#(( yELLS ITS DONE....... IT GOT SO LONG RIP IN PIECES

[hearts4hughes]

hits different | trevor zegras

(trevor zegras x fem! reader)

a/n: i’ve had this idea in my notes forever, and i’ve just managed to finish it😭 it took wayyyy too long, but i’m proud of this!

warnings: intoxication, alcohol, angst, light swearing

the pulsating bass reverberates through your body as you stand at the bar, drink in hand, trying to wash your hands of the memories of a love gone wrong. your mind drifts to the mess that trevor made of you and the hurtful images that linger in your thoughts.

you wondered if he had already moved on. if he was cooking for another girl at his apartment, or if he had strolled through the streets of anaheim with her hand in hand. had he forgotten about you? three years of love washed down the drain like dirt and filth as he confided in another woman with his love. just the mere thought sends waves of nausea through your body.

it didn’t make sense. you thought breaking up with him was the right decision, but since then, all you’ve felt was pure heartbreak.

it all started with the duck’s bad season. he was frustrated and stressed. he thought he was the problem- even though he wasn’t- and he went into an emotional hole. at the time, you didn’t understand what was happening. you thought he fell out of love with you, so as hard as it was, you broke up with him. the second the words flew off your tongue, he broke down- sobbing, yelling, begging, anything that would help you stay.

you can't help but reflect on how you used to move on so easily, like switching out partners and escaping town, but everything feels different now. the bars you visit play songs that remind you of what once was, and it hurts like nothing you've experienced before.

“y/n,” julia calls out, snapping you back into reality, “you have to stop thinking of him, it’s not going to help.” her hand rubs comfortingly up and down your back. you look at her, your face completely blank of emotion. it’s easier said than done to forget about someone who preoccupied so much of your time, and the alcohol in your system isn’t helping.

“i know, i just,” you stammer, “i just can’t escape him. it’s like he’s haunting me. everywhere i look i’m reminded of the memories we made.” she looks at you with pity.

“love is a lie, babe. you know this already.” she says- the same thing she’s been telling you since forever. “remember when you broke up with aaron?” she asks and you nod in response. “you thought he was the one and that you’d never ever move on, but after a little bit you did. you just need to give it time and you’ll get over him.”

whining, you grab your shot, throwing your head back and downing it. your nose scrunched as the alcohol burned down your throat. “but what if i don’t want to get over him, jul? i don’t want to forget about him. i just want to be with him, i just want trevor.” your words were slurred- almost incoherent.

people around you began to stare and watch the unfolding scene. protectively, julia brought you into a hug, shielding your face from everyone before they saw your tears. “let’s get you home, honey.” she cooed, wrapping her arm around your waist and helping you out of your seat.

-

julia brought you home, making sure you got into your house safely before driving away. you swung the front door open and stumbled into your apartment. the digital clock on the wall read 2:20am. you ripped off your heels, discarding them somewhere in your living room, and walking into your bedroom. your hair was a frizzy mess, lipstick smudged, mascara smeared everywhere, but you could care less.

you find yourself alone in your room, surrounded by memories of the past, with one particular item catching your eye- trevor’s hat. it sits on a shelf, seemingly untouched since the day you parted ways. the sight of it evokes a rush of bittersweet emotions, and you can't help but pick it up, feeling its fabric against your fingertips. the hat holds a piece of him, a piece of the love you once shared, and the weight of the memories is overwhelming.

as you hold the hat in your hands, a wave of nostalgia washes over you. memories of your time together flood your mind – the laughter, the inside jokes, the intimate moments shared under that very hat. you miss him, and the feeling intensifies with each passing day. the warmth and comfort that his presence once brought into your life are now a distant memory.

you bring the hat close to your chest, hugging it tightly as if it was him. the scent of his cologne, faint but still lingering, brings you back to those tender moments when he would embrace you, and your heart aches.

with each tear that falls, you let yourself feel the grief, the longing, and the emptiness that comes with a wound that hasn’t completely healed. you find yourself whispering his name into the fabric, wishing he were there, holding you.

suddenly, you hear a key turning in the door down the hallway. is it him? is it trevor? or has julia come to take you away from your apartment and the suffocating reminders of him?

the door closes and you hear footsteps approaching your room. the footsteps become louder as the mystery person gets closer. you close your eyes, not bothered to know who it is; however, a small part of you hopes, even wishes that it’s him.

“love?” he calls out, causing your eyes to shoot open. you see him standing in the doorway- a blurry version of him due to the alcohol and crying. a frown adorns his lips as he looks down at you. your tear stained face and bloodshot eyes give him a hint of what you were just doing. “oh y/n,” he coos, making his way over to you and repositioning you into his lap.

his arms snake around your body, pulling you close to his chest. you open your mouth to say something, but the words get caught in your throat. he presses reassuring kisses to the top of your head as you cry into his embrace.

"i’m so sorry, y/n," he whispers, his voice filled with remorse. "i messed up, and i’ve been a mess ever since you left." you try to find the right words to say, but your emotions are too overwhelming, your heart too raw. instead, you bury your face in his chest, holding on to him as if he might slip away again.

"fuck, i thought you moved on," you manage to say through your tears, your voice shaking. "all i could imagine was you with another girl, trev.”

he sights, gently rubbing your back. "no, love, there hasn't been anyone else. i’ve been miserable without you. you were always the one."

“i thought you had fallen out of love with me, that’s why i broke up with you.” your voice trembles with hurt as he feels a pang of guilt in his heart.

his expression softens, his eyes searching yours for understanding. "i was going through a rough time, and I didn't know how to handle it. i thought i was the problem, and i didn't want to bother you with my struggles. i never meant to hurt you." you move your head away from his body, staring deeply into his eyes. he’s been crying too. in that moment, you realize that he's hurting too, and maybe, just maybe, there's a chance for healing and forgiveness.

"i miss you, trevor," you admit, your voice barely above a whisper. "my friends try to take me out to have fun and get drunk, but i always end up slurring your name until someone puts me in a car. they’re going to stop inviting me soon.” you joke- a coping mechanism you’ve had since you were young.

he lets out a small laugh, bringing his hand up to wipe away stray tears, “i’m here now," he replies, "and i want to try again, to make things right. i love you, and my life is a fucking wreck without you."

“i love you too,” your voice is soft and sincere. a smile graces his lips and for the first time since forever, your lips connect with his, reviving what you thought was gone.

[sillyblues]

Omg for that Miguel O'hara fanfic where the reader was called annoying. Can the reader return back to her dimension and Miguel is trying to contact her and sends someone to go check up on her. But the person comes back and shakes his head at Miguel, saying they weren't there so Miguel asks Lyla for the reader's location. She's in an alleyway or rooftop and she just tells Miguel she doesn't want to talk. Miguel brought the bear too, just to show that he does care about her and the gifts she gives him. You could change some of these ideas. :] -c

ੈ✩‧₊˚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: sorry this took me long to reply because i had to at least push a part of the preggo fic before i write this and this wasn't included on annoying part 2, i rlly considered this but the idea i had in mind with this was an angsty one and i wanted a happy ending for it so yeah :(( but still here's an alternate ending of annoying!

Miguel O’Hara was an asshole.

And he knew that of course, because he was the one who made this persona to protect himself from getting hurt. He had to be a real piece of shit so that he couldn’t get attached to anyone and wouldn’t get hurt if the universe inevitably ripped their arms away from his again.

But you. Oh god, you.

You were the reason why he had to wear a mask, a lie. You were so beautiful that his bleak world of loneliness was shattered with just a smile. Your voice brings back life in the void that resides in his heart. Your touch heals the hurting man that he so desperately tries to hide.

Like a moth attached to a flame, he easily got attached to you. And he hated that. He promised himself that he would not let anybody in and love anyone but God, it was fucking you. When he realised his mistake, he tried to be mean. He tried to regain and be in control of himself again (because he couldn’t get a hold of himself when it came to you) so that he wouldn’t be hurt ever again. He tried to ignore you despite his mind clinging to a word that you say and the urge to just be near you, to see you.

But when you fell from the platform, he was instantly reminded of his daughter, who disappeared into atoms and molecules, into thin air in his arms. He was instantly reminded of Gabriella, who the universe ripped away from his awms. His body reacted instinctively.

No. He had already lost her. He didn’t want to lose you again. 

Don’t do this to me. Don’t hurt me again.

In fear of losing you, he didn’t know he had hurt you. And when he realised it, it was too late. You ran away in tears, in pain that he caused and fuck, he was a piece of shit. He bitterly chuckled as he cried as he clutched the teddy bear you gave him. His tears fell on its fur, and he kneeled.

Miguel O’Hara was an asshole because he had to be one so that nobody couldn’t hurt him but when he had hurt you instead, he found himself questioning himself.

.

.

. 

Miguel knew you just as you knew him. When Peter came back to his office with no news of you, he quickly knew where you were. So he went to you himself instead and just as he knew, you were there on the rooftop of your apartment sitting with your back facing him. He clutched the teddy bear as he walked towards you.

His heart hammered against his chest and rang in his eardrums. His jaw was clenched and a part of him wants to hide forever but at the same time, he needed to apologize to you for what he have said and done. You did not deserve him but you deserved an apology.

But what if you didn’t want him anymore?

“What are you doing here, Miguel?” your hoarse voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he could hear the long time you cried and the pain that laced with it. His heart stung at the memory of him yelling at you once more.

“[Name]...” he whispered out your name and he was reminded of the days he thought of apologizing to you, days of saying your name as practised his apologies, and now that he was finally here in front of you, the owner of the name he desperately called out was in front of him, he didn't know what he was feeling. “I'm here to apologize.”

“You don't need to. It's fine. I don't really care anymore.” you said as you still looked ahead. his eyes widened at your figure that seemed so smaller than ever before.

“No, [Name], you should care. I was an asshole, a huge piece of shit and you didn't deserve that—”

“Last time I cared, I got shouted at telling me I'm annoying!” you snapped as you finally turned around and looked at him. He finally saw you but he didn't want to see you this way. He didn't want to see you hurting and in pain.

“I'm really sorry, please believe me, I didn't mean any of those, please.” he desperately begged and a part of him wondered how would his past self react if he knew of him for doing the exact thing he didn't want to do. If his past self saw him now, attached to someone enough to beg them to believe him, there was no doubt he would go insane. And he was insane. He was insane for all of this. He was insane for you.

“Liar,” your lip trembled and his heart broke at the sight of you crying again. “No, Miguel, you said what you needed to say and it's enough for me. I was a problem, I get it.”

“Let's just end this now. I quit. I give up.” your tears fell from your cheeks and he wanted to comfort you, to hold you, to wipe your tears. But he couldn't. The hopelessness in your voice destroyed him.

He caused that. He hurt you.

Miguel was only terrified of the fear that the universe would take you away if he got close to you and in his fear, he was the one that took you away from him instead.

tag-list: (i'm sorry if i wasn't able to tag you!) @nxrdamp @um-well @nanasdumbworld @myconglomerateromance @sleepyamaya @harlekin6 @bittersw33t-lotus @saturnknows @miggyoharaswife @innergardentoadpony @asobriquet @mimooyi @misscaller06 @sciencethot @vainillasmil157 @just-a-mothboi @katsukiswrld @zukiizuks @cumbermovels @bigmood-myman @momos-peaches @lunrai @saint-chlorine @themoonsaynotocircus @deputy-videogamer @brittney69 @armins-ocean-seashell @galadrien02 @ranp01 @witherfag @eileen201804 @daryldixonh0e @chinglewingledingledong @mystar-girl57 @lorarri @poopoobuttsy @scarletsloveletter@mimimarvelingmarvel @tfygcdy @skulfan1 @roryrose327 @gamersansblog

[writingforatwistedworld]

Bigger request that I will cut in smaller pieces so I can serve soup.

Self-aware au

WARNINGS: Yandere themes, murder, manipulation, implied imprisonment, death, cannibalism, obsession, possessiveness, unhealthy relationship

I do not take any responsibility for you reading this no matter which age group you are from!

Entering your world

Azul felt like an octopus out of water

When he had heard Jade yelling out a warning it was already too late and he was already falling down the stairs, a student he made a deal with not too long ago standing not too far, his hands lowering themselves from the pushing him

And now he was laying on the floor in a place he didn't recognize

Moonlight filtered through the window of the room and a sleeping figure almost completely covered by a blanket was illuminated by its light and the light from the phone they were laying next to, indicating that they fell asleep whilst using it

Did he teleport to a different place? Azul still felt the burning sensation of the hard stone of the stairs hitting his body so he might have done that out of desperation...

And desperate he was when you turned over in your sleep and he could see your face

And thus, the screaming began

Imagine his surprise, no his shock after seeing the person he had admired, sought after for so long laying in front of him in their pajamas

Although, it would be better to say you did lay in your pajamas because now you were jumping up in fear for your life

But after fearing that a madman had broken into your house life with Azul was pretty nice

Azul is a pretty good cook from running Mostro Lounge so him making dinner is like going to an expensive restaurant

There is that thing about him wanting to pay you rent though…

You see, Azul is not someone who wants to leech (haha, get it?) off of someone

So, of course, he will give you money… though it is might be way too much

How he gets it?

You know, just some side jobs… a few contracts… give him a month and he will have the cafe down the street because the owner used it in a contract with Azul

“But he doesn’t have the twins so there is no way that he is dangerous” oh darling, you have seen NOTHING

Yeah, Azul isn’t good in sports, Azul hates anything that has to do with it so there is no way he will get ripped and start beating people into submission (also, that is below his level) but my man has tactics

In fact, he could haggle you out of your house, your job, your family (basically everything you own) whilst you walk happily away from the deal with nothing but a single shell in your pocket

Soon he will propose that you simply stay at home whilst he earns the money

He is just so thankful that you took him in so let him repay you

That repayment might end in him making you dependent on him but who am I to tell you that? Surely you have already understood what he is tryi- why are you saying yes?

Say goodbye to freedom. Say goodbye to your friends and family. Say goodbye to privacy

Although Azul has built up (scarily fast) his life in this world that still doesn’t mean he feels very safe here

Everyone is a human and who knows what scientists would do to him once they find out that he is capable of magic

So he is clingy… you might have lost blood circulation to your lower body once or twice due to him being unseperatable from you

If someone somehow (don’t ask me how) got close to you though? Oh they are done

Remember that haggling thing? Yeah that but with less haggling and more “I force you into a contract and then you will meet your doom”

They do serve desserts at cafes… wouldn’t eat those at his though

You would be surprised if you knew how easy it is to hide human remains in pastries

[bisexual-bat]

chapter two

umm so yeahhhh the beginning is a bit sad but the ending 🤭

also the two groups were aware the other was going on a trip but they js chose no to notice they were there

(i didn't really read thorugh cuz i have look at it for too long sry if there is any grammar, or spelling things)

@equippedtolove @pumpkin-gizzards @zsrntyouil @theprongspotter @iamgayforyourmom1510

@residentdisaster @marylily-my-beloved @sspadfoot @im-just-here4853 @mae-occasionally-reads

@ashes-to-ashesxx @evansecho @im-ur-sleep-paralysis-demon @lonely-linn and anyone else who wants to read <3

Next thing they knew Regulus and Sirius couldn’t see anything. Their heads were covered with burlap sacks.

“Sirius what are we gonna do? Jamie’s gonna be worried and somehow figure out where we are and get killed himself. Which considering how dense he is, is insane,” Regulus blurted out quickly and in a hushed voice.

“Reg, I need you to calm down real quick. And don’t say it’s not that easy because I know its not. Take a couple deep breathes. And James is pretty dense. And I’m sure that he is very worried about us right now. But until we’re not at the resort tomorrow, he’s not gonna start being a detective to find us.”

A train horn sounded, and they were off. The sacks were very roughly ripped off their faces and promptly replaced with pieces of duct tape over their mouths.

“if you even try to yell for help, when I’m done with you two, they won’t be able to identify your bodies,” said the gruff voice from before. From what Sirius could barely see it was just a dark figure, that quickly left.

... .. .-. .. ..- ... / .. ..-. / -.-- --- ..- / ... --- / -- ..- -.-. .... / .- ... / ... -. . . --.. . / .-- . .----. .-. . / -.. --- -. . / ..-. --- .-.  - reg

.. / -.- -. --- .-- / .-. . --. sirius

.-- .... . .-. . / -.. --- / -.-- --- ..- / - .... .. -. -.- / .-- . / .- .-. . ..--.. - reg

.-- . .-.. .-.. / -... -.-- / - .... . / - .-. .- .. -. / ... --- ..- -. -.. / .. / .-- .- -. - / - --- / .... --- .--. . / - .... .- - / - .... . / - .-. .- .. -. / .-- . / .-- . .-. . / ... ..- .--. .--. --- ... . -.. / - --- / --. . - / --- -. / - -.. / .. ... / - .... . / --- -. . / .-- . .----. .-. . / --- -. / .-. -. - sirius

.- -. -.. / - .... . / -.-. .... .- -. -.-. . ... / --- ..-. / - .... .- - ..--..  - reg

.-.. .. -.- . / .---- / .. -. / .---- ----- / -.-. .... .- -. -.-. . / - .... . .-. . / .- .-. . -. .----. - / - .... .- - / -- .- -. -.-- / - .-. .- .. -. ... / -. . .- .-. / ..- ...  -sirius

.- -. -.. / .-- .... .- - / .. ..-. / - .... . -.-- / - --- --- -.- / ..- ... / ..-. .- .-. - .... . .-. / .- .-- .- -.-- ..--.. - reg

- .... . -. / .-- . .----. .-. . / ... -.-. .-. . .-- . -..    - sirius

(Which quickly translates to

Sirius if you so much as sneeze we’re done for

I know reg

Where do you think we are

Well by the train sound, I want to hop that the train we were supposed to get on td is the one we’re on rn

And the chances of that AND THE CHANCES OF THAT?

Like 1 in 10 chance, there aren’t that many trains near us

And what if they took us farther away

then we’re screwed)

Marlene scaned the room. “hm ok truth or dare tooooo dora!”

“Um.. truth!”

“OK who in the room would you marry, you have to be with them for 5 years then if you wanted u could get divorced?”

“Lily easy, next”

Lily’s cheeks heated.

“Ok! My turn, Mary?”

“Dare!”

“I dare you… to run out to the diner car in your pajamas, our facemask still on, and no socks.”

“Is that it?”

“No. then you have to grab a ketchup packet down it right there and then and sprint back.”

“Dora, where do you come out with these ideas?”

Within the next five minutes, the boys came out…… of their car and went ot get a drink.

Just in time to see Mary McDonald running in her Hello Kitty pajamas with no socks or slippers on and her neon pick face mask on. They watched in awe as she chugged a packet of ketchup. Peter and Remus both got coke on their shirts. Barty started cheering mid her chugging and continued as she dashed down the hall.

When Mary came back in sweating, they all gave her a cheer and moved to Lily.

“Alright Lills, truth or dare?”

“Um dare? I guess?”

“Ok tonight at three, you have to go around the whole train.”

“Ugh Mary that’s so weak,” whined Marlene.

“well, do you have anything better?”

“no”

“That’s what I thought.”

“I have one!”

“Please Dora no please.”

“Then we’re staying with my idea. Unless Cas has something better?”

“Nope.”

“Ok, then it’s decided.”

“Umm well that was something,” said James still in shock from what he just saw.

“HELL YEAH THAT WAS I WANNA DO THAT!!!” practically screamed Barty.

“Do you wanna go find the girls and ask them what they were doing?” asked Evan.

“YES OBVIOUSLY!!”

*knock knock knockity knock*

“Cas can you answer the dooooor?” whined mary.

“Why me?”

“You’re closest”

“By an inch!”

*from outside the door

“Hey, an inch is a lot!”

*giggling ensues from both sides of the door

Marlene ended but opening the door because Dorcas asked her too.  The girls were sitting in a circle on the floor, with snacks, drinks, candy, face masks, and nail polish in the middle as if they summoned it all from hell.

“Hello?” said marls

“HI!”

“Barty wanted to know what you guys were doing,” said Remus.

“YEAH!"

“We were playing truth or dare. Mary picked dare,” explained Pandora.

“ummm can we play?” asked Barty

Marlene turned around to the other girls with a questioning look. The others give a nod.

“Sure”

“All right boys come on it!”

They were all playing truth or dare when Dorcas stood up.

“Hey, I’m gonna go get some teas anyone wanna come?”

Evan started to raise his hand and Lily quickly pulls it down.

“Marlene wants to,” said Lily while shooting a pointing look at her.

“Thanks for the offer though. I don’t think anyone else wants anything,” answered Mary.”

James was about to say something, but then Mary shot him a death stare.

The two girls left.

“What was that about,” questioned James.

“We’ve been waiting for them to get together for like our whole friendship,” answered Lily

“And we know Marlene likes her,” added Mary.

“And I think Cas likes her, but it’s a bit hard to tell,” Pandora finished off the explanation.

“I ship it,” said Evan.

“Me too,” agreed Remus.

“I thought they were together?” stated Peter.

They are walking down the hall, almost to the dining car.

“Heyyyyy cassie.”

“Hey marls.”

“Sooo..”

“Mars bars, I feel like you wanna ask me out right now and you can’t. Actually, I’ve felt like this for a while. And I’ve always waited for you to ask because I thought you wanted too. SO, if you want to right now. This is the time to do it.”

“Um.”

“So do you? Wanna ask me out that is?”

Marlene was both too shocked and nervous to say anything. So she just nodded yes.

“Good, ‘cause Dora was telling me to get it together and read signals. Which is ironic because she can’t read any of the signals Lily gives her.”

They kept walking and Marlene had a dopy little grin on her face.

“What are you all smiles about?”

“Um does this? are we? can we?”

“Yes, this does make us girlfriends.”

“YES”

They were almost at the diner car, when Marlene stopped. Then she pulled Dorcas into a kiss.

[viva-la-whump]

Whumptober/Whumperless Whump Event (WWE) - #3

Three chapters for day 3!

More tags HERE

Chapter 1

The old bridge was weakening under the added weight of their pursuers. Tech’s foot had already broken through a rotten board and his leg had gotten tangled in the vines. He’d been their rear guard, keeping the enemy at bay while the others had crossed to the other side and even now, while he couldn’t hear them due to the roaring of the raging waterfall below him, Tech saw them arguing and pulling each other back as, one by one, they each tried to cross the bridge to get him.

But they wouldn’t get there in time, and any extra weight would surely make the bridge fall quicker. Shots were exchanged and a couple of their pursuers fell from the bridge into the waterfall. A few of the shots hit the bridge’s support ropes, weakening it further. Wrecker was holding onto one of them, trying to keep it from falling. But it was no use. No matter how strong he was, he couldn’t hold up the entire bridge. There was only one thing left to do.

Taking his knife from his belt, Tech started hacking at the ropes between him and his family. If it was going to fall, he wouldn’t take them with him.

It took an agonizingly long few seconds, during which he thought he could hear them yelling for him to stop. But it was too late. With just a few more cuts, he was falling…

---

Tech couldn’t make sense of anything as he fell. The water pulled at him, blasting him with its awesome power. His leg was still caught in the bridge and, amazingly enough, the far side of the bridge that was still attached to the support posts hadn’t broken yet. So instead of falling straight down, he arched through the falls and slammed into the rocks hidden by the spray of water. His whole body screamed in pain and he felt something somewhere within him snap at the same time the support ropes did, finally giving way and sending Tech down again, but this time behind the waterfall where there was a bap between the falls and the cliff face, carved from an eternity of water chipping away at it.

Still attached to his piece of bridge, the ropes and vines and bits of wood kept ensnaring the rocks, slowing Tech’s fall, though minimally. The poor man also got caught on the rocks, feeling more things snapping within him, but they were too slippery for him to hang on to.

He fell like that for what felt like an eternity until finally he reached the bottom and crashed into the river.

Along the way, the rest of the bridge had been ripped away and he was free of the entanglement, allowing him free movement, but the power of the water pushing on him from the surface continued to send him down to the bottom of the river.

His whole body protested as he tried to swim up and away from the falls so he wouldn’t drown, the damage done by his fall making itself known. But he needed to move, needed to breathe, needed to live…

Chapter 2

“What’s that?”

Phee looked up from where she was securing the lid on the barrel of fresh drinking water they’d collected. Following the pointing finger of her niece, Lyana, she saw movement on the other side of the river. Squinting her eyes against the sun, she could make out a person crawling slowly out of the water. They knelt there for a moment before struggling to their feet. Even from here, Phee could see how unsteady the person was. Then, like a puppet with its strings cut, the figure crumpled to the rocky beach and didn’t move.

“Go get your dad,” Phee said even as she rushed to one of the small boats they’d taken to shore. “Have him help you load up the barrels. I’ll meet you back on the ship.”

Lyana nodded and ran into the forest to find Shep, who was busy collecting other supplies. Phee wasted no time setting out across the water. Luckily, the water this far from the waterfall that was further inland was more lazy and easier to cross. 

Finally, the bottom of her boat scraped against the shore and she quickly jumped out and pulled the boat further out of the water. Once she was sure it wouldn’t drift away, she stumbled over the large, loose, and slippery rocks to the unmoving form lying prone on the ground.

Getting closer, she could see now that it was a man and his clothes were ripped and bloody, but the slight movement of his back told her he was still alive. Carefully turning him over, she bit back a curse when she saw the bloody gash on his forehead. Untying the sash from her waist, Phee wrapped it around his head to stop the bleeding. It was hard to tell what other injuries he had, aside from the bloody cuts all across his body and the bruises she could already see darkening his skin, but she was sure there was more she couldn’t see and would only be revealed when Mel was able to get a look at him.

Being as careful as she could, she dragged the man to her boat, piled him in, and started rowing towards her ship. She saw Shep and Lyana shove off when she was about halfway there and, due to her brother’s long and powerful arms, they’d reached the ship almost at the same time Phee did.

“Who's that?” Shep asked as he pulled in alongside her and saw the unconscious man in her boat.

“No idea. But he’s banged up real good and I wasn’t about to leave him there to die. Lyana,” she said, turning to her niece. “You and I will scurry up the ladder and throw down the pulley for the barrels. Shep, do you think you can keep hold of him as we hoist you two up?”

“Aye, aye, captain,” he responded. No matter that Phee was his little sister, she’d always had the natural instincts of a leader, and the personality to boot, and Shep trusted her enough to be happy in following her.

It took a few awkward minutes, but eventually they got the stranger on the ship and Shep carried him down to where Mel sat writing in her journals.

“Back so soon?” she asked without turning around. “I thought you’d still be out foraging for more-” She cut off as she finally glanced behind her and saw aht Shep was holding.

“Who’s this?” she asked, instantly standing and reaching for her medical bag.

“That’s what I asked,” She said, carefully laying the man down on the table that acted as Mel’s patient bed. “Phee found him, said he’d been banged up pretty bad.”

“I can see that,” Mel said. She carefully unwrapped Phee’s makeshift bandage around his head and whistled lowly. “I have my work cut out for me.”

Knowing he’d only get in the way, Shep left to help Phee and Lyana as Mel tended to the injured man. It was hours later when she emerged onto the deck where the others were waiting, busying themselves with tasks. They hadn’t set sail yet, instead waiting for the stranger to wake up before they left.

“How is he?” Phee asked.

“Broken. Quite broken. Broken head, broken ribs, broken leg and arm. It was hard to find something that wasn’t broken.”

“But he’ll live?”

“He’s my patient. Of course he’ll live.”

Phee smirked. “Is he awake? Can I see him?”

“No and yes, in that order. I’m going to grab some shuteye. Fixing up that boy took a lot out of me. You can keep an eye on your new stray for now.”

And Phee did. She sat with the injured and unconscious man, marveling at the sheer number and amount of bandages that covered his body. And yet he was still alive. What had happened to him? And who was he that he could survive all that and drag himself out of the water? He intrigued her and she looked forward to asking him all her questions when he woke up.

Chapter 3

Phee’s time to ask questions came in the late morning of the next day.

They’d ended up setting sail at first light, unable to wait any longer. The waves were rough today and the rocking of the ship must have woken up their guest.

Mel was sitting with him when he started groaning, his face screwing up in pain.

“Lyana,” she said to the girl sitting beside her, “go get Phee.”

The girl scrambled out of the room and a minute later Phee came through the door.

“Has he said anything yet?” Phee asked.

“Hasn’t even opened his eyes, but he’ll be waking up soon. Though you’d want to be here when he did.”

They ended up waiting longer  than anticipated for the stranger to fully wake up, but when he did nearly half an hour later, it was explosive.

He surged to the side without warning and emptied his stomach onto the floor. Phee was just fast enough to side-step so she didn’t end up covered in it.

The man slumped onto his back, whole body clenched as his sudden movement aggravated nearly all of his wounds. He couched a few times, each one making him grimace, his one good arm cradling his ribs.

“Here,” Mel said, gently lifting his head and bringing a cup of water to his lips. Rinse your mouth out and then spit it out in this.” She picked up a bowl after setting down the cup and the man did as instructed.

“Think you can keep some water down?” the older woman asked. The man nodded, wincing, and took a few sips from the cup Mel brought to his lips again.

Carefully setting his head back down, Mel turned her attention to cleaning up the mess while Phee came to stand at his other side.

His eyes were open mere slits, but she could see a hint of brown peeking through. His breathing was shallow but steady as he asked, “Where am I?”

“Aboard my ship. I’m Captain Phee Genoa. I found you by the river and brought you aboard. What happened to you? You were banged up pretty good, that much is clear.”

The stranger was silent for a few moments, brows furrowed in concentration or confusion.

“I don't remember.”

“Not surprised,” Mel said. “You have a nasty knock on your head. It may come back to you. May not. Head wounds are tricky like that.”

“Well, if you can’t tell us what happened, then can you tell us who you are?”

His brows furrowed again, but this time Phee thought she saw fear in those brown eyes and then went a little wider as his breathing came faster.

“I…I don’t…remember.” He looked up at them, a look almost like panic in his eyes. “I don’t know who I am.”

[konohamaru-sensei]

happy birthday @foolishk, i love you so.

laxus x oc / fantasy au

He ripped open the wooden door with full swing, almost pulling it out of its hinges and let it crush into the stone wall on the other side. The dim light of the room spilled into the darkness of the corridor and Laxus was faintly reminded of the first time he had entered this room. How endlessly being lost in underground corridors had led him straight to this heavy, wooden door.

Big steps forward into the room, following the flickering light that illuminated the nymph-tank he’d grown so accustomed to. Back when he was here first, when he had seen the nymph for the first time, it all had been so mysterious and scary, as if every part of this room was specifically designed to keep him away.

Laxus had known as a teenager that his father was shady and weird, that he had abused and misused his mother and shamed his grandfather, but just the extends of his crimes had not been clear to him until he had found this room, until he had found himself standing face to face with such a powerful, but utterly helpless creature.

How long she’d been trapped in their cellar when he found her, he did not know, just that everytime he came to see her after this, her bright blue hair faded into grey. Whatever experiments his father was doing on her it was definitely killing her. Being found by his father several times while snooping around, Laxus took the beating that followed it, but never stopped coming.

He was young and weak then, soon to be sent away to the capital to go to a school, too far away to stop whatever his father was doing. It had given him so much time to get stronger and smarter, to research nymphs and figure out that what his father was seeking was their immortality. Despicable, to climb all the way into the ice mountains just to take a creature's free life away.

Now he was grown and over it. It was time to let her go home, even if he was breaking the law by crossing the border into ice territory. For the last ten years his father had enacted unspeakable suffering on the nymph and Laxus was here to rectify at least parts of it.

Her hair had more grey than he’d ever seen it. When he looked up into the illuminated tank, watched her sway back and forth like a flag in the wind, he thought back of how beautiful she had looked the first time he’d seen her. Nymphs were magical, they were powerful, they were water and not water at the same time. They lived secluded and humans never got to see them, still here she was in front of his eyes.

Slowly, gently, not to scare her, he tapped with his finger against the glass of the tank. The nymph opened her eyes equally slowly, probably expecting his father to stand on the other side. When she finally actively looked at who was in front of her, her eyes suddenly went wide and a big bubble of air exited her mouth.

Laxus knew she could speak underwater, but he could not understand. Assuming that she might have said his name he nodded and pointed at himself and then at the crowbar in his right hand. Her eyes followed his hand movement to the metal piece and she instantly dashed to the back of her tank.

“I’m not going to hurt you with it,” he yelled, but the fear in her eyes told her that she didn’t believe him. Oh, what had his father done to this poor one, he thought and then waved the crowbar around in the direction of the machines surrounding her tank.

She wasn’t connected to anything, he needed to make sure of that. Laxus had always liked playing with electricity, so he knew it went well through water, so he needed to avoid giving her a shock. He turned to the console and took a swing at it, crashing metal onto metal and grinning satisfied when there was a loud humm of malfunctioning machinery.

He looked back to the tank and the lights were still on, the water in the tube still flowing. Right, again, he thought and took another swing at the console, this time crushing half of it and causing a spark to almost burn a hole into his clothes. He checked the tank again and still there was no power outage there. Whatever was keeping the gates closed must be totally disconnected to the console.

The nymph apparently was beginning to understand that he was trying to help her so she swam back to where he was standing, tapping with her long, slender fingers against the glass from the insides. When he looked up at her she pointed over her shoulder, big air bubbles leaving her mouth.

“The opening is at the back?” he asked loudly in hopes his voice would carry. The numpy nodded and turned to show him. In tandem with her swings Laxus followed her to the back of the tube where he could finally see what kept her connected.

He turned the crowbar over his head and swung it down one more time. A loud nose, more sparks flying, and the contraption fell apart. His father seemed to have made the control console more sturdy than this one. And that even though he must have been aware that nymphs can’t survive if they are lacking water.

His father, Laxus realised, had simply not cared if the water ran out of the tank and killed the nymph. He hadn’t cared about her as a living, breathing creature of this planet at all. 

He could feel the anger bubbling again and told himself that he had promised to deal with his father at a later time. Right now this nymph needed to be let out of her confinement. He was going to show her the weather at the surface, he was going to let her out in their family lake, give her time to swim and breathe and find the colour in her life again.

The nymph tapped below her nabe to the glass of the tube and then made a little swimming motion. Laxus followed her movements and took the metal bar into both hands. “That would probably crush the tube and bring the water out,” he said, “My father might have put a drainage in, something that gets it out quickly. That could harm you.”

She hesitated for a second, but then began doing her swinging motions again. He wasn’t satisfied with the idea of taking her out of the water, even if it was just to carry her to the surface. Normal nymphs would have no problem dealing with this for a short amount of time, but who knew how healthy this one was. She didn’t look healthy.

An air bubble left her mouth, then another. “Fine! Hold on tight,” Laxus said and took a wide swing into the glass of the tube. First a small crack apparead, then it got bigger and bigger as water started spilling out. Finally, the glass broke apart, leaving only an avalanche of water behind.

Laxus was pushed back by the force of it, suddenly surrounded by raging waves. He paddled helplessly with his arms trying to find something, anything to hold on to, when his back crashed into the wall behind him. He felt the blood on his tongue and coughed, which just forced more water down his throat.

Suddenly he could feel slender hands sling themselves around his arm and as he cracked open an eye he saw grey hair right in front of his nose. Her eyes were open and seeing through the glass filled water and though he must have been heavy to lift, she did it without looking like he was a burden.

She was so graceful moving through water like this, as if the water and her were one thing. He could not forgive his father for taking her away from her sisters, her ice and snow lakes to be trapped here. He could not forgive himself that it took him ten years to make sure she was free.

Though it felt like time had stood still, only a second passed until she had successfully not only brought him to the surface, but laid him down on a plank of metal to give him something to hold on to.

“Are you alright, Laxus?” she asked and though he was shocked by the fact that she knew his name, he was more shocked by the sound of her voice. A melodic rhythm, like drops on the surface. He’d never heard anything like it.

He grabbed the metal: “Yes.” Then, which a moment to collect himself, he realised that he’d been right about this father putting in a drainage. Though the room had been filled to the brim with water not long ago, it was slowly sinking down.

“But,” he said quickly and grabbed an arm of hers. “Are you going to be alright if the water is gone?”

She considered this for a moment. He realised how long it must have been since she’d been without water, that maybe every measurement she used to have was no longer applicable. “I will be fine,” she concluded quietly.

The drain continued, soon Laxus could stand on his own two feet again. He put himself up to full height. “I will carry you upstairs as fast as possible,” he declared and grabbed the small creature in front of him. The nymph let out a small squeak when he pulled her into his arms, but she did not resist. Turning towards the door of the room he made sure one of her legs was still in water if possible. Give her more time.

Then he ran. Grabbing the nymph close to his chest and hurrying up the maze of stairs into the main house. The nymph was holding on to him, burying her head into his neck as if to hide away from what was to come. Laxus had gotten to know the underground areas of their house well in the days and weeks leading up to this rescue; he knew the fastest way out was through the staff's quarters.

When he finally kicked in the door to the gardens it felt like ages had passed and yet it was probably not longer than half an hour. He stopped for a moment in the sunlight wanting to see how the nymph was reacting to being at the surface.

He had believed to find her looking at the sunlight, but she was looking only at him.

And she was smiling too.

He swallowed hard.

[mrpuppeteer]

Chapter 5 - Don't Breathe.

CHAPTER 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -CREDITS- Story/Writer: BigBox678 Editor: Yin-Yang ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as we heard the noises outside the door, we all knew something was trying to get in. We all moved to a blind spot far from the door. I noticed the rope that led back into the duct, and I looked at Emily and Theo, they both had the same idea as me. But as soon as I started moving, a giant monster burst into the room. I dashed back to the spot, and I peeked over a table to see what it was. But when I saw it, I wished I hadn’t. It was a huge, horrid beast standing on all fours. It had fluff like Doc, but its eyes were bulging red. Patches of its fur were ripped off, revealing bloody muscle. And it smelled HORRIBLY!!! And then, when I took a closer look at its bloody spots, I saw why. It was rotting, eggs with slimy maggots on the inside of it. Maggots! Burrowing into the beast! I wanted to vomit, but I held myself together to not alert it. 

We all knew we had to get out of the security room as soon as possible. So, we quietly and slowly made our way back to the rope. We inched closer to our freedom, and it seemed like we were going to get out. But as soon as we were right next to the rope, Doc came on the walkie-talkie from his radio. 

He whispered, "Hello?".The beast heard this, sparking it into a violent rage. It lunged at us, but we all quickly got out of the way. When we got back on our feet, however, we noticed something... The rope was gone! It had been ripped off by the beast when it lunged. Crap! Now what?! I looked around and noticed the opened door the beast entered the room through. Of course! We just needed to sneak out, and we are home free! But when I looked back at Emily and Theo, I noticed that Theo had been clawed by the beast and now had 3 big gashes across their torso. Oh no… The beast looked at Theo, ready to finish the job. But then, with all her might, 

Emily screamed “NO!” and leaped onto the beast’s back, pulling and tugging on its fur, making it run wildly around the room. However, Emily held on, not daring to loosen her grip. She wasn’t going to let one of her friends die. While Emily was wrestling with the beast, I went over to Theo. They were in immense pain, clutching onto my shirt with tears of pain in their eyes. I grabbed a piece of cloth off of a nearby shelf and wrapped it around Theo’s torso. The beast finally shook off Emily and sent her slamming into a wall. 

Emily then looked at me and yelled, “RUN! TAKE THEO!”. I then hoisted Theo onto my back and ran out of the room, with Emily running out shortly after. The Beast then let out an earth-shaking roar, beginning its chase. I followed the signs leading back to the theater. 

Emily realized what I was doing and called out once more. “DON’T GO THERE! GO TO A SPOT TO HIDE!” I didn’t know why I couldn’t go back to the theater, but I followed Emily’s instructions anyway. I took a sharp right, running as fast as I could. I didn’t know when I was going to stop, but I wanted to get as far away as possible. A few minutes later I found a closet to hide in, I ran into the closet and slammed the door shut. I was pretty sure I had lost the beast, which I did. I had just assumed it was chasing Emily, but I wasn’t worried because I knew she’d be okay. I set Theo down, they looked very tired, as to be expected, but they were holding on.

 “Are you good for now?” I asked, they nodded. 

“We need to stay here for a bit, you okay with that?” They nodded once more. I let out a sigh of relief. I looked around the closet and spotted a med-kit. I took it off the shelf and opened it, then I started to treat Theo with actual medical supplies instead of dirty cloth. After I was done, Theo sighed and started to relax. Theo then drifted off to sleep. It didn’t take long for me to meet the same fate.

I woke up to pitch black darkness. It was so dark that I couldn’t even see my own hand in front of me. 

“Hello?” I yelled out into the darkness. I heard nothing but the echo responding back to me. I took a step forward, but my foot didn’t land, that was because there was nothing in front of me.  So I started to fall. I tried to scream, but I couldn’t hear myself over the sound of the intense wind. Then before I knew it, I woke up. In the closet this time. 

“Oh… just a bad dream…” I whispered to myself. I looked over to Theo. They were still asleep. It felt like hours had passed, so I decided it was time to go. I nudged Theo awake and told them it was time to go. They picked themselves up and they managed to stand. I opened the door just a smidge and peeked outside… It was safe. Me and Theo slowly walked out and looked around. I then looked up at the direction signs, and we started to follow the way back to the Theater. It was very quiet, to the point where my breathing sounded like a huge gust of wind every exhale. Theo then tapped me on the shoulder, pointed to my walkie-talkie. 

“Oh right!” I responded. I then turned the walkie-talkie on and said “Hello?! Doc?! Emily?! Are any of you there?!” … No response, try again. “Hello?” I said with concern. … Radio silence… 

Crap.

 I looked at Theo. They nodded. We both then started to head back to the theater. After a long jog, we finally made our way back to the theater. I pushed the door open to the stage and saw… nobody. I started to worry even more, so I started to look around. I went into the weapons room, nobody. The only other room was the medical room. Me and Theo made our way into it. Once we entered, we saw Doc on a chair.

 “Oh my god!” Doc exclaimed “I thought you two were dead!” Doc got up from the chair and embraced Me and Theo. 

“Woah, woah.. We’re glad to see you too but… where’s Emily?” I asked Doc. 

“Well.. She was just here… she looked pretty bruised though… She just stopped by and then went out again to look for you two,” Doc replied. 

“I hope she’s okay… What am I saying.. I know she’s fine.. This is Emily we’re talking about” I answered back. 

Doc then said, with tears in his eyes, “I…I’m so sorry.. I thought I had gotten you two KILLED! I heard the roar on the radio a-and… It was too much… so I shut off the radio.. Thinking you three had perished… It was too much..!” Doc then bursted into tears, and hugged Me and Theo again. 

Doc then looked at Theo and said “T-Theo! You’re hurt!! But.. who applied these…” Theo then pointed at me. “Y-..You patched up Theo?” Doc questioned with his hands on my shoulders. I nodded. Doc beamed widely, whispering, “You are the best puppet we could’ve found to join us…” Doc hugged me and Theo for a third time. This… is where I’m meant to be… TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 6

[deadxlv]

Far Away Soul, White Cold Star 💫

Chapter: 19 “Slinked within rugged flesh..torn to shreds- IM NOT DONE YET!!!”

Ground begins to rumble ever so much harder every passing second, the morning rays of purple, red, and blue skies blessing the room with graceful light. Bodies torn of war and weakness got the rest they deserved after so long, but as the day had just begun with the sunlight touching their face only the worst had begun to come. Crackling of leaves and groaning of hardwood frames made the ground tremble beneath them even more as they slept..bodies ignoring the signs of change it was coming with a forefront. From the deep stretches of the remaining forests just beneath them..a ear piercing scream would ring in their consciousness..somber eyes of white cold death would shoot open in fear of familiarity..screams so horrifying it made the trembling halt to a standstill as your soul reawakens to reality once more..

Not ENOUGH!!!

Head shakes in an endless tremor like your whole body is terrified of the insurmountable level of pain trying to tear you in half, scrunching up of your whole face as time past this reminded you of how powerless you were to the larger forces in this world. Clenching of your jaw so tightly some of your teeth chip as the force applied to your body is so strong your practically turned into atomized flesh- Now Fly Away Little Birdy and come back when Your Stronger!

Time Since Passed..

The rapture of the sky above you tearing your body asunder, black skies and peering eyes of death staring your very soul into its own image of creation. Unable to even react your body felt drained of all its strength until this very point where you had one final choice, Live or Die, but with everything cast down to your very own hubris you rip into the stars and call upon this final action.

All Father Poise me with the Strength to Survive

This will be in Kÿr Pov:

The Entities giant fist breaking through the final pieces of your defenses. Unaffected by your most strongest attack you stare on in horror as it instantly vanishes at speeds never before seen and peers it's image on top of you with no remorse. Stars aligning in the sky you quickly jerk your arms to your side and instantly make a several foot thick barrier of the strongest metals you can even imagine just in time. An explosion of air and fractured bone pierces the turbulent skies as your small body is flung off into the distance like a rag doll thrown from a apartment building to the streets below at breakneck speeds. Clenching your jaw so hard you just managed to blurt out a scream, "NnnAGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!", tumbling across the skies with your right arm blown to bits and chunks of your ribs piercing your internal organs you are sent off. "Mo-th..DAMN IT!!!". How could I have been such an idiot I should've keep holding it back, hit it with something stronger? Or or or haha maybe have gotten the fuck out of there maybe?! That would've been a better idea r-

Kÿr's mangled body left a trail of blood as he flew through the air, Rajòz striking all around him as he flew over the sole remaining woods of this strange world, shockwaves from the original fight causing tremors all around the world until one final one shook the feline-like creature to his core. Looking back with one open eye he would stare out to the explosions ringing out, "F-fucK! Hijìn! No! DAMN IT!! DAMN YOU- YOU NEEDLESS WHORE!!!!", Kÿr managed to scream out as two giant thrusters formed on his back and blasted him back. He wanted to make it back before it was the undoubted end of his friend, his body ripping itself apart from the shift in force made him vomit blood all over himself as he boosted forwards, right arm flailing all about as he charged forward through the skies he began to yell in pain as he went faster and faster. One remaining eye open as he boosted forward made him spin in the air with no coordination, propulsion stuttering as his body grew weaker and weaker he used all his anger to try to make it back as fast as possible.

For such a frail and small body Kÿr was able to use it to its limits regardless if he was on deaths door, body may be shooting out so much blood, organs may be raptured, systems may be failing, but for any sake of it he wouldn't dare step down anymore..not after his first death..never again! Getting closer and closer to the original fight a strange trace of yellow light would glow over the dark clouds, turning his attention upwards he would stare out in confusion, "wh..gch..What the Fuck Is that?!", Kÿr questioned as he flew over the start of the wastelands. Out from the heavens with blazing horns and soulless killing the Entity ripped itself from the clouds above breaking the sky apart as it reentered the planets atmosphere, the sky caught ablaze as it came crashing down to the planet once again sending a world shattering punch right on the epicenter. Unable to react to such a blinding attack the shockwave erupted from the explosion made it all dark, small flimsy corpse now gone in the attack Kÿr was nowhere to be seen, only the sounds of tremors from the Entity pounding Hijìn into the ground was all that could be heard..

Disgust..filth..torn apart and asunder the world would gently shake beneath your broken body. In a miracle Kÿr was somehow alive but not alone. He was buried beneath the endless amounts of rubble thrown about from the Entities attack, it has been many days and somehow his drive to live keeps him from kicking heel into the afterlife. 'Nnn..N-never..Again!', is what rang in his mind as he slowly clenched his fist staring up into the darkness below all this rock and vegetation. Opening his mouth to scream nothing would come out, but as he did so his arm shot out from the trash and the whole forest floor on top of him exploded off his mangled body and thrown about into his surroundings. Kÿr's body slowly raised itself up from its tomb and as he looked all around his eyesight would begin to waver, blood loss so severe his own mind couldn't even process what to do any longer. Thrusting his left arm weakly to the side the remaining shards of his ability would summon out metallic pastes to cover his wounds, the burning of metal sealing his flesh made him writhe in pain, legs quaking from the shock coursing in his very brain. "Fu..fuh..fnnn..Fu..ck..", mutter to myself as I grab my side..d-Damn it why does it always have to Fuckin Hurt All the damn TIME!

This place is a desolate sack of shit and my sorry ass just had to be launched here, Hell I would've preferred that damn ice continent we saw up in space or even the ocean for all I care..least I wouldn't have to deal with psycho bitches every three miserable seconds. Speaking of Sacks of shit..where the hell am I..it smells rancid as fuck and..wait..this doesn't feel right. Kÿr jerked his head to the right nearly falling to his knees, a quiver from the darkness all around him came out to pierce his flesh, turning around he saw this and would try his best to climb up the small hole he dug himself into. Another dart, another, then another, they would all fly by him as he limped his way to the wall, his nails gripping into the soft dirt would near lose their grip as he ascended. Darts shooting into his clothes nearly stabbing his flesh made him panic, mind all over the place and body using all the adrenaline it had made him forget one important detail..I have a Tail? From beneath his sweater trying to block the main attack his tail would shoot out, the blade severely cracked from the impact would slice through the incoming projectiles so quick it made ringing sounds in his dark surroundings.

"Sh..Ughhh..Fuck..ME!!", Kÿr growled for himself as he thrusted with all his strength in his small feet up and over the ledge of the hole, dart stabbing into his right foot made him tumble when he hit the ground, "Agh! Crap I'm..Clipped!", he said out weakly as he hit the ground. Foot inflamed by the dart caused Kÿr to groan in pain, left hand ripping the dart out onto the ground by him only for his only remaining open eye not filled with blood to scan the area already knowing what's going on. "It's..those things..those parasites..why are there so many am..I..No- there would be no way..", quickly rolling on his side making a crunching sound as his broken bones cracked against his internal organs he would fall about for a while longer, Kÿr's metal implants barely holding him together as he fell face first on a stone ledge facing out into something greater. Breathing heavily the feline-like creature gripped the dirt on the ledge, he quivered in pain as he layed there not making a single sound, body twitching as hes too tired to get up he would pause. Mind slowing down..am I dying..? So soon..I thought I was..tchhh..No..I can't..I'm not even..at my true form yet..I- I'm not dying a second time! I'm not seeing that bitches face..Never Fate..Never Again..you can..suck my Dick!

Sounds of slithering of the parasites down the ledge towards him made him forcibly stand up using one hand only, stabbed leg grew numb from possibly a neural-toxin injected straight into his system. An explosion from the small ledge and Kÿr was tumbling down onto another small crevice on this canyon wall, punching the ground with his worn down claws he made himself stand once more to face a haunting reality..this really..is confirming my suspicions..this is what she's been hiding the whole time..she has to be here..there's no other chance she isn't..V you bitch. Looking down the canyon Kÿr would be a small spec of dust compared to something so truly massive, it was a bulbous strange plant matter ball taking up all the space, it's body writhed around as rippling pieces of it slid off its human skin like folds and into the earth beneath it, tears in its seems ejected small fleshy particles..are those..new parasites..is this the..Hydra?!

Kÿr took a step forward and by accident walked over a tentacle laying just beneath his feet almost as if placed there intentionally, from the center of the fleshy mass which was so large it covered the horizon in its size, it would break open letting large parts of itself unfold into the open air. Deep reeking stench of rotting corpses and death seeped from the unfolded being in front of him, it's flesh-like petals stretched out revealing a large hole in the center where the stench originated from, the gases so prominent it filled it with a odd green gas. Just barely over it in size Kÿr could just make out what it was, "It's..I-it's like a flesh flower..with a deep anus as a center..what the..fuck..your telling me this is where..", Kÿr could barely hold in another vomit of his own blood on the ground as the stench reached his nose. "Augh..this is where Hèr'La came from?! From this th-..", he was interrupted by more darts coming from the flesh of the parasites following him down, it was like they were leading him down to be consumed by this horrid mass of flesh and rotting corpses. Who could even make such a thing? how could such a thing even exist and no one else know about it?, Kÿr questioned as he just barely slid down the canyon side getting ever so nearer to the bulbous mass in front of him, the stench growing worse and worse as he grew nearer..except for the feeling of being watched growing worse and worse..

Tumbling as he fell on the ground Kÿr looked all about to try and see what he could do or even where to go. The Hydra would fully open up its flesh petals and begin screeching out to the sky almost as a threatened call, an intruder and sadly the poor Kÿr was in its home turf where none have ever crossed before. Kÿr on his last legs charged through any parasites he met on his way, tentacles strewn all over the place turned a used to be canyon into a cesspool of shit and dead bodies, the remains of dozens of creatures Kÿr has never seen before were all piled up here almost like a pod to store food for the main monster. "They ..really think I'll just turn Heel..and Die..Hehhh..well they're wrong..better yet I'd try my ass off to even Kill this thing with all I got..!", Kÿr proclaimed as he stood on the bodies of the dead around him and faced the giant wall of the Hydras body which reached so high it touched the clouds above. Thrusting his left arm out towards the Hydra, planting his feet on the dead beneath him, and forcing a smirk Kÿr slowly moved his arm back as he began to charge his energy, his remaining open eye would surge as it collected the final bits of Rajòz energy stored within his body and pulsed it straight into his arm. Parasites would begin to conjoin together forming fleshy masses of filth and dead bodies jerked all about as more parasites came from below after feeding on them ever so slowly, they came from all directions as fast as possible trying to stop this madman from dare attacking their spawn.

Rajòz energy surged within his arm infusing his next attack with said energy, jaw clenched he braced his stance, parasites lunging at him from all angles, Kÿr would smirk and turn his right palm into a small laser canon and proceed to shoot a full force blast of the energy so strong it made him go flying back from the blast. Him tumbling back made the laser slice all around at the Hydra's weak flesh causing it's disgusting acidic blood to pour everywhere and for all Parasites to scream out in pain, they writhed in pain as if they were the ones hit from the attack directly. Kÿr broke through the rugged walls of the canyon with such speed it made a deep hole of his entry, but before he could even retract his hand a near number of infinite spikes and darts stabbed into his flesh from outside, into his cheek, his chest, his legs, his face stabbing out of his eyes out so incredibly quick he couldn't even react. His extended hand twitched out from his nerves barely able to send pulses anywhere in his torn apart body, Kÿr layed there full of stab wounds and holes everywhere with a smile on his face, ever so last bits of his breath quietly stuttering their way out of his torn apart lungs..d-da...least..I..made..a..impact..friend..heh. His mind went silent..

Ripping from the depths of the horde of parasites that stabbed into Kÿr's body one of them would retract its tentacles to reveal a hand hidden amongst the fray, the hand was a soft light baby blue and it was the one that stabbed into the small feline-like creatures extended palm. Gently the hand would cusp Kÿr's and would pulse the downed feline with a soft green energy, the stab wounds slowly closing up and blood stains leaving from the felines clothes till it was completely clean. The parasites by it would screech out in discomfort from this unique energy as they all retracted and began to surround the revealed hand, energy pulsing faster and faster Kÿr's closed eyes would stammer for a second as some air would just barely make it into his lungs, but with muffled screaming from the horde a explosion of light would send the whole canyon on top of them. All was quiet and peaceful...until- warm loving arms embraced your small body, reeking smell filled the air, but the ever loving embrace of the world came back to you in this free state of pain. Just capable of making it out..you were being hugged, sounds of the Hydra screeching in pain as it tried to recover would emanate so harshly it sent continent wide tremors that thrashed the surrounding forest apart. Massive tentacles that stretched for hundreds upon thousands of miles ripped themselves from the ground all around you and swayed in multiple directions, "it's gonna be okay..focus your strength..think about the world you wanna make..loving and peaceful..where everyone can enjoy themselves and be fruitful regardless of their past..focus it Kÿr..and..let it all out..", a delicate voice said in your ears so familiar it made you reawaken in the reality strewn out in front of you.

One of the massive tentacles dozens of feet across would erupt from the earth beneath you and come crashing down to make you know your place, from the pits of your soul a flame erupted into a worldwide wildfire and as you let it out you finally plant your feet, grit your teeth, and fuck all who oppose you. Hand turning into a gigantic metal clawed gauntlet would thrust up and catch the tentacle before it even had the chance to crush you both, throwing it off to the side you make your hand back to normal and grab..

Propulsion fully charged in your systems your out of the canyon and back onto the main forest floor, the tentacles writhed around below as the Hydra tried its hardest to heal by consuming its young, but this wasn't even near enough to kill it and it was damned to try and get pay back. Turning around as you landed to head in forward you pause as you realize what you have just done..what just..saved me..who- From the faults in your mind out of nowhere your face is softly grabbed and yanked into a passionate Kiss, eyebrows shot upwards in shock as you look forward only to see no one but Hèr'La in front of your very eyes. As she pulled back she would smile looking down at you, "Wh Wh hHhhhh HÈR'LA?! Your alive?!", Kÿr sprang forward absolutely in shock and held her tightly lifting her in the air off her feet. She would giggle out in embarrassment but in glee as she hugged his head, she was slightly skinnier, skin slightly lost some color, and her hair was a faded pink like white color, but as you set her back down she was nearly falling onto the ground in weakness. You catch her and look up to her, "H-Hèr'La are you Okay?! Where? How? I thought you were dead?! We thought you were dead..", Kÿr exclaimed in worry as it didn't even process in his mind she had just Kissed him a moment prior, his gray furred face turning into a red explosion of embarrassment as he looked around completely flustered

Hèr'La would lean against a dead tree and take a deep breath, glancing all around almost as if she was watching out for something or even someone. Turning back down to Kÿr she would say, "I-..I've been there..for so long..I forgot who I was..V she..she left me with that monster after we argued..I-I..then those things kept attacking me..And one jumped on me..then it went dark..they turned me into a monster..I wasn't even myself as it took hold..till I saw You! And everything started making sense again..Kÿr what are you even doing here how did you even find this place", Hèr'La asked in concern as she tried to move to Kÿr but soon faltered having to lean onto another tree to stay upright, her body had been drained of so much energy she was near unable to even stand upright anymore. Kÿr held her side blowing the embarrassment out of the water as he tried to keep her upright, "I was..nearly killed by your sister..she ambushed us out of the blue and killed so many people- Hijìn went out of his way to fight her but when I got the chance to see her again she looked crazed out her mind..until..one of those things came out of her..those parasites...it had infected her and turned her into this giant monster thing that nearly blew me to bits..and I woke up here after it hit me away..", Kÿr said with a worried look on his face, "But forget about me I'm more worried about you- I couldn't stop thinking about what happened to you that day..I knew I should've done more..I should've been able to protect you from her". "Heh she is my sister you know..so that's kinda impossible", Hèr'La said weakly before Kÿr interjected again, "regardless she meant you harm and wasn't in the best intentions for you..I may be small and not the strongest person around but I'd lay down my life for those I love..a-and..your one of them Hèr'La, can never forget those talks we had back at the camp for those nights felt like an eternity..you've got no idea how much I've missed you", Kÿr said looking down in a bit of shame, Hèr'La looking down at him passed her hand softly down his head to his cheek, "I-I..missed you too Kÿr..everyday passed made me fear for the worst..I have no natural immunity and it's scary to think that someone such as my sister who does have it managed to get infected..this thing the Hydra..there has to be a way to kill it for good w-..". Hèr'La was interrupted by some strange laughter emanating from the woods around them.

From the darkness of the woods around them a cloaked figure would emerge, it's arms torn to pieces would reform into clawed hands with odd growths ripping from beneath their clothing. Kÿr burrowed his eyebrows as it approached, Hèr'La trying to move him behind her would prove fruitless as Kÿr walked ahead in objection to this stranger. Ripping words from its bony mouth the creature would speak, "KÿR..U..where your M-mAster..Hijinnn..?!", Kÿr scoffed and responded as he summoned many rifles to his side which hovered around him aiming themselves down at that being, "I ain't anyones pet nor anyones my Master..so fuck off you disease ridden fuck and go gargle on the balls of that Hydra..", Kÿr responded in a cocky attitude as the Stranger kept approaching. Hèr'La growing worried would grab on Kÿr's shirt and try to pull him back but again it was to no avail. The Stranger would ever so slowly pull back its hood from its head to reveal itself, "M-Ma'ire?!" Hèr'La questioned in a worrisome tone as she saw that beings face, "Y-yes..now come to me Hèr'LA!..let us populate the world with your endless power of life..and create a new age together!", the Stranger boasted out as the black and red serrated tentacles tore itself from Ma'ire's rotting corpse and into his eye sockets. "And do please tell..Hijinnnnn...mmmmhhehhhhmm..that the Chieftain is dealt with..", "What!?", Kÿr questioned in shock as he look horrified to it all as the Stranger vanished instantly and reappeared right by them before snatching Hèr'La on the spot.

Horrid scream rang through the woods as the sharp tentacle made hands stabbed at her flesh as it picked her up, her golden blood seeping onto the creatures flesh as Kÿr growled out in abject hatred and charged at them. The Creature swayed Hèr'La around as it strikes at Kÿr incredibly fast, blades clashing with claws as Kÿr counter attacked with a multitude of blade swings, dodging left right and up as it tried to slice him apart. Fully healed and jock full of energy Kÿr would try to shoot but just as he tried the creature would hold Hèr'La forward using her like a meat shield causing Kÿr to stagger and hold back fire just enough for the creature to near infinitely extend its arm pounding Kÿr through the tree line, "I didn't care for those people..those mute Mutts! All I cared about was monitoring you two till I had the chance to kill you, But Vìrkä got to you first and so now with the prime change to eliminate all in the way of Fate YOU ARE DEAD!!!", the creature said in glee before Hèr'La turned around in its claws grip and began stabbing at its face with a sharpened tree branch she managed to rip from being trashed around. Screaming out in pain it would jerk around trying to defend itself from the stabbings. Running on the extended arm of the stranger Kÿr came from the shadows not even with a scratch on his body as he came forth and rocket boosting his movements he kicked the creature square in the face sending them all tumbling.

Rolling further into the forest Kÿr would skid along the side of the creature and berate it with endless showers of hellfire, guns glowing red from how fast they were shooting the rounds Kÿr swerved under a counter attack from the creature only to jump on its face and punch it over and over and over and over again with large steel knuckles. "Let! My! Girl! Go! You! Piece! Of! SHIT!!!!", Kÿr screamed out as they fell off a small ledge and right into a small patch of woods, the creature healed its cracked skull face and smiled as it was futile, but before it could open its mouth to speak Hèr'La would full force kick it in the jaw while still in its grip. The creature staggered for but a moment before Kÿr came and kicked it in the face as well, the two would kick it back and forth each time pissing it off more and more till it slammed Hèr'La into the trees while still in its grasp and punched Kÿr away with its other arm. Tentacles seeped into Hèr'La's body taking hold of her power of growth and life making the creature grow larger and larger with each passing second till it was making the ground crumble beneath its very step, "BwaGhhahhaha! This is my proclamation I spoke of you Rodent! Seeing the truth Fate spoke to us gave us this power and with Hèr'La's power we shall rule this planet with rotten soul gripping tyranny!", it boasted out as the screams of Hèr'La rang off in the distance, the tentacles practically sucking her soul with each passing moment. Growing ever so larger the creature stood upright as its clothes blew off of it till it was a tentacle growth ridden hulking beast that stood over the trees, the Hydra roared off behind it as if it was preparing to attack as well. Kÿr erupting from the treeline would look around for his woman, "Hèr'La where are you!?", he yelled out pissed as hell as he sliced at all the red and black sharp tentacles coming at him from the ever so growing creature.

"KŸR'U?!"

Kÿr would turn around after hearing his name believing it to be Hèr'La only to see it was Hijìn. His face lit up a bit as he approached, Hijìn staring out at this thing with eyebrows burrowed would snarl knowing what this is..round two of this unbeatable parasite. Yet, as Kÿr approached from behind Hijìn came Vìrkä, her presence instantly making him pause and his whole demeanor changing, "Wh..h..I..g..that WHORE!!!", Kÿr screamed out towards Vìrkä who saw all of this then faced Kÿr with a confused look on her face. Hijìn noticed this and would try to reason with Kÿr trying to approach him, but he wouldn't be able to fast enough as through all the chaos Kÿr would arm a large rifle in his hands and aim it at Vìrkä, "You Meddling bitch! You nearly kill me! Made me believe my friend is dead! Kill my friends! Considered close enough to be family! Kill more! Made me think Hèr'La is dead! And is the reason why this is all happening! I HATE YOU!!!!! I WILL NEVER STOP HATING YOU- Y-YOU BITCH!!!". The tentacle of the creature slamming down in front of them as Kÿr yelled out in fury and shot endless rounds wanting revenge for all that has happened, luckily all the bullets hit the tentacle just in time, but with the resonating message Vìrkä stared back at the feline-like creature and ask.. "H-Hèr'La..is..alive...?".

A horrid reunion of many tides of people, seeping of souls from deep within, a grave struggle, and a never changing heart. You stand there with weapons drawn ready to kill those in your path, she struggles to ward it off and resist the absorption once again, creature bellows out in glee as it doesn't even see any of you as a threat any longer. For- fuck all that! I want her dead! She must Die! Fuck all of this fate crap that bitch must DIE! This is all her FAULT! She can never be forgiven..I HATE YOU I WILL NEVER STOP HATING YOU!!! DIE BITCH DIE I-I CANT ANY LONGER JUST DIE!!!

I..I..I'm sorry..

JUST FUCKING DIE YOU NEEDLESS FUCKING WHORE!!!!!!!

[quicksilverownsmysoul]

Sweet Dreams Are Made of This pt. 15

Dark! Peter Maximoff x fem reader (Mob Au)

I hope you like it! we’re getting into the middle stretch of sweet dreams and as the chapters go on there will be even more angst but even more fluff. And not to mention some smut, not quite yet but soon. 

Summary:  Peter has felt like a piece of him has been missing ever since he was taken away from his mother to be raised by his father. But when you seem to fill that piece there’s no way he’s ever letting you go

Warnings: Angst

Word Count: 1.4K (on the shorter side but I’ll make it up to y’all in the next chapter )

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11| Part 12 | Part 13

Peter had been reluctant to let you go, every time you had tried to ease him off the floor he resisted. Head burying further into you, and hands attempting to drag you down to his level. So you had settled with sitting on the floor behind him, leaning against the frame of his bed while he sat with his face hidden in the crook of your neck, hiding his tear stained face from you as he breathed in your scent. When you were at the manor before you had never indulged him this way unless he had begged and pleaded for it. So while you were willingly giving it away Peter was going to milk it for all it was worth. 

When he first saw you he wanted to demand you to tell him why you left, he wanted to yell until his voice got hoarse and until you cried the way he had every night since you left. He wanted to make you feel as much pain as he had felt in your absence, but he couldn't help the way he sank to his knees upon seeing you. Like a faithful worshiper falling before their benevolent god. And it all melted away to be replaced with that boyish sadness that he had been trying to keep at bay. It manifested into waves as he felt your gentle touch welcome him in, a thing you had only done once before. And once again he was entirely yours. 

Truth be told his anger with you was nothing compared to the longing he had felt in your absence.He had tried finding you and he had, but he wasn't allowed to contact you at all. All his letters were returned and his calls blocked. It was as if a piece of him was ripped away and placed on a shelf he couldn’t reach no matter what he tried. For the longest time he believed that those were intentional, that you had moved on and cut him out as his father had told him in between strikes. Each stinging of the belt across his wrist or across his back cemented the idea that you didn't want anything to do with him. 

As a result he reverted back into what remained of his old self. He did things he regretted and some that he was numb to. He did as his father told him to do without so much as a complaint. A verbal one at least, he still found other forms of retaliation. Silent ones that Peter seemed to care about more than his father. Such as refusing to eat, his father didn't seem to care as long as he got his work for the day done. His lack of eating was something he regretted terribly now. When you had moved to sit on the floor with him he had caught a glance of himself in the reflection of the window and was mortified. His silver hair was dull and hung limply around his face, its shine long gone. His eyes were dull and bloodshot, dark purple bags marring the pale skin under his eyes. His face gaunt from a lack of food.

That's why when you asked him to look at you he couldn't. You looked even more beautiful than he remembered, and now more than ever he knew you were too good for him. “Peter.” You tired, shifting as you felt his head shake against your shoulder. You had left him alone for a while after that, but the ache in your spine from sitting on the floor for too long was taking its toll. So you tried again.  “Please look at me.” 

“I can’t.” His words muffled. 

“Yes you can.” You mused, hands petting the hair at the nape of his neck and the exposed skin below it. “I missed your pretty brown eyes, I want to see them.” 

After a moment Peter spoke, his voice cracking from its lack of use. “Pretty brown eyes?” His voice was hesitant. “You think I have pretty eyes?” 

You smiled to yourself at his unsureness. “Yes. You have very pretty eyes. May I see them?” 

Peter reluctantly removed himself from the comfort of your embrace, one he had been in for hours on end. You let him move at his own pace, waiting until he was face to face with you, his eyes cast downward. You gave him a moment before your hands came to lay on either side of his face. The action making his brows shoot up and eyes meet yours. You thumbed at the apple of his cheek in a soothing motion, your brow furrowing as you took him in. “How long has it been since you’ve slept?”

“I’ve slept.” He muttered, shaky hands coming up to mirror the way you held his face. You did your best not to flinch when his cold hands made contact with your skin. Peter let out a shaky breath, never touching you this way before. He laid his hands flat across your cheeks, far from the gentle cupping of his face that you were doing. Almost as if he was trying to memorize your face through feeling alone. His nimble fingers tracing the contours of your nose and the lines of your jaw. Stopping when they found their perch, your skin soft under his calloused hands. 

“You haven’t.” You chided, feeling the raised and puffy skin under his eyes. 

“I have.” He grumbled, upset that you weren't taking his word for it. You just hummed and took your hands away from his face. Automatically his hands quickly flew to yours, forcing them to stay pressed against his face, thumbs hooked under his jaw. His nails digging into your skin in an uncomfortable way. Like he had the first morning you spent with him before he had punished himself for the action. You gritted your teeth and waited for that moment to come, where he would let you go but he didn't, the pain increasing with every passing second. 

You tried to move your hands again only for his to slip lower, hands now slotted around your wrists, a grip that would be impossible to break without damaging your skin.  “Peter.” You tried, voice laced with fear. You were alarmed by the fact that he didn't seem to care about the pain he was causing you, it seemed that he only cared about whether you held him or not. “Peter please.” When he didn't let you go, you angled your fingers so that the nails of them dug into the skin of his cheeks, it wasn't very much pressure but the slight prick of pain caused Peter to drop your hands and move away.  

He fell back onto his hands and stared at you in horror. “You hurt me.” 

You didn't know how to respond to the broken tremble in his voice. “I didn’t mean to.” 

“You hurt me.” He repeated, eyes glossing over before the tears spilled over onto his cheeks. “Why did you hurt me?”

You tired to make your voice as understanding as possible, heart breaking when he flinched as you reached out for him. You retracted your hand. “You wouldn't let me go.” 

Peter frowned at your response, you felt yourself shrink into yourself, scared at how quickly his tears seemed to dry. But as if sensing this change in you his tears reappeared. “Because if I let you go, you’d leave me again.” The rawness of his words was like a sucker punch to your gut. 

“I’m not going to leave you.” You whispered; voice soft. “I made you a promise.”

“My dad makes me promises all the time.” Peter muttered, hands picking at the sleeves of his shirt.

“I keep my promises.”

“I don’t believe you.” Peter said, still not meeting your gaze.

You could feel yourself losing the momentum your had over him, and the feeling hurt you in more ways than one. In a way you didn’t want to admit you cared about. But it prodded you and seemed to rip the next words straight from your throat. “How can I prove it to you?”

Peter starred at you with calculating eyes, sensing an opportunity at hand. There was so many things he wanted to ask for, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask. The shame of it making his face burn red. But after a while he managed to ask. “Spend the night with me?”

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[neon-city-dreams]

Moonlit Vigil

Warnings: Blood, scars, trauma and a sickening amount of fluff to compensate.

Genre: Fantasy AU

Synopsis: Immortal reader struggles with coming to terms with having feelings for someone whose life is so much shorter and finite compared to their own.

Cast: Immortal!reader, Warrior!Siyeon

Words: 3156 (24 minutes reading time)

"You know this isn't what I had in mind when you asked for my help!" Siyeon says, her blade slicing through another one of our adversaries.

"That sounds like you've lost count~" I tease as I cleave through another member of the undead. The undying hordes, while seemingly endless at the start, were beginning to thin out.

"I have not!" She yells back before ripping the arm off a particularly giant zombie. She then began using the arm as an improvised weapon in tandem with her jingum. Even though the objective was to hold the line, it appears she's taking our little competition seriously.

I swing wide with my greatsword carving through another three. Unfortunately, I wasn't a refined or graceful warrior like her. Instead, I used brute force to power through, which suited me perfectly. 

"Oh yeah? How many do you have, then?" I ask, wiping the sweat from my brow and a cocky grin on my lips. However, my overconfidence gets the better of me as one latches onto me from behind. I quickly throw the creature over my shoulder before burying my blade down its throat. That additional kill would raise my score to forty-eight. 

I look towards Siyeon, already expecting a witty response. But one never came. Rather everything began to fall silent, the groans of the undead and the howling winds. I could hear none of it as I grew utterly enraptured by her. 

She stood there motionless, her eyes closed to the world. Her attention completely focused on her breathing. The autumn leaves began to fall as the undead faded into the background. Her long black hair blew gently in the wind against her purple robes. She was a painting, a masterpiece that belonged to a gallery—something to be admired from afar.

Her eyes flutter open, and the wind begins to pick up. The stage was set. She exhales soft white fog leaves her lungs. Her dark brown eyes sharpen with a steel resolve.

Her movements were sharp and elegant, much like her blade drawing crimson blood from its victims like ribbons. Her blade moves with precision and poise, cutting in flourishes and arcs like a brush on an empty canvas. If combat was an art, then she was a dancer, and I was captivated with every moment.

One by one, they fell like beats to a drum. Then, step by step, Siyeon's dance draws to a close. The hordes were gone. The crisis averted. We had done more than we had promised the villagers. But my heart was still left wanting more. Even if her performances had been solely for my eyes only, I knew like a piece of art, she was someone I could only admire from afar. 

"See something you like?" She teases, bringing me back to reality. A smug smile lined her lips. I try to stammer out a response, but nothing comes.  

"Wolf got your tongue?" She teases further before dragging Haemosu, her blade between her forearm and bicep, cleaning the weapon of blood and gore. However, dirting her robes in the process. "Or did you lose count?" 

"Thirty-eight," I say abruptly. It wasn't the correct count, but it was the number I was sticking with. I couldn't let her have complete control over the conversation. But judging by the look on her face, she didn't hear a single thing I said. 

"Is there something on my face?" I ask, pulling her back to reality.

"Sorry," She says, the glossed-over look in her eye fading before a chuckle escapes her lips. She then offers me a piece of cloth from inside her robe. I stare at it blankly, not sure what to do.

"I'll get it for you," she says, wiping my face. I couldn't help but blush as her fingers brushed against my cheek. 

"There we go. I couldn't have someone's blood ruining that pretty face of yours," Siyeon continues, her breath brushing against my lips. It was only now that I realized how close we had gotten. My heart begged for me to kiss her.

But I couldn't.

However, if there was anything that could kill me, it was that smile of hers.

"For someone that claims they can't die. You sure as hell fight like you're trying to die," I say, with nothing but a false smile on my face. My heart ached and wept with every cut and every wound my fingers traced.

Each was a story of valor and bravery. Moments our knight-commander would rather sacrifice their body to protect us. But instead, their body served as a reminder, a monument to their virtue and their kindness. As a warrior under their command, I was thankful. As a friend, however, I was racked with guilt. I would have been more cautious. I would of-.

"I'm obviously not trying hard enough," They say, breaking me from my reverie. I can't help but laugh despite the pain in my chest. Then, of course, they would say something witty. Like this wasn't a big deal. 

I remember them telling me about how all this worked. It was all beyond my comprehension, so of course, I didn't believe them. Why would I? 

"Obviously," I say, a pained smile on my lips. I'm glad they couldn't see the look on my face. They couldn't see the look of pain and guilt on my face at the results of my mistakes. The results, they were more than willing to accept the consequences of. I feel at their newest wound. A fresh pink net only slightly larger than the grasp of my fingers right where their heart would be. 

"Does it hurt?" I can hear my voice tremble as my lips quiver. It was taking everything I had not to sob uncontrollably. Their soft and gentle eyes look at me over their shoulder. I had never seen anything but kindness in their eyes except for-.

"Only in the moment," They say, a reassuring smile on their lips. But the more I look in their eyes, the more I remember the look of pain and anguish. I close my eyes and remember every detail perfectly.

We were searching the battlefield for survivors. The why and how weren't important to me, not now. But some raiders had set an ambush. Trying to make easy money from any would-be war profiteers. When I had finally noticed, it was too late.

"MOVE!" They yelled, but I froze. After that, all I could do was remember that night in the village. The screams of my friends and family as they were slaughtered like cattle. 

I was finally brought out of that waking nightmare when my back hit the dirt. The Knight Commander smiled at me as the arrows pelted their armor. But they continued to smile like it was just rain. There was no pain or anger in their eyes. 

"I've got you," They said, and for a moment, I smiled. But that was all ripped away from me in a heartbeat. My ears had fallen deaf as a ballista bolt tore through their chest. Pieces of steel remnants of their chest plate cut at my face. Blood began to drip from their tender lips and the freshly made hole in their chest. I wanted to scream, to cry. Another person I cared about, gone.

But just when I thought the life from their eyes had faded, their will continued on. Their hands grasped at the bolt in defiance. But there wasn't life or kindness in their eyes, only suffering and pain. They pushed and pulled at the bolt, never once giving in—each movement a mark of defiance against death, a taunt, a rallying cry to never give in. Bit by bit, they press forward and remove themselves from the bolt. 

They take a breath, a hollow one with no substance, and then, for a moment, there's a reprieve before their pain continues. They bite into their gauntlet before pressing their other hand against the gaping hole in their chest. A soft white light glowed from their hand. It brought a form of comfort until I saw that look in their eyes continue to persist. Tears of struggle and pain paint their way down their face. For a moment, I tried to convince myself this was all a nightmare. That my careless mistake hadn't inflicted an imaginable pain on someone, I cared about. Especially not them. 

Their touch brings me back, their fingers interlaced with mine resting on their shoulder. That's when I noticed the tears that streamed down my face. When had I started crying?

"It's okay, I'm okay, we're okay," They say, their words linger in the air for a moment. I almost let myself be comforted by their words. But how fragile had my heart gotten? All those brief and fleeting moments of comfort took their toll. What happens next time? Would there be a next time?

"Hey," They say, their words soft like cotton. "Listen to me. It's not your fault. I know it doesn't feel that way. But it was my choice, and I'll stay with you however long it takes for you to know that"

Now, even after everything. They still thought about me. They always put others above themself. That soft and tender gaze of theirs sieged my heart like a battering ram. I finally let go as they turn to catch me. I fall into their warm embrace.

The two of us stay like this for minutes or hours, I don't know. It didn't matter to them and didn't matter to me. They just let me cry and let it out. There was no pretending, just open and honest vulnerability. Something I hadn't had since I was nothing more than a farmer's daughter.

Eventually, the well of guilt and sadness dried up, yet I was still in their arms. Their warmth reminded me of the sun after weeks of endless rain, and their smile was the rainbow that followed shortly after. But, of course, despite my confidence, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed after crying in front of them like that. Like morning dew drops, their smile fades away, and an amused smirk rises like the sun to replace it. 

"At least you can say you're the first woman to break my heart," They say. I try to stop myself from laughing, but I'm too slow. So instead, I slap them on the shoulder as punishment for easing the mood, which only makes them smile more. 

"There we go! I'm glad you're feeling better," They say, no doubt still proud of their stupid joke.

"You're an idiot," I say.

My Idiot.

"I'm the idiot? Who's the one who forgot the picnic basket?" I reply. I wasn't annoyed, more amused that I hadn't noticed she had forgotten the basket until we got to the top of our hike. I take a seat under the shade to take in the view. Vast open fields of flowers dotted the land mixed with streaks of orange and red painted on top of seas of grass. Past the emerald crown of flowers stood a jewel of glass. A lake, pristine and flawless, it stood in serene and tranquil beauty as it took in the gaze of the sun. Returning its attention with the same love and grace shown in kind.

It was a beauty like none other. Although, I could think of someone whose allure had it hopelessly outmatched. I pat a spot beside me place for her to sit.

"Honestly, that sounds like a massive oversight on your part," She says, laying her head on my lap with a cheeky grin. I shouldn't be so surprised by her proximity. We had grown close in the weeks after I took that blow through the heart. In a way, it helped bring down the walls that guarded my heart. It allowed me to be more honest with how I felt about her, and it was all because of that smile.

It was worth protecting. But she would remain something to admire. I couldn't let myself become entangled, intertwining my life with her brief but beautiful life. Such is the curse of immortality. She was a beautiful firework that came roaring into my life. She was filled with color and life that made me smile and laugh even in the worst of times. Siyeon is all that and more. If only fate would let me bask in her beautiful light so I could hold a piece of her radiance in my heart to cherish with all I could muster. But it was not to be. Instead, I would have to remain content with my place in that beautiful spark. A memory I would cherish for all days.

I looked down at the light in my life. Gone were the purple and blue robes of her everyday attire; instead lay a sundress reminiscent of the clear blue sky. Her long black hair was no longer bound in a ponytail. Rather it ran freely in the gentle summer breeze. She gazes back at me with those bewitching brown eyes that I could lose myself in.

"No witty remark?" She says, her fingers interlacing with mine. I remember the first time she held my hand, I had almost forgotten how to breathe. But now, my hands felt empty, like something was missing without hers. Like a warrior without a weapon, a musician without an instrument, and an artist without a muse.

"No," I say, a smile growing on my face. It was moments like these that I wish could last forever. But again, I was going to have to settle with the memory. My own piece of paradise hidden within my mind's eye. "After all, you're right. I clearly excepted too much. I can only hope that someone at the estate eats it"

She chuckles to herself. All that mess we had made the night before in preparation for today was all for naught. But the memories of flour fights and burnt bread would be eternal. 

She reaches into one of her pockets and pulls out a single mandarin. "We can go halves," she says, showing me the fruit before focusing her attention on peeling it. 

While part of me did want to share, I could manage. I'm sure Siyeon needs it more. "It's fine. You have it," I say, trying to look away from the fruit. I can hear her snicker as she perfectly peels the mandarin, focusing on removing the veins of white like ore from stone. 

"You're an idiot. You need to be more selfish," She says before making sure I take half of the mandarin.

"There we go," She continues, pleased with herself. She then sits up, her gaze shifting from eye to eye before smiling to herself as she begins eating. "The world isn't going to end if you think about yourself every now and then, okay?"

I follow suit, the sweet juice filling my mouth as a warm fuzzy feeling fills my chest. There was always something different about eating food that someone else had prepared for you. But if anything, this helped me fall that much more, hopelessly, in love with her. 

Maybe she was right. Perhaps it was time to be a bit more selfish, self-indulgent even. But what could I possibly want? My friends and family were safe under my watch. I did not need riches to have a fulfilling life and did not want to live in excess. No, there was only one thing I could selfishly desire. The love of another wasn't something to be taken. It had to be given. Of course, it could be asked for but never taken. But perhaps it was worth the risk. Forsaking my oath and renouncing my immortality would be an effortless bargain that no fool would squander.

"Perhaps you're right," I say. But, of course, not everything was as cut and dry as that. However, there was nothing wrong with dreaming.

"Of course I am," She says, happy that I've taken her simple yet sagely advice to heart. Her fingers then brush against my chin before it rests in her firm but gentle grasp. I can't help but stare at her lips before my attention falls back onto those soft brown eyes of hers. Her lips curl into that familiar smile that crinkles her nose and warms my heart. 

"Speaking of selfish," She says. A sudden pause as she bites her lip. Hesistation? Nerves? Not something I usually saw from her. "I was thinking. When everything is said and done, when this war is over, I've decided that I don't want to live alone again."

For a moment, I think that's the entirety of what she wants to say. But the look in her eyes told me otherwise. After all, what's selfish about not wanting to live alone? Especially in a village with no heart.

She looks down for a moment, and I can feel her touch tremble with hesitation and uncertainty. But I see her steel her resolve just like she would with her blade in her hand.

"I want you to live with me," She says, that deadly edge of focus leaving her eyes as quickly as the words leave her lips. I recognize the look of immediate regret, the need, and the want to take back any words you said. But it was too late. Those seven words had already made it out into the open air.

No matter how hard I tried, I could not stop myself from smiling like an absolute fool. But I suppose that was what I was in Siyeon's presence. An idiot but her idiot. 

"If that is what you desire," I say, nodding in agreement. My fingers caress Siyeon's cheek. My heart soars as she nestles into my touch. Yet, her warmth does nothing to calm my heart.

"When this war is over, we can grow old together," I say. At first, I worry she doesn't understand the finer details behind my words. But the look of surprise and happiness on her face told all I needed to know. I try to stammer out an impossible apology as she grows misty-eyed. But I never get the chance as she pulls me into a kiss. I lean into it, placing my other hand on the small of her back. My lips melt into hers as I'm overwhelmed with happiness and the sweet taste of her lips.

I carve every moment of that kiss into my soul, not wanting to forget a single thing, and when our lips finally part, I get lost in her eyes—drowning in the feeling of love.

"I love you, Siyeon," I say as she finds her place back on my lap. I know that I will never want to take those words back.

"I love you too," She says before pecking me on the chin

[to-star-lake]

in the early days when you joined bonten as their new advisor, you spent a lot of time with koko; drawing up business plans, managing the books, overseeing construction on new clubs and buildings.

koko had the nicest office of all of the bonten leaders. it was on the top floor of a highrise in the middle of the shibuya business district. complete with high-end leather and mahogany furniture, and a gorgeous city view.

you'd spent time with each of the bonten executives when you joined and koko was probably your favorite to work with. you found takeomi too serious, kakucho boorish, mochi too macho, the haitani's were exhausting, and sanzu..well..

koko was like you; blunt and efficient with work, a little impatient, maybe a little condescending. you enjoyed your daily work with him in his office. it was always quiet, productive, and his assistants always served the best sencha.

except today.

today when you walked in through the mahogany double doors that led to his office, you were almost decked in the face by a toy rubber basketball.

"he shoots! he scores? no! he misses!" you heard a voice yell, followed by a maniacal cackling.

what...the hell is this? the floor of koko's office, which was normally clean, surgically clean, was littered with teddy bears, squeak toys, board games with their pieces strewn about haphazardly, a jump rope, a putting green, and a trash bin overflowing with crumpled candy wrappers.

the rubber basketball that almost hit your head rolled towards the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves on one end of the room and you saw a kiddie basketball hoop attached to one of the shelves. and below that, sanzu, flopped on his stomach on the floor, a different flavored ring pop on each of his fingers.

"koko..i'm really bad at basketball," he grumbled, picking himself up and walked over to koko's desk, slamming his hands down on the surface, the sudden gust of wind almost blowing the stack of papers in front of koko away.

"oh no, well, why don't you go try the putt putt?" koko sighed, not even looking up from his work, waving his hand in the air like he was shooing away a fly. "ah, y/n! finally, someone sane. please, get over here, i need you to look at something," koko waved you over when he noticed you standing in the doorway.

you made your way across the minefield of toys on the floor and greeted sanzu as he walked past you. "good morning," you smiled cordially.

he sauntered past you, looking down at you through bloodshot, half-shut eyes, his usual sinister smile plastered wide across his face. he'd opened his mouth to say, "good morning, little prin-" but then stepped on a pile of toy soldiers and tripped, tumbling to the floor, his long limbs getting all tangled up in themselves.

"uh... hey, koko?" you took a seat in the armchair beside the desk, setting your laptop down on the tabletop. "what's going on here? where's mikey?"

koko let out an exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes. "sometimes mikey goes off on his own, and when he does, the rest of us have to take turns...babysitting," he nodded at the gangly man with bubblegum colored hair with a plastic toy putter in his hands. "i pulled the short straw today," he sighed, pushing the large binder of documents he was looking at over to you.

"koko!!"

"jesus, what now?" koko looked up, so annoyed you could almost see the steam coming out his ears.

"there's no balls," sanzu pointed at the putting green on the floor.

"well, who decided to ambush people by pelting them with the balls outside the bathroom last time?"

sanzu stared back at koko blankly.

"ugh, nevermind. could you play with something else? y/n and i have work to do." koko scooted his seat closer to you, and began circling a few line items on the page in front of you. "got this today from the guys over at the club in akasaka. these totals look off to you?"

you glanced over the document, and flipped back a few pages and reviewed the itemized lists also included in the binder. "damn," you said, looking up at koko. "these assholes are skimming."

koko opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a sudden loud popping noise. both of you turned to see sanzu on the floor, pulling the heads off of a pile of barbie and ken dolls.

koko raised his hands to his temples, the frown lines between his eyebrows deepening by the second. "jesus christ, this psychotic clown, if he wasn't the number 2 I swear to god-” he muttered under his breath.

"hey, sanzu?" you called out and sanzu's head jerked up to look at you, his eyes suddenly bright and attentive, like a child amongst the sea of toys on the floor.

"yes, princess?" he called back.

"could you go on a coffee run for us?"

sanzu tilted his head a little, confused. "a coffee...run?"

"yeah...you know, to buy coffee?"

he blinked, still confused.

"to buy...starbucks?"

"ah! you want me to buy you starbucks," he suddenly shot up.

"yes! yes, please, for me and koko, that would be great," you smiled, thinking you were finally getting somewhere with him.

he walked over to the desk. "anything for you, princess. and you can call me haru," he hummed, taking a bright pink ring pop off his finger and sliding it onto your ring finger, and a blue one onto koko's ring finger. "be back in a flash."

he turned to walk out of the office, whistling and not bothering to avoid the toys scattered on the floor, simply stepping on them as he went.

the doors closed behind him and you turned to koko, "now we can get some work done."

"let's hope he takes his time," koko rolled his eyes, sliding the ring pop off his finger, holding onto only the plastic part as gingerly as possible, a disgusted look on his face because he could tell sanzu had definitely licked the candy already.

"is it always like this when mikey's away?"

"sanzu? yeah, pretty much. but mikey tolerates him cus he's been with him longer than any of us, he's his loyal mad dog," koko sighed. "but that bastard's insane. apparently back in the day he got moved back and forth between all of mikey's captains cus nobody could handle him."

"wow. yeah, i guess i can see that," you glanced over at all the toys scattered on the floor. "seems pretty tough for you too."

"oh, i've actually done the best with him," koko scoffed. "last time, he was the haitani brothers' responsibility, they decided to take him to a hostess club. thought it'd be a good distraction for him. crazy maniac decided to pay for all the women there."

"all of them? that's..that's a lot-"

"no, that's not the crazy part. he paid for all the women, and then made them line up against the wall with liquor bottles on top of their heads and he used them for target practice." koko ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "anyway, who knows when he's gonna be back so we should try to get as much done as possible while he's away."

you nodded. the two of you worked dilligently, reviewing the rest of the books collected from bonten's other clubs and businesses in town, making one stack for ones that pass, and one that required additional scrutiny.

after a while, you stretched your arms up over your head, noticing the sun hung high in the sky and glanced at the clock on the wall. it read 12:15.

"i wonder where he is," you said, realizing it'd been almost two and a half hours since he left.

"who knows what that lunatic gets up to," koko sighed, turning the page of the binder he was leafing through.

"i actually could've used some coffee though," you yawned.

"i can have my girls make some sencha-"

just then the doors to his office burst open, and sanzu staggered in, eyes blood red, a blue gift bag in one hand, the other dragging a giant 10-foot teddy bear behind him.

"and suddenly my headache's back," koko muttered and sanzu approached the two of you at the desk.

sanzu dragged the huge teddy bear over and plopped it beside you. "i got this for you, princess."

"hah..um...where'd you get this..giant thing?" you didn't even know where to begin.

"there's a carnival downtown. i got it playing a shooting game," he grinned from ear to ear. koko groaned, knowing sanzu, by 'shooting game' he probably meant he threatened to shoot the person manning the booth if he didn't give him the bear.

"hah..i see, thank you. but why is it missing its eyes?" you asked, looking at the bear's face and noticing the eyeballs had been ripped out, only some tattered threads remained in the sockets.

"they were ugly," sanzu shrugged. "koko, i got you something too," he dropped the gift bag down in front of koko.

"thanks.." koko reached into the bag and pulled out a tiny cross-stitched sweater which could've only been made for an infant. "uh...dude, what is this?"

"it's a sweater for your chihuahua," sanzu explained, yawning and plopping down onto a chair by the desk.

"i don't have a chihuahua?"

"i could've sworn you did," sanzu tilted his head, as though in deep thought. "oh, i guess it's just you that's always yapping. it's amazing y/n puts up with this every day," he laughed, but his tone was filled with hostility.

you saw koko's body tense in your periphery and you quickly spoke up to diffuse the sudden tension. "haru, did you get coffee?"

"coffee? oh! the starbucks. yes, i did."

you stared back at him. "that's great, uh...so where is it?"

"on the corner of harajuku square, by yoyogi station," he smiled.

"what?"

"oh my god," koko groaned, raising his palms to his eyes and rubbing them in circles.

you looked back and forth between koko and sanzu.

koko took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair, turning to look at you. "he bought the starbucks."

[invisibleanonymousmonsters]

This Game of Yours

Father of Mine – Part 1 and Part 2

Jason was beautiful.

And somehow that scar that went from the right corner of his mouth up to his temple only made him that much more beautiful to Y/N.

Those blue eyes were the same color of water on a stormy day in the Irish sea. And somehow Y/N knew they held the same tempestuousness.

The white streak weaved with his jet black hair so naturally that Y/N would’ve believed he was born with it.

His shoulders were so broad, making his 6’3 height feel even more imposing. He had a presence. People noticed every time he walked into a room. It made Y/N wonder how he was ever able to sneak up on people as Red Hood.

He was wearing a black hoodie underneath his black moto jacket.

Y/N knew Jason didn’t give a shit about fashion. Yet he was well-dressed without any effort – more so than most of the models Y/N had shot throughout her career.

Not being able to control herself any longer, Y/N raised her camera and took a photo.

Jason stopped surveying their surroundings and his gaze snapped to her.

“What do you think you’re doing?” 

But his growl didn’t scare her in the slightest.

“Anyone who’s by me when I have a camera is at risk of getting their picture taken. No one is safe. Not even you,” she answered his question unapologetically.

Y/N was working on a personal passion project for her next show. Her collection would be about the poverty and crime of Gotham. Half of the photos would show the heaviest crime areas of the city. And the other half would expose the lifestyles of the wealthiest people in Gotham.

Why did so many suffer from the same system that helped the rich get even richer?

When Bruce found out Y/N was going to Crime Alley and the Bowery by herself, he was visibly upset.

But he realized that Y/N would do as she pleased, so his plan b was to give her protective detail.

However, Y/N didn’t know that Jason had volunteered, almost immediately.

Instead, all she heard was Jason grimly telling her, “You’re lucky you haven’t been fucking murdered yet.”

She had only responded with a roll of her eyes.

“I’m not your escort so you can take my picture. I’m here so you don’t get raped or murdered.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you have a way with words?”

His only response was a glare.

Jason loved playing this game. The game of pretending to be irritated with her when actually he was absolutely infatuated with Y/F/N Y/L/N.

“The easiest way to stop getting your picture taken is to always be the one holding the camera,” Y/N added with a smirk and wink.

Jason didn’t answer, only thinking what a shame it was that no one got to photograph her.

Suddenly, the sunlight hit the top of his head perfectly, creating a halo around that thick and messy hair of his.

Y/N snapped another photo.

“Will you stop?” He warned.

It only succeeded in making her laugh.

And that just excited his heart even more.

“Jason, you were born to get your photo taken.” 

There was no joke underneath her words, only sincerity.

“Whatever,” he mumbled.

Jason had a hard time believing that. His skin was riddled with scars. And he was convinced that she’d be singing a different song if she saw his chest, with its thick autopsy scar amongst the so many others. The absolute last word he’d use to describe himself was beautiful. Strong and imposing? Yes. But never beautiful – or any other positive adjective, for that matter.

“I’m not kidding. If you ever want to stop the whole vigilante thing, you can easily become a model.”

Y/N had noticed it as soon as Jason took of his helmet that night. His domino mask had done nothing to prevent her from noting the obvious.

It didn’t take long for Y/N to realize Jason wasn’t like his “brothers.”

“Brothers.” What a strange word.

Should she consider all of them as hers?

Only Damian was actually related to her – and technically he was only her half-brother.

Y/N had watched Jason get on his motorcycle and leave the cave that night she’d almost died.

She’d agreed to stay for dinner and get to know everyone. And a part of her brain was excited to get a better read on the masked man that sat by her bedside as she’d recovered.

“He’s not staying?” Y/N had asked Bruce as he guided her to the stairs that led back up to the manor.

He only shook his head, but she noticed the disappointed expression.

Soon she found out that Jason was the black sheep of this strange family that had taken her in.

Dick was the one who told her about Jason’s dark past. All of it seemed unbelievable: murdered by Joker and brought back to life from a mysterious pit. Only to return to the family who appeared to have replaced him and never sought vengeance on Jason’s behalf. 

But it was true; Y/N had seen no lie in Dick’s eyes when he filled her in.

Suddenly there was yelling coming from around the corner.

Without hesitation, Jason shoved Y/N behind him.

He reached for one of his guns and then realized that he didn’t have any.

Y/N was rather vocal about hating them, claiming they made her extremely uncomfortable.

Her expression alone as she said it was enough for Jason to swallow his stubbornness and leave the things at home.

Bruce was rather taken aback by the gesture. Nothing he’d ever said was enough to get Jason to do that.

A gang of young men came marching around the corner like they owned the place…because they did. This was their territory.

Jason immediately recognized them as some of the Russian mob.

Despite pulling Y/N behind him, they still caught sight of her and looked her up and down without an ounce of shame.

“Hey, beautiful. How you doing?”

“Продолжай идти, придурки,” Jason growled at them.

He was outnumbered. But there must’ve been something about his body language that made the gang realize they shouldn’t pick a fight with him. Maybe it was the muscles or his height or that he looked like he wouldn’t even blink before murdering them.

So they just…walked away. Some of them mumbled threats or insults at him. But they realized they shouldn’t even so much as look at Y/N.

A split second before they were gone, Y/N took a picture of Jason.

“Really?” He asked.

She shrugged. “You look like a different person when you’re protective.”

Y/N was beautiful.

Jason watched as she passionately explained her work to a potential buyer.

He recognized the man as a local politician – luckily, one of the few that hadn’t been corrupted from this shitty city.

Y/N had the intimidating energy of her father, but the kind eyes of her mother. At least, that was what Bruce had told everyone, and they all took his word for it.

She wore a stylish white jumpsuit that made her look like a 1980s villain and black stiletto heels. 

Jason watched as men cowered in her presence, hating the fact that she proudly stood taller than them. She was just one less woman they could intimidate or manipulate – and they couldn’t stand it.

But Jason loved watching the emasculation in real time.

The bastards didn’t deserve her anyway.

Dick was one of the very few men Jason knew who didn’t blink at a woman towering over him. In fact, his older brother had a track record of preferring it.

“Surprised to see you here,” Bruce said beside him, catching Jason watching Y/N.

“Well, I was her personal bodyguard through all this. Figured I should see if it was worth me wasting my time or not.” Then he tossed back his champagne and slammed it on the tray of a waiter passing by. “Plus, free alcohol.”

Bruce just quirked an eyebrow, silently telling Jason that he knew he was lying.

“Are you buying something?” Jason asked, trying to change the subject.

“I have been strictly forbidden,” Bruce sighed.

Jason chuckled.

He knew if Bruce had his way, he’d buy every single on of Y/N’s pieces.

“I have to know,” Bruce began. “What exactly is holding you back?”

Jason finally ripped his gaze away from Y/N to give Bruce a questioning look.

“What are you talking about?”

“Y/N. You care about her.”

“All of us do,” Jason brushed off. “Even the demon spawn.”

Bruce knew there wasn’t a chance Jason would admit his feelings – especially to him.

“Not that I think you care…but you have my approval.”

Little did Bruce know, Jason did care.

Jason had convinced himself that their rocky relationship and past fights meant that Bruce would die before he let Jason be anywhere near his daughter.

And Jason could hardly blame him.

He didn’t deserve to be loved. He lost that right after he died and came back a monster. And that was the story Jason told himself over and over again.

So he would love Y/N from afar. And hope she would pick someone who was worthy of her love.

“She’s basically my sister,” Jason groaned in fake disgust.

It was quite the performance.

Bruce narrowed his eyes. “We both know that isn’t what’s stopping you. And you’ve made it clear you don’t consider us your family.”

“Whatever, Bruce.”

Jason walked away, having enough of the subject.

“What was that about?” Clark asked as he joined Bruce’s side.

“Jason refusing to let himself be happy,” Bruce sighed.

Clark already knew what Bruce was talking about. He’d seen Y/N and Jason dancing around each other for months now. He’d never really seen Y/N take an interest in anyone before, so it was all new for Clark.

“Don’t worry. Y/N won’t let him get away with it for much longer,” Clark said through a smirk. “She gets what she wants.”

And Bruce believed him.

“It doesn’t bother you – the two of them together?” Clark asked with genuine curiosity.

“Jason reminds me every day that I’m not his father. And I’m hardly Y/N’s.” A soft smile formed on Bruce’s lips. “He’ll look after her. And she…I think she’d be good for him. I just want them to be happy. Both of them.”

——

Jason headed home rather early.

He’d never actually went to say congratulations or even hello to Y/N.

Every time he was about to go over, someone else stole her attention. He didn’t want to get in the way of her talking to potential buyers or even just friends.

Jason was just about to make himself something to eat when there was a knock at his door.

He froze.

Very few people knew where his apartment was.

Jason grabbed a gun and tiptoed to his front door.

With a peak through the peephole, he let out a irritated sigh.

Jason whipped the door open, “You’re lucky I didn’t shoot your head off.”

“Maybe don’t own guns and you wouldn’t have to worry about shit like that,” Y/N snapped back.

“What are you doing here?”

“You come to my gallery opening and don’t even say hi?” Y/N accused as she stepped around him and into the apartment, not waiting for an invitation.

Jason eyed the paper bag that was in one of her hands.

“By all means, come on in,” he called sarcastically as he slammed the door behind her.

Y/N started searching through his cabinets. “Where are your glasses?”

“The one to your right. What are you doing here?”

Y/N had the brightest and almost mischievous smile as she pulled a bottle of champagne from the paper bag.

“I brought this as my thanks for you making sure I don’t – and I quote – ‘get raped and murdered.’”

Jason glared at her.

Here was the game again.

Y/N being charming and hilariously provoking..and Jason pretending like he hadn’t fallen for her.

She poured them both a glass. They weren’t flutes or coupes, but she couldn’t care less.

“We’re chugging these, by the way,” Y/N informed Jason as she handed him a glass.

He sighed, but obediently clinked his glass with hers and tossed it back.

Barely giving them a second, Y/N immediately refilled them.

“So, why didn’t you come over and say hi?” She repeated.

“Didn’t want to bother you,” Jason mumbled with a shrug.

She narrowed her eyes at his answer. “You’ve never bothered me before, Jason.”

Now he felt guilty.

Jason bowed his head. “I should’ve come and talked to you,” he agreed. “Your work…it looked – it’s amazing, Y/N. Congratulations.”

Apparently Y/N hadn’t expected such a sincere compliment from him, and she was stunned to silence.

“Thank you,” she managed to whisper once she’d recovered.

She cleared her throat, trying to maintain her edge. “And really…thank you for being my own little security detail.”

If Jason was healthy about expressing is thoughts and feelings, he would’ve told her that it was the highlight of his weeks. That he looked forward to her calls or texts, telling him that she was going to photograph another shady area. “Be there or don’t. I’m going no matter what,” she’d text him with her usual snark.

But Jason didn’t express his thoughts and feelings.

He kept them bottled up – with the same energy he used to keep Y/N at a distance.

So instead, Jason said, “If it wasn’t me, one of the others would’ve done it.”

Y/N winced slightly at that.

‘You’re such a fucking asshole,’ Jason told himself.

“You know…we can see each other even you’re not my bodyguard.”

Jason was impressed by her boldness. But she didn’t know what she was doing. She didn’t understand that he wasn’t good. He couldn’t play the loving boyfriend role. She belonged with someone like Dick or Clark – or literally anyone but him. And Jason was willing to be an asshole to make sure she understood that.

Y/N took a step closer to him, invading his personal space.

Without breaking eye contact, she threw back her second glass of champagne and then placed it on the nearest counter space.

She stepped even closer.

This was simultaneously Jason’s worst nightmare and most desired dream.

Her eyes moved from his eyes to his lips.

But before she could make her final push, Jason took a step back and cleared his throat.

He looked down at the ground as he said, “You should go.”

When he looked up, he expected to find Y/N heartbroken or embarrassed.

But she was neither.

No. She looked irritated.

Not because she wasn’t getting what she wanted, but because she was sick of his games.

Y/N sighed and stepped back. “Fine.”

Jason rubbed his face in frustration as she grabbed her purse and started for the door she had walked through only minutes ago.

She opened it and paused.

“You know what? No. Fuck that,” Y/N snapped before slamming the door closed.

She whipped around and strutted back to him with purpose.

Jason was suspended with both fervor and awe.

Y/N grabbed his face and pulled him down to her lips.

All self control went out the window. Jason couldn’t continue his game. It was all over for him.

He kissed her back almost immediately. How could he not?

Y/N bit his lip slightly, making him hiss in surprise. It was his punishment for making her wait all this time.

Eventually they needed a moment to breathe.

But Y/N didn’t let go of his face when their lips finally parted.

“Choose your next words very carefully,” she breathed.

He swallowed nervously. “You’re kind of fucking terrifying. You know that?”

Her smile was pure evil.

Apparently this was the right response.

“Are you done being an idiot?” She asked.

He nodded quickly.

Her hands moved down and then lingered on his neck, tracing the bottom lines of his jaw.

She smiled again and then looked him up and down.

“What?” He questioned.

“Nothing,” she laughed. “I’m just…I’m not used to being shorter than men.”

“Is that the only reason you like me? Huh? My height?” Jason goaded.

“Of course not,” Y/N scoffed. “It was the whole ‘I look like I could murder everyone and I can, but deep down I’m a big softie’ that did it for me.”

Jason’s grip tightened on her waist. “Oh, yeah? You’re one to talk…”

“Me?!” She yelped. “I couldn’t kill anyone, even if my life depended on it.”

“Maybe. But your terrifying in basically every other way.”

Y/N laughed at that.

Jason couldn’t stop himself from smiling at the sound

“So…still want me to leave?” She asked.

And this time, she would if that’s really what he wanted.

“Fuck no,” Jason answered, almost threateningly.

Then, for good measure, he picked her up by the back of her thighs and carried her to the couch, before he started to kiss her once again.

Y/N knew things weren’t always going to be this simple.

Jason had his demons. 

And honestly, so did she. They were nothing like his. And maybe they were silly in comparison. But she wouldn’t be the perfect partner. Just like he wouldn’t be. 

They’d drive each other crazy. But it would be the good kind of crazy.

------------------------------

+ Childhood

[helpimhyperfixating]

Y/N's house has a pool in the backyard and one day, during a heavy rain, Mer! Jotaro makes his way all the way from the sea to Y/N's pool, much to their surprise when they wake up and go outside. "J...Jotaro? How did you get here?"

Surprise Visit - Mer! Jotaro x Human! Reader

Word Count: 1445

The rain was beating down hard as the Merman dragged himself across the road. The concrete scraping uncomfortably underneath his body. The water streaming over it helped a lot but it didn’t make it less annoying.

Once more, Jotaro inwardly cursed you for living so far away from him.

Of course in actuality, you lived relatively close to the ocean, but that didn’t mean Jotaro thought of it that way.

The pavement suddenly started vibrating beneath his hand and the merman realised something was coming. He attempted to hurriedly pull himself away from the road and onto the sidewalk but around the corner already came bright yellow lights as well as flashing blue and red.

Tires squealed while Jotaro had to squeeze his eyes shut, accidentally having looked directly into the light, his pupils shrinking almost painfully after having been in the dark so long.

Sounds of a car door slamming and two pairs of footsteps sounded and Jotaro attempted to peel his eyes open, holding one hand up to shield his eyes. The bright yellow light was gone but the red and blue was still flickering.

A person stepped in front of the light, blocking it and throwing a shadow over the merman on the floor.

“Hey there.” A male voice spoke and Jotaro sighed. “Long way from sea, aren’t you, buddy?”

“Fuck off.” Was his simple response as he turned forward again and started back up with the crawling.

“No, hey, hey!” The police officer hurriedly started trying to get in front of him, making the lights blind him again, to which he jolted his head a little and ‘tch’d in annoyance. “We’re here to help you!”

“Don’t need help.”

The policeman awkwardly looked to his partner who just shrugged. “Look, we don’t know how you got so far inland but we just want to help you and currently you’re going the wrong way.” He tried again, walking along at a snail’s pace while the Mer reached the sidewalk.

“I’m not.” Just to get more certain of himself, Jotaro silently sniffed the air again. Yes, this was definitely the way he needed to go.

“The ocean really is the other way though, bud-“

“Shut up! Leave me alone, you bastard!” Jotaro had had enough and yelled at the officer, baring his teeth before being blinded again when the officer shifted away warily, cursing as he had to squeeze his eyes shut again. Turning his head forward again, he once more started dragging forward, mumbling a “I’m not going to the ocean.” Before disappearing into the bushes on the side, leaving the police officers to stand a bit bewildered on the road.

- - - -

Stretching your arms over your head as you stepped from your stairs onto the floor, you sighed in content before walking over to your kitchen and making some tea. You felt as if you had some eyes on you but shrugged it off, your tea soon being done. Picking up the mug, you turned around and walked forward into the living room, large windows giving you a view of your garden which you were not paying attention to, instead walking to your dining table where you had put your book last night.

Ready to start the weekend, you turned and walked two steps forward in the direction of your couch, only for your eyes to finally land on the yard.

Your eyes connected with a pair of glaring aquamarine ones staring from your pool in the middle and your jaw fell slack.

In shock, you dropped your mug and it turned mid air, splashing all its contents over the front of your right foot before shattering, some pieces flying out and cutting your poor foot as well.

“Ah, shit, fuck!!” You called out, throwing your book behind you as you brought your right foot up and cradled it, hopping around twice before you stumbled and fell backwards onto your ass.

All of that was thrown aside however as you scrambled up to your one good foot and hopped to the glass sliding doors, unlocking it and ripping one open before half-running, half-hopping over to your pool.

“J...Jotaro?! What the hell!?” Once you reached it, you crouched down, looking down at the merman who you had come to call a friend. “How the hell are you here??”

You had a million and one questions but Jotaro was completely focused on something else. For one, he had never seen you so casually, still in loose pyjamas with a cute sea pattern on it, and for another, your foot.

Reaching out, he grabbed the ankle on your right foot and yanked, causing you to fall backwards on your ass again since one of your support beams just got ripped out from under you. You could feel the wet grass staining your pants and groaned at the feeling.

Your foot got yanked again, bringing your focus back to the merman in front of you while he seemed to be inspecting your foot up down, forwards and backwards. A chuff left him as he lowered your foot again before briefly looking up at you.

“You’re an idiot.”

Great. Of course that is the first thing he says to you after mysteriously appearing in your pool. You deadpanned as you stared at the small tree behind the pool, only to hiss when Jotaro pulled a piece of ceramic from your mug out of your foot.

He was using his sharp nails as a pincet, accurately locating every shard and starting to pull them out. Whenever he got it out, he would place it on the edge of the pool, only to then thumb down the small cut. You appreciated him pulling them out, but you liked that action less.

“Ow, Joot- don’t do that.” You said through gritted teeth when he once again was stroking his thumb over the cut.

His eyes glanced up and looked into yours but you saw him push his thumb down again all the same, gently rubbing up and down over your foot. Not only did the cut sting, but where you spilled boiling water over your foot was irritated and hurt whenever he would touch it.

Almost as if he noticed it too, he suddenly yanked your foot down into the water.

Your breath hitched and you stifled a squeal cause, “oh, that’s cold!”

“It’s not.” Jotaro remarked and you pouted at him, pulling the cuff of your pants up which were now wet due to being in the water. Just then, the merman dipped his head down to look at your foot underwater, returning to what he was previously doing, pulling your leg further and further down to which you got a bit nervous that he would maybe pull you completely into the water. You were not ready for a surprise morning soak.

Feeling another shard get picked out, that goddamn thumb rubbed over the cut again and you curled your toes at the sting. Biting your lip in held back frustration but just accepting it. Jotaro was one of the most stubborn creatures you had ever met so there would not be much you could do about it.

After what felt like forever, Jotaro finally came back up, still holding your ankle and now placing the last few shards with the others. He even picked out the smallest of the smallest ones that you probably didn’t even know were there.

“Happy now?” You asked and Jotaro swallowed. He felt a little restless, wanting so badly to groom you and take care of you that way, but if he did that you surely would be weirded out or run away. He couldn’t do that, not yet at least. So, instead, he just nodded and let go of your ankle, finally. Now that that was done, you finally felt like he would answer some questions. “What are you doing here?”

“You didn’t come yesterday.”

At this you blinked a few times. THAT was why he came all this way to your home?! “Jotaro, the sky was practically falling down yesterday, it was raining that hard. I’m not going to the beach when that is the case and neither should you, the waves could crush you onto the rocks!”

“You promised you’d come.” Jotaro glared at you, holding onto the pool edge in between where you had placed your feet.

“I-“ Stopping yourself, you sighed softly. “I did, and I’m sorry for that.” You apologised, seeing Jotaro a little more content now. “Did you drag yourself all this way?” A nod was the response and you let out a short disbelieving chuckle. “You crazy fish you. Did anyone see you?”

“Yes.”

“Fuck.”

[xvreadsbooks]

In Your Arms - azriel

azriel x gn reader

genre: angst to fluff

warnings: blood, swearing

anon: azriel x mate reader where they have an argument before reader goes on a mission and gets hurt and bat boi is upset and worried for reader :) <3

I hope this is along the lines of what you were thinking anon :) thank you for the request

I left the reason behind the argument up to the reader. It can be as serious or lighthearted as you want.

Azriel and I had gone weeks without talking before – weeks, months, whatever the mission required.

But we had never done it willingly.

The argument seemed hopelessly pointless now, and if I had any strength left, I might have laughed.

The shadows drifting around his shoulders looked heavier than normal, their restless movement irritating me for no reason other than existing.

"I want you to leave." My voice was low, rough, from all of the yelling.

He stared at me for a moment, eyes shadowed beneath a lowered brow, the muscles in his jaw tensing, before he uncrossed his arms and strode from our bedroom.

I do not know what hurt more: watching him leave without putting up a fight or trying to sleep that night in a bed that smelled like him.

A tear slid down my face. It slipped from my cheek, tumbling, falling, into the pool of blood at my feet.

Trivial.

It all felt so trivial alone.

////

"Y/n?"

Ah, I know that voice.

"Y/n, hey—" Warm hands brushed against the inside of my wrists, the skin of my neck. "—open your eyes for me."

Azriel's magic wrapped around me, gentle and quiet as the midnight breeze, and I blinked my eyes open. When had they closed?

It was definitely night now: the sky was dark, the mountains even darker, and above their jagged edges the stars flickered dimly. The tree I had collapsed against for shade hours earlier now waved gently in the breeze, its dark limbs hiding fragments of the night sky from me.

Azriel kneeled before me, worry and pain clearly written across his face. Relief relaxed his shoulders as our gazes met, and I forced my mouth into a smile. "What a disappointing end that would have been, huh? Dying before you even got to me."

Not once did I doubt whether or not he would come for me despite the fight and the silence between us since then, but it was still a relief to realize he found me.

He frowned at my words but otherwise did not respond, his focus concentrated completely on evaluating my wounds. They ached – everything ached – but after drifting in and out of consciousness for hours, the pain felt as if it was echoing in a different dimension to a different body.

I watched his face as he treated me, the perfect planes limned with light from the moon, and wondered what had gone through his mind when I ended the silence between us by screaming down the mate bond for help.

"Well, it would have been better than dying in your arms I suppose."

Immediately I regretted saying it.

Azriel did not physically recoil, but the agonizing pain that ricocheted all the way down the bond ripped out a piece of my soul. It was the first thing I had felt from him in so long and it hurt.

"I didn't mean it that way," I murmured, hating how his hands shook against my skin as they prodded and wrapped and tied. "I meant—"

"Shut up."

I stuttered to a stop at his voice.

"You are so goddamn stubborn and annoying. Only breaking the silent treatment when you're bleeding out in a fucking forest?" He snapped, the anger in his voice a stark contrast to his gentle touch as he helped me to my feet. "Now I'm going to have to scrape your blood off of my boots—" A scarred hand dragged through his hair. "—and going on this mission alone? How dumb are you?"

I was quiet as he adjusted his group around me. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that I don't want to die in your arms." He began to shake his head and I rushed to explain. "Not in that way. Not because I hate you, but because it's heartbreaking and depressing as shit and I would never want you to go through that."

He shot me a look, but I noticed the harsh lines begin to soften.

I smiled, reaching up with one hand to cup his jaw. "Ironic, isn't it?"

"I would want to hold you," He muttered against my skin, shoulders unwinding as the anger in the air rapidly dissipated. He turned his head to press a kiss against my palm. "But stop talking about dying," He warned, "You're not going to die in my arms tonight."

Magic hung heavy in the air, swirling around us as he prepared to winnow us home.

"I would die in your arms for you."

"Shut up, that doesn't even make sense."

[subwaysurf45]

Love You to the Moon and Back

summary: Bucky notices you’re feeling down after a bad injury, he does his best to help.

words:  3817

warning: depressive episode, doctors, mainly fluff!

pairing: Bucky x Reader 

Masterlist!

Bucky could tell you were getting bad again. 

And it hurt him to see you like this but it always happened after a big mission, your job was traumatizing and it took a toll on all of you. Bucky knew he had his days but he also knew when you finally let yourself slip it was really bad. 

You were a very headstrong person, you didn’t like letting people see your weaknesses or just you being hurt in general. So it sucked when you had broken your shin and witnessed a school of kids get blown up by a bomb, maybe sucked is an understatement but it was what you always said. 

You had pretended to be a teacher because there was supposed to be a hit on most teachers at a private school, so when the school blew up before everyone was out of the building- including you -it left the memories very crystal clear. There was no way of saving everyone so you saved yourself, and the feeling of selfishness had never been more apparent than right now. You were lying in bed with a cast on your left leg, your left leg was on top of the duvet while the other leg was under. 

A tank top and shorts was all you wore even though you were cold. A pillow was placed between your legs down by your shins to keep the injured one elevated, Bucky had stuck it there the last time he came in to check on you. 

Speaking of Bucky, he walked into your shared room in the compound. 

“Hey, sweetheart,” Bucky cooed as he gently opened and closed the door without making any sound, you had become hyper-aware to sound and light so a loud noise or a flash of a camera could send you into a state of hysterics. Bucky sat himself at the edge of the bed at around your midsection, you were lying in the middle and facing him. You barely said hello, all you could muster was a groan that had the same rhythm as the word hello. “How’s my girl doing?” Bucky rubbed your thigh very carefully. 

It was so obviously a rhetorical question, you were absolutely shit and he knew it. You both just stared at each other and Bucky seemed to get the message, he nodded and looked down. The room was so dark from the lights being off and the curtains being pulled you barely registered that Bucky had a plate of cheese, apple slices, and crackers. Bucky saw you turn your nose up and he knew you would, you had been like this for what felt like weeks. 

“You have your two appointments today, you wanna use the crutches or the wheelchair?” Bucky asked as he gently caressed your thigh, a little hum came after a few sections to clarify this wasn’t rhetorical. 

“I don’t know,” you mumbled into your pillow. 

“Okay…” Bucky held onto the last syllable, he glanced over to the wheelchair and crutches. “How about you have a little snack and then when you got food- and I’ll get water -you can make your choice. You also know you can switch and I’ll be glad to grab it for you, alright?” he did a few quick pats on your thigh before setting the plate down on the bedside table, he grunted as he stood up and stuck his arms slowly beneath you. All Bucky did was sit you upright to eat, you had gotten better at eating and now didn’t need motivation to eat but just a little push at the beginning to keep going after the first bite. Bucky also found if he ate a few pieces from the plate you’d be more inclined to eat the rest. 

“Thanks,” your voice was low and barely audible. 

“No need, pretty lady,” Bucky got right beside you and grabbed the plate, he placed it between you and let you choose the first piece. “So, you’re at the doctor at two and then Doc at three-ten, do you wanna nap between for a little or for a while after?” he just took a cracker and plopped it into his mouth. 

“No, no nap between, I wanna sit outside Doc’s office like before to make sure I’m not late.” You mumbled and stacked a piece of cheese on an apple slice. Doc was your therapist that was assigned to you a little while before your injury, Bucky wasn’t the only one who got nightmares and manic episodes; you probably got them more. Bucky knew he couldn’t go into your therapy meeting, he could physically go in but it went against his morals, this was your time to be alone and completely vulnerable to a human that you only see one or twice a week, he didn’t want you to sugar coat anything just because he wa sitting there. 

Bucky nodded and hummed before pulling the notebook out of the bedside table’s drawer, your combat backpack which you used for everything between missions and a picnic in the park was curled over itself in the corner of your room. Bucky picked it up and headed back to bed to let it rest there as he packed. He did this when you weren’t injured, Bucky had sadly realized your memory was a little shot from the amount of bootleg brainwashing and head injuries. You’d constantly forget about appointments or missions, or even the date. 

“Baby, I told you, your birthday is today, that’s why I got flowers.” Bucky said and pointed to the counter with the bright flowers on it. 

“No…” you rubbed the front of your head. “My birthday isn’t today, I forget the day- but it’s not today, I swear.” 

He slid in your journal that you used to write down lists and memories, you had used a guitar pick as your bookmark even though you can’t play anymore. Sometimes when you’d show up to a therapy session you’d forget what you wanted to say, it hurt him when he’d walk you there and you’d be saying the list of things under your breath with your eyes closed. Nightmare, mom, picking my nails, ankle, nightmare, sand, flowers. 

“We gotta go soon, anyways, wanna get ready for the day?” Bucky softly asked, there was no nice way of telling your loved one they needed to shower. 

“Sure,” you looked down at the plate and grabbed the last of it before getting up, the apple and cheese was just curled in the palm of your hand, as you walked over you shoved it all into your mouth because you knew you had to shower and you didn’t like soggy cheese. 

“I’ll keep packing your bag, and I’ll fill a water bottle for you.” Bucky had been your human crutch as you walked to the bathroom, you had an itch down in your cast that was bugging you. 

Tony had wanted to add tech to the shower to help you stand because putting pressure on your left leg hurt after three minutes and seven seconds- not that you were timing to see how long you could go without collapsing. You had said no to tech and just asked for a bar, Bucky even thought it would be cool but it was all up to you. 

Bucky helped you slip out of your clothes before leaving you be, he knew he would have to check on you periodically because you were too stubborn to ask for help if you had fallen or couldn’t get in the shower. You gripped onto the metal bar and helped yourself slip in, you turned the water on right away. 

You liked warm, long showers. You just let the water hit your skin as you stood in front of the shower head, the water pressure was high so you let the bullets hit your face when your eyes were closed. Your hair got wet as you stood there, you reached for the bottle of shampoo and expected it to be where it always was. The was getting into your eyes and when you squinted to see where the bottle was everything was double, as you reached for the bottle you had actually reached for the fake double and knocked the bottle off the ledge. A loud thump rang through the bathroom and it sounded like a bomb. 

There was one second of silence before you heard scrambling from outside the bathroom door, all at once you could see the door swing open by its shadow through the curtain. The curtain was pulled back so hard a couple of ringlets holding it up were ripped off. 

“Baby?” Bucky yelled before he registered you were standing upright. “What?” he breathed heavily, he was completely expecting you to be passed out on the floor with a cracked skull. 

“Shampoo bottle,” you said meekly. 

“Oh, thank god…” Bucky sighed to himself as he reached down to pick it up. “Are you hurt at all, did you fall?” He placed the bottle back on the ledge which made him reach across your naked body, on his way back his hand touched your shoulder then went to cup your cheek and move your head to look at him. 

“I’m all good, babe.” You smiled, an exhausting smile. 

“Alright, back-is-packed, finish up and I'll help you over to physio, alright?” Bucky closed the curtain to give privacy but waited for a verbal answer. 

“Perfect, thank you.” You grabbed the bottle again, your heart ached for him to be in the shower with you, it was something you did all the time before you were injured. 

“Don’t thank me, pretty lady.” Bucky reached for the door and opened it, before he could walk out, your voice quietly called his name, he could barely hear it over the water in the shower. “Yes?” he replied with the same softness. 

“Stay here with me, please.” the ‘please’ came after a beat, and extra plea. 

“Always,” Bucky sat on the toilet seat and gave the company you needed as you tried to stick your finger down your cast to itch that one spot on your leg. 

*****

Soon enough you were sat in the physio room, Bucky was off to the side with paper work in his lap and a binder in your backpack he packed for you. You liked the moral support when you were here because you never really had the best experience with doctors, Bucky would act like he wasn’t even there. That was a good thing, he did need to be the hovering boyfriend all the time because that can get tiring for both parties. He’d look up and listen to the doctor near the end, Bucky would write down the exercises and when to do them so he could gently remind you later. 

“Alright, you’re gonna get a new cast next week,” the doctor smiled at you, when you didn’t pick up on the excitement the doctor’s smile faded. “That means three quarters done!” Bucky had looked up and smiled, even clapped a couple times. 

“Then I have to learn how to walk again,” that was an exaggeration but it didn’t feel like one. 

The doctor gave a knowing look, “why do I feel like you’re already walking without the crutches?” You didn’t say anything because it was true. 

Your leg was examined and x-rayed, Bucky held onto your necklace as you went in. Your mind faded in and out as the doctor spewed ‘doctor stuff’ at you, you just didn’t have the care to listen; but Bucky did. He’s the type of guy to take notes and research later. 

Bucky would look over and see you looking at the floor, not even paying attention. He knew he couldn't get mad at you, you both dealt with injury very similarly. But something about seeing you shut down entirely made his heart ache, he wanted to reach out and lift the corners of your lips up into a smile because they seemed like they were being weighed down, he couldn’t remember the last time you smiled and real smile. He hadn’t been going on mission to keep you company, but now he knew his most important mission.

He walked you over to your therapy session that was still in the building, your Doc would come to the Avenger tower. He’d walk you right to the door of some random debrief room and kiss you goodbye. Bucky would hold your shoulders and gently rub your arms to hype you up before going in, he gave his little speech and said the same thing after. 

“You know I love you, and I know it’s hard.” he’d then kiss your cheeks and forehead. “I’ll be right here when you’re done, don’t even sweat it, pretty lady.” He then wouldn’t leave until the door closed and he heard muffled voices. 

The tower was right in the heart of the city, everything he needed was right there and a walking distance away. He slipped on a long sleeve and his gloves, he knew you took the backpack but you also had reusable bags, he took a few and headed out into the summer heat, it wasn’t humid today which was great but it wasn’t cold either. The tote bag was slung over his shoulder, all that was in it right now as a list. 

flowers 

chocolate

card

stuffed animal 

To call Bucky a romantic would seem weird to someone who only knew of him from the news or a museum, you knew him as a total hopeless romantic. Even in the 40’s, Bucky was the type of person to keep their walls up until he really got to know and trust you. It would normally be one little thing that would allow him to truly be himself around someone, he let his guard down that day you were walking to the restaurant he made a reservation at, Bucky placed himself so that arm or hand you’d hold would be his right but when you caught on you walk around him and looped both arms around his left, metal arm. After that, he was goner. 

He’d leave little sticky notes everywhere, a blue square paper in the coffee mug that read: ‘make sure you only drink one cup!’ or another on your shampoo bottle: ‘you look great naked ;)’. Bucky knew the little things mattered to you and vice versa, he knew that grand gestures didn’t mean anything without a little kiss that came before. 

The flower shop smelt great, Bucky didn’t know much about plants but he knew which ones you’d like. He was thinking of putting one on each bedside so whenever you’re lying in bed- which was a lot -you could look at some pretty flowers. They were a nice shade of purple and the stems were not too long, Bucky bought them and put them gently in his tote bag before heading over two stores to the grocery store you always shop at.

He was envyus of your clean eating, you’d eat what you want but you’d shop at fermer’s markets and organic stores. Bucky didn’t know it made a difference. He went to the frozen section and found chocolate covered strawberries. Bucky picked up a little pack of eight and headed to the front. There were also flowers there but they didn’t look nearly as nice. All he wanted was a very simple cute card with a blank inside, they were easy to find. It was cream coloured with a little sketch of a fuzzy, brown teddy bear holding a yellow balloon. All it said in dainty cursive at the top was: “look at you go!” Bucky knew this was perfect. Near the cards were little toys and stuffed animals. He found a bear that looked eerily similar to the one on the card but without the balloon. 

As he walked into the Avenger’s tower the bag was full and he had enough time to spare to set things up. Bucky headed to the rooms and made the bed, he changed the sheets as well because he knew you liked them when they were crisp. The teddy sat right in the middle with the card next to it. Bucky had written a little note that covered the entire right side of the card. He got a bowl from the kitchen and filled it with ice, he also found that white wine you liked and stuck it on there with the strawberries just to keep them cool but not melted. 

Bucky glanced at his watch and felt almost giddy as he realized it was time to head over to the conference room, he had to work on not giving it away when he’d first see you with his wide smile. The walk to the room was quick because of how fast Bucky was walking, he turned the corners sharp and almost jogged down the hall down the meeting rooms. He only stood there for about three seconds before the door slowly opened, Doc had opened the door and helped you out. Bucky’s smile turned into complete worry when you walked out holding a tissue to your nose, your eyes were red and puffy. Bucky also noticed that your fingernails were red and bleeding, that was one habit you were currently trying to break. 

“What’s going on?” Bucky asked in quiet disbelief, his eyebrows almost touching. 

Doc gave a curt nod, “we talked about a lot of things,” her answers were always so vague. 

You sniffled and waited for Doc to leave down the hall, Bucky was still looking at you. His hands held your shoulders and gently massaged the answer out of you. 

“It was a good cry, I needed that.” you sighed from exhaustion. 

A little piece of Bucky’s heart broke, if you needed to have a good cry then you could have told him, he would’ve listened. Bucky started to go back and see where it went wrong, if he was too overbearing and if this whole afternoon he had planned was created at a very wrong time. He wanted to ask what he did wrong but what came out was different. “Well that’s good to hear, I know Doc is good at that- helping you out.” His words were true but something about the delivery made it seem uneasy. 

“I just-” you looked to the ceiling and hoped to find the words you needed written there. “I like flushing it all out to her because I won’t see her for a week and I don’t need to keep up with what I’m feeling. I always cry to you but Doc is just really good at explaining how I feel, you’re there to validate it and make me feel soothed.” You held his left hand as you both walked down the hallway. “I feel lighter, like, I feel better.”

“That’s always good, sweetheart,” Bucky made sure you were putting weight on him because you didn’t bring your crutches but you really should have. “I have a little treat for you,” He turned to face you when you both stood at his door, Bucky kept his hand on the door handle. “I know it’s been a rough few weeks but I hope you know I love you all the same, and all I see is my strong, beautiful girlfriend.” Bucky saw your confused face, as he opened the door to reveal a dim lit room with flowers, wine and a teddy your eye welled up with tears again. 

You gasped and put your hands on your chest, “for me?” your voice shook as you walked in, you peered into the ice bucket to see your favourite wine and some food as well as a card beside the ice bucket, under the teddy. Tears flowed down your face as the feeling of being overwhelmed washed over you, you could barely string a sentence together. A hand waved the gifts all away, “too much,” was all you could muster. 

“No, baby,” Bucky smiled, he walked over and pulled you into a hug. “Nothing will ever be too much for you.”

He let you cry in his chest for a very long time, you both ended up sitting on the edge of the bed as he stroked all the way up your back. His hand would bunch up your hair as he went up to your neck. His lips were right at your ear, all he whispered were sweet nothings and a calming ‘shh’ once and a while. When you had a little composure Bucky reached for the card, as you read it your lips trembled even more. A hand stayed glued to your heart as your body warmed at loving words, you could barely read it with blurry vision from the tears but it still seemed crystal clear. Your finger traced over the signature: ‘love you to the moon and back, Bucky’. And you crumbled again, your forehead hit his chest as you cried away all the pent up emotion you thought you flushed out at your therapy session. 

With all the crying you were so tired, Bucky had thrown on a movie you two could watch while enjoying your strawberries and wine. You only had two and half a cup before you were snoring on Bucky’s shoulder, he tried to nudge you a couple times but nothing worked at all. He watched the movie on his own and saved the last two strawberries for you in the morning. You didn’t even wake up at him getting up and leaving the room. When he came back he got you out of your day clothes and into something comfy. 

*****

You woke up to the sun hitting your back, when your eyes opened they focused on the flowers and a smile graced your face. It was the first time in a long time since you smiled with your eyes, a little giggle even slipped out. 

At that sound Bucky walked out of the bathroom, “well there she is,” he smiled wide. 

“What does that mean?” you wiped the drool from the side of your mouth, “I had a nap, a really good one, too.” You seemed to be bragging. 

“A nap? Baby, it’s eight.” Bucky raised his eyebrows. 

“Ya, I fell asleep at about five so I had a three hour nap, no biggie.” You rolled on your back and stretched out, your gaze moved back to Bucky when you heard a giggle, “what?” you laughed back. 

“Eight in the morning, the next day. Your three hour nap was actually a well deserved fifteen hour hibernation.” Bucky joined you on the bed. 

“That’s why I feel so good,” you sighed, you looked over to Bucky and swatted his chest at his little smirk. “Don’t think like that.” 

“I bet I can make you feel just as good-”

You cut him off with a kiss.

[between-a-ship-and-a-hard-place]

Hello there, i cant believe I almost missed this… or that its been a year since THAT FIC. Thank you so much for blessing us all with your presence in this fandom!!!!!!

My flavor: established relationship post blip aka Brooklyn boys.

My lyric: We've come so far, through the darkest days//The long night's over and I'm starting to believe//I'm not as broken as some made me out to be

(I’ve been obsessing over this lyrics from Running For So Long and them since forever!)

T, darling, thank you for being my cheerleader ever since that first fic and for always yelling with me about these dumb, lovely men 🥰🥰🥰

(so, I was truly planning on doing these prompts in the order I got them but then this whole thing basically came to me while I was falling asleep and one thing lead to another and ... yeah)

I bet you can never guess where this prompt took me.

I’m not as broken as some made me out to be, 2,8 k words, rated T

Read it on AO3 (or under the cut)

Nothing, nothing, a pedestrian crossing the street with a stubby-legged dog bouncing behind them, nothing.

He inhales through his nose, keeps his eye fixed to the scope and keeps counting down the minutes in his head.

A brush of static in his ear piece. With the flick of a switch meditative focus shifts to full battle-readiness.

Then at once a stream of garbled fragments come through, “... ambush … conceal … Barnes … left … watch—” 

His comms give an eardrum-piercing shriek and go stone dead. It’s like someone stuck his head in a vacuum. For a split-second Bucky thinks he’s the one who’s gone deaf, but then the noises of the outside world come flooding back in—distant traffic from the four-lane highway, drunken voices and music spilling out from the clubs two blocks over, a pair of cats howling in the next alley.

“Fuck.” He rips the useless piece of plastic from his ear and pushes up from his sniper’s perch, one hand finding the sheath on his thigh. The weight of the knife in his hand becomes a new anchor point.

Back pressed to the bolted door to the stairwell, Bucky scans the waves of sloping, red-tiled rooftops around him. He doesn’t catch any movement.

The first warning is the hairs on the back of his neck rising. 

A faint crackling buzz fills the air.

He curses soundlessly and wills his sight to penetrate the velvety blackness of the Mediterranean summer night. A bead of sweat stings his eyes. He wets his lips. 

The sharp metallic taste that sticks on the back of his tongue does bad things to his brain.

(a flash of electric blue, the sickening smell of burnt flesh, the cloud of vapor where there had just been a person)

He pinches the skin on his wrist with metal fingers. It pulls him back into the moment a little bit. He sticks his free hand in his pocket and closes his fingers around a flat, hard shape the size of a coin. He squeezes it until the edges digging into his palm threaten to break skin.

A soft whoosh and sudden gush of wind from his eight-o-clock signals another presence on the roof. Bucky’s head twists in the direction of the noise.

Four things happen in quick succession:

A familiar voice calls his name.

There’s a flurry of movement on the next rooftop over.

The crackling noise reaches a peak.

A blue-white pulse cuts through the air, lighting the scene like a camera flash.

At the center of it, two shapes stand like cardboard cut-outs against the black sky. One wields a wide-barreled weapon that radiates with that unearthly light; the other holds a metal disk.

Their target raises his alien weapon. 

Bucky dives toward the figure in red, white and blue.

The night explodes in a blinding light.

+

“That’s it Barnes. You’re done. I’m not gonna be the one to call your boyfriend and tell him a magic shotgun blew out your super soldier brain.”

“Fuck off, Wilson. I was saving your ass,” Bucky spits with adrenaline-fueled vitriol. 

He’s got a splitting headache and no patience for sanctimonious lessons about sticking to mission protocol instead of protecting careless assholes running around with a shield and a hero complex.

Sam just glares back at him, arms crossed over his chest. The wings still on his back add to the air of dignified authority, only lessened by the tired droop of his shoulders.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bucky can see Maximoff and Belova, perched cross-legged on the low brick wall, exchanging meaningful looks.

A slight figure in all black breaks away from the group of squabbling agents from at least five separate local and international agencies, and strides toward their little huddle.

“Stand down, boys.” Natasha flashes a semi-threatening smile at them. “We’re not done here yet.”

“What’s going on?” Sam asks, blinking away the signs of fatigue and squaring his shoulders as he turns to face her.

“Just some clean up.” Natasha rolls her eyes. “Seems we got all these idiots rounded up, but a couple of them apparently thought they could make a break for it by dumping the evidence in the harbor. Local law enforcement aren’t thrilled to have potentially radioactive alien tech polluting their waters, so we’ve been volunteered to help out.”

Her announcement is met by a chorus of groans.

+

Dawn breaks as they file into the quinjet. 

Bucky stays back while Wanda maneuvers the vibranium-enforced box containing one of the seized weapons into the cargo hold. A humorless security council official had been called in and begrudgingly authorized them to oversee its transport to S.W.O.R.D:s New York lab. 

That a bunch of Thanos-admiring wannabe-nazis managed to dig up buried experimental Hydra weapons of extraterrestrial origin, is in and of itself a non-ideal situation. These particular weapons happening to hit a bit too close to home was only icing on the cake.

Bucky grabs a water bottle from the cooler to rinse the foul, rubbery taste from his mouth. He picks a seat close to the cockpit, straps in, and lets his head drop back against the wall. 

His hands have bunched into fists, the plastic bottle crumpling between his fingers. He flattens them on top of his thighs.

The engines roar to life.

He closes his eyes and forces himself to unclench his jaw. The headache settles at the base of his skull.

+

“A souvenir?”

Bucky lifts his head as Natasha takes the empty seat beside him.

They’re coasting over the Atlantic with Yelena in the pilot’s chair.

He opens his hand and flips the gold-colored medallion between his fingers. He holds the keychain with the ring linked around his ring finger and runs his thumb over the inscribed coordinates for a place where the earth opens at your feet and the sky is tapestry strewn with small lights.

“A promise.”

“Hmm.” Natasha tilts her head like she’s considering his answer. A smile plays at the corner of her mouth. “Not exactly traditional. But at least you didn’t go off and get married in Vegas without inviting any of your friends.”

He doesn’t gape at her or betray his surprise in any other way, but has no doubt she can tell anyway. “Steve told you about … ?”

She raises her eyebrows in a way that says who do you take me for?

“Fair enough.” He clips the keychain back in its place in his pocket. “It was a spur-of-the-moment thing.”

Green eyes glitter with barely concealed amusement. “Was it?”

He opts not to answer her.

The glitter hardens to gleaming stones. “Why are you here, James?”

That question catches him off guard more than her knowing about the engagement.

“What do you mean? We had the mission,” he attempts.

She doesn’t bother responding to his deflection.

“Where else would I be?” he asks, a bit more defensively than he means to.

That earns him another raised eyebrow and full, no-holds-barred sarcasm. “Oh, I don’t know—how about Brooklyn? You know, where Steve ‘I have a martyr-complex and can’t let anyone save the world without me’ Rogers is cozying up in your brownstone.”

Bucky sighs. The headache has traveled up to his temples. He pushes the heels of his hands against his eye sockets.

“Your boyfriend put you up to this?”

He takes some satisfaction in noting the way the word boyfriend makes her eyelid twitch ever-so-slightly before he pushes on. “I thought you would get it. This. It’s what we do. Making things right. Protecting people.” He pauses and meets her eyes. “Crossing off names.”

Natasha looks down at her hands. She shakes her head once from side to side.

“I’m done with that. That’s not why I’m here. I figured the whole ‘dying to save the world’ bit was grounds enough for me to get out.”

“Then why don’t you?”

Bucky follows her gaze to the row of seats on the other side of the cabin—where Sam is sleeping, mouth open, with Wanda’s head resting on his shoulder—and watches it soften into something almost unrecognizable.

When she turns back to him her smile is wry, but there’s a raw vulnerability there he can’t remember ever being afforded to see before. “It’s a bitch, loving people.”

She shakes her head again, grimacing like she’s thought of a joke. “You know, the first time Steve stayed back from a mission, I nearly had to chain him to the wall.”

A pain he knows as affection lances through the gaps in his ribs. “Punk,” Bucky mutters.

They sit in silence as the jet hurls them through the mid-Atlantic night; moving forward and back in time.

Natasha leans down and picks up two containers of high-energy, high-protein sludge from the cooler box. She hands him the chocolate flavored one. It tastes like the idea of chocolate and doesn’t really do anything to ease the gnawing hunger that’s starting to make itself known. He downs half of it in one go.

“What—” Bucky cuts himself off, not knowing if the question he’s thinking of is one he should be asking or even wants to know the answer to. 

Except, he thinks he needs to know.

“What was he like, during … when we were—” belatedly, Bucky realizes that we includes the man sleeping opposite them, who Natasha Romanoff a moment ago admitted to loving, and wants to bite his tongue off “—gone.”

She doesn’t say anything at first. He stares at an uneven weld in the floor.

“He … he never stopped. Never stopped working, never stopped hoping. Not really. But—” Natasha takes a deep breath, as if asking if he’s sure he wants her to continue.

“But?”

She touches two fingers to the back of his wrist. When he lifts his gaze, she looks him straight in the eyes, face impassive.

“But that’s also what broke him down, I think. Steve was a leader. He would talk to everybody else about moving on, moving forward, but the only thing he could bear to look at was the distant past. I think that hope was the only thing that kept him standing—and if he dared to name it, it too would crumble to dust in his hands. So he kept quiet and held on until his fingers were worn to the bone.

“Sometimes, I got to his place and there was a second before he opened the door when I wondered if—this time—he would be gone.”

The cloyingly sweet chocolate curdles in Bucky’s mouth and he has to will himself not to gag. You wanted to know.

He swallows down the bile and the things that want to claw their way out of his gut. “I didn’t—Was he … I know it was bad. But this, it’s the thing we don’t talk about.” Because he’d been afraid of asking, of knowing. Because he’d selfishly told himself he was sparing Steve the pain of carving up old wounds.

Natasha, because she is Natasha, doesn’t look at him with pity or spare him any blows. “He was always bad, when it came to you.”

That hurts in a different way, the ache of broken bones that never set right.

“I know we, what we are, isn’t exactly normal or …”

She laughs then, even if it’s quiet so as not to disturb the others. “James. Take a look around you. Normal’s not really in the cards for people like us.”

She looks across the cabin again. Her hand is still resting on top of his. He flips his own palm up and she laces their fingers together.

“We do the best with what we got and learn to accept that we can have the things that are given to us.”

+

It’s still night in Brooklyn.

The door to the apartment locks behind him with a soft click. The place is quiet, but the presence of another person is still palpable.

Bucky stands on their hallway carpet and lets out a long breath. His shoulders slump forward. The sense of relief that hits him is so sudden and powerful he could almost cry.

He unlaces his boots and walks on socked feet through the dark rooms. In the bathroom he discards the pieces of his uniform one by one and piles them on the floor. Then he flicks the lights on and looks into the mirror and waits for the Soldier to stare back at him.

The person in the mirror grimaces. His face is lined and streaked with dirt. His eyes are a dull gray under the harsh fluorescents. Tired—not lifeless like a machine, but the way only someone who’s alive can be tired.

He pulls out the elastic holding up his hair and lets it drape around his face, sweat-damp and limp, and still he sees only himself.

He washes in the sink, with the meticulous care of a ritual. Dirt and grime and blood stains pure-white porcelain and is rinsed away.

In the towel cupboard there’s clean underwear and that ridiculous, fluffy bathrobe he’ll never admit to wearing around the apartment whenever Steve is out.

The kitchen gets light from the street outside. There’s a dish of leftover creamy mac and cheese in the fridge and he devours it leaning against the kitchen counter. 

He leaves the dish in the sink, brushes his teeth, hangs up the robe on its peg.

He walks toward the bedroom with slowing steps, like he’s not really sure it’s actually there, that his oasis isn’t just a mirage in the desert.

He slinks in through the door and holds his breath until he sinks down on the edge of the mattress. Nothing stirs. Silvery moonlight pokes in through the slit in the curtains. Bucky sits with his hands on his knees and watches it trip over the cracks in the floorboards.

“Hey.” A scratchy whisper makes him turn around.

“Hey, you. I didn’t mean to wake you.” 

Even half-asleep, Steve demands to know how the mission went, and scolds himself for his absence.

Standard mission, Bucky tells him. It’s a white lie, he tells himself.

It’s a testament to how tired Steve really is—and to a level of trust Bucky can’t wrap his head around—how quickly he relents once he’s confirmed everyone is all right.

He lies down in their bed and Steve, sleep-drunk and sweet as anything, curls up to him. Without reservation.

Bucky cradles his jaw and traces the shape of him, the softness, the way he yields and melts under a tender touch—melts to fill cracks and smooth out jagged edges.

It’s the most precious thing he’s been given. And no, he doesn’t think that he deserves it, could ever deserve it—but he’s starting to think he could learn to accept it.

To have and to hold.

He thinks Steve’s fallen asleep when he opens his mouth and confesses to the darkness. “I think this was my last one. I think I’m done.”

The arms around him tighten their grip.

+

“Morning.” He slides out a chair and plants his elbows on the kitchen table.

“Morning, Buck,” Steve greets him over the shoulder from the counter where he’s putting together … something with oatmeal and yogurt and fruits. (Bucky’s the first to admit his own knowledge of 21st century cooking isn’t the most extensive.) "Sleep all right?"

Bucky grunts an affirmative. He could have done with another four hours, but what sleep he did get was calm and undisturbed by replays of yesterday’s mission.

He makes a grateful grab for the mug of steaming coffee Steve puts down in front of him. 

Steve lingers by the table, hands hanging by his sides. Bucky sacrifices the feeling in his tongue for a glorious mouthful of coffee and waits for him to speak.

“Did you mean what you said? About quitting,” Steve says quietly. He’s got his eyes cast down, tracing the pattern of the table cloth.

Bucky’s throat closes up unexpectedly. “Yeah,” he croaks out.

When Steve looks up at him, eyes shiny with hope, he wants to bang himself over the head for not getting here sooner. 

“Why now?” Steve asks. “What changed?”

“Had a talk with Romanoff. She’s got our number by the way.” He reaches out and touches a fingertip to the dog tags hanging over Steve’s t-shirt; his name resting in the only real home he's known in this lifetime.

Steve smiles. “Figures.” 

He folds his fingers around Bucky’s wrist and keeps his hand there, pressed to his chest. “Welcome home, Buck,” he whispers.

The way Bucky’s eyes prick must be a delayed reaction to the coffee scalding his throat. 

“Thanks for waiting, sweetheart.”

“Always.”