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cainanders · 11 months

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wildfire 002

[check here for the first part]

warnings: dirty talk, daddy kink, hand kink, jealousy

A/N: I guess I should give this a name since it’s going to be a few parts. This is gonna give a little more backstory and hopefully clear up some stuff from the previous part. Enjoy, and thank you for reading.

All you are able to think about is the way you felt while talking to Cody. As you dressed for the banquet, you were torn between embarrassment, shame, arousal, and excitement at the thought of your phone call with him. Even as you traveled to the banquet with Ziggler, you tried to make every effort to listen to him talking about the importance of this banquet, honoring someone that you had never met, your mind wandered to the phone call.

You stand on the oversized balcony, looking around at the people drinking and laughing at the tables nearby. Having excused yourself from the conversation Ziggler was having with a group of people you had never met, you found your way to the balcony, noting how quiet it was in comparison to the banquet hall behind you.

Crossing to the railing, you lean over slightly to look at the street below. The banquet hall was on the second floor of the building, and the street was relatively quiet, bringing you the peace you need to once again think about Cody.

You’d met for the first time ten years prior at an arcade, not even bothering to exchange names as it was simply a conversation between strangers. Still, that night, you thought about him, and how if circumstances were different, you might have attempted to spend the night with him. Unfortunately, and at the time, one night stands weren’t of interest to you and Cody was a week away from getting married.

It amazes you how much can change in ten years. Cody had gotten a divorce, worked for multiple companies, and bleached his hair. You’d gone to college, became a freelance photographer, and moved across the country. Now, both yours and Cody’s journeys brought you to the WWE together.

It took you six months to realize that Cody was the one from the arcade. From the moment you were introduced to him by your boss, you knew that you recognized Cody from somewhere but you wrote it off to him being a famous wrestler and you being a casual viewer. Also, the bleached blond hair was a drastic change from the man you had met.

As you stand on the balcony, trying to will yourself to stop thinking of the way Cody’s voice sounded on the phone earlier, you hear someone walking towards you, clearing their throat. You turn around to see the culprit, finding Cody, wearing the maroon suit you loved to see him in.

“Are you hiding from me or from Ziggler?” he asks, a smirk on his lips. You let out a soft chuckle, feeling that tinge of embarrassment in the pit of your stomach at the thought of the phone call.

“Neither,” you reply. “I’m avoiding Sami and Kevin. They try to make me dance.”

“I believe it,” Cody chuckles, stopping a few feet away from you and casually glancing around at the few people on the balcony.

“Listen, I wanted to apologize for earlier,” you say, wringing your hands together as you lean back against the balcony railing. “I should have just sent you to voicemail.”

“Don’t apologize, it was really hot,” Cody laughs. “I would have hung up if I was offended.” You shrug, knowing that Cody has a penchant for always coming up with retorts to everything you say. “If anything, I should apologize to you,” he says, taking a few steps closer to you. “I didn’t even ask if you were into name calling before I called you a slut.”

“I would have hung up if I was offended,” you echo his previous statement, giving him a small grin.

“I knew you were a little freak,” he mumbles. “I know you loved being called that. The way you were moaning…”

“C’mon, Cody, stop,” you chastise him, trying to hide your smile and remain calm. “Anybody could hear you.”

“Alright,” he nods. With a sigh, you turn your back to him, leaning your forearms against the railing and looking out at the city below. “Can I ask you something?” he asks, quietly.

“Is it about the phone call?” you ask.

“Yeah, but…I’ll be discreet.”

“Okay,” you sigh.

“Why did you answer when I called?” Cody’s voice is low, no hints of a playful tone, but more curious. You let out a sigh, biting your bottom lip as you focus on a random car parked on the street below.

“I wasn’t even thinking,” you reply. “My head was so fucking foggy, I just…did it. I don’t really know why.”

“Yeah?” he asks. “Were you thinking about me before I called?”

“Nope,” your reply comes too quickly, and Cody notices.

“Bullshit,” he scoffs. “You answered that way too fast.” He sets his arm on the railing, leaning his weight against it, and tilting his head to try to catch your gaze. “Do you want to know what I did when I hung up with you?” he asks, quietly.

“Did you touch yourself?” you retort, turning to stare back at him. The corner of Cody’s mouth twitches up into a smirk at your words.

“No, I finished my workout,” he says. “Jesus, you’re so dirty. I’m just trying to have a normal conversation, but you have to make everything filthy.” You laugh, dropping your head to hide your eyes from Cody. “What am I gonna do with you, hm?” Cody continues. “ I mean, I can think of a few things, but…”

“Like what?” you push, refusing to look at him.

“I already told you earlier,” he smiles. “If I had been sitting there, watching you while you were fucking yourself, I wouldn’t have let you out of that room until I cleaned you up with my mouth, and then ate you out just to have you squirt again.” You let out a small chuckle, tipping your head to the side to look into his eyes again.

“I’m not a big fan,” you mumble. “I’d rather give than receive.” Cody scoffs, giving a quick shake of his head, as if he’s shocked and not convinced by what you’re saying. When you don’t respond, he narrows his eyes at you.

“You’re actually serious?” You scrunch your face and laugh, nodding your head.

“I’m sure you haven’t heard that one before,” you say. “But it’s just not for me.”

“So, wait a minute,” he says. “Have you ever actually had someone go down on you before?”

“Of course I have.”

“And you didn’t like it?”

“Nope.”

“Well, that just means the guy wasn’t any good,” Cody scoffs. “You need someone who actually knows what the fuck he’s doing.”

“Lemme guess,” you laugh. “You’re talking about yourself?”

“Well, I didn’t say that,” he smirks.

“Just implied it.”

The smile that settles on Cody’s lips is only smug for a moment, but shifts to something softer. When you return his smile, he lets go of the railing, and runs his fingertips over the top of your hand. You gently take hold of his hand, flipping it so it’s palm side up on the railing. You trace an invisible line around his palm, and down to the tips of each finger.

“Cody,” you whisper, looking into his eyes. “I think…”

“Am I interrupting? You look really cozy.” Ziggler’s voice pulls you from your conversation, and you look over your shoulder to see him standing nearby.

“Just talking,” you say, with a sigh, giving Cody an apologetic glance. “Jealous, Ziggy?”

“A little,” he laughs. “I was about to head back to the hotel, are you coming?”

“Uh, yeah, sounds good,” you say. “I’ll see you around, Cody.”

“See you guys,” Cody nods to you and Ziggler.

—————

You’d spent the night with Ziggler in your hotel room. As usual, he was more possessive with you, likely to get out his frustrations from seeing you with Cody. A trait that you had initially liked in Ziggler, now not as appealing as you felt yourself losing interest in your already halfhearted relationship.

The following day, you find yourself along with Cody once again, this time in the center of an empty venue, standing in middle of a ring. You have been photographing other superstars throughout the day, and the fact that Cody is the final photo shoot of the day is not lost on you. When he shows up in his bright blue suit, you know he’s going to make things difficult.

So far, after five minutes of photographing Cody, he has managed to keep the conversation light, but you know him well enough to sense that he’s preparing to flip the switch at any moment. The way his eyes wander over you when you change positions for a better angle, the way he licks his lips, and finally the smirk that spreads across his lips as he presses his back against the turnbuckle. Like clockwork.

“God, I wish I could fuck you in this ring,” Cody mumbles, fingers tightening on the ropes. You hope that he doesn’t notice the quake in your breath when he says this, and you steady your grasp on your camera to mask your surprise. “Pin you down,” he continues, quietly. “Make you beg me. Make you squirt.”

“Maybe we, uh, could do one of the pictures with the…uh,” you try, attempting to change the subject and looking around the ring for the props. “Like, the kendo stick maybe?” You scratch the back of your head, your face heating up so much that you can feel your eyes watering. You knew he was going to tease you, but the way he could put thoughts in your mind always catches you off guard.

“Does he make you do that?” Cody pushes to stay on the subject he brought up. “I know you can. You told me that you did, remember? I heard you do it. Fuck, that was so hot, I’m gonna get hard just thinking about it.”

“Maybe the chair is better for you to have,” you try again to keep him on task, your stomach twisting at his words. “Since you obviously have fucking brain damage from too many shots to the head, you asshole.” You turn back to him, trying to look as composed as possible, but knowing that you are falling short. “You know I’m with Nic,” you say.

“You two aren’t even serious,” Cody laughs. “You just like fucking around.”

“Please don’t presume to know anything about my relationship.”

“Relationship,” Cody scoffs. “Please.”

“Did you ever think that maybe I just don’t want to be with you? Has that thought ever skittered across your mind?”

“That’s bullshit,” Cody laughs. “You’re just trying to save face. You saw me talking to Becky earlier, and you assumed I was flirting, so you got in your feelings.”

“Because I know how you are.”

“She’s not my type!”

“You don’t have a type,” you scoff. “You just flirt, Cody.”

“Yeah, maybe, but what about you?”

“Me?”

“I know Ziggler isn’t the only guy you’ve been with.”

“You think I’m gonna get offended because you pointed out that I like to fool around?” you laugh “I’m not embarrassed, not even in the slightest. And the only person who seems to be in their feelings is you. What’s next, Cody? Are you going to ask me why I fuck with your friends but I still won’t fuck you?”

“No, babe, I already know why you won’t.”

“And why is that?”

“Because it’s easier than trying to make a fucking effort.” You stare at him for a moment, noting that he was no longer smirking; he meant what he said. To your dismay, he was right. “If you wanna sleep around, then do it!” he continues. “I’m not gonna shame you for that. But make sure you’re doing it because you want to, not because it’s simpler than actually trying with someone who could love you.”

“Is that what this is about?” you ask, quietly. Cody shrugs, not breaking eye contact with you. “Maybe you’re right,” you say. “I do feel differently about you than everyone else. But I don’t know, Cody. It scares me.”

“What scares you?” His voice is soft, surprised by your statement.

“You flirted with me that night,” you say. “Ten years ago. A week before your wedding. You still flirt with everyone.” He begins to speak but you shake your head and keep going. “Cody, I can’t fuck you because I know what will happen,” you say, hurriedly. “I’ve felt it every time we get close.” You’re both silent for a moment, staring at one another as you wait for one of you to speak first. “To answer your question, Nic has never made me squirt,” you say suddenly. “The only time I ever did that was that night on the phone with you.” Cody’s smirk returns to his lips, curling up slowly as your words sink in. “My whole fucking body was on fire because of you,” you say. “And yes I was thinking about you before you called, too. But I’m sorry, that’s all I can say right now.”

“Well,” Cody sighs. “When you think you can say more, I’ll be around.” Cody smiles at you, and you snap a quick picture of the grin.

“Cute,” you chuckle. “Maybe you should try holding the sledgehammer.”

“Yeah, sledgehammer is much more fitting for me,” he winks, walking past you to pick up the weapon. “Keep that in mind.” You simply roll your eyes and continue the photo shoot, trying to keep your mind on your work.

You manage to finish the first half of the shoot in the ring without anymore incidents. However, as the two of you make your way backstage for the photoshoot of Cody preparing for his match. While Cody changed from his suit to his tights, you changed out lenses and took a few test shots around the locker room until you hear the man making his way back to you.

“Ya’know, I heard you say something the other day,” Cody says quietly, pulling the roll of tape from his duffel bag.

“What’s that?” you ask, twisting your lens to focus on Cody from where you knelt beside him.

“You said…” he trails off, for dramatic emphasis, sitting down on the bench and turning his head to look down the lens of your camera. “‘Daddy’,” he finishes. You take a picture as he speaks, not having a moment to allow his statement to sink in as you do so. Realizing what he said, you bite your lip and glance around to make sure the others in the locker room were not paying attention. “We’ll circle back to that,” he chuckles, getting your attention again. “Why do you get shy when I talk to you sometimes? I mean, I definitely like it. You act all shy and innocent just for me, but I know what you’re really like.”

“C’mon, Cody, don’t be an asshole,” you chide. “I have shit to do before the show. I’m not your own personal photographer, ya’know.”

“As much as I love the shyness, I also love when you mouth off,” he chuckles. “I’m, like, half-hard right now.”

“Finish getting ready, dickhead,” you mutter, making Cody laugh as he begins to tape his right hand.

You focus on his actions with the camera, watching the way he spreads his long fingers for a moment as he wraps the tape. You snap a picture, but continue to watch his hands through the screen of your camera.

Keeping your camera focused on his hands, you mindlessly continue taking photos of his hands and forearms. Your mind wandered elsewhere, thinking of what Cody’s hands were capable of, and how it would feel to dig your nails into his forearms. You continue to take pictures, unaware that Cody has caught on to your actions.

Still focusing on Cody’s hands, it’s not until he brings his left hand to his lips, licking his index and middle fingers slowly (an action which you photograph) that you snap back into reality. The smirk on Cody’s face is devious, and you feel an overwhelming wave of excitement and embarrassment wash over you all at once.

“We’ll add that to the list of things to discuss later,” he quips.

“Jesus, Cody,” you breathe out sharply, standing up quickly and grabbing your camera bag. “I’m trying to work.”

“So am I,” he replies. “You’re the one being unprofessional.” You can hear the teasing tone in his voice, and you fight the urge to respond in kind, but you are determined to make a point. “Have fun tonight,” he says, pinching your side as he walks past you.

#cody rhodes imagine #cody rhodes x reader #cody rhodes smut

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this-is-a-podcast-fanblog · 22 days

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i need to hear your reasoning on janet coming back and also what you think will / want to happen when she does

Oh boy. Okay, to be completely honest based on Finknoriams' writing, in my heart of hearts I don't think she is going to come back. From a narrative perspective by all rules of how to write a plot, she should, but Fink and Cranor haven't been interested in following the rules of plot for a long time and Brie Williams only became an official writer after that season was already over. And they also said on Patreon that Janet Varney was only booked for a limited number of voice spots as Lubelle. So don't expect her to come back again based on one dyke on Tumblr saying she should. If she does ever return it will likely be years from now when they bring back older material, like what's happening now with Kevin.

However, they SHOULD bring her back, and here's why and here's what I want to happen.

Buckle up.

Narratively, the University of What It Is arc was just unsatisfying. The first time they were ever mentioned was all the way back in year three, when a faculty member named Sylvia Kayyali came to Night Vale while Carlos was in the Desert Otherworld. She told Cecil that Carlos had been missing for several decades. At the time, this seemed to fit into the whole idea of "time doesn't work in Night Vale", especially with the later reveal that time doesn't work in the Desert Otherworld but like, even more so. Except when Janet arrived, she didn't seem to think Carlos had been missing for years. She didn't even seem that interested in Carlos when she first arrived.

Janet's introduction came in the form of a post-credit voicemail, where she said that Kareem Nazari got in touch with the UOWII to tell them about Night Vale. Why would Kareem need to do that if they already knew what Night Vale was? Secondly, when Kayyali came to town over seven years ago, she said that her University had no science department aside from Carlos and ever since he left there were no scientists on staff. So how could Dr. Janet Lubelle, a dedicated scientist with a huge research team, have not only materialized in the University's staff but also become interim dean of their new branch over the course of just seven years?

In writing, there's premise and then there's plot. Sometimes the two don't line up. Take something like Repo the Genetic Opera as an example. The concept of that musical is a world where people can finance their organs from a large corporation called Geneco, which will repossess those organs if the lender doesn't pay. That's a really interesting premise, and the story could use it to talk about Capitalism and the insurance industry. However, the story isn't interested in those things, and it uses its premise as more of a backdrop for the actual story, which is a family drama and a coming-of-age. Just because a writer sets up a premise for their story doesn't necessarily mean that the premise needs to be explored in great depth.

Or, to use another example, take Breaking Bad. When Walter decides he'll start cooking meth for Gus Fring, there's already a lab built, and Gus already has a huge distribution system that he can easily plug Walter into. How he built that lab and got connected to this system isn't really important to the plot, because the plot can't continue if he doesn't have it. He has it because he needs to have it. But the story carefully gives us enough glimpses into Gus's past, his connections with the cartel, and his operation, that it makes sense for him to have this lab and network. It doesn't feel contrived, it feels realistic.

I mean, Night Vale itself sort of follows this idea, at least for the first few seasons. It's a town where every conspiracy theory is true. Why is every conspiracy theory true? Who knows! Here's the weather. Of course, by now the show has been going on for so long that the how and why have been fleshed out a little more, but it's ultimately not important to the story how Night Vale works. Until Doctor Janet Lubelle, who wants to know why everything is the way it is.

That's how she was presented, at least. But again with premise versus plot: the story says that Janet wants to understand why everything is the way it is, the reality shows that she wants to just explain everything away. As such, her motivations are really unclear. And like I've already said, you can have a premise that raises questions without needing to answer them all. The problem is that this season introduces so many questions to the point that they sometimes conflict with each other and ultimately the story of the season just doesn't make sense. This is all wrapped up in "Carlos, Explained", to a degree that doesn't actually make sense.

Q: Why did Kareem Nazari call the University of What It Is?

A: Doesn't matter.

Q: How did Janet get hundreds of scientists to come to Night Vale with her anyway, if Carlos was the only science professor seven years ago?

A: Doesn't matter.

Q: Does Janet want to understand how everything in Night Vale works?

A: No, she's just going to explain things away.

Q: Then does she not care how things work?

A: No, she just wants to prove a point.

Q: What is the point she's trying to prove?

A: That her version of science is better than Carlos's.

Q: And why is she trying to prove that?

A: Because Carlos took away all of her funding years ago.

Q: Then why didn't she come to town years ago if she knew Carlos was here all along?

A: Doesn't matter.

Q: Then why did she wait an entire year to explain Carlos away?

A: Because she wanted to destroy Night Vale first.

Q: But why did she want to destroy Night Vale?

A: To fuck with Carlos.

Q: Then why did she seemingly not care about Carlos at all for the entire year she was there or the entire seven years before that?

A: Doesn't matter.

Q: Then why did her team entirely abandon her if she'd brought them out here for the express purpose of fucking with Carlos?

A: That's not why she brought them out here.

Q: Then why did she?

A: Doesn't matter.

And the problem is that you can continue these circular questions forever. No, we don't need to know exactly how Janet recruited all her scientists or how she became Interim Dean, but her motivations and the story as a whole don't have enough internal logic. The only way to successfully conclude this arc would have been to give it way more time, and that just didn't happen.

But at the end of the day, what was the story of Janet Lubelle actually about? We've talked a lot about concept versus execution. Repo! the Genetic Opera is about taking people's organs for an insurance market, sure, but at the heart, it's about family. Breaking Bad is a story about a meth kingpin, but at the heart it's a story about change. Spirited Away is about growing up. American Gods is about religion and memory. Night Vale is a Jewish folktale and a love story.

What is the story of Janet Lubelle? Is it a revenge story? If it is, it doesn't set up the motivations for revenge, because I'm sorry but one episode where Janet says Carlos stole her funding is not enough of a motivation. Is it a story about how power corrupts? Then you have to give us some inclination of where her power stems from. Is it, as some people have suggested, a story about how a rigid system of conformity tries to erase queerness? Yes, this sounds right at first, but the text doesn't hold that idea up enough when we barely know anything about the University as a whole or Janet as an individual. Is the story just that some people are bad? To be honest, that's not a very interesting story.

I like all of these concepts individually, but they don't come together enough to create a satisfying narrative. Janet Lubelle as a character has a lot of potential, especially since she's the first person to permanently kill off some Night Vale regulars like Sarah Sultan and the Glow Cloud. I think her relationship to the town as an enemy is interesting.

What I would like to see, if she comes back, is exploring her relationship to the town as someone who can't leave. Carlos was a scientist who came to Night Vale with wide eyes and fascination, who fell in love with it easily and decided to stay in spite of his skepticism. It's also strongly implied throughout the show that if the town wants you, it's not going to let you go. I'd love to see Janet coming to terms with the fact that she's stuck in a town she tried to destroy. How could Night Vale challenge her worldview? How could it deradicalize her from her idea that anything unfamiliar needs to be destroyed? Could she accept that Carlos has won again, or would she be a permanent minor antagonist like Kevin, someone to come up and be foiled ever so often?

There's a lot left to explore with Dr. Janet Lubelle. It probably won't be, but I'll happily talk about her anytime someone wants me to.

#long post #meta #my meta #my writing #janet lubelle #sorry op this is probably not the answer you expected but i have a lot of feelings #wtnv #welcome to night vale #the university of what it is

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whorekneecentral · 2 years

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Phone sex with mick 🥵

@daydreamingleclerc tagging you cause I'm on edge every time I drop a Mick blurb and I'm waiting for you to see it -- you're like the New York Times and I'm just waiting for the review

P20 in FP2 was the worst feeling of the day for your boyfriend. You were stuck at home watching and you couldn’t even be there to hold and comfort him.

You had seen his post practice interview, a smile on his beautiful face as always and yet your heart ached for him. You were sitting in the living room when he walked off from his interview, Kevin taking his place and the idea pops into your head.

Rushing to the bedroom, you find one of Mick’s hoodie and pull everything off and replacing it with the hoodie. You hop onto the bed, turning on the camera.

Thank god you decided to wear a matching set today.

The camera wasn’t catching your face but you were recording, your hand sliding down your chest and torso. You were wearing one of his zip ups and it was only half way undone, the blue lace peeking out as you laid back. Your hand sliding down further to between your legs, another piece of blue lace covering your body.

You barely gave him enough to keep him interested, making sure you were sending it to the right person before hitting send with a message; miss and love you.

It wasn’t long before the phone rings. Mick’s name on the screen.

“Hi honey,” you smile, answering the call. You can hear the door slamming shut on his end, the sigh leaving his lips when he sits. “I was in the middle of the paddock when I opened your video.”

“Oops.” You bite back a laugh, Mick smiles to himself. “You’re trouble.”

“You love trouble, especially if it's wrapped up all pretty for you.” Your hand runs down your stomach, fiddling with the lace by your hip.

Mick groans, his head tossed back onto the pillows. “Don’t make this harder, I'm begging you.”

“You're begging?” You ask, amused. “You know I love to hear you beg, baby.”

“It’s the other way around, sweet girl.” He answers, there’s some shuffling and judging by how deep his breathing had got, you knew exactly what he was doing.

“Whatcha doing over there?” you ask, your own hand sliding down between your legs. “Thinking about how pretty you’d look on your knees right now.”

“Is that so?”

He hums, “always looks so beautiful with my cock in your mouth, plus you’re quiet like that,” he chuckles. “Only way to get you to shut up.”

“For someone with a hand wrapped around their dick, you sure are talkative,”

“Says the one with their fingers in them.”

The line is quiet for a minute, heavy breathing and whimpers filling the silence, the two of you knowing that the other was listening was more than enough.

You were thinking about him; his race suit and fireproofs pulled down just enough for him to wrap his hand around his cock, his head tossed back and his bottom lip pulled between his teeth. You thought about what it would be like if you were there, your mouth replacing his hand.

Mick had the image in his head; you laying in bed, his hoodie hanging off your frame and your hand between your legs. He loved to watch you touch yourself, he’d never admit it to you but you always looked so beautiful.

He made a mental note to bend you over in front the mirror when he got home.

“Mick,” your voice calls out to him and he knows, he knows you like the back of his hand.

“That's it, pretty girl. Just like that.” He answers, his voice just enough to push you over the edge, he followed right behind you.

The two of you catching your breath once again, the silence filled the line. “I love you,” Mick says softly.

“I love you.”

#this is one of my favs looool #mick schumacher #mick schumacher smut #favs <3

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jerzwriter · 1 year

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What Happened in Vegas Chapter 4 - We did...

Book: Open Heart (Book 2)

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Casey MacTavish)

Rating: Teen

Warnings: Some suggestive content, limited/not explicit.

Category: Series - AU

Words: 4,575

Series Summary: Casey & her roommates are heading to Vegas, intent on taking down Declan Nash and Panacea, but this time, Dr. Ethan Ramsey is in tow.

Chapter 4: Their hangover was cured quickly when they woke up to shocking news that neither could recall, so what happens next? Ethan & Casey retrace their steps in hopes of something sparking a memory and make some revelations along the way.

A/N: Hey everyone, the dog, the child, and Kevin McCarthy were not stopping me from finishing this today! 😂 Quick note, the laws regarding getting married in Vegas are pretty lax, but you can't merely walk into a chapel and get married, but I took creative liberties. I hope you enjoy the story. @choicesjanuarychallenge - Day 4 - Self-Reflection

Artwork for this chapter by the lovely @/artbyainna.

Catch up here

"MARRIED?"

Moving wasn’t a consideration, so he didn’t even try; after all, it felt as if his bones had turned into lead. Shock was apparent in his voice, but his face was devoid of emotion. Perhaps his flesh was now immobile, too. After this news, anything was possible.

MARRIED.

With the two doctors rendered speechless, the word hung in the air, clanging like a chime in Casey’s ears as she frantically paced the room.

"I know!" She finally replied with a nervous giggle and a racing heart. “It can’t be! It’s impossible! Right?”

Panicking, she silently prayed that this was a joke. After so much turmoil, she and Ethan were finally in a good place. Yes, they had to remain a secret for now, but they were in love and happy. She was confident they had a future together. Yet she was intimately acquainted with every brick she had to dismantle in the wall that had surrounded Ethan’s heart, and she was certain this would have him rushing to rebuild.

"We were so drunk!" she insisted. "They wouldn't issue a marriage license to anyone in that condition…. Would they?"

"I… I…," he stammered. "It is Vegas."

"Look, it’s OK," she attempted to assure. “Everything is fine. Like you said, it’s Vegas… right? Vegas. We can’t possibly be the first couple to drunkenly get hitched. If you can get married in a day, I’m sure you can get an annulment in a day, too, right?”

“I…I’m not sure it works that way.”

“It has to!” She yelled, pulling her phone from her purse. “I’m Googling it right now! You should too.”

But Ethan still couldn't bring himself to move, and the longer he remained in this comatose state, the more unraveled Casey became.

“Ethan!” She yelled, finally causing him to jump. “Take out your goddamn phone!”

“Casey, I think we should….”

“GOOGLE IT!!!”

He knew Casey was right; action was needed. And the first thing he needed to do was to get his girlfriend… uh… wife?… to stop hyperventilating. Gently grasping her shoulder, he pulled her close and kept her in place despite her attempts to squirm away.

“Casey, Casey!” he hollered. “You have to take a breath! We’ll figure this out, but panicking won’t solve anything. Who knows if this is even legitimate?”

“I don’t know,” she worried. “It looks legit.”

“Does it say where this took place?”

“At the Blue Bell Chappel.”

“OK, we have a starting point. Let me call them.”

Casey sat at the foot of the bed as he rapidly dialed.

“Hello, you have reached the Blue Bell Chappel of Love… if you’re hearing this message, we’re making someone’s dreams come true….”

“Or maybe their nightmare!” Ethan muttered.

“Please leave your name and number, and we’ll call you back as soon as they say I do!”

As Ethan left a detailed message just as Casey let out a scream. Clenching his eyes, Ethan turned around with trepidation.

“That can’t be good. What else did we do? Rob a bank? Take a hostage?”

“No. But apparently, you sprung for Blue Bell’s triple diamond package because our ceremony was recorded.”

“Recorded? How… how do you know that?”

Casey tossed her phone in his direction like it was a hot potato. “Because it’s posted on their website!”

“It’s post… it’s posted….”

“Not only posted, but we’re the freaking ‘Couple of the Week’!”

“No,” he breathed. Moments away from hyperventilating, he fought to keep his composure. “Did you see it?”

“NO!” she shrieked. “NO! We have to have it taken down! What if someone else sees this?”

Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose, relieved to hear his phone ring.

“Ethan Ramsey,” he answered.

“Hello, Mr. Ramsey. This is Edna from the Blue Bell Chapel. You left a….”

“EDNA! I think… I think I may have gotten married there last night.”

“You think?” Edna quipped. “I’d assume that’s the sort of thing someone would remember, don’t ya think?”

“Not if they are completely inebriated! And if your establishment actually allowed us to be wed in that state, I assure you, I will have a lawyer on this.”

“Mr. Ramsey, I…”

“DOCTOR Ramsey!” he corrected.

“Not the time to worry about your title, Ethan!” Casey scolded. “Just get them to take the ceremony down!”

“The cer, the cer… YES! I need you to take that down IMMEDIATELY! I insist!”

“You insist?” Edna asked. “Last night you insisted we put it up! You said you wanted the whole world to see it!”

“I WAS DRUNK, EDNA! And now, sober Ethan Ramsey is telling you, you NEED to get rid of that recording!”

“Fine… I’ll delete it.”

“NO!” Ethan gasped. “I said take it down from your webpage… I didn’t say delete it!”

“Why are you so… Wait, what’s going on here? One of you isn't married to someone else, are you? Cause we got laws about those things. Even here in Vegas!”

“No! I’m not married. Well, I might be now. I… I don’t know.”

“Listen, why don’t you come down here? You can watch the ceremony, and maybe being here will jog your memory. But I’m telling you: you and your pretty lady sure weren’t acting like a couple who didn’t want to get married. Come on down. It can’t hurt.”

“I guess it’s a start. We’ll head over now.”

Casey stood next to him with pleading eyes. “Tell me it's all a misunderstanding. We're not married, right?”

“It… it appears we are. Why don’t we head down there, try to piece this thing together… and take it from there?”

Casey diverted her eyes, nodding slowly as she felt the gravity of the situation sinking in. Ethan slipped his hand in hers and started toward the door, but she pulled him back.

“Wait!” she blurted. “Before we go… I have to ask...”

“What is it?”

“Ethan, you’re… you’re not going to break up with me, are you?” she asked with a quivering voice.

“What?” he asked, brow furrowed in confusion as she stood, practically shaking, before him.

“I don’t remember this either. You know that, right? I wasn’t trying to trick you into anything….I hope you know...."

“Casey!” He cupped her face in his hands and brushed away an errant tear. “The thought never even crossed my mind. And why would I break up with you?”

“Because you were terrified to even date me, and marriage… you don’t even believe in marriage. But you know I do. So I don’t want you to get spooked and call things off.”

Ethan's heart sank, and those bones he believed had turned to lead now dissolved into jelly. His body slumped as guilt coursed through his veins. Of course she was frightened; given their history, she’d be a fool not to be.

“Casey, baby,” he whispered. “Whatever happened last night, we were both there, we’re both responsible, and we’ll handle it together. I don’t blame you, and I’m not going anywhere.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, pulling him close.

“One hundred percent. I love you. It took me a long time to admit it, I know, but I am exactly where I want to be. You don’t have to worry…” he smiled gently. “… not about me leaving you, anyway.”

“OK,” she smiled. “I feel a little better.”

“Good. So, can we go?”

“Yes! Please!”

~~~~~

Though they never let go of each other’s hand, the ride to the chapel was filled with tension. Nary a word was uttered until the silence was broken by a stream of unladylike curses falling from Casey’s lips.

“It's Sienna,” she mouthed as she answered her phone. As cheerful as could be, she was about to deliver another stellar performance. It may have taken a little work, but she convinced her inquisitive friend that she was fine... just needed to clear her head, so being with her med school friends was a great distraction. Once she assured her she’d be back for the roommate's celebratory dinner, Sienna relented. But while her best friend may have felt better, Casey only felt guilt.

“I hate lying to her,” Casey sighed.

“I understand, but these are extraordinary circumstances….”

“I don’t mean just now,” Casey snapped. “I’ve hated lying to her about us all along.”

He lifted her hand to his lips and gently kissed her knuckles. He was about to impart some Ramsey-level wisdom when Casey gasped.

“Oh my God! I remember this,” she screamed. “Driver! Are we near the chapel?”

“Sure are! Just a couple of blocks away.”

“Ethan, we have to get out!”

“Here? Are you insane? It’s 102 in the shade today!”

“I don't care! I remember that taco stand from last night. We were driving by, and I said I was hungry and wanted a taco.”

Ethan’s eyes went wide. “You did! And I told the driver to let us out… he hesitated because the security guard told him to make sure we got to our hotel….”

“…. but we insisted we were sober enough to walk the rest of the way! I don’t care if it’s hot. We have to get out!”

Ethan shaded his eyes as he exited the cab, looking for anything that looked familiar. “Some of this is coming back to me.”

“Me too! Now, buy me a taco.”

He turned to her with a scrunched nose, “Are you serious?”

“As a heart attack! If we’re reenacting this thing, it’s go big or go home. Now, get out your wallet and buy me a taco!”

“Considering that we apparently got married last night, I think we already went big, but sure,” he grabbed his wallet. “What kind of taco would you like.”

One hand cradled her elbow as the other rubbed her chin. She studied the menu as intensely as she had studied for the MCATs years before. After several minutes passed, Ethan’s patience was wearing thin.

“Casey! There are eight choices! How long do you need?”

“Ethan! I take my tacos very seriously!”

“I understand,” he exasperated. “But considering the other rash decisions we’ve made in the past 24 hours, this choice seems to pale in comparison.”

Both of their heads turned to the chuckling old man working behind the counter.

“Is something funny?” Ethan asked.

“It’s just that you two sound exactly like you did last night!”

“Wait!” Casey yelled. “Did you serve us last night?”

“Sure did,” he grinned, "and you were just as undecided then.”

“Was I just as irritated?” Ethan smirked.

“You? Nah! You were clinging to her and slobbering all over her shoulder. I don’t think you had a care in the world.”

Ethan ran a hand down his reddened face. “Oh, my God.”

“Oh really?” Casey teased. “So he was being nicer to me then, was he?”

“You can say that,” the man nodded.

“Do you remember what I ended up ordering?”

“You went with the fish taco. And then,” he hesitated, his cheeks turning a bright shade of crimson. “You know what… nevermind.”

“NO!” Casey insisted. “Please! See, we don’t remember everything that happened last night, and we’re trying to retrace our steps, hoping something will jog our memory. Please! We can take it, whatever it is.”

He seemed to squirm as he rubbed the back of his neck, carefully eyeing Ethanto to gauge his potential reaction. Ever the diagnostician, Ethan picked up on it at once and moved to reassure him.

“Please, it could really help us. I don’t care what it is.”

“Well,” he quivered, “you said that you were usually the one who wanted a fish taco, but you didn’t get it at a taco stand….”

Casey held up her hand, unsure if she wanted to laugh or cry. “OK, STOP! Stop! Say no more! We get the idea.”

Ethan quietly slipped on his sunglasses as if they would help him disappear.

“That… doesn’t sound like something I’d say…” he muttered.

“Well, you weren’t exactly sober, pal.”

Ethan turned to Casey in desperation. “Have you settled on a fish taco, so we can leave with a shred of our dignity?”

“It’s Vegas,” Casey shrugged, “no one really has dignity.”

He slapped a few bills on the counter, wondering if it was possible to die of mortification “One fish taco, please!” He couldn’t get away fast enough.

With Casey completely engrossed with her taco, they walked side-by-side to the chapel.

“You know,” she mumbled with a full mouth and messy hands. “On the way back, we should pick up more of these. They’re delicious!”

Ethan shook his head with a chuckle. “Only you would make tacos a priority right now.”

“Hey, when all else fails… tacos are always there for me,” she grinned. But the grin disappeared when she found herself in front of a towering sigh. “Oh, shit. The scene of the crime!”

“The Blue Bell Chapel,” Ethan groaned. “You know, I never pictured myself getting married, but if I ever would have, this is the last place it would be.”

“Well, like the old man said, you weren’t exactly sober. In fact…”

“In fact, what? Do you remember something?”

“YES!” She blurted. “We were walking here, arm-in-arm, and you were laughing… you kept saying how much you loved Vegas, and I reminded you that you hated Vegas.”

“… and I said I didn’t hate it tonight… then we kissed….”

“… and you stumbled and nearly dragged me down with you! We almost crashed into a bride and groom running out of the chapel!”

“YES!” Ethan exclaimed. “And while you apologized, you tripped... and your taco fell to the ground….”

“An absolute tragedy!”

“You apologized to the bride again, and she said not to worry but asked you to take a picture!”

“I took the picture,” Casey said, “I can only imagine how bad it was considering I could barely see straight.”

“Then we waved them off together! I think…” Ethan snapped his fingers.

“You think what?” Casey demanded.

“I may have thrown popcorn at them as they departed.”

“You were definitely drunk! But I remember they were such a cute couple!”

“OK… I’m remembering….”

“Oh my God, so am I!”

Casey couldn’t contain her excitement as the car drove away. Waving frantically, she jumped up and down, coming perilously close to falling.

“They are so cuuuuuuute! Ethan, aren’t they cuuuuuuute?”

But Ethan had lost all interest in the departing couple. His eyes were fixed on his girlfriend’s… uh… assets… as she bounced away.

“Uh… yeah, cute! So… so cute….” he sputtered.

“Are we that cute, Ethan?” Casey asked, falling into his arms with a grimace. “I don’t know if we’re that cute.”

“What? We’re cuter!” He insisted.

“We are?”

“Yes… and… and sexier, too!” Lifting his arms to show off his muscles, he spun around on unsteady legs. “Look at me! This… is… sexy!”

Casey only stopped laughing long enough to wolf-whistle, then she shimmied seductively in his direction. "Am I sexy too?" she asked. Ethan didn’t answer with words, but the lecherous smile on his lips as his hands began to run over her every curve provided all the answers she needed.

An elderly couple passing by appeared to be equal parts entertained and repulsed by the tipsy couple. The man laughed and yelled, “Get a room!”

“But have him put a ring on that hand first,” his wife winked, and they were on their way.

Casey let out a long sigh. “I did make it entirely too easy for you, didn’t I?”

“What do you mean?” Ethan asked, still pawing at her.

“I was always there when you wanted me… always waiting,” she slurred. Pulling back, she grabbed his face and ran her hands through his hair. “But I loved you, Ethan,” she said far more earnestly. “I loved you all along.”

He looked at her intently, with a thoughtful expression on his face. He couldn’t get over how beautiful she was, not only tonight but always. And not just physically, but in every possible way. She waited for him. She was willing to lie to her best friend for him. And she loved him like he’d never been loved before.

“Ethan,” Casey laughed, shaking him back to reality. “What are you thinking?”

“Marry me.”

Casey appeared shocked but was certain it was a joke. “Sure, let’s just mosey in here and get hitched.” she laughed. She took his hand and began to drag him away from the chapel, but he tugged at her arm, stopping her in her tracks.

“That’s what I'm suggesting. Let's do it."

She looked at him as if he had lost his mind, even in an inebriated state. She knew this didn’t sound like Ethan.

“OK, jokes over,” she smirked. “Let’s go.”

“I’m not joking,” he insisted. “I love you… you love me… I never want to be without you, and look!” He pointed dramatically toward the chapel door. “We stopped here. Not in front of a burger joint, or a strip club, or a casino, but here. It’s a sign, Casey.”

“You’re serious?”

“I am,” he suddenly dropped to both knees and let out a small yelp. "I’m serious. Marry me, Casey!”

Her confused look on her face disappeared, replaced with a smile that rivaled the lights on The Strip; she pulled him to his feet and flung her arms around his neck.

“Let’s do it!” She beamed. “Yes! Let’s do it!”

“So,” Casey swallowed. “That was how it happened.”

“It appears so.”

“But, we were so drunk," she whined. "Aren’t there laws against marrying people in that condition?”

“It’s Vegas, Case. I don’t think that matters much.”

“Well,” she swallowed. "Let’s go inside and face the music… or at least Edna.”

~~~~~

Casey clung to Ethan’s arm as they entered. Both were rendered speechless by the blend of gauche Grecian and Baroque décor surrounding them.

“I swear to God, if a cupid comes flying out at us,” Ethan grumbled.

“You’re right," Casey laughed. "This is the last place on earth that you’d get married.”

“I’d assume the same would be true for you?” he asked with a raised brow.

“Nah, I’m way more fun than you. This was always a possibility for me.”

They did their best to keep the mood light, but they were disappointed. The tacky décor may have garnered laughs, but it didn’t spark a single memory. Luckily for them, their conversation with Edna did glean some insight. For example, Ethan had, in fact, sprung for the triple diamond package, as Casey had suspected.

“You insisted… only the best for your bride,” Edna assured. “In fact, I was going to call you two today. You were in such a hurry to get out of here you left this behind.”

Casey reached over the counter and took a small blue gift bag from Edna’s hands.

“What is this?”

“All part of the package. Your wedding album and a link to the recording of your ceremony… don’t worry… it’s passcode protected now; the passcode’s in there. There is also a gift certificate for a cake from Sinful Sweets.”

“I do like cake,” Casey replied, almost sadly.

Edna looked between the two inquisitively.

“You know, for what it’s worth, you two are the last couple I expected to see back here with buyer remorse… and I’ve been doing this for a long time. I thought you were really in love….”

“We are in love,” Casey defended. “We just…”

“… weren’t planning on getting married,” Ethan finished.

“Well, if you were drunk, the state of Nevada allows you to get an annulment pretty easily. Given your call this morning, I also threw a pamphlet with information on annulments in your bag."

"Do you toss that into these bags often," Ethan simpered.

"You'd be surprised. But you know… sometimes life brings us to the place we are meant to be, even if we don’t realize it.”

“And sometimes people get drunk and make rash decisions,” Ethan countered. “But thank you for your help.”

~~~~~

After another somber taxi drive deposited them back at their hotel. They entered separately, careful not to be seen together. Once they were both inside his room, they kicked off their shoes and fell into bed. The excess alcohol from last night and the emotional shock of today were beginning to take their toll.

“We should have stopped and gotten our free wedding cake on the way back,” Casey lamented.

“Do you think of anything other than food?” Ethan asked.

“Sure,” she rolled over and faced him with a smile. “I think of you.”

She could see the tension leaving Ethan’s face with her words; reaching over, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“I know we’re tired, but I suppose we should watch this thing.”

“I suppose,” Casey replied nervously. “I have a feeling it’s going to be a hot mess.”

“I’m not expecting to see the two of us at our best,” he concurred.

“As long as we’re not like Ross and Rachel. I don't want to see Ethan scribbled across your forehead or kitty whiskers on you.”

“And I'd like to be the only one with a mustache,” he chuckled.

They both shifted, leaning against the pillows as Ethan took out his phone for them to watch.

“Let’s get this over with,” Casey mumbled.

“Before we do…” he said, taking her hand. “I want you to know I love you, and no matter what we see on this, it doesn’t change that.”

Casey let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding, then reached over for a tender kiss.

“I love you, too, and nothing will change that. But, let’s pull off the bandaid and watch this thing.”

They expected the worst, and it sure started out that way.

Casey tipsily walked down the aisle, bordered by large Grecian columns fashioned of the finest plastic money could buy. Clutching her bouquet in both hands, she teetered on her heels after every few steps. But there was no denying the enormous grin on her face.

“That’s what I get for doing this without my parents,” she sighed.

When she reached Ethan, the two of them broke into a fit of giggles. Stopping only when Ethan spoke.

“You look really, really cute,” he sputtered, causing the two of them to laugh even more.

“Oh, God, this is going to be painful,” he moaned. But Casey shushed him as the officiant began to speak.

“Dearly Beloved, we come together today to join this man and this woman in matrimony. Is there anyone present who knows of a reason why this marriage should not take place?”

“Pffft,” Casey chuckled. “You’re the only one here! If you don’t object, I think we’re good.”

“Uh, you also have me,” Edna hollered from behind. “You need a witness, ya know.”

“So, do you have any reason why we shouldn’t be wed?” Ethan asked.

“Nope. Not a one.”

“Good,” he turned to the officiant with a stern glare. “Then let’s get on with it.”

“Oh, boy…” Casey muttered.

“Do you, Ethan, take this woman to be your wife, to live together in matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”

“I do,” he replied, with the softest smile on his lips.

“And do you, Casey, take this man to be your husband, to live together in matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”

“I do,” she beamed.

“Then repeat after me, I Ethan, take you, Casey….”

“Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute,” Ethan interrupted. “I’m sorry, I can’t do this.”

“You… you what?” Casey frowned.

“No! Not the wedding, we can do the wedding; but I can’t marry you without saying something first. Casey, you know how much I love you; at least, I hope you do. You came into my life unexpectedly, and you were such a pain in the ass, but that’s honestly the best part about you. That strong, spunky, never give up attitude is what got us here… it certainly wasn’t me. If I had let you go, I would have spent the rest of my life regretting it and living with what a fool I had been. I love you, Casey; thank you for making me see what my heart knew from the start… that you are worth any risk.”

“Awww,” Casey cried, instinctively leaning forward to kiss him.

But that was met with the officiant loudly clearing his throat. “We’re not at the point where you can kiss yet,” he scolded.

“Oops! Sorry!” Casey apologized.

“Again… repeat after me, I Ethan, take you, Casey….”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Casey interrupted.

“Again?” the officiant growled.

“Excuse me!” Ethan shouted. “I paid for the triple diamond package, so if my bride wants to interrupt, she can interrupt.”

The officiant looked back to Edna, who merely shrugged. “He’s got a point!”

“Thank you,” Casey demurred. Reaching up, she gently caressed Ethan’s cheek, her eyes brighter than he had ever seen before. “You know, when we met, I wasn’t looking to fall in love any more than you were. It wasn’t on my agenda. My residency, my career… they were my focus… they had to be… because I want to be the best… just like you. But it didn’t take me long to realize that sometimes life can take a detour. It can put us on a road we never expected to take, then it leads us to the most beautiful place… one we would have never experienced if we didn’t make that unexpected turn. You’re my beautiful place, Ethan. And I hope you always know just how much I love you.”

Ethan’s face was aglow as a single tear trickled down his cheek. Pulling Casey close, he went to kiss her when….

“AHEM!” The officiant was growing tired.

“Sorry,” Ethan smiled. “But could you get through the rest quickly? We’d really want to kiss.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” he grinned and went on to oblige Ethan's request. Within moments, the ceremony was nearing it's end.

“By virtue of the authority vested in me under the laws of the State of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife. And, at long last, you may kiss your bride.”

The Wedding March march blared from the speakers overhead as Ethan and Casey shared a passionate kiss under the fistfuls of confetti and rose petals, tossed their way by Edna.

Casey tapped Ethan’s hand, and he stopped the recording on the phone. Both overcome, they lay next to each other without saying a word.

“Well,” Casey said after several moments passed. “That wasn't what I expected.”

“No,” Ethan agreed. “It wasn’t what I anticipated either.”

“Do you need to be drunk to speak so sweetly to me, Dr. Ramsey,” she teased.

“Really?”

“I’m just kidding. You’ve come a long way.”

With a deep sigh, Casey sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed the blue bag from the chapel. Pulling out the annulment pamphlet, she began to read.

“Well, Vegas may let you marry in a day, but it looks like it takes up to three weeks to get out of it.” Tapping the brochure nervously in her hand, she began to stand. “I suppose we should start the process right away. Maybe before we leave, we should stop....”

But her words and movements halted when Ethan reached out and tugged her arm. She turned to him with a questioning look as he took her hand.

“What if we don’t….” he asked, as her eyes opened wide.

“What?”

“What if we don’t. Casey, stay married to me.”

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angelofthenight · 2 years

Text

Cardigans in August Pt.4

(Bruce Yamada x Reader x Vance Hopper)

Summary: During the summer after a fight, (Y/n) cheats on Bruce with Vance. When school starts again Vance thinks he finally has (Y/n) until she tries to win Bruce back.

Warnings: Angst, Love triangle, Cheating, Breakup, Emotional breakdown, Sad!Bruce, Swearing, (Y/n) isn’t a very good person

Word Count: 2.4k

Parts: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

(I changed up the ages for the characters. So while Vance, Bruce and (Y/n) are highschool seniors, Finney and Robin are sophomores and Gwen is a freshman)

“Chase two boys, lose the one”

“Slept next to him, but I dreamt of you all summer long”

“'Cause you weren't mine to lose”

Finney Blake walked side by side with his little sister Gwen once they left school grounds after the school day. They talked about the latest things happening in town like how they were replacing everyone’s favorite bookshop with a seafood restaurant, how Gwen’s math teacher was a total know-it-all, how one of the girls in Finney’s grade was already pregnant, and eventually about Vance Hopper’s latest fist fight.

“-and Vance hadn’t even touched that pinball machine all summer. So I guess that guy, Kevin, thought it was okay to use it yesterday. But of course he chose the day that Vance came back. He looked to be in a way worse mood than usual, like he seemed to be fuming about something.” Finney continued his story of his eye witness report. “Then Vance lifted him off the ground and threw him to the floor, it was like WWE wrestling.”

All the talk of Pinball Vance reminded Gwen of the rumors she overheard in her homeroom. Her eyes lit up and she looked over to her brother. “Oh my god, speaking of Vance, did you hear that he’s with (Y/n) (L/n) now?”

Finney’s brows furrowed, trying to match the name with a face. “Bruce Yamada’s girlfriend?” “Mmhm.” Gwen hummed in confirmation before making a face that basically said she didn’t know as much as she let on. “Well… or that (Y/n)’s cheating on Bruce with Vance.”

Finney frowned at Gwen’s words. He didn’t know (Y/n) very well but she came to baseball practice a couple times with Bruce. He’d awkwardly talk to her a few times and she was always super nice and friendly, and based on how he saw her act with Bruce she seemed to adore her boyfriend in every way. So he tried to give her the benefit of a doubt. “How do you know?”

“Everyone’s talking about it.” Gwen shrugged. “Some girls in my homeroom were talking about how they heard that they were all over each other at the carnival.” She said, moving her hands around to put emphasis on what they were doing at the carnival. Finney opened his mouth to refute but was cut off by another voice nearing from behind them. “Finn! Gwen! Wait up!” The siblings stopped to turn around to see Robin running up to them. Once caught up, the three began walking together.

“What’re you guys talking about?” Robin asked straight away. Gwen answered before Finney had the chance to change the subject. “How Vance and (Y/n) are hooking up behind Bruce’s back.” “It’s just a rumor though.” Finney shot down, shaking his head at Robin.

Robin chuckled. “No way, dude. I saw them over the summer with my own eyes.” He said, pointing two fingers at his eyes. Gwen’s face lit up in curiosity, practically dying for the gossip. “Really? What were they doing? Did you see them at the carnival too?”

“When my family and I went to the beach, I saw them kissing under the docks. Hands rubbing all over one another, total french kissing, and practically dry humping each other.” Robin laughed a bit after he said the last part. “And I also saw them kissing at the park while I was walking home one night.” He added with a matter-of-fact tone.

Finney looked to the ground as his eyebrows curved up with sympathy. ‘Poor Bruce…’

Bruce tucked his mitt under his arm as he walked across the baseball field during practice. Out of the corner of his eye he saw several of his peers staring, snickering. He glanced down to make sure he didn’t have some stain on his uniform he didn’t notice. He didn’t.

Maybe it was just him being paranoid but throughout the whole week people have been giving him weird looks, some looked pitiful and some looking humorous. Groups would eye him then whisper to each other as he passed. It was like everyone in the school had some inside joke about him. He hated it. What did they put in the Denver water during the summer while he was away?

The second half of the baseball team who sat on the bleachers for the first three rounds switched with the second half who were on the field. Even as he passed his own teammates they would give him lingering, knowing looks. He walked up the bleachers to take a seat as the new people on the field set up their positions for practice.

Finney took a seat just one row down from him. “Hey, Finney.” He greeted. Finney turned to look over at him. “Oh, hey.” He greeted back before looking back away. An awkward silence invaded them as Finney rubbed his knees, trying to think of a conversation starter. He impulsively chose the first option that sprung into his mind.

Finney turned in his seat to look up at Bruce with a consoling expression. “Um, sorry about (Y/n). I heard about what happened.”

Bruce rose a bewildered brow alongside an unsuspecting frown. “What do you mean?” Finney tensely shrugged, slightly shaking his head trying to jog Bruce’s memory. ‘Poor guy’s so heartbroken he’s trying to play dumb.’ “You know, with Vance over the summer?” Bruce’s brow lowered to shift into a glower, slightly getting irked over how lost he was. “What are you talking about?”

“Them hooking-” Finney stopped himself abruptly. After seeing Bruce’s clueless reaction, Finney’s face slightly cowered and he began to regret his words. Bruce didn’t know. For a fleeting second, he saw an out and considered immediately bolting from the area. But instead he quickly said, “Nevermind, it’s just a rumor.” He pondered if that made things better or worse. But Bruce already caught onto what Finney was saying.

Bruce’s lips parted from each other, feeling his chest tighten around his quickening heart rate. Was Finney really saying that- Is that why everyone had been giving him weird looks? He almost felt humiliated over how much ground the rumor spread to. Would you really…? He felt his face sink into the appearance of a sad clown but he donned a poker face as quickly as he could manage. He could be upset later, in private.

He cleared his throat and stood up from where he was sitting. “I… I gotta go. I can’t be out past curfew.” He blankly said despite not even having a curfew. He felt lightheaded as he walked down the steps so had a hand on the railing for support. He hopped off the bleachers and immediately started walking away from the baseball field, ignoring his coach calling out for him.

Finney bit the inside of his cheek and felt guilt wash over him as he watched Bruce walk away. He regretted opening his big mouth but tried to comfort himself by saying he had a right to know.

After getting a call from Bruce saying where he was, that he needed to see you and that it was urgent, you biked over to his location. He was close enough to not drive but far enough to not walk so you resulted to biking. You hopped off your bike once you reached the road and walked around the corner to see Bruce in his baseball uniform sitting on the curb next to the phone booth with his head hung low.

A foreboding feeling creeped into your stomach but you quickly smiled and called out to him. He lifted his head to look up to you. He didn’t smile. That feeling began to feel haunting. He stood up to walk over to the brick wall of the small shop that was beside the phone booth, you rested your bike against the wall. You both leaned on your sides against the wall, facing each other.

“So, how was your summer?” Bruce simply asked. You felt a nervous, sick turn in your stomach but you forced yourself to think logically. If you and Vance didn’t tell anyone, how on earth would he know. “It was good. Went to the beach once and went to the carnival.” You said, trying to make it vague yet casual. “Cool.” Bruce said, nodding. A fog of silence passed before he dropped a haunting question.

“What’d you and Vance do together?”

Your heart dropped right down to your stomach, your senses spiking so alarmingly fast you felt as if you had been tased.

Bruce studied your reaction and by seeing your pupils shrink and your smile twitch downwards, he knew the rumors were true. “Oh my god.” He breathed out, horror gripping him tightly. He began to lose balance on his feet as he swayed and stumbled. “Oh my god. I didn’t want to believe it.”

The look on his face as he stared at you hurt worse than that one time you got a huge, nasty gash on your thigh when you slipped down a hill during a hike. Bruce cradled you so warmly that day as he gently treated your wound, kissing your cheek every pained sound you let out. But now he wouldn’t be kissing your cheek as the pain engulfed you. But you knew better than to think you were hurting anywhere near worse than Bruce.

Bruce slowly backed away from you with a look of utter betrayal and heartbreaking shock. You’d take a step towards with a hand reaching out for his arm but he took another step back. His eyes looked blurry as they became glossy with welling tears. His waterline was holding the tears up in his eyes for dear life.

“(Y/n)… did you.. cheat on me?” His voice broke, a fitting reflection of the way his heart was feeling.

“No!” You impulsively yelped but then retreated to a weaker tone. You didn’t have it in you to tell a pretty lie to his face but you also didn’t have it in you to tell the ugly truth out loud. “Well, I-I just-”

“Don’t lie to me, (Y/n). Please don’t lie to me.” He asserted, his voice falling apart into desperation as his frown quivered like a leaf.

You pursed your own lips together, guilty tears forming at the corners of your eyes. “…It’s true.” You said just above a whisper. Bruce stared at you as an exhale escaped his throat, like he had been stabbed. Figuratively, he was; stabbed in the back. “We’re done.” He glumly said with an aghast undertone. He turned around just when a tear finally escaped and rolled down his cheek as he began to walk away.

You tried to ask him to wait, but your words caught in the back of your throat, unable to be heard. You tried to mentally and ignorantly tell yourself that he might be fine, that he would likely bounce back as he always does, and things would return to normal the very next time you see him on Monday. But a haunting feeling deep in the pit of your nauseated stomach told you you were terribly wrong to assume that…

Bruce’s pillow became wet very quickly from his tears. After all that time he had just been fooling himself. He wished he could go back to when he thought he knew everything. Because now he was starting to think that everything he thought he knew was a lie.

He thought you were in love with him just as he was with you. Were you actually just stringing him along all this time?

“What a sick joke!” He spat bitterly. If you even gave a damn about him, you could have told him yourself in private. Or better, break up with him before deciding to run off with another guy and save him the humiliation of being cheated on after mountains of effort to get you into a relationship with him.

He sat up to his knees on his bed, his hair was a mess and his eyes were red and puffy from continuous tears that left streak stains on his cheeks. He threw a punch at his pillow. Then another. Then another. Then another until he grabbed his pillow to repeatedly slam it on his mattress. “Fuck you, (Y/n)! Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you! And fuck Vance!” More tears streamed down his grimacing face. “Fuck all your lies! Fuck your promises! Fuck your ‘I love you’s! Fuck your fake kisses!”

He wished he could break your heart the same way you shattered his. In all honesty, he would never actually do it. But just to have the option is all he really wanted, to know that you even cared enough to be bothered by his absence. But you didn't...

“Fuck your stupid, pretty face! Fuck your soft eyes! Fuck that cute, ugly laugh you only do around me! Fuck how supportive you are! Fuck your good time management! Fuck your stupid clothing style! Fuck your dumb jokes!”

His voice was shaking and breaking as he cursed all the things he loved about you. These thoughts were like pieces of glass inside him, cutting him deeper every time he breathed. The wound was flowing like a flood from his heart and he had no way to ease the pain.

All he could do was imagine what could have been if he had that ability within him. But no matter how he tried to comfort himself with fantasy, the only thing his mind would replay is the heartbreak he was subjected to. He was a record player, thrown away and stuck on the same song, repeating over and over. There weren't words to describe how he felt. What you did... it was just-

“Cruel…” You squeezed your eyes shut from the emotional turmoil. “God! What I did was horrible! And so stupid!” You wished you could take back what you did. You were just in a touch starved and weak state of mind and acted on foolish impulse. Not in a million years would you purposely try to alienate someone who cared for you so deeply. You were stressing the entire weekend, even wondering if you should call him to explain yourself but you knew he would just hang up as soon as he heard your voice.

You knew you had crossed the line, and you had no idea how to go about making it up to him.

#Spotify #the black phone imagine #the black phone x reader #the black phone #reader insert #vance hopper imagine #vance hopper x reader #vance hopper #bruce yamada x reader #bruce yamada #Bruce yamada imagine #love triangle #folklore love triangle #folklore #taylor swift #Betty #august #cardigan

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keanureevesisbae · 2 years

Text

Kevin Atwater x fem!reader

Summary: Kevin Atwater loses his badge, however a very unexpected someone brings it to the station.

Wordcount: 742

Warnings: None

masterlist // one chicago masterlist //

Kevin hated himself for how he got so nervous around her, but after what happened today, he royally fucked up. He lost his badge. He has no idea how the hell he managed to lose his badge, therefore he also doesn’t know where to start looking.

This morning he had it. Now he doesn’t anymore.

Kevin sits behind his desk, thinking about all the places he could’ve left it.

‘Atwater,’ he hears the voice of Trudy Platt and he fears the worse. Her coming all the way up into Intelligence, she must’ve have something on his ass and if it’s badge related, he’s going to hear from it for eternity.

‘Yeah, sarge?’ he asks, looking up from his work.

‘You got a visitor and she’s a cute one. Brought me a coffee, like the real saint she is.’

And behind sergeant Platt, the woman of the cafe he always goes to was standing. It was weird not seeing her wearing the cafe apron, but a thick coat over her frame, as it was freezing outside. ‘Hi,’ she says.

This is not the time to stammer, especially with the entire team, including sergeant Voight standing in the bullpen, watching his every move. ‘Hey,’ he says and he applauded himself for the good start. He stands up from his chair and makes his way over to her. ‘What… How… What are you doing here?’ Kevin asks as he’s closing in on her.

‘I figured your team could use some coffee. I brought a few different things,’ she says, holding up the carton holders. ‘I wrote down on each cup what it contains, so I hope I’ve got something for everyone.’

‘Yo Kev,’ Ruzek says, ‘where and why have you been hiding this girl. This is amazing.’ He’s quick to introduce himself to her and it’s actually the first time Kevin hears her name.

He has been crushing on the woman behind the counter of his favorite cafe for quite some time now. He usually drops by Monday through Thursday, since she’s only working on those days.

As the rest of the team is introducing themselves to her, before they grab a coffee, she gently pulls him to the side. ‘I’ve got something for you,’ she says. She holds out something and that something is his badge.

The one he lost.

‘You found it?’ he asks, which is a stupid question. ‘Where?’

‘You left it on the counter,’ she tells him. ‘I managed to pry it out of a kleptomaniacs hand and figured you wanted it back.’ She lowers her voice as she adds: ‘Discreetly.’

He smiles in relief. ‘Thanks,’ he says. ‘This… This saved my ass.’

‘Well, thankfully I listened to you carefully, as you stuttered your way into impressing me every morning.’

He hated how accurate that was. ‘I see.’

‘Well, if your team asks about us,’ she continues, ‘and I suspect that they will, you can tell them how we’ve been on a few dates. So… It will not be awkward for you.’

Platt was right. She’s a saint.

‘Really?’ he asks.

She nods. ‘Yeah, I figure your team could give you a hard time for losing it. There is just one condition.’

‘Anything, I owe you big time.’

‘You’re taking me out, preferably tomorrow night, if—of course—you don’t have a case.’

Kevin has to admit: this woman is admirable. The more he gets to know of her, the more he starts to like her. ‘You think in solutions,’ he notes.

She smiles. ‘Luckily for you, I do.’ She stands on her tippy toes and presses a kiss on his cheek, causing his skin to buzz. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow in the morning when you’re picking up your coffee. If it’s okay with you, I’ll be wearing a light green dress for our date.’

‘That’s all good,’ he says, feeling at ease with the woman, when usually he was nervous. She squeezes his hand, handing him a card with her name and number on it and then says her goodbye to the others.

Kevin stares at the badge in his hand, together with the card, after he watches her go down the stairs.

‘Kev, can we have her deliver coffee for us everyday?’ Halstead asks. ‘You get your kisses, we get our coffees. It’s a win win.’

Burgess smiles. ‘And maybe some more information about this mystery lady.’

He chuckles. ‘Let’s just solve the case and enjoy the coffee, ‘kay?’

+ + + +

Chicago PD taglist: @acdassenza // @wanniiieeee

#bade of honor #chicago pd #chicago pd drabble #kevin atwater #kevin atwater x reader #kevin atwater x fem!reader #kevin atwater fluff #kevin atwater drabble #kevin atwater imagine

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twistedtummies2 · 4 months

Text

Year of the Bat - Number 21

Welcome to Year of the Bat! In honor of Kevin Conroy, Arleen Sorkin, and Richard Moll, I’m counting down my Top 31 Favorite Episodes of “Batman: The Animated Series” throughout this January. TODAY’S EPISODE QUOTE: “I’m a civic-minded citizen, with a lot of time on his hands!” Number 21 is…The Clock King.

Some of the best supervillains in “Batman: The Animated Series” weren’t necessarily characters who appeared time and time again. Sometimes they only showed up a couple of times, and that was honestly enough. The Clock King, titular antagonist of this episode, is a great example. The character was actually invented as part of another superhero’s Rogues Gallery – namely Green Arrow – but ever since the version played by Walter Slezak in the 60s series, at least, he’s often been confused for a Batman rogue, as well. This episode updated the character in a way that many agree is superior to the original found in the comics, and has been influential in later portrayals to this date. The story begins with a man named Temple Fugate, a businessman whose company is under serious trouble with a multi-million dollar lawsuit against him. If he loses the court hearing, it will mean his financial ruin. Hamilton Hill, an acquaintance on Fugate’s regular railway commute, suggests that Fugate should relax before the hearing, and recommends taking his usual coffee break at a different time. Fugate decides to take the advice…and a domino effect of accidents leads to not only the destruction of his company, but the end of any shred of sanity the man has left in his head. Years later, in present day Gotham, Hill is now the Mayor of the City, and is running for a re-election. Fugate appears as the self-proclaimed “Clock King,” a villain hell-bent on humiliating and then destroying the Mayor, whom he blames for all his woes. Batman must find a way to stop Fugate, as the Clock King’s crimes grow increasingly more brazen and dangerous. What I love about the Clock King is the way the motif of time is used in the story. The original villain in earlier interpretations was a very gimmicky character; I’ve always enjoyed the character, but I think it was primarily due to this version and the one in the 60s series that I really fell in love with the concept. Clock King, in this series, isn’t so much a guy who uses clocks as a gimmick, but is instead a living clock himself. He’s the world’s most nightmarish case of OCD, who has to make sure everything is neat, tidy, punctual, and efficient at all times. Why is this a threat? Because he knows when a train will be passing by X spot at Y time, and knows how to get down off a building and onto it without breaking a sweat. Because he knows the exact spot to stand, and when to stand there, in order to avoid being crushed by falling rubble. Because he knows exactly when to dodge a punch, when to retaliate with an attack of his own; his mind is a computer that can calculate every single action and motion down to a fraction of a second. As the series so often did, in other words, it took a character who had before seemed like something of a joke, and made him into a compelling and dangerous opponent. Alan Rachins, the voice actor for the Clock King, is also a big part of the character’s staying power. He’s just so wonderfully snide, for lack of a better way of putting it; while you do feel a bit sorry for Fugate due to his opening origins, he’s also just a wonderfully smug and smarmy sort of character. You kind of want to punch him in the face, but in the best possible way, and it never takes away from his menace as a character. The design is also really great; very simple, but very striking, with the watch-face glasses and the cane that resembles a minute hand. It’s easy to see why this version of the character caught on, both in and out of comics: sometimes just knowing the right time for everything can almost be a superpower in and of itself.

Tomorrow we move into the Top 20 of the countdown! Hint: “Why couldn’t you just let me make-believe?!”

#list #countdown #best #favorites #new year's special #year of the bat #top 31 btas episodes #btas #batman: the animated series #dcau #dc #batman #animation #tv #number 21 #clock king #temple fugate

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spaceorphan18 · 5 months

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Imagine my surprise hearing a familiar voice on this week's podcast!!!! Congratulations to you!! How did you get that call?!?

Hi Teach!!

Yay, thank you!

Okay, so here's the story --

Three-ish weeks ago, I get a somewhat random message from one of the Scarves and Coffee moderators if I'd be interesting talking to the producer of the podcast. I was kind of -- huh?? The Mod in question, who is a lovely person, doesn't follow me, nor do I know them, so I kind of thought it was a joke at first.

But being curious, I said okay - and she sent the producer my email. The producer replied almost immediately. And, ngl, I was in shock, because I didn't expect to get a reply at all. (Honestly, I think with the strike dragging out as log as it did, they were beginning to get desperate for content. And, idk, maybe Kevin's interest in fanfiction pushed them onto doing it? I have no idea.)

Anyway - we traded a few emails, and then the producer asked if she could call. Ngl, I googled her just to make sure this wasn't a prank. Sure enough - she seemed legit, so I gave her my phone call.

The producer of the show was actually really nice. She was/is a Glee fan, (and probably more in the know than Kevin and Jenna on somethings from what I could tell by our convo.) She asked some basics - like what was my relationship with the show, how/when did I start writing fanfic, those kinds of things.

Interestingly, and in case you're wondering why this happened, I mentioned to her that I wanted to remain somewhat anonymous. Something she didn't know (and obviously K and J didn't either) is that there are legal issues concerning fanfic. Thirty years ago, Anne Rice sued every single fanfic writer she could find. Now, I know things are better, and copyright stuff has changed, but I'm not a lawyer, and I didn't want to take that chance - so I asked if we could only use my name, and I did not give her my social media handles.

The other reason for that, though? I still am one of those people who like to keep their real life and fandom life a little separate. I know all of you guys know a great deal about me, but I'm not ready for Kevin and Jenna's 55 million followers to descend down on me. Nor do I really want them (or other people in my personal life) to know about what's on this blog/or my fanfiction. Also, maybe feeling a little guilty, I have been somewhat critical of the podcast (though I've always tried to maintain resect for K and J) and I really didn't want the producer digging into that, either.

She was super nice about everything though, and we worked it out that no one would see my face, nor would my last name or social media stuff be shared.

Also, interestingly, within that convo -- I learned that Kevin and Jenna still don't feel like people really like them all that much, and were really moved when people sent in voicemails about the podcast. I was also asked not to ask questions about the show -- because they don't remember anything, but I could ask other questions, because they love answering them.

I did have a few questions - but I never had them answered. The interview went by so quickly, and they moved from question to question so quickly that I never got to ask.

She also mentioned they had just finished The First Time podcast. Not really helping myself, I let her know Kurt was my favorite character, and that TFT was one of my favorites. And I said I had hoped they liked it. The producer paused a bit before replying -- stating that they had warmed to the episode as they talked (kind of like Born This Way) but I would like the episode. (Sure, Jan...)

Another thing she said was that the woman who had just aired, the one who stopped watching during season 3, had a lot of negative attention because she didn't watch the show after season 3. She was really grateful that I had watched the whole series and was still active in fandom. Plus, she loved that I run a bookstore.

Anyway - she basically asked if I was available in two days to record (!!!). Luckily I could (and even if I couldn't - I am the boss and could rearrange). I'm guessing not many other people could do the middle of the day on Wednesdays, so I was chosen.

They already had the other two guests ready to go -- and no, I don't know either of them. It's interesting that they even wanted a third person. And this whole thing is really a lot of really dumb luck.

So, two days later, after a lot of thinking, and one zoom meeting with @snarkyhag to make sure my computer worked properly, I was on the call with Kevin and Jenna. Crazy, right??

Honestly - I really was just at the right place at the right time, grateful that someone reached out to me, and that the producer was really desperate for guests, because I don't think the opportunity would have ever come otherwise.

I'll talk a little more about the actual interview in another ask.

Glad you liked it, Teach! <3

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ladylooch · 6 months

Note

Don’t be shy, tell us all about how daddy Timo embarrassed himself on the phone. I just know Kevin hears Emma in the background trying to wrestle it away from him 🤣

Don't be shy ☠️

The way I made this so soft in the end 🙈 I CANT HELP IT!!! THEY’RE MY BOYS!!!!!

Kevin is unassuming when he sees Timo’s name pop up on his phone.

“Hey.” Kevin answers, putting the phone on speaker so he can continue to put the groceries away with Sam. He holds her hips to wiggle past her in the pantry, stifling a groan at the way she brushes against him just right. He can’t wait for Lena to head to her friend’s house for the night.

“Hey fucker.”

Both Kevin and Sam pause, looking at each other with questioning eyes. This is new.

“Ah, what’s up?”

“You tell me what’s up. What is this I hear about your kid dating my daughter?”

Kevin and Sam had talked to Luca a few days ago and he mentioned spending time with Livia Meier while visiting Switzerland for the summer. Kevin thought it was great. The Meiers are close friends. Him and Timo grew up together. Luca finding someone to relate to as a hockey player’s kid and growing up outside of Switzerland seemed like a great fit.

“I heard the same thing earlier this week.” Kevin confirms. He stops putting things on the shelves.

“This is fucking bullshit, Kev. My daughter deserves better than your scrub of a son.”

“Timo!” Kevin hears Emma’s voice in the background. “Give me the god damn-” Her voice cuts off with the closing of a door.

“Scrub?” Kevin scoffs, looking at Sam who is still perplexed at what is happening. She holds her hands up, decidedly staying out of it. Her husband’s eyes are beginning to get squinty. She wants no part in this discussion and smartly leaves the pantry.

“He has to be coming from your balls.”

“Dude, what the fuck?” Kevin scoffs.

“You what the fuck! How close does the apple fall to the tree? He like to whip through the rotation every week like daddy? Is Liv the Friday or Thursday girl?”

“Hey.” Kevin hisses, taking him off speaker. He prays Sam didn’t hear that. “That was one year in Sweden, okay. I’ve come a long way since then. Also, I wasn’t the one who had my dick sucks by the girls tennis team on my way out of town to Canadian Juniors.” Timo is silent on the other end. Ha, Kevin thinks.

“I am fucking serious. Your kid hurts my daughter I’ll end his life.”

“You hurt my kid and I’ll end yours.” Kevin snaps back. Tension races through the silence between the lines. “And he has more Sam in him than me.” Kevin finishes with a heavy sigh. He forces his shoulders back down, trying to relax. Timo contemplates.

“So he’s a good midwestern boy?”

“Eh, I wouldn’t go that far.” Kevin says honestly, thinking about a certain position he found his son in last year on the couch. Luca is lucky it was him who came home early and not Sam. Kevin never told his wife, but he did immediately have the safe sex talk again.

“Fuck me.” Timo wails.

“I get it, man. I’ve got two daughters.”

“Why is this so much harder with her? With Lio it was.. a breeze.”

“Because you remember what it was like being 19.” Kevin’s small smile fills his voice. Timo sighs.

“Yeah. I wanna go back and kick my own ass now.”

“I can do it for you?”

“No you can’t… pussy.” Kevin laughs, loud and easy. Damn, he’s glad him and Timo are still friends.

“I’ll take you anytime, old man.”

“You’re older.”

“Yeah but I played longer.”

“Cause you’re a pussy.” Timo can’t even get through the sentence without busting out laughing.

“Again, you’re welcome in Minnesota anytime, bud.” Kevin opens the door to the pantry, stepping into the kitchen where Sam and Lena are beginning to make chocolate chip cookies. Lena had a good grade on her final test that she was nervous about, so Sam is rewarding her with homemade cookies. Kevin watches them for a moment and thinks about their last conversation with his oldest child. “Look, I know you’re worried, but I wouldn’t be. He’s a good kid and… I think he loves your daughter already. I’ve never seen him like this.” Sam nods her head along to Kevin’s words.

“I’m still gonna scare the shit out of him when he comes over.” Timo insists.

“Good. He could use some practice for dealing with washed up veterans next season.”

“You’re an ass.” Timo hisses.

“Not as big as you though. I gotta go. See you in a couple weeks for your ass kicking on the course.”

#tm: loving & leaving #letters in your last name au #Liv X Luca

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whatareyoudoingwithamaserati · 19 days

Note

hello. character asks:

2, 4, and 7 for princezam

17 and 30 for one seth gordon. enjoy (:

I AM GOING TO BITE YOU <333 it is Autism Time alright alright okay!!!!!!

PrinceZam!

2) When I think I truly started to like them

Honestly, the exact moment slips me! He got in my head one day and then he Did Not Get Out. I did run back through my discord channel and apparently an hour and a half after starting Zam’s s3 POV I messaged “WHAT IS THIS, THE BULLY ZAM SERVER????” so I think about then! (I had already watched Clown’s POV and thought that Zam was oooo such an asshole oooo for his whole building walls bit and then you watch Zam and he is so wet and pathetic that all of a sudden he did nothing wrong ever) It did not take me long to go ah. Yeah this is The Guy. I’m gonna make a plushie of him and throw it at walls

4) How many people I ship them with

SO many people. SO many fucking people. I think if princezam makes it on a server and doesn’t act like a raging gay then he will crumble to ash and fall apart in the wind. That said I am particularly fond of the idea of clownzam. They’re two guys committed to a bit defined by their usernames (clown) (prince) while also somehow managing to be mortal enemies and homoerotic losers at the same time. Would love to see more out of them

7) A quote of them that you remember

Okay so this one is. Not even going to be remotely serious despite his ability to be gutwrenching and dramatic. There’s a lot of Zam quotes I love and remember (shoutout “YES! YES! YESSSS!! VINDICATION!!!!” my beloved) but there is one in particular. that I cannot escape from. One that frequently comes to mind. Hey guys. Uhm. “YO. LEO. LEO. IF YOU DON’T STOP SWINGING THAT SWORD AT ME RIGHT NOW MAN I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD I’M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS MAN I’M FUCKIN- I GOT I GOT I GOT LIKE FIFTEEN PEOPLE ON ME I’M NOT CLOWNPIERCE I CAN’T WIN THIS Y’KNOW LIKE I’M GETTING MY ASS BEAT I’VE GOT LIKE EVERYONE ON ME I DON’T KNOW I’M JUST SPAWNING PHANTOMS. I’M JUST TRYING TO SPAWN PHANTOMS. I DON’T SEE THE ISSUE. I PERSONALLY DON’T SEE THE ISSUE. I PERSONALLY DON’T EVEN SEE THE ISSUE I’M JUST TRYING TO SPAWN A COUPLE MOBS LIKE I DON’T EVEN SEE WHAT’S GOING ON—“

^^clip because his voice SELLS that shit. Luv this guy <3

Seth Gordon (the man the myth the legend <333)

17) What do you think their first word was?

For the jokes, I want to say his first word was fuck. His parents didn’t really care much about keeping their language in check, and I see him as one of the middle-younger kids of a big family, so all of his older brothers would be swearing already, and it would rub off on him. For the non jokes….. I think I would say his first word was dada. Give me a daddy’s boy Seth who had his father be his whole world for so many years only to be disappointed in the end that his father was just a man after all. He’s a Fox for a reason

30) The funniest scene they had?

OH MY GOD OKAY SO. Personally I am a fan of every scene he is in, and I think among his funniest are the ones where he drops everything to slug Kevin in the face. That said I think the funniest one is when he straight up hears Kevin's name and drags his ass out of deep sleep so he can fight him. There is NOTHING like a man and his homoerotic enemy who he hates with everything in him. Or maybe his funniest scene is the iconic "are you stupid" "yes" I'm sorry Seth you gotta deal with Neil being an absolute dumbass I'm not sure what else you expected. OR when Neil asked if Andrew and Renee were a thing and Seth looked like he might vomit. Or him flipping off their opponents and then Kevin. OR—[I am forcibly dragged off the stage. He could raise an eyebrow and I would probably find it funny]

#BELOVED!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!#rotating the guys around in my head. i can be so normal about them both (i will froth at the mouth at any given opportunity)#(we do not talk about jepexx)#holland !!#<- i hope it is okay to keep that as your tag. I can also change it to Lucas

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minyyard · 2 years

Text

Yeah but what if the Foxes rescued a puppy at some time after the books?

Neil and Andrew are sleepily snuggled up in their bedroom when they start hearing a very excited, high-pitched voice coming from the hallway. When Neil gets up to see what's happening, he finds out the voice is coming from a (very happy) teary eyed Nicky, having to be restrained from jumping towards Matt.

Apparently, the tiny, dirty animal Matt is holding in his arms had been crying around the campus for a while now, desperately searching for its mother. It's fur is short, blonde and its ears fall to the sides of it's face so adorably that Neil thinks Andrew would kill him if he told him the truth— the pup reminds him of his boyfriend.

Not only its appareance, but the way it barks at Nicky when he (again) tries to take it from Matt's embrace to hug it and, quoting, "give it all the love in the world, which it deserves." kinda has him chuckling against his will.

Kevin is *not* happy to find out, a few weeks after the Foxes sneakily take the puppy in, that half his shoes have been turned into chewing toys for her to use, and that Andrew has done nothing to stop the fur ball from doing so. Allison yells at him that she'll buy him more shoes if he just shuts the fuck up for once.

Aaron will not admit it, but he finds it cute when the little thing leans on him to take a nap while he's playing videogames. He won't say anything, but he tries to move as little as possible to not wake her up, and Nicky makes fun of him when he gets up and his leg is numb. He won't confess it to anyone, but the way Katelyn's eyes glow up every time they take her to the dog park together, the way she laughs and plays with her, has him dreaming about some kind of future, something they may actually be able to have.

Andrew looks indifferent at first, but Neil knows better. He notices the subtle smirks every time Nicky complains when the pup playfully bites him (and he notices Andrew petting her after that, when he thinks no one is looking). He knows, one day when he comes back to the Fox Tower after going for an early jog, that Andrew thinks he's alone with the dog. They're at the kitchen, his boyfriend holding a tea to warm his hands while looking down at her. The puppy is seating and looking at him, like they're in some kind of staring contest, and Andrew is talking to her with the same monotone tone as always.

"You need to know your place. And you have to stop being an entitled little bitch." He frowns just as the pup cocks its head. "I know you understand me. Next time you chew on my fucking rings I'm giving you a bath, and we both know you hate baths." She just looks at him, yawns, and approaches Andrew to sniff at him. Neil smiles as he sees Andrew actually crouch down to hand her a piece of meat he's been hiding in his hand.

Who knows? Maybe someday they can adopt an animal just to be theirs. Especially after Wymack finds out about their little secret guest and forces them to find her a home. Of course, everyone is suddenly more eager to go to therapy when Bee adopts the puppy and tells them she'll be bringing her to the sessions if everyone is comfortable with it.

Kevin tries to force the name Queen on the dog, but he's quickly ignored and the Foxes end up having a very serious, late meeting to discuss some names. And, in the end, everyone starts calling her whatever they feel like it at the moment. She sticks with them through the years, and Bee even brings her at Matt and Dan's wedding (all grown up, Kevin says she might have some mastiff blood on her).

The day she leaves them, she leaves them in tears. Even though every single Fox knows none of them will ever forget the puppy Matt once brought home, the one that carved her way into every single once of their hearts, Wymack decides to hang up a photo of her and the team, from years ago, in the hall, just next to all of their pictures. It sticks with the years, and all the new foxes end up hearing about her at some point of their stay.

#aftg #all for the game #neil josten #andrew minyard #kevin day #the foxhole court #nicky hemmick #renee walker #allison reynolds #dan wilds #matt boyd #david wymack #betsy johnson #aaron minyard

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someonelookingpraediti · 6 months

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Currently Reading...

All for the Game - Nora Sakavic

Ok, so I have finally finished listening to the All for the Game audiobooks! It took me exactly FOUR MONTHS to listen to the whole series. It takes me a super long time to get through an audiobook, because I find them really difficult to focus on, so I can literally only listen while I’m doing one specific task at work which I do for like a single three-hour block once every fortnight. But I really wanted to listen to these because I’m just, completely obsessed with the books, and I’m determined to experience them in every possible way. Also, I wanted to hear it in an American accent. Honestly, I mostly loved it. Like, hearing Neil “Jah-stan” in his Neil Josten accent? Perfection. I loved Andrew’s voice, it was as infuriating and mocking as I hoped. I loved that you could totally tell the difference between Andrew and Aaron, because like, they weren’t raised together, why would they sound the same. And I definitely felt like I connected with the story in a new way, which is exactly what I was aiming for. However. In the first book, when Kevin “has to call Jean”, and the narrator clearly did not think to check?? And called him “Gene”?! Genuinely, I yanked my headphones out, slammed them on to the counter, and stormed outside for a stress cigarette while text-screaming at everyone I know. It took me some serious calming down before I could listen again. Luckily, the next time he was mentioned, the book specified that he was French, and the narrator got it right. There were also a few narration mistakes that were really obvious, knowing the books, but that would have really confused me if I’d been hearing them for the first time. At one point, the tattoo is on his neck and not his cheek, and there’s a bit where his father is named Nathaniel instead of Nathan. And most importantly, in the negative column, I hated Jean’s accent!!!! It was not the sexy French lover boy I was imagining, it was the old man caricature French geezer of my nightmares. But hey. It’s cool. I’m over it. I'm totally over it. But truly, the best bit was listening to the final section of The King’s Men less than a week after Nora announced her new Jean-centric book?! Truly and completely blessed. Honestly, getting to hear Jean being rescued, immediately followed by the literal ONLY Jeremy/Trojans scene? Hearing their match, hearing Jeremy being an absolute king, hearing Leila and Alvarez? I was quite genuinely bouncing around my little office in joy, knowing that these characters are going to be in another book. Jeremy is gonna treat my boy so right. I love that in four months worth of listening, the exact bit I listen to is the only bit I’ve been thinking about for days, following this announcement! I am so excited! Urgh, I’m just so glad I listened to these as audiobooks, and I’m definitely going to do it again one day. But for now, I am finally going to reread them in ebook format again! It’s been too many months.

#currently reading #rereads #all for the game #nora sakavic #the foxhole court #the raven king #the king's men #audiobook

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okimargarvez · 1 year

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SLOW BURN

Original title: Fuoco che brucia lento

Prompt: what if after 16x7.

Warning: spoiler for 16x7.

Genre: romantic, angst.

Characters: Penelope Garcia, Luke Alvez, BAU team, Tyler Green.

Pairing: Garvez.

Note: oneshot 86 in Garvez collection.

Legend: 💏😘. Song mentioned: Quando io ho perso te, Tiziano Ferro.

GARVEZ STORIES

Note: this time I have to put notes before the story. Because trying to fix the mess of 16x7 wasn't easy, as you all know. And I'm scared I wasn't able. Before watching that episode I had this dream with Luke that pushes Penelope for knowing how was kissing Tyler... I have to thank @thinitta for helping me with some particulars. Another warning: this time Tyler is not just a name, but his part is really short and (spoiler) no romantic feelings between he and Penelope, I swear. This story is also a "long version" of my What if instead. And there could be (for someone, not me) a possible Luke OOC.

SLOW BURN

This time I block, I block, I block everything, I block every memory in concrete, I block it and a tear stumbles inside an answering abortion

That voice she hasn't heard in over twenty years and that sounds so real. Penelope, Nina. Her body shakes, wrapping the single sheet around her like a shroud. She encounters no obstacles in her whirling. Penelope… It's mom. She's fifteen again and everything's fine, except that there is a really nasty guy at school. Penelope, listen to me, my baby. Your father and I have something important to tell you. She's scared, now she's grown up, she's about to sneak out to see that same boy, who now that he's matured isn't bad at all. It might be her only chance with him and she won't give it up, for the world. They'll never know. Then, that voice again. Penelope Grace, listen carefully to my words. The tone is no longer just sweet, but also authoritative. She stops wandering between ages. We heard you when you came to visit us. We want you to know that we are proud of the woman you have become. All the people you've helped… in the so-called real world, a tear rolls down her cheek. There are no hands ready to dry it. A wave of love and affection envelops her. It doesn't last long. But lately… are you sure what you're doing with that man? And here she is abruptly dragged back into her forty-year-old body. She knows immediately that they are talking about Tyler.

Even in the dream she is aware that he is not resting next to her, but on the sofa. And it's definitely better that way. Not even with Kevin she had spent many nights together, certainly not to "sleep" literally. It's a part of herself that she doesn't feel she can give. Or maybe not yet. Penny, you know deep down that it's not right what you're doing. She clenches her fists in her sleep. You love him? This time the word has passed to her father, with his innate and involuntary ability to make her feel guilty. No! She firmly denies, without even pausing to think. Because you're actually still in love with…

She wakes up abruptly, panting. She grabs her phone to see what time it is, but she accidentally unlocks the screen and the first thing she sees is a conversation. A text she had chosen not to answer. There are rumors that they could make a Doctor Who spin-off. Completely neutral, without mischievous undertones, without puns. Yet the sender had been enough to make her act in that unnice and almost rude way. She re-read it and it makes her heartbeat wildly as she puts head in her hands. Luke.

It was the last thing she saw before falling asleep. She whispers that name endlessly, careless that anyone might hear her. And do the math, come to the right conclusion. The sex with her was truly amazing, nothing to complain about. He couldn't say if it was the same thing for her, because he felt… very carried away and not very participative. But he's not stupid and, when sober, he also has a good memory. He immediately understood who the Luke that came out of her lips is, with such a desperate tone. Agent Alvez, the one of the cognitive interview. Which had helped him remember. And also thanks to this, they had managed to find Alison. Perhaps this is right, that the circle closes here, even if he feels that he could have fallen in love with Penelope, and even deeply. But he can't love for both of them and then… he feels exhausted. Emotionally exhausted. He knew it was morally wrong to go any further with her, but he didn't care. And now he won't be the only one to pay the consequences. Penelope will never be able to keep it to herself and it will get her in a big mess. She will lose her job. He curses himself as he makes his way to her bedroom.

The door opens wide. -Oh, it's you.- he seems to look at her as if to ask who else it could be. It's not even 7 am. -Tyler… we should talk.- he nods. -Possibly without ending up in bed together again?- even in such an embarrassing situation she can't help but shoot one of her jokes. He just smiles and waits. She leads him to the sofa. He positions himself at an acceptable distance. -What happened tonight was… nice… but we really have to cut off all contact. When they catch Sicarius- he notices that she has excluded herself from the speech -it could really happen that I have to testify and I... I can't lie, in a courtroom like anywhere else.- a sad smile paints on her lips.

-I understand. Really.- he tries hard not to touch her and to look at her as little as possible. -I don't want you to be fired because of me.- she laughs now, but bitterness oozes from every pore of her.

-It would also be my fault.- she allows herself a hope. I don't want you to feel like just a mistake along my path. You weren't just that and even if we never see each other again… I will always wish you the best, because yes, it's always been my gift, to see the light in people and sometimes I get to help turn it back on.- Tyler nods. He doesn't smile at her, because it's too dangerous. -You know, I was shot fifteen years ago- he opens his eyes wide, but doesn't interrupt her -because a bad policeman was convinced that I was on his trail, instead I helped the victims in mourning. However I'm telling you this because… I should have known what the risks are and especially the boundaries. You are not only a key witness in a big case, but also a brother who has lost his sister.- even Penelope avoids looking into his eyes as much as possible. -But it had never happened to me to mirror myself so deeply in those I helped. As if before you, I don't want to consider me someone grieving. As if it didn't happen to me, but to someone else.- she sighs. To completely close the bridges, she knows that she should also say something else... but she just can't do it. -Maybe in another circumstance, who knows...- but she doesn't know that he's good at math.

And he's already put two and two together. -It wouldn't have worked anyway, because you're in love with someone else.- she opens her mouth, she doesn't ask him how he knows. She simply nods, admitting, for the first time in front of a living being other than Sergio, her own feelings.

But I didn't understand, I didn't understand, I didn't breathe, I was lovesick

He misses her. He can't remember the last time they were alone, that they exchanged half a word, a joke of their own. Or that their eyes chained to each other, as they always have. It's been weeks, maybe a month, that Penelope has been avoiding meeting his gaze for more than two seconds and has only spoken to him to answer questions pertinent to a case. The rare times he has attempted to provoke her, he has crashed into a wall. Made of rubber, without actually getting hurt, but getting only frustration. Because nothing like this had ever happened between them. He has always been a separate discussion for her. The only one to be hug with reserve, emphasizing the exceptional nature of the event. They have been colleagues, almost friends and almost something else... but not even after the date, in the three years she has been away from the BAU, has there ever been such a cold and heavy silence between them.

Indifference. Yes, it seems that for her he has become not invisible, but… anyone. And he can't tolerate it. He'd rather be her newbie again than this… absolute void. Now that he was Luke. That he had gotten used to hearing his name come out of those lips. Heavenly and infernal music at the same time. And now she hasn't stopped using it, nor does she call him Alvez, but it no longer has the same nuances. Her tone is flat, aseptic.

It must be said, however, that he has also noticed a change in her attitude towards the other members of the team. Less jokes and smiles as well with JJ and Tara. Some interaction with Rossi extra work. And above all a submissive disposition towards the boss... who is however at the same time one of her best friends. So he deduced that whatever happened, it's not just about them. He doesn't know whether to be relieved or saddened, for two reasons. First, because that still makes him just one in the deck. Second, because she is ignoring or has forgotten what he had told her by giving her a black and white cat-shaped stress reliever. After all, only once did she take him seriously, even if it was circumstances that made him her confidant...

Today he has decided that enough is enough, the hourglass must be turned. Time is up. In short, yesterday he risked being killed for the umpteenth time and the only thing that crossed his mind was that he would have wanted at least one last word, one last hug from Penelope. That he lacked not only the woman he would have fully wanted in his life, but also his friend. If she decided that they couldn't be more… be content sucked, but this… emptiness was worse. And it didn't feel right, because he hadn't done anything wrong. Of course, he tried to call her, he looked for her in her office, but she wasn't there. Once upon a time she would wait for them until they returned, to comfort them, distract them with her jokes from the bad they had witnessed.

He sighs, one step at a time, without rushing, because there are only two possibilities anyway. Either she's there, and then he'll let himself open up, one way or the other, or she won't, and then fuck the whole thing. And he has a confusing sequence of events before him. The night of the date, the anxiety and expectations, the first time he saw her, behind a pile of folders, when he rang the bell and saw her on the video intercom and the buzz of people forcing their British accents, meeting Roxy, hugging, dancing at Rossi's wedding and party… and then, the day things changed.

She had arrived at the BAU looking weird. Guilty, but not in a derogatory sense. JJ gave her a friendly shoulder and maliciously teased her. Someone here seemed to have had some good sex. He had overheard the conversation of his friends as he arranged some documents from his desk. But, pretty much always, whenever he's around her his senses are partially alert. There's no way he doesn't notice her presence. It's like she's pulling strings inside him. She is certainly not indifferent to him.

He had nearly punched a hole in the declaration sheet he was signing. She had sex? He couldn't conceive it. He had raised his eyes unobtrusively, sensing her reaction. Yes, JJ was right. It had been a blow to the heart. So his feeling was right that in the evening of her stroke of genius about streets, she wasn't alone or even at her house, when they had heard that noise that was certainly not cat-like.

He had felt betrayed. Even knowing that he had no right, because they weren't a couple and she could do as she pleased. Despite all these beautiful rational thoughts, his heart had continued to insist with conviction that she belonged to him. As he belonged to her. Maybe… maybe she was going through her “Lisa phase”. He would have tolerated it. He would have gotten over it. If it was just sex…

The next day, however, that shred of euphoria was gone. Only the guilt remained. JJ had noticed it too and had gone to find out. Luke had assumed that the relationship, whatever it was, had nipped in the bud. The road was clear again.

Or so he had deluded himself into believing. But from then on it had been an obstacle course. And here he is, ready to knock on her door for the umpteenth time.

And I lost you, I was looking for myself in the remaining and tiny pieces of too little, of emptiness, of dirty happiness of the memory of the next day

Penelope would never open the door to him. Almost no one entered the former bunker anymore except her. Everyone had deduced from her attitude that she preferred to be alone when she was delving into the badness. Since the results hadn't gotten any worse, Emily hadn't objected. She too wished she had the time to worry about her friend but keeping open a case that the higher-ups had officially declared closed was a heavy enough commitment. Plus, she was convinced that Garcia was processing some sort of mourning for being forced to break up with Tyler. She knew something about sick relationships too.

Luke, however, doesn't have time to knock. Luck has its hand on it. She's leaving and when she notices him, it's too late. She freezes in the doorway. The man doesn't move back. He is really too close, as he hasn't been for too long, but she doesn't have the strength to take a single step, neither in one direction nor in the opposite one. So, they just stare at each other like two jerks, and she makes a second mistake. She allows her eyes to fall prey to his. The intensity of Luke's gaze shocks her, it's as if just a second had passed since the last time they found themselves in a similar situation.

-Penelope.- her name is a jab in the stomach that makes her stagger towards her cave. He follows her, saying no more, turns and closes the heavy door behind him, exactly as he had done seven years ago. With the same determined expression. -Are you okay?- it's perhaps the thing that matters most to him, but he knows that she won't answer him and he won't feel bad, when she turns her back to him and goes back to the central computer. He sighs and sits down at one of the side desks. -Could you deign to explain to me why you are avoiding me and even don't answer text or calls anymore, if not during office hours?- she knows that if he wanted he could force her to spit it out, but he doesn't want to use certain techniques on her. Show his darker side to her. Even if… could she be fascinated by it? It happened with many women, even against his will. Penelope keeps typing, indifferent to his presence, so he's forced to switch to slightly less elegant methods. He grabs the chair and rotates it in her direction.

Her expression is priceless. Super indignant, almost as if he had committed who knows what sacrilegious act. -I'm working.- she only says, but Luke knows how to dig deep and sees the terror behind that detached attitude. Is she afraid of him? Stakanovich reappeared and she didn't tell him? He just can't place such a reaction.

He looks for her eyes and catch them. A little satisfaction. -You know you can talk to me about anything.- nothing. -You forgot…- then, something clicks inside him. Someone has moved the lever from a dutiful coward to a cocky one who cares nothing about consequences. -Okay, that's enough. I'm not talkative type, especially about my feelings, you should know that.- even if she doesn't reply anything, she perfectly catches his insinuation, the fake doubt. -But I see no other way to unlock this situation. I miss you. Okay? I miss seeing you, babysitting Sergio, seeing you hugging Roxy… and our bantering too. You didn't want to try another path, and that's fine…- not at all, but he certainly can't force her to stay with him to make her understand that it would be wonderful, between them -but also taking your friendship away from me… it hurts me, because I don't know what I did, what I did wrong.- he tries to take her hand, but she slips away like a snake. -Let me make it up to you, please.- the tone of supplication, the look of a wounded puppy. It's Penelope's turn to blurt out.

-No, no!- she almost shouts, shaking her head. -You didn't do anything, you had nothing to do with it, understand? Leave me alone!- she tries to drive him away with a push at the height of the man's chest. Third mistake. Luke grabs both of her wrists, pulling her dangerously close to his body.

-I already told you once. I'm not going to leave you here like this. So you better talk.- playing the bad guy just doesn't work when he's with her. -Penelope! Please tell me what's going on and I promise… I'll consider leaving you alone.- he had to tell her the truth, because after Phil… he never stopped feeling guilty. He keeps hold her by the wrists. -Let's play a game, okay? I tell you something really big that I haven't told anyone and you open up to me.- he doesn't wait for her to nod or any other reaction. -Fine, I'll start.- he clears his throat. -Since our dateI haven't stopped thinking about you for a moment. And even before. I mean, I'm clumsy at this sort of thing… but I thought you figured it out. From the way I look at you, the way I act around you… God, I'm so in love with you, Penelope, and I convinced myself I was going to die without ever telling you. I agreed to stay friends, but I can't accept this. Indifference. It kills me.- her eyes become more and more lucid, it doesn't seem emotional, though. -I can't conceive my life without you, without our relationship. Perhaps one day you will understand how much you have changed my life…- and he lets her go, so suddenly that she ends up back in her chair and an immense cold of envelops her.

But at least she's not at all indifferent. She cries, making no effort to contain herself. -Luke.- this is a lament of pain. -Oh, Luke, it's too late.- he frowns, confused. Is she perhaps dying? Did she find out she has an incurable disease? Not even that would make him give up feeling for her.

In less than a nanosecond he grabs her by her hips, pulling her against him. -No, no, whatever it is we can deal with it together, anything, okay?- his hands slide over her face, which looks tiny. -It's not just words, I really mean… I love you so much…- now he has taken his foot off the brake, he doesn't even know where that pedal is anymore. He reads the same emotion in her transparent eyes and leans down to kiss her. But as at the end of their only romantic date, she dodges him.

But he holds back her hands, their fingers intertwined. -I can't!-she protests, desperate. He focuses on her verbal choice, because she didn't say she didn't want to, but that she couldn't… -It's too late for us.- it is her greatest admission. Was there a moment (unspecified) then, in which they could have been together? What can be changed, if she is now looking at him that way, making him feel like the only man on the face of the earth?

Penelope still loves him. It should shock him just the thought that she loved him, since until now it was only a hope, not a belief. But no, he's not shaken at all, because deep down he's always known it. Yes, they belong to each other. But something has come between them and she has no intention of telling him. -Pen…- he begins. And maybe she would have made it, she would have given in, telling him what she had done and really surprising him, because she felt exactly like that: guilty, also because she felt like she had betrayed him.

But Luke's cell phone beeps and the computer next to them starts flashing. There is a case and it looks pretty bad too.

And the last memory of a, "I love you too much" tastes like rough paper, a diary page… I dreamed about it, I hoped about it, I adored you but I just wanted to die alone

He was always said to himself that the hard part would be telling her feelings. Trying to express the sensations she causes him, aware that he can only get closer, because it's impossible to describe it, put it on written paper. Not even the best poets could do it. He told her, but he doesn't know that even in this he arrived late, he came in second.

How fucking she changed his life. Perhaps she no longer remembers what Agent Alvez, SSA in training, was like, tall, dark and blandsome. How empty his desk was. His apartment. And his life. And not only empty, but also dark. How many shades from gray to black, but there was no room for the other colors in the palette. It was much easier to observe the outside world in a schematic way, neatly dividing people into good and bad, never contemplating something in between. Never look into the abyss. Chasing, without judging, but also without understanding.

Then that call came. He had rejected it, like in other occasions. But Rossi had played his trump card. Daniel Cullen. The Crimson King. It took such a bastard for him to get to know what was to become the most important person in his life. Whether she wanted it or not. It wasn't all Garcia's credit that he'd turned from a lone wolf into a twerker at a co-worker's going-away party… But 70% was because of her.

She, the light at the end of the tunnel. Hope that never dies. The smile despite the traumas. Generosity, altruism. With her jokes, with her every gesture, she had forced him to wake up. Life didn't suck that much. Maybe it was worth living it better. Sure, Roxy had contributed too. To keep him alive, lucid. But as much as he loved her, even she hadn't been enough.

While Garcia… she had been a punch in the stomach. A taser shock. And she had tried to treat him badly and keep him at a distance. Guess what if she had allowed him to get to know the real her right away…!

In the BAU he had felt accepted for the first time and free to express his opinion. Important. Useful. The fugitive team was just him and Phil, the other colleagues were... others, in fact. Collateral damages. He missed the chases and stakeouts, but profiling wasn't bad. Especially if he could use his new knowledge for… other goals.

But Penelope Garcia was a book written in an unknown language. In some ways it was easy to decipher, like realizing that she wasn't able to hate anyone, least of all him, just for taking Morgan's place. For others, however, she was as elusive as a puzzle, an enigma of the Sphinx of Thebes.

And she intrigued him. She totally turned him on: brain and body. Whether insulting him or paying him a compliment, everything was gold to him. Her sensitivity had then knocked him down for good.

In his time with Lisa, she had let him know another part of her. Paradoxically (or maybe not, analyzing it in detail) their relationship had grown a lot when he was committed to Lisa. The first hug, the slow dance at Rossi and Krystall's wedding… all in the shadow of Dr. Douglas. Her affection was of the friendly kind, though they never completely stopped flirting. But that hadn't stopped the love he felt towards her, on the contrary, it had increased it. It had made it more solid. From a crush or infatuation, it had become extremely serious.

So, they had lived a very intense period, where they had competed to see who died first. There hadn't been a winner, fortunately. And then, the third strike. Alexei Stanovich. She had finally trusted him, and she also went to thank him. He was so upset that night that Lisa got confirmation that she wasn't looking for. So, they broke up and he waited for his moment…

But all this was in vain. Because now he knows she loves him and she knows he loves her. But it's useless. They don't stay together. She didn't even let him kiss her. She continues to keep everyone at a distance, focused just on work. Only one thing has changed: she no longer avoids his gazes, as if to tell him that she hasn't forgotten, yet, that nothing will happen between them and that he should stop hoping for it.

But they both know that will never happen.

I block every memory, but I don't remember what the warmth of your hug is, I don't mean the thrill, the thrill of half fucking caress, I don't remember... I erased you who watched in silence the blows I took and there I lost you

Luke made a few attempts after their mutual declaration. He tried to persuade her to tell him what the reason was a new wall had been erected between them, but nothing. She'd rather see him sad and confused every day than kill him with a sentence. How could he forgive her? How could he continue to see her the same way? Tyler made her feel useful, but no one ever looked up to her the way Luke did. Not only as a deity, but also as the best person in the world. And she doesn't feel like losing his esteem.

During the lock down she believed she had made some progress, that the therapy was finally working. She had a lot to process, but she enjoyed her new life. Then two men had brought her back into the abyss. Luke, with his big eyes and a missing girl and above all Tyler Green, with his rage and computer skills.

And everything collapsed. She wasn't healed or improved at all, quite the contrary. Her life is currently a mess and it's all her fault. She prevented Luke to do anything, giving him a sop by accepting the date. The way it had gone, it would have been better to end his hopes immediately by saying no. After four years, she should have answered him with a passionate kiss or an amused laugh. No shades. And instead…

She had kissed Tyler less than a month after knowing him. That would have been bad enough, but they also slept together. And the worst thing, the one that made her feel more guilty, was that she had allowed him to see her soul. Maybe just because she felt she couldn't do exactly the same thing with Luke, the man she really loved.

Because she had decided it. Too dangerous. But dating a man, even if it was just for one night, had made her realize that there was an emptiness inside her, that as independent as she felt, she lacked that kind of presence. If she hadn't met Tyler she would have stuck with Luke's thinking. But to see many of his characteristics in another guy… it had been too much.

All excuses. She'd tried to do the right thing and failed on every front. The only thing she is sure of is that she will not repeat that mistake. She will always love Luke, silently and from a distance, hoping that he will find someone who will make him happy. She won't do the same.

Then comes the Day. It's been a relatively few months since the supreme bullshit (to distinguish it from the normal bullshit, i.e., the first kiss), as she dubbed it in her head. An incoming call on her screen. It's Rossi. -We got it! We caught the son of a bitch!- the man's enthusiasm falters, because before him is a broken family, not just a bastard. And the more he reads his file, the harder it is to just hate him.

Penelope nearly falls off her chair. She fails to participate in the general joy. She turns off the TV every time they run the story with Emily, Bailey and the head of the FBI. She starts shaking and feels like she can't stop. She feels the chasm opening beneath her at her feet. Her sin will step out into the sunlight.

So, she decides that she can't live in anxiety and waiting. She might as well destroy herself with her own hands. To confess. Maybe Emily will give her some extenuating circumstances. She goes to her office and only by looking at her, her friend understand. Or maybe she just guessed, but she feels the strong negative vibes about her and that what she is about to tell, is going to give her more than just a bad migraine. Her screams reach up to the desks. Luke lifts his head in that direction. -I'm sorry, Garcia, but this time I won't be able to defend you.- her anger suddenly passes and is replaced by a feeling much stronger.

Disappointment. Deep disappointment. -I'm fired, I know…- Prentiss stands up and approaches her. She tries to hold back, to be professional.

-Yes, Garcia, you're fired, but that's not all.- she almost laughs, because she can't conceive it's really happening. -Sicarius will not be the only one to undergo a trial. It would take me the whole day to list all the principles that you have violated.- the blonde remains silent, accepting every stab wound, because she deserves it.-Do you understand that if it turns out that an FBI agent dating a key witness, it will seem that the latter has been… manipulated, to make him say what was convenient for us?- Penelope falters, leaning against the door, which remains ajar. -The bastard will still be convicted, because luckily we also have other evidence… but the credibility of the BAU will collapse and the director could even decide to terminate the unit and send us around the United States.- Garcia hadn't realized the stakes. -I hope it was at least a good fuck.- finally comments Emily.

-No!- she shouts. JJ and Luke exchange a look, recognizing the owner of that voice. The man clenches his fists. What the hell is going on? They should celebrate. They solved the case of the century. -No, it's not fair that the team has to pay! I… will leave and come back just to testify. I will limit myself to answering the judge's questions. It was only one night. Just one!- a few words reach his ears. -If I was the only one to get to fall… I'd accept anything, but you all… please, Emily…- she's not sure she can call her by her name, nor that they're still friends.

-Holy shit.- the boss bangs her fist on the desk, dropping a photograph. The glass shatters into a thousand pieces. Penelope bends over, as an automatic reflex, trying to pick them up and hurting her hands. Prentiss blocks her. -Penelope- the use of the name ignites a miserable hope in the heart of the IT -I accept your offer. But- she holds her breath, until her head starts spinning -I have to be sure something like this won't happen again. So… the others must know it too.- she believed that if she would get away with it, instead she has to pay for her mistake.

She throws herself on her knees, grabbing her hands and piercing her tights and flesh. More bloodstains. -No! I beg you! I've already lost your esteem and maybe even your love... please!- but the boss doesn't want to listen any reason. She calls an urgent meeting in a room where no one can hear them, Garcia takes care of deactivating the cameras with a simple click. And she forces her to say it. She almost wrote her a script. Short and to the point sentences. Sharp, sharp as knives. They plunging themselves in the heart of her family.

Shouts, confusion. Well, they're looking at her in that way. As if they don't know who they are facing. She doesn't cry. She plays a role that doesn't belong to her. Then, the last word: -Goodbye.- but JJ chases her, captures her, hugs her.

-Why, why didn't you tell me about it?- nobody manages to extract even a syllable from her. Luke watches the two blondes interact, shaking his head. He just doesn't want to accept that idea. He was right, Garcia had had an affair. But… just with that man? The… bad copy of him? Why the fuck had she given this guy so much after just a month? And without ceasing to love him?

-I love you, Pen, please remember that.- it seems that JJ is afraid that she will make another wrong decision, definitive, however, this time. No, she would never go that far. Meanwhile, Tara tries to justify her, squeezing her knowledge of the human psyche. It seems that someone told Rossi that his 15-year-old daughter is pregnant.

-I know it's a shock, but we can't do anything but give her time.- Prentiss sighs. -And keep your mouth shut.-

She locked herself up in her bunker. She's gathering her things, living in deja vu. Wishing it was still that day. How many different choices she would make! She'd jump into the elevator with them instead of letting them go and throw her arms around Luke and not care about anyone else.

Luke…she tried never to look at him as she confessed. She partially succeeded. He was the only one who didn't have that look, as if he had contemplated something similar, but certainly not at these levels. And so, in one fell swoop, she lost everything. Job, family. Luke.

The door opens and there he is. Oh God, he's pissed as hell, but his eyes are deeply watery, as if he's about to cry. -Penelope.- his tone is dark. Only with suspects she has heard him talk like that. She's scared of him. She starts to vibrate, but doesn't run away this time. She will accept anything he tells her, because she deserves it. It's okay even if he now hates her. It's a strong feeling, anyway. -What the fuck did you do?- she lets him vent, curse, lets him grab her shoulders and shake her. -Tell me.- he puts her against the wall and leans almost against her. -I want to know what it's like to kiss him.- her eyes widen. She didn't think he could upset her further.

-But…- she stammers. Luke silences her by lifting his index finger until it touches her lips. -You really don't want to know. It will make you... feel worse.- he laughs, not a happy laugh. She doesn't fall just because there's a wall behind her back.

-It can't be worse than this. I want to know. I want to know what fucking talent this guy has to be able to kiss you after less than a month.- the subtext is clear, because he and not me. He reads the objection in her eyes. - Uh, shut up. I know it was you who kissed him first and not the other way around.- even worse. He squeezes her arm and that's how he notices the cuts in her hands. Most have closed, but one, deeper, is still bleeding. Now he's looking at her as if he's looking at her alien copy.

-No!- she denies, shouting with the little breath she has left. -One of Emily frames fell and I looked for…- Luke nods, reassured, realizing that she is telling the truth.

-Penelope, listen to me carefully. You will not leave this room until you have given me the information that I care. Am I clear enough?- so authoritative. Something melts inside her, a decidedly out of place reaction, yet she can't deny it. He grabs her by the chin, forcing her to look at him too.

-Uh… it was… we were walking and he said Alison worked right there, then we crossed the street and I had an epiphany. I gave him my keys and ran to the taxi, he asked if he could help and I don't know what clicked in me, but… I wanted to thank him and… I wanted to make him feel good… I don't know.- she closes her eyelids and squeezes teeth.

Luke doesn't let her go. -Ok, this is the context, but I asked you for something else.- he bends over her. Less than a inch between their lips. -How did you feel when you kissed him?- for a moment she thinks of rebelling, but in the end she gives in.

He presses into her cheeks, making her eyes open. He demands to watch him as she says it. -…it was… nice. It's been…a long time since I've kissed someone.- he doesn't seem satisfied, yet he should be. Nice is… poor. She would feel bad if someone told her that kissing her was only nice.

-Have you felt… butterflies in your stomach? Chill?- she shakes her head, even though he has a tight grip on her. -Good. And... did you happen to wonder what it would be like to kiss... me?- a first note of uncertainty.

Penelope swallows. -Yes.- she only says, letting her eyelids drop.

-Even while you were kissing him?- he steps on the gas, traces the border of her mouth, makes her lips part. She nods again and sees his shadow looming closer and closer. She has no way to escape and she doesn't even know if she would. For the first two seconds she undergoes that kiss that she had longed for, she first. Then she gets carried away by him and kisses him back with all of herself. She grumbles into his palate as their tongues struggle strenuously. Her hands also seek the male body, one on his neck and other in his hair. How much she's wanted to do this! Luke breaks away suddenly. If it had depended on her she would have risked collapsing, rather than let him go. -Was it like that?- he gasps, pressing his body on the female one.

-No…- she replies, feeling something extremely hard on her leg. She certainly couldn't blame him, given the state of her panties now...

-So how was it?- he nibbles her right lobe. -You know what I'd like to hear from you... but say it only if you really mean it.- she feels a wave of heat, from her hair to her toes. She involuntarily rubs against that bump in his pants.

-Kissing you was...-he listens to her take a breath, but not because she has any doubts -...a thousand times better... overwhelming... oh!- it's moving. She is sure of it. It distracts her.

He abruptly grabs her by the chin and sticks his tongue in her mouth with the same eagerness. Then he strokes her cheek. -You were very good.- he sees her reaching out to him, living solely to gain his approval and he enjoys having that power. At least for today, at least for a few hours. -I liked your answer, that's why you deserved another kiss.- Penelope doesn't move. -But… I want you to tell me something else. Everything.- she tries to plead with her dark and big eyes.

-Luke... there's no need. I'm sure that... with you it would be a completely different thing...- but this time she must have put the words wrong, because his expression is hard and annoyed.

-Would be? You didn't say will, so you think we're good? That knowing that you love me and that I love you, I can settle for a few kisses?- although she is shaking, something else emerges from the depths of her soul.

-Do you know what? I admit it, just kissing you gave me an orgasm and I'm not ashamed of it. But from this story I learned the importance of doing things at the right time and… I'm sorry, Luke, but that's not it.- she doesn't let him reply. He is so shocked that she manages to break free of his grip and gain enough space to breathe like a normal person. -I left the BAU, again, so as not to force Emily to fire me and I will have very hard days ahead of me. I can understand your... need to know the obvious, that with you everything would be... - he glares at her, she corrects herself -will be, sorry, unique, different. Even if it's not like you, this behavior. But I won't tell you about the sex, so you can take me in this office, in the middle of the afternoon, with a thousand agents beyond that door.- and that was exactly his plan.

He is reluctantly forced to agree with her. -Good.- always that rude tone, that sounds absurd, with her. Inside he is singing her the sweetest of serenades. -But I think I have the right to know at least how. Or if you prefer, why.- he doesn't need to add anything else, she understood perfectly. Luke begins to collect every item on the desk, handing it to her and helping her with the grave task.

Penelope sighs. -I think this will hurt you more than knowing the positions we've experimented…- she comments in a low voice, but not enough. -He came to me to leave me the keys and take back his few things. When he was about to leave, he turned away, like you did the time you found me crying after Spencer's visit...- he clenches his fists and freezes, away from her -and he told me that met me made him feel will to stay alive. It made me feel… good, useful. It moved me inside.- her predictions turn out to be right. The man takes her by the shoulders again, but by now she's used to it and she doesn't even flinch.

-I should have told you these things, not him!- he protests. -You are not at all aware of what you have given me, of the impact of your life on mine. I will never be able to repay you, in any way.- this time she has no intention of taking without replay.

She gives him a push. -Then why didn't you ever tell me?- he smiles, but without happiness.

-Because I've always focused on you, on you, if you haven't noticed. On your own good. And mine came on reflex.- she knows he's telling the pure truth. -Would you have ended up in bed with me too?- he can't help but provoke her, because behind the fake seducer there is still a wounded man. She's right, it's not the right time to take that step too.

-Idiot!- other shoves. -He didn't wait four years to take a step.- she accuses him in turn.

Luke opens his mouth and nothing comes out, then tries again. -He didn't have a regulation that expressly forbade him to romantically date a colleague.- he points out to her, but it's the wrong move. She smiles.

-No, there is only a precise protocol which advises against, to be polite, even just fraternizing with anyone who is minimally connected to a case.- he grabs her by the blouse, dragging her towards him.

-Ah, now you remember.- her hand burns with the temptation to slap him.

-You're such an asshole, Luke Alvez, and I'm even more so than you, because I'll never be able to stop being in love with you.- she sighs. -But above all because you didn't understand that you fucked me in the precise moment in which your lips rested on mine.- this declaration makes him completely leave that role that doesn't suit him.

He strokes her hair gently and even his tone has changed, it has become velvety, soft. -Would it have been enough to kiss you?- she nods, determined. -I wish I'd known earlier…- he watches her sadden, wither, because she's thinking about everything that's happened. -Hey, Penelope, my love.- it's heartbreaking to be called that, yet it's profoundly correct. No sour notes. -I won't leave you alone in this, okay? I don't even care if I have to move on another team, or rather... yes I would, but you are more important than anything and I've made an immense effort, to get to this moment, I don't intend to give up anymore.- she throws herself into his arms, holds him close.

-How can you not hate me? Have you forgiven me?- she asks him, trembling.

-I... it was a nice blow, I won't deny it, but I believe that love is seen above all in difficulty and... you are human, Penelope, you can make mistakes too.- this is the strongest declaration someone has ever made to her. She feels that huge weight in her chest, to always be perfect, always up to it, finally flying away.

It won't be easy, it will take time, but she's not in a hurry anymore. The fire between her and Tyler burned too quickly and it is known that in these cases it can never last long. The one with Luke, on the other hand, has been burning for seven years, nourished by patience and hope and will never die out.

And I said to myself if I fall in love, it will be with you

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