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#Ava Bradley
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fever pitch (b.b.) - part two
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soundtrack: lavender haze - taylor swift pairing: footballer!bradley x popstar!reader synopsis: you and Bradley go on a date. they say the wrong things --or right things-- and surprise each other as they get to know each other better. warnings: language, so much unresolved tension, mentions of character deaths, fluffy heartfelt stuff, but also like sexy stuff 👀 notes: i had so much fun writing this! special shoutout to @gretagerwigsmuse who had to deal with my annoying thots at all hours. comments and reblogs are greatly appreciated as always. happy reading! <3
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Subject: Guest Attendance Confirmation From: [email protected]
Dear Madam,
Thank you for confirming your information regarding your upcoming visit to Annabel’s.
It is our pleasure to host you for your dinner reservation on the 23rd of March, 2023, as a guest of our member Mr. Bradley Bradshaw. We hope that you have a wonderful experience dining and entertaining at the Club with us.
In order to ensure your positive and memorable experience with us, we kindly ask all members and guests to be aware of a few key rules of the Club:
DRESS CODE. We encourage individuality and style in your smart attire. After 6PM, gentlemen are required to wear jackets. Read the full dress code guidelines here.
PHONE & PHOTOGRAPHY. As a Private Members’ Club, we kindly ask Members and Guests to refrain from taking photographs within the Club’s premises. Posting content to your social media from your visit to the Club is not permitted. Phones must be kept on silent at all times and are only permitted for use in limited areas of the Club.
For guidance, read the Rules & Bylaws of the Club here.
If you require further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out through this email address or by phone at +44 20 7946 0011.
Thank you and see you soon.
Best wishes, Maude Adams Floor Manager.
***
You’re not sure why you’re bracing for something to go wrong.
The restaurant is rife with opulence, with rich chartreuse and bronze walls and Japanese-style paintings over classic British architecture. Bradley booked a little corner booth just off the fireplace, the privacy still granting a nice view of the grandiose bar across the room. He pulled up your chair and told you that you look beautiful—a good three or four times, and it feels just as genuine as the first. With your show and his training the next day, you both had to pass on the booze and settle with some green tea to go with your food. Conversation flows effortlessly, exploring easy topics like your shared love of old movies, the Venn diagram of your music tastes, the novelty of the sport that he plays…
“Okay, but how did you get into soccer—I mean, football?” You smile sheepishly as you correct yourself. “Sorry. Wouldn’t wanna get maimed to death by the locals.”
He laughs. “Don’t worry. You’re safe with me.” And then he takes a deep breath as his finger toys with the condensation on the side of his glass. “It’s… uh, my dad, actually. He bought me a soccer ball for Christmas when I was like 2 and… it’s most of the memories I had with him, playing kickabout in the backyard.”
“Oh?”
He smiles—diplomatically, all things considered. “He died when I was 4.”
Your face falls. Fuck. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry…”
“Nah, don’t be. It was a long time ago. And I feel like he’s with me every time I step on the pitch.” Bradley nods, ever so reassuring. He’s had enough ‘I’m sorry’s’ for every time his dad comes up in conversation, and he doesn’t want you to feel obliged to do the same.
“But hey, I think it’s wonderful… that he’s right there in spirit with you every game.” You smile back, trying to save this slip-up in conversation. “And I bet your mom’s really proud of you, right?”
To his own surprise, he chuckles. It really is true that tragedy plus time equals comedy. “I mean, I like to think so.” He notices your questioning look, and realizes he needs to let you in on the joke too. “My mom died when I was 17. Cancer. I moved out here and lived with my godfather. Got scouted for Arsenal.”
And there it is.
You’ve been so worried about all the external factors going wrong, that you didn’t consider that the faulty one might be you. 
The clinks of plates and cutleries suddenly become so loud. The subtle piano playing over the speakers sound garbled, like you’re underwater. And the salmon sashimi in your mouth tastes like lead now. How the fuck does lightning manage to strike twice?! 
“I’m sorry, I…” and now you can’t even muster up a proper apology, because what do you even say?! The only thing that comes out of your mouth is a lame excuse, “I… thought it was a good idea not to Google you.”
His heart catches at the sight of you, all wide-eyed and dumbstruck. You wouldn’t believe it if he told you, but he thinks he might have just fallen in love with you there. Foot in mouth and all.
But you… you think you must’ve looked so stupid right now. “Fuck. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed—”
“No, no, no. It’s alright!” Bradley quickly interjects, that twinkle of amusement in his eyes still lingers. “I appreciate it, actually. I’ll take awkward moments with you over anything else you can Google about me.”
“Really?”
He nods. “Of course. I mean… it’s not like you killed them, did you?”
There’s a split second of silence, when you meet his playful gaze, and his mouth pulls into a grin over your petrified look, and then… the tension simply melts away in a sigh of tentative laughs. The garbled underwater music has come up to the surface, the dining noises dissipates, and everything turns back to normal… ish.
“Anyway, what about yourself? How did you get into… all of this?”
“Oh, it’s all I’ve ever known, really. Pretty sure I sang before I knew how to talk. I was always pestering my mom about ballet and piano lessons and living room concerts… I was that kid, you know?”
The image makes him smile, and it sends butterflies to your stomach. “Your mom must’ve been thrilled.”
“Eh.” You shrug flippantly, and that non-answer is enough of an answer for Bradley. “But she knew I was stubborn as hell, and she’s better off letting me tire myself out than trying to stop me, so…”
“But you didn’t.”
You shake your head. “By 5, I was on Broadway—”
His jaw falls open, and he looks at you like grew a new head. “I’m sorry. Five years old?”
You raise your hand in defense, not wanting to oversell yourself. “To be fair, though, it was mostly luck. My mom was working in the theater company and they needed a kid, so I volunteered to stand in—I mean, naturally,” you roll your eyes at yourself, “And they liked me. So they put me on. But I didn’t have to do anything but pretend to be asleep while the adult cast carried me around.”
“Still. That’s more than most people can say. You continued doing it afterwards, right?”
“Mm-hm. Stage, commercials, TV, the occasional movies… anything I could get my hands on.”
Bradley studies you with this look of awe—not an unusual reaction, he’s sure; it’s a pretty impressive feat. But he also catches a lost sense of melancholy in the way you say it, and he can’t help but ask, “Did you have a childhood at all?”
And your heart catches. That’s something nobody ever asked you before… “What do you mean?”
He pauses, realizing he may have inadvertently touched on a sensitive subject with this line of questioning. So he tries again more carefully. “I just meant… you’ve been working most of your life. Did you ever just get to be a kid?”
“I…” you trail off, considering your answer. You want to say yes, of course you did, but the little sting in your throat makes you question yourself: did you?
And with the soft look in his eyes, you know he knows the real answer to that. Both of you do.
It’s alarming how disarming he can be, and you would hate it… except you don’t. At least not enough to make you run off. “I guess, being in that kind of environment, I didn’t really know how to be a kid…? If that makes any sense.”
Bradley nods, understanding. He’s not entirely sure how to respond, but he wants to be empathetic.
“I went to school and made friends for a while, but…” Normally this would be an uphill point in your story, but tonight… this part is tinged with distant sorrow. “I got a record deal when I was 15, and suddenly I was living in LA and working in the studio or going on tours and… I just wasn’t a kid anymore.”
It breaks his heart, the thought of a childhood lost on you like that. “Wow. You really have lived a life, haven’t you?” He can’t resist but reaches out for your hand. 
The touch makes your heart catch, and it feels overwhelming. It feels like you’re gonna burst, so you chicken out with a lame joke. “Haven’t slept in 22 years.”
Bradley can’t help but smile at that, squeezing your hand three times in comfort. And just like that, the bubble bursts and the world continues on its axis once again. He finishes his last slice of tuna tataki and washes it down with his konacha.
“You know, for how much you’ve done since you started out, I thought you’d be more… Hollywood.”
You raise an eyebrow in amusement. “Hollywood?”
“Okay, that came out wrong,” he admits bashfully. “I just… you’re very down-to-earth. And real. I guess I expected more, like, an attitude?”
“Oh? I can have an attitude…” you smirk coyly over your tea, “...if you can handle it.”
Fuck. You’re gonna be the death of him. It’s insane how easily you switch from being sweet and vulnerable, to flirty and borderline devilish. But he wasn’t born yesterday, and he knows he’s well-equipped to handle this back-and-forth.
“I think you’d be surprised by what I can handle.”
Oh, here comes the fun part. “Is that right?”
He nods, leaning into you a little bit from across the table. “I think you’d find a lot about me surprising.”
If the whiff of his Tom Ford Black Orchid catches you off-guard, you don’t show it. Instead, you mirror his body language, propping your chin on your knuckles for good measure. “Like what?”
God, he really wants to kiss you… but it’s way too soon, and he doesn’t know how you feel about public displays of affection. “Like… I’m a pretty decent cook. And I like reading.”
“An athlete who can read? My, my…” you smirk teasingly.
Bradley laughs. He walked right into that one. But he’s not ready to admit defeat yet. Instead, he makes use of that bedroom voice girls like so much to push the point further. “That’s right. I know how to use the washing machine, too.”
You bite your lower lip and sigh, shuddering a little from his low rasp but definitely playing up the dramatics. “You do? Mmh…” 
Jesus. If that’s you faking it, he can’t wait to make you all wet and needy for real. “And you wanna know the best part?”
You meet his gaze, and for a moment, the lustful tension is real. “Yeah?”
He leans in just a little closer, head tilting as if he’s moving in for a kiss. Maybe if he throws it out there… “I can put together Ikea furniture.” 
You throw your head back and feigns a quiet but dramatic moan for your one-man audience. “Oh my gosh, I think I just came in my pants a little.”
Fuck. He really wants to make you come now. With his fingers, his tongue, his cock—
Your gaze drops to his mouth, the stupid 80’s pornstache you’ve never been into before this, the soft inviting lips underneath. The ball is in your court now, and you know he would kiss you earnestly if you close the distance…
But you burst out laughing instead. Bradley releases the breath he didn’t realize he was holding, although your bright laughter doesn’t deter him from thinking dirty thoughts about you. If anything, it just makes you ten times hotter in his eyes.
“Well played. That was a good one,” Bradley concedes, his face turning just a little bit pink.
“We should probably stop before the staff kicks us out for having too much fun,” you lean back into your seat, looking around the restaurant, making sure no one is listening. Squeezing his hand three times as the next course arrives… not entirely putting the kiss off of the table either.
Bradley recommends the vanilla mille crepe to close the meal, and you come up with the idea of sharing a slice. The dessert arrives, a lush little golden brown thing with thin layers of cream in between, so simple and so intricate at the same time. He lets you take the first bite—insists upon it, actually. It’s the gentlemanly thing to do.
That, and he wants to watch your face twist in pleasure again. Eyes fluttering closed, chest falling in a sigh, lips parted ever so slightly... God, he can’t wait to be the one responsible for it.
“Amazing, right?” He beams at you, very pleased with himself.
“Mm, it truly is,” you hum in agreement, watching him take a bite. It gives you a naughty idea… “It’s so amazing, I might just hijack this whole thing.” You jokingly pull the plate a little closer to you.
Bradley playfully holds the plate back, looking faux offended. “Hey! Come on. You know I’m a little bit stronger than you, right?”
“Please. That’s never stopped me before.” 
“Really?”
“I have my ways…” your finger reaches out just enough to touch his, just slightly.
Between that and your eyes darkening in mischief, Bradley fights hard not to turn into goo under your slightest touch. He bites the inside of his cheek to contain himself. “You’re really making me earn this, aren’t you?”
“Why? Girls never gave you a hard time before, Mr. Big Time Football Man?”
He laughs. “No. But you’re probably the only one giving me this hard a time for a bite of dessert.”
“Is that all we’re playing for? A bite of dessert?” you smirk, egging him on.
“What else do you think we’re playing for here?” He takes a second bite, maintaining eye contact as he does so.
You take another bite and lick the cream off of your fork. “I don’t know. A bite of… something else?”
Ah. So we are interested. Bradley is unfazed as he gently warns you, “Careful. I might take you up on that.”
“Good. I was hoping you would.”
The tension rises as reality sinks in. You both want to fuck, and looking at the trajectory of the evening, there’s a good chance you will. And it sobers you the hell up, pulling you both straighter in your seats. Sharing the slice of cake in quiet civility. Keeping a completely respectable distance, as if worried you don’t trust yourself not to climb over the table and kiss him senseless. 
But the game… oh, the game is on.
“I don’t know about you, but… I was thinking maybe a few bites, though.”
“Oh?”
“Oh, yeah. I intend to explore every part of this… dessert.”
You stop chewing for a moment. There’s something so hot about how he says it so casually. “That’s… very optimistic of you.”
“Not optimistic enough to decide if kissing you out here was a good idea,” he admits sheepishly.
“Why is that?”
Bradley shrugs. “Just a hunch.”
He’s right, of course. He didn’t choose an ultra-exclusive, members-only establishment with a no-phone policy just for kicks. He sees the security detail that follows you around, lurking at a safe distance—from back at the club. And tonight, you’re traveling light with just two bodyguards, each strategically posted near you and the exit, but it’s still more than he’s ever encountered. There’s no way you would risk a first kiss in public, no matter how discreet the place is. No matter how much you like him.
And you like him a whole lot.
“Tell you what…” you put the fork down as quietly as you can. This is the moment of truth. “I’ll let you kiss me all you want back at my hotel, hm?”
Bradley’s eyes light up instantly. He takes a moment, not so much to consider his options, but to process what’s about to happen. “I would like that very much, yes.”
“Alright, then. Shall we?” you smile brightly, flagging the waiter for the check.
“Uh, yeah. Totally. We shall,” he stammers a little, recovering fast enough to snatch the check and slips his credit card in the tab. Barely addressing the waiter as they walk back to the till.
It all happens so fast, and you whine in complaint. “Oh, come on!”
“What, was I supposed to let you pay or something?”
“You were supposed to let me pretend to fight for it, at least…” you huff.
He smiles in amusement. You are so adorable, it makes his heart fucking swell. “Okay. Next time I’ll let you pretend. I’ll even give you a little pushback for good measure, how about that?”
“Perfect.”
“Now, let’s go back to your hotel and… I don’t know, pretend you have to try really hard to resist my charms.”
“Yeah, okay.” You chuckle in agreement. This is really happening. Wow. And just as the excitement sets in, another point of concern pops up in your head, like a really annoying notification. “Did you drive here or…?”
He nods. “You wanna take my car?”
“No, I got a car waiting for me…” you smile apologetically, glancing at her bodyguard. There’s no way they’re gonna let you jump into some guy’s car. “And there’s gonna be paps out front…” Here comes the tricky part. “Would you… mind if we… go separately and meet up at my hotel?”
Oh. Bradley’s face falls a little upon realizing that he can’t just walk out the door with you. He sees how this works. You don’t want the media to jump on this first date, and it’s actually a smart move. Besides, what’s a few more minutes to a whole night of complete privacy? “Sure, no problem.”
You nod tentatively. Well, that was surprisingly easy… “And just to be clear, this has nothing to do with you. It’s just… this whole thing can be a circus, and I don’t want you to deal with anything you didn’t sign up for.”
He smiles at you. Bless you for being so thoughtful, but it does make him wonder if other people have had trouble with it. But maybe that’s a question for another time. “Hey, I totally understand. We’ll just meet up at the hotel and leave it at that.”
“I’ll text you, okay?”
You squeeze his hand gently before you get up, making your way out of the restaurant. Powering through the camera flashes as soon as you walk out of the front door. Giddy because you know something these vultures don’t.
Meanwhile, Bradley sits. Waits. For one minute, and two, and three. Looking at people walking in and out, wondering how inconspicuous he would be if he walks out now.
And then…
His phone buzzes.
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coconutcordiale · 2 years
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CONGRATULATIONS ON 500 FOLLOWERS!!!
"Who did this to you?" from bingo with Rooster please I BEG.
Much love 😘
in the summer silence
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pairing- rooster x pilot!reader
warnings- 18+ minors dni, allusions to smut, sub rooster, dom reader, unintentional marks, crying, orgasm denial, semi public teasing, it's probably dangerous to tease a pilot within an inch of his life minutes before he flies a multi-million dollar plane but since y'all likely don't have access to f/a-18s i'm sure it's fine, calling bradley lieutenant, established relationship but safewords not explicitly stated
length- 0.5k
an- thank you!!!!!! this is probably not what you had in mind so i'm sorry if it's not your thing :/ it got away from me real fast....i don't really understand how my brain works when it comes to these prompts.
i blame ava (@greenorangevioletgrass) cause she's right we don't talk about subby rooster enough and i had lots of thoughts about bradley grabbing his girls wrist way too tight after this fic of hers
title from mama's gun - glass animals
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“Who did this to you?”
You’re so caught off guard that it takes you an extra second to catch the concern in Hangman’s tone, the wary way he’s eyeing the mark on your wrist.
“Uh,” you say, eloquent as ever. You pull the sleeve of your flight suit back down as if the damage isn’t already done.
/
“Baby,” Bradley’s begging now. “Please, I need to come.”
You smirk. “Don’t know if you deserve to.”
The vein throbbing in his neck and wet spot forming where his cock strains against his flight suit only inspire you to prolong his torture. You move to get off him, intent on teasing him just a little more when he grabs your wrist, pulling you back down on his lap.
“Please baby,” he whispers. You look down to see tears forming beneath his lashes. “Need you.”
Irritation flickers across your face as you meet his pleading dark eyes. You raise an eyebrow, ice cold, trying not to betray how much you love when he gets shaky and desperate like this.
“Now I know you don’t deserve to.”
The fingers encircling your wrist tighten at your words, just shy of painful, as he drops his head back to stare at the ceiling, sucking in air raggedly.
Your other hand goes to his jaw, forcing his attention back on you and leveling him with an unimpressed look.
“Touching me without permission, Lieutenant? Really? You know better than that.”
He drops your arm like he’s been burned, both hands immediately moving to white-knuckle the chair he’s perched on.
“I’m sorry, ma’am,” he whimpers. “I didn’t mean—I’ll be good I promise I—”
“No,” you answer, the word slicing sharply through thick air in the abandoned classroom. “Tried to rush me and now you have to wait until after training.”
Rooster whines, high and strained from the back of his throat, and you bite your lip to hold back a smile as tears roll down his cheeks.
“Honestly, Bradley.” You admonish, rolling your eyes even though your insides are liquifying. “Get it together, we have to be on the tarmac in ten minutes.”
/
You try. You swear on everything that is holy that you try not to look at Rooster. You attempt to look anywhere, literally anywhere, else.
Despite your efforts, your eyes slide to him, only to find him looking right back at you.
“Oh man,” Hangman chuckles. “Y’all are screwed.”
You just barely resist pointing a finger at him, getting in his face. “I will shove that damn toothpick in your eye if you so much as think about telling my dad.”
The blonde coughs, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot.
“Think about telling me what?” Mav asks from behind you. You didn’t even hear him come in, the sneaky fucker.
Your gaze shifts to Rooster again, but his eyes are still glassy, mouth red from his lips being bitten, and you’re quickly realizing he’s going to be of absolutely no help here.
You sigh. “Dammit.”
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luckydiorxoxo · 4 months
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Variety’s Directors on Directors pairings:
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• Ben Affleck & Michael B. Jordan
• Bradley Cooper & Spike Lee
• Greta Gerwig & James Cameron
• Ari Aster & Yorgos Lanthimos
• Ava DuVernay & Michael Mann
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blue-aconite · 7 months
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There Will Be Blood 👀?
this has me incredibly intrigued…
Elle ♥️
There Will Be Blood is a TGM Mafia!AU that's been sitting in my drafts forever.
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Ava Castello always knew she'd end up marrying Bradley Bradshaw. It was all their parents had talked about when they were growing up. How she and Bradley we're 'finally' going to unit their families, thus securing all of their futures. It was set in stone and honestly, it wasn't that bad.
Bradley was easy on the eyes and despite the ruthless name he'd made for himself as Nick's heir, he was always kind and polite whenever he and Ava were in the same shared space. She could think of crueler men to betrothed to.
She knew their marriage was a way for her family to get out of the debt they owed the Bradshaw's and she was fine with paying the price. She'd be safe and looked after as Bradley's wife.
But after a whirlwind of a night, Ava ends up at the Seresin estate, the last place she should be at. It's no secret the two families hate each other and their constant fight for control over the city has taken many lives and years.
After Jake saves her life that night, Ava knows she owes him a debt. And that debt might come with too high a price.
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badmovieihave · 8 days
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Bad movie I have Moonfall
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Big marvel predictions:
At some point, probably while they're still in the process of learning to trust each other, the Young Avengers will follow Kate to Clint Barton's farmstead in a scene that mirrors the Age of Ultron scene. He will probably give the leader character (probably Eli Bradley or Peter Parker) a piece of advice, then whoever they were running from will show up and kill him, forcing them to rally in an echo of the Coulson moment.
Val will try to pit the Thunderbolts against the Young Avengers, and this will fail immediately. Bucky will pair off with Eli and be completely unable to fight him because goddamn if that kid is not a mini Steve. Yelena will just nope out of the fight the second she sees Kate. Ava will try to fight Cassie Lang, but Cassie will get in her head before they can even exchange blows, etc.
The Thunderbolts will turn on Val, probably become heroes on their own.
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trendfilmsetter · 4 months
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Variety Magazine announces its Directors on Directors pairings for 2023.
• Greta Gerwig + James Cameron
• Ben Affleck + Michael B. Jordan
• Bradley Cooper + Spike Lee
• Ari Aster + Yorgos Lanthimos
• Ava DuVernay + Michael Mann
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singerboyvids · 8 months
Video
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David Dobrincu & Ava ~ Shallow |Lady Gaga &  Bradley Cooper cover| [Romania 🇷🇴]
More David
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awardswatcherik · 9 months
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Starry 2023 Venice Lineup Includes Cooper's 'Maestro,' Coppola's 'Priscilla,' Fincher's 'The Killer,' Mann's 'Ferrari,' DuVernay's 'Origin'
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jolieeason · 1 year
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November 2022 Wrap UP
November 2022 Wrap UP
Here is what I read/posted in November. As always, let me know if you have read any of these books and (if you did) what you thought of them. Books I Read: No review No review No Review No Review Review coming December 1st Review coming December 27th, 2022 No Review Review coming January 3rd, 2023 Review coming January 10th Review coming December 9th No Review No Review No…
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badgaymovies · 2 years
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Thor: Love And Thunder (2022)
Thor: Love And Thunder by #TaikaWaititi starring #ChrisHemsworth, "you’ll have a great time with this diversion", Now reviewed on MyOldAddiction.com
TAIKA WAITITI Bil’s rating (out of 5): BBBB Australia/USA, 2022. Marvel Studios, Fox Studios Australia, Walt Disney Pictures. Story by Taika Waititi, Screenplay by Taika Waititi, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, based on the Marvel comics by Stan Lee, Jason Aaron. Cinematography by Barry Baz Idoine. Produced by Kevin Feige, Brad Winderbaum. Music by Michael Giacchino, Nami Melumad. Production Design by…
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fever pitch (b.b.) - part one
previous part | series masterlist | next part
soundtrack: bewitched - laufeypairing: footballer!bradley x popstar!readersynopsis: you and Bradley find a secret garden and get acquainted... or maybe you already have?warnings: language, tension, fluff, angst but hypothetical?? idk, bradley is a dreamboat but what else is newnotes: the saga continues! i had a whole outline planned out, but then as i wrote it, it turned into a beast of its own and honestly, im just an employee here 🤷‍♀️ happy reading, and please let me know what you think in the comments, reblogs, and asks! i would love love loveeee to hear it from you &lt;3
✨I do not have a taglist. Please follow @ficsbygreenorangevioletgrass and turn on the notification to get the latest update on my fics✨
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“Are we even allowed in here?” 
You and Bradley turn a corner from the club area into a narrow hallway. There’s a door that leads outside, thanks to the little glass pane, you can see a little terrace situation outside. Bradley tries the doorknob… and it opens.
“I mean, there’s no sign that says we can’t…” Bradley shrugs, offering his hand to guide you in.
Like Alice in Wonderland, you step into a formal English garden in the heart of this complex of townhouses-turned-clubhouse. In the middle of the bricks and noises of the city, there are beds of roses and manicured hedges and ravines over a stone arch. It’s small, but very intentional even with the mosses growing on the edges of the fountain in the middle. A Dionysus statue sits atop the fountain, as if pouring wine instead of water. A nice touch to celebrate festivities.
“Wow. This is straight out of the old movies we talked about.” You marvel at your surroundings. “Like… The Sound of Music or something.”
He chuckles. “Yeah, exactly.”
Bradley starts humming My Favorite Things as you stroll your separate ways around the garden, marveling at the evergreen shrubs and colorful perennials. You eventually meet each other again right in front of the Dionysus statue. It feels like a sign from the universe for him, so he asks,
“May I have this dance?"
He can't be real, can he? "Like a 'dance' dance?"
"Absolutely." He says it with such conviction that it's easy to forget that the deafening, thumping electronic music from the club is completely shut out from your little pocket of a park. And the only semblance of music you can hear is the rustling of leaves, the trickling of water, and the fluttering memories of Bradley's velvety tone.
So you take his hand. He pulls you in and leads you into a slow dance. You were expecting to just sway, this is surreal enough as it is, but as you dance around the fountain, you slowly notice… the slow and simple rhythm, the unmistakable one-two-three, one-two-three count… This is a waltz step.
“You are full of surprises, aren’t you?”
“I try my best.” In a swift movement, he twirls you away and reels you back in with a spin. He just prays to God or whoever is listening that you can’t actually feel his racing heart as he holds your back flush against his chest.
(You can’t. You’re too busy calming your own.)
“So… you and your friends celebrating the success at Wembley?”
His voice tickles the back of your neck, and this sudden closeness is too much for you to bear. You strategically turn around so you’re facing him again. “Oh, no. This is just my night off. I still have… three shows left here.”
“So how long will you be in town for?”
“Another week.”
“And after that…?”
“Paris.”
“Right…” he nods. “And home is in… Los Angeles?”
The question catches you off-guard for some reason. You know he’s probably just asking where you live, but something about the way he asks it makes it sound like he’s asking about… ‘home’ home. “Technically, yes.”
He makes a face. That’s a strange answer… “What do you mean, technically? I’m sure you must have at least one home base somewhere, right?”
“I do, yeah.” You smile sheepishly.  “LA is my home base. But… it’s not like I have any emotional attachment to the city or anything.”
“Where’s that, then, if not LA?”
You give it a good thought… but you got nothing. “I don’t know. Ask me tomorrow.” Maybe it’s the romance of the setting—although his warm hazel eyes play a crucial role too— it makes you feel more inclined to be more honest than you usually do.
Bradley smiles. He’s so fascinated by you, but at the same time, he has an inkling that he might need to solve a few puzzles himself before you let him in. And he would gladly take his time to get there.
At the same time, slow-dancing to a hummed classic with this man away from a modern-day nightclub… It makes you wonder what kind of person he is. “And you? You’re an American in London. Where’s home for you?”
“Well, I think Virginia will always be home, but this place has really grown on me. I’ve been here for most of my adult life, and this city, the team, the people… I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
“Virginia, huh?” you smirk—imagining him growing up near the water, a sunkissed teenage boy shooting the shit with his friends.
“Yes, ma’am. Born and raised.”
It’s only at this moment that Bradley is so much like this garden. Seemingly out of place, frozen in time while the world moves all too fast around it. But at the same time, perfectly placed, a calm in the eye of the storm. Just for this little pocket of a park.
Just for you.
“Are you normally this… Southern gentlemanly? With the suit and the sweet disposition and the waltz…”
“Honestly? Not really.” He admits bashfully. “But, I don’t know. I feel like I’m in another era with you right now.”
“Oh?”
Bradley doesn’t elaborate right away. Instead, he asks you, "Do you believe in past lives?"
Your face lights up, and he knows he just asked the right question. "I don’t know. Do you?”
"A little…" he nods, thoughtful. "Maybe not in a religious sense where you die, you get judged, and then come back as a... worm or whatever. But.. I kinda like the idea that... no one is ever really a stranger, you know? That our paths have crossed at some point."
"And you're saying we've met before?"
"Oh, yeah." Again with the conviction, this motherfucker. 
“Really?” You step away from him, entering a more cerebral dance than the one that you just swayed into. Your fingers barely touch the surface of the water on the fountain, and ripples it over as you walk by. "Where do you suppose we have met before?" 
He looks up at the sky, moving clouds and all, pondering his answer. "I was thinking the 40’s and 50's—you know, the Golden Age. But I think it's a little earlier than that, don't you think?" 
"Like... the Roaring Twenties?"
“Yes!”
His enthusiasm amuses and fascinates you endlessly, and you never needed much to fuel your active imagination anyway. "I like that. I can see you as... a former pilot who fought in World War I. And then went on to become a poet. Or a pianist."
"I think I'm better off as a pianist.” He’s not very good with words—he’s much better plunking the ivories to get the party going.
"Fair, fair. A jazz… pianist, maybe?"
"Ooh, interesting." Bradley smiles, picturing it in his head. "And what would you be?”
"I don't know. You tell me." You lean back against the stone arch, looking at him expectantly. His answer will determine how he sees you and thus, how you feel about him. And you want him desperately to have a good answer.
"I wanna say... the starlet, or the mysterious singer—" 
"Oh, come on. Even in my past life, I'm still a singer? Can't I be something else?” You groan in protest.
He chuckles, settling right across from you. "Okay, okay..." he looks at you deeply, pensively for a moment. "You're one of those socialites, who drank martinis and danced the Charleston until morning."
"Makes sense. I do love martini... and the Charleston." 
"Right? You'd be one of those girls who rebelled against daddy dearest and partied all night, maybe broke a few hearts along the way."
"Including yours?"
“I don't know. You tell me."
Now it's your turn to pause and take a good look at him. You try to picture it; how boisterous and bright he must be, getting the party going by playing ragtime or samba. And you try to picture toying with his feelings; those irresistible hazel eyes watching you longingly across the room as you give some random man time of day for no other reason but to spark his jealousy... 
"Nah. I think yours is the only one I didn't break. Not on purpose, at least,” you conclude definitively. The thought of leaning over the piano, sipping on cocktails while he croons out some love ditty—or sitting on his lap while he teaches you a Christmas tune at a holiday party seems way more appealing.
"What do you mean?”
"Well, you said so yourself about daddy dearest. He wanted me to marry one of his business associates, an heir to a shipping company or something.” You cheekily stroll past him, down the little path towards the fountain again.
Bradley smiles knowingly, just a step behind you. "Ah. And I'm just a lowly little pianist. What chance did we have, huh?"
You halt your steps and turn around to face him, a mischievous smirk on your face. "Would you have fought for me?"
To your surprise, he meets your gaze with a soft, unwavering look. "Without a doubt. I would have stood up to your father and told him that we were meant to be together, come hell or high water."
The phrase echoes in your head. Come hell or high water. It’s so loud, it sends you reeling and you had to sit down on the edge of the fountain. Suddenly the image of a screaming match flashes so clearly in your mind. Bradley's hand gripping years for dear life. The shallow sobs under the suffocating constrict of your dress. The tears blurring the sight of him leaving…
“But it didn't work, did it…”
He doesn't hear a question in your words —it sounds like a statement. And Bradley, ever the hopeless romantic, wants to say no. Of course it worked out, it had to. Maybe you ran away with him and lived a life of simple means. But it wouldn't have mattered, because it would've been full of music and dancing and love.
But the heartbreak in your eyes is so palpable, so...real. For a moment, it felt like the two of you actually lived it. You were just retracing the forgotten steps now. 
"No.” He shakes his head softly, sitting next to you. "We tried. We fought, but... we lost.” 
You know that, but it hurts to hear it anyway. Still, you can't help but continue the story. "I think I ended up marrying the businessman, do the right thing for my family. And let you go... play your music in Paris or something. Chase your dreams."
The life he imagined. Of simple means and abundant music... just no you. "I would have written so many songs about you..." he chuckles wistfully. As painful as it would've been to keep picking at old wounds, at least he would still have you in his life.
"I think I would've found your record eventually,” You pipe up, partly in self-consolation. Sure, it might be a stretch, but you're way beyond caring. You needed a piece of him, too. "And I would put it on every time I missed you. Which was every night."
The night is so still, even the leaves seem to give you a moment of privacy. Your little fingers barely touch on the edge of the bench as you sit and grieve for a tragic love story that never happened. 
Eventually, though, you take a deep breath and break the silence. "Fuck. I could write a whole album based on that."
Bradley laughs at your sudden interruption, glad that you snapped him out of his reverie and brought him back to reality. "Yeah? I would be happy to help you brainstorm." 
You throw him a look. It feels weird to return to this point of acquaintance after feeling like you’ve gone through lifetimes with him. But you’re glad to start anew in this life. "Is that your roundabout way of saying you wanna keep seeing me?"
"Maybe. Is it working?"
"I don't know. I don’t do maybe’s. You should ask me for real.”
Holy fuck. He closes his eyes for a moment as his heart skips. You always seem to keep him on his toes, do you? "Alright. Can I see you again? Maybe take you out to dinner?" 
"I would like that. Does tomorrow night work for you?" 
"Perfect." he beams at you. Fuck playing it cool, he just won himself a date with you.
"We should swap numbers so we can figure out the details.” You reach into your purse to grab your phone. And then, something dawns on you, making you smirk devilishly at him, "You wanna put your number in, or would you rather give me that friendship bracelet I heard you made for me?"
Bradley stops dead in his tracks. Of course that public declaration was gonna bite him in the ass. He was doing so well, dancing and talking and making an actual connection with you...gosh, he must've looked stupid right now. "You knew about that?" He grimaces.
"Of course. I have eyes and ears everywhere, " you sling coyly, letting him punch his numbers into your phone with great embarrassment. "That, and Natasha might have sent me a post on Instagram.” 
He sighs in defeat as he hands your phone back. "Goddamn it, Natasha…"
231 notes · View notes
luckydiorxoxo · 3 months
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Zac Efron, Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Emerald Fennell, Greta Lee, Ava Duvernay, and Emma Stone at the 2024 Governers Awards
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guccifrog · 1 month
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you don't even know my name
chris sturniolo x f!reader
warnings : SMUT hm hm hm hmmm 😈🙏
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I cringed so hard writing this but here is your fic also it's not proofread ☝🔥
•As the sun slowly sank below the horizon, you and your best friend Ava found yourselves nestled comfortably in the cozy confines of your car, as you had been for the past few hours. The scent of freshly popped popcorn filled the air. You had been discussing everything from your favorite TV shows to the latest celebrity gossip, all while capturing it all on camera for your loyal YouTube followers.
"I just can't get over how hot he is" Ava gushed as she scrolled through a picture of a popular actor on her phone. "I kid you not y/n if this man asked me to get on my knees and bark" she paused looking up at you with seriousness in her eyes "I'd do it!" You couldn't help but laugh at her dramatic tone. "Oh please" you chuckled.
"I mean he's hot and all but imagine moaning his name"you added, taking a sip of your root beer. Ava paused for a moment, her face scrunching in concentration. "yeah you're right" she finally said, "It's so unmoanable, like you can't even do it right!" You couldn't help but snicker at her poor attempt. "Okay, enough of that," Ava said, rolling her eyes. 
"no, but like let's talk about unmoanable names," You said, sitting up straight. "Like, imagine moaning something like 'Bradley' or 'Austin' or something, it's just not it!" You both giggled at the ridiculousness of it. 
"how about 'Christopher'" Ava asked, making you both laugh. "oh Christopher, yes! Just like that" you whined sarcastically. The two of you were in hysterics now, tears streaming down your faces as you tried to catch your breath.
"Wait wait, you could use the short version too like Chris or Topher, and then it'd be like 'Oh-Topher!' That would be so much worse!" You both collapsed into fresh fits of giggles, unable to contain your amusement any longer. "Oh my god, I can't believe we're laughing so hard at this" Ava managed to choke out between laughs. "But like seriously, imagine trying to moan out 'Oh Christopher' while you're bouncing on it..." you trailed off, unable to finish the thought without losing it again.
"WOAH" Ava's eyes widened as she processed what you had just said. She covered her mouth, trying to muffle her laughter. "Oh my god, oh my god!"
Your sides hurt from laughing so hard, tears streaming down your face. "okay I guess we should probably-" you started, but Ava cut you off with a loud laugh. "end this video here" You snorted, trying to catch your breath. 'Oh, Christopher'..." Your voice trailed off, before ending the video, and the two of you dissolved into another fit of giggles, clutching each other for support.
After regaining your composure, you both decided to go home and edit the video before posting it online. you couldn't help but giggle to yourself as you watched back the footage, "I can't believe we were laughing so hard at something so stupid," Ava chuckled, shaking her head. "But hey, at least it made a good video," you replied, your eyes still glued to your laptop. Once you were satisfied with your editing, you quickly uploaded the video to your YouTube channel.
The next few days, the video went so viral unexpectedly that you and Ava couldn't believe your eyes. Thousands of comments flooded your YouTube page. The likes and subscribers to your channel were duplicated, and everyone was sharing clips from the video on TikTok and Instagram. You even got invited to a huge influencer party this weekend. You and Ava were both completely overwhelmed by the sudden attention, but you couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous the whole thing was. You even found yourselves scrolling through the comments, reading all the different interpretations of the 'Oh Christopher' joke. Some people thought it was the funniest thing they'd ever heard, while others were confused as to why it was so funny at all.
-
The dimly lit room was filled with the familiar sounds of typing as Nick, was sat on the sofa across from Chris scrolling through his phone. The two brothers were in their usual setting, the living room of their apartment. It was just another normal evening for them until a video that popped up on Nick's screen caught his eye and sent him into fits of laughter.
"Dude, you gotta see this" Nick exclaimed, barely able to contain his laughter as he threw his phone at Chris. 
Chris, confused by his brother's sudden outburst , took the phone and began to watch the video. It was a clip of two girls, sitting in a car.
"But like seriously, imagine trying to moan out 'Oh Christopher' while you're bouncing on it..." One of the girls in the video trailed off,
"WOAH!" The other one looked at her in shock, before they both burst into laughter. 
Chris stared at Nick's phone in disbelief, his eyes widening as he continued to watch the video. He couldn't help but let out a chuckle, and soon enough they were both doubled over with laughter. "Oh my god," Chris gasped between laughs, "this is too much." He handed the phone back to Nick, still chuckling.
Their laughter died down as they both sat there, breathing heavily. Chris grabbed his phone, opening TikTok."Nick send me that video" Nick raised his eyebrows but decided to comply. 
As Chris watched the video, again, he clicked on the hashtag that had one of the girls' names in it and found hundreds of similar videos, and some edits. He clicked on the first video that popped up. It was a different clip from the same video.
"how about 'Christopher'" the girl asked
"oh Christopher, yes! Just like that" the other one whined, sarcastically. But something about the way she said it made Chris' heart race a little too fast. it turned him on.
 He couldn't believe it, but there was something about hearing his name come out of her lips like that, in that suggestive tone, that did it for him.
He couldn't help but feel a strange tingle in his pants. He quickly looked away from the screen, trying to pretend it wasn't affecting him. he felt stupid for getting turned on by some random girl on TikTok. But the more he thought about it, the more aroused he became. He shifted uncomfortably on the couch, wishing he could just focus on something else. He felt guilty, ashamed even.
-
"I hate traffic," you complained as your best friend Ava pulled up to the curb in front of the mansion. The address was an unlisted number in the most exclusive part of town, and you'd been circling the block for over twenty minutes. "Why couldn't they just have this party somewhere normal?"
"This is normal for them," Ava shrugged, throwing her car into the park. She grabbed her small, designer purse and hopped out of the car, glancing around at the other luxury vehicles surrounding you.
You both walked up to the huge, gold-plated doors and were immediately greeted by a bouncer who checked your names off a list. The inside of the mansion was even more luxurious than you'd expected, with marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and expensive artwork adorning the walls. The party itself was in full swing, with people dancing to the loud music and laughing as they sipped on their drinks.
"Hey, check out that guy over there," Ava pointed at a tall, dark-haired man standing by himself near the grand piano. He looked like he was lost in thought, not paying attention to anyone else around him. "He's totally cute. Let's go say hi!"
"girl, no," you said shaking your head, "you don't even know him" you whispered to your best friend. Ava rolled her eyes" When did YOU start caring if we know people or not? Come on, he's cute and looks lonely" she insisted. 
You sighed"Fine, but let me get a drink first" Ava nodded, and You made your way through the crowded room, carefully navigating between people as you made your way to the bar. The bartender smiled warmly at you as you approached. "What can I get you tonight?"
"Surprise me," you said with a small smile. The bartender reached for a bottle behind him and began pouring liquids into a shiny martini glass. "On the house," he said, sliding the drink across the polished wood. "My name's Damon, by the way." You took a sip of the drink, savoring the smooth, fruity flavor. "Thanks, Damon," you said, setting the glass down on the counter.
While you were chatting with Damon, you kept an eye on Ava and the mysterious man she'd been so interested in. You decided to let her have her fun, but you weren't quite ready to join them yet. As you took another sip of your drink, you found yourself lost in thought.
You were just about to set your glass down when you felt a hand on your waist, gently guiding you off to the side, before letting go. You turned to see who it was and was met with the most beautiful pair of blue eyes you had ever seen.
"Sorry," a gentle voice said, before disappearing. You turned back to the party, taking in the scene, Ava was now dancing with the tall, dark-haired guy. They seemed to be enjoying themselves, and Ava looked like she was having the time of her life.
You took one last sip from your drink, before placing it down with a 'clack' on the counter. With a smile, you slowly made your way through the crowd, the rhythm of the music guiding your steps. The dance floor was packed, but somehow you managed to find a spot where you could lose yourself in the music.
Kiss It Better by Rihanna started playing and you smiled, the beat was perfect for your mood. You raised your arm in the air and began to sway to the music, feeling the rhythm in your bones. You closed your eyes, letting the music take control as you moved your hips and spun around, singing along to the words. 
unbeknownst to you, the same blue-eyed stranger from before had been watching you as you danced, to the music, and seemed to enjoy it as much as you did.
His eyes locked on you as you swayed, a small smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. You span around, your eyes catch his and hold them, you smile tilting your head slightly in confusion as you continue to dance, and you gesture to him with your index finger to come closer. He nods slightly, walking over to you, his hands in his pockets. He took a step forward before swiftly moving around you, guiding your body with his hands as he spins you around the dance floor.
You gasped, your heart pounding in excitement. The music seemed to fade away, leaving only the sound of your breath and the beat of your heart. He held you close, his big hands resting on the fabric of your skirt, his chest pressed against your back. You could feel his hardening length pressed against your ass, and it made you want to moan with pleasure.
As if sensing your arousal, he slowed down the dance, moving you in a lazy circle on the dance floor. His hands traveled up your back, cupping your shoulders, before sliding down to your hips. He pulled you closer, grinding his hips against yours, his erection pressing harder against your ass. You arched your back, pressing yourself against him, wanting more of his touch.
You were aware of the fact that he was just a stranger, but like Ava said, when did you care if you knew people or not? You let yourself enjoy the moment, and enjoy him. His hands traveled down to your hips, lifting you higher against his body. He pressed his lips against your ear, whispering, "You feel so good, so warm in my arms."
You shivered, feeling a wave of pleasure wash over you. The alcohol was beginning to make you feel light-headed but in a good way. You pressed your back harder against him, wanting more of his touch "Careful, princess, we're in a public place" he whispered, loosening his grip on you slightly. You felt the cool air brush against your skin as he pulled you away from his body, but you reached back, grabbing his hand and dragging him behind you, as you hurried out of the dance floor.
 You led him to a bathroom, grabbing the knob and twisting, just to realize that it was locked, he watched in amusement as you give the door an aggressive kick, sighing in frustration when it still doesn't open. "Hey, I got it," he says, crouching down and wrapping his arm around the space between the back of your knees and the small of your back, lifting you up in the air effortlessly. "Gotcha." He carries you to the end of the hallway where there's a small, unused office, its door slightly ajar. He kicks it open, revealing an empty room with a small desk and a few chairs. He carries you inside, setting you down next to the desk with a gentle thump.
You turn to face him, your hands grabbing the edge of the desk, and leaning back on it. "That's better," you pant, your breath hot. His eyes meet yours, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "And what do you want to do now?" he asks, his voice low and husky.
You swallow hard, feeling a wave of desire wash over you. "I don't know... show me something I've never seen before," you whisper, your voice barely audible over the muffled music. His eyes flash with amusement and he leans in closer.
"you don't even know my name," he whispers back, his lips brushing against your ear. "hmm?" he asks, his warm breath tickling your skin. You inhale, feeling a shiver run down your spine. You tilt your head to the side, offering him better access to your neck.
"I don't care" You muttered as you closed your eyes, giving into the sensation of his breath on your skin. "Just show me something I've never seen before..." Your voice trailed off as you felt his fingers gently brush against your cheek, pushing a stray hair back behind your ear.
"that's crazy coming from someone who thinks Chris is an unmoanable name" Your eyes snapped open and met his. You quickly looked away feeling ashamed as you realized he had definitely seen the video.
"way to ruin the moment," you said, trying to sound annoyed but failing. He let out a chuckle, seeming to enjoy teasing you. "It's okay, sweetheart. I don't care about that either. You looked like you were having fun in your video, and that's all that matters." His hand traveled down your cheek, cupping your jaw, and turning your head so that you were looking at him again. "let's see how much will it take you to take back your opinion about my name..." He leaned in closer, his lips just millimeters from yours. "If you do, then I'll stop teasing you."
Your heart raced as you stared into his eyes. A part of you wanted to take back your words, to kiss him just to prove yourself wrong, but another part of you wanted to keep him teasing you, wanting more of his attention. You hesitated for a moment, feeling the anticipation build up inside you, before finally leaning in and pressing your lips against his. His hand moved to the back of your head, gently pulling you closer, deepening the kiss.
You felt a thrill run through you as you explored his mouth, tasting the beer on his tongue and the hint of mint from his breath. He tasted so good, better than any of your past hookups. You moaned into the kiss, feeling your body start to respond to his touch, wanting more of it. You wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him even closer.
He broke the kiss, pulling back just enough to look you in the eyes. His pupils were dilated, his cheeks flushed. "Well, I guess that answers that question," he said with a smirk. "You're so stubborn" He leaned in again, his lips pressing against yours, and you felt your body melt into his touch.
His hand slipped down your back, over the curve of your ass, and gripped your hip. You moaned into his kiss, feeling the heat between your legs spread throughout your entire body. He pulled you closer, grinding his hips against yours, and you could feel the growing bulge in his pants pressing against your leg. His other hand found its way under your shirt, tracing lazy circles on your bare skin, making you shiver.
As he walked you backward, your back hit the wall with a soft thud. He didn't break the kiss, instead, he deepened it, his tongue sliding against yours in a rhythm that sent shockwaves through your core. 
One of his hands slid up your body, and grabbed your neck, pulling your head back. He pressed his knee on your clothed center, grinding against it roughly. His lips left yours, trailing down your jaw to your neck. He sucked gently on your skin, leaving a mark that stung pleasantly. "You're so fucking wet" he chuckled, his voice rough with desire. You moaned, arching your back against him. "Do you want me to stop?" he asked, his voice laced with entertainment. You shook your head frantically, feeling the heat between your legs growing more intense by the second.
He released your neck but didn't let go of your hip. His other hand found its way under your shirt, teasing your nipple through your bra. You gasped as he pinched it hard, rolling it between his fingers. "Fuck," you whined, squirming against him. He chuckled darkly and bit down on your neck. "Maybe I should just take you right here," he whispered, his words hot against your skin.
Before you could reply, he reached down and quickly slid down your panties, baring you to him. You gasped as his fingers brushed against your slick folds, feeling the cool air of the room against your exposed cunt. He placed his knee back between your legs, rubbing roughly against your swollen clit. His hands were now gripping your waist tightly as you rode his thigh, your hips moving in a desperate rhythm.
You arch your back, as he continues to tease you. His thigh is hot against your clit. You feel your muscles tense, your breath coming in short gasps as you edge closer and closer to your release. You close your eyes, lost in the sensation of his hands on your hips, guiding you on his thigh, and the way he looks at you like he can see every thought and feeling inside you.
You feel him kiss your neck, his lips trailing down your shoulder as he sucks gently on the skin. "Fuck, I want to feel you around me," he whispers, and with one swift motion, he stands, lifting you up with him. You wrap your legs around his waist, feeling his hardness pressing against you, and the wetness between your legs spreading on his thigh. He carries you back over to the desk, setting you down gently on the surface with a thud. Your legs spread wide as he kneels between them, his hands on the desktop for support as he leans in, his lips just above your center.
You watch him as he looks down at you, his eyes dark with desire. He parts your folds with his thumbs, revealing your swollen clit to him. His tongue flicks out, circling your sensitive nub before pressing against it in a long, slow lick. You arch your back, moaning loudly as he sucks on your clit, teasing it with his teeth before soothing it with his tongue. Your hips rise off the desk, seeking more contact with his mouth.
As you feel yourself getting closer, he stops, pulling his lips away from your center. You look up at him in confusion, breathless from the pleasure he's been giving you. "Please," you whisper, your voice shaky. He smirks, reaching down and rubbing your clit roughly with his thumb. "Please what?" he teases, his voice low and seductive. "Please make you come?"You nod frantically, your hips bucking against his hand. 
 "use your words" He demands, his gaze locked on yours as you struggle to form a sentence. You can't speak, your words tangled up in the pleasure flowing through your body. He watches you with dark, intense eyes, his thumb still rubbing your sensitive clit in small, slow circles.
You felt the pressure building inside you, your body tense and ready to release. You dig your nails into his shoulders, urging him to keep going, to help you get there. He chuckles, leaning in closer, his lips brushing against your ear. "Tell me what you want," he whispers, his breath sending shivers down your spine. "Tell me how you want it."
You gasp, your eyes flashing up to meet his as you try to catch your breath. "I want you to make me cum," you manage to choke out, the words barely audible even to your ears. "I want it so bad," you whine, your hips grinding against his hand. You're so close, that you can feel the heat rising up from your core. You arch your back, pressing your swollen clit harder against his thumb, desperate for release.
"What did we agree on though ?" He asked, teasingly slowing down his hand movement as he watched your face twist in frustration. You grit your teeth, his thumb still circling your clit. "I take..." you breathed out, your voice strained as you tried to focus. "...I take it back."
He smiled, his lips curling up into a wicked grin as he continued to tease you. "take what back, sweetheart ?" he whispered huskily, his thumb still moving in small circles. You gasped, as you tried to focus. "Your name," you managed to choke out between breaths. "it's moanable."
"oh yeah ?" he asked, a smirk curling his lips as he glanced up at you from where he knelt between your spread legs. "prove it" he challenged, his thumb still working on your clit in small, relentless circles. He leaned in closer, his breath fanning across your wet center as his lips parted, revealing his teeth. "Prove to me that it's moanable."
You inhaled, feeling your body tensing. His finger pressed harder against your clit, his thumb, and forefinger forming a perfect circle as he circled and pressed. You arched your back, your hips lifting off the desk as you moaned his name, your voice low and throaty. "Chris!." you panted, your words coming out in gasps.
"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" He asked, his voice low and amused. 
You moaned again, your hips moving faster against his hand as you felt the familiar tension building inside you. "That's it," he whispered, leaning in closer, his lips brushing against your thigh. "Let it out for me"
You cried out, your body arching as you came. Your muscles clench and release in rapid succession, your breath coming out in ragged gasps as pleasure washes over you in waves. His thumb continues to circle your clit, milking every last drop of pleasure from your body.
"Fuck, it feels so good," you pant, your head falling back against the desk. You feel a shiver run down your spine as he leans in closer, his lips brushing against your inner thigh. "Don't... don't stop," you whimper, your hips still moving helplessly against his hand.
He chuckles, his thumb continuing to circle your clit, his other hand moving to cup your hip, holding you in place. You whimper, arching your back as you feel the last tendrils of pleasure wash over you.
"I can't believe how submissive you are," he giggled, his breath hot against your sensitive skin. "I feel like I could make you cum just by thinking about it." He leans in closer, pressing a gentle kiss against your thigh.
You moan, your body still trembling from the intense orgasm. His hand moves to gently stroke your clit, teasing the sensitive skin as he asks, "Want more?"
You were about to answer, but a loud ring interrupted you. "Shit," Chris muttered as he reached for his phone, glancing at the screen. "It's my mom." He rolled his eyes and put the phone to his ear, shooting you a sheepish smile. "Hey mom, what's up?"
As he spoke to his mother, you took the opportunity to collect yourself, pushing the desk back and sitting up straight. Your heart was still racing, and your body felt warm and tingling all over. Chris glanced at you from time to time, a small smile playing on his lips.
When he finally hung up the phone, he let out a sigh. "Sorry about that," he said, shaking his head. "So, um... I have to go" he added, glancing at you with a sheepish grin. "But I had a really good time. You were great, and I can't wait to see you again."
You were a little disappointed, but you still smiled at him. "I had a great time too, Chris." He leans down, his face close to yours, and brushes a stray hair from your cheek. "Maybe next time, I'll make you cum even harder," he giggled, and before you can react, he's gone.
-
Chris walked into his room, The air in the room was thick with the scent of his cologne, and the bed was unmade, sheets twisted around the pillows. He quickly took off his clothes and walked over to his shower, turning on the water to warm it up. As he stepped in, he couldn't help but think about what had just happened with you. The memory of your body beneath him, your moans in his ear, the feel of your hands on his skin... it was all still fresh in his mind.
"Fuck" He groaned, as he reached between his legs, his hand finding his already hard cock. He began to stroke it slowly, imagining it was you who was touching him. He pictured your soft, warm lips wrapped around him, your tongue swirling around the head, your hands gripping his hips as you took him deeper.
He closed his eyes, letting out a moan, trying to focus on the feel of his skin under his fingertips, and the hot spray of the shower against his body. But it was impossible to ignore the images of you that flashed through his mind, making him even harder.
He remembered how you had looked earlier, sitting on that desk, your legs spread wide, your eyes meeting his as he approached. He could feel the heat between your legs even from across the room. it was driving him wild.
Chris gripped his cock tightly, his hips moving in time with his strokes as The memory of your moans filled the shower stall, echoing in his ears. His breath came in ragged gasps, his body tense with need.
 He imagined sliding his cock between your legs, hearing the wetness as he penetrated you, feeling the tightness as he thrust deep inside.
His strokes grew faster, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he neared the brink. He pictured your hands gripping the desk, your head thrown back in euphoria, your loud moans filling the room. His hips bucked wildly, his body tensing as he felt the first, powerful wave of release wash over him.
Chris cried out, his voice muffled by the sound of running water, as he came hard, his cock throbbing in his hand. The hot spray of water pelted his skin, but he barely noticed as he rode out the waves of pleasure. When he finally regained his senses, he quickly cleaned himself up and stepped out of the shower.
He dressed in comfortable sweatpants and a t-shirt, his movements still a little unsteady. He layed down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling as he tried to calm his racing heart. He couldn't help but wonder when he would see you again.
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roosterforme · 10 months
Text
Scenic Route | Rooster x Reader
Summary: You can't wait to head back to the east coast for Christmas with your husband and your parents. But when your travel plans start to unravel, Bradley shows you what's really important. And you remember you already have everything you really need no matter where you are.
Warnings: Fluff, angst and mentions of smut
Length: 4300 words
Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Female Reader
This was written to accompany my series Is It Working For You? along with a bunch of my one-shots and other series! (But it can be read on its own) Check my masterlist in my profile for the reading order!
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"All I want for Christmas is four days off from work, a little bit of snow, and your dick with a bow on it," you told your husband with a smile as you got in bed. You had an early flight to Maryland to visit your parents the next morning, and you hadn't seen them since your wedding last month.
Bradley shook his head. "No way I'm putting a bow on my dick at your parents' house."
You pouted at him as you took your glasses off and set them on your nightstand. "Wow. Next you'll be telling me that Santa Claus isn't even real."
"Oh, Sweetheart," he rasped, pulling you close. "I've got some bad news for you."
"Don't you dare say it!" you scolded, holding his lips shut. "I won't stand for that! When we have kids, are you going to try to ruin it for them, too?"
You released his lips while he burst out laughing. "I was going to say that the bad news is there's no snow in the forecast in Maryland."
"Oh," you sighed, cuddling up with him. "Well, I can deal with that as long as Santa is still real."
A handful of hours later, when your alarm was going off, you moaned and practically crawled into the bathroom.
"Hurry up," Bradley kept urging as you washed your face and brushed your teeth. "Airport parking is going to be a mess."
You rolled your eyes at him in the mirror, but he kept following you around until you were walking out to the driveway with your luggage and a travel mug of coffee. The only time he would agree to taking your car anywhere was when it was in an effort to protect the Bronco. So you drove him to the airport in your little car so the Bronco wouldn't 'get dinged up in the parking garage'. 
"You know what I'd love to get you for Christmas, Sweetheart? A new car." 
You smiled as he shifted around in the front seat. It was almost amusing how much he hated your little car, but you loved it.
"This one is perfectly fine," you promised as you pulled into the parking garage at the airport. 
He shot you a playfully unamused look as he unfolded his legs to climb out of the car and start gathering the luggage. But the look of displeasure was no longer playful as you followed him into the airport. 
"Our flight's delayed," he said with a sigh as he looked up at the departures screen. 
"No!" you groaned. "I'll text my parents and let them know while you check the bags."
But as soon as you hit send and watched your suitcase disappear from view, you noticed that your flight had been cancelled. 
"Bradley!" you called, pointing to the screen as he walked back over to you.
"Oh, fuck," he sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Stay here, Baby Girl." He turned back toward the airline agent while you called your parents. 
------------------------------
Bradley managed to sweet talk a new itinerary out of the young woman who worked for the airline. And he wasn't necessarily proud of himself. 
"Hi, Ava. That's such a pretty name," he said with a smile, watching her blush a bright shade of pink. "Is there anything you can do for me about this flight to Baltimore?"
She looked flustered now as she checked her computer screen. "There aren't that many options. This is because of all the snowstorms in the middle of the country, sir."
"You can call me Bradley."
"Bradley," she said with a smile. "I could reroute you to Denver first and then Atlanta and then into Baltimore?"
"That would be great," he said smoothly. "Anything you can do to make Maryland happen." He glanced over his shoulder to where you were talking on the phone and pacing around. The line behind him had started to grow with people dealing with cancelled flights, so he knew he needed to rebook these seats while he still could. 
"I would be happy to do that for you, Bradley," she replied with a grin. "Oh, you have two seats under your reservation?"
"Yes," he told her as he watched you pace away again with your phone pressed to your ear. "For my wife and I."
"Oh," she said with a sigh before printing him out new boarding passes and handing them to him without another word.
"Thanks, Ava. Happy holidays."
Bradley rushed over to you and laced his fingers with yours. "Let's go. Only have a few minutes to get on our flight to Denver."
You sputtered but started to walk briskly along with him, smiling up at him as you spoke into your phone. "Dad, Bradley got us on a new flight! I'll call you back, okay?"
"Come on," he urged, and then you and he were rushing toward security before it started to get crowded. 
"How did you do that?" you asked, wrapping your arms around his waist as you waited in line for your turn. 
He kissed your forehead and whispered, "You don't want to know."
But you just laughed and nuzzled your face against his neck. "You either threatened someone or flirted with someone. Either way, good work, Roo."
"Honestly... the things I do for you."
When the two of you were the last passengers to board the flight to Denver before they closed the gate, you looked at him in surprise and went all the way back to your seats in the last row. "That was close," you whispered, taking the middle seat and snuggling up against his shoulder. 
"I just hope our luggage gets there," he replied. 
But soon enough, that was the least of his concerns. Because halfway through the flight, he was jolted awake by an announcement. 
"This is your captain speaking. Because of weather related issues in Colorado, we will be rerouting to Dallas/Fort Worth."
"Shit," Bradley hissed as you and he shared a look of annoyance. "It's okay. We'll figure it out."
"Get ready to start flirting some more," you mumbled, taking his hand in yours. 
When you and he deboarded in Texas, the entire airport appeared to be packed wall to wall with people. The flight announcement boards were all flashing with DELAYED or CANCELLED. 
"What should we do?" you asked, but he was already calling the airline. 
"Get ready to start sweet talking, Baby Girl," he told you. "It might take both of us."
"But that's your specialty," you said with a sigh. "I'll go search for something to eat, you stay here on the phone." Bradley kissed you before you wandered off through the crowds. He was tired. He knew you must be as well. But the most important thing was getting you to Maryland to spend the holiday with your parents. They were the only close family either of you had. 
After talking to three different people on the phone, Bradley managed to get two middle seats on a flight to Memphis. He reasoned that at least you'd be heading in the right direction, as most eastbound flights were being cancelled for snow. 
When you eventually returned with two coffees and a bag with sandwiches and snacks, he waved you over to the single seat he claimed. "Come here," he told you, patting his thigh so you had somewhere to sit. "We're going to Memphis, but we have a bit of a wait."
As soon as you were in his lap, he felt better. And when you handed him a sandwich, he felt great. "That's all they had left," you told him as you opened a bag of chips.
"It's perfect," he told you as he finished it in four bites. "You know there's a house for sale two streets behind ours, right? Get your parents to move there. It would be easier than this shit."
You sipped your coffee and then smiled at him. "You think my mom hasn't mentioned that to me already? She checks the San Diego real estate listings online all the time."
"Huh," Bradley said. He had been half joking, but he didn't hate the idea of having your parents nearby, in or around San Diego. It would certainly cut down on this kind of stress. And he could tell that you were getting antsy now as your eyes kept looking up over his head to see which flights had been cancelled. 
"There's an elderly man standing over there," Bradley told you, patting your hip. "Why don't you go tell him he can sit here, and we can walk around instead."
"Okay," you replied, and Bradley watched as you walked up and introduced yourself to the older man with a cane and hearing aids. When you helped him make his way over to the seat, Bradley stood so he could sit down.
"Are you alone, Marvin?" you asked, letting him hold your hand until he was settled down into the seat.
"No, my daughter is with me. She went to wait in line for food a while ago. We're trying to go to San Diego."
You laughed and dug around in your bag. "Figures. We just left San Diego. And you can have the other half of my sandwich while you wait for her. The food lines are getting outrageously long."
"Thank you," he mumbled, taking the wrapped up sandwich and turning to Bradley. "Your wife is very sweet."
Bradley nodded at him and said, "She's everything," earning a brilliant smile from you in the process. "Happy holidays, Marvin."
---------------------------
You fell asleep in the Dallas/Fort Worth airport while you were standing up in Bradley's arms. It wasn't a very good nap, but you didn't get to sleep at all on the flight to Memphis which was filled with irate travelers and miserable children. You shoved your headphones in to avoid listening to the woman next to you complaining. This flight had been delayed several times, and you were happy to just be in the air again.
Bradley was a few rows in front of you, in between two people who did not look happy to have someone so tall between them. But he occasionally turned around to smile at you, and you mouthed I love you to him each time.
"Oh you've got to be kidding me," you gasped when you arrived in Memphis late on Christmas Eve only to find that all outbound flights had been grounded for the night. You felt the panic rise up inside you. "We were supposed to arrive in Baltimore yesterday," you said softly as Bradley wrapped his arms around you. 
"It's okay," he said calmly. "It's late, but let's just text your dad and let them know where we are."
"We don't even have another flight booked, Bradley. We are going to have to spend Christmas in the Memphis airport." You could feel tears in your eyes, and you felt ridiculous as one of them fell to your cheek. "It's our first holiday married."
"I know, Sweetheart," he said as he wiped your tears away. But he was already on the phone again as he pointed you to an empty seat across the walkway. "I'll take care of it."
You carried your bag to the lone empty seat and plopped down while you sent a text. Your stomach was growling loudly, but there was nothing around except for shitty vending machines. Your phone rang as your dad called you, and you answered with a sob.
"Hi, dad."
"You're in Memphis now?"
"Yeah. It's almost midnight here. Merry Christmas," you told him softly. 
"Listen, when you get here, you get here. Just be safe, and call when you're in Baltimore, okay? We're only thirty minutes from the airport, so whenever you land, I'll leave to come get you."
"Okay," you said, already crying again. "I love you."
When Bradley walked over and scooped you up out of the seat, he looked pleasantly happy. "Why are you smiling so much?" you asked as he settled down with you curled up on his lap. 
"Because I have all good news, Baby Girl."
"Okay. Spill."
He kissed your temple and said, "We have a flight to Raleigh that leaves at noon. And we have some sort of rental car waiting for us there. And then it's just a five hour drive to your parents' house. I also got us some Doritos to enjoy together along with a Wild Cherry Pepsi."
You laughed and wrapped your arms around his neck. "Was the vending machine almost empty?"
"Sure was. There were zero options, but I'm fucking starving."
"Thanks for taking care of everything," you whispered as he fed you a chip. "You're wonderful."
"I'm only wonderful because of you," he replied, kissing your nose. "Now eat your fancy Christmas Eve dinner and try to get some sleep."
-----------------------------
Bradley held you in his lap all night as you dozed on and off. His left leg was asleep, and he hadn't been able to relax enough to get a nap, but that was fine. It was noisy here, even at two in the morning. This somehow reminded him of his first time on an aircraft carrier; he was dying to sleep but just couldn't. But he didn't have anything as nice as you in his life when he experienced that twelve years ago. 
You sighed and pressed your lips to his neck as you slept, and he closed his eyes, memorizing how fucking good this felt. He was sure you'd disagree. The two of you were smashed between two families who were also trying to get a little rest, and there was an announcement going over the intercom. It was a little chilly in here, and Bradley was hungry enough to eat those nasty unsalted pretzels you liked so much. This wasn't the nicest way to spend Christmas morning. Not when you'd been expecting to be with your mom and dad.
But Bradley was so happy. You and he were married. You were together. He wasn't deployed. And you had your left hand planted against his chest where he could look at the rings he had given you. This was great. He'd be happy to do this every year with you.
You stretched and arched your back, and Bradley was finally able to shift his left leg to try to alleviate the sensation of pins and needles. "I had a dream," you whispered, "that Tramp ate Penny's turkey off the kitchen counter and they said they were never going to dogsit for us again."
Bradley laughed as he held you tight and kissed your hair. "Nah, he'll be a saint for Amelia. She takes him on a beach walk every day when he's there."
"That's true," you whispered before kissing his lips. "I'm sorry I've been cranky, Roo."
"Don't apologize," he said softly as you switched to sit on his right thigh. "This is not ideal."
"I know," you agreed, running your fingers along his mustache and his scarred cheek. "But we're together. Merry Christmas."
He pulled you close so your forehead rested against his. "I thought up a fun idea. Wanna hear it?"
"Yes."
He smiled and told you, "Let's walk around to all the vending machines and see what we can find. It'll be like opening presents together next to the tree at your parents' house."
Your laughter was so loud, you had to cover your mouth as you nodded. "Sounds so fun. Let's go."
The two of you scoured every corner of each of the terminals in the Memphis airport together until you had located eight different vending machines. Bradley watched you jump up and down when you found a bag of unsalted pretzels. "I love these things!" you said biting into one and then feeding him the rest of it. 
"We got some good shit, Baby Girl." Then you and he sat side by side and ate everything as you watched a light snow falling outside. When Bradley finished drinking a bottle of ginger ale, he said, "If we have to sleep here again, those benches over in Terminal A looked classy as hell."
You nodded as you finished a bag of popcorn. "Just like our bed at home."
"You know it," he said, kissing your cheek before he stood to throw away all of the trash. Then he heard an announcement for your flight to Raleigh to start boarding, and he pulled you up to your feet. "Let's get out of here while he still can."
He carried your bag for you, and with a little luck, this flight actually took off on time. And Bradley fell asleep on your shoulder while you ran your fingers softly through his hair.
-----------------------------
"I love it!" you shouted in the freezing cold rental car lot in Raleigh. "It's just like my car!"
Bradley groaned and tossed your bag onto the backseat. "Every time we get a rental car, we just get the newest model year of your little shit mobile!"
"It's even red!" you said, laughing right at him. "I'll drive. I'm going to like it so much, I'll just get a new one to replace my car when it dies in like ten more years."
"No," he said. "I'll drive. I don't want you getting any ideas." He steered you around to the passenger side door and opened it for you before he buckled you in. Every time you tried to complain, he kissed your lips until you were sighing and digging your fingers into his hair. 
"Are you trying to get me to fuck you in the backseat or something?" you whispered against his lips before he stood and looked down at you in the passenger seat.
"First of all, no, I'm trying to get us to your parents' house. And second, no, because we wouldn't both fit. I don't even think you could get a car seat back there," he said with a pointed look before he closed the door and walked around to the driver's seat.
"A car seat," you muttered as you adjusted the radio to play some Christmas music as he pulled out onto the road.
"You heard me, Baby Girl."
You were hopeful. You really were, but you were trying not to dwell on it, at least not today. Bradley drove for a few hours into the dim evening dusk, and you offered so many times to switch seats with him. But he just kept telling you to feed him some of the vending machine snacks and keep the Christmas music playing. 
When you texted your parents to let them know what was going on, you knew they would be waiting for you. But they really went above and beyond. You texted them when you were about twenty minutes away, and when Bradley pulled the little red car into the driveway at eight at night, they came running outside. 
"You must both be so hungry!" your mom said, rubbing her hands together, brow pinched with stress. "Dinner is ready. I just took it all out of the oven."
"You didn't have to wait for us to eat," Bradley told her as she hugged him. 
"Nonsense! We'd wait until tomorrow if we needed to!" she told him before kissing both of your cheeks. "Now get inside, it's freezing."
---------------------------
Bradley managed to sneak into the bathroom and into the shower with you around midnight. The four of you had enjoyed one of the best dinners he could ever remember eating. Then your parents had spoiled the two of you with gifts, including a new bed for Tramp. And now you and he were about to change into some borrowed pajamas after finally getting showered.
"I really hope our luggage shows up back at home at some point," you said as you removed Bradley's shirt. 
"It will," he said, helping you strip down and climb under the stream of steamy water. Both of you groaned in pleasure and then laughed. 
"I already feel so much better," you muttered as he started washing your body, paying extra attention to your breasts. 
"Wash my hair?" he asked you, flashing his big, brown eyes. 
"Always," you promised, and he melted into your touch. "You know, Roo, this day was actually kind of fun. The vending machine Christmas gifts, and the rental car sing along. And then finally getting to eat dinner."
"It was perfect," he told you.
You laughed. "Well, that might be a stretch, but I think-"
"It was perfect," he insisted. "I spent my day with you. And we got to see your parents. That was all I was really hoping for. But on top of that, you're my wife. And marrying you has been the best thing that happened to me this year. So today was perfect."
Bradley could tell even as the shower spray wet your face that you were starting to cry. "I love you."
"I love you, too. And even though we only get to spend one day with your parents before flying back to San Diego, I wouldn't change being with you for anything else." 
The two of you were wrapped up in towels and stumbling out of the bathroom, laughing quietly together when you almost bumped right into your mom.
"I thought you were in bed!" you told her, holding your towel in place, and Bradley had never felt as naked as he did with this damp towel around his waist. 
"Your dad needed his blood pressure medication from the kitchen," she replied with a smirk on her face. "Why are you looking at me like that? You're married. I know you two are having sex."
"Oh, god," you groaned, leaning back against Bradley, covering your eyes. 
"We didn't..." he started. "Not in the bathroom..." he added. "Good night!" he said, slipping past you into the room you and he were going to be sharing. And when he looked back at you and your mom before he closed the door, you looked scandalized. 
He laughed quietly to himself as he pulled on the random assortment of clothing your dad was letting him wear since the luggage was currently lost. When you came in a few minutes later, still in your wet towel, he was laying in bed waiting for you. 
"You bailed on me!" you hissed, tossing the towel at him and standing there naked. "We made wedding vows, Bradley!"
He caught the towel and tossed it onto the floor as he reached his hands out for you. "Why don't you come over here, and I'll make everything better?"
You climbed into bed next to him, and he wrapped his arms around you to keep you warm. "Roo, she asked me if you and I are having unprotected sex." Bradley snorted as you groaned. "She wants to know if you're giving me creampies, because she wants grandchildren!"
Bradley burst out laughing. "She actually said that?"
"Not those exact words, but you know what I mean!"
"Well, Merry Christmas, mom," he said softly while he tried to contain his laughter. "We're working on it."
You buried your head under the pillow, and Bradley had to coax you out with some kisses. "Can I have my Christmas present now?" he asked once you were draped across his chest with your fingers in his hair and your lips on his neck.
"Yeah," you whispered. "I'm about to give it to you."
Bradley stroked his fingers along your cheek so that you were looking at him. "You already give me everything, Baby Girl. You know that, right?"
You pressed your lips together and nodded. "Me and you."
"I love it," he promised as your lips met his again.
-------------------------
"Okay, so this has kind of been a disaster," you told Bradley as you finally boarded your delayed flight back to San Diego the next night. "But also, I sort of loved this?"
"Best Christmas ever," he whispered, slipping into the seat next to yours and grabbing both ends of your seatbelt. Then he snapped them closed and tightened the strap, just like he always did. He even always buckled you in the Bronco. You were so used to all these little things now. You just looked at him for a few moments, and he looked back as a smile found his lips. 
"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.
"Well, I learned a lot about you over the past few days," you told him as the flight attendants closed the overhead compartments. 
"And?" he prompted, linking his fingers with yours. 
"I think you might be perfect," you informed him seriously. "You took care of everything in all the airports so I didn't have to worry. You made sure that sweet, old man had somewhere to sit."
"Marvin," Bradley interjected. 
"Yes, Marvin. You held me while I napped. You made sure we ate. You played vending machine Christmas gift roulette with me. You drove the rental car. You made my parents happy. And, plus, you keep doing all the little things that you always do. Like hold my hand the perfect way so my wrist doesn't hurt, and buckle my seatbelt for me. You're perfect."
He looked at you. "You take care of me all the time, Sweetheart. I like taking care of you, too. That's just... what I always do."
You nodded and snuggled against his arm as the plane took off, taking you home to San Diego. "Keep on doing it, Roo. Please." 
"I'm planning on it, Baby Girl."
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Roo takes care of BG, and BG takes care of Roo. Thanks @mak-32 and @beyondthesefourwalls.
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notroosterbradshaw · 6 months
Text
slow dancing in a burning room - six
word count: 5.5k
warnings: nsfw 18+, smut, language, angst.
part of: The Boyfriend Experience universe
a/n: well, they're broken. it's unceremonious and it's real and they're hurting so deeply, coping in ways only they know... the wrong way. You're here to meet Bad Choice Bradley, I presume? I hope you enjoy it. thanks to those who read, reblogged and commented on previous chapters. you’re doing god’s work. I truly appreciate all the effort you make to show your support and if you like it… please comment and reblog it! x
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five.two
“Rooster,” Annie smiled before him, Ava strapped to her chest in her baby carrier sleeping peacefully.
Bradley felt his poor, old heart sink because he’d done so well to now avoiding you and your family since everything blew the fuck up in your relationship. It was a small town and the more you tried to avoid someone, the more likely they were to cross your path. “Ann,” he gave a slight smile. “How you doin'?”
“Morning coffee brings me back to life after a rough night,” she reported. “Not on base today? Look at the beard,” you said, fondly as he realised Annie didn't have a clue. 
“No,” he bit back the sour taste in his mouth. Obviously you’d not told your family about his pending trial… and in a way, he guessed he was thankful. It probably brought a certain amount of embarrassment to you, if he thought about it truthfully, given Viper and the respect he still commanded at work and from the locals. You didn’t need his bullshit on your shoulders. "Few more weeks to myself. Just finished my run,” he said even though it appeared the most obvious thing in the world. Shorts, runners, Navy tank glued to him, sweating from top to toe from morning humidity.
He just wanted to get his coffee and head home to shower. He should have just forgone the fucking caffeine. He had a perfectly good coffee machine at home for Christ’s sake. He cursed the fact you introduced him to this coffee shop and he knew, eventually he’d see you here, but he’d been so smart. He knew your work schedule and now, he was always the first in line when he knew your first classes for the day were clocking over. He was no dummy - sure, he had his moments when his head was stuck up his ass, but caffeine was his drug of choice and after you’d secretly revealed to him the best in the town and he was addicted.  “Lucky. You just missed her…” Annie told him softly, nodding off in the direction towards work... his villa was in the opposite direction and taunting him and his poor choices.
He hummed, unreadable. “Did I?”  He was pleased with the relief that washed over him. It was such a non-committal response and he knew he owed Annie so much better. Annie wasn't the cause of his recurring cycle of problems. But shit, he was so good at making his problems... everyone’s.
“Loves her morning coffee,” Annie waved her reusable cup towards him, and gee, it was so awkward. Rooster nodded, pleased that he wasn’t the only uncomfortable one in this conversation. Even Annie, usually outgoing, funny Annie, seemed completely out of character with her current word vomit.
And though he was desperate to, he would not ask after you because he knew there was no way you could feel as awful as he did but he forced it out anyway. “How is she, Annie?” he tried to hide the sadness in his voice, but it was impossible. He was so desperate to catch even the slightest whisper about you - whether it was Annie, Phoenix or any other mutual acquaintances. The radio silence was quietly killing him.
After a beat, Annie replied warily, “A wreck. Not that she’d ever let us know. We’re not seeing hell a lot of her so that kind of speaks for itself, I guess. Or it's exactly what she wants, I don't know," she rambled because Bradley could see Annie didn't know what to do to help you, and that hurt him more. The frustration in the air was paramount. The people you were once closest to now the one furthest at arm's length and he knew that was because of him.
“Right,” he replied, forcing a lack of interest in his voice. He didn’t want to sound emotional that you were upset, but he certainly didn’t want to feel sad for you for the decision that you made. Bradley needed you to know that you were feeling the way you were feeling for what you decided to drag you both through. He wanted to work things out, he didn't want either of you to be hurting like this - “Sorry to hear that.” He shrugged, knowing how cold it sounded and the surprise on Annie's face telling the story. What the fuck else was he supposed to say?
All the texts he'd sent bounced, and he knew you'd blocked him - what was the use of calling? He considered sending flowers, champagne, fucking skywrite if it got your attention, but all his desperate ways for your attention would fall on deaf ears. And as desperate as he was to go to you, knock on your door and hold you until reason came back into that smart brain of yours, he knew for now, you simply needed your time. He just hoped it wasn't forever.
“So... how are you?” Annie asked, welcomingly changing the subject.
He shrugged, sipping his coffee. He didn't feel like admitting he was about to head home, shower and see his JAG. It just didn't feel like it could roll off his tongue properly without the rest of his life crashing around him. He’d been so good to protect his façade and damn, he lied so easily. It was his most hated personality trait and he wished he could stop it, but sometimes it was just easier. “PT,” he lied, but he knew fully well Annie didn’t care for his physical recovery - she had good intentions but he knew she wanted to pry into his convoluted, messed up brain, see if he was as tragically missing her sister, if he was as tormented as you were. 
Dissect and get into the deepest, darkest crevices. 
But Bradley would never tell. There were enough people trying to get in there as it was. And right now he wasn’t going to give anyone the benefit of that bullshit. That hurt stayed with him, no matter the cost. It motivated him, got him through the day to be better, stronger, harder and he wasn't letting his guard down for anyone, not Annie, not Phoenix, not Mav.
Not you. No one.
“That’s fantastic,” she said as Ava wriggled against her, waking. “I’m glad for you, Rooster,” Annie bobbed to settle the little one, whining and probably ready for her morning feed. "You need your head in the clouds."
If that ever happened again.
“She got big,” Rooster said, keenly changing the subject and turning his attention to Ava. He reached for her her little hand and Ava wrapped her chubby little palm against his pointer. Bradley knew even if kids weren't in his future, the future he had quietly hoped to share with you, this was a cute kid and it only reminded him of you when you were playing World’s Greatest Aunty and putting the idea in his head that maybe… yeah, he could get the family he always wanted with you. It was going to take more to desensitise himself, he realised. 
“They do that,” Annie said, with a gentle smile. “Way too quickly. I feel like she's minutes away from rolling, crawling, and then up and walking out to college."
And Rooster laughed, because there was Annie, the Annie he grew up with. They both needed that little break in the terse. "I hope not that fast," he gently pressed a kiss on Ava's knuckles and loosened his finger, free again.
"Well, I’d better get her home for some food and start our day. Good to see you, Rooster,” she gave him a small smile. “If you need anything, call me, okay? Don’t be a stranger.”
Bradley did the cordial thing and nodded. “Will do. See ya around, Annie," he said, not waiting for a dragged out goodbye and heading in the other direction. He had a house to start bringing back to life even if he had fallen apart in every other way.
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It had been about month since you and Bradley… yeah. Since then. Things had been fairly busy for you, you’d stayed to yourself, regardless of nagging from your family, some other friends who wanted to claim your time now you were single again and, of course, Natasha. She was shipping out in a few days and wanted to have a drink but the last place you’d be caught dead at was The fucking Hard Deck. Reassuring everyone you were good, or okay, was next to useless. No one believed you anyway.  
You'd kept yourself busy. The apartment needed to be unpacked again, with no time like the present, a perfect time to purge and it felt so much better in your small part of the world that you’d rid yourself of those little things you simply didn’t need anymore. Clothes, kitchenwares, changed up the orientation of the bedroom, indulging and confusing yourself with feng shui and vastu shastra on household karma/good vibes among other things. 
But you really did feel lighter. You built a cute study nook for your business stuff. You and Bradley had planned to use one of the rooms in the Bradshaw place, giving you more time to work from home, instead of staying later after classes to do your never-ending small business accounting.
But that wasn’t the case now and you had all the time in the world.
“Fuck, Nat. Stop,” you muttered to yourself, scarfing down some leftovers for dinner. It was late and frankly, you had little to no interest in heading out, even if it was to a venue of your choice. You had to give Natasha credit: she was trying so hard to release you from your self-imposed imprisonment. You know what you were up for - 20 questions about how you were coping. You'd be lying to say you weren't worried about his impending trial and were curious to reach out. But it probably would just distract him and he didn’t need that. You were sure it was this week or next. 
Maybe you would get Grandpa to contact Bradley? 
But as far as you were concerned, Bradley seemed to be doing just fine. Like you’d agreed, you didn’t need each other anyway. Besides, he hadn't contacted you - and you hadn't let him after yep, taking the high road and blocking him. Maybe he needed this more than you did, you tried to reason with yourself. A guy like him didn't deserve to be tied down with someone who had the baggage you did. He deserved better. 
You tossed your fork on the plate, suddenly not hungry for the stir fry you were desperate for only minutes earlier although the need to get tiddly didn't sound terrible at all.
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Enjoying his quiet drink, Rooster knew his time was running out as Phoenix sidled her way to him, a fair smile on her face. Unreadable, and God, he hated that. “Didn’t know you were coming out tonight,” she commented, as she put two beers on Payback’s tab, placing one before Bradley. 
She followed his gaze to the pretty woman across the bar, making pathetic doe eyes and suggestive overtones with her beer bottle and tongue. Natasha would never get used to it. And sadly, Rooster seemed pretty into it, for what she could gather. “Know her?” Phoenix asked as Rooster’s lip quirked and he stumbled to find an undefined answer.
Truth be told, yeah. Rooster did know her. Not super well, but well enough to remember how into him she seemed as she led him back to her place last week, the first person he’d fucked since… and, he supposed, it was fine. It was good, she was eager to please and she had zeroed in on him the minute he walked in last week and again tonight. Rooster didn’t generally put his boots under the same bed twice, but he lately wasn’t feeling particularly fussy. He did ask himself if there was a supposed grieving period for how long he should probably wait before getting into the game again but his brain (and Hangman) told him what he needed to hear.
Fuck her. 
“Oh, Rooster, no. You slept with her?” Natasha asked, the disappointment dripped from her voice and Bradley felt about three feet tall.
“Oh, fuck this,” he bemoaned. “She broke up with me, I have to be celibate too?” he asked. It seemed so rehearsed and he didn't lie but he knew the shit he was going to cop for spending time with any woman that wasn’t you. 
Natasha sighed. “No, I guess not.” 
“Believe it or not, I can fuck who and when I want, Phoenix,” he gruffly reminded her. "You don't get to dictate."
“No, you’re right,” she agreed. Who was she to argue? She was desperate for her friends to get over this little ‘blip’, but seeing you separately and the hurt you’d both caused each other, she began to wonder if this blip as she'd hopefully referred to is as was really the end of what could have been the best thing that happened to both of you. 
You were no longer a couple. Rooster had moved into his parents' old place alone and seemed to be enjoying taking to it with a sledgehammer. You were doing your usual MO when things went sour – you didn’t answer calls, and rarely responded to texts before anyway. You were working and looking at growing the business, so it was the best excuse in the books not to come to the bar, a surefire way of making sure she didn’t pump into Bradley.
“I can’t see him, Nat. He was the love of my life. And not being able to touch him, kiss him, laugh with him? It would just kill me,” you had told her sadly, week’s earlier when Natasha came over unannounced and sporting Thai food and rosé. 
“What is so fucking funny is that I keep hearing how badly she is doing, yet no one gives a flying fuck that maybe, just maybe, I’m going through it too," Bradley muttered, Natasha surprise crossing her face as he continued, "Nat, we were moving in together. But it’s over now,” he poured what was left of his beer down his throat, knowing that coming out tonight was not his wisest idea. Bad Choice Bradley was bubbling in his bloodstream and frankly, he didn't mind if he escaped. He was so sick of doing everything by the rules, but where had that gotten him? Absolutely no-fucking-where. Jobless and Loveless. “And for the record?” he hissed purposefully to Natasha. “I was in that fuckin’ relationship too. I didn't call time.” 
“Okay, okay,” she said softly. “I’m sorry. You’re right. You’re wholeheartedly allowed to feel that way. We just don’t see you… as down about it,” she used her words carefully.
“It was weeks ago,” he sniped.
“It wasn’t that long - ”
“Jesus, Phoenix. She was the fucking love of my life,” he hissed. "I wanted to work this out. She blocked my number, she wants nothing to do with me."
Natasha held her palm towards his chest but didn’t dare touch him, she could feel the heat, the anger reverberating off him. “Okay, I agree. I’m sorry, I know you’re hurting, buddy. And I’ve let you down.”
He frowned and paused. “What are you talking about?” 
“This isn’t just the breakup, Rooster,” Natasha said, adjusting her posture to stand with him and continuing before she could let up. “Everything has been a bit of a shitstorm. Your past is always following you around, you were part of a suicide mission that almost got you killed and now you’re waiting for trial and I should have been doing more to make sure you were okay with that."
And for the moment, Bradley was silenced and frown in reply.
"Are you still seeing the shrink?”
He huffed out a breath, replacing his beer eagerly with the one Natasha had slid towards him. He didn’t need this holier-than-thou bullshit where Natasha got to try and save him to be really honest. He just gazed back at her, now unreadable. 
“Isn’t it mandatory?” she pressed lightly. “You should really be talking to someone – ”
“I’m still going, I’m hating it. If I don’t get clearance from the shrink, I never get in my jet again regardless of how the trial plays itself out. Satisfied?” he rolled his eyes. “See ya later, Phoenix,” he said, leaving his her side and heading over to his new friend, who greeted him with a tender kiss on the side of his mouth, and while he wasn’t repulsed, you used to do that to him, and he didn’t like it half as much as he used to.
“Didn’t think you were going to come over and say hi, Rooster.”
“I’m here with friends,” he admitted, whom he’s just ditched to come over here and line up an easy lay for the night. 
“You wanna dance?”
He nodded, a small grin gracing his features that didn’t quite make it to his eyes. “Yeah, lemme hit the bathroom first really quick, okay?” 
“Sure,” she smiled as he grasped her forearm, gave the easy smoulder and disappeared. And she, with the name he couldn’t recall (but really wanted to), devotedly followed moments later. Messy, unplanned bar head wasn’t on his bingo card for the night, but he’d surely take it. He tried to be surprised when she cornered him into the stall and undid the few top buttons on her shirt, her breasts brushing against his chest as she groped his half-hard cock and played with the zip on his jeans before letting her soft, warm palm slide beneath his boxer briefs. His breathing immediately shallow because her hand was better than his hand and she sank to her knees and licked her lips, she didn't give an ounce of hesitation to take him deep.
He guessed he never really had to work hard to get what he wanted. 
And he couldn’t hate himself more for it, because he compared everything to you. The way your big, beautiful eyes would peer up at him, begging for reassurance you were pleasing him, giving everything he deserved and more, your delicate strands he’d mess his long fingers into… it wasn’t the same but he came deep in the back of her throat that she swallowed and tidied up devoutly and he kind of wanted to be sick. But as she did that thing with her tongue, he wanted to cum so badly, as she gripped his thighs to keep her balance, he regarded her, knowing this wasn’t a woman he could fall in love with. He would only ever love one woman and right now, she wanted nothing to do with him. 
He shook the notion from his head, concentrating on how silky her tongue caressed the head of his cock and remembered this didn’t happen all the time and to enjoy it as he thrust into her face, closing his eyes and imagining you again, getting him over the line as he knotted his fingers in her hair and fucked her face. Seeing you and those pretty sounds you’d make gagging on his cock, deep as you possibly could and what you couldn’t, pumping in your delicate palms. 
He grunted as he came in wild spurts down her throat until he was spent and watched as she tidied him up, sweetly placing his softening dick back in his boxers and pulling his jeans back into place, sweetly caressing his throbbing groin. 
With a quiet laugh, he helped her to her feet, cupping her chin a little rough. "You didn't need to do that, you know?"
"No," she agreed. "But you tasted so good time, I couldn't wait for more."
Bradley blushed, mostly ashamed. He certainly had nothing to be proud about. “I’ll be right out…” he said to her and she nodded and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her lipstick was improper, her hair was well and truly a mess. Just how he liked it… if it was you. And he knew she would run out to tell her friends exactly what had happened, darting out alone.
Rooster looked at himself in the mirror, taking in his reflection and rubbed his tired face. “Who the fuck are you, Bradshaw?” he accused himself. He took a deep breath, ran his hands under the cool water, washed his palms then splashed some water on his flushed face. “Jesus,” he muttered to himself before inhaling sharply and straightening up. 
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“Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck,” Natasha muttered to herself as Bob caught wind of her strife and looked up from his peanuts, concerned for his friend. "Fuckkk."
“What’s up, partner?” he asked, perplexed. She lifted her phone and the text you’d just sent. “Oh,” Bob said, adjusting his glasses, a trait he did constantly as he grew nervous. “That is… that is not good.” 
“No…” Natasha agreed, casting her gaze to find Rooster, but he was nowhere to be found. “Shit.” 
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Rooster had spotted his new friend with her group and gave a slight nudge towards the exit when she caught his eye. Excitedly, she gave a wink back as her friends gave her teasing words of encouragement but Rooster didn’t care. He just needed to get out of there. 
The bar was stifling and he didn’t feel like Phoenix’s third degree on his life choices anymore. He wasn’t a dickhead – he was well aware he was making poor decisions. Bad Choice Bradley. But this wasn’t his first one lately, and it certainly wouldn’t be his last.
Darting through the throng of officers and civilians, he made a beeline for the door, thrusting it open, and he’d be lying to say in his frustration, there was some heat and malice behind it.
“Jesus, goddammit,” the voice hissed on the other side, the heavy door hitting a patron on the other side trying to enter. Rooster tried to catch them, almost knocking them to the ground in the process and he couldn't believe his dumb luck that it was you who were on the other side as he tried to phantom his escape. You skipped backwards quickly as Rooster yanked the door back, trying to stop its force. His face paled when he realised just who it was he’d almost knocked off their feet.
He whispered your name, and you’d swear you had seen a ghost. “Shit, I’m so fuckin' sorry," he said, the recognition all over his face as he took you in, scared and studying you.
"Shit," you muttered. Bradley could hear the pain in your voice, whether it was through injury or just disgruntled, he couldn't be sure. “Hey,” you said nervously. This was not how you wanted to see him for the first time since you’d broken up. 
“I was just leaving,” he explained, reminding you the door had walloped you in the elbow and you rubbed it in recollection, a gentle thrum from its impact. He looked back over his shoulder. “Shit, I’m so sorry,” he said again. He so badly wanted to reach out and kiss your injury better. The injury he caused, and he loathed himself for it. “How bad I get you?” he asked softly, taking a step closer. 
Before he got closer, you closed in on yourself and covered the sting in your elbow with a step or two. “It’s fine, Brad – Rooster. It’s no worries,” you reassured him, flippantly. Your body language told him everything he needed to know. He was flatlining. 
He nodded slowly, saddened at how you recoiled from him. "You sure?"
"Yeah. I'm sure."
“Okay. Sorry, huh?” 
“It’s fine really,” you said as a pretty young thing wandered out. She joined Bradley on his hip and you didn’t miss how her hand curved into his elbow and how his face changed, the guilt masking his handsome features. She looked back at you both expectedly. 
“Ready to go, Rooster?” she asked as he paused, gauging your response. He knew his timing was about as bad as it could be. 
And yep, it looked exactly as it looked. 
“Yeah. I’ll be just a minute,” he said, the embarrassment etched all over his skin as he ripped out your heart and toyed with it in his beautiful hands before you. His ears reddened and he licked his lips as she wandered away, calling back over her shoulder when she’d reached his Bronco. Well, she knew his car, maybe this wasn’t as new as it looked. 
Yep, it looked exactly as it looked. 
You’d thank Natasha personally for the warning in a moment - she probably wouldn't like it though. “Friend of yours?” you figured trying to balance your tone. Who were you to get upset at him? To Bradley Bradshaw, you were no one and that was what hurt the most.
“Something like that,” he admitted quietly. 
Maybe you didn’t need that drink Nat promised. You needed Penny to drown you in the top shelf. “Nat’s waiting for me,” you explained to him. “Have a good night, Rooster,” you told him as he reluctantly pulled the door open for you to scurry under his strong, golden arm and get lost in the Friday night throng. He watched after you until he lost you.
Rooster ran his clammy palm over his face, he felt ill as he stepped away from the door. He wanted to be sick, he knew exactly how pathetic he looked. Why the fuck didn’t Natasha tell him you were coming? He would have hauled ass ages ago and without incident. He pulled his phone out and threw a brutal one-liner at her about giving him a head’s up next time and made his way to his car, where his friend/date/hook up/whoever was waiting with a bright grin. 
“Thought you were gonna ditch me,” she laughed lightly, he could hear the uncertainty in her voice. 
“Look, I’m really sorry, but I’m not feeling too well right now, and I have a real early start tomorrow morning. Think we could take a rain check?” he asked, keeping a safe distance from her. She raised an eyebrow.
“You sure? Five minutes ago, you seemed really fucking into that blowjob in the bathroom,” she hissed at hime. And it was fine head, her lipstick was still smudged on his cock, he would always be appreciative of anyone giving him their best. But again, it wasn’t your pretty lips, nose desperately trying to nuzzle the soft hair at his happy trail, staring up at him like he possessed all the stars in the sky. God, he was truly beginning to hate himself and he missed your mouth, however smart it was, wrapped around his cock, giving him an earful... kissing him.
He shook his head dismally. “Look, I can’t do this, okay? M’sorry,” he unlocked the car, hopped into the driver’s seat and keyed the ignition, peeling out of the carpark to the allotment of insults and birds being hurled his way. It would be some time before he decided to venture back to The Hard Deck, which was probably best.
And deservingly so, he reminded himself. He'd take a few weeks off from the bar, he’d been through this before. Never go back to the scene of the crime, especially after one-night stands. He knew better, but it all seemed so easy tonight until you were before him and ruined everything. 
He pulled into a car park, the ocean bustling before him and he sat for a moment, his palms latched onto the steering wheel, his knuckles white as the adrenaline of the night coursed through his veins. Taught and teetering, he stared out to the ocean, needing answers to all the questions in his messed up brain.
God, you looked so beautiful. You had done something different to your hair, not a lot, just subtle, but he noticed it, the scent of his favourite perfume, it was so ridiculously expensive but it was the only real fancy thing you afforded yourself even if you used it sparingly, that drifted off you and enveloped him. He remembered it on his pillows, it lasted for the week until the sheets were changed. 
But your eyes… They told the story. Seeing each other was a shock to the system, but you just looked so upset when… fuck, whatever her name was made her presence known. Getting his phone from his pocket, he sighed and found your last texts to each other. 
It was all so sweet. 
You: I love you, big boy. Hurry home to me xxx
Bradley: Love you too. Lemme finish up and I’ll be right there x 
He ignored the subsequent texts he tried to send that all bounced back. Now it all seemed like another world and another time.
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“So, yeah, that was fun,” you told Natasha as she gave Penny the signal to keep lining the shots up. 
“You okay, darlin’ heart?” Penny asked sadly. Not that she wanted to pry, but Live had asked her to keep an eye on you if and when she could and she didn’t know if your mother was really wanting to see how brokenhearted you were.
“I’m awful,” you confided, voice strong but powerful because if you didn’t talk about this, you’d sink into another one of those solitary states where you wallowed in the misery of your broken heart, you were going to explode. “I have ruined the best thing that has happened to me then I get to see him take a one-night stand home.”
In no world would Natasha tell you this wasn’t their first hook-up and tossed back one of the lined up shots to avoid putting her foot in her mouth. “He’s slipped back into old habits,” Natasha shuddered as the tequila burned. She wasn’t defending him, but it was what it was as Penny made some polite excuses to continue working. “He a fucking moron, all dudes are the same. Easy pussy, get their dicks wet. They should all be lobotomised," she raised her shot and you, Natasha and Penny whipped the shots back.
But Rooster Bradshaw owed you absolutely nothing. And he proved he knew it too.
“He talked to me like a stranger. He’s never spoken to me like that in thirty years.”
“What do you mean?”
“Has he said he’s missed me or anything?” you asked, sadly and as Natasha prepared to answer, you dismally added, “I’ve ruined everything because I was scared about all the wrong things. Nat, I’ve messed this up and I don’t know what to do to fix it.”
She nodded but she heard what she heard. “…do you want to fix it?”
“I can’t function without him. I am just bumbling along, missing him while he is recovering alone. He's about to stand trial... he needs support,” and you know fully well that Natasha, Penny, Mav and others had Bradley's back but you also knew there were only a few people he'd truly let help him. “Will you still be here for the trial?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be here… I’m a witness. It’s the day after tomorrow.”
“Can you tell me how it goes?”
She nodded. “Of course.” 
“I can’t believe I gave all this up.”
She nodded. “I hate seeing you hurting like this.” Both of you, she wanted to add.
“Does he talk about me?” you asked quietly.
Phoenix sighed, she didn’t want to get into this. Anything he’d ever told her was done so in confidentiality. And while you were her great friend, he was too. Rooster didn't have many confidants. "I - "
“Natasha. Does Bradley want to fix us?” you raised your eyes, and Natasha saw the tears that threatened to spill. 
“I don’t know,” she admitted. Only hours before he was talking about his latest conquest. She saw that woman follow him into the bathrooms but she had no idea where her friend stood, even if she knew you two were so much better together. She could tell you how angry about it he was. But there was no way that was going to help the situation even if she was desperate to say or do anything that could possibly help.
You shrugged and took another shot. “Whatever, he’s clearly moved on and I will just have to accept that. Another round?" you asked, a casual frown gracing your features and Natasha nodded.
"One more," she loaded the bar up and couldn’t imagine being in her plane tomorrow if this was how the night was going to go. 
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masterlist.
Big thanks as always to @gretagerwigsmuse for helping me get this fic over this line x
A/N: the tag list no longer exists. To keep up to date, give @notroosterbradshaw-library a follow x
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