Glen Powell X Reader - Tumblr Posts
Masterlist | Glen Powell
Jake “Hangman” Seresin - Tyler Owens
Updated: 9/29/2024 (link check, new chapters: brothers best friend)
!!authors!! if you want ur work removed please pm me
I’m back again with another one!!! It’s definitely not as lengthy as my other lists (yet) but I’m hoping to find some more for all three. I also figured I’d get a stake in this territory as the Glen Powell fanclub grows post-twisters. I hope y’all find what you’re looking for!
peace 💕
join the taglist here
fluff-> 🤍 | smut -> 🍋 | angst -> 🌧️ | major tw -> ‼️
Jake “Hangman” Seresin
𐚁 BROTHERS BEST FRIEND | @tongue-like-a-razor
13 parts | ongoing | 🤍🌧️🍋
Jake Seresin x Bradshaw!Reader
The trials and tribulations of falling for your brothers best friend.
𐚁 BRUISES | @ohtobeleah
8 parts | complete | 🌧️‼️
Jake Seresin x WSO!Reader
After a mission goes south, Jake finds himself captured by insurgents that show no remorse. But whats worse than knowing he failed his mission? Knowing that the Weapons Systems Officer who trusted him to bring her home safe was in the same cell as him. Collecting bruises that match his own.
themes of heavy violence, sexual assault, torture, 18+ content, minors dni, mature themes, being held in captivity, hostage style situations, main character death! whump, angst, conversations that discuss antisocial and antisemetic views
𐚁 ROCKS ARE ALLOWED TO CRACK, STARS ARE ALLOWED TO DIM | @sarahsmi13s
oneshot | wc: ~8.0k | 🌧️
jake ‘hangman’ seresin x fem!pilot!reader
everyone deserves someone to comfort them in their time of need, even the ones that always lend their shoulder.
angst, language, ptsd, description of accident, panic attack, injuries, descriptions of scars, flashbacks, fear of death, familial death (mentioned), crying, bottling up feelings
𐚁 THE WALLS ARE CAVING IN | @desert-fern
oneshot | wc: 5.5k | 🌧️🤍
Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x fem!Reader (known as honey bee/honey)
You are sunshine incarnate, the life of the party who is so free with your affection. Jake finds himself struggling to express his desire to be like you while wrestling with his past, what happens when it all comes crashing down around him? AKA Jake is both touch-starved and in love.
jake has a shit dad, angst, still fluffy tho
𐚁 THE BEANERY | @callsign-peach
oneshot | wc: ?? | 🤍
established hangman x female!reader
Jake goes from drinking the base’s stale coffee to bringing in cups from the cafe down the road from the hard deck, and the dagger squad is determined to find out why.
tooth-rotting fluff
Tyler Owens
𐚁 LIKE MOTHER LIKE FATHER LIKE DAUGHTER | @wisdomssdaughterr
oneshot | wc: 3.7k | 🌧️🤍
tyler owens x harding!reader
you had made a name for yourself in the storm chasing game; it was in your genes, being the daughter of the famous chasers jo and bill harding. tyler found your knack for knowing just what the storms thinking, a little infuriating and incredibly impressive
fem!reader, reader gets injured, mentions of blood and injuries, probably inaccurate meteorological info and medical info, angst, fluff, some hurt/comfort
𐚁 CHASE YOUR FEARS | @briefinquiries
oneshot | wc: 11k | 🤍🌧️
tyler owens x f!reader
you and your younger brother are road-tripping across the US when you encounter a tornado. Luckily, the tornado wrangler himself shows up to help.
tornados, fear, flufffff
𐚁 WORTH YOUR WHILE | @wisdomssdaughterr
oneshot | wc: 2.9k | 🤍🌧️
tyler owens x fem!reader
As the local weather woman, you shared an interesting rivalry with your hometown storm-chaser. While you always reported on the dangerous weather from a safe distance, Tyler barreled into it head-first. But things change in the night of the county fair when you find yourself in the middle of a storm rather than the safety of a newsroom.
dramatic fluff, hurt/comfort, description of tornadoes, language, description of injury, slightly inaccurate meteorological info
Glen Powell
𐚁 HEY THERE DARLIN’ | @shellbilee
6 parts | complete | 🤍🌧️🍋
Glen Powell x OFC (Billie James)
fluff, swearing, angst, eventual smut
ⓒ onehopelessromantic, September 2024
「 ✦Masterlist ✦ 」
Welcome, stay a while :) ~~ * smut ~~
Austin Butler
Like a Snake - Feyd Rautha *
Only Pleasure Remains - Feyd Rautha *
Unconventional Confessions *
Little Do You Know
Bloodlust - Feyd Rautha*
Consequences *
Unwanted Help - Feyd Rautha
Snap Out of It
Seduction by Deception - Feyd Rautha*
No I'm Not *
What Were You Thinking
The Lucky One - Benny Cross
An Honorary Member - Benny Cross
Rainbow vs. Leather - Benny Cross
Dangerously yours - Benny Cross *
Excuse Me? - Benny Cross
Whatever It Takes - Benny Cross*
A House to a Home New! - 9/11
Callum Turner
Whiskey - Major John Egan
Modern Loneliness - Major John Egan
Cillian Murphy
Moving to Los Alamos - Oppenheimer - my 1st post
Farleigh Start
There We Go *
Untitled *
Just One More *
Mike Faist
Cheer Up * - Art Donaldson
Necessary Revenge* - Art Donaldson
Timothee Chalamet
Don't Mind Me *
I Told You So
Glen Powell
Chasing Feelings - Tyler Owens
(Each section is oldest to newest)
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Chasing Feelings
Tyler Owens x reader
warnings - mutual pining, jealous!reader, some swear words, fluff
word count - 2838
a/n - this was literally supposed to come out within a week of the release of twisters, but I’ve been gone for a month lol. I took so many breaks while writing this, so I'm not completely sure everything goes together, but it should. thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy :)
You’ve had a crush on Tyler ever since the day you met him, and to you, he was way out of your league. You also weren’t the only one who felt this way; the amount of girls who showed up at empty fields just to meet Tyler was insane, but could you really blame them?
Tyler has so much charisma to the point where it seems like he’s attracted to everyone he meets.
When he stares directly into everyone’s eyes, giving them his undivided attention, and flashes that charming smile of his, it’s kind of hard to tell who he actually is or isn’t flirting with.
You, of course, were no different, so how the hell were you supposed to know that he liked you back?
Tyler was from Arkansas and he and his team decided to move to Oklahoma to storm chase several seasons ago. When he first showed up that day at the gas station with Boone filming his every move, you thought that he was just another adrenaline junky wanting to see a tornado up close for views. At the time you were a part of another group of chasers from Oklahoma, and since you had already made up your mind about him, you decided it was best to ignore him.
But, he made it hard.
You were surprised to see him walk over to your group and start chatting it up with a couple of your teammates. Turns out, they knew him from his youtube channel and were fans. Having him so close to you made it easier to check him out, which Tyler had noticed, but never called you out for it.
He came up to introduce himself to you, giving you a smile and taking off his sunglasses as he walked towards you.
“You’re a long way from home,” you had told him – you had overheard him talking about his hometown in Arkansas.
“This is my home now,” he had said.
He had pointed out that he was familiar with some of your work and began joking around with you so casually like he had known you his whole life. Unfortunately, you became immediately hooked.
You spent that night binging all of his videos and past live streams because you were oh so wrong about him.
That day led you to where you are now, a part of Tyler’s crew and regularly going out on chases for the fun of it.
“How are you doin’ today, Bambi?” you hear Tyler walk up and come stand next to you as you adjust the lens on your camera. You, and all the other crews, were currently at a gas station preparing for the coming storm.
When he had first given you that nickname, you had told him it was basic, which resulted in him smirking and saying, “Ain’t nothing basic about you.”
You still think about that moment to this day.
“Just fine, Tyler, is there something I can help you with?” you answer, not taking your eyes off your camera.
“What, I can’t talk to my favorite person?” he asks.
You can hear the smile in his voice, and when you finally turn around to look at him, you aren’t surprised to see it spread across his face. “I thought Boone was your favorite person?” you tilt your head at him.
“I can have more than one favorite,” he says, nudging you with his soldier.
You raise your eyebrows and glance over at Boone, who was already looking in your direction with a knowing smile, and say, “I wonder how Boone would feel about that.”
Boone was Tyler’s best friend and had known you had a crush on Tyler the day you joined the team, and since then has repeatedly told you to confess to Tyler. Every time you tell him no, he just tells you yes because according to him Tyler feels the same way about you. It didn’t take long for Dani and Lily to catch on either, but unlike Boone, they don’t pressure you.
“No need to start any trouble,” Tyler jokes, and you laugh at that. He opens his mouth to say something else, but stops when he hears the sound of more vehicles pull up.
The two of you turn around in time for you to see the crew exit their vehicles, including Javi and what you know to be Kate. You’ve never met Kate given the fact that she rarely decides to come back home to Oklahoma, but from what you’ve heard she’s really good with tornadoes.
You watch as the pair head towards you – Javi coming up to hug you while Kate goes to hug Tyler. Javi shoots you a look as he glances over at the two, and you quickly give his shoulder a shove, causing him to let out a laugh.
Javi is also amongst those who know you like Tyler. This crush is honestly starting to become a little pathetic.
Kate pulls away from Tyler and looks over at you with a kind smile, holding her hand out for you to shake. “Hi, I’m Kate. I’ve heard a lot about you from Javi, so it’s nice to finally meet you.”
According to Boone, Tyler couldn’t keep his eyes off of Kate the last time she was here. At the time your migraines had started to come back so you had decided to sit the chase out, and good thing you did because there was no way you could handle watching that scene unfold.
You offer Kate a smile back as you shake her hand. “Same here, it’s nice to meet you.”
“What brings you city folks out here?” Tyler jokes.
Kate rolls her eyes at the nickname. “I’m doing the same thing the two of you are doing – storm chasing,” she replies as she looks out at the horizon at the clouds forming, her hair moving with the breeze.
“I thought you left Storm Par,” you say to Javi as you motion your head towards the white trucks
“We did, but that doesn’t mean we can’t use their equipment. They have some really high tech stuff – we might as well put it to good use,” Javi explains. He then looks over at Kate and gives her a nudge. “Not like we need it since Kate’s here.”
Kate gives him a small smile at the compliment.
“Well, city girl, which direction are we going in today?” Tyler asks as Kate bends down to take a dandelion into her hand. Tyler takes his sunglasses off in order to get a better look at the sky.
It’s a question Tyler usually asks you when it’s just the two of you in his truck with the rest of the crew following behind in their vehicles. You have no right to be jealous, but that doesn’t stop the feeling of jealousy from growing in your chest. Choosing to ignore it, you take a deep breath and watch Kate, waiting for her answer.
You watch as a gust of wind blows the specks of dandelion out of her hand, causing Kate to look up into the sky at a dark funnel beginning to take form.
“That one,” Kate points.
“Are you sure?” Tyler questions in a teasing manner, one of his eyebrows raising.
“I’ll tell you later,” Kate replies, and then follows it with a question, “ do ya mind if I ride with you?”
“Not at all,” Tyller answers, but then turns to look at you,” as long as my trusty navigator doesn’t mind.”
What the hell are you supposed to say? No?
You don’t even notice your tense jaw until you open your mouth to answer. “Of course not, you two go ahead,” you tell Tyler, looking between him and Kate as you offer up a smile.
“Well then it’s settled, let’s ride. Just make sure you don’t get me lost,” Tyler smirks as he turns to walk towards his truck. Kate rolls her eyes as she follows him, a small smile on her lips.
Javi turns to you once the pair are out of earshot. “You don’t mind?” he repeats your words, not believing you for a second.
“I don’t,” you give him a shrug as you begin walking towards his Storm Par truck. Javi follows right behind you, his hands stuffed into his pockets.
“Mhm. You look like you were about to pop a blood vessel,” Javi lets out a laugh.
You stop in your tracks and turn to face him. “Was it that obvious?” you ask, your eyes wide.
“Relax, I’m kidding,” his smile drops once he sees the look on your face. You release a breath and continue walking. Once the two of you are in the safety of his truck, Javi asks, “you really like him, huh?”
“Unfortunately,” you huff out. “I’m slowly trying to get over it, though.”
“Why?”
“Because it's a useless little schoolgirl crush, and it’s not like he’s actually going to like me back, so there’s no point in continuing to suffer.”
Javi just hums in response, starting the vehicle and placing his hands on the steering wheel. Then he glances over at you, “I say you should hold out, what’s the worst that can happen?”
Before you can answer, Tyler’s truck pulls up beside you guys on Javi’s side of the car. Tyler leans forward to look over at the two of you before moving his finger in a swirling motion and driving off.
“That’s your man, huh?” Javi gives you a questioning look, his tone light.
You let out a small laugh, “Just drive the damn truck, Javi.”
The chase was eventful as always. Kate’s instincts were right and led the group right into the tornado’s path, where Tyler stopped to anchor his truck. The rest of you hung back as you watched Tyler shoot fireworks into the eye of the storm.
Even though you had some distance on them, you could still hear the hoots and hollers coming from their spot in the field. The group of tornado watchers that had decided to join the chase got out of their vehicles to join the celebration.
Javi looks over at you and shakes his head in fake disappointment, resulting in you rolling your eyes.
After the chase everyone decides to go out for drinks before heading to the motel. From your spot at the bar next to Javi, you can see Tyler in the back of the bar throwing darts with Kate.
“You know, you should blink every once in a while,” you hear a voice say in your ear. You jump and turn around to see Boone standing there with a grin and a beer in one of his hands.
“I don’t think she cares at this point, she has been ignoring me all night for that redneck,” Javi jokes.
You scoff, “No, I haven’t.”
“Oh really? What was I just talking about then?” Javi looks at you with his eyebrows raised. Boone joins him and turns his attention back to you.
Your mouth opens, but you quickly close it when you realize you don’t have an answer. You let out a sigh as you drop your head into your hands. “I’m sorry,” you say in defeat.
“Don’t worry about it,” Javi says, “I just can’t wait for the two of you to finally get together so this can end.”
“You and me both, brother,” Boone says, clinking his beer bottle against Javi’s.
As the night starts to come to an end, you say your goodbyes to the group before heading back to the motel. It was just across the street, and the majority of the people in the area were tornado chasers, so you had no problem walking back by yourself.
After making your way up the stairs and into your room, you decide on taking a quick shower before heading off to bed.
When you get out, you’re about to turn the lights and the tv off so you can go to sleep when you hear a knock on your door. Assuming it was Boone, Dani, or even Lily, you open the door without hesitation, only to reveal Tyler on the other side.
He stands in front of you, his hands in his pockets as he looks down at you with a gentle smile and his clothes still on from the day. “Hey, there. You left without sayin’ goodbye.”
“Well I told Boone, Javi, Dani, and Lily goodbye, so technically I did,” you tell him. A gust of wind from the night breeze blows through the doorway, causing you to cross your arms over your chest.
“Ouch, I see I’m not important anymore,” Tyler says.
You let out a small laugh. “I’m pretty sure you don’t need me to tell you you’re important.”
“You know I do,” he says.
You let out a small hum in response before asking, “So where’s Kate?”
“I’m actually not sure, last time I saw her, I think she was talking with Javi,” he answers, his eyebrows furrowing as he glances back at the parking lot. Then he shrugs and says, “I had to leave her since she was kicking my ass in darts so who cares.”
“Didn’t enjoy having your ego bruised, huh?” you joke, and Tyler rolls his eyes.
“Hey, I don’t have a problem with gettin’ beat by a woman,” he chuckles.
“Whatever you say,” you smile at him. “Was there something else you wanted? I was just about to go to bed.”
Tyler clears his throat. “Uh yeah, there is actually,” he tells you as he stands up straight. You raise your eyebrows as you wait for him to continue. “I was wonderin’, well hopin’, you would want to do somethin’. You know, just the two of us,” he says.
Is he - No, let’s not jump to conclusions.
“Don’t we always?” you question.
“Well, yeah, but I meant…you know,” Tyler begins to scratch the back of his neck, and glances down at the ground, “Like a date.”
You blink. And blink again. And again.
Then when Tyler notices your silence, he adds, “But I totally understand if you don’t want to.”
You blink again. “Like seriously?” you finally ask. Your eyebrows are furrowed, still not completely believing him.
“Yes,” he says.
“Okay,” you nod, a small smile starting to form on your lips.
Okay? That’s all you have to say?
“Yeah?” Tyler perks up, and you nod again.
“Yeah,” you confirm.
Tyler chuckles. “You know, I don’t know why I was nervous. I already knew you had a crush on me.”
You choke on your spit as you give him an incredulous look. “You what?”
“Yeah, and you know I figured you would catch on to me by now, but I wasn’t sure if you were and just ignoring me or what,” he smirks.
“And how exactly was I supposed to catch on?” you ask, adding air quotes at the end.
“I’ve been flirting with you this whole time,” he tells you like it’s obvious.
“Tyler, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you flirt with anyone,” you tell him.
“No, I don’t,” Tyler’s face twists up, and you give him a look. He thinks for a second before saying, “Well, yeah, I guess I do. Kind of.”
“What the hell do you mean ‘kind of’?”
“I feel like my serious flirting is different from my usual charming self,” he shoots you a wink.
“No. No it’s not Tyler. Your usual charming self made me think you like Kate,” you tell him, causing his eyebrows to raise in amusement.
Well…maybe you should’ve kept that last part to yourself.
“You thought I liked Kate?” he smiles, leaning in a little bit more.
You roll your eyes and decide not to answer. Tyler takes your silence as a greenlight to keep talking shit.
“Were you jealous?”
You scoff as your eyes widen, “how dare you!”
“You were!” he exclaims, your reaction giving you away.
Feeling your face begin to heat up and wanting to hide from the embarrassment you back up to be able to close the door in his face. “Goodnight Tyler,” you mumble, fully ready to be alone once again, but of course Tyler puts his hand up to stop you.
“Oh come on, Bambi, don’t shy up on me now,” he smirks, going back to leaning on the door with his palm still on the door.
“Says the one who got nervous to ask me out,” you point out, causing Tyler to laugh. “Goodnight,” you repeat, and once again you try to close the door, but you’re met with resistance.
Tyler’s laughter dies down. “Alright, alright, I’ll stop,” he tells you. “Can I come in?”
“I don’t know,” you reply, giving him a stern look.
“Come on, I promise I won’t tease you anymore.”
You sigh. “Fine.”
Tyler thanks you as you step aside to make room for him to enter the room, but as he walks past you, he says, “But Kate? Really?”
Yeah, he isn’t going to let this go anytime soon.
like what you see? check out my masterlist :)
Hangman’s First Rodeo
MASTERLIST PINNED
Warnings: NONE
WC: 2.1k
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I put my car in park and let out a long sigh. After a quick check in the rear view mirror, I wonder if I made the right decision wearing no makeup and letting my hair be wild and free. Bradley heard from someone in administration that I got asked to arrive earlier than expected to the North Shore, so he extended an invite to the Hard Deck. When he texted me, I immediately felt bad seeing how often he had reached out just to be left on read. It was nothing personal, he has been one of my closest friends for a decade, I just needed space. I finally decided it was time to stop stewing in my thoughts and take the key out of the ignition.
.
.
The bar is crowded with patrons in khakis. Loud music and chatter fill the room. I scan the room and find Bradley, he motions me over to the back of the bar where there are pool tables and dart boards. He immediately wraps me in a hug, “Rodeo! It’s been too damn long.” I smile up at him, “I know Rooster, I know.” He starts pointing out people in the group and listing names, “This is Bob, that’s Phoenix, Coyote is over there, there’s Yale, and where is .. oh there.. that’s Bagman.” The blonde turns around with a smirk, “It’s Hangman, Bradshaw. And who is this?” Bradley stiffens, “This is Rodeo.” The blonde looks me up and down with the same little smirk, then turns back to his game of darts. I stand near the pool table and watch as Bradley starts a game with Phoenix. Since I regularly work with aviators, making small talk was easy. Once the blonde wins the game of darts, he walks over and stands beside me. He smells like jet fuel and sandalwood. I look at his arms, toned and tan. I tell myself to calm down. I am here for work, nothing else. “Bradshaw here didn’t get you a drink?” I turn to him, “I am fine, but thanks.” His eyes narrow slightly and he smiles, “I am not hitting on you, darling. But I am about to go get another beer from Miss Penny up there.” I chuckle and stare right back into his bright green eyes, “Well I am happy we cleared that up, darling. You aren’t my type and I don’t drink.” I do a very large and obviously fake smile. Hangman furrows his brow and walks away, looking flustered. Bradley walks over and is giggling uncontrollably, “What did you do to Bagman?” I shrug, “I just told him he wasn’t my type and that I don’t drink.” Bradley put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side, “Man, I missed you. He annoys the shit out of all of us and somehow you put him in his place within 30 minutes of meeting him.” The rest of the group laughs and chimes in, agreeing with Bradley.
.
.
The night continues on with countless games of pool and darts. We all end up outside, some sitting in the sand and some with their feet in the water. Bradley plops down next to me and bumps me with his shoulder, “Dude, I missed you. You gonna tell me why they moved you here?” I stare at the waves crashing on the sand, “You too, Roo. I am not even completely sure. Thought you had something to do with it because it was Mav who called me.” Rooster raised his brows, “He didn’t say anything to me.” I shrug again, staring at the group of aviators standing by the ocean. Bradley can see the concern on my face and pats my back, “Hey, don’t worry. They’re good. Well, except Bagman.” He chuckles and I hear a familiar voice shout, “Senior Chief Rodeo? Now why is Rooster keeping you all to himself?” I turn and see Maverick walking down from the Hard Deck, smiling big as can be. “Mav!” I run and give him a big squeeze. What I didn’t notice was the group walking back from the water, or that they heard him yell to me. As they reach Bradley, Pheonix asks, “Senior Chief Petty Officer? How the hell old is she?” Rooster faces her, “She is not old. She just works her ass off.” I walk back to the group with Mav, wondering why they are all looking at me. Hangman breaks the silence, “So Senior Chief Rodeo, can you clue me in on your skincare routine? I coulda sworn you were the same age as all of us.” I roll my eyes, “Y’all’s age? No way. I’m 28, what are you .. 40?” I take a moment to watch their eyes bug out, and then start walking back inside with Mav and Bradley. Bradley slaps my back, “You haven’t changed a bit. Still an absolute asshole. Love it.” We pay our tabs and head back to get some sleep. I lay in bed, staring at the blank walls of my little bungalow, wondering what the morning will bring.
.
.
Once I jumped out of my truck on base, I could feel eyes on me. The group from last night were all chatting by the hangar, in their flight suits and aviators. I was in civies and a Longhorn baseball cap. Bradley parked beside me and jumps out, “You are so damn lucky. I swear y’all are never in uniform.” I chuckle, “I know, but hey y’all don’t look too bad in your onesies.” He sighs and throws his bag over his shoulder, “10 bucks they shit themselves when Mav tells them your job.” I put my hand out to shake on it, “Deal. It’s nothing special. I am pretty curious to know why I am here anyways.”
.
.
The aviators are all seated when Mav and I walk into the hangar. Mav claps his hands, “Okay ladies and gents, I’d like to introduce you to my friend. This is Senior Chief Petty Officer y/l/n, callsign Rodeo.” There’s a few “Good morning”s and “Hello”s in response. I wave. Mav continues, “As you know, we have had quite a few missions recently with the SEAL teams. As you also know, we have some areas where we need to green up when it comes to working with the SEALs. So, Coronado was nice enough to lend us Rodeo for a bit. As we go through this training session, she will be your point of reference.” I scan the room and shake my head at the shocked look on everyone’s face. Hangman clears his throat and smirks, “So .. she is some kind of liaison? Works with the SEAL teams?” Mav narrows his eyes, “No, she IS a SEAL and she will be helping us learn how to work better with them.” I meet Bradley’s eyes and pull out a $10 bill. Walking over to his seat, I set it on the table in front of him. I turn back around, “C’mon y’all. I am just a female SEAL, I don’t have three heads or snakes for hair.” There is scattered laughter and Mav clears his throat, “Okay people, get to work. Rodeo will be in the hangar or my office if you need her.” The pilots disperse and I follow Mav to start looking over training procedures and past mission optics.
.
.
The first couple of weeks were exhausting. Work was extremely busy and when I was home, I was unpacking. The bungalow was coming together nicely. It is right by the beach, so I can take daily strolls down by the water. I open up another box and my phone dings.
Bradley: Y/N! No excuses. Bonfire. My house.
Less than ten seconds later it dings again.
Bradley: I am serious. You can literally walk here. No excuses.
I sigh and write back.
Y/N: Okay, but only for a bit. I still have a lot of shit to build.
I walk into my bedroom and do a once over in the mirror. Jean shorts, white tank top, and a baseball cap. I grab a hoodie just in case and head down the street.
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I hear music playing and smell smoke as I get close to Bradley’s house. I open up the back gate to the whole squad in the backyard. Hangman smirks, “Well howdy Rodeo. Fancy seeing you here.” Bradley runs up and wraps you in a hug, “You actually came! What do you need help building?” The squad all starts chiming in before you can respond. “Oh I can help!” “Where do you live?” “Did you walk here?” I wait for the chatter to die down, “I’m right up the street. Only have a few of the bigger things left. Bookcase, bed frame, that kinda stuff.” Bradley throws his arm around your shoulders, “I’ll come over tomorrow and get it all built.” I look up at him, “No! It’s the weekend! You should relax. I’ll get it all done eventually.” The rest of them start offering to come help and before you know it, everyone is planning on coming to your house. The house that is littered with boxes. I cringe and think about all of the tidying I need to do before they arrive. I head inside and grab a coke from Bradley’s fridge. The floor creaks and I whip around to see Hangman. “Sorry darling, didn’t mean to scare ya.” “What do you want, Hangman?” “Well I was just thinking that maybe we got off on the wrong foot. Thought maybe we could start over.” You laughed, “And what had you thinking that?” He shrugged, “I was a total jerk. You can ask around, I am THE unit asshole. But I honestly didn’t mean to be disrespectful. Wasn’t raised that way.” You look up at him, “How were you raised?” He smiles real wide, “In Texas. Yes sir and yes ma’am. Two sisters that dragged me around and told me what to do. You from Texas? Or just a Longhorn fan?” He asks while motioning towards your baseball cap. “From Texas. No college for me, though. Enlisted, boot camp, prep, BUDs. Nothing too exciting.” Hangman chuckled and shook his head, “Yeah, totally, nothing too exciting at all. How long have you been in?” “10 years. How about you?” “Got in right after college, 16 years ago. Remember? I am old.” He winks and I feel heat in my cheeks. He steps a little bit closer, “So are you and Bradshaw.. you know?” I laugh so hard that I snort. The back door opens up and Bradley looks between us, raising his brow. I finally stop laughing, “No. We met at my first duty station. He is the annoying older brother I never asked for.” Bradley rolls his eyes, “Hangman, leave Rodeo alone.” I walk towards Bradley and playfully nudge him with my elbow, “It’s fine. We are just getting to know each other.” Bradley shakes his head, “I know. That’s exactly what I am worried about.” I laugh and follow Bradley back to the bonfire. Hangman comes out a few minutes later and I say my goodbyes to the group. I am met with groans and “No please stay”s. Hangman clears his throat, “Let me walk you back, it’s getting pretty late.” Pheonix whispers something to Bob and they both crack up. Bradley turns, “Bagman, I think she will be just fine.” I nod my head, “Yeah I think I can handle myself, but thank you.” Hangman shakes his head and stands up, “Darling we already talked about this, I am a southern man. Can’t let you walk back all by yourself. Even though you are a big, bad SEAL.” He smiles and opens the gate, motioning for me to walk ahead. Bradley is noticeably angry and I smile at him, “It’s okay, I’ll see y’all tomorrow.”
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Hangman follows me until we reach the front porch. He scans the little bungalow, “Cute place. I’ll see you tomorrow .. wait I just realized I only know your callsign.” I chuckle, “Same. Unless your mother named you Hangman.” He laughs and puts out his hand, “Jake Seresin.” I shake his hand, “Y/n Y/l/n.” I grab my keys and unlock the front door, “Well, thank you for walking me back Jake. See you tomorrow?” He smiles so wide you can see every one of his perfectly straight teeth, “Yes ma’am. You sure will.” He turns and starts back up the street. I walk inside and shut the door, leaning my head against it for a second. I shake my head in attempts to get rid of the thoughts of him. His smell. His annoyingly perfect smile. I text Bradley to let him know I got back safe and head to bed.
Hangman’s First Rodeo part 2
MASTERLIST PINNED
Warnings: Fluff; angst
WC: 2.3k
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After a night of tossing and turning, I roll out of bed at 05:00. I throw on some running shorts and a sports bra. The rhythm of my feet hitting the sand calms me down. After a few miles I am completely drenched, so I decide to jump in the water. I swim against the current, focusing on my breath. “Y/N! Fancy seeing you here!” I swim back to shore to see none other than Jake Seresin standing there. As I walk up, I notice him looking me up and down. Suddenly, I feel self conscious and wish I had picked a matching outfit. “Howdy Hangman, out for a run?” He raises his eyebrow, “Yes, and my friends call me Jake.” I smirk, “Oh so we are friends now?” He nods, “I’d very much like us to be.” “Well Jake, I am usually not friends with dinosaurs but for you I will make an exception.” He laughs, “So you SEALs really do love the water, huh?” I shrug, “It’s quiet in there. Helps me turn off my brain.” I check my watch and gasp, “Oh I need to get back. Y’all are heading over soon and I need to try to make the house look presentable.” He chuckles, “Don’t worry about that darling. We aren’t gonna judge ya.” I wave and start running back to the bungalow, “See ya soon Jake!” He yells back, “See ya, darling!” My cheeks are red and it’s not from the workout.
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There’s a knock on the door right as I finish wiping down the kitchen counter. In a half hour I had showered, picked up some, and turned on the radio. I open the door up to the whole squad, “Come on in y’all. Want some coffee?” There’s a chorus of “Yes”s and I turn on the pot. Everyone splits up and starts working. Pheonix and Bob are in the living room tackling the bookshelf. Payback and Yale head out back and start putting together the patio furniture. Bradley and Jake are in my room and reading the instructions for the bed frame. I pour everyone coffee and head into my room. Bradley motions to the mattress on the floor, “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were sleeping on the floor. Would’ve come over and done this weeks ago.” I shrug, “I’ve slept on much worse.” They both laugh. Phoenix yells from the living room, “We gotta get something on these walls. Your house is worse than Rooster’s.” I chuckle, “Not really the decor type, but thank you.” Looking around my room, I see what she means. Blank walls. Basic furniture. Plain comforter on the bed. No decorative pillows. No cute blankets. Bradley drops some screws and opens up the closet door to find the ones that bounced under. Gear starts spilling out, “Shit, I’m sorry!” I run over and start shoving it back in. He finds the screws and throws them to Jake. Just like that, the bed frame is finished. They put the mattress on top as I push my body weight against the door, finally getting it to shut. Bradley and Jake head to start building the next thing, while I go out back to add a screen to my back door. Figured it would be nice to let the ocean breeze in.
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I walk into the kitchen to see most of the squad chatting and drinking more coffee. The furniture is all built and I turn to them, “Thank y’all. Seriously. This would’ve taken me forever.” Bob pats my shoulder, “Hey, we are a team Rodeo. Always here to help.” I smile and notice that Jake is missing from the group. Walking down the hallway, I notice the office door is open. I walk in to see Jake rummaging through the only open box. “Hangman. What the hell are you doing?” He looks up with wide eyes, “I came in here to see if there was anything else to put together. This box was open. I didn’t mean to-“ I feel anger bubbling up inside of me, “You didn’t mean to what? Completely invade my privacy?” He shakes his head, “No, I really didn’t mean to. Y/n, this is so many awards. And medals. Why would they send you here?” The anger spills over, “It is one of your damn business, Hangman. Get out! Now!” He looks up at you like a wounded puppy, “Y/n, I-“ “I don’t want to hear it. Get out!” He walks away sheepishly and I hear whispers in the kitchen. I walk out once I hear the front door shut. The rest of the team is standing there, looking confused and concerned. Bradley walks up and pulls my head into his chest, “You okay?” I take a deep breath, “Yeah. He was going through my teams stuff. I should’ve never even opened that damn box.” Phoenix clears her throat, “I am sorry, Rodeo. He is an asshole. We will leave you be, but please let us know if you need anything else.” She smiles and the team hums in agreement. I smile back, “Thank y’all. See y’all later.” Bradley stays beside you while they file out. Once we are alone he asks, “Are you wanting to talk about it? I understand if you don’t.” I shake my head, “I really am fine, Bradley. I think they just sent me here for a moment to breathe. They couldn’t force me to take leave, but they could force me to come up here for a detachment.” He sighs and rubs his face, “I get it, okay? More than most people. But y/n, you have to have a life outside of the job. You will burn yourself out.” I shrug, “I’ll be okay, Roo. I promise.” He looks unsure but pulls me in for a hug, “I’ll get out of your hair, but come to the bar tonight. Live a little.” I smile, “We’ll see. Have a good day, Roo.” And just like that, the bungalow is empty and quiet.
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The sun is setting so I shut all the blinds and turn on a few lamps. Bradley has been texting me for the last two hours, asking when I am getting to the Hard Deck. I switch my phone to airplane mode and head into my office. Grabbing a deployment journal from the box, I sit down and start flicking through the pages. A knock on the door startles me. I jump up and check the clock, 22:00, I must have fallen asleep reading. I crack open the door to see Hangman standing there, looking down at his feet. “What do you want, Hangman?” He looks up, “Well for starters, I’d like you to call me Jake again.” I sigh and open up the door, motioning for him to come in. Grabbing the teapot, I start boiling some water. “Tea?” He sits down on the couch, “Sure, thanks.” An awkward silence fills the room. Once the tea is done, I hand him a mug. He smiles up at me and I join him on the couch. “Y/n, I am sorry. I shouldn’t have gone in there. I shouldn’t have looked through your stuff. I wish I could take it back.” I take a deep breath, “I am sorry, too. Shouldn’t have yelled at you. It’s just.. I don’t talk to anyone about that stuff.” He furrows his brow, “Never?” You shake your head, “Never.” He runs his hands through his hair, “I knew I shouldn’t have looked. Then you didn’t come out tonight and I felt horrible. Bradshaw was yelling at me, telling me how much I upset you.” I roll my eyes, “Roo is just protective of me. I was upset, but it is okay. Come here.” I grab his hand and walk back towards the office. He looks confused and I try to ignore what felt like electricity when we touched. I start pulling things out of the box and placing them around the room. Jake stands there like he is frozen, “You don’t have to do this. Not for me.” I shrug, “I want to.”
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Jake watches intently as I point out what the different piles are, “These are my journals, kept one for every deployment. Those are medals and awards. Right there are all the group photos. And those, those are my mementos. First shell casing, first pair of flippers, that kind of stuff.” He looks around as if he is in a museum. “Y/n, how the hell have you done this much in 10 years?” I shrug, “No family. Never really take leave. The job has always been it for me.” He looks at me with sad eyes, “Your parents?” “Long gone. Had me when they were older. Left me the ranch, but I only go a couple weeks out of the year. The ranch hand takes care of everything for me.” He shakes his head and sighs, “I am sorry, that must be lonely.” “It’s not bad. Honestly, I am used to it. The teams are my family. They’re all I need.” He raises his brow, “You sure about that? No boyfriends in the picture?” I chuckle and pick up one of the photos, “Only one. Years ago, right after I joined. He was with another team. Thought it would be great because he would understand the lifestyle. He left me for a fitness model. Said he needed someone who was around more.” I shrug and laugh, but Jake just looks sad. He sighs, “I am sorry. Same kinda thing happens to me. Pretty much every woman has told me they can’t handle the stress of my job. But you deserve so much better. He didn’t deserve you.” He leans in, just a touch but I notice it. I am hoping he doesn’t notice the heat that I feel rising in cheeks, or the way my heart is racing. His eyes flicker down to my lips and he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. *BANG BANG BANG* “Y/N! Please? Your phone is going straight to voicemail! Are you okay?” I curse Bradley and walk to the front door.
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“What, Bradley?” He stumbles forward and I catch him, walking him over to the couch. He is drunk and rambling, “You weren’t answering. It went straight to voicemail. And you are always so alone. And you scared me and I-“ His eyes got wide and his face got red, “BAGMAN?!?!” I turn to see Jake standing at the entrance of the hallway. Bradley tries to stand up but is too drunk, “What the hell are you doing here? Y/n why is he here?” I fold my arms over my chest, “Jake came to apologize, Roo. We were having some tea and chatting.” Bradley’s eyes narrow, “So it’s Jake now, huh?” Jake walks towards the couch, “Oh c’mon Bradshaw. Grow the hell up.” Bradley glares at Jake, “No Bagman, actually how about you stay the hell away from Y/n! She is my friend! Leave her alone!” I clear my throat, “Shut up! Both of you, stop! Bradley, I am an adult and can choose my own friends. Jake, you don’t need to fight my battles for me. Now both of you, listen up. Bradley, your ass is staying on that couch. Go to sleep. I will take you to get your Bronco in the morning. Jake, you are sleeping in the guest room-“ They both try to cut me off and I put my hands up, “You will stay here because you are drunk and you will stay here I do not want to deal with this lightweight. End of discussion.” Bradley looks defeated and Jake smirks at me. Feeling flustered, yet again, I head back to my room and get ready for bed.
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I wake up hyperventilating and covered in a cold sweat. The clock on my phone says it is only 02:00. Sighing, I get up to grab some water. In the hallway, I run right into a shirtless Hangman. “Oh my gosh sorry!” I cringe looking down at myself, only in a large t-shirt and underwear. He follows me to the kitchen, “You okay? I heard you in there.” I shrug, “Sorry, nightmares.” He puts his hand on top of mine, “I get that. Want to talk about it?” I shake your head, “I am okay, but thank you. I am used to them.” I peek into the living room and see Bradley fast asleep. Jake throws his arm around my shoulders and pulls me into his side. The heat radiating off of him feels amazing. The scent of sandalwood fills my noise. I lean into him, not listening to the voice in my head telling me this is a horrible idea. I look up at him and he furrows his brow, “What’s wrong?” I nuzzle back into him, “Nothing. That’s the problem.” He pulls my face up to look at him, “What do you mean?” “I mean, I barely know you. Then, all of the sudden, I want to show you these things I have always kept hidden. I see you after a nightmare and you calm me down. I just don’t understand it.” His green eyes stay glued to mine and he does one of his big grins, “Maybe that’s the point darling. Some things just happen. It’s not for us to understand why or how.” He pulls me close to his chest and kisses the top of my head before heading back into the guest room. I stand there for a moment, completely frozen in what just happened. Leaving a glass of water beside Bradley, I head back into my room and try to go back to sleep. My nightmare is no longer what’s keeping me awake. All I can think about is how badly I want him to hold me in his arms again.
🌸cherryblossomcowgirl🌸
masterlist
Hangman’s First Rodeo
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
Hamgman’s First Rodeo Part 3
Masterlist Pinned
Warnings: Angst; Fluff; Injury; Traumatic Memory; Harassment; Bar fight
WC: 2.1k
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The clock says 07:00 and I am shocked. Waking up all throughout the night had become so normal to me. Tiptoeing into the kitchen, I start a pot of coffee. Jake comes down the hall, “G’morning darling.” I smile, “Goodmorning Jake.” He pours himself a cup of coffee and sits next to me. Bradley stirs on the couch and moans. He stands up and walks into the kitchen, “Morning Y/N. Bagman.” I sigh, “C’mon Roo. He helped me deal with you last night.” Bradley winces, “I may have had too much to drink.” I chuckle, “Oh honey, there is no doubt about that.” He runs his hands through his hair, “Mind if I shower?” “Go right ahead. Towels are under the sink.” Jake clears his throat, “I can drive you down to your Bronco after, if you’d like.” Bradley mumbles as he walks down the hall, “I’ll walk but thanks.” I look at Jake and roll my eyes. Jake smirks and takes a sip of his coffee, “How did you sleep last night? After the nightmare?” I meet his gaze, “Great, actually. I am sorry that I woke you up. But really, thank you. You didn’t have to do that.” He rests his hand on top of mine, “You didn’t wake me up, darling. Seeing you calmed me down.” I smile and rest my head on his shoulder, “Yeah, me too.” We stay like that for a moment, until Bradley clears his throat. “I’m gonna go. I’ll see you at work. Sorry about last night.” I wave, “Bye, Roo. No worries.” Jake just nods in his direction. Bradley walks out of the door, hanging his head.
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We both finish our coffee and Jake breaks the silence, “Do you want me to head home? I don’t want to mess up your routine.” I shrug, “I don’t really want you to leave.” He smirks, “Is it bad that I was hoping you’d say that?” I giggle and feel my phone start buzzing. I sent it to voicemail and Jake looks at me, “You can take that if you need.” It starts ringing again and I shake my head, “It’s okay. Don’t really want to talk to them.” He raises his brow, “Wanna talk about it?” I take his hand, “Why not? Already breaking all of my rules anyway.” He follows me into the office and I cut into another box. “Y/n, you know you don’t have to tell me anything that you don’t want to.” I smile, “I know. There’s just something about you. I want you to know.” He smiles so big. I start pulling things out of the box, files, photos, and a glass jar with two shell casings. His smile fades and his brow furrows, “What happened?” I take a deep breath, “4 months ago I was on a mission with the team. We had split into groups of 2, just like we have a million times. My partner, the person trying to call me, was ahead of me. Our comms started flickering in and out. Instead of pulling back and staying side by side, he decided to push forward and hope they’d resolve. Mine went down completely, but he didn’t know that. He was on a walkover about a story above me when he saw movement. They moved too fast and before he could yell to me, I was hit twice. The rest of the team immediately rallied and got me out, but it was our fault. We should’ve pulled back when comms were spotty. Now we know it was the target interfering with them.” Jake’s eyes are almost, watery? He seems upset. Finally he breaks the silence, “Where did they hit?” I look down at my feet, “Abdomen. Left side.” His eyes widen as I start to lift up my sleep shirt, “Y/n, only if you’re comfortable. Okay?” I nod my head and show him. He scans the scars. They are still a dark color, I have just been hoping they’d fade with time. I adjust so he can see my back, “Doctors said I was lucky. They went right through me. Woulda done a whole lot more damage if they stayed inside.” Now I notice that his eyes are definitely watery and he just keeps shaking his head. I take his hand and place it over the scars, “I am okay. Really. I’ve deployed since. I still love the damn job. I think they just sent me here for a change of pace. It has been a long 10 years.” He looks up at me and speaks in a low voice, “Y/n.. I am never going to let anyone hurt you ever again. I almost lost you before I ever even had you.” Tears sting my eyes as he stares at me. He kisses me for the first time, and it is soft and warm. He lays his head in my lap and I play with his hair. I smile and try to stay calm so he doesn’t notice the uncontrollable butterflies I feel. A comfortable silence surrounds us.
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A few weeks of work and quiet moments with Jake pass quickly. We haven’t spoken about this thing between us. Ever since that emotional night with Jake, there has been this unspoken understanding. Most days after work, he ends up on my front porch. I cook, we chat, he cleans the dishes (even though I always tell him not to), and we fall into this extremely comforting routine. He hasn’t stayed over since the night with drunk Bradley. Bradley has kept me at arms length and has barely texted. It’s upsetting to me that he would be this childish about Jake, but I am trying to give him space.
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One night after Jake heads home, there is a knock at my door. I open it to see Bradley, running his hands through his hair. He looks at me and smiles, “Hey Rodeo. I was just on a walk and was thinking maybe you’d wanna join?” “Sure, Roo.” I slide on a pair of flip flops and follow him down to the shore. We make some small talk about work. I take of my flip flops and put my feet in the water. Bradley stands beside me and sighs, “Y/n, I am sorry. The last few weeks I have been a complete asshole.” I put my hand on his shoulder, “It’s okay, Roo.” He shakes his head, “No it isn’t. We have been friends for 10 years. I shouldn’t have let Bagman come in between us. We have just always been at each other’s throats. He is completely different around you. I can’t believe it, but he is.” Bradley pulls me into a hug and sigh, “Thank you, Roo. You had me scared there. I can’t lose you.” He squeezed me tighter, “You won’t. I promise.” He walks me back home and I head to bed.
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The sun is blazing down as I stand outside the hangar. We just got back from testing comms and I am exhausted. Exhausted and covered in sweat. Everyone is checking their planes. Jake is talking to his WSO and I can’t stop staring at him in his aviators. His flight suit is tied around his hips, displaying the fitted shirt underneath. I hear Mav, “Yes sir, she is right over there.” I turn around and feel the blood drain out of my face. Tall, dark hair, blue eyes, my old partner. “Rodeo! Had to drive up here for some paperwork, thought I’d check in since you haven’t been answering.” I take a deep breath, “Hey Playboy, all is good here.” He moves closer to me and his scent washes over me, taking me back to that mission. My heart starts racing and my scars start hurting. He places his hand on my shoulder and meets my eyes, “How are you healing?” I see Jake out of the corner of my eye and he can see the panic on my face. I put on a fake smile, “I am okay. How is the team?” “Not the same without you. When are you gonna leave this place and come back with us? You belong with us.” Jake’s hand lands on Playboy’s shoulder, “Well I can tell you right now, bud, no one here is going to let her go easy. Hangman, and you are?” “Playboy. Rodeo’s partner form the teams.” Jake smiles, “How nice. It has been great meeting you, but you should probably get going. Let the lady finish her work.” Playboy raises his brow, “Interesting Rodeo, I didn’t think aviators were your type.” I roll my eyes, “Playboy, shut up.” He looks at me, “This guy? Seriously? They send you up here to work and you find a booty call? Can’t believe they call me Playboy.” Jake’s face hardens, “I’ll say it one more time, you should probably get going.” Playboy scoffs, “Yeah. Fine. You guys should keep her. A real SEAL would never be okay just sitting around. You never deserved that title, Rodeo.” He turns around and starts walking towards his car. The anger boils over and I scream, “Oh I didn’t deserve that title! Coming from the guy that couldn’t sweep a fucking room and got me shot TWICE! You are a DISGRACE, Playboy. Everyone knows it! And I already heard you aren’t reupping! Everyone should be thanking their fucking LUCKY STARS!” He turns around with rage in his eyes, but one look at Jake and he gets in his car. I turn around and see the whole squad standing behind me. The embarrassment hit, “I’m sorry .. I didn’t mean .. I .. I ..” Bradley walks up and wraps me in a hug, “Screw that guy. Y/n, I am so happy that you are okay.” Phoenix speaks up, “You have helped us so much, Rodeo. We are lucky to have you here.” The group hums in agreement. “Thank y’all, I am going to head home.”
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Jake shows up on my doorstep with a smile that tells me he wants something. “Listen, I know today was rough. Let’s go out. Everyone is already there. You can take your mind off of everything for a bit.” I smile, “Okay.. It really isn’t fair because you know that I can’t say no to you.” He chuckles and I follow him to his truck. When we get there, we join the squad in their usual spot. Jake was right, this was getting my mind off of Playboy. I never had issues with anyone else on the team. Part of me wondered if everyone knew we didn’t get along, so they’d pair us together to try and force it. I tell myself to stop thinking about that and enjoy the night. Bradley has unplugged the jukebox and is banging away on the old piano. My arm is around his shoulder and I sing along with him. The song ends and we stand there, giggling. Then I hear an all too familiar voice, “Wait a minute.. I thought you liked blondie boy over there.. Aviator Ken Doll! So who is this? You must really be getting around up here, huh Rodeo?” I turn around and meet Playboy’s icy eyes, “Get the hell away from me!” He steps closer, “What? I am just saying, back when you were with the teams you always acted like you were too good for me. Now I guess anyone is good enough?” I can see Bradley fuming out of the corner of my eye. A fist connects to Playboy’s jaw. I turn to see Jake, who is jumping on him in a rage. Jake gets right in his face and practically growls, “You don’t talk about MY girl like that!” The squad pulls him off and Bradley starts to carry Playboy out because Penny is ringing the bell aggressively. Bradley comes back in and we all head down to the water. Phoenix giggles as she walks by me, “He called you his girl. That’s cute. He has never said that about anyone before.” I blush. No one ever stands up for me. Usually, they figure that I can handle things myself. Jake runs up beside me and grabs my hand, “I’m sorry. Was that too much?” “The punching him in the face or calling me your girl part?” He shrugs, “Both?” I shake my head, “No Jake, it wasn’t. These last couple of months with you have been completely new to me. The time we spend together means the world to me, I hope you know that.” He stops walking and spins me around, into his chest. I giggle as he pulls me in for a kiss. Gentle and curious, making the butterflies rise in my stomach.
Hangman’s First Rodeo part 4
Masterlist Pinned
Warnings: Fluff; Implied Smut; Angst; Loss of parents; Trauma; Past injuries
WC: 2.2k
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Jake drops me back home after the Hard Deck and walks me to the front porch. I turn the key and open the door, “Do you wanna come in?” He smiles and checks his watch, “It’s already pretty late, darling. Are you sure?” I nod my head, “Just stay the night.” He follows me inside and makes us tea. We chat about the night. I keep telling him I am okay, but he doesn’t seem to believe me. He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, “Playboy had no right to say any of that to you. Sounds like he had a thing for you and is upset that you don’t feel the same.” I nod, “Yeah. He was like that the whole time. I never brought it up to the other guys because I just wanted to focus on work. It felt so horrible to get so far in my career and then be treated like that. Like all I am is someone men find hot.” Jake pulls me in to his arms, “You are much more than that, darling. So much more.” I nuzzle into his chest, “Tell me more about you.” He smiles, “Well, we covered Texas. I got 2 sisters, who gave me 2 nieces. My parents are very involved. When I was younger that bothered me, but I like it now. They all still live in Austin. I try to go back as much as possible. They keep hounding me because it has been about 6 months since I’ve been home. Hmmm, let me think. I love college football. I am lactose intolerant. And I have no control around coffee. I could drink like 10 cups a day if no one is watching me.” I look up at him giggling, “You are actually adorable.” He grins, “Now you.” I shrug, “You already know mine.” He shakes his head, “No.. I only know about your career. Tell me about you, darling.” I look up at him, “Not much to tell. Only child. Older parents. They owned a huge cattle ranch outside of Marble Falls, distributing meat all throughout Texas. Now I “own” it, but I don’t really do anything. Just let the business people do everything and I sign off. I think they wanted me to go to college, but they passed before it was time to make all of those decisions. I felt, lost? I had always felt drawn to the military so I went down to the recruitment office. I was looking at Navy careers and saw the SEAL brochure. The recruiter laughed when I said I was gonna do it. I made up my mind then and never looked back.” Jake looks at me and carefully asks, “What happened to your parents?” I sigh, “My Dad bought a small plane and got his license. They were always flying somewhere for a vacation or business trip or just to fly. They hit weather. Plane went down. It was fast, you know? I had just turned 17.” Jake’s eyes water, “I am sorry, Y/n.” I shrug, “It is okay. I think they are proud of me.” He nods his head, “They are.”
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I look over at the clock by my couch and see it is 03:00. “Jake, we should probably go to bed. I think we could stay up all night talking.” He chuckles, “Yeah, I think so too.” We get up and he starts walking towards the guest room, “Where are you going?” He turns around with his eyebrow raised, “To bed, darling.” I laugh, “Jake, I know you are a gentleman. Get over here and cuddle me.” He smiles, “Yes ma’am.”
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We lay side by side in my bed. Jake’s arm is around me and my head is nuzzled into his chest. I haven’t felt at peace like this in.. I couldn’t even tell you how long. He plays with my hair and I can hear his heart beating. He clears his throat, “Y’know, I have never had anything like this before.” I look up at him, “What do you mean?” He chuckles, “Most of my relationships start off on the wrong foot. Meet them at a bar, take them home, maybe have a couple dates, then never see them again. This is new to me.” I smile, “Me too. And to think I thought you were bad news when I first met you.” He smirks, “Oh yeah?” I nod my head, “I have never seen Roo act like that. And he is very dramatic, so that is saying something.” “Bradshaw only sees work me.” “I am happy that I know Jake, not just Hangman. Or Bagman.” He kisses the top of my head, “Me too, darling.” I drift off to sleep, still in his arms.
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When I wake up, Jake is still holding me. I run my hand through his hair, “G’morning handsome.” He opens his eyes and grins, “Morning beautiful. I could get used to this.” I giggle, “I’m gonna go make us some coffee.” Jake meets me in the kitchen and I hand him a cup of coffee. “Thank you darling.” I sit next to him, “How much leave do you have?” He raises an eyebrow, “Too much. Why?” “Come to my ranch.” “When?” I shrug, “Next week?” He nods, “Deal.” I take a sip of my coffee and he smiles, “Any particular reason?” “I just.. I don’t know. I just want to.” He wraps his arm around my shoulders and kisses the top of my head, “I’d be honored, darling.”
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The week passes by quickly. Both of our leave requests were approved and I booked the tickets, even though Jake complained about that. Next thing I know we are at the airport, holding hands and walking towards the gate. I look over at Jake, “You packed boots, right?” He laughs, “Darling, I packed everything I usually pack when I go back to Texas.” I giggle nervously, “Sorry. I always overthink on travel days. Going back makes me a little nervous every time.” “I am here, okay? And I hope you know how much it means to me that you want me to come with you.” I squeeze his hand tight, “It means a lot to me that you are willing to come.”
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The flight lands and I can feel the Texas heat. We grab our bags and Jake asks, “Need me to order ride?” I shake my head, “Follow me.” He raises an eyebrow but grabs my hand and follows. I take him to the pickup area and right up to the bright red, lifted, diesel truck. He shakes his head and laughs, “You have got to be joking me.” I smile and slap the hood, “Not joking. Meet Truck Norris.” “Truck Norris?!” The driver side door slams shut, “Y/n!!” I run over and jump into the drivers arms, “Scotty!” Scotty sets me down and I turn to Jake, “Jake, this is Scotty. Scotty, this is Jake.” They shake hands and we throw our luggage into the truck bed. Jake jumps in the passenger seat and I hop in the back. Scotty looks at Jake and then looks at me, “So you never bring anyone home, ever, and then you bring back someone who looks like he stepped outta GQ?” Jake blushes and I chuckle, “Scotty, settle down. I told you about Jake.” Jake turns to me, “You told him about me? That’s cute.” I roll my eyes, “Scotty and I grew up together. His Dad was my parent’s first ranch hand, so they lived on the land. He kinda had to be my best friend. Scotty took over for his Dad when he retired.” Scotty points back at me, “Until someone had to go save the world and shit. Left me all alone on the land. You know I talk to the horses?” I look at Jake, “He’s always done that. He can’t blame that on me.” We pull onto the property and Jake’s eyes bug out, “Holy crap. Do y’all have your own zip code?” I shrug, “Kind of?” Scotty drops us off at the main house so we can unpack. We walk up to the huge front door and Jake turns to me, “When were you gonna let me know you were like.. Redneck royalty?” I laugh, “I guess now? We can drive around later. You need a shower?” “Yes please.” I point to the left, “There’s a hallway of guest rooms with attached baths there. Or to the right is the master bed and bath. Take your pick.” He rolls his eyes, “You have got to be kidding me. How many rooms are in this place?” “8 beds 10 baths. Then there’s a couple of guest houses on the property. I think it was supposed to be for when family would visit but we didn’t really have any extended family.” He grabs my hand, “I am sorry.” “Jake, it really is okay. Go grab a shower. I’m gonna do the same and then I’ll throw together some lunch.” Jake smiles and heads towards a bathroom, “Okay, darling. Thank you.”
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Jake comes into the kitchen wearing Wrangler jeans and a fitted white t-shirt. I whistle as I slide him his plate, “Looking good, Cowboy.” He winks, “Had to look good for my lady.” I raise my eyebrow, “Your lady?” “Yep. Don’t fight it. You’re my lady and there’s nothing you can do about it.” I walk over and kiss his cheek, “I like the sound of that.” He pulls me into his lap, “You do?” I hum as I kiss him. He deepens the kiss and his hand move along my back. I shiver as his fingers graze my scar. He pulls back, “What are you thinking?” I bite at the inside of my cheek, “Sorry. I just.. I haven’t been.. intimate since the mission. You are the only person besides the doctor that has seen the scars. And I just feel..” He touches my cheek, “Darling, you don’t need to worry about that with me. I promise.” I furrow my brow, “But they’re so-“ He cuts me off, “Don’t. You are perfect. You are perfect and you are mine. I love you.” He looks shocked at his last sentence and my jaw drops. He starts talking fast, “That wasn’t how I wanted to say that. I am sorry. It just came out. You don’t have to-“ I touch his cheek, “Shhh, I love you too.” He smiles and pulls me into a kiss that takes the air out of my lungs. “Y/n, I have been wanting to say that since that night in your kitchen.” I smile, “Me too.” He kisses me as he picks me up, carrying me towards the bedroom. I giggle, “Where are you taking me?” He smirks, “I am going to show you just how beautiful you are.” Jake carefully lays me down on the bed and looks at me with his bright green eyes. I take a deep breath as he lifts my shirt, revealing the thick scars. He caresses them gently and plants a kiss on each. As he begins to explore my body he looks up at me, “You are everything I have ever wanted, Y/n.”
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I wake up from our nap with a fluttering in my stomach. There’s a warm feeling in my chest and my head feels like it is in the clouds. Jake opens his eyes and smiles, “Hey darling, how are you feeling?” I kiss his cheek, “Amazing. How about you?” He chuckles, “Pretty damn good.” I playfully slap his arm and he pulls me into his chest. I listen to the familiar sound of his heartbeat. The past few months have been a whirlwind, but I want to freeze this moment. My eyes meet his, “I wish it could be like this forever.” He brushes a strand of hair behind my ear, “It can.” I giggle, “C’mon Jake, you know it can’t.” “Why not?” “You have to fly. I have to.. do whatever the hell it is I am going to do. Hopefully get back with the teams? I don’t know. But people like us don’t get lives like this.” Jake turns his head to the side and sighs, “You are going to go back? What about these last few months?” I sit up in the bed, “This assignment was always temporary, Jake. Eventually I will have to go back. I have to finish out this contract. It’s only a few more months, but still.” He turns around and looks at me, “Are you going to re-up?” My mind starts racing, “Jake, I don’t-“ He repeats himself, “Are you going to re-up?” Tears are threatening to spill over, “I don’t know. It’s such a big decision. This career is the only thing I have had for a decade. I don’t know if I can just give it up.” Jake shakes his head and starts to stand up, “You know there is always going to be a position at Top Gun. Comms are a top priority. We have both heard Maverick say it a hundred times. But if you need to go back, just go back.” He starts pulling on his shirt and my voice shakes, “What are you saying right now?” His green eyes scan mine quickly and then look away, “I am saying go back to Coronado. Apparently this was all temporary anyway.” He turns and walks out the door as I cry, “Jake! That’s not what I meant!”