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#i promised i'd return the ghost set ;)

lex-the-flex · 8 months

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Darker Than Wine

Astarion x Mortal! reader

Summary: In the ruined castle, the King silently rules over all that is dark and unnatural. Shrouded in the endless mysteries of his cruel abilities, he hungers for something stronger than wine.

Word Count: 1.3k

Warning(s): Moments of fluff, Astarion being a true lover/King, (spoiling the reader), established relationship, Astarion and the reader opening up, brief alcohol consumption, 18+ – PURE SMUT, basic porn with little plot lol, unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it kids), loss of virginity, oral (f! receiving), HEAVY vampirism, blood, descriptions of injuries, and brief moments of pain.

A/N: From what I've seen from BG3, I'm absolutely IN LOVE with Astarion and Neil's incredible voice acting! Feedback is appreciated and enjoy!

A defining silence takes over the once great castle, inviting only superstitions and ghost stories to walk through the grand halls. Memories of the past overtook the ruins of Cazador's Palace and were replaced with newer, happier ones. But only behind closed doors.

On the outside however, the various village occupants did not dare to enter through the large doors, in fear of the cruel King who sat on his throne, ruling over nothing but darkness.

Hiding in the shadows, The Pale Elf accomplished all, and he achieved this with a mortal by his side. Except there was one problem: he thirsted for something more greater than wine.

The library's cozy atmosphere brought an inviting sense of serenity by the warmth of the infinite fireplace. Sitting on a lounge chair, you tried to focus on a new novel from the seemingly endless bookshelves containing sheltered and well-preserved books from the two hundred years of your husband and his master’s adventures long before you were born.

Taking another sip from your wine glass, the tart dark liquid helps you focus, but only for a millisecond. Scrunching your eyebrows together, you tried to get back into the book, but another presence from the far corner of the room distracts you once more.

“You’re staring again, Astarion.” You announced, closing your book and leaving your place bookmarked with your finger.

Turning to face him, his silver orbs glow in the darkness, before returning to his normal red.

“It just comes naturally, dear. Especially in your soothing presence.” Astarion replies, walking to the chair.

Cupping your face from behind, Astarion leans down and meets your lips for a small kiss.

“Mm, delectable. You know I’ll never get used to this.” He says with a smile.

“Well, we are married after all. So you might have too.” You reply, setting your book down.

"And yet I still don't know what comes next. But as long as you're here, we can truly accomplish anything, Y/N." Astarion says, walking around to face you.

Closing his arms around you, he lowers his chin to your shoulder, never getting tired of your embrace. Silently shaking in his touch, your breath hitches between your pink lips. Taking your arms in his hands, Astarion faces you with a wave of concern emerging in every corner of his face.

"You're shaking. Is everything alright, darling?" He asks, gently stroking your cheek.

"Everything's fine. I promise, it's just..." You start, but mumble with your answer.

"But what? It was Araj again, wasn't it? She said something to you." Astarion assumes, and a wave of rage begins to boil in his blood.

"No, it wasn't Araj, I swear. I'd like to--" You try again, but can't.

"You'd what?" Astarion continues, leaning his forehead to yours, hoping to calm your nerves.

"I'd like to do what we talked about. Finally making our marriage real ...and holding up my end of our deal." You explain, swallowing your embarrassment.

Taking in your confession, Astarion overcomes his tiny state of shock.

"I don't want to hurt you, but I'd love to, darling." He whispers, hesitant to give you an answer.

“Are you sure?” You ask, sliding your hands to his shoulders.

“I’ve never wanted anything more for the last two years.” He replies, pressing his lips to yours.

*****

Guiding you back to the dark space of your shared private chambers, Astarion swung his cape from his shoulders, tossing it to a nearby wardrobe chest. Cupping your jawline with both hands, he passionately kissed you in the dimly lit room, carefully backing you towards the large bed.

Carefully removing your dress, Astarion’s fingers graze around the curves of your hips before reaching your waistline, desperately ready to have you. Throwing the piece of fabric back into the room, you playfully gasped at the action, to which he replied with his signature smirk.

“We can always buy you another one, dear.” Astarion said, just as he began removing his boots.

Taking off the remainder of his ebony robes, Astarion lifts you in his touch, gently laying you down. Tracing his lips over your shoulders, you gasped at his softness.

“Astarion?” You asked, lifting your head to face him.

“Yes, my love?” He replied, giving you his full attention.

“…Go slow, please.” You hesitated, shyly squeezing his shoulder.

A brief pause filled the air whilst he instantly knew what you meant.

“Oh, then this’ll be delicious.” He teased, smirking at your request.

Descending your body, Astarion sank to his knees before continuing up your nude form with sweet, yet feverish kisses. Gliding his way down to your inner thighs, his lips ran along the sensitive skin, before parting your folds with his tongue, earning himself your first real moan.

“That’s it, darling. Don’t hide your lust from me.” Astarion instructed as he held your hips down.

Gathering your bundle of nerves in his mouth, his tongue pushes past your entrance. Swirling around your ecstasy, and he took his time eating you out before you eventually came all over his tongue. Collecting yourself, the stars in your eyes faded and you were greeted by the sight of Astarion hovering above you.

“You alright?” He asked, observing your current state.

“More than alright.” You answered with a quick giggle.

“Excellent.” He smiled, then guided your legs around his hips.

Aligning himself with your dripping folds, Astarion teased you with his erect tip, prepping you to take all of him. Pushing his manhood past your entrance, you both moaned together at this feeling. Slowly moving his hips against your own, Astarion heeded your wishes, and took in your lust that was clogging his lungs.

Grazing his teeth over the flesh of collarbones, you wrapped your arms around his shoulders, prompting him to continue. Astarion’s sharp fangs teased your ticklish skin, forcing a layer of goosebumps to rise up. Feeling the rhythm of your pulse in his pointed ears, he enjoyed the pounding pace of your heartbeat one last time before thrusting deeper into you.

Following in time with his thrusts, your hands slid down to his ass, and your shared moans became music to his ears. Feeling a heat rising in the pit of your stomach, you tensed at this sensation, but your husband was right there to guide you.

Your walls tightened around Astarion’s cock which made him see stars beneath his red eyes. A growl emerged from his chest and he quickened his pace, riding out your orgasm with love and adoration. Finishing after you, you both held your sweaty and exhausted bodies closer just as rays of sunlight pierced through the gaps in the curtains.

Collecting you in his arms, Astarion sat you on his lap, giving you reassuring kisses along the way. Running your fingers through his hair, you traced your fingers along Astarion’s eyebrows and jawline, humming at his eternal beauty,

“If you were to do this, Y/N, there’s no going back. You’d be leaving your mortal life behind. Are you sure you want this?” He asks with a bit of sadness in his eyes.

“I’m sure. This is what I want, and I want it with you.” You replied, running your fingers through his hair.

Nodding at your decision, Astarion lowered his lips to your chest, pressing kisses to your bare breasts. Rolling his tongue around your nipples, he tugged on your breasts with his teeth before letting go with a satisfying pop. Trailing up to your collarbones, the echo of your pulse rang in his Elven ears, causing them to tingle.

The sharpness of his fangs gilded against your neck, tickling your throat as Astarion gathered you in his arms and bit down on your flesh. Sinking his teeth into your warm skin, he ravished in the taste of blood. The sweetness drove him mad and he took what he desired. The sounds of your voice brought him back, Astarion continued and carefully bit his own wrist before encasing your lips around the small wound.

Drinking in his blood, Astarion gently laid you back down, and watched you transform into your new vampire body, giving you the most beautiful pair of crimson eyes he’d ever seen.

tagging ~

@dreamliners

@violetthecreator

@the-resident-vampire

@bitten-by-astarion

@loveandfictionforall

@tripleyeeet

@macabre-mangled

@demigoddessqueens

@sweatandwoe

#baldur's gate 3 #baldurs gate astarion #astarion #astarion x reader #astarion x you #astarion x y/n #astarion fic #astarion fanfic #the pale elf

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jaynovz · 8 months

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In discussions about the finale of Black Sails, one of the things I often see is folks hard-focusing on Flint's fate, in an either-or binary fashion, usually presented as "Which do you believe-- that Silver killed him? or sent him to the plantation?"

Now, for posterity's sake, gonna mention a few things-- first off, that's simply not thinking broadly enough. There are farrrr more than two options here and I've come up with my share of the reallyyyyy bad ones for sure. Whatever your mind chooses, none of those are happy endings anyway, there are bittersweet, bad, and worse endings all the way down. (They are paused, they are in a time loop, and also all endings and no endings are happening simultaneously)

But also, the more cogent point is that, it doesn't actually matter what happened *to Flint* The story is... not actually about him at that point. We have transitioned from Flint as protag to Silver as protag, setting up for (the fanfiction that Black Sails has ended up making of, ugh, king shit) Treasure Island.

And so, I just, don't find it to be of particular interest exploring what we think Flint is actually doing or if he's alive for real. What is EXTREMELY interesting to explore though is how Silver's speech at the end to Madi is sort of giving Thomas back to Flint as a pacifier/comfort object, but how... Silver is giving Flint that thing in his own mind as his own type of pacifier/comfort object.

That's the REALLY chewy bit. What actually happens to Flint is not the purpose of that scene for me, of Silver's recounting of events to Madi. It's more about... projection. It's about how Silver is dealing with whatever happened to Flint/whatever he did.

And I just feel like it's missing the point to focus so hard on if Flint is alive or not.

He is the ghost of the story regardless, that's what's important. He's going to haunt the narrative for the rest of everyone's lives. No one has been untouched or unscarred by coming into contact with Captain Flint; he has a forever legacy. I'm not the first to call him this, but he's Schrödinger's Flint and he's staying that way.

But this?

"No. I did not kill Captain Flint. I unmade him. The man you know could never let go of his war. For if he were to exclude it from himself, he would not be able to understand himself. So I had to return him to an earlier state of being. One in which he could function without the war. Without the violence. Without us. Captain Flint was born out of great tragedy. I found a way to reach into the past... and undo it. There is a place near Savannah... where men unjustly imprisoned in England are sent in secret. An internment far more humane, but no less secure. Men who enter these gates never leave them. To the rest of the world, they simply cease to be. He resisted... at first. But then I told him what else I had heard about this place. I was told prominent families amongst London society made use of it. I was told the governor in Carolina made use of it. So I sent a man to find out if they'd used it to hide away one particular prisoner. He returned with news. Thomas Hamilton was there. He disbelieved me. He continued to resist. And corralling him took great effort. But the closer we got to Savannah, his resistance began to diminish. I couldn't say why. I wasn't expecting it. Perhaps he'd finally reached the limits of his physical ability to fight. Or perhaps as the promise of seeing Thomas got closer... he grew more comfortable letting go of this man he created in response to his loss. The man whose mind I had come to know so well... whose mind I'd in some ways incorporated into my own. It was a strange experience to see something from it... so unexpected. I choose to believe it... because it wasn't the man I had come to know at all... but one who existed beforehand... waking from a long... and terrible nightmare. Reorienting to the daylight... and the world as it existed before he first closed his eyes... letting the memory of the nightmare fade away. You may think what you want of me. I will draw comfort in the knowledge that you're alive to think it. But I'm not the villain you fear I am. I'm not him."

This is the speech of a man who is self-soothing, who is spinning himself a tale, who is projecting, who is coping.

and THAT is just, way chewier, innit?

#Now that's just from a canon point of view #once we start to delve into like fan fiction #Because fic must necessarily change the story and change canon because it's creating something new #so of course then figuring out what you want to do with flint post canon is necessary #but for me fanfiction is a different realm than canon only based meta conversations about the show #black sails meta #long post #black sails #john silver #james flint #thoughts #black sails spoilers #I was coaxed into writing my group chat meta into a post by the Committee mwah

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allbark-no-bite · 1 year

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Guilty Conscience || Rafe Cameron x reader

summary: the guilty don’t sleep. nor do their girlfriends

warnings: mentions of death/murder

word count: 1.1k

author’s note: set in season 2. this one is one i posted on Wattpad a while back

It's late. Too late to still be awake but the muffled foot steps of Rafe's constant, on-edge pacing have managed to pry my eyes open to the darkness of his bedroom yet again. The soft tread of his bare feet makes a muffled sound against the expensive carpet, and pauses briefly every few seconds while he stands there, biting the edge of his finger nail with his other arm crossed over his chest, and then repeats the process.

He and Ward had returned mid afternoon from the Bahamas with a police escort, both looking worse for wear. I hadn't wanted him to go in the first place, but Rafe had reassured me he needed to do this for his dad, and that everything would be fine. They were supposed to get the gold and come home. Instead they came back empty handed and Rafe even more unnerved than before.

I close my eyes again, wondering how we could have possibly ended up in this situation. And whether there is a special place in hell reserved for the girlfriends of murders.

Rafe killed Sheriff Peterkins that day on the tarmac, no amount of denial is going to change that. No matter how hard I close my eyes, it isn't going to change the fact that I saw him raise the gun, his finger squeeze back on the trigger—

Thunder booms outside and my eyes fly back open. Earlier's ominous looking storm clouds that have been looming threateningly since this evening have finally come through on their promise of a summer shower. Not long after the weather sets in do I realize that Rafe's footsteps have been replaced by the patter of rain against the window pane.

The bed dips beneath me and the springs underneath groan in protest as he crawls back into bed. I shift positions as he wraps his arms around my waist from behind, his chin coming to settle between the crook of my neck. Rafe lets out a long, slow breath from his nose and it sounds like it carries the weight of a thousand worries.

I hug one of his plush pillows tighter to my chest. The one that isn't holding the pillow twists the golden signet ring on his finger.

I watch the rain drops as they slide down one by one and leave blurry streaks along the foggy glass window while listening to the rush of air against my ear as he breathes unevenly, never quite falling into the rhythmic pattern of sleep.

A while later, Rafe's head lifts from the safe crevice of my shoulder and his body partially pushes away from me. The comforter rummages as we both move again, and I roll over onto my other side to face him. The dark bedroom has turned his blue eyes a pale grey, but even so I can see the haunting ghosts of doubt and anxiety filling his gaze. There are shadows of half blue moons stamped under his eyes. Sleep has not been his friend.

"I—I need you to tell me that I'm a good person," Rafe whispers, finally breaking the silence. The mattress creaks underneath his weight as he uses his forearm to prop himself up, leaning partly over me. "It doesn't matter if you mean it or not, please— I just need to hear you say it," he says, sounding so broken and unsure of himself.

The request is almost enough to send the sinner inside of me to my knees. I've watched him struggle with his own mind for months now, fighting an internal battle that I know he can't win and I can't fight for him, no matter how badly I want to.

Ward's been in his head for so long now that most days I'm just picking up the shambles of the broken son he's neglected for years. Sarah was always his golden child, there's no denying that. I know it, Rafe knows it, Sarah knows it.

"You let everyone convince you that you're some kind of heartless murder and you're not," I whisper, gazing up at him.

This I believed. Sure, Rafe was a jerk, I'd known that when I met him, but he was a jerk who could press his lips to my neck, teeth grazing my skin and whisper that he loved me; even when he wasn't sure if he was capable of anything else.

My hand finds his cheek and brushes some of the blonde hair away from his eyes. There's a bruise there that I don't remember him having and a part of me wonders what really happened in the Bahamas.

A painful, miserable looking smile finds its way onto his face, and just once, he laughs into the darkness of his bedroom. "No. I'm just the regular kind of murder."

The soft, hopeful expression falters from my own face and I sigh, letting my forehead fall against his with my eyes closed.

It was hard, sometimes too hard, to admit that he wasn't wrong. Which of course always lead to a reinvestigation of my own conscience and why I was doing this. Why would I lie by omission, never think to say any different when Ward and Rafe gave their statements to the police, faking his innocence. My answer to this question, I find is always the same; because I loved him and I was afraid of what Ward would put him through if I left. He's told Rafe that he would never pick between his children, but I've seen him lie to Rafe enough times to know it was just something he said to cover his tracks.

Ward had done this to him, forced Rafe into lying and thinking that what he was doing was being loyal and helping his family, because he knew that all Rafe ever wanted was for his dad to look at him the same way he looked at Sarah. It was never about trying to protect himself or getting revenge.

Rafe clings to me, falling into a more relaxed position as he settles himself on top of me. His body is warm and comfortingly heavy a top my chest. My finger tips gently scratch his scalp, something that's seemed to calm him in the past. After a while I wonder if he's fallen asleep, but then the soft tone of his voice speaks.

"When this is all over, I'm going to be better," he promises, speaking into the blue fabric of the borrowed cotton shirt that I'm wearing. His lips press to my collarbone in a subdued kiss and Rafe looks up at me. There's a firmness in his voice, like he's trying to be strong. "I'm gonna man up and get right."

Man up, I think. Yeah sure.

My palm cups his chin, my thumb caressing the bruise on his jaw. I don't say anything, just smile sadly at him and he returns the same type of half-hearted expression. My throat clenches. We both know that it's a weak promise.

"You're in too deep this time, you know that?" I'm fighting my own voice at this point. Incredibly, it doesn't break.

"I know, I know."

#obx imagine #rafe outer banks #rafe cameron #outer banks #obx3 #rafe fic #rafe angst #rafe obx #outerbanks rafe #rafe x reader #rafe cameron x reader #rafe x y/n #obx x reader

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spookypete-94 · 6 months

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Take a Picture (part 2) NSFW

Sorry I know I'd post later after the first one! But the heat went out at my home and ya know... priorities.

Part 1

But enjoy!

No p in v, oral, some fingering, kissing, biting...jealousy- yada yada

scareactor!GhostxFem!reader

Y/N looked for the large man who had pinned her to the wall on her way out as she dropped off the SD card to Kate... She realized she never even knew his name. Walking to her car, she felt like she was being watched, but every glance over her shoulder, she was unable to locate the source.

This made her feel uneasy, but she had an assumption that she knew who it was. His large figure was just somehow so well hidden. Giving up, she put her car in gear and headed for home.

Slowly, she managed her night-time routine, the hour now late. Crawling into bed, she eventually found sleep after thinking of the interaction for what felt like hours.

It was around noon when she woke up again, checking her phone to multiple notifications and an email from her new employer.

"Thank you for the pictures. The success has gone wild on our social media. Our watermark has been placed on them along with her artist handle name for you social media. Please return tonight at 4 PM, same as last night." A link was then included in the email showing the album that had been shared on their multiple social media pages.

Opening it, she was in awe, not able to go through the pictures herself at the end of the night. She had no clue what she had caught. The main picture now at the top of their website is one of the nameless man she felt herself swooning for. Mid-scare, size hulking over a group, all of them cowering in fear. Her eyes traced over his muscles, the picture seized at the moment with the axe prop above his head before he was to bring it down.

Closing her eyes, she thought about being closed in by him once more. Stuck in the corner, his arms on either side of her, and his hot breath that was seeping through his mask creeping across her skin once more. The words he had spoke ringing through her head, hoping he would hold true on his promise. Unsure of how to make him follow through with it.

She ate and got ready, 4 PM not too far off from her shift start. Pulling into the lot, she found Kate outside of the briefing room.

"See my email?" she asked, her tone showing how impressed she was.

"I did!!"

"Let's have a repeat." Opening the door for her to enter. Y/N saw the room wasn't as full this time, but she was early. Yesterday, she had paperwork to go through and sign, but tonight, she had the pick of the room 6 she wanted to stand.

Choosing the back in the corner near a chair and table, she pulled out her equipment to get set up. The room eventually started to fill, workers filing in like an ant line. Her eyes would periodically look up where, at last, she locked on to the brown ones that had teased her last night. If his mask was off... she would be able to see his smirk. She would be able to tell he was happy to see her. But she didn't, and that lingering feeling of excitement and fear hit her all over again, factored from the unknown.

Watching his wide stride, her heart pounded, seeing him get closer. But nothing matched the feeling when she felt him stand behind her. She looked up at him, tilting her head back, trying to be inconspicus as she did so. However, his eyes were already down, looking at her.

"Evenin', sweetheart," he mumbled down to her in that deep voice of his. The embarrassment Y/N felt made her head quickly jolt down as she squeaked, now looking ahead. Chuckles could be heard from him, making her heart rate spike.

This briefing started out about the same, but instead of being in the main courtyard, she was on the other side of the park for the night. Learning the large man's name as Ghost finally, he would be on the main side of the park and in her area later at shift change.

"See ya' out there, kitten," was said lowly into her ear while he bent over and picked up his prop axe next to her bag.

"See you," was all she could manage to say, feeling dumb at the lack of words and her normal wit. Seems like this man just rendered her speechless.

Starting her trek to the back of the park before it opened, she was slightly sad she would not be able to see the droves of scariees come in like she did the night before... and maybe knowing that Ghost was there for the start of the night as well.

Setting up 2 cameras tonight, one on a tripod to catch groups of people going by, and another lose in her hands was her strategy for tonight. Always feeling like she did her job well, she was excited for tonight. The yelling from scarers, to the giggling fits as people ran away, allowing her to smile, distracting her from anything else. Conversations started to catch her ear, though, hearing whispers from young women and men about the large man at the front of the park. Him being the main person they had come to see. She knew instantly who they were talking about.

"The pictures looked great, but man he looks better in person."

"Did you see how close he was to us?"

"He's so hot."

Hating to admit it, but she felt so damn jealous. The attention he was giving to others, she wanted for herself. But having to remind herself this is what people pay for... and she was getting paid. Telling herself to pull her head out of her ass, she focused on her task at hand. Stopping people and asking if they wanted pictures with the actors helping time go by. Shift change finally came, and it seemed as though Ghost appeared. He brought a flood of people with him. People flocked to him, and he basked in it.

The jealousy flared up all over again, and she fought hard to reel in it's ugly green head. Grateful for the half mask she wore at least hiding her furrowed brow, but if anyone knew her well enough- they could tell by her tight lips how annoyed she was.

Glued to one spot, she stayed listening to people ask over and over again to take their picture with their "beloved hot" Ghost. Some even linking their arms around his waist or hands on his chest. Fuming. Absolutely fuming was the way to describe how Y/N felt.

It was a turn of events when Ghost pushed through the herd of people. Long strides once more to reach her. He towered down to look at her for a hot second before he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, making her let out multiple gasps. One leaving her mouth, and the dozens of others watching him carry her away.

"What are you doing!?" she asked.

"Look like you need a break," his tone coy.

"I'm getting paid for this!" Her whining was quickly silenced from a light bite that he placed on the plush of her thigh next to his head.

"I'll pay ya' for what I'm about to do if you're that worried then." He said, snagging her camera and exchanging an SD card for one that was in his pocket with the one that had her work on it.

Taking her to the back of the park, and into what looked like to be a shop on the outside but was storage for the park.

He set her down on what looked like to be an old Victorian couch, no doubt used at the park. Arms caging her head, leaning in while he lifted up the mask.

"These are mine. No one else will see them or have them." Understanding what he was implying she nodded, eyes locked with his autumn ones. Lips then locked with hers, kissing her slowly.

"Can't be getting jealous at work." The tone he was using now taunting her.

"Easy for you to say."

The thunder of his chuckle reverberated through his chest. Placing his hands on her jeans he slipped them down, she lifting herself to allow him, hand brushing against covered pussy. She gasped at his braziness, but arched with him as his hands rode up her core and grabbed the hem of her sweatshirt.

"You want to be mine then?" voice still rumbling in her ear.

"Yes." She blurted out, preparing to lift her shirt.

He smacked her hand away, laughing louder this time.

"I will take my time here, little one."

Groaning, she laid back down. Lifting the camera, he began to snap photos of her mask, t-shirt, and panties.

"Want to document everything." He said, moving her legs into the next position, angling them as he took photos lower and lower. "Ya alright with this?" He asked kindly, making sure she was comfortable.

"I am," Y/N said confidently.

Lifting her shirt, he started placing a trail of light kisses in his wake.

"What's yer name?"

This time, a light giggle left her, finding it ironic she was this far with a man who didn't even know who she was.

"Y/N."

His mouth rewarded her for her answer. He bit at her ribcage, grabbing the thin flesh, starting to suck to place a hickey. Gasping and squirming harder, he tightened his grip on her, refusing to let go.

"Well, Y/N. You're mine, and I'm yours." Fingers running across the marked flesh before snapping another photo of her bearing his mark. Leaning in, he kissed her once more, fingers running across her lips after.

"These are mine," kissing her lips deeply hands now running up her shirt.

"These are also mine," he said lightly, squeezing her breasts, removing her shirt up over head. Fingers now tracing down her tummy and to her back where he squeezed her ass.

"This is mine." Before flipping her over, a slight grunt from the shock of him being so quick about it. Large hands grabbed her hips and ran up her body. Lightly, he pushed in between her shoulder blades, pushing her into the couch. She felt his teeth once more on her skin before leaving another love mark on her left hip.

Next, he stood up beside her as he took a picture of her from the side before getting back inbetween her legs and pulled her panties down. Fingers rubbed against her flooded core.

"But this is especially mine." He near growled into her ear before slipping a finger in, making her moan. Smoothly, he used one hand to unclasp her bra, it sliding down her arms from gravity. Wiggling his fingers inside her, curling up as he did. It made her gasp uncontrollably, but his tongue pressed against her, making her squeak. Slipping another finger in as he did, his tongue lower pressing into her clit and nose angled against her ass cheek. It was a pattern he was doing frevently, moving quickly to make her cum. Promptly, she did, walls squeezing around his fingers, him slowing down. Nipping at her outer thigh once more, he flipped her over on to her back. Grabbing the camera, he took pictures of her body fully naked, but face still covered with the mask.

The peace of this position was quickly over as he yanked her legs up over the side of the couch, making her yelp. Head was now hanging off the side of the couch where her hair cascaded down to the floor, pooling at the ground.

"I got ya love," he said, calming her, fingers at the base of her jaw turning her head to the side, backing up and taking pictures of her body in this provacative position.

Y/N had never done anything like this before... let alone with someone she just met.

The intimacy from him only increased, watching him crawl to her. He tugged at the ties on her mask, it was now falling to the ground where he left it. The prop played into the art he was making. Sitting back on the ground in front of her, the camera continued to snap. She was muse completing his master piece.

"Look at me," his voice was low and seductive.

Instantly, she turns her head to look at him, completely bare before him. Watching the shutter close and open, the flash went off, and she stayed staring at where his eyes were behind the camera.

"Good girl," he crawled to her once more, quickly reaching her to kiss her long and slow. Tongues running together.

The bells ringing out to midnight, signifying the park was now closing. Everyone turning into pumpkins.

"Get dressed, get your gear." He said, popping the SD card of his into his pocket and putting hers back in.

"What??" Shocked he wasn't going further, disappointed a better term.

"Going to take ya' for dinner first 'fore I fuck ya' proper. Get dressed. I know of a 24 hour diner." Lightly tossing her clothes to her.

"Oh." The skin of her cheeks bright red, once again embarrassed from her needy behavior.

Once dressed, she flipped on her camera, making sure the images were not of her before she turned her SD card in.

"Told you, for my eyes only." He said, showing her the SD card.

Nodding once more, scurrying to drop the cards off with Kate, ready to go on this date with Ghost.

"What are you?" He asked, blocking the door smiling coyly.

"Yours"

"And I am?"

"Mine." The answer came out easy, grinning.

"Good girl."

Simon Ghost Riley Masterlist

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myst1cals · 1 year

Text

PINNED .. an assortment of quotes found on pinterest .

i crave touch, yet i flinch every time someone gets too close.

how quickly the blade becomes you.

rage is a promise kept.

no one can hate me more than i hate myself.

you, who opened suns in my heart.

the word "father" rotted in my mouth.

i was born in an abundance of inherited sadness.

are you praying again? how raw are your knees?

can someone please be proud of me? like, fuck, i'm trying.

there are teeth marks on everything he loves.

i have done back things. i can't take them back, and they are part of who i am.

i am not a creature that was born. i am a fire that was set.

the best way to get your heart broken is to pretend you don't have one.

[he/she/they] is in my heart and i suffer.

do you love me enough that i may be weak with you?

in the crooks of your body, i find my religion.

i was a girl gulping a woman's grief.

i have pasts inside me that i did not bury properly.

i'll see you on the other side of the war.

you said i killed you - haunt me then!

i can't tell you how piercingly and endlessly i think about you.

i love you in vain, alone, in a terrible cold.

you will love [her/him/them] to ruins.

impossible loves. i am very much afraid they can become an addiction.

maybe we exist to bleed. maybe we exist to burn.

still, there is a terrible desire to be loved.

still, there is this horror at being left behind.

i come home - and i have a feeling of a ghost returning to its haunt.

my dear, i will always be this tender for you.

i'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees.

i'm ruined by your voice's deep dark lullaby.

i think we deserve a soft epilogue, my love. we are good people and we have suffered enough.

i couldn't touch you without ruining you, so i didn't touch you at all.

you laugh like a little girl, and inside you think like a martyr.

you are not my cure, nobody has that power.

#rp inbox prompt #rp inbox meme #rp prompt #rp meme #rp meme prompt

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jadeee · 2 months

Text

My Love All Mine

Waiting for Kento's return from Shibuya was becoming unbearable.

Word Count: 950 Warning: Angst @luneariaa not as sweet as the others but I hope you enjoy it all the same {if not more}.

The heat of a thousand suns.

That's what Kento grew to call his recurring nightmare. The back of his shirt slick with sweat, hair and face damp, limbs ghost-like. As if he were still in that place...

A sigh passed from his lips before he rolled over to meet your sleeping form. His fingertips reached for you then decided to rest in the space between instead. What were you dreaming about? Something better, he hoped.

The theories he worked up ceased when you started to wake. In an effort to avoid waking up fully, you readjusted yourself hoping to get comfortable again. Your hands instinctively reached for your main source of comfort then gripped tighter when you felt the dampness of his shirt.

"Kento?"

"Hm?"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'd rather not."

The silence of the night settled into the room except the ocassional rustle as he worked himself out of his shirt. Your brows knitted then relaxed as you sighed, accepting his choice. Your limbs enclosed around him like a koala hugging a tree. Without hesitation, he returned your embrace. The tension dissipated as you hummed.

"Why don't you sing out loud?"

"... do you want me to?"

He answered with a low hum of approval as he caressed your back.

Here before and after me, shining down on me. Moon tell me if I could send up my heart to you.

The lyrics softened his heart. It could've been the effect of your voice or the way your scent enveloped him. Your warmth ... his hand cradled the back of your head then pulled you in.

'Cause my love is mine, all mine. I love mine, mine, mine. Nothing in the world, belongs to me. But my love, mine, all mine, all mine.

You made yourself at home in his arms by resting in the crook of his neck. When the song was through, you reserved your voice to a hum. He continued to caress your skin, "What were you dreaming about earlier?"

"I don't remember the whole thing but we were old and gray. I think we had matching canes."

"You made that up."

"Okay, maybe I did."

Hearing your laugh always made him smile but this time he was still and set like stone. The heat of a thousand suns. The sound of your voice overpowered his thoughts.

"We can have the white picket fence, kids in the yard ... whatever you want."

"I just want you."

You tilted your head back to gaze at him. His chest ached at the sight of his only reason for living. A soft moan left his lips as your pressed your mouth against his.

"I'm not going anywhere."

His lips found yours again after hearing your promise and he only wished he could say the same for certain.

Your joints felt like they were being perpetually pinched. The pain grew with each slice you served onto the cutting board. Your eyes narrowed in on the celery you were cutting until the edges of your vision blurred. A sharp tingle filled your mouth as you bit down then sliced.

I'll miss you, those were Kento's last words before leaving for Shibuya. Not I love you, but I'll miss you.

The celery morphed into a green blob once tears invaded your vision. The muscles in your hand relaxed when you wiped your eyes. Looking at your phone only brought a dull ache to your chest because:

1. He wasn't responding. Although, he explained that being a possibility.

2. Your reflection made you look twice your age. Eyes droopy and tired. Mouth set in a subdued sadness until if he returned.

The metal from the knife clinked against the countertop as it fell from your hand. Your body joined the tiny dust bunny that manifested in the corner of your kitchen. Sobs absorbed by the cabinets you'd been thinking of changing. A tomato colored stain sat by your thighs. With each heave, your brows pinched into confusion. The place was usually clean so why...

You remembered Kento being the last person to clean the floor. The line of your mouth twisted along with your heart. Every breath grew ragged and worn with each sob that scratched its way out of your throat. The only sounds you could hear were your sobs echoing back to your ears. So when you looked up and saw Nanami kneeling down, you shrieked then instinctively clutched for him.

"I'm right here," his arms wrapped around you and held you tightly as you cried into his chest.

When you cupped his cheeks in your hands and looked at him — with your snotty nose, red eyes, and tear stained cheeks — tears rushed to his eyes. The line of his mouth forming a frown and smile simultaneously. Your thumbs still caressed his skin the same, even though he looked a bit different but the love was the same and that's all that mattered to him. He held your head against the crook of his neck then let the familiar scent wash over him. Its very essence wrapping its arms around him like the hug you both shared on the kitchen floor.

— Epilogue —

Kento's red rimmed eyes finally glanced up then noticed the assortment of sliced and diced produce on the counter.

"What is all this?" He wiped the last of his tears.

You followed his line of sight then let out a half-hearted chuckle as you wiped your nose with your sleeve. "I had to do something to keep my hands busy."

He glanced back at you with a small pout then held you tightly against his chest. "I'm here now, so let's not worry. Okay?"

You buried your head in his chest "Okay."

Amid the second torment of tears, he noticed the tomato stain on the tile. He held you tighter against him then let out everything he'd felt while away from you.

— Author's Note — As weird as it sounds, I love the thought of him crying. Let me clarify, this is more of a cleansing cry. The kind of I-made-it-it's-gonna-be-ok-you're-still-here-I-love-you-immensely cry. It's a release and relief for him because he was horrified at the thought of leaving you alone. All the unplanned trips, unfulfilled promises, half-done projects... he couldn't bare the thought of you in black mourning over him. That is worse than death.

#divider by plutism #madebyjade #kento nanami #nanami kento #jjk nanami #nanami x reader #jujutsu nanami #nanami kento x reader #kento x reader #jjk kento #jjk x reader #jjk #jjk nanami kento x reader #jujutsu kaisen nanami #jujustu kaisen #jujustsu kaisen x reader #nanami kento angst #jjk shibuya arc #jjk shibuya incident

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thebiggerbear · 27 days

Text

The Ghosts Are Coming For You Chapter 2 - Beau Arlen x Reader

Pairing: Beau x Female!Reader; Beau x Female!Detective!Reader

A/N: Sorry this took so long but I'm a pita sometimes when it comes to the mapping out process and setups. A huge thank you to my beta, Em, for all of the brainstorming sessions we had where she would listen to me rant and rave about this chapter as I beat it into shape like a pillow under your head that won't cooperate. She unfortunately didn't have time to do the final process of beta'ing this time around but she did spend a lot of time helping me mold this into what it is so I want to thank her for that. Again, apologies for another long chapter. I did contemplate splitting this into two shorter chapters but in the end, it felt right to keep it altogether for the setup's sake. Future chapters will not nearly be this long. Thanks for sticking with me on this ride. Hope this came out okay.

Unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine.

Songs mentioned in the chapter: Knockin' Boots by Luke Bryan; I'd Love To Lay You Down by Conway Twitty

Disclaimer: Let me just say up front, I have never worked in law enforcement so I tried to piece together things I’ve seen and heard in true crime documentaries and podcasts alongside with movies/tv and books. I apologize for any inconsistencies, incorrect information, exaggerations, or complete fallacies. Also, this story is going to take place over a few months. Some things might be delayed or appear illogical to not have been thought of before they take place in the timeline, but it’s purely for story purposes.

Tl;dr: I made shit up.

Warnings: mentions of deaths/murders; mentions of abusive relationship; mentions of emotional/psychological, physical, and verbal abuse; angst; a little sexual tension; a little flirting/teasing

Word Count: 16k+

Dividers by @firefly-graphics

Series Masterlist

Series Taglist: @deans-spinster-witch; @superrey; @fromcaintodean; @stoneyggirl2; @lacilou; @zepskies; @perpetualabsurdity; @deansbbyx; @syrma-sensei; @globetrotter28; @roseblue373; @angelbabyyy99; @hobby27

Beau Taglist: @heartlessdelusions; @nancymcl; @birdiellie; @illicithallways; @muhahaha303

You glanced at yourself one more time in the mirror of the bathroom at the precinct, smoothing down your dress and checking your make-up one last time. You and Jack had just pulled up to the station no more than half an hour ago.

You’d been called out on another case earlier in the day. Thankfully, this one didn’t appear to be connected to the one from this morning. Instead, it had been a home invasion that had gone badly and the homeowners had been found shot to death, by their college-aged daughter who had been returning home from a late night out. You tried to put the traumatized girl and the victims out of your mind, but you knew the former’s heart-wrenching sobs were just as likely to haunt you as much as the images of her dead parents would. You silently promised her exactly what you promised every other loved one in the cases you worked: you’d do everything you could to find the ones responsible and put them away for good. You just hoped you could deliver in this case, and that it hopefully might bring some small measure of peace for the young girl whose parents were now gone and who she had to make funeral arrangements for. Thankfully, her aunt lived nearby so the woman had been on the scene almost as soon as the responding officer had been. You were relieved that the daughter wouldn’t have to face all of this alone.

You took a deep breath and stared at your reflection, forcing yourself to change thought tracks and focus on your upcoming date with the County’s sheriff. Your nerves were slightly on edge; you hadn’t been on a date since you had been living in New York. Not a real date, anyway. Jack’s girlfriend, Cecilia, had kindly tried to set you up a couple of times with single guys she knew in the first couple of months you’d been here, but both blind dates had been full blown disasters. Your heart hadn’t really been in it, anyway, and you were convinced that you just weren’t destined for love or family or any of those white picket fence dreams everyone else had. You were married to your job, could even get obsessive with it at times, and that would just have to be enough to sustain you. Besides, after your last relationship, you almost tended to prefer it that way.

You just hoped this dinner went well, even if it didn’t end up really going anywhere. You could do with a friend around here, someone other than Jack, who you could maybe meet up and have a beer with every now and then. Someone who understood the job and wouldn’t take it personally if you had to cancel last minute because you got a call you had to respond to. Someone who could help distract you from the daily horrors that plagued your mind and maybe lighten up your darker times. Plus, you could now have a contact in the Sheriff’s department if you ever needed to reach out for anything relating to a case.

And even if things got awkward, at least you could have a drink and you had a very handsome sheriff to feast your eyes on. You’d never admit it to him but the cowboy thing really worked for him and it did do it for you a little. Though you sincerely hoped he left the Stetson at home this time.

There were many reasons to look forward to this dinner, and barely any to dread it. You swore to yourself that you would have a good time, no matter what, and you would relax for the evening.

You did some last minute adjustments to your hair, blew out a breath, and left the bathroom. When you stepped into the squad room, you heard a wolf whistle coming from the corner desk. “Fuck off, Taylor.” You flipped the younger man the bird, ignored his commentary, and braced yourself when Jack turned around in his chair to face you.

“Nice.” Jack gave you an approving nod, taking in the soft waves of your hair, your simple floral-patterned dress, your light-handed make-up, and your appropriate length heels. “You got a hot date or something?” He teased.

“Shut up,” you muttered, making your way to your desk.

Your partner laughed, knowing from your response that he was right. “Cecilia is going to love this. Who’s the lucky guy?”

You bit your lip, packing your things into the purse you’d grabbed from your car earlier. You always kept an emergency bag of clothes and necessary items in your car; you had learned that a spare change of clothes and a toothbrush were good to keep on hand for those long nights you worked or for the occasional damage that was done to clothes you were wearing while on the job. This may be a smaller town and it may have a smaller budget, but thank God they had showers. They had saved you more than once, especially when it came to mud or…other things.

You glanced around the room and mumbled, “Sheriff Arlen.”

You knew Jack had heard you because his dark eyes were as wide as saucers. “Come again?”

“The sheriff.”

“But I thought he and Jenny Hoyt were—”

You glared over at him. “Well, apparently they’re not. He said as much when he asked me to dinner.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“So he asked you out at a murder scene,” Jack teased. “Sounds about right.”

The scowl that plastered itself onto your face would have terrified any other man. You reminded yourself that while you could probably kill him and make it look like an accident, that would be hard to do in a room full of seasoned homicide detectives who were sitting only a few feet from you. Not to mention, you’d need to find a new partner and there was no way in hell you were sharing a car with someone like Taylor every day. You’d go to prison first.

He held his hands up. “Kidding, kidding. I was kidding, Y/N. Come on.”

“Not funny.”

“It was. A little bit. Seeing as you’re always working. How else would he be able to ask?” When your glare didn’t let up any, he decided to ease up on you and cleared his throat. “You know, I was wondering why he was so chatty with you all of a sudden. Can’t say I blame him, though.” Jack inclined his head towards you. “When you clean up, you clean up nice.”

You gave him a look. “Thanks ever so much, Jack.” Whatever little confidence you’d managed to scrounge up in the bathroom before was now completely deflated. You knew you looked nice, but the little joke he’d made had taken the wind right out of your sails. Jack was just being Jack, you knew that; he meant no harm. He had no idea how close to home his words had actually hit. He was just ribbing you like always, no more than any of the other guys here did on a daily basis.

“Hey, I was trying to compliment you,” he laughed. “So where is he taking you?”

“A steakhouse in town. He said they serve the best ribeye in the county.”

He nodded in approval. “Nice. So this is like a real date, huh?”

“Think so.”

“You and the sheriff. Who would’ve thought?”

“Shh,” you hissed. “Keep your voice down.” At his questioning look, you added, “I don’t want anyone else knowing about this. If Taylor found out, he’d never shut up.” You could immediately see the flaw to your plan having Beau pick you up at your job. Guaranteed many people would see you and your coworkers, including Taylor, were bound to find out anyway.

“Well, I’m flattered you told me, I guess.”

“You should be,” you insisted, glancing towards the clock and seeing it was 7:30 on the dot. You grabbed your purse and started to make your way to the door, hating the way your heels clacked loudly against the floor.

“Have fun,” Jack called. “If you need me to pick you up, let me know.”

“Thanks,” you called back, flipping Taylor off again for good measure. The guy was now making actual barking sounds. You supposed you should be grateful that he hadn’t actually made his way over to you to try his cheap come-ons on you like usual.

“Oh, a word of advice.”

You stopped and turned back to Jack, who leaned a little closer in his chair towards you, keeping his voice low.

“If the handcuffs come out at some point, and knowing you they most likely will, make sure to keep the key nearby. You don’t want to have to call 911 because you left it on the dresser. That would be one embarrassing emergency call to make.” He smirked, shooting you a wink.

You placed a hand on your hip, glaring at your partner. “Darcy, how you continue to get laid on a regular basis is beyond me. Cecilia is a damn saint and someone should thank her for her service.”

The bastard had the nerve to laugh. “I do. Every single time.” His grin widened and you felt ill to your stomach.

Making a face, you waved a hand to dismiss him and turned back around. “Bye.”

“Remember,” Jack called. “Keep it nearby!”

You shook your head but didn’t respond, instead continuing your trek out to the parking lot.

Once you stepped outside, you did a quick scan of the area and found the man you were looking for. He was in a different car this time, a rust-colored truck that had definitely seen better days.

He had just turned to look at the entrance when he spotted you, eyes widening slightly. He hurried to get out of his car and began to approach you. You decided to meet him halfway, thankful there wasn’t really anyone milling around at that moment.

Before he could get a word out, you noticed the new look right away.

“You changed,” you accused.

“So did you,” he pointed out, his eyes roving over you.

You nervously smoothed down the skirt of your dress with your fingers. “I wasn’t sure if there was a dress code where we were going. I should have asked. Is this okay?”

He nodded, a slow smile forming on his face. “More than okay. You look amazing,” he breathed.

You couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, you look great, too.” You took him in and definitely liked what you saw. No hat, a button-down that hugged him in all the right places, jeans, short brown wavy hair that looked to be the right length for you to run your fingers through (among other things), a touched up beard from earlier, and a warm grin. “So you put the cowboy away.”

He chuckled and you could swear you could see a faint pink color dusting his cheeks, though it wasn’t easy to tell in this light. “A little bit.” He gestured towards his cowboy boots, making you let out a quiet laugh.

“I like it.” You gave him a kind smile; you truly did like what you saw.

His smile grew and he held out an arm in invitation. “Shall we, little lady?”

“Oh no, you didn’t.”

Chuckling once more, he lowered his arm and moved closer. “Too much?”

“Way too much.”

This time, he held out his hand to you in offering, and tried again, giving you his most charming smile. “Ready, Beautiful?”

Choosing to ignore the way your heart skipped a beat, you placed your hand in his and gave him a nod of approval. “Better. Still needs work, but better.” You could feel the warmth of his skin seeping into yours and you almost wanted to intertwine your fingers with his to feel more of it, but that would be too forward of you and might make things awkward. You hadn’t even gone on the date yet. So instead, you smiled when you felt the strength of his grip and let him lead you wherever he intended to go.

He started towards the truck. “Already, you are one tough woman to please. I hope this isn’t a sign of how the rest of our night will go,” he quipped.

“Depends on how hard you work to please me.”

His eyes snapped to yours and seeing your teasing grin, he shook his head, looking away, clearly amused. “I really got myself into something here, didn't I?”

“You did,” you laughed.

“You know, they say you East Coast girls can be difficult to satisfy.” You noticed the twang purposely deepen as he teased you back.

Once you reached the car, he opened your door for you. “You know, they say you Texan cowboys never met a challenge you didn’t like.” You moved past him, not missing the smirk on his face and the shake of his head, and slipped into the passenger seat. He closed your door for you and you rearranged the skirt of your dress by the time he joined you inside.

He turned a smile on you. “Ready?”

You returned it and gave him a nod after having buckled your seat belt. “Ready.”

You watched as his smile broadened and he started up the car, thinking this date was already going better than the other two you’d had since coming here.

It should have hit you that you’d allowed him to pick you up rather than insisting on meeting him at the restaurant. This way in case things turned out as they had both previous times, you had an easy escape should it be needed. But there was something about the sheriff that had you throwing most of your caution to the wind for the evening. Something just so inviting, as if he were the sun and you wanted to be in his orbit, no matter how temporary it might be.

Beau turned the radio on and Luke Bryan’s voice carried from the speakers and echoed throughout the car. “Boots need knockin’, knockin’ boots, knockin’ boots, me and you, oh” You saw his cheeks turn an adorable shade of pink as he quickly changed the station, clearing his throat quietly. When Conway Twitty’s voice floated through with “But I won’t talk of starry skies or moonlight on the ground I’ll come right out and tell you I’d just love to lay you down”, he immediately turned to another station, his shoulders relaxing slightly when it was apparent a commercial was playing. You bit into your lip, trying to hide a smile underneath your hand as best you could until he turned to look at you.

He let out a nervous chuckle. “Maybe you should pick the music.”

You leaned forward, never taking your eyes off of him, and switched the radio off.

“Good choice,” he laughed. “Though I warn you, I’ve been known to be a bit of a talker. Silences and I don’t get along too well, or so I’ve been told.” He gave you a sheepish grin.

“Good.” You smiled and got comfortable. “I want to hear all about the cowboy from Texas who ended up as a sheriff in Montana,” you teased.

He watched you for a moment, his grin softening into a smile, and then he laughed and nodded, turning back to the road. “Copy that.” You hadn’t even pulled away from the curb before he launched into his first story of the night.

“What made you want to become a homicide detective?” Beau asked.

There it was. One of the three questions you hated being asked, especially on a date. True, when you go on a date, you’re supposed to talk and get to know one another, but sometimes you wished you could skip this part of the conversation altogether. That and anything about your personal and professional life back East. But you supposed that wasn’t feasible and it was unfair to the person asking, so you usually found yourself answering, and by answering you typically meant that you evaded the questions at all costs.

“I thought we weren’t going to talk about work.” You took a sip of your wine, quickly glancing around. The steakhouse he had taken you to was nice. It was a little more packed than you anticipated for a Thursday night, in these parts anyway, but the ambience was perfect and you had to admit that the sheriff had chosen well. He had insisted on pulling your chair out for you, which was a nice touch. He had even opened the car door for you, too, upon your arrival, holding a hand up to stop the parking attendant from approaching you while thanking him.

By the time you both had gotten to the restaurant, you had learned that Beau had a younger brother who he was very fond of, and that he had initially retired from law enforcement but then had been pulled out of it by one phone call from his injured predecessor. Beau hadn’t been lying; he was a talker. Surprisingly, you enjoyed that fact about him. He could switch gears and talk about any topic, regale you with stories that were entertaining and helped you learn more about him. Some might think he enjoyed going on about himself but you could see that wasn’t the case. He used his affinity for talking to try to connect to those around him. He was always looking for common ground and a way to make you feel comfortable. He was open and gregarious, almost warm you would say, so the person he was talking to would feel at ease. You instantly liked that about him.

Once you were led to your table, you both quickly put in an order for drinks: a beer for him and a glass of red wine for you. You kind of liked it when he admitted he wasn’t much of a wine drinker and you might have joined him for that beer if you hadn’t been nervous. Beau had then asked if it was okay if he could order for both of you, swearing by his choice of entree and that you would love it, and you had happily agreed, more than impressed that he had asked first.

It didn’t take too long for Beau to start up more conversation between you and your nerves began to ease, with you realizing you really liked this guy. Sure, you were attracted to him — who wouldn’t be? But you also could see yourself with him outside of the bedroom, possibly taking in a movie, having more dinners like this one, and just spending time together. While you knew you still needed to get to know him better before thinking of anything like that, and you hadn’t been looking to start up an actual relationship anytime soon, your instincts told you to hold onto this one and not just casually throw him away for a roll in the sheets or two.

Plus, the man had been right; your food was delicious. All in all, this was definitely the best date you’d been on since being in Montana, no contest.

Now here you were, over drinks and a half eaten dinner, enjoying said meal when Beau decided to turn the tables on you. You supposed it was only fair; he had been doing a lot of the talking thus far and it was a date after all. You just wished he hadn’t started out the gate with that.

“We aren’t,” he confirmed, giving you a broad smile. “I’m just asking about your background because I want to know more about you.”

Well, damn, when he put it like that… “Fair enough,” you agreed.

“So, homicide. How’d that come about?”

You shrugged. “Seemed like a good move to make at the time.”

“And you don’t think it is anymore?”

You thought over for a moment how best to answer that one. Should you be honest and let him know where your head was at? Or should you keep it to yourself as you had been for the past year? One brief glance into his warm green eyes had your lips loosening. You got the feeling that whatever you told him about this subject would stay between you two. “You have to be made for the job.” You bit your lip and trailed your fingers over the rim of your wine glass. “I’m not sure that I am,” you admitted quietly.

“Seems like you are.”

You looked up to find him smiling kindly at you. “You saw me at one crime scene and you think I’m a natural?”

“Well, no, I mean, you were great. But uh,” You noticed a faint tinge of pink rising in his cheeks and he gave you a sheepish smile alongside a nervous chuckle. “I may have looked you up earlier.”

Ah, you had expected as much. You gave him an approving nod before taking a sip of wine. “A man who does his homework.”

“It’s just that you said you’d only been here for four months and with the department not having heard anything about the string of cases your precinct’s had in all that time…I felt I should look into it a little,” he attempted to explain, guilt beginning to line his expression. “It’s more about the case from this morning than you. After the last time, I just…”

You could see he was trying to figure out how to finish that sentence but he didn’t need to. “It’s fine.” You waved your hand dismissively and sat back in your chair with wine in hand. “I looked into you, too,” you admitted. Something you usually did before a date anyway, but the sheriff had particularly piqued your curiosity.

His brows arched in surprise. “And?”

“You need to update your department photo on your website.”

“Never,” he swore, making you tilt your head and smile in amusement. After a moment, his grin faded and he glanced back down at his plate. “That can’t be the only thing you saw in your search.”

You debated on whether to tell him what you’d found. It obviously hadn’t affected your decision to go out with him tonight. There wasn’t a single officer in law enforcement that didn’t have a case in their past that haunted them, whether it had gone awry or it was that truly terrible. You knew that better than most. While you were curious about what you had seen, you didn’t need answers, not until he was ready to give them.

You carefully chose your words before responding. “I may have seen something about a case down in Houston that perhaps didn’t go as planned.”

Stiffly nodding, he began to cut into his meat. “Didn’t go as planned is a real nice way of putting it,” he mumbled before taking a bite.

You studied him as he chewed, noting the tension in his jaw that wasn’t just due to the action. You could understand that this appeared to be a topic that he didn’t like discussing. Once he swallowed, he took a sip of his beer, his eyes meeting yours. “You had no problem answering my question. I suppose it’s only fair that I should answer yours.”

Your brows furrowed as you pretended to be confused. “I don’t think I’ve gotten to ask a question yet.”

His features relaxed slightly and his smile started to return. You mirrored it and he let out a quiet chuckle as he self-consciously scratched at his eyebrow. “Yeah, I, uh…I do that a lot. Sorry. Hoyt always says I can be a real chatty one.”

Your jaw was the one tensing this time, at the mention of Hoyt, but you worked to cover it well by finishing the tiny amount of wine left in your glass. You had zero desire to be reminded of that pushy blonde from this morning. You signaled to your server for another glass and sat back, smiling. “I don’t mind it all that much.”

And that was the truth, you didn’t. Which was odd because most times after a long day like this one, you just wanted peace and quiet. And that’s what you had always looked for in someone, besides the other desired qualities someone had in a life partner — someone who could let you have that quiet, let it be comfortable between you and empty of expectations, even give your mind time to process everything from the day’s events. Someone who understood and didn’t take it personally, who didn’t cop an attitude if you didn’t want to rush right back out the door for a dinner hosted by your friends or to go to a family gathering or to a sporting event or concert down at Madison Square Garden. Someone who could just let you be during some of the tougher days in your career. As you had already observed, Beau’s conversation flowed freely but the best part was that it didn’t carry any requirements of your constant participation. You actually enjoyed some of the stories he’d regaled you with already and you liked how the banter between you was natural and easygoing. Even if you weren’t here on a date, you had a feeling that had you met him in another social setting, you would have enjoyed talking with him anyway. He just had this warm, light-hearted, and charismatic way about him that just invited you in and you had no choice but to want to be around him.

“It doesn’t annoy you?” Beau asked, dubious. “It’s annoyed every other woman in my life so far.”

You shook your head and shrugged. “Sounds like that’s their loss then.” You gave an appreciative smile to the server who delivered your new glass of wine and held it out to Beau. “And their loss is my gain.”

Beau’s gaze was intent on you and his grin melted into the smirk that had first made an appearance when he’d asked you out. “Both our gain,” he murmured, lifting his pint glass to meet your glass in a soft clink. Neither of you looked away as you both drank and that familiar flip feeling was back in your stomach.

“So.” You quietly cleared your throat after placing your glass down, forcing your gaze back on the steak you were trying to cut into while also attempting to rein yourself back in. If you weren’t careful, you might just ask him to skip dinner altogether and get straight to dessert…at your place. “You looked into me. Any questions?” You braced yourself, expecting the other two questions you dreaded: about the infamous serial killer case you’d been involved in back East that he had obviously read up on, or worse, your romantic history.

“Just one.” Your eyes flicked to his and you found him giving you that charming smile once more. “Are you religious?”

Your brows furrowed slightly, wondering where that had come from. A little part of you was dismayed at the question, hoping he wasn’t one of those guys. There was nothing wrong with being religious of course, but it wasn’t your thing. Back in New York when you had been patrolling the streets in uniform, you had gone on a date with a friend of a friend. By the end of said date, you were fielding questions about your sexual history, if you were willing to turn away from sin, and what you would be willing to do to avoid eternal damnation of your soul because you were a woman and a whore (his words, not yours). He had even tried to slip a pocket Bible into your purse without your knowledge before you hurried out of the building, telling yourself that you were done with blind dates forevermore. And you had been, though Cecilia had managed to talk you back into them once you got here (but you’d made your ‘absolutely no exceptions’ rule known before she did). But then of course, the two she’d set you up on pretty much closed out that option for you permanently.

With Beau, you hadn’t gotten that religious vibe from him but you also hadn’t known him all that long. Disappointment radiated throughout your chest. Perhaps you would be calling Jack for a ride after all. “No. Why?”

He gestured towards your neck and you glanced down, realizing what he was focused on. The immediate relief swept through you and you discreetly let out a breath. “It’s pretty,” he reassured. “I just thought…maybe…”

You maneuvered the cross pendant between your fingers and smiled down at it. You always wore it and it hadn’t even entered your mind that it might come up in conversation. When you had checked yourself over in the mirror earlier at the station, you didn’t even give it a second thought when you saw it, sitting around your neck, shining brightly for all to see. It was just a part of you at this point, like another limb, that you barely paid any notice to. Unless you sought it out like you had at your first crime scene of the day this morning. “It was a gift.”

You glanced up to find Beau nodding. “Oh. So, not religious then?”

“Not religious,” you confirmed. “More…spiritual.” You turned your smile onto him. “Maybe,” you added as a quick afterthought.

His eyes were focused on you, warm as could be, and his smile echoed that warmth. “Same, actually.”

More relief flooded through you as you folded your arms on the table, pushing your plate away slightly. You were still eating but you needed your stomach to settle a little first from the flip-flopping it just did before you continued. “Sometimes with this job, it’s hard to be a believer, you know?”

“Yeah,” he agreed quietly. “Sure is sometimes.” He began to cut another piece of his steak. “A gift, huh? Who from?” He swallowed and then his eyes widened slightly. “I mean, only if it’s okay for me to ask that. Shit, sorry,” he laughed nervously at himself. “I am really bad at this. It’s, uh…it’s been a while.”

“Me too,” you reassured him with a smile, relieved to hear it. “I’m not that much better but I’m pretty sure this is what we’re supposed to be doing. Asking questions, getting to know one another…”

“Good point. Well, in getting to know one another,” He appeared serious all of a sudden and you noticed a little apprehension that hadn’t been there before. “I should tell you that I’ve been married before.”

That slightly surprised you, more from the topics being changed so quickly than the revelation. It was something you already knew thanks to your look into him earlier, but it had been a brief mention in everything you read. You were waiting for him to bring it up and now that he had, you were curious as to what heralded the end of his marriage and just how long ago it had been considering the Houston case had only been a few years ago and he had still been married then. You also wondered just how long he had been married.

“And I also have a teenage daughter.”

You kept your expression even and gave him a slow nod. So, that long then.

Beau cleared his throat nervously. “Her mom and I split up a few years back. They came up here and I followed them. I didn’t want to be too far from my little girl. But, some months back, she and her mom moved back down to Houston.” His expression darkened for a moment before it cleared and he gave you a nervous smile.

Your brows drew together. You could understand his moving up here to be close to his daughter; that was admirable even. Though when they moved back to Texas, Beau didn’t follow them this time? There was definitely a story there.

He was studying you, most likely trying to ascertain if this was a dealbreaker for you. You lifted a bite of steak on your fork and asked, “How old is your daughter?” When you placed the meat inside your mouth and began to chew, you noticed the relief sweeping through his expression.

“Seventeen.” He gave you a wide smile, pride shining in his green eyes.

“Wow. She’s almost out of high school.”

That smile grew even bigger if it were possible. You couldn’t help but mirror it; it was nice to see a father be proud of his daughter. It wasn’t exactly something you experienced yourself growing up.

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “Hard to believe. Em told me today that she and her mom are going to look at the University of Houston this weekend. My little girl is talking about going to college.” He shook his head. “Where the hell did the time go?” He murmured sadly, dropping his gaze to his glass in thought.

You gave him a moment to collect his thoughts. You imagined it must be hard not to be present for these important moments in his daughter’s life, especially considering what they’d been through. The serial killer case Jack, Anderson, and your Chief kept referring to turned out to be the same one you found out Beau and his department had been involved in. While one of the kidnapping victim’s names had not been disclosed to the media, the internal reports confirmed it for you: Beau’s daughter had been taken by the suspect. Thankfully, there had been a happy ending for all involved minus the killer. However, you still wondered why he hadn’t followed his family back home, especially after all of that. There had to be a reason he stayed (which you were currently grateful for) but you didn’t think it could be the job. It had to be something else but what that something else could be, you had no idea. You didn’t know his daughter obviously but seeing the sadness currently residing in his expression, you felt for him; you felt for them both.

Beau seemed to realize he had spaced out for a moment and quietly cleared his throat. He gave you a tiny smile but you could tell some of the light had gone out of it from before and his eyes weren’t as bright when they settled back on you. “Sorry. It just…” He made an explosion sound and gestured towards his head. “It still catches me off guard sometimes.”

“You don’t need to apologize.” You gave him a reassuring smile. You could see the gratitude staring back at you and you took another bite of your steak to give him another moment. He appeared to take your cue and did the same. When you were done chewing, you lifted up your glass to take another sip of wine. “It’s from a family.”

His brows furrowed slightly in confusion.

You gestured to your necklace. “It was given to me by the family of a victim. After I worked their case.”

You could see surprise and interest light up his eyes, but you appreciated that he didn’t immediately begin peppering you with questions. Instead, he smiled at you. “I’m sure they were grateful for everything you did for them.”

You affected a slow nod, your fingers immediately clasping onto your cross pendant as memories a part of you would rather forget began to play on a loop in your mind. You glanced out across the restaurant and Beau mercifully gave you a minute to get yourself together.

Eventually, you brought your attention back to the man sitting across from you, moving back into his chair and sighing in satisfaction. He had finished his dinner while you had been working to push certain images in your mind back into the box you locked everything from your job away in. “Best steak in the whole county. That with a beer at the end of a long day…never fails.”

“It is pretty good.” You had to agree; it was definitely the best steak you’d had since moving here.

He seemed pleased at that. “Though, I may need to get some steps in before we leave.” He gestured towards his body. “I have a figure to maintain.”

You could see the teasing in his gaze and you decided to tease him back. “From what I can see, you don’t have all that much that you need to maintain. But, if you really want to work the calories off.” You gave him your best seductive smirk. “I can think of a few ways to help with that.”

As you expected, the shade of his eyes darkened slightly and his smile melted into that familiar smirk. “Do you now?”

You kept your gaze locked on his as you picked up your wine, finishing it in one long swallow, before placing the glass back down and licking the last remnants from your lips. When your tongue made an appearance, his eyes were laser focused on it, before lifting back to yours. All traces of the teasing from before were gone now. “I do,” you confirmed.

Images filled your mind once more, but this time they were of a more carnal nature, starring the attractive man sitting across from you, who very much appeared to be hungry again, and not for food this time. That expression of his promised deliciously dark and sinful things should you decide to make good on your implied offer. You were seriously considering throwing every rule you had right out the window and asking him to drive you back to your place, your car be damned. You’d call Jack for a ride to the station in the morning, not caring in the least about any jokes he might make at your expense on the way. With the way Beau was looking at you now, you were pretty sure you’d be too blissfully tired to care much anyway.

“How is everything?”

The server’s question interrupted your little staring contest and Beau turned an amiable smile up at the man. “Great. Another ribeye grilled to perfection.” You took the opportunity to breathe and get your thoughts back in order.

The younger man grinned, pleased. “Glad to hear it. Is there anything else I can get you?”

Beau glanced over at you as did the server, both waiting for your answer. You knew your reply would determine how you would spend the rest of your evening: sleeping alone or not sleeping at all.

After a moment of desire and logic warring within you, the former ended up winning out. You turned a polite smile onto the server. “Can I get some coffee, please? Decaf?”

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Beau’s gaze drop to his plate but you also could see the hint of a smile forming on his handsome face.

“Absolutely. Sir, would you like anything else?”

Beau beamed up at the man. “I’ll take some coffee as well. Also decaf. Thank you.”

The server nodded, grabbing your plates, and hurried off to get said coffee.

When Beau’s eyes met yours, you gave him an apologetic smile. You hadn’t meant to be a tease. You really did want to take him back to your place, but you also liked him and surprising yourself, you wanted to see where this could possibly go. You weren’t looking for a serious relationship right now (or possibly ever again) but you also didn’t want whatever this was with Beau only ending up as a one night stand. As much as you were attracted to him and as badly as you wanted to find out just what was stirring deep within those eyes when he looked at you like that, you wanted this to last just a little bit longer. That was what had the rational part of your mind winning the battle from a few moments ago, much to the chagrin of other parts of you.

Beau gave you a subtle nod and his returning smile was understanding and almost appeared a little relieved. You weren’t exactly sure what to think about that but he didn’t give you much time to ponder it before he hit you with the third question you despised. “So, how about you? Ever been married? Any kids?”

You could feel a familiar tension happening in your face when you forced a wan smile. “Never on both counts.”

“Never as in never happened? Or never as in you never plan to?”

You wondered why you had been stupid enough to finish your wine and not get a refill before ordering the coffee. You truly hated this part of dating, which was one of the reasons why you didn’t do it too often. Beau wasn’t asking anything outside of the box that would be expected from a first date, but God did you hate this question.

“Never as in I’ve never been married and no, I don’t have kids.” You glanced around, looking for the server but not finding him. When you looked at Beau again, you found him studying you intently. He seemed to sense that this wasn’t a topic you really wanted to delve into and decided to leave well enough alone. He slowly nodded at your response and finished the remains of his beer.

The playful banter from before, the comfortable conversation, the teasing — all of it seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving a very awkward silence between you for the first time all evening. You mentally cursed yourself, knowing you were the one responsible for it. But you also reminded yourself, This is why you don’t date.

“So, I told you why I moved to Montana. What made you decide to transfer to Big Sky Country?”

You hadn’t expected him to ask that question and when you glanced up at him, you could see the kindness that was beginning to become his trademark staring back at you. He was swerving away from the previous topic and throwing you a lifeline.

“I just needed a change,” you admitted.

Mercifully, he didn’t immediately follow up with “A change from what?” and just nodded. “You like it so far? Outside of things like today I mean?”

You thought it over for a moment. “Yeah. Outside of things like today, I think I do.” You surprised yourself with that statement. You hadn’t really thought about it too much since transferring here. You had only really focused on the job part. You had just been so desperate to get out of New York, to try something different, that you hadn’t really looked before you jumped. And now that you were here and he was asking, it hit you that you hadn’t really taken a moment and thought it over in the four months you’d been here. Montana was certainly different to New York, in many aspects, and you thought the change in the pace of living would drive you nuts. Especially being used to big city life. But truthfully, you found that you much preferred your lifestyle out here compared to what it had been back East. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, Manhattan hadn’t been either, but there was no such thing as perfect — only close to perfect. And right now, studying the man sitting across from you, you knew he fell under that category and despite the heavy weight from work you carried, you felt a little lighter and had a little something resembling hope for the first time since you’d crossed state lines.

Beau crossed his arms and leaned on his elbows. “I feel the same. Took me a little bit, though. Quite the change from Texas, especially in temperature.” He chuckled and your smile widened. “But it’s beautiful up here, the fishing’s great, folks are nice…I had no complaints. And eventually, it started to feel like home.”

You slowly nodded in agreement. “Yeah,” you murmured.

The server appeared then with your coffee. Once you were set up, he left again, giving you both your space.

Beau picked up his cup, getting ready to take a sip. “So, uh, about that case from this morning…”

You placed your cup down and shook your head, chuckling but without any real mirth. “I should’ve known you’d try to pump me for information I can’t give you. No wonder you asked me to dinner then and there. My partner implied as much when I told him.” You were such an idiot. You knew he was attracted to you but you should have known this was going too well to actually be anything more than that and an attempt at getting you to soften up to give him information at the same time. You immediately thought of another reminder for yourself, This is why you don’t date cops.

“What? No.” He gently laid his hand over yours, causing you to look up at him. “That’s not why I asked you to dinner and I’m not asking you for any information. I know you can’t give me more than you already have and I’m not trying to push that.”

“Then why bring it up?”

He went to answer you but then stopped, studying you intently. You weren’t exactly sure what he saw but it had him removing his hand and sitting back, seemingly guarded all of a sudden. “I’m sorry, you’re right. I shouldn’t have brought it up.” He appeared like he wanted to say more but instead, he smiled apologetically. “I told you I’m no good at this,” he quietly chuckled.

“It’s okay,” you reassured, though it felt like anything but. “Let’s just forget it.” You gave him a small smile before sipping your coffee.

His eyes were trained on you and he let out a quiet sigh. “Hoyt was right. I talk too much.”

You involuntarily tensed at the mention of his undersheriff again. That was twice now. Your instincts were screaming at you. “Maybe she’s not a fan but I don’t mind it.” You compulsively swallowed and then asked the question you hadn’t planned on asking for at least a few more dinners, and that was only if you both somehow managed to become serious about this dating thing and he made the impossible happen: changing your mind. “You asked me about my past so it’s only fair I ask about yours.” He nodded in encouragement. “Was there anyone after your divorce?”

He seemed a little surprised but didn’t hold back from answering. “I had some casual dates here and there. None of it really went anywhere, though. If I’m being honest, I was too focused on Em and the move up here to think about getting into anything.”

You nodded, giving it a beat, before you asked the real question you needed an answer to. “So there wasn’t anyone serious? At all?”

Discomfort quickly flitted across his expression and nervousness radiated off of him, answering your question before he verbally could. Disappointment surged within your chest. You should have known. “Just one. After I had settled in.”

You forced your tone to be as neutral as possible, relying on your training. “And?”

“It didn’t work out.”

You shot him a look of disbelief. Obviously, it hadn’t or you both wouldn’t be sitting here right now.

Beau let out a sigh. “Things just got…complicated.”

You nodded, not bothering to ask how or even who he was referring to. You already had a pretty good idea on both.

Staring at you, Beau seemed to contemplate something before elaborating, “Me and Hoyt…we dated for a bit.” And there it was.

You felt as if a bucket of ice cold water had been dumped over you. Your heart fell into the pit of your stomach. You should have known. Rumors, no matter how exaggerated, didn’t start up without some sort of catalyst. Not to mention, her watching you like a hawk while talking to Beau that morning now made sense. You were all cops; if Beau had checked you out at all, no matter how discreetly, Hoyt would have seen it and been less than pleased. Especially, since she appeared to still carry a torch for him; that was more than obvious to you now.

It was a shame. The date had been going mostly well until he dropped that little nugget or harsh truth. While you appreciated his honesty and willingness to be up front with you, and answer your probing questions, you now knew this would never work. The sadness that engulfed you at the thought should not have cut as deeply as it did depending on how little you actually knew this man who you had only met this morning.

“Oh,” you forced out.

“Yeah, but that was some time ago. It’s been done for a while. Like I told you this morning, she’s my undersheriff and a friend, that’s all. Us trying for anything more than that just didn’t end up working out.”

“Obviously.” You gestured at the table, indicating the date you were on.

He laughed, his body relaxing. “Yeah.” He then graced you with a warm smile. “Well, maybe it did in a way.” At your furrowed brows, his smile melted into a smirk and he covered your hand with his once more. “You’re sitting here with me, now.” His thumb began to tenderly stroke your skin and you ignored the chain reaction it set off within you feeling his touch. “So maybe it ended up working out after all,” he murmured.

You gave him a thin-lipped smile. “Yeah,” you whispered, the sadness blooming within your chest. You knew at that moment that if you gave him the greenlight right now, your earlier hesitation before being damned, you could have him in your bed by the night’s end. There was definitely a mutual attraction between you that you definitely could have explored, even if it was just casual fun. But now… Now, the possibility of you and Beau, something fun that wasn’t just a one time thing or something more, had immediately been swiped off the table for you.

And just when you thought things in Montana might work out for you after all.

Beau had just pulled his car to a stop, right behind your parking spot at the station. He turned a smile on you. “There we go.”

You had asked him to bring you back to your car though he offered to drive you home, concern marring his brow when you’d insisted you were sober enough to drive yourself. He didn’t argue but you noticed he purposely took a longer route back to your precinct, which was just agonizing for you. Being in close proximity to the man you were highly attracted to but wanted as far away from as possible at the same time was complete torture. You considered telling him to pull over somewhere you wouldn’t be seen by anyone on the main road and working out the tension you both had along with your frustration, but despite your disappointment at how things had worked out, you couldn’t do that to him. From the little time you’d spent with him, Beau appeared to be a good man and he wouldn’t deserve you doing that to him. You knew he’d enjoy himself as well, sure, but then you insisting things stay professional between you afterwards, insinuating you were just there for one round of casual sex and that you had basically used him — well, he wouldn’t deserve that. Had this been someone like Taylor, you could have easily done that with a clear conscience, but not to Beau. So you kept your hands to yourself, stayed quiet, and stared out the window at the passing dark landscape.

Beau had tried to make conversation a few times and you answered him, but it was the bare minimum. He had even tried to start up the teasing banter again once or twice but you never took the bait. You felt bad but it was best to close this up now rather than let the man have hope for something that could never be.

So once Beau stopped the car, you had to keep yourself from vaulting out of it and getting as far away as you could. Instead, you undid your seat belt, desperate to end this quickly but as kindly and respectfully as possible. “Thank you for dinner. You were right. That was the best steak I’ve had in a long time. You sure know your beef.”

“Us Texas cowboys always do,” he teased. His smile grew and you could see the hope coming to life behind it. You hated to see it, knowing you would soon be crushing it. Your heart cracked slightly when he picked up your hand, kissing the back of it in a manner that you’d only seen in movies. The feel of his lips on your skin sent an involuntary shiver down your spine.

You felt him smile against your hand. “Cold?” He murmured.

“A little,” you lied. “Still not used to the temperature, I guess.”

“I know that feeling all too well.” He released your hand and turned on the heat, adjusting the vents in your direction. He then picked up both of your hands, bringing them up to his face and gently blew hot air into your palms, causing another shiver. This time, thankfully, he didn’t remark on it and there was no smug smirk. Instead, he began to rub your hands in between his, trying to warm you up. “I should’ve brought a jacket,” he muttered. “Or insisted you grab yours.”

“It’s fine,” you whispered. “I have to adjust to the Montana weather at some point, I guess.”

Beau chuckled. “Yeah but not like this.”

“I’ll be fine. The heat in my car was working this morning and I’m a straight shot across town where I’ll be stepping into a warm house.”

He continued rubbing your hands, his eyes meeting yours. “You live across town?”

You nodded.

“Sweetheart, why didn’t you mention that? I could have dropped you right off and given you a ride back here in the morning.”

You softened at the nickname before your eyes narrowed. “What, you thought you’d be spending the night? Wow, presumptuous much?” You didn’t mention how you had been afraid the entire date that that very thing might happen if you invited him back to your place.

He gave you his winning smile. “Not what I meant, darlin’.”

You rolled your eyes and gently pulled your hands out of his, rubbing at your left one and focusing on it. “You’ve got all sorts of nicknames for the ladies, don’t you?” You muttered.

You felt him tenderly cup your chin and he brought your eyes back over to his. You could feel yourself falling into the depths of those green orbs that studied you so intently. “I’d really like to see you again,” he murmured. “Y/N,” he added for good measure with the hint of a teasing smirk.

You gave him a sad smile and gently moved his hand away from you. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

His smirk dropped and his brows began to furrow. “I'm not sure I understand. I thought—”

You scrambled for a way to explain that wouldn’t invite too many questions. “I’m just not looking for anything serious right now. And honestly, I think you are.”

The confusion on his bearded face intensified. “Then why did you say yes to the date?”

You shrugged. “Truthfully, I was hoping we could have something casual and I thought maybe that’s what you’d want as well, just to have some fun without any strings, something light, but now…”

He watched you, his eyes moving back and forth over your features, trying to assess what exactly had gone wrong here. You kept your poker face on, thankful for that one part of your job you had been able to hone over the years. Sure enough, disappointment began to spread over his expression. “I thought we had a really nice time. That we were on the same page.”

“So did I,” you admitted sadly. Until we weren’t. “But we just aren’t.” You pretended you didn’t see his face fall at that or the wall he immediately put back up after until a stony expression was all that looked back at you. “Look, I did have a nice time. A really nice time. Thank you for showing me some of what Helena has to offer.” You gave him a kind smile at the callback to your conversation from that morning and you weren’t surprised when he didn’t smile back. Not this time. Possibly not ever again. Another part of you was saddened that you had pretty much ruined any chance of you becoming friends, never mind lovers. But you just couldn’t do that to yourself again. You wouldn’t, even for a great guy like Beau.

You knew you shouldn’t do it but you couldn’t resist; this would be your only chance. You leaned in and quickly kissed him on the cheek. You felt his arms start to move, almost as if to circle around you and pull you in closer, but you hurriedly moved back into your seat before he could. “I guess I’ll see you around. Good night, Beau.”

His eyes stayed trained on you. “Get home safe,” he gruffed out.

Your smile widened at his kindness. “You, too.”

You stepped out of the car, noting that he didn’t rush to get out to open your door for you like he had earlier in the evening. That might have to do with the stone cold expression he still wore that faded into shock and disappointment when he thought you could no longer see him. You got into your car and started it, giving him a wave when he didn’t immediately move. A moment later, his car pulled away from yours and you watched as he slowly rolled out of the parking lot onto the main road. Once he disappeared out of sight, you let out a heavy breath and dropped your face into your hands.

You liked Beau, he seemed like a good man and he even seemed good for you. But the past relationship with Hoyt that he had admitted to you had you hitting the eject button as fast as you could. No matter how easy and promising things had seemed between you before that little bomb dropped. Had he owned up to it this morning when he asked you out, you would have never said yes to him. You’d been there before and you had no interest in going through any of that again. That particular scar still stung even though it had been quite a while since that pain had been inflicted on you.

Speaking of which, Beau had been right; you should have said no when he asked you out. You took a deep breath, silently cursing yourself for being so stupid as to accept the date. What had you been thinking? That you’d get a friends with benefits situation going with the man? Or that you’d somehow magically be willing to enter into something serious when you knew deep down you couldn’t? Not only that, but you should have known from the way Hoyt looked at Beau at the crime scene this morning that there was something between them. You should have immediately known the second her possessive attitude appeared. He may have claimed that they were done and it was in the past for him, but that didn’t mean it was for Hoyt. And if she wanted to resume things between them, pick up where they left off before it got too complicated, it would only be a matter of time… You shook the thought from your mind and took another deep breath, blowing it out past your lips in a steady stream of air.

Once you felt centered enough to be able to focus, you put the car in reverse and started the drive home, intent on putting Beau Arlen and another date that ended in disaster behind you.

You watched as Jack leaned forward, placing his hands on the table, staring down the man currently sitting across from you both.

“So, you’re telling me that you were nowhere near the Hartmans’ the night before last?”

“No, sir,” the young man insisted.

Your jaw tensed but you kept your face carefully blank. Sure enough, the kid’s coffee-colored eyes briefly flickered in your direction before settling back on your partner.

Earlier this morning, not too long after you had arrived for your shift, Ava Russell, Amelia Hartman’s sister, had marched into the precinct, towing along Madison, the couple’s daughter. You hadn’t seen either of them since you had spoken to them at the Hartmans’ home yesterday, after the latter had discovered the grisly scene of her parents’ deaths as a result of what appeared to be a home invasion gone badly. The older woman demanded to speak to you and Jack right then and there.

Your heart went out to the young girl almost immediately when you spotted her bloodshot eyes surrounded by puffy and blotchy-red skin. Even as she looked at you, her eyes were brimming once more with unshed tears.

“Ms. Russell, how can we help?” Jack asked kindly.

Before he could finish getting the words out, Ava turned to Madison and said sternly, “You need to tell them.”

Madison’s eyes overflowed once more and she sniffled, wiping her cheeks. “Aunt Ava, I don’t know if I should,” she whimpered. “What if I’m wrong?”

“Then he’ll be cleared,” Ava snapped. “But you need to tell them.”

Madison let out a sob and dropped her face into her hands. Ava looked as if she was about to bark at the girl again, so you quickly stepped in, laying a gentle hand on the girl’s shoulder. It wasn’t uncommon to see something happening like this after such a case as this one. Emotions were running high, they’d barely had time to process the two unexpected deaths, their thoughts most likely were turning over and over with memories of Everett and Amelia, wanting to know who had taken them from this world and so brutally — all of it. Ava loved her niece, that much was evident from what you’d seen the day before, but both women were most likely near their breaking points, even if they might be on different ends of the emotional spectrum at the moment. The best thing you could do to help was to listen to what needed to be said, to placate Ava and let her know you were absolutely taking her sister and brother-in-law’s case seriously, and to soothe Madison who had been through more than enough in the last twenty four hours. Not to mention, any investigator worth their salt would be willing to hear whatever Maddie had to say, even if she herself thought she was wrong, whatever it might be. You never know what form a break in the case might show up in.

“Hey, Maddie,” you spoke softly. “How about you and I find a quiet place to sit down and talk? Would that be alright?”

She sniffled again and turned to glance up at you.

“I’ll come with you,” Ava insisted, ready to march her niece down the hallway towards the interrogation rooms herself.

“Actually,” Jack smoothly intervened. “Ms Russell, if you don’t mind, maybe you can stay here with me and answer a few more questions. Maddie will be fine with Detective Y/L/N. She’s in good hands.”

Ava had a knowing expression on her face and her eyes landed on your encouraging nod, making her sigh. “Sure. But, Maddie, you need to tell them everything,” she ordered, this time with a gentler but still firm tone.

Maddie gave her aunt a subtle nod, wiping her cheeks again, and you turned a kind smile on her. “Let’s go see if we can find a quiet room, okay?”

“Okay,” Maddie choked out.

You had led the strawberry blonde-haired teenager down the hall and into one of the free rooms. You made sure she was comfortable and had everything she needed before you sat down to hear what she had to tell you. And by the end of it, you had a feeling you might be thanking Ava for pushing her niece to come in if this was indeed the break in the case you and Jack had been looking for.

Maddie had a boyfriend, Dylan Carter, who she met last semester and who happened to be a few years older than her — something she hadn’t shared the day before with you or Jack when you’d asked. It turned out that he wasn’t a student at the university she attended but he lived locally off-campus. They had met at a party one night and things took off from there. She had been seeing him pretty steadily since then and they had gotten serious. So serious in fact that Maddie had brought Dylan home for a bit once classes let out for the summer. To say Everett and Amelia Hartman were unimpressed was an understatement.

After observing the two lovebirds up close and personal, both parents wanted Maddie to move on from the relationship and focus on the path ahead of her. They reminded her she was young and had so many opportunities at her fingertips, just waiting to be taken. Maddie hadn’t been happy about their opinions and it had caused arguments between her and her parents, but when you pushed a little further, you eventually got the whole story behind the Hartmans’ immediate dislike of her boyfriend.

They were convinced that Dylan was controlling and manipulative towards her, and they wanted him out of her life. He could be a sly charmer in public, very charismatic even, but privately, it was a whole other matter. He didn’t want her going anywhere or seeing anyone without him present. He had become possessive, overly jealous, and demanding. He even would put her down and call her names, tell her how stupid she was or how ugly she looked, and advised her that she should feel lucky that he chose to be with her, that he loved her that much.

Classic emotionally abusive behavior: suss out their vulnerabilities, strip them down until they’re nothing and easily controlled, and you’ll be in control of them. Sadly, it was no surprise to you that Maddie had kept her relationship with Dylan a secret from you and Jack. You’d seen it several times before in cases you worked, even back when you’d been working the beat as a patrol officer. Just like you discovered in Homicide, there were way too many methods that people could employ to hurt others, way too many ways that innocents could be preyed upon by predators of various natures, all of them having diverse motives. It was something that you (and all cops truthfully) learned early on in your career. It was even why some of you joined the force, yourself included. To protect and serve — it wasn’t just a motto painted on the side of a patrol car to you.

You had paused the writing on your notepad when Maddie told you about an incident that had taken place only a few weeks ago. She and Dylan had gotten into another heated argument, this time over her disobeying him by going out to dinner with a girlfriend while he had been working. The argument escalated to Dylan wrapping his hand around her throat and pushing her into the wall. He had tightened his grip when she clawed at his hand and she had been terrified. He threatened her and let her go but not before he promised that if she ever did something like that again, she’d be sorry. That incident had frightened her so badly that she had snuck a phone call to her mom after he had fallen asleep. All she had running through her mind was what if he hadn’t let go of her? What if she’d never see her parents again, or her friends? What if he had squeezed too hard? What if he’d done worse? What if he killed her, even just accidentally? He regularly grabbed her, left bruises around her wrists and forearms, even squeezed her thighs and knees in death grips when he would drive, but never had he gone this far before.

Naturally, Amelia panicked and woke Everett. They immediately made the three hour drive to pick up their daughter, not caring in the least about what could be done for classes. She could transfer for all they cared but they wanted their daughter safely away from the abusive asshole who’d had the nerve to put his hands on her, with the intent to harm her. Something Everett told Dylan when they’d faced off while Amelia rushed Maddie out of his apartment and down to the car. The older man hadn’t missed the light marks forming on Maddie’s neck even though he’d already known what happened since Maddie had told Amelia. Her parents had wanted to contact law enforcement, take out a restraining order, but she pleaded with them not to. Eventually, she was able to persuade them, promising she’d stay away from Dylan for good.

That promise didn’t last that long. She had returned home with her parents as they’d requested, luckily being able to take some classes online, while Amelia kept posing the possibility of a transfer to somewhere closer to home at the end of the semester. Everything seemed to be settling into place though things had been terrifying that one night, and she was doing her best to cope with the new changes in her life. And of course, Dylan kept sending her apology texts, lonesome Snapchats, and left her tearful and pleading voicemails. He claimed he truly loved her, loved her so much that it drove him crazy. He never meant to hurt her, he just got jealous and he lost his head, but he would never really hurt her, yada, yada, yada. You’d heard all of those excuses before and you began to see what direction this story was about to take.

Sure enough, Maddie had started to sneak out to meet with him when he told her he was in town and desperately needed to see her. She lied to her parents about catching up with a friend who was taking a gap year and still living at home. Amelia seemed nervous to let her out the door but eventually, she gave in and just asked that Maddie stay safe, keep in touch — easy enough to agree to at her nineteen years of age. Everett had told her to call him if she needed him to pick her up or for anything at all. The two were none the wiser. And Ava hadn’t known about the scary incident with Dylan or anything after that whatsoever; not until Maddie had told her the night prior and then the older woman insisted she come in this morning to tell you everything.

One night about a week ago, Maddie met up with Dylan, and of course, he had been in a sour mood. He wanted her to move back, to move in with him, but she said she couldn’t. When he got angry, pressing her and then insisting she must not really love him, she panicked and said she couldn’t because of her parents. Maddie began to cry, recounting this moment to you, and her regret was palpable. It was obvious she believed she might be responsible for what happened to her parents even though she still couldn’t accept that Dylan would ever hurt them. He loved her after all, and to hurt them like that would hurt her. Surely, he understood that.

You pressed your lips together for a moment, choosing not to respond to that thought, and gently prompted her to tell you what happened next.

“He said ‘So, it’s your parents then? That’s why we can’t be together?’ Not really thinking and just wanting to end the argument, I told him yeah, that was why.”

“And what did he say to that?” You asked her.

Her eyes began to brim with additional tears, spilling over onto her cheeks. “He asked me,” she choked out. “‘If your parents weren’t a problem, would you be with me then?’” She began to sob, placing her face into her hands. “I told him yes but only because I wanted him to stop. I never meant to—” Her crying increased and you felt horrible for her but you still needed to do your job. The only thing you could offer in that moment was quiet kindness, silent support, and a box of tissues.

She took the box from you and sobbed out a thank you. You gave her a minute or so to collect herself but you had to prompt her to get the rest of the information.

“Maddie, where is Dylan now?”

Her wet eyes snapped up to you in alarm, almost looking fearful, and she rushed out, “You’re not going to arrest him, are you?”

You had answered that as diplomatically yet vaguely as you could. It took some coaxing on your part, but eventually she told you where he was staying. Here in town still. Of course. There was no way he was going to leave the object of his dangerous obsession, the toy he liked to exert his control over. Obviously, you kept those thoughts to yourself.

“Have you spoken to him since yesterday?”

She nodded, wiping a tissue under her nose. “Yeah.”

“So you told him about what happened to your parents?”

“Yeah,” she whimpered.

“And what was his response?”

Maddie’s eyes watered again but she managed to get out, “He told me he was really sorry, that he hated that I had found them like that, and he wanted to be there for me.” You got the sense there was more to it than that so you pushed.

“And?”

“And,” she whispered brokenly. “He said ‘I know how sad you are but just think, we can be together now. No one’s standing in our way.’” She burst into tears once more and you let out a quiet breath, writing down what she’d said. Not a confession by any means, but it certainly now made Dylan Carter a person of interest in your eyes. It was something you and Jack definitely needed to look into and pronto. And somehow you had to convince Maddie to take out a restraining order, something you hoped you could have Ava assist you with. She had listened to her aunt about coming in, maybe she’d listen about safeguarding her safety as well. You wanted nothing more than to comfort the girl but you had to do what you’d been brought onto this case to do and see through this investigation. You had gotten too personal, too caught up in emotions once before, and you couldn’t— You briefly closed your eyes in pain, feeling the weight of the necklace around your neck, but you forced yourself to focus. You had a job to do and that was to get justice for the Hartmans and by extension, their daughter, while also protecting her. You had a new lead, a possible motive — time to get cracking.

So here you and Jack were, sitting in another interrogation room with Dylan across from you, giving you both a mix of a bright smile and a cocky smirk. You knew without a doubt that you had your guy but you had to see the process through to make sure no stone was left unturned.

Dylan had been exactly where Maddie said he’d be and he didn’t appear to be worried by Jack’s pounding on his door or your request that he accompany you to the station to be questioned. Nor did he seem fazed by the presence of two Helena PD officers behind you, at the ready and each having one hand near their handcuffs in case the word lawyer was used, the other near their holster in case he made a move. He could try to refuse but there was really no room for refusal. And now that he had denied being anywhere near the victims’ home the other night, locking himself into his story, you were going to show him why there wasn’t.

“Are you sure that you weren’t anywhere near the Hartman home the other night? Say around 11:30?” You asked.

“Yes, ma’am. Like I told you, I was at my friend’s. We watched the hockey game, drank a few beers, then I crashed on his couch. I was a little too drunk to drive if I’m being honest.” He tried to give you his most charming smile but you weren’t buying a single shred of the act.

“So not at all?” You repeated.

“No, ma’am,” he insisted.

You glanced over to Jack who gave you a subtle nod. “Well then, we have a problem, Mr. Carter.” You picked up your phone, pulled up the file Stephens had sent you, hit the play button, and turned it around to show the son of a bitch.

He watched the scene unfold that you and Jack had watched before heading out to pick him up. A dark Toyota Corolla pulled up in front of a house two spots away from the Hartman house, coming to a slow stop. When the engine was turned off, it was a good minute before he got out and closed his door; you chalked that up to him checking the area before getting out. You then watched as he made his way down the sidewalk of the quiet street, stopping in front of the Hartman property, turned, and approached the house, slipping out of sight of the camera. Dylan had only put his hoodie up and had never looked around to see if the neighbors had any doorbell cameras, and like an overly confident jackass, he had pulled right in front of the house that not only had a doorbell camera but also a garage one, and his image was all too clear for anyone to see, plain as day.

You could see his jaw tensing but he kept his face tightly controlled. You stopped the video and placed your phone down. Jack had his arms crossed and his stare at Dylan never wavered. “That’s you, Mr. Carter.” You pointed to the device. “Pulling up to a neighbor’s house close to the timeframe that the Medical Examiner has estimated that the victims were killed. You then got out of your vehicle and approached the Hartman home. You were not seen leaving until approximately an hour later. You were there the night they died. So as I said, we have a problem.”

“That proves nothing,” he ground out.

“Nothing?” You turned to look at Jack in feigned shock before turning back to the younger man. “You lied about being at the scene the night of the murders. You are on camera arriving on scene. How does that prove nothing?”

“That’s not me,” he snapped. “You can’t tell who that is.”

You watched him for a moment. “It is you, Mr. Carter. And I’m willing to bet that if we find that hoodie, the victims’ blood will be all over it, won’t it?” You challenged.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

You arched a brow over at him but remained quiet, allowing your partner to attempt to seal the deal, to push him off of the edge of that bubble he was currently riding on. You didn’t see a confession coming, not from this sadistic prick, but you had to take the chance that he might fold in the face of some of the evidence already gathered against him.

“Here’s your chance to come clean, man,” Jack offered. “To tell us what really happened that night. Maybe you only meant to scare them, talk to them, convince them why their daughter should give you another chance. Maybe something went horribly wrong and you reacted. And maybe after that, you panicked.”

Dylan’s eyes snapped up and you could see the angry edge to his now darker brown gaze. You had him and he knew it. “I’d like to talk to that lawyer now.” The good old L word. You wished you could say you were surprised that he would have opted for that instead of admitting what he had done, but you weren’t. Not much surprised you anymore when it came to these types of cases, especially with these types of perps. There was no remorse in those eyes.

You gathered up your papers, phone, and got to your feet along with Jack. “Sure thing,” you said sweetly, giving him a strained smile and turning to leave the room. You opened the door and indicated to Officer Morris who had been standing sentry nearby, waiting. He gave you a nod and he made his way past you into the room. He ordered Dylan to stand up and put his hands behind his back, causing the latter to scoff and demand a lawyer even more firmly, saying he was being falsely accused and that he didn’t do anything. Morris asked him again to stand up and this time, Officer Lewis had also stepped into the room. Lewis reminded you of a wrestler you’d once seen on TV years ago, some guy named Austin or something; he was that big and intimidating looking, not that Morris was any slouch himself. Dylan wisely got to his feet and did as requested.

“You’re under arrest for the murders of Everett Hartman and Amelia Hartman,” Jack began as Morris cuffed Dylan. He read him his Miranda rights and once he was finished, Morris led Dylan out the door.

You watched as he passed you by, not looking away once even when he glared at you. Just as he was about to cross the threshold, he stopped and got a sick-looking smile on his face, whispering to you, “She’s mine, you know? We’re going to be together. Nothing is going to keep us apart now. She’s mine.”

You wanted to punch him, to tell him that Maddie or any other person on this planet would never be his, that he was going to rot in jail for the rest of his life and you’d personally see to it — but you kept your cool, your training kicking in, and you kept your features carefully schooled into a neutral expression. Plus, you refused to give him any of the reaction he was looking for. He had already taken too much from Maddie and her parents, Ava and their loved ones, and from what you’d found out about the victims during your investigation, the community. He had shattered Maddie’s world and it would be a very difficult road ahead for her but at least she was now safe from this monster.

“Let’s go.” Morris pushed Dylan forward and Lewis was right there to give him a hand. You continued staring after them as they made their way down the hall and disappeared around the corner.

“You okay?” Jack asked, next to you.

You turned to look at him, your brows furrowed. “Yeah, why?”

He inclined his head towards your chest and you only just realized that you had pulled your necklace out and been moving the pendant back and forth on the chain. You had no idea when or why you’d done that; you only hoped that you hadn’t done that in front of Dylan and the officers.

You cleared your throat and placed the pendant back inside your shirt. “I’m fine, thanks though.”

Jack nodded. “Bit of a rough case.”

You huffed out a breath. “Bit of an understatement.”

“True.” Jack gestured for you to walk down the hall to your squad room first. “But the important thing is she’s now safe.”

“As long as he doesn’t get bail,” you muttered.

Jack shook his head. “You think you could stop being the Bad News Bears for one minute? Take the win, Y/L/N.” He passed you and entered the room, plopping his notepad onto his desk. “Besides, I doubt he’s going to get bail. We’ve got him on video. The DA will use it and make a good argument.”

Jack had a point but so did you. “The girl’s parents are dead. She believes she’s the one that caused their deaths. How is that a win? For anyone?” You placed your things on your desk and turned around to lean against it, crossing your arms.

Jack gave you a look but sat down in his chair. “We just closed up a case literally before we hit the forty eight hour mark. We’ve got him on the Ring camera footage from the neighbor, we’ve got him on traffic cams driving to and from the house near the approximate time of death, he’s got the motive, he flat out lied about being at the scene, he’s obviously got a screw loose from what he just said in there to you that’s on camera. We’re getting warrants for his friend’s place and for the tracking of the friend’s car. The sister was able to convince the daughter to take out a restraining order so it’s on record — it’s an open and shut case. A win, Y/N. What more do you want?”

For the bastard to pay. Immediately dismissing that thought and masterfully keeping a tight lid on your emotions, you mulled over it. What more did you want? You couldn’t be quite sure other than that you wished this hadn’t happened in the first place, like with every single case as of late. Every single case since… You briefly fingered at the fabric covering the pendant around your neck. Jack was right; this was pretty much an open and shut case, and Maddie was now safe. Ava was even taking your suggestion to get the girl into therapy as soon as possible. You should take the win. You gave him a nod and turned to sit down at your desk.

“Well, well, well,” Taylor began as he walked in, making your eyes roll as soon as you heard his voice. “If it isn’t my favorite lady detective.”

“Well, well, well,” you echoed. “If it isn’t the pain in my dick coming back. Could’ve sworn the doc gave me something for it but here you are, again. Gonna have to tell her that the creams aren’t working so I need something stronger.”

Jack hissed out a laugh and Stephens rolled his eyes, passing by you both to get to his desk. “Can’t you two play nice for one damn day?” He grumbled.

Riley Taylor was a few years younger than you, had just moved into Homicide two years before you transferred here, and was a perpetual pain in your ass. What he lacked in tact he more than made up for in his pursuit to drive you up a wall on the daily. The blond-haired detective thought he was slick, charismatic, and overall wanted by every single female in a ten foot radius. Guess who was the only female that worked within a ten foot radius of him during the week? Yep, you got that honor…though you knew it was more of a curse.

Sure, he had pursued you the first few weeks you’d been out here, probably just happy at the prospect of having a woman to talk at instead of the wall since Jack and Stephens mostly ignored him. You’d politely declined, trying to be professional, civil, compassionate — and then you’d flat out turned him down when he took your response as a green flag to continue his pursuit. Suffice to say, things had turned downright ugly between you two and the animosity was at an all-time high. He wasn’t a bad guy per se, and you could work together if you had to, but he definitely got on your nerves pretty often. If there was a bane of your existence in this precinct, it was most assuredly him.

Mark Stephens was his partner, a middle-aged man with mostly gray hair and a bushy mustache to boot. He had been in Homicide longer than you, Jack, and Taylor put together though for some reason he had been passed over for Captain in favor of Anderson. The rumor was that it was due to his age while others claimed it was because the Chief couldn’t stand him. Stephens took a very no-nonsense approach to everything he did, even outside of the job. Jack told you that the last time a smile had been spotted on Stephens’ face was back in 1993 when the Toronto Blue Jays had won the World Series for the second time. By the time the World Series was supposed to roll around again the following year, the smile had all but slipped into legend. Jack also warned you that you’d have a better chance of finding the Holy Grail than ever hearing Stephens laugh.

You could almost understand why Taylor enjoyed provoking you rather than dealing with Stephens all the time…almost. You didn’t think Stephens was that bad and you respected his experience and how he handled himself on the job. You also couldn’t help but feel some compassion for the man. He’d been around for how many years, seeing how many murders? You thought your squad and the whole damn precinct needed to cut him some slack.

“Oh, I’d like to get along with her, alright,” Taylor teased, wiggling his eyebrows at you as he continued to his desk.

“And just like that, I feel the sudden impulse to trade waxes for cement.”

Taylor halted in his tracks, frozen mid-air above his chair, his eyes wide. “You get waxed? Are we talking bikini waxes or…?”

“Alright, alright,” Jack interrupted, flashing a look between you both. “Let’s keep it PG in here for Christ’s sake.”

“Amen,” Stephens mumbled, already clicking away at his mouse.

“She brought it up,” Taylor argued. “Listen, I’m a simple man and I can only take so much.”

“You’re simple, alright,” you muttered, turning to open your drawer on the left side of your desk.

“You wish you had a piece of this, Y/L/N,” Taylor threw out there.

You whipped your head around so fast, you were surprised you hadn’t hurt your neck with the action. “Oh, you mean like a super tiny bite-sized piece?”

“I mean, if you want to bite…I’m game.”

You scoffed in disgust and turned back to your computer. You had work to do; the asshole could go into the men’s bathroom and play with himself if he was that hard up for some entertainment. The way you’d heard it, it certainly wouldn’t be the first time.

A throat clearing nearby broke into your thoughts. “Hi.”

Your eyes shot up in disbelief, having heard a familiar voice in front of you that you hadn’t thought you would hear anytime soon, if ever again. Sure enough, there stood Sheriff Beau Arlen, hat in hand, facing your desk, his eyes intent on you. You hadn’t heard or seen him come in. “Hi,” you breathed out in surprise.

Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed your fellow detectives turning to watch the scene happening in front of them. Except Stephens; the older man could care less.

You marveled at how good Beau looked. Once again, you felt the pangs of disappointment when you remembered why you couldn’t go there, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t enjoy the feast your eyes were currently being served. You stared a little too long and Beau smiled to himself, his gaze dropping to the ground before meeting yours again, the unabashed desire deep within those green orbs while at the same time, his cheeks appeared to be a single shade darker. Somehow, the contradicting reactions made him look even more appealing to the naked eye. Naked. You tilted your head slightly as that word rolled around in your head, causing your teeth to subconsciously dig into your bottom lip. You bet he’d look just as good as he did with his clothes on, perhaps even better…

Jack loudly cleared his throat and it thankfully shook you out of your very unprofessional thought track. You got your mind out of the gutter and you snapped back into professional mode immediately, ignoring your partner’s quiet sniggering. “What are you doing here?” You asked the man in front of you.

Beau gave you one of his infamous smiles. “Well, Detective Y/L/N, I was hoping we could have a quick word.” He quickly glanced around the room, taking in all of the eyes on both of you, before elaborating, “About the case from yesterday.”

Your heart immediately sunk in your chest. Of course. You weren’t allowed to be disappointed, though. You were the one who had insisted on things remaining professional between you and nothing more.

Jack’s head snapped up and he turned narrow eyes on the sheriff, glancing back and forth between you two with immediate suspicion. Even though Jack had asked you how the date went the night before, you had simply told him it hadn’t worked out but didn’t give any details. Before he could ask why, Maddie and her aunt had arrived. So you weren’t surprised when Jack watched you both like a hawk in this moment, especially with Beau mentioning that case and so openly.

Before you could answer him, a knock on the open door had you all looking over to find Officer Hutchinson standing there, his gaze trained on you and Jack. “Anderson wants you to see you two in his office,” he gestured to you both. “Right now.” The man vanished before you could say a word in response.

Your brows furrowed as you exchanged a look with Jack, hoping like hell it wasn’t any bad news, or worse: the string of murders from your serial continuing.

You glanced over at Beau as you got to your feet, noticing a fleeting look of guilt as he slipped his hat back onto his head. Your heart sunk even further. Maybe last night had really been an attempt to get information out of you all along. How could you have been so blind?

“Called to the boss’ office,” Taylor teased from his desk. “Wonder what that could be about. Maybe he’s finally going to partner us up, Y/L/N. About damn time, wouldn’t you say?”

You rolled your eyes and grabbed a notepad and pen, resisting the urge to flip him off. He certainly gave your middle finger a daily workout, that’s one thing you could say for him. “The day that happens is the day I will happily go back to traffic duty.”

“No need for that. Not when I’ve got something you can check on the regular instead.”

You clenched your fingers around your pen and your jaw tensed as you fought not to say something smart back. You couldn’t believe he had said something like that in front of someone who wasn’t in this unit or even this precinct. What a dickhead. Well, if anything, Taylor was building his own sexual harassment lawsuit against him. The one bright spot in the everyday torture he inflicted on you daily.

“More like break and then remove, but whatever,” you muttered. You ignored Taylor’s guffaw and walked around your desk, coming to a stop in front of Beau.

Beau looked unhappy and that guilt was back again in full force. “I’m sorry we didn’t get to talk first. Maybe we can have a quick word after the meeting.” At your tensing due to hearing him knowing about the meeting, your suspicions confirmed, he laid a gentle hand on your upper arm. “I’ll see you in there and we’ll talk after,” he assured you in a quiet murmur, squeezing your arm before dropping his hand. It surprised you when Beau then turned a blatant glare in Taylor’s direction before heading out the door. You had never seen that glare on his face before and from the look of it, you hoped you never did, especially directed at you.

Taylor snorted and sneered over at you. “Your boyfriend get jealous or something, Y/L/N? He should be.”

This time, you didn’t fight the urge and promptly flipped him off. Jack gestured for you to join him and you ignored Taylor’s resounding laughter as you two left the room.

In the hallway, Jack muttered to you, “I thought last night was just a date.”

Your jaw tensed. “I thought so, too.”

“Did you talk about the case at all?”

You stopped in your tracks and turned a scowl on him. “Let’s get one thing straight here, Darcy. I know we’ve only been partners for four months but I am a goddamn professional. What? You think some good looking guy makes eyes at me and my brain turns to mush and I forget everything I have worked for? That I’m that fucking stupid? Think again,” you snarled.

Jack held up his hands placatingly. “Relax. That’s not what I’m saying. I only meant, did he bring up the case?”

You let out a breath. “Yeah. Once.” You raised your chin a little, daring him to challenge you on this next part. “But I shut it right down.”

Your partner nodded and held out his arm in front of you, gesturing for you to continue your trek. You did but only after eyeing him severely, giving him the most withering look you could.

“Is that why it didn’t work out?”

“Among other things,” you snapped, not wanting to talk about any of that right now.

Jack gave you another nod and remained quiet the rest of the short walk to your captain’s office. Once you reached the door with the frosted pane of glass bearing the name “Captain James Anderson” in gold letters, Jack gently touched your elbow to stop your progress. “Alright, listen. When we’re in there, let me do the talking.” At your fresh glare, he hurried to add, “Whether you like it or not, I’ve known Anderson longer and whatever firing squad we’re possibly facing in there, I can grab his ear and get him to listen. Especially with Sheriff Loverboy in there now.”

Your eyes widened. Was Darcy trying to push you over the edge? Or get you arrested for homicide? “Are you suggesting that I—”

“No,” he rushed out. “Of course not. I’m saying you need to keep an eye out. You got a good look at his body language last night.” At the fury filling your eyes, Jack assured, “Professionally speaking. You got a pretty good read on him so you know what to look for. Y/N, we need to have each other’s backs in there, alright? We don’t want to lose this case. Not when we’ve fought so hard to keep it.”

He gave you a meaningful look and you unclenched your jaw, sighing, and gave him a curt nod. Jack was right. Not only did you need to be sharp in there but you both had been on this case from the very beginning. You’d be damned if you’d let anyone take you off of it or try to push you out.

After a moment, Jack knocked on the door. “Come in,” Anderson called out.

You took a deep breath and smoothed out your features, giving Jack another nod to let him know you were ready. He returned it and opened the door, allowing you to walk through first. You froze at the threshold. Your body tensed and it took everything you had to keep the shock and ensuing anger off of your face.

Sitting in front of Anderson’s desk was Hoyt, smirking up at you, and the sheriff who had taken you out last night, who had asked to talk to you just a few minutes ago. Beau’s eyes sought yours but you refused to meet his gaze. Instead, you kept your eyes on the smug blonde seated next to him.

If you had any doubts about your decision from the night before, they had all but evaporated into thin air after spotting the woman in front of you. You remembered Beau’s words from last night. “Things just got…complicated.” Seeing Hoyt’s smirk grow the longer you stood there and noticing Beau fidgeting next to her out of your peripherals, you actually found yourself agreeing with his sentiments. Complicated sure was a nice way of putting it.

#beau arlen x reader #beau arlen x female reader #beau arlen x you #beau arlen x y/n #beau x reader #beau x female reader #beau x you #beau x y/n #beau arlen #big sky fanfiction #beau arlen fanfiction #the ghosts are coming for you chapter 2 #thebiggerbear

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mrs-lockley · 2 months

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Results of WIP Poll

Thank you to everyone who participated in my WIP poll! Here are the results, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on which character you think it was 🥰 In ranking order!

Tagging: @soft-girl-musings @writefightandflightclub @venting402 @musing-magpie @sleepy-timaeus @marc-spectorr

I was supposed to protect you, not fall in love with you (34.8%)

Pairing: Jake Lockley x Southeast Asian Fem!Reader, (Platonic) Steven Grant x Southeast Asian Fem!Reader, (Unrequited) Marc Spector x Southeast Asian Fem!Reader Fic Title: Reach for the Moon | Series Masterlist | Part I. The Breaking Summary: To heal your broken heart and move on from your unrequited crush on Marc Spector, your family sends you to help establish your cousin’s bakery in Singapore for two years. You return to New York as a more confident woman, but you find yourself picking up the pieces of your broken heart (again) after meeting Marc as he continues to heal from his divorce. Sensing the pain and heartbreak between you and Marc, Jake steps in to create some distance to protect you, but he was never meant to fall in love with you. No Moon Knight AU.

In another world, I would have loved to do laundry and taxes with you (23.7%)

Pairing: Miguel O'Hara x Southeast Asian Fem!Reader Fic Title: Forever the Name on My Lips Summary: Chasing an anomaly through the Spider-Verse, Miguel finds himself stranded in a house that seem so familiar, but unfamiliar at the same time. He expects to find his way out, but what he does not expect is to see you standing in the doorway, your eyes wide as if you have seen a ghost, a wedding ring on your finger, wearing one of his college shirts. In his universe, you and Miguel never made it, but in yours, he was your late husband buried six feet under.

The dragon eats the moon, and I am afraid you will consume me whole (16.3%)

Pairing: Namor of Talokan (K'uk'ulkan) x Filipina (Kapampangan) Sirena Fem!Reader Fic Title: Where the Spirit Meets the Bones | Part 2 (Title TBD) Summary: Part 2 of Where the Spirit Meets the Bones. After reuniting with his Sirena, the King of Talokan returns to Asia’s Pearl of the Orient to see her again, only to learn that his Sirena is not what she seems (aka her human backstory revealed).

I never break a promise, but I broke my promise to you and fell in love with you (14.8%)

Pairing: Marc Spector x WOC!Reader Fic Title: A Thousand Cuts Cornelia Street Summary: Heartbreak is something you and your friend, Marc Spector, are familiar with. After one night of drinking and tears, you and Marc make a promises to each other to never fall in love again, but you soon find yourself breaking that promise. But you’ll be alright, it’s just a thousand cuts

We were never meant to be, but came to be, and only in this way. (10.4%)

Pairing: Jake Lockley x Southeast Asian Fem!Reader Fic Title: We'll Always Have New York Summary: Wanting to get out of California, you temporarily move to live with your aunt in New York to help take care of her after her fall. Not wanting you to spend your time looking after her, she suggests setting a blind date between you and one of her old coworkers, only for him to stand you up at the restaurant. Mortified and heartbroken, you seek refuge at a nearby coffee shop where you meet a taxicab driver, Jake Lockley. Takes place before the events of Moon Knight.

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solidaritytek · 1 year

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I said I'd post my Ranchers playlist at some point, so here we go! (I may end up adding songs as time goes by, but I'm happy with it right now so!)

Cover art by the lovely @lunarcrown!

I'm including a tracklist below the cut with lyrics I feel fit the boys! <3 (Some of them may be a little angsty, I'm sorry </3)

Trevor - Jordy

I need somebody to want me To love me, to need me like that Somebody to hold me To touch me, to see me like that Somebody to want me (want me) To love me (love me), to need me (need me) like that (like that) Somebody to hold me (hold me) To touch me (touch me), to see me (oh) like that

Trevor You're everything I want but better You're making me feel like I don't know me I wish that somebody would love me, like that

Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons

But it was not your fault but mine And it was your heart on the line I really fucked it up this time Didn't I, my dear? Didn't I, my dear?

CHRONICALLY CAUTIOUS - Braden Bales

So if I'm honest I think I'm beginning to question how much I want this Overloaded serial stressor, I'm sitting nauseous Panic on a loop in my head, I'm chronically cautious How can I get off this?

Ghost - Halsey

You say that you're no good for me 'Cause I'm always tugging at your sleeve And I swear I hate you when you leave I like it anyway

Love Is A Weapon - Letdown.

But we've got love drunk Someone's going crazy Doesn't happen, baby Let me out my mind Can't have another moment In another moment Running in a whirlwind Take me back You know my love's a weapon

My Oh My - Camilla Cabello ft. DaBaby

A little bit older A black leather jacket A bad reputation Insatiable habits He was onto me, one look and I couldn't breathe Yeah, I said, "If you kiss me I might let it happen"

Why Do I - Set It Off, Hatsune Miku

So why do I still wake up, two in the morning Cold sweat, screamin' your name? Why do I get drunk and look at your pictures? Why do I feel this way? Why do I do this to myself? And why do I even try? You don't, you don't So baby, why do I?

Need You Now (How Many Times) - Plumb

How many times have you heard me cry out "God please take this"? How many times have you given me strength to Just keep breathing? Oh I need you God, I need you now

Curses - The Crane Wives

There's still cobwebs in the corners And the backyard's full of bones Won't you stay with me, my darling When this house don't feel like home? When this house don't feel like home

Oh ashes, ashes, dust to dust The devil's after both of us Ooh, lay my curses out to rest Make a mercy out of me

better off without me - Matt Hansen

I guess love isn't what I thought We were blinded by the hope we got We were slow dancing in the dark Do you remember, remember?

Fell so deep, we couldn't see Maybe we were never meant to be One day I'll just be a memory, and you'll be better Better off without me

Canary in a Coal Mine - The Crane Wives

But I still hold out hope that maybe someday I'll be worth more than all the silence left in my way And when you break the surface oh without me Please don't return me to the dark of all the memories, yeah

Sick of Losing Soulmates - dodie

We will grow old as friends I've promised that before, so what's one more in our grey-haired circle, waiting for the end? Time and hearts will wear us thin So which path will you take, 'cause we both know a break does exactly what it says on the tin

What the hell would I be without you? (What the hell would I be?) Brave face, talk so lightly, hide the truth (Hide the truth)

'Cause I'm sick of losing soulmates So where do we begin? I can finally see you're as fucked up as me So how do we win? Yeah, I'm sick of losing soulmates Won't be alone again I can finally see you're as fucked up as me So how do we win?

Lover Boy - The Front Bottoms

Oh You got me acting like a tough guy Trying to be cool You got me acting like a tough guy And now I'm missing you Oh

And now I'm acting like a lover boy Trying to be smooth, smooth, smooth

Now I'm missing you

Nine in the Afternoon - Panic! At The Disco

When it's nine in the afternoon Your eyes are the size of the moon You're good 'cause you can, so you do We're feeling so good

Back to the street, down to our feet Losing the feeling of feeling unique Do you know what I mean? Back to the place where we used to say "Man, it feels good to feel this way"

under the weather - CORPSE

Would it kill you just to smile? At least once in a while? Leave your fuckin' town Live just in the now

Baby, I got a fever I'm not feeling too well I'm so under the weather I'm so under your spell

The Love We Stole - Bear's Den

I was bawling In some things you just can't help from falling And all of your wisdom only makes me feel like I I don't deserve the freedom To love with my own heart To care for another more than myself To love with my own heart To care for another more than myself

I've Got All This Ringing In My Ears And None On My Fingers - Fall Out Boy

Do you remember the way I held your hand Under the lamp post and ran home this way? So many times I can close my eyes

The truth hurts worse than anything I could bring myself to do to you The truth hurts worse than anything I could bring myself to do to you

Circles - Post Malone

Maybe you don't understand what I'm going through It's only me What you got to lose? Make up your mind, tell me What are you gonna do? It's only me Let it go

Seasons change and our love went cold Feed the flame 'cause we can't let it go Run away, but we're running in circles Run away, run away

If I Killed Someone For You - Alec Benjamin

Would you love me more (Would you love me more) If I killed someone for you? Would you hold my hand? (Would you hold my hand?) They're the same ones that I used When I killed someone for you

Would you turn me in (Would you turn me in) When they say I'm on the loose? Would you hide me when (Would you hide me when) My face is on the news? 'Cause I killed someone for you

I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Kurt Hugo Schneider

Love of mine Someday you will die But I'll be close behind I'll follow you into the dark

No blinding light Or tunnels, to gates of white Just our hands clasped so tight Waiting for the hint of a spark

If Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks Then I'll follow you into the dark

Ties - Hi I'm Case

We all start off as strangers And fate will steer the way you lean I threw my caution to the wind And risked all of the dangers And there’s no wonder what that means

I’ll see the forest through the trees If they’d bother to adjust Staring through the leaves Waiting for the perfect gust

To blow away what ties us here ‘cause i need more than these wings (more than these wings) And the breeze that carried us

Hey Sexy Lady - Shaggy ft. Brian & Tony Gold

Hey sexy lady, I like your flow Your body's bangin', out of control (uh) You put it on me (that's right) Ceiling to floor Only you can make me, scream and beg for more

Wild Heart - Daughtry

Take me back To those barefoot summer nights Take me back Running down those highway lights Remember when We said, "Don't let go 'til we die"

Take me back To that fire in your eyes 'Cause I know it ain't gone too far Take me back to you and to your wild heart, yeah To your wild heart, yeah

Telepathic - STARSET

Look inside my brain You'd know what I want before I tell you Give me the words to say to make it enough Don't want your star-crossed fate You are the sun, I am the full moon Don't leave me lost in vain I can be what you want

I don't wanna let you go But I can't stand to watch this I don't wanna let you know But you can read my mind

I feel it all the time Felt it all around you You had me under spell right from the start I don't have a telepathic heart Telepathic

Re:re - NateWantsToBattle

I waited for you I waited for you I had so many chances I could never go through I pause and look back And then I lose track I spent so much time That I'm never getting back

Now I Will never get the chance To tell you

Go To Bed Angry - Set It Off, KC

So don't you walk away from me Let's settle this Rather hear you scream Than whisper shit There's no in-between Cause if we sleep in our feelings We'll never start healing

Let's not go to bed angry Taking back everything I said Baby let's not do this Baby I don't wanna go to bed angry

Look Away - Eli Lieb, Steve Grand

I’ll be okay, are you okay? Thinkin’ about the way that we left this Will I grow to regret it Watching you fade I know it’s goodbye

But I can’t look away from you I can’t look away I’m trying to face the truth from the mess that we made So we say that we tried But I can’t look away from you I can’t look away

Omae Wa Mou - Caleb Hyles, Ironmouse

The one who started rap tap tapping I can feel it on my head right now I wonder, was it you? What did I ever do? I know I wanna open up my eyes But I'm afraid I'm feelin' all the warmth of the sunset Somehow it feels sad Why won't you wait for me? 'Cause I'll just call for you all over again

Tightrope - WALK THE MOON

In my bed, I'm rolling over I'm tangling up in chains on the swings on the set on the night that we met And now the beads of water, move up the glass You speak your mind, and you can not take it back Walk a tightrope, walk a little tightrope Walk a tightrope, walk a little tightrope

It's Alright - Mother Mother

It's alright, it's okay, it's alright, it's okay You're not a monster, just a human And you made a few mistakes It's alright, it's okay, it's alright, it's okay You're not gruesome, just human And you made a few mistakes It's alright, oh It's okay, oh

Snow - Ricky Montgomery

Here we are wasting our chances for the last time And when we go, I'll try not to be so slow Skeletons, skeletons, what do we have here Hiding from the mirror? Say it once, say it twice, try to be nice Well, let's not lose ourselves

Sinners - Lauren Aquilina

You showed me feelings I've never felt before We're making enemies, knocking on the devil's door And how can you expect me not to eat When the forbidden fruit tastes so sweet?

So lets be sinners to be saints And lets be winners by mistake The world may disapprove But my world is only you And if we're sinners then it feels like heaven to me

I'd Do Anything - Simple Plan

This could be the one last chance to make you understand And I just can't let you leave me once again, yeah

I'd do anything Just to hold you in my arms To try to make you laugh 'Cause somehow I can't put you in the past I'd do anything Just to fall asleep with you Will you remember me? 'Cause I know I won't forget you

Tangerine - Glass Animals

But I wish I could show you more of yourself I wish I could make you somebody else But I left it way too late Are you stuck in your own ways?

I'm beggin', hands, knees, please Tangerine, come on back to me Got what I need, tangerine Do this for me Hands, knees, please Tangerine, sugar, honey, sweet Got what I need, tangerine

idfc - blackbear

'Cause I have hella feelings for you I act like I don't fucking care Like they ain't even there 'Cause I have hella feelings for you I act like I don't fucking care 'Cause I'm so fucking scared

I'm only a fool for you And maybe you're too good for me I'm only a fool for you But I don't fucking care at all, oh, oh-oh

Tell me pretty lies Look me in the face Tell me that you love me Even if it's fake 'Cause I don't fucking care at all

Gorgeous - Taylor Swift

You're so gorgeous I can't say anything to your face 'Cause look at your face And I'm so furious At you for making me feel this way But, what can I say? You're gorgeous

You should take it as a compliment That I'm talking to everyone here but you (but you, but you) And you should think about the consequence Of you touching my hand in the darkened room (dark room, dark room) If you've got a girlfriend, I'm jealous of her But if you're single that's honestly worse 'Cause you're so gorgeous it actually hurts (Honey, it hurts)

Stutter - Marianas Trench

And I'm begging you Bring me back to life I just can't stand leaving you alone tonight It's too late to go Already taken me forever just to try you know One for the money, two for the show Three to get ready, and four to go For the life of me I don't know why it took me so long to see

Rewrite The Stars - Zac Efron, Zendaya

You think it's easy You think I don't wanna run to you But there are mountains And there are doors that we can't walk through I know you're wondering why because we're able to be Just you and me within these walls But when we go outside, you're gonna wake up and see That it was hopeless after all

No one can rewrite the stars How can you say you'll be mine? Everything keeps us apart And I'm not the one you were meant to find It's not up to you It's not up to me When everyone tells us what we can be How can we rewrite the stars? Say that the world can be ours Tonight

Paper Rings - Taylor Swift

I like shiny things, but I'd marry you with paper rings Uh huh, that's right Darling, you're the one I want, and I hate accidents except when we went from friends to this Uh huh, that's right Darling, you're the one I want In paper rings, in picture frames, in dirty dreams Oh, you're the one I want

I want to drive away with you I want your complications too I want your dreary Mondays Wrap your arms around me, baby boy

Hurricane - Fleurie

I can feel your heart hanging in the air I'm counting every step as you climb the stairs It's buried in your bones, I see it in your closed eyes Turning in, this is harder than we know We hold it in the most when we're wearing thin

Comin' like a hurricane, I take it in real slow The world is spinning like a weathervane Fragile and composed Though I am breaking down again I am aching now to let you in

For the Dancing and the Dreaming - Lizz Robinett

I'll swim and sail on savage seas With never a fear of drowning And gladly ride the waves of life If you would marry me No scorching sun nor freezing cold Will stop me (on my journey, sorry!) If you will promise me your heart

And love And love me for eternity My dearest one, my darling dear Your mighty words astound me But I've no need for mighty deeds When I feel your arms around me

Young Love - Eli Lieb

'Cause this love is getting dangerous I need some more tonight Your touch is contagious You know what I need tonight I can't run and I can't hide I'll be wasted by the light I'm undone but I'm alive Don't ever wanna see the morning light

I'll Fight - Daughtry

Where you wanna go I'd love to take you there Wish that I could make the road easy I wish that life was fair Don't wanna see you cry Even when it rains And I hope you don't forget this You were born for better things

Jolene but it's gay - Reinaeiry

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene I'm begging of you, please just leave your man Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene Please just leave him 'cause I know you can

Now you could have your choice of men But I could never love again 'Cause you're the only one for me, Jolene

I had to have this talk with you My happiness depends on you And whatever you decide to do, Jolene

Sweet Boi - Chevy

Tall and gentle Too hot to handle You're all that I want You're all that I want Don't you know, baby Sweet as nectar Honey suckle You make every thing so fun Oh, boy My sweet boy

Magnetised - Emma Blackery

But you took me by surprise Now look into my eyes And tell me we're not magnetised And even if it's not with me I hope that you find peace Because she can't make you that happy

Because you love me And you love her too What's a boy to do? Because you love me And you love her too What's a boy to do?

Oah - Alexander Rybak

Don't go away, you're what's left of me I once believed you would save my soul But if you saw me now crying secretly Would you hold my hand and never let it go?

Come With Me - Chxrlotte

Take my hand and we'll face the end of time Let's take a stand against fate's design I said, "I can't bear to see the end" And you said, "Close your eyes and count to ten"

I knew you'd follow me to hell and fight off angels, as well You beat your wings and cast a spell, I'll run away with you And I said, "Hallelujah, " running to you "They won't find us, you and I can watch the stars fall from the sky All clothed in white, my shard of light Let's go together, we'll be free The world ends eventually, so come with me"

And after six thousand years, if the world disappears I'd fight angels and demons to find you, my dear I hear heavenly sounds in my head when you're near I'm alright now you're here

Absolutely Smitten - dodie

That girl just there, yes, she's the one With Cupid's arrow in her bum Handsome stranger, you have made her happy The first in a long time Did you just whisper in her ear? Words she only dreamed to hear? Pretty lady, look at how he's smiling I think he likes you

Soulmate Song - Carson James Argenna

Just know it breaks my heart When soulmates die ten years apart And lonely love is left to sit and wait Soulmates come by surprise Bell curve it seems extremes arise And those who beat the odds will call it fate

Seasons just come then they go away Reasons to run building everyday And if it doesn't go our way, that's okay

Yellow - Coldplay

Look at the stars Look how they shine for you

And everything you do

Yeah, they were all yellow

I came along I wrote a song for you And all the things you do

And it was called Yellow

So then I took my turn Oh, what a thing to have done And it was all yellow

Your skin, oh yeah, your skin and bones Turn into something beautiful And you know, you know I love you so

You know I love you so

Wildfire - Seafret

As feelings arrange deep down inside Try describing a love you can't design More and more, every inch of me is holding on This is it, all the flames are burning strong

We are bound to each other's hearts Caught, torn and pulled apart This love is like wildfire And to my word now I'll be true I can't stop this breaking loose This love, is like wildfire Like wildfire Like wildfire

Truly Madly Deeply - Savage Garden

I'll be your dream, I'll be your wish, I'll be your fantasy I'll be your hope, I'll be your love, be everything that you need I'll love you more with every breath truly, madly, deeply do

#team rancher #tangotek #solidaritygaming

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soaps-hoe-141 · 1 year

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Drowning In The Depths

Yall wanted it, so here ya go. Fulfilling my poll duties

Part 4

Pairing: Price x Male!Reader

WC: 20.7k

Synopsis: Interrogation done. Time to meet the team, make him jealous, be a thot, be an idiot, refuse to elaborate, leave, take your punishment like a man

Warnings: NSFW 18+, I promise it's there, it's just at the end. Daddy Price taking what's his down there

"Here," the young Brit held out your duffel bag to you. Taking it you give him a questioning look wondering where he'd even gotten it which prompted him to glance at Soap and Ghost over by a table. "They grabbed it from your apartment," you shot a look at the two, watching as Ghost grabbed the barrel from the disassembled sniper rifle out of the other man's hand with a shake of his head. Soap in turn just grabbed another piece of the gun until Ghost finally redirected his attention to something on the screen before rearranging the pieces how he wanted them.

It was humorous to watch the two as you changed into a t-shirt and a pair of thicker pants this time. They seemed so far from similar but in a way that drew them together endearingly. Ghost distracted him so easily with something else to avoid the Scotsman tearing apart the careful puzzle of the gun he had disassembled earlier. He made sure to turn around and arrange it just perfectly where it went according to his obsessive mind. Even doing it quick enough that when the Scotsman turned back to say something else Ghost was already right behind him, nodding along as if he’d been there the whole time.

Returning your attention to Gaz you threw the bag under the desk still occupied by Cerberus who was watching Gaz cautiously while you changed. Well to be specific they were both staring at one another with the skepticism of well known rivals. The two seemed overtly distrustful of one another in a way that made even you uncomfortable. It was a bad precedent to set, bad blood couldn't be allowed to fester otherwise it might make Cerberus more inclined to be distrustful of even more strangers in the future. Certainly not something you were about to let happen. Especially if you were strapping with their team over the border into a more than dangerous area that could explode at any moment.

Before Gaz could make a run for it, from Cerberus, you cleared your throat and drew his eyes to you instead of the dog, "I'm sorry he went after you." True or not it didn't matter, you were still kind of annoyed that he hit you over the head but at the same time Cerberus had gotten your share. The past was the past, live in your three foot world and control what you could right now. And right now you could control their relationship moving forward, "If it's alright with you I'd like to get him a little more acquainted with the team, starting with you. If he's not having to decide whether your scent is friendly or not he won't be distracted, could keep us from getting blown sky high."

The Brit pursed his lips and took half a step back not quite sure he wanted to be a part of this, which you had to be honest was fair enough. You could see the look in his eyes, he was about to refuse and before he could outright say no you felt a warm presence at your back. The voice that made you tense sounded right beside your ear as he said, "I'll go first then, Speck." John came around your side, a hand sliding across the small of your back and nearly drawing out a plea for more from you before his sharp look froze your mouth and vocal cords. He was standing between you and Gaz now, blocking the other man's sight of your flustered look.

A quick swallow had you glancing between Cerberus and John trying to reign in the thoughts that were running wild in your mind. He was officially getting to you, and you'd been able to deny it until the moment that he put that large, warm hand in a place he never should have. God you were losing yourself to the possibility, the desire for more. If it weren't for the men in this room and that fact you'd just gotten yourself stitched up you'd shove him onto the nearest desk and be done with all these pent up frustrations. But you couldn't, please God give you the strength not to tear him apart. A damn tease is what he was being now, and one with the ability to back it up. Please back it up.

No, damnit you are a professional with the ability to focus and not some horny fifteen year old who's about to lose his virginity. Chill the fuck out and answer with words not a damn look, "Uh yeah, that's fine. Perfect actually." Your eyes shot down at the dog before you finally managed to remember the command, "Achtung." The intense chocolate gaze shot to you immediately, alert and ready for whatever you had to say next. You turned your gaze back to the Captain and held out your hand, "Alright lemme see your hand then." Another near refusal, hesitation obvious in his eyes. He'd been completely ok with the idea of touching the dog, but the act of touching you when he wasn't the instigator was a completely different story. "Come on, Cap I ain't got all day. You wanted to go first so let's go," Gaz beside him was smirking now and when you all noticed Soap and Ghost's quietness the man sighed and dropped his palm onto yours.

His face began to redden as you flipped his hand over with a smirk, facing his palm up to the ceiling. If he was so worried about embarrassing himself should have just asked instead of assuming. You were finally getting your payback for when he had Ghost search your pockets instead of him. And you had every intention of this being only the beginning. Guiding his hand closer to Cerberus's nose you turned your attention to the dog and said, "Duft." The Dutchie pushed his wet nose into the man's palm taking quick, short breaths. You let your own hand drop away from Price's then, watching Cerberus lick at the callused palm as he familiarized himself with the new scent. The new friend you were providing him with.

Cerberus lifted his head a bit and then laid his jaw onto John's palm, looking up at the tall brunette with eyes that could melt glacial ice. You leaned up to the Brit's ear and whispered low, breath sliding across the shell of his ear, "Tell him 'Pfote'." Blue hues flicked to you, catching a heat there different from the anger you'd been subjected to since you'd first seen him again. Oh yeah, there was that look you were trying to find. The beginning of his undoing if you played your cards right. Two could play at this game of teasing John, your move Brit.

John didn't give anyone else the time to see his momentary weakness though before he turned those blue depths down to Cerberus and said gruffly, "Pfote." Cerberus pushed himself up to sit in front of the tall man before he lifted a paw and dropped into Price's palm.

You smiled at the dog before running your hand over his head and muttering a quick, "Braver Hund!" That had his tail sweeping over the desk with such rapidity you were sure he was about to cause a tornado with it. When you turned your gaze back around John was halfway across the room with his back to you as he looked down at something he'd been fiddling with earlier. For all intents and purposes he was removed from your reach once again, and this time at his own discretion rather than yours.

There was a part of you that longed to have told that piece of shit on the phone to go to hell eight months ago. Maybe if you'd stuck around, if you hadn't been forced to go flying halfway across the world you might have been able to find some happiness there. That would have been nice, that's for sure. Even if you'd lost your job, your livelihood, part of you felt like he might have been worth it. That those heated looks, his ability to always know exactly what to say, and the outstanding way he knew how to use every bit of you, all of that might have just been worth it.

Your gaze turned back to the dog, not wanting to let yourself linger too much for fear the others would see if they hadn't already. A shy voice in front of you that you hadn't heard yet caught your attention, "Hallo." Shock took hold of you as your eyes ran up the hooded man in front of you. Good God where did they get this one from!? "Sprechen Sie Deutsch?" His question was lost on you for the most part, and not only because you were so taken aback by the giant's sudden appearance.

There were many languages you were fluent in and had basic knowledge of, but most Latin based languages were lost on you save for Spanish. Just as most Germanic languages fell into that same category, all except for your native English tongue. You'd only realized your proficiency with languages when learning Spanish in high school as is required. The Navy had only provided you with the resources and necessity to further that knowledge and proficiency.

Uncomfortable silence had the tall man taking a step back slowly, slipping back into the shadows of the unlit sections of the room like he was about to bolt. How hadn't you noticed him before now? The shadows didn't really hide him that well and you were certain you hadn't been that distracted by John. Especially not to have noticed the young, ginger man behind the taller one as well. "Sorry I don't know what you said, do ya speak English?"

Even under the hood you could see that big head tilt and you worried for a moment you'd already made a faux-pas without even realizing it. Being social was so difficult when you usually only had to worry about your tone of voice rather than the words you were saying. Cerberus typically couldn't give two shits about what exactly was coming out of your mouth so long as you didn't sound upset. The small ginger man behind the tall one finally alleviated your worry with an easy smile and a quick, "He does yeah. He was just wondering if ye spoke German." You caught a comforting touch from the smaller man that was so subtle you nearly missed it, but it was there.

Huh, another Scot. So the tally now was three Brits, two Scots, and a German. You eyed the rest of the building carefully again, or what you could see of it anyway from your spot in this one room. No one else, so you weren't missing these men, you weren't that cenile yet. They were, in fact, just coming out of the walls then like carpenter bees drilling through the wood of your shed. Good to know. "I'm Watcher, by the way. I handle all the tech stuff, and I love yer dog. He's a beauty," the ginger stepped closer, but stopped with an unsure look towards you as if waiting for your permission to meet Cerberus. Probably a good idea if you were being honest.

The little Scotsman spoke so easily to you, it was kind of laughable how nonchalant he was about both you and the dog. Especially compared to everyone else's reaction. Then again you hadn't tried to shoot, scare, maim, or sleep with either of these two new guys so that might have helped the ease with which they approached you. When you held out a hand the young man readily put his into yours, excitement lighting up his face at the idea of finally getting to meet the dog. "Cerberus," chocolate hues focused on you before you issued the command just like before, "Duft." His nose inched closer sniffing until he was pressing into Watcher's palm and licking at his lithe fingers.

The young man was positively giddy at the sight, "Can I pet him? Christ," his r seemed to roll on forever, "Please tell me I can pet him." You gave a quick nod in answer watching the young man's other hand slide immediately over the Dutchie's big, black head. Scratching behind his ears, down his neck, and into the thick fur between his shoulder blades. When Cerberus' nose tilted up from the young man's hand and you watched the long, pink tongue dive out for Watcher's chin you half expected him to retreat from him. Instead he merely lifted his face a bit before shaking his head and whispering, "Nein." Then he placed a quick kiss on his forehead and forced himself back, "Your turn Koni." The bright blue eyes shifted up to the hooded man who had been watching the interaction the whole time.

"Koni?" You asked before you could stop yourself, if only you could just keep your mouth shut, that’d be nice. That was an unusual call sign but maybe it meant something in German that you didn't know.

The large hood shook back and forth in answer to you before he said, "No actually. You can call me Konig." He didn't elaborate any further on the name situation though. It was a bit long to be a call sign, in your experience one syllable words were about all a tier one operator had time to mutter in the heat of things. But, staring up at the tall man, you decided it wasn't worth the trouble you'd make asking and instead just nodded, Konig it was then.

Holding your hand out he laid his on top of it, repeating the same process you had with both Price and Watcher now. Cerberus took his time before laying his head in the catcher's mitt that was Konig's hand. It made even the Dutch Shepherd's huge head look small which was a feat. Konig gave the dog a few quick scratches on the head before turning your way and asking, "If you don't speak German then why is your dog trained in it?" Well that made you stop and think.

Lips pressed together into a thin line as you tried to come up with an answer. You’d never really thought about it before honestly. It was how you’d been taught and so that's how you did things. Finally, rather than spread some kind of false information to the young man, or you guessed young man since you couldn’t see his face, you simply shrugged. "Honestly I've got no idea. It's just what the Navy taught me so it's what I use. I mean I guess I could use any language really but I'm so used to it now I've never really thought about changing it."

You hadn't even realized what you'd said until John's voice jumped the gap between you with a quick, "You were in the Navy?" Turning so quickly you felt a crick in your neck that had been there for weeks pop and you locked eyes with him, his brunette brows furrowing at you before you gave a hesitant nod of affirmation. He merely huffed at the information before sitting down at his desk and going back to looking at whatever it was he'd been doing a few seconds before.

Had he been doing something though? He noticed the discrepancy between your first meeting and now in a heartbeat, barely even a pause after you stopped talking, he'd voiced his question. So John was listening then, probably watching too when no one else was paying him any attention. You could really make his head spin then if you wanted, a touch here and a whispered word there and he'd be coming unglued from that chair of his. He'd wanted to be a tease up until now so let's be a tease Captain John Price. Glancing at the last three you questioned them all with a quick, "So who's next then?"

They all turned even stares at one another then before Soap finally spoke up, "Well I guess since," there was a slight pause. A hesitation that had the other two narrowing their eyes in silent threats before the Scotsman finally finished, "Since Gaz is already over there ye might as well just have him do it first."

"Agreed," the only other Brit left besides Gaz answered in his thick accent, without so much as a second thought. When you turned to find Gaz though he was giving them both an open mouthed look of betrayal. He’d been handed over, quite literally, to the dogs by his so called friends it would seem.

Oh how fast they turn on one another. The dark skinned man's look of betrayal quickly turned into a flat even stare that just seemed more like he was over it. "You can both go to hell," he shot across the room at the both of them, only for Soap to smirk and shrug and Ghost to remain as emotionally unreadable as he always was with the mask on. He turned to you, "Right let's go then, mate."

When his eyes fixed on you your face took on a disarming smile. Trying your best to soothe his obvious nerves at getting so close to the animal that had already used his arm like a chew toy. "He's not a mean dog Gaz, I swear," the dark hues flicked to the dog with a shake of his head before you held out your hand watching him set the back of his hand in your palm like all the others had so far. His arm was as stiff as a board though, elbow locked like he'd start shaking if he didn’t stay stiff.

Squeezing his hand a bit you caught the quick look that he settled on your face before returning it with a relaxed upturn of your mouth. "You're too tense, man. Gotta loosen up. He reads body language, he knows how you feel." Gaz watched the dog for a few seconds, head tilting as if he was really considering what you were saying. He didn't seem to truly understand though as his focus settled back on you with his hand in yours. The length of your arm was pressed against his and you'd moved your other hand to his opposite shoulder, coming near flush with his back now as you edged him closer to the animal.

His nervous energy was like electricity in your veins after being pent up with frustration for so long now. He glanced at you over his shoulder and caught sight of the relaxed gaze before you whispered, "Someone comes at you, nearly quakin in their boots, with the hand that smacked your daddy across the face looking like they got a metal rod so far up their ass that it has gone through their elbow what are you gonna do? Let them get near enough to touch you? No. That'd freak you out too. That'd look weird and not at all how someone should come up to ya, and that's what he's thinking. Just take a deep breath, relax alright? I swear to you, he's not gonna hurt you. He’s a good boy." You could see the heat flaring on his cheeks as he settled himself against you, or tried to at least.

Surprisingly he seemed to get it this time though as he melted into you, his arm going liquid against yours as you pushed him forward with your other hand until you were both within reach of Cerberus's nose. "Duft," Cerberus looked where you were still holding Gaz's outstretched palm before reaching forward with his wet, sniffing nose. It took him longer than the others had as Cerberus reorganized the scents in his mind. When the tongue finally licked at his fingers Gaz lit up with a smile, stepping a bit closer and away from you. "See, I told ya. It's all about body language," you pulled your hand away from Gaz's, letting Cerberus and him get better acquainted without your scent muddying the waters.

Eyes glanced sideways where you knew John was, catching the dark gleam in his eyes that was focused solely on you. Warning bells played in your head, you were toeing a dangerous line, but it was a line you were more than willing to cross when it came down to it. When Gaz had finally had his fill of petting the dog you looked over where Ghost and Soap were supposed to be sitting. Only the Scotsman remained though, eyes glued to you and the dog and seeming to not realize that he was left alone. "Looks like you're up then Soap."

The dark brow cocked up in question before he whipped his head to the side, staring at the empty space beside him. "Where'd that blaigeard go?" Blue eyes darted around the room searching for the man with the skull mask and coming up empty. His quarry had long gone by now it seemed. A sigh left Soap as he stood up and came around the desk he'd been sitting at to stand just in front of you.

Soap looked between you and the dog, momentarily finding Gaz as well who had retreated to some things piled in the corner, probably his gear, before a smirk found that naturally suggestive face. "Can I get the special treatment then Speck? It worked so well for ole’ Gaz. I quite like up close and personal if ye know what I mean."

Eyeing him for a second your eyes slid up and down his lean form before you shrugged. "You gotta ask nicer than that, Soap. Where are your manners?" His tongue slid across his bottom lip and he stepped a bit closer.

His voice deepened and his tone slipped into something a bit more casual as he answered with a whispered, "Please may I get the special treatment, Speck?" In truth you hadn't expected it, you really should have. He was obviously the type to try and get under your skin but it still took you off guard. Your eyebrows rose at the Scotsman before a smirk graced your features and you shook your head fighting off amusement.

"Come on then, I'm sure we've got to get going soon." The Scotsman let out a light chuckle and held out his hand for you to grab. Cerberus, now expecting the command, was already leaning forward on the desk. He was eager to learn the new scents of the team he was to be working with now. He'd never had the opportunity really before except for rare occasions, it'd only ever really been the two of you with the occasional tag along that you never bothered to have him learn. You'd very nearly foregone it with these men too, until you'd noticed the tensions between Cerberus and Gaz anyway.

You stepped up behind Soap, holding his wrist rather than his hand as you gave the command and the curious nose pressed into his palm. A low whisper slid over Soap's shoulder as you muttered, "That's it, just like that. Damn good job right there Soap," he pressed back into you and rather than keep it going you pulled away from the man, listening to his little laugh when he received your praise. You took a step back as you watched them both. When your eyes turned up though you saw John had his back to you now and the only other man brave enough, or maybe angry enough was a better descriptor, to keep watching was the now present Ghost. Well fuck, you hadn't realized that when you first decided to put your hands on the Scotsman. Oh well, fix it later. What's done is most assuredly done.

With Soap introduced the only one left was the man currently glaring daggers at you. You bit at your bottom lip nervously before deciding rather than making him come to you and Cerberus maybe it'd be better to go to him. "Hier, Cerberus, fuss," you said watching the dog jump down from the desk before attaching himself to your thigh as if he had his own holster. You passed Watcher who was typing away at something next to Konig while the tall man loaded mags for the both of them as they whispered back and forth. Soap had wandered over to where Gaz and Price were now discussing something you couldn't hear from this far away. But from the map and the pictures they were huddled around they were coming up with some kind of way to get all of you over the border and back in one piece.

Ghost had started reassembling the sniper rifle by the time you made it through the maze of desks, tables, and chairs over to him. He barely even glanced away from the scope he was looking through, using a cloth on the glass to clean it as he actively ignored your approach. "You're the last one Ghost," hazel eyes gave you a look that you could have sworn seemed like his brow was cocked under the mask with a sarcastic reply just dancing on the end of his tongue. "I'll make it quick," a tilt of the head, "I promise." Ghost sat the scope down gently on the towel he’d laid all the pieces out on.

It was an uncomfortable silence with his burning gaze staring a hole through you. His arms crossed over his chest as he watched you before asking, "You like the gloves on or off?" Your mind went blank for a moment, thoughts going off on a tangent about the innuendo hidden there. Honestly you weren't sure if he'd meant for it to sound the way you heard it or not but your frustrated brain didn't seem to care too much about whether he did or not.

Blinking a couple times you finally got your thoughts back under control before answering him with a simple shrug, "Whichever you prefer is fine." He stood stock still, taking you in before something finally clicked for you and you glanced down at Cerberus before saying, "Voraus." The big dog ducked beneath the table separating you two and the second his head popped up over the other side you said, "Anhalten," and the dog froze in place, less than a foot to Ghost’s right and looking back at you silently waiting. You shot a look up at Ghost and nodded towards his still crossed arms, "Hold your hand out then." The man glanced down at the dog before lowering his crossed arms and letting chocolate eyes catch sight of the outstretched palm.

Cerberus didn't dare to move though, staring at the hand quietly and awaiting your quick, "Duft," before he surged towards the hand, sniffing and licking nearly immediately. It seemed the Dutchie rather liked Ghost’s scent, or at least the way his glove smelled. If he never took it off, the damn thing probably still tasted like whatever he'd eaten last, with too many smells for Cerberus to categorize completely. The other large hand came up and ran across the top of his head, ruffling the fur and tracing the pointed ears. He was surprisingly gentle for having seemed so menacing from afar, that was good to know. At least you didn't have to worry about the man glaring at your back through a sniper scope, at least not while Cerberus was with you anyway.

When Cerberus had gotten his fill of the big man he turned a circle, looking for something before catching sight of you once more and crawling back under the table to press his nose into your hand. Ghost was more than willing it seemed to ignore you once more, which was fair you didn't exactly know anything about one another. And it wasn't like you'd come to the team in the best of circumstances, hell you weren't even a part of the team. You were a strap, just someone they had to bring along for translations and to get a hold of a family you'd left with someone who'd only talk to you.

Heading back to the desk that had temporarily been claimed by both you and Cerberus you sat down in the chair. Tapping the top of the desk you muttered, "Hopp," watching him jump easily up to the desk before whispering, "Platz," in the quietest tone you could manage. Cerberus didn't even hesitate to lay down on the desk again. His hearing wasn't damaged then, after the explosions and the flashbang you were worried they might very well have been but he seemed much better off than you'd been left. "Geh Schlafen, Cerberus," you leaned your own head back, turning for just a minute to catch sight of the chocolate eyes disappearing behind heavy lids as you both slipped into a light slumber.

"Price do we really haftae walk the whole way there from the border? I mean that's a long bloody way and I’m sure we could make it if we had some ATVs," Soap huffed out behind you. He'd been talking more or less the whole time you'd been on the road. For the most part you'd been able to stay asleep with Cerberus curled up between your legs in the middle row of the van’s seats, squeezed inside between Konig and Watcher. John and Ghost were sitting in the front, ignoring just about everything Soap said from his place in the back with Gaz…just about.

The brunette huffed and shook his head, "For the last time Sergeant, yes we've got to walk. Speck said cars are few and far between, and those that do come through are almost always hostiles. ATVs are too conspicuous, we went over all of this back at ops. You've walked farther before so keep the chatter to a minimum, alright?" There was a heavy sigh behind you but Soap didn't shoot back a reply thankfully.

You'd been resting your overworked mind off and on since you got in the car with them. Every bit of your body ached, you had barely slept save for what you'd managed to get back at their ops center and on the ride to your destination. And now your only tool to kill was the dog between your legs though he couldn't even do that, or he wasn't supposed to at least. Cerberus was meant to help apprehend hostiles, he wasn't trained to kill them.

Sure you'd asked for a gun, but the Captain's response had been an undoubted and immediate no. He didn't trust you and you couldn't exactly blame him even if it did annoy you. You hadn't exactly given him much to trust when it came to you though. "Besides," he'd said, clapping you on the shoulder and drawing out a grimace, "you aren't exactly moving the arm too well. Can’t have you shooting someone can I?” The memory drew a scowl from you even as your eyes were closed. Sleep escaped you for the moment until you finally gave up, at least for now, and sat a little taller in the seat.

The moment your eyes opened they were met with intense blue in the rearview mirror, watching you, always watching when you least expected it. God almighty you wished he would stop that, it made a shiver run through you every single time. Then again you knew that was a lie the moment you thought it, you never wanted that gaze to leave you. You were so maddeningly drawn to this man you’d have taken any morsel of attention he paid you. And he’d been paying you more than a few crumbs share since you’d begun to turn the tides on him.

Those depths held you entranced, frozen in time even as the car kept speeding through the seemingly endless streets. Please look away John, please, because there was no way you could manage it yourself. You’d have suffocated in that man’s gaze if it weren’t for Ghost diving across the middle console and throwing the wheel to the side, swerving around a stalled car in the road. The eyes darted from you and back to the road, seemingly surprised as he blinked a couple times. “Fuckin hell old man, we need to get your eyes checked?” The big man looked between him and the road with a quick shake of his head before he settled back on his side of the car.

Swallowing hard you shot your gaze to the dog on the floorboard who gave a low whine at the sudden jerk of the vehicle. You could hear the annoyed huff of breath, more like flustered and still caught off guard if someone asked you, before Price answered, “I’m fine, I saw the bloody thing Lieutenant.” You didn’t see the rest of the silent conversation between the two. Instead you kept your focus on Cerberus, fingers rubbing circles into the muscles of his neck as you worked to soothe his nerves. The both of you needed a break but you’d get it in time. Soon.

It was a two and a half hour drive from their ops center to the Pakistani border, so they weren’t staying in Zabol. Somewhere closer it seemed, probably between Zabol and Zahedan, that was good to know for future reference. John had taken a dirt road off the main highway thirty minutes before that and had now parked the van on a ridge. There was a sheer drop down on the side that you needed to go before the hills shot back in the air in front of you forming a natural valley just on the edge of the border.

With everyone unloaded and checking their gear, you took a seat since no gear meant you had no need to worry about anything they were doing. Your gear was you, Cerberus, your head, and his head, that was all that mattered for you right now. Leaning back against the car you listened to the familiar sounds of chambers being checked and magazines being loaded.

Besides you knew your thigh would be burning soon enough, no need to wear it out unnecessarily when you didn’t even have anything to do. Cerberus, attached to your hip once again by his spare lead, sat in front of you. Your hands were cupping his face, taking careful stock of his attention which you knew was waning, especially after the car ride here. The both of you were nearing the end of your rope now. It would be a hard few hours, but just those few hours more and you were done. Just a few more hours.

Pulling your hands away from his face you kept one lifted in the air and muttered, “Beruhren,” his paw lifted to slap against your palm before it fell again to the ground. “Platz,” he dropped to his stomach, “Umdrehen,” he rolled all the way over quickly, tail kicking up dust behind him as it wagged. He was getting excited now, regaining some of the focus you knew he’d been losing during the down time. “Brummen,” his whole body vibrated with a low growl. A terrifying sound that would have sent shivers up your spine had it not been for the fact you knew him so well.

You let him rumble for a few seconds before you snapped out, “Gib laut!” His maw opened and he barked a singular time. Teeth snapped shut just in front of your face before his tongue lolled out of the side of his mouth and he sneezed, his whole body shaking like he’d been dunked in the water. Your hands shot to his neck, running up and down the length of the hard muscle rough and quick as you muttered, “Braver Hund! Such a good boy,” his tongue flicked out to your face and you quickly wiped the saliva off on your shoulder before using him to stand up from your spot on the ground.

Chocolate eyes followed every movement now, refocused and centered on everything you were doing. When you stepped back around the front of the car John casted a quick look your way before turning to the rest of the team, “Ok, we’re on foot from here. Laswell has our quick extract once we have the wife and kids. Copy?” The quick affirmatives resounded through everyone including you. Get there, get the family, and get out. After that you could finally fucking sleep.

Price and Gaz led you all, with Soap, you, and Watcher lined up behind in order. Ghost and Konig were bringing up the rear, the taller of the two a few steps ahead of the Lieutenant. Yall started off repelling down the ridge, and as much pain as you were in doing it you refused to ask any of them for help. It was your burden to bear. Even if Cerberus' added weight added pounds you weren’t sure you could hold up it didn’t matter, he was your responsibility. You picked his front half up off the ground, connecting the vest he'd donned for the mission to your own tactical harness before you did the same with his back half. He was attached to your hip literally this time, his feet just above the ground while he stayed compliantly limp in the harness. Hooking yourself to the rope you backed up over the side with a grimace of pain.

It was obvious to anyone with eyes that you were favoring your right side heavily. Your right hand was stuck into your vest as you descended with the strength of the left alone. You were pushing off the wall with only the single leg you could still manage the repeated motion with, only using the right leg to stabilize yourself. It was painful and arduous, and it made your already aching body and mind hurt even more.

A little over halfway down your progress stalled on the rope. Bracing yourself against the face of the uneven rock and looking up and down you fought to catch your breath. Typically this wouldn't have been even a moment of issue for you but the events were starting to take their toll. Your adrenaline reserves hadn't yet filled back up after you'd burned it all out and you were still running on near empty. A voice in the comms spoke quickly, making your pounding heart stutter for a quick moment, "What's wrong Speck?" That voice in your ear was going to cause so many problems on this mission and you could already feel one trying to pop up right now.

Not right now, you had a job to get done. Looking down at the four men already on solid ground below you, you reached for the comm on your vest with your injured hand. "Nothins wrong," a quick breath in, "I'm comin down just needed a second," and a quick breath out. You hooked the thumb of your injured hand back into the strap of the vest and pushed off the wall. It drove a huff of air out of your lungs at the effort, but you did it again, and then again, until you were finally at the end.

When your feet hit the ground you unhooked yourself from the rope quickly. Cerberus was off the ground less than a foot attached to your own harness and as you tried to step back you felt your leg trying to give out under the weight. You were barely holding yourself up without the addition of all the tactical gear and the seventy-five pound dog to boot. It was almost too much for your body to handle.

A hand grabbed your shoulder to help steady you, Gaz coming around in front of you and lifting up the dog's weight so you could detach him. The relief was instantaneous and you quite nearly moaned out a thank you but settled for a nod to the younger man. He kept an eye on you for a moment as you readjusted your vest and other various bits, "'Preciate it Gaz." The young man quirked up his mouth in a half smile before he finally left you alone to go do something else.

Adjusting Cerberus' vest you only looked up again when Konig's boots hit the ground and he detached himself. Ghost made it down in record time, touching down a few seconds after the tallest member of the squad and thankfully making up for the time you'd wasted. The team was back on the road a few seconds after the Lieutenant gave the ok, back in your formation and trekking across the open terrain.

The journey had sweat pouring off every face, and you swore you caught sight of even Ghost and Konig lifting their masks up a few times when they turned around to check behind the group. Cerberus' head was drooping low at your side, even the endless fountain of energy that Dutch Shepherd's were known to possess did in fact have its end it seemed. When Price finally called for a pit stop you were the first to take a seat, thigh burning at the sweat seeping into your wound and the stitches that pulled at your skin with every step you took. Canteens in every hand in a matter of seconds.

Watching quietly you unclipped something from your belt, opening the collapsible bowl and setting it on the ground. Pouring some of your own water into the bowl for Cerberus to lap up. You took slow sips from the canteen indirect contrast to Soap who was gulping water from his canteen and pointing to something on a piece of paper Gaz had pulled out and was showing him. Watcher was sitting back to back with Konig and facing you while the tall man was looking up at Gaz and Soap while they talked in their quiet tones. Probably trying not to get overheard by you honestly. Ghost turned his back to the group and this time you know you saw the mask lift as he took a few sips from his canteen before he returned it to its place in his bag.

Looking for John you noticed he wasn’t in front of you. Turning to look over your shoulder you caught sight of movement. It was him standing just a few yards behind you. The tall man had taken a vantage point he could watch everyone, taking stock of how everyone was faring so far. You remembered when that had been you, separating yourself somewhat from the group to keep a tactical and objective view. It had turned you callous to your team’s problems in the end, forced you to be cold and uncaring else you risked being unable to send them into the fight. You wondered if it was or had done the same to him. How did he fare as leader?

Pouring a bit more water into the now empty, collapsible bowl you pushed yourself back to your feet. You unclipped the lead from yourself, leaving Cerberus to rest and recover in his own space and time. John’s eyes were on something in the distance when you turned to find him again. Sidling up to him you made it close enough that when he turned back to the team he was right in front of you, only a few inches away from pressing against you.

Blue eyes traveled down the length of your body before he cleared his throat and returned his gaze to the thing in the distance, “Speck?” It wasn’t a greeting so much as a ‘What do you want?’

You wet your still dry mouth with another sip from your canteen and asked, “What are you looking at?” A side eyed look fell on you then and even in your state of exhaustion and emotional unawareness you could see the frustration he was trying to hide. Frustration at you. You deserved it, that you knew, but it still upset you to see it there.

A quick jerk of his chin towards the distance made you squint into the heat haze, the light bending in some way you were sure science could explain but not you. You’d never really cared for book learning, you were a common sense kind of guy. A verbal answer followed as you continued to watch, “There’s a Pakistani military base that way. They respond to calls at the border so we need to make sure we’re not between them and the call that we know will be coming from the border soon.” Made sense, but he shouldn’t have known where any foreign military base was in the area.

It was your turn to give him a side eyed look, your brows furrowing as you wondered how he knew that. You hadn’t even known that and you’d driven a family through here not too long ago. John didn’t seem willing to elaborate though, and you weren’t willing to ask a question you knew wouldn’t get an answer. Not when you had more pressing questions on your mind anyway. “Why didn’t you ask me when you were interrogating me? You had every opportunity.”

The suffocating tension in the air was felt nearly immediately, making you swallow hard. He didn’t let the silence linger for long though as he answered, “I have a job to do. What I want doesn’t matter, duty calls…” It was then that the silence struck, his words hanging in the air as a harsh reminder of the note you’d left him. Your gaze flicked to the rest of the team who were all still doing whatever it was they wanted to do, seemingly having not yet noticed the conversation you’d struck up with the Captain…yet.

How were you supposed to explain that away? Was there any way to actually soothe the burn you’d left him with? Probably not, especially not with your heavy handed approach to delicate things, and that was what this tenuous partnership between you and his team, delicate. “I’m sorry.” It was a lame apology, lackluster and missing the explanation you were sure he was looking for and that you knew for a fact he deserved, even though you didn’t have one to give him.

His huff of air beside you had you turning to look at him. Blue hues had already been staring though you weren’t sure how long they had been. “For what?” A fair question that had too many answers, and it seemed he was about to list every single one, “For lying to me about the simplest things? Or was it for failing to let me know you were leaving my house? Maybe you’re sorry about leaving me standing in my door and having to watch you drive away in a bloody taxi?” His voice had lowered to a dangerous whisper while you watched him with an even look, “Or are you sorry for nearly fucking both of my Sergeants in the middle of ops for everyone to see?” God he was angry, and shit if it wasn’t hot as hell to watch that passion dance across every feature of his face.

“You’re sorry for yourself, Speck,” he nearly spat your call sign out at you with disgust. “Don’t pretend like it’s anything different,” his shoulder smacked into yours with force, and it took everything in you not to flinch and reach for the injured extremity. Pulses of pain ran through your stiff form as you tried to regain control of yourself. It hurt to see that anger directed so wholly at you, and it hurt even more to see the pain that you knew you had caused. His agonies were your fault and it made your entire being tense with that knowledge. Knowing you’d hurt him was far worse than wondering if you had.

When you turned back to the group John was already telling them all to get their stuff together. Your break was over apparently, back to the sweating and misery of the hike. He didn’t even look at you again, even though you were internally begging him to. You hadn’t meant what you’d thought in the car, never in a million years would you have truly meant that. It seemed whatever higher power existed didn’t care though because John’s back remained stubbornly in your face as the team set out to finish the rest of this mission.

By the time you could see the small village you’d been heading for the entire team was drenched in sweat. It was quite literally pouring off yall in buckets. A small stand of trees provided you with cover on the hill you’d taken up residence on for the past few minutes. John was looking through a pair of binoculars as everyone else prayed for the sun to finally set. When he finally pulled them away from his eyes he handed them off to Ghost who was standing with him, pointing somewhere in the distance and whispering to him. When the big man gave an answering nod blue eyes turned back to the rest of the group, locking on you before he lifted his hand and beckoned you over.

Pushing yourself up you unhooked Cerberus’ leash and muttered, “Bleib,” letting him rest after the long hike. There was no need to make him suffer the walk over there when you were the only one necessary. Stepping up beside the Captain you muttered, “What’s up?”

John didn’t even bother to look at you before he asked, “Which building is it?” You squinted at the buildings, before Ghost reached across the Captain and silently handed you the set of binoculars. Lifting them you searched for the home, ‘Take them to the big house on the east end of the village, Speck.’ That’s what your handler had told you to do and so you had.

Handing them back to John you answered his question, “Big house on the east end of the village. But I uh,” your hesitation drew both of the cold gazes to you then before you felt compelled to finish, “Well I can’t go in with yall. There’s women inside and the man doesn’t like strangers already, the bunch of us go waltzin up in there and we’re never gonna get anything from him. I already told you that. Plus,” you looked down at the tactical harness around your hips and the vest and radio they’d outfitted you with before you left ops, “I certainly can’t go in like this. They don’t know I’m American, or they aren’t supposed to. Gotta get rid of this shit.”

There was a sour look on John’s face as he processed the information before finally nodding, “Ghost, take Soap and Gaz with you.” The big man nodded and stepped away, grabbing the attention of the two young men before they headed off to the north somewhere. Price stepped away from the side of the hill, turning back towards where the sun was setting behind yall and motioned at Konig and Watcher, “We’re leaving. Watcher, I need one of those earpieces, the one’s that work without the vest.” The two stood up quickly in response, Cerberus, who had been enjoying the quiet scratches from the ginger Scot watching them leave him behind with a muffled whine.

Watcher dug around in his bag for a couple moments while you shed the tactical gear you’d been given. Finally he pulled out the earpiece he was looking for. The young man handed it to John as the tallest and shortest on the team continued on by him down the hill. The tall brunette stopped beside you, “Wait five minutes and then go. We’ll be hidden but we’ll be there.” You gave him a quick nod in response as you handed over the gear as well as Cerberus’ harness and lead. He shoved them in the bag on his back before throwing it back over his shoulder and following Konig and Watcher down the hill.

Your eyes followed them until the growing darkness hid them from sight, especially at this distance. Counting the seconds in your head, you took a seat on the ground and waited with Cerberus beside you. Everything was so cool now, even a little wind picked up to dry the sweat that covered your face. You closed your eyes against it, taking in a deep breath as your limbs went limp. It wasn’t like you meant for it to happen, to be honest you would have sooner smacked yourself on the thigh right where the stitches were than let the cool breeze lull you into slumber but the next thing you heard was a frantic whisper of, “Speck!? Where the bloody hell are you!?”

Jumping awake you glanced at the darkness around you, searching for the source of the voice until you realized it’d come from right in your ear. Good Lord you were fucked today. You pushed yourself up and hurriedly answered, “On the way.” No one responded, and you couldn’t tell if that was worse or not. “Cerberus, fuss,” and the familiar weight settled against your leg as you started down the hill. Slowly at first, getting the stiffness out of your legs, before you sped up to a quick jog. The Dutch Shepherd kept up easily, as the village came into view.

No lights adorned the streets, hell there wasn’t even any power to this whole place. It was eerily quiet, and you felt eyes on you despite seeing no faces to which they belonged. That was how it had been the last time too. You’d stopped your sprint down the hill before anyone inside could have seen you. A stranger in their midst was enough attention for you already. Movement ahead caught your attention but you couldn’t make out if it was a local or one of the teammates you’d recently been introduced to.

A quiet voice caught your attention, “Stay focused. We’re covering the front of the home now.” You had to stump the urge to nod an answer or touch the ear that the voice came from. Stay focused, he says. Whispering quiet words into your ear was certainly not the way to keep you focused on the mission, John.

The door to the home loomed in front of you as you lifted a hand and tapped a solid rhythm into it. It took several moments before you heard a lock turn and saw the door slowly pull inwards to reveal the face of a familiar glaring man. He spoke in Balochi first, thankfully it was very similar to Pashto, so when he gave you the standard greeting you repeated it with a quick nod. His eyes looked you over critically before he asked you a question. You thought you knew what he said but you weren’t certain, so you shook your head slowly and asked, “Pashto?” His brows furrowed and he nodded slowly so you continued in the language, “I need the family back.” The man tilted his head at the request but he didn’t respond with a no at least. “I have more questions for them,” the man glanced nervously behind you as if he was looking for something.

Finally, he answered back, “Come inside, not out here.” He stepped back from the open door, beckoning you into the home. Shit, you didn’t even have so much as a fuckin knife. You go in there you could be as good as dead in a matter of seconds. But, did you even have a choice? Go in and they could kill you before anyone can get to you. Don’t go in and John might still do the same. Fuck it.

You stepped in after him, Cerberus right between your legs now as you moved into the narrow entryway. The man was at the end, making sure you shut the door behind you and you heard more voices through the mic in your ear starting with Ghost saying you had entered the building and ending with Price asking what the hell you were doing. “Why couldn’t this be discussed outside?” You asked the man at the end of the hallway, stepping into a small, nearly empty, living space.

His answer was quick, “I haven’t received a call regarding them. You are not supposed to be here.” Your eyes narrowed as you took a step closer to him, watching him shrink back from you and the dog, both of you now staring intently at him. His eyes flicked to another narrow hallway, and you followed his gaze. He took another step back from you and returned his eyes to the hallway. Like he was trying to tell you something without actually saying it.

The feeling wasn’t right, no explosives according to Cerberus but something was certainly different than the time you’d been here last. “Pashto?” You asked again and the man gave a slow nod, before you asked, “Farsi?” He nodded just once before he shook his head and you continued in Farsi, “Is someone else here?” The man nodded again, vigorously, and your eyes returned to the hallway, “Knife?” He gestured towards the open archway into the kitchen and you stepped through it, eyes searching for the weapon before you slid it off the counter and started down the hallway.

Cerberus stayed between your thighs, moving in tandem with every step you took in the small passages of the home. When you stopped at the first door you glanced back at the man who gave you another quick nod. Boy wasn’t this some of the dumbest shit you’d ever done. Looking down at the dog you put your hand on the door knob and as you turned it you let out a quick, “Voraus!” The dog ran in ahead of you and you followed quickly. The second you both were in the room though a door further down the hall opened and shut. Two doors, one room, shit. Cerberus lunged at the now closed door, barking and scratching at it.

John was in your ear nearly immediately, “What happened? Speck, what’s your status?” He said that word with one hell of a cute accent, you suddenly realized. No time to dwell though, you pulled the door open and Cerberus surged through the opening turning further down the hall. Why had he gone further into the house, why not the front door? As Cerberus sprinted by another door it flew open, smacking you in the face and sending you stumbling backwards with a hand on your bleeding nose.

A quiet curse accompanied by a groan caught the Dutch Shepherd’s attention as he realized what had happened and turned. He had no space though, the turn was slow and awkward. And when you saw the barrel of a gun around the edge of the door you kicked out a foot. It flew closed, trapping whoever it was by the forearm. You acted without much thought now, John’s words long forgotten as you jammed the knife through what you could see of the man’s right arm and watched his gun drop to the hallway floor. The second it did you grabbed the weapon and opened the door for Cerberus to plunge inside, watching him tackle the man to the ground with his teeth around his forearm. One shot, one head, one man dead.

“Fuss,” you issued the command, and expected to hear the voices again, but there weren’t any. You reached a hand up to your ear but the earpiece was gone. Good Lord it was always something. Rather than dwell on it though you continued down the hall, opening the door to the outside, so that was why whoever it was had headed further inside. You didn’t see them, nor any tracks, but thankfully you didn’t need to. “Such,” you told the dog who took a few steps forward, nose to the ground as he sniffed at the dirt.

Not even a second later he took off, and it was your turn to follow the dog. You left the little village behind at a breakneck pace, holding the stolen pistol in your hand, and ignoring every shock of pain from your leg. You didn’t see John, Konig, and Watcher busting into the man’s home, sweeping through the rooms of the house to come up empty for you and the family. You didn’t hear the Captain yelling at you until Watcher found your earpiece shattered on the hallway floor. Nor did you hear Price near begging Ghost to tell him that he’d seen you leaving, or had some clue as to where you were.

And you certainly didn’t hear Ghost answering him that he’d seen you leaving the home out the back, through an exit none of you had even known about. You didn’t even know that Ghost, Soap, and Gaz were doing their best to keep an eye on you as you made your way across the open ground, trying to head you off before the Dutchie took a hard turn directly South and away from them.

Cerberus was following the scent so fast you were having a hard time keeping up with him. At least until he paused, walking back and forth over the same spot for a few seconds. As you caught up to him you heard whines, watching his head lift as he looked around the dark area. "What's wrong buddy?" Cerberus turned towards you for barely a second before he barked and took off again. Whatever it was he'd solved his problem it seemed, you still had yet to solve your own though. No backup, no flashlight, and no witness to show for all your troubles.

Not until Cerberus' thundering barks started, you were close. Close enough that he was slowing down, looking up at you as if to say, "He's right here, don't you see him?" No. You didn't. "Cerberus-" just about to give the command to search again you caught sight of movement disappearing over a rocky hill. "Stop!" You yelled out in Pashto, but the person kept going. "Fuss," you said and took off with Cerberus at your hip. "Stop," you yelled again in Arabic this time, cresting the hill and looking down at the rocks that stood between you and your quarry. Big enough that whoever it was could hide from you the entire way down the hill. With only the moon to light your way it certainly didn't make things any easier.

Cerberus was calm at your side, and when you glanced behind you the thought to just go back to the rest of the team crossed your mind. But you'd be going back after you lost the ear piece, seemingly fled from the team, and had killed the only other person who could tell you where the man you were looking for was, or his family at least. You'd be going back only to disappoint them…or rather him.

"Fuck it," you muttered under your breath, it was your catchphrase at this point. "Such," you gave the quiet command, watching Cerberus move quietly through the rocks with you staying a few feet back. As you neared a boulder he sat down, staring at it quietly. You edged closer, before calling out to the person in Arabic, "If you don't come out I'm sending the dog. I just want to talk. Come out, hands first." Not a sound came out from behind it, and for a few moments you wondered if Cerberus was wrong.

Until two hands appeared from around the boulder. You leveled the pistol with one hand at the person, watching as they came out slowly, staring at you. They were stock still as you watched them, until light seemed to blind them for a moment coming from the top of the hill accompanied by a, "Bloody hell, Speck." The voice caught your attention, blinded you to everything else, and in an exhausted, adrenaline fueled state you turned to look up. Three lights shined down at you, one of them you knew belonged to John. You didn't see the panic form on his face, you only saw the light of his rifle flick away from you and his voice yell, "Look-"

It took less time for you to turn back than it had for you to initially turn around. A gun was in their hand, his hand. Time was slow, like when you tried to run in water. The command left your mouth in one heartbeat, "Fass!" Cerberus shot forward, your hand steadied its aim but there was no need to. As the gun aimed at your head the dog's mouth closed around their forearm and his head shook violently, ripping at the flesh there even as a single shot went off into the air and the man fell back screaming.

A hand touched your shoulder and you turned, staring at John's face, illuminated by Konig and Watcher's lights. You could see the worry as his eyes ran over your form in a quick glance, ensuring himself you hadn't taken a bullet. "You broken?" You glanced down at yourself and shook your head in answer, looking back up at him, seemingly unfazed by the fact you’d almost been killed. The hand on your shoulder tightened its hold just a bit, fingers digging in as he nodded slowly seemingly pleased with your nonverbal answer for once.

The worry melted away though when growls penetrated the sound of the night, drawing your attention to the man currently being torn apart by a dog on the ground, listening to another scream go up in the air. You stepped forward, sliding the pistol into the waistband of your pants before grabbing Cerberus by the scruff, and glancing up at John who gave you a quick nod.

"Aus," immediately the dog let go, and you pulled him back, listening to his excited barks as the Captain took the man's pistol and rolled him over. Zip ties went around his wrists behind his back before he was hauled up and shoved up the hill. The man flinched away from Cerberus as you muttered, "Gib laut! Braver Hund!" The dog was going wild, he'd done a good job and he knew it, and he was more excited to be recognized for it, especially by you.

Your hand stayed firmly in the dog's scruff as he continued to try and dart forward, lunging against your firm hold in his excitement. You didn't want to ruin his fun, he was too proud of himself, but you couldn't let him get away from you either, not with the hostile detained already. As you crested the hill you caught sight of lights about two hundred yards off, seemingly searching the rocky outcroppings heading in your general direction. John handed the man off to Konig with a hard shove and pressed the button on his radio, "You're headed right for us Ghost, we see you. Shining my light your way now," the Captain swept the barrel of his gun in an arc watching the lights in the distance focus in your direction.

Cerberus was still barking, tail going wild as you looked at John and asked, "I could use my gear back now if ya don't mind." He slid his bag off and handed you the Dutchie's harness and lead first. You glanced down at Cerberus before saying, "Beruhigen," immediately his barks quieted and his wagging tail slowed, settling down as you put his vest back on him. You heard John radio in for the extract, watching him press a button on his helmet, probably for ISR tracking on your position. Snapping the lead on Cerberus and then on your own belt you rubbed your fingers over his head, whispering quiet praises to him that he desperately needed to hear after the longest target pickup of your life.

As you slid your vest on, along with the harness you'd used to rappel off the cliff earlier, you caught sight of that burning gaze. The frustration with you seemed to have abated for the moment after you'd given them a lead of some kind at least. Ghost, Soap, and Gaz were the only ones who could break his concentration on you, well that and the arrival of the sound of helicopter blades overhead. Now that was a sound that could put you to sleep, and it would the second you were strapped in. A nice clean extract for once, no injuries, not really any hiccups, good God almighty wasn't that nice.

You'd expected to be drug back to the same ops center as before, but when the helicopter landed next you were offloaded into a military base. To say the least you were surprised, and when John made straight for a blonde woman in civilian clothes, accompanied by a few men who took your detainee, you were more than curious as to who she might have been. There was no chance to ask though as the two split up and the Captain stopped to let the rest of you catch up, pointing towards what you assumed was a barracks area and said, "Come on guys, Laswell told me we smell like shite."

Soap smacked Ghost on the back as he sprinted ahead, "Oh fuck yeah. Need meself a shower." The big man gave a quiet huff of ascent to which the dark haired Scotsman answered a bit offended, "What's that supposed to mean then? Ye know ye dinnae exactly smell like a bloody rose yerself Lt." You couldn't see Ghost’s face then but you didn't need to in order to know that there was a glare currently affixed to the shorter man.

Following at the back of the group you stayed completely quiet, watching the others break off one by one to disappear inside their bunkhouses. Watcher and Konig headed off together, and then Soap and Gaz, and then John and Ghost. It left you and Cerberus to stand awkwardly alone in the middle of the path just looking about curiously. They must have forgotten you didn’t actually have a place to go, you also didn’t have any other clothes to your name seeing as you’d left your duffel bag in the ops center. Well this sucked.

It was Gaz who came back around the corner first, eyeing you a bit confused. When he reached you and Cerberus his head tilted a bit before his eyes widened in realization and he said, “Oh damn mate! I forgot you don’t have anywhere to bunk do you?” A quiet shake of your head confirmed the answer and Gaz looked around as his hand ran over his short hair. “Cap!” The dark eyes flicked over your shoulder and you turned to see the Captain leaving his and Ghost’s shared bunkhouse. The brunette turned to head your way, a bag slung over his shoulder and flip flops on his feet in place of the boots you’d only ever seen him wearing.

Every ounce of resolve went into dragging your eyes away before you heated up in the worst way possible. “Gaz?” John was glancing between the two of you, wondering what it was that’d gotten him called over here.

Gaz nodded towards you and said, “He doesn’t actually have anywhere to bunk. Or any clothes for that matter, Cap.” There was a nonchalance to your gaze that was honestly comical in the situation. Not only did you not really care about losing everything you owned, it seemed you also couldn’t have cared less about not having a place to sleep.

John simply nodded in response, “Laswell brought your bag. It’s waiting for you in the showers. And you’ll be bunking with Ghost, he’s being moved over there.” He nodded towards the only bunkhouse you hadn’t seen anyone else go into earlier. “Now come on, and bring the dog, he looks like someone threw a bucket of paint all over him.” You glanced down at Cerberus’ bloody visage, a sight that definitely needed to be remedied even if it was his badge of honor to wear. He’d worn it long enough.

You followed the other two men then, both of whom had thrown bags over their shoulders. The showers were devoid of anyone else, a few rows of lockers standing between you and the warm water you knew laid beyond. It wasn’t your turn to shower though, first you’d get Cerberus cleaned off and settled back in the bunkhouse with some food, water, and a nice place to rest and then you could get yourself handled.

So that was what you did. Unclipping his vest you threw it next to your duffel bag, pulling the dog behind you under a shower head and turning the water on. “Sitz,” you muttered and watched the blood caked and dried into his dark fur begin to run down the drain. Gaz, passing by you with only a towel thrown over his shoulder, stopped and said, “Hey mate, this is for you. I had an extra one.” He tossed a bottle of soap to you, making sure you caught it before he continued on down to another shower.

Squeezing a bit of the soap out you ran it over the black and brindle fur quickly. Cleaning the Dutchie up as he licked at your face. It wasn’t until you stood up and turned the water off that you said, “Rütteln,” and watched him shake his fur out. You smiled at the way it spiked up in clumps, and his tail shot water with every wag. At least he smelt better though, you’d both been getting more than ripe in that cramped little sweatbox of an apartment.

You stepped around the corner and that was when all thought left you. Hell you were pretty sure your heart and lungs had stopped working just as much as your brain had. The sight in front of you had your fists clenching and your pupils blown wide. John. He stood not even five feet in front of you naked except for a towel wrapped around his waist. You hadn’t even heard him go by you in the showers but he’d obviously taken one. The man was literally glistening with the water. Standing with his bare chest on display for anyone passing by the row of lockers to see, dark hairs littering his pale skin.

A feeling of lightheadedness took over your body, and you were very, very close to passing out. God, your blood pressure was through the roof. You could feel it pounding not only in your ears and your neck but in your temples as well. There was a throb at the base of your instantly hard cock, an ache settling there as it begged for your attention.

When he turned and caught you staring was when you saw it, for the first time, a hint of smugness there. He’d wanted you to see him, wanted you to be standing there frozen and wanting him and with no way to get your revenge in any subtle manner. It was payback for basically feeling up both Gaz and Soap earlier at the ops center. Goddamn was he sight, you were a man who hadn’t found an oasis in far too long now, not since you’d been with him last. And at this very moment you were feeling every second of that time in abstinence.

The door opened somewhere off to the side and that was when he broke your hyperfocus. Just as you’d been watching a droplet of water sliding down his bare skin, through his dark happy trail and turning into nothingness where the towel was wrapped securely there. “I left you a couple towels next to your duffel bag,” hell his voice didn’t even sound the least bit suggestive and it still had you aching even more. You couldn’t even get out a simple, ok, in response. Not even Cerberus beside you was enough to break the hold his half naked body currently had on your weary mind. “You should go dry the dog off, Speck.” Now that did it. Your gaze shot down to Cerberus, finally breaking away from John as you nearly tripped over a naked Soap coming around the corner with a towel in his hand in your haste to get away.

“Hey watch where yer-” he stopped as his eyes fixed to your face and his beaming smile turned up to you, “Oh well hello there Speck. Wee Cerby gettin a bath too?” Slowly your wits came back around and you got your head on straight before nodding down to him. “Thas nice, well don’t be too shy. Ye need to get yerself a shower too. Cannae be howlin’ when yer bunkin with Ghost. Ye might just wake up out on the tarmac.”

You huffed a bit at that, “Damn right I do,” you muttered in answer as you stepped around him, back into the row of lockers you’d left your duffel bag in. Two towels sat beside the black bag and you picked one up, drying the dog off before you slipped his collar on over his head. “Are ya hungry Cerberus?” The dog whined in answer, no doubt he was, you’d both been at it for far too long now. You fished into the duffel, pulling out the last of his dog food and the two bowls you always kept packed. His loud bark echoed through the showers and several curses followed it. “Sorry,” you called out before clipping the dog’s lead on him and wrapped it around your waist to take him back to the bunk.

Settling him in was easy enough, he dug into the bowl of food with fervor and the water bowl had to be filled up before you even had the chance to leave again. Finally though you made it out of there, just in time to see John, thin t-shirt and a pair of jeans on now. He looked just like he had at the bar that night, even his beard was trimmed up now. Had it been trimmed when you were staring at him? Hell who were you kidding, he could have dyed his hair purple and you wouldn’t have noticed back at the showers. You were too focused on the way his muscles had moved underneath the skin. And how the soft hairs on the front of his body seemed to outline every angle of him.

Just as you had been about five minutes ago, you were caught staring again. Ocean hues landed on your face and his narrowed eyes cut into you like a hot knife through butter. You swallowed, refusing to acknowledge the tightness in both your chest and your underwear. A shower was all you needed, a long, ice cold shower. Shoving your hands in your pockets you forced your gaze away, feeling that burning stare along your back as you headed back to the building you’d come from before.

Gaz passed you on his way out, holding the door open and smirking before muttering, “Good luck in there. Soap’s singing again.” Your brows furrowed as you entered the showers, not quite catching on to what he was saying.

Immediately your ears were assaulted by loud pleas from multiple people to stop and then an outrageously loud, “AND IIIIIIIIEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIII WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOUUUUUU-” echoed through the whole shower block. Your hands clap over your ears, the sound vibrating in your ear drums in just a way that it made your exhausted brain dizzy with the vibrato. Damn, it wasn’t like it was bad, it was just not the time or place for something like that. You have to admit though, it was kind of funny.

Grabbing the towel from the bench where you’d left it you slipped into the shower you’d used for Cerberus. The singing didn’t stop when he reached the end of the song though, Soap just started up with another. “CAUSE BABY YOU’RE A FIREWORK! COME ON SHOW EM WHAT YOU’RE WORTH-” and the Soap playlist continued. You were turning around to wash the grime out of your hair when the skull faced mask caught you by surprise. He wore it in the shower too?

Ghost didn’t stop to chat, just nodded quietly and kept on going by, his towel held around his waist by a single hand near his hip. You took in the tattooed forearm, a bit impressed by the intricacy of it. That wasn’t even considering all the other tattoos that decorated his scarred skin.

It wasn’t long before you heard two more sets of footsteps behind you. Both Watcher and Konig were heading by when you glanced back, not stopping to pay much attention to you as they went, save for a quick smile of acknowledgement from the ginger. You heard the door open and close a few times after that. Just you and Soap left now huh?

Though when the water shut off down the row of showers it seemed he wouldn’t be in here much longer either. At this point you were very nearly sleeping with your eyes open under the warm water. Just letting the tensions wash out of your muscles and mind. Letting them slide down the drain like the dirt, blood, and sweat on your skin.

The clearing of a throat made your eyes open and you stared now at the azure hues in front of you, noticing his amusement in a heartbeat. You raised a brow at his warm gaze, that was traveling lower with every second. “My eyes are up here darlin,” you finally said before he could really take in all the sights, forcing his gaze up to your eyes.

Azure fixed on you then and his beaming smile was like a ray of sunshine, this man was just too damn happy all the time. It did make him slightly endearing though you had to admit. “I know where they are, just thought I’d figure out where everything else is though.” His head tilted as he inspected your face before asking, “How’s the nose? Broken or anything?” You’d honestly forgotten about it.

During the chase you hadn’t even touched it, just let it leak all over the front of your shirt, covering you in blood just like Cerberus was. Reaching a hand up you prodded it with your fingers before shaking your head, “Nah it’s fine. I’ll sleep it off tonight.” Soap laughed at that comment before nodding looking at your shoulder and the two bullet wounds on your arm.

All of the wounds he’d wrapped earlier were still tightly bound by the bandages, seemingly to his dismay. “Ye need to take those off while yer in there. Come see me after yer done showering and I’ll replace them, aye?” You gave him another nod and watched him push off the side of the shower entryway to head back to the locker room. He was talking in there but you couldn’t hear what he was saying and soon he too left.

You pulled at the bandages wrapped around your limbs, exposing the stitched up areas to the world with a wince. Alone you were a bit more expressive, you allowed yourself to feel the pain. Besides you were so exhausted at this point that pain was probably the only thing keeping you standing anymore. You threw the bandages onto one of the shelves, you’d throw them away when you were getting out. The sound of the door opening again had your head tilting towards the sound with a sigh before you asked loudly, “Forget your soap, Soap?”

No answer came, maybe it was Ghost then. He’d left in a hurry, so had Konig and Watcher. The little devil on your shoulder whispered false hopes in your mind that maybe it was him. It had your member twitching with need as it woke itself back up. You’d barely managed to settle it down the last ten times and here it was coming back. God it was so damn pushy.

Turning to face the shower head again you reached up, pulling it down so you could lean your forehead against the cool tile and still feel the warm water on your skin. You took deep breaths, ignoring your hips that shifted of their own thought and mind. Do not touch it, do not think about it, someone was in here and you could do this some other time. Not right now.

Water slid down your back as you lifted your hands to lace behind your neck. Weariness crept into you then as your hips kept humping mindlessly at the air, your cock wishing it could slip into something tighter, warmer, and wetter. “Shit, shit, shit-” a moan left your mouth of its own accord at the rough hand that was suddenly wrapped around your length. “What the fuck?” Your eyes shot over your shoulder as you started to pull away. When you saw those all too familiar eyes though you froze, and so did he.

It was a stalemate. Who was going to blink first? Fuck it. You. Most definitely you. You were going to break so hard and fast he’d never even see it coming. Without a thought you shifted back into him, pressing into his hard erection with the curve of your ass. Taking that as an invitation to continue his hand pumped along your length in response.

Lips tickled the back of your ear along with the hairs of his beard as he whispered, “Such a dirty little whore for me, Speck.” Another moan left you as he pushed you forward with his whole body seeming to press against you. Your chest came flush with the wall just as his chest came flush with your back. The cool tile burned your aching nipples, too cold on the overly sensitive skin.

There was too much happening, your pulse was throbbing in every injury you’d sustained. His breath along your skin was sending your mind into a frenzy of feasting piranhas. This had to be a dream, that was the only way the man who’d been glaring at you for the past however many hours would have been touching you right now. You were back in your bunk right now having a wet dream like some teenager and Ghost was having to listen to it.

But by God if you didn’t care, not with how his hand was pumping you with reckless abandon. He didn’t realize just how close you had already been before he got here. Too fast, too much, “S-Slow down,” you barely got out through your clenched teeth. The feel of his member pressed firmly between your cheeks and rutting up into them with his own needs had you fucking into his hand in time with his strokes and pushing back against him. You could feel the throb of him now. How close was he then?

Breath ghosted over the shell of your ear as he growled, “No. You’d do well to listen and remember, Speck. You think you won't get yours because I was gentle the first time around?” His grip on you tightened almost painfully so. The warm water served as a makeshift lubricant but it wasn’t anything like you needed to keep his calluses from catching on the sensitive flesh. But fuck if that little bit of pain didn’t make your pulse race even faster. “Cum. Now.” The low growl in your ear sent shocks through you, the tension at the base of your cock came apart in an instant at his order.

White ropes of your seed painted the tiles of the shower wall in front of you, but there was no relief. Not even as the last of the tension evaporated and you saw white drops of you sticking to the skin of his hand before the steady stream of water washed it away. The sensitive nerve endings and veins burned like fire, his hand still pumping your erection even after you’d found what you’d thought would be your high. It was not. “Fuck John, slow down,” he still wasn’t listening, “St-stop.” His hand stilled at the base of your member, and you blinked as you watched your cum disappearing down the drain.

Finally your brain caught up with your mouth and you relaxed against the wall, trying to wrap your head around what was happening. His gravelly voice had you twitching in his hand though as he said, “Gonna make me think you’re running away again? You just left, Speck. Again.” There was no crack in his voice but you could still hear the emotion there, the silent prayer that he was sending up in hopes you’d get what he was saying.

You didn’t. Sure you understood that what you had done was wrong. On both accounts. You never should have left without saying goodbye and you certainly never should have walked out that backdoor without backup. But what if you hadn’t? That trail would have been near impossible to follow on those rocks, the scent is harder to follow and it is very time sensitive. You’d made a decision in the heat of the moment with the ‘Fuck it’ method. And it’d kept you alive so far at least.

When you didn’t answer you felt a squeeze of his fingers at your hip as he said, “Were you trying to piss me off? Trying to get me all fuckin heated earlier today back at ops? Pressing up against Gaz, like you were gonna bend him over the table or some shite.” His firm grip ran along your length and your muscles tightened at the feeling. Teeth nipped at your shoulder before his breath slid across your skin, warm even under the hot water of the shower. “Letting Soap press up against you like he was a bitch in heat,” his grip on your hip tightened. He released your member to grab the other hip as well before his low, angry growl returned, “And you fuckin liked it, acting like a bloody slag the both of you were.”

The force of his body slamming you forward made you wince until he turned you around with a quick jerk of the hands around your hips. You took in the sight of him, it was the first time you’d ever seen him fully naked before and it made your cock jump. The burn in his eyes made your entire body burn, especially when he leaned forward. Just inches from your face before he stopped so close you could feel every breath as it left his mouth. You tried to move forward, to steal a kiss from his lips, but his hand shot up from where it had been around your hip a moment before and he held your jaw in tight grip. “On your knees. Now.” And who were you to disobey?

The pain in your thigh meant nothing compared to the ache and longing you’d had for him since the moment you’d woken up that next morning. His hand was wrapped around the base of his cock, God was it bigger now? It certainly looked like it was. Holy shit, had you forgotten how he looked and felt after so long? The thought had your mind spinning again, the thought of maybe experiencing it all for the first time yet again sending thoughts tumbling around your scattered mind.

One hand was stroking himself, staring down at you as if he was trying to read your very thoughts. The other grabbed at your hair and pulled your face up to stare at him. His hips inched closer and your eyes shot to the erection that was just tantalizingly out of reach of your mouth. You started to reach a hand up to hurry him along but he stopped you with a few words, “Keep your hands still or I’ll tie them up.” Another obeyed order and you could see the satisfaction in his eyes. He liked it when you listened to him. “Good boy, Speck,” the words were like a purr and they soothed your racing heart easily.

Finally he stepped closer, his cock just an inch or two away, just hovering above your face like a promise of a reward so long as you behaved. You opened your mouth, near begging to taste it, especially when you held your tongue out. Glancing up at his eyes you caught sight of his smile, watching the way his beard twitched at the sight of you on your knees for him.

Your eyes were trailing down his bare chest and abdomen. God, he was a Greek god statue and you were absolutely nothing in his presence. When your eyes finally found his hard member again he finally let it press against your tongue. You’d forgotten the way he tasted, the way his skin felt as it ran hot along your tongue.

His hips drug back until only the tip of your tongue was pressed on his length before he pressed forward again. Heavy balls hit against the underside of your chin and you immediately turned your head down and ran your tongue over them. He let out a quiet sigh at the feeling, using the hand in your hair to press your mouth even closer, urging you to continue.

Your lips sucked one into your mouth, tongue circling it before you pulled away for a quick moment and then your mouth found the other one. Little tugs at your hair directed you where he wanted you to go, and the first time you ignored it the hand tightened in your hair and pulled you back away from his throbbing member. Burning eyes glared down at you, before he growled, “You want it?” His other hand wrapped around the base of his bobbing cock again, waiting for your answer.

A vigorous nod took hold of you before you remembered he liked to hear your answer, “Hell yeah I do John. I want it so bad,” when your eyes shot up to find his gaze again he still didn’t look satisfied with your answer. Desperation was taking hold as he held your head still with one hand and held the long awaited treasure with the other. “I’ve wanted it everyday for the past eight months. Haven’t stopped thinking about it, haven’t stopped thinking about you. The way you taste, the way you felt inside me,” your teeth bit into your lip then and your eyes squeezed shut. Every word was not only going to the base of his erection but to yours as well.

When he finally jerked your head closer you glanced up to see the satisfaction on his face again. Listening to his gravelly voice rattle through you as he spoke, “Then start fuckin listening, Speck.” You nodded a quick answer and before you could verbalize it he continued, “Open your mouth.” God he was like a different man, and you couldn’t get enough of this side of him. Your jaw dropped open in response and finally, fucking finally, the weight of his heavy cock slid into your awaiting mouth. A groan left his mouth at the feel of your lips closing around him and sucking him in as if you were trying to speed up the slow drag of his hips.

Your tongue traced the water droplets across his shaft as he buried himself in your mouth at a steady pace. Even when he touched the back of your throat he didn’t stop, he was only halfway inside and he knew you could take more. He’d seen and felt you do it. Your throat relaxed around him as his hand finally released the base of his erection and wrapped around the underside of your jaw. He was holding you in place and from your past experience with him you were almost certain you knew what for.

Burying himself completely inside your mouth and down your throat he held you there, pulling you closer still as the short dark curls tickled the skin of your face. When you tried to swallow around him he groaned at the feeling and bucked forward. His hand at the back of your head hit the tiles first to soften the blow for your head. The fingers that had been around your jaw slid down around your throat, feelling the length of it but not like he was choking you.

You couldn't fathom what he might have been doing until he moaned into the steamy air and muttered, “Bloody hell I can feel myself every time I move.” He slid out of your throat then, fingers pressing against your throat as he reveled in the feel of him stretching you so much. Your lips were still around the tip of his member as you tried to suck the soul right out of him, watching his head tilt backwards for just a moment, “Got such a tight fuckin throat." He grunted into the air with another thrust and this time you could feel his fingers dancing along the skin of your throat as well before he growled, "And a perfect mouth for a whore.” John let your head stay pressed back against the tiles as he released his grip on your hair. You watched as he braced himself against the wall instead with his fingers spread over the wall. The thick digits of his other hand were still grazing across the thin skin of your throat, unwilling to let the feel of this escape him even for a second.

The pace as he kept going sped up quickly, but by no means had it started out slow. He wasn't giving you the chance to adjust to him, if your teeth got too close to him he just pulled your mouth open farther with his free hand. If you weren’t sucking hard enough he would bury himself as far as he could in your throat until you were gagging on his length. All the while he whispered quiet little praises and degradations that had your throbbing member aching.

“‘M close,” he grunted out suddenly between his light huffs of air and sighs of pleasure. You hummed around him as if you were begging for him to cum down your throat like he had the last time. Begging to taste him again, to swallow every drop to sate the hunger you'd been suffering through for too long. To give you everything he had just like you’d dreamed about too many times to count now.

John, it seemed, had other ideas though as he pulled out of the mouth he had fucked until your lips were red and puffy now. A large hand wrapped around his length as he stared down at you, his eyes half lidded and his chest heaving with the effort. Looking down at you on your knees for him, lips still parted ever so slightly as you were still catching your breath because of him. Because he'd fucked your throat so hard and so long you'd been drooling over his length completely drunk on the way he tasted. Your saliva was dribbling down your chin and slicking the cock he was currently jerking like there was no tomorrow. His freehand curled into your hair again, tilting your head back so you could see every inch of his body working to reach his high.

A figurative buffet for your hungry gaze to feast upon. Watching his hand twist at the tip like he was trying to mimic what you would have done to him, because you had done that to him. But his high seemed to have stalled as he jerked his hand up his length and groaned at the feeling. Unable to reach the finish line by himself though, even with your panting visage as his visual aid, he just couldn't get there. So desperate for release and still so far from it. You started to move your hand but stopped yourself remembering his earlier threat. So instead you simply asked, "Let me do it for you? Please, John, I wanna do it."

His forehead fell forward and he nodded, adding a quick, "God yes," with a voice that had lost all its edge from before. That domineering side seeming to have dissipated the moment he saw you wanting him, pleading for him to let you help. His hand fell away from his aching member and yours immediately replaced it. He was coming apart at your touch nearly immediately. Fingers still holding painfully tight in your hair meanwhile the other he'd moved back to the wall, holding himself up as he watched your steady hand work wonders on him.

It didn't take long before your other hand was working along your own shaft, aching for a real release this time, not like the one from before. John was too focused on the hand around him to notice your ministrations, too caught up in the way you were soothing that ache for him that he failed to see you were taking the chance to also soothe your own. When you found his burning gaze a thought crossed your mind. The memory of that look of satisfaction and the smile at nearly every plea that had fallen from your lips, the way he had wanted you to ask for it, to beg for it. Fuck it. "I want you to cum on my face John," a groan fell from his mouth and his forehead fell forward against his forearm, hips bucking into your hand. Oh yeah he was disgustingly close now, "Please, I want to see you cum sir," and with a twist of your wrist at the tip he moaned into the echoing room.

Thick ropes painted your face as he bucked his hips closer, some of it catching in your hair. The tip of his member slid across your cheek as his hips finally stilled and you pulled your wrist away. It wasn't until you broke eye contact and looked down at your own leaking member, that he seemed to fall back into that dominant role from before. The fingers in your hair tightened again and he pulled your gaze back up to him, "Don't you dare." Your hand faltered but you couldn't stop it, you were so fucking close again. You could feel it edging nearer even as he pulled you up off the tiles till you were standing and nearly eye level with him. "You don't get to cum yet," pleasure rolled through you at the words, heading straight down to the nearly releasing tension you were trying to drag out.

Fingers left your hair finally and your head fell back against the tiles with a groan. Until you felt them close around both your wrists as he drug your hands away from you painfully hard member. "What did I say?" He rumbled in your ear, deep and rough and everything he hadn't been the last time. A whine fell out of your mouth before you could stop it and you watched his eyes travel down to your lips. For a fleeting moment you thought he'd finally kiss you. God, he really had no place here not when John was around, but you wanted to taste his mouth again and you'd pray to any higher power so long as you got your wish. You wanted to feel him exploring every corner of your mouth again, his tongue sliding over yours like you knew only he could. Instead he turned you back around to face the wall, water spilling over your head before he pressed you into the tiles chest first again.

"You can't answer me when I ask you something? Ignore me when I tell you something? You're going to learn to listen today, Speck," he pulled your arms behind your back holding them both around the wrist with one hand. You pulled against him, tried to get away and chase your fleeing orgasm but his other hand tangled back into your hair and pulled your head backwards. Your back arched as his hips pressed flush against yours and you felt his still hard erection sliding against your wet skin again. You could feel his beard burning across your skin right next to your ear now. Feeling the way the prickly hairs scratched across your skin leaving a trail in a way that was still so familiar, and you knew you'd be scratching it tomorrow. The dangerous lilt of his voice made every inch of your skin light up, "If you want to cum again it'll be on the end of my cock."

"Good God yes, please, fuck me please," it seemed your mouth was still disconnected from your brain else you doubted you ever would have said those words in that order to anything but a fantasy. John smirked against the skin of your neck, his lips pressing against the delicate skin. He wanted to mark you up, the both of you knew it. The Brit wanted to stake his claim and let it be known that not a soul alive could touch you, and damn if you didn't want him to do it.

And yet he refrained, for now at least, because he could realize you were still very much in need of medical attention and neither of you wanted the others to find out about this. Especially not whenever Soap inevitably took a gander at your wounds, and inevitably couldn't keep his mouth shut that you had bite marks and hickeys all over you. And you were not very good at lying, never had been when it came to the real world and real people. Put you in a life or death situation and give you a fake identity and a name and you were golden. Put you in front of family and friends and you were a sweaty mess trying to keep it together.

Fingers slid against your tight hole as John's mouth continued to let out quiet breaths against the pulsing skin at your neck. He wasn't kissing it or biting it, just staying annoyingly out of range, teasing you with a promise for more and never coming through. Your lips pressed tight together, humming in anticipation before his fingers finally slid inside you without so much as a warning. They went all the way to the knuckle and drew out a string of quiet whines from your mess of a mouth. The fingers pumped steadily inside of you, too little of the wrong thing though, even as they curled inside of you. A smirk found your own mouth then as you let out a breath into the air, catching sight of him as he tried to figure out what'd brought that look out of you. He didn't have to wait long though as you fucked yourself back onto his fingers said, "Thought I told you to fuck me, John, not finger me."

What the hell was wrong with you? You thought it and when you caught sight of his face again you knew he was thinking the same damn thing. Staring at you with those furrowed brunette brows and twitching mustache that gave him away so quickly it was almost comical. He pulled his fingers out and you ached at the loss until you felt the blunt tip of his head sliding against your tight and unused hole.

Oh shit, how stupid could you possibly be? Very, was the answer to that question. You could feel his hesitation, the worry that he might hurt you like he almost had that first time in his truck when you'd stopped him while he was barely even inside of you. He whispered against your ear, more gentle this time than he had been this whole time, "Tell me to stop if you need me to. I don't want to hurt you." A quick nod of answer and you felt the tip pushing inside your too tight hole and drawing a groan at the burn.

Fuck you weren't ready for this, for him. You hadn't even touched yourself down there since you'd last seen him, you didn't really even know how to do so. It'd been eight months since anything had touched that tight ring of muscle and it might as well have just been your first time again. His hips pushed forward smoothly, every ridge and vein of his cock causing your breath to catch and little whines to roll out of you without thought. John didn't go slow though with your hands still trapped at the small of your back, and as he was sinking inside you he very nearly lost his hold.

Your hands were straining to grab onto something, to brace yourself against some solid object. Straining to find some semblance of control that he was hell bent on not allowing you. His hips came flush to yours and it was too much, too fast, and yet it felt so damn good. Your eyes rolled back in your head already drunk on him with his hand still around your wrists and the other still curled into your hair. The moan you let out was obscene, and you could feel his cock jump inside you at the sound drawing out a quiet breathy, "J-John," that had his mouth finally dipping into the space where your neck and shoulder met.

Breathless and body raging with need you pressed as close as you could to him, feeling him grinding deeper as you did. "Such a good whore for me, yeah?" You nodded without thought, humming your agreement in hopes it would mean he'd finally touch you. That he'd finally let you cum since he was deep enough you could feel every line of his body against yours. Your hopes were dashed though nearly immediately as he pulled out fast enough that you could feel your body clenching at the sudden absence, trying desperately to find where the source of your aching pleasure had gone.

When he slammed back into you though you were done for. You fell apart as he took what he wanted from you, using your trapped arms to pull you back so he could sink as deep as possible inside of you. Your thoughts were a mess which was only mirrored by your babbling mouth. In any normal conversation you would have barely said more than common pleasantries and just enough to keep the conversation going. But to him, for him, you were searching for any string of words that would have him groaning in your ear. It wasn't until his hands left your hair, your forehead falling forward against the tiles that his newly freed hand roamed your body. It drug across your skin, nails leaving their trail across your back and sides before the water dripping off of John's shoulders washed them away.

The pads of his fingers slipped around your side, beginning a slow descent to what you hoped was your aching member. Please, please, please- the string of begging thoughts rattled around in your mind. You needed it so bad, needed to finish the right way this time. Eight months of pent up need and frustration and you were beginning to tear up at the feel of him inside you. Gasping every time he pulled out and moaning like the whore he kept proclaiming you to be whenever he slammed back in at his brutal pace, clenching around him desperately every single time. You tilted your eyes down, watching his fingers glide lower, and lower, and then lower still until finally, good Lord thank you finally, he wrapped his hand around your throbbing length.

"Fuck yes, John," you breathed out his name like a whispered prayer, and not two minutes ago it had been one. "Please, please, let me cum. I need to, want to cum on yo-" the hand you were watching dropped your member and you felt a sob clawing up your throat at the loss of contact. Eyes shutting tight so you didn't see the hand coming. "No, no, please. I've been good, please I need-"

Fingers wrapped around your throat and cut off the rest of your sentence before it could leave you. You tried to gasp but there was no air to be had as he pulled you off the tiles and back against his chest again. "Stay quiet for me, Speck. I locked the door but someone might try to break in here if they hear you crying like that. Crying like a good little slag for me," he accentuated it with a hard thrust staying buried inside you for a few seconds as he grinded into your depths. Feeling him strangle the cry for more in your throat.

A nod was all you could manage and you barely even managed that before he finally released some of the tension around your throat. His fingers still held fast there though, keeping you from finding the cool tiles again or from taking in a deep breath like you so desperately wanted. Forcing your back to arch against his strong torso. His pace started back again, jolting into your depths with newfound speed and ferocity. "So good for me now huh? Willing to follow orders and be a good boy. Where was that at earlier, Speck?" You couldn't find the breath to answer him, shaking your head wildly because that was the only thing you could actually manage to do even if it wasn't really an answer. He sank inside of you and you could hear his own desperation now as he grunted and said through gritted teeth, "So bloody tight."

He was too much for you, pressing against every wall and nerve ending seemingly without any effort. You were never meant to have discovered this pleasure filled sin that was John Price. God the feeling of him inside you was better than a glass of sweet tea on the hottest day of the summer. He was going to be your undoing because nothing could match the way he felt when his hips slapped against your ass and he pulled you down even further on him, feeling him roll his hips against you. You were grinding back against him when you finally felt it. That shock that had you nearly doubling over as his cock slid against that bundle of nerves.

The fingers around your throat finally let go and you could gasp for air again. Leaning forward as far as you could and pressing back into him. You felt his hand against your ass, strong fingers digging into the flesh and still refusing you the freedom of your own hands. He pulled you back against him with one hand and then leaned forward, draping himself over your back with his hands still digging into your skin. His grip was hard enough you knew he was going to leave marks there even despite having been so careful up till now.

His teeth nipped at the lobe of your ear catching it between his teeth and sucking on it lightly. When his hand left your ass you hoped desperately it was heading back down to your throbbing cock. But when you saw it bracing him against the wall your eyes shut tight with a needy whine. Desperately you wanted to complain but you knew that would only prolong this torture. His lips trailed over your shoulder, pressing into the still sore muscle and soothing it nearly instantly with a gentle kiss. And then he was growling in your ear again with a voice deep with lust, "Cum." Your cock jumped at the order but even as you grinded back against him you couldn't manage to obey. The ache was still settled at the base so stubbornly you could've died and it'd have been there when you woke up in hell.

Whining out quietly you answered, "I-I can't. I need-" his beard grazed against the back of your neck as he moved to your other side, distracting your scrambled mind even more than it already was. "I- please- John- need-" Sentences tried to form in your mouth but they got no further than a couple words before dying on your tongue. A low hum vibrated through the man behind you as if questioning what you were saying. Fuck, even you didn't know what you were saying. There was a stutter of your hips as you tried to pull forward along his length, stopped immediately by the strong hold on your wrists as John shook his head against your shoulder.

The man behind you nuzzled against the crook of your neck, humming again as you tilted your head for him, inviting him to do whatever he pleased to the exposed flesh. God please let him understand what you were trying to say in order to save you from the agony of another lost orgasm. "You can do it, I've seen you do it. Came on my cock the last time and I never even touched you." A groan left you incoherently then, trying to remember that night and failing to do so with the heat of this moment you were in right now.

Had you? You couldn't remember anymore. Your mind was a wild scramble now as you were still trying to piece the words together to beg him for mercy. "So," he pulled away from your neck, leaning heavily on the one hand as he pulled out of you slowly. "You're," he slammed back inside of you, earning a gasp at the feeling of the shocks racing through you. "Gonna," another hard slam against your ass, hitting that spot with ease now. He knew without doubt he could make you do whatever he wanted so long as he hit that one specific place. "Do it," your aching cock jumped at the sensations, "Again." He slammed in and grinded against you, his length heavy inside of you as he rolled over that place that was about to send you spiraling into the white at the edge of your vision.

He slammed a few hard thrusts into your depths as he leaned closer again, you could feel the warmth of his chest this close to your back now. When his low, rumbling voice echoed beside your ear you were done for, "Cum. Now." One last thrust and you were painting the tiles in front of you as you went blind to the world around you. Feeling only the fast thrusts of his cock as it buried deep inside of you over and over again as you tried to catch your breath. Then he was grunting and pulling you back on him as he strained to get deeper while he spilled inside of you. "Fuck, so good, so tight, fuckin perfect you are," his forehead was pressed against your shoulder as he rutted into you soothing the aftershocks of his overstimulated member.

Neither of you spoke for several minutes, just standing there as you both came down from the feeling of pleasure rolling throughout the both of you. John seemed thoroughly spent behind you, his chest rising and falling against your back, and his beard scratching against your skin with every movement one of you made. You were in no better shape, staring down at your softening member and panting into the humid air. It wasn't until the ache in your thigh and shoulder had you shifting that you felt John's head lift.

Felt his eyes burning into the back of your neck and knew he was wondering why you were moving. "My shoulder,” you paused with a grimace before continuing, “I've gotta move it," immediately his hands opened and he let your wrists go. He moved them instead to your waist and wrapped around your front to hug you close to his sweat and water slicked body.

He was still pressing against your walls, buried deep inside of you but you could feel him softening now. It seemed he was just enjoying the feel of your skin on him again. You couldn't complain though, you were enjoying it just as much. He maneuvered the two of you around, refusing to let you go as he leaned back against the tiles now and let you lay back against him.

His chin rested on your left shoulder, mindful of the injuries you'd already suffered today. A soft murmur against your skin had you tilting your head though as you turned to glance at him with furrowed brows. Just about to ask what he'd said he repeated it without prompting, "Said I missed you." Oh.

Your chin tilted up just a bit, the corner of your mouth turning up in a hint of a smile. His hands pulled tighter around your waist, nearly squeezing the breath out of you now, "Thought you were going to die today. I didn't have a shot without risking shooting you too, none of us did. He'd have killed you if not for that dog." The brunette pressed his face into your neck again, and you reached a hand up to run over the back of his head. Soothing him the only way you knew how, with physical touch.

Your fingers played in the short brown locks, moving down to his temple and rubbing soothing circles into it. Listening to his quiet sigh at the release of tension you could feel through his whole body. Until finally you were cupping his cheek, fingers scratching along his meticulously cared for beard. You felt his hips grind against yours, his member still pressed deep inside of you and you shied away from it. Wincing at the feeling and shaking your head at the thought of going again, "No more, John.” He halted and you could feel his gaze burning you, “Not right now. Damn." You forced yourself not to move again, taking a second to steady yourself against him.

The worry in those blue eyes when he pulled your face back to his nearly had you melting at the sight. He was holding the both of you frozen in place now as he asked, "Are you ok? I didn't mean to hurt you," there he was. That was the John you remembered from back in the UK. Gentle and worrying and so dead set on pleasing you that you never would have guessed he had it in him to be so…dominant.

A slow nod did nothing to ease the worry though. He liked to hear it, wanted to hear you say it out loud so he knew you were telling the truth. "I'll be fine, just didn't expect it. Didn't expect you to be so rough," he was searching for that sincerity and when he found it you could see the smile on his face, even hidden behind that beard.

He pulled your face a bit closer as he leaned in, mouth just a hair's breadth away from yours. "What, you didn't like it?" Finally he closed the distance, lips pressing gently against yours. Pulling away you could still see that smirk as he asked, "Didn't like it when I treated you like a whore? Because you were definitely acting like one earlier today." His lips pressed against yours again and you felt the tease of his tongue against your lips, before he pulled back just a bit and growled out, "A right brat you've been all fuckin day." Another kiss, this one a bit more rough as he stole the breath from your lungs. As if he was trying to take you over so completely you had to rely on him for the very air you breathed.

It was you who broke away this time, letting your head fall back against his shoulder with a satisfied smirk, “Never said I didn’t like it. Just didn’t expect it.” His cheek rested against your shoulder then, breath playing across the skin of your neck in warm waves. It was impossible to move for either of you, well probably not for John but for you most definitely.

Time stood still for you, reveling in the attention you’d only ever received from him before. Finally he shifted behind you again, peppering light kisses to your face and muttering quick, “I’m sorrys” and “I knows”. You squirmed in his arms, trying to pull away, but he held you still with ease, finally pulling out of your depths and settling you against his body once more. After a few minutes you finally lifted your eyes to his again as he gave a little huff of amusement and whispered against your skin, “You need another shower I think. Good thing we’re still in here.”

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toxicbantha · 1 year

Text

yes to heaven. preview.

inspiration: yes to heaven by lana del rey pairing: simon "ghost" riley x f!reader "reaper/lyra" full summary: when a familiar face comes back to haunt him, ghost thinks this might be his second-chance. he won't let her slip away so easily this time. full warnings: depictions of violence. angst. fluff. hypothermia, you almost died smut. secret pining. past dynamics. screw the hierarchy.

a/n: coming out of the trenches for this man. here's a little preview of a fic i plan to release soon. looking for a beta-reader! taglist here.

"Still compromised, then?"

She huffed. Shook her head against his chest, and when she spoke, a new smile was evident in her voice. "You've got no idea, Riley."

But he had. He had more than some idea.

Nearly a whole year of it.

Ghost hooked a finger under her chin, guided her face toward his. Golden flames danced in her eyes, and even with the dirt and grime, the dried blood, and something more still staining her cheeks, he couldn't help but think she looked beautiful. She always looked beautiful.

He'd tell her more when this was over. There wouldn't go a day where those words didn't fall from his lips.

"Help with the mask, love?" he asked, and before she could question him, he hushed her with a near-whispered, "please." The word from his mouth was a rare plea, a silent promise for more. "I'd like to do it properly this time."

Properly.

No rushed scrapes against fabric or heavy-lidded eyes; something tangible, as thick and thunderous as the storm around them.

When the full meaning of his words settled, she blinked, and her eyes set anew. It felt like a millennia before she rose onto her knees and gently hooked the pad of her thumbs under his balaclava.

Part of him was terrified. And it shouldn't be this terrifying—before, they'd been intimate dozens of times, done things far scarier, dozens of times. But somehow this was different. This was their moment.

This, in this rundown shack in the middle of enemy lines, during a white Russian winter with no supplies to last time without an evac. He was bleeding from one side, throbbing from the other, but now they were finally alone. And it was quiet. And it was lovely.

It was theirs.

The fire burned, burned, burn—

She lifted upward, and her hand brushed his stubble, delicate fingers tingling his skin. A chill wisped across his face as his mask rose further—above his lips, his nose. She stopped suddenly and pulled away.

Ghost caught her wrists in his hands.

"I don't understand," she started. "Why here? Why—?" Something dark and furious shifted in her eyes. She snapped. "No," she said and pulled against his grip. "You are not dying, Simon."

The ends of his lips curled. "Never said that, darling."

"Then why?"

Because why not, he thought. Because she'd just scaled the tundra for him. Because he wanted to give her something. Everything. Himself.

"Because," he said and soothed a circle into her skin, "I want you to see me."

She shook her head. Blinked at him. He wanted to reach out a finger and lull the crease in her brows. "But I don't need to see your face for that," she said. Her eyes drifted close and she sighed. When she opened them, she was looking at him—really looking at him. "I already see you, Simon."

A new warmth bloomed in his chest. "I know," he said. She had always seen him; she was perhaps the only one who ever truly did. "But I want this, yeah." He led her hands to his lips without struggle and kissed her palms one by one before returning them to the edge of his mask. "It's just us here," he reminded her. "Me n’ you."

Her shoulders deflated, and she blinked again—her eyes swam with something new. "Me and you," she relented. Then, ever so slowly, curled higher.

#simon ghost riley #simon ghost riley x reader #simon riley #ghost fanfiction #ghost x reader #simon riley mw2 #cod mw2

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mcgnagallsarmy · 11 months

Note

Hi! I'm new to Spuffy and I was wondering, are there any "big" fics that you would recommend? Like the fics that most people have read/heard about, if that makes sense lol😅

Hi, anon!

Well, I only started reading Spuffy fanfic a couple of years ago, so maybe I don't consider the same fics as classics as most people do, hope my recommendations will work for you anyway (:

*if you're looking for more Spuffy stories, check out my ficrec tag!

These are my top 5 favourite OLD fics:

Found by CupcakeCute [PG-13]

Begins between TGIQ and Power Play, continues post-NFA. Buffy learns of Spike's resurrection from an unlikely source and immediately sets out to make things right as The Apocalypse breaks out in L.A. Spike/Buffy pairing, some Angel/Cordelia.

My Life Closed Twice by anaross [R]

Post-Not Fade Away. Buffy seeks Spike's remains, but then finds him in the most unusal place.

The Other Side of Midnight by Holly [NC-17]

In the months following the destruction of Sunnydale, Buffy cuts herself off from her friends and resumes life the only way she knows how: fighting evil. It’s only a matter of time before her past catches up with her, and brings about the man she lost and loved too late…only he doesn’t recognize her face.

Promise of Frost by Eurydice [NC-17]

When a snowstorm strands Buffy and Spike, they are forced to turn to each other for strength, especially when a missing Giles, mysterious visitors, and way too much magic threatens to turn it into a not so very merry Christmas. Set mid-S4.

The Writing on the Wall by Holly [NC-17]

There was no body to bury. There was no funeral. There was nothing but the three rules and the knowledge that a thousand years of torment was nothing compared to a world without her in it. Spike embarks on a journey through the Gates of Hell to rescue the one he loves, but in order to save her, he must risk losing himself.

And these are my top 5 favourite LONG fics:

A Different Kind of Hell by OffYourBird [NC-17]

Jumping through Glory's tower portal, Buffy and Spike find themselves in a hell dimension they never expected. One that looks suspiciously like 1880's London. Will they find a way back home? Will the truth behind William the Bloody at last make itself known? Will Buffy ever stop butchering the Queen's English? Join them and find out. Starts off at the end of "The Gift."

The Darkling by OffYourBird [NC-17]

When Buffy’s quest to get Spike returned to her is fulfilled in an unexpected way, she finds herself in a complicated relationship with an intrigued master vampire who isn’t the man she loves, but who might be someday… if she can convince him to step out of the dark.

Hunger by Sunalso [NC-17]

AU. Spike killed his third Slayer, but Dru was already dust. He's been lost, but when his supper turns out to be more than he bargained for, it leaves him hungry for something else instead. And Buffy? She's just hungry.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Sunalso [Adult Only]

Buffy has fallen into darkness and been forced to become a ghost in her own past. Only she didn't come back alone. What will it take to overcome depression, obsession, and death so that she can learn to live, love, and laugh again.

West of the Moon, East of the Sun by KnifeEdge [NC-17]

I keep having the strangest dream. Every night it's the same thing: a dark room, a big bed, and a silent vampire that I can feel, but not see. I'd be wigged, except it's just a dream, right? It'll be a cold day in hell before I ever willingly sleep with a vampire again…

#spuffy #ficrec #reply #anonymous

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funky-fox-fics · 4 months

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Am I the asshole for killing my best friend?

Hear me out, this isn't rage bait, I promise.

So, like a week ago, me (30M) and like a dozen other people went on a camping trip. We didn't really know each other, but we were pretty sure it'd be fun to have a bit of bonding.

Halfway through the trip there, we get lost in the middle of a forest. As if this isn't bad enough, car dies abruptly. Guy who owns it doesn't know what happened. We have no cell service, no car, nothing.

We were standing there, trying to contact someone for god's sake, when a wild animal - a bear, I think - came running out of the forest and injures this guy, S (29M). Badly. Broken arm, wounds, thank goodness it wasn't rabid or something. I chase it off, but everyone realizes the woods are unsafe. Before long, R (31M) and M (32M) decide to split off from the actual group. S pledges his loyalty to me because R and M weren't here. The rest of us split up, and it's only me and S.

Rest of the day goes by. We set up camp at the top of this big sandy hill. S stole a survivalist guide from M so we know what's safe to eat. Two others, J (27M) and his boyfriend, come and we share the stuff we forage. None of us die, which is good.

Next day, we find out someone's stolen the survivalist guide. We track down R and M, and it turns out they have it. They agree to let is take pictures of the important pages (we have solar chargers) if we agree to help them search for stuff. We agree, but they don't let us take pictures of important stuff - like what berries are safe to eat or not. S has a terrible memory but didn't show anyone else, so now only R and M know what is safe to eat. They tell us they don't trust us, which is weird, but S decides to give them some food in return. We take a few of the nonpoisonous food we saved, and we leave it near their little tent.

Except the next day M comes to tell us: R is gravely wounded and may die from his injuries.

I'm shocked. It turns out that a bear had come, attracted by the berries, and now R is swearing vengeance for our mistake.

Everything is a whirlwind after that. R and three others form an alliance against me and S for killing R, the three people join on M's side, me and S are left with J (22M) and his boyfriend. I swear I didn't mean for the bear to come, but it just did.

And then S breaks his leg after he falls into a ravine, and M decides to repay me what I did to R.

Long story short, everyone... dies. I can't believe it, even as I type it out. Everyone is dead. Everyone. I'm sorry if I sound callous, I get like that when I'm grieving. But M tried to come after me, so I hit him in the stomach and- someone stepped on him, and me and J and S and J's boyfriend were trying to defend ourselves, and- well. Everyone died.

Now's where I might be the AH. It came down to me and S, but I swear I could see the ghosts of everyone dead. Me and S were just on the hill, and S was trying to weasel his way out of it, but then S was on the edge and something hissed in my ear in R's voice to kill him and I just pushed him off right there and then.

It was like I'd gone deaf. Everything was silent. I waited there for five minutes, staring at S's broken body, but he was still very dead.

I decided to do what no one else had done, and I took the food and ran away from everything. Abandoned the car and the tents. I don't care who finds it now, it doesn't matter, they'll find my friends first. I ran for a long time, thank goodness I was a cross country runner in high school, and finally I made it to a really small town with cell service. I'm writing this now as I work up the courage to see if I can't get back to Hermitcraft and tell everyone what happened. I know I can't stay there, but maybe they'll hear me out before killing me too. I'm so sorry, S. I didn't mean to kill you, not really. RIP.

So, now, I ask you all: am I still the asshole?

#fictional aita #fake aita #third life smp #third life #traffic life #trafficblr #russet’s writing #tw death #tw violence #tw murder #trafficfic

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tarnishedinquirer · 23 days

Text

Case: Fort Haight

While traveling I came upon a particularly large ruin arch, bridging the gap between a cliff and a nearby hill.

As I approached, I heard someone calling out for help. Something told me that it wasn't the Demi-humans lurking below the arch. Instead, it was a pompous ass named Kenneth Haight. He looked at me like you'd look at something stuck on your shoe and couldn't even hide the contempt in his voice. Seemed disgusted that a mere Tarnished had been the one to rescue him.

He claimed to be the next in line to Limgrave, but I'll believe that when I see his pedigree. When he asked me to reclaim his fort for him, I was about to tell him to stuff it until he mentioned who had taken the castle from him.

"A knight commander from Stormveil took it. A fool, and plumb mad to boot! Simply obsessed with blood!"

That got my attention. Blood, huh? Another trace of this mysterious "blood lord"? Well, couldn't turn that down. His promised reward was as lavish as it was vague, but information is its own reward.

Speaking of which, he offered a wealth of information about Godrick. Granted, it was in the form of an unrelenting string of invectives, but it was nonetheless very informative. Doubts of Godrick's legitimacy, shameful defeats, dishonorable behavior... Granted, the source is a little biased, but I've seen nothing to contradict him either.

Had a detour on my way there involving a wolf, but I'll talk about that in a different entry.

Eventually I found my way out of the woods, but before I could assault the castle, I found myself with an army already at my back. Normally I'm better at detecting ambushes, but visibility is limited in the woods, so I rode right past a tribe of demi-humans.

They didn't really stand a chance, and after I took care of them, a nearby ghost gave me a little context. He said that the Demi-humans mother had been taken by the knight "bedeviled by blood." He implored Lord Kenneth to return, but I think his faith was a little misplaced.

So the demi-humans are attacking the castle to rescue their mother? I guess it's too much to hope for cooperation, but they could still serve as a distraction. I waited until the next wave charged up the hill and past the barricades, then looped around the back of the castle with Torrent.

Found some unusual flowers growing around the castle. Voice called the "Bloodrose" and it was easy to see why. They were slick with blood, seemed to be oozing out of their petals. It said they grow in festering blood. Cessblood, perhaps?

The voice said it was beloved by those who favored the Lord of Blood and added, "glory to his inevitable reign!"

It rarely editorializes to that extent. Was it on his side?

The demihumans did a good job distracting the the soldiers. The only one really standing in my way was a Pumpkinhead, and as tough as they can be, they don't do well against a wolf pack.

The courtyard was dominated by the massive corpse of the demi-human mother, but I didn't have much time to appreciate it before I was set upon by giant rats, presumably here for the feast. Long-necks (the first I'd seen alive) started throwing firebombs at me from above, so I had no choice but to press on.

The keep's master seemed to be your basic Godrick Knight, but as soon as he saw me, he swung his sword with an arc of blood, similar to Bloody Finger Nerijus. He was tougher than your average knight as well, but in the end, he was still just as predictable as his erstwhile brethren. He couldn't keep track of the glintblades when they were behind him.

I collected my spoils, including an ash of war for his bloody slash ability, and a Nomadic Warrior's Cookbook detailing recipes for Bloodrose. At the very top of the lookout tower, I found half a medallion depicting a masked figure.

The voice told me I could find its twin to the east, and that with the two I could get to the Altus Plateau, wherever that is. I've been east, and I don't plan to go back there anytime soon. If I gotta go to Altus, I'll probably find another way.

Task complete, I returned to Ken for my lavish reward.

A dagger. How generous.

All the voice had to say is that it was made from Erdsteel, had a grass crest engraving, and that it was a noble's self-defense weapon, all stuff I could have deduced on my own. Sensing my disappointment, he also offered to knight me into his service, all I had to do was visit him at the fort once he pacified the Demi-humans.

I'll go back and check on him later. Not because I want to be a knight to such a pompous ass, but because I want to see him squirm once he truly runs out of excuses.

Mystery: This case ties into the larger "Lord of Blood" mystery. Either Godrick was unaware of the usurpation at Fort Haight, or he supported it. If he supported it, then he must be allied to the Lord of Blood, and must have gotten something out of the arrangement. And somehow, killing the Demi-human Mother was part of the Lord of Blood's plans. I don't see the big picture here. There's nothing connecting the Lord of Blood followers I've met so far.

How does the blood knight connect to Nerijus?

Why did he kill the demi-human queen? Because blood touched by grace would not fester, and would not sprout Bloodroses.

Does Godrick know? If so, did he get anything out of it?

Is Kenneth Haight's claim legitimate? No.

Who can take the throne of Stormveil?

Post-script: I returned later to the castle. The Demi-humans had reoccupied it were none too pleased to see me, but still took orders from Kenneth Haight. So at least that part was true. Beyond that, he sounded utterly crushed. Gone was his haughty demeanor. He didn't seem pleased to see me either, but confessed that he didn't have the authority to grant me a title. He even admitted that he was not of the proper lineage and could not take the throne of Stormveil.

I'll give the guy some minor credit. He vowed to find someone who could take that throne. I'll keep a lookout, but it's a moot point until I unseat Godrick.

Additionally, during my adventures I recovered some beast blood. The voice informed me that blood with the gold flecks of grace would never rot or fester, which reminded me of how Kenneth Haight referred to the Demi-humans as outside the light of Grace. If Bloodroses grow from festering blood, then the blood of normal beasts and men could not be used. Only the blood of those who reject or are rejected by grace could sprout Bloodroses. A Demi-human queen would be a strong source of such blood.

#elden ring #elden ring lore #in character blog #let's play

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the-kcm-muggleborn · 9 days

Text

Kind For You

Fandom: Hogwarts Legacy

O/C: Sebastian Sallow x Edwart Thompson x Ominis Gaunt ✨️platonic✨️ (My OC)

Warnings: slight swearing shit

Word count: 1056.

Chapter 2

Part 5

"What did you get for question 3?” Sebastian asked.

“Expelliarmus.” Ominis answered as he was pouring himself some pumpkin juice.

Throughout the following days. Sebastian, Ominis and Edwart started spending dinners together. Sharing assignments, chats, food and even a table. Other students were looking at them funny sometimes.

“I have some things I need to attend to.” Edwart spoke rather suddenly after eating his porridge. “I'll probably be back in the late evening.”

“What do you have planned? Ominis asked as he bit into his toast.

“A fellow housemate sent me information about a ghost which might be able to help me find those missing pages from the book I've found in the restricted section. It would really help me before Professor Fig returns from the ministry.”

Sebastian and Ominis were silent and nearly looked at eachother with the same confused looks already thought that asking questions wouldn't bring much if the new student hadn't gotten all the information to share.

“It's all very complex and I've promised to explain everything which I will when it gets sorted out. For now it looks like I'm to have a trip to Upper Hogsfield…”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Edwart looked again at the combination of numbers on the houses in the village and the numbers he scribbled in his notebook:

Eldritch Diggory,

Helen Thristlewood

Upper Hogsfield 16.

“Hm. This must be the place Minister Diggory mentioned.” Edwart thought to himself and knocked a few times.

“Yes?” An older woman opened the door.

“Hello Madam Thistlewood. My name's…”

“Ah yes.” She said excitedly. “You're that hufflepuff student. Uncle Eldritch did tell me you might come. Come in! Come in! I'll set the tea. Would you like some?”

“No thank you, your uncle said we might be able to help each other. Would you elaborate?”

Madam Thistlewood explained an entire long story about Richard Jackdaw, Apollonia Black and Anne, a prisoner in Azkaban.

“So let me get this in order.” Edwart said with furrowed eyebrows. “You want me to travel to Azkaban with you so I can speak to a woman who has been sitting there for the past decades in hope that she somehow has an answer to Richard Jackdaw's cave wherever it is. And all that is a clue, not a certainty.” Edwart finished unconvinced.

“Yes I suppose one can put it like that. It has to be you though. You could be a fresh breeze to her which could help her talk.”

“Well I'd rather not go to Azkaban. Is there no other way to help?”

“I'm afraid not. I will be right there with you being a retired auror does have its benefits, we can simply apparate right to her. I've escorted Ministers. professors. and many others to that blasted place. Never a student, I'll admit, but I will keep you safe.”

“Very well. Let’s go.”’

“Steady yourself. We'll Apparate together. Don't worry, l've never splinched anyone”

Edwart heard a snap and felt an unsettling change of air which made him nauseous.

“Shit.” He thought “I'm going to barf. Apparating is rough.”

Before he understood what has happened around him he heard a scream: “Expecto Patronum” A beautiful bunny made out of light came out of Madam Thistlewood's wand and busted through the dementors as she spoke again.

“That ought to keep them at bay for now. Though, be aware - you may feel a wave of despair. It will pass. This really is a dismal place. But we'll be out of here soon enough Now, follow me.”

“No one at school's going to believe this…”

Edwart thought while taking in the awfully cold surroundings of Azkaban. Somehow he did manage to drag the information about the cave from Anne even though her mental state was up to question especially after she attacked Madam Thistlewood without using any weapon. Edwart didn't know what had just happened. He was left in Upper hogsfield in pursuit of that cave.

Finally after all that time. Edwart found Richard Jackdaw who promised to help him as he most likely dropped the pages in the forbidden forest.

Edwart finally sat on the grass taking a breather for a second. He took out his pocket watch and noticed it was time he should head back to the castle but he had to get those pages back…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sebastian and Ominis were in the great hall eating breakfast. Edwart was supposed to meet them yesterday at the dinner but when he never showed up, Sebastian felt uneasy.

Finally Edwart stumbled in for breakfast. He had enormous bags under his eyes and he was looking paler than usual.

“Merlin what happened to you?” Sebastian bewilderedly asked “You look like you haven't slept in a week.”

Edwar took a seat next to Ominis and groaned a bit. “Very funny. I’ve had the worst night of my life.” He said, grabbing a toast and basically devouring it.

“We thought we were going to see you at dinner yesterday. What happened?” Sebastian asked curiously.

Edwart swallowed quickly and responded “That was a plan. But I had to get those missing pages I was talking about. Turned out. Out of all the places it was in the forbidden forest.”

Sebastian choked on his pumpkin pastry.

“Merlin are you alright?” Ominis asked with a hint of shock in his voice.

“Who are you asking me or Edwart?” Sebastian asked with laughter

“Both. Are you both okay?” Ominis replied with a small grin.

“Anyway I got caught sneaking back in got in big trouble with one of the Professors and since Fig is not here-”

Just then the Owl’s started flying about delivering mail which interrupted Edwart's story. Sebastian got a letter from Anne. He smiled when it landed in his hands.

Just when they thought the owl storm had come to an end. Edwart’s owl Barney dropped a letter onto his lap. He picked the letter up from his lap with a tense grimace.

“What is it, who's sending you letters?” Sebastian asked curiously.

“I-” Edwart stumbled upon his words as he flipped the letter. “Shit, that's not good…I have to go. I- I have that flying class anyway.” With that Edwart ran out of the great hall at the speed of light.

Sebastian signed heavily “I wish he would be more open with us.”

“Give it time Sebastian.” Ominis replied flatly.

- - - - - - - - - AUTOR'S NOTES- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thank you for reading part 5. Sorry this one a bit short;/ ."I'd rather NOT go to azkaban" haha same Edwart same. Azkaban time for all my hufflepuff babies. Wonder what's that letter Edwart got...? Small disclamer: I made the photos look darker so they fit the Azkaban's ambience. Hope you enjoyed it. More to come soon.

Part 6

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