#gordon stevens

In confusion, Holder narrowed both hazel eyes while facing this stranger, trying to figure whether or not the fellow pedestrian actually heard him speak. 

“Jesus Christ! It’s freezing out here.” The stranger apparently kept up this Southern accent. Holder remained silent for just a moment longer, not wanting to offend the guy so early in the morning. 

The stranger shivered, chattering his teeth and looking red in the face. 

Damn. Holder thought. Stephen wanted to pout, mentally wanting to give this dude another sweatshirt from his office in the precinct with Linden. 

“If you don’t have another sweatshirt or coat in your box there, I can help out for sure.” Stephen lowers his voice as he points between himself and the stranger. 

“Thanks. I just moved here for work. It's a long story.” The stranger talked again, pocketing his zip-up jacket to beat the cold somehow. 

“Sorry if it ain’t welcoming here like other places, but good luck.” Holder replied, nearly smirking. 

“Hold on.” The stranger narrowed his eyes shortly after. Realization then kicked in as both men had noticed their own movement in the same direction. 

“Wait, are you working at the police department, man?” Holder squinted towards this stranger, pointing back and forth again to make sure that he wasn’t tripping.

If Lieutenant pulled another fast one and hired someone new since Linden planned to bounce, there should've been warnings. 

“Oh? Yeah! I’m Stevens. The stranger finally smiles, unfortunately blocked from offering his own handshake because of the large box cradled with both arms. 

“Holder.” Stephen mumbled through a response, but still planned to help this man warm up inside. 

________

“Don’t worry, Linden’s out working on something else, but I got you.” Holder nearly chuckles to himself once Stevens settled into his placement here. 

“Thanks, man. If the Lieutenant gives any trouble, I’ll let you know.” Gordo remarks, trying to stay optimistic. 

“Can’t help you there.” Holder warns, laughing awkwardly as he and Gordo walk through one hall together. Gordo has barely spent a day moving through the front door and his time is now swamped with cases, not to mention paperwork later. 

And yet, both men pause out of nowhere. 

You’re in the middle of grabbing snacks from one vending machine and don’t even realize any possibility of folks standing right across from you. You’ve worked here for quite a while, keeping to yourself as much as possible unless Lieutenant barks. 

Holder knows you. Gordo doesn’t. 

“Who’s that, Stephen? She’s real pretty.“ Gordo whispers to this new coworker, smirking while glancing between Holder and your side profile. 

“Y/N.” Holder arches his brow near Gordo, but is sly enough to make his own move towards you shortly afterwards. 

“Oh.” Gordo nods and laughs, humored before long. 

“Baby Girl?” Holder almost calls out and you turn before rolling both eyes. 

“Hi to you too, Holder.” You say, trying not to make a scene before Lieutenant could notice anything. “What did I say about flirting on the clock?” 

“Don’t pull that rule, Mama.” Holder smirks once more. Meanwhile, you stay firm and hope that the stranger standing nearby isn’t weirded out. 

“Stop it.” You answer Stephen again, but beeline towards the stranger and plan to apologize. There’s no other choice. 

Yet, you find yourself surprised at that same moment. The stranger ended up taking a step first and gestures to shake your hand. 

“Excuse me, Ma’am? Gordo Stevens.” The stranger introduced himself with a strong Southern accent. 

Even his vintage charm that almost rivals movie scenes. He’s wearing a dark sweatshirt to bundle up for work hours, relatable given the nasty weather outside. 

How is he real in this day and age? You think to yourself. 

“Nice to meet you, Gordo. Y/N.” You introduce yourself to Gordo in return and welcome the handshake of course, quietly noticing how warm his palm feels. 

“Can we wrap this up?” Holder interrupts, snapping his finger jokingly. “Lieutenant has a meeting planned for you, man.”

“Oh, shit! Really?”  Gordo’s blue eyes widen as he rushes through an apology and moves away from you, almost sprinting in the opposite direction. 

Once Stevens is out of view, Holders glances around before speaking up towards you once more. 

“Ain’t no meeting for G.” Holder smirks, staring into your soul with those damn hazel eyes. 

“What should we do now?” You ask this question and bite your lip, finally loosening up to flirt back. 

“Let’s lock the office door before Linden gets back. Gordo should be just fine by himself.” Holders scopes you up and down, fighting every single urge to just take you the hell home right now. 

It’s cold as you wake up. The room is dark aside from the small lights from the machines that beep through the night. Rubbing the sleep out of your eyes, your legs swing out of the bunk and land on the floor with a soft thump, but something is out of place. In confusion, you walk around the finite space, looking at the various equipment before spotting a window. You hastily move to the window and let out a gasp when you see nothing but empty space. You back up and bump against a computer in disbelief. Why are you on the moon?

Despite being lost in your thoughts, you feel something crawling on and around you. Looking down you see swarms of ants crawling up your body in hoards as if you stepped in 10 ant mounds at the same time. You’re stuck in place in fear, your heart pounding as the ants get closer and closer to your face. You can feel their legs all over your body. You can feel their mandibles biting into your skin and you’re stuck. You can’t move anything as the ants begin taking over your face, swarming into your mouth until you can’t breathe.

You wake up with a gasp, shooting out of the bed with sweat dripping down your forehead. You suck in air as much as possible before calming down and looking around you. Good, you’re in bed, on Earth, with no ants in your immediate vicinity. You place your hand against your forehead and groan. You have been having similar nightmares for the past few weeks and they don’t seem to be progressing at all.

Tossing back your blanket, your mind tries to track who could be having these dreams. It’s obviously someone you’ve worked with due to the fact that not alot of people know what the inside of Jamestown looks like. You’ve never been there yourself, but being in the NASA program, you get pretty good floor layouts.

Looking over at the clock you groan when you see the time. “Guess I’ll get ready for work.”

----------

“You look like you slept like crap.” The comment startles you, causing you to spill your coffee as you snap back to reality, looking to your side and seeing Gordo standing there, empty cup of coffee in his hands. “Mind if I-?” He gestures to the coffee pot as you scoot out of the way, downing the remnants of your coffee as he eyes you in concern. “You good?”

“No.” It’s a short reply and you can tell he is trying his best not to ask for details. On the other hand though, you could use someone to talk to. Sighing, you set down your coffee mug and turn to properly face him. “My soulmate has been having the same recurring nightmare for weeks now. They’re always on the moon, alone in the base and then swarms of ants crawling up their body. My body. Swarming on and in me and then I wake up gasping for air.” During your rant, you don’t notice the way Gordo’s face falls and pales as if he’s seen a ghost. His grip on the coffee cup loosens and it slips out of his hands, crashing to the floor in pieces, causing you to zone back in and notice Gordo. “Gordo? Why did you do that?” You immediately bend over to pick up some pieces but he just stands there, a zoned out look in his eyes. 

“I- I need to go.” He rushes out of the room, aware of the way other astronauts stare at him in confusion. You internally cuss out the eccentric astronaut for leaving you to deal with his mess. Dani walks over with a frown on her face before lowering her body down to help pick up some pieces, despite her arm being in a cast.

“Dani, you don’t have to help.”

“No, no. What did you say to him?”

“He asked why I didn’t sleep and I told him that my soulmate has been having recurrent nightmares about ants on the moon,” your comment has Dani’s face falling before she’s standing back up to her height and grabbing your arm, dragging you out of the room and down several halls. “Dani, stop it. Let me go.” You try to fight back but she’s stronger than she looks. She pushes you against the wall and peeks around the corners, making sure there’s no one in the area. “Dani, what the hell is your problem?”

“How long have you been having these nightmares?”

“What?”

“I asked, how long have you been having these nightmares?” The question is urgent and hushed. 

“I don’t know, a few weeks?”

“Around the time Gordo and I got back from Jamestown?” You try to think back to when the nightmares first started and realize that they did start when they got back from the moon. 

“Yeah, now that I think about it.”

“Shit.”

“Mind telling me what’s going on?” You look over at her as she bites her lip, the gears turning in her head. 

“Ok. You need to talk to Gordo.”

“Why?”

“Just trust me.”

-----------

After much convincing, Dani had managed to slip you Gordo’s apartment address and told you to visit him much to your confusion. Smoothing out your clothes you let out a shaky breath. You really don’t know what to expect. Why on earth would Dani insinuate that you have to talk to Gordo about your dreams. Surely they can’t be his. Right? He has a wife. He has Tracy. There’s no way he can be your soulmate.

Raising your hand, you knock against the door, waiting for a brief second before it’s being swung open, revealing a semi drunk Gordo.

“What are you doing here?”

“Dani told me we need to talk.” He moves to the side and allows you to step in. Looking around, you note that the apartment is relatively bare save for the exception of two picture frames of his kids and furniture. “Do you have those dreams?”

“Straight to the point I see,” he tries to jest, offering you a drink but you remove the bottle out of his hand and set it to the side. 

“Gordo. Have you been having those dreams? You and Dani are the only ones who have actually lived on the moon except for Ed but he’s still on there and you’re the only one who’s come back… different.” He hangs his head, plopping down on the couch while you stand awkwardly, not really sure what to say or do. Sure you’ve always found him attractive, and you guess he’s probably seen his fair share of your rather dirty dreams with him as the main star, but what is that going to do to the dynamic of your work relationship and his relationship? 

“Promise you won’t say anything to anybody?” He looks up at you, tears threatening to spill and it breaks your heart. You know the dreams have been bad, but it’s clearly just the outskirts of his breaking mental health. Sinking down to his side, you place a hand on his back, rubbing soothing circles against his shirt.

“I won’t say anything.” Your confirmation seems to alleviate a little tension as he sniffles.

“Something happened up there, I don’t know what, but ever since then I’ve been having these nightmares and I’m so sorry that you’ve been suffering because of them.” 

“It’s okay. You’re okay. If anything, I’m glad I got them because now I can help you in anyway you need. Plus, if I’m having your dreams, then you’ve probably had mine?”

“You seem to be really fond of hair pulling,” he smirks, leaning back against the couch and stares up at the ceiling as if he was banishing away any tears while heat blooms underneath your cheeks. 

“Yeah. Among other things.” Silence falls over the two of you as you bite your lip. The conversation solved one thing, but what about his wife? “What about Tracy?”

“We’re filing for a divorce. I’ve told her about my dreams and she doesn’t have them and she tells me about hers and I don’t have them so we’ve put two and two together.”

“I’m sorry.” He shakes his head in denial, trying to smile but you can see through it.

“Don’t be. It’s better that way.” Nodding your head, you look around the apartment a little more in depth. It’s dirty. Beer cans everywhere and random wrappers for stuff. It looks more like a child lives here than a grown man and that hurts your heart.

“Why don’t you try to get some sleep?” “I’m afraid to go to sleep. I don’t want the same nightmare again.” Sighing, you sit back down, thinking of a solution.

“I have heard that sleeping next to your soulmate might help alleviate any nightmares. Would you be willing to try that?” 

“You would be willing to do that?” His eyes are big and blue, bluer than you remember and they draw you in. Without thinking, you nod your head.

“Yeah. I mean I don’t want nightmares either, so maybe it’ll help the both of us. Why don’t you come with me to my place?” For the first time in a while he smiles, a hint of his former playfulness returning. 

“Sex off the table?”

“Sleep Stevens. Sleep.”

It doesn’t take long for him to reach his car. He was supposed to go to JSC for a meeting, but he needs to see Tracy. Especially if you, his neighbor, has the exact same tattoo as him. 

It doesn’t take him long to reach his house. Shutting off the engine, he runs through the door and into the hallway, his heart pounding against his chest in anxiety. “Trace?”

Tracy walks out of the bedroom, a look of annoyance on her face as her husband’s loudness. “Yes Gordo?”

“Did you get a tattoo on your ribcage?” Tracy rolls her eyes, crossing her arms and putting her weight on one of her legs as she stares at Gordo dubiously.

“Do you really believe in that make believe? Soulmarks haven’t existed for centuries. Everyone knows that,” she replies as Gordo shakes his head, lifting up his shirt to reveal his own tattoo, much to Tracy’s shock.

“Do you have a tattoo?” He lets go of his shirt and takes a step closer to her, a twinge of doubt making its way through his heart. 

“No. I don’t.” The silence is deafening and the tension in the air is thick as Gordo and Tracy stare at each other, not really sure what to say next. “When did you find the tattoo?”

“About two days ago. I woke up to a tingling feeling and when I looked in the mirror it was there. Are you sure that you don’t have one?” Tracy holds up her hand before walking back into their bedroom and lifting up her own shirt in the mirror, trying to find any sort of marking but to no luck. 

Looking over to Gordo, she can’t deny the hurt that is brewing inside of her. Sure she and Gordo have had their issues, but all lovers do. Right? “What does this mean?”

Gordo pulls her into his chest, holding her close as his mind tries to think of solutions. “I don’t know.” Despite the current situation, Gordo can’t help but to think of you. Why do you out of all people have the matching tattoo and his wife doesn’t? He doesn’t even know you. Sure you’re gorgeous, and funny, and caring, and kind, but that doesn’t mean that you’re his soulmate. “Maybe we should talk it out with a counselor? I mean our marriage hasn’t been the best, and part of that is my fault, but what if this is why? What if we were never meant for each other?”

Tracy pulls away, anger written on her face. “You can’t be serious? We have children, Gordo. Think of Danny and Jimmy.”

Gordo hangs his head in defeat. He knew that the kids would be the trickiest part of this whole ordeal, but it wouldn’t be fair to him or Tracy if they stayed together. “I’m serious, Trace. What if this is why we don’t match?”

“You know what?” She pulls out a cigarette, lighting it between her lips and taking a puff. “This is fucking bullshit. How do I know that you didn’t just get a tattoo and are saying all of this horseshit just for a cop out?”

“Do you really think I would go as far as getting a tattoo to just leave you? To leave MY family? If you think that that’s the case then maybe I’m glad this tattoo appeared. Just goes to show me that I was right from our second date.” Only until he realizes what he said does he cringe as Tracy fumes. 

“Our second date? Then why the fuck did you pursue me? Why would you waste my time and your time?”

“Because I thought I couldn’t get any better.”

“Get out.” Gordo raises his hands in defeat, stepping to the side and narrowly dodging a picture frame being thrown at him. “Get out!” The bedroom door slams shut on Gordo causing him to turn around and kick at the door in frustration, unaware of four pairs of eyes on him. Turning back around, he jumps in surprise when he sees his kids, Shane and Karen staring at him. 

“Shit.” He moves towards his kids with open arms, but Karen pushes them and Shane behind her like a mother hen. Realizing that she’s not going to let them go anytime soon, he stands back up to his height, a look of sorrow on his face. “I’m sorry you had to hear that. Can you please watch Danny and Jimmy until she cools down?” Karen doesn’t make a comment but watches as Gordo grabs his keys from his pocket and heads out of the door to who knows where.

—---------

A sharp series of knocks echo through your apartment, disrupting your concentration on your work as you look at the door in confusion. You don’t remember if you had anyone coming over, at least today. Opening the door, you smile at seeing your neighbor on the other side.

“Gordo, what can I do for you?” Your cheerful mood disappears as he pushes past you and into your apartment. “Excuse me. What do you think you’re doing?” He doesn’t respond before he’s pulling up his shirt, showing you the tattoo on his rib cage, causing you to gasp in shock. 

“Is this the same as your tattoo?” You drag him over to where you have a mirror and stand next to him, pulling up your own shirt to reveal the matching tattoo. “Well shit.”

You pull your shirt back down and turn to face him, a sense of awkwardness in the air. “What does this mean?”

“I don’t know. I have a wife and kids. I can’t just leave them. At the same time, I don’t want either of us to be without our soulmates and if it’s each other then we’ll figure this out. Ok?” You’re not stupid, you know his reputation, but he’s right. Why should you deny yourself the opportunity to have your soulmate? But do you really want to become a mother figure now? 

“There’s so much to think about,” you comment softly, sinking down on your sofa as he sits next to you, head resting on his hands.