OC Summaries

Maybe We Can Be Friends (Part 2)

Since you all liked the first one so much, I decided I'd write another one! Hope you enjoy this one too.

Pairing: Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x Autistic!Fem!Shy!Reader

Summary: You thought you'd more or less made your peace with Jake, and you were hoping that there would be no more drama, but it turns out that Fate loves to go against your wishes, which is something Penny and Jimmy won't let you forget in a hurry…

Warnings: Obnoxious roommates, mentions of autism, mentions of sensory overload, a bit of angst, some fluff, soft Jake, Penny and the reader are besties

A/N: Sorry this one's got less Jake in, I promise there will be more of him in future!

"Hey, Y/N!" calls Penny, as you enter the bar. "How was your date?"

You blush. "It went well. And it wasn't a date."

Penny just gives you a knowing smile, and slips you a Coke. "Just as a heads-up, it'll probably be busy tonight, so you don't have to stay, okay? Like I said last time, I'll pay you the full amount no matter what time you leave, and I won't be mad if you need to leave early - or if you just want to skip it."

You bite your lip, remembering what happened last night. Although it turned out well, you really don't want to go through another sensory overload. But at the same time, you don't want to leave the bar to just two people, especially if it's busy.

"I'll stay, and just test the waters a bit," you reply. "But if I start looking scared, or agitated, or something…"

Penny nods. "I'll keep an eye on you, just so something like last night doesn't happen again, okay?"

You nod. "Yeah, that's fine."

"And I have a feeling that a certain aviator will be looking out for you, too," she adds, with a teasing smile.

You blush. "It was just the once, Penny. He's probably going to be back to his old self tonight."

"I wouldn't be so sure, hon. He's not exactly the type who'd do that for just anyone, you know."

You blush again, wishing your heart wouldn't jump about whenever you talk or think about him. What's wrong with me? I literally just stopped hating him last night, and now I'm feeling weird about him again?

"Bar's open!" calls Jimmy, as he flips the open/closed sign.

You hastily get behind the counter, and pour yourself another Coke.

Fortunately, while it's busier than usual, it's not as busy as it was last night. And you're getting pretty caffeinated, so things are looking good.

As you start taking orders, you find yourself watching the doorway, wondering if there are going to be any Navy pilots tonight.

Well, until you catch Penny grinning at you.

"Penny!" you groan. Realising how stupid that sounds, you hastily add, "It could be anyone, you know." Why's my voice so high-pitched?

"Right, Y/N. Right."

"Well, it could be-" You hastily try to think of a pilot who you can actually put a name or callsign to.

And then you realise - and grin.

Turning to Penny, you say, "You know, I noticed you fancied one of them - Matthews, was it?"

Penny rolls her eyes. "Mitchell." She chuckles. "Alright, you got me there."

"So you do like him?"

Penny blushes. "I guess. But don't tell him, okay?"

You nod. "Sure. But why?"

Penny smiles. "I guess you don't know what the word 'maverick' means." She's about to explain, but just then, the Dagger Squad walk in.

You stare at them, looking for Jake, and trying to ignore Penny's grinning.

"Hey, Y/N."

"Hey, Penny."

You and Penny both jump, and let out squeaks of fright, before turning around to see Jake and Mav grinning at you.

"Peter Evan Mitchell!" Penny scolds him.

"Hey, I didn't know I was gonna make you jump," protests Mav.

You notice that Penny's blushing, which would normally make you giggle - except for the fact that Jake's standing right in front of you.

"Hey, sweets," he says.

Your face burns as you stare at him, every rational thought immediately leaving your head.

Jake chuckles. "What's the matter? You suddenly bowled over by my good looks?"

You open your mouth to protest, but nothing comes out.

"It's okay, sweets. I'm just teasing. I'll have a Jack and Coke, by the way."

You try not to spill anything as you make his drink, pretending not to notice Jimmy grinning at you.

Jake's fingers brush against yours as you hand him his drink, a small thing that makes your heart jump much higher than it should have.

That, and his soft, "Thanks, hon."

Fortunately, Penny's busy with Mav (something you'll tease her about later), but Jimmy's trying to catch your eye.

Unfortunately, it's not quite time for the evening rush, so you don't have anyone else to get drinks for, which would help you get your mind off Jake - and be a perfect excuse not to chat.

You don't really want to talk about Jake tonight, though, so, for once in your life, you're positively delighted when the evening rush starts, and you don't have any time to chat.

***********************************************************************

You're woken up by your phone buzzing.

Groaning, you reach over, grab it, fumbling the unlock feature a couple of times until you manage to open it.

There's a text from Penny: Hey Y/N, I know you probably won't read this right now, but was wondering if you'd like to have a girls' day out?

That's enough to wake you up immediately. Do I want to go on a day out with Penny? Stupid question - of course I do!

You immediately reply with: Yes! I'll be ready and down to the bar as quick as I can!

Penny's reply comes through a few seconds later: I was actually going to come around to your place with the car. Figured it'd be more convenient.

You smile, type out a thank-you, and then start getting ready.

It's been ages - years, actually - since you and Penny have had a proper day out. Sure, you met at the beach about a week ago, but that wasn't really a designated day out.

Despite your indecisiveness over what to wear, you're ready in record time, and actually have time to do a bit of scrolling before you hear Penny's car pull up outside.

"Hi, Penny," you say, as you get in.

"Hey," she replies. "Figured I'd take advantage of Amelia being away this Saturday."

"How is she?" you ask. You've met Amelia a few times over the years, and you've always liked her.

"Pretty good. She's settled in well at school, made some friends, and she's getting pretty good grades, too."

"That's good. She's a nice girl."

"Of course you'd say that to me!" laughs Penny. "I'm her mother!"

You blush. "But I do genuinely think that."

"I know you do, hon. You two always got on well."

You both fall into silence after that, just taking time to enjoy each other's company.

After a while, Penny says, "You know, for our day out, I was thinking we go shopping, get some clothes, skincare stuff, maybe some lunch…"

You smile. "Sounds good." Penny mentioning skincare stuff has put an idea into your head. "You know, I was thinking…"

"Yes?"

"What if - you don't have to agree, of course - but what if we bought skincare stuff - like spa kind of stuff, and had a girls' spa night?"

Penny's face lights up. "Now that's an idea!"

Then you remember. "Oh, but - what about Amelia? Will she mind?"

"She's having a sleepover tonight. And even if she wasn't, I'm pretty sure she'd be happy to join in."

"She wouldn't think it's a bit weird or cringe? You know, because I'm friends with you, and you're her mother?"

"You're closer to her age than I am, and anyway, she loves you, hon. She'd do anything for you."

You're not used to getting compliments like that, and now you're blushing. You try to think of something else to talk about, but just then, your stomach growls.

You blush again. "Sorry."

Penny chuckles. "It's fine, hon. Looks like our first stop'll be breakfast, then."

You start to protest. "Oh, no, Penny, you don't have t-"

Penny cuts you off with another laugh. "I'm not dragging a hungry, grumpy Y/N around the shops, okay? You're getting breakfast, whether you like it or not."

"Okay, but just a sandwich or something. I want to save my appetite for lunch."

"Sure thing. We'll stop in at the convenience store on the way."

You do feel better after you've had a sandwich and a drink. Penny ends up getting something to eat as well, even though she's had breakfast.

After you've finished your sandwiches, Penny says, "Should we go look at some clothes, or go get the skincare stuff?"

"I don't mind," you reply, truthfully, since you really don't mind.

But Penny's having none of it. "That's not an answer, hon."

You groan. "Okay, how about we explore the secondhand shop, see if we can find anything nice?"

Penny smiles. "Sounds good to me!"

Unfortunately, despite looking around for quite some time, you don't find anything really good in the secondhand shop. There are a few items that are decent, but you don't really feel like spending that much money on something you could get new at the same price.

Penny does find a nice-looking vase, but it's a bit too pricey, so she decides to leave it.

Soon after that, you both decide to go and get some lunch at a cafe.

Over lunch, Penny asks you how uni's going.

You sigh. "Well, I like my classes, and I like what I'm studying - and I'm managing to keep on top of deadlines - sort of…"

"How about the other stuff?" asks Penny. "I remember you saying that your roommates weren't exactly - understanding."

You chuckle, shaking your head. "You'd be right."

Penny leans slightly forward, a worried look on her face. "What's going on, exactly?"

"Well, they're forever hosting parties. Loud ones, too. Seriously, like, the neighbours threatened to file a noise complaint. And this is when I'm supposed to be sleeping! Then, because I'm so tired from uni and socialising, and then losing sleep because of their obnoxious partying, I legitimately can't do stuff like my laundry, or the washing-up, so the apartment's now littered with dirty laundry and dishes. Then they have the nerve to tell me to pull my own weight! I literally warned them before we all moved in together that I was autistic, and so I might need help with that sort of thing if I start to burn out, you know?"

"Gosh," mutters Penny, shaking her head. "I'm so sorry, Y/N, I had no idea. I should've thought to ask earlier."

"You don't have to be sorry," you reply, suddenly realising what an awkward position you've accidentally put Penny into. "I shouldn't have ranted so much. And I mean, it's not all bad-"

"Hey." Penny cuts you off. "Look at me. It's not your fault, okay? If anything, it's mine, for not giving you a chance to speak up earlier. You shouldn't have to deal with that sort of stuff, especially when you need to rest."

"I guess it is kind of my fault," you admit. "I didn't want to tell the uni that I'm autistic. I felt like it would - I - I don't know. I guess I just didn't want to be seen as different, you know? Like I was in school."

"You felt like the other kids treated you different?" asks Penny.

You nod. "Yeah. And I didn't want that to happen again."

Penny doesn't reply. She seems to be wrapped up in her own thoughts, so you try to wrap yourself in yours, too.

"Careful you don't pull our dishes off the table," says Penny suddenly.

You're so surprised by this that you start giggling - and then blush when you realise that you've been pulling at the tablecloth. Penny's laughter breaks the awkward silence, which makes you feel a bit better.

"You sound like such a mum, you know," you tease.

"I am a mom," replies Penny, chuckling. Then, looking over, she adds, "I think they're going to want us out of here, now."

"Wha-" Then you realise that you've both finished eating. "Oh, yeah. Yeah, we should probably get going."

***********************************************************************

"Right, Y/N, you're the skincare expert," Penny says, as you pull up.

"I'm not that good," you protest. "I mean, I know the basics, but I have no idea how to set up a spa night."

Penny chuckles. "Then let's call it our own take. Now, what are the basics?"

"Er, if I remember right, it's exfoliant, moisturiser, primer, cleanser - not in that order, of course…"

Penny holds up a bottle. "Serum?"

You shrug. "I guess." Then you have a brainwave. "Oh! Face masks, of course."

Penny laughs when she sees all the different types of face mask there are. "How do you know which one to go for?"

"I was thinking the exact same thing!"

You and Penny don't talk about the roommate situation while shopping for skincare, and while you appreciate that Penny probably wants to keep the rest of this day out a light-hearted one, you can't help feeling like you overshared a bit too much.

While you're driving home, after paying for your stuff, however, Penny turns to you, and says: "You know, I've been thinking about the roommate situation, and - you don't have to agree, of course, but I was wondering if you'd maybe like to move in with me and Amelia. We've got a spare room, the house isn't too far from your college, and I promise the neighbourhood is a lot quieter than what you're putting up with right now."

Your heart immediately jumps into your throat, which consequently tightens. Penny's prepared to have me move in with her?

"I'd love to," you reply, your voice a little thick. But then you realise. "But - surely - will Amelia mind?"

"I don't think she'd mind," replies Penny. "Anyway, she isn't really in the house much now. But you can talk with her, if you want."

"And what about things like laundry, and cooking, and stuff? I'm not very good at remembering those…"

Penny laughs. "You seriously think that'd be a dealbreaker?"

You're surprised at this reaction. "My roommates get super mad at me whenever I don't clean up their mess."

"Well, I'm not your roommates, and I'm fine with helping you remember to do your laundry - and doing it for you if you forget. For dinner, Amelia and I don't really eat together, so you're pretty much fine to just eat when you get hungry."

"Well - I really don't know what to say," you remark. "You're sure, though? About me living with you?"

Penny just smiles. "If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have offered, sweetie."

"Well, in that case, I just want to make sure Amelia's fine with it. If she is, I guess I move in."

***********************************************************************

To both yours and Penny's surprise, Amelia's waiting for you at the house.

"Amelia?" Penny goes over to her. "Is everything okay?"

Amelia sighs. "Riley got sick, so the sleepover was cancelled. And I couldn't find the spare key."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, sweetie. You should've called. I'd have come home sooner if I'd known. Have you had dinner?"

Amelia nods. "Yeah. At the diner."

"Well, Y/N and I haven't had dinner yet, so we're going to get some now. I know you just ate, but do you want anything?"

"No thanks, I'm good."

Once you're all inside the house, Amelia turns to you. "Hi, Y/N. You staying to dinner?"

You nod, smiling shyly. "Yeah. If that's okay with you, I mean."

Amelia nods. "It's fine by me." Then she spots the shopping bags. "What did you buy?"

You let out a nervous giggle. "Er, it's skincare. Penny and I were planning to - er, have a spa night. If-"

Amelia giggles. "It's fine by me." Then she turns back to Penny. "I'm gonna go do my homework now. I got a lot of it, and it's all in for tomorrow."

"Looks like schools haven't changed much," you remark, which makes Penny laugh.

"They sure haven't."

But then you remember, and hastily call, "Hey, Amelia, could you wait a minute?"

"Yeah, sure."

But then you can't find the words to ask her. Fortunately, after you give her a look, Penny understands, and adds, "Y/N and I have something we'd like to talk to you about."

"What's it about?"

Again, you can't find the words to say it, so you leave it to Penny.

"Would you mind if Y/N moved in with us? She's been having a hard time where she's staying, roommates partying late at night, and all sorts, and so she hasn't really been able to get a break."

Amelia doesn't even hesitate. "Yeah, sure. That's fine by me." Then she goes upstairs.

You stare at Penny in surprise. "She didn't even bat an eye!"

Penny just smiles. "So, are you going to move in?"

You nod. "Yes, absolutely. - Oh, but - when would I pack up and move? I don't have that many things, but I will have to notify uni, get the paperwork done, arrange transportation…"

"We'll sort that out tomorrow," replies Penny. "For now, let's just have our dinner, and then enjoy our spa night."

***********************************************************************

Penny's better than her word. The next day, after you've had breakfast (Penny insisted that you stay the night), Penny takes you back to the uni accommodation.

You're kind of nervous on the drive yet, even though you know that your roommates will probably be out shopping or something. You're not even sure why your nervous. After all, it's not like you have to be in class, either. It is a Sunday, after all.

It's only when you open your apartment door, that you realise why you were nervous.

The place is a tip.

And a lot of it's your mess. Your mess, that you were supposed to be cleaning up, on Saturday.

"I'm so, so sorry," you gasp, your cheeks burning. "I'd completely forgotten - I was supposed to clean it up yesterday - my roommates are going to be livid when they see this…"

Penny just chuckles. "It's not that bad, hon. Let's just pack an overnight bag plus a few extra bits of stuff for now, and move the bulk of your stuff next week, when I can get some help from Pete."

You breathe a sigh of relief - before remembering your roommates. "Oh - but what about my roommates?"

Penny takes a quick look around. "Well, I don't see any food here, so I think you can just bundle your stuff into some carrier bags, and we'll deal with it at my place."

"Ok." You're pretty happy with that idea, mostly because it means you won't have to deal with your roommates for a while longer. "Actually, I was wondering if we could, you know, pack the light stuff, like clothes and toiletries, and move it out over the next week or so? I'm just a bit worried that the others might accidentally take my stuff, 'cause I forgot to label it."

"That's a good idea," replies Penny. "It also means that we might not need Pete's help next week," she adds, under her breath. You have to hide your smile at the disappointment in her tone.

"Of course," continues Penny, this time more audibly, "we could have asked Jake to help. I'm sure he'd be very happy to."

Now it's her turn to hide a smile at your blushing.

"Shut up," you mumble, trying to hide the grin that's somehow appeared on your face. "I'll - er - just - grab a few things for now, and come back for anything else later."

***********************************************************************

"Hey, pretty girl!"

Smiling as you recognise Jake's voice, you turn around to face him. "Hi."

He returns your smile. "How was your week, honey?"

Your heart jumps into your throat at his question. "Oh, uh… it was good, I guess? Uh - how was yours?"

"It was okay," replies Jake, leaning a little further forward, "but I missed you, darlin'."

You turn away so he doesn't see you blush. "No, you didn't."

"Oh, but I did."

Normally, with your poor social skills, you'd pass it off as flirting. It wouldn't be exactly out character for him, after all.

But something in his tone makes you turn around, and look at him in surprise. It sounds like he actually means what he's saying. That he missed you.

"Uh-"

Jake cuts you off before you can finish. "I'll have a Jack and Coke, by the way."

"Oh - uh, sure…" You turn to get it for him, secretly feeling a bit hurt at his sudden abruptness. Maybe you misread.

But he still manages a small smile as you hand him his drink. "Thanks, hon. See you around."

And then he's gone, before you can reply.

As the evening wears on, your eyes keep turning in Jake's direction, so much so that you accidentally forget to give someone their drink - twice.

And then you see Jimmy grinning at you. "He likes you, you know," he says suddenly.

You blush. "Shush! He'll hear you."

Jimmy shrugs. "So? It's pretty obvious. Haven't you seen the way he looks at you?"

"It's your imagination," you reply, rather shortly. "I'm not pretty enough to attract attention, especially from him."

Jimmy just smiles. "Oh, you'd be surprised."

You shake your head, trying to brush it off, but deep down, you have a feeling that he's right. And you're not really sure how to feel about that.

**********************************************************************

Part 3

As always, I do not give permission for anyone to copy my work, post it elsewhere, etc.

When I was younger, I obsessed over the idea of being a published writer more than I actually wrote. I wanted to be good at it, and I knew that I wasn’t.

In my imaginings of the future, I pictured myself as a seasoned author with a stack of written works resting on a desk, my hand resting lightly atop the tower, as if to say, “look at the breadth of my skill! I believe I have achieved enough. My work is complete; my hand need never pick up the pen again.”

Looking back, I wonder why I painted that picture in my head, a static image that seldom changed. Never did I imagine myself writing in a busy cafe or scribbling poetry under lamplight. I never saw myself writing the books; they just materialized, in all their hardback, small-font glory under my outstretched hand.

This image perverted my love of well-written stories. Whenever I brought my pen to a blank page, I could only write what I thought “novelists” wrote about. Without any passion or truth behind my words, they felt lifeless and empty. Not content with the idea that something I wrote wouldn’t be consumed by an audience, I often chose to write nothing at all.

I hadn’t yet learned that writing is a process of self-discovery. It is a means of trying to understand a chaotic world. And now, it is not something to accomplish; it is who I am.

I am a writer.

If you see this on your dashboard, reblog this, NO MATTER WHAT and all your dreams and wishes will come true.

Unintentional

Pairing: Loki x shy!autistic!fem!reader

Summary: Accidentally getting caught up in a chain of events outside your control was not on your bucket list. But neither was working for SHIELD. Or being able to read the mind of a certain Asgardian captured by SHIELD…

Warnings/tags: Fluff, soft Loki, angst, reader hates their job, mind-reading, implied concussion, mention of stabbing, minor character death, mentions of injuries, probably OOC Loki? (I don't really know…), probably confusing dialogue, morally questionable SHIELD

A/N: I'm so sorry I haven't posted in so long, life's just been really busy lately.

*******************************************************************

Working for SHIELD was not on your bucket list. In fact, you didn't even know that the organisation existed until you'd dropped out of school, and started looking for work. You'd started as a lab intern, but you got promoted to lab assistant - and then you got onto SHIELD's radar.

In a good way, fortunately. You ended up getting a job there, and now you're one of the top lab assistants. You've worked with (well, for) some of the best scientists in the world. Some were nice, some not so nice, some just average.

Like your previous employer, Dr Selvig, who mysteriously disappeared quite recently.

And now you're stuck being a lab assistant to Dr Banner, who's probably the most dangerous person on the whole ship. Sure, he's not the worst scientist you've ever had to be a personal assistant to; in fact, he's actually really nice. One of the best, in fact.

Even so, you're pretty on edge around him. You're not the best with people, and the only reason you even agreed to the position of lab assistant in the first place was because, well, you thought that it would be only a few people that you'd have to interact with that would all be as awkward as you.

Unfortunately, that's not the case. Apparently, being a lab assistant also means acting as a mediator between the agents and the scientists - something you've never been great at, as it requires, well, people skills. Good people skills.

Fortunately, Dr Banner doesn't seem to be having any trouble like that, so far, and another guy's helping him out with whatever they're supposed to be doing (SHIELD is annoyingly 'hush-hush' about that sort of thing), which renders you pretty much useless as far as helping is concerned.

That's why you're glad that Banner lets you do pretty much whatever you like. He doesn't like being disturbed while he's working, he doesn't want to talk with the agents until he's found something of value - and that other guy, Sparks or something, is already playing assistant.

But still, knowing that he could lose control, and turn into a giant green rage monster at any point has been doing a pretty good job of keeping you on edge.

Sure, there's a dangerous guy locked up in the cage downstairs, who's apparently from another planet, and is ridiculously overpowered by all accounts, but - he's locked up. Banner isn't. And - well, you don't really know how the whole Hulk thing works. Does he get a nasty mood swing that turns him into Hulk? Is it under immense stress? Or does it just come on randomly?

One of the advantages of having pretty much free rein on a SHIELD hideout is that you can find out some pretty interesting stuff about the history of SHIELD, past cases, etc., and if anyone asks, you can just say it's for your job. It's just unfortunate that you aren't allowed to use your knowledge in trivia quizzes, and have to play clueless like other people.

"L/N? Where are you going?" You bite back a groan as you turn around.

It's just unfortunate that Agent Romanoff's seen you leaving the lab. You've never really been sure what to make of her. She's never been overtly mean to you, but she does have a habit of sticking her nose into your business, which you find kind of annoying, especially as you're a fairly private person.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping Dr Banner?" she asks.

You have to fight the urge to sigh. "He doesn't want to be disturbed while he's working."

"You should still stick around, though."

You shake your head. "He told me he doesn't like having people hovering over him unless they're actually helping."

Romanoff considers this for a moment, before nodding. "Okay, well, I actually have a job for you. I know it's not exactly in your skill-set, but - well, we still don't know what Loki's planning to do, so I need you to go and talk to him for me, see if he lets anything slip about his plans."

You nod. "Yes, Agent."

As you walk off, your mind's racing. I've got to talk to Loki, the second most dangerous person on the entire ship, a guy so powerful that it took the combined efforts of Sparks, Richards, Romanoff, and a couple others to even capture him? What if he attacks me? What if he gets inside my head? What if-

"L/N?"

Wonderful.

It's Agent Hill. "What are you doing?"

"An errand for Agent Romanoff."

You're surprised at how quickly her manner becomes more approving when she hears Romanoff's name. This could be a get-out-of-jail-free card for the next time I get caught snooping!

But even after that delightful discover, you're still very nervous by the time you reach the cage where Loki's being held, so much so that you end up debating with yourself about whether to even open the door.

Come on, Y/N, you have to open the door. You have to talk to him.

But he's dangerous! He might kill me!

He's in a cage that'll drop out of the helicarrier if he tries to break it, much less attack you.

But the mechanism might fail!

There's a button on the control pad that you can press that will do the exact same thing.

I don't want to do this!

Look, you promised Agent Romanoff you'd do it. You don't have to stay very long. Just ask him a couple questions, and then run away. You don't even have to stay to hear his answer; they can probably see him on the security cameras anyway.

Even so, for all your rationalising, you're still pretty scared when you finally push the door open, and step inside.

Maybe he won't hear me if I keep quiet. Maybe I can jumpscare him.

No such luck. Loki snaps his head around the minute you step inside.

He's actually a lot less scary-looking than you imagined he'd be.

Well, apart from his eyes. They're a glowing, unnatural blue that reminds you eerily of that weird spear-scimitar hybrid that Sparks and Banner are working on.

You can hear your heart pounding in your ears. Your lungs are struggling to fill with air, making you hyperventilate.

What am I even supposed to ask him? 'Hi, how's your day going? Oh, and by the way, could you very kindly tell me what exactly your plans are for invading Earth?'

Bang!

You jump back as Loki slams his fist on the glass.

"How did you get into my head?" he hisses.

Your first instinct would have been to run away, but you're so terrified that you can barely think straight, let alone run away.

He thumps the glass again. "Answer me!"

Tears begin to fill your eyes, partly from the shock, but also from his manner. You can see now why he's so dangerous; he can be absolutely terrifying when he wants to be.

"I - I don't know what you're talking about," you gasp, trying hard to hold back your tears.

"Don't lie to me." Loki's voice is quieter now, but more menacing. "Tell me how you got into my head!"

"I didn't!" Your voice is getting more and more high-pitched. "I swear!"

"Then why did I hear your voice while your lips weren't moving?"

"You can read thoughts?"

"When I choose to."

So he didn't-

"Why would I bother myself with the thoughts of a mere mortal?"

Darn. I forgot he could read thoughts.

"I'm not trying to read your thoughts, mortal," snaps Loki. "Now would you say something?"

You open your mouth, but it's completely dry, so you close it again, while trying to work out what you're going to say.

Then a wave of anger hits you.

You know what? you decide. Screw Romanoff. Screw Fury. Screw SHIELD. I'm sick of them, pretending like they're better than everyone else just because they work for the government.

You can tell Loki's listening in, but you don't care. Let him listen. Let him hear exactly what goes on inside my head.

"Tell me about yourself," says Loki suddenly, in a much more civil tone than before. "How did you start working for SHIELD?"

I got too good at my job, so Fury forced me to work for him. Outwardly, you say, "It was an internship."

Loki nods. "What do you want from me?"

Well, not from you specifically, but I'd quite like to quit this job, and go back to being a civilian. "Why… why would I tell you that?"

Loki just smirks. "I think you know why, mortal."

I don't want to tell you.

Loki chuckles. "Don't you trust me?"

I don't know who to trust anymore. "Why would I trust someone fighting the organisation I work for?"

Loki's suddenly serious. "Do you trust SHIELD?"

I thought I did. But after I read the files… "Of course." You're shocked at how easily the lie slips off your tongue. What have I become?

"L/N!"

It's Fury. And he looks like he's living up to his name quite well.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Your mind goes blank for a moment. "Uh… Romanoff asked me to interrogate Loki."

"Well, it doesn't look much like an interrogation to me. Seems like Loki's doing most of the asking."

Maybe there's different types. "Well - I'm - I'm going to ask him questions."

Fury sighs. "Fine. Just - don't get too close. He's a master of manipulation, L/N. He'll get inside your head, if you let him."

Well, I wasn't letting him. "Yes, sir."

After he's left, you turn back to Loki with a sigh. "Where were we?"

L/N, I need you to pay attention to me. In a few minutes, Barton will be breaking in with enemies of SHIELD, who work for me. I need you to stay low, draw as little attention to yourself as possible. Stay near me if you can. And get rid of that uniform, or they will kill you.

You try hard to keep your emotions in check. Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?

There's no time to explain. Are you with me or not?

You consider for a moment. What has SHIELD ever done for me? For any of its agents? I don't even like the organisation, so why…

Loki sighs. What have you to lose?

Everything, if you lose. But… you know what? Screw SHIELD. I was planning to leave them anyway, at least once this mission was over, so why not leave now?

Loki smirks. "You have no questions for me, L/N?"

It's Y/N. "I did, but then Fury interrupted, and I forgot."

"Well, I'd rather like to hear some questions, all the same." What do you have to offer me, Y/N? I'm not doing this purely out of the goodness of my heart.

If we fail, I act as a double-double agent, and see if I can get you the lightest sentence possible. You'd still be incarcerated for a while, but it would be shorter than life - and better than going to the electric chair. If we succeed - well, I'm not sure. "How - how old are you?"

Loki chuckles again. "What a silly question. I am around one thousand and fifty years old - which is equivalent to around twenty-one of your years." That sounds fair enough.

How do I know you'll keep your word? "Um - well - do you have any siblings?"

"A brother. His name's Thor. You may have seen him." I promise to you, Y/N, on all I hold dear, I will protect you.

Cross your heart? "The blonde guy carrying the big hammer?"

Loki nods. "Yes." Cross my heart?

It's a kind of promise. Cross my heart, hope to die. Or you could swear on your mother's life. "Well - um… he mentioned you were adopted."

"That's correct." Well, if it makes you feel better - cross my heart, hope to die. But I already promised on my mother's life.

And you'll keep that promise? "How old were you when you were adopted?"

"I was a baby." I will.

Should I leave? "So, like, a birth adoption?"

Loki shakes his head. "I don't want to talk about it." No, stay here. You'll be safer near me.

But what about my uniform? "Well - um…"

"No more questions, hm? You don't seem to have learned very much about me." When I get out, I can cast an illusion to hide your uniform.

Should I help you break out? "Well, I learned a bit about your family and childhood. That's something, right?"

"But you still have no idea of my plans." Do you know how?

I think I could figure it out. Or Barton could get you out. "That's true…"

Crash!

The whole aircraft gives a massive shudder, the impact knocking you to the floor.

For a moment, you're dazed, unsure what to do next.

Looking up, you see that the security cameras around the cage are broken. Not that it matters whether anyone sees you now.

Struggling to your feet, you stagger to the control panel, and try to figure out which button to press to open the cage.

After trying a few random buttons, which fortunately do nothing untoward, you find the right one, and press it.

Stepping out, Loki takes a long look at you, before putting his hand on your shoulder.

"There," he says softly. "You should be safe now. Just stay with me."

Looking down, you see that your SHIELD uniform is gone, replaced by plain black clothes. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me yet. Do you have a weapon?"

You shake your head. "I'm not allowed."

Loki points to your belt. "You are now."

That's when you realise there's a holster on your belt - with a gun in it. Taking it out, you take a good look at the gun. You don't know very much about guns, but it looks pretty powerful.

"Come on," mutters Loki. "We can't just stand here."

"Sorry," you mumble, hastily putting the gun back into the holster.

You feel Loki tense behind you before you hear the heavy footsteps entering the room.

Stay still.

You obey without question, your mouth dry, as you watch Loki cast an illusion.

"No!"

Clang!

It's Loki's brother, Thor. And he's locked in the cage.

"Are you ever not going to fall for that?"

Loki's words make you want to laugh. Despite everything, it seems that he and Thor still have a sibling dynamic.

"Brother-" Thor's voice is low, threatening.

An illusion of Loki walks up to the control panel. "The humans think us immortal. Should we test that?"

In desperation, Thor throws his hammer at the cage wall. It manages to crack the glass, but then the bars holding the cage in place start to give way.

Loki's hand hovers over the button, ready to press it.

"Move away, please."

You turn, and - oh, of all the miserable luck!

It's Coulson. And he's holding a pretty lethal-looking weapon.

"You like this? It's a prototype we started working on after you sent the Destroyer to Earth. I don't even know what it does, but I'm pretty interested in finding out."

Loki begins to back away - and then disappears.

The real Loki appears behind Coulson, stabbing him in the chest.

"No!" yells Thor.

Ignoring him, Loki walks over to the control panel, and pushes the button.

You have to suppress an audible gasp as Thor is thrown out of the aircraft.

Loki gestures to you. "Come on."

You obey, scuttling up to him, trying not to look at Coulson's body, which is now slumped on the floor.

"You're going to lose."

Both you and Loki turn around to see that Coulson's still alive.

Loki lets out a soft laugh. "Am I?"

"It's in your nature."

Loki shakes his head. "Your heroes are scattered; your floating fortress falls from the sky. Where is my disadvantage?"

"You lack conviction."

"I don't think I-"

Bang!

Coulson fires his weapon, which sends you and Loki flying through the wall.

Fortunately, Loki was standing in front of you, and took the brunt of the blast, but you're still in a lot of pain, and you're pretty sure you've cracked some ribs.

"Y/N!" Loki gets up, and rushes towards you. "Are you alright?"

You nod. We should go.

"Come." Loki helps you up.

You're grateful for his concern, but you're not planning on telling him how you really feel. Not yet, anyway. Your whole body hurts, which makes you wonder if you're more injured than you first thought. Maybe the adrenaline's masking it.

Your suspicions are confirmed when your knee buckles, nearly sending you down a flight of stairs.

Loki catches you before you can fall. He gives you a look, but picks you up in his arms without a word.

You nearly yelp at the unfamiliar sensation, but you're grateful for the support. You're pretty much certain that you're badly hurt, and you doubt you could have gone the rest of the way by yourself.

A jet's waiting for you when you finally get out of the aircraft.

Loki's still holding you as he steps onto the jet, maneuvering you onto his lap as he sits down.

As the jet takes off, Loki gives a few orders, before turning his attention back to you.

Let's have no more lying, please, he begins, rather sternly. Now, how do you really feel?

You stare at the floor. I don't know. I know I'm injured, but…

Loki's face softens slightly. I'll get a medic to see to you once we land. You do need to rest, so just try to relax for now.

You try to do as he says, but it feels kind of weird. It's been a long time since you've had this much physical contact, even longer since you've sat on someone's lap, and even longer since you've been held in someone's arms.

Loki…

Yes?

Why are you helping me? I'm literally supposed to be a SHIELD agent. Or are you just taking me hostage for ransom or something?

Loki sighs, shifting you into a more comfortable position. I'm not taking you hostage, sweet. Look, Y/N, I know you won't believe me, but - I really am helping you - I really want to help you. But I can't tell you why. Not yet, anyway.

Couldn't you tell me at least one reason?

Loki's mouth turns up slightly. Well, it's been a long time since someone confided in me.

But what about your brother? Hasn't he confided in you before?

Not for a long time. Loki's arms tighten around you as the jet dips. And listen, once this is over, I will tell you why I'm helping you. But for now, you need to trust me.

Well, I don't really have much of a choice, do I? I'm injured, you're about a hundred times stronger than me, and I'm in a jet with a load of guys who'll kill me if I attack you.

Loki brushes a strand of hair out of your eyes. You should rest. I doubt you could attack even a human right now, let alone me.

Sighing, you close your eyes, and rest your head on his shoulder, suddenly feeling very tired. Your whole body's really hurting now, and it's getting difficult to breathe, but you're too exhausted to care.

You're painfully jolted awake when the jet lands.

You hear Loki curse under his breath. "Are you alright?" he asks you.

You're too tired to respond.

Answer me. Are you hurt?

I don't know. Leave me alone…

You feel Loki's hand rest on your forehead, before moving down to cup your cheek. "We need to get you to a healer."

And then everything goes black.

*****************************************************************

Part 2

As always, I do not give permission for anyone to copy my work, post it elsewhere, etc.

I fucking hate that the general response to RFK Jr's eugenist take on autistic people is "autistic people do pay taxes, autistic people do work, autistic people do date!"

Some autistic people don't and that shouldn't make them less worthy of life. Some autistic people do need constant help and support and that shouldn't make them less worthy of life.

Once again we're falling in the right wing trap of :

They make a hateful, fascist statement

Instead of focusing on the fact that it is hateful and fascist we try to show them that they are factually wrong

We throw our own allies and the most vulnerable of us under the bus in the process

We legitimise an only slightly less hateful, fascist view as we go

They have completed their goal of making us accept the still hateful, fascist second version, hurrah. What a victory.

Right now what we're getting to with that is that autistic people who can work and pay taxes are okay, and the others aren't. Fuck this shit.

Same thing happens with the people who are being deported ("they have a visa!", "they didn't even have a criminal record!" -> even if they didn't have a visa, even if they did have a criminal record, deporting them and detaining them in what's essentially a concentration camp wouldn't be okay, you absolute tools of fascism.)

Let Me Help (Part 3)

Part 1

Part 2

Pairing: Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw x Autistic!Fem!Shy!Reader

Summary: Some friends come to visit

Warnings/tags: Bob is a huge nerd, mention of injury, fluff, mention of forgetting to eat, soft Bradley

***************************************************

There's a knock at the front door.

You're about to get up to go and get it, but then remember your ankle, so you let Bradley go and get it.

"Oh, hey, Bob," he says. "Y/N's in the living-room."

Bob steps in - and stops dead when he sees you.

"I knew it!" he says.

"What do you mean?" you ask.

"I knew you were hiding something."

You blush. "Sorry. I shouldn't have hidden it from you."

"It's fine," he says. "But I'm never believing anything you say ever again - about injuries, I mean."

You smile. "I guess I deserve that."

Bob leans forward, lowering his voice. "Uh - I was just wondering - why's Rooster here? And - why does he know your first name?"

"He came to check on me yesterday, my ankle buckled, so he insisted on taking care of me. And - he - asked if we could use first names."

Bob lowers his voice to a whisper. "Phoenix says he likes you."

You stare at him. "He what?"

"He likes you. The others have a bet going to see which of you is going to ask the other out. I - I wasn't really supposed to tell you, but…"

Bradley knocks on the door, and then steps in. "You guys want drinks or anything?"

Oh - yeah, I was supposed to ask Bob that.

"Oh - uh - I'm okay," says Bob. "I already had something to drink."

"How about you, sweetie?" Is it your imagination, or does Bradley's voice go a touch softer when he's speaking to you?

You shake your head. "I'm okay. Thanks."

"Okay. Tell me if you need anything, okay?"

As soon as he's out of the room, Bob turns to you. "Okay - I know I'm not the best at social stuff, but I'm pretty sure he likes you."

"What do you mean?"

Bob stares at you. "Didn't you see the way he looked at you? And the way his voice goes soft when he talks to you?"

You bite your lip. "I thought he was just being nice. Is it - do people know that-" You pause.

"That you like him?" Bob smiles. "Well, Phoenix knows. I don't know about the others, but considering they have a bet going on, I'd say they probably do."

"A bet?" You put your head in your hands. "Oh, wow. How long has this been going on?"

"I have no idea," admits Bob. "I forgot to ask. They all want to come see you, by the way. Make sure you're doing okay."

You stare at him for the second time today. "Really? They actually care?"

Bob nods. "Looks like it."

"I mean, I expected them to be professional, but to actually care…"

A knock at the front door makes both of you jump.

Bob gets up to answer it.

You can hear him and Phoenix talking, but you can't make out what they're saying.

Bob knocks on the living room door. "It's Phoenix," he says, poking his head in. "She wants to see you."

You nod. "Okay."

Phoenix raises her eyebrows when she sees your ankle. "I thought there was something going on!"

You sigh. "Was it obvious?"

"You looked horrified when Mav said we had the afternoon off. And you weren't paying attention at all during training."

"Does that mean it was?"

"Yes." Phoenix sighs. "I wish you'd have told me, C/S. I wouldn't have been so hard on you if I'd known."

She was hard on me? "I deserved it. It was my own fault for not paying attention."

"No." Phoenix steps forward. "Don't do that to yourself. You're a great WSO. Being injured was not your fault."

"I should've looked where I was going."

"It was an accident," says Bob. "You tripped, and fell down the stairs. It happens to everyone."

"You see?" Phoenix says. "Bob doesn't think it's your fault."

Bob sighs. "If anything, it's my fault. I should've dragged her to med bay the minute I found out she'd fallen over."

Phoenix sits down. "So since you're kind of - not walking right now, do you need help with anything?"

"Rooster's taking care of that," says Bob.

Phoenix raises her eyebrows. "Wait, really?"

He nods. "Yeah."

She grins as she turns back to you. "You know he likes you, right?"

You nod. "Bob told me. But - hang on - if he does, then why-"

There's a knock on the living room door.

Bradley pokes his head in. "Oh, hey, Phoenix. I didn't hear you come in."

"Bob let me in," says Phoenix.

Bradley nods. "Y/N, it's getting pretty close to dinner time. Do you want anything to eat?"

You think for a moment. You are getting hungry, but you don't really want to eat in front of other people without offering them something - and you can't really afford that anyway.

So you shake your head. "It's fine."

Bradley raises his eyebrows. "You sure, sweetie? You haven't eaten since this morning."

Your stomach growls, and your face burns. "I - guess I'll have something to eat."

He gives you a reassuring smile. "It's okay. You don't have to eat right now if you don't want to."

"Yeah - I'd rather wait until later - please."

He nods. "That's fine. Tell me if you need anything, okay, honey?"

You nod. "Okay."

Once he's left the room, Phoenix turns sharply to you. "What the - C/S, are you - I swear - how can you not tell he's in love with you?"

You stare at the floor. "I mean - I…"

"You seriously think he calls every girl he's ever met 'honey' and 'sweetie'? He's not Jake!"

"I've only ever seen him at the piano."

"Well, I've seen him flirt with girls. But I've never seen him once call any of them a pet name. Bob?"

Bob, who's been watching Phoenix with fascination, jumps. "Oh! Uh - I don't think so?"

Phoenix turns back to you, a triumphant look on her face. "See?"

"But then why hasn't he made a move?"

"I don't think he knows that you like him," says Bob. "Or maybe he doesn't want to scare you. I don't know, I'm not very good at - this…"

"Bob's right," says Phoenix softly. "I don't think he knows."

You frown. "How? I thought it was so obvious."

***************************************************

Upstairs, Bradley's trying to focus on his phone, but he just can't. He's got too much to think about.

For one thing, he has to decide when to leave your place, and let you get on with your life. It's not that he doesn't like taking care of you. He does, but he knows more than you how weird other people are going to think it is that you two are living together when you're not dating. And he knows you're too shy to tell him when to leave.

It doesn't help that he's fully aware of the bet that the others have going on for which of you is going to ask the other out first, and while he doesn't know whether to be annoyed or amused, he knows who's behind it.

Maverick.

Ever since he got with Penny after the mission, he's had a lot of spare time on his hands - time that Bradley thinks could be better used not trying to get him a girlfriend.

It's not that Bradley doesn't have feelings for you. He does. But he knows how shy you are, and he doesn't want to scare you away. He knows how loud he can be, and that he can sometimes accidentally overpower some of the quieter people in the squad, and he would never want you to force feelings you might not have.

As he turns his attention back to his phone, his eyebrows shoot up when he notices that it's ages past dinner time, and that you still haven't had anything to eat. Jumping up from the bed, he goes downstairs.

***************************************************

You're still confused about the whole thing, despite Phoenix and Bob explaining it multiple times. It's like your brain's just refusing to process what's happening. "So, Bradley likes me, but he doesn't know I like him, and so we're stuck in this loop of will-they-won't-they kind of thing?"

Phoenix is about to respond when there's a knock at the door.

"Sweetheart?" Bradley pokes his head in.

Your heart leaps into your throat. Did he hear?

"Rooster, why don't you come socialise?" asks Phoenix.

He smiles. "You sure I won't be intruding?"

You blush as you realise that Bradley probably wants to talk to Phoenix and Bob too. Why didn't I tell him he could stay?

"It's okay," says Bradley. "I had some stuff I needed to get done. I just want to make sure you get something to eat, sweetie. It's past dinner, and you haven't eaten since this morning."

You pause for a moment. "Oh. That's why my stomach feels weird." You pause again, thinking. "I - do you guys want anything? M-maybe takeout or something? I don't think I have anything in that you'd want, and I feel like it'd be rude for me to eat and not offer you anything. You'd - have to - pay for your own food, though…"

Bob's face lights up. "Yeah, that sounds great!"

"If you're sure," says Phoenix, but she looks just as pleased as Bob.

"I don't know, maybe we could put a movie on too?" you add, feeling a little braver.

Bob grins. "Can we watch Lord of the Rings?"

You glance at Phoenix, who looks slightly unsure. "Have you ever seen it?"

Phoenix shakes her head. "No."

Bob stares at her like she's crazy. "You've never seen Lord of the Rings? How is that even possible?"

Phoenix laughs, and holds her hands up. "I've seen The Hobbit, okay?"

Bob's not impressed. "Lord of the Rings is way better. You have to watch it."

"It's a trilogy, right?"

Oh, no. You can't stop yourself from grinning as Bob takes a deep breath.

"First of all, it's not a trilogy, it's one continuing story, and it was split into three parts because of printing costs. And technically, there are six books, because each part is split into two. But there are three movies."

Bradley chuckles. "I guess we know what we're watching tonight, then. If it's okay with you, of course," he adds hastily, looking at you.

You smile. "Yeah. It's fine. I was wanting to watch it sometime anyway, and I do owe Bob a Lord of the Rings marathon."

Bob's eyes light up again. "We're doing it tonight?"

You look at Bradley and Phoenix to try and gauge their reactions. "Uh… I mean, I'm up for it."

Phoenix shrugs. "I'm in."

"Same," says Bradley, smiling.

"Yes!" shouts Bob, making everyone jump. He blushes. "I - I'll go set up the - TV."

"I'll order the food," says Phoenix. "Everyone make a list of what they want, and transfer me the money."

Once you've all decided on which place to order from, and made your lists, Phoenix steps out to make the call. Bob's still fiddling with the TV, trying to get the sound and lighting just right.

Bradley tucks a blanket around you, making sure you're comfortable. "You need another blanket or anything, you just tell me, okay, sweetheart?"

You nod, blushing. "Okay."

Phoenix steps back into the room. "Okay. Food is ordered, and it'll be here in a bit. You need any help with the TV, Bob?"

Bob shakes his head. "It's all good. Just don't touch anything."

Phoenix and Bob sit on your other sofa, and Bradley settles himself next to you on the sofa.

"You sure you're comfy?" he asks.

You nod.

"Okay. But if you start getting uncomfortable, or cold, or something during the movie, just tell me, okay?"

You smile, and nod. "Okay."

There's a knock on the door, and Phoenix gets up to answer.

"Hey, Bob?" she calls. "Can I have a little help bringing this in?"

Once they've brought all the food in, and divided it, Bob turns the lights off, and presses play.

Smiling, you snuggle into your blanket. This is going to be great.

***************************************************

As always, I do not give permission for anyone to copy my work, repost it, etc.

Oh my gosh I loved this! ❤❤❤

Oh, Honey || Jake "Hangman" Seresin

Summary: Request - Maybe a Jake x reader where the dagger squad and jake accidentally make her feel insecure? Like Jake and reader have been dating for a couple months so Jake wants to introduce her to them. So Jake throws a little bonfire bbq at his place and the daggers come to meet her... Read Rest Here

A/N: Changed up the ending a smidge. Hope you still love it!! :) My fav trope - angst to fluff, miscommunications galore!

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Reader

Word Count: 2,000k +

Brushing down your dress for probably the fifteenth time you let out a slow sigh while looking over yourself in the mirror. You were nervous, terribly nervous. You’d been dating Jake for four months now. You’d learned all about his friends at work. The people he spent more time with than anybody. The people he’d grown to love and adore after going on life threatening missions. See, they kept the group together as a tactical unit after their surprising success bombing the uranium facility. Even more so of a reason to bond. They were the best of friends now. And you were the girlfriend.

Being so nervous you hadn’t heard Jake walk in and watch you with cautious eyes. He too knew you were nervous. You were gentle. So damn gentle. That’s why he went for you. He was so tired of going after the same type of girl and getting the same results, nothing. He’d tried for years and years without much success. The over bubbly bottle blonde wasn’t what was going to suit his fancy. No. It was you.

He'd run into you in the last of places he really expected at the library. His sister and nephews were in town, and they wanted to go. So, he obliged. And thank goodness he did. He always counted his lucky stars with how fortunate he felt that he’d met you.

“You look beautiful.” He spoke in a softer than usual voice trying not to startle you into oblivion.

You still jumped. A small smile brushed across your lips as you spotted him in the doorway of his bedroom, “You scared me.” You let out a soft laugh not really responding to him.

He walked over to you and brought you in for a warm embrace, “Sorry darlin’.” A light but breathy chuckle came from above you. Closing your eyes, you breathed him in slowly trying to slow you rapidly beating heart, “They’re going to adore you.” He whispered before placing a gentle kiss to the top of your head.

You nodded gently into his chest, “I sure hope so.” Your wanted to curse as you heard your voice waver unfavorably. Surely, that was going to give you away.

He gave you a gentle squeeze, “You have nothing to be worried about darlin’. If you can handle me you can handle them.”

You giggled at his efforts to calm you down, “You’re quite the handful Jake.”

He hummed, “Maybe so.” He had to agree. But before he could really counter he heard the knocks at his front door, “They’re here.” He clicked his tongue gauging your reaction. Had he calmed you down? Were you going to be okay? Was it too soon? He wanted to collapse in on himself. He’d surely has never been so unsure of himself. He knew how much he liked you. Even loved you. He knew he wanted it to be you. He was so sure of that. But he was so unsure of how to make that happen. Love was always so fleeting for him. He wanted to make sure you would stay. You would always want to be around him. He never knew how to act. But he must’ve been doing something right as you stuck right by his side for the better part of the last four months.

“You don’t say.” You grinned up at him as he pulled away.

He rolled his eyes before giving your side a playful pinch, “Smart ass.”

“Come on. Let’s go get your friends.” You nodded towards the door letting him lead the way. You were trying to put on a brave face, but damn were you terribly nervous.

You heard Natasha’s voice from the side of the house, “I’m really surprised you went for her.” Your breath caught in your throat as you failed to listen to the rest of the comment. ‘She’s so sweet and kind!’ But you didn’t hear that as you back up against the door. Well damn. At least you had thought it was going well.

You heard the group laugh and agree in confirmation. Shit. You really had misread the backyard throughout the night. You thought you and Bob were agreeing on so much. You really thought Natasha wanted to go shopping with you after you told her all the good local spots that didn’t include the gross megamall that swam with people you tried to avoid. You and Javier bonded over your love of the San Diego Padres. But maybe you were wrong. Maybe you’d really misread the situation that badly.

“Agreed! She’s not ridiculously tall and blonde and super talkative.” You could’ve sworn that was Bob’s voice speaking up. It seemed out of character for him. But he clearly didn’t like you. You backed yourself right back into the house. You didn’t hear the ‘She’s an actual human being that can have a real conversation. She’s great Jake,’ from him.

Instead, you frantically grabbed your phone from your back pocket. Thinking too fast you shot Jake a text,

Hey, not feeling super great. Crazy nauseous. Think I’m going to head home.

What you weren’t expecting was his insanely fast response. You thought he’d be engrossed in some conversation or agreement about you. Were you really that bad? Was he agreeing with them? It certainly didn’t sound like he was disagreeing with them.

Hold on darlin. Don’t go. I’ll be right in.

Your eyes went wide as you realized you really didn’t have time to slip out the front door like you’d planned. He’d be walking in the side door any second now. Damn you really hadn’t thought this through. You couldn’t lie to the man. No, you were an awful liar. Terrible actually.

You walked away from the door but just a moment later it clicked open. Jake’s big green eyes softening once he spotted you on the other side of the living room looking more frantic than ill. His eyes scanned your figure for any other signs of what was actually going on. He didn’t waste a second once he’d finished his once over. He walked right on up to you.

“What’s the matter love? My cooking isn’t sending you home is it?” He scanned you again with nothing but concern in his eyes. You didn’t really seem sick. You were just skiddish. He was used to this. Earlier on in the relationship he had to dance around you. Let you get used to his presence. He was so careful with you. And you bloomed right under him into something of your own. You got comfortable with him. Opened up like a book to him. Trusted him more than anything in the world.

“I’ve been feeling a little gross all day.” It wasn’t really a lie. You have felt gross all day. You’d been remarkably nervous over the entire thing.

He cocked his head to the side in slight confusion. He read you like a book though, “Honey, they love you!” He gave your arms a squeeze in reassurance. He seemed so adamant. He didn’t seem like he was lying to you. He seemed so confused. Had you missed something?

“It didn’t sound like it.” It slipped so quickly from your mouth you weren’t sure if you said it out loud or in your head. It was a tossup really.

His face dropped immediately, “What’re talking about darlin’?” His face was laced with nothing but confusion. You’d definitely missed something.

You pursed your lips. Oh well, secrets already out, “She said she was surprised you went for somebody like me.” Your eyes dropped in shame. You felt a little guilty for listening In on their conversation meant for their own ears only.

He pulled your eyes up to look at his, “Then what?” He asked.

You shook your head in confusion, “They all agreed.” You sighed. Why was he making you repeat what you heard.

He shook his head slowly, still holding your chin in his hands, “No love. She said you were sweet. That you were kind. She really likes you. Said she can’t wait for you to take her shopping.”

Well shit. How had you missed that? Your stitched your eyebrows together as you looked for any sign that he could’ve been fooling you. You couldn’t find a sign, “But then Bob said I wasn’t a blonde or talkative.” You repeated trying to justify your actions.

“Oh honey.” He laughed at the situation, not at you. He’d never dream about laughing at you, “You don’t know him well enough to know he was being sarcastic. He said that you were so fun to talk to, could hold an actual conversation.” He ran a hand down your arm trying to give you the reassurance you so clearly needed.

Shaking your head, you felt the nerves bubble back up. You definitely missed that, “I must’ve walked back inside.”

He wrapped you in another tight embrace. This one felt more necessary than the rest. He could feel how anxious you were. How saddened you looked at the thought of his friends not liking you. It warmed his heard at how much you wanted to be accepted by them. You knew how much they meant to him.

“Wish you would’ve stuck around.” He mumbled into your hair while rocking you back and forth ever so gently, “Even had Rooster singing your praises.”

You smiled as you finally started to believe him fully. He wouldn’t have lied to you like that, “Really?” You asked softly. You cheek was resting on his chest as he held you in his comfortable embrace.

“Yeah,” He chucked before pulling you closer into him, “I think they may ever like you more than me. I know Bradley does.”

Your heart swelled with all the love you felt for the man. He always knew what to say. He had a way with words that always left you feeling all the love, “Like that’s hard to do.”

He let out a full belly laugh now, “There she is. There’s my smart ass of a girl.”

“You like it.” You countered, pulling away from his strong hold on you.

He nodded, “I love it.”

You couldn’t help but to smile at that comment, “Noted.”

He hummed before dropping his arms from his hold on you, finally letting you squirm away, “Know what else I love?” He asked. He had a mischievous smirk dancing across his face.

Not having a clue what was coming next you innocently answered his question, “What’s that Jake?”

“You.”

A small gasp escaped your throat. Eyes widening and pupils surly dilated, you gave him nothing but a shocked stare, “What?” Finally squeaked out of your mouth after a few long moments.

“I love you.”

You gaped at him. Now of all times? Now?

“Jake! You dropped that bomb right now?” Your head was dizzy with thoughts. How could you face them again after he just did this to you.

He shrugged, “I think I’ve known for a while. They just helped me realize it.” One of the things you loved about him was the complete lack of pressure to respond to it. He didn’t expect it. He knew you took things slow. He was hardly offended. But he knew he loved you and he needed you to know it.

That was when it all clicked for you too. You loved him too. You loved him beyond your wildest measures. You don’t think you’d be able to live a life without him anymore. He’d changed you completely. Changed you whole.

Your eyes found his again. Yours scanned his pretty tanned face. He was smiling. Patient face on as he waited for your response. Your legs felt like jelly when your eyes finally locked with his, “I love you too.”

The smile that lit his face could make you happy for the rest of your life. God, you couldn’t wait to keep making him smile like that. You knew you were in trouble when he picked you right up in his arms kissing any part of you that he could get his mouth on and whispering sweet ‘I love you’s’ in between. The group be dammed.

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