Work Text:
A: Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)
Bob is an introvert, so if he willingly spends time with you, you are important to him. Quality time is extremely important to him, as well as acts of service. He picks up your favorite magazine, remembers when your favorite band has a new album coming out and will pick it up for you. He knows your coffee order and will bring it to you when he comes over. He leaves love notes on the bathroom mirror, post it notes in your lunch, good morning/good night text messages.
B: Best Friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)
Bob is an introvert. He can count his real friends on both his hands. You need work and be patient if you want to get onto that exclusive list of close friends. A lot of the barriers are those who are already on that list. They’re protective of him and want to keep him safe. While he may not be the best of friends with everyone on his squad, but he is fiercely protective of them and will have their back.
C: Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)
He’s not a cuddler. He’s the one to sit next to you on the couch, pull your legs over his. When he rests his head in your lap, if you play with his hair, he’s completely relaxed. He’ll sit with his arm over your shoulders during a movie, or if you’re sitting in a booth at the bar.
If you need cuddling, all you have to do is ask. He’ll wrap his arms around you, tuck you against him and hold you until all the bad melts away. He’ll rub your back, kiss the top of your head. He does sneak his fingertips under the hem of your shirt, lightly rubbing at the small of your back, enjoying the skin-to-skin contact.
D: Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)
Bob is comfortable if he’s single. He doesn’t seek out one-night stands, and he’s not someone who -needs- to be in a relationship. He does, however, want to settle down. He’d like domesticity and someone to greet him when he walks through the door.
He's a good cook but doesn’t really do it all that often. He’ll call for take-out or bring something home. Weekends are for cooking and grilling and trying new things.
His place is comfortable. Cluttered, he’s got a pile of unopened mail on the kitchen table, there’s a few dishes in the sink. Dirty laundry is typically in a pile in front of the washer, and there’s a pile of clean clothes in the bedroom— though his uniforms are pressed and hung properly. His fridge is covered with photos, graduation announcements, programs from school concerts, ticket stubs ect. He’s got the newest tech and gaming systems and that’s where most of his money goes after his financial responsibilities are taken care of.
E: Ending (If they had to break up with their partner how would they do it?)
He doesn’t take the decision to end relationships lightly. He tries to make it work, and will put in work, but if it just isn’t going anywhere? He ends it gently. He doesn’t cast blame on himself or his partner but says that they’re not working and it’s time to go their separate ways. He has ended a few relationships via text, but he can do it in person.
F: Fiancé(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)
Once you’ve gone dates for a few months Bob will ask to make it official. By then he’s got a decent grasp of your personality and how you treat people. He doesn’t rush into things. Like most military guys once commitment and enmeshing of your lives together he’ll propose. He’s one that will meet your family, and you’ll be a regular at his family’s homes, and get text messages and postcards from them. He’d propose when the two of you were alone together on vacation. (And he would have asked your parents for permission beforehand).
G: Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)
Bob will treat you right. He’s gentle, affectionate, physical and likes to make you smile. He wants to make sure that you shine and will do everything he can to put you first and out there. You’re special to him, and he wants the world to see it—though he may not have the words to say so.
He's got a good hold on his emotions, and deals with them in a healthy way. He talks with members of his squad, old timers, and eventually he’ll share what he can with you. A lot of his missions he can’t talk about, but he doesn’t hold things in.
H: Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)
He likes hugs. He’s a full contact hugger, your body pulled tight against his. You can feel the strength in his arms, the way he holds you for a few moments before letting go. He’s one of those that his touch lingers, his hands will slide up and down your arms, and almost pull you in for another before he’s stepping away.
I: I love you (how fast do they say the L-word)
It started with “I love when we get the chance to hang out”, or when you’re signing out of a multiplayer game at night a quick ‘love ya’ before the mic goes dead and his icon goes dark. You chalk it up to friendship. He’s comfortable with those select few that see past the introvert habits—you’ve heard him say it to Phoenix and the others when you all leave the bar for the night. He says it to his friends, it’s a way to express his affections.
You decide to test the theory one day. It’s late, he’s sprawled out on your couch, x-box controller in hand, too tired to drive back to the barracks. You shut the system off, get to your feet, and drape a blanket over him. Your heart is beating so fast you feel like it’s going to burst from your chest.
“Love you.” He says. His hand closes around your wrist, and you feel the press of his lips against your palm. “It’s okay if you don’t want to say it back, but I need to say it every chance I get. Just so you know.” That night you find out that the two of you can sleep comfortably on the couch, and the sound of his heartbeat in your ear is the sweetest lullaby.
J: Jealousy (how jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)
He doesn’t. Sure, he’ll express envy at certain times, but he doesn’t get jealous. Yes, he’s quiet and introverted, but he knows what he’s doing. He has you, doesn’t he? He doesn’t mind if you dance with other men, or chat with them at the bar. He’s not a dancer, and if its something you want to do, he’s not going to deny you that happiness.
K: Kisses (what are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)
Give this man a forehead kiss and watch him melt.
On the other hand, he is down for a sloppy make out session that leaves you both panting and unable to think of anything but the feel of each other’s mouth. He’ll pull you close, one hand at the small of your back challenging you to keep up. He likes to leave his mark on that soft skin at the hollow of your throat.
L: Little ones (how are they around children?)
He's got a literal shit load of nephews and nieces. His siblings reproduce like bunnies, and he dotes on them all. Realistically he can’t be there for every ball game, recital, birthday etc., but he calls or video chats. He sends cards and has many group chats with the older kiddos. When he manages to make it home for holidays he’s often tackled and pounced upon by a hoard of excited kids.
He's the youngest of a large family, and he wants kids of his own. He’s got a couple single female friends with kids, and he’s a good male stand in.
M: Mornings (How are mornings spent with them?)
On his days off getting this man out of bed is an act of God to be honest. There’s actual protest, pleas of ‘ten more minutes’ or even ignoring your efforts outright. He has been known to shuffle into the kitchen in his boxers and t-shirt grab a box of cereal and go back to the bedroom eating it dry by the handful in the safety and warmth of the covers.
When he’s on duty he’s up an hour or so before report time. He showers, shaves, eats breakfast and reads the paper. He’ll set the coffee pot to brew for when you need to be up. He’ll leave you a note on the wipe off board on the fridge, kiss you on the cheek or forehead before he leaves.
N: Night (How are nights spent with them?)
When he’s feeling particularly social, or the squad wants him to come out, he’ll go out and drink. He doesn’t drink a lot; he’ll nurse a couple of beers. Play pool, darts, and watch everything that’s going on around him.
If he stays in and again is feeling social, games. Board games, video games, tabletop games in person or on discord.
His favorite way to spend the evening is curled up next to you on the couch, playing something on x-box with you playing with him, or you doing your own thing. He wants to be near you.
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?)
There’s layers to Bob. To get through them takes patience and time. He’s an introvert, private person and fiercely protective of the people he keeps close to him. Once you’re through, he talks about everything and anything. He likes to talk when you’re doing something else, playing games together, cooking, doing the dishes, late night drives or walks. The way he talks about the people in his life, you feel like you know them, long before you get to meet them.
P: Patience (How easily angered are they?)
Frustrated, often. Angry, not that often. He’s got a lot of patience and is slow to anger. His irritation generally stays at frustration, and he’ll snap at the subject of his irritation. He does have a nasty habit of getting even though once he’s reached the anger threshold.
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?)
His career is high stakes and detail oriented. This spills into his day-to-day life. He remembers birthdays, anniversaries, firsts that you share together. He’ll send you little text messages reminding you of your first kiss, the first time you stayed the night. The first time he went to work with hickies on his neck and forgot about it. (You paid for that one, not that you’re complaining). He’s the one that will send a “Don’t forget you’re meeting xx after work today. Love you” if you leave the house in the morning in a hurry.
R: Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)
“Are you ready for this?” It’s just the two of you in the elevator. You study his reflection in the mirrored doors, taking in the brilliant white of his uniform, splashes of color from service ribbons and medals. He’s standing at his full height, a quiet confidence there. He smiles, reaching for your hand, fingers interlocking with yours.
“Are you? They can be…” He pauses, “A lot.”
“It’s a bunch of fighter pilots and their supervisors. I expected it to be a lot.”
He brings your linked hands up, kissing the back of your hand. “They’re going to be all over you.”
“I’d rather have you all over me.”
You’re rewarded by the flash of color high on his cheeks as he shakes his head softly. “I promise you that will happen later.”
The elevator comes to a stop, the doors opening with a soft ping. The sounds of a string quartet blending with the din of conversation hits you first. Bob keeps a hold of your hand as you step out of the elevator. Navy service men in their formal finery, their partners equally beautiful are chatting in small groups. Round tables with white linens, flowers, place cards and table settings are toward the back of the room. Waitstaff move amongst the crowd holding trays of champagne and appetizers. The elegance takes your breath away, giving you pause. Bob squeezes your hand, leaning over to kiss your temple.
“You look amazing.” He whispers. “I’m proud to have you by my side, thank you.”
Over the sound of a violin, you hear a woman’s voice call out “Bob!” She’s also in her white uniform smiling widely, waving the two of you over. There’s an answering chorus of “Bob!” from the uniformed men next to her.
You’re introduced to his flight partner, a woman named Natasha, or Phoenix, who hugs you tightly before grinning up at Bob and hugging him as well. A clean-shaven man with a wicked smirk drapes his arm over Bob’s shoulders and mutters something to him, causing your boyfriend to flush and roll his eyes. A flash of money passing between Phoenix and the mustached pilot, Rooster as Bob ducks out of the hold. Their call signs are familiar, and its almost as if you already knew them from the stories Bob had told you.
S: Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)
He is very protective. He watches you in public, keeping an eye on where you are in the crowd. He knows who you’re talking to, or who is going with you when you go out with your friends. When you’re walking together in town, he’s a step or two behind you, letting you shine, but he’s keeping an eye on the surroundings. When you go to restaurants, his chair is against the wall, and you’re on the inside when you sit in booths.
You often find yourself stepping in when people get too close to him or overwhelm him with conversation/presence/physical closeness. You don’t have to speak for him, but you’ll interrupt so he can get a word in edgewise, or if there’s something wrong with an order at a restaurant.
T: Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)
He's a romantic. He leaves post-it notes of sweet things, sends you photos of cute animals, or things that you’d like. He’s a gift giver and there’s so much thought behind whatever he brings you. Dates, he puts some effort in, especially if it’s a night out. He’ll take you somewhere nice, or to the theater if there’s a movie or play you’ve been wanting to see. He does things for you without asking, and if you do ask him to do something, it’s done.
U: Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)
If you wrong him, he gets back at you. Somehow. He’s also got the urge that most introverts have, to just up and disappear for a few days, cutting off all contact with the outside world. Typically, you can see this coming, and you brace yourself. He doesn’t mean to cut you off, it’s just that he literally cannot do anything with anyone for a little while.
The first time this happens, you’re convinced that your relationship is over. You did something wrong, and rather than ending it, Bob ghosted you. When you ask mutual friends about it, they don’t have any insight, his phone going straight to voice mail, your text messages left unread. It was the source of your only full-blown argument when he wandered in three days later as if nothing happened.
V: Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)
His hair is a little longer than regulation, but he keeps it slicked back enough that he doesn’t get flack for it. He’s one of those people that bodies are bodies, and he’s happy with his. He’s not entirely comfortable baring it all, so the glimpses you get of him when he’s fresh out of the shower, before he’s got his boxers on, are a rare treat. He takes care of himself. He’s got a couple tattoos on his back and torso.
W: Whole (would they feel incomplete without you?)
If you are his person, you are his person. It would take him a long time to get over you, and he’ll always love you, whether he’s in love with you or not.
Y: Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)
Unwarranted malevolence. He is one who pays attention to how his partner or dates treat service workers. People being unkind—he understands that people don’t have to be nice but being unkind is something he doesn’t like. He doesn’t handle change well and needs an adjustment period.
Partner wise, he can’t be with someone who doesn’t understand that at times he needs to be by himself without anything else. He needs someone who will allow him to escape when social situations get to be too much, or the day or two he needs to decompress when he comes home from a deployment before he can be yours.
Z: Zzz (what is a sleep habit of theirs?)
He sleeps in a t-shirt and boxers, fan going, normally on top of the blankets. He sleeps on his belly, face buried in the pillow and good lord does he snore. His bedroom is plain, queen-sized bed, blinds on the window which are always open, and halfway pulled up. He’s got his side of the bed, and it’s the one closest to the door. On a table next to the bed is his cell phone, watch, alarm clock, glasses and a water bottle. Most of the time when if he goes to ‘bed’ before you, you have to move a x-box controller out of the way or comic book or four. He likes it when you tell him that you sleep on his side of the bed when he's gone.