#untitleddocument95

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Back and Forth (jake "hangman" seresin x reader)

Summary: Jake doesn't know why you're playing hard to get. Only you know that you're not playing at all.

Warnings: Language, the state of missouri

Requested: by @x3zerochanx3 see full ask here

Word Count: 4.7k

A/N: I typically try to keep the "reader" character as nondescript as possible, but I had to give a lil background for this one

*gif is not mine*

_________________

“Jake?”

That single word caused Lieutenant Jake “Hangman” Seresin to flush with warmth and relief. 

“Hi, momma. How was your flight?” 

“Oh, you know how public transportation is these days! Not a bit of southern hospitality in sight. Guess that’s why it’s called southern hospitality!” Mama Seresin ranted into the phone, causing Jake to chuckle. 

“We’re getting our luggage now, sweetie. Are you still meeting us at the hotel for dinner when you get done for the day?” 

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Jake replied. 

“Wonderful. I can’t wait to see you, honey.”

The mother and son exchange “I love you”’s and goodbyes and hang up the call, dragging Hangman unwillingly back to the cold locker room. He finishes changing into his flight suit for that afternoon’s training exercises. Just a few more hours and he’d get to see his parents for the first time in too many months. He’d requested a few days off, and his parents taking the time and energy to travel to him meant he got to make the most of those days. He couldn’t wait.

Finally, Jake was driving through the sweltering San Diego streets towards the address his mom had texted him. She’d said their hotel was new, so "it had better be good". He was pleasantly surprised to see the hotel was a mere two blocks from The Hard Deck. It was new, the exterior a sun bleached white stucco with black accents. 

A blast of air conditioning greeted Jake as he entered, but it was nothing compared to the hug his mother pulled him into just seconds later. 

“Jake!” she exclaimed, her voice a mixture of excitement and relief. Jake responded only by holding her more tightly and humming into her hair. Her scent was familiar and comforting, nearly bringing tears to his eyes. Pulling away, Jake reached out to hug his father as well. What a lucky guy I am, Jake thought.

“Now, where are you taking your parents to eat?” Mama Seresin asked. Jake laughed. 

“Well, what sounds good? I’ll be honest, I haven’t been around town much.” 

“Let’s ask the front desk,” mama says, making towards the sleek marble counter. A tight-laced looking guy stands there; the kind Jake would have called a string bean if he weren’t trying to mind his manners in front of mama. 

“Excuse me, sir, could you give us some recommendations for somewhere to have dinner?” she asks sweetly. 

“There’s some brochures in the breakfast room,” he says curtly, immediately bringing a frown to Mrs. Seresin’s face. Jake opens his mouth to tell him where he can shove his brochures when a woman Jake hadn’t noticed in the shadows behind him makes herself known. 

“Allow me,” she says, practically hip-checking the other employee out of the way. “Are we wanting to try some of the local flavor?” 

I sure do, Jake thinks. The girl is pretty. Not in the typical San Diego girl way. She’s sun kissed but not overly tan, she’s got muscle and a body, not the skeletal figure of too many of the local girls who frequent The Hard Deck, trying to pick up a pilot. She must live here, or she wouldn’t work here, but Jake somehow doubts that she’s from here. There’s a twinge of an accent in her voice. 

“I think that sounds lovely, dear. Where do you recommend?” 

“There’s a cantina just down the road that serves the best tamales. There’s usually no wait and they don’t take reservations, otherwise I’d call ahead for you.” 

“Well, if there isn’t a little southern hospitality left outside of Texas. You have been most helpful, dear. What’s your name?” The woman sticks out a hand, gives her name, and introduces herself as the hotel manager. 

“You must be from a southern state,” Mama Seresin assumes. 

“Sort of, ma’am,” the woman replies awkwardly. “I’m from Missouri.” 

Mama Seresin’s smile shows a flash of confusion for a moment before perkily replying, “Well, close enough! Thank you so much, dear. Come on, gentlemen!” As the family retreats, it doesn’t escape the hotel manager’s notice the way Jake’s eyes stay on her as he walks away, giving a quick wink just before stepping through the front doors. 

____________

Jake’s time with his family flies by, and he doesn’t see the cute hotel manager again. Saying goodbye before they leave for their late evening flight is more painful than he would ever say aloud. 

He knows he probably shouldn’t, but he heads to The Hard Deck after dropping them at the airport for a beer or two. Finding an empty stool at the bar, he begins to nurse his pint, not feeling up to pool or darts or any of his usual exploits. None of his pilot buddies are there yet anyway, it’s too early for them. He may try to duck out before any of them arrive in order to have some more alone time before having to face everyone at training again tomorrow. 

A boisterous laugh echoes across the room, and Jake looks towards the sound reflexively. It’s her - the hotel manager. She’s no longer dressed in her professional blazer, but a casual tank top. Something Penny and/or some old regular just said must’ve made her laugh. There’s a cocktail glass in her hand, but no friends in sight. 

Better yet, no boyfriend Jake thinks, climbing off of the stool to approach her. 

“Hey, Missouri,” he says as he draws closer, leaning against the bar near her. 

“Hello!” she replies cheerfully as though she’s still at work. “How did my dinner recommendation turn out?” 

“Delicious, thank you. The tamales were quite good.”

“Well, good! Can’t wait to go try them myself,” she says, taking a sip of her drink. 

“Wait…” Jake starts. “You haven’t eaten there yet? Then how’d you recommend it?” 

“I have spent an ungodly amount of time scouring reviews of everywhere within a 10 mile radius. That place had some of the best, and everyone mentioned the tamales.”

“Are you saying…you lied to my mother?” Jake says, both shocked and amazed. The woman laughs into her drink and her cheeks flush pink, making Jake wonder how many drinks she’s had. 

“Well, I can’t try everywhere at once. I’m working through it, though. That’s why I’m here tonight. A bar within walking distance of the hotel? I’ll recommend it all day and night if it’s good, which…” she looks into her glass and then back at Jake. “It is.” 

“Is that part of a hotel manager’s job?” he asks. 

“It is if you want to be a good one,” she answers, eyebrows hiking up. 

“And are you? A good one?”

“I’d like to think so, or I at least want to be. This is my first time,” she admits. 

“As a hotel manager?” 

“During the day, anyway. I’ve been a night auditor in a few different places.”

“And how did a girl from Missouri end up all the way here in San Diego? That’s a long way from home,” Jake smirks and sips his beer. She smirks back to let him know that she’s onto his little game. 

“I have family here. You’re not from here either I’m guessing, given that your parents stayed in my hotel to see you. Where are you from, Captain Obvious?” 

“It’s Lieutenant.” 

This response causes her to nearly choke to death on the drink she was taking a sip of. Penny looks over to see what the fuss is. 

“He has that effect on people, sweetie!” Penny hollers. 

When she has stopped coughing and taken another sip to clear her throat, she speaks again. 

“Was that to be funny, or…?” 

“No, I’m really a Lieutenant, from Texas but stationed here at the moment. Lieutenant Jake Seresin, nice to meet you…again,” he says, offering her a hand. She shakes politely but doesn’t reintroduce herself. 

“Nice to meet you,” she says. 

Just then, a group of fellow pilots enters the crowded bar. Spotting Jake, one comes over and claps a hand enthusiastically to his shoulder. 

“Hangman! Come on, man, rack ‘em up with me!” the guy shouts. 

“Hangman?” she asks. 

“Call sign. Old Navy tradition,” he says to her. “I’m a little busy at the moment, guys,” he replies to his friends.

“It’s okay,” she says, climbing down from her stool and getting out a card to close her tab with Penny. “I should get going anyway, I have a ton of paperwork to get done.” 

Reluctantly, Jake pulls away from the bar. 

“I guess I’ll see you around, Missouri,” he calls to her. 

“Not a chance, Tex,” she replies, smiling and turning away.

—-

The next day, Jake is perusing cottage cheese options at the grocery store when someone bumps into him. Literally - her body collides with his, no doubt from lack of attention. The woman stands and immediately begins apologizing, but stops dead in her tracks when her eyes lock with his. 

“I am so sorry, I was not looking where I-“

“Hey, Missouri,” Jake says flirtatiously. She attempts to speak, but each word she starts gets lost somewhere between her brain and her mouth, so Jake fills in the blanks for her. “Funny running into you here.” His tone drips with arrogance, like he knows just how much his sudden reappearance has thrown her and he wants to revel in it. 

“Are you stalking me?” she asks, but there’s a lightheartedness to her tone.

“I could say the same for you,” he retorts. 

“Fair enough. I’m sorry for running into you, I guess I got carried away looking for yogurt.” 

"I'll chalk that up as the weirdest excuse someone has given for trying to get my attention," Jake says smoothly. 

"Ah-" she starts, clearly outraged but with a smile on her face. "I was not!" she finally says. 

"No, it's okay!" he says. "I'm irresistible, I know."

"Whatever makes you feel better," she quips back. 

"What would make me feel better is if you'd just, you know, give it up and let me take you out properly." 

A surprised smile stretches across her face as she crosses her arms. 

"Is that what you think I've been trying to do?" Her tone is still casual, playful. Jake simply maintains eye contact, even giving her that signature wrinkle of his nose to really drive home the point: he doesn't need to say anything more, because they both know the mutual desire is there.

"Ohhh..kay, I'm gonna get my yogurt now." Jake smiles and rolls his eyes as she does just that. When was she going to give up the "hard to get" act? Jake reaches back as well, selecting a container of cottage cheese. 

"Come on, sweetheart. Let me show you how we do it here in Fightertown, USA."

"Oh, now you've ticked me off in more ways than one," she says, tossing her selected yogurt into her cart and pulling it around to face the direction she intends on moving, but a laugh threatens to bubble out of her. 

"How so?" Jake asks, his brow knitted in confusion. 

"You called me 'sweetheart' and you eat cottage cheese." She begins pushing her cart away from the dairy section. Jake remains, dumbfounded. 

"What's wrong with cottage cheese?" he calls to her retreating figure. 

"It's disgusting!" 

_________________

That night, Jake lay on the couch and did something he had never really done before - he searched for her on Facebook. He knew her name, her home state, and her current city and occupation, but it still took a while to find her. The posts on her profile were frustratingly private, but it did answer the most basic questions he had about this mysterious girl. Was she in a relationship? Was that why she was always rejecting his advances? No, her profile said "Single". Was she gay? Also no, a deep dive of her "About Me" said she was interested in men. He figured she would have said something a lot sooner if either of those things had been true, but you never knew. 

Jake couldn't decide if this whole experience was new because women didn't generally reject him or because he didn't generally chase a woman this way. In fairness, she'd never technically said "no", she just deflected. Frustrated and confused, Jake ran both hands through his hair before turning on a show to calm his mixed-up feelings.

_________________

"I don't know mom, she just...isn't biting on anything," Jake tells his mom through FaceTime a few days later. Some people may assume the ever-confident, always-"on" Jake Seresin wouldn't discuss the minor details of his love life with his mother, but they'd be wrong. He always leaves out the more colorful details, of course. 

"Well, just go talk to her! You know where she works," Mama Seresin replies. 

"Mom. It's not 1958, I'll look like a stalker if I do that," he says.

"Whatever you say, dear. Oh! Did I tell you about..." Jake's mind swirls more as his mother updates him on more gossip and neighborhood news from home. Maybe it's time to move on, give up on this girl. She clearly doesn't want to be courted, so why waste the mental energy? But a part of him nags that she's worth whatever it takes to break down the walls she's put up between them. 

"Jake? Jacob Michael, are you listening to me?" Mama snaps. Ah, shit. Middle name.

"I'm sorry mom, I got distracted," he admits. 

"Well, if you're gonna be distracted, might as well be useful. I need you to run by that hotel your father and I stayed at." Jake's heart pounds. Where she works? Why?

"What for?"

"Your daddy thinks he left his glasses in the desk drawer. You know how he is with those damn things. Insurance won't cover a new pair for 6 months and with his lenses alone we're looking at over a hundred dollars, not to mention whatever the hell frames he wants, and-"

"I got it, mama. I'll run by there this afternoon."

_________________

Why the hell am I nervous? Jake wonders as he approaches the front desk of the hotel. So far, it didn't even look like she was there. If she was, she at least wasn't the one working the desk. He couldn't decide if he would be relieved or disappointed if he made it out of here without seeing her and getting another shot at convincing her. 

Just as it was his turn in line, the phone at the desk rang. The gentleman working the desk called her name, the one that occupied so much of his brain at the moment. The man answered the phone, turning his attention away from the line in front of him. Presumably from the back office, she appears and looks astonished to see him standing there. 

"Good afternoon, Lieutenant. What can I do for you?" she says, remaining professional but with a new look of intrigue on her face. Too late, Jake realizes this is the first time she's seen him in any kind of uniform, still in his service khakis from work that day. 

"Afternoon, ma'am," he says, tipping his head in her direction cordially. "My mother and father stayed here last week, in room 510, and they fear they may have left a pair of eyeglasses behind in the desk drawer."

"Let me go check the lost and found, I'll be right back," she answers, dazzling him with that smile of hers. She returns shortly, no glasses in hand. 

"I didn't find them, but there's no one in that room right now and no one has stayed there since your parents checked out. If you'd like, we can run up there and take a look?" she offers. 

"That would be great, thank you." 

"Want me to take him?" the front desk guy says, now finished with the phone call. Not taking her eyes off of Jake, she answers him. 

"No, I've got it. You finish helping the rest of these lovely people out."

The elevator ride to the room is quiet but not awkward. Jake can almost sense every modicum of professionalism in her body working to keep something inside, to hold her back in some way. Inside, they scour every drawer and cabinet and look under the beds for the missing glasses, to no avail. 

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant Seresin, doesn't look like they're here," she says regretfully. 

“That’s alright, Missouri. They’re probably in my dad’s pocket but at least now I can say I looked.”

“True,” she chuckles. 

“You know, I usually take a girl out for dinner before bringing her to the bedroom,” he teases. She scoffs. 

“Oh, my God. I walked right into that one, didn’t I?” 

“Literally,” Jake smirks. “Maybe we can rewind and do it right this time.” Jake steps closer to her, causing her breath to catch in her chest. 

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re very persistent?” 

“Not since last week,” he says, getting a chuckle out of both of them. 

“Lieutenant S-“

“Call me Jake,” he interrupts. 

“Jake,” she says slowly. “I’m sorry, I just-“ her eyes dart to her feet and she bites her lower lip before looking up at him. She squints up like he’s as bright as the sun. “I just moved here. I don’t do one night stands. I don’t have the capacity for a relationship right now.” She says each sentence like they're bullet points; a rehearsed rejection.

Jake swears he feels part of him begin to bruise, and not his ego this time. 

“I understand,” he says, still gazing at her…lovingly? He winks. “Let me know when you’ve got room for me, huh?” 

Looking all too much like a starry-eyed school girl, she replies, “I will.”

Back in the car, Jake tries to shake off his disappointment by calling his mom to update her on the glasses situation.  

“Jakey?” she answers. 

“Hey, mama. I just went by the hotel, they didn’t have dad’s glasses.” 

“What glasses? Your dad’s glasses are on his face?”

“You asked me to-“ Jake stops mid sentence as the realization dawns on him. 

“Mom!” he exclaims, hearing his mom’s raucous laughter in the background. 

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The next night, Jake’s friends drag him to The Hard Deck to try and cheer him up from whatever it is that’s bothering him, since he doesn’t seem keen on sharing with them. They encourage him to put his moves on some new lady. Despite his reservations, he figures it can’t hurt. He’s surprised by his own behavior when he scans the bar, not only looking for a potential lady but looking for her. If she’s here, he won’t be able to bring himself to talk to anyone else. She’s magnetic, that one. 

He doesn’t spot her, but does spot a nice looking gal hanging a little too close to the dart board to just be a fan of darts. Approaching her and putting on the charm is like muscle memory, but there’s a soreness in the muscle. He can feel how much he wishes he was putting all this charisma down for her, not the woman in front of him, pretty and nice as she may be. 

An hour and a few drinks later, Jake has Allie, as she introduced herself, on the dance floor. Spinning around, Jake wonders if it’s too early to try and get her out of here. Moreso, he isn’t sure he even wants to. The distraction has been nice, but bringing her back to his place doesn’t have the same impact it would have before meeting a certain hotel manager. 

On one of many spins, Jake loses all sense of balance. Not physically, but emotionally. All because he spots her across the bar, standing at a high top table and having a conversation with another guy. What the hell is she doing? What happened to “not having the capacity to date right now”? 

Jake is this close to marching up to her to ask her just that when Allie drags him to the bar for another drink. His eyes dart over to her every few seconds. At first, her interactions with the guy seem casual. Jake can tell from the way the guy shifts his body and looks between her eyes and her lips more frequently that he wants the conversation to be less casual. There’s no way she’ll reciprocate…right?  

_________________

She hadn’t noticed Jake and his date on the other side of the bar. She'd remained steadily focused on her job for the evening - entertaining her boss's son, who'd unexpectedly rolled into town that day. She, like Jake had, scoured the landscape of the bar upon her arrival, but didn’t manage to lay eyes on the aviator who seemed hell bent on flying around her mind all day and night. That is, until she hears his voice boom over the din of the room. Looking over, she watches as a girl drags him to the dance floor. Wait - had he or had he not just insinuated that when she was ready to date, he’d be there? She thought that meant he’d be waiting for her…this sure didn’t look like waiting. But...who was she kidding? A guy like him and a girl like her? She was lucky he’d even been so persistent. If she’d wanted him, she should have let him in when he tried the first several times. 

But oh, did she want him. So, so badly. She couldn’t admit that the fear of her previous relationship’s failure - the one that had sent her on this journey to get a job as far away from home as possible - was what was keeping her from entering into a relationship so soon. Ruminating on her regret stoked a fire in her chest - if he could move on so quickly, why couldn’t she? 

In a snap decision, she purposefully leaned closer and “turned it on” as her friends always told her to do: allowing her eyes to drift to parts of Liam other than his eyes, sipping her drink a little more sensually, but still holding back just a bit so she could defend herself if she were accused of being unprofessional. She couldn’t help but feel that Liam wasn’t exactly interested in remaining strictly professional. 

_________________

Across the bar, Jake was nearly turning red with frustration. Splitting his attention between Allie and the date over at the high top table, he couldn’t help but notice the changes in her body language. The way she leaned in, the way she damn near batted her eyelashes at this guy. What did he have that Jake didn’t? Jake resented the seed of self-doubt she’d planted in his chest. 

He continued to watch as she actually brushed her hand down his arm. 

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” Jake mutters under his breath.

“What’s that?” Allie asked. 

“Nothing, darling. Not a damn thing,” he replied, gritting his teeth a little as he looked back over at them. He began formulating a plan for intercepting their little tête-à-tête somehow when, lo and behold, someone unplugged the jukebox, sending a round of groans throughout the room. Jake had been around long enough to realize what was happening. Sure enough, moments later, someone started up a song on the piano. Looking up and over the crowd, Jake spotted - who else? - Bradley at the keys. Normally, Bradley’s piano peacocking would annoy him, but tonight, it was his chance. 

“Let’s get closer!” Allie begs, grabbing around Jake’s bicep.

“You go on, I gotta do something real fast,” he shouts in order to be heard over the cheers and initial notes of Rooster’s song. Allie smiles and rushes off to get closer to the piano.

Before his targets can do the same, Jake hustles to the opposite side of the bar. Unsure if it's the beer in his system or something else making him so bold, Jake walks right up behind her and touches a gentle hand to her elbow as he says her name. 

���Can I talk to you for a second?” Her forehead knits and unknits just as quickly before she turns to her date, excusing herself. Jake carefully guides her out to the deck, closing the door behind them to muffle the sounds of the music inside. It’s much calmer on the deck, the sun just about to set on the horizon. The sound of the ocean waves and the faint smell of salt soothes Jake's nerves just a bit. 

“What the hell is going on in there?” Jake asks, as calmly as possible despite his un-holy language. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she says modestly, crossing her arms and leaning against the railing, back to the sea.   

“Don’t give me that, Missouri. What happened to being too busy to date?”

“I’m not on a date, Jake. I’m entertaining a VIP guest of the hotel, and yes, that’s part of my job too.”

“Yeah, that looked a lot like a business meeting.” His tone is heavy with sarcasm. 

“Well, it’s not like you did much waiting around, either!” she retorts. Jake snickers, but has no response. If only she knew how truly remarkable it is to render him speechless. 

“What is this, Jake?” she asks. “Why do you care so much, anyway?” Something in her voice seems wounded, like someone who has been hurt before and fully expects to be hurt again. That phrase in and of itself digs into Jake sharply, like a knife. 

Jake's hands find his hips and he looks to the sky, practically begging God to send him the words he needs to convince her to give him a chance. There’s a figurative whisper in his ear - his mom’s voice, reminding him to be himself. But who is he, really? He didn’t want her the way he wanted the girls he usually found at The Hard Deck - in the bedroom sense only. He wanted her for so much more than that. With a heavy sigh, he looks at her once again. 

“I don’t want to pressure you into anything you don’t want. But I want…us. I think that we could be something amazing, and I don’t know if I can go my whole life without finding out if I’m right or not.” His voice cracks on the last sentence, a fact that makes her look stricken, as though she takes accountability for his sudden show of emotion.

Her cheeks are a violent shade of red. Exhaling, she allows her arms to uncross, palms moving to rest on her lower back. She, too, looks to the sky. For her, though, it’s not because she has no words - it’s because she has too many. She fears drowning him with her words, unsure if that would be preferable to the drought she’s already left him in. 

Jake slowly draws closer to her, but remains just barely within arm’s reach. He reaches out a hand to tuck a rogue strand of hair behind her ear. 

“What’s wrong?” he whispers. She lets out a shuddery breath.

“I’m scared,” she admits. 

“Of what?” She sniffles and drops her eyes to her feet. 

“That another person will be so cruel as to pretend to care about me more than they really do.” 

For a minute, the only sounds are the muffled music and cheers from the bar goers inside, the crashing of the waves, the calls of the seagulls swooping down for one last snack.

Jake looks into her face more intently than anyone ever has. He notices that her eyes are no longer on him, but beyond him, through the large windows of the bar. Turning to follow her gaze, he sees exactly what she does - the guy she'd been with inside and Allie, wrapped up in one another like they hadn't both been there with other people less than 5 minutes ago. Jake turns back around.

“I would say it’s their loss, but it’s not.” A look of befuddlement takes over her face, until Jake clarifies. “It’s not their loss because anyone who has done that to you is clearly too stupid to realize what they lost when they walked away from you. You’re too smart, too powerful, too beautiful for them to realize what they’re missing out on. I’m not going to make the same mistake…if you’ll let me prove it.” With each sentence, Jake has inched closer. Their faces are so close they’d be cross eyed if they were trying to make eye contact. That’s probably why, when they both look up, their lips brush one another. With a level of synchronization that can’t be taught, they both reach for the other, pulling each other close. Their lips crash together quietly but inside, there’s an explosion. All the tension and build up to this moment melts into the kiss, like two lovers reunited after years apart instead of practical strangers who met less than two weeks ago. 

The tension ebbs as they pull apart and lock eyes. Tentative smiles sneak into view, perhaps both a bit embarrassed, but neither regretful. Not one bit. 

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A Bad Night (bob floyd x reader)

Summary: Reader's night with friends takes a turn Warnings: Bad friends Requested: No Word Count: 647 A/N: Just a little drabble and someone new! *gif is not mine*

It was a typical California summer night. The heat was still in the 80’s despite the fact that darkness had fallen hours prior. Bob was in bed, flipping through his movie and show options on the bedroom TV. He’d promised he wouldn’t wait up, but he will. He always does. He’d changed into his plaid pajama pants and white shirt an hour ago, ready to find something to occupy him until you came home. He didn’t admit it when you left, but he was worried about you. You’d been practically bouncing off the walls with excitement all week about the plans you’d made with friends. Yet tonight, you’d been more subdued before kissing him goodbye and walking out the door.

The slight slam of the back door startles Bob, but he already knows it’s your footsteps making their way towards the bedroom. Something’s off, though. He can tell. He hears you kick off your shoes, your silhouette barely visible with only the glow of the TV lighting up the room. Bob just observes as you strip off your nice clothes and change into your typical sleepwear.

“You okay?” he asks, but there’s no reply. You simply continue your tasks in silence, save for the movie playing in the background. Finally, you crawl into bed next to him, wrapping your arms around him and burying your face in his chest. Bob’s heart swells before dropping from a great height when you release a sob into him. He holds you there tightly.

After a minute or so, you pull away and tell him the whole story. How both of your friends had actually cancelled on you; Jessica earlier today and Alice just as you had gotten to the bar. You’d left the bar to go to Target and get a few things for Jessica’s daughter, who was sick. When you arrived at Jessica’s, you were surprised to find Alice’s car in the driveway too. Expecting Alice to also be there dropping off a quick care package of Pedialyte and popsicles, you were left speechless when you found both women sitting on the couch, nursing glasses of wine and giggling. They attempted to make excuses, but it was clear. They’d excluded you. Not that they’d both cancelled on you maliciously; but Alice had clearly decided to come over and neither had even thought to invite you. It stung.

“Babe, that’s awful,” Bob says.

“I just don’t get it,” you say, sniffling and wiping more tears. “What is wrong with me?” Bob’s level of concern jumps up by at least 50%.

“Sweetheart, look at me.” Your teary gaze meets his. “There is nothing wrong with you,” he says firmly.

“Then why does this always happen? It’s always the same. I make a friend and we’re so close for a while…then suddenly they’re always too busy, always cancelling plans until we haven’t seen each other or talked in months. And when I ask what I did, why they’re shutting me out, what I can do to be better, they always say nothing. So something must be wrong with me, but no one will tell me what it is.” Bob shakes his head.

“They weren’t real friends, babe. Real friends wouldn’t do that to you. A-and maybe that means the only real friend you have is me. And I know that isn’t ideal for you; I know you want girlfriends you can spend time with because it’s not the same as doing things with me, and that’s okay. But I know one thing for sure. Those girls didn’t see in you what I see, because if they did, they’d be smart enough to realize they just lost the best girl they could have ever known.” You stare at Bob for what feels like a long time before wrapping him up in a tight hug, holding on until you both drift off to sleep.

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Infatuated (jake seresin x reader)

Summary: A chance meeting turns into an unforgettable first date

Warnings: Alcohol, minor language

Requested: by Anonymous

Word Count: 1.4k

A/N: Cowboy Jake has my heart, that is all

*gif is not mine*

Lieutenant Jake “Hangman” Seresin met the love of his life in the most unlikely place for someone like him. He’d grown up hearing that the library is where the magic happens, but he didn’t believe it until that day. 

His hometown’s new library was vastly different from the musty building of his youth. This place was all glass and metal and had so many rooms, the directory on the wall resembled that of a doctor’s office. He followed its directives to the second floor, to the office of whomever he needed to turn his passport paperwork into. From down the hall drifted the sounds of a piano. A sign pointing that direction read, “Music Practice Rooms”. Libraries really do have everything these days, Jake thought. 

The door to the passport office was ajar, the office behind it temporarily vacant. A sign taped to the door had the words “Be back in 5” scrawled across it. Needing to kill time, Jake wandered in the direction of the music, if you could call it that. What he heard wasn’t exactly a song, but rather an attempt at a song being plunked on the keys. At times it flowed nicely before abruptly ending after the playing of a wrong note. Other times notes were played slowly and deliberately as the musician in question built muscle memory. 

The door labeled “Music Practice Room 5” was cracked open, which is how the music was floating down the hall instead of being trapped within the soundproofed walls. Expecting to see a teenager or even a child, given the amateur nature of the music, Jake was pleasantly surprised when instead he laid eyes upon a woman appearing to be about his age. 

If you ask Jake now, he cannot tell you what it was about her that immediately enamored him. Before he’d even caught a glimpse of her face, he was intrigued. Unfortunately, there was no way in which getting her attention ended any way except badly. He’d be the creep watching a literal stranger play piano. They may have been in public, but they were set apart from the rest of the library enough that his sudden presence there would seem threatening. 

For that reason, Jake meandered back to the passport office to wait. It wasn’t long until the ivory keys fell silent and the girl, now weighed down by a backpack with books clutched in her arms, waltzed down the hall. Jake didn’t notice her until she had passed by him. He wanted to call out to her, to say something - anything - that would direct her attention at him for just a moment. Nothing came to mind, so he refrained; that is, until a paper fell from the books clutched in her arms, but she didn’t notice. 

“Ma’am?” he called. She turned, noticed the paper in his hand, and gave an exasperated look, seemingly directed at herself. 

“Oh, gosh, thank you so much!” Retrieving the paper, she gave Jake a sweet smile. He smiled and nodded at her in return, quickly racking his brain for something witty to say. Jake had never had this much trouble conjuring up something to say to a pretty girl. Something about this girl was different to him. 

“Can’t have ya losing the secret to life,” he quipped. She smirked and raised one eyebrow. 

“Well, I don’t know about that…” Jake held out a hand to her, introducing himself as just “Jake”. She shakes his hand, telling him her name as well. 

“Are you from here?” he asks. 

“Sort of. I lived here as a kid, but I just moved back. What about you?”

“Sort of,” he teases, copying the tone she’d used and slight head tilt she’d done, which made her giggle. “I grew up here but I’ve been away for a while.” 

“Are you glad to be back?” she asks. Jake thinks of how his new apartment feels so lonely compared to base housing, of how none of his friends from high school are still around, and of how superfluous his whole presence feels here. What’s the point of being here when there isn’t a plane to fly, a mission to prepare for, or training to complete? 

“In some ways,” he replies. Life back home isn’t all bad, but it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, either.

“I get that,” she says. “I’m really not sure why I came back, I just…” she trails off, looking as though she knows how she wants to finish her sentence, but chooses not to. The moment is abruptly ended as a short, harried looking man hurries into the passport office. 

“I am so sorry, folks. There was a line down at the copier, and then it ran out of toner…” the man continues to prattle on about the trials and tribulations of his momentary venture from his office, but it’s clear that neither of the two just outside the door are paying him much attention. 

“You know, I’m not really sure why I’m back here either. Maybe we should grab a drink sometime and see if we can’t figure it out together,” Jake says as casually as possible. The girl’s cheeks flush with pleasure, 

“I’d like that,” she nods. 

__________________

“Damn it!” Jake shouts, smacking the steering wheel.

He’d screwed up. Extraordinarily. Monumentally. He’d made plans to meet up with the girl from the library at a local bar at 7 PM. What’s the saying? “We plan, God laughs?” Well God must be having a damn comedy special wherever He may be while He screws Jake over at every turn. 

As soon as he got back from the library, his mama called and asked him to haul some potting soil from her car to her garden, which turned into him spreading and tilling said soil as the afternoon sun bore down on the back of his neck. Finally, he got a chance to go home, shower, and change clothes. As he drove down his street, he saw a group of kids struggling to get their frisbee out of a tree. How can you not stop and help a group of kids who are actually outside playing instead of whatever it is kids do on screens these days? 

Then, it was the traffic. Traffic like this little Texas town had never seen, if you ask Jake. First, construction near his apartment complex. Then, a wreck on the state highway. Now? A damn cow in the road. Jake watches in annoyance as the farmer with the bastard bovine tries to persuade the animal to finish crossing the roadway. 

By the time the obstacle is cleared, Jake is over an hour late. She’s gonna be so pissed, he thinks. Who wouldn’t be?

Climbing out of his truck, Jake throws on his hand-me-down Stetson hat. When in Rome, and all that. When he finally pulls open the door to the bar, nothing could prepare him for what he saw next. 

He spotted her immediately. She’d traded her athleisure from the library for a sundress and cowboy boots. My, was she pretty, Jake thought. Instead of being seated at the bar, grudgingly wondering where the hell he is, she’s on the dance floor. She spins around and Jake watches in awe. She’s found some other girls to dance with, and they all laugh in a carefree way that brings a smile to Jake’s face. 

Arms swinging to the beat of the song, she spots him from across the room. When he expects her face to scowl, to unleash bitterness and resentment for his tardiness, it does the opposite. Her smile widens, her eyebrows raise, and she practically skips in his direction. When she gets close enough, she reaches up and grabs the hat from his head, depositing it on her own. 

“Excuse me, cowboy,” she says, wiggling a finger at him. “I got something to tell you.” Jake leans in and can smell the alcohol on her. Her happiness is certainly being influenced by someone with a “J” name - not Jake, but Jameson or Jack. 

“What would that be, darling?” he asks, soaking in her elation. She rises onto her toes, trying to whisper in his ear, but her intoxication prevents her from being too quiet.

“You look like you love me,” she drawls in an accent that hadn’t been present at the library. 

Jake blushes. The look she gives him says so much while remaining silent, for a moment anyway. 

“You’re late to the party. I’m already drunk and ready to go.” She continues to give him that look, telling him exactly where she wants him to take her. 

He knows he can’t take her home - not like this, not yet. Emboldened by her proclamation, Jake wraps his arms around her waist, keeping them a gentlemanly distance from anything improper. 

“Why don’t we take a walk outside, see if we can’t sober you up a bit and then see about getting out of here?”

“Whatever you say, cowboy.” 

[untitled-document-95]

Music to My Ears (jake seresin x reader)

Summary: Jake accidentally lingers at The Hard Deck, finally seeing a side of you no one knows about.

Warnings: memories of shitty boyfriends ig?

Requested: Nope

A/N: Based on the song "If You Have To" by Ella Langley

*gif is not mine*

On the night that changed everything, things started out as normal as could be. The Hard Deck filled with Top Gun students and graduates and even a few instructors, the crowd peaking around 9 PM before slowly fading out the closer it drew to midnight. Last call came, a few more drinks were poured. Penny wiped down the bar while her junior bartender cleaned tables and stacked stools. Only a few stragglers had yet to drag their happy asses out of the bar and back to base. Unsurprisingly, one was Lieutenant Jake Seresin, who’d gotten himself engrossed in a billiards battle with a few other pilots. 

Finally, the game ended. Penny bid the boys goodnight before calling to her helper. 

“Hey, you still want to lock up on your own tonight?”

“Yeah, I got it handled. Have a good night, Penny.” She smiles sweetly and nods at her boss, hoping she doesn’t see that there’s an ulterior motive for wanting to lock up on her own. Penny waves and heads out the door.

Unbeknownst to the young lady, she is still not alone. Neither she nor Penny saw Lieutenant Seresin head into the bathroom instead of heading out the door with his buddies. Her closing duties complete aside from turning off lights and locking the doors, she sits down at the piano. Warming up a bit, she doesn’t hear the lieutenant exit the bathroom and stop in his tracks when he hears the piano and finds her sitting there, no audience in sight. 

Finally, her fingers begin to dance across the keys and play a song. She plays the same melody on repeat for a bit. Jake wonders if he should do something - sneak out, clear this throat, do something to get her attention? He worries that any of the above will startle her. It’s been over a year and Jake has never once told her anything close to the truth about how he feels about her. He loves the way she interacts with customers, friendly and kind to those who are nice to her but can absolutely destroy a rude customer with her words. He noticed how she was scared to ring the bell at first, but now will walk in that direction until she gets an apology from whoever thought they could mess with her. So unbelievably smart for someone so beautiful, though Jake knows to say that out loud would make him sound like an asshole. 

It’s not as though Jake hasn’t tried to talk to her, though. Problem was, when he tried that very first time he ever saw her tending bar, she mentioned a boyfriend. Jake had even seen him once or twice, picking her up or just hanging out at the bar to talk to her. Wrapping an arm around her waist, dipping her into a deep kiss. In his presence, her face lit up with joy. It was clear to any outsider that she loved him, and they were best friends. So Jake kept his distance, but he always wondered if that guy truly reciprocated her feelings. His face never seemed as bright, never as deeply consumed during their interactions the way she was.

Jake is enamored with her playing, and it only gets better when she begins to sing. 

You know I never lied

Went home with someone else 

So why you acting like I put you through some kind of hell?

The first verse pulls Jake under, as though he begins drowning in the same sea of emotion. Was this about that guy? The one Jake had always seen before? Come to think of it, there’d been several nights Jake had come to the bar to find her absent. Ever since, Jake couldn’t recall another night with that guy at the bar or there waiting for her at the end of the night. 

Hate me if you have to

If it helps you sleep at night

Paint me in whatever light

Baby that you want to

Finally, the song fades to an end and the last chords ring out across the empty room. It becomes painfully obvious that Jake must now make his presence known in some way that makes it evident he wasn’t trying to hide from her on purpose. Turning around to find him standing there silently would give stalker vibes. 

“Wow,” is all Jake can muster. She whirls around on the piano bench to lock eyes with the green-eyed pilot, chest heaving with the efforts of the song and now adrenaline coursing through her. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” she accuses. 

“I…I’m sorry,” Jake says, holding up both hands in surrender. “I was in the bathroom and when I came out…well, it’s rude to interrupt a performance.” He’s fairly certain he hears her mutter an expletive under her breath as her hands find her head, rubbing her temples and seemingly trying to wipe humiliation from her features. 

“You heard all of that, huh?” she asks. Jake approaches, hands in pockets, nodding. From the piano bench, she looks up at him, lips pursed. 

“That was…some song,” Jake says, his tone laced with all the things he wants her to know but can’t say. That he understands the meaning of the lyrics, that he’s sorry anyone would ever do anything to make her feel that way. “That why you wanted to lock up alone?” 

“It’s the only time I can ever have a piano to myself.” She seems both sad and frustrated by this.

“You are incredibly talented.”

“Thanks.” She speaks quietly and slowly, as though she’s embarrassed of her own skills. “I’ve been working on that for months. That was probably the best I’ve ever done.”

The pair are silent for a few moments, unsure of where to go from here. Finally, Jake remembers his manners. He sticks out a hand to formally introduce himself, and she returns the gesture, also giving her name. The pair stare at one another for several moments, neither one wanting to break the anticipatory silence. 

“Why are you staring at me?” she finally asks. 

“I’m wishing,” Jake whispers, serious as can be.

“For what?” 

“That I knew what to say or do right now to make sure you don’t ever feel that way again.” There’s no arrogance or inflated sense of self behind his words. They are not empty, a mere catalyst for getting her home. They are real and raw and it surprises even Jake that he let them slip. She raises an eyebrow, looks to her lap, then lets out a quiet, joyless chuckle. 

“Well when you figure it out, let me know, will you?” she says, sounding defeated like she knows he never will because she doesn’t know the answer herself. She closes the lid to the piano, standing and sliding the bench in. She crosses to the bar, double-checking her last minute tasks and grabbing her car keys, all the while leaving Jake to the left of the piano, dumbstruck or perhaps awestruck but most certainly struck with her. When she reaches the door, she gives him a look as if to say, “I can’t leave until you do, so get a move on.” Jake slowly approaches, mind still spinning.

“Would you be open to getting coffee with me in the morning?” he asks cautiously.

“Define ‘morning’” she asks, which throws Jake for a loop, leaving him unable to answer her simple yet mind-boggling question. She locks the door behind them, and they meander to their respective vehicles. 

“Um,” he begins. Her mouth forms a smirk. If he didn’t know any better, Jake would say she was enjoying the amount of control she obviously held here. 

“There’s a reason I work in a bar, Lieutenant. You won’t find me outside of my bed before 9 AM if I have any say in the matter.” 

“9:30 AM it is,” he retorts. She smiles.

“See you then. Goodnight, Jake,” she says.

“Goodnight.” 

[untitled-document-95]

cowboy, baby (dodge mason x reader)

Summary: Dodge has a record-setting night at the rodeo; he has no idea you're about to make it even better

Warnings: alcohol | pregnancy

Requested: only by my own brain

A/N: ok I guess I'm actually on a Mike Faist kick...also prepare for ALL the rodeo themed fics in August when my local rodeo happens 🤠

*gif is not mine*

______________________________________________________________

Tonight was a big night. The sun was beginning to dip low on the horizon, casting out an array of colors. Not that every rodeo wasn’t important to Dodge and by extension, you. Tonight was an even bigger one than normal, with competitors from across the state that Dodge was determined to prove himself against. His event wouldn’t be for another hour, so he was waiting nervously on the ground, trying to lend a helping hand wherever he could.

Dodge looked up and saw you leaning against the railing in the VIP section above the chutes. The various hues of the sky gave the illusion of you being the subject of a watercolor painting. Your white shirt had a blue floral design, and he couldn’t help but admire the way your white shorts clung to your curves. You finally looked over and caught his eye, giving him a shy, sweet wave. He noticed you’d been more subdued the past few days, but he knew he had been too, just nervous and excited about tonight’s rodeo. 

You blew him a kiss as one of the girls nearby signaled to you, extending an invitation to walk to the bar with them. Tromping through the gravel, the other wives and girlfriends of the rodeo contestants for the evening joked and teased one another playfully. You walked off to the side of the group, a social position you were all too familiar with. You were there, sure, but ten years from now when the stories of these nights are repeated and reminisced on, it’s unlikely anyone will remember your presence. 

Your brain was too full to join in on the conversation at the moment anyway. Anxiously, you twisted your ring. You’d never been one for jewelry, but when the most handsome cowboy in the world presents you with a gold band adorned with a small but brilliant diamond in the center, what more is there to say? As of right now, there were no plans. No white dress in the closet, no church booked, no cakes tasted. Just a simple request: that you love him forever. You didn’t need a ring or anything else in order to do that. You’d known you were going to do that anyway from the very start.  

At the beer stand, one of the more boisterous girls calls out to each person to ask for their preference. When she reaches you, you hold up your bottle of water and smile as a way of saying, “Thanks, but I’m good.” Not that you didn’t want a beer. Boy, did you. Anything to calm your nerves. The neon green wristband you wore was verification to any of the stand workers that you’d been verified as being of legal drinking age, so that wasn’t an issue. You were the only one in the world who was privy to the knowledge that was sitting so heavily on your mind and heart.

You were pregnant. 

---

One Week Prior

You’d never been…regular, you know? “Nothing to worry about,” you’d always been told. “Might have a little trouble conceiving someday, but we’ll cross that bridge when you’re ready,” your doctor had said. Dodge knew this, which was why neither of you’d had a problem forgoing protection now and again. 

It also wasn’t uncommon for you to be nauseous. Hot girls have tummy issues, right? That’s why you didn’t think anything of it when you’d spent two days in a row with barely an appetite, feeling off. Until you’d been at work a few days ago and swore you could smell the fish a co-worker was reheating in the break room from a mile away.

“Oh, I remember when I was pregnant with my youngest, I could smell every little thing for a couple months. Made life miserable!” a different co-worker laughed. An innocent joke, but it got you thinking. That afternoon, you stopped by the drug store on your way home. Desperate, you tore the box open as soon as you got home. To your dismay, the directions specifically stated that test results would be most accurate if taken first thing in the morning. You buried the box in your bag, away from Dodge’s eyes. That night, thoughts raced through your mind at a pace that made it impossible to do or think about much else. 

What should have been the easiest thing was by far the most difficult emotion to decipher. If the test came back positive, would you be happy? Would Dodge? And if it came back negative, would you be sad? Was it possible for both mindsets to coexist? 

Though it caused you great discomfort, you skipped your morning bathroom visit and held it until you arrived at work. Locked safely away from the world, you followed the test directions, setting a timer for the requisite three-minute waiting period. Face buried in your hands, heart pounding, you wait. 

Your phone begins vibrating in your lap. You lift your head to read your results. After a moment of contemplation, you carefully place the test back in its wrapper, then back inside its box. Tucking it in your bag once more, you exit the bathroom. Such a simple act, yet it felt too much like leaving behind one life and entering a whole new one. 

One thing that had been certain, even before you’d taken the test, was that you couldn’t tell Dodge yet. He had been so nervous and worked so hard for this particular rodeo. You’d never forgive yourself if you distracted him with such life-altering news. This decision was affirmed when Dodge met his goal and then some under the starry Texas sky. It may not be the life of most people’s dreams: dirt and sweat, animal odor faintly in the air. Some people only have to hear the word “rodeo” and wrinkle their noses. But to you, there was nowhere else in the world you’d rather be. 

After the night’s events were over and his tasks complete, Dodge found you just behind the bleachers. You extended your arms, thrilled about his victory. His huge grin lit up his face, a far cry from his usual half-smirk. He wrapped his arms around your waist, spinning you around with so much joy. As soon as he’d set your feet safely on the ground, he kissed you. This, too, was something else you’d never trade for all the mansions and luxuries in the world. 

“C’mon, angel. Let’s go celebrate,” he rasped in your ear. 

—

The name of the game became attempted casualness. You listened as he recapped the night from his point of view the entire time you had your late dinner, and even the whole ride home. Now that you were past the only restriction you’d given yourself, it was clear the logical next step was to tell him. But how? You hadn’t thought that far ahead. At home, he’d pecked your cheek and headed off to take a shower. You changed clothes and laid down, exhausted just from the mental load of the past 6 hours. Twenty minutes later, Dodge climbed into bed next to you with damp hair and red skin from the hot water. He wrapped his arms around you from behind, burying his face in your neck.

“Mm. Thank you for being there tonight. Makes me a lot braver when I see your beautiful face in the stands,” he mumbles into you. You turn to face him, placing a hand on his cheek.

“I’ll always be there for you, Andrew Mason.” Your use of his legal name makes him blush and release a sigh of contentment.

“I cannot wait to marry you,” he says. Your heart leaps. 

“You know…” you begin. “We haven’t talked much about…the other stuff that comes with marriage.” He continues smiling, but gives you a puzzled look. 

“Other stuff?” he asks.

“You know, kids, pets, stuff like that,” you respond. 

“Ah, kids!” He says in a spirited tone. Oh, this lovely, funny side of Dodge that only you are ever given the privilege of seeing. “What are you thinking? Just a basketball team’s worth or go all the way for a baseball team?” You laugh in spite of yourself. 

“Seriously!? We are not having 5 kids, much less 9!” you shriek. 

“What?” Dodge says with false incredulity. “Says who?” he jokes. 

“Says the person whose body has to carry and birth these children!”

“To which I again say, says who? We could always adopt a few!” You both chuckle at his lame and unintended rhyme. You both laugh for a moment more, but you allow the laughter to die down into calmer breathing before speaking again. 

“I mean,” you broach carefully. “I’d like to have at least one of our own. A little…you and me all wrapped into one.” The whispered words almost choke you up, only because you are too aware of how close of a reality it is. Dodge looks at you lovingly. 

“I can’t wait, angel.” 

Despite every part of your brain screaming at you, you find the words you need to say. 

“What if you didn’t have to?” you whisper. Dodge’s face slowly changes from lovestruck idiot to dumbfounded.

“What do you mean?” he asks carefully. You stare. He says your name in a scared, questioning tone. 

“I’m pregnant,” you say, voice barely audible. You give him a small smile, despite the fear of his reaction. Dodge sits up, gently pulling his arms away, but never taking his eyes off of you. 

“Are you serious?” he asks. Propping yourself up on one elbow, you assure him that yes, you are pregnant. He continues to stare. You’re beginning to feel shame, fear, and other awful feelings until finally, his lips crash into yours once more. When he pulls away, one hand cups your cheek, thumb rubbing back and forth mindlessly. His face remains close to yours, tears threatening to spill from his eyes, which causes you to tear up as well.

“You’re not mad?” you ask. 

“Mad? I have never been happier in my entire life,” he gushes. “I didn’t think tonight could get any better. But…” he trails off so he can lean back a little and find your lower abdomen with his hand. Rubbing it gently and affectionately, he continues. “We’re having a baby, angel.”

“Yeah,” you nod, tears spilling down your smiling cheeks. “Yeah, we are."

[untitled-document-95]

✨my masterlist✨

🩵 Support my work 🩵

🎭 Broadway

Finding a Family (platonic!newsies x reader)

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 People

More Than Just a Job (mike faist x reader)

Surprise, Surprise (mike faist x reader)

Don't Tell Me What To Do (tom holland x reader)

📚 Books, Movies, & Television

Panic (Amazon Prime)

cowboy, baby (dodge mason x reader)

Defending Jacob (Apple TV+)

In The Stars (andy barber x daughter!reader)

A Challenge For Us All (andy barber/barberfam x daughter!reader)

Marvel

When Worlds Collide (peter parker x reader)

Top Gun: Maverick

Music to My Ears (jake seresin x reader)

Back and Forth (jake seresin x reader)

Infatuated (jake seresin x reader)

Enamored (jake seresin x reader)

A Bad Night (bob floyd x reader)

Just Kids (bradley bradshaw x reader)

Please Send Requests For: - Top Gun: Maverick characters/actors - Other characters/people featured alongside or associated with the above subjects - Almost anything, really!

[untitled-document-95]

Don’t Tell Me What To Do (t.holland x reader)

Summary: Reader tries to surprise Tom and doesn’t get the reaction she was looking for. 

Warnings: angst, overprotectiveness

Requested: @ebureon “Tom Holland angst to fluff pls”

A/N: This is my first time *ever* posting my own work on Tumblr so go easy on me. If I missed a warning please let me know respectfully and enjoy!!

It wasn't often y/n got to surprise her fiancé, Tom. He was so good at it himself, he usually beat her to it. So when she awoke at an ungodly hour of the morning and couldn’t fall back asleep, she decided to put herself to use. Creeping out of her and Tom’s shared bed, she slipped on some shoes, grabbed her bag, and headed down to the lobby of their apartment. The lobby had a pretty nice little coffee shop, but they didn’t sell pastries and y/n was dying for a Starbucks scone. The walk there was fairly calm, with the morning sun just barely peeking over the skyline. It occurred to y/n that it might be a tad *too* dark to be out and about alone, but that just made her lift her shoulders, walk tall, and grasp her pepper spray a little tighter. Keeping her wits about her, the walk to and then from Starbucks was uneventful. By now, the sun was fully out, shining and ready to welcome a new day. 

In the apartment, y/n let the door shut a bit louder than she would have if she was not trying to rouse Tom from his sleep. Sure enough, he was rubbing his eyes when she walked into their bedroom. 

“Gooood morning, star shine, the earth says ‘hello!’” you said, giggling. Tom chuckled sleepily. 

“Good morning, love, how are y-” Tom stops short when he notices the two Starbucks cups and pastry bag in your hands. “Where have you been?” he asks, almost accusingly. You choose to ignore the change in tone. 

“Um, isn’t it obvious? I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d surprise you!” You smile widely at Tom. 

“Did you walk or Uber?” He asks, still not seeming happy about the unexpected surprise. 

“I walked? Why the twenty questions babe?” 

“Y/n! Why would you walk all the way to Starbucks this early by yourself!?” Tom exclaims. You try to stay calm, but your defensive side kicks in. 

“Why does it matter? I’m a big girl, Tom, I can do what I want.” 

“No, you can’t.” Tom says matter-of-factly. His words feel like a stab to the stomach. 

“Excuse me?” you say, standing up from the bed and placing the cups and pastry bag on the nightstand. Tom wavers. 

“I-i’m sorry, just...don’t do that again without me.”

“No, I’m sorry because I’m not sure what gave you the impression that you get to tell me what to do!” you say, your voice rising and wobbling with impending tears. You can’t decide which you hate more - being told what you can and can’t do, or fighting with the love of your life. 

“You’re a woman in a big city alone - tell me how that isn’t dangerous!” Tom shouts back. He’s standing across the bed from you now. 

“So? That’s my call to make, not yours!” 

“It is my call if you’re going to be my wife!”

“I’m not going to be your wife if that’s how you’re going to treat me!” 

The room echoes with the weight of your words. Tom’s face sinks as he absorbs the meaning of your exclamation. 

“Do you mean that?” he asks, his voice drained of all anger. 

“No,” you reply, your voice hoarse with incoming tears. “I just,” you say, looking at the ceiling to hold the tears in. “I just don’t want to be made to feel that I can’t make my own decisions, take my own risks, you know? I want to marry you, Tom. But I don’t want to be...owned by you.” 

“Oh, babe,” Tom says, tiredly rubbing his face with his hands. He walks around to your side of the bed and pulls you into his embrace. You resist slightly at first, but melt into the hug as soon as you breathe in his familiar scent. 

“I’m sorry, love. I just can’t imagine losing you,” he mumbles into your neck. You take a deep breath. 

“I know, babe. I know.” He pulls away and lightly kisses you, first on the lips, then a lingering kiss to your forehead. His thumbs lazily rub your cheeks. He pulls away and looks you in the eyes. 

“I overreacted. Clearly you’re here and safe and I had nothing to worry about. You were just trying to do something nice and I was a complete jerk about it.”

“Laying it on a bit thick, are we?” you ask, imitating his accent just to make him laugh, at which you succeed. He smirks. 

“Anything to show you that everything I do, it’s because I love you so much y/n.” 

[untitled-document-95]

Surprise, Surprise (m. faist x reader)

Summary: When reader gets an unexpected day off of work, she takes the opportunity to visit her boyfriend, Mike, and watch him perform

Warnings: slight jealousy

Requested: by @imwaytootires​ thank you love this was so fun to write!

A/N: If you’re some expert on the filming of West Side Story, don’t come for me if I messed something up. I’m working with what IMDb gave me, okay?

*gif is not mine* 

Y/n bounced her leg against the seat in front of her. Thankfully, she'd sat on the passenger side in the backseat of the Uber, so she wouldn't be bothering the driver. When she got to work that morning to find that a burst pipe had forced the closure of every business in the building, an idea'd sprung up. Things had been crazy ever since Mike, her boyfriend, had begun principal photography for his role in West Side Story. It was going to be a long summer without him there as much, but he was so excited to be playing Riff and to have this opportunity that she couldn't begrudge him one bit. 

Today would be her first opportunity to see Mike in action since his last stage role the previous year. She missed watching him perform live and couldn't wait to see the final product of the film (okay, and an invite to a real Hollywood premiere was a plus, too!). She had no regrets about immediately ordering an Uber to take her from her job in Midtown over to Brooklyn. It was shaping up to be a perfect day - maybe they'd finish filming early enough or Mike would get a break and they could go grab a hot dog or some pizza, y/n's NYC guilty pleasures.

Finally, the Uber pulled up to the security gate at the backlot of Steiner. The security guard saw the Uber sticker in the window of the car and walked around to Y/n's window, where she presented her ID for the security guard to check against a list. For a second, her heart pounded, though she had no reason to believe that Mike hadn't put her on his list of approved visitors or that visitors wouldn't be allowed today. Finally, the guard came back with her ID and a badge, told the Uber driver where to drop you off at, and went to lift the gate. Once inside, it didn't take long to find the correct set, but y/n walked slowly. So many other Hollywood hits had been filmed here, like The Post, The Greatest Showman, Tick, Tick, Boom, and The Wolf of Wall Street. It wasn't hard to be a little in awe of everything around her. Finally, she came upon the stage where Mike was bound to be. So many people rushed around and about that no one really paid her much attention at first, until finally a production assistant stepped in front of her. 

"Hey! Can I help you?" "Oh, I'm y/n," she answered nervously. "I'm Mike's girlfriend, I was hoping to watch him for a little bit today." "Oh! He's still in his trailer, do you want me to take you to him?" "No, actually, could I just hang out and maybe surprise him at lunch? He gets nervous if he knows I'm watching." The PA laughed and found y/n a spot to sit and watch where she could still see, but where Mike most likely wouldn't notice unless he was trying to find her. Finally, the actors and actresses and extras needed for the morning's scene are brought out to get started. It's a long morning consisting mostly of dancing over and over. Mike never once notices his girlfriend among the crowd of directors, producers, sound engineers, and the many, many other crew members hanging out behind the cameras. Y/n's heart twinges a little bit when Mike grabs Paloma, the actress who plays Riff's girl in the film, by the waist, pulling her in while biting his lower lip and looking at her with such adoration and love. Taking a deep breath, y/n reminds herself that he's just a good actor. The cameras are rolling. It's literally his job and doesn't mean anything. The two of them giggle about something and y/n can't tell if it's part of the act or if they really have an inside joke. Y/n shakes her head to throw the unnecessary and jealous thoughts from her mind. 

When they break for lunch, the sweet PA who helped y/n earlier grabs Mike and points y/n out in the crowd. As soon as he lays eyes on her, his eyes light up. He jogs over, turning his shoulders to squeeze between the crowd of crew members heading to craft services. "Hey, darling!" he says, grabbing his girl by the waist and pulling her in for a quick, chaste kiss. "Hi," she replies quietly, realizing something. "You know you did this exact same move on Paloma not an hour ago?" she smirks. "Of course I did, how else do you think I make myself look so in love with her?" y/n looks up in confusion. "I think of you. Thank you for surprising me today." "You're welcome," y/n replies, leaning in for a slower, more romantic kiss. "C'mon, let's get some food and you can tell me all about how you're here instead of at work," Mike says, taking y/n by the hand and leading her in the direction the rest of the crowd had gone minutes earlier, hearts full and smiles wide with the joy of simply being together.

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When Worlds Collide (p. parker x reader)

Summary: Y/n Stark is thrilled when her boyfriend, Peter, is welcomed into the ranks of the Avengers. 

Warnings: it’s so fluffy you might die, also probs gonna be a long one folks

Requested: by @xtom-darling-x17​, thank you!

A/N: Y/n/n = your nickname or insert a pet name (honey, sweetie, etc.) that you like

“You need to go, y/n/n,” Peter mumbles into your hair. You squeeze your arms around him tighter, not wanting to let go. It’s a rainy Manhattan night and a cool breeze is blowing in Peter’s bedroom window. You’re both drowsy, having laid down to watch a movie hours ago, only to fall asleep in his arms before the title credits were even done.  “Noooo....” you moan into his chest. You know he’s right, your dad will kill you if you’re late for curfew, and you still have to trek upstate to the new facility.  “Yeesss,” Peter groans back, just as sad as you are that your time together has come to an end. 

It’s not that either of you really decided to keep your relationship a secret. In fact, your relationship wasn’t a secret amongst your friends, his friends, or even Aunt May. Really, it was only your own father and the rest of the Avengers who didn’t know that you were dating the famous Spiderman. You loved laughing at the goofy videos people took of him in his homemade costume and hearing his stories about the small crimes he’d thwarted or innocent citizens he’d saved. In fact, it was how you’d met. He was chasing after yet another purse thief when he ran into you, knocking his own phone out of his pocket. You’d picked it up and taken it to the little bagel shop you liked to study at. Before long, he’d tracked you down using the Find My Phone feature on May’s phone. He’d approached you as Peter, not Spiderman, but you knew. He couldn’t hide it, and he didn’t even try. There was something about you, he’d said, that made him trust you immediately. 

You hadn’t tried to hide your personal life from him either. As soon as he asked, you admitted you were a Stark and that yes, your dad was the Tony Stark. There was something refreshing for you both in knowing someone’s secret and not using it against them or seeing them differently. It was an experience he feared and yet you were all too familiar with. 

Now, telling your dad you have a boyfriend...that was a different story. He was always so stressed, especially with his presentation at MIT and then the whole Sokovia Accords thing that started a few days ago. You knew now was not the time to tell him that you’d been dating for approximately three months already. You’d never found the right time, and now certainly wasn’t it. You’d get to it...eventually.

You caught yourself daydreaming about yours and Peter’s short but happy relationship as you made your way back to his apartment the next day after school. His school got out a little earlier than yours did, so he always beat you to his place. As far as your dad knew, you were hanging out and studying with friends, which wasn’t totally a lie. 

You were in for a bit of a shock, however, when you made it up to Peter and May’s apartment only to have your knock cut short as May wrenched the door open, snuck into the hallway, and closed the door ever so gently behind her. 

“I would go home if I were you,” May whispers.  “What? Why?” you ask, your heart racing and stomach dropping.  “Your dad’s here!” May whisper-yelled. “He’s here to recruit Peter into the Avengers!”  “What? How did he even know Peter’s true identity?”  “He just said he ‘knows people’.” May replies. You roll your eyes at your father’s arrogance. Inside the apartment, you hear Peter’s bedroom door open and your father’s booming voice. “Go!” May insists, knowing that you haven’t told him yet and don’t want him to find out like this. You turn and race away from the apartment. When you reach the bottom floor, you turn and exit out the same back alleyway you came in, knowing full well how lucky you’d been not to run into Happy on your way in and not wanting to risk it on the way out. As soon as you figured you were far enough away, you slowed to a walk and began making your way to the train station to head home.

The next day, your dad called everyone to the meeting area. He didn’t ask you to come but you did anyway. Once everyone was situated, he began speaking.

“In light of recent events…” he starts, trailing off and trying not to look at the poignantly empty seats. “I’ve decided to bring in a new team member. He’s…on probation, if you will, but I thought he might be helpful. Happy, bring in the arachnid.”

Your stomach tenses as Happy opens a door and waves in none other than your sorta-secret boyfriend, Peter Parker. His face lights up at the sight of you at first, unable to contain himself, but quickly wipes the look and averts his eyes to avoid inciting suspicion.

“This is Peter, AKA the Spider-Man. He’ll be joining us as an intern if you will. Thought he could hang around a bit today, so play nice. You can go about your days now,” your dad announces in his too-serious voice. He puts a hand on Peter’s back and ushers him over to you.

“Peter, this is my amazing daughter y/n. Don’t even think about it.” You both giggle nervously, praying Tony doesn’t catch on.

“Um, maybe I could give you the tour?” You offer, putting on your “aren’t-I-such-a-great-daughter” face.

“That would be nice,” Peter smiles and nods, then looks to Tony, who simply replies, “Don’t forget, FRIDAY is watching.” You both nod and turn to begin the tour. Once out of everyone’s earshot, you both burst into suppressed giggles. Your giggles are quickly stifled as Peter risks pressing his lips to yours. You grab both sides of his face, just relishing the moment and praying you won’t be caught.

When your dad and Peter finally return from Germany, you’re bracing yourself for the worst. You’d heard rumblings that it had not gone well. You feel pain in your chest as Peter enters the complex, his face a little bruised. You have to fight the urge to run to him, but instead race over and hug your father, whom you also missed and worried about. He hugs you tightly before walking away with a sigh, still too emotional and confused to begin to unpack the fight he’d just endured. Finally, you turn to Peter and also embrace him.

“I can’t decide if me being your dad’s intern is going to be a good thing or a bad thing,” Peter says, his voice slightly choked up at the memories of what he’d just survived.

“I was so worried about you. But if I know one thing, it’s that my dad isn’t going to let anything happen to you. So I’m happy you’re here. Yeah, it’s more dangerous than petty thieves, but you’ve got my dad on your side now. Welcome to the Avengers, Peter.”

“Y/n, I don’t think the Avengers are a thing anymore,” Peter replies sadly. His arms are still around you, and his thumb rubs back and forth soothingly.

“But now it’s our world, not mine and yours…” you hesitate before continuing. “I love you.” Peter’s eyes seem to flood with happiness and relief.

“I love you too,” he says, pulling you in tightly and kissing the top of your head.

You’re scared for Peter. But now that you have two Avengers who love you, you couldn’t feel safer.

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Can I request a dad!Andy Barber x teenage!daughter!reader?

Plot: Andy picking up his daughter from dance

Sure thing! I do have a 4 month old but it’s summer so I should have time!!

Can you specify if you want it to be angst/tension or more happy go lucky or somewhere between? What’s the vibe LOL