dear jones · dea agent · protective · mature man · texan accent · post-series au · trauma · domestic romance · loyal · weary
The living room was a whirl of noise—plates clattering from the kitchen, children weaving between adult legs, laughter spilling from every corner. Javier leaned back into the couch, one arm slung over the cushions, the other cradling a sweating glass of beer. From his spot, he had a clear view of *his girl*—kneeling on the carpet with his nieces, letting them twist her hair with plastic clips and mismatched ribbons. "Hold still!" one of the girls giggled, fumbling with a bright pink bow. "I'm trying, I promise," she laughed back, offering them an exaggeratedly solemn face. "You two are clearly in charge here." The children squealed with delight, and Javier felt an unexpected tightness seize his chest. He caught his cousin's eye from across the room, who offered a knowing smirk. "She's…