Tumgik
#i did check the rich tag to see if someone did this but none of us fucks tag anything so idk
wonysugar · 4 months
Note
can u make a sunoo fic?
missed you | kim sunoo
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
synopsis : kim sunoo, your favorite stripper from the hybe boys establishment, started missing you after a while of you not showing up, so he had a lot of things to show you when you did come see him.<3
pairing : stripper!sunoo x rich!femreader
genre : smut :]
tags : sunoo is a male stripper, ricky from zb1 mentionned, jake from enha mentionned, reader is rich but it’s like not really relevant to the story, fingering (male receiving), biiiggg mommy kink, sub!sunoo, dom!femreader
warnings : none he’s just horny
word count : 1.5k
Tumblr media
work was rough.
sure, going to work in itself wasn’t super difficult, but it was mostly the people working with you that made it unbearable. i mean, for god’s sake, you were a superior to the most of them, the least they could do was actually listen to you, and obey you when you gave orders.
which, they didn’t.
so naturally, you felt like going somewhere special, somewhere people knew their place and didn’t talk back to you during every second of the day.
immediately upon finishing your shift, your mind wandered to one place and one place only.
hybe boys.
-
you stepped foot into the establishment and was greeted by the comforting and familiar ambience, the music and lighting welcoming you with open arms.. you particularly noticed the usual customer seemingly going absolutely crazy over three of today’s boys, hoshi and jake. the third guy, whose name was apparently ricky has probably been staying for a short amount of time, due to him not being a employee you recognize, but it’s not like he was completely new either, since he clearly knew what he was doing. it takes someone with experience to grind on a pole like that with such a lustful expression. anywho, the said girl was having the time of her life and pushing everyone out of her way and honestly? who could blame her?
as cute as the boys were, though, you came for someone else. someone who caught your oh-so-precious attention since day one. to you. this whole strip club was like a restaurant, while he was both the main course and the dessert.
you spot him, kim sunoo, sitting down at the bar, probably on his break, talking to some seemingly older man as he’s being his very touchy self as usual. that quickly ceases once he sees you approaching him, immediately ignoring the other guy with a big cute grin on his face, as he clearly just saw that man as an opportunity to get more cute hand bags. that idea was quickly killed off by seeing you though. you always knew you were his favorite.
“y/nnnn, where have you been? it’s been soo long!” he says, clinging onto your arm and pulling himself in closer to you. you, in response pat the back of his head, returning the affection in your own way.
“work, baby. i’ve been super busy lately.. i barely have any time to see you anymore.”
he pouts, making your heart skip a beat. he always knew how to act adorable for you. “i missed you.. you could have told me, you do have my number, after all.”
you hum, wrapping your arm around his fairly skinny clothed waist, admiring his look for the night. you particularly noticed that he wore a piece of almost see-through lingerie that you bought him a few months back, probably walking around with it fully aware of how well it suits him and the impact it has on people.
despite how good it looked, though, you still felt the very intense urge to rip it off of him right at that moment. you knew you couldn’t though, not right now, at least.
“how much did you miss me, babyboy?” you whisper into his ear, careful not to let anyone near hear it. because yes, as hot as it probably looked, his regulars were pretty crazy about him, and his whole paycheck depended on them, so he kind of does need to act like he belongs to them. but really, you both knew that he belonged to you, and exclusively you.
“mmh, so much, mommy. i kept checking around the club every shift to see if you were here, but you never wereee.” he was already turning a little red, and his voice was getting higher and whinier with each word. the temptation to just cup his cute ass right then and there was strong, but you managed to contain it.
“you’re on break for another 30 minutes, right?” you asked, still whispering into his ear, his skin tingling in response to the warm breath it felt. he could only nod, poor baby was probably already so needy for you.
as to not waste any more time, you took his wrist and took him upstairs, where there were private rooms for “VIP lap dances”. now, let’s be realistic, as a regular, you knew that nobody ever used those rooms to get a personal show. while yes, this was technically a strip club, but it was also considered to basically be a brothel, too. not every employee here is comfortable to fuck clients, but most are. sunoo is one of the uncomfy ones when it comes to sex, but he seems to be way more than perfectly fine with it when it’s with you.
as soon as he closes and locks the door behind him, you take his lips in yours, immediately entering your tongue into his mouth, roaming the insides of it. cute whimpers coming out of him, you could clearly feel his hard-on as he lightly humped your clothed thigh, trying to make how horny he was not too obvious. he was failing miserably though, and viewing that sight made you chuckle involuntarily, voice low.
“so needy for me already, hm?” you teased.
“please fuck me mommy it’s been so long.. not even jerking off works anymore.. i - mmh oh my god - thinking about you while i jack myself off isn’t enough, i need your hands on me pleaseee.” he’s desperately whining and begging, being so good for you like this, you would just hate yourself if you couldn’t give him what he wanted. if you had known, you’d bring your strap-on if you were planning on staying for a long time, but.. fingers will do for tonight.
“then, sit on that chair for me, sunoo.” upon hearing his name, he immediately did as told, and even spread his legs so you could get better access. “so obedient for mommy, aren’t you? good boy.” you knew how desperate he’d act for praise, so he pouted and nodded eagerly, in hopes of making you understand that his dick was probably aching by now. he needed to feel your touch.
it didn’t take long before his cute cock was sticking out of his tight set, throbbing at the feeling of your thumb gently grazing its tip, teasing and feeling all of the precum leak from it. sunoo was a whining mess by this point, and he made it very well known that he wanted more, according to the bucking movements of his hips. his moans slowly becoming fuel for you, you progressively went faster, making sure to thoroughly stroke every inch of his adorable twitching dick. he was throbbing at each swift motion you made, his body shaking, already threatening to shoot his load all onto your hand.
not even 5 minutes went by before he started begging and calling out to you, mommys loudly spilling out of his mouth before a big amount of warm, white and thick liquid spurts out of his tip, most of it landing on your fingers and palm, the rest on the chair he’s sitting on. you loved the look he had on his face, everything about it drove you absolutely crazy. he was already far from being innocent, but you just wanted to corrupt him even further.
if you weren’t in a hurry, you would’ve started riding him a long time ago, taking all of his length and watching him squirm under you like he always did, moaning like a bitch at the feeling of his dick inside your tight pussy.
“f-fuck i missed you s-so mu-“
before he could even finish that sentence, you quickly grabbed him from the waist and turned him around on the soft chair, earning a small yelp as his soft ass was now facing you. you couldn’t bother to tease him, not when he was being this good for you. so, like anyone in this situation would, you spat on your fingers and gently rubbed them on his entrance, hearing how his whimpers and whines get higher.
“m-mommy, i just c-came - god - please..” he begged despite unconsciously arching his back so you could get better access. you chuckled at his poor attempt of not seeming like a desperate little puppy for you, he was so unintentionally adorable.. you just couldn’t wait to rim his ass roughly like he oh-so deserved.
inserting two fingers into his hole, his immediate response was to gasp and push himself deeper onto your digits, whining and sobbing at the pressure that was being applied.
pleads and begs for you to go faster escape his open mouth, “pleasepleaseplease”, “y/nnn” and “fuckk..” were the only things that could come out of his mouth, his drool slightly drooping out, just looking like a total slut from getting gently fucked by your fingers. if you knew he got like this desperate when overstimulated, you would’ve done it a lot more often.
“it f-feels so g-g-oodd momm-myy..” he moaned out shamelessly moments after, not giving a single fuck about somebody, anybody walking past and potentially hearing. his legs shaking uncontrollably at your digits. “didn’t you miss this, sunoo? didn’t you miss being fucked this good by mommy?”
poor baby could only nod his head, trying and barely succeeding in keeping his teary eyes open. he looked a mess, his cheeks all flushed, his messy and wet covering his sweat-coated forehead– fuck he looked so pretty. you were ravished by undoing him like this.
despite your inability to express it with words,
you missed him too, and that night,
you made sure to showcase it for hours to come.
Tumblr media
290 notes · View notes
rarestdoll · 3 months
Text
a sight for sore eyes (pt.1)
Tumblr media
prompt: mizu just can't seem to escape you no matter how hard she tries, even in her dreams
tags: lesbian, 18+, black fem!reader, using she/he pronouns for mizu, they/them for reader!
warnings: none yet! nsfw in later chapters!
Tumblr media Tumblr media
with that, mizu makes her arrival around midnight, just as shop is about to close. slipping through the alleyways and back roads, she heads straight for the noodle shop. she half wonders if ringo will want to see her, especially for all the time she's been gone and for her lack of letters. she knows ringo is soft hearted with an even softer soul so it wouldn't be out of his nature to be upset over something like that especially when it came to mizu. the thought of it makes her brow knit together, frown forming at the edges of her mouth, nervous to see her friend(s) again. she takes a deep breath of the cold air, letting the crisp shock her back into a somewhat calm state, and she steps into the restaurant.
chest first she is met with hot soba broth, colliding head on with something- no someone soft, and bowls are sent flying to the floor. she doesn't even have time to react before the person has their hands all over her, dabbing and wiping with a cloth that seemed to have come from nowhere while spewing out a rapid mixture of curse words and apologies, the first directed at themselves while the later are at her.
“i'm so fucking sorry sir, i didn't even see you there! i must've been so wrapped up in my head and then you suddenly appeared and i’m the only one in shop right now and i…” mizu is barely paying at attention to the words coming from the person SHE bumped into, only able to stare at the gloss coating plump lips, the rich brown of their skin, the shine of their dark spiraling coils and even shinier brown eyes. she doesn't know what to do with herself, heart beating almost dangerously fast to the point where she finds herself reaching up to clutch her chest to as if to slow it down. she feels hot all over, not just from the noodles but something else, like she's sitting in a suffocatingly hot iron cauldron and she can't find enough moisture in her mouth to swallow down the huge lump that's formed in her throat.
“uhhh i um” she says dumbly, finally finding her voice and hoping the person she's blathering in front of doesn't notice the cracks in it. “no i'm sorry i was not watching where i was going and i did not check twice before entering and i swear i am usually not this clumsy and uh…” she trails off lamely as the person laughs melodically, eyes twinkling in mirth and curiosity and mizu thinks she's never seen anything prettier than the sight before her now.
mizu doesn't realize that she's still clutching her chest until the stranger reaches out to unbind her hand from the front of her cloak, a look of concern crossing their face as they examine the huge wet spot on mizu’s clothing. mizu is taken aback by the gentleness, stomach flipping again for the second time today but this time for an entirely different reason, absentmindedly letting the strangers roam their hands further along her torso.
“are you feeling hurt anywhere? that food was very hot and i am sure you must have gotten burned from its temperature, would it be alright for me to take you to the back to take a look at any possible injuries?” the stranger questions sincerely, face knit with worry and round eyes so big it reminds her of a baby doe and she wants to smooth out the creases in their forehead. adorable. a voice chimes in her head making her eyes widen in both denial and realization. she feels the burn of eyes of a few people leftover in the shop on her and quickly moves to distance herself from the stranger, shaking her head so hard that she almost strains it.
“no,” she manages out, fixing the front of her cloak to ensure that her bindings aren't showing from the stranger’s hand musing her clothes about. “i'm fine, is there any way i can repay you for the spilled food and for your kindness?”
the stranger's face slips back into the same from before, curiosity overpowering amusement more than anything, a kind smile gracing their glossed lips once more. “the boss is away for a few hours to run a few late night errands, if you would be so kind to help me finish the dinner rush and then i could treat you to a nice bowl of soba, a hot bath, and some company and that will make things even, do you accept?”
mizu rolls the idea around in her head a few times, deciding if this was even a good idea given what she originally came here for. seeing that is was trickling down to closing time and there were quite a few people left in the restaurant, maybe the stranger did genuinely need assistance so why not. thoughts about what could come after filled mizu’s mind and she found it even harder to say no now.
“alright, i will help you. however, would it be possible for me to receive a change of clothes, it seems that mine are quite ruined now.” she says, plucking the now cooling broth soaked cloth away from her skin in slight distaste, now smelling like soy and green onion.
the stranger only laughs at this, turning lightly on their heel to lead mizu towards the back end of the shop, slipping into the storage area to hand mizu what looked like cleaning supplies before rounding their way back into the kitchen, “oh there is no need to change silly, you will only get messier until closing! now would you be so kind to clean up the spill that you made and then once your done you can help me re-serve that order to our waiting customers!”
“what the fuck have i gotten myself into?”
Tumblr media
once the door flaps shut behind the final customer, mizu slumps onto the nearest floor cushion, rubbing tiredly at her wrists. she hadn't worked this hard since she first started to train, wrists aching pathetically from the amount of soba laden bowls she had carried in the last hour. you had introduced yourselves to each other earlier and mizu could feel her face redden when you repeated her own name back to her in a giddy tone, eager to finally be able to put a name to her face. she feels slightly guilty, ashamed to be thinking of another person this way when she should be focusing on finding her friends. but for some reason she just can’t bring herself to care too much at the moment. she will find them first thing in the morning and besides she can’t turn down a hot meal and equally as hot bath (although she’s looking forward to being in your presence more). sighing as she settles herself into a reclined position on the floor, she scans the room looking for your silk robe clad form, fingers twitching when she spies you across the room tending to the leftover dishes in the wash area. she wants to help you but you scolded her like a child, telling her to wait for you to be finished then you both could eat. her stomach growls in remembrance and she frowns lightly, wanting nothing more than for you to be finished. like she's hoping for something, more than dinner and some fresh clothes, more than just company. her ears burn at the thought and she forcibly shakes it from her mind, guiltily flicking her eyes towards you in hopes that you didn't somehow read her mind.
“you know, i used to watch you sometimes.” you pipe suddenly, hands still sink deep in dish water. you continue to scrub, lips quirking up into a solemn smile at the reminiscence, “up in the mountains, training your heart out, always wondered just exactly who was this onryō that everyone was so scared of. but you were not the only one who was an outcast.” you speak calmly, like you've already rehearsed what you wanted to say, but with a certain sadness that mizu recognized, akin her own. she hears the small shake in your voice as you continue, “as a child i spent so much in kohama’s forest. my father’s sister grew up on the outskirts of the town, hidden away from prying eyes because she looked almost exactly like me, which in turn meant i too was hidden away. i lived with her for most of my life, until i turned eighteen then i was sold off to a group of bandits in kyoto.” mizu feels herself dim at the mention of the men, already knowing what you mean without you having to even fully explain it. “‘i never seen a creature like you before’ they would say.” you fidget uncomfortably, shaking the shudder that started to rack through your body, pushing yourself on for the sake of getting to the point. “what i’m saying is, i’ve see you since i was a kid. i think we are both the same in a lot of ways, except i’ve never raised a sword in my life. i did, however, end up slaughtering those men. a few tried to have their way with me while i slept so i slit their throats with my kitchen knife in return.”
this punches a surprised laugh out of mizu, not because she didn't believe that you would do that but because she knew you could. “i’m not sure why you are telling me any of this but i am glad that you managed to escape from there. those scum deserved nothing but what they had coming to them.”
“oh it was ringo that actually helped me. funny thing is, the big sweetheart ended up killing more men than me!”
the mention of her friend makes her shoot up from the floor, making her way into your space in less than five strides. the strength of her grip as she grasps your wrists in near desperate manner makes you gasp harshly, not at all expecting her hands to be so inhumanly cold.
“ringo?! you know ringo?!”
“well yes! he owns the shop, meaning he is my boss. he should be back soon!” a wide grin graces mizu’s face at the news. seems like what she was looking for has been here all along! she slumps her shoulders in relief as if a huge weight has been lifted off of them. you eyes follow her curiously, faintly wondering what business a lone samurai has with ringo but mizu just smiles loosening her hold on you slightly to guide you away the sink back towards the seating area.
“you sit down, you have helped me enough today. i'm going to make dinner and no don't make that face i've had my share of lessons from ringo so i won't poison you i swear. i would however appreciate those clothes you promised and a hot bath, if you could be so kind?”
Tumblr media
a/n: here’s the first chapter! so sorry for the delay i’ve been very sick and i’m just now feeling well enough to work on this again! hope u enjoy ^__^
110 notes · View notes
petertingle-yipyip · 1 year
Text
MAD AT GOD - MATT MURDOCK
Tumblr media
season 2b - happening again
tags: @ironprincessstranger @dusstory @americaarse @johnmurphys-sass @astrobees @mayasaurus--rex // two // four // masterlist
Pairing: Matt Murdock x Reader
Word Count: 6,187
Summary: Coming face to face with the past isn’t easy. But when that past is supposed to be dead, vengeance seems inevitable.
The admission of your names seemed to settle most of the uncertainty among your group. Though maybe it would’ve been easier just to clear it away yourself. Matt was the only reason you didn’t, given he would’ve recognized it immediately.
You sat at the table beside Matt, next to the man you learned to be spoiled rich kid Danny Rand. The man with unbreakable skin was Luke Cage. And of course, Jessica.
You peaked down the hallway, wondering if Stick was still out there. You knew if things were going wrong outside, the cranky old man wouldn’t hesitate to get you or Matt to help so that gave you some odd sense of comfort.
Danny was pestering Matt about his abilities while you leaned back in your chair, calling on that old wave of sadness to create a ball of blue sparks in your hand. And as you drew from it, it seemed to get stronger and stronger. Almost as if it was getting closer.
“I don’t.” Danny said suddenly, making you raise your eyebrows and lift your head. “You’re blind.”
“Yeah, well, sight is overrated.” Matt answered and you snorted a laugh.
“Okay, but what about her?” He gestured to you and you smirked slightly, seeing the blue sparks shine brighter out the corner of your eye. “What’s her deal? Are you two together?”
“Yeah.” You grinned at the opportunity. “And you’re just heartbroken over that, I bet.” You flicked your fingers and watched the sparks flutter and land across Danny’s eyes.
He sniffled slightly as his eyes began to water, his face dropping and lip quivering as he cried gently.
“Now you’re angry.” You waved a hand and saw a red streak trail behind your fingers and land against his chest.
His expression quickly matched the emotion you sent as the tears faded and a snarl crossed his lips that almost made you laugh. You felt an elbow in your ribs and you turned to see Matt giving you a stern expression.
You flicked your wrist again to clear any influence you had and crossed both arms over your chest.
“I’m a really strong empath, pretty much.” You shrugged. “Plus highly trained and blah blah blah.”
“What did you do to him?” Luke asked quickly.
“Told you I’m resourceful. Unbreakable skin won’t help you against me.”
You reached across the table for one of the dumplings before Matt smacked your hand away. He moved your hand to the other plate and mouthed ‘Those were shrimp’. You nodded slightly in realization and picked one up from the new plate.
“Woah.” Danny said with wide eyes after having wiped any stray tears away. “I thought you had to be touching someone for that to work!”
“Clearly, I don’t.” You made a vague gesture. “Can we move on now?”
“But how did you get your powers?” Danny urged. “Did you earn them? Or was it some freak accident?”
“Я собираюсь ударить его по лицу, если он задаст еще один вопрос.” You mumbled to yourself which made Matt chuckle, even though he probably didn’t know all of what you said. “Neither. Moving on.” You said instead. (I’m going to kick him in the face if he asks one more question.)
“She’s right. We need to come up with some kind of plan here.” Luke agreed and you offered a thankful look.
“The only plan is how do we get these people off our backs?” Jessica added. “Ideally in a way that doesn’t incriminate us.”
“What do you mean, incriminate us?” Danny cut in.
“None of us are on police payroll. What we did back there was trespassing, aggravated assault, and vigilante bullshit.”
“No, I can get us off the hook for that if anything happens.” You offered. “If that gets brought up, Danny Rand hired the security company I work for. I was asked to bring in some freelancers. Rich Boy writes a check and my boss signs some papers. We’re all covered.”
“You really wanna get your job involved?” Matt’s brows furrowed.
“Russo won’t ask too many questions. I know he has a past too so leverage would be easy to find if I need it.”
“There is a cop I think we trust. I say we bring her in.” Luke offered.
“You’d only be putting her in danger.” Matt countered.
“Look, you saw what happened when we tried it the legal way.” Danny tried. “I even put on a tie!”
“I promise you cannot fight these people, no matter what your hand can do.”
“It’s chi.”
“What I’m saying is going at them head on, that’ll get you killed.”
You reached under the table and found Matt’s hand when you were hit with that memory of Elektra.
“Only if we do it alone.” Danny insisted.
“We weren’t alone when we went against them the first time.” You said, suddenly finding the tablecloth very interesting to look at. “It was me, Matt, and another really good fighter… We didn’t all make it out and I guarantee the three of us were better than this group. What makes you guys any different?”
“These people took everything from me. I’m gonna take them down, one way or another.”
“Oh, you think that wanting revenge will carry you through this?” You scoffed. “That’s amateur. It’s going to get you killed.”
“No, it won’t.”
“Yes it will!” You laughed and leaned forward, feeling Matt grab your upper arm. “It will overwhelm you and you won’t be able to think straight because you’re gonna want to ‘take them down’ but they will tear right through your pathetic little ass.”
You cleared your throat and sat back, having realized your accent was slipping in. You glanced around and noticed no one seemed to have caught it seeing that the group began arguing about whether or not they should do it. Other than Matt of course. The hand that was on your arm slid back down to your hand and gave a gentle squeeze.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” Matt sighed. “Did you know he was here?”
“Who?”
“Did he follow you here?”
“You think I wouldn’t know if I was being tailed?” You rolled your eyes. “Who’s here?”
The back door opening answered your question. You all jumped up quickly, you zipping up your top quickly and letting your hand hover at the cuff of the sleeve hiding your knife. You were relieved that it was only Stick and there was no urgency in his appearance.
“Stick.” Matt announced in annoyance.
“Matty.” He nodded. “Y/N.”
“Is something wrong?” You tried.
“Other than this shitty excuse of a hideout, no. Not yet.”
“What do you mean, yet?”
“How’d you find us?” Matt asked loudly, clearly unimpressed by his old mentor’s company.
Stick pulled Danny’s phone from his jacket and smashed it before starting a small rant about personal ties being used as leverage. After a quick and tense argument between Matt and Stick, Jessica stormed out and Luke followed. Stick took some jabs at Matt and you had to nip that in the bud before one of them took it too far.
“Stop it.” You said firmly and watched the words float through the air as a white haze that wanted to clear the brewing anger between the two. “Matt’s life is his life and he can live it how he wants.”
Luke came back in and you all sat around the table, minus Jessica, and listened as Stick gave you a history lesson in the Hand. You didn’t really care about the history of the organization, how long it had been around, what it had its hands in, or any of it. All you needed were names.
Trading lives wouldn’t bring Elektra back, you understood that, but putting a bullet in whoever pulled Nobu’s strings would sure let you sleep a whole lot better. Maybe even dull that strange feeling you couldn’t seem to escape.
You caught the name Alexandra, Stick saying she’s ran the Hand as long as they’ve existed. She would serve as your main target, the top of the Hand’s five fingers.
Madame Gao, and given your last run in with her, that didn’t surprise you. You were surprised to know she was back in town and had been under your radar for so long. But then again, your radar had either been distracted or inactive so you supposed it made sense.
Sowande, an African warlord that Luke had already encountered. Interesting, but not a priority.
Bakuto, but Danny confirmed he was already dead.
Murakami, the man who really pulled Nobu’s strings. He would be your second target. Or maybe it’d be more fun to go after him first.
“I want him.” You said simply, looking across the table at Stick. You ignored the looks from Luke and Danny, along with the slight accusation in Matt’s head turn. “Murakami. I want the first shot at him.”
“If he comes out of his little foxhole, you can have first and last as far as I care.”
“Wait. What did he do to you?” Danny cut in.
“It was Nobu, technically.” You answered carefully, watching your voice for your accent as your anger spiked and every inch of your skin warmed. “He killed someone I really cared about… She jumped in front of a blow that was intended for me.”
“I’m sorry,” Luke said honestly.
“I killed Nobu that night but… Now I want him. An eye for an eye.”
“You did what? And we’re supposed to trust you?”
“We can’t get hung up on that now.” Matt said, waving a hand to try and dismiss the topic. You were surprised to hear no opposition from him but you didn’t say anything about it. “Why are you even here, Stick? What are you expecting us to do about it?”
“Hang on. He’s given me more information in just a few minutes than anyone ever did at K’un-Lun.” Danny defended.
“That’s because he wants something. And because what he wants will put everyone we care about at risk.”
“Yeah, you’ve said that.”
“And I’ll keep saying it!”
“I’ve lost plenty in this war. Don’t talk to me like I’m some kid!”
“Then stop acting like one!” You cut in firmly, raising your brows as he stood suddenly.
“What did you just say?” He asked angrily.
“Calm down, Danny.” Luke sighed.
“You calm down, Luke!”
“Sit down or I will sit you down.” You said calmly, feeling the heat tingle up your spine and down your arms to your fingers.
“Go ahead and try it.”
You smiled excitedly and began to stand before Matt’s hands landed on both of your arms and pulled you to stand on his other side. You groaned and shook out your hands, feeling the heat leave your skin in small waves. You locked your fingers and hung them over the back of your neck.
“Yeah, alright.” You muttered. “I’m fine.”
“You sure?” Matt asked softly, putting a hand around your waist and standing close. You rested your hand on his shoulder in return.
“Mhmm… But I will probably punch him in the face before this is over.” You smiled slightly and he gave you a small chuckle. “You don’t get second chances with these people, Danny.”
“If you’re not careful, next thing you know, you’re dead. Or worse, you’re holding the people you care about and you get the…” You rubbed his shoulder slightly and you felt a brief cold sensation crawl up from your palm and dissipate across your shoulders. “You get the privilege of watching them die.”
“I know this fight is important. I know the city is at stake.” You offered genuinely. “But before you keep trying to rally up a team, think about something. Would you be able to live with yourself knowing that your involvement only made it worse?”
The air around everyone became stagnant with the heavy indecision. You ran your free hand over your face and took Matt away from the group. You could feel a tension rising in him, a mix of grief and annoyance and anger and something close to fear. As discreetly as you could, you called most of those emotions to yourself and felt it tighten your chest. You cleared your throat to cover the groan as the sensation grew to be uncomfortable.
“If you want to, we can walk away… We can go home.. Wait and see if this fight even comes to us.” You offered genuinely. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to do this just because I’m willing to.”
“I don’t know what to do.” He answered gently, turning to you with a truly heartbroken expression. “At Midland Circle… Y/N, I swear…”
“What happened, Matty?”
“It was her.. The woman in Cambodia. The one who killed Jessica’s client.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m glad you two aren’t alone anymore.” Stick offered from behind you. “Your little back and forth games were exhausting, even for me.”
“Don’t act like this is normal.” Matt answered tightly.
“Don’t act like I don’t know what’s really going on with you… You crossed paths with her, too?”
“Will one of you please tell me what’s going on?” You groaned.
“Elektra.” Stick said simply and you felt your entire body run cold.
“Bullshit.” You scoffed and turned to Matt, who only offered an apologetic expression. “Really?”
“Yeah… She’s alive, Y/N.”
“It makes sense…” You spoke slowly, piecing together your own realization. “What I felt a few weeks ago, it was like it was meant for me to feel. I didn’t realize then but it was.. calling to me, almost. That must’ve been when they resurrected her.”
“She’s not alive. Not the way we knew her.” Stick countered. “She’s something else.”
“Something empty?” You asked as you remembered that small feeling you had earlier when you arrived.
“I couldn’t hear her heartbeat.” Matt confessed.
“Just like the other Hands soldiers… It all makes sense. It didn’t feel anything like her before and even now… I can feel something coming but it’s not the girl we knew.”
“That’s cause that girl ain’t there anymore.” Stick shook his head and you could’ve sworn there was some yearning his voice, the slightest wish for the girl he raised.
“Maybe we can help her.” Matt tried, bordering desperately.
“No, we can’t. When they brought her back, they made her forget.”
“No.. She- She hesitated. She had the chance but she didn’t kill me.”
“If I can find that recognition, some ghost of a feeling, I can change it. I can exploit it.” You offered and it was more for Matt than yourself. “I- I- I can bring out feelings connected to memories and maybe that will-“
“Don’t try to make sense of this.” Stick cut in firmly. “With or without either of you, when the time comes, whatever is living in the body of Elektra Natchios is gonna have to die.”
“You told me that you wanted me to fight so people didn’t have to die. If I can get to her-“
“What happened to the woman that he couldn’t stand because she killed the people she needed to? What happened to the woman that brought her enemies to their knees and made them beg for mercy?”
“Exodus.” You nodded slightly. “They’ll be expecting her.”
“Maybe not.” He gave a shrug.
“Someone’s outside.” Matt said quietly.
“Great.” You muttered “Я мог бы использовать кого-нибудь, чтобы ударить.” (I could use someone to hit.)
You snapped your fingers as you moved back to Luke and Danny. You had Danny get the rest of the staff out the back while Luke went to the window. You slid your mask up and tapped it on, taking only a second to appreciate the familiar blue tint of the high tech lenses as they started up.
You were hit from behind with a shock of strong confidence laced with a vague fear before you could get any visuals. You pushed your mask up and turned quickly, flicking your wrist so the knife slid to your palm.
“This wouldn’t be my first choice but I am a sucker for fortune cookies.” The woman said calmly. “Yknow, I thought it would be a good idea if we all just talked this over like adults.”
“What do you want?” Stick asked simply.
“You surprised me, Stick. You’ve become so resourceful in your old age.” She glanced over your group but her eyes landed on you. “You’re not the girl from before.”
“Нет, это не так. Но поверьте мне, вы бы предпочли иметь дело с ней, чем со мной. Удивительно, но она намного приятнее.” You answered as you gripped your blade tighter. (No, I’m not. But trust me, you’d rather deal with her than me. Surprisingly, she’s much nicer.)
“Я могу сказать, что ты сильный... Вы бы поверили мне, если бы я сказал вам, что у вас будет больше потенциала с нами?” (I can tell you’re powerful… Would you believe me if I told you that you would have more potential with us?)
“Все, что вам нужно, это еще одно оружие на случай, если ваше Черное небо выйдет из строя. Единственный способ привлечь меня на свою сторону - это если я умру..” (All you want is another weapon in case your Black Sky fails. The only way you get me on your side is if I’m dead.)
“She’s got spirit. I like her.” She pointed to you before turning back to the group. “Mr. Rand, I’m sorry your exit from our meeting was so abrupt.”
“You tried to kill us.” Danny answered angrily.
“Them, maybe, but certainly not you….”
The woman kept talking to Danny but you lost interest. You watched the van outside, keeping a grip on Matt’s sleeve. You knew this ‘civil conversation’ with who you could only assume was Alexandra wouldn’t last long. You knew you had a chance to kill her. You could pull your gun fast enough, a quick bullet to the head, maybe even burn the body so she couldn’t be resurrected, but you saw the figure coming before you could move against her.
You cursed mentally and yanked Matt away as she kicked the door in.
You felt your heart drop when you saw it really was Elektra. Your friend had been resurrected and now standing before you with the clear intent to kill you. You opened yourself completely for a quick moment, only to Elektra and found nothing was coming in return.
Her usual spark was gone, as if it was never there. There was no fear, no loneliness or anger or confusion. She was absolutely empty, a hollow shell of the woman you once knew. And it nearly broke your heart to discover that.
But maybe… Just maybe you could find some sort of emotion to latch onto. You just had to figure out what to say if you wanted to get your friend back.
But would getting your friend mean she would try to take Matt away from you again?
Before anyone could move, Matt pulled you a few steps back as a black SUV came crashing through the front of the building and knocking down Elektra. Following behind the SUV was Jessica and you were actually relieved she came back.
“Who missed me?” She asked with a cocky shrug and you rolled your eyes in amusement. “Nice goggles.”
“Said the one with a tacky scarf.” You answered as you saw Elektra get to her feet.
The fight broke out almost instantly. Luke and Jessica took on Elektra for the most part. It was easy enough for her to knock Danny around but before you could jump in, a man you could only assume was Murakami came crashing through the skylight.
Your hand grew hot around your blade and you charged at him. Your attack clearly took him by surprise because all he could do was lean away from your swinging blade. You dropped to your knee and slammed your knife down towards his foot, though he narrowly avoided it and kicked out at your chest instead.
You rolled through it and lifted your Bite, aiming a shot for his chest. It landed square in the center as Matt came to help you to your feet. Together, you two ran at him.
You used a fallen Danny Rand as a stepped off point and hooked your legs around his head. Throwing your body, you sent him right into a strong kick from Matt that laid him out. You yanked your blade out the ground and swiped it as he rolled away, resulting in you cutting open a long gash across his back before he ran off.
You considered chasing him but before you could make a move, Matt tackled you to the ground and shielded your body with his. He kept your head tucked down until the gunshots stopped. You did a quick assessment of you both, more relieved he was unscathed than yourself. Your small team circled up as the various soldiers drew closer.
“We work together, we get out of this alive.” Stick said calmly.
“And they won’t.” You replied quietly before flipping your blade over the back of your hand and driving it into the neck of the closest soldier.
Matt made a beeline for Elektra but before you could follow him, Stick grabbed your arm and turned you back to the fight. With a loud groan, you stayed put.
Stick kicked a sword into your hand without a word and you spun it once before acting.
You worked in long strokes, swipes and slashes rather than jabs. You sidestepped your temporary teammates and spun, rolling over them when they ducked or spinning around them.
“Where’s Matt?” Danny yelled.
“I’m on it! Gimme a second!” You answered as you were slammed to the ground. Looking up, you saw Murakami headed down the hall that Matt disappeared down.
You took the sword and drove it through the chest of the man pinning you down before shoving him off and hurrying after him. You ran and jammed your knee into his shoulders, making him slam his face against the door.
He spun on you quickly and scoffed when he saw it was you. You watched his expression falter as your anger rose and you knew it shone in your eyes by the way it began to tint your vision. You sparked the heat at your hands and moved in quickly, landing quick and hot purposeful combinations that kept him off balance.
You pinned him against the wall and grabbed at his face, your hot fingers digging into his skin as your thumbs threatened to gouge his eyes. He reared back and slammed his head against yours, making you stagger back slightly. You shook it off and landed a hard roundhouse kick to the side of his head that made him collapse.
It wouldn’t kill him but it’d buy you time. Making him suffer before you killed him would make his death a bit more gratifying, so that was the route you would take.
When you got outside, you found Matt and Elektra standing in silence.
“El.” You breathed and hurried across the distance as you yanked your mask down.
You felt just the smallest spark of recognition, of fear and loneliness. You hated to use that but you capitalized on it and made it stronger, hoping it would bring some sort of memories with it.
“I know you’re in there, please.” You said quietly but she only stared at you in silence. “You have to remember me.. You… You gave your life for me.”
“It was your fault I died?” She asked quietly, brows furrowing as something seemed to connect.
“What? I.. No, it wasn’t…” You shook your head, feeling a deep cold swelling in your chest and threatening to suffocate you.
Before you knew it, she was gone and Stick was leading your group into the sewers. You followed mindlessly as your head spun violently. You felt every inch of your body growing cold the more you thought about it to a point where you thought you would turn to ice.
It was your fault.
Elektra died, your friend died, because of you.
The sudden guilt made your whole body tingle and your hands shook. Matt noticed quickly and came to your side after a quick spat with Jessica, abandoning the previous conversation without hesitation. He stood close to put a hand in your hair and the other on your hip.
“Hey.. It wasn’t your fault.” He said softly before a gentle kiss to your forehead.
“She’s right… It was.” You answered in the same hushed tone, knowing if you spoke any louder your voice would break and you wouldn’t be able to get the words out. “I got her killed.”
“No. You didn’t, alright? You didn’t.”
“I did… I hesitated and it got her killed.”
“Oh, Y/N..” He sighed and pulled you in for a tight embrace. “I swear to you, it wasn’t your fault.”
You made a small squeak of protest and buried your face in the crook of his neck. You wrapped your arms around him and your fingers tightened around the material of his jacket. You closed your eyes tightly to keep back the tears and you felt your stomach twist with the newfound guilt. You felt it across your skin, like a slime creeping and crawling under your clothes but you had to swallow the thick lump in your throat.
You quietly followed your group to the van that Luke brought back, showing off Sowande tied up in the back. You felt that sadistic tendency creeping through your brain as you all headed to some building Danny suggested. You couldn’t manage to lift your eyes from the floor through the whole trip, feeling the weight of Elektra’s simple sentence in your head. Your hands shifted in and out of tight fists as you felt something ripple through your muscles. Something you didn’t like but could use.
Luke tied the captive to a chair, keeping him blindfolded and your group circled around him. They went back and forth as to how to get him to talk, if one of you could break him.
“This will drown you.” He spoke simply, as if he was in complete control.
“Do you know what that feels like?” You asked, moving to kneel in front of him as Matt stood behind him. “To drown?”
You were met with silence as his head tilted down to you.
“Drown in fear.” You mocked in your trademark accent as the yellow haze swirled between your fingers. “Drown in sorrow.” Blue danced between the fingers of your other hand.
He cleared his throat as you pushed both forward, watching the colors twist and swirl their way up his nose. He gasped and jerked in the chair as a sick smile crept across your face. You urged the sensations further, seeing a faint glow of blue and yellow settling at the base of his throat.
“What do you want with our city?” Matt asked.
“Maybe she should stop.” Luke tried and reached for your shoulder.
Stick stepped forward and stuck out his sword, stopping Luke from coming any closer.
“This place belongs to the Hand.” Sowande answered through strangled breaths. “It- It always- always has.”
“Always?” You tilted your head in interest.
“I traced it back to 1820 but it probably goes further.” Jessica answered.
“And Danny Rand? How does he fit?” You asked, withdrawing your pressure enough for him to take in a deep breath.
“Nothing you do can make me serve you. You understand?” Danny tried and you shook your head in annoyance.
“You’re the dumbest Iron Fist yet.”
You almost laughed as Danny leaned in closer. You cleared your influence and wiped your hands against your pants as you took a step around to be near Matt. The two continued a heated exchange before the prisoners started taking jabs at everyone.
“The same way the unbreakable one let that boy die in a jail cell, afraid and alone. The same way the woman couldn’t save the architect.” He paused with a proud smile as Jessica took a few steps away. “Have I gotten in your head the same way he did?”
She came charging back but Luke caught her.
“And her.” He jerked a head towards you. “She could not save anyone. Death follows her like a shadow. Tell me. What will become of your loved ones once you are gone?”
You bit back the instinct to say you had no loved ones. Instead, you pulled your knife and ran your hand over it, letting a deep heat settle across the blade. You leaned forward and yanked it across the side of his neck.
“If we’re lucky, that shadow will swallow you too.”
You tucked it away as he let out a sharp hiss before laughing.
“How many mice must drown with you? The nurse.. The woman on the radio.. The journalist.”
Your hand tightened into a fist until Matt’s hand found yours and you both knew he meant Karen.
You woke your Bite but Jessica beat you to it by knocking him unconscious. You were quick to pull Matt aside and you tried to relieve some of his stress.
“I can go get Karen if you get Foggy.” You offered. “I know he didn’t mention Foggy-“
“But that doesn’t mean they don’t know. Yeah, you’re right.” Matt nodded quickly. “Where would we take them? The Hand probably has eyes on our apartment.“
“Take them to the precinct in Harlem.” Luke called out, drawing your attention. “If you get there before we do, ask for Misty. Tell her you’re a friend.”
“You sure about this?”
“They’ll be safe there.”
You recognized you didn’t have many options so you nodded once before unzipping your top. You pulled your mask over your head and shoved it in your pocket before taking off your Bites and tucking them inside your sleeves. Once your alter ego was as civilian as it could look without leaving you totally defenseless, you hurried off to the Bulletin.
“Hey.” You said as you caught your breath, leaning in the doorway of her office.
“Uh.. Hi? It’s after midnight. What are you doing here?” She asked carefully.
“I.. Yeah, I wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t important.”
“Is that blood? Oh my god.” She gestured to your face and as you reached up, you felt the drying liquid splattered across your cheek. You cursed to yourself and rubbed your sleeve across your face in a hurry. “Is that the shirt I think it is? Y/N, what happened?”
“The Hand.” You said honestly as you came closer, wiping your hand on your top. “I’m sorry. Really, I am. I didn’t have any intention of getting involved but-“
“Is Matt involved?”
“Yeah… He is.”
“Jesus.” She sighed before she stood and came around from behind her desk. “I don’t believe this.. I thought you two were done with all of that.”
“Okay… I deserve that.”
“This is how you tell me that you’re doing it again? And Matt. Matt couldn’t be here with you to tell me? Cause that’s what you’re saying. That you two are going out as them.”
“I told Matt to get Foggy because I never told him.” You defended quickly. “Karen, I’m sorry! But it’s not like that! Exodus and Daredevil, they’re not back.” That was something you didn’t even believe fully. “They’re not going to be permanent pieces in our lives. It’s just-“
“Just this time? Hmm? Is that what you’re gonna say?” She mocked and you sighed.
“We don’t have time for this!” You said quickly.
“C’mon, Y/N. Just… Just talk to me. Please.”
“Fine. We are doing it again. Because if we don’t, people will die. Whatever the Hand is up to this time around, they’re going to decimate New York to get it done… I’m sorry but we have to.”
She nodded before crossing her arm.
“I don’t.. Whatever you and Matt, or Exodus and Daredevil are doing, I’m not a part of it anymore. I don’t need your protection.”
“Really?” You laughed slightly as your patience was running out. “You don’t have Frank to save you this time around. He’s gone and you’ll be in danger if you don’t come with me. It doesn’t matter if you’re part of that or not because they’re probably coming after Y/N and Matt’s world, too.”
“I’m sorry. Does that mean they know who you two are?”
“I don’t know.” You admitted. “But they know too much already.”
“That isn’t your call!” She insisted and it was clear she was close to tears.
“Karen, please, just come with me.” You begged. “I can’t have another friend die because of the Hand. Because I messed up. It’d just be a couple days, lay low. Please.”
She sighed heavily and gathered her things. You thanked her but she assured you it wasn’t for you. Regardless, you felt a huge relief that she agreed to go with you. As you were getting her to the precinct, Claire came up with Danny and his girlfriend.
You practically ran once you saw Karen enter the police building with Claire. You hurried to the apartment and rushed to the closet, nearly tripping trying to get out of your jeans to change into your suit. It wasn’t long after until Matt came in with the same idea. You fit the rest of your outfit together, ensured your belt was fully stocked, and clipped your pack across your chest. Once you were both dressed, he grabbed your hand and led you across town.
He led you to a building that you didn’t recognize, but it turned out to be where Jessica was picking up her friend with the radio show. Tapping your mask, you were able
to see Murakami going after her. Matt led you to the same floor and was able to throw his baton to knock the knife out of his hand.
You came from the other side, flipping over Trish Walker and slamming your feet into Murakami’s side. The action threw him off Jessica and allowed Matt to move in. You helped Jessica to her feet and she nodded that she was okay, allowing you both to reenter the fight.
You drew your own staff and slid between the open space as he aimed a high kick at Matt’s head. You hooked your staff behind his leg and pulled as you rolled to your knees, just able to see him slam his back against the floor. You flicked the blade out and moved forward, slashing it with quick precision that avoided your partners. You tossed your staff up to switch hands, catching it easily and swinging it at his head.
When the weapon felt odd in your hand, you looked down to see you had caught Matt’s instead and he had yours, even retracted the blade. You chuckled slightly as you two tossed them again to reclaim your rightful equipment as Jessica threw him over a railing.
“Scarf looked better.” Jessica teased and you grinned. “Nice ears.”
“They’re horns.” Matt answered and a small chuckle escaped you. “Are you laughing?” He turned to you.
“A little, yeah.” You admitted with a smile as you slid your staff back into its pack. “Don’t worry. You’re still very intimidating.”
Matt scoffed with a small smile before nodding for you to follow. You moved to Jessica and her friend, who was staring at you and Matt in awe.
“Holy shit.” She breathed as it finally seemed to sink in. At least she wasn’t hurt. “Jessica, you’re friends with the two most badass vigilantes in New York!”
“Who? Goggles and Devil Boy?” She gestured to you and you frowned, flipping her off once she looked. “They’re not.. the worst people I’ve ever met.”
“Wow. Was that something not mean?” You teased as you all headed out.
Matt chuckled but nudged you slightly.
“I’m serious! I’m shocked! I didn’t know Jessica was able to do that!”
“I’m going to punch you in the mouth.” She warned, though you could tell there was amusement there.
“Shut up, you know you like me.” You grinned as she glanced over her shoulder, giving you a half smile and a scoff in response.
You all made sure Trish got into the precinct before heading back to where you all left Stick and Sowande.
“Hey.. You made sure Foggy got there, right?” You asked Matt.
“Yeah, yeah, of course.” He nodded. “And you got Karen?”
“Mhmm.. Did you tell him anything?”
“Not much, no. You tell Karen?”
“Just the basics.” You shrugged. “She’s definitely not happy.”
“Yeah, kinda glad you went instead of me.” He admitted. “Figured you’d be able to smooth it over with her better than me.”
“Cause you can’t talk to people.” You joked and shook your head as you all got back inside the building.
“No, cause she’s more likely to forgive you than me.”
“So dramatic.” You sighed. “She still loves you, y’know. And she was pretty pissed at me anyway. ”
96 notes · View notes
rokkenjimaisland · 11 months
Text
Ren's "similar to Umineko" list! (now overhauled)(You're welcome)
Stuff on here reminds me of Umineko for a variety of reasons. If I add to it, I'll just edit this post and add the date I added it to this list. Separated by genre this time.
Under the read-more, with the "why it reminds me of Umineko" blurb after the title rather than a whole plot synopsis like I had done in the previous list
Feel free to rec stuff in tags or in comments etc. if I haven't read/played/watched it it might be hard for me to add it but I'll definitely add it to my own list of things to check out!
VIDEO GAMES The House In Fata Morgana - Visual novel, Unreliable narration, witch haunting an illusory mansion for thousands of years, cycles of abuse and trauma, Gothic setting, romance 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors - Visual novel, "The killer is among us" (lol), murder mystery scoping out paranormal/metaphysical elements and twisting them into its own crazy logic, romance NieR Replicant - It's up to you to find your own happiness whatever that means to you despite the circumstances of the world you're living in or your own birth Alan Wake - Author creates and infers reality around him, horror setting, unreliable narration, creations rallying against their creator Alan Wake 2 - see the above, it's the sequel, except Alan Wake 2 is an actual survival horror. I didn't like Alan Wake 1 much but I'm LOVING 2 so far. The Forgotten City - I haven't played this just saw someone on Twitter say to play it if you like Umineko so I'm trusting their recommendation Pathologic Classic HD - Questions of morality, wishy-washiness on the reality of the fantastical elements of the town's culture, meta universe shenanigans forcing you to contend with "none of this matters, so why do/should I care?" Patho 2 can probably go here too but I am playing that at the moment.
ANIMANGA Naoki Urasawa's Monster - "Why did the culprit do this?" over "Who is the culprit?", murder mystery, cycles of abuse, questions of character identity, the ultimate "victim of circumstances has created the monster" situation Shiki - Sleepy town being annihilated by an unknown threat, humans doing unspeakable things in the name of justice, the question of the antagonist's morality/justice is brought to the forefront and maybe they were right all along...? Princess Tutu - Characters who have been created for a story and are living out a narrative sort of against their will, the narrative as a framing device and also a prison, love love love lots of love, the death of the author and what this means for a tale and the characters within it too--if you can only call them characters I Want To Hold Aono-kun so Badly I Could Die - romantic relationships as a way to combat your personal loneliness, horror and romance and how they intersect...kind of hard to explain this one unless you've finished Umineko but this manga really reads like AU Bato[redacted] to me so far, lots of supernatural elements, learning how to find happiness
TV Succession - Rich people dealing with their abusive and unpredictable father deciding who will be the successor for the family business and dragging everyone else into it, cycles of literally every sort
MOVIES Knives Out (2019) - Rich family called to a house to discuss the ailing patriarch's will only for him to be murdered, murder mystery Haven't seen Glass Onion yet but that too. Decision To Leave (2022) - Confessions of the unspeakable as acts of love, Another time another place maybe it could have worked, I created myself to love you, tragic romance, the sea as a motif representing character worlds Memento (2000) - it's up to the watcher to interpret events as they happen and piece them together, the most unreliable narrator of narrators, just go in blind The Prestige (2006) - Magicians get into a big dick competition and destroy their relationships for the sake of greatness, branches into metaphysical territory for the sake of pursuing magic House (1977) - Group of girls visit an ancient family home, horror setting, love is always enduring for better or for worse, witches, using other bodies to fulfill your own wish
BOOKS The Locked Tomb Quartet - Cites Umineko (and 999!) as an inspiration and Muir is a very very referential reader so it's kind of hard to say stuff without spoiling TLT also so honestly just go read it. Magpie Murders - Murder within a murder And Then There Were None (duh) - Directly inspired Umineko and the murders within Umineko The Last Unicorn - Characters acknowledge they are living in a fairy tale, the unicorn is often called the only 'real' one in the group due to her immortality, dream-like narration and fantastical whimsy, ocean representing character strife House Of Leaves - The metaphysical book of metaphysical books with stories within stories within stories and extremely unconventional formatting, house as a vehicle to tell a horror story IT - Two stories in different times existing side by side to inform the reader how to read it. I never finished reading this either though sorry </3 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead - metafiction play about characters and the absurdity of their existence, repeating stories, tragedy is only a story and the characters within only exist to tell that story regardless of their own individuality Wuthering Heights - toxic romance the novel, idk why I didn't have this here yet. Honestly I'm not super big on this book but it's a classic for a reason. Dread, isolated spaces, fucked up romance, ghosts, etc.
36 notes · View notes
king-of-kaoss · 1 year
Note
For the shipping ask game, obviously I already know you ship Starker, but I'd love to see your answers to the question about it! 😊
What made you ship it?
irondad was definitely the gateway for me heheheheh. tbh when antis tag or caption things like 'do not tag as st*rker' all that does is make me wanna check out the starker tag myself lmaoooo, so i did~
even tho it's not my first 'problematic' ship, after months of obsessively reading fluffy af platonic/familial field trips fics, dipping into starker was like:
Tumblr media
and then lmao i read ride to church anon fics with all that delicious tension and situational conflict and slid right into:
Tumblr media
in addition to very quickly acquiring a taste for it, when posting ficlets and gifsets i started throwing both starker and irondad tags on things just to broaden the audience it would reach and the starker community was very warm and welcoming! then i had a couple brushes with anon anti[s?] with a comment on a fic whining about the dual tag [on a platonic, g-rated piece that could be interpreted either way] and then my first actual starker fic [which was barely even racy, little more than some tension lmao] i cross posted here and the post got flagged and taken down within 24 hrs, i assume because someone reported it. so anyway idk man shit like that just drives one away from the community with unpleasant ppl in it and more toward the welcoming one? i made a starker side blog and never looked back UuU
What are your favorite things about the ship?
they foil wonderfully as characters. they think terribly alike, both taking on this heavy guilt over their own perceived failures. same humor and wit, same intellect/self made tech, same losses in life [on the same damn day i kid you not; dec 16, starks dead, may dead [nwh 'out' on 17th but could actually see it the 16th in theaters]]. shared colors. but one rich, one poor. one in the public eye, one masked. one older, experienced and worn down, one young, vibrant and earnest. even their kit is juxtaposed interestingly: tony's repulsors push stuff and peter's webs pull stuff. and they both care so damn much.
tony the futurist sees the future thriving in this kid's hands. peter looks up to him like none other. they see the best in each other and the worst in themselves. mix in the traumas [how hard it is for tony to trust ppl and how he trusts peter with more of his tech than anyone] and then the shared traumas, and the devotion of going to and beyond the damn ends of the earth for each other. how peter's sunshine heart can pull tony toward being better and tony pushes peter to be as good as he possibly can be. and with all the very good reasons they shouldn't get together, it's just so fucking good when they can't help but want to.
Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?
hmm i really can't think of any so, nope. some tropes i enjoy more than others but whatever fits for the context of the fanwork yknow, i'll entertain just about any take.
thank you for playing, my dear ursa! 😘
12 notes · View notes
blysse-and-blunder · 1 year
Text
Tumblr media
I posted 6,790 times in 2022
That's 346 more posts than 2021!
58 posts created (1%)
6,732 posts reblogged (99%)
Blogs I reblogged the most:
@leitharstjarna
@masteroffoolhardyplans
@knifepadme
@fade-steppin
@dying-suffering-french-stalkers
I tagged 2,104 of my posts in 2022
#the untamed - 287 posts
#art - 204 posts
#cql - 179 posts
#the untamed fanart - 165 posts
#mdzs - 87 posts
#goncharov - 86 posts
#the goncharoverse - 74 posts
#unreality cw - 63 posts
#postry - 53 posts
#ilcb - 47 posts
Longest Tag: 129 characters
#‘you’re right i did need to see that’ ‘if you share the link i can watch from here!’ ‘i missed this but that’s so cool thank you’
My Top Posts in 2022:
#5
in lieu of a moon cake
aug 29 - sept 11, 2022
where have the ilcb posts been the last four weeks, i hear you cry? well genuinely, the end of summer took me and i wandered out of time and thought. did watch the moon rise rich and golden last night, though, so--on balance--we're doing just fine.
reading finished my ancillary justice re-read this morning and i got so much more out of it the second time, newly attuned to the little differences between this and all the other space opera i've been enjoying. also finished obernewtyn (isobel carmodie), one of the growing list of YA sci/fantasy i'm catching up on using libby. spent a lot of last week reading or what you will, jo walton, which i think i will have more to say about when i finish it, and listening to ann leckie's the raven tower as an audiobook on various commutes-- perhaps not the best medium for it, but the reader's absolutely eating the accent work which does liven things up. i also acquired a romance novel from @dimir-charmer which is Certainly Something, not quite up to the level of some of the classics @pandolfo-malatesta would review but which has made me say out loud 'stop using that word, i do not think it means what you think it means!' every time this poor author tries to call someone 'contemporaries.'
listening so i know we all remember (for better or worse) passenger's 'let her go' from 2013 or whenever, but i have very specific tender feelings and memories attached to that whole album. a recent re-listen, followed by a tour through his recent, extensive new discography (like five albums since i last checked, holy shit), has shown me that i'm not even remotely capable of being objective, but i do think? that none of the new stuff has grabbed me? like it all sounds consistent, it all sounds, uh, the same, and the nuances and things i can pick out in the tracks from all the little lights (2012) or hell even whisper (2014) are just...not discernible (is this just a question of production)(possibly). to quote one of the new songs, uh, it leaves me cold? whereas 'feather on clyde' is still revealing and teaching me new things to get teary-eyed about (this time it was the line 'well god knows that i've failed, but he knows that i've tried'), and just...plus the string duet at the opening of 'things that stop you dreaming,' the way it builds up so, so sweetly, the lyrics taking you by surprise by leaving no breaks or breaths until the chorus, playing with pace and rhythm--still not tired of it.
youtube
watching i spent most of last week cycling between 'sandman', 'doulou continent', and 'oath of love', with a brief detour to the mdzs donghua with @hematiterings as per us-- sandman is good, though i haven't finished it. i got to the death episode and did briefly cry actual human tears about the old violinist and the young honeymooners, only to have the rest of the episode with its chronological humor (reminding me of ep 3 of 'good omens', what with the 'let's put our cast in several different centuries and enjoy what that does to their hair', thank you neilman) give me slight emotional whiplash. the problem with my cdrama habit is that, especially with duolou continent, i've had a hard time believing i've seen as many episodes as i actually have (also viki is...incapable of keeping my place) so i tend to back up to whichever episode number sort of feels right? which means i've seen episodes 11-15 like three times each. at least now i'm getting people's names.
playing finished up summer and fall of year two in stardew, won the grange fair and the ice fishing contest now that it's winter, and just bought a duck! (her name is fern)
making i think the garden is fading, we're still harvesting tomatoes but a lot of the leaves have turned yellow and crinkly, meanwhile the squash (?) vines have all withered except for one, perplexingly round little green squash (?) with a few nibbles out of it courtesy of the neighborhood fauna. when do i pluck it? is it still...getting anything out of being on its vine?
working on *cue panicked laughter* chapter 1! also that presentation / conference paper based on chapter-1-or-possibly-the-old-book-practicum! also that presentation based on chapter-2-or-possibly-chapters-1-and-2-OR-possibly-the-diss-proposal! with all the complaining i've done to various friends and colleagues, its no wonder there's not been any. further writing. distracting myself by insisting on doing things for the incoming students, which has been very fun and diverting since they are cute and much easier to help.
20 notes - Posted September 11, 2022
#4
in lieu of a break
10pm, sept 25, 2022
the title is a lie, today and yesterday have both been breaks in their own ways! but the days do start coming and they really don't stop coming, do they. kay @girlfriendsofthegalaxy did a really nice couple of posts not long ago explaining the Theory of her tuesdayposts, to which i have only to add that-- i think for me these are turning into a steam valve, where i let out whatever is happening in my head that has built up over the past little while; they are analytical or creative endeavors in their own way, sometimes, but i mainly write them for myself and my own recall (so that i can go back and check out what i wrote about first watching the untamed, for example, please see iclb 2 or 3 from way back), and to keep track of my days. which is going to mean they aren't Reviews or really Criticism, though i may dabble in both, and any enjoyment or enlightenment anyone else gets out of reading these is incidental. for this one, it's a real head empty no thoughts list of titles, so hold on to your butts let's go.
reading the big mention here is that i just finished susanna clarke's piranesi, which i didn't know how to feel about until like 30% of the way in, and then began to enjoy quite a bit as the whole conceit became clearer, and then found...melancholy but beautiful by the end. honorable mentions over the past mumblemumble weeks to (checks storygraph): squire by tamora pierce (reread), ancillary justice by ann leckie (also a reread); the raven tower (not a reread, also by ann leckie--though i still haven't finished it); and the duchess romance which i did finish mostly out of morbid curiosity.
Tumblr media
watching strangely this will be the largest section for once! the escapism has been strong lately-- and there have been many excellent movie and tv show friendship opportunities. in reverse order, i have now seen two episodes of the new netflix bee and puppycat and find it delightful if inscrutable; i have now seen two episodes of the second season of fate: a winx saga also on netflix which i found less delightful, even more inscrutable (since i hadn't seen the first season or the previous show, lmao) but extremely funny to watch alongside more deeply invested jammies; i have now seen the first three episodes of andor and found diego luna as charming as ever; i have now seen the prestige (2006) and it did lodge in my brain in the way only very rare movies do; i have now seen the newest three (?) episodes of star trek: lower decks and did think the most recent one with the recruiting booth and the rutherford memories plotline to be incredible star trek and some of the best lower deck stuff yet; i did make my housemates watch a double-feature of the princess diaries (2001) and the princess diaries 2: royal engagement (2004), which were extremely fun and also wild opportunities for early- oughts media criticism and an in-depth examination of the portrayal of hereditary monarchy (and on the heels of qe 2's death, no less);
See the full post
20 notes - Posted September 25, 2022
#3
In lieu of a commonplace book: summer nights
begun 9pm, monday, july 25, 2022 continued 11pm, monday, august 1
this post is like a week overdue, and has been tricky to write because i've had such high hopes for it. because this post? full of things that sparked joy. so i want to do them justice! finally finished a bunch of books, finally started listening to some new music which has been so good for my mood; it's felt like (last week and this weekend in particular) there's been novelty and enrichment in my enclosure. wrote my way into something i think i can now be happy with, at least; it's long, but it's true, and i can be grateful for the small victories.
reading i want to commemorate the fact that, somehow, i ended up finishing hilary mantel's the mirror and the light on the exact day, july 28, that it ends-- *spoilers* the anniversary of cromwell's death *spoilers*-- which given that i probably started reading it like 18 months ago at this point, feels absolutely fated. also if you're laughing at the fact that i felt the need to spoiler that, just know that i didn't know he died at the end. also, didn't know his involvement in the anne of cleves marriage! also didn't quite know political the kathryn howard marriage was-- but of course it must have been, had to have been. the last, oh, maybe 100 pages of this book, where it all starts to unravel, were the most engaging of the whole thing. i think the goal for the book, the intended tone, was this slowly mounting sense of melancholy, or of fatigue, of things falling apart, but it didn't translate to suspense or tension or uhhh pathos for me, except for maybe a few brief chunks in the last five pages that were then overwritten by how...tacky the last few lines were? i wish i could say that my feelings upon finishing this book were more than just, well thank goodness that's over. i think this one was a victim of its predecessors' success, in the sense that-- it took what i liked or what worked from the first two, and overdid it.
Tumblr media
in contrast, and what an interesting world it is that i ended up getting to read these two in conversation, my loan for victoria goddard's the hands of the emperor came in on july 18 and, despite being actually longer than mirror and the light i have already finished it, and in fact started it over again from the beginning immediately. it...stunned me a little to think about the broad similarities between these two, but think about it: two main characters who are, essentially, self-made men who worked in and through governmental policies to change the world on behalf of a monarch ruling with the force of state and church and tradition, whose succession is a Big Issue and whose temperament, for better or worse, makes all the difference. i wouldn't say that's necessarily what hote is actually *about*, but putting it out like that was a fun thought-experiment.
See the full post
22 notes - Posted August 2, 2022
#2
in lieu of a commonplace book has fans??
8 pm, july 11, 2022
wow y'all . in the last week i've been tagged in three (three? 3!!) other weekly roundup post from... loyal readers, what the fuck. friends!! first, i love that this series has been entertaining for literally anyone apart from its intended audience (i.e. future me). indescribable feeling. second, feeling flattered but dismayed by the folks who say they have never liked or commented on an ilcb post, but have apparently been reading them this whole time. wild. i had...no idea. you are all hereby empowered to engage, if you'd like (which i'd like!), and i'll do the same on yours! i love this for you guys. please revel in all the things you like and the delights that are you.
now, this post is delayed (again), because as much as i like to have them published on weekends, weekends are also where i tend to get the material i talk about. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ read on for some discussion of stranger things s4 episodes 1-5, and an extremely goofy medieval-renaissance video game. mild spoilers for the lloyd alexander novel the black cauldron.
reading i finished lloyd alexander's the black cauldron after having lingered on the last 3 pages for like....multiple weeks. (i thought there was more to go, but it turned out the last few pages were a preview of the last book.) i know a lot of people in welsh / celtic studies have nostalgia for these books but at the same time may or may not actually like them, because of the way they play with characters or lore from the Four Branches. personally i'm kind of into it? i didn't read them as a kid, so i don't have nostalgia per se-- i'm into the fact that i can recognize things, tone or theme as much as substance, and that i can imagine reading this aloud and enjoying the pronunciations and inspiring whatever children might be listening. also, the change from the first book to this one, and the changes made between this book and the movie, made me really enjoy this book. i liked adaon, and i was okay with the presence of ellidyr (he's very consistent with the spirit of efnysien, if not the reality, which could also be said about most of the book). i was...almost ecstatic about the way it wasn't gurgi, in the end, it just made so much more sense this way. this falls into the same category of reading YA fantasy i missed as a kid, initiated by the dianna wynne jones books and alison croggon's books of pellinor last year, and contrasts interestingly with the tamora pierce reread i've been doing.
Tumblr media
listening a weird mashup of the a short hike soundtrack and the reddit manwhore playlist , because work and focus has continued to be. weird and challenging. the video game 'energizing but also focus' music is usually helpful but i nearly dozed off at my desk yesterday. still, i like that i've discovered a new game ost (owlboy) which is a lot of fun. do i know anything about the game? no! i'll have to investigate it.
watching episodes 1-5 of stranger things season 4. i'm not...having as much fun with this season as i remember having with season 3? it's something about how spread out and disconnected the cast are (they split the party ☹️) and partly also, that... as the kids have grown up, the differences in acting skill level have become more obvious. i just...have so much more fun watching joe keery and sadie sink and millie bobbie brown do their things, than i do the rest of them? the fact that david harbour basically doesn't get to speak for these whole first five episodes (plus the fact that his whole story line is just not that interesting?) feels like such a waste. a lot of what they give joyce and robin to say also feel like a waste? murray is fun but like...he's light comic relief now. what happened. the first episode of this season felt like it had a coherent vision with the dnd / hellfire stuff, but it's diffused a lot at this point. though i do giggle like a maniac when they so earnestly name-drop vecna-- having listened to crit role campaign one, i go 'oh hey i know him!' every time. i guess the thing for me is, i've always come to this show for the way it imitates and references horror/80s thrillers/etc, for the loving callbacks, more than these things themselves. i don't want or need it to be like. actually these things. and the more it tries to be, the less fun i have?
See the full post
25 notes - Posted July 12, 2022
My #1 post of 2022
Tumblr media
My dash did a thing I thought amusing
175 notes - Posted November 1, 2022
Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →
7 notes · View notes
golbrocklovely · 1 year
Note
I was checking an oldish tag on here and saw some of your old asks about Stas where people told you everything she was doing, full transparency and you defended her like no other. Everything they spoke about came to light and we are now or have been seeing since Europe everything and more that people mentioned . So im curious (maybe you’ve said before but i didnt see it) what made you change your stance and open your eyes to her odd behavior especially towards Colby? The asks were pretty blunt and straight forward and you still found a way to curve every answer.
I checked the tag btw because i noticed today that not only did she promote Katrina on twitter, but made a tiktok to her song, told people shes her biggest fan, and has been liking a bunch of C4 edits and pics. I remembered seeing asks talking about her never supporting Kat only Colby so after seeing that i came back here to try and find what else those asks said and saw everything everyone has been saying is pretty legit.
i did say a while back why my feelings changed for stas, but i'll just state them again i guess lol
also holy shit this is long sorry about that lmao
so, originally, when ppl would come to me saying why they didn't like stas, to me it didn't feel like it was a legitimate reason. and i felt that way bc they would come on here, talk about her, but give no proof to their claims. just say that "oh i heard this" or "i think she did this" or "did you see she did this" and to me, none of it was enough proof to throw her off the island, so to speak. i mean, some anons talked about her liking edits as proof enough that she was shady or up to no good. ppl would use her likes on twitter as main example of "see! look how bad she is" and the tweet in question was either not there (bc she probs unliked it) when i would go looking for it or if it was about colby and her… it was harmless and not something like "colby and her should be together. they have something going on".
also, no offense to anyone that sent me asks in during that time period, but i don't exactly have the most faith in the fandom towards ppl outwardly hating on a girl bc she's close to colby. it's happen countless times. the amount of times i've been told that the reason a girl that colby's friends with or hooking up with or JUST STANDING NEAR is bad bc "she just gives me bad vibes"… let's just say, if i had a nickle, i'd be a rich woman. so when it started happening with her, i didn't think much of it. thought of it as jealousy or just over-protective fans.
but things started to change a bit, i would say, by summer. i think after one too many trips to vegas, my liking for her was dwindling. idk if she did something or what (bc at this point i don't remember), but the vibe changed around her and what she was doing. at least to me. not to mention, no matter what she did, it was drama. and that itself was exhausting.
then colby made that tiktok with her. and when he started deleting comments shipping the two of them together, that's when i knew oh, he really doesn't want to be shipped with her and i thought this was him actually laying down the law and finally putting his foot down to all the shipping that goes on between him and stas.
then europe happened. and i fucking KNEW this trip wasn't gonna end well. i felt it in my bones. or maybe i'm just really good at picking up patterns lol
what first started to gross me out, was finding out about her mom posting things. and look, i'm all for a supportive mother. and tbh idk if her mom ever responded to fans. but what concerned me was how much info she was sharing publicly. and then how many fans were searching for her mom, finding her page, and basically narrowing down where they were in brussels and all that. snc have been stalked before, have had their house broken into before, what they DO NOT NEED is someone with them basically giving their every location just bc those fans are subscribers.... or random ppl on her mom's facebook.
that's when i also noticed that her roommate was at least cognizant of fandom drama that had happened not too long ago bc she liked a tweet about it while it was happening. that turned me off quite a bit as well. and i know a lot of ppl bring up stas posting the video from colby's bedroom and honestly…. ngl that flew under my radar. it just didn't feel like anything to me at the time.
and then finally: tomorrowland. the amount of fans that upticked their talks of colby and stas when they were basically forced to hang out with one another the whole time bc kat and sam wanted their own time away (which is fine, don't get me wrong. but it just really didn't help the already existing issue of colby and stas being shipped) was super fucking annoying. i basically was getting upwards of 10 asks a day, and that's a light guesstimate, about the situation. and while i don't mind talking about something…. i don't want to talk about it that much.
then, the malishka thing happened. i literally ignored it on here bc i just couldn't talk about it. at first, i was angry at colby. like why would he post this this is so stupid. but as time has gone on, i've basically come to the lovely realization that stas is the one that posted it (also, according to some whispers i've heard she basically told her subs that she did. idk tho that's alleged). realistically, colby doesn't understand russian. he probably filmed her, showed her the video, and she typed that and posted it. she also had earlier post the pic on his story of her face zoomed in. at least, that's what i personally believe. and when asked what malishka meant, she probably lied or just didn't tell him bc he probably didn't rewatch his story.
bc something to note is that they had terrible wifi in tomorrowland. so he might not have even known about this whole thing until a day later or so.
and what made all of it worst was the fans' reaction on twitter. and the fact that a lot of the fans that came out and congratulated colby and stas for "finally being together" after "all this time of us knowing" were both ppl i followed and ppl my age……….. i basically was about done with the situation. and then of course she had to like a tweet about the malishka thing. and that solidified it for me.
and if THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, they came home from the trip and colby hung out with her one more time right before moving to vegas. he literally told us on xplrclub that he was gonna be THIRDWHEELING in vegas (aka laying it on AS THICK AS HE COULD that he was single), and that fucking night stas told her subs that she was going on a date. and wouldn't you believe it, but it was her and colby hanging out ! along with others, but no one saw them on her story. just her and colby.
after that, colby mentioned multiple times about being single, being young, and wanting to have fun while in vegas. and i think that's when the tides personally turned for stas. she had fun playing house with colby in europe, she had her fun of living the fantasy of what it would be like to be colby's gf, to be Y/N. but reality set in when they came home. i think the last night they hung out, i think she confessed how she felt, and he rejected her. and look, she has every right to be upset about being rejected. i get being rejected, especially by someone you feel you have a connection to, SUCKS ASS. i'm not denying that. however, you caused your own delusions. colby was literally hooking up with six flags girl multiple times this past year, LITERALLY BROUGHT HER TO A HANG OUT SESSION WITH THE CORE FOUR, …..and you think he was into you???? the same man that deleted comments about the two of you together????????? the same man that FOR YEARS has begged the fandom to stop shipping him with every girl he's friends with??????? that man… was into you?
i mean, he went on a (assumed) date with a girl in vegas and stas tweeted like four things that night about being hurt or whatever (idk at this point i don't remember all the details) and then on top of that deleted said tweets. maybe something happened between them. i doubt it wholeheartedly tho. i think she loved the fantasy of them being an item, but he wanted no parts of it.
bc that's the thing: colby loves to tease us sometimes. like with amber. he loves making the fans freak out. but when he does shit like that, he chose to be part of the game. this is the only time he asked not to be included…. and she did it anyway. i don't think he knew the extent of breadcrumbs she was leaving for fans to speculate. i think when he saw what happened with the malishka shit (bc again he probs didn't see it until a day or two later bc of wifi and just wanting to enjoy his vacation) i think stas left a soured taste in his mouth. and then she made it worst by telling fans that her and him were going on a date…. and that was enough for him to be done with her. that's why at kat's bday party he sat as far from her as possible and seemed to not want any parts of the party. and that's why she's talking about being rejected now. bc i personally think they are done being friends as of rn.
i mean… it would make sense too. bc the moment he was hurt by what stas did, who did he run back to after all this time? shea, the original stas lmao
and as for stas all of a sudden being up kat's ass, to be as bluntly honest as i can be, i do not fucking care. i've gotten a bunch of asks about it. i can't be more frank than literally telling yall i don't care. i'm tired of talking about stas. bc even tho i don't like her, and i do think she is a bit of a snake, not everything she does is newsworthy or needs to be talked about. she liked something that implied feelings for colby? who cares. she wrote a poem about him? who cares. she wants to leave comments about how much she loves kat? omg who cares. we all know at this point she wants attention.
STOP GIVING IT TO HER.
8 notes · View notes
randomnessfangirl · 2 months
Text
Mystery of the Multiverse | Chapter 7: Forever Winter
Tumblr media
Warnings: Angst, sad Kendall but what's new
A/N: Not gonna lie, this was a difficult one to write. I'm sorry 😭
Tagging: @aurorag98 🥰
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At a quarter to seven, a black SUV pulled into the Javits Center parking lot. One by one, the Roy siblings stepped out of the car. Kendall had been determined to be the first one to step foot in the venue itself and begin the search for his daughter. There would be no prize for doing so, other than besting his siblings at yet another manufactured competition and being able to make sure that Sophie was safe.
Kendall started to make his way through the sparse crowd. Surely there were less people than there would've been in the middle of the day. That should've made his search much easier. And yet, a quick scan of the parking lot revealed no white limo in sight.
"Where's Sophie? Is she still here?" Kendall asked frantically.
His siblings scrambled to keep up with him as he raced around without aim or purpose. As he'd feared, no flashes of the blue and red material that made up Sophie's costume could be seen anywhere in the vicinity.
"Slow down, Ken," Shiv advised. "Fucking think about this."
Roman looked ready to push his way through the crowd. "Did she drop you a pin?"
Kendall stopped his frantic pacing and looked down at his phone. No new texts or calls had come in since the last time he'd checked. Where was Sophie? And, for that matter, where was Jake? Where had they gone?
"No, but, uh, I'll call her."
He dialed her number, just to be safe. To his dismay, it went straight to voicemail. Kendall briefly looked up from his phone. Any further attempts at communication with Sophie would be useless if her phone was off.
"She's not picking up."
Kendall knew right then and there; he had to try something else. He had to think of another strategy, another way to make things right, and quickly.
"Is there anyone else you can call?" asked Shiv.
Kendall scrolled back through his phone as if it could tell him what he needed to know. And then it caught his eye. The answer was right there, hidden in his most recent calls. There was someone else he could contact.
"Uh, yeah. There is; yeah."
This time, he dialed Jake's number. It rang and rang before sending him to voicemail, just like Sophie's phone. Kendall hung up without bothering to leave a message.
Left with no other choice, he walked towards the convention center. It only took him a second to notice that Shiv and Roman had chosen to stay behind. He made the split-second decision that it would be better not to involve them, anyway.
With that thought in mind, Kendall lingered by the entrance. After a few minutes, just as he'd hoped, two of the security guards came up to him. If they recognized him at all, they didn't bother making any comments other than,
"Sir, the convention is closing in fifteen minutes."
Normally, these were some of the many people who Kendall wouldn't pay any attention to. In the past he would've just ignored them, and vice versa. Such was the life of the rich. But now there was a good chance that the security guards held a piece of information as valuable to Kendall as Waystar itself.
"Hey, uh, I'm looking for my daughter."
Kendall gave them a quick description of Sophie. While it was far from the most eloquent he'd ever been, he tried to communicate the urgency of the situation. To his dismay, it seemed that none of the security guards could give him a straight answer.
One of the guards shrugged. "I haven't seen her around."
"Maybe she went home," a second guard suggested.
Their judgment was enough to cut right to the bone. It crept underneath Kendall's skin until he was on the verge of screaming. He held himself back, though, repressing the powerful urge. The last thing he needed was for everyone present to see just how weak he really was.
"Yeah; maybe," Kendall gave in. Instinct told him that that wasn't the case. He didn't have the energy to stand around and argue, though. All he wanted was to see that Sophie was safe.
"Better luck next time," another security guard chimed in.
"Thank you; yeah."
When it was clear that nothing would come of his efforts, Kendall went back over to his siblings. He tried his best to look unaffected by the disappointing news, but wasn't sure if it worked at all.
"Oh fuck," said Roman, noticing his brother coming back without Sophie in tow. He gave a little wave as Kendall got closer. "What's happening?"
"Did they find her?" asked Shiv.
Kendall shook his head. "Fucking useless. All of them."
With a heavy heart, he stared off into the distance. All at once, he was bombarded with every insecurity he'd ever had. He'd learned to let the feelings come and go, passing through him like waves. But sometimes it got to be too much for him to handle.
Suddenly Roman was waving a hand in his face, distracting him.
"Earth to Ken. What's on your mind?"
If there had been a conversation going on between his siblings, Kendall hadn't been paying attention. One thought screamed out at him much louder than the others. Thanks to the game they'd played at dinner, Kendall felt that it was safe to be fully honest with his siblings.
"I just think that maybe...I'm still not a very good father."
Shiv gave him a pitying look. They'd been there before, when he'd confided in her about this particular insecurity of his in the middle of election night. But things were different now.
"You did what you could. It's okay."
Kendall could accept that for now, but in his mind there were echoes of the past that just wouldn't let up. He still felt like there was a high chance that the poison dripped through.
"I like the new you," said Roman in a blatant attempt to change the subject. "It's like you actually give a fuck."
"Oh, what; like I didn't give a fuck before?"
"No; you're...different," Shiv observed. "It's a good different."
Were his siblings lying to him again? Or were they being sincere this time? Kendall was too far gone, too distracted to care much. He was currently facing a much more pressing issue.
"I don't know, guys," he sighed. "Sophie's still out there somewhere. I could've fucking...I should've been there for her."
"Hey; don't be so hard on yourself," Shiv encouraged. "You're not a fucking superhero."
Another tumultuous thought crossed Kendall's mind. He'd been given so many chances to redeem himself as a father, and, looking back, it was clear that he'd failed each time. And beneath that was another layer of thinking that Kendall hadn't revisited in a long time. He felt that if he didn't give voice to the thoughts that plagued him now, he never would.
"But I can't find her now, and..." Kendall paused, waiting to say the truth on the tip of his tongue. "This feels like when I killed that kid."
This stopped Shiv and Roman in their tracks. It was one of those things they'd silently agreed to never talk about. Instead, they'd let the incident go, like it had never happened.
“The fuck?" Shiv exclaimed. "Ken, no. It's not like that."
Kendall shook his head. His siblings could never understand. They hadn't lived through what he had. He could still hear the waves lapping, feel his stomach drop as the car started to sink into the water. It was something that would haunt Kendall for the rest of his life.
"Yes it is. It is like that," he insisted.
"I thought that wasn't real?" Roman pointed out. "You 'false-memoried it'. Right?"
This struck a nerve. Like a light switch, Kendall could feel himself slipping back into his old, unhealthy mindset.
“Fuck you, man."
There was little emotion left in Kendall’s voice. He'd been doing his best to be open and honest, and it had all come to this. Shiv and Roman should've known that it was real all along. But they had no way of truly knowing what had happened that night, other than taking his word for it.
Shiv shook her head. “Boys, let’s not do this."
Clearly she hadn't taken the time to arrange this evening just to fight with her brothers. Kendall commended her for stepping in on his behalf.
"Okay, fine. Fuck!" Roman looked like he wanted to protest, but ultimately he'd given in.
All at once, Kendall had much bigger problems than fighting with his siblings. Instead, it was his own resurfacing issues that demanded his attention. He sniffled as the first few tears began to fall down his cheeks. Unable to hide them any longer, Kendall buried his face in his sleeve as if that could stop the inevitable from happening.
"Here come the waterworks," Roman observed.
This situation felt all too familiar to Kendall. It brought him back to the first year after losing control of Waystar. During that tumultuous time, he'd spent his days in a depressive fog, just going through the motions. He'd been aimless, directionless, with nowhere to go. Now he felt like he was right back where he'd started.
"Should we...?" Roman asked vaguely, cryptically.
"Okay." Shiv's reply was discreet.
They had only seen Kendall like this a few times before. The first time had been when Kendall had broken down and confessed what had happened to him during Shiv's wedding. And the last time had been after Logan died, when their whole world had been turned upside down. During those difficult times, the siblings had comforted each other, as best they could, doing it in the only way they knew how.
When he was done battling his tears, Kendall caught his breath. It was just like when he'd been in a downward depressive spiral, and an intervention had been necessary.
"You okay, Ken?" asked Shiv. Her voice was small and full of concern.
All Kendall could do was shake his head. Anything he would try to say next would inevitably end in a fresh wave of tears.
Meanwhile, his siblings shared a silent look. It felt like all those times when they'd banded together to try and fuck him over. Who knew? Maybe they were planning to do it again.
"We're just gonna..." Roman gestured off to the side. "Have ourselves a little chitchat."
Shiv and Roman whispered amongst each other for a few minutes. They threw glances in Kendall's direction from time to time. With nothing left to do, he pulled out his phone again. It was his attempt to seem disinterested in what his siblings were saying about him.
"Oh, hey guys," he said when they finished their conversation.
All of a sudden, Shiv and Roman flanked him. It was like they were afraid that he would run away, and they'd decided not to let him get away with it.
"Hey, Ken? We should probably talk."
The same black SUV that had dropped them off soon waited for them in the parking lot. Apparently Shiv had texted her driver to meet them during her talk with Roman.
Getting into the car brought memories back to the surface for Kendall. It was almost like the past five years had never happened. For once, he could at least pretend that things had ended differently. The only thing that hadn't changed was that this time, there was something lingering unspoken between him and his siblings.
"You said you wanted to talk? Okay, so let's talk."
Shiv and Roman shared another look. What exactly had they been planning to talk about? Kendall sensed that he was about to find out.
"Yeah. Look; we're kind of, maybe...concerned about you."
"Me? Why?"
Neither of his siblings answered the question, as if they expected him to be the one to say it out loud. So, that was it. They were back to their old tactics after all.
"We wanted to give you a chance to get some things off your chest," Roman added.
Already Kendall was lost. It was like they were speaking two completely different languages. This was the way it had almost always been for them.
"Is this another fucking intervention?" Kendall asked sharply. "Because I–"
"Dude. Just go with it."
So this was another intervention. This time Kendall was almost positive that he didn't need it. He wanted to protest, ask his siblings to leave the heavy feelings for him to unpack during therapy. The fact was that Kendall still had something that weighed heavily on his heart.
"Okay, fine; fine." He looked at Shiv and Roman, making sure they knew he was serious. "I just think that I..." He trailed off and tried again with a heavy sigh. "If I didn't have this job, this new opportunity, I...I don't think that I would be...here."
A heavy silence filled the car as it sped on through the city streets. From prior experience, Kendall knew that whatever was said in these private cars tended to stay there. He hoped that that would still be the case now.
"Whoa," said Roman. He recoiled as if he hadn't expected to hear such a deep, dark truth. "Lighten up, glum-glum."
It was something Kendall was ninety percent certain he'd heard from his brother before. Roman looked somber, befitting the moment. On her part, Shiv had a concerned frown on her face just like the one from earlier.
"Look; we're coming from a good place here, and–"
"We say things all the time and it's all bullshit, right?" Roman interjected. "It's nothing."
It was his version of an apology for earlier. And yet behind the casual delivery, there was an extended hand to his brother if he ever needed it. Kendall nodded in acceptance of the said and the unsaid.
"We...we're just trying to do something nice for you," Shiv continued, focusing her energy on Kendall. "We're in your corner."
She reached across the seat and patted Kendall's knee. It was all the comfort she could offer to him in the small space of the back seat.
"Because we don't like seeing you like this," Roman added.
The words were hard enough for him to admit, Kendall was sure. He just wanted his siblings to get straight to the point. No more games or beating around the bush. No more bullshit.
"What we're trying to say is...we just wanted to remind you that we love you."
Shiv's words were long and slow as if she wanted them to take the time and sink in.
Once again, Kendall had to make sure that what his siblings were saying was true. It had never been quite clear before and it still wasn't, even now.
"No bullshit?" There was the slightest glimmer of hope in his voice.
"No bullshit, yeah," Roman echoed. He rubbed Kendall's shoulder in a silent gesture of solidarity.
It felt exactly like the last intervention they'd tried to have, only this time it was a gentler approach. The urge to jump in the water and let it take him away wasn't as strong as it used to be for Kendall. He appreciated the effort his siblings went to to show him that, in their own way, they still cared. It made him feel a little better, as if this had been worth something after all.
"Thanks, guys. Back at you."
All the while, the busy New York streets passed them by. Kendall looked out the window, wishing that he could throw on his designer sunglasses. They were his defense mechanism in times of crisis just like this. In the city lights that shone through the car window, his eyes were dull and expressionless. The one consolation to Kendall was that, in the dark of night, his plight was hidden from the world.
"So...what now?" asked Roman.
Kendall found his whole body growing heavy. There was only one thing left for them to do.
"I just want to go home," he said, defeated.
At that moment, a notification came in on his phone. It was followed closely by another that Kendall didn't bother to read, in case it got his hopes up too high. His priority at the moment was that his wish was being granted as the SUV took him and his siblings home.
0 notes
jaywhoreman · 3 years
Text
Tumblr media
31 notes · View notes
scifigrl47 · 3 years
Text
Game Nights
(So AGDQ, the speedrunning charity marathon, started today, benefiting Doctors without Borders.  And I feel like writing about video games, so the Foodieverse team are going to have some fun times.  Enjoy!)
“I’m not sure if you’re aware, but we’re open for business today.  Vacation doesn’t start until tomorrow, Tony.”
“Yes, yes, I know, I’m good, I’m ready, I’ll be ready,” Tony said, his attention focused on keeping the stack of boxes in his arms from ending up on the floor.  “I’ve got time, and-”
“Behind, chef!”
Sue moved past him, a massive tray of bread held over her head, and Tony skittered out of her way, the bags slung over his elbows clattering against the edges of the workstations.  The boxes shifted, and he bit back a swear. “PARKER!”
“Coming, I’m-  I’m coming, Chef,” Peter said, scrambling his way out of the walk-in, his sneakers squeaking on the tile.  “What do you-”
“Catch,” Tony gritted out, as a box slipped off the top of the stack, bouncing off the edge of a prep station and tumbling towards the ground.  Peter got there an instant before it did, catching it one handed, a container of chopped onions held under his other arm like a football.
There was a beat of silence, then, someone started clapping.  Someone who clearly did not care about their continued employment.  Tony twisted around, glaring at the kitchen from around the edge of a box.  Bruce met his eyes without flinching, slapping his hands together with a palatable sarcasm.  “Rude,” Tony told him.
Bruce’s head tipped to the side.“Are you creating an obstruction in my kitchen?” he asked, reaching across his station.  He pulled a knife from the block with an almost soundless hiss of steel on wood.  “Is…  Is that what’s happening here?”
“It’s our kitchen, and-” Bruce’s smile took on a dangerous edge, his fingers rolling against the hilt of the knife, and Tony abandoned that line of discussion.  “And I was just getting out of the way, Parker, let’s go.”
Peter, for his part, was just staring down at the box in his hand, confusion all over his face.  “Did…  Did you buy a Playstation5?”
“No, Parker, I knocked over a Best Buy, because that’s the next logical step after working in food service, a life of crime,” Tony said, offloading a few more boxes into Peter’s arms.  “Yes, I bought a Playstation.  Of whatever numerical value that they had in stock.  And an XBox.  And everything else they had in the ‘video game’ section.”
“How the hell did you get a Playstation5?” Peter asked, and he sounded more confused than he usually did.
“I walked into a mall and I went to a person in a blue shirt and a yellow name tag and I said ‘give me one of every video game thing you have,’ and then I paid an astronomical amount of money on a credit card, how does one usually get a Playstation5?”
“You’re not kidding about the ‘one of everything’ thing,” Riri said, peering over Peter’s shoulder.  He held up the box, and she let out a low, slow whistle of disbelief.  “High end models all around.”  She looked at Tony, her eyebrows arched.  “Is this a midlife crisis or something?”
Tony gave her a look.  “What.”
She shrugged.  “Well, you’ve already got a sports car,” she pointed out.  The sous vide machine at her station started beeping, and she darted away, ducking around the end of the counter.  “Marcus, can you-”
Marcus leaned over from his own station, pushing the off button before returning silently to his own prep work.  Riri slid into place, her hands darting over the machine’s controls.  “Thanks,” she said.  “You already have a sports car, Chef, so you skipped that step.”
Tony turned in place, raising one knee to bounce the stack of boxes back ingo place.  “What do you mean, ‘mid-life crisis?’”
Riri peered at him over the top of the sous vide.  “I mean that sometimes guys do-”
“You’re middle aged, Tony,” Sue said, bustling back past him, rolling a rack of uncooked pastries towards the ovens.
“Excuse me?” Tony asked, and she gave him a speaking look.
“You’re old,” she said, the words as blunt as a cast iron skillet to the face.  While he gaped at her, struggling for something that could refute that, she continued, “Why are we taking up gaming at your highly advanced age?”
“First of all, I’m not old, and second of all, I hate you, you’re fired, and third of all, Hitomi has agreed to let DJ get a video game-” He bounced the boxes in his arms, ignoring the clatter of cardboard and plastic.  “Machine, and somehow it’s become my job to figure out what is appropriate to buy for him, because, as she pointed out, she doesn’t want to do it.”
Tony paused.  “Neither do I, but no one asks for my opinion.”
“Mostly because we’re going to get it whether we ask for it or not,” Bruce mused.  “You’re still in the middle of my kitchen, Tony.”
“It’s at least half my kitchen, you know,” Tony said.
Bruce nodded, his attention focused on stacks of herbs that needed to be diced.  “I know, I just don’t care.”
“Again, rude,” Tony said.  “C’mon, Parker, you can help me figure this stuff out.”
“What?” Peter asked, juggling the console box and the bin of diced onions.  “Why ask me?”
“Because you play video games,” Tony said, his voice flat.
Peter’s eyes darted to the side.  “No, I mean-” He cleared his throat. “Maybe when I was a kid, but who plays video games as an adult?  I mean, why would you think that I-”
“Because last week, you fell asleep in the locker room, and your fingers were going like this-” Riri said, holding her hands up in front of her, her thumbs bouncing like crazy.  “If we had a controller to give you, you probably could’ve cleared a few levels of Dark Souls in your sleep.”
“Maybe I was sleep texting,” Peter said. “The many, many beautiful girls that I’m dating.”
“Should we tell MJ about these many girls?” Sue asked, leaning over his shoulder.
“No,” Peter said.
“I mean, we can, I’m sure she’lll be glad to hear about Peter’s imaginary friends,” Riri said with a grin.  “You are a weird little nerd and you play video games, Peter.”
“Okay, so first of all, gaming is not just for weird little nerds,” Peter said.
“But you are a weird little nerd,” Tony told him.  
“So are you,” Bruce said, and Marcus choked on a laugh.  Tony gave him a wounded look, and Bruce pointed at Peter.  “So, from one weird little nerd to another-”
“I’m rich, that means I’m cool, even when I’m not cool, and besides, shut up,” Tony said, ignoring the way that Bruce was laughing to himself. 
“Okay, so maybe I know some things about video games, but-” Peter started, and Tony cut him off.
“Yes, which means, you’re the best bet I’ve got, so welcome to it being your problem,” Tony told him.  “I mean, I could ask Bruce-”
“I put a controller through the wall of my apartment more than a decade ago and neither it not my security deposit survived,” Bruce said, stabbing the buttons on his blender with a great deal of force.  It rocked on its base.  “But if you want me to-”
Tony nodded. “Right, so, not asking Bruce.”
“I mean, Clint streams,” Riri said, her arms folded on the edge of the prep station.  She tapped her fingers against the shining surface.  “A few times a week.”
“What does that mean?” Tony asked.  He tried to brace the boxes on the edge of the workstation, and when they slipped sideways, he cursed.  “Parker, could you-”
“Clint STREAMS?” Peter took another box from the stack, balancing it on top of the onions.  “What the hell does Clint stream?”
“He speedruns retro titles on Twitch,” Riri said, shaking her head, her attention focused on the readout of the sous vide.  “And he’s got a Discord?”
“He’s got a DISCORD?” Peter asked, his voice rising.  “For WHAT?”
“For his subscribers, it’s a Patreon perk.” Riri gave him a look as she reached for the knife block and a squash the size of her calf. “He sent out invites, check your damn email, Pete.”
“Most of those are words that I recognize, but none of them make any fucking sense in that particular order,” Tony told her.
“He was briefly the speedrun world record holder on BurgerTime,” she said, the knife slicing through the air in Tony’s general direction, before thunking smoothly through the flesh of the squash.  “Four minutes and fifty-two seconds. He’s got a pretty big subscriber base, I think mostly because they like watching how badly he can screw things up, and still somehow not, you know-” The knife flashed through the air.  “Die.”
“That does appear to be how he gets the majority of his gigs, yes,” Tony said.  He gave up and headed for his office.  “And I’m not asking Barton.”
“You do know I have children roughly DJ’s age, don’t you?” Sue asked from across the kitchen.  “Children who are very dedicated to their various devices?”
“Right,” Tony said, perking up.  “Can I use your children?”
She stared at him.  “I want you to replay that phrase in your head and see if anything seems off about the phrasing you’ve chosen, Tony.”
Tony thought about it.  “Can I have your children?”
“Right.” She turned back to the ovens.  “This might be your problem, Peter.”
Peter sighed.  “I kinda figured it would be.”
402 notes · View notes
hollyhomburg · 3 years
Text
Before I Leave You (Pt.2)
(Omegaverse au, Mafia au, Bts x Reader)
Tumblr media
*SNEAK PEAK*
Summary: On the worst days, Yoongi is judge, jury, and executioner. But he judges you and finds you worthy of protecting (and loving too). 
Tags: Dead bodies, blood, murder/crime themes, guilt, childhood trauma, drugs (cocaine, heroine), domestic abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, controlling behavior, implications of omega mistreatment/discrimination, anorexia, blood, graphic depictions of violence, manipulation, talking behind someone's back, morally gray Yoongi, 
W/c: 14.5k
A/N: Honestly this took me way too long to write and edit. I can’t tell if this is my favorite depiction i’ve ever written of falling in love or if I hate it. But yeah- i didn’t want to sit on it for much longer. This part takes place chronologically before the last part, and documents what happened while yoongi was away from the rest of his pack. 
Previous part — Masterlist
-----------------------
CHAPTER 2: THE DON
“She’s just an omega- you know how they are- they need a firm hand to keep them in their place.” Yoongi scoffs thinking of his omegas. Anyone who even dared to think that Seokjin and Jungkook did not wear the pants in their pack had another thing coming to them. 
He watches his older brother cut another line of cocaine. 
The amount of drugs in this Geumjae’s study cost enough to feed a small family for a year. But Yoongi knows better than to partake. He pretends to take a Bump and taps it off when Geumjae tips back a shot."Omegas aren't even fucking worth it if you ask me, brother, you're supposed to give half of yourself away, and for fucking what? A glorified bed warmer?"
Yoongi boils and stays silent, letting Geumjae get himself wasted on drugs and alcohol. He can't tell what distresses him more Geumjae has such little regard for life that he can't recognize that omegas are fucking people- or that he's so freely sharing this with him. 
He knows he’s toeing the line. More pushing might hurt you more, if he provoked aggression from his brother- it would no doubt come back to bite you. Yoongi can’t imagine wanting to hurt someone he loves or speaking with the same callousness that Geumjae speaks. “Don’t you love her?”
Geumjae laughs at Yoongi’s childish question “Oh little brother, don’t you know that love makes you stupid?”
His brother has it all wrong but Yoongi’s powerless to say it. Those threats from the funeral linger. And it's not only your life and Yoongi’s at stake here but the rest of his pack. He has to fool Geumjae into thinking he is on his side. 
“Work with me here- what will the other omegas in the pack think of you if they find out what kind of shit you pull? And they’ll take their concerns straight to their alphas and say you’re unfit to lead. You know I have to listen to the bulk of them regardless of what you want.”
If he can’t appeal to Geumjae’s humanity- he can appeal to Geumjae’s better interest and common sense. His image in the family is arguably the most important thing in geumjae’s mind, and Yoongi can tell by the way that Geumjae stiffens when he says the words that it’s stuck.
Geumjae might have been trained in torture, but Yoongi was trained in manipulation. And he take the bait- hook, line, and sinker. 
After that, he has the good sense to act softer with you in front of the rest of the family at the very least. But he fears he might have done more bad than good when he sees the way you stiffen and fail to meet his eyes more consistently as the days go on. You’re sensitive about eye contact, Yoongi gets it. you don’t have as much control over your facial expression as the rest of these robotic mobsters.  
Group dinners are routine, and while Yoongi could find an excuse to see you during the day, he’s also often pulled in 50 different directions by the expectations of his family.
He finds himself reading for dinner in a hurry most nights, eager or maybe a little panicked to check in with you. You never request his presence, you never text (though he made sure you have his number just in case), and the family dinners are tense between the two of you.
You maintain none of the easy friendship you’d started that day in the rain or that closeness. You avoid him like the plague at dinner, and It’s like that day in the rain never happened. 
Geumjae sticks to your side like glue too. A hand that probably looks protective to anyone else but looks possessive to Yoongi slung around your waist. Yoongi sees the harshness and pain in your body when Geumjae’s hand tightens digging into the swell of your hip. You’re soft in the way that most omegas are a little soft- and it’s as expected as it is distracting.
He manages to corner you during one of the dinners. you're not alone- and you can hear the grannies and omegas prattling to each other in the kitchen. the alphas are outside enjoying a cigar and investigating one of the new rolls royces that one of yoongi’s uncles recently purchased. 
The corset portion of your dress making your chest soft looking, plump and inviting if yoongi was the kind of man to get distracted by something like that. As it is- all he notices is how it’s making your chest heave. Breath uneven, he thinks he can hear the boning in the dress creek. It’s a designer thing, but it looks way too tight on you. he can tell how uncomfortable you are. 
“Are you okay?” he asks, though it's clear you’re not, you dont reply, looking down and away worried. Hand hovering over your stomach, “I won’t get mad whatever it is.”
You bite your lower lip. hand catching yourself on a side table before you teater over, dizzy. Yoongi grabs you before you fall. “He did my corset too tight, it’s hurting my ribs. I feel like im going to pass out.” Yoongi quickly looks around, but there is no one around in the part of the house right now, the garden is a backdrop, speckled with lights. you’re alone. 
Yoongi turns you around quickly, setting his champagne to the side and grabbing yours out of your hand. He undoes the top knot of the dress and you inhale gratefully as he tugs at the strings looser, fingers touching your bare skin. “Is that better?” he has to be quick. This isn’t exactly scandalous- but- its not quite proper. 
You inhale deep and grateful. “So much better, thank you.” you barely have a second to both straighten up, Yoongi's fingers pulling the bow back together. grabbing your champagne and sipping at it a careful distance away from Yoongi. looking for all intents and purposes like you’ve been swathed in uncomfortable silence the entire time they were gone. The picture of propriety as Geumjae and a few other alphas return in a puff of rich smoke. 
“Don’t mention it.” Yoongi says it softly so that only you can hear it.
More than once. Geumjae catches him staring at you during the dinner. you look so much more comfortable now that it’s been loosened. Your hand hovering in front of your dress to conceal your cleavage under the guise of fiddling with your necklace. During those moments, Geumjae rewards Yoongi’s wandering gaze with bold touches. A hand sliding from waist to hip and your sudden straightening in pain. 
Geumjae’s harsh fingers digging into a bad bruise on your hip. you’re so trained, you barely flinch when he does it. And still- Yoongi’s hands tighten in his slacks. Gritting his teeth and biting the inside of his cheek to stop himself from making a scene and reaching across the table to stop Geumjae from hurting you.
Many of the other members of the family notice Geumjae’s sudden dogmatic approach to your presence in his life. Confirming what Yoongi suspects. That he’d never given you too much attention at these family meals before Yoongi came with his wandering eyes. He should do better be better not to put you in harm's way.
Yoongi keeps his eyes firmly trained on his plate full of spiced soft-shelled crab as one of the grannies comments on how sweet the two of you seem. Yoongi wants to gag. “You know how new love is. I feel like we’ll be in the honeymoon phase forever. I want her all to myself so bad I think she’s worried I’ll chain her to my bed” he says- feigning drunkenness. You laugh too- trying to play it off but Yoongi can see your barely concealed fear.
Staying silent and letting your husband hurt you is the hardest thing that yoongi’s ever had to do. But there are many more battles, fights and skirmishes to win in this war. Yoongi has to be patient.
He’s a poised snake, ready to strike at the perfect moment.  
COMING WEDNESDAY APRIL 21 @ 6PM EST
249 notes · View notes
petertingle-yipyip · 3 years
Text
SIN MIEDO - BUCKY BARNES (THREE)
Tumblr media
EPISODE THREE : POWER BROKER
series tags: @calums-betch​​ // SM masterlist // another madripoor gif bc i loved those scenes
Pairing: Stark!Reader x Bucky Barnes (platonic/flirty)
Word Count: 9,209
Summary: Leaving John Walker in the dust, Y/N had to follow Barnes to a shifty contact. That leads them to Madripoor and an unexpected, and suspicious, ally. Juggling her grief, her control, her own doubts, the pressure of Walker on their tail, and a school girl crush, can she handle the fight?
The next day, the three of you found yourselves in Berlin. You weren’t surprised how easy it was to get through security. Flashing a smile and an ID with Stark on it opened pretty much any door. Surely it had nothing to do with Sam working with the Air Force again.
“Last time I was in Germany, we weren’t on the same side.” You commented nostalgically as you three followed the security guard. “How the tables have turned.”
“I’m gonna go in alone.” Barnes said as you all approached the last corridor.
“Not a chance.” You laughed as Sam said “Why?”
“You’re Avengers..” Barnes reasoned. “You know how he feels about that.”
“It’s not like you two were known for frolicking in the sun together.” Sam mocked.
“He was obsessed with HYDRA. We have a history. Trust me, I got it.” Barnes assured before turning to leave. When Sam didn’t stop him, you did.
Quickly you reached out and grabbed his wrist. You made no effort to pull him back and he didn’t exactly pull away from you. He looked back at you with a stern expression, that he wasn’t going to cave.
“You’re not going alone, Barnes.” You said seriously, tightening your grip on his wrist slightly.
“Y/N-“ He tried.
“No.” You cut in. “I don’t care. I can do this all day.” You offered with a slight smirk.
He chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment before caving. He nodded slightly, his expression betraying that he was slightly impressed. “Fine. Hurry up.” He said, nodding for you to follow.
“Yessir, Sergeant Barnes.” You chuckled as you followed behind Barnes. The comment earned you an eye roll and a scoff, but nothing was said.
“You sure you want to do this?” You checked as you two waited for security to let you in. “I can handle it on my own..”
“I can do it.” He nodded as you approached the cell.
“I’m sure you can.” You shrugged casually. “It was more about if you wanted to.”
You stayed a couple steps behind Barnes, using the shadows to stay mostly out of sight. You didn’t want to talk to Zemo, let alone be in the room. But part of you wanted to make sure that nothing happened. You didn’t know if you could stop Barnes if Zemo triggered the Winter Soldier, but you probably had the best shot.
You watched Barnes’ body language carefully. From your angle, you could see the look on his face. The tension of his shoulders. The hand you could see was in a tight fist. There was a certain fear in his eyes, in the way his jaw clenched. You could tell that a part of him, even if it was a small part, was scared that Zemo would send him back to the Winter Soldier.
Zemo tried the trigger words but earned no reaction from Barnes. You let out a breath of relief and saw Barnes’ shoulders relax as that tension left him. You didn’t doubt that Barnes had control, that his time in Wakanda was enough to rid his mind of HYDRA’s influence, but you also knew Zemo was crafty. You didn’t trust that he didn’t have a couple tricks up his sleeve. But then again… So did you.
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.” Zemo said, catching your attention. “It was never personal.”
“Seemed kinda personal.” You muttered to yourself. You were anxious, shifting your weight between your feet. You wondered what Sam was feeling back in the hallway but you couldn’t go back. The tension in your body was begging for a release, seemingly burning it’s way through your skin. There was a crackle of electricity between your fingers, a skill you hardly had a grip on. You only figured out how to use it in quick bursts or it would build itself up in moments of high tension.
“You brought a friend?” Zemo questioned, his eyes turning to you. You sunk deeper into the shadows.
“Someone recreated the super soldier serum.” Barnes said to redirect his attention. There was more control in his tone and it settled something anxious in the pit of your stomach. “I need to find out who.”
“You’re assuming HYDRA has something to do with this.” Zemo said simply, studying Barnes as he spoke. The expression Zemo held, the way he was looking at Barnes like an experiment, tempted you to reveal yourself. Something about it made your skin crawl, but you knew you had to refrain. You needed the info. “Which is why you came to me, which means you’re desperate…” A smug tone laced his voice and made you want to gag. “Lucky for you, and your friend in the shadows, I know where to begin.”
“And in exchange?” You finally spoke, stepping into the small sliver of light and taking your place beside Barnes. “What’s it going to take?”
His sly smile made you instantly regret the question.
Without explaining anything to Sam, you and Barnes led him to a series of tunnels underground. You opted to remain silent through the endeavor, knowing you wouldn’t be able to explain it right. While Sam pestered Barnes about the plan, you were busy finding the best route.
You kept one hand against the concrete wall, tapping your fingers to feel the vibrations. The tunnels were empty save for you three. They lead to a basement where you stopped for Barnes to walk Sam through a “hypothetical”.
“Please tell me this is an actual hypothetical.” Sam looked to you. In the meantime, you were toying with balls of air in your palm. You were balancing on them in a handstand.
“Yeah.” You lied. “It’s a hypothetical.”
Barnes continued to explain everything while you purposefully distracted yourself. You weren’t a huge fan of this plan, but Barnes had a point. Zemo offered a starting point. Walker had nothing. You guys had nothing. Though you’d never admit it, you needed Zemo.
“Speak of the devil.” You commented when you felt his footsteps approaching. You landed back on your feet as Zemo entered the room.
“You’re going back to prison.” Sam insisted.
“If I may-“ Zemo tried.
“No!” Sam and Barnes yelled simultaneously.
“Sorry.” You said with a shrug, bringing your forearms up and slamming them together. The movement called walls of earth to rise and trap Zemo in a thick rock casing. “It’s nothing personal.”
“When Steve refused to sign the Accords, you backed him.” Barnes countered.
“You broke the law and stuck your neck out for him.” You added.
“I distinctly remember you-“ Sam pointed to you. “-were on the other side.”
“My name’s not anywhere on that document.” You corrected. “I was a minor. Wouldn’t have been legally binding.”
“I’m asking you to do it again.” Barnes tried.
“I really think I’m invaluable-“ Zemo began again.
“Shut up!” You groaned, lifting the rock to meet his chin. “I will go all the way up.” You threatened before turning your attention back to the boys. “I’m with Barnes. I know it’s crazy but it’s the best shot we got. And we gotta move fast cause Walker is working on this too.”
“Okay.” Sam agreed finally. You dropped the rock prison and looked to the boys. “You don’t make a move without our permission.”
“Fair.” Zemo nodded.
“Otherwise, you deal with me.” You said simply. His eyebrows raised in interest, a slight challenge glinting in his eyes. You lifted your hand in front of your face, palm to the side. As you lowered your hand, you angled it so your fingertips pointed at Zemo. You saw his muscles tighten as he struggled but gave in to your control and went down to his knees.
“Dad once said the best weapon was the weapon you only had to fire once.” You said as if you were contemplating the words. “Let’s hope he was right.” You released Zemo before Sam spoke up.
“So where do we start?” He asked.
While Zemo was collecting his things from one of the cars, he explained where to start. He mentioned a woman named Selby as a starting point.
“This whole time you were rich?” Sam asked wildly as you approached a private jet.
“I’m a Baron, Sam.” Zemo answered in a matter of fact tone. “My family was royalty until you destroyed my country.”
“Eh.” You shrugged. “The Stark jet is nicer.”
You sat across from Barnes while Sam sat across from Zemo. You weren’t too interested in conversation. You didn’t know where you were going, nor did you really care. The sudden movement of Barnes made you snap to attention.
“If you touch that again, I’ll kill you.” Barnes threatened lowly with a hand at Zemo’s throat.
“At ease, soldier.” You reached over to tug on Barnes’ jacket. After a moment’s hesitation, he came and sat back down.
“I understand that list of names. People you’ve wronged as the Winter Soldier.” Zemo said with a solemn nod. He gestured between you and Barnes. “What I don’t understand is the relationship here. Are you two… involved?”
“Don’t push it.” Barnes muttered angrily as you simply rolled your eyes.
Sam talked about the book, that it used to be Steve’s. He bragged about how he suggested something for Steve to write in it. You remembered you had suggested some things for him to look into too, your favorite had been all the horror movies you got him to add.
Sam and Barnes then bickered about the Troubleman soundtrack, to which Zemo chimed in. You groaned slightly, throwing your head back and staring at the ceiling. The conversation quickly shifted to Steve and super soldiers, mildly peaking your interest.
“Cities fly. Innocent people die.” Zemo carried on.
“You forget who you’re talking to.” You laughed in disbelief.
“Pardon?”
“You’re talking about Sokovia… I was there. And my dad nearly died - yet again - trying to save the world… Trying to fix his mistake but no one cared about that part, right?.”
“Only nearly..” He agreed. “I think it’s fair to say the Avengers, none of you were really innocent.”
“And he actually did die to bring back half the universe so excuse me if I don’t share your bitterness.”
“It seems that you do, Y/N.” He analyzed, watching the response your eyes gave away.
“Shut it.” You rolled your eyes.
Conversation quickly shifted to Madripoor. Zemo and Barnes explained what it’s like, what it was. It sounded like a place out of a book, but given that your career was fighting A.I. powered robots and a giant genocidal purple lunatic, nothing was surprising anymore.
“James, you will have to become someone you claim is gone.” Zemo told Barnes.
A solemn expression came over Barnes. You couldn’t tell if it was regret, remorse, or something else. You leaned forward, resting elbows on your knees. You nodded to motion Barnes to come closer. He leaned forward in the same way.
“You sure you’re okay with this?” You asked quietly. “We can find another way, or we can do this witho-“
“I’m not sitting out.” He cut in. “I’ll be fine. Why do you keep trying to sideline me?”
“You won’t be alone.” You offered genuinely. “Sam and I got your back.”
Later that night, you walked the bridge that led to Madripoor. 
“So who am I supposed to be, exactly?” You asked after Zemo had explained Sam’s character for the night.
“Rosalinda Calvillo Del Santos.” He said, showing you a picture of the girl. “Heiress to a huge cartel ring out of Mexico City.”
“Woah, she’s hot.” You nodded, slightly impressed. “And this dress… Seems like it perfectly matches her style.”
You motioned to the dress you wore. It was a tight, short black silk dress with a 4 inch slit up the right side that showed off your body beautifully. The chest of the dress hung perfectly to keep you covered but still catch attention. The straps were silver jewels in a halter style while additional pieces of thin black silk stretched across your back in a criss cross pattern. 
“She's also a bit sadistic.” Zemo added nonchalantly. “But I’m sure you’ll play that just fine.”
“Fun.” You nodded.
“She kinda does look like you.” Sam commented as he leaned over to see the picture while he adjusted the cuffs of his jacket.
“She can’t be that hot then.” Bucky said sarcastically.
“Oh shut up.” You laughed as you pushed Barnes slightly. “You’re just used to girls in the 40’s and the whole modest look, huh?”
“Yeah yeah.” He rolled his eyes. “You ever gonna retire the old man jokes?”
“Maybe, but you have to admit how good I look.” You countered.
“Not a chance, little lady.” He smiled and shot a wink your way as he opened the car door for you.
“Well, Sergeant Barnes, what a gentleman.” You said sarcastically, holding a hand to your chest. “I’m so flattered.” You patted his chest as you sat down, scooting to sit in the middle.
The car ride was quick, although the motorcycles that surrounded your vehicle put you on edge a bit. The cold feeling of Barnes’ vibranium arm pressing against your own arm was the only thing that managed to keep you from burning through the car.
“The bracelet needs to come off.” Zemo pointed out on your walk to the bar.
“Excuse me?” You answered quickly, your opposite hand moving quickly to defend the metal cuff.
“Rosalinda only wears gold. She’s never been seen with anything else.”
“But this bracelet is-“
“Hideous” Zemo cut in.
“No! It’s from my dad, jackass!” You argued and stopped your steps.
“Here, let me have it.” Barnes held his hand out, to which you simply took a step away from him. “Y/N, come on.”
“No, I- I can’t take it off.”
Barnes sighed slightly before sliding two fingers under the collar of his shirt to pull a small chain out. He reached behind his neck to unclasp it before offering it to you. “Put your bracelet on here. Nothing’s going to happen to it.” Barnes explained.
“What are…” You asked softly as you reached for the chain. Your fingers grazed the small metal shapes dangling at the end, turning them so you could read the inscriptions. “James Buchanan Barnes..” You read silently. “These are your tags.. Barnes, I can’t ask you to-“
“You’re not asking. I’m offering.”
“Y/N..” Sam tried gently. “It won’t be that long, I promise.”
“Okay, fine.” You agreed reluctantly. You handed Barnes back his chain before reaching for your cuff. You put two fingers together above the metal cuff, focusing on separating it enough to slide your wrist out. Your eyes lingered on the band of lighter skin that was hidden by the cuff, proving to everyone around you that you never took it off. Once you freed your wrist, the cuff circled the fingers you used to open it. You glided it to hook over Barnes’ chain, connecting your fingers again to reconnect the metal. “Please don’t lose it.. It means everything to me.”
“Trust me.” He nodded as he reclasped his chain around his neck. He tucked the tags and your bracelet under his shirt and patted it lightly. You smiled gently in thanks before turning back to the door.
“Good. Now, escort her in.” Zemo instructed Bucky. Barnes held out an arm for you to take so you looped yours through his, making Zemo click his tongue at you. “Other side.”
“What difference does it make?” You asked in annoyance.
“The Del Santos family -especially Rosalinda- loves to show power.” He explained. “Having the Winter Soldier makes you powerful, but being on that side-“ He pointed to Barnes’ metal arm. “-shows it off… They also know how to barter for that power, if you know what I mean.” He gave you a pointed look and nodded towards Barnes, assuming you would understand what he meant. You hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but you understood.
“So treat him like a trophy?” You replied with a raised brow as you stepped around to switch sides. “Easy enough.”
“Oh god.” Barnes mumbled under his breath. “Don’t abuse this.”
“I think you’ll like being shown off a little.” You smirked slightly, keeping your head high as you followed Barnes’ lead into the building. “I’ll try not to go too far.”
Like flipping a switch, you fell into character once you stepped into the crowd and instantly made a statement.
“Listo para cumplir, Soldado de Invierno?” You said simply, keeping your head high and shoulders back as you followed Barnes through the crowd.
You heard the whispers, asking if that was really the Winter Soldier. You had to admit, it gave you a feeling of pride in your chest to see everyone look at you in awe. The respect in their eyes when they met yours was interesting. It was different from the respect you got as Y/N Stark. There was an underlying tone of fear in the looks as well.
Your small group stayed at the bar, Barnes kept his head on a swivel while you leaned your elbows on the bar top behind you. You lazily turned your head to check on Sam but saw the bartender slicing open a snake.
“Al menos no tengo que hacer nada que… asqueroso.” You said to Barnes before chuckling. He made a small sound of agreement, the tiniest hint of a smile toying with his features. “Vamos. Diviértete, soldado.”
“Mi misión es protegerte.” He replied in a flat, monotonous voice.
“Ay, díos.” You groaned, turning to face the bartender. “Señor? Bourbon, neat. Please.”
“Since when do you drink, Santos?” He nodded in amusement as he poured your drink.
“Well, it’s been a rough week.” You sighed, lifting the glass in thanks. “Put it on my friend’s tab.” You winked at Zemo before turning back to look at the busy crowd.
“You lot aren’t welcome here.” A bald man came up to Zemo.
“We have no business with the Power Broker.” Zemo started. “But if he insists…”
“He can come and talk to me.” You cut in, resting a hand on Barnes’ shoulder and sipping your drink. “Or bring Selby for a chat.” You shrugged.
“What do you know about the Power Broker?” Sam asked when the man was out of earshot.
“Here he is judge, jury, and executioner.” Zemo said quickly.
“We’ve got company.” You said into your drink. You set the cup down and cleared your throat. “Soldado de Invierno, hora de ir a trabajar.”
The man reached a hand for your shoulder but was instantly snatched by Barnes. You had to give it to him. He was a very convincing actor. It seemed easy for him to slip back into that person, to become the Winter Soldier. You knew it wasn’t really him, but the violent scene in front of you was hard to deny.
Sam saw it too. He looked to you in concern, hearing the same click of the guns that you did. You easily took the few steps to stand between him and Zemo.
“Don’t worry.” You said simply, maintaining the cocky smirk you wore as Barnes did his work. “He’s got this.. But that’s not what that look is about, is it?” You glanced at Sam and saw the expression on his face. It held concern for Barnes but also the flash of a memory when the Winter Soldier attacked you all after the UN bombing.
“You break character and this whole bar is against us.” You used your glass to cover your lips while you spoke. “I don't like this either but-
Before you finished your sentence, Barnes slammed a man on the bar top by his throat. You instantly slipped back into character to respond.
“Buen trabajo, querido soldado.” You giggled with a pat on his chest. He let the man go as the bartender told you Selby was ready. You swallowed the rest of your drink before putting the cup back on the bar.
“Vamos.” You nodded. Barnes held an arm out for you to take, which you quickly did. 
“You okay?” Sam asked Barnes quietly as you followed Zemo to Selby. A sharp nod was the only response Sam got.
You let Zemo talk to Selby since you had no idea who the woman was. You stayed towards the back of the room with Sam and Barnes, your arms still linked. The cold metal against your arm was the only thing that kept you from bursting into flames.
It was easy enough to be Rosalinda. Confident, powerful, demanding respect, beautiful and a little flirty. It mildly shocked you that you could play into her sadism. You didn’t know where you pulled that from. Maybe Nat taught you better than you thought. Outside of that, Rosalinda was close enough to a Stark that you didn’t feel like you were pretending too much. And lucky for you, you learned Spanish as a child. It was the people that knew her that worried you. One wrong mannerism, one wrong saying, and the whole thing was blown.
“What’s the offer?” Selby asked after an attempted flirt with Sam. You caught Zemo’s signal, a silent attempt to tell you it was your turn. 
“I suppose it’s more my offer.” You spoke up.
“I didn’t know Calvillos travelled this far.” Selby smiled mischievously. 
“Well I heard you like to play hard ball.” You said with a sly smile. “Del Santos can play too. My offer is him. The Winter Soldier, el soldado de invierno.” You offered confidently, walking a small circle around Barnes. “And the words to control him, of course.”
You traced your fingers along his shoulders, across his back and down his metal arm. You felt him tense under your touch, but his demeanor never faltered. “He will do anything you want.” You added, facing Barnes and gently running your hands down his arms. “I’m sorry.” You whispered honestly. Your expression reset to a playful pride as you spun to take your original place beside Barnes and watched for Selby’s reaction.
“This is a fun surprise. I’m glad I didn’t kill you all immediately.” She said happily.
“You have information I want.” You stepped in front of Barnes, blocking him from her line of sight. “You give me everything I need and I give you him.”
She bit her lower lip as she smiled. Her eyes looked Barnes up and down, and it made you want to gag.
“Hello? Are we going to do business or are you going to ogle him all night?” You asked in annoyance as you crossed your arms.
“A bit testy tonight.” She said with an entertained smirk and your pulse jumped. “You were right to come to me.” She said with a nod. “The serum is here, in Madripoor. You’re gonna want to talk to Dr. Wilfred Nagel. Power Broker had him work on it but it didn’t go as planned.”
“Is Nagel still here?”
“Crumbs for free but the bakery will cost you.” She wagged a finger at you. “And before you get cute, you can’t find Nagel with me.”
Before either you or Zemo could offer a rebuttal, Sam’s phone went off. You felt in your bones that it wasn’t going to work out well if he answered that call.
As Sam was on the phone, which Selby made him answer on speaker, she circled you and Barnes. You nodded towards Sam, allowing Barnes to take a few steps away from you.
Before you knew it, your cover was blown and the shot rang out. Selby was dead and the boys easily took down the other two guys in the room.
“This is going to come back to us.” You said as you stood on the other side of the room, as far from her body as you could be.
“Just drop the weapons and follow my lead.” Zemo said, trying to gain control of the situation.
Without other options, you all followed Zemo out and through the streets of Madripoor. Every turn you took, you felt more and more eyes upon you. Phones buzzed every second and you could only assume it was word spreading of Selby’s death.
“I don’t like this.” You muttered.
As soon as the words left your mouth, gun shots sounded. Barnes grabbed your hand and began running with you following close behind. You ducked the shots and grabbed Barnes’ hand a little tighter. You turned to see Sam struggling to keep up.
“I can’t run in these heels!” Sam yelled.
“Try running in stilettos and a mini skirt.” You replied in annoyance.
“You want to stop them?” Barnes tried.
“I can’t really focus right now.” You answered with an eye roll. You were going to stop and try lifting a rock wall behind you or creating a gust to push them back or even try to summon a quick lightning burst.
Shots came from a high window and took out the two men behind you before you tried to fight back. Zemo came out from behind a dumpster and made a stupid comment about a guardian angel.
“What a coward.” You sneered, Barnes holding you back when you made a move to slap the Baron.
“This is too perfect.” A familiar voice came from the shadows. You pulled away from Barnes and called a small flame to your palm. “Drop it, Zemo.”
“Sharon?” Barnes asked. 
“You cost me everything.” She ignored you guys. You didn’t let the fire go out. 
“Wait, Sharon.” Sam tried. “Someone recreated the super soldier serum. Zemo had a lead.”
“That explains why you guys are here and why Selby’s dead.”
“Why are you here?” You asked carefully.
“I stole Steve’s shield, remember?” She scoffed. “And I took the wings for your ass-“ She pointed her gun at Sam. “-so you could save his ass-“ Her gun pointed to Barnes. “-from his ass.” Her gun landed on Zemo. “I didn’t have the Avengers to back me up so I’m in Madripoor.”
Sam tried reasoning with Sharon but got nowhere.
“We need your help.” You tried and let the flame in your palm die out. “Please. We- We didn’t have any other options…”
With a heavy sigh, Sharon told you all to follow her. You were the first to follow her footsteps. After a second, the other three came behind you. You were questioning the timing of Sharon’s reveal, but overall you were grateful she showed up. Things weren’t looking great up until then.
“Seems like being on the run treated you better than it treated Sam.” You commented as you looked around at Sharon’s place. 
“If I was going to be a hustler, I was gonna live like one.” She said, a hint of pride in her tone.
The three boys then talked about the art, and whether it was real or fake. Sam didn’t believe them until a quick google search told him the truth. Sharon made you all change your clothes, pulling out a whole rack of clothes for the boys to look through and letting you sift through her closet.
You decided on a fitted maroon wrap-style dress. It was a soft material, fitting the curves of your body perfectly. The spaghetti straps criss-crossed behind your neck. You kept your same black heels and made your way back to the group and took a seat with Barnes on the couch.
Sam and Sharon talked a bit, ridiculing the idea of heroes. She called it hypocrisy, claiming that’s why Sam gave up the shield.
“Wow.” You teased as you sat. “You clean up nice, Barnes.”
He smiled slightly at you. “Hey, I didn’t know you spoke Spanish.” He said simply.
“Huh?” His statement took you by surprise. It wasn’t the response you expected. “Right. Yeah, I learned it when I was a kid. Dad tried to teach me French but Spanish was more natural cause my mom's side of the family.”
“You look good too, by the way.” He added and gave you a slight nudge. “Cause I know that’s what you wanted to hear.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Your face.” He said simply. “You give away a lot of emotions in your face.”
“I do not!” You insisted quietly with a chuckle, smacking his arm.
“Yes, you do.” He laughed with a nod.
“Wait a second…” You paused, crossing your legs and leaning towards him. “Were you just nice to me?” You teased with a wide smile.
“Don’t push it.” He chuckled.
“Hey... I’m sorry about using you as bait with Selby. I figured that’s what Zemo was hinting at… It didn’t seem like there was any room for me to say no.” You said honesty. The look in his eyes when you dangled him in front of Selby, you could tell it brought back so much of his trauma. That inability to say ‘no’. You truly had felt wrong for doing it. “I shouldn’t have-“
“Y/N.” Barnes said and put a hand on your leg. Your words were cut off instantly. “It’s alright.. It was for the mission.”
“That doesn’t make it right.” You said softly. “You’re not just an asset or a trophy. You’re my friend.”
“How is the new Cap, by the way?” Sharon asked, drawing your attention.
“Don’t even get me started.” Barnes shook his head.
You dropped your head back to look at her over the back of the couch. “He thought he could bail me out of jail and we’d be best friends.”
“He really thought you needed bail money? ” She laughed as she came around to sit with you two. “And you. You were Mr. America before you were his pet psychopath.” She told Barnes. “Cap’s best friend.”
“She’s kind of awful now.” Barnes said to you.
“She was always kinda awful.” You mumbled while Sam refocused everyone.
“You guys shouldn’t be involved in this.” She said, as if she was warning you. “For your own safety.”
“We got a name.” You added, not leaving any room for discussion. Something about the way Sharon talked to you led you to hold suspicions. “Wilfred Nagel.”
“Nagel works for the Power Broker.” She explained.
“I can get your name cleared, Sharon. But we need your help.” Sam tried.
“I don’t buy that.”
“They cleared the bionic staring machine and he killed almost everyone he met.”
“I heard that.” Barnes said, which drew a small laugh from you.
“I don’t trust charity.” Sharon countered.
“Let’s call it a deal then.” Sam offered.
“Fine.” She shook Sam’s hand. “Lay low. Enjoy the party. And stay out of trouble.”
“I do like a good party.” You smiled as you stood. You held a hand out to Barnes, who groaned before pushing himself up.
He held an arm out to you but before you took it, you turned to face him straight on. You casually adjusted his suit jacket before your hands moved across his chest. Your hands went to his neck while he watched your hands carefully. You slid both pointer fingers under the collar of his shirt and he tensed slightly. You pulled his chain out and held it with one hand and used the other to release your bracelet. You fit the metal cuff back to its rightful place on your wrist with a proud smile. 
“Didn’t give anything away that time, did I, James?” You said quietly, shooting him a quick wink.
“Shall we?” You asked happily, turning to face Zemo and Sam.
Even though you had a point in being in Madripoor and it definitely wasn’t a party, you were excited for the party. It would be nice to relax, not feel any guilt over your father. Any grief over Nat. Any anger at John Walker. And stress about being an Avenger. You could just be a twenty one year old kid and have fun for the first time in what felt like ever.
You lost the boys in the crowd rather quickly. But it wasn’t a heavy thought in your mind to stay with them. What seemed to bounce around in your brain were your interactions with Barnes through the day. You couldn’t quite figure out if you were flirting with him intentionally or just habitually.
You brushed it off temporarily as your personality. You were a Stark after all. And Starks tend to flirt with anyone… Right?
Regardless, you weaved through the crowd and let yourself enjoy the party for a moment. You enjoyed the music, letting your body sway and spin with the vibrations. It was hard for you to tell where anyone was through the vibrations of the floor with the vibrations from the speakers, but you told yourself that wasn’t your problem. Barnes and Sam would be fine for a little while. You weren’t sure how long you had been dancing when you heard the boy beside you.
“I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.” A boy said from your side.
Turning, you were met by a very beautiful boy. He was a bit taller than you, dark brown curly hair that fell messily across his forehead. You couldn’t tell the color of his eyes, only that they were looking at you with admiration. You couldn’t help but smile at him.
“I’m just passing through.” You answered vaguely. Given your previous escapades through Madripoor, you wanted to be as discreet as you could until you were able to leave.
“You come with anyone?”
“Just a few friends..”
“No boyfriend?”
“A boyfriend?” You repeated with a laugh. “I wouldn’t say that.”
“Girlfriend?” He tried.
“No.” You laughed slightly. “I’ve been out of the dating game for a few years, actually.” You snapped your fingers to show what you meant.
“You’re too pretty to be at a party alone.” He shamelessly flirted.
“Well I’m not alone.” You corrected. “This is actually a friend’s party.”
“Your friends with the Power Broker?”
Before you could voice a response, a hand found your arm. You quickly looked over and saw Barnes at your side, only his eyes weren’t on you. They were on the new guy.
“I thought you didn’t have a boyfriend?” The boy said nervously.
“Come on, Sarge.” You chuckled, noticing the staring and tense shoulders resembled jealousy. But for Barnes, distrust and suspicion was a more likely reaction. “It was nice to meet you.” You told the kid before pushing Barnes to move.
You couldn’t help but wonder… If the party was the Power Broker’s, but Sharon was hosting like it was her party.. Could Sharon be the Power Broker? Or closer involved than she led you to believe at least?
The next morning, you were all walking through an old shipping yard. Sharon was smart enough to grab you a more practical outfit, a skinny fit pair of black pants and a fitted light blue long sleeve and better shoes. You followed Sharon’s lead to crate. While she stayed for lookout, your group of four went in.
You knocked with one hand and felt the vibrations change at the end. You nodded towards the back of the container so Zemo went to take a look and exposed a secret door.
Sam and Barnes went in first, you behind them, and Zemo behind you. The guys tried to get you to take a gun but you adamantly refused, telling them you were a terrible shot and you had weapons of your own. Sam tried talking to Nagel, but he tried to run instead. Instantly, Nagel froze when he saw Barnes.
“You know who he is, right?” You chuckled, something intimidating dancing in your words. It was something you normally didn’t hear in your voice. You usually weren’t the intimidating type but things were different…You were different. “There’s Baron Zemo and me… Well, you’ll see.”
“How about a counter proposal?” Nagel tried. You ignored Sharon’s warnings in your ear. “Make me a better offer and I’ll talk.”
“Your life isn’t enough?” Your brows raised as you challenged him. You nodded slightly before raising your hand. Your fingers lazily pointed straight up as you grabbed hold of Nagel’s blood. “You don’t know what I’m capable of, do you?”
“Maybe she’s the intimidating one.” Zemo said, an odd respect in his voice.
You forced Nagel to his knees while Sam kept his gun pointed at him. “I can manipulate air too… I wonder if I could pull it from your lungs since you refuse to talk.”
“Okay, okay!” Nagel broke and told you the whole story after you released him. You were getting good at your new blood trick, and that mildly worried you but you had to push it to the back of your mind. Parts of his story included Siberia, an American who you could only assume was Isaiah Bradley, the Snap, and the Power Broker.
You caught the name Donya Madani, committing it to memory. If she was someone Karli wanted to help, she was someone that could lead you to her.
“Is there any serum in this lab?” Barnes asked. When Nagel didn’t answer, he pressed the gun to the man’s temple.
“No!” He said quickly. “But would she-“ He gestured to you. “-be incredible with it.”
“Thanks, but that’s a question I don’t need answered.” You crossed your arms and leaned against the wall behind you.
“The pure power you hold..” He continued and let out a devious chuckle. “You’re not at all curious?”
“I’m not the kind of person who deserves it.. Trust me. There’s probably as much blood on my hands as his.” You nodded to Barnes. “Just different motives.”
“Aren’t you tired of depending on them to help you? To save you?”
“I know my value. Anyone else’s opinion doesn’t really matter.”
The rest happened too fast to process in that moment. Sharon burst in. Zemo shot Nagel and that drew an interesting reaction from Sharon. And an explosion went off. Barnes had pulled you out of the way before you could get caught up in the blast. 
Your head spun mildly from the quick movement and your ears rang violently. You tried to shake it off but that seemed to only make it worse. You felt a warm stream down the side of your head and realized a loose piece of shrapnel had sliced your forehead.
“You alright?” Barnes asked, helping you to your feet. “Y/N? Are you alright?”
“Yeah.. Yeah, I’m fine.” You nodded, mildly disoriented. Looking around, you saw the smoke gathering in the room. You put a hand above your head, using it to keep the smoke at the top of the room.
“Ah shit.” He muttered, pushing the loose hair out of your face. “You’re bleeding.”
“I’m fine.” You pushed his hand away. “We gotta go. These chemicals are going to go off any second and I doubt I can save us from that.”
You got Sharon to her feet while Barnes got Sam. Sam asked about Zemo, but that was the least of your concerns. You four had to get out of there before you were trapped.
You tried using your powers to move the shipping containers or pull a piece of the wall apart but it was too heavy to do in such a hectic environment. There was too much going on for you to really focus. Once you were out, the boys started arguing about whose fault it was. 
“Not the time!” You shouted at them, your back against one of the fallen containers. “We’re blocked in and you three are out of bullets. So either I can try to handle this or we stay here and get caught. Either way, you need to zip it so one of us can come up with something.”
“Just use your pow-“ Barnes tried.
“I can’t do anything when you’re this loud!” You snapped. “Besides, the containers are too heavy. I’m not strong enough.”
You thought out loud to yourself. “I could try a concrete wall but I don’t know how long I can hold it if I’m worried about getting shot.” You chewed your lower lip in contemplation. “I’m too far to try the blood thing… They’re firing too many bullets for me to redirect back… What if I…”
It was so much easier when you had your dad to talk things out with. When you had someone smarter than you and could see a different angle, who could run the numbers and tell you your best chance, everything was so much easier.
“How are you going to handle it then?” Sharon challenged with an eye roll.
“You really don’t know a thing about me, do you?” You laughed in disbelief.
Before she could offer a rebuttal, there was another explosion. A smirk found its way to your face as you got an idea. You quickly hopped the barricade your group was stuck behind, despite the protests from Barnes and Sam. You slid under a hanging metal beam and popped up by the explosion. You shaped the flames away from you four and pushed it towards the people shooting at you. You used what was left as a wall to give you cover for you to get away.
“That’s how I’m going to handle it.” You said with your trademark Stark pride as you met back up with the group.
“You could've got yourself killed.” Sam reprimanded as you four had to duck into a separate container after a gunshot nicked your shoulder. Barnes launched a metal pole through one of the shooters’ shoulders like a javelin before shutting the door behind him.
“Okay.” You groaned, lighting a flame on two fingers. “That could've got me killed.” You ran the flame gingerly along the graze in an attempt to cauterize the wound and stop the bleeding.
“You’re an idiot.” Barnes grumbled.
“Who just saved your ass, huh?” You challenged as he opened the door when the shooting stopped.
“When are you gonna realize you’re not indestructible?”
“When are you gonna realize who you’re talking to?”
The heavy roar of an engine drew your attention and interrupted the sudden tension. The tension and attitude dissipated as soon as it came but you could tell it wasn’t going to be the last time that grievance was brought up.
“Supercharged.” Zemo said proudly as he pulled up in a sleek black car.
You let out a low whistle and nodded in approval. “She is a beaut.” You commented with an amused laugh. “Would it be wrong if I kept her after this?”
“You’re going back to jail.” Sam told him. “And you-“ He told you. “-aren’t keeping the car.”
“You’re no fun... Shut up and get in then.” You rolled your eyes. As Barnes climbed into the front seat, you went to the driver’s side - as if proving a point that you didn’t want to sit behind Barnes - and hopped over and into the backseat. “We still need him.”
Sam got in on the other side and after a quick conversation with Sharon, you were ready to go.
“You’re not gonna move your seat up, are you?” Sam asked.
“No.” Barnes said simply. You rolled your eyes at his childish antics. You leaned forward and tugged his sleeve to get his attention.
“Move your seat up.” You insisted.
“I’m not gonna move my seat.”
“Why not?”
“He didn’t move his seat for me so I’m not-“
“Solo tienes que mover el maldito asiento, Barnes.”
“No me voy a mover“
“Venga, muévete.”
“Por qué debería?“
“Cállate y mueve el maldito asiento. Hmm?” You patted his chest before leaning back. Barnes scoffed, but slid forward slightly.
“Okay…” Sam started, leaning closer to you to speak quietly. “What the hell was that?”
“I’m fluent in Spanish.” You shrugged as you leaned to the middle and spoke in the same hushed tone. “Dad taught me when I was eight-ish. I use it for fun or when I’m trying to prove a point, hence the conversation you just saw. Why?”
“Not that… That.” He gestured to you with one hand and to Barnes with the other. “You guys have been flirting since-“
“Nope.” You shook your head and sat back again. “I’m not talking about that.”
“But you were! Why else would he listen to you?”
“What are you guys talking about back there?” Barnes tried.
“It’s above your pay grade, Barnes.” You answered without thought. “Anyways, Sam.” You turned back to Sam. “I’m a Stark. If there was any flirting, it’s harmless. Starks flirt with everyone.” You shrugged innocently.
“Mhmm.” Sam said unconvinced. “If you guys end up together and-“
“If we end up together I’ll be just as shocked as you.” You laughed. “But it’s not gonna happen. I’m pretty sure he hates me, deep down. You saw how he snapped at me a few minutes ago.”
“So just right now and the other day before Walker showed up, right? That’s what you’re basing this on?” Sam asked, gesturing a small circle in reference to the current scenario. You pressed your lips together in a line while you nodded. “But didn’t he make sure you didn’t make it worse after you got arrested?”
“Sure but-“
“Before we ran into Sharon, he reached for you, right?”
“Okay but wait-“
“And he pulled you out of the way of that blast?”
“I see what you’re saying but-“
“And he only seems to get mad at you when you get yourself hurt!”
“It’s coincidental!” You reasoned quickly with your hands up in surrender. “If he’s gonna like anyone, I highly doubt it’s gonna be me. Wanna know why?”
“Enlighten me.” Sam laughed.
“Cause I push every button I can with him.” You explained. “I annoy him and I talk shit to him and I don’t listen to him. I purposefully see what I can get away with. I’m his annoying roommate/best friend.”
“Right… Because that gimmick never leads to anything…” He rolled his eyes in amusement. “Whatever you say, Mini Stark.” He chuckled.
On the flight back, Sam and Barnes sat opposite each other while they talked. You opted to lay on the ground between them after healing your shoulder and other small scrapes, wanting something flat to let your back relax. As soon as you laid down, you felt your spine pop and practically reposition itself.
Your mind wandered back to the same thoughts it kept coming back to, with the newest additions to your messy brain. Your dad, and if you were doing right by him. Steve, and if you lived up to his expectations. Nat, and how she’d be proud to see you utilizing the skills she taught you. The boy at the party, his unintentional implications of Sharon and the Power Broker. And Barnes… Sam’s suggestion that you were purposefully flirting with Barnes had made you rethink your last interactions with him.
There were comments slipped in here or there, sure. You had played a bit when you took your bracelet back, sure. But were you flirting? Did you.. Did you have a crush on Barnes? No, no it was all in good fun. You didn’t really know him. Why would you flirt with someone you didn’t know? Right?
“Maybe I should’ve destroyed it.” Sam said, which instantly caught your attention.
“That shield represents a lot of things to a lot of people, including me.” Barnes said quickly.
“Yeah, me too.” You agreed from the floor. “My grandfather made that shield… It holds a special place in my heart, kinda the only physical thing from Howard...”
“The world is upside down and needs a new Cap.” Barnes started.
“And it’s not gonna be Walker.” You added.
“Before you destroy it, I’m going to take it from him myself.” He finished.
“Count me in, Barnes.” You said, sitting up when Zemo came down the aisle. You moved to sit by the side of Barnes’ chair and looked up at him. “In it together?” You asked, holding up a fist.
“Together.” He smiled slightly as he gave you the fist bump you waited for.
“Thanks, by the way.” You added softly as Zemo muttered something. “For keeping this safe-“ You shook your wrist. “-and for getting me out the way of that blast. I could’ve died but you didn’t let me.”
“I told you I wouldn’t let you die, Y/N.” He nodded. “You trust me yet?”
“Hmm, getting there.” You pondered playfully. “You’re making good progress, but it depends on if you’re still mad at me.”
“Why would I be mad at you?” His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
“You yelled at me..” You realized how silly it was once you said it.
“You could've gotten hurt or even killed and I- I can’t have your blood on my hands too..”
“I know I’m not invincible…” You admitted heavily as you looked between Sam and Barnes. You knew Sam worried about you too, but he and Barnes had different ways of showing it. “I know I’m not Iron Man, but… But that’s the way I’ve always fought. It’s how I learned to fight. One time Steve told us ‘If you get hurt, hurt them back. And if you die, walk it off’.”
“Of course he did.” Barnes chuckled as Sam smiled fondly. 
“It’s what I've always followed. So yeah, I’m a little reckless but I can heal myself so I never worried… But I guess I can try to be more strategic if it would make you guys feel better.” You offered with a small smile.
It was nice to know you had people watching your back, two people by your side that would seemingly burn down the world if it took you. You felt safer than you had with anyone since your dad.
“Why do you call him Barnes?” Zemo asked suddenly. “I thought you were all friends.”
“Wait. Does it bother you?” You wondered honestly, looking to Barnes.
“No, just a little different.” He answered with a small shrug.
“Dad always called him Barnes. Not James, or even Bucky. Guess I picked it up from him. I never really thought about it, in all honesty.” You shrugged. 
“Yes, but that’s very business.” Zemo continued. “It’s so impersonal. If you two have a good relationship like you claim, or the type of relationship you two display… Shouldn’t you call him something more intimate?”
Using your powers, you plucked one of the ice cubes out of Zemo’s drink and flicked it towards his forehead. It smacked the center and left a wet square on his skin before plopping back in the cup. You smiled in amusement and looked to Barnes, who also enjoyed your little trick.
“Mind your business.” You chuckled, leaning your back against Barnes’ seat. You tilted your head back against the seat too, closing your eyes and letting out a sigh.
“Hey.” Barnes tapped a finger against your forehead. “Don’t sleep on the floor.”
“Stark?” Sam laughed from the other side of the aisle. “Get up, kid. There’s an open seat right here.”
“With the amount of times I’ve fallen asleep on the floor of my dad’s lab or in a desk chair leaning on a lab table or even on the lab table.” You laughed while you stayed in your spot. “This doesn’t bother me.”
“Get your ass up.” Barnes tried again.
“Too late!” You announced, dropping to the ground. “Good night.”
You woke up when you all landed. Even though you had napped on the floor, you didn’t wake feeling stiff or uncomfortable. You followed the boys out of the jet and through the Latvian streets.
It was a beautiful country, as many European countries were. Cobblestone streets that carried vibrations perfectly. Intricate stone buildings that were tall but not towering. Simple painted doors to break monotony.
“I don’t suppose any of you bothered visiting the memorial?” Zemo asked, referencing the memorial for Sokovia.
“I did..” You said softly, almost too quiet for anyone to hear.
“Did you?” Zemo was honestly surprised.
“After my dad’s funeral, when I moved out… There was a gap between leaving and moving in with Barnes. I didn’t know where else to go or who I was without Tony Stark. So I went to the memorial… It didn’t make anything clearer but it reminded me of a lot.”
“I’m sorry about your father.” Zemo said. You swore you heard sympathy playing in his voice. “He had his flaws but he was a good man.”
“Yeah, thanks, you and the rest of the world are sorry.” You said, somewhat bitterly. “He was the only permanent family I had. No one cared about me like he did.” You felt Sam and Barnes shoot you a look of confusion but you didn’t acknowledge it.
“What about the Avengers?”
“Yeah, they were great.” You shrugged slightly. “It just wasn’t quite the same. I was the most important thing to him, you know? Whenever I was feeling off, he was always there with something fun to distract me. Granted, that something fun was usually a new piece of tech he wanted to test, but it always worked to cheer me up. The world misses and mourns Iron Man, the CEO of Stark Industries and Earth’s best defender. No one other than me mourns my dad.” You explained as you noticed a change in Barnes’ demeanor.
“I’m gonna go for a walk.” He announced.
“You good?” Sam tried.
“Yeah. See you in a bit.” He nodded before taking off.
You lingered outside while Zemo went in. Sam turned in the doorway when he realized you hadn’t moved.
“Little Stark?” Sam asked. “You coming?”
“That was weird, wasn’t it?” You commented, pointing in the direction Barnes went. 
“Yeah but he’s weird.” Sam chuckled. “You know that…. Oh! I see what this is.”
“It’s not that.” You shook your head with an annoyed sigh.
“That’s exactly what it is.”
“Seriously? He’s our friend.”
“You don’t see me chasing after him.” Sam shrugged. “He’s a grown man, Y/N. If he wants to brood and take a walk, let him.”
“You didn’t see it.. Something caught his attention and made him leave.”
“Well I don’t just stare at him so no, I didn’t see anything.”
“Nat taught me to constantly watch my surroundings. To keep my head on a swivel… He saw something I didn’t, but I saw him see it. I just don’t know what exactly he saw.”
“Just come inside.” He sighed. “You can interrogate him when he comes back.”
“ Or I just go check on him… Cause I’m grown too and don’t have to listen to you.” You said carefully, hurrying after Barnes. You heard protests from Sam but none made you turn.
You made it to the alley where Barnes turned. You knelt at the corner, feeling the ground and knocking your knuckles against the stone. You closed your eyes to focus, picturing Barnes and an incoming familiar figure. With an amused smile, you turned the corner.
“Ayo.” You said happily. “I didn’t think I’d see you here.”
“You followed me.” Barnes said, moderately annoyed.
“You made it easy enough.” You muttered before turning to the Dora.
“What brings you to Latvia?” You asked, already knowing the answer.
“Y/N.” She greeted respectfully. “I’m here for Zemo.” 
74 notes · View notes
cuddlesslut · 3 years
Text
Part Seven: Regrets
Atsumu x fem reader, Suna x rem reader, Hinata x fem reader
A/N: guess who’s fridge went out and won’t be able to get a new one till the 15th 🙋🏻‍♀️😩. Sorry this chapter is shorter than usual it’s kind of a filler But next chapter should be pretty long. I know a couple of people were wonder what happened with him so here we are with the return of a character. I might set up a poll for who should YN end up with so look out for that. I’m going to start writing my next story soon it’s going to be another angst!
Warning: Angst that’s about it. Maybe a lil lewd language.
Part Six: Promises
Part Eight: Hope
Tumblr media
He laid in his empty bed staring up at his ceiling the only sound filtering through the room was the echo of the tv in the livingroom. He didn’t have the energy to go shut it off, plus he found comfort the noise it brought he found the silence unbearable. He sighed as he looked at the open space next to him. He never took much stock in how empty it felt without you next to him. The smell of your shampoo had long since vanished from the pillows. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine you were here next to him your head resting on his chest your hands interwoven talking about your plans for the day but while the memory played in his head clear as day his body had forgotten your warmth. It wasn’t too hard to picture , you had spent several morning just like that wrapped in each other’s embrace. He thinks to the mornings he’d walk out of his early showers to find you leaning against the kitchen counter drinking your morning coffee. He can still remember how you enjoyed your first cup of coffee to start your day. You liked your coffee sweet , but to were you could still taste the rich coffee flavor, always pairing it with an array of creamers. He remembers when you first started staying over at his place and he realized your affinity for flavored coffee he went out to the store and stocked up on as many flavors he could find in hopes you’d stay for more coffee before heading off to school. He loved that sight in the morning walking out and seeing you clad in just his shirt your hair a mess from last nights activities. But you weren’t here to have coffee in the morning, all of the creamers starting to expire, and he had no one to blame but himself.
Atsumu has spent the last seven month alone. There were a few nights he’d tried to pick up girls just to try and fill the gigantic hole left in his life by your absence but those all ended in disaster. One night he tried to have a careless hook up it didn’t get past the front door when he accidentally moaned your name when the random girl had cupped his manhood. She wasn’t very happy about that. He received a knee to the groin as she fleed the house. Another time he tried he was able to keep his mouth shut from making any mistakes after choosing a girl who was nothing like you but then he had another problem. He couldn’t get it up. You plagued his thoughts. You were the only woman his body wanted. It was quite embarrassing.
After Suna rocked his shit he finally started to snap out of his self pity. Why the hell was he crying? Because he was lonely? He can only imagine how lonely you felt every night he didn’t come home. He sighs running his hands down his face he really was a piece of shit he thinks. He didn’t treat you the way you deserved and he knows that. He knows he was selfish and inconsiderate. He knows he’s way to late but he regrets everything he did. Every single mistake eats away at him. None of it was worth it. Every flirt, every compliment that boosted his ego, the rush of excitement of being with someone else it was all worthless compared to being with you. He thinks back to everynight he stayed out late or he canceled dates, about the pain that hid behind your eyes. Now that his head wasn’t stuck up his ass he could finally see all of the misery he put you through. And he hated himself for it.
The setter wanted nothing more that to fix all of his mistakes, but he knew he was too late. Atsumu didn’t expect you to ever in a thousand years forgive him or even in a million years want him back, but he knows he can’t just do nothing. He’d spend the rest of his days trying to make amends. After Suna had pointed out how horrible he was for not looking for you he did everything to find you. He started by calling the University to see if you had been attending class but even with the title of fiancé , which he understood was false by not adding former to the title, they refused him any information to protect your privacy. He had long noticed the empty bank account but he wasn’t worried about that the money it was the least you deserved. Plus the fantasy of making you his wife and calling you YN Miya was nothing but a pipe dream now. So he’s sure the money would do you better. He tried to follow any money trail you left. He found the hotel that you must have run to that night. But even that was a bust leading to a dead end. He only knew one more course of action. He called your parents. They refused to answer his calls. Eventually he drove down to Hyogo by himself. The setter stood there on the front steps he’d stand on every morning when he’d walk you to school. It felt so familiar to knock on the cedar door, but everything felt so distant from his memories. Still he wasn’t quite sure what he expected, maybe for you to answer the door with a bright smile like you had all those years ago yet what he received was your mother standing there with a look of disgust present. He didn’t get a word in before she slammed the door in his face. He begged for her come back to please talk to him he just needed answers but he only received silence. He stayed there for close to an hour trying to get just a morsel of information. It was useless they refused to speak to him. That was his last idea he could come up with for finding you. Full of dread he made his way to his car ready to make the long drive home. The next day he received a phone call from his brother.
“Hey Samu what’s u-” the blonde started before his grey haired twin interrupted his greeting going straight to the point.
“She’s alive and fine,” Atsumus heart stuttered before he breathed a sigh of relief. He opened his mouth to ask his next question but Osamu cut him off yet again already knowing what his twin was going to ask.
“No we don’t know where she is. Kita-Senpai went to her parents and all they’d state was she was alive and out of harm, not that I’d tell you where she is if I knew,” Osamu’s tone was sharp. Atsumu knew he deserved that. His brother had made him well aware of his dissatisfaction in the blondes actions. He had to thank the his brother though, as upset he was with him he still looked out for him. Always checking up on him making sure he was eating and keeping up with his hygiene, throwing away all the liquor he could find because as disappointed he was with Atsumu he couldn’t let him tear himself apart.
“I know Samu, thank you for telling me.” He spoke softly before clicking the end call button.
He accepted that it was best he stayed out of your life. He wanted to make everything up to you and if staying out of your life was wanted then he’d respect your wishes. He spent the next months bettering himself. He cut all alcohol out of his life. Only going out when it was with his teammates although that was a rare occurrence they were also quite disappointed with how he had treated you, especially his wing spiker Sakusa. Omi-Omi had always had a soft spot for you. But still they didn’t let it affect their game play. He focused all of his energy on volleyball. He even started going to a few therapy sessions for his self distructive behaviors and impulses. He really wanted to do and be better if not for you then for himself. Although he still had trouble being home alone without you, never feeling quite whole. With out you this house would never truly be his home again. He was starting to get better and not drown in agony every morning he woke up alone although he knew he deserved it. One step that had made the process easier was boxing up the remainder of your belongings that you had left. For so long he had kept everything just as you left it hopeful for your return thinking maybe everything could go back to normal and life could be picked up where it was left off although this time he’d swear to never hurt you again. It was unrealistic to think that though. His therapist had told his several times it was a step he needed to take and while it took several months he was finally able to remove any trace from the house. That night he cried him self to sleep from the finality that came from not seeing a piece of you around as though you had never been there in the first place.
He regretted not cherishing you for the amazing woman you are. He’ll never forgive himself for losing the best thing to everything to happen to him. At Seven months since that night he was finally able to breath when he went home, not suffocating from regret every moment present in those walls. The Jackals were on a winning streak and even more exciting they had just got a new member. And after all these years he was able to hold up at least one promise he had made after breaking so many at least he could fulfill one promise by finally getting to set for Shoyo Hinata.
Tumblr media
Home Masterlist
Taglist is Open
Taglist: @animeboihoe @karlitabi-rrito @mutli-fandom-fanfic @comically-sleep-deprived @madmelle @momoinot @eggbutnotyolk @yunhosblackgf @6sakusa @diesinspanishbcimhispanic @a-fucking-simp @its-babybitch @sakusasonlywife @japanushiiiii @dekuspet @sredamancy @haikyuusimp91 @shoyosbitchh @far-off-dream @tsukkisfatsimp @nestlevanilla @simply-not-the-same @porcolie @uwubby-1 @ahopefulbouquetcollection @graykageyama @elianetsantana @allykat7599 @airybnb @wonhomarshmallow @minnieminnie00-got7 @weebtato
Bolded accounts couldn’t be tagged
340 notes · View notes
voiceless-terror · 3 years
Text
Something to Talk About (TMA Fic)
Written for @jontim-week Day One: Rumors/Protect, warnings in tags
Rating: T
Words: 3,049
Summary: Jon and Tim deal with workplace rumors.
He’s only at the institute for six months when the rumors start.
Tim understands them, to a degree. He knows he’s liberal with his smiles and quick to charm, naturally affectionate and thinks nothing of an arm around the shoulder or a nudge to the side. Winking comes as easily as breathing. So yeah, he’s aware of how he comes off. People make assumptions, particularly in his case, as he’s been known to swing either way. It’s shitty and stereotypical, but sad to say he’s used to it.
What he doesn’t like, however, is when it involves his friends.
Tim’s friendly with most everyone, but he’s fallen into a group. When he first started, Sasha was assigned to train him and Tim’s not blind. She’s gorgeous, rivaling him in height and an even deadlier smile. She’s smart as a whip, willing to trade (occasionally hurtful) barbs and unafraid to give the bluntest of criticisms. And she’s a little strange too- she can wax poetic on the most esoteric of subjects, and wields her keyboard like a lethal weapon. Tim doesn’t want to know what she’s dug up on him. Sasha James is exactly his type...and very much not interested, despite the one night they spent together. She made it clear it wouldn’t be going any further and though it took time to get over that, he’s lucky to now count her as a friend. 
And Sasha and Jon are a package deal.
They’re an odd pair- Sasha, tall and imposing, Jon, scrawny and anything but. Jon kept to himself, barely spoke a word to Tim apart from a curt introduction, but with Sasha he shared an easy rapport. The two could spend hours debating the finer points of research methods- and if Tim was shocked by Sasha’s blatant disregard for privacy, he was even more so by Jon’s disregard for the law. Tim could spend hours listening to them snark back and forth, not getting a word in edgewise. At first glance he assumed they were dating, but when he tentatively broached the subject with Sasha, he got an almost mocking laugh. “Romance? Not my thing. And it’s very much Jon’s. We would not work out.”  
At first, Jon doesn’t seem interested in anything but work. He nods briskly at Tim as he sits across from him at his desk, occasionally answers a question or includes him on his tea run, but that’s about the extent of it. He stumbles through small talk, showing none of the easy grace and elegance of discussions with Sasha. After a few weeks, though, he opens up a bit more, allowing that deadpan humor to slip into conversations. He smiles (it’s crooked, a tiny thing but so endearing) and he lets out an occasional snort of laughter. He’s an encyclopedia of supernatural knowledge, able to practically recite his favorite passages and always eager to seek out new information. There’s nothing he enjoys more than thoroughly researching and debunking a case, and Tim can respect that. If he’s got a question on an article or a scholar, Jon’s the first one he approaches. He never asks questions, never pries. Tim appreciates that.
The two of them can make Tim genuinely laugh. Something he hasn’t done in the longest time.
They’re seen together more often than not. They’re a trio: if one’s on a case, it means the other two are as well. They’re a great team. So it’s natural that people would start to talk, make assumptions. The rumor mill is out of control; as it turns out, scholars need more than spooks to get them through the day. It starts with a few offhand comments about him and Sasha, ones that Sasha’s quick to shut down, even if there’s some truth to them. She’s never been afraid to speak her mind or come off as rude. It’s a trait Tim finds very admirable. 
But then it turns to him and Jon. 
He’s heard the snickers in the breakroom when they come in together, the arm around Jon’s shoulder mistaken for something beyond platonic familiarity. It’s not that he wouldn’t date Jon- he sees beyond Tim’s veneer, appreciates his intelligence as much as his wit, and isn’t bad looking himself. He’d consider asking him out if Jon weren’t so clearly uninterested in that sort of thing. People must mistake his blushes and stammer for a crush instead of his naturally shy and flustered demeanor. He puts up a good front for the others, scowling and snapping at most who cross his path, but he’s definitely a softie, Tim feels it in the way he leans into his side like a plant starved of sunlight. Jon needs someone in his corner that sees him too. 
So when Tim hears the mocking words in the break room, he loses it.
“Another notch on the bedpost, eh Stoker?” Marcus, the irritant from accounting with a perpetual sneer and permanently wrinkled shirt, says from his seat at the room’s sole table. “Didn’t think Sims was one to put out, but-”
“Shut the fuck up,” Tim snarls, almost dropping his mug as he whirled around and stalked over to him. He’s almost surprised at the venom in the words, but the man took it a step too far. He knows those comments would be incredibly uncomfortable for Jon. And to be honest, he’s a bit pissed on his own behalf- can he not have a friend without someone assuming they’re sleeping together? 
Marcus immediately scoots back the two inches he can in his chair, attempting to hide his fear with a snide smile. It doesn’t work. “Whoa, calm down- didn’t think this was such a touchy subject for the likes of you-” 
“The fucks that supposed to mean?” He takes a step forward, reveling in Marcus’s flinch. Not such a tough guy now, eh? Tim’s not going to hurt him, no matter how much he wants to. But it’s an old wound reopened- he doesn’t need this reputation, and he doesn’t want Jon to go down with him.
“I-I-”
“I hope to god you haven’t said that around him,” he snarls, jabbing a finger in Marcus’s chest. “And you’re going to stop it with this shit before it gets round to him. We aren’t dating, we aren’t fucking. Me and Jon? Not a thing, never have been, never will be. Do you understand me?” Marcus stutters, swallowing nervously. Tim takes a step closer, leans as close as he can and narrows his eyes. “I said-”
“Yes, yes! Christ, I get it!” He puts his hands up in a placating gesture, as if trying to calm a wild animal. He’s scared. Good. “I’ll shut it, alright? Just- back the fuck up.”
Tim stares for a moment, relishing in the man’s fear, before giving Marcus a cheery grin. “Well! As long as we’re understood. See ya around!”
He turns on his heel and walks out, attempting to calm his racing pulse. Tim’s not one for confrontation, he prefers calm discussion over impulsive anger.
Sometimes, however, it gets the job done.
________
And now Jon’s avoiding him.
Well, not really. He still sits at the same desk, gives him his usual morning greeting and answers any work-related questions. But he doesn’t join in on any of their conversations, he dodges any attempt at familiarity that he used to lean into. He skips their lunches with the excuse of being too busy, and barely smiles in Tim’s direction. He didn’t realize how much he relied on that affection until it stopped. It stings.
Maybe someone said something to him, maybe the rumor got around? He’s going to kill Marcus if that’s the case, but when confronted, the man insists he shut up, and Tim’s inclined to believe him, if the ‘I’m going to shit my pants’ look he gave him was any cue. He wants to ask Jon about it, but that could make him more uncomfortable than he already is. If Jon needs space, Tim’s going to give it to him. No matter how much it hurts.
So he goes along with it, starts talking to him less and less, stamps down the urge to crack a joke or throw an arm around his shoulder. Doesn’t ask him to after work drinks. 
That doesn’t stop him from checking in on Jon every so often, leaving a protein bar on the days he works past lunch, bringing him coffee before he gets in and saying it’s from Sasha. They’re at a strange impasse, but Tim’s starting to accept the new routine.
Sasha isn’t.
“Can you two just talk?” She asks one day over shitty sandwiches in the canteen. “I can’t stand this tense atmosphere you’ve got going. What happened?”
Tim sighs, pushes away his plate and runs a hand through his hair. “There were all those rumors going about, remember? I told Marcus to fuck off, but I think Jon caught wind of something, and I don’t want to make him uncomfortable-”
“Are you serious?” Sasha interrupts with a groan and a roll of her eyes. “Make him uncomfortable? Tim, I’ve never seen him happier than when he’s around you. He’s relaxed, he smiles. You don’t know how rare that is. We’ve known each other for two years, and he’s around you for six months and suddenly he can talk about something other than work.”
Tim tries to ignore the flutter in his stomach at the words. He couldn’t have made that much of a difference, Jon would do that with anyone, given the chance to open up. It’s not Tim’s doing. “Well, he’s the one avoiding me! I’m trying to give him space, really-”
“Space? Communicate!” Sasha slaps her hand down on the table with every syllable, startling the few others in the room. “You’re grown men, not children.”
“Communicate?” Tim snorts. “That’s rich, coming from the ice queen herself. You didn’t talk to me for a week after I made fun of that stupid show you love-”
“Time Team was an excellent programme, and I won’t be hearing any more slander.” She stood up, her chair squeaking back with the force of it, and picked up her tray to glare down at him. God, was she good at that. “Either talk to Jon, or I’ll go back to the silent treatment. And I’m great at it.”
Sasha follows through with her threat. She doesn’t talk to him for the rest of the day, studiously ignoring his questions and jokes, at one point propping a book up like a shield. It’s childish. And very effective. 
Looks like he’s going to have to talk to Jon.
______
“Did I do something wrong?” 
Jon jumps at the words, almost dropping the book in his hands. Tim’s managed to corner him in one of the more secluded areas of the library that Jon’s taken a recent liking to. Wonder why, Tim thinks with not a small amount of sarcasm.
Jon takes a step back, blinking innocently. “What?”
“You’ve been avoiding me these past couple of weeks.” Tim leans against a bookshelf, trying to seem nonchalant despite his clear nerves. He doesn’t want to seem threatening or accusatory, and Jon could very easily bolt.  “You never come to lunch, or talk with me and Sash. I just want to know if something’s wrong.”
Jon dodges his gaze as he hugs the book to his chest like a shield. “I-I don’t know what you mean.” Tim heaves a sigh; he’s going to have to be more blunt. Jon clearly wants to avoid the conversation, but he’s always responded better to clear phrasing and direct questions.
“Look, I don’t know what rumors you’ve been hearing,” Tim runs a hand through his hair nervously, carefully choosing his words. “But if I’m doing anything that makes you uncomfortable-”
“Me?” Jon lets out an incredulous laugh that gives Tim pause. “No- I - I thought I was making you uncomfortable.”
Tim stares. This was not a possibility he prepared for when practicing in front of the mirror. How could Jon think that? Was it something he said? Did? Now he’s running through their interactions, trying to pinpoint a time where he might have seemed cold or distant.
“B-Being clingy, I don’t know.” If Jon hugs that book any harder, it’s liable to break. “Getting too close, getting the wrong idea. I know you don’t like me in that way, and I didn’t want you to have to deal with those rumors. That’s not fair.”
“What?” Clingy? Now that’s a word he never thought he would hear applied to Jon.
“I heard you. W-With Marcus. In the break room.” Jon bit his lip, a habit Tim always chided him on. He controls the urge to do it now. “You seemed so mad. And I didn’t want to be the cause of any more rumors for you, so I thought it best to...well, avoid you.”
Tim squints at him in confusion. Jon thinks he’s protecting Tim. The thought is both amusing and heartwarming, and he doesn’t know what to do with it. “I mean- yes, I was mad about that, but I...I didn’t want you to have to hear that. I know how uncomfortable that shit makes you, and Marcus is an ass- he won’t let up until you put him in his place. Besides, I don’t care about that dick and whatever he thinks. I care about you.”
“O-Oh,” Jon mumbles, looking to the ground and shuffling his feet. He opens and closes his mouth a few times, as if trying to find the courage to voice his thoughts. When he finally speaks, his voice is barely audible. “It’s j-just...you made it sound so awful.”
Tim’s face softens. “Made what sound awful?”
“...Dating me.” Oh.
“Oh, Jon.” The mumbled words tug at his heartstrings. he really didn’t think Jon cared about all of that, but the man does have feelings. Tim could see how the words would hurt, and the vehemence he said them with probably didn’t help. He takes a tentative step forward, like he’s approaching a spooked animal, but Jon accepts the hand reaches for his shoulder, still not meeting his eyes. “That’s not what I meant. Anyone would be lucky to have you-”
“But not you.” 
Tim freezes and Jon shuts his eyes tightly, as if waiting for a blow that won’t ever come. He shrugs off Tim’s hand and starts to back away. “I’m sorry, forget I said anything-”
“Hang on,” Tim starts, gazing at the trembling man in front of him as a thought suddenly occurs. He doesn’t- he couldn’t- “What was that?”
“I-I-”
Tim takes a step closer. Jon doesn’t move. “Do you- did you like me?”
“Yes! No! I-I don’t know!” He reaches up to run a hand through his hair, wincing as it gets stuck in his messy bun. Tim would’ve laughed if he weren’t also spiraling. “But you clearly don’t like me, and that’s fine-”
“Why didn’t you say something?” Jon liked him. And Tim- Tim could’ve done something about it. “We could’ve-”
“I did!” Jon cries out, waving his book emphatically. “I asked you out and you said no! Months ago.”
Tim pauses. Huh? He runs back through as many conversations as he can remember, trying to think of any occasion where Jon might have asked him out, and comes up blank. Tim’s not that oblivious. “Okay, you’re going to have to help me out here. When exactly did this happen?”
“Back in December,” Jon says, as if talking to a child. “I told you about that new bookstore that opened near my flat.”
“..Okay.” He vaguely remembers Jon enthusing about this, but not very clearly. 
“They have a cat there, too.” Ah, now he remembers. Jon’s face always lights up when he talks about felines, and he’s seen more than a few pictures of a fat tabby on his phone. It’s adorable.
“I’m following.”
“And how they had a fairly comprehensive history section.” Another beat. Jon’s looking at Tim like he’s supposed to be getting the picture. He is not. “And the café next door. That sold the chai lattes you like.”
“I do like a latte.”
“And then you said, and I quote! “Sounds like your scene.” and turned back to your desk.” Jon crosses his arms, triumphantly. Apparently, he’s proven a point. Tim does not see this, and he’s pretty sure Jonathan Sims is the most infuriating man he’s ever met in his life. 
“Jon, there wasn’t a single question in that statement. You just monologued about a bookstore-”
“The question was implied!”
“Oh my god-” 
“And you turned around, and it seemed like you weren’t interested and I-I didn’t think I could handle if you said that to my face so I just- I dropped it, okay? It’s fine.” At this Jon loses all momentum, hunching his shoulders as if trying to disappear. He most certainly doesn’t look fine. 
And Tim’s going to change that.
“All this time,” he begins dramatically. Jon deserves a bit of theater. “All this time, we could’ve been going to bookstores, and having lattes, and-”
Jon’s head shoots up, his eyes going comically wide. “What?”
“What I’m trying to say,” Tim puts a hand on his hip, gives him the Stoker Smirk. Jon gulps. “Is the offer still on the table? Bookstore cat and all?” He watches as Jon gapes at him, suddenly fumbling with his book, as if suppressing a little stim of the hands.
“R-Really?”
“Course. Unlike some of us, I can ask a man a question.” Jon blushes even as he scowls. Tim’s looking forward to seeing more of that. “Whaddya say?”
“I-I’d like that.” He watches as Jon tucks a strand of hair behind his ear, suddenly demure. He hazards a glance up at Tim and lets out a little laugh. “I’m a bit of an idiot, aren’t I?”
“No more than I am,” Tim replies, throwing an arm around his shoulder and remembering just how right it feels to have Jon nestled against his side. He missed that. “Now, what’s the cat's name?”
“Spoons!” Jon perks up, his smile widening. “I think you’ll really like him.”
The rumor mill is gonna have a field day with this one. And for once, Tim doesn’t mind.
ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30061116
165 notes · View notes
djmarinizelablog · 3 years
Text
Ultimate Bonding Experience
Summary:
Hange and Moblit follow Levi and Petra on a date. It's a disaster.
Tags:
one-shot, fluff and humor, nonbinary Hange, they/them pronouns for Hange, officemates, best friends forever, friends to lovers, jealous Hange
Notes:
This is for the Levihan Filo Week Day 4 Prompt, Tourist Destinations, featuring Greenbelt, Makati (Yes, the audacity of me.)
"You're going out on a date with Petra?” Hange stood up too quickly, knocking down the pen holder on their office desk in process. “As in… Petra Rall? From the Marketing Department? As in, sweet-as-candy, honey-bunny, gorgeous glam girl Petra?”
Levi swiveled his computer chair to face his best friend. "She asked me out."
"Hmm. And you didn't say no?" Hange was absentmindedly tapping the end of the pencil against their lower lip.
He gave a half-shrug. "Wanted to try something new for a change."
This was really new. Hange was incredulous. Levi never went on dates. Levi went on food trips and grocery shopping and karaoke nights (mainly due to Hange’s persistent nagging), but he never agreed to a date. There were always other people around whenever they hung out. The two of them had been best friends since college, and now as colleagues, Hange could tell from the numerous awkward and sort-of romantic encounters with Levi that Petra wasn't exactly his type.
"Is this a joke? Is this for a dare?" Hange kept prodding. They would bombard him with questions nonstop until he gave in. “Did you hit your head somewhere? Are you dying?”
"No, I just told you, Four-Eyes, I wanted to try something new.” Levi returned to his work and continued typing on his computer. “She said she already has planned something for tomorrow."
"This isn't you, Levi. You don't like itineraries," Hange said, sitting down to compose themself, gripping the pencil in their hand and holding it too tightly against the notepad.
"Maybe it's about time I do."
“So you’re choosing her over me?” Hange was already upset. Their hand was already shaking at this point, the tip of their pencil threatening to break. Levi would usually hang out with them to binge-watch a show or series on Saturdays over pizza and cheap beer, which reminded her, “What about our UBE?”
“Our—what?” He looked over his shoulder, confused.
Hange gave him a hopeful smile, hand still resting on the paper. “Our Ultimate Bonding... Experience?”
Levi glued his eyes to his computer screen once more. “You can Netflix and chill on your own for one night.”
The pencil snapped in half.
It was only 6 pm and Hange had already downed half a bucket of beers this Friday evening. Tomorrow morning, Levi would meet up with Petra somewhere for their date, maybe have lunch, a movie, some hand-holding and kissing, and then the two would possibly end it up with a bang. Something was really boiling deep inside Hange as these imagined scenes flashed through their mind.
And Erwin had to bear with them for tonight.
"I just don't understand, 'Win," Hange started, "Why would he do this? Why would he trade our pizza night for a girl he can't even relate to?"
Erwin was Hange and Levi's colleague in the same department before he got promoted to an executive position in corporate. Times like this, he would lend an ear to his friends' complaints and act as some sort of a part-time counselor, part-time therapist, and full-time drinking buddy.
Hange should be thankful Erwin had never charged them for these sessions before, but now with all of their whining, he was probably regretting that he gave them for free.
"Last I checked, you guys are just best buddies," Erwin commented. "Have you ever told him how much he means to you?"
Hange pouted.
"I'll take that as a no," Erwin said.
Their friend had a point.
"I can imagine it already, " Hange mused, eyes already watery, "I can imagine him walking down the aisle with pretty-face Petra and making babies with her, while I end up becoming that unknown relative who sends them presents for Christmas every year."
"Ah, I can imagine all the regrets you'll be having for the rest of your life."
Hange grabbed a fistful of hair in both hands. "What do I do now? I want Levi to be happy, I really do. I want to see him be happy, even if it's not with me. But why am I getting all riled up about this?"
"Then follow him," Erwin simply said as he wiped the beer of his mouth with his sleeve. "Follow him to the ends of the earth. Maybe you'll see for yourself."
Erwin had meant it as a figurative speech. When he said follow, he meant Hange supporting Levi all the way through. He never meant Hange stalking their best friend on his date.
Obviously, Hange had gotten it all wrong, because now they just blinked once, twice, a grin forming on their face. As if an epiphany had appeared before them. "Hmm. You're right."
Follow him.
This could be the greatest thing that Erwin Smith had ever come up with. Brilliant idea. Superb, even. One-of-a-kind strategy by none other than the genius Erwin Smith—oh, yes, yes, yes.
Erwin was still finishing up his beer when Hange tackled him into a hug out of gratitude, their smile wider than before. "You really are the best of the best, you know that?" They told him. This could work, Hange thought.
The plan was to follow Levi, literally.
"Boss, why did you pay me a hundred bucks to follow them?"
Hange was wringing their hands together. "We’re doing this together, Moblit! I wanna see how Levi acts around this girl."
"That's it?" Poor Moblit couldn't believe what he's hearing.
"I just wanna make sure he's making a good impression!"
They’re both sitting in a cafe right across Levi’s apartment. He and Hange were dressed up in plain clothes with matching sunglasses and baseball caps. Moblit had no choice; Hange was going to strangle his neck if he declined.
Moblit rested his head against his palm. "Aren't you jealous?"
"Pffft, me? Jealous?" The sour look on Hange's face was enough to tell Moblit that they weren't fooling anybody. It was just Levi’s attitude towards the entire ordeal that was tearing Hange apart. “I’m sure I’m not being rude.”
Moblit scratched his head and sighed. Hange as a boss could be really demanding at times, but the two of them were also friends in real life, which is why he agreed to this. "I thought Petra was head over heels for Oluo?"
"I thought so, too."
"He's dense, though," Moblit said. "Maybe this was just a ruse to get Oluo to confess?"
But Hange was already distracted by the sight of Levi coming out of the building.
"Ooh, he's leaving." Hange pointed towards the familiar figure. They then put their shades on as part of their undercover mission. "Let's go."
The two of them hid behind the fast food mascot of the big fat stupid ugly bee. Levi really knew how to dress up, Hange had noticed. He was wearing a plain button-up with dark pants, his hair neatly trimmed and his face cleanly shaven. He never dressed up like this whenever they hung out. It hurt Hange to see him this handsome. Levi then headed straight for the nearest station and waited for the next train to arrive. Hange and Moblit then took the same train but stayed on the other rail cart, catching a glimpse of Levi every now and then to make sure that he hadn't alighted by then.
“What would you do if they do end up together, Boss?” Moblit had to ask.
“I'd sign my life away as a single person for the rest of my years. Be an old cat person, maybe.”
The skyscrapers of Makati were passing them by, huge billboards left and right of commercial ads and government campaigns looming over them. If they looked far enough, they could see shanties and informal settlers nested in small alleys here and there. Hange had been seeing this for the past few years of their lives; Metro Manila could be daunting, but they wished they could spend away from the noisiness and busyness of the capital.
“He's getting out at Ayala Station, Boss!" Moblit pointed out. "They’re probably meeting somewhere in Greenbelt.”
“Ah, fancy-schmancy. Who could have known?”
Makati was the place only for the very rich, or for the very poor. There was no in between. Nobody dared to bat an eyelash at the rickety houses behind the skyscrapers. The shopping district and the high-end restaurants where affluent people would gather: celebrities, business executives, expatriates, anyone who could call themselves rich, rich, rich. Hange was none of those. Levi wasn't either, but he could easily pass off as one if he wanted to.
When they got off at the station, Hange and Moblit crouched behind the dumpster, craning their necks enough to get a glimpse of Levi coming up to Petra who stood waiting in front of the fountain.
“Ah, I’m so glad you’re here,” Petra said, her smile warm and happy as Levi walked alongside her. “Shall we?”
Petra was effortlessly gorgeous. She had her hair clipped into place, her slender figure matching the nice summer dress that she wore. She had also put on some light makeup, but even without it, Hange could tell that Petra would still be as breathtaking.
There really wasn't anything that Hange could hate about Petra Rall. Petra was attractive and alluring, sweet and shy, probably the ultimate dream girl of every person in their office. Hange would date Petra if she were even into them, provided the two of them had a spark.
But Hange's attention was all for Levi. Always had been. Always will be.
"Shall we, Boss?" Moblit interrupted Hange's train of thought.
"Right."
Tonight they felt that they had to accept the possibility of Levi ending up with someone else. Regardless of how this would end, Hange had decided they'd be there for him.
They didn't really blend in with this fancy-schmancy place. This was one of the most expensive fashion malls in the area; the price tags made broke people cry, and the restaurants were considered artisan for their taste. People were dressed up in crisp polos and cocktail dresses, the faint smell of perfume wafting here and there. The gardens had a beautiful landscape, stoned paths paving the way, and the lights were carefully draped on the trees around them, glowing like stars. It was a romantic setup for lovers.
Petra was pointing out all the different sights around the area, holding onto Levi's arm. Levi remained stiff all throughout their date, not even shedding a single ounce of emotion when Petra popped a joke. It ended up being a lousy one, though, since Levi didn't even scoff. Hange felt smug after that; their own jokes were terrible as well, but at least Levi would call them out for that.
"I think it's going well, don't you, Boss?" Hange's assistant teased.
“Oh, yeah, perfect, I can see how compatible they are.” Hange was being sarcastic.
Petra had chosen a place called People's Palace. It had a five-star rating on the internet, and even the cheapest item on the menu could break a whole in someone's wallet. There was no way they could eat there. Levi didn't even protest, though. He must have been saving up for this all along. Thankfully, the restaurant's walls were a solid transparent glass, and Hange could see the two of them from afar without having to go in.
Petra was saying something in a hushed tone when Levi came over to her side. He then put a hand on her face, tenderly brushing her cheek, as if he were about to go in for a kiss.
The moment Levi held Petra that close, Hange had to stifle their gasp which ended up like a strangled cry.
The sound made Levi look over his shoulder. Moblit had to cup his hand over Hange's mouth to shush them up, pulling them down behind the huge pots of plants.
"You alright?" Petra asked him, craning her neck towards the source of the sound as well. "What was that?"
Levi clicked his tongue. "Probably some lost bird. Well, more like a dying one."
The two went back to their meals and didn't bother to check if they were being followed. Moblit then let go of Hange and sighed in relief. They were safe, for now.
Everyone in the restaurant looked classy and elegant, soft lights all over the room. After Levi had paid for the meal (he didn't look too happy when he saw the check), he and Petra stood up and exited through the other door on the farthest end. Hange had forgotten about that. The People's Palace had an entryway connecting to the indoor gardens. They would have to enter the premise in order to follow Levi and Petra.
Without any further thought, Hange immediately stood up to barge into the restaurant, urging their assistant to follow. "They're probably confessing to each other in the gardens!" Hange was already right through the entrance. "Moblit, hurry up, I need to—"
"Boss, watch out!"
The warning came in too late. Hange had already knocked down a drink from the waiter's tray right behind them, the liquid spilling all onto the customer sitting nearest to where they were. The huge beefy man was furious, the steam already coming out of his reddened ears.
"Why, you, son-of-a-gun—"
Hange held up both hands in front of their face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!"
"Do you even belong here, you prick?" The stranger grabbed the front of Hange's oversized shirt. There were gasps from other customers, and one of the servers left to call the manager.
"Please, don't!"
The man started shaking Hange. "Filthy, pathetic, piece of—"
Somebody grabbed his wrist before he could even do anything else. "Let go."
It was Levi.
"And who the fuck are you?"
He was small, but his presence was intimidating, firm. "My friend already apologized. Isn't that enough?"
The stranger released his hold of Hange and held out the stained fabric. "Fucking pay for this shirt, asshole!"
Hange was mouthing 'sorry, sorry, sorry,' to him, their eyes filled with apology. Levi didn't bat an eyelash. Instead, he quickly took out twenty bucks from his wallet and shoved it into the huge man's hand. He then grabbed his friend by the elbow. "Hange, come on."
"Hey, this isn't enough, shortstack," the stranger grumbled, crumpling the bill. He gestured once more to his stained shirt. "Do you know how much I bought this for?"
"You could buy a similar one from one of the thrift stores downtown for less than half the price. I doubt anybody would notice." He tugged at Hange again and headed for the exit.
"What did you say, you little—"
They were out of the restaurant before the man could even finish. The manager had kept the customer in his seat, trying to console him with a discounted coupon.
Outside was a breath of fresh air, the coolness of it enough to clear their minds.
“You alright?”
Hange was still trembling. Their lips quivered, too. They had never been roughly-held like that before. Levi calmed them down by rubbing their back, urging them to take slow, steady breaths.
"Levi?" Petra called after the two of them. "Are we still heading to the movie?"
Hange had feared this all along. They didn't want to ruin his date with Petra; they merely wanted to see Levi, and now they had done it. Hange held their own face in both hands. Levi saw it and knew what he had to do.
“I’m sorry, Petra, but we should probably call it off at this point.”
"Should we re-sched?"
Levi paused before responding. "I had a good time tonight, Petra. But I think... once is enough.
“Oh. Okay.” Petra stood still for a moment, disappointed. They expected her to cause a scene, to thrash at him or at Hange, and then complain about her evening. But to Petra's credit, she merely broke into a smile and said, "Thanks for giving me a chance, Levi. I had a good time, too. You guys enjoy the rest of the night."
The huge beefy man suddenly burst out of the glass door, the restaurant manager no longer able to hold him back. "You fucking punks, I'm going to call the police—"
Hange hid behind Levi out of instinct, which didn't make any sense, considering that he was a couple inches shorter than them. "What now?" Their hand was still in his.
"Go ahead, Petra's safe with me," Moblit assured them. "I'll text you guys once we get home safely."
Levi nodded and took off with Hange.
They ran past the gardens, past the expensive shops, past the fountains and the bright lights. Everything seemed like a blur. Hange's senses had overloaded their brain at this point, especially since Levi's hand was still holding on to theirs. It was warm. They never expected any of these to happen. Levi would look over his shoulder once in a while to see if Hange could still keep up. They ran as fast as their legs could carry them, and with every tug of their hand, Hange felt like they were living in a dream. The two of them had already reached the station, heavily panting as they clutched their chest.
"So much for trailing me all this time, Four-Eyes," Levi heaved. He knew.
Hange was beyond apologetic. "I'm sorry, okay! I just wanted to see how you'd act around someone while on a date."
Levi made another scoffing sound. For a minute, Hange thought he was mad. But the intensity in his eyes was full of longing, like somehow, he did want Hange to follow him. And then Levi sighed. "Erwin told me you might be spying; my suspicions were confirmed when I saw you hiding behind the plants."
“Oh.” Hange had nothing else to say. “Well, then, I, uhm, I should probably head home. Sorry for ruining your date."
They were about to leave when Levi held their hand once again, stopping Hange in their tracks. "Where do you want to go?" he asked.
"Huh?"
"You already ruined my date, so you might as well hang out with me for the rest of the night."
Hange couldn't believe what they were hearing. It was almost too good to be true. But the reality dawned upon them; they were still in Makati, and they couldn’t really afford any of these places. "Uh… well, I don't really have any money, and I'm not really sure I want to dine here…"
"It's fine,” Levi said. “I know a place to go."
-------
Part 2 coming up soon!
107 notes · View notes
lunaserenade · 3 years
Text
Clandestine
Tumblr media
gif by @pajamasecrets
Masterlist
Author’s Note: As always thanks to @violentcosmicsymphony and @briefgalaxycat for beta reading and being wonderful humans.
Tumblr media
Part Three of the Meet Me at Sunrise series
Previous Chapter: Return to Me
Next Chapter: Safeguard
Pairing: Marcus Pike x FBI Agent!Reader
Words: 1.3k
Warnings: None
Summary: Returning undercover, You and Marcus attend a charity gala to get an introduction to the forger.
You sat between Agents Regina Price and Maddox Collins on a slightly too small brown couch in Marcus' office as he briefed the three of you. You had received a call from a woman named Alexandria who you had met undercover inviting you and your 'husband' to a formal charity art auction. Recent intel suggested that the forger the four of you had been hunting would be attending and you were pushing for an introduction. Christian Laurent was a clever man, a talented forger who posed as a private seller targeting rich art connoisseurs. He sold his forgeries at extravagant prices to the unsuspecting victims. If you and Marcus could secure a meeting and 'buy' one of his paintings, you could finally arrest him.
“The two of us will leave for New York tonight. Price, Collins, you'll head up in two days. Hopefully, we'll have the buy set up by then. You'll provide support outside the buy.” Marcus paused, rubbing his beard. “Everyone please be vigilant. Laurent and his crew are dangerous. Unless anyone has questions that's all I've got for us.”
“I got the keys to the apartment I used back from White Collar Crimes. It's not too far from the gallery that's holding the gala. I just need to stop by my apartment to grab my stuff on our way out of town and I'm set.” you said as Price and Collins muttered their goodbyes and headed back to their desks, leaning back on the couch giving a small stretch. You couldn't help but give a sly smile as you watched Marcus look around, checking the coast was clear.
“I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to seeing you dressed up tomorrow night.” Marcus said softly, his cheeks reddening slightly much to your amusement.
“Well, I do aim to please,” you replied with an impish grin. “I also grabbed these... I had to guess on the size.” In your hand you held out a pair of platinum bands, simple but sleek. Not that he would have said it, but Marcus had been eagerly anticipating this, the idea of being your husband, if only for the evening, made his heart soar. He took the larger band from your hand and slipped it on his finger.
“Til death do us part.” Marcus said with a chuckle.
“Let's hope it doesn't come to that, my darling husband.” you replied with a laugh slipping the remaining ring on your finger.
----------
The next evening you found yourself back in the gorgeous studio apartment you had called home for six weeks in Manhattan. Standing in the bathroom you adjusted the gown you had chosen for the evening, a long-sleeved blue number with a keyhole back along with a slit up your right thigh. The neckline that extended past your breasts gave quite a striking impact and you were privately thankful that the rest of the team didn't arrive until tomorrow morning, so you were spared their prying eyes. Marcus called your name from the living room and with a final look in the mirror you stepped into the living room.
Your mouth went dry and it took effort to stop your mouth from falling open. Marcus stood in the living room in a nicely fitted black suit, he had opted for a black button down without a tie and the top button undone. You felt a small heat in your stomach as you took him in. You hadn't seen him in formal wear before, and boy did it suit him. It took you a moment to realize he had quite a dumbfounded look on his face as he watched you and it made you smile.
“You approve?” you said, arching an eyebrow and giving a small spin.
“That would be an understatement,” Marcus said closing the distance between you two. Snaking an arm around your waist he pulled you close to his chest taking your lips in a kiss. Arching into his touch you nipped lightly at his bottom lip, you felt like a woman starved for his touch. Marcus peppered your jaw line with kisses and you let out a soft sigh as he pressed one last kiss to your neck.
“We should probably get going” you said reluctantly but couldn't help but let out a small laugh as you looked at Marcus. A hint of your red lipstick was smeared across his lips.
“What?” He said with a puzzled smile. You pointed to your lips and watched as he scrubbed the lipstick off his own. Snatching your gun off the end table you slid it into a thigh holster hidden by your dress, Marcus watching intently with a look of lust in his warm brown eyes.
“Ready for a night on the town?” Sliding your hand into Marcus' you couldn't help but see the wedding band on his finger, the fantasy of him being yours forever was something you didn't think you would shake for quite a while.
----------
“Daniela! Darling, you made it! Is this the lovely gentleman you've been telling me about?” You turned at the call of your cover name. Alexandria made her way to you and Marcus looking quite stunning in a slinky black dress with her fiery red hair in loose curls around her shoulders.
“Alex! Yes! This is my husband. I finally managed to pull him away from the office for a night out.” You said tucking yourself into Marcus' side resting your left hand on his chest, wedding band catching the light.
“Sebastian Ramos, it's a pleasure to meet you. Daniela has been raving about your ability to track down the hard-to-find paintings we've been looking to collect.” Marcus said, his arm wrapping loosely around your waist. “You've put together a wonderful event.”
“You're too kind Mr. Ramos. I did manage to find that abstract painting Daniela was looking for,” Alexandria replied with a small swell of pride “The art dealer for that particular piece should be here tonight.” She peered at the crowd trying to spot him.
“That's wonderful news, I'd love an introduction if it wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience. If I let that piece slip through my fingers the missus will never forgive me.” Marcus replied as you playfully swatted his chest.
“Absolutely, why don't the pair of you enjoy a drink while I try to track him down? Enjoy yourselves, I'll return shortly.” And just like that Alexandria disappeared into the crowd, a blur of red hair as she snaked her way through.
“Let's find somewhere we can talk.” Marcus said softly against your ear, his hand moving to the small of your back as he steered you to a corner of the room that was free of people. You were hyper aware of the warmth of his hand against the bare skin of your back.
“I can't help but feel guilty...” You admitted softly to Marcus “Alexandria is so earnest; it feels wrong to use her like this. I don't think she has a clue about who Laurent really is.”
“I know, but it's safer for her to not realize what he really is until we have him in custody.” He commiserated pulling you into his arms and pressing a kiss to your forehead. “But we are so close to the end and it's thanks to your leg work,” pride evident in his voice, making you smile.
“Well at least there has been a lovely bonus from all of this. I don't have to worry about someone seeing me do this.” Standing on your tip toes you captured his lips in a lingering kiss, until you heard someone calling for the pair of you.
“Mr. and Mrs. Ramos, I'd like to introduce you to Christian Laurent.”
tagged: @diva-1992, @yespolkadotkitty, @sarahjkl82-blog
Let me know if you'd like to be added to my tag list 💕
152 notes · View notes