#benjamin x jacob

[renegadepack]

Elements of Us: Water

Benjamin and Jacob look for something special during a hike

They walked along through the woods, creating their own trail as they carefully stepped over roots, stones, and growing plants. It was quiet; only the sound of the light rain through the trees and the occasional skittering of small animals could be heard.

“Are you sure this is the right way?” Benjamin asked, squeezing Jacob’s hand. 

“Nope!” Jacob said cheerily. He paused when he felt Benjamin tug on his hand. He looked back, realizing he had stopped walking. “Is there a problem?”

Benjamin sighed. “ Babe. You told me you knew where we were going.”

“I may have exaggerated a little.” 

“Dude!” 

“What?” Jacob walked to Benjamin and wrapped his arms around his waist. Benjamin kept his arms crossed. “You got somewhere else to be? A bedtime to keep? Hot dinner date?” He laughed and kissed Benjamin’s forehead. 

continue reading: ao3 // under the cut

more fic // request fic

“You are incredibly irritating.”

“That’s been established. And?”

“Yeah, yeah. And I love you. Shut up.” He quickly stretched on his tiptoes to kiss Jacob. “Can we get going again? Apparently we have a while to go.”

“You’re the one that made us stop.” Jacob shrugged and let go of Benjamin. He turned and began walking along their makeshift path again.

Benjamin rolled his eyes, but quickly followed suit. They walked in silence for a few more minutes, studying their surroundings. Benjamin strained for any sound or smell that would hint they were near their destination, but didn’t discover much. Jacob seemed to slow ahead of him, looking more carefully through the woods ahead. 

“We’re lost, aren’t we?” Benjamin asked when Jacob had all but stopped. “Not lost,” Jacob scoffed. “Just turned around.”

“So lost, but said in a way to make one feel better about their predicament?”

Jacob turned to glare at him. “I know where we are. More or less. I’ve patrolled this area plenty.”

“Sure, sure. And yet-”

“Shh,” Jacob said, looking to his right and studying the area. “Wait.” He darted away. Benjamin debated following him, but stayed right where he was. He sighed, waiting for his boyfriend to come back, or at least tell him what was going on. 

“Benji!” Jacob called after a few very long minutes. His voice sounded much further than Benjamin had expected him to be. “Come here! I found it!” 

Benjamin grinned, then ran off in the direction Jacob had gone. The path Jacob had made was mostly straight, and he followed it with ease. As he got close, he realized what Jacob had been leading him to. He could smell the different plants, feel the slight drop in temperature, and hear the water rushing down. He picked up the pace, breaking into a run the closer he got. 

Eventually, he ran into a small clearing. It was mostly surrounded by trees, but the far side was a cliff with a waterfall coming down the side. The waterfall splashed into a large pool that took up most of the space. The rest of the space was grassy, with occasional spots of pink, purple, yellow, and white wildflowers dotting the bright green. Jacob stood a few yards away, leaning against one of the trees lining the space. 

“Told you I knew where we were going,” he said with a wink. 

“Did you?” Benjamin asked, bounding over to him. “Or did you just get lucky?”

Jacob laughed. “Both? I knew I saw it on a patrol around here. The exact location was fuzzy.”

“Do you spend all your patrol times looking for romantic date spots to take your boyfriend to?” He took Jacob’s hand.

“Not all of them.” Jacob shrugged. “Sometimes I think about dinner.”

Benjamin rolled his eyes. “How could I forget? Come on. You didn’t drag me all the way out here to flirt against a tree.” He tugged on Jacob’s hand and ran with him to the edge of the pool. He hesitated for a moment, then ran into the water, Jacob right behind him. They swam until they were behind the waterfall, and rested against the stones at the edge.

“This is pretty cool, right?” Jacob said, watching the patterns created by the falling water.

“Yes, you picked well.”

“I did,” Jacob said, wrapping his arm around Benjamin’s shoulders and pulling him closer. It fell quiet between them for a while as they watched and listened to the waterfall in front of them.

“Hey,” Benjamin finally said, breaking the silence.

“Yes?” Jacob pulled his arm back, quickly stretching.

“Do you think we could climb to the top of this thing?” He motioned to the top of the waterfall, high above their heads.

Jacob swam back under the waterfall into the middle of the pool, looking at the cliff that made it. He studied the rocks and trees that were around and on it. Eventually, Benjamin swam to his side.

“Well? See anything promising?” he asked.

“To climb up it? Probably not. But to find another way up there? That seems like a challenge. Why?”

Benjamin shrugged. “Well, you do love cliff diving…”

“Oh, you’re so on!” Jacob swam to the edge and hopped out of the water, quickly followed by Benjamin. He wrung the water out of his long hair and then pulled it back into a quick ponytail. They each went to either side of the cliff and tried to find footholds, or a rope, or some other way to climb up.

“Any luck?” Jacob called, failing to find anything with his further inspection.

“No.” He sighed. Then he got an idea. “Wait!” He ran over to Jacob. “Hop on!” he told him, squatting a bit and patting his back.

Jacob laughed. “What? Dude, I’m like a foot taller than you.” 

“Yeah, I’m sure you’ll crush me. Shut up.” He patted his back again. 

Jacob sighed, but did as asked. Benjamin jumped, creating a small gust of wind at his feet to help them reach the top. He landed right at the edge, carefully standing up so Jacob wouldn’t fall.

“Okay, fine. That was effective,” Jacob said, admiring the view from where they stood.

“A well-placed gust of wind can really do wonders. Now, when will you stop doubting me?”

“Probably in a couple decades,” Jacob said with a shrug and a smirk.

“God, you’re irritating,” Benjamin said with a laugh. “Now, are we going to jump or what?”

“You first!” 

“Alright, coward. Let me show you how it’s done.” And he jumped, ensign up in the perfect dive as he sliced through the water with barely a splash. 

“Very graceful, Benji!” Jacob called down.

“What’s your great ability?”

“This.” Jacob took a few steps back, then took off in a running leap. “Cannonball!” he cried as he tucked himself as small as he could. Benjamin laughed, holding his hands in front of his face to block the splash.

“How fun,” he said, swimming to Jacob once he surfaced. “Thanks for showing me this place.”

“Anytime,” he answered, leaning in for a kiss.

#jacob black #benjamin #benjamin twilight #jacob x benjamin #benjamin x jacob #twilight #twilight fanfic #twilight headcanons #tts #ttsfanfic #twilightfanfic #twilightfic #renegadefic #twilight moodboards #twilight aesthetic #ttsedit #tts edit #twilightedit #renegademoods

[twilight-at-midnight]

Caius having a mate with ADHD

Pairing: Caius Volturi x reader

Warnings: None

Requested: @fromheaventohell12

Request:

Can you continue with the sarong a reader with adhd? With Caius volturi?

***

• You like to play your own theme song when walking into the throne room where the kings are

• Your theme song is “Let The Bad Times Roll” by The Offspring

• Everyone being weary around you, as they don’t want to do something that could upset you, so they’re friendly yet careful

• As if Caius isn’t overly protective enough, he finds a reason to add on more to that. It could be any reason, which includes nothing, Caius almost never leaves your side

• Caius loves you nonetheless, he will love you forever and will love you to pieces

• You had good days and bad days, when it’s a bad day, you are distracted easily, can hardly focus at all on just about anything

• Sometimes when you feel the need of having to defend yourself, there’s a chance you can get a little too egressive, and the first time Caius saw that side of you, he was both surprised and amused

• Amused because you can strike fear into someone if driven over your limit of tolerance

• Surprised because a couple of confrontations you had with others turned into actual fights, almost like you were back in high school joining the other kids in a circle to watch a good fight

• The last fight you had started went a little too far, you had thrown a few good punches and hits that you had dislocated the poor man’s jaw and seeing you were at no point in stopping any time soon, Caius had to pull you off and stop the fight himself

• Though Caius would never admit it, but there have been a couple of times in which he was unable to remove you alone and sought help from the other kings who soon turned to be just as amused just as much as Caius had been, but they agree to intervene and stop the madness brewing

• ADHD is not easy but is manageable, Caius is always checking to make sure you’re taking the medicine prescribed by your doctor before he does anything else

• There had been one certain occasion that you missed because of how much you enjoy reading any book

• That event was Caius’s birthday and though he didn’t say anything about it, he found it adorable of you trying to go out of your way to make up for it

• In the end, Caius reassures you until you follow through and listen to him when he says not to worry about

• But in the back of your mind, you still worry and it wasn’t doing you any good

• Not only did you have ADHD, but you had anxiety along with it and that gave Caius the need to make sure you’re protected and not hurt

• If you’re going through one, he is always there for you, and he uses one or two of your own jokes told to him in the past by you

• “How did they punish Hellen Keller for using the phone?”

• You just shrug, already knowing the answer to this one and yet it still makes you laugh like it’s the first time you are hearing it

• Caius loves the sound of your laugh, that’s one of the many things he loves/admires about you

• Sometimes when you’re in the throne room with Caius, you have your bottle containing your medicine in your pocket. On several occasions you had left the bottle behind without even realizing it until one of the kings return it to you

• Caius doesn’t go anywhere without making sure you had what you needed

• He tries to keep you as close as possible, sometimes when he is with you during the night, you play all sorts of different games to help you to better focus

• The games you have come from the same ones you played throughout your childhood

• Your favorite was Yahtzee

• Sometimes you two wouldn’t be doing anything beside cuddling and taking it easy for the day

• Despite his busy schedule, Caius always makes sure to squeeze time in to spend with you

• Which is something you appreciate more than words can describe

***

@twilight-at-midnight

Characters:

• Carlisle Cullen

• Edward Cullen

• Jasper Cullen

• Emmett Cullen

• Riley Biers

• Alice Cullen

• Rosalie Cullen

• Benjamin

• Bella Swan

• Jacob Black

• Vladimir

• Aro

• Alec

• Caius

• Jane

• Victoria

#twilight imagines #twilight imagine #twilight x reader #twilight #carlisle cullen #edward cullen #jasper cullen #emmett cullen #alice cullen #rosalie cullen #bella swan #jacob black #benjamin x reader #vladimir #aro volturi #alec volturi #caius volturi #jane volturi #request #requested #requests

[sparklypinkflightsuit]

Predator and Prey: Chapter One

Pairing: Tommy Cahill x Reader

Ongoing Series - Loosely based on ‘Sleeping With the Enemy’

Warnings: 18+ ONLY, Minors do not interact, Slow Burn, War Inaccuracies, Mention of PTSD but barely, Stalking, Abuse, Sexual Themes, Alcohol, I think that’s it?

Summary: You move to a small town following a bad breakup around the time Tommy goes to Prison, 3 years later you meet and build a relationship, but will your jealous, angry ex ever really let you go?

Notes: Hiiii! This is my first fic since I was like, 13? So apologies if I’ve missed anything! I’m also UK based trying to write as an American so writing styles and words may differ, but I do try! I just feel like we need more Jake Gyllenhaal fics, and I love a slow burn and some thrills so enjoy! Reblogs and comments welcome :)

—————————————————

You groaned as your phones alarm clock chimed on your bedside table, the repetitive high pitched dings already putting you in a bad mood for the day.

You slammed your hand on your phone and blindly prodded the screen in the hopes of turning it off, eventually managing to hit the correct spot.

You lay in your dark room, preparing yourself to get up and out of bed for your day of work. It was only Tuesday but it had already been a long week.

After getting dressed, brushing your teeth and hair, and putting on a little bit of makeup, you set out the door. It was still dark out and the only light illuminating the street ahead was from the old street lights that lined the pavement.

The walk to work was only 10 minutes long, but that morning it felt a lot longer, as you couldn’t shake the feeling of eyes on you. You turned around to check if anyone was around several times, finding nothing but the odd cat or trash can lining the street.

You eventually made it to work and had enough time to make yourself a cup of coffee before flipping the ‘Closed’ sign to ‘Open’.

The day was slower than normal with very few customers walking into your little book store, which was something you could understand with the town being as small as it was, but you had a few regular book worms who would frequent your shop due to the lack of a library in the area. You bided your time by straightening the shelves and readjusting the pillows on the couches in each of the cosy corners by the windows, counting down the minutes and hours until you could close up and go home to your dog, just to do it all again the next day.

On Wednesday evenings your store played host to a soup kitchen due to the large prep area in the back, as your store was once a small Chinese Restaurant before you bought it. You’d agreed to it being used when your store was closed but soon found yourself volunteering to help chop up vegetables and serve, and you enjoyed it more than you thought you would, making it a recurring Wednesday tradition, so at least tomorrow you’d have something to keep yourself busy with.

It wasn’t all bad though, the time you had on your hands. Most afternoons once you had closed up shop, you’d take your dog, Jet, down to the local park to play fletch. Or you’d catch up on your own reading, or try a new recipe only for it to cost you more than takeout and taste nothing like what you’d hoped. It did get lonely though, with the only family you had living on opposite ends of the country, at times you’d considered moving closer to them, but you’d come to love the little town you’d stumbled across 3 years ago.

You’d only moved here from New York when your breakup with Jason had reached boiling point, with him knowing all of your friends, rumours about you soon spread and it became unbearable to stay. He had started stalking you and had your friends keep tabs on everywhere you went, eventually you even opted to forego all social interactions. You had welcomed the fresh start, and once you’d blocked Jason’s number you could finally begin to move on.

One time he had written you a letter after having found your new address on a piece of mail with your forwarding address attached, which somehow made its way to your old apartment instead. The letter was full of threats, demeaning words and also promises of a better life if you returned, but you dismissed these as empty threats, threw away the letter and got on with creating your new life.

You were just about to close up shop early, when the ding of the bell above the door sounded. You turned around to see a tall, dark haired man with a buzzcut, white t-shirt and a brown jacket walk in. You noticed a small tattoo on his neck.

“Hi, are you after anything specific?” You asked with a small smile, trying not to seem overbearing.

The man smiled politely, but didn’t maintain eye contact for long, and went back to scanning the low shelves near the front door.

“No I’m fine, thank you though.” He said. His voice was deep and gruff, and his eyes crinkled when he smiled.

“Okay, just let me know if you need anything.” You smiled back, and turned back to the counter where you were organising receipt rolls and pens. You hated it when you went into a store to browse and the staff lingered, so had never done this to your own customers, giving them space.

After a minute or two, the man cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Actually, sorry, yeah. I’m after a book on PTSD, like how to manage it and stuff, do you have anything like that?” He said, rubbing the back of his head as he looked up at you sheepishly.

Oh, perhaps he was one of those army guys, who had seen some horrible things in the war.

“Uhh, yeah we do actually. It’s just overrr…. Here!” You said walking over to a shelf on the left of the store, under the “self help” section.

“We only have the one though, I’m not sure if it will be much help?” You said handing him the book.

“Thanks.” He said, taking the book and scanning over the cover, “It’s not for me.” He added, looking awkward.

“Say no more.” You smiled and laughed a little to ease the tension he may have been feeling.

You walked back to the counter and waited for the man to follow. He took out a twenty dollar bill and waited for you to ring up how much the book would cost. You thought for a moment, and decided to do your one good thing that day.

“Uhh…. It looks like we don’t actually have the book in our system, and no price is showing up, I guess it’s free.” You lied, laughing lightly and pushing his twenty back to him.

The man thought for moment and looked you in the eye. “You really don’t need to do that, I promise the book’s not for me anyway. It’s for my brother.” He shrugged.

“Well then I guess your brother gets a free book.” You smiled, putting the book in a paper bag and handing it to the man.

He smiled, a genuine and slightly crooked smile, and thanked you. He took one last look at you and went to head out the door.

“Wait!” You called suddenly, your bravery getting the best of you. He turned around.

“I haven’t seen you around before, are you local?” You asked.

“Yeah… I’ve been away for a while. My names Tommy.” He smiled.

“Nice to meet you Tommy. I’m (Y/N), hope to see you around.” You smiled back, and turned to go back to your tidying.

Tommy left feeling happier than he had in a while. He hadn’t had a friendly encounter with the towns folk since coming out of prison, or with his family since Sam came back from Afghanistan and the news had come out that he and Grace had kissed.

Tommy didn’t have feelings for Grace, not real feelings anyway, and he realised this once Sam returned. Tommy chalked it up to the grief they both felt having thought he had died, as well as the happiness he felt when he was in a family environment. No, the only feelings Tommy had for Grace now were guilt, and he struggled to be around them.

He had decided to buy a book on how to manage PTSD so he knew how to handle Sam, who was due to come home from his stay at the psychiatric unit. Tommy felt sad that things had become so hard for Sam, and he was determined to not make things any worse.

Your act of kindness towards Tommy had turned a bad day around, and as he drove home that evening, he couldn’t help but think about the warm smile and beautiful eyes that he found at the little bookstore on the corner.

You had just closed up the shop, and began to walk home as the light dipped behind the horizon, casting the sky in a blue haze, the street lights had since flickered on and you watched your shadow grow large and then small as you passed under each one. Jet’s dog walker would have left around 3 hours ago and you bet he’d be itching for another walk, so hurried as fast as you could.

About a block from home you stopped suddenly as your breath caught in your throat and your heart sped up. You could hear footsteps close behind, and the they were closing the gap between you quickly. You spun around prepared to come face to face with an attacker or someone hoping to snatch your measly purse, but were met with an empty sidewalk dimly lit by street lamps and lined with trees.

You strained your eyes for any movement, but eventually convinced yourself you were being paranoid, and speed walked the rest of the way home, only letting your breath go once you were safely inside and you had locked your door.

———————

-Chapter Two Here-

#jake gyllenhaal #jake gyllenhaal gif #quentin beck #character: elwood dalton #david loki #gyllenhaaledit #jake gyllenhaal gifs #jacob gyllenhaal #jacob benjamin gyllenhaal #donnie darko #jack twist #pilot kelson #jake gyllenhaal x reader #Tommy Cahill x reader

[strangethings-everywhere]

Here’s the cast of characters for my Parkner fic

Tom Holland as Peter Parker (duh)

Ty Simpkins as Harley Keener (obviously)

Zendaya and Jacob Batalon as MJ and Ned

Benjamin Wadsworth as Harry Osborn

Jack Mulhern (MY LOVE) as Danny Rantz (OC)

AND THERE IS MORE TO COME 👍🏻 Proof That Harley Keener Has A Heart by booknerds_unite on AO3

#peter parker #tom holland #harley keener #ty simpkins #zendaya #mj watson #ned leeds #jacob batalon #harry osborn #benjamin wadsworth #jack mulhern #harley keener x peter parker #parkner #proof that Harley keener has a heart

[rebelliousstories]

Jack Twist x Male reader anyone? Like I get the story that is being told with Brokeback Mountain, but the fact that Jack didn't get his happily ever after on a ranch is something that keeps me up at night. But does anyone want to read that? Just a little something where we can all pretend that Jack got to be happy.

Look at his face and tell me that he doesnt deserve a happy ending

#rebelliousstories #writing #jack twist #jack twist imagine #jack twist x reader #brokeback mountain #brokeback mountain imagine #brokeback mountain fanfiction #jack x ennis #ennis del mar x jack twist #jack twist x ennis del mar #jake gyllenhaal x reader #jake gyllenhaal imagine #jake gyllenhaal #jacob benjamin gyllenhaal

[pokechbi]

Chapter 4 <3

The cold November wind bit at my cheeks as I walked down the street, tote bags in hand. I was walking down the street to the local grocery store. I had really underestimated how cold it would be up here on the northern part of the East Coast. Pulling my jacket closer to me, I look up at the sky and let out a shaky breath. 

After Detective Loki had left the other night, I made myself busy with house chores and ordered Chinese takeout for Mark and I. He came home and pretty much left me alone, which I was used to. I couldn't complain, though. It was easier to be left alone than to be pestered by a man-child that I wasn't even sure I loved anymore. 

It was a hard task, hiding all of my subconscious smiles from him when thinking about Detective Loki. I knew that if he saw me smiling to myself like an idiot for no reason at all, he'd know something was up. As much as I wanted to settle down and start a new chapter in this sleepy little town, I wanted so bad to get away from Mark. I needed to get away from him. I wanted to go to New York City, become a freelance writer and live my dream. Or just start it somewhere, at least. Some place where I couldn't be found.  And with the sea of bustling people in New York, it seemed like the perfect place. I would maybe even travel, or find love somewhere in the breezy countryside of Paris, France. It's a cliché dream, but it's what I wanted, and what I strived for. I smiled to myself thinking of traveling with Detective Loki, but I shot it down instinctively. I didn't even know the man. Before I met Mark, I had aspirations. I had a heart full of love and gave it to the first person who asked. And it got me nowhere good. I didn't want to make the same mistake again.

With my jean-covered legs being on auto-pilot and my mind elsewhere, I reached the main street pretty fast. Watching the bustle of the neighborhood brought me a small joy. I strolled past some city workers putting up Christmas decorations. I wondered if I could get out by Christmas. But as much as the thought of leaving to New York City so soon appealed to me, I wanted to take a break from being so on edge. Mark was working nearly all day, and I usually had the house to myself, to do whatever I wanted until I would start my new job. I made a mental note to myself to keep myself calm, and stay on Mark's good side if I wanted my temporary stay here to be the least bit enjoyable. 

I took a deep breath, and inhaled the crispy winter air that smelled of wet leaves and café food. Entering the market, I grabbed a shopping cart and headed to the first isle I saw. I planned on walking around for a good bit, getting to know the market and what I could bring home all by myself. I need to invest in a car, once I start working. I can't rely on him to take me everywhere. i thought to myself. 

Walking mindlessly throughout the isles, I reached the frozen section where I planned on rummaging. I loved to cook, I thought of it as an art. I cooked all the time when Mark and I first started dating. He loved my cooking, and that was one of the first things we did together once we made our relationship official. We loved to do it together. But now, I couldn't bring myself to put as much love into it as I used to. I missed it. 

I picked up some frozen garlic toast, pondering making Spaghetti and Meatballs for dinner, when I heard a familiar voice behind me. 

"I personally like the New York Bakery brand. Or better yet, homemade." I turned and was face-to-face with Detective Loki. He was wearing a black winter coat, zipped up to his jaw, covering that neck tattoo that I liked to stare at. His hair was slicked back and neat as always, and his smell instantly drifted towards my direction. I remembered not to sniff so hard this time. 

"Oh! It's you" I say with a toothy grin and a chuckle. "Yeah, I make a bomb garlic toast from scratch, but I'm not in a huge cooking mood today, you know how it is." I toss the toast into my cart with a shrug, leaning on my shopping cart to face him. 

"Trust me, I understand." He looks at me with a sarcastic smile, motioning to his shopping basket, filled with instant ramen noodles and a case of energy drinks. I let out a hearty laugh, feeling heat rise up to my cheeks. As funny as it was, I felt bad for him. I could tell he needed a better diet, especially with the hard work and long hours he does.

"How's everything going? With the case, you know." I say, my smile fading. I couldn't even imagine the pain this case was causing everyone. Detective Loki included. It must have been why his diet only consisted of instant noodles and energy drinks. 

"Oh. You know. It's been rough on everyone. The first 48 hours always is. We're holding the first search party tonight, if you want to come on by and help the girls' families out. I'm sure they'd appreciate it." 

"Yeah, I'd love that. I'm sorry,  haven't heard about it on the news or anything. Haven't invested in a TV just yet, haha." I say with a light giggle. "What time is the search party?" I look up at his eyes, feeling a rush of heat through my body. He made eye contact with me, taking a second to respond, his eyes blinking a couple times before he spoke.

"At 6. It's about a quarter to. You can stop by at the station and we'll be handing out vests and gear and all that stuff." I was more than happy to help out. I wanted to try my best and help these families find their daughters. If it were my child, I'd want people to do the same. 

"Sounds good. " I smile and a nod. "I'll walk home and drop this stuff off and I'll be on my way. My place is probably a 15 minute walk from here." I say, tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear. 

"Let me drive you." He says in a firm tone. I hesitated for a second, "No, I couldn't ask you to do that. I don't live that far." I say with a nervous chuckle.

"Don't mention it." He says, waving a hand in dismissal. "It's cold out, and you've got a lot of groceries to handle. It's the least I can do." He says with a gentle smile. "You can count this as a favor returned for that great coffee you made me." He says. I couldn't help but smile at his absolute charm. His vibe was so comforting. I wanted to give him a hug and never let go. 

"I'll go ahead and checkout, and I'll meet you in the front of the store. Sound good?" He says. I didn't even get a chance to refuse it. He was so persistent in helping me. I loved that about him already. I didn't feel a tiny bit guilty wanting to get into his car and talk a bit more, even if it was for a short time before he had to get back to work. 

"Alright then" I say in happy defeat. "I'm almost done here." I mention towards the isle of frozen foods.

"No worries, take your time." He says strolling away into the next isle.

...

Lugging my bags of groceries to the front of the store, I feel a hand on my back and a woman's voice speak out to me.

"Miss, let me help you with that. You've got an awful lot of groceries there for such a small lady." She says with a chuckle. I turn to face her, and I'm face to face with an average height woman, who looks to be in her fifties. She had frizzy graying hair, and some outdated glasses. What's with these people and their 80's glasses?  I think to myself. 

"Oh, it's alright, thank you so much. I've got someone to help me, but thanks so much for the offer, umm..."

"Holly. Holly Jones. And no, I insist. Let me help you carry this to your car, please." She was insistent on helping me, and wouldn't let me say no. Her persistence caught me off guard and put me off a bit, but I was stuck in a position where I couldn't leave, or decline her offer. I clearly wasn't able to carry them alone. 

"That's alright, Mrs. Jones. I can help her carry them." Detective Loki walked up to us, slightly waving a hand in dismissal in Holly's direction. She looked up at him above her glasses, a frown plastered on her wrinkled face.

"Ahhh. Detective...Loki, was it? The man who let my son be attacked by a deranged man." She said in a low tone. I didn't know what she was talking about, but I could feel the tension rising. "Say, Detective, did you arrest that man for assault? I would hope so, considering your reputation around here." She says, looking around. There wasn't many people left in the store, but the cashiers were starting to take notice of the situation forming. 

Embarrassed, I looked at Detective Loki, his eyes blinking rapidly and his brows furrowing. He bends down to grab my bags, and avoids eye contact with the woman. "Let's go, Cass." He says harshly. God, I loved the way my name rolled off of his tongue. I follow after him, looking back at the woman who had a smug smirk on her face, both hands gripping her shopping cart handle.

"He wouldn't be in this position if he kept his daughter on a tighter leash, Detective." She says in his direction. I look at him, the anger rising up to his face, and his eyes blinking. As he seems to do when he's thinking hard about something, or angry in this case. I instinctively put a hand on his bicep, trying to bring him back down to himself. I feel the outline of his muscles in my palm, feeling the sweat starting to rise in my hands. I give his arm a small squeeze, out of my own selfish curiosity. 

"Please, Loki. She's just taunting you. It's just pettiness. Let it go, okay? Let's go. We've got those girls to look for." I say softly, with sorrowful eyes. I placed a gentle hand on the space between his muscular shoulders. He seemed to relax into my touch a bit, so I gave him a gentle rub and let go. I felt extremely bad, feeling as if it were my fault that I had put him in that position. He looks at me, and then speaks. 

"You're right. Let's go." He took a deep breath, letting out a shaky breath. I could tell he was still angry, just trying to hide it as best as he could. Male rage was my specialty, and being with Mark taught me to learn the ins and outs of body language when it came to them about to lose control of themselves. 

We walked to the car in silence. It wasn't so much awkward, but it was a tension-filled moment that put us in a weird silence. As we loaded the trunk with the grocery bags, I looked up to Detective Loki. "Are you alright? I know that was...something." I say, trying to lighten the mood. 

"Yeah, I..I'm alright. Stuff like that just doesn't make this job easy when there's so much pressure. You know?" He says with a gentler tone, distancing his stare. "I'm trying my hardest here. I'm human too." His words made me want to wrap him in a warm blanket, and rip him away from all of his worries.

"Yeah. I get it. It's so hard on you already, I don't understand the lack of empathy some people have." I say, nodding my head in understanding. He looks at me and smiles, nodding his head also. 

"You get it. That's refreshing to know." 

We both get inside of the car, rubbing our hands together and scrambling to turn the car's heat on. 

"Thank you, Loki. You didn't have to do this, you know." 

"David. You can call me David." He says, pressing the Heat button on the dashboard. "And it's no worries. I'll be damned if I let you walk home alone in the cold and dark with that many bags. How would you defend yourself with your hands full?" He says quietly, looking directly at me. He looked my face up and down, his eyes landing on my lips. When he lowered his tone, I felt a tingle between my legs. His voice was so gentle, so charming. I wanted him to whisper sweet nothings in my ear. 

Still looking at me, he chuckles and puts the car into drive. 

"Don't know, David. Guess I'll need a knight in shining armor to defend me, huh." I say sarcastically. 

"I wonder who that is" He says invitingly. 

We both let out shy laughter and with that, we were off to my place.

#david loki #detective david loki #fanfic #jake gyllenhaal #prisoners #detective x reader #jake gyllenhaal fanfic #jacob benjamin gyllenhaal #jake gyllenhaal x reader #david loki x reader #detective loki x reader

[twilight-moodboards]

Moodboard of Jacob x Benjamin.

Requested by: @shortdayslongnightsboy​

#twilight #twilight saga #twilight fandom #twilight ships #TwiPride #twilight aesthetic #twilight moodboard #jacob black #benjamin twilight #jacob x benjamin #mod cassandra

[jakeseresinnix]

My headcanon.

Jake Hangman Seresin’s full name: Jacob Alecxander Benjamin Seresin.

Natasha Phoenix Trace’s full name: Natasha Alexandria Mia Trace.

They first discovered that they both had similar middle names during roll call, in which they both turned to each other, flabbergasted & disgusted, before getting constantly teased by their squadron for being middle name twins which worsened their bickering and rivalry. 😂😂😂 and hence born a potential Hannix AU fanfic 😝

#hannix #hangman x phoenix #monglen #jake hangman seresin #natasha phoenix trace #Jacob alecxander benjamin seresin #natasha Alexandria Mia Trace #hannix au #hannix headcanon #TGm #tgm headcanon #hangnix

[charmantevamp]

♫— I would not marry a doctor, they’re always killing the sick.

I’d rather marry a soldier boy that marches double quick…

O soldier boy, o soldier boy, o soldier boy for me if ever I get married, a soldier's wife I’ll be!

#curseconsumed #curseconsumed (jacob) #Audrey and Jacob #(by proxy) #honorhearted #ben x audrey #benjamin / my sunbeam #music / audrey #musings / a killer queen #historical verse. #charm them back again / queue

[romikawai]

jacob x benjamin

consult, do you know if in the books benjamin and jacob are together…

I saw a movie, not books and I liked their chemistry

#jacob x benjamin

[bobby-r2d2-floyd]

The Nanny (Hangman x Reader)

authors note: so, hangman won by a long shot in the poll, but for the few that voted for the rest, they're still coming! i have to deal with the bs with my basement and i am a college student, so i have to deal with my coursework as well.

inspired by @roosterforme

this will be a mutli part series, im not sure how many parts though

pairing: jake "hangman" seresin x benjamin niece!reader; established mav x penny

warnings: some swear words and an inaccurate depiction of how social workers handle dropping a baby off to its living, absent father. also cyclone is a dad bc jon hamm if a dilf.

not proof or beta read, we die like men.

summary: Hangman wakes up one day to a social worker and an infant on his doorstep. the infant? his 3 month old daughter.

word count: 1.9k

-----------

It was the one day that the Dagger squad had a later morning (11am, per Maverick’s request), so when the pounding on Jake’s door woke him up at 8:45, he was a little pissed.

He stumbled out of bed and the arms of some red head whose name he definitely doesn’t remember, throwing on a shirt along the way to his front door where the pounding is originating from and reverberating through his skull. “I heard you the first fucking time,” he curses out, throwing the door open and preparing to unleash verbal hell on the person standing at his doorstep.

All the words die out though when he sees an older woman standing there with a sleeping baby in a car seat at her feet. “Jacob Seresin?” she asks and his eyes bounce between the infant and the woman.

“Yes?” he asks, voice cracking a bit as he looks back to the woman.

“Do you mind if I come in?” he nods and moves aside as she picks up the car seat and steps inside. “My name is Caroline Husband, I’m a social worker for the state of California.” she tells him as she sets the seat down on his coffee table, “and this is Avery. Your daughter.” 

Jake feels his heart stop as he looks down at the little girl, “what, what do you mean?” he sinks down to the floor on his knees, heart racing and Caroline gives him a small smile.

“Her mother-” she looks down at the paperwork she was holding, “Samantha Barnes, passed away from complications shortly after birth, you were listed as father on the birth certificate.” 

Samantha Barnes… Jake remembered her with a small smile. They were briefly exclusive before she had disappeared one night, leaving behind the memories and a note saying she needed to go back home to help with her ailing father, her last living relative that she still spoke to.

“H-how uh, how old is she?” he asks, taking her small, but definitely bigger than a newborn, hand in between his finger and thumb.

“She spent some time with a foster while the state was waiting for you to return stateside. She just turned 3 months old.” Caroline forms him, which makes sense as he was just in the middle of the ocean for the last five months. “I have some supplies in my car that her foster mom put together for you, should you choose to keep her.” 

“Choose to?” he asks, as if there was any other option for him. The second he found out Avery was his, there was never any other option.

“You can alway sign your parental rights away, there’s plenty of families looking to adopt babies.” she says and he shakes his head.

“No, she stays with me,” Jake says as he stands and Caroline smiles up at him.

“Well then, there’s all the information that you need. Her old foster mom made a list of information for you, her pediatrician, what formula she was feeding, how to prepare bottles...” she goes on to tell him more necessary information about Avery but tunes her out as he watches the little girl start to wake up and look around, well, as much as a 3 month old can, he supposed. “Here’s my card, it has my personal cell phone number on the back should you not be able to reach me at my office in the event of an emergency.” 

He takes it with a smile and a thank you before walking Caroline to the door to help her bring the items in from her car and as quickly as she was here, she was gone. Leaving Jake to sit on his couch as he stares into the eyes of his daughter. 

He kicks out his guest after 15 minutes of sitting there before he’s googling how to put a car seat base securely into the back seat of a F-150. After fighting for what felt like an hour (only 10 minutes) he has his daughter secured in his car before driving way under the speed limit to The Hard Deck, only 45 minutes late to meeting up with the rest of the Daggers but as soon as they see him walk into the bar with a car seat, all the teasing for being late blows out of there mind. 

“Do we need to call the police?” Bradley teases and Jake lets out a nervous laugh.

“No.. no police needed.” Jake says as he sets his daughter’s car seat and diaper bag in the middle of the pool table the team was surrounding.

“Well, then who is this?” 

Jake takes a deep breath before answering, “this is my daughter, Avery Seresin.”

Immediately the team has plenty of questions for the team’s resident playboy. He explains the situation as best he can with the information he got from Caroline.

“I never even knew Sam was pregnant. She never said anything and then she was gone.” Jake says softly as he looks down as his daughter in his arms, sleepily drinking from the bottle he made and Penny gives him a smile.

“You seem like a natural already.” she says, snapping a photo of the daddy-daughter moment and he smiles.

“Yeah, I was still around when my sisters started having their own kids, all girls too, ironically.” he responds with a small laugh and the movement of his chest startled Avery awake and she starts drinking more steadily again.

The squad takes the rest of the day before the bar opens with turns holding the newest member of the team. Aside from Jake, Bob and Natasha were the only other two who seemed comfortable enough to hold her without needing any instruction on support for her head. 

“Does Cyclone know you have a kid yet?” Mav asks as he takes his turn holding Avery, seasoned from when Bradley was a baby and he used to watch him while Carole and Goose needed alone time. 

“Fuck, no not yet.” Jake groans as he rubs his hands over his face. “I need to go see him.”

“Go see him now, between Penny being a mom and me dealing with Bradley as a baby there’s plenty of experience here to watch Avery for a bit while you try to get some time to adjust to dad-life.” Mav says and Jake looks over at him.

“You’re serious?” 

“Yeah, besides, Avery is already better at 3 months than Rooster ever was.” Mav teases and Bradley makes a couple of offended noises before being slapped in the chest by Natasha. 

Jake nods, “okay well here’s her-”

“Hangman, get out of here. I did all this with Amelia.” Penny says as she pushes him towards the door and Jake pulls her into a hug.

“Thank you so much, Pen.” he says, meaning it too since Penny is the closest thing to a mom that he has since he hasn’t talked to his real mom in years. 

The drive into base wasn’t a long one, but felt like it was with how often he was checking his backseat and not seeing his daughter before remembering she was safe with Penny and Maverick at the bar. 

Walking into Admiral Simpson’s office, Jake broke out into a nervous sweat. “Um, excuse me, sir.” he says as he knocks on the open door.

Both Admiral Simpson and Admiral Bates looked up at him from where they were sitting at the desk discussing some news that they received from higher ups. 

“Can I help you, Lieutenant?” Cyclone asks and Jake nods, taking that as an ‘okay’ to walk into the office.

“Yes actually, I uh.. I was wondering if I would be able to get leave, sir. I had a surprise visit from a social worker this morning and-and my infant daughter.” he says as he straightens out his back and rolls his shoulders back.

“You have a child?” Cyclone asks, closing the folder that he had open to focus more on Jake. “Since when?” 

“Well, as of 9am this morning, sir. Her mother passed away after she was born and no other living relatives so… She’s currently with me. Well, not with me Captain Mitchell and Penny Benjamin are currently watching her.. sir.” 

Warlock and Cyclone share a look and Jake stands there nervously, “I know that this is short notices but all I’m asking for is a week to figure things out, find a sitter, get some kind of a routine started for-”

“Okay.” Cyclone says and Jake looks at him instead of the spot that he had been looking at on the wall. “You only want just one week?”

“I can have more, sir?” Cyclone nods, having recently become a father himself and knows how important bonding is for parents. 

“Unless something urgent comes, how does three weeks sound?” he asks as he pulls something up on his computer and begins to type.

“I would greatly appreciate that.” Jake says with a small smile and Cyclone nods, ending the conversation and Jake starts to walk out of the office.

“Seresin?” Warlock calls out and Jake turns around, “congratulations.”

“Thank you, sirs.” 

Jake drives back to the bar already feeling lighter than he had in the last 6 hours, and upon walking back into the watering hole, he sees a red faced Avery and a panicked Rooster.

“Bradshaw what did you do to my daughter?” 

“What did I do? She threw up on me!” he says, holding the infant safely, and at an arm's length away. 

The rest of the team is laughing behind him and Jake just takes Avery and lays her against him so her head is on his shoulder, “well I’m sure you deserved it.” 

Bradley glares at him before wandering away to the bathroom to clean up. Jake smiles and rubs his daughters back as she babbles in his ear.

“How did talking to the boss go?” Penny asks and Jake smiles.

“Really good, actually. Said I can have three weeks as long as nothing urgent comes up that’ll need the full team's attention.” 

“Well, if you ever need a nanny so you can have a break and none of us are available, my niece just moved to the area and is looking for work.” Penny says with a small smile as Jake moves to sit next to her. “Plus she has a degree in early childhood and special education.” 

“Okay, yeah I’ll let you know.” he says with a nod.

“Well, you can meet her tonight, she’s supposed to come and help me out here for the night since Jimmy can’t make it in.” Jake just nods and Penny pats his shoulder that Avery isn’t sleeping on while she stands to start opening duties for the bar. 

Jake didn’t end up meeting Penny’s niece that night, or any time in the following week. In fact, it wasn’t until the last week of his leave that he met her. 

Jake was holding Avery as he walked into the bar before it opened, she was babbling up a storm and he took his sunglasses off to put on the top of his head when he saw someone new behind the bar, head thrown back and laughing at something that Bob had said. 

You look over at him and he swears his heart stopped, “Hi! I’m Y/N Benjamin, but you can call me Saturn.”

------------

next part

-----------

taglist: if you want to join the taglist for all my future works, shoot me a message and i'll be happy to add you :)

@mandylove1000

#glen powell imagine #jake seresin #hangman seresin #jake 'hangman' seresin #jake seresin imagine #jake seresin x reader #hangman x reader #top gun maverick #dagger squad #bradley bradshaw #bob floyd #natasha trace #hangman seresin x reader #not beta read we die like men

[twilight-at-midnight]

Twilight Writing Prompt

***

Angst:

1) “I was only pranking you!”

2) “What? Can’t take a harmless joke?”

3) “If you’re looking for sympathy, you can find it in the dictionary. It’s between shit and syphilis.”

4) “You are my greatest regret to ever have come into my life.”

5) “I can’t think of anything worse! You are nothing but selfish!”

6) “I need some alone time, get over it!”

7) “Over it!”

8) “So, everyone in the world is deceived except for you?”

9) “That’s not what I’m saying!”

Bonus: “We can’t be friends anymore.”

10) “You didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t you dare try and apologize for something you haven’t done or anything to do with!”

11) “Come here, let me hold you.”

12) “You have nothing to apologize for.”

13) “I know you’re hurt, (Y/n). You can’t lie to me, show me where it hurts so I can help you.”

14) “Here, hold my hand.”

15) “Sure we can cuddle, if that’ll make you feel better.”

Bonus: “Did you not sleep again last night, (Y/n)?”

16) “Let me take care of it, alright? You need to rest.”

17) “I don’t need a babysitter! I’m (y/a) years old!”

18) “I’m here to take care of you, (Y/n).”

19) “Don’t you roll your eyes at me!”

20) “You’re starting to sound like my father.”

21) “Where the hell have you been?!”

22) “None of your business!”

23) “(Y/n), we’re just really worried about you!”

24) “Well, don’t worry about me! I’m fine!”

25) “You have just kicked over a hornets nest.”

Fluff/angst:

1) “What makes you think I’d do something like that?”

2) “Please… leave me alone.”

3) “You play the M/I so beautifully.” (M/I = Musical Instruments)

4) “Why should I follow your plan? What’s in it for me?”

5) “I never thought I’d get to live up to the day where I actually get to witness your first curse word.”

6) “It’s not funny!”

7) “To hell, it’s not!”

8) “Can I take you for a ride?”

9) “Sounds like something I need.”

10) “Don’t be too upset, (Y/n). I believe and I always will.”

11) “It seems to me that you’re the only supporter I’ve got and you have no idea how much you mean to me. It’s hard to describe just how much.”

12) “As in, you mean the world?”

13) “Not even that can put words together in the right way.”

14) “Your cuteness is making everyone stare, stop it.”

15) “You make me proud. You know that, right?”

16) “Can we just get in bed?”

17) “I don’t want to take a chance on the possibility that would make you as sick as I am.”

18) “Any time without you is far too long. I’m not going to get sick, just let me hold you until you fall back asleep.”

19) “I’m reaching the level where I don’t give a fuck.”

20) “I don’t care, I’m not letting you get up until your one hundred percent better.”

21) “What did you just do?”

22) “You’re the most important thing in the world to me. You’re my absolute world.”

23) “Give me a hug!”

25) “God, I missed you so much!.”

26) “Hey, let me in! I’m out here with your favorite pizza!”

Funny/angst:

1) “When it comes to pranks, you have to know when to start as well as you know where to stop. Don’t take it too far.”

2) “Here, take my arm. I don’t want you to fall.”

3) “You know I’ll always be here for you, right?”

4) “Let me kiss it better.”

5) “I know you’re mad at me, but would a kiss change your mind?”

6) “I don’t care what they think and neither should you. They win if you allow them to have the satisfaction they’re looking for, whatever you do, don’t give them that.”

7) “Even when you annoy the hell out of me, I still love you.”

8) “You call this a problem? I call it a solution.”

9) “Not cool, (Y/n). It’s not cool!”

10) “Well, what can I say? I’m a badass.”

11) “Do I get bonus points if I pretend to care?”

12) “Where was I when you dropped on your head?”

13) “Don’t talk to me like that!”

14) “I could banish you, you know. Watch yourself!”

15) “How the hell did you survive that?”

16) “Excuse me, I have to go make a scene.”

17) “I’m gonna need some therapy after this.”

18) “I already know that I’m going to hell. At this point, it’s really go big or go home.”

19) “Just stay near me, alright? I don’t like the way everyone’s staring at you.”

20) “You still don’t have to be incredibly rude about it. I was just asking, it was just a question. It really doesn’t mean anything.”

21) “Did you not sleep again last night?”

22) “Did you see that? You saw that, right?”

23) “You’re like a drug to me.”

24) “You might wanna reconsider your tone of voice, sometimes you make me so mad!”

25) “It seems as though everyone has taken a shine to you.”

26) “Kiss me again.”

All the above:

1) “I’ve got this handled, alright? You don’t need to butt in every time.”

2) “You’re ruining everyone’s good time. Keep quiet.”

3) “I didn’t know you could sing.”

4) “Have you lost your mind? I’ll help you find it!”

5) “It’s been ages! It’s amazing to see you again! How have you been!”

6) “You’re the absolute best! Thank you for coming!”

7) “What sounds good to you that you’ll eat?”

8) “Don’t let them get to you. If they were your friends, they would be sticking up for you instead of going along to make fun of you.”

9) “You promise that you’ll call me if you ever need anything?”

10) “I love you more!”

11) “I’ve been an idiot through this whole thing.”

12) “Darn right you have.”

***

@twilight-reader-inserts

Requests: open

Characters include:

• Carlisle Cullen

• Edward Cullen

• Emmett Cullen

• Jasper Cullen

• Jacob Black

• Aro Volturi

• Caius Volturi

• Jane Volturi

• Riley

•,Rosalie Hale

• Alice Cullen

#twilight imagines #twilight imagine #twilight x reader #twiligjt #carlisle cullen #edward cullen #emmett cullen #rosalie cullen #alice cullen #jasper cullen #jane volturi x reader #riley biers imagine #twilight riley imagines #twilight imagines riley #caius volturi #rosalie hale x reader #benjamin x reader #jacob black x reader #requested #requests #request #ask box #prompt list

[sparklypinkflightsuit]

Pretty boy

#jake gyllenhaal #jake gyllenhaal gif #jake gyllenhaal gifs #highway 2002 #highway #pilot kelson x reader #pilot kelson #jacob gyllenhaal #jacob benjamin gyllenhaal

[sarahsmi13s]

Duckie

Chapter 9

pairing: jake ‘hangman’ seresin x bradshaw!reader; bradley ‘rooster’ bradshaw x twin sister!reader

characters: y/n bradshaw, nick bradshaw, jake seresin, penny benjamin, serenity hart, denver miller

word count: ~10.7k (don't kill me i know the chapter lengths are all over the place, i'm sorry)

warnings: language, parental doubts, canon character deaths mentioned, drinking, thunderstorms, jake being an absolute sweetheart

a/n: i want to apologize that is has been 8 months since i have last updated the main story, i really didn't think it would take that long... but i just wanted to make sure i was proud of the chapter and i really do think i am proud of it. so thank you for your patience and i hope you enjoy 💜

series summary: daughter of goose and carole and twin sister to bradley ‘rooster’ bradshaw, y/n bradshaw also got her papers pulled when she tried to enlist in the Navy. which turned out to not be as bad as she thought.

chapter summary: a week after duckie and jake went on their "not-date" she is seriously regretting not getting jake's number before he left -- considering they haven't seen each other since. though, as fate would have it, that weekend they see each other at the beach and as duckie is walking away jake gets a push from his friends to get her number. little does he know he'll be getting much more than that from her

'duckie' universe

previous chapter || next chapter

It had been a hectic week since your ‘not date’ date with Jake and honestly… you were missing him. Nick was missing him too, hugging the cowboy manta ray every afternoon when he napped. You were really kicking yourself for not getting his number, you had no way of talking to him. And you both were busy, you with school stuff and softball practices and Jake with his Top Gun classes. So you just had to bet on the off chance of running into him again.

Late that Saturday morning, you and Nick were walking the beach, occasionally splashing in the surf. You wanted to tire him out so when Serenity came over later to babysit, he wasn’t too much trouble.

At some point when you had been distracted, Nick had run off without you noticing, most likely seeing something he liked or wanted.

When you do notice his absence, it’s because you don’t hear giggling and splashing. You look down next to you and panic shoots through you when you see that your son isn’t right at your feet. 

“Nick? Nick! Nicky!”

Your chest heaved with your panicked breathing, thoughts running through your mind a mile and a half a minute as you shouted and ran across the beach like a mad woman – shouting for your son.

How could this happen? How could you not notice that your toddler wasn’t right next to you? What kind of mother gets that distracted that she doesn’t even hear her child run off? How did you not notice? Why didn’t you hear him? Why did you let something else pull your attention away that fast and for that long?

Maybe those middle aged mothers in the store were right? Maybe you were too young to be a decent mom… Maybe you shouldn’t–

“Han’man!” 

The small, but excited voice shut your thoughts off in an instant, relief flooding your entire body as you ran in the direction you heard your son – nearly tripping over your own feet in the panic. 

You spotted the classic beach volleyball court and saw Jake pick him up, looking equally as confused as he was happy. 

“Nick where’s your-” 

“Nicholas Jacob!” You called, adrenaline still pumping through your body.

Your son yelped a little and turned into Jake’s neck upon hearing you shout as the pilot cringed. The first and middle name? Never a good sign. 

“Oooh, someone’s in trouble,” he mumbled, instinctively rubbing the child’s back in order to keep him calm. 

The other aviators noticed this and gave Hangman a confused look. They were in the middle of a volleyball match and then boom a toddler’s running into the pilot's legs. And now he was comforting said child, not something they would expect from him usually.

Nick threw his arms around Jake’s neck, not turning to look at you as you ran over, sliding a little as the sand shifted under your heavy steps. “You can’t just run off like that! Do you know how worried I was?!”

The other pilots probably should have looked away, minded their own business. But now they were very intrigued as you came up to Jake as he held your son. 

And by the time you got in arms reach you had calmed down slightly, trying to channel your mother to help you handle this situation.

“Nicky,” you coaxed, as you got closer and reached out to rub his back. He just buried his face into Jake’s shoulder, a small cry coming from his lips as he hugged the pilot tighter. He hates yelling, he doesn’t like it when people are mad at him. You played with his curls, knowing that he thought you were angry, “Baby, I’m not mad… You just worry me when you run off like that. You are too much like your Uncle.” 

Nick looked at you finally, but still rested his head on Jake’s shoulder. His eyes were red and you sighed, knowing that he still thought you were mad. “I’m sorry I shouted, Nicky. Mama’s not mad at you. I promise.” He sniffled and reached out for you. You smiled softly and took him into your arms, then he promptly buried his face into your shoulder.

“I’m so sorry, guys,” you apologized, looking around at all the pilots. “I don’t know how he got away from me.” Jake shook his head, waving it off with a flick of his wrist, “It’s okay. I was winnin’ anyway.” You laughed, bouncing Nick instinctively, “Alright, well, we’ll leave you to it.” You adjusted Nick on your hip, smiling at the men before walking away.

Jake watched you walk away before turning back to his classmates, clapping his hands together and ready to start the next match. But he was met with crossed arms and expecting looks. “Okay let’s – What?” 

“You’re in so deep, Hangman,” Denver, also known as ‘Ransom’, said with a teasing scoff. “Have you gotten her number yet?” 

The blond shook his head, “No but I figured she’d offer it when she was ready.” The other pilot rolled his eyes. “Seresin, since when have you ever waited for her to make the move?” Jake huffed, “She’s different. I don’t want to move too fast. I want her to know that I’m all in first.” 

Denver crossed his arms, “Hangman, go ask her. Show her you’re all in. She won’t know if you don’t tell her. And I’m pretty sure she’s a little nervous to ask you. You know… given that she doesn’t know!” 

Jake’s eyes widened in realization, making the brunette laugh as Jake jogged after you, “Hey, Y/N, wait up!”

You turned as he called out to you, Nicky looking up as well from his spot on your shoulder. Looking up at him as he slowed down to a stop in front of you, you tilted your head a little, “Yeah?”

He took a few deep breaths, talking with one hand as the other rested on his hip, “First I want to preface, it’s totally cool if you say no. But we’ve been getting to know each other, and I was wondering if I could get your number?” 

You looked at Nick then back at Jake, thinking about your response carefully. “I’ll be at the bar tonight. Come by and we’ll talk about it.” 

Jake nodded, and smirked, “I look forward to it.” He ruffled Nick’s hair before going back to the group.

You smiled, eyeing him as he walked away – a little more confidence in his step as he walked up to his friend. 

You know you were kicking yourself before for not getting his number, but now that he’s asked you… you were hesitant, you felt like you had a lot you needed to tell him before you took this step. Sighing a little, you adjusted Nick on your hip again and made your way back to your car.

During the drive home, Nicky was quiet and played with the shells he had found on the beach.

You knew he was still upset from when you yelled, and you knew that he didn’t quite understand why you were so worried. He was only three after all, and he had so much wonder that it was a miracle he didn’t run off to squash his curiosities more often.

He did need to understand why you had shouted and why you were so worried, it was important that he knew that.

But neither of you were ready to give nor receive that conversation. You were still thrumming with that anxiety from the 90 second eternity it took to find him and he was still upset from when you yelled at him. You just needed to wait for when you got home after you both calmed down.

When you got home, you gave Nicky his bath in near silence as you made sure all the sand was gone and he was clean of salt water.

You had thought through your side of the conversation and decided on how you were going to talk to him.

After getting him bathed and getting some comfy clothes picked out, you knelt in front of him as you helped him dry off.

“Nicky? Can we talk about what happened at the beach?” 

He sniffed, nodding his head under the little shark hood of his towel. 

You smiled softly at him and gave a gentle squeeze to his arms. “You know Mama isn’t angry right?” “You yelled… people yell when they’re angy…” His voice was soft and timid, he was trying not to cry again. 

“Oh baby…” You tilted his head up and cupped his cheek. “Sometimes people yell when they’re angry or mad. But not all the time.” Confusion flashed over his tearfilled eyes and you sighed. 

You sat back on your heels, wiping his tears away with your thumb. “People can yell for a lot of different reasons, Nick. Sometimes we yell or shout because we’re excited, we’ve done that before haven’t we? Like when you saw Hangman and shouted because you were so excited to see him.” 

He nodded, using the towel to wipe his other eye as you gave him an encouraging smile.

“It all comes down to how we say something, and I know that might not make sense just yet, because you’re three, but it will and we’ll talk more about it then. But I know you don’t like yelling when people sound angry or mean, it’s loud and it can be scary, right?” He nodded again, sniffling a little, “Yeah…” 

You nodded, dipping your head a little to look him in the eye. “And Mama’s sorry if she sounded angry or mean, that wasn’t my intention. But you running off like that scared me, it really really scared me. I didn’t know if you were hurt or lost.” 

“But I was safe with Han’man… I was okay Mama…” 

“I know that now. But in the moment I was really worried about you and I didn’t know where you had run off too. That’s why I shouted.” 

You rubbed his arms, making sure to hold eye contact. “You can’t just run off like that without telling me. It makes me worried for your safety.” 

The dam finally broke and Nick started sobbing. “I’m sorry Mama… I-I jus’ saw Han’man an-and wa-wanted to s-say hi…” 

“I know, I know baby,” you cooed, wiping his tears as they fell. “And Mama forgives you, I know you didn’t mean to. And I know there will be times where you’re really really curious and you want to explore, but you have to tell me so I, or someone else, can make sure you’re safe. And there will be times I’m gonna yell, but I still love you okay? And I will do better to control my tone in the future.” 

He sniffled and hugged you tightly, his little arms wrapping around your neck in a grip that rivaled a grown man. You smiled and adjusted your legs, crossing them before wrapping him tighter in his towel and pulling him into your lap.

You sat on his floor for a while, holding him close and rocking back and forth as you pressed kisses to the side of his head.

It wasn’t too long after that conversation that Serenity was using her spare key to come in, finding you and Nick giggling in the living room as you watched Kung Fu Panda.

“Looks like I’m missing all the fun,” she laughed, sitting her backpack down on the bar. 

Nick sat up, a wide smile on his face, “Ren!” She smiled and walked over, her arms out wide for a hug, “Nicky J!” He got off the couch quickly and ran to her, hugging her with a high pitched giggle. 

You smiled as you stood up, “Oh I don’t know about missing the fun, just a little late to the party.” 

“Well, I guess I have some fun to catch up on,” she said as she ruffled Nicky’s curls. “And Mama can relax a little bit.” 

You nodded because now that she was here you could take a shower and get ready to go to the bar. You needed the moment of solitude to collect yourself after your mild panic attack on the beach. Needed to take a second alone to let the parental mask slip and just let yourself feel.

“Yes, and I will be showering and getting ready to go to the bar. You both can finish the movie and give me the rundown when I come back.” 

Serenity nodded, “You got it, we’ll take notes. Won’t we buddy?” Nicky nodded, “And we can act it out for you too!” You smiled and played with his hair, “Yes you can, and I look forward to it.” Nick giggled, running back over to climb on the couch and continue watching the movie.

You looked at the college student, brows raised as you let out a breath. She arched her eyebrow inquisitively, “Mama need me time?” You nodded, rubbing your hands on your thighs. “She needs so much me time. Had a bit of a scare at the beach and I need a minute to process it, without him two feet away… God, that sounds so bad doesn’t it?”

She shook her head, grabbing your wrist gently, “Not at all. You need space to breathe, that’s why I’m here – well, and cause I love that little man over there.” You both laughed, glancing over at the couch where Nick was zeroed in on the TV. 

Her grip tightened momentarily to gain your attention again. “And you’re doing great, Y/N. Don’t ever question that.” 

A rush of tears filled your eyes, a weight you hadn’t realized was sitting on your chest lifting ever so slightly and allowing you to actually breathe again. Biting your lip to keep from crying in front of your son, you hugged Serenity letting out a heavy exhale that released the obsessive thoughts that rattled in your head. 

“Thank you…” 

Your voice was no louder than a whisper, but your gratitude was nothing short of a scream. 

Serenity rubbed your back, “And I will fight anyone that says otherwise. Even you. Understand?” She pulled back only when you did as you nodded and wiped your face. “Good,” she nodded towards your bedroom with a smile. “Now go shower.” 

You nodded, squeezing her shoulder in thanks before jogging towards your room.

She smiled after you before turning to your son, clapping her hands as she walked over, “Okay Nicky, let’s make sure we get all the details for Mama.” 

After your much needed shower, taking the solitary moment to breathe and let more tears fall to just release the stress, you got dressed in a pair of jeans and an old band t-shirt you had held onto from when you went through your mom’s things. And you added a black jacket because it had clouded over while you were in the shower. 

And of course, Nicky gave you the rundown of what you missed of Kung Fu Panda while you got ready before going back to let you finish up.

You took a deep breath as you clasped the guitar pick necklace behind your neck, letting the engraved gold rest against your sternum. Kendall had gotten it for you for graduation, having your favorite lyric of Great Balls of Fire engraved on the front – because he indeed drove you crazy and vice versa. For Christmas, Penny went and had Kendall’s initials engraved on the back, knowing that you’d be giving the necklace to Nicky once he was old enough.

Letting the breath out and calming yourself down, you stepped out of your room and slipped your jacket on as you walked to the door. “Okay, I’m heading out. It looks like it might rain, so just call me if anything happens or you need me to come home, okay?” 

Serenity nodded from her spot on the couch, popping a goldfish cracker into her mouth “Got it, go have fun.” 

You squatted down and Nicky ran over to give you a hug. “Bye Mama, have fun with Han’man.” You smiled and rubbed his back, “I will. Be good for Ren okay? I won’t be back until after you go to bed, so I love you baby.” You gave him kisses all over his face, “Mwah, I love you sooo much.” He giggled and kissed your temple, “I love you too Mama.” 

You shared a smile and he ran back to the couch to curl up in his corner.

“Okay, you know all the numbers Ren. If I don’t answer, call Penny or the bar. Okay, I’m gonna head out now, see if I can beat the rush of pilots that are gonna get grounded soon. I love you both, bye.”

They both waved at you as you grabbed your purse and walked out the door.

About 90 minutes and one Amarello after you arrived, you watched Jake stroll into the bar, his green eyes finding you leaning on the bar immediately despite the crowd in front of him. 

“Howdy,” you greeted with a smile as he walked over and leaned on the bar next to you. “Hi, Darlin’,” he replied, grinning down at you.

You glanced around, the bar wasn’t as packed as you thought it would be, but it was still full of pilots since the surprise showers grounded their classes for the rest of the day. 

You looked back at Jake, remembering his question from earlier today on the beach. As you drove over and the hour and half you had to yourself at the bar, you had tried your best to prepare your speech, get everything you needed to say in order so you didn’t fuck anything up and miscommunicate your feelings.

Sighing, you closed your eyes, recalling everything you had lined up to tell him. You didn’t look in his eyes, keeping your gaze centered on his chest, knowing his green irises would wipe your memory. 

“I’m gonna be honest here Jake…” 

He held up his hand, gently interrupting you, “I get it, Y/N. If you still aren’t ready for a relationship, I understand. But I still want to be a friend that you can call, whether it be just to talk to me or if you need help.” 

You sighed, relief filling your chest knowing that he was willing to wait, but you still wanted, no needed, to tell him how you were feeling. 

You finally looked up in his eyes, swallowing the word vomit of emotions that wanted to escape, “Jake, you have done a lot these past few weeks. You’ve taken the time not only to get to know me but to get to know Nick. That means so much to me, more than you know. And I can tell that Nick already likes you, so I can’t just let you out of our life easily.” 

Jake smiled, bashfully looking down at the bar as a chuckle broke through his lips, “I try my best. And I’m a little offended that you thought getting rid of me would ever be easy.” 

You rolled your eyes before continuing. 

“And I do like you, Jake. I like you a lot. While you are cocky as hell, you’re sweet and a gentleman. It’s just…” You rocked on your feet, thinking of everything you needed to say but couldn’t put into words – your rehearsed lines disappearing into thin air now that Jake was here. Damn those eyes.

You hung your head, trying to see if looking away from him would help re-materialize the pre-coordinated words. 

But Jake ducked his head to meet your eyes, showing you he was listening and chasing away your coherent thoughts, “It’s just what, Y/N?” 

You glanced at Penny, receiving a reassuring nod from her and sending a short one back. “I’m gonna step outside really quick Pen, watch my drink?” She nodded and gave you a small, encouraging smile. 

“Follow me,” you patted Jake's shoulder, and slid your hand down his arm to grab his hand. 

You pulled him outside to the covered deck and leaned on the railing, taking a deep breath to inhale the scent of the rain – trying to reign in your racing thoughts.

“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” Jake’s whiskey smooth voice asked as he leaned on the railing as well, his back facing the clouds.

You cleared your throat, dropping your head to look at the damp sand as you pieced together the puzzle of emotions and words in your head. 

“My dad died when I was 4… He left my mom alone to raise 2 kids that were too much like their father. I told myself that I need to stay away from service men, definitely pilots. But you, and your perfect teeth and perfect hair, those damn green eyes…” 

Jake was flattered but he could feel how this was going to end. You’d build up his ego to cushion his fall when you turned him down.  

“You have become an exception to my one rule.” Okay… Jake certainly wasn’t expecting that. “A rule that I gave myself on my own. I’m just scared, Jake. Nick and I have grown so… close to you and I’m afraid–” 

Jake lifted your chin, cutting you off, and quietly spoke to you, noting the thin line of tears in your water line. “Hey… I understand. But I’m a damn good pilot, I ain’t goin’ down easy.” You laughed, shaking your head fondly before smiling up at him, “There’s that ego.” 

He chuckled softly, his trademark half-smile flashing a canine, “What can I say? But seriously, I will do whatever it takes to get back to you both safe. If that’s what you want.” 

You nodded, stepping closer, unconsciously straightening your back to be closer to him, “I want it, I do.” You bit your lip, a shuddering breath escaping your lips. 

His soft gaze hardened slightly, reading your body language, but it softened again as he tilted your chin up. “Then why are you hesitating?” You shrugged, shaking your head subtly, “I don’t know.” 

You knew why, deep down you knew why you were holding back. Why you wanted to spray the butterflies in your stomach with vinegar. Your brain knew why. But your heart was pounding on your ribcage, trying to get to your brain to tell you it was okay. That you could love again, and it would all be okay.

Jake leaned down, seeing the fight in your eyes. “Is this okay?” You nodded, your breath mixing with his as you looked from his eyes to his lips and back again.

There was a soft eagerness, a puppy in those green eyes waiting to run around, bouncing as he waited for his command – a command only you could give. It was familiar but completely new at the same time. But it felt safe.

Instead of giving him the words he was looking for, you rested your hand on the side of his neck and pressed your lips to his – letting your heart take the wheel.

The kiss was soft, but it didn’t change the fact that butterflies went wild in both of your stomachs. Jake couldn’t help but smile against your lips as he cupped your jaw and tasted the hint of Amaretto on them.

You pulled away, needing to get air into your lungs but Jake chased your lips, catching them in their minty trap. It was clear he came prepared for anything, not that you minded. 

Your free hand fisted in his jacket, wafting his cologne into the air – an all consuming, but not overwhelming scent.

You both finally pulled away from the chaste kiss, light headed and breathless. You stayed close, your noses brushing against each other. 

“What’s gonna happen when you leave?” 

Jake smirked, his breath still tickling your lips as he pulled out his phone, “Well, I’m not sure, but it’d be a hell of a lot easier with your number.” You laughed and finally looked up at him, stepping back a little to take his phone, “Smooth Lieutenant. Very smooth.”

As you and Jake held eye contact a smile settled across your face before you looked down at his phone, typing in your number and sending a text to yourself.

Jake couldn’t help the blush that darked his tanned cheeks at the sparkle of your smile that not even the rain could dim. 

You weren’t like anything he’s ever seen before; a strong, single mother that did everything for the sake of her child and someone that had gone through so much at such a young age.

“You’re amazing…” 

Jake hadn’t realized what he said out loud until you giggled and looked down at the deck with pink tinted cheeks. 

“I said that out loud, didn't I?” He laughed at the end of his question. You nodded, “You did. But I’m flattered, so thank you.” 

You messed with his jacket, “And you’re good, Lieutenant. Maybe too good to be true.” 

“You’re stroking my ego, Darlin’.” You giggled and gave him a quick kiss, “I better head back in.” He grabbed your waist, “Do you have to?” “Do you want to have fun or not?” He bit his lip and you patted his chest and walked in. 

He watched you walk in and shook his head. Laughing to himself he adjusted his posture and went in and straight to the pool table.

You and Jake hung out at the bar for hours after that, having the time of your life. 

You danced to the music that came from the jukebox, played darts and you watched him play pool. You drank and ate, Penny keeping an eye on you both because you had to drive back home to your son and Jake did not need a hangover in the morning.

But you didn’t need the drinks to have a good time. Like right now. Jake had suggested another round of darts, but this time, you added a few spins before your throw. Almost like kids getting ready to hit a pinata at a party.

Jake grinned as he spun you around a few times. “Okay, now that you’re properly dizzy, why don’t you try and get a bullseye?” 

“You’re kidding me,” you giggled as you swayed a little on your feet. “I doubt I’m gonna hit the target. I can’t hit it when I’m standing straight, what makes you think I can hit it when I’m dizzy?”

He shook his head and turned you by your shoulders to square up to the board. “Who knows, maybe you’ll be better?” You snorted as you raised the dart, “I highly doubt that.” He scoffed playfully, “Just throw the dart, Y/N.”

You giggled, “Okay okay.” 

Your tongue poked out of the seam of your lips as your vision swam a bit and you lined up your shot. 

Taking a few balk throws, you finally get ready to actually throw it when there is a harsh crack, followed by a loud, booming sound – loud enough to rattle the windows.

“Oh shit!”

Any attempt you had made to actually aim the dart didn’t matter, because when you jumped at the harsh thunder the dart was sent on its own journey.

You laughed at your reaction to the sudden thunder and leaned back against Jake, “I can blame that horrible throw on the thunder, right?” He looked over your shoulder, seeing the dart about a foot and a half under the board in the wall.

“You sure it was thunder?” 

Your jaw dropped and you smacked his chest with the back of your hand, “That was uncalled for Seresin. But I walked into that one.” You both laughed as Jake nodded, “Yeah, I guess I can give you another shot Bradshaw.”

“Well, thank you oh so gracious Hangman,” you sassed a little as you readied another dart. “I’m actually gonna try this time.”

He chuckled and crossed his arms as he watched you repeat your process, his eyes drawn to your lips as your tongue once again pokes out. 

You managed to throw the dart just as the lights flickered out. 

“Are you fucking serious? The weather really doesn’t want me to hit this board,” you grumbled as you pulled your phone out to use your flashlight. 

Jake did the same, him immediately shining it at the dart board.

“Look at what we have here, you actually hit the board,” he teased as he walked up to the board. “Not a bullseye, but you hit it.” You flipped your hair, “Look at me go. Mama’s still got it.” 

Jake gave you a look, his face deadpanned and his brow low. You held his eyes, yours playfully squinting. 

It was a standoff for about 20 seconds before you both started laughing.

“C’mon Mother Goose, let’s go to the bar,” he chuckled as he grabbed your hand gently.

You froze for a second, confused as to where he got that nickname from – forgetting it was just a nursery rhyme to everyone else at that moment. 

He looked at you, frowning in concern, “Hey, sweetheart, you okay?” 

You shook it off, swallowing as you nodded, “Yeah, yeah… I’m okay.” 

With a furrowed brow, he stepped closer, tilting your chin up with a crooked finger, “You’re not afraid of the dark, are you?” 

His light tease pulled you back fully. 

“N-No, I’m fine, it’s okay,” you said softly as you shook your head. He cupped your cheek, “Are you sure?” You nodded, “Yeah, yeah, just thought of Nicky… He’s not the best with storms sometimes.” 

“Do you wanna check in on him? Make sure he’s doing okay? Especially now that the power’s out.” 

You chewed on your lip, your thumb and pinky tapping rhythmically on your thigh. “Are you sure it’s okay?” 

Jake nodded, “Of course it is! That’s your baby, do not question if it’s okay. It’s always okay.” You immediately open your contacts, “Thank you.” 

He smiled, squeezing your hand, “I’ll be at the bar when you’re ready, if you gotta go home, that’s okay.”

You gave him a smile and mouthed a ‘thank you’ as your phone rang, waiting for Serenity to pick up. 

Jake nodded again before going over to the bar.

Penny and Jimmy were turning on battery powered lanterns and setting them up around the bar. 

“You guys need some help?” Jake offered as he leaned on the bar.

She looked up at him as she sat a lantern down on the bar, “You don’t think you could get the power back on, could ya?” 

Jake laughed lightly, “If my call sign was Sparky, I might be able to give it a shot. Unfortunately, it’s not.” Penny shook her head with a laugh, “It’s alright Hangman, once we get these set up, we’ll hopefully get the generator up and running.” 

He nodded, “In the meantime, I’ll take two waters, if you can spare them.” She nodded with a smile, “Coming right up.”

As she got the bottles out of the ice bucket she prepped after looking at the forecast, you came over after finishing up your call.

You sighed a little as you sat down. 

“Hey,” Jake greeted as he rubbed your knee. “How’s the little man holdin’ up? He alright?” You nodded, smiling as you rested your hand on his, “Yeah, Serenity said he was snuggled up on the couch with his turtle and his manta ray, watching movies with plenty of goldfish crackers.”

Penny popped up, “You have power?” 

“Nope,” you laughed a little awkwardly. “He’s watching it on Serenity’s laptop. Which I told her she didn’t have to let him do that. She’s got stuff to do for summer classes but mine was dead. I just hope she doesn’t get behind.”

She gave you your water, “She’s a good kid, I’m sure she’ll be okay for one night.” You nodded and sipped your drink, “Yeah.”

You looked around noticing that everyone started to mellow out since the place was practically pitch black – save for the lanterns.

“Man… seems the lights weren’t the only thing the storm took out. How long until the generator is up and running?” You asked, leaning on the bar. 

Penny shrugged, “I don’t know. It depends, we haven’t used it in a few years. It shouldn’t take too long, I think Jimmy checked on it after the clouds rolled in and the forecast changed.”

You nodded and looked around, “Well, maybe some live music can hold everyone over until then.” Penny and Jake furrowed their brows as you grabbed a lantern and went over to the piano.

“What? Did you seriously think that Bradley was the only one of my father’s kids that could play? C’mon now Penny, you should know better than that,” you teased with a playful wink over your shoulder.

Jake furrowed his brow, “Have you been holding out on me Mother Goose?” His tone was entirely playful as he came over to piano with his phone flashlight on as a fresh toothpick hung from his lips.

Penny blinked and looked up, a rush of nostalgia hitting her, “Wait did you just call her ‘Mother Goose’?” Jake looked up at her and nodded as he rolled the toothpick to the other side of his mouth, “Yes ma’am I did.” She nodded and glanced at you as she wiped down the bar, “And um… w-where did that nickname come from?” 

He shrugged, “She’s got a little duck on her keychain and she’s a mama. Just kinda makes sense, I guess. Why do you ask?” 

You couldn’t help but smile a little as you tapped the keys. 

“Oh I was just-” Penny started but you cut her off gently.

“Goose was my dad’s call sign, Jake. A lot of his friends from the Academy and flight school called him ‘Mother Goose’,” you said, emotion present in your voice but you weren’t sad.

Jake stumbled over his words a little, “Oh I-I had no idea. I can stop if you w-want me too.” 

You shook your head, a smile gracing your features as you looked up at him, “No no, it’s okay Jake. It definitely shocked me when you called me that earlier, but it’s… nice.”

He smiled back at you and sat down, “I’ll call you whatever you want, Darlin’.” 

A giggle slipped past your lips and you were now thankful that the poor lighting hid the blush on your cheeks as you tested more keys.

You took a breath and readied your fingers on the right keys, “Okay okay, let’s get these people fired up.”

Jake arched his brow but then you played the opening notes to a song he heard non-stop in flight school when the class went out to a bar.

“Jerry Lee Lewis? You really are Bradshaw’s sister,” he laughed, gently nudging your shoulder but not so much as to mess you up.

You just rolled your eyes before jumping into the song. “~You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain!~”

Jake chuckled as people in the bar began to cheer, a few patrons jumping in to sing with you. He looked around, seeing that the flashlights on phones had been turned on and everyone’s moods seemed to flip on dime.

“~You broke my will! Oh what a thrill!~”

“~Goodness gracious great balls of fire!~”

His eyes landed back on you, watching you play the piano like he had only ever seen your brother play. It was lively, bringing an energy to the bar that got zapped out with the electricity. Almost as if the lightning hit you and you soaked up all the energy in the bar, and now you were returning it when it was needed.

He felt himself singing along, unable to escape the way that your infectious voice seemed to latch on to everyone that heard it. 

Jake had always fought the urge to ‘feel the music’ when it was your brother. Be the one person in the bar unaffected by him. But here with you, he didn’t fight. He didn’t want to fight it. And he was unashamed to be sitting next to you on that piano bench, singing a song that you were sure your brother had played to death. 

He saw you smile at him when you noticed it, feeding off of his energy just as much as he was feeding off of yours.

You found yourself looking only at him to see if he was enjoying himself, using him as a reference point for how the rest of the bar was feeling. That your attempt at entertainment was working.

It felt good to see everyone having fun because of you.

Now you could understand why your dad and Bradley did this so often.

Your smile never left your face as you continued to sing, though you hated how the song was coming to an end so soon.

Jake met your eyes as you started the last verse, his smiling matching yours. 

“~I chew my nails and I twiddle my thumbs!~”

“~Real nervous but it sure is fun!~”

He watched your eyes light up as he sang the words back to you and the blush crawled up your neck. You clearly weren’t expecting him to sing that line to you – telling you how you made him feel through the song.

So, he continued to look at you, holding eye contact as he sang through a wide, infectious smile, using the lyrics to convey what he had trouble putting into words once again. 

“~Come on, baby! You’re drivin’ me crazy!~”

His heart fluttered when you seemed like you were at a loss for words, despite them already being written for you – all you could do was smile as your muscle memory continued to play.

“~Goodness, gracious! Great balls of fire!~”

You played the last string of notes, your face dangerously close to Jake’s as the soft glow of the lanterns and phone flashlights illuminated his features almost angelically, the lights creating a halo around him and blurring the crowd like a camera focusing in on the subject of its image. His green eyes, though casted in a shadow, twinkled softly as he looked your face over like you were the only thing in the room – and to him, you were.

He was seeing the same thing. The blues of LEDs and the yellow of the lanterns created a harsh but gorgeous contrast on your face as your chest heaved when you attempted to catch your breath and the light sheen of sweat made your skin shine in a way he never thought about before. Your eyes were illuminated, but they held a shine of their own when you looked him over.

The cheers behind him all melded into one sound, one that Jake could confuse for his own heartbeat if it wasn’t pounding against his ribcage.

There was no hesitation this time as he pulled you close by the nape of your neck and pressed his lips to yours with breathless passion.

Your outside hand fisted in his Henley shirt, the fabric warm but a little rough under your fingertips. His heart was thumping rhythmically against your knuckles, giving the butterflies in your stomach a beat to dance to.

His hand moved down to the side of your neck, his thumb finding your pulse point. The sensation of your heartbeat under his fingertips was mesmerizing.

The kiss felt both like an eternity and not long enough when you finally pulled away, both of your lips damp and as your breath mixed as your foreheads rested against each other.

Around you, the crowd was still buzzing with energy, talking to each other as they started mingling again. 

But you and Jake couldn’t hear them, not when you're so consumed with one another right there on the piano bench. You were in your own little world, a small sanctuary in the middle of the bar. Just you and him.

Smiling, you can’t stop the giggle from escaping as you try to smooth out where you had gripped his shirt. “That was um…”

“Electrifying?” Jake offered, his dimple appearing as he smirked playfully.

“That’s one way to put it, yeah,”  you said with a light, slightly breathless laugh.

He chuckled and opened his mouth to say something else, but the overhead lights flickered for a split second before they stayed steady and the sound of the jukebox started up again.

You both sat up straight, looking around the bar as the patrons started back up in their games they abandoned.

“Would you look at that – one song and you managed to light up the whole bar, literally,” Jake said as he looked from his surroundings and then back to you, taking in how you smiled at everyone having fun again.

You hummed, turning your head with a playful glint in your eye, “Well, thank goodness it was only one song. I don’t know if I could’ve played another one. Unless Twinkle Twinkle Little Star counts.” 

Jake laughed as he stood up, offering you a hand to pull you to your feet. “Well, if Nick was here, I’m pretty sure he would have a blast if you played that.” 

“Oh, yeah, he definitely would,” you said with a laugh as you pushed some hair out of your face. “Another drink?”

He nodded, fluffing his shirt a little. “I can go for another.”

You grabbed his hand and pulled him to the bar, “Penny!”

After you got your drinks, you and Jake went to a booth by the windows.

“That was really impressive, Y/N. I knew Rooster was good, but he’s not that good,” Jake complimented as he sipped his fresh beer. The bitter liquid soothed his throat, his voice a little raw after singing.

You shrugged and sipped your Amaretto, the warm liquid warming you up from the chill of the rain outside. “I don’t know about that. He’s been playing since he was little. I started getting into piano in, like, middle school. And then in college I um.. I picked up a little guitar.”

Jake watched you bite your lip, your nails tapping against the glass of your drink. He wasn’t entirely sure what caused that far off look to appear in your eyes, a fogginess he wasn’t familiar with. But one thing he did recognize was that flicker of love, a shine of longing and admiration peaking through the fog – like a lighthouse on the shore.

He didn’t know much about Kendall, just what you had told him. He knew that you had met in college, you had been friends before you began dating, and that Kendall played the guitar – his favorite one tucked into the corner of Nick’s bedroom.

You cleared your throat, blinking the fogginess away and pulling Jake out of his thoughts. 

You rubbed your hands on your jeans before resting your elbows on the table to talk with your hands, desperate to keep the conversation flowing.

“But like I was saying, Brad and I are very different when it comes to singing and playing the piano. He definitely channels our dad a little more than I do.”

He chuckled and leaned forward, resting his upper body on his forearms, “Well, I think I’m a little biased when it comes to that. But don’t sell yourself short, Darlin’, you put on quite the performance.” He added an unnecessary wink, but it didn’t stop you from smiling and looking at the table to hide your blush.

You lifted your head and smiled at him, sniffling just a little. “Thank you, Jake. That means a lot.”

Jake reached over and squeezed your hand, “Anytime.” He cleared his throat, “If you don’t mind me asking, that song clearly means a lot to you and Rooster, why-why is that?”

Tears stung your eyes a bit, again, but your smile didn’t falter. “Our dad, he um… he played it all the time. And I mean all the time. I’m surprised our mother stayed sane.” Jake reached up and wiped a tear that slipped through. You leaned into his warm palm slightly, as you continued.

“One of our last memories with him was sitting at the piano as he sang that song. Our mom in his lap singing with him without a care in the world about who was watching…” Your voice was a little heavier as you neared the end of your sentence, the memory making you a little emotional.

He smiled and squeezed your hand again, his thumb rubbing your knuckles, “That’s beautiful.” You gave him a soft smile and squeezed his hand back. 

“Can I show you something?” He asked softly, not wanting to disturb the moment too much.

You nodded and sat up a little straighter, wiping your eyes as you spoke, “Of course.” 

Jake nodded his head towards the window and your eyes followed the direction. 

The glass was a little foggy, sweating as the cold temperature of the rain was meeting the warm air of the bar and the glass acting like a mediator between the two.

Your brow furrowed in immediate confusion though you weren’t going to question Jake just yet. There was certainly much more to it.

And he proved your suspicions by bringing his finger up to draw in the condensation.

It was a quick drawing, a simple sun with a smiley face and a little heart next to it. But the look on Jake’s face told you it was so much more than just a little doodle on a window.

“That’s really cute Jake,” you said softly, as you smile at him.

His grin widened and he shifted in his seat. “When I was little, I was never good with storms. My sister was even worse. She was scared and I was upset because I couldn’t go play in the rain.” 

You couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up when he said that, the picture of a young Jake pouting in his room as he watched the rain out of his window in your head – he definitely picked out two droplets to race against each other, maybe even him and his sister picked one and had a competition.

He just smiled at you before continuing.

“My grandma and my mom had this routine with us where they would have us by the bay window in the living room and we would draw in the condensation. And I, of course, rubbed my wet hand on my sister’s face,” he said with a small chuckle.

“That I’m definitely not surprised by. Bradley pestered me too, still does, it’s a brother thing.”

Jake nodded, “Oh yeah, for sure. But aside from that, there was a purpose to why my mom and grandma had us do this. Because as you can see now-” He pointed to the drawing, seeing that it was already dripping and disappearing, more condensation taking its place. “-it’s already going away.”

Your brow furrowed in confusion. You still weren’t exactly sure where Jake was going, but it was clear this was something he held onto and cherished. Especially for him to bring it up now, years later. Plus, he had you roped in now, you were invested in this little smiling sun. 

“The whole point of drawing in the fog was because it doesn’t last forever, and neither would the storm outside. Or any storm, really. As I got older, we stopped the window drawings, but my mom kept it up with us for little things. Like when my sister was going through a break up, she drew a sun with a little heart on a note and put it in her backpack. I can bet you that she still has every note, because I know I do.”

Tears pricked your eyes a little bit, “That’s really really beautiful, Jake. Your mom and grandma sound like very wise women.”

Jake nodded, a proud smile pulling at his lips, “They are, I’m lucky to have them.”

You mirrored his smile and you both went back to conversing with each other, planning out ideas for your next ‘not’ date.

“There’s so much to do here, so much it’s like there’s nothing,” you said, laughing as you sipped your drink.

You had listed off a lot of places to go nearby and all the things you could do together, but it all sounded so fun that you were having trouble deciding.

Jake nodded, rubbing his face a little as he laughed, “Yeah, seems like it.” He glanced around, noticing a pool table nearby. “Hey, how about we think on it some more later and just play a game of pool?”

You hummed a little and glanced over your shoulder at the pool table. 

A sly smile came over your face as an idea popped into your mind. 

You turned back to face him, biting your lip a little, “I um… wow this is embarrassing, I haven’t really ever played pool before.”

Jake squinted at you, almost analyzing you to see if you were just fucking with him. But you just played it up by hiding your face in your hands, hiding the grin that you knew would give you away if he spotted it.

“You’re serious? You’ve never played pool before?”

His tone was inquisitive, but it also had a laugh behind it that he was hiding as best he could and it almost had you laughing.

“No no, I have played before. But it’s just been too long. Last time I played it was maybe 10 years ago when I was in high school, and I was awful.”

Jake’s laugh finally broke through at that.

“Hey! Don’t laugh!” You whined, holding back giggles of your own.

He nodded, trying to stop himself by clearing his throat. “You’re right, you’re right. It’s not funny. It’s… it’s kinda sad actually.”

You dropped your jaw and reached over the table to swat at his shoulder. “Oh shut up!” 

He chuckled as he dodged your hand, and you couldn’t help but smile as the corners of his eyes crinkled and his dimples poked through. “Okay okay, I’m sorry. But c'mon let’s play at least one game,” he proposed as he slid out of the booth and stood. He offered you his hand, a wink accompanying his next words, “And I promise I’ll go easy on you.”

You rolled your eyes and took his hand, “Fine, one game.”

A victorious grin crossed Jake’s face as he pulled you to your feet, squeezing your hand as he turned and pulled you to the table. Your lips pulled up in a similar fashion as you stumbled a little when he drug you behind him. 

“Okay,” he said as he came to stop at the pool table. “I don’t have to explain the rules, do I?” His brow arched with his question, only using it to further his teasing. You rolled your eyes, hand going on your hip, “No, I know that much, Seresin.” The sass in your tone made Jake laugh, “Alright, Bradshaw, let’s play.”

You nodded and grabbed the two pool cues, “Let’s.”

He chuckled and shook his head playfully as he quickly racked the pool balls. Once they were all in order, he took the triangle off and tossed it on a table as he walked over to you.

His fingers wrapped around the taller cue, his warm hand encapsulating yours. 

How had you not realized how large his hand was until now?

“Y/N?”

You shook your head, not having realized that you froze, “Oh um, sorry, sorry.”  You let go of the pool cue, clearing your throat as you pushed some hair behind your ear. He chuckled at your sudden shyness, “It’s alright, darlin’. It’s cute when you get all blushy.” You huffed, though a smile pulled at your lips as you shoved his shoulder. 

Jake laughed and held his hands up in defense, only slightly jostled by your shove. He gestured to the table and grabbed the cue ball, “Okay, okay, you wanna break?” He punctuated his question by putting the ball on the table with a *clack*.

You bit your lip, still feigning nervousness as best you could. You nodded and walked around to the end of the table beside him. 

Tossing the cue up and catching it lower, you leaned over and nearly fell into muscle memory – letting the end come down and rest easy in the dip between your thumb and pointer finger.

You rolled your shoulders a little bit, moving your hand much lower on the stick so you would have less control of the cue. You relaxed your shoulders, letting them drop as your right hand tightened its grip. The maple cue rested on the walnut of the table, using it as the support for the middle of the stick. 

Jake tilted his head, taking in your posture. It was… unconventional, and maybe a little awkward. But he wasn’t going to step in just yet, because maybe that stance just worked for you. And the look of concentration on your face was just too cute for him to interrupt.

Much like earlier at the dart board, your brow furrowed and your tongue poked out from between your lips. Jake grinned at the sight, and he couldn’t help but wonder if Nick made the same face when he focused on something. Like if his nose crinkled like yours did when he colored or if he stuck his tongue out when he did a puzzle. 

Then his mind wandered a little further. 

The image of a little girl appeared in his head, basically a clone of you in your lap as you sat at the piano. You guiding her hand along the keys, then having her repeat the order on her own. Her tongue sticking out as she tries to remember. 

But before he can fantasize any longer, he shakes himself out of it once you take your shot.

He watched the tip of the cue whiff the ball as the butt nearly became perpendicular to the floor. “Woah there!” 

You covered your mouth with your hand, doing your best to feign embarrassment at your ‘failure’. “Oh.. my.. gosh.. I can’t believe that just happened,” you snorted, laughing at yourself as you looked up at the ceiling, hoping that a blush was covering your cheeks to really sell it. 

Jake came over to stand next to you, chuckling just a little. “So um… is that how you held it in high school?” He leaned against the table, the cue snug against his side as he crossed his arms, looking down at his boots as he crossed his ankles before looking up at your profile.

You swallowed as you kept your eyes on the ceiling, and Jake couldn’t help but watch the column of your throat move with the action. 

Sighing, you looked at him, “I mean, kinda, like I said, it’s been awhile. But that felt so wrong.” You looked away from him and focused on your cue. “And now I’m embarrassed… because you just saw that.” 

He sighed gently, a smile pulling at his lips. While you were embarrassed, he couldn’t help but admire the blush on your skin. He didn’t like the reason, because you shouldn’t be embarrassed, but you looked cute.

He reached out and turned your head to face him, smiling softly at you. “Hey, you don’t have to be embarrassed. It happens, and I guarantee that is not the worst shot I’ve seen.” 

“That doesn’t make me feel any better.” 

He sighed and propped his cue against the wall, “C’mere.” He adjusted the cue ball again and gently pulled you to him when you hesitated to move closer. “I don’t bite, unless you ask,” he whispered the last half of that in your ear, his accent slightly thicker as you felt his lips curl into a smile against the lobe of your ear.

His warm breath raised goosebumps on the skin of your neck, a shiver going down the nerves of your spine. He chuckled, his chest rumbling against your shoulder and making you giggle as a genuine flush covered your face and neck.

“Okay,” Jake said, turning you gently so your back settled against his chest. His hand rested on your hip and everything just felt right. Both of you slotted together like a puzzle piece, it was comfortable.

He looked down at you, “Am I too close?” 

Your head shook almost embarrassingly quickly. If anything he wasn’t close enough.

“No no, you’re okay.”

He nodded, smiling at you, “Alright, just let me know, okay?” You swallowed, nodding back, “I will.”

“Alright, now, I’m gonna show you how to properly hold a pool stick. Do what you were doing before.”

You nodded, bending back over and mimicking the stance you had done previously.

Jake looked at you gaging what to adjust. “Okay, so one issue is, your back hand is too low. Don’t shake hands with the bumper.” He took your wrist and tried to slide your hand up but it barely moved. “And you don’t need a death grip on it, it’s not going anywhere unless you move it.” You nodded and relaxed your grip to let him adjust your hand placement. 

He moved it to about the middle of the weight and watched your guiding hand adjust itself to a bit more of a natural position.

Smiling, he glanced down at you, “There we go, how does that feel?” You nodded, “A lot better, definitely more comfortable.”

“Perfect, and that’s how you know you’re doing it right. Before you were uncomfortable and it threw off your control. You guide the cue, it doesn’t guide you.”

You snorted a little, hanging your head as you laughed, “You sound like a therapist, or a yoga instructor.” Jake laughed along with you, “Unfortunately I’m neither of those. Not qualified nor flexible enough.”

You arched a brow and looked at him over your shoulder, a cheeky smile on your lips, “Not flexible enough? Oh, that’s a shame.” His eyebrows raised, almost as if he was sizing up a challenge, “Oh is it now? I mean, I’m sure with enough stretching, I’ll be good to go.”

You laughed before shaking your head, “Okay okay, let’s stay on task, Lieutenant, yeah?”

“Right, right, of course.” 

Jake cleared his throat as his fingers wrapped around your shoulders, “Okay, being relaxed is fine. But you’re too loose and that makes it awkward.” He slowly pulled them out from their slouched position, straightening your back a little in the process. “That’s better.” 

You swallowed a little, the heat of his chest against your back making you both nervous and excited.

“Do you feel more in control?” You nodded at his question, not trusting your voice to be steady. “Good, now, let’s test this.”

Worry shot through you for a moment, afraid he might step back and let you do this on your own – squashing the mini fantasy that you created.

But your worry was smothered when Jake adjusted his own stance, his knees nudging the backs of your thighs. His right hand encased your own as his left hand acted as a stand for yours – keeping your guiding hand steady.

“Loosen your grip, Duckie. It’s not gonna change your power. In pool, the speed determines the power.”

Jake’s voice was steady, but it was raspy as he spoke in your ear again. His breath fanned along your ear lobe and your jaw, raising goosebumps once again.

He felt your wrist and hand relax a little, and he just hoped you couldn’t feel his heart beating against your back. 

“Alright, there we go. Now, all you gotta do is bring it back and–”

His sentence fell short as the felt tip collided with the cue ball and he felt a vibrating sensation against his hip.

“See? So much better. And now, if that’s your phone in your pocket, I think you’re getting a call.”

He stepped back and let you stand straight as you pulled your phone out.

Your heart dropped slightly when you saw Serenity’s contact flash across your screen. 

Did something happen to Nick? Was he okay? Did something happen to the house? What went wrong?

Jake must have noticed that your face changed on dime, because his face fell into one of concern. “Y/N? What’s wrong? Is everything okay?” 

Was it Serenity? Was it Bradley? Was it a chaplain? Or hell an NCIS agent?

“It’s Serenity,” you said as you pressed the green answer button and brought the phone to your ear. “Hey Ren, what’s up?”

Jake sighed in relief, his worst thoughts going off to the wayside in favor of just worried thoughts.

You brought your hand up, chewing on the edges of your nails as she spoke.

“Hey, Y/N, everything’s okay–”

Jake watched your body visibly relax, your hand rubbing at your mouth much like he’d seen Bradley do when he was stressed.

“Nicky’s okay? Nothing’s on fire?” 

“No, nothing’s on fire. But Nicky is not wanting to go to bed without you here. I think it's the rain, the storm I should say. He doesn’t want to go to his room. Won’t even get up off the couch.”

You sighed but nodded, “Okay, I’ll be there in a little bit. Get his turtle and his manta ray, then get my body spray and lightly spritz a blanket and let him curl up on the couch until I get there.”

“I’m so sorry Y/N, I know you wanted to have a fun night out… I just didn’t know what to do.”

“Don’t apologize, I’m glad you called. I’ll be home in a little bit.” 

You hung up and looked at Jake, “I’m so sorry, Jake. Nicky is–”

He held his hand up, “Nope, no apologies, go be with your baby. We can meet up later. Tell Nicky I said ‘hi’.”

Your heart skipped a few beats as you smiled at him. He smiled back and nodded towards the front door, “Now go Mother Goose, you got a duckling waiting on you.” 

The look in his eyes was nothing short of fond, the yellow overhead lighting making his eyes a comforting shade of green. 

He wasn’t upset at all, no disdain for your sudden departure on his features. Was he disappointed? Yeah, but you were always going to be a mother first. He couldn’t and would never get in the way of that, or try to change it.

You hugged him, and he didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around your waist in reciprocation. 

“Thank you,” you kissed his cheek in thanks as you pulled away from the hug. “You don’t have to thank me, Darlin’. Just text me or call me when you get home safe, okay?” He said with a smile, gently squeezing your shoulders.

You nodded, matching his smile, “Of course, as long as you do the same?” He winked, “You got it.” 

He grabbed your purse for you, “Drive safe, Sweetheart.” You nodded, “I will. Bye Jake.” “Bye Y/N.”

You smiled at him again before going over to the bar, patting the top with the palm of your hand. You opened your mouth to get Penny’s attention but she was already smiling at you. “Heading out?” Your head tilted as you nodded, “Yeah, how’d you know?” She shrugged, nodding down to the bag hanging off your shoulder, “Lucky guess.” 

Chuckling, you pulled your wallet out, “Nicky won’t go to bed, the storm is keeping him up.” You pulled out a fifty, “For my drinks and Jake’s, the rest is your tip.” Penny shook her head, pushing the money back towards you, “That’s way too much, Duckie. 25 is plenty. Plus, Jake’s tab is open and your drinks are on it.” 

“Penny Benjamin–”

“Y/N Bradshaw, don’t argue and go home to your son,” Penny pointed to the door to punctuate her order, the damp towel swaying slightly from her movement.

Huffing out a ‘fine’, you put the fifty away and put a ten on the bar, “I’m still tipping you, because I love you. Not as much as you deserve, but you’re gonna fight me on it.” She smiled gratefully at you, taking the bill, “Thank you, now go home. Text me when you get there.” 

You patted the bar again, “Yes, ma’am. I’ll see you later, don’t let Jake get too drunk.” 

With that you walked to the door, though Penny stopped you with a shout. 

“That was an Oscar worthy performance by the way!” 

You rolled your eyes, waving to her as you slipped your jacket on, “Bye Penny!”

phew!

that was a long one huh? but hey, we finally got a kiss! they kissed!! and before hand we got a little peak into duckie's insecurities as a mom. though we can all agree she's pretty great right?

i hope you guys liked this chapter and are ready to see where the next chapter takes duckie, nicky, and jake!

hi darlings i know it's been a long time, too long, but like i said before -- i wanted to make sure this was a chapter i was proud of and lately my creative battery just wouldn't behave and it's been hard to write and like what i write. but i think... i think i did it here.

my ducklings <33:

@roosterscockpit @milesdickpic @luckyladycreator2 @hotch-meeeeeuppppp @hisredheadedgoddess28 @malindacath @avengers-fixation @shawnsblue @caitsymichelle13 @classycolorpeach @mamachasesmayhem @bobby-r2d2-floyd @twsssmlmaa

@horseshoegirl @startrekfangirl2233 @babyreads​ @amatswimming @oxxolovemelikeyoudooxxo @hangmansgbaby​ @callsignwidow @kmc1989​ @goodstuff28​ @pjngpp3501​ @lunamoonbby​ @joyfulpandamiracle​ @craftyinfluencersandwich @averyhotchner​ @emily-roberts​ @teenwolf01 @sunderland-6​ @bethabear12

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#duckie universe #duckie #duckie bradshaw #nicky bradshaw #duckie and nicky #jake seresin #jake hangman seresin #🤠🐤 #duckie and jake #bradley bradshaw #bradley rooster bradshaw #jake hangman seresin x bradshaw!reader #jake seresin x bradshaw!reader #bradley bradshaw x sister!reader #bradshaw!reader #top gun maverick #top gun maverick fanfiction #sarahsmi13s

[rebelliousstories]

Partner

Relationship: Jack Twist x Male Reader, Previous Jack Twist x Ennis Del Mar

Fandom: Brokeback Mountain

Request: No

Warnings: Fluff, Allusions to a Panic Attack, Brief Angst

Word Count: 1,865

Masterlist: Here

Jake Gyllenhaal & Co. Masterlist: Here

Summary: A quick trip into town for a few cowboys quickly turns into a trip down memory lane.

“Jack! Come on, we gotta go into town.” A voice called the man from where he was pulling on his boots. He groaned as he grabbed his coat from the stand near the door right next to the other man. Jack looked all around for his hat but to no avail, until the other man presented him with his black Stetson in his hands. He took it from the other man with a quiet thanks before heading out the front door and to the old pickup that was in the front. Jack grumbled as he helped their dog into the floorboard of the pickup and waited for the other man to follow suit.

“Why ya so fussy today, cowboy?” His companion asked. Instead of words, he was met with a deadpan look on the passenger’s face. As he started the car, he began to grumble himself.

“I know you don’ like goin’ into town but we need to. Our girl needs her check up and we need some stuff from the store.” He reached over and placed a soothing hand on Jack’s shoulder who continued to stare out the window as the trees passed by. There were many reasons why Jack didn’t like going into town. The least of his worries was that they looked at him like a no good hick. But it had to be done. Their dog needed to be seen by the vet in town. They needed to get some more food that they couldn’t grow. But that didn’t mean that Jack had to like the task of going into town.

The drive in was peaceful, which was is in stark contrast to the thoughts rattling around inside Jack’s head. Trees blended together as the wind swept over his face. The day old stubble was rough against the palm he leaned against. When a hand reached down to rest on his thigh, Jack unconsciously held it in his other hand that wasn’t against his face. He needed the comfort before their trip into the public where they both had to hide their affections. A few minutes later, when they saw the first few stores pop into view, a gentle squeeze was passed between them as they pulled away. Both men didn’t need to speak in order to understand what the other was thinking.

“Can you go with the girl to the vet while I get started in the store? It’ll make our time out here faster.” His partner offered as he parked in front of the vet, with the store only a few doors down. Jack nodded and wordlessly got out of the old pickup to clip the leash onto their dog. He made his way to the front door and went inside as he heard that old truck pull out of the lot. Jack preferred to be in the vet more than the store. The ladies behind the desk were always kind to him and gave him a cookie every time he came in. All the other animals nearby seemed to want Jack’s affection whenever he showed up, which the man was more than willing to shower them in. Most of all, the vet usually never took more than an hour of time out of his day. People made him weary, worried about saying or doing the wrong thing to the wrong person. Being around the other animals was a blessing.

Eventually, Jack left the vet’s office with a clean bill of health for his girl, and a cookie. Munching on it quietly, he snuck little pieces of it to the dog and enjoyed watching her tail wag at the tiny crumb of a peanut butter cookie. As he made his way to the store down the way, he spotted the old pickup that belonged to his partner and went to go put the dog in the bed of the truck. Jack clipped her leash to the little hook they put inside just for occasions like this. Sharing with her the last bite of the cookie, Jack went inside the store in search of his companion. The Stetson on his head helped block out the bright LED lights above that were brighter and harsher than the noon day sun. Eventually he saw a familiar jacket moving to the next isle, and excitedly he made his way around and down to follow. As he moved, Jack prayed that he had finished most of the shopping so he didn’t have to spend much time in public. Living on the mountain had made him reluctant to have normal interactions again.

But it wasn’t his partner that greeted his eyes a little ways down the aisle. A familiar head of blonde curls, squinted eyes, and downturned lips was what greeted him instead. Jack felt his heart stop for a moment as he beheld the man he hadn’t seen in several years, ever since he found his partner that should be nearby; Ennis Del Mar. The man didn’t know what he wanted to do. He couldn’t make his body run away from the blonde, but he couldn’t make it go towards him either. Jack wished that the Earth would swallow him whole before-

“Jack?” Too late. He had seen him. The man in question blinked back into the present and felt the wind get knocked out him. Ennis Del Mar was now standing in front of him. Those deep brown, almost black eyes that he fell in love with all those years ago stared deep into his soul. His blonde curls were shorter yet still as wild as always.

“Jack Twist? How the hell are ya?” Ennis said excitedly as he came up to stand in front of a still frozen Jack. But his smile dropped quickly as he watched how Jack still didn’t respond.

“Jack? Jack, you okay, rodeo?” That seemed to snap the man out of his daze. He blinked into the present and away from memories that he remembered sustained him not too long ago.

“Ennis. Um, yeah. Yeah, I’m good. How are you? How’s the girls?” Jack asked politely and took a brief scan around to see if anyone was watching. Unfortunately he didn’t see his partner anywhere in sight.

“The girls are alright. The little ones started a new year of school and I got a promotion so I can help pay for a better education once it comes time. What about you? What have you been up to?” Ennis talked so casually, inquiring about his life but Jack knew the man long enough to know what he was really asking. The subtitles would have said, “do you have anyone romantically in your life?”

“Oh I’ve been around. Just came into town for a vet check up and some groceries. Then headin’ back up the mountain a ways to home. Livin’ the quiet life.” Jack chose to leave out that there was, in fact someone else in his life that consumed his very being. Hopefully Ennis wouldn’t be around too much longer.

“That’s good. The girls have been beggin’ for a pup of their own for a little bit. Hey, why don’t you come over for dinner one night? The girls are going to Alma’s parents’ for the weekend and Alma is on a girls trip.” Before Jack could speak, the sounds of boots that he knew all too well came pounding down the floor behind the pair.

“Jack! Been lookin’ for ya. Oh, who’s this?” His partner came up behind him and stood too far away for Jack’s liking. But he had to remind himself that they were in public, and not was not about to blow their cover.

“I’m Ennis. Ennis Del Mar. ‘M an old friend of Jack’s.” The blonde haired man reached his hand forward and waited for the other man to shake it. As he did, he supplied him with his own name.

“Oh, Ennis. I remember some of Jack’s stories of y’all way back when. He has some funny stories of y’all that I’d love to hear the other side of.” Jack felt his heart speed up at the thought of sitting through a dinner between his current partner and his former whatever Ennis was.

“Jack, what kind of food do I need to get the princess that’s at the house? You know what she eats and she’s so picky.” The man turned towards Jack and kept his face neutral. Jack turned with a slightly confused look on his face.

“Umm the Purina one. I’ll show you. Um, it was good seein’ ya Ennis. Don’t be a stranger.” His partner leaned in and shook Ennis’ hand one last time.

“Good meetin’ ya, Ennis. Glad I could finally meet the man, the myth, and the legend in person after all these years. We gotta get goin’ now. See ya ‘round.” He stayed behind Jack as he maneuvered with the cart towards where the dog food was. but when they stood in front of the food, Jack turned to look at his partner.

“You know what type of food she eats. Why lie?” He questioned as he watched the other man haul a bag on to the bottom of the cart.

“Cause you looked like a damn spooked horse over there, cowboy. You needed an out. Come on. Let’s get home. This was the last thing we needed.” As they neared the checkout lines, keys were pressed into Jack’s hand and a silent command was spoken. He made his way to the truck and grabbed the dog from the back to sit with him in the front.

It wasn’t but a few minutes before his partner was walking confidently out of the store. Not looking like a man that just had to pull his partner away from panicking in front of a former lover. Was it even love if one of them didn’t want to make it work? Or was Jack pressing too hard? Should he have backed off and allowed Ennis to come to him? Thoughts ran wild through his head as he watched the familiar passing landscape of trees and their leaves pass the pair of men by. Once they were out of the city, a familiar hand made its way to Jack’s thigh. Their communication was hidden; in code, in glances, in touches. The pair understood each other so well that they didn’t need words to describe what they needed to say. They allowed other things to do that for them.

When they pulled up in front of their house, the truck was shut off but neither one made the effort to get out. Jack allowed himself to be manhandled by his partner so he was resting against his chest. In the privacy of their ranch, with the mountain as their back and front yard, they allowed themselves to breathe in relief. Today didn’t go as planned, but that didn’t matter. Jack knew he had someone reliable around. Someone that he could count on him to pull him out of a sticky situation, or out of his own head. Someone to hold and support him, and allow himself to be his own man. Someone that was his partner in every aspect of life.

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[ourstaturestouchtheskies]

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