epilogue. she might just be my everything and beyond
javier peña x f!reader | epilogue of late night texts
summary: It's the year 2000. Javi is minding his own business on the porch of his pop's ranch when a text from an unknown number vibrates his phone. The only problem is, no one knows he has a phone and no one has his number.
chapter warnings: here's the epilogue. two idiots pining for one another. fluff. flirting. continuous romcom vibes. falling in love. idiots in love. mention of olivia (steve's and connie's child) ✨
wordcount: 2.7k.
an: at the end.
text key: bold is you/reader | italics is javi
you keep flirting with me and ill drive myself over
Oh will you now?
use my key and everything
You have had very little reason to use it lately.
thats cause youre so desperate youre already at the door
Desperate or welcoming?
both
I can be less desperate next time, if you prefer.
dont you fucking dare baby
So when you coming over?
already putting my shoes on
It flies by, time.
One minute, he’s clutching your hands until your fingers slide from his. A promise in the air, one he knows you’ll keep because it's all temporary. Knowing that you’ll be right back, suitcase—and possessions following behind—as you move across the country.
Within a blink, Javi is asking you where you want things to go, in the little place you chose with so much ease. Spotting you unpack a photo frame, the photo strip from Houston front and centre, sitting on a bed of receipts.
The next, he’s sweating for reasons he’d rather not be.
His back twinging, protesting as he carries another box to the van. Your smile rises at the sight of him approaching, gesturing to pass it to you—still standing on the edge of the truck.
“Cariño. You’ve lived here six months. How have you amassed so much sh–tuff?”
Narrowing your eyes, taking the box and placing it on top of another, “Nice save.”
Sending you a sink, he smiles as you slide your hand in his to get down. Knowing he doesn’t ever need to feel them slide from his again—hopefully, no emotional goodbyes at the airport. Not ones that don’t involve you visiting someone for a long weekend here or there.
“Are you forgetting that I packed an entire suitcase the first time I saw you? Because knowing that information, I am surprised you’re confused that I’ve doubled my possessions since living here?”
Pulling you close, he focuses on how you feel warm against him—fitting against him perfectly. A feeling he’s had plenty of time to grow used to but finds he never does. How you slot with him, face turned upwards, looking at him like he moves mountains and walks across fire.
If you asked him, he would.
But you never do. You just look at him as though you know he would. Knowing he does.
He supposes it’s why you’re all set to move in with him. Into his home. His room.
This place—as lovely as it has been—will no longer be yours. The little home in the centre of town is tucked away above a video store that you’ve become a frequent customer of, whether he has plans with you or not.
From tomorrow morning, though, you’ll be waking up with him officially. The two of you have had months of it, where you’re there but not entirely with him. Even if, over time, your things have been left amongst his, some even finding themselves hanging alongside his. To the point a drawer was needed—and hangers. Still, for a while, when you said home, you had meant yours.
That was until the last few weeks. Your eyes shimmering, twinkling with the stars in the night sky, curled into his side. His green jacket, the one with the brown collar, wrapped around your shoulders, no longer smelled of old cigarette smoke and desperation but rather sweetness and hope. Your hand entwined with his:
Can we go home, baby?
Yeah, I can take you now.
No, to yours.
You poke him. Light, but purposeful. A little jab to bring him back, and the way you’re smiling at him—fuck. He can’t imagine a look that could make his heart double in size quicker. His thumb strokes alongside your cheek. His pink shirt—the one you had commandeered as your own—rolled up at the sleeves and tied at your waist.
Javi’s noticed you steal his clothes a lot. Fashion them into something that suits you better. He doesn’t moan. If anything, he makes it a purposeful thing to show you how much it means to him—how much he likes it, craves it.
“C’mon, only a few more boxes...”
Groaning, he buries his lips against yours, feeling your smile widen, grinning widely against him as you hold him close.
Your teeth pull at his bottom lip before releasing it with a pop, a twinkle to your eyes. “… think of it like this: once the van is packed, we get more time to say goodbye before I have to return the keys.”
“Hmm,” he mumbles, keeping you in place with two fingers under your chin. “And how do you plan on us saying goodbye, baby?”
Sliding your nose against his cheek. “Loudly. I plan on saying it loud, baby.”
You packed me a note in my lunch?
I did
It wasn’t very safe for work.
you said you eat your lunch at your desk
Yes but I’m not a loner, Javi. I do eat lunch with people.
lesson learned then baby
But yes.
yeah?
I don’t think the porch table will cope though, may have to think of a more stable surface.
I think I can think of something
No wood! I am not having you pick splinters out of my ass again, baby.
that was on you
I think it was on you and your speech about how beautiful I looked being a ranch-hand.
Do you fancy coming to my office Halloween party?
do I have to dress up
Yes. But if it makes you feel better, I’ll be dressed up too.
before I decide what are you dressing up as
That’s the incentive to come, if you say yes I’ll tell you.
do you want me there
Yes! Want to show you off
then ill be there baby
Because you like being showed off?
yes. but also because you want me there
While outwardly, he’d protested the trip to Miami from the moment you booked it off work up until he was sat beside you on the place, he does see the beauty in it.
Although, Javi primarily suspects that it is down to you. You with your legs out, you in a bikini on the beach, robbing his shades until he buys you your own—a matching pair, something that makes Steve chuckle and Connie aww.
The lazy mornings that remind him of Houston are nice, too. The ones where neither of you are woken by an alarm or his Pop’s awful singing. The backdrop of the airy hotel room and a warm, gentle breeze blowing the sheer curtains as his thumbs dig into the back of your thighs and make you chant, is a bonus.
Because Javi can make your skin glisten, and your body sing, whenever and wherever he gets the chance.
What he can’t have at home with you is the sight of you fitting in so easily with the two people who have become a second family. The ones who have seen him go to lengths he hadn't known was possible, him and his old partner seeing things that only appear in occasional nightmares now.
Connie and Steve welcomed you in with ease and with them, you smiled so effortlessly. Blending in like you were always there—laughter bursting out of you when you’re playing with Olivia.
It's there, ever-present on the beach, as you chase Olivia around in the sand. The castles the two of you had been making long since trodden on, as the little girl squeals and squeals until she’s caught.
“You should marry her.”
Turning his head, Steve nods towards the three of you. Connie snapping photos as you roll in the sand. The yellow tinge from his aviators adds an additional glow to the world as he eyes up his former partner-turned-friend—a friend who apparently now gives unwarranted marriage advice.
Scratching his chin, he rolls his jaw. “You giving me permission, Murph?”
“C’mon, Jav. She’s nice, good to you. Clearly makes you very fuckin’ happy.”
“Yeah, well. Maybe I’m already planning it.”
“Yeah? Fuck. Can’t wait to tell Connie. She told me I needed to convince you.”
Javi shrugs, pushing the glasses up his nose. “It so hard to believe I’d have come to that conclusion on my own?”
“Before you met her? Yeah. Since her? No. Could tell you were smitten—”
Snorting, Javi runs his hand across his chin. “I was not fucking smitten.”
“Yeah, you fucking was. No shame in that, Jav. No shame in enjoying one good woman.”
Groaning, he turns back to the laughter. The corner of his lips twitched, wishing to slide into his cheeks as he watches you throw your head back, neck exposed, as Olivia tries to do a handstand.
“I got the ring last month.”
“Shit.”
Turning his head, he narrows his eyes, watching Steve put his hands up in defence.
“You just said—“
“Yeah, well. Forgot how determined y’can be about things. Surprised me. S’not a bad thing,” Steve says. “Just, y’know. Years ago, I knew you as the man who fucked his way through—“
Elbowing him, Javi smirks as he hears Steve splutter. A sharp look added as Steve holds his hand up.
“I’m not that person anymore, Murphy.”
His friend nods, apology falling. The evidence that he means it stitching into his expression—that he was just joking, teasing. An explanation coming, that he knows how he’s changed—all words he would have once craved hearing. But since meeting you, he’d found even the teasing didn’t upset him as much.
Clapping his hand on his shoulder, Javi looks over his shades. “I know. Alright. Just, I don’t like the reminder, that's all. Feels like… feels like a lifetime ago.”
“Y’telling me.”
Snorting, Javi slides his hand off. Moving his eyes back to the sight of Olivia grinning at the two of them. Her small hand trying to cover her mouth as she whispers something to you, something which Javi suspects involves him from the way she’s running full speed towards him.
“She’s grown up so quickly.”
He’s about to reply, but Olivia interrupts—skidding to a stop in the sand, kicking it across his feet. Swiftly, her hand—all small and delicate—wraps around and tugs on his hand.
“Uncle Javi, can you come play?”
Over the top of her, he spots you. Leaning your weight on one side, hand covering your brows to watch his expression.
And fuck, how can he say no to either of you.
hows pops?
He’s good. In fact, enough to be getting your Mom’s cookbooks down from the shelf for me.
I hope you know thats him saying he loves you
He has told me how much it means to him that I wanted these. Also keeps telling me that he’s happy they’ll be staying in the family.
bet that made you cry didn’t it
Yes! Obviously.
youre so cute baby
In my defence he caught me off guard with the comment, I was busy staring and deciphering the handwritten notes.
not gonna be able to read them now if youve cried all over them
As always, you’re hilarious. I obviously didn’t cry into the book! I cried in the bathroom.
you turn the tap on to try and hide it again
Shut up, Javi.
i should be back soon, just grabbing the parts now
Don’t rush, he’s fine. Promise. He even says his back is barely giving him any problems since I told him I’d cook from the book.
what you cooking?
Come home safe and find out.
youre such a tease
Learned it from you baby.
At one stage, Javi had been good with people.
Persuasive.
Now, he’s unsure if he even knows how to ask for a favour without giving something up or flirting.
He’s still charismatic, or so you tell him. But, he's pretty sure his tact has gone, impatience bubbling as he tries to pretend to give enough of a shit to be able to ask for the favour he wants.
For you, he decides to push through. To not walk back through the door he came through. He does stuff his hands into his jacket, the man staring at him, still wearing the same confused expression he had when Javi first stepped through the door.
Because even if he’s explained three fucking times, the man still doesn’t understand why he asked him to create the crossword he’s got clutched in his hands.
The one that would never even go to print—just a single request. A favour. All personal, just for him. Not to be published in every newspaper, but just one.
The one for him, and him alone.
It didn't matter how many ways he explained it, the man remained confused. Only reluctantly accepting, he's sure, to get him to leave.
That had been days ago. Now, you're ahead of him. Your fingers brushing over the tops of long stands, occasionally looking over your shoulder at him, making him feel like he's stepped into one of the movies you've made him watch.
Even when you look ahead, he can tell you’re grinning from behind—taking the view in. It's 'one of your favourites', something you’d told him the first time he brought you here.
It’s why he brought you here, now.
Second to you, of course, baby.
You stop some distance ahead, beginning to place down a blanket, all chequered and soft, as he comes to join you. Placing the basket in his hand down on the edge of it, before your fingers are swatting at him and undoing the ties before you grasp the bottle, food and other bits.
Not that he can eat, needing more than what the wine you’d grabbed would do.
Nerves bubbling, dancing and fluttering like the flies further down the hill. You don't notice. You're focused on the newspaper, the crossword he's not let you see for the last few hours, taunting you, making you wait.
He almost wishes he hadn't when it adds to the knot in his stomach, it tightening more when you become irritated at his coyness as he's reading out the clues—
Javi, what are you up to? You always do down, across, down. Always.
You’d have made a good detective or DEA agent.
Likely given him and Murphy a run for their money—something Steve had even said to you both when the two of you were in Miami. Sand in your toes, sea air in your hair—grin brighter than the sun.
“Give it here,” you say, not sharply, but not playfully either.
His hand wipes his lower mouth, hiding his smirk, having wanted you to do that for the past fifteen minutes.
When you take the crossword, you’re chewing.
Distracted, barely able to spot him sliding the remainder of your punnet from reach. Because Javi remembers how you feel about being asked any critical questions when you are eating.
He supposes it's the one benefit of you making him watch so many romcoms. It allowed him to do market research and ask questions without raising your suspicion, such as where wouldn't you like to be asked and if you want him down on one knee.
Mainly, I don’t want to have food in my teeth when I’m being asked. Don't want to spit any leftovers at you in my shock.
“Hey,” he whispers, stealing your attention—watching you smile, glancing at your clean teeth. “Eres preciosa.”
Your lips slide, curling up into your cheek. “You’re such a flirt, Peña.”
Kissing your cheek, he keeps his arm around you. Fingers playing with the fabric on your hip—balling it up before smoothing it out. Thumb and index brushing, calming, soothing him as your eyes glance over the page.
Occasionally, asking him things, avoiding the clues he desperately wants you to solve.
Until.
Fuck, until.
“Javi.”
“Hmm,” he mumbles, pretending indifference, head tilted down, resting his chin on your shoulder—knowing from the high-pitched way you said this name that you’ve already cracked it.
Your fingers slide over the paper, smothering the white and black boxes from view. “Javi?”
“Yes, baby.”
“I think that’s my reply, isn’t it?”
Lips curling, he wraps his fingers around your chin, turning you to face him. Watching it happen in slow motion, how you smile before you grin—tears all but filling your eyes as you clearly try not to get ahead of yourself.
“You wanna make me less lonely, cariño?”
Swallowing, you drop the paper. Let it fall to the blanket, twisting your body until your knees are between his thighs as you take both sides of his cheeks.
“Sí.”
“Sí?”
Nodding, a tear falls. It's one shimmering with joy and happiness, his thumb swiping it, spreading it across your skin.
“I don’t know… I don’t know the translation,” you laugh, it spluttering, fingers stroking his skin. “But I’ll marry you. I love you. Yes, Javi.”
And he whispers it.
The translation. Pressing it, as well as I love you, to your lips as his arms snake further around your waist. Hearing you, all quiet, it almost buried in kisses, repeating the translation back.
Before he falls backwards into the grass, with you on top of him—his fiancé. His world.
you fancy coming to laredo in autumn
Any particular reason?
been told I need a best man and I only know you
an: gosh, here we are. i began writing late night texts one night after a chaotic chat with @guyfieriii because i was manic/sad/anxious all at once and it was the only logical thing i could focus on. as much as javi and reader saved one another, they saved me too.
thank you to you lovely lot. not only did you welcome this in with open arms, but you cheered me on every single week (also, btw, how cool is it we didn't miss a single week omg). i owe you so much, and i cannot believe we made it here together. to the old followers, i see you. to the new ones who just discovered me, hey, welcome.
to all of the friends I've harrassed over the last few months, i love you. to the new ones I've made, i also love you omg.
i'm already missing this pair so much, and i cannot wait until we get to hang out with them sporadically. i'm going to go cry in a corner, but just know my heart is so full and so happy and it's all down to you all 🩷
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You're still not sure how this works. You're 99% sure Rafael Barba is your soulmate, but the clock hasn't hit zero. You've met him, talked to him, and slid papers under his door for him to almost step on in the mornings or retrieve on late nights. But if the clock is still ticking, then you haven't met them, right? So, why do you feel safer when he's close by?
It's confusing. And you have no time for confusion about anything. Jack has delegated you second chair, one you are happy to accept. The case load is growing, the indictments issued flying from the clerk's office with increasing speed. You're issuing subpoenas left and right, searching records that go back so far you think you may have found the mythical lost pen an intern took from Paul Robinette because they were too chicken to ask him out so they settled for something he touched (or so you heard).
And Barba has hardly looked at you.
Olivia Benson had reassured you it was because the man is fiercely independent, not because he thought little of you. And while it helped, you couldn't help but grow saddened and irritated by the fact every interaction you shared with him was passing papers while he barely spared a glance.
The record in front of you is the biggest find yet. Unshredded and non-digitized remands. You're not sure how long you've been in this dusty old room, but it's worth it. You hop over the file boxes- you'll be back to fix them soon - and rush upstairs, aware you probably look like you've been crawling underneath a bed in a messy room, but this is it. The clincher. And you don't even care if he sees you looking dishelved, because this file is the red bow, the Michael Cutter homerun swing.
There's no dignity as you cross the threshold of his office, his brows raising as he pours his cup of coffee, your hands holding the file with such a tight grip he wonders how you haven't bent the folder.
"Rafael Barba, may I present four different remands and secret indictments. Done under suspicious circumstances and-" you flip through the file, finding the bright pink post it, "the other dismissed without prejudice."
The room slows, his eyes meeting yours with intensity. The clock on your wrist hits zero with an echoed final tock. You take a step closer, fiddling with the random thread on your sweater.
"I hoped it would be you."
He's quiet, placing his cup on the table before he takes the file out of your hands, fingers gently resting on your wrist, wordlessly asking for consent. You nod, watching with bated breath as he pushes the sleeve up just enough to see the fading clock.
"She always said it was the first time they see you not the first time you look," he murmers, thumb caressing your skin.
*
Barba's watching intently when you approach the stand, the evidence you either found or helped lead the way to balanced eaily in your hands despite the amount. The room grows quiet as you lay the receipts, the texts, fax confirmations, and signed agreements in front of the man on the stand.
"You weren't going to say this was a one-time deal, were you?"
*
Barba's hand lands at the small of your back as you descend the steps.
"Rafael," you begin, his first name foreign on your lips, "can I see your wrist?"
"It's zero."
You wrinkle your nose, halting at the bottom step.
"How long?"
"The day you met me."
"And mine just stopped?"
He frowns, removing his hand from your back to face you.
"Your dedication to justice, your determination, those became clear the minute you spent hours doing what someone else could have been doing. I saw you, and I knew." His hand cups your cheek fondly, brown eyes meeting yours, as if asking for permission. He presses his forehead to yours, lips barely grazing your own.
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would they still love u if u were a worm stardew expanded edition let’s go baeby
victor.
☆ he’s confused by this question and the look on his face has you worried
☆ it’s not that he wouldn’t love you, but how would he explain to his mother that he’s in love with a worm?
☆ he’d still do it best to make this relationship work
☆ checks out an alarming amount of books on worms from the library (gunther doesn’t usually judge but….he definitely notices)
☆ browses the internet for the highest quality terrariums, but decides to design his own for you so it would be extra special and extra comfortable for his favorite worm
☆ it’ll take him a while to construct the perfect terrarium(™) so he orders one for you in the meantime. don’t ask about the price, it's not important.
☆ he is absolutely hiding that receipt from his mom though
☆ reads up on his worm books to make sure you get the best diet and living conditions
sophia.
☆ do you even have to ask?
☆ of course she would
☆ even if she finds worms a little bit creepy she’d take care of you
☆ you would be living in a nice little terrarium with anything a worm could ask for. plenty of nutrient rich soil, moss, leaves, twigs, etc.
☆ she’d even give you some grapes from her harvest !
☆ would sit your terrarium in front of the tv with her to catch up on the newest episode of ‘pink princess crusaders’ after a long day
olivia.
☆ “i think you’ve had too much to drink, dear.”
☆ the real question is would victor be okay with having a worm for a step parent
☆ her chats with jodi and caroline become a bit different to say the least
☆ who is going to taste wine and listen to classical music with her now
☆ she attempts to give you a drop of wine as an experiment, but it’s not the same
☆ would lewis even honor a marriage between a woman and a worm? what would the governor think?
☆ maybe she’s had too much wine to drink tonight
☆ the verdict is yes but not as much, you’d be more like a beloved pet
claire.
☆ she’d be willing to give it a shot
☆ you’d live comfortably as a worm in her care. nothing too fancy or extravagant. just a simple worm’s life
☆ she would share some of her salad with you
☆ well this is awkward
☆ claire’s a pretty quiet woman and you’re a worm so you don’t do much talking
☆ you two mainly sit in silence and stare at each other
☆ she wonders how she ended up in this situation
☆ still better than working at joja
lance.
☆ he’s more curious about how you would have managed to become a worm in the first place
☆ was it a cruel curse laid upon you by a powerful sorcerer? one of camilla’s jokes? was it by your own free will?
☆ he’s genuinely stumped
☆ spends more time inquiring about your new worm form than answering the question at hand
☆ this man is a romantic at heart though so he immediately says yes
☆ he lets you travel with him on his patrol duties
☆ except to ginger island. he can’t risk one of the parrots snatching you off his shoulder. his heart almost breaks at the thought
☆ your love transcends all forms. you are a happy worm. congratulations !
rasmodius.
☆ did you get into his cauldron again?
☆ he says he would try to change you back into your previous form
☆ avoiding the question at its finest
☆ he may be a powerful being with magic on his side but love has a grudge against him
☆ first he gets a divorce, his second relationship was an affair with a married woman, and now his third partner has somehow become a worm????
☆ after some pestering he sighs and says yes. he would love you even if you were a worm.
☆ he doesn’t exactly know how it would play out. would he have to turn himself into a worm?
☆ how would morgan react if they found their magic teacher was now a worm living with his wormy significant other
☆ morgan would probably enjoy this outcome actually
isaac.
☆ definitely not.
☆ but at the same time...he wouldn’t want a bird to eat you..
☆ or yoba forbid some worm loving rando comes and takes you away…
☆ he wouldn’t splurge on a fancy living space for you, sorry (“what do worms even do besides squiggle around in dirt all day?”)
☆ but he would reluctantly search for soil, leaves, and foragables for you to squiggle in
☆ has accidentally almost fed you a poisonous berry on more than one occasion…
☆ shares some of his own food when he hasn’t foraged anything for you (“what do you mean worms can’t have glazed butterfish?!”)
☆ it’s times like these where he looks into the mirror and wonders if he’s actually going insane
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