wanderlust

Months later, after plenty of back-and-forth, Jake had finally convinced Y/N to move to San Diego. They’d bought a house in a quiet neighbourhood, and while it was perfect, the place was still an absolute mess. Unpacked boxes were scattered everywhere—most of them in the wrong rooms. Clothes were piled in the kitchen, kitchenware sat in the living room, and the nursery had become a makeshift storage space.

Jake stood in the middle of the chaos, glancing around at the overwhelming amount of work that still needed to be done. He shook his head and sighed. Y/N was off at some meetings for her book, something about a movie adaptation, and it was the first time he was home alone with Ellie for an extended period. Their seven-month-old daughter was happily gurgling in her playpen, chewing on a soft teething ring.

As Jake paced around the mess, his phone buzzed on the counter. It was a text from Rooster.

Rooster: Yo, Hangman. You surviving over there? Jake: Barely. House looks like a tornado hit it. Y/N’s off at her book stuff, and I’m drowning in boxes. Rooster: Haha. Knew you couldn’t handle it. Jake: Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, rooster-boy. Rooster: Need a hand? I can swing by and help you unpack, if you’re not too proud to admit you need me. Jake: I’m not too proud to say I’m desperate at this point. Ellie’s chill, but I’m one misstep away from tripping over a box of kitchen knives. Rooster: Say no more. Be there in 20. Jake: Appreciate it, man. Bring beer, or I’m kicking you out. Rooster: Already packed.

Jake tossed the phone onto the counter, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. He turned toward Ellie, who was now babbling to herself, eyes wide and curious as she waved her teething ring in the air.

“Well, Ellie,” Jake said, kneeling down beside her playpen. “Looks like Rooster’s coming to help out your poor ol’ dad. What do you think about that?”

Ellie cooed in response, her little face lighting up with a toothless grin, and Jake couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Good answer, kiddo. Let’s get this place looking halfway decent before he shows up.”

With that, Jake started to tackle the nearest box, doing his best to clear a path through the chaos, all while keeping an eye on his daughter, who was perfectly content in her own little world.

About twenty minutes later, Jake heard the familiar sound of Rooster’s car rumbling outside, followed by a quick knock at the door. He wiped his hands on his jeans, having just wrestled a box of books into a corner, and made his way to the door.

As soon as Jake opened it, Rooster stood there, smirking with two six-packs of beer in hand. He took one look at the chaos inside and let out a low whistle.

“Damn, Hangman,” Rooster said, stepping inside and eyeing the boxes stacked up everywhere. “I didn’t know I walked into a war zone. You sure this is your house and not a warehouse?”

Jake rolled his eyes, grabbing one of the six-packs from Rooster’s hand. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Y/N’s been gone for, like, two days, and I’ve been trying to keep this place together. It’s harder than it looks.”

Rooster let out a laugh, shaking his head. “You, keeping it together? You’re barely holding on, man.”

He looked around at the scattered boxes, random items piled high in all the wrong places. There were baby toys mixed in with pots and pans, and Rooster swore he saw a blender sitting on top of a pile of Y/N’s novels.

“Okay, so, quick question: Why is there a blender on top of a box labeled ‘Books – Fragile’? Do you even know what you’re doing?” Rooster teased, raising an eyebrow.

Jake shrugged, taking a swig of the beer he’d just cracked open. “Look, man, it’s a system. Not a great one, but it’s a system.”

Rooster chuckled, shaking his head before his gaze landed on Ellie, who was sitting in her playpen, staring wide-eyed at the new visitor. He walked over, kneeling down beside her, and put on a playful smile.

“Hey there, Ellie girl,” Rooster cooed, reaching through the bars to gently boop her nose. “Your daddy’s got you in this mess, huh? Leaving you surrounded by boxes and God knows what else.”

Ellie gurgled happily, kicking her tiny feet and clapping her hands, clearly delighted by Rooster’s attention. He laughed, glancing up at Jake.

“Poor kid,” Rooster joked, shaking his head dramatically. “She’s got you for a dad, and this is what she’s dealing with? A house of chaos and teething toys. You’re gonna need to step it up, Hangman.”

Jake crossed his arms, leaning against the counter with a grin. “Hey, Ellie’s perfectly happy. She doesn’t care about boxes. Besides, I’ve got it under control. You’re just here for moral support—and to crack open some beers.”

Rooster laughed, picking up Ellie’s teething ring and waving it in front of her, making her squeal in delight. “Yeah, sure. You’ve got it all under control. I’m just here to make sure you don’t end up tripping over your own mess.”

Ellie giggled as Rooster continued to play with her, and Jake couldn’t help but smile at the scene. Despite the teasing, he was grateful for the help—and the company.

“All right,” Jake said, pushing himself off the counter and looking around. “Let’s get started. Just don’t mess up my system.”

Rooster stood up, grinning. “Oh, I’m about to mess up a lot more than your system, bagman. Let’s get to it.”

Jake and Rooster dove headfirst into the chaos, moving from one room to the next in an attempt to restore some semblance of order to the house. The first stop was the kitchen, where boxes of dishes, appliances, and baby bottles were stacked haphazardly around the room. Rooster reached into the first box, pulling out a random assortment of utensils and holding them up with a confused look.

“Okay, seriously, Hangman—why are the spatulas mixed in with baby bottles?” Rooster asked, shaking his head as he pulled out a bottle nipple that had somehow ended up at the bottom of the box.

Jake shrugged, rummaging through a separate box. “It’s called efficiency, Rooster. I was packing fast.”

Rooster snorted, placing the utensils into a drawer. “Yeah, fast is definitely one word for it. Organized? Not so much.”

Jake ignored the jab and continued to unpack, setting plates on the counter as he worked through the kitchen box. Every now and then, he’d glance over to check on Ellie, who was still content in her playpen, happily chewing on her teething ring and watching her dad and Rooster with wide, curious eyes.

Rooster wandered over to another box, opening it to reveal a random mix of baby toys and what looked like Y/N’s writing notebooks. He lifted one of the notebooks out, flipping it open with a chuckle. “Man, you really weren’t paying attention when you packed. I doubt Y/N’s going to appreciate her work notes covered in spit-up cloths.”

Jake winced. “Yeah, okay, maybe I wasn’t at my best.”

Rooster grinned and handed the notebook to Jake. “I’m pretty sure ‘not your best’ is an understatement. I’m saving your ass right now.”

They worked in a rhythm, moving from box to box, sorting through the chaos. Rooster took charge of the kitchen, reorganizing cabinets and placing dishes in their proper spots, while Jake tackled the random assortment of baby items that had been mixed in with everything else. Ellie kept them company, occasionally letting out little squeals or coos whenever one of them would pass by her playpen.

“Where do you want the blender?” Rooster called from across the room, holding it up with a laugh. “Please don’t tell me you’re using this for baby formula.”

Jake rolled his eyes. “Just put it on the counter, man. I’ll figure it out later.”

Rooster shook his head, setting it down with a chuckle before turning his attention to the next box. This one was filled with kitchen gadgets, from measuring cups to a crockpot, all jumbled together in a confusing mess. Rooster sighed, pulling out the crockpot and setting it on the floor.

“This might be worse than when you tried to put together that bookshelf back in flight school,” Rooster said, glancing over at Jake.

Jake grinned. “Hey, that bookshelf turned out fine.”

“Yeah, after it collapsed the first time.”

Jake threw a dish towel at Rooster, who easily dodged it and continued unpacking with a smirk. As the minutes turned into an hour, the kitchen slowly began to take shape. Cabinets were filled with plates, glasses, and utensils, and countertops were cleared of boxes. The kitchen wasn’t perfect, but it was functional.

They moved on to the living room next, where boxes of books, movies, and Y/N’s writing materials had been scattered across the floor. Rooster picked up a stack of Y/N’s novels and raised an eyebrow. “You know, Phoenix would lose her mind if she saw all this. She’s still talking about Eclipsed like it’s the best thing she’s ever read.”

Jake laughed, pulling out some of Ellie’s toys from another box. “Yeah, she mentioned that at the Hard Deck. Maybe I should get Y/N to sign one for her.”

Rooster grinned. “That would blow her mind. You’d finally win some points with Phoenix.”

They continued working, chatting as they went. Rooster made fun of the random things Jake had packed together—baby bibs with kitchen utensils, Y/N’s writing pens mixed in with Ellie’s toys—and Jake took the teasing in stride, grateful for the help and the company. Every now and then, they’d take a break to check on Ellie, who was still happily playing in her playpen, oblivious to the chaos around her.

By the time they finished, the living room and kitchen were mostly put together, and Jake could finally see the floor again. Rooster wiped his brow and plopped down on the couch with a sigh of relief.

“Well, that was a workout,” Rooster said, grabbing one of the beers they’d set aside earlier. “But I gotta say, the place looks a lot better now.”

Jake nodded, sitting down beside him and cracking open his own beer. “Yeah, thanks for the help, man. I couldn’t have done this alone.”

Rooster grinned. “No problem. Just remember this next time you need me to save your ass.”

Jake chuckled, taking a sip of his beer as they both glanced over at Ellie, who was still babbling happily to herself.

As Jake and Rooster sat back, enjoying a moment of peace after all the unpacking, Ellie’s happy gurgles slowly turned into little whimpers. At first, it was just a soft sound, barely noticeable over their conversation, but it quickly escalated into full-blown fussing. Her tiny face scrunched up, and her arms waved in the air as she let out a sharp cry, clearly no longer content in her playpen.

Jake groaned, setting his beer down on the coffee table. “Ah, there it is. Knew that was coming.”

Rooster raised an eyebrow. “Looks like someone’s had enough of daddy’s unpacking skills.”

Jake chuckled, standing up and heading over to the playpen. “Or she’s just tired of being stuck in here while I’m running around like a headless chicken.”

He scooped Ellie up into his arms, gently bouncing her up and down as he tried to soothe her. “Hey, hey, it’s okay, Ellie girl. Daddy’s got you. What’s the matter, huh?”

Ellie’s cries quieted a little, but she was still fussing, her little fists clenched as she squirmed in Jake’s arms. He rocked her gently, patting her back, but it was clear she was getting crankier by the minute.

“She probably needs a change,” Jake said, glancing at Rooster with a resigned smile. “Or maybe a nap. Could be both.”

Rooster leaned back on the couch, smirking. “Well, good luck with that, man. I’ll just sit here and enjoy the view.”

Jake gave him a mock glare before heading to the changing station in the corner of the living room. He laid Ellie down on the soft mat, grabbing a fresh diaper as she continued to fuss and wriggle. Her tiny cries tugged at his heart, but he was used to this now—seven months of fatherhood had made him an expert at these little crises.

“All right, Ellie, let’s get you all cleaned up, okay?” Jake cooed as he worked, swiftly changing her diaper with practiced hands. “Then maybe we’ll get you a bottle and see if you’re ready for a nap.”

Ellie’s cries quieted a little as Jake finished up, her big green eyes watching him intently, still a little watery but slowly calming. He picked her up again, holding her close and bouncing her lightly. She let out a soft hiccup, still fussing but clearly beginning to settle down in her dad’s arms.

Rooster watched the whole scene with a grin, shaking his head. “Look at you, Hangman. Who would’ve thought you’d turn into such a natural at this?”

Jake smirked, glancing over at him. “What can I say? She’s got me wrapped around her little finger.”

Rooster chuckled, watching as Jake walked Ellie around the room, gently bouncing her as she started to calm down, her cries fading into soft little sniffles.

Rooster watched as Ellie started to calm in Jake’s arms, her little sniffles still there but quieter now. He set his beer down on the coffee table and stood up, brushing his hands together like he was gearing up for a challenge.

“All right, Hangman, hand her over,” Rooster said with a grin. “Let me see if I’ve still got the magic touch.”

Jake raised an eyebrow but smirked, clearly amused. “You sure you can handle this? She’s in full meltdown mode.”

Rooster laughed, extending his arms. “Please, I’ve dealt with you on a bad day. How hard can it be?”

Jake chuckled and gently passed Ellie over, carefully settling her into Rooster’s arms. Ellie fussed for a second, confused by the transition, but Rooster immediately began bouncing her lightly and murmuring soothing nonsense to her.

“Hey, little Ellie,” Rooster said in a soft voice, rocking her gently from side to side. “What’s all this crying about, huh? You’re too cute to be this upset. C’mon, don’t make me look bad in front of your sperm donor.”

Ellie blinked up at him with her big eyes, still sniffling but clearly curious about this new person holding her. Rooster smiled down at her, bouncing her just a little bit more and making silly faces as he rocked her.

Jake crossed his arms, leaning against the back of the couch with an amused grin. “Look at you, pulling out all the stops. You’re not too bad at this.”

Rooster winked at him. “Told you, man. Babies love me. It’s just natural charm.”

Slowly, Ellie started to calm down in Rooster’s arms. Her sniffles turned into quiet little breaths, and soon enough, she was resting her cheek against Rooster’s chest, her tiny hands clutching his shirt as she settled down completely.

“See?” Rooster said, his voice low as he looked down at her, a small smile on his face. “Piece of cake.”

Jake shook his head, but he couldn’t hide the impressed look on his face. “I’ll admit, I didn’t think you had it in you.”

Rooster grinned, rocking Ellie gently. “I’ve got my moments.”

Ellie let out a soft, contented sigh as she nestled into Rooster’s chest, her tiny fingers curling into his shirt as she drifted off into a light doze. Rooster glanced over at Jake with a proud smile.

“Looks like I’m on babysitting duty now,” Rooster said, his voice barely above a whisper so as not to wake her.

Jake chuckled, watching the two of them. “Yeah, don’t get too comfortable. Once she’s up, it’s all you, man.”

Rooster rolled his eyes but kept rocking Ellie with a soft smile on his face, clearly enjoying the quiet moment.

-----

Later that night, the house was quiet except for the faint sound of water filling the baby tub in the bathroom. Jake rolled up the sleeves of his T-shirt as he checked the water temperature, making sure it was just right—not too hot, not too cold. Ellie sat in her bouncer nearby, kicking her legs and babbling, her tiny hands grabbing at the air as if she knew what was coming.

Jake turned to her with a smirk, crouching down to her level. "All right, Ellie-girl, time to get you all fresh and clean."

He unbuckled her from the bouncer, lifting her effortlessly into his arms. She let out a happy squeal as he carried her over to the counter, carefully peeling off her tiny onesie and diaper. "You always get so wiggly during bath time," Jake murmured, pressing a kiss to her soft belly before settling her into the warm water.

Ellie kicked her feet the second she touched the water, splashing little droplets everywhere. Jake let out a low chuckle, running a steady hand over her tummy to keep her supported. "Oh, you think that’s funny, huh?" he teased, watching her big green eyes light up.

He grabbed the baby wash, pouring a little into his palm before lathering her tiny arms and legs, making sure to clean between her fingers and toes. "Gotta get all those little creases, baby girl," he murmured as she wriggled beneath his hands, letting out soft babbles.

Using a small cup, Jake gently poured water over her head, smoothing it through her fine blonde hair. Ellie blinked up at him, completely content, her tiny hands reaching for his wrist as if trying to help.

"You’re making this too easy, darlin'," Jake mused, rubbing a soft washcloth over her cheeks and chin. "Aren’t babies supposed to hate baths?"

Ellie cooed, kicking her legs again, making another splash. Jake laughed, shaking his head as he grabbed a towel. "All right, all right, that’s enough fun before you soak the whole damn floor."

He lifted her from the water, wrapping her up in a warm, fluffy towel. Ellie let out a contented sigh as Jake rubbed her dry, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her damp head before carrying her to the nursery.

Jake laid Ellie down on the changing table, carefully working to dry off her tiny fingers and toes. She squirmed, her little hands reaching out, her big eyes watching him intently.

"Hold still, peanut," Jake murmured, grabbing a fresh diaper and securing it snugly around her waist. "We do this every night, you know the drill."

Ellie babbled back at him as if she had something very important to say, her voice soft and sweet. Jake smirked, pulling out a soft lavender onesie with little stars on it. "This one good for tonight, huh? Thought so."

He gently guided her arms through the sleeves, snapping the onesie closed with practiced ease. Ellie let out a tiny yawn, blinking up at him sleepily.

Jake chuckled, lifting her up and cradling her against his chest. "Looks like someone’s ready for bed," he murmured, rubbing her back.

Jake walked over to the rocking chair, sitting down with Ellie tucked safely in his arms. The nursery was dimly lit, the soft glow of a nightlight casting gentle shadows across the walls.

He rocked her slowly, humming under his breath as he rubbed slow circles on her back. Ellie nestled against his chest, her tiny fingers gripping onto his shirt as her eyes started to flutter closed.

Jake let out a quiet breath, then softly started to sing.

"Baby mine, don't you cry…"

His voice was low and steady, the lullaby coming out naturally, like second nature. He had never pictured himself singing to a baby, but now he couldn't imagine anything else.

"Rest your head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine."

Ellie let out a tiny sigh, her breathing evening out as she drifted deeper into sleep.

Jake pressed a kiss to her soft forehead before carefully standing and laying her down in the crib. He tucked her in gently, brushing his fingers lightly over her tiny hands.

"Sweet dreams, baby girl," he whispered before stepping back, watching her for a moment.

With one last glance, he turned off the light and quietly stepped out, leaving the door open just a crack.

-----

The hotel was quiet, dimly lit by the soft glow of your bedside lamp. Your laptop sat open on the desk, an unfinished manuscript staring back at you, but your mind wasn’t on your work. You had been thinking about Jake all evening, picturing him at home with Ellie, and the ache of missing them had finally won.

Grabbing your phone, you scrolled through your recent calls, his name sitting right at the top. With a deep breath, you tapped it.

The phone rang once. Twice.

Then there was a soft click, followed by a familiar drawl. "Hey, darlin’."

Your heart warmed instantly at the sound of his voice, low and rough like he’d just been speaking softly. You imagined him in Ellie’s nursery, maybe rocking her to sleep.

"Hey, cowboy," you murmured, sinking back against your pillows. "Did I wake you?"

"Nah, just got the baby down," he replied, his voice quieter now. "She fought sleep for a bit, but I won."

You smiled. "You always win, don’t you?"

A low chuckle came through the line. "Damn right I do. Though, I think she’s startin’ to figure out she’s got me wrapped around her little finger."

You could picture it so clearly—Ellie’s tiny hands gripping his shirt, her big green eyes staring up at him while he gave in to whatever she wanted. "I could’ve told you that months ago," you teased.

Jake sighed softly, the sound full of warmth. "Miss you."

Your fingers curled into the sheets, the simple admission making your chest tighten. "Miss you too," you whispered.

There was a beat of silence, comfortable but heavy with unspoken words. You could hear the faint creak of a chair on his end, imagining him sitting back, probably running a hand through his messy blond hair.

"How’s New York?" he asked, his voice softer now.

"Meetings have been long," you admitted. "Everyone's excited about the adaptation, but I just keep thinking about getting back home to you two."

Jake hummed in understanding. "Bet Ellie's gonna give you the biggest smile when she sees you."

Your lips twitched. "And you?"

"Oh, sweetheart, I might just tackle you at the door," he teased, but there was something deeper in his voice—something real. "Been way too long since I had my girl home."

You swallowed, warmth blooming in your chest. "Few more days," you promised.

"Not soon enough."

His voice was thick with longing, and you closed your eyes, wishing you could reach through the phone and touch him. Instead, you curled into your pillow, letting his voice wrap around you like a hug.

"You should sleep," Jake murmured after a moment. "You sound tired, darlin’."

"So do you."

"Yeah, well," he sighed, and you could hear his smirk. "Parenthood, right?"

You chuckled softly. "Go to bed, cowboy."

"Only if you do," he countered.

You rolled your eyes playfully. "Goodnight, Jake."

"Night, sweetheart."

Your phone buzzed on the desk, the screen lighting up with a notification. You reached for it absentmindedly, expecting an update about your book meetings, but instead, you saw a message from Bradley Bradshaw.

Rooster: Hey, just a heads up—I was at Jake’s today helping him unpack. Don’t worry, he’s fine.

Your brows lifted slightly as you sat up in bed, thumbs already moving to reply.

You: Helping him unpack? That’s a surprise. Did he actually ask for help, or did you just invite yourself over?

It only took a second before Rooster responded.

Rooster: Oh, he didn’t ask. I took one look at the mess he was living in and figured he needed some intervention.

You let out a soft chuckle, shaking your head. It wasn’t surprising—Jake had a habit of insisting he could handle things on his own, even when it was painfully obvious he could use a hand.

You: Let me guess, boxes everywhere, nothing in the right place?

Rooster: Exactly. Poor Ellie’s diapers were in the kitchen, and his coffee maker was in the bathroom.

You groaned, pinching the bridge of your nose. Of course.

You: This is why I should’ve been there to help.

Rooster: He’s surviving. Barely. But I made sure he’s got the basics sorted now. Ellie’s room is set up, and I even found the coffee maker a proper home.

You smirked at your screen.

You: I’ll be sure to thank you for your service when I get back.

Rooster: Yeah, yeah. Just don’t let Jake know I actually helped him.

You smiled, shaking your head. Typical.

You: Thanks for looking out for him.

A beat passed before Rooster’s final message came through.

Rooster: Always. But between you and me, I think he misses you more than he’ll admit.

Your chest tightened slightly at that, warmth spreading through you.

You groaned softly at the sound of plastic snapping from behind you. "Boone..."

You turned to see the man in question giving you a very sheepish look. He held up the broken antenna with a wince. "Sorry, (Y/N/N)."

You exhaled heavily. "This is why we can't have nice things."

A small smile danced on your lips as you took the antenna from him. You examined the base and determined it just needed a new coupler. An easy fix.

"Dani!" you called out.

Dani popped her head out from behind the camper. "Yo!"

"Can you get me a new coupler for this antenna, please?" You held up the broken item so Dani could see which one you were referring to.

"Yeah, one sec!"

You glanced at Boone, who still had a sheepish expression on his face. You shook your head slightly as you took a step towards him. "Don't worry about it--I won't tell Tyler."

Boone smiled. "I'm way more afraid of you than I am of Tyler."

"As you should be," you teased. "Gimme a hand?"

He reached out to steady you as you pulled yourself up into the bed of the truck and climbed onto the roof. Dani came over moments later with the replacement coupler. You set to work on fixing it before Tyler came back and asked what was going on.

"Any particular reason you're on top of my truck, darlin'?"

You froze as Tyler's voice washed over you from behind. You turned to look at him, noting the amused smile on his face. "Just making a quick adjustment."

He raised his eyebrows, his disbelief evident in the action. "I made adjustments not 20 minutes ago."

"Well I'm just making sure."

"Uh-huh."

You'd finished attaching the antenna, but you made a show of checking all the other attachments on top of the truck. "Hmm...everything looks good to me."

Tyler chuckled and shook his head. "Then get down from there before you hurt yourself."

You slid down into the truck bed and jumped off the edge onto the hard ground. Tyler's hand shot out to make sure you didn't fall. You shot him a pointed glare that clearly said I don't need your help, thank you very much.

"So you gonna tell me who broke something?"

"Never."

He laughed lightly and followed you to the camper where the rest of the team had gathered.

"How's the radar looking, Dex?" Tyler asked.

"We've got a nice looking cell popping up to the East. It'll probably hit within the next hour."

"Excellent."

Everyone turned to look towards the Eastern sky. You could plainly see the dark clouds rolling across the horizon, heralding the oncoming storm.

"Thoughts, Lightning?" Tyler asked softly, the nickname rolling off his tongue with ease.

"Smells like a good one," you murmured.

The team had long ago learned to trust your instincts when it came to the weather...even if your methods weren't exactly orthodox. Tyler always said you could feel a storm in your bones, and he wasn't wrong. It was as if Mother Nature herself spoke to you.

"Who needs science when we have (Y/N)?" Boone said with a grin.

You turned and shot him a warm smile, but it quickly faded as you caught sight of four vehicles pulling into the parking lot. "Fuck," you muttered.

The rest of the team followed your gaze and muttered their own varying expletives.

"Can't we just have one storm where those assholes don't show up?" Lily grumbled.

"We'd never be so lucky," you said with a sigh.

The six of you watched as men in polo shirts piled out of the vehicles. Each and every one of them wore the logo of the business on their shirts, just as each of the vehicles did.

"Howdy, Storm PAR," Tyler said in a mocking tone.

Most of the other team ignored him, but one of the younger members gave him a friendly wave.

A soft chuckle left your lips, echoed by the other members of your team.

You opened your mouth to make a joke, but your jaw clamped shut as Scott Miller, one of the founders of Storm PAR, started walking your way.

You felt Tyler tense beside you, and you could see the others doing the same out of the corner of your eye.

"(Y/N). Owens." Scott gave the two of you appraising looks. "Surprised to see you're still chasing together."

You pushed down every annoyed response you wanted to shoot at him, instead opting for what you hoped came across as cool indifference. "Can't see why you'd be surprised."

Scott shrugged. "You and I both know you're too smart to run with this bunch of hillbillies."

"Hey!" Boone yelled. "Watch it."

Tyler stepped forward, his expression calm, but his stance was protective. "No need for the name calling, Scott. (Y/N) can chase with whomever she wants to, but you can't be mad when it's not you."

Scott's expression darkened. "She and I both know which one of us is actually successful." He started to walk away, pausing only to throw one more insult over his shoulder. "The YouTube channel sure is cute though."

Tyler bristled, but you grabbed his arm to keep him from saying anything further. "Let it go, Tyler. He's not worth it."

Tyler exhaled slowly and nodded, turning back to the rest of the team. Each of them shared the same angry expression, and it upset you that someone you used to work with dared to speak to them this way.

"I'm sorry, guys."

"Nothing to be sorry for, (Y/N)," Lily said with a smile.

"Lily's right, that dude's an ass," Boone commented.

"An ass I used to work with," you muttered.

"We all make mistakes," Dexter said with a small smile. "Besides, you're here now."

Tyler nudged you with his shoulder. "They're right darlin', and so were you. He's not worth it."

You smiled. "Alright, alright. 'Nuff of this sappy shit." Your voice was light and teasing, and it made the rest of the team smile. "We've got a storm to chase, don't we?"

"Yes ma'am," Boone said.

"You heard her. Let's get a move on," Tyler added.

**********

Thirty minutes later, you'd all piled into your respective vehicles and headed off to chase yet another storm. Radar still showed the cell to the East was looking promising and you'd confirmed it.

You could tell by Tyler's expression he was disappointed you'd chosen to ride with Lily instead of him. Boone had been more than happy to ride shotgun with Tyler and you'd muttered something about needing to drive so Lily could fly Cairo.

When you climbed into the driver's seat, Lily gave you a look. "What?"

"Why aren't you riding with Tyler?"

"Because you need a driver."

She raised an eyebrow. "And what, Boone forgot how to drive?"

You rolled your eyes. "Boone's operating a camera."

"Oh right, because we don't have cameras in every vehicle."

"Lil..."

"I know something's going on with you and Tyler. You've been acting weird all week."

You sighed. Lily was your best friend and your closest confidant. She knew very well how you felt about Tyler--and she knew exactly why you would never tell him. It wasn't that you thought he would be rude about it...you just didn't want to risk making things awkward between the two of you, or gods forbid, the rest of the team.

"Promise you won't laugh?"

"I promise I won't make fun of you, but I can make no promises regarding my laughter."

Her candor made you chuckle. It was one of the many things you loved about her. "I had a dream earlier this week...and um...well, I can't get it out of my head. Every time I see him, it just invades my damn brain."

She smirked. "What kind of dream?"

You groaned. "You know exactly what kind of dream, Lily."

"Was it..." she grinned, "...the dirty kind?"

"Lily!"

She laughed loudly. "Oh there's nothing wrong with it! We've all had a dirty dream before."

"It's a little different when it's about someone you know and see every damn day."

"Instead of being awkward about it, you could just tell him...maybe he'll make your fantasies come true."

You rolled your eyes. "Yeah, like that's gonna happen. We both know Tyler isn't into me like that."

"I most certainly do not know that, and for the record, neither do you."

"He's not."

"How do you know if you never ask him?"

"He would have said something by now, Lily."

"Oh, you mean like you have?"

You shot her a glare, but before you could respond, the radio on your dash crackled to life, Tyler's voice on the other end letting you all know Boone was starting the stream. You flicked the camera on your dash on, effectively silencing any further personal conversation.

Tyler made his traditional intro, introducing every member of the team before launching into a description of today's storm.

"Lightning, can you swing up to my left and give me your thoughts?"

Lily'd already pulled her googles down, eyes trained on whatever Cairo was seeing up in the air. You pulled around to the left of Tyler's truck, giving yourself a good view of the approaching storm.

You breathed deeply as you took in the beautiful cloud formations before you. No matter how many storms you chased...or how many tornadoes you experienced, the beauty and power never ceased to amaze you.

"She's looking beautiful, T. Plenty of shear and that cap is definitely gonna break. I'd say take a left in a half mile and drive straight at her."

"You heard the woman. Let's ride."

The clouds were rotating more rapidly as you approached the storm. You could feel the electricity in the air--the heaviness that accompanied any supercell storm.

"Come on, baby, show us what you got," you muttered.

The rest of your team smiled at your words as they crackled through the radio.

"We've got a funnel!" Lily called. Cairo zoomed overhead, able to see the beginning of the tornado before the rest of you.

You watched in rapt awe as the funnel grew. When the tornado finally touched down, you let out a whoop of excitement. The sound was echoed by the rest of the team.

"We've got ourselves a grade A tornado here folks," Tyler said. You could hear the joy in his voice and you smiled as you pictured his excited expression. "Lightning, Dex, you guys hang back while we get a little closer."

"Copy," you responded, Dex's affirmation coming moments later.

You slowed to a stop, eyes glued to the red truck as it sped closer to the tornado. This was always the moment that had your heart clenching in your chest...this was the moment it could all go wrong.

"What are our readings, Lil?" you asked.

"Wind speeds are currently 98 miles per hour and it looks like we've got an RFD forming."

Your breathing slowed as you stared at the tornado. You could see the rain curtain forming at the southeastern edge of the tornado, confirming Lily's RFD observation. Your earlier excitement turned to dread as an overwhelming sense of wrongness came over you.

"Monitor the wind speeds, Lily. I'm not liking this one."

"You got it."

"Tyler?" you hailed him directly.

"Yeah, Lightning?"

"You're heading straight toward an RFD. You need to pull back or you're not gonna be able to see the actual tornado."

"What's the current windspeed?" he asked.

"We're up to 110," Lily replied.

"Tyler--pull back. Now," you urged. 110 mph was the top windspeed for an EF1...and that truck wasn't rated for an EF2.

"We've got hail!" Boone yelled excitedly.

"Baseballs!" Tyler hollered.

"Tyler!" you called.

"We're alright, Lightning. Don't worry," he responded.

You exhaled heavily and closed your eyes for a moment. "Windspeed, Lil?"

"120."

"Shit. Tyler it's an EF2 and you're driving right into the damn rain wall. Back off."

"Alright, we'll go around the edge--see if we can't skirt around the RFD."

You didn't like it...you never liked when visibility was so compromised. Especially when you weren't actively in the storm. You'd lost visual of the truck, but you could still clearly see the tornado and the rain wall that formed on the Southeastern edge. Your skills were of more use when you were actually in the storm...not watching from a distance.

"(Y/N), we've got a second funnel forming," Dexter called.

"Where?"

"I can see the hook on the radar. Off to the west."

"Lily, can you get me eyes?" you asked.

"On it."

While you couldn't see Cairo, you knew the drone was flying overhead, racing towards the western edge of the storm.

"Wind shear is still high," Dani commented.

You could hear the slight worry in her voice, echoing your own concerns.

"Shit," Lily muttered. "We've got an updraft and she's rotating."

"Tyler, get out of there now," you ordered. "Second tornado just touched down to the west."

"We can't see it," Tyler called out.

"Windspeed on the first tornado?" you asked.

It was Dexter who responded. "136!"

"Fuck!" That was the threshold for an EF3.

"Windspeed on the smaller twister is already 105," Lily yelled.

"Tyler!"

"I can't see the other tornado!" he yelled.

"Lily!"

"I'm trying..." she said desperately. You watched in dismay as the two tornados spun in the distance. Tyler and Boone were somewhere in the middle of it and Lily was trying to find the truck with Cairo.

"Got 'em!"

"Guide me!" Tyler yelled.

"Go in reverse," Lily insisted. "If you keep going straight, you're gonna hit the second tornado."

You could hear Tyler's cursing over the radio, followed by the revving of the truck's engine.

"Keep going!" Lily commanded.

Your anxiety was through the roof and you still couldn't see the truck you were so desperately searching for.

"Shit!!!" Lily yelled. "I lost Cairo!"

It was your turn to take over...but all you had was instinct. "Tyler! What can you see?"

"I can still only see the EF3!"

"To your right?"

"Yes!"

You gauged his likely location and sent out a silent prayer that you were right. "Go left. As fast as you can."

Tyler didn't even ask if you were sure. He trusted you with his life...and with Boone's.

"You might be sending him right into the EF2," Lily said softly.

"I know."

You could feel her concerned gaze on you, but you didn't dare take your eyes off the storms raging in front of you.

"We've got a wind shift," Dexter called. "The storm is moving Northeast."

"Tyler?"

"I heard. We're headed in the opposite direction."

You held your breath, waiting to see the red truck finally come into view.

"I see them!" Lily shouted.

You followed her line of sight and let out a long exhale. The sight of that damn truck was easily the most beautiful thing you'd ever seen.

You waited until the truck finally pulled to a stop just ahead of your truck before getting out and racing towards it.

Tyler jumped out and didn't hesitate to catch you as you jumped into his arms. He held you tightly and you finally felt the tension leave your body. Neither of you said a word as he sat you down, the emotion on both of your faces was enough to convey what you needed to.

The rest of the team had run up to the truck and everyone embraced in relief. Tyler turned back to the camera, letting everyone know the team was safe. He reminded the viewers not to try anything like this without proper training and equipment, before signing off the stream.

"I need a drink," he muttered.

"I think we all could use one," you added.

The sound of a horn honking brought your attention back to the road. A Storm PAR truck pulled up alongside you and Scott leaned out the window.

"Taking a little break?" he taunted.

"Why don't you go drive into an EF5, Scott," you snapped.

He merely laughed. "Next time, you should leave the storm chasing to the adults...and maybe stop listening to intuition instead of science."

"That intuition just saved my ass," Tyler growled.

"And mine," Boone added.

"Intuition," you said softly. "The one thing you've always wanted but will never have."

Scott glared at you. "Maybe this is the right group for you, (Y/N). You never were on my level."

"You've got that backwards, Scott. You were never on mine."

A chorus of "ooos" went up around you, sparking a smirk to cross your face.

"Screw you, (Y/L/N)."

"I'm sure you'd like to." You gave him a teasing wave as he sped off, middle finger hanging out the window.

"You handled that very well," Tyler said softly.

You smiled. "I guess I just got tired of his shit."

"Personally, I thought it was pretty hot," Boone commented.

You laughed, along with Lily and Dani, while Tyler and Dexter groaned.

"Come on kids. Let's go get a drink."

"And food?" Boone asked hopefully. "I'm starving."

"Since you just survived a very harrowing experience, I think we can manage to scrounge up some food for you," you teased.

He grinned and gave you a kiss on the cheek before climbing back into the passenger seat of Tyler's truck.

Tyler's gaze lingered on you for a moment before he went back to his truck...a gaze that didn't go unnoticed by Lily.

"I saw that," she whispered once you were both back in your truck.

"You saw what?"

"The way he looked at you."

"It's called gratitude, Lily. Nothing more."

"I love you, but you are blind as hell. You both are."

You just shook your head and started the car, trying desperately to ignore the pit in your stomach that had formed the moment you'd lost sight of Tyler's truck in the storm...

**********

The team had made it through a round of drinks and appetizers before their meals hit the table. Adrenaline did wonders for one's appetite.

You'd managed to find a large booth in the bar across the street from your motel. You sat between Boone and Tyler, and the other three sat across from you. Lily's gaze was focused very heavily on you to the point where you kicked her under the table to get her to back off.

After everyone had shoveled down their meals and gotten another round of drinks in, Dani announced she wanted to play pool. Dexter and Boone immediately offered to join her, and Lily said she'd try her hand at it before following them to the tables at the other end of the bar.

"You don't wanna play?" Tyler asked.

"I suck at pool and you know it."

He chuckled softly. "You really are terrible at it."

You shot him a glare, but his warm expression softened yours instantly. "I'm glad you're okay," you whispered.

"Thanks to you, Lightning."

"And Lily. Mostly Lily."

He shook his head. "I should have listened to you right away. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize. I probably sounded overprotective."

"Your instincts are always spot on. I shouldn't have ignored them."

"It's alright, T. You and Boone are fine. That's all that matters."

He was quiet for a moment, as if contemplating his next words very carefully. "I'm glad it was Boone riding with me today. I don't know what I would have done if it had been you."

"The same thing you did today. Nothing would have changed."

Tyler gave you a long, strange look. "I would have been terrified, Lightning. Absolutely terrified."

"Why?"

"I can handle putting myself in danger or even dying, but I don't like the idea of putting any of you in that situation, you least of all. If something happened to you?" His eyes closed and he breathed deeply. "I don't know what I would do."

You grabbed his hand and squeezed it, prompting him to look you in the eyes. "I know the feeling. I was scared out of my mind today, Tyler. More afraid than I've been in a very long time."

He scanned your face as if looking for something. You couldn't tell if he found it or not, but his expression changed back to the easy cockiness you were used to. "Wanna dance, darlin'?"

You couldn't help the surprise that crossed your face at the sudden change of topic. "What?"

He just grinned at you. "Dance with me."

You nodded slowly, letting him pull you out of the booth and to the dance floor. Tyler had never asked you to dance before and to be honest, you didn't think he even liked dancing.

You, however, loved to dance. You'd danced with every other member of the team and plenty of strangers. You were never ashamed to dance alone either. Music spoke to your soul in the same way storms did, and you'd always lost yourself in both.

You were surprised by Tyler's movements as he moved to the rhythm of the upbeat song. "I didn't know you could dance," you teased.

"You never asked."

"I've danced at every bar we've ever been to," you countered. "I don't think you've ever joined in!"

"I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of an expert."

You laughed. "I'm not expert, I just love it."

He grabbed your hand and spun you around a few times before spinning you into him. "Perhaps I just like to watch you move. It's one of the few times I see you look truly free."

He spun you away from him again before you could comment. You'd never noticed him watching you dance and his admission surprised you.

The song changed to a slower, more sensual beat, and Tyler pulled you into him, back against his front. You swayed your hips to the beat, trying to steady your heartbeat as Tyler's hands rested on them.

You felt his body moving sensually against yours--the feeling more intoxicating than you'd ever imagined. You felt his lips graze your temple before spinning you around to face him.

You couldn't look up at him, eyes focusing instead on his slightly exposed chest. He moved your body slowly with his, swaying to the rhythm of the music.

"Sweetheart," he said softly. "Look at me."

It took all your willpower to look up at him without panicking. He was looking at you with an expression you'd never seen before, and it made you breathless.

His eyes swept lovingly across your face as his right hand lifted to cup your cheek. "You're so beautiful," he whispered.

You inhaled sharply, surprised as much by the tenderness in his voice as the words. "Ty..."

"Can I kiss you?" he murmured, his voice little more than a plea.

You didn't trust your voice, so you simply nodded.

He lowered his mouth to yours, pressing his lips against yours with a gentleness you didn't expect. It was a soft kiss at first, but as you responded to it, he nipped at your bottom lip, tongue pressing firmly against your lips, begging for entry. You parted your lips, allowing him to deepen the kiss as he explored your mouth.

You wrapped your arms around his neck, fingers gripping at the short hairs at the base of his neck. His left arm had wrapped around you, pulling you tightly against him, right hand cradling your face.

You had no idea how long the kiss lasted. It felt as if time stopped and the world around you ceased to exist. It was only the two of you and the moment you shared.

When you finally parted, you were both breathless. It was evident from his expression he didn't have an interest in stopping, and neither did you. You would have kissed him on that dance floor all night long.

He kissed you again, but it was over too soon for your liking. "Tyler," you whimpered as he pulled away.

He chuckled softly. "I don't wanna stop either, baby, but if we don't, I'm liable to make a bit of a scene on this dance floor."

You grinned. "What kind of scene?"

He leaned in close, lips a hair's breadth away from yours. "The X-rated kind."

You brushed your lips against his. "I'm down if you are."

His responding grin warmed your heart. "As hot as that would be, I'd rather not share you with the rest of this bar."

"Well then I guess it's a good thing our motel is right across the street."

He groaned softly. "Thank god." He pulled away, but you could see in his gaze he didn't want to. "Lemme just pay the tab."

"Oh, I gotta pay mine too."

The look he gave you halted you in your tracks. "I'm taking you to bed, Lightning. I'm paying your tab."

You laughed lightly and watched him walk away. Your gaze lingered on his very nice ass for a moment before flickering away in search of your team.

You met Lily's eyes across the room and the grin she gave you told you she'd seen everything. She pulled out her phone and typed for a few moments. Unsurprisingly, yours dinged the moment she looked back up.

Lily: YOU KISSED TYLER!

You: Technically, he kissed me.

Lily: Whatever! YOU KISSED!!! I told you he liked you!

You: Yeah, yeah. You can gloat later...we're going back to the motel. ;)

Lily: You can bet your ass I will! Have fun and don't do anything I wouldn't do.

You: Is there anything you wouldn't do?

Lily: Nope :D <3

You met your best friend's gaze again and she was grinning ear to ear. She gave you a big thumbs up, which sparked your own happy smile.

"Whatcha smilin' at, sweetheart?" Tyler asked, appearing beside you.

You looked up at him with a warm expression. "You."

"Mhmm." His tone told you he knew exactly what had made you smile, or rather whom.

"Walk me home?" you teased lightly.

He grinned. "It would be an honor, milady."

You laughed at his attempt at a proper British accent. "Stick to your normal accent, babe. It's hotter."

He smirked. "You think my accent's hot?"

You groaned as you walked out the door, Tyler right behind you. "I'm gonna regret admitting that, aren't I?"

He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you to a stop. "I don't know, darlin'. Are you?" His voice had deepened and that southern drawl made your knees weak.

"Not if you keep that up," you whispered.

He chuckled as he placed kisses on your neck, nipping gently at the place where your neck met your shoulder.

You let out a soft moan and he tightened his grip on your waist. "We better get moving or I'm gonna lose it."

You smiled. "As much as I'd like to see you lose control, I'd prefer it be in my room and not the parking lot."

He laughed softly and grabbed your hand. He guided you across the street and up the stairs of the motel. His eyes seemed to gleam in the moonlight as he watched you fish out your key and unlock your door.

The second you entered the room and closed the door, Tyler had you pressed against it, lips pressed firmly against yours. You sighed into the kiss, relishing the hard lines of his body beneath your hands.

You made quick work of the buttons on his plaid shirt, pushing it off his shoulders as his lips trailed down your neck. He nipped at your collarbone, earning a breathless moan from you.

Your hands instinctively went to his hair, but his backwards ball cap was in the way. You pulled it off his head and tossed it across the room before tangling your fingers in his dark blonde locks. He let out a soft sound of pleasure as your nails scraped against his scalp.

"Normally I treat my hats with more respect than that, but you're more than welcome to throw 'em around if it means I get to feel your hands in my hair."

You chuckled, tugging lightly on his roots. He groaned lowly in response, and you grinned. "I'll keep that in mind."

He tugged his shirt the rest of the way off before sliding his hands under yours and removing it with a swiftness that surprised you. His eyes trailed down to your bra, but you were too focused on his bare chest to notice.

He leaned forward, aiming to press a kiss to your breast, but you held him at arm's length. "Sweetheart?"

"Hold on," you mumbled. "I'm trying to count your abs."

He laughed and shook his head slowly.

"It's not natural to have that many. It's absurd."

He laughed even harder, hand sliding under your chin to tilt your head up. When your eyes met his, you could see the mischief dancing in them. "You can count them later--after I'm done making you scream my name."

You smirked. "Is that a promise?"

"The screaming or the ab counting?"

You laughed lightly, smacking his chest affectionately. "The screaming, Tyler Owens. I am very interested in forgetting my name...if you think you can manage it."

He grinned wolfishly. "Oh darlin', my name will be the only thing you'll remember."

He didn't allow you to respond before kissing you with even more hunger than before. His hands deftly unclasped your bra and you let it fall to the floor.

Tyler pulled away just enough to look at your bare breasts, a low appreciative whistle escaping his lips. "Now these are the nicest pair I've ever seen." He punctuated his words with a pinch to each of your nipples, which had you arching off the door.

"Ty--"

Whatever you were about to say was cut off by moans as he lowered to take a nipple into his mouth. His hands massaged what his mouth could not, and he listened closely to your breathing to gauge your enjoyment.

After spending a sufficient amount of time appreciating your ample chest, he slid to his knees, mouth trailing kisses down to your abdomen.

He made quick work of removing your jeans, leaving you in nothing but a pair of lacy underwear you suddenly found yourself incredibly glad to be wearing.

"These are nice," he murmured, tracing a finger around the edge of the lace. "Were you expecting something, Lightning?"

His tone was teasing, but you could see a little bit of worry in his eyes. As if you would have wanted to be in this position with anyone but him.

"There's always a part of me that hopes you'll see them," you admitted softly.

His eyes lit up. "Oh? You wear them for me?"

You blushed. "I wear them for me, but...you're the only man I'd want to see them."

Tyler grinned and dipped his finger beneath the lace, hooking it around the crotch panel and tugging down slowly. You watched his hungry gaze as he lowered your underwear to the floor for you to step out of.

He gently traced a finger along the seam of your labia, a groan escaping his throat. "Fuck, baby. You're already soaked."

You blushed and let out a soft whine, desperate for him to actually touch you already. "Ty..."

He chuckled lightly. "Patience, sweetheart." He grabbed your left leg and pulled it over his shoulder, before leaning in to lick a thick stripe up your pussy.

You gasped, one hand going immediately to his hair while the other pressed against the door for balance.

"You taste even better than I imagined."

Every woman wants to hear that, and you were no exception, but you were becoming increasingly impatient. "Tyler, please."

"You gonna keep still for me, darlin'?"

You nodded rapidly.

"Good girl. Now let me enjoy my meal."

You weren't sure what pulled the moan from deep in your chest--his words or the incredible feeling of his tongue delving into your pussy. To be honest, you couldn't be bothered to care.

It was harder than you'd thought to actually stay still. His tongue was exceptionally talented and he had you bucking up against his mouth almost instantly.

He chuckled against your pussy as his hands grabbed your hips and held you firmly in place. He wasn't about to deprive himself of your delicious taste for even a second to admonish you for moving.

As your moans increased in volume and frequency, Tyler found himself loving the sound more than he'd ever thought possible. He knew he would do just about anything to hear them again.

Your grip on his hair tightened and you pulled on it periodically, each time breaking his concentration for a moment. You were still coherent enough to tuck that knowledge away for use at a later time.

"Tyler," you whimpered. "I'm close."

He groaned against you and his grip on your hips tightened to an almost bruising level. He brought all of his focus and effort to your clit, increasingly desperate to feel you come.

Gasps and moans ripped from your mouth as the tension in your abdomen reached a fever pitch. "Please, please, please."

Tyler didn't stop his ministrations--didn't change a single thing. Your legs began to shake and your grip on his hair was painful, but he'd let you rip every last strand out just to hear your moans as you came.

With a final flick of his tongue, you fell over the edge into a brilliant abyss of pleasure unlike anything you'd ever experienced before. The sounds pouring from your mouth were easily the most beautiful sounds he'd ever heard and he never wanted them to stop.

Your thighs were shaking as you came down from your high, Tyler's mouth still fixed on your pussy despite the grip you had on his hair. He finally let you pull him away, if only to prevent you from losing your balance.

He stood up, licking his lips happily as he gazed into your flushed face. His cock was throbbing painfully, but he was happy to ignore it in favor of ensuring your pleasure for every moment.

"If you're that good with your mouth," you started breathlessly, "then I'm intrigued to see what you can do with the rest of your body."

He grinned wickedly. "I'm more than happy to show you."

You smiled. "I thought you might be."

You grabbed his face and pulled him down for a heated kiss. He pressed his body firmly against yours and you could feel his erection pressing into your lower belly.

You palmed him through his jeans, giving him a firm squeeze. He groaned and bucked his hips against your hand. You smirked against his lips as you noted the impressive size beneath your palm.

"Baby," he ground out. "Don't tease me."

"Since you had mercy on me, I suppose I can do the same," you murmured.

You made quick work of removing his belt and unbuttoning his jeans. He helped you remove them, along with his boxers. Before you could see exactly what he was working with, he'd scooped you up in his arms and was carrying you to the bed.

He laid you down gently, climbing on top of you, lips pressed against yours in a hungry kiss. His tongue fought yours for dominance, but you allowed him to win, opting instead to reach for the hard length you could feel pressing against your thigh.

You wrapped your hand around him and began to stroke slowly, adding a little pressure each time you reached the head. Tyler groaned against your lips, clearly enjoying the sensations.

After a few moments, he grabbed your hand, stopping you mid-stroke. "Keep that up and this isn't gonna last nearly as long as I want it to."

You smirked and nipped at his bottom lip. "I didn't realize I had that effect on you."

"How you didn't figure it out is beyond me. I've wanted you with increasing desperation since the day I met you."

You inhaled sharply, surprised by his admission. He didn't want to give you time to respond, especially if you hadn't felt that same attraction, so he used your momentary distraction to brush his cock against your folds.

You both moaned softly, focus returning to the present situation.

"I would have liked to repay the favor, but I don't think I can stand another second without you inside me," you whispered.

Tyler smirked. "The feeling is mutual, baby."

He gripped his cock tightly and lined it up with your entrance. He paused, realizing he was forgetting an important step. "Shit. Do you, uh, do you have a condom?"

You shook your head. "It's okay though. I've got an IUD."

"Are you sure?"

You nodded. "I trust you."

"I'm clean and I haven't been with anyone since I got tested last."

"Same," you confirmed. "So please, if you could fuck me senseless, I would really appreciate it."

Tyler grinned and chuckled breathily. "Your wish is my command."

He knew he was well-endowed and he could see the flicker of worry in your eyes as you stared down at his cock. He didn't want to hurt you, but he knew the moment he felt your warmth around him he'd lose all sense of control.

"I can go slow, sweetheart," he said softly.

Your eyes flicked back up to meet his and you shook your head. "I wanna feel you--all of you. Please."

He nodded and pressed the tip of his cock against your core and slowly slipped into you. He watched your face for any sign of pain or discomfort, but he didn't see any.

"Take a deep breath for me, baby," he whispered.

The moment you inhaled, he thrust into you, filling you so fully you nearly screamed from the stretch alone. You gripped onto his shoulders tightly and gasped his name.

He lowered his head to yours and tried to steady his racing heart. He knew you'd feel good, but he'd never imagined it'd feel like this. "You feel incredible," he murmured. "Made for me, weren't you darlin'?"

"Ty," you whimpered. "Need you to move--please."

He started to move slowly, dragging his cock along your tight walls until he was almost all the way out before plunging back in. The initial discomfort eased as he moved until all you could feel was blinding pleasure.

Tyler watched your face, waiting until your expression morphed to pure ecstasy before shifting his angle. He elevated your hips, tugging both your legs up against his chest as he pounded into you.

You let out a cry of pleasure as his cock brushed against that spot inside you that made you see stars. Your nails dug into his biceps, the only part of him you could reach.

"You feel so good, baby," he ground out. "Squeezing me so tight."

Your eyes snapped shut and your head tilted back as a series of moans and expletives slipped from your lips. You could feel another orgasm building, pleasure so close you could almost taste it.

"Ty, please don't stop," you begged.

"I wouldn't dare."

He knew you were close--could feel it in the way your walls pulsed around him. He continued his pace, hitting your sweet spot with each thrust.

Your grip on his biceps tightened to an almost painful level, nails digging into his flesh so deeply they may draw blood, but he was too lost in the pleasure to care.

"You gonna come for me, sweet girl?" he murmured.

You were past words, only able to manage a rapid nod of your head. The sounds your bodies made mixing with the broken moans coming from both of you, was absolutely the most sinful sound either of you had ever heard. Tyler would have given his last breath to hear those sounds forever.

Your jaw went slack, the only warning Tyler had before he felt the explosion of pleasure rock through your body. Your pussy clenched him so tightly he couldn't move, the force of your orgasm stealing the breath from his lungs.

You clung to him as you came down from your high and he slowly lowered your legs so he could kiss you without breaking you in half. His lips brushed against yours, swallowing the soft panting breaths as they escaped your lips.

"How many more do you think you can give me, Lightning?" he murmured against your soft skin.

"I--I don't know," you answered breathlessly.

"Well then, let's find out." His tone was dominant, but you knew he wouldn't do anything you didn't want him to. If you asked him to stop, he'd do it in a heartbeat.

You nodded your agreement, earning a wicked smile from his handsome face. He slipped out of you and the sudden emptiness almost made you cry. Tyler noticed instantly and he cooed softly, "Aww, don't worry, baby. I'm not going anywhere."

His strong, callused hands stroked your sides before gripping your hips tightly and flipping you onto your stomach. You gasped in surprise, but immediately lifted your hips for him as if on instinct.

He chuckled softly. "Such a good girl, aren't you sweetheart? You know just what to do."

You shook your hips and whimpered softly, signaling your need to the man now hovering behind you. You felt his hand trail down your spine, leaving goosebumps in his wake. When his hand reached your ass, he smacked it--hard enough to get a reaction, but not hard enough to really hurt you.

You moaned loudly at the pleasurable feeling and pushed your hips back towards him, desperate for him to touch you again.

"Oh you like that, pretty girl?" He smacked your ass again. "You like it when I spank you?" Another smack.

"Yes!" you gasped out between moans.

Tyler chuckled and gave you one more spank before sheathing himself in your warm heat without warning. Your cries mixed with his low groan as he bottomed out.

"Fuck, baby. So goddamn tight."

You pushed back against him and wiggled your hips, a broken "please" escaping your lips.

He couldn't resist your begging tone even if he wanted to. He set a brutal pace, pounding into you like he'd never get to do it again. He held your hips so tightly there was no doubt there'd be bruises there in the morning.

"So deep," you cried out between moans. "'s so good."

Tyler wanted to feel you come again, but he had a feeling you'd need a little extra stimulation this time. His right hand slid down your back until he could wrap it around your throat. Using it as leverage, along with the arm he slipped around your middle, he pulled you up so your back pressed against his chest.

You gasped, head falling back against him, exposing your neck to him as your heavily lidded eyes met his. He brushed his lips to your shoulder, then your neck, then your cheek--hips never faltering, hold never slipping.

"I need you to come again for me, baby."

You whimpered in response, but made no move to stop him as his dominant hand lowered to your throbbing clit. He maintained a grip on your throat, firm but gentle, while his other hand slowly massaged your clit.

The moans that fell from your lips were like music to his ears, along with the half-gasped whimpers of his name. "Let go for me, sweet girl. I've got you."

You lifted one arm to wrap around his head, entwining your fingers into his hair. You held onto him as best you could as your orgasm ravaged your body.

Tyler groaned as you tugged his hair, teeth nipping at your pulse point while he helped you ride out your high. He knew if he let go of you, you'd fall flat on your face, so he lowered you very gently to the bed before rolling you back over to look up at him.

"You look so beautiful like this," he whispered.

A soft blush bloomed across your cheeks, somehow only making you more beautiful. He wished he could take a picture of this moment, but he'd have to settle for the memory instead.

He lowered his lips down to yours and you met him with surprising intensity. You held on to the back of his neck and tugged at his hair as your tongues intertwined. You brushed your soaking core against his painfully hard length, and he groaned into the kiss.

"Want you to come too," you whimpered against his lips.

"Only if you come with me."

Your eyes widened as you pulled away from him. "I don't think I can."

"Will you try for me, pretty girl?"

You bit your lip, but you nodded slowly. "I'll try."

He grinned, nudging his nose against yours affectionately. "That's my girl."

He slowly slid back into you, starting his medium pace immediately. Your breath mingled with his, lips never more than a couple inches apart. He was supporting himself entirely on his arms, which were caged around you.

Unlike the previous positions, this felt unhurried, gentle...loving. You lost yourself in his blue-green eyes, gaze never leaving your face.

Tyler wanted to see you fall apart this time--really see you. He wanted to see all those little micro-expressions of pleasure--pleasure he was giving you.

To your surprise, you could feel the familiar tightening in your lower belly, feel the ache that always preceded an orgasm. Your hands were soft against his velvet-smooth skin as you traced the muscles up and down his back.

"Tyler..." you whispered, brushing your lips against his again.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Wanna come with you."

He kissed you gently. "Tell me what you need."

"Just don't stop," you begged softly.

His lips brushed your forehead. "Never."

You weren't sure if it was the passion of the moment or the heightened sensitivity from multiple orgasms, or maybe a mixture of both, but you were already teetering on the edge of bliss. Your nails dug into his back and your moans became louder--a subtle signal of your impending orgasm.

"I can feel you tensing, sweet girl. I know you're close." He kissed you again, tasting the moans that left your lips.

Your entire body began to shake and your breathing was ragged as you held tightly to Tyler like he was the only thing keeping you tied to earth.

Tyler was on the edge too...barely able to hold back the orgasm he'd been fighting for several minutes. It was taking almost all of his focus not to come before you did.

"Need you to come with me, (Y/N)," he begged. "Please, baby."

Hearing Tyler Owens beg was one of the sexiest things you'd ever heard, and it had you falling into an ocean of pleasure you might very well drown in.

Your mouth opened in a silent scream as you fell apart, Tyler's strong hands and whispered words the only things holding you together.

Your name escaped his lips like a prayer on repeat as he came, filling you with his seed. You clung to each other in the moments after the pleasure began to fade, neither of you willing to part just yet.

Tyler's large, toned body collapsed onto yours, pinning you beneath him as you both tried to catch your breath.

"Am I hurting you?" he mumbled.

"No."

"Good...because I don't think I can move."

You chuckled lightly, feeling his responding chuckle rumble against your chest.

Your fingers ran through his hair, gently messaging his scalp as you held him close to you. If you were being honest, you didn't want him to move...at least not anytime soon.

After several minutes, Tyler finally pulled himself up and you grumbled softly, wishing you could hold him a little while longer.

He chuckled as he looked down at you. "I'm coming right back, sweetheart. Just gonna grab something to clean you up with."

You watched him walk to the bathroom and return moments later with a warm, wet washcloth. He was gentle as he cleaned up the mess between your legs before wiping himself off and collapsing on the bed beside you.

"C'mere," he murmured, pulling you towards him. You obliged, laying your head on his chest and letting out a happy little sigh.

Tyler smiled as he placed a kiss to the top of your head, pulling you even closer despite how hot his skin felt.

"What're we gonna tell the team?" you asked softly, unsure if you really wanted the answer.

His responding chuckle made you smile. "Pretty sure they already know, darlin'. Especially if Lily's expression when we left the bar was anything to go by."

You blushed as you looked up at him. "So you're okay with this?"

Tyler could see the flicker of worry in your eyes and he wanted to assuage it immediately. "If by this you mean, telling every single person I see that you're my girl, then yes."

It was your turn to chuckle. "I think I like that."

He smiled. "Yeah? You like being my girl?"

You pulled yourself up to kiss him sweetly. "I like it very much."

The department store was crowded, but what store wasn’t during this time of year? Christmas was next month, after all.

You were currently in the ornament aisle of the store, practically shoulder to shoulder with Tyler and an elderly woman that was standing to the left side of you. While you felt a little bad for dragging your boyfriend here after he just finished a rather grueling chase yesterday and likely still needed to rest, Tyler was still a pretty festive guy. And the chances of there being another tornado for the next few months was unlikely, so he would have lots of time to rest. 

And he didn’t even look annoyed or irritated at the moment, even though you had been in this aisle for about fifteen minutes now. His arm was slung around your waist as your eyes flickered all over the various boxes of Christmas tree ornaments, an active debate going on in your head as you thought about what theme you wanted to go for this year. 

This would be yours and Tyler’s first Christmas together, alone that is. You’d been together for almost three years, and the first year you had spent the holiday with your own families, and the second year with all of them together, but this year it was just you and him. Tyler’s family is going on a vacation this year, so you and he spent last weekend with them, and your mom was taking care of your dad since he just had surgery on his leg, so it wasn’t really a good year for them. Though you were planning on stopping by a few days after Christmas. 

With that being said, this was the first year it was just you and Tyler, and you’d be lying if you said you weren’t so excited to spend the holiday with him. 

“No rush, babe, but is there a reason we’ve been standin’ here for over ten minutes?” he asked after watching you glance between two different boxes over and over again. “Again, no rush at all, but…someone’s grandma is looking a little pissed off.”

When you looked to your left and saw the elderly woman glaring at you, your hand came up to cover your mouth as you tried to hold in a laugh. “She has a valid reason,” you said, leaning more into your boyfriend’s side to give her a little more room. “This time of year is…stressful for everyone.” 

Tyler hummed in agreement, wrapping his arm tighter around you as he leaned down to press a kiss to the top of your head. “True…but I don’t think pickin’ out what to put on the tree is very stressful,” he teases, “Or at least it’s not supposed to be.”

You laughed quietly, watching as the woman grabbed a box of all red ornaments before briskly leaving the aisle. “I don’t know which ones I want,” you whined, pulling him back to where you were before. “I don’t know if we should do red and green, or white and gold, or white, gold and red.” 

Tyler laughed under his breath as he looked at the multitude of different colored ornaments on the shelves. “Well, we have a pretty big tree, why don’t we do a mix of all of them? And maybe we can add some random ones here and there. We still have the ornament my mom got us last year to put on too, remember?”

“Oh yeah,” you smiled, looking back at him. His mom had gotten you a cute ornament that said both yours and Tyler’s names on the brims of a Santa hat that two penguins were wearing, and you were kind of obsessed with it. “That’s actually a really cute idea. You’re better at this than I thought you’d be.”

Tyler smirked, wrapping his arm around your waist again as he pulled you back against his side. “I love Christmas, you know that,” 

You nodded, wrapping both your arms around his middle as you leaned your head against his chest. “I know you do,” you hummed, “But most guys don’t.”

“Baby, I think we’ve long since discovered that I’m not like most guys,” he grunted, reaching for both the big boxes of the red and green ornaments, leaving you to grab the smaller box that held both white and gold ones. 

When he gestured for you to finally leave the aisle, you rolled your eyes. “Must you always show off?” you huffed, grabbing the smaller box before following after him. 

“In front of you?” he grinned, “Always.”

-

“Pick a movie already,” you groaned, worried that the candy cane hot chocolate you had made for both you and Tyler would be stone cold by the time a film was even chosen. The living room was only lit up by the recently put up Christmas tree in the corner, an array of ornaments scattered on its branches, and you’d be lying if you said you didn’t think it was one of the cutest and prettiest things you had ever seen. 

Tyler turned around from where he was hunched over the fake fireplace. The remote had been lost a long time ago, so whenever either of you wanted it on, you had to get onto your knees and hit the button manually. 

The look he gave you had you cackling as you draped the big throw blanket your mom got you a few years ago across your body. “I did,” he said, “Two of them, actually. You said no to both.”

You laughed and sipped on your drink. “The Grinch is so overrated, and Home Alone is so overplayed,” you mumbled, placing your whole palm around your mug to warm your hand. “We watch it, like, five times every December.”

Tyler, once he turned the fireplace on, stood up and towered over you, his hands on his hips. His red and green Christmas pyjama pants he was wearing made your smile grow, even though you were wearing matching ones, complete with Max from The Grinch scattered all over the fabric. “Because it’s a classic,” he defended his choice of movie as he moved towards the couch. “And it’s good. Your choice was awful, but you don’t hear me complainin’, do you?”

His words weren’t harsh at all but rather teasing as he grabbed his own mug before sitting next to you and leaning over to kiss your cheek when you draped the blanket over him as well. “Love Actually is good,” you muttered, bringing the rim of your mug up to your mouth again. 

Tyler laughed, reaching for the remote with his free hand. “Babe, it’s barely a Christmas movie,”

“Okay, you have not seen it enough times to be able to say that,” you said and Tyler grunted. 

“Alright, fine, it doesn’t feel like a Christmas movie,” he corrected himself as he flipped through the Holiday section on Netflix. “How about…this one?”

You looked up and saw that he was hovering over Four Christmases, and your lips curved into a smile. “Okay,” you answered, cuddling close to him while being careful not to spill your drink. 

When the opening scene started, Tyler turned his head and nuzzled his nose against your temple. “We should do that,” he murmured, draping his arm around your shoulder as he pulled you closer to his side. 

“What?” you laughed, your eyes still on the TV but your focus was almost entirely on your boyfriend. 

“You know…roleplay,” he said, and your face heated up as you looked over at him, seeing the mischievous look in his eyes you were very used to by now. 

“Roleplay?” you echoed, tilting your head back to get a better look at his handsome face. “You wanna call me a bitch, hmm? And tell me you hate my earrings?”

Tyler’s face heated up now and he quickly shook his head. “No, that’s not what I meant,” he rushed out, but you just laughed and draped your legs over his under the blanket. “I just meant, like…you know, pretendin’ we don’t know each other, only for me to kiss you in front of a room full of people like it’s the only thing I want to do for the rest of my life.”

You bit your lip and pressed your cheek against his shoulder, running the tip of your nose along his jawline. “You already do that,” you murmured, “Kiss me in a room full of people. What would be different?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged, leaning down to press a kiss to your forehead before pressing his own against it. “We could make it like our first date all over again. I could act all cool and confident, when really I was already fallin’ head over heels for you, and you could pretend you aren’t completely obsessed with me already and just dyin’ to hear more of my storm chasin’ stories.”

You scoffed, pulling back to lightly slap his shoulder. “You’re so full of it,” you shook your head before moving closer to him again. “It wasn’t your stories that drew me in, it was you. Just you.”

Tyler smiled down at you before leaning in and pressing a firm kiss to your mouth. “Everythin’ about you drew me in,” he mumbled against your lips. “Your eyes, your laugh, your smile…and those tight jeans you were wearing definitely did somethin’ to me.”

You rolled your eyes and placed your hand flat against his face, pushing him away from you. “Once again, you’re full of it,” you muttered, quickly pulling your hand away from him when his tongue poked out and licked your palm. “And disgusting.”

Tyler laughed, and the sound made your mouth curve upwards in a smile as you turned your gaze back to the movie. “You love it,”

-

Christmas Day always seemed to creep up on you ever since you became an adult, unlike how it seemed to take forever to arrive when you were a kid. 

With that being said, it was just as exciting as it was when you were younger. Back then, you, like any other kid, loved receiving gifts, but now that you are older, you love giving them out. 

Okay, maybe you go a bit overboard every year, but your mom could always use another mug, and your dad could always upgrade his housecoat. And Tyler could always stock up on that piney, sexy cologne you fucking love. 

When you woke up on the 25th of December, alone and cold in your bed, you groaned and grabbed Tyler’s Tor-nae-do hoodie and shrugged it over your shoulders, the grey fabric matching well with your Grinch pajamas. 

You left the room and walked down the stairs, hearing the faint sound of Christmas music playing from the living room. When you entered the room, you found Tyler sitting on the couch, his laptop placed on his thighs and his legs kicked up on the coffee table as he scrolled through the comments on an old upload. 

“Working on Christmas?” you asked with a tired grin, crossing your arms as you leaned against the doorway. 

Tyler looked over at you, his handsome grin forming on his lips as he closed his laptop, instantly giving you his full attention like he always did. “Someone has to,” he teased, setting it aside as he leaned back on the couch. “Kinda hard to make money when you’re in bed and sleepin’ all morning.”

You scoffed and rolled your eyes, pushing off the wall when he reached his hand out to you. “It’s only ten thirty,” you mumbled, crawling onto his lap as you snuggled up on his chest. “And yeah, yeah…you’re the breadwinner out of the two of us. I know that.” 

Tyler hummed as he pressed a kiss to the top of your head, his arms wrapping around your body as he held you against him. “That’s not true and you know it,” he murmured, dipping his head down to nuzzle his face against your neck. “Merry Christmas, baby.”

You smiled, closing your eyes as you pressed a soft kiss to his jaw. “Merry Christmas, Ty,” you said back, sitting up on his lap and placing your hands on his chest. “What do you say? I make breakfast, we sit for a bit, then open presents? Maybe after we can have a nap too…you kept me up late last night.”

Tyler smirked, shrugging a bit as he ran his hands up your back, under his hoodie. “What can I say? I know how to celebrate a holiday,” he grinned, then sat up a bit. “How ‘bout presents first? I got you somethin’ I’ve been dying to see you open for weeks now.”

One of your brows raised as you let out a soft hum. “Weeks, huh?” you echoed, a small smile forming on your lips. “Alright, we’ll do presents first.”

“Okay,” he immediately agreed, his hands giving your hips a gentle squeeze. “Open mine first. It’s right there, under the tree.” he nodded towards the corner of the living room, the Christmas tree lit up in a soft, warm tone, and under it was a small, surprisingly well wrapped box. 

“Okay,” you said, getting off his lap to retrieve the box, and one of the gifts you got him. You walked back over to him and sat down on the couch beside him, rather than on top of him again, and placed your gift for him on his lap. “Remember, we said we weren’t going to go overboard since it’s just us this year, right? You remember that?”

Tyler grinned and draped his arm around your shoulders. “Babe, just open it,” he laughed, his other hand wrapping around one of your thighs to pull you closer to him.

You laughed quietly too, draping your legs over his lap. As your fingers began ripping at the wrapping paper, you noticed that Tyler began to shift beside you, but he only gestured for you to keep going when you looked over at him. “Are you okay?” you asked, glancing up at him again as you pulled off the rest of the paper. “You’re acting kinda weird or anxious or-”

You cut yourself off when you opened a small box, and you quickly looked down to see what was in it. When your eyes caught sight of the princess cut ring that was sitting on the velvet cushion inside the box, your throat closed up as a soft gasp left your mouth. 

“Ty,” you murmured, your eyes burning a bit with unshed tears as you tore your gaze off the stunning ring to look over at him. 

Tyler looked less nervous now as his fingers ran up and down your thigh, his eyes wide but his face relaxed. “Baby,” he said back, reaching up to caress your jaw in his hand. “I love you. More than anythin’ in the world. You know that.”

You nodded quickly, your hands shaking a bit as you looked between him and the ring in the box. “Yeah,” you whispered, gripping his arm tightly with the hand that wasn’t holding the box. 

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” Tyler rasped, taking the ring out of the box as he held it between his fingers. “I want to marry you, babe. I want everythin’ with you, forever.”

Your cheeks heated up in a blush, your eyes filling with tears as you moved closer to him. “I want that too,” 

“Yeah?” Tyler grinned, taking your left hand in his as he held the ring up to you. “Will you marry me, baby?”

You were nodding before he even finished asking the question, your arms thrown around his shoulders as you pressed a deep kiss to his mouth. “Tyler, oh my God,” you mumbled against his mouth, your voice muffled by his lips. “Yes.”

Tyler laughed against your lips, his arms wrapping tightly around you as he pressed multiple kisses to your mouth. Neither of you knew how long had passed before you finally broke the kiss and pulled back so he could slide the ring onto your finger, and already you were absolutely obsessed with it. 

“It’s so beautiful, Ty,” you said quietly as you gazed down at the new addition to your left hand. 

“Yeah? I tried findin’ the prettiest one because you’re the prettiest girl,” he smirked, running his hand up and down your spine as you snuggled up against his side. “This one will have to do.”

You scoffed and shook your head, nuzzling your face against the side of his neck. “It’s perfect,” you mumbled, kissing his shoulder. “I love it. I don’t even want you to open my gift now because you’ve given me the best one by far. I feel cheap.”

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you it’s bad luck- “

“For the groom to see the bride on their wedding day, I know, I know, but I had to see you.” His voice grows louder with each silent step he takes until he’s standing directly in front of you. Less than a half-inch of woven wood acts as the only barrier to his line of sight.

“Well, you can’t!” You chide, your tone is light but firm.

“I…” He hesitates, unconsciously kicking his feet against the soft carpet, and tentatively you peek around the divider to watch as he considers his words. For all that he has done, the leading, the strategising, the saving the world over and over, Bruce has never been good at speaking from the heart. It’s another trait you’ve learned to love, it means that when he does, he really means it.

“Yes, Bruce?” Careful to expose as little of your attire as possible, you tilt your head around the screen to peek at him.

“I brought you something. Your something borrowed, or old. I don't know but it would mean the world to me if you would wear them. If you could, that is.” You watch as he draws his hands from his pockets, ever so carefully and composedly revealing a string of shining ivory pearls. They are not wrapped or boxed, too beautifully delicate and familiar to warrant any eccentricities. You’d seen them a million times before, but never would you have considered having them situated around your own neck. They were far too important to Bruce for that.

“Are those… your mothers?” He nods in reply, leaning closer as he stretches his open hand to you. Hesitantly, you meet his hand in the middle, ghosting your fingers across the smooth gemstones, too cautious to take them.  

“My parents, their legacy…” Bruce goes on, his voice is so deep, so close to your ear it almost makes you lightheaded. “For the longest time I thought Gotham was the only thing that could compare with regards to who or what I care about but then Dick came along, then Barbara and Jason, and so on. Before I’d even noticed it, I cared about so much. My heart was practically full.”

“Awh, you’re such a softie Bruce.” You tease. Dusky pink builds in his cheeks as he chuckles, smile growing when his eyes lock onto your own grin. Simultaneously, his free hand clasps over your own, pressing your bare hands into his mother’s necklace before he continues.

“Almost full.” He states. “There was just enough room left for you. The last piece. You complete me and I couldn’t possibly know what my parents would think about all this, of you, but I like to believe they would approve, that they would want this. Want what makes me happy.”

“And wearing these, what would make you happy?” You ask.

“Exceedingly.” He confirms.

“Then how could I say no.”

His breath hitches, eyes examining every inch of you appreciatively as you step out from behind the divider, as if he hadn’t already committed whatever view he’d caught of you in the mirror to memory. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you, you don’t look too shabby yourself.” As you speak, you turn away from him, somewhat awkwardly with your hands still linked, until your back is to his chest. He gets the point quickly, unlinking your fingers and ghosting his strong, warm fingers over your shoulders before unclasping the pendant you’d planned to wear for the ceremony until a moment prior.

“Mrs Wayne.” You sigh quietly, watching through the vanity reflection in the corner as Bruce carefully readorns your neck. “Those are gonna be some big shoes to fill.”

Seattle Grace was chaotic on a good day, and today was anything but good. The ER was packed, and Alex was already over it, feeling the familiar irritation building in his chest as he stalked through the hospital corridors. He had patients to deal with, charts piling up, and he was pretty sure someone had taken the last cup of coffee in the break room. As he turned the corner, he almost ran straight into someone a figure with a lab coat far too big for her frame, clutching a stack of files like her life depended on it. She stumbled back, her eyes wide with panic. “Watch it!” Alex snapped out of reflex, his mood getting the best of him. But then he actually looked at her.

She was new, he could tell. Probably an intern, though she barely looked like she belonged in a hospital at all. She had soft features and the most nervous expression he’d ever seen. Her hands fidgeted with the files, and she looked like she wanted to disappear into the floor. “I’m so sorry!” she managed to get out, her voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t mean to-uh, I’m just-I’ll move-“ Alex raised an eyebrow, his annoyance fading into something else. He wasn’t used to seeing people this timid around here. Most of the interns were cocky, desperate to prove themselves. This one? She looked like she’d rather hide in a broom closet than face another minute of hospital chaos.

“What’s your name?” Alex asked, his tone less sharp than usual. “Y/N” she said quickly, blinking up at him. “I just started last week. I’m still figuring things out”. He could tell. She was still clutching the files like they were going to escape, and she wasn’t meeting his gaze for more than a second at a time. Alex was used to being intimidating, but something about her made him dial it back, just a little. “Yeah, well, you might want to figure out where you’re going before you run into people” he said, but the edge in his voice was gone. “What department are you in?” “I’m supposed to be in pediatrics today” she said, glancing down at the files as if they might hold the answer. “But I got lost, and-” “Peds?” Alex interrupted, suddenly interested. “That’s my department. Come on, I’ll show you where it is”.

“Her eyes widened in surprise, and she nodded quickly, scurrying after him as he led the way. Alex wasn’t sure why he’d offered to help, but something about her made him want to keep an eye on her. She looked too fragile, too sweet for a place like Seattle Grace. And for some reason, he didn’t want her to get chewed up by the hospital like so many others.

Over the next few weeks, Y/N kept popping up in Alex’s orbit. She was quiet, always doing her work with a shy determination, never drawing attention to herself. Most of the time, she was shadowing other attendings, but every now and then, Alex would catch her watching him, her eyes wide with curiosity. He couldn’t help but notice the way she treated her patients, especially the kids. She was gentle, kind, always smiling softly as she spoke to them. It was the kind of bedside manner Alex knew he didn’t have, but it was also the kind that worked. The kids loved her, and even the parents seemed to relax when she was around.

One day, after a particularly long surgery, Alex found her in the break room, sitting in a corner with a cup of tea and a medical textbook. She looked up when he walked in, her eyes widening slightly as if she hadn’t expected anyone else to be there. “Hey” Alex said, grabbing a cup of coffee and sitting across from her. He didn’t know why he sat down, but there was something calming about her presence. “How’s it going?” “Oh, um, good” she replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear nervously. “Just, you know… studying”. “Yeah, I can see that”. Alex took a sip of his coffee, eyeing her over the rim of his cup. “You’ve been in peds a lot lately”. She nodded, her cheeks turning pink under his scrutiny. “I like working with the kids. They’re… easier to talk to, I guess”. Alex raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Easier than the attendings?” She let out a soft laugh, the sound like music to his ears. “Sometimes”. For the first time, she seemed to relax a little, her shoulders loosening as they sat in companionable silence. Alex was used to small talk, to people trying to impress him or challenge him, but Y/N didn’t seem to be interested in any of that. She was content to just sit there, sipping her tea and reading her book. It was..nice.

The more Alex saw of Y/N, the more he found himself drawn to her. There was something about the way she moved through the hospital, quietly competent but never cocky, that intrigued him. She was nothing like the people he usually gravitated toward, but maybe that was exactly why he couldn’t get her out of his head. One afternoon, after a particularly tough case involving a young girl with a chronic illness, Alex found Y/N sitting by the window in the peds ward. The sunlight streamed through the glass, casting a soft glow on her as she stared out at the city below. “Hey” Alex said, walking over and leaning against the wall beside her. “You alright?” She looked up at him, her eyes filled with an emotion he couldn’t quite place. “It’s just… hard sometimes, you know?” Alex knew exactly what she meant. Pediatrics could be brutal. You got attached to the kids, and sometimes, no matter what you did, it wasn’t enough.

“Yeah” he said quietly, his voice softer than usual. “It is”. They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of the day pressing down on both of them. Alex wasn’t used to talking about this stuff, he usually kept his walls up, kept his emotions locked away. But something about Y/N made him feel like he didn’t have to. Like she wouldn’t judge him for having a bad day, for caring too much.

“I don’t know how you do it” Y/N said after a while, her voice barely a whisper. “You’re so strong. I feel like I’m always on the verge of falling apart”. Alex glanced at her, surprised by the raw honesty in her voice. “You’re stronger than you think” he said, his tone firm. “You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t”. She looked up at him, her eyes wide and vulnerable. For a moment, Alex thought she might cry, but instead, she smiled a soft, shy smile that made his heart skip a beat “Thanks” she whispered, and Alex felt something inside him shift.

It wasn’t long before everyone in the hospital started noticing the change in Alex. He was still his usual sarcastic, tough self, but there was a new softness to him, a gentleness that hadn’t been there before. And it didn’t take long for people to figure out why. “You’ve been spending a lot of time with the new intern” Meredith remarked one afternoon, her voice teasing as she leaned against the nurses’ station. “Something you want to share?” Alex shot her a look, but there was no heat behind it. “She’s just..different”. “Different, huh?” Meredith smirked. “Alex Karev has a crush on the sweet, shy intern. Who would’ve thought?”He rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t deny it. Y/N was different, and the more time he spent with her, the more he realized just how much she meant to him. It wasn’t just that she was sweet, or shy, or that she had a way with the kids. It was the way she saw the world, quietly, thoughtfully, with a kindness that Alex had never really experienced before. She made him feel like he didn’t have to be the tough guy all the time, like it was okay to just be… himself.And that was something Alex hadn’t felt in a long time.

One evening, after a long shift, Alex found Y/N sitting outside the hospital, her face tilted up toward the fading sunlight. He sat down beside her, their shoulders brushing as they watched the sky change from orange to pink. “Long day?” he asked, his voice low. “Yeah” she replied softly. “But it’s getting better”. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the world fading away as the sun dipped below the horizon. For once, Alex didn’t feel the need to fill the silence with words. Being with Y/N was enough. And as he sat there, feeling her warmth beside him, Alex realized something: he didn’t want to keep her at arm’s length anymore.

“Y/N” he said quietly, turning to look at her. “I like spending time with you”. She looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. “You do?” Alex nodded, feeling a little unsteady, but he was never one to shy away from saying what he meant. “Yeah, I do. You’re… different from anyone I’ve met before. In a good way”.

Y/N’s cheeks flushed pink, and she glanced down, her fingers playing nervously with the hem of her scrub top. “I… I like spending time with you too” she admitted, her voice soft but sincere. “I didn’t think you’d even notice me, honestly”. Alex frowned, confused by her words. “Why wouldn’t I notice you?” She shrugged, still not looking up. “I’m not exactly… outgoing or confident. I just figured someone like you wouldn’t-well, wouldn’t be interested in someone like me”. Alex shifted closer, leaning in so that their knees were almost touching. “What do you mean, ‘someone like me’? You’re a great doctor, and you’re good with the kids. Who cares if you’re not loud or whatever?”

Y/N finally looked up, her eyes searching his. “It’s just… you’re so confident, Alex. You’re tough. I’m nothing like that”. Alex let out a small laugh, but there was no mockery in it, just a hint of disbelief. “You think I’m confident? Half the time, I’m just winging it, same as everyone else”. Her eyes softened, like she was seeing him in a new light. “But you don’t seem like it. You always look like you have everything under control”.

“Yeah, well, that’s just a mask” Alex said, his voice lowering as he leaned back against the bench. “I didn’t grow up with a lot of control, so I learned how to fake it. Doesn’t mean I don’t have my own doubts”. Y/N seemed to process that for a moment, her brow furrowing in thought. “I didn’t know…” Alex shrugged, not wanting to get too deep into his past, but he didn’t mind sharing a little with her. “Everyone’s got stuff they don’t talk about. But you-” he paused, glancing at her with a small smile, “-you don’t need to pretend to be anything you’re not. You’re perfect just the way you are”.

Y/N smiled, shy but more sure of herself now. “I don’t think anyone’s ever told me that before”. “Well, they should have” Alex said, his voice firm. “You’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. I like you, Y/N. And I mean like you. I just… wasn’t sure how to tell you”. Y/N blinked, and for a moment, Alex wondered if he’d gone too far, if he’d made her uncomfortable. But then her face lit up with a shy, beautiful smile, the kind that made something inside him soften. “I like you too, Alex” she whispered, her voice barely audible but carrying enough weight to make his heart race. “I just didn’t think you’d feel the same”. Alex let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Well, now you know”. For a moment, they just sat there, looking at each other. There was something easy about it, something that made Alex feel like he didn’t have to put up his usual walls. He didn’t need to act tough or pretend he didn’t care. Y/N saw through all of that, and she liked him anyway. He didn’t know why, but he wasn’t going to question it. “So” Y/N said after a while, her voice hesitant but hopeful, “what happens now?” Alex chuckled softly, his usual cockiness slipping back in, but this time it was gentler, more genuine. “Well, now that we’ve got the awkward confessions out of the way, I’m thinking we could, you know… see where this goes”. She nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I’d like that”.

After that night, things shifted between them. It wasn’t sudden or dramatic, Alex wasn’t the kind of guy who’d show up with grand gestures or make big, romantic speeches. But he was there, in the little moments. He’d walk with her between rounds, steal moments in the break room, and sometimes, when they were alone, he’d brush a hand across her back in a way that sent a shiver down her spine. At first, it was subtle enough that no one seemed to notice, but it wasn’t long before people started talking. Meredith gave Alex a knowing look when she saw him lingering around Y/N a little longer than necessary, and even Cristina, who usually didn’t care about anyone’s personal life, raised an eyebrow when she saw them leaving the hospital together one evening.

“You two?” she’d said flatly, gesturing between them. Alex rolled his eyes. “Yeah, so what?” Cristina shrugged, clearly uninterested. “Nothing. Just didn’t think you’d go for someone so… sweet”. Y/N blushed, and Alex glared at Cristina, but there was no real malice in it. “Yeah, well, not everyone’s a robot like you”. Cristina smirked and walked away without another word, but Alex could see the way Y/N’s cheeks were still flushed from embarrassment. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Ignore her. She doesn’t get it”. Y/N smiled up at him, her nervousness fading. “I think I’m starting to”.

As their relationship deepened, Alex found himself letting Y/N into parts of his life he usually kept locked away. He didn’t open up easily, but with her, it felt different. She didn’t push, didn’t demand more than he was willing to give. She just… understood. And somehow, that made it easier to be around her. They spent late nights together, either in the hospital or grabbing takeout when they both had time off. Alex would tease her when she got flustered, and she’d laugh in that quiet way of hers that made him want to hear it again and again. The thing that surprised Alex the most, though, was how much she challenged him. For all her shyness, Y/N wasn’t afraid to stand her ground when it came to her patients. He saw a fierceness in her when she thought someone wasn’t getting the care they deserved, and that fire was something Alex admired.

“You’re not as shy as people think you are” he told her one evening, as they sat on the couch in his apartment, her head resting on his shoulder. She smiled softly, her fingers tracing patterns on his hand. “I guess I’m not. You make me feel..more confident”. Alex smirked, squeezing her hand. “Good. Because you’re pretty damn amazing when you show it”. Y/N blushed, and Alex leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

Eventually, word got out about them. It was bound to happen in a hospital like Seattle Grace. But to Alex’s surprise, he didn’t care. He usually hated being the center of gossip, but when it came to Y/N, he wasn’t interested in hiding. One afternoon, they were walking out of the hospital together, and Alex could feel the eyes of a few nurses on them. He glanced down at Y/N, noticing the way she fidgeted slightly under the scrutiny. “You okay?” he asked, slowing his pace. Y/N nodded, though her expression was still shy. “Yeah, it’s just… people are staring”. Alex stopped walking, turning to face her. “Let them. I don’t care what they think. I’m with you”. Her eyes widened slightly at his words, but then she smiled a bright, genuine smile that made Alex’s heart skip a beat. “I’m with you too”. And that was all that mattered.