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hangmansgbaby · 1 year

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Three’s a Crowd, Unless its You

THIS IS 18+! MINORS DO NOT INTERACT!

Summary: Jake and y/n wanted to spice things up in the bedroom so they brought Rooster in. And then the feelings started so Jake and y/n make a plan to permanently in Rooster to their everyday life.

Pairings: established jake x reader, bradley x reader, bradley x jake, bob x reader

Warnings: slight angst, threesome vibes, dom bob, mentions of subspace, swearing, smut, smut, and more smut, squirting, maybe cum play?, creampie, oral (f and m receiving), anxiety, basically lots of smut with some plot

Notes: A big thank you to @bobby-r2d2-floyd who practically wrote this for me cause I am not good at smut but wanted this to exist! Also thank you to @roosters-girl and @startrekfangirl2233 and @sarahsmi13s who bounced ideas around and read through it a million times with us!

word count: 5k

CassieMitchell Masterlist

You and Jake had been together for a while, you two were comfortable with each other and with the sex that you had been having, but lately you both had been noticing the lingering gaze from Rooster whenever the Dagger squad was together, or when Rooster came over to your place to hang out. You and Jake had talked about bringing Bradley into your relationship for a while as a third lover, only Rooster had fallen deeply for you; he came around more often and started staying longer after rolling around the bed with you and Jake for a few hours to hold you. Aftercare moments got sweeter and longer, and while you reciprocate those feelings, you will always feel more love for Jake.

Jake noticed these small things and grew worried that you were tired of him and that he was losing you, but after a long night of you two together, you had assured him that you’re still very much in love with him. Jake was the one who suggested bringing him in, officially, actually. You knew from prior wine nights with Bob and Phoenix that he was quite the Dom in the bedroom, at the time it was random information but now? You can use that to your advantage. This began a plan of action, a sex-posal if you will, that will come to a head tonight. You had discussed the situation with Bob beforehand and he was all for it since he was getting tired of hearing Rooster talk nonstop about you and Jake any chance he got.

When you suggested bringing Bob into your weekly tryst with Jake and Bradley, neither of them were really prepared for it. They knew it was going to happen, it was just the when that they were unaware of. So when you surprised Jake one night when he got home from work, with nothing but his Stetson and a sexy lingerie set peaking from beneath one of Rooster’s Hawaiian shirts, he had a sneaking suspicion as to what was about to happen. You led him up to the guest bedroom, his brain whirring and cock swelling at the thought of getting a round in before Rooster showed up and the plan taking action, but instead he was pushed into one of the two chairs in the room.

“Whatcha doin’ Honey?” Jake questions as you move around to the back of the chair, looping the rope around his hands and the bars of the chair, loosely, according to the plan.

“Nothing.” you smiled innocently, moving around to the front of him, straddling his still clothed lap. “Just got a surprise for you, baby.” you kiss him softly on the lips before standing up. “Now, take this,” you wrap one of his bandanas around his mouth to gag him and slip a blindfold over his head, resting at his brows and ready to be pulled down just as Rooster calls out.

“Hey Pretty? Jake? I’m here!” he calls from the foyer, kicking his boots off at the door.

“Up here, Roos!” you call out and you look back to Jake, “you’re still okay with all this?”, he nods and you smile, slipping the blindfold down over his eyes. “Okay. Be good. Love you.” You smirk before strutting out of the room. “Hey big guy.” You hold the smirk, leaning against the entrance to the hallway, his shirt slipping down off your shoulder since you don’t have it buttoned properly.

“Well hello to you, pretty. What’s the occasion?” he asks, reaching out for you and you talk half a step back to tease him.

“Just a little surprise… wear this for me?” you ask, holding up the blindfold.

“Are you in charge tonight?” Bradley chuckles, taking the blindfold from you.

“You could say that. Now please?” You smile sweetly at him.

“Alright.” slipping the blindfold on, you take his hand and lead him into the room, gently placing him to the other chair.

“Ya know Pretty, normally I’m putting those knots on you.” Bradley chuckles, as you start wrapping the rope around his wrists.

“If you didn’t want me to use them on you,” you finish the knot, securing him to the chair. “You shouldn’t have taught me how to do it.”

You smile at your knot work before reaching over to pull Jake’s gag from his mouth before continuing. “Well, aren’t you two a sight for sore eyes.”

“Honey, whatcha doin?” Jake questions, still playing along with the plan and you laugh before reaching over and ghosting your fingers across their laps.

“Havin’ some fun.”

“What are you doing to us, Pretty?” Bradley groans as you move to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Remember when I asked if we could include Bob one day?”

“Yea baby, we had our meetings with him. We just gotta set a date.” Bradley says and you bite your lip before looking behind them to the shut bathroom door across the hall.

“Well how about right now? Bobby!”

The bathroom door opens and Bradley’s pulse picks up, not prepared for this to be happening.

“Oh, Pretty… I don’t know.” Bradley sighs out and you just smirk. “Jake?” he asks and Jake shrugs, knowing that Bradley can’t see but doing it anyway.

“I don’t see why not. It’s just a little bit of fun, Brad.” he says and Bradley’s anxiety is sky high over the situation.

“You sure you still wanna do this, doll?” Bob asks, his soft demeanor still showing, towering over you. You nod softly before going to pull Bradley and Jake’s blindfolds down from their eyes and Jake nods softly to you and Bob.

Bob grabs your jaw bone between his thumb and ring fingers, his hand essentially cupping the lower half of your face, forcing you to look up at him. “Look at me when I talk to you.” Bob says firmly.

“Hey woah Bob!” Bradley protests, “That's a little harsh, man.”

“You still wanna do this?” Bob asks and you nod, causing him to jerk your head again, “use your words.” Bob states, ignoring Bradley and his protests entirely.

“Yes.” you reply softly, receiving a light slap to your cheek. “Yes, sir.” you moan, skin tingling from the contact.

“Good girl.” Bob smiles. “What’s your color?”

“Green.” another slap, slightly harder. “Green, sir.”

“Bob, I don’t like this.” Bradley pulls against the ropes, trying to get to you, rescue you.

“It’s alright, Rooster. She asked for it.” Jake smiles at Bradley, thoroughly enjoying himself. “Plus, we’ve done worse.”

“And she’s not complaining. Are you, baby doll?” Bob drags his hand from your chin down your neck, thumb and middle fingers digging to the sides of your neck, just over your pulse points, dragging a whine as he gently chokes you. “What do you want, Doll?” his hands move to your chest, tugging on the lace cups of your bra. “You want me to touch you? Treat you like my little slut?”

You nod as he pinches your nipple, pulling slightly, a gasp sneaking past your lips.

“Ask them, doll.” Bob nods to Jake and Bradley, “Ask them if you can be my good little slut.”

Your eyes dart between Jake and Bradley as Bob’s lips begin an assault on your neck, “please-” you let a moan as Bob nips at your skin, “please let me be a good little slut for Bob.”

Jake nods and Bradley looks at Jake, adamant to let you go through with this but eventually he nods too. This causes Bob to smirk at the both of them.

“Enjoy the show ‘cause I know that your girl is really going to enjoy it.” Bob pushes you back into the bed with little care, rough but still respectful of the boundaries that you had set. “As much as I love this little number, doll, it’s gotta go.” he says before he rips the lingerie to shreds.

“Bobby!” He leans down to take one of your nipples into his mouth, gently nipping before swiping his tongue across to smooth it.

“And much as I love these beauties.” Bob smiles, long gone the shy backseater that Jake and Bradley were familiar with. “I’m more curious about how you taste.” he slides his left hand down your stomach, stopping momentarily to graze your clit before running his fingers through your slit.

“Shit, Babydoll, is this all for me?” Bob groans, feeling your warm slick. “Or is this because your boys are gonna watch me have my way with you?” he looks back at the two tied up aviators and smirks.

The moan that rips through your throat as he slowly slid one of his fingers into your wet hole was nothing short of beautiful to Bradley, who was trying to shake your knots free.

“Doll, these boys must not stretch you out very often if you’re squeezing me like this.” Bob groans as he feels just how tight your walls are around one of his fingers. “Don’t worry, we’re gonna remedy that right now.”

He pulls his hand away from you, slipping his slick soaked finger into his mouth and groaning at how sweet you taste. “Fuck babydoll, with as sweet of a pussy like you have, I don’t know how either of these boys don’t live between your thighs. Must be why Jake calls you Honey all the time, isn’t it?” he says as he adjusts his body so your thighs are thrown over his shoulders.

He gives you no warning before his lips are sucking your clit into his mouth. You let out a cry that nearly had Bradley breaking the chair to get to you, whereas Jake stays put, his cock rock hard in his service khakis.

Bob slips a finger back into your hole and immediately finds your g-spot, knowing enough about the female anatomy to get you screaming his name in a matter of seconds where with Jake or Bradley, it always took them a minute before they could really get you going.

“Fuck! Sir-please!” you cry out, fingers knotting in his short locks.

“Please what, babydoll?” he pulls away long enough to ask and you let out a sob.

“Pl-please let me cum!” you beg and he gets you right to the edge and then pulls away before you can fall into ecstasy.

“Robert!” you groan out and he slaps your pussy and you flinch, not in pain but in shock.

“What’s my name?” he says, teasing your hole with his fingers again.

“Sir.” you choke out as he gives a gentle stroke to your clit.

“What’s your color?”

“Green.” you barely finish the word before he’s slipping two fingers into you and massaging that special spot again, using this thumb to rub at your clit and you’re seeing stars as your orgasm builds.

Bob being the Dom he is, pulls away before you can come, again, and again, and again. You let out frustrated cry, tears running down your face out of pleasure and frustration as you nearly kick him in the ribs.

“Hey, do you want to be tied up, little girl?” he asks and you shake your head no.

“No, I’ll be good sir! Please.. Just let me cum I’ll be your good girl! I’ll be so good for you, please..” you beg and he kisses your inner thigh before sliding his fingers back into you for a final time, bringing your climax finally and you cry out as you soak the sheets below you and some of Bob’s neck, chest, and forearm.

“Fuck babydoll, you didn’t tell me you could do that.” he groans out, his accent prevalent and youre trying to catch your breath.

“Yeah I didn’t know that I could either.” you laugh a little and Bob kisses your clit before sitting up and looking at Jake and Bradley.

Jake is sitting there, wet patch gathering by this fly and Bradley is red in the face but also with a noticeable hardon. “Look at that, boys. I got your girl to do something that neither of you could. How does that feel?” he asks and Bradley struggles against the ropes again, cursing himself for teaching you how to tie these knots.

“You son of a-” he starts but is cut off when Jake kicks at him.

“Bradley, it’s okay. We agreed to this.” he tries to sound dejected but on the inside he is jealous as fuck. Bradley just huffs and sits back in his seat.

Bob slips out of his boxers before grabbing your hips and shifts you so you’re lying width-wise on the bed before he pulls you hips up so you’re on your knees, chest pressed against the bed as you look at Jake and Bradley. “Look at your boys, babydoll. I want them to see the look in your eyes when I split you open on my cock.” he says, running the head of his cock through your folds and you moan softly when he rubs against your clit.

You lock eyes with Bradley as Bob is pushing into you, your mouth falling open in a silent cry as he eases all of his cock into you, splitting you open into a way that was different than both Jake and Bradley. He doesn’t move, letting you adjust to his size for a second before slowly picking up the pace and he has you cock-dumb in seconds, the last look that you recognize on Bradley’s face is one of pain as he watches the woman he loves getting fucked by one of his best friends. His brain short circuiting in the worst of ways; maybe your love for him was all in his head, maybe you just wanted something fun for a while and you tired of him, maybe--

“Look at our girl.” Jake says, free of his bonds and running his fingers through Bradley’s hair. Bradley’s eyes snapback to your own unfocused pair, “look at how pretty she looks, all fucked out and cock-dumb from our best friend. “Think of how pretty she’ll look like this for you all the time.” Jake whispers in his ear and suddenly that’s all Bradly can think of.

Despite Bob being balls deep inside if you, fingers leaving marks on your hips, you're calling out Bradley’s name. It’s his name on your lips as you cum, not Bob’s.

The thought alone of you in subspace from another man, and calling out for him, makes his cock swell again. He was the only thing on your mind at the moment, not even your boyfriend who has untied Bradley and is pushing him towards the bed, peeling off both of their clothes in the meanwhile.

Bob smirks at him, having long since pulled out but his fingers slowly working in and out of you, “Come on Rooster, come get your girl.” Jake gives him another nudge forward and before Bradley knows it, he’s naked from the waist down and slipping inside of you, groaning at how tight you still are around him and your gentle little moans and chants fill the air once again as he fills you.

Bob takes a quiet leave once the three of you are all distracted, not minding that he didn’t get off from the situation, he wasn’t supposed to. It was for you and Jake and Bradley, he can always go find someone at the bar or call up any one of his subs in his contacts.

Jake sits near the head of the bed, stripped of his khakis and laying back in his boxers, watching Bradley fuck into you slowly and before he’s reaching forward and rubbing your clit. You cry out softly and despite Bradley not being inside of you for too long, they both know you’re going to be cumming soon.

Bradley picks up his pace, his hand replacing Jake’s on your clit so the other can leave to go warm up some towels for you, knowing that you’ll want to be clean after you finish. He swings by the kitchen to also grab easy to digest snacks, having gotten suggestions from Bob prior to the night's activities, as well as a bottle of water and your favorite flavor of gatorade before heading back to the bedroom.

Bradley has since picked up the pace, fucking both you and him to a fast completion. You go over the edge first, chanting nothing but “Bradley! Bradley! Bradley!” as you cum and he’s nearly falling on top of you from how tight your pussy squeezes around his cock. He finishes deep inside of you with a groan, a ‘fucking shit’ tumbling from his own lips as his hips stutter, trying to get as deep inside of you as he can, filling you to the brim with his cum.

Jake watches from the doorway, a smile on his lips as he watches the love of his life getting fucked by the new, partial, love of her life. Bradley looks up and the two men lock eyes, sharing a knowing smile before Jake makes his way to the bed, handing Bradley his own towel for when he pulls out and using the other one to clean you up, taking care with how sensitive you probably are.

As Bradley pulls out, you let out a whine, your body not ready to deal with the loss of his cock from between your walls. Jake is there as soon as Bradley is out to catch the other man’s falling cum in the towel. He folds it in and uses a clean side to gently wipe at your abused and puffy folds and thighs, he bends down and places a gentle kiss to the base of your spine before helping Bradley maneuver you into a laying position.

You curl up against Bradley’s chest after he gets settled down in the bed. One of his arms finding their way around your waist, pulling you tighter to him while Jake strips the top layer of bedding and tosses it off to the side. You trace absent shapes on Bradley’s pecs and he places soft kisses to the top of your head, murmuring softly into your hair.

“You did so well, pretty. You were such a good girl for all of us.” he says and you let out a whine.

“Wanna be a good girl… wanna be your good girl.” you mumble and Jake presses himself to your back after handing Bradley the gatorade for when you’re a little more coherent.

“You were such a good girl, honey.” Jake presses gentle kisses along your shoulder and you let out a gentle sigh, letting your weight press more into Bradley as Jake puts more weight into you to help you feel settled and safe.

After a few moments of gentle kiss and soft words spoken from both men, you start to come to. Stirring softly against Bradley as you try to sit up. Jake leans off of you just enough to allow you to prop up on your elbow and Bradley is handing you the gatorade. You drink almost half of it at once before handing it back to Bradley who caps it and sets it to the side.

“How’re you doing, pretty?” he asks, offering you a granola bar and you shake your head no.

“I’m… okay. How are you?” you ask and he smiles a little.

“Honestly? I was a little upset in the beginning. Thought that you were over me and moving on with Bob.” he says and you feel a little bad, but before you could open your mouth he’s talking again. “Jake helped me out, made me feel better when he called you our girl. Brought me back out of my head.”

You lean up and kiss him softly, “I could never be tired of you, Roos. Jake and I want you as a permanent member of our relationship. No more nights without you.. No more pretending that there isn’t something between us.”

Bradley smiles down at you softly before pulling you in for another kiss. Jake watches from his spot behind you with a smile before he’s reaching across you, fingers threading in Bradley’s hair and pulling him in for a kiss of his own, showing Bradley that he’s just as much Jake’s at this point as he is yours.

“We’ll figure the logistics of everything out tomorrow, let’s just get some sleep for now.” Jake says softly and Bradley nods, you’re already mostly asleep against his chest after the night's activities. The two aviators are asleep not long afterwards, smiles on their faces and their hearts full as everything feels like it's falling into place.

The golden rays from the morning sun are barely peeking through the crack in the blinds, illuminating the room in gentle yellow and pink tones as the sun rises. You awake naturally, having moved from your place on Bradley’s chest to Jake’s. His arm around your waist and while Bradley is curled up and facing away from you, not used to sharing his bed with someone else.

You place gentle kisses to Jake’s chest, eliciting a groan from the blond as you slowly shift out of his arms and off the bed, throwing on Bradley’s discarded Hawaiian shirt and making your way to the bathroom to clean yourself up and brush your teeth.

Jake is used to you waking up earlier than him, so when he wakes up and he’s spooning Bradley and not you, he’s confused at first. His brain still fogged with sleep before his memories from last night kicked in. He smiles to himself, kissing Bradley’s shoulder before slipping out from the bed and following the smell of coffee to the kitchen.

“Good morning, honey.” he says, pressing a kiss to your neck as his arms find their way around your waist, pulling you back to him and you let out a small laugh as his lips assault your neck.

“Good morning.”

“Wanna taste you.” he mumbles against the skin of your shoulder and you shake your head no.

“I wanna taste you.” you say and put your now empty cup on the counter before dragging him away to the living room and pushing him on the couch. You straddle his thighs and kiss him, tongue slipping easily between his lips before kissing a trail down his neck, sucking on that spot just behind his ear that really gets him going, but careful enough to not leave a mark there that’ll get him in trouble with the Navy.

His hands grip your hips and you rut down against his brief clad cock, feeling him swell against you. You pull away and look down at him as you rock your hips gently into his, “wanna thank you for last night and for letting Bradley into our relationship.”

You sink to your knees, the carpet of the living room rug rough against your skin but you don’t care. You sit eye level with Jake’s cock as you work him out of the last piece of clothes he was wearing. Once his cock is free you notice just how red the tip is, after all he hadn’t had the chance to cum last night, despite the scene that played in front of him.

He lets out a groan as you take him into your coffee warmed mouth, his fingers gripping the upholstery of the couch in one hand, the other lacing through your hair as your tongue swirls around his tip.

You moan at his taste, slightly salty, a little sweet, and 100% Jake. You work past the head of his cock, slowly moving your head up and down his shaft, growing wetter yourself as his groans, moans, and pants of your name fill the air of the living room. One of your hands is perched on his thigh, keeping yourself balanced as you lean over his cock, the other squeezing the base of him gently.

“Oh fuck, honey. I’m gonna cum embarrassingly fast if you keep doing that.” he breathes out as you suck softly at the skin just below the head of his cock.

“That’s the point, wanna taste you Jakey… always taste so good.” you say, letting spit drool from your mouth and down on to his tip before thumbing his slit. You squeeze your thighs together as he lets out a groan when you tongue at the hole.

You slowly work him into your throat, moaning around him as he stretches your mouth open past what you’re used to, having never taken him all the way in. His other hand shoots to your scalp, fingers knotting themselves in your roots as he tries not to cum down your throat just yet.

He opens his eyes and sees Bradley leaning against the wall, arms crossed and brown eyes dark as he takes in the way you’re sucking your boyfriend off. They lock eyes and Bradley smirks. That’s all it takes for Jake to barely choke out a “f-fuck I’m gonna cum, honey!” before his cock is pumping hot cum into your mouth and throat. You gag softly, the choking noise sending another wave of your lovers seed down your throat. You swallow around him and take everything that he gives you.

You pull off of him and catch your breath, while Jake sits there and works to catch his own breath, nearly eye fucking Bradley as he finally makes himself known.

“If I knew that’s how mornings went in this house I would have tried to have been the first one awake.” he teases and your head shoots over to him, eyes wide. He takes you in as he saunters over, commiting how thoroughly fucked you look to his memory. Mouth and chin sloppy with your drool, lips puffy from being wrapped around Jake’s cock, hair disheveled from Jake’s hands.

Bradley wastes no time pulling you up to the couch next to Jake. He’s on his knees for you faster than you were on your knees. “Fuck, pretty. You got this wet just from sucking off Jake?” he asks, running his fingers through your folds and you let out a whine. “What made your pussy this wet? Having your mouth full of cock? Gagging on him?” he asks, lips attacking your clit before you can answer and you let out a cry, fingers finding their way into his curls as his tongue laps up as much of your slick as it can before he’s having to swallow your taste.

Jake groans from beside you, watching as the brunet eats your cunt out like a man on death row having his last meal. Bradley doesn’t care as your juices cover his face, he slips his tongue into your leaking hole, his ring and middle fingers spreading you open so he can properly tongue fuck you and you’re seeing stars above him as his nose brushes repeatedly against your clit.

Your orgasm approaches fast, taking you by surprise as you clench down around his fingers and the tip of his tongue, Bradley just moans in response before pulling his mouth away, fingers staying put and beginning an assault to your g-spot. He quickly pulls another orgasm from you, your cry silent as your pussy squirts out his reward. He wastes no time cleaning you up with his tongue, gathering your slick in his mouth before he’s sitting up and sliding his tongue in Jake’s mouth. Sharing the wealth of your cunt with your boyfriend. Both men are reveling in the shared taste on their tongue while you lay next to them and try to catch your breath.

Jake pulls away from Bradley long enough to take his two longest fingers into his mouth and sucks them clean, keeping the steady eye contact with Bradley as he does, causing Rooster’s erection to go from bearable to ‘I’m about to cum in my pants’.

You watch the two of them go through a power struggle only for Jake to come out on top, he looks over at you and smiles, “his face is looking mighty empty honey, why don’t you come take a seat?”

You just smirk and move from your place on the couch, crawling over to where Jake has Bradley pinned to the rug. You give Jake a kiss, tasting yourself on his tongue and you let out a soft moan as you pull away, moving to straddle Bradleys face.

“I have died and gone to heaven..” he mumbles as he stares up at your glistening pussy before he’s pulling you down on his tongue. He groans into you as Jake takes the other man’s cock into his mouth.

Bradley doesn’t last long at all; between the taste of you on his tongue and the warmth of Jake’s mouth on his cock, he works to quickly make you cum again before he’s spilling into Jake’s hand.

You get released from Bradley and move to sit next to him, his head finding a home on your still quivering thigh. You reach out and take Jake’s hand, licking Bradleys cum from between his fingers and moaning at the taste.

Once you’ve cleaned Jake’s hand the best you could, he stands and pulls his boxer’s back up, a wet spot very visible against the gray fabric. He heads into the kitchen and grabs another rag, running the water so it’s warm before he’s tossing it at Bradley’s chest.

Bradley cleans up his face, your thighs, and then the cum that’s drying on his abdomen before setting it aside.

“I think it’s safe to say that, as a threesome, we work out pretty well.” you pant out and run your fingers through Bradley’s hair and he nods. Jake chuckles at this spot on the couch.

“As long as Bradley knows that he’s the extra in this relationship, not me.” Jake says, being gentle but firm as he reiterates that you’re his girlfriend first, not Bradley’s.

Bradley nods, “yeah, no I got it… As long as I’m allowed to take her out on two dates a month.”

“I think I can make that work.” Jake says, passing a bottle of water to Bradley who moves to sit on his knees, pulling up his boxers first before taking the bottle.

“Do I get a say in this?” you tease.

“Nope, sorry honey.”

“Yeah pretty, sorry. Besides, you got me out of this, didn’t you?”

905 notes · View notes

horseshoegirl · 27 days

Text

Set Me Alight: Part 7 - Paint It, Black

📜Life is messy. And complicated. And writer blocky, with a dash of imposter syndrome... I just want to put that out there... Anyway...

Well, the poll won out. You all want to know what Jake said to Midge. This is solely a flashback chapter. I can't say I'm surprised at who you all disliked in the last chapter, though I hope this one will give you some insight into why Midge has held on to this for as long as she has.

Special thank you to @teacupsandtopgun for helping me to write a certain part of this! You can thank her for the puns! And @sarahsmi13s for taking a peak at it!

❗️+18, Minors DNI, Strong Language, Enemies to Lovers, Original Female Character (s), Short OFC, Bradley Bradshaw x Natasha Trace, flashbacks, Halloween college parties, school, angst, sexual themes (overhearing), drunkness/inxotication. I mentioned angst, right? 💀

#8k <- yes, i know

Part 6 | Masterlist | Part 8

*Halloween Four Years Ago*

Giving orders to a football team to put up Halloween directions was not an easy feat. They were kids in a joke shop, only too happy to take every opportunity to jump-scare each other with a spider, a white sheet or slide out from behind a door and shout boo!

Despite the antics, you were grateful for the help. Nat and you wouldn’t have finished in time. And even then, you suspected Nat probably would have given up halfway through, merely deciding to throw Yellow Caution Tape on the walls and call it a day.

You wouldn’t have stopped - even if it became a doomed effort.

Bradley’s friends weren’t what you expected them to be. True, their appearance fit the bill a thousand times over. Tall, broad shoulders and bulging muscles were all the product of hard work - including Bob, who was smaller than the rest, though not by much. Even their mannerisms, from how they acted childish and goofy to how they winked or playfully flirted, everything you saw played into the stereotypical type that was the classic college football jock.

Then you got to know them—really know them—and hated yourself for ever associating them as such.

You already knew Bradley and had met him on occasion. When he stayed over to be with Nat, he was often up before you, and you’d chat with him over a cup of coffee. He always brought her a cup to wake her up when he could, and it always made you smile.

His story was a sad one. His father passed away when he was only two years old, leaving his mom to raise him alone. While he couldn’t regale you with his memories of him, he instead offered you the stories attached to his father’s things: a button-up Hawaiian shirt in pale pastels, a pair of coffee-brown Ray Ban sunglasses, and even a worn Milk chocolate leather-strapped bag he used to lug his books around campus.

Then, his mom passed away in high school, and his father’s best friend took him up until the point decided to leave for school. Bradley chose his words carefully when he spoke of any of them, offering little, and you wondered if the loss was still too much for him to bear.

Or something else had happened, and he didn’t want anyone to know.

But as you helped him blow up a few balloons for the floor, a song from a later decade played through the speakers, and Bradley lit up, producing a smile wider than the nearby Jack-o-lantern. He launched into a story about how much his parents loved music and how his father would play the piano, which alone made him want to learn.

You asked him if and when he did if he’d play for you one day.

Javy Machado, however, couldn’t be more different from Bradley if he tried.

He was just as meticulous as you when it came to detail. The two of you were discussing the best way to tape Velcro to the kitchen cupboards to stick fluff to the sides and mimic cobwebs when you discovered this fact. He was … quietly smooth and persuasive, with a suave smile that indicated he could charm his way into or out of any situation he wanted without needing to flirt or play it thick.

“Angle it like this, Maeve,” he had explained, stretching the piece out. “Principle of maximum contact area equals maximum adhesive stretch.”

You had raised your eyebrows at that remark, which prompted him to chuckle softly.

"Science major," he shrugged with that smile, making your internal monologue stutter to a halt until you went, "Wait... What?!"

He only laughed at your reaction, amused in a way like he’d been expecting it. But it was that look of genuine interest in his eyes that made you ask him properly.

He didn't know what field of science to specialize in, but Javy made all of it sound amazing. From stars to not dirt—it's soil—to understanding how the world worked, he knew he wanted to spend his life trying to figure it all out. If he could throw a ball around and be part of a team with his friends, he considered himself fortunate to do both.

Even if his passion was so far removed from your own, you may have seen some of yourself in his journey, trying to fit in while doing what you loved most.

Holding up a string of lights against the wall, Reuben Flitch told you he was floating through school, waiting for the day he could finally be free. On that day, he’d take over his family’s business. Comparing him to the fractured story of your brother and sister following in your parent’s footsteps never seemed to cross your mind.

Because when you asked what the business was, his face lit up with an enthusiasm you hadn’t expected.

“My grandparents own vineyards," he had beamed. "They've been in the family for generations. I've grown up with the land, the grapes, and the entire winemaking process."

He told you stories of growing up, playing through the vines and rows of trellises, making you long for the rows of apple trees at Aunt Viv's. He also talked about spending time with his grandfather, learning the process of pressing grapes and his grandmother tending and picking the grapes. He spoke about the people, everyone from the gardeners to the people who bottled the wine to his siblings, with whom he'd played hide-and-seek within the cellars.

He told you a business major was worth it, as much as he loathed it, if he could own the place one day.

You hoped he did.

But Mickey Garica and Bob Floyd were... characters, to say the least. It was easy to talk with them, even laugh with them, as the three of you spread tiny black spiders all over the apartment.

Mickey couldn’t stop asking if you could paint him one day, though you imagined it would be fandom-inspired rather than a realistic portrait. The second you asked him about his favourite universe, he launched into a word vomit of praise for each and every one. He spoke of Lord of the Rings, Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, and Batman—not DC—as the character deserved to be separated from the rest.

It made you wonder if the one portrait would be enough. Still, you happily humoured him, saying you needed the practice.

He was in Health Sciences, hoping it would be enough to get his foot in the door to become a firefighter. He talked about it so passionately, about being capable of making a difference and saving lives, that you honestly couldn’t see him in any other role.

And given the opportunity, Bob was so full of sass and witty comebacks to the ones you managed to throw his way, you were surprised he was seeking an Anthropology and Archaeology degree. He seemed to have a natural talent for what Comedians had labelled “crowd work.” You honestly would have taken him for a drama major had he not told you differently.

However, once he explained his choice, you understood why. Growing up, having been a Boy Scout, learning about nature, rocks, and life. He wanted to know more about life, history, and how things were.

A visit to an archeological dig site in high school sold it for him. His eyes lit up when he spoke about ancient civilizations, lost artifacts, and all the mysteries surrounding human evolution. He rattled off facts about Neanderthals and cave paintings, which had you urging him for more.

He happily obliged and was encouraging when you offered a few that you knew of.

All of them were so passionate about what they wanted to do with their lives, even Bradley, who wanted to pursue football seriously as a career; you admired all of them for it with your entire heart.

But Jake Seresin was... you didn’t know. Nor did he, it seemed.

Jake was there at your side every time you went back up that ladder, claiming someone needed to catch you should you fall again. You had rolled your eyes, a slight smirk gracing your face, but you let him all the same.

He wasn’t as open as the others, wanting to flirt with you more than anything else. Somehow, you managed to get him talking about football, and when you asked him why he played, he admitted that his father had gone and played at the school. He had been urged to apply, and his family would support him throughout his entire ride.

“Family money,” he said, his tone light when you gawked at him. You didn’t ask what his parents did, but knowing he came from a rich family, you wondered if he didn't want people to know. You certainly didn't. Nat didn’t know, at least not yet.

It prompted him to add his parents weren’t pressuring him into one career or another; they simply wanted him to keep up with the sport. So, he was buying time and taking electives, trying to figure it out, though he would have to make a decision soon.

And it made you wonder, under that confidence, under that layer of charm and ease on his surface, if he was searching for what everyone else in the group had already found. While everyone else didn’t fit the stereotype, you wondered if Jake was attempting to mould himself into it.

How you wished to tell him, he didn’t have to.

But Jake wasn’t a painting you could tear apart or theorize about. And as you pinned that last streamer to the ceiling, you realized over the course of the afternoon, you’d unwittingly developed a bit of a crush on him.

You weren’t stupid. You recognized the signs the second he caught you off that ladder. The second he handed you that shot. He was laying on the charm, the flirty glances, the playful smiles. Even the slight touches on your waist as you leaned back, pining streamers to the ceiling, were waving the red flags in your head.

Jake was either genuinely interested or actively looking for someone to hook up with tonight.

It wouldn’t be you, that’s for sure—not even for someone so charming and handsome as Jake Seresin.

In the last two hours, the guys took turns getting ready first while everyone else finished with the final touches. They wanted you and Natasha to go first, but you vehemently refused, knowing they’d ruin hours of hard work if left unsupervised.

You also wanted to see this through to the end, but you kept that to yourself. You had revealed enough of your quirky, artsy side to them. You did not need to add to it by gushing over the decorations or how the entire apartment turned out, possibly damaging whatever relationship you'd established so far.

People were weird when it came to shit like that.

Jake and Bradley emerged from Nat’s bedroom just as the two of you were headed toward yours. The hallway was already lit in a deep red from the lights now neatly strung up in the corners of the ceiling. Though the sun was beginning to set, shining warm light through your window, you knew the total effect would be entirely eerie when night rolled around. You couldn’t wait to see it.

Bradley was dressed as Indiana Jones: a white shirt, a brown leather jacket, and a fake whip at his side. His outfit was complementary to Nat's Marion Ravenwood, her costume the classic white dress from the first movie you spent a while making. Though she did ask you to take some creative liberties with the design, the dress was more risque than necessary.

The only thing remotely movie-accurate about it would be the puffy sleeves.

You couldn't help but whistle when Jake stepped out from behind Bradley. Instantly perking up at the noise, he let out a sly smirk and straightened the lapels of his deep black leather jacket.

"Danny Zuko, huh?" you laughed softly. "Guess you've got the whole 'bad boy' vibe down."

Jake smirked at you, copying one of the iconic character's signature moves by sliding his hands into his black leather jacket pockets as he strode by. "Only missing my Sandy. You wouldn't happen to know where I could find one, would you?"

You coyly peered at him over your shoulder as you continued down the hall. Unknown to either of you, Nat and Bradley had stopped to watch the interaction, filled to the brim with curiosity.

"Wouldn't know. I'm more of a Rizzo myself. Too much sass and not enough patience for leather pants."

"To get into them or to get out?"

With a glimmer in your eyes and a smirk on your lips, you pivoted to face Jake completely, still walking backwards. “You're quite the smooth talker, aren’t you?”

Jake shrugged, giving off the vibe of, ‘I can’t help my reputation.’ However, you could see the easy grin on his face, and one side of his mouth crooked upwards, making him appear boyish—just like the character he was dressed up as.

It made your heart flutter inside your chest.

“It’s a shame I’m more into the rough-around-the-edges type,” you teased softly, pausing by the corner.

Liar. Oh, you horrible liar.

Jake’s grin didn’t disappear when you saw him press his tongue to the inside of his cheek, arching an eyebrow. Instead, it turned into a knowing smirk.

“Is that so?” he teased.

You flushed, at a loss for words. Jake's teasing gaze lingered, and the lift in the corner of his mouth suggested he saw right through your lie. Your cheeks burned hot.

Jake's chuckle echoed softly down the hallway as you made your escape, somehow making your heart race faster. You didn't dare look back, but you could feel his eyes on you as you turned the corner and down the hallway to your bedroom.

As Jake retreated back into the apartment, Bradley coughed lightly. He exchanged a knowing look with Nat, who had been watching your retreat. He jutted his head once toward you, and Nat replied in kind with a single tilt of her head toward Jake.

They didn’t need to say aloud what they were thinking. They’d talk about what they discovered later, but it wouldn’t stop them from pressing this interesting development further.

When she reached your room, Nat found you already in your robe, sitting at your vanity, brushing your hair. You had already laid out your costumes on your bed earlier in the day, and Nat raced to hers the second she saw it, making grabby hands at the fabric.

"Ahh, it turned out so great, Maeve!" she exclaimed, grabbing the top and holding it up. You glimpsed at her through the reflection of your mirror, smiling when she hugged it to her chest.

“If I had made it any deeper, Nat, you’d be showing off more than just dangly bits.”

She blew a raspberry at you. You giggled, shaking your head.

“You know, I’ve always wanted to do couples costumes. I never thought Bradley would go for it,” she said after a while, standing next to you and straightening her hair in the mirror of your vanity.

“Really?” you asked, concentrating on not poking your eye out with your mascara.

“How else am I going to shoo off all the girls practically clamouring to get with Bradley? It’s a nice way to do it, don’t you think?”

“Maybe. Not every costume as a twin, though,” you said, lowering your hand to gesture to yourself. You hoped Nat would at least acknowledge the effort you’d made or pep you up for a party you'd originally never wanted to hold.

“What about the Danny wandering around the apartment ‘without his Sandy’?”

You dropped your hand from where you had started fixing up your other eye, glaring at her reflection in your mirror. “Really, Nat?”

“What, you don’t dream of a little Summer Lovin?”

You felt your face flush. As if Jake would ever really go for someone like you. “It’s Halloween, Nat.”

“Exactly. It’s Halloween, and it’s getting colder. Maybe you’ve got chills, and maybe they're multiplying.”

You groaned, dropping your head and smacking it against your vanity.

“You’re sure he’s not the one you want?” she bumped you with her hip, grinning.

“Can you stop with the Grease puns? Please,” you squawked.

Nat laughed, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger as she stepped away. "Okay, okay. But if you change your mind, I think Danny Zuko out there wouldn't mind being 'the one that you want.'"

Fingers wrapping around the handle of your hair brush, you didn’t lift your head from the vanity as you chucked it in Nat’s direction. She laughed hard, and you didn’t need to look to know you had missed her completely.

Nat eventually cajoled you into helping her slip into her dress, adjusting bits and pieces of fabric here and there. You sat back down at your vanity as she twirled once in the mirror, declaring she was satisfied. Then her eyes went to the door, and her attention shifted to Bradley and what waited beyond it.

"Are you okay if I go out? Do you need any help?" Nat's voice was laced with excitement, and her eyes gleamed with anticipation of finally having a party as she smoothed down the sides of her dress.

You shook your head, leaning back in your chair. Nat didn’t meet your gaze. "No, I'm good. I only need to touch up my makeup, and my dress is a slip-on," you smiled. "Go make sure Bradley keeps his hat on."

Nat wiggled her shoulders, biting her lip to mute her squealing giggle. The puffy sleeves of her short dress waved with her, and she precariously tip-toed out the door on her high heels. Once in the hallway, she dramatically yelled, "Come and get me, Indiana Jones!"

You stifled a giggle, shaking your head, allowing yourself to turn back to face your mirror.

Staring at yourself, you searched every part of your face, making sure your foundation, blush, eyes, and lips were just how you wanted them to be. You toyed with a strand of curled hair, wondering if what you had done was enough—if all of it had been enough.

Then your eyes came to rest on your costume, so carefully draped across the end of your bed through the reflection in the mirror.

You're not sure why "Flaming June" happened to be your favourite painting, though you supposed it had to do with the girl in the painting so casually draped across that seat next to that fountain. She was curled up almost like a serpent, covered in sheer transparent vibrant orange, the painting's only bright pop of colour.

The painting was supposedly meant to depict nymphs, sleeping Greek nymphs for that matter, or even Victorian society's obsession with beauty. However, you argued differently in the paper you wrote for it.

You cared more about the juxtaposition of fire and tranquillity in the piece than about whatever cultural influence or social construct it had at the time. That one girl was at the centre of the painting, wrapped in sheer, see-through colour. She was meant to be the focus; that much was certain.

Maybe you thought her dress signified the chaos of the world around her, and all she wanted to do was find a moment of peace.

You’d spent countless hours at the fabric store trying to match the correct shade. Once you had completed parts of Nat's, you spent even countless more at your sewing machine, staying up late to make progress on yours.

And each time she asked you to make alternations on hers, the more drastic you made it to be ‘just that much sluttier', the more you thought about what you could do to yours. In the end, the thin straps holding up your dress, revealing bare shoulders and the long slit between your breasts, ending just before your belly button, was all you could stomach.

You held the dress up, contemplating your thoughts. You could do this. You could survive one simple Halloween party - one simple college rager party.

Right?

———

The second the apartment was starting to flood with arriving guests, Jake realized you hadn’t emerged from your room with Nat.

He had been off to the side near a bookcase, talking with Bradley, hoping to stave off the crowd and the rest of the football team for a little longer. He knew they'd want to talk football and strategies for the season, and Jake simply... didn't.

He wanted a night off. He wanted to relax and have a good time. And talking about football wouldn't be it.

Bradley had said something to Jake, but he hadn’t been paying attention. He was too busy searching the gathering pods of people for your face. Why, he didn’t know. But he was eager to find out.

Bradley snapped his fingers in Jake's face, startling him from his search. "Earth to Jake!"

Jake shook his head, focusing back on Bradley. "Sorry, what?"

Bradley raised his eyebrows under the rim of his fedora. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

Jake regarded him for a few seconds before finally looking down at his drink, bringing it to his lips, admitting, "I'm just looking for Maeve."

As Jake took a drink, Bradley grinned. "She's probably still getting ready. Nat said her costume was based on her favourite panting."

Jake didn't even look up from his drink when he asked, "What's her favourite painting?"

"Why? You looking to make a good impression?" he said, still grinning.

"Fuck off, Man," Jake snapped, taking another swig to finish his drink. Bradley only laughed, now shaking his head. He would have let Jake simmer in his ask, but this was you. He had to give Jake at least a decent running chance.

"It's Flaming June, the chick in the orange dress. It's a brilliant costume idea. She made it herself."

Of course, you would have made it yourself, Jake thought.

"Surely you came across that painting with your 'rich upbringing.' Nat was practically force-feeding information down our throats a few seconds ago to ensure we recognized her costume. It’s some Freddie Luigui piece. I don't know."

"I know it," Jake snapped. "I've seen it before."

Jake was pretty sure he had, maybe once at one of his father's fundraising parties, though he actively searched his mind, trying to remember what it looked like.

Bradley remained silent, slouching against the bookcase and crossing one leg over the other. He narrowed his eyes at his friend and tilted his head.

"Why the sudden interest in Maeve? She isn't one for..." Bradley trailed off, searching for the correct word. Just as Jake was about to ask him what he meant, Nat's approaching heels on the hardwood floor stopped them both.

She stopped at Bradley's side, red solo cup in hand, looping her arm through his. "What are you two handsome boys gossiping about over here?" she giggled at her boyfriend, her chin plopping lazily down onto his bicep. "See any snakes in the crowd, Indy?"

Bradley pulled his face back into a grimace, reciting the famous line. "Snakes. Why does it always have to be snakes?"

Jake rolled his eyes at their banter, placing his empty cup on the table between them. Nat giggled, tilting her head back, indicating to Bradley she wanted to be kissed. He complied without protest, leaning down, pressing his lips to hers in an overly dramatic display merely to piss Jake off.

"Get a room," Jake groaned, mocking a wrenching noise. The couple separated, turning to Jake with amused smirks. "You've heard and seen far worse, dude."

Jake shuttered, the unwanted memory of walking in on Nat and Bradley from weeks ago flashing through his mind. Sharing an apartment with Bradley had its moments - some good, some decidedly less so. It made him wonder if Maeve had to put up with the same shit he did.

“Where’s Maeve?” Jake asked Nat, ignoring Bradley's remark. "I haven't seen her yet."

Nat opened her mouth, about to tell him you were still getting ready, when she caught sight of a flash of orange stepping out from behind the corner of the hallway. You came into view, your head angled down, mindful of stepping on your dress as thin streams of transparent fabric trailed behind you at your sides.

Javy let out a low-toned whistle from somewhere in the room, and heads turned, one by one, as you took your final step into the apartment.

“Damn girl, you clean up nice!”

Lifting your head, you were surprised to see eyes on you. Javy glided forward to greet you from where he had been standing at a nearby table, and you smiled at him, though a little weary. Deep down, you knew his comment was meant to be a compliment. But something coarse, like sandpaper, rubbed against your heart at the remark, lingering longer than you would have liked.

“What? Not bad for a fine arts major?” you joked somewhat deprecatively, though your voice held none of it.

Javy held out his hand, and you grabbed it, allowing him to lift it above your head. With a pump of his wrist, he urged you to spin under his arm several times, letting your dress fan out. You giggled as he urged you, though you wobbled on your heels. The dreaded things were Nat's only contribution to your outfit, and you were severely regretting it.

He let you go, thinking you had your footing on the last, slowed spin. But when you came to a stop, you were on the verge of falling over, your head dizzy, and your legs unbalanced.

To his credit, Javy tried to reach out and steady you, already regretting the step he took back. However, before he could, another pair of hands, one on your hip and one taking your hand, steadied you.

Jake’s hands were firm on your skin, pulling you close as you lost your balance. You fell into his chest, head tilted back, half falling over. And looking up at his face, seeing the amused grin on his lip, you drew in a sharp breath at the sight.

"Letting me make a good first impression?" he quipped.

“By catching falling women?” you laughed breathlessly, bringing your free hand to his chest. If you had let your hand stall slightly longer than necessary, you would have never admitted to it.

“Seems noble enough,” he replied, helping you to stand. Though he might have let go of your hand, he didn’t let go of your waist. “Or do you make it a habit to test the reflexes of every guy you meet?”

You couldn’t resist the playful jab. “Only the ones who seem like they can handle it. And the pretty ones.”

Jake's grin widened, and he even risked sneaking a quick peek at your lips, letting them rest there for a few seconds before his eyes roamed the rest of your body.

"Flaming June, right? Frederic Leighton's Masterpiece."

You blinked in surprise, letting out a small gasp. You honestly expected to tell people what your costume was, not just some girl in some random orange dress. Jake's knowledge of the painting, let alone his identification of it so quickly, was scoring him some major brownie points.

"You know your art," you commented nonchalantly.

He shrugged, "I might know a thing or two. I always had a thing for the classics. By the way, it suits you."

You practically preened under his gaze. "Thank you," you said, a shy smile creeping onto your face. He beamed at you in return.

Yes, you might have a crush on him. But for the first time that day, you figured it wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

—-

This was a bad idea - Oh, this party was such a bad idea.

Believing you were having a good time and actually having a good time were two separate things. You certainly felt one of those things. As the night went on, and with each drink you tipped back, alcoholic or not, regret built in your stomach.

You weren’t sure what you were expecting. Maybe you were seeking reasons where there initially were none, allowing Natasha’s suggestions to slowly chip away at your resolve until you finally gave in. Maybe it was the promise of letting loose, to embrace the spirit of Halloween with all its creative potential.

Maybe it was the promise of making new friends. Of getting to know people outside the art department. Natasha had told you to mingle. She wanted you to mingle, and yet... you didn’t know where to start.

You didn't expect Nat or Bradley to coddle you, but they could have introduced you to a few people besides the core group before things had gotten this bad. You didn't dare approach Javy or Rueben, who played beer pong and chugged beers back like it was nobody's business. They were off doing their own thing, and you didn’t want to intrude.

Mickey and Bob had gone home earlier in the night. Bob proclaimed he had a midterm to study for, and Mickey wanted to go home anyway so he could call his family in peace. You strongly suspected he wanted to watch Halloween movies instead.

Rocky Horror sounded like a wonderful idea right about now.

You couldn’t hang around Nat and Bradley all night, either. And nobody from your art classes would even dare set foot inside a party where nearly half of its guests were from the sororities.

You knew that. While you did extend the invitation, you told them you wouldn't blame them if they didn't come. They had looked at you with such disregard you wondered if they were seeing you through newly polished rose-coloured glasses. And standing up against the wall next to your bookcase, like an insipid wallflower, you could hardly blame them for it either.

You couldn’t introduce yourself in a place where you were the outsider, even within the walls of your own home. Soon after the first few attempts, that realization settled deep into your chest. And you couldn’t help but feel like you had done this to yourself - an attempt to be part of something like this, even if just for a night.

But Jake… Jake was still here. At least, he should be. He had been by your side for the beginning of the evening, talking to you about what projects you were currently working on over another drink—not whiskey—after you had started to hiccup while putting up decorations.

After he recognized your dress, you weren’t ashamed to tell him. You had launched into the ideas and thoughts behind two paintings and one sculpture, an old table that you were trying to turn into an elemental-type sundial. You told him about the zodiac signs you had already burned into the wood after sanding it down and how each was placed in its own little section as it related to its element.

You had reached halfway through your thought process when you realized how lost you were in your explanation. You froze mid-sentence, blushing harder than the colour of your dress.

"Sorry," you had said. "I ramble when I get excited about my art.”

But Jake’s interest hadn’t waned. If anything, it urged him to ask, “How did you find something you're so passionate about? Creating things... making art?"

His question had made you pause, though not over what to say but merely how to say it. “It was my voice when words fell short or my escape when the world grew too loud.”

You caught a glimpse of something in Jake’s eyes—a flash of longing, a momentary crack in his confident demeanour. What followed was a slight nod. It was there, and then it wasn’t, as if he’d accidentally revealed more of himself than he wanted. Then he caught himself, suddenly straightened his spine, and continued the conversation as if that brief lapse in judgment never happened in the first place.

Ten minutes later, he excused himself to get another drink. And you hadn’t seen him since.

You scanned the room for him, hoping to spot that black leather jacket among the sea of people. But it was impossible. Under the dim, eerie glow of the lights, each costume blurred into the next, and the crowd swallowed any hope of finding him.

Reaching for whatever mixed drink Nat had made you earlier off the table, you pushed yourself off the wall, weaving through the throngs of people, figuring you might as well try to see if she knew where he had run off to.

Liquid sloshed over the rim of your cup onto your hand as you dodged a zombie here, a fairy there, and music pulsing like a heartbeat through the packed room. Laughter and snippets of conversations swirled around you as you scanned the sea of faces, both masked and not for Nat.

Glasses clinked, a witch cackled, and the scent of spiced pumpkin mingled somewhere in the mix with the tang of alcohol and body sweat. By the time you spotted her leaning heavily against the kitchen Island, red cup in hand and her laughter too loud, eyes slightly unfocused, you knew the night had taken its toll on her sobriety.

She was too preoccupied with telling a bunch of people a story to notice how you quickly launched the contents of your cup into the sink behind her. You extended your arm when you were close enough, looping your arm around her waist. Her arm came up at the same time, sliding across your back to pull you close.

Nat tilted her head back onto her shoulders, glancing at you with happy eyes. "Maeve!" she whined tipsily.

Given how far gone she was, you were surprised at how accurately she pronounced your name. She bent slightly, still holding her red Solo cup in her hand, to hug you tight, her face smooshing into your neck.

“It looks like you’re having the time of your life,” you snorted. She nodded against your skin, biting her lip in a smile with a happy, drunken snigger. She lazily pulled back to meet your eye, and you smiled at her.

“Have you seen Jake around?”

Nat paused, her gaze flickering around the room as if she'd genuinely forgotten about him, though she didn’t lift her head off your body. "Jake? Oh, I haven't seen him in a bit,” she slurred slightly. “Why? Do you two likeeeeeeeeeeeeeee each other? Is Jake going to make you scream grease lightin’?”

You reached for her red Solo cup and pried it from her hand. “Okay, yup, you're cut off.”

“Nooo,” she pouted her arm a dead weight as she tried to take it back. Her hand hit the bottom of the cup, and liquid shot up, once again covering your hand in whatever type of alcohol Nat managed to mix together. You could only sigh.

“Here comes the fun police,” she muttered under her breath. “I thought you’d be off doing your own thing.”

Well, that fucking stung just a tiny bit.

“I’m not going to be the one who cleans up your vomit tomorrow morning, Nat.”

“I’ve only had,” she held up her hand, widening her thumb and pointer finger probably further apart than she thought, “this much to drink.”

“Ahm...”

Luckily for you, Bradley appeared, having seen what was going on. He looked amused yet concerned as he slid between the gap of the island and Nat to observe his girlfriend babbling nonsense on your shoulder. “What’s happening here?”

Nat made another grab for her cup, but Bradley gently intercepted her, taking her hand into his before she could even grasp it.

“That,” you offered.

“I think it’s time we get you to bed, love,” he suggested, wrapping an arm around her waist. You let him take her, happy for him to bear her weight.

Nat leaned into him, mumbling something incoherent, a mix of protest and agreement. Bradley spared a glance at you, silently thanking you in your unspoken agreement. You nodded, watching as he sandwiched her to his side and carried her off towards her room.

It always seemed like one of you was always taking care of her. At one point or another.

After getting rid of Nat’s cup, you felt the sticky residue of both of your spilled drinks on your skin and felt the urge to run to the privacy of the bathroom to wash it off. Stumbling down the hallway, blusters on your feet finally making themselves known, you let your hands casually slide along the wall. The music from the party faded into a muffled, dull noise as you walked.

You wanted to smile at the lights. The red eerie glow along the top corners of the ceiling only reached not even halfway down the wall, plunging the floor into a dark abyss. You clumsily stuttered through it, unable to see anything below your waist.

It was exactly as you pictured it, and yet you couldn't bring yourself to manage the slightest grin.

The bathroom door was down at the end of the hall slightly ajar, with the red LED light illuminating its edges from behind. You zoned in on it like a wobbly arrow to a target, tired and completely done with tonight and everything about it.

You reached for the curved handle, about to push the door open, when a high-pitched giggle came from behind the piece of wood. You shot your hand back like you had been burned, and with a quick turn of your heel, you plastered your back up against the wall.

You immediately knew what was happening behind that door, and it made you throw up in your mouth just a little.

Ugh, I’m going to have to disinfect the hell out of that bathroom tomorrow.

The next voice you heard, however, made your heart drop into your stomach.

“You like that, don’t ya, sweetheart?”

You didn't want to believe it, but you had to see for yourself. Leaning forward off the wall, you peered through the crack in the door, only to spot a black leather jacket taking up most of your view—the same black jacket you had complimented Jake on earlier that day. It was a stark contrast to the red glowing light above him, and something snapped in your heart and recoiled back as one slender bare leg in beige fishnet stockings wrapped around his.

There was an overly drunken and seductive 'ahm,' forcing you to glance over his shoulder at the girl he was with—her costume was a bejewelled Taylor Swift outfit to match her long blonde hair.

You swallowed your bile and adverted your gaze, pressing yourself back up against that wall, out of sight and hidden completely from view.

You knew this was a possibility; Jake was merely looking for a hookup and nothing more. You had considered it all afternoon. Yet, you couldn’t help but feel utterly hurt at the sight.

"I mean, Nat's pretty clever befriending that girl.. what was her name, Maeve?" the girl snickered.

"I know. It sounds like something out of those weird fantasy books everyone loves." A whimper from his companion followed Jake's breathy and muffled laugh.

At the dig, your hand went to your chest, your heart thudding painfully under your palm. The realization they had been talking about you, about Nat, made tears flood your eyes.

You didn't understand it. Or maybe you did, and you were too blinded by the possibility of someone like him, someone like Nat, Bradley, Bob, Mickey, and Rueben, to beat the fucking pyramid scheme and care about someone like you.

What other explanation was there except the fact you had been blinded by those who proved to be the exception? Blinded by the fucking elementary school crush cause he had flirted, smiled, joked, and maybe even showed some half-decent interest in you. Clearly, the second he figured out you weren’t going to hook up with him, he sought his sights on someone else.

Jake wasn’t trying to mould into the stereotype. He was the fucking stereotype.

"Even her costume," she sneered. "Like, who the fuck dresses up like that for a college rager Halloween party? You're supposed to dress up slutty."

You couldn't speak, staring down the front of your dress to what you had thought had been a risky enough slit. You couldn't even breathe.

"You kidding me?" he laughed lowly. "Bradley was practically screaming at us what she dressed up as. I'd have no fucking clue what she was otherwise. I'd guess some random Greek Godness obsessed with that awful shade of orange."

Your hand slid up from your chest, around your throat to feel your harsh, rough swallow. Only it didn’t stop there, suddenly finding yourself wrapping it around your entire mouth, stifling any noise wanting to escape. Through shaky inhales in and out of your nose, you fought hard to stop yourself from crying over this.

Over him. Over a fucking jock who would say anything to hook up with a girl. Only to get his dick wet.

But you couldn't prevent the tears from welling up in your eyes, or from one finally spilling over, dropping down your cheek only to stall there, or how the hand covering your mouth curled up around your cheekbone, only to stroke away the tear.

You refused to look back at the door through the crack, so you fixed your gaze on the darkness consuming the ground. And as you lowered your hand, you caught the ugly black smear marring your skin.

How could you not? Standing in the glow of that red hallway light, it was the only thing you could see.

The artistic irony hits you like a freight train. Here you were, dressed as the girl in your favourite painting. Her dress had been the only bright shade of colour in the entire painting, and you, standing in the top half glow of bright red LED lights, had failed to notice what had been staring you in the face all along.

Orange was muted by red, and black bled through all. The only thing about you that stood out the entire evening was this tiny black mark scarring the back of your hand—black tears from smeared mascara.

"I would have guessed an orange," the girl snickered, quickly followed by a mewl. "Though she practically blended into the wall, I couldn't see her with the lights."

Lips plucking on skin echoed off the title and out the door, and Jake drew in a ragged breath as he agreed. "She did blend right into the fucking wall, didn’t she?"

Your eyes burned. The girl giggled.

“How long do you think this one will stay? She seems… different, to say the least.”

Jake sniggered. “Seriously, you think Natasha Trace is hanging around that girl out of the goodness of her heart?”

His laugh was so full of malice that it was nothing like the ones you had heard pleasantly filling your ears earlier.

“Everyone knows after what Nat did, she needs an image clean up. Playing the saint, befriending the weird loner art girl, giving her the best friend badge?”

“If she thinks she’s got a place in the big leagues, she’s in for a rude awakening,” the girl murmured. “Pathetic. People like her don’t belong with people like us.”

There was a pause. “It’s just like Natasha, though. She always needs an audience, something to validate her feelings. It’s brillant really.”

Jake's agreement was a silent blow, his next words the dagger. "Nat's smart. She knows how to play the game. Maeve's just...convenient."

Convenience. The word echoed in your mind, bouncing off the walls of your already crumbling self-worth.

“Give it a year. Trace is going to drop her the second the next new shiny person comes along. And everyone is going to forget about the little art girl she used up and discarded. Or she’ll become the most hated girl on campus.”

Without your back up against the wall, his words might have made you crumble into that dark abyss.

“Can we stop talking about her now?” the girl whined. “I thought you promised to get me off.”

Jake chuckled lowly, the sound morphing into a low, predatory growl. “You brought her up, sweetheart. But don’t worry—I’m all yours now.”

You pushed yourself away from that wall, stumbling down the dark hallway to your bedroom out of instinct, refusing to subject yourself to any further torture. But just before your door, you fell into the wall, your shoulder throbbing as you slouched against it.

The world around you swirled, leaving you consumed by one thought—and one thought alone.

That. Fucking. Asshole! How dare he! How fucking dare he!

To hear Natasha be demeaned, your friendship demeaned and used as a stepping stone in pursuit of a meaningless hookup... anger boiled under your skin. You didn’t care what he or what they had said about you, but Nat?

If Jake thought he’d succeed in sweet-talking you, to play you like a puppet on a string, just as he assumed Nat had been doing, he had another thing coming. If he was going to talk shit about your friendship with her, you’d show him just how spineless you could be.

Oh, he’d wish he’d never caught you off that fucking ladder. Wished he had never met you and flirted with you, obviously a ploy to find someone to hook up with. You gagged at ever having a crush on him in the first place.

But as you leaned against the wall, trying to steady your swirling thoughts, doubt wormed its way into your mind.

What if he was right?

What if your friendship with Nat was just a convenience, a way for her to maintain her status or recover from her sorority fallout? You knew nothing of it, nothing more than what she told you. There could be more to the story, things she hadn’t revealed, things nobody else had either.

No, you shook your head, trying to dismiss the thought. Nat had been there for you in ways no one else had.

Jake was just an asshole. Plain and simple.

But then another thought sucker punched you in the gut.

You couldn’t tell anyone else what he said. You wouldn’t be responsible for causing that type of drama within a friend circle, one that long before you ever showed up. They never would have believed you anyway, and Nat… she worked so hard to get out, escape the rumours and gossip, to put it behind her. She didn’t need to know about this.

You had no choice but to carry this burden alone. It was a lonely decision, but perhaps loneliness was a small price to pay for the semblance of harmony among friends—or so you tried to convince yourself.

But Jake. You could no longer give a rat’s ass about Jake. If he wanted to attack Nat, then fine. You hit him right back. That much you could still do.

Whatever had possessed Frederic Leighton to name the piece you currently embodied, “Flaming June,” whatever possessed him to gift that girl with fire in her name, that fire was suddenly born in you.

A flame that sparked and kerosened your soul to burn, hot and bright. It was a wildfire that rushed under layers of skin and ignited every nerve, ending with a ferocity you never knew you possessed. It was born to protect what you had found - Nat, Bradley, Bob, Mickey, Javy and Rueben. And that fucking asshole would never be allowed to put you down, Nat down, like your family did, ever again.

Pushing yourself off the wall, you stepped into your bedroom. Slamming the door, the lock clicked hard into place.

It never opened the rest of the night.

NOW YOU KNOW....

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desert-fern · 6 months

Text

A Gun Amongst Daggers - Jake “Hangman” Seresin X Fem!Navy Seal Reader

Epilogue - Like Real People Do

Summary: When Jake meets a woman at the Hard Deck, the last thing he expects is for her to be a Navy Seal. And not just any Seal, the Commander of Seal Team 3. She’s beautiful, smart, dangerous, and everything about her just makes him want to get close. Her name? Bear. When the Seals need backup, Cyclone puts the Daggers on their radar and now, Jake has to work with Bear and her team, all the while trying to stay professional. Can he do it? Or will he end up falling for the Navy sniper and mission Commander?

Picture is from Pinterest AKA not mine

MINORS DO NOT ENGAGE! 18+ ONLY. MINORS & BLOGS WITH NO AGE/EMPTY BLOGS WILL BE BLOCKED.

Warnings: probably very inaccurate court proceedings, swearing, mentions of scars, Bear being a badass, sort of victim blaming (not really, but maybe), soft and sweet, author makes up for being an asshole for most of the series…

Word Count: 5.4k

Part 24 >> Masterlist

A/N: big thanks to @sarahsmi13s for helping me with the legal babble/criminal justice parts of this fic! You were a huge help for figuring out the details and made this part just that much sweeter!

===

A year later, 365 days after the catastrophe that had been Operation Hellfire, the five Seals involved in the treasonous attack against Bear had gone to trial and the verdict was due any minute. Former Lieutenants Colton ‘Hazard’ Richards, Michael ‘Dex’ Lewis, Jackson ‘Dodger’ Cartwright, Andrew ‘Gallows’ Stevenson, and Grant ‘Chip’ Harding all stood trial together, four of the five pleading not guilty to the charges leveled against them.

Only Chip had cut a deal with the prosecution. He chose to testify against Hazard and the others and in exchange, he was dealt a sentence of five years at Leavenworth with a chance at parole for his minimal part in the terrorist plot hatched by the other men. He had also leveled charges of blackmail and assault against Hazard, the court finding the latter guilty on both counts.

Several other members of Bear’s team and a few of the Dagger Squadron had also testified as witnesses for the prosecution; each sharing their experiences with what the media were now calling the ‘Team 3 Traitors’.

Bear’s own testimony had lasted a few days as she shared her story to the grand jury, detailing her account of what had been done to her as a result of Hazard’s plotting. She denied and denounced any attempt made by the defense to try and undermine her, standing strong on the witness stand as a lawyer repeatedly tried to discredit her. She hardly remembered those days, but the media did.

A quote of hers, “With all due respect, Mr. Harmen, I believe I know what happened to me far more vividly than your files detailed. You do not get to try for ‘reasonable doubt’ when I will wear the scars of my torture for the rest of my life,” had gone viral. She hadn’t gone searching but apparently Jake’s sister had started sending TikTok edits of the trial to him and a few had made her laugh way harder than she should have. Leave it to the observer to ridicule the men who tried and failed to take her down.

What the media and those TikToks hadn’t seen however, was the way her hands shook on her lap with every word she spoke. No one saw the fear in her eyes as she sat across from the men who had orchestrated this plot against both her and the US Navy as an institution, and how could they? Bear had stuffed it deep down where it couldn’t be seen, but there were moments where Jake had seen it. Moments where her voice shook.

But in the weeks this case had been in court, Bear had sat diligently behind the prosecution in her dress blues, her medals proudly on display. Among them, her Purple Heart that had been presented to her not days before the trial. She looked the very picture of a war hero. She had refused to cower, her hand held tightly by Jake’s own. He too, had testified, detailing his own experiences and his involvement in rooting out the traitors among those on the mission.

Today though, today was different. Bear knew that Flare, like Chip, had brought down charges of stalking, blackmail, as well as assault and battery against Hazard before this trial had begun. Meaning that even if this jury found him not guilty, he would at least be spending some time in prison.

As the court reconvened after three long days of deliberations, Bear’s heart was in her throat. This was it, the moment of truth. She would know in a few short minutes if she could rest easy or if she had to be worried for the rest of her life. She could feel the glare that Hazard’s mother was throwing her way, hell she had weathered insults from the wives and parents of her former Seal Team members. That would be nothing compared to their reactions if the verdict came back as guilty. “Has the jury reached a verdict?”

“Yes your Honor.” A short Black man stood, holding an envelope in hand. It was brought up to the judge, who opened it and read it silently.

“For the two counts of attempted murder, how do you find the defendants?”

“We the jury, find the defendants guilty.”

Bear nearly sunk to the floor as emotion overwhelmed her, but she forced herself to remain seated, listening intently. The rest of the charges were read off: conspiracy to commit murder, destruction of government property, domestic terrorism, and espionage.

The jury found the defendants, Hazard, Dex, Dodger, and Gallows guilty of all of them. “And lastly,” Judge Davies said, “For the crime of terrorism, how do you find the defendants?”

The world seemed to slow to a crawl. Bear held her breath, clutching Jake and FAK’s hands tightly as the foreperson spoke. “We the jury…” Silently, Bear sent up a prayer, begging for them to be found guilty. Hoping that they would pay for what they had done, that they would rot in a cell, but unlike her, they stood no chance at freedom. It was the least they deserved. “…find the defendants guilty.”

The room exploded in a cacophony of sound; protests from the opposite side of the courtroom, shouts of victory from the Seals, and words of congratulations from the prosecution to one another filling the room. Reporters began shouting over one another, camera shutters clicked and lights flashed, adding to the wave of noise that rolled around the room.

Bear let herself collapse back into her seat, hands coming up to cover her face as she sobbed in relief. The fear and apprehension that had lived inside her everyday since she had confronted Hazard began to overflow as she cried. It would all be okay. How could it not be? These four men, the men who had blackmailed Flare and Chip, the men who had begun working with terrorists and who had orchestrated her capture and torture, all of them were going to spend the rest of their lives in jail.

That thought made Bear sit up and wipe her face, sniffling as she did so. She had to show her strength and as she stood, she could feel the hands of her team on her back and shoulders, all of them showing their undeniable support for their Commander.

Jake had gone to shake the hands of the prosecution, their conversation unintelligible over the din and Bear took a moment to let her eyes trail over him, over the sharp angles of him in his own blues. His shoulders looked broader, the cut of this jacket, while the same as hers, made what little blue he had in his eyes stand out. He looked beautiful. How she had managed to keep him in her life, she didn’t know, but ever since their reunion a year ago, Jake had practically moved in and was staying at her home.

No one else had been made aware, as far as everyone knew, Bear and Jake were still figuring everything out. They didn’t know about him living with her, and Jake knew for a fact that Bear didn’t know about the ring currently burning a hole in his pocket. He had waited eight months after moving in to buy the ring, and it had been almost four since he walked out of the store with a little box in his pocket. He just hadn’t found the right time.

Maybe today was the day.

The bang of the gavel quieted the room quickly. “Order in the courtroom! This court finds the defendants, Colton ‘Hazard’ Richards, Michael ‘Dex’ Lewis, Jackson ‘Dodger’ Cartwright, and Andrew ‘Gallows’ Stevenson guilty on all charges. Due to the precedent for these crimes, Mr’s. Richards, Lewis, Cartwright, and Stevenson are sentenced to life in prison at Guantanamo Bay.”

Shrike bumped Bear’s arm. “I’ve got friends there. They’ll be looked after.” The sharp grin on her face implied anything but, but Bear couldn’t find it within her to care. Not when Hazard was finally paying for all his crimes.

She composed herself and stepped up to the prosecution’s team, next to Jake, shaking their hands. “Thank you, for everything,” she said tearfully. “Your work will not be forgotten.”

“Neither will your testimony, Commander.”

Jake watched Bear draw a shuddering breath as she nodded. “Thank you,” her voice was soft, barely audible over the angry shouts from the families of the now guilty. “I will be forever grateful to you all.”

“Extend some of that to yourself,” James told her. “You were the cornerstone of the entire case, so thank you. You made sure they wouldn’t walk free, we just did the legal speak.”

Those who heard him, laughed and Jake grinned when Bear cracked a smile. It was a bright beam of grin, one that grew wider the longer she talked with the lawyers. But good things only lasted so long because as Bear turned around, a woman came racing up to them, yelling obscenities. “You FUCKING BITCH!”

Bear stepped back, her hands raised. “I’m sure you’re right, ma’am, but I’m going to need a little more clarification as to why I’m a bitch in this particular moment.”

Jake had to turn away to hide his snort of laughter and it seemed to him that the Seals nearby were all in the same boat.

“My son did nothing wrong! You villainized him for no particular reason all because you KNEW that he was better qualified for your position!” Bear regarded her calmly. She knew Hazard’s mother was convinced of her son’s innocence, hell, she had nearly been called as a character witness before the judge shut that down. “You cheated him out of a job that should have been his! You faked all of this!”

“Mrs. Richards,” Bear said in a cool tone. She had drawn herself up, standing tall like there was a steel rod straight through her spine. This woman would never believe that her son was guilty, nothing Bear could say would convince her of that. “I am well aware of your delusion that your son is innocent, but I have to disagree,” she began in a steady voice. She had begun unbuttoning her jacket, each gold button sliding out of its place smoothly. “If your son were truly innocent and I were faking my torture, then why would I have these?”

Bear lifted up her shirt, displaying the scars that ran across her lower stomach. Hazard’s mother gasped, cringing at the sight. But Bear wasn’t done. “You may maintain your son’s innocence all you like, but nothing will change the fact that your son is the reason I will wear these scars for the rest of my life.” She dropped her shirt, tucking it back into her pants and began rebuttoning her jacket.

His mother opened her mouth to say something, but Jake cut her off and in a tone so cold, the temperature dropped, he spoke “Ma’am, I would recommend you retake your seat so you can say your goodbyes to your son. Otherwise, I believe that no one will blame your son’s former Commander when she smacks some sense into you.”

The woman before Bear stammered and stuttered, unsure of how to reply. All Bear did was snap her fingers and the Seals behind her stomped a foot on the ground in unison, snapping to attention. The suddenness of the movement startled most of the courtroom and the stare leveled at Mrs. Richards had her slinking back to her spot next to her family. Bear turned back to Jake and nodded at him, the look in her eyes darkening for a completely different reason now, and Jake felt his dress pants tighten from the heat in her brown eyes.

“Fuck,” he thought. “This is a shitty time for this.” But he couldn’t really help himself, Bear had done what she had done and she had done it proudly. Sue him. “We should leave,” he whispered, his gaze darting between the woman he loved and the media personnel filing out of the courtroom. “Don’t want to get caught in the media storm outside.”

Bear nodded, a faint smirk rising to her lips, but she said nothing. Instead, she straightened her uniform blues, watched the prosecution file out ahead of her and then she followed immediately afterwards. The flashing cameras and shouting reporters chased her, Jake, and the lawyers out of the building, snapping pictures the whole time.

No one said a thing. Not the prosecution lawyers, not Bear or her Seals, Jake and the Daggers remained silent as well. No one wanted to be the one quoted as saying something after this trial, the Navy had yet to comment and they all knew that whatever the organization had to say would be the end-all, be-all. No room for arguing, debating, or the like.

She and Jake made it to his truck, Rooster and Bob cramming into the back seats. Bear felt Rooster’s hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Proud of you, Bear,” he said quietly. He had grown to see that whatever connection that existed between Jake and Bear was more than just the trauma that they shared. As far as he knew, neither one had acted on the obvious feelings that were always thick in the air whenever they were around one another. “You got them.”

Bear nodded, placing her hand over his. “Thank you,” her voice barely above a whisper. “Thank you both.” She would thank each and every one of her Seals when the time came, but right now, both Bob and Rooster had to know how much their own testimony meant to her. “I couldn’t have done it all without you.”

A small chuckle came from Bob. “Pretty sure you could do anything you set your mind to, Bear, but you’re so welcome.” Those were the only words he said to her as he slipped out of the truck in front of his house, tapping the driver’s window in thanks.

Rooster was next, clambering out of the cab awkwardly. “Have a good night, Bear. If you need anything, call me.” He was serious, she could see it in his eyes. “Promise me.”

She smiled at him, nodding. “I promise that if I can’t get through to this lug, I’ll call you if I need anything.”

“Good.” The truck door slammed shut, making both her and Jake jump, as they watched Rooster run up his front steps as the door swung open for him. A quick wave at the truck was the only indication of his goodbye before he disappeared inside.

Jake and Bear drove home in comfortable silence, the radio softly playing some old country song that Bear didn’t recognize. The second Rooster had gone inside, Jake’s hand had moved to its usual place on her thigh, giving it a squeeze. “It’s finally over,” Bear breathed in disbelief as she walked in the front door. “Jake, honey, it’s all over.”

Bear pulled her hair from its bun, groaning softly at the feeling when she ran her fingers through it. She hated having her hair up that tight, preferring a ponytail or a claw clip to keep it out of her face when she wasn’t in uniform. It just made sense.

Distractedly, she undid her boots, placing them in the coat closet, not paying attention to Jake behind her.

The late afternoon shone through the windows, casting both Bear and himself in a wreath of golden sunlight. From here, Bear seemed softer, the near permanent furrow in her brow relaxing and smoothing itself away into her skin. The firmness that she carried herself with, the so-called stick up her ass, had lessened as she seemed to transform under Jake’s adoring gaze.

His heart clenched almost painfully in his chest, the guards she let down around him nearly sending him over the edge and Jake found himself struck by the startling need to keep this woman in his life. He’d found his moment, if the way his heart beat as he tracked her movements with the same intensity she had analyzed him with years ago. Everything in him was screaming at him that this was his chance to drop to one knee, to put that ring around her finger and anchor every part of him, his name, his soul, to the incredible woman that she already was.

His mama did say that when it was right, he would know. And who would Jake be if he didn’t listen to his mama?

“We can sleep easier now, and you didn’t hear Shrike, but apparently she has a friend at Gua- Jake?” Bear cut herself off mid-ramble to find Jake on one knee before her, a small velvet box in hand. “Flyboy… what?” Tears welled in her eyes at the sight, a shaky hand coming up to cover her mouth in shock.

“Teddy…” Jake’s voice was soft, eyes cataloging every expression that flitted over her face. “I started off my attempt at telling you I loved you by becoming a shaky, rambling mess, and it’s only fitting that I’m here now, the exact same way.”

He let out a breathy laugh, trying to find his next words. “When we met, I was the cocky asshole that you shot down in less than 10 words and I just walked away because I had a feeling that if I didn’t, I would lose something incredible. I ended up being right. You drove me crazy over the next few weeks, constantly on my mind with your snarky comments and the way you made me work for every second of your time. I don’t think I knew I fell in love with you until I thought you were gone. I gave you my heart without knowing I had yours and I’m making this up on the spot right now so I really don’t know where I was going with this.

“I love you, my gorgeous girl and I can only hope that you love me as much as I love you otherwise this will be very awkward in a little bit.” Jake’s hands were shaking, he was sweating under Bear’s teary gaze and he could feel his cheeks flushing from his nerves. God he hoped she’d say yes. “So I guess the only thing left to do is ask. Teddy, would you do me the greatest honor and marry me?”

The foyer was silent as Bear stared at him with wide eyes. She had been hoping for this for a while, wishing desperately that she had a way to keep Jake with her forever. Every part of her had fought for him, had fought for herself so that she could see his face again. Now though, as Jake knelt on the wooden floor of their home, Bear felt everything click into place and it felt like sunshine had been poured into her veins, warming her.

She loved him, had loved him in silence since before they had deployed. Hell, she was pretty sure that it had taken his crash for the last threads to find their place because every action she had taken after that had been done with love for the man before her. “Jake…” she breathed, taking a cautious step towards him like she was afraid he would disappear if she moved too quickly.

Jake held his breath, begging whoever was listening that Bear accepted his proposal. God. He had proposed and she still hadn’t said a thing. Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe she wasn’t ready for this, was he even ready for this? He’d ruined this by asking. They hadn’t even had a full conversation about marriage yet. He fucked this up. Of course he had.

He felt a palm press against his cheek, chasing his panicking thoughts away. “Did you hear me Flyboy?” Bear said, laughing lightly through her tears. “I said yes.”

“You did?!” Jake couldn’t keep his outburst from slipping out, making Bear laugh. “You said yes?” His next question was shyer, almost like he couldn’t believe it.

“Ask me again and find out.”

Jake took a deep breath, opening the ring box as he did. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes.”

The universe seemed to align upon her acceptance, stars falling into place and lighting up the world around them. He fumbled with the ring, slipping onto her finger before tossing the box behind him and kissing her deeply. Bear gasped against his mouth, surprised by the sudden intensity behind it. Jake pulled back, resting his forehead against hers. “Would you believe me if I said I had been planning that for weeks?”

“Proposing, or the speech?” Bear teased softly, playing with the short hairs at the nap of his neck.

Jake sighed, shaking his head, but even he couldn’t keep the wide smile off his face. He drew Bear’s left hand away from the back of his neck, kissing the palm gently before turning it over and running a thumb over the ring he had only just given her. The ring itself was a simple gold band adorned with round-cut diamonds arranged to look like a flower; it had screamed Bear the moment he saw it. “Either or,” came his soft reply.

Bear tilted his chin up to look him in the eyes and was stunned into silence at the love that seemed to shine from Jake’s green eyes. “No,” she told him, running a thumb along his jaw. “But it was from you and I was always going to say yes. If you ever had plans to ask me, that is.”

He said nothing, dipping his head back down and capturing her lips with his own. This kiss was in sharp contrast to the pure passion that had filled his earlier kiss. It was soft where the other had been fierce; Jake was content to stand there for the rest of his life, kissing the woman he loved. The woman he would marry.

This time, Bear broke the kiss, pecking him one more time before stepping away. She held her hand up, watching the stones sparkle in the late afternoon light and it brought a smile to her lips. “You did good, Flyboy.”

“Yeah?” Jake took a step closer, pride radiating out of him. He picked a good one and it was like his concerns had been completely wiped away. Bear had said yes, she loved the ring, and he felt unstoppable. Like he was gliding through the air in his F-18, nothing tethering him to the ground.

Only now, he did have a tether to the ground, a reason to fight harder than he had ever fought before. She was standing in front of him, eyeing him like he was the only thing she had ever wanted. He felt the weight of that settle in his heart, but unlike the fear of her rejection, this weight was different. It made him feel like he had both protected himself while tearing himself bare and wide open. “It just seemed like something you’d wear, if you ever wore jewelry.”

Bear met his gaze and rolled her eyes, but he knew that it was done with love. It was the only way Jake could describe the way she looked at him. He’d seen it before, in the early days where Bear seemed to doubt his own love for her, but when he wasn’t looking, that’s when he’d feel it. “You’re such a goof,” she told him, moving towards the stairs. “But you’re soon-to-be Mr. Goof, so I guess I can love it like I love you.”

Jake watched her ascend the stairs, gaping at her. “Now who’s the sap?” He yelled up the stairs as he tugged his boots off in a hurry and raced towards her bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

“Still you. You’re always the sap.”

===

Flare didn’t know why Shrike called her and told her to meet at her place nor did she know why they, a few of their colleagues, and the Daggers showed up outside Bear’s house 30 minutes later.

All she knew was relief.

Her charges against Hazard had stuck and she had been cleared of any wrongdoing given the intensity of her predicament. That, and Bear had gone to the mat for her, refusing to give up Flare in return for another person who couldn’t do her job half as well. She had been demoted however; losing her position as a Lieutenant Commander and dropped down to a Lieutenant while also dropping a few clearance levels as the Navy conducted an internal investigation.

That was a headache for later though.

Now she and the others stood outside Bear’s front door, Fireball having rung the bell and she waited curiously. She heard Fanboy whisper to Phoenix “Is that Jake’s truck?”

“I think s-“ the door swung open, revealing Bear, clad only in a large, wrinkled black t-shirt. Her hair was a mess, sticking to her face, and if you looked closely, you’d find a bite mark or two along the collar of the shirt that kept sliding down.

“Can I help you?” She asked, leaning on the doorframe, the edge of the door being held in her left hand. “You could have just texted.”

“We did,” Fanboy replied with a shrug. “But you didn’t answer.”

Bear narrowed her eyes. “So all 13 of you just decided to show up at my front door? At fucking 10 pm on a random Thursday?”

Phoenix gave her a strange look. “Well initially we wanted to all get together to celebrate the win, but clearly you’re celebrating in your own way,” the smirk was audible in her tone and it matched the look that had emerged as she took in Bear’s appearance.

“I was,” Bear replied coolly, but the blush on her face was hard to hide. “But a few people on my doorstep changed all of that real quick.”

A voice from near the back of the group had Bear’s head snapping over. “Was there a reason you taught the pilots proper weapons techniques?”

“Because no one ever asked. And why the hell would I teach them the wrong thing?” She just looked confused at the mere suggestion of improper weapons handling. “Can we just meet up tomorrow? I was in the mid-“

“What’s taking so long?” A voice yelled down the stairs, just audible for the team to hear it.

Bear’s jaw twitched and she looked annoyed. “Give me a second!” She yelled back into the house, turning and stepping inside for half a moment, forgetting that her ring was still on her finger.

“Bear…” Rooster began. “What’s that on your hand?”

“What does it look like?”

A chorus of gasps sounded and everyone immediately started yelling over one another, choosing to ignore the fact that it was 10:30 on a weeknight. “YOU’RE ENGAGED?!”

Bear groaned, running her hand over her face. “Yes, I am. No that it’s any of your business.”

“When were you going to tell us?” Bug gasped, reaching for her hand. “Were you just going to hide this from us?”

“I would have kept it between me and my fiancé for as long as I could have, because this only just happened.”

Bug blinked in surprise. “He proposed tonight?”

Bear nodded, her eyes glancing down to her hand, smiling softly at the blue stones. “He did. We got home and he was on one knee. Caught me completely by surprise.”

The fondness in her tone made the gathered Navy members look at her with their own grins. “So when do we meet the lucky man?”

She went to reply but the creaking of her stairs had her pausing. “Teddy? What’s going on? Is it another chatty Amazon driver?” Jake’s voice came closer and closer, finally stopping behind Bear. His large hands came to span her hips, burying his face in her neck. The warmth from his bare chest soaked through her stolen shirt, making butterflies erupt in her stomach. “Guess not.”

The team before them stood in complete silence. A few had had their suspicions about the two of them being together, but no one had any proof. Now though, the proof was staring them in the face. Jake had wrapped himself around Bear like he’d been doing so forever and Bear, always in charge, stoic, and firm, was bright pink as she tried to fight the urge to turn and kiss the man behind her.

Once again, the explosion of noise hit her hard. The pilots yelling at Jake for not telling them, the Seals yelling at Bear, spouses and partners just yelling in general and it became too much very quickly. She turned into Jake, hiding her face in his shoulder, her ringed hand clutching his arm.

He lifted his head, glancing down at Bear, who’d curled into him. “Okay guys, we can talk about this later.

“But…”

“No.” Jake’s voice was firm as he took in his teammates staring at him like he grew another head. “I just put the damn ring on her finger, give me at least 24 hours alone with her as my fiancee before you start hounding her.”

His eyes met Reaper’s who gave him a nod. “You did good,” she mouthed, and if Jake got a little teary-eyed as he looked down at Bear where he was still holding her, no one would judge him.

Strangely enough, it was Rooster that caught Jake’s eye next. There was a moment of understanding in his wingman’s eyes, a sort of approval shining bright in them. “Congrats man, happy for you.”

Jake merely nodded, choosing to press a kiss to the top of Bear’s head rather than reply. Just standing here, Bear in his arms, watching his team catalog every gesture, every movement that he made, filled his heart with so much joy.

If he had been asked nearly two years ago what he wanted from his life, he would have shrugged the question off, preferring a non-answer to revealing the heart that yearned for more than he had. Two years ago, his life changed when he was challenged by the woman he would soon call his wife. Two years ago, Jake knew nothing of love. Now though, he knew how bright his life could be. He knew the warmth that love could bring his spirit, and best of all, he knew that he was worth it.

For Bear, clad in Jake’s - her fiance’s - shirt, wrapped in his arms as she stood in front of her friends, it was in such contrast to everything she had known before. Sure, back in Riyadh, she had toyed with the idea of forever. Playing with it, spinning the threads of this blossoming relationship into something more, if only to have as a thought. That ‘something more’ was this. Joy, endless support, someone who understood her, and love. Pure, simple, boundless love that was shared.

And now as Jake shooed their friends away making promises to see them soon, Bear knew that she had found everything she had ever wanted. One random night, at a random time, had changed everything she had hoped for in her life. Tonight, standing in her home with Jake, wearing the ring he had given her when he had asked if she would spend the rest of her life with him, this was it. Her career had filled her life, now she was ready to share that life with someone who understood her pain, her sacrifice.

“I love you,” Jake said softly, freeing her from her reverie. “More than you could ever know.” She looked up, seeing his eyes shine with unshed tears.

“Careful Jake. I could get used to this,” Bear teased gently, swiping a tear from his cheek. “You’ll spoil me.”

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, letting his lips linger for just a moment. “A wise woman once told me that I was her everything. Now that I have a future with her in the making, I finally get to make good on my promise to never let her forget how much I love her.”

“Anyone I know?”

“Maybe. She’s about your height, similar build, most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. She’s a firecracker, but cares so deeply for everyone around her. I watched her crawl through hell and still look like she wasn’t done fighting. And by her, I mean you, Teddy.”

“Sap.”

“You know you love me.”

Bear nodded, her smile fond as Jake caught her left hand, pressed a gentle kiss to the knuckles. “I really do.”

“No comment?” Jake asked curiously, a look of brief concern flickering over his face. “Are you okay?”

She glanced up at him, kissing Jake sweetly. “You are the best thing that happened to me. I never saw you coming, Jake, and I am so thankful that you tried and failed to flirt with me that first day.”

Jake’s face softened as he drew her into his arms once again. “So am I, Teddy. So am I. I have never been more thankful that I failed to win you over the first time we met.” His words were barely above a whisper, their pronunciation thick as he fought back tears. “If I’m your everything, then I don’t even know how to explain the depth of my love for you. I gave you my heart in the time it took you to glance at me with even a hint of curiosity and I will do everything in my power to make sure you are the only one keeping it safe for the rest of my life.

“You are it for me, Teddy.”

Sometimes two people are just destined for each other. One usually flies high, so sure of their own skill that they forget that life is waiting for them on the ground. The other stays on the ground, their head down, fighting to break free of the weight they shoulder everyday. The free-flier learns how to anchor themself and the weighed down learns how to fly among the birds, both getting what they always desired in their darkest moments.

There is always uncertainty when the grounded learns to soar, fear of giving their heart away and of falling, yet here, in the moment, there is nothing to fear. How could there be when both swore that the other was their everything? That they would travel to the bitter end of time and back again for one another?

The next step is always scary, but for Bear and Jake, they knew that it was only the start of the next chapter of the rest of their life together. One full of peace, love, and happiness that steadied them through it all.

It wasn’t the end, merely the beginning.

===

A/N: This is it. I can't believe that this was 25 chapters worth of Bear and Jake and I am so thankful to everyone who has read and will continue to read this fic now that it's over. AGAD is my baby and my first ever completed fic, so it will always be special. You cannot possibly know how much your endless support means to me, how much of myself I poured into this series. Bear and Jake’s story is done, for now. I have plans for them in the future and I cannot wait to see you all there!

Thank you to @startrekfangirl2233 @sarahsmi13s @dakotakazansky for being my biggest supporters and always being there for me and this fic. I love you all and I’m sorry for breaking your hearts on more than one occasion. For the last time, thank you for reading!

Taglist: @horseshoegirl @roosters-girl @lovinglyeternal @lavenderbradshaw @roosterforme @bobby-r2d2-floyd @bradleybeachbabe @footprintsinthesxnd @twsssmlmaa @fandomxpreferences @dempy @gizmodear @fighterpilothoe @chaoticassidy @eli2447 @iwantmyredvelvetcupcake @djs8891 @rhirhikingston @sisterslytherinog @impossiblebagelcowboyfreak @sgt-barnesveins @taytaylala12 @urmom-999 @formulapierre @pinkpantheris @havlindzk @a-beaverhausen @killcomet @buxkybarnez @topgunruinedme @hangmanscoming @smoothdogsgirl @a-court-of-roscoe-and-baby

#fern writes #a gun amonst daggers #jake hangman seresin x reader #bear and hangman #jake seresin imagine #top gun maverick #jake seresin x reader #top gun imagine #top gun maverick fanfiction #jake hangman seresin #jake seresin #jake seresin series #jake hangman x reader #jake x reader

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startrekfangirl2233-writes · 2 months

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The Cute One With the Glasses

Robert 'Bob' Floyd x Reader

Description: When you have to take the little girl you look after to the hospital, you're never expecting to find someone who you'd definitely like to see again. Little do you know that he wants to see you just as much as you do him.

Themes: Hospitals, Toddlers, Injured Toddlers, Mentioned Injuries, Broken Bones

Word Count: 3400

A/N: Hiya, everyone! I've been working on this idea off and on for a couple of months and finally finished it! I don't know why, but I've been on a real Bob kick recently. So have this ridiculously fluffy, cute fic! Thanks to @sarahsmi13s who read over this fic for me and caught one huge plot hole!

AO3: Cross-posted Here!

Wattpad: Cross-posted Here!

My Masterlist

You can feel the panic clawing at you, sinking wickedly sharp claws into your lungs as you force yourself to put one step in front of the other. Your only other focus as you walk is to keep from jostling the small, slight form in your arms.

“You're going to be okay, sweetheart, I promise.” You mutter the words with each step you take, a constant litany that soothes your frenzied mind and valiantly tries to push back the panic. But it doesn’t work. You feel like you're drowning as you scribble out her name in the emergency room, Ivy Seresin, in your looping, jagged handwriting. Your charge is valiant as she grits her teeth, big green eyes glistening with tears as you carefully settle her into your lap after filling out the papers. Her dad is going to murder you for this. When he gets out of his jet and can hear the frantic voicemails you left him, he’s going to march down to the base hospital and fire you.

After all, what kind of babysitter are you? You’d walked into the house for only a couple of minutes to answer the phone. You had rushed back out to the shrieks and squeals of a little girl in pain, lying stunned under the colossal backyard playset her dad built for her when she could walk. You’d bundled her into the car the minute you realized, your mind racing at a million miles per hour while doing your best not to jostle her arm. She sobs wearily into your chest, her soft blonde hair mussed and tangled.

“Miss Seresin?” You startle out of your thoughts, the nurse’s voice pulling you from where you’d been cuddling Ivy. “The doctor will see you now.”

“C’mon, pretty girl,” Your voice is wobbly as you carefully stand up with Ivy in your arms. “The doctor’s going to make you feel much better, and I bet your daddy will be right here before the doctor’s done looking at your arm!”

You feel strung tight, close to tears, even though you’re not hurt at all. Big drops spill from Ivy’s eyes as you set her down on the hospital bed, her small form looking even smaller when the bed is so much larger than she is. It’s made worse when she won’t let you go, either. Her uninjured hand is fisted securely in your soft t-shirt. This is the stalemate the nurse sees when she walks in. She’s a beautiful brunette with a pert upturned nose and a sweet smile on her face.

“Hello. I’m here to see a Miss Ivy Seresin?” Her voice is as musical as you expect it to be. “And that must be this pretty little girl here?”

To your surprise, Ivy nods just once before burying her face into your side. Ivy’s not what you’d call shy. Like her father, she’s the life of the party, bold as brass and far more charming. Normally, she’d have leapt at the chance to show someone just how sweet she is.

“Ivy, it’s alright,” you try to wheedle with the toddler who rules your every waking moment. “The nice nurse is just trying to look at your booboo.”

“Yeah!” You smile when the nurse jumps in. “I’m Nurse Willis, and your momma is perfectly right. I just want you to tell me where the booboo hurts!”

Ivy sniffles before finally revealing her little tear-streaked face. Her voice is petulant as she says, “This isn’t my momma. This is Lia. She’s my, uh….”

Ivy’s little face scrunches up in thought, “my baby-keeper?”

“I see…” You shrug at the laughter in the nurse’s voice. You’d normally be giggling, too, if you weren’t so worried about your charge. “Well, then. It’s a pleasure to meet you both, Miss Ivy and Miss Lia.”

“Now then, Miss Ivy. Can I please take a look at your arm?” The little girl seems to be thinking, but then you see an all too familiar stubborn mood set in like storm clouds.

“No!” The explosion of sound is too loud and quite shrill, and you’re sure half the Emergency Department hears it. “I’m not letting you touch me until I see my daddy!”

“Honey,” You sink onto the bed next to Ivy and try to convince her. “Your daddy had to fly in his jet today. I called him when we were on our way to the hospital, remember?”

But Ivy just glowers in response.

“His secretary, Josie, picked up the phone. She promised she’d tell your Daddy what happened.”

When the glowering turns into more of those heart-wrenching sobs, you wince and pull out your phone again. You only see the glowing numbers telling you the time - no messages or voicemails. In all honesty, you don’t see a thing from her dad.

“Hey, Ivy.” You soothe, letting the little girl crawl into your lap, uncaring of how much mud is on her shoes as they compact painfully with your shins. Her shoulders shake as she wets your t-shirt with tears and snot. You carefully rub your hand up and down her back in soothing, gentle motions. “Your daddy will be here as soon as he sees my messages! I promise. He’s probably on the way to the hospital right now!”

But your gentle encouragements don’t seem to work. Soon enough, Ivy’s tears stall. But she still doesn’t trust the friendly Nurse as she tries to take her vitals. That’s the scene that the most beautiful man you’ve ever seen walks into. Ivy’s standing on the hospital bed, stomping her favorite patent leather shoes into the paper liner on the bed, streaking mud on the pristine white. Nurse Willis is sitting on a stool with a clipboard, stifling giggles behind her hand. You, on the other hand, are standing at the side of the bed with a hand on Ivy’s back to make sure she doesn’t fall. Your hair is escaping your braid, your t-shirt is irreparably stained with yogurt from Ivy’s mid-morning snack from before the accident, and you’re wearing mismatched socks and sandals.

The doctor, on the other hand, is resplendent in a khaki uniform, with his dark hair coiffed off of his forehead and a shy smile on his face. He’s wearing big glasses on thin silver frames, and if you didn’t find him incredibly handsome before, you do now. But your reaction to the handsome doctor has nothing on Ivy’s. She gasps, squeals, and practically leaps out of bed before launching herself into his arms.

“Uncle Bob!” Now you’re sure you have whiplash. It’s night and day: Ivy’s reaction to the nurse versus her reaction to the Doctor.

“Hi, my Ivy Girl!” His voice is gruff and sweet as he gathers Ivy up, careful to avoid jostling her arm.

“Where’s my daddy?” You can practically hear the pout in her voice.

“He’s on his way, I promise he is.” As he eases into the room and sets Ivy down on the bed, it hurts a little at how he seems able to calm the little girl down with just a few words. When Nurse Willis can finally start taking Ivy’s vitals, you slump into the hard-backed plastic chair with a sigh of relief.

“It’s nice to meet you, Doctor.” Your voice is quiet as Ivy finally begins to behave for the nurse.

“Oh,” He’s blushing as he takes the other plastic chair. “I’m not a doctor.”

He clears his throat a little as the flush rises. “I work with Jake, uh, Captain Seresin.”

“When Josie came by with your message for him, I got on comms and told him I’d come to the hospital to make sure Ivy was alright.”

His voice is soft and musical, and despite yourself, you find yourself leaning in closer to him, needing to hear more. His cheeks go pink under your gaze, eyes darting between you and Ivy. He follows behind you and Ivy as the Doctor leads her to get X-rays done. Nurse Willis follows you as well, flirting with Bob with everything she’s worth.

“Thank you for coming down here like this.” Your voice is quiet as you sit once again in the hard plastic chairs in the ER.

His lips purse like he’s going to say something, and you’re hanging on his every word. Then Ivy is squealing, and the doctor’s trying to get her to sit back down, and it’s chaos. The source of that chaos? The one and only Captain Jake Seresin, Ivy’s favorite person in the whole wild world. Your charge is crying again, big crocodile tears dripping down her cheeks as she plays up her pain with big green eyes and pink cheeks.

In all the commotion, you lose your chance to talk to Bob again. Once Ivy is down for the night, what feels like hours and many sparkly stickers on her little cast later, you march your way down into the bright, airy Seresin kitchen. It feels like you’re marching to the gallows. Nannying a four-year-old girl was not in your five-year plan when you graduated with your Master’s degree. Go figure a degree in Ancient History hasn’t gotten you many marketable skills.

A friend of your parents had recommended you to Ivy and her dad. It’s a pretty sweet deal, honestly. Room and Board, a generous salary, and all the time in the world to yourself when Ivy’s with her dad. The only caveat was how when Ivy wanted you, boy did she really want you. At times, you called her your little dictator in a toddler’s body because sometimes the only way to stave off a meltdown was to give her what she wanted, within reason.

Jake takes one look at you and pushes one of the mugs he’s holding into your hands. “Why do you look so sad, kiddo?”

“I’m so sorry, Captain Seresin.” The apologies spill out of your mouth like an unending fountain.

“You don’t have to apologize for anything, kid.” He sighs as he slumps into his chair. The stress of the day seems to exude from his pores as his fingers tap on the mug.

“Ivy’s strong. You did everything right. You made sure she was safe, that she wasn’t in too much pain, and you got her the medical care she needed.”

Something is haunting in his eyes as he stares down into his mug. “I’m glad you were there. It scared the shit out of me when Josie told me to book it to the hospital. When she said it was Ivy, my mind immediately jumped to the worst conclusions. A broken arm is nothing in comparison to everything that went through my mind.”

You blink and push your chair out with a squeal, pulling the Cheetos from their hiding place in cupboards Ivy can’t reach. It sounds like what the Captain and you both need is some comfort junk food. Coupled with Jake Seresin’s Famous Hot Chocolate™, you’re sure to be comforted.

“I’m still sorry, Captain Seresin.”

“Seriously, kid. I’ve told you to call me Jake probably a hundred times in the past year. When are you finally going to listen to me?”

“Maybe one more time will do it?” Your voice is cheeky as you plunk the bowl of Cheetos on the table equidistant between the Captain and you.

“Fuck, the Cheetos? Seriously?” Jake drags his hand down his face. You’re never going to tell him that you only call him Captain because it pisses him off. You’ve been thinking of him by his name since practically the day you met him and Ivy both. “You know there will be hell to pay if Ivy comes down here looking for one of us and sees these.”

“She’s knocked out after a long, painful day. Her stomach is full of Cheese Pizza and the good painkillers. Baby Girl will be just fine!”

He snorts, picking through the crunchy fried corn sticks for one that’s perfectly coated in artificial cheese dust.

“So….” His voice makes shivers slide down his spine. It should be illegal for a man to look as devious as he does holding a Cheeto. “I saw how you were looking at our dear old Baby on Board at the hospital, kid.”

“When are you going to make the moves on him?”

“Ummm….” You roll your eyes at him. “How about never?”

“Why never?” He crunches down on the treat while ignoring how neon-orange powder sheds across the pristine kitchen table you’re both sitting at.

“Because he’s gorgeous. And sweet. And kind.” You’re whining as you sip on your hot chocolate, quiet because Ivy wakes up even if the dog walks past her door with clanking tags. “He’s so far out of my league it isn’t even funny.”

“Did you see how that nurse was batting her eyelashes at him?”

“So?” Jake’s got a shit-eating grin on his face. “You were batting your eyelashes too, kid. And Bob looked absolutely besotted with you. Even when you were wearing socks and sandals.”

“Tell you what. I’ll pay for your first date with Bob if you write him a flirty little note and make him some cookies.”

“Only if I make him cookies?”

“No, if you make him cookies and ask him out on a date. If he says yes, I will pay for your date.”

“What if he says no?”

“I’ll get you whatever you want.”

“Even one of those ridiculously overpriced mud pack spa days with Nix?”

“Fuck,” He covers his eyes with his hand, uncaring of his orange-coated fingers. “You’ve got a deal, kid. I don’t know why I encouraged your friendship with our neighborhood firebird, but you’ve got a deal.”

Captain Jake Seresin is known for being cheerful on base. He's never without a grin and toothpick. The day after he rushes off because his daughter is in the hospital, he comes in holding a pair of Tupperware containers in his hands, whistling on his way to his office. The Top Gun class scurries out of his way when they see him coming. When Captain Seresin is smiling it means they’re in for rough skies and he’s likely to get tone on each of their jets at least twice. The Daggers aren’t quite so worried. Over the years since the Uranium Mission they’ve seen the changes in their once rash, reckless friend. Ivy was a big instrument for that change. So was the nanny he’d hired two weeks after he found out about his daughter.

In the two years since then, Jake Seresin’s life has been ruled by his two girls, his daughter and the woman he considers a little sister. He’s notoriously overprotective of them both. He’s still teasing and abrasive, but it’s softened. Thankfully, he hasn’t treated Natasha any different than before while at work. There’s a bit more respect in his tone, but that’s about it. And she trusts him now, trusts him with her life in a way she never did before. Right now, though, Jake Seresin is focusing the brunt of his attention on her WSO.

Bob’s changed a lot over the years too. He’s still quiet and thoughtful, the type to have a hundred thoughts hidden behind his stormy blue eyes even as he says one. Now he’s bolder, and more confident. He holds his own amongst the personalities of the Dagger squad. She knows he considers Jake a friend now. Little Ivy Seresin adores him too, chattering on and on about her Uncle Bob any and every chance she gets.

All this to say, Nat knows her WSO pretty well. He’d do anything for his friends, which is why he’d run to see if Ivy was alright the day before when she was in the hospital and Jake was flying. It’s his face when he came back which was new. He’d looked starstruck, far away. There was a persistent flush to his cheeks and Nat wouldn’t be herself if she didn’t want to know why. Obviously Seresin’s got a very clear idea for what’s bothering her unusually taciturn WSO. The two men chat for a little bit, Jake growing more and more animated and cheerful as Bob flushes with big eyes behind his BCGs.

The conversation culminates in Jake handing Bob one of the Tupperware containers. There’s a page on top of the box. Even from halfway across the room, Nat can see the way his cheeks flush even more when he opens the paper and reads the words on it. She’s stalking forward before her plans to be an absolute terror have even solidified in her mind.

“So, Bobby!”

He startles at the chipper sound of her voice, glasses tipping down his nose and his mouth a little oh.

“Whatcha got there?”

If her voice didn’t have the other Daggers gathering around their bespectacled colleague and friend before, they’re definitely gathering around now.

“Cookies, Nix.” There’s a catch in his voice, his shoulders hunching protectively over the note and the tupperware box.

“I can see that, Bobby boy!” The smile she shares with Rooster is anything but innocent. “But who gave you the cookies?”

“Bagman.”

That’s all the information Nat gets out of her tight-lipped WSO. A few hours later, she’s sweaty and mussed in her flight suit and trailing behind him. Now, she finally sees the note.

Hi Bob,

I confess, I don’t really know your name. Jake refers to you as Baby on Board, and I know your callsign is Bob. Is that actually your first name? As much as I’d love to interrogate Jake one day as to why he calls you Baby on Board, I think I’d like to get to know you a bit better. I've been calling you ‘The Cute one with the Glasses’ in my head since we met.

I don’t know if you remember me, the absolute mess wearing socks and sandals at the hospital the other day. Jake basically ordered me to make you cookies to thank you for calming Ivy down, and well, you know Jake. If I said no, he would’ve made my life miserable.

All words about completely melodramatic Seresins aside, I did want to thank you. Ivy was seconds away from a snotty, tear-filled meltdown when you walked through that door. I was seconds away from joining her.

You’re something special, Uncle Bob. Ivy adores you, and you know Jake adores you too, no matter how much shit he gives you. I know I made a less than favorable first impression at the hospital yesterday, what with the yogurt on my shirt and Ivy screaming and everything. But would you maybe want to grab coffee sometime?

Lia

XXX-XXX-XXXX

“So, you’re going out with Lia, right?”

He snorts as he opens the Tupperware container and offers Nat a cookie.

“You just want all the dirt on our relationship, if we get there, don’t you?”

Her voice is a little muffled by sweet buttery cookie goodness, the slightly bitter chocolate melting on her tongue when she responds. “Of course I do!”

“I’ve been wanting you to ask Lia out for months!”

Bob blinks, blue eyes widening behind his frames as Nat grabs another cookie while gesticulating wildly.

“You’ve been starstruck from that first barbecue years ago. But you never got close to her. I don’t think you’ve actually spoken to her in the two years of squadron events. It figures that she asked you out thanks to some pushing from Bagman, because she’s just as shy as you are.”

“She thought I was the doctor in the hospital yesterday.”

Nat grins at the look on her WSO’s face. “Well, it makes sense. You keep hiding behind Rooster or Javy or Payback when we’re at the Seresins and she’s around. It’s about time she noticed you.”

Bob snorts, “Well, it’s a good thing I messaged her already and agreed to meet up for coffee.”

“So you better get Jake to foot the bill for the best date you can give her!”

As if she even has to say that. Nat’s sure her WSO is just as enraptured as her friend is. Bob will be good for Lia, she knows it. Of course she’s going to give them shit. That’s her prerogative as Bob’s best friend and pilot. But she’d be surprised if they didn’t work out. After all, if any two people would be perfect together it would be Bob and Lia.

I DO NOT CONSENT TO HAVE MY WORK POSTED, TRANSLATED, OR PUBLISHED ON ANY SITES OTHER THAN ON AO3, ON WATTPAD, OR ON TUMBLR BY ME. IF YOU SEE MY WORKS ANYWHERE OTHER THAN AO3, ON WATTPAD, OR TUMBLR, THEN THEY HAVE BEEN POSTED WITHOUT MY PERMISSION AND I WILL BE WORKING TO TAKE THEM DOWN.

Taglist:

@kmc1989 @chaoticassidy @shanimallina87 @desert-fern @horseshoegirl @dakotakazansky @sarahsmi13s @teacupsandtopgun @callsignspitfire @roosterforme @beyondthesefourwalls @mak-32 @thedroneranger @cherrycola27

#star writes #top gun fanfic #top gun fanfiction #top gun maverick fanfic #top gun maverick fanfiction #top gun imagine #bob x reader #robert floyd x reader #robert bob floyd x reader #robert floyd imagine #robert bob floyd #robert bob floyd imagine

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stcverogers · 1 year

Text

TOP GUN FIC RECS 6!

top gun fics that i’ve been reading and obsessing with over recently

this is extremely important and i take this very seriously out of respect for the community. please do remember to read the rules for the respective blogs before interacting with or reading them.

F: fluff A: angst S: smut

𖥻 - series /multi part

masterlist

JAKE 'HANGMAN' SERESIN

F + A: jake seresin and the unfortunate hat situation by @sehnsuchts-trunken it's your first time in texas and you don't understand what the big fuss about hats is about.

F: never grow up by @andorskenobi you've fallen ill and the seresin boys play doctor.

F + A: signed away by @seresinhangmanjake at 19 years old, the last thing you want is to marry someone you don't love. however, a contract is a contract and you must see it through.

F: 7 years by @flaming-tgmcu jake's known you since he was 7 and he's loved you ever since.

F + S: birds away by @wombtotombx 𖥻 everyone who knew you and jake growing up were convinced that you'd end up together. you were perfect for one another. yet life and the navy had other plans.

F: tiktok troubles by @ultralightpoe jake misses date night and to get back at him, you pull tiktok pranks when he least suspects it.

F: sweet as candy by @halsteadsbradshaw with a callsign like haribo, it's no wonder you have a sweet tooth. jake knows this and this is the 4 times he brings you candy.

F + A: you again by @ereardon you're back in jake's life and he's determined not to let you go again.

F + A: bad habit by @seasonsbloom 𖥻 hangman was cocky. a complete asshole. you hated him, that was for sure.

F + A: glue song + part 2 + part 3 by @waklman the coffee you make isn't why jake is friends with you, though it is a good plus.

A: move on by @starlightstories jake left you hurt years ago and you've long moved on. it was time that he did too.

F + A: rule number one + rule number two by @ultralightpoe when you first met jake, he made the rule to not fall in love with him. you break it and he breaks you heart in the process.

F + A: nothing else matters by @sunnysidevans despite not being her biological father, jake had helped you raise evelyn ever since you found out you were pregnant with her.

F: dad jake blurb by @stargazing15

F + A: left at the alter by @tip-top-cloud-surfer 𖥻 you get left at the alter by your jerk of a fiance. luckily, jake is there for you, just like when you were younger.

F: the beanery by @callsign-peach when jake keeps coming into work with fancy thermos coffee every morning, his colleagues get jealous and want in on the nice roast too.

F + A: tell them by @sarahsmi13s 𖥻 jake's nearly loses his eldest son to a car accident and decides it is finally time to share his family with his work one.

F + A: i had to let go of you just to get a hold of myself by @gennyanydots 𖥻 jake thought that leaving everything behind would make it easier. instead he feels alone, his life consisting of nothing but his job that consumes him.

F: a little bit easier by @sunlitsunflowers jake is there to comfort you when you start to feel overwhelmed at the hard deck

F: marry that girl by @books-are-escapes jake always knew that you were the one he would marry and he finally made it happen

BRADLEY 'ROOSTER' BRADSHAW

F: baby, i'm yours by @almightyellie you're completely blind to bradley's very obious affections for you.

F: to the moon and back by @katsu28 a very special valentine's day for you and bradley

F + A: i will always love you by @amysteryspot with his parents gone and the closest thing he knew to love away, bradley wasn't expecting anyone to tap him out.

F + A: fawn by @sappy-seresin you've garnered rooster's interest working at the hard deck. your skittish behaviour leaves him worried and curious.

F: wedding day by @tip-top-cloud-surfer it's bradley's wedding day and he's brought to tears from seeing his bride

S: (christmas) baby please come home by @gretagerwigsmuse if bradley broke your agreement of only one gift each, surely he wouldn't mind if you broke it too.

F + S: the keeper + part 2 by @tulipsbymybed rooster is infatuated with the owner of the local bookshop.

F + A: homemade dynamite by @mothdruid you and rooster hadn't ended on good terms, now, you're both back at top gun.

F + A: endings and beginnings + part 2 by @tip-top-cloud-surfer rooster finally gets his chance at a family

F: just roommates by @risriswrites you and bradley were roommates, that's all.

F + A: terms of endearment by @ohtobeleah 𖥻 jake seresin was an instigator. as your brother-figure in life, he just wants you to be happy. this includes pushing you and rooster together.

F + A: something special by @helloheyhihowdyheya rooster cares for you more than he lets on, he just has a terrible way of showing it

F + A: what a look on you by @thewulf you secretly harbour feelings for bradley. when a friend from college comes visit and rooster seems far more enamored by her than you, you're hurt.

F: 5 times the Bronco was a third wheel by @thesewordsareallihavetogive there isn't many things bradley loves more than his bronco. you, maybe, but that's about it.

F + S: what's in a name? by @sometimesanalice bradley's favourite thing about you was the way you said his name

F + A: superstar + part 2 by @maggiedanikka bradley bradshaw was the poster boy for the americna navy. he was everything you weren't. why would he ever fall for the likes of someone like you?

F: daddy's little princess by @startrekfangirl2233-writes you come home to bradley playing dinosaurs and barbies with your two children

F: milk and toast and honey by @amysteryspot despite your bad experience with naval aviators, you have an affinity for one bradley bradshaw

F: romeo, romeo by @welcome-to-my-multiverse rooster is completely enamored by you and the dagger squad definitely shouldn't have left a drunk him alone with you.

ROBERT 'BOB' FLOYD

F: losing something and the other picks it up and calls after them by @callsignsaturn

F: afternoon bedrest by @jungle-angel bob returns home with an upset stomach. lucky for him, you're there to comfort him

F: he's all that by @withahappyrefrain bob's too nervous to approach the cute girl at the hard deck. his team mates decide that a makeover is just the confidence boost he needs

F: rodeo by @sarahsmi13s though you could perfectly hold your own, bob would always stand up for you.

F: surprise by @topgun-imagines bob proposed to his girl and no one the dagger squad had known

F: blind date gone...wrong? by @intricatechaosofyou you get stood up on a blind date. thankfully, bob is there to save you the embarrassment.

F: wanna buy you a drink by @anonymooseforever007 you surprise bob at the hard deck, but not without a little teasing first.

S: untouchable + part 2 by @idkwhylou as the only daughter of the captain, you were placed on a pedestal, deemed untouchable. bob was the only exception.

TOM 'ICEMAN' KAZANSKY

F: little reward by @dragon-kazansky to entice tom away from his computer, you promise him hugs and strawberries

BEAU 'CYCLONE' SIMPSON

F: super trouper + part 2 by @callsignmayhem you're sick and beau is ready to help you feel better, with the help of soup and mamma mia.

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bradleybeachbabe · 1 year

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rachel’s 21st birthday celebration

hi everyone! my birthday is in less than two weeks, so because of that, i’m doing an early celebration/sleepover!! also i’m starting this celebration early because i don’t have the patience to wait until the week of my birthday to post it. also most likely i’m gonna be busy with life around the time of my birthday too, so that’s another reason why i’m starting it early!

i’ll be celebrating from april 28th- may 15th

every little honky tonk bar: come talk to me! tell me how your day was or about something good that happened recently, ask me questions, anything that you could think of :)

house of balloons: send me ‘house of balloons’ and i’ll you what songs that remind me of any character that’s on my masterlist

margaritavillie: mutuals only!! send me ‘margaritavillie’ and i’ll give you three songs that i would listen to with you on a long car ride on our way home.

life of the party: of course it wouldn’t be a celebration without doing some blurbs! send me a ‘life of the party’ and one of the prompts below or one of your own if you want. you can just copy and paste the prompt or send me the letter and number and who you want it with. i’ll write for any character that’s on my masterlist

list a ♡ list b ♡ list c ♡ list d ♡ list e ♡

tennessee whiskey: send me ‘tennessee whiskey’ for a random headcanon i have about a character from my masterlist

here for a good time: let’s play some games! you can send me fmk, cym, top 5, this or that, literally anything that you could possibly think of

tagging some lovely moots to kick off this celebration <3 @sarahsmi13s @mayhemmanaged @annab-nana @oncasette @sebsxphia @desert-fern @dakotakazansky @alexandracheers @alliekparker @horseshoegirl @lovinglyeternal @fiction-is-life @whimsicalfairie @roostette @bobby-r2d2-floyd @auroralightsthesky @mothdruid @rhettabbotts @stargazing15 @bradshawsbaby @fanboygarcia @glen-powells @callsign-fangirl @callmemana @goldenroutledge @andrewgarfields-girlfriend

#rachel’s 21st birthday celebration <3 #signal boost if you want to!!#anyone can join this <3

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sarahsmi13s · 1 year

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‘Tell Them’ Universe

I DO NOT CONSENT TO ANY OF MY WORK BEING COPIED OR TRANSLATED

This is the masterlist for the ‘Tell Them’ Universe! Here you can find everything about the Seresins!

pairing: jake ‘hangman’ seresin x wife!reader

The Orginal Story

Tell Them

after nearly losing someone very important to him, jake decides it’s final time to reveal his secret to the dagger squad

Telling Them

after nearly losing grayson, things are really put in perspective for jake and he realizes that the daggers are family too.

Told Them -- pt.1 pt. 2 pt. 3

after nearly losing his son, jake decides to tell the team about his family and invites them to his home for a cookout

Extras

Meet the Kids

get to know Grayson and Kennedy Seresin

Ask Me

asks related to the ‘Tell Them’ Universe

Santa Photos

***********

if you would liked to be tagged in this series, please comment or reblog here!! it’ll just help me to keep up with everyone to have a central hub for tags

if you have anything you want to see with this family my inbox is open!!

tags <33: @roosterscockpit @luckyladycreator2 @hotch-meeeeeuppppp @sebsxphia @wkndwlff @emma8895eb @blackwidownat2814 @ireadthensuetheauthors @adaydreamaway08 @starkleila @mallerz @bananas1234 @mattheoschik @fogle97 @malindacath @pono-pura-vida @jstarr86 @djs8891 @horseslovers2016

no even if you’re already on this list, i’d appreciate a comment just so i can use it as referrence!

thank you all for being here, i love you guys!! <33

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sebsxphia · 1 year

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I both love and hate my brain sometimes Seb

Because I just had this thot and I don’t know what to do with it

Just imagine-

Rhett and you are in Nevada and decide to stay at the El Royale for the night, where you meet Miles the incredibly adorable clerk/housekeeper/bartender

When you and Rhett get to your room he notices the big mirror on the wall and just smirks at you before going to get drinks at the bar

When you come back to your room, Rhett proceeds to fuck you in the mirror - not knowing Miles is right behind it watching the whole time

But you know- because you checked the mirror while Rhett was in the bathroom and discovered that it was a two way mirror and you love the idea of that sweet innocent looking clerk watching you get ruined by the gruff bull rider

(Bonus points for preacher!Rhett)

sarah lemme tell you something, i absolutely LOVE your brain 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

how have we never combined rhett and miles before??? omg!!! and bonus points for preacher!rhett!!!

miles would be so apprehensive that a preacher is staying with his wife in one of his sinful motel rooms where horrendous crimes have been committed. on the other hand, he hopes he can catch preacher abbott and speak to him about his sins and get a confessional out and be forgiven.

before he decides to approach him, he thinks about having a quick peak in your room. you were awfully pretty to miles and he just wants to see what you’re upto, check in on you so to speak. but when he sees preacher abbott taking you from behind with his grip in your hair so your face is pulled upwards to watch yourself in the mirror? miles doesn’t know what to do with himself.

mile’s concept of a holy and religious man has been skewed sideways and he feels a familiar sensation in his clerk trousers. it’s almost as if you’re looking right at him, but you can’t be. you don’t know it’s a two way mirror do you?

the ideas for this are endless!! thank you so much for this incredible thot my love!! 💌💖

#💌you’ve got mail #sarahsmi13s #rhett abbott #miles miller #sebs masterlist #rhett abbott x you #rhett abbott x y/n #rhett abbott x reader #miles miller x reader #miles miller x you #miles miller x y/n

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lovingbradshawafterdark · 1 year

Text

Devil on Deathwood Drive Chapter 0 - I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire

Bradley Bradshaw x Jake seresin x Fem!reader

Summary: The start of the 50s is a very turbulent time, and you’re trying to live life how you want to; the peaceful postwar life you want is soon flipped on its head. Meanwhile, in the 80s, Jake tries to find his place when he runs into Bradley Bradshaw.

Warnings: mentions of not-so-great expectations because of the 50s and vague mentions of torture and death, but they are there. Light sexual themes and mentions of sex within this chapter that will become more explicit as the series progresses. This is going to be an 80s sci-fi horror au, I promise. 18+ minors DNI

A/n: big thank you to @desert-fern, and @sarahsmi13s for helping me with this project, plus for funsies tags @sebsxphia and @lovelybucky1 also @lewmagoo because I did and oopsie and posted this to the wrong blog. Let's get into it! also, please tell me your thoughts on this series

Series masterlist | Next part

New Mexico May 1950

A strange sense of peace, yet a sense of fear, had swept through. Five years since the war ended, yet there was a slight unease. You remembered your daddy serving during it all; he missed a lot of your growing up, missing several birthdays. He barely even recognized him, and he barely recognized you. His service during the war had hardened him. All the fear you tried to shove back down in you, there would be peace even if you had to force yourself to believe so. A hidden sense of fear lurked in every household, families waiting for the call to arms to return, for sons and husbands to be snatched once more. But it didn’t come. Being forced to grow up early made you want some time to figure out what you wanted, but the overwhelming pressure to find someone to marry, settle down, and have kids. It was all so much to take that many had turned their head away from you.

You laughed as you were handed another beer, not that you were drinking anything but playing along. They were the only people who wouldn’t pick on or bully you. Everyone was seemingly making out or just drinking or getting high. You were a wallflower, seemingly at this small bond fire. People only handed you things, ignoring your existence. You jumped as Billy elbowed you, “Hey, what was that for!”

Billy had been your best friend since elementary school, he was always getting into trouble, and you were always getting him out of it. His brother was drafted but never made it home, leaving poor Billy to pick up the pieces his older brother left behind. When your mother had heard what happened to John, she could only tell you she was glad she had no sons. You could barely remember half of the boys who never made it home. Most were specks in your memory now.

“Can’t have you be a space case,” he teased before grabbing you by the arm, “c’mon, I found something” You giggled as he pulled you away from everyone, running up the slight hill. That’s when you saw a small glowing object buried in the ground. You stared in awe as Billy approached it, not phased by the strange aura you felt.

“Are you sure this is safe?” A sudden uneasiness filled your body as the strange thing began to glow even brighter.

“Relax, I touched it earlier, and it did nothing. Just come down here” You sheepishly nodded at Billy before slowly descending the hill. The uneasiness only worsened the closer you got. Billy smiled as you looked down at it, mesmerized as it began to pulse, “Pretty, ain’t it?”

“Yeah,” you don’t know what came over you. What was once a feeling of uncertainty became your head feeling funny. You watched as it went from blue to a deep red. You bent down and looked at it even closer, forgetting about Billy being next to you.

“Sunburst?” Billy asked as he saw you go to touch it. The ground beneath you felt very warm. The pad of your thumb touched it, and you immediately flinched at the sudden burning sensation. Billy pulled you away as your whole body started to burn up. It felt like you were on fire as you began to scream. You saw the horrified look in Billy’s eyes, both of you surrounded by a blazing fire. You reached your hand out towards his face, and the last thing you heard was his screams and those at the bonfire beyond the hill.

***

You screamed and cried, tears burning across your cheeks as the men carried you towards a car. A tall, slender blonde man stood next to it. Burns covered your body now. Your eyes are bleary as you are pushed closer to him. His green eyes make your stomach churn. The whole town had turned against you, Billy nowhere in sight. However, the charred remains of the others at the bonfire were still littering the side of the road. No one could identify or touch them as they were still hot.

“This girl?” The men behind you nodded and backed away slowly. Your hands were still cuffed, trying desperately to melt them. Your parents stood off to the sides, not daring to look you in the eyes.

“Can you get the devil out of her, doctor?” Your mother asked softly, and you looked at her with fear.

“Yes, but I’m afraid I can’t do it here. I’ll need to take her to my lab” The man clapped his hand together, and suddenly another pair of men came from behind him and approached you, “while she’s in my care, I will make sure she receives the best care possible.”

Two months later - Colorado (July)

You wailed as flames erupted from your hands, your body about giving out from malnutrition. You saw a woman taking notes, glancing up every once in and while.

“It seems your abilities activate based on anger and desperation,” she mumbled, hair tied back in a perfect bun. You were breathing heavily as the machine retracted itself from you, “however, I’m afraid I’m going to have to run more tests” She smiled. Something wicked, burn marks covered your hands, palms blackened and charred.

“Please, no, please, I can’t” Tears streamed down your cheeks, hot and warm, as you begged her to stop for today. She only caressed your cheek and wiped your tears away. Your eyes panicked as you felt the machine turn back on as sharp electric shocks ran throughout your body, the hope of escape slowly fleeting.

Five months later - Colorado (January)

Your cell was cold as you lay there. You hadn’t moved in days. You are freezing despite the unconscious attempt your body made to heat you. There was no escape, no cure, only physical pain and mental distress. You slowly sat up, body covered in faded burns. You heard someone walking, heels clicking with each step. You prepared for the worst, waiting for the yelling and other punishments. However, you heard something slide under your cell, hitting your feet. You looked up, and a shadowy figure stood before you, face hidden.

“Think it’s about time we get you out of here…sunburst.”

July 1985

Bradley never invited strangers into his van, let alone would have slept with one of them. The blonde who lay before him, Jake, was still coming down. Jake was new to this traveling deal and was new to being a nomad.

“Alright, gotta get going,” Bradley said, zipping himself back up; Jake still didn’t move. “You high or what?”

“Sorry” Jake stood up quickly, his frail slender body illuminated by moonlight. Jake started to dress himself, and Bradley had a lingering question.

“Where ya from again?” Jake froze, not being able to look Bradley in the eye. He knew he must have known.

“Texas…” Jake answered meekly, his gaze focused on the moon outside, cigarettes hanging out the back pocket of his jeans. There was no way Bradley didn’t know who he was or who his family was.

“You just look familiar” Bradley couldn’t place it, many people called him a bit slow with the times, but Jake had this look about him. A look Bradley couldn’t help but feel familiar with.

“People always say I got a familiar face” Jake still couldn't face him. Bradley eyed Jake’s backpack, and he could see the small rations of food.

“You don't have much…” Bradley whispered, his heart sinking.

Don't fall for the puppy eyes.

“Can I...stay with you for a bit?” Jake asked, finally looking at Bradley, eyes pleading. Bradley tried his hardest to say no, but…

“Sure,” Bradley caved…he never caved. He saw Jake’s eyes light up, and there was no going back now.

“Thanks, man! You won't regret it!”

July 1986

Bradley had grown to regret it only slightly. Jake had filled out more, way more buff, and way more…

“You're being too loud,” Bradley grunted as Jake had a premature climax. Jake only laughed as Bradley’s hips faltered, finally spilling inside the poor man. Jake pulled the hair from his sweaty forehead. “Also, when will you get that dirt off your face?”

“What dirt?” Jake asked confusedly, tilting his head. Bradley smirked before licking his thumb.

“Right here!” Bradley rubbed his thumb along Jake’s peach fuzz—his attempt to grow a mustache was Bradley’s favorite way to tease him. Jake hissed as he pulled away from Bradley. Bradley grunted at the feeling as Jake folded his arms.

“Not funny…” Jake huffed. It hadn't taken Bradley long to figure out who Jake was or who he belonged to. Bradley cleaned himself off as Jake sulked. His temper knew no bounds.

“Pretty funny to me, now come on, we gotta get back on the road,” Bradley said as he opened the Vans door. Sunlight blinding him almost, Jake grumpily followed as they looked out at the view they had.

“We’ll hit the venue by the afternoon if we’re lucky…then we leave Colorado Quickly!” Jake said, pulling out the map. “We go down Deathwood Drive, and it's easy-”

“We aren't taking that road,” Bradley said with a glare, his mind flashing back. Jake frowned. He knew why.

“Listen, man, and it's just an old superstition-”

“We aren't going down, and that's final!” Bradley yelled as he put his foot on the gas, making Jake jolt forward.

“Okay! Fine! We don't have to go down it,” Jake sighed as Bradley slowed down, turning up the radio as Everybody Loves Somebody by Dean Martin played. “God, this is so cheesy it makes me sick,” Jake groaned as Bradley chuckled.

“I find it quite romantic,” Bradley said, sticking his tongue out. Jake just turned his head away and leaned against the window. He would get Bradley down that road; something was calling out to him.

Likes are apperciated but Reblogs and likes mean the world!

#bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw x reader #jake seresin x reader #bradley bradshaw #Jake seresin #bradley bradshaw x female reader #jake seresin x female reader #rooster x reader #hangman x reader

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