#“there is only one ironman and he is dead”
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Karma is a God
Chapter 14: The God's Eye
The Dance of the Dragons begins on a lie, and Aemond owes a debt, one Lucerra will see repaid in Fire and Blood // Series Masterlist // Main Masterlist
Aemond x Lucerra Velaryon (fem!Lucerys)
Warnings for this chapter: spoilers for F&B and future seasons of HotD, canon divergence, descriptions of violence, angst, grief, death
Words: 3.5k
A/n: Also available to read on AO3.
It comes to him in a dream first; the ghost. Faceless, colourless and shapeless, he knows it is coming for him. It follows him wherever he goes, until he can hardly tell the difference between waking and dreaming.
He can scarcely remember his burning of Pinkmaiden. He remembers heat, screams of terror and then agony, the light of Vhagar’s fire, burning as bright as the sun and banishing the darkness of night. He was reminded of how his brother had sounded in the aftermath of Rook’s Rest, his raw, throaty screams as his flesh mingled with his melted armour. Which would be a worse fate, dying or surviving to endure the pain for so long?
Where Aegon’s suffering had made Aemond the equivalent of a King, Pinkmaiden had only made him more of the monster that he is.
He feels it, settled on the edge of a cliff overlooking Ironman’s Bay, the empty feeling in his chest, as though the Gods are withholding fragments of his soul.
He doesn’t know where his brother is now. Perhaps Aegon had found some sense after all and crossed the Narrow Sea to seek refuge in the type of life he always wanted, far from the Keep, far from the crown. He doesn’t know why their men fight for a King who could be dead, or who could have abandoned them altogether. And yet he knows his role in this war has been set out for him, one which he follows mindlessly. He is his family’s terror, the only one who can give Daeron and Cole enough time to rally their forces.
He hears so little as of late. He hasn’t seen another person’s face for weeks. For a time he allowed himself refuge in a tavern with his hood over his hair and his sapphire eye hidden in shadow but eventually he decided comfort was not worth the risk.
Daemon is in the Riverlands, he knows that much, hunting him but never able to catch up to him. So far his uncle has not thought to look this far north, where he can see the Iron Islands clustered in the west and Seaguard to the east. Ships pass the sea before him but he remains unnoticed, as does Vhagar, buried on the shoreline amongst dirt, sand and rocks. If she is hungry she will find a flock of sheep or a herd of cows, but for now she is content to lull herself into a long slumber, occasionally letting out a low grumble as she breathes.
He hunts rabbits and does little to shelter himself from the harsh sea air, the rain and the spray of the sea when there is a storm. He is numb to the cold and the discomfort, retreating into his dreams in the hopes he might find some comfort in a vision of his mother or his sister.
More than that, he prays the Gods will show him an image of Lucerra. He would take anything. The small, stubborn girl disturbing him in the library, grinning as she presented him with a winged pig. Her furious little face when he held her by the throat in the cave below Hightide. He would take the tears she shed in the Hall of Nine, her silent, wide-eyed pleas for forgiveness. He would take the woman who stood before him at the Red Keep, at Storm’s End, the feeling of her skin, the sound of her breath.
Her voice is less than an echo in his head after so many moons. The memory is elusive, he fears he will never picture it clearly, but he can remember her words. My blood is precious, uncle, if you want it you shall have to earn it.
In Rainwood, they say a ghost circled Shipbreaker Bay in the days after his niece’s apparent demise.
When the dragon with pale grey scales finally comes to him, he knows what it means. Not a ghost, not the one he had been imagining. Grey Ghost, the wild dragon, the beast that attacked Daeron and Tessarion in the Reach, now the second mount of Princess Lucerra.
He mounts Vhagar as the sun sets, its light bleeding across the sky like an open wound, spurred on by desperation and something hungry, like bloodlust. Grey Ghost is quick, flying out of his view but he can guess where the dragon is leading him, southeast, towards Harrenhal. Aemond does not know if they fly to death or salvation.
There is hardly any blue left in the sky when the five towers of Harrenhal fade into view. The setting sun burns in the west like dragonfire, licking at the darkened clouds and shining down onto the surface of the God’s Eye.
The black banners of the pretender, Rhaenyra, hang over the gates to the castle. Below its walls, by the lakeshore, is not the opponent he had expected to meet.
Caraxes rears his head to the sky and lets out a shrieking roar, teeth bared and eyes ablaze. He can feel Vhagar lurch in anticipation. All of her battles, save for Rook’s Rest, have been like bloodsport to her. She wants to fight, wants to rip her talons into flesh, sink her teeth around something larger than a farm animal. But he feels something else, a slight hesitation, a sad sort of growl sounding in her throat,
Daemon has donned his riding leathers and stands beside his dragon. He holds Dark Sister before him, resting his hands on the hilt.
He sees no sign of Grey Ghost, nor his rider.
He lands Vhagar along the lakeshore, keeping Caraxes out of reach to avoid premature violence. He is determined this will be done properly. His boots land with a crash against the pebbles once he climbs down, his hand lingering on Vhagar’s saddle.
He remembers the night of the dinner, Viserys’ final hours, as his uncle had stood between him and Jace, eyeing him like a parent stares down a petulant child, a faint smile on his lips. It had amused him, watching the bickering of boys.
Now there is no amusement in Daemon’s eyes, no sense of excitement. They have all suffered too many losses for anything other than pure hatred.
Jaehaerys and Jaehaera were slaughtered at his order, Helaena left to rot in her grief, to leave her last living child motherless. What were the children to Daemon Targaryen? They were his kin, his brother’s grandchildren. Their deaths didn’t put him closer to the throne, didn’t win him any allies, but it wasn’t about strategy, was it? It was about pain.
Aemond doesn’t care to count the seconds or minutes they spent in a silence, broken only by the rush of the waves and the hisses and growls of their dragons.
It is like standing face to face with a wild animal, anticipating what he may do, which move he may make.
He sees Daemon’s eyes flicker momentarily to the sapphire that sits in his left socket, and smirks. In some cruel twist of fate, a dull pain blooms at the base of his skull, but he endures it.
“You’ve come out of hiding at last,” Daemon says.
An unease pools in his stomach. For a moment he thinks he sees movement in the sky above him, but when he looks, there is nothing.
“I was under the impression I was being hunted,” Aemond retorts.
Daemon laughs. He means to mock him but it’s not quite careless enough to be convincing. ��Do not flatter yourself, boy,” he says. “Your whore said you would come.”
An unsettling feeling washes through him, like he is being watched.
Alys. He had left her in a cell with the bloody remains of the rest of House Strong, evidently not long enough for her to starve before Daemon’s return to Harrenhal. “Did she care to say why?”
Daemon’s lips curl into a sneer. “Do you still believe you are owed a debt?”
He recalls a cold thrill that had come with killing Rhaenys. It hadn’t been enough to justify the anguish he had seen his family suffer, how they have continued to suffer. He wonders if killing Daemon will satisfy him.
Still, his uncle is not the reason he followed Grey Ghost to the God’s Eye.
She must be here somewhere and he doesn’t want to wait any longer. He hungers for her like a man starved. He wants to feel her, her heat, her blood, his hand around her throat and her heartbeat under her skin. He wants to see her eyes again, full of fire and fury.
He can feel Vhagar’s urge to fight beginning to boilin his blood. He welcomes it, lets it fuel his anger and his grief, pounding in his chest like a war drum. “You have lived too long, uncle,” he says.
Daemon sheathes Dark Sister and reaches up to grab at Caraxes’ saddle, ready to mount. His voice is solemn but his eyes are dark with vicious intent. “On that much we agree.”
And so Aemond mounts his own dragon, fastening the chains that secure him to the saddle. He looks to the sky, then to the castle, waiting for a flash of pale grey scales, a dragon’s cry or a girl with dark hair. He finds nothing. Grey Ghost must be here and yet there is no trace of him or his rider. He clenches his fists around Vhagar’s reins and digs his teeth into his lip. His patience is wearing thin.
Caraxes moves first, leaping from the ground with an ear splitting screech, breathing a stream of fire into the air as he flies.
Vhagar is slower to follow, scrambling over the pebbles to push off from the ground. He feels the force of her wings against her own body, hauling her to ascend, pursuing Caraxes into clouds of grey and red, the sea of flame.
He braces against the fire, roaring in his ears as they break through the clouds and come into the vastness of the sky. Daemon and Caraxes are nowhere to be found. Through the spaces in the clouds and the fire below them, the God’s Eye watches, bathed in red by the setting sun. Soon enough it will all be black.
Vhagar roars, deeply and furiously. A bait, a call to battle.
As suddenly as a thunderbolt, the red dragon breaks through the clouds. Caraxes surges towards Vhagar with eager teeth and talons. She breathes a plume fire unlike anything Aemond has ever seen. Caraxes avoids the stream as he goes for her side, slashing at her belly with his claws and screeches as he rears his head, ready to strike her neck.
But Vhagar gets there first. Aemond’s jaw clenches instinctively, the taste of blood pooling on his tongue as Vhagar sinks her teeth into Caraxes’ shoulder. The dragons writhe and thrash in a deadlock, unrelenting in their attacks but determined to escape each other.
They start to fall. It is a chaotic struggle, beating their wings, screaming in agony and rage, pulling away and ripping at each other.
There’s nothing Aemond can do. He tries to urge Vhagar with the reins, tries to scream at her to let go, to obey, but his efforts are all lost to the wind, the spurts of dragon’s blood rushing through the air, desperate bursts of flame.
Until Caraxes wrenches his claws away from Vhagar’s side. His wings struggle as they fall but he scratches at Vhagar’s head, urging her to release the grip on his shoulder. She does, only to close her jaw around his neck with another snap of her jaws.
The lake is getting closer.
For a moment he wonders if he could jump before the dragons hit the surface of the water. He probably wouldn’t survive the fall, and even if he did, his riding leathers and the chains that keep him fixed to Vhagar’s saddle would weigh him down.
They will die with their dragons then.
He hears the call of a dragon, not the aged roar of Vhagar, not the piercing cry of Caraxes.
Through the haze of blood and fire, his eye finds a pale figure on the lakeshore, another dragon.
His heart stops.
Grey Ghost darts into the air, and glides around Vhagar and Caraxes, coming clearly into view.
And he sees her.
He can hardly make out the details of her face and he feels all the more deprived of her. A silver breastplate glimmers on her chest like dragon scales, catching the final crimson glow of the sunset. Dark hair flies behind her with the force of the wind.
Her hands aren’t on the reins, her arms are outstretched. At first he thinks she is reaching for something, until he realises she’s holding a bow when she reaches for an arrow from a quiver strapped to her back.
He feels frozen, helpless as he watches her position the arrow and pull back the bow string. It would be a quicker death than drowning, and it would be by her hand. He might find peace in it, if only he could see her face on final time.
It is just, surely. He threatened her, demanded she repay her debt with her body and then her eye, pursued her through a storm and watched as she fell through the clouds with the pieces of her dragon.
He tells himself he deserves it, for the way his mother looked at him when he returned from Storm’s End, the way Helaena couldn’t stand to be near him, the screams echoing in his memories, for all the pain he has caused.
The anticipation doesn’t have a chance to set in. He feels himself knocked back by something lodging itself in his shoulder and even then he cannot take his eye from her.
Vhagar lurches, screaming in pain as something hot and wet seeps through his leathers and the shirt underneath.
The shock takes a matter of seconds to wear off, then there is just a searing pain.
His dragon releases her jaws from Caraxes’ neck. Caraxes’ claws continue their assault on her head, aiming for her eyes, but she is almost indifferent to it as she turns her attention to Grey Ghost.
Vhagar can hardly move from underneath Caraxes, but she can drag him with her. Grey Ghost seems to be larger than Arrax was, but it will only take Vhagar a single snap of her jaws to claim both dragon and rider.
He can’t watch Luke die again. He will not.
He can scarcely breathe, can hardly think straight or see anything clearly, but he musters all the force his lungs can manage and wrenches on the reins. “Daor, Vhagar!” he commands. “Ziry daor!” Not her.
Against her desire for blood and her own stubbornness, Vhagar obeys. She turns her head once more to Caraxes. With a slash of her talons, she makes another tear in his belly. Blood gushes from the wound like a river, streaming through the air as the black surface of the God’s Eye comes closer, and closer.
This will be a battle with no victor. As Vhagar delivers her blow, Caraxes twists his neck and sinks his teeth into her throat. She tries to cry in pain, but it is muffled as she gargles on the blood that floods her gullet.
Aemond tries to look for Luke and Grey Ghost again, but he cannot find them. He sees blood, he sees flames, he sees the colours of sunset in the sky and the lake.
He has to get out of the chains, but he does not know if he has the strength.
He looks up, or what he thinks is up, following along Vhagar’s neck, to where Caraxes’ jaws are clenched around her flesh, along his red hide, to his back.
Daemon is standing in the saddle, Dark Sister unsheathed and poised before him. He should be falling– in fact he is, falling with the dragons, down, down, down, his sword ready to strike.
Daemon means to kill him, before they can meet the water.
He would give his life to Luke, but he will not allow his uncle the satisfaction.
He doesn’t stop to consider if he has the time, he knows he has to act. First he takes hold of the arrow in his shoulder, snapping off as much as he can of it, bearing his teeth through the pain. Then he heaves the heavy chains to unhook them from the saddle.
As the point of Daemon’s sword comes to meet him, Aemond hauls his body out of its path. With his left hand he reaches for the hilt, and clasps his fingers around it.
With the force of Daemon’s falling, the Princes are dragged from Vhagar’s back.
Aemond has one final chance and seconds in which to take it.
He grips the hilt of Dark Sister as harshly as he can, crushing Daemon’s hand under his grip. He twists his uncle’s wrist, driving the point of the sword into his stomach and driving it forward into his flesh, as far as it will go.
He doesn’t hear a cry of pain, a final grunt or an exhale of breath before the treacherous waters of the God’s Eye consume them.
The noise of their battle, of screaming dragons and roaring fires, are engulfed in a cold, black void. Everything drags him down, his leathers, the force of two dragons hitting the water, and the weight of the limp body run through on Dark Sister.
Aemond does not fight it. He feels the sting of cold water against his skin and in his nose and throat. On his tongue he tastes blood but cannot decide where it is from, torn between icy numbness and pain. It is everywhere, his shoulder, his limbs, his chest…
Vhagar is gone. For the first time in so long he feels incomplete.
But even then the thought of grief fades into the cruel quiet of the lake.
Perhaps his end will be peaceful after all. He is not sure he deserves it, but he wants it all the same.
He hears his heart now, pulsing in his ears, echoing through his veins.
He thinks of Helaena and his mother and wonders if they are being kept together or apart. He thinks of Daeron, fierce, young, vulnerable, the only dragon rider their family will have left. He thinks of Aegon and Maelor and can only hope they are safe. He thinks of Jaehaerys and Jaehaera, little white nightgowns seeped with blood, and tightens his grip on the hilt of Dark Sister.
Something disturbs the water above him.
He can see their faces through the darkness, a thousand and one, constantly shifting. Without saying a single word they tell him he is safe.
Something like a limb curls around his torso and grabs him. The pressure on his chest is excruciating but he cannot scream with water in his lungs. It hauls him up. He feels the break through the surface of the lake but he still cannot breathe.
He wonders if this is the Stranger himself crushing come at last to claim his life and face whatever judgement the gods will pass on him.
Until he lands on solid ground, though not quite solid. It shifts beneath him, cold and sharp under the palms of his hands and the side of his face. With his heart drumming frantically in his ears, his body acts for its own survival, pushing him up onto his hands and knees, retching up blood and water, gagging on the taste it leaves in his mouth.
He hears something land on the ground before him and knows it is a dragon. Through his own struggle he recognises the sound of footsteps against the pebbles, slow and cautious.
His vision is blurry and the only light the sky can offer is a gloomy red. He can see the gleam of it against Dark Sister, the sword of Visenya, Maegor and Daemon, just beyond the reach of his fingertips.
A hand that is not his own closes around the hilt and brings it out of his line of sight, the point coming to rest at his throat.
Retribution will come with fire and fury…
He drags his body back to rest on his haunches so he can look up at her.
She’s covered in red, her skin under the sunset, her skirt and the sigil of the three headed dragon embroidered on her riding leathers. But she is unmarred by blood, either her own or another’s.
She looks eerily peaceful, a quiet rage simmering under the surface of tired eyes and a soft, rounded face. He does not take his eye from her and she meets his gaze without shame, without fear or pride. He thinks then, he would be content to die at her hand.
He waits for the blade to pierce through his throat, for whatever warmth is left in his body to fade and for the world to go dark again. He waits for the pain to finally end.
… and so it will be your salvation.
Tags (comment to be added to either)
General taglist: @randomdragonfires @jamespotterismydaddy @theoneeyedprince @tsujifreya @dreamsofoldvalyria @targaryenrealnessdarling
Series taglist: @boundlessfantasy @toodlesxcuddles @starwarsslut @skikikikiikhhjuuh @arcielee
#aemond targaryen fanfic#aemond targaryen fanfiction#aemond x oc#aemond x ofc#aemond x fem!lucerys#hotd#house of the dragon#house of the dragon fanfiction#aemond x original female character#aemond x reader#fem!lucerys#lucemond#my fics#karma is a god
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Cap-IM Rec Week 2023 (Mon)
Absolute Faves Monday, July 17 for @cap-ironman Rec Week!
Very excited for Rec Week, hope you guys have fun too!
Today I'm reccing some of my favorite fics I've read or re-read this year :)
Remember to show some love for your hard-working creators!
Paint the Town Blue by ohjustpeachy @omg-just-peachy
Ten years since he’d seen or spoken to Tony Stark, ten years since they’d broken up to go away to school. And now this email. It could be his only chance to see Tony again.
with a kiss by svgurl410
When Steve is put under a curse, Tony tries his best to find his true love to save him.
tell me why by xWinterDreamsx @xwinterdreams-blog
Telling Steve how much he loves him doesn't go in any way Tony expects.
Never Worlds Apart by KandiSheek @kandisheek
It's been six years since he's seen Tony when he walks into his favorite diner and sees him sitting in their old booth, as if nothing ever happened. Steve can't believe the nerve of Tony to just show up out of the blue after the way he ended things.
Turns out Tony has a reason for wanting to make amends. And Steve doesn't appreciate only finding out about it after Tony has already almost died.
Only Paintings in the Building by BladeoftheNebula @bladeofthenebula27, ironycap (art) Neverever @captainneverever (art)
Steve causes himself a whole heap of trouble when he starts to paint pictures of Tony.
Every Now and Then I Fall Apart by Sineala @sineala (616)
When Tony gets hit by a truth spell, the consequences aren't what anyone expected. They're sure not what Tony expected. He wishes he could stop telling his teammates about all the medical problems he tries to hide. As long as he doesn't open his mouth and reveal his secret feelings for Steve, or all his secret inadequacies as a human being, though, everything's going to be fine. And Tony's good at keeping secrets... or so he thinks. But maybe Steve knows him better than he knows himself. And just because Tony believes something, that doesn't make it the truth.
An Avengers Powerpoint Party by gogglor @gogglor
The Avengers threw a Powerpoint Party. These are their slides.
A Wish Your Heart Makes by Carsonian @carsonian
The absolute last thing Steve's expecting is Tony Stark, and so it's fairly in character for the man to be standing on the other side of the door.
"Hi." Tony looks impatient, greeting barely out before he's walking past Steve and into the apartment.
i was put together wrong by suchmadnesss @suchmadnesss
Even in his anger, in his misjudgment, or even in the barest glimpses of inadvertent cruelty, everything Tony did was with passion. No matter what, he was always graceful, grandiose, effusive. Incandescent.
Tony grows in front of the cameras and keeps a world of expectations balanced on the tightrope of his shoulders, but nothing ever seems to be enough. The hubris is a fallacy and the smirk Steve had always known to be a front isn’t whimsy, as he’d expected; instead, it’s bred. As he follows a couple of his steps, Steve feels as Tony does, which is to say: intensely. Every happiness is a marvel, every pain is acute.
The higher they fly, the harder they fall.
(In which the stones beckon Steve into a glimpse of Tony's past, and it proves to be his unraveling.)
you’ve got to close your eyes and see by Thahire @thahiree
Morgan manages to bring Tony back eleven years after Thanos’ defeat, long after everyone’s learned to live without him.
Everyone’s overjoyed once they get over their shock, but Tony finds it hard to adjust, now that Pepper’s moved on and Morgan’s not a little kid anymore.
Somehow, the one constant is Steve.
Ship to Shore by msermesth @msermesth
The Avengers beat Thanos. Everyone is safe.
(If you don’t count those five days they thought Natasha was dead.)
All that’s left is to return the stones, a feat that Tony is sure will end his new friends-with-benefits relationship with Steve.
nobody saves me, baby (the way you do) by Capstiddies, meidui
“You’re a firefighter.”
“You’re—half naked.”
-
Steve fights fires and rescues kittens for a living these days because of course he does; of course that man doesn’t know how to properly retire. So now Steve has his firefighting career and Tony has a new complication in his long, winding relationship with Steve after parting ways without so much as a handshake.
Hope you guys enjoy the recs, and stay tuned for more! Please mind the tags before reading. Check out my tag for previous years’ rec lists :)
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SteveTony Weekly - July 16
Hello, friends! Short list this week because I spent several days re-reading a favorite of mine. Enjoy the list and be sure to leave your authors a comment/kudos!
What do you think of the new banner??
***Recent favorites
~*~
***Enchanted by iam93percentstardust
This night is sparklin', don't you let it go
I'm wonderstruck, blushin' all the way home
I'll spend forever wonderin' if you knew
I was enchanted to meet you
~
Steve starts making his way back towards the directions of the cars, wanting to greet her, only to stop dead when he realizes who her date is.
Natasha has brought Tony with her.
Tony of the pictures, of the stories, of Steve’s infatuated little heart even though he’s never met him in person.
***once in a lifetime by meidui
“You should be worried that I'll break into your apartment, steal your identity and flee the country with all your money,” Steve says, one arm slung lazily across Tony's chest, playing with the key to his safe. “You shouldn't go around handing out keys to people, you know.”
Tony makes a low, offended noise and grabs Steve’s chin, making him laugh. “Is that what you think I do?”
bake my breath away by earliebirb
Steve develops a crush on one of his bakery's regulars, charming businessman-slash-inventor Tony Stark. He is not stupid enough to think Tony would ever like him back, though.
Besides, Tony is already in a relationship.
As it turns out, Steve might have been wrong about a couple of things.
A Place In My Mind by KandiSheek
The Avengers all swap bodies, with Steve ending up in Ironman's. It's a nightmare for multiple reasons, mostly because Steve has no idea who Ironman actually is, and he'd rather die than be the one to expose his friend's well-kept secret.
What Ironman doesn't know is that Steve has a secret of his own. One of the mushy, romantic kind. And being this close to Ironman, after all these years of desperately wanting it?
It just might be a bigger temptation than he can resist.
Dark Matter by RurouniHime
A mission goes wrong with troubling consequences for Steve. (Based in the world of sabrecmc's Celestial Navigation and its sequel Orbital Mechanics)
an anger that you crush and fuel by starvels (dinosaur)
“I’m mad at you,” Natasha says, gripping Steve’s collar so tight the shirt seams strain.
Steve glances down at her hand, and his arm quivers beside her head. “I know,” he says, voice rough.
Symmetry Breaking by Annie D (scaramouche)
After the Battle of New York, Steve rode off on his motorbike. That's how it went the first time.
This time he rides back, all the way to Stark Tower, where he asks Tony for help.
The God of Solid Life Advice by kehinki
It's 2012. Steve is just informed by Loki that Bucky's alive.
Loki also tells him some other things.
The Hazards of Falling in Love (Rescue Me) by EmmaLostInWonderland
“So that’s your name?” Rogers hasn't looked away from him once. His eyes are a piercing blue, and Tony barely manages to keep from squirming under his gaze.
“Yeah. Or Telecommunications Operator Stark, if we’re getting technical about it.”
“Are we?”
Tony tilts his head slightly. “Depends. Can I call you Steve?”
The man grins. “Wouldn’t have it any other way, Tony.”
// Tony Stark doesn't date firemen. But he'll make an exception for Battalion Chief Steve Rogers.
written for BladeoftheNebula as part of the Stony Loves Steve 2023 Gift Exchange
Trying not to lose my sensibility by Girl_Back_There
In the weeks leading up to his heat, Steve rethinks about his relationship with Brock. And his fading friendship with Tony.
i'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone by iam93percentstardust
The real reason Tony wanted to do this movie, the one that he'll never tell anyone about, was because when he’d asked his agent who would be playing Chris, she’d slyly smiled at him and told him that it was Steve Rogers.
“Oh,” he’d squeaked, cleared his throat, and tried again in a more normal octave, but by then it was too late. Natasha had laughed at him and made the call without even waiting for him to agree to the audition.
He’s not quite sure if he should thank her or fire her for that.
Chamber of Reflection by Thahire
A few years after retiring, Steve and Tony get a surprise visit from another Steve. Steve Rogers from Earth 1610 is lost, grappling with the new century he’s been unceremoniously dropped in, with confusing feelings for his new teammate, with himself.
Steve and Tony decide to get involved.
Soft Robotics by isozyme
“I promise this is all non-toxic. The silicone is medical-grade, even.”
Steve makes a choking noise. “I would hope so,” he says, going bright, tomato red as he says it.
Tony makes some cool robots. Steve makes an assumption.
***Celestial Navigation by sabrecmc
Celestial Navigation: 18 year old Omega!Tony finds himself Bonded to Captain Steve Rogers. He isn't happy about it until he is.
#stevetony#stevetony weekly#stony#stony weekly#stevetony fic#stony fic#stevetony fic recs#stony fic recs#steve rogers#tony stark#iron man#captain america#fic#fic recs#fanfiction
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Hey. Sorry if I'm bothering you
What fandom/universes would the 141 want to be in? Price laswell Nik soap ghost has kronig horangi
Gaz: Pokémon nerd. Would kill to live in the Pokémon world, even for just a day. Owns every single Pokémon game in existence. Has played them all a million times and they will never bore him. Never. Ryan Reynolds voicing Pikachu made his entire existence (nothing will ever even come close).
Soap: Wants to be in the Legend of Zelda universe so, so bad. Would also kill to live there. Grew up playing Legend of Zelda as kid so it has a special place in his heart. Used to have a huge crush on Ganon (will kill anyone who finds that out with no hesitation).
Ghost: Loves Star Wars. Has openly said that he would be a Sith if he was force sensitive and enjoys the looks he gets. Wants to be a Mandalorian so bad. Is such a nerd about Mandalorians that he learned their language and can speak it fluently. He’s also very fond of the clones and couldn’t watch Clone Wars because he got upset whenever a clone died.
Price: DC nerd. Would love to fight crime with Batman, take on world ending threats as a superhero. Takes any scrapes of DC media he can get. Has a hoard of comics, still in the plastic sleeve, in a box. Would murder someone if they touched them.
Nik: Marvel nerd. Ironman is his favorite superhero and stands by that Russo Bros did him dirty. The MCU is dead to him, he only likes the comics a select few TV series. Stans Black Widow with a burning passion.
König: Man has loved RPGs as long as he can remember. Played Elder Scrolls: Morrowind so many times he knows the game backwards. Wants to disappear into the Elder Scroll universe and never come out. He wants to be a mage and learn the secrets of the universe.
Horangi: Has watched every single episode of One Piece and owns every manga. He’s not big into anime or comics in general but he loves One Piece. Cannot remember where his obsession started. Oni helps him get manga translated into Korean for him. Wants to eat a Devil Fruit even though he’s 100% convinced he’ll get a weird ass ability and he’s not sure if it’ll be worth trading his ability to swim.
#call of duty#cod mwii#modern warfare ii#simon ghost riley#john soap mactavish#john price#kyle gaz garrick#cod nikolai#cod könig#cod konih#kim horangi hong jin#ask#thanks for the ask <3#kortac#kortac operators
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Cap-IM Rec Week - Fluffy Friday
Day 5 of @cap-ironman's rec week event!
Please enjoy some nice stories where nice things happen - many are also very funny!
Work of Art by veryvincible (@veryvincible) (616 | Mature | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | 5,656 words)
Summary: Tony smelled… off. Wrong. He smelled strange in a way that would justify the cold, Steve thought. There was a metallic layer to blood that Steve was used to smelling, and in Tony, that was distinctly not present.
So, Steve concluded, Tony must have had an iron deficiency. Something to that effect, at least. He became faint without warning, he was chilly as the dead, and he was as pale as any man Steve had ever seen.
-
Tony Stark is a vampire. It's common knowledge, at this point. Somehow, Steve isn't aware of that little fact.
Whatever sorrow shakes from your heart by BlossomsintheMist (@blossomsinthemist) (616 | Teen And Up Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 7,866 words)
Summary: Steve gets hurt, and the team bands together to make him feel better. Set in the early classic days of 616 canon, not long after Steve joined the Avengers; written for Project Happy Steve.
Machines and Marvels by rainbowninja167 (@rainbowtitania) (MCU | Teen And Up Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 23,443 words)
Summary: "The only future in which you have a hope of defeating Thanos is one where the Avengers remain whole and undivided. Do you understand? No matter what else happens, it’s imperative that the Avengers stay together."
“Wait. What the fuck are the Avengers?”
Or: In an alternate timeline where the Avengers never formed, Steve and Tony need a crash course in team bonding. Stephen Strange just had to take that literally.
More below the cut!
On the Wing by FestiveFerret (@festiveferrets) (MCU | Teen And Up Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 1,572 words)
Summary: "You have a seagull on your head."
inside man by Mizzy (@mizzy2k) (616 | General Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 1,085 words)
Summary: Steve realizes that Iron Man is a great source of inside-knowledge for his first date with Tony Stark!
Also available as a podfic read by Cathalinareads (@cathalinaheart)
Get Some Now by Sineala (@sineala) (616 | Teen And Up Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 10,376 words)
Summary: Avengers Mansion has a mysterious feline infestation. Meanwhile, Steve just can't figure out how to ask Tony out on a date. And the thirteen teleporting cats sure aren't helping matters any.
Also available as a podfic read by where_thewind_blows (@flowersthroughthecracks)
no matchmaking before breakfast by nanasekei (@elcorhamletlive) (MCU | Not Rated | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | 3,435 words)
Summary: “I don’t even find Steve attractive,” Natasha says, eyes following greedily every drop of coffee the machine pours, for once in her life genuinely unaware of the impact her words are about to cause.
More Than Skin Deep by Sineala (@sineala) (616 | Teen And Up Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 3,521 words)
Summary: Tony can just about accept the fact that he and Steve were kidnapped and replaced by Skrulls for three months. But what he can't figure out is why none of the Avengers noticed. And what he really can't figure out is why none of their teammates will tell them what the Skrulls did while they were gone.
Also available as a podfic read by AudioSilks (WhenasInSilks) (@whenas-in-silks)
The God of Solid Life Advice by kehinki (MCU | Teen And Up Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 1,583 words)
Summary: It's 2012. Steve is just informed by Loki that Bucky's alive.
Loki also tells him some other things.
Gift With Purchase by sabrecmc (@sabrecmc) (MCU | Teen And Up Audiences | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | 5,599 words)
Summary: “Just…” and Tony could practically hear Pepper attempting to rub the tension out of her temples. “Just so we are clear,” Pepper began, trying to sound business-like, as if this were just any other phone call about stocks or production or whatever it was Pepper was usually blathering on about, “At the gala event for the Wounded Warriors Foundation, of which Stark Industries is a major donor, you met one Steven G. Rogers, Captain, U.S. Army Special Forces, one of the most decorated soldiers in all the armed forces, one of the handful of living Medal of Honor recipients, the man People Magazine dubbed “Captain America” in their front page story about his battlefield heroics that saved multiple lives, which went on to detail how his spare time is devoted to, and I’m quoting here, “providing art therapy to troubled and disadvantaged youth from the Brooklyn, New York area where Capt. Rogers grew up,” and you mistook him for a high-priced hooker and then proceeded to proposition him.”
Tony paused, breathing in deeply. “Well, when you say it like that, it just sounds bad.”
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Love on the Brain - part 1
Ch1: Red Alert
Type: MCU x Criminal Minds crossover series
Pairing: Steve Rogers x reader Word Count: 3700
Summary:
Finding out Steve has a stalker is some seriously bad news... but then it gets worse.
Series masterlist
Warnings: series includes criminal behaviour such as stalking or kidnapping; graphic violence, gun violence; (mentions of) death; allusions to dub-con; possible PTSD and flashbacks; sexual innuendos and foul language. Loads of fluff and teasing.
I’m covering my bases here to make sure - probably sounds worse than it is. If you’re interested in specific warnings for individual chapters, let me know.
A/N: divider by @firefly-graphics; for non-CM readers - it is customary to start an episode with a quote, I shall keep up the good habit :)
“Humble souls are fearful of their own strength.”
William Gurnall
-
Tony Stark was without doubt a genius.
As you found out on multiple occasions – and today was apparently set to become another – he was also a douche.
Heading straight for Stark’s office, you practically forced Steve to shoot a text to Natasha to join you as well; because you meant what you said: Ironman and Black Widow, at least.
If you were contemplating making a phone call to people who would have much better insight than the Russian spy and a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, douche, no one needed to know just yet.
Because they would think you were crazy; even more than they were thinking now.
You presented the photos to Steve’s friends – dare to say your own, even if they were more of acquaintances still, your relationship with them not nearly as tight as with Steve – and earned yourself dubious looks.
And naturally, that was exactly what Steve was looking for: a confirmation.
A confirmation that you were freaking out over nothing.
He wouldn’t say it to your face – he was too kind for that and he was too well-aware you had every reason to have a ‘screwed’ view on this – but it was obvious that it was what he was thinking all along and had only played along from your sake. For you to have a peace of mind.
Which was very thoughtful of him; and you wanted to very thoughtfully smack some sense into him before his stalker did it for you.
The haunting dead eyes of a man who had initially dismissed potential threat too followed your every move; and you were not inclined to add another pair or stormy irises to them.
Steve cleared his throat, gaze flickering between you and equally doubtful friends.
“So, we can all agree it’s a bit of a problem, but I honestly don’t think-“
“Steve, you have a stalker,” you jumped in, grinding your teeth when you heard him take it lightly, again, as the four of your stood around the table with the pictures splattered all over it. “I’m not sure I care what you think just this once.”
Steve’s eyebrows flew nearly into his hairline at your brisk tone.
Good for him.
“Don’t you think you might be exaggerating a bit, Squirt?” Tony asked, eyebrows raised as well, one corner of his mouth up too. Damn, that smirk of his irritated the hell out of you. “I mean, yes, it’s creepy, but it’s probably just some chic who wanted a pic of him. Do you know how many Cap girls are there?”
“Well, it’s not great this chic knows where he lives…” Natasha opposed gently in support, despite her stance clearly saying you were making bigger deal of this than necessary.
But at least she wasn’t dismissing it, unlike someone. At least she used her brain.
“Okay, fair. But still-“
“Tony, you can’t honestly think this is some chic who wanted a pic of Steve,” you spat his own words back at him, sarcasm dripping from every single syllable. “There’s 23 pictures! Pictures of Steve from various places. Whoever took them, they’ve been following him around, quite stealthily I might add---- and for all we know, there could be more than one of them, whoever they are.”
“I hear you, but-“
“No buts! They’ve been following him around, taking pictures of him, they know where he lives and he didn’t even notice. None of us did,” you argued, getting worked up by the second.
Surely they weren’t so stupid? How could they—how could Tony think this was just an excited fan? Christ, this was absurd.
And the little light on his Stark’s watch blinking for almost a minute now notifying him about god-knew what was really getting on your nerves too, reminding you that Tony Stark was probably too busy to care about something as insignificant as his friend being in grave danger.
“The fact alone that we missed it should ring some serious alarm bells. But then the note? Not worthy – what does that even mean? We have no idea! That’s not a crazy fan, Tony. The crazy fan you have in mind sends naughty pics, a love letter, their underwear for god’s sake-!“
“Ew.”
“They have been known to be delivered to the Tower mail, yes,” Tony confirmed with a grimace.
“This is a stalker,” you insisted, imploring gaze set on the supposed genius who still refused to get on board.
In search for help, you moved your gaze to Natasha and then to Steve who stood by your side, arms crossed. He was frowning now and you could practically hear the wheels in his head turning as he thought hard.
Perhaps he would finally realize you were right.
“Alright,” Steve spoke at last, relaxing his defensive stance a little, turning to face you more. “You’re providing enough arguments, I’m convinced.”
Thank God.
You had no idea what exactly caused the change but you were not to question it.
“But even so, I can deal with a stalker. I’m not exactly a normal target, I’m a supersoldier.”
Spoke too soon.
You breathed in and out, slowly, to calm yourself and find the right words.
“Sure you are, Steve. But we don’t know what we’re dealing with. This might as well be a warning – that person might be saying I’m watching you. I know things about you. And we don’t know what their motivation is,” you argued.
With a sigh Steve’s shoulders fell, his eyes roaming your face. And damn, was it driving you crazy as he was watching you with that damn concern, concern for you instead of him-
Your gaze flickered to the photos on the table. Bingo.
“Plus, if not for you, it’s important to find whoever took these pictures for the women in the photos. They might be in danger too,” you added quickly, knowing not only that this would work, but also that you were right.
Just because you were more focused on Steve, it didn’t mean you didn’t give a damn about other people. It was less likely, but the women could be a target too.
“She’s got a point,” Natasha chimed in and you shot her a small grateful smile, throwing your hand her direction.
“Thank you!”
Finally someone who understood. You could kiss her at the moment, really.
“…I hate when you’re right,” Steve sighed.
Your smile widened as you patted his bicep lightly. “I know, GG.”
He glared at you, unimpressed; but when you let your hand rest on his arm instead, squeezing lightly to remind him you were doing this because you cared, not because you wanted to make him miserable, his expression softened, large palm covering yours.
From the corner of your eye, you noticed Natasha and Tony exchanging a meaningful look, but you ignored it, just like the fact Bruce Banner was quickly approaching the automatic glass door, a file in his hand.
“Okay then,” Steve hummed, squeezing your hand before releasing it and leaning his palms against the desk. “Let’s focus on the women first. I don’t think I’m in any real danger-“
“Uhm, whatever it is you three are talking about,” Doctor Banner interjected as he had just entered, frowning harder when he noticed the pictures, “you might want to rethink that statement. Do you ever check your messages, Tony?”
Tony rolled his eyes, tapping absentmindedly on his watch to dismiss the blinking light.
Steve sighed, probably knowing that the answer to Banner’s question was no; but he seemed intrigued by the way the scientist rushed in.
You just fought the nausea that hit you when Bruce’s words punched you straight to your gut; even if you agreed.
“What’s that now?”
“The interns have been taking stock in the past week,” Banner replied hesitantly, talking more to Tony than anybody else despite Steve being the one to ask.
“Yeah…? Yeah. I knew that.”
Sure thing, Tones.
“There’s… uhm, there’s… something missing.”
The sentence itself said little next to nothing; Bruce’s significant look to Tony however, spoke volumes.
It took the billionaire a few seconds, but then the change was instant. His face turned paler, all cockiness vanishing as his gaze flickered between Steve and Bruce, that genius brain racing thousand miles a minute.
“And by something, you mean…”
“The bullets, yes.”
“Fuck.”
The remaining trio of you, Steve and Natasha watched the exchange intently, looking between the two scientists with no avail.
Was that a code for something?
Or did someone actually steal some bullets? More importantly, why were they so bothered about it?
Tony’s usual nothing-can-touch-me-cause-I-have-no-heart face showed signs of worry. Tony Stark worrying was worrisome, to be frank.
--no, take that back; he looked guilty.
Oh god, what?
“…what am I missing here?” you asked, suspicion rising with every second of silence between Tony and Bruce.
“I’m missing it too,” Steve hummed, crossing his arms on his chest again.
Tony licked his lips, exchanging another silent conversation with Bruce.
“They need to know. Apparently,” Bruce added, eyes straying to the table.
Steve’s photos. Missing bullets. Was there a connection?
You hoped not. Even if there was, you couldn’t fathom it. Because the easiest connection seemed to absurd to even think it, no?
Tony cleared his throat, his mask of confidence slipping back on. Just because of that, you already knew that whatever he was about to say was going to skyrocket your blood pressure.
Nevertheless, you promised yourself you wouldn’t yell – because that wouldn’t help anyone, right?
Except maybe you.
You took a deep breath, bracing yourself.
“Alright, before you eat us alive, little miss firecracker, I’d like to remind everyone that aliens have invaded Earth before-“
“Tony…”
“-and one of them knew how to control minds so… you know,“ Tony smirked humourlessly, vaguely gesturing with his hands as if his words would make more sense then. “We aren’t exactly unreasonable here.”
Steve remained silent as you were beginning to understand; but Natasha was faster to put one and one together.
“Tony, tell me you didn’t,” she demanded, voice ominous.
Tony just shrugged and grimaced again.
“Look, he’s not Barton, okay. Even our resident Robin Hood made quite a mess. And Rogers would be a lot harder to contain, serum and all that.”
A lot harder to contain?
Sure, you were familiar with what happened during the Battle of New York, you joined shortly after and you heard all about it, including Clint being mind-controlled and earning himself a very hard blow to the head to snap him out of it, but…
What the heck did Tony mean by ‘contain’?
“Tony… what exactly did you do?” you asked, menacing as you straightened your posture.
Slowly, you were constructing an image from the keywords you heard – and it was a nasty one.
You didn’t think you could keep your promise; you were about to yell. Because you could feel the pressure inside you building astronomically fast.
“We developed, uhm, well, let’s call them modified bullets that would help us contain Capsicle just in case-“
“I beg your fucking pardon,” you hissed.
Your blood felt both icy cold and nearly boiling, brain short-circuiting. He did what again?
“Look, he’s the muscle okay!” Tony justified himself, raising his hands up defensively. “We just added a modified neurotransmitter-“
“Which could technically stop his heart-” Bruce chimed in silently, his words colouring the edges of your vision red.
“Not helping, Banner-“
“The fuck did you just say?” you whispered, sounding surprisingly calm.
Scarily calm, you supposed. The calm before the storm.
Anyone with a single shred of reason would have kept quiet, waited with batted breath.
And yet, Tony had the audacity to open his mouth again, even as you were still processing the incomprehensible grand reveal.
“Oh come on, don’t look at me like I’m the bad guy here! It’s not like it’s not justified! I wasn’t alone to do this. And we have an antidote ready too, they didn’t take that, so we’re fine-“
“YOU INVENTED BULLETS TO KILL STEVE SPECIFICALLY AND HAVE THE AUDACITY TO SAY IT’S FUCKING FINE?!” you shrieked, voice jumping an octave and about forty decibels up as you did so.
Every single person in the room winced, including you, but fuck it.
This was a nightmare. A nightmare you were about to wake up from any second, any second, because there was no way Tony and Bruce were that daft and then let someone steal such thing, Christ--- not this wasn’t real, silence never lasted that long in a fight either, this wasn’t-
Steve cleared his throat loudly.
“Well,” he started, levelling Tony with a disappointed and yet somehow compassionate glare. “He didn’t say kill. Clearly, they are meant to incapacitate and I hate to say it, but… he’s got a point, actually. It’s understandable-“
Your heart skipped a startled beat as your head snapped back to Steve.
He was kidding. He must have been.
“Understandable? How is that understandable? Did you not just hear him?” you questioned incredulously, gesturing to Banner to prove your point.
“Banner’s overselling it,” Tony sighed wearily. “The chance of a cardiac arrest is like 10% and only if he’s hit in-“
The change of a cardiac arrest within you in the next five seconds was around 89%, violent shudder composed of horror and rage shaking your spine.
“That’s still 10% too many, don’t you think?! Are you crazy? What if someone got their hands on--- oh wait. They already HAVE!”
The satisfaction of proving your point was rather bittered by the fact that the worst-case scenario was already happening.
Not only Steve had a stalker – he possibly had a stalker with bullets designed to shoot him dead.
You felt an icy fist squeeze your heart at the mere prospect, the image empty eyes of every single person you had sworn and failed to protect before flooding your mind; the warm browns of Kyle Meyers right at the front.
You couldn’t even imagine—you could not have Steve add to the sea of people, you wouldn’t-
“I know, goddammit! But look, if--- if these two things are connected and if it’s a stalker obsessed with taking pictures of him, they have a crush on Steve here, right?” Tony babbled, trying to save the situation. “So they’re not gonna use it. They’re probably-“
“Not all stalkers have a crush on their target!” you exploded again, fist hitting the table and making things rattle.
You didn’t give a damn. You were seething.
How could they be so stupid? How could they even invent such thing? How could they not guard it with their lives once they had?
“We don’t even know for sure these are related. And if they are related, the unsub could be holding Steve on a pedestal and the moment he doesn’t live up to the image the unsub has about him – or the moment they reveal themselves and he rejects them – it’s a game fucking over! Not to mention the bullets might be the more important thing for them! The photos might as well be a threat following the theft! Do you really not see the immense danger you put him into?!”
You were employed by idiots.
The smartest idiots the world had ever known and they just happened to join forces with a reckless punk you had the misfortune to fall for.
Goddammit, you should have never transferred, at least Hotch knew what he was doing most of the time.
The moment Steve chose interrupt your furious thoughts and speak again – a sarcastic “I’m still here, you know.” – Tony tilted his head, curious. “Unsub?”
Really?? That was what he took from your speech?
God, you were going to strangle him.
“Unknown subject,” Natasha muttered absent-mindedly, “it’s a term used-“
“You put his life at crazy risk!” you interrupted, because clearly Tony’s skull was simply that thick. Genuis your ass. And a fucking hypocrite. “You think Steve could be dangerous if someone messed with his mind? Fair enough then! Where’s your bullet, Antony? Or Banner’s for that matter?”
“We’re actually working on Bruce’s... And are we on the full first names thing now?”
“We are if you’re being an idiot!” you snapped, hitting the table again, feeling your blood boil because his cockiness and his lack of conscience was just.
So.
Fucking.
Irritating.
A rough yet tender hand covered your fist, making your hand twitch, unfairly unbothered voice reaching your ears.
“Come on now, there’s no need for insults. We can discuss the need or lack of need for those bullets later. What’s done is done. We need to focus, be rational. Let’s take a breather, calm down a bit.”
The moment the words left Steve’s lips, he looked like he wanted to take them back. Your hand slipped from under his as you stood chest to chest with him, face to face – even if you were looking up to do so.
“There’s a stalker out there with bullets that could kill you – as in bullets that are more likely to kill you than any other. I’m sure as hell not gonna calm down. How are you so calm?” you accused him, angrily stabbing your index finger into his right pec.
You were furious you were the only one taking this matter really seriously even now.
Did they not read papers? Did they not know the statistics on even normal stalking cases?
You knew Steve was brave, hell, he was the bravest and strongest person you knew, but there was someone out there for blood, his blood and he— oh.
Oh.
You were such an idiot.
Of course he wasn’t concerned as much as he should.
He was always reckless about his safety. He was a supersoldier after all. Dumb, arrogant man with serum coursing through his veins-!
“How would you feel if it was someone else on the team in such danger?” you whispered, voice levelled as you looked up, knowing you hit the nail on the head when you saw his expression falter.
How would you feel if it was me? was left unspoken, but Steve heard it.
And the truth was he’d punch Tony in his face already, more than once, hoping some blood would smear that cocky grin of his.
But you didn’t know that.
Just like he didn’t know that you killed Tony in ten different ways in your head already, because he endangered the life of someone you loved. And was being a dick about it.
“…point taken,” Steve murmured simply.
Good. Finally.
It seemed it was a good time to start calling the shots now that you were on the same page.
“Good. You’re gonna sit on your ass and not take a single step out of this building,” you said slowly, touching your fingertip to his chest as did so, gentler this time, then moved onto Nat. “You are gonna make sure he’s not wandering off.”
And lastly, you shot a stern, downright murderous glare at Bruce and Tony – because seriously, what the hell was wrong with them.
“You two are going to fix it and get the antidote right now. Understood?”
The fact no one dared to joke and say yes captain or a similarly obnoxious thing would be a victory if it wasn’t a testament to how bad the situation was.
With a huff, you spun on your heels, stalking away.
“And you?” you heard Tony called after you, inclined not to give him the answer.
But Steve deserved to know. And maybe Natasha.
You replied without bothering to even falter in your step.
“I’m gonna call in the reinforcements.”
As you left the room, you regretted that the doors were automatic and you couldn’t slam them to let out some steam; you truly truly wanted to hit something. It seemed a dial icon on your phone would have to do.
The door slowly closed behind you, leaving the four Avengers slightly dumbfounded by your dramatic exit.
“Reinforcements? What reinforcements? We got this… we’re the Avengers. There’s no such things as reinforcements for us.”
“Try saying reinforcements one more time,” Natasha peeped silently towards Tony, a poor attempt at lightening the atmosphere.
The corners of Steve’s lips twitched despite the circumstances, while Tony shot the redhead a glare.
“Har, har. But seriously. Where did miss firecracker go?”
Despite the confusion in the room, Steve sighed – because he understood what you meant.
He didn’t like the situation one bit, he was going to have words with Tony after this mess was over, but he had enough reason to see that at the moment, it was not the time – and that Tony and Banner were not completely wrong in their efforts.
He wasn’t sure reinforcements were needed, but he understood your need to at least try. Because unlike Tony, Steve was conscious of the fact he hadn’t seen half the terror you had, at least not of the same kind.
Steve was used to dealing with unspeakable crimes that human hands could do, had seen rivers of blood and he had scars, physical and mental to prove it; but your previous job had had you see the horrors of the human mind. And the images left scars just as deep as his.
Steve didn’t like this, but he understood that for you, it must have been hundred times worse. And he had enough self-awareness to see that had it been you in the same danger he potentially was, he would order every single agent working under the Avengers Initiative not to get a minute of a shuteye until you were safe again.
So frankly, your plan to call reinforcements was only natural.
“I think she’s going to call her old team,” he said simply, only earning a puzzled and offended look from Tony.
“Didn’t she used to work for FBI? I mean, seriously? She’s gonna call in the FBI to help the Avengers? That’s like brining a knife to a gunfight… and I mean, both the guns and the knife are on the same side and the other side has guns too-“
“Great analogy, really, Stark,” Natasha praised him, voice dripping with sarcasm.
“It’s a specialized unit,” Steve explained, only earning a frown.
“Specialized in what?”
“Human behaviour,” Natasha spoke this time, clearly having done her research on you.
Or perhaps Steve wasn’t the only one you confided in, at least on the basics. He wasn’t the sole owner of the right to know important things about you after all; as much as privileged he felt when he thought he was.
“Huh?”
“Profilers, Tony,” Steve sighed, glancing after your retreating figure as you turned corner, phone on your ear. “She’s gonna try to bring in profilers.”
→ Next part
Series masterlist // Steve Rogers masterlist // Misc masterlist
Your response to the prologue was the kindest, thank you for that 💕 I’ll try to keep it up!
I also LOVE you’re invested enough to think of theories 🥰 I won’t be confirming nor denying them🤐 BUT if you decide to do continue (nothing wrong with that at all 🥰), please mark them as POSSIBLE SPOILERS... I mean, one day you might get it right, so give others a heads-up👀 thank you 🙏
#fanfiction#steve rogers x reader#mcu x criminal minds#steve rogers x you#steve rogers imagine#criminal minds imagine#crimnal minds crossover#captain america x reader#captain america x you#captain america imagine#steve rogers fluff#steve rogers#captain america#criminal minds#criminal minds fanfiction#love on the brain#anika ann
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Chapter 43: Past Present - Katsu finally learns more about her parents, while an old video reveals someone has been watching her a long time.
Mitsuhide x OC; Hideyoshi x MC (Mai)
All Chapters Archived on Ao3
Logline - With Mai, Hideyoshi, and Aki missing, Mitsuhide and Katsuko reluctantly team up. Disguised as a merchant and his concubine, can they outsmart the man known as the God of Deceit?
As if nothing had happened, the device sat on the table, acting innocent.
"I suggest that we move back a bit, in case Katsu's theory about a potential explosion is correct." Shingen already had his hand on my shoulder to pull me out of a potential blast zone.
We all scooted back about a meter, staring at the thing.
Waiting.
Nothing happened.
After about a minute when the only sound was our breathing, Sasuke cautiously approached it again. "I believe it sent a signal."
"E-T. Phone home?" Of course it wasn’t actually alien device (probably not?), but that was the closest analogy I could come up with.
"Indeed. Er... since we don't know who, or what may answer that call, would you be comfortable if I put this in my safe?" Sasuke gingerly picked up the device and nodded to a built in locker that appeared at first to be a simple cabinet.
"Go ahead." I watched him lock it away. "It's not like I'm going to be time travelling until Aki recovers."
"And if you plan to go back to Sengoku, Honno-ji wormhole will open the night of the winter solstice, or you could come with us when Togakushi manifests a few weeks after that. Lord Shingen has another six weeks of pulmonary therapy, so we were aiming for that."
As if to remind himself that his access to coffee had an expiration date, Sasuke went over to his espresso machine and made another cup.
"Thank you for the offer. It all depends on what happens with Aki, but I will keep this all in mind." Either way, it looked like I was going to be here for at least another month, if not longer. Which meant there were some practicalities that should be taken care of. I glanced at the clock. It was still too early to go to the authorities to replace my identification, but I did need to do something about my clothing to avoid looking like a cosplay reject.
When I verbalized my intentions to the others, Sasuke replied "Katsu, it’s Sunday."
"Oh wow. I completely forgot about the concept of weekends.” Or seven day weeks, for that matter. In the Sengoku, weeks were ten days long. So, no official business or banking yet. “I can still shop right?" Before I left Tsutsujigasaki, Katsuko had given me some modern yen, as she and Shingen had a supply tucked away in case they ever went through the wormhole again. Plus I had some Sengoku era coinage that I likely could sell at an antique dealer for enough cash to tide me over until I could access Aki’s bank account. "Are there open stores within walking distance from here?"
One experience I was not eager to repeat was Sasuke's driving.
Later that afternoon, attired in jeans, a t-shirt (Ironman, of course) and a hoodie, I returned to Aki's room in ICU. His condition was unchanged, and I was half frustrated, half grateful for the fact that I had no idea what all the medical monitoring devices he was hooked up to meant and what information they sent to his treatment team.
Ignoring the beeps and whirs of the machine, I closed my eyes and pretended I was back in Aki's private study, giving him one of the many scouting reports I had delivered over the past seven years, seven years in which I was an apprentice, an employee, not a daughter. As objectively as possible, I told him of what Mitsuhide and I had learned in Sakai, of Motonari’s return from the dead, and of the current plot between Yoshiaki and Iekane. And of course I again reassured him that Hiko was safely sheltered in Kasugayama.
He didn’t respond. I knew that he would stay unconscious until the hospital decided to wake him up. Could he hear my voice? "Aki… why didn’t you ever tell me that you were my father?"
It was a question that I hadn't had the courage to ask at Tsutsujigasaki, a question that the other Katsuko, safely confident in her place in that world, in her place with Shingen, had likely been able to ask during those times she was taking care of him and forcing willow bark tea down his throat.
Was it worth asking when he could not answer, probably could not hear me?
Francisco had said that Aki returned once, and my mother sent him away. Had he given up on us so easily? Or…
"Fourth?" Though I bowed and took my placement with outward humility, inside, I was a bundle of confusion and anger. My balance beam routine had been the most difficult of everyone's in the twelve and under group. Harder than half of the older girls too. Oh not at the level of the girls going to junior or senior Worlds. But I had hit every trick. What had I done wrong?
Still, I knew the rules. Smile. Bow. And if I seethed, I would do it inwardly. Complaining would give me the reputation as a sore loser. I wasn't sore... exactly. Just... confused, in a semi-annoyed way.
I was plotting how to politely ask the gym's coach to tell me how I could improve my placement in the future, when I realized that all the coaches were huddled together, looking out toward the bleachers. They seemed… tense. Worried.
Better wait until another time.
After politely congratulating the winners, all of whom would now advance to regional competitions, I threw on my clothing and met my brother out in front of the sports facility. Toshiie had been there to film the event on his phone for mom, since she was having one of her bad days and hadn’t come with.
"I was robbed," I said, once we were safely on the bus and out of hearing of anyone who had been to the competition.
Aware that his job as twin-who-knows-nothing-about-athletics, was to agree with whatever I said, Toshiie nodded solemnly. Then he spoiled it by saying, "I didn’t watch the whole event. Too busy watching the man get thrown out."
Huh? "What do you mean?" And thanks Tosh. I knew he didn’t care about sports, but I thought he'd be interested in supporting me.
"Some strange man was watching the meet. He said his kid was competing, but no one recognized him." Toshiie shrugged. "It was more interesting than gymnatistics. Sorry."
Huh. Again. Thanks bro.
My awareness returned to the present, with a hopeful thought. Maybe… maybe once my mother had sent him away, Aki had kept watch from a distance. Maybe he even had been the man at the gym?
I pulled out the temporary pre-paid phone I had picked up that afternoon. Fairly no frills, but since it was on Sasuke's account, I didn’t feel comfortable getting a lot of services. Once I got a new ID, I'd maybe invest in an android, but well anyway… this phone did have a browser so I navigated to the Youtube account that Toshiie and I had shared.
Easy enough to recall that my password had been Tony_Stark1610.
I video traveled through time, past all the freerunning videos that Toshiie I had filmed during the our final year in modern Japan. Then to random cat videos of Tony-Stark and hiking videos of Toshiie's, before locating the gymnastics competitions.
I'd rarely looked at them while I was still training, and once I quit, they drifted to the bottom of the date filter. I’d not had any interest in nostalgically revisiting what had never been ‘glory days,’ but everything was still up there. After a couple false starts, I found the competition in question. If Toshiie had thought the mystery man was more interesting, he would have filmed him.
With the sound turned very low, I skimmed through the meet, making sure to pinch zoom every time there was a crowd shot.
I saw no one familiar there.
Finally, I heard a voice in the background stating, "Of course I have every right to be here. My daughter is competing."
That had not been Aki's voice, unless he was disguising it.
Of course he had never watched me as a child. There had never been any distantly interested father figure making sure that we were ok.
Stupid to have thought otherwise.
I don't know why I felt as disappointed as I did. Whether Aki had been silently watching my childhood or not, made no difference. For over eighteen years, he had not been around when I needed him.
Then for seven, he had been everything.
I was just about to stop the recording, when the camera swung around as Toshiie filmed the speaker. A man who was obviously not Aki. A man who was not my father either. I understood why the other parents in the audience had been suspicious, for he was not Japanese. He was also… not a stranger.
Two months ago, or more specifically four hundred and fifty years ago, this man had tried to buy me at a slave auction in Sakai.
Father Slappy Hands.
He’d tried to purchase me.
He’d tried to kill Mitsuhide.
And he was a time traveler.
“Aki… what the hell is going on here?”
Aki had been in a coma for a week when my new identification papers came through, thanks to Sasuke doing a little bit of hacking to move things along. Being able to access my money (a lot of money) made me at least feel more independent. "I should probably find a short term apartment and get out of you guys' hair," I said one morning as I folded up the sheets I had been sleeping on. Well, trying to. I never have been able to fold a duvet cover neatly.
Shingen took the sheet away from me, and re-folded it. Perfectly. "If you want to tangle in my hair, you are more than welcome to, Angel."
"I swear, I'm going to put out a flirting jar, and every time you break out one of your cheesy lines, it's going to cost you." Seriously. I hadn���t had enough tea to deal with him this early in the morning.
"Katsu, you are of course more than welcome to stay here as long as you need. But I suspect you want a bigger place to bring Professor Yamaoka to when he recovers." Sasuke, who was on his third cup of coffee, brought his tablet over to me. "As it happens, my parents need a house sitter while they travel to Portugal."
"Oh. That's actually." I glanced at the tablet, which contained photos of the house in question. "A good idea. I wonder if they have any photos of my mother."
Sasuke paused, with the coffee cup halfway to his mouth. "Is there any reason why they would?"
Whoops. There was something I’d forgotten to tell this Sasuke (in fact, I had forgot to tell the other timeline’s Sasuke as well). "Apparently she was your nanny for a little while. That’s how she met Aki to begin with."
He tilted his head. “The Childhood Friends trope! I always wanted to be part of that one."
"If you stretch the definition of childhood friends to include in vitro, then I suppose so." Sasuke had likely been too young to even remember my mother, but... details.
He got up, rummaged in a cupboard and retrieved his go bag of Sengoku era belongings. From there, he pulled out a piece of paper that had a five by five grid and... "Wait. You're playing Trope Bingo with your Sengoku life?"
"It's more of a general bingo, but yes." I watched him check 'childhood friends! "I didn’t think I'd ever fill out this card. Now all I need is Ieyasu Tokugawa’s autograph for full bingo."
Good to know, Sheldon.
Returning to the original topic, I told Sasuke that I would indeed be interested in house sitting for his parents, and since I had no other plans for the moment, Sasuke and I headed over to their house, while Shingen left for the pulmonary rehab clinic.
Luckily for all involved (meaning myself, and any car or pedestrian who would otherwise encounter Sasuke when he was vehicularly armed), Sasuke's parents lived with walking distance of his apartment. True, to a ninja and a courier who had both roamed the length of Sengoku Japan, everywhere was walking distance, but it really was only about twenty minutes from his high rise.
The Mikumo house was tucked back in a quiet neighborhood, but conveniently still close to a teahouse, a noodle shop, and even a pizza place.
“What was it like, meeting another version of yourself?" Sasuke stopped in front of a historic townhouse, not, actually terribly different in architecture from the Sakai townhouse I'd shared with Mitsuhide, although of course this one had been built within the last century. At least one of their neighbors clearly celebrated Christmas, for they had twinkle lights shining from their window.
"It was weird... surreal, I guess. Possibly not any more surreal than the fact that I had this conversation with your other self too." I watched Sasuke fish a key ring from his pocket. "Yeah, um, anyway, I had to pretend she was an older sister. She said she had already met two other of me, um, us, so I guess she was a little more used to it."
"Fascinating." After jiggling the key in the lock for so long that I was tempted to put my lock picking skills to work, Sasuke finally got the door open, and gestured me inside.
The decor was a hodgepodge of classical Japanese art and artifacts, piles of books and journals, mismatched antiques, all of which barely made sense together, and I finally understood why Sasuke chose to live in a sleek modern apartment. "My apologies. My parents, as meticulous as they are in their studies, tend to be rather random about housework."
"Aki probably felt right at home here. He's the same way in his office." The rest of Aki’s manor, though, Fume's domain, was of course neat and clean at all times. "Um, so about that."
"Right. I imagine you'd like to see if they have any mementos of your mother." He beckoned me past a living area with a flat screened TV that felt a bit anachronistic, then into a large office. The office at least was slightly better organized. Sure, the paper clutter was a bit out of hand, but someone had put neat labels on all the file boxes, which were organized by year and topic. "If they do, it would be in here. Er, theoretically.”
“Would they be ok with me looking through this? Or… well, with me in general?” Daughter of their former nanny or not, it looked like they had a lot of expensive things here. Not a lot of people would be comfortable with someone they hadn’t met staying in their house.
Sasuke looked up from where he was multitasking on his phone. “I sent them an email telling them about you. Statistically speaking, it takes them a mean of three days to remember to open their email; but since the previous house sitter left without notice, I'm sure they won’t be upset if you go ahead and move in."
Oh. Well. Good. Except. It didn’t feel good. It felt… lonely.
Sasuke edged out of the office, and gestured to the stairs. "The bedroom is on the second floor." He looked back at me. I hadn’t moved from the office. “Is something wrong?"
"Nothing wrong. Not really. I guess I just got too used to being surround by people." First Mitsuhide, then Yoshimoto, the gang in 1586, and now Sasuke and Shingen. "Eh. I’m sure I'll be back to my hermit ways in no time."
He paused between the first and second floor. "Do you want to wait for Aki to be released first before you move in? I am more than happy to continue to host my childhood friend."
Perhaps I knew then already that Aki would never be coming home with me. Psychic flashes of the other timelines aside, I've never been particularly perceptive. Maybe I'm just used to Aki's ways. Maybe I'm just used to people leaving without saying goodbye.
A few days after I moved into the Mikumo's house, I finally received an alert from the hospital that they were bringing Aki out of the coma. By this time, I had Sasuke’s parents’ vague assurance that they remembered my mother, and a rather (thankfully) less vague one that they would be fine if I searched through their archives for a memento or two. Archives was a rather odd way to describe their method of organization but... details.
I had at least managed to sift out a photograph of Aki and my mother smiling at each other and holding hands. It didn’t even look like they’d realized the photo had been taken. I put it in an inside pocket of my new messenger bag. Then, prepared with the photo, and a list of questions, not the least in which involved the Nanban priest and Francisco, I headed out to the hospital.
The late December clouds were thick and some hopeful weather forecasters were promising a “White Christmas for those who celebrate it.” I imagined that would make the Mikumos’ neighbors (who, I discovered were visiting American professors) very happy and I supposed their multicolored Christmas lights (which they never turned off) would look lovely against the snow. But given the warmer air that came with a light drizzle of rain, I doubted we would see any snow today at least. Dodging the raindrops, I hurried to the hospital arriving just as visiting hours began.
Even before I got to his room, I could hear Aki’s voice, patiently explaining to the police (yes, oh of course the hospital would have called them too) that he had no memory of being shot. His mind was a blank. "The last thing I recall was trying on an outfit for a costume party I had been invited to."
Eep. I hope he wouldn't be required to produce that invitation. Then again, maybe he had stuff like that set up in advance.
"Excuse me. Hello officers. May I be allowed to visit my father? "I bowed respectfully toward them. "I've been very worried."
I summoned all the acting skills that Aki and Mitsuhide had taught me and put on an 'I'm innocent and naïve’ expression. After an unspoken conversation between the police, they both retreated to the hallway, where I'm sure they could both overhear us. With that in mind, I pitched my voice louder and said, "Dad! You're awake! I've been so scared!" It wasn't all acting, I realized. I had indeed been scared.
Aki took my hand, patted it gently. He didn’t smile, but that wasn’t a surprise. He wasn’t much of a smiler. I suppose that was something I inherited, or learned, from him. Or my mother. Hard to say which.
He crooked his finger, and I moved closer to him, knowing that he was about to import a great secret. Or as it turned out, ask a question. “Where is it?"
Confused, I looked around the room, then realized he was referring to the time traveling device. "Sasuke has it locked in his safe - where it will stay until further notice." I added the last part in case he was about to try to zap himself into another timeline.
All he did was nod approvingly, so maybe he was just making sure it was secure. "You are with young Mikumo then?" He made a move to sit up, but I pushed him back (on the non-injured shoulder).
“Careful, don’t strain.” He scowled at me, so I fiddled with the mechanics of the bed and raised the frame under his head he was sitting upright. "No. I'm house sitting for his parents. Whom… I believe you know.” I got out the photo of him with my mom. "What happened?" Vague question. It could have meant ‘how did you meet?’ or 'how did it end'?
But Aki would probably answer how he wanted anyway.
He took his time looking at the photo, and then he finally did smile. It was the smile of heartbreak.
"You know of course, that she was young Sasuke's caregiver. To be honest, I did not notice her at first, I was more interested in working with his parents to research the Sengoku." He paused. Coughed. "No, that's not correct. I tried not to notice her. She...she… had a way of moving that was like water. She danced while she walked. Even moving her hands… she flowed. But I would not have acted on that interest. As you may have guessed, or perhaps Francisco told you, I am not native to … “ He gestured to the hallway where the police were waiting, and broke off.
Native to this time. The meaning was clear. I nodded. Questions about his own time would need to wait until we were no longer in danger of being overheard. "One afternoon, I was to meet them for study, but there was a confusion. I thought the meeting was at their house. They thought it was to be at the library. When I arrived at the house, it was to a frantic Mayumi. Sasuke had disappeared."
"Kidnapped?" I threw my hand over my mouth, but thankfully even in my surprise, I hadn’t spoken loudly.
"No. He'd just wanted to touch the sky. Somehow he'd managed to climb onto the roof. Between the two of us, we got him down. The child was very pleased with himself and complete unaware of the scare he’d given us. We agreed not to tell his parents. After that intense bonding experience, she and I just gravitated to each other.” He coughed again, and I poured him a cup of water. “I knew it was inadvisable to get involved. Yet I could not stop."
“Toshiie and I are the result of an inadvisable relationship. Good to know." Although… hadn’t I already known that? Mom’s sadness and bitterness had imparted that lesson long ago. Was it really a surprise that Aki felt the same?
Aki winced. "That perhaps did not come out of my mouth the way it sounded in my head."
"Right, old man." I let him go with just the sarcasm. "Francisco said that the two of you had to leave very quickly and that you didn’t know about us before you left-"
"This is true." He took hold of my hand. “I would have done things differently otherwise.”
“Instead of ghosting her.” I took my hand back. Some things are impossible to forgive.
"I thought I would be able to control the time I returned. That would appear that I'd only been away a couple of hours. I’d been one month away in the… you know, then I came back here. The two of you were five. After contact for over five years, she honestly wanted nothing to do with me. I did ask to be part of your lives, but Mayumi wanted a guarantee that I would be able to visit at set times. Which, now you know how impossible that would have been. She said you all would be better off without me, and honestly, I thought she was right. At the very least you would be safer."
I… was getting pretty tired of men thinking I would be safer without them. I got out my phone and found the video of the gymnastics meet. “Interesting you should say that. Because I encountered this man in Sakai. And it was not a pleasant encounter. Is he from… wherever you are from?”
Aki looked at the video, and I watched his face closely. And what I saw there for a moment was fear. “The video is too blurry." He blinked. “Or perhaps my eyes are tired.”
At that moment, I felt complete and total sympathy the Mitsuhide I had met in the forest at the beginning of the summer. “What aren’t you telling me?”
He closed his eyes. “I think the pain-killers just kicked in.”
Before I could call him on that, there was a rustling at the door, and the medical team bustled in to take his vitals and shoo me out.
"One more question, "I whispered it to Aki as I carefully hugged him goodbye. "Did you bring Toshiie I there on purpose, or was it all just a coincidence?”
In typical Aki fashion, he answered a question with question. "What do you think?"
Liquid grey.
Well that weather forecast was wrong. I peered into the grey drizzle of late afternoon Kyoto and cursed the fact that I had yet to purchase an umbrella. December weather in this part of the country was just variable enough that I should have considered that "Sixty percent chance of a white Christmas for those who celebrate it," translated to one hundred percent of something wet falling from the sky.
As I huddled in the covered entry of the hospital, I debated ‘taxi’ versus ‘suck it up and run’.
A large black umbrella suddenly blocked out whatever light was left. "Need an escort, Angel? No, don't say no. At least brighten my day by walking with me."
"I'm not the one recovering from lung surgery." I fell in step next to Shingen anyway, knowing that he would probably argue with me until I agreed, and standing out in this weather wouldn't be good for him.
"My doctors and therapist all say exercise is the best thing for me." He put his arm around my waist. "Stay close, you're getting half wet."
"Haven't you already used up your flirtation stock on the hospital staff?" Knowing that in another timeline this man and an alternative-me were deeply in love had made hanging out with this Shingen awkward at first. But I had come to think of him as an older brother, even though he never could turn off the flirting.
Once he realized I didn’t take him seriously, we'd settled into an easy friendship. "The man who is tired of flirting is tired of life." Then, in a completely different tone of voice, he added, conversationally, "Join us for dinner?"
"Which of you is cooking?" A free meal with Sasuke and Shingen would put off my going home alone to sulk about Aki’s stubborn resistance to telling me what was going on, but it would depend on the meal. Shingen randomly tossed things in a pan because he liked the ingredients separately, without any consideration to how they would taste together. Sometimes, that worked out. Often, it didn’t. He wasn't as awful a cook as Mitsuhide, but he'd had some pretty spectacular fails. Sasuke, at least, could and would, follow a recipe.
"Sasuke." Shingen answered my question easily. I figured he was aware of his own deficiencies as a chef. "I am to provide the ingredients. He texted me a list."
He paused to indicate the market across the street.
Hm. At the very least I should accompany him to make sure he bought the right ingredients and didn’t get distracted by sweets.
"How is Aki today?" Shingen asked as I subtly tried to detour him past a sweet shop. "At least let me buy dessert, Angel!"
"Get Sasuke's list first. Otherwise your dessert is going to be squished." I hip checked him toward the vegetable stand.
He frowned for a moment. "You have a rather strategic mind. Any consideration to working for me when we return to the Sengoku?" Obediently, he worked his way through the shopping list occasionally stopping to ask me to help translate Sasuke's text speak (for a scientist, he has a very colloquial vocabulary when it comes to texting).
"I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet. It depends on Aki - who, to answer your previous question, is well enough to deflect any questions I throw at him about the whole-" I lowered my voice. "Time travel issue."
He took that opportunity to lean closer (because, Shingen). "When he's well enough to have a long conversation, I would very much like to have a long talk with him."
Wouldn't we all like that. My verbal response would have been just that, but at that moment, both of our cell phones buzzed a text alert from Sasuke: Houston. We have a problem.
"Bad news or good news first," was Sasuke's greeting when Shingen and I hurried into the apartment. Given that the place looked like there'd been a battle - furniture was askew; pillows were on the floor; and … was that a ground spike in the corner?- I suspected I already knew the bad news. "Bad news."
He turned and pointed to the wall safe, where the door was still cracked open. "I walked in just as he opened it. They. There were two."
Shit.
And Aki had just asked if it was secure.
"And your silver lining?" Shingen looked Sasuke over. The moderately awesome ninja didn’t look too banged up, he was limping slightly.
"I believe I've just met one of my alternates." He sounded half thrilled, half chagrined. "Theoretically. They were masked, but I ought to be able to recognize myself in a fight."
Double Shit. The implications of Aki asking about the device’s location hit me. He hadn’t wanted to confirm it was safe. He’d wanted to know where it was.
"There were two of them?" Shingen flipped the table back upright.
“Yes.” Sasuke pushed his glasses in place. "Without visual confirmation I cannot be certain, however I believe the other was a Katsu."
The news that I had an alternate who was a ninja would have to wait to be digested later. I was already halfway to the door. At Shingen's quizzical look, I threw the name Aki, over my shoulder, and after a startled moment, the two of them were close behind.
But even though I risked Sasuke’s speed demon driving to get back to the hospital as fast as possible, it didn’t matter. When we reached Aki’s room, it was empty of everyone aside from two very confused and angry police officers.
@bestbryn @selenacosmic @lorei-writes @lyds323 @tele86 @akitsuneswife
#10 things#10 things I hate about Mitsuhide#mitsuhide monday#ikemen sengoku#fanfic#ikesen fanfic#mitsuhide akechi#ikesen mitsuhide#ikesen sasuke#ikesen shingen#oc katsuko#katsuverse#queued
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It’s Pink! (Daredevil fic)
“It’s pink,” Captain America said. Again. As though color was the only attribute you could ascribe to alien creatures.
“I got that,” Matt said, “Are there any other characteristics you can think of?”
“What else do you need?” Ironman said, “The thing is pink. Pink like nothing on earth is pink, eyesearingly, blindingly pink.”
“I’ll be sure not to look at it too hard then,” Matt said flatly, “Anything else?”
“The pink is very overwhelming, kind of makes it hard to notice anything else,” Captain America said, slightly apologetically, “But you’ll definitely know it when you see it.”
Wow, so helpful.
The Avengers had, as usual, fucked up. And as was unusual, they had come to the devil for help. Their explanation was long and not very coherent: something, something, lost alien pet, something, something potential intergalactic diplomatic incident. Point was, they’d lost something in Hell’s Kitchen, and they’d heard that Daredevil was very, very good at finding lost things in his territory.
Which Matt was! So long as he had more to go on than it’s pink.
“Um, it has three legs?” Hawkeye offered.
Finally some actual information. Seems at least one of the avengers could use those eyes in his head for genuine observational purposes, way to go Hawkeye for living up to his hero name.
“As in it’s missing one, or it’s meant to be that way?” Matt asked.
“Pretty sure it’s a tripodal animal. Tripedal? Whatever the word for that would be,” Hawkeye said.
“Why the fuck didn’t you lead with that?” Matt asked.
He didn’t listen to the answer. The sound of a three-legged creature, a gait entirely unlike that of any earth animal, caught his attention now that he was listening for it, and he was off.
“The thing had three legs, a soft pelt of something that was neither fur nor feathers, somehow smelled strongly of a cross between cotton candy and whisky, and ran a full ten degrees hotter than any mammal on earth, and all they could think to tell me about it was that it was pink,” Matt complained to Foggy the next morning.
“But at least you got to meet a weird alien lapdog,” Foggy said, “Was it cute?”
“I mean, it was small and very soft and warm,” Matt said, “But it understandably hated my guts. And another thing the Avengers didn’t bother to tell me was whether or not it was venomous, so that was an interesting few minutes of my life.”
“Did you ask the Avengers if it was venomous, or dangerous at all? Or did you just run after it without thinking things through like usual?” Foggy asked, ruthlessly sensible.
“Um,” Matt said.
“Well, you’re not dead,” Foggy said “So I guess it turned out alright in the end. And you got to hold an actual, genuine alien life form!”
“It was a little bit cool,” Matt admitted, “And so soft, and it purred when I finally gave it back to Captain America, who it apparently likes. I can understand being a little obsessed with it, though not nearly enough to start a war over. Here, I took pictures.”
“Oh, wow,” Foggy said, looking at the pictures on Matt’s phone. “That’s. I don’t know how to describe what that looks like. It’s really pink.”
Matt made a strangled sound.
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Cap-IM Rec Week Day 4
Happy Thursday! For Golden Oldies Thursday on @cap-ironman Rec Week, we have some of my favorite older fics, all of which I’ve read multiple times and love to an unhealthy degree.
The Twice-Told Tale by arysteia
For someone he'd hero-worshipped for so long, Steve Rogers in the flesh is a pretty big disappointment. For one thing, he keeps looking at Tony as though he reminds him of someone else, and even if he never says anything, Tony's pretty sure it's his father. A lifetime of not measuring up to Howard's expectations is more than enough, thank you very much, and he's certainly not going to make an effort to live up to any of Steve's. Steve's pretty clearly failed to live up to his expectations, in any case, and that's not hypocritical at all.
So I didn’t include this on Monday’s absolute favs list because I knew I could include it here. But it is. An absolute fav. It plays with time travel in one of my favorite ways, letting Steve and Tony fall in love in multiple times and I just--I’m obsessed with it.
Homefront by copperbadge
Steve Rogers is a capable leader, a kind and cheerful man, a good friend, a strong role model, and a loyal soldier. He's also teetering on the edge of suicide.
There are few fics that have stayed with me and hurt me in a healing sort of way the way this one has. I read it shortly after my brother died unexpectedly and for Reasons, it’s always resonated with my healing after his death. The writing is also just fantastic and heartbreaking in the best way.
Truth by valtyr
Captain America takes truth serum. Tony is all over that.
I re-read this once a month I think. It’s short and fluffy and perfect, the team dynamics and just STEVE being so painfully honest, and then just. Hot.
Thrust Issues by Sineala
A battle gone wrong leads Tony to the unexpected and pleasant discovery that Steve is much more well-endowed than he could ever have imagined. But when Tony learns that Steve has never actually been able to sleep with anyone because of his size, Tony does what any good friend would do: he offers to relieve Steve of his virginity. Personally. Tony's determined, Tony's methodical, and Tony has a plan. He's going to get Steve laid. Tony just needs to make sure Steve never finds out that Tony's in love with him.
It’s Sine. And delicious. I love the way Sine writes Tony in this one especially.
Like a Comet Streaming On by Sineala
Tony escapes Afghanistan with a functioning Iron Man suit and a perfectly normal heart. He even manages to bring Ho Yinsen home safely at his side. But he may as well have lost everything... because his wolfbrother is dead. Six months later, the Avengers find Captain America, frozen in ice, miraculously alive. Everything and everyone Steve has ever known is gone -- except his wolfsister, the recipient of the lupine version of the super-soldier serum, who was frozen in his arms. Tony has everything but his wolf. Steve has only his wolf. This is how their lives fit together.
I just really really love this fic. The worldbuilding is fantastic and both Steve and Tony just really need hugs.
#capimrecweek#cap-im#stevetony#stony#steve rogers#tony stark#iron man#captain america#arei reads too much
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G/t Rec/favorite list from Fanfiction.net part 1
On this list, there are a lot of Transformers stories. I feel like in that fandom it is very easy to write G/t-themed works because it already has giant robots. I tried to pick out the ones on my favorite list that focused more on the size difference and even first contact type meetings where the size difference is explored more in the story. For this list, I just copied each story summary that was already there.
Domestic Liberation by Lnzy1
Alternate G1. It is suggested by many experts that if you ever find yourself kidnapped or taken hostage, it is always a better choice to cooperate with the assailant to avoid injury, but does this rule apply to alien abductions as well?
The doctor in the cupboard by Guivana
House didn't believe in magic, but under the circumstances, what else could he blame? Science just didn't have an explanation for the fact that he'd woken up the size of a toy.
Property of by hydraling110
During a Cybertronian 'peace,' ex-Cons decide to hide the sentience of and sell humans as pets to secure Earth. Sam and Mikaela might just be the first to grasp the reality of the situation alongside their new mech owner.
The secret world of Sari by aurorafox
Inspired by The Secret World of Arrietty. Sari is a Borrower, part of a race of tiny people that live in homes and aren't supposed to be seen. When she's spotted one night, she might discover a few friends. Includes Transformers as humans and AU.
Across the galaxy by Crystal prime
Mina Castina is just your average twenty year-old woman, struggling to find her place in the world. A nerd and outcast all her life, she is not surprised by her struggles in her social life even as she does well in her school work. For all her feelings of being out of place, she never expected to find a place she felt she belonged. Especially when that place is far from her own planet! And just two days before her birthday too.
I lost a world! By Rose’s.wings
She was just a girl with nothing to do, but that changes when she wakes up on another planet and is taken in by aliens. All she wants is to find her sister and go home but with civil war looming, not to mention the speech barrier, will she ever get back?
When in the world By Jajayinmay
After an explosion in the Decepticon Space Bridge, Jack, Miko, and Raf are stranded alone on separate planets, while the Autobots try desperately to get them back. But who are these strange bots they've met? Why do they look so familiar? And what does Starscream mean by saying he's been gone for years?
Something different by borrowerellie
A borrower by the name of Ellie moves into the walls of 221B Baker St., but can she remain hidden from the very perceptive Sherlock Holmes? The first in what I hope to be a series about Borrower Ellie.
Return by Kageshi
Jack and Arcee go to Cybertron to return Optimus' memories but only one could return. Jack, stuck on a mostly dead planet, has no escape. How will he cope? What happens to the rest of the Autobots on Earth with no Prime? TFP Slash
Stalker in my walls by heroofthe13thday
Who's to say billionaire's mansions are Borrower-free? Ironman movies only, maybe Avengers if there's a sequel.
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Secrets Chapter 10: The Only Friends I've Ever Had
Pairing: Steve Rogers X OFC, Brock Rumlow X OFC.
Word count: 1591 words.
Summary: Sometimes keeping secrets can be dangerous or a heavy burden, which is what Kathleen has been doing for years. She will also be in charge of guiding Steve Rogers into this century; meanwhile, S.H.I.E.L.D. will be looking for a way to kick-start the Avengers Initiative by integrating her as one of the superheroes, but that won't be the only danger they face.
Warnings: Arguing, sad.
A/N: After long time working on this longfic, I finally post it. If you wanna be added to the taglist, let me know.
My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistakes, please let me know and I will correct them.
I don’t give any kind of permission that my fics to be posted on other platforms or languages (I translate myself my work) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don't steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other's people. The only exception is the ones I gifted 'cuz now belong to someone else. If you find any of my works on a different platform and are not one of my accounts, please let me know. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.
Add yourself to my taglist here.
My other media where I publish: Ao3, Wattpad, ffnet, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter.
If you like it, please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog.
You can read it on Wattpad and Ao3 too.
Secrets masterlist.
Previous chapter.
Next chapter.
Steve was watching a documentary about the Second World War on the laptop that Kathleen had lent him. After several days, he had finally learned to use it, stopped the video, and saw the military uniform that he wore when he was not on a mission. He grabbed the files. Finally, after a month, he was going to dare to see them. He opened the folder and began to see the tokens. They were from his companions in the Howling Commandos, all dead. Until he reached Peggy's file, He held it between his fingers, felt a turn in his heart, and began to read it carefully. There was the current residence address and a telephone number. Should he dial that number and call it? Wouldn't he still remember it?
He closed his eyes and put the token aside along with the others. He couldn't do it; he could appear out of nowhere. Everyone believed that Steve Rogers had died. He took the next one. It was Howard Stark's. He was also dead. He put it with the others. It caught his attention that there was one more token. He watched her carefully, putting his hand on his chin thoughtfully. He couldn't describe the feeling he had; it was between confusion, anger, and disappointment.
He put on his jacket and, for the first time since he woke up, he went for a walk. He walked the streets; there was so much change. Now there was a lot of noise; he was practically infested with vendors. He kept walking until he reached a coffee shop near Stark Tower. He ordered a coffee and, on a piece of paper, he started to draw the nearby buildings. He had not noticed the waitress's presence until she spoke.
"Waiting for the big guy?" The waitress asked, and Steve raised his head and looked at her blankly. "Ironman," the woman turned to the sky."Many people eat here just to see him fly."
"That's right," Steve replied, looking up at the sky. The woman watched him carefully. He pulled out his wallet.
She brought him more coffee. "So, we have free Wi-Fi," she said, walking away from the table.
" Radio?" Steve was confused, so he would ask Kathleen what that was. Surely she would know. The waitress saw it as funny because she managed to listen.
"Don't be silly, ask for her number," said the old man at the nearby table.
After this, Steve took the train. He felt like he didn't fit in; what would he do with his life? He knew he had a position at S.H.I.E.L.D., but did he want to get started with it? He was depressed; there was too much news, both good and bad; so many changes had occurred in those almost seventy years; however, he did not belong at that time. He came to a gym; at least he should have some hobby or something that could help him get everything he had inside. He would return to practicing boxing.
He was furiously hitting the bag. He had completely lost track of time. When he left the gym, he realized how late it was. It was probably past ten o'clock at night.
Meanwhile, in the house, Kathleen moved nervously. She didn't know where Steve was. He had left the cell phone in the house. The city was very complicated. If Fury found out, he would surely kill her. He didn't know what to do. She was already desperate. He could look for him in the vicinity without success. He could look for the minds of other mutants, but to look for the human one, he needed what he had stored in the secret place. Suddenly, he heard the door open and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that it was he who entered and approached him.
"Where were you, Steve?" I asked you not to go out alone yet, or at least you could have left a note warning. I was worried...
"I don't have to tell you where I'm going." You're not my mother. I think I'm old enough to know what I'm doing. Your concern is not me, but losing your job. If something happens to me, you know I'm the mission that Fury left you!" Steve yelled at him.
She was startled, not knowing what to say. He had never spoken to her like this. He was always chivalrous and tender with her. When he passed by her, she perceived the chaos in his head. He was depressed. She heard the slamming of the door coming from Steve's room.
She went to her room and took photos of her best friends from her hiding place. She missed them; she had lost them because of her; even her other friend was upset about the situation; she was alone again; she kept crying.
Neither of them was able to sleep that night; Steve felt bad about how he had treated her; he unfairly took it out on her, and all the anger he had in store had come out; it had not been her fault, that the plane crashed and he would end up frozen, nor of everything he had lost; she was as lonely as he was; she could see it in her eyes. She always tried to show that she was cheerful, but her eyes reflected the opposite. The next morning, she left her room. She would go to buy flowers, and although she did not know what her favorites were or if that was still being done, she would give them to her and apologize. What she did not expect was to find her in the kitchen because he was always the first to wake up. She was having a cup of tea and immersed in her thoughts with a lost look.
"Kath..." he approached her, "I..."
"I don't see you as my mission, Steve," she interrupted. "I think if Fury said I would help you adapt, it was because he wanted him to have at least a friend he could trust," she continued. He looked at her without understanding. He also didn't understand why she wasn't angry. "Are you afraid of me for who I am?" She looked directly into his eyes.
"No, why should I be afraid of you?" Steve noticed the woman's swollen, red eyes. He guessed she had been crying all night.
"Well, because I’m a mutant," she sighed, "because of the problem that existed years ago with mutants, many believe that we are failed experiments or that we want to end humanity, but what they never say are the consequences." We survived with very few. When I was three years old, I began to show that I had powers, and that was when my parents decided to go to Japan to be safe. There, practically all the mutants went unnoticed. They feared that the sentinel services or the government would go after us because, although their files do not say it, my whole family is a mutant. "You know, there I met a woman who was also a mutant, the first in her family, but a few years later, according to official reports, she couldn't control her powers and die." She took a sip.
Steve looked at her attentively. He preferred not to interrupt. She never talked about her, but she always listened to everything he told her. Could it be that she also felt like a monster?
"I don't know how a man from another country contacted my dad." He had twins, a year older than me. He asked my parents to help their children learn to control their powers because no one else in their family had and they didn't know what to do. The twins and I became best friends. On vacation, sometimes they stayed with me, and sometimes I went to their country and stayed with them. We got into trouble together," he smiled as he remembered.
" Why?" He was very curious. "You're someone very nice. I find it strange that you don't have any more friends or any suitors." They both blushed.
"People are afraid of mutants; I had already told you that the children and their families started to be afraid of us; the kids at school bothered me; they made jokes, they hid my things, and so on; no one would hang out with me, so I was always alone," she said. Steve felt identified; similar things were done to him for being weak, and the only one who defended him was Bucky. "The twins were my only friends, but when they were ten years old they lost their parents, then mine took care of them too, and then something horrible happened with other friends we had; they discovered the horrible secret of their parents and ran away, but also what happened to them was unexpected, and as a consequence, I started to have nightmares.” My friend helped me with them; she was the only one who could help me with them; she did what I did with you when you had them; she was the only one who could help me."
"What happened to them?" He interrupted; he didn't think it was something so serious, but he remembered all the trouble he got into.
"They trusted someone they shouldn't have; the twins and I were too late to save them."
She didn't mention Saori, but what had happened to her still hurt. Besides, the only one who knew was Brock; if only she had arrived in time...
Ꭲꭺꮐꮮꮖꮪꭲ:
@saiyanprincessswanie @sinceimetyou @unnuevosoltransformalarealidad
@navybrat817 @angrythingstarlight @shield-agent78 @charmed-asylum @pandaxnienke @real-fbi @smokeandnailz @white-wolf1940 @tenaciousperfectionunknown @xoxonotme @bluemusickid @leyannrae @harrysthiccthighss @marvelatthisone @caplanbuckybarnes @sapphire-rogers @lizzieolseniskinda @notyourtypicalrose @hallecarey1 @nana1000night @talia-rumlow @mylifeispainandiloveit @writingshae @alexxavicry @azulatodoryuga @daemonslittlebitch @sweater-daddiesdumbdork @jtargaryen18 @chaoticcollectivenightmare @endlesstwanted @chemtrails-club @marigoldreamer @whiskeytangofoxtrot555 @here4thefanfics @theestorm
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Vomit Pile #2
Fandom: Avengers (Ironman & Captain America), Danny Phantom
Danny couldn’t slip the grin from his face as he settled his seat on Cujo’s oversized form. The larger dog was munching away happily at a giant bone the halfa had pulled in through a portal. Danny, on the other hand, was excited to tear into the three burgers resting in a fast food bag.
It’s been almost four days since his last actual meal, and as much as being half dead made it easier to go without food, he still needed to eat at times. Being on the run like he was, quietly waiting for some sign his mother wasn’t going to come after him with another gun, was slowly taking a toll on his human side.
His injuries weren’t healing as fast as they used to, even if his ghost side seemed to be ready for anything. With a sigh, the young halfa patted Cujo’s green fur before digging in.Shifting the thermos below his shoes for a reminder of its presence. Life wasn’t the easiest it’s ever been, and new surprises followed him around every corner, but oddly enough he found more relaxing and calming moments.
Blue eyes scanned the surrounding trees, keeping an eye out for any sign of life- or afterlife- as he quickly choked down two of the burgers. The crumpled wrappers laid on the soft woodland floor near his now empty cup of soda. He’d only just opened his last burger when the sound of a figure descending caught his attention.
Danny only tensed ever-so-slightly, feeling a growl vibrate below him. His eyes instantly landed on a familiar red and gold suit of armor, pulses of blue energy expelling for the hands and feets until it came to a solid landing.
“This isn’t something you see very often.” The voice spoke as gears whirled, the face plate sliding up to reveal none other than Tony Stark himself. Danny groaned, softly patting Cujo in reassurance, only stopping the motion when the dog settled to ignore the intruder and continue to munch on his own treat.
“Look as much as I’m a big fan, I really could do without this right now.” Danny replied, taking a bite out of his burger. He watched one of the billionaire’s eyebrows quirk up in amusement.
“Kid, you’re sitting on a giant green dog that I'm pretty sure is glowing.” Tony retorted, metal arms crossing over the glowing emblem. “There’s no other time to handle this.”
“Cujo’s harmless eighty-five percent of the time.” Danny shrugged, smirking when Cujo gave a small huff. “The other fifteen is when he's protecting.”
“Cujo? Really?” Tony asked, motioning towards the red-eyes ghost. “Couldn’t be more on the nose, could you?”
“Hey, he came with his own name.” Danny replied through another mouthful, quickly crumpling up the last wrapper and dropping it with the rest. “Please tell me the rest of the dress-up squad isn’t with you?” The question was quickly answered when another hero broke through the surrounding bush. Danny’s gaze instantly fell on a red, white, and blue cladded Steve Rogers.
“Welcome to the show, Star-Spangled.” Tony smirked, glancing towards the shock-stricken man. “Looks like I found Cujo, and his human pet.”
“Who said I’m human?” Danny countered, letting his eyes flashing green for a split-second. Maybe taunting the world’s mightiest heroes was a bad idea, but it just seemed a little too easy of an opportunity to pass. Then both heroes instantly tensed, ready for a fight, Danny couldn’t help but laugh. “Wow, I don’t think I look that threatening.” Danny motioning one hand towards his appearance. He knew he was scrawny, and he knew he was short, pretty much everyone underestimated him.
It didn’t help that the ripped black jeans and dirt-stained red hoodie were much too large for his size. He tilted the thermos under his shoes ever-so-slightly, letting it softly drop to the ground before hopping off of Cujo.
He didn’t pay the two men any attention as he gathered his trash and belongings, dropping them all haphazardly into his over-used black school bag, clipping the thermos to his waistband.
“What are you?” The super soldier was the first to speak, Danny turned his gaze on him, shifting to the shield that was placed onto his back.
“Why do you care?” Danny asked, meeting blue eyes. “It’s not like I’m bothering anyone.”
“For one, we can’t exactly have a teen running around the city with a giant demon dog.” Tony quipped, motioning towards Cujo as the ghost just finished off his bone. Danny laughed, shaking his head slightly.
“Considering you just found me, I say we know how to hide pretty well.” Danny turned, slinging the bag over his shoulder and snapped his fingers. “Ŝrumpi.” Cujo jumped up, slowly shrinking down to the size of a puppy.
“Holy shit.” Danny heard from behind him, but he was focused on getting ready to leave. He shifted the bag, the largest pocket open and empty, leaning it towards his friend.
“Kaŝi.” Cujo gave a small, happy bark before hopping into the bag, letting Danny zip it with only the smallest opening on top. “See, nothing odd here.” Danny turned back to the men, smirking at the surprised look they brandished.
“Kid, everything about you is odd.” Tony shook his head, eyes raking over the teen. Danny bit back a groan, he knows he looks like a mess, knows he looks like a homeless teen… Which he is, but that’s besides the point.
He didn’t need extra attention right now, what he needed was to stay as out of the spotlight as possible. Maddie could be anywhere right now, and who knows if she got help from any other hunters she knows. God forbid she actually manipulated his dad into helping.
“Look, I get you have this duty to keep the world safe, but I’m the least of your problems.” Danny slipped the other strap over his shoulder, the familiar weight of Cujo easing his anxiety just a little. “I don’t have the time, patience, or ability right now to deal with this.”
“Our duty is to also help the people of this world.” Steve spoke up, taking a small hesitant step towards the teen. Danny tensed, ready to pull his core forward if need be. He tried not to go full ghost as much as possible, or use any large abilities because he knew it could be tracked. “And from where I’m standing, it looks like you need it.”
Danny barked a laugh, he couldn’t help it. Sure he liked the heroes, but he didn’t need help. Not from them, there wasn’t much they could do. So leave it to them to think he was able to be saved. He was damned the day he walked into that portal.
“Not everyone needs help.” Danny shot back, he wasn’t sure why he was bothering entertaining them. Maybe because he hasn’t had an actual conversation with someone that wasn’t hate filled in so long. “I, for one, would rather-”
Danny’s words died in his throat when a familiar beeping came from his watch. A curse left him as he slid his sleeve up, glancing down at the face of the watch. Sixteen. Sixteen fucking feet away. He didn’t have time to really run.
“What is that?” Danny glanced up, meeting the billionaire’s eyes.
“Trouble.” Danny grumbled, quickly clicking the sound off. His eyes quickly surveyed the area before returning to the number. Twelve. Fuck. “Look I’ll answer all your questions, I’ll do whatever you want, but when she shows up, tell her you haven’t seen me.”
“Wait-”
“Please.” Danny swallowed, meeting their gaze. Steve was the first one to nod, pulling a sigh of relief from the teen. He pulled a small pocket knife from his pocket, ignoring the words behind him as he cut a small wound into the palm of his hand, he racked it over a few rocks nearby before turning towards them.
“I’m not going anywhere, you just won’t be able to see me.” Danny spoke, letting invisibility take over. Nine. He really hopes his blood will do the trick here.
“Hey, wait!” Tony’s eyes scanned quickly over the area he was just at. Danny walked over to stand behind Tony, if anything he hoped the reading coming off the suit would throw off the tracker.
“I’m still here.” Danny spoke from behind him. “Act natural, she’ll be here soon.” Five.
“Are we really?” Tony asked, motioning towards the clearing.
“We’re here to help.” Steve reminded him, dropping the shield from his back. Danny shook his head even if the two men couldn’t see it, there wouldn’t need to be a fight if this worked.
“Seriously Steve-” Tony stopped the moment a figure burst through the trees and bushes before them. A somewhat short woman, although not as short as the teen, stood before them. What was clearly a tracker in one hand, and a small sci-fi-esque pistol in the other.
“Did you see him here? He looks like a teen boy.” Her words were quick and steady, eyes glancing from the tracker to the area around them.
“Who are you?” Tony asked, arms tensed and ready at his side. Danny on the other hand was trying to control the hammering in his chest. He hasn’t been this close to her in so long, the last times he’s seen her, she tried to capture him or end his life. He held his breath, trying to push down the growing fear inside.
“I’m a scientist and a hunter, there is a dangerous creature on the run.” Her posture was perfect, her words holding little place to argue. “He can manipulate and play on your emotions. I ask again, have you seen him?”
“I’m sorry ma’am.” Steve spoke before Tony could, eyes taking in the woman. He wasn’t sure who she was, or if what she said is true, but he does know the fear in that teen’s eyes was real. “We came out to investigate a weird energy reading, but nothing was found.”
“That can’t be right.” She spoke, glancing back down to her tracker, placing the pistol onto a hip holster. “He should be here… Maybe the readings from the suit…” Tony glanced between Steve and the woman, both Avengers were unsure how to get her to leave. Then he remembered the blood.
“The only thing we found was that.” Tony spoke, pointing towards the slightly red rocks. The woman’s head peaked up quickly, steps determined as she stepped towards it. The tracker was held before it, after a beat a soft beep sounded.
“Of course, this must be it… It’s still fresh.” She spoke more to herself than the other two. “It must have just left here, which means I’m on the right track.”
The smile that slid onto her face even made Steve uncomfortable, there was a twisted plan hidden behind it. The super soldier stopped himself from reacting when a cold hand gripped his forearm in a hold, in the corner of his eyes couldn’t see anyone, but he knew who it was.
Danny couldn’t help it, ever since what happened, ever since he saw who his mother really was… It felt like he was a five year old boy again, and she was the biggest thing in the room. The strongest urge to flee screamed throughout him, but right now the two heroes were his only bet in getting out alive.
“Thank you.” She turned to them, placing the tracker into her waist belt. “No need to worry about him, I’ll have him captured in no time.”
Tony wanted to speak, ask her who she worked for, who she was, but his ears picked up a soft sound from behind him. The softest whine of a scared animal, instead he bit his tongue, watching the woman leave the clearing.
“Friday, tell us when she’s out of range.” Tony orders, waiting until Friday deems it safe before turning to Steve, and the empty space between them. “What the hell was that about?”
Danny exhaled, releasing his grip on Steve’s arm and flickered back into view. He swallowed, appreciating the constant pulse of ectoplasm against his back. After a moment of collecting himself, he looked up and was met with two concerned eyes.
“That was… That’s my…” Danny swallowed against the lump in his throat, he hasn’t told anyone. Not even his best friends or his sister.
“How about we get back to the tower, then talk?”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“Wait, you’re telling me that was your mom?” The words left Tony the moment Danny finally told them who that was in the clearing.
“And she’s trying to… kill you?” Steve pushed out, tone trying to be steady but Danny picked up the underlying thrum of emotions.
“More like to turn me into a lab rat.” Danny muttered, picking slightly at the table before him. Cujo whined softly in his lap, pushing his head under the teen’s chin. “It’s alright boy, she’s gone, vi estas sekura.” Danny reassured, running a hand along vibrant fur.
“Just because you're different?” Tony growled, glancing between Steve and Danny. “You’re shitting me right?”
“I wish.” Danny let out a harsh laugh, shaking his head. “I turned into the one thing she hated, it doesn’t matter anymore, not to her.”
“Do you have someplace safe to go?” Steve asked, voice soft and hesitant. “Anyone you can go to until things blow over.”
“If they blow over, but no. The only people I have are back in town and it’s way too much of a risk for them to try and hide me.” Danny exhaled, looking up at the two heroes. “You don’t have to worry about me, I appreciate what you did back there, but I’ll be fine.”
“Really kid, what happens the next time she shows up?”
#danny fenton#danny phantom#phandom#tony stark#captain america#steve rogers#iron man#I love Cujo#dp cujo#dp fic#dp crossover#Danny Phantom avengers#Esperanto is used#fanfic#fanfiction#fanfiction writer#my fic
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Cap-IM Rec Week 2023 (Sat) - Podfic
Hidden Gems, July 22 for @cap-ironman Rec Week!
I'm reccing podfics today - they deserve all the love!
Remember to show some love for your hard-working creators!
[Podfic] Stark's Moving Castle by lomku @oluka read by Juulus @juuls
Steve has the great misfortune of being the eldest son of the family, destined to fail miserably should he ever leave home to seek his fate. But when he unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Steve finds himself under a horrid spell that transforms him into a small and fragile man. His only chance at breaking the curse lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Stark's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Steve must handle the heartless Stark, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, he discovers that there's far more to Stark--and himself--than first meets the eye.
[Podfic] "Cold Space, Warm Welcome" by Annie D (scaramouche) @no-gorms read by Renton6echo @renton6echo
Tony’s spent a couple of years flying around the galaxy in his best friend Rhodey’s spaceship the Iron Advance, doing what could perhaps be counted as ‘hero’ work. Among their allies is Steve Rogers, captain of his own crew, with whom Tony has a… potentially friendly relationship.
When Steve’s ship is irreparably damaged, Rhodey takes him and his whole crew onto the Iron Advance to recover. Tony’s not at all nervous about this, because so what if this is the first time Steve will see him without the Iron Man armor?
When they finally come to destroy the earth (they'll have to go through you first) [podfic] by AlchemyAlice read by grrreed_pods (quaetzalcoatl)
In which Tony Stark went to boarding school with Bruce Wayne, and the road to becoming a superhero is not smooth.
[Podfic] Touchy Feely by musicalluna @musicalluna read by seleneaurora
After an encounter with Justin Hammer, Tony starts to feel—and act—strangely.
[Podfic] Take Me Out (And Let Me Hold You Tight) by musicalluna @musicalluna read by RsCreighton
Steve daydreams about holding Tony's hand, and Halloween might just be the best chance he's got for making dreams reality.
[Podfic] Breakwater by Captain_Panda read by only_more_love @onlymorelove
When the helicopter hits the water, Captain America and the Winter Soldier both go under. Only the Winter Soldier escapes.
By the time Tony Stark and company find Steve Rogers, he's been dead for nearly an hour. Brought back from beyond the brink, Steve is a changed man.
Things will never be the same.
[Podfic] The Sound Silence Makes by ladyshadowdrake read by seleneaurora
“We need exactly what we don’t have,” Tony observed, annoyed and tired. He started to giggle and couldn’t stop himself. “Power.”
He cast a glance back at the door, sealed shut behind him, and he didn’t foresee the cavalry charging through anytime soon with a generator and a bomb kit. Tony took a deep breath and asked, “How much reserve power does the suit have, J?”
[podfic] Appraise Valuable Assets -> Launce Opportune Navigation (AVALON) by gottalovev @gottalovev read by Albuss
The plan was that no one but Tony would know about the AVALON protocol until it was needed. Steve finds out and he's pissed.
[Podfic] For You I Will (A Thousand Times Remix) by ishipallthings read by SoldiersShield
During Hope and Scott’s wedding reception, Tony asks Steve for a dance. Steve turns him down, but not for the reason Tony thinks.
[Podfic] Bridge Over Troubled Water by vorkosigan @the-vorkosigan read by only_more_love @onlymorelove
After Thanos is defeated, Tony throws a party, like one does. Steve is there, and Tony thinks it's an awesome idea to seduce him, for old times' sake. Things get... complicated.
[Podfic] JentheSweetie's "And Time Can Do So Much" by JenTheSweetie read by Renton6echo @renton6echo
A few years after Steve moved permanently back in time, he started having conversations with Tony again.
Love Is A Masquerade [Podfic] by Mizzy read by paraka (616)
When the Avengers are invited to attend Tony Stark's Annual Masquerade Ball, Steve's hoping Iron Man will be there--after all, he can wear a mask and keep his identity secret. So when Steve recognizes Iron Man's distinctive thighs, Steve is SO sure he's found Iron Man's pilot... He's right, but not in a way Steve would ever have guessed...
Hide Your Love Away, by Sineala, (podfic) by Sineala @sineala read by cookiemom6067 @cookiemom6067 (616)
Tony has suspected for a long time that the soulmark on his chest matches Steve's -- but he's never told Steve about it. And then it's too late to tell Steve anything at all ever again. In the wake of Steve's death, the Skrull invasion, and Norman Osborn's rise to power, the identity of his soulmate is just one of the many things Tony cuts out of his memory forever.
When Tony returns to consciousness, he's forced to deal with the aftermath of a war he no longer remembers fighting, not to mention a Steve Rogers who can barely stand to be in the same room with him. Surely the last thing Tony could ever need in his life is more amnesia. But that's what he gets. And Tony's new missing memory just might be the key to finding out the truth of his soulmark... as well as his chance to make things right once and for all.
[PODFIC] How to Date a Robot by Sineala @sineala read by crawfishing (616)
How do you date a robot? Even the twenty-first century doesn't have the answers to every question. Steve will have to figure this one out for himself -- after he politely rebuffs Mr. Stark's interest, of course. Sure, Mr. Stark is handsome, but Steve would rather be with his bodyguard. So when Iron Man agrees to go on a date with Steve, Steve couldn't be happier. He loves Iron Man with all of his heart, and their relationship rapidly grows serious. But why does Mr. Stark hate Iron Man so much? And why in the world is Mr. Stark trying to tear Steve and Iron Man apart?
[Podfic] Flight of Icarus by by Missy_dee811 @laexploradoraaa read by Cathalinareads @cathalinaheart (616)
“Tony,” said Kamala, hurried.
“I loaded up some music to give you a little boost,” she said.
“Oh no,” he said, shaking his head.
“Don’t worry,” she added. “It’s not mine.”
He smiled.
I knew I liked you.
[PODFIC] Magnetic North by msermesth by msermesth @msermesth by Pywren @pywren (616)
Tony joins Steve on his post-Secret Empire road-trip-slash-pity-party.
Turns out the road home is paved with a lot of arguments and sex.
If you want to check out more Steve/Tony podfics, here is an older podfic rec list of mine. You can also check out @sabrecmc‘s list and head over to the podficcers’ profiles for more podfic!
Hope you guys enjoy the recs, and stay tuned for more! Here is my tag for previous years’ rec lists.
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SteveTony Weekly - January 22
Hello, friends! Here’s what I read this week. I went on a bit of a Ults kick (again) so there’s a fair bit of that. Enjoy--and be sure to leave comments and kudos for your fic authors!
~*~
Unforgettable by msermesth
Weddings aren't the best places to hash out long-held disagreements.
But this is Steve and Tony. What else did you expect?
An Educational Experience (The Good Things Come To Those Who Wait Remix) by valdomarx
Ults Tony has a nice day.
aka Tony talks Steve through sucking his cock.
A Uniform Velocity from the Cradle to the Grave by Sineala
The machine found in the wake of the attempted Chitauri invasion opens a portal that could lead anywhere. Steve's sure as hell not expecting it to lead a decade in the future, to a New York reeling from another alien attack. And he's definitely not expecting the man he finds on the other side of it.
A Proportional Response by msermesth
Steve doesn't have a reason for cock-blocking Tony.
No reason, whatsoever.
Veridicality by Sineala
When Steve is accidentally exposed to a truth serum, Tony learns that Steve has been keeping a lot of feelings hidden.
A Hundred Times, Once by FestiveFerret, SirSapling
The shrill tone of his SHIELD beeper pulls Steve out of sleep and into battle. He fights robots, he fights Tony's shameless advances, he fights the exhaustion that threatens to take over him, drown him. And then the next morning, he wakes and does it again. Exactly the same.
And again.
And again.
And again.
always winter, always spring by Mizzy
(groundhog day) trapped in an ever-replenishing room with an impossible puzzle to solve, Steve and Tony learn a thing or two about each other and about themselves
Everlasting devotion by gottalovev
With their diplomatic mission on Xandar over, Steve is looking forward to a well-deserved vacation — on a space cruise! — with his beloved long time fiancée Natasha.
The space pirates, though, are an unpleasant surprise.
you'll fear what you found by xWinterDreamsx
His heart thudded painfully in his chest, urgency racing through him. He just couldn’t stop thinking about where Stark was, who had taken him, where they’d taken him, and most importantly, what they were doing to him.
_
Tony gets kidnapped.
desperate for you by xWinterDreamsx
Steve and Tony finally get the chance to spend some quality time together.
Can we start again? by xWinterDreamsx
The door opened, but it wasn’t Pepper.
What the fuck was he doing here?
A Good Man Bears Watching by navaan
Timely is a complicated and dangerous town and when the new blacksmith comes into town, Steve feels he bears watching. It might be for the best.
Surprise Packages by Neverever
When Steve is overwhelmed by omega attention, Fury insists that Steve get married. Steve gets engaged to omega Edward, who has a lot of secrets.
this is what it feels like by Thahire
Against his better judgment, Steve accepts Jan’s dare to kiss Tony under the mistletoe. It has unexpected consequences for everyone involved.
To Unseen Heights by KandiSheek
Tony wakes up naked in a place he doesn't recognize. Not unusual for him, except this hasn't happened to him since the eighties, and he's usually not in the company of the supersoldier he's carrying a torch for. Who is also naked. And who is now privy to the sight of Tony's wing stumps, an injury he's successfully hidden from the public - and his teammates - for years. Not just because he hates the sight of them, but also because they're a dead giveaway that he's Ironman. This couldn't be more of a shit show.
Tony eats those words as soon as the aphrodisiac kicks in.
Field Medicine by kellifer_fic
Tony Stark is a terrible patient, which is surprising to no one.
kings of the city by Areiton
The Irish mob held Brooklyn.
The Spider held Queens.
And where Tony fits in the city has never been clear...
Sometimes though, he thinks he fits here--at Steve's side.
Oxidation by paxnirvana
Terrorists develop a riot-inducing spray that has unexpected effects on America's only Super Soldier.
Holding Out for a Hero by mariana_oconnor
The serum did a lot of things to Steve, but one thing he hates about it is how sensitive it made him, too sensitive. After it contributes to the end of his relationship with Jan, Tony offers to help him out.
An Inglourious Affair by ann2who, morphia
In 1944, Steve's commando team, The Basterds, are off to fight nazis in France. Tony joins their efforts after intelligence suggests that Herr Kleiser, a German scientist, has set his sights on making a massive nuclear bomb. Their mission: Get to Kleiser before he completes his evil plan. What neither of them had planned for, however, was to fall in love in the middle of the worst war either of them had ever seen.
Must Be True by AvengersNewB
When the stakes are too high, Tiberius Stone offers his omega, Tony, as a little side incentive to close important business deals. Tonight’s business is an arms deal with the Avengers, and the alpha they’re meeting is Captain America.
This is Our Place (We Make the Rules) by iam93percentstardust
Tony has been dancing for close to an hour when his feet start hurting him badly enough to drive him off the club dancefloor. The lights are flashing blue and red and green, adding to the throbbing headache he’s had all day that he ignored in favor of going out tonight. It might not have been the smart choice, but Tony’s young still, and isn’t that what youth is all about? Making bad choices and damning the consequences?
He staggers over to the bar, wondering if Steve will be upset if he goes upstairs. Steve doesn’t normally mind—he likes it actually when Tony goes in to pester him during his meetings; it’s a status symbol to have the last Stark curled up on his lap—but Captain Fury is the sort of reluctant ally that Steve doesn’t want him around in case things sour and there’s a shootout. Most people would hesitate to use Tony as leverage against Steve after what he did to Hell’s Kitchen. Not Fury though.
#stevetony#stevetony fic#stevetony fic recs#stony fics#stony#stony fic recs#steve rogers#tony stark#captain america#iron man
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Operation Stumpy Re-Read
ADWD: Reek II (Theon II) [Chapter 20]
Besides, where would he run to? Behind him were the camps, crowded with Dreadfort men and those the Ryswells had brought from the Rills, with the Barrowton host between them. South of Moat Cailin, another army was coming up the causeway, an army of Boltons and Freys marching beneath the banners of the Dreadfort.
I think it's a little concerning House Dustin always finds itself grouped with the Boltons, Freys, and Ryswells.
You do you, but I will not be putting my faith in Queen in the North Barbrey Dustin.
+.+.+
He was no rider. He was not even a man. He was Lord Ramsay's creature, lower than a dog, a worm in human skin.
. . .
+.+.+
"You will pretend to be a prince," Lord Ramsay told him last night, as Reek was soaking in a tub of scalding water, "but we know the truth. You're Reek. You'll always be Reek, no matter how sweet you smell. Your nose may lie to you. Remember your name. Remember who you are."
Why is this so funny?
"Daenerys. Remember the Undying. Remember who you are." - Daenerys II, ADWD
x
"Remember who you are, Daenerys," the stars whispered in a woman's voice. "The dragons know. Do you?" - Daenerys X, ADWD
+.+.+
You will be tempted to betray me. To run or fight or join our foes. No, quiet, I'll not hear you deny it. Lie to me, and I'll take your tongue. A man would turn against me in your place, but we know what you are, don't we?
. . .
+.+.+
When he looked up, he caught a glimpse of pale faces peering from behind the battlements of the Gatehouse Tower and through the broken masonry that crowned the Children's Tower, where legend said the children of the forest had once called down the hammer of the waters to break the lands of Westeros in two.
One point for the north seceding.
+.+.+
The swampy ground beyond the causeway was impassable, an endless morass of suckholes, quicksands, and glistening green swards that looked solid to the unwary eye but turned to water the instant you trod upon them, the whole of it infested with venomous serpents and poisonous flowers and monstrous lizard lions with teeth like daggers. Just as dangerous were its people, seldom seen but always lurking, the swamp-dwellers, the frog-eaters, the mud-men. Fenn and Reed, Peat and Boggs, Cray and Quagg, Greengood and Blackmyre, those were the sorts of names they gave themselves. The ironborn called them all bog devils.
All of these houses are Team Stark. No further explanation required. Just trust me, bro.
+.+.+
The guard rubbed his face, his eyes red and inflamed. "We used to drag the dead down into the cellars. All the vaults are flooded down there. No one wants to take the trouble now, so we just leave them where they fall."
"The cellar is a better place for them. Give them to the water. To the Drowned God."
Dead ironborn go to the water.
+.+.+
"How many of the garrison are left?"
"Some," said the ironman. "I don't know. Fewer than we was before. Some in the Drunkard's Tower too, I think. Not the Children's Tower. Dagon Codd went over there a few days back. Only two men left alive, he said, and they was eating on the dead ones. He killed them both, if you can believe that."
Oh dear.
+.+.+
Ralf Kenning lay shivering beneath a mountain of furs. His arms were stacked beside him—sword and axe, mail hauberk, iron warhelm. His shield bore the storm god's cloudy hand, lightning crackling from his fingers down to a raging sea, but the paint was discolored and peeling, the wood beneath starting to rot.
I think I'm confused. Why is the Storm God on his shield?
+.+.+
Ralf was rotting too. Beneath the furs he was naked and feverish, his pale puffy flesh covered with weeping sores and scabs. His head was misshapen, one cheek grotesquely swollen, his neck so engorged with blood that it threatened to swallow his face. The arm on that same side was big as a log and crawling with white worms. No one had bathed him or shaved him for many days, from the look of him. One eye wept pus, and his beard was crusty with dried vomit. "What happened to him?" asked Reek.
[...]
"Kill him," Reek told the guard. "His wits are gone. He's full of blood and worms."
The man gaped at him. "The captain put him in command."
"You'd put a dying horse down."
[...]
"I will kill him for you." Reek snatched up Ralf Kenning's sword where it leaned against his shield. He still had fingers enough to clasp the hilt. When he laid the edge of the blade against the swollen throat of the creature on the straw, the skin split open in a gout of black blood and yellow pus. Kenning jerked violently, then lay still.
That might be one of the most disgusting things I've ever read.
The irony of Theon putting someone out of their misery is not lost on me.
+.+.+
All the men were strangers to him. Several wore cloaks fastened by brooches in the shape of silver codfish. The Codds were not well regarded in the Iron Islands; the men were said to be thieves and cowards, the women wantons who bedded with their own fathers and brothers.
I would have ignored this if the word wanton wasn't used.
Edit: I missed an amusing detail.
Thank you, @decadelongsummer. 😂
+.+.+
He gestured at the parchment. "Break the seal. Read the words. That is a safe conduct, written in Lord Ramsay's own hand. Give up your swords and come with me, and his lordship will feed you and give you leave to march unmolested to the Stony Shore and find a ship for home. Elsewise you die."
At no point does Theon acknowledge he's leading these men to their deaths.
And he definitely knows.
+.+.+
"My uncle is never coming back," Reek told them. "The kingswood crowned his brother Euron, and the Crow's Eye has other wars to fight. You think my uncle values you? He doesn't. You are the ones he left behind to die. He scraped you off the same way he scrapes mud off his boots when he wades ashore."
And? He meant well, okay?
+.+.+
"Lord Ramsay treats his captives honorably so long as they keep faith with him." He has only taken toes and fingers and that other thing, when he might have had my tongue, or peeled the skin off my legs from heel to thigh. "Yield up your swords to him, and you will live."
. . .
+.+.+
One man took a swallow of ale. Another turned his cup over to wash away a finger of blood before it reached the place where he was seated. No one spoke. When the one-armed man slid the throwing axe back through his belt, Reek knew he had won. He almost felt a man again. Lord Ramsay will be pleased with me.
. . .
+.+.+
He did well to send me, Reek told himself as he climbed back onto his stot to lead his ragged column back across the boggy ground to where the northmen were encamped.
Ongoing theme of Theon being sent on a mission with paper in hand.
Let's see if it happens a third time.
+.+.+
"Leave your weapons here," he told the prisoners. "Swords, bows, daggers. Armed men will be slain on sight."
Reasonable request, but there's the first hint something is amiss.
+.+.+
It took them thrice as long to cover the distance as it had taken Reek alone. Crude litters had been patched together for four of the men who could not walk; the fifth was carried by his son, upon his back. It made for slow going, and all the ironborn were well aware of how exposed they were, well within bowshot of the bog devils and their poisoned arrows. If I die, I die. Reek only prayed the archer knew his business, so death would be quick and clean. A man's death, not the end Ralf Kenning suffered.
When it comes to Theon and foreshadowing, I'm mostly looking for archery and an honourable death.
+.+.+
The one-armed man walked at the head of the procession, limping heavily. His name, he said, was Adrack Humble, and he had a rock wife and three salt wives back on Great Wyk. "Three of the four had big bellies when we sailed," he boasted, "and Humbles run to twins. First thing I'll need to do when I get back is count up my new sons. Might be I'll even name one after you, m'lord."
Aye, name him Reek, he thought, and when he's bad you can cut his toes off and give him rats to eat. He turned his head and spat, and wondered if Ralf Kenning hadn't been the lucky one.
There's the second hint this is all going to hell.
+.+.+
A light rain had begun to piss down out of the slate-grey sky by the time Lord Ramsay's camp appeared in front of them.
Third.
+.+.+
The dogs swarmed around them, snapping and snarling at the strangers. The Bastard's girls, Reek thought, before he remembered that one must never, never, never use that word in Ramsay's presence.
Again, pretty apparent why Ramsay would constantly refer to Jon as 'bastard' in the pink letter.
+.+.+
"So few. I had hoped for more. They were such stubborn foes." Lord Ramsay's pale eyes shone.
Final hint.
+.+.+
"My lord," he said, "my place is here, with you. I'm your Reek. I only want to serve you. All I ask … a skin of wine, that would be reward enough for me … red wine, the strongest that you have, all the wine a man can drink …"
All Theon wants is to be blackout drunk when it starts.
+.+.+
Lord Ramsay laughed. "You're not a man, Reek. You're just my creature. You'll have your wine, though. Walder, see to it. And fear not, I won't return you to the dungeons, you have my word as a Bolton. We'll make a dog of you instead. Meat every day, and I'll even leave you teeth enough to eat it. You can sleep beside my girls. Ben, do you have a collar for him?"
"I'll have one made, m'lord," said old Ben Bones.
The old man did better than that. That night, besides the collar, there was a ragged blanket too, and half a chicken. Reek had to fight the dogs for the meat, but it was the best meal he'd had since Winterfell.
Being a dog is somehow an upgrade.
I'm happy for you if you enjoy this POV, but I can't do it.
+.+.+
And the wine … the wine was dark and sour, but strong. Squatting amongst the hounds, Reek drank until his head swam, retched, wiped his mouth, and drank some more. Afterward he lay back and closed his eyes. When he woke a dog was licking vomit from his beard, and dark clouds were scuttling across the face of a sickle moon. Somewhere in the night, men were screaming. He shoved the dog aside, rolled over, and went back to sleep.
Go to sleep, Theon.
+.+.+
The flayed man of House Bolton was hoisted above the Gatehouse Tower, where Reek had hauled down the golden kraken of Pyke. Along the rotting-plank road, wooden stakes were driven deep into the boggy ground; there the corpses festered, red and dripping. Sixty-three, he knew, there are sixty-three of them. One was short half an arm. Another had a parchment shoved between its teeth, its wax seal still unbroken.
Do you have any idea how stupid you have to be to not connect Ramsay putting 63 ironborn on wooden stakes with Daenerys crucifying 163 men?
Is that a parallel Targs are comfortable with?
+.+.+
Three days later, the vanguard of Roose Bolton's host threaded its way through the ruins and past the row of grisly sentinels—four hundred mounted Freys clad in blue and grey, their spearpoints glittering whenever the sun broke through the clouds.
[...]
The northmen followed hard behind the van, their tattered banners streaming in the wind. Reek watched them pass. Most were afoot, and there were so few of them. He remembered the great host that marched south with Young Wolf, beneath the direwolf of Winterfell. Twenty thousand swords and spears had gone off to war with Robb, or near enough to make no matter, but only two in ten were coming back, and most of those were Dreadfort men.
[...]
Farther back came the baggage train—lumbering wayns laden with provisions and loot taken in the war, and carts crowded with wounded men and cripples. And at the rear, more Freys. At least a thousand, maybe more: bowmen, spearmen, peasants armed with scythes and sharpened sticks, freeriders and mounted archers, and another hundred knights to stiffen them.
Number update!
House Bolton has 4000 men.
House Frey has 1500 (2000?) men in the north.
"Not for long. Bolton's bastard son will soon remove that little obstacle. Lord Bolton will have two thousand Freys to augment his own strength, under Lord Walder's sons Hosteen and Aenys. That should be more than enough to deal with Stannis and a few thousand broken men." - Jaime II, AFFC
+.+.+
Two of old Lord Walder's sons led the van. One was brawny, with a massive jut of jaw and arms thick with muscle. The other had hungry eyes close-set above a pointed nose, a thin brown beard that did not quite conceal the weak chin beneath it, a bald head. Hosteen and Aenys. He remembered them from before he knew his name. Hosteen was a bull, slow to anger but implacable once roused, and by repute the fiercest fighter of Lord Walder's get. Aenys was older, crueler, and more clever—a commander, not a swordsman. Both were seasoned soldiers.
The clever commander will die.
The implacable one will lead the Freys against Stannis.
Strangely, Stannis smiled. "Angry foes do not concern me. Anger makes men stupid, and Hosteen Frey was stupid to begin with, if half of what I have heard of him is true. Let him come." - Theon I, TWOW
+.+.+
Back where the press was thickest at the center of the column rode a man armored in dark grey plate over a quilted tunic of blood-red leather. His rondels were wrought in the shape of human heads, with open mouths that shrieked in agony. From his shoulders streamed a pink woolen cloak embroidered with droplets of blood. Long streamers of red silk fluttered from the top of his closed helm. No crannogman will slay Roose Bolton with a poisoned arrow, Reek thought when he first saw him. An enclosed wagon groaned along behind him, drawn by six heavy draft horses and defended by crossbowmen, front and rear. Curtains of dark blue velvet concealed the wagon's occupants from watching eyes.
[...]
When the rider in the dark armor removed his helm, however, the face beneath was not one that Reek knew. Ramsay's smile curdled at the sight, and anger flashed across his face. "What is this, some mockery?"
"Just caution," whispered Roose Bolton, as he emerged from behind the curtains of the enclosed wagon.
This is setting off an alarm or two.
A decoy disguised as Roose Bolton? Surely we'll be seeing this tactic again.
+.+.+
The Lord of the Dreadfort did not have a strong likeness to his bastard son. His face was clean-shaved, smooth-skinned, ordinary, not handsome but not quite plain. Though Roose had been in battles, he bore no scars. Though well past forty, he was as yet unwrinkled, with scarce a line to tell of the passage of time. His lips were so thin that when he pressed them together they seemed to vanish altogether. There was an agelessness about him, a stillness; on Roose Bolton's face, rage and joy looked much the same. All he and Ramsay had in common were their eyes. His eyes are ice. Reek wondered if Roose Bolton ever cried. If so, do the tears feel cold upon his cheeks?
Once, a boy called Theon Greyjoy had enjoyed tweaking Bolton as they sat at council with Robb Stark, mocking his soft voice and making japes about leeches. He must have been mad. This is no man to jape with. You had only to look at Bolton to know that he had more cruelty in his pinky toe than all the Freys combined.
Someone on Reddit said Roose is neutral evil, while Ramsay is chaotic evil, and I think that's perfect.
Given how fleshed out (lol) Roose is in the books, many have speculated Ramsay took his storyline on the show. I have to disagree.
Roose and Tywin are similar for a reason. They made their beds (children), now they must lie in them.
"Tainted blood is ever treacherous, and Ramsay's nature was sly, greedy, and cruel. I count myself well rid of him. The trueborn sons my young wife has promised me would never have been safe while he lived." - Catelyn VI, ACOK
+.+.+
"My new wife," Roose Bolton said. "Lady Walda, this is my natural son. Kiss your stepmother's hand, Ramsay." He did. "And I am sure you will recall the Lady Arya. Your betrothed."
The girl was slim, and taller than he remembered, but that was only to be expected. Girls grow fast at that age. Her dress was grey wool bordered with white satin; over it she wore an ermine cloak clasped with a silver wolf's head. Dark brown hair fell halfway down her back. And her eyes …
That is not Lord Eddard's daughter.
Arya had her father's eyes, the grey eyes of the Starks. A girl her age might let her hair grow long, add inches to her height, see her chest fill out, but she could not change the color of her eyes. That's Sansa's little friend, the steward's girl. Jeyne, that was her name. Jeyne Poole.
Theon knowing Arya resembles Ned instantly shatters the illusion.
You have to wonder if someone will recognize Sansa because they're familiar with Catelyn Stark. I can think of a few good candidates.
+.+.+
"Lord Ramsay." The girl dipped down before him. That was wrong as well. The real Arya Stark would have spat into his face. "I pray that I will make you a good wife and give you strong sons to follow after you."
"That you will," promised Ramsay, "and soon."
Final thoughts:
I'm already losing track of everything. I think I need to start a Grand Northern Conspiracy spreadsheet.
-> return to menu <-
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Cap-IM Rec Week - Wonderous Wednesday
Day 3 of @cap-ironman's rec week event!
Apparently I have a ghost problem, so this leans heavily towards a "Halloween in July" kind of theme.
one more moment of this silence by Red (S_Hylor) (@s-hylor) (Marvel | Mature | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | 2,227 words)
The AU: Supernatural Elements
Summary: Tony can see ghosts. Not just any ghosts, but ghosts of people how haven't found peace yet, or refuse to. Ghosts of people whose bodies have never been found.
The closer to their bodies he gets, the more he sees them, an ability, or a curse, that he uses to help the police find body's of missing people.
It's never easy.
there's no dreams in the waves, only monsters by S_Hylor (@s-hylor) (MCU | Teen And Up Audiences | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | 70,441 words)
The AU: No Powers, with supernatural elements
Summary: Driving while tired is never a good idea, especially when the weather is terrible, as Tony finds out the hard way. Now in pain, with a wrecked car and no phone service, Tony is stranded at a hotel perched on a cliff overlooking the flooded ruins of an abandoned town in the valley below. With no working phone, only three other people around, Tony isn’t sure who to trust or what to believe. Something isn’t right, something is stopping him from leaving.
Twelve Days by elysianprince (@elysian-prince) (MCU | Teen And Up Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 22,027 words)
The AU: No Powers, with supernatural elements. Inspired by The Spirit of Christmas, simply the best basic cable Christmas movie ever.
Summary: In which Tony finds himself in a town that looks like it crawled out of a Hallmark Christmas movie, trying to sell an inn he didn't know he owned, all while dealing with Steve Rogers, the resident ghost who has returned to haunt the inn each December during the twelve days of Christmas for the past seventy years. Tony has only one logical solution that benefits them both: break the curse that binds him - but falling for a man almost a century old wasn't among his plans.
More below the cut!
And Time Went On by Morena_Evensong (Marvel | Mature | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | 106,811 words)
The AU: MCU/EMH/616 Fusion
Summary: Two hundred years ago the Mandarin attacked Washington, the first stage of his plan for world domination. And the Avengers... vanished. All except Iron Man, who eventually managed to defeat the Mandarin with the help of SHIELD, a few other superheroes, and their friends.
Now, nearly two hundred years after the death of Anthony Stark, the current Stark heir, Tony, is moving into the forgotten Stark Manor in order to avoid falling into the clutches of the United World Council. But Stark Manor isn't just an empty old house and mice aren't the only things that have been inhabiting it for the past two hundred years. As Tony uncovers the secrets of Stark Manor, and more than a few horrifying truths about the world he lives in, a powerful threat suddenly arises. One that leaves shattered cities and seas of bodies in its wake as it slowly sweeps its way across a world that no longer has a last line of defense.
Wasted on the Dead and Dreaming by LinneaKou (MCU | Teen And Up Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 37,554 words)
The AU: Ghost Hunters
Summary: Steve looked right at his friend, and he felt just as disoriented as he had when he woke up in Munich. “What the hell is going on?”
Bucky winced. I think you’ve spontaneously developed psychic powers.
And well. Wasn’t that just great.
When Captain Steve Rogers got back from his tour of duty, he didn't expect to come back with the ability to communicate with the dead.
When Tony Stark moved back into his childhood home, he didn't expect his dead father to still be inhabiting it.
When Tony hired Steve to investigate the ghosts of his family mansion, they didn't expect to be swept up in cover-ups, corporate sabotage, and murder.
Now, time is running out as increasingly disturbing dreams haunt Tony and the ghost of Howard Stark proves to be the least of Steve's problems. If they're lucky, maybe they won't end up ghosts too.
The Little Things Unknown by coaster (@coastertoaster) (MCU | Mature | No Archive Warnings Apply | 27,618 words)
The AU: Ghostbusters fusion
Summary: Tony Stark has three certainties in life: one, that science was where his mind worked best; two, that, since ghosts had become a science, anything was possible; three, that he would never know if Captain America was that much of a paragon because the man was long dead.
The subject of Certainty Three might be sitting at the foot of his bed.
~
Steve is a ghost. The Avengers bust ghosts. And Tony isn't sure what to make of Cap here. But hey, at least his other hauntings have stopped, right?
Does not play well with others by usedupshiver (@usedupshiver) (Marvel | Teen And Up Audiences | Major Character Death | 11,588 words)
The AU: No Powers, with supernatural elements
Summary: While sneaking into the Starks' abandoned home, Steve makes the startling discovery that even though no Stark is living in the house anymore, not all of them have actually left.
A Long, Lonely Time by asktheravens (MCU | Mature | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death | 58,567 words)
The AU: No Powers, with supernatural elements
Summary: Steve returned from the war injured in body and mind- and able to see the dead. At loose ends and desperate to get out of New York City, he accepts a fellowship through the Stark Foundation and retreats to a quiet lake house on the grounds of the Stark Mansion. He's supposed to be there to paint, but he quickly realizes that the house is more than he bargained for. Anthony Stark died here a decade ago, but was it an accident? A suicide? Or a murder? Obadiah Stane still lives in the main house just up the hill, and the past casts a long shadow.
When Tony's ghost begins appearing to him, Steve becomes more entwined in the dangerous mystery surrounding his death. Even worse, he finds himself falling for a man who died a decade ago...
Features lots of ghosts, murder, secrets, and supernatural revenge. Also Thor and Rhodey.
Catch a Falling Star by tsukinofaerii (Ults | Explicit | Major Character Death | 42,741 words)
The AU: Science Fiction. There's a nicely spooky scene in a damaged space facility, but no supernatural stuff
Summary: When Tony was sixteen, he got to meet his hero, Captain Steve Rogers, the Empire's not-literally-golden boy from the Continuity Wars. When he was twenty-seven, the aforementioned Captain turned Pirate picked him up at the outer edges of space. It would have been a good time to appreciate the abundant nudity that came from spending too much time with space colonists, but Tony had bigger worries than even Rogers' amazing hip-to-shoulder ratio. Something was sending the star-encircling computers that power the galaxy into a tailspin, and it was going to take a lot more than luck and skill to clean the mess up.
The Road Through October Country by indigostohelit (616 | Teen And Up Audiences | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | 2,803 words)
The AU: High School, with supernatural elements
Summary: It's a beautiful day in October, and Steve's hiding behind the library, his knee bleeding, when he sees the boy for the first time. Tony makes Steve laugh, and his hands are as cold as ice, and he doesn't leave footsteps in the mud. But in a cold graveyard after sunset, Tony asks Steve to make a choice that will change - or end - his life forever.
Tidal Pull by sabrecmc (@sabrecmc) (MCU | Explicit | No Archive Warnings Apply | 97,740 words)
The AU: Civil War era historical, with fantasy elements (no ghosts, but it does have slowburn + tentacle porn, which even I'll admit is just as good)
Summary: After the American Civil War, Union soldier Steve Rogers takes a chance on an opportunity to sail with the Stark Trading Company down in the Caribbean. During a terrible storm, his ship is lost. To his surprise, he survives, and ends up stranded on an island that isn't quite as deserted as he first thinks.
Or, a reverse Little Mermaid tale where Steve has to fall for the fish-man.
#capimrecweek#stony#marvel fic rec#steve rogers#tony stark#ok so what happened was#i was going through my bookmarks pulling out my favorite AU stories#and at some point i looked up at my spreadsheet and realized there were a ton of ghost AUs and only 2 non-ghost AUs#so i just went with it#also ghosts are great#i ❤ ghosts forever
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