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not-close-to-straight · 4 years

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Soul-Bonded (Spideypool)(Broken Wings)

Welcome back to the Broken Wings Verse! We meet Spideypool in this one and they are so fun!

PART TWO

SERIES MASTERLIST HERE

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*Note- This chapter starts in January after ‘All We Are Thankful For’ and before ‘May Flowers’

There wasn’t much room for a life outside the compound, not with Thor and Loki moved in semi-permanently and baby Maria being an adorable handful, or with Steve going through the worlds worst case of morning sickness and Tony running around taking care of the new baby and newly pregnant mate.

Sam and Natasha were constantly off on missions, Bucky was still working through his post partum depression and Bruce spent hours alongside him in companionable silence, the scientist well versed in the some of the worst depths of depression and knowing that sometimes only a quiet presence was needed.

Pepper spent her days working at Stark Industries but after the Tower had been compromised, she’d moved full time into the compound to manage their functional chaos. Colonel Rhodes had a full career in the Air Force but after Obadiah had come for Tony, Rhodey had moved a little more into the compound every month until he finally set up an office in his suite of rooms and spent more days there than gone.

So no, there wasn’t much room for a life that didn’t involve each other, that didn’t involve the entire family, that didn’t involve an activity inside the compound and the community and safety they had built together.

In fact out of everyone in their home, Clint was probably the only one who ventured out just for fun.

“Heads up, bird boy!”

Well, fun and for the occasional conversation with the always wacky and almost always hilarious Alpha Wade Wilson.

Clint tilted his head and listened to the whoosh that was Wade coming in for a no doubt terrible landing, scooted exactly six and a half inches down the bench, and waited with an expectant smile as the approaching Alpha tucked his wings and slid on the sidewalk gravel, missed the bench altogether and splatted onto the ground with an over loud ooph.

“Every time.” Clint went back to eating his sandwich calmly. “Every damn time. You know, if you slowed down your entry thirty seconds sooner you wouldn’t end up eating dirt every time we hang out.”

“But then I wouldn’t be able to impress you with my super slick moves.” Wade popped back up and brushed the gravel from his clothes, pushed his hoodie off just enough for Clint to see his smile, then pulled it back low over his face. “How’s it going? How’s that sandwich? I’m starving, gimme some.”

“No way, my Alpha bought me this sandwich.” Clint scowled and batted Wade’s hands away. “Don’t you have an Omega to buy you food?”

“My Omega is a starving college kid, now some hot bodied billionaire who somehow supports a weird sister-wife style harem in his super secret compound.” The Alpha said flatly, and then belatedly, “And also Pete isn’t my Omega.”

“Sure he’s not.” Clint broke off half of the purposefully large sandwich-- he always got extra when he was meeting Wade-- and passed it to the mercenary, careful to not touch him more than necessary. Not that the Omega minded the way Wade’s skin was calloused and rough and ruined, but he knew Wade was self conscious about it just like the Alpha was self conscious of his tattered wings, so Clint made sure to drop the food right into Wade’s palm so the Alpha wouldn’t jerk back if their fingers brushed.

“You could come around you know.” Clint tucked his own wings back a little so they wouldn’t get in Wade’s way as they shared his lunch. “To the compound, I mean. I know you’re sort of anti-team work for some stupid reason, but you could bring your Omega and come to dinner. You said no to Christmas, but our regular dinners are pretty chill.”

Wade made a one handed motion that was the equivalent of hell no and Clint signed back a quick, frustrated why not?

“Why are we friends, Clint?” Wade wiped his mouth with his sleeve and felt around for the Omega’s drink, slurping at it loudly. “Beyond me being hilarious, you always having really great food and both us using sign language to make fun of people without them knowing.”

“Only you do that, Bud. Not me.”

“Omega, I learned how to sign just so I could talk shit with you about your teammates.” The Alpha countered. “And by the way? You were funnier before you got all mated up. You came around more often too. Where have you been?”

“Having lots and lots of sex with my Alpha.” Clint was only half joking, but the smile on his face was wholly adoring, his cherry blossom scent soaking with happiness as he tilted his head to show off his silvered biting mark. “Ever since Afghanistan, Tony likes everyone to be home as much as possible and after we bonded and baby Maria came around, most of us just like to stay home anyway. You should try it some time.”

“Bonding?” Wade asked blankly. “Staying home? Hanging out with Tony? Getting knotted up by your Alpha and having a kid? Which of those things should I try?”

“This is why nobody likes you.” Clint huffed an amused chuckle, and the Alpha flashed him a ‘fuck off’ motion. “Seriously though. Come by the compound some time. Bring your non-mate. My Alpha is awesome, we’ve got plenty of extra room and trust me when I say you and the wall crawler won’t even be the weirdest ones around. The twins aren’t home right now but you’ll meet them eventually and Thor brought his sibling Loki for the holidays so it’s like having a Chippendales Dancer and a super sexy Morticia Adams hanging out all the time.”

Wade made an unimpressed noise and Clint finished, “If the Chippendales dancer made thunder every time he got naked and if Morticia answered to they/them pronouns and had an actual insane amount of magic. Your Omega would have a good time and you and I could talk all sorts of shit about them in sign language.”

“I thought you didn’t talk shit about people in sign language.” The Alpha mocked, and Clint just rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I knew you were lying about that.”

“If I admit I talk crap about all the wacky people I know, will you consider bringing your Omega around to meet my family?”

“Pete’s not my Omega.” the answer was almost routine by now, the Alpha’s rough edged scent dipping towards melancholy for just a split second before lightening again so Wade could deliver his usual load of bullshit-- “Annnnnd I mean, I’ve seen your Alpha and don’t get me wrong, Tony’s hot and his butt is ridiculous and I have always considered a billionaire sugar daddy crucial to my life. But I’m not one of those Alphas that is okay letting another Alpha do the uh--”

This time Wade’s motion was less of a signed word and more of a crude gesture. “-- you know? And your Alpha seems like the type to be… Alpha-y.”

“First of all, my Alpha’s gorgeous and everyone in the world knows it.” Clint readily agreed. “Second of all, if you think Tony is all Alpha-y all the time, you should see him with Sam and Thor. And third--”

“--wait seriously, Ol’ Ironsides takes it from Ye Olde Thunder God and the red-feathered counselor guy?”

“--third, I didn’t mean for you and your Omega to come around in any romantic way. Peter is younger than the twins and I know you don’t do the whole multiple partner and poly thing, and that’s fine.” Clint held up both hands peacefully, feathers flicking out to brush just lightly against Wade’s arm in understanding. “It’s fine, we don’t expect everyone to be even remotely okay with how we live, but hey. You’re still welcome at the table and in the compound. We’re sort of the patron family for misfits and lets be honest, Wade. You and your mate are freaking misfits.”

“Thanks for that.”

“No it’s fine.” Clint insisted. “You guys would fit right in with the former Winter Soldier, the basement dwelling genius with the anger issues, the twins with their whole mutant thing and the trickster god that babysits my niece-y.”

The Omega finished his sandwich and licked his fingers clean. “And that isn’t even mentioning the recently defrosted super soldier, the ex-super spy and world’s deadliest ballerina, a bonafide full bird Colonel in the United States Air Force and of course Pepper, who is an enigma all on her own. It would be fun.”

“It sounds like it would be fun.” The Alpha admitted begrudgingly, and Clint raised his eyebrows hopefully, “So you’ll come around?”

“I’ll see if it fits into my shockingly busy social calendar, I might be able to fit it in between staring into the abyss and wallowing in self loathing.” Wade rolled his shoulders and shook his charcoal wings out, the tattered edges nearly touching Clint before falling away. “It’s my night to get burgers for the best booty in the city, so I gotta run. I’ll buy you a cheeseburger first though, if you want. You still hungry? Pretty Omega like you needs to keep his strength up.”

“I’ve got an Alpha who buys me all the cheeseburgers I could possibly want, remember?” Clint pointed out. “And by the way, what’s with you not calling Peter your Omega? Aren’t you two basically soul bonded?”

“Soul bonded, schmoul bonded.” The Alpha scoffed, but his frame hunched and feathers fluttered uncertainly. “That’s not a real thing.”

“It’s absolutely a real thing.” Clint countered right back. “You’re going to sit here and tell me you don’t think I’m soul bonded to my Alpha?”

“Well--”

“Or to the other Omegas?”

“Sheesh Clint, I dunno--”

“Or to Sam and Tasha or Pepper or Bruce or Rhodey just cos I’m not physically mated to them?” The Omega’s blue eyes flashed in annoyance and deep within his hood, Wade’s shifted red for just a second at the open challenge. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. I’d call any one of them mate just like I call my Alpha mate.”

“Not all of us get multiple mates.” Wade stood to his feet rather abruptly, and pulled his sleeves down over his hands, secured his hood closer around his face. “Hell, some of us were lucky to get a first mate and know there’s no chance at a second.”

“Is that what you think?” Clint’s wings dropped in sympathy for his friend. “I bet Peter feels different.”

“I’ll never know, cos I’ll never ask.” Wade might have been volatile and wild, but he was still an Alpha so he stood with damaged wings spread wide and protective while Clint stood up and patted at his pockets to check for wallet and phone. “You want me to wait with you until a cab comes?”

“A cab.” Clint outright laughed at him. “I’m bonded to Tony Stark, Wade. Do you think I take a cab anywhere?”

A sleek limo rolled up to the corner and the Alpha sighed, “Right. You took a limo worth more than my entire life just to share a sandwich with some asshole on a street corner.”

“Damn right I did.” Clint lifted his wings in a friendly goodbye. “Think about what I said, Wade. You and Peter would be welcome in our home.”

“I’ll think about it.”

The Alpha stood there on the corner until the limo disappeared into traffic, wings hugged close to his body and skin covered as possible so no one would get close and stare. He didn’t really need to worry of course-- people generally gave Wade a wide berth even if they didn’t notice his fucked up face and mutilated wings. Wade scented like danger and his mutation made him scent like wrong and if his scent wasn’t enough, his size and glare was usually enough to keep people walking.

But there was one person, one Omega in the city who not only seemed to enjoy the way Wade scented but seemed to almost crave it, who didn’t shy away from the Alpha’s skin but was always trying to curl in closer.

Clint was nice and honestly the Omega had come to be a hell of a friend, but Wade had his heart and eyes and soul set on someone else, even if deep in the center of his being he knew it wouldn’t ever work out.

From Peter: Where are you, Merc? I got our food nights mixed up and bought food when it was your turn, and I’m not saying I’m gonna eat eight burgers, but I am saying I’m freaking starving so maybe get here before the food disappears.

From Wade: On my way.

****************

It was always like this.

“Omega.” Wade never meant to address Peter as Omega when they met up after not seeing each other for a few days, and he never meant for his wings to present but that’s what happened anyway. Omega and shabby feathers opening wide in a hopeful greeting and even though Wade always meant to hide and play it cool, to call the Omega Pete and scoff at the way Pete said he’d missed him--

--it was always like this, and Wade could never hide.

“Alpha.” Peter was gorgeous, all long legs and lean limbs and beautifully full wings, maroon feathers and only the very tips of his primaries colored so dark blue they were almost black, big eyes and a bigger smile as he all but ran across the rooftop to get to Wade. “Alpha.”

“Hey baby boy.” Yet another thing Wade never meant to say, but it came so easy just like it was easy to gather Peter up into a hug and lose himself in the warmth of the Omega’s arms for way too long.

“Did you uh--” it was always like this, Wade clearing his throat and trying to act unaffected and failing spectacularly because there wasn’t an inch of his body that wasn’t dialed to a thousand in Peter’s presence. “--so did you save me any food?”

“I….” Peter hesitated, drew the word out. “I planned to? But you took so long that I ate all the burgers and had to go get you more food.” and then softer, “Sorry?”

“You’re not sorry.” the Alpha shoved Peter away, and then just as quickly grabbed him back and Peter laughed in delight and pressed up to his side as they headed towards their regular hang out spot up against the massive AC unit. “What’s up, why are you so hungry?”

“Heat’s coming up.” Peter flopped gracelessly down onto the roof and dug into the newest bag of food, tore open a taco and crammed half of it into his mouth then passed the bag over to Wade, tucked his wings in and patted the floor so the Alpha would sit down right next to him. “I’m starving all the time right now, so whatever you don’t eat just throw my way.”

“When are you due?” It was absolutely crazy that Wade could even get a sentence out right now, because the thought of Peter in heat never failed to make his blood pressure sky rocket. To make matters worse the Omega was always so damn casual about it, always so damn nonchalant as if the word heat didn’t make Wade half feral with immediate need.

“Early next week.” Peter swallowed an obscene amount of taco and grabbed for the soda, draining half of it in one go. “You uh--” the Omega wiped his mouth and shot a curious look over at Wade, his wings lifting hopefully. “You want to help?”

Shit.

It was always like this.

Peter would ask Wade to share his heat, Wade would come up with some bullshit excuse--

“Nah, Pete. Next week I plan to be tanning my ass on the beach.”

“Nah, Pete. I’m practicing abstinence, Sister Margaret's is actually a convent, not a bar.”

“Nah, Pete--”

Just nah, Pete because even though Wade took great pleasure in knotting the super powered Omega up outside of heat, inside of heat was a different story.

Peter’s heat meant rut for Wade, meant that the Alpha’s already volatile emotions would lash out of control, that when Peter said more Wade would give him too much, that when the Omega gasped yes Wade would lose his mind, that if Peter so much as offered up a square inch of his neck Wade would bite him and mate him and then the pretty perfect Omega would be locked into a bond with a monster like him and that was just awful.

“Nah, Pete.” he said today, and it was always like this, soul deep loathing and heart ache that made his head spin when the Omega’s bright eyes dimmed and slid away. “I uh--I already made plans for this weekend. Other friends.”

“You don’t have friends other than me.” Peter accused good naturedly, but his honeysuckle scent had already dipped in sadness, his feathers rustling uneasily as he gathered them tighter around himself. “If you aren’t ready to hear me challenge your manhood by shrieking you aren’t knotting me fast enough, that’s fine. Just admit it.”

“I can fully admit that my manhood will not survive being shrieked at because I can’t pop a knot fast enough.” Wade deadpanned and Peter laughed and Wade laughed, and they moved on because that’s what they always did.

After a moment Peter even relaxed enough to let his wings down again and he was gratified when Wade immediately moved close enough for their feathers to mingle.

It had taken a long time for the Alpha to get to the point of being comfortable showing his wings and skin to Peter, and it had taken even longer for Wade not to jerk away every time Peter got close. It had been countless conversations and reassurances, quiet admissions in the dark as they patrolled the city, louder arguments when their partnership tipped towards friendship and Peter didn’t have to mince his words so much and it was the night Peter tried to kiss the Alpha that Wade had finally snapped and shouted.

“I’m ruined, Omega, pretty Omega. Ruined and I don’t want to ruin you by getting too close so leave me the hell alone! Back off!”

But there wasn’t a shy bone in Peter’s body, and he might have been an Omega but the spider-y mutation and instincts led him towards predator so he’d matched the big Alpha step for step, inch for inch as they back tracked through an alley and up to a brick wall.

“I’m not much in the habit of running away.” he’d hissed into Wade’s ear, held his wings back and away so they didn’t touch but dug his own fingers into the Alpha’s feathers and ripped a groan of pure arousal from Wade’s throat. “Not from bad guys, not from monsters, not from the Alpha I want as mine.”

“Pete--”

“Show me your wings.” Peter demanded and the Alpha had growled at him. “Show me your skin. Show me your ruin and see if I don’t find you beautiful.”

They had kissed then, kissed and kissed and kissed, bit at each other and growled and wrestled because Wade was strong but Peter was stronger and the Omega pushed the Alpha right to the brink and then a little bit further until Wade had roared, ‘Settle’ and charcoal wings burst high above his back and arced over their bodies, cast Peter in a shadow and blacked out the moon and it was just them.

“Beautiful.” Peter had whispered, and Wade’s kiss had left him bleeding, aching, yearning for more.

“My Alpha.” he’d whispered and the weight of the Alpha’s knot had left him sore and limping and ready to bare his neck and beg for Wade’s bite.

But it wasn’t meant to be, not yet, so instead it was always like this.

Rooftop meet ups for dinner before patrol. Late night scans of the city. Chasing down baddies and laughing at each other for being dangerous dorks. Going two or three nights without hanging out and Wade’s voice was a rumble when he called Omega and Peter could never stop his wings from snapping out wide to present for his intended mate. Sex that was the only time Wade wasn’t shy about his skin, about his mutation-ruined feathers, about eyes that stayed blood red more often than they were hazel because he ran so close to feral.

...heat that the Omega spent alone because it was the only thing Wade ever said no to, the only thing the Alpha ever denied him, the only time Peter’s smile ever dimmed or his wings ever fell away or there was ever an awkward silence.

Soul-bonded, Auntie May called it, in all her infinite wisdom. Peter and Wade were soul bonded and that mattered more than whether or not the Alpha would ever be ready to bite him, whether or not Peter ever got tired of waiting and tried to move on to Harry or Matt or even Eddie who knew and understood his life and would have been so pleased to have an Omega like Peter at their side.

Soul-bonded, Clint had called it. Peter and Wade were soul bonded like he and Tony’s other Omega mates were soul bonded, like he and the Betas were soul bonded because at some point it stopped being about the actual act of mating and biting each other and became more about what their hearts needed and souls fulfilled and that was what mattered.

Soul-bonded, like Vanessa used to say before she’d gone and taken everything beautiful about Wade’s world with her. Meant to be together even when the world looked on and couldn’t believe it, drawn together beyond anything that made sense or felt normal, made for each other and suddenly whole.

Soul-bonded and both Peter and Wade knew it was true, and the knowing had to be enough for now.

This had to be enough for now, so Peter spent January’s heat alone, calling Wade in between rounds to talk and laugh and maybe just once, just twice reminding the Alpha that he could come over and it would be fine, that they could get lost in rut together and it would be fine.

But Wade said no because he always did, then he made up for it on Valentines Day when he bought Peter no less than three dozen different bouquets of various flowers, paid a barbershop quartet to serenade Peter at his day job for the Daily Planet and then bought out an obscene amount of chocolate so they could eat it together beneath the stars on their favorite rooftop.

It wasn’t heat and it wasn’t a bite, but it was Wade being willing to be bare with Peter later that night in his apartment, nothing but maroon feathers brushing against tattered charcoal wings as they dug quickly healing bruises into each other’s hips and let kisses get sharp and messy. Peter showed off that endlessly acrobatic agility and jaw dropping strength to take exactly what he needed from his Alpha over and over until he was heavy and full and Wade was still driving into him because soul bonded wasn’t close to enough but they had to pretend it was enough for now.

Spring in the city brought earlier sunrises and warmer nights and sometime around Spring Break when the colleges emptied and their usual patrol routes were slower, Peter and Wade found time to be slower too. They lingered over meals and lingered over kisses and sometimes when the Omega moved just right the Alpha would catch him up closer, Peter would tip his head and purr and Wade would come within a fraction of giving in to every instinct in his body and taking what his Omega was so ready to offer.

Spring heat was harder than the others, an Omega’s body surging with the same urges and needs that had filtered through every piece of creation since the beginning of time. Spring meant new life, meant survival, meant a second chance at what the Winter had kept so cold. Spring meant mating, it meant bonding, biting and breeding and the Omega was lush, he was lush and his wings were full and presented upwards whenever Wade so much as smiled at him.

One Spring night they were lost in a kiss that was set to consume Peter’s very soul when Wade yanked away and stumbled back, the Alpha wiping his mouth and bending over to drag in a harsh breath and Peter self consciously adjusted his half torn shirt, his pants back over his hips.

“Alpha?” he asked softly, and Wade made a noise like he was choking. “What-- what’s wrong? It’s not super great for an Omega’s self esteem for you to go running like that, what happened?”

“You’re ripe.” Wade ground out. “Ripe, baby boy.”

“I stink?” The Omega’s voice rose in alarm, and he backpedaled several steps to sniff under his arms. “Shit, sorry. I’ll go and get a shower before patrol, it’s only gonna get worse once we’re out running around.”

“No.” it was Spring and the Alpha felt the same things Peter did, the same urgency to bond and bite and breed so when Peter started to turn away, Wade lunged for him, charcoal wings flared high and aggressive for only a moment before they wrapped possessive and protective around the slim Omega and hauled him up close. “No.”

“You said I stink!”

“I said you were ripe.” Wade’s teeth scraped over Peter’s bonding spot, and the Omega went very very still. “I said you were ripe, you don’t stink you’re-- you’re--” A half a snarl and the Alpha clutched him up tighter. “You’re gorgeous Pete. Pretty Omega, such a sweet Omega, smell so good. Smell ripe, Fertile.”

“Oh.” Syrupy thick desire wound through Peter’s veins and poured through his honeysuckle scent. “Oh yes, Alpha. That’s all for you. That’s-- you-- I’m yours, Wade. Yours.”

“Sure smell like mine.” Wade dragged his mouth up the Omega’s throat, huffed at his hair, at the softest spot by his ear then teeth closed blunt and shocking at his pulse. “Smell ready. Good enough to eat.”

“Well I’m-- I’m right here.” Peter swallowed, tilted his head to the side against the pressure of the Alpha at his neck. “T-Take a bite.”

Spring was rough, the heats hard and the rut close to the surface and if the Alpha and Omega weren’t plastered to each other trying to make their enough really truly feel like enough, then they were snapping at each other, popping their teeth and growling because too much of a good thing was a bad thing and if they couldn't have everything, they didn’t want to be together at all.

“Good god, you’re cranky!” Clint exclaimed one day in early April when he reached for a bag of french fries they were supposed to be sharing, and the Alpha actually snarled and rustled his wings warningly. “You’re supposed to give pretty Omega’s food, not withhold it from them!”

“Sorry.” Wade’s wings lifted only briefly in apology as he hurried up and shoved the fries at Clint. “Sorry. Don’t tell your Alpha I snarled at you. The last thing I need is Ol’ Iron Sides unleashing one of those gauntlets at me cos I made you sad or something.”

“Look, I might be a bratty Omega but I’m not a bitchy Omega.” Clint took a handful and pushed the rest back at Wade. “I’m not going to go crying home cos my friend didn’t want to share his food. So don’t worry, your ass should be gauntlet free for the foreseeable future.”

The Alpha smiled only the tiniest bit, and Clint brushed lightly at Wade’s side with his feathers. “Seriously, what’s going on? You’re stressed enough to snap and you scent like death. Not like your usual smoke and fire but honestly like death. What’s up?”

“It’s Pete.”

“...oh.” Clint swallowed his food around the lump suddenly in his throat. “Shit, Wade is everything okay? Is he alright? What happened? Is it something my Alpha could help with?”

“It’s cute how you feel like your Alpha can solve any problem possible.” Wade hunched over on the bench and rubbed the heel of his palm into his eyes. “And Pete’s fine, it’s just ah-- he’s just--”

Clint waited, and after another minute of stammering Wade finally made the sign for heat and then alone and then for himself fucking horny.

“Oh.” The Omega blinked, and then, “OH! Oh Peter’s in heat and you’re out here trying to drown your horny in a bag of french fries. Got it.”

The mouthy Omega snorted a laugh when Wade’s wings fluffed out in immediate annoyance. “Put your wings away, man. You couldn’t possibly believe I wasn’t going to make fun of you for this. Why the heck are you out here getting lunch with me when you should be taking care of your mate?!”

“He’s not my mate.” Wade ground out, and the words were like broken glass in the Alpha’s mouth. “Pete’s not my mate, that’s why I don’t stay with him for heat. I’ll knot the shit outta him as soon as he’s done cos that’s what--”

“--if you say that’s what friends do, I’ll throw my soda at you.” Clint interjected. “You two are soul bonded, remember? Ask him to wear a collar like my Alpha did for us, then you can bite him all you want without worrying about some non existent issue about actually bonding. Plus, Omegas are gorgeous in collars. Sometimes I wear mine and nothing else just to drive my Alpha crazy.”

The Alpha scowled at him, hazel eyes flickering red beneath his hoodie. “Is everyone in your harem family this nosy and open with TMI details?”

“Yep.” Clint popped the ‘p’ of the word. “You can’t share a home and share beds like we do and keep secrets, that’s crazy. Secrets lead to insecurity and insecurity leads to jealousy and we just don’t have room for that sort of thing in the compound. Not with multiple Alphas and various super powered people and Tony as head of the family. No way.”

“You could not have sounded more like a cult right then if you tried.”

“Yeah, I know. We talk like that just to piss Pepper off. Tony keeps telling her to buy us robes and take the tax right off, but she doesn’t think it’s as funny as we do.” the Omega swirled his french fry through a glob of ketchup. “Have you put any more thought into coming by our place? I know upstate is a journey but Tony would let you use one of the helicopters. It’s almost our Alpha’s birthday, so maybe if your Omega isn’t in heat next month you could come up then?”

“Pete’s not my--”

“Sure he’s not.” Clint opened his dark brown wings and let one rest gently, friendly over Wade’s bowed shoulders, his cherry blossom scent lightening sweet and comforting when he saw the misery on the Alpha’s face. “Sure he’s not.”

*************

Chapter Notes:

Hawkeye and Deadpool have teamed up in the comic books before, and I thought Clint was the perfect person to bring Wade around vs the usual “Tony knows Peter” arc!

How much do we love sassy Omega Peter?

SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE CHAPTER! *************

#ncts fics #spideypool #abo dynamics #wing fic #peter parker #wade wilson #clint barton #poly avengers #bonus chapter #broken wings verse

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artificialqueens · 4 years

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The Goode Case, 14/14 (Multi) - Juno

Chapter Summary: Jaida, Brita and Jackie try to plan for the three of them to go bowling. Of course, that might not work out quite as planned!

(A/N: So ….. this is the end of TGC! It’s the epilogue, and I wanted to give them all an ending, so here it is. I’ve been so blown away by the support I’ve received for this fic, even though it’s completely insane and no one asked for it! Thank you to everyone who has left me a like, kudos, comment, or just read it and enjoyed it. It really does mean the world! xo Juno)

Tuesday 14thNovember

7.09PM

Brita:Do u want to go bowling this Friday? Xx

Jackie:The three of us??

Jaida:I don’t think three is quite enough sis. Not for a good game. We’ll be done in half an hour!

Brita:LOL if that’s a hint then yes u can ask Jan xx

Jaida smiled to herself. If she hadn’t been thinking it before, she definitely was now. She was having a great time getting to know who Jan was, and what made her tick, these past ten days or so. Hearing Jan’s unbelievable singing voice at full pelt in Jan’s little Fiat 500. Playing around doing lay-ups at the basketball court and normally losing to Jan, even thought she was the shorter of the two. Getting their legs tangled in the sheets at the end of the day …

Oh yes. Jaida had enjoyed every minute.

Jackie:Ok, I don’t need to read minds to see how this will go……..

Jaida: lmao really? X

Brita:Enlighten us Jacqueline xx

Jackie:Obvs we three want to go

Jackie:Jai invites Jan

Jackie:Brita wants to invite a gf if Jai is inviting one

Jackie:So now Aiden is coming

Jackie:Aiden always brings Crystal

Jackie:Crystal always brings Gigi

Brita:Aiden isn’t my gf

Jaida:and Im Oprah

Jackie:LOL!

Brita:shush Jai xx

Brita:we just had a couple dates so far thats all xx

Jackie:Ok so I actually laughed

Jackie:Heidi & Nicky heard me

Jackie:So they invited themselves

Jaida:oh that’s cool no problem x

Jackie seemed to see more of Heidi than Jaida did right now. Jaida might have felt strange before, the thought of her friend and her colleague mingling, no careful divide in her mind; but that was fading fast. Nicky had started teaching Heidi some useful French, rather than just more swearing, and now they were organising for Nicky to come into Heidi’s kindergarten class with some basic French for the kids.

As for Brita … well, if there was one thing Jaida had learned about her through the Goode case, it was that she often had a slightly devious ulterior motive in these innocent suggestions. And although Jaida still didn’t feel as if she knew Aiden very well yet, she’d noticed that Brita had never spent more time daydreaming in the office; prompting a few pens being thrown at her by Jackie all last week.

Brita:How many is that? I suck at math lmao

Jackie:is that nine?

Jackie:one more to make it even??

Jaida: Dahlia, I said I would organise something with her

Brita: sis u cant invite Dahl without Rock xx

Jackie:Ok look

Jackie:We can’t have eleven

Jackie:That’s an even weirder number than 3!!

Jackie:Maybe we should stick to us 3

Jackie:No friends

Jackie:no gfs

Jackie:No psychics

Brita:no psychics? So we not going either?? LOL

“Hey, Jaida.” Widow came out of her room, waving to Jaida on the couch, as she walked past to the kitchen. Jaida gave her a smile and a wave back.

Widow was still walking a little slower than usual, but finally getting back into a routine. She’d flown back from KC on Sunday night, but even the week before that, she’d seemingly made some progress. She had even started coming to talk to Jaida, feeling a bit more comfortable sharing things with her.

Jaida was struck with inspiration.

Brita:also Jackie why cant u just type a message in one line Xx

Jaida:I got it, my housemate Widow to make it 12 x

Jackie: Who?

Brita:yeah u may not have met her yet

Brita:Jai I thought u said she doesn’t like big crowds xx

Jaida: something tells me things may change x

Friday 17thNovember

7.25PM

“Child, I still don’t get why it’s called football.” Jaida teased Jan, as they sat waiting for their turns to come back round. Heidi was lining up her shot in the distance, but neither Jaida nor Jan knew the scores at this moment. “They don’t even use their feet! They use their hands! And it’s not a ball! It’s an egg! Hand-egg!”

“Jai, if you insult my precious Patriots one more time, I’ll –“

“Jan! Focus!” Heidi was calling her. “Your shot, boo!”

“Be right back after I hit a strike!” Jan reached over to kiss Jaida gently on the lips.

“Oh, so you’re not coming back?” Jaida tutted, unable to stop the grin spreading across her face. Jan playfully slapped her arm and grinned back at her.

The aisles were only good for six people each, so they’d booked two beside each other, and it looked like couples’ night in the opposite lane. Brita’s impressive round of strikes and spares was almost matched by a few strikes from Crystal, all of which she claimed were flukes. She hadn’t stopped laughing all evening, clinging to Gigi, who smiled coolly and pushed her hair out of her eyes whenever Crystal did so. Gigi herself was making a respectable score behind the two of them, claiming to just have a magic touch.

Dahlia, however, kept sinking almost every ball into the drain and sulking as she did so, going into the sixth round with only seven points on the board. Aiden, whose twelve points were almost as bad, ended up insisting on the fences being raised after her third straight round of hitting nothing, prompting Rock to hit trick shots for the rest of the evening, bouncing her bowling balls between the fences and making her turns take twice as long.

It was Widow who came to sit in Jan’s empty seat, the mischievous glint in her eyes slowly returning as the days went on. Jaida returned her smile, and Widow reached and rubbed Jaida’s forearm.

“Thanks for inviting me, sis,” she muttered. “It’s – it’s a good night.”

When Jaida had asked, Widow had hesitated in coming out as part of a large group. Following Tori’s funeral the previous weekend, Widow had insisted on a quiet time all week. But the crowd brought her straight in, particularly Heidi and Brita, who she had already met. She even seemed to click with Jackie almost immediately, both of them shrieking with glee at discovering a mutual love of Overwatch and swapping Xbox names to link up later.

But Jackie and Widow were already competing. On the scoreboard in their lane, Widow was leading the team, but only by two points, with Jackie right behind her, almost matching every single strike. Jaida was enjoying seeing them show competitive sides that they rarely did, both of them playing up the competition by pointing menacingly at each other after each turn. Jaida, Jan, Heidi and Nicky were all lagging behind them, all in a cluster, but none of them minded; they were far too amused by Jackie and Widow to care.

Jaida looked at all their names altogether on the scoreboard, and the other names on the other lane. It still felt a little weird, but Jaida was actively trying to focus on it, and tell herself that it was all good. The separation she’d held onto for so long had crumbled, and here they all were – friends, colleagues, housemates, girlfriends – all in the same space.

And bringing her friends together, into one space in her life, made Jaida feel a lot more complete.

She grinned at Widow and turned to watch Jan, who was picking up every spare bowling ball and testing their weights, before commenting on the balls all being too big and settling on the lowest weight. Jackie, next to her, was giggling at her comment.

“You like them, now that you met them?”

“I hate to admit it, but yeah,” Widow chuckled. “They’re all really, uhm –“

“Exuberant? Energetic?”

“Loud,” Widow chuckled again. “I’m getting a headache. But – they’re all so nice as well.”

They were interrupted by a whoop of joy and a leap in the air; Jan had somehow managed a strike with her tiny ball and was twirling on the spot, her blonde hair spinning a whirlwind round her face and shoulders.

“Your girlfriend – Jan – is she your colleague as well?” Widow motioned to Jan.

“No, I met her through Brita.”

“And the three students? Sorry, I can’t remember their names.”

“I can’t discuss the case, but I met them through work.”

“And the girl with blue hair?”

“That’s Dahlia’s girlfriend, Rock.”

“Rock?” Widow repeated. “As in, rock solid? Rock ‘n’ roll?”

“Yeah,”

Widow’s eyes moved between them all on the opposite lane. Gigi was lazily twirling a finger through one of Crystal’s curls, while Crystal gazed enraptured at the scoreboard, for once still and silent; Gigi seeming to be the only person able to quieten her. Aiden, whose turn it was, held a bowling ball to her torso and was trying to keep a straight face as Brita, stood next to her, held another ball and was somewhat innocently demonstrating which fingers were best to use for the holes.

In their own lane, Jan and Jackie were calling to Nicky, whose turn it was; but Nicky was curled under Heidi’s arm in the booth next to them, her long legs swung over Heidi’s lap, holding her phone and scrolling down while they both stopped for a few seconds, chuckling at whatever was on the webpage they were going through.

Jaida smiled at Widow’s bemused expression. “You’ll get used to them.”

——

THE END

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richiefuckfacetozier · 5 years

Text

Chapter 3: Winding Me Up Inside

Story: Why Can’t This Be Love

Click to read on Archive

Art of Eddie and Richie by @whatidoisxsecret

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

___

Eddie honked profusely at the car in front of him. Everyone had decided it was idiot day on the road as one of the bridges was down from a car fire. People were cutting him off or making illegal u-turns that almost hit his car. He ended up pulling over to grab a drink at a restaurant. He wasn’t very well going to die tonight if he could calm his nerves with alcohol instead. It was unfortunate that he left his pills at home, knowing they could calm him immediately but a gin and prune juice, his healthy alcoholic beverage of choice, would have to do the trick.

About a month had gone by since ‘The Arrangement’, something Richie had started calling their pretend dating. Eddie would’ve rather called it ‘The Nightmare’ but Richie wanted a positive outlook on the situation.

Eddie eyed a grungy bar next to a pizza joint that looked perfect to grab a cheap drink. However, upon further observation, there was a rainbow flag sticking out above the bar’s entrance. He blinked at it, took a step forward, then froze. His body had seized up at the prospect of going in.

He wasn’t sure how long he stood there but a booming voice said, “You in or out?” Tossing him from a temporary mind blank.

“Huh?” Eddie focused on the bouncer standing by the entrance, who was ripped and large. He never understood having such intimidating people be the first greeting you encounter before entering a bar or club. Don’t these businesses want people to come in? “Oh...er...no no. Just searching for a place to drink.”

“Well, this is a bar.” The man eyed Eddie up and down, giving the impression of being humanly x-rayed. “Drinking is the main activity...among other things.” There was some prolonged eye contact between them that dried Eddie’s throat into a Sahara desert.

Eddie nodded shifting forward. He reached for his wallet, which had his ID, but his hand merely hovered over his slack's front pocket.

“Maybe another time?” The man suggested with a lighter tone. Eddie straightened up, nodded and walked away.

He just failed at that pretty spectacularly. What would Richie think? Probably that he was a chicken. This had been an extra hard month. With the realization, he may have stronger feelings toward guys than he had ever admitted to himself. He had stopped sleeping, barely ate, and secluded himself more.

Suddenly, the demise of his relationship with Myra was making more sense. When she used to touch him sensually, his skin crawled. He assumed that was from the years of his mother convincing him the world was a germ-infested blackhole, girls were dirty, and how he could never truly be clean. Except he rarely felt that way when Richie touched him. Or any of his friends. Sure, they had known each other for years, but he knew Myra for a long time too and it didn’t settle into a comfortableness that relationships were meant.

He tended to resist Myra’s kisses, fake not feeling good to get out of sex, and pushed her away constantly. Their break up had been devastating. At the time he believed it was because the love of his life left him. Now he knew the truth.

Eddie eventually got a drink at a bar a few blocks away. The drink refreshed and calmed him immediately. It’s funny how certain things relaxed him right away because he’d conditioned himself to feel that way. His mind began thinking about tomorrow, a chilling dread running up his neck. He scratched at the nape even though nothing truly itched.

He was seeing his friends for a pre-engagement party celebration. Just the seven of them. The thought almost made him break out into sweats. He downed his drink and ordered another. Usually, he would be extremely excited and thrilled to see the losers club, except the next step in the arrangement, was occurring. Eddie had to come out collectively to the group. A fake coming out but that fakeness was becoming authentic with every passing moment.

He wished there was someone he could talk this out with. There was Mike, but that felt wrong somehow. The one person he wanted to tell was Richie. What would he even say? There was a nightmare scenario he replayed every day that Richie would laugh in his face, which logically he would never do but Eddie’s attempts at controlling his imagination have never come to fruition.

While he was absently stirring his drink, his phone started ringing. A picture popped up on his screen of Richie lifting a screaming/laughing Eddie from behind. He took an extra second to remember the joyful memory, running a finger over the picture then answered.

He sighed into the phone, “Hey, Rich.”

“Where you at, gumdrop?” said Richie with an obvious smile in his voice.

“A bar. The traffic was crap, so I am waiting it out.”

“What’re you wearing?” He said suggestively.

Eddie frowned, huffing out, “Work clothes, why?”

Richie clicked his tongue, “Cause you are supposed to be at Beverly and Ben’s celebration extravaganza in,” quick pause where Eddie figured Richie was looking at his phone for the time, “20 minutes.”

“No, it is tomorrow.” Eddie insisted.

“No, my cutie patootie Eds, it is today.”

“No,” He said slowly. “It’s on Friday, you turd.”

A laugh came through the phone, “Today IS Friday.”

Eddie paused as horror sunk in fast and deep. “Oh shit…”

“Yeah, so see you at the restaurant!” Richie hung up, leaving Eddie to his panic.

He slapped down a $20 on the bar counter, despite the drink being less than half that and bolted out the door. He ran past the bouncer who shouted, “Don’t trip, kid!”

His car turned on with a roar then he zoomed out of the space. The traffic had significantly cleared which worked in his favor as his car swerved around dangerously. His heart pounded with adrenaline. When he pulled up in front of the restaurant, Richie was standing on the curb smoking a cigarette.

Eddie gave the valet his car keys, not even thinking about how much that would cost him at the end of the night, and hurried over to his friend.

“The prodigal son has returned!” Richie tossed the second half of his cigarette on the ground, stomping it out for good measure. As Eddie neared Richie wrapped an arm around his shoulders pulling them close together. The smell of smoke was both overwhelming and familiar. As much as Eddie despised the disgusting habit, he was so used to it that he could brush it off.

Eddie pushed on his chest to free himself a little but not enough to break contact. “I can’t believe I fucking forgot.”

“Take a minute to breathe, Eds. Where’s your head been at lately?” Richie asked in what he probably thought was a casual tone, except, Eddie knew better. His friend was really asking ‘Where have you been?' or 'Why are you isolating yourself?’.

Isolation was the only solution for hiding his emotions, which had been many and increasing each day he spent alone with his thoughts.

Instead of answering the question, Eddie shrugged and smiled lightly.

Richie reached up and pinched Eddie’s cheek with a “Cute, cute, cute!”

“Stop it, I hate that!”

He laughed, “You ready to do this?”

Eddie took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, “I can’t do this.”

“You CAN do this!” said Richie with excitement. “Just be yourself.”

“Fake coming out to my friends is the worst idea we’ve ever had. It is wrong.”

“What do you suggest then?”

Eddie nervously glanced at his feet, “I think we should just out ourselves to Bill like we planned next.”

“You think they are going to believe Bill without any pretense? No, you have to come out and it has to be tonight since it’ll be the only time we are all together before Beverly and Ben’s engagement party. If you steal her thunder in any way, she will murder. Who she’ll murder is unclear but it starts with Ed and ends with die. Hey! That was more clever than I intended.”

Eddie swallowed, “Alright, but Richie…”

He made a tracing motion toward the ground “There will be a chalk shaped Eddie on the ground with Beverly DNA everywhere. It’s going to work, Eds. I promise.”

“Don’t call me, Eds. Listen, Rich I…”

“Stop trying to come up with excuses! It’s going to be fine.”

“No, Richie! Just shut up a second!” His heart was beating out of his chest, he had to tell Richie what he had been going through or everything could be ruined. He had to give him an out if he wanted. Eddie shrugged off Richie’s arm, so they were facing each other. “I’ve been thinking that I...I…”

“Well, spit it out Eds. Thinking what?”

“I THINK I MIGHT ACTUALLY LIKE GUYS!”

Richie stood shocked and silent at first, just staring. Those ice-blue eyes hiding secrets and judgments that Eddie desperately wanted to hear aloud. Tears had caught in Eddie’s eyes which he blinked away quickly. “Well! Don’t just stand there, asshole! Say SOMETHING!” He demanded.

“I...I…” Richie sputtered face turning crimson red.

“Well, spit it out, Trashmouth.” mocked Eddie.

“I do too.” He gasped out.

It was Eddie’s turn to stare in silence. “Sorry, I think I went temporarily insane. Repeat that?”

“I like guys, too. I have since college.” Richie sighed with relief. “Maybe longer.”

“What? You have?” This revelation made Eddie take a step back. “I had no idea.”

“Not relevant information to disclose.” Shrugged Richie.

Eddie gave a confused look then lowered his eyes skeptically, “This isn’t a joke, Richie. I actually believe I am gay.”

“You're the one who shoved a rainbow cake with sprinkles on top of my bisexual pie.” Richie’s eyes twinkled.

“Wow,” A smile broke out across both their faces, pure joy at the realization that they weren’t alone. They had never been alone. “What were the chances that 2 out of the 7 of us friends would be gay.”

They stood there, in a rare silence, watching each other with a newfound comradery that didn’t seem possible after 20 years of friendship. Richie grabbed Eddie’s forearm and pulled him in for a hug, which was returned 10 fold. Tears that he forgot to keep holding in fell into the side of Richie’s neck. His emotions were on a rollercoaster with no chance of stopping. He faintly heard Richie say, “Eddie, I…”

He didn’t get to finish what he planned to say because a “Richie! Eddie! W-what’s the hold up?” Interrupted them. They quickly broke their embrace as Bill appeared beside them. He looked calm despite a bit of impatience in his eyes, then saw their faces and concern washed over him immediately.

Bill put a hand on Eddie’s shoulder, the weight very comforting. “Everything ok?” He reached in his pocket and took out a travel tissue pack. Eddie gave a watery giggle, taking one and blowing his nose.

“Yeah, Big Bill,” said Eddie. “Everything’s great.” And he found that his words were true.

After a few more breathes and checking himself in the selfie camera of his phone, Eddie felt ready to face his friends. The three men walked into the restaurant, heading to a back room that Ben reserved for the occasion.

“Congrats to the couple!” Richie shouted as he bounded over to bear hug and lift Beverly off her feet. She laughed swatting at him, “Let me go you dorkface!”

“Dorkface!” Exclaimed Richie. “Of all the sass to receive from your dude of honor.”

Eddie watched the exchange warmly. Ben patted him on the back. “Traffic?”

“Huh? Oh yeah.” Eddie said embarrassed. “Tons.”

“There was a car fire and crash on the bridge.” Came the dry, toneless voice of Stanley Uris. “Surprised it wasn’t you Eddie, with all your road rage.”

Eddie gave a pout in Stanley’s direction but walked over to his friend for a handshake and a hug. “Such a kind, warm greeting from you Stan. I miss you, too.”

“Where’ve you been lately?” He sounded unperturbed, but he wouldn’t ask if there wasn’t a genuine concern.

“Oh ya know,” Eddie trailed off with a shrug. Stanley lifted an eyebrow but didn’t push it, for now at least.

Eddie started to seat himself between Stanley and Ben when Richie grabbed his collar jerking him backward. “Scoot over, Stan the man.”

Stanley rolled his eyes, “No.”

“Why?” asked Richie.

“Because I am comfortable here.”

“You’re being a stinker, Stanley. Move to the seat next to Ben. You like Ben, don’t you?”

“Of course I…”

Richie looked right at Ben, “Too bad for you, Benny boy, it seems Stanley doesn’t like you anymore.”

“Beep- beep, Richie,” Beverly warned while drinking a glass of wine and placing a hand on Ben’s arm.

“I’m just saying it is suspect that the best man doesn’t want to sit next to the groom.”

“He’s not a groom until the wedding day.” Stanley insisted. “And I am already sitting…”

“Richie isn’t gonna let it go, Stan. Just move over one.” said Bill with strong finality. None of the losers liked to admit anymore that Bill remained the group’s leader even into adulthood. But when he made a request it was usually followed with little argument. Eddie figured it didn’t matter how independent any of them grew up to be, Bill still held a controlling rope over them. Something Stanley was known to resent.

He moved over a seat as Eddie gave an apologetic look at every one. Getting between Richie and Stanley tended to end in him being yelled at, so he rarely bothered anymore. Besides, he bickered with Richie more than anyone else so Stanley had no room to complain.

Richie glanced around the room realizing they had a missing loser. “Where’s Mike?”

“Bathroom,” Responded Beverly, still nursing her drink. “How was work, Eddie?”

“Fine, I guess.” The last thing he wanted to talk about, except his mother, was his boring job. “An econ student was hired as my intern, which makes me think I’ve finally made it.”

“Poor bastard is in for a world of ribbing by all your accounting co-workers,” said Richie, bumping Eddie’s shoulder.

Eddie laughed, “Oh, I already made a joke at him today. Why do economists exist?” He scanned around the table then opened his mouth to answer.

Mike’s voice interrupted from the door of the private room, “So accountants have someone to laugh at.”

“Mike!” whined Eddie. “You stole my punch line.”

“Sorry, Eddie.” He took his seat between Beverly and Bill.

Stanley smirked, “You practiced that joke didn’t you.”

“Shut up,” Eddie groaned. “How was your trip, Ben?”

“Not the best,” Ben sighed, he wore a deprecating grin. No matter the story, Ben always had some kind of upturned smile, it was a unique quality. Considering most people told Eddie he had sad eyes, being able to smile at all times would be an excellent trait. “I didn’t leave early enough like I usually do because it was so early in the morning. I left my water bottle in the rental car they got me, then ran from TSA to the gate, was in my seat when I realized the sweater Bev got me for my birthday was back at security.”

Beverly rubbed his back soothingly, “We can get you new ones of both those things.”

“I know, it’s just a bummer because they were special items before I lost them.” Eddie understood. Ben and he shared the same mentality about their personal items, each thing they owned held a nice memory. He knew that the water bottle was one Ben got from his job after the big promotion, he could ask for another one but it wouldn’t be the same as the moment he received the gift. The feeling of pride and achievement all through a meaningless material item.

“Well, lucky for you, Ben.” Richie pulled out something from his bag, handing it across the table to Ben. “I had these made for everyone.” Richie continued grabbing water bottles from his bag, passing them around.

“This is so nice, Rich!” said Beverly. She laughed at the label. Eddie looked down at his seeing ‘#TeamBenverly’. It was great quality, a platted maroon paint covered the bottle with the lettering in a bold white.

“I still have the keychain you gave us for my bachelor party.” said Bill.

“That’s right!” Mike chimed in. “What does it say again?”

“Big Bill’s Bitchin’ Bachelor Bash.” Stanley drawled. “Kinda clever.”

Richie grabbed Eddie’s shoulder, making Eddie almost jump in confusion. He stared at Richie, who was clutching his heart in mock shock, “A compliment? I don’t think I can handle that from you, Stanley Urine.”

“I take it back,” said Stanley, “You don’t have any cleverness. Only idiocy.”

“Hmmmm, insults,” Richie leaned in front of Eddie, still holding his shoulder as his face got closer to an unamused Stanley. “They feed my very soul.”

Eddie placed his hand over Richie’s face and pushed him backward the metal of his glasses digging into Eddie’s hand, “Your soul has a healthy appetite then.”

“Oof, your words fill me up most, Eds.”

“Eds is a dumb nickname and you know it.”

“Alright, alright!” Mike called the attention toward him. “Let’s hear from Ben and Beverly. A decade of being together and now you’re tying the knot. How does it feel?”

Ben looked to Beverly, who smiled sweetly at him. “Feels perfect,” said Ben simply, but in those two words, he expressed years worth of working toward friendship and partnership that went beyond infatuation. “I’m so happy. And even happier to have my best friends around to celebrate.”

“This wedding is really about coming together,” started Beverly, “With our friends, the family we’ve chosen, to celebrate love. I think what we have with all of you is rare and...”

Eddie thought deeply about her phrasing ‘the family we’ve chosen’. He had many issues with his mother, different than Beverly’s father problems but they both came from toxic environments. Kindred spirits in a dark and twisted way.

With all his thoughts lately, he had pushed down how his mother would react. He may never tell her, if he could help it. Her religious views left no room for tolerance on the subject.

He shoved thinking about his mother deep in a box in his brain and focused on Beverly, who was still speaking, “...so just thank you for being there for us. Anyway, let’s fucking celebrate!”

They all cheered, Eddie looking around with a smile on his face. With his ‘chosen family’ he could trust them to love him no matter what.

As the night wore on with lots of laughs, food, and stories. Ben brought up the story of when he finally got the courage to ask out Beverly, “I was waiting outside of school, sweating profusely, despite wearing 2 sweaters…”

“You always wore so many layers!” said Bill laughing.

“Well, when you are fat and subconscious, that’s how you hide it.” Ben said, voice lowering a bit in embarrassment.

“Ben Handsome now shows off his true glory and beauty.” said Richie with a wink. “Just the way I like it.”

“Beep- beep, Richie.” Blushed Ben. “As I was saying, I waited outside and she approached me like in slow motion. I thought I was going to throw up. As I opened my mouth to say something she said,” He motioned for Beverly to continue the story.

She giggled, “I said, ‘Ben, let’s go to prom together’. His face drained of color and he passed out.” The whole room erupted in laughs. “I..I was knocked to the ground!” Beverly tried to say through gleeful tears, “He fell forward into me.”

“You were a very pleasant landing.” Ben smiled in mortification.

“You planning to faint at your wedding too?” said Stanley, “As your best man, I will need to prepare.”

“No, I’m not. I promise.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” said Richie. “I will have a fainting couch ready as a precaution.”

“You’ll probably just jump in front of Beverly and take one for the team,” piped Eddie.

“Speaking of the wedding,” Stanely rounded on Eddie and Richie. A dread bubbled in Eddie’s stomach. “You two having to bring dates is the smartest rule. I should have thought of that for my wedding.”

Richie threw his napkin at Stanley’s face, “Don’t make me take YOU as my date Stan the man.”

“You could never get this, Trashmouth.”

“I can get whoever I want. Right, Eds?”

“Don’t call me that.” Eddie mumbled. “While we are on the subject, just so no one is surprised, I might bring someone who none of you would expect.” Eddie felt his knee being squeezed from under the table. It took him a moment to realize it was Richie’s hand, he was giving a warning. Most likely telling him to keep the details limited, but Eddie hoped it was a touch for encouragement.

“Please, don’t bring Myra.” said Mike making the group groan collectively.

“Now, that would be unexpected.” Richie snickered.

“Eddie, you’re not actually thinking…” said Bill seriously. “Beverly, if they get back together I blame you.”

“Me?!” Beverly opened her mouth to fight but Eddie interrupted.

“Hello! Back to me, losers. I am not bringing Myra. I am not even interested in women!” The words slipped out quick, and he wished they could be suctioned into his mouth once more.

They went quiet, as the news hit them. Mike was smiling at Eddie. He felt his bravery trickling into cowardice the longer none of them said anything.

“S-so does this mean,” began Bill. “That you-you’re g-“

“Gay? Yes, stuttering Bill.” Richie answered seeming to be frustrated by Bill’s condition for the first time in a long time. Then a chair screeched out and Beverly ran around the table, slamming herself into Eddie.

Her soft hair tickled his neck, his heart was calming down from her sudden show of affection. He placed a hand on the arm she slung over his chest. Richie’s hand hadn’t left his knee either. Everyone else’s reactions were fairly standard, awkward congratulations or they were proud of him, all expected. The surprising reaction was Stanley, perhaps because he didn’t react at all. He was silent for the rest of the evening.

As they all stood outside saying goodbyes, Stanley seemed to linger a little aways from Eddie. He waited for the rest to leave, Richie was the last to hug him and head to his car. He wandered toward Stanley hesitantly. The taller man was twisting his key in hand repetitively, tapping his foot methodically.

“So,” Eddie begun lightly, “I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah,” answered Stanley stiffly. Eddie cocked his head to the side trying to meet his friend’s eyes, then gave up turning to leave. “How do you know?” Came his voice clearly from behind.

Eddie turned around, a few paces away. “Know what, Stan?”

“That you’re into guys.”

“Because I just do?”

“How long have you known?”

“Er...that’s more complicated. I mean I’ve been sitting on it for a month but..”

“A month?” interrupted Stanley, he was getting pink in the cheeks. “You’ve known a month and are coming out. That’s not enough time to know.”

“What’re you talking about?” Eddie was trying to keep his voice calm, he could feel that tingle of rage that surges in him when he feels attacked.

“Have you ever been with a guy?”

“What does that have to do with knowing whether I am gay? I know that every time I’ve thought of girls it hasn’t been the same as with guys. Or how with Myra...”

“Ok, yeah! Myra!” He rose his voice like winning some kind of twisted victory. “You were with her for a year and you really didn’t know?”

“Stan, you’re being a jackass.”

“I am trying to understand why you kept this from us?”

“From YOU, you mean? Stan, I didn’t keep it from anyone. I was figuring out my shit, then I talked about it with Mike and…”

“You told Mike first?”

“Um...no…” He caught himself quickly. “I told Richie first then Mike.”

A hurt flashed over Stanley’s eyes that Eddie hadn’t seen in years. “You told them before me?”

“Stan...come on. I told the rest of you at the same time. It was just easier to tell them at the time.”

“I’ve known you as long as Richie has. Much longer than Mike.”

“It’s not about that!” Eddie was at a loss. This was getting nowhere. “I don’t know what to say, Stan. I’m not going to apologize.”

“There is nothing to apologize for.”

“Then why are you fighting with me like there is?”

Stanley remained silent. His arguments lost on his tongue. “I am tired. I will talk to you later.” And he walked away. Eddie stood there, stomach twisting the food inside uncomfortably, eyes watery from the sadness creeping in his head.

_________

Thanks for the patience for the new chapter! Longer one cause I apparently had a lot to get through. I am starting a second job soon, but I will keep working on the next chapter as inspiration hits. Don't forget to subscribe!

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227 notes · View notes

d00dt00nz · 4 years

Video

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Obligatory promo stuff at the top because it sucks and I hate it and let’s get it out of the way! follow me on twitter where I’m active, check me out on spotify for music, or like my facebook for sparse updates on music stuff. Thank you. The Cover art is by Ellie Tison

Okay!! Last song!!

Well, I say last song, but it's more like “last song”. There is one more song that I used as an epilogue, but I'm not going to get into that, and honestly if you've listened to 13 tracks without being sold (why would you do that?) one more track isn't going to sell you on it.

And would you look at that, the last song is a reprise of the first song. Wow, it's like Sgt Pepper... that's so cool. Now it makes sense why I didn't bother talking about that first song right? Not planned btw.

This song was one of the first songs I wrote for this album. I said this for a few. Truthfully I did four or so around the same time and they were all great. I had a few more tracks in the oven as well. Everything was going great. I was like “wow this album's gonna be done in no time!” Anyway that was like three or four years ago. I guess that's how these things tend to go.

This is back when I was trying to make a bit more of a straight ahead rock/indie rock sounding album. I'm pretty sure I wrote this song on guitar, lyrics and all, which is honestly (and sadly) pretty rare for me these days. I had this idea for repeated backing vocals and a call/response sort of song structure. I'm pretty sure this more energetic version of the song came first. I originally wanted a sort of Lou Reed feel to it, but once I wrote that groovy dancy bass riff it immediately lost that feel. Once I started recording electric guitars I accidentally did a grungy “brrroww” at the end of the phrase and really liked it. I replicated it throughout the track and in turn lost even more of that Lou Reed feel.

In my original recording process I had a damaged patchcord. I didn't realize it at first because I was trying out some new equipment. I just thought it was really quiet. That being the case, I had to turn it up way loud to get a good volume and that's actually where some of the guitar tone you can hear (mainly in the one playing a melody-line during the chorus) comes from. I actually really liked it, I thought it sounded like Pavement. Actually, my Tiff did too and that's probably the nicest thing she's ever said about any of my music.

At some point I added more guitar tracks to the track to make it sound fuller, and also replace some of the ones recorded with a broken patchcord. I honestly kinda liked the original tracks, which still had a little bit of that 70s glam grittiness to them, but I'm far too neurotic about this stuff to really sit with that. In the end it sounded less 70s and more mid 90s. It had a sound that I've actually been trying to get for a while, though not on this track – the sort of fuzzy swirling guitars with a groovy beat and bassline to it. Tiff described it as being “Like those music videos where everything is blue and everyone's got really baggy pants”, which, again, big compliment. I don't know if that one was actually a compliment, but I'll take what I can get.

The song had its genesis at that same party I mentioned last time. There's nothing specific really. We had my album on and it's got a pretty fun cool first half. The people there were enjoying it, but then it gets to the second half and it's a little bit more mopey. It's also completely sexless and uncool throughout. That being the case, one of the guys there was like

“Sorry Con-dog, the vibes are just not working with this right now,”

and I was like,

“Oh don't worry about it, I understand dude,”

And then he was like, “Right on man. I’m getting fucked vibes from those guys over there. Here, hit this for me.”

And then I did some coke off a Pulp Fiction VHS tape.

I thought to myself, “man it'd be nice to have music that you could put on at a party”. Which basically was the whole idea behind this album, conscious or not. I don't really know if it succeeded, but there's definitely a certain kind of party where this would play, and honestly I don't think I'd mind being at it.

The album was originally going to be more centered around the idea of the character described in this track. I mean, obviously he's me, but I'm trying to detach myself and make things a little more universal. I wanted to explore all the different traits and behaviors that this one person has. Some of them being mine, and some of them being not. Honestly, it didn't really pull through to the end. There's a little bit of that in here, but it's mostly just songs. I'm okay with that. They have some thematic cohesion. It's got this song bookending the album. Wow, it's like Sgt. Pepper.....

The ending is a little bit embarrassing for me because I do a bit of a scream voice, which, honestly I don't think there's anything actively wrong with it, I just cringe when I hear myself doing it because it's like “ah oh god I'm doing that”. I don't know. There's also the fact that, well, one of the things I yell is the word “Wasteman”, which is a little bit of an outdated slang right now, but when I actually recorded the song it wasn't. Whatever, this is an insanely white album from a white kid. I figure a lot of people who enjoy this type of music haven't actually heard that word. I wouldn't have, but I hang out with Tiff's cool friends sometimes. Honestly I think it's a cool term. I think the most embarrassing part though is I copy-pasted it so it repeats twice because I felt like I wanted more intensity. I don't think it's super noticeable, but the idea makes it a little disingenuous. During the outro I wanted to add a little more of that “90s blue and baggy” feel, so I plugged in a keyboard and freaked out on the organ setting. I think it really adds a lot.

The slower version of the song was written afterwards and I actually cheat because it uses some of the same midi tracks. I was super torn between the more exciting sound that I had and my original “vision” for the song, which was a bit more downtempo Lou-Reed inspired. I figured, why not do both?

There's not a whole lot to cover here that I haven't already covered. Mostly the backing vocals, but only because I think I did a worse job with them than the other version. There's nothing outwardly wrong with them per-se, but I think the blend is not good and that's gonna immediately stick out to some people. The middle section just kinda came about because the other version doesn't really have a proper chorus. It just has some guitar noodling. I played around with the chord progression of the middle chorus in the fast version and made something that was a bit more structured, then adapted a melody around it. Harmonies grew out of the melody. I felt like something was missing, so I took that same call and response idea from earlier and applied it here too. I really liked the interplay between the two vocal lines. The “Purify me” line was originally supposed to come up again and again throughout the album. One of the tracks that ALMOST made it would have been the song it was from, and then there would be callbacks to the melody throughout the album. It was kind of like a motif. That was unfortunately completely scrapped and this is the last trace of it. Maybe I'll work the idea into something I do in the future.

I like this song. I realized way too late that it massively rips off The Velvet Underground's Sweet Jane. I guess that “Lou Reed inspired” idea was a little bit too literal. Fortunately I would say the middle section saves it from being too much of a copy. I think it's a good way to start and finish the album. I also like the thematic notions of this album starting with the same track it ends on. Like these things work in cycles and you're never truly free of your own quicksand. Like an Ouroboros eating its own tail, like Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. When one cycle ends, a new begins. The same, but slightly different – until it is completely undermined by the epilogue track that says “no this is actually the end”.

Hey congrats on making it through all of these entries! You may have only read this one, or even skipped to the end. If you did that, disregard that previous sentence and go back to read them. This album was the culmination of a lot of work and thought. 13 of these writeups was nothing compared to probably hundreds of hours spent working on this album, and probably thousands of hours thinking about it. I'm aware few people are reading these writeups, but it's honestly mostly my own indulgence. I gotta decompress this stuff and be free of this album. I can finally get rid of all this useless crap in my brain. I'll probably enjoy being able to go back and read this stuff once I've forgotten most of this, and once I've become a more mature person. I'll probably go “wow this shit is cringe. I can't believe he posted like 22 pages of cringe” but that's okay. The album's okay. I made for certain it was not, in fact, cringe before releasing it. And honestly I enjoyed writing these.

A part of me wants to get back to the freakish pace I had in like 2011 where this blog was nonstop content. I don't think it'd work so well in 2020 Tumblr because who even uses this site anymore? I think it's a little sad because it's pretty much the death of long form posting. Twitter is great because people pay attention to you, but sometimes I just want to write like two thousand words and have some psycho actually read them and respond to it. I think we've lost that on the internet. Sometimes I think of making youtube videos, but I'm no good in front of a camera. Sometimes I wonder, couldn't I just read something like this TO the camera? The answer is no, I can't. That'd be boring. I'm completely convinced nobody would watch that. I sometimes think that if I could add some editing and some visual component though, it'd work out. Some sort of... video essay. Some kind of... man with facial hair and left leaning politics who enjoys media and talks about both... Wow I wonder if that niche has been filled at all?

#music #songwriting #rant #music production #lou reed #pavement #indie rock #the fact that there's an epilogue that ruins the concept is also like sgt pepper

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mostfandomfanatic · 5 years

Text

Here We Go Again

Part 4 - The Name of the Game

Summary: Before Bucky fled to Romania, he met you. You offered your home to him and fell in love, but he couldn't stay. Now, after waiting for him and thinking you were never going to see him again, he’s back with the Avengers and needs your help.

This is a story based on the music from Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Word Count: 5764

Warnings: None?

A/N: Finally. Hopefully an update is never this late again.

I’ve seen your eyes

Tender like mine

Only a week since we started

It seems to me

In a short time

I’m getting more open-hearted

Three days have past, and the small group of Avengers are still laying low in your home. Sam has been up and active since yesterday. And currently, everyone seems to be on edge as they watch the news.

Two of the other Avengers, Iron Patriot and Vision, were on screen being interviewed about a the recent mission that their team members have not returned from.

“Over half of the Avengers were on this mission, including Wanda Maximoff, who you, Vision, have been rumored to have a relationship with, can either of you tell us where they are now, and if they’re safe?” The host asked.

“Wherever they are, they’re definitely safe. Just this morning we got a message saying they’ll be on their way home soon,” Iron Patriot, also known as James Rhodes, replied.

“I hate these dumb interviews. They all ask the same questions,” Clint said, then taking a sip of his coffee.

“What exactly is stopping us from going back to the compound?” Wanda asked.

“For one, Tony said he needed to fix something with the jet,” Steve said.

“And, Y/n still needs to give us an answer,” Natasha added.

You sighed. The only thing stopping you from going is that you and Bucky still haven’t had a private conversation. Whenever you try to get the two of you alone, someone always comes and ruins the moment.

To be honest, you already forgave him for everything. It’s obvious that he feels bad about the way he left things. But you still need to hear him say it, or else it’ll eat you alive.

“Your thoughts are very loud today, Y/n,” Wanda commented.

“Sorry, I’ll try to think more quickly,” you joked.

“I bet if we switched channels to another interview, they’d still be asking about the same crap,” Clint said.

“Oh my god, I’m turning it off if you don’t shut up about it,” Natasha said. You laughed as they started to argue.

Standing up from your seat, you decided to look for Bucky. Maybe now you finally talk with no interruptions.

You found him in the backyard, enjoying the peace and quiet.

“Hey,” you said. He opened his eyes and turned towards you.

“Hey,” he replied.

“May I?” You asked, gesturing to the seat next to him.

“Of course.”

It was quiet again for a few moments, neither of you wanting to ruin the moment.

“Can I ask you a question?” You said.

“Sure.”

“What’s it like to be an Avenger?”

“It’s… exhausting. But knowing that we’re helping people, and doing the right thing makes it worth it.”

“Aren’t you tired of it all? You spent most of your life fighting… Fighting fights that you didn’t want any part of.”

“When Hydra found me, they took everything from me. My mind, my free will, my memories. Now finally I get the choice.”

You started to smile, thinking back to the past.

“It’s a good thing you ran into Steve then, he helped you get your memories back.”

“That's wrong.”

You turned and gave him a confused look. He smiled.

“It wasn’t all Steve, it was also you.”

“How did I-“

“You gave me a notebook and told me to write everything I could remember in it. You researched things that help improve people’s memory and told me that you would do anything you could. I thought you were crazy.” He began to laugh.

“What so funny? I just wanted to help you.” You said.

“Exactly. You wanted to help a criminal get his life in check. I remember I would just sit thinking how insane you were to trust me. Sometimes, I still don’t understand why you did it.”

“You know, I could say the same thing to you. I used to ask myself why you were so quick to trust me, a stranger that almost ran you over, but then I realized you had no choice. I was the only one who would help you.”

The both of you sat in silence for a few moments once again, just taking in each other’s words.

“Y/n, I’m sorry. For everything. I shouldn’t have left you like that.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay, I never should have abandoned you.”

“You didn’t abandon me, you had to go or else you would have been caught. I understand that now.”

“Still, I never should have left you. I regret it every time I think about it.”

You didn’t know what to say, so instead, you just looked down and fiddled with your hands. You could still feel his gaze on you.

“We had something between us, didn’t we?” You asked. Slowly you looked up at him, your eyes begging for him to say something.

“I thought so,” he said.

“Could we… could we have that again?” You asked.

“Y/n, I-”

He was stopped by the opening of the back door.

“There you guys are,” Steve said, “I hope I’m not interrupting anything important, but we’ve got lunch set up.”

“We’ll catch up with you,” Bucky said. Steve seemed to understand what he intruded on and left quickly.

“We should join everyone,” you said quietly.

“Y/n, don’t let me be what’s stopping you from joining the team, okay?”

You nodded and walked away towards the dining room.

I was an impossible case

No one ever could reach me

But I think I can see in your face

There’s a lot you can teach me

So I wanna know

What's stopping you now? You got what you wanted, he apologized and tried to make things right. Why are you still hesitating?

“Y/n, is everything alright?” Wanda said waving a hand in front of you face to get your attention.

“Yeah, I’m fine, just staring into space,” you reassured her.

You finally decided to listen in on the conversation the group was having. Something about Tony and a big engagement party.

“Don’t you ever get tired of the big parties?” Steve asked.

“Of course he doesn’t,” Natasha said, “he loves the spotlight.”

“Nothing wrong with celebrating, Steve. Maybe you’re just getting to old to appreciate them,” Tony said. You could tell he was joking.

“I know I am,” Clint said. Everyone laughed.

“I’m just surprised you could lock it down,” Sam said.

“Why is that so surprising?” Tony asked.

“Have you met you?” Natasha said.

The conversation eventually moved on, and suddenly, you had a feeling it was going to be aimed at you. You needed to make a decision, and you needed to make it fast.

“Did you fix the jet, Tony?” Steve asked.

“And upgraded it in the process,” Tony said.

“So Sam is awake and the jet is fixed, that only leaves one thing,” Wanda said, turning her attending towards you.

“So Y/n, it’s time,” Natasha said.

“We can talk through it if you want, answer any last questions,” Steve reassured.

What’s stopping you now? Just the fear of being hurt or being in the public eye? Or maybe being away from your family even more than you already are?

“What exactly, besides medical stuff, would I be doing?” You asked.

“I would be training you,” Natasha said.

“And what does that entail?”

“A lot of hard work, I would be preparing you for the field.”

“And we need to learn more about your abilities and what you can do,” Steve added.

“Okay, those are things I would just get used to over time. What about my personal life? Would I still get to see my family?”

“Of course you would,” Bucky said.

“Okay… then there’s just one more thing. I have horrible public speaking skills, and the Avengers are all over the news and there’s interviews, and press conferences, and contracts to sign, and I would be no good at any of that.”

“We would help you with that,” Wanda reassured.

“Interviews and press conferences basically follow a script,” Clint added. “ Like I said earlier, they always ask the same questions, and we always give the same answers.”

“And when they ask about your personal life, because they will, you can just give no comment,” Natasha said.

You sat there for a second, taking everything in. There’s no reason to say no now.

You looked around the table, meeting everyone’s eyes. Wanda, to Steve, to Tony, until you met with Bucky’s. You remembered what he said earlier.

‘Don’t let me be what’s stopping you from joining the team’

He’s not what’s stopping you, in fact, it’s quite the opposite.

“Then I guess that settles it,” you said, “I’m in.”

What’s the name of the game?

Does it mean anything to you?

What’s the name of the game?

Can you feel it the way I do?

Tell me please

'Cause I have to know

I’m a curious child

Beginning to grow

“I think it’ll be good to have another girl around,” Natasha said. She and Wanda decided to help you pack a few things for a few days until the rest of your clothes could be taken to the compound.

“Can we please have a weekly girls night so we can complain about the guys, because there are some things that I just can’t keep in anymore,” Wanda said.

“Like what?” You asked.

“Well for now, let’s just say that Vision doesn’t really understand personal boundaries.”

“What about you Natasha? Are you seeing anyone?”

“Yes, and everything is going pretty good so far. But Bruce is having some issues with his other half at the moment, so he’s keeping his distance. Anyways, I’m more interested in how things are going with you and Bucky.” You could hear the smirk in her voice.

“There’s nothing to tell.”

“Like we’d believe that, there’s obviously something happening,” Wanda commented.

“Maybe there is something, but I probably messed it up,” you admitted.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, earlier today, me and Bucky talked, and I basically said I wanted us to try… being together. But then Steve interrupted and I just… left. He didn’t try to say anything back. And as I was leaving Bucky said… nothing, never mind.”

“What did he say?” They both asked.

“He said that I shouldn’t let him be what’s stopping me from joining the team… But it’s the opposite. If anything, he’s the reason I agreed to join.”

“You should tell him that,” Natasha said. “And you should wear this when you do.”

You turned to look at what she was referring to to find her holding up a dress from you closest. It was a off the shoulder velvet dress.

“Oh my god, I forgot I had that.” Your face flushed as you thought of Bucky seeing you in that and imagining how he would react.

“It’s cute, he would love it,” Wanda said.

“We’re definitely not letting you leave without it,” Natasha said as she placed it with the pile of clothes that need to be packed.

“What would I even wear it for?”

“Your welcoming party, of course.”

“Welcoming party?”

“Tony’s idea, he’ll take any excuse to have a party. Besides, it’ll be a good way for you to meet everyone on the team.”

You’re definitely no good at parties, all the dancing and drinking will surely end in some sort of embarrassment on your end.

A knock on the bedroom door caught everyone’s attention.

“Hey,” Peter greeted, “Mr. Stark said that we need to leave in five.”

“Thanks Peter, we’ll be down soon,” Wanda said.

“You ever fly before?” Natasha asked as she helped carry your bags to the jet.

“Once or twice, but it’s been a while,” you replied.

“Don’t worry, it’s a smooth ride,” Wanda said.

And she wasn’t wrong. The ride felt like it was over before it even began.

When you stepped out of the jet, you immediately started taking in your surroundings. The surrounding trees, the large facility. It was a lot to look at.

“C’mon, there’s a lot more to see,” Bucky said, gently pushing you forward with his hand on your back.

And you make me talk

And you make me feel

And you make me show

What I’m trying to conceal

If I trust in you

Would you let me down?

Would you laugh at me

If I said I care for you?

Could you feel the same way too?

I wanna know

The name of the game

The team guided you through the hallways to an office surrounded by glass walls. A man dressed in all black with an eye patch stood at the head of the table. Next to him was a thin woman in a fitted uniform. They looked very intimidating, and you made a note to try to make a good first impression.

“Relax, they’re just going review some things with you,” Bucky reassured you.

“You’re late,” the man said as everyone entered the room.

“Actually, we’re right on time,” Tony said. The man ignored him and aimed his attention towards you.

“You must be the new recruit,” he addressed, then held out his hand. “Nick Fury, and this is Maria Hill.”

You shook both of their hands and took a seat along with everyone else.

“Alright, so let’s just cut to the chase, tell us about your powers.”

“I can heal physical injuries, and I can also heal irritations like headaches. When I heal, I absorb the pain into myself, which causes me to feel drained afterwards. I can release that pain onto others, or release it by hurting myself.”

“Do you have to do it through touch?” Maria asked.

“To heal, I have to be close, but I don’t have to actually touch the wounds. And as far as I know, I can only do it through my hands. But for redistributing the pain, I need physical contact.”

“What kind of pain does the person feel?”

You hesitated to answer. You’ve only ever redistributed pain to two people. And one of them was Bucky.

You remember how it happened. It was the first night with him at your home and he was on edge, afraid that if he wasn’t keeping his eye on you, you’d be calling the police. He saw you pick up your phone and panicked, and backed you up to the wall with his metal hand to your throat. You didn’t know what to do, so you reached your hand out and sent a pulse of pain to his chest, sending him back onto the floor.

“I don’t know.”

“We can go more in depth with that another time. We have enough information for us to determine a good way to train you. So right now, let’s get you settled in,” Maria said.

“I’ll show you to your room, Y/n,” Natasha said.

“That was over pretty quickly,” you stated as you followed her out of the glass room. Glancing back inside, you could see Bucky looking your way.

“Maria could tell you were uncomfortable answering that last question so she stepped in,” Natasha explained.

You felt as if you were walking through the hallways for forever, and it was almost as if the walls were caving in around you. You convinced yourself that it was just your nerves, but you couldn’t help the lurking feeling that you didn’t belong there.

Your room however, was very spacious, and even though all the shelves were empty, and the walls bare, the room looked perfectly designed. Everything seemed to be in the perfect place. Even the bed was already made and there were already clothes in the closet.

Yes, it was all fantastic, but everything seemed too perfect. Sitting on the bed, it was almost as if it was too comfortable.

“Wow,” was all you could seem to say.

“There should be an outfit on the chair over there for later. We’re calling for an immediate press conference to welcome you into the group.”

“Am I going to have to answer anything?”

“Most likely. But don’t worry, we can handle any questions that you don’t have an answer for.”

“I guess I don’t really have a choice.”

“By the way, the press conference will be broadcasted live.”

“Is that normal?”

“Only for special occasions,”

She left you alone to get changed. You sent a text to your mom saying to turn on the news, figuring that your family would like the surprise.

The outfit picked out for you was very professional. A fitted, black blazer with a grey blouse, and a high waisted, black skirt. No shoes, so you guess the ones you have on will be fine.

“Are you ready?” Natasha asked, coming in as you were finishing putting on the blazer.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” you said.

“Great, let me just run some things over with you as we walk.” She immediately walked out of the room, expecting you to follow. “First off, there will be cameras and they will flash a lot. And they will probably ask you about your family or relationships with us, and you can answer them if you’d like, but if you start to feel uncomfortable, just reply with no comment.”

As she listed off the many things you needed to look out for, you could see the group up ahead. Tony appeared to be giving everyone a pep talk of sorts. You could see Bucky in the back rolling his eyes and you smiled.

I have no plans

No one to see

And no one has been invited

Now I am here talking to you

No wonder I get excited

They were about to introduce you as the newest addition to the team. You were just waiting for the signal to walk in.

“Miss L/n, it’s time,” Maria said.

Natasha was right. There was a lot of flashing. Almost an overbearingly amount, but you managed to keep a smile on your face for the camera. You joined the rest on the small stage and stood with Tony as he introduced you to the world.

“This is Y/n L/n, our newest member of the Avengers,” Tony announced, and reporters all began shouting their questions. “Miss L/n will answer a few questions after Nick Fury explains everything that I just said in a more serious tone,” he joked.

“Hey,” Bucky, who you chose to stand next to, whispered into your ear. “You’re tense, just breathe.”

Taking his advice and taking a deep breath, you could feel yourself starting to relax.

“Thanks,” you whispered back to him.

“It okay to be nervous you know,” he said. You held your breath once again as his fingers brushed against yours.

“Miss L/n will answer some questions now,” Nick said, gesturing for you to step up to the mic.

“You’ve got this,” Bucky encouraged.

Cameras flashed as you stood in front of the small audience of reporters. You smiled and pointed to a reporter on the left.

“How did the Avengers come into contact with you?”

“I’m an old friend of Sergeant Barnes,” you answered honestly, then pointed to another reporter.

“What skills do you add to the Avengers team?”

“I have healing powers, so I can assist them with injuries when they come back from missions. And once I’m trained, I might even be helpful out in the field.”

“Are you related to Y/d/n L/n, who’s known for disliking mutants?”

You froze at your father's name.

“He’s my father, but I have no relationship with him.”

“Are you prepared to take on the role and the title of an Avenger?”

“All my life, I’ve only wanted to help people. And this is the perfect opportunity for me to do that, so I’m prepared for anything that these guys throw at me,” you smiled and looked back at the group, they were smiling too.

“What’s your relationship with Sergeant Barnes?”

You were taken back by the question, but quickly recovered and tried not to show your hesitation.

“We’re just friends.”

Your smile and the sound of your voice

And the way you see through me

Got a feeling you give me no choice

But it means a lot to me

So I wanna know

For the next few days, you were busy moving into your new home. Boxes filled the large room, and you’re beginning to wonder if all of your things will fit.

“Okay, you’re gonna have to get rid of some of this stuff… or get a storage room or something,” Wanda said, out of breath from helping carry boxes.

“Yeah, I guess moving from a whole house to one room would cause some issues,” you laughed.

“It’s exciting though, right?” Wanda asked as she opened up a box full of books and journals. “Your starting a new chapter of your life.”

“Yeah, I guess it’s pretty exciting,” you smiled.

“Are you excited for the party?”

“I actually am,” you said, sighing as you took a seat to rest. “Who exactly will be there?”

“Let me think... besides everyone you already met, there’s only a few other members of the Avengers for you to meet,” she said, starting to go through one of the boxes filled with books. “Thor will be there, and I believe T’challa and Scott will be there as well.”

“Is that all?” You joked.

“Hey, what’s this?”

You looked over to see her holding up a leather notebook. You immediately recognized it as the first notebook you gave to Bucky.

“It’s a notebook that I gave to Bucky for him to write his memories in,” you sighed. “He forgot it when he left.”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked,” Wanda said, handing the notebook over to you.

“No, it’s okay. I forgot I had it.” You opened the book to a random page and glanced at some of the writings and sketches. “I probably should have thrown it away back then, but for some reason I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

You flipped through the pages and smiled when you found a rough sketch of Steve. You remember when Bucky showed it to you, seeing him so excited made you excited along with him, so much so that you threw your arms around him in a hug. Which was the first time you touched him after you used your powers on him.

From the corner of your eye, you could see a red figure in the doorway.

“I'm sorry to interrupt but Stark is asking for your presence,” Vision said.

“Great, what does he want now?” You mumbled to yourself.

Making your way into the common area where the party will be held, you took in all of the decorations. They were a bit extreme for your taste, but there was no point in arguing with Tony.

“Ah, there you are,” Tony said as you entered the room, getting the attention of Natasha and Steve. “What do you want for music?”

“Anything is fine,” you told him with a shrug.

“Alright, how about your attire? I can have Pepper get you something,” he offered.

“I already have something to wear.”

“Okay, what about drinks?” He asked, moving toward the bar.

“I don’t drink so whatever the rest of you want is fine with me.”

“You don’t drink?” Steve asked as he set a large box of beer onto the bar.

“Let’s just say that hangovers are not my thing,” you shrugged.

“They’re almost done here and the party starts in two hours so we better go get ready,” Natasha said, making her way over to you and pulling you along with her.

Natasha and Wanda insisted on helping you get ready, saying that they were going to make you irresistible. They did your hair and makeup, and helped you choose jewelry and shoes to go with your velvet dress.

You weren’t sure why you needed to look so glammed up, you weren’t trying to impress anyone. Or at least, you were only trying to impress one specific person.

Once the party started, you greeted everyone as they arrived to the party. Shaking their hand and introducing yourself, following the instructions Tony gave you. Natasha introduced you to some of the other Avengers, such as King T’challa and Thor; both were very charming and kind.

As the party went on into the night, the music blared and most of the guests getting drunk, everything seemed to good to be true.

“Look who’s fashionably late,” Clint shouted, getting the attention of you.

“Who is that? He looks familiar,” you said to Natasha.

“That’s Doctor Strange, he’s a sorcerer,” she told you.

Realization hit you as you remembered why you recognized him. One of your friends from work was a huge fan of him, she even made a poster of him and hung it in one of the hospital rooms. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t a fan of him as well.

“Doctor Strange as in Doctor Stephen Strange, the man who used to be one of the best neurosurgeons in the world?”

“You know him?”

“Not personally, but I used to be a fan of him when I was a nurse.”

“Really?” She inquired with a sly smile. “You should go talk to him.”

“He’s talking to Tony, I shouldn��t interrupt.”

“Yes, but Bucky has been staring at you for the last eight minutes now and frankly, it’s getting on my nerves, so you need to do something to get him make a move.”

You looked around to see where Bucky could be staring at you from, but you still couldn’t find him. Damn her and her assassin eyes.

“Fine,” you sighed.

Taking a deep breath and mustering up all the courage you had, you made your way over to where the two men seemed to be in a heated discussion.

“Excuse me, Tony,” you interrupted. They both sighed, deciding to continue their argument later. “Could you introduce me?”

Reluctantly, Tony introduced the two of you to each other, then left in a hurry to find Pepper.

“So you used to be a nurse, right?” He asked, leaning against the wall nonchalantly. He looked you up and down, as if he was analyzing you.

“Yes, I was for about a year before I quit,” you answered him. You could feel your cheeks start to flush.

“Why did you quit?” He asked. You could tell he wasn’t very interested, but was trying to be nice.

“Oh, just for personal reasons,” you shrugged. He took a glance behind you and smirked.

“It seems your knight has arrived,” he said.

“What?”

“Hey, doll.” Bucky came up from behind you, wrapping his metal arm around your waist, “Wanna dance?”

“Oh, Bucky. Hi. Sure,” you said, feeling flustered from the way he was holding you. “It was nice meeting you,” You smiled at Stephen, who nodded back with a smirk.

“C’mon, dance with me.” Bucky took your hand and pulled you into him away from Stephen, then led you out onto the balcony. “You look beautiful, doll,” he complimented, wrapping his arm around you tighter as you swayed to the music, almost as if he wanted you all for himself.

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” you said confidently, and began to move your hands up his arms to his shoulders. “Where have you been? I haven’t seen you all night?”

“Sam got me into a game of pool,” Bucky shrugged.

“So weren’t avoiding me?” You asked, smiling slyly.

“Why would I be avoiding you?” He seemed genuinely concerned by your question.

You were now wondering if that was the right thing to say.

“I don’t know, I just feel like we haven’t been seeing a lot of each other lately,” you told him honestly, casting your gaze downward.

“I’m not avoiding you.” Bucky lifted your chin to make you look into his eyes. “I’ve just been busy, and so have you.”

“Is that how it’s always going to be?” You asked sadly.

“What do you want me to say, doll?”

“You know what I want.” You voices, barley above a whisper.

A moment of silence passed as you waited for him to say something, but instead felt him pull you even closer and rest his head on top of yours.

“Let’s just enjoy this moment.” He said softly. You nodded your head and sighed as you listened to his heartbeat.

What’s the name of the game?

Does it mean anything to you?

What’s the name of the game?

Can you feel it the way I do?

Tell me please, 'cause I have to know

I’m a curious child, beginning to grow

With the party basically over and the music softly playing in the background, the few who were left were gathered around in a circle on the couches.

Everyone was sharing some of their stories. Peter shared his victory against his ex-girlfriend's dad, Thor shared his reconciliation with his brother, and even Doctor Strange shared how he became a sorcerer.

Finally, after another story from Scott, you found an opening to go freshen yourself up.

“I’ll be right back guys,” you said, getting up from your spot on the couch to head to the closest bathroom.

Deciding to just take off all the makeup, you washed and dried your face. The party was technically over anyway, so what would it matter. You were sure that Bucky wouldn’t care either way.

You wonder what Bucky was thinking while you danced. You’re bodies pressed against each other with your head on his chest and his resting on yours. If he feels the same way you do, what’s stopping him?

You came up with different guesses. Maybe he’s scared that something will happen to you because of his past. Maybe he doesn’t want a relationship in the public eye. Maybe he just doesn’t feel that way about you anymore.

You hope it isn’t the last one.

You made your way back slowly, but paused at the sound of your name.

“Seriously guys, what do you think of Y/n?” It was Natasha.

“I think she’s wonderful, she shows the true spirit of an Avenger,” Thor said.

“She needs a lot of work, but I think she fits in great,” Tony added.

“Tell me why we have to keep lying to her again,” Bucky said. Lying? What were they lying about?

“Buck, you know how she’ll react if she finds out,” Steve said.

“And besides, we were never planning on keeping her away from her family, no matter what deal we made with her father,” Natasha reassured.

My father? A deal? What are they hiding from you?

“But what if she does find out?” Wanda questioned.

“She won’t,” Natasha said, she seemed to be getting a bit irritated now.

“Listen, unless someone goes up to her and says ‘we made a deal with your father to keep you away from harming your family’ she won’t find out, so if you would please shut up now and-”

You froze, not caring what Tony decided to rant about.

How could they do something like that? After you told them about him, and how he feels about you, how? And why? You didn’t think your father hated you that much to think of bribing the Avengers, but I guess you were wrong.

But then again, you didn’t think the Avengers were that selfish.

And you make me talk

And you make me feel

And you make me show

What I’m trying to conceal

If I trust in you

Would you let me down?

Would you laugh at me

If I said I care for you?

Could you feel the same way too?

I wanna know

Oh yes, I wanna know

In the darkness of your room, you sat silently staring into space, not bothering to wipe your tear stained cheeks. It’s been over an hour since you left the party. You knew that if you tried to face them after what you heard, you would fall apart right in front of them.

It still doesn’t make any sense to you, no matter which way you look at the situation, it all just seems wrong and unsettling.

You didn’t bother getting up when you heard a knock on your door. You suspected it could be Wanda, or maybe Natasha. Both would be difficult to talk to, maybe even impossible at the moment.

“Hey doll, it’s me,” Bucky’s muffled voice said through the door. A pain ran through your chest and you took a deep breath, trying to stop more tears from flowing.

“Go away,” you said, as loudly as you could without your voice breaking.

“Is everything okay?”

No. Everything is not okay. In fact, everything is far from being okay.

“Go away,” you said more firmly.

“Not until you tell me what’s wrong.”

Sighing, you gave FRIDAY the okay and Bucky came rushing in. He paused when he saw your hunched over form and rushed over to you, kneeling on the ground so he could see your face.

“Doll, what’s wrong?” He wiped away your tears with his thumb, something that would normally make your heart race.

“Were you ever going to tell me?” You asked quietly, gently taking his hands away from your face and refusing to meet his gaze.

“Tell you what?” He asked softly.

“About the deal you made with my father?”

He froze, eyes widened and mouth gaping.

“You weren’t meant to hear that,” he said hastily.

“Answer the question,” you said firmly.

Numb. That’s all you could feel now. No matter what he said in this moment won’t make a difference.

“Yes, we never intended to keep you away from your family.” He voice sounding desperate.

“You made a deal with my father, the one person who hates me most of all.”

“Doll, believe me, we were going to tell you.”

Finally meeting his gaze, you remained unmoved by the sadness on his face.

“After all I’ve been through, I never thought you would be the one to break me like this again.”

His face fell, and he shook his head sadly.

“Don’t say that.”

“I don’t want to talk anymore, please leave.”

“Doll.”

“Please Bucky. I just want to be alone.”

Eventually, he did leave, and the second the doors closed and locked the tears started flowing again. And they didn’t stop until you fell asleep at sunrise.

The name of the game

Does it mean anything to you?

What’s the name of the game?

Can you feel it the way I do?

What’s the name of the game?

Tags: @moonbeambucky @welp-im-mikey @bucky-smiles @california-grown @sexyvixen7 @psyc0drama @mdgrdians @rebelfleur22 @bvckys-doll @minigranger

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky x reader #bucky barnes #bucky x you #bucky fanfic #reader insert #fanfic

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chardonnay-sin-blog · 5 years

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What if: it's 2011/2012, Raja and Raven are at an event and they keep teasing each other with flirty looks and touches and words, until Raja is just too horny and tries to convince Raven to go somewhere more private and risky, and spend some interesting time together 😏 what would Raven do? where would Raja take Raven? what would they do...? 😍🔥🔥

So apparently I don’t know what a “short story” is 😅anyways, enjoy my little side piece!

“This ‘party’ is so fucking lame.”

Raven couldn’t hold in her laughter at Morgan’s attempt at subtlety as they walked across the convention centre floor, fake smiles plastered to their faces while they waved hello at some of the higher-ups from WoW they recognized. The 2 of them were there along with Jujubee and a plethora of other California queens who were...well invited may not be the correct term, more like encouraged to attend this Hollywood event promoting the upcoming seasons of Drag Race and Drag U. They were promised free alcohol, not realizing that that meant 2 drink tickets for the entire evening. The girls were pretty much there to be pranced around like show ponies and schmooze with the big guns from WoW presents and Logo: producers, directors, casting, all of those types, but admittedly most of their time had been spent giggling at off-hand comments like Morgan just made and gossiping with other queens. That and watching Jujubee manage to scam her way into more free drink tickets, slowly getting more and more inebriated as the night progressed.

Raven had been running into different queens all night, a couple she hadn’t seen since their season finished filming 2 years ago! It was great to see old acquaintances and catch up, but she was really looking around to see if she could find Delta in the crowd. She always had the good gossip, which hopefully meant she knew if Raja was still on the East Coast and that’s the reason she wasn’t here tonight either. “Ugh they’re probably off somewhere getting shit-faced without us, bitches” Raven thought to herself.

About 10 minutes later, she found herself stuck in a painfully boring conversation with Santino Rice. The last time she’d seen him was at the season 2 wrap party where they’d all gotten way too drunk and he and Raven may or may not have engaged in some “overly friendly” activities together (no she didn’t sleep with him, she’d not that desperate). While she was smiling and nodding, pretending to listen to his elaborate re-telling of some new juice cleanse he was trying, Raven used a technique she’d learned where you look slightly to the left and above the other person’s when you frankly don’t give a shit what they saying and would rather tune them out. Suddenly she saw something that actually did pique her interest, Raja walking by the cheap backdrop someone had put up for the queens to take pictures in front of. She was in drag but obviously had arrived late and seemed slightly drunk in that overly smiley and giggly way Sutan got when he’d had a few too many cocktails but could still handle herself. She was honestly shocked Raja had showed up at all, expecting her to still be in New York.

She caught herself staring when Raja turned her head towards the crowd, looking around and briefly making eye contact with Raven. Raja gave her one of her dazzling smiles and an expectant head tilt. Raven smiled back, an impulsive feeling of butterflies making her feel flustered as she looked away quickly. When she flicked her eyes back a moment later, Raja was gone. Was she going insane and actually seeing Sutan in places he wasn’t actually there? She really needed to stop thinking about him so much.

Suddenly she heard the familiar deep baritone of a voice close behind her, the sound of Raja’s laugh dancing through the convention centre made Raven smile but she continued to make small talk with Santino. Suddenly she felt the ghost of someone’s hand brush all the way across her lower back, sending a small shiver up her spine. Out of the corner of her eye she swore she saw Raja float past, saying hello to yet another member of production she seemed to have known from her early filming days. Raja pulled the man in for a hug and spun halfway around, her face now in perfect view of Raven’s eyesight. Raven tried to keep her focus on the question Santino was asking her, but still had to ask him to repeat it as she continued to be distracted by Raja. She swore every so often Raja would look back at her, a look of mischief and excitement in her eyes. When they both managed to hold each other’s gaze for more than a moment and Raven saw Raja fully wink at her, Raven knew she wasn’t just imagining things.

After a brief hello to her old friend Phil, Raja immediately made her way over to where Raven was standing. She was pretty much the sole reason why Raja even bothered showing up tonight. She could have easily used the excuse of still being on the West Coast to perform and get in contact with some of her designer friends out there, but she had been out of town for a little while and hadn’t seen David in what seemed like forever, so she figured this party was the perfect opportunity to spend some quality catch-up time together. Raja came to stand directly behind Raven, waving at Santino in a far-too enthusiastic greeting. She reached all the way around Raven to give Santino a small hug, and as she pulled back Raven felt her hand briefly squeeze her shoulder, a quiet “Hey you.” in her ear.

Rather than draw her hand away, Raja let her fingers run down the back of Raven’s shoulder. She was close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating between their bodies. The tips of her fingernails still traced against Raven’s back as she engaged in polite conversation about the shows she’d been doing all over the US in the last year.

“Oh you should’ve seen the things that went on during this tour, things got a little wild some nights. Especially when we came back here and had some special guest performers with us, right Rave?”

Raven’s eyes fluttered as she felt Raja’s hand move down her lower back. “Yeah. It definitely got crazy.”

Raven continued to distractedly contribute to the conversation, trying to follow along while the Raja’s hand still tickled down her back. When she felt Raja trace even lower down over her backside she gasped and squirmed at the sensation.

“Ah-I need to go...and see what Morgan needs.

Raven escaped quickly, a flush of embarrassment coming over her as she made a beeline for Morgan hanging out by the bar.

“Hey what’s up?” she looked Raven up and down. “You look like you need another drink. I’m gonna need like 8 more to get through this night.”

Morgan ordered another round while she continued gossiping about everything they’d heard tonight about the show and the other queens. Raven tried her best to ignore Raja’s eyes still lingering on her every time she glanced in her general direction, attempting to remain casual in her conversation. Clearly she failed miserably because Morgan immediately turned to see what Raven was so distracted by. As soon as she saw Raja looking in their general direction, eyes ablaze and a knowing smile on his lips, she couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

“Oh my god, are you guys serious?”

“What?” Raven tried to play innocent.

“I can see her looking at you”

“And?”

“And it’s Raja. I’ve seen that look, I know you two. I’m not an idiot.” Morgan looked across the room and then back at Raven who’s eyes were still locked on Raja’s. “Oh will you two just go fuck already?”

“Morgan!” Raven tore her eyes away and glared at her friend “We’re at a work event!

Just as she was getting ready to retaliate, Morgan and Raven noticed Raja making her way towards them “Oh and that’s my cue to leave.”

“Wait, no. Morgan don’t...” Raven tried to grab her arm and keep her there, knowing that Raja would more likely behave herself if they weren’t alone.

“Oh no, I do not want to be here for this conversation.” Morgan picked up her drink and walked off just as Raja came to lean both hands on the bar behind Raven.

“Hey, can you get me one of whatever she’s drinking?”

Raven closed her eyes before turning around to face Raja, mentally preparing herself for whatever was coming. “Are you sure you should be having another drink?” she teased.

“Well hello to you too. Is this the kind of greeting I get after not seeing you for so long?”

“It’s been 3 and a half weeks Raja.”

“That’s almost a whole month!” she exclaimed as the bartender slid her drink across the bar. Her right hand reached out to brush lightly against Raven’s wrist. “I missed you.”

Raven couldn’t help but smile back at her sweet words, “I missed you too.”

“A month is a really long time,” Raja shifted even closer to Raven, a small smile on her face as her hand resting on the bar moved forward to touch Raven’s “and I was excited to see you tonight.”

Raven looked down at their joined hands and then back up at Raja’s face. Despite her attempt to deny it, she knew the exact look that Morgan was talking about earlier. It was a look that Raja gave her very often when they were both out working a crowded nightclub, and it was the same look she was getting right now as Raja’s eyes burned into her own, full of mischief, lust and expectations. Her soft, dazzling smile could charm any person it was directed at. Raven could feel herself getting sucked into Raja’s little game, but she refused to play in this somewhat professional environment. She opened her mouth to respond, but couldn’t think of anything that wouldn’t encourage this obvious sexual tension between them. She looked down at their hands again and bit her lip in a smiled.

“I should probably go.” She left her drink at the bar and started to walk away when Raja took a couple steps after and tried to stop her.

“Wait,” Raja reached out and grabbed onto her arm from behind “where are you going so fast? We didn’t even get to catch up.” Raja brought herself flush to Raven’s back once again, this time her fingers running down Raven’s arm to slip into her hand. Their slight height difference allowed for Raja to hover over Raven’s right shoulder, her lips perfectly in line with Raven’s ear. “Maybe we should go somewhere a little quieter” she said lowly.

“Raja, not here!” It was taking everything in Raven’s willpower to say no to her right now.

“I agree, not here. Which is why I suggested we go somewhere else.” Raja used her other hand to pull one side of Raven’s blonde wig off of her neck, her fingers lingering on the bare skin making Raven’s eyes fall closed. She pressed a soft kiss to the shell of Raven’s ear.

“Oh my god, people are watching.” Raven looked around nervously, but she couldn’t help giggling at the feeling of Raja’s mouth pressing to her shoulder.

“Then come with me.” Raja’s lips brushed against the side of her face. “Or I’ll keep going.”

Raven gasped when she felt Raja nip at her earlobe “Okay. Okay!” She managed to squirm away and turn to face Raja, smiling at her persistence. “Where should we go?”

She could barely finish her question before Raja grabbed her hand, and started dragging her through the crowd. She tried to be as discreet as possible, waving hello to people passing by as she led Raven to the back of the designated area in the convention centre, barricaded off by thick black curtains. Raja found a break in the material and slipped herself through, Raven quickly checking to ensure no one was looking before following close behind. Raja was already halfway across the empty floor on the other side of the curtains, heading for a dark hallway off to the side. Raven ran to catch up with her, by now she was past her embarrassment, happy to be mostly out of sight and away from all those fancy guys in stuffy suits. She grabbed Raja’s hand again as they made their way over.

“Is that where you’re taking me?” Raven motioned suggestively with her eyes toward the unlit hallway. Raja just looked back at her and smiled, the 2 of them once again completely in-tune with each other. She gave Raven’s hand a little squeeze before taking off faster, the 2 queens giggling like naughty kids running away from school. They got about halfway down the hallway, far enough that they were completely encased in darkness, when Raja stopped and pulled Raven towards her. She grabbed both of Raven’s hands and pressed the front of their bodies together, backing her up so that Raven was caught between her and the wall. She wasted no time capturing Raven’s lips, both of her hands pressing Raven’s torso further into the wall.

“I missed you. So much.” Raja breathed between kisses.

Raven was completely enraptured by Raja’s mouth, overtaken by the frantic nature of her kisses and the familiar taste of her as she held her against the wall. Even the material of Raja’s dress lightly brushing against her bare skin was driving Raven crazy. Raja wore a simple short dress that sparkled and hung off of her tall, skinny frame perfectly, it was about the same length as the tighter black dress Raven wore that hugged her curves. (They often showed up to gigs and events in similar attire, sometimes almost identical outfits, constantly being compared and admired for sharing a similar style of drag.) Raja also wore a long, dark wig that accentuated her golden skin tone perfectly. She always managed to look like a high-class supermodel, however the way she was acting was more like a whore on a street corner, attacking every inch of Raven’s mouth with her own.

Raven instinctively tried to reach for Raja’s face to push her hair out of the way, but Raja immediately caught her and roughly pinned both wrists to the wall, trapping her. As Raja held her there, so close their lips were just barely touching, a hint of a smile ghosting across her face, Raven knew exactly what kind of game they were playing. She gave in to Raja’s firm grasp, hoping she would just return to her frenzied kisses, but instead Raja just continued to hold her against the wall. She breathed into Raven’s partially-open mouth, her fingers delicate against the bare skin on her wrists. Raja let her lips slowly travel across Raven’s cheek up to her ear. Her touch, so light it was barely there, sent a shiver of anticipation up Raven’s spine. She felt like some helpless prey under Raja’s attentions, waiting for the moment she would pounce like a wild animal claiming its next victim, but Raja was patient. They’d been apart for such a long time and Raja wanted to take her time and enjoy this. She softly kissed Raven’s ear, then moved a little lower to kiss the spot directly under her ear.

“You look so beautiful tonight. You know it drives me crazy when you wear these little short dresses.” Raja purred as her leg brushed against Raven’s thigh. “Did you wear this for me on purpose?” Raven’s head fell back against the wall when she felt Raja’s lips against her neck.

“I missed this.” Raja brought her face back up, speaking directly into Raven’s mouth. “Holding you down, seeing you so vulnerable underneath me.” She placed a gentle kiss on her lips “You’re so hot Rave.”

Raven wanted nothing more than for Raja to lean in and kiss her harder, but instead she opened her eyes slightly to see Raja looking down between them and smiling. She raised her head back up to catch Raven’s gaze, somehow shifting impossibly closer and moving her right leg between Raven’s thighs, smiling as she pressed against the spot where Raven’s cock would be if it wasn’t tucked away. She let go of one of Raven’s wrists, pulling a strand of hair out of Raven’s face and caressing her cheek. Both of them held each other’s gaze for a moment, Raven waiting in anticipation and Raja admiring the thrill in her eyes. Raja lowered her hand to delicately wrap around Raven’s throat, her thumb tilting her chin up slightly before closing the small distance once again. Their kiss was much slower this time. Raja’s hand around Raven’s neck held her jaw firmly in place as the kiss intensified, and when she slipped her tongue eagerly into Raven’s mouth her other hand came up to grasp either side of her face, pushing her wig away. Raven’s hands, now free from Raja’s restraint, fell down to wrap around Raja’s back, slowly sliding down over her ass and scratching at the back of her thighs. Raja groaned softly at the feeling, prominent even through her tights, and instinctively pressed herself into Raven again. She pushed herself completely against Raven’s chest, barely any air between them at all as her lips found Raven’s ear once more.

“Fuck, if you keep doing that you’re gonna make me pop my tuck.”

Raven smiled but didn’t stop. Instead she gripped onto the back of Raja’s thigh’s even tighter, attempting to pull her in even closer, still feeling Raja’s leg between her own. The two of them stayed like this for about a minute, Raja kissing and sucking on Raven’s earlobe as she rhythmically rocked her body up into her. Raven relaxed as she felt her back hitting the wall, completely giving in to the combined sensation of Raja’s mouth on her and the pressure she felt between her legs. They both stood, unbelievably horny and frustrated as they knew that there wasn’t anything more they could do at this point than furiously dry hump each other on the wall, just a tease of what they really wanted. When Raja’s hands slipped down underneath the hem of Raven’s skirt, replacing her leg and putting even more pressure between her thighs, Raven whimpered and tried to push her away.

“Raja, no! Not here. They may not be able to see us but they can still hear us, and you know how loud I get sometimes.”

“Sometimes?” Raja laughed, another magnetic smile lighting up her face. It was somehow even more beautiful when she was in drag. “I think you mean always.”

“Whatever. Either way, it means we can’t have sex in this hallway. It echos!” As Raven made her argument, Raja reached down to place open-mouthed kisses along her jaw.

“Fine, then let’s go someplace else,” she managed between kisses. “Like my apartment. That’s been vacant and waiting for almost an entire month.”

Raven closed her eyes at the intimate touch. There was no way she could refuse while Raja was doing these things to her, not that she intended to anyways. Raven didn’t even have to agree, because as soon as Raja lifted her head to look back into her eyes, it held the only answer she needed. She grabbed Raven’s hand with a smile.

“Come on, I know a way out the back. We can sneak out and no one will see us.”

#drabble #short story #ish #what if #prompt #light smut #more just sexiness #thank you for this prompt i'm obsessed

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gold-from-straw · 5 years

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Consistent blog, my ass...

Oh hey, it’s me! You may remember me, I once said I would write every Wednesday. Ha!

Well, on the plus side, half of my insane day to day activity has been writing. The other half has been work and children. My kids’ school is winding down for the summer which means that they want us in every few days to watch an assembly, or attend a barbecue, or sports day, or something. I’m also writing an A level biology course for the online school I work for. And in between that, I’m also trying to do camp NaNo, aiming for 50k this month!

A lot of what I’ve been working on is fanfic – I’m still firmly in my X-Men pit, and will stay here as long as I like, thank you. In fact, one of the short pieces I’m working on is for a fanzine, which is a first for me! I’m very excited ^_^

Eff and I have also NEARLY finished Slopes of Mau Summit, and we’re sending it off to a professional script editor Eff knows to see what they can suggest. This may sound slightly ridiculous, but this is actually the first time I’ve ever spent significant amounts of money on something I’ve written, and it’s a big step for me. Because I believe in my stories, and I love them, and I want them to be out there, but I’m also aware that so much of earning actual money from what you write is based on luck, and I just tend to assume I’m maxed out on that!

I’ve got a pretty clear idea in mind of what I need to do to finish Not Broken off, though, so that’s another thing I need to do this month. Then I’m going to ask someone to beta-read it, get a front cover sorted, and hopefully release it in October sometime! So there’s that! New book on its way in October!

Should probably lead with that, shouldn’t I? I’m not very good at marketing, can you tell?

Anyway, I’m hoping to spend quite a bit of this blog in the coming months publicising Not Broken and hopefully getting people psyched up about it! So watch this space, and I’ll try to be more organised!

#My writing #original ramblings by Lyn H #coming soon #Not Broken #Slopes of Mau Summit #original novel #original screenplay

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reecedarlene · 6 years

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4/20/2018 - After work, a friend I’m getting closer every day with (by bonding over our toxic relationships with our mothers) came to visit from out of state. We met, went out to dinner, and I stayed out from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm (sorry to our waitress)

Then after getting home I played on my Playstation 4 until about 11 pm when my ex who recently found some of my childhood books that apparently have been in the trunk of his car for the last year and a half since we broke up. I drove over to his house, not knowing just how large the box was. After retrieving my beloved Animorphs books, we talked. We talked about everything, good and bad, our lives now, our lives before when we were together, and it was midnight. So he asked if I just wanted to go get coffee, he’d drive, he’d pay (I didn’t bring my purse he literally lives 20 feet from my apartment). So we went to get coffee, it was casual, it was safe, but I knew it was inappropriate. I couldn’t help it, I’m so fed up with my current boyfriend and it doesn’t matter how many times I try to leave him he just won’t go... I got home that night at 3 am

4/21/2018 - I had set an alarm the previous night to get up at 9 am because of a “$5 a Bag” booksale at the local library. The alarm went off, and even though I am usually ecstatic on weekends when the boyfriend isn’t there because it means I can do whatever I want without having him checking in on me and being upset I’m not spending time with him. But that 9 am alarm went off and I was Just So Tired.

I woke up feeling exhausted, conflicted, and overwhelmed. Like a 25 year old failure for sitting in this 2-bedroom apartment I can barely afford and do not need, with more debt than I can manage, in a relationship with someone who doesn’t love me or respect me enough to Just Get A Job, and I just didn’t want to get out of bed. But I knew if I didn’t get out of bed, if I just laid there and put on Friends reruns and stayed under my soft blanket - I’d hate myself.

So I got out of bed. I put on a Boy Meets World T-shirt, and brushed my hair, and I went to the book sale. I had other plans that day, too. Meeting with a friend for Bubble Tea, going thrift shopping, it was a day filled with all of my favorite things. But even as I was skimming through book spines I wanted to go home. I was waiting for a text from my - notoriously flaky - friend saying “So sorry, girl, but I’m so busy, I can’t do Bubble Tea today” but it didn’t come. Instead I got text from my boyfriend, complaining that his friends “value the Magic Card Game more than his friendship, that he wants to just come back tonight, that he hates being away from me, that he hates being around his mom, hates his fake friends, hates everything”.

“I’m sorry :( “ I texted back because what can I say? What can I do? I can’t fix what’s wrong, I can’t fix how he feels, I barely got out of bed this morning. So I filled my bag, I paid my $5, the guy who accepting my cash tried to goad me into buying more books but I know in my heart, I shouldn’t have even bought these books seeing as how I have books I bought in 2003 I still haven’t gotten around to reading...

I got in my car, and it was a beautiful spring day. 60 degrees in Michigan, no rain clouds, no threat of snow, the sun was out, there was a breeze, you could keep all the car windows down. A day like this would usually make me so happy. But I checked my phone again, still hoping for a cancellation text. “Hey, girl, what time are we meeting?” “Is 2:00 too late?” “No that’s fine :) “ The clock read 11:45 am.

So I texted another friend, a friend in a volatile relationship, a friend who’s kids I had found books at the sale for anyway, so I texted her “Hey, can I swing by for a few? Just to drop off books and kill some time?” “Absolutely I’ll be home in 10″. So I went, spent 2 hours talking to her, her husband, her kids, and petting her Australian Shepard.

A third friend texted “What are you doing today?” “Meeting for Bubble Tea at 2″ “Can I come?” “Sure! Pick you up at 1:45″ This might seem insane, already I’ve socialized with 6 people in a 24 period of time but this is me, this is my element, and usually I’d be so excited but I still just want to go home, get back under my covers, order in food, and ignore the Friends reruns on Netflix.

I pick up the friend, I drive to the city where the Bubble Tea is sold, and the friend I’d been waiting on all day to cancel plans says “I’m running behind but I’ll be there.” So we sat in my car for an hour, windows, down, talking about all that’s wrong in our lives so that by the time the friend I initially made these plans with shows up, I’m talked out. But I still want Bubble Tea, so we still go in, we order, we talk until 5:00 pm

Flaky friend and I had planned to go thrift shopping, but now she’s saying she’s going to her mom’s after tea to go watch The Greatest Showman. I don’t complain, because I expected something like this, and the other friend is with me anyway so we’ll just go like we always do anyhow. So we say our goodbyes after continuing to talk outside for 30 minutes. Then the friend I picked up and I go out to eat, go to a few stores, and I finally get to go to bed without feeling guilty - 9:00 pm.

But when I walk in the door, I remember...the cat needs wet food today, and the rats’ cage needs cleaning which I tell myself I’ll do tomorrow, I need to go pick up my birth control, I tell myself I’ll do that tomorrow, I need to do laundry - I’m 3 weeks deep and I’m out of underwear and clean pants. I know that if I don’t do my laundry tonight there’s a really solid chance I won’t do it tomorrow...so I start laundry. I tell myself I’m being smart. My apartment building has 3 washing machines and 3 dryers, if I just haul down all of my clothes I can certainly get 3 loads done in 2 hours and it’ll only be 11:00 pm and I can feel good knowing it’s done.

After I put soap and clothes in all three washers I realize...one of the washers is jammed and won’t accept quarters. So my single cycle plan turned into two cycles because the clothes are already soapy and down there. I finish laundry, washed, dried, folded, and put away at 1:00 am

4/22/2018 - Sunday morning, with no alarms, I wake up at 9:30 a.m. I have a "Good morning” text from my boyfriend. I know that if I check Facebook and the “Active” sign lights up and I don’t text him he’ll ask too many questions about why I didn’t text him when I first woke up. “Good morning, how’d you sleep?” “Like shit. You?” “Ok I guess.” “When is your friend coming over?” “IDK she’s spending time with her grandma first.” “Oh, okay. I guess my friends are coming. No one said anything to me. I’m pissed. I don’t want them here.” “I’m sorry. I just texted my friend, guess she’ll be here at 2″ “Cool”

He stopped texting for a while, which I was thankful for. I knew I didn’t have anything I had to do until 2 pm. So I didn’t get out of bed. I didn’t even get up to pet the cat, see the rats, check their food or water, I just turned on Friends reruns and let myself fall naturally in and out of consciousness. Around 11 pm another text came through “How are you baby?” “Fine. You?” “Okay, bored.” “I”m sorry”

I knew I had to get up, I told myself I’d clean the rats’ cage today. It wouldn’t be fair to let it go a 3rd week because I’m depressed and don’t want to do it. So I got up, I put the rats in their play pen, I changed their bedding, wiped down their cage, replaced some fleece covering the wire platforms, moved things around, fresh food, fresh water, and put them back in their homes. I cleaned the cat’s litter box, put in new litter, gave her wet food and fresh water. Washed my hands and decided to reward my efforts with Wendy’s.

So I changed my clothes, even put on a bra, but no socks, and drove the 8 minute round trip to Wendy’s for chicken sandwiches and fruit tea. I brought my reward back to bed. I checked my phone, hoping my friend would be too tired to come over after seeing her grandma, too busy, too much to finish on a Sunday. She didn’t. So after I ate I just laid back down in bed and waited until 1:30 pm when I did get a text. “Done early! Can I be there in ten?” “Sure :) “ and I finally got up and went to sit on the couch for the first time all day.

It was good that she came, we talked, caught up on the months it’d been since we’d seen each other. I didn’t know how long she’d stay, when 8 pm rolled around I was surprised. I was trying to hold out until 10 pm so I could suggest going to Applebee’s for half off appetizers since I hadn’t ate since noon. Around 8:30 I get a call from another set of friends asking if I wanted extra company and a surprise. I didn’t really...but my curiosity got the best of me, since the friend refused to tell me who the surprise guests would be.

When they got there, with a Monster Energy I requested, I saw a friend I hadn’t seen in person since 2009. I was so excited to see him, and his husband, and everyone else. My apartment felt full and homey and good. But there was still this part of me that wanted to go to bed. But I pushed through like I’d been doing all weekend, because I was also so very excited to see this person who lives out of state who I very well may never see again. We all talked, caught up, reminisced. The friend who had been there since 2 stayed far later than even she had intended. Suddenly it was midnight and of course everyone was tired and worn out and it was time to go. The first friend stayed a little while longer, I wasn’t trying to push her out the door, but then it was 1:00 am and we both knew we’d regret being up any later.

I didn’t mention to my boyfriend a few things this weekend. I didn’t mention my ex. I know he’d have told me to forget the books, that seeing my ex wasn’t worth it, that I’d be disrespecting him. Maybe he’s right, maybe that’s a fair assessment but I just didn’t care. And I didn’t want to fight about it. I didn’t tell him my friend tagged along for Bubble Tea. It’s harmless, but he always acts - strange - when I don’t tell him every detail of what happens when he’s not around. I didn’t tell him 4 more people showed up at my apartment Sunday night. For the same reason as above but also 2 of the people are in a homosexual relationship, which shouldn’t mean anything, but it does to him. Or he’d say, gay or not, there were 2 “strange” men in my apartment when he wasn’t there. And even more, one of those men is transgender. He’d have so much to say. And that on top of all of his already hateful texts to me about his own true friends. I just didn’t want the fight. And even if it shouldn’t be a fight, it would become one and I was just so tired.

But since I was lying by omission...I had to clean the apartment. Put away extra chairs and games pulled out for the bigger group. Hide all evidence of there being more than one visitor that day. Because I just didn’t want the hassle of him questioning things when he came back the next day.

I finally got to bed at 3 am. The excitement having worn off, and just being so fucking thankful to have a nice cool bed with a nice soft blanket to get into after this weekend. Wishing there was some way to stop 8 am from coming.

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nickireadstfc · 7 years

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The Raven King, Chapter 3 – Andrew Does Shit No One Expects Him To, Pt. 1

In which we prepare for more Serious Orange Sportsball Business, the picture-perfect princess quote happens, Andrew develops new levels of Interesting™, Kevin is a Grade A jealous boyfriend, and have I mentioned I love Wymack enough recently?

Sounds good? Then it’s time for Nicki to read The Raven King.

Thursday’s practice was more uncomfortable than Wednesday’s was. (…) The problem was what Dan and Matt had noticed Wednesday night: the team stood to be so much greater without Seth on the line.

Yaaaaaaaaaa… That’s what I’m saying… I’m so sorry about this but it’s the truth…

For the first time in Fox history, the team was a unified force. Dan and Matt could see that, but Neil saw the guilt on their faces and heard the catch in their words when they spoke during breaks. They didn’t want to find the silver lining of Seth’s death, and they were hesitant to exploit it.

S a m e oh god why :’))))))))))

In other – although related – news: It’s game day, once again!! I’m actually quite pumped for this one although I didn’t think I would be. I don’t expect much in terms of sports excitement (again, I just can’t get hyped over ball pass descriptions of any kind), but I’m very interested to see what their teamwork will look like now – and by interested I mean I’m already dying prematurely.

Spoiler alert: No actual sportsball gaming this chapter yet. In true Fox manner, we’re getting served some Angst and Other Emotions™ of various colours.

Kicking things off with ya boy Neil:

Neil hadn’t been directly responsible for someone’s death in years, though he knew how many people died in his mother’s quest to keep them safe.

What do you mean “directly responsible” are you telling me you’ve actually killed a man or two some years ago, bOI WHAT THE FUCK, especially since you must have been sixteen or younger then BOI WHAT THE FUUUCK.

Neil never wanted to be his father, but he didn’t want to turn into his mother, either. They were different kinds of heartless and Neil, for all his problems connecting with other people, didn’t want to be a monster. The way this season was starting, though, maybe it was inevitable he’d turn into his parents.

:’))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Next up, there’s ya girl Allison – who has had far too little to say so far, wtf, how’s she doing anyways??

At first glance it was like nothing had changed, but more than a split-second look showed the fight had gone out of her. She sat with her fingers laced together and hands look between her knees, her shoulders slumped and expression dead.

Not good, then. Poor bby. That was to be expected, still – poor bby. <3

There’s a bunch of quotes a few paragraphs ago, though, that rang a bell with me…

Allison Reynolds was a bewildering choice for Palmetto State. She looked –

LIKEAPICTUREPERFECTPRINCESSBUTSHECOULDBRAWLWITHTHEBESTOFTHEMONTHECOURT.

Seriously, that quote was the only thing I knew about Allison before reading the book, and I knew it by heart before ever touching the first page. If I see this scrawled across one more aesthetics moodboard I’m suing.

Surprisingly, it was Nicky who found the strength to cross the room towards her. He crouched in front of her, moving slow like he thought she’d run off if he startled her and gazed up into her face.

“Hey,” Nicky said, soft and nice like the two of them hadn’t spent all summer cutting each other down on the court. “Is there anything we can do?”

NICKY MY DUDE <333

Wymack and Abby were conspicuously absent. Neil wondered if Wymack was late on purpose. (…) He was giving the Foxes a few minutes to adjust to Allison’s return and grief. It gave them a chance to see her before Wymack forced their attention back on Exy.

WYMACK MY MAN <33333

Also, 10 bucks says Wymack and Abby are making out in his office to pass the time.

When Wymack does return, he brings some pretty fucking shit news though – that everyone saw coming, though it does not make them any less shit: As they are now down one striker and neither Kevin nor Neil can play full halves, they needed to make some changes in their line-up. Most of these changes are pretty whatever, save for one thing:

Andrew will have to play both halves – meaning he’ll either play drugged, or show that he’s got more self-control in his pinkie than I have in my entire body.

(Which is not a lot since I literally ordered two new cosplay wigs yesterday despite having exactly No Fucking Money, but you get my point.)

Nicky was persistent. “Coach, this line-up is insane.”

“Yup. Good luck.”

This is such a Wymack response and I love it.

Kevin, however, is more ah, let’s call it insistent, on voicing his concerns:

“What’s going on?” Kevin asked. “You can’t last a full game without your medicine.” (…)

“No, probably not.” Andrew sounded far too cheerful for someone who was going to spend half of his night in serious discomfort.

I’m very, very intrigued to see where this is going.

“He’s done it once before,” Matt said.

“Yeah, last October. (…) Coach asked Andrew for a miracle, and Andrew gave us one. He made Coach come up with a number between one and five, and that’s how many points he let the other team get before he shut them out. It was probably the most badass thing I’ve ever seen.”

It also sounds like the most EXTRA thing I’ve ever seen.

But also badass. Holy shit. I would have paid good money to see that.

(I may actually have paid good money to see that because the books aren’t over yet and I did, for once, pay for them, hAHA)

However, apparently Kevin is decidedly not liking the retelling of that beautiful story.

“So you’ll try,” Kevin said through gritted teeth, “because Coach asked you to.”

Ohhhhhh, someone’s jealous.

Maybe try being a kind fucking person for once and people might be more inclined to do things you ask them to. Just a suggestion, mi amigo.

Also, are we going to get to see Amazing Prodigy Super Talent Goalkeeper Andrew at last because I need it.

“For eight months you told me no. In eight seconds you told him yes. Why?” (…)

“It’s just more fun to tell you no. That’s what you wanted, right? You wanted me to have fun. I am. Aren’t you?”

For someone so small, Andrew made a lot of noise when shoved into the lockers.

I actually had to laugh at that last line. This is the perfect literary version of a good comedic cut and I love it.

Neil didn’t know what amused Andrew more: Kevin’s violence or the splash of blood that now stained the front of Kevin’s shirt. Neil hadn’t even seen Andrew take the knife out, but it was in his hand in the air between them.

Fuck, funny times over. ANDREW, WHY.

STABBING THINGS IS NOT THE SOLUTION TO ALL YOUR PROBLEMS, ANDREW.

(Which is, I feel, yet another entry on the list of Things That Are Probably Not Exactly The Foxes’ Motto.)

“Kevin, Kevin. So predictable. So pathetic. How about a tip? A reward for all your hard work, or something. Ready? You’ll start having more success when you ask for things you can actually have.”

“I can have this,” Kevin said, voice thick with frustration. “You’re just being stupid.”

And you’re just being the most stubborn motherfucker I’ve ever seen in my life, holy shit.

Say it with me, kids: A little bit of kindness, empathy, and giving in occasionally goes a long way.

Neil understood Kevin’s anger. He’d been equally baffled this summer when he first saw Andrew play. It was impossible – should be impossible – for somebody so talented to care so little.

And I have to admit, I absolutely understand their anger as well, and I share it. If there’s one thing in the world that makes me want to weep to the heavens more than anything else, it’s potential being thrown away.

Kids. If you have anything you’re good at, better than at anything else – HOLD ONTO IT. Doesn’t matter if it’s sports, arts, sciences, languages, social activism, fuckin’ jewellery-making, I don’t care, anything. Keep it, nourish it, take care of it and make it great – let it make you great. Doesn’t matter if you study it, make it your job, or just pour your energy into it on your free time. If I catch any of you wasting your potential I will whoop your asses in friendship.

Rant over, on with the story.

Anyone fancy a bit of good ol’ Wymack to wrap this chapter up?

“[Andrew] doesn’t seem like the kind of person who can be bought.”

“He’s not,” Wymack said. “If I asked him to do it for free he would. The only reason he’s getting something out of this is because I know what it’ll cost him to play tonight.”

“But why?” (…)

“Maybe you’ve noticed how much I let this team get away with,” Wymack said. “I know what sort of people I recruited and I know some of them need a little help to get an even keel. So long as no one gets hurt, no one gets caught, and no one is stupid enough to bring it on my court, I don’t care what you guys get up to in your free time.”

Aka Wymack turns a blind eye on the debauchery his team indulges in, knowing it helps them be more stable on the court when they have an outlet in their free time, and thus earning their trust and respect. Fuck yes, this is exactly the way to run a dysfunctional team like this.

Say it with me, kids: A little bit of kindness, empathy, and giving in occasionally goes a long way.

Bless Wymack for getting this, and in fact bless Wymack for just generally existing.

“Does Andrew know you know?” Neil asked.

“Of course he does.”

That was interesting. Andrew knew Wymack could keep a tighter leash on him and was choosing not to do so, so when Wymack needed him to pull through he would.

EXACTLY. Take notes, Kevin dearest.

Wymack <333333333333

�� “Andrew likes me as much as you do.”

There was nothing in his tone to make it an accusation, but Neil still winced. “I’m sorry.”

“Be sorry while you walk. We’re running late.”

I would say I’m sorry for dissolving into a puddle of “I LOVE YOU” every time Wymack appears and says literally anything, except I’m really, really not. That man is a treasure and haters can exist stage left.

#the raven king #trk #aftg #all for the game #nora sakavic #nicki reads tfc #this was short but!! GAME DAY NEXT WHOS PUMPED I AM

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