands, your face softening as you looked back up at him. “So you’re not mad?” You mumbled, and again, he shook his head, his lips pulling into a gentle smile.

“No, this just wasn’t what I was expecting to be greeted with when coming back home. I’m a bit surprised, is all.” He told you.

“Are you sure that’s all?” You asked back, still doubtful, and he gave you a nod.

“Yes, I’m sure.”

This time, you took his word for it, lowering your gaze and slowly beginning to calm down, especially so when he brought his hand up to your face to catch your chin between his fingers and make you look at him again.

“I love you.” He told you sincerely, keeping one hand on your cheek and moving the other down to your stomach. “And I’m going to love him, too.”

At the sound of his words, your eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Him?” You asked, the corners of your lips twitching upward.

But he said nothing else, simply connecting his lips to yours and pulling you close, showing you that he had, truly, meant what he said.

All of it might have been unexpected, but you knew that the life you had created together would be loved all the same despite it.

(If you want to be tagged for James Conrad stories, let me know in a comment, ask or private message)

[judgement-free-sideblog]

Ghosts from the rainforest

Summary: A simple rescue mission will bring him back to a place full of nightmares, and maybe this time he could find redemption. Situated in 1975, 2 years after the events of Skull Island.

Warnings: Violence, blood, wounds, mentions of war, cursing, implied smut, smoking, angst.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 6: Family

The piercing blue eyes search for you in the dim light that came from the sunrise outside the shack, he found you and attempt to stand up getting down immediately from the pain.

"Don't even try" You said to him, sad to look at his face covered in dry blood and a still fresh cut on his cheekbone. Two days after arriving Walker had decided to inspire moral in his troops by beating him and putting you to treat their wounds "I suspect they broke one of your ribs when you call them bastards, also even if you could move there is also this" you pointed to the fetter around his ankle and he looked at yours too, your shorts were stained from the truck and the dirt floor of the shack, and the clear sign of a lash on the naked skin that you cover with a blanket when he looked at it.

"How is your head?" He asked finally trying to sit still "How long have we been here?"

"It has been better, it will take more than that to take me down, don't worry" You said taking a piece of cloth and wetting it on a small bowl "Well after you passed out I kept fixing a couple wounds here an there in the camp, so he won't kill you, that was three days ago, at least they left me this to fix you up, hold still" You approach as much as you could to him and start cleaning up his wounds.

"I have nowhere else to be love... hey!!" He pull apart when the alcohol touch the open skin, and gave you a panicked look when you show him the suture you will use to close the cut

"Oh Captain don't be a baby" You hold his face on your hand while continuing to clean the cut "You must be used to deal with vicious animals like that by now, because that frien of yours can call himself a man"

"You are right, Walker is a poisonous snake who will kill anyone on his way, the only reason we are alive is because he believes he may get something valuable out of you, which reminds me, what did he ment by next time he'll go for the throat?" He had his hand was clenched and his eyes firmly shut down when you passed the needle trough the skin.

"I have met Walker before, Shukri used to help him pass his weapons and stuff through the border so he send me as a symbol of friendship, but the man he wanted me to help die, wich of course he will because he had severe sepsis and many bullet holes, and I'm far from being an actual medical doctor"

"You really have a way to reassure people" He joke and you rolled your eyes at him.

"Anyway he went crazy and kill the men Shukri send to guard me and stab me in the stomach, and leave me for dead in the jungle, thankfully it wasn't a cut deep enough and I managed to walk to the next village". You finish and he looked at you surprised by how casually you talk about those horrible memories. "What does he meant by your taste still being constant?" His face darkened and the guilt and remorse appear again in his eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't meant..." You tried to stand up but he grab your wrist and you sit next to him.

"As I told you Jenny's mom was the lover of a British ambassador, and we actually met before we were send to find her, one night Sargent Walker was drunk and tried to force himself on her, and I stop her" He said with a sad smile on his face.

"You were together? You and her mother I mean" You tried to hide a hint of jealousy in your voice, it was funny that in this threatening situation you could still be thinking about you two.

"Of course not" He said and a grin of satisfaction show on his face when you sigh in relief "Although I had feelings for her, and maybe she had them too, but I knew I had a mission, then Walker betrayed us and Jenny die... well I guess she blamed me for it" you didn't say anything and just let him lay his head on your lap, the fetter was biting in your skin and your ankle was about to start bleeding but you feel the need of comforting him.

"How could you look this handsome aan peaceful cover in bruises, and cuts?" You ask yourself outloud after a couple minutes once you thought he was asleep.

"I could ask you the same Y/N" He responded opening his blue eyes, and you almost pushed him down but remember his bad shape. "Don't worry, the guys are looking for us, they will get help in Borneo and come back"

"That's what I'm afraid of, I heard them talking about asking for ransom money to the US Embassy in Borneo, what if they get too late, he is gonna kill me when he realizes I lie to him".

"I will like to him try" He said trying to stand hurting himself again.

"Easy there prince charming" You said holding him still and locking your hands together in the process, neither of you trying to pull apart. "I do know what I will do if we actually get out of here".

"And what is that?" Conrad asked trying to ignore how helpless your if was.

"I'm writing a strong worded letter to Houston Brooks about the terrible job of his tracker, since he keeps trying to charm the women he works for" You said and he smiled at you.

"Is it working?" He asked, trying to incorporate.

"Maybe" you said but before you could follow your instinct, some loud steps approach to the shack and you gently put him on the floor to curl in your corner pretending to be asleep.

"Ibu? Cepat! Kita perlu pergi" Mother? Quick! We have to go A young boy enter the shack carrying a big shotgun, and he open the fetter setting you free.

"Dia akan datang bersama kami" He is coming with us You said and he went to set a surprised James free.

"What is going on? Ibu?" He asked once you help him stand up, he was not as hurt as you thought since he could walk without help, but he was definitely not in his prime.

"You have your family Captain, I have mine" And since that explanation was not enough you had to continue "One of the men guarding me years ago was Shukri's nephew, he hates Wlker ever since, and has many of his children inside his little army so he can eventually sell them to the authorities"

"He is a layered man isn't he?" He said while you and the boy help him walk outside the camp, another infiltrator was already waiting next to a truck ready for you to flee, waving in the distance, and then the sound of a thunder brake the morning air, and he made a funny surprise face, and a blood stain start growing in his chest and he just fall on his back, and then all hell broke loose.

Walker men were following you, and since James was hurt it was so little that your young hero could do for you.

You run into the jungle just to be stopped in an open area where a tree had fallen an then four men were surrounding you, ready to kill.

"Drop it big guy!" Reles voice said, making your hear stop and race with happiness. The man in front of you turned around to meet Reels surprised by how calm he was.

"Didn't you listen? Drop it!" Slivko said coming out of the jungle with another six guys that you were sure were part of Shukri's village.

"I got you doc" Glenn said passing between the men who were already unarmed.

"I'm fine, help the Captain" you said and without thinking you took one of the weapons that had been dropped in the ground.

"I thought you didn't like those" Slivko said while Reels help the boy tie Walkers men.

"Desperate times Reg" You said, and hug him. "How did you find us so quickly?"

"Oh wow, sorry Captain" He said looking embarrassed "The guy, the weird guy that says he is your husband he meet us half way when we came after you guys, apparently one of the guys here told him what happened and he came with us and many men along to help"

"I knew it! Wait a minute Shukri is here?" You hold your breath because the feeling that something was wrong was strongly hurting your chest, and Conrad's words about Walker resonated in your ears.

You run back to the campsite, the ambush had worked out, the rest of Walker's men were dead or prisoners and unarmed, only their Sargent was too stubborn to surrender and both him and Shukri were aiming at each other in the middle of the camp. Shukri with a shotgun and Walker with two pistols.

Again without thinking and with the adrenaline running through your veins you pointed your gun at him and order him to drop it. As all response he aimed one of his pistols at you.

"You can't win this" You said to him not backing off and looking James concerned face approaching, but he was not looking at you, all his attention seemed to be focus on Shukri.

"Oh I know that doctor, but I have a question for you, who will be faster? Me or this little idiot here who came to rescue his princess??"

Things happened in the fraction of a second and by the time you understand what have happened both men where in the ground.

In the moment Shukri nod to James and he jump to take you out of the line of fire, Walker shoot his guns missing you, but not Shukri, but he didn't miss either.

"Hey, hey Shukri man, come on" Mills said approaching pressuring the wound, you stood up and walk away from James who was breathing difficulty from the jump, but overall okay.

"Shukri, you win, he is dead, please don't give up now" You said now no longer holding on the tears.

"Tears? Isteri if I had known that this is what I needed to do I would have let someone shoot me long ago." He said holding your hand with almost no strength. "Captain Prince charming?" He called for James and he kneeled by his side respectfully "Anda menjaga isteri saya" You take care of my wife

"I will" James said solemnly, and Shukri nod, then he hold your hand tightly and then after one last breath he and a quiet smile to you he was gone.

After a couple minutes people dispersed and you could hear his men arranging how will they move him, but it was wrong and you couldn't yet set what had happened in your brain, after one hour you felt like if you keep looking long enough he will smile again and wake up to tease you and life will be normal again.

"It's time" James said but he didn't force you to stand, he only gave you his hand, and stood there waiting, after a minute that felt like an eternity you took his hand stand up, and then you let all your unspoken feelings to come out, about Randa, about Shukri, about watching him almost be beaten to death two days ago, you cried and cried and he simply hold you, even when his rib was probably killing him, even when you were nothing to him but a job, he keep holding you.

[shitty-persons-world]

You know, any normal person would ship James Conrad and Mason Weaver. But then there’s me, shipping Conrad and Slivko. I’m too far deep into gay shipping…someone help me.