#ofc hulk is always looking fine

[every-day-im-coloring]

Today's color is...

#color of the day #shrimpy shenanigans #hulk #ofc hulk is always looking fine #the avengers

[stressisakiller]

Until it Sleeps

Tony Stark x OFC Soulmate AU

(Metallica Really? Part 8)

Summary: The aftermath of the Battle of New York

Warnings: Mentions of violence, cursing

Word Count: 2.3k

A/N: Sorry that it took literally a year for me to get this out. Writer’s block and having kids is no joke. 

Masterlist

Previous / Next

Tony ended up being in the hospital at the tower for one more day before he demanded to be let out. Stating that it wasn’t like he died or anything. You took a deep breath trying to calm down the tempest that was your emotions before deciding, screw it and letting him have it. 

“Actually,” you state your teeth and fists clenched trying to reign in your frustration, “you did die Tony. Your heart legitimately stopped, we still aren’t sure how long it was stopped but we know, for a fact, that your heart stopped. You were dead Tony, I saw you die, and yet here you are in all your arrogance stating that it wasn’t that bad. Well, dying may have been fine for you Anthony Stark but I don’t know what I would have done if the Hulk hadn’t acted like a giant green monster defibrillator and restarted your heart. You may not care about your health or life but I do dammit.” You take a deep breath turning away from Tony hoping that he didn’t notice the tears in your eyes before excusing yourself to go get a coffee without looking back at him.

You head to the cafe across the street for a coffee and some time alone to calm your racing heart. You also use this time to allow some of the tears that you had been holding back to fall, you have always hated being an angry crying but you can't blame just your anger for these tears. The past couple of days had been some of the hardest most emotionally turbulent since Tony got kidnapped, but at least that time you didn't see him get hurt or die right in front of you. You take another deep breath and allow yourself the time to think about everything that has happened and process all the emotions roiling around. Tony will survive without you in the room long enough for you to calm down and drink your coffee. As you sit in the cafe staring out the window you remember the burning you felt in your mark as his heart stopped. Fuck, you will never be able to forget that feeling and the accompanying sense of dread and despair at the thought of losing your soulmate, of losing Tony. You then begin to wonder when will be the right time to tell him about it, maybe you should just bite the bullet and do it. But if you do that then there is no guarantee that he will believe you and you might just lose him anyway. Wouldn't that be just your luck... no you decide that fate has a plan for it. So, you should wait until his mark shows up since there is no other way that he would believe you. 

Deciding to head back to the med level of the tower you also choose to grab Tony a coffee, it would be your way to apologize for yelling at him... even though it was justified. You walk into the room and notice that Tony is still laying in the hospital bed instead of running around like you expected him to be. 

“I thought you wanted to get out of bed as quickly as possible,” you state wondering what could have changed his mind. 

“I do,” He answers, with a small shrug not taking his eyes off of you, “but you and the doctor brought up some great points and I have agreed to be released in the morning on the condition that I stay in the Tower for at least a week before going back to California. For observational purposes. But luckily that will also give me time to fix up my suit and start talking to construction companies about fixing up the Tower.” You can see his new suit ideas swirling around in his eyes as well as the pad of paper that he has next to him that is full of building notes and to-dos. You allow yourself to crack a small smile at his antics and roll your eyes. Of course, he would decide to use the time he is being told not to work, to work, not that you were surprised.

“If you are going to spend the time looking for people to help rebuild the tower then maybe you can look at finding ways to help rebuild the rest of New York while you are at it?” You ask while handing him his coffee sitting back down in that stupid uncomfortable chair. You hear him 'hmm' to himself before listing all the pros and cons of your idea under his breath and asking JARVIS to remind him the next day to do just that. Grabbing your tablet you start getting some work done, you send a list of the approved contractors that initially built the tower to Tony, set a reminder to look into clean-up companies for everything left behind after the battle, and last but not least schedule a maid to clean Tony’s California house at the end of the week so that it will be ready from his return.

 When Tony leaves at the end of the week to go back to California, you decide to stay in New York for a little longer to make sure that the cleanup team created by Stark Industries is working smoothly. You also want to be available to make sure that there are no snags from the government being the government. Your planned upon two-week deadline flies past and there is still so much work to get done that it ends up being a full month before you are able to make it back to California and Tony.

After landing back in California you decide to stop by Tony’s house first before making your way back to your and Sarah’s apartment. Stepping into his mansion which is still too big but not nearly as clean as usual you realize that Tony might not be as fine as he told you. After searching throughout the house for him you shake your head at your own stupidity and make your way down to his lab, because honestly where else would he be? You find him slumped over a piece of a suit that you had never seen before, fast asleep.

“Oh Tony,” you whisper to yourself before quietly making your way over to him. You crouch down and gently touch his arm and he startles awake flinging his arms out as if to ward off an attack. You take a step back to keep from getting accidentally hit. “Tony!" You call out, trying to get his attention. "Hey, Tony, sweetheart it’s just me Liza” You watch as he seems to shake himself out of his half-asleep state and try to focus on you.

“Liza?" he croaks out trying to get his eyes to focus. "You’re back?” Your heart breaks a little at the uncertainty in his voice. 

“Of course, I’m back," you say crouching back down next to him. "I'm sorry it took a little longer than planned but I was always going to come back to California.” You try to keep your concern for his current state out of your voice as you talk to him, slowly reaching for his arm. “Ok Tony, let's get you in bed to sleep.” You gently pull on his arm to get him to start standing up with you but he pulls back out of your grip and looks at you wildly. 

“No!" His voice is loud in your ears as he starts to ramble. "I can’t sleep I have to keep everyone safe, I have to make sure that everyone is safe..” He keeps murmuring about keeping people safe as he turns back to what he was working on before he fell asleep. You place your hands softly on his cheeks and slowly get him to turn his face to look back at you. 

“Tony," you state leaving no place for argument, "it is not your job to keep everyone safe, you can’t possibly keep everyone safe.” He cuts you off with his pleading reply.

“But I have to keep you safe, you have to be safe,” His eyes have taken back on the wild look as if he is desperate for you to understand. “You have to be safe. You and Sarah and Rhodey. It’s my job to keep you safe.” 

You start to gently rub your thumbs over his cheekbones trying to calm him down while keeping eye contact with him. As his rambling begins to taper off you are able to speak to him again. “Sweetheart, we are safe, I’m here with you, I’m safe.” You place his fingers over your pulse point, “Focus on what you feel, feel my pulse?” you wait until he nods before continuing. “Focus on my pulse, see I’m ok, I’m healthy and here, and you don’t have to worry about me right now.” You watch as the tension begins to leave his stance as he is able to pull himself back from his panic. Once you can tell he’s back and doing ok you are able to convince him to get some sleep, since, going by the size of the bags under his eyes, he hasn’t been sleeping much. You walk with him to his room and help get him into bed, before he is willing to let himself rest he makes you promise that you won’t leave while he’s asleep. You promise and once his breathing even out you begin looking at options for a therapist, knowing that you would never force him to go but you would still suggest it, maybe you could talk to them too. 

About an hour into his nap, Tony starts to whimper and move around, you reach over and grasp his hand giving it a squeeze so that he knows you are still there and he clams back down. About thirty minutes later he starts to thrash around and just holding his hand isn’t helping anymore. So you do the only thing that you can think of, You crawl into the bed next to him and pull him against you. Tony’s arms immediately wrap around you and pull you as close to him as he can before he takes a couple of deep breaths and relaxes back into sleep. You debate if there is any way for you to get back out of the bed without waking Tony back up but quickly conclude that it isn’t an option. Instead, you let yourself relax against him and lay your arm over him, it isn’t long before sleep takes you too.

Waking up in the morning you are a little confused since you are warmer than normal and there is a weight over your back and your pillow is moving. Then your pillow starts talking… "Well," you hear Tony's voice rumble through his chest, "this isn't how I expected to wake up but I'm definitely not complaining." You can mentally see the smirk on his face as he spoke and your eyes widen. You quickly push yourself off of your boss and out of the bed.

"Oh Shit, I'm sorry you were having a nightmare and it was the only thing I could think of to help.” You start to panic and can't get yourself to stop talking and apologizing until Tony cuts off your detrimental tirade and smiles at you. 

“Liza, thank you.” He says, stopping you in the middle of your sentence, shocked.

“Thank you?” you repeat, “Wha, wh, Thank you?” Tony smiles even more at your confusion.

“Yes Liza, thank you. That was the best sleep I’ve had in a month, it's daylight outside so that means I actually slept all night. So yes Liza, thank you.”

You blink at him a couple of times before slowly nodding and saying you're welcome. You start to move around the room looking for the shoes that you took off before getting into bed and continue to speak. “Well, I should probably be getting to my apartment, Sarah is probably worried since I told her I should have been there yesterday.” 

“Oh Liza,” Tony interrupts snapping his fingers like he just remembered something. “You and Sarah don’t have the apartment anymore, I had a house built, one for each of you but if you want to continue living with Sarah at her new house you won’t hurt my feelings.”

You stare at him for a moment completely at a loss. “You, you had a house built for me?” Your confusion is evident in your voice and the look on your face. “Why?” you ask honestly puzzled.

“Why?” Tony parrots, “Because, you are one of the most important people in my life and I don’t want you to ever have to worry about paying rent or making ends meet. I want you to be happy and taken care of.” He states, honesty painted on his face and in his voice.

You continue to stare at him for a little while longer trying to figure out what is going through his head. A smile slowly takes over your face as you stare at the man in front of you. You had always known that there was a softer side to Tony but sometimes he hides it so well. Then of course he had to ruin it. 

“I also can’t let people think I don’t take care of my employees especially not those that as close to me. Think of the press I would get for that!” You just snort at his antics before bidding him goodbye and telling him that you would check on him again either later that day or the next. Before you can get out of the room he calls out “Thank you, Liza. Oh, and can you have some Shwarma sent over?” 

@graniairish, @freeshavocadoooo  

#Avengers #avengers fanfiction #avengers imagine #Tony Stark fanfiction #tony stark x reader #tony stark imagine #Tony Stark x Original Female Character #marvel #marvel imagine #soulmate #soulmate tattoo #soulmate au #ironman #iron man fanfiction #Metallica really?

[avengerscompound]

The Tower - The Phone Call

The Tower: The Phone Call - one shot

Series Masterlist

Pairing:  Avengers x OFC, Bruce Banner x Bucky Barnes x Clint Barton x Wanda Maximoff x Steve Rogers x Natasha Romanoff x Tony Stark x Thor x Sam Wilson x OFC (Elly Cooper)

Word Count: 2714

Warnings:  smut (MMF bisexual threesome, light D/S, exhibitionism, voyeurism, public sex (kinda but not exactly?), oral sex, vaginal sex, anal sex)

Synopsis:  When Clint continues to bug Elly at work, she takes him up to Steve’s office to play a game.

Author’s Note: Requested by K-Destiiny on Wattpad.  You can send in your requests too.

The Phone Call

Set between Troublemakers and Unexpected before all of the group had kids or powers.

Clint was restless.  He'd dislocated his shoulder on a mission and while he was mostly fine now, he’d been told he had to take it easy and rest it if he wanted to get his full form back.  He'd loved it while he was healing, particularly because we all babied him about it, so he could just lie around and whine about his pain, and we'd bring him pizza and coffee.

Now that he was healed and we were making him take care of himself, he's grown bored.  Of course, that meant he mostly took that boredom out on me.  The others were a lot less likely to humor him than I was, plus I was the one with the flexible job.

He would sit on the bench near me while I was doing cell cultures and as soon as I set FRIDAY up to run an analysis, he'd start pestering me.  Sometimes it was just a thousand questions about what I was doing.  That was fine, it was nice getting to talk about my work in layman’s terms.  Having Bruce Banner as your lab partner tended to make you feel very stupid at times.  Other times, he’d just prattle on about Dog Cops or ideas he had for new trick arrows, or different dog breeds.  I didn’t mind that either.  I loved Clint and even if he was disturbing my work, I was pretty good at multitasking, and he was good at knowing when he needed to hush because I was trying to work something out.

A lot of the time it was sex.  That was where it would get tricky because I was useless when he got me wound up.  It was like I was physically unable to say no to him - or any of them for that matter.  Even if I had other things to do, all they needed to do was kiss my neck, or touch my thigh in the right way and every other thought went out of my head.

As much as it distracted me, it was getting to Bruce more.  Sometimes we didn’t make it out of the lab and he’d still be working.  It was understandable.  Science was always more of a draw than sex for Bruce and having us messing around near him was likely to call to the Hulk.

After a week and a half of us messing around in the lab, he had had enough.

“Can you please take that somewhere else?” he begged.  “I really have to focus on this.”

“Sorry, Bruce,” Clint said sheepishly.

“It’s okay,” he said.  “I get you’re bored.  And I get that El is the only one that won’t chase you off during work.  But I need to get this done.”

“I’ll take him somewhere else,” I said and came over and kissed Bruce’s cheek.  “Can you put that stuff in the freezer when FRIDAY’s done?”

“Yeah, of course,” he said, rubbing my thigh.  “Have fun.”

I took Clint’s hand and led him out of the lab.  “I have an idea,” I said as we went to the elevator.

“Oh?  I like the sound of that,” he said.  “You have great ideas.  What is it?”

I turned and looked at him, my eyebrows raised.  “Steve game.”

“Steve game?” Clint asked.  “But Steve’s working.”

“I know.  Imagine how much trouble we’d be in,” I said.

Clint scuffed his foot on the ground as he thought.  “He’ll probably just tell us to go wait until tonight.”

“So - then we get a treat tonight,” I said.

“Yeah, good point,” Clint agreed.  “Come on then.”

We got into the elevator and rode it down to where the offices were.  It was a short ride but Clint still managed to make a decent start on a hickey.  When we got out we headed straight to Steve’s office.

He was on the phone when we arrived and he looked up at us, sighed, and waved us in.  I wasn’t exactly sure who he was on the phone to, but words were being thrown out like ‘public safety protocols,’ and ‘oversights,’ so if I had to guess, I’d say it was General Ross.  I closed the door and locked it before going to take a seat on the couch with Clint.  Clint stopped me, running his hands up under my skirt and exposing me to Steve.  Steve continued his phone conversation, but his attention was on me.  His blue eyes seemed to pierce through me.

Clint grabbed the waistband of my panties and dragged them down over my thigh highs and I stepped over them.  Clint turned me to face him and gestured for me to bend over.  I did as commanded, spreading my legs a little.  Clint pushed my skirt up again and used his fingers to spread my labia.  I shifted from one leg to the other, and when Clint took his hands away, I took a seat.

Steve’s eyes were locked on us, but he was still talking about government interference at the cost of civilian safety.  Clint and I started to kiss.  It was slow and passionate and our tongues danced together.  It was a kiss for show more for each other.  We were kissing for Steve - to distract him and feed the fire, so that when he did finally snap, we’d be in for a real treat.  I ran my hand down Clint’s stomach and began to palm his cock and he moaned into my lips.

Steve clicked his fingers and we broke apart to look at him.  “You will neuter us if you try to implement that.  I understand your concerns but we can’t just sit around waiting for permission to act when there is an omega-level threat.”

He was still talking to whoever was on the other end of the line but his full attention was on us.  He clicked his fingers and pointed to Clint.  Clint sat up straight and leaned forward and Steve pointed at his desk and then down at his crotch.  Clint understood immediately, and got onto all fours on the ground and crawled under the desk.  Steve’s desk was large and quite enclosed, and all I could see of Clint when he was in place, was his ass and legs poking out from under the desk.  I didn’t need to see him.  I knew what he was doing.  I felt a little jealous.  The thought of choking on Steve’s cock as he tried not to give away any of his feelings on the phone made me wet to even think about.

Steve leaned back in his chair and tucked the phone’s receiver under his chin.  “Look, I get it.  I do.  But we’re not going out and stopping convenience store hold-ups.  We’re stopping things that the police and military aren’t equipped to deal with.”

He pointed at me and touched his middle finger on the back of his hand, and then gestured at me with a jabbing motion using his thumb.  ‘Touch yourself.’

I leaned back on the couch and brought my legs up, spreading them wide so that Steve had a good view.  I began to slowly finger my clit, keeping my eyes locked on him.  I imagined what Clint must look like under the table, taking Steve’s cock as deep as he could.  The way his throat would bulge as he deep-throated the other man.  The mental images made me even wetter, and soon my fingers were glistening with my slick, and the wet trickled down in rivulets to my ass.

Steve’s blue eyes were blown out back and he stayed leaning back in this chair.  He put a hand on Clint’s head, and I could tell the speed at which Clint moved, by the movement of Steve’s arm up and down with the bobbing of Clint’s head.

Despite the hungry look in his eyes, he betrayed nothing about what was going on in his voice.  The control he had, not only over us but over himself, was a complete turn-on.  I fingered myself faster, and as a warm current of pleasure began to coil through me, I let my head fall back on the couch and my eyes fell closed.

Two of my fingers were inside me and I was roughly fucking myself with them when the clicking of fingers broke my rhythm.  I looked up to see Steve scowling at me.  He curled his finger, beckoning me over, and as I approached I was a little scared of what was about to happen to me.

He took my hand and pulled me a little closer.  Clint was looking up at us from under the desk and Steve lifted me and put him on his lap.  As he lowered me down, Clint took hold of his cock and guided it into me.  I bit back a moan, willing myself to stay quiet.  Steve was still on the phone and I knew if I gave away what was happening at all, it would mean Steve never risked playing with us like this ever again.  Not to mention that I didn’t want to embarrass him.  It was supposed to be fun - for all of us.

When I was sitting firmly in his lap, his cock so deep inside me I could feel the sting of the head pressing against my cervix, Steve grabbed Clint’s hair and dragged him forward, pushing his face into my pussy.  Clint didn’t need any clearer instruction than that.  He began greedily licking and sucking on my clit.  A hot current ran from my cunt up through my entire core and I had to hook my feet around Steve’s ankles to stop myself from closing my legs.  The effort made my thighs tremble and I let my head fall back onto Steve’s shoulder as I focused on my breathing.

“Oh that’s rich coming from you,” Steve said to whoever was on the other end of the line.  “There hasn’t been an incident in years here with us.  How’d that go for you, when you were supposed to be in control of him?”

As he spoke, the inflection in his tone only gave away how he felt about the conversation he was having and not about the fact he had started to shallowly rut into me.  My pussy clenched and squeezed around his shaft as Clint continued to use his tongue and lips to work my clit.  It was hard to focus and I began to roll my hips, swirling them like I was giving him a lap dance.  A soft moan escaped my lips and I immediately cursed myself.  Gritting my teeth as I tried to keep quiet.

Steve was quick to react, covering my mouth with his hand, and pulling my face away from the phone’s receiver.  I started to breathe heavily through my nose as I willed myself to stay quiet, even though I was being brought closer and closer to the edge.  My eyes watered with the effort of keeping quiet and a tear broke free, running down my cheek.  I felt lightheaded and my legs trembled.  Neither man backed off at all.  Steve continued to shallowly thrust up into me, while Clint sucked on my clit like he was starving and I was the only morsel on offer.

My first orgasm hit and I arched my back, my walls clamping tight around Steve’s cock.  If you were judging what was happening in the room by the tone of Steve’s voice, you would think he was in the middle of the most boring lecture known to man.  He was still trying to reason with whoever was on the line with him, and he hadn’t even appeared to react to the fact that his girlfriend just came all over his cock.

Neither Clint nor Steve eased up though.  After my third orgasm, it became clear we were going to be at this until Steve finished his phone call, and not a moment sooner.  By my fourth orgasm, tears were running down my cheeks.  Not from pain, or overstimulation - though I was on the border of being overstimulated - but from sheer exertion as I stayed silent.

“Alright, sure,” Steve said.  “But until then, we’re going to continue operating the way we’ve been operating.  There’s a reason why we’re privately run, and if you check the constitution, that’s in there.”

He hung up the phone and took his hand off my mouth.  I whined, still stuck in the thought process that I had to be quiet as my fifth orgasm was poised to break.  “Are you okay, Elise?  Do you need us to stop?”

I shook my head.  “Please, Steve…” I pleaded.

“Alright, sweetheart, one more.  Be as loud as you can,” he said, pushing me so I was bent over the desk.  Clint could no longer reach me with his mouth in the new position, but where his tongue once was his finger took over, and Steve thrust hard into me, shoving me into the desk.  It only took five thrusts for my orgasm to break and I screamed out incoherently as it tore through my body.  I grasped feebly at the desk as my body shuddered under Steve.  He slowed his strokes and slipped out of me, sitting back and pulling me onto his lap.  “You did so well, Elise,” Steve praised.  “I am so proud of you.”

I hid my face in his neck, a little too overwhelmed to say anything.

“I think Clint has earned a reward.  What do you think?” he asked.

I nodded.  “Yes.  You should fuck him.”

“Get up, birdy,” Steve said.  “Bend over my desk, pants down.”

Clint climbed out from under the desk and stretched, his joints popping.  He fished in his pocket and took out some lube, putting it on the desk before unfastening his jeans and pushing them down.

I got up off Steve’s lap with shaky legs and Steve moved up behind Clint as he bent over the desk.  “Go slow,” Clint whimpered.

Steve stroked a hand down Clint’s spine.  “Don’t worry, bird,” he soothed.  “You know I always take care of you.”  He squeezed the lube on Clint’s ass and more on his fingers.  “Elise,” he said, looking at me.  “I don’t want him to make a mess in my office.  Kneel under him and catch it all.”

I got down on my knees as Steve began to finger Clint’s ass.  I didn’t touch him just yet.  I just got into position, leaning against the back of the desk and watching Clint’s cock jump and twitch as Steve fingered his ass.

Steve took his time, but I sat patiently under them.  When a thread of precome would leak from the head of Clint’s cock, I’d lean up and lick it up.  By the time Steve started to ease into Clint’s ass, Clint’s cock was throbbing and drooling precome.

I started to suck Clint’s dick as Steve fucked his ass.  Each thrust pushed Clint deeper into my mouth, but I kept my hands braced on his hips so that it never took me by surprise.  Clint became a moaning whimpering mess between us, and his cock leaked precome over my tongue.

“Do you want to come, Birdy?” Steve cooed as he continued fucking Clint slow and deep.  “I can feel how close you are.”

“Please, Steve,” he begged.  “‘M close.  Can I?”

“Come,” Steve ordered.

Clint bucked suddenly, crying out as he released straight down my throat.  I swallowed it all, humming softly around his pulsing cock.  Steve continued to thrust, chasing his own orgasm.

“Please, Steve,” Clint mewled.  “Please come in me.  I want it.  It’s all I'm good for.  Fill me up, sir.”

Steve growled and thrust in deep, pushing Clint’s cock deeper into my mouth. He came with a deep groan, and Clint sagged under him.  “Thank you.  Thank you, sir.”

Steve eased out of Clint and he helped us both ups, redressing both himself and Clint.  “Alright, my troublemakers,” he said softly.  “Time to go down and have a cuddle and something to eat. What do you say.”

Clint and I were both too fucked out to say anything right then and there, but we held onto him as he led us out, dopey smiles glued onto both our faces.

~ END ~

#the avengers #steve rogers #bucky barnes #tony stark #natasha romanoff #bruce banner #clint barton #wanda maximoff #sam wilson #avengers fanfic #avengers x oc #steve rogers x oc #bucky barnes x oc #tony stark x oc #stucky #clintasha #natasha romanoff x oc #wanda maximoff x oc #clint barton x oc #bruce banner x oc #sam wilson x oc #all caps #thor x oc #thor #fanfic #fanfiction #smut #the tower

[kagejima]

@mrskenmakozume and I were chatting about our favourite Shiratorizawa captain (post-time skip ofc) and I had some thoughts that she was happy to add to.

Wakatoshi would be clueless about relationships since, before meeting you, volleyball was the only thing on his mind. As a result, Toshi would secretly start watching (read as researching) porn and ask Tendou for tips and advice as the relationship between you and him develops. Tendou, not knowing why Toshi was asking him for links, would send his best friend some of his favourite videos, which just so happen to be hardcore BDSM (Kisa's lovely suggestion). So as Toshi has you in his bed for the first time, both of you panting, aroused and ready to have sex, he suddenly stops, saying, "wait let me go get the ropes." before, he gets off the bed and heads to his closet. Kisa then threw it back to me saying: "what if Ushi gets the rope, but you’re the one tying him up 👀 his tiddies contrasting with the rope’s bright colour".

Happy Wakatoshi Wednesday Rae! Love your two horny followers who love jock with huge cocks.

PLEEEEEASE, THIS IS SENDING MEEEE

my thoughts under the cut

Tendou doesn't understand the question that Wakatoshi is asking him as he sits across from him at the restaurant table.

"Like... are you asking me... wait, what is it exactly that you're asking me?" Tendou wants him to clarify, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms.

"I'm asking you to send me videos that you like." Wakatoshi says again, his voice unwavering.

"Okay..." Tendou says slowly, not surprised Wakatoshi barely cleared it up, "But you know that everyone's tastes are different, right? What I'm into won't necessarily be what they're into."

Wakatoshi nods once before he takes another bite of the piece of cake Tendou brought out to him minutes before.

"So wait, have you been looking up things yourself?" Tendou's eyebrows wiggle as he leans forward and rests his arms on the table, "What have you been watching, sir?"

Wakatoshi pauses briefly from eating the cake to bring up the porn site he's been looking at the most before he hands his phone over to Tendou.

Tendou's grin disappears and turns into wide eyes and a gasp as he scrolls through Wakatoshi's recent searches on the site.

"You're a little freak, Wakatoshi!" Tendou teases him, his grin returning, but Wakatoshi only takes his phone back from him.

"Alright, fine. I'll send them to you later." Tendou finally agrees, "Like I said, just keep in mind that everyone has different tastes."

-

Wakatoshi hovers over you on the bed, the mattress dipping considerably as he rests his hands on either side of you, holding himself up when he pulls back from kissing you.

You've always been aware since the start of your relationship with him just exactly how much larger he is than you, but in this moment, you feel so much smaller as he has you caged between his arms.

He must see the brief realization in your eyes, because he pulls back suddenly, thinking he's upset you.

"We-- We don't have to do anything..." He says apologetically, "I'm sorry if I rushed you."

Your lips tingle from his sweet kisses, you know he can feel how hard your nipples are through your shirt every time he dips down to kiss you, and you can feel how hard he is every time he rests a little bit more of his body down on top of you.

Silly, stupid man.

Your silly, stupid man.

You wrap your arms around his neck and pull him back down to you, placing a chaste kiss on his lips before smiling against them.

"I want to, Toshi..." You murmur against his lips and he smiles too before he starts to kiss you deeply again.

With some awkwardness and giggles, your shirt comes off and so does his, but he pulls back suddenly again when he realizes it's getting more serious.

"Wait... the ropes." He says.

Sorry, the what??

You watch as he maneuvers his hulking figure off the bed, waddling over to his closet and he yanks the doors open. And you watch still in curiosity as he reaches up and pulls down a bundle of red bamboo silk rope from the top shelf.

"You're a little freak, Toshi!" You cooingly tease him, and with the way he blushes, you can tell that's not the first time it's been said to him.

"If you don't want it, it's fine." He starts babbling when you get up off the bed and walk over to him, "I just thought it would be a fun thing to do."

"Do you always tie up your lovers the first time?" You ask him with a little smile, taking the rope from his hands.

"No..." He breathes, looking at you and the incredibly nervous yet adorable energy he's giving off is sending you spiraling deeper in love with him.

"I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know how to tie the knots and all that..." He confesses to you suddenly.

And he's embarrassed because all of those videos he watched, all of those talks with Tendou, it's almost like they went flying out of his brain the moment you started kissing him.

You bring his lips to yours and give him a slow, deep kiss to make him stop talking and settle his nerves.

"Do you want me to show you how then?" You ask him with a smirk when you pull away.

#what's the matter with queue #rae's wakatoshi wednesdays #man i was right when i typed up 'mom come pick me up im scared' earlier when yall were talking fhdasjfhasljfhasdkjf #ushijima smut

[zep-writings]

Multiverse Madness

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE.

Summary: Things slowly settle down at the compound and life seems to be going back to normal.

Warnings: Bad words, anger, injuries, fluff.

Pairings: Steve Rogers x OFC Arlo Stark.

Notes: I do not own any of the characters present in this story, except for Arlo Stark, an original character. This is pure fiction.

A special thank you to my beta @iluvsumbucky​.

Please give me some feedback, even just a small comment is really appreciated!

Multiverse Madness Masterlist || Main Masterlist.

Chapter twenty

The next day, to Arlo’s deception, she woke up alone in her bed in the med bay. She deduced that Steve must have put her in there after she fell asleep on the couch the night before. Her body was a little sore, a little tired but she was disappointed to realize that Steve wasn’t there. She rubbed her eyes, yawned slightly, and as quietly as possible, she got out of bed and made her way to the kitchen. The house was quiet, and Steve was the only one already up, making coffee. She smiled seeing him like that, wearing only the Christmas pants she had bought him a few months back, still half asleep. She walked toward him and wrapped her arms around his torso, pressing a kiss between her shoulder blades.

“Hi, handsome,” Arlo softly whispered as he turned to face her and pressed a kiss to her lips.

“Hi, gorgeous. How do you feel?”

“Sore. My body still hurts but I’m okay.” Arlo answered honestly.

“You shouldn’t be up, you should be resting Arlo, laying in bed,” Steve said, worry in his voice.

“I’m fine Steve. I hate staying in there. And I don’t want to wake Dylan up.” Stark admitted, snuggling into Steve’s chest. “Plus, I just wanted to cuddle with you…”

Arlo looked up at him and raised to her tiptoes to gently press her lips against his.

“Okay, fine. You win, but at least seat down. Please.”

“Yes, sir.” Arlo chuckled and sat on the closest bar stool watching as Steve went back to making a pot of coffee.

After a few minutes, the soldier placed two cups on the kitchen bar, the pot of coffee and pancakes he had just baked. Arlo smiled at him and got lost in her thoughts for a moment, looking at those beautiful big blue eyes she loved so much. She had almost forgotten how it was to have a normal life, to have someone cooking for her or simply caring for her the way he did. Of course, she always had had Dylan, but it had been a long time since she had cared about someone as much as she cared about Steve.

“What are you thinking about?” Steve asked her, his hand slipping into hers and squeezing it.

“I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have you…” Arlo admitted standing up and coming closer to him, slipping her body in between his legs.

“Oh yeah?” Steve smirked proudly and Arlo nodded, a soft smile on her lips. “I guess we’re both lucky then.” He placed a lock of her hair back behind her ear before softly pressing his lips to hers as his hands stroll down to the back of her tights.

“Let’s eat those pancakes, it smells so good!” Arlo sat back on the stool, her head spinning a little from standing up.

Soon, they were joined by Wanda, Hulk, Bucky, and Sam who all took place around the bar. They all shared a good moment, eating breakfast before Wanda announce that she was leaving. From what she said she needed to deal with some personal stuff and Steve being Steve, he made sure she didn’t need any help before letting her go. Each of them said goodbye to her and Arlo made her promise to text or call from time to time which the red hair agreed to.

 ****

“Hello?” A voice raised from the entrance and Steve looked up from the couch where he was seating, Arlo’s head resting on his lap while she had fallen asleep. “Anyone’s here?”

From the entrance of the house, Pepper appeared with a bag in her hand and a worried look on her face. Steve had kept her updated on everything after Arlo had been kidnapped and made sure to let her know about Arlo’s health since they had gotten her back, but he didn’t think she would literally show up.

“Pepper. Hi.” Steve welcomed, a soft smile appearing on his lips as he felt Arlo stir a little.

“Mom?” Arlo sat up, yawning and rubbing her eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“Hi, honey,” Pepper said softly coming closer to hug his daughter. “Steve called me to let me know you were okay but I just needed to see you.”

Arlo smiled softly. “I missed you, mom.”

“I missed you too. How are you feeling?” Pepper inquired taking her daughter’s face softly into her hands. Her face was filled with worried, but he was glad to see Arlo seemed to be doing okay.

“I’m okay mom, just still a little tired but healing.”

“Good. I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner, but with Morgan and all that. I didn’t want her to worry about you.” Pepper explained before giving Steve a quick hug.

“Mom, it’s fine. I’m okay. Steve has been taking of me.”

“I hope he has.” Pepper shot him a quick look with a soft smile.

Steve hadn’t exactly told Pepper about him and Arlo being together, but he also didn’t feel like it had been the right time to do it. They had had a lot going on and all he had cared about was taking care of his girl.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Pepper admitted, sitting next to her daughter and taking her hand in hers. “I was so scared when Steve told me you were missing… I thought I would…” Her voice broke and Arlo squeezed her hand.

“I’m sorry I scared you, but I’m here,” Arlo reassured her.

“Yes, yes. You are.” Pepper repeated before she pulled her into another hug.

Arlo settled into her mom’s arms for a while and exchanged a quick look with Steve who decided to leave them alone. He stood up and walked away to join Bucky who was outside cutting some wood.

“He was dead worried about you, you know?” Pepper said, looking at Steve walk away before turning her eyes to her daughter.

“I know…”

Pepper offered her a warm smile and gently stroked her cheek. She had been so scared to lose Arlo after Steve had called her to tell her she was missing that she needed to make sure she was truly back and indeed fine. After losing Tony, taking care of Morgan by herself had been incredibly hard and just the thought of ever losing Arlo broke her heart.

“Mom, please don’t cry,” Arlo said softly as she noticed Pepper’s eyes watering and she offered him a gentle smile.

“Sorry, sorry. It’s just with Tony gone when Steve called me to tell you what had happened I…” Pepper struggled, Arlo could surely see it. “I just can’t imagine losing you, honey, not after knowing you for so little time.”

“Mom… Mom, you’re not losing me. I promise. I’m right here.” Arlo pulled her into a hug, and they stayed like that for a moment before Pepper pulled away.

“So, you and Steve, huh?” Pepper changed the subject and Arlo felt her cheeks flush.

“We… We’re together. I wanted to tell you but well… A lot of things happened, and I honestly didn’t have the time to do it.” Arlo chuckled softly.

“Are you happy?”

“I am. I truly am.”

“Then that’s all that matters. You deserve the best Arlo, and Steve clearly cares so much about you.”

“He does. I think.” Arlo grinned. “And I do too, a lot more than I ever thought I could care about anyone since Miles. Steve makes me happy, and I want to be happy.”

Pepper smiled at her and pressed a kiss to her temple. “I am proud of you. And your dad would be too. You’re a fighter, just like him. Never giving up even when things get hard.”

Pepper’s words made Arlo heart’s feel warmer. Her dad would be proud and that was all she could think about.

 ****

For the next few days, Arlo spent a lot of time with her mom, Dylan and Steve. She introduced Pepper to Dylan, who had heard tons about her, or more so the Pepper from their Earth, and she loved to see them getting to know each other. She really loved having her best friend back and enjoyed seeing them talk and get to know each other. She even felt more at home.

On Saturday, Pepper decided to accompany Steve as he left to go grocery shopping. Arlo took the opportunity that everybody was busy doing stuff on their own to simply check on Dylan. Living at the compound had its advantages but it also had its disadvantages, and she hasn’t had an opportunity to be alone with him. Enjoying the calm and quiet, Arlo sat down by Dylan’s side on the couch. He had slowly been getting better, his bruises had started to change color, turning from a blue to yellowish color, but he was still weak and sleeping a lot.

“So, you and Captain America, huh?” Dylan asked smiling at his best friend and Arlo felt herself blushing.

“Yeah.” Arlo chuckled. “It’s quite new.”

“Tell me. I mean not everything everything but I don’t even know how you landed here.” Dylan turned to look at her.

“The same way you did, I guess. When we went through the portal and got separated by the blow, I ended up on the grass of the Avengers’ compound. I found out everyone we had lost was alive here and… Well, it took a lot to earn their trust but I guess they became my family, just like on our Earth. I just wished you had landed with me…”

“No, no. Don’t do that. Nothing is your fault, Arlo.” Dylan took her hand and squeezed it gently.

“I know, but I should’ve found you earlier. If I knew where you were, I would have come looking for you before. You went through hell over there.”

“You can’t save the world from Thanos and save your best friend at the same time, boo,” Dylan said softly with a gentle smile on his lips.

“Wait… How do you know about Thanos? I never told you what happened with the stones and all that stuff.”

“Steve told me. The other day, you were asleep, and he was there. We got to talking and he explained a lot of what happened. He clearly cares about you a lot.”

“He does, or at least that’s what he says.” Arlo chuckled and Dylan rolled his eyes.

“Oh, he does! It’s kind of obvious and you certainly care about him too. I’m happy for you Arlo, you truly deserve this. Miles would want you to be happy” Dylan pointed out kindly.

“He’s truly amazing, you know.”

“You’re so smitten with him.” Dylan smiled as Arlo blushed a little more. She was, she knew it but she would never hide it because she absolutely liked Steve. “You’re still gonna have to tell me what happened to you in the last few months.” Dylan grinned, squeezing her hand.

Arlo smiled and she started to tell him everything. She told him about Tony and Steve, about her family, and about all the Avengers who were still alive on this Earth. She recounted how they had gone back in time to get the infinity stones, how it brought back everyone who had disappeared, and the way it brought a past Thanos to their time. She explained how she had lost her dad, once again, and told him about the time she had spent with Pepper and Morgan after that. Most of all, she tried to explain as best as possible how she got closed to Steve and how she ended up falling for him but putting words to this wasn’t easy. Dylan listened to her, happy to see she had landed in a safe place and found people that cared about her.

“You got your second chance,” Dylan spoke softly.

“So did you, Dyl. I know it didn’t start well, but now everything will be better.” Arlo put her head on his shoulder. “How… How did you end up with the mafia?”

Arlo felt Dylan’s body tensed up by her side and she sat up to look at him. “If you don’t want to talk about it, it’s fine, you don’t have to, but I’m here if you need.”

“I know, it’s just…” Dylan sighed and rubbed his hand on his face. “When we went through the portal, I got hurt. I landed somewhere in Russia, I guess. I spent days trying to find a place to hide and looking for you. I thought we were still on our Earth you know, but then I got kidnapped by those men, and they threw me in a cell.” Dylan explained, trying to find the right words, playing nervously with Arlo’s hand in his. “After that, I only remember pieces of what happened really. The man that looked exactly like me, the cell, the torture... They wanted to know who I was. When they figured out I wasn’t from this Earth, they wanted to know more. After that, they found out about you, about the Avengers, and honestly, I can’t remember more.”

Arlo could see how hard it was for him to try to remember, or even to talk about it, so she didn’t interrupt and let him take his time, squeezing his hand from time to time.

“I don’t even know what I told them exactly. I just felt like… Like it was even worse than being back on our Earth. I didn’t know where you were, or if you were even alive. I didn’t know where I was or how long I was there. I just felt so… Alone. After a while I…” Dylan paused, looking down before taking a big breath. “I just started hoping they’d kill me instead…”

“Dylan… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry you went through all this.” Arlo managed to say through the tears filling her eyes, the emotion and guilt she felt.

Tears started to run down Dylan’s cheeks and it broke Arlo’s heart. She raised her arms and pulled him into a tight hug. She gently stroked her back as he started to sob against her. There was no way in hell he was ever getting out of her sight anymore, no way she would ever risk losing him again.

“I missed you…” Dylan whispered, pulling back a little and whipping his eyes.

“I missed you too. And I’m really glad you’re here now.” Arlo confessed as she did the same with her eyes.

They looked at each other and chuckles slightly before laying on the couch and putting a movie on, snuggling against each other.

 ****

Later that day, and after their emotional exchange, Dylan and Arlo started taking a trip down memory lane. They talked about their childhood and, in all the bad they had been through, Arlo was surprised to see how many good moments they were able to remember. After a while Steve, Bucky, and Pepper had joined them, all sitting in the living room, chatting about the most normal things.

“Do you know that Steve used to get sick every time we went on a roller coaster?” Bucky laughed, making Steve roll his eyes and groan in frustration.

“Really?” Arlo snorted. “Little Stevie was afraid of rollercoaster?”

Steve shot her a dirty look and she laughed. “Right, laugh all you want, but I was a sensitive kid, okay? I wasn’t dopped on serum hero serum yet. And I wasn’t scared I just… Didn’t handle them so well.” He said, trying to defend himself.

“Oh, she can laugh but you know Arlo actually threw up once when we did the spinning cup.” Dylan teased.

“We were 7!” Arlo exclaimed.

“Still counts.” Dylan snorted, catching mid air the pillow Arlo was throwing in his face.

“Maybe we should go to Disneyland, when you two are feeling better.” Pepper proposed pointing at Dylan and Arlo. “I’m sure Morgan would love that too. She’s never been and Tony also told her we would take her one day.”

“I can’t believe Morgan is here…” Dylan whispered still having trouble believing all of them were genuinely alive, well for most of them.

“She is. But she’s only five.” Steve pointed out, his fingers intertwined with Arlo’s, gently stroking her hand with his thumb.

“Oh, right. The whole other Earth and time traveling thing. We’re in 2023, right?” Dylan recalled.

“Yeah,” Bucky confirmed. “History is quite different here too from what Arlo told us.”

“Yeah, Arlo filled me in a little, but I think I might have a lot of catching up to do.” Dylan acknowledged with a smile, exchanging a look with Arlo. “And I may need some time to get used to seeing all your faces again.” He added his eyes landing especially on Bucky.

Dylan had been pretty close to Bucky on their Earth and, seeing him alive, looking exactly the way he remembered him, was going to take some time to get used to. He loved that he was able to have a second chance with Arlo, especially since he knew that they had gotten rid of Thanos for good.

“You’ll have time to get used to all this I guess. Not like we’re going anywhere.” Steve reassured him, quickly glancing at Arlo who had been pretty quiet for a while.

Arlo offered him a soft smile, but truth was, she wasn’t feeling very well. Her head was pounding, her heart was beating way too fast in her chest, and her hands has started to shake. She felt like she was about to be sick.

“I’ll be right back,” Arlo whispered in Steve's ears, gently squeezing his hand in hers.

As she stood up from the couch, Steve noticed something seemed wrong. As she walked away, he realized her legs were slightly shaking but he simply frowned, not saying anything. Arlo reached the bathroom and spread cold water on her face, hoping it would help calm her nausea. However, her stomach decided otherwise, and she dropped by the toilet to throw up, emptying the content of her stomach. She closed her eyes for a few minutes, taking a deep breath, and when she felt a little better, she stood up to rinse her mouth. After a few minutes, she finally walked out of the bathroom, and started to make her way back to the living room. Before she could reach the couch, her head started to spin, and everything started to get blurry around her.

“Steve…” Arlo barely managed to say before she collapsed to the floor.

****

Chapter twenty-two

#steve rogers fanfiction #Steve Rogers #Steve Rogers x OFC #steve rogers x original female character #arlo stark #MCUfanfic #marvel fanfiction #Marvelfanfic #multiverse madness #chris evans fanfiction

[leewonkyeom]

Naurrr i literally shed my blood sweat and tears trying to come up with a username 😭 like all the usernames I typed in were taken somehow (even the most down bad ones like Jaehyunleftbuttcheek)

YOU'RE SO RIGHT Chan is being a real threat nowadays 😭😭 he is a good brother figure but like...he been looking a bit TOO fine recently... especially that one back it up performance pic of his (you definitely know what I'm talking about I'll still put that pic in tho)

This was my last straw.

Pls not shua bias wrecking both of us like damn dude don't do this to me T^T vernon and hoshi are fighting for their spots in my svt bias unit 😭 (or they just have to make more space)

I love how we both had vernon in mind when Spiderman au was mentioned lol he fits in a bit too perfectly <33

with the Jeonghan one I was saying that if anyone decided to make a Spiderman au with him he would be Mary Jane or Gwen Stacy and the reader would be in the place of Peter Parker! (It's biblically accurate cause I'm the one down bad and desperate for hannie) If Vernon is Spidey then ofc reader would be his mj/Gwen

Ooh a Avengers au sounds interesting!! It could either be a serious fic or a crack smau I kinda had a similar idea for a while now but instead of Avengers it's teen titans! i would eat the Avengers au up if you ever decided to write it anyways which Avengers would be who? I'm assuming cheol would be iron man and Woozi would be Cap??

Oh Scandinavia! I have heard those things don't phase ya'll much but i didn't know ya'll were chill like that! The culture I'm from is more sort of reserved?? Things like that are very taboo so in a million years i would NEVER watch any media with adult scenes with my family T^T

I was able to sit through sex education (on my own ofc) it's actually a pretty good series but i haven't watched the recent episodes yet

Ida is still a very cute nickname I love it!! I was gonna go by my government name too but it's kinda weird to pronounce and just doesn't suit as much as Jolene does 😭

WAIT YOU'RE A JOJO FAN?? omgomg what are your favourite parts and characters⁉️

lmao i love that😭😭 i love those jaehyunsleftbuttcheek names on some level, but the name you have now is sm cuter!! i think it turned out well

NO CAUSE ALL I'M ABLE TO SEE IS THAT DINO PIC I AM NOT WELL😭😭 dino literally shows up in all my pulls😭 like i have two carat versions of this guy😭 AND HE ALWAYS LOOKS SO FINE

i agree. personally my bias line is ot13😌😌 always room for everyone

vernon is absolutely perfect😭 so perfect that i didn't even really think about reader being a spider creature instead of him😭😭 but that actually sounds like a good idea... i'll think about it. also seems easier to execute than a whole avengers type thing😭

i agree that cheol would be iron man, but cao is 100% shua😭 like he's captain AMERICA. i imagine woozi more like hulk😭 ig wonwoo or mingyu would fit too, but they don't get angry often enough tbh. so mingyu's more of a thor maybe?

like i watched the entire game of thrones series with my mom😭 like it's awkward still, but definitely nothing more than that. like i am shocked the way some people on the internet treat sex, bc in my culture it's seen as such a normal thing🥴 i'm also not caught up on sec education lmao

thank you!! no, but that'd definitely fair. besides i love the name jolene so i get it 100%

i feel like almost everyone who likes kpop also likes anime? but yes!! my fave part is part 4 (i've only watched until part 5 though whoops, but i know who jolyne is dw) and fave character is josuke. what about you?

#ask ida #⭐️mutuals #🐱jolene

[sungbeam]

xnonie present ✋️

oh no, u just asked for my svt bias!! 🫣🫣 truth be told... i don't even know atp they're all too good SHCJDS but i'm definitely an american line enjoyer myself 🫶🫶🫶 joshua has climbing up the list for a while! like he's always been up there, i was just clinging onto hansol for so long (also U WOULD TELL ME THEIR POWERS? FOR ME?!? 🫠 i feel so loved)

& YESSSS i love she-hulk rn! i hate how short the episodes are, but at least we're being spoiled w/ extra end credits content!! i honestly just wait for it b/c they're sooo fun. I JUST SAW UR RECENT POST ON MATT MURDOCK BEING HOT & I JUST WANNA AGREE ABSOLUTELY. 100%. SO TRUE. he makes my stomach flutter with butterflies auggghhhhh 😭😭

WE CAN'T FORGET BUCKYYY! so excited to see him in future movies especially now that sam is cap now, i'd love to see their dynamic 🥰 AND U HAD A DRUIG PHASE TOO?? ugh he just made me forget ALL my mcu crushes LIKE i searched far & wide across tumblr for fics of this man. i was so down bad. i think it's the accent AHVHDJFJ 🫡

"my beautiful, beautiful makkari" UGHSHDH

XNONIE !!! HAIII (ﾉ´∀｀*) UR ASKS MAKE ME GRIN AND GIGGLE LIKE A TEENAGER (lmao i say that like i'm not skcnkdnc but i kid u not i'm lying on my stomach and kicking my feet up behind me 😭😭)

AHAHAH i totally feel the same tbh my svt bias line consists of FOUR PEOPLE 😭😭😭😭 and then im wrecked by the entire group as well still (;_; they're insane all the time and my heart is too fragile for this— BUT AHHHH AMERICAN LINE YES!!! okok sooo based on my notes,, , , i have josh w iceman and vernon w hehe franklin richards !! def different spectrums of the mutant timeline, but josh is ofc a classic member of the xmen family and non i gave one of the most powerful mutants in the universe imo 🤧🤧🤧 franklin is the son of mr and mrs fantastic and he can create POCKET DIMENSIONS FOR FUN DKCNSKCJJ LIKE THATS SO CRAZY TO ME and i just felt like giving such a chill dude that much power would be 😎😎😎 (tbh i wanna tell u ALL of them but we can start w ur biases hehe)

I LITERALLY JUST FINISHED THE NEWEST EP OF SHE-HULK AND IM LIKE ????? HWAT !!?@(!#;(@(@( LJKE OMG THE ENDING !! i went from squealing abt matt murdock to absolute silence like my mouth was gaping like a fish TT anyways cannot wait until the finale ep

BRO THE BANTER BTWN BUCKY AND SAM IS TOP NOTCH AHAHHAHAHA it's so funny cuz my mom and i always joke abt how they hated each other cuz of their competition for cap's attention 🤩🤩🤩 the bromance yk but now that cap's gone cries they're left only w each other :'))) as i recall from the end of falcon and the winter soldier, they weren't completely friends either ?? (also fal and the winsol. was such a DARK tv show omg o_o like i was so shocked how dark it was but it was still good as always)

U WERE ON MCU TUMBLR LOOKING FOR DRUIG FICS TOO ??? (´Д⊂ヽ XNONIE ILY OMG THE TASTE AND THE VIBES ARE IMMACULATE RN IM SO EXCITED SJCBKSKXJ ahhhhhHhhhhhHHHHHHH IM SCREAMING HES SO FINE SO POWERFUL TOO (yep def the accent CRIES the way he just — and his— and every— and him 😭)

can he tell ME im beautiful like that too (;_;

#sungbeam strikes again #xnonie 💥 #druig goddamn it #bro when daredevil appeared in no way home w the red glasses and shit #hes just so fine in his lawyer garb talking lawyer jargon #faints

[authoressskr]

Tracking Death and Magic, pt 2

Characters: f!Reader [known in this fic as Duchess], Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, Phil Coulson, Peter Parker, Bruce Banner, Sam Wilson, Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, Wanda Maximoff, Pietro Maximoff, Clint Barton, Nick Fury, Maria Hill, mentions of Dr. Strange, OFCs

Warnings: Language, death, angst, and no Beta   ::    Notes: this was written for @captain-kelli’s #ckcomebacktour – WELCOME BACK!!    ::   Word Count: 10,414

Mythological + Fairy Tale Creatures AU feat. Alpha Werewolf/Vampire!Bucky, Alpha Werewolf/Vampire!Steve, Giant!Hulk side Bruce, Born Witch!Wanda, Hellhound mix!Reader

Someone is hunting down those with Fae blood in New York. And no one can figure out why or who is behind the crimes. So higher ups in the city hand the case over to SHIELD, who deals with the more difficult supernatural cases. But even after two weeks, this small elite team can’t seem to figure out where the person or persons responsible will strike or the reasoning behind it. Anyone with a drop of Fae blood is scared…scared of being kidnapped or killed. Time to call in some outside help.

Prompt: [*In Part 1*] “All of those people are alive right now - all because of her.”

[ Please do NOT repost, copy & paste, translate, post or share my works on any other platform without my EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION. 18+ ONLY PLEASE, all content providers don’t want serious repercussions from underage interactions, myself included. ]

-+- REBLOGGING is fine and *very* appreciated! -+-

Part One

You could feel it as you walked up to the sidewalk where Cyrus had been killed. The now dried and cleaned sidewalk not hiding it’s dark shadows from you in the waning late afternoon light.

The creeping, underhanded power of the Seelie Court brushing against you.

The poison is a prominent smell to your hound side still since it’s only been a day and a half. Cyrus’s soul hasn’t lingered, so that at least is a blessing, but the conversation with your uncle and this fresh site is putting your nerves on the very edge. You can ‘see’ the faint magic outline where he died, you knew he’d be wearing his homemade medallion to ward off evil. Swallowing, you kneel where his feet would have been, reaching out with your magic.

The flashes that echo painfully through your mind make you gasp.

The cloaked figure is stealing magic. Taking it violently. To him, the more violent and quick, the better. It honestly just makes your stomach roll, the saliva building in your closed and clenched mouth.

But why? You can taste the lighter magic associated with the Seelie Court - the Court of Light - the kind that humans and others often think of when they think of the fair folk. The court thought, it doesn’t deal with humans or others unless absolutely needed…

When you told Hades you suspected a member of the higher courts on your little walk, you hadn’t anticipated to be able to feel it. The boots, the glistening silver swords, the escape when you had moved a forgotten tiny part of the sithen under the alley -- now it all makes a lot more sense now. The shiver that runs down your spine at the implications this creates. May the God and Goddess spare all those innocents involved, you pray quickly.

A henchman for the shining Seelie Court, sweet baby Jesus. What had you gotten yourself into?? What had SHIELD stumbled into??

The residual death is quick, but still it steals into you, taking away what little baited breath you had. Feeling the tears prickle your eyes as you try to figure out these new pieces of the puzzle.

Hades can’t help you - Gods can’t interfere with other pantheons businesses, good or bad.

Hades can’t save you from the other half of yourself.

It was something you had always known in the back of your mind, but the harsh slap of it hurt more than the death and falling pieces of this horrible plot. But...just maybe there could be a light in this cave of fae intrigue and murder. There are others whom you can save.

The three stolen wouldn’t be taken to the sithen, that would be too obvious of their involvement. Plus, they were fae and thus could leave as long as not put into a dungeon there and theoretically had enough power and know-how to do so. But had the cloaked figure been draining them, you weren’t sure if they could get out or away.

So, that would mean they were still somewhere close by.

The last traces of magic from the murder, Cyrus’s own traces, and your hellhound senses in overdrive to track everything - you’re drowning as the sun sinks just a tad lower in the sky, creating the beginnings of the lovely orange autumn color you adore. Fall was closer than you remembered. You can vaguely hear your name being said, like being underwater almost. Then you can smell sage, lemon and juniper - the sweet smells of the entrance to the Underworld.

The way the newcomer says your name grounds you, while Bucky calling your name brings you closer to the surface - your mate...Bucky brings you back to reality. And he’s protective and bristling slightly at the other man who is holding your arm’s firmly.

You’re looking up at the slightly blurry face of a traditionally handsome Greek man, all muscle and blurry smile, with thick black hair and sweet honey brown eyes.

“I hate your human disguise sometimes,” You grunt and turn to plop down on your ass as Bucky watches as the man lean in and proceed to lick from your chin up to your hairline. “Okay, okay...thank you Cerb,” You shove his chest gently to get him to release you, reaching for Bucky’s hand automatically. “This is my mate, Bucky. Don’t snap at him.” Cerberus gives you puppy dog eyes, his nerves calming down slightly to hold his form better. So at least now it was one face instead of the three blurry ones superimposed over each other.

“Did you just say Cerby?!” Wanda sounds astonished.

“As in Cerberus?” Natasha questions calmly. The guardian to the Underworld stands up and he’s visibly excited looking from you to Natasha and Wanda.

“Yes,” You coo. “This is my best friend in the whole world and Underworld, Cerberus. Cerberus, this is Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers is his best friend. Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton, Phil Coulson. Wanda Maximoff and her twin, Pietro.”

“Pleasure,” His deep voice almost has an echo to it. “Lord said you needed looking after, pup. He was right. Too close.”

“I know,” You sigh out as your hand subconsciously clenches Bucky’s a little tighter even after he helps you up.

“No,” Cerberus growls. “Close.”

“Fucking great,” You growl out in reply, anger rising.

“See anything?” Phil asks, forehead furrowed just so. You sigh again, anger dissipating as quickly as it had boiled up.

“We are in a shit ton of trouble.”

“We are aware of that, kid,” Steve states, crossing his arms over his wide chest.

“Nooo. Like real shit ton of trouble. Seelie Court trouble.” Phil lets out a string of curses as Clint’s stance gets more rigid. “The cloaked asshole is working for the Seelie Court. I can taste the residual light magic. And he’s stealing magic. That’s why he’s been killing most of them. Kidnapping the more powerful ones to drain them continuously, I’m guessing.”

“He can’t take them back to the golden sithen,” Phil states, following where you’re leading. “So they’re still in the area.”

“I think he took them where there’s more greenery and nature, it would make it more comfortable for him. Someplace secretive to drain and hide them.”

“Central Park,” Bucky reasons. “It makes the most sense. It would be easy for him to hide them there, especially if he was -” He stops as you start exhibiting nervous energy beside him, enough to upset his wolf and your scent to change. “What is it?”

“Only royalty can move the sithen,” You whisper, eyes focused solely on Phil.

“I have to let Fury know…” Phil looks at you with pity and sadness appearing in his blue eyes. “Everything.”

“I figured as much when I tasted their magic,” face contorting with a pained expression is all Bucky sees on your lovely face as you whisper the words defeatedly. He’s on edge now with your changing emotions and scents, trying to keep his eyes from shifting too much or his fangs popping out to prepare for the impending fight, the need to protect and soothe you almost overwhelming him internally.

“I’m sorry,” He offers, moving forward to squeeze your shoulder sympathetically, withdrawing the phone from his pant pocket as your free hand shoots forward to grip his wrist tightly, a plea written plainly for all to see on your almost panicking face.

“Please Phil...delay it til the morning. I can’t...they’ll -” Bucky and Steve can taste the fear that’s rolling off you now, raising his hackles as Cerberus eyes him with interest before returning his gaze to Duchess.

“I won’t let your other side harm you,” Cerby snarls, his handsome olive face contorted with anger as you wince hard. Bucky tugs you into him as much as he can with your iron grip still on Phil, soothing the pacing and snarling wolf in his head as much as he is soothing you.

That’s why you said you should be better at wording things, Bucky thinks to himself, nuzzling his nose into your hair, fangs no longer a worry as your scent shifts yet again to worry. Only now he realizes you are concerned about how he sees you.

“Do you care I’m a werewolf and vampire crossbreed 100 year old plus former assassin?” Bucky mumbles softly against your head, making you pull away to look up at him, shock and confusion making you wrinkle your forehead at your mate. Your scent shifts to calm Bucky now, eyes tearing up just a tad as his wolf shakes and settles down. Mate needs reassurance.

“No!” You release Phil’s wrist to cup Bucky’s cheek, thumb moving over the course hairs of his beard. “I don’t care what you are. You’re mine, James.” The light in Bucky’s eyes stun you with his smile, his eyes crinkling beautifully. Just radiating his happiness in that simple little motion of his elated smile, your inner hound almost dopey at the tenderness your mate is exuding.

“Then why would I care if you're half fae?” He presses his forehead down against yours, making you squeeze your eyes closed to prevent the tears from falling. “You’re my mate, Duchess. I don’t care what you are, as long as I get to keep you. Understand, doll?”

“I just don’t want to be known as one of them...as one of the Shining Court. That’s not me.” You keep your eyes squeezed close, taking comfort in your mate’s touch and his surrounding scent, blocking out everything but Bucky.

“You moving that fast with that sword was hot though,” Bucky rumbles out, making laughter just peel out of you, opening your eyes to be met with those intensive cerulean orbs.

“You’re too good,” You copy his statement from the closet earlier, smiling up at the most important person in your life.

But that comment does make you think, yanking your forehead away from Bucky to snap back to Coulson.

“Phil! It’s for my father!”

“You sure?”

“It has to be! Only royalty can move the sithen! The High Prince has probably a quarter of the fae power I do and his son probably barely enough to magically open a doorway in the sithen.”

“Wait,” Clint starts, twirling a toothpick between his front teeth before pointing it at you and continuing. “So you’re a fae princess?!”

You wince again, Bucky’s metal fingers slipping under the edge of your shirt bottom to stroke your skin to ease the emotions swirling in and around you - at least they are much more in control and subdued than minutes ago. “Technically, yes.” You admit in a defeated whisper. “My grandmother is the Queen of the Seelie Court.”

“Which is why Peter said you were ordering the cloaked man to answer you,” Steve states, rolling his shoulders to relieve some tension. Too late you realize that since Steve and Bucky are actually pack that he was getting some diluted effects of your emotional rollercoaster just now just by being so close to the two of you. ‘Sorry,’ You mouth to him as he gives you a soft smile in return.

“So that’s why the ground shook?” Bucky asked, forehead slightly furrowed at Phil then down to you. “How can you move the whole sithen?”

“Oh, I can’t. I couldn’t do that unless I was Queen and would need a whole lot of blood magic to back it up to move it. And honestly, the sithen is a living thing, so it would need to be...um...convinced. But moving pieces of it - especially forgotten or ‘dead’ spaces that the court don’t access - is fairly easy if you know what you are doing. Hades is Lord of the Underworld. Is the “Underworld” just under Greece? No. It’s everywhere AND a specific place. The same properties apply to the sithen,” You shrug as if it hasn’t really occurred to you the schematics of it all.

“Ahh, sort of like the Sanctum Sanctorum of Dr. Strange’s,” Pietro supplies, tapping a finger against his chin with a small grin.

“Yes and no.”

“I was thinking more like the jet,” Wanda supplies to her twin who frowns at her.

“So if Dr. Strange had a Sanctum Sanctorum jet?”

“Jesus. Christ.” Coulson and Natasha mutter loudly in sync, sighing and turning away slightly from the twins and Clint who is nodding along with their continued discussion.

“So could you find the piece of the sithen in Central Park?” Steve moves the conversation back to the kidnapped victims, you watching him unclench and clench his right hand slightly. You move a little more into Bucky and reach for Steve’s right hand. His head snaps over to you almost comically fast, while you just try to exude a calming energy. Bucky whispers a soft ‘thank you’ against your temple before gently reaching over to squeeze Steve’s shoulder. You can almost feel Steve’s blood pressure drop once both you and Bucky are calm and now working on calming him.

“Yeah, I could. I’ve scented the magic signature he’s used both attacking me and at the crime scenes, so shouldn’t be too hard to locate it. I mean, I won’t be exactly spot on, but will be close enough to be able to move the sithen bit to me and manipulate it open hopefully.”

“So that’s the play,” Natasha states as Phil whips out his cell, causing another spike in anxiety to roll through you, but Bucky and Steve both quickly whisk it away with their touch.

“Yes, sir,” Phil states evenly. “We may have located the kidnapped parties. I request a team to subtly clear and surround Central Park. Yes, sir.” His right eyelid gives one lone twitch. “Yes, all Avengers to the Park. We are dealing with Seelie Court involved matters. Yes, she is here and will be leading us to the kidnapped hostages. Affirmative. Will do, sir.” He hangs up to find everyone staring at him. “Tony will be bringing everyone’s gear and then we’ll head to Central Park. If you have any requests or needs, please bother Stark. I have a whole ops to coordinate.” A black suv pulls up behind him, which no one even flinches at. “I’ll meet you all in an hour. Stark will know the location.”

“Onward to probable death!” Pietro mutters with fake enthusiasm and you frown at him, Cerberus moving closer to you until his arm is brushing. The scent of sage, juniper and lemon - overlapped with the scent of coffee, cinnamon, cedar and a soft ocean breeze, things distinctly Bucky to you, even the scent of orange faintly coming from Steve - do nothing to help the pit in your belly.

How true, you muse morbidly, glancing up into sad honey brown eyes. You can both catch the faint, trace smell of death.

And you both know it’s from you.

-----*****-----*****-----

Tony had brought you several SHIELD jumpsuits in various colors: gray, blue and black, smirking as you had raised an eyebrow at him. “Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously, little hellhound. They’ll all form to fit you. Bucky and Peter mentioned swords, so I brought some thigh holsters as well as a back holster, since I didn’t know the length of your swords. Natasha has extra guns aboard the jet if you are into that. Also, we don’t have time for you two to be frisky, so -”

“Shut up, Tony,” Bucky had growled from behind him, just making Tony smile wider. Seeing Bucky in his hero suit was a whole different sexy than last night and this morning. Well, you now understood why Tony was having concerns about you two because - dear gods did you want Bucky to bend you over something and take you with that suit on. You’d be equally happy to just drop to your knees and thank your mate for this look. Bucky obviously can see and sense the changes as you are basically drooling and clenching your thighs, while having an iron grip on the dark blue suit you had been favoring.

“Remember!” Tony says loudly while shaking a finger at you before Steve comes up beside Bucky and herds the grinning man from the room where you’re surrounded by suits and weapons.

“Eyes are glowing again, doll,” Bucky purrs as he comes to a halt before you.

“Can’t help it, it’s an emotional reaction most of the time,” You breath out, a smile playing on the corner of his lips at your answer. “Used to just do it when I was extremely pissed off. Now apparently it decides to pop up whenever I’m -”

“Horny?”

“Focusing. On. My. Mate.” You insist as he rumbles out a laugh, bending forward to kiss your forehead sweetly. You tilt your head up to catch his eye again, giving him a small smile as you reach out to take his flesh hand. “But just FYI, I can smell you’re horny too. And them pants is tiiight.” He captures your lips in a searing kiss, pulling you so tight against his chest that the buckles dig into you a little, just making you all the more riled up.

“Mate,” Bucky’s voice is part plea and warning in it’s roughness after you two pull apart, you nosing along his throat, kissing the skin where your mark should adorn.

“You could leave to let me get dressed…?”

“Where the hell is the fun in that, doll? Huh?” Both of you are chuckling, touching each other as much as possible but struggling to keep it PG.

“Bucky, I know you don’t want to bring this up…”

 “Don’t.” 

“But this could be it, ya know? So I need you to sort of brace yourself if it does.” His back is now ramrod straight and his jaw clenched tight, but holding your gaze.

“I won’t let it happen.” The determination from your first meeting is back, but you can only muster the softest look in reply, letting the suit fall to the ground as you cup his face with both hands.

“Sweetheart,” You coo gently, watching the sadness dance in his eyes that he’s trying hard to hide. “I adore you. I trust you inexplicably. I would happily spend the rest of my life with you. To mate you, to marry you...to have a little baby that looks just like you, that’s all I want. You deserve some peace and so. much. love.” His hands are gripping tight onto your waist, you can feel the fingertips digging in as you continue. “But you know I’m marked for death, Bucky. They’ve tried most of my life to circumvent it, stop it, undo it. But death comes for me regardless. I need you to not pull away from everyone if that happens. You’ll need them. Please.”

“I don’t - I don’t want to deal with that. I can’t. I can’t lose you too. I said I would protect you and keep you safe. I’m no Alpha if I don’t try. I’m no mate if I don’t try.” You’re at a standstill, both now in emotional turmoil over this topic, trying not to let it bleed into the other. He presses his forehead against yours hard, staring into each other’s eyes. “I love you,” He whispers and it’s all you ever wanted to hear. Right now, you had all wanted right here - a wonderful mate who loved you and would try to move heaven and earth for you, who didn’t care what you were. One of the most beautiful men in the whole world who looked at you like the sun rose and set by your whim. The whole thing was unfathomable.

“I love you, Bucky,” You breathe out in reply, longing for any other outcome but the one you know is coming. “And I will love you as long as you live.” Bucky makes a noise in the back of his throat, a couple tears sliding down his cheeks as yours begin to fall freely, letting him wrap his arms so securely around you as his beautiful blue jacket absorbs your quiet sobs.

-----*****-----*****-----

The sun is nearly set, the sky streaked a hundred hues of dark pink and red as New York slowly descends into darkness.

Bucky is standing right beside you, outfit bringing out his eyes as he surveys the scene stoically. You’d chosen the dark blue jumpsuit to match his, arms brushing subtly as you stand just outside the magic lines - and sight lines from the sithen - of Central Park.

Although you can’t see them, you can vaguely sense the score of SHIELD agents and Avengers scattered on the edges of the treelines. But you can ‘see’ the edge of the piece of sithen just shy of the Azalea Pond at the center of the Ramble. Bucky had been the one with his tablet naming things off to you - you had only moved to New York two years ago after all - trying to help you narrow down areas where it could have been. You wish you had had the time for him to show you around New York, around Brooklyn, and places that still stood from when he was younger.

Cerberus is on the other side of the pond, should the cloaked figure try to escape, swathed in the grip of Underworld magic to keep him invisible and thus much more easy to herd or pounce.

Wanda is piggybacking off your abilities, twined with yours temporarily so she could sense the heartbeats of the victims now that you had a location. Sam is in the trees to the left of the pond with Peter, Steve and Tony on the right while Clint, Natasha and Pietro cut off any other possible exit points. Bruce is staying by the ambulances, ready to Hulk out should the need arise, although you could tell from his face he was radiating the bright hope it absolutely would not.

Any way the cloaked figure ran, he’d be funneled where the Avengers chose. There would be no escape. As a failsafe, Pietro would be the only one to engage with him except you, since he would be the most able to take him on with the fae speed.

You drag yourself back to reality, turning to gaze over at Bucky and steeling yourself with one last deep breath before starting down the short path to the Azalea Pond.

“Be safe for me, doll,” Bucky says softly, almost as soft as the small breeze suddenly around you two. You manage to nod, throat closing up again. The fair folk do not lie. It had been beaten into you, quite literally, when you were little at court. You want nothing more than to lie to Bucky in that moment. To reassure him you will be safe for him. But the fair folk do not lie.

Good thing you are not solely fair folk. You reach for his hand, grasping just his flesh fingertips in your grip and squeezing them hard. It’s a millisecond in time, but it seems like one of those Lord of the Rings moments that are in that slow, dramatic, longing-filled motion. “I’ll do my best, handsome.” Dropping his hand before you lose your resolve, you take the barely visible path towards the pond. Your magic is swirling with Wanda’s, your senses all in overdrive - so much so you can’t even register the smell of the flowers blooming along the landmark.

Pursing your lips, you whistle a simple five note tune that fae had used for time beyond memory.

From behind you comes that deep, craggly voice, “Greetings, highness.”

“Greetings, servant,” He gives a little hiss at the title you bestow. “SHIELD has sent me to inform you that if you cooperate, you will not be sentenced to death.”

“They are mostly human. I do not fear the humans.”

“You are not wise to not fear them,” You give a pregnant pause, making sure you give that haughty look the court loves to disperse. “If you do not accept this offer, I am to inform you that I, Princess Duchess Propolos Hekatos, will be judge, jury and - if need be - executioner.” He pushes back his cloak hood back, allowing you to finally see his scaled face. He was probably one of very few left over of those lizard scaled dwarves who stayed closer to the caverns around lakes and seas when humans first emerged as semi-civilized, with beautiful almost translucent rainbow sheened scales around his eyes and cheeks, his mouth set in a thin line with no lips.

“I was damned from the get go, princess.”

“We are only as we choose to be - it doesn’t have to be that way,” You insist, leaning a little forward, softening your eyes. Even if you disliked court life, the snobs of court who’s magic had begun to dwindle long before you were born, and how you were treated there - he was the same as you; a discarded fae. He doesn’t reply, though there is a flicker of something in his eyes, simply just unsheathes his double swords and gestures to you with his chin.

“Prepare, half breed,” Although his insult has less venom than the alley last night, you huff out a sigh at his tone. Like he’s just going through the motions. Asshat.

You shift your feet just so, straightening your spine as you wait for his move. Physically you are in that moment, but your power shifts the sithen opening to the side where Steve and Tony are waiting, causing the cloaked man to hiss, baring slightly sharpened front teeth at you. “Little bitch!” And his steel meets yours. “We will both die for this!” He snarls as he tries to drive you back towards the trees and brush opposite the pond, you holding the line as you wait for Wanda to signal you that the people had been recovered.

“I’ll deal with them when the time comes,” You growl low, blocking his blades yet again with a heavy clink, shifting just so that you can reach for Bucky’s favorite knife at the small of your back, tinged with the poison that your cloaked friend had been favoring and stabbing it into his side and piercing his lung with a squelch.

“The poison will do nothing to me,” He spits at you as you twirl your wrist to disarm him of one of the swords and slide Bucky’s knife back into its sheath.

“It will now. Dr Banner mixed it with another, a heavy iron involved one - infused with belladonna - to make you human slow,” You lean in as you block another wide swing from him with the one sword left, smiling wide. “And heal human slow.” The whole of Central Park shakes as you show your hand.

“No! NO!” He screams and hisses, attempting to swing his meaty fists at you now that he was without a weapon.

“I am still my grandmother’s first born grandchild. I am still the High Prince’s first born. I am a Princess of the Seelie High Court.” You lean in as your tone becomes more malicious with each word, watching true fear alight in his mossy green eyes. “And with all the inbreeding and decline for the last century,” You straighten up, your blue flames engulfing you as he attempts to scurry away from you, shielding his eyes against the light you emanate as he falls on his ass in the dense brush and dirt. “Let’s face it - I am probably the most powerful fae aside from the Queen of the Seelie and the King of the Unseelie.” Leaning down, fisting your hand in his cloak, you yank him back upright, snarling as your power dances behind your eyes, careful still to at least to not burn him with your flames. But watching him flinch at the heat, the basic fear all animals have towards a large flame, sets you more alight at the taste of that fear. “And absolutely the wrong person to piss off!”

“Spare me! Please!!” He screams, more high pitched than you had imagined, nearly making you wince as you see the red sparks above the tree line and see a blue clad shadow moving along the treeline coming closer to you. Pietro blurs past you, slapping old iron cuffs on the cloaked man, which sends him quite literally howling and screeching from the burn of the metal. 

Your flames give off a few large flickers before they begin to die down when Pietro says that they’ve gotten the kidnapped people to the ambulance they had on stand by, Bucky coming down the path towards you with a small smile on his lips as your eyes meet. Your magic shrinks back towards you, the weight of all the magic and your now overworked abilities settling back into you, your shoulders sagging a little with relief. It wasn’t over, but once your grandmother learned about your father and half-brother then she would be the one to end it.

The look in his cobalt eyes shift quickly, widening and moving to glare directly over your shoulder, his mouth moving in slow motion as he begins to barrel towards you, you begin to turn - only to feel the jerk of your body going forward instead. A glance downward shows a shiny red tip of one of the cloaked man’s swords protruding from just under your breasts, when you hear the mournful howl echo in and around your ears - only to realize it’s three distinct howls. The tang of blood spills into your mouth in a surprised gasp, turning slightly to see who has murdered you.

Your half brother’s hand is shaking slightly as he backs away from you, surprise written on both your faces as the scent of death finally fully fills your nose.

“I never thought -” You wheeze out, taking a few shaky steps towards your half-sibling as Bucky slides to a stop before you, his boots kicking up the fallen green leaves on the grass, both hands grasping your hips firmly as his eyes wander all over your body and face, tears already tracking down his cheeks. “You would have the balls!” You finish with another wheeze, the metallic taste much stronger now.

Bucky turns you to face him as Tony and Peter keep your half-brother from escaping, the darkening greenery of the world around you narrowing down to just Bucky. It’s a beautiful world to be relegated to actually.

“No. NO. Come on, doll. You - you gotta stay with me.” His voice is raw sounding, like he’s trying to not be loud, his metal hand putting pressure on the front wound as if it would help. His forehead is shoved against yours, your entire gaze narrowed to his blue eyes and his damp cheeks as he pulls you into his lap, collapsing the both of you to the ground. It’s funny almost to you in the moment...like you can still hear his loud, pitiful howl like a haunting melody behind everything he’s saying. “Doll, you gotta...come on, gotta fight. I need you to fight. Cerberus, he - he went to get Hades and Hecate. They’ll fix it. Just hold on til they get here, okay?”

“I love you soo much, James Buchanan Barnes,” You’re heartbroken to watch him see your bloody bottom lip tremble, and the color seeping from your face. You can see him weighing all his options through his tears, trying to move your tired hand up to touch him, to comfort him.

“I love you too, babydoll, but please God, please … just stay with me.” The choked up sound of his voice makes you want to cry for causing him this pain. No amount of forewarning could have prepared you for this feeling - the feeling of slowly breaking and killing your mate.

“Mate,” is the last thing you manage to get out before you just go limp in his arms, those jewel eyes he loves so much already just staring up at the first stars twinkling in the sky unseeing. In the back of his mind, his vampire side offers up the idea which he swore to God he would never do. But all too late.

The howl that rips from his throat is pure misery and heartache, his body bowed over his mate’s, his grip still holding her in a vice. The blood cloys her scent, furthering his heartbreak.

He looks up, needing Steve on a near visceral level, only to not see anyone at all. Confusion slightly mars his grief, looking over his shoulder and all around the darkened area, but met with no familiar faces or words in his comms. Confusion gives way to his war training, the alertness on it’s highest notch as he scans around, sniffing delicately at the air as the world seems much darker now than it had just been. When he turns back towards the pond, on edge at the very tampered down scents surrounding him, he spots three almost identical women standing there with those dark pink azaleas framing behind them almost like a fresco - just appearing as if from nowhere like Hades had earlier on the street.

“James Barnes,” The one on the left begins, long dark brown hair falling freely to her waist. “We are sorry for your loss,” the one on the right continues, her hair half up in intricate braids. “But now that we have fulfilled our ill-spoken creed,” the middle speaks, all that dark mahogany hair piled atop her hair like a crown, before they all join hands as the hairs on the back of his neck and arms stand to attention at the sudden surge of power that surrounds him, his arms tensing as a wave of azalea scent blows around the two of them, bringing Duchess as close to him as possible again. “We will return our little cousin back to you.”

His mouth goes dry, forehead wrinkled in not understanding as he looks down at his mate, her eyes still open and her skin still dampened with that death pallor. Bucky gently uses his metal digits to close her eyelids, grief and nausea rolling through him simultaneously while the ground beside Bucky gives a small shake and splits open, Hades climbing so elegantly and easily from the ground below with Cerberus - in three-headed giant black dog form - with a wispy blue thing dangling from the middle head’s mouth. There isn’t even enough room left in him to be shocked, there is just acceptance of whatever this shit show was.

“Turns out, sometimes you just have to accept Fate and go through it in order to stop it,” Hades murmurs in his deep molasses voice, bending down just so, his long fingers gripping the back of Bucky’s neck loosely. “Will you accept your fate now, Bucky?”

“I’ll do anything for her,” Bucky rasps out with conviction shining in his tear-riddled eyes.

“Splendid,” Hades motions with his free hand for Cerberus to come forward. “You must take a mouthful of this first.” He orders sternly as a beautiful blonde woman, shorter than Duchess and with a more heavy hourglass shape, emerges from the crevice to the Underworld with a black and golden chalice. Bucky marvels at the tiny wild roses popping up in her wake as she walks around Cerberus to stand between himself and Hades. She sniffles as she looks at Duchess, one hand leaving the chalice as she frowns over at the Fates before brushing two fingers down his left cheek to his chin, the warmth from just her fingers seeping quickly into his icy feeling skin. He doesn’t even notice the Fates disappearing just after that, he’s so focused on the goddess before him.

“Remove the sword, Hades.” It’s gone with a wave at the woman’s order, Bucky unconsciously tightening his hold once again on his mate. “Now, Bucky, sweet little honeysuckle boy, take a mouthful of this - but don’t swallow.” She brings the cup to his lips and tips it up. “Now, when Cerberus drops her soul back into her body, kiss her and push all the ambrosia into her mouth. It’ll take a few seconds for her soul to readjust and the ambrosia to heal her before she comes back to consciousness, okay honeysuckle?” Bucky manages a jerky nod, rewarded with a pat to his cheek before she backs up towards Hades, Cerberus giving a huff as he leans down towards Duchess’s body.

“Three. Two. One.” Hades counts down, Cerberus’s light brown eyes locked onto Bucky’s before the middle head gently opens it’s very large jaw and the blue wisp floats down to her body. “Now.” Bucky smashes his lips against hers, feeding the liquid into her mouth with an edge of desperation barely restrained within him.

“Now we wa-” A gasp startles you all, her jewel-toned eyes blinking rapidly as her hands claw at Bucky’s waist where they’re trapped between them, until they’re focused on Bucky. Bucky lets loose a sob as she smiles up at him, blood now gone from her face.

“Hi handsome,” A tiny little cough to clear her throat. “Bucky,” Duchess manages to rasp out before she’s crushed to Bucky’s chest.

“I lost you,” Bucky half gasps/half sobs into her hair, the scent of blood seemingly long gone, a terrible dream from which he can now finally awaken...it was just her again. Just his mate.

“But you found me, handsome.”

Bucky manages to get out a soft chuckle as he pulls back to cup her face in his hands. “You do anything like that again, doll, and I swear I’ll -” She cuts him off with a kiss but he doesn’t miss the smile and silent eyeroll. When they break apart, she brings her hand up to cup his cheek, rubbing her thumb over his cheekbone repeatedly as Bucky just reveals in the warmth of her fingers and palms against his skin.

“You are mine,” She whispers so damn gently, like a breath of life gently fanning over his lips as her forehead bumps against his softly. Bucky understood this was her sign that everything was alright, that closeness of foreheads pressed together and reading every emotion in each other's eyes. 

“And you are mine,” Bucky affirms, electricity buzzing down his spine before he smiles wide at his mate, happy to see her own smile widen as he does so. “You’re stuck with me for forever now.” She tries to feign a disappointed look and tone, to school her eyes and keep her lips from twitching up in a grin is poorly executed.

“Oh, no. What a terrible thing, Sarge,” It comes out more as a purr, lighting a warmth and fire from within Bucky, elation now bleeding as a scent out of him at this tiny but monumental moment with his mate. A deep voice clearing his throat behind you brings you both a bit back more to the present, Bucky glancing to the left as your smile stays gracing your gorgeous face.

“Welcome back!” The goddess burst out, tears opening flowing down her lovely and soft olive oval face, falling to her knees behind Duchess and throwing her arms around her shoulders, squeezing her fiercely. She even pulls Bucky closer, smoothing a hand up and down his back as she hugs both of them just this side of painful.

“Thank you, theía.” Duchess grunts out from the tight sandwich she’s in, looking over to her uncle. “Theíos, what happened to that little motherfucker?”

Hades stern looking face breaks out in a tiny smile, looking so kindly down at the scene before him as Cerberus’s three heads lap and nuzzle at the three on ground. “He’s still being held on the other plane. And speaking of which, we should return quickly. Hecate might actually kill him and start a bigger conflict than which we already have on our hands.”

“Well that answers some of my questions,” Bucky mutters just behind her right ear, nipping at the earlobe gently as Persephone releases you all, gently wiping away her tears.

“I’ll fill you in as best I can later. After someone fills me in, that is,” Duchess promises with a quick but warm kiss to his lips. Hades helps his wife up, kissing both of her palms and exchanging a long, loving look before extending his hand for Duchess, Bucky shooting up beside her as they each have a hand hold on her and help to steady her as she sways just a touch.

“Much later,” Bucky agrees with the barest hint of a nod, just needing to soothe his mate still. Frankly, just needing to reconnect and optimally be alone with his mate. Hopefully uninterrupted for at least two weeks, a month - two months would be absolutely dreamy and very, very far fetched with all the shit they’ll have to deal with afterwards regarding this case. But Bucky would move whole cities to make good on what she’d said to him aboard the jet too. Finally get him some of that apple pie life that he, Steve and the Commandos had talked about all those years and years ago.

He watches as you roll your neck, gently pushing away one of Cerby’s heads to shake both your arms out before reaching up to finally scratch at each of Cerberus’s heads one by one, kissing at their muzzles with gusto as the giant hellhound wiggles it’s butt with abandon. “I didn’t get that warm of a welcome,” Bucky remarks with a smirk, his mouth breaking into a wider smile at the look she shoots him.

“Because that is something personal you’ll get later on, Sarge,” 

“Geallaidhean, an dannsair beag agam,” Bucky growls softly, making sure to seal it with a deep, hard kiss. Promises, my little dancer. She looks a little flustered when they break apart, eyes not as focused as before. He knows she can smell the very pleased scent rolling off of him at her reaction.

“Such an Alpha,” She mutters with a teasing eye roll, keeping her hand on his chest. “You wear that jacket and you can have whatever you like,” comes the whisper against his lips, a soft growl punctuating the end before he takes another kiss. “Okay. Okay. Now, let’s go shank the little fairy prince,” Baring your teeth is more cute to Bucky than terrifying initially, but knowing what you’re capable of does make it scarier. And sexier, he wasn’t going to lie to himself. He loves that his mate is that intimidating.

And quite honestly, what will be more scary to the little prince than someone he feared and loathed coming back after watching them die? What's more, coming back for their retribution on him from the other side. Bucky can bet anyone that it’s not a hell of a lot actually.

“Brace yourself for it,” She whispers, hand wrapping tight around his metal one. Bucky feels a tug at his navel as the whole world around him seems to lighten at least ten shades, the overwhelming scent of blood returning, along with the pond waters, and Steve suddenly all fill his nose at once, Steve’s hands suddenly wrapping just this side of painful on his upper arms.

The scent of confusion and awe fill the area around them like a sudden breeze, the fair folk Prince calling for the God and Goddess to protect him in a whisper which might as well be a shout in the eerily quiet park. It seemed like even the regular wildlife noises in the Park had shown restraint, watching the otherworldly conflict in reverence.

“Did you miss me, brother?” No one on the other side of Manhattan could mistake the venom in her voice for anything other than deadly.

“You don’t understand!” The man - if you could call him that, no one in Central Park would though - shouts defiantly with a slice of whining at the end, his pupils blown as his eyes dart around the small clearing with barely restrained panic, nearly everywhere but on Duchess.

“Spare me your bullshit, Bradye,” Duchess growls, the lights beginning to dance behind her eyes as she moves closer to him, leaving her mate behind her. She smiles a bit triumphantly, maliciously. “You have come into this realm and by doing so are now subject to its rules and punishments. That useless title you hold will do you no good.” A few tsks come from her, “For you will face a death punishment either way. Hecate has requested the Queen come here and you and our father will pay for, let’s see, eight deaths and three kidnappings.”

“The fair folk do not lie,” He reminds in a taunt, thinking he’s won something. Her dangerous smile makes his millisecond of gloating worthless.

“Oh, of that I am well aware. I was schooled in that rule with leather. And steel. And sharp blows...and I think it may have slipped your mind, but I DID die. Charon saw me waiting upon the shore of the River Styxx. And he cannot lie about the souls he sees and ferries. Is the shaking of your hand as you drove your servant’s blade into my chest so quickly forgotten? Don’t worry,” Flames begin to gather around her ankles, slowly creeping upward like a nonsensical dance. “I have worked with SHIELD to document all you and our father have done. Did you know that there are some cameras opposite where your servant was seen entering and exiting? And that it has files that date back to before the first murder? Where you can make out two male figures walking into the park and it has a slight shake to it? Almost like an earthquake...or perhaps even a sithen moving…” The color drains from his already pasty face as Duchess strides closer, the blue and white flames now licking up her hips and lower back. There is a slight odor of urine, making Steve and Bucky both wrinkle their noses as Tony takes a small step away from him.

It’s a power move, not just the ever shifting flames but Bucky can clearly spot how sharp her teeth have grown, how her midnight blue fingernails are now black pointed tips. She’s allowing her fae side out as well, those multicolored lights bobbing and dancing behind her irises as each step she takes results in tiny little faerie rings, the tiny flowers blooming in the colors of the pinks, greens, and light blues that dance behind her eyes as small little beings descend from the trees and pixie-looking fae flit from the flowers around the Azalea Pond.

“You have no proof,” The haughtiness returns, looking down at Duchess, and had his voice not shook, might have pulled it off. He also eyes the fae joining the group in the clearing around the pond, his eyes catching sight of the faerie rings behind her and the shock that shows in his eyes is nearly equal to watching her appear back on this plane - alive.

“You hear that, Grandmother? Everything I asked Hecate’s handmaidens to give you is not proof.”

Bucky will remember that look forever. The snapping up of his head so fast it looked like it hurt, the look of complete and utter stunned surprise that seems to echo through and around him and actually make a tremor run through the little slimeball as Fury, Coulson and a lovely looking older woman with hair that went from silver at the top of her head and slowly gained a darker red as it came to rest at her waist came behind him into the clearing.

“I have heard all in this park. I have watched your hand slay your sister.” There is a flash of fury in her eyes, which Bucky notices are mismatched. One green as freshly mowed grass and the other a dark pine bark brown. “And had she not been preoccupied with keeping everyone in this park safe, sealing the sithen closed, and focused on her mate, you wouldn’t have stood a chance, you preposterous, moronic, useless child!” Her voice raises but her face never changes from an indifferent look that Bucky had seen Queen Elizabeth sport more than a few times on tv. “You and your father will be punished to the fullest extent of this plane’s laws. Before that you both will be brought before both courts of Fae and stripped of all your titles, rights, magic -” She looks down her nose at him with a sniff of disdain, “This applies more to your father as he actually has abilities. And you will also be made to pay for restitution to the families of those you had killed and of course those three whom you stole magic from and tortured. By our laws and the old ways, your sister has death rights on all three of you involved. And I must say, if I was her, I would drag your punishments out slowly...meticulously...painfully.”

Duchess strides back over to Bucky, hands already reaching out for him as the fire dies down around her - not as consuming, but still a bright warmth that shadows her entirety. Wrapped safely in his arms, Bucky rests his chin on the top of her head as Steve gently brushes his hand up and down her arm a few times, just reassuring her of their pack bond before taking a small step back to let them bond more. She pulls back a little from the comfort of his arms, tilting her head back to look up at him, Bucky knowing exactly what she wants. This was all very familiar to what happened just before she died...and honestly they all need that reassurance that everything is okay still. And this is the simplest and best way he can do it now; Her lips are soft and easily molded to his own. His sensitive ears can still pick up the little chirps and flitter sounds of small wings of the tiny fae that had climbed into this plane at Duchess’s silent command, gathered closer to her than her Grandmother, waiting for something else it seems.

A sharp featured man dressed in a black suit jacket with heavy, shining gold threaded designs along the wrists, collar, and lapels comes into the clearing with two men trailing behind him dragging a third between them.

The tiny beings begin a high pitched whine as the dragged man is thrown at the Faerie Queen’s feet. The man in black eyeing the tiny creatures with an unreadable something in his eyes.

Bucky is shocked at how much Duchess shares her face shape and nose with her father. Everything else must have come from her mother, making her features softer. Her eye color - she had told him last night - had come from her mother’s father, her mother’s side also responsible for her more soft Greek eye shape and supple body as well. Her father’s face however is harsher, more weathered looking than even his mother’s face. His eyes are a muddy brown and he looks to be maybe an inch or so taller than Duchess herself, unusual for a male - and even most women - of high Fae blood to be that short and not claim Brownie or Goblin blood, both of which a high Fae would absolutely loathe to admit to tainting their line. Him and his son seem to have been the tailings of a long and powerful bloodline, while Duchess was an anomaly of both sides of her family tree which was probably why she was so powerful. She was seemingly that red-headed gene in a sea of black hair which came about once every few generations.

Steve moves closer to the two of them again as the Queen looks down at her son with even more disgust than her grandson, which Bucky would not have thought possible a second ago. The sharp featured man comes to stand before Duchess and gives a deep nod, the two men behind him taking a knee as they come to a stop, the High Prince of the Seelie Court and his son watching from behind the Queen with shock and anger mixed on both their faces.

“Your highness, we at the Unseelie Court are thankful to you as it was a forgotten part of our court that was taken.” His bright green eyes look almost hesitant for his next words. “We are indebted to you for clearing this up. And also for clearing our court of involvement. The Unseelie Court is indebted to you, Princess Duchess Propolos Hekatos.”

Duchess pulls away a little from Bucky and Steve to sink into a deep curtsy, “Thank you, King Odhran. May your debt be cleared swiftly.” The two men behind him rise and they all go over to the Seelie Queen as Duchess’s flames die down further, pulsing softly in time with soft flutters and swayings of the tiny fae that have moved closer still.

“I will be seeing you later for their merited punishments, cousin,” The man says indifferently while also containing a hint of malice.

“Good evening until then, Odhran.” He and his men disappear as the Queen waves her hand to the men and women holding the prisoners formerly known as her family. “Fury. Coulson. We will be off now. They will be put into your custody in a week’s time. My granddaughter will, of course, be there for the handoff as a representative of the good will of my court.” Bucky doesn’t like that she’s ordering Duchess, fighting to suppress a growl. Does she not know he has plans for his mate?? She turns to address said granddaughter. “You will attend this handoff as a Princess of the Seelie Court. Come see me the morning before the handoff, as we have things we need to discuss. Please thank your goddess, Hecate, again for her swift actions and Hades for his too.” Duchess sinks into that deep curtsy once again before nodding at the trees and pond, the tiny creatures melting back into the waters and darkening branches like shadows, her Grandmother watching with something close to fondness on her face as the guards and prisoners disappear first, then her elegant frame takes a few steps and is gone as fast and quietly as the others.

Fury holds his hand straight up in the air after they vanish, no one making a move, just light breathing as everyone glances around the clearing, looking at Duchess and then Coulson who both give a firm nod before he lowers his hand and clears his throat. Fury’s good eye looks tired as fuck to Bucky.

“Alright people, shit shows over. Wanda, please begin magically cleansing this spot with Pietro, I want to be out of here in under an hour. Coulson, get me updates and signed paperwork from the three rescued for prosecution. Tony and Vision, keep the area contained until after the cleansing. SHIELD agents, please collect photos and evidence before the cleansing. Originals we keep, copies to the NYPD. Falcon and Spidey, back on patrols for the next few hours. Barnes and Rogers, take the lady home. I think she’s done and had enough for tonight. Everyone else, find something to do to make this go as fast as goddamn possible.”

“Roger, roger!” Bucky and Steve call out, Bucky tossing his flesh arm over her shoulder, Steve on his left side as they all wave silently to their friends and begin their way out of Central Park.

“This is one of the most terrible evenings of my life,” Steve mutters as Hades, Cerberus - in his human form - and a third figure, who Bucky can scent and see is definitely not the extra curvy Persephone, wave from further up the treeline ahead of them. “And I was just on the edge of the whole thing - witness and secondary pack feelings between you two. I might need a cigarette.” Steve mutters as he runs one hand through his hair and then down his face after taking a deep breath and letting it out.

“You haven’t smoked since 1938,” Bucky remarks with an eyeroll. “And that was before we knew it was bad for you, punk.”

“And this was one of the most terrible evenings of your life so far!” Steve turns his light blue eyes towards her with his Captain America signature disapproving glare at her overly perky tone. “The Seelie Queen says thank you. In that special fair folk way,” Duchess lays on the happy sarcastic tone as they approach the trio.

“As if I give a single fuck,” The woman’s dark voice growls out, her full lips set in a frown at the news. “How do you feel, mikrí mou skoteiní?”

“I told you, your little dark one is fine,” Hades reiterates with an eyeroll.

“I feel wonderful now, eroméni.” Duchess squeezes Bucky’s hand before ducking under his arm and pressing her forehead against Hecate’s as they intertwine both their hands, the power swirling softly around the two of them.

Bucky can feel the comfort in the darkness and mist that surround them temporarily, the two pulling apart and grinning at each other more like sisters or best friends than what they were.

“Mistress, this is my Bucky,” She stretches her hand out to him, Bucky forever heeding her siren call as he slips his hand into hers. “And that is our Steve Rogers.”

“I am honored to be in your company, gentleman. My mikrí mou skoteiní needs more family. I am glad she has found not only her mate, but a pack.” Her face shifts minutely from ecstatic to a little teasing. “One that will surely grow soon?”

“My baby doesn’t need to be having babies just yet!” Cerberus says in his deep honeyed voice, the slight echo noticeable now.

“My ma raised me right, ma’am. I got to mate and marry her before we go that path. My girl hasn’t even been to Coney Island.”

“Psssh. You haven’t been to Disneyland.”

“I was starting with Brookyln and Coney Island, doll.”

“Whatever you say, handsome,” She sighs out with a smile as Hades chuckles.

“And so it begins, Bucky.” Bucky grins down at his mate.

“I can’t wait.”

“Cheeseballs...the both of you,” Steve laughs out as Hades pulls Duchess into a hug, kissing her forehead before pulling away.

“Bring the boy down in a few days for brunch. Persephone will be elated, well more elated, to see you mated and bonded. Steve is welcome as well. You know how we love certain companies in the Underworld.”

“I shall bring the handmaidens as well. Perhaps we can get Mr. Rogers a mate as well,” Hecate teases again as Steve’s ears and neck turn bright red.

“We’ll call to check in tomorrow,” Hades continues, hand stuck out to Bucky who shakes it more firmly than last time which makes the God of the Underworld’s smile widen. “Gentlemen.” He extends his hand to Steve, giving him his own hard handshake before stepping back for Cerberus to enthusiastically hug all three of them.

“I love new pack members!” His echo-y deep timber reveals his obvious happiness, Hecate eye rolling good-naturedly beside him.

“I’ll text you later,” a smirk is painted on her full lips as she stares at Duchess. “But I understand if you are busy.”

“Goodnight Hecate!” comes Duchess’s embarrassed reaction, Bucky wrapping his metal arm around her waist and winking at Hecate. “Stop that!” She swats at Bucky’s chest playfully, just for him to catch it and kiss her fingertips.

“Let’s head home, doll.” Her eyes brighten instantly.

“Ooooh! I’ve never been to Stark Tower!” She states as Steve full belly laughs.

“He meant your bar or our shared apartment in Brooklyn.”

“But I’ll take you to the Tower in a few days,” Bucky promises with a kiss to her open palm as her temporary puppy dog eyes brighten.

“Goodnight all,” Hecate and Hades state simultaneously as Cerberus gives Duchess one last kiss to her cheek before rubbing his own cheek against it.

“Goodnight!” Steve, Bucky and Duchess chime in reply, watching the gods and guardian take a handful of steps before disappearing further up the path to the right, Bucky leading his pack down the left path towards 74th Street. 

“So, whatcha up to later, Sargent?” Duchess begins as they enter the area just before the Boathouse Restaurant, squinting just a bit at the brightness.

“Well, I got this mate who smells like fresh baked bread, lemon squares, cayenne, and a little hint of mint - who is in dire need of a mating mark and bond. And lots of baby making practice. Then I was thinking I take her for lunch at the Tower in a couple days to show her off.”

“Can you schedule an old school tour after the Tower lunch?”

“Of course, doll,” Bucky’s accent thickens a little as her eyes soften as she looks up at him. “I’ll even show you everywhere we got our asses kicked when we were young.”

“And by ‘ours’ he means mine after 1934,” Steve says from Bucky’s other side with a scoff, sending Duchess a wink as they get past the Alice in Wonderland bit and start on the path down towards the Model Boathouse.

“Whatever you guys wanna show me,” Duchess sighs out happily, leaning into Bucky and reaching around his back to take Steve’s hand. Steve squeezes back before kissing the back of her hand and releasing it, happy to have her in the pack.

“I’ll grab some stuff, but I’ll stay near - up in Natasha’s apartment a few floors up. Just let me know when it’s safe,” He chuckles out as a flustered look passes over her face. “Don’t worry, kid, it’s natural. Just lots of good luck to our furniture in the house with this Alpha.”

“Is Natasha’s floor far enough away, punk?”

“Well, I love my pack already,” Duchess murmurs as Bucky and Steve continue ribbing each other, watching the stars compete with the New York City lights as a few leaves rustle in the breeze and fall on the bright path ahead of them.

“Doll, as corny as it sounds, it’s amazing how I could try but I could never explain what I hear when you don't say a thing. Just your scent and hearing your heartbeat is a different kind of magic,” Bucky whispers against her hair before kissing her soft cheek, his metal fingers entwined with hers naturally.

“If every bit of magic was stripped from me tonight, I would be okay with it. Because the best magic I’ve ever received is you.”

Bless ya’ll for making it through my long ass rambling stories <3

@stay-frosty-royal-unicorn @chelsea072498 @clockworkmorningglory @sakurablossom4 @galaxiesinmymind @thewhiterabbit42​ @nobodys-baby-now​ @mizzezm​​

**PICTURE IS NOT MINE - FOUND ON GOOGLE**

**ALL RIGHTS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS**​

#bucky barnes x reader #ckcomebacktour #authoressskr writes #bucky x reader #bucky au #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes fic #bucky x reader au #marvel fanfiction #marvel au

[heyitsyn]

Manager!Seijoh Part 8

a/n: okay so since my halloween special was a flop ill write this instead but uwuwuwuwu its also my birthday today so hehe this is kinda a special request too :D

WAIT YOU GUYS THIS IS TOTALLY IRRELEVANT IF YOURE NOT A POTTERHEAD BUT OMG I SHARE THE SAME BIRTHDAY AS SIRIUS BLACK LIKE WHAT :”) I THINK I SAVED A COUNTRY IN MY PAST LIFE OR SOMETHING :”)

for more seijoh content, check this masterlist out!

anon:

- IF IT WAS YOUR BIRTHDAY! omg :0 i think we can all agree that the ramen shop will get GOOD BUSINESS that day. but it was a total surprise when the upperclassmen basically JUMP you after exiting your last class. vball practice? deliberately cancelled cuz today is YOUR day. kyo leading you, iwa making sure your eyes are closed while oikawa keeps teasing you on how you’re letting a group of men take you BLIND (cue the PUNCH). your smile is worth the XXX amount spent c,:

LOOK HOW CUTE MATTSUHANA ARE IN THIS LIKE OMG ITS LIKE IWAOI SPIRIT SWITCHED W THEIRS AND NOW IWAOI HAVE TO PULL THEM APART INSTEAD OF THE OTHER WAY AROUND

okay yay happy birthday to me uwu

i kinda put this request off since my borfday was right around the corner so hahaha to the anon who requested this, here it is!!!

okay anyways!!!

so today is your borfday

obvs this could be any day lmao it doesnt have to be today but it can be any day just pretend the calendar was different lmao

you were born today and your parents and natsu obvs celebrated it the morning you woke up

like you were peacefully holding your squirtle plushie and snuggling close to get more sleep bc it was still early

but natsu quite literally kicked your door down and your parents walked in with a large cake with candles

STEPBRO WHAT ARE YOU-

okay ill stop now

ofc you were startled bc what the hek 

like you were so surprised that you rolled off the bed and landed harshly on the floor

instead of being yanno ‘yey! its my borfday!’ you were like ‘dear asahi kill me’

waking you up at the buttcrack of dawn?

lmao 10/10 not recommend

natsu felt really bad and he pulled you up from the floor and situated you back on the bed while your parents backtracked back downstairs

‘ohmygosh babygirl im so sorry i didnt mean to hulk smash you to the floor’

im sorry sir what 💀

this whore

you waved him off but he still felt guilty so he just pressed kisses to your forehead to soothe it

meanwhile youre just leaning against him, eyes closed, bc you grew up with natsu always doing this whenever you got hurt so it was such a soff moment for you

eventually, he was able to bring you downstairs and your parents were lowkey scared lmao but you smiled at them

‘thank you for the cake’

they breathed a sigh of relief and you sat down on the chair to eat breakfast

‘here darling’

you accepted the bowl of rice from your madre and you ate your birthday breakfast with them while yall are saving the cake for later during dinner

when you finished, you were getting up and shouting up the stairs that you were showering first

hehe natsu was all like ‘lmao why? its like 4 in the morning’

you froze, foot hovering over a step and you sighed

‘excuse me what 💀‘

yea no

you were dragged back to the kitchen and you were all pouty bc duh who the hek wants to wake up that early but your parents saved themselves by giving you your parents early

(literally anything you guys want they gave you okay? but only like 3 lmao not a bajillion things)

you were still grateful for everything and you felt very much appreciated

since it was still early, you just decided to screw it and got ready to go to school early and set up the gym for early morning practice

natsu volunteered to go with you to school but you shook your head

‘nah, im okay. the walk is peaceful’

he huffed, crossing his arms, but nodded anyways

‘fine. only because its your birthday’

hehehehe the amount of freedom during your day of birth

you were of course the first one in the gym but you didnt mind bc you actually liked the quietness that was so rare inside there

you turned on some (f/m) (lmao favorite/music) and you were sweeping, unknowingly swaying and dancing slightly

at around 5:40, the third years have arrived and since theyre the eldest, they usually get there first

omg the blush explosion on their faces when they saw you twirling around with the mop and ofc oikawa being the little poopie head he is, he swooped in and held your waist

you got startled but seeing the soft brown eyes of your captain made a soft smile appear on your face

‘hello, oikawa-san’

you whispered and he nuzzled his face to the side of your head softly

‘morning, y/n-chan’

before he could go on, iwa threw him away behind him and you giggled

mattsun raised an eyebrow at your odd behavior

‘hm? why are you so happy today, y/n-chan?’

you stopped then chuckled

‘nothing much, mattsun-san’

you didnt really want to tell them it was your birthday bc tbh you didnt think it was a big deal or anything

the others werent complaining bc they rarely see you so lively and upbeat and they loved it

you were humming under your breath for gods sake

the other boys have trickled in and again, they also went ‘?’

your soft smiles, giggles, and joy was everything to them 

god bless for this beautiful morning

poor kindaichi cowered in fright as he braced himself for a scolding from you for missing a block but he got even more scared when you just patted his head

‘its okay, yuu-kun. there’s always a next time’

yea there was something wrong

unfortunately, school was starting and they weren’t able to start questioning you and there aint no way kindaichi and kunimi were going to do that themselves without the upperclassmen who could calm you down if you got too defensive

you were skipping down the hallway and you even looped your arms around your first year friends and they shared a confused look before being dragged by you

during class, darling kunimi was too busy and distracted by your quiet singing of some show that takeru watched when you were over

‘KUNIMI-SAN, IS MATH SO BORING THAT YOU FIND INTEREST ON L/N-SAN INSTEAD?’

yes, yes it is

but he didnt say that and instead turned away so fast that you felt the wind beside you

DID A 180 CRAZY~~~

he texted the separate bros group chat about you still being all happy and they were all curious as to what makes you so happy

during lunch time, kindaichi usually went over to go eat with you and kunimi right?

but he was surprised when he just saw kunimi there without you

‘wh-’

‘i dont know’

‘what do you mean you dont know?!’

nah fam we not dying yet

natsu texted you earlier that he had a bento for you that he made himself and he wanted you to eat it instead of the one your mom made

you were passing by the building entrance door thingy and caught the attention of the third years who were at the rooftop eating their lunch

there was also other students outside and they watched your flowery aura skip over to the equally attractive hiroshi natsu

‘y/n-chan~’

he cooed and you smiled up at him

curse him and his tall height

he let you hold the f/c cloth covered box so he could cup your face and kiss over your booboo again

‘wo mow, matsu-’

translation: no more, natsu!

you whined as he kept kissing your forehead and you were turning red at the attention from the other students

dang oikawa crushed his juice box at the sight even though he knew natsu was just a cousin

‘ill save you, y/n-chan!’

he shouted, already flying down the stairs towards you and the other third years after him to keep him from doing something stupid

but they also lowkey wanna see you too

but by the time they reached the entrance, you were already walking away and even passed by the quartet, giving them a close-eyed smile and a cute ‘hello!’

the 3 were distracted by you and were coddling you while oikawa ran out and shouted after natsu’s retreating form

‘natsu! oi, natsu!’

as if the boy was purposely ignoring him, natsu kept walking forward

‘HIROSHI NATSU!’

his scream finally made him turn around and natsu’s face held a teasing smirk

‘oya? chibi-chan?’

KDJFSLFDFKDSJKFD YES YOU CALLED?

oikawa huffed and panted as he firmly walked over to natsu

‘tell me, hiroshi natsu. why is y/n-chan all cutesy and happy today?’

then the smirk fell, replaced by an actual, genuine annoyed look

‘hah?’

oikawa blinked

‘what do you mean ‘hah’?’

natsu waved his hands around in a frenzy of shock

‘so you mean to tell me, you, oikawa tooru, the dude who literally woke up the neighborhood at the buttcrack of dawn a few weeks ago, in love with my cousin, doesn’t know what today is?’

‘was i supposed to,,,, know?’

KSDLFJSDKFJDS THIS DUDE

natsu’s face became a meme and the guy was so disappointed that he just turned around and continued walking

oikawa gasped and clutched natsu’s arm, begging and pleading to tell him

ofc the little shite natsu is, he smirked down at oikawa’s kneeling form

‘hmm, gotta say, chibi-kun. i like this view~’

KDSLFJSDKFJLSDKFJDKS WHOS CHILD ARE YOU, HIROSHI NATSU

‘tell me, natsu-chan!’

the puppy eyes of oikawa tooru not only affected girls but also boys fully socked homosexual boys so natsu had to turn away, fighting down a blush

stay loyal to katsuki

stay loyal to katsuki

stay loyal to katsuki

wait, no, probably tetsu

or kenma

or both

or keiji

‘-me! natsu-chan!’

that snapped the pink-haired boy out of his thoughts and crossed his arms, glaring down at oikawa

‘hm, why do you wanna know so bad? youre on your knees, begging me for information you shouldve already known since you claim to like her so much’

oikawa pouted and he sniffled

‘i wanna know everything about y/n-chan. i wanna know what today is so i can make her as happy as she is today forever!’

‘youre so cheesy’

natsu chided and oikawa pouted even harder causing natsu to sigh and pinch his nose

‘the girl was born today’

oikawa’s face lit up and he hurriedly stood on his feet, hands on natsu’s biceps since he could barely reach natsu’s shoulders bc of his 6′5 height

‘its her birthday today?!’

‘i literally just said that-’

‘oh my gosh! we need to plan something!’

oikawa started but then frowned

‘but we’re in school so it would be too late to do a surprise when we finish’

his mumbles 

filled their vicinity and natsu finally realized where exactly they were so he tugged the still mumbling boy over to the side out of people’s view

ohmygosh if i saw 2 handsome, tall, hot boys there, id be staring too omg

‘oi, oikawa’

he still didnt budge until natsu had to kick him at the leg

rip not his knee yall

tooru flinched and hatefully glared at the boy but natsu pointedly glared at him right back

‘before you start bitching to me, i was just gonna suggest i can help you and your little plan to woo my baby cousin’

as if he wasn’t irritated in the first place, tooru lit up and he excitedly clung onto natsu

‘really? you’ll really help me?’

natsu rolled his eyes and tried to pry the brunette off of him but he felt the grip tighten

‘listen, oikawa, as much as i like having pretty boys hang on to me, i’d really appreciate if you just back off a bit and actually understand what im saying’

can i just say how long their lunch break is?

and not at natsu trying to get with oikawa and oikawa completely missing it

‘you can go do your education scam system thing while i can go set things up over at that one noodle place she likes’

natsu explained

oikawa was about to smile until he paused and leaned away

‘theres a catch. i know theres a catch’

then natsu smirked, confirming oikawa’s suspicion

‘ill think about what i really want but for now, i just wanna see that one doggie boy you guys have. also, your friend with the big arms’

lmao imagine the surprise in oikawa’s face

‘YOU GO FOR THEM BUT NOT ME?!’

‘why? you want me to?’

‘YES! i mean, well-no but YES!’

‘*sigh*’

thats how oikawa ended up telling the boys about the last minute birthday surprise for you and the help from natsu

‘yea, apparently its her birthday. also, iwa-chan, kyoken-chan, you need to talk to natsu-chan’

‘hah?! why?!’

‘THAT IDIOT?!’

you were minding your own business during class until you saw kunimi raise his hand

‘yes, kunimi-kun?’

‘bathroom’

normally, you wouldve just looked away but you noticed him grab his bag when the teacher wasn’t looking which prompted you to sigh since he was skipping class

i mean, whats the point of skipping class when the day is about to be over in like 15 minutes anyways?

‘make sure to come to practice’

you whispered when he passed and he smiled, making you raise an eyebrow bc that was a smile you knew that had a hidden meaning behind it

when the bell rang, everyone nyoomed themselves out of there and you were just walking past the door when a body came crashing to you which made you distracted and allowed a chance of vulnerability

there was a pair of hands covered your eyes from behind, hands grabbed your own from in front, and an arm around your waist started to guide you forward

‘um, just so you know, i have the power of god, anime, and iwa-san by my side and i wont hesitate to kick you in the di-’

‘its so cute when y/n-chan threatens us’

a voice from in front of you hums and you smiled

‘you wont think im really cute once youre on the floor clutching your di-’

‘oi, y/n, ill wash your tongue with soap’

‘yes, iwa-san’

you continued to walk, completely trusting at the hands of your boys, when you felt yourself being pulled to turn a corner

‘iwa-san? aren’t we going to the gym? why are we exiting the gates?’

the boys exchanged a look of amazement at your sense of intuition and the accuracy of your guess despite being deprived of your senses

‘dont think you can lie to us, y/n-chan! how could you not tell us its your birthday today?!’

you heard mattsun a few feet in front of you whine and you giggled

‘its not important’

then kyotani scoffed, you knowing it was him by feeling him twitch by the arm around your waist

‘boke, of course its important’

‘so your punishment for lying to us, we’re kidnapping you’

makki teased and you rolled your eyes beneath iwa’s hands

‘oh, shiver me timbers’

the walk continued, you still being dragged around, and you heard oikawa laugh

‘oh dear, its a sight to see, ain’t it? if only you can see the looks people are giving us, y/n-chan~ a group of boys taking a little girl like you? how could you trust us to not do something to you-ACK!’

you cut him off when you lifted your foot to kick right where it hurts the most

forget his weewee

its the knee

poor child crumbled to the floor and had to be picked up by baby watari

‘oh wata-cchi, youre the only one who cares about oikawa-san!’

you heavily sighed at the exagerrated theatrics of your captain

‘the one day. the one day when he could be a normal person for once’

you grumbled but stopped when you heard iwa laugh by your ear

‘he’s right you know. you technically lied to us when we asked if there was something special’

you shivered and you leaned your head back

‘its okay, iwa-san. we can talk about it after this event. make sure to give me my present, okay?’

SKDLFJSDKFJDSKFLDS GIRL NO I CANT I WANNA JUMP-

but iwa chuckled and he promised you that you would love his present

kyotani’s arm tightened around you, as if prompting you that he was still there and he wanted your attention too

‘careful there, pup’

he warned when you almost tripped over air

‘hehe, i know ill always be safe when youre next to me, kyo-san’

you teased and he was lucky your eyes were covered bc you would see the way his cheeks tinted red

‘s-shut up, idiot! maybe i shouldve just let you fall and hit your head! not like its gonna do damage since theres nothing there anyways!’

you just giggled and he retaliated by pinching your waist to which you squealed and gripped his hands

then the smell of the ramen broth entered your nose

‘are we-?’

‘nope! not there yet, y/n-chan!’

oikawa’s voice made you whine and complain but then he stopped, making everyone else stop too

‘okay, iwa-chan, kyoken-chan, release her!’

both grumbled something about you being treated like a pokemon but stopped when your eyes widened and contorted into confusion

‘huh?’

oikawa grinned and your eyes met to see the way his eyes crinkled, a tell-tale sign that this one was a rare genuine smile

‘come on! lets go!’

you let him take you inside the restaurant until your feet stopped, eyes wide when you noticed the streamers and the cake by the corner

your parents stood with natsu by the table and a large smile decorated your face

‘you,, you did this for me?’

you whispered and the team made noises of agreement

‘we had to do something for you to celebrate the day you were born. its a special day because you came into the world and we were able to meet you’

yahaba grinned and you gave him a big hug but you leaned back a bit so that the others would know you’re talking to them too

‘everyone, thank you. i love you’

they all scoffed a bit to hide their flustered state but they still smiled and each gave you a hug

‘oi! come here and eat the food! oikawa’s paying today!’

natsu shouted, which caught the attention of some customers in the restaurant, but they just ignored it bc theyve seen you and the team so many times that yall practically lived there

‘what?! i didnt-’

oikawa started but your mother came up to him and clasped her hands to his, sharing the same exact grin you have

‘you must be oikawa tooru. y/n has told me loads about you’

excuse him while he descends to heaven bc your mother is practically another you

iwa was already acquainted with your dad so they started talking and you just stood back, observing your two families interact with each other

you were so unbelievably happy that it hurts

kindaichi noticed you and he slinked away from the debate between makki and mattsun to go sling an arm around you

‘so? what do you think?’

you turned to him with glassy eyes

‘im so blessed. so blessed to have these amazing people with me’

poor babie panicked a bit bc he didnt really know how to comfort a crying girl but he just wrapped his arms around you

‘hehe, its kinda the other way around actually. we’re blessed to have someone like you’

he whispered and you giggled then playfully hit his shoulder

‘so cheesy, yuu-kun’

he leaned away from the hug and gave you an offended look

‘but its true! i dont know what we did to have-’

‘Y/N-CHAN! NO! HELP!’

oikawa shouted from the other side, cutting off your soft moment with kindaichi

‘what are you doing, natsu?’

you noticed your cousin wrapping his arms around your captain and trying to drag him away but poor tooru was scrambling to escape

‘we made a deal, didnt we, darling~? i know what i want now and youre going to have to give me you’

oikawa screamed

a/n: can we please pretend i posted this on november 3? bc i was dumb and forgot to post this and KLDJLSDKFJDSKD IM SO ANGRY but its okay at least i am able to publish this haha

#haikyuu!! #haikyuu #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu!! imagines #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu!! x reader #haikyuu headcanons #haikyuu!! headcanons #aoba johsai #aoba josai x reader #aoba johsai x reader #seijoh #aoba josai #aoba johsai imagines #aoba josai imagines #seijoh imagines #seijoh manager #haikyuu manager #haikyuu!! manager #aoba johsai manager #aoba josai manager #seijoh x reader #aoba johsai headcanons #aoba josai headcanons #seijoh headcanons #haikyuu fluff #haikyuu!! fluff #aoba johsai fluff #aoba josai fluff #seijoh fluff

[crystal-witchiness]

***Okay so I found this in my notes from May 2021 as a reaction to the scenes in the beginning of Endgame when Captain Marvel first brings Tony and Nebula back to Earth, when they first get off the ship, and when Tony yells at Steve a few scenes later when he looks like ‘Death Warmed Over’ in his robe and i thought I’d share -

Every time someone argues with me about my ABSOLUTE 100% belief that Steve and Tony had romantic feelings for each other, I’ll just show them this scene. “And I needed YOU.” He didn’t say “You guys” or “Your help.” Tony looked at Steve with so much pain in his eyes and said, “I needed y o u.” And Steve is just as broken watching Tony. This isn’t the first time this has happened between them. They had MANY scenes like this in Civil War (but I like to pretend that movie didn’t happen cause ‘ow blow a hole in my ship why dontcha?’) I mean technically I could submit that whole movie as evidence of their feelings but there are too many negative emotions wrapped up in it and it hurts. This movie is the first time they’ve seen each other since Civil War and when Tony first gets off the ship he basically falls into Steve’s arms. First of all, Steve fricking S P R I N T S when he sees Tony getting off the ship, then Tony sighs in relief and lets Steve take his weight. AND IMMEDIATELY begins unloading his grief about losing Peter cause he knew Steve would understand and comfort him. You can SEE s e e when Pepper runs up that (Ofc Tony does another sigh of relief that the snap didn’t take her (which I wish it did sorry Pepper your character stopped being interesting in the 2nd Iron Man)) Tony has to pull himself off of Steve and pretend to have it more together than he does because Pepper immediately begins crying and Tony has to comfort her. But Steve doesn’t leave his side. Tony cradling Pepper but he’s turning his body so that Steve can cradle him and ugh. Honestly I would have accepted a polyamorous relationship. Tony NEEDED someone to be the leader. THATS LITERALLY WHAT PEPPER WAS TALKING ABOUT. Tony NEVER rests because he always thinks he has to be the one to do everything, EXCEPT for when Steve’s around. Steve is the Captain and even though they bump heads (a lot, awww couples’ squabbles) Tony ALWAYS defers to Steve when it’s important. And Steve? Steve HAS to be a leader, to be helpful, in a healthy way because he couldn’t be that for most of his life in the past. He was a scrawny defenseless guy who always had to depend on Bucky. So to be able to take care of this group of wonderful people who are so powerful and yet STILL NEED STEVE? It’s who he his. It’s who Tony is too but he doesn’t WANT to be that way, he does it because he has to. He does it when no one else can or he doesn’t want to lose anyone else. This scene right now is Tony feeling helpless and so he lashes out at the easiest person, Steve. Steve is their leader and has saved them many times. Tony saw that picture of Peter and couldn’t handle his own feelings of helplessness so he lashed out to bring down the next ‘leader figure’ of the group. Steve and Tony have always been the parents of the Avengers. Steve is the most dad-est dad ever to dad. Meanwhile, Tony invites everyone to live with him while feeding them, clothing them (armor and civilian clothes) and making sure they have top of the line protection. HE LITERALLY EVEN SAYS THIS IN AGE OF ULTRON. SUCH a mom. So he wanted to make Steve feel his pain because Steve made a promise that they would lose together and Steve wasn’t there on that moon. And OF COURSE Tony knows that Steve was on earth fighting his own battle against Thanos but he wasn’t WITH Tony. And they are always stronger together than apart. (Civil War kinda proved this too) Tony sees Steve’s absence as the reason they lost, because ‘if only they’d been together’ ‘maybe we could have won if we’d only been together.’

ALSO DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON TONY LITERALLY GIVING STEVE A REPRESENTATION OF HIS HEART. I know he did it out of anger and to make a point but he took away this piece of him, that he made SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE HE FELT VULNERABLE WITHOUT THE ARC, and gave it to Steve. Once again shedding that responsibility and giving it to Steve. Because even with the residual anger over Civil War, Tony trusts Steve. He says otherwise in this moment out of anger but that “vision” he talks about here? He literally watches Steve die (YEAH THATS RIGHT I SAID STEVE. Not PEPPER, NOT RHODEY, NOT ANY OF THE OTHER AVENGERS.) Wanda showed him his worst fear in Age of Ultron and it was the death of the Avengers, but he didn’t see THEM die. Everyone else, Thor, Bruce, Natasha, and Clint were already dead. Tony watched STEVE die and it was STEVE saying that Tony could’ve saved them that spurred him into creating Ultron. He was so scared of losing them and letting Steve down (and letting him die) that he wanted to wrap the whole world in armor to protect him. And he tries to do it again in this scene. He means it to be spiteful but he gives Steve his armor and tells him to hide from Thanos. WHICH IS ANOTHER THING UGH. Tony doesn’t know that out of all of the people who fought Thanos in Wakanda that day, Steve was the one who engaged in hand-to-hand combat with him. Everyone else had armor and suits, weapons, etc. Steve has his serum strength and he u s e d it. It didn’t help for very long but he used his BARE HANDS to fight an alien-monster wielding 5/6 of ALL POWERFUL infinity stones, and ofc he was never going to win, but even Thanos looked at Steve in incredulity at his bravery and resolve. A human (a super charged one at that but still a human) fought him with his bare hands and wasn’t going to stop. (Steve proved this again at the end of Endgame when he’s the last one standing against Thanos and his entire army and just tightens the strap on his broken shield, (and most likely broken arm, based on the flinch/hiss) and readies himself to fight alone. Steve also gave Wanda time to destroy the mind stone (unfortunately, that didn’t mean anything in the end)

AND YET Tony doesn’t know any of this. He doesn’t know how hard Steve fought, just like Tony did on Titan, to stop Thanos. And I REALLY wish we had seen Tony’s reaction to Steve standing up to Thanos at the end of Endgame OR EVEN WIELDING MJOLNIR, but anyways.

Back to the basics. Boss level stuff most people don’t remember or think about- Tony’s dad very unhealthily IDOLIZED Steve. He canonically compared everything Tony did to Steve. So Tony grew up idolizing this man that he also despised because it fueled his father’s abuse of him. Tony shows this anger in the first Avengers. When they have their argument on the quinjet. “Everything special about you came out of a bottle.” He even says something about how Steve didn’t live up to his father’s hype (I don’t remember Tony’s exact words but that’s the gist) And ofc Steve says Tony’s nothing without his armor. But then they go on the prove each other wrong multiple times, but mainly in their last moments in the MCU. Steve proves it by standing alone against an ENTIRE alien army and later by picking up mjolnir. And Tony? Tony is that ONE factor in a million that Stephen sees. Tony, a beautifully pure human-being, with no powers or serums to help, takes on the powers of the stones. KNOWING it would kill him. He had proof. It nearly killed Thanos and Bruce and they were hulking (pun intended) beings with super strength and all that.

Tony and Steve were always set up to be spoils to one another and that makes them perfect together. They balance each other out. Pepper was a boss b****, no doubt, and I loved their relationship in the first two Iron Man movies, but as their characters grew and Tony’s personality was intrinsically changed through trauma- Pepper was no longer right for him. She was good for him, no doubt, but Tony couldn’t relax with her as he did with Steve. Tony could trust Steve to take over and everything could be fine. Pepper was like that for Stark Industries but not in other ways. Tony always saw himself as Pepper’s protector. I will 100% give her props for telling Tony that he’d never rest until he tried Scott’s time travel theory, but other than that she wasn’t particularly supportive of Iron. Man. What Pepper never seemed to understand, and what Steve didn’t understand when he FIRST met Tony, is that Tony and Iron Man are synonymous. Their is no ‘man outside the suit.’ Tony Stark is Iron Man and Iron Man is Tony Stark. Steve was placed into an already created persona of Captain America. Steve didn’t create Captain America even though that’s who he was. He was literally MADE for the role. Tony on the other hand, MADE Iron Man. He was the one who built the first suit - dying in a cave in Afghanistan. He was the one who took responsibility for Obadiah and his father’s actions and became a superhero to save the countries that were affected by Stark tech. Steve may have volunteered to be a superhero because he felt like he had no one other choice but Tony DIDN’T HAVE TO. He had fame, money, power, ALL OF IT. He could’ve EASILY hidden his company’s dark underside once he found out. But instead, Tony was like “Hey um so my company has done some bad things and instead of delegating aid through my money and power, I’m going to personally handle this with a titanium alloy suit and technology that I helped create in a cave while being held captive by a terrorist cell.”

Where was I going with this? OH YEAH.

I will believe in TonyxSteve (Stony) for the rest of my life and I will use fanfiction to fill the void of their deaths. Basically, if I lost anyone in the word vomit above, what I’m trying to say is that- Steve and Tony completed each other. They provided something the other needed. Tony needed stability and protection. He needed to feel like he could let go. Steve needed an anchor in the present. Someone lively and opinionated, SOMEONE ADVENTUROUS AND FUNNY, who Steve could smile with and protect. But also. Steve trusted Tony to be a leader as much as Tony trusted him. They had their ups and downs. Trauma and the Accords didn’t help their relationship at all, but should’ve been it for each other. And I honestly believe they would have t h r i v e d.

.

.

.

Honestly I applaud anyone who made it this far. I don’t know where this all came from but I will not apologize✌🏻

I rest my case your honor.

#avengers endgame #steve rogers #tony stark #captain america #iron man #stony #marvel endgame #steve x tony #i will die with this ship #i ship them #rip stan lee

[avengerscompound]

The Tower: Family - 15

The Tower: Family An Avengers Fanfic

Series Masterlist PREVIOUS //

Pairing:  Avengers x OFC, Bruce Banner x Bucky Barnes x Clint Barton x Wanda Maximoff x Steve Rogers x Natasha Romanoff x Tony Stark x Thor x Sam Wilson x OFC (Elly Cooper)

Word Count: 1841

Warnings:  Pregnancy

Synopsis: With new powers, Thor now living on Earth full time, a wedding to plan, and Natasha and Wanda expecting, a lot is changing for Elly and her large and rather unconventional family.  When Elise’s parents try to reestablish connections, Elly questions what being a family actually means.

Chapter 15: First Day

“El, honey, time to get up.”

It took a moment for Steve’s words to seep through into my sleeping mind and when they did I became more aware of my nausea than of the sun coming through the window, how cozy and warm I was, or the press of Steve’s lips against my forehead and the touch of his hand on my arm.

I squeezed my eyes tight and curled up into a ball groaning.

“I know, sweetheart,” he soothed, rubbing my arm.  “Everyone is up and eating breakfast.  Do you want me to help you to the bathroom?”

I nodded my head a little and he scooped me into his arms and carried me to the bathroom.  “You gonna throw up?”  He asked.

I nodded and he placed me on my feet in front of the toilet.  I stood staring at it for a moment as he gathered my hair back and rubbed my back soothingly.  My stomach churned and I dropped to my knees and heaved into the toilet bowl, emptying my stomach.  Steve stayed with me, rubbing my back and holding my hair off my face.  When it seemed like my stomach was empty he flushed and helped me to my feet.

“Here’s your nausea medication,” he said, taking the lid of a bottle.  I held out my hand and he shook a pill out into my palm and poured me a glass of water.  As I took it he turned on the shower.

“Alright, sweetheart,” he said, pressing another kiss to my forehead.  “Take a shower and get dressed.  We’ll have toast and your vitamins ready for you so we can take the kids to school.”

“Thank you, Steve,” I mumbled.

“Of course, honey,” he said.  “We don’t want you to miss this.”

He left the room and I showered as quickly as I could.  When I was done, I dressed in a simple dress and braided my hair before heading downstairs.

“Mommy!”  The twins squealed, running over to me and slamming into my legs.  They were wearing matching blue gingham shirts and dark blue shorts.  Riley had her hair in pigtails, while Pietro’s sat in wide curls.

“You dotta hurry, mommy,” Pietro said.

“We dotta doe to schoowl,” Riley added.

“I know, babies,” I said. “We can go.”

“Come drink some ginger tea and eat some toast,” Natasha said.  “We have time.”

“Mama,” Riley whined.  “We wanna doe.”

Natasha started laughing.  “Riley,” she whined back.  “You have to be patient.”

I chuckled and took a seat, and took my vitamins as I sipped the ginger tea Wanda had poured for me.

“How are you feeling this morning?”  Bruce asked.

“Getting there,” I said.  “Pills have started kicking in, so that’s good.”

He rubbed my back with one large hand and I smiled at him.  “You’re going to be very popular at the school.”

He chuckled.  “Yeah, I considered pushing into just Bruce so I wouldn’t draw attention, and you know, maybe I’d fit through the door easier.  But Hulk wants to be there.”

“Yeah, I’m not surprised,” I said and finished my piece of toast.

“Weddy now?”  Riley asked.

“Yeah, bug,” I said.  “I’m ready.”

“Alright, family,” Steve said, getting up and moving the puppies into their playpen.  “Assemble.”

We all got up and went to the elevator riding it down to the lobby.  We left through the back entrance and Natasha engaged her powers, cloaking our very large group as we walked to their preschool.  Wanda used her powers to make sure no one accidentally walked into any of us.  Riley and Pietro were buzzing the whole way there, babbling happily about making friends and reading books.

When we arrived, Natasha lowered the cloak surrounding us and we checked them in.  We immediately started drawing looks.  Even the staff who had been prepared for our arrival kept glancing over.  It was easy to tell that the parents in the halls were holding their kids back from approaching us.  That all went out the window when we entered the twin’s classroom.

It was full of kids with their parents doing various activities.  Some were looking for their desks, some were reading in the corner on the comfortable couches, some were hanging up backpacks, and some parents were soothing their crying children and assuring them they’d have fun.

When Steve and Tony entered the room some kids looked over.  They all wrinkled their brows like they were trying to work out how they knew the two men at the front of the group.  When Thor came in, more kids looked over and understanding started to dawn on some of the kids and a couple made happy squeak sounds.  It wasn’t until Bruce ducked through the door that they all broke.

They all squealed and ran over, little groups of kids choosing their favorite Avengers to speak to.  They all crouched down to get on the level with the kids as they were inundated with questions from the class.  Riley and Pietro looked confused and Pietro ran over to my side and tugged on my hand.  “Mommy…” he whined.

I picked him up as the headteacher approached.  “Hello!”  She said warmly, extending her hand to me.  “I’m Alicia.  You must be Elise.”

“Yes,” I said, shaking her hand.  “Sorry about the chaos.  We all wanted to see them off.”

“It’s fine.  The first day is always a little chaotic, and this gives them all something exciting,”  she said.  “And who are you?”

Pietro hid his head in my chest and Riley grabbed my free hand and began tugging on it.  “I don’t think they’ve seen their parents get mobbed by fans before,” I said.

“Plus I’m a new person,” Alicia added.

“This is Pietro,” I said, bouncing Pietro on my hip.  “Piet, this is your teacher, Alicia.”

“Hello, Pietro, welcome to the class,” she said, before crouching down to Riley.  “And I bet your name is Riley.”

“It is!” She squeaked, like her teacher had just done a particularly amazing magic trick.

“How about you two find your bag pegs and your desks?”  Alicia suggested.

“Daddy…” Pietro whined, looking back at the group of kids who were swarming around the others.  Clint managed to pull himself out of the pack and took Pietro from me.

“I got you, buddy,” he said.  Pietro scrambled up onto Clint’s shoulders and we took the twins into the nook that had the kids bags.

“Why dose kids do dat?”  Pietro asked as Riley tried to find her name.

“Well,” Clint said, and looked over at me, with his helpless puppy expression.

“Remember when we were on Asgard and everyone knew who you were and they were very nice to you?”  I asked.

“Yeah, dey cawled me a pwince,” Pietro said.

“Well, it’s a bit like that.  Mamma, Daj, and all your daddy’s are very well known because they go out and save the world all the time.  People like them.  Especially kids.  So the kids are all just excited to see them because they like them so much and they’ve never seen them before,” I explained.  “You’re gonna see some will have pictures of them on their bags and lunch boxes.”

“Pied!”  Riley called.  “Wook - dares daddy Steeb.”

Pietro began to wiggle down and Clint put him on the floor and the twins went from looking for their pegs to looking for their parents’ pictures on the other kid’s bags.  In the end, they found two daddy Steves, three daddy Tonys, a daddy Bruce, a daddy Thor, Two mamas, one Daj, and a daddy Sam.

“Aww, man, no me,” Clint complained.

“Well there’s no me either,” I said, nudging him.  “Or Bucky.”

“Damn, poor Buck,” Clint said.

I shrugged and looked out through the door.  “He’s got a bunch of kids looking at his arm.  I bet tomorrow there will be a tonne of Winter Soldier Merch.  Plus you’re all gonna be invited to every kid’s birthday party now.”

“Sweet,” Clint said.  “I love cupcakes.”

“Mommy, how come day don’t tawk to you?”  Riley asked.

“Oh,” I said.  “I’m not an Avenger.  That’s all.  I never did any saving the world.”

“Well, that’s not technically true,” Clint corrected.  “Your mommy definitely did.  But we kept it a secret.  So the kids don’t know her.”

“Oh…” Riley said, putting her finger to her mouth.  “Is a secwet.”

I laughed and rubbed her back.  “Did you find your peg?”

Riley bounced over to the peg with her name on it.  “Hewr.”

“Hang up your bag then, bug,” Clint said.

Both Pietro and Riley hung their bag up and we went back into the main classroom.  “Alright, class!”  Alicia called.  “Let’s all go to the story area and we’ll do some introductions.”

All the kids reluctantly pulled themselves away from the Avengers and took seats on the couch and little cushions in the reading area, while the parents stood around the area. Alicia took a seat in the sofa chair.

“Everyone’s moms and dads will be going home or to work soon and they’ll come back at the end of the day.  We’ll play an introduction game when they’ve gone,” Alicia explained.  “But there’s a special situation today.  You’ve all been talking to the Avengers, haven’t we?  Do you know why they’re here?”

Pietro and Riley started bouncing up and down on their cushions and Pietro put up his hand.  Alicia laughed.  “Yes, I know you two know,” she said.  “You see everyone, Riley and Pietro have seven daddies and three mommies.”  There was a group gasp around the room.  None of the parents really reacted in surprise.  The news that we were in a ten-person polyamorous relationship was old now.  It was probably more of a shock just seeing Steve walk into the room in the first place.

“So you’re going to see them all around a lot more, just remember they’re here because they’re Riley and Pietro’s mommies and daddies.  You need to remember how when you’re tired or upset you might want to go straight to your parents.  Riley and Pietro might need that too, and even though you might want to talk to Iron Man, he might just need to cuddle with Riley and Pietro or take them home.”

“Did any of you kids have any questions?”  Steve asked.

There was a little while where the kids asked questions.  There were a couple related to how a kid could have ten parents but most were just questions about the Avengers or asking them for hugs.  It was pretty cute and eventually, Alicia called for the last questions.  All the kids said goodbye to their parents and we were all shuffled back out of the room.

“You think they’re gonna be okay?”  Bruce asked, looking back over his shoulder.

“They will be fine,” Thor said.  “I am sure we will all be regaled with stories when we retrieve them.”

“Now,” Sam said, wrapping his arm around Steve’s waist.  “We have four hours with no kids.  What trouble shall we get up to?”

// NEXT

#the avengers #steve rogers #bucky barnes #tony stark #natasha romanoff #bruce banner #clint barton #wanda maximoff #sam wilson #avengers fanfic #avengers x oc #steve rogers x oc #bucky barnes x oc #tony stark x oc #stucky #clintasha #natasha romanoff x oc #wanda maximoff x oc #clint barton x oc #bruce banner x oc #sam wilson x oc #all caps #thor x oc #thor #fanfic #fanfiction #smut #pregnancy #the tower

[wiypt-writes]

Too Loose And You’ll Lose It

Ch3: Man, You Really Are As Dumb As You Look. Part 2 Co-written with @icanfeelastormbrewing​

Summary: Evan asks Stella on a date, Jake’s not impressed and the entire thing takes him on a little trip down memory lane…

Warnings: Bad Language words. SMUT via flashback in Part 2 (NSFW 18+)

Pairing: Jake Jensen x OFC Stella Stevenson.

A/N:  So the smut in this chapter is way back when the pair of them were kids. Both 18 before anyone says anything, and is designed to be a truthful reflection of a first time! We hope you enjoy it because it certainly made us giggle a lot.

TLAYLI Masterlist // Main Masterlist

Chapter 3 Part 1

June 1999

Jensen parked his Dad’s ford on the drive at the side of Stella’s house and climbed out, the box containing her corsage which matched his boutonniere in his hand. Taking a deep breath he headed round the back of the house and into the kitchen, not bothering to knock as usual.

Stella’s mom was in the kitchen and she looked up at him, smiling.

“Oh my goodness, Jacob Calvin Jensen…you’ve always been a handsome young man but tonight…well, you look positively dapper!” he beamed.

“Thanks Jules.” Jake felt the heat in his cheeks as he blushed at her praise. “Is Stel ready?”

“She should be, she spent almost all afternoon locked in her room with Rey.”

“Oh, ok. Has she erm…got a bag for tonight?” Jake suddenly felt his mouth go dry, and he nervously scratched the back of his neck. What the fuck was wrong with him? Stella had stayed at his loads of times before and Jules had never batted an eyelid, hell he’d stayed here plenty too and not a word had been said. But now, he was suddenly feeling nervous. But as he looked at Stella’s mom she just smiled and stepped forward towards him. She reached out to straighten the grey and silver bow tie and looked at him.

“She’s special Jake, but you already know that.”

Ok so now he wanted the fucking ground to swallow him.

“Her bag’s in the hall.” Julie stepped back, patting the lapels of his jacket. Jake gave her another smile, set the box with Stella’s corsage down on the side and headed into the hall, taking the opportunity to escape for a moment as he took it to the car, slinging it into the trunk. He headed back inside and before he had to think of anything else to say to steer the conversation away from the fact that Jules knew full well he was planning on having sex with her daughter that night, he was saved by Aubrey who waltzed into the kitchen.

“God, she’s a nervous wreck.” Aubrey mumbled, “Being a right pain in the ass. I’ve done and redone her hair about fifty times.”

She grabbed a can of soda from the fridge, completely ignoring Jensen which was fine by him, and slumped down at the kitchen table.

Julie sighed “So were you at your prom!”

“That was because I was on for Prom Queen.” Aubrey shrugged. At that Jake rolled his eyes, he couldn’t care less about all that Prom Queen shit. As far as he was concerned he had the best girl on his arm. At that point Rey’s eyes flicked to him and she gave a little smile “Well, don’t you scrub up fine?”

“Well Stella told me if I wore my soccer kit she’d kill me” he shrugged and Rey snorted before she frowned.

“Where are your glasses?”

“Contacts” Jake shrugged “Don’t wear ‘em often other than for sport but…”

“Huh.” Rey shrugged.

“Is that everything or you wanna know what colour boxer shorts I’m wearing?” Jake quipped “Can show you if you like?”

“Jacob!” Julie looked at her and he flashed her a cheeky grin.

“For your information they’re black” he winked and then raised his wrist to check his watch. It was getting a little later than he wanted it to be now, but at that point besides him Julie gave a little gasp and he raised his head to see Stella stood in the doorway to the kitchen. Jake felt his moth drop open as he looked at her. He’d seen her dressed up before but never like this. Her dress was a deep blue satin with a pleated skirt that finished just below her knee. It tapered in at the waist and the bodice was lace, high necked and sleeveless with flower applique. On her feet she wore a pair of cream coloured peep-toe pumps that were decorated with little crystals along the arch and her blond hair was pulled back off her face into an elegant knot. Those blue eyes Jake could happily lose himself in popped under a smoky brown eyeshadow and her cheeks were expertly rouged.

She looked like a modern Grace Kelly, absolutely fucking amazing.

“Hi.” He stuttered, stepping towards her.

“Hey Jakey.” She smiled, a little shyly and at that point her mum gave a cough and gestured to the door with her head. Rey rolled her eyes and stood up, following her out as Julie shut the door to give the two of them a bit of privacy.

“Stel you look stunning.” He smiled, dropping his lips to hers in a soft kiss and she beamed at him.

“You don’t look so bad yourself.”

Jake smiled, and then suddenly remembered the box on the side “Oh, here…” he took her hand and led her after him before he picked it up and opened the top. Stella peered inside and then looked up at him.

“Petunia.” she chuckled.

“Well I know they’re your favourites.” He said, gently taking it out surprised to see his hands were shaking. “Right or left.”

“Erm left.” She said after a short deliberation, holding her hand out for him. “Less chance of me banging it.” Jake smiled and gently slipped the pearl-effect beads over her manicured fingers so that the flowers sat on her delicate wrist and she looked at it, smiling. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome babe.” He grinned and she leaned up to kiss him again. “So err, you wanna go. Your bag’s already in the car…and it’s almost 7 so…”

“Yeah, oh…Mom wanted a photo first. Your mom called her before demanding one so…”

Jake groaned “God she was crying when I left. Dad had to drag her back inside as she was waving the car away.”

Stella grinned “Well her baby’s all grown up.”

“Wouldn’t go that far.” He quipped and Stella shook her head with a laugh and headed for the door.

After Julie had gushed over the pair of them and taken what felt like enough photos to fill an entire album she pulled Stella into a hug and Jake stepped back, but not far enough as he still caught what Julie whispered to Stella.

“Your dad would be so proud of you sweetheart.”

“Mom.” Stella sniffed a little and Jake bowed his head, turning to look at Rey who was also surprisingly emotional. He flashed her a little wink and she smiled back as Stella turned to him.

“Ready?” he asked and she nodded. He took her hand and together they walked down the drive. He made sure he opened the car door for her, waiting till she adjusted her dress before shutting it and then hopped in the driver’s side.

Julie and Rey waved them off as he reversed onto the street before they pulled away.

“Oh, before I forget who did you have in the sweepstake for starting the first fight?” Jake asked as he turned left at the top of her street.

“Simon Rogers.” Stella said.

“Rogers?” Jake frowned, “Seriously?”

“Yup” she nodded “He might be small but he’s vicious. Plus Vinnie Foxborough has asked Jenny Marchant to be his date, and we all know she was dating Rogers like a month ago. It’s going off, I’m telling you.”

**** An hour or so after arriving, the Prom was in full swing. They’d done the usual posing for photos upon arrival and headed straight to grab a drink before navigating to the table their group of friends had already claimed. Stel had then headed off to go speak to a few of the girls from her hockey team whilst Jensen had stood with the captain of his soccer squad and a few of the other guys from the team. Eventually they’d worked their way back to one another as the announcements and general fuss started regarding Prom King and Queen. It came as no surprise to anyone who was named, Stacey Holbrook-popular girl number 1 and Will Brady- popular guy number 1. Jensen gave an exaggerated yawn as cheers rang out around the Sports Hall. Stella looked at him, arching an eyebrow as she sat in the chair next to him round their table, his arm slung casually over the back of her chair. He shrugged and grinned as he watched them both take to the stage, a hush fell over the room. Stacey began gushing into the mic, her words vaguely registered in Jensen’s mind as she squealed about how surprised and honoured she was…bla bla bla.

He wouldn’t have minded either, but in Jake’s eyes, she wasn’t a patch on the girl sat to his right. He moved his hand from the back of Stella’s chair, gently placing it round her shoulders and pulling her into him, pressing a kiss to her temple. She looked at him and he flashed her a wink as he reached for his soda. He took a loud gulp and sat back, and then before he could stop it a huge burp escaped his mouth. Jensen sat stock still as everyone in the hall turned in his direction, accusingly. Stella was sinking lower into her chair, trying to disappear but Jake sat up tall and spun round in his seat as if he too was searching for the culprit.

“Disgusting!” he called out loudly, shaking his head. “Whoever that was should be ashamed of themselves.”

A few titters broke out across the hall and he spotted his Football coach smirking at him as he turned back to look at Stella who had her hand slapped over her forehead.

“You’re a fucking nightmare.” She hissed at him.

“I couldn’t help it!” he whispered back. “Better out than in as my dad always says…” As it turns out that was just one of the 2 reasons Jake found himself having to talk his way out of trouble that night. The second however, Jake was pleased to report was Stella’s fault. He was stood talking a few guys from the soccer team when John Digby, their right-back and captain suddenly nudged Jake.

“What?” Jake asked, looking at him. John nodded over his shoulder and Jake turned to see Stella was in an angry exchange with the captain of the football team. A huge, hulking jock that played quarterback called Brad Kingsley.  He watched for a second, grinning as the huge guy seemed actually quite frightened of Stella who was jabbing him in his chest but then as he spotted Brad’s girlfriend stalking towards them he gave a groan. “Ahh shit. Be right back…”

“Good luck with that!” John shot after him as the team laughed “Your Misssus is fuckin’ scary…”

“Don’t I know it.” Jensen mumbled as he jogged over to where quite a crowd was gathering now, just in time to hear Stell call Brad a fucking asshole. “Hey, hey…” Jensen said gently, grabbing her arm. She turned to look at him and he instantly saw the problem. The front of her dress, over the chest area was soaked.

“He just spilt his drink all over me, and not even a fucking apology!” she seethed.

“It was an accident!” Brad said, his voice loud.

“Fuck you!” Stella snarled and Jensen took a deep breath.

“Stel, babes, come on…” he consoled her a little, and she took one final glare at Brad, before she looked at Jensen, wrenching her arm free and stalked away. He watched her go for a bit before he turned back to Brad, seeing the guy was now cracking his knuckles ominously. What he lacked in brains, which was quite a lot actually- the guy was thick as two short planks- he made up for in brawn and whilst Jensen was more than capable of holding his own in a fight, he really didn’t fancy his chances here. “Brad, look man, I don’t want any trouble…” “I can’t hit women.” Brad shrugged “But I can give you a smack for your girl’s mouth…”

“Come on…you know what they’re like.” Jensen shrugged “Plus its shark week so….hormones…” he smoothed out the bigger man’s jacket before both his hands rest on his upper biceps, slapping them gently before he let go. “She rides the red river and it turns her into a fucking ogre. You wouldn’t really wanna hold that against me would you bro?” “Suppose not.” Brad mumbled. “Cheers pal, I owe you.” Jensen slapped his back as he made a hasty retreat, letting the air out of his lungs as he walked.

Thankfully, the rest of the evening passed with little to no drama and Jensen actually found it to be quite enjoyable. For the first time it dawned on him that this, well this really did signal the end of high-school and in 3 months, just over 12 weeks or so, he and Stella would be off to Norwich to start the ROTC for 4 years. He was looking forward to it- living away from home, the fun of College life whilst training with the Army and most of all having his best friend and girl by his side. Buoyed by the sudden feel good factor, he dragged Stella off to dance with their friends and the pair of them grinned when about 4 songs in the opening bars of Journey “Don’t Stop Believing” hit their ears and everyone on the dance floor gave a loud shriek.

“Well what do you know, they’re playing our song.” Jake grinned as he pulled Stella towards him.

“It’s odds on they’d play this.” She rolled her eyes, grinning as he began to sing in a stupid voice, twirling her around. She watched him as he ran through his usual dance moves to the song…pointing at everyone when he sang the word strangers, arching his hand upwards a little over his head like a rainbow to the word boulevard. By the time the song hit its crescendo their entire group of friends had joined in and Stella shook her head at him as he gave her a wink.

“You’re an idiot…” she said as the song finished and morphed into something by the Backstreet Boys that Jensen couldn’t remember the name of.

“But I’m your idiot, doll.” He grinned and she gave a laugh cocking her head to one side, her arms sliding up round his neck.

“Yeah, yeah you are…”

At that point they were both shoved violently to the side, Jensen grabbing Stella to stop her falling. He spun round, immediately ready to give whoever it was a warning to be careful when his eyes fell on Simon Rogers and Vinnie Foxborough who were both going hell for leather in the middle of the floor, fists flying as people rushed into separate them. With a  groan Jensen turned to Stella who was stood there, the rest of their friends also hanging their heads as she held her hand out, palm up. “Pay up, losers!” she grinned, and Jake snorted as Sally, Ewan, Brady, Mackenzie and Danny all reached into their purses or wallets and slapped five bucks into her hand each. She looked at Jake and he frowned.

“I’m not paying you.” He shook his head.

“Stop being a whiney bitch JJ.” She grinned and he shook his head again.

“I’ll buy you a Big Mac meal on the way home instead.”

Stella looked at him, considering his offer before she grinned “You do know that’s gonna cost you more than five bucks, right?”

Jake shrugged “You’re worth it.”

“Gee, thanks” she snorted.

“What can I say, I’m a romantic…and speaking of which…” he moved closer to her, dropping his head down so his lips were by her ears. “Wanna get out of here? Mom and Dad are out tonight so we can have the place to ourselves for a few hours before they get home.”

Stella turned her head to look at him, and he noticed that her cheeks had flushed a little and she bit her lip shyly before she nodded.

“Yeah, ok.”

 Jake smiled, taking a deep breath before he pressed his lips to hers. They made their excuses to their friends, promising to catch up with them all soon and then the two of them made their way hand in hand off the floor, weaving in between people as they headed for the exit.

**** “I think my personal favourite bit was when you called the captain of the football team an asshole.” Jake said as he grabbed Stella’s bag from the trunk of his dad’s car “Good times.” “He deserved it.” She narrowed her eyes.

“And I supposed I deserved the punch he was going to give me for you being a mouthy brat.” Jensen looked at her as she shrugged, grinning.

“Yeah, how did you talk you way out of it anyway?” she asked, taking his hand as they walked down the drive towards the front door.

“Told him it was shark week.” Jake shrugged and Stella stopped dead.

“You did what?”

“You heard me, I blamed your little meltdown on hormones.”

“You are such an asshole!” Stella grit out through her teeth and Jake laughed, turning to face her.

"It was that or he punched me in the mouth, and let’s face it gorgeous, this-."  he waved his hand in a circle round his face, finger pointing towards it"-is too good to ruin"

She looked at him, shaking her head and snorting as he dropped a kiss to her cheek and opened the door. The house was dark and empty as he let Stella in first, where she dropped her shoes which she was carrying in her hand to the floor as Jake followed her into the hall, dumping her bag.

“You want a drink?” Jake asked and Stella turned to him, nodding.

“Yeah”

“A proper one?”

“Dur.”

Jake grinned and he led her down the hall and into the little den where his dad kept the good stuff.  He tossed his jacket over the back of the arm chair, shrugging off his waistcoat and depositing that in the same place. Rolling his shirt sleeves up to get more comfortable, he yanked open the liquor cabinet and blinked when he saw the post it stuck on the front of the bottle of vodka. It was his dad’s handwriting and with a snort he pulled it off and handed it to Stella.

“Don’t even think about it…” she read with a laugh “Fuck he knows us so well.”

“Like he never did it.” Jake grumbled, shoving the bottle back. He stood up and made his way through to the kitchen, yanking open the fridge “Oh come on dad!” he groaned as he saw another note stuck to the beer. He read it and gave a shrug “ok, so apparently this is fine…”

He pulled two out, popped the lids and handed one to Stella. She took a huge pull and let out a groan.

“Not being able to legally drink until 21 sucks “she grumbled, “I mean how can we be old enough to join the army but not consume alcohol?”

“Maybe we should move to Europe babe.” He said as they both dropped onto the sofa. Stella snorted and then sighed.

“We may end up doing.” She tapped her finger nails against the bottle “I mean, who knows where we’re gonna end up.” “Yeah, well we got years to think about that.” Jensen shrugged as he reached for the remote to turn the TV on but stopped abruptly as Stella grabbed his wrist.

“Seriously, the house is ours…and you brought me home early to watch TV?”

“No, I was…just…” he trailed off as she took the bottle off him, placed it on the table and then hitched her dress up slightly so she could straddle him. Jensen swallowed a little as her hands gently copped his face and she kissed him. For reasons which he couldn’t even place himself, because damned they’d done a lot more than simply make out, he was nervous and it showed clearly as Stella pulled back, frowning a little.

“What’s wrong?”

Jake looked at her, blinking in the dim light of the room and shook his head, jerking himself to his senses “Nothing, nothing at all.”

In a flash his lips were back on hers, his arms round her back as he held her close, his tongue snaking into her mouth, tanging with hers. As the kissing grew in intensity, he could feel himself growing aroused and clearly Stel could do as she rotated her hips slightly, grinding down against him and he gave a hiss. His hands moved to the side of her thighs, pushing up her skirt even further, fingers trailing against her skin and she moaned as he gripped her ass, giving a little squeeze. With an easy movement, Jake stood and turned them so she was under him on the couch. His lips moved to her jaw and he trailed hot kisses down her neck to the top of her dress, focussing on that spot on her neck he’d found the first time they’d made out, enjoying the little whimpers she made right by his ear. His hands crept back up her skirt, settling on her hips as her arms wrapped around him, dancing over the top of his shirt. His lips moved back to her mouth and he kissed her again, pushing down against her and Stella gave a soft keen of delight at the contact.  

“Fuck, I love you Stel.” He muttered against her mouth.

“Love you too Jakey.” Her voice was punctuated by a gasp and he pulled back to look at her, her eyes shining.

“Stel, I know…I haven’t asked you if you wanna…you know…” he stumbled over his words and she smiled softly, and cut him off.

“I do.”  She assured him before she pushed her head upwards, lips crashing onto his and her hands grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulling it free of his pants. His back muscles twitched as her hands danced over his skin, the sensation of her gently dragging her nails across the base of his spine sent a spike of desire, like a red hot poker through his entire body and he let out a groan.

“Can we go upstairs?” he asked softly.

“Yeah…” she nodded.

Wordlessly he stood up, shifting his pants slightly which were fucking uncomfortable thanks to his now painful erection and grabbing their beers in one hand, he held his other out and pulled her to her feet. He led her out into the hall, up the stairs and across the landing into his room, kicking the door shut with his foot.

He flicked on the lamp on his nightstand, his eyes glancing at the photo of the two of them taken after one of his soccer matches where his cheeks were red and his face was sweaty from the exertion of the game. He loved that snap, it was the final match of the season where they had won the league and the day he’d first told her he’d loved her. Her face had lit up as she’d whispered it back to him, before he’d made it past second base that evening on the chair in a dark corner of the garden, their families milling around elsewhere, completely oblivious.

He set the bottles of beer down and turned to look back at her. She was stood, watching him, biting her lip out of nervous anticipation and suddenly a wave apprehension crashed over him as he started to realise that this was going to happen. The thought of losing his virginity to Stel had never worried him before, hell, they’d done pretty much everything else bar hit the home run to so speak, but for some reason now it seemed like a big deal. He swallowed a little, his mind flicking back to the conversation he’d had with his sister a few days ago. Whilst he and his dad were close- condom conversation proving that- there were something he just didn’t want to ask his old man about, and how to make Stel feel good when he popped her cherry so to speak was one of them. So he’d approached Jane, who for once hadn’t ripped him to shit. She’d told him the first time was gonna be awkward as hell, so he needed to be gentle, get her off in some way before he poked her (Jane’s words, not his) and most importantly he had to make sure she was ready to do it.

Licking his lips he walked back towards her and she stepped closer to him, her eyes locking onto his as his hands fell to her hips and he kissed her again, before his fingers skated up the back of her dress and he found the zipper. With a deep breath, Jensen slid the zipper down her dress causing it to fall forward slightly and he got a glimpse of her breasts, which he had yet to actually see come to think of it, and here they were, clad in a lacy, strapless black bra. He held onto his shoulders and he glanced down, watching her as she stepped out of it, kicking it to the side.

“God you’re beautiful.” He stuttered out and Stella giggled nervously before he kissed her again and pivoted them so he could lay her out on her back on his bed. He crawled up next to her, laying on his side as she tipped her head and he kissed her again, his right hand sliding up and cupping her breast over her bra. Stella arched her back a little and Jensen’s groan caught in his throat as he slid his hand down her bare stomach and gently slipped it into her panties, over her soft curls and felt her slick against his fingers. He started to play with her, the way he’d found out she’d liked and his face watched hers intently as she bit her lip, her eyes falling shut in pleasure. Before long her hips started to move against his hand and he gently moved his wrist, inserting 2 fingers inside her. Her body reacted the way he’d seen before and encouraged he continued his movements. Her hand moved up to grab at his hair, pulling him down to kiss him and before long she was crying out, her hand wrapping around his wrist as her walls fluttered around his fingers as she came.

Jensen was actively now trying not to blow his load in his pants as he watched his girl ride out her orgasm. His eyes squinted slightly as he pressed his forehead to hers, the sticky fingers from her core resting on her hip. After a moment or two that same hand moved up her side and under her back, his eyes closed as he reached her bra.

His fingers paused on the clasp and he looked at her, remembering his sisters words and he kissed her again, his head pressing against hers.

“Please tell me you want this” he said, his voice a nervous plea.

“Yeah, yeah I do…” she nodded.

“Good, me too…ok...that’s good” he smiled against her lips as his fingers moved to her clasp. He’d read there was a technique to flicking it open with a snap of your thumb and finger, but right now that really wasn’t’ happening. Shifting slightly he slid his other arm underneath her as she moved her shoulders slightly to allow him to get both hands on it, but he was still struggling, his fingers slipping against the clasp.

“Stell.” He whispered and she looked at him.

“What?”

“I'm nervous” he lightly chuckled. She smiled, and bit her lip.

“Me too.” She sat up, “Here…” her arms moved behind her and she undid her bra, tossing it to the side as it fell forward. Jake watched, his throat bobbing as he swallowed, giving an involuntary gasp almost as he saw her bare breasts for the first time.

Her fingers gently undid the buttons on his shirt, pushing it over his shoulders and Jensen gently slid down, taking her lace panties with him before he stood up, dispensing of the rest of his clothes, his eyes roving over her bare form as she lay on the bed, watching him. Fuck, the sight of her laying there completely naked was sending him into overdrive so as quickly as he could he moved and reached into the drawer on his night stand for the box of condoms he’d bought especially. His fingers slipped a little as he tore the foil packet open, his hand shaking as he knelt on the bed between her legs, rolling it down over his shaft. It was awkward, and he was starting to get a little bit het up when Stella put a hand over his and he glanced up at her knowing full well she could read him, she always could. She guided his hand down and once he was sheathed he moved, his hands either side of her shoulders as he positioned himself.

With as gently a movement as he could, he worked his way gently into her letting out a loud groan, and her breath hitched a little. The sensation of being buried in her for the first time washed over him, her tight warmth hugging his cock and his arms gave way causing him to drop to his elbows. Luckily he caught himself in time, and he shifted a little to support his weight on his forearms so he didn’t crush her.

“You ok?” she asked softly. Every muscle in his body was tense and she could clearly feel it as he lay over her.

“Yeah.” He panted. “You?” “I’m good…” there was a little pause and she placed her hand on the bottom of his back, applying a little pressure with her palm, almost as if she was trying to pull him towards her "Jakey, you gotta move, please baby..."

So he did. He started thrusting. Slowly at first, picking up the pace a little as he gained confidence. Her hands slipped up his back and came to rest as her arms hooked under his, palms flat on the back of his shoulders.

Jensen watched her carefully as he continued his movements, his eyes locked onto hers. She looked straight back at him as her body gently moved with each thrust he made. He leaned down to kiss her, and it's was a little sloppy because his brain and body were that awash with this absolute new sensation of pleasure that he was struggling to function or focus on much at the moment. He broke the kiss, dropping his forehead to hers, his mouth slack as the heat tightened in his belly and he knew it wasn’t going to be long before he came.

"Stel, I'm not...I'm not gonna..." he started to explain, almost apologies even but she cut him off.

"It's ok,..." she nudged his nose with hers "Let me see you..."

He raised his head and she looked straight at him, and with a few more little thrusts he was gone, tipping over the edge with a little grunt and a cry of her name. As the surge of pleasure washed over him he pitched forward, burying his face into her neck, breathing deeply as the world span around him, the blood pounding in his ears was almost deafening.

Stella’s hands gently slid up his back, scratching at that spot on the nape of his neck, softly tangling in his hair.

"You ok, did I hurt you?" he asked, tilting his head to look at her.

"You'd never hurt me Jake."

“You’d never hurt me Jake…”

Those words echoed round Jensen’s brain and with a groan he rolled onto his back as sleep persistently evaded him. That was one trip down memory lane he hadn’t needed, more so because the words were fucking bullshit. He had hurt her, the one thing he'd always sworn never to do. That night, their first time had been perfect, and whilst it had been awkward as hell and he’d lasted all of 5 minutes, it had been special because they’d loved one another.

Jensen turned his head to see Britney, the dark haired friend of the nurse he’d met in the bar the other night sleeping, next to him and he lay back with his eyes fixed on a spot on the ceiling. Seeing Stella before had riled him enough to call the woman and pick her up from work after her shift ended at midnight. A bottle of wine and few shots of tequila later their clothes had ended up strewn all over his apartment and, well, here she was, fast asleep next to him.

It hadn’t been a bad fuck. Jensen had the impression Britney was after a release as much as he had been and it had shown, neither of them wasting any time on foreplay. But as he lay there he was kind of ashamed to admit he missed the cuddling that Stella would always seek out after.

With another sigh he hauled himself out of bed, located his boxers and headed to his kitchen for some water. He drained a glass before grabbing a packet of advil, tossing 2 down and then draining another glass before he wandered back into the bedroom, dropping back down next to his sleeping guest. He turned himself onto his side, his back facing her and closed his eyes willing sleep to come for him.

****

Not wanting to be a total Douchebag, Jake at least made Britney some breakfast the next morning before he told her he really needed to get ready to work. She smiled at him, understanding totally she was being dismissed and hopped off the stool by the breakfast bar, locating her clothing. He watched her go, noticing the way her hips swayed underneath his t-shirt was nothing like as arousing as how Stella’s did, before he dropped the dishes into the sink shaking his head.

Once she was ready, Jake opened the door to the landing and she turned to face him. “Look, I know this was probably a one- time thing but…”

At that point Stella’s door opened and Jake’s eyes flicked to her over Britney’s shoulder as she stopped dead and looked at him, then the woman in front of him, before she gave a snort and a shake of her head, turning to lock her door. Jensen felt that stupid, child inside him stir and he turned to Britney shaking his head.

“No, that’s…” he said, stopping her, his voice loud enough to carry across the landing “I’d like to take you out. Do it properly next time?”

“Really?” Britney almost squealed and threw her arms round him. “That’s…yeah, I’d love that Jensen.”

“Great, I’ll call.” He smiled, leaning down to give her a peck on the lips. She pulled back, pinched his cheek and then headed for the elevator

“Didn’t know Mc Donald’s dealt in brunettes.” Stella said dryly, arching an eyebrow.

Jensen shrugged and grinned “Let’s just say it was a different kinda drive through…”

Stella wrinkled her nose “That’s gross.”

Jensen snorted, and watched as she moved towards the elevator before she stopped and instead turned towards the stairs. He watched her go, and no sooner had the stairway door shut the elevator arrived.

“Bye!” Britney called, blowing him a kiss. Jensen smiled and then turned back into his apartment, shutting the door behind him, banging his head back against the wood. What the fuck had he just done? Something that was meant as a quick bang one night had suddenly morphed into him taking the girl on a date?

Could always just change your number?

No point…she knows where you live.

Move apartments?

Little dramatic, all things considered don’t you think?

Maybe you should give the girl a chance? I mean, after all, Stella’s taken one on Agent Dick Name…

Yeah. That was sensible, and she hadn’t been a bad lay after all.

With a decisive nod he pushed himself off the door and headed for the shower.

**** Chapter 4 Part 1

#too loose and you'll lose it #jake jensen x ofc #jake jensen x original female character #jake jensen #the losers

[what-is-your-plan-today]

Too Loose And You’ll Lose It...

Co-Written with @icanfeelastormbrewing​

Ch 3- Man, You Really Are As Dumb As You Look...

Part 2

Summary: Evan asks Stella on a date, Jake’s not impressed and the entire thing takes him on a little trip down memory lane…

Warnings: Bad Language words. SMUT via flashback in Part 2 (NSFW 18+)

Pairing: Jake Jensen x OFC Stella Stevenson.

A/N:  So the smut in this chapter is way back when the pair of them were kids. Both 18 before anyone says anything, and is designed to be a truthful reflection of a fist time! We hope you enjoy it because it certainly made us giggle a lot. Thanks Tumblr for eating the first post of this...

TLAYLI Masterlist // Main Masterlist 

Please read Part 1 first…

June 1999

Jensen parked his Dad’s ford on the drive at the side of Stella’s house and climbed out, the box containing her corsage which matched his boutonniere in his hand. Taking a deep breath he headed round the back of the house and into the kitchen, not bothering to knock as usual.

Stella’s mom was in the kitchen and she looked up at him, smiling.

“Oh my goodness, Jacob Calvin Jensen…you’ve always been a handsome young man but tonight…well, you look positively dapper!” he beamed.

“Thanks Jules.” Jake felt the heat in his cheeks as he blushed at her praise. “Is Stel ready?”

“She should be, she spent almost all afternoon locked in her room with Rey.”

“Oh, ok. Has she erm…got a bag for tonight?” Jake suddenly felt his mouth go dry, and he nervously scratched the back of his neck. What the fuck was wrong with him? Stella had stayed at his loads of times before and Jules had never batted an eyelid, hell he’d stayed here plenty too and not a word had been said. But now, he was suddenly feeling nervous. But as he looked at Stella’s mom she just smiled and stepped forward towards him. She reached out to straighten the grey and silver bow tie and looked at him.

“She’s special Jake, but you already know that.”

Ok so now he wanted the fucking ground to swallow him.

“Her bag’s in the hall.” Julie stepped back, patting the lapels of his jacket. Jake gave her another smile, set the box with Stella’s corsage down on the side and headed into the hall, taking the opportunity to escape for a moment as he took it to the car, slinging it into the trunk. He headed back inside and before he had to think of anything else to say to steer the conversation away from the fact that Jules knew full well he was planning on having sex with her daughter that night, he was saved by Aubrey who waltzed into the kitchen.

“God, she’s a nervous wreck.” Aubrey mumbled, “Being a right pain in the ass. I’ve done and redone her hair about fifty times.”

She grabbed a can of soda from the fridge, completely ignoring Jensen which was fine by him, and slumped down at the kitchen table.

Julie sighed “So were you at your prom!”

“That was because I was on for Prom Queen.” Aubrey shrugged. At that Jake rolled his eyes, he couldn’t care less about all that Prom Queen shit. As far as he was concerned he had the best girl on his arm. At that point Rey’s eyes flicked to him and she gave a little smile “Well, don’t you scrub up fine?”

“Well Stella told me if I wore my soccer kit she’d kill me” he shrugged and Rey snorted before she frowned.

“Where are your glasses?”

“Contacts” Jake shrugged “Don’t wear ‘em often other than for sport but…”

“Huh.” Rey shrugged.

“Is that everything or you wanna know what colour boxer shorts I’m wearing?” Jake quipped “Can show you if you like?”

“Jacob!” Julie looked at her and he flashed her a cheeky grin.

“For your information they’re black” he winked and then raised his wrist to check his watch. It was getting a little later than he wanted it to be now, but at that point besides him Julie gave a little gasp and he raised his head to see Stella stood in the doorway to the kitchen. Jake felt his moth drop open as he looked at her. He’d seen her dressed up before but never like this. Her dress was a deep blue satin with a pleated skirt that finished just below her knee. It tapered in at the waist and the bodice was lace, high necked and sleeveless with flower applique. On her feet she wore a pair of cream coloured peep-toe pumps that were decorated with little crystals along the arch and her blond hair was pulled back off her face into an elegant knot. Those blue eyes Jake could happily lose himself in popped under a smoky brown eyeshadow and her cheeks were expertly rouged.

She looked like a modern Grace Kelly, absolutely fucking amazing.

“Hi.” He stuttered, stepping towards her.

“Hey Jakey.” She smiled, a little shyly and at that point her mum gave a cough and gestured to the door with her head. Rey rolled her eyes and stood up, following her out as Julie shut the door to give the two of them a bit of privacy.

“Stel you look stunning.” He smiled, dropping his lips to hers in a soft kiss and she beamed at him.

“You don’t look so bad yourself.”

Jake smiled, and then suddenly remembered the box on the side “Oh, here…” he took her hand and led her after him before he picked it up and opened the top. Stella peered inside and then looked up at him.

“Petunia.” she chuckled.

“Well I know they’re your favourites.” He said, gently taking it out surprised to see his hands were shaking. “Right or left.”

“Erm left.” She said after a short deliberation, holding her hand out for him. “Less chance of me banging it.” Jake smiled and gently slipped the pearl-effect beads over her manicured fingers so that the flowers sat on her delicate wrist and she looked at it, smiling. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome babe.” He grinned and she leaned up to kiss him again. “So err, you wanna go. Your bag’s already in the car…and it’s almost 7 so…”

“Yeah, oh…Mom wanted a photo first. Your mom called her before demanding one so…”

Jake groaned “God she was crying when I left. Dad had to drag her back inside as she was waving the car away.”

Stella grinned “Well her baby’s all grown up.”

“Wouldn’t go that far.” He quipped and Stella shook her head with a laugh and headed for the door.

After Julie had gushed over the pair of them and taken what felt like enough photos to fill an entire album she pulled Stella into a hug and Jake stepped back, but not far enough as he still caught what Julie whispered to Stella.

“Your dad would be so proud of you sweetheart.”

“Mom.” Stella sniffed a little and Jake bowed his head, turning to look at Rey who was also surprisingly emotional. He flashed her a little wink and she smiled back as Stella turned to him.

“Ready?” he asked and she nodded. He took her hand and together they walked down the drive. He made sure he opened the car door for her, waiting till she adjusted her dress before shutting it and then hopped in the driver’s side.

Julie and Rey waved them off as he reversed onto the street before they pulled away.

“Oh, before I forget who did you have in the sweepstake for starting the first fight?” Jake asked as he turned left at the top of her street.

“Simon Rogers.” Stella said.

“Rogers?” Jake frowned, “Seriously?”

“Yup” she nodded “He might be small but he’s vicious. Plus Vinnie Foxborough has asked Jenny Marchant to be his date, and we all know she was dating Rogers like a month ago. It’s going off, I’m telling you.”

**** An hour or so after arriving, the Prom was in full swing. They’d done the usual posing for photos upon arrival and headed straight to grab a drink before navigating to the table their group of friends had already claimed. Stel had then headed off to go speak to a few of the girls from her hockey team whilst Jensen had stood with the captain of his soccer squad and a few of the other guys from the team. Eventually they’d worked their way back to one another as the announcements and general fuss started regarding Prom King and Queen. It came as no surprise to anyone who was named, Stacey Holbrook-popular girl number 1 and Will Brady- popular guy number 1. Jensen gave an exaggerated yawn as cheers rang out around the Sports Hall. Stella looked at him, arching an eyebrow as she sat in the chair next to him round their table, his arm slung casually over the back of her chair. He shrugged and grinned as he watched them both take to the stage, a hush fell over the room. Stacey began gushing into the mic, her words vaguely registered in Jensen’s mind as she squealed about how surprised and honoured she was…bla bla bla.

He wouldn’t have minded either, but in Jake’s eyes, she wasn’t a patch on the girl sat to his right. He moved his hand from the back of Stella’s chair, gently placing it round her shoulders and pulling her into him, pressing a kiss to her temple. She looked at him and he flashed her a wink as he reached for his soda. He took a loud gulp and sat back, and then before he could stop it a huge burp escaped his mouth. Jensen sat stock still as everyone in the hall turned in his direction, accusingly. Stella was sinking lower into her chair, trying to disappear but Jake sat up tall and spun round in his seat as if he too was searching for the culprit.

“Disgusting!” he called out loudly, shaking his head. “Whoever that was should be ashamed of themselves.”

A few titters broke out across the hall and he spotted his Football coach smirking at him as he turned back to look at Stella who had her hand slapped over her forehead.

“You’re a fucking nightmare.” She hissed at him.

“I couldn’t help it!” he whispered back. “Better out than in as my dad always says…” As it turns out that was just one of the 2 reasons Jake found himself having to talk his way out of trouble that night. The second however, Jake was pleased to report was Stella’s fault. He was stood talking a few guys from the soccer team when John Digby, their right-back and captain suddenly nudged Jake.

“What?” Jake asked, looking at him. John nodded over his shoulder and Jake turned to see Stella was in an angry exchange with the captain of the football team. A huge, hulking jock that played quarterback called Brad Kingsley.  He watched for a second, grinning as the huge guy seemed actually quite frightened of Stella who was jabbing him in his chest but then as he spotted Brad’s girlfriend stalking towards them he gave a groan. “Ahh shit. Be right back…”

“Good luck with that!” John shot after him as the team laughed “Your Misssus is fuckin’ scary…”

“Don’t I know it.” Jensen mumbled as he jogged over to where quite a crowd was gathering now, just in time to hear Stell call Brad a fucking asshole. “Hey, hey…” Jensen said gently, grabbing her arm. She turned to look at him and he instantly saw the problem. The front of her dress, over the chest area was soaked.

“He just spilt his drink all over me, and not even a fucking apology!” she seethed.

“It was an accident!” Brad said, his voice loud.

“Fuck you!” Stella snarled and Jensen took a deep breath.

“Stel, babes, come on…” he consoled her a little, and she took one final glare at Brad, before she looked at Jensen, wrenching her arm free and stalked away. He watched her go for a bit before he turned back to Brad, seeing the guy was now cracking his knuckles ominously. What he lacked in brains, which was quite a lot actually- the guy was thick as two short planks- he made up for in brawn and whilst Jensen was more than capable of holding his own in a fight, he really didn’t fancy his chances here. “Brad, look man, I don’t want any trouble…” “I can’t hit women.” Brad shrugged “But I can give you a smack for your girl’s mouth…”

“Come on…you know what they’re like.” Jensen shrugged “Plus its shark week so….hormones…” he smoothed out the bigger man’s jacket before both his hands rest on his upper biceps, slapping them gently before he let go. “She rides the red river and it turns her into a fucking ogre. You wouldn’t really wanna hold that against me would you bro?”

“Suppose not.” Brad mumbled.

“Cheers pal, I owe you.” Jensen slapped his back as he made a hasty retreat, letting the air out of his lungs as he walked.

Thankfully, the rest of the evening passed with little to no drama and Jensen actually found it to be quite enjoyable. For the first time it dawned on him that this, well this really did signal the end of high-school and in 3 months, just over 12 weeks or so, he and Stella would be off to Norwich to start the ROTC for 4 years. He was looking forward to it- living away from home, the fun of College life whilst training with the Army and most of all having his best friend and girl by his side. Buoyed by the sudden feel good factor, he dragged Stella off to dance with their friends and the pair of them grinned when about 4 songs in the opening bars of Journey “Don’t Stop Believing” hit their ears and everyone on the dance floor gave a loud shriek.

“Well what do you know, they’re playing our song.” Jake grinned as he pulled Stella towards him.

“It’s odds on they’d play this.” She rolled her eyes, grinning as he began to sing in a stupid voice, twirling her around. She watched him as he ran through his usual dance moves to the song…pointing at everyone when he sang the word strangers, arching his hand upwards a little over his head like a rainbow to the word boulevard. By the time the song hit its crescendo their entire group of friends had joined in and Stella shook her head at him as he gave her a wink.

“You’re an idiot…” she said as the song finished and morphed into something by the Backstreet Boys that Jensen couldn’t remember the name of.

“But I’m your idiot, doll.” He grinned and she gave a laugh cocking her head to one side, her arms sliding up round his neck.

“Yeah, yeah you are…”

At that point they were both shoved violently to the side, Jensen grabbing Stella to stop her falling. He spun round, immediately ready to give whoever it was a warning to be careful when his eyes fell on Simon Rogers and Vinnie Foxborough who were both going hell for leather in the middle of the floor, fists flying as people rushed into separate them. With a  groan Jensen turned to Stella who was stood there, the rest of their friends also hanging their heads as she held her hand out, palm up. “Pay up, losers!” she grinned, and Jake snorted as Sally, Ewan, Brady, Mackenzie and Danny all reached into their purses or wallets and slapped five bucks into her hand each. She looked at Jake and he frowned.

“I’m not paying you.” He shook his head.

“Stop being a whiney bitch JJ.” She grinned and he shook his head again.

“I’ll buy you a Big Mac meal on the way home instead.”

Stella looked at him, considering his offer before she grinned “You do know that’s gonna cost you more than five bucks, right?”

Jake shrugged “You’re worth it.”

“Gee, thanks” she snorted.

“What can I say, I’m a romantic…and speaking of which…” he moved closer to her, dropping his head down so his lips were by her ears. “Wanna get out of here? Mom and Dad are out tonight so we can have the place to ourselves for a few hours before they get home.”

Stella turned her head to look at him, and he noticed that her cheeks had flushed a little and she bit her lip shyly before she nodded.

“Yeah, ok.”

Jake smiled, taking a deep breath before he pressed his lips to hers. They made their excuses to their friends, promising to catch up with them all soon and then the two of them made their way hand in hand off the floor, weaving in between people as they headed for the exit.

**** “I think my personal favourite bit was when you called the captain of the football team an asshole.” Jake said as he grabbed Stella’s bag from the trunk of his dad’s car “Good times.” “He deserved it.” She narrowed her eyes.

“And I supposed I deserved the punch he was going to give me for you being a mouthy brat.” Jensen looked at her as she shrugged, grinning.

“Yeah, how did you talk you way out of it anyway?” she asked, taking his hand as they walked down the drive towards the front door.

“Told him it was shark week.” Jake shrugged and Stella stopped dead.

“You did what?”

“You heard me, I blamed your little meltdown on hormones.”

“You are such an asshole!” Stella grit out through her teeth and Jake laughed, turning to face her.

"It was that or he punched me in the mouth, and let’s face it gorgeous, this-."  he waved his hand in a circle round his face, finger pointing towards it"-is too good to ruin"

She looked at him, shaking her head and snorting as he dropped a kiss to her cheek and opened the door. The house was dark and empty as he let Stella in first, where she dropped her shoes which she was carrying in her hand to the floor as Jake followed her into the hall, dumping her bag.

“You want a drink?” Jake asked and Stella turned to him, nodding.

“Yeah”

“A proper one?”

“Dur.”

Jake grinned and he led her down the hall and into the little den where his dad kept the good stuff.  He tossed his jacket over the back of the arm chair, shrugging off his waistcoat and depositing that in the same place. Rolling his shirt sleeves up to get more comfortable, he yanked open the liquor cabinet and blinked when he saw the post it stuck on the front of the bottle of vodka. It was his dad’s handwriting and with a snort he pulled it off and handed it to Stella.

“Don’t even think about it…” she read with a laugh “Fuck he knows us so well.”

“Like he never did it.” Jake grumbled, shoving the bottle back. He stood up and made his way through to the kitchen, yanking open the fridge “Oh come on dad!” he groaned as he saw another note stuck to the beer. He read it and gave a shrug “ok, so apparently this is fine…”

He pulled two out, popped the lids and handed one to Stella. She took a huge pull and let out a groan.

“Not being able to legally drink until 21 sucks “she grumbled, “I mean how can we be old enough to join the army but not consume alcohol?”

“Maybe we should move to Europe babe.” He said as they both dropped onto the sofa. Stella snorted and then sighed.

“We may end up doing.” She tapped her finger nails against the bottle “I mean, who knows where we’re gonna end up.” “Yeah, well we got years to think about that.” Jensen shrugged as he reached for the remote to turn the TV on but stopped abruptly as Stella grabbed his wrist.

“Seriously, the house is ours…and you brought me home early to watch TV?”

“No, I was…just…” he trailed off as she took the bottle off him, placed it on the table and then hitched her dress up slightly so she could straddle him. Jensen swallowed a little as her hands gently copped his face and she kissed him. For reasons which he couldn’t even place himself, because damned they’d done a lot more than simply make out, he was nervous and it showed clearly as Stella pulled back, frowning a little.

“What’s wrong?”

Jake looked at her, blinking in the dim light of the room and shook his head, jerking himself to his senses “Nothing, nothing at all.”

In a flash his lips were back on hers, his arms round her back as he held her close, his tongue snaking into her mouth, tanging with hers. As the kissing grew in intensity, he could feel himself growing aroused and clearly Stel could do as she rotated her hips slightly, grinding down against him and he gave a hiss. His hands moved to the side of her thighs, pushing up her skirt even further, fingers trailing against her skin and she moaned as he gripped her ass, giving a little squeeze. With an easy movement, Jake stood and turned them so she was under him on the couch. His lips moved to her jaw and he trailed hot kisses down her neck to the top of her dress, focussing on that spot on her neck he’d found the first time they’d made out, enjoying the little whimpers she made right by his ear. His hands crept back up her skirt, settling on her hips as her arms wrapped around him, dancing over the top of his shirt. His lips moved back to her mouth and he kissed her again, pushing down against her and Stella gave a soft keen of delight at the contact.  

“Fuck, I love you Stel.” He muttered against her mouth.

“Love you too Jakey.” Her voice was punctuated by a gasp and he pulled back to look at her, her eyes shining.

“Stel, I know…I haven’t asked you if you wanna…you know…” he stumbled over his words and she smiled softly, and cut him off.

“I do.”  She assured him before she pushed her head upwards, lips crashing onto his and her hands grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulling it free of his pants. His back muscles twitched as her hands danced over his skin, the sensation of her gently dragging her nails across the base of his spine sent a spike of desire, like a red hot poker through his entire body and he let out a groan.

“Can we go upstairs?” he asked softly.

“Yeah…” she nodded.

Wordlessly he stood up, shifting his pants slightly which were fucking uncomfortable thanks to his now painful erection and grabbing their beers in one hand, he held his other out and pulled her to her feet. He led her out into the hall, up the stairs and across the landing into his room, kicking the door shut with his foot.

He flicked on the lamp on his nightstand, his eyes glancing at the photo of the two of them taken after one of his soccer matches where his cheeks were red and his face was sweaty from the exertion of the game. He loved that snap, it was the final match of the season where they had won the league and the day he’d first told her he’d loved her. Her face had lit up as she’d whispered it back to him, before he’d made it past second base that evening on the chair in a dark corner of the garden, their families milling around elsewhere, completely oblivious.

He set the bottles of beer down and turned to look back at her. She was stood, watching him, biting her lip out of nervous anticipation and suddenly a wave apprehension crashed over him as he started to realise that this was going to happen. The thought of losing his virginity to Stel had never worried him before, hell, they’d done pretty much everything else bar hit the home run to so speak, but for some reason now it seemed like a big deal. He swallowed a little, his mind flicking back to the conversation he’d had with his sister a few days ago. Whilst he and his dad were close- condom conversation proving that- there were something he just didn’t want to ask his old man about, and how to make Stel feel good when he popped her cherry so to speak was one of them. So he’d approached Jane, who for once hadn’t ripped him to shit. She’d told him the first time was gonna be awkward as hell, so he needed to be gentle, get her off in some way before he poked her (Jane’s words, not his) and most importantly he had to make sure she was ready to do it.

Licking his lips he walked back towards her and she stepped closer to him, her eyes locking onto his as his hands fell to her hips and he kissed her again, before his fingers skated up the back of her dress and he found the zipper. With a deep breath, Jensen slid the zipper down her dress causing it to fall forward slightly and he got a glimpse of her breasts, which he had yet to actually see come to think of it, and here they were, clad in a lacy, strapless black bra. He held onto his shoulders and he glanced down, watching her as she stepped out of it, kicking it to the side.

“God you’re beautiful.” He stuttered out and Stella giggled nervously before he kissed her again and pivoted them so he could lay her out on her back on his bed. He crawled up next to her, laying on his side as she tipped her head and he kissed her again, his right hand sliding up and cupping her breast over her bra. Stella arched her back a little and Jensen’s groan caught in his throat as he slid his hand down her bare stomach and gently slipped it into her panties, over her soft curls and felt her slick against his fingers. He started to play with her, the way he’d found out she’d liked and his face watched hers intently as she bit her lip, her eyes falling shut in pleasure. Before long her hips started to move against his hand and he gently moved his wrist, inserting 2 fingers inside her. Her body reacted the way he’d seen before and encouraged he continued his movements. Her hand moved up to grab at his hair, pulling him down to kiss him and before long she was crying out, her hand wrapping around his wrist as her walls fluttered around his fingers as she came.

Jensen was actively now trying not to blow his load in his pants as he watched his girl ride out her orgasm. His eyes squinted slightly as he pressed his forehead to hers, the sticky fingers from her core resting on her hip. After a moment or two that same hand moved up her side and under her back, his eyes closed as he reached her bra.

His fingers paused on the clasp and he looked at her, remembering his sisters words and he kissed her again, his head pressing against hers.

“Please tell me you want this” he said, his voice a nervous plea.

“Yeah, yeah I do…” she nodded.

“Good, me too…ok...that’s good” he smiled against her lips as his fingers moved to her clasp. He’d read there was a technique to flicking it open with a snap of your thumb and finger, but right now that really wasn’t’ happening. Shifting slightly he slid his other arm underneath her as she moved her shoulders slightly to allow him to get both hands on it, but he was still struggling, his fingers slipping against the clasp.

“Stell.” He whispered and she looked at him.

“What?”

“I'm nervous” he lightly chuckled. She smiled, and bit her lip.

“Me too.” She sat up, “Here…” her arms moved behind her and she undid her bra, tossing it to the side as it fell forward. Jake watched, his throat bobbing as he swallowed, giving an involuntary gasp almost as he saw her bare breasts for the first time.

Her fingers gently undid the buttons on his shirt, pushing it over his shoulders and Jensen gently slid down, taking her lace panties with him before he stood up, dispensing of the rest of his clothes, his eyes roving over her bare form as she lay on the bed, watching him. Fuck, the sight of her laying there completely naked was sending him into overdrive so as quickly as he could he moved and reached into the drawer on his night stand for the box of condoms he’d bought especially. His fingers slipped a little as he tore the foil packet open, his hand shaking as he knelt on the bed between her legs, rolling it down over his shaft. It was awkward, and he was starting to get a little bit het up when Stella put a hand over his and he glanced up at her knowing full well she could read him, she always could. She guided his hand down and once he was sheathed he moved, his hands either side of her shoulders as he positioned himself.

With as gently a movement as he could, he worked his way gently into her letting out a loud groan, and her breath hitched a little. The sensation of being buried in her for the first time washed over him, her tight warmth hugging his cock and his arms gave way causing him to drop to his elbows. Luckily he caught himself in time, and he shifted a little to support his weight on his forearms so he didn’t crush her.

“You ok?” she asked softly. Every muscle in his body was tense and she could clearly feel it as he lay over her.

“Yeah.” He panted. “You?” “I’m good…” there was a little pause and she placed her hand on the bottom of his back, applying a little pressure with her palm, almost as if she was trying to pull him towards her "Jakey, you gotta move, please baby..."

So he did. He started thrusting. Slowly at first, picking up the pace a little as he gained confidence. Her hands slipped up his back and came to rest as her arms hooked under his, palms flat on the back of his shoulders.

Jensen watched her carefully as he continued his movements, his eyes locked onto hers. She looked straight back at him as her body gently moved with each thrust he made. He leaned down to kiss her, and it's was a little sloppy because his brain and body were that awash with this absolute new sensation of pleasure that he was struggling to function or focus on much at the moment. He broke the kiss, dropping his forehead to hers, his mouth slack as the heat tightened in his belly and he knew it wasn’t going to be long before he came.

"Stel, I'm not...I'm not gonna..." he started to explain, almost apologies even but she cut him off.

"It's ok,..." she nudged his nose with hers "Let me see you..."

He raised his head and she looked straight at him, and with a few more little thrusts he was gone, tipping over the edge with a little grunt and a cry of her name. As the surge of pleasure washed over him he pitched forward, burying his face into her neck, breathing deeply as the world span around him, the blood pounding in his ears was almost deafening.

Stella’s hands gently slid up his back, scratching at that spot on the nape of his neck, softly tangling in his hair.

"You ok, did I hurt you?" he asked, tilting his head to look at her.

"You'd never hurt me Jake."

“You’d never hurt me Jake…”

Those words echoed round Jensen’s brain and with a groan he rolled onto his back as sleep persistently evaded him. That was one trip down memory lane he hadn’t needed, more so because the words were fucking bullshit. He had hurt her, the one thing he'd always sworn never to do. That night, their first time had been perfect, and whilst it had been awkward as hell and he’d lasted all of 5 minutes, it had been special because they’d loved one another.

Jensen turned his head to see Britney, the dark haired friend of the nurse he’d met in the bar the other night sleeping, next to him and he lay back with his eyes fixed on a spot on the ceiling. Seeing Stella before had riled him enough to call the woman and pick her up from work after her shift ended at midnight. A bottle of wine and few shots of tequila later their clothes had ended up strewn all over his apartment and, well, here she was, fast asleep next to him.

It hadn’t been a bad fuck. Jensen had the impression Britney was after a release as much as he had been and it had shown, neither of them wasting any time on foreplay. But as he lay there he was kind of ashamed to admit he missed the cuddling that Stella would always seek out after.

With another sigh he hauled himself out of bed, located his boxers and headed to his kitchen for some water. He drained a glass before grabbing a packet of advil, tossing 2 down and then draining another glass before he wandered back into the bedroom, dropping back down next to his sleeping guest. He turned himself onto his side, his back facing her and closed his eyes willing sleep to come for him.

****

Not wanting to be a total Douchebag, Jake at least made Britney some breakfast the next morning before he told her he really needed to get ready to work. She smiled at him, understanding totally she was being dismissed and hopped off the stool by the breakfast bar, locating her clothing. He watched her go, noticing the way her hips swayed underneath his t-shirt was nothing like as arousing as how Stella’s did, before he dropped the dishes into the sink shaking his head.

Once she was ready, Jake opened the door to the landing and she turned to face him. “Look, I know this was probably a one- time thing but…”

At that point Stella’s door opened and Jake’s eyes flicked to her over Britney’s shoulder as she stopped dead and looked at him, then the woman in front of him, before she gave a snort and a shake of her head, turning to lock her door. Jensen felt that stupid, child inside him stir and he turned to Britney shaking his head.

“No, that’s…” he said, stopping her, his voice loud enough to carry across the landing “I’d like to take you out. Do it properly next time?”

“Really?” Britney almost squealed and threw her arms round him. “That’s…yeah, I’d love that Jensen.”

“Great, I’ll call.” He smiled, leaning down to give her a peck on the lips. She pulled back, pinched his cheek and then headed for the elevator

“Didn’t know Mc Donald’s dealt in brunettes.” Stella said dryly, arching an eyebrow.

Jensen shrugged and grinned “Let’s just say it was a different kinda drive through…”

Stella wrinkled her nose “That’s gross.”

Jensen snorted, and watched as she moved towards the elevator before she stopped and instead turned towards the stairs. He watched her go, and no sooner had the stairway door shut the elevator arrived.

“Bye!” Britney called, blowing him a kiss. Jensen smiled and then turned back into his apartment, shutting the door behind him, banging his head back against the wood. What the fuck had he just done? Something that was meant as a quick bang one night had suddenly morphed into him taking the girl on a date?

Could always just change your number?

No point…she knows where you live.

Move apartments?

Little dramatic, all things considered don’t you think?

Maybe you should give the girl a chance? I mean, after all, Stella’s taken one on Agent Dick Name…

Yeah. That was sensible, and she hadn’t been a bad lay after all.

With a decisive nod he pushed himself off the door and headed for the shower.

#too loose and you'll lose it #jake jensen #jake jensen x ofc #the losers #the losers fan fic

[concussed-to-pieces]

Whether It Works Out Or Not Part One

Fandom: Red Dead Redemption 2

Pairing: Eventual Arthur Morgan/Named OFC

Rating: Holy shit M.

AN: You guys wanna' join me in yeehell? I don't know what's happened to me. I'm from New England. I shouldn't find this cowboy chicanery appealing, and yet here I am with eighty something hours in the game. So! I've only just gotten to Chapter Three and I have avoided spoilers thus far. Enjoy!

[Spoiler warning for the first three chapters of the game!]

Tag List: @huliabitch​ @cookiethewriter​ @pedrosbigdorkenergy​ @thirstworldproblemss​ @anonymouscosmos​ @culturalrebel​ @karmezii​ @teaofpeach​ @crookedmoonsaultpunk​ @zombiexbody​ @nelba​ @gabrielle1776​ @toxiicpop​ @mstgsmy​

[!TRIGGER WARNING!: This installment contains gore/graphic depictions of violence, historical inaccuracies and general peril. Stay safe!]

Irene Craft had lived as a man for six months when she first met him. 

Six glorious, difficult, yet somehow simultaneously carefree months.

The fateful night she had decided to leave her husband and make her own way in the world had been a long time coming. Every book, every treatise, every pamphlet she could get her hands on, she had devoured. She had no finances to speak of, everything was in her husband's name, so she knew that her struggle would be long and fraught with peril. But she refused to endure the abuse any longer, especially once he made an idle comment about pregnancy and how it would 'bind her to him forever.' 

His bone-chilling chuckle afterwards had stiffened her resolve to steel. She left as the moon waned, her mount's saddlebags full of food and the mended clothes she would need for her new life. 

In the city of Saint Denis, she sold her hair. Once her mother's pride and joy; when brushed out it reached the young woman's hips. The curls were unruly and dull russet in shade, but her mother had sworn up and down they bore auburn tones if the sun hit just right. Irene wondered briefly what her mother would say about her doing this, going to be shorn like a sheep, but she quickly put the thought out of her head. Her mother had been dead for nearly five years at that point, and her father in the ground for two. He had lived long enough to see her married off to the man he deemed a suitable match, and then the good Doctor Craft had passed on.

The barber, at the very least, was sober and much more kind than she had anticipated. He didn't begrudge her the few tears she did let fall, and he gave her a fair price for her locks. 

With that business settled, Irene acquired supplies with her newfound wealth and headed up into the mountains. If her luck held, no one would come looking for such a delicate, fragile lady in the dangerous climes. She would take her chances, regardless.

…

The first few months were...challenging. 

There was a massive difference between having the knowledge from books and having the experience that one could only garner out in the field. Bitter cold and hunger were excellent teachers though, and she had always been a quick study. Her mistakes were not often repeated. 

Irene learned how to fletch her own arrows, learned how to snare small game and how to track large prey, how to build her shelters in the lee of bluffs to fend off the howling winds that whipped through the mountains. She made her living by hunting deer and other game to sell for their hides and meat in the nearby town of Valentine. No one would look for a woman if all they saw was a man, so she kept bundled up and pitched her voice into a low rasp when she needed to interact with other folks. 

Irene had decided, in a fit of petulance, that she would call herself Frank. Franklin had been her father's name, and no doubt if he had been blessed with a son, the child would have been plagued by it as well. Doctor Craft loathed it when folk called him Frank, always correcting them with a belligerent harumph. Saints preserve them if they dared to call him Frankie.

So Frank Craft she became, the soft-spoken hunter who lived alone in the hills.

It was peaceful, but more importantly she was free.

Until the day she stumbled into a trap.

...

Again, she had been living in the mountains for around six months when this particular disaster struck. It had been a long day spent tracking a bull elk, which she had managed to fell just as night blanketed the landscape. Had it still been daylight out, she doubted she would have found herself in such a precarious position.

As it was, she had debated making camp right there, but ultimately decided to lash the hulking beast to her horse and forge her way back to her previous site.

She had been leading her horse through the fresh powder, not wanting to tax the weary animal, and didn't see the bear trap before her boot landed squarely in the middle of it. A mistake that would have cost her the whole leg, had she not been wearing these particular heavy furred boots. The trap also seemed worn, not crushing her foot outright as she had feared but simply gripping her ankle like a vise. 

Though admittedly, it mattered very little. She was stuck. Her horse, a skittish, ghostly pale thing by the name of Bluster, immediately panicked at the sound of the trap snapping shut and fled. Irene swore at the damn animal until her voice threatened to give out, calling him every unkind name in the book while she tried to pry the jaws of the trap open to no avail. 

She sat down awkwardly in the snow, bracing her free foot and then straining backwards in an attempt to unseat the tree that the trap's chain was secured to. Unfortunately for her, it held just fine. Then, she tried hobbling over to the tree and seeing if she could shim the chain off with a wedge, but that also proved futile.

Irene growled more obscenities under her breath, flopping onto her back and hammering her fists into the snow at her sides. "Shit." She sighed, the reality of her situation dawning slowly. She was trapped in a device that would no doubt cut off the circulation to her foot. There was a high probability of her losing the foot if that occurred. If, of course, she didn't perish from the cold or lack of food first. 

Irene pressed her hands to her eyes, sucking in a lungful of the crisp, pine-scented air while she tried to assure herself that she would manage to escape this mess just like all the others. She wouldn't just give up, absolutely not! 

As she sat there wracking her brain and trying to see whether she could muscle the trap apart enough for her to at least wiggle her foot out of her boot, she heard the distinct sound of a horse bumbling through the undergrowth. "Bluster!" She shouted, her voice a strange combination of husky and ragged. "You bastard, runnin' off at the first sign of trouble!"

But the horse that greeted her eyes first was not, in fact, Bluster. It was an appaloosa, still shaggy with its winter coat. On its back was a man in a heavy blue jacket, shearling peeking out at the collar. And in his hands were the reins for the sheepish-looking Bluster, who peered around the appaloosa and whinnied guiltily at her.

"Howdy mister." The man shook Bluster's reins. "I reckon this fine specimen is yours?"

Irene had never been more thankful to see a huge, imposing man in all her life. "Yessir, yes he is. I know we've only just met, but I don't suppose you'd be willing to offer me a helping hand?" She gruffed out, indicating her trapped foot with a grimace.

The man's face was in shadow from his hat, the moonlight overhead throwing everything into stark contrast. She caught a brief flash of teeth when he smiled. "Oh sure." He drawled, dismounting and securing Bluster to a nearby tree. His own horse he simply left the reins to trail, no doubt trusting the creature to behave itself. That done, he sauntered over to her, crouched down and with one low grunt, easily forced the jaws of the trap apart. "There. Simple enough. You weren't in there for very long, were you?" He asked, sounding a bit worried while she vigorously rubbed the circulation back into her leg. With any luck, she would escape with nothing but some bruising.

"My sincerest thanks." Irene said gratefully, "no, it's hardly been an hour." She cocked her head curiously. "May I know the name of my rescuer, sir?"

"Uh, Arthur." He replied, shaking her proffered hand. "You sound like you've got some learnin' under your belt there, Mister…?"

"Frank Craft, Mister Arthur, and I don't know what fate would have befallen me had you not stumbled across the," Irene paused, raising her voice pointedly at Bluster, "titanic coward that is my loyal steed. I'm in your debt, my friend." She waved a hand at Bluster, indicating his heavy burden. "As you can see, I had a relatively successful hunt before this misfortune befell me. Normally I'd head into town with it at daybreak, but seeing as you've saved my life and all, it's only fair that you should have it."

"Whoa now, I ain't helped you to get your hunt." Arthur protested, tipping his head to the side and permitting the moon's illumination to reach beneath the brim of his hat. Irene was momentarily struck dumb by just how blue his eyes were, nearly missing when he continued, "too many folk in this world only help other people on account of gettin' somethin' in return. If I was caught in a trap and I ain't had nothin' to give you for freein' me aside from gratitude, would you leave me?"

"What? No, that's barbaric." Irene almost forgot to adjust her voice, wincing when it cracked awkwardly. 

Arthur chuckled, getting to his feet and offering her a hand up. She stumbled, her foot still numb, and the man kept a firm hand on her elbow until she regained her balance. "Now, that noble hogwash bein' said, I do got a lot of mouths to feed. So if the offer still stands, Mister Frank, I'd be mighty grateful."

"Absolutely! As long as you'll put it to use." And really, what was one day's worth of work to her? She could always find another creature to stalk and harvest. Bluster whickered nervously when she approached, the horse's ears flicking back and forth to catch the sound of her voice when she grumbled about his cowardice. "Kneel, Bluster." The horse clumsily obeyed and Irene untied the elk from his back, rolling it off onto the snow.

"Huh, that's a neat trick. I wouldn't have thought of that." Arthur remarked. "Teachin' a horse his dancin' steps and such."

"How else would I have gotten it up onto him?" Irene asked, grinning when Arthur chuckled again. "Of course, seeing as you muscled that trap open like it was nothing, I doubt you've ever had to worry about that sort of problem."

As if to prove her point, Arthur shouldered the elk up from the ground and neatly deposited it onto his own horse. The sturdy beast didn't so much as nicker, obviously used to this treatment. "You're more than welcome back at my camp, Mister Frank." He offered. "I reckon there's enough on this big bastard to warrant you gettin' a bowl of stew in the bargain."

Irene was already shaking her head before he could finish, politely declining his invitation. "I'm afraid I'm not suitable for most company, Mister Arthur. Been out here alone for too long. Maybe once the thaw hits, I'll suss out human companionship again." 

Arthur chewed thoughtfully for a moment, then spat off to the side. "Well, I am mighty grateful all the same, Mister Frank. I know the others will appreciate this. Adios until we meet again, then?" 

He touched the brim of his hat and Irene returned the gesture with a smile. "Adieu, Mister Arthur."

…

Two months went by before their paths crossed once more. 

Irene had located a dense thicket of blackberry bushes down in the lowlands and spent almost two entire days stripping the branches of their fruit. A house was coming together just outside of Valentine, and that meant soon enough there would be a gathering for the last push of assembly. As she daydreamed about the most recent time she had been to a party (a dreary affair for her husband's birthday, full of ah the stately beauty and oh isn't she a catch despite her age), she failed to notice Bluster growing severely agitated about something. 

Now granted, the horse's name was Bluster for a reason; he was always in a twist about one thing or another. So Irene paid him very little mind. By the time she noticed the problem, Bluster had snapped his tether line and taken off like a shot.

A bear, it was a bear, oh sweet Lord. Irene froze, a handful of berries halfway to her mouth while the beast scratched at the ground not fifteen feet away from her. It hasn't spotted me, she realized, trying desperately to recall what she had read about black bears. Was she supposed to run? Was she supposed to back away slowly? Wave her arms and yell? 

Shit.

The bear grumbled, glancing around and sampling the air suspiciously. It appeared to notice her and reared up on its hind legs, unleashing a deafening roar. She was frozen, her knees shaking as the creature lumbered forward. She couldn't even open her mouth to scream. It rushed her with what seemed to be the devastating speed of a locomotive and she was knocked prone, her hand darting to her side, draw your knife idiot!

Her head flew back from the momentum of the assault and struck the ground hard when she landed, the blow sending sparking wheels of color across her vision and fading everything out for what felt like a lifetime. She had assumed she was dead, but someone shaking her shoulder roughly roused her back to consciousness. Irene groaned in pain, stirring.

"Alright, he lives! Wasn't sure for a little bit there." That voice. She knew that voice. "You comin' 'round, Mister Frank?"

Frank. Frank. Right, that was her. She was Frank. And that voice… "Arthur?" She rasped blearily. 

He was on one knee over her, blocking out the sun with his large form. He inclined his head, drawling, "in the flesh, Mister Frank! Looks like you hit your head real hard when you landed. Put your own lights out."

Irene grimaced, moving to sit up. "Shit," she swore, touching the back of her head and feeling her fingers grow sticky with blood. The bear. She looked around frantically, spotting the creature slumped beside her with an arrow clean through its eye socket. 

Arthur seemed to notice her distress, placing a well-meaning hand on her shoulder. "Easy now, boah. It's okay. You were lucky today, I s'pose." That hand traveled up the back of her neck, the man indelicately tipping her head forward and then whistling as he examined the wound on the back of it. "Damn, you'll have a hell of a scar. Looks like it's already stopped bleedin', though." 

"How did you...where did you even come from?" Irene asked in confusion. 

The man nodded in the direction of a large, grassy knoll to the west of their current location, adjusting himself absentmindedly in his pants when he settled back onto his haunches. Irene still had yet to maneuver that particular tic into her 'masculine' repertoire. She struggled enough with the spitting in public, and the last thing she wanted was to be labeled a pervert or a degenerate simply on account of her adjustments being 'less than organic'. "I didn't notice you was down here until the bear did, I'm pretty sure." He remarked. "Think you startled him as much as he startled you. You foragin' for berries?"

"Yes, I...I was thinking about treats and parties and I'm afraid I wasn't paying attention." Irene admitted, her face going a little red. Whether from the frank thoughts of adjusting or the shame of being caught unawares, she was uncertain.

"Blackberry pie, right?" Arthur hummed, obviously sympathizing with her distraction. "Means summer's really here. You bake things like that?" He rummaged in his satchel without waiting for a reply, pulling out a bandanna and two bottles. One bottle she recognized as whiskey, but the other was much smaller and made of a greenish glass. "You're gonna' want this to take the edge off." Arthur informed her calmly, pressing the bottle of whiskey into her hand and then uncorking the small bottle with his teeth.

"Edge?" She asked, wary now.

"Eeyup. Take a swig and I'll get started on this."

This was, apparently, cleaning and dressing the wound on the back of her head. Which, incidentally, the lone slug of whiskey she drank did nothing for. She didn't dare consume any more than that, however. Wine in the drawing room was one thing, but whiskey out in the berry patch was a horse of a different color. Arthur was at least capable, if a little more ruthless than the average physician. She had endured worse. 

"You're a real lucky boah, Frank. Ain't deep enough to need stitchin'." 

"I do feel immensely lucky today." Irene replied dryly, "a dead bear at my feet, a stomach full of fresh blackberries and a bottle of whiskey in my hand. Tell me, how could my life get any better than this?" She cringed in pain but the sensation quickly dulled in the wake of Arthur's gravelly chuckle.

"Gotta' say, you did a damn fine job of distractin' that bear. Let me get the easiest shot I've ever taken." He remarked conversationally after several minutes of silence. 

"Mister Arthur, should I ask what it is that you're daubing all over the back of my head? Or is that a fool's errand?"

"What, this? Some uh…" he paused, flipping the bottle over and squinting at the label. "Ginseng and yarrow. Ol' Hosea swears by it and he's been alive longer n' most."

Irene relaxed slightly. The combination didn't sound too sinister, though she was unfamiliar with herbal medicine that wasn't refined tinctures. This was more of a paste than anything, Arthur constantly stopping to coax a bit more of it down the neck of the bottle. "Well, I'm very grateful, Mister Arthur. You don't have to-"

"I know." Arthur interrupted her. "You ain't beholden to me or anythin', don't fret. Though if you'd like to stick around an' help me butcher up that bear, I wouldn't say no." 

"Are you still hunting for a small army?"

Arthur sounded rueful when he replied, "feels like there's more of 'em every damn day. I'll be takin' this kill into town. The women want the essentials, their flour and sugar and such." He grumbled, "dunno' why they need so damn much flour."

"Well, how else will they make pies?" Irene pointed out.

"Huh. S'pose you're right." Arthur said after a moment, seeming surprised. "Guess I never grew out the phase of thinkin' pies an' cakes just show up fresh on windowsills."

Cleanly skinning and butchering the good-sized bear was a long and arduous process, even with two sets of hands working on the task. Bluster had reemerged from the woods after a time and now grazed peacefully alongside Arthur's mare, that appaloosa from before who had since shed her winter coat. 

Arthur finally sat back on his haunches, wiping the sweat off his forehead and accidentally leaving a rusty red trail of blood in its wake. "Welp, I dunno' about you, Mister Frank. But I could certainly do with a wash-up and a meal." He had taken his hat off while they worked, his tawny, sun-streaked hair curling around his ears and sticking out at odd angles from the sweat. "Join me for supper, won't you?" He requested, hooking a thumb over his shoulder at the stream that flowed in a gully past the knoll. "Ain't nobody can chide me about takin' the best bits of the critter if nobody knows." He continued with a smirk. "Can I trust you not to rat me out, Frank?"

Irene hesitated. She was hungry and tired from the long day. Arthur didn't seem all that dangerous. Or rather, he obviously was, but in a way that was honest and blunt. "Absolutely." She replied firmly. "Your secret is safe with me, Mister Arthur."

"Now, I am gonna' ask for a handful or two of them berries you got." Arthur carried on as he got to his feet, extending a hand to help her up. "As rec...recompense and such."

Irene sighed dramatically. "Ah, I should have known no good deed goes unpunished. And here I thought that offering myself up as unwitting bait was more than enough to justify a mouthful or two of meat."

Arthur's laugh was raucous, the large man clapping her on the back hard enough to make her stumble. "You're a good man, Frank."

"Nowhere near as good as you, Arthur." She retorted with a grin, confused by the way his face darkened.

"'Fraid I'd never be able to claim that title, Frank." Arthur said quietly, the mirth gone from his expression. "Beardless youth like yourself ain't oughta' cast me in any sort of decent light. I ain't a good person."

"Hey, what was it you said when you freed me up from that trap? 'Too many folk in this world only help other people on account of gettin' somethin' in return', right?" Irene reminded him, trying to mimic his deep, honeyed drawl. She must have done a poor job, because Arthur cracked a reluctant smile. "You've helped me twice, now! Surely that warrants a smattering of decent light, wouldn't you agree?"

"Aw hell, Frank, I just don't want you developin' any lofty notions about my character is all! Don't want you gettin' your hopes dashed." Arthur protested. "I ain't no saint or role model or anythin' like that."

"Don't worry about my preconceptions, Mister Arthur. I don't view you as a role model at all." Irene wanted to laugh at how crestfallen he looked, despite his big talk. She splashed water on her hands, scrubbing at the blood on them with some of the sand from the riverbed. "I view you as a friend. A friend with flaws and drawbacks just like myself. Just like all human beings have." She elaborated, startled when Arthur crouched beside her on the riverbank and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you." The man said sincerely, his blue eyes warm and bright. "That means a whole lot to me, Mister Frank. I'd like to count you as a friend myself, if I could."

Irene forgot her tongue for a moment, ensnared by the blatantly hopeful look he was giving her. He must have any woman within fifty miles of here falling head over heels for him! "You'll have a remarkably difficult time trying to get rid of me, Mister Arthur. I'm very persistent." She finally managed to respond. "Like a mangy mutt once you feed it some table scraps."

"I reckon it's settled then." Arthur's smile had returned, and Irene found herself oddly pleased that she had been the one to bring it back.

...

They camped there under the stars that night. 

Arthur planned to head into town the following day, where he would sell off the bear and then assist in the last few steps of the house building. But for now, he occupied himself with creating a roast fit for a king. Irene watched curiously as he studded the whole cut with herbs, finally daring to ask him a few questions about cooking. He obliged her with answers graciously and freely. Despite his opinionated stance on baking, he obviously had no such reservations when it came to cooking.

"I'm always afraid my ignorance of plants will get me into serious trouble. Lord only knows how many poisonous things I could consume if left to my own devices." Irene admitted, certain that he must think her foolish.

Arthur rummaged around in his satchel and pulled out a worn leather-bound journal. He tossed her the notebook, chuckling lowly when she nearly fumbled it. "I sketch a fair amount, look at the last pages. Check the margins for whether it's edible or not."

When she tugged loose the strap that held the journal closed and obediently cracked it open to the last few pages, Irene was flabbergasted. Sprawled across the pages were both detailed drawings and fleeting sketches of various plants and animals. "Arthur," she said, her voice breaking as she nearly forgot to pitch it lower. The older man glanced up at her, his brow furrowed. "These are incredible."

"What is?" Arthur asked in confusion. It abruptly seemed to dawn on him and he grinned sheepishly, shaking his head. "Oh, my l'il drawin's? They're just somethin' to pass the time, mostly. Done 'em ever since I was a kid."

"They're amazing!" Irene praised, making sure her hands were clean and free of grease before she even dared to hover her fingertips over the sketched snout of a border collie. "You actually capture the motion of the creature, which is a rare talent. I've seen a lot of art in my day, Mister Arthur, but few pieces have the same amount of life in them that your work displays."

"Aw shucks Frank, you're layin' it on pretty thick ain't ya'?" Arthur protested, and his face might not have been pink from just the heat of the fire. "It's nothin' special."

"Oh it absolutely is. These are...I mean all the plants are so detailed. Easily identifiable. Can you draw people and structures as well?" 

Arthur took the journal back and carefully flipped through it to a few different pages, showing her that his skill extended to more than just plants and animals. An oil derrick sketched proud and tall against the blank-page sky, a blind man who he had come across in his travels, a two-page spread of a small camp titled Horseshoe Overlook...  "Like I said, though, ain't nothin' special." He finished firmly, tucking the sketchbook back into his satchel. 

"You ought to make a book!" Irene suggested. "For those of us ingrates that wouldn't know oregano from our elbow."

"Me? A book?" Arthur scoffed at the idea. "Last thing I want is more attention."

"Well...you could do it under a pseudonym!"

"A what? Listen here, Frank, I ain't no good Christian man, but I ain't about to pseudo...seedo...look, I ain't doin' nothin' to nobody's nims, alright?" Arthur sounded absolutely scandalised. 

"Arthur, a pseudonym is just a fake name." Irene explained.

"Oh. Oh. Shit. Well I knew that." Arthur blustered at her, huffing out a breath. "Just...makin' sure you knew, is all!"

"Of course." Irene got to her feet, dusting herself off. "So. He can cook, he can draw, he can hunt…" she trailed off, doing her best to keep her tone light as Arthur continued to mumble in a flustered manner and fidget with the brim of his hat. "Is there anything you can't do, Mister Arthur?"

His laugh in reply was devoid of humor, a bitter noise. "Sure. Can't seem to stay out of trouble. More accurately though, can't seem to avoid gettin' dragged into trouble."

Irene squatted beside him next to the fire, debating giving his shoulder a rough shove of comradery. But the concern of accidentally knocking him over into the embers was enough to make her gentle her touch to a light pat. "I'm sorry to hear that, Arthur." She said quietly.

"Ah, don't pay me no mind, Frank. I'm just bellyachin'." Arthur placed his hand over hers absently, like it was an instinctive response. "You're a good kid. Don't get yourself tangled up in someone else's woes like I have, you understand me?" He admonished her sternly. 

"I'm hardly a child, Mister Arthur." Irene protested. "I am nearly twenty-seven." 

"What, without a lick of facial hair and your voice still shatterin'?" He teased, grazing her bare jaw with a large hand. "Naw, you ain't. But it's okay, your secret's safe with me."

"Arthur." Irene grabbed his hand, staring him down. She wasn't sure why this of all things was what she was caught up on. Maybe it was the notion that he believed she, or rather, Frank, was some fool stripling that had just been lucky so far. "I'm not a child."

Arthur stared at her, and for a split-second Irene was certain she had sold herself out. But then the older man abruptly guffawed, clapping her on the back. "No, I s'pose you ain't. You got old steel in them eyes of yours, Frank. Seen too much for your time on this earth, I imagine."

...

The final day had come at long last. 

Irene hurried to help finish the last few clapboards for the outside of the house, nearly crushing her thumb with the hammer in her haste. 

Various men and women from Valentine proper had already started to gather in the yard. Tables were being shuffled together, delicious smells coming from the freshly-christened firepit. Spirits were high and laughter was loud in the sunshine of midday, and Irene couldn't help her smile as she looked around. 

It was truly a marvelous thing to be a part of a community that willingly accepted anyone who would help, regardless of their past transgressions. She felt utterly at peace here, even in the midst of such organized chaos. 

A heavy arm landed around her shoulders and she felt a hand nearly shove the hat clean off her head. "There he is!" Arthur announced gladly, making her laugh. "It's finally time for the fun! You gonna' be stickin' around this evenin'?" 

"Maybe." Irene allowed, letting him haul her into his side with his grip on her shoulders. Arthur didn't seem to actually know just how strong he was, which strangely enough made her feel safer around him. "And you, Arthur?"

"I wouldn't miss it!" The man replied, his voice bright with excitement. "Been too long since there was a reason to celebrate. Was a hard winter. Folks need this shit." 

"Absolutely." Irene ducked out from beneath his arm and straightened her hat. "I'll see you later, Arthur. Gotta' go get washed up!" 

Valentine was barely a five minute walk down the road, but impatience ate away at her and she broke into a jog. She'd hatched a plan for tonight. A foolhardy, stupid plan. She still had no clear idea why she was doing this, even as she sauntered up the steps to the Valentine hotel. 

Irene slapped her money down on the counter, paying up front for a bath and a room for the night. Her spurs rattled loudly while she made her way up the stairs, nerves building in her throat like frantic bird wings beating away just beneath the skin.

It had been a short eternity since she had even seen herself in a looking glass, much less worn a dress. 

The dress itself was nothing like the elaborate ones she had worn during her marriage. It was a plain fawn-brown color, lacking in lace trim or cumbersome whale bone buttons. A dress for this new life she had made, one that she could don and doff unaided.

Once she had scrubbed herself pink with the provided tub of hot bathwater and lye soap that threatened to be iris-scented, of all things, Irene stepped into the dress and slowly buttoned the tiny buttons that ran the length of the front. Thankfully, the cut was modest enough that she wouldn't need a fichu to cover up with.

She had been avoiding looking at herself in the mirror until she absolutely had to, and when she finally did gather her courage she was shocked by what met her gaze. She looked older, of course, a bit more weathered, but she looked alive. She had haunted her husband's house like a ghost, gaunt and battered and seen not heard. Now though, her eyes were clear and her cheeks were pink even without pinching, a byproduct of the fresh outdoor air. Her shoulders were freckled liberally as well, though the dress hid them well enough with its high neckline and long sleeves. Her mother had always tried to dull her freckles out with those blasted rose tea treatments and lemon, but the spots had stubbornly persisted.

Her hair though…

She grimaced, raking her fingers through the sun-lightened corkscrews that bounced and sprang back around her ears. It seemed that, as usual, her hair would be hopelessly unmanageable. Mercifully, since she always wore a hat, at least her hair wouldn't be the thing to give her away. Wonder of all wonders, it did appear that there was some auburn mixed in with the brown.

Irene emerged from her room, locking the door securely behind her and tucking the key into her pocket. She paused to straighten out her skirts, smiling a little dumbly downwards at the pleats while she swished back and forth in a brief moment of indulgence. However, no sooner had she stopped to do so than a large body in a hurry nearly toppled her over. She heard a startled grunt as the person managed to catch her, and then a familiar voice apologized, "sorry ma'am! 'Fraid I'm like a bull in a china shop sometimes."

Arthur, it was Arthur. Oh Lord. Irene stared at his boots in an effort to buy herself time to collect her thoughts, noticing dimly that he too had bathed and clearly attempted to tidy himself up. Did she come clean right now? Confess that she wasn't Frank at all, but Irene? Lord, this whole plan was stupid! What had she been thinking?! "Oh no sir, I should be the one apologizing. I was so excited for the festivities I appear to have forgotten my sensibilities." Her voice was soft and she looked up at him through her lashes, wondering whether he would even recognize her without a layer of grime on her face. "Forgive my inattention, won't you?"

Arthur, for some reason, swallowed hard. "Well, ain't you just as pleasant as punch! You must be from outta' town. My name's Arthur, ma'am, and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He gave her a little half-bow and Irene barely contained her relief at his blatant unfamiliarity with her. Obviously she needn't have worried. 

"My name is Irene, Mister Arthur, and trust me, the pleasure is all mine." She replied, automatically accepting the hand he offered. "Are you looking forward to the party as well?"

"Oh sure, Miss Irene." That drawl lingered sinfully on the syllables of her Christian name and Irene felt herself blush. "It's a rough life out here, only makes sense for folks to take what joy they can find where they can find it." Arthur glanced down at her, his smile a bit melancholy. "House raisin's hard work, but it's less tedious if we all know there's somethin' lighthearted waitin' at the end. Good food, good company…" He trailed off, clearing his throat.

"Of that, I'm certain!" Irene dared to continue holding his arm once they reached the street, and Arthur made no move to dislodge her. "Do you think there will be dancing, Mister Arthur?"

He chuckled at her obvious excitement. "I s'pose there might be. I'm not much one for dancin', though."

"Well," Irene said boldly, "I would be just delighted if I could steal a dance with you at some point this evening."

Arthur's eyebrows shot up to his golden-brown hairline. "You sure you got the right feller, ma'am?" 

"Of course! Please Arthur, won't you save me a dance?" She implored sweetly.

Arthur sighed, shaking his head. "Alright, which one of 'em put you up to this? It was Karen, weren't it. Woman won't stop interferin' in my personal affairs." He growled, "I ain't lookin' for pity, Miss Irene."

"What?" Irene asked in confusion. "No, I haven't been put up to anything. I...I simply wanted a dance. Have I offended you, Mister Arthur?" This could be an irreparable blunder! Her plan might be in shambles.

"Aw hell, now I feel like a fool." Arthur rubbed a hand over the back of his neck sheepishly. "Pardon my suspicion, Miss Irene. I'm used to bein' passed over is all." He mumbled. 

"What?" Irene gasped theatrically, loving the way his laughter rumbled in his chest. "A fine man such as yourself, passed over? That's deplorable, Mister Arthur!"

"Shucks ma'am, I'm passable decent, but I don't know if I'd ever call myself fine." Arthur smiled, his face a bright, endearing pink. Oh, complimenting him elicited the sweetest results! Irene was enraptured.

"Would you accompany me along the path to the festivities, Mister Arthur? I'm afraid I have no chaperone this evening." She implored. It was so strange, sliding easily back into being able to make polite conversation or clinging to an arm with rapt attention while a man spoke. She supposed all those etiquette lessons had done her some good. At least with Arthur she didn't have to feign her attention.

He nodded, swallowing hard again. "Sure, I can do that, Miss Irene."

"Oh!" Irene said suddenly like a thought had just occurred to her, the young woman making a move to pull away. "I apologize, Mister Arthur. It is so presumptive of me to monopolize your time. Did I interrupt you on your way to the Mrs. Arthur? Or perhaps a tryst with your beloved? I'm afraid I've always been rather self-absorbed, do forgive me."

He chuckled sadly, shaking his head. "Ma'am, there's no need for all that." He said, patting her arm in a way that he probably believed was soothing. Irene barely refrained from laughing at the knowledge that he calmed people like he calmed his horse. "All I'm headin' for tonight is some merriment with the local folk." He paused, still patting her hand absently. "Y'know, I think you'd get on real well with a friend of mine by the name of Frank." Arthur remarked, appearing oblivious to the way she froze. "He's got some real hellfirin' opinions and a noble heart. Nothin' like me at all, a genuine, sweet boah. Outspoken, but kinda' shy 'round lots of folks. If we stumble across him, I'll introduce you."

"Oh I very much doubt that we'll see him tonight." Irene muttered under her breath to herself, a little puffed up by the praise Arthur had inadvertently lavished upon her.

…

There was indeed food and drink, and Irene found herself in the midst of conversation more often than not. It was incredibly amusing to know that all she needed to do was wash the dirt off her face and don a dress to make 'Frank' disappear into the ether. But again, that had been the whole point.  

The musicians were tuning up when she noticed something odd. There was an unmanned violin (or fiddle, perhaps), sitting forlorn and silent on the front steps. Irene straightened out her dress and made her way carefully over to the stairs. "Pardon me, sirs," she called cheerfully. "but where is your violinist?"

"Ah, I'm sorry ma'am, but ol' Jefferson died durin' the winter." The guitarist informed her, looking a touch morose. "Figured we'd bring out his Hyde so it could at least listen to all the hubbub. Be a shame to leave it to gather dust."

"My deepest condolences." Irene murmured, going to turn away and then biting her lip as she paused. "Sirs, I...perhaps I could be of assistance? I have...some prior experience with violin." Nobody needed to know about the years spent learning, and the few bright moments in her marriage being her improvising quick, jaunty tunes alone in the drawing room. Leaving the instrument behind had been like leaving a piece of her heart, but it was so delicate and fragile…

"Well if you think you can keep up, you're more n' welcome to rosin the bow ma'am." The man smiled, gesturing at the fiddle. "It would do it some good to be played again, I'll wager." 

Irene was scooping up the instrument almost before he had finished speaking, immensely pleased to find out that it was relatively in tune. The man that she assumed would be the step caller graciously handed her a handkerchief to pad her cheek when she tucked the violin into place, and Irene spent several minutes hurriedly tightening and rosining up the bow. 

The first draw emitted a note that was clear, if a bit flat. Irene grinned sheepishly, fidgeting with the tuning pegs and then trying again. Ah, there it was. The instrument had a beautifully rich voice, no doubt facilitated by the stockier body it bore.

"Ladies and gentlemen, finish up your food! It's time for the real fun to begin!" The caller announced over the buzz of the populace. Tables began to move out of the way, clearing the front yard. 

"I see you're the fiddler this evenin'?" Irene started at the sound of Arthur's voice. She had lost track of him shortly after arriving to the party, the man apologizing to her even while he was getting dragged off by a dark-haired woman in a beautiful green dress. Now, he reclined against the railing, his eyes troubled but smile firmly in place.

"Hopefully, if the good Lord is merciful. It has been quite a while." Irene admitted. "I'd still very much like that dance, Arthur, if your other beaus don't keep you occupied." She jibed. Perhaps it was a bit bold for a woman to comment on an older man's pursuits, but she did feel that she could get away with a touch of good-natured ribbing.

"Welp," Arthur drawled, doffing his hat. "I s'pose we'll just have to see how the night goes, Miss Irene. I wouldn't call 'em beaus though. Just folks that want somethin' from me."

Irene tilted her head to the side, but Arthur managed to avoid her gaze. Following his line of sight, she noticed he appeared to be watching the dark-haired woman from earlier. "Who is your friend? I must know her seamstress, Mister Arthur, because that dress is lovely." 

"Mary." Arthur muttered, the name sounding like it was dragged out of him. "Uh, that is, the widow Linton."

"Oh no, the poor thing." Irene said sadly, meaning every word. There had been a time in her life where she had been utterly devoted to her fiance, believing that she had truly loved him. She could not begrudge anyone their own happiness, as wary as she had been made from her past experience. As the saying went, 'see how the bear behaves in its den before you decide to live with it.' 

"Eeyup, real shame. Pneumonia got him." Arthur informed her curtly.

Irene was sure her sympathy was evident on her face, because Arthur's sharp blue eyes had softened slightly when he looked back at her. Pneumonia was so sinister in its onset, the way it settled into the chest and by the time most patients realized it wasn't a cold, they were too far gone to help. "You should ask her to dance! Get her mind off of things." She suggested.

Arthur chuffed out a breath in a manner that was so similar to his horse Irene had to chew her lower lip to stave off her laughter. "Nope." He said firmly. "Mary shall not dance with me, Miss Irene. Not if I have anythin' to say about it. I doubt I'll dance much at all, honestly."

…

Arthur appeared to be sticking to his word throughout the night. He was indeed not much for dancing, but as he drank he got progressively more mobile. It was like his body loosened up, he smiled more, laughed louder…

He seemed absolutely thrilled when she found him later that evening, saying plainly, "There she is! I figured you forgot about me!" 

Irene shook her head, smiling up at him. She had politely declined her way across nearly the entire yard in order to reach him. "I don't think I ever could, Mister Arthur. May I ask for a dance?"

"Obliged to oblige, ma'am." Arthur extended a hand, drawing her in almost indecently close. "That was some fine music you played earlier." He drawled after a moment. 

Irene simply let herself be swayed back and forth, one hand on his shoulder and the other still entwined with his own. "Thank you." She replied softly. "It has been a while since I was able to indulge myself."

"Fiddlin' ain't a vice, ma'am." Arthur protested.

Irene chuckled. "Some might disagree, Mister Arthur."

"Well, they're wrong. How the hell could music be bad for someone?" He removed his hand from her hip to wave over at the group of men who were still currently playing away. "Music's good for the soul. Makes everythin' lighter. What miserable fools have you had to deal with?" Arthur grumbled.

Irene rolled her eyes comically. "Lord, you don't know the half of it!"

Arthur pressed her even tighter to his body, his breath hot over her ear when he murmured, "well Irene, they're dead wrong."

"Mister Arthur…" Irene went bright red at his proximity, at the heat that flooded her. What a strange sensation! Even back when she had been newly betrothed, before she had known her then-fiancé's cruelty, she had never experienced such a fierce reaction from a simple close whisper. Was it only to be chalked up to the newness of the experience? Or was it because it was Arthur doing it? 

"Irene, I hope I ain't bein' too forward when I...would you like to…" Arthur trailed off, clearing his throat. "I mean, I ain't got anythin' to offer you aside from a good time," he continued to hem and haw. "You seem like a genuine lady and I...someone like me ain't never really been allowed to touch that sort of person. I sleep under the stars and drink too much for anyone's good, never mind my own." His eyes met her own and a slow, almost forlorn smile played across his mouth. 

Despite the ribald impropriety of his words he looked so utterly tender, his hat slightly tilted and his eyes drowsily gentle. Irene found herself nodding before he even managed to actually ask her. "I have a room for the night, Mister Arthur. I am…" she hesitated. "Not...very experienced, but not inexperienced."

"Thank God." Arthur replied, surprising her. "You wouldn't want someone like me for somethin' like your first time."

"Oh?" Clearly, they had careened past the point of polite or appropriate conversation. But now, she was curious. "Why is that, Mister Arthur?"

He coughed, fidgeting with the brim of his hat. "I'm just...I'm not...fit for that sorta' thing. Not worth it. Fine ladies deserve a proper gentleman an' I ain't that." He stated. 

"Arthur…" Irene took his hands and tugged on them, leading him out of the yard and towards the roadside. "You're more of a gentleman than most, I can promise you that." She insisted.

"Miss Irene, wait!" The sound of her name being yelled made her pause, and Irene found herself abruptly confronted with the step caller as he thrust the fiddle's sturdy case at her. "Me and the boys, we got to talkin'. We figure you ought to keep the old Hyde, as a thank you of sorts." He said, sweeping his hat off his head. "Besides, if you leave it here it'll never be played. And there's nothin' worse than an unplayed fiddle. Believe me, I would know!" 

"I…" Irene wanted to burst into tears. This was so unexpected and kind. The case settled into her arms, like an old friend already. "B-But I have no way to-"

"Not for money ma'am. Simply for liftin' folks' spirits tonight. You take that Hyde and you spread that gift of yours around." 

"Thank you." Irene said sincerely, "I...you have no idea how much this means to me, sir."

"Mighty kind of you fellers." Arthur added, his grin a little sheepish when the caller turned his attention on him to express his thanks for Arthur's help in acquiring the remaining lumber for the house. He tried to wave off the praise to no avail, looking increasingly awkward the longer he was subjected to the step caller's enthusiasm.

The woman from earlier (Irene wracked her brain for a moment before remembering Mary, Mary) approached on Arthur's opposite side while he was preoccupied with the step caller. However, she didn't miss the way Arthur's posture went tight as he noticed Mary standing there expectantly. Arthur suddenly seized Irene's hand, muttered a curt, "obliged," to the step caller and set off at a brisk pace down the road. 

"Don't forget that you promised, Arthur Morgan!" The widow Linton called after him, her voice sharp. Arthur just waved a dismissive hand in her general direction.

Irene struggled to keep up even after Arthur scooped the case out of her arms, the man's longer legs easily outstripping her own. "Arthur, can you slow down?" She implored, a little fearful now. He looked like he was stewing, his shoulders squared against some invisible adversary.

Arthur obliged her in silence. He maintained that silence until they reached the outskirts of town, where he clarified, "you had a room, right?"

"Yes, I...yes. For the night." Irene answered softly. Arthur just nodded in reply. "Arthur, you don't-"

"I ain't gonna' hurt you." He cut her off. "You have my word, Miss Irene. Ain't got nothin' to fear from me."

Irene was still more than a touch anxious as they ascended the stairs, and she almost dropped the key, fumbling to get it into the lock. Arthur hummed low in his throat, that comforting horse pat landing on her arm again and soothing her enough that she managed to get the door open.

Arthur carefully set the case against the wall, and then he was on her. He kissed hungrily, his whole body pressed to hers before the door was even fully shut behind them. His tongue plunged into her mouth without so much as a warning or a by your leave. Irene had only read about this kind of kissing and experiencing it firsthand was composure-shattering. She found herself weak at the knees, grateful for the weight of Arthur's large form to anchor herself as he boldly coaxed her tongue to reply.

Irene shyly licked into his mouth, making a soft noise that had Arthur shuddering and offering his own groan in response. He pulled away, slow, like he was being dragged, and struggled to bring her with him.

The man sat down hard on the bed, urging her close in between his spread legs. Then, Arthur grabbed two handfuls of the back of her dress and rested his forehead on the spot directly beneath her breasts. 

Irene froze, confused until she felt his shoulders tremble. 

He was crying, like his heart was fit to break. Deep, shuddering sobs that came from somewhere by the floorboards and ravaged his entire body on the way up. Hesitantly, Irene carded her fingers through his hair, cradling the back of his head. She could feel the tears seeping into the fabric of her dress, slowly dampening the material.

"It's just never enough." Arthur finally said thickly. He stayed where he was, wearily slurring into her abdomen, "I give an' I give an' I do an' it's just...never enough to make folks happy."

"Arthur..." Irene whispered. She felt silly for not noticing sooner than something was very wrong, guilt rushing her as she realized that she had been so caught up in him giving her attention that she must have missed the signs.

"It's never enough that I'm just there, still alive, still willin', even though I'm a damn fool. Never enough." He mumbled, "God, I'm a fool."

"No you're not." Irene said firmly. Arthur looked up at her. "You're brave, you're loyal and you're kind, Arthur. It's not your fault that the people around you seem to have taken those traits for granted."

"We was plannin' to be married, y'know. Me an'...me an' Mary." He confessed abruptly, not that he needed to. "Or maybe it was just me plannin'. She...I just don't know."

"What happened? Did she call it off?"

"Her daddy, he didn't approve of me. I didn't have...enough," Arthur explained, his words stilted as he recounted probably more than he meant to. "I was orphaned pretty early on and I...well shit, I hung around with folks bad and good an' to Mr. Gillis, that was worth a condemnation. Forbade it. Said I was filthy, that I'd c'rupt...corrupt her. Ruin her. Break her with these turrible hands of mine." The hands in question gripped Irene's dress even tighter and he fought back a sob. "So I...I had to let her go. Watched her fall in love with some rich feller and it made me wonder, made me scared that she ain't never loved me at all. And then tonight..." He shook his head.

"What about tonight, Arthur?" Irene prompted him gently.

"She come to me askin' for a damn favor. After everythin' that's happened, she still had the damn gall to ask me for shit. Her little brother's gone off to shack up with some cult ." Arthur cleared his throat. "So I'm too rough to marry, but I'm sure as hell good enough to ask to rescue her precious baby brother. She said she thinks of me often and I just...dammit, it ain't right for her to tell me that!" He erupted, hiccupping out yet another sob. "It ain't right, I finally thought I was--I mean I was doin' okay, I was better, an' now…"

"It feels like you just hit a patch of shale and slid your way back down into the bottom of the gorge you were crawling out of." 

Arthur sniffled. "Well, yeah. Kinda'. H-How'd you know?"

"You think you're the only person in the world to have troubles with people you were trying to recover from?" Irene's laugh was soft and sad. "My situation is a bit different, but no less weighty for it, Mister Arthur."

Arthur huffed out a breath, rubbing his forehead back and forth on her stomach. "I just hate myself. Can't hate her, all I can do is hate m'self." He sighed.

"Don't." Irene admonished him, trawling her fingers through his thick hair and dragging his head back with the motion. Arthur groaned again, this time lower, his eyes half-lidding as he appeared to enjoy being ministered to. "Don't hate yourself for being kind, Arthur, and don't let the world beat that kindness out of you. There are people, so many people who will love you for it. Hell, there's probably some that already do." 

Blue eyes blinked open sluggishly, still glassy with tears as he looked up at her. Liquor-honest words tumbled from his lips, "why the hell are you bein' so nice to me? Led you up here for a reason an' now I'm all a mess about another woman." He shook his head, not waiting for a response before continuing, "I just wanna' sleep. Forget about all of this. I...lay down with me? I need...I need...somethin' to hang onto." He mumbled, tugging at the back of her skirt. "Clothes on is fine. Just need to hold you. Few minutes, even." He pleaded.

Irene bit her lip uncertainly. Laying down fully-clothed? It seemed a bit strange. But she didn't have on a corset, so at least she wouldn't be uncomfortable… "Alright." She agreed softly after a moment, reaching down to unlace her boots. Hopefully Arthur was too inebriated to notice that 'her' boots were also Frank's boots. He seemed more than a few sheets to the wind, if his weeping was anything to judge by.

Arthur clumsily kicked off his own boots and laid on his side, catching her arm to guide her down with her back to his chest. It was somewhat awkward at first; Irene had never actually been held in such a manner and the bed was incredibly small. She knew she was probably too stiff, and slowly urged her shoulders to loosen a bit. Arthur draped his arm over her hips, not even holding her so much as he was simply laying his hand on her stomach.

"Thank you." He mumbled into the back of her neck, still sniffling a little. 

Irene tentatively placed her hand over his own, lacing her fingers through his. "Shh, sleep. You'll feel better in the morning, Arthur." She whispered. Then, so quiet she wasn't sure he would even hear her, "thank you, Arthur. For everything."

Part Two: Friends

#red dead redemption 2 #arthur morgan #rdr2 fanfic #rdr2 spoilers #rdr2 community #arthur morgan x original female character #join me in hell #IM IN YEEHELL #about to yee my last haw #hELP #Eventual romance #slow burn #i mean as slow as I can burn #which is not that slow lbr #historical inaccuracies #please forgive me #I also went kind of gentle on his accent #I know a lot of people find it annoying when people spell things out phonetically #figured if you're here you already know how he talks #LENNAAAAAY #okay enjoy #thank you for being here #woman in disguise trope #general peril #hurt/comfort #tell him he's doing good #Arthur is a good man #high honor arthur

[holylulusworld]

Repopulate – Part 3

Summary: Thanos won; the Avengers lost. Now the government decided the world needs repopulation. You find yourself bound to a man you will have to call your husband from now on. Can you work things out?

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, OFC Mr. Sulkis, James "Rhodey" Rhodes, mentions of Bruce ‘Hulk’

Warnings: angst, Nomad Steve, forced marriage/arranged marriage, comforting, fluff, mentions of suicide/human trafficking (nothing graphic), scared reader

Repopulate Masterlist

Steve comes back. Sad. Down. He tries to hide his sadness but the way he leans against the table, hands stuffed into the pockets of his gray dress pants, tells you his mood is worse once again.

“Bad meeting?” You ask walking toward the tall Avenger searching his face.

Over the last two months, you got closer. Not physically but emotionally. You told him about your family, your fiancée. Steve told you about his dead friends. 

“I tried to…” Steve chokes, trying to compose himself as always. He can’t let weakness shine through. Not in times like these.

“Just tell me, Steve. I’m here, I will not judge you. I told you about the lipstick I stole too. Not even my mom knew.” You whisper and he smiles. Remembering he threatened to ‘punish’ you for stealing.

“One of us. Stuart.” Steve begins as you take his hand in yours, just listening to his words. “He committed suicide. I don’t know how to help them any longer. I’m torn between helping them and just giving up. I try to break through walls but honestly, breaking through a wall made of stone is way easier.” Steve sighs and you chuckle lightly.

“For you, muscle man but I get it. I’m sorry about Stuart.” Your eyes meet Steve’s and he squeezes your hand tightly. “Do you want to talk about the meeting?”

“Stuart lost his wife and two kids. His mom too. It’s just not fair, Y/N. Thanos said it would be fair, but some people did not lose anyone, and others lost everyone, just like you.” Steve moves his arms around you now and you rest your head against his chest.

“You’re right, it’s not fair Steve but I’ve got you and if you want to, you’ve got me too.” You whisper and his grip at you tightens. There’s something possessive inside of him now. He needs to make sure nothing happens to you. 

“I’ve got you,” Steve repeats as a knock on the door disturbs his thoughts. “We talk some more later.”

 ---

“I prepared dinner. I’ll start setting the table, Steve. Do you want some beer or wine?” You call from the kitchen as Steve walks into the dining room, the guy from the day your marriage with Steve was announced hot on his heels.

“Y/N, Mr. Sulkis is here to make sure we are living together and are a happy couple. Someone told him we are not…you know.” Steve snarls and you look away.

“He wants us to talk about the things we do in the bedroom, Steve?” You whisper. “I don’t want to talk about something like this in public. Steve and I…”

“We are doing what married couples do in the bedroom, Mr. Sulkis. Y/N had some difficulties in the beginning but now…” Pointing toward the table and the prepared meal. “My wife and I living together as we should.” Steve’s eyes narrow as the man walks toward his bedroom, opening the door to see your nightgown and Steve’s pajamas lying on the bed. Sheets scrambled.

“Everything looks fine, Mr. Rogers.” Mr. Sulkis mutters. “Perfect…”

“Captain…” Steve corrects.

“Captain…” The man snarls glancing at you wearing one of Steve’s flannels and socks. “Did I disturb something?” He smirks now eying your exposed legs shamelessly.

“Honestly, yes. We wanted to have dinner and more. If you excuse us now…” Steve warns. He doesn’t like the looks this man is giving you. “I don’t think my wife likes someone else than me looking at her like this.”

“Sure…you need to know we want results, Captain Rogers.” The man spats, grinning at you. “Or we will make sure we find a new partner for your ‘wife’.”

“Are you threatening my wife now? We will take as long as we need to conceive a baby. The stress of losing loved ones, a forced marriage - my wife needs to feel comfortable to have a baby. You threatening her doesn’t make it easier.” Steve warns now towering intimidating over the man. “Y/N is my wife. No one gets her, Mr. Sulkis. You can try to take her away from me, but you won’t like my answer.” 

“Steve, I think Mr. Sulkis knows I’m yours. Right?” The man eagerly nods, wanting nothing more than leaving Captain Americas home before the tall Avenger can kill him.

“Fine, perfectly fine. Mrs. Potters must’ve confused you with someone else.” Mr. Sulkis stammers rushing toward the door. 

“Who is Mrs. Potters?” You ask watching the man slamming the door shut. “Sharon. That’s her husband's name.” Steve says clenching his fist before he rushed out of his apartment to inform Natasha, Clint, and the others.

----

“This is an odd building.” You say looking around the new home Steve brought you to.

“It’s underneath the Stark tower. A hidden hideout, for cases like this. I heard the man talking on the phone. They wanted to get hold of you. Apparently, you are the perfect genetic pool for someone else. A politician. You’re mine.” Steve mutters bringing you into his arms. Holding you tightly. “I got all your things and our kitten. Tomorrow we are going to look around the new compound but for now, let’s have a rest.”

----

Watching Steve pacing around your new apartment you wonder. “Why does this man want me?”

“Natasha checked the files. More women suddenly disappeared. Their new husbands called the police, but you know…”

“They didn’t do anything?” You ask glancing at Steve. The tall Avenger is pacing around the bedroom once again, nervously sliding his fingers through his hair.

“If you’ve got enough money, you can buy the perfect woman. The government is full of moles. They find the woman, married or not and the rich guy gets her. Human trafficking seems to be normal these days, Y/N. I need you to stay here if I’m not around. Please…” Steve is kneeling beside you, taking your hands in his. “I can’t lose you too.”

“I’ll stay here, promised. I don’t want to be out there right now. The world is a dark place and it scares me, Steve. I hate to admit it but for the first time in my life, I’m scared…” You sniffle as Steve gets up to bring you onto his lap, holding you close.

“Shhh…no one is going to hurt you. I’ll protect you, Baby Girl.” Steve whispers and you hide your face into his chest. “Why? You barely know me, Steve. I’m not the girl you wanted.” You whisper holding tight onto his shirt as he rocks you back and forth.

“I was a stubborn fool, Y/N. I know the way we got married was not how a marriage should start but I do like you…a lot. I want to be there for you, protect you.” Steve whispers resting his chin on top of your head.

“As you like me or as no one else is left…” You sniffle and again he tightens the grip on you as if you might disappear like his friends.

“Both…” He admits ashamed. “I like you but there’s a part of me needing you to have someone to protect, to take care of. Is this selfish?” 

“We need each other, I guess. I got no one left. Only you and the cat.” You sigh. “I like you. I didn’t like you in the beginning but now I know you better and do like you, Steve.”

“Good. Tomorrow Nat, Clint, Rhodey and I will find out why Sharon sent this man to our apartment. We installed cameras in the building to check if he comes back.” Steve explains as you relax in his arms.

“Cap, I’m sorry to disturb you but you should have a look at this,” Clint says. “Your old apartment, they are storming it.”

 “What?” You gasp. “Why?”

“Let’s watch then…”

----

“Beta Team ready. Find the girl. We get her, we get Captain America. He likes her by now. We did a great job choosing this lost kitten to put it into Steve Rogers lap.” The man chuckles kicking Steve’s apartment door open.

“Alright. Captain Rogers is away. He drove out of town some hours ago. She should be alone. Get her but do not hurt the girl. We need her unharmed.” Another man orders and four heavily armed men storm into the apartment only to find it empty.

“Sir, no one is here. The wardrobe, everything is empty. If she was here, now she’s gone along with Captain Rogers.” One of the men says and a bullet hits his head.

“Dammit! The boss won’t be amused! Our goal is to make Captain America breed her. Hydra wants to repopulate the world with enhanced beings. Find her! Find her for me!” The man yells and everyone searches the apartment only to return empty-handed.

The man now tilts his head, grinning into the camera. “Hello, Steven. We are going to find you and your girl soon. Heil Hydra!” He chuckles shooting the camera.

“Holy shit! Are you telling me this whole repopulation program is one big lie to get Steve to breed the right girl?” Natasha gasps glancing at you.

“I think so,” Rhodey sighs. “We are into deeper shit than we thought. How is it possible so many Hydra agents survived the snap and most of the Avengers got dusted?”

Glancing at Steve you bite your lower lip. “Maybe you were right. You said the people are evil now. Maybe Thanos killed most of the good people and the evil ones outnumber us…” You whisper shaking in fear.

“Hey…hey…shh…” Steve rushes to your side, picking you up to bring you close to his warm chest. 

“It was a lie, you don’t have to take care of me…” You sniffle losing your last piece of hope. “I’m all alone again…”

“No matter how we found each other, you are my wife. Now let’s make sure this building is safe. Rhodey, talk to Bruce…or Hulk…or Bruce!Hulk…damnit I still don’t know how to call him.” Steve mutters and Natasha chuckles.

“I know, Steve. Imagine my problems…” Natasha shrugs.

“I’ll talk to him about Hydra and the security level. We should check if the whole program is manipulated or if it got infiltrated by Hydra.” Rhodey says.

“Good. Do this. Clint, check the footage. Maybe we can identify some of the invaders. I’ll bring Y/N to our apartment. I think she needs a rest.” Steve says full Captain now. “We will end this human trafficking right now. People suffered enough without Hydra messing with their life’s once again.”

----

“I think she’s good for Steve. I was worried he would never be the same again.” Natasha says watching Steve carrying you away. “The girl needs him and that’s what he needs.”

“We will make sure they have each other, Nat.” Clint chokes out. “I know how it feels…let’s focus on the footage. Bruce and Rhodey check the security level and the whole repopulating program.”

“One day we will make everything right…” Natasha whispers.

----

“How do you feel?” 

Steve carefully places you onto your feet, wiping away some tears. “Confused.” Your words barely a whisper. “Scared too.”

“I won’t leave you alone.” 

Now he tilts his head, cradling your face with his large hands. “We belong together…” His lips brush over yours and you close your eyes when Steve deepens the kiss, sliding his tongue into your mouth.

Hands fist each other’s clothing, mouths clash while you forget about the world outside…

All works Tags

@yolobloggers​, @meganywinchester​​, @shikshinkwon​​, @miraclesoflove​ ​, @mogaruke​, @shatteredabby​

Repopulate Tags

@crist1216​, @hista-girl​, @what-if-i-am-weird​​, @chljmntgy​, @xjaelee​, @monomads​​​ , @sgtevanstan, @about-stephanie-i-guess​, @jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory​

Marvel Tags

@stuckys-whore​, @notyourtypicalrose​, @voltage-my2dlove​, @thedoctorscamanion , @officialmarvelwhore​, @randomgirlkensy​, @juniorhuntersam​, @lumar014​, @doctorswife221b​, @badboysdoitbetter2​​, @sister-winchesters99​,

Steve Rogers/Chris Evans Tags

@hhiggs​​​, @roonyxx​​, @stylesismyhubs​​

#marvel fanfiction #marvel masterlist #marvel series #marvel #steve x reader #steve rogers #steve rogers x you #steve x y/n #steve rogers series #captain america #captain america fanfic #captain america x reader #angst #Repopulate Masterlist #natasha romanoff #clint barton #james rhodey rhodes #hydra #nomad steve rogers

[fanficwriter013]

The Tower: Unexpected 12

The Tower: Unexpected An Avengers Fanfic

Series Masterlist Previous //

Pairing:  Avengers x ofc, Bruce Banner x Bucky Barnes x Clint Barton x Wanda Maximoff x Steve Rogers x Natasha Romanoff x Tony Stark x Thor x Sam Wilson x OFC (Elly Cooper)

Word Count: 1683

Warnings:  smut (orgy, oral sex, vaginal sex), pregnancy

Synopsis: A little over 2 years after moving into the Avengers Tower, Elly finds herself pregnant against the odds.  While some are excited, others are terrified, and pregnancy that none expected to happen causes rifts through the group and threatens to end the relationship.  

Author’s Note:  Written with @avengerscompound whom I’ve annoyed all week with dumb shit

Chapter 12: Tony’s Plan

I was given the all-clear by the doctors that afternoon.  It was a simple pinched nerve thanks to moving too fast.  They weren’t uncommon with twin pregnancies anyway.  I went back to the others.  We had dinner together and then for the first time in months, all nine of us slept in the same bed.

I woke the following morning feeling the most settled and rested I had in months.  When I opened my eyes, Bruce was face to face with me and he smiled.

“Morning, L,”  He said softly.

“Morning, B.”

He leaned in and kissed me.  It was so gentle and so tender and full of love.  I hummed happily against his lips.

He pulled back gently and brushed my hair from my brow.  “I missed you,”  I whispered.

“I’m sorry.  I panicked.  Do we… do you know… are they mine?”  He asked.

“I don’t know.  If they are they’re not worried about it.  Hulk let us draw blood and they’d done genetic testing.  Steve is adamant that no one knows who the father is unless they’re specifically concerned about something.”  I explained.

“Right.  Okay.”  He said.

“I’m sorry.  You could ask the doctors directly if you’re worried.”

He shook his head and kissed my temple before running a hand down to my stomach.  “You’re so pregnant.”

“I know.  It’s been a while, B.  You’ve been gone for five months.”  I said with a frown.

“That’s…”

“Yeah,”  I said and leaned my forehead against his.  “You have the control now.  You might need to work something out with Hulk.  He is very excited about the babies.”

One of the babies chose that moment to kick and Bruce looked down at my stomach and then back up to me.  “Was that them?”

“Mm-hmm.”  I hummed.

He leaned in and kissed me.  It was deeper this time and quickly became passionate.  Clint cleared his throat and we both pulled back and looked over at him.

“This a Bruce and Emily thing or can anyone join in?” 

“Come over here, my bird,”  I said.

Clint scrambled over waking up Nat and Tony who sat up blinking as Clint shoved himself in between Tony and I and leaned over me to kiss Bruce.

“What the hell, Legolas?”  Tony grumbled.

“I think we might be having a reconnecting moment, Tony.”  Natasha teased.

“Oh, well in that case,”  Tony said and moved, pulling the blankets down and climbing between my legs.

I grabbed a pillow and moved it under my lower back as Tony kissed the inside of my thighs.  I hummed reaching down and running my fingers through his hair.  “Just getting straight to it, huh?”

He looked up at me, though I could barely see him past Bruce and Clint who were still locked together above me.  “I’d kiss you good morning first, but you’re kinda blocked.  So,”  He dipped his head between my legs and after moving my panties to the side, he placed a large open-mouthed kiss on my pussy.

The others began to wake, looking around bleary-eyed as Tony pulled down my underwear and began to really eat me out properly.  Sam and Bucky watched for a moment until Wanda and Natasha crawled over to them.

Both Clint and Bruce began to roll their hips against my hips.  Their cocks hardened against me and began to leave a sticky trail on my skin.  I moaned and grabbed Clint’s hair, tugging on it and making him moan too.

As Tony brought his hand up and pushed his fingers inside me, I ran mine down and wrapped them around both Clint and Bruce’s cock.  They broke their kiss with a gasp as I moaned and pushed my hips up.  Tony fingers dragged over my g-spot.

The room slowly got louder.  Gasps turned to moans, which turned to cries of pleasure.  I rolled over onto my hands and knees and Bruce moved so he was sitting on the edge of the pit.  I looked up into the brown of his eyes and dropped my head down taking his cock deep down the back of my throat.  At the same time, Tony moved behind me, running his cock up and down my pussy before sinking it deep into my cunt.

The three of us all moaned as one, and the sound blended with those of the others.  Clint had joined the others, though how they had arranged themselves or what they were doing, I wasn’t sure exactly.  All I knew was the pleasure that was swirling out through me from my cunt and the feel of Bruce’s cock in my mouth.

Bruce tangled his hands in my hair as I bobbed my head up and down on his cock.  Each time I took him that little bit deeper until each drop downward my lips would touch flush against his crotch.  A warm buzz and the glow of pink light swirled around me and started to focus on my clit.

I began to moan loudly around Bruce’s cock as I struggled to keep my control.  My legs trembled with my approaching orgasm.  I kept sucking though.  I started tugging on his balls and massaging between his legs as I did.  I wanted him to come when I did.  I wanted to feel the wet heat of his semen in my mouth.  To taste the salty tart liquid as it coated my tongue.

Bruce moaned and stroked my hair.  His eyes closed and he let his head fall back.  I could feel the pulse of his cock in my mouth and I relaxed letting my guard down. As my own orgasm built and came right to the edge, the sounds Bruce made became louder and needier.  I sucked hard and as his hips jerked forward and he spilled down my throat.  As he did my own orgasm broke, crashing through me.  I moaned and choked pulling off Bruce and swallowing.  “Fuck,”  I groaned as my muscles clenched and spasmed.

Tony kept thrusting, drawing my orgasm out.  With a hard snap of his hips, he came.

We sunk back into the bed cuddling as the others all slowly finished too.  Soon all nine of us were lying, panting and snuggled together.

“We should really get up and do things?  We are still Avengers right?”  Steve said.

I groaned and sat up.  “Fine.  Leave me why don’t you?”

“Breakfast together first,”  Wanda said firmly as Natasha came over and helped me up.

“Alright.  That sounds fair.”  Steve said.

We all showered and dressed and Sam and Bucky made pancakes for everyone.

“God, you all suck,”  I whined as I nursed my tea.

“What did we do now?”  Clint asked.

“Just taunting me with coffee,”  I grumbled.

Natasha laughed and took a long deliberate sip from her cup.  “I’m not drinking any coffee,”  Wanda said.

“I know, honey.  You, I love.”  I joked.

Steve shook his head and looked over at Tony.  “You said you had some designs?  What for?”

“Oh, right,”  Tony said, almost shaking himself out of his thoughts.  “I was thinking.  This -”  he waved his hands around and then brought up a screen in the middle of the table. “Isn’t going to work for us.  It would take a lot of work to set up floors for us to use as a family.   It’s also too exposed.  We’ve already been attacked multiple times.  We can’t go outside without paps hounding us.  I was thinking we could move upstate.  We can build something more appropriate for what the Avengers are now.  A big facility with everything we need for training and operations.  Away from other people so we aren’t risking lives.  Lots of labs.  And space.  We can have a house there.  Something where we share the space.”

As he spoke he brought up building plans and concept designs for a large compound.  The more I saw the larger my smile got.  He had a few different designs but the house ones were all based around the idea that, while we each had our own room we could retreat to if needed, they were near everyone else.  There was always a big shared room.  And there were spare rooms for the babies I was carrying and more.  Like he was thinking big picture and these weren’t the only kids we were having.  The living areas were shared and while there was always a dining, tv, games and cinema room there wasn’t one for each of it.  These were large scale family home ideas for our large scale family.

I felt like I was going to cry.  He had been apart but the whole time he’d been making these huge scale plans for us to be together.  For us to grow even more as a family.  It had hurt for him to cut me out, but he was just working his own way to make this okay and for him to be ready for it.

I got up and moved to him, leaned down and kissed him hard.  He startled before wrapping his arms around me and stroking my hair.

“What was that for?”  He asked, blinking up at me when I pulled back.

“I love it.  I love it, Tony.”  I said with a smile.

“Oh.  Well, good then.”  He said and pulled me so I was sitting in his lap.  “I have plans where we can refurbish the tower so we’re more together.   We’d need to move out while it happened.  But I do think the move is better.”

Steve looked over the plans chewing slowly on his food.  Tony seemed to get nervous while he waited and his fingers tapped out a pattern on my stomach.  After a little while, Steve swallowed and looked up.  “I think it’s a good idea.  We’ve been a risk to the city being here.  Does anyone have any objections?”

Everyone glanced around at each other.  “I think it will be good,”  Wanda said.

“Can I get a dog?”  Clint asked.

“What?  No.”  Tony said.

Clint shrugged and took a sip of his coffee.  “I think I’m gonna get one any anyway.”

// NEXT

#the avengers #steve rogers #bucky barnes #tony stark #natasha romanoff #bruce banner #clint barton #wanda maximoff #sam wilson #avengers fanfic #avengers x OFC #steve rogers x OFC #bucky barnes x OFC #tony stark x OFC #natasha romanoff x OFC #wanda maximoff x OFC #clint barton x OFC #bruce banner x OFC #sam wilson x OFC #stucky #clintasha #all caps #science bros #birds #fanfic #fanfiction #smut #avengerscompound #the tower