#hangman page x oc

[lancearcherinrippedjeans]

A Day at a Time

———

Starring - Our wonderful O/C’s, Hangman Page, Daniel Garcia, Eddie Kingston, 2.0 and Max Caster (small appearance from Wheeler Yuta)

Category - Fluff, angst, comedy

Part 1/?

Summary - Kelani Williams and Jasmine Scott. Polar opposites, but best friends. Jasmine faces struggles in her relationship with Daniel Garcia, while Kelani struggles with even being in a relationship at all.

Warnings/Other author’s notes - This includes talks of being scared of sex in relationships. And as always, make sure you follow @adriii-omega !!!

———

“This one is a real slobber knocker folks,” Good Ol’ Jr said, as he sat at the announce table talking with his broadcast partners, “You’re right about that Jim. These two women are really going at it.” 

Jasmine Scott and Kelani Williams. Now from this angle, it may seem like they hate each other… 

“YOU’LL NEVER BE BETTER THAN ME.” Kelani yelled, before delivering a hard slap to Jasmine, getting an echo through the arena. Jasmine held her cheek, beginning to taste blood from the side of her mouth. She rolled out the ring, taunting the fans behind the barricade as they delivered their reactions. She raised a middle finger to them, earning an even louder chorus of boos. 

“I hope she trips down the stairs.” Jim insulted. “Get your business done in the ring, Kelani.” He said with an annoyed tone. 

As if she could hear him, Kelani turned her attention back to the her opponent only to be hit by Jasmine’s extremely impactful, suicide dive. She held her ribs, trying her best to get the upper hand in this match again.

Jasmine wobbled around a bit, trying to find anything to use for her advantage. She lifted the ring skirt, smirking to the camera, as she pulled out a table. The crowd erupted, as she slid it into the ring, with Kelani right after. Jasmine picked up a half bent kendo stick, targeting Kelani. Her eyes went wide, and she put her hands up in a prayer, “DON’T HIT ME. PLEASE. I’M SORRY. TRUCE? TRUCE? TRUCE—”

Jasmine cracked the side of her arm, sending a shock of pain through her. She screeched, before attempting to get up and only getting another crack in return. 

“It must be Jasmine’s birthday, cause she’s hitting Kelani like she’s a piñata.” Excalibur snarked. Tony laughed, “Good one.”

After more shots, Kelani laid in the middle of the ring, welts already beginning to form. Jasmine sat the table up, feeding into the crowd's energy. She quickly laid Kelani on top, before climbing to the top rope, then delivering a beautiful 450° splash.

1…2…3.

Now, if you took off the wrestling gear, and got rid of the bigger than life personas Jasmine and Kelani had…you would know they’ve been inseparable since they met. 

Kelani waited until Jasmine got through the curtain, pulling her in for a bone crushing hug. “You. Were. Incredible.” Jasmine whispered over and over, out of breath. 

“No, you. Next best thing.” Kelani winced, as she began to feel her adrenaline return back to normal. “You may have cracked every single one of my ribs though…” Jasmine gasped, before stepping back, “I am so sorry.” She took her finger and poked her side with a bit of pressure.

“WHAT THE HELL JASMINE-”

“THAT'S FOR SLAPPING ME!”

“Wasn’t you abolishing me with that kendo stick ENOUGH?” Kelani rubbed her side, “I’m not driving anywhere tonight. Someone else better take the wheel.” 

Jasmine laughed at her best friends’ reaction, “I think Ang, or Matt are in charge tonight, so neither of us have to worry about—Oh!”

Daniel Garcia had crept behind the two, pulling Jasmine into a hug from behind. “I could watch you wrestle for hours.” He told her, as she tried her best to turn around. He loosened his grip, before turning her around to deliver a kiss.

Kelani rolled her eyes before looking away. Don’t get her wrong, she loved Garcia and Jasmine to death, and she was nothing, but happy for them, but Kelani Williams did not do relationships.

“Hello! Earth to Kelani!” Garcia snapped his fingers, making her turn her head, “I’m sorry? What?” 

“I said, you did great out there, punk” He lightly punched her shoulder. “Thanks, that means a lot coming from you.” She winced. 

“You alright Kelani…you zoned out on us.” Jasmine asked worriedly, “Daniel, and I were about to get something to eat…you could come if you like.” 

“No, I got to talk to Tony Khan about something… I’ll see you guys after the show.” She gave both of them a tight lip smile, not wanting to make them feel bad. Garcia shrugged, before taking Jasmine’s hand and pulling her through the crowd and out of the room. 

Kelani watched as they walked away, hand in hand. She sighed to herself, “I wish I was in a relationship…it sucks that Griff had to ruin them for me.” She looked around the room, trying desperately to find one of her few friends to get away from the awkwardness of being alone. She scanned the room, locking eyes with someone she was definitely not expecting.

Hangman Adam Page. The AEW World champion. Looking at Kelani. She was a bit taken aback, she thought it was cause she had scars from the kendo stick, maybe pity for her awkwardness, but this look was definitely not that.

Hangman smiled, shifting his eyes around, making sure no one was coming, before he pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on, walking slowly towards Kelani.

She panicked, she quickly scanned the room again, before spotting one of her best friends, Wheeler Yuta. “Yuta!” She shouted, speed walking towards him to make her escape.

“Hey, Lani! Great match out there. You ki- OH- we’re walking the other way,” Yuta gasped as she dragged him the opposite direction, away from Hangman.

Adam stopped in his tracks, staring at Kelani as she speed walked away, he arched his brow, “I wonder what her deal is? …Did I have crazy eyes or something?”

He stared at her a second longer, before putting his championship over his shoulder, getting ready for his segment.

******

Daniel, Jasmine and Kelani all walked in a line, Jasmine in the middle, luggage in hand. “I’m sooo glad that Matt and Angelo offered to drive, I could not handle being behind the wheel again.” Kelani said, stopping at the curb, waiting for 2.0 to pull around with the rental.

“Yeah, lord knows you’ll almost kill us again.” Daniel said, rolling his eyes. “Well SOME COUPLE didn’t wanna take turns cause they were cuddling in the backseat!” “OKAY LISTEN HERE KELANI-” Jasmine put a hand on each of their chests, separating them, just in time as 2.0 pulled up in the minivan.

Angelo Parker rolled down the window for the passenger side, “Did someone order a cool dude mobile?” Kelani laughed before walking towards the trunk, “I hate you.”

Matt Menard turned around to look at Kelani from the driver’s seat, “Watch that mouth young lady or you’re grounded!” “Ha! Who’s the trouble sibling now!” Daniel laughed, putting his and Jasmine’s luggage into the trunk. “You do know y’all aren’t actually related right?” Jasmine asked, climbing into the van after Kelani. “Hey,” Angelo pointed a finger at Jasmine, “Kelani is our child cause we said so! Not that NERD Christian Cage, as he claims.” Kelani squinted her eyes, “You guys are NOT gonna be in a custody battle for me!” 

Matt Menard pulled off from the curb, to the street and onto the interstate to get to the hotel. Matt and Angelo were singing along, poorly, to the song on the radio, while Jasmine and Kelani scrolled through their social media, Daniel dozing off on Jasmine’s shoulder. 

Jasmine let out a cackle to a fan tweet, causing Daniel to shoot up, startled. “Jesus Jasmine! I thought you were bleeding.” Jasmine blushed, “Sorry, this fan on twitter is just hilarious.”

Jasmine frowned, embarrassed that she had woken up her boyfriend. That was the difference between her and Kelani. Jasmine wasn’t shy and was definitely loud. “You’re okay, angel. You just scared me, that’s all,” Daniel reassured Jasmine, putting his arm around her shoulders…but not without accidentally hitting Kelani in the face. “Ow Daniel! Watch where you’re going!” Kelani whined, rubbing her right eye.

Daniel rolled his eyes, “You are so over dramatic! I barely hit you!” “Say that to my soon to be black eye, string bean,” Kelani looked in her iPhone camera at her irritated eye, “Jeez! Cut the PDA out for 5 minutes WE ARE IN THE CAR!”

“Shut up Kelani! You’re just mad that you’ll never be like me and Jasmine! Yo ass stay single! You’re like that one tortoise that could never find a ma-”

“Daniel! Cut it out! Stop making fun of your sister, it’s her choice!” Angelo said, turning around in the passenger seat to yell at his fake son.

Kelani sank into her seat, Daniel was right, she was always single. It wasn’t a choice, she was completely terrified of relationships entirely.

The other four engaged in a conversation after Angelo and Daniel were done going back and forth. Kelani popped in her airpods, she wasn’t confrontational, so she decided to do what she always did, listen to Kendrick Lamar, sleep it off and just…let it go.

They pulled into the hotel, Angelo turned around in his seat to lightly shake Kelani’s knee, who was leaning on the cold window, lightly snoring. “Lani, we’re here. Wake up.” Kelani groaned, putting her airpods back in the case.

They stopped at the curb. “I’m gonna go get a luggage cart, you go park.” Angelo said, hopping out the passenger seat. Matt pulled into a parking lot, the three in the backseat getting out to get their luggage.

Angelo came back with the cart, him and Matt putting all the luggage on it, walking to the entrance of the hotel, Daniel walked ahead with them, while Jasmine and Kelani stayed back.

Jasmine leaned down to whisper in Kelani’s ear, “Do you think I can stay with you tonight?” Kelani kept whispering, “Yeah, what happened to rooming with Daniel? Did something happen?”

“I’ll tell you later.” Jasmine said, getting a nod from Kelani in return. When the girls reached inside, Angelo was handing out the room keys. He handed Kelani her’s when Jasmine kissed Daniel on the cheek, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Daniel looked at her, confused, “I thought you were rooming with me tonight?” Jasmine put on her best fake laugh, “You know I sleep best when Lani is big spoon.”

The girls grabbed their luggage, walking to the elevator, Daniel’s frown implanted into Jasmine’s brain.

After settling in, changing into their pajamas and turning on a movie, Kelani and Jasmine sat on their shared bed.

“Thanks for letting me room with you. I know you didn’t expect it but…” Jasmine pursed her lips, trying to find the words to say. “It’s no problem! We share a bed all the time…can I know why the sudden change? You’ve been rooming with Daniel a lot recently.” Kelani questioned, putting her legs under the covers.

Jasmine took a deep breath, “Daniel wanted to have sex the other night. And I freaked out! It was just kissing and then he touched my thighs, then he started touching-” “Okay okay! Not that I don’t love listening to your problems, but I’d rather not have the image of that.” Kelani said.

Jasmine playfully slapped Kelani’s arm, before continuing, “Well, I was about to find some excuse, when thankfully, Eddie Kingston called me about a prank I pulled on him.”

“So, is that why you’re rooming with me? Cause you don’t want to have sex with him?” Kelani asked, grabbing Jasmine’s hand. “No, that’s not it. I do, but I’m just scared? I just don’t want it to end up like Cash. What if we have sex and things end?”

Kelani sighed, “Jasmine, your feelings are valid. But I’ve seen the way Daniel looks at you, and you should hear how he talks about you when you’re not around. I think if you talk to him, he’ll understand. Don’t let some one night stand with Cash Wheeler think otherwise.”

Jasmine smiled, pulling Kelani into a hug, “Thanks, Lani. I love you so much.”

“I love you too. NOW, am I big spoon?” Jasmine giggled, “Yes, always.”

The Next Morning

Kelani scanned the hotel breakfast bar, none of it really catching her eye this early. She rubbed her eye a bit, before her eyes landed on the fruit. She grabbed an orange, then a bottle of juice from the mini fridge on the counter. She grabbed her phone out of the pocket of her shorts, turning up the music in her airpods.

She looked up at the last second, before running full on into a chest. She looked around the floor, and at the person’s chest, “No food anywhere, cool.”

She looked at the person, just her luck, she had run into Hangman Page. “I- I am sooo sorry! I was just trying to change the volume and I wasn’t looking where I was going.” She stammered. Hangman put his hand up to stop her, “Don’t apologize, things happen.” He smiled, looking down at the floor, before crouching down to grab her phone that she dropped.

Coming back up, the home screen lit up, he read the song name, before looking up at her, “Tyler, The Creator? I love him too! Is Yonkers your favorite song?”

She blushed, before her eyes lit up, “No, actually my favorite song is actually Where This Flower Blooms. Erm- what’s yours?” She spoke lightly, he almost didn’t even wanna speak too loudly, she seemed…fragile. 

“I’m actually more of an Igor fan myself, I’d probably go with Running Out of Time.” He laughed, stepping a bit closer to her. “Oh, that’s a good one. Who knew a cowboy liked Tyler, the Creator?” Kelani laughed, her teeth biting her bottom lip. 

“Yeah. I think it was actually one of your stories from like…a year ago that made me wanna listen to him. You’ve got good taste!” He commented, smiling. She opened her mouth to say another thing, when she was interrupted by her daily nuisance.

“WHAT is so important that you’re stopping me from eating the most important meal of the day?!” Max Caster groaned, “You guys can get nasty somewhere else, I’m tryna put some syrup on my damn waffles!” He annoyingly cut in between them, stepping on Kelani’s slipper. She pulled her foot back, “Ouch, you didn’t have to-”

“SKEDADDLE, WILLIAMS.” He spat close to her face, laughing as she flinched slightly. He tried to walk past them, before Hangman stuck his hand out, almost making him drop his plate. “You got some nerve talking to her like that, in front of me.” He bit the inside of his mouth, “Plus, we were having an EXTREMELY important discussion, that you just interrupted. Which means, we must have a problem.”

Max stood in terror, as Hangman grabbed the collar of his shirt. “The waffles here aren’t even that good.” Caster swallowed his fear, looking back at Kelani, “I’m so sorry-”

“Don’t look at her. Get outta here!” He pushed him back, as he clutched his plate, and scurried out of the line. He sighed, before beginning to speak again, “As I was saying…you’re really-” He stopped mid sentence, realizing she wasn’t there anymore, making him wonder if she was even real anymore.

“EDDIE. EDDIE. EDDIE.” Jasmine poked at her close friend, “Why aren’t you looking at me!”

“Damn girl, what the fuck do you want!” Kingston said with a mouthful. She grinned, “Look what I can do!” She stood back, making sure there was enough room around her, and perfected a cart wheel. 

Eddie looked back at her with disapointment. “Is…that all Jasmine?” He cracked his neck to the side, and stabbed his plate with the fork. She looked at him with innocent eyes, “Yes. I have been practicing for a couple weeks.”  He creepily smiled at her response, “That’s great sweetie! I know somewhere else you can practice at!” He clapped his hands together, “In the middle of New York traffic, you damn pesty mosquito. SHOO before I shove my timberland boot up your ass.” 

Jasmine gasped, trying her best to hide her laughter, “You sir, need a loved one..” 

“I heard, your mom was interested in me…”

“GOODBYE EDWARD.” Jasmine groaned, beginning to leave, before quickly snatching a piece of bacon off his plate. “GOD DAMN IT SCOTT-”

She chuckled, as she ran out the room stopping seeing Kelani walking back into it. 

******

Garcia walked in after Jasmine. She sprawled herself on his bed, “I could lay here forever.” She mumbled. Daniel laughed before taking a seat at the edge. “It was kind of weird not sharing a bed with you. I usually have the blanket pulled off me a couple times a night and—”

She shot her head back up, “Daniel…” He held his hands up to stop her, “Did I do something wrong last night? I didn’t mean to make you upset, or angry with me.” It was her turn to cut him off, as she put her hands on his shoulders. “Babe, no! You did nothing wrong. It’s just…nevermind, it’s dumb.” Her voice trailed, making Garcia’s brows furrow with worry. “No. Tell me.”

She began to pick at her nails, “I just,” she began to look around, avoiding his glare, “I didn’t want to sleep with you.” Her face cringed at her words. Daniel stared at her with no expression, “…Do I smell— wait a minute if you don’t wanna sleep with me, then WHO are you trying to fuck!?” Daniel furiously stood, making Jasmine’s eyes widened. “NO ONE! THAT IS NOT WHAT I MEAN.” She began to nervously laugh, “The last night we were together…you started touching me, and I thought you wanted to do more. I got nervous, and freaked out…I’m not ready right now.”

Daniel let out a breath, “Oh baby… why didn’t you just say so? I feel so stupid. I am so sorry,” He pulled her in for a hug, and began to rub circles on her back, “Thank you for letting me know.” A couple tears ran down her cheek, “You’re not gonna leave me?” She sobbed. A small laugh left him, “Of course not Jasmine,” He wiped her face with his thumb, “You’re too pretty to let go. I’ll wait for you.” He kissed her forehead, and grabbed both of her hands, “We’ll go slow. Just tell me if it’s too much.” Daniel kissed her hand, as she slowly nodded. Her shoulders untensed, and her breathing went back to normal as they both laid back in the bed, and let sleep take over them together.

“No way, Flower Boy is his best album.” Kelani said, taking a sip from the now warm bottle of apple juice. “C’mon, Igor was legendary.” Hangman argued, widening his eyes at her surprising statement.

“I think Wolf is better than Igor.” Kelani commented, pursing her lips as the champion looked at her, wide-eyed. “You better watch it, Williams. Stuff like that can get you hurt.” Adam joked, putting on a “scary face”.

Kelani fake gasped, “Shiver me timbers! So terrifying!”

Hangman couldn’t keep up the act, when he started laughing. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love Igor, but I just think that…” Kelani’s voice faded as he let his mind wander. “She’s really pretty…I wonder why she ran away last night. Is she that shy?” He let his eyes look at her lips, as she looked around the room during her rant. “Why have I never talked to her before? I could talk, hell, even look at her for hours.”

He was so glad Kelani came back after the Caster incident. He knew she was shy…but not that shy. She apologized for running away, looking at her feet the whole time when she did so. “I wonder why she apologizes a lot…she does seem really cool though.”

His moment in space was broken as she turned his attention back to him, “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just biased.” Kelani said, shrugging her shoulders.

Hangman thought for a second, before deciding, “Yeah, biased. But, I wanted to ask…you’re really, really cool. I was wondering, could we exchange numbers and hangout sometime? Maybe go in depth on Tyler again?”

Kelani’s heart dropped, “Fuck. Fuck no. This cannot be happening. Don’t give him your number. Don’t give him a chance. You will get hurt…but his eyes. They’re so pretty…and his curls in that ponytail…damn. NO! Stop it! You will NOT-” “Are you okay?” Hangman interrupted her thoughts, worried look on his face.

“Uh, I actually can’t give you my number…my phone…it um, won’t let me add new contacts, follow people, anything like that. Which, look at the time! I gotta go get my run in! All those carbs this morning!” She rambled, getting up from the table, not without running into a chair.

“But, all you had was an orange and juice..?” Adam questioned, actually hurt that Kelani was suddenly acting strange. “Oh, well, it never hurts to run! Bye!” Kelani sprinted out of the hotel, hoping maybe she could run a block or two and back, and he would be gone.

Hangman watched and she ran, in slippers, stumbling halfway through. He frowned, he hoped he didn’t upset her too much. Hangman stood from the table they sat at, making his way to the elevator, he passed the table where Private Party sat, drinking their not so discreet vodka cranberries.

“Nice job HANGMAN PUSSYPANTS PAGE! You fumbled the bag with Kelani! Now you’re an even bigger L.” Isiah said, smacking his lips, drinking his drink with his pinky up.

Hangman rolled his eyes, going to the elevator, he stared at the front door, which was right across from it. Kelani was already back from her run, or sprint. He looked at her with confused, and sad eyes. She ran to try and catch the elevator, but it shut before she got the chance. 

Hangman sighed, letting his back hit the elevator wall, “Fuck. She’s going to be the death of me.”

thanks for reading our new story, A Day at a Time! Part 2 coming soon!

#hangman page x oc #hangman page x reader #aew fanfiction #aew x reader #aew #all elite wrestling #aew fanfic #daniel garcia #daniel garcia imagine #daniel garcia x oc #2point0 #eddie kingston

[thewulf]

Hi! Reading one of your fic got me this idea: hangman x reader, she isn't a pilot, maybe a paramedic or nurse or something like this. She goes to the hard deck because her best friend works there on the weekends and she became friends with the daggers, especially hangman and these two are pinning on each other, but don't act on their feelings because reader knows he doesn't do relationship and she doesn't like the friends with benefits thing, and Jake is afraid to not being able to give her the relationship she deserve, so they stay just friends. This make the daggers and some patrons going crazy because they are already a couple minus the kisses! So they try to find a way to make one of them to confess, but when someone suggest about making her jealous (because every men that frequent that hard deck know she is hangman girl and they don't want to go against him), Javvy put this idea down instantly because he knows reader (thanks to his casual but not so casual thing with her best friend) isn't going to confess anything but she will distance herself from Jake, so they let go of this plan unti one day Jake's sister surprise him on base and while he show her around and go to dinner the rest of the squad is at the hard deck with reader, and to a tipsy Fan boy this is the perfect excuse to put in motion their plan to get those two together. He goes to reader and says that Jake isn't coming because he is on a date with a girl who showed up on base, but they all still can have fun. But Javvy can see her change of expression and even if he didn't hear what fan boy said he put everything together, so just try to stop her from leaving but unsuccessfully. Jake and his sister enter the hard deck later in the night because he really want her to meet reader, but frown when he doesn't see her, so Javvy spill the beans and then there is a blur of Jake calling reader to clarify everything, his sister feeling like this is partially her fault and the daggers trying to find a plan to fix this when reader don't pick up the phone and fan boy realizing what he did. Next morning he and Javvy go to her best friend house hoping she is there, best friend is mad at Jake but after hearing what really happened she get mad at Javvy because "that's exactly why I told you to not try and make her jealous" and tell Jake reader is for real out of town the next two weeks and she will talk to her. At the end of these weeks where Jake barely talked with his team and the team trying to reach reader trying to fix this mess, Jake get a text from her best friend telling reader will be back home, so he goes there hours early to make sure to not miss her, and when he finally see her the first thing he says is "it was my sister" and explain everything and finally admit their feelings.

Bonus scenes: Rooster going to reader house days after her return to talk one more time, but when he is near her place he see her and Jake making out so he goes back home keeping the secret that even with a little detour fan boy plan worked

Sorry it turned out so long!

Ohh I like this! I feel like this is a perfect 3x1 or 4x1 along the lines of - The three times reader and Jake acted like a couple and the one time Fanboy did something about it! I'll probably shorten up the ending but make it fluffy and sweet with some heavy angst.

Thank you anon!

#top gun maverick #top gun #jake seresin #jake seresin x reader #jake seresin fanfic #top gun imagine #jake seresin x y/n #jake seresin x you #hangman x reader #hangman x y/n #jake seresin x oc #jake seresin fanfiction #jake seresin fic #jake seresin fluff #jake seresin angst #jake seresin au #hangman x you #hangman x oc #hangman adam page #hangman angst #hangman au #jake hangman fic #hangman fic #hangman fluff #hangman fanfiction #jake hangman x reader #jake hangman x y/n #jake hangman x you #jake hangman seresin #jake hangman imagine

[h0ney-fiction]

Nashville

masterlist

Synopsis: Adam Page and Swerve Strickland go to a bar in Nashville...

Word Count: 2,359.

A/N: do we like this 1st POV or back to 3rd?

Ratings/Warnings: M. Alcohol Use. Explicit Sexual Themes.

It was a hot night in Nashville as I sat at a bar and grill waiting for my best friend, Liz, to meet me for dinner. It was our ritual to meet after work to commiserate another grueling week. 

As I waited for Liz, my eyes passively scanned the bar filling up around me. Most people were pooling in to pregame for a night out. It was summer so there were quite a few people in shorts and t-shirts. This was my favorite season to people-watch. You could tell if someone was a tourist by their clothes or lack of them. My eyes wander out to a pair of men at the end of the bar. One donning a dark purple shirt, dark jeans, and cowboy boots. His light brown hair looked almost gold in the lights of the bar. The other was wearing a black t-shirt and jeans. His hair was loc'd and when he smiled, I couldn't help but notice a grill in his mouth. Both of them were very handsome.

The man in the purple shirt laughed at something his friend said. He threw his head back. My eyes traveled down his body. He was fit, I could tell. His biceps flexed as he raised a drink to his lips. My eyes couldn't help but trail over to his friend and notice how muscular his physique was as well.

The vibration of my phone brought my attention back. I was texting my friend.

'I'm so sorry but I got stuck with another shift!'

'It's okay.' I replied.

'Can you take a raincheck?'

'Yeah. Sure.' I replied.

I wasn't upset that Liz bailed; as we do this every week. I began to put my phone in my purse and get ready to walk away when the man in the black shirt took the empty seat next to me.

"What's a beautiful woman like yourself doing all alone?" The man said, his voice deep and rich.

"I was waiting for my friend," I replied.

"I'm Stephon, but my friends call me Swerve." He said, extending his hand.

"I'm Ciera."

"Ciera, huh? That's a pretty name. It's nice to meet you, Ciera."

I took his hand and shook it. I tried to ignore how soft his skin was.

"Well, my friend can't make it. So, I guess I'll be heading home."

"That's a shame, my friend and I were wondering if you wanted to join us for a drink."

He nodded towards his friend in the purple shirt who had been watching us the whole time. He smiled from across the bar and raised his beer.

"Oh, well. I don't want to interrupt." I replied.

"You won't be. We've been waiting for someone just like you to join us."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Well, a beautiful woman like yourself deserves some attention."

I smiled, "So, you've already told me."

He chuckled, "My friend and I are from out of town."

"That explains the purple shirt. Are you here for business or pleasure?"

"Business. We just finished a show."

"What kind of show?"

"We're professional wrestlers."

"You don't say," I said, trying not to sound surprised.

"Don't believe me, huh?" He said, his hand going to his chest, feigning pain.

"No. I didn't say that."

"Your face says it all."

I blushed, "I'm sorry."

He waved me off, "It's cool. It sounds crazy, but it's the truth."

Swerve then proceeded to take out his phone and show a clip of him and his friend's match. 

"Woah."

"Now you see, I wasn't lying." He said with a wink.

"Yeah, you're right. Sorry about that."

"You can make it up by having a drink with us."

The man grinned mischievously. I knew I shouldn't have, but I couldn't resist.

"I guess, but just one drink."

"Great!" He said, waving for his friend to come over. 

His friend smiled from across the bar and took the seat on the other side of me.

"Ciera, this is my friend, Adam."

"Nice to meet you," I said, smiling and shaking his hand.

"It's nice to meet you, too." He replied.

"Well, what are you drinking, sweetheart?"

***

Three drinks later, we learned everything about each other. I learned how Swerve grew up an army brat and how Adam was a high school teacher in a past life. My life seemed pale in comparison as I told them I grew up in the middle of nowhere Florida before moving to Nashville as an assistant for a music executive. They were the total package. Adam was smart, funny, and easy to talk to while Swerve was the life of the party and knew exactly how to keep a girl smiling.

I could barely contain my laughter as they were regaling me with stories of their exploits.

"It was crazy. The entire crowd was throwing bottles at us." Swerve explained.

"Oh my god. How do you guys do it?"

"We love it," Adam responded. Swerve agreed.

"I think we've found our new best friend," Swerve said, raising his glass.

"Best friend?"

"Of course. We can't let you get away that easily."

"We have to leave for another show tomorrow, but we'd love to see you again," Adam added.

"We've had such a great time, Ciera," Swerve said.

"Me too. I've enjoyed getting to know you both."

"We could get to know each other better. Our hotel isn't too far from here." Swerve said, his hand brushing against my thigh.

Goosebumps rose across my skin at the feel of his fingers. The touch was light, barely there.

"I don't know about that."

"Come on. Let us take care of you. Show you a real good time." Adam said, the southern twang in his voice thick from the alcohol.

My eyes went to his. They were filled with heat and desire.

"I've never done something like this before."

"That's even better."

Swerve's fingers continued to brush against my skin. He inched closer and closer until his entire palm rested on my thigh. Adam leaned against me from my other side, his breath against my neck giving me chills down my spine.

"Let's go." Swerve whispered.

"I'm not that easy." I breathed out, the scent of alcohol strong on my breath.

"No. Of course not." Adam said.

"No expectations, just a nightcap." Swerve added.

I glanced between the pair. When was a situation like this ever going to happen to me again?

"Okay. Just a nightcap."

"Atta girl." They said in unison.

Adam stood first, helping me out of the barstool. I stood between the two. Both of them towered over me. Swerve placed his hand on the small of my back. His large, strong hands rubbed my skin.

We walked outside. The heat of the air surrounded me. I looked up to see the stars above. Adam ordered an Uber and less than 15 minutes later we were in his hotel suite. He opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of expensive whiskey. 

"I'm not an alcoholic, I promise. I'm just very picky about my whiskey." Adam said.

Swerve seated me on the couch, his eyes watching me intently.

"Do you have a mixer?" I scrunched my nose.

"You can't drink whiskey straight?" Adam teased.

"I don't know."

"Just give it a try." Swerve encouraged.

"Fine."

Adam handed me the drink and I took a sip. The brown liquor was smooth as it went down my throat.

"See? Not that bad, is it?"

"Not at all."

Adam took the seat to my right as Swerve took the seat to my left, sandwiching me. Adam poured himself and Swerve a drink. We talked about country music as we sipped. Swerve's hand was back on my thigh, rubbing my exposed skin, brushing against the hem of my shorts.

Adam's hand trailed down my arm. The goosebumps came back. I took another sip of the whiskey and set it down.

"You have beautiful skin," Adam complimented as he tucked my hair behind my ear. It was such a contrast from his tanned hands.

Swerve leaned over and whispered, "And you have beautiful lips."

"Thank you," I whispered as the pair's hands roamed my body.

Swerve's fingers played at the waistband of my shorts. He tugged them down slightly. Adam got up to dim the lights before coming back to kiss the side of my neck. I gasped at the feeling of his beard and the heat from his mouth.

"Relax, let us take care of you." Swerve whispered into my ear.

I tried to, but I was in disbelief at the situation. This is not what I expected when I woke up this morning.

"You're so tense, darlin'," Adam added.

"I can't help it. I can't believe this is happening."

Swerve chuckled, "Well, we can stop if you want."

I glanced down and noticed the bulge forming in his jeans. I turned my head to Adam whose erection was also peeking from his jeans.

I could feel myself growing wet at the sight. 

I decided I wasn't going to block myself from this experience.

"No."

"No?"

"No, I don't want to stop."

Swerve grinned, "That's what we like to hear."

They wasted no time getting me out of my clothes. Adam kissed my neck and fondled my breast as Swerve took his shirt off, revealing his sculpted abs. He placed my legs on the couch before spreading them. He rubbed and kissed my thighs. His lips felt soft against my skin. I moaned as I closed my eyes, feeling Adam's lips on me. Swerve spread my pussy and began to lick and suck. I grabbed the back of his head and grabbed onto his locs.

"Mmm, you taste delicious," Swerve said.

"I've thought about this since we saw you at the bar," Adam said.

Swerve licked my clit slowly, taking his time. I arched my back off the couch as the sensations began to build. Adam kissed the back of my neck, jaw, and then lips as he pinched and played with my nipples. Swerve continued his tongue work around my sensitive pussy, lapping me up.

I moaned against Adam's mouth. My fingers tangled in his hair. His kisses were soft and sensual. I felt like I was going to melt.

"Fuck," I breathed as Swerve sucked on my clit.

"Does it feel good?" Adam asked.

"Yes." I hissed.

Swerve licked and sucked harder. The tension built inside me. I felt my pussy get wetter.

Before I got to the edge, Swerve pulled away from me. The nectar from my honey was on his beard. Adam's hands went down my body and rubbed my clit in replacement to Swerve's tongue. He inserted a finger into my tight hole and thrust slowly.

"Fuck." I moaned, throwing my head back.

Swerve undressed and began to stroke his dick. His cock was long and girthy with a slight curve.

"Do you think she's ready?" Swerve inquired, grabbing a pack of condoms from Adam's suitcase.

"I'd say she is."

Swerve and Adam smirked. Adam removed his hand and carried me to the bed. He laid me down as Swerve came to his side. Adam spread my legs and gave me a taste, holding onto my hips. 

Swerve stroked his dick and licked his lips watching me moan at Adam's touch. He rolled on a condom before trading places with Adam, entering inside me. I let out a deep moan as he stretched me out, the pain quickly turning into a deep pleasure. He rocked into me slowly.

Adam watched his friend fuck me, taking his clothes off. Adam crawled onto the bed as Swerve turned me over and positioned me into doggy style. Adam took the opportunity to get on his knees and put his cock in my mouth.

"Damn, baby." He moaned as I bobbed and gagged. He was just as big and girthy as Swerve.

I looked up and saw Adam's abs and v-line. His chest and shoulders were toned and muscular. Swerve continued to pound into me. His large hands grabbed my ass.

After a while, the men changed positions. Now Adam was fucking me as Swerve took the opportunity to kiss and play with me. 

I moaned loudly, my nails digging into the sheets as Adam thrust faster.

"Fuck. You're so wet." Adam said, his southern twang even more pronounced as he fucked me.

He slapped my ass, causing me to moan loudly in response. Swerve watched as his friend fucked me. He played with his dick, stroking and rubbing the precum.

"Come here, baby." He said.

He guided my head to his cock and inserted himself in my mouth. I could taste his precum as he fucked my mouth. He growled, pushing himself into the back of my throat.

I gagged as he pulled out, a string of spit following him. They took turns fucking my holes, switching places.

Adam bent me over, pushing my face into the mattress. He lifted my hips, pounding into my pussy. Swerve came behind him and inserted himself in my ass.

"Fuck!" I yelped, my body conforming to him.

"Oh, yeah, baby. Fuck, you're so tight." Swerve growled.

Adam held me up as the men fucked me. Their grunts and growls filled the air.

"Shit. Fuck, baby. You feel so good." Adam grunted.

My lower stomach grew warm and tight as my orgasm gushed out from me. 

"Fuckkk," I heard Swerve hiss as his orgasm took over. Adam lost it instantly afterward.

"Shit."

Adam lay on the bed next to me. His chest heaved and glistened with sweat. Swerve pulled out of me and took the condom off, throwing it in the trash. I was in between us, the three of us panting. Swerve rolled over to face me then grabbed my face and kissed me, his tongue exploring my mouth. Adam caressed my back, kissing my neck as Swerve kissed me. When Swerve pulled away, Adam rolled me around and kissed me tenderly.

"What do you say, do you think we'll be seeing you again?" Swerve asked.

"Definitely," I said, catching my breath.

"Good."

They took turns kissing and caressing me until we fell asleep.

#adam page x oc x swerve strickland #hangman adam page #adam page #swerve strickland #aew smut #aew #adam page smut #hangman adam page smut #adam page fanfiction #swerve strickland smut #swerve strickland imagine #aew fanfiction #hangswerve #strickpage

[delilahcalicocat]

~Halloween Party~ (Oneshot)

Rating: atleast 16+

Warnings: Mentions of Fighting, Crying, Flirting, Forced Kissing, Panic, Description of Millie Jackson's (OC) Costume

Pairing: Adam Page and Millie Jackson

{These two officially have a relationship in this story, they will later on down the line have their own spinoff fics}

WC: I think around 900 or so

[Millie's POV:]

Of course it had to be that night, Me and my Boyfriend, Adam. Went to a Halloween Party. We had such a fun night, but when Adam stepped away to the restroom for a few moments, some indie circuit wrestler came up and tried to shoot his shot with me.

"Not interested." I sighed, taking a sip of my soda

"Come on.. I know you love me!" He said

I scanned the area, looking for my boyfriend. But the indie wrestler or lack of a better word Creep, grabbed my face and smashed his lips against mine, He broke the kiss after a couple seconds and I ran to Adam as soon as I saw him. I explained what happened to me while he was gone, and he found the creepy guy.

Next thing I know. Adam is may-laying this creep, a full on panic happening around us as Adam punches the creep.

Out of everyone in this party, my outfit was the tamest. As I was just wearing a black crop top and black shorts with cat ears and a badly painted face of makeup, with my black hoodie thrown over it.

After a few more punches, Adam stood up and walked over to me. He planted a small kiss to my temple

"Let's get you home darlin" his strong southern accent in that moment had me melting

"Ok" I said, hopping up into his arms

We then got to our car and went back home, and watched a bunch of scary movies until we fell asleep.

Next morning I woke up, there was a small container of candy corn on the table and the remote, there was also a note that read

"Sorry Darlin' got called into work and had to leave, left your favorite Candy and the remote to watch Scary movies, See you tonight. -Adam ♡"

Aww, he's such a sweetheart!

🎃

The End 👻

#halloween fic #Adam page x OC #{♡}delilah's fics{♧} #aew #hangman adam page #halloween party #These two have a chokehold on me Omfg #🎃👻 #❤️

[of-twilight-and-moonshadow]

Return of the Dark Angel - Kenny x Emery x Jay

Alrighty, here we go~

Part of my Dark Angel of the Bullet Club series

Tagging a few that expressed interest @moxxieswitchblade, @summertimefun1982

Next, I guess I'll work on an introduction post for Emery (it's now done, just click on 'intro' for a direct link)

Word Count: 5864

Angsty Kenny x Emery / Jay x Emery and slight Hangman x Emery (if you squint enough)

Warnings: Angst, a few swear words, feelings of abandonment, heartbreak

(border by)

Emery stood backstage, throwing her long brown hair up into a messy bun, before she crossed her arms in front of her as she watched a match on one of the screens. Darby Allin and Jungle Boy were taking on Sammy Guevara and Daniel Garcia. Matt was out with a legitimate injury, Nick was out with a kayfabe injury. It left just her and Kenny—and Brandon, too, she guessed.

Kenny said he would meet her here to watch the matches half an hour ago, but he had yet to show. Yet again.

It seemed to be a common occurrence since he returned from the investigation. He hardly ever interacted with her like they used to; play games, go to random arcades, and go out to eat as a team (with the bucks). Even traveling together had almost become non-existent. It felt like she was losing her best friend.

Emery was so deep in thought that she hadn’t even noticed someone had joined her. His blue-gray eyes watched her curiously, his lips rising slowly into a grin as he leaned back and put his hands into his pockets. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he erased the grin from his face.

“I think I see smoke comin’ from those ears…” he muttered, seemingly drawing her from her thoughts. Her eyes refocused, and Emery looked around, jumping slightly as she realized who was beside her.

“Jay…” Emery breathed out, unsure of his intentions at the moment. Sure, while she had been in Japan, she had made many friends—even people outside of Bullet Club. People like Okada, Kota Ibushi, and even Jay—and they remained friends over the years. However, the last time she saw him was in Japan when he had taken Bullet Club from under Kenny.

“Relax, Princess,” Jay teased her, his smirk back on his face as he watched Emery release the breath she had been holding,” You act like I was a bad guy or somethin.”

“Because I know you,” Emery shot back, eyes narrowing playfully,” King Switchblade.”

Jay let out a bark of a laugh, his head tipping back briefly before he held open an arm, “C’mere.”

Emery walked over to him with a smile and wrapped her arms around him. His scent enveloped her—and for the first time in months, she felt at peace. Closing her eyes, she let herself enjoy the moment, her whole body relaxing against his. A few moments passed before someone nearby cleared their throat.

“Okay, children. No funny business,” Juice’s deep voice called out.

“Fuck off,” Jay chuckled, glancing at his Bullet Club mate, as Emery took a step away. When he looked back at her, his smirk disappeared; Jay slowly brought his hand up towards Emery’s face, his thumb brushing away a stray tear that had fallen from her eye.

“Ree, what’s wrong Princess?”

“Nothing,” Emery shook her head, trying to put a smile on her face,” I’m fine.”

“Emery,” Jay warned, raising an eyebrow,” I know you. C’mon, be honest with me.”

“I…” Emery sighed, before giving up,” It’s a long story.”

“I’ve got nowhere to be,” Jay shrugged, crossing his arms across his chest, waiting.

“Well…”

He stood there, quiet, and didn’t interrupt her once as Emery told him about the last couple of months—beginning at All Out last year in September. When she got to how Kenny had recently been behaving towards her, ignoring her and almost avoidant, Jay visibly tensed up. His jaw twitched and he wanted nothing more than to punch something. Or someone. But he didn’t- he let Emery finish, and when she did, Jay could tell she was close to crying again. Wordlessly, he cupped her face and placed a gentle kiss to her forehead, before wrapping his arms around her protectively.

“I want nothing more than to kick his ass,” Jay started, his voice soft and right beside her ear,” But for you, I’ll refrain. For now.” He pulled away from the hug, wiping away the tears that had fallen from her brown eyes as she gave him a small smile.

“My princess shouldn’t be treated that way by anyone,” he continued,” You deserve to be around people that respect you—that cherish you.”

Emery knew what he was implying. To leave Kenny, leave The Elite, and rejoin Bullet Club.

“I couldn’t…”

“Shhh,” Jay told her, placing a finger to her lips, giving her a grin and a wink when she glared at him,” Don’t make any plans just yet. Give it some time, princess. When you figure out what you want to do…”

Jay looked over her shoulder and saw Kenny approaching in the distance. It took a minute, but Kenny finally saw Jay standing beside Emery and quickened his pace. Quickly, before the Canadian arrived, Jay finished what he was saying.

“…. You know where to find me.”

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing—Emery, you okay?” Kenny asked her, looking at her briefly before turning his attention to Jay,” Just because you signed here doesn’t mean I won’t still kick your ass.”

“I’d be careful, Omega. If I’ve been told correctly, you’ve got your hands full with another club that’s out for your blood.”

“Is that a—” Kenny began, taking a step towards Jay before Emery cut him off, coming to stand between them.

“Kenny, please. Don’t start,” she pleaded with him. His blue eyes darted down quickly, before going right back to Jay—but just as quickly, his attention went back to Emery. Kenny could see in her eyes the emotional turmoil, the plea she made. Taking a deep breath, Kenny took a step back and looked back at Jay.

“Stay away from Emery. This isn’t New Japan—it’s not your show.”

“S’what you think,” Jay smirked, as Emery looked at him with a silent plea,” It’ll be the ToJay show soon.”

Taking a few steps back, he looked to Emery once more, giving her a wink as he said,” See ya around, Princess.”

Kenny and Emery watched as Jay and Juice disappeared down the hall, before Kenny turned his attention to her.

“Are you okay? He didn’t hurt you, right?”

“I’m fine, Kenny, really,” Emery told him, looking up at him,” You know Jay would never hurt me.”

“Perhaps, but he could corrupt you, my Angel- and that would be devastating.”

“I think you’ve got it wrong, Ken,” she smiled fondly as he looked at her with a confused expression,” The only one who corrupted me was a certain Cleaner.”

Kenny gave a chuckle, bringing her in for a hug,” Touché.” For the first time in months, Emery felt like she finally had her Kenny back. In an instant, however, the moment was ruined when Don cleared his throat.

“You’re all set to go on, Kenny. It’ll be right after they get done and back here,” Don said as Jungle Boys theme rang out across the arena.

“Thanks,” Kenny told him, his arm falling from Emery’s shoulder.

“Hey, Ken—how about we hang out tomorrow and play some Street Fighter?” Emery asked him, sweeping some stray brown hair behind her ear, and for a minute, he looked excited.

“Kenny’s busy tomorrow. Meet and Greets and a few interviews,” Don shook his head before Kenny could speak.

“Right…” Kenny frowned,” Sorry, Angel. Perhaps another day.”

“Yeah…” Emery sighed, wondering when that day would come. If it ever did.

--- Two Weeks Later ---

Hangman walked through the halls of the arena, energy drink in hand, keeping a wary eye on his surroundings. He knew that the Blackpool Combat Club could be lurking anywhere, and while he hated to admit it, walking alone made him an easy four-on-one target. Passing by one hallway, he peered down real quick—full intentions to keep going—but instantly took a step back. His blue eyes locked on Emery, sitting atop an equipment crate. 

Her brown eyes seemed clouded over as though she was lost in thought, her eyes boring a hole into the floor below her. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Hangman walked towards her carefully- he didn’t want to spook her. Since Don Callis convinced Kenny that the Cowboy had hit him last week and knew that Kenny and Emery were seemingly two peas in a pod, he had to be careful. Not that he thought Emery would do that to him… but still, better safe than sorry.

“Ree?” Hangman softly called out, pulling her out of the deep train of thoughts she was tangled in. Her eyes seemed to refocus, and the brunette gave him a soft smile.

“Hey Cowboy.”

Instantly, he knew something was wrong. Her smile didn’t reach her eyes like usual; her eyes didn’t brighten up; even her voice sounded… different. Emery didn’t even keep eye contact with him; the moment she acknowledged him, her eyes fell toward the floor.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, taking a few steps closer to her. She gave a low chuckle, his heart dropping at how miserable it sounded—how weird it sounded coming from her.

“It’s… it’s nothing. Don’t worry—”

“No, no—Ree,” Hangman shook his head, interrupting her as he came to stand right in front of her,” Despite all the shit that’s gone down, you’re still my friend. I care about you—please. What’s wrong?”

It took a minute, silence passing between them, before Emery glanced back up at her friend, and the instant she did Hangman felt… He felt angry but more so, he felt like his heart began to shatter. Emery had tears gathering in the corner of her eyes, threatening to spill at any moment. Instantly, Hangman sat his drink down on the crate beside her, placing his hands on her legs gently.

“Ever feel… like the person you care the most about… forgets you even exist?” Emery murmured softly, holding back the tears as best she could. Her eyes trailed down, focusing on Hangman’s chest; she knew the second she looked into his eyes that she would start crying, and it was the last thing she wanted.

Slowly, she continued, her voice cracking halfway,” Ever feel like… while they mean the world to you… that—that you mean absolutely nothing to them?”

“This about Kenny?” Hangman asked softly. Emery’s brown eyes flickered up to meet his blue ones, and as she gave a small nod, a tear fell down her cheek. Adam’s eyes widened, a hand reaching up towards her face to wipe it away.

“Hey, hey… Princesses aren’t supposed to cry,” he told her, his voice almost a whisper. After a brief pause, his hand on her cheek, Hangman returned his hand to her leg, and Emery continued.

“Kenny’s been… I don’t know. He’s just been different… since coming back. And with Jay showing up two weeks ago…”

Life had gotten chaotic- they both knew that. With two Bullet Club leaders—one current, one former—it was bound to happen. Especially when Jay was the one that overthrew Kenny years previously.

“Everything happening with the titles and with combat club… it’s like he forgets I’m even there…” Emery continued on, trying to hold back her tears,” I’ve tried talking to him countless times. Not even work-related stuff—but about anything. To get his mind off it all so that he can relax… but something always comes up… I-I finally got him to stop for a moment last Wednesday…”

--Last Wednesday, mid-taping of Dynamite—

“Don—wait, hey,” Emery called out, closing the distance between her and Kenny’s manager. The bald, older man turned to face her briefly before continuing on his way. Quickly, she followed along behind him as they approached Kenny’s locker room.

“Can you let Kenny know I need to talk to—”

“Kenny’s a busy man, Emery, he doesn’t have time to chat,” Don said dismissively.

“I know he’s busy- but I just… I really need to talk to him.”

They came to a stop at a door that read ‘Kenny Omega’ and Don turned around to face Emery.

“Please?”

“Okay, fine,” Don sighed, “I’ll let him know.”

“Thank you.”

Emery waited patiently, leaning against the wall. The minutes were ticking by, and she began to wonder if Don actually gave Kenny her message. Ever since the beginning, when Don started hanging around- she never liked him; something about him made her uneasy. Emery knew Kenny would come out of his locker room soon, to make his way to the guerilla before his match, so even if Don didn’t tell Kenny she was out there, Emery could catch him on the way. A few more minutes ticked by before the door opened and out came Kenny with Don right behind him.

“Kenny—”

“Not right now, Angel, I’m a bit busy,” Kenny cut her off, not even stopping as he walked towards the stage. Quickly, Emery followed along behind him, ignoring Don completely.

“I know you are—I just—”

“Perhaps, after his match—“Don interjected, but Emery paid him no mind. Quickening up her pace, she passed Kenny and spun around, stopping in front of him. Coming to an abrupt halt, Kenny gave her a look she couldn’t quite place.

“Emery—”

“No, I know, Kenny. You’re busy, I get it,” Emery told him,” Just… promise me you’ll call me after the show is over? I-I really need to talk to you. Please.”

Kenny and Emery stared at each other for a brief moment, his blue eyes softening slightly. It was almost as if Kenny was worried; before he could ask her, though, he felt Don’s hand on his shoulder, reminding him of his match coming up.

“Yeah, okay,” Kenny nodded, “I’ll call.”

“Thank you,” Emery smiled softly at him, stepping aside to let him continue his path. She kept her eyes on Kenny’s retreating form but didn’t miss the look that Don gave her as he followed behind.  

--- Back to present ---

“Adam… he never called,” Emery frowned, swallowing the lump in her throat,” He always calls me when he says he will. Or texts me—something! But he didn’t…”

“Maybe… maybe he just got busy and forgot?” Hangman suggested. He knew Kenny wouldn’t purposely do something like this. It wasn’t like him. Then again, with Callis involved, Hangman didn’t know what to think.

“I thought so too—but a few days ago… back on Monday. I was with Matt, Nick, and Brandon. Shooting for BTE,” Emery continued,” Guess who Matt got a text from?”   

Hangman felt his heart drop. Did Kenny actually forget to get ahold of her? Was he doing it on purpose? Neither scenario was one that Hangman wanted to believe, but something was going on.

“I- I don’t know what to do, Adam,” Emery said, her eyes filling with tears once more,” I don’t—I’ve always been in Ken’s corner… since day one. I’ve always been there. Every championship. Every defense. Every win or loss. Every injury! He’s my best friend…and--” By now, the tears were falling freely down her face, and Hangman felt terrible. He knew she had been close to finally admitting that she had fallen in love with Kenny. He had known it for years now, as had the Bucks.

“I don’t know…. If I can continue to be… if this is how I’m going to be treated…”

“You definitely don’t deserve it, darlin’,” Adam told her, both hands cradling her face as he attempted to wipe away her tears,” You have been there for him. I’ve seen it. Bucks have seen it. Hell, the world has seen it. You—you could come hang out with me a bit? I sure wouldn’t mind having you in my corner again.”

He gave her a smile, to which she returned a small grimace, gently pulling away from him. His hands fell back towards her legs as he waited for her to speak.

“I-I can’t… You’ve got a Blackpool problem,” Emery reminded him,” And you’re so close to being back with the Bucks… and Kenny.”

Silence fell between them for a few seconds before she raised her hand and put it on one of his.

“The four of you… you’re amazing individually, but… together? You’re magic…” Emery gave him a soft smile, but it quickly fell from her face, “… I think…. I think I need to find my own magic… Even if it leads me away…”

Hangman’s brow furrowed as he asked her,” Are you… You’re not leavin’, are you?”

“I… I don’t know… I wish I did…” Emery used her other hand to dry the remaining tears from her face, taking a deep breath as she made to get off the crate. Hangman stepped back to give her space, bracing her landing so she wouldn’t stumble. His hands came to rest on her hips, and he looked down at her with his baby-blue eyes.

She saw the sadness in them and had to look away before she started crying again. Drawing him in for a hug, Emery took a deep breath and smiled fondly. He still smelled like her Cowboy, even after all these years.

“Never, ever change, Adam,” she whispered, feeling a tear trickle down her face as she gripped the back of his t-shirt tightly in her hands. His hold on her tightened slightly- not enough to hurt, though. “Thank you… for listening.”

“Anytime, darlin’. Anytime,” Hangman replied in a whisper, biting the inside of his cheeks to keep his own tears at bay. He wouldn’t cry—not here, not in front of Emery. He had to be strong for her. After a few minutes, they pulled apart, and Emery wiped the tears away again. Giving him a small grimace, the words died in her throat. Hangman knew what she wanted to say, however, and gave her a small nod.

With no further words, Emery turned away from him and walked down the long hall, leaving Hangman standing there on his own. He watched her disappear around a corner before his eyes fell to the floor. To him… All Elite Wrestling suddenly felt cold and very lonely.

Later that night, Emery walked the stone pathway towards the front door of the house before her. The entire day, she had thought and thought more about what to do—and only one thing kept coming to mind. Taking a deep breath, Emery knocked on the heavy wooden door and waited.

Was she doing the right thing? What would—

The door opened, interrupting her thoughts, and she stared at the man in front of her with uncertain eyes.

“Hey… I…. I just….” Emery didn’t even know what to say, which was odd. Wordlessly the guy stretched his arm towards her and opened his hand, inviting her to take hold of it.

“I—”

“Shhh…” he whispered, “Come inside, Princess.”

She barely hesitated, before reaching out and gently placing her hand in his waiting one. Looking from their hands to his eyes, Emery gave him a soft smile and followed him inside.

She was home.

--- Three Months Later ---

Tonight, was a big night for All Elite Wrestling. It was their second-year hosting Forbidden Door and this year seemed bigger than last. In the past several weeks, Kenny and Hangman seemed to put the past behind them and had rekindled their friendship. All it took was Blackpool Combat Club trying to take them both out—which is when they realized, without the Bucks around, they needed each other. However, no sooner had they finally put the Blackpool problem behind them had a new, yet familiar, foe waltzed in.

Jay had warned Kenny that this was going to be his show and he had zero issues with making that come to fruition. Jay and Juice had hit the Cowboy and Kenny hard, not caring if they had just finished with a grueling match with BCC.

Weeks of constant back and forth between them, physical and verbal, had led to this night. A challenge of the Old Club vs New Club, as Kenny told Jay to find two partners—any partners—and face him and Cowboy, with two additional partners, at Forbidden Door.

Jay, with a knowing smirk, agreed without a second thought. He wasn’t dumb, he knew Kenny would immediately go to the Bucks. That was okay, though, because Jay already had his finger on the contact and was calling for backup the second he walked through the curtain. This would be his show and without a doubt in his mind, Jay knew Bullet Club would beat the Elite.

The Elite were at full strength once more, with Matt back from his injury, and it couldn’t have happened at a better time. Together, the four friends—plus Brandon and Nakazawa—stood backstage, stretching, and getting ready for their match.

“Hey, uh—has anyone talked to Emery lately?” Brandon asked as he filmed for BTE. Everyone looked at him for a moment before they thought more about it.

“It’s been a few weeks, now that I think about it,” Nick frowned, turning his attention to Kenny, “You talk to her almost every day, how’s she doing?”

Kenny stopped stretching and thought back, before realization hit him square in the gut.

“I… I actually haven’t…” Kenny pondered, wondering when he had talked to her last.

“What do you mean? You guys talk all the time,” Matt laughed. Hangman dropped his gaze to the floor, sadness flowing through his veins as he realized that none of them had talked to Emery since she left. He had tried calling her, but after the first week, she stopped responding. He then had opted to text her, message her on snapchat, anything. Luck would have it though, she responded—not often, but it was enough for him.

Brandon seemed to notice a tension growing in his friends, and respectfully stopped filming as Kenny spoke up.

“Last time I saw her… it’s been months, back at the beginning of you being out,” Kenny said, looking at Matt as he stretched on the floor, before his eyes fell to the tile below,” I hadn’t even realized…”

“You’ve talked to her though, right?” Nick asked, confusion evident on his face. He and Matt had been there when Emery and Kenny met—they had seen them grow close over the years. The brothers had noticed when the friendship seemed to change, at least for Emery, though she never brought it up.

“Haven’t you?” Matt asked, standing up from the floor as he looked at Kenny.

A silent minute passed, before Kenny finally looked up, regret evident in his blue eyes,” No… It’s been…. I don’t think I’ve spoken to her since the beginning of April sometime…”

“Kenny—that’s three months dude,” Nick frowned.

“I-I know… I don’t… I don’t know what happened. Time just… got away from me, I guess…”

“It happens,” Nakazawa shrugged,” I’m sure she’s fine.”

“I haven’t even seen her lately,” Brandon remarked.

“Tony said she had asked for some time off,” Matt explained,” But you would think she’d be back already.”

“Let’s give her a group call after the match,” Nick suggested, “Video call her, even.”

“Yeah,” Matt nodded in agreement, before noticing Hangman had been silent,” Hey, Adam, you know anything about what’s going on with Emery?”

Hangman’s head popped up, his blue eyes wide, as his friends looked at him. He had two choices—tell them the truth, or lie to them and keep their conversation to himself. They had finally all mended the fences though, could he risk lying to them?

“Y-yeah, actually,” Hangman admitted, clearing his throat. Kenny straightened up a bit, taking a few steps closer to the Cowboy.

“I came across her in the hallway one night, she seemed a bit down,” Hangman explained, unable to meet any of their gazes as his eyes darted around at the environment surrounding them,” She told me… she’d been feeling, uh… forgotten? Like… like she wasn’t important anymore…”

“That’s nonsense,” Nick scowled, “Sure Matt and I were out—but she had Kenny!”

As he listened to his friends’ words, Kenny began to feel more regret swirl in his chest as he remembered all the invitations to hang out that never got to happen.

“She didn’t feel that way,” Hangman said, still not able to meet their gaze; Matt and Nick looked over at Kenny in confusion and noticed the emotion crossing his features.

“She… she never said anything…” Kenny frowned, hating that he hadn’t even realized what was happening right in front of him.

“She tried,” Hangman bristled, a bit angry at Kenny’s blindness; he finally looked Kenny directly in the eyes,” For weeks on end, she tried. You were always ‘busy’. Hell she even asked you to call her after the show one night and you never did!”

The air in Kenny’s lungs disappeared, as he remembered that exact moment.

“No, I know, Kenny. You’re busy, I get it,” Emery told him,” Just… promise me you’ll call me after the show is over? I-I really need to talk to you. Please.”

“Yeah, okay,” Kenny nodded, “I’ll call.”

It sickened him to realize he never did call her; he didn’t even text her.

Matt and Nick were about to get on Kenny’s case, before they saw the evident regret, his eyes glistening over a bit, as he slowly sat down on a nearby chair. It was quiet between them for a few minutes, not even Brandon or Nakazawa knew what to say.

“Did she say where she was going? What she was going to do?” Matt asked, worried about their friend.

Hangman shook his head,” She didn’t know yet… just said she couldn’t keep feeling that way… Said she needed to find her own magic…even if it pushed her away…”

Kenny rested his arms on his knees, his face staring at the floor between his feet, trying to keep his composure and emotions in check. He wanted to be able to focus on the match—he needed to—but Emery… his sweet Angel… Had he unknowingly pushed her away?

Quiet stretched across them, a feeling as though they had lost their friend was thick in the air. Don walked up, a huge smile on his face until he noticed the tension.

“Come on guys! You got a big match coming up soon—we need to see some—”

“Shut it,” Nick frowned, crossing his arms in front of him.

“Just leave us be, Callis,” Hangman glared.

“Look, whatever it is, it’s not important. This match—”

“Don,” Kenny called out, lifting his head to stare at the manager. All of them would probably agree that Emery was more important to them than this match, so for Callis to say otherwise—even if he didn’t know the situation—it angered all of them.

“Just… give us some time,” Kenny said to him, his voice low. He sounded tired, like he hadn’t gotten any sleep—but the whole situation had just taken a lot out of him. Don raised his hands in mock surrender, his eyes darting around the group, before turning and walking away. Kenny’s eyes fell back to the floor, before addressing his friends.

“Let’s…. let’s try focusing on our match, get back in our mindsets,” Kenny told them, slowly standing up,” As soon as the match is over, we’ll call her. She’s my… our… Angel, and we… I… don’t want to lose her.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, eventually going back to their stretches.

One of the most anticipated matches of the night finally came up. The Elite had reunited and the crowd was going crazy over it. When Jay’s music hit, he and Juice walked out onto the ramp, pausing at the top as Justin Roberts announced them.

“And their partners…” Justin trailed off, waiting for the music to hit. Soon enough, the well-known rumble started, as 'headbanger’ blared out across the arena.

“…. Taiji Ishimori and Elllll Phantasssssmo!”

As his stablemates (and let’s face it, best friend) joined him at the top of the ramp, Jay smirked in Kenny’s direction. If possible, the crowd seemed to be louder than before, excited at seeing Bullet Club live and in AEW.

The match began and as to be expected, it was show stopping. Back and forth between everyone, flawless executions of teamwork and several moves got reversed due to knowledge they all had of each other. The Elite seemed to be feeding off the energy from the crowd, and eventually seemed to have the upper hand. Kenny, Matt and Nick stood in the center of the ring, El Phantasmo on his knees between them. Each held one of his hands, Matt and Kenny sharing the same hand, as they pointed towards the sky.

“V--!” They yelled out, but before they could continue, the lights across the arena flickered before going pitch black for a few seconds. When the lights came back on, The Elite looked around, before Nick noticed the figure at the top of the ramp. El Phantasmo lay on the edge of the apron, seemingly forgotten about for the moment, as Nick pointed out the figure to the rest of the Elite. Even Brandon turned and looked up at the top of the ramp, using his camera to zoom in as best he could. The four friends looked up at the mysterious figure, trying to figure out who it was—missing the quiet tag Jay made on El Phantasmo.

Was it Blackpool Combat Club fucking with them again?

Was it perhaps House of Black?

Or was it someone new?

The figure stood at the top of the ramp, not moving. Their entire body was covered, head to toe, in black clothing. A black hoodie, black cargo pants, black tennis shoes. The face was obstructed by an intricate venetian mask, half plain ivory with some decorative swirls, the other half a plaid purple, silver, and black joker theme. Their hands were shoved into the front pocket of the hoodie, hair pulled back underneath the hoodie. The only feature that could be seen were the eyes; and as the camera panned close to the figure, you could see the two-tone eyes. One brown. One red.

The Elite whispered among themselves, gesturing towards the figure, trying to figure out what the deal was, before seeing movement out of the corners of their eyes. It was too late though, as the Bullet Club jumped them, getting the upper hand. Juice took out Hangman with a fierce clothesline as a recovered El Phantasmo and Ishimori locked up with Matt and Nick. Kenny and Jay squared off in the ring, as they had many times before. Only one thing was different this time—and upon realizing it, Kenny seemed to lose his focus.

Emery wasn’t ringside, cheering him on.

Jay noticed the change in Kenny, and with a wicked grin, took full advantage and pulled a Blade Runner out of nowhere, making a quick cover. Matt made to run into the ring, but El Phantasmo grabbed his leg and held tightly, as the ref counted-

“1.”

“2.”

“3!”

The bell rang out, signaling the end of the match, as Jay propped himself up off Kenny. His hands resting on his knees, he smirked down at the Canadian who seemed utterly lost for a second. Jay noticed Matt free himself of El Phantasmo, so he quickly rolled out of the ring and joined his stable on the outside as Nick and Hangman slowly climbed into the ring and surrounded their friend. Kenny was sitting up, a knee bent as he shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs from his mind. With Jay’s Switchblade theme song ringing out through the arena, Bullet Club made their way up the ring, before coming to a stop at the top. The boys kept to Jay’s side, steering clear of the unknown individual, as Jay stared a hole into person. Looking over his shoulder, Jay saw the Elite still crouched in the middle of the ring, and he slowly turned to face them once more. Kenny glanced up towards them and noticed a smug smirk cross Jay’s face. One by one, the Elite turned their attention in Jay’s direction, and only when they all four were looking did Jay look to the masked individual and sweep his arm out towards the crowd as if telling the individual to do something.

Slowly, they took their hands from the pocket of the hoodie and raised their hands towards the mask. Delicately placing their hands on the mask, they tapped their dark-blue nails against the mask a few times, toying with everyone. As if moving in slow motion, they began to raise the mask up, uncovering their chin, lips and nose. Then in one fell swoop, they pulled the mask off and the entire audience gasped out in shock. The Elite couldn’t believe their eyes either. Jay watched in glee at the shock and hurt that crossed the Elite’s faces, especially Kenny’s.

“Oh my God! Excalibur, that’s Emery!” JR shouted into his headset.

“That’s not the Emery we all know and love though, JR—It looks to me like she’s reverted back to her Bullet Club days. Or a version of it—I don’t recall her having the red eye before.”

Emery stood there, her bright blue, shoulder length hair framing her face, as her two-tone eyes narrowed, an amused, dark laugh escaping her lips. El Phantasmo was losing his mind, hyping up the situation, as Juice and Ishimori stood there with smirks on their faces. Jay reached a hand over to her and Emery instantly slid her hand into his. He pulled her over, close to his body and draped an arm across her shoulders. Jay threw up a too-sweet, quickly followed by El Phantasmo, Juice, Ishimori, and lastly Emery.

“Ladies and gentleman, if you’re not familiar with Bullet Club history, what you’re seeing is the Dark Angel of the Bullet Club,” JR explained.

“I remember watching some clips a while back, JR,” Excalibur said, as Bullet Club turned and walked behind the curtain,” Dark Angel Emery is so much different from the Emery we’ve all come to love and adore here at AEW. She was cold, sadistic, and rebellious with no cares in the world.”

“I’m worried at the future of AEW with Bullet Club seeming to reform right under our noses,” JR told Excalibur.

“Indeed JR, something tells me that life is about to get even more chaotic.”

Inside the ring, it was a dark, depressed feeling sweeping amongst the Elite. Ever since she had joined the Bullet Club in their NJPW days, Emery had been in their corner. In Kenny’s corner. Now, however, it seemed to them like she had turned against them and aligned herself with Jay White.

Kenny had his arm resting on top of his propped up knee, his head laying in the crook of his elbow looking down at the ring. He was still in shock, in disbelief; aside from the match, it seemed like he had gotten the air knocked out of his lungs. There was no way Emery had aligned herself with him.

Had he really pushed her that far?

Did he just lose his Angel?

#return of the dark angel #dark angel of the bullet club #Original female character #OC #OC Emery #x Kenny Omega #x Jay White #x Hangman adam page #Kenny omega #jay white #all elite wrestling #AEW #hangman adam page #Young Bucks #NJPW #imagine #fanfiction #kitkat0723

[acabecca]

Paper Hearts // a Top Gun: Maverick fanfic

kind of. not really. set after the movie.

Carrie met and fell in love with her best friend when she was 17 years old.

And then she lost him.

Jake Seresin died, leaving behind his wife and their 5 year old son. But he died knowing they would be taken care of; afterall, Jake had made his best friend promise that he’d take care of Carrie and Tommy if anything ever happened to him.

Rooster Bradshaw managed to keep that promise for six months before he did what he does best; he ran. The second he began to overthink the situation he found himself in, he was out of there.

Phone calls went unanswered, texts went unread, and Carrie had no idea what had happened to make him disappear the way that he had. But now he’s back, and Carrie has some questions.

Rooster just isn’t sure she’s going to like the answers.

taglist: @sgtbuckyybarnes @jvstjewels @hiddenqveendom @if-you-onlyknew @katiekinswrites @eddiemunscns @steveshcrringtons @chrissymunson @arrthurpendragon @stanshollaand @raith-way @foxesandmagic @ocappreciationtag (let me know if u want to be removed/added!)

#ocappreciation #top gun oc #rooster bradshaw x oc #hangman x oc #(past) (obviously) #someone needs to set up a top gun oc page pls #not me tho idk how to 😌 #fic: paper hearts #carrie seresin #top gun: maverick

[livslunaticdamiansdisciple18]

Be My First! "Hangman" Adam Page

"Hangman" Adam Page x Khalise Brown

Warnings: Cuteness!!

Word Count: 300

A/N: Let's get into it.

Khalise is your name.

Hope you like it.

Khalise awoke to the soft morning light shining through the curtains. She stretched and lazily embraced the comfort of her bed, until she felt her lover’s body nestled against her back, sending a wave of excitement throughout her body.

The warmth of “Hangman” Adam Page’s skin on hers stirred a fire inside her heart. With a smile on her lips, she rolled to face him and opened her eyes, only to find his own gaze already burning into hers.

“Morning,” she greeted him with a smile, and he immediately returned her smile, flashing one of those rare, playful ones that always gave her butterflies.

“Good morning,” “Hangman” Adam Page murmured back as he gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face. His touch was like electric shocks jolting through her senses, sending her into a heavenly haze.

“What has put that look on your face?” He tilted his head at her, both curious and amused.

She suddenly felt shy as she found herself unable to meet his gaze. She didn’t usually get weak-kneed like this but his enthusiasm seemed to pierce through her and stir up some unknown emotion.

“I want you to be my first,” she blurted out finally, and it felt like she was releasing all the secrets she’d been keeping locked in her heart since the day they met.

He seemed to recognize the significance of those words – there was something else burning in his gaze now, something that matched the intense desire she felt for him.

“I want you to be my first, too.” He smiled, and with that, they sealed their unspoken, mutual longing into something unbreakable.

From then on, they’d experience life together, hand in hand, and Khalise was never happier. This was what she wanted – the two of them, together, forever.

-I hope you guys enjoyed this! I had fun writing it. I love you guys so so so so so much. <33333

#hangman adam page #hangman adam page x oc

[roosterforme]

Adult Education Part 20 | Hangman x OC

Summary: Knowing that Jessica loved him was opening up a whole new world of possibilities for Jake, and his mind was running wild. With Brian's return to campus looming in front of her, Jessica relies on Jake to be the best kind of distraction. 

Warnings: Fluff, oral, angst, language, 18+

Length: 4300 words

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Female OC

This story is part of the Beer Boy and Sugar universe but can be read on its own! Adult Education masterlist

Seriously, who let Jake on my masterlist!? Banner by @mak-32

The next week was one of the best of Jake's life. When he admitted that he didn't like sleeping without his girlfriend, Jessica told him, "Then don't." The midweek sleepovers quickly turned into Jessica having a permanent toothbrush at his place, and Jake having one at hers. When he inevitably ended up washing some of her clothing with his laundry, he didn't mind one bit. He knew there would come a day when he'd be deployed and separated from her, so he absolutely wanted to spend as much time with her as he could right now. 

"Baby, you want a bedtime snack?" he asked, and she looked up at him from her seat at his kitchen island. 

"Are you referring to yourself?" Her smirk was aimed right at him, and he couldn't help but smile.

"I was actually talking about some fresh fruit and yogurt."

She shook her head and adjusted her glasses as she closed her red notebook. It was the same one she'd had with her the day they met, and now she was pushing it aside to get to him in his kitchen on Thursday night. "I'd rather have you," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

He knew she was a little nervous about her tenure review, and all he wanted to do was help her get through this. Maybe keep her mind off of things. But he should have known who was in charge when she started to push him back toward the bedroom. "I don't get a say in the matter?" he asked jokingly as she gave him a soft shove so he was sitting on the end of the bed.

"Not at all," she replied as she leaned down and kissed him. When he tried to wrap his arms around her, she jumped out of his grasp and giggled. 

"Come back and let me show you how much I love you." His voice sounded needy, but he didn't care. He needed Jessica, and now she knew it. He'd been telling her nonstop since Saturday. 

He tracked her movements as she made her way to his nightstand and opened the drawer. The only things in there were the condoms he bought that they never used, a pair of her crotchless underwear, and a few physics journals. She dipped her hand inside and hid something behind her back before she nudged the drawer closed. 

"Will you let me show you why a blowjob from me is the best kind?" she asked softly, and Jake almost laughed out loud. He already knew she was the best in every way.

"Reedy, you've got nothing to prove. That being said... I'm already a little hard just from you mentioning it."

She came to stand between his splayed legs, and he watched her thumb casually through the pages of the journal she removed from behind her back. "You really want it?" she asked. When he nodded vigorously, she said, "I'm going to make you use your brain, Smart Boy. Now get undressed."

Jessica's words of praise washed over him along with the feeling of comfort he knew every time she touched him. Jake stripped off every bit of his clothing and waited patiently. She placed a soft kiss on his forehead before she handed him the journal which was opened up to a page about the environmental impacts of fuel combustion, but he couldn't focus on it. 

"Start reading," she commanded, her voice soft yet firm as she pulled her shirt over her head. The sheer champagne colored bra did nothing to hide her furled nipples from him. When she put her hands on her hips and raised one eyebrow, she repeated herself. "Start reading."

Jake grunted and peeled his eyes away from her body and focused on the journal. When he started reading, she pulled her leggings down and stepped out of them. He could see her matching panties hugging her hips before she sank to the floor in front of him. Jake cleared his throat and read, "The combustion of fossil fuels leads to the output of pollutants, causing variation in atmospheric composition." He paused and grunted as she took his cock between her lips and swirled her tongue around his tip in that familiar way that he loved.

Then she stopped, pulled him free and looked up at him. "If you want more, then you have to give me more. Keep reading."

It was a game. The kind of game that was designed specifically for Jake to lose. He throbbed in her hands as she stared up at him with parted lips. He had to force his eyes to focus on the page. "The content of nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide in the air have been studied extensively after newer types of fuel have been developed for military aircrafts."

He drew in a deep breath as she started to bob up and down on his length, her glasses sliding lower on her nose. She sucked hard on him one time before popping him free. "Don't make me repeat myself."

"Oh my god," he groaned, balls tightening in her hand at her stern words. He started reading again, and she started going again. "In lower atmospheric layers, energy from the sun acts as a catalyst in chemical and physical reactions." He kept reading, very slowly, and she kept sucking his cock. Every time he hesitated over a word, she slowed her movements, leaving him twitching in her wet mouth and soft hands until he could gather his focus once more. 

Cheeks hollowed out and softly moaning, Jessica sucked on him while he read to her about air pollutants from fuel, but he was barely absorbing a single word he said. The combination of reading to her while she gave him head was something he'd never imagined could be so sexy, and all too soon, Jake's hips were thrusting gently forward as she took him to the edge of orgasm. 

When she met his eyes above the rim of her glasses, Jake repeated the same sentence he just read over again. As soon as he tapped the back of her throat, he was panting, and then he came. He tossed the journal on the floor as he begged, although he wasn't sure what for. "Please, Baby. Please."

His hands were in her hair as she drained him, and when he opened his eyes a moment later, he realized he was on his back on the bed with Jessica on top of him. "That was fun," she whispered. "I think you like it when I tell you what to do."

Jake snorted. "Really? I think I love it. Like I love you."

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

When Jessica arrived at work on Friday with a cooler bag filled with the lunch and snacks Jake packed for her, she logged into her email account with a smile on her face. She had a message from Dr. Rosenthal letting her know that he would be spending the weekend reviewing all of the information he had gathered and all of the notes he had taken while sitting in her classes for the past few weeks. He would let her know soon if she was being awarded tenure or not. 

Her smile started to fade as nerves rushed in. There was another email from Dean Walters letting her know that the extra work she put in had been much appreciated, and that she only needed to cover Brian's class one more time before he returned to campus. After next week, he would be back from his leave of absence. The peace she felt this whole time he was gone would be taken from her. And if Dr. Rosenthal didn't find her worthy of tenure, Brian would never give her another chance at a review.

She felt sick now. Last night was so much fun. Teasing Jake and getting him all wound up before bedtime still had her smiling this morning. Now she just felt too warm and prickly all over as she gathered the notes she needed to teach. And of course, just because she already felt kind of terrible now, Dr. Rosenthal quietly crept into her class right when she started, giving her a little way. He must have wanted one last chance to see her in action. She tried to smile in his direction before she got started. 

Jessica felt like she was on autopilot right now, which was never ideal for a teacher. She made it to lunchtime when she ran back to her office, desperate for some quiet solitude and her homemade lunch. Of course as soon as she poked her fork into the container, there was a knock on her door. 

She groaned softly before she called out, "Come in."

Jessica saw the flash of a tie dye lunch box and then her friend was sitting across from her. "You are not going to believe the day I'm having." She was already furiously dipping some carrots into a container of hummus. "I caught a student cheating on an exam. I am so pissed off."

"That's the worst," Jessica groaned, and then she felt a little guilty. "I'm sorry if you're going to be spending all weekend working up my tenure review with Rosenthal."

"We're not supposed to talk about that. And don't be sorry. And anyway, I'm not planning on working the whole weekend... Bradley and I have a trip to the school library planned for Sunday afternoon."

"Oh, is that some sort of romantic date for the two of you?" Jessica asked as she ate her delicious lunch, starting to feel a little better.

Her friend nibbled on her lip and giggled before she bit into a carrot stick. "Something like that." After she finished another carrot stick, she cocked her head to the side. "What's wrong? I thought you'd still be ecstatic today. Apparently Jake can't stop talking about the fact that you told him you love him back. Bradley said he couldn't shut up about it at work on Monday."

Jessica flushed with embarrassed excitement; she hadn't even mentioned it to anyone else yet, but Jake had? She felt her whole body clench with need for him. "Yeah... he said it at the Hard Deck. On his birthday," she whispered. "And of course I love him. What's not to love? I mean, other than the unfortunate time he called you Dr. Tits."

"At least he got the honorific correct," she mumbled. "Then why do you look miserable?"

There was no point in beating around the bush with this woman. "I'm nervous all over again now. Rosenthal sat in my class earlier, and it threw me. I honestly don't know if I'm good enough. And Brian is coming back after next week." She took a deep breath before she blurted out, "I was hoping and praying that somehow he wouldn't return. That something would prevent it from happening, because I don't want to see him at all."

She was met with a long stretch of silence as the other woman nodded, and it felt like her words were still echoing around the tiny office. Eventually the other woman said, "I know he's returning in a week. I also know that Dr. Rosenthal will have a decision about your tenure before then, because I explicitly asked him to finalize it before the month ends. And... I have to attend a meeting next week in regards to Brian."

"A meeting?" Jessica asked as tears burned her eyes. "About what?"

"I'm not sure yet. But I'll let you know when I can."

Jessica nodded, feeling even more uncertain, but she whispered, "Thanks for having my back."

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

Ten minutes with Jessica, and Jake knew something was wrong. He drove to her place to spend the night on Friday, and one thing he wanted to mention was his idea of her moving into his condo with him. He had no idea when her rental lease was ending, but he thought it was worth mentioning now, even if it didn't happen for a while. He thought better than to bring it up as soon as she started giving him one word answers. 

"Hey," he whispered as she stood in front of her refrigerator looking for something he could make for dinner. He carefully closed the door and spun her around to face him. "I know something's bothering you. I can tell." He stroked her cheek and tipped her face up so she was looking at him. "Why don't you get it off your chest and let me try to make you feel better?"

She nodded gently and said, "Brian is coming back in a few days. And I'll know about my tenure review decision next week."

"Right," Jake said slowly as he wrapped his hand around her waist. "We knew both of those things were going to be happening though?" He was still a little confused as to why she looked like she was going to cry.

"Yes," she replied as she squeezed her eyes closed. "But everything has been so good the past few weeks. I haven't felt like I'm slowly suffocating at work anymore. I have all the graduating chemistry majors bringing their grades up, because teaching the senior studies class is actually really fun. And... you told me you love me. And Brian is going to come in and ruin everything, especially if Rosenthal doesn't think I'm good enough."

She was sobbing as Jake collected her against his chest. "You're a really good teacher, Reedy," he whispered. "You are the reason all those students have higher grades now. And you told me yourself that Dr. Rosenthal is very smart, so just give him a chance to show you that he's also very fair. And as for Brian? That asshole can just fuck off. He's not going to mess with you anymore, and if he tries to, I'll be there in his face in an instant, and I can guarantee he'll back off."

She nodded, and her glasses dug into his chest as he kissed her head. Jake wasn't going to let Brian near her if he had anything to say about it. Part of him had been hoping he'd just resign instead of returning to work, but no such luck. 

"I love you, Jessica," he whispered as she took a few deep breaths. "And I really don't think Brian is dumb enough to give you a hard time again. But if he does, I'll break his nose every week if that's what you want me to do." That made her laugh in his arms, so he kissed the top of her head again and said, "As soon as you say it looks like it healed, I'll stop by and punch him again."

She was laughing and looking up at him as she wiped her tears away. "Maybe every time you stop by for my office hours, you can just punch him."

"I'll add a recurring notification to my phone calendar." She kissed his cheek as he said, "Why don't you get changed out of your work clothes, and I'll take you out for dinner."

The loud growl from Jake's stomach might have been the reason she agreed to his plan. "Where are we going?"

"Anywhere you want. If you come out of the bedroom wearing a dress, I'll take you somewhere nice. If you come out wearing jeans, we can go get burgers or tacos by the beach. And if you put on leggings and one of the shirts you stole from my dresser, I'll order some takeout, and we can drive to pick it up together."

Jake ended up at the burger shack, sitting at a lopsided table on the back deck while the last glimpse of orange sunlight vanished on the horizon. Jessica was so close to him, she was practically sitting on his lap, and they were sharing French fries and an enormous chocolate shake. "You feel a little better?" he asked as he kissed her ear. 

"I do. You're so sweet, you always make me feel better," she replied, dipping a fry in some ketchup. "But I like it more when you cook dinner."

Jake groaned. This woman thought he was smart, sweet and interesting, and she liked the food he made. She liked being with him. She even loved him. "I'm going to mention something. Just really quickly. And we don't actually have to discuss it right now since there's a lot going on this week. But I just thought that maybe soon or maybe in a few months or next year.... you might move into my condo with me?"

She smiled at him, rerouting the French fry to his mouth instead of her own. "Are you saying you don't want me to renew my lease when it ends in two months?"

He quickly chewed the fry before wrapping her in his arms. "Please don't renew it, Baby. I really don't want you to."

"Okay. I won't." She laughed as he smothered her face in kisses.

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

The weekend was of course perfect. Jessica woke up to the sight of Jake's handsome face and messy hair bathed in sunlight in her bed two days in a row. They slept in, they made love, they went to see a movie, and Jake made every meal with just the slightest bit of help from her.

"I need my assistant," he called as he prepared pancake batter at lunchtime on Sunday after taking her grocery shopping. 

She groaned as she poured two more mugs of coffee. "But I'm barely even any help to you at all."

"But I like it when you're with me."

"Yeah... I'm not going to argue with that," she said, tucking herself in front of Jake and helping him scoop the batter and pour it into the hot pan. She smiled at the pancake as it started to cook. "What are you making for my lunches this week?"

He kissed her shoulder. "Lasagna and garlic bread. Can't wait for two months from now when we can combine all of our grocery shopping. But I just realized one more thing we need to do before then... right when your semester ends."

"What's that?" she asked as they flipped the pancake together.

"Gotta fly to Massachusetts and meet your family, and then I'll take you to Texas so my mom and dad can meet you. That'll be a first for them," he said with a laugh. "Might shock them to death."

"Why?" she asked as butterflies erupted in her tummy. She wanted him to say it. She desperately wanted him to say it. 

"I've never had someone I wanted them to meet before."

Jake ended up eating that very burnt pancake after Jessica spun in his arms and kissed him until they were both breathless. Eventually he made the lasagna for her, and she portioned it into her lunch containers while Jake looked at different flights for the week she would have off after she submitted final grades for the semester. 

On Tuesday afternoon, she was still thinking about the sincere look on his face when he told her he'd try to get that week off too. Jake made her feel better about everything that was happening. It was almost time for her office hours, and she expected to see Luca at some point. He was doing really well in her class now, and as long as he kept coming back for more practice problems, she would keep making them up for him. 

When she heard a tap on her door, she called out, "Come in!" But instead of Luca and his skateboard, her heart started pounding double time when she saw who was there. She was on her feet immediately. "Dr. Rosenthal."

"Dr. Reed," he mumbled, juggling a binder and some folders as he closed the door behind him. 

He wasn't really meeting her eyes, and she swallowed hard as she said, "Have a seat." The words came out as barely a squeak, and she realized her hands were shaking a bit as she dropped back into her chair as well. 

He was shuffling papers around and trying to dig a pen out of his shirt pocket. "I have frankly a whole bunch of papers for you to sign here. I just need to sign a few of them myself first." Then he looked up at her and chuckled. "Did you have a chance to read the science joke of that day that I emailed to you earlier?" he asked.

Jessica nodded, wishing he'd just get on with why exactly he was here. "The one about the Roman numerals and the gladiators? Yes. It was very good."

He was still chuckling to himself when he laid out a stack of papers on her desk in front of her. "Okay, go ahead and sign all of these, and make sure you date them as well. I would have brought them in earlier, but the copier was jammed again." He set his fountain pen down after he uncapped it, and Jessica just stared at him.

"What's going on here exactly?" she asked, finally sliding the first page a little closer to her.

He looked at her in surprise. "Why, it's your formal paperwork, of course. For your tenure."

She squeezed her hands into fists, pressing her nails into her palms as she started sweating. "My tenure?" she whispered, too afraid to say anything else until he spoke again.

"Yes," Dr. Rosenthal replied. "The university is awarding you tenure based on my findings. I spoke with Dean Walters earlier today. Were you expecting a different outcome?"

"No," she gasped as tears welled up in her eyes. "No, this is exactly what I was expecting." She struggled to keep her voice under control as she breathed in and out awkwardly and picked up his pen. "Thank you for taking the time to do my review."

He flapped his hand casually in the air as if he wasn't aware that he'd just made her whole existence vastly better. "Oh no, don't thank me. It's all just part of the job. Happy to do it."

She shook with silent tears as she skimmed the paperwork and signed her name over and over again. She even saw Advanced Calculus' signature on a few lines. Each time she looked up at Dr. Rosenthal through her watery smile, he was just sitting there calmly, and Jessica wondered if anyone else ever cried when he told them they got tenure.

On the last page was the certification that had been signed by Dean Walters, and Jessica smiled when Rosenthal said, "That's the page you're going to want to frame and hang up there next to your diplomas."

She had to fight the urge to hug him when she stood to shake his hand. "Thank you again."

He just shrugged it off once again. "You have a very good friend in the math department. Well, I suppose two, if you include me. Don't forget to schedule a meeting with Dean Walters, because you'll need to return some of that paperwork to him. I just wanted you to have it in writing as soon as possible."

"Okay," she said with as steady a voice as she could muster. And then she was opening the door for him to go. 

In the silence of her office, Jessica dropped back down into her desk chair and sobbed. She took her glasses off and pressed her hands to her face as her whole body shook in relief at finally getting what she knew she deserved all along. She could finally look to the future knowing that even if Brian Conley didn't want her at this school, there were other faculty members who recognized her worth.

"Oh my god," she moaned to herself as she wiped at her tears in vain as they just kept coming. She felt inexplicably weightless, like years of pressure just suddenly ceased to exist. Her breathing started to even out, and then she laughed before she started crying all over again. 

There was a firm knock on her door, and she had to pat around her desk for her glasses as she stood. If it was Luca, she would just excuse herself to the restroom and then come back to help him. When she opened the door, Jake's green eyes were immediately alert and upset. 

"What happened?" he barked, reaching for her with the hand that wasn't holding a snack container. "Is Brian back already?"

And then she was crying again. "No," she sobbed against his uniform shirt, smearing her glasses in the process. "Oh my god, Jake," she wailed and he dropped the container on her desk to take her face in both of his big hands. He looked like he was on the verge of panicking when she reached for the certification page and held it up for him. "I got tenure." He made a loud noise, and he hoisted her in the air as she clung onto the sheet of paper and his shoulder. "Dr. Rosenthal just told me. I just signed all the paperwork."

She was crying so hard, she was shaking again, and when her feet finally met the ground, Jake's lips were on hers. "I'm so proud of you," he said between kisses. "So fucking proud of you. I love you so much."

She laughed and cried and held onto him as he murmured the sweetest things in her ear while she traced his name tag with her fingers. Then he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles as she smiled at him. 

"Let's go pick up some champagne and celebrate."

But there was a third knock on the door, and this time, Jessica could hear Luca kick and flip his skateboard into his hands. "I have to finish my office hours first."

Jake grinned and kissed her forehead. "Of course you do. You're such a good teacher."

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

Masterful, Jessica. It should have been yours all along. You got your tenure, and you got the guy.... what are you going to do next? Thanks to @mak-32 and @beyondthesefourwalls

PART 21

@blahehblah

@sotalife

@desert-fern

@furiouspiespytaco

@rosiahills22

@daggerspare-standingby

@je-suis-prest-rachel

@callsign-joyride

@theharddeck

@withakindheartx

@roosterscockpit

@whatislovevavy

@hangmanbrainrot

@neferpatra

@sehnsuchts-trunken

@averyhotchner

@thedroneranger

@cherrycola27

@mygyn

@gennyanydots

@callsign-magnolia

@whisperofsong

@seriouslyseresin

@hotch-meeeeeuppppp

@katiebby04

@supernaturaldawning

@chassy21

@tylerjones98

@captainjaspenor

@gigisimsonmars

@fanboyswhore9

@angel-w0nderland

@abaker74

@idontcare-11

@isaebellaa

@bringnattolife

@xoxabs88xox

@djs8891

@hufflepufftruffle

@cottagecori

#jake hangman seresin x oc #jake seresin x oc #jake seresin fic #jake seresin fanfiction #jake hangman seresin fanfiction #jake hangman fic #hangman fic #hangman imagine #jake seresin imagine #hangman x oc #jake hangman imagine #hangman smut #jake hangman seresin #hangman fanfiction #top gun imagine #top gun maverick imagine #top gun fanfiction #top gun maverick fanfiction #roosterforme #adult education

[averagewriter-inthedark]

The Parent Trap 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 | Lt. Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw Imagine

Inspired by Disney’s ‘The Parent Trap’

Link to my TGM Masterlist

Characters & Pairings: Lt. Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw x novelist female!reader (romantic), Lila L/n and Caroline Bradshaw!OCs (daughters), Marilyn Brooks!OC (Bradley’s love interest), Ollie Tomas (platonic, Y/n’s bff), Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (platonic) & Hannix (Phoenix x Hangman)

Content Warnings: fluff, light angst, profanity, pregnancy & childbirth, separated twins, second chance romance troupe, assault (reader punches a character) | female reader—afab!reader (she/her) | wc: 18k+ this is long folks.

Premise: It was quite literally love at first sight for aspiring aviator Bradley Bradshaw and writer Y/n L/n, but the relationship ended as fast as it started. It did result in the birth of their beautiful identical twin daughters, Lila and Caroline—but even they couldn’t keep them together. An agreement was made in the divorce, Caroline would grow up with Bradley, and Lila would be raised by Y/n so the former couple never had to see each other again. What neither anticipated, however, were the sisters coming face-to-face at summer camp the year they turned 14…..and forming the ultimate parent trap to reunite their parents for a second chance at love.

Note: I rewatched ‘The Parent Trap’ the other night and gosh I remembered how much I loved that movie as a kid. I immediately got to writing this because I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Just to be clear I do NOT support the idea of separating children especially twins & not tell them. This is of course for fictional purposes & I do not own Disney, The Parent Trap or the TGM characters. Hope you enjoyed! (Also I envisioned Dan Levy as Ollie when I wrote this & Margot Robbie as Marilyn😂

Thank you guys so so much for 1k!!!! I’m over the moon and cannot believe that I hit 1k just as I’m celebrating 1 year of coming back to this writing account and actually keeping up with works ! 🥹🥹 I love you all and appreciate all the kind words left on my stories 🤍🤍 you guys are the best!! — Bee 🐝

——————————————

“I know you’re upset, honey,” Y/n brushed Lila’s dirty blonde hair behind her ear, “But it’s for the best. Just think before you know it’ll be the holidays and then next summer I’ll fly you out there.” All she got in response was a sad nod, the fourteen-year-old turning to look out the window. Sunny California soon turned into cloudy New York as the plane traveled from coast to coast. The entire journey the novelist thought back to the past two weeks, which did nothing to heal her aching heart. Not only did she mourn leaving behind her second daughter, but she mourned what could’ve been with the man she thought she’d spend the rest of her life with almost fourteen years ago.

The one who made her believe in love at first sight.

In 2006, aspiring writer Y/n L/n was on the verge of college graduation, planning to move to New York City in hope of accomplishing her dream of becoming a New York Times bestselling author.

For as long as she could imagine writing stories was her escapism from the hardships of reality. A hopeless romantic, most of her work was romance—dabbling in fantasy or historical fiction from time to time but keeping a romance troupe involved. She first started writing fanfiction on the internet when it was just starting out, focusing on some of her favorite characters which resulted in her profile becoming popular with readers. It soon progressed to her attempting to write an actual novel.

The story she envisioned to write one day was keeping her up at night, so she finally sat her ass down the summer going into her senior year and started writing. In between classes and working at the campus library at UVA, where she was studying literature and psychology, Y/n was nose deep in her Apple iBook she literally got because of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. Pages upon pages, the words flew from her mind and onto the screen, forming dialogue and descriptions. She didn’t know what would come of the book, unsure if she would even send it to literary agents and publishers once completed, but for now it was purely for her entertainment.

After all, look at Stephenie Meyer. Home girl wrote a book based on a dream and it turned out to be one of the bestselling series of all time.

Graduation came in a blur. Her plan was to go to the ceremony, get her diploma, and then head back to her place to finish writing. She was only a few chapters from being done. The last thing she wrote was the big twist which could be the make or break for the main character to be with the love interest, all that was needed was the resolution.

What Y/n didn’t expect that night was going to a party, at the insistence of her friend, and meeting who she believed was the man of her dreams.

Bradley Bradshaw was everything a girl would fawn over. Handsome, funny, flirty, the life of a party, who had dreams and aspirations. While his friends clowned him for having the typical 80s porstache, they secretly envied how well he pulled it off. Which was obvious by the amount of women throwing themselves at him.

Y/n’s friend had her eyes on him that night….but little did they both know, he had eyes for Y/n.

The second she walked in he was drawn to her. “Who’s that?” He asked his buddy, Fabian, interrupting him from his flirting with a pretty redhead. Annoyed, Fabian looked in the direction of Bradley’s gaze, catching Y/n in his line of sights.

“You talkin’ about the girl in the white pantsuit? That’s I think Y/n if I remember—we had psych 101 together ages ago. She doubled majored with English and worked at the library….” he raised a brow at Bradley, who was already walking toward Y/n with a determined look on his face.

Her friend Tanya spotted him first, immediately smiling with hopeful eyes. Only it fell to a small frown when she realized he wasn’t looking at her, but Y/n.

“Hi,” the greeting has Y/n turn around, red solo cup in hand and becoming puzzled at the sight of a gorgeous man standing behind her.

“U-uh hello.”

Bradley extends a hand, “I’m Bradley.” Y/n shakes it, both flinching when a spark ignites at the contact.

“I’m Y/n. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too, Y/n,” he beams, now aware she wasn’t alone. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I was wondering if you’d like to dance?”

“Oh um,” she glances at Tanya, seeing her saddened look and becomes apologetic. “I-I don’t know…”

“Just one,” he insists, “and then I promise to leave you alone afterwards.”

Y/n still appeared hesitant, not wanting to upset Tanya further, but the woman gives her a soft smile, “go on,” she takes the cup from Y/n, “I’ll be right here.”

“Are you sure?”

“Totally. In fact,” Tanya bites her lip when she connects eyes with a guy she had a class with the previous semester. One she thought was cute and wouldn’t mind getting to know. When he gives her a wave and gestures for her to come over, Tanya blushes, “I’ll be over there talking to Grayson. Take all the time you need.” She was already on the move before Y/n could say anything else, leaving her with Bradley.

“Sooo…” he holds out a hand, nodding his head to the makeshift dance floor in the middle of the house the party was at.

Heart racing, Y/n gives a small smile and takes his hand, letting him lead her to the floor. It was the first time a guy had asked her to dance at a party. Though she didn’t date or go out much in college, the times she did Y/n often got left alone because Tanya or one of their roommates/friends were hit on and she didn’t. Plus with school, work, and writing her book, a social life was pretty much nonexistent.

One dance became two, then three, and four. Before she knew it three a.m rolled by and she and Bradley had danced and talked the whole night, ending with the two sitting in the back of his Bronco with sonic Route 44s and milkshakes. Never had Y/n laughed as hard as she did that night, almost to the point of tears. There was warmth all through her veins, even after the two parted ways, only sharing a sweet kiss when he dropped her off at her apartment.

It was the closest thing she felt to love at first sight.

Maybe it truly was.

Things went by fast. Literally. So fast it was starting to make Y/n worried. Not only were the feelings getting stronger, but the terms of the relationship in general. Within a weeks they were living together, Bradley going as far as to propose to Y/n with the news of his commission into the U.S Navy.

“Marry me, Y/n,” he told her after the ceremony, the shiny Ensign ranks on the color of his uniform. “I know it sounds crazy, but I wanna share my life with you—every part of it. Till the day I die.”

Part of her was conflicted but the overwhelming love for Bradley had Y/n say yes. That weekend they were at the courthouse, exiting as Mr. & Mrs. Bradshaw.

But unfortunately the love story ended before it could really begin.

A few short weeks after the wedding, Y/n found out she was pregnant while Bradley was at flight school. It terrified her as much as it excited her. They were only twenty-two, with Bradley’s Naval career just starting out and Y/n trying to get her food in the door on hers. Having double majored in literature and psychology there were many career paths she could go into. Many would involve her having to get a Masters, but the couple were already paying off student loans from undergrad that she didn’t want to have to take out anymore financial aid.

Personally Y/n wanted to write books. She had yet to finish the one from college, with plenty more ideas safely tucked in her mind. The news of her pregnancy would have to put any potential job on hold.

Bradley was beyond excited when she told him, lifting her in his arms with glee, “I’m gonna be a dad!” His excitement was what really made Y/n look forward to bringing their baby into the world. She still had worries no doubt but having Bradley, who was now known to his fellow aviators as Rooster, made it easier.

But the couple were in for a much bigger surprise.

“TWINS?!” They both shrieked in the hospital room, eyes bulging the monitor showcasing two sacs in Y/n’s womb. Rooster nearly went into cardiac arrest, the woman bursting into tears which had him hold her tightly in his arms. Lips pressed to her head as he mumbled, “We got this baby. This is exciting! Just think, they’ll be best friends forever.”

“And it looks like,” the technician moved the wand across Y/n’s stomach a bit more to get a better angle. “You are gonna be blessed with two girls, Mr. and Mrs. Bradshaw.” That had Y/n cry even more, Rooster shedding his own at the excitement and love that filled him.

“Girls,” he breathed in awe, kissing all over his wife’s face making her cries turn into giggles. “We’re having little girls—I’m so happy, Y/n. I can’t thank you enough for giving me this gift.”

In April of 2007 Lila and Caroline Bradshaw arrived. Identical twins who literally could not be told apart unless they were dressed differently. So the couple bought matching necklaces with gold pendants on each with the letters ‘C’ and ‘L’ for each girl. That way they could always know who was who.

Named after his mother, Caroline was a daddy’s girl even as a newborn. The only time she ever really wanted Y/n was when she was hungry, other than that little Caroline wanted to be in Bradley’s arms. She’d fall asleep in them, whine if she were in someone else’s, and make grabby hands for him when he’d come home. Caroline’s personality resembled Rooster’s, literally the life of the party whenever people were over.

Lila on the other hand was her momma’s mini me. The name came from a character in Y/n’s book. Not the protagonist, but the best friend who Y/n enjoyed writing for more than the main character. It was a name she always loved, and the moment Y/n’s eyes landed on the baby girl the name was perfect for her. Opposite of her sister, Lila was quiet and reserved. She loved to be held by Y/n and would beg for her attention. Like Caroline was a daddy’s girl, Lila was momma’s angel.

Life seemed to be good. It was good.

But then when the twins turned six months, things started to sour. They were living in Virginia with Bradley assigned to the Golden Warriors and Y/n was at home taking care of the girls. She’d get a little bit of writing done within the week but had major writer's block. Almost twice a week she and Bradley were arguing over something whether it was money, work, or the girls. They’d go to bed with their backs facing each other, Bradley leaving in the morning with little to no goodbye and when he’d return home he’d be so exhausted the two would rarely talk like they used to.

It was apparent the honeymoon stage was over. Both realizing it just wasn’t working out and even with their daughters the relationship was becoming strained.

What really ended everything was the night of the officer’s ball. A disrespectful comment was made to Y/n about wanting to be a published romance author by one of Bradley’s superiors. And he didn’t stand up for her. In fact, the man had the audacity to laugh with the men.

Heartbroken and pissed off, Y/n threw her napkin onto the table and removed herself without permission to be excused. Everyone stared with wide eyes, Bradley’s superiors watching with disapproval and making snide comments to the licensed pilot. Now he was angry, feeling humiliated by the scene and raced after his wife with an apology to the guests.

When they got outside both were feeling the heat. Spitting off words that they knew were going to fuel the fire.

“What the fuck was that, Y/n?”

“What the fuck was that?” She repeated with malice, “How fucking dare you sit there and laugh while they insult me! I’m your fucking wife, Bradley—you’re supposed to stand up for me! Instead you humiliated me!”

The entire drive home they were silent. Rooster’s knuckles were practically white with how hard he was gripping them, Y/n breathing heavily to control the anger. Not even the radio was playing. Only silence filled the void of the impeding argument that was to continue when they got home.

The door of the Bronco slamming alerted the babysitter, the teenage daughter of their neighbors, who met them outside with a smile only to frown when Bradley stormed past her. “Is everything—,” she went to ask but Y/n stopped her.

“Everything’s fine.” It was far from fine but she didn’t need to know that. Y/n removed a small wad of cash from her clutch, handing it to the girl. “This is for you. Thanks for all your help, Molly.”

When Y/n got in she checked on her girls first and then met Bradley in the bedroom to get out of the god forsaken dress she started to feel claustrophobic in. It wasn’t even fifteen seconds later before the couple were at it again. They tried to keep quiet for the sake of their daughters asleep just down the hall but nothing could stop the shouts from escaping.

“What was I supposed to do?” Rooster throws his arms out, face red. “Tell him to shut the fuck up? I have to work with him, Y/n. I see him every goddamn day—you want me to make my life miserable? Cause he’ll make sure that happens.”

Y/n couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Are you fucking serious, Bradley? You’re so worried about having to do more pushups than people or get hazed than standing up for me? Your own wife?! Yeah, I wanted you to tell him to shut the fuck up—I would’ve done it if was my boss! Because you’re my husband and I wouldn’t let somebody insult you like he did me!”

He sarcastically laughs, bringing his hands up to rub his face, “You know, you’re acting like a fucking lunatic right now.”

The comment had Y/n still, eyes widening as the alarms went off in her head. She waited for him to take it back, but when he didn’t all she could do was make a pained sound, turning away from him before the tears could spill. Exiting their room, Y/n went to the closet where they stored luggage. When she returned she had her large suitcase and a baby bag.

“What are you doing?” She ignored him, starting to throw random clothes in the bag from her dresser. Rooster, came around the bed staring at her in disbelief. “Y/n, what the fuck are you doing?”

“What does it look like, Bradley,” she hissed, still not looking at him. “I’m fucking packing and getting the hell out this house. And I’m taking the girls with me.”

“The hell you are!” He shouts, going after her when she enters the bathroom. “You’re not taking my daughters. Especially when I don’t know where the hell you’re going.”

“I’ll figure it out,” she gathers her makeup, skincare, hair care and shower necessities. “Maybe I’ll finally go to New York like I planned before I met you.”

“And what are you gonna do there?” He challenged from the doorway. Y/n felt her hand tighten over the first item in her hand, which happened to be a hair dryer. She could feel the words on the tip of his tongue, praying to God he wouldn’t actually say what would really tear her heart in pieces.

“Don’t you fucking dare.” But Bradley was too far gone before he could stop himself.

“Finish that book? The one you’ve been writing for almost three years and have yet to finish? And then actually get it published?” He chuckled sarcastically, breaking her soul when he added, “Yeah, sure you are. How about you wake up and start thinking about reality—where you should work on getting an actual career that’s gonna support your daughters instead of living in a fairytale.”

The hairdryer left her hand with a literal battle cry, causing Bradley to jump out of the way with a curse, the object hitting the side of his arm. When it bounced on the ground before stopping just by the bed, the couple stared at each other as though they couldn’t believe what had happened. Both were breathing heavily, Y/n’s makeup smudged with tears rolling down her face.

“Fuck you,” she whispered, seeing the immediate regret in his eyes, though no words of the sort followed. Y/n brought a hand up, turning away from him when he said her name. “Fuck you, Bradley.” She heard him leave, the door closing behind him allowing her to succumb to her emotions. The rest of the time she packed her things Y/n fought back sobs. She wouldn’t let him see her like that. That he had hurt her beyond what she could’ve imagined.

The way he took her dream and basically slapped her in the face with it. He knew she was dealing with writer’s block and had trouble focusing on the ending with having to take care of their girls. And not to mention she gave up her pursuits to follow him.

No more.

Zipping up her suitcases, Y/n picked up the wedding photo of her and Bradley. There were not many photos of them printed out and none were hung on the walls just because they would have to move with his job, but the two photos they did have were of their little courthouse wedding and the day the twins were born.

Tears rolling down her cheek, Y/n removed the photo from the frame and tore it down the middle before doing the same with the one of them and the girls. The piece with Bradley looking down at her in the wedding and the one of him holding Lila were folded and placed in her purse, leaving the one of her in her wedding dress and the one holding Caroline. She secretly put them in the drawer of his nightstand, letting him decide what he plans to do with them once she’s gone.

She couldn’t believe what she was about to do, but it was for the best in order for them to not have to deal with a nasty custody dispute. Already she could feel a bit of her heart missing. The piece reserved for Caroline.

After quietly packing Lila’s things, Y/n rolled her suitcases down the hall and placed the baby bag on top. Rooster was in the kitchen drinking a beer, ignoring when she came into the living room to gather all the things she had there.

“I have an offer,” she approached when she was done, keeping her gaze on the ground. Y/n feared she wouldn’t be able to say it if she looked into his eyes.

“What,” his voice was monotone, evident he was tired and wanting to get whatever argument out of the way so they could move on.

“I can’t stay here,” she told him, noticing him stiffening in the corner of her eye. “I just can’t, Bradley. We both know this was a long time coming and tonight was just the nail in the coffin. We’re not a good fit—we both want different things. And I can’t even look at you without wanting to scream.” She took a deep breath to calm herself, “I never want to see you again after tonight…so I don’t wanna have to go through a custody battle with you.”

“And how do you suppose that’s going to work out?” She could hear the heartbreak in his tone, getting tight with each word like he would explode if she took both girls.

Y/n let out a tired sigh, squeezing her eyes shut, “we both know Caroline prefers you, and Lila prefers me.” She waited for him to say something, but when he didn’t she knew he silently agreed. The next words that left her set in stone the next decade in a half of her life, “So I’ll take Lila with me and you raise Caroline. That way they have one of us and we never have to see each other again.” Again Bradley doesn't respond so Y/n softly says, “I’ll call a lawyer in the morning. For now I’m sleeping in the girls room.”

‘Come after me,’ she silently thought, a part of her hoping he would and convince her she was wrong and they could work this out.

‘Go after her,’ his brain screamed at him, not wanting to let go of the woman of his dreams.

But he stayed where he stood.

Twelve hours later the couple sat in the office of a divorce lawyer with papers drawn up indicating Y/n would have custody of Lila, retaining her maiden name and legally changing the girl’s to L/n, and Bradley would have custody of Caroline. They removed their rings, Y/n wiping away a tear when she did, before the two returned to the home to gather Y/n’s things.

Once the car was packed Y/n cradled Caroline while Bradley held Lila, the two facing away from each other to not show the other their emotion.

“I love you so much, sweet girl,” she whispered against Caroline’s tiny head, careful to not let her tears drop on her. Kissing her crown, Y/n softly said, “Our paths will cross again one day. But until then, I hope you have the best life and be a good girl for your daddy. You’ll always be my Caroline, my sweet girl.”

A few yards away, Bradley was saying his own words of love to Lila. “Promise me you won't give your momma too much trouble, Lila darlin’. You two take care of each other,” he kisses her forehead, eyes glistening with unshed tears, “I’ll see you again one day. I love you darlin’. You’ll always have a piece of me.”

The former couple barely glanced at each other or spoke a word the entire time Bradley was securing Lila in her car seat and Y/n reluctantly handing Caroline over. Her heart skipped, clenching at the same time Bradley surprised her by giving a soft kiss to her forehead, muttering for her to have a safe trip. Y/n only nodded, moving to the driver's seat and backing out of the driveway before pulling onto the road. Y/n finally allowed the tears to fall when she exited the gate for the last time.

When she got to her parents house roughly five hours later Y/n wanted to just go to sleep but her mind wouldn’t let her.

No, in fact, it wanted her to write.

The final piece of the book that had been nagging her for years finally played in her head. Everything from the dialogue to the final scene.

While her parents spent time with Lila, both of whom voiced their unhappiness with her decision to leave behind Caroline, Y/n’s eyes were focused on the screen in front of her. The only time she took breaks was to have dinner, use the bathroom, have downtime with Lila before putting her to bed, and share a glass of wine with her mother. Other than that, Y/n was writing until the early hours of the morning—going as far as to make edits to earlier parts of the book and change things she felt were unnecessary.

By the time the clock hit 4 am, Y/n was in need of a melatonin and 8 hours of sleep. But she was done. Done with the book she had spent so much time trying to get done. It was as though leaving Bradley was the awakening she needed to get it finished.

How fucking sad when one thinks about it.

That mid-morning, after popping a melatonin and sleeping for a few hours before having to tend to Lila, Y/n’s parents were visibly shocked by the difference in her behavior from the previous day. Of course Y/n was still deeply saddened by everything and they could tell it was affecting her, but there was also a sense of hope in her eyes. When asked about it all Y/n responded was, “I finished the book.”

Between looking for small two bedroom apartments in New York and part-time jobs, Y/n edited her book. For about six months she lived with parents, celebrating Lila’s first birthday where Y/n cried herself to sleep at not being able to do the same to Caroline. But then again, she had no one to blame but herself.

The break of a lifetime came a week after Lila’s birthday when Y/n finally got a response from one of five literary agents she had sent her inquiry to. “Hello Ms. L/n, Thank you for sending your inquiry. I’ve read your submission and am intrigued about your book. Please send me a copy of your full manuscript either through my email or a printed version to the address I have listed below. I’m interested to see what you have written and hope you get back to me soon. Sincerely, Yolanda Richards.”

Over the moon, Y/n sent a printed copy to Yolanda the next day. Nerves filled her with what the agent would think and if she would have her as a client. After researching for weeks on literary agents, Yolanda Richards was one of the best in the romance genre, with multiple NYT bestsellers under her name plus success at getting movie deals for the books. If Y/n became one of her clients it would be a dream come true.

The email came the following Friday: “Y/n, I am very pleased with your work and thoroughly enjoyed your story. Everything about it was captivating from start to finish. I would love to have you as a partner by representing you in getting your book published and on the market. Please give me a call or email me so we can set up an in-person meeting as soon as possible. I hope you accept my offer and I look forward to possibly working with you. Sincerely, Yolanda Richards.”

Almost 13 years later……Summer of 2021

Caroline’s heart was racing. She’d never been so nervous in her entire life than when the plane approached the New York skyline, the first time her hazel eyes had ever witnessed it. Even when she and her father were living in Virginia he seemed to avoid the city like the plague. Always insisting they go somewhere else for a vacation whenever she begged.

Now here she was at JFK airport about to meet the woman she dreamed of knowing all her life.

The whole journey Caroline thought back to the eight weeks of summer camp she’d just experienced. It was like fate had decided to work its magic on the third day when she came face-to-face with a girl who looked exactly like her. Though it’s rumored everyone has at least seven doppelgängers in their lifetime scattered across the globe, something about Lila L/n was different than a typical look-a-like. They were too alike physically. Dirty blonde hair with hazel eyes and standing tall at 5’5, the two were a carbon copy of one another with the exception of Lila having longer hair and bangs. “Actual twins” their campmates would say, but were complete opposites in terms of personality.

For example, Caroline dressed like she was going to the beach no matter the weather and had a knack for old music whereas Lila had more sweaters than t-shirts in her suitcase. Then Lila had an expanded vocabulary like she always was reading a poem in a fancy New York accent yet Caroline could barely tell the difference between there, their, and they’re. Lastly, Caroline was laid back and the extroverted jokester of the camp compared to Lila’s reserved, introverted, goodie-two-shoes nature.

Their rivalry was bound from the start. The end of the first week had the two already pissing off the counselors with the pranks against each other and their friend groups. Halfway through the camp duration was when the counselors had enough and placed them in the isolation cabin to settle their differences.

It was in the isolation cabin where suspicions became realizations.

First it started when both admitted to having a peanut allergy and their favorite food was chicken Alfredo pasta. They both loved romantic comedies and playing piano, neither a fan of licorice or dill pickles.

Finally feeling a friendship starting, Caroline complimented Lila’s necklace, who said it was a gift to her on the day she was born and had her initial on the pendant. Voicing the same, Caroline showed her own necklace with the same pendant only with a ‘C’ on it instead of ‘L’. That’s when Lila asked what day Caroline was born, both confirming they had the same birthday of April 21st, 2007.

Heart pumping with an feeling she couldn’t explain, Caroline revealed she was raised by her dad, who was a Navy fighter pilot and they were currently living in San Diego. “It’s only ever been me and him. He said he and my mom split when I was six months old.”

“No way,” Lila sat up in her bed, feeling the same emotion as Caroline. “I was raised by my mom. We moved to New York when I was a year old and have been there ever since. She told me when I was ten she and my dad divorced when I was six months old and he was in the Navy.”

Pushing aside her bag of hot Cheetos, Caroline began asking a series of questions. “My dad never said much about my mom, but at least once a year would give me some details of what she was like when I begged him. He said one year she had dreams of becoming a writer. What does your mom do?”

Lila’s eyes widened, “She’s an author—she’s written over ten romance novels.”

“Did your mom ever tell you how she and your dad met?”

“They met in college—at a graduation party to be exact. He asked her to dance.”

By now Caroline was gripping her hair, “Did they go to sonic afterwards where they had milkshakes and—.”

“Route 44s,” Lila finished, covering her mouth slightly. The reaction had Caroline racing to her desk to rummage through the drawer. When she faced Lila again, she was holding something to her chest.

“When my parents divorced my mom left behind two ripped photographs. One is of her holding me as a baby, the other is of her wedding day with my dad. They make up halves to a photo—but I‘ve never seen the rest. My dad doesn’t even know I have them.”

Gasping, Lila goes to her own desk and takes out a folder. Flipping through pages she gathers the two images in her own hands before turning back to the teenager. “These are the only photos I have of my dad. Like you, one is of him holding me in the hospital, the other is him in his uniform from the day he married my mom. They were ripped down the middle from the original photo.”

As though they read each other’s mind, the two started walking toward each other, already tearing up at the possibility that what they suspected was true. “On the count of three,” Lila softly said, “we show each other. Okay?”

“Okay,” Caroline agreed with a nod. They started to count down.

“One,” Lila took a step forward.

“Two,” Caroline echoed, mirroring her movement.

“Three!” Gasps left both girls when they extended their arms, each holding a half of the photograph, and slowly put them together. One showed Y/n and Bradley on their wedding day, smiling at each other looking as though they were the happiest people on earth, the other of them holding their daughters. Caroline in Y/n’s arms, and Lila in Bradley’s.

“That’s my dad!” Caroline beamed, in disbelief at the sight before her. There her father was with the beautiful woman she dreamed of meeting. Her mother.

“That’s my mom,” Lila sniffed, the teen overcome with emotion. Once they gathered themself over the initial shock they both couldn’t help but shout, “We’re twin sisters!!” Embracing in a hug filled with glee and laughter.

The idea that came to their head moments later was crazy, but after talking and voicing how they want to meet the other’s parents, the decision was made. Caroline and Lila would switch places. And they were gonna get their parents back together.

Lila told Caroline how their mom was a hopeless romantic at heart despite not having a long term relationship since their dad. The same was for Bradley apparently, Caroline confessing he only had maybe three serious girlfriends but the relationships ended because they couldn’t handle the lifestyle he was in. Or the fact he was a single father.

For the next four weeks the twins learned all about the other’s life and what to expect. “Mom wrote her first book in college around the time she met dad, but she didn’t get it finished until after they divorced. Since then she’s written ten novels—including a trilogy about to be adapted into a movie series and is currently working on a sequel to her debut book that her supporters have been begging for her to write for years. Most of her inspiration comes from what she hopes to experience,” Lila pauses to make a face, “Now that I think about it actually, her second book almost resembles her love story with dad….it’s the only one without a happy ending.” That had the twins frown, feeling more determined with their mission of getting their parents back together.

“This is the Dagger Squad,” Caroline showed Lila the pictures on her phone when the counselors gave them back for the weekend. “My dad went on a special mission two years ago before the pandemic and became friends with the people he did it with. Phoenix,” she points to the pretty brunette pilot, “well Natasha, I’ve known her since I was a baby. She and her husband have been friends with dad since flight school. And this is Maverick,” she scrolls to the next picture of her with a middle aged man in a flight suit, “He’s basically like our surrogate grandpa since dad’s parents passed away a long time ago. They were estranged for some time but became friends again after the mission.”

Lila explained the layout of their mother’s Manhattan home where they along with Y/n’s parents lived. “We always sit down to eat in the dining room as a way to have family time since mom is usually in her office writing or in meetings,” Lila explained before naming off the people in the photographs she had laid out in front of Caroline. “This is Ollie, mom’s best friend and writes romantic thrillers—he was our roommate when we first moved to New York and is often at the house more than his own. Yolanda is her literary agent who is in charge of selling mom’s books when she’s completed them and most recently got a movie deal on mom’s best selling trilogy. I call our grandmother ‘Gran,’ and our grandfather, ‘grandpa’.”

Both girls were the subject of a slight makeover with Lila having to cut her hair shorter, and Caroline getting bangs. When that happened they really were identical twins with the campmates not knowing who was who. Caroline practiced mimicking Lila’s NY accent and taught her the words to ‘Great Balls of Fire.’

“This is ridiculous,” Caroline complained when she was unable to whistle like Lila. “Is this really necessary?”

“Every teenager in New York has had to hail a cab at some point. If Mom is on the phone then I have to be the one to catch the cab—and whistling is gonna get you one more than just waving like an idiot in the middle of the street.”

Last thing to do was exchange plane tickets. Lila to SAN and Caroline to JFK.

They hugged each other goodbye, wishing the other good luck and not to forget certain things. They mostly had everything written down so they were confident they could get everything memorized by heart before they landed at their respective destinations. Caroline felt odd having to wear a long sleeve in July, but the weather for New York was cloudy with cool temperatures so she felt safer wearing the outfit Lila had picked out. She wasn’t the only odd ball, Lila was having to get used to wearing the tank top and pink Hawaiian shirt with shorts—something she never thought she’d ever wear.

They even had to exchange phones considering Lila had the lilac iPhone 12 Pro Max and Caroline had her trusty red iPhone 7 Plus. “Hey it works fine,” she defended, “until I either crack it beyond repair or it just doesn’t turn on one day then I will keep this till the end of time. So be careful with it.”

Promising to text everyday and call at least twice a week, the girls went on their way. Caroline fidgeted in her first class seat, trying to go over her notes to pass the time since it would only be a few hours for her flight compared to Lila’s cross country trip. But when the New York skyline filled her vision, the teenager was in awe.

If she wasn’t so excited she would’ve vomited from the anxiety consuming her. With her backpack on her shoulders and duffle bag in her hands, Caroline did her best to navigate through JFK until she reached the baggage claim. There her stomach did flips at the sight of Ollie waving frantically at her.

“Lila bean! Over here!” Grinning wide, she raced over to the man and was lifted into his arms. “Finally you’re back! Ugh you have no idea how crazy it’s been without you,” he set her down, making movements with his hand, “I’ve had no one to discuss the latest season of Bachelor in Paradise with because your mom’s been so nose deep in her work the whole summer—I’ve been trying to get her thoughts on if my next book should be a sexy twist on the show where every contestant has a dirty secret and one of them is a literal serial killer but she won’t budge from that computer. It’s been the only thing to distract her from being sad with you not being there—and oh my goodness,” he suddenly gasped, making her flinch, “What did you do to your hair?”

“Oh u-uh,” she stuttered nervously, praying her accent was believable. “A girl from camp cut it. I wanted to try something new. Do you like it?”

“You look fabulous,” he complimented, letting his finger run across the ends of her hair. “It suits more than I thought—you’ve always preferred it long.”

“Well I thought with me entering high school next month I was due for a change.”

Ollie gave her a look once over with an approving nod, “I dig it. Now c’mon—let’s get your bag and head out before this place gets too chaotic for my liking. Plus your mom has been texting me every ten minutes wanting to know if you’ve landed and it’s becoming exhausting.”

Caroline had to hold back cheering in victory when she successfully whistled, catching the attention of a cab driver for the pair. The drive there she was bouncing her knee, taking in the city causing Ollie to look at her confused, “My goodness, eight weeks you’re gone and it’s like you’ve never seen the city before. I promise you it’s the same as you left it.”

The teenager couldn’t help but mentally laugh at the comment, ‘little do you know….’

Arriving in Manhattan Caroline turned giddy. Before Ollie could stop her she was out of the cab with her backpack and duffle, leaving him to get her luggage as she hauled up the stairs to the three story townhouse. The door was unlocked and so she took a deep breath before pushing it open only to gasp by the beautiful interior of the home with a spiral staircase leading to the higher levels.

Setting aside her things, Caroline began to explore the ground level in hopes to find her mother or grandparents. Movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention, the teen entering what appeared to be a study with various bookshelves and framed photographs on the walls. A man was standing up with his back toward her, appearing to look for something particular in his bookshelf.

Caroline’s heart skipped at the realization it was her grandfather. “Hi, grandpa,” she exhaled, causing the man to spin around. Immediately he was in delight.

“Lila! You’re back!” She met him in the middle as he came around the desk, the two embracing. “And you cut your hair, my gosh! You look so different—but great!”

Taking in his scent, the older man looked at her confused before she said, “Sorry, I just missed the smell of your peppermint aroma at camp.” He laughed lightly, rubbing her back with his hand.

“Oh honey we all missed you too.”

“What’s all the commotion?” A female voice entered the picture, Caroline grinning when her eyes met her grandmother’s. The older woman gasped before her own smile took over, “Oh Lila!”

“Gran!” She raced over to her, meeting her in a hug. “I missed you!” The two held each other for a moment, her gran voicing the same and complimenting her new look just as her grandfather did.

Then Caroline heard her. “Lila darling?”

Freezing against her gran, Caroline felt her heart race. Slowly removing herself she hesitantly went to the middle of the foyer. Just as she appeared in the photographs, Y/n was as beautiful as Caroline pictured her to be. Dressed in a cashmere sweater dress, she looked radiant as the light from the window hit her. Hazel eyes shining from unshed tears, Caroline whispered in awe, “Mom.”

“You’re back!”

Just like in a movie it all felt like slow motion as Caroline ran up the stairs while Y/n descended, meeting halfway in a tearful embrace. The hug lingered with Caroline never wanting to let go, a faint sob escaping from the back of her throat and the tears falling down her cheeks—no doubt ruining the mascara she wore. But the teen didn't care. Not when she was in the arms of her mother at last.

“I can’t believe it’s you,” she whimpered when they pulled away, Y/n moving to brush a finger off her cheeks.

“And I can’t believe it’s you,” the writer chuckled, letting her eyes run over her daughter she believed to be the one she raised. “Look at you, your hair is so short!”

“A girl cut it at camp for me—do you like it?”

“I love it!” Y/n assured with a smile, “You look amazing—I’m surprised that’s all. And..” Y/n tilted her head a bit, “are you wearing mascara?”

“Oh yeah,” Caroline sniffed, moving to swipe under her eyes. She forgot already that Lila wasn’t into makeup like her. “A friend I made at camp wanted to see how my eyelashes looked with it since they’re so long. I forgot I had it on.”

“Oh no worries, honey. I don’t mind you wearing it if that’s what you’d like.”

“N-no it’s okay. I don’t really think it’s my thing, m-mom,” Caroline felt another wave of emotion at saying the word ‘mom,’ making Y/n frown with concern.

“What’s wrong, my love?”

“Nothing,” Caroline’s voice cracked. “I’m just so happy. I missed you so much.” Y/n awed, pulling her daughter into another hug.

“Oh honey I missed you too. It almost feels like it’s been forever.”

Caroline squeezed her eyes shut as she nuzzled against Y/n’s shoulder, “you have no idea.”

Two weeks went by of the twins living their dream. Caroline explored New York City by accompanying Y/n to her meetings with Yolanda and watching Bachelor in Paradise to not have Ollie suspicious of her. Slight worry came with how her grandfather seemed to let his eyes linger on her whenever she said something unlike what Lila would say. Three thousand miles away Lila was having difficulty being so social with their father’s friend group—her introverted self needed to get away in order to recharge at times which had Phoenix and Hangman start to question her.

“Did the social butterfly in you burn out at camp, little chicken?” Jake teased one day, “I’ve never seen you this quiet in a single week.”

Lila put on her best face, hoping he wouldn’t see right through it, “You would not believe how exhausting it was dealing with so many people on a daily basis. There were times where I dreaded going to activities and preferred staying in my cabin. They were rambunctious I tell you.” Her choice of words had Natasha eye her, bidding a look to her husband, moving closer to whisper, “Did she just use the word rambunctious?”

It seemed like everyone but their parents were beginning to catch on. The first to figure out were Nat and Jake when Bradley confessed to his daughter, who he believed was Caroline, that he was planning on proposing to his current girlfriend Marilyn Brooks. Caroline had warned Lila that their father was seeing Marilyn, but believed it wouldn’t last till the end of summer. Upset and panicked on what to do, the teenager bursted outside of the Hard Deck and began ranting to herself, accent slipping out and unaware the couple were there the whole time.

“You got something to share with the class, Care Bear?” Nat approached, head tilted down at the teenager who’d gone pale. “Because you seem to be in distress.”

“Phee, Jake,” Lila placed a hand on her chest to calm her breathing, “You both gave me a fright.”

“We gave you a fright?” Jake repeated in confusion. Never had Caroline used expressions like that before, making them more confused.

“Y-you scared me. I-I didn’t know you two were out here.”

“Are you sure you’re alright, Caroline?” Natasha crossed her arms. “Because ever since you came home….you’ve been acting odd. Your appetite’s changed, you’re not as social, Charlie doesn’t want to come near you anymore” she listed off her fingers, Charlie referring to Nat and Jake’s dog who adores Caroline. “And you use these big words now.”

“And just now it sounded like you were straight from New York or something,” Jake added, “And not in the way when you impersonate it on Head’s Up, it was like it was natural for you.”

“Jake, Nat….” Lila thought rapidly to deflect. “I changed a lot over summer—my friend’s from there and helped me perfect it.”

“Alright,” Jake shrugged, “Man if I didn’t know any better I’d say you were—.” Nat slapped his arm, eyes wide with a knowing look causing him to shut up. Jake gave a tight smile to the teen, “Ignore me, I’m just being stupid.”

“Almost as if I were who?”

Natasha shook her head, “No one, Care Bear. Forget we said anything.” As the two went to go back inside, they were stunned by what the girl said next.

“Almost as if I were….Lila?”

Chills appeared on their arms, the couple slowly turning to face her again with eyes full of shock. Both were thinking the same thing: did Rooster finally tell her?

“Y-you know about Lila?” Nat whispered.

The confession rolled off her tongue, “I am Lila.”

Jake dropped his bottle of beer, the glass shattering against the wood while Nat’s hand flew to her mouth. Just as they were about to spit off the millions of questions in their head, Rooster appeared looking relieved to find the teen. “There you are, Care. Why’d you run off like that—I needed to talk to you.” Noticing the way his friends were looking as though they wanted to cry, Rooster then said, “Guys….why are you staring at her like that?”

Seeing Lila shake her head, begging them not to say anything, the two apologized and excused themselves. Later that night Lila asked to stay at their house after getting into an argument with her father about him getting engaged, where she then explained everything after a tearful reunion considering the couple hadn’t seen her since she was a baby.

“Caroline is in New York with our mom,” the confession had the two nearly faint. “We switched places at camp, which I cannot believe fate actually brought us together that way—and we’re hoping to get our parents back together because I know my mom still loves him despite all these years they’ve been separated. But now he’s engaged to that wretched woman who I know is gonna ruin his life. I-I have to call her and get them here now!”

Phoenix gently calmed the girl down, “Lila, it’s almost midnight over there. Call her tomorrow and then we’ll figure something out together.”

The call to Caroline is what got her found out by their grandfather. She was sitting at a picnic table just down the road after jumping from her seat at the dinner table. Unbeknownst to Caroline, her grandfather had followed her.

“I thought you said they would be broken up by the time I got back!” Lila shouted on the other end of the phone.

“Well that was the hope,” Caroline voiced back, “Usually he’s with them for a few months to a year—but Marilyn’s just…ugh I can’t even explain so it surprises me she’s lasted this long.”

“Well now she’s looking to become our stepmom! You have to get mom here to San Diego so we can stop them!”

“No way I’ve barely had time with her, Lila,” Caroline argued. For five minutes the twins go back and forth before ultimately hanging up. When Caroline rose from the bench she bumped into the gentleman behind her, “Oh I’m sorry, sir.” The man turned around, the familiar face staring back causing her stomach to drop. “Oh boy.”

“Oh boy,” he repeated, tsking. “How about we take a walk while the fresh air is nice?” Coming clean, Caroline told her grandfather everything from the day she arrived at camp to the day she left as Lila. Thankfully he wasn’t angry, in fact the man was overjoyed at the news.

Now it was time to come clean to the rest of the family.

The next morning Caroline was pacing in front of Y/n’s office before knocking on the door and waited for her to respond. “Come in.” Looking over the edge of her computer, the woman smiled at her daughter. “Hey darlin’, I’m almost done with this paragraph. What do you say about us going to that gyro place you like for lunch?”

“Mom,” Caroline fidgeted with her fingers. “I need to talk to you.” When Y/n continued to type, she said with an edge in her voice, “Right now. Please.”

Taken aback by the tone, Y/n saved the document and closed out before standing from her chair. “What is it, Lila?”

“That’s what I need to talk to you about,” seeing her confusion, Caroline’s eyes glistened. “Lila.”

“Yessss? That’s the name I gave you the day you were born.”

“N-no!” Caroline finally snapped. “That’s not the one you gave me, mom.” That had Y/n puzzled, looking at her daughter with wide eyes. Lip quivering, the teen finally came clean, unable to hold it any longer. “I’m not Lila.”

At first Y/n didn’t seem to react, until a soft gasp left her as the look of absolute shock took over her expression. Her eyes filled with water, hands beginning to shake, “You’re…You’re Caroline?”

“Yes,” she nodded, a tear rolling down her cheek. “You and dad sent Lila and I to the same camp. We met there and….well I just really wanted to meet you a-and Lila really wanted to meet dad and please don’t be angry with us, I—.” The teenager was cut off by the sob Y/n let out as she took her in her arms.

“Oh my sweet girl,” Y/n cried, letting 13 years of pent up regret, sadness, and shame finally release. “Oh Caroline.” The teen’s arms wrapped around her waist, nuzzling her face into her chest as her own tears spilled. Finally it felt like a weight had been lifted off both their shoulders. Mother and daughter reunited. “I can’t believe It’s actually you—my sweet girl.”

A tearful reunion even had Ollie emotional, the author being consoled by Y/n’s father in the doorway along with her mother. “I-I’ve never been so happy in my life. O-oh my gosh this is the best day ever!” As he cried, Y/n’s father gave her a heartfelt look before gently closing the door to allow them some privacy.

“No offense, mom—well actually slight offense,” Caroline said after explaining the situation of why the twins switched places—keeping out the fact they were planning to reunite the adults in hopes of the two getting back together. “But this whole thing was not it. I mean, c’mon, were you ever gonna tell us?”

Y/n looked deeply ashamed, wiping away at her face constantly, “I know it was wrong of us. Believe me I’ve regretted it every second since the day I left. Keeping you two apart was the worst thing we did and I hope you girls can forgive us. I let my personal issues with your father get in the way—a-and I should've never left you behind. You have every right to be angry,” Y/n paused to grab a tissue. “I honestly hoped to tell you two one day—possibly when you two were sixteen, but then I just didn’t know how to approach that after keeping it hidden so long.”

Caroline took it all in, asking the next question. “So what now?”

Y/n sighed, “Well legally you’re supposed to be with your father, and Lila with me. So we’ve gotta get you back to him. Then we go from there,” she placed her hands on Caroline’s shoulder before pressing a soft kiss to her head, “But I promise you no more secrets. And I’m not letting you go again, honey. We’ll get everything under control.”

Packing for California had Y/n a damn mess. She didn’t know what to wear and went through several options before settling on a fashionable white dress that would do well with the California heat. The sight of her was quite entertaining for Ollie, but was doing his best to offer moral support because she was really starting to lose it.

“What the hell am I supposed to say when I see him?” Y/n waved her free hand. She had sunglasses on her face and curlers in her hair with a glass of wine in one hand as she threw random stuff into a suitcase. “It’s been nearly thirteen years, Ollie. And our last day married was anything but a good parting! I-I mean I know nothing about him except from what Caroline has told me.” A warm feeling flared in her chest. “She says he’s still got that damn 80s stache—gosh what that did to me when I was with him. Only he could make a girl weak in the knees sporting something most men look horrid in.”

“Sounds like he could still make you weak in the knees, babe,” the comment resulted in a glare. “Look, you’re thinking too much alright? Just take a breather and think about the girls. This is for them at the end of the day.”

“I know,” Y/n rubbed her face, downing the last bit of wine in her glass. “Ollie, darling, I can’t go about this on my own. Will you—.”

“Accompany you to sunny California to keep you sane as you embark on this journey of reuniting with your former sexy pilot lover?” At her nod he winks and pulls out his phone showcasing his boarding pass. “Already got it booked, babe. Maybe I’ll find my own Romeo on this trip. Lord knows I have a thing for surfers and skaters—but there's a difference between New York skaters and California ones. I should know…I’ve dated both.”

When asked if she had talked with her father, Caroline subtly lied, “Oh yeah I just got off with him. Says they have our rooms reserved at the Hilton Resort in Palm Springs. He’s excited to see you.”

“He is?” Y/n raises a brow, not finding it believable, and trying to contain the flutter in her stomach. “Well, we should be on the way then. Sweetie, could you check us into our flights while I help Ollie pack the Uber?”

The man trailed after Caroline with a cheeky look, whispering under his breath so only she could hear, “liar, liar, pants on fire.” Caroline spun around to see her mom was turned the other way, bringing a finger to her lips with a wink, “shuuuush!”

When Lila brought the idea up for her and Rooster to go to Palm Springs for the weekend, the plan did not include bringing Marilyn and her parents. Thankfully Phoenix, Hangman, and Charlie tagged along too. The couple was in on the plan and only ones to know besides Lila that Y/n was just a few short hours away from arriving. They timed it so when she and Caroline landed at the airport, they’d already be checked in and waiting at the resort.

“Be warned,” the text from Caroline appeared on the phone. “Mom is DRUNK. She had two cocktails on the plane and had us stop at a liquor store to get some mini airplane bottles.”

“Oh no,” Lila moaned, causing Nat and Jake to look at her in question while Rooster was busy meeting Marilyn’s parents for the first time. She showed them the text, both reacting the same, “This is gonna be interesting.”

Charlie started to whimper, picking up a familiar scent and pulling Lila across the lobby with the couple chasing after them. Meanwhile in the elevator, Y/n remembered she left her purse on the counter. “Crap, I forgot my bag,” she giggled, stopping the closing door and moving as fast as her heels and disoriented state could take her. While she was busy gathering her lost item, Lila came around the corner with Charlie, the dog barking at the sight of Caroline in the elevator.

“Charlie!” She squealed, the animal bolting from Lila’s grasp and into the elevator before it could close. The twins connected eyes just as the door shut, Lila mentally cursing though she couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement in her.

“Oh shit,” Jake mumbled with wide eyes, pulling Natasha to the side right when Y/n approached.

“Mom!”

“Oh, you didn’t have to wait for me, sweet girl, I can find the room by myself,” Lila literally had to step away from her Y/n, who had yet to realize it was Lila giving the twins decided on wearing similar outfits. She reeked of alcohol. Caroline wasn’t kidding when she warned her their mother was drunk off her ass. Besides the smell and her slight slurring words, Y/n was having trouble keeping her eyes open, “You go on up, okay? I’m gonna check out the bar real quick—have a glass of water while I’m at it.” As Y/n went to walk away she turned around with a tilt of her head, “I like that jacket by the way—were you wearing that on the plane?”

“Mom, watch out!” Lila shouted as Nat gasped with her when Y/n nearly collided with the bellboy.

“Oh goodness,” was all the author had to say, giving an embarrassed glance to her daughter before turning the corner away from their sights. Jake couldn't help but laugh, Nat holding back her own as she and Lila stared at each other in disbelief.

“The one time she should be sober and she’s completely wasted!” Lila exclaimed with a laugh at the end. “I’ve only ever seen her have one glass of wine at dinner—now she’s looking to run the bar dry.”

Phoenix shook her head with a smile, “Yeah well let her have her fun before all hell breaks loose.” Guiding Lila to the elevator, they all head to the floor where their rooms were.

Meanwhile Rooster and Marilyn had the same idea.

Attached to his arm, the woman was on a rant about what she thought was best for the lavish wedding she desired. Rooster just smiled and nodded, allowing the blonde to have creative control since he had no idea what to say. His first wedding was at a courthouse, nothing extravagant.

“Alone at last,” She hummed in relief, lips going to his neck as she giggled while his arms went around her waist. Bradley mirrored her expression, only it soon went to one of absolute shock when his gaze landed on the woman he never thought he’d see again.

Y/n was in front of him, looking like an angel in white as she stopped short in front of the elevator when they locked eyes. A hesitant smile appeared on her lips, hand coming up to wave as Bradley started to lean away from Marilyn as the doors shut, wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him.

But no, his ex-wife was really there.

“Bradley?” Y/n heard the blonde’s voice just as the doors closed, the last thing she saw could best be described was her ex-husband looking at her like she was an actual ghost. Like he didn’t expect her to be there at all.

That put the pieces together.

“Caroline Bradshaw!” Y/n strutted down the hallway, halting when the doors of both rooms opened and the girls appeared before her. With the two sporting similar looks and the same haircut it was difficult to tell who was who. A headache was forming in Y/n’s head from the alcohol, the woman moaning, “Please don’t do this—I-I’m already seeing double.” The teen on her left smiled.

“It’s me, Mom. Lila.”

“Oh darlin’!” the author exclaimed, moving to hug her daughter and place a kiss on her head. “You look wonderful. My goodness this is the happiest day of my life,” she opened her arm to bring Caroline into the hug. “Both of my girls!” Then Y/n remembered what brought her to the floor, “Not to ruin the happy moment, but I’d really appreciate it if you explained why you blindsided me.”

All of a sudden Nat and Jake appeared from the suite Lila was in. “Hi,” Nat glanced down the hall before smiling at the author. “Sorry to break this up, but might I suggest we move this discussion inside.” Coming over to the doorway of Caroline’s room, the two extended an arm to the trio. The girls entered first, and as Y/n followed behind Nat added, “Hi, you probably don’t remember us--.”

“Natasha! Jake!” Both were given a friendly kiss to the cheek, Y/n pleased to see them again after so many years. They looked at each other with a smirk when she entered the suite, “I knew I always liked her.”

Once inside Y/n threw her bag onto the armchair, “Spill it!” She pointed to her daughters sitting on the ottoman, beginning to pace in front of the couch. “Though I’m not sure which one of you told me your father knew I was arriving today, I can assure you that the man I just saw in the lobby had no clue his ex-wife would be in the same state—let alone the same hotel.”

The twins looked at each other, Lila frowning, “You saw dad?”

“Yes I did,” the woman signed, dropping onto the couch. “And gosh if I didn’t know any better he lost his spray tan because of how pale he went at the sight of me. Like I was Casper the not-so-friendly ghost.” Wincing, the author requested a cold compress for her head, Lila jumping up to get one for her. “I’ve wondered for so many years what it would be like to see your father again, but him wrapped around another woman’s arms while I stood there waving like an idiot was not what I had in mind.”

At that moment Ollie struts in with sunglasses on his face and shirt opened to reveal his chest, whistling before stopping short at the sight of his ashen best friend. “You look horrendous.”

“Thanks, Ollie,” she muttered sarcastically.”

“Why the lone face, babe?” He bids a glance to the couple entering the picture, mentally thinking how hot they looked together after Y/n introduces them all.

“I’m currently investigating why my daughters felt the need to leave out the fact their father had no idea I was coming today.”

“Oh,” his eyes went wide, slowly starting to back away along with Nat and Jake, both wearing the same expression as him. “Well in that case imma just head to the pool.”

“We’ll join you—that sounds like a great idea,” Nat says in a rush, the three turning to run but were stopped short by Y/n’s, “Hold on a second!” They slowly turn back around, biting their lips.

“Are you all keeping something from me?” Y/n looks between the three before her attention is directed to Lila’s soft voice.

“Mom, dad’s engaged…...” The news has Y/n slowly fall back to the couch, her shoulders dropping while her heart clenches. She doesn’t know why she’s so disappointed.

Actually she does know why. It’s the reason she can’t bring herself to love another person no matter how much she opens up to them.

“And she’s horrible, mom. The wicked witch of the west!”

“I met her before camp and she was so rude to me when he wasn’t paying attention,” Caroline voiced. “I thought he’d have ended things already but for some God awful reason he’s still with her.”

“We can’t let him go through with it, mom,” Lila adds with determination, “He’ll regret it for the rest of his life. And well…the only way he won’t is if he sees you again.”

Y/n can’t help but make a sound of disbelief. “Wait a moment,” she nervously laughs, sitting up straighter, “are you trying to set me up with your father?”

“Yes,” they echo together.

“That’s exactly what we’re doing,” Caroline says followed by Lila shouting, “You two are perfect for each other!”

“Girls—stop right there!” Y/n exclaims when the three adults try to sneak out. “Did you all know about this?”

“Whaaaaat?” Ollie scoffs, trying to play it off but Y/n knows him better than that. Jake and Nat were also denying it but the author’s knowing look made all three come clean.

“Okay I had some knowledge.”

“We sorta had an idea—call it a hunch.”

“It was just so sweet and sounded like a good idea—.”

Y/n falls backward onto the cushions with a dramatic sigh, “Lord have mercy.” She found herself in the hotel bar twenty minutes later with an ice water and some concoction she requested for her hangover. To her side she noticed a pretty blonde lady take a seat and order a gin martini. “Here’s to….” She inspected the drink with a frown before saluting the blonde, “here’s to you. Hopefully your life is not as complicated as mine.”

The lady gave a tight smile, “Thank you.”

God the drink smelled horrible, tasting exactly like something no one would drink unless it was the only source of hydration. Groaning, Y/n downed the contents in three gulps just wanting to get it over with, covering her mouth with a hand when it felt like it would come back up. “Excuse me,” she mumbled when an unpleasant sound escaped, resulting in the blonde giving a look of distaste. “I would not wish this upon my worst enemy.”

“Here’s you bill, Ms. L/n,” the bartender placed the receipt on the table for her signature.

“Thank you,” she quickly scribbled her name and passed it back along with a few bills for a tip, the blonde getting a good glance at it causing her eyes to go wide.

“You’re Y/n L/n?”

Taken aback, the author nodded shyly. “Yes.” She received a squeal from the woman.

“Oh my gosh! I was just reading your latest novel on the drive here!” She moved to the seat right next to Y/n. “And my agent told me about auditions coming up for the adaptation of your ‘Bridesmaids Chronicles’ series. Ah it’s fate!” Extending a hand, the blonde introduces herself, “I’m Marilyn Brooks.”

Over by the poolside Rooster approaches another woman resembling his ex-wife, muttering an apology when he sees it’s not her and bumps into almost every person he passes, “Sorry.”

“There you are, Bradley!” Marilyn’s father comes up to him while her mother takes his arm.

“Bradley, this resort is just beautiful. Don’t you think it’s perfect for the wedding?”

“I do,” he adjusts his collar, voice turning soft when his eyes cut across the pool to the woman descending the stairs. A smile appeared on his face, “Absolutely.”

It was her.

Anything Marilyn’s mother said went in one ear and out the other, the navy pilot excusing himself with an apology as he began to make his way around the pool. “Excuse me—sorry,” he dodged a man carrying towels before doing the same to another guest. “S-sorry,” his eyes stayed on Y/n, who was walking and taking in the scenery.

Not paying attention, Rooster stumbled over a cooler, which happened to be Jake’s. The two were seated on the beach chairs with Lila and Charlie, Ollie just off to the side looking flabbergasted as he took in his best friend’s ex. Nat looked at him in concern behind her sunglasses, “Bradshaw, you okay?”

“Yeah,” he turns to her briefly, causing him to collide with a pool boy,

“Sir!”

“Dad, watch out!” Lila’s shout had Y/n turn, gasping when she witnessed her ex-husband fall straight into the pool. Nat, Lila, and Ollie all gasped with her while Jake just took his phone out to video the whole thing. Y/n had to turn away when Rooster began swimming to the side she was on, ignoring all the looks he was receiving by his little spectacle.

The poor pilot was completely drenched head to toe. Y/n fidgeted as he approached, both smiling at each other nervously.

“Hey, Y/n/n.”

“Hello, Roo.”

Wiping at the water dripping from his eyebrow, Rooster moved closer causing a warm feeling to erupt in Y/n’s chest. Gosh he had changed—of course it had been 13 years, but Lord did he have to get even more attractive? And that damn mustache had her weak in the knees but thankfully she remained composed. “It’s good to see you.”

Getting straight to it, Bradley gave her a look once over, “It’s good to see you too….but is there something I’m missing here? You don’t seem too shocked to see me as I am to see you.” Squeezing the water from his shirt, “I mean it’s been thirteen years and—.”

“Dad,” a soft voice interrupts him, Rooster stunned when he sees who believes is Caroline standing beside Y/n. “I can explain why she’s here.”

“Caroline,” he says with caution, briefly glancing at the woman to see her reaction, “you know who this is?”

“I do.” She allows her natural accent to flow, “And actually, dad, I’m not Caroline….”

Coming on Y/n’s other side, Caroline grins at her father. “Hey, pops.”

The best word to describe Bradley’s face was astonishment and pure happiness. “Both of them?” He looks at the girl he came to the resort with, eyes shining a bit with the emotion filling him, “Lila?” Then he looks at her twin, “Caroline?”

“I’m not sure if it’s fate or you both just picked the most random summer camp to send your daughters too….but we met there and it wasn’t too hard to piece it together. You know besides looking identical there was the same birthday detail and the fact we were raised by one parent.”

“They switched places on us, Bradley,” Y/n put her arm around Caroline, beaming down at her.

Rooster looked at her stunned, but smiling nonetheless. “W-what? You mean I had Lila this whole time?”

“Well I wanted to know what you were like, and Caroline wanted to know mom—are you angry?”

He answered her with a big hug, “Oh darlin’ of course not,” he kissed the side of her head, not wanting to let her go. “I’m so happy—I can’t believe it’s you!” Pulling away he ran a hand over her cheek, in complete awe of her. “It’s been so long—you were so small the last time I saw you.”

“Well I’m all grown up now….and quite without a father,” she pulls away from him to stand next to Caroline.

“And I’m about to head into high school, where I’ll be one of the few to not relate to other girls arguing with their mother on the daily,” Y/n shakes her head with a chuckle at Caroline’s words.

“Care, you’ve been in New York this whole time?” At her nod he opens his arms, “C’mere kiddo.” After their hug Y/n politely requests a moment with Bradley, the teenagers giving sly looks as they walk away.

“No problem…take your time.”

The two take a seat on one of the beach chairs, Y/n asking for a first aid kit when she notices a cut to his forehead. As she tends to him, Rooster goes, “Jesus, both of them together? Wow, I can’t believe it—this is unreal,” he then raises a brow, “How long have you known?”

“Since yesterday morning,” she explained softly, gently wiping away the blood before dabbing it with rubbing alcohol. She apologizes when he winces. “My father figured it out the other night. Honestly I’m ashamed I didn’t suspect anything—I just thought Lila had come out of her shell after camp when she was thrilled to come to my meetings where there’d be new people. And before you ask, Caroline told me you knew I was coming. Obviously, we were both deceived.”

“Talk about karma,” Rooster chuckles, not shy of calling them out on what they did wrong. “We kinda deserve it.”

“I do,” she corrects with a tight smile. “It was my idea after all.”

“Yeah,” he leaned closer, connecting their eyes, “but I didn’t stop it from happening, Y/n/n.” Seeing her hand falter at the name, Rooster tilts his head, “What is it?”

“N-nothing,” she nervously laughs, turning away to grab a bandaid. “Uh—I-I haven’t heard that name in awhile.”

“Do you not like it anymore?”

“No, no! I do like it. My dad still calls me it from time to time,” she says, putting the bandaid on his forehead. “I guess it just feels different.”

“I get it,” he nods, offering a small smile. When she wasn’t looking he unconsciously let his eyes take her in for the first time. “You look good, Y/n/n.” That was a lie, she looked incredible. Like an actual angel before him with her white dress and soft curls.

Before she could respond Marilyn appeared, causing the two to jump back when they realized how close they were. Rooster went a little red while Y/n scratched the back of her neck.

“Finally there you are! I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” The blonde said in relief, smile dropping slightly when she sees her fiancé with the renowned author, “Oh good you two met. Brad, this is the author of the series I was telling you about—the one I’m auditioning for….umm am I missing something?”

Glancing between the two, Y/n felt her heart sink at the realization the lady she met in the bar was the same woman she saw Bradley with in the elevator. His fiancé….who was in for the shock of her life when it was revealed not only were they married, but his daughter was a twin.

“Hey, Mare, great to see you again. I’m the Caroline you met at the beginning of summer. This is my twin, Lila. I was pretending to be her while she was pretending to be me,” she points to her sister before extending a hand to Y/n, voice full of pride. “And this is our mother, Y/n L/n.”

Everyone should have expected disaster to happen at some point in the weekend. The ex-wife, who Bradley may have had feelings for still, and the fiancé—who was keeping a secret of her own.

One that the girls discovered when they snatched her phone.

That night after the stunning reunion, the girls schemed their way into recreating the night their parents met. With the help of Jake, Nat, and Ollie, the group got Sonic milkshakes, Route 44s, and some food for the pair who they ordered to follow them to where they parked Rooster’s Bronco overlooking the beach.

“Clever girls,” Y/n chuckled, popping a tater tot in her mouth. “You see what they’re doing, right?”

“I do,” he laughed with her, “not a bad job if I must say. Though, we’re missing all the discarded baseball gear and beer cans.”

For about an hour the two talked in between bites of food. When the topic of their breakup came up, both tried to hide their regret as to not let the other see how it still affected them.

“It was your hairdryer,” Bradley said when Y/n asked if she had hurt him when she threw the object at him, unsure of what it was since the moment was a blur to her now. “Clipped me in the arm.”

Y/n looked away in embarrassment, though she did remind him of why she threw it, which then had the pilot frown in shame.

“But look at you now. New York Times Bestselling author, just like you wanted. It’s amazing, Y/n. I’m really happy for you.”

“Thank you,” she gave a small smile. “It’s still surreal. And as much as I hate to admit it, it feels like it wouldn’t have happened had I stayed—even though I regret it.”

“You do?” he turned in his seat, tone unreadable though his eyes showed a different story. She didn’t look at him when she replied.

“I always had some regret. But because my dream came true I thought it was meant to happen. Leaving was the only way I could get it done. Then after discovering it was Caroline with me it all hit me full blast….I hurt her more than anything—and Lila. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself. Now it feels like everything that happened after that day wasn’t worth it because I lost a piece of myself.” Y/n sighs, looking up at the stars, “I was just so angry with you and by what that officer said. It felt like no one believed in me and in turn why should I believe in myself. So I did the only thing I could think of….and I packed.”

Turning to face Rooster, a solemn gaze took over, “And you…didn’t come after me.”

Rooster didn’t know what to say other than, “I thought you didn’t want me too.” He was astonished by her confession, thinking how everything could’ve been different had he listened to his brain screaming at him.

“Oh well,” she sipped her drink, “It doesn’t matter now. The past is the past. Let’s just put on a happy face for the girls and I’ll be out of your hair again.”

The rest of the night Rooster couldn’t think straight. While Y/n made the arrangements for what they should do about the twins, he just nodded and agreed. All he could think about was how he let her go and regretted it everyday since. Even when they arrived back at the hotel to their separate rooms he went to bed with the image of Y/n as the last thing he saw before sleep overtook him.

Y/n was checking out of the hotel when Rooster approached the counter. “So I’ll book Caroline’s flights for December and April.”

“And I’ll do the same for Lila in the summer,” she nodded, placing her bill from the concierge in her bag. When the girls arrived moments later, both parents were speechless by their matching outfits. “Girls, what is this?”

“Well, mom, we sorta came to an agreement. And we don’t feel like parting ways just yet.”

“Excuse me?” Y/n tilted her head at the teen who spoke. She thought it was Lila, but then again the woman wasn’t sure. They were hiding their necklaces to not give away who was who. “Lila, we don’t have time for this. Our plane leaves in four hours and I have a meeting with my publishers tomorrow.”

“Cancel them,” the other told her, making Y/n’s mouth part while Rooster’s eyes went wide.

“Caroline.”

“Yes,” they both answered.

Now the adults were becoming frustrated. “Girls, this is not funny. You’re gonna make your mother miss her flight—now stop this charade and tell us who is who.”

“Mannnn that’s pretty sad, huh,” the twin on the left voiced, “Can’t even tell your own daughters apart.” She received stern looks from her parents.

Going up to them Rooster leans down, putting his hands on his hips as he tries to tell them apart. Pointing a finger at the twin on the right, he smirks, “this is Caroline. I know that smirk anywhere.��

“Are you sure, dad?” the other twin says, plastering an identical smug expression. “You wouldn’t want to send the wrong twin to New York now?”

“Here’s what we want,” the one directly in front of Rooster states, “We want to go to Penny’s end of summer bash at the Hard Deck tomorrow night—you know, the one that happens every year. We go as a family, and once we do then we will say who’s Lila and who’s Caroline.”

Both parents look at each other flabbergasted. Then Y/n threatens, “Or I take one of you with me back to New York, regardless of who you are and that’s the end of it. Sounds good?” Nothing came of it, however, when Y/n pouted as she sat in the passenger seat of the rental car Ollie was driving until they made it to San Diego. Phoning Yolanda, her meeting was rescheduled and her flight was booked for Monday morning. They got lodging at an airbnb and settled for the night with both girls staying with Y/n on the promise they will stay with Bradley after the party.

Marilyn was not happy with the news of them staying an extra day. Having to deal with one daughter was one thing, but both twins had her head spinning. There was already high tensions with the teenagers, now throwing the ex-wife into the mix made things difficult for Marilyn when she was battling for Bradley’s attention. Not to mention all of Rooster’s friends didn’t like her.

Nerves raked the author when they arrived at the Hard Deck. It was her first time at the establishment and the only people she knew coming in were Nat and Jake. Ollie tagged along thankfully but then he was distracted by the adorableness that was Lt. Robert Floyd. Both girls dragged Y/n to all of Rooster’s friends, introducing the author with pride that made her chest warm.

“Oh hey guys,” Caroline giggled when the squad’s eyes bulged out at the sight of the three. “It’s me Caroline—the actual Caroline. That over there,” she points to her twin wearing a similar outfit only it was a Rolling Stones t-shirt and not The Beatles, “is my twin Lila, who y’all have been hanging out with the last two weeks. And this is our mom, Y/n L/n. Can’t believe dad fumbled such a bag.”

“Caroline,” Y/n scolded with a shake of the head, smiling when each of the guys introduced themself. “It’s nice to meet you all, the girls have told me all about you.”

“Wish we could say the same, ma’am,” Fanboy laughs, “We only know you from when Rooster gets drunk off his ass. Loose lips you know.” Y/n felt flustered by the comment, realizing Rooster still thought of her even after everything that happened.

Penny treated the author with a warm welcome, as did Maverick who both were surprised to see each other. “Oh my gosh, you’re Pete! You guys…you two rekindled?”

“We did,” he blushes, “took some time but it worked out. I’ve heard all about you, Y/n,” he gives an awkward shake of the shoulders, “He…told me everything about a year ago when it was the girls’ birthday.”

Everything seemed to be going well until the twins overheard Marilyn speaking ill of their mother. “She’s being a snake and you know it, Bradley! Ever since she got here there’s been an ulterior motive—and I bet you those kids are in on it,” she pointed a finger with a hiss.

“You’re being ridiculous, Marilyn,” Rooster’s tone takes another edge. “She hasn’t even spoken to me the entire night except to greet us when we arrived.”

“She doesn’t have to talk! It’s all in the looks and smiles! She’s a fucking romance author—of course she knows what to do to get someone’s attention. That’s how sad and desperate she is.”

By now Caroline had enough, bringing everyone’s attention to the scene when she yells, “You don’t know what you’re talking about!” In her peripheral vision she sees Y/n, Nat, and Penny stand from their seats, moving closer to where they were.

Rooster gives a warning look, “honey, this doesn’t concern you.”

“The hell it does!” She ignores his disapproving eyes. “How dare she talk about mom like that?! You’re gonna let her speak about her that way—about the woman who gave birth to us?”

Lila steps up, glaring at the blonde, “Instead of worrying about mom, she should be worrying about who’s blowing up her phone wanting to know when to meet at the motel tonight.” They watch as all the color drains from Marilyn’s face. Rooster turns to his fiancé, confused and demanding an answer.

“What is she talking about?”

“I-I—she’s. Bradley, there’s nothing—.”

Caroline cuts her off, “Who’s Colonel Mustard?” Again Marilyn goes pale, though there’s anger in her eyes. “What a code name, Mare. I guess I better refer to his actual name, you know. Does the name Admiral Patrick Cross ring a bell?” She mocks, “oh yeah, he’s dad’s married boss at Top Gun and she’s been sending naked pictures to him all weekend.”

Gasps sounded all around, Ollie, Nat and Penny slapping a hand to their mouth where the squad and Mav all went, “oh shit!” Y/n looked at her daughters stunned before glancing at Bradley to see his reaction. The man was in disbelief, staring at Marilyn with unreadable eyes.

The blonde saw red. “You little bitch!” Before she could stop herself her hand came up and slapped the teen across the face, leaving a nice print in its wake along with a scratch from when her fake nail dragged against the skin.

Now Y/n saw red. Literally Kill Bill alarms blaring.

Marilyn screamed when her jaw snapped to the side full force from the impact of Y/n’s fist. The author had pulled her by the hair to turn her around, nearly ripping out her extensions. Blood coated Marilyn’s mouth, and a tooth even fell out by how hard Y/n had punched her. Before another blow could be landed the woman was pulled back, fighting against the hold from Ollie and Nat, “Touch my daughter again and see what fucking happens bitch—I’ll cut your fucking eye out!” While she was being dragged to the back patio to prevent from committing a crime, Marilyn ran out the front door with Rooster chasing after her.

Tears in their eyes the twins raced to their mom. When they got outside they saw her shaking the first that was no doubt throbbing. Ollie was trying to talk her down, all while complimenting how badass she was. “Oh honey,” she saw Caroline, moving to hold her. Telling Penny to bring out two ice packs, the woman brushed her uninjured hand against the teen’s cheek. It flared her anger more, wishing she could go beat the shit out of that cunt. “My sweet girl, are you okay?

“I’m fine, mom,” Caroline whimpered, sniffing when Y/n wiped the tear that fell. Her face stung and there would likely be a mark but she didn’t care. All she could feel was warmth and happiness by how her mom stood up for her. Looking at her first, the teen frowned at the discoloration. “Are you okay?”

Penny came out with the ice packs, handing one to Y/n and Caroline. “I’m fine—at least right now because my adrenaline is pumping. Give me a few more minutes and I could be in debilitating pain but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.” Glancing over the deck, Y/n’s face fell slightly. “Where’s your father?”

“He went after the witch,” Lila said with distaste. Caroline mirrored her expression, both twins disappointed with Rooster. The reaction had Y/n take a deep breath, controlling the anger rising which nearly snapped when the man slid open the doors of the patio and walked toward them.

“Not now, Bradley.”

“Y/n, listen to me—.”

“You went after her, dad,” Caroline sniffed, glaring up at him. “What the hell?”

“Not in the way you think, honey,” he leaned down to cup her face, careful of the mark. It was taking everything in him to remain composed. Just moments before when he was ending things with his now ex-fiancé, Rooster had to remember she was a woman and not to lose it even though she had just laid her hands on his daughter. Had she been a man….well there would be an ambulance called. “I only went after her to tell her to get her crap out of the house and expect charges for assault to be on her doorstep.”

Now that had them speechless. “Really?”

“Yeah, kiddo. And I’m so sorry,” he kissed her forehead, moving to hug her and opening his arm for Lila to join. “Thank you both for what you did. I owe you two for saving me.” He feels them laugh against his chest, the pilot lifting his gaze to settle on Y/n. She has a smile on her face, blushing when they look eyes. At her wince he notices her hand was now black and blue. “You should get that looked at.”

“Oh It’s fine—,” she tried to deflect but he wouldn’t have it.

“That looks broken, Y/n,” he gently moves the girls to the side so he can inspect it. The woman makes a pained sound when his fingers try to turn it. “Yeah, we’re going to urgent care right now.”

“Bradley—.”

“No excuses. Girls, let’s go.” He almost wanted to laugh at the pout on Y/n’s face, hauling her to the Bronco before speeding off to the nearest urgent care. The entire way she tried saying she was fine, but the pained expression every time she moved her hand in the slightest gave away that she was in fact not fine. The girls couldn't help but giggle at the way the adults were bickering. Like they were still married.

With a diagnosed fracture and cast on her wrist, Y/n felt butterflies in her stomach when they returned to the beach house for the girls to get their things. They would spend the final night at Rooster’s before Y/n and Ollie would pick Lila up in the morning in time for their flight. While the girls were upstairs, Y/n and Bradley sat on the deck, neither not knowing what to say.

“What time do you take off?”

“A quarter till nine,” she replied, keeping her eyes on the waves in front of her. She felt him come to her side, so close she smelled his cologne that if she closed her eyes, it would put her back in 2006. “It’s a straight shot thankfully—no layovers.”

“That’s good,” he muttered, head spinning with a million things he wanted to say but couldn’t form the words. Part of him just wanted to confess he still loved her. That he never stopped. That they should try to kick things back off. But then he thought about how their lives went. Here he was a Top Gun instructor in San Diego, and she was a bestselling author in New York.

Rooster thought of her stories. He read every single one on the market the day they dropped, feeling the heartbreak in him every time he flipped through the pages of her second novel that he knew was loosely based on their story. He remembered crying at the end when he finished it the first time. It was the only one without a happy ending.

All the books were hidden in his closet, but at least once a year Rooster would pick up one and read the beautiful words Y/n wrote. He was so proud of her, but didn’t know how to say it.

“Roo—.”

“Y/n/n—.” Both chuckled nervously when they tried speaking at the same time.

“You go,” she insisted. Wiping a sweating hand on his pants, Rooster took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry,” he exhaled. “For what I said to you that night. And for not standing up for you like I should have,” his face was full of regret. “I was more worried about my job than you—a-and it was wrong of me to do so. I made you feel like your talent wasn’t worthy, that you’d never make it as an author and I’m so fucking sorry for saying that. You are an amazing writer and you deserve everything that has come from it. Your books are incredible, Y/n. Every one of them.”

Y/n feels her throat tighten, voice going small, “Y-you—you’ve read them?”

“Every single one,” he confesses, making her whimper slightly by the emotion erupting in her chest. “On their release day. And I read them in one sitting.”

Y/n’s heart was soaring. Never did she think he’d read her books, let alone buy them the day they came out. His confession was making it harder for her to let him go again. “Roo…” she whispers, eyes glistening as he moves closer to her.

They stared at each other for a moment. No words came out but in their looks was everything they needed to know. The love they thought had left years ago resurfaced in just a few days.

Right as it looked like Rooster was about to lean down, the sound of a car filled their ears, causing Y/n to drop her head. “That would be Ollie.” Rooster nods, disappointment filling him as he slowly backs away to enter the house, but not before giving her one last look to see her wiping her eyes. Y/n gives the twins a kiss on the head before waving goodbye when they leave. Now that he was home, Ollie wanted to know everything he missed—jaw dropping when Y/n admitted they nearly kissed.

“Why didn’t you!?’

“Because, Ollie!” She says dramatically, “four hours ago the man was engaged and may I remind you, we’ve been broken up for over a decade. Why the hell would I let him kiss me when there is no chance something would come out of it.”

“You don’t know that, Y/n,” Ollie comes around the kitchen island, wine glass in hand. “Look, you may not have seen it but my eyes know what I saw this whole weekend. And it was a man who wants to sweep you off your feet and take you to the nearest chapel.”

“Ollie—.”

“Did you not see his reaction when you clocked that bitch? My God it looked like he was about to pop a semi.” Y/n put her free hand to her face, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. The whole moment at the bar was a blur to her from the moment she saw that wrench put her hand on Caroline. It was all a haze until she was outside dealing with a throbbing hand. Barely did Y/n look at Rooster, she was focused on her daughter.

“Noooo, I did not see his reaction, Ollie. I was too busy dealing with the fact I was about to commit bloody murder.”

“Well I can assure, babe, that your sexy pilot of an ex was wanting to throw you over his shoulder and take you to bed. After of course making sure sweet Caroline was okay.” Setting down his wine glass, he gives her a stern look, “Tell me the truth, do you still love him?”

“It’s complicated—.”

“It’s a yes or no, Y/n.”

“What exactly do you want me to say,” she threw her hand out, “that yes I’m still hopelessly hung over him and wish I could go back and time to stop myself from leaving? That seeing him this weekend made me feel like a twenty-two year old girl again? That I have envisioned everyday since Caroline told me about the switch, that maybe we could pick things off where we left?” They were all rhetoric questions, Ollie allowing her to rant as tears threatened her eyes. “Of course I do—to all of the above. But this isn't one of my books, Ollie, this is real life—a-and his life is here while mine is in New York. I don’t want to leave that and how should I expect him to leave all of what he has built here for me?” Sniffing, Y/n looks away with a hand to her chin, whispering, “It’s why I left in the first place.”

The rest of the night the two packed the rental car so it was ready for the morning and watched cheesy rom-coms since neither could really sleep. They got maybe four hours on the couch, but soon their alarm woke them up to start the day. Y/n called Lila to make sure she was awake and ready before showering herself, putting on a simple outfit for the flight.

It was a heartfelt goodbye when they arrived at Roosters home. Caroline held onto Y/n for almost five minutes, the woman promising to call her everyday so she could hear how the teens' day. They spoke of excitement for the holidays with Y/n promising to take her and Lila skating around the big tree and to celebrate New Year’s in Time Square. Not too far from them Lila was held by Rooster, the teen lightly crying when they pulled away.

“I’ll see you soon, okay?” He tells her, brushing a thumb over her cheek. “Maybe sooner than you think, Lila darlin’.” She doesn’t think much of the comment, only nodding up at him before embracing Caroline when approaches. Together the girls walk to the car with the adults watching as Ollie gives a hug to Caroline.

“You take care of yourself, Y/n/n,” Rooster places a hand on her shoulder, “and hope you two have a safe flight.”

“Thank you,” she tells him, offering a tight smile. “And I will.” He surprises the author when his lips gently press against her forehead, squeezing her hand after it had fallen from her shoulder to hold it. They share one last look, Y/n nodding to him before walking up to the car. She and Caroline share one more embrace, Y/n kissing the teen’s head with Caroline shutting the door of the car behind her. Waving through the window, Y/n blows her a kiss as Ollie presses on the gas. Soon Rooster and Caroline grow smaller in the rear view mirror, the distance growing by the second until finally they disappear when they turn the corner onto the freeway.

On the plane Lila barely talks. She’s either nose deep in the book she bought at one of the airport shops, headphones in, or looking out the window with absolute silence. Y/n tries to have a conversation, but eventually gives up knowing her daughter needed some time. The only response she received when assuring Lila the holidays were around the corner was a sad nod. Within hours the sunny skies of California turn into gloomy clouds of New York. Rainfall greeted them as they stepped out of the airport, finding their Uber quickly to beat the afternoon rush. It took maybe an hour for them to get home from JFK, Y/n frowning when she saw Lila wipe a tear away.

Ollie was dropped off at his home first, waving to them with the promise of seeing them later for dinner. Dropping their stuff in the foyer, they call out to Y/n’s parents. “Mom? Dad?” “Gran? Grandpa?”

“I’ll check the study,” Y/n moves to the room her dad spent most of his day in. A smile appeared when she entered to see the morning’s newspaper in his hands.

Or so she thought was her dad’s hands.

Leaning against the door, Y/n spoke with a soft voice, “Hey, stranger, we’re back?”

The paper dropped to the desk, revealing a beaming Caroline in a flight suit sitting in the chair. Y/n’s jaw dropped, hand going to her chest. Caroline gave a cheeky look, “Hey, mom, did you know an F-18 can get you here in a quarter of the time compared to a commercial jet?”

All she could do was nod back slowly, feeling her heart pound against her chest. “Y-yes, I-I’ve heard. What—.” Upon her gasp when she saw Caroline, Lila raced into the study, matching the expression of her mother.

“Care! What are you doing here?”

The twin rose from the chair, “Hope you don’t mind us crashing in. But, it took us less than a minute after you guys left for us to realize we didn’t want to lose you both again.”

Y/n almost stumbled as she took a step into the study, “W-we?”

Caroline’s gaze drifted to the other entrance of the room, where Rooster appeared in his own flight suit, eyes locked on Y/n, “We.” He heard her make a sound, the hand on her chest going to her mouth. “My biggest regret was letting you walk away that day, Y/n. I’m not gonna make that mistake again. And I promise to never make you feel like you aren’t worthy of something—because you are worthy of everything you set your mind to. And I’m gonna make sure you know that everyday.”

Y/n started to feel the emotion bile in her throat, shaking her head slightly to stay strong. “A-and I suppose you just expect me to fall into your arms like I did all those years ago,” she saw a smile form on the corner of his lips, the man slowly moving closer to her with a knowing look. “And cry hysterically saying we can figure this whole thing out and have a long-distance relationship with our girls being raised here and there,” he continues to move closer, making Y/n’s heart pump faster. “—and we just pick up where we left off…with the promise of growing old together and…”

By now Rooster was directly in front of her, gaze full of love and adoration. She forgot what she was about to say, getting lost in his eyes, “oh come on, Roo. Is this supposed to be a happily ever after?”

“Yes,” he cupped her face in his hands, thumbs caressing her cheeks that were warm and damp. “To all of it, Y/n/n. You write happily ever afters for a living, now it’s time for you to have your own.” He smirks adding, “Except you don’t have to cry hysterically, baby.”

That nickname combined with the offer had the tears rolling down her cheeks, Y/n nodding weakly against his palms, “Oh yes I do.” The last word was met with his mouth pressed against hers, fireworks erupting all over her body. Letting her eyes flutter shut, Y/n’s hands moved to the back of his neck to deepen the kiss, feeling Rooster smile causing her to do the same.

Behind them their daughters were holding back their squeals, Lila falling dramatically onto the sofa while Caroline leaned against the bookshelf, “I can’t believe we actually did it!” They eventually moved out of the study to allow the pair some privacy, all the while they never broke the kiss until needing air but kept their mouths close.

“Wait a moment,” she ran her hands along his flight suit, “Did you steal an F-18 so you could get here before me to come confess your love—and had our daughter in the backseat?”

He gives a shrug, grinning wide, “Maybe.”

“Isn’t that illegal?” She looks at him like he grew two heads. “And how does Caroline—.”

“Well actually Mav helped me out,” his arms went around her waist, pulling her against him. “We got special permission—so don’t worry I won’t be arrested anytime soon. As for Care, Fanboy and Bob have been teaching her a thing or two about being a backseater. I think she’s getting the hang of it.”

“Oh my lord,” Y/n closes her eyes before laughing at the whole situation. Rooster laughs with her, nuzzling his head into her neck. “You are an impossible man, Bradley Bradshaw.”

“Only for you, Y/n L/n.

Six months later……

Y/n wiped the sweat from her forehead, pressing the enter button with a huff of victory. The glasses were removed from her face, leaning against the back of her chair to give her body the much needed stretch. When her arms extended out to relax the tense muscle, the diamond ring on her finger sparkled against the light. The sight made her smile, eyes going back to the words on the screen.

A knock on the door sounded seconds later, “Come in.” Gently opening, Rooster appeared with a mug of steaming coffee, his own wedding band reflecting as he shut the door. “Hey you.”

“Hey yourself,” he winks, coming to put the mug on her coaster before leaning down to kiss her lips. “Lila called, the two are staying after school for a club meeting.” Y/n thanks him for the coffee, nodding at his words with a knowing look.

“I take it pizza is the move then tonight?”

Rooster chuckles, “Unless you want me to whip up some pasta, but I gotta warn you it’s not gonna be anywhere near what you get in town. Although not to toot my own horn, my spaghetti is pretty damn good. At least that’s what Caroline tells me.”

“Oh goodness, well I can eat anything at this point,” she sighs dramatically, “Or maybe we can tell them to meet us at Milo’s. I think a celebration is in order.” Rooster tilts his head confused, but then smiles at the word doc on the screen.

“You finished?”

“Yes,” she beams. “Well I finished the draft. I plan to edit it myself first before sending it off….but it’s done.”

“That’s amazing, baby,” he kisses her cheek, gesturing for her to get up so he could sit and have her in his lap. “I’m so proud of you. You got that done in a record time. Didn’t you just start that—not even a month ago?” Y/n nods shyly.

“I had a lot of inspiration. The words just flew out honestly—Yolanda is gonna have a field day.”

Rooster gets a glimpse of the last paragraph causing a smile to appear on his lips. Respecting her writer's privacy he didn’t ask much about the novel when she started writing it, only when she discussed it on her own terms. He could see the excitement in her eyes, warmth in his veins by how happy she was and couldn’t wait to read it when she finished. “May I ask what inspired this book, Y/n/n? Although, I do have a funny feeling.” Y/n didn’t have to answer, her bashful smile was enough to tell him everything. “Have you thought of a title yet?”

Glancing to her screen, Y/n read over the final paragraph stopping at the words in bold THE END. Her readers were gonna freak out when it would be announced she’s coming out with a sequel to her second released book, the one responsible for her receiving fan mail with them begging for her to continue the story. To give the characters their happy ending.

She just needed her happy ending first.

The story was being written in real time.

“I was bouncing between a couple, but I think I have it,” she faces her husband, grinning as the name slips off her tongue. It was what Lila and Caroline had coined when Y/n came to them about the book.

“I think I’m gonna call it….The Parent Trap.”

……………….

TGM Tag List: @avaleineandafryingpan, @caitsymichelle13, @poppyalice2001, @cutelittlepotatofry, @luckyladycreator2, @americaarse, @elenavampire21, @back-tooo-black

#bradley bradshaw imagine #bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley bradshaw #bradley bradshaw fanfiction #bradley rooster bradshaw #lt bradley rooster bradshaw #rooster imagine #rooster x reader #rooster fanfiction #bradley bradshaw x y/n #Bradley bradshaw fluff #Bradley bradshaw angst #top gun maverick imagine #top gun maverick fanfiction #top gun imagine #tgm imagine #bradley bradshaw x female reader #top gun fluff #miles teller characters

[bobfloydsbabe]

checkmate | jake seresin x oc

a turning tables fic

SUMMARY: Jake comes to the infirmary needing stitches after an encounter with Jas' ex-boyfriend.

WARNINGS: incorrect medical stuff (not explicit), blood mention, talk of slut-shaming.

WORD COUNT: 1.1k

TURNING TABLES MASTERLIST

JOIN THE TGM TAGLIST (google form–no personal info required)

A/N: I haven't written for Jake and Jas for a while and I missed them, so I dug this out of my drafts and finally finished it. I forgot how much I love writing their dynamic, so I hope you like this little drabble.

There was a knock on the door and Jas looked up from the computer screen to find Martha in the doorway. She held a chart in her hands and had an annoyed look on her face.

“There’s a lieutenant here who needs stitches,” she said.

Jas furrowed her brows, glancing at the clock on her computer. “Stitches?” she questioned. “Usually you take care of stitches.”

Martha sighed, offering the clipboard with the intake form to Jas, who stood to accept it. Flipping the page, her breath hitched at the name. “He’s asking for you.”

Jas held back a groan. “Of course he is,” she muttered and followed Martha out to the reception area.

“Watch out for him,” she said as she situated herself behind the desk. “I remember him from when he was at TOPGUN.”

“Let me guess,” Jas said, heading for the exam room. “He was as much a pain in the ass then as he is now.”

She didn’t wait to hear Martha’s response, but opened the door to the stark white exam room. Jake Seresin sat on the exam bed, holding gauze to his left eyebrow.

“Who punched you this time?” she asked, closing the door behind her. He was in civilian clothes. Dark jeans, black boots, and a white t-shirt sprinkled with blood from his split eyebrow.

She expected him to grin, to make a quip, but nothing came. He looked defeated and a little angry.

“Met an ex-boyfriend of yours,” he said nonchalantly. Jas frowned at that, not remembering that any of her exes lived or worked in the area. She supposed a trip wouldn’t be out of the question, but it seemed unlikely.

She put the clipboard down on the bed next to him. “Yeah?” She asked and reached for a pair of gloves from the dispenser on the wall. “Which one?”

“Connor, I think his name was,” he said and removed the gauze at her indication. 

Jas chuckled. “Please tell me you threw the first punch,” she said, but caught herself. “Was it a punch that did this?”

“Yeah,” he confirmed with a shrug as Jas inspected the cut running through his brow. “Didn’t know you were into bodybuilders.”

Jas frowned at that. “He was scrawny when we were in med school.”

“Not anymore,” Hangman stated. “What’s the verdict?”

“You need stitches, so I’m going to numb you up and get started, okay?”

He nodded with another shrug. Silence fell over the room as Jas worked, finding a thread and needle, scissors, and tongs to hold the needle with.

“Tell me to stop if you feel any pain, okay?”

Jake hummed his acknowledgement, and Jas got to work putting him back together. He flinched a couple of times, but took it mostly in a stride.

“He wasn’t my boyfriend, you know.”

“What?”

“Connor,” Jas clarified as she tied up the last knot. “We went on two dates and had very boring, unsatisfying sex once.”

Jake frowned. His green eyes darkened, confusion overtaking his stupidly handsome face. “He wasn’t your boyfriend?”

Jas snorted so hard her nose hurt. “No,” she answered, discarding the gloves in a nearby trashcan. “He’s lying if he said that.”

“He did,” Jake said, as his feet hit the floor with a soft thud.

“So,” Jas began, looking over his intake form. “Why’d you punch him?”

Jake hovered near her shoulder, watching as she added her own notes, and she felt the intensity of his gaze. He was all body heat and tension and his cologne invaded her senses, making her head feel heavy.

“He’s an idiot.”

She looked up from the clipboard. She watched him put his balled up fists in his pockets and the way his jaw clenched. “I can’t put that in your chart,” she replied, straightening her back.

“It’s the truth.”

Jas nodded. “I’m sure it is, but I still can’t put that in your chart. So, what’d he say, Seresin?”

He looked around the room, avoiding her eyes. He clearly didn’t want to tell her, but she would pry it from him if she had to. She had her ways, especially with him.

“It doesn’t matter,” he finally replied.

Stepping forward, she came into his space, ignoring the electricity that burst to life between them as they breathed the same air. She could smell beer on his breath, and found that she didn’t hate it. “Come on, Seresin,” she coaxed, running a fingertip along his left bicep. “It can’t be that bad.”

Jake clenched his jaw again, turning his gaze to the ceiling as he let out a long breath. When his eyes returned to hers, he looked like he wanted to punch the man all over again. “He said you were an easy lay.”

Jas snorted again. “Did he now?”

“Yes.” Jake’s tone was harsh. Voice deep and hoarse.

“So you defended my honor?”

His eyes narrowed. “I–”

“I don’t need you to defend me, lieutenant,” Jas interrupted, squeezing his arm before taking a step back. “Certainly not to a guy who couldn’t even get me off.”

“He called you a slut,” he protested, clearly taken aback by her response.

She chuckled. “He’s not the first one to say that, and he won’t be the last. It says more about him than it does about me.”

Picking up a pen, she noted the reason for his trip to the infirmary, but left out some key details. No one needed to know that he’d started a bar fight.

“You’re not upset?”

She turned back to Jake, who looked as confused as ever. It was cute. “That he called me a slut, or that you punched him?”

“The name.”

“I don’t like it,” Jas relented. “But he’s just some guy I went to med school with. He’s an idiot.”

At that, Jake smiled for the first time. A small smile, but it the made the skin around his eyes crinkle in that way she loved so much.

“You’re not mad,” he said, sounding relieved, making Jas smile.

“No,” she said and stepped into his space again. “But if you still wanna make it up to me, come to my place after my shift.”

Jake’s eyes widened. When he opened his mouth to reply, Jas cut him off with a searing kiss to his lips that he returned with fervor, hands on her waist immediately.

They broke apart, and Jas leaned in, brushing her lips against his earlobe to whisper only a few short words.

“Get me off like the idiot never could.”

likes are nice, but reblogs and comments are golden

TAGLIST: @joaquinwhorres, @fantasias-creativebubble, @lostinwonderland314, @luckyladycreator2, @blue-aconite, @cherrycola27, @flashyourgreeneyesatme, @wordspin-shares, @atarmychick007, @lewmagoo, @yanna-banana, @fandom-princess-forevermore, @ereardon, @wkndwlff, @t-nd-rfoot, @sylviebell, @bobfloyds, @thedroneranger, @soulmates8, @withakindheartx, @eternallyvenus, @kmc1989, @bcarolinablr

#jake seresin #jake hangman seresin #hangman #jake seresin x oc #jake hangman seresin x oc #hangman x oc #oc: jasmine lane #otp: jasman #fic: turning tables #fic: motion sickness #motion sickness universe #msu #top gun maverick #tgm #helena writes #mywriting #writtenbyme #madebyme

[thewulf]

Hello! Hope you're having a great day:)

So I was wondering if you could do a Jake Seresin x reader based on the song gorgeous by Taylor Swift

I just love flirty Jake and reader with lots of slow burn ughhhh

Thank you!!!

Oh my gosh I love this sooooo much!! Yes I can absolutely get this done for you!!

Reader and Jake are in the same squadron. Lots of flirting. Lots of pining. Maybe Jake comforting reader when her bf breaks up with her bc of him heheheh

Happy ending of course because I can't leave anything sad lmao

#top gun maverick #top gun #top gun imagine #jake seresin #jake seresin x reader #jake seresin fanfic #jake seresin x y/n #jake seresin x you #hangman x reader #hangman x y/n #jake seresin x oc #jake seresin fic #jake seresin fanfiction #hangman x oc #hangman x you #hangman angst #jake hangman seresin #top gun hangman #hangman adam page #hangman imagine #hangman seresin #hangman fluff #hangman top gun #top gun x reader #top gun x you #top gun x y/n #top gun x oc #top gun fanfiction #top gun masterlist #top gun movie

[justalonelyslytherin]

Legacies | Thirteen

Previous Chapter | Masterlist | Next Chapter

Pairing: Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x Kazansky!OC

Summary: The evening of their return the dagger squad meets at the hard deck for a celebration worthy of the mission they just finished. Ana has the chance to come clear but not everyone is in agreement with her actions. Can Jake finally get a moment alone with Ana and will Ana give him the chance to talk?

Warnings: mentions of alcohol and drinking, mentions of parental death, grieving a parent's death

Wordcount: 7.6k

If you enjoyed reading this, please consider leaving a comment or reblogging. I don’t allow for my content to be copied, translated, or reposted on other websites/apps. I ALSO DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION FOR THE USE OF AI IN ANY OF MY WORKS! Please don’t steal my work.

A/N: After the longer-than-anticipated break that this story took, finally the next chapter is here. The reason for the long break was me writing my thesis - as of today it is handed in and to celebrate this is getting posted! Also congratulations to everyone who voted in the poll if this would be over 10 pages. You were right, the chapter measures 15 pages in my writing document! And because I had so much fun, I decided to have some more polls going, giving you a chance to interact and influence the story a little bit. You can find the current poll here.

Taglist: open, message me or comment to be added, will be put as reblog

Everything was different now.

Memories. Places. Her. 

Ana looked at nothing with the same eyes anymore. The world around her was coated in a different light since her father had drawn his last breath.

Even stepping into the familiar bar felt like stepping into a different world. What had not long ago been a place where she felt at home, surrounded by happy memories was now a place that left an uneasy feeling in the pits of her stomach and conjured up painful recollections. 

Every memory of her father hurt. The happy ones more so than the ones of his last moments or even the ones from his first round of treatment against the illness when it was still new. Now the joy of those moments was temporarily tainted with pain and grief. One that would never go away. It was the permanent kind, a loss never to be undone. With time it would get easier. It wouldn’t hurt less but she would learn to cope, to move on with it, with her life. But right now the pain was still as strong as the loss was fresh.

The bar was much fuller than three-ish weeks ago when she’d just arrived back in San Diego. There were patrons littering the bar and filling the many spaces inside. It was a strange sensation as if she’d somehow crossed into a parallel universe, the moment then repeating like a nightmare.

Booming music streamed out of one corner where the jukebox stood, the melody distinct even over the constant chatter of patrons. It wasn’t too busy yet, as Ana quickly spied Penny leaning with her elbows on the counter, talking calmly with none other than her godfather.

Maverick sat there at the bar on the opposite side of the counter, a half-finished beer in front of him, his fingers toyed with the edge of the glass. This time his phone was nowhere to be seen. At least he had learned from the last time. Maybe tonight Penny wouldn’t have him thrown out either. Now that things between them seemed to have come to a conclusion.

Ana was truly happy for her godfather. He’d deserved the happiness and the stability of a relationship. Penny was exactly what Maverick needed. Maybe now he’d have a chance at settling down. 

Penny’s eyes, likely sensing her spying on the two of them, landed on Ana not a moment later, mouth pausing as her lips tucked into a smile. Ana wanted to return it but her lips failed to raise.

Now that they had noticed her though, she slowly walked up to the counter. Perhaps it was a good distraction first before she would venture further into the establishment to seek out her colleagues. In the pit of her stomach, an uneasiness had settled over the fact she had agreed to come. 

It was inevitable for her to have to come clean, even though all of them already seemed to know her secret. There was a distinct difference between her assuming and actually knowing. Ana just hoped they wouldn’t outright confront her about it and instead leave her time to bring it up and more importantly explain it in her own ways.

Maverick turned around as Ana stepped up beside him. His eyes trailed over her body, they gave her a once-over before settling on her face. His features softened, there was a gentleness in them that she would have scoffed at any other moment. Usually, Ana hated to be coddled and taken to be this vulnerable, frail thing. Her godfather had always been incredibly good at seeing her as the little girl she’d once been, forgetting she’d matured into a young, strong, and self-sufficient woman years prior.

Right now the softness in Maverick’s eyes soothed Ana’s nervous turmoil. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her to his side. She slacked against him, leaning into his sturdy frame with a small sigh.

“Do you have a way home?” Maverick murmured against the side of her head into her hair and Ana nodded against his shoulder. She lingered in the hug, only tentatively pulling away to stand beside him. His arms dropped, one remaining loosely wrapped around her waist.

“Yeah, I got mom’s car.” 

He hummed, “If you want to have a drink I can drive you home later on.”

“No it’s fine, I… I don’t want to drink much, if all.” Drinking her sorrow away was the last thing she wanted to do. A short, swift alleviation it would be, albeit the pain would come crashing back only tenfold afterward.

“Alright,” Mav nodded, glancing at Penny who had watched the two of them quietly. Ana looked over at the bar owner too, nodding at her. 

“One drink?” Penny asked, not in any way trying to coax. She would never try to persuade her into drinking, Penny the least of all of them. Ana nodded, agreeing to one.

As Penny dove behind the bar to get the bottle of her favored brew, Maverick brought Ana’s attention back to him. He tucked at the back of her shirt, just like he had done when she was little to tease or rain her in.

“I’ll join you up later.”

“I bet they’ll like that. You know they will try to get you to buy a round or two.” Maverick grimaced at the thought, remembering the money he spent that first night in the bar. His grimace quickly turned into a sly grin and a short laugh and Ana knew that he had come up with something.

“There you go.” Penny reappeared with Ana’s bottle in tow, handing it over the bar to her. 

“Thank you, Penny.” But the bar owner just smiled at her and shooed her off, head cocking behind her toward the back of the bar.

Two pairs of eyes trailed Ana’s retreating form, concern for the young woman shimmering in them.

“Do you think she’ll be alright?” Penny asked, turning her eyes towards Maverick. He had watched her grow up. There was scarcely anyone here who knew her better. 

“I’m not sure,” he answered with a sigh. Doubt carried in his voice. If Ana felt even just a shred as lost as he still felt about the loss of Ice, he really couldn’t say. The hole that had been ripped open by the loss felt bottomless. Like a black hole it continuously tried to suck every bout of hope, of living out. What would be stronger in the end? 

“He was everything to her.” 

Ice had been everything to him as well. “I’m not sure if she’ll ever recover from this loss.”

Penny eyed him in heavy contemplation. Looking back at her, Mav recognized the thoughtful gaze and so he added, “There was always something special in their bond. Ice was close to every one of his children but I don’t think anyone can come close to the bond they had. It transcended everything.”

Swallowing Maverick glanced back at his beer, fingers restlessly fumbling with the glass from which he set on to take another gulp of. He wasn’t one to drown his sorrow in alcohol, not that he hadn’t come close to it when he lost Goose. It was Carole and then also Ice and Sarah that had kept him from developing another destructive habit. Even though Maverick mused – even now – that one more really couldn’t hurt more.

“I just hope she won’t be hurt any further,” Maverick spoke after a long breath of silence between them, once more looking up, this time glancing past the bar to the two crowded tables in the back.

Penny followed him, her eyes turning to rest on a certain blonde as she hummed. “There is hope.”

“You think so?” He was surprised by the determination carrying in Penny’s voice, a mix of a sigh and laughter leaving his lips. It was hard for him to believe, even if he had gotten close to each of the aviators in those three weeks. Perhaps not close enough. Penny rendered him silent with one disapproving look.

She ought to know them better than Maverick did, he realized. Working behind the bar Penny had likely watched some of them - maybe even all - go through Top Gun, spending many a night in this bar. 

Maverick wasn’t wrong with this assumption. Penny knew Jake like no one else from the dagger squad did. Not even Coyote. The flirty, suave blonde was entirely different in the sole presence of her, quieter and more reserved, more vulnerable. She’d seen through him the moment he’d set foot in front of her bar counter that first time, trying to have his way with her by throwing one of those flirty one-liners at her.

She knew that deep down Jake was different from Hangman, who had tried to flirt with her that day. Those big words and that even bigger grin were a front to hide beneath a decent and sweet man who had been hurt, hit one too many times, and now too cautious to show his true emotions.

“He’s just as broken as all of us are.” Pictures of him after his kill resurfaced in her mind. Pictures of the broken man, forever separated from his colleagues, unable to process what had happened, unable to process his own guilt and nearly breaking beneath it. 

Maverick hummed, quietly murmuring. Maybe they’d be able to heal together.

Ana’s heartbeat picked up as she walked around the bar in the middle of the room, eyes sweeping over the patrons in the back half of the establishment. Beside the jukebox in the far right corner and the pool tables straight forward, she couldn’t spy the others. Only when she looked to the left, where there were more tables and even a couple of booths could she spy a large group of civilian-dressed people that looked oh too familiar.

Not that it quelled her rapidly threshing heart. No, in actuality it made it even worse, a knot materializing in her throat. There was still time for Ana to turn around this instant and walk back out of the door. 

This hesitation. This fear. Was entirely unknown to Ana. She wasn’t like that, she barely recognized herself. Had she not faced worse challenges? She’d learned to fly a jet, shoot ammunition, and throw bombs off with it. She had learned how to fight in combat, she’d deployed to active zones of conflict and risked her life in her service over and over. Why then did the thought of stepping up to her colleagues, her friends, frighten her so much more?

“Ghost, you came!”

At her side, Omaha appeared suddenly, hands full with bottles of beer as he smiled friendly at her. It startled her, the abrupt appearance of him. But just as quickly as he had appeared she recovered.

“Hi,” Ana murmured, focusing on the many beers precariously balanced in his hands. They were quite full.

“You already found the table?” He asked her and she nodded, motioning to pluck some of the beverages out of his hands. “Let me help.” 

Omaha nodded and once they had evenly split the bottles she followed him to the table.

A chorus of happy shouts and other kinds of greetings awaited Ana. They were all clustered around two tables, shoved together and even then it seemed like quite the tight fit. The tables in the bar weren’t designed for such big groups.

Ana’s steps faltered when her eyes met a pair of electrifying green ones, turning around towards her. It was the first and only time she looked over at Hangman during her approach. Even if she had wanted to look at him again – which she didn’t – there would have been no way. 

Rooster stood up the moment he saw her, moving to take the bottles of beer from her hands, and handing them out. Her own bottle remained in her hands as the mustached man motioned for her to take his seat.

There was one more empty seat, presumably Omaha’s, and even if it wouldn’t have been his, Ana would not have taken it. Fritz might have still been sitting between her and Hangman then, but Ana wasn’t quite comfortable with the thought of being so close to the blonde.

Earlier – at the hangar – had been a different story. An Exception. She’d been too caught up in her relief seeing everyone but especially Rooster and Maverick back alive and well. Hangman too. Her traitorous heart had leaped at the sight of him, soaring in happiness, the looming sword of uncertainty over her head had been sheathed at once. 

And then reality had set back in.

Rooster grabbed another chair from an empty table, bringing it over and Ana took his previous one, in the middle between Phoenix and Halo. She was still closer to the blonde, who hadn’t looked away even once since his bright green eyes had snapped onto her. But now with Halo, Omaha, and Fritz, not to mention two tables, between them she felt a little more at ease.

“How long have you been here?”

Halo smiled at her, blindly grabbing over Omaha to grab his arm and draw it into her lap. She peered down at his wristwatch, eyes furrowing together in a way that had Ana wonder how much they already had to drink.

“Not long,” Halo determined soon after, letting go of her pilot’s arm.

“You haven’t missed anything if that’s what you are wondering,” Phoenix added, smiling at her. They surely hadn’t waited for her to arrive, had they? Curious, Ana wanted to know. The question however she was denied to ask, as Harvard cleared his throat pulling – almost – everyone’s attention toward him.

“We’re all here now. Time for a toast. To everyone coming back in one piece. To our team effort. To everyone gathered here today.”

“To a successful mission!” Fanboy added cheerfully, beer in hand that he raised high over his head. The others followed him, grabbing their beers if they hadn’t already and lifting them into the air. Ana fell behind a couple of seconds, her beer the last one to raise.

“Cheers!” 

High-pitched clinks reverted off the touching glass where the bottlenecks were tapping together, mixing into the voices around Ana. One after another the bottles sank back, meeting their holder's lips. The beer was cold and fizzy against her lips, bubbles prickled against her lips and the roof of her mouth as Ana took her sip. Left behind was a fine sheen of foam, which she licked away.

All around her, the buzz of cheering had transformed into multiple, smaller conversations. She got caught up in listening to Phoenix, Rooster, and Payback chat, content to simply sit back, not having to talk herself. Ana had had to talk too much in the last couple of days.

Countless phone calls, thanking people for the flowers and condolence cards that even now kept pouring into their home. She held correspondence with her superiors, the people who had been her father’s colleagues and subordinates. They were planning on further honoring her father and his life's work in the Navy. Not only that but other people, journalists and others, kept inquiring too. It was exhausting.

As much as she focused on the conversation to her left, there was one thing – or rather one person – to her right, that made it almost impossible to listen attentively. She could feel Jake’s eyes on her, burning two distinct holes into her side. Even trying her best to look in the opposite direction, out of the corner of her eyes she noticed the blonde. He did a good job feigning to listen to Fritz and Coyote, throwing in little quips here and there but mostly Jake sat there, his knee bouncing up and down, bottle clasped in his hand tightly as he stared at Ana across the table. No way the others would grant him even a minute alone with her, yet all Jake wanted was a chance to talk to her.

“Yo Rooster, what do you think? You suppose the brass will give you a medal or a write-up for defying direct orders?” Omaha’s voice drowned out the other conversations around the table.

“Whatever it is, it’ll be a while until we’ll know. Wouldn’t surprise me if it’ll take forever ‘till they reviewed the mission considering the higher brass is in quite the disarray.”

And suddenly the group turned quiet, their eyes zeroing in on Ana. Uneasiness blanketed her. It was obvious why the brass was a little too out of order right now. Which was exactly the prompt they’d needed to remember just who was sitting with them.

“Sorry, I–” 

Ana shook her head, “No, it’s alright.” Even if her voice didn’t sound as sure as she wanted it to appear. The moment of truth had arrived. Worry had consumed her, the uncertainty of her friend's and colleagues' stance on the big reveal plaguing her. Ana had never thought to believe any ill reaction of them prior to the funeral but then Jake had happened and the axis of her world had been tilted. Now she couldn’t be sure about anything pertaining to her name and identity anymore. She had become anxious as well as careful about it.

Words failed her, her mouth and lips suddenly drier than the sand of the Sahara desert. How did one break this news that technically they all already knew? How did one come clean without making it awkward? How could she state what everyone already knew without sounding insincere?

“You want to re-introduce yourself to us?” There was no malice in Phoenix's words. No scrutiny or judgment. Instead the dark-haired woman, the second closest friend Ana had in the squad after Rooster, looked at her with warmth and an encouraging openness. 

Her words were a careful ask, a gently prodding prompt meant to ease her into a confession if Ana wished so. She was grateful for it, wanting nothing more but to come clean to her friends and colleagues and have the topic off the table so she didn’t have to worry about the unspoken, the unknown perhaps.

Having not known how to explain herself to them, Phoenix offered an easy starting point. But even then Ana felt choked, not by any expectations but once more by the reality that had plunged her life into darkness. 

She tried to smile but it came out skittish and uneasy and so Ana quickly turned to nodding. They were all looking at her, more or minder directly, attentively but with a warmth that eased her into speaking.

“Yeah,” Ana mumbled, clearing her throat as she shifted in her seat. “I think it’s long overdue now. I never meant to lead any of you astray and I certainly didn’t hide this out of maliciousness. It just..,” she trailed off, leaving the end unfinished. 

There had been no good time to spring it upon them, no moment in which she could have uttered an ‘Oh by the way guys, I’m actually Admiral Kazansky’s daughter’. Anyways.

“Uhm, it’s Ana–” her voice wobbled, threatening to give out. No amount of preparation could make it any easier. Ana was forced to take a rattling, shallow breath to keep the tears at bay.

“Ana Kazansky.” 

The words barely left her lips without a stutter but once they’d finally been uttered a weight dropped off her shoulders. It felt freeing. 

Everyone was looking at her with compassion and sympathy, every eye she met showed nothing but understanding. As she looked over at Phoenix, the one to ask in the first place, the woman opened her arms in a silent invitation. Ana gladly took the offer for a hug, needing it more than anything else, second most perhaps something stronger than beer.

Bob’s arms slung around her from behind, sandwiching Ana between the flight duo. Melting into the embrace, some of the weight she’d been carrying for so long lifted off her shoulders. Ever since her father had died, she had gotten into conflict with her own decision, feeling that the choice she’d made so long ago didn’t fit the her of today anymore.

The first step was made and for the rest of them here were the days going forward. But tonight, nothing of that mattered anymore, at least not for the moment. Gradually Ana calmed down enough for her breath to become steady and her tears to dry.

Bradley's hands clasped her shoulders after the hug, nodding at her with a lopsided smile. It was his way of saying ‘Good job kiddo’.

“But Ana is your actual first name right?” Payback asked jokingly, beer in his hand as he grinned over at Ana. His attempt at lightening up the mood once more was successful as Ana chortled.

“Yeah, it is.” Thinking for a moment, the hint of a smile tugged at her lips, “Although it’s not my full name and you guys have been butchering it.” The latter part – of course – wasn’t meant seriously and was more to egg them on.

Fanboy left out a surprised “Eh?” but it was Yale who leaned forward on his elbows and asked smiling, “Care to share?”

“It’s Ana Theodora Kazansky.”

“Can you repeat that?” Fritz asked her, “The way you said that.”

“Ah-na, it’s uh–”

“–a Russian name,” Bradley butted in, sounding playfully annoyed as he nursed his beer.

“Well, you sound like you’ve heard that one too many times,” Harvard nudged him with his elbow.

“If you only knew,” Bradley scoffed just as teasingly. “Been getting corrected on that all my life by the entire family.” 

“And yet you still can’t seem to do it right.” To everyone’s surprise, Ana butted in, snarky and in the most outgoing, carefree way she had been since the funeral. The closest to the old Ana she’d been displaying ever since.

It didn’t last long, her mood quickly dampened by the scoff Coyote let out. Suddenly all eyes were on him. “Everything alright pal?” Payback asked.

“I think it’s just a little hypocritical don’t you think?” Coyote's eyes zeroed in on her, narrowing in a frown that had Ana’s stomach drop. “So much for comradery.”

“Yo dude, come on, that was obviously a joke,” Omaha frowned beside him while Ana just stared, the ground ripped from beneath her feet.

“No. You are just as hypocritical. She gets a free pass for her actions while she’s allowed to give others shit for theirs?” 

Oh. So that’s what that was about. She’d almost forgotten how she’d laid into Hangman. Of course, as his best friend Coyote was going to be on his side. Ana simply hadn’t thought it was that much of a problem, since it had been between Hangman and her and the moment had been heated.

All around the table voices erupted but the words were reduced to mere noise in the back of her mind. It shouldn’t surprise Ana, until the moment she sat down at the table she’d anticipated – feared – everyone would react like Coyote had. Still, him reacting like that had sent her spiraling nonetheless.

“Enough!” Silence settled over them. Ana glanced up in surprise at Hangman, who had broken the discussion. Briefly, their gazes met across the table before he glanced away, looking around at all of them but mostly at Coyote.

“I appreciate the sentiment ‘yote but shut up. No reason to attack her like that, she did nothin’ wrong. You and I will never know what it’s like but we may try to understand it.” Her heart fluttered, only a fraction from the Texan drawl bleeding into his voice and mostly the serious, defending way with which he said it. He was defending her?

“Understand what? That she gets a free pass?”

“What’s it like to be a family legacy, what’s it like when everyone knows who you are and there are impossible expectations on you from the moment you are born because of your name. You and I can't imagine what it’s like to have everyone either look down on you for who you are or put you on an impossible-to-achieve pedestal. What it’s like when everyone thinks you haven’t worked hard enough to earn something even if you did your damn hardest to earn it.

I couldn’t imagine what it’s like to be reduced to my last name and for people to not see me for who I am but for my parents' son.

Everyone around his table has had to work their hardest to get where we are now but there is no question that some of us had it harder than others,” Jake made the briefest glance toward Phoenix, Halo, and lastly Ana. “You’d do well to remember that, perhaps asking and listening in on their hardships would help you not look as stupid as you are right now. ”

“And lastly it’s none of our damn business if she decided to keep her private information private. Or do you go around sharing your lineage and heritage with everyone?

No one’s getting a free pass here.”

Ana was left speechless. Jake jumping to her rescue surprised her a lot, even more so at how reflective and open he was. While it was clear that the others had caught some part of what happened at the funeral, she was sure they weren’t in on it all. 

Most likely Rooster had told them the gist of it, otherwise, they wouldn’t have jumped between Jake and her at the Hangar. But there was no way Rooster would dish out the entire story when it wasn’t his to tell.

She had no idea what had gone down after the funeral or during the mission, but something had happened. At least something had changed in Jake. That being sad she wasn’t sure if she was ready to deal with it all, no less ready for it than she had been at the hangar earlier that day. Just because he came to her defense now didn’t mean Jake understood all of it or could see his faults. 

While Ana deep down longed for nothing more than resolution, a big part – and the loudest of it all by far – still wasn’t ready for confrontation. Her mood was soured and once more the walls seemed to come down all around her. Her breath hitched, the tension around the table suddenly too much for her. Grabbing her bottle, her chair screeched loudly against the floor.

“I’m going to get a refill,” she muttered, squeezing past Bradley, who had taken a seat narrowly behind her and Phoenix. 

Much later that same evening Ana found herself outside on the back patio, where the air was crisp, the sky dark and the world a little quieter. 

Lonelier.

Ever since Coyote’s more than snide comments, the atmosphere had been off, the mood tainted with those burdensome words. Ana didn’t want to dampen the fun of the others, doubts of coming in the first place rampaged wildly inside her. She’d tried to put on a brave face, to smile through it and drink a little more. To loosen up.

Ultimately however she felt like a pretender. Never wanting to be one ever again - even with her brave face - she’d opted to go back to Penny. But Penny had been busy, the later the night the more patrons to serve. 

With Maverick joining the lively group Ana briefly had been able to relax, to forget a bit for a while. Only for the time being until her gaze crossed Coyote’s at the table again. Then she was back to square one.

And so, at some point and entirely unnoticed, she’d gone off on her own, to find some quiet and solitude out here. Her forearms braced against the railing, both hands wrapped around her bottle of beer, she stared out at the waves, barely discernible in the dim light of the night.

Emotions bubbled under the surface, beneath the carefully maintained mask. Cracks had formed along its smooth form, crumbling the more time passed. Ana had truly thought she’d be able to stomach an evening away already, to throw herself back into the routine outings.

“I tried to,” she whispered into the quiet, voice lost in between the sways of the faraway waves and the summer breeze caressing her hair. “I’m trying so hard to be strong, Dad.” Her lips trembled, voice turning wobbly and weak.

“It’s just so damn hard,” she whimpered, closer to a sob, closer to breaking down. 

This horrid wave of pain became laced with anger and that familiar bout of resentment cooking up inside her. How weak was she that she couldn’t even manage one evening? One silly night? Angry tears burned Ana’s eyes, her stubborn refusal all that held them back from spilling. Her nails scratched against the bottle's smooth glass, catching the edges of the label, fingers tightening their hold.

Nearly swallowed in this silent fight with herself, Ana could have – would have – missed the backdoor swinging open if not for that one old hinge at the bottom creaking under heavy strain. 

Startled out of her pain and self-misery she hastily wiped over her face as discreetly as possible before she glanced back. It was those green eyes she noticed first – and perhaps only – in the dawn, causing her to straighten her back, carefully guarding herself. Ana swallowed, curiously just as hesitantly eyeing the blonde, waiting for him to move. It took Jake a long breath to close the door behind him, the hinge screeching a second time before he took a step forward but not yet coming toward her.

All throughout the evening, Ana had watched him out of the corner of her eye trying to get close. Only for one of the many daggers – she’d been told that’s how Hondo had dubbed the bunch, promptly turning into their unofficial name – to block him off. Be it changing his seat to one closer to her or being able to address her. Not even looks they had outright permitted, one of them conventionally and just coincidentally shifting so they couldn’t cross eyes. Not that he had tried still, stolen glances slipping past the vigilant guards, which Ana noticed. 

Jake had been progressively growing more frustrated until some time ago when he had left the group table to stalk off to who knows where to do who knows what.

Now he stood here, watching her as the light from inside the hard deck illuminated his back. She might have stood in the dark but the little light filtering out toward her was enough for him to notice the motion of her hands. 

Two hearts rapidly beat on the opposing sides of the deck. Jake hesitated. Just then he had been so determined to approach her, to finally get a moment alone with her. Now he wasn’t so sure if he still should. If he wouldn’t do more harm than what he was trying to repair. 

He couldn’t move, stuck in his spot, in this position. Torn between stepping forward and leaving again. Torn between his want, his need, to mend a situation – possibly unfixable – and going to preserve an already thin enough tolerance or to admit defeat. 

Failing to move in what could have been merely heartbeats but also minutes Ana turned away, facing the beach again, her back now turned to him. While this gesture might have been a sign for anyone else to leave, for Jake it was the permission to approach, albeit slowly and carefully.

Once more Ana found herself staring into the dark, the waves ominously glistening in the distance, no different from the waves of emotions crashing in her stomach, their sounds sweeping up the dunes toward them. But now their sound was mixed with Jake’s boots, with the slow yet sturdy steps as he drew closer. 

The railing creaked under his forearms as he leaned against the barrier not far away from her. Some might even call it beside her. There were but a few feet dividing them. Quiet was the chosen ambience, at least for a while in which they dwelled on their thoughts, each one stuck in their own complicated world of mind. 

There came a point when the silence became too much for Ana, too glaring, too grading on her nerves. Looking over at him at first was a quick glance, then another one until not long after she turned her head entirely to him, watching with careful eyes. In the dark, she thought to notice a reddish tinge to his tan skin, almost unintelligible.

“Are you drunk?” She asked, quietly, words carrying an accusing sting with them.

“No,” he answered, adding a few contemplative moments later, “Maybe a little.”

Her instinct to flee his proximity kicked in, no longer able to bear the pain still residing inside of her, to tolerate this silent existence between them. The jerky, jittery movement, not quite a stumble but also nowhere near graceful had Jake now eyeing her intently.

Against all her instincts his gaze held her there, gluing her to the spot like no one had ever been able to do before.

“Listen, I–” As fast as her instincts had been blanketed by his gaze, his words brought the innate need for her to leave right back. 

“–Don’t! I don’t want to hear…” And with the sensation came another wave of bite to defend, to guard herself. Ana had learned her lesson at the funeral and she wouldn’t be a fool once more.

But she wouldn’t let him out of her eyes either, at least not for the first careful steps backward, her hand skirting along the edge of the railing until finally, in one swift motion, she whirled around and bolted down the steps.

“No, Ana, that’s not– Damn it!”

It was all she could hear before the rush of blood replaced any other noise. Ana’s heart hammered in her chest, the sudden bout of adrenaline taking her by surprise. She stumbled in the sand, wondering what she was even doing.

To no surprise it didn’t take long for her to crumble once more, adrenaline replaced by all the pain she’d shoved to the back in favor of guarding herself against the blonde. With him no longer around everything swept back. Like a tsunami, it now came crashing over her. A sob broke out from between her lips, knees buckling as she squatted down in the sand, forehead resting against her knees.

“Shit,” she whined, hands shaking as she tried to keep her balance, just like her emotions the world wanted to tilt around her, spinning out of control.

Muffled steps on sand hit her ears but there came no second wave of flight, no instincts to tell her to flee. She was too tired, too in pain from it all. What difference would more of it even make?

“Coyote had no right to say that to you,” Jake blurted, huffing as he reached her. He’d feared she’d just up and bolt again, not sure if catching her a second time was something he could do. Exhaustion; his lack of sleep during the mission on the carrier and now the added stroke of the alcohol coursing through his veins were catching up on him, heavily. 

“And it’s my fault he said something in the first place. He’s protective of me like the others are of you, which doesn’t make it okay. I…I don’t know why he thought to say that, to do that in front of everyone–not that in private it would have been any more acceptable.” 

With a sigh, Jake dragged his hand over his face. Ana had the most unusual reaction to this. She chuckled, shaking her head in a moment of displaced amusement, a laugh bubbling deep in her chest, barely held back.

“What– What’s so funny ‘bout that?” Jake puffed out in confusion, slowly blinking through the foggy tendrils of alcohol wanting to cloud his mind. He wasn’t that inebriated was he?

“You defended me,” she muttered, rising to her feet. Her eyes, landing point blank on Jake, were the brightest damn thing in this solemn night. But they weren’t as bright as they had been that night in the Hard Deck three weeks ago. Dimmed unmistakably now. Jake hated himself, knowing he was a part of the reason her flame had lost its spark.

“You defended me.” 

He should have been insulted at the way she made it sound like it was the least possible thing that could happen, but he couldn’t. Not after what he had done to her. He deserved it. Deserved all of her mistrust.

“Even I can admit when I’m at fault.”

“You can? What changed?” There it was, the anger he had been expecting to surface back at the hangar already. She’d spared him then but now he was ready to take whatever she would hurl at him.

Shrugging he looked down at his feet, “I learned some new things. Things that gave me a new perspective.”

“For example?”

Sucking in his breath, Jake glanced upward. There she stood, in all her hostile, defensive glory. The waning crescent moon illuminated her from behind, the soft dim of it gave her an otherworldly glow. She looked like his best dream yet where he stood felt closer to his worst nightmare.

It took him off-guard that question of hers. Even though he had been the one to bring it up, he realized now how unprepared he truly was for her to ask. Gathering his witts usually came as easy as breathing. Not now. Trying to find his way to the start of his story was harder than Jake anticipated. Especially when the alcohol in his system chose now to ensnare his mind further.

Jake’s eyes lost their focus, skidding to the path of sand behind her leading to the tip of the beach where the waves came in from the vast open of the ocean. Their rhythmic movements had something almost calming. 

Almost.

Beside his body Jake’s fingers started to twitch in wanton, one movement kickstarting the cascade of nervous notions that were entirely his own. His foot began tapping the sand beneath his sole in an erratic, uncontrolled cluster of muffled thumps.

The motion sent a flashback through his mind as much as it did little vibrations through the loose ground. One involving the very woman before him, a pen, and a sharp pain as said pen had been rammed into his thigh not long ago.

“That I’m more of a fraud than you could ever be,” he shrugged once more, shoving his hands into his pockets as he kicked at the sand beneath his feet. His words caught her off guard, abruptly halting her in her growing anger, stealing the roll she was building towards.

“What?” Her words were quiet, nearly lost over the waves, that suddenly sounded so much louder. And this time it was Jake who nearly laughed in surprise. Even when he had hurt her so badly and she had all the reason to hate his guts, she found it in herself to listen to him and perhaps even to muster some sympathy for him. He truly didn’t deserve it.

“I had to talk to someone, so I called my mother. She gave me an earful…” His hand flashed in her attention as he produced something from the pocket of his pants. Ana couldn’t tell what it was at first, his fingers nimbly spinning it between them. “She’d have flown here to whoop my ass no question if we didn’t ship out a couple of days later. She, uhh, put some things into perspective for me..”

Ana watched him now, attentive and with a poorly concealed hint of curiosity for which she would have liked to kick herself in the ass. She cursed him for having such an impact on her. Cursed herself more that even now she couldn’t resist this natural pull. Cursed her traitorous heart for beating faster, stronger. 

How could it not when Jake was opening himself up to her? It reminded her of him showing up in her room with hot chocolate and snacks. When she had glimpsed the real Jake beneath the mask he made everyone believe was him.

One more thing sparked her memory. That little pick of wood between his fingers, flashing briefly in the moonlit space between them. Cursed be the toothpick, the little annoying thing that sent a shiver down her spine. He’d had it that morning in the hangar too, annoying her to no end. 

Then she’d accounted it as a tool of superiority, for him to tease and show off. Was it true or had her own subjectivity turned it into it? Had it perhaps been nothing but his way of managing his nerves?

“From the first time I can remember I was always obsessed with planes. There was nothing more fascinating for me than those huge feasts of engineering. These beautiful man-made birds of steel, giving a mere human the ability to conquer and explore the skies. 

Growin’ up my father always put it before me that I was to inherit the family business one day, continue and grow it. Like he had done and his father and his father’s father before them.”

His hand reached upwards, one pointy end rubbing along the flush of his bottom lip. How ironic that little thing was now when he was about to mention him. “It was my grandfather who showed me that my dream could become my reality. That my future was my choice. My mother’s family always lived far away from us and looking back on it now I realize why she kept us away so much from them.

Nonetheless, my grandfather became my hero. My role model from the moment I met him and found out he’d not only been in the Navy his whole life but been no less than an aviator.

To a twelve-year-old obsessed with everything aviation, he became the coolest person on earth. Even more so when afterward I found out he was highly decorated and considered a hero.”

Quietening down Ana almost missed his next words, “Guess I never realized how much of a hero he was considered until now. Or how much influence he earned through that.” 

In a brief moment, Jake’s mask slipped, revealing the conflict warring inside of him. It was gone as quickly as it had, the iron mask back stronger. 

“You see I always thought what got me into the academy was my hard work alone. And I was damn proud of it since it's no easy feat. I always thought everything can be done if you just put in enough effort and don’t quit.”

“Can’t stand quitters ya now? Those who give up because it’s too hard or those who let the difficulty and fear stop them from even trying, who can’t seem to put in the effort it would take to reach the end. I was full of prejudice, thinking that all legacy children always got in easily and without working for it.”

“Like me.” Hesitantly he glanced over at her, a cautious and nearly hidden look before his eyes drifted once more toward the ground where his feet shuffled around the sand. Rather harshly he cleared his throat, shaking off the lump in it and rushing to babble on. 

“My mother used the ample opportunity to give me not only a lecture but also a lesson in what it was like to grow up for her. And I know I can’t compare that, likely yours and her experience won’t have many similarities but it..,” once more a heavy sigh cleaved his lips as Jake found himself lost for words. His hands tightened into fists, the toothpick between his fingers creaked under the strain, slowly bending until it snapped. The two broken pieces slipped beneath his fist, landing in the sand.

“She, uhm–,” he cleared his throat, “–she told me what it was like for her to grow up as the daughter of a navy hero. As a legacy child herself, even if she never wished to pursue the same career path.” A sad smile broke upon his lips, weakly twisting the corners of his mouth upwards. Ultimately the heaviness of his guilt brought them down again. 

“My view on it all has been altered.”

There was no time to ponder about his words or what had been revealed with them, as Jake left no pause. He shrugged once more, hands shoved back into his pants as he spoke on, “I can’t let it slide when something untrue or incorrect is said. As you might have noticed I’m more blunt. Pretty sure everyone else thinks I’m just a mouthy asshole, who says what he thinks without regarding other people’s feelings.”

A rush of guilt swept through the hightide of her wavering emotions, like a little boat out in rough sea. She’d thought just the same. The more Ana learned of him, the stronger she felt that there was so much more to Jake. So much more behind those acts he put up and the brash way he spoke with others. And here she was, getting to see another part of him unraveled, another piece put into the puzzle that was understanding him. 

“Don’t like to hide things. There is no point in sugarcoating things.” For a moment it looked like he wanted to say more, to add something. He looked over at her, their eyes met once more through the night and something glimmered in Jake’s eyes—a brief shine of something Ana couldn’t name or even describe. 

And then he left. Simply turned around, walking back the way he had come to follow her. A couple steps away he turned around once more, “I won’t bother you any longer as you clearly wanted to have your peace in the first place. Apologies for disrupting.” 

#legacies #hangman x oc #jake seresin x reader #jake seresin x oc #hangman x reader #jake seresin x kazansky!oc #jake seresin x kazansky/reader #hangman seresin imagine #jake hangman seresin x oc #jake hangman seresin x reader #hangman top gun #hangman seresin #top gun maverick fanfic

[topguncortez]

Brosectomy - J. Seresin

pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x shy!wife characters: Javy "Coyote" Machado x OC!Wife (Valerie), Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, Robert "Bob" Floyd, Alex Seresin, Ella Seresin, Eli Seresin, Natasha "Phoenix" Trace warnings: vasectomy, crude language (?), Jake and Javy are dramatic, Jake post-surgery word count: A/N: I saw these tiktoks about Link and Rhett's brosectomy, and now here we are:) And here's a little break from all the whump

|| masterlist || Opposites Attract World || library page ||

When Jake and Y/N found out they were expecting not one, but two children, Jake knew that it was time to get a vasectomy. Y/N had mentioned getting her tubes tied after Eli, but Jake didn't want her to make a decision that would be so permanent when they weren't sure if they were totally done having kids. He also didn't want her to have an extra surgery that would take her longer to recover from, when he could get a local anesthetic and be done within an hour and be able to run after the kids that same day.

Jake wanted to wait until at least after the twins were born to get the surgery, wanting to make sure that he would be able to help. But then he changed his mind when Coyote explained he was also looking into the surgical option.

Coyote and his wife Valerie had three kids under the age of three, and were done for the time being. And Jake couldn't blame them. He was happy that him and Y/N had spaced their kids out by three years.

Y/N and Valerie were sitting in the kitchen as their kids played together. Y/N was the closest with Valerie out of all the wives/partners of the group. She had known her the longest and was Alex's godmother. Y/N felt like she was ready to pop being nearly seven months pregnant with the twins. Valerie was in the middle of telling some story about her oldest girl, Jenna face planting down the stairs when Jake walked in.

“We’re getting a brosectomy,” Jake announced and opened the fridge to get a water out, handing one to Coyote who trailed in behind him.

“A what?” Y/N asks, turning to face the boys.

“A brosectomy,” Coyote repeats.

“Got that, Javy… what exactly is that?” Valerie asks.

“A vasectomy with the bros,” Jake smiles, “Val, Javy here tells me that you two have talked about him getting the ol snip, and well if i even mention having another baby, this missus right there looks ready to commit murder.” Y/N and Valerie shared another look at Jake’s explanation, “So why not go through this stage of life with your bro. Javy and I have done damn near everything together.”

“What brings two guys closer than cutting your swimmers off,” Javy shrugs.

“The two of you literally fly death machines together,” Y/N pointed out, “But I mean… it’s your bodies, your choices.”

“I agree with Y/N. At least a vasectomy is reversible if we want more kids,” Valerie said. Jake gave Y/N a look and wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

“Don’t even think about it Seresin, five is enough,” Y/N said pointing a finger at him, and if as right on que, three blonde haired Seresin children came running in, followed by three dark haired Machado children.

"How fast can you get this appointment?"

Jake got the appointment very quickly. Having already researched an arsenal of surgeons in the area, him and Coyote chose one that they both liked, and made appointments for as soon as possible. They schedule time off work, the doctor recommended at least 10 days totally off work and another week or so of no flying. Jake thought he was going to die not being able to fly for three weeks, but he told himself it was a small price to pay compared to the intensive labors Y/N had gone through.

Phoenix was watching the Seresin kids as Y/N sat in the small room with Jake. He was cursing up a storm about having to wear the hospital gown, but Y/N found it hilarious. She had become a near expert about hospital gowns and always came prepared. Jake climbed up on the small exam table with a sigh, and Y/N giggled.

"You think this is funny?" He said looking over at her, "Some doctor is about to come in here and cut my balls off."

"Okay, you are not a dog," Y/N said rolling her eyes, "And it's just a clip on the-"

"I know, I remember the video," Jake shuddered. He waited a moment before looking over at his pregnant wife, "Is it weird to be sad?"

"No, I don't think it's weird," Y/N said, and leaned over the best she could to run her fingers through his hair, "It's a big thing. It's a life changing thing, really. Means no more babies," She looked down to her very round stomach.

"It's really the end," Jake sighed, "But it doesn't mean we still can't practice." He gave her that classic Hangman smirk and wink.

"Once you start shooting blanks, we can," Y/N sat back in her chair as there was a knock on the door. She smiled as Jake's doctor and Coyote came trailing into the room, "Doctor Miller."

"Y/N, Jake, you ready for this?" Doctor Miller asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Jake sighed and shifted on the exam table, "Give me the ol' snip, doc!"

"I think that's my cue to leave," Y/N giggled. Coyote helped her stand up from the chair and gave her a kiss on the cheek, "Val already out there?"

"Yep, so is Bob, Rooster, Payback and Fanboy," Coyote said and Y/N gave him a questioning, "Moral support."

"Oh good god, you would think you two are about to have brain surgery with the dramatics," Y/N rolled her eyes, "I'll see you in an hour," Y/N said to Jake and he nodded, "I love you."

"I love you too," Jake said and kissed his wife.

Y/N said a goodbye to Coyote and Doctor Miller before going out to the waiting room with Valerie. She sighed as she sat down next to the woman.

"We are married to two of the most dramatic men I have ever met," Valerie joked.

"Their mothers deserve an award," Y/N smiled.

It was nearly an hour later when Doctor Miller came out to tell the two wives that their husbands surgeries were complete and they were in recovery. Y/N waddled her way down to the recovery room that Jake was in. She giggled at the look on his face and the ice pack pressed to his groin area.

"I'm glad you find my pain funny," Jake slurred.

"I'm sorry, baby," Y/N said and walked over to her husband. Jake sat up a bit and put his hands on either side of growing belly.

"I did this cause I am a true man and true men do this for their wives," Jake said to her bump. Y/N had to bite back her laughter, "Even if one of you are, or both of you, are girls, you make your man get the cut. Or if you are boys, you get the cut for your wives."

"Okay Mister True Man," Y/N said and Jake looked up at her eyes. His pupils were slightly dilated, probably from the pain meds he was given. He had a lazy smile on his face as he leaned up to kiss his wife, "How are you feeling?"

"Amazing," He sighed and laid back on the bed, "Javy saw my dick, said you're a lucky woman."

"Oh my god," Y/N blushed.

"You are! The luckiest, ever. And now we can fuck all the time and not have to worry about kids. Even though they are a blessing and I love them so very much. We can raw dog it all the time now," Jake gave his wife a lazy smirk and she shook her head, "What!? You like it when I hit it raw." He reached down and grabbed his wife's ass making her squeal.

"Jacob Thomas Seresin!"

#top gun #top gun fan fic #top gun fan fiction #top gun imagine #top gun maverick fan fic #top gun maverick fan fiction #top gun maverick imagine #Jake seresin #Jake seresin fan fic #Jake seresin fan fiction #Jake seresin imagine #Jake seresin x reader #Jake hangman seresin #hangman fan fic #hangman fan fiction #hangman imagine #hangman x reader #Jake hangman seresin fan fic #Jake hangman seresin fan fiction #Jake hangman seresin imagine #Jake hangman seresin x reader #opposites attract

[delilahcalicocat]

"Don't leave me.." [Drabble]

Warnings: Anxiety attacks, Comfort Items, Homesickness, Crying, Millie Has an obsession with a merch shirt she got, Mentions of Bloody nose, Swearing

Pairing: Adam Page & Millie Jackson (OC)

Summary: Matt and Nick Got their younger sister a job with AEW and she wasn't to ready to get on the road yet.

WC: I think like 800 or 860 it's short :(

[Millie's POV:]

My older Brothers got me a job with AEW recently, I was excited to fight in my first match. But it was on a Saturday, which meant my brothers weren't going to be with me like normal. I was sat in The Elite's Locker Room, hugging my bear I got from like 10 years ago on my 15th birthday, but it was comforting for the moment as I attempted not to cry.

I was a little homesick, since I've been traveling with my brothers all week, but I've been trying to get used to it.

{◇}~{◇}~{◇}~{◇}~{◇}~{◇}~{◇}~{◇}~

《~After The Debut match~》

{♤}•{♤}•{♤}•{♤}•{♤}•{♤}•{♤}•{♤}•{♤}

I couldn't take it after my first match, I got the win. But I still couldn't help but cry, My bear couldn't help me calm down. The taste of salt and iron in my mouth wasn't good, my tears mixed with the blood from nose was disgusting, I was headed towards medical anyways. Until I bumped into someone.

"Oh Shit- I-I'm so sorry!" I said, noticing I accidentally got blood on this person's white shirt

"It's fine" the voice said

I looked up and saw it was my brother's friend, Adam.

"My bad Adam.. I was on my way to medical-" I said, not bothering to hide my nose.

"I can see why your headed to medical" He said with a chuckle "You want me to walk you there?"

"Sure.." I said

We walked to the Medical Room and he went to walk out

"Don't leave.." I said quietly

"Why?" He questioned

"I'm Anxious, and homesick, Aka a Hot Mess." I said with a sigh

"Ok.. I won't leave then" He said

After the whole medical exam, I got a cool shirt from Adam, and I'm a little obsessed with it. But I won't tell him I love it!

♤

The end ♡

#aew #aew drabble #ocs #hangman adam page #hangman page #OC X Hangman Page #{♡}delilah's fics{♧}

[of-twilight-and-moonshadow]

What Love Is - Hangman x Emery

Part of my Dark Angel of the Bullet Club series

Word Count: 2527

Based On: Dynamite April 5th 2023

Warnings: mentions of blood, physical violence

Tag List: @blxxckheart @summertimefun1982 (If you want to be added to my tag lists let me know. I have 3 for the separate companies - NJPW, AEW and WWE)

(border by)

Emery stood backstage, her arms wrapped around her abdomen in an attempt to comfort herself. For the first time since AEW began, she was alone.

No Bucks. No Kenny.

She’d always had them beside her, almost since the beginning of her career. Now? Blackpool Combat Club had effectively removed all three from the equation.

As she stood off to the side, her brown eyes stared a hole into the wall across from her. It took everything in her power not to seek out the one person she had left.

Hangman.

She’d known him as long as she had the Bucks. At one point, they had been extremely close, thick as thieves. However, after everything fell apart when Hangman and Kenny lost their tag team championships and Kenny went heel—Emery felt the distance between her and Hangman grow. It grew and grew until he was completely absent from her life.

And it killed her inside.

Especially when he’d be at odds with Kenny and the Bucks. She’d secretly cheer for him, be behind him when good things would happen, wins in his career, especially when he won the AEW World Championship. Though it was a happy moment—it also was a sad one, as he had beat Kenny for it.

She had been ringside, right there with the Bucks. Emery had seen each brother give Hangman a nod before he delivered buckshot lariats for the win.

After that, she thought that maybe—just maybe—things would mend between all of them. That was not the case, however. They’d remain distant and at odds, coming to a head again in the tournament for the Trios Championships.

That was, what—seven months ago? Eight? Emery had hoped things would mend after that, eventually, but nothing happened. It took everything in her not to reach out, text Hangman, or call him. Especially now, with everything going on.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Emery heard the familiar music of the BCC blare through the arena, signaling they had won their match. Taking a deep breath, she dropped her head and stared at the floor, willing the tears not to fall from her eyes.

It seemed like everyone had someone backstage—except for her.

“You see, I was at home with my family. And I love my family.” Emery heard Bryan Danielson’s voice ring out, as he apparently had taken a microphone.

“You know who else I love? I love Jon Moxley—and him ripping at people’s mouths! You know who else I love? Claudio Castagnoli and him destroying people. You know who else I love? Wheeler Yuta! Even if he’s a little shithead! I love him.”

“Yuta…” Emery thought sadly. They had been friends at one point, but that seems so long ago at this moment.

“And you know what else I love? I love. Professional. Wrestling. Do these guys look like professionals to you? They look like some people the EVPS might have hired, and their nothing—”

Emery looked up from the wall at the mention of the EVPs, her eyes narrowing slightly. Pushing up off the wall, she walked over to a nearby monitor and watched.

“—Impotent amateurs. And as I look around this building tonight, I think the four of us; I think we’re the only—”

Emery heard the fast-paced feet of someone behind her, and as she glanced, her stomach done flip flops. Hangman sped past her without a glance as he approached the ring. He had on one of her favorite jackets- the black leather with the tassels; pair that with the dark wash jeans and the brown cowboy boots—he looked every bit her cowboy that she remembered.

With a soft smile, Emery turned her attention back to the screen as Hangman’s music hit, and he stalked down the ramp.

“Ohhh boy. Here comes another amateur,” Bryan smirked as the BCC waited for Hangman in the ring. Bryan leaned in the corner as Mox, Yuta, and Claudio stood in a line in the middle of the ring, ready and waiting.

Emery did not have a good feeling about this and watched with bated breath as Hangman climbed onto the apron, entering the ring.

“What do you got, Hangman?” Bryan asked. It didn’t take long- and it wasn’t much of a surprise considering past bad blood between them- but Hangman goes at Mox first, swinging fists down. Yuta and Claudio instantly swarmed him, though, and as Mox held Hangman in the ropes, they kicked at him, wearing him down.

“Amateur. You’re an amateur!” Bryan called out, getting closer to Hangman and pointing at him,” You want to know what a professional is? Claudio is a professional. Mox is a professional!”

Biting her lip, Emery watched in horror as they continued to beat Hangman up, forearms to the back of his head and neck, kicking at every inch of him they could reach. As she watched Hangman try to ball up in the middle of the ring, doing anything to protect himself—Emery felt her patience waning.  

“I LOVE these men! Do you know what?” Bryan said as they circled Hangman, Claudio still kicking at him,” You don’t have anybody—that loves you.”

That was it. That was the last straw for Emery. She wasn’t standing by anymore and doing nothing. Emery stalked past everyone backstage and ran up the stairs to the stage- ignoring the calls of people trying to stop her.

“Is anybody coming out from the back? NO! Not a damn person! Cuz nobody loves this man! In fact, they don’t even know what love---”

The second the crowd saw her, they began cheering, and it got the BCC’s attention as they looked up the ramp. As Emery got to the ring and climbed up and through the ropes, BCC took a few steps back. She stood protectively in front of Hangman, glaring daggers at the four men across from her, staring each one in the eyes individually. When her eyes met Yuta’s – she saw a brief flicker of worry in his expression, but it quickly disappeared.

“Ohhh, look what we have here.”

Turning her back on them, Emery knelt down and reached out towards Hangman. Her hand gently gripped his upper arm, and he looked up at her with his baby-blue eyes. She could see the pain written all over his face, which only angered her more. Reaching out her other hand, Emery was surprised as solid arms wrapped around her and pulled her away from Hangman. The cowboy reached out his hand- worry now crossing his face; he was desperate to help her. Grimacing in agony, Hangman started pushing himself up off the matt. If anything ever happened to her, Hangman would never forgive himself. Claudio and Yuta intercepted him, though, and continued the beatdown as Mox held a struggling Emery in his grasp. She kicked her legs frantically, trying everything to escape Mox’s strong hold, clawing at his arms with her nails.

“Stop it!” she yelled, reaching out for Hangman in vain.

“You really think that you—” Bryan said,” You? Could stop us? That’s cute. Hey, Cowboy—Emery thinks she knows what love is. She thinks she loves you. Hah.”

Mox’s grip slacked briefly, and Emery pushed away from him with all her strength, but he quickly readjusted before she could get away. She could hear his heavy breathing in her ear, growing tired of her struggles.

“But I know what love is,” Bryan stated, pulling a screwdriver out from his jacket. Emery didn’t see it yet, though, as she was too busy struggling against Mox with her focus on Hangman.

“In fact, when I’ve been at home, I’ve been teaching my kids a few things. A few things about how to fix up your house. And I think the house that is AEW needs to be fixed up. From all these AMATEURS!”

Claudio and Yuta picked Hangman, who stood there limply- his legs unsteady from the beatdown he had sustained. When Emery finally saw the screwdriver, she fought even more against Mox, her whole body thrashing in his arms.

“AMATEURS!” Bryan yelled as he got closer and closer to Hangman.

“No! Please—don’t do---- ADAM!” Emery cried out, reaching out toward him.

“AMATEURS!”

Hangman glared at Bryan as he approached, his eyes briefly glancing toward Emery as she struggled to break free. To him, if his taking this assault meant she would be unharmed, then he’d gladly take it. His eyes focused on Bryan once more, glancing from the screwdriver to Bryan.

“AMATEURS!”

“Adam! Please--- don’t do this! Don’t---!”

By now, the tears were falling down her face, but Emery didn’t care.

She was scared—scared for her friend. Scared at the situation.

“NO!” Emery yelled, flinching as the tip of the steel tool met Hangman’s forehead, and Bryan began to gouge at the skin. Time seemed to stop as she watched in horror, unable to do anything to help Hangman; he fell to the matt below as Yuta and Claudio released their hold on him. Bryan looked back at Mox, who finally released his hold on Emery. The second he let her go, she bolted across the ring, rushing past the BCC and stopping at Hangman’s writing body.

“Adam—” she cried, her hands going to his face.

“Hangman. Is an amateur. Like I said. We are the only real Pro wrestlers in the building tonight. We are the only real professional wrestlers. In AEW tonight. Hell, from what I’ve seen this week, we are the only real professional wrestlers in all damn America tonight.”

Bryan dropped the microphone as Mox walked over towards Emery, crouching down. Her attention snapled to him, glaring daggers despite tears falling from her eyes. Mox merely chuckled at her, shaking his head slightly.

"Told ya last week sweetheart. When we took care of Omega. Stay out. Of this. I'm not gonna warn you again."

He stood up and without further incident, BCC left the ring leaving Emery and Hangman alone. The ringside doctor had come over and began checking on the injury as blood was seeping down Hangman’s face.

“Let’s get him to the back,” the doctor said as Hangman slowly slid under the bottom rope. Emery quickly followed, leaning her body against the cowboy to help support him as they walked up the ramp.

They walked down the small staircase and through the halls in the back, everyone parting to make room for them. Eventually, they made it to the medical room, and Emery had to force herself to let go of Hangman, the doctor taking over supporting him. Taking a few steps back, Emery slowly turned away from the room and slowly walked down the hall. The tears had stopped falling a bit ago, but she knew it wouldn’t take much for them to start falling again. Leaning her back against the white stone wall, Emery rested her head on the cold surface and closed her eyes before sliding down the wall. Bringing her knees to her chest, she wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her head against her knees.

All around her, the show continued on as nothing had happened; like Blackpool Combat Club wasn’t taking out the Elite piece by piece. She heard the footsteps near but didn’t register someone calling out her name until she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Hey—you okay?”

Slowly, her head rose up, and she looked at Brandon sadly.

“I-“her words refused to come, and Emery could feel the tears building back up in the corners of her eyes, “—Hangman--.”

“Emery,” Brandon shook his head,” Are you okay?” He repeated his question, emphasizing the you, as she let the question sink in.

Nodding her head twice, she replied,” Y-yeah. I-I-“Taking a few deep breaths to keep calm, she continued,” They didn’t hurt me… not physically, at least…”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help,” Brandon frowned,” I was outside with some of the other guys—”

“It’s ‘kay,” Emery gave him a soft smile,” I just… I couldn’t stand by—not while they—”

Wordlessly, Brandon nodded. He knew that we had all been close once; his best friends were the Bucks, and at the start of AEW, he had gotten close to Hangman too. Albeit not as close as the rest of us, but there was still that connection.

“He gonna be okay?” Brandon asked hesitantly.

“Dunno yet,” Emery told him,” The doctor is still checking him.”

“Right… well—let me know, okay? I’m gonna go find Nakazawa…”

Emery gave him a nod, and after giving a reassuring squeeze to her shoulder, Brandon stood up and walked off, disappearing around a corner down the hall.  

“Emery?”

Just as she was about to lay her head down, someone called out, making her head shoot back up. Looking around, she saw the doctor walking towards her and quickly stood up.

“He lost a fair amount of blood, but it wasn’t too terrible damage. I got him bandaged up, though,” the doctor told her.

“Thank you,” Emery nodded, wringing her hands together.

“Of course. He’s uh, he’s asking for you.” With that, the doctor walked off, leaving Emery standing there, unsure.

Taking a deep breath, she walked down the hall and paused outside the room. Hesitantly, Emery peered into the room before taking a step inside. She saw Hangman sitting on one of the chairs to the side, his hands clasped in front of him, deep in concentration on something.

Emery raised her hand and knocked twice on the door, alerting him to her presence; his whole body seemed to jolt as his attention snapped up to her. They stared briefly at each other before Hangman stood and walked over to her.

She could tell he was trying to find the right words, swallowing a lump in his throat before he spoke.

“Why’d you do it? Why’d you put yourself in danger, Ree?” Hangman asked her, his brow furrowed.

“Because….” Emery tried, trailing off as she felt her eyes tear up again,”… Because I couldn’t stand by anymore and let them hurt the people I care about. They’ve already taken out Matt and Nick—and Kenny. Without them here, I’m all alone—”

“You’ve got me,” Hangman interrupted her, a frown on his face,” You’ve always got me.”

“I- I wasn’t sure… with everything that’s happened…” Emery looked down at the ground, “I just knew I couldn’t let them continue…”

“Emery, darlin’,” Hangman said, gently placing a palm on her cheek and bringing her eyes up to his,” If something had happened to you out there—I’d never forgive myself. You… you’re the most important person in my life…”

As a tear fell down her face, Emery felt Hangman wipe it away with his thumb.

“Can… can I have a hug?” she asked him; he gave her a soft grin, nodding to her as he brought her closer to his body. His arms wrapped around her smaller frame, and he rested his chin on the top of her head as Emery snaked her arms around him, gripping his shirt.

Taking a deep breath, she felt peaceful.

The feelings she had not even an hour ago of being alone were replaced with feelings of knowing she was never alone; not as long as she had her cowboy.

“I love you, Adam,” Emery whispered against his chest, missing the smile on his face.

“I love you too, Ree.”

#aew #all elite wrestling #OC #original female character #OC Emery #Imagine #fanfiction #Hangman Adam Page #OC x Hangman #OC x Adam Page #blackpool combat club #dark angel of the bullet club #kitkat0723

[roosterforme]

Adult Education Part 3 | Hangman x OC

Summary: Jake visits Jessica during her office hours again, and he's left wanting her even more than before. But when he hears that there may be more to her than meets the eye, he has to decide if his feelings are worth the potential risk.

Warnings: Fluff, angst, swearing

Length: 3500 words

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Female OC

This story is part of the Beer Boy and Sugar universe but can be read on its own! Adult Education masterlist

Seriously, who let Jake on my masterlist!? Banner by @mak-32

"What are you doing?"

Jake glanced up from the scientific journal which was open on the cafeteria table next to his tray of lunch. 

"What does it look like I'm doing, Bradshaw? I'm reading."

"You're reading?"

"Yeah," Jake replied, smoothing out the glossy page as he rolled his eyes. "I know you were in a fraternity and all, but I still assumed you knew what reading was."

Bradley set his tray down on the opposite side of the table. "Joke's on you. I graduated with a 3.9 GPA."

Jake just snorted as he read the caption under the photo of an F/A-18 that had been taken on the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman. "And I had a perfect 4.0."

"Damn," Bradley remarked before biting into his sandwich. 

"Yeah, I liked school," Jake muttered, turning the journal page. "I still like school."

"Is this because of my wife's coworker? Professor Reed?"

Jake met his eyes before looking back down at the notebook he'd been scribbling some questions in. It was only Wednesday. Jessica didn't have office hours until tomorrow. He was nearly finished reading the stack of journals she gave him from cover to cover, and he actually did have some questions for her. Real questions about what he read, not just whether or not he could get her phone number yet. 

"Maybe," Jake replied cautiously. He had already looked up the cost of taking one of her night classes, but he wasn't about to admit to that. "I just like how smart she is. She wrote her thesis on military aircraft propulsion."

Bradley just laughed. "This has nothing to do with how she looks? Sugar told me she's hot."

Jake bristled a bit. "She is hot." He thought back to her mini lecture and how she seemed to be the only physics professor at the school who actually knew how to teach. Then he remembered how cute she was at Chippy's, talking about her subject of study with bright eyes and a smile. 

"Yeah," Bradley said, breaking into his thoughts. "I know how you operate. Each one is hotter than the last."

Jake closed the journal and set the notebook on top of it. "Doesn't matter. She still didn't give me her number. Probably thinks I'm ridiculous." He excused himself with his tray and the journals. 

And by Thursday evening, Jake thought he was pretty ridiculous, too. What was he doing here? He was really going back to her office hours with his notes on the articles like some pathetic puppy? Like he was actually a student with an assignment to turn in? But even though she didn't give him her number, she had invited him back when she wrote her office hours down. 

When Jake started up his truck, he had every intention of turning right at the gatehouse and heading home. But he turned left toward the bay bridge instead.

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

"Dr. Reed. I need help. These problems are hard."

The actual audacity that these students had was just impressive. They came to her office hours and whined about how hard the coursework was. And they did it all the time. 

"Physics is hard, Luca," Jessica replied, loosening her grip on her pencil so she didn't snap another one. "But it would be a lot easier if you attended all my lectures."

"Aww, come on, Dr. Reed," he moaned, sliding his notebook a little closer. "I had to go surfing on Tuesday. Hey, you should come next time. I'll give you lessons if you bump my grade up just a little bit."

"Luca."

"I was kidding," he mumbled, collecting his notebook and the packet of extra practice problems she had given him to work on. "See you next week."

"Bye, Luca," she replied, opening her office door for him. And then her heart started pounding as her eyes caught on the man who was leaning against the hallway wall opposite her door.

"Bye, Professor," Luca said before he set his skateboard down and pushed off with one foot. But Jessica was too distracted by Jake Seresin to remind Luca for the hundredth time that he wasn't allowed to skate in the academic buildings. 

"Reedy," Jake said softly with a tentative smile. She was honestly shocked he was here on campus again. For the third time this week. Apparently he took her note about office hours seriously.

"Jake. I'm surprised to see you here."

He just shook his head slightly and said, "You really shouldn't be."

Her blood felt too hot in her veins as he pushed away from the wall. He was all chiseled jaw, green eyes and immaculate hair, and she was once again left wondering what the catch was. The khaki uniform was back, just like Monday night, and she wondered once again if he came here straight from work instead of stopping home. 

"I'm here for your office hours," he added, taking a step closer to her. He was big and strong and a lot taller than her. And the way she just knew Jake would let her run her fingers along his pins just like she'd done with his patches was making her ears feel warm and fuzzy.

Well, this was embarrassing. She hadn't been gone for a guy this bad in over a year. Not since Brian Conley. But she couldn't even focus on anything else right now, because she was devoting all of her energy to trying to say something intelligent to Jake. Where were all of her quips and clever remarks? She must have left them at Chippy's on Monday night, because she hadn't heard from them since. 

"Come on in," she told him, and she left the note on the small whiteboard in the hallway letting anyone else who might show up know that her office was occupied. "What can I do for you?" 

She didn't mean for that sentence to sound so suggestive, but she noted the pink flush on Jake's cheeks as she closed her door and leaned back against it. He was close but not too close, and his eyes drifted down over her uninspired pantsuit in such an appreciative way that it made her feel like she was wearing a pretty cocktail dress. Or maybe even less than that. 

"You could give me your phone number." 

She smirked at his statement and at the soft Texas drawl. She went to A&M for four years. She could tell he was a homegrown Texas boy who had somehow ended up transplanted in southern California. Maybe a little out of his element, just like her. Maybe trying to forget and move on, just like her.

When her eyes drifted to what he was holding, she asked, "Did you read the article? In Propulsion Science?"

He glanced down at the stack of journals and the notebook in his big hand, and said, "I read them all. Cover to cover. I have some notes and a few questions."

When he glanced back up and met her eyes, she cocked her head to one side. "Seriously? You read all of them?"

"Yes," he replied immediately. 

She walked past him, letting her fingers brush the back of his hand longingly. When she took her seat, he was leaning on the opposite side of her desk with both hands and looking down at her. He already asked for her phone number. Twice. It was a bold move, playing hard to get with a man as handsome as Jake. But the steady rise and fall of his chest and his softly parted lips while he gave her his full attention was addicting. 

"Take a seat," she said softly. "Show me what you have."

He groaned quietly and pulled the other chair a bit closer, and Jessica soon found herself a little warm again. While he wasn't a PhD candidate, his notes on the journal articles were thoughtful and his questions were insightful.

"This journal of physical chemistry had the most interesting article on engine mechanics, but I must admit, I was a bit lost when they talked about the implementation of fuel combustion calculations," he said, holding out his notebook for her to take. "What's your opinion, Dr. Jessica?" 

This was clearly a man who gave great consideration to his aircraft and what he did all day at work. And that was hot. He was smart, and he thought she was smart. And he wasn't afraid to acknowledge either of those things. 

When she slowly stood, she could practically feel his eyes on her body. "It's my opinion that you should read this accompanying article." She turned toward her bookshelf and couldn't help but glance back at him over her shoulder. His gaze met hers right away, and she stumbled a bit in her high heels. She had to steady herself before she reached up to the top shelf on her tiptoes. 

"Allow me," Jake said, and the soft scrape of his chair on the floor was followed by his warm body just inches behind hers. "Which one is it?"

She thought about sliding out of his way. She considered that he'd have an easier time reaching the correct journal if she wasn't also standing in front of the shelf, but she didn't move an inch. "One with a blue spine," she whispered as he reached up past her head and ran his fingers along the journals.

"One of these ones?" he asked, moving his fingers very slowly along the spines from left to right. 

"Mmhmm," she hummed as his chest pressed against the back of her shoulder. He grabbed several journals with blue spines and gently took them down from the shelf and placed them in her hands. His voice was right there next to her ear. 

"There you go, Reedy." 

His big hand brushed her waist before he stepped away from her, and she turned to face him, ready to throw the journals across the room in favor of pulling him closer again. "But they're for you," she said, sounding a little bit out of breath. 

Jake was rubbing the back of his neck now, cheeks flushed as he reached out to take them back. "Right." His voice was rough, and Jessica plopped back down into her seat with very little grace. 

She cleared her throat twice before saying, "The one on the top of the stack has a great accompanying article that you should read. And if you really want to know about the calculations, I can show you sometime."

"I'll read all of them," he replied, eyes soft on her face as she awkwardly adjusted her glasses with the backs of her fingers. 

"I do appreciate a man who reads in his spare time," she whispered. It looked like Jake was ready to jump out of the chair again, and she kind of wished he would. Because she was currently thinking about crawling across the desk and onto his lap, and letting herself touch all of his pins while she tasted his lips. 

She jumped in her chair when there was a sharp knock on the door, and suddenly Jake looked even more flustered. "Come in!" she called out, but she couldn't seem to take her eyes off Jake. 

"Dr. Reed,'' came a gratingly annoying voice from her doorway. It was Dr. Leeland, and he was looking between Jessica and Jake like something deviously untoward was going on in here. But that's what everything thought about her, she supposed. 

"Dr. Leeland, how can I help?" she asked, smiling apologetically at Jake who was now rising out of his seat. Leeland was looking at him like he was trying to place who he was, and Jessica had to hide her smile. She kind of hoped he didn't recognize the man who called him out on his incorrect math during the mini lecture. 

"Need help with my printer," he growled, and Jessica was on her feet now, walking around her desk. 

"Sure," she replied as smoothly as she could with Jake standing right next to her. "I'll be right there."

She watched Leeland shuffle back out into the hallway before she looked up at Jake. "Damn," he whispered. "I thought maybe I'd be able to talk you into another three dollar beer and some peanuts."

She bit her lip and said, "He'll have me in there for at least an hour helping him, guaranteed. So maybe another time?"

"I'll be thinking about it all weekend, Jessica."

Then she reached up and ran her index finger along his name tag, tracing S E R E S I N before tapping his lieutenant insignia gently. And he just let her do it with the softest look in his eyes. 

"Yeah. Me too."

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

On Saturday night at the Hard Deck, Jake was happy to see that Bradshaw and his wife were both there. He knew what kind of beer she liked, so he flagged down Penny at the bar and ordered one along with his own glass of bourbon. Then he sipped his drink as he walked over to her. 

Jake smirked, because she never looked quite happy to see him, but she did accept the beer when he handed it to her. "Thanks," she told him, "but you're not usually this nice to me. What's up?"

He narrowed his eyes. "I'm.... nice."

She chuckled as Rooster walked back over to her after Nat kicked his ass at pool. "You're alright, Jake, but I'm not stupid. I know what you want."

"Sugar," Rooster whined. "You got another beer but didn't grab me one, too?"

"Jake got it for me," she said, pulling the bottle further away when he reached for it. "It's a bribe, but I want to hear him admit it."

She looked at Jake again with a knowing smile, and when she pressed the bottle to her lips, he said, "Fine. It's a bribe. I want you to tell me everything you know about Jessica Reed."

Bradley rolled his eyes and kissed her cheek. "I'll be with Nat."

"So?" Jake said when they were alone again. "Will you tell me? Because that woman is driving me insane, and she won't even give me her phone number."

"Yikes. You can usually seal the deal right away," she said, glancing around the always crowded bar. "I can count like four women here who you've hooked up with."

Jake sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before he downed the rest of his bourbon. "Please?" he asked calmly.

She was quiet as she sipped her beer. "I actually don't know her very well," she said a little cautiously. "I eat lunch with her occasionally, because everyone else seems to avoid her. Especially everyone who works in the science departments."

This was puzzling to Jake. Jessica was the most interesting woman he'd met in a long time. She was even nice to Dr. Leeland when he asked her for help. He honestly couldn't imagine anyone wanting to avoid her on purpose. "You sure she's not just a bit of a loner by nature or something?"

But she just shrugged. "Come on, Sugar," Jake begged, using the name Rooster called her. "Be sweet, and just tell me what her deal is."

She laughed and said, "I like her just fine. I have no problem with her. But whether or not there is any truth behind them, Jessica is the subject of a lot of rumors."

"Rumors?" Jake's mind was immediately swirling. Jessica with her glasses and her high heels and nerdy journals and soft smiles. "What do you mean?"

"I try not to get involved, so I don't know too much. But something definitely went down between her and the head of the chemistry department. And I heard one of the other physics professors call her a slut behind her back."

Jake's grip tightened so hard and so fast on his empty glass, he was convinced he was going to break it. "She's fucking sweet," he growled. "And a damn better teacher than anyone else in her department. And nobody should be calling anyone a slut in a professional setting."

"I don't disagree with you," she said quickly. gently touching his hand. "But you asked. So I told you."

Jake nodded and said, "You're right. I asked. Thank you."

"Sure, Jake," she said softly, turning toward her husband. "And thanks for the beer."

He watched her walk into Rooster's welcome arms. He held her with a laugh while he juggled a pool cue, and Jake felt a pang of jealousy. He never used to mind being the one who was always single, but even he could admit that it would be nice to be around someone who was smart and funny and kind. And have them want to be around you.

By late Sunday morning, Jake decided he didn't actually care about any rumors where Jessica was concerned. He liked her. He could tell she liked him. He kept replaying the way her face looked as she traced his patches and pins with her gentle fingers. 

He couldn't tell if she was playing coy or toying with him, but he would stand there all day long in her office and let her do anything she wanted to him as long as she was looking up at him with that outwardly needy expression. And he wanted to touch her back, run his hands along her hips and pull her close, but he still didn't even have her number. 

But he did still have her San Diego State faculty profile open in his phone browser, and his thumb was hovering over her email address.

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

Jessica knew Monday morning was going to be a struggle. They always were. After a weekend of going out with friends and taking a luxurious Sunday afternoon nap, facing Brian for the weekly faculty meeting was going to be hell. But she got dressed, fixed her hair and put her glasses on. She made sure she was on time. She made sure there was nothing for anyone to complain about when it came to her. 

And just like always, she was sitting off toward the back of the small auditorium alone, sipping some coffee and counting down the minutes until the clock hit 9:00 and she could go up to her office. 

"Now, for those of you who are not on a tenure track yet," Brain Conley said, turning to glance at her, "make sure you pay close attention."

He was such an ass. Just such a handsome looking fucking asshole. Everyone knew that Dr. Nguyen and Jessica were the only two that statement applied to, and this was his first year out of grad school. He was like twenty four. But Jessica looked down the row of seats and smiled at Dr. Nguyen who smiled back while he blushed. And then she listened to Brian drone on and on about excellence in education and involvement on campus. 

By the time she made it up to her office, her coffee had soured in her stomach, and she felt like crying. But she had an hour to pull herself together before she had to teach Physics 103 to a bunch of lazy sophomores. While her computer started up, she opened the newest journal that had been delivered to her mailbox on campus and smiled. Maybe there was something in here that Jake would be interested in. Not that she really expected him to keep stopping by. He would lose interest.

She skimmed the journal index, checking out the article topics as she logged into her school email account. And the newest email right up at the top was from jake.seresin. She pushed the journal aside and squealed as she opened it up, shocked that he had found a way to contact her again.

Dear Dr. Reed,

Thank you again for your excellent journal suggestions. I've read them all cover to cover, and I'm a little nervous to tell you that I think I've become a bit addicted to the subject matter. I find it fascinating to learn more about military aircrafts in general, but visiting your office hours has really piqued my interest in many other things as well. 

I hope you don't mind that I plan on returning on Tuesday night. This time I'd like to try my hand at solving some of the physics equations with you. I'll bring a sharp pencil, but I'll probably skip the skateboard. You didn't seem too keen on that one, and I just find myself wanting you to be impressed by me.

Also, Jessica, this would be a lot easier over text, but I'll play along. For now. Looking forward to your office hours (and hopefully you are, too?).

Jake

P.S.- You should have seen how long it took me to actually type up this email. Your SDSU faculty photo has been continually distracting me for days, and I think I looked at it so long that my email timed out.

She screamed in delight. Jessica clapped her hands over her mouth, pushing her chair back from her desk, kicking her feet. She stared at the screen for a few seconds before she decided how she wanted to respond, and then she just went for it.

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

Dr. Jessica, we would all be kicking out feet, too! More than meets the eye with Jessica... Thanks to @mak-32 and @beyondthesefourwalls

PART 4

@blahehblah

@sotalife

@desert-fern

@furiouspiespytaco

@rosiahills22

@daggerspare-standingby

@je-suis-prest-rachel

@callsign-joyride

@theharddeck

@captain-beskar

@withakindheartx

@roosterscockpit

@whatislovevavy

@rosesreekofoccasion

@hangmanbrainrot

@neferpatra

@sehnsuchts-trunken

@child-of-thedevil

@thedroneranger

@cherrycola27

@mygyn

@hoyaharper

@tallyovie

@gennyanydots

@callsign-magnolia

@whisperofsong

@seriouslyseresin

@double-j

@bradshawsbitch

@sugarcoated-lame

@katiebby04

@anotherr-fine-mess

@supernaturaldawning

@chassy21

@strrywmen

@tylerjones98

@captainjaspenor

@gigisimsonmars

@fanboyswhore9

@angel-w0nderland

@abaker74

@idontcare-11

@isaebellaa

@bringnattolife

@xoxabs88xox

#jake seresin x oc #jake seresin fic #jake seresin fanfiction #hangman x oc #jake hangman seresin #hangman fic #jake hangman fic #hangman seresin #hangman imagine #jake seresin imagine #jake seresin #top gun hangman #hangman fanfiction #jake hangman imagine #top gun fanfiction #top gun maverick fanfiction #top gun imagine #top gun maverick imagine #roosterforme #adult education