#someone said the company might have known they imploded the entire time but we’re leaving to the coast guard to find out

[prideprejudce]

also not sure how I’m feeling knowing that thousands upon thousands of dollars and manpower have been spent on a rescue mission for four days straight when the submersible probably imploded as soon as contact was lost and has been sitting on the ocean floor this entire time lmao

[fific7]

Dangerous and Divine - Part 8

Billy Russo x Reader

Summary: Billy Russo is an itch you don’t want to scratch. But he’s all over you like a rash.

A/N: This does not follow canon, it’s mainly fluff & lemon zest 🍋 The GIF is from Exposed, unreleased pilot show in case you’re wondering 😌... Billy vibes.

Warnings: More stalkery-type behaviour from a certain someone. Some drinking & swearing.

(My GIF)

She just couldn’t leave it alone. And she was going to find out if she did know about all the flirting, the lunches, the drinks after work, the kiss. One way or another. She opened her car door, got out and locked it, before crossing over and walking towards the café.

It was getting near closing time, and you’d come back downstairs to help your team with all the end-of-day things which needed done. Once again, they didn’t really need your help but you’d been feeling unsettled all day, mainly due to that Homeland agent showing up in your café.

What the fuck was all that about? you wondered. It was definitely weird. You were 99% sure it was her, but you’d decided not to text Billy about it, just in case it wasn’t actually Madani. What if she was sitting right there with him when you texted? You would look like a paranoid idiot.

And yeah, that was the other thing that had been playing on your mind. Despite his reassurances, you were still worried about him being around Madani. You’d meant what you said, she was pretty, and if she decided to go all out to get her hands on Billy, would he be able to resist? After all, he did find her attractive - he’d admitted as much to you, agreeing that she was pretty - otherwise he wouldn’t have kissed her, he would’ve just kept it to flirting, surely?

While your brain was busy torturing you, you heard the café door opening and were aware of someone entering. The café wasn’t actually closed yet, and smiling to yourself, you thought ‘there’s always that one absolute last-minute customer’ before continuing to clean one of the Gaggias.

Jake had stepped up to the counter and asked what he could get for them, and you froze as you heard, “I’m Agent Madani from Homeland. I need to speak to your boss.”

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You immediately swung round, thinking that - while you were shocked by her reappearance - you weren’t going to let her get the upper hand. Plastering a fake smile on your face, you stepped forward, “That’s me,” and saying your name. She was staring at you as if she wanted to see right into your head, and you continued, “Could I see your ID please?” A small frown creased her brow but she pulled out her ID, which was on a lanyard round her neck, from under her jacket and stuck it rather rudely in front of your face.

You kept the smile on your face as you examined it....so, Dinah Madani. Billy hadn’t ever called her anything but Madani to you, probably thinking that using her first name might rile you up even more. Thanking her, you then asked how you could help her, letting the smile fade down as otherwise you’d just look slightly psychopathic. She, all business-like, asked if there was somewhere you could go to talk privately and you nodded, indicating the internal door up to your office. You headed over to it, saying over your shoulder to Jake, “I’ll be back down soon.”

Before you turned away you saw her eyebrows rise at your remark, a small irritated look flitting over her face before disappearing. Reaching the door, you opened it and gestured for her to go in front of you, but she shook her head, “No, it’s fine - you first,” she said. As you started to walk up the stairs, you could feel her eyes boring into your back and you realised that you were feeling really quite uncomfortable with this turn of events. However, she was a federal agent so you couldn’t really refuse to speak to her without things escalating.

Reaching your office, you went inside and headed for your chair, indicating to her the one opposite. She sat down and you did too, waiting to see what the hell this woman wanted to speak to you about. Reaching into her bag, she took out a small black notebook and pen, then looked up at you, staring intently. You stared back, face expressionless (you hoped).

“You know Billy Russo.” Not a question.

Okayyyy, you thought - straight to the point! Nodding at her, you answered, “Yes, I do.”

“How long have you known him?” You looked back at her, wondering whether to challenge her or not, but replied, “Ummm... about a week.”

She looked down, scribbling something in her notepad, but you felt it was so you couldn’t see her expression. Looking back up, she went on, “Uhuh, and what is the nature of your relationship with him?”

Now you’d had enough. Giving her a wide smile, you said, “And why exactly would you need to know that, Agent Madani?” You wondered when or if she was going to cut to the chase.

“He’s involved in one of my ongoing cases,” she said, deadpan, “...and I need to know your connection to him so I can assess if it impacts it in any way.” You lying bitch, you thought.

“And what could I possibly have to do with your case?” you asked her. She tapped her pen impatiently on her notepad, “Well, that’s for me to decide,” she replied with a smirk. You matched her smirk, “Okay,” shrugging, “...we’re in a relationship.” She gave a sharp laugh, her eyes going wide as she stared at you, “After one whole week?!! That’s kinda fast, isn’t it?”

You could feel your mouth tightening into a line, so you quickly relaxed it. You also gave a small laugh, and sat back, hands flat on the desk. “Are you a federal agent or a relationship counsellor? It’s none of your business, Agent Madani. You asked your question, I gave you my answer.” She shifted in her chair and you knew she was getting annoyed and impatient. Good. You wanted her off-balance. Because if she’d come here just to dig out what you and Billy were to each other - and you suspected she had - you were going to make waves at Homeland about it.

Madani frowned and said, “It just seems a little suspicious to me. You only met Russo a week ago, yet you think you’re in some kind of a relationship with him? What’s your agenda, exactly? Because apart from anything else, Billy Russo doesn’t do relationships. He’s told me as much.”

You raised your eyebrows and grinned at her. She’d unwittingly related what Billy had actually said to her at some stage and it wasn’t very flattering, if she’d thought about it before she’d said it. Like, he doesn’t want a relationship with you, darling. “Really? And why would you be discussing relationships with Billy Russo?” She couldn’t resist letting another smirk appear on her lips, and you knew she was about to spill.

“Because we’ve been seeing each other. Dating. Outside of work.” A triumphant look cast your way. You smiled, although truthfully you wanted to smack her smug face. “Isn’t that a little... unprofessional?” “No, it’s not. We’re not co-workers.”

You swivelled your chair from side to side, then went for the jugular, “Billy’s told me all about you, Agent Madani. That you’re working a joint case, not that I know any details. And about the lunches, the drinks after work, and - oh yes - I believe there was a kiss at some point?” She was surprised, you could tell. She probably thought he either hadn’t told you, or hadn’t believed him when he said he had.

“Sorry, Agent Madani, but that was all before Billy met me.” Chew on that, bitch, you thought. “It’s all in the past and he won’t be repeating any of it.”

Now she just looked angry, her eyes glaring at you. You almost wished you hadn’t spared her the details of exactly why Billy had been acting the way he did with her. But you didn’t want to make things even more awkward for him.

“Oh, and as to what my ‘agenda’ is, I don’t have one.” Holding her stare, you added, “Billy and I are simply enjoying each other’s company. A lot.”

Her face was totally blank now, her eyes on yours but not connecting. It was like her battery had powered down. She stood up, shoved the notepad into her bag, and started walking to the door. Just as her hand grabbed the doorhandle, you said, “And if you haven’t already done it, be my guest and dig into my life and my business just to make sure nothing impacts your case.”

Without saying a word, she was gone and the door slammed behind her as she left. You sat right back in your chair, and a huge breath left your lungs. Wow. You hadn’t gone as intensely toe to toe like that with someone in a while.

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Madani hurried through the café and out into the street. She was fuming!

Crossing the road and getting into her car, she started it up and drove away fast. She just wanted to get away from there as quickly as she could. She was very unhappy about the way the encounter had gone. It wasn’t often that she got bested in an interview. Well, okay it hadn’t been a proper interview exactly, but she admitted to herself that she hadn’t expected the woman to come back at her like that.

Yeah, she’d thought that Russo’s little girlfriend would be a pushover once she put on her Hardass Federal Agent hat. But she’d underestimated her.

Deciding to head home and sink a bottle of wine, she suddenly had a better idea. She started driving towards Anvil.

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Meanwhile, you’d made your way back downstairs and headed to one of the Gaggia machines. You needed a triple corretto. “Jake,” you said quietly, and he made his way over to you. “You OK?” he asked, looking at you with a concerned expression. “Grab me the brandy, would you? And I’ll make you one too.” Coffees made and topped up, you said, “Come up to the office for a minute.” If you didn’t get what just happened off your chest, you felt like you’d implode.

And you knew Jake would only ask you why Homeland had come calling anyhow.

Once you were both settled on the sofa in your office, sipping your coffees, you told him all about the entire big drama, but glossing over certain areas where you couldn’t go into too much detail. His eyes were like saucers just about the whole time. “She said that? That she was dating him?!” You nodded, “Yeah, and she’s trying to make out that I’m the delusional one!” You both laughed. “Are you gonna report her to her bosses?” Jake asked you.

“I’d love to, I’d really would. She’s unprofessional, and I think the green-eyed monster’s sent her off the rails a bit - I mean she’s acting like a stalker! But I’ll check with Billy first, it might stir up trouble he doesn’t need right now. But I might wait till the joint case is closed and then do it!” “That might be a better idea, yeah - but I really don’t think she should get away with it.” “Oh, we’ll see. I’m angry right now, but I might have calmed down by the time the case is finished. Right... come on, let’s get this place closed down for the night.”

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Billy was also getting ready to leave the office, switching off his laptop and locking various files away in his safe. He was one of the last ones in the place, and he took a moment to stand at the big floor-to-ceiling glass window overlooking the empty training area. He stretched out his back and shoulders, rolling his neck from side to side. What a fuckin’ day, he thought.

It had started so well, he thought, a sly smile curving his lips. My god, what she can do with her mouth. He felt himself starting to get hard thinking about the two of them in bed that morning, and just what she’d done to him. He basked in the feeling for a few moments, sliding his hand down onto his zip. Mmm. Maybe he should disappear to his private bathroom and jack off before he left.

But then his smile dropped. Madani was heading across the training area towards the stairs to his office. Oh fucking hell. He moved his hand off his crotch just in time, before she looked up at him standing behind the expanse of glass.

His mind suddenly skipped to the meeting earlier that day in Dinah’s office. He really hoped all her diva drama wasn’t going to interfere with the case in a bad way. She’d just have to deal with it. He wasn’t going to mess up what he had with his girl just to keep Madani happy. He wondered what the hell she wanted to talk to him about now. Because he could really do without it, if he was honest. He just wanted to call his goddess, head over to her place, persuade her to cook some more of her heavenly food for him, eat it and fall into bed. And into her.

Madani threw open the door and marched purposefully towards him, eyes boring into his.

Turning at the sound of the door bursting open, Billy didn’t particularly like the determined look on her face.

“Dinah? he said, warily.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

She was going to sort this out, and sort it out now so that things were back the way they should be.

Saying nothing, she shoved him back against the glass and roughly pulled his jacket down over his shoulders, then started pulling his tie loose. Her other hand went to his shirt and started scrabbling at all the buttons, impatiently tugging until some of them popped and hit the carpet next to his feet. She pulled the shirt apart, leant in and ran her tongue over his skin.

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Back home, you’d lain down on the sofa and thought again about the run-in you’d had with Madani. It was really niggling at you, and so you went and got an old friend - a nice bottle of Italian red - out of your wine rack and opened it, letting it breathe for a few moments before pouring a healthy amount into a big wine glass.

After turning on the TV and taking an appreciative gulp of Barolo, you debated whether to call Billy and tell him about the Drama Queen’s two visits to you. Yes, you thought, he really should know about this as soon as possible just in case there was any backlash.

You FaceTimed him, but it rang out unanswered. Shrugging, you sent him a text, just asking him to call you as soon as he could. Then you shoved your phone onto the coffee table, turned your attention to the TV and continued sipping your wine.

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@blackbirddaredevil23 @galaxyjane