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lizcameron · 7 months

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Part of His World | Part Three

Pairing: JJ Maybank x fem!reader

Summary: Y/n was just trying to get out of town, running from her family and her past. When her dirt bike breaks down in Kildare, JJ Maybank swoops in to help her. Forced to stick around for a while, Y/n begins to fall in love with JJ and his tight-knit family of outcasts. The longer she stays, the harder it becomes to leave OBX as she knows she must.

Word Count: 2030

Warning(s): angst, death, tragedy, one very hot and heavy kiss, JJ being the sweetest ever

You rolled over onto your side, stretching as you squinted your eyes open. The light poured in through the sheer curtains covering the window. You looked down to see JJ curled up on the floor, cuddled up with one pillow under his head and one between his knees. He looked like a sleeping baby - one that needed to get up and get ready.

You reached down and yanked the pillow out from between his knees. JJ whimpered and reached out sleepily before coming to, eyes shooting open.

“Hey, that was a good dream,” he nearly whined, giving you a fake pout.

You laughed before throwing the pillow at his head. “Get up. I need to get going, and I promised you breakfast before I leave,” you said, rising to your feet and stretching again.

You each dressed quickly and were in the truck within 10 minutes. JJ drove you to a diner where he ordered a large meal of eggs, pancakes, grits, fruit, orange juice, and a stack of bacon. Your plate had only two large pancakes with a smiley face of whipped cream and berries on top with a mug of hot cocoa to accompany it. JJ gave a cheeky grin when the server set down your plate.

“What, no toy?” he teased after the server walked away.

“Don’t make fun of me. Who doesn’t like a smiley face pancake and hot cocoa?” you asked rhetorically.

JJ retorted anyway. “Probably anyone over the age of 8,” he mocked playfully.

You glared at him through your eyelashes. “Leave me alone. Let me enjoy my nostalgia,” you pouted.

JJ reached out and poked your nose with a swipe of whipped cream from his own pancake. “Whatever you say princess,” he chuckled before digging into his meal.

You gasped, snatching up your napkin to wipe at your nose. “You are the real child, mister,” you scolded, but you couldn't hold back the dopey smile on your face.

When you looked up at JJ, nose clean, the tv on the wall several paces behind JJ caught your eye. The shot was an aerial view of burning ruins, smoke curling up and obscuring the camera’s focus. Little yellow blobs moved around the charred structure, poking and digging at piles of rubble. The screen flashed to a reporter standing in the street in front of the scene.

The reporter began to speak. “The fire marshall’s team is still investigating the source of the fire, but it is believed to have started in the kitchen. Sadly, the department has confirmed one fatality and no others injured.”

The rest of the reporter’s words were muffled as your ears began to ring, your head fogging in disbelief. You couldn’t process what you were seeing. You couldn’t make sense of the neighbors’ yards you recognized but the home you grew up in no longer standing.

“That’s my house,” you said plainly.

JJ looked up from his food, eyebrows raised. “Hmm?” he mumbled.

You gestured with your head toward the tv behind him, and JJ turned his head around to see. When he turned his gaze back to you, his expression was pained.

“Y/n, ‘m so sorry. Do you wanna…?” JJ trailed off, not sure what to say.

“Let’s go,” you said abruptly, grabbing your things off the table and walking out the door.

JJ paid the tab for your uneaten breakfast while you waited in the truck. He shot you a glance as he got in, but you remained stone-faced, staring straight ahead. He began driving toward the main road but could only go so far.

“Y/n, I need you to tell me where I’m going,” he said gently, pulling you from your rumination.

“Head north on the main road,” you said dryly, remaining stoic.

The entire 50-mile drive, you were quiet in your dysphoria as you kept your eyes forward. JJ tried to talk to you, check in with your thoughts or emotions, but he didn’t want to prod.

When you entered your hometown, you directed JJ until you arrived on your street. JJ parked the car down the street from your house, unable to get any closer as reporters, firefighters, and officers crowded the street.

You got out of the truck and began walking briskly toward where your home once stood. You pushed through the crowd of bystanders until you were directly in front of the yellow tape blocking off the scene. JJ followed your strides, mumbling quiet apologies as he brushed past the tightly packed observers. When he reached you, he waited a few quiet moments as you took in the sight of your childhood home before he spoke again.

“Y/n, what do you want to do? I can go talk to that officer if you want me to. Tell me what you need,” he pleaded.

Your eyes briefly met his before you pushed past him and the caution tape to go stand directly in front of the smoldering house. You could hear JJ behind you telling someone to let you go, that it was your house.

A few uniforms stood around a gurney in what used to be the living room. They spoke quietly among themselves, one of them making notes on a clipboard before another zipped up a black body bag. The thought didn’t cross your conscious mind, but somewhere deep down you knew that your father had caused all of this with his own negligence.

Unphased by the scene in the living room, you walked around the crumbling structure to the backyard. The shed was mostly intact, a branch having fallen through its roof. Your eyes scanned up the trunk of the tree before landing on the partial frame of your childhood treehouse - where all of your fondest memories were made, where you would hide when your parents fought, where you accidentally interrupted your brother’s first kiss. The one place in the world where you had always felt safe was gone, eaten up by the fiery tendrils that flew off the house in the height of its blaze.

An unrecognizable wail left your mouth as your eyes flooded with tears. Your body was wracked with sobs, making it difficult for you to breathe. You reached up to clutch your burning throat, and strong arms wrapped around you and cradled you as you sank to the ground, completely falling apart.

The next few hours were a blur. Official after official came to talk to you at your place on the sidewalk - letting you know when to expect results from the dental records, asking if your father had home or life insurance, asking if there were any other relatives they needed to call. It was all very overwhelming, and JJ stayed nearby, not burdening you with his own many questions.

When you were finally told you could go and that the detective would call you with any updates, you let JJ lead you to the truck with a ginger hand on your back. You dumped the stack of business cards you had collected in a garbage can along the way.

He had been paying attention during your many interviews. He knew you didn’t have any other relatives nearby who you could stay with, so he started toward his house without question.

You’d stopped crying once the interviews began, but a few minutes into the drive, JJ glanced over to see tears silently rolling down your cheeks. He reached out to grab your hand, giving it a squeeze, and you didn’t let go until you got out of the truck at his house.

You took JJ up on his offer to use his shower, letting the water soothe you for at least 40 minutes before getting out. It was 4 PM, but JJ had dinner already prepared by the time you got out of the shower in case you just wanted to eat and go to bed. You weren’t hungry, but you ate a small bowl of macaroni and hot dogs to be polite. Not wanting to excuse yourself to bed to leave JJ alone after all of his kindness, you stayed in the living room with him after finishing your food.

There were a few awkward moments, but JJ decided to fill them with funny stories, knowing that you probably still weren’t ready to answer all of the questions he had about this mystery girl who just rode into his life. He told you about his long friendship with JB and the trouble they got into even from an early age. One story had you laughing so hard you were crying.

“You should have seen the look on Mr. Heyward’s face. We were in deep shit,” he roared, clutching at his sides that hurt from laughing so hard.

“You guys are so bad! I could never. I’d be so scared to get in trouble,” you squealed, falling back in a fit of giggles onto the futon that served as a couch.

JJ fell back beside you, and the two of you slowly came down from your hysterics. As you drew in a deep, sobering breath, you turned your head to find JJ’s face close to yours. Your lips parted slightly in a silent gasp. JJ shifted his hand to brush a thumb across your knuckles. You clenched your hand reflexively, but JJ’s hand stayed.

“So um, thanks for today. You didn’t have to waste your whole day dealing with my melodrama,” you inserted into the silence.

“Wasn’t a melodrama,” he opposed. “You were going through something big. You shouldn’t have to do those things on your own.”

“Well, still, I know you probably wanted to do something else with your time,” you deflected, feeling heat in your cheeks, embarrassed that he had to witness the events of the day.

JJ paused, tracing circles on the back of your hand with his index finger. ‘I wanted to spend the day getting to know you,” he said.

Well he probably got to know some things about me he probably didn’t want to know, you thought.

“I don’t know what it is about you,” JJ continued. “I just want to be near you, like gravity is pulling me toward you.”

You looked into his eyes, wondering what could be so intriguing about you. JJ held your gaze, searching for reciprocation. He must have seen something there because he leaned his head down and pressed his lips to yours, and you didn’t stop him.

The kiss was soft and slow at first. When you let out a shaky breath, JJ deepened the kiss, and you responded with an even greater need. He tugged on your bottom lip with his teeth, and you allowed his tongue entry. As JJ’s tongue explored your mouth, his hands ran up your thighs to your waist. He massaged the skin there, needing to feel more of you.

When you rolled your hips under his touch, JJ turned onto his back and hoisted you on top of him in one fluid movement. Your hands went into his hair, tangling with the golden locks at the back of his head. You devoured each other’s mouths hungrily, unable to get enough.

JJ ran both hands up your back and dragged his trimmed nails back down, causing you to let out a breathy moan. JJ slowed the kiss, holding your chest to his. He struggled to clear his mind enough to make a rational decision. If he didn’t stop now, he’d be taking advantage of you in your emotional state.

JJ let out a groan. “I’m sorry, I can’t - not after the day you’ve had,” he lamented. “We should go to bed.”

You stared at JJ in disbelief and frustration. He stopped what was happening just to spare your feelings? You were a willing participant, too.

“I don’t-,” you began.

“I’ll take the couch,” JJ cut you off, sitting up under you.

You couldn’t wipe the shocked, hurt expression from your face as you climbed from his lap and retreated to his bedroom. You lied awake for a long time, replaying the events of the day and the last 10 minutes over and over in your mind before finally dozing off into a deep sleep.

Thanks for reading! Allllll the feedback is very much appreciated by this growing writer.

I'm thinking there will be at least two more parts to this story.

#jj maybank #jj maybank x reader #jj obx #obx #outer banks #angst #romance #jj obx fic #fic #lizcameron writes

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thewriterg · 1 year

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𝐣𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬

pairing(s): JJ maybank x oc!charcter, Pope Heyward x oc!character, JJ maybank x pope heyward, pogues x oc!character

summary: pougelandia was paradise and now it was gone and it was back to chaos and commotion

word count: 3.1k+

warning(s): Polyamory themes, jealousy, kidnapping, plane crash, weapons, and language

A/n: —GIFs; @misandriste & @winchvster— So I’m starting a new series chapter two is up on wattpad so if you’re invested and want to get updates early heres my page!

𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃 from a distance as JJ finished hanging up the Pouglandia sign that he a had made from a ratio of cloth and the char off a burnt stick but before the brunette could comment Kiara was already a step ahead cheering the blonde on with all her might

The girl took a step back bare feet sinking in the sand as she began to walk away her orange top that she had made out of one of the blondes tank tops clinging to her body like an overbearing hug leaving the pair alone

Everyone had a job to do and a partner to do it with

Everyone except Bonnie it seemed she did task plenty to keep herself busy and the pogues alive such as cooking meals, showing John B how to crack coconuts more times than she could count beyond her ten fingers, and weaving baskets to carry fish and different berries in

But what partner did she have? JJs attention was basically Kiaras and Pope had Cleo now the girl was inevitably alone

"Going somewhere?" Bonnie didn't turn her head to look at the dark skinned boy on the side of her as she hummed continuing to walk along the trails worm by their feet

"Thought you were picking berries with Cleo" Pope raised his eyebrows slightly inching up to his hairline at the girls tone he didn't think she meant it she always sounded more harsh than she intended majority of the time

"Got done early, when you weren't with JJ I came looking for you" He said in a mater of fact tone as the girl pursed her lips continuing walking her trail

"I think we should just live here, when JJ said it first I thought it was just stupid but I think I could do it with you two." Bonnie finally looked at him and she couldn't help the small smile on her face and Pope didn't miss even when she tried to shake it away

"Come on Jimmy Neutron we need to head back" The brunette sighed watching the sun begin to set on the horizon and the pair began their walk back to the beach

<><><>

"If you could do it all again what would you do different?" Sarah questioned the group sitting in a circle playing one of the games they found themselves playing often

"Get the gold out before Ward did." JJ stated

"Maybe hide the cross a little better." Pope sighed

"Not yell murderer at Ward maybe" Kie grimaced at the thought

"Not threaten to kill Rafe in front of a police station" Bonnie shrugged

"Uh, steal a couple bottles of rum before we jumped off the boat" John B finally responded

"Yea why didn't you do that actually?" JJ questioned turning around to look at the boy with a playful glare

"Maybe 'cause I was in a fight to the death?" The tan boy rolled his eyes

"I would look both ways before crossing the street" Cleo turned to look at John B pausing from sharpening her knife the group took a few more turns until the badly woven hat got placed upon Bonnie's head

"I think I'll finally go with a dare" The girl rolled her eyes as the group clapped JJ going as far as whistling at her finally abandoning the 'safe' answer as John B called it

"I dare you to go with the big jump no one's done it yet" Kiara challenged as Bonnie immediately began to shake her head at the thought as everyone began to boo at her

"Hell No absolutely not" The girl laughed shaking her to the point where she couldn't notice JJ slowly rising out his seat until he finally tackled the girl girl beginning to run off with her in his grasp as she screamed and yelled the girls began to giggle excluding Kiara as Sarah blew kisses in her direction and Cleo help up a heart made from her hand

JJ looked for a good climbing spot and found the best on the other side of the makeshift mountain finally sitting the brunette down on her feet

"JJ I'm not going up there" Bonnie stated looking how far up she would have to climb it was dumb and dangerous

"Come on princess, I'll go with you if it makes you feel better" He was cocky and no matter how much she said she hated it deep down the blonde knew she hated it a little less with him he knew her better that anyone

They knew her better than anyone.

"Come on one foot in front of the other one arm above each other" The pale boy encouraged as Bonnie began rock climbing to the top as he trailed behind her

"Shut up Maybank" The girl didn't know how many times she had rolled her eyes in a day but it had to have broken some record as the pair finally made it to the top they could hear the cheers from their friends down below

"Oh shit" The hair on her neck began to stick up from the cool breeze nipping around her body was the mountain always this far up?

"Don't get cold feet now Bon come on, if you don't hurry I'll throw you I swear" JJ was already at the tip of the platform ready to jump with no hesitation and Bonnie was in the middle of the landing with the almost ground area looking over the rocks

The girl screamed out a laugh as the blonde began to approach her with a small smile on his face

"WAIT okay, okay I'll jump. Just, just let me take off my shorts these are the only dry pair I have" The girl shot the blonde a pleasing look as he stood in his tracks waiting the pogues could be heard by both of them from down below but it began to become background noise as the brunette began to slip the brown shorts off from her waist along with the waist beads her and Sarah's had made with rope and rocks the had searched for around the island

JJ had stretched a hand out to her which she took stepping away from the pile of clothes she had left as the made their way to the tip of the peak the girl had to admit the view was beautiful

"On three" JJ began to count down their fingers still intertwined with one another as he stared at the girls smile her shoulders slightly shaking in anticipation

𝐎𝐍𝐄 He couldn't process how someone like her could even give him the time of day. How she could let him into her bubble of creativity, let him touch her upon her spirituality, she was something that he could understand unlike any subject in school or any problem through at him in life. He knew that she couldn't even begin to understand how bad he has it for her, how bad he has it for them.

𝐓𝐖𝐎 The blonde then turned to look at the dark skinned boy below them both. He was sure that he was the smartest person to walk the planet he'd be an Einstein one day going off to make the world better and giving the government a run for their money leaving him behind taking his heart with him and he'd let him take it to the ends of the earth with no fuss

𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 It was settled how could he let someone like them go? The simple answer was that he couldn't even if we wanted it was a the stupidest mistake anyone would ever be able to make and he was sure of himself he wouldn't

𝐆𝐎 They finally jumped still hand and hand as the cold water hit their skin screaming was the first thing they heard when their head were out of the water beginning to swim to shore as the girls laugh erupted his ears as a melody

Pope was the first to reach them both engulfing the two in a hug the water transferring to his shirt off their bodies didn't seem to phase him as JJ laughed openly pushing his wet hair from his face before wrapping an arm around them both before Bonnie's did the same both arms wrapped around both boys shoulders and waist

Her boys they all thought

<><><><>

"That's what I'm talking about now freshly caught" The group sat around a fire eating fish in silence Bonnie had her head rested on Popes shoulder and her legs were over JJs lap as he rubbed his palm against her flesh leaving a trail of goosebumps as he went

The rest of the pogues couldn't help but sneak glances in awe it took long enough John B would say but the silence was enough and spoke for itself

Kiara watched them all with a sinking feeling in her stomach she wasn't chirpy about it how was she supposed to be when the boy she had feelings for found that same feeling in other people?

<><><><>

Pope could feel himself stir as he began to blink away the sleep from his eyes at the sound that evaded his ears on the usually silent island when the pogues weren't talking and the waves weren't crashing against shore he happened to look up in the sky at helicopter that flew over the ocean close to the island

"Guys wake up!" The boy was immediately up on his legs grabbing his shoes and JJs lighters that once rested in Bonnie's bag before he was off

Bonnie woke up the sight of the brown skin boy that once lied next to her running from her peripheral view was enough to get her on her feet as she quickly tapped JJs thigh before going to follow him

It didn't take long to catch up to Pope as you both ran up the hill to a pile of wood that you had made just in case as the boy cursed at the spiking lighter that wouldn't erupt in the wind until Bonnie cupped her hand around it making a small flame that was enough to light the sticks and tree branches as the pair began to yell waving their hands in the air

"𝐇𝐄𝐘, we're over here!"

"𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 help us!"

The plane continued a it seemed no matter how much the pair screamed it was deemed useless as they both panted heavily until the plane began to turn to its side wings frozen in the air as it turned around

"Pope, Pope they see us!" The girl yelled tapping his shoulder jumping up and down until the boy picked her up his arms resting under her thighs spinning in circles as they both screamed in victory

The pogues began to run after the plane that landed in the pond as the door opened and a middle aged man long hair and a button up shirt stepped out

"Well what do we got here?" Pope ran up to John B wrapping an arm around his shoulder as both boys exclaimed in victory while Bonnie approached JJ with a bright smile that he couldn't quite mirror as she hugged his side her head resting against his bicep and just the peak of his shoulder and the blonde didn't hesitate to hold her before he handed her her bag

"You know, just some castaways." John B replied brightly

"Well I'll cross that off the grocery list, you know I got just the thing for y'all the two things you need on a deserted island first aid and rum" The man tossed both of the said items the rum landing in the pond before getting picked up by Sarah and the first aid landing in Popes hands

"So what's the story, you guys sink a boat?" He said as if it was the most reasonable thing in the world

"Jumped off one. Her dads." John b replied nodding over to where Sarah stood beside him with a skeptical look on her face

"In-laws man their tough. Well have no fear Jimmy's here I got you" The group began to laugh

"Well all hail Jimmy guys! Let's go." Cleo cheered as the group began to get on the plane the last two left were JJ and Bonnie as the two looked at each other before following their friends

"So what we're you doing all the way out here?" JJ questioned not fully sitting back in his seat Bonnie sat In between both him and Pope waiting for the man's response

"I got a little guide outfit in Saint Vincent I was spotting fish." Jimmy responded starting up the plain as the engine roared to life

"What we're you spotting?"

"Oh you know the usual Wahoo... I'd hand on to something get a little spicy on takeoff" The brunette didn't miss the look on JJs face as he squinted at the man before before clutching onto one of the handles that hung from the ceiling as the plane began to accelerate up into the air

"Wahoo don't run in September ever. So whoever this man is he's not a fisherman" The girls head snapped to look at the blonde her lips slightly parted

"Maybe the run just starts earlier out here" Pope tried to reason a small look of alert taking over his features

"Are you sure about that? In the Caribbean" JJ shot a look at the boy as Bonnie's knee began to bounce up and down a habit she had when she was trying to think or when she was anxious

"No I know what this is, he's working for my dad and he's probably been looking for us the entire time." Sarah spoke up in her seat next to Cleo all eyes shifting to her

"All right we gotta find out looking for some sort of... clues" The blonde trailed off as he looked at the bag on the back of the pilots chair as he looked at Bonnie and John B

"Hey Jimmy, how long you had this bird?" The boy questioned as JJ stretched an arm across the isle way sticking a hand in his bag

"Probably about ten years"

"How long you been flying?" Bonnie spoke up as the man shook his head with a smile that made her stomach uneasy

"I've been flying all my life"

"Uhh who's the lovely lady right there?" John B through another question back like a grenade ready to blow

"That right there? That's Cynthia" The man laughed loudly overly loud the Bonnie though his headphones probably had something to do with the fact

JJ began sprawling some of the things he got from the man's bag out on his lap as Bonnie picked up the book flipping through pages for anything useful as JJ handed Sarah a picture

"The costal venture oh my god this is the boat we were on with Eberhimi and the cross" Sarah whispered

"So he was looking for us?" Cleo questioned even though it was more than a statement as JJ agreed nodding his head

"He's working for my dad" Sarah declared before the plane began to shake as Bonnie fell into Popes side the boy wrapping his around her without missing a beat

"You guys better hold onto something we got some unexpected turbulence up here" Jimmy called back

"Guys whatever it is it's happening fast look." Kiara pointed out the window and everyone could see an island the plane began to approach

"It's Barbados. It's where I lived there before I moved with my dad to the cut" Bonnie stated as she remembered the memories she had before her dad moved them both to the obx just when she was seven on the peak of turning eight

"Okay there's seven of us, one of him. You know my vote we storm the cockpit." JJ stated the girl honestly questioned it logic majority of the time

"No who's gonna fly the plane dumbass" John B protested

"I've seen Pope fly simulators" The blonde responded and the girl pinched at his arm for putting him on the spot to which he pouted genuinely beginning to rub his arm

"I crop-dusted for my uncle last summer this is not the same thing" The brown skin boy shook his head

"We don't have time to pretend that's a real option" Kiara responded

"Do you have an idea?"

"Something safe."

"Why don't we just wait until the plane lands somewhere safe, and if someone comes to mess with us we handle it." Bonnie interrupted the banter and everyone seemed to agree

"I like the handling part" JJ responded and the girl couldn't help but roll her eyes

"Just put that back" She pointed to the stuff in his lap as John B began to stir up conversation with Jimmy again as the man turned his head catching JJ putting back one of the books he had taken back in his bag

"Hey what the hell are you doing man" He had reached back pushing JJ letting go of shift sticks to control the plane in the process as the plane began to drop

"FLY THE PLANE!"

"Please fly the plane!" Jimmy had finally took control of the stick pulling upwards with abnormal force and soon the plane finally crashed in the water beginning to sink

"We got to get out come on" The group jumped one by one until it was Bonnie and Kiara left Pope had his arms out for the girl and Bonnie reluctantly jumped out the plane into the boys arms as JJ took the girl from his grasp beginning to swim of the direction underneath the pier

"Kie went the other way!" Sarah exclaimed as they watched the girl begin to run of the shore deeper into the island men dressed in khakis and cargos chasing after

"What are we going to do we're going after her right?" John B questioned as he watched his best friend get dragged away

"What can we do?" Pope questioned

"That girl always has to play fucking hero" Bonnie panted JJ still holding her tight in his grasp

"Guys my dad didn't, didn't sell our house we can crash there until we figure something out" The girl continued beginning to shake from the cold clear water and the pogues had settled on that idea quietly swimming to another part of the shore making it to land

<><><><>

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misshoneyimhome · 5 months

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Chapter 14 - Part I

Prologue I 01 I 02 I 03 I 04 I 05 I 06 I 07 I 08 I 09 I 10 I 11 I 12 I 13 I 14.I I 14.II

Summary: Upon the girls' arrival in Denver, the New Year is just around the corner; and amidst the cheers of hockey fans and the lively festivities, Julia and William finally find the moment to come face to face.

Tags; William NylanderxOfc; “We never go out of style”

Warnings; alcohol consumption;

Author's Note: So, this chapter was meant to be much longer, hence why I've split it into two parts; There were numerous details swirling in my mind for this, but as usual, things never quite unfold as initially planned; Nonetheless, please enjoy! :)

Word count: 3.9K

"Who was I to say, that this was meant to be?"

The excitement filled the air as the plane made its way to Denver - a four-and-a-half-hour journey during which Charlie eagerly extracted every possible detail from Julia.

"This is so amazing!" she exclaimed, lightly clapping her hands, and Julia couldn't help but be infected her friend's enthusiasm, expressing a smile and a light head shake.

"Charlie, you‘ve got to chill... nothing's even happened yet."

"I know! But it's just so exciting – you've poured your heart out to Willy... in a voicemail, but still... and now you're flying out to see him! It's just so perfect."

Julia offered a light chuckle, attempting to calm her overly excited friend and downplay the situation a bit. "Easy there, tiger. Technically, I'm just flying out with you ladies to celebrate New Year's..."

"Where Willy will be, too," Charlie swiftly added.

"Yes... I suppose," Julia responded hesitantly, releasing a gentle sigh and attempting to offer a faint smile, as she delicately toyed with the amulet on her new bracelet, the gift from William for Christmas. Gazing down at it, she recalled the true reason behind her visit to see him. And for a little while, neither of the girls said a word until Charlie chose to break the silence.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Julia merely nodded. "Yeah, just a bit nervous, I suppose... I haven't seen Willy since Christmas, and..." She drew in a deep breath before proceeding. "I haven't heard from him all day yesterday... or today." Speaking in a soft tone, she glanced down into the cup of tea she held, eliciting a concerned expression from Charlie.

"And now you’re worried that he’s avoiding you?"

Once more, Julia nodded.

"I left that message last night... and I haven’t gotten anything form him since - no text or snap... nothing."

About thirty seconds passed as Julia attempted to steady her breath, while Charlie pondered how best to comfort her friend. She understood that Julia was grappling with the friends-to-lovers situation, and there really wasn't much she could say to ease it.

"You're having tea instead of coffee? Wow, you must be really nervous, huh?"

The playful comment appeared to brighten the solemn moment.

"Yeah... it’s that bad," Julia chuckled.

The two friends shared another moment of light laughter before Charlie returned to addressing the issue.

"It's going to be alright, JJ - I know that! Maybe he just needs time to process things, just like you did, remember?" she smiled, sensing Julia starting to relax a bit.

"I do remember, babe," she responded with a sweet smile before Charlie continued.

"Oh, I can just picture it - you'll see him, and then there'll be this dramatic moment where you both run towards each other. He'll sweep you into his arms and share a deep, passionate kiss..."

She gestured with her arms and hands, emphasising the romantic intensity of the imagined reunion between Julia and William following Julia's heartfelt message. And Julia could only release another chuckle.

"Have you been watching rom-coms again, Char?"

"I might have binged on all the Bridget Jones movies over Christmas... but only because you brought them up!"

"Those are good classics," Julia simply replied, her eyes reflecting a blend of nerves and excitement. “But this isn’t some romantic movie, darling – we won’t just see each and suddenly tumble into mad love, as if nobody else is around.”

But her pragmatic outlook didn’t sway Charlie. The Canadian friend simply continued to smile, and eventually, Julia had to concede, rolling her eyes and releasing a resigned sigh.

“I'm just saying... it’ll be wonderful,” and with that, the girls chuckled and dropped the topic, enjoying the remainder of the flight.

Meanwhile, the lads were awaiting the transfer en route to Denver, and during the wait, William couldn’t resist playing Julia’s message on repeat. He must've listened to it about 15 times already, a subtle smirk constantly appearing on his face as he absorbed every detail. Her voice resonated with tenderness, and her words had found a direct route to his heart.

Though, William had struggled with deep feelings in the past and had never quite experienced what others often described as being in love, he was now certain he was close to that feeling.

Late last night, after hearing the voicemail a couple of times, he had spent the following thirty minutes reminiscing about every shared moment they had experienced. Flipping through photos and videos, he couldn't deny that Julia had evoked new and unfamiliar emotions within him. And it wasn’t until her heartfelt confession that he had finally come to realise that these emotions might actually be love.

It hadn’t happened during the playful teasing, earning eye rolls and chuckles, nor during the support he had provided on the ice during their intimate ice-skating outing. Not even during the twinge of jealousy he had felt seeing her with Freddie, or their intimate moment on her bed after the emotionally charged evening with Börje. It didn't occur during their time in the changing room, their close dance in his living room, or when he had confided in his brother Alex that she had come to occupy a special place in his heart.

No, he just hadn’t realised it before now. They had shared countless moments together - conversations on his sofa, the snowball fight, stolen glances at her unclothed form...

And the kiss. Her soft, full lips. Those were genuinely unforgettable.

But despite his newfound realisation, he found himself unsure of how to react. His first thought was to just call her and tell her that he felt the same way. But he hesitated as he wasn’t sure of how to do it.

Besides, he couldn’t bring himself to do it over the phone. No, he wanted to wait until he saw her again, even though the waiting was tormenting him. But at least he had the message to listen to in the meantime.

***

As the team continued waiting for their transfer, the girls made their way from the Denver Airport to the hotel near the Ball Arena. And upon arrival, Aryne announced their presence at the reception, following Tessa efficiently distributing the room keys.

"Why did I get a junior suite all to myself when the rest of you are sharing double rooms?" Julia queried, with a playful grin.

And Charlie, wearing a sweet smile, explained, "Oh, they were almost all sold out when we booked the rooms. So, it was either that or you had to share a family room with Aryne and the boys..."

"Junior suite it is, and you won’t hear another word from me," Julia chuckled.

Although she adored Aryne and the boys, sharing a room with them was not her ideal plan. Aryne was the only one with children on this trip, and initially, they were supposed to have a babysitter. But unfortunately, the sitter had cancelled at the very last minute. Besides, John was actually rather pleased when he heard he’d see his children on New Year’s.

"So, how's it managing room arrangements when this hotel will turn into a brothel?"

The girls burst into laughter at Julia’s cheeky remark, and Stephanie, excitedly, chimed in, "Well, we've sorted it out. I'll room with Charlie; Mitch and Auston will share, then we’ll switch it up, so each couple has their own double room. The same arrangement goes for the rest."

"That's a whole lot of logistics to sort out," Julia chuckled. "Why doesn't everyone just get their own room? I mean, these boys can afford it, right?"

"Sure, but the management finds it easier to have the boys sharing rooms - it's more convenient and takes up less space for the hotel," Audrey explained.

"That makes sense."

However, as the girls began arranging their rooms, Aryne unfortunately had some bad news to share.

"Alright ladies, listen up. I've just spoken to Brad, and unfortunately, the guys won’t be arriving until tomorrow due to some transportation problems."

"What?" All the girls exclaimed simultaneously.

“What happened?” Audrey inquired. “Did the boys mix up their suitcases again, causing them to go back and miss the flight?”

“Or did Mitch forget his equipment again?” Tessa swiftly followed with a remark.

"Hey!" Stephanie exclaimed.

“Oh, come on, you know it could happen,” Charlie chuckled.

“I know… but still,” Stephanie smiled, and laughter filled the room, as the conversation and concern about the boys' transportation issues continued.

"Actually, it sounds like all the guys were on time and ready to leave, but something went awry in the communication... Please don’t ask me about the specifics; I stopped listening after 15 minutes of Brad explaining," Aryne attempted to clarify.

“So, what do we do now?” Stephanie then inquired, and Aryne simply offered the girls a friendly smile.

“I suppose the plan for tonight will simply be a girls' dinner-”

“And us!” Jace chimed in.

“… with Jace and Axton,” Aryne added with a laugh. “And then, we’ll catch up with the guys at the game tomorrow. So, let’s all meet back down here in about an hour, and then we’ll head out?”

And after an hour had passed, the girls reconvened in the hotel lobby. Laughter and excited chatter filled the air as they gathered, anticipating the evening ahead, and with each of them donning their best outfits, they embarked on their night out, heading to a local restaurant for dinner.

Throughout the meal, the atmosphere was charged with lively discussions about the thrilling events scheduled for the following night. The team's staff, in collaboration with the wives and girlfriends, had gone to great lengths to arrange an exclusive New Year's event at the hotel following the game. And so, the girls discussed their excitement, sharing expectations and eagerly looking forward to dress to impress.

As they returned to the hotel, a desire for privacy emerged among the group. Most of the girls expressed the wish to retreat to their rooms separately, naturally as they all longed for calling their significant others.

However, Charlie couldn’t help but observe Julia's distant gaze and resist showing concern once more.

"Hey, you alright?"

“Sure, why wouldn’t I be… Oh, you mean this slow burn, painfully torturing me as I keep thinking about Willy and how he may or may not like me in the same way that I like him?” Julia casually joked, her voice carrying a tone of sarcasm, and Charlie couldn’t help but chuckle at her friend's exaggeration.

However, Julia softened her tone with a reassuring smile and a twinkle in her eye. “Actually, I feel fine.”

“So, what’s your plan now?” Charlie inquired.

“Oh, you know me; I’m gonna order myself a large glass of Pinot Noir and then head to my room. I'll put on some tunes and enjoy a long, nice bath,” she explained with a satisfied smirk.

“Sounds like a good plan.”

****

As the evening progressed into night, the boys were finally on their way to Denver. However, it appeared that troubles rarely came alone.

No matter where they turned, issues arose. Whether it was the plane unable to take off, a delayed bus, or a missing driver, the team faced a string of challenges that night.

What was initially planned as a journey of just under 2 hours turned into a gruelling 12-hour drive, forcing them to make a quick stop for some sleep along the way.

And as morning arrived, Julia promptly changed into her workout attire and encountered a few girls in the hallway with her enthusiasm.

“Hey, anyone up for a quick workout? We can go for a-“

But her excitement was met with gentle head shakes and light chuckles.

“No takers, huh? Well, see you at breakfast,” she flashed the girls a smile before continuing her way.

After a good workout session, she joined the girls in the restaurant, enjoying the lively conversations that followed.

“JJ, it’s New Year’s Day - why work out today?” Mathilda questioned, a hint of surprise in her smile.

“Yeah, nobody does that,” Audrey chimed in with an amused smile. “I don’t know why you do it.”

“Well, I’m 5’2, and I cook and eat like I’m twice my size so…” Julia chuckled, indicating her plate filled with a hearty portion of food, hinting that her workout was probably more of a necessity.

“I swear, you and Willy are so meant for each other,” Stephanie added, grinning mischievously.

The girls shared laughter around the table, as they ensured they’d have enough energy for the day ahead.

And after breakfast, the they all planned their activities for the day. Some intended to explore the city, while others, like Charlie, opted for a relaxed DIY spa day indoors.

With undeniable thrill and excitement, she had made an effort to make this day and evening special, as it not only marked her first New Year's celebration with Auston, but also her first New Year’s in a serious, committed relationship.

"Alright, which one?" Charlie asked excitedly, displaying two potential sets of lingerie to Julia and Stephanie, who were lounging on the bed.

“Are you seriously asking us to choose your sex clothes for seeing Auston tonight?” Stephanie chuckled.

“Come on, I want to look good and sexy for him! So please help.”

“Babe, you do realise that as soon as Auston sees you, his two brain cells will shut down, and then he’ll eagerly rip off those pieces of fabric as they’ll just be in the way,” Julia chuckled with a raised eyebrow.

"I know… but I don’t care! Come on, you guys – which one?" Charlie inquired with a friendly grin, earning Stephanie and Julia to glance at each other for a moment before speaking simultaneously.

“The black one.”

****

TOR 6 @ COL 2

The Ball Arena buzzed with excitement as hockey fans filled the arena for the game on this New Year's evening. Leafs supporters mingled with Avalanche fans, creating an atmosphere of enthusiastic shouts and cheers.

And as the girls made their way to their exceptional front-row seats by the glass, Julia felt her palms becoming sweaty. In just a few minutes, the players would hit the ice for warm-ups, and she would no longer be able to escape the waiting of seeing William’s face.

She still hadn’t heard from him, which naturally only intensified the anxiety for this very moment.

And as her breaths became uneven, Charlie offered a comforting gesture, intertwining her hand with Julia's before all the girls began clapping for the players stepping onto the ice.

One by one, each player skated around, practicing shots at goal with pucks flying across the rink. And amidst the activity, they quickly noticed the many of the team's significant others in the crowd, shouting and cheering, earning smiles across all player’s faces.

Then, in a matter of seconds, William suddenly stopped, and his eyes widened upon seeing Julia among the women. Time seemed to slow down as his gaze fixated on her beautiful smiling face, her shining blonde hair flowing down her back, dressed in her white Maple Leafs jersey bearing his number and name.

He could feel his heart suddenly quickened its pace as he processed the sight of her in the crowd, blinking a few times to confirm it was truly her before their eyes locked.

Julia's gaze met his, their blue eyes connecting and silently conversing across the arena. And as they stood separated by distance, she could feel her heart racing while searching for any clues in his expression.

Then, a wide smile graced his lips, a radiant grin spreading across his face, as his eyes sparkled with joy.

And without communicating a single word, Julia found solace and warmth in William’s smile, as if he silently assured her that her feelings were mutual and there was no need to be concerned any more.

So slowly, Julia felt her shoulders relax and her heart return to a steady rhythm, yet her being overflowed with joy and happiness.

In that profound moment, both of them realised the depth of their connection. And though it felt like several minutes passed, in reality, it might have been only a fleeting moment or two.

However, their intimate connection was interrupted by Tavares, skating over to William and nudging him to join the team for warm-ups, signalling the need to focus on the impending game.

Which turned out to be an excellent match.

The Leafs swiftly took the lead in the first period, with Marner and Engvall each securing a goal. And though the Avalanches managed to score before the period ended, the Leafs responded quickly with another goal just 34 seconds into the second period by Bunting. Despite the Avalanches scoring another goal, Matthews and Brodie swiftly secured two more goals within a mere 30 seconds, sealing their dominance. And as a cherry on top, Bunting scored the sixth and final goal for the Leafs, assisted by none other than Nylander.

Throughout the entire game Julia found herself smiling uncontrollably, feeling a sense of relief as her anxiety about her feelings for William vanished, allowing her to truly immerse herself in the match.

And as the final buzzer sounded, sealing the incredible New Year’s win, the atmosphere exploded with cheers and excitement. The group of significant others couldn't contain their joy, joining the chorus of shouts and applause directed at their men on the ice. Alongside the rest of the Leafs fans, they sang and celebrated as the players left the rink, before the swiftly gathered their belongings and headed towards the locker room, eager to greet their partners with an overflow of love and congratulations for the amazing victory.

Amidst the kisses and hugs exchanged in the bustling arena halls, William, still in skates and gear, walked purposefully, scanning the crowd for one person in particular.

And as the last one to enter the hallway, Julia appeared.

So, with determined steps, the Swede made his way towards her, as their eyes met once again, smiles brightening their faces as if drawn together by an unseen force. He practically threw his gloves and helmet on the floor. And just as Charlie had envisioned, William enveloped Julia in his arms, lifting her up and pulling her into a tight embrace, where she instinctively wrapped her legs around his hips and their lips met in a passionate, deep kiss.

In that particular moment, it felt as though the entire world around them disappeared.

The kiss was filled with all sorts of emotions, as their lips massaged each other, showing just how much they’d both longed for this to happen.

And as they pulled back slightly to catch their breath, William breathed out.

"I got your message."

Still keeping Julia close, their eyes locked, and light chuckles escaped them both.

"Took you long enough," she almost whispered, a smile gracing her lips, before he gently set her down, his hands still lingering on her.

"Yeah, I'm kind of an idiot like that," William grinned, eliciting a bright smile from Julia as she looked up at him.

"Perhaps, but a lovable idiot."

And once again, the two of them shared a heartfelt moment, finally giving into the connection that had been silently brewing between them for months. In another kiss, they released all the suppressed thoughts and instincts, surrendering to something that had never felt so right before.

"And all because of our meddling!" Mitch's voice rang out from the background, causing both William and Julia to turn and face their group of friends, sharing broad smiles as they observed the scene. "So, who had 4 weeks?"

"Oh, that was me!" Auston announced proudly, evidently the winner of the bet they had made on the night of the Christmas gala.

And amidst the laughter that filled the air, William couldn't help but steal another glance at the girl in his arms. It was somewhat surreal for him to believe that this was truly happening. Julia had been the first person to ever evoke such deep feelings in him, someone who began as a stranger and evolved into a close friend. And after months of their relationship remaining purely platonic, he never thought that she would actually develop genuine feelings for him.

"Alright, guys!" Tavares' voice echoed, capturing the attention of all his teammates. "Let’s wrap it up in here. The girls have something planned at the hotel, so let’s get out asses moving and get ready to celebrate New Year's!"

Following the captain's orders, the group of men shouted in unison before heading to the showers.

And as they waited for the players to finish up, Charlie couldn't contain a massive grin as Julia came towards her.

"Okay, you can say..." Julia chuckled.

And for a second or two, Charlie held a dramatic pause before she exclaimed, "I told you so!" overflowing with excitement, pulling her friend into a tight hug.

*****

Back at the hotel, everyone was dressed in their finest attire, and the hotel's banqueting venue had undergone a stunning transformation into a beautifully decorated room for New Year’s celebrations.

The banquet tables were adorned with delectable dishes for the players, and glasses were filled to the brim with champagne. Despite the late and exhilarating game, everyone appeared to have an abundance of energy in anticipation of the stroke of midnight.

And as the room buzzed with excitement, William’s gaze remained on his new date, Julia.

The girls had made a swift change into beautiful dresses, and he simply couldn’t help but admire the long, tight fitted dress, that formed her curves so wonderfully, and the low v-cut in the front, exposing her chest. And with slow and steady steps, Julia made her way towards William, who’d changed into his pre-game suit, just like the rest of the players.

“You know, it’s not really polite to stare,” she chuckled as she came to stand in front of him.

“Well then you have to go and change, because you look amazing in that dress,” William simply chuckled as he kept staring at her figure.

Julia couldn’t help but bite down onto her lower lip, as she considered speaking what was truly on her mind. With a seductive smirk on her lips, she gently leaned in closely.

“Or… I could… just take it off,” she spoke, sparking a cheeky grin on William’s face, before he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

“Oh, that’s definitely going to happen.”

"Oh, come on, lovebirds!" Mitch shouted from the other side of the room. "You'll get a chance for all that later. Come join us here for the countdown."

In the expansive venue, a substantial gathering of players and their partners assembled as the countdown to New Year's began.

"10... 9... 8..." they all chorused together.

Standing amidst her dear friends, embraced by the man she had grown to care for deeply, Julia couldn't help but reflect on all that had happened over the past four to five months.

“7… 6…”

Never in her wildest dream, had she imagined she’d be standing here among these people, happily jumping into the new year. And not to mention, in the arms of a man, she had met by a coincidence, before the universe had set them up to develop a more profound relationship.

Just a year ago, she found herself in an entirely different situation, alongside a different man, having different dreams of a future. Yet, in an uncanny twist of fate, here she stood.

"5... 4..."

And as the countdown reached its climax, Julia knew there was no one else she'd rather start the new year with than William.

"3... 2... 1... HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

With beaming smiles, William and Julia shared a tender New Year's kiss, Welcoming the 2023, and embracing their newfound love between them.

#we never go out of style #william nylander imagine #william nylander fic #willy styles #toronto maple leafs fic #nhl fanfiction #nhl hockey fic

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codename-mom · 4 months

Text

The sweater case

Summary: The FBI organizes a gala with all the agency directors of the country. Hotch is invited but doesn't really want to go. But the gift Penelop gives him may changes his mind.

Characters: BAU team (Pentagone JJ's era) and Jack, Jessica, Will and Henry

Contents: TW a little bit of anxiety because that's the way Hotch is, but the text is fun and fluff most of the time (and silliness). :)

This is a text written for the CM Office Party challenge organized by @imagining-in-the-margins.

PS : English is not my mother language so they are necessarily mistakes. Sorry about that.

PPS: you better read "It's a piece of cake" before to understand one dialogue here, but it's still comprehensible.

___

Hotch was rereading the report of one of the BAU agents when there was a knock on his office door. He looked up from his screen to see Penelope at the entrance to the room, with a bag slung over her arm. She smiled shyly, asking permission to venture further into his territory.

“Come in, Garcia.”

She obeyed immediately, trotting to her desk, each step making her earrings and multicolored bracelets jangle.

“I hope I’m not coming at the wrong time.”

“No, don’t worry. What’s going on?”

“Here it is.”

She handed him a package encircled in silver wrapping paper and fastened with a green and red ribbon. From what he could make out, its contents were imposing but slack – it fell on either side of the redhead's manicured hands. He quickly went down memory lane and realized that she had already given him something for his birthday. In fact, he didn't know what the occasion was.

“Wh… what is it?”

“A present. For you.”

He almost answered that he understood that perfectly, but instead replied:

“Why?”

“I heard you were going to the FBI gala.”

The unit leader nodded subtly in agreement. A few weeks earlier, he had received an invitation from the communications department to participate in a party attended by all the country's branch managers. Section chiefs and other bigwigs were also present, and it was made clear to him that a negative response was not acceptable, even though he had no desire to go.

“Let's just say I wasn't given much choice, he stressed, repressing the urge to roll his eyes. And then the families are admitted, and Jack wants to see the FBI headquarters.”

“Yes, that's what I heard too, and that's why I made this for him.”

She placed the first package on his desk and rummaged in the tote bag from which she'd taken it to reveal a second, smaller, but still flimsy one.

“What's in here?" he asked, suddenly worried by this profusion of gifts for an event to which she wasn't invited.

“Open it and you’ll see.”

Taking a deep breath to calm his galloping heart rate, Aaron retrieved the most imposing package and brought it closer to him, pushing his keyboard aside. Stripping off the Bolduc, which was barely hanging on, he peeled off the few pieces of star tape that had been applied here and there and spread the strips of paper. A shiver ran down his back. Feeling the analyst's gaze fixed on him, he unfolded the pile of wool that now lay on his desk and discovered a Christmas-colored sweater, crisscrossed with golden threads, from which tiny light bulbs protruded. One of the handles weighed more than the other, so he deduced that the ignition control must be located there.

“It’s…”

“I did it! She cut him off ecstatically. Just for you. And there is another one for Jack.”

His dark irises returned to the patterns in the center of the garment, and a strange emotion rose in his stomach.

“And… you want me to wear it for the party?”

“Yes, I saw that it was allowed to come with a Christmas sweater. And then, even if we're not invited, there'll be a bit of us with you.”

One of the reasons he wanted to skip this evening was that only federal agents with managerial functions were accepted. His team was not allowed to set foot on the site. He knew a number of people who should be there but could count on the fingers of one hand those with whom he got on well. As for the others, either he didn't even know their first names, or he'd come across them many times before and didn't keep a good memory of them. Some of them were behind the icy nickname given to him for his lack of expressiveness: The Iceberg. When they weren't using a far more pejorative one.

He was then convinced that he wasn't really going to enjoy the party and was already drawing up a list of pretexts for escaping as quickly as possible. However, a sudden urge to call in sick rose in him as he lingered again over the appearance of this homemade sweater. For if there was one thing that saved him from being completely ostracized from the upper echelons of society, it was his appearance. But this creation would undoubtedly destroy his last remaining asset.

“… It’s… it’s true,” he added, feverishly folding the brightly colored top.

“What? Don’t you like it?”

“I do! He objected at once. Yes… of course. You… you did a wonderful job.”

He mentally forgave himself for this half-lie, noting that he wouldn't have been able to do even a quarter of what she'd managed to achieve.

“Thank you! I'm so glad you like it, she rejoiced, looking relieved. I was afraid it might be too much for you.”

“No, it’s… it’s perfect,” affirmed the giant trying to smile.

“Great! I let you work now.”

“Yes. Thanks again.”

The former hacker hopped out of the office, not noticing her superior's discomfited expression. He had dug his own grave. Many photos will be taken during this gala, and they will be easily accessible to an expert such as the young woman. If he broke his promise, she'd know and wouldn't appreciate the obvious betrayal.

As evening fell, Aaron returned home with a low expression on his face. But he put on a more serene visage before opening the door.

“Dad!” cried out Jack, rushing to him.

“Good evening, son.”

He took the little boy in his pajamas in his arms and placed a kiss on his forehead. He smelled of shower gel and shampoo, a sign that he'd just got out of the bath. In the kitchen, a familiar figure leaned against the dining table.

“Good evening, Jess.”

“Evening, Aaron,” greeted his ex-sister-in-law with a smile.

The little boy was still clinging to his father's neck, so happy to see him before he went to bed.

“I've got a present for you from Penelope," announced his sire, managing to free himself from this human vice.

He opened his satchel and took out the small silver package his employee had brought him. The boy grabbed it briskly and felt around the shapeless container, trying to determine its contents.

“What’s this?” he finally asked.

“Open it and you’ll see.”

He himself didn't know what Garcia's second work looked like and was curious to see what she had made for the toddler. Jack tore the paper open, revealing a second sweater, this one red and blue.

“Oh! It’s so cool!” exclaimed the kid, showing his aunt his gift before presenting it to his father.

Hotch found himself faced with a tangle of wool just like the top of Spiderman's suit. The young woman had even gone so far as to slip black threads into the red areas to represent spider webs and knit a dark arachnid right in the middle of the torso. Scarlet gloves with black stripes were attached to the ends of the sleeves, and the hood attached to the shoulders bore large white almond-shaped eyes hemmed in black.

“Actually, it's true," remarked the titan, blown away by the finesse of the realization.

Jack, ecstatic, watched it from every angle, no longer paying attention to the adults around him.

“Why do you say that?" questioned Haley's sister, back on their level.

As an observer, she must have noticed the hint of bitterness that emanated from his few words.

“Because she knitted a sweater for me too and... it doesn’t look alike, at all," he replied, rising to his feet.

“She knitted a sweater for you too. Why?”

“For the FBI gala. She saw that we were allowed to wear Christmas sweaters.”

“Dad! Can I try it on?" shouted Jack, tugging at his shirt.

“Yes, sure.”

The child didn't think twice and pulled on his superhero outfit in no time, putting on gloves and hood without a moment's hesitation.

“Look, Dad!”

“You're so classy!" his father remarked sincerely, thinking that, what's more, the proportions were right.

“See? See that, Jess?”

“Yes. You look great," commented his aunt, delighted.

She dared a glance in the direction of her ex-brother-in-law and guessed without difficulty that his level of spite had risen yet another notch.

“Do you have a Penelope sweater too, Dad?”

“Yes, and he was about to show it to me," Jessica smiled mischievously, eager to see what had gotten him into such a state.

“Yeah! Show us.”

His bluff called, Aaron leaned back into his bag and pulled out the other marvel created by the computer specialist. Taking off his suit jacket, he poked his head through the green and red striped collar, rolled up each poppy sleeve until his hands were exposed to the air, tugged on the bottle-green trim to cover his belt, pressed the concealed switch at his right wrist and looked up to see the spectators' reactions.

“Awesome!” raved his son, grinning from ear to ear.

Behind him, Jessica was holding back a giggle.

“It’s… it's very Penelope," she succeeded to articulate without managing to keep a straight face.

“That's the way it goes," Hotch grunted, trying to ignore the light flashing on his left shoulder.

“Dad! Could I wear it at the FBI party?”

“Yes. It was made for it.”

“Cool!” he replied with pride. Are you going to wear your sweater too?”

“… Yes.”

“Yeah!”

Without asking, Jack galloped back to his room to play for a while before sitting down to dinner. Her mother's sister didn't hold back any longer and cracked up, held onto the back of the sofa.

“Laugh it up, Aaron grumbled in disgust. Can you seriously imagine me showing up in front of every agency director in the country with this?”

“It’s not that horrible," she argued, squashing a tear from the corner of her eye.

“She has knitted people I can’t identify. Is that Spencer here or Dave?”

She burst out laughing again as her interlocutor tried to name the characters modeled on his torso. But if he'd already had trouble recognizing them head-on, the task was proving impossible from above.

“She tried to pay tribute to the BAU," Jessica remarked as she caught her breath.

“Yes, I know, but I'm just going to look like a clown. And, next to that, Jack has a great sweater.”

“Wait, you're jealous of your son's sweater?" the young woman frowned, surprised.

“Yes. I want a Spiderman sweater too. Rather than a blinking sweater with strange characters dancing on it.”

In retrospect, he got that his plea was not particularly in keeping with his age or profession. Jack suddenly seemed more mature than his six-year-old self. But the fact was, he found his offspring's gift far more beautiful than the one he'd received, and a lump of anxiety choked his throat at the thought of going to FBI headquarters with it on his back.

“Why don't you tell her?” Jessica resumed, serious again.

“Whose?” he retorted, hastily turning off the light bulb that was beginning to drive him mad.

“Penelope.”

“I could never do that,” he confessed without thinking.

He didn't need to do it, since he knew it was beyond his strength. Facing her gaze, her disappointment, her sadness, even her anger, was the last thing he felt able to do. Especially on such a trivial subject.

“Why?”

“Because I'd have to explain to her why I don't want this one.”

“And not wanting to make a fool of the BAU in front of all the bigwigs, isn't that excuse enough?”

“No. It’s the worst thing I could say to her. She is extremely proud of this work and to tell her that I feel ridiculous with it implies that I find it ugly. While I said that I liked it. She'll know I've lied and wonder how many times I've lied to her before. And…”

“Okay, okay, I get it, she stopped him, grabbing his arm to prevent him from pacing under her nose. Why not tell her you'd like a slightly more sober sweater for the party?”

“She won’t have the time to make another sweater by then.”

“How do you know? Do you know how much time it takes to make a sweater?”

He was about to throw out a random answer to justify his reluctance to embark on this procedure, before realizing that he was only running away from a possible resolution to his problem.

“… No.”

“So, ask her then. And if she ever tells you it would take too long, tell her you'll wear the sweater on another occasion.”

“Like the BAU Christmas party she's going to throw at her place?" he suggested, remembering that other invitation he was more inclined to honor, this one.

“For example. And for the gala, you'll go in one of your suits and everything will be fine.”

The proposal was so tempting that he felt like signing up immediately. Then he became conscious of what this meant, and his mind raced back.

“… I could never do that.”

“Aaron...” Jessica sighed, her eyebrows furrowing.

“I can’t lie. I can’t lie to her. She'll understand straight away that I don't like what she's done and… I don’t want to make her feel sad.”

“Okay. So don't complain if you look like an idiot in front of all the other agency directors.”

Caught between plague and cholera, he muttered:

“… I hate social events.”

Even more so when he knew he was in for a bad time.

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, he pushed her away, everyone's going to think you're Jack's mother and... I'm already going to have to explain that – he said, pointing to the Penelope creation he was still wearing – If, on top of that, I have to explain that you're, in fact, my ex-sister-in-law and we're just friends... well, let's simplify things if you don't mind.”

He could see from here the incredulous expressions of his colleagues, who wouldn't believe for a moment in this long-standing friendship with his ex-wife's sister – a friendship that would endure beyond her death, for which he was responsible – and would surely think it hadn't taken him long to get back on saddle. He already didn't have a very good reputation, so it was out of the question to sully it further by feeding shameless and erroneous rumors.

“As you wish, said Jessica, shrugging her shoulders. By the way, is that Emily or you, there?”

She pointed to a dark-haired figure, obviously in a suit, who could fit either of these two roles.

“It looks like bangs, so I'd say Emily. But I can’t guarantee it a hundred percent. And I don’t know why there is a cat.”

“Because the unicorn, yes?”

In the background of the group, against the snowy backdrop, a white horse with a sequined mane and a long, fuchsia-pink horn on its forehead strolled merrily along. A "detail" in the decor that didn't shock him that much.

“Yes, Penelope loves unicorns so…”

He wrinkled his eyelids as his brain recalled a cognizance from the depths of his memory.

“Hold on, I heard the girls talking about a Sergio. I thought it was a guy Emily was dating, but... maybe it's him, the cat.”

Much later, Hotch was struggling to concentrate on the e-mail he had just received. It must have been the third time he'd reread the same line without being able to understand its meaning. He recognized the words independently of each other, but the meaning of their sequence remained unclear. His mind was elsewhere, focused on the next day's appointment, which would probably ruin his career. As soon as he stopped using them, his fingers intertwined nervously, his thumb pressing the knuckles of its neighbors. He didn't realize it, but he could perfectly hear his heart beating in his temples.

Someone knocked on his door and he turned his attention away from the incomprehensible lines of text.

“Garcia?”

The young woman was once again standing on the threshold of his office, holding a package in her hand. This time it was made of kraft paper, and a simple midnight-blue ribbon encircled it.

“I've got something for you," she declared, moving over to the chair opposite him.

“… For… for me?”

“Yes. Here it is.”

As he had expected, she handed him what she was carrying, and he delicately retrieved it. The analyst's attitude differed from the ordinary. She stood quietly in front of him, a shy smile on her lips, and looked uncomfortable.

“… Penelope, you already offered me something three weeks ago,” he reminded her, confused.

“I know, she said cheerlessly, but this one's for tomorrow. For the party.”

The giant understood less and less what was happening.

“… But it was already the case for the other, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but a little birdie told me that you'd prefer something more... sober, to meet the other agency directors. That’s it.”

“A little birdie told you…?”

A block of ice fell into his gut.

“Penelope, there’s only one person I’ve ever talked to about this, and…”

A terrible feeling of shame fell over him.

“I’m sorry you had to find out this way. I… I didn’t mean to offend you. It… it’s just that…”

“Next time, give it to me straight. Like with pineapple," she added, raising an inquisitive eyebrow at him.

The leader’s eyes widened in bewilderment. Jessica knew that he and Jack hated the fruit, but he hadn't told her about what had happened during the boy's second birthday. So, how…? Unless, of course, it was his own son who had blurted it out, as he liked to tell anyone who would listen about everything he experienced in minute detail.

“Wh… who told you about this?” he wanted to know, puzzled.

“JJ. Girl’s night. She was a bit tipsy and, as we were talking about things we loved that were hated by others, she revealed that you hated pineapple.”

His embarrassment rose several notches in the blink of an eye, and continued to rise as he met the dark gaze of the bespectacled ginger. He hesitated to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't having a nightmare, but the technician resumed, in a dry tone:

“Tell me, is Jessica really allergic to pineapple?”

He swallowed a bitter saliva that was hard to get through. But, taking a breath, he decided to put his cards on the table. Now that his lies were out in the open, he could be honest to the end.

“… No. Not at all. She likes it actually. I imagine she would have loved your cake if I'd brought her your recipe.”

Penelope's brown irises turned black, and her fine eyebrows drew dangerously close under her light bangs. Arms crossed over her chest, her mouth twisted to express her disapproval, but she didn't say a word, seeming to wait for a reaction from him.

“Sorry,” he said, feeling his ears grow hot.

He felt like he was five or six years old again and had been surprised by his grandmother after the umpteenth mistake. He wished to disappear under his desk. But his employee took a deep breath before sighing heavily, letting her arms fall back on either side of her body, swaddled in a yellow and blue dress. She raised her eyes to the sky, then moved a little closer.

“Hotch, I don't want you to apologize, I want you to talk, she explained, in a much softer tone. To express what’s on your mind.”

“But I didn’t want to bother you. You’ve got enough work to do right now.”

“And I don't want you to feel ridiculous in front of the other supervisors. I want you to feel good. So, open this package and tell me what you think.”

He hadn't thought of it that way, but now that she mentioned it, it was obvious. The computer scientist's outfits were too extravagant for the FBI's internal regulations, but they suited her character and she felt more comfortable in them than in a classic suit. And she had never forced anyone on the team to adopt her style of dress. In fact, if she'd loved knitting this sweater for him, it certainly wasn't to fail him. His ex-sister-in-law was probably right: she only wanted to pay tribute to the agency he ran.

So, still embarrassed by the exposure of his deceptions, he did as she asked. A new sweater was neatly folded inside the package, in a seemingly plain electric blue. But when he picked it up by the sleeves, he saw that a seal had been drawn in its center. Surrounded by red on a yellow background, a large H stood in the middle of the chest. And the back of the sweater was in fact entirely red. The reference to a superhero was obvious and a smile stretched his lips.

“So?”

“… Much better, he affirmed, reassured. Much sober, indeed.”

“Will you wear it for the gala?”

“Yes. And… and I’ll wear the other one during our little party.”

“Really?”

“Yes, there's no reason why you should have done it for nothing.”

Joy returned to Garcia's round face.

“Do you mean it?”

“Yes, yes. I really like it. Thank you.”

His whole body was overcome by relief, and he relaxed to the point where he was once again able to read the messages that continued to populate his inbox. In the end, there might have been a chance that the celebration wouldn't have gone so badly.

The next day, as agreed and as promised, Aaron, in his Super-Hotchner sweater, reached the FBI headquarters building in the company of Jack, as overexcited by the idea of visiting this illustrious building as he was by the wool suit he proudly wore. As soon as he saw the other children present, he rushed over to show them his one-of-a-kind sweater. Keeping an eye on him from afar, his father shook all the hands he was duty-bound to shake and exchanged a few formal words with some of his peers – those who dared to come out to meet him.

He noted the looks on his outfit but did not pay attention to most of them. He only reacted when friendly faces came up to him. Like when he found the father of one of the toddlers – a blond boy a little older than Jack, called Parker, and wearing a Grinch knit to rival Penelope's – with whom he chatted serenely for a long time. The agent was younger than him and reminded him, in certain aspects of his temperament, of Morgan, but he had always got on well with him. His frank, honest side was a big part of the equation, as it allowed Hotch to be more natural himself.

But the man had to return to other activities and took his descendant in his wake. Jack, who had an appetizer in each hand and the end of a third in his mouth, followed his own father into the crowd of managers. One of them came to meet them as the BAU director wiped the miniature Spiderman's greasy fingers with a towel, before he got it everywhere.

“Good evening, Hotchner.”

“Good evening, Rollins, he greeted, rising to his feet. Let me introduce you my son, Jack.”

“Good evening, young man,” he smiled debonairly.

“Good evening, mister!”

Hector Rollins ran a branch in the north of the country. Beneath his good-natured exterior lay a rather brittle leader, who had led to the resignation or transfer of more than one agent since his induction. He almost crushed his counterpart's hand when he presented his own, but the BAU chief showed no sign of impropriety. He had already had to work alongside him on a complex investigation when Derek and Spencer were his only subordinates, and he had had to fight hard to be able to operate as he wished. The culprit had been tracked down, but the two team leaders didn't part on very good terms.

The worry was that Rollins had many more friends and acquaintances in the Bureau hierarchy than he did, so he knew that offending him was the last sensed thing to do. He was aware, however, that the pot-bellied, half-bald, red-faced man in front of him had already sown a few insidious seeds designed to tarnish the image of profilers. Aaron kept his guard up, fighting the urge to throw the contents of his glass in his face.

“That's a nice sweater you've got there," he remarked, leaning back on his knees to bring himself up to the toddler's level.

“Yeah. It’s awesome!”

A toothy grin split his crimson face, and he straightened up with a pained sneer. Rollins was about twenty years older than Hotch and hadn't been in the field for a long time. His main activity consisted of sitting on his chair and sending incendiary e-mails to his flock for minor details. Probably to compensate for an authority he lacked at home.

“Where did you buy it?”

Or to vent his frustration at the failure of his marriage – his wedding ring had left his ring finger. The memory of a remark he'd made at the gala held the year he and Haley separated made the corner of Hotch's lips curl up again.

“I’m afraid I can’t give you that information.”

“Why?”

“It’s classified.”

Rollins had children close in age to Jack's, and obviously wanted a copy of this creation to win the favor of one of them, but Aaron curiously had no desire to accede to his request. All the more so as it was unlikely that Penelope would embark on an industrial production of her works. And, most of all, he didn’t want anyone else but every members of his team to enjoy her creations.

“And… your sweater is classified too?”

“Yes,” he confirmed, before walking away with a satisfied look on his face.

The following week, Hotch and Jack hurried upstairs to Garcia's apartment. Despite the cramped conditions, the analyst was keen to invite the whole team, as well as JJ, Will and her son. With the former liaison officer off to the Pentagon, opportunities to cross paths were few and far between. Christmas had served as an excuse to get everyone together, and the young couple had accepted the invitation immediately.

“At last! I thought you'd never arrive,” revealed their hostess as she opened the door.

“Sorry. We were looking for a twin of Jack's sock,” explained the agency manager.

“I wanted the socks with the gingerbread men,” said the little boy, pouting.

He had particularly insisted on putting on this pair and not another but, conveniently, the duplicate underwear was not in the drawer with the first. And so began a long treasure hunt throughout the apartment, which gradually nibbled away at any lead the giant thought he'd gained.

“Did you find it?”

“No. So I told him he could put on others.”

“So, I have a gingerbread sock and a snowman sock.”

The skunk proudly displayed his ankles adorned with mismatched patterns. This subversion – which didn't bother his progenitor in the slightest – appealed enormously to Reid, who had meanwhile moved closer to greet them.

“Awesome! Look at mine!”

He pulled on his pants and showed a ski-loving bear on his right and a forest of Christmas trees on his left.

“Oh! So great!” exclaimed Jack, delighted to find a galley companion.

Aaron overlooked the fact that this wasn't the first time the PhDs owner had indulged in this kind of extravagance, let alone that it was, in fact, a daily habit. The two fantasists moved away to say hello to the rest of the group, while the titan stayed close to Penelope. He turned to warn her:

“I’m sorry, but he didn’t put your sweater back on today. He loves it, but his grandmother knitted him one, so he wanted to wear it tonight.”

“A Christmas sweater?”

“Yes. Look. Jack!”

The little head turned sharply in their direction and, as his father waved, he came running back, smiling.

“Take off your coat, you’ll be too hot.”

“Okay.”

He opened his zipper and extended his arm towards Hotch. Without exchanging a word, the latter grabbed the sleeve of the down jacket and the boy spun around to disentangle himself from its thickness. He appeared in a white sweater with a large green brachiosaurus and a red cap with a pompom on their head. The dinosaur looked as happy as the child wearing the jersey.

“Oh! I love your sweater!”

“Grandma Ada made it. It’s so good!”

And off he went, Morgan baiting him with a glass of juice. The luscious redhead smiled, then raised an eyebrow.

“I… I thought you don’t celebrate Christmas?”

Although he didn't dwell on the subject, the unit manager had to mention on occasion that this celebration was not part of his traditions. Born of Jewish parents, he was not a practicing Jew, nor did he believe in any divinity, but he followed the customs of his relatives, for whom the twenty-fourth of December was a day like any other.

“Not me. Well, not my family, he confirmed. But my mother knows that Jack celebrates Christmas, so she's adapted.”

On the other hand, Haley had been a Christian and this date was very important to her. Until his divorce, Aaron had celebrated both Hanukkah and the Nativity, and his son had been immersed in this dual culture from birth. Removing the second on the pretext that his mother was no longer of this world was something his sire refused to do, especially as it was also an opportunity for the boy to see his maternal grandparents. A decision that his family accepted without hesitation.

“I understand better,” nodded the mistress of the premises.

“I see you're making a beautiful Christmas tree.”

Indeed, the young woman was wearing a bright green sweater with a black stripe around it, embellished with variegated decorations in the shape of gifts, candy canes, snowflakes and other shooting stars that bounced around with her every move. A few light bulbs were also scattered here and there. To complete the picture, she had placed a fir-green bonnet on her head, topped by a little reindeer with a red nose.

“Hold on, look at that.”

She contorted her body for a brief moment, then all the lights came on, illuminating her shoulders, arms, stomach and hips. The ungulate’s nose lit up likewise. A delighted smile played on the computer scientist's pink lips.

“Did you knit it?” asked her superior, amused.

“Uh… no. But I added the bulbs and homemade baubles.”

“Ah, I thought so.”

The original version of the knit must have lacked a bit of madness, Hotch mused, impressed by the work accomplished in spite of everything.

“And you?”

“A promise made; a promise kept.”

He undid the first button of his coat and continued with the next ones all the way down, under the impatient gaze of his subordinate, untied his scarf – knitted by his aunt – and undressed to reveal the sweater he should have originally worn to the gala.

“It suits you so well!" rejoiced Penelope, clapping her hands.

“And wait…”

Grabbing the switch tucked into his sleeve, he made all the bulbs on the garment glow, and they immediately began to blink.

“Oh, it’s perfect! Look everyone!”

The group redirected its attention to them, then approached to admire their hostess's other creation. Aaron calmed the rhythmic beating of his heart by reminding himself that he wasn't the attraction, but the sweater he'd put on. The comments were dithyrambic, though all pronounced with an equivocal smile.

“Is it supposed to be us?" asked Derek, his natural mockery unable to pass up such an opportunity.

“What do you mean, "supposed"?! the author erupted right away. That’s us!”

“Yes, look, intervened Dave. Spencer is clearly recognizable with his horn in the middle of his forehead.”

Everyone laughed, except Reid and Garcia, but not for the same reasons.

“No, I'm here," corrected the multi-graduate, very seriously.

He pointed to the tallest man in the group, thinner than the others, whose brown hair looked like it had been blown off by an explosion.

“Ah! Thanks, Spence! Finally, someone who recognizes my talent.”

More laughter fused and the seamstress calmed down.

“Sergio is very well done, in any case," remarked Emily, pointing to the small dark animal that stood in the center of the woolen fresco, erect on its spindly legs.

“Hey, I applied myself," informed her colleague, puffing out her chest.

They broke into congratulations and Penelope flushed.

“Mom, can I have the same sweater?" asked Henry, fascinated by the flashing bulbs that peeked out from the thick knit fabric.

“Ah, I think you have a new order," noted the boy's mother.

“It's as good as done," declared the analyst, mimicking a curtsy.

In the end, the sweater wasn't all that bad.

___

I didn't know how to finish this text (I rewrote the last lines of dialogue several times), but I hope you have enjoyed your ride. ^_^

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