Work Text:
A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)
Javi shows his affection through physical touch. In the mornings, he’s a big cuddler, pulling you closer in bed, hugging you from behind when you brush your teeth or make breakfast. When you need cheering up, he chucks you under the chin. When you need reassurance, he kisses your cheek. When you’re worried, you’re getting forehead kisses to soothe your whirling thoughts.
B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)
Friendship with Javi can be a little bumpy when he’s mouthy and short-tempered. He’s definitely a tough-love dude, so he WILL make you sort out your shit on your own.
But when the rubber hits the road, he’ll pull out all the stops to be there for you when you need support. He’ll make you stand up for yourself when you need to. But if you call him at 3am because you found out a family member is in the hospital? He’ll drop literally everything to be with you.
C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)
If Javi is grumpy due to work or whatever, he prefers to be alone. But most of the time, he’s highly tactile which means: cuddle fiend.
If you pass him as he’s sitting on the couch, he’ll pull you onto his lap.
During movie night, he’ll drape his arm over the back of the couch as a blatant invitation to snuggle into his side. But if you don’t take that invitation, he’ll plaster himself all over you with his head on your chest and his arms around your waist.
Being in contact with you makes Javi feel calm and relaxed in a way that nothing in his life ever has.
D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)
Javi doesn’t think he’ll ever settle down - it just doesn’t happen for a guy like him. But then he met you and it’s on his mind more often these days.
He thinks about a modest little house in a quiet, cozy neighborhood. Maybe it’s close enough to the ocean that you can sit on the porch and see the water on lazy, hot summer days when the sun is blazing and the bugs buzz in a slow hum. You join him and share a glass of sticky-sweet lemonade (no alcohol) and you twine your hand with his and it’s so comfortable that it feels too good to be true.
For cooking: Javi is a shit cook. He burns everything. He prefers takeout.
For cleaning: Javi isn’t a neat freak but he doesn’t have the patience to be tripping over a mess either. Sometimes, he’s just not in the mood to clean. But if he’s grumpy, a mess irritates him. So he’ll keep things clean/clear of clutter to a point.
E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)
Breaking up with Javi is pretty explosive and painful. He doesn’t WANT it to go down that way, but he’s hurting - and seeing the pain on your face only compounds his own hurt. So he lashes out which causes him to regret every word he says. It’ll be ugly and leave some lasting scars, but chances are, you’ll come to an agreement later down the road that you can be friends again.
F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)
Javi is terrified of commitment. The mere mention of the word “marriage” brings on his fight or flight response. Good things in his life don’t last very long.
Be gentle with him. Be patient. He spooks easy. Later in life, maybe after retirement, maybe after you and Javi have been together longer than all of his brief “relationships” combined, you’ll get married in a quiet ceremony at home with family and a few close friends.
It will take a LONG time before Javi doesn’t feel skittish when it comes to commitment but if you stick it out with him, he’ll make it worth your while in the end.
G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)
Javi is a hurricane. Emotionally, it can be pretty rocky seas with him. When he gets mad or scared, he says things that are hurtful and he regrets them deeply.
When you’re scared or worried about something, he will do his best to calm you down. He hates to see you stressed. Times like that bring out a very soft, stable, gentle side of Javi that’s a surprise to see.
Physically, Javi won’t be rough with you. He’ll get angry and yell - absolutely. He’ll get in your face once or twice (though he will NOT be proud of it) and his intensity will bring you right to the brink of wondering if he’ll hurt you.
But he won’t. He’ll take it out on his job. Never you. He’s seen some nightmarish shit when it comes to abused partners. It disgusts him and sets him off like a firecracker.
The thought of you getting physically hurt keeps him awake at night more often than he cares to admit.
H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)
When Javi is having a bad day, he needs his personal space and he doesn’t want to be touched AT ALL in any way.
But normally, Javi loves to hug you. It’s a full-body, enveloping, protective, shield-you-with-his-body kind of hug. He folds you in tight against his chest with his chin resting on top of your head. It’s so fierce and all-consuming - nothing and no one will lay a finger on you on Javi’s watch.
I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)
It takes Javi forever to say “I love you” and you’ve only ever heard him say it once. Work had been really rough for a long time - much rougher than usual. He barely saw you for weeks and when he did, he was grumpy and out of sorts - preoccupied and exhausted.
When the case was finally closed, the first thing Javi did was take some time off. He came home late that night and you were nearly asleep when he slipped into bed beside you. He brushed his knuckles over your cheek, gathered you into his arms with a sigh of relief and kissed the top of your head with a whispered, “I love you.”
J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)
Javi gets very jealous very quickly. In public, he’ll posture over you - slinging an arm around your waist while making (aggressive) eye contact with the offender who he’s jealous of.
In private, he’ll be standoffish with you. He always thought you could find someone better than him and it scares him witless to think that it’s happening right in front of him. So he starts to distance himself to cope/prepare for that. He’ll probably throw out some petty, passive-aggressive comments and keep you at arm’s length.
Smother him in affection. Kiss him repeatedly. Hug him. Bring him breakfast in bed. He’ll be a little chilly for a day or two - maybe a week if he’s really being difficult - but he really appreciates your reminders that you love HIM and not anyone else.
K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)
Javi will literally kiss you anywhere and everywhere. He struggles to express himself with words properly but physical touch, especially kisses, speak volumes for him. So his kisses are always generous and frequent.
When Javi is running out the door, you get a quick peck on the lips.
When he’s worried about something, he kisses you like he can lose himself in you.
When you’re worried, he kisses you like he’s trying to block out the rest of the world.
For Javi, he likes it when you kiss his neck and back. Kissing his neck implies intimacy and trust. Kissing his back shows vulnerability. He trusts you to be at his back, with his guard down, and you won’t hurt him.
L = Little ones (How are they around children?)
At first, Javi doesn’t know what to do with children. Babies make him nervous (so small, so fragile). Middle graders are chaotic. Teenagers are ticking time bombs of hormones.
But when he makes a personal connection with a child, he LOVES kids and that fierce protective side shines as bright as the sun. You will never ever catch him asking to hold a baby. But he will absolutely be the one to get up in the middle of the night to rock the baby to sleep when they cry.
Kids leave him feeling frazzled most of the time - how can he handle a highly stressful job with guns, violence, and drugs but a crying baby makes his brain go haywire??? - but he figures it out the best he can (please reassure him that he’s doing a good job because he will never ask but he always wonders and it’s killing him. He doesn’t want to screw up a kid).
M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)
On a work day, Javi is up bright and early with cigarettes and coffee. He doesn’t like to linger in bed when he has work to do - it just makes the work harder to get done and he’s antsy to get it out of the way.
On days that he has off, Javi does NOT want to get out of bed. He’ll stay in bed being lazy well into the afternoon. He likes to trace his fingertips up and down your back and just hold you loose and casual. Good luck trying to get out of bed because Javi will hook an arm around your waist and drag you back under the covers and smother you in kisses.
N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)
Nights with Javi are often restless. He has a lot on his mind and he’s stressed and he just can’t sleep. If he’s really preoccupied, he won’t even come to bed. He’ll be pouring over case notes in the living room.
When you can get Javi to relax, he usually likes to have a few friends over, order takeout, share a few drinks and maybe play some cards or swap stories.
When it’s just the two of you, he’s asleep with his head in your lap in a heartbeat.
O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)
You have to earn Javi’s trust before he opens up to you. So it takes a long time and when it finally does happen, Javi regrets saying anything and he vanishes. But he eventually comes back because he has this instinct about you: you’re not going to turn on him or leave him high and dry.
You show him that it’s okay to be vulnerable and he does sink into that very, very carefully. He reveals things about himself painstakingly slowly, and there are some things you will NEVER get out of him so make your peace with that.
P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)
On bad days, Javi can snap in the blink of an eye. You can see those moods a mile away - he generally keeps his distance and doesn’t touch you in any way, his speech is short and clipped to the bare minimum, and he gives off this attitude of “leave me the fuck alone”.
But Javi does have a moderate amount of patience. He’s in a highly volatile line of work so he does have experience handling more delicate situations.
When it comes to you, he has far more patience than he does with anyone else. Everyone can see that you have Javi wrapped around your little finger (and it’s adorable and Javi gets teased relentlessly for it).
Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)
Sometimes, it seems like Javi isn’t actually paying that much attention when you’re talking. His mind is just always on other things and it often makes you feel like you’re not that important to him.
But Javi remembers what you DON’T say. He remembers the things you do, how you act, how you behave around certain people. He remembers what you like for breakfast and how you take your coffee. He remembers the outfit you wore on your first date with him (but he probably can’t remember what you wore yesterday). He remembers how your self-esteem always takes a hit after talking to that one specific critical relative. Sometimes, you don’t even remember those things but Javi does.
Javi’s memory is often hit or miss on mundane things that aren’t that important, i.e. when you ask him to pick up milk from the grocery store after work (to be fair, he’s exhausted, probably sore from a chase, and he wants nothing more than to get home to you ASAP).
So just leave a post-it note on his steering wheel or text him to remind him once in a while (yes, he’ll tease you about “nagging” him. Punch him in the arm and tell him to shut up or he’ll be sleeping on the couch for a week and he’ll bring you flowers AND milk).
R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)
Ice-cream at the beach. You were windswept and sunkissed (sweaty, you insisted but he flatly disagreed you were definitely sunkissed) and the ice-cream melted all down your chin and Javi didn’t think it was possible to fall in love with you any harder than he did in that moment.
S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)
Javi is 100000% protective. You have to rein him in many times. He’s very physical when it comes to defending you. If someone insults you or catcalls you, HOLD HIM BACK. He doesn’t bat an eye at taking a swing at someone to defend you. When it comes to you, consequences be damned. He will obliterate anyone in a heartbeat to protect you.
Although Javi struggles to comprehend it when you protect him. He doesn’t want you taking a hit and especially not for him.
But then there’s that one time you chewed someone out on his behalf. Phew. He puffs up, all proud of you. Look at this incredible person he’s dating. Look at how perfect you are. Omg he won’t shut up about it. You seriously impressed him (but also, babe, honey, don’t do that again you’re stressing him out).
T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)
For dates, Javi likes to keep things somewhat casual. If it’s a big dress-up event, he feels fake and insincere and it just comes with a lot of pressure. He has enough pressure in his job. If he’s going out with someone he thinks is cute, he wants to put you (and him!) at ease.
For anniversaries, it’s a mixed bag with Javi. He forgets sometimes when work stress is high. But when he does remember, you’re getting pretty spoiled - breakfast in bed, dinner at your favorite restaurant (and he’ll actually dress up!). He’s just very grateful that you stick around even though he can be a handful sometimes (and he knows it) so every year that you’re still with him, he makes sure to celebrate it.
Javi doesn’t do token gifts. That’s a waste of time, money, and effort on everyone’s part in his opinion. If he gets you something, it’s because you’ve wanted it for a while or because you deserve a treat (i.e. flowers for putting up with him).
For everyday tasks, Javi does try his best to help out around the house though sometimes his best intentions end up a little irritating. He will never make you carry in groceries on your own but he’ll try to squirm out of dishes (they take too long and he wants your attention). You rarely want him in the kitchen when you cook because he just gets under your feet but he’ll gladly be taste-tester for anything you make.
U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)
Besides too much cigarettes and alcohol and a bad temper, Javi is a horrible junk food junkie. He simply can’t be bothered with a decent meal most of the time when his concerns lie elsewhere. He does appreciate good food but that usually only happens with good company - on a date with you or out with friends. For every other meal, it’s potato chips and beef jerky and pre-packaged, high sodium, crappy foods.
V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)
Javi is moderately concerned with his looks. If he’s going on a date and wants to impress someone, he’ll put in more effort (and probably be a little anxious about looking his best). On a normal day, it’s a basic shirt and jeans and he doesn’t bother too much beyond that.
W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)
Javi will never admit it but if you leave him, he’ll feel like he lost a limb. He can function, yes, but it’ll be on autopilot. Lots of alcohol, overworking to forget how empty his apartment is without you, and he won’t even visit any of the old brothels he used to go to. You made his life brighter and better and without you, it’s just plain dismal and depressing.
X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)
Javi would love to retire to a farm/ranch or by the sea where he can go fishing every day. The physical work of a farm/ranch gets him out of his head and helps him work out his energy and/or pent up frustration. Fishing is calming and provides a good meal (it takes him a few tries to figure out how to cook fish but he ends up getting surprisingly good at it). There’s just less drama, pressure, and stress on a ranch or by the sea.
Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)
Javi has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to whining. Either find a solution to the problem or stop pouting. He can’t stand it when someone sits there and complains all day instead of being proactive and resolving their issues.
(If you pout because you want cuddles, that’s different and totally acceptable.)
Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?)
Javi takes up 90% of the bed when he sleeps. You’ll get an arm flung over you many times in the middle of the night and not in a romantic way. If Javi is in bed before you, good luck making enough room for yourself. You often wake up on the edge of the bed because Javi claims so much space (yes, he uses it as an excuse to cuddle you “oh look, you’re almost falling off the bed, let me pull you closer and now I’m not letting you go”).