goodbye, yellow brick road

manny vásquez, 36. DEA

[manolovasquez-blog]

agentholder :

Jamie spun around when he heard Manny’s voice, relieved that it was him and not some more bad news. Jamie would be lying if he said that all the death hadn’t taken a toll on him. Not just from that night alone, but throughout his entire career as a DEA agent.

“Just tired of this. I should be home with Tata,” Jamie said solemnly, eyeing the burning building across the street. “You’re not going in there, are you?”

Even with all of his gear on, Manny stepped up to give his friend a supportive, professionally appropriate one-armed hug. It killed him to see Jamie this way. Of course, they were both well aware of all the negativity that came with their professions. But at the end of the day, they were just men.

“No, no-- don’t worry, I’m waiting on a call about a block away. Fuck fire, man. I don’t want you goin’ in there, either.” He did nothing to show it, but Manny was relieved to hear Tatiana was really at home. Wherever the hell Reina was, he prayed she was staying out of trouble. 

“It’s gonna be a long night, man. But it’s nothing we can’t handle, ‘ay?”

[manolovasquez-blog]

Closing Time // Lila & Manny

[manolovasquez-blog]

lilamarshalls :

“It’s, uh…” Her eyes widened at the gun laid between them. She hadn’t seen one in person before, but it was just as terrifying as she thought it would be. “…Lila.” 

Logically she knew that either he would leave to help out or they’d both leave to get to safety, but Lila couldn’t imagine putting themselves in the crossfire. It was the last thing she wanted to do, and honestly, she wasn’t even sure if she could get her feet to move if it came down to it. The entire situation made her feel pathetically useless. 

“Lila?” He repeated, hoping he’d heard her correctly. “Alright, Lila. My name is Manny. I’m gonna need you to stay here for one moment. Okay?”

There was no reason to believe she wouldn’t comply, and without waiting to hear her reply, Manny was out from under the cloth, propping his elbows up on the tabletop to aim towards the bar. It wasn’t long before they noticed him.

The first shot he fired just missed one of the gunmen as he ducked, and lodged itself into the wooden beam on the shelf behind him. “Shit.” In less than a minute he was down again, back under the table to avoid the oncoming fire. Even the second officer took cover as their enemy came back from reloading, and began squeezing off rounds into the dining room. 

“I’m so sorry we had to meet like this, Lila! Can’t imagine this was your plan for tonight.” He didn’t look her in the eye when he spoke.

[manolovasquez-blog]

Closing Time // Lila & Manny

[manolovasquez-blog]

lilamarshalls :

Fear bubbled in her from the moment she had heard the screaming in the streets. The waitstaff of the restaurant had told everyone remaining to stay calm and that help would be coming soon, but that was before they had come in. Lila had barely any time to react when the first shot rang out, only managing to drop to the floor and scurry under the table. A decade of fear kept her from screaming, but it didn’t stop her from trembling under the table and praying that Austin or someone would save her. 

It would have been the smarter idea to find a way out, to escape from this place and find safety, but panic kept her rooted to her spot under the table. Pathetic. More screams rang through the restaurant, but Lila could barely comprehend it over the pounding of her heart. 

Lila hadn’t made a peep since disappearing under the safety of the table, but she nearly shrieked in surprise when another body suddenly dove under the table with her. It took a moment of recognition to realize the man wasn’t one of the gunmen, but rather someone with the police, and another moment to realize he had asked her a question. 

“I-I-I…” She couldn’t find the right words. All the violence flung her right back to being that girl in Detroit. “No,” she choked out, unsure of which question she was answering. 

The poor thing was in shock. Manny couldn’t remember the last time he’d been scared speechless, but it didn’t matter. She gave him a single answer, but after looking the girl over, he accepted it as a reply to both of his questions. She’d be leaving Andrea’s with scars tonight-- but thankfully, not the physical kind. Not if he could help it.

A mess of sounds still filled the room as he reached to his holster for some different, lethal ammunition. A cash register being smashed, bottles flying off the shelves, and people crashing over furniture and themselves to make an escape. With one officer firing back rubber bullets at the assailants, the other was carrying a wounded civilian out into the street. Now, there were two left to defend the restaurant. 

“What’s your name, honey?” he asked again, laying the riot gun out on the floor between them as he readied his sidearm. If she didn’t answer quickly, he’d have to wait for a response until after he’d gone up to check on the fight.

[manolovasquez-blog]

Closing Time // Lila & Manny

@lilamarshalls

Most of the people screaming in the street were doing it out of terror. The others did it in pain. As he jogged down the road with some other officers into the bustling food district, the armor he wore bounced heavily on his shoulders. Down a bit farther, a crowd was beginning to rock a refrigerated van parked outside one of the buildings. He was about to help break it up when he heard something even more troublesome coming from inside Andrea’s: gunshots. 

He wasn’t ten feet away from the restaurant when he saw its front glass window crack and split from a spray of bullets; a few shards falling to the pavement to shatter. There were still civilians trapped inside.

Shouting through his helmet, he was able to get the attention of two other armed officers to help go in and neutralize the situation. They jumped through the broken glass, letting people escape through the doors if they could. 

When the gunmen behind the bar saw who was coming to stop them, they responded predictably. Manny dove for cover under one of the tables. There, he was surprised to find a young woman hidden beneath the tablecloth.

“Hey-- you okay?” he asked loudly before lifting the shield of his helmet. “Are you hurt?” 

[agentholder-blog]

The streets were dangerous. Jamie had lent his services to the Chicago PD force. People were rioting and looting. A large portion of Chicago was on fire. Jamie had already sent a patrol car to his and Tata’s apartment. If he couldn’t be at home with her to keep her safe, he’d make sure someone was.

“Agent Holder, there was another shooting, we-”

Jamie’s face twisted into a grimace. “Just give me a goddamn minute,” he told the officer, turning his back to them. Jamie had seen enough dead bodies that night.

[manolovasquez-blog]

Manny couldn’t remember the last time he was asked to put on riot gear. Of all the things that could go wrong for them, masses of people stirring up violence was perfectly unexpected. Perfectly a nuisance. The sun’s light was rapidly disappearing from the sky, and the darkness and the sounds continued to surround them, he could see Jamie wasn’t having it.

“Hey, you alright, man? Hey, take a breath. We gotta keep it the fuck together.” 

With the adrenaline pumping steadily through him, the riot gun weighed close to nothing in his hands. A few other equipped officers were going out into the fire, and Manny knew he’d soon have to follow.

[manolovasquez-blog]

king-castillo :

“Well at least you have that going for you,” he murmured, glancing down at the coffee that had soaked through his jacket and was seeping through his shirt. Tutting softly, Gabriel removed the jacket, placed it lightly over his arm and let his gaze flick around the crowd of onlookers. People stared, mouths agape in horror at the situation. There was no denying Gabriel always looked pressed and polished. For him to be soaked in coffee and lettuce was horrifying, not for him, but for the man who had caused the incident.

He smiled slowly at Manolo. His eyes saying everything his mouth could not. The both knew who the charitable Mister Castillo was. What he was. Gabriel had no fear of it being known, especially not by the man in front of him.

“Are you going to keep admiring what used to be a wonderful part of my closet, Agent Vasquez, or are you going to offer me a hand? It’s the least you could do, isn’t it?” 

There wasn’t a soul in the crowd who could fathom the history between these two men. He hadn’t taken more than two bites of his sandwich before it was destroyed, and still, he was beginning to feel sick to his stomach. Standing next to the man who gave the order to slaughter his parents, he’d be picked out as the villain. As the fucking fool who’d gone and made a mess of Gabriel Castillo in public. There was no choice but to act in a role that wasn’t himself. Dissociate from it all-- until they’d parted, then he’d be free to break down in any way that came naturally when he was alone at home.

“Of course, Sr Castillo.” It burned like acid in his mouth.

Quickly (and with his best efforts to not tremble with rage) he bent down to collect the garbage, chucking it in the bin outside the door as he led Castillo into the deli. He even stepped aside to hold the door open.

“I’m sorry about your clothes.”

[manolovasquez-blog]

salxgalvani :

Of course his shirt would get stained today. Such a lucky guy Sal had been today. While he wanted to give Manolo a piece of his mind, he knew it wasn’t entirely the man’s fault, so he decided against getting into a fight when both parties were at fault. Be the better man, Salvatore. Nagging inner voice “Yes, some coffee on my shirt. But it’s alright, there’s plenty where it came from.” he joked wiping some of the coffee off “I’m sorry I ruined your meal man. Let me buy you another.”

“Sorry, man. Sorry...” He lifted his head to give the man a respectful look in the eye as he apologized. It took a slight effort to conceal his surprise. Christ, was this a Galvani brat? It had to be. Their worlds were, after all, small and within each other’s orbit. The last time he laid eyes on him, it was at a great distance, and he went about it undetected.

He didn’t laugh at Sal’s jest. In Manny’s ears, it sounded like a nod to his own wealth. “No, that’s alright. Really, it’s just food. I can take care of it.” In a swift movement, he swiped a small glob of mustard off his leg and flung it to the ground. Let the rain wash it away. 

“But if you still wanna spend your money on a sandwich, get one for yourself. The quality is fresh, and the girls working in there are incredible.”

[2othcentury]

Visit Original Link

[manolovasquez-blog]

reinaxmorales :

Reina let out a tiny yelp as she felt the hot coffee splash over her foot. Did she do that? Was that her fault? Probably. It was amazing to her how she could be so graceful and pulled together while working, then a literal walking mess when she wasn’t. She jumped up and down a little on one foot until the pain went a way, a slight redness to her foot, that would pass quickly, at least she hopped so. Her white shoe would probably never recover, but she supposed that wearing a stained shoe would be better than him wearing stained pants. “I’m really sorry.” She said quickly, turning to look at the man she’d most likely walked into for the first time since it had happened, “Oh, Manny,” A smile started on her lips as she realized who exactly she’d created this mess with, “Hey, I think I ruined your lunch. Can I buy you something new?” 

Well, it could have been much worse. When Manny glanced up to see just who he’d bumped into, he let out a laugh of relief. “Reina! My god, walking into you is like hitting a brick wall,” he teased, flicking away bits of sandwich from his clothes. “I bet kids hated playing red rover with you in school.”

Even while she was splattered with coffee, Reina Morales was still beautiful. There had been many times he’d tried to catch a glimpse of the girl looking like a mess, but he was beginning to believe it was impossible. She was very sweet to offer a replacement lunch, but he was not about to let her spend any on him. “¡No se preocupe! I still have cash. Just hold on a sec while I clean this up...”

[vikander]

Oscar Isaac attends the Rag & Bone fashion show during New York Fashion Week September 2016 at Skylight Clarkson North on September 12, 2016 in New York City.

[manolovasquez-blog]

Below are answers to the first SOLRPG Challenge.

What’s your full name?

“Manolo Antonio Vásquez. The second name comes from an uncle whom I’ve never met.”

When’s your birthday?

“March thirteenth, 1980.”

Where were you born?

“Los Angeles-- in a walk-in clinic, funny enough. They weren’t expecting me so soon, I was told, and they were there because my father had hit the nail off his thumb with a hammer! Mama used to say it was the worst time of her life until she finally got to hold me.”

Do you have any tattoos, piercings, birthmarks, or scars?

“I have my SEAL Trident on my right calf, just below the knee. That’s the only ink... no piercings. I do have some scattered birthmarks, and most of my scars are on my knees and elbows from training. From falling, sliding, bracing... even my wrists have a few light spots were the skin didn’t heal the same. The one time I’ve been truly shot, in my arm, the doc stitched me up like magic. Can’t hardly see the little dent anymore.”

If yes, what are the stories behind them?

“Oh, I think I already kinda answered up above, there. Sorry!”

What is your current living situation? Apartment, house, hotel, etc.

“Just me and my apartment. I’ve thought about getting a pet, but... I worry what’ll happen if I end up disappearing one day. I can’t do that to a little animal, y’know?”

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do?

“Uh... leaving my hometown, probably.”

What’s your favorite movie?

“There’s this really artsy movie called The Fall-- I just kinda found it one day browsing for something good. I think everyone should watch it.”

Do you have any hidden talents?

“I know how to open a shaken bottle of soda without letting it explode.”

What do you like to do in your spare time?

“Work. I know! I know it’s bad. Sometimes I can just chill out and see friends or read. Also, I may or may not have an expansive collection of Lego toys to put together...”

What (negative/positive) habits do you have?

“I put my elbows on the table when I eat. I have to balance or I’ll miss my mouth with the food! I’m... I’m not sure what constitutes a good habit. I always wash my hands, if that counts.”

Would you consider yourself to be introverted or extroverted?

“Extroverted. Though, it’s more in a professional sense, nowadays.”

Are you a quick thinker or do you need time to process and analyze a situation before acting?

“When I was a kid, I was always impulsive, and I’ve learned you’re better off combining the two. Double-check your thought process, just don’t take too long doing it.”

You get 3 wishes. What are they? And no, you can’t wish for more wishes.

“Hey-- if I told you, then they won’t come true! I won’t be so easily conned, my friend.”

Are you religious in any way?

“My family always was. And I try to be, I really do. I’m just not good at being Catholic. This gold chain on my neck is mi madre’s cross. I say a prayer to her and papa every night.

[manolovasquez-blog]

agentholder :

Jamie and Manny frequented a deli near the office headquarters. Even when they weren’t working together, they still managed to literally bump into each other. “Ah, fuck,” Jamie cursed, the hot liquid staining his pants from the crotch area down. It looked like he pissed himself. How the hell would he explain this to everyone at the office?

“You dumbass,” Jamie teased, nudging him playfully. He wasn’t actually worked up about it. Yeah, it sucked, and yeah, it was a little embarrassing - especially to all those bystanders who had just witnessed what just happened - but he was fine. Manny was fine. “Got a few pairs of workout clothes in my office. Let’s get cleaned up, and I’ll buy your lunch again.”

Any other time, Manny would have greeted Jamie with a hug. But considering the damage done, and fearing he’d accidentally worsen it, he settled for a slap on the arm instead. “I... really can’t believe we just did that,” he said with laugh. Suddenly, none of it even mattered now that his partner was here. Together, they’d bear the burden of looking like utter fools.

“I also can’t believe you’re coming here without me,” he admitted, tossing Jaime a disappointed look. It was all for a reaction, of course. “You shoulda texted me! Then we could’ve met up and this wouldn’t be a thing.”

There wasn’t much he could do about the liquid splatter, but everything big enough to pick up was soon shoved into the empty cup for easy disposal. 

“Aw, thanks, man. Just the drink part, though; I got the rest.” 

[manolovasquez-blog]

king-castillo :

He had a guilty pleasure for good food. Growing up, eating things that left you without hunger gnawing away at your core was more than plenty. The idea of eating for pleasure was a mysterious one– one that always intrigued Gabriel. It was what pushed him to try the deli, as his Chicago business associates often tried to remind him that the best way for the public to adore him was by acting like he was one of their own. He played the role well.

Especially well, though not when his bespoke suit was dripping with warm coffee and hot mustard.

“Agent Vasquez,” Gabriel all but purred like a tiger woken by new prey entering its cage, “if I didn’t know any better I’d almost think that this was all intentional.”

From this man, he needed something far more substantial than an apology.

                                              “No.”

The only word that came from Manny’s mouth as he dared to raise his head. It wasn’t uttered in any special way, but the look in his eye gave away everything he was feeling. He was mortified, and bitter. And the only person around who could see it clearly was Castillo.  His heart suddenly felt heavy.

“I couldn’t waste good food on a prank,” he confessed, glancing back down. His eyes went over the matching stains on the other man’s clothes. My mother would turn over in her grave.

[manolovasquez-blog]

It wasn’t the end of the world, but Manny was surely bent on the inside. He hadn’t walked ten steps out of the deli before someone came crashing into him, leaving both his coffee and sandwich splattered down the front of his pants and over the sidewalk. People had seen it happen, and most turned a blind eye from it all. He’d lost ten dollars worth of a meal, and there was no way the sauce wouldn’t stain his work-khakis. 

“Uh, fuck, alright...” he stammered, his eyes still on the mess. Perhaps he wasn’t paying as much attention as he should have, and now, he wasn’t sure of what exactly happened. Did he owe an apology, or was he supposed to hear and accept one? 

“Did any of it get on you?”

[manolovasquez-blog]

The moment she heard Manny’s voice, she began to feel a lot better. She opened her eyes, removed her hand from her forehead, and turned to look at him. A bright smile appeared on her face, happy to be seeing the man she considers to be a brother to her. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you!” Tata exclaimed excitedly, her hand reaching out to him. “I’ve taken some extra shifts at the hospital. How have you been?”

Manny’s parents always dreamt of having a second child after him, but a number of factors kept that dream from becoming a reality. Not long after he was introduced to Tatiana through Jamie, the two grew a bond unlike any Manny had felt before. He was thoroughly convinced she’d be loved like a daughter in the Vasquez family, had they lived long enough to meet her. 

His heart would feel the smallest pang of sadness whenever he thought about it. 

“Right back at you!” He leaned forward to peck her cheek before sitting back. “God, can’t they get somebody else to break their backs? You work hard enough. I’ve been alright! Just... y’know. Workin’ the live-long day. I’m sure Jamie’s told you about some of it.”

[manolovasquez-blog]

nikfinch:

Nikola knew agreeing to dinner was a mistake. She agreed when she and Jamie were still together. That was dumb in itself; now that they ended their fling, messily at that, the dinner was even worse to think about. She tried to think of a decent excuse, but with work out of the question, Nik had nothing to go with. She was absolutely screwed. But, if she was screwed, Jamie would be, too.

Nikola made sure she looked good. She dressed sexily without screaming “I’m a whore.” She painted her lips red and defined her eyes with dark liner and large lashes. She needed to show him that he didn’t break her.

When she arrived at the Holder residence, the door was ajar and she heard the happy voice that could only belong to Manolo Vasquez. Nikola walked up behind him and felt out of place instantly. Though, that wouldn’t have changed if she wasn’t the adulterous bitch Jamie made her out to be. Manny had the familiarity. Nikola just felt like a stranger.

“It smells great in here,” Nikola chimed in. “Tatiana, you look amazing.” Nikola smiled and approached the woman for a hug as soon as Manny broke his hold on her. “Thank you so much for having me over.” The one thing Nikola didn’t want to do was make eye contact with Jamie. Not yet. So soon in the night and she’d give him a scowl no one in the room would have been able to miss.

agentholder:

Fuck. Here we go.

Jamie grabbed Tata’s hand, offering her half a smile. “You look perfect,” he promised, squeezing her hand tightly as he opened the door. “Manny!” Jamie greeted, laughing when he felt Manny smack him on the ass. It was typical Manny behavior. One he wasn’t too concerned with. “How many times do I have to tell you not to hit on my wife?”

Jamie smirked. He knew Manny didn’t mean any harm by it. Once he’d pulled away from Tata, Jamie hugged Manny, patting him on the back. “Thanks for coming,” he said, his eyes wandering over to the door. Spotting Nikola. He pulled away from Manny, taking a step back and running a hand through his hair. Yeah, she looked… pretty good, actually. The fact that she’d decided to show up was enough alone to worry Jamie. Ever so slightly.

Jamie didn’t bother greeting her at first, but the stiffness in the air was so overwhelmingly thick that he had no choice. Tata would notice. Manny would notice. “Nikola,” he greeted, pursing his lips together. And that was that. But Jamie wasn’t about to be intimidated. Fuck that. He was a DEA agent. He could handle one dinner.

“Well, come on in, sit down,” Jamie said, awkwardly stepping past Nikola to shut the front door. He led them to the dining room, where the table had been set by him a few minutes prior to their arrival. “Drinks? What do you guys want? Beer, wine?”

She smiled when she heard his response, a slight rosy tint appearing on her cheeks. No matter how many times he compliments her, no matter how many years they’ve been together, she still blushes whenever he gives her a compliment. It still means so much to her. She looked away from her husband to the door and a great smile appeared on her face. 

“Manny!” Tata also said excitedly, letting go of Jamie’s hand so that she may hug the big dork. “I’ve missed you too. You’re looking extremely sharp, my friend.” When she saw Manny slap Jamie’s ass and then heard Jamie’s words to him, the brunette laughed. “Boys, boys. You’re both beautiful and I love you both so much.”

Finally, she saw the blonde. She got out of Manolo’s embrace so that she may hug Nikola, her smile never fading. “I’m so glad you made it! You look absolutely gorgeous.” However, once she hugged her, something seemed off. Something seemed… “What kind of perfume are you wearing? It smells so familiar, yet I can’t place it…”

As they headed to the dining room, she made sure to get out the alcoholic beverage, the soft drinks, and some sparkling grape juice.

“Hey, if you don’t keep up with it, somebody has to step in,” he laughed, teasing.

Though he was bound to sense something sooner or later, Manny was still as happy as a child on Christmas. Not necessarily for presents, but the warmth that came from his friends’ hospitality. They were his family, truly. The only ones in the world left looking out for him. 

He even approached Nikola for a quick and courteous hug, just to be sure she wouldn’t feel left out completely from the love. It wasn’t often their party of three brought a fourth to the table, but the young officer had gained Manny’s approval long ago when they’d met. 

Once in the room, Manny grabbed himself a beer and gravitated towards Jaime. As he stepped closer, he could feel his buddy tensing. While the ladies were still within earshot, he decided to help play it cool-- whatever the hell it was. 

“I missed this house, man. Have you turned my room into an office yet?”

[agentholder-blog]

       Holder Family Dinner: Jamie, Tata, Manny, and Nikola

Jamie couldn’t really understand why Tatiana had decided it was a good idea to have Nikola and Manny over for dinner. Manny? He could deal with. Manny was… his brother. Best friend. Partner. Nikola? The girl he’d been cheating on his wife with. Thankfully, Jamie had ended that. It hadn’t ended well. And he didn’t expect to start doing it again anytime soon. Or ever. He stared at his reflection in the bathroom for a couple of seconds. He sighed. Did he really have to do this? Muttering a few curses under his breath, Jamie finished getting dressed. He wore a simple button up shirt - one of Tata’s favorites. She insisted that he look nice for the dinner. He didn’t really think it was necessary. But he did so anyway. It was just another minor inconvenience he’d live with to make her happy. 

Jamie stepped out of the bathroom, wandering down the hall at an agonizingly slow pace and into the kitchen. “Smells great,” he told her, doing his best to keep a happy face. For her. There was a knock at the door, and Jamie tensed up immediately. “Uh. You want me to get the door?”

[micorazonxtata-blog]

Tata was, without a doubt, beyond excited for tonight. When Nikola had told her that she was single and when she remembered that Manny was also single, the blue-eyed beauty began to plot. She thinks (okay, hopes) that the two will like each other and possibly start dating. It honestly surprises her that the two are still single, but if tonight goes well, then that status shall change.

She finally got the last batch of garlic bread cooked and was pulling it out of the oven when she heard Jamie’s remark. She grinned at him and was placing the garlic bread on a plate. “Thank you. You look extremely handsome, mi corazon.” She grabbed the plate and placed it on the dinner table with the other food (chicken alfredo, broccoli, and corn) before taking off her apron and hanging it on a hook in the kitchen. She smoothed her dress with her hands before looking back at her husband, her smile a bit sheepish. “Is it alright? Did I overdo it?”

She looked at the direction of the door before back at her husband, holding her hand out to him. “Let’s do it together.”

[manolovasquez-blog]

For Manny, it had been far too long since he’d had the pleasure of sitting at the Holders’ table for supper. The last time he could recall was more than a few months ago, and it wasn’t for their lack of trying that their day-dreamed plans never came together. Work was consuming, of both mind and strength. He saw tonight as a sort of blessing; a flicker of hope for the days to come. 

It was his plan to leave as early as possible, to arrive as early as possible. But the first time he stepped out the door, there was a flood of second thoughts. Did he wash his face? Brush his teeth? Make sure nothing was sticking out of anywhere on his person? He did it all twice-- just to be sure-- for Tatiana. Not necessarily for Jaime, though, as Jaime had seen Manny at his baddest and ugliest many times over.

When he finally did show up, it was still good and (about seven minutes) early as he’d planned. He stepped up to the door quickly and listened for a moment, just to see if he could hear any voices inside. Then he gave a knock.

“Tatiana!” Her name leapt from his mouth as he went in for a hug. Keeping an arm around Tata, Manny shot his hand out to slap Jaime on the ass as they moved by. “I missed you, sexy lady. What’s cookin’?”