I love how we don't even need Apollo to be captioned, it's just "he's holding a dodgeball and looks Greek statue, of COURSE it's Apollo delivering the gift of prophecy unto unsuspecting tumblr users"
Dearest Daddy series, consisting of the haikyuu characters in the fatherhood universe!
Homesick by @aomineavenue
Summary: Six years ago, L/N Y/N wouldn’t exactly say that she loves her life. It had always been problematic but her best friend, Miya Atsumu, since she was eight when she moved to Hyōgo, has always been there for her, and she wouldn’t change it for the world. However, things would always fall apart for her ever since, so she should have expected of such. Running away from her problems seemed like the easiest route to take at the time, so what happens when the past comes barging back into her life demanding answers? Will she be able to confront her demons?
Tags: dad!Atsumu x mom!Reader, Atsumu doesn’t know, six years timeskip, twins, angst, fluff if you close your eyes (lmao)
“Those kids probably aren’t even mine.”
“You were the only man I’ve ever been with. The only man that I’ve ever wanted. The only man I’ve ever loved. It’s always been you.”
status: ongoing | series masterlist | taglist: closed
Stubborn by @aomineavenue
Summary: Ushijima Wakatoshi and Kegeyama F/N have been secretly seeking out pleasure from each other for at least a year and a half. However, Y/N finds herself growing tired of the arrangement after being constantly hurt by the man she had grown feelings for. However, despite ending things with each other, she finds herself in a pickle when two pink lines screamed right back at her.
Tags: dad!Ushijima x mom!Reader, pregnancy trials, timeskip! fluffy, angsty.
“Why do you even care?”
“Are you crazy? I’ve always cared. Baby or no baby. Have my actions towards you not been enough for you to understand that it isn’t just you who have feelings for the other? Do I really need to spell things out for you?”
status: coming soon | series masterlist | taglist: open
Playing House by @toorusushijima
Summary: A tragic accident brings two enemies together under one roof as sole guardians of their late best frien’s baby daughter. Will they survive together and find happiness through the bundle of joy in their lives? Or will their hatred for each other win over for the worst?
Tags: godfather!sakusa x godmother!reader, enemies to lovers??, angsty, fluffy.
“Why does it matter if I’m going out with someone?”
“Can’t you stop for a second and think what’s best for our child!”
status: wip | series masterlist | taglist: open
Scheming Monsters by @kaitycole
Summary: Two little friends have always desired one thing. To end up as siblings. So when the chance presented itself after a finalized divorce, who were they to decline such an opportunity to finally bring their parents together?
Tags: singledad!bokuto x singlemom!reader, divorced, friends to lovers?? all fluff, maybe a little angst if you use a magnifying glass.
“Shouldn’t we just tell them we’re dating?”
“No, it’s funny to watch them think they’re so slick.”
status: wip | series masterlist | taglist: open
Brilliant Opportunities by @velvetfireworks
Summary: Divorced, single father Oikawa finds himself in a pickle when his ex wife comes barging back in his life demanding full custody over their son for her greedy needs, he seeks assistance from the woman he wished he had married in the first place.
Tags: divorced!oikawa, singledad!oikawa, best friends to lovers to ex lovers, reunion, fluffy, angsty.
“What do you say? Would you marry me?”
“Sure, I think I can squeeze you in this weekend. How does Saturday sound?”
status: wip | series masterlist | taglist: open
Bonding Bliss by @newfriendjen
Summary: Single parents Kita and L/N find spending more time with each other through their daughters’ bonding play dates, not realizing their growing feelings for each other. But as sweet as it is, it’s not always cupcakes and rainbows when people from the past return.
Tags: singledad!kita x singlemom!reader, fluffy fluffy cotton, angst :c
“I can’t believe she had the audacity to come barging back into her life and think makeup would be perfect as a gift for a six years old!”
“Yeah, oh and I told her we were dating if that’s okay.”
“Oh that’s fin—what?”
status: wip | series masterlist | taglist: open
Meddling by @shoyomeow
Summary: A tale of how Matsukawa’s little boy, his pride and joy, helps him find the love he truly deserves.
Tags: single!dadxMatsukawa, fluffy. Just fluff. That’s it.
“Uh, what are you doing here?”
“What do you mean? You texted me to come over.”
Oh.
status: wip | series masterlist | taglist: open
Escape Plan by @hidden-otaku-stuff
Summary: Growing up in a traditional family always had its ups and downs. Arranged marriages was the very one of them that you dreaded ever since your contract had been presented to you at the age of eighteen. L/N F/N seeks help from an old flame as her 24th birthday fast approaches, wanting nothing more than to escape the wedding of the century the country had claimed.
Tags: traditional, rich family au! angst, crack fic, fluffy soft boy tendou here and there.
“I mean, yeah sure. I’ve always wanted to be a dad.”
“That’s great! How about putting a bun in my oven?”
status: wip | series masterlist | taglist: open
Replica by @daifwukus
Summary: To get back at her cheating boyfriend, L/N F/N finds herself a man during a party in her college years. Never had she expected that she would have fallen pregnant over it. Things only get complicated a few years later when the man she despises comes barging back in her life demanding why her son looked exactly like him.
Tags: college party, enemies to parents?? crack fic, lil bit of fluff if you squint, angst.
“Care to explain why that little toddler in your arms looks exactly like me when I was younger?”
“What crack are you on and where can I get some?”
status: wip | series masterlist | taglist: open
Wishing Upon A Star by @keijikunn
Summary: Calling him daddy was something your daughter had wished upon a falling star one night ever since you had introduced him as your boyfriend. The three of you finally find the right pace on becoming a happy family that your daughter dreamed of, but what happens when the man that had wanted nothing to do with you and your daughter returns?
Tags: singlemom!reader, angst, angst, ANGST. Only a little bit of fluff.
“Did you catch what she called me? She really said it!”
“Yeah, I did. She’s been wanting to call you daddy for the longest time.”
Reader waiting for 141 to return from a mission and as soon as ghost sees them he just stands there opening his arms waiting for reader to run to him -🦨
I love love love this:')
I can absolutely see that, 141 being away for a good week and the reader - who got special permission from price to do so - is waiting at the base where they will come back.
they're just waiting as the hours go by when the door opens - price is first, he gives them a reassuring little smile.
closely followed by Gaz who gives them a happy grin, finding it absolutely adorable that they're waiting.
Then there he is: Ghost. Price kept it a surprise that they'd be there, so he's caught off guard. He just stares at them for a moment before dropping everything he was carrying and opening his arms. the moment he holds them it like he never wants to let go ever again. it feels like a reminder to his humanity.
suddenly he's not Ghost anymore. doesn't have to be. he can just be Simon.
(Soap had to go in last because they knew he'd ruin the surprise)
lol. so here's part two, i stayed up late writing this. there's still some angst, but i have a tentative part three that i might write. also i guess im titling this:
Cowards Always Run
part 1
-
You've been ghosting him, an irony you would laugh at under any other circumstance if it didn't make you feel like a real piece of shit for doing so. You were ghosting Ghost. Avoiding him as much as you could all because you fell for him. You honestly always expected it to be the other way around if things got too deep: Ghost doing everything in his power to avoid you and pretend you didn't exist. But you never thought you would be the one to run. You never thought it would be this painful to cut him out. To pretend you felt nothing for him.
It's been a month since that night. The night you left him, bed empty and sheets cold. You never returned, and whilst Ghost never confronted you, you know he knows you're avoiding him. You can see it in the way he stares lasers at you from across the room or how he talks with a clipped tone at you during briefings or just passing you in the hall. But you can feel it most of all from the way he pins you down a little more roughly than usual during team sparring sessions, sending you a baleful glare everytime he practically yanks you up and seethes out, "Again."
It's as if he's punishing you. Like he's getting back at you for running. Or because he knows why you ran and hates you for it. For falling in love with him, and this is his way of getting back at you for ruining a good, casual, fun thing all because you couldn't leave your heart out of it. A shudder runs through you. God forbid that's the reason Ghost is being so cold.
"Pal, there you are!"
A hand pats your shoulder, nearly shoving you forward, and you yelp, arms flailing as your feet stumble.
"Wha--?!"
It's all very undignified and embarrassing, but thankfully, the man behind you catches you by your shoulders, steadying you, though not without a little laugh at your expense, the familiar Scottish timbre tickling your ears.
"Lost in your head, are we?"
Chuckling, you sheepishly rub the back of your neck as you turn around to face the man.
"Soap, hey! Uh, yeah, just a bit. Thanks for catching me, even though you were the reason why I almost fell."
"You were the one not paying attention!" He scoffs, throwing a gentle punch to your cheek that's more of a firm tap. A playful grin settles on his face as you shove his hand away before it softens as he studies you. "Seriously, though, you alright, Paladin? You're usually more aware of your surroundings."
Your eyebrow twitches at your callsign. It's so ostentatious. Pretentious. You've never liked it, but it was given because you were the squad's shining knight. Always saving your teammates and never shying away from danger. A true paladin through and through. You hate it, but you're stuck with it.
"I'm alright, Soap, just thinking about the upcoming mission. What's up?"
Did paladins lie? Were they as deceptive as you? Soap looks you up and down, looking for a tell, but you don't give him one. No, you don't think paladins are this abstruse.
"Well, if that's all . . . I was looking for you. Ghost wants to talk with you."
Your blood freezes, and you struggle to hide your sudden distress. "Oh? Why didn't he just text me?"
"Said you weren't answering." It's true, but you're not going to admit that. Soap pauses, looking like he wants to say something else, but decides against it. "Told me to tell you to meet him in the briefing room. It's about the mission."
You're not sure if that's true or not. You suspect it isn't.
"Oh."
"And he told me to bring you there myself."
"Oh."
Soap frowns at you, jaw flexing, but you're staring down at your boots. Now you definitely don't think it's about the mission. He wouldn't have sent Soap to fucking escort you if it wasn't. Damn bastard knew you wouldn't be able to run if he did.
"Come on then, Pal, can't keep the Lt. waiting."
Yes, you can, or at least you want to. But with Soap as your warden, there's no escaping this march into hell. Each step closer feels like a death sentence. There's nowhere to hide, and your footsteps echo in your ears with a thundering clack in the otherwise empty hallways. You want to run, but unlike that night you ran away from Simon, you wouldn't be able to get away this time.
"I can hear you thinking."
"What?" You gasp, head snapping to look at Soap, but he's not looking at you, staring straight ahead as he leads you towards the briefing room.
"Said I can hear you thinking."
He's got that sharp look in his eyes, the one that reminds you of just how smart Soap is. The one that you often see in the field when Soap is thinking on his feet. It's something you've always liked about him. He's a dependable friend and teammate. But seeing that look right now, knowing he's dissecting you, it sends a chill down your spine.
"And what can you hear?" You decide to play along. Act nonchalant. Pretend there's nothing to hide when you have so much to keep buried.
"You tell me." He side-eyes you for a spilt-second as he turns a corner and leads you down another hall.
"Now that's no fun." You lighten your voice into a playful tone. "You have to guess, Mactavish."
"Don't think you want me to."
"And why is that?"
"Because you and Ghost aren't as subtle as you think you are."
And congratulations to Soap for making you stumble a second time. On fucking air, too. You manage to hold in your yelp, but you still flail to catch your bearings with Soap catching you before you faceplant once again.
"Fuck's sake, Soap!" You bat away his hands once you're righted. "How did you know?!"
"I believe the proper response is 'thank you', and like I said, you two aren't subtle."
Groaning, you cover your face with your hands, shaking your head. "Does everyone else know then?"
"If by everyone else, you mean Gaz and Price, then yes, everyone else does know you and Ghost are together."
"Were. Were together." You correct, dropping your hands from your face as you follow him again. "And it wasn't anything serious. Just a thing. A casual, fun, weird thing that happened."
"You sure?" Soap raises an eyebrow as he scrutinizes you. "With the way Lt.'s been acting out and how you've been walking on eggshells around him, we thought it was more serious than that."
"Whaddya mean?" You squint at him.
"You've always been his favorite, you know?" Soap cocks his head at you. "We all knew. You two always stuck close, but we suspected it started after that mission--the one you missed that shook Ghost up pretty bad--" You remember. It was the mission that brought Simon to you late at night, red-eyed and shaking. You never did find out why, though. "--and he began sticking closer than usual. And you started following him around more frequently. And it was all cute and adorable how in love you two were with each other until about a month ago, and now things are awkward as hell for everyone on the team."
You cringe, mostly at how casually he spits out the L-word and how wrong he is for thinking it was reciprocated. You also feel bad that the tension has been palpable for the rest of the team, but at least they didn't know your thing with Ghost started way before that one rough night.
"Sorry about that." You apologize. "And you're wrong, by the way. We weren't in love with each other. At first. And only one of us fell in love, and it wasn't Ghost. That's why I left. Didn't want to ruin a good thing."
Soap slows to a stop, and you see the briefing room just behind him. The door is shut. It's intimidating. You don't want to go in. Soap blocks it for the moment, turning to fully face you with a slightly disappointed frown.
"I think you already did, Pal." His hand drops to your shoulder and squeezes. "Go talk to him. Sort this out. If not for yourself or Ghost, then for the rest of the team? Seriously, it's like watching a ticking timebomb."
That brings a laugh out of you, and Soap grins, pulling you into a comforting hug.
"Thanks, Mactavish. You're a good friend."
"I know." Soap jokes, squeezing you once before letting you go. "And you're wrong; you weren't the only one who fell in love. Now go talk to him and fix things, you idiot."
You roll your eyes, but once you look at the briefing door, any bravado you might feel leaves you. With a gulp, you knock on the door, nearly stepping back in surprise when it almost immediately opens. Ghost takes up the whole door space, head nearly reaching the height of the jamb. He's so huge.
It never ceases to amaze you just how large this man is, but what really makes your breath hitch is his eyes. Even from behind his mask, you can see his anger just from those eyes of his. They're wide, and his pupils are dilated, accented by the black splotched against his skin. You can tell his eyebrows are narrowed too, glaring at you. He doesn't look away from you, even when he addresses Soap. You nearly tremble in your shoes.
"Thanks, Johnny. I'll take it from here."
"Don't kill our paladin too bad, Lt.." Soap pats your shoulder. "And you, remember what I told you. I'll see you later. Maybe."
And then there were two. You stay outside, hearing Soap's footsteps get fainter and fainter as Ghost glares at you. You don't look away, afraid if you do, he'll pounce you like he's a predator and you're a prey. You certainly feel like one. The footsteps soon disappear entirely, and Ghost turns around sharply, walking into the room. For one foolish second, you think about slipping away while his back is turned, but then Ghost sends a warning glare over his shoulder at you, and you scurry in after him.
"Close the door and lock it."
You don't want to obey, but you do, fingers shaking as you turn the lock. You should have known an easy escape would be out of the question.
"Come here."
Swallowing thickly, you clench your fists and walk over to the other side of the room to where Ghost is leaning against the end of the oval table. All too soon, you've rounded the table and stand awkwardly before him. Ghost nods at the chair in front of him, kicking it slightly, and you know he's silently ordering to sit down.
Taking a deep breath in, you sit stiffly, back ramrod straight with your fists in your lap. Ghost is facing you, towering over you, really, with his back towards the door and his arms crossed, biceps bulging under his jacket. Glancing behind him, you look at the door. The exit is on the exact opposite side of the room. He really is boxing you in.
You start to sweat, but Ghost doesn't say anything. He just glares down at you, radiating with anger. It doesn't help your nerves that only half of the lights are on, leaving the room dim with one of the lights shining down on you while Ghost is shrouded in the shadows from his position in the room. And then it clicks. He did this purposely, that fucker. Edgey and dramatic, and yet, he achieved the effect he wanted--you squriming and waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Unable to take it anymore, you break, playing the fool as you babble about nonsense you know will just piss him off more. You really are an idiot.
"Soap said you wanted to go over the upcoming mission--"
"Cut the shit, you know exactly why I called you here--why I had to send fuckin' Johnny of all people to bring you over just to talk with you."
Your mouth snaps shut, and you look down to Ghost's chest, just above his crossed arms, but he doesn't even let you do that.
"No, you look at me, Paladin. You don't get to avoid this--avoid me any longer. Fuckin' look at me."
Not quite able to hold back a flinch, you listen and look back up to that skull mask. A cold feeling washes over you when you make eye contact. Ghost hasn't stopped glaring at you. He's looking at you like you're an enemy. Like your thing with him never happened. It almost feels like it never did with the way he's looking at you, and for some reason, that makes you snap.
"Take off the mask."
Ghost leans back a little, table groaning as he shifts his weight against it. His eyes squint down at you, and his fingers dig into his arms a little more. He's probably leaving bruises.
"You don't get to--"
"Take off your fucking mask, Simon. You want me to look at you, but you're hiding too!" You snarl as if you're the one who has the most reason to be angry, but you can't have this talk with Ghost, you need to have it with Simon. "Take. Off. Your fucking mask."
Neither of you make a move, caught in a deadlock. He doesn't want to take off his mask, and you don't want to look at Ghost. Not right now, but you're willing to look at Simon. Just Simon.
The tension sizzles in the air, and you struggle to keep your breathing even. Maybe he won't take it off. Maybe he'll make you face Ghost instead, but just as your sudden burst of confidence wavers, his arms uncross, and he slowly reaches up with one hand to pull that skull mask off. He pulls it off in one smooth motion, clenching it in his hand as he shoves it in his pocket. His hair is a little mussed. He needs a haircut. Some strands stick out at odd angles, but it's cute. It's Simon.
But Simon is still glaring down at you, nose crinkling and jaw clenching. It's mean, and it's harsh, but this is the first time you're seeing his face again since that night one month ago, and the sting of his glare is softened as you remember the love you realized that night. It's scary, and you still want to run, but seeing Simon again, you can't help but feel that love tenfold.
"Why."
"Huh?"
You sputter, straightening in your seat. Dammit, you got distracted by his pretty face. Simon's eyebrows tick, and he leans forward enough until his hair is out of the shadows and lighted up by the light you're sitting under. You struggle to keep yourself from moving backward.
"Why did you run." He enunciates slowly, leaning more until he's wholly under the light with you, hands planting themselves on the armrests of the chair, caging you in. "Why did you not come back."
His questions don't sound like questions. He's saying them like they're statements. Spitting them out like it doesn't matter what you say. Simon leans down, forcing you to lean back as his face becomes level with yours.
"Tell me."
"I . . ." You can't help but look down at his lips. They're chapped. Dry. You almost lean in, but Simon's finger comes up to your chin and tilts your head back a little, making you look him in the eyes again.
"Tell me."
"I . . ."
You can't. Even now, so tempted to throw caution in the wind and confess everything so you can kiss him, you can't. Simon never wanted a relationship. He just wanted sex. If you tell him everything, how you really feel, he'd leave this room and have you transferred, never to see him again.
You go silent, eyes wide as you stare into his. Simon searches your gaze, looking at you, waiting for an answer, but he doesn't get one. He realizes you're not going to answer after a minute of silence.
He exhales, hand dropling from your chin, glare hardening as he backs away. "Fuckin' hell . . ."
For some reason, that makes you irritated, and you childishly lash out at him, baring your teeth at him. "Why does it even matter? It was just sex, why are you so upset?"
The instant your outburst ends, you know it was a mistake. Simon barks out a mocking laugh, and the smile on his lips is cruel.
"'Just sex?' Paladin, I was awake that night you left."
Your blood turns cold, and you stiffen in your seat. "What . . ?"
Simon comes close again, hands slamming down on the armrests so hard that he shoves the seat back a little. He leans down close to your face, repeating slowly, "I was awake that night you left."
He leans away again and turns until his back is facing you. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his mask, looking down at it.
"Simon--"
"You're gonna make me fall in love with you." He quotes. "You said that, and then you fucking left."
"Why didn't you say anything?!" You finally stand up from the chair, grabbing his shoulder and yanking him until he faces you. "If you were awake, why didn't you--"
"Why did you run?"
He glares shards at you, and the anger you feel wavers. "I-I didn't--"
"You did." He takes a step forward, and you take one back. "You wanted to know why it upset me? Why I'm so pissed off?"
He doesn't wait for you to answer as he takes another step forward.
"It pisses me off that the bravest person I know would run."
Another step.
"It pisses me off that you didn't come back."
Another step.
"It pisses me off that I had to arrange this fucking meeting at all."
Another step and your back hits the wall.
"But you want to know why I'm really upset?"
He leans in and his voice lowers to a whisper.
"It pisses me off that the one person that I--"
He stumbles over his words, and he blinks, jaw clenching as he leans back. It's a small falter, but it still has your heart racing at what he was going to say--confess--and it almost makes you forget the sour feelings he was spitting out at you.
Carefully, you bring a hand up to his cheek and make him look at you and quietly ask, "That you what?"
Simon sighs and presses himself closer to your touch, his hand coming up to trap yours where it is, and he closes his eyes, muttering bitterly, "That the one person that I care for is a coward."
Something in your chest breaks, but you can't do anything as Simon pulls away, dropping your hand and slipping his mask on. You don't move, and he walks over to the door, unlocking it. He doesn't look back as he opens it.
"I thought paladins were supposed to be brave. I guess I thought wrong."
He steps out, and that pulls you out of your stupor. Taking a step forward, you croak out, "Wait--"
But then the door is already closed, and this time he left you, shattering you more than when you left him that night one month ago. Something wet streaks down your face, and you swipe at it only for another streak to fall from your other eye. You breathe in, but it stutters as a sniffle. You wipe your face again, but the wetness doesn't stop. Tears. These are tears. You're crying.
Gritting your teeth, you shake as you struggle to calm yourself. How did you mess things up? Looking at the chair you sat in, you curse. You should have run when you had the chance, just like the coward you are. Grabbing the chair by its armrests, you throw it and scream your frustration and hurt.
lol. so here's part two, i stayed up late writing this. there's still some angst, but i have a tentative part three that i might write. also i guess im titling this:
Cowards Always Run
part 1
-
You've been ghosting him, an irony you would laugh at under any other circumstance if it didn't make you feel like a real piece of shit for doing so. You were ghosting Ghost. Avoiding him as much as you could all because you fell for him. You honestly always expected it to be the other way around if things got too deep: Ghost doing everything in his power to avoid you and pretend you didn't exist. But you never thought you would be the one to run. You never thought it would be this painful to cut him out. To pretend you felt nothing for him.
It's been a month since that night. The night you left him, bed empty and sheets cold. You never returned, and whilst Ghost never confronted you, you know he knows you're avoiding him. You can see it in the way he stares lasers at you from across the room or how he talks with a clipped tone at you during briefings or just passing you in the hall. But you can feel it most of all from the way he pins you down a little more roughly than usual during team sparring sessions, sending you a baleful glare everytime he practically yanks you up and seethes out, "Again."
It's as if he's punishing you. Like he's getting back at you for running. Or because he knows why you ran and hates you for it. For falling in love with him, and this is his way of getting back at you for ruining a good, casual, fun thing all because you couldn't leave your heart out of it. A shudder runs through you. God forbid that's the reason Ghost is being so cold.
"Pal, there you are!"
A hand pats your shoulder, nearly shoving you forward, and you yelp, arms flailing as your feet stumble.
"Wha--?!"
It's all very undignified and embarrassing, but thankfully, the man behind you catches you by your shoulders, steadying you, though not without a little laugh at your expense, the familiar Scottish timbre tickling your ears.
"Lost in your head, are we?"
Chuckling, you sheepishly rub the back of your neck as you turn around to face the man.
"Soap, hey! Uh, yeah, just a bit. Thanks for catching me, even though you were the reason why I almost fell."
"You were the one not paying attention!" He scoffs, throwing a gentle punch to your cheek that's more of a firm tap. A playful grin settles on his face as you shove his hand away before it softens as he studies you. "Seriously, though, you alright, Paladin? You're usually more aware of your surroundings."
Your eyebrow twitches at your callsign. It's so ostentatious. Pretentious. You've never liked it, but it was given because you were the squad's shining knight. Always saving your teammates and never shying away from danger. A true paladin through and through. You hate it, but you're stuck with it.
"I'm alright, Soap, just thinking about the upcoming mission. What's up?"
Did paladins lie? Were they as deceptive as you? Soap looks you up and down, looking for a tell, but you don't give him one. No, you don't think paladins are this abstruse.
"Well, if that's all . . . I was looking for you. Ghost wants to talk with you."
Your blood freezes, and you struggle to hide your sudden distress. "Oh? Why didn't he just text me?"
"Said you weren't answering." It's true, but you're not going to admit that. Soap pauses, looking like he wants to say something else, but decides against it. "Told me to tell you to meet him in the briefing room. It's about the mission."
You're not sure if that's true or not. You suspect it isn't.
"Oh."
"And he told me to bring you there myself."
"Oh."
Soap frowns at you, jaw flexing, but you're staring down at your boots. Now you definitely don't think it's about the mission. He wouldn't have sent Soap to fucking escort you if it wasn't. Damn bastard knew you wouldn't be able to run if he did.
"Come on then, Pal, can't keep the Lt. waiting."
Yes, you can, or at least you want to. But with Soap as your warden, there's no escaping this march into hell. Each step closer feels like a death sentence. There's nowhere to hide, and your footsteps echo in your ears with a thundering clack in the otherwise empty hallways. You want to run, but unlike that night you ran away from Simon, you wouldn't be able to get away this time.
"I can hear you thinking."
"What?" You gasp, head snapping to look at Soap, but he's not looking at you, staring straight ahead as he leads you towards the briefing room.
"Said I can hear you thinking."
He's got that sharp look in his eyes, the one that reminds you of just how smart Soap is. The one that you often see in the field when Soap is thinking on his feet. It's something you've always liked about him. He's a dependable friend and teammate. But seeing that look right now, knowing he's dissecting you, it sends a chill down your spine.
"And what can you hear?" You decide to play along. Act nonchalant. Pretend there's nothing to hide when you have so much to keep buried.
"You tell me." He side-eyes you for a spilt-second as he turns a corner and leads you down another hall.
"Now that's no fun." You lighten your voice into a playful tone. "You have to guess, Mactavish."
"Don't think you want me to."
"And why is that?"
"Because you and Ghost aren't as subtle as you think you are."
And congratulations to Soap for making you stumble a second time. On fucking air, too. You manage to hold in your yelp, but you still flail to catch your bearings with Soap catching you before you faceplant once again.
"Fuck's sake, Soap!" You bat away his hands once you're righted. "How did you know?!"
"I believe the proper response is 'thank you', and like I said, you two aren't subtle."
Groaning, you cover your face with your hands, shaking your head. "Does everyone else know then?"
"If by everyone else, you mean Gaz and Price, then yes, everyone else does know you and Ghost are together."
"Were. Were together." You correct, dropping your hands from your face as you follow him again. "And it wasn't anything serious. Just a thing. A casual, fun, weird thing that happened."
"You sure?" Soap raises an eyebrow as he scrutinizes you. "With the way Lt.'s been acting out and how you've been walking on eggshells around him, we thought it was more serious than that."
"Whaddya mean?" You squint at him.
"You've always been his favorite, you know?" Soap cocks his head at you. "We all knew. You two always stuck close, but we suspected it started after that mission--the one you missed that shook Ghost up pretty bad--" You remember. It was the mission that brought Simon to you late at night, red-eyed and shaking. You never did find out why, though. "--and he began sticking closer than usual. And you started following him around more frequently. And it was all cute and adorable how in love you two were with each other until about a month ago, and now things are awkward as hell for everyone on the team."
You cringe, mostly at how casually he spits out the L-word and how wrong he is for thinking it was reciprocated. You also feel bad that the tension has been palpable for the rest of the team, but at least they didn't know your thing with Ghost started way before that one rough night.
"Sorry about that." You apologize. "And you're wrong, by the way. We weren't in love with each other. At first. And only one of us fell in love, and it wasn't Ghost. That's why I left. Didn't want to ruin a good thing."
Soap slows to a stop, and you see the briefing room just behind him. The door is shut. It's intimidating. You don't want to go in. Soap blocks it for the moment, turning to fully face you with a slightly disappointed frown.
"I think you already did, Pal." His hand drops to your shoulder and squeezes. "Go talk to him. Sort this out. If not for yourself or Ghost, then for the rest of the team? Seriously, it's like watching a ticking timebomb."
That brings a laugh out of you, and Soap grins, pulling you into a comforting hug.
"Thanks, Mactavish. You're a good friend."
"I know." Soap jokes, squeezing you once before letting you go. "And you're wrong; you weren't the only one who fell in love. Now go talk to him and fix things, you idiot."
You roll your eyes, but once you look at the briefing door, any bravado you might feel leaves you. With a gulp, you knock on the door, nearly stepping back in surprise when it almost immediately opens. Ghost takes up the whole door space, head nearly reaching the height of the jamb. He's so huge.
It never ceases to amaze you just how large this man is, but what really makes your breath hitch is his eyes. Even from behind his mask, you can see his anger just from those eyes of his. They're wide, and his pupils are dilated, accented by the black splotched against his skin. You can tell his eyebrows are narrowed too, glaring at you. He doesn't look away from you, even when he addresses Soap. You nearly tremble in your shoes.
"Thanks, Johnny. I'll take it from here."
"Don't kill our paladin too bad, Lt.." Soap pats your shoulder. "And you, remember what I told you. I'll see you later. Maybe."
And then there were two. You stay outside, hearing Soap's footsteps get fainter and fainter as Ghost glares at you. You don't look away, afraid if you do, he'll pounce you like he's a predator and you're a prey. You certainly feel like one. The footsteps soon disappear entirely, and Ghost turns around sharply, walking into the room. For one foolish second, you think about slipping away while his back is turned, but then Ghost sends a warning glare over his shoulder at you, and you scurry in after him.
"Close the door and lock it."
You don't want to obey, but you do, fingers shaking as you turn the lock. You should have known an easy escape would be out of the question.
"Come here."
Swallowing thickly, you clench your fists and walk over to the other side of the room to where Ghost is leaning against the end of the oval table. All too soon, you've rounded the table and stand awkwardly before him. Ghost nods at the chair in front of him, kicking it slightly, and you know he's silently ordering to sit down.
Taking a deep breath in, you sit stiffly, back ramrod straight with your fists in your lap. Ghost is facing you, towering over you, really, with his back towards the door and his arms crossed, biceps bulging under his jacket. Glancing behind him, you look at the door. The exit is on the exact opposite side of the room. He really is boxing you in.
You start to sweat, but Ghost doesn't say anything. He just glares down at you, radiating with anger. It doesn't help your nerves that only half of the lights are on, leaving the room dim with one of the lights shining down on you while Ghost is shrouded in the shadows from his position in the room. And then it clicks. He did this purposely, that fucker. Edgey and dramatic, and yet, he achieved the effect he wanted--you squriming and waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Unable to take it anymore, you break, playing the fool as you babble about nonsense you know will just piss him off more. You really are an idiot.
"Soap said you wanted to go over the upcoming mission--"
"Cut the shit, you know exactly why I called you here--why I had to send fuckin' Johnny of all people to bring you over just to talk with you."
Your mouth snaps shut, and you look down to Ghost's chest, just above his crossed arms, but he doesn't even let you do that.
"No, you look at me, Paladin. You don't get to avoid this--avoid me any longer. Fuckin' look at me."
Not quite able to hold back a flinch, you listen and look back up to that skull mask. A cold feeling washes over you when you make eye contact. Ghost hasn't stopped glaring at you. He's looking at you like you're an enemy. Like your thing with him never happened. It almost feels like it never did with the way he's looking at you, and for some reason, that makes you snap.
"Take off the mask."
Ghost leans back a little, table groaning as he shifts his weight against it. His eyes squint down at you, and his fingers dig into his arms a little more. He's probably leaving bruises.
"You don't get to--"
"Take off your fucking mask, Simon. You want me to look at you, but you're hiding too!" You snarl as if you're the one who has the most reason to be angry, but you can't have this talk with Ghost, you need to have it with Simon. "Take. Off. Your fucking mask."
Neither of you make a move, caught in a deadlock. He doesn't want to take off his mask, and you don't want to look at Ghost. Not right now, but you're willing to look at Simon. Just Simon.
The tension sizzles in the air, and you struggle to keep your breathing even. Maybe he won't take it off. Maybe he'll make you face Ghost instead, but just as your sudden burst of confidence wavers, his arms uncross, and he slowly reaches up with one hand to pull that skull mask off. He pulls it off in one smooth motion, clenching it in his hand as he shoves it in his pocket. His hair is a little mussed. He needs a haircut. Some strands stick out at odd angles, but it's cute. It's Simon.
But Simon is still glaring down at you, nose crinkling and jaw clenching. It's mean, and it's harsh, but this is the first time you're seeing his face again since that night one month ago, and the sting of his glare is softened as you remember the love you realized that night. It's scary, and you still want to run, but seeing Simon again, you can't help but feel that love tenfold.
"Why."
"Huh?"
You sputter, straightening in your seat. Dammit, you got distracted by his pretty face. Simon's eyebrows tick, and he leans forward enough until his hair is out of the shadows and lighted up by the light you're sitting under. You struggle to keep yourself from moving backward.
"Why did you run." He enunciates slowly, leaning more until he's wholly under the light with you, hands planting themselves on the armrests of the chair, caging you in. "Why did you not come back."
His questions don't sound like questions. He's saying them like they're statements. Spitting them out like it doesn't matter what you say. Simon leans down, forcing you to lean back as his face becomes level with yours.
"Tell me."
"I . . ." You can't help but look down at his lips. They're chapped. Dry. You almost lean in, but Simon's finger comes up to your chin and tilts your head back a little, making you look him in the eyes again.
"Tell me."
"I . . ."
You can't. Even now, so tempted to throw caution in the wind and confess everything so you can kiss him, you can't. Simon never wanted a relationship. He just wanted sex. If you tell him everything, how you really feel, he'd leave this room and have you transferred, never to see him again.
You go silent, eyes wide as you stare into his. Simon searches your gaze, looking at you, waiting for an answer, but he doesn't get one. He realizes you're not going to answer after a minute of silence.
He exhales, hand dropling from your chin, glare hardening as he backs away. "Fuckin' hell . . ."
For some reason, that makes you irritated, and you childishly lash out at him, baring your teeth at him. "Why does it even matter? It was just sex, why are you so upset?"
The instant your outburst ends, you know it was a mistake. Simon barks out a mocking laugh, and the smile on his lips is cruel.
"'Just sex?' Paladin, I was awake that night you left."
Your blood turns cold, and you stiffen in your seat. "What . . ?"
Simon comes close again, hands slamming down on the armrests so hard that he shoves the seat back a little. He leans down close to your face, repeating slowly, "I was awake that night you left."
He leans away again and turns until his back is facing you. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his mask, looking down at it.
"Simon--"
"You're gonna make me fall in love with you." He quotes. "You said that, and then you fucking left."
"Why didn't you say anything?!" You finally stand up from the chair, grabbing his shoulder and yanking him until he faces you. "If you were awake, why didn't you--"
"Why did you run?"
He glares shards at you, and the anger you feel wavers. "I-I didn't--"
"You did." He takes a step forward, and you take one back. "You wanted to know why it upset me? Why I'm so pissed off?"
He doesn't wait for you to answer as he takes another step forward.
"It pisses me off that the bravest person I know would run."
Another step.
"It pisses me off that you didn't come back."
Another step.
"It pisses me off that I had to arrange this fucking meeting at all."
Another step and your back hits the wall.
"But you want to know why I'm really upset?"
He leans in and his voice lowers to a whisper.
"It pisses me off that the one person that I--"
He stumbles over his words, and he blinks, jaw clenching as he leans back. It's a small falter, but it still has your heart racing at what he was going to say--confess--and it almost makes you forget the sour feelings he was spitting out at you.
Carefully, you bring a hand up to his cheek and make him look at you and quietly ask, "That you what?"
Simon sighs and presses himself closer to your touch, his hand coming up to trap yours where it is, and he closes his eyes, muttering bitterly, "That the one person that I care for is a coward."
Something in your chest breaks, but you can't do anything as Simon pulls away, dropping your hand and slipping his mask on. You don't move, and he walks over to the door, unlocking it. He doesn't look back as he opens it.
"I thought paladins were supposed to be brave. I guess I thought wrong."
He steps out, and that pulls you out of your stupor. Taking a step forward, you croak out, "Wait--"
But then the door is already closed, and this time he left you, shattering you more than when you left him that night one month ago. Something wet streaks down your face, and you swipe at it only for another streak to fall from your other eye. You breathe in, but it stutters as a sniffle. You wipe your face again, but the wetness doesn't stop. Tears. These are tears. You're crying.
Gritting your teeth, you shake as you struggle to calm yourself. How did you mess things up? Looking at the chair you sat in, you curse. You should have run when you had the chance, just like the coward you are. Grabbing the chair by its armrests, you throw it and scream your frustration and hurt.
You can listen to the story be read out loud here.
Post Date: November 22nd 2022
Post Time: 11:09 pm
Summary: When Nick gets kidnapped, the reader is forced to fear the worst for her husband as she and the team work the case with hopes of bringing him home safe.
Please refrain from stealing our work, thank you and please enjoy it!!!
Nick’s Pov:
I close my locker after grabbing my gun along with my extra clips. I sit down and start the process of reloading the clips as Warrick walks in. He smiles at me before walking to his locker and taking his shirt off.
“So I took my girl to that ultimate fight championship on Saturday night,” Warrick tells me as he clips his gun on his hip, then reaches into his locker to get a shirt.
“Oh, yeah, yeah, down over at the, uh, spur? I was tellin’ y/n about that the other night. We were thinkin’ about going, but she ended up working,” I reply as I reload my gun clip while Warrick puts his shirt on.
“Yeah. Almost ended up getting into a smack down of my own,” he tells me and I look up at him from the bench.
“No way. You almost got into a beef?” I ask and he looks at me before nodding as he rolls his sleeves up.
“You know, Tina doesn’t like me carrying a gun. I play down the fact that I’m a cop when I’m with her anyway,” he tells me and I go back to loading my gun clip as he turns back to his locker.
“Yeah, yeah, you play the scientist card. I don’t have to do that,” I joke and he scoffs as he grabs his gun.
“That’s ‘cause your wife works with you,” he says with a smirk and smile.
“And I love it. I can see her whenever I’d like. You’re a ‘copologist,’” I joke and he nods his head, laughing and I laugh too.
“Man, you’re whipped, man,” he tells me and I chuckle with a smile.
“Hey. If it’s y/n, I don’t mind being whipped,” I reply with a shrug.
“So, umm, we’re standing out in front of the hotel, making out and this guy walks up to me, gets in my face, and asks me how she is,” Warrick explains to me as he loads his clip into his gun then cocks it.
“No, he didn’t,” I say in disbelief and he nods as he puts his gun back in his holster.
“So?” I prompt him to continue.
“I tell him to get lost,” he says with a wave of his hand. “He says, ‘make me.’ So I took a step forward and out of nowhere, his big, fat bodyguard, looking like wimpy from Popeye, walks up and starts to close in on me.”
“This fat boy is looking like he’s obviously carrying some sort of weapon and I'm standing there naked as a porn star with my girl,” he finishes his story and I look up at him.
“Did you tell them you’re a ‘cop’?” I ask him as he now starts to roll his other sleeve up.
“They didn’t seem to care,” he tells me as he shakes his head.
“One of the guys sounded Russian, like he was wanna-be mafia,” he tells me like it’s a matter of fact as he finishes rolling his sleeve up.
“Fat boy was obviously his bodyguard,” he says and I hum in agreement before looking back up at him.
“So, uh, you know, I wasn’t physically afraid of the guys, but something was kind of sinister about them,” he tells me as he leans his hand on the shelf part of his locker and puts his other hand on his hip.
“They were provoking me, but they weren’t making a move. It was almost like they were waiting for me to make a move. Say if I smacked big-mouth, fat boy would’ve come over and stabbed me or something,” he explains and I let out a puff of exhortation as I turn and pick up my gun.
“Even fat boy was vibing me not to take the bait,” he says as I put my clip into my gun.
“So what happened?” I ask as I turn to look at him again.
“Well, valet finally brought Tina’s car up,” he tells me. “So, I maneuver her around these guys and I put her in her car, and I turn my back to them and let ‘em talk this smack,” he explains to me as he turns towards his locker, demonstrating what he did.
“I’m calming Tina down. Tell her everything’s fine, she drives off and I walk away,” he continues as he turns back around now and I mess with my vest pocket.
“I called Tina later on,” he explains as he grabs his jacket from his locker then closes it.
“And I tell her, uh, you know, if she got any problem with me being a cop, she needs to get over it, ‘cause now I’m packing,” he finishes and I look up at him as I readjust my holster on my hip.
“Yeah. Yeah,” I agree with him as I continue to readjust.
“What’d you do on Sunday?” I ask him as I lean back and look at him again.
“Scoured the hotel looking for these punks,” he tells me with a chortle before he turns and starts to put his jacket on as I get up to walk with him, letting out a laugh as I do.
“Well, hey, I don’t blame you. I probably would’ve done the same if it was me and y/n,” I tell him as we walk out of the locker room.
“No. You probably wouldn’t have waited to beat on them,” he says while rolling his eyes and I chuckle.
“Nah, that’s where you're wrong, buddy. Y/n would’a beat me to it,” I say as I clap him on the shoulder while we walk through the halls of the lab and he chuckles.
“You're probably right on that one. Y/n got a really good uppercut,” he agrees with me and I laugh.
“Oh, my two favorite guys,” Cathrine says as she comes out of her office as we just walk into the hall.
“So, I’ve got an assault at stripperama and a trash run at Flamingo and Koval. I’m too busy to play favorites so duke it out. I gotta go meet y/n at our scene,” she tells us as she hands Warrick the slips for each scene before starting to walk off.
“Tell y/n I told her to call me!” I shout out to her and she smiles while nodding at me before fully walking off.
“Duke it out! Boy better flip a coin. I’ll hurt you,” I say as I turn back to Warrick as he looks over both slips. I put my hand in my pocket to grab a coin.
“Yeah, you better flip that coin,” Warrick jokes with a smile as I pull the coin out.
“Call it in the air,” I tell him as I flip it.
“Heads,” he says and I catch it before flipping it onto the back of my hand.
“Have fun at the trash run,” he tells me as he rolls his tongue in his cheek and I grab my slip.
“You know, I’d do two out of three, but you got a gambling problem,” I joke with him as I walk backwards away from him.
“No, hey, you know what?” I say as I turn away from him.
“You keep this,” I joke as I turn back around to face him with the coin held up.
“It’s bad luck,” I finish off before tossing him the coin and he reaches up to catch it.
I chuckle as I turn back around and head to my GMC SUV to head out. I hop in the car and my phone starts to ring. I pull it out of my pocket and smile when I see my wife’s number.
“Well, hello, sweetheart,” I croon with a grin as I answer the phone and I hear her chuckle.
“Hello to you too, my love. Cath told me you wanted me to call you?” she parrots my greeting and I can hear the smile in her voice.
“Yeah. I just wanted to hear your voice. Haven’t seen you since you went into work this morning,” I explain and she giggles.
“Aw, Nicky. It’s nice to hear your voice too. Are you on a case?” she asks and I hum as I put my key into the ignition.
“Yeah. Just got into my SUV to drive to it,” I muse and I hear her hum.
“Are you on your own for this one or are you with Warrick?” she asks and I sit back in my seat for a moment.
“I’m on my own, babe,” I admit to her and I hear her sigh. I imagine her shaking her head.
“Be careful, then. Ok, honey?” she asks me and I chuckle, nodding even though I know she can’t see me.
“I promise I will be. You be safe out there too, ok?” I tell her and I know she nods even if I can’t see her.
“I will. I’ll see you back at the lab, yeah?” she asks and I grin, imagining her leaning against a wall.
“Of course you will,” I promise her and she giggles again.
“Ok. Well, I have to go, hon. Cath needs me back in there. I love you,” she tells me and I smile again, nodding even though she can’t see me.
“I should go too. Gotta get to that scene. I love you too,” I respond and picture her smiling.
“Ok. Bye, baby,” she says and I parrot her before we both hang up.
Once I’m off the phone with her I buckle my seatbelt before setting my phone in the cup holder. Turning the key makes my SUV come to life and the music from earlier comes on. With a smile on my face I pull out of the parking space and start to drive to the scene.
♪ It was Christmas in Las Vegas,
when the locals take the town ♪
♪ Theresa hit a streak And laid her waitress apron down She’d been playing penny poker over at the old gold spike she’s won at Texas hold ‘em So she switched to let it ride ♪
♪ Then over on Fremont street, Six pits won her a car
She rode it up the strip to where the flashy hotels are
At first, she hit a royal, Not a dirty one this time
And then she drew four deuces… ♪
I sing along with Bob Neuwirth as I drive, drumming my fingers on my steering wheel. About half way into the song I arrive on the scene and turn my car off. I put my camera around my neck as I get out, grabbing my CSI case from the back seat before starting to walk over to the officer on scene.
“Nick,” the officer addresses me as I walk up to him.
“D.A.,” I greet him back as we continue to walk.
“What’s going on out here?” I ask and look at him.
“Well, anonymous, 911 caller reported body parts in this area. I rolled and find this,” he explains until we come to a stop and he lifts his flashlight on the supposed body parts.
“Hmm. Tasty,” I sarcastically joke before setting my case down and lifting my camera for a picture of what seems to be a pile of intestines.
He keeps the light on it as I take a couple photos before bending down to my case. I start to throw out the cones I use and get ready to work.
“Have any idea how long it’s going to take you to get this stuff out of here?” he asks me as I look up at him for a moment.
“Well… I can’t move the, uh… the ‘body’ until the coroner releases the scene,” I tell him as I pause to look over it again.
“It’s a busy night. It’s probably gonna take a while, man,” I explain as I lift my camera up to start taking more photos of the intestines and blood.
“Great,” he replies in an annoyed tone as I continue to take photos.
“Hey, you mind if I step away for a second?” he asks and I stop what I’m doing to look at him.
“I need to get some fresh air…” he expands and I look back at the scene.
“Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, sure, take your time,” I tell him and he walks off as I continue to take pictures.
I let out a puff of air at the smell and just as I do, the officer lets out a retching sound and I turn around as he pukes. I watch for a second, making sure he’s okay before pulling some gum out of my pocket.
“Hey, you uh… want some gum?” I ask him as I hold the gum out.
“No, thank you!” he tells me as he waves me off.
I smirk as I turn back to the scene, taking the piece of gum out and sticking it in my own mouth. I then bend down and grab one of my small orange cones before lifting my flashlight up. He continues to cough as I start to walk around the scene, looking for any clues.
I walk a small ways away before finding a smashed cigarette bud. I stop and put a cone down before taking another picture. I stand back up again and start to walk around some more before finding tire treads. I put the cone down again along with my flashlight before taking pictures of the treads and I look up to where they lead.
When I look up, I see what seems to be a bag with a cup in it and I turn my gum over in my mouth. I pick my flashlight back up and shine the light over at the bag in confusion. I look at the bag, trying to figure it out for a moment before setting my flashlight back down. I pull some gloves out of my pocket and put them on before walking over.
The officer coughs again, making me stop and look at him for a moment. I turn back the other way as I shake my head in amusement and continue walking.
I walk over to it and bend down, setting my camera aside to look over how oddly placed it is. The officer coughs again and I turn back for a moment to look at him again before turning back to the item. I pick it up and look closer at it.
“Well, that’s peculiar,” I think out loud before suddenly everything goes dark.
Reader’s Pov:
“No. I’m telling you he really wants to go away for the weekend,” I tell Sarah as we walk into the lab, both looking for Greg.
“I don’t believe that for a second. Nick barely takes time off,” she disagrees with me, shaking her head as we walk through.
“No. I’m telling you. He told me himself this morning that we're going to finally get our honeymoon that we didn’t get,” I explain and she shrugs as we walk into Greg’s office.
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Sarah replies coyly and I shake my head.
“Believe what when you see it?” Greg asks as he looks up at me and Sarah.
“Y/n here says that ol’ Nicky promised her to take time off so they could go on the honeymoon they never got,” Sarah explains as she jabs her thumb over at me.
“I fully believe him! Nick just wants me to take time off is all,” I argue back with a shrug, even though I know that isn’t really one hundred percent true.
“Sorry to tell ya y/n, but Sarah’s right. Nick really doesn’t take time off. Heck, you should know that. You’ve been married since high school. You’ve been with him since you both started working here,” Greg sassily chimes in and I let out a huff as I cross my arms.
“I’m telling you guys, Nick means it this time,” I promise them and they both just hum at me.
“Anyway, Greg, were you able to find anything off the clothes?” Sarah asks, changing the subject as she walks over to look at her victims' clothes.
“And have you done the test on that paint found at our scene?” I ask him and he nods as he rolls over to get the paper and hand it to me.
“Well, I went over them like you asked me to. The paint at first wasn’t matching too much, but I figured it out for you,” he tells me before walking over to Sarah as I look over the paper.
“The blood on the shirt was a little weird looking, but I figured it out. I also found-” Greg explains to Sarah but gets cut off when Catherine walks in.
“Y/n, can we talk?” she asks as she looks at me.
“Umm… sure. Can it wait like two minutes?” I ask her as I look at Sarah, who shrugs and gives me a look begging me not to leave.
“No. It can’t wait,” Catherine replies as she puts her hand on the table.
“Really, Catherine, I need-” Sarah starts, but stops when Catherine holds a hand up.
“It’s about Nick…”Catherine speaks up and I freeze.
“What about him?” I ask and she pauses as if trying to think of how to say it.
“He’s disappeared from his crime scene… Grissom and I are about to go out and look it over,” Catherine breaks it to me easily and my heart drops.
“I’m coming with you guys,” I immediately reply and she shakes her head.
“Gris says you're off the case. You're too close to this one,” Catherine tells me with a shake of her head.
“Where is he?” I ask her and she shakes her head.
“He’s in his office getting his case,” she tells me and I bolt out of the room in a fast walk.
I walk quickly through many corridors and labs before coming to his office. I storm in and he looks up at me from his desk.
“I’m coming to the scene with you,” I demand and he shakes his head.
“I can’t let you do that. You know how that would look,” he tells me, shaking his head and I sigh dejectedly as he looks at me from over the top of his glasses.
“Gris, this is my husband. Let me at least come out to the scene, then I’ll stop,” I plead with him and he sighs before pausing to think it over.
“Ok. Just to the scene. Then you’re done for tonight,” he pointedly tells me as he raises an eyebrow at me over his glasses.
“Ok. I can do that, but I’m not going home. I wouldn’t be able to bear being there alone without him,” I admit and he nods in understanding.
“Of course. Stay here or go home with one of us for the night. Warrick should be back in when we get back, maybe you can stick with him,” he tells me and I nod as I start to back out of his office.
“I’ll go get my case. Are we all going together?” I ask and he nods.
“Yeah. That might be best,” he agrees and I nod before walking completely out.
I walk to my GMC SUV that exactly matches Nick’s and click the unlock button before opening the back door. Next I pull my case out and close the back door just as the door to the garage opens. Warrick walks through the door and looks over in my direction.
He makes eye contact with me and then stands up from leaning on the door. He immediately rushes over to me before pulling me into a much needed hug.
“I just heard. Just got back. How are you doing, sweets?” he asks me as he pulls back to look at me and tears make way to my eyes.
“I'm scared, B. Really scared,” I tell him, using the nickname I know is reserved solely for me.
Ever since I’ve known him, I had tried to find a nickname that would fit him well, but I couldn’t so together we decided that I’d call him B. It’s the first initial of his last name and when I had started using it, it just stuck.
“I know. I know. Nick’s going to be fine. I’m sure he’s off somewhere and his phone just died again,” he sympathizes with me and I shake my head.
“No. This is different… he would have found another way of communicating. You know that…” I reply and he sighs, nodding as he sticks his hands in his pockets.
“I do know that. I’m sorry. I just thought it’d reassure your mind to think positively,” he explains and I smile softly at him.
“And I thank you for that B, but unfortunately my mind can only think something bad has happened…” I trail off and he looks down at my hand.
“Gris is letting you go on the scene?” he asks as he points down at my case.
“He’s letting me come out to the scene, but that’s it. He told me I’m strictly off after. Told me to go home and obviously I told him I’d just stick around here. I’m not leaving and going home to a Nickless house,” I point out and he nods.
“You can always hang around me. I’ll probably be here for most of the time,” he notes with a shrug and I nod.
“I know, B. Thank you,” I tell him just as the door opens again.
“Anytime,” he promises as Gil and Catherine walk through the door and over to us.
“Ready to go?” Catherine asks and I nod, standing up as straight as I can.
“Yeah. Let’s go…” I breathe out and they all give me sympathetic looks.
“I’ll see you when you get back. Come find me if and when you need me, ok?” Warrick asks me and I nod as I purse my lips.
He then pulls me into a hug and I melt into the brotherly embrace that I know so well. He holds me for a moment, rubbing my back lightly like he knows Nick does, but it only makes me choke up a little more. I hold back my tears as he pulls back and gives my arm one last squeeze before he walks back into the lab.
Catherine walks over to me and wraps her arm around my shoulder. Together we walk over to Gil’s SUV and she clicks the unlock button. She opens the trunk door and slides her case in first.
I then slide mine in after hers and she goes around the front to the passenger side. I follow along, but stop at the passenger side back door. She gets into the passenger seat and I get in behind her just as Gil walks out the garage door.
He looks around for a moment before he makes eye contact with us and then he starts to come over to the SUV. He gets into the driver's seat and it’s quiet as he puts the key into the ignition, effectively starting the car up. After driving for a little while we arrive at the same scene Nick was supposed to be at.
Together we get out of the car before going to the back to get our cases. Once we have our cases, we all walk up to Jim Brass, who’s already on scene.
“Think. Did you see anybody else in the area?” Jim grills an officer before looking away from him.
“I didn’t see anything, sir,” the officer tells him and Jim sighs, rubbing at his face before turning back to the officer.
“I mean I only took my eyes off him for a couple seconds…” the officer explains and anger courses through me.
“You’re not supposed to take your eyes off him ever,” Jim tells him in a very strict tone and I go to talk to the guy, but Catherine puts a hand on my arm to stop me.
“Just be calm…” she softly tells me and I sigh.
“How can I be calm, Cath? He took his eyes off him. He’s the reason my husband is missing and possibly even worse…” I choke out and she nods.
“I know honey. I do, but you have to remain calm,” she reminds as she rubs her thumbs over my forearm in a soothing manner and I nod at her while wiping just under my eye.
“He’s been gone maybe 25 minutes,” Jim tells us as he walks past us with anger clear on his face.
Catherine keeps her hand on my arm as Grissom reaches up and puts his hand on her upper back as he nods at Jim. Grissom leads Catherine and Catherine leads me as all three of us walk over to the “crime scene.” We stop at the intestines and Grissom takes his flashlight out to shine it on them.
He then moves the light up as we all notice a cone by some tread marks. Catherine and I look at each other and nod. Together we get our flashlights out as well and we all slowly start to follow the tread marks.
We follow them some more and find more cones laying out, telling us that Nick indeed was here. We keep walking until we come up to his vest laying on the floor and I let out a small gasp. Catherine bends down and sets her case down as she shines the light on his name tag, the one that exactly matches mine.
I let out a puff of air and Grissom looks at me. He grabs my arm and rubs it for a moment as Catherine takes some gloves out.
“You gonna be ok? Or do I need to get Jim over here to take care of you?” Grissom asks me as he rubs my upper arm lightly.
“I’ll be ok…” I promise him and he nods before letting go.
Catherine starts looking at his vest as Grissom continues to walk farther away from us. Catherine seems to find something so she pulls her tweezers out and grabs it.
“I got some white fibers on Nick’s vest,” Catherine tells us as she pulls it off and looks closer at the fiber.
She smells it before pulling it away from her face and looking at it some more. She looks up at me before turning back to her case.
“Smells like alcohol,” she comments before she pulls out a bag and bags it up.
Grissom walks a little further before coming to a stop and looking at something. I anxiously watch as he walks over to something else before bending down to it. Catherine looks up and over to Grissom as well.
She then looks at me with confusion and I shrug. She stands up and together we both walk over to Grissom. As we get closer, we can see him holding a crime scene evidence bag up with a cup in it.
“Why’d you bag that?” Catherine asks as we get a little closer to him.
“I didn’t,” Grissom tells her and she looks at me again.
“It’s the wrong color tape,” Catherine points out as we both bend down next to Grissom.
“No initials on the seal… that’s not Nick's evidence,” Catherine continues to point out issues with it all as Grissom keeps it held up.
“Maybe it’s a message…” Grissom observes as he looks over the evidence bag.
“I’ll go try the garbage can,” Catherine chimes and Grissom nods.
She walks over to the dumpster and I let out a sigh. Grissom looks up at me before turning around for a moment. He looks like he’s contemplating something before turning back around. He bends back down and I look with him, trying to see what he’s seeing, but all I can think about is Nick and tears well up in my eyes for a moment.
I take a small step away and try to get my emotions under check. Once they are, I turn back to Grissom who still looks over the intestines very thoroughly. He keeps his light on them as he tries to figure something out.
“Dumpster’s clean. No apparent blood or body parts,” Catherine announces as she stands fully upright inside of the dumpster before getting out and coming over to us.
“Take a look at this…” Grissom tells her and she bends down next to me.
“This seems contrived to me. The blood pool is too perfect. There’s no splatter. Like somebody placed these entrails,” Grissom points out as he shows us what he means with his flashlight and I gasp quietly.
“You think…” I trail off, unable to ask what I know he’s saying.
“A lure. To grab Nick…” Catherine confirms and I choke on air.
“You’re saying you think they wanted Nick?” I ask and all goes fuzzy for a moment.
“David, get this stuff to the doc,” Catherine declares as she turns to David, who’s behind us.
“Look, I’m… I’m really sorry I didn’t get here sooner. Maybe if I had…” David apologizes, looks at me and I put a hand over my face.
“Is she doing ok?” he asks when he sees me sway a little bit.
“She’ll be fine. Don’t worry about her. We’ve got her and we’re gonna get him back,” Catherine promises as she wraps her arm around my waist to help steady me.
“Gil, Catherine, what is she doing here? She’s too close to this, Gil,” comes the voice of Conrad Ecklie, making us all look at him as he walks up to us.
“She’s only here for this. Then she’s done,” Gil explains and Ecklie sighs.
“Ok. Only out here though. No farther…” he demands as he points at me and I nod.
“Anyway, I want you all to know as far as I’m concerned, labs only got one case tonight. Same for the rest of the department,” Ecklie tells us and some relief makes way to me.
“Thanks, Conrad,” Gil replies and I just nod at him.
Another GMC drives up and Warrick gets out. He slams his door shut and quickly walks over to us.
“Hey. You texted! What do you need me to do?” he asks as he stops in front of me and Catherine.
“We need you to follow the dogs. Y/n needs to leave, she isn’t doing too well. Me and Griss are going to drive her back and let her sleep for a bit in the break room,” Catherine explains to him and Warrick nods before coming over to me.
“Hey. Go sleep. I know you won’t probably be able to, but just try, ok? I promise we’ll find him,” he reassures me and I nod at him.
He sighs before pulling me to him and giving my forehead a light kiss. He holds me in a tight hug for a few minutes before the K9 officers walk over with the dogs. He pulls away and looks at me for a moment and I nod lightly at him to tell him I’ll be ok.
He finally pulls away and walks over to the K9 officers. Catherine slowly starts to lead me away and back to the GMC. She helps me get in, seeing as I’m in a daze and then she and Grissom are putting the kits in the back. Once the kits are in the back, both her and Grissom get in.
Grissom drives us back and when we get to the lab, Catherine leaves our kits in the GMC. She helps me in and walks me to the break room.
“Here, try to get some sleep while we go over some of tonight’s evidence. Do you want to be there when I tell his parents?” she asks me and I sigh, nodding my head.
“His… his mom… she’ll feel more comfortable with me in the room. His dad… he’s like my dad too. So yes, I want to be there please,” I tell her and she nods as she rubs up and down my back.
“Well, I have to go see Dr. Robbins, then I’ll come get you when they get here, ok? Feel free to walk around if you can’t sleep,” she tells me and I nod numbly at her.
She gets up and walks away, leaving me with a light blanket and small pillow. I sigh as I grab the pillow and lay the blanket over me. I curl up into a small ball and that’s when the tears start.
I cry until slowly I can feel myself slip into a light sleep. It’s only a little while later that I wake up and blink my eyes. My eyes are sore and most likely red, but I don’t care as I stay laying on the couch for a bit.
To Be Continued…
As of right now there is no tag list for this series, but if any of you would like us to make one we totally can. For now we have decided just to see if any of you like this one.
pairing: Kuroo Tetsuro x f!reader x Bokuto Koutaro
chapter summary: Hey Siri, play That Should Be Me by Justin Bieber
wc; 3.7k+
warnings; alcohol consumption
CHAPTER 12 ✧ SHOTS
Bokuto has been, for lack of a better word, cranky.
And he knows it. He’s so painfully aware of it. He doesn’t mean to be — actively tries not to be, as a matter of fact. But sometimes, his grip on his self control is as effective as scooping up water with a sieve, and there’s nothing he can do to gather himself together.
Most days, it was easy. He continued to spend most of his time with Hikari, though it was sort of difficult not to. She was at his practices, in half of his classes, and her apartment was closer to campus than his. She would be the first person he’d see in the morning and the last he’d see at night.
Hikari felt like a breath of fresh air, circulating through his lungs, binding with his blood, and traveling through his veins. Seeing her smile at him made him feel light, an almost sense of relief flooding through him. She knew how to make him laugh, and he could see her efforts to get along with his friends. He’s appreciative of her, and when she’s snuggled up next to him in bed, hair tousled across his chest and breathing slow and steady, it was easy for him to forget — easy for him to convince himself.
He could be happy like this. He could love Hikari, really love her. She was kind, amazing, and what kind of fool is he to take her for granted? He needed to do better for her, needed to be someone that deserved her.
— there might be a bunch of title changes so. just a head's up. as always, dark mode is suna's pov or from suna's phone. also, ik i said i'll update friday but i got baal today so :D timestamps are important for the gc messages for the sake of the sequence of events! i'll do taglist when i wake up and prev chapter asks, i'll try my best! :)
— suna's priv tweet was supposed to be from when he and kana came back to his apartment after the whole thing. pretend i didn't get the order wrong.
— yn was still asleep when the gc started messaging. suna's in and out of sleep because everything that happened has barely registered to him yet.
— anyone wanna guess why atsumu seems like he knows how to take care of yn more than osamu does 😳
— yn blocked suna everywhere. not that yn's mad at him but it's more so an attempt to get him off her mind.
𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘: in which you’re tooru oikawa’s ex, after a conflicting breakup seven years ago, you both find yourselves meeting in the likeliest of places and uncover the faults behind your ending and new revelations of a future you both could possibly have
𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: fluff with some angst (wanna make you guys cry)
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒: ??/??
𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 (open)
𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐃: saturday 31st august
𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃: undetermined
𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐒: ongoing
𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃𝐔𝐋𝐄: daily
𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒: i wanted to make this for a while and i think with my now busy schedule this is the one thing i will retain doing until it is complete, so yeah this is a smau so a lot easier then full fics which i will still try to do when i do get the free time
Hi, @saintobio !! I tried drawing Y/N and Gojou. I'm not good at drawing but I still decided to give it a go cause sincerely not is my favourite series! Hope you like it!! <33
I didn't draw their eyes, nose and lips cause I suck at it 😭
your enemy has just saved you from dying, and while tending to your wounds, you ask them ''why didn't you kill me?'' to which they reply ''because i don't think you deserve to die.''
tracing a knife against your enemy's chest, pressing at their heart, but losing your train of thought when they snatch the knife from your hands, pulling you closer by the waist
you and your enemy kiss each other in front of your crew, making it clear nothing is going to tear you apart, no matter the lengths they go to keep you apart
you're about to leave the room, but your enemy slams the door shut, and with one hand on either side of your head, barricading you against the wall... cue the reckless make-out session
sword fighting with your enemy, only to end up on the ground, with their body pressing into yours, your hands pinned to the ground
telling your lover you hate them and they just laugh, because they know you're spewing bullshit
carving your enemy's name into your dagger
you're not sure why, but somebody just threatened to hurt your enemy, and you have to bite your tongue, being seconds away from strangling them for even suggesting to attack and kill your enemy
somebody has threatened to harm you, so your enemy kills this person, in secret. nobody knows what happened, or how this person died. your enemy won't tell anyone. until one day, you get into an argument, and you've just told your enemy that you can't trust them, they would kill you first chance they get, only for your enemy to say: ''who do you think killed that guy?''
the leader of your enemy's crew is threatening to kill you, and your enemy is faced with a decision — it's either you or their crew. you think you're toast, but instead, without hesitation, your enemy stabs/shoots their leader. it will always be you.
you're laying next to your enemy in bed, pulling a weapon from their pants, throwing it to the ground before rolling on top of them
your enemy's crew has kidnapped you and your friends. as you're tied up, you plead with your enemy to let your friends go. they hesitate at first, but then do as you say
during a passionate kiss, you bite your enemy's lip, actually drawing blood, which only turns them on even more
going from ''don't touch me'' to ''touch me'' and your enemy not being able to take their eyes off of you as you undress them
your enemy is wounded, bleeding from their chest, but they don't have anywhere to go. you (reluctantly) agree to bring them home. as they take off their shirt, you get a good look on their body... and then, as you bandage them up, you get to touch their chest, and as your eyes lock with your enemy's, your hands start exploring their body, and a couple seconds later, you're staring at each other's lips...
you've just been shot, you're bleeding out, and your enemy is freaking the fuck out, dropping the ''i love you, i can't lose you'' card, begging you not to close your eyes
your enemy refuses to lend you, or anyone, their gun. until one day, you're the only one who's allowed to touch it
you're upset one night, and in need of comfort. you subconsciously show up at your enemy's house, but as they open the door, confused as to why you're here, you backtrack, saying it was a mistake, and that you shouldn't be here. you start walking away, but your enemy calls your name, telling you to come inside ''we can go back to hating each other tomorrow.''
your enemy has a child, and you bond instantly with them, which drives your enemy nuts, but for the good of their child, they can't say anything
you and your enemy is forced into fake dating. it doesn't work. you're ruining the entire operation because you can't stop bickering with each other
for one night, you and your enemy give into temptation and sleep with each other, hoping it will solve the tension building between you. it does the opposite.
you've been tortured, you've got bruises all over your face. seeing this, your enemy caresses your cheek, asking ''who did this to you?''
you and your enemy kiss each other to prove there's nothing going on between you, but you get so caught up in each other, you prove the exact opposite
you and your enemy just slept together. nobody can find out about this, or you'll never hear the end of it. your enemy on the other hand, does not at all seem to care.
''i hate you.'' ''say that again.'' you can't say that again. your enemy is now so close to you, that if you were to bend forward, you'd be kissing.
returning a priced procession to your enemy: ''i want something in return.'' ''what?'' ''you.''
pressing a knife against your lover's throat while expressing your undying hatred
sharing a bed with your enemy, and being told ''stay on your side or i'll set this whole bed on fire'' only to wake up the next day with your enemy's arms wrapped around you
will probably make a part three because i've got angst and tension filled kisses [x]
jbbartram-illu
jacobvanloon
ellievsbear
kianamaiart
prguitarman
dailybridgerton
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