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randomfandomlov3 · 10 months

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Heat Thief

Warnings: Fluff, Pregnancy, Health concerns, let me know if I missed any.

WC~1995

A/N - Tried to keep reader description to a minimum. Not edited much. This was just a cute thought that popped into my head. Thank you for reading <3

All Bucky could think about was getting home to his girl, his doll. The mission hadn’t taken very long, but he was absolutely exhausted. As he walked through the halls of the tower, he was confused because he normally heard her singing, or talking excitedly to someone about his return. They had decided that spending her whole day waiting for him in the jet bay to meet him when he got back, only caused them both distress. As he entered the elevator to get to their floor, Steve joined him. “Hey Punk, anything interesting happen while I was gone?” Bucky joked, knowing that the odds were low since he was only gone 3 days.

“Actually Buck, something has been happening, but I don’t know whether you would call it interesting, or if instead concerning might be a better word. Your girl, I think she might be unwell.” Steve said trying to break the news to his best friend as gently as he could.

Bucky’s heart pounded in his chest out of fear for his doll. What was wrong with her, was she going to be okay? Are we talking a cold, or something more serious?

Steve exhaled, and Bucky realized that he had said that out loud. “I don’t know exactly; her main symptom is that she hasn’t been able to get warm. She has been freezing for almost the entire time that you have been gone. She thinks it’s just the chills, but she doesn’t have a fever, in fact her body temperature is dropping. I have tried to get her to go see Helen, but she won’t. She said that she didn’t think this was a big deal, and she was nervous to go without you.” Steve finished just as the doors opened into the living room.

There she was, or at least that is what Bucky assumed, seeing the large mass of blankets gathered on the couch. “Doll, are you okay?” Bucky sweetly called out as he approached the shivering bundle. He knelt down in front of her to be face to face.

“Baby, your home! Yeah, I-I’m okay. I’ve ju-just got the ch-chills.” She gave him a big smile and tried to stop shivering. He put his lips to her forehead to check if she felt warm, but she didn’t.

“Doll, your lips are turning blue, let’s get you to Helen so we can make sure nothing serious is wrong.” Bucky reached into the bundle of blankets and picked his girl up. She was wearing his warmest clothes, which weren’t nearly as warm as she needed, because he always ran hot. As he carried her down to the medical wing, she curled deeper into his chest seeking his warmth.

Bucky explained the situation to Dr. Cho as he paced the small space.

“Hmm. Your body temperature is very low, almost in the range of hypothermia. Have you been partaking in any cold activities, that could have caused this?” She just shook her head in response to Helen’s question. “Okay, well, I am going to run some bloodwork, to see if we can figure out what is going on.” She took the blood that she needed and left the room.

Bucky clenched his metal fist out of worry. “Don’t worry, Doll, we’ll figure this out together what ever it is.” His girl shivered again, while nodding. He figured there could be no harm in trying to warm her a little bit. Bucky wrapped her up in his arms trying to give her as much of his heat as he could.

A few minutes later Dr. Cho returned to the room with a smile on her face. Bucky was confused as to why she looked happy, when his girl was close to experiencing hypothermia. “I have some good news and some less good news. But I am going to start with the good news, because the other news won’t make sense otherwise.” The smile on her face got bigger as she sat across from them. “You’re pregnant, my dear.” She paused to let the news sink in.

Bucky turned to his girl, excitement bubbling over. “We’re going to be parents, Doll.”

She nodded with happy tears in her eyes. “Now what’s the less go-good news?” There was a hint of fear behind her shiver.

Helen smile softened as she looked at her notes again. “So we also found trace amounts of the super soldier serum in your blood, which, of course, means that your baby received the serum from their father. And as we see in Barnes, the serum causes an elevated body temperature. For the average pregnancy, the fetus maintains a body temperature roughly 0.9®F higher than the mother, however, your baby’s body temperature is trying to get to that of a super soldier which is putting more stain on your body to produce heat for the baby to properly develop. Much like, if you would prefer this analogy, there is always a perfect temperature to hatch an egg, but for yours it requires much higher than what is typically produced.” She tried to simplify it given the looks upon their faces.

“So what can we do, Helen?” Bucky asked concerned for both his girl and his baby. He looked over at his doll, who had moved her hands down to her abdomen and had a soft look on her face.

“Heat, in a way that can get into her on a deeper level. Heating pads or bags, Warm not too hot showers or baths, warmed blankets, or probably the most effective way would be skin to skin contact with a certain super soldier who runs hot.” She gives a wink to Bucky.

“Okay thank you Helen, I’m gl-ad that we now know what’s going on.” Y/N shivered once again as Bucky scooped her into his arms.

“Before you go, I should let you know, that we are going to have to monitor you often throughout this pregnancy, because we don’t exactly know how the serum is going to effect things.” Dr. Cho handed Bucky a list of concerns to look out for.

“Thank you, Helen, I appreciate this very much,” Bucky said as he carried his doll out of the room and back to their floor.

He got her back to their room and decided that they should take a warm shower before getting into bed. He told her to get started and that he would join her in a minute. He heated up their towels and got the bed set up like a nest of warmth, with the warmest and fluffiest blankets he could find. Bucky then went back into the bathroom and joined his girl. He wrapped his arms around her resting his hands on her lower abdomen. “I can’t believe that we are going to be parents, Doll.” He pressed a kiss to her shoulder, and he heard her sigh and lean into him.

“I can’t wait to have a little version of us running around, but I swear if they have your stamina, you are tiring them out.” She laughed imagining their little one running around the tower.

“Oh, come on, Doll, you know you love my stamina.” He teased, his breath brushing against her ear, causing her to shiver for a different reason.

“I do, but if I have to put up with the energy that is bound to come while they are in the womb, you have to deal with it outside.” She looked at the man holding her with his head on her shoulder.

“I love you, Doll.” He pressed his lips to hers conveying all the love that he had in his body.

“I love you too, Baby.” They finished up in the shower and Bucky wrapped her up in the towel before carrying her to the bed. Her body shivered at the cool air. They both got under the blankets and although it felt like a sauna under there to Bucky, his girl finally started to warm up as she curled into his chest. His heartbeat and soft words lulled her into the first warm peaceful sleep she has had since he left for his mission.

“Night, Doll.” He pressed one more kiss to the top of her head, before falling asleep with a big smile on his face.

______________________________________________________________

She is now four months along, Baby is developing well, more than average, but still healthy, and still stealing heat. The team is excited to eventually meet their little nibbling and spoil them.

Bucky has been debating when to start his temporary leave from missions because the last thing he wants is for his doll to go into labour while he is not there for her and their baby. So while he was out on missions heating pads became her best friend.

Today Bucky was doing his workout for the day with a spectator, his girl didn’t feel like being alone right now and just wanted to be in his company. For some reason, She felt colder than most days today, so she figured she would use her heating pad, so she didn’t interrupt Bucky’s workout. She placed it on her bump and when she turned it on, she felt a strong kick right where it was sitting. She had felt the baby flutter before that but no kicks that aggressive. She turned the heating pad off as she rubbed her belly to ease the discomfort. Baby super soldiers kick hard.

“Doll? Is everything alright?” Bucky asked rushing over and kneeling in front of his girl. He placed his hand on her bump, and the baby started to flutter, although Bucky couldn’t feel it.

“Yeah, the baby just kicked for the first time, and wow is our baby going to be strong.” She giggled rubbing her belly. “Do you want to feel?”

He nodded enthusiastically, “Absolutely, I would love to.” He kept his hand on her bump as she turned the heating pad back on. Sure enough, the baby aggressively kicked at it.

“I think our little one can tell the difference between artificial heat, and heat that comes from their daddy. And have decided to make their opinion about it very well known to me.” She turned off the heating pad and took it off, giggling. All of a sudden, a shiver overcomes her. Well, it’s not that sudden since if she didn’t have some form of heat on her she would start shivering for the past months. Thankfully, Tony had figured out a way to make some heating for Bucky’s her clothes. That was best for when she had to run errands, or anything really that required walking for longish periods.

Bucky sat down beside her, pulling her in to give her heat. “It’s been decided, I am stepping back from missions until our little one is here and settled.”

She must have heard him wrong, right? “Baby, you don’t have to do that. I promise we’ll be fine.” She knew how important missions were to him. “You love going on missions, they are an important part of your life.”

He shook his head. “You and this baby are the most important parts of my life. And if our little one likes my warmth, I will be there for both of you. I can’t stand the thought of you two being uncomfortable while I am away.” Bucky’s right hand started to caress her bump, causing their little one to little tap their daddy’s hand.

“Our little one already loves you so much. Just like their Mama. I love you, Baby.” Her heart swelled at the bond already forming between the baby and their daddy.

“I love you too, Doll. I love you both so much. I cannot wait to meet our little one.” He held her as tight as he could.

Bucky knew he had to go talk to the team about taking off active missions for a while, but that could wait until later, right now his world needed him.

#bucky x reader #bucky barnes #bucky barnes fluff #james bucky barnes #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barnes x reader #pregnancy fic

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somber-sapphic · 10 months

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Was wondering if I would be ok to request a sick reader with Wandanat where readers just come out of surgery (could be for anything, like injured on a mission, wisdom teeth etc) and they’re kind of loopy still, not really sure if it counts as a sick fix though so I don’t mind if it’s not your thing 😅

A Little Less Wisdom

〖Notes: Okay, I had my wisdom teeth out a few months ago and I thought I'd be funny after waking up. NO. I just cried. I cried a lot. And then I got confused and hit my ride home. It was a long day.〗

〖Summary: You need your wisdom teeth out.〗

〖Word Count: 1320〗

〖Pairing: Wandanat x Sick Reader〗

☾Masterlists☽

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Out of all of the problems you could face as a superhero, ‘impacted wisdom teeth’ was never on your list. It hadn’t even crossed your mind; it just wasn’t something you’d ever believed that you’d need to worry about. Maybe there was a part of you that considered the possibility, but when there were so many other more dangerous things to worry about dental health didn’t really make the top hundred.

But two weeks ago, when your girlfriends had noticed the way you were avoiding hard foods and the copious amounts of over-the-counter pain meds you were taking, they finally said something. It really didn’t click to you that anything was wrong until Natasha had brought it up, a look on her face that betrayed her true concern.

Once they had completed their makeshift intervention, you began to notice the real pain in your mouth and began to wonder how exactly you had ignored it in the first place. Your best guess was that something was always hurting from one battle or another, that this one just didn’t seem too pressing. That sprained ankle had been a worse issue than the tooth pain. Until you noticed it, of course.

After a checkup from Dr. Helen Cho (who reiterated over and over again that she was not a dentist) and a few x-rays later, you were found to have “severely impacted” wisdom teeth. Not just regularly impacted, but severely. Not only that, but it was all four of them. You didn’t do anything in halves.

Wanda had been shocked at how well you had been hiding your discomfort, while Natasha was more focused on helping you to feel better. She wanted you to have surgery as quickly as possible, stating her concerns about possible complications and expected recovery time.

This was her way of expressing her love, getting overly caught up on details, and making sure that everything was 100% taken care of so that neither you nor Wanda had to worry. She was a wonderful girlfriend.

The day of the surgery came and went, a mission getting in the way of your dental care. This didn’t particularly bother you, part of you (as embarrassed as you felt) was incredibly nervous about the operation. You had read up about it in secret and had learned about every single complication ever recorded in human history.

This was, of course, a bad idea. Now you were panicking about dry-socket, nerve damage, infection, and possible death as a result of the anesthetic. The idea of being completely out of control of your surroundings was not one that you particularly enjoyed.

Unfortunately, beings who wanted to destroy the human race could only keep you from getting your wisdom teeth out for so long. The day arrived and you were mildly freaking out about it. Wanda, who could literally sense your emotions, had been trying to keep you calm by distracting you with silly little tasks and offering small comforts.

Natasha was less subtle about her attempts to soothe you; she straight up hadn’t left your side the whole day. She kept murmuring reassurances to you while you watched some dumb TV show and had even done research of her own to combat what you had found. She combatted your fear with love and statistics. These two very different ways of trying to make you feel less anxious were working very well together to put you at ease.

You lay back in the dentist’s chair and stared with panic-filled eyes at your loving girlfriends who were hovering in the doorway, unable to enter the sterile field. Suddenly, a very loud thought filled your head.

It’s all going to be okay. Breathe. We’ll be right here. You’ll be okay.

It was hard to describe how it felt when Wanda projected a thought into your mind. You could tell that it wasn’t a thought of your own, it had a comforting feeling. A soft, gentle, loving feeling. It put you at ease more than the intravenous anesthetic that was being pumped into your body.

The last thing you felt as you closed your eyes was that lingering emotion that Wanda had pushed into your mind.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

“They’re waking up,” Natasha murmured, nudging Wanda slightly. The witch looked up from her phone where she had been anxiously tapping away at some game, a look of relief flooding her face. The two women stared down at you, both smiling as your beautiful e/c eyes fluttered open.

“Hey sweetie, how are you feeling?” Wanda cooed softly, reaching out to brush a few strands of hair out of your lashes. You opened your mouth as if about to speak, but then closed it again. You repeated the motion a few times, your eyebrows furrowing slightly as you started to reach up for your mouth.

“No no no, let’s not do that. We’ve gotta leave that alone for now, okay?” The brunette chastised, quickly pulling your hand away. You pulled a pout, but the time it took for you to actually change your expression was absolutely hilarious. It took you a full five seconds to register that something had been said and react to it.

“Mh mufh iffmahds.” You mumbled around the gauze, the words you were trying to say lost around the cotton fabric stuffed into your mouth. Natasha leaned forward and bent down to kiss your head, leaving her lips there for a few moments to express her relief. She knew that nothing bad would happen to you, but the anxiety was always going to be there.

“Just rest baby, we’ll talk when you’re a little more awake.” She said kindly, grabbing Wanda’s hand as your eyes fell closed again. The redhead turned to her and grinned before kissing her soft pink lips.

“They’ll be okay Wands.” She reassured, resting her forehead against Wanda’s.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

The peace of you being sort of asleep only lasted for twenty or so minutes. This time when you woke back up, you were ready to go. You quite literally came up swinging, your eyes wide and yelling something that neither of your girlfriends could understand through the gauze.

“Woah! Calm down, it’s alright babe, it’s okay.” Natasha said, reaching over to grab your fists.

“The chicken! The chicken’s comin’!” You cried, forcing the words out as you struggled against the grasp of your concerned girlfriend.

“What are you talking about? There’s no chicken!” The redhead replied, sounding frantic as she dodged a kick aimed at her face. You weren’t fully coherent, but your fighting skills were still very much intact. You had trained for this and were using your training to keep yourself safe from the aforementioned chicken.

“Robot chickens! So many, too many, can’t do it, gotta go!” You spat out, starting to get out of the reclining chair. You made it halfway up before falling back again, not entirely prepared for the weight of gravity. Gravity was hard.

“Y/n, Y/n. Listen to me. There are no chickens, okay? We’re in medical, you had surgery, and it’s all okay. Relax babes. You’re safe. It's just Nat and me.” Wanda soothed, putting every bit of calming energy into her voice. She felt bad for using witchcraft on you to alter your emotions, but she needed to calm you down as quickly as possible.

Thankfully, it worked. You sat back and relaxed, your body going limp against Natasha’s. You quite literally fell against your favorite assassin but remained conscious this time, breathing heavily as you relaxed again.

“I don’t like poultry.” You grumbled, nuzzling your face into Natasha’s shoulder. The redhead laughed softly, and Wanda let out a weary sigh, a grin spreading over her face. The operation was over, but it was becoming more and more obvious that that had been the easy part. Now they had to deal with an incredibly confused, slightly high you who would probably remember absolutely none of this.

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gingiesworld · 8 months

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Sorry Doesn't Make It Right

Natasha Romanoff x GN! Reader

Warnings: Angst. Death. Sad Nat

18+ MINORS DNI

"Just don't touch me!" Nat yelled as Y/N tried to take her hand. A sad look on their face as they pulled away. Since they had come home from getting themselves out of that Hydra base. They were distant from everyone since they never really bothered to look for them. Even their best friend Steve never looked for them.

Although they went to Dr Cho for their wounds, not really trusting Banner considering the circumstances. Nat was already away on a recon mission with her sister when she learned of Y/N's capture but she was ordered by Fury to carry on with the mission.

"You know, I never asked for any of this." They yelled at her making her flinch. "I had to get out of there myself. Hell, you don't even know how I managed to escape."

"Then tell me." She told them sternly as they just laughed and shook their head no.

"You never cared when I came home and you sure as hell don't care now." They scoffed before leaving the room and heading for their routine check up with Cho.

"Your breathing is getting worse." She noted as she returned the stethoscope back around her neck. "I also got the results back too." She gave them a saddened look.

"I'm dying aren't I?" They asked already knowing the answer.

"I'm so sorry Y/N." She said as she handed them a bottle of water. "It's an enhanced for of Tuberculosis."

"Which make sense since Hydra have been working on bio weapons." Y/N coughed a little as Cho got them a tissue.

"Is there anyone you want to tell?" She asked them as they shook their head.

"They all shown there true colours when I had to save myself." They told her with a tight lipped smile, hopping down from the table. "Thank you Helen." They gave her a sincere smile, the sincerest smile they have given to anyone since they returned.

Everyone else had went by their own days, doing their own things while Y/N made their way to the kitchen, grabbing an apple and a bottle of water before they disappeared to the confines of their bedroom. Not wanting to really be near anyone at that moment.

"Dinner is ready Y/N." Vision informed them as he phased through the wall.

"I'm not really hungry Vis, thank you." They told him as they sat gazing out of the window.

"I have seen something unusual about you since you have returned home to us." He stated as Y/N raised a brow. "You don't seem like yourself and I am somewhat concerned for you."

"I'm fine Vis. I'm alive and that's what matters right." They told him, trying to hide the sarcasm. "I uh. I just need to be alone Vis but you don't need to worry about me. No one else does."

"I think you may be wrong." He stated as he gave a somewhat awkward smile. "Natasha is somewhat concerned about you especially since she was ordered by Fury himself to remain in her mission although she wanted to find you."

"Nat would have never followed an order blindly, not when it comes to someone she cares so deeply about." They stated as Vision shook his head.

"Fury and Mr Stark knew about the contagions, and the experiments with them." Vision informed him. "Both of them seemed to think they may have used you as a test subject for one of the experiments."

"Yeah, they are certainly right about that." They chuckled as Vision looked at them curiously as they coughed. He stepped closer and rubbed their back soothingly as the coughing fit eased off. "Thanks."

"What is it that you have?" He questioned as Y/N shrugged.

"It doesn't really matter, I'm dying all the same." They told him quietly. "Besides, I just want to die here in my room alone as I would have in that damn cell."

"Do you want me to tell anyone?" He asked as they shook their head no.

"I don't want anyone to know Vis. It's just you and Dr Cho that know and I would love to keep it that way." They told him as he nodded before leaving.

"Seriously! Are all of you so self fucking centered that you haven't noticed that one of our own has suffered!" Yelena yelled as everyone sat in silence. "Not to mention, you all left them to rot with Hydra."

"We thought they were dead." Tony tried as Yelena shook her head. "We did. We never had any leads or anything so that seemed like the most logical explanation."

"You know that is utter bullshit." Yelena spat before she turned to Nat. Everyone completely disregarding Vision who had made a small plate and grabbed another bottle of water from the fridge with some paracetamol. "They're your partner Natalia, you claim to love them and yet, I don't see you comforting them. Seeing how they are, in fact you only argue and push them away!" Everyone remained in a silence filled with shame and guilt as Yelena chuckled. "I am done with this so called family." She spat before she pointed to her sister. "That's what you called this merry band of power rangers." With that she stormed off as silence filled the room.

"She's right." Steve spoke up as everyone looked to him. "Y/N was one of us and we failed them. We gave up on them." He looked around at the faces. "We ought to be ashamed to even consider ourselves heroes."

"I brought you a little food and some medication." Vision spoke as he let himself inside Y/N's room once more.

"Thanks." They spoke in a coughing fit. Clutching their chest as it tightened, feeling like they had a boa constrictor wrapped around their chest.

"I think you need to see Dr Cho once more." He urged as Y/N waved him off.

"I don't want to die in a hospital." They told him as the two never realised Yelena was listening. "I just don't want to die." They told him as he just nodded in understanding.

"I can fetch Dr Cho if you need?" He suggested as Y/N just nodded as they coughed some more. Wiping their chin with a tissue to see some blood before tossing it in the trash. Vision disappeared before Yelena made herself known.

"So you want to die alone?" She asked them as they took a rattley breath.

"No one cares Lena." They whispered, her heart broke at the sight of her best friend, frail and grey, their tired eyes bloodshot. "Even Nat doesn't care."

"I care!" She yelled as her tears fell. "You're my best friend and I care." She whispered shakily as Y/N moved to stand. Everyone had heard Yelena yell.

"I don't want to die." They whispered weakly as Yelena shook her head. "I don't want to go. I had plans." They told her as they stepped closer to her. "I wanted to marry your sister, adopt a bunch of cats with her. I wanted all of that!" Their own tears started to fall as everyone noticed. "I don't want to go." They fell to their knees as Yelena was fast enough to catch them. As their sobs became more, it became harder to breathe which caused them to hunch over as they coughed. Yelena rubbing their back as Dr Cho and Vision returned.

"Ok." She whispered as she listened to Y/N's breathing. "Help me get them on the bed." She informed them all as Vision and Yelena helped them. "I'm sorry Y/N." She gave them a sad look. "It's only going to get worse."

"Make it stop." They asked her weakly. "Please just make it stop." Everyone watched as they became a completely different person to the hard shell they once were. "I would do anything."

"I can't Y/N." Dr Cho spoke sadly. "There isn't a cure for this strain. I have tried to find a cure strong enough but I haven't."

"Just kill me." They pleaded with her. "Please just kill me." They whispered before going into a coughing fit, the worst one they have had.

"We're so sorry Y/N." Steve spoke softly as Y/N calmed down.

"Your sorry doesn't make it right Captain." They snapped as they glared at the so called family they had. "You all left me. Not one of you who weren't on a mission bothered to even find my location and now look where that got us." They coughed as Yelena moved to hold their hand. "I am dying and it's all your fault. I was on a stupid mission with Tony who's tracker didn't even work." Tony looked away which Y/N soon chuckled. "So you knew where I was but never bothered to save me like I would have saved you every damn time." They turned to Cho with pleading eyes. "Isn't there an end of life thing or something they use for terminally ill patients?"

"Yes there is." She nodded.

"Do you think we could use it?" They asked her as she nodded. It broke Nat's heart seeing how easily they were giving up the fight.

"So you're just going to die." Nat spoke for the first time. "You're not even going to fight to survive."

"I have fought to survive every damn day of my life Natasha! Everyday and I am barely hanging on as it is." They yelled before taking a weak breath. "I have no fight left in me because I am tired. I am sick and tired so please just let me go in peace." They gave her a pleading look. "Please." Natasha only nodded as she came in and sat beside them.

"Well I am staying here." She told them as she kissed their head and took their hand in hers. Everyone else soon joined, taking a seat on the floor or standing around the room. It was silent as Dr Cho had set up the drug for them.

"You will start to feel sleepy soon." She told them calmly. "It will be like just falling asleep." Y/N gave her a thankful smile as she gave them a sad smile before she left the room. Unable to watch her favourite patient die.

The only sound that you could hear was the loud rattley breaths from Y/N as their breathing soon laboured. Once they heard the deepest breath leave their lips, everyone knew that that was the moment they lost someone they all loved. They all had memories with them, most of them good besides the last memories since they returned home.

Dr Cho stood outside the room, choking on her own sobs as she heard the cries come from the room.

"No. Please wake up." Natasha cried as she shook them gently. "Please don't go. Please." Yelena and Wanda both held her close as Bruce came over to check the pulse with a heavy heart. Once he shook his head, Natasha wailed as she clutched onto Yelena for dear life. The sounds of her broken cries filling the room as everyone else soon started to break as she broke down. Yelena dragged her from the room, kicking and screaming as she tried to fight her younger sister in her devastation. Wanting to be close to Y/N, even in death.

#natasha romanoff x reader #natasha marvel #natasha romanoff #natasha romanov #scarlett johansson x reader #marvel fic #wanda maximoff imagine #wanda maximoff #yelena boleva

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just-dreaming-marvel · 2 months

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LEGACY ~ 1

MAIN MASTERLIST

< previous chapter

Word Count: 1,600ish

Summary: The Team comes home from a mission.

Notes: From here on out, it's going to be written in 2nd person. Also, if you've read the original character Legacy series on my Tumblr, you will start to notice that I've changed some things up. I hope that you enjoy the changes.

You walked from the elevator, over to the couch next to the wall of windows overlooking the New York skyline. It was a beautiful view and one of your favorite places to get work done. Sitting down, you curled your legs underneath you and readied your Stark Tablet for sketching. You hated days like this, boring and yet completely nerve-wracking all at the same time. The Avengers were away on a mission, trying to find Loki’s scepter and finish off what they believe to be the remaining section of HYDRA.

As you sketched a possible new Iron Man suit, you heard some rustling coming from Bruce’s lab upstairs. Looking up at the lab windows, she could see people in lab coats setting up equipment. You furrowed your brows as concern grew. You knew that they only set up like that if someone was injured, especially when Dr. Helen Cho was in town, which she was. Your head snapped to look out the window as you heard the sound of a quinjet coming close.

You jumped off the couch and rushed for the landing pad. Maria Hill and Helen were already there waiting for the jet.

“Miss Stark,” Maria greeted as you came to stand beside her.

“Maria, how many times do I have to tell you that you don’t need to be formal with me just because you work for my dad?” Y/N responded.

“Maybe when you’re older.”

“I’m almost nineteen.”

“Then you’re going to have to wait until then.”

You rolled your eyes before turning your attention to the lowering ramp of the quinjet. Helen rushed forward with members of her team, quickly entering the jet and pulling out a stretcher with Clint laying on it. Natasha was clearly worried and at his side. They hurried past everyone as they headed for the lab with Bruce not far behind. Maria and yourself made sure the ramp was clear before heading into the quinjet. Thor stepped onto the ramp, heading off, with a case in his hand. He smiled when he noticed you.

“Little Stark!” He exclaimed happily.

“Welcome back, Thor,” you replied with a smile. “How’d it go?”

Thor opened the case, revealing the scepter. “As planned.”

“Good.” You gave him a slight nod before continuing into the jet.

“Lab’s all set up, boss,” Maria told Tony.

Seated in the pilot’s chair, Tony put his hand up on the nearby handlebar and turned the seat around. “Actually, he’s the boss,” Tony replied, pointing to Steve who was sitting on a step facing away from everyone. “I just pay for everything and design everything and make everyone look cooler.”

“What’s the word on Strucker?” Steve asked Maria, standing up and heading for her.

You cringed at the name. Though you didn’t remember much from your life before Tony rescued you, that name rang a bell. You knew that Strucker was an evil part of your past, if only you could remember it.

“Y/N?” Steve’s voice broke through your thoughts. “You okay?”

You shook your head to clear it. “Yep,” you replied quickly. “All good.”

Steve seemed to not believe you, but didn’t put up a fight. He shot you a small smile before leaving with Maria. You sighed and headed toward Tony, who was still powering down the quinjet.

“Glad to see that you came back in one piece,” you teased as you leaned against a wall of the jet opposite of where Tony was working. “When I saw the lab being set up, I thought I could be for you.”

A slight smirk crossed his lips. “I would never let anything like that happen to me. I’m much more careful than Barton.” He took the few steps needed to close the distance between you and him, placing a kiss on your forehead. “I have you to take care of.”

“I’m pretty sure I take care of you more than you take care of me now.”

“Whatever.” He threw an arm over your shoulders and the two of you started out of the quinjet. “What have you been up to while I’ve been away?”

“Oh, you know, the norm. College, Stark Industries work, training, the designs that you’ve yet to finish.”

“And that is why I keep you around. Are the designs done?”

“Almost.”

“And my suit upgrade?”

“Yes, the upgrade is finished, I just wanted to get your approval before making it official… there’s also one more thing I wanted to run by you.”

“I already know where this is going, and we are not discussing this again.”

“Dad, I’m not the one who said I was ready and now that HYDRA is mostly gone, I don’t see the problem with me joining on missions. We shouldn’t have as many anymore, anyway.”

“Not going to happen.”

“I’ve passed every test Natasha, Clint, and Steve have thrown at me, including all the basic SHIELD tests.”

“SHIELD doesn’t exist anymore.”

“They are the ones who said I was ready, and I believe I am too.”

“You’re not joining the Team. That’s final.”

Tony’s arm slipped from your shoulders as the two of you reached the elevator. You two made brief eye contact and you could immediately tell that something had happened to Tony on that mission. Something that shook Tony to his core. He quickly looked away when he noticed that you were reading him like a book.

“Dad. Something happened out there.” He didn’t give a response. “I know you. Talk to me.”

He forced a smile. “When did you get all grown up?”

“Dad.”

He pressed a kiss to your cheek. “Maybe later. We need to go and check on Barton. There’s also a few tests I want to run on the scepter before Thor takes it.”

The two of you entered the elevator and headed up to the lab. Upon immediate arrival, you and Tony checked in with Clint briefly. He, Natasha, Helen, and some others were in a smaller glass room inside of Bruce’s lab. Clint was lying in what Helen called The Cradle. The machine was working on healing him. While you were in there visiting, Clint complained about being thirsty, so you left with the promise of returning with drinks. Tony and you walked down the view stairs to the main portion of the lab as Bruce was walking up the stairs.

“How’s he doing?” Bruce wondered.

“Unfortunately, he’s still Barton,” Tony replied.

“That’s terrible.”

“He’s fine,” you added with a laugh as you went over to the kitchenette off to the side of the lab. “He’s thirsty.”

Bruce chuckled before heading into the room to check on Clint himself. You started getting everything out to make smoothies.

“Alright,” Tony clapped his hands together, “look alive, JARVIS. It’s playtime.” He headed over to the table where the scepter and its test readings were located. “We’ve only got a couple of days with this joystick, so let’s make the most of it. Update me on the structural and compositional analysis.”

“The scepter is alien,” JARVIS stated.

“Well, no duh,” you muttered to yourself as you worked.

“There are elements I can’t quantify.”

“So there’s elements you can?” questioned Tony.

“The jewel appears to be a protective housing for something inside. Something powerful.”

“Like a reactor?”

“Like a computer. I believe I’m deciphering code.”

“That’s interesting,” you commented as you poured the finished smoothie into cups. “So the scepter is a device of some sort?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out, Miss.”

Tony walked over and grabbed two trays for the smoothies. “You want to help figure it out?”

“Really?” You were way too excited about researching this with your father.

“Only if you feel up to it.”

“I’m up to it!”

Tony laughed as he placed the smoothies on the trays. “Great, as soon as you finish the work Pepper needs you to do for the week, you can help.”

“Dad, you know that I’ll never be able to help with the amount of work Pepper needs from me.”

“Then I guess you best be off to work then.”

“Fine. Don’t spill the drinks on your way up.”

“I would never spill!”

Rolling your eyes, you grabbed your Stark Tablet and headed out of the lab. You began pulling up all the work Pepper needed you to do as you started down the stairs. Not watching where you were going, you bumped into Steve. Your head snapped up to see him smiling at you, his hands on your arms to steady you.

“Sorry, Steve,” you apologized.

“It’s no big deal,” he chuckled. “What are you working on?”

“Stuff for Pepper. Which mostly seems to be planning for the party Dad is throwing in a few days.”

“Are you going to be there?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Good, then, if you’re not too busy that night, save a dance for your best friend?”

You giggled. “It’s not that kind of party, Steve.”

He shrugged. “So?”

“Fine, I’ll save you a dance.”

“Great. I’ll see you around.”

Steve headed up the stairs as you caught your lip between your teeth, watching him leave. Your heart ached for something–or someone–you felt you couldn’t have. What once was a simple crush, had definitely grown into something more. Besides the fact that Tony would never allow it, you were almost nineteen and Steve was, well technically over a hundred years old. The only thing that gave you a sliver of hope was that your healing abilities would allow you to age slowly like Steve’s super soldier serum.

Once Steve was out of sight, you sighed and started back down the stairs. Maybe one day you would act on your feelings, but that day wasn’t going to be any time soon.

next chapter >

#tony stark fanfiction #tony stark x daughter!reader #steve rogers imagine #steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x y/n #steve rogers x you #avengers imagines #avengers fanfiction #avengers x reader #marvel fanfiction #marvel imagine #avengers imagine #marvel x reader

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arlana-likes-to-write · 10 months

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Lightning Bug - Chapter 19

Master List

Warning: fluff, like a lot of fluff, mention of past trauma, touch deprivation

Word count: 4.9k

You weren’t in your room, that much you knew but opening your eyes to look around was a feat in itself. Everything felt heavy. You gathered your remaining strength and opened your eyes. Big mistake. The lights were far too bright and it caused your head to throb. Immediately, shutting them again and a small whimper left your lips. A voice said your name. You tried to determine who it was but your head hurt too much. They said it again. This time you slowly opened your eyes and turned your head slightly towards the voice. It was Helen, so you must be in med bay. “What happened?” You asked. Your throat was killing you and you had no memory of what occurred.

“You're in med bay,” she said. “Does anything hurt?”

“Just my head,” you winced as you sat up.

“That is to be expected,” she handed you a cup of water. You downed the entire thing. “Do you have any memory of what happened?” You thought about it. It was like someone went in and erased part of your memory. “You had an attack, fell, and hit your head on your nightstand. You’ve been unconscious for a little over 2 days.” 2 days?! That was a first. “We are saying you had a seizure but we both know that’s not true,” she sat in the empty chair next to you. You heard voices in the hallway.

“Do they know?” She nodded her head. You looked down at your uncovered hands. “I’m so afraid of myself, Dr. Cho.” You admitted. There was so much blood on your hands.

“Are you afraid because people told you to be afraid and corrupted the viewpoint you have of yourself?” You didn’t respond. “Bruce was afraid of the Hulk. America and Wanda feared their powers and I can guess that Natasha feared the person the Red Room tried to create. You live with a group of people who understand that fear but you need to let them in and allow them to shoulder that fear with you,” you saw her glance at your hands. “How long has it been since someone friendly touched your skin?”

“Too long,” you whispered, tears pooling at the corner of your eyes. The only person that was never afraid of you was your brother. “Is Natasha here?” You vaguely remember her saying she had to leave for a mission with Wanda. Helen nodded. “Can you get her me? I’d leave to speak with her alone.” You watched Helen leave your room and close the door. With a sigh, you looked up at the ceiling. A weird feeling began to form in your stomach. It wasn’t jealousy or the tingling feeling you felt when your powers needed to be released. You pinpointed the feeling to nervousness.

It felt like a lifetime ago when you made a bucket list and on your list was to hug Natasha. You wondered how her hands would feel against yours or her arms around you as she hugged you. Would she even hug you or would she turn you away?

That feeling began to grow. It made your body warm up and a small smile formed on your lips. For the first time in a long time, you felt okay.

The door closing caused Natasha to look up and the conversation stopped. The Black Widow wasn’t sure what Kate, Yelena, and America were talking about, to focused on the door in front of her. “Are her vitals still good?” Natasha asked the doctor. She was becoming concerned about how long it’s been. Helen smiled.

“Great actually,” she said. “She’s awake and wants to talk to you, alone,” she looked at the Black Widow.

“Me?” She questioned. Helen nodded.

“I’ll give you some space and I’ll come back to check on her later.” Natasha sighed, looking at the door that separated her and the young girl.

“Why do you think she only wants to talk to me?” She asked her girlfriend.

“Just don’t sit there and go find out,” Yelena said, pushing on her back. Natasha rolled her eyes and stood up. She felt Wanda squeeze her hand before she walked over to the door. Letting out a shaky breath and trying to push down her nervousness, she opened the door. The door closing behind her caused the teen to look up.

“Hi Nat,” she whispered. Her voice was so soft. No matter how many times Natasha looked into her eyes the color took her breath away. But she was so glad to see them because it meant she was okay. They looked different somehow as she made her way to the chair she sat in for the past 2 days. “I’m sorry you and Wanda got pulled from your mission,” the teen continued.

“Don’t apologize. Your health and well-being are far more important. Besides I would rather be here than kissing some politician’s ass,” Natasha expected her to smile instead she frowned.

“This is still new to me,” she said. “The idea that people generally care about me. For my entire life,” she hit the bed. “I’ve been hurt by people that shouldn’t have hurt me and I’ve been called horrible names because of something I was born with. I was a freak, a monster, and an abomination,” her voice creaked and Natasha saw her eyes swell with tears but they didn’t fall. “I’ve learned to fear myself because of what others called me and forced me to do,” she looked at Natasha and the sight was breaking the Black Widow’s heart. “I don’t want to be afraid anymore. I’d like to try to open up to all of you and tell you what happened to me.”

“Whenever you're ready we’ll listen.”

“I don’t want to be afraid anymore,” she repeated and raised her hand to Natasha. The teen nodded, a sign to tell it was okay. Natasha felt her stomach drop as she whipped her hand on her pant leg and raised her own. Green eyes locked onto blue to try to find any second guessing but Natasha saw none. So connected their hands. She was surprised at how soft they were, a little dry from years of being covered. The teen gasped and Natasha tried to pull her hand back but she held it tighter. Tears started to fall down her face. “It’s been so long,” she whispered. “So long since hands that won’t hurt me have touched my skin,” she was staring at their connected hands. Finally, she looked up. “Can -?” She cleared her throat. “Can I have a hug?”

“Of course,” Natasha tried to keep her voice steady as she didn’t want to sound too excited. This was something she’s been wanting for so long. She stood up and sat on the edge of the hospital bed, opening her arms. There was some understandable hesitation but Natasha wanted her to make the first move. Soon the teen hugged the Black Widow. She waited for her to get used to the feeling before wrapping her arms around her. Y/n tensed up and Natasha feared she did something to trigger the young girl but she relaxed. Natasha adjusted her position on the bed as she felt tears stain her shirt. The girl’s whole body was shaking. “Sh molniyenosnyy zhuk (lightning bug),” Natasha whispered. “You're safe. I got you.” She kissed the top of her head. The small action and statement caused a sob to escape her and Natasha held her tighter.

All of your senses were consumed by the Black Widow and it was overwhelming. You wondered if she could feel how fast your heart was beating but you couldn’t bring yourself to care. When Natasha touched your hand, her skin was warm against yours. Her hand was rough due to years of training and her fingers had calluses on them. She didn’t hesitate when you asked for a hug and you never felt more safe than in her arms. Her hands rubbed soothing circles on your back. The last time you were held like this was with your brother and that was so long ago. Natasha moved slightly and her hand left her back. You couldn’t help the whine that left your lips. “Sh, milyy (sweetie), I’m not going anywhere.” You heard footsteps approaching you. Glancing, you saw it was Wanda.

“Hi,” she said. “I just wanted to make sure you are okay. I can leave if you want.” You ended the hug with Natasha, missing her warmth immediately.

“I’m okay,” you said. “I want you to stay,” you looked at Wanda’s hands. How would they compare to Natasha’s? You mirrored the same action with Natasha and held out your hand. Unlike her girlfriend, Wanda didn’t hesitate to take your hand. “Your hand is so soft!” It was true. The witch had no calluses on her fingers. Wanda giggled at your blunt comment, and your cheeks blushed.

“I use a good moisturizer,” she smiled. Wanda let her hand so they were palm to palm, comparing the size difference. Once you were done, you instinctively rested your head on Natasha’s shoulder. “Are you up for more visitors?” She asked. You nodded and Wanda walked back to the door.

“Molniyenosnyy zhuk,” you said. “What’s that mean?” You looked up at her and she was smiling. She said it a few more times for you to get it right.

“It means a lightning bug,” her smile grew. “Do you know how lightning bugs glow?” You shook your head. “When I was about your age, Yelena and I were in the backyard with our mom and she told us they can convert chemical energy into the glowing light we see called bioluminescence,” she explained.

“Kind of like me,” she nodded.

“Yes, exactly like you,” Natasha tapped you on the nose causing you to scrunch it. “So you are a molniyenosnyy zhuk.” You liked it. It was the first time you’ve had a nickname. Smiling, you burrowed your head into Natasha’s side. She smelt like vanilla and you wondered if it was from her perfume or Wanda’s. The sound of the door opening caused you to sit up a little. It was Yelena, Kate, and America. You smiled at the sight of your friends.

“Gave us quite a scare,” Yelena teased, making your cheeks blush and offering her a shy smile. You let Natasha move away and allowed the trio to come closer.

“Sorry about that,” you said, scratching the back of your head. “That attack,” you still weren’t sure what to call it. “Took me by surprise.”

“Could you tell when they would come?” Wanda asked. You nodded. It felt weird talking about it. This was a secret you kept close to your heart because you were forced to.

“It starts with a tingle in my palms,” you told them. “It doesn’t happen all the time only if there is a lot of energy or my emotions are all over the place,” you sighed, looking down at your hands. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen,” you said honestly.

“It’s okay bud,” Kate smiled. “We are just glad you are okay.” You were glad too because if you weren’t you wouldn't be able to get a hug from Natasha or feel Wanda’s hands. You raised your hands to Kate and Yelena. The couple stole a glance at each other before connecting their hands with yours. It was a strange contrast. Yelena’s hand was cold but you couldn’t tell if it was from her rings or she was just normally cold. Her hands were smooth, unlike her sisters. Now for Kate’s hand, it was warm and her hands were rough from using her bow. You let go of their hands.

“Thank you for trusting me,” you told them. “Not many people do.”

“Trust is a two-way street,” Yelena said. “So thank you for trusting us.” You looked at America, who was oddly quiet. You could feel her nervous energy radiating off of her as you raised her hand. But she didn’t take it.

“Are you sure?” She asked instead. You squint your eyes, tilting your head at her question. “Do you remember the last time we were together?” Of course, you did. You were so scared that she was going to hate you or everyone was going to be mad. But they weren’t.

“I do,” you smiled. “But I’m done being afraid. You're my best friend.” Her eyes widened at your concession and soon she took your hand. It was hard to describe the feeling of her hand in yours. It felt right. You felt your face heat up and quickly let go of her hand, not missing the smirks on Natasha and Wanda’s faces. “So,” you said, whipping her hands on the blanket. They felt very sweaty all of a sudden. “Fill me in on everything I’ve missed.”

“Knock, knock,” the laughter stopped as the door opened and you saw Pepper and Tony walk in. “Are you up for two more visitors?”

“Yeah!” You said but you were distracted by the table that Tony wheeled in with a blanket covering a tower-like structure.

“What’s that?” Kate asked.

“A little surprise for the kid,” Tony smiled at you. “But we have to wait for Bruce so please continue this cute family moment.” Wanda waved her hand and two chairs appeared for Tony and Pepper. You were amazed by her powers, a little jealous of the things she could do with them. The conversation continued as stories were passed around. Tony and Natasha went back and forth telling the story of Natasha’s undercover work in Stark Industries. Her fighting Happy in the boxing ring sent you into a fit of giggles. Your laughter continued as Yelena told stories about her and Natasha’s father. It was nice to sit and laugh with them. You felt normal.

“I thought I had a two-person visiting policy,” Helen teased, walking into your room.

“To be fair that rule was only when I was unconscious,” you smiled. The doctor glared but you saw no real threat in it.

“You're worse than Natasha,” the Black Widow gasped, clutching her chest.

“I’m a perfect patient, thank you very much,” Helen rolled her eyes as the group erupted into laughter. She started to check on your vitals and the tablet Tony was holding began to ring.

“Hey Big Green,” Tony answered. “Say hello to the star of the hour,” he turned the tablet around. You saw Bruce standing in a lab you didn’t recognize.

“Glad to see you are okay,” he smiled.

“Hi Bruce,” you waved at the doctor. Your eyes went back to the covered object as everyone said their hellos. “So,” you said, slowly. “Can I see what’s under the blanket?” Tony laughed.

“I’m calling it the Stark Recharge,” the billionaire said, handing the tablet to Pepper and taking off the blanket. There was a big red target connected to a metal coil spring. At the end of the spring was a box with 4 batteries. Each batter had a meter to monitor their charge.

“What is it?” America asked.

“It kind of looks like a cell tower,” Yelena said, with her head tilted. You giggled.

“Cho said it’s important to use your powers,” you looked at the doctor, who was nodding her head. “This is a safe and controlled way for you to use them,” Brue said.

“You hit this target with your powers and the electricity you produce charges these batteries,” Tony explained. “These batteries will be sent to homeless centers and countries that need them.”

“It’s so you can relearn that your powers aren’t something to be afraid of,” Pepper added. You looked at the CEO. “That when applied correctly they can do some good.” Have you ever used your powers for good? Your parents never wanted you to use them unless it was a way to benefit them which turned into being at the church for long hours to power it. With HYDRA, there were no good moments just pain, torture, and bloodshed. All of your life, your powers were used to break the law and cause so much pain.

“Can I try it?” You asked the group. Natasha looked at Helen for her final say.

“Yes,” she finally said after some thought. “Just don’t overdo it.” She took off the ekgs and the clear tube around your nose. With the help of Wanda, you got out of bed. The ground was cold on your bare feet as you stood in front of the machine.

“So I just aim for the target,” Tony nodded. “And if I miss?” You questioned.

“Then you miss and hit the wall,” he shrugged. “Walls are easy to fix.” You nodded, shaking out your legs and arms.

“It’s been a while since I’ve used them. You might want to stand back.” But they didn’t move. They trusted you so you just had to trust yourself. You sighed, closing your eyes. It was so strange how a few harsh words and punishments could change your perspective on yourself. There was a time you liked the stuff you could do. You were like a superhero in the books you read. You let out a shaky breath, steadying the beat of your heart. Then you focused on their heartbeat, the energy they were creating, and the electricity in the room. It was strong and steady and for a very long time since you weren’t afraid. Your fingers began to move, mimicking the way a pianist played the piano. You felt your fingers and hands tingle. You looked at your hand and watched the electricity dance around your fingers. Smiling, you extended your arm, and the stream of electricity left and traveled toward the machine. A direct hit on the target and the batteries began to fill. When they were at 100%, you cut off the stream. Your chest was heaving, not used to using your powers.

“How do you feel, molniyenosnyy zhuk (lightning bug)?” You looked at the Black Widow.

“Good,” you said honestly. “Like a weight has been lifted off my chest. I can breathe easily again.”

Helen cleared you that evening. After a shower and a quick dinner, you found yourself on the couch laying on Kate’s stomach as she flipped through the streaming services to find a movie. It was so different from cuddling with her over a blanket. You could feel the warmth she radiated off and sometimes she could run her fingers through your hair. “Are you stealing my girlfriend?” Yelena asked, sitting by your feet. “Can I pet your legs on my lap?” You nodded and she lifted your legs.

“I’m not stealing her,” you smiled. “Just burrowing her.” You felt Kate’s laughter rumble through her.

“We can cuddle anytime,” she said. “Alright, when I’m not cuddling Lena.” She added on quickly. The blonde’s cheek turned a light pink which caused you to giggle.

“What are you watching?” America asked, climbing over the couch to sit next to Kate. She had a bowl of popcorn and you took some from her.

“No clue,” Kate said, throwing the remote at Yelena. “Pick something.” The Russian rolled her eyes. “Oh I’m about to lose my cuddle buddy in 3,2, and 1,” Kate mumbled as Wanda and Natasha sat on the other side of the couch. Your body tensed up as you stared at the couple but you didn’t move. “Go on,’ Kate said. You looked up at the archer.

“Are you sure?” You asked. Kate nodded with a smile. You sat up and walked over to the couple, fidgeting with your hands.

“Can I sit with you guys?” You asked, pointing to the space between them.

“Pop a squat, squirt,” Natasha said, moving over slightly. You sat down, resting your head on Natasha’s shoulder.

“I’m putting on the Greatest Showman,” Yelena said. “Any objections? No. Perfect.” You didn’t care what you watched, perfectly content with being right here.

It wasn’t long before Natasha noticed the teen falling asleep against her. “Do you want to go to bed?” Natasha whispered. She shook her head, instead, she moved closer to Natahsa and rested her head on her chest. Wanda maneuvered the girl’s legs across her lap. A small smile formed on her face.

“Can I see your magic?” She asked the witch, keeping her voice too low to not disturb the movie. Wanda nodded and her fingers began to glow. To Natasha’s surprise, the girl raised her hand and the flow moved from Wanda’s fingers to her own. “It feels alive,” she whispered. “Like a small heartbeat.” She connected their hands and the red glow was put out. Natasha saw tears forming in her girlfriend’s eyes. “I like it,” she closed her eyes. Soon her breathing evened out and she was asleep, still holding on tightly to Wanda’s hand.

“Are you okay?” Natasha asked, putting her hand on the back of Wanda’s neck and playing with the baby's hair.

“Yeah,” she whispered, looking at their connected hands. “I’m great.”

“So where is this ring from?” You asked, holding onto Yelena’s hand and looking at the rings. You and the blonde were tasked with breakfast duty. It was probably easier to order and have Happy pick it up but you wanted to see Annie and get a hug from her. Yelena looked at the ring you asked about.

“It’s a handle of a spoon made into a ring,” she said, taking it off and handing it to you. It was a very unique design and it was impressive that it was a spoon. “One of the Widows we saved opened up a small business to sell them.”

“It’s beautiful,” you handed it back to her. “I think I want some rings. But I don’t think it’s a good idea to wear them. You know with the whole ability to produce electricity,” Yelena chuckled, allowing you to take her hand again.

“How does it feel to have everyone know?” She asked. You tilted your head as you thought about it. You haven’t had much time to think about it. It was weird, and bizarre to have a group of people know what you could do and not blink an eye. They acted like nothing changed.

“Kind of weird,” you admitted. “I guess it’s another thing I have to get used to.” Yelena opened the door to the cafe. The familiar bell announced your presence in the busy cafe. Annie looked up and she smiled when she saw you. She spun around to talk to someone but you weren’t close enough to hear what she said. Annie left the counter and a young girl took her place. “Did you hire someone?” You asked as she walked over to you.

“We did,” she led you over to her office. “We’ve been busy and we needed extra help.” She opened the door and ushered you in. “How are you, sugar?” She asked as the door closed behind you. “They told me you were hurt.” You looked at the Russian, unaware that Annie was informed. She shrugged.

“She’s important to you so she’s a part of this family,” you smiled.

“I’m good actually. The best I’ve been.”

“That’s great!” She excitedly said. “I’m so happy for you.” It was now or never you thought, playing with the bottom of your shirt.

“We came here for more than just food,” she tilted her head. “Can I have a hug?” You asked. The surprise on her face made you smile. For as long known as the Breaux, they knew your fear of touching others. “I don’t think I’ve ever said thank you to you and Paul,” you said, trying to look anywhere besides the woman in front of you. “You saved my life so thank you.”

“Oh sweetheart, come here,” she held out her arms. Without hesitation, you hugged her. Her arms wrapped around you. She was warm and smelt like cinnamon, sugar, and coffee. It smelt like home.

“You wanted to speak with us,” Natasha said, sitting down in the empty chairs in front of Helen’s desk with Wanda. FRIDAY notified the couple that the doctor wanted to speak with them. It filled Natasha with unnecessary anxiety.

“It’s nothing bad,” she told them, closing a file. “How much do you know about touch deprivation?”

“It occurs when some doesn’t get as much or any physical touch,” Wanda said. Helen nodded.

“It’s just physical touch but any emotional interaction. A person may feel isolated or experience symptoms of depression,” the doctor explained.

“You think Y/n is touch deprived.” Natasha guessed where this conversation was headed.

“Yes. She admitted to not having her skin touched positively for a long time. Skin-to-skin contact is not only for mental and emotional health but physical health, too,” she leaned forward, head resting on her hands. “I love that she’s opening up to all of you and allowing herself that level of comfort but I wanted to go over some things with you.”

“Of course,” Natasha said. “We’ll do anything to help her.” So Helen began to explain ways to help. Give her plenty of positive touch and never associate touch with negativity like pinching or pushing her away.

“Set boundaries with her and don’t be worried if she regresses to younger behaviors. Her entire life she’s been denied a safe place to receive love, now she has it.”

“Do you think having her speak with someone could help?” Natasha suggested. She remembered Sam saying he could find someone to talk to. Helen thought for a moment.

“I think it could do her some good but I wouldn’t spring it onto her now,” she said. “It took a while for her to trust you and she hasn’t fully opened up yet. Give her time to adjust to this new normal.”

You were playing thumb war with Sam on the common floor when the elevator opened. A glance over and you saw Wanda and Natasha. “Ah I won,” Sam said, pinning your thumb with his. You stuck your tongue out at him.

“Breakfast is from Annie’s,” you told the couple as they walked over to the kitchen. The tower was quiet. America was at the Sanctum, Yelena, Tony, and Maria was in Overwatch, and Kate was working on more trick arrows in the lab. You swung your legs as they made their plate.

“Have you eaten?” Wanda asked.

“This girl can eat,” Sam teased, rustling your hair. You pushed his hand away. “Is Helen free?” Natasha nodded. “I’ll see you guys later.” It was not you three alone.

“Why were you with Helen?” You asked, sipping on your orange juice.

“She just wanted to go over some stuff about you and your recovery that we can help you with,” you gave her a questioning look. Natasha sighed, taking a small bite of her food. “Do you know about touch deprivation?” She asked. You nodded, crossing your arms. Sometimes you would feel your arms tingle when you watch those around you embrace. An ache in your chest would grow and you knew it was loneliness.”

“Helen thinks I’m touch deprived,” you said, not able to look at them. The soft hand of Wanda touched your arm. “Natasha was my first hug in 9 years,” you admitted. “Before that, I would get a hug from my brother when my parents weren’t around.” You finally looked up. “I’m sorry I’m so messed up.” You tried to joke to lighten the mood.

“Sweetheart, you’ve been through a lot of your age,” Natasha said. “We all have baggage that we carry.”

“But now you don’t have to do it alone,” Wanda added.

“So, you don’t mind that I want to cuddle with you.” It was a fear that was bubbling inside of you. They were only doing this to be nice.

“Not at all,” Natasha smiled. “And if we can’t or we’re busy we’ll tell you, okay?” You nodded, smiling.

“I hugged Annie today,” you told them. “It was nice.”

“I’m proud of you, dorogoy (sweetheart),” you smiled at her praise. “So what’s your plan for today?” You shrugged. You haven’t thought about that. You haven’t read in a while or practiced your Russian but those activities seemed like a lot of work still. So, you were just going to hang around the tower and you told the couple that. “Do you want to hang out with us?”

“Yes!” You said without any hesitation. “I mean, yes sure sounds good.” Your cheeks flushed at your excitement. Natasha chuckled.

“That was cute,” your cheeks flushed a deeper pink. “We’ll show you some of our favorite spots in the city. We’ll clean this up and we’ll head out. Do you need anything from your room?” You nodded, waiting to grab your phone. “Perfect! We’ll meet you up there.” You jumped off your seat and took the stairs to your floor. On your nightstand, the yellow rubber gloves were there. You picked them up and sat down on your bed. For the longest time, the gloves were the only thing in your life that was constant. Every morning, afternoon, and night they were there to cover your hands and offered you a sense of protection and safety.

“Hey,” you looked up at Natasha. “Are you okay?” She asked, leaning against your doorway.

“Yeah,” you said, hitting the gloves against your hands. “Just thinking,” you put your phone into your pocket and walked into the kitchen. With one final look at the gloves, you threw them away. It was time to move forward and not let fear control your future.

Taglist: @aestruvx, @toouncreativeforausername, @modedddd, @julilamoment, @mythixmagic, @yourmamacom, @vicmc624, @cherlenovix, @liliesandrosies, @whitewidowsbite, @clintsbigtoe, @blackbirdv98 @arualdcg @yoyo-w @natbelovasblog

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sycamorelibrary754 · 4 months

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Guardian Angel

Chapter 7: Pinot's Palette

Summary: Your recovery is coming along nicely and it’s finally time for your first official date with Wanda. You go to great lengths to ensure that it is perfect.

Warnings: Mentions of injuries.

Word Count: 5k

A/N: This has been my favorite chapter to write so far. I hope you enjoy!

Guardian Angel Masterlist

Your phone emitted a small ding, pulling your attention away from the book you were reading. You glanced at the screen and saw the latest reminder in your schedule - it was time for your second follow-up appointment with Helen. Your heart sank a little as you realized that you were still unable to walk, which meant that getting to the Med Bay in your wheelchair would be a challenge, as always. To make matters worse, your left arm was still in a sling, leaving you continually reliant on your newfound friends to help you accomplish even the simplest tasks around the compound. You couldn't help but feel weary of the constant need for assistance, but you were hopeful for some good news today. It had been over a month since the accident and you were eager to get back to work soon.

Wanda had taken Billy and Tommy to soccer practice, leaving you on your own. Thankfully, Natasha kindly offered to accompany you to your appointment. Standing with her arms crossed, she watched as you tried to convince her that you didn't need her assistance. You showed her how you could use your right hand to push the wheelchair and then use gravity to move forward.

Natasha humored your demonstration for a total of ten seconds before she had enough of your stubbornness. She grabbed the handles of the wheelchair and started pushing you down the hall. Frustrated, you grumbled but let the widow take over.

“Beep, beep,” Nat called out as she rolled you rolled into the Med Bay.

“Y/N, we’re all set for you,” a nurse announced.

“Want me to come in with you?”

“Sure,” as the nurse starts to roll you away.

You were familiar with the routine by now. X-rays and an MRI were conducted to evaluate your recovery. Fortunately, test results were instantaneous in the Med Bay. A luxury you were thankful for. A few minutes later Dr. Cho knocked and entered your room.

“Hi, y/n,” sitting down in front of the hologram interface and opening your patient file. “How are you feeling today?“

“Honestly, this week has been a bit tough. I'm still experiencing some soreness on the left side of my stomach and chest, but my headaches have become less frequent.”

“The discomfort you're feeling on your left side is normal after the splenectomy and the procedure on your punctured lung. You may experience some residual and referred pain for a while. I'd also like to remind you to avoid screen time as much as possible while you're still experiencing concussion symptoms,” raising an eyebrow at you.

“Don’t worry,” Nat interrupted. We’ll make sure she stays off the screens.”

“Overall, I'm pleased with how your recovery is progressing," Helen said as she brought up the images from your MRI. "The cradle has significantly sped up the healing process following your surgery. As you can see here," she pointed at the screen, "there is very little scar tissue and no inflammation around your abdomen or chest. This is exactly what we want to see.”

You appreciated Helen's optimistic and calm demeanor. She had been with you every step of the way since you were rushed into her operating room, and you weren't sure how you could have managed this last month without her.

“So, that was the good news,” rubbing her hands together. “Do you want to hear the great news?”

“That wasn’t the great news?”

“Your fractured ankle has healed well over the last month. This means that you no longer need to use the wheelchair," showing you your X-ray image. "Instead, we will fit you with a walking boot for the next couple of weeks. You can take it off at night, and if everything goes as planned, you should be able to remove it, along with your sling, in two weeks.”

“Wow," you said, running a hand over your face in relief.

If all goes well, I foresee you being able to return to work in a few weeks,” she added.

"Thank you so much, Helen.”

*^~^*

You and Natasha stepped off the elevator and walked into the common room. You realized that it had been a long time since you had walked anywhere and you would never take the simple act of walking for granted again. You took a seat on the sofa and checked your phone to see if Wanda had called. Since you had both been honest about your feelings, you couldn't go long without speaking to the redhead.

A hand reaches out from behind and takes your phone. “Nope.”

“Hey!”

“You heard what Helen said. No screens while you’re still having concussion symptoms.”

“Come on, Nat,” you complained, reaching for your phone. “I feel fine right now. Wanda was supposed to call me after my appointment and I don’t want to miss her.”

"I’ll hang onto your phone and let you know if she calls,” holding it above her head.

Taking advantage of your newfound mobility, you stood up and tried to grab your phone with your good arm.

"Maria! Heads up," Natasha yelled to her girlfriend as she walked into the room.

The Deputy Director caught the phone in one swift motion before it hit her in the face.

"Please give me my phone,” you pleaded.

"Hey, you’re standing! That’s great.”

"Thank you, Maria. May I have my phone as a reward?"

She looked past you at Natasha, who shook her head in defiance.

"Sorry, y/n," she was just about to toss your phone back to Nat when it started ringing.

Maria smiled and showed you your phone screen lighting up with Wanda’s name.

"GIMMEE!" You shouted as Maria tossed it over your head to Nat.

Natasha answered the phone and switched over to the speakerphone.

"Hey, Wands," she said resting her head in her hand as she leaned on the counter.

"Nat? Why are you answering y/n's phone? Is she okay?"

"She’s fine. Helen just told her to stay off the screens for a bit while she’s still having some lingering concussion symptoms," Natasha said.

"She’s still having concussion symptoms?! We FaceTimed for an hour last night and she didn’t say anything. You tell her that we are going to have a long discussion about following Helen’s orders after I drop the boys off at soccer practice," Wanda said.

"Oh, don’t worry. She’ll get the message," Natasha responded with a smirk.

"Thank you, Nat. I’ll be there in about half an hour.”

"Okay, bye," Natasha ended the call and promptly put your phone in her back pocket. "You could try to come and take it, but I warn you, I’ve taken down Hydra agents in less time than it would take me to push you over."

You grumbled and walked back over to the sofa with Natasha following you closely.

"That’s more like it," Natasha said, lovingly patting the top of your head. "Now, may I interest you in a peanut butter sandwich?"

"Sure… with chocolate milk?"

"Oh my God, what are you, eight?"

"Says the superhero offering me a peanut butter sandwich.”

"She’s got you there, babe," Maria snickered, plopping down next to you on the sofa.

"Fine," Natasha said before heading back into the kitchen.

"So, you and Wanda," Maria sheepishly grinned, as you turned beet red at the mere mention of her name. "That’s wonderful," patting you on the shoulder.

"Hey, watch this," she smirked. "Nat! Y/N wants marshmallow fluff on her peanut butter sandwich."

"Hell no! Do I look like I work at the Candy Bar?" Natasha yelled from the kitchen.

You both lapsed into laughter on the sofa.

*^~^*

You were having your lunch with Natasha and Maria in the kitchen when FRIDAY interrupted.

"Ms. Y/L/N, Ms. Maximoff is on her way up."

"Thank you, FRIDAY," taking another sip of your chocolate milk.

Natasha whispered to Maria, "This should be good."

You heard the elevator doors open to the common area. "Alright, where is she?"

"In here!" you called out, standing up and taking physical inventory just before Wanda entered the kitchen.

"You better not be looking at your phone or watching television because—" Wanda stopped in her tracks at the sight of you standing.

"You're... you're standing," she said, subdued by shock.

"Yeah, two more weeks with the walking boot and the sling, and then I'm fully mobile again," you said, a small smile curling your lips.

Wanda stood silently for a moment before running toward you. "This is wonderful, y/n. I'm so happy for you," she said, wrapping her arms around you.

You grunted slightly as she inadvertently squeezed your left side.

"I'm sorry!" she said, pulling back quickly. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, still a bit sore on this side, that's all."

Wanda ran her hand softly over your side before looking into your eyes and then down at your lips. You sensed her intention as she kissed you gently.

"Well, that was anticlimactic," Maria's voice cut through your intimate moment.

"Nat, Maria, when did you get here?" Wanda asked.

"Oh my God," Natasha exasperated. She pulled your phone out of her back pocket and handed it to Wanda. Maria simply wiggled her eyebrows and gave you a knowing smile as she followed Nat out of the room.

*^~^*

You lay propped up on Wanda's bed. You didn't change any of the decor, but the simple addition of your favorite books and fluffy blanket made her room feel more like home to you. Truthfully, you relished the opportunity to learn more about Wanda as you took in the intricacies of her favorite things meticulously placed with care around the space. Wanda traced shapes on your arm as she rested her head in your lap.

"That's a beautiful painting," you said, admiring the landscape on the wall above her armoire.

"It's the Valley of Sokovia," Wanda said lifting her head to follow your eyes. "My grandmother Katerina was a gifted painter. Before the war broke out, she would paint a variety of Sokovian landscapes across the country. She used to say that painting was her soul upon the canvas, a story of colors and rising hope.”

"I've admired it every day since I've been here. It's exquisite."

"It was on my grandparents' wall forever. It felt like it spoke directly to my soul in a language I knew at my birth. I wanted so much to paint like my grandma when I was a little girl, but Pietro and I had to grow up quickly and suddenly learning to paint didn't seem so important anymore," Wanda said, fidgeting with her hands. "After they passed, my mother hung the painting in mine and Pietro's bedroom to remind us that our home was beautiful. Not just a war-torn country forgotten by the rest of the world."

Your face softened at her story. "I'm so sorry that you grew up under those circumstances."

Wanda let out a deep sigh, her mind lost in memories of the past. “Despite the tumultuous times, there were moments of pure joy and happiness that I cherish dearly. Playing with Pietro, the aroma of our mother's homemade Paprikash in the air during family dinners. The nights spent watching classic American sitcoms with our father to improve our English.”

You listened to Wanda reminisce so vividly that you could almost see the memories dancing in the reflection of her eyes.

“They were simple yet beautiful moments that instilled a sense of gratitude in me. They remind me of all the blessings I have in my life - my health, my newfound family, my adorable boys. She hesitated for a moment before adding, "And you."

You looked down at Wanda staring up at you and couldn't help but smile.

"I feel the same way. The magic is in the little things,” you said, running your hand through her hair. "I was thinking... we haven't had our first official date yet, and I would love to take you out this weekend," staring down at Wanda's head in your lap. "If that's something you would like to do, of course," you added quickly.

"You're so cute," Wanda said, reaching up and caressing your cheek. "That is something I would very much like to do."

Your stomach exploded in butterflies. "Okay! Don't worry, I'll take care of everything. Umm, Saturday. Is Saturday good?" you asked, rambling happily.

"Perfect. Billy and Tommy are having a sleepover at a friend's house, so I'm all yours. What did you have in mind?"

"Hmm, I think you'll just have to wait and see," you smirked. "I want it to be a surprise."

*^~^*

“Help me!” You shouted as you burst into Yelena’s room.

“I would be careful about shouting that particular phrase in this building,” Yelena answered calmly. The blonde didn’t even bother to look up, too occupied with polishing her widow bites. “You’re liable to turn around to a variety of weapons pointed in your direction, candy maker.”

“I need some advice.”

“Is that so?” Putting down her widow bite and raising an eyebrow at you. “Well, it just so happens that I am excellent with the advice.”

“What happened?!!” Kate bursts in bow and arrow drawn with Carol by her side, hands glowing blue.

You tried to duck a potential shot, but you still didn’t have your balance and proceeded to fall back on your butt.

“See what I mean?” Yelena smirked.

“Jesus!” Your heart pounding. “Everything is fine, I just wanted Yelena’s advice on something.”

“Oh,” Lowering her bow with an heir of disappointment.

“We’ll just go then,” Carol said.

“No, wait. You can stay too. I need all the help I can get.”

Kate circled back to Yelena’s bed and Carol helped you up onto the couch with her.

Wanda and I are going on our first official date this weekend, and I was wondering—“

“Oh my god! That is so exciting!” Kate shouted. “Where are you taking her? Well, probably somewhere amazing, right? I mean it would have to be to impress the Scarlet Witch. That’s a lot of pressure. Wow, are you nervous? What are you going to do?”

You blinked a couple of times, as everything Kate just said hit you like a ton of bricks.

“Holy shit. What was I thinking? I don’t know what I’m doing. She deserves the best, I should just tell her I have to cancel,” you rambled as the blonde widow stood and walked toward you. “What excuse do you think would work best? Maybe—Ouch!”

Yelena gave you a soft slap across the face.

“What was that for?!” Touching your cheek.

“You were spiraling. Granted, it was Kate Bishop’s fault,” glaring over at the young archer. “Trust me when I say this, y/n. Wanda's outlook on life has changed significantly in the past year. What the little witch cares most about are her boys, everything else is secondary. Which means she must care about you to bring you into her world. Trust your gut, she will love anything you plan as long as you're together.”

“Wanda is sentimental,” Carol added. “She would love a date that you put some meaningful thought into planning.

“Sentimental and meaningful,” the wheels turn slowly inside your head.

Okay, Thank you three. This was helpful,” rising slowly from the sofa. “I’ll see you later.”

*^~^*

“You’re supposed to be resting!” Nat called out between punches.

“I was!” you shouted from the side of the ring. “I need your advice!”

The widow dodged her opponent’s punch then twisted his arm behind his back and pinned him to the mat.

“Take five, Bennett,” rustling the trainee agent’s hair before standing and walking towards you.

“What’s up?” Stepping out of the ring and wiping her face with a towel.

“Wanda and I are going on our first official date this weekend and I was hoping you could give me some insight on what she would appreciate?”

“Hmm,” taking a sip of water from her water bottle. “Wanda appreciates thoughtfulness, y/n. I know that sounds ambiguous, but it's true. Show her you're paying attention.”

*^~^*

The car arrived at Wanda's house at 7:00 pm sharp. You had wanted to pick her up yourself, but Helen and Bruce forbade it. They insisted that you needed to fully recover, with no shortcuts. This was how you found yourself in the back seat of Stark's 1959 Racing Green Aston Martin.

"Thank you so much for offering to drive tonight, Pepper," you said.

"No problem, y/n. We're happy to play a small part in your special evening," Pepper replied.

"Not to mention, your little destination is down the street from one of our favorite restaurants," Tony added from the front seat.

You grabbed the single red rose from beside you and took a deep breath.

"You got this, Willy Wonka!" Tony cheered.

You rolled your eyes at his nickname for you as you got out of the car. Walking up the embellished concrete path to her front door, you couldn't help but feel nervous. Stepping up onto the porch, you looked back at Tony and Pepper, smiling and giving you a thumbs up.

You took one final cleansing breath before ringing the doorbell. You heard footsteps on the other side of the door a few moments later, straightening your suede coat and running a hand through your hair just as Wanda opened the door.

"Hi," she said softly, blushing at you.

"Hi, wow, you look beautiful," you said, taking in her appearance.

Her red hair was styled in an updo bun. A few loose strands fell down the sides of her face. A white peasant blouse, light-wash jeans, and brown boots completed the look.

"Thank you. I wasn't sure if this was okay since you wouldn't tell me where we are going. You said casual date night..." she trailed off as she slipped on a rust-colored corduroy jacket.

"It's perfect," you said, handing her the rose.

"Oh my. Thank you, y/n. It's lovely."

"I was going to get you a whole bouquet, but I didn't want you to have to carry it or stop to put it in water," you rambled.

"It's perfect," she repeated your words.

You offered her your hand as you stepped off the porch.

She looked down at you and giggled, "I should be the one offering you a hand, sweetheart. You're down to two working limbs."

"I believe in chivalry," you said, smiling at the redhead.

You walked to the car and opened the door for Wanda. As she slid in, you followed behind her.

"Hi Wanda, good to see you," Pepper said.

"Good to see you too. Thank you so much for driving us tonight," Wanda replied.

"Okay, kids. Off we go," Tony announced. "Please keep your hands, legs, feet, and arms inside the car at all times."

*^~^*

The car slowed to a stop at the corner of Washington Street and Chester Avenue.

"Alright. Have fun, you two," Tony smirked.

"We'll pick you up in a bit," Pepper added.

“Okay, thank you again for the drive,” you said. “Enjoy your dinner!”

You watched the car drive off before reaching for Wanda's hand. She took your hand in hers and smiled at you.

"So, are you finally going to tell me where we're going?"

"You'll see," you sang as you walked hand in hand down the sidewalk a dozen or so yards before stopping in front of a shop.

Wanda looked up at the storefront lit up with fairy lights and read the sign:

Pinot's Palette

"What is this y/n?"

"You said you always wanted to learn to paint like your grandmother. I thought you might like to start tonight," you explained. "I signed us up for a 45-minute Paint and Sip class. They give you step-by-step instructions on how to paint a really beautiful picture, and there's wine and appetizers. I thought it could be fun," you trailed off shyly.

"I don't know what to say, I- this is so thoughtful, y/n. Truly."

"Shall we?" you asked, opening the door for her. You were greeted immediately by a tall brunette with glasses.

"Welcome to Pinot's Palette! I'm Sarah, your instructor for the evening. Your class starts in about 20 minutes, so you can go ahead and grab a glass of wine and some appetizers in the meantime."

"This place is so cute!" Wanda said.

"Agreed," you replied, admiring the warm and intimate space. A variety of paintings was displayed proudly on the walls from past classes.

Wanda poured both of you a glass of Pinot Noir. You swirled the glass a bit before taking a sip.

"Mhmm, delicious," you said.

"Definitely on the dryer side. Medium body with bright acidity," Wanda said, letting the wine breathe before taking another sip. "Silky tannins, with hints of raspberries, cherries, and vanilla."

You simply stared in astonishment. "Okay, that was incredibly sexy. How do you know so much about wine?"

"You don't know everything about me yet," Wanda smirked as she turned and walked toward the food spread.

You followed closely behind her like a lovesick puppy.

*^~^*

"Okay, welcome to Saturday Night Sip and Paint class, everyone. Tonight we're going to paint a simple yet beautiful full-moon lake scene. So let's get started!"

You and Wanda followed along as Sarah demonstrated each step on her canvas at the front of the class. You were thankful that it was your non-dominant arm in the sling, so you could still paint.

You started by mixing the perfect tints for your masterpieces. But, you couldn’t seem to get it right. Yours were uneven and messy, while Wanda's were solid and smooth.

Frustrated, you mutter to yourself, "This shouldn't be this difficult. I mix chocolate for a living, I should be able to mix paint." As you look up, you notice Wanda giggling at your struggles.

“You're enjoying this, aren't you?”

“Just a little bit.”

You can't resist the opportunity to make her smile. You dip your finger in the white paint on your palette and playfully boop Wanda's nose, leaving a white dot behind. She looks at you with a mix of surprise and amusement.

“Stop it, y/n. You’re going to get us in trouble,” she whispered, laughing softly.

“Okay, but honestly, you look adorable.”

*^~^*

"Your backgrounds look great!" Sarah said, walking by and admiring what you and Wanda had painted. "Ooh, Wanda! I love how you used a bit of Prussian blue in the corners. It adds depth."

Wanda beamed with pride as you smiled at her. You were having a wonderful time with her, and you didn't want it to end.

That is pretty,” you added. “Not to mention, my favorite color.”

“Is it?”

“Yes, I’ve always loved a strong blue,” washing your brush in the glass of water.

“Any particular reason?”

You sighed and shrugged your shoulders. “It’s tranquil and calm. Two things that I’ve tried to bring more of into my life over the years.”

“I know how you feel,” the redhead empathized, as she took another sip of wine. “The last year of my life was so chaotic, I vowed from now on to only surround myself with things and people who bring me a sense of serenity.”

You nodded in understanding, as Sarah grabbed the attention of the class again.

“Alright everyone, now we’re going to add the moon to our paintings. It’s really simple, everyone go ahead and pick up a spare paper plate,” holding one up. “Then trace around the edge like this to make a circle.”

You watched as Wanda traced her moon. Her tongue adorably poking out of the side of her mouth in concentration.

“There we go!”

She looked over at you, still sitting there with your paper plate in your one good hand looking down at your sling.

“Oh, I’m sorry y/n. Here, let me help you.”

“It’s okay, Wanda. I got it.”

You put down the plate, picked up your small brush, and dipped it in the off-white paint. In one fluid motion, you painted a perfect circle.

“Wow, that was smooth. How did you do that?”

“When you work in a sweet shop and you make a living scooping ice cream or frosting cupcakes all day, it bodes well if you can make a perfect circle,” you giggled.

“Hmm, I see,” lips pursed to stop herself from smiling. “I wonder what other hidden talents you’re keeping from me.”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Wiggling your eyebrows and taking a sip of your wine.

After you added the silhouette of the pine trees to your paintings and the reflections and ripples in the water, you were on to the final touch of adding stars and a comet to the sky.

You dipped your fan brush in the white paint and flicked it toward the canvas to create a random star pattern. Picking up your liner brush, you added a comet to your sky. Everyone signed and dated their paintings. You added a small heart in the corner of your canvas to serve as a reminder of your first date with Wanda. You looked over at the redhead to see that she was adding a second comet into her sky.

“Two comets? Now that is a miracle.”

“One for Billy and one for Tommy. They’re my miracles.”

“They certainly are,” kissing her cheek as she finished her painting. “I hope I get to meet them someday.”

“I think you will,” smiling at you.

After class, everyone had a photo taken with their finished painting. You both held them up proudly as Sarah used Wanda’s phone to take the picture.

“Thank you so much, Sarah. We had a wonderful time,” you said, hugging the young woman.

“Yes, I’m going to tell all my friends about this place. It was wonderful,” Wanda added.

“It was my pleasure. You two come back anytime.”

*^~^*

As you left the shop and stepped into the cold night air, you quickly sent a text to Pepper to let her know that you were finished. She responded promptly, telling you that they had just paid the bill and would be there shortly.

"Tony and Pepper will be here in a few minutes. Shall we sit?" you asked, gesturing to a green metal bench a few yards away.

"Sure. Don’t think I’ve forgotten that you still need to take it easy just because we’re out and about tonight,” leading you to the bench.

You sat down next to her and took in her profile, feeling a surge of affection. You had always felt that Wanda was different, not just because she was one of Earth’s mightiest heroes, but because she was sweet and genuine. You couldn’t wait to see where your journey together would take you. Wanda looked over at you, sensing that you were staring.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm just so happy to be here with you."

"Me too,” loose strands of her red hair blowing in the soft night wind.

Slowly, you leaned in and kissed her, feeling her warmth and love. Your stomach exploded with joy at Wanda's touch. Suddenly, the sound of a car horn broke you from your reverie as Tony pulled up beside you and rolled down the window.

"Excuse me, hi. I'm looking for a witch and a candy maker for a live-action Hansel and Gretel," Tony joked.

"You're an idiot," Wanda deadpanned, sliding into the backseat next to you.

"No funny business in the backseat, you two," Tony warned as he pulled away from the curb.

“How was your painting class?” Pepper asked

“It was wonderful,” Wanda said, holding up her painting.

"You painted that? Wanda, that is gorgeous!" Pepper exclaimed.

"She's a natural," you said, stroking her hand with your thumb.

"You flatter me.”

“It’s true. Your grandmother would be proud.”

Wanda blushed at your compliment as you leaned over and kissed her cheek.

*^~^*

Tony slowed to a stop in front of the redhead’s house. You stepped out of the car and walked the her to the front door, clutching her painting and the single red rose you gifted her. She unlocked the door and set the painting and rose down just inside the entryway.

"I had an amazing time tonight, y/n. It was so special, I couldn't ask for anything more," Wanda said, smiling at you.

"Me too, it was wonderful. I asked everyone for advice because I wanted our first date to be perfect. Then I remembered the story you told me about your grandmother’s painting, and I knew-" You were cut off by Wanda's lips on yours. The kiss was filled with passion, a million loving thoughts condensed into a moment.

As you pulled apart, her hand trailed down your cheek and she smiled, biting down on her lower lip. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, y/n."

"Okay. Goodnight, Wanda," you said, watching her walk inside and close the door behind her.

You turned around to see Tony and Pepper ducking down in their seats, pretending they weren't watching you from the car. "Subtle," you said, sliding into the backseat and shutting the car door.

“We didn’t say anything,” Tony said, holding his hands up in defense.

Once you arrived back at the compound, you immediately got into your pajamas and removed your walking boot. You were exhausted from the excitement of the night, but it was worth it. As you snuggled into your covers, your phone dinged. You opened the notification to see the picture Sarah took of you and Wanda holding up your paintings. Wanda had texted you: "I had a great time tonight. Every moment with you is a work of art."

You blushed profusely as you read her text before sending back your reply: "I have a beautiful muse.

Placing your phone on back on your nightstand, you laid back down. Adjusting your sling, you placed your good hand behind your head and stared up at the darkness of the ceiling, lost for words. You couldn't believe that Wanda Maximoff had left you speechless. It was the first of many times she would do so.

#guardian angel #wanda maximoff #wanda maxmoff x y/n #wanda maximoff x reader #wanda x you #natasha romanoff #maria hill #yelena boleva #kate bishop #carol danvers #tony stark #pepper potts #mcu #the avengers #fluff #romance #first date

54 notes · View notes

swan-of-sunrise · 5 months

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His Girl Friday

Summary: At Tony Stark's forty-fourth birthday party, the genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist and his longtime personal assistant finally address what's remained unspoken but secretly acknowledged between them for many, many years.

Pairings: Tony Stark X F!Reader

Word Count: 2.2k

Warnings/Disclaimers: None

A/N: Hi guys! This is my first time writing a Tony-centric fic and I had a lot of fun with it, so thank you for reading and I hope you all enjoy!

His Girl Friday May 29th, 2014 Avengers Tower, New York City (Fanfiction Masterlist)

Being employed as Anthony Edward Stark’s personal assistant was a challenging and often times perilous job, and that was before he’d announced himself to the world as Iron Man. But (Y/N) (Y/L/N) was no ordinary personal assistant; she stood by the genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist when he vowed to stop producing weapons at Stark Industries after being imprisoned by terrorists for three long months, she stuck with him when his secret illness and subsequent erratic behavior drove nearly everyone else away, and she flat-out refused to believe he’d been killed at the hands of the Mandarin. It was evident that Tony Stark was the closest thing she had to a best friend. Lately, however, she’d begun to notice a significant shift in her feelings towards her employer, feelings that definitely went beyond friendship and feelings that she suspected he was feeling as well; she tried her best to keep them at bay, fearful of ruining such a meaningful friendship and throwing away the only job she’d ever truly enjoyed on a baseless suspicion, and thankfully, there were always plenty of distractions to keep herself preoccupied with in her unique line of work.

From her place at the back of the room, (Y/N) scanned over the enormous checklist in her hands to see if she’d missed anything important; the guests were chatting, dancing and taking full advantage of the open bar while the DJ was playing all of Tony’s favorite songs in honor of his forty-forth birthday. All in all, not one of the worst birthday parties I’ve ever planned for him, she thought to herself, a reluctant smile playing on her lips as she recalled the disastrous thirty-ninth birthday party that resulted in the Malibu mansion’s near destruction at the hands of Tony and Rhodey. That particular birthday party was the reason why she’d initially been a little nervous at the prospect of the Avengers attending the soiree, but it only took a brief glance around the bustling common room to see that they were the perfect guests; Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson played pool with Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff, while Bruce Banner hovered near the back of the enamored crowd of people that surrounded a slightly-inebriated Thor and listened to his enthusiastic re-tellings of the adventures he’d had on Asgard. Pepper and Dr. Helen Cho were seated at the bar and chatted over glasses of Chardonnay while Happy was hyper-focused on his phone, no doubt catching up on an episode of Downton Abbey. With an inward chuckle, the personal assistant returned her attention to her lengthy list of tasks as the classic rock music continued to play.

“Hey beautiful, how ‘bout a dance?”

“Sorry, but I’m worki-” (Y/N) looked up to see Tony Stark himself standing before her, looking as handsome as ever in his expertly tailored black tuxedo and flashing her his signature grin that never failed to make her heart skip a beat. “Hey, you. How’re you enjoying your birthday party?”

Tony tucked his hands into his pockets and shrugged noncommittally. “It’s one of your better-executed extravaganzas, I will say, but it would absolutely skyrocket to the top if I could spend the rest of the evening with my favorite personal assistant.”

(Y/N) arched a skeptical eyebrow. “Tony, I’m your only personal assistant.”

“Exactly, which meant you get the title by default. Yay you!” The billionaire gave her a small applause and she simply heaved an exasperated but fond sigh at his typical theatrics. “C’mon, Girl Friday, you’ve been working your ass off all night and the Birthday Boy says that you should take a well-deserved break.” As his trademark smirk softened into a gentle smile, Tony took his hand out of his pocket and offered it to her in a clear invitation to join him. “Please?”

Although her heart was screaming at her to take his hand and allow him to whisk her into an evening of laughter and coy flirtations, the rational part of her knew that she had a job to complete and that anything more than a friendly conversation could jeopardize their platonic relationship. Masking her disappointment with a shrug and apologetic smile, (Y/N) shook her head and held up her checklist for him to see. “I’m sorry, Tony, but I still have so much to do; I’ve gotta do another check-in with Maria and the security team downstairs, make sure that the pastry chef brings out the cake on time, that the waiters serve the guests champagne at the right tempera-Tony!” She exclaimed when Tony’s hand shot out and snatched the checklist out of her grasp. “Anthony Edward Stark, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Getting rid of an obstacle,” Tony easily replied, holding the checklist above his head and snickering when she unsuccessfully attempted to snatch it back. “Seriously, Girl Friday, just one dance and I’ll let you get back to your boring planning. I’ll even avoid bugging you the rest of the night if it means I can spend a little time with one of my best friends.”

Tony’s rare sincerity softened (Y/N)’s heart, and she felt her resolve crumble as she stared into his gleaming brown eyes. “All right, one dance. Do you ever get tired with always getting your way?”

“Nope!” Tony happily popped the ‘p’ and tucked the checklist into the pocket of his tuxedo jacket before offering her his hand once again, and (Y/N) smiled to herself as the billionaire escorted her to the edge of the dance floor and whisked her into a slow dance to Bon Jovi’s ‘Bed of Roses.’ The warmth of his hand on the curve of her waist combined with the feel of his body brushing up against hers caused her heartbeat to quicken its pace, and she silently prayed that he wouldn’t notice the effect he had on her. “You know, I was being serious before. You’ve truly outdone yourself tonight, (Y/N), and can I just say that you look amazing?” Tony’s eyes briefly glanced down at her red chiffon evening gown and he gave her an appreciative nod. “Mm-hmm, hot-rod red is definitely your color. So, what’s your secret? How is it you can organize and schedule a genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist’s entire life and look drop-dead gorgeous while doing it?”

(Y/N) chuckled in amusement, the skirt of her gown swirling around her legs as he twirled her in a circle. “We all have our own superpowers; you fight aliens and terrorists in a red and gold Nitinol suit, and I oversee the hectic life of the man inside the suit to the best of my abilities.”

“Not sure which is the more dangerous job, to be honest.” Tony smirked, expertly guiding her back into his arms and holding her slightly closer than he had before. “But if I could do that death-glare that you’ve perfected over the years, then that would sure make my job a helluva lot easier and people would think twice before messing with Iron Man.” (Y/N) arched a brow and in response, Tony snickered. “Yep, there’s the death-glare!”

“I hate to burst your bubble, but this death-glare is tailor-made for Tony Stark and Tony Stark alone,” (Y/N) replied with a wry smile, and the billionaire’s grin widened as she looked into his sparkling brown eyes. They danced together in a comfortable yet expectant silence, almost as if one was waiting for the other to speak first, but both remained quiet while the 80’s power ballad continued to play; it wasn’t until she noticed the way he was biting his lower lip – one of the few tell-tale signs that there was something weighing heavy on the billionaire’s mind – that (Y/N) finally mustered her courage to address him. “You got a lot of cool presents this year, not to mention hundreds of thousands of dollars in charitable donations gifted in your name. Not too shabby, huh?”

Tony shrugged and replied, “I’m a sucker for gifts and I’m beyond stoked that we’ve raised so much in donations, but…” His eyes briefly flicked downwards to focus on the fluttering movement of her chiffon skirt, suddenly appearing as anxious as (Y/N) felt. “Can we play a quick round of Hypothetical Hold’em?”

A nostalgic feeling washed over (Y/N) at the mention of their old game. Back in the more impulsive and less responsible days of Tony Stark, it had been an effective form of decision-making created out of the billionaire’s respect for her opinions and general advice; they hadn’t played very many rounds in the years since he announced to the world that he was Iron Man and while she was happy that he’d grown and matured so much over the years, a small part of her missed their little game. “I’m a little rusty but I think I’ve still got it. Shoot.”

“A guy I know, Walter, he’s got just about everything he could possibly want in life, except the only thing he really wants is something he can’t have. You see,” Tony expertly dipped her and her breath hitched at the sudden movement, their eyes connecting as he continued. “There’s this woman – let’s call her Hildy – and he’s been in love with her for a while. And Hildy, she’s goddamn fantastic: smart, kind, funny, gorgeous, the whole enchilada.”

Heart sinking into her stomach, (Y/N) mustered up a small smile to hide her pain while he slowly righted her. “Hildy sounds wonderful. So, what’s stopping this Walter guy from telling her how he feels?”

“A couple of things, actually.” He took a deep breath. “She’s not just one of his best friends, but…you see, she’s also his personal assistant.”

The din of the party faded away as (Y/N)’s eyes widened in shock at the billionaire’s candid words; if not for the seriousness written across Tony’s face and the longing gleam that had formed in his brown eyes while he stared into hers, she would’ve assumed that he was pulling her leg. But she knew him, knew him far better than almost anyone else in the world, and it was clear as day that he was speaking directly from the heart. “…Oh.”

Tony nodded, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards in a tried and true attempt to hide behind a more lighthearted façade. “She’s taken such good care of him. He was a loose cannon for a long time…still is, in a way, but she’s gotten him through all the tough spots. He’s good friends with some ex-assassins, a super-soldier and a literal god, but she’s the strongest person he’s ever met and the only person he could ever imagine giving his heart to. But as much as he loves her, he’s not willing to roll the dice and risk losing her from his life forever; that’s why he…” Tony cast his gaze downwards and his hand gripped hers tight. “That’s why I never said anything before.”

“So, what changed?” She whispered as she slowly moved the hand that had been resting on his shoulder to press against the spot where his arc reactor once resided, feeling his rapid heartbeat and silently marveling at how perfectly it matched her own.

“Looking across the room and seeing you with your checklist; you’ve planned over a dozen successful birthday parties for me, but that didn’t stop you from treating tonight as if it was the first. It’s one of the thousand ways you show how much you care about me, and that’s what gave me the courage to walk to the back of the room and finally ask you for a dance.”

The booming opening chords of AC/DC’s ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ filled the room and while more guests took to the dance floor for the lively song, (Y/N) grabbed Tony’s hand and practically dragged him away from the crowd, not stopping until they were tucked away from any prying eyes in Captain Rogers’ nearby office. When she closed the door behind them and turned around, she was met with an apprehensive-looking Tony and her subtle smile grew into an all-out grin as her eyes filled with happy tears. “You love me?”

“I love you,” Tony replied, his voice growing steady and his eyes filling with confidence at her obvious happiness. “C’mon, Girl Friday, you’re killing me here. Do you love me or what?”

Beaming with joy, (Y/N) brought her hands up to cup his face between them and nodded. “You’re such an asshat, but I love you with all my heart.” Tony’s grin grew to match her own and he leaned forward to kiss her, but was halted by her fingers covering his eager lips. “And in the spirit of covering both our asses, I’d like to take this moment to formally tenure my resignation, Mr. Stark.”

“Duly noted, Miss (Y/L/N). And since I’m such a good ex-boss, I’ll send your resume and a letter of recommendation to a certain defrosted super-soldier who could use all the assistance he can get.”

“Becoming Captain America’s personal assistant? It’ll be a cake-walk, but at least I’ll have my favorite hot mess to come home to.”

(Y/N) moved her hand and giggled at how quickly Tony’s arms wrapped around her waist to tug her closer, but her amusement soon gave way to passion as their lips finally met in a long overdue kiss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: I figured that we all could use a little fluff, and what better way to deliver it than in a friends-to-lovers trope-fest? Thank you all so much for reading and commenting, and I hope that you have a wonderful holiday season!

Fanfiction Masterlist

Marvel Taglist: @brooke0297

All Works: @crowleysqueenofhell @momc95 @groovy-lady

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loveyazy · 2 years

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Asian Pacific Heritage Month ↳ Day 20: Claudia Kim as Dr. Helen Cho in Avengers: Age of Ultron

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lucky-bishova-42 · 17 days

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What Could Go Wrong?

(oneshot that takes place at some point between chapters 40 and 41)

Ever since Natasha and Wanda went on that mission where Natasha got hurt, Kate had been pretty attached to the both of them. They hoped that they wouldn’t both need to leave for another mission for a while.

However, it seemed as soon as Natasha was fully healed and cleared to work, they were both called on another mission.

And unfortunately Yelena was currently in Russia and Clint couldn’t make it in time.

So Natasha and Wanda asked Steve and Bucky to watch/stay with Kate while they were gone.

“We should only be gone a few days. Four max,” Natasha says as she and Wanda lead Steve and Bucky through the apartment.

It is clear she and Wanda are more than a little nervous to leave Kate. This will be the longest they have been away from her since she was taken by Eleanor.

“Here are Kate’s rules,” Natasha points to the list on the fridge, “she might give you a bit of hard time about sleeping—”

“Mamaaa,” Kate groans out, her face turning red, embarrassed.

“It’s okay Kate!” Steve tries to make her feel better, “I have a similar list for Buck!”

Kate’s face turns redder. She sends an uneasy, embarrassed smile over to Steve before promptly turning her attention back to the TV.

“And lastly, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY,” Wanda points to a phone number at the bottom of Kate’s rule list, “this is the number to our burner phone. Natasha or I will have it on us at all times during the mission. Please don’t hesitate to call it if Kate needs us or gods forbid there is an emergency.”

Steve and Bucky nod.

“Okay, got it,” Steve confirms.

“And,” Natasha says, “I think that is it.”

She looks over at Kate watching TV and a concerned expression takes over her face. Wanda takes her hand and squeezes it lightly.

“She will be okay,” Wanda says comfortingly.

“Yeah,” Bucky agrees, sending them both a confident smile, “You guys will only be gone a few days and she will be with her favorite Uncle Steve and Uncle Bucky. What could go wrong?”

—————————————————————————

*3 days later*

“You just had to say ‘what could go wrong?’ didn’t you?” Steve grumbles as he follows Bucky carrying a sniffling Kate to Medbay.

“How was I supposed to know that a simple game of basketball would turn out like this?” Bucky defends himself.

“It’s okay, Uncle Bucky,” Kate says shakily, trying to keep a brave face.

Bucky smiles down at her, “Don’t worry doll, Helen will be able to fix your ankle right up.”

As they walk into Medbay, Bucky gently sets Kate down on a free bed, and Dr. Cho comes right over.

“What happened here?” Helen asks.

“She twisted her ankle pretty good when we were playing some basketball,” Steve supplies.

Dr. Cho gently manipulates Kate’s ankle, Kate letting out a soft whimper at the movement.

“Well, unfortunately I do believe it might be broken,” Dr. Cho says, “Let’s get you to x-ray to make sure.”

The x-ray confirms Kate has a small break in her ankle, so Dr. Cho swiftly wraps it in a cast, and lets them know that Kate should keep weight off of it for at least two weeks.

As they are leaving, Dr. Cho leans over to Steve, “So let Natasha and Wanda know that I would like to see Kate in two weeks to see how it is healing.”

Steve and Bucky immediately freeze. Dr. Cho notices.

“They don’t know yet, do they?” Dr. Cho asks.

The super soldiers shake their heads no. Helen laughs.

“They are gonna kill you,” she says in a sing-song tone.

—————————————————————————

Steve and Bucky take Kate back to the apartment where, after all the craziness of the day, Kate pretty much instantly falls asleep on the couch watching TV.

Bucky and Steve find themselves in the kitchen staring at the number on the fridge.

They look at the number then back at each other.

A pregnant pause passed before Bucky exclaims, “NOT IT!”

“You can’t call ‘not it’ on this,” Steve says, annoyed.

“I believe I just did babe,” Bucky replies a little too smugly.

Steve frowns. Bucky leans over and kisses his cheek before smiling and making his way into the living room to watch TV and keep an eye on Kate.

Steve sighs and pulls out his phone, dialing the number.

The phone only rings for a few seconds before Natasha picks up.

“Hello?”

“Hey Nat. It’s Steve.”

“Hi Steve. Is everything okay? Is Kate okay?” Her voice instantly becoming concerned.

“Everything is fine—well not fine—but we are okay… mostly,” Steve fumbles, almost nervous to actually tell Natasha what is going on.

“What do you mean, ‘mostly’? What is going on, Rogers?” Natasha’s tone becomes slightly annoyed at Steve’s vagueness.

“Um, well, you see, we were playing basketball with Kate, and she kinda sorta maybe… brokeherankle,” Steve rushes out.

“She what? Oh my god, is she okay?”

“She is okay. She kept a pretty brave face for the whole thing,” Steve supplies, “she is taking a nap right now.”

He hears Natasha sigh tiredly over the line and relay the information to Wanda.

“We will be home in 6 hours.”

Before he can say anything else, the line goes dead.

Steve sighs and looks up at the ceiling.

—————————————————————————

Six hours later, Natasha and Wanda come home to find Kate, sitting in between Steve and Bucky with her ankle propped up on the coffee table, laughing at whatever movie they are watching.

Steve and Bucky turn their heads when they hear the front door close and are met with concerned expressions from Natasha and Wanda.

Natasha and Wanda make their way into the living room.

“Hey malen’kiy yastreb!” Natasha smiles.

Kate turns her head and smiles back, “Mama! Mom! You guys are home early!”

“Of course, milaya,” Wanda comes over and kisses Kate on the temple, “we had to make sure our bug was okay.”

“Oh this?” Kate gestures to her ankle, “I’m fine,” she waves off their concerns with a smile, “Uncle Bucky and Uncle Steve have been taking good care of me.”

Natasha bends down to inspect her ankle a bit before coming over to kiss Kate’s temple as well.

Steve gets up to let Natasha sit next to Kate.

“You sure you’re okay, malyshka?” Natasha asks.

“Yeah,” Kate smiles, “it was a little scary without you and Mom there, but it’s all okay now.”

Natasha smiles at Kate’s bravery and growth, she puts her arms around Kate, “I’m proud of you, baby.”

“Love you Mama,” Kate settles into her embrace.

#kate bishop #mama spider #mama nat #nat is kate's mom #natasha romanoff #mom wanda #wanda is kate’s mom #malen’kiy yastreb #wanda maximoff #wandanat #uncle bucky #uncle steve #steve x bucky #marvel

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hjbirthdaywishes · 1 year

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January 25, 2023

Happy 38 Birthday to Claudia Kim (Kim Soo-hyun).

#Claudia Kim #Kim Soo-hyun #Happy Birthday #Dr Helen Cho #Helen Cho #Dr Cho #Avengers Age of Ultron #Age of Ultron #Marvel Cinematic Universe #MCU #Marvel #January #2023

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sjsmith56 · 10 months

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Summary - 2 part story. Four years after leaving Bucky, his former girlfriend arrives at the compound with two surprises.

Length - 2.75K

Characters - Bucky Barnes, named female character, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Sharon Carter, Helen Cho, Wanda Maximoff.

Warnings - angst, accusations of cheating, cancer, rejection, Bucky not handling the situation well, swearing.

Author notes - was supposed to be a one shot but it kept getting longer. Part 1 is going to be full of drama. If you like what you’re reading please let me know by commenting or reblogging.

〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️

Part 1

It was there in black and white. All the tests, all of the imaging that had been done; everything pointed to the same conclusion. Lane sighed, pursed her lips together in a grim smile then looked at the doctors.

“I would like a second opinion,” she said. “Could you send my file to Dr. Bruce Banner and Dr. Helen Cho of the Avengers?”

“You’re a patient of them?” asked Dr. Roberts.

“No, I was an agent at one time,” she replied. “They’ll look at it as a courtesy to me.”

“If they concur? Anything that can be done would only be palliative.”

“I understand,” said Lane. “I’ll be in touch.”

There was a ringing sound in her ears as she left the office and went down the elevator to the main floor. Before the door opened she took a deep breath and calmed herself. The nanny had Danny on her lap on one of the lobby chairs, reading a story to him. He turned his head when he heard Lane’s footsteps coming out of the elevator. Already, at 3 ½ years of age, he was displaying his abilities and he wriggled off Carol’s lap, running to his mother.

“Momma, are you done?” he asked. “Can we go for lunch? I’m hungry.”

“Sure, baby,” she smiled, kneeling down to his level. “We’ll get something to eat, then we’ll go to the playground, okay?”

She stood up, taking him by the hand, smiling at Carol, the nanny, who knew her well enough to know the news wasn’t good. Taking Danny by the other hand she looked at Lane as they walked towards the exit.

“What’s next?”

“Banner and Cho are going to look at my file,” replied Lane. “But I don’t think they’ll be able to do anything.” She glanced sideways at the woman who became her good friend this past year. “I know, I’ll have to tell him. I just … I just wanted Danny to have as normal a life as possible.”

As they stepped outside the building she looked up at the blue sky, feeling the sun on her face, and hearing the sound of birdsong in the trees. For a moment, she felt her throat constrict, at the thought of not being there for her son, but she swallowed it down. If Bruce and Helen couldn’t help her then she would tell Bucky, tell him what she had kept from him when she left the Avengers over four years before.

〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️

Bucky landed the quinjet on the platform of Stark Tower, then went through his checklist before shutting the aircraft down. Behind him he could hear people standing up, groaning and stretching after the long flight from Australia, where they had undertaken a humanitarian rescue in a gold mine, after it collapsed. Feeling a hand on his shoulder he looked behind him at Steve’s face.

“Beers?” he asked.

“Yeah, but shower first,” replied Bucky. “I swear I’m still caked with the dirt from the rescue.”

Grabbing his go bag he followed the others out and they made their way to the residential level, all of them crammed together into the elevator. With being pretty ripe from the long flight they all held their breath as best they could before streaming out of the opening doors. After entering the door code of his quarters Bucky dropped his bag off inside the door, toed off his boots and stripped down as he walked, coveting the warm shower that beckoned to him.

Fifteen minutes later, with clean clothes on he stepped out of his quarters and headed to the lounge area. Steve already had several beers on the counter, handing one to Bucky and Sam who was right behind him. As others followed he gave them a beer and they all fell onto the big sectional couch, taking long pulls of the refreshing beverage. Just as Bucky took a second long drink of his bottle Friday interrupted the quiet of the gathering.

“Sergeant Barnes, would you please report to the medical lab?” the voice asked. “Dr. Banner wishes to see you.”

“Why?” asked the super soldier. “I just sat down and want to relax.”

“Yes sir,” replied Friday. “I’m not a liberty to state the reason except it is important that you report there.”

Draining his beer Bucky stood up and placed the bottle on the counter, scowling as he headed to the elevator. When it opened on the floor of the medical lab he was surprised to see Bruce, Dr. Cho, and Tony Stark all together in the lab. There was a fourth person in there but they were seated and he couldn’t make out who it was from outside the sliding doors.

“What’s so important that I had to come up here?” he asked as he entered.

Then the fourth person stood up and faced him, leaving him almost speechless.

“Hello, Bucky,” said Lane, her voice tentative. “I asked for you to be here.”

“What the hell? You walk out of my life over 4 years ago, without a word and suddenly you’re demanding to see me? What’s going on?”

“Sit down, Barnes,” said Tony, tersely. “Lane thinks you should have a say in this. I don’t agree, but I’ve been overruled.”

“A say in what?” asked Bucky, feeling the anger bubble up inside him.

“I’m dying,” said Lane, deciding to rip the bandage all the way off. She took her wig off so he could see her lack of hair from the radiation treatment she endured. “It means that our son should be with his father.” Bucky said nothing but he was shocked at her almost bald head and his face turned a brilliant shade of red. “You’re a father. His name is Daniel James, and he’s 3 ½ years old. If you don’t take him I’ll have to put him up for adoption.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, his heavy breathing indicating how precarious his control was at that moment. Then he looked at the other three. “Did you all know?”

“It was my decision to keep it from you,” said Lane. “They only found out after he was born, and I asked them not to tell you. I wanted him to have a chance at a normal childhood. That wasn’t going to happen with how you were then.”

“How I was then? I was in love with you!” Bucky was shouting now. “You were it for me. Then I come back from a mission and you’re gone. Everything belonging to you, gone. Why?”

Lane closed her mouth in a grim line and shook her head. She knew it would be like this. Taking a deep breath she straightened her posture to appear as tall as she could and looked him in the eye.

“You were so in love with me that you slept with Sharon when I went to see my mom before she died,” she stated calmly. “You didn’t even take her panties out of the bed, Bucky. I found them there when I changed the sheets when I got back. Our sheets reeked of her perfume. You cheated on me.” She turned away, angry at herself for thinking this was a good idea. “Forget it. I’ll find someone to adopt Danny, someone who won’t lie or sneak around with another woman.”

“I didn’t sleep with her,” he said, his voice breaking. “She was in the bed waiting for me and I walked out. I slept on Steve’s couch until we went out on a mission. You can ask him. Please, Lane, I didn’t cheat. I wouldn’t do that to you.”

She kept her back turned to him, trying not to break down. The others watched him, not sure what to believe then Bucky turned around and went to the elevator, returning to the lounge area. Practically storming to where the others were he glared at Sharon Carter, his lip curled in fury.

“It was your fault,” he sneered. “Your little stunt made Lane leave me. I loved her and wanted to marry her but you didn’t respect that. Because of you I wasn’t there for her when she gave birth to my son. Did any of you know?” He looked at Steve as the others tried not to make eye contact with Bucky. “Did you know I was a father and you didn’t tell me? Did you all think I slept with Sharon?”

“Buck, I didn’t know that Lane had a baby,” said Steve. “I’ll tell her you slept on my couch after finding Sharon in your bed, but I didn’t know that’s why she left. Lane left all of us without a word.”

“Not all of us,” interjected Wanda. “It wasn’t for us to tell you. It was Lane’s decision to leave and her decision not to tell you she was pregnant. I’m sorry.”

Shaking his head in disbelief, Bucky’s face went dark with betrayal and anger.

“Fuck you all.”

Turning around he went to his room and repacked his go bag, converting it to a backpack, then put his leathers and motorcycle boots on. Taking the stairs he went down to the garage, mounted his motorcycle and started it up. Steve came out of the elevator, stopping in front of him.

“Don’t do this,” he said. “Don’t fly off the handle. You have a chance to make it better but if you leave ….”

“If I leave, what?” demanded Bucky. “She was everything to me. Now I find out that she thought I was cheating on her. I have a son that she’s giving up for adoption because she’s dying and she’d rather a stranger have him than his own father. How do you think that makes me feel, Steve, huh? I have nothing now, nothing to keep me here.”

He glared at Steve until the blond stepped aside then roared out of the garage on his motorcycle, barely waiting for the automatic door to open. Closing his eyes and shaking his head Steve turned back to the elevator and went up to the medical level, hoping to catch Lane before she left. She was still in the medical lab, crying as Tony hugged her. Right away Steve noticed she had no hair on her head and his heart dropped. When Steve entered Tony looked angrily at him.

“I told you something like this would happen when you first vouched for him to be an Avenger,” he said. “We couldn’t trust him.”

“He didn’t sleep with Sharon,” stated Steve. “We were working out and came back to the rooms to shower. He found her already in their bed, told her to get the hell out, and left. Until we went on a mission he slept on my couch. I’m guessing she left her underwear in there to cause the rift. Not that it matters now. He’s gone.”

Lane stopped crying and turned to Steve. “What do you mean, gone?”

“He packed a bag, put his leathers on and rode out on his motorbike. According to him he now has nothing to keep him here, since you would rather have a stranger adopt your son than have Bucky take him.”

Lane buried her face in her hands, certain that she had destroyed any possibility of making amends with the man she still loved.

“Friday, call Sharon Carter here,” said Tony. “Might as well confirm it from one of the guilty parties.”

“Tony ….”

Steve shook his head, angry at the way Tony automatically assumed that Bucky was in the wrong. Then he remembered what his friend had said about Lane.

“Is it true? Are you dying?”

She nodded her head. “The same breast cancer that killed my mother. Even though I had a double mastectomy and radiation treatment it metastasized. It’s everywhere. I have months left. I was hoping … I don’t know what I was hoping for.”

The sliding glass doors opened and Sharon Carter walked in, then almost walked out when she saw Lane.

“No, you get in here,” said Tony. “I want the truth and remember Friday can tell when someone is lying. Did you sleep with Bucky while Lane was visiting her dying mother?”

All sorts of emotions played over Sharon’s face as she looked from person to person, then she finally shook her head.

“No, I was waiting for him but as soon as he saw me he told me to get the hell out,” she admitted. “I left my panties there and sprayed the sheets with my perfume, hoping Lane would leave him so I could be with him instead. After she left he wouldn’t even look at me. I’m sorry.”

Tony was furious, at himself as much as at Sharon. “Pack your stuff and get out,” he said. “I don’t care where you go but we can’t trust you to have our backs.”

“Please, it was a mistake,” she protested. “I haven’t tried anything like that since. Being in the Avengers is all I have.”

“No, I don’t want you here,” he said. “Because of you a good man has left the Avengers, and a small boy is without his father.” He looked sarcastically at Steve. “I know, I’m not much better as I didn’t believe him but I’m willing to try to fix this. Getting rid of her is the first step.”

“Steve, please, don’t let Tony do this,” cried Sharon. “You’re a team leader. Tell him I’m not like that anymore.”

“I wish I could,” said Steve. “Sorry, but I’m with Tony on this. Bucky wasn’t the only one you did this sort of thing to.”

Sharon turned red. “I don’t know what you mean,” she declared, breathing audibly.

“Peter and MJ,” replied Steve. “He told me. The kid was practically shaking with anger that you would do that. You should go, Sharon. Otherwise, we’ll have to put it to a vote and you don’t want to know what the others think of you.”

“Fine, I’m going.” She turned around then looked back, her face full of disgust. “You’ll regret this. I know a lot of your secrets.”

“Be careful who you threaten,” warned Tony. “Friday, remove all access to the facilities, including computer access and anything else that has been granted to Sharon Carter. She can get into her room to get packed but once she leaves the building remove that as well. You signed an NDA when you became an Avenger, Sharon. You say anything, I have every right to sue you for everything you own, and make it impossible for you to work anywhere ever again.”

Tony called security to escort Sharon to her quarters to pack and escort her out. Then he faced Lane, placing both his hands on her upper arms.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “If you had told me this four years ago I would have dealt with it then.” He glanced at Bruce. “Are you sure there’s nothing that can be done?”

Bruce and Helen looked at each other uneasily. “A long shot,” he replied. “I can try to recreate the serum using Steve’s blood as he has type O blood, universal donor. But we don’t know if we have the time to do it before ….”

“How much blood do you need?” asked Steve immediately, his attention focused on Bruce.

“A unit, from both of you,” he said. “We’ll test it on your blood first, Lane, but I can’t promise anything. I mean I worked years on the serum and look what it did to me. My track record isn’t that good.”

Lane’s lips trembled. “The only other treatment for me is palliative,” she stated. “Even if you just buy me time that’s more than I have now.”

While Bruce and Helen took their blood Tony used Friday to track Bucky by his vibranium arm. He was on one of the expressways.

“Take one of my cars,” said Tony to Steve. “I’d go but I don’t think he would take my apology.”

“I’m coming with you,” added Lane. “The first to apologize to him should be me.”

As soon as the two of them gave their blood they went down to the garage, taking one of Tony’s vehicles. While they drove out of the parking garage, Sharon Carter was put into a taxi, never to return to Stark Tower again. With Friday tracking Bucky they followed his route until the AI informed them that he arrived at a destination, hoping he didn’t do something stupid before they got there.

Part 2>>

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#bucky barnes #bucky barnes fanfiction #buckybarnes original female character #the avengers #angry Bucky #secret child #cancer sucks #accusations of cheating #bucky barnes short fiction #buckybarnesshortfic

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randomfandomlov3 · 10 months

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Price of love (Chapter 4)

Warnings: Angst. Talk of injury. Crying. Torture mentioned. Talk of needles (indirect). Let me know if I missed any.

Note: I got the inspiration for the one section from this quote from Friends. You can listen to the poem about being the moon, Here. Thank you for reading <3

Word Count ~ 3903

You got back to the headquarters and helped those who care for the dead get them off the jet. While there were less than expected, it still hurt. You were then tasked with giving your debrief to Fury. You entered his office and went to start rambling. "Agent, are you alright? You are really pale. Did you go get checked out at the med bay first?"

You bowed your head. "I can't go to the complex; I am an embarrassment."

He sighed tapping his pen. "I will get Helen to come to your apartment at headquarters if you promise to follow what she says to do."

Your eyes went wide with shock. "Thank you so much." You felt great appreciation for Fury, and he was always so accommodating. You gave him a short-winded version of the mission before heading to that apartment. While waiting for Helen to show up you got a large plastic tablecloth and laid it across the couch and onto the floor so that the blood would be an easy cleanup. You removed the top of your suit so that the wound could be got at easier.

The doorbell rang a little bit later and when you saw it was the doctor, you welcomed her in. Helen cut straight to the case and started to look at the gunshot wound. “There is no exit wound which means that the bullet is still inside of you. I need to get you to a facility where we can do an x-ray and probably surgery. There is a med bay in this building that is capable of those things if you would feel more comfortable.”

You nodded. “Yes, thank you.”

After the surgery and you came to, Dr. Cho allowed you to head back to your apartment to heal. With strict instructions take your antibiotics and constant rest for 1 week. You were to have anything you needed, delivered to the apartment and were not to leave. “Okay.” You swallowed thickly; how would you explain this? And to whom? Bucky was only into you for money, and Nat was in on it. “Sam.” You whispered to yourself. He had seemed just as betrayed as you had when he was told the news.

You pulled out your phone and dialled Sam’s number. “Hey Sunshine, how have you been I haven’t heard from you since before the mission.” You sighed at his cheerfulness. Maybe calling him was a mistake. “Is something wrong?”

You hummed into the phone. “Could you come to apartment 24A in the SHIELD headquarters?”

Fear crept into his mind. “Yeah, I will be there in a few minutes. Is there anyone else I should bring?”

“No, and please don’t tell anyone where you are going.” You said goodbye and then hung up. Not even 20 minutes later there was a knock on your door. You got up to get it and peeked to see who it was. Careful not to jostle your left arm in its sling you opened the door to Sam. He went to hug you but stopped when he saw your sling. “How is everybody back at the compound?” You asked before he got a chance to question things.

“A couple of cuts and bruises here and there, but I think Bucky isn’t doing great mentally either. I am more concerned about you. We haven’t seen you since the battlefield, where we only saw you for a little bit. What are you doing here, and why is your arm in a sling?”

You welcomed him in so that you could explain better. Telling him to make himself at home you went to grab something. “I will be taking over a new team because I can’t be at the compound anymore. Do you think you could give this back to Bucky? I am sure he didn’t mean to give it to me.” It was a jacket that he had given you when it started to rain on one of your dates. “But as for the mission, I was saving someone’s life, and I got shot in the shoulder. I am just glad that they are okay. Now for the reason, I asked you here. I am not allowed to leave this apartment for at least a week, so I was hoping you would be able to help me out. And well, I don’t really have any friends right now so I was hoping we could keep in contact, because I will be lonely.”

He gently gave you a hug. “Of course, I don’t mind helping you out, and I would love to keep up contact. I think that Bucky is really upset about you leaving though.” You shake your head dismissively. “No really, you should have heard him get mad at Steve.”

Unbelieving swam in your eyes as you looked up at him. “Can you also promise me that no one will know about your visits here and that you have seen me at all?”

You could see that he was struggling with his thoughts, but he finally agreed. You sat there talking for a good while, and when Sam finally got up to leave, he accidentally left the jacket behind.

“So if you don’t mind me asking, who did you save from getting shot?” Sam prodded at your daily meeting. He didn’t have to come every day, you had told him so, but he insisted on making sure you knew that you weren’t alone.

“I feel like you already have a hunch at least. But it was Bucky.” You tried to whisper the last part.

He nodded as you had just confirmed his thoughts. “You know, he hasn’t been the same since you left before the mission. Like sure he has always been gloomy and a grump, but it is like he turned that dial up since then.”

Shame crossed your face as you thought about what you should do in a situation like this.

“Hey, he was a jerk with what he did, but I don’t think he was faking any of it. I’m not saying you have to get along, but you should at least come by the tower to let him know you are okay.”

Nodding your head you got up to look at the calendar. “Actually I will be coming by the tower when my rest order has been lifted. An antidote for the scentless fumes that were in the air of the hydra facility was developed and I have to help administer it because I was one of the only ones trained to.” You shrugged sitting back down.

“Wait, we were exposed to something?” Sam asked slightly panicked.

You gently rested your good hand on his arm. But you looked confused. “Yeah, did nobody tell you? It is entirely treatable, however, if left for 6 months to a year it could become fatal. Luckily, the cure was easy to figure out, at least for most people. Some people have to have some form of accommodation for it.” you explained hoping to ease some of his worries. You chatted a bit more, about your lives and the latest news from the Avengers.

As he was getting ready to leave, Sam said, "You know, you don't have to do this alone. If you ever need someone to talk to or someone to have your back, I'm here for you."

You smiled at him. "Thanks, Sam. That means a lot."

You read through the process of administering the antidote again, just to make sure you knew exactly how to do it. A week after administering it to the general group, you would be helping to administer it to those who would need accommodations, including yourself, because you had to wait until you were off of your pain and antibiotic meds.

Helen came up to your apartment the day before you were scheduled to help at the tower. “You look like you are healing well, I am glad. Can I take a look at the wound?” You nodded moving your shirt from your shoulder. “It’s a little irritated but that is normal, especially with the kind of gauze you are using. I brought some really soft stuff to put on there, but I also recommend that you don’t wear anything too tight on your shoulder for the next while. Have you been following all my orders?”

You nodded explaining about Sam coming over and helping with things. Helen left with the suggestion that you get some sleep. You took her advice knowing that you would need your energy to deal with people tomorrow.

You got up the next day and got dressed, after changing the dressing on your wound with the soft gauze Helen left. You gathered your things and thoughts before heading down to the medical center in the building. You were instructed where the injections would take place, and that you would get a thirty-minute break for lunch.

When you got to the room that was set aside for administering the antidote, you noticed that a station was set up for you with the injections, and a machine to send the electrical shock. You made sure that everything you might’ve needed was there where you could find it, and then you took a seat. As you waited for the patients to show up you carefully stretched out your shoulder.

Sam entered with Bucky and Steve at his sides. He saw you and his face immediately lit up. He then came over leaving the other two confused to check on how you were doing.

“Still stiff, but healing. I’ve been told I’m a tough cookie.” You giggled at the words you had taken from a previous conversation with Sam. He gave you a gentle hug.

Steve and Bucky exchanged a glance. “Since when are those two close?” Steve asked causing Bucky to shrug.

“Where has she been for the past week?” Bucky asked back, getting no response from his friend.

All of a sudden, they heard Natasha’s voice. “Is there a reason why you two are stopping anyone from entering?” They both realized they were standing right in the way and moved, but Nat froze when she saw you at your station.

You looked over to the door upon hearing her voice, and when you made eye contact you sent a soft smile to the three standing there staring. Sam felt for you, while he had never been in your place, he had felt the hurt radiating off of you and Bucky for the past week. “Are you ready for your shot?”

He glanced over at the rest of them before nodding and sitting in the chair in front of you. “I will be giving you the injection in your left arm and then I will turn the machine on that will give a small shock that shouldn’t hurt, this antidote works the best and spreads faster with electrical current. I will need your height and weight, to give the correct dosage, and not too big of a shock. If you don’t know it there is a station at the back of the room to check.” You explained running through the script you had been taught.

Sam smiled as he gave you his measurements and you got his dose and proper shock level. Once everything was ready and he gave the go ahead you gave him his injection and shock. The main thing he felt afterwards was a bit of tingling in his right arm where you administered the shock.

After his 15-minute wait period was up, everyone started to take other agents. Steve, Nat, and Bucky all came over to your station. You gave them polite smiles as Nat was the first to sit down you explained the procedure to her and got on with it, sending her over to one of the chairs, while you started with Steve. Having to take into consideration the serum coursing through his veins.

When he was done and sitting in one of the chairs off to the side Bucky tried to sit in the chair, but you just shook your head. “You will get this in a week, to accommodate for your differences.”

You said trying not to reveal why to the general public. “What do you mean my differences?”

You sighed. “You will get one that does not need to shock you because, the electricity will not be good for you, but don’t worry I will be getting mine then too.” You stated matter of factly. His confused look doesn’t fade as you take the next agent into your chair.

“Weight and height please.” You said as you prep your instruments.

“Wow is he really that pathetic that he has to get an accommodation for this.” The agent laughed, really irritating you.

“Weight and height.” You demanded.

“You don’t need to know any of that just give me the shot.” You rolled your eyes at his disrespect and re-explained why you needed them. He gave you some numbers that you could tell were random numbers.

You gave him the shot and then administered the shock and he yelped. “You did this on purpose, bitch.”

You tried to remain calm with everyone staring at you. “It wouldn’t have hurt if you gave me proper measurements.” He continued to milk the shock for pity.

“You would not hold up under torture.” You said having had enough of him.

“Oh, what, and you would.”

“I did.” You snapped before getting up and leaving the room for your 30-minute break. You got to the nearest empty room and broke down. After a few minutes, the door to the room opened and Bucky carefully entered. You wiped your face to make it look like you were okay.

“Hey, are you okay?” He looked concerned causing you to scoff.

“Yeah, just peachy.” Trying to hold yourself together you looked at him. Your resolve quickly faded when you saw the sadness on his face. Without even thinking he rushed over to hold you. His comforting touch made you cry even harder.

“Shh, just breathe for me, Doll. I promise you never have to go through that again.” He cooed into your hair, thinking that you were upset about your time in torture. Now don’t get me wrong, that definitely was still something you struggled with but that’s not what was making you that upset.

“I knew better.” This really confused Bucky, but he continued to rub your back comfortingly. “I knew he gave me false information, and I knew it would hurt him. I’m no better than Her.” The her that you mention perplexed Bucky, but he knew the most important thing right now was to get you calm.

He squeezed you a little tighter but then he hears you whimper. “What’s wrong, Doll? Did I hurt you?” You shrugged, unsure of how to tell him. He released his tight hold on you, and you calmed down for the most part. The pain was rather centring.

The first thing you said confused Bucky. “One week from today will be your time for your antidote.”

He didn’t know why you were bringing that up now. “A little off-topic, but while we're on it do you mind me asking why you are having yours then too?”

You had hoped that he would pick up on that and you could use it to explain your injury, but now that he had you found yourself panicking. “That’s when I am off my antibiotics and pain meds, we don’t know how my body would react to all of them at the same time.” You nervously said as you wait for his reaction.

“What happened why are you on pain meds?” Bucky said in a frenzy.

You took off the sweater you had over top of your tank top to allow Bucky to see the gauze. When you looked down at it you realize it was time for you to change it. You headed over to your bag to grab the gauze and cream.

Bucky was following close, watching you carefully, concern coated his features. You sat on one of the tables so that you could rebandage the wound up. As you took the gauze off of your shoulder Bucky gasped.

He came closer to inspect. “What happened?”

You just shook your head, why did him worrying send butterflies through you? You were supposed to be mad at him. “I got shot a while back, but I couldn’t be around the tower recently, so I received treatment in my apartment.”

His heart dropped when he realized what you meant by not being able to be around the tower. “Look, Doll…”

You shook your head as you finished changing the gauze. “I’m sorry my break is up, but maybe we can talk later.” Putting your sweater back on and leaving the room you released a breath that you had been holding since he entered.

He followed back to the main room where Natasha asked you a question. “Are you okay, Лунный свет?”

You nodded getting back to your station. “Yep, I’m fine Natasha.”

Being called Natasha by you stung since you only used to call her Habiba, or rarely Natalia.

You got back to work as she went over to join Bucky who was still staring at you. “Is she okay?” Nat asked breaking him out of his thoughts.

“Hmm, oh, no, but she doesn’t want to talk about it right now.” He mentioned not taking his eyes off of you. “Why do you call her moonlight?” Finally looking over at Nat, he asked.

A soft smile graced her face. “Well, to be honest, it is kinda complicated, but I will try my best to explain. She reflects light from around her, she isn’t always the source of her own and I think the most important part is that the sun has no choice but to shine, but she has fought through the darkness and still chooses to project the light. Despite what Steve said, she already knows that the world isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, probably better than most of the people here.” She glanced around the room at the agents.

“That’s a very poetic way to put it,” Bucky mentioned with a small smile.

“I saw a poem about being the moon online and it just fit her so perfectly,” Nat said with a laugh.

You heard Nat’s laugh for the first time in weeks, and it made your heart ache. When you glanced over it made you miss her more than the feeling of betrayal, which has mostly faded by now anyway.

Sam was still sitting over to the side, having not been informed that he could leave, and saw the forlorn look on your face. “Y/N?” He said getting your attention.

“What are you still doing here Sam?” Waving off your question he came closer to talk.

“Are you actually, okay? And I don’t just mean physically.”

You softly shook your head. “I miss how I felt before everything went down. I miss the feeling of laughing with my best friend. I miss feeling Bucky hug me even though he only did it a couple of times. I just miss the way things were.” Tears started to well in your eyes, as Sam pulled you into a hug.

“I know, but what if things can be like that again? I’m not saying whether they deserve it or not, that choice lies with you, but I want you to be happy.” You nodded thinking about what you wanted to do. You knew that things would never be one hundred percent the same as before but maybe they could be better than that, and if it failed you had a way out thanks to Fury.

After you finished for the day you texted Nat and asked if you two could meet somewhere. Natasha was excited that you had texted her first. She agreed and gave a location.

You headed there before you lost your nerve. “Hi. Look I want to apologize for going no contact for over a week.”

Natasha just smiled and shook her head. “I don’t blame you, I’m sorry you felt betrayed by me. I promise I told them that it was a bad idea.”

You held up your hand to stop her rambling. “Look, I don’t really want to talk about that. I just want us back the way we were before if that’s okay with you Habiba.” Nat nodded and gave you a big hug. She had been missing her best friend to do her usual after-mission activities.

Great, one down, one to go. You made plans to get coffee tomorrow, while you were both still free. Now what did you want from Bucky? Was Sam right in saying that he had been distraught since you left? Could you properly trust him again? Why did that have to be so hard? You decided that maybe the first step was to move back into the tower to see how things happened naturally. You headed back to the SHIELD headquarters to grab your suitcase to bring back to the tower.

When you got to what was your room, you saw someone walk out of it. An agent you didn’t know.

“Hi, can I help you?” She asked trying to be polite.

“Umm, no, I guess not.” You answered dejectedly. Maybe that was life’s cruel way of telling you that things weren’t going to work out.

While you were staring at the wall, Bucky came by this floor. “Hey, doll, are you okay?” Butterflies filled your stomach at the nickname.

You shook your head. “It’s been like what 2 weeks, and I don’t have a room here anymore.” Your voice was full of emotion that made his heartache.

“Didn’t Tony tell you that you have a new room that is on the floor with the rest of us Avengers?” That made no sense because you hadn’t been there in 2 weeks, how could Tony have known you would be coming back? “Here, let me show you.” He grabbed your bag and headed toward the elevator, as your cheeks dusted pink from his touch. The things he did to you.

You got to the elevator in awkward silence. “Look Doll, I want to apologize for not telling Steve off sooner. I miss you so much. You are worth so much more to me than any money.” You tried to believe what he was telling you but at the same time, you were not sure if you could trust him again. The elevator stopped on a floor too early for you to get off. The doors opened to reveal Steve, who was standing there a little bit awkwardly. You could feel the tension when he got on the elevator.

After you went your separate ways, you turned to Bucky. “Don’t stay mad at him too long. I know what it’s like to miss your best friend.”

Bucky hummed taking your words into consideration. “Here we are.” He mentioned when you stopped outside of the room that would now be yours. Setting your bag down he gave you a nod before heading on his way to not overstep.

Taking your bag into your room, you sat it down by the dresser before sitting on your bed even more confused than when you began. “Maybe Sam was telling the truth.” You thought to yourself as you got up to start to unpack.

Chapter 5

#bucky x reader #bucky barnes #bucky barnes fanfiction #james bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x female reader

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squirt0-0 · 4 months

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Pietro Maximoff hc

This is my first time writing a hc so if you hate it or think it is cringe please let me know also might has spelling errors my grammar is sh!t

Little background info you are Clint’s daughter and these are hc when you heal Pietro after the battle of Ultron because I refuse to believe he died and this is him finding and falling in love with you

You didn’t bring him back to life the hospital did that but you do heal his wounds with the tech that Dr Helen Cho left after she was done with Clint

You have to undo his stitches and then put the tech over the wound to heal it, you had to tweak it a bit so that is is not a bed and can move around because let me tell you this boy was shot a lot, mainly the upper part of his body ( let’s get into the good stuff now )

Wanda does not fully know you yet and is not the most comfortable with you taking care of her brother

Pietro also barley knows you like a week ago you wanted the other dead sooo

Tony gave to a spare lab for you to work in and that is the room Pietro sleeps in, he sleeps in a hospital bed

After the first couple of days you realize that he is a morning person, and if you are not you have to set an alarm for you to get up because you have to get him food

You always buy him his breakfast and you guys eat it together

Because this boy just met you he asks you all about yourself, your past, how to got to work with SHIELD

So naturally you start asking about Wanda and his past and how he fells about the team

He is SOO FUNNY especially when he is numb when to take out his stitches

Wanda goes to training with Steve and Nat but when she can she is always with Pietro so you and Wanda become best friends

You try to bring him little things so he is not bored because he can’t do anything

Steve also comes in to bring his stretching advice, tony likes to look at some of your other work ( will writing about that if people want ), Nat is always coming to talk to you ( Clint is your dad Nats best friend so you and Nat are very close like closer than you and Wanda), Wanda is always with Pietro and starts being friends with you, so you guys are never very alone but when you are he is very silly and vulnerable with you

Pietro will always call you names that you have no idea what they mean, ex dragă ( dear ; darling ) , princessa ( princess)

Man is such a flit and just doesn’t hind it

Always steals your breakfast that you bring him 🙈

Wanda immediately knows that he is into you

He falls first

Acts like a baby if it hurts so you will give him more attention

In the end you guys just spread a lot of time together laughing,talking, eating singing he finds him self falling very hard

I hope you like it and I have more writing if you like it I just need the yes or no

#pietro maximoff #wanda maximoff #marvel #clint barton #natasha romanoff #steve rogers #tony stark #age of ultron #mcu #pietro x reader #hc

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use-your-telescope · 5 months

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When Everything's Made to be Broken - Chapter 7: You Resist Me Just Like This

Summary: Loki convinces Theo to spend time with him, and Theo reconnects with an old friend.

Author's Notes: Hey, look, Loki & Theo interactions! More of these to come in the very near future. And now y’all get to meet one of my favorite original side characters, Julie.

Reminder - this song is a continuation from the last chapter!

If you enjoy, please reblog!! I'm a lil' blog and reblogs really help me out <3

Content Warnings: Medical Stuff (Theo’s a doctor, so there’s a lot of that in this story, generally speaking), blood (not really graphic but again, working in an Emergency department, there is some blood…), mentions of alcohol

Word Count: 6,530

Read on AO3 | When Everything's Made to be Broken Masterlist

Song: Careful - Paramore

Open your eyes like I opened mine It's only the real world A life you will never know Shifting your weight to throw off the pain Well, you can ignore it But only for so long

Of every change that came with joining the Avengers, there was one that Theo actually enjoyed: working in their private hospital.

One of her conditions of helping the Avengers was that she could continue working in emergency medicine as an attending physician. If she was going to put herself in a position where she’d be killing, the least she could do is help train others to heal - the method by which they healed was unimportant, as long as it helped offset the death. She wanted to stay at New York Presbyterian, but Fury insisted she stay close by in case she was needed at the tower.

Working as an attending at the hospital in the Avengers Tower was their compromise.

There were some upsides to the deal. The short commute, for one. Instead of a subway ride, she hopped in an elevator and was at her workplace in two minutes, max.

The second was a surprise reunion with Dr. Julie Harper, who Theo hadn’t seen since they completed their residencies together at Los Angeles County General Hospital. Julie was a year ahead of Theo in medical school, and though Theo knew Julie ended up somewhere on the east coast, she hadn’t realized that they were both in the same city this whole time.

And now, they were paired up and turned loose on some residents of their own.

“Oh look, fresh meat.”

Met by the collective wide-eyed stares of their newest residents, Theo had to bite her tongue so she didn’t crack up at the terror on their faces, or when Julie - known to the residents as Dr. Harper - rolled her eyes.

“Settle down, I’m joking.” Theo dropped the stern face for a wide grin, letting out a chuckle. “Welcome to the Emergency department, also known as where medicine is practiced in its most pure form. I’m Dr. Theo Amaris, and I see you’ve already met my colleague, Dr. Julie Harper. Along with Dr. Helen Cho, we are three of your attending physicians.”

“This is a sacred place, where we see patients in some of the worst moments of their lives and give them hope - we give them a second chance.” Julie said, gesturing around the room. “We serve anyone and everyone who comes through our doors. We give every patient our best. We do not care about where your degrees are from or your MLE scores; the fact that you are here means you are qualified. What we care about is the commitment, the compassion, and the fight you bring to caring for patients. We can teach you how to triage, how to perform procedures, and how to document everything - what we can’t teach you is the dedication and the empathy needed to truly serve our patients when they need it most.”

Ultimately, that commitment to serving patients when they needed it most was why Theo chose Emergency Medicine. Always in the thick of things, not relying on referrals and scheduling and the restrictions that encumbered most specialties within medicine. No matter who walked through the door, Theo was empowered to help them. It didn’t matter whether they were rich or poor, young or old, or how mild or severe their malady was, she could care for them.

Granted, working in the hospital at Avengers Tower was a far cry from her experience at New York Presbyterian. Instead of her most severe cases being heart attacks, drug overdoses, and car accidents, Theo treated gunshot wounds, poisonings, major burns from explosions, and severe trauma from combat.

Dull moments did not exist in an emergency department that specialized in treating SHIELD agents, which elicited both gratitude and concern from Theo; sure, it made the time pass quickly, but she couldn’t help but worry for the agents’ loved ones, particularly when an agent came in whose condition was particularly delicate.

At least in the emergency department, she knew how everything worked. Even if she never knew what to expect when a patient came in, she knew the processes and the steps to treat them. Everything had a rationale behind it - she could weigh the pros and cons of every potential treatment without having to constantly factor in the unknown. Out in the field? She had no idea of what to expect or how to plan for it.

Julie hardly finished her welcome speech when the calls came in to prepare for an influx of injured agents returning from across the globe. From there, the constant onslaught of injured agents created a relentless pace to the day, requiring all hands on deck as they triaged and treated, stitched and bandaged, resuscitated and revived; trauma bays emptied barely long enough to be restocked and cleaned before the beds filled with new patients.

Minutes before the end of the shift, another mission came back with multiple agents severely injured. Thanks to some careful planning, the residents could leave after their respective patients were stabilized and sent off for surgery or admission to a ward, but the patient Theo and Julie assigned themselves kept the pair two hours late. For Theo, it served as a cherry on top to the end of a streak of back to back shifts that left Theo dreaming of a long, hot soak and a week where she didn’t have to leave her bed.

In the grand scheme of things, rest and relaxation could wait - saving someone’s life always took priority.

While Julie went with the others to wheel the patient to an operating room, Theo hung back, absorbing the aftermath. Crimson coated every surface - the gurney, the backboard the patient was brought in on, all over the floor, the surgical gown she wore over her scrubs. Wrappers for bandages and sutures littered the floor, as did towels that were used to soak up extra blood. Tables with supplies haphazardly pushed aside decorated the edges of the room, some of the supplies knocked to the floor amidst organized chaos.

Letting out a weary sigh, Theo began the process of removing the protective equipment. First, she peeled off the gloves and surgical gown, bundling them up before she disposed of them in a biohazard bag. The face shield and mask followed, finding their final resting place in the same biohazard bag. With one last, lingering glance at the room, Theo said a little prayer for the patient, then departed.

Only charting stood between Theo and her weekend. Charting, in Theo’s opinion, was an essential nuisance - documenting diagnoses and treatments administered ensured a smooth transition and continuation of care, but anything involving paperwork may have come from one of the circles of hell. Once she reached the desk, Theo’s focus on finding the files she needed and dreaming about what she was going to watch on netflix left her oblivious to the presence lurking nearby.

“I’ve seen battlefields less bloody than the room you emerged from.”

“Jesus!” Theo practically jumped out of her scrubs as her head snapped towards the voice.

Loki stood before her, a travel mug in one outstretched hand. A wide grin dangled from his lips, sparks of green alight in his eyes.

“Don’t scare me like that!” Stuttering heartbeats pulsed beneath Theo’s hand as she clutched her chest, gasping for breath.

“Apologies – it was not my intent to startle you,” Loki said, though the quiet pride on his face said otherwise. “I brought you a coffee; I thought you might appreciate the caffeine after a busy day.”

A hundred snarky retorts sprung to Theo’s tongue, but she stopped herself before one could escape. As much as she wanted to wipe the smug look of amusement off Loki’s face, she was grateful for the drink.

And besides, it wouldn’t do her any good to piss off the one person among the Avengers who didn’t look at her like a mission or a freak.

“Thanks.” Theo took the mug from Loki, their fingers brushing for just a moment in the process. She took a sip, letting the bitter liquid coat her tongue while she gave Loki a once-over. Between the charcoal sweater and black, slim-fit pants, he looked like he came from a day of meetings, not from the gym or from the field, so he probably wasn’t injured… “Uh, how long have you been here?”

“Well, I stopped by when you were meant to be finished for the day, but you were occupied. Based on the flurry of activity, I suspected you would be occupied for some time. It seems I was correct…” Loki explained, studying the room Theo had emerged from with a furrowed brow. “There’s quite a bit of blood.”

Theo almost spit out her coffee at what was a massive understatement.

“Yeah, it was a challenging one…” Theo agreed with a slow nod. “Agent should be alright, though.”

“I thought you were known for your healing abilities–” Loki’s brow crinkled as his focus darted back and forth between Theo and the trauma bay. “ —Is there a reason you did not use them?”

“Bold of you to assume I didn’t,” Theo pointed out, to which Loki faltered. Allowing a small, self-satisfied smirk to creep over her face, she didn’t make Loki wait long before adding: “They came in with other injuries that standard medicine wouldn’t have been able to treat in time, so I used my abilities on those, while the others stopped the bleeding. If I hadn’t, there was no way that person would have any chance of making it.”

“I see.” Loki’s response felt measured at best; Theo got the sense he was trying to suss out the extent of her healing abilities, but she wasn’t exactly interested in that conversation.

“So… what brings you in?” Theo badged into the computer and pulled up the first of the patient records she needed to update. “You don’t look like you’re injured, and last I checked most people avoid this place if they aren’t injured or dying.”

At that, Loki laughed. “You are correct; I have no afflictions which need tending to. I simply wished to see you.”

Theo nearly choked on her coffee - of all the answers in mind, “simply wished to see you” hadn’t even made it onto the list.

Sure, they were amiable towards each other, but “simply wished to see you” seemed a bit… much.

“You wanted to see me?” Theo tried to hide her surprise when she glanced up from the computer screen and caught Loki observing her with a devastatingly sly smile.

“Is that not what I just said?” Loki countered, his smile widening.

“You wanted to see me so badly that you ventured down here?” Theo expanded, allowing a smirk of her own to reveal itself. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay? Do I need to go get Dr. Cho and have her check you over, just to be safe?”

“Quite certain.” He winked, leaning against the edge of the work station. “You’re difficult to locate, so I surmised that my odds of finding you were highest if I sought you out at your workplace.”

Of course - he noticed Theo’s habit of avoiding the larger group, and strategized accordingly.

He must not have spoken to Wanda about how cornering Theo went when Wanda tried it, if he thought coming down here would work. Then again, maybe that was a good thing - maybe he wasn't on the “force Theo to talk to us” mission that everyone else seemed to be a part of.

“I had been under the impression that after your last patient you would be finished for the evening,” Loki continued, oblivious to Theo’s ruminations, “but that does not seem to be the case…”

“No, I have to finish my charting before I can go - it’s essentially updating patient records,” Theo replied, fingers clicking away on the keyboard as she typed. “I have one left, then I can head out.”

“Is this what keeps you late each day?” It could have sounded like a complaint, but the question came off as one of curiosity. “Record-keeping?”

“I didn’t realize you kept track of when I left work each day.” Theo pointed out, clicking into her last patient’s records so she could make sure they were updated. “To answer your question, it depends. Some days I’ll stick around and help the others get caught up. Some days, like today, I end up with a patient that needs all hands on deck, and that pushes everything else back. I don’t mind staying, though.”

“Surely, record keeping can wait?”

“No, because whoever takes over when I leave needs to know what has been done and what the plan is. Otherwise they might double up on a drug or miss something that could kill the patient. In case you haven’t noticed, us earthly mortals aren’t exactly psychic or able to predict shit.” Theo glanced up at Loki and winked, hoping he picked up on her sarcasm.

He was supposed to be the clever one, right?

Loki let out something like a hum, but remained quiet. As pleasantly surprising as it was for him to stop in and say hello, Theo couldn’t help but appreciate the silence as she finished her work. After such a hectic day, focusing on one thing at a time was a luxury.

Once everything was documented and ready to go, Theo signed out of the computer, clocked out, and rose to her feet. “Alright, I’m all done.”

“Wonderful.” Loki strolled alongside as Theo made her way to the elevator. “Do you have plans for the evening?”

The dreams of a hot bath, binging something on netflix, and sleeping for like, three days straight sprung to mind.

“No, can’t say I do.” Theo shrugged, pressing the call button for the elevator. “All I know is after five shifts back to back, I’m ready to get out of these scrubs, kick back, and relax for a bit.”

Not a direct attempt to give herself an out from the conversation, but hopefully Loki would get the hint and let her enjoy a quiet evening.

“You have been working quite often as of late,” Loki agreed, gesturing for Theo to enter the open elevator first, then following behind. Once he pressed the button for their floor, he spoke up. “Have you eaten? I’m certain after a long day you must be famished.”

Theo bristled at the question, but she covered her discomfort with a cordial smile.

“Actually, I’m alright - I was lucky enough to sit down and eat a sandwich before my last patient,” she lied, “but if you’re hungry you should definitely eat something!”

“Oh, I’m quite alright,” Loki replied, shaking his head. “I ate with the others.”

An awkward silence fell between the pair as the elevator worked its way up to the residential portion of the tower. Theo’s skin tingled as she felt Loki’s eyes on her. Despite the short distance traveled, the time needed to get back to her suite stretched far longer than it should have. She finished the last of the coffee Loki had brought her, then began fiddling with the cup.

“I was hoping I might request the pleasure of your company this evening,” from the corner of Theo’s eye, she could see Loki run a hand through his hair as he spoke. “I recognize you are wary of us, but you’ve rather piqued my curiosity. I wish to get to know you.”

Theo furrowed her brow as she studied Loki, trying to get a sense of his honesty. His body language seemed genuine enough; he stood with open posture, hands loosely in his pockets as he regarded her, and the hope in his eyes certainly appeared innocent.

Then again, he was the god of lies…

“What do you mean by pleasure of your company?” The elevator arrived at their floor; Theo stepped out first, with Loki close behind.

“I simply wish to spend time with you; I have no preference for what we do during that time together. If there is something you would prefer to do, I’m happy to oblige.”

That didn’t make Theo feel better - she’d gotten the impression that Loki was the kind of person who did what he wanted, when he wanted, and rarely made concessions for others. This seemed… too friendly.

Still, curiosity burned within Theo at what would happen if she agreed, and the possibility seemed much more alluring than another night alone.

“Sure, just let me change out of my scrubs.” Theo finally agreed. If things got weird, she could always leave. “I’ll take a whiskey, neat. Highest proof Stark’s got.”

The request served two purposes: first, it meant Loki wouldn’t be lurking outside her door for long, potentially alerting the others to their rendez-vous. Second, Theo wouldn’t have to get herself a drink later on.

“As you wish.” A lopsided grin spread wide on Loki’s face, soft green eyes sparkling with delight. “How would you like to spend the evening?”

“I imagine you know all the cool secret spots in the tower, so if you meet me here, maybe you can show me one?” Theo winked.

“That seems to be a reasonable request.” Loki smirked. The pair arrived at the entrance to Theo’s suite, both stopping outside the door. “I shall return momentarily with your requested beverage.”

Once Loki disappeared, Theo slipped into her suite. Peeling the scrubs off her body, she wasted no time changing into casual clothes - not the leggings and sweatshirt she initially imagined, but jeans, a t-shirt, and a flannel shirt tossed on top to ward off any chill. Glancing in the mirror, Theo took a moment to splash some water on her face and re-do her braid, hoping it might make her appear a bit more lively; after having to use her magic to revive the last patient, she knew she was looking a bit worse for wear…

… But Loki didn’t need to know about that.

Theo emerged from her suite to find Loki, leaned up against the wall with two glasses of amber liquid.

“Thanks,” Theo accepted the glass Loki extended to her, then gestured for Loki to lead the way. “What secret destination are we off to?”

“You’ve been to Stark’s engineering labs,” Loki stated, briefly glancing back at Theo, “But have you visited the research library?”

“Research library?” Well, that certainly intrigued Theo.

“It seems that you have not.” Loki’s lip quirked into a smirk as his eyes lit up. “Well, allow me to introduce you to a hidden gem of Avengers Tower.”

After taking the elevator down to Tony’s lab, Loki breezed through the lab as though he owned the place. Despite the late hour, a few people remained at their workstations, tinkering with all sorts of mechanical contraptions. Somehow, no one paid the pair of sorcerers any mind. Reaching the back corner, Loki tapped on a wall panel to reveal a doorknob; with a flick of his wrist, the door opened. Loki stepped aside, allowing Theo first access to the room.

Her eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

The room itself was massive - massive - if Theo hadn’t just walked in from another room on the same floor, she would have been convinced that the library took up an entire floor of the tower. The ceiling was easily two stories up, and lined floor to ceiling with books; steel rolling ladders lined the room to provide access to the upper shelves. Shelves full of books filled the floor as well, creating aisles to walk down and browse for literature. The center of the room had a variety of tables, lamps, screens, and chairs for people to set up and work.

Even as a library, it screamed Tony Stark’s design preferences - clean lines, minimalist styling, bright lighting, no shortage of glass or stainless steel details incorporated at every opportunity.

“Impressive, is it not?”

Theo whipped around to face Loki, who openly wore his amusement at Theo’s reaction across his face.

“That might be an understatement…” Theo conceded, ignoring the rush of heat to her cheeks as she sipped her whiskey. “And why is this place kept a secret?”

“It is home to quite a bit of, shall we say, sensitive information.” Loki answered, leading her through rows of bookshelves. Tomes in every language known to man, and even some that probably weren’t known, caught Theo’s attention as they ventured deeper into the library.

The nonchalant nature of Loki’s response intrigued Theo - what kind of sensitive information was he talking about? Government secrets? Scientific innovations? International cover-ups? Medical research?

Probably all of the above.

Theo made a note to come back at a later date, when she could explore without a second pair of eyes on her. Or at least when she was ready to study for the extra certifications Julie recommended the other day.

The winding path through towering shelves eventually led to a clearing of sorts, with seating areas of sleek leather sofas and chairs clustered together and glass tables surrounded by high-back, leather chairs.

“So you don’t know that much about me, but your first thought is to bring me to a secret library full of sensitive information,” Theo strolled towards the center of the room, still soaking in her new surroundings. “Is this a litmus test?”

“Should it be?” Loki countered, though the relaxed shoulders and way he leaned against the back of a sofa only amplified his knowing smirk, almost as if he wanted to say “I don’t think you’ll try anything stupid, but if you did I might find it funny.”

“I don’t know - if they have the exam answers for the two certifications I want to start on, it might become one,” Theo joked.

At that, Loki perked up. “You’re studying for certifications? Of what sort?”

She probably should have known he would find a way to ask more about her - after all, she hadn’t exactly made a point to share anything other than random anecdotes during their previous encounters.

Certifications were a safe topic, though, so she obliged.

“Yeah - there are certain sub-specialties in medicine that would be helpful to know while working in what’s essentially a combat hospital.” Theo shrugged, taking a seat in one of the armchairs. “Med school doesn’t teach us everything, so I may as well do what I can to stay on top of things. Certifications help with that.”

“Why wouldn’t you have learned about such topics?”

From what Theo could tell, it was a genuine question, and it made sense for him to ask - after all, medicine was very different in other places. Theo had heard bits and pieces of what Asgardian medicine was like, before Ragnarok, and it was nothing like what medicine on Earth was like.

Then again, medicine on Earth was nothing like medicine on Aneterra, at least from what Mémère had told her.

“Medicine is a broad topic, and Emergency Medicine is a relatively new specialty.” She replied, pausing to take a long swig of whiskey. “Besides, appendicitis is totally different from a blast injury, but both are very real emergencies. Most of what I’ve been doing has been normal-people emergencies, not superhero emergencies.”

“Different enough that you’re concerned about whether you would pass an exam for treating the sorts of injuries you might find here?” Loki probed, arching a skeptical eyebrow at Theo.

Great, that’s just what she needed - Loki thinking Theo wasn’t a good doctor.

“I don’t know, it depends on what’s in the exam…” Theo dropped her gaze to the floor, cheeks burning like the whiskey she sipped on. “It’s really just meant to build on skills I already have. I’ve got the core skills, it just takes them a step further.”

“You have incredibly powerful magic, which could be used for any number of things; however, you focus on healing, and rather than rely on magic you also take the time to learn Midgardian medicine.” Loki mused, pausing to take a drink of his own beverage. “There must be some benefit to you, otherwise you would not spend so much time learning medicine that would otherwise serve no purpose. What is your rationale?”

Well, that was a doozy of a question if Theo ever heard one.

Gathering her thoughts, Theo took yet another sip of her whiskey, allowing the smokey liquid to linger on her tongue as she debated how to best answer the question.

“I like to have a variety of options at my disposal, I suppose.” She took another drink, then swirled the amber liquid around in her glass so she had something to look at. “Magic isn’t all it is made out to be, and I don’t want to be in a situation where I can’t save someone because I couldn’t access my magic.”

Other than a rather guarded hum, Loki said nothing.

“Look, I know it sounds weird,” Theo sighed, “But if someone’s life is on the line, I don’t care what I have to do to save them - whether it’s magic or not - I care that they live. There is no place for pride in medicine.”

A silence fell between the pair. When Theo looked up from her glass, she met Loki’s exacting stare. The subtle movements as he studied her, lips pressed into a thin line, made Theo wonder just what occupied his mind - given his reactions up to that point, maybe he didn’t believe her.

“You’re the god of lies, you should know I’m not lying.” Theo finally challenged, arching an eyebrow of her own at Loki.

“I realize you are not lying,” he conceded, though it did nothing to ease the intensity of how he regarded her, “I simply find you rather… Perplexing.”

“Weird.” Theo corrected him with a small, amused smile. “You find me weird.”

“You aren’t like the others, I can say that with the utmost certainty.” Loki wryly replied, a smirk curling over his lips while his gaze softened. “Perhaps that’s why you are so intriguing.”

Theo allowed herself to sink back into her chair, taking another long drink of her whiskey.

“Why is it that you use your magic to heal others, rather than for your own benefit?” Loki spoke up once more, smirk firmly in place despite the steely glint that came to his eyes. “I’ve heard the answer you provided to the press, but there’s more to it, isn’t there? There must be something which ultimately drives your decisions.”

Apparently he hadn’t finished interrogating her yet.

Theo sighed, massaging her temple as she braced herself for another round of personal questions. “You’ve lost someone important to you before, right?”

Loki’s smirk dropped for a much colder expression.

“Relax - I’m not about to make you spill your trauma to me, and I’m not about to dump mine on you,” Theo drawled, arching an eyebrow at him. “My point is, that shit’s painful. It stays with you. You spend too much time wondering whether you could have done something differently to stop it from happening, thinking about what you wish you could have told them if you knew you’d never see them again. You know as well as I do that magic can’t fix that.”

Pausing to take a drink, Theo took the silence from Loki as an invitation to continue.

“I guess I’d like to think that if I know enough, or if I learn everything there is to know, maybe I can prevent other people from going through that kind of pain. Maybe I can make something good of a terrible experience.” she breathed deeply, then out a humorless chuckle. “Or maybe it’s just me being neurotic and I need therapy.”

When she finally worked up the courage to bring her eyes back up and meet Loki’s gaze, the skepticism and suspicion that he’d previously regarded her with was nowhere to be seen; instead, there was a softness that she had never seen before, a melancholic familiarity that tinted his expression.

“Now, in the interest of not receiving a surprise invoice after you start billing me for therapy, I think it’s time to change the subject,” Theo remarked, glancing around the room. “There’s an amazing library around us to explore. Give me the run-down; what are the must-see parts? The insider tips?”

It seemed that Loki was just as grateful for the diversion; with a curl of his lips, he quickly dove into sharing his guide to the space.

As she listened, Theo could already tell - she needed to be careful around him, or he just might be her downfall.

You look like I did You resist me just like this You can’t tell me to heal And it hurts remembering How it felt to shut down

It was like Theo was back in her residency all over again… Or at least, when she was at that stage of her life.

Takeout boxes scattered across the coffee table, each filled to varying extents with different foods. Julie ordered an entire spread of food, insisting that this was the best Chinese food in Midtown and Theo had to try a bit of everything now that she lived in Midtown. Two oversized glasses of merlot sat, one in front of each woman, as well as a half-empty wine bottle.

Julie decided, a whopping two days into Theo’s new role, that they were long-overdue for a girl’s night, which meant they ordered an absurd amount of probably unhealthy food, drank way too much wine, and talked about anything and everything. It took a lot longer for the plan to come to fruition - between all the things Theo had to do for onboarding and finding a moment when both doctors were free, it wasn’t until Theo was at the end of her onboarding period that they could find a night to relive their younger years.

Which led to Julie, ink black curls twisted into a topknot and clad in athleisure, sprawled out next to Theo on the couch as they swapped stories and made up for lost time.

“So let me get this straight: the entire time I’ve known you, you’ve had magic? And you didn’t say anything?!” Julie used her chopsticks to maneuver lo-mein straight from the box into her mouth, slurping up one rogue noodle.

“What the fuck would I say?” Theo laughed, then took a drink of her Merlot. “Hey, by the way, I’m a witch? And not in a funny Halloween way! I literally have magic!”

“No? I don’t know!” Julie exclaimed with a laugh and shook her head. “But that’s a hell of a secret to keep!”

“Well for a while it was kind-of illegal, if you think about it…” Theo gestured with her chopsticks.

“Right, the Accords.” Julie nodded. “But were you still using magic?”

“Of course I was,” Theo scoffed, “I wasn’t about to give that up - it’s way too convenient! There’s no way in hell I’d get Mémère to move, but I need to be able to see her often and get there fast. Magic lets me do that.”

Julie took a long drink of her wine, letting the burgundy liquid linger on her tongue before speaking. “Is magic why you’re so smart and why you’re so good at so many things?”

“I’m not omnipotent or all-knowing. I’m terrible at a lot of things.” Theo rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Just ask Max - I’m pretty sure he could list off a hundred things I’m terrible at in less than a minute.”

“Oh, right - Max!” Julie perked up, leaning in close and licking her lips. “How is he?”

“He finished his residency a few years back and moved back to Michigan, where he works as an oncologist. He married a pediatrician and they have the most precious three year old named Katie, who’s about to start preschool.”

“Damn, I always thought you should set us up.” Julie placed the back of one hand to her forehead, pretending to swoon. “But I suppose if he has his happily ever after…”

“Oh my god, Jules. You two would have murdered each other.” Theo snorted, reaching for a different box of takeout - this one looked like it had gyoza - and popping a dumpling in her mouth. She hadn’t fully finished chewing before she continued, pointing with her chopsticks to emphasize her response. “Besides, the last thing I need is the two of you ganging up to give me shit. Separate is more than enough!”

“Fine, I guess we won’t become related by marriage,” Julie barely got the faux-dramatic complaint out before she broke into a grin. “Hey, speaking of – you seeing anyone? Boyfriend, girlfriend, whoever?”

“No.” Theo nearly spit out her food at the question - given how hard it was for her to even find time to spend with a coworker, the answer seemed like it should have been obvious. “You’ve seen my calendar. When the hell would I have time to date someone?”

“Damn. I was hoping you were and they’d have a cute friend.” Jules sighed; then, a glint of something devious appeared in her eyes. “Wait, what about Loki?”

“What about him?”

“Why does he come down and visit you all the time?” Julie sat up, brow crinkled in thought. “I thought it was because you two had something going on, but it sounds like you don’t.”

“I mean, he’s friendly enough, but it’s not like that.” Theo shook her head, then began searching for something else to try. “He just decided to pay me a visit one day, and then it turned into a regular thing. It’s kind of weird - I assume he wants something from me, but I don’t know what. He hasn’t said anything one way or the other.”

“Have you asked him why he visits?”

Theo rolled her eyes. “That’s far too logical of a solution.”

“Do you think he likes you?” Julie wiggled her eyebrows at Theo, something devilish simmering beneath her smirk.

“I don’t think he hates me if he’s choosing to spend time with me.” Theo dryly replied, as she arched an eyebrow at Julie. “But I doubt that it’s anything like that. It seems like he’s more trying to figure out how I operate.”

“What if you asked him out?”

Theo couldn’t help but let her jaw drop at the question. “You realize that he’s my coworker and that I live with him, right?”

“So?” Julie shrugged nonchalantly. “You dated that surgical resident for a bit.”

“I didn’t live with him, and I didn’t realize he thought they were dates.” Theo pointed out. “If I dated Loki and it didn’t work, I’d practically be living a walk of shame every day.”

“Can you really be having a walk of shame if you slept with a god?” Julie wiggled her eyebrows at Theo a second time, this time paired with a massive, shit-eating grin.

“Sounds like you want me to set you up with him.” Theo deflected, not letting herself dwell on the thought of hooking up with Loki. Anyone who could see knew Loki was attractive, but Theo didn’t need that kind of a distraction in her life.

“No, but if you could set me up with Sam I wouldn’t complain.” Julie took a long drink of wine, her cheeks turning rosy-pink against olive skin. “In fact, I’d give my first born child to go out with him, even once.”

“I haven’t really talked to Sam, to be honest.” Theo sheepishly admitted, chewing on the inside of her cheek.

“Really?”

“Yeah…” Theo shrugged, staring down at her chopsticks. “Honestly, outside of Loki coming to chat with me, I haven’t really talked to any of the Avengers.”

Julie nearly spit her wine out. “You’re shitting me. You’ve been here for over a month and you’ve hardly talked to any of them?!”

“Jesus, settle down.” Theo held her hand out as if it would placate her friend, but Julie continued to gawk at her. “Honestly, it’s fine! This is supposed to be a temporary gig for me anyways. I would rather not get wrapped up in being an Avenger –” Theo scrunched her face into something unpleasant as she mocked the phrase ‘being an Avenger’ “–I still want to know how to be normal when all is said and done.”

Julie studied Theo for a moment, her playful demeanor gone and in its place something more… serious.

“They are more normal than you think.” Julie plucked a different takeout container from the table, rummaging through with her chopsticks before taking a bite. “I mean, Tony Stark is a bona fide celebrity through and through, but the rest of them are shockingly down to Earth. Is it like they haven’t tried to talk to you, or what?” “Not exactly?” Theo cringed, knowing Julie would flip out when she heard Theo’s explanation. “They’ve invited me to do stuff with them, I just… I haven’t accepted any of the invites.”

“Girl.” Theo didn’t have to look at her friend to hear the disappointment dripping from her response. “Why haven’t you gone with them?!”

“Because I don’t think they really want to get to know me!” Theo finally blurted out, allowing her exasperation to reveal itself. “When they found out I have experience with shadow magic and some experience dealing with shadow beasts, they all assumed I was some villain - plus, when Fury explained I was coming on board to help he told them, and I quote, ‘your mission is to make her stay.’ So not only do they all think I’m a terror or a freak, the only reason they’re talking to me is because it’s their fucking mission!”

By the time Theo finished her outburst, Julie’s expression had shifted from pure shock to studying the Silver Shadow with something unreadable in her espresso eyes.

“If that’s the case, why do you talk to Loki?”

“Because when I met everyone, he was the only one who seemed like he actually wanted to know me.” Theo muttered, then took a long drink of her wine.

Julie leaned forward, resting a hand on Theo’s knee. “Look, I know you had a rough start with them, and I’m sorry - it’s hard to feel like you’re an outsider. But I think if you took some time to get to know them, they’ll not only fall in love with you, but you might find that they aren’t so bad after all… And if not, I’ll kick their asses.”

Theo choked on her wine at the threat, which immediately left her doubled over coughing. Julie, on the other hand, burst into laughter.

“I would pay to see that.” Theo wheezed, though she was also laughing.

“It would be a shit show, but I’d do it for you.” Julie grinned at Theo, pride sparkling in her eyes. “Or for a date with Sam Wilson. I’m telling you, Nick Cage should have tried to steal that ass, because it is a national treasure.”

The truth never set me free So, I'll do it myself… You can't be too careful anymore When all that is waiting for you Won't come any closer You've got to reach out More... More... More.... More, More...

21 notes · View notes