#bode donovan

[zanephillips]

MAX THIERIOT Fire Country 2.09 "No Future, No Consequences"

[just-here-for-the-whump]

@whumpgifathon Day 13 Alt prompt #5: CPR

Fire Country 1x9 No Good Deed

Bode Donovan, portrayed by Max Thieriot

[i-wanna-write]

You Left Us - Bode Leone/Donovan x Reader

Synopsis: Reader and Bode had a relationship before the accident that changed everything. After that night, Bode left everything and everyone behind, including reader. Now he’s back and reader has some things to say and drops a bombshell.

Takes place during “Pilot”

Disclaimer: I tried googling so much to see how long Bode was gone before returning to Edgewater and there was nothing!!! I think he mentioned he got 4 years for the robbery and 2 years served before parole. So let’s say he’s been gone for 5 years!

Words: 1k +

Warnings: like 1 mention of intimacy, 2 F bombs. I think that’s it!

————————————————————————

When you got the call from Eve, you didn’t know what to think. After all this time he’s just here, in Edgewater, back in your life. 5 years of nothing. Of you trying your damn hardest to find him, to see if he was okay, hell to make sure he’s alive. You came up empty so many times you finally had to give up.

Yet here he is.

In Edgewater at Three Rock. Working as a con firefighter. Working the job that’s his legacy only in an orange jumpsuit rather than the firefighter shield.

Your heart breaks.

The two of you dreampt about your future together so many times. About how he was finally clean and sober and ready to settle down. About how you have been through so much together, and how you were by his side through his worse struggles.

But the accident happened and all of that was thrown away.

All these thoughts, all the memories are running through your head as you stand outside the hospital room. Sharon just went in, looking at her son for the first time in five years.

You watch as Vince creeps into the doorway to look at his son - the man you know he blames for his daughter’s death - and see his mouth move as he utters one sentence.

“What are you doing here Bode?”

Despite your good relationship with Vince, you hate that those words are the first he utters. How he still blames Bode after all these years.

You walk towards the doorway, getting Vince’s attention. He looks at you for a moment before nodding his head and leaving. He said all he needed to say to his son.

You see him for the first time in 5 years, noting how he looks so similar yet so different. The orange jumpsuit doesn’t look right on him. It makes it appear that he’s simply wearing it as a Halloween costume. Your gaze travels up his legs and to his chest, noticing that he’s filled out more and has more muscle.

You can’t seem to bring your eyes to his face.

Sharon notices you and turns toward Bode.

“I’ll give you two a moment.” She says before walking away from her son.

She places her hand on your shoulder, squeezing gently before quietly leaving the room.

Silence fills the room now, neither one of you being the first to speak. Your gaze is straight ahead, locked on Bode’s wide chest.

“Y/N.” He finally says, his voice a whisper.

You finally look at him and want to cry. Despite his bodies physical change, his face is still the same only speckled with blood and cuts. His eyes are just as blue, eyelashes just as long. His chin is draped in stubble, connecting with his hair by his ears. His hair - how you missed running your fingers through it due to its long length and pulling on it during your most intimate moments.

“How- how are you?” Bode questions with such hesitance in his voice.

“How am I?” You repeat slowly. You give a little chuckle. “Well, I’m looking at a ghost of a man I loved, so how do you think I am?”

Bode nods, expecting that answer. “Y/N, I know there’s nothing I can say that-“ Bode starts, taking a step towards you but you interrupt, hand raised.

“Don’t. There is not nothing, and I mean nothing, you can say to me. You had 5 years to say soemthing, anything! But you didn’t. No call, text, email, hell no fucking pigeon sending a letter! I didn’t know if you were somewhere strung out or dead or in jail. But I guess now I have my answer.”

You mutter the last answer, knowing it will cut deep into him like a knife. But he deserves it, you remind yourself. He left you with no explanation, and not once contacted you to simply say he was okay.

You watch as Bode hangs his head, nodding. He agrees with everything you said of course. You were the best thing that ever happened to him, yet he threw it away. Too lost in his own grief to stick around.

“I understand, I do. It’s not an excuse but I couldn’t stay here. I had to leave. I had-“

“You left us!” Your voice raises this time, again cutting him off. “We just moved in together and I had to try to pay it myself. I lost my bestfriend that night and my boyfriend! I’ve had to live the past 5 years without both of you! I had to try to stay afloat! I had to do it by myself. I had to set up appointments and- and deal with the late nights alone and look at schools and -“

This time you cut yourself off, knowing you said too much.

Bode takes another step toward you and now you’re a foot away, eyes locked on his as you know what he’s about to say

“Us?” He questions quietly. “What do you mean us? Us who?” He asks, his eyebrows furrowed and mind racing.

You sigh, tears falling from your eyes. You try to wipe them with your hand but they don’t seem to stop falling.

“I was going to tell you that night.” You reveal. “I wanted it to be a surprise. I had the whole thing planned. But, it happened and than days later, you were just gone”

You bring your hand back down and wrap them both around yourself, trying to find comfort. You didn’t mean for it to come out like this. For him to find out like this - or to find out at all as you considered the possibility that he was dead.

“I was pregnant.” You continue. “And- and I had to have our baby alone. I had to raise him, without you. Tell him that you aren’t here, that- that you-“

Bode cuts you off, his arms wrapping around your waist as sobs leave you. You face is against his chest as his arms run up and down your body, trying to calm your tears. You unwrap your arms from yourself and snake them around his neck, holding him tighter as you try to compose yourself.

You take a deep breath and inhale solely Bode. Despite how many years has passed, he still smells the same. Wood, spice, and for some reason he always had the faint scent of cinnoman. Maybe that’s why those are your favorite candles

Bodie pulls away after a few moments but doesn’t let go, his arms still on your waist. You notice tears in his bright blue eyes and can’t help but reach up and wipe one away.

“We have a baby?” He questions, his voice cracking slightly.

The guilt he feels right now is different than when Riley died. That guilt caused an ache in his heart that never went away, like a piece was missing. But this guilt is in his chest and throat, it feels as if he cannot swallow and the whole world is crumbling.

Not only did he leave you behind, but he left his baby, his unborn child and you had to care for them, alone - without him.

You nod, smiling slightly. “Well, he’s not much of a baby anymore.”

“He?” Bode questions, eyebrows raised.

You reach into your back pocket and pull out your phone. Wanting to show him your screen saver. To show him a picture of the child he helped create

“This is Benjamin Bode Leone. Born May 26. 7lbs 3 ounces. 10 fingers. 10 toes.” You pull away slightly to allow him a better look.

He carefully grabs your phone and stares at the picture. You watch as tears form in his eyes again and he traces the picture with his finger. You can’t help but smile at the seen.

Benjamin is a carbon copy of his father. Bright blue eyes, slightly curly blonde hair, and a mischievous smile that allows him to get away with just about anything.

You allow him a few more seconds to look at the picture before speaking again.

“I should hate you.” You whisper. “But I can’t. You’re his father and whether you stay in Edgewater or not, I- I want you to somehow be apart of his life. Only if you want to.” You finish quickly, not wanting to make a decision for him.

“No.” Bode states, still looking at the picture. “No I would love to be a part of his life. I - I’ve fucked up so many things, but this, he, he is one thing I got right.” Bode paused, looking up to meet your eyes. “That and loving you.”

You smile. You knew in that moment, he would never leave you again. Not if he could help it.

————————————————————————

*me hiding*

So, did you like it???? Again, I’m so new at this so please, leave a like or comment or reblog! I appreciate it so much!

💜 Kenzie

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

Why is it always a little dangerous with us? 

[purestxblood]

𝗜 𝗗𝗢, 𝗜 𝗗𝗢𝗡'𝗧, 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦.

"You look at her like you just realized what love is."

(𝘽𝙤𝙙𝙚 𝙇𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙭 𝙛!𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧). 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝟮 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝟭.𝟭𝗸 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀.

Gabriela Perez was absolutely utterly stunning. You had known it the second she returned to town when the crowd of men from your youth had whispered sweet nothings laced with jealousy upon Jake and his Olympian diver girlfriend. She was dazzling, captivating, a heartfelt embrace, a caring soul. Her laugh was bliss, equivalent to the shine within her iris every time her smile grazed her cheeks. It wasn’t a surprise that Bode had taken interest in her, their chemistry aflame greater than the burn of forest fires. 

How you managed to lace your fingers with Bode’s after all these years still had you pondering late at night once you returned home from your nightly runs along Three Rock borders. As you stared upon your ceiling nights following, watching the wings of the fan rotate clockwise, you couldn’t help but wonder if your connection with Bode was just as dire, if not more. 

You were a moth to a flame, feverishly stealing caresses and kisses behind the tree and brush. However, there were moments where you couldn’t help but feel as if you were playing cat and mouse with a man who didn’t want to be captured, but simply allowed himself to be solely for the fact of not being alone.

Deep blue eyes of longing, opened mouth kisses to your exposed skin were enough reason to silence your fear. Still, within your core, you sadly knew the hidden depths of reality. Watching Gabriela stand across from Diego hand in hand was the pivotal moment.

It was the way Bode couldn’t tear his eyes off the altar. You could’ve sworn the second the church doors departed with the bride in the center, that you heard him lose his breath. Only a glimpse of Gabriela was spared before you were fixated upon your boyfriend, idling watching the way he simply watched his ex.

Yours and Bode’s hands had been laced yet his attention had been so drawn to Gabriela, he hadn’t noticed you slip your fingers from his twine. You were a moth and he was the flame, no longer a pull of desire but a burnt out flame. As Gabriela passed your aisle, you had taken a step away from Bode, no longer shoulder to shoulder, a gap in between that he once again failed to notice.

Gabriela and Diego’s voices echoed their vows and for a moment intended to be pure, raw, and beautiful, you couldn’t share the communion of love. Your eyes kept flickering between the couple standing before you to Bode’s; and with every glance upon his eye, did your heart only crack. 

It was the way Bode’s oceanic eyes were wide, heavily yearning for something far from reach. Staring him made your stomach turn, your heart feeling as if it were being squeezed until blood no longer flowed enough for it to beat. 

There weren’t enough words in the dictionary to remotely describe the feelings you were succumbing to. The tips of your ears brimmed red, mimicking the warmth upon your cheeks; your heart thumping ever so loudly you felt as if it could be heard rhythmically to the organ as the couple sealed their fate forever.

The second the wedding party had followed Gabriela and Diego, you were quick to dismiss yourself from the aisle, refusing to spare Bode a glance. The church hall and reception were the last place you wanted to be, more so than attending with Bode. Escaping was all you had on your mind, withdrawing without a sound in peace to let out the sobs vibrating the base of your throat.

You felt utterly stupid for even thinking that maybe, just maybe, you were different–that what you and Bode had was different.

While wedding guests followed the bride and groom to the church entrance, you took a beeline the opposite direction, sliding through the back door. Crisp autumn air breezed your face and you let out a long heavy breath. It felt like you were choking but you couldn’t help but gasp as tears freely fell upon your cheeks.

You buried your face in your hands, your fingers pressing into your eyelids as you silently willed yourself to stop crying. Today was supposed to be filled with love yet here you found yourself weeping over a broken heart you should’ve seen long coming.

It doesn’t hurt to dream that we can be more than just something, you uttered to your best friend when you admitted that you had fallen in love with Bode. She had been against you both from the start, standing by the notion that you were only going to be broken in the end. If only you had listened instead of letting the concept of newfound love take reign. 

Dreaming had been a lot easier, less painful than the predicament you were in now.

“Foolish,” you whispered to yourself in disappointment, “so stupid.”

“What’s stupid?”

Bode’s voice made you straighten, your shoulders square adjacent to your chin…jaw taunt. You were certain your mascara had darkened, leaving lash marks underneath your lower eyelid, possibly even trailing down your face. Licking your lips, you rocked on your heels, shaking your head.

“Nothing,” you spoke, your voice betraying you with the ache in tone.

You refused to turn and meet his gaze, not wanting him to see your state but Bode made it difficult to do so. His boots crunched atop fallen leaves and simply by the sound, did you know he was closing the gap to you.

“Hey,” he said softly. His fingers lightly grazed the top of your hand before you could pull it away, confining it to your chest. “What’s wrong?”

Your fingers caressed the spot of your hand he touched and you turned your face, “I’m going home.”

“Home?” he huffed, “why would you be going home?”

You sighed and turned, revealing your broken features, “because this is the last place I want to be.”

Bode’s blue gaze softened upon your exterior and his feet moved on autopilot, desperate to embrace you. 

“No, Bode,” you took a step back, your open palms bracing his chest to keep him apart from you. “You’re not making any sense,” he sounded.

His eyes lingered upon your features, searching for answers to the confusion knitting his brows. “This wedding makes a lot of sense,” you whispered, your eyes blurring with new sprung tears. “I think you liked the idea that maybe you could love me…” you admitted, “but–” you inhaled a breath of air, willing your voice not to crack, “you don’t look at me the way you look at her”.

Bode’s lips parted but you cut him off before he could even beg you to differ, "𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙨.”

Your name sweetly rolls off his tongue, syllables laced with sympathy, lacking adorn.

“I love you Bode,” you licked your lips, “but it would be stupid of me to even think I could amount to that.”

Return to 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 . Join my 𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 for notifications of future one-shots.

[lukaskyle-moved]

FIRE COUNTRY | 1.03 "Where There's Smoke..."

[bullet-prooflove]

Something Else: Bode Leone x Reader (NSFW)

Tagging: @jeysbae @cloveroctobers @dizzybee03 @a-porcelain-gir1 @missy203 @floydsglasses @@alixw22x @shelbygeek @muligatorrr @jaybae @yousigned-upforthis @kmc1989 @brenobikenobi @mini-bee-bee @timmybradford @zippeylay @rhilee91 @switchbladeclub @itzkiarabxtches @girlinwounderland @choppedgalaxynerd @drunkangels @freecreationpost @stefani-topaz @chlo-lo14

One of Bode’s favourite things about being out on parole is the upgrade in shower facilities.

In prison you get ten minutes in the company with at least one other person, you try not to look but it’s incidental. The water was always freezing cold or scalding, there’s no in between. It was different at fire camp, you get fifteen minutes to yourself but the water pressure was shitty and the temperature tepid at best.

At home with you he gets as much hot water as he wants for as long as he wants, and baths…

They are a game changer after a hard day working construction or volunteering with Cal Fire.

Another thing he enjoys is the aromatherapy aspect. He’s used to relying on the shit they have in commissary and then what Cap was able to source from the General Store. It was always nameless, scentless, rough on his skin.

When he comes across the Wild & Sage stall at the Farmer’s Market he’s overwhelmed, he’s always liked the idea of natural products he’s just never been able to try them due to his legal predicament.

“I don’t know what to choose.” He says softly to you, his fingertips trailing over the silver reuseable containers. “There’s so many…”

“That’s what samples are for.” You say quietly, taking his hand in yours. You dab your fingers into the moisturising cream before spreading it across the back of his hand. He raises it to his nose inhaling it and that scent, the woodsy overtone, it makes everything feel a little lighter. His skin feels softer, less tight, less dry.

He spends over thirty minutes in front of that stall, talking with the vendor, trying all the samples. He works out what he likes, what he doesn’t like. He ends up spending a small fortune on toiletries, something he’s never done in his life.

“It’s nice to see you investing in yourself.” You tell him, when you come back from the florist with a bouquet of sunflowers tucked into the crook of your arm.

He smiles when the bathroom door clicks open, he sees your shape beyond the frosted glass, hears the sound of your clothes falling onto the tiles. This is the other thing he likes, the company.

“Hi.” He murmurs as you step underneath the stream of water with him.

“Hi.” You say, your fingers threading through his damp hair as you press against him.

“God you feel good.” He whispers against your lips, your fingers wrap around his cock and he inhales sharply because the sensation of your hand working him over, it’s bliss.

“But this is better right?” You tease, your thumb tracing over the tip of his cock.

He moans into your mouth because you, you have magic hands. He’ll never get tired of the way you touch him, the light brush of your fingertips, the steady intense pressure of your palm. The ecstasy, it builds in the base of his spine, searing through his synapses as you stroke him a little faster, a little harder. His breathing becomes ragged, his kisses messy, he’s right there at the edge of the precipice when your pussy envelops him.

He can’t think, he can’t breathe, all he can do revel in the sensation of that tight wet heat as it grips him.

“Baby.” He drawls as you clench around the tip of his dick. “Fuck baby, fuck!”

He comes so fucking hard that he sees stars, his release spilling into you. When he pulls out, it coats the head of his cock. You grasp his shaft, smearing his spent all over your pussy and he almost loses it all over again. You kill him with this shit, he swears to God, you do.

“You are something else you know that?” He murmurs, his forehead coming to rest coming to rest upon yours. “Truly you are.”

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Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[cloveroctobers]

BODE LEONE — Spring Writings 🩵

A/N: Happy Fire Country Friday! It’s just me feeding the ghost town of a tag that was inspired by that last episode with a side of drama or triggers—i try my best to make spring writings more fluff based which you will get somewhere here. I want to say this takes place a year or two after this current season idk whatever makes sense lol. I know timelines are kinda confusing for this show so feel how you feel!

WARNINGS: strained parent and child relationship, established relationships, infidelity of other characters, mentions of abuse to minors, alluding to s*ic**e, PTSD, blood, lots of descriptions that I should be employed as a screenwriter for the show with the amount of detail I give but we can just pretend, also I’m assuming that Bode and Riley were at least two to three years apart whereas him and Jake are the same age? I think that’s about it enough!

PROMPTS ARE FROM HERE + HERE & I’m using: 9. Our first dinner party & “god you’re bleeding! how the hell did you do that?” “i was trying to cut the tomatoes!”

⚘𖦹☼❀𑁍❀☼𖦹⚘ ⚘𖦹☼❀𑁍❀☼𖦹⚘ ⚘𖦹☼❀𑁍❀☼𖦹⚘ ⚘𖦹☼❀

“God you’re bleeding! How the hell did you do that?” Bode’s voice booms off the “almost oyster,” kitchen walls, making you zone back in to the fact that your middle knuckle and tip of your thumb happened to be oozing red all over the makeshift counter and cutting board.

He’s scrambling around the kitchen, snatching a rag from underneath the sink to wrap around your two fingers awkwardly. Applying pressure, which you hiss at, you meet Bode’s concerned blue-green eyes to see that he’s waiting for an answer.

You sigh, “I was trying to cut the tomatoes!”

Bode keeps his hands securely over yours and barely glances at the work you started on along with your phone that keeps silently lighting up. He blinks his attention back to you, sensing that you were disconnecting and was not entirely sure why. It was your idea to have your first dinner party after he moved in with you at the high rise out in Hillford, which was thirty minutes west of Edgewater.

“I see that,” he starts, “you don’t even like tomatoes, so I’m not sure why that’s on the menu for tonight?”

Closing your eyes for a moment you lift your shoulders nonchantly, “your mom loves a good Mediterranean salad, so I thought why not give it a go?”

Bode snorts, “my mom wouldn’t know the difference if it was store bought.”

His mom was a decent cook but she hardly had the patience to keep up with it. Majority of the time Bode’s dad was the one to throw down thanks to his own mother and grandmother forcing him to learn. Sharon loved to eat and sample so she wouldn’t be too judgmental…unless she ended up with food poisoning then you’d never hear the end of it!

“Vince would depending on what it is.” You peer at him underneath your eyelashes while Bode breathed out a laugh, figuring that you were most likely right. Mr. Leone may seem like a go with the flow kind of guy but one thing about the Leone’s? They loved to eat and if the food wasn’t cutting it then some words would be said.

Bode hoped the idea of his parents being here tonight didn’t make you nervous. It wasn’t your first time having a meal with them and one thing Bode knew about his parents is that they rarely held back. They liked you and they wanted to see him rebuild his life after being released. They were just happy that Bode was finally able to do that but after that text you just received…you weren’t so sure if that would remain true.

Bode gently lifts the rag from your fingers, “the bleeding from your thumb seems to be slowing down but that knuckle might need some stitches.” He announces before raising your hand back above your heart.

Feeling a wave of frustration fly over your being once more, made you want to lay face first on the kitchen floor—if it was sanitary. Hey you kept a clean house, otherwise you wouldn’t be having any family over! You were a bit of germaphobe and tried to ignore the itch of your brain to get to cleaning the mess you left on the wooden table turned island, that you got from a antique store two years ago.

“Hey,” Bode grips you even tighter, prepared to handle the deadweight if you decided to just drop to the floor, “what’s wrong?”

This was more than just you losing blood.

Opening your eyes you move your body around to slump against Bode, who didn’t hesitate to rest his cheek against the back of your head, “Sharon invited my mom and Manny, which is okay, I guess! Then my mom invited Gabriela! Which automatically makes what’s his face, the fiancé, her plus one while also extending it to Eve who invited Jake.”

The mumbling from you was a bit difficult for Bode to grasp but he listened intently anyways to get the gist of it all. There were many things wrong with this and he was tempted to call his mother up right now—despite knowing she had no ill intentions. Sharon seemed to get a kick out of your mom (which only meant trouble) who was casually dating Manny and you already knew your mother was solely the one to drag Gabriela into this. You’ve known the Perez’ since what felt like forever, way back in San Diego where you and Gabriela both attended school and actually became friends due to being in the same friend groups. You both tried out for the swim team, Gabriela made it and you excelled better at gymnastics.

She had the dream of being in the Olympics while you were being shot up with steroids from your coach to be the next star of the team. There was Lilavati Sharma who was the face of the team and carried herself with such grace despite the pressure to always be the best. She was sweet with all the girls and guys on the team and was genuinely likeable. The coach favored her just a little too much to the point she was here and then in the next she wasn’t.

Her father pulled her away from the team and gave the coach a nice shiner to the face that took weeks to heal. That only made the coach train you harder until you broke your collar bone, becoming the biggest disappointment until the truth of your coach came to light after the unexpected death of Lilavati.

That’s when you learned, maybe second best wasn’t so bad after all but that didn’t mean your trauma needed to be diminished as well. You hurt for Lilavati more than you did for yourself and it took years for you to understand why that was.

The universe seemed to have it written in stone that you and Gabriela were meant to be in each other’s lives. Yes you were older now compared to high school but it was safe to say that the both of you have fallen out long before. There always seemd to be some sort of connect with your mother and Manny. They were both once married and Manny’s been raising Gabriela all on his own for as long as you could remember. You recalled the conversations Gabriela would have about the gap she had in her life because of her mother’s absence and how lucky you were to have your parents.

Well…your mother’s been cheating on your father since you were a kid and basically bullied you not to tell your father about it once you were a bit older. Although he’s always known, he hated that she put you in that position after realizing that you’ve known. By the time leaving for college came around, your dad was moving from San Diego to Northern California far out to Edgewater; after serving your mother divorce papers who gave him such a hard time on signing them. She even followed him all the way out there after putting the house up for sale a month before your graduation.

Going back and forth to court was a common thing between them along with a restraining order being filed and lengthy phone calls from your mouthy mother filled your head while studying for finals. So yes your upbringing was as peachy as everyone thought.

Bringing it back to present time, your father was remarried and seemed to be thriving with his new aeronautical engineer of a husband, that you had to cat-sit every time they left the country to explore the world. Your father’s always been open about his sexuality and made you comfortable (considering he was a psychologist) if you ever questioned anything of your own personal experiences. You were one of the rare cases where you always had crushes and flirted once it felt like those crushes also showed interest but…it never amounted out into much.

You never had a significant other until you reached college. Let’s just say, you didn’t marry your college sweetheart. That wasn’t your story. The idea of love that you had wasn’t the brightest although it’s something you always wanted to have, it was just hard to truly receive it. And here you were with a man that always fought through so much in life that also wanted to give love and be loved in return.

“So the gang is all coming basically?” Bode used one hand to gently rub your back, “we could just cancel. It was supposed to just be with my parents…although I don’t mind Manny and your mom tagging along but…inviting everyone else to our place without talking to us about it…is crossing boundaries. How’d you find out?”

It still felt odd for Bode to call this waterfront townhouse his as well but you constantly reassured him that he was open to doing anything that made him feel like the home was his too. For one contributing to the HOA fees was a good start (after fighting a lengthy battle with the court to get EMT training and finally getting a spot on CalFire as stable income was a long time coming). Pre-Prison Bode had jobs before—some that he’s walked out on—but being with CalFire gave him purpose with a smidge of financial freedom. He was able to spend money on things that mattered like annoying adult stuff, a creepy ornamental two piece banana sculpture that he installed on the wall of the breakfast room (a small separate area from the dining room), and you.

“Mom texted.” You huffed, “and I’m trying to get better at not blowing up on her but when she does things like this? It makes it so hard.”

It took a lot for you to stand up to your mother since you tended to hold everything in. Over the years it’s been a build up and she’s apologized various of times but it started to fall on empty ears when she continued to repeat her same patterns.

Bode hated that your mother caused you such anxiety. He’s cupping your face now, gently placing his forehead against yours, “what do you want to do? I’ll call mom and yours up right now if it’s too much? We can have dinner ourselves, just us two and see if there’s any new streams on that movie you’ve been telling me about.”

You send him a small smile, cherishing that, “the kebabs are already done along with half of the other food. We can’t eat all of this ourselves.”

Bode peeks over at the covered food on the rest of the counters then back to you with a smirk of a smile, “want to bet?”

“Bode!”

“What? I can eat and I’ve been dying to try a kebab since you slapped my hand with a Spatula an hour ago.” He playfully glares at you, “I needed a snack.”

“There’s always crackers.”

Bode furrows his brows, “…I thought you loved me but I think you’re trying to starve me. What is this? Three rock?”

You laughed, “well at least one of us has an appetite and I just want to get through this night and enjoy the company of what I thought would just be with Sharon and Vince.”

Bode nods his head, “we still have time if you change your mind so, I’ll give you until after I’ve cleaned you up.”

“I love that you already know that I want you to do my stitches.”

Bode slides an arm across your hips to guide you out of the kitchen, “of course I know my baby. You nearly collapse every time you see prices in the grocery store when we’re out so I can only imagine what the bill from urgent care would look like. Lucky for you, you have a certified first responder as a boyfriend.”

He’s careful with you as he guides you up the narrow creaky stairs to the second floor to the main bathroom and you’re reminded this is the love you deserve.

You’re seated on the toilet while Bode is making a mess—like he commonly does—searching for what he needs. His hands are large and quick as they work the needle through the thread before setting it aside. He turns back to you, moving your hands from the pressure you’re applying against the rag, before motioning for you to keep it on the knuckle while he cleans, applies antibiotics and bandages your thumb first.

Bode kisses your thumb over the bandage, “how are we doing? Feeling faint? Do you need water? I probably should have asked before we came up here.”

“I’m fine.” You smile softly at him as he grabs a stool to sit down on as it’ll take him longer to work on your knuckle, “thanks for checking.”

He hums in response, “want to talk about work as a distraction?”

Blood didnt really bother you but you did cringe at the thought of needles. You can go ahead and write down PTSD note takers! You were an application security specialist, yes a true nerd, and also damn good at your stressful but fulfilling job but it was the weekend so that was a negative.

You redirect the conversation, “I’d like to draw you your next tattoo.”

Did you have artistic abilities like Bode? Let’s just say you were more of a data person while also being pretty athletic—although gymnastics was somewhat history you still found yourself stretching and working out to be crucial to your health routine—you had your own taste.

“Yeah?” Bode asks as he gets to work, “are you telling me you don’t like the two I already have?”

You shake your head, “sure I do. They have their own significant stories, which I’d never change and I have ideas if that artist brain of yours craves for more ink.”

“Appreciate that…so what’s on your mind?”

You deeply inhale as you feel the needle piercing your skin but talk through it, “you’re surprisingly into some odd art and I’ve been looking at vintage Halloween art that my co-worker is obsessed with and thought, why not create a wizard frog with a pointy star hat, wand and everything?”

“A wizard frog?” There’s a teasing tone in Bode’s voice while he pictures it as he pulls tight before going back to your skin while you hold your breath, “Magic’s not really my thing especially since I told you about my dad having me watch that one weird movie with Anthony Hopkins. Riley on the other hand? Could sit up for hours watching that horror crap with my dad…although she always ended up in my room, stealing my covers while talking away as I tried to sleep. As her big brother I dealt with it if that meant keeping her nightmares away, although I regretted it in the morning.”

The both of you share a laugh at this.

What you knew of Riley was that her and Bode were sorta opposites. She had the kindest big round blue eyes, was friendly and open to having conversations with strangers whereas Bode was more reserved before he felt comfortable enough to approach. Apparently she was soft spoken yet determined, into the well-being of animals that she planned to be a vegetarian once she was older, liked magic tricks and horror movies but only if that meant she got more time to bond with Vince that is. She seemed to have a heart on her sleeve and probably would have been a veterinarian if she lived past sixteen.

“Just big brother duties.” You inhale air between your teeth, “and I think she would like my wizard frog idea.”

“Yeah…I can see you two plotting against me.” Bode smiles over at you before giving one last tug before snooping off the excess thread, “all set.”

Before he can even move to start cleaning up, you throw your arms across his shoulders and give him a squeeze. Bode pauses but buried his nose against your fuzzy cardigan before rubbing your back against your embrace once more.

“What’s this for?”

You say, “just because I love you and I’m happy to have you here with me, which I know I probably don’t say enough since words of affirmation is more your thing than mine but I stand by this. I look forward to many more days with you, good and challenging.”

Bode feels his body go warm at your words and pulls back to meet your eyes. “I can’t wait and I love you too, softie.”

You roll your eyes as he chuckles at you while you scratch at his facial hair.

“…You’ll think about the wizard frog?”

Bode sighs with a small smile on his lips, “If it makes you happy, love.”

“Cop out answer!” You flick his broad shoulder with your good hand.

“How?” Bode lifts his shoulders in confusion.

You crinkle your nose in annoyance, “You can’t ever say what I want to hear and make me think I’m always the winner, fight back.”

“Okay…I’ll remember that when I don’t want to watch the traitors uk with you.” Bode holds your stare while you gasp with a hand to your chest and then nod your head, mentally saying that was fair game.

Bode can already tell what you’re thinking, which makes him grin at you before leaning forward to cautiously peck your lips. You humph before slowly pushing yourself to get to your feet and steady yourself.

Bode’s hands are immediately on your hips as you balance yourself and you give him a nod in reassurance before leaning forward. You connect your lips again, his beard tickling your face as you breathe him in. He smells sweet like amber, fresh but calming like cypress, and warm sandalwood and you feel like you could just sink into him endlessly but manage to pull away.

“You sure you don’t want to cancel? We could do more of that and I wouldn’t mind.” Bode squeezes your hips with a lick of his own lips.

You pull from his grip, “that’s what Sunday is for, a day with no plans! Now let’s go, chop chop! We have a dinner to finish.”

And you’re out of the bathroom before Bode can even blink. He’s shaking his head at you and calls out, “fine. Don’t touch any more knives though!”

Once putting everything back where it belongs, he stares at his reflection in the mirror. He’s not entirely thrilled to have Jake here, since they were attempting to get back to where they once were but Bode wasn’t holding his breath since he felt like Jake was trying to live what could have been his when it came to Genevieve. It took time for him to accept what happened when they were teenagers meaning with Riley but since he’s been locked up? It felt like it was one thing after the next even in his freedom. Then there was Gabriela…which you had your own issue with although you tried to downplay it and there was a smidge of a history that Bode had with her that probably didn’t help…

He just hopes this dinner isn’t a true disaster for both of your sakes but at least he could have the task of throwing someone out…if it came to that of course.

That wasn’t what brought a smile to his face, it was the thought of hosting something that he could call his own with the person he wanted to spend countless days with.

You.

⚘𖦹☼❀𑁍❀☼𖦹⚘ ⚘𖦹☼❀𑁍❀☼𖦹⚘ ⚘𖦹☼❀𑁍❀☼𖦹⚘ ⚘𖦹☼❀