#Americaxreader

[alfredosauce50]

Night at the Museum

[America x reader]

Rating: M Word count: 5, 887 Synopsis: You and Alfred decide to visit New York’s Museum of Natural History for old time’s sake. In a stroke of bad luck, you two get locked in overnight, unaware and unprepared for the dangers lurking within. It’s where history comes alive, and he ends up in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a bloodthirsty warlord. The whole time, he’s also wrestling with his feelings for you, and he doesn’t know which is harder. Solipsism: knowledge of anything outside one’s own mind is unsure; the external world and other minds cannot be known and might not exist outside the mind.

“The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.” — Theodore Roosevelt

“Man, we haven’t been here since we were little kids,” Alfred took it all in as he made it inside, to where he was greeted by the skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex in an awe-inspiring pose. With its head bowed toward the entrance, he and other patrons were greeted by a set of razor-sharp teeth grinning down with a hunger for the ages. “I wonder if anything’s changed. Probably a lot.”

“A bunch of stuff, actually. But it looks like they did a huge revamp on all the wax figures,” You lifted your gaze from a brochure you collected from the front. The museum of natural history wasn’t half as impressive as the Smithsonian, but it had a special place in both of your hearts. “They’re meant to be super realistic now. You know, the whole ‘history comes alive’ pizazz.”

“Huh. Then what would be the difference between here and Madame Tussaud’s?” He glanced at you.

“The people here are worth remembering.”

“Good point.”

As local New Yorkers, it was tradition to come back every once in a while. Yellow cabs, subway crazies, and the best pizza in the world — there was no other city quite like the Big Apple, and you two decided to swing by during your semester break to reconnect with your roots. Needless to say, it was nice to get away from the upbeat chaos of life on campus.

“You think you’re gonna go to Arthur’s Christmas party?” He asked you, peering around the room of American history. There was a shining stagecoach pulled by four black horses, mannequins in confederate and union uniforms with their guns trained at each other, a giant moose, and eagles watching over everything else.

“Well, we kinda have to. Can you imagine how upset he’d be if we didn’t? He’d probably be heartbroken.”

“Yeah, but I get crazy diarrhea every time.” He scoffed, eyes wide as he recalled blowing up the toilet last year.

”You don’t have to remind me.” You shuddered.

“I know, I was just saying. I was thinking we could go somewhere fun,” Alfred gave you an expectant look as he tried to sell you on it. “We could go skating, or just watch a movie back at my place. What do you say?”

“Hm, I don’t know. I’m really craving his scones.”

“Seriously?” 

”But not as much as our time together,” You smiled, watching him light up. Taking his hand, you pulled him along and said this with a laugh. “I’d rather go to the dumpster with you than the Met. You’re my best friend.”

“Yeah.” He softened his gaze. You said that, but the way you held his hand said otherwise. Or was it because you two were that close? Either way, he was starting to go down the pipeline he swore that he wouldn’t.

”Are you okay?” You asked.

”Yeah, I’m fine.” He adjusted his glasses.

“Wanna kiss it better?” You swung his arm playfully.

Alfred glared at you as the only diversion from the fact that he was blushing. It was so like you to say things like that. You were attractive, and you knew it. With your sense of humor, it made for a dangerous game. But he’d been playing it for a while. He covered your entire face with his hand, then pushed you down to a nearby bench in one clean movement.

”Hey!” 

“Hey yourself.” Alfred walked off with his hands in his pockets, as cool as a cucumber.

This might’ve been all fun and games with you, but you weren’t the loneliest animal on the planet here. Not that it made his feelings for you any less real. He liked you, and not because you were an idea in his head.

You were real, every strange thought and neuron of your imagination. You could be as sharp as a tack when you wanted to be. He loved your mind and the way it worked, or at least when you weren’t tantalizing him.

“Remember when we were little we used to take baths together?” You sprung up out of the blue.

”Barely.” Alfred exhaled, wildly unprepared for what just came out of your mouth. But before he reacted any further, he reminded himself just who he was talking to. “That’s probably why we did it in the first place. Why?”

You were sleeping over that time, as you always did every Friday after your philosophy class. Your things were strewn all over his bedroom, like a half-eaten cup noodle, some snacks, and the clothes you brought over.

While he browsed the rest of the displays in the room, he let himself get immersed in that particular memory.

That was when you caught up with him again, even having the nerve to smile up at him with ‘hehe’ written all over your face. He glowered down at you, but really, he was just happy that you were by his side again.

You had a thirty second rebound before doing or saying the next pain in the ass thing, but he forgave you even faster than that. And it had been that way since horseshoe crabs were the only thing roaming the Earth.

”You think we could fit in the bathtub?”

“If you’re asking if I wanna take a bath with you, it’s an immediate no. We’re way too old for that.”

“You don’t have to be such a prude,” You mumbled, rolling your head away. “I was just wondering.”

“I’m not a prude.” He grumbled.

“And it’s not like I haven’t seen your dick before.”

“Yeah, when I was little!” 

“Can’t imagine it’s grown much since then.”

He glared at the ceiling, not wanting to give you the satisfaction of seeing how embarrassed he was.

As much as he’d like to pull his pants down to prove you wrong, he didn’t. Someone had to uphold a sense of decency around here, even if that person had to be him, the worst possible example of it, if he was one at all.

“If you’re done, I’m gonna go to sleep,” He sat up and twisted around to fluff up his pillow. You were starting to drift off by then, but he didn’t let you off so easily. “Don’t let me catch you peeking or I’ll molest you.”

“I wasn’t planning on it, geez.”

And to think he used to be such a cute kid, kicking his ball over your fence just so he could come over to play. You both grew up since then, and with that, came his awful sense of humor among other things.

But if you asked him, he learned from the best.

“You know the nicest people make the best Nazis?” You asked, walking by a glass display of three wax figures. Sakagawea, a young Shoshone woman who guided Lewis and Clarke on their expedition to the Pacific.

“Do they?” He narrowed his eyes in interest.

“Nice people look the other way and just wanna get along with everybody else.” You said, towing him along. “Have the whole country doing that, plus a heap of propaganda, you could get away with anything.”

“Well, if I was a German, I wouldn’t buy into it.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Alfred frowned, genuinely offended. “I’m not a freakin’ racist.”

”Being scorned is your kryptonite,” You pointed out, getting him to roll his eyes. So he didn’t like to deviate from standards, and being a raving right-wing was one at the time. “And trust me when I say you would be.”

”That’s why the second amendment exists,” He smiled sagely with a hint of mischief. “If the government was to push some crazy agenda into us, the rednecks wouldn’t have it. We shape society to what we want.”

”What if the society you want isn’t the society someone else wants?” You asked, stopping in front of an exhibit of a male Algonquin warrior. “We all worship something. What’s normal to you might be crazy for someone else.”

”I guess you’re right,” He agreed, gazing upon the person who lived — and believed — in things drastically different than did. His brows came together as he marveled at the man who stood over him, a chief’s son who had been dead for well over a thousand years.

Allen was his name. He had striking scarlet eyes, dark maroon hair, tawny brown skin, and a toned body from a life of hunting and gathering. As he stared out into the middle distance, there was something uncanny about him, like he could come alive at any second, but didn’t.

“What do you think this guy worshipped?” Alfred murmured faintly, strangely captivated by him.

It was humbling to be in the presence of all of these historical figures, but intimidating to imagine them as people who existed. He was a history nut, and one thing he understood was how astonishingly cruel and violent the past could be. From the swashbuckling tales of the Wild West to the burning sands of Ancient Egypt, everything was best enjoyed from the comforts of his modern American home. Or in this case, a museum.

Where all of the exhibits were mere imitations of the long dead and gone, it would take no less than a miracle for any of them to come back to life. Little did he know, a miracle was exactly what he’d be in for tonight. 

You two poked around some more, eventually ending up in the Northern European section of the museum. Nothing really stood out to him besides the Vikings, who also caught the attention of the general public.

“This man was the greatest viking to have ever lived. Mathias Densen, the king of Danes,” A guide showed off a wax exhibit to a crowd of tourists. You and Alfred were among them, having taken the liberty to tune in.

Some took pictures, others whispered amongst themselves at the impressive lookalike made to imitate a legend out of the sagas. He had blonde hair swept up in the front in an unruly mane, and the bluest eyes you’ve ever seen. With his arm raised and axe in hand, he was frozen in time, suspended in a pose so natural, it looked like he’d bring it down at any given moment.

“He was the most feared warrior in all of Scandinavia. When he threw an axe at his enemy, he never missed. But all blood and gore aside, he will go down in history as one of the best leaders and explorers of all time.”

”Wouldn’t wanna get him angry, huh?” Alfred gave you a side-eye, returning his gaze to the information plate. That was when he saw a portrait of a woman who was supposedly the only one who could go toe-to-toe with his ruthlessness. “You know, she kinda looks like you.”

”Really?” You leaned over. “I don’t see it.”

”No way. You guys are like twins!” He exclaimed.

“Maybe just the eyes.”

“Maybe she’s your long-lost ancestor or something.”

After another hour of walking around and talking, you and Alfred left to get to the exit. It was approaching closing time, and you two were among the last to leave. A security guard stood near the revolving doors, bidding farewell to guests. But before he could acknowledge you two, Alfred stopped and patted around his shirt.

“Shit, I left my glasses.” He winced.

Neither of you two thought it would’ve been problem to go back and retrieve them at the time. Who would’ve thought they’d made the security so much tighter that it would end up the biggest mistake of your lives?

After sweeping room after room, he eventually found them on the ground next to a bench. Sliding them onto his nose, he picked up a brisk jog as he made his way back downstairs. But by then, it was too late.  

“Now let’s get out before we get locked in.”

”Don’t jinx us.” 

”Not gonna happen.” 

And he said that so confidently too. Because when he pushed at the revolving door, it didn’t budge. 

”What’s wrong?” You asked from behind. 

“Nothing, just give me a sec…” He rattled it a few more times, but to no avail. Then, he let out a heavy breath as he admitted the one thing he thought could never happen. “… Okay, I think we’re locked in.”

“You’re joking.” You blurted.

You brushed past him to give the door a strong shake, needing that same taste of defeat before believing it yourself. Sure enough, it was locked shut, and would likely stay locked all the way up til morning.

“Oh my God, we are. What are we gonna do?”

”Call the cops.” He suggested, pulling out his phone to dial 9-11. After a few tries, to which he stared at you tensely with it pressed up to his ear, he found that the call kept failing. “Annnnd the cops aren’t picking up.”

“Well, keep trying! Call Arthur or something.” 

For the next thirty minutes, you both paced around while trying to reach local government services, then friends or loved ones. It slowly became apparent that you two weren’t getting out anytime soon.

You weren’t the type to express it, let alone say it, but you were getting scared and uncomfortable.

So was he, but like hell he’d let it show. Not because he didn’t have the balls to admit it, but it was the last thing you needed right now. You weren’t looking at him, and he knew in an instant that you were on the verge.

“We’re not gonna make it out, are we?”

Alfred was crushed with so much guilt, he couldn’t even react when the lights dimmed, plunging the museum into a pitch-black darkness. His eyes stayed wide with remorse, even when he couldn’t see you anymore.

In that moment, he came over and hugged you as tight as he could, lips pursed in a deep frown. It wasn’t every day that he could hold you like this, but he set aside every shard of his shattered ego to do it.

Even if he had to do it in the dark.

There couldn’t be a better metaphor for his feelings. Alfred had always been too afraid to tell you how he felt, and if he did, he’d do it in a way that was hidden from plain sight. This was one of those times.

It was one thing to admit he was scared. It was another to say he was sorry. But telling you how much you truly meant to him was damn near impossible. So instead of doing any of the above, he let you sleep on him.

He had his back on a cold hard bench while you drifted away. There was no way he was getting any sleep tonight, but this was just his karma. So he stayed like that for the next few hours, to which you began to stir. 

“You good?” He asked in a soft murmur.

”Yeah,” You rubbed your eyes. “Just a little thirsty.”

”I’m pretty sure there’s a fountain outside.” He helped you up, putting on his glasses. “I’ll come with you.” 

”No, it’s fine.” You sighed, getting up to leave the room. 

”Hey,” Alfred softened his gaze, getting you to slow to a stop. He was so exhausted, all of his walls were coming down. And he couldn’t stand to bottle it up inside him any longer. “I’m sorry, okay? This was all my fault.”

”It’s okay. We can’t all be born perfect.” You cracked a smile, walking off. But the happy note only lasted so long once you got to the hallway outside. It was so dark, you could barely see the ground beneath you.

With nothing but the wall lamps to illuminate the empty halls, the institution turned into nothing but a graveyard: a dim labyrinth of the long dead and gone. And like all graveyards, there were ghosts.

The black outline of wax figures lined your peripherals, and you gazed at them nervously as you made your way to the fountain. After a few satisfying gulps, you began making your way back to the room. That was when you heard the echo of footsteps in the distance, too far away to have made sense at the time. Someone was at the end of the hall, and it couldn’t have been Alfred.

“Hello?” You called out to the source.

The shadow of a man appeared around the corner, the details of his wild, upswept hair showing up on the wall. When he revealed himself, he was covered head to toe in thick fur pelts and armor. Your eyes went wide ever so slowly, heart racing as you were struck with this realization. He was a spitting image of the viking you’d seen on display, but he wasn’t just an inanimate statue made of colored wax and glue. He was moving.

Breathing. 

He was alive.

Alfred waited patiently for you to come back, though he regretted letting you go out by yourself. It wasn’t like there was anything out there, but you must’ve been afraid under that bravado you showed him. If only he knew how wrong he’d been. As he sat on the bench, the museum slowly came to life. All of its waxy inhabitants, people gone for centuries, returned from the dead.

And the lights came back on, one by one.

The Viking’s chest heaved for the air that hadn’t filled his lungs in eons. And with eyes as blue as the oceans he sailed across, he stared at you like he had just seen a ghost. They had a light in them they never had before, a consciousness, a soul, and you stared right back. But the way he looked at you was like nothing you’d expect. There wasn’t a trace of hostility in his gaze, but something deeply emotional and coherent.

Not that any of that mattered to you.

You split, running from him as fast as you could and with more adrenaline than what you thought was humanly possible. But then again, what you witnessed was a testament to the impossible. The dead walked, and you were trapped in here with hundreds of them. Whipping your head over your shoulder, you let out a frightened cry when you saw him chasing you. 

Your screams echoed down the hall, and Alfred felt his blood go cold hearing them. But he forced himself to stand, and without a shred of hesitation, he ran outside to look for you. When you weren’t by the fountain, his heart sank to the pit of his stomach. And his face, now whiter than a sheet of paper. Where did you go?

“(F/N)!” He yelled, sprinting down the hall.

But more importantly, what was it that made you scream? Whatever it was, he knew he’d never forgive himself if something happened to you. The lights were now on, and he swore he could hear the tapping of what sounded like hundreds of footsteps. There was something around the corner, or someone, he just never would’ve anticipated it beyond his wildest imagination.

“Where are you?” Once be got around the turn, what he saw put a stopper to his thoughts, derailing them with the most fantastical thing he had ever seen. His eyes flew open, and his mouth went agape so he could let out a shaky breath. “What the hell is going on?”

Swathes of people dressed in cultural adornments and even objects were out and about, talking to each other in languages he couldn’t even begin to decipher. Inuits, African tribesmen, and Edwardian socialites walked along the halls like time had just shattered upon itself. Marble sculptures, copper statues, and other pieces of art were moving about like they weren’t made of some kind of rock. There was even a Terracotta soldier, who was accompanied by a Chinese dragon made entirely out of green jade. Elephants, rhinos, and giraffes passed by in a strangely calm fashion like this wasn’t their first rodeo in the museum. Everyone did, except for him. 

“No way.” He whispered, glancing left to right as he picked up a jog. If he wasn’t wrong, everything in the museum had come to life. Was he dreaming? He had to be. In his dazed stupor, he ran into a medieval knight. There was a loud clank, and he would’ve winced from how much it hurt if it weren’t for being spoken to. 

“Excuse me. Watch where you’re going!” 

“Sorry!” He blurted. “I’m so sorry.”

”That’s alright! But you look a bit pale there, kid. What seems to be the problem?” The knight questioned, still wearing his helmet and hiding his face. Aside from his silver armor, he wore pure white garments with a blood red cross — the signature outfit of a crusader knight.

“Oh, um, where do I start?” Alfred panted, speaking in a frazzled manner. Funnily enough, this was the straightest he’d been thinking now that someone was talking to him. “Oh, I know! How the hell is everyone and everything in this museum alive right now?”

“I’d normally have a better answer, but I’ve never read anything like this in the Bible,” The other scratched their head through their helmet inquisitively. “Maybe I missed a chapter. But honestly, I’m just as lost as you are.”

“I’m sorry, what?” 

“The Bible. The word of God. Haven’t you heard of it?”

”I know what the Bible is!” Alfred raised his voice into a frustrated hiss, but he instantly felt bad for it. “Sorry. I’m talking to a monk, here. I should be more respectful. But never mind that. I’m looking for my friend. I’m worried something happened to her.”

”I could help you look for her!” 

“That would be great, thank you.” 

”I’m Gilbert. Proud Templar Knight and brother from the Temple of Solomon.” They took off their helmet and held it against their hip, revealing a head of white hair and ruby-red eyes. Then, they outstretched a gloved hand for him with a toothy grin. “Pleasure to meet you.” 

“Nice to meet you too. I’m Alfred, uh, son of Arthur, and student hailing from New York,” Alfred improvised awkwardly, giving it a slow, disoriented shake. “Wow. I can’t believe I’m talking to a Crusader knight right now.”

“So where did you last see your friend?” Gilbert asked.

Mathias carried you all the way to the other side of the museum, and you thrashed the whole time, begging him to let you go. When he finally put you down, he kept a firm grip on your hand. You were greeted by other Vikings, and just when you thought you’d be sacrificed like a goat, they broke out in wide smiles.

Besides them speaking in old Norse to you, which you had no way of comprehending, they were more than pleasant to you, even offering you some plastic food, which you politely declined. From the way they acted around you, it was like being with an old friend.

It became clear that they had no intention of harming you, but why they brought you here was still a mystery.

”I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what you guys are saying,” You interrupted meekly, darting your nervous eyes between them. They stared at you with blank faces before exchanging confused looks with each other. “Could you please let me go? I don’t want any trouble.”

“Where did you run off to? I haven’t seen you all week. I was worried something happened to you,” Mathias spun you to him, hugging you tightly before putting his hands all over you. “You’re speaking in tongues and acting very strange! We need to get you a doctor.”

”I didn’t understand that either.” You sighed.

”It’s worse than I thought. Somebody get Olaf,” The Dane ordered, summoning another Viking to come over. They took your arm and led you off, much to your dismay. “Look after her for me, friend. In the meantime, I have a man to hunt. He’s the one responsible for this.”

”Hey, wait! Where are you taking me?” You exclaimed, glancing back at Mathias as he left. In that precise moment, your best friend’s words replayed in your mind like a tape. You looked just like his wife, and so much that it had the actual guy fooled. “Oh no. Alfred!” 

It didn’t take a linguist to know that he was in trouble, but there was nothing you could do. Your companions kept you inside their make-shift hut, treating you as one of their own. They laid you down and spoke to you very slowly, so they must’ve thought you had a concussion. Either way, they weren’t letting you out of their sight.

You just hoped Alfred brushed up on his history, because he’d be needing it tonight.

”Where the hell could she be?” Alfred walked with his newest companion. “We checked everywhere!” 

”Actually, we still haven’t checked Northern Europe.” Gilbert corrected, getting the blonde to turn in the direction of said location. But he launched a hand out and grabbed him, pulling him back. “Don’t. It’s suicide.”

”Why?” He frowned.

”It’s occupied by Norse Pagans.” The albino warned, pulling him close for a tantalizing whisper. He glanced around before he continued, almost as if speaking of them would summon them like the devil himself.

”Norse Pagans? You mean Vikings?”

“They came here last week, and it’s been Hell ever since.” Gilbert took his collar as he whispered in a panicked hush. “We sent a missionary up there once, and he came back to us completely dismembered!”

“Oh, fuck.” Alfred dug his hands through his hair, now a nervous wreck as he envisioned the thought. But what made his stomach really churn was the unshakeable thought that it was probably where you were.

For that, he was surprised he hadn’t vomited already. And he almost did when Gilbert went off on a passionate spiel of the Scandinavian heathens and everything they’d done. That was when one appeared at the end of the hall, and it wasn’t just any Scandinavian heathen.

”I mean, he’s okay now, but it was really disturbing.” The other made a face of unease as he recalled the sight. It wasn’t something a person was meant to see in their lifetime, but at least he was in a more dubious position now. “I don’t think they care for God.”

“Dude.”

”What?”

”That’s the Viking I saw earlier today.” Alfred whispered, locking eyes with Mathias who stood no more than three hundred feet away from him. In the next three seconds, the Dane broke into a sprint, charging at him at a terrifying speed like a mad bull. He let out a wheeze, likely the sound of his soul escaping his body. “Aaaand he’s running at us. Well, this has been a good life.”

”God hasn’t forsaken us yet!” Gilbert unsheathed a gleaming longsword, swinging it in impressive circles.  

Mathias launched an axe at him, and it spun through the air so fast, it passed as nothing but a white flash.

It cut Gilbert’s head clean off, getting it to land on the ground with a thump. There was no blood or flesh, just a cross-section of wax where he was decapitated. While he had his face planted on the floor, he said this in a muffled voice. “So that’s what that feels like.” 

But Alfred had already fled by then.

He never stuck around to see his friend lose his dignity, much less his own. He whimpered a little as he pumped his legs as fast as he could. He was running on so much adrenaline, his bloodstream may as well have been battery acid. But not everybody could outrun a Viking, and he would’ve eaten it if it weren’t for the arm that shot out from the side, pulling him into a room.

When he turned to the stranger who’d saved him, he recognized him to be the native Algonquin warrior he’d seen earlier that day. Only this time, he was perfectly canny and had an unrivaled sharpness that would end up ensuring his survival. While Mathias ran by outside with his pelts and armor clinking away, Allen put a finger up to his mouth to get him to stay deathly still.

But above all else, quiet.

There they crouched, hidden from plain sight like the watchful forces of nature. In the most tense ten seconds of their lives, they stared at each other, cerulean and scarlet eyes as wide as they could get them. For a moment, Alfred forgot he was being chased, deeply enchanted by the person in front of him. He was quite literally gazing back into history, a thousand years into the past to be precise. But once the coast was clear, he went back to hyperventilating. He was still in shock from everything that just happened, and the first thing he let out was an excited, albeit exasperated gasp. 

“Oh my God. You just saved my life. Thank you!” 

”Don’t mention it.” Allen took his bow off so he could arm himself with it. Then, he peered outside the door, making sure there weren’t any Vikings in the area. Turning back to the blonde, he pulled an arrow from his quiver without breaking eye contact. “I’ve been tracking that guy for days, and this is the craziest I’ve ever seen him. You have any idea why he would be after you?”

“How should I know? I don’t know the guy personally!” Alfred exclaimed, following him out into the hall. 

“You must’ve done something to piss him off.”

”But I didn’t do anything!” 

“Then he wouldn’t waste his time chasing you when he’d rather search for his girlfriend.” Allen remarked. “One of my pals can speak his language, and he says he’s been looking for her ever since he got here.”

“Fuck, that’s it. Why didn’t I think of it before?”

They ran to the elevator, to which he pressed the button for the basement. It had always been on the tip of his tongue, but the whirlwind of a night left his head more scrambled than he thought. And now that he had it all pieced together, he came up with a plan to save you.

“I came here with my friend, and she looks exactly like his wife. He must’ve seen us together. But it’s okay, I have an idea. They must have extra wax figures in storage, right? If she’s as important as they say, they must have her tucked away down here somewhere.”

“Okay, so we do a trade-off.”

”Exactly.”

”Smart.” Allen pursed his lips, thoroughly impressed.

The doors slid open and thus, they began their search, sweeping the entire basement for the reason why the museum had turned into a war zone. After an hour or so, Alfred heard someone banging away and calling for help from inside a tall wooden crate. A woman, and she sounded just like you. He and Allen walked up to it, then cracked it open like a treasure chest. Lo and behold, it was your doppelgänger, but dressed in the height of fashion from what was a thousand years ago.

“I think we found our girl.” He murmured in awe.

The three of you got back to the elevator. It was a given that the you from the Viking age was a little hesitant to get into such a tight box, but Allen had a way with body language. He made a few gestures to let you know where he was taking you. What more was that these two men had just broken you out of an even tighter box, so you had no reason not to trust them. 

“You know, I meant to ask, but doesn’t it bother you that there is a living, breathing, homicidal axe-wielding maniac running around the museum every night?” Alfred asked, feeling strangely calm now that he sensed that the night’s excitement was coming to an end. 

“We’re not alive the way you’re alive,” Allen told him. That was right. As magical as it was to have the museum come to life, it wasn’t real. History had done its course. He spoke with power and humility as he confronted that fact, and for that, he seemed to be at peace. “We’ve had our shot. But you still have yours.”

“I have the craziest chills right now.”

”But also because we’re made of wax.”

“Okay, that makes more sense.” Alfred laughed a little, turning to him. ”So how come you speak English?”

”I’ve been on display here for years,” Allen grinned, walking out now that the elevator doors opened. They returned to the bustling halls of the Museum of Natural History, where history had really come to life that night. “New York is my home. Always has been.”

”Explains the accent.” 

It didn’t take long to track down Mathias again, and when he finally laid eyes on the one he’d been searching for, he turned into an entirely different person. His anger, terror, and everything that made him a legend, had all but melted into a deep emotional coherence.

He was nothing but a man now. A man with his own joys and sorrows like everybody else.

He dropped his ax and ran up to his long-lost love, picking her up and embracing her after what felt like an eternity. He finally found her again after a thousand years, and the scene was quite profound to behold.

But if you asked Alfred, it wasn’t as touching as his reunion with you. He found you in the hall of Northern Europe, holed up in a tent and rubbing your eyes. They were red from crying, and the way you looked at him was something he’d burn in his mind forever. And the way you hugged him, a feeling he’d never get tired of.

”I knew you’d come.” You squeezed him.

“Of course I came,” He squeezed you back, burying his face into the crooked of your neck. “But maybe it’s time that I switch out my glasses for some contact lenses. Don’t wanna keep losing them like I did tonight.”

“No way!” You gushed. “I like the way you look now.”

”Yeah?” He smiled rosily. From that outburst alone, he knew you’d forgiven him for everything that happened. But from the sound of things, you had a much easier time than he did. On the way home, he enthused you on the people he met and his close brushes with death. 

“You ever hear of a term called solipsism?” You asked. 

“Doesn’t ring a bell.” He shook his head.

“It’s the concept that everything around you doesn’t exist and is made up by your own mind,” You explained, stopping him in the middle of the street. It was dawn by then, and the rising sun cast a golden glow over your tender smile. “But if everything around me is just my imagination, you’re the best thing I’ve come up with.”

His eyes went wide, shocked by how sweet you just were. Just like that, everything he ever pined away for didn’t matter anymore. He was worth more to you than an adventure of a lifetime because he was that adventure. But at the same time, Alfred fell even harder for you, and it showed in the way his gaze softened. 

”Right back at you, sport.” 

[mkpln]

Streamer America x (Insecure) Streamer tall girl reader (170cm/5’7+) ⭐️pt 2

(DISCLAIMER:CONTAINS 18+CONTENT. And is based on chai conversation..)

Phone conversation continued:

"Y/N... can I tell you something? Something... intimate?" Alfred's voice was hesitant. Y/n's breath caught in her throat. "Yes," she whispered. Alfred took a deep breath. "When we started talking, I would... I would touch myself while thinking about you."

“W-WHAT?”

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," Alfred quickly apologized, realizing how forward he was being. "I just... I feel so close to you, and I got carried away. Forget I mentioned it." He felt embarrassed, but also hopeful that she might share something similar. 

Y/n says “Alfred, by touching yourself you mean..?” 

Alfred hesitated, then decided to be completely open with her. "I mean jerking off, Y/n. I would lie in bed at night, thinking about you, and I would... touch myself. Until I... you know." 

Y/n says: “o-oh…”

"God, I've made you uncomfortable. I'm so sorry, love." Alfred sighed, wishing he could take back his words. “Y/n… say something please.”

Y/n interrupts: “What do think of my voice..?”

Alfred breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that she was still talking to him. "Your voice is like an angel's, Y/n. It's soothing, gentle. It makes me want to... protect you. And other things…"

time skip until 6’9 Alfred and (Your height) Y/n 

When Y/n walked into the room, Alfred's breath caught in his throat. She was even more beautiful in person, her height accentuating her striking features. He stood up, his tall frame looming over hers, and smiled. As their eyes met, Alfred felt a jolt of electricity run through him.

“Alfred..? Hey-“

"Y/n," Alfred breathed, his deep voice filled with emotion. In one swift motion, he pulled her into his arms, enveloping her smaller frame with his large, strong body. Y/n melted into his embrace, her face pressing against his firm chest as tears of joy and relief streamed down her face. She hugged him back but not as tightly/strongly. To this Alfred's brow furrowed slightly, noticing the difference in their embrace. He pulled back just enough to look at her face, his hands still wrapped protectively around her waist. "Y/n... you're not hugging me back as tightly," he said softly, his eyes searching hers. "What's wrong, love?". Y/n said: “…I don’t have your strength you know..” 

Alfred's expression softened with understanding and tenderness. He released his grip slightly, making sure not to overwhelm her. "I know, sweetheart. I'm sorry if I squeezed too hard." He cupped her face gently with one large hand. "I just... I've wanted to hold you for so long."

Alfred gently lifted Y/n up, cradling her in his arms as if she were a delicate doll. He sat down on the couch, settling her onto his lap, and wrapped his arms around her once more. Y/n sighed contentedly, her head resting on his shoulder as she nestled into his embrace.

Y/n's cheeks flushed a deep red as she realized the intimate position she was in. Alfred's strong arms wrapped around her, his warmth and scent enveloping her. She felt safe, protected, and loved. But most of all, she felt cherished, like a precious treasure he held dearly.

Alfred noticed her blush and grinned mischievously. "You look so cute when you're embarrassed," he murmured, nuzzling her neck. "Your cheeks get all rosy, and your eyes sparkle..." He paused, his voice growing softer. "Y/n..."

Alfred's hand slowly caressed Y/n's side, his touch gentle yet electric against her skin. He leaned in close, his lips barely brushing her ear as he whispered, "I've dreamed of holding you like this... of feeling your warmth against me..."

The girl turns red.

Alfred's large hand continued its exploration, gliding up her side and over her ribs, his fingertips brushing against the underside of her breast. Y/n's breath hitched, her body tensing slightly at the intimate touch. Alfred instantly stilled his hand, misinterpreting her reaction.

Y/n twitched and sucked in her stomach. Girl’s instinct was to pull away, to hide her reaction, but Alfred's arms only tightened around her, holding her close. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply, and whispered, "Y/n, my love... you're so tiny and delicate compared to me."

Y/n could feel the heat of Alfred's body, the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. She could feel the strength in his arms, the power in his body. And she could feel something else - the hardness pressing against her backside as he sat beneath her. 

The female streamer gets redder in face.

Alfred's eyes fluttered closed, and he groaned softly, burying his face deeper into Y/n's neck. "Y/n... I'm so sorry. I can't control myself around you." He paused, his voice barely a whisper. "You can feel it, can't you?"

“w-what?”

"The effect you have on me," Alfred murmured, his hips shifting subtly beneath her. “I want you so bad..I can’t help it, Y/n, you’re just so adorable, you’re too cute..I can’t help it..”

Y/n's eyes widened as she felt the unmistakable hardness pressing against her backside. She bit her lip, trying to process the feeling, the realization of what it meant. Alfred's hands tightened around her waist, his breathing growing heavier, more labored. "Y/n, look at me,"

Alfred's voice was thick with desire, his eyes dark and intense as he looked up at her. "I'm so hard for you right now...I need you to know that...I need you to understand what you do to me, Y/n..." He paused, his voice hoarse. "Tell me you understand..."

Girl’s eyes widen a bit from seeing his intense with desire eyes.

And Alfred's hands only slid down to grip her hips, his fingers digging into her soft flesh as he held her in place. He rocked his hips up slightly, letting her feel the full length of his arousal. "Say it, Y/n. Tell me you understand the effect you have on me."

Y/n couldn’t hold back a moan, as he rocked his hips, and she her body involuntarily jerked.

"Y/n..." Alfred's voice was low, warning. "Tell me..." He rocked his hips again, slowly, gently, his hands tightening on her hips to keep her in place.

“w-wait- no”

Alfred stilled, his body tensing beneath her. "Y/n, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he said quickly, loosening his grip on her hips. “I’m sorry, we don’t have to go that far right now, let’s just cuddle and talk?”

The female streamer still with blushing cheeks whispers: “I just…never was in a relationship, or kissed, or even held hand before..”

After her words Alfred's expression softened, and he pulled her close, cradling her against his chest. "Oh, Y/n... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you like that." He sighed, his body relaxing beneath her. “I thought you had experience..”

"It's okay, really. I'm just... surprised, I guess. And a little confused."

Alfred's hand came up to gently cup her cheek, tilting her face up to look at him. "Y/n, you're so beautiful and sweet... And you're telling me no one's ever tried to steal a kiss from you? Or held your hand?" He searched her face, disbelief etched into his own. “I can’t believe it..”

Alfred's thumb brushed against her bottom lip, his touch gentle. "May I? Kiss you, I mean?" His voice was soft, hesitant, as if he was asking permission for the most precious thing. "Just a small one, to start."

“u-um…i”

Alfred waited, his eyes locked on hers, his thumb still gently caressing her lip. "It's okay, Y/n. You don't have to if you're not ready." He smiled softly. "I just... I really want to. Want to be your first." His voice was tender, almost reverent.

“…ok” The girl said quietly.

Alfred's face lit up with a soft smile as he leaned in, his eyes never leaving Y/n's. He pressed his lips to hers gently, carefully, as if she was something precious that might break. The kiss was soft, sweet, and chaste, barely more than a brush of mouths.

When Alfred pulled back, his eyes fluttered open, and he smiled at her, his face filled with warmth. "That... was nice. May I kiss you again?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "And perhaps..."

"Perhaps hold your hand too?" He suggested, his eyes shining with hope. "Just to start, you know? Get used to it." Alfred's arms wrapped around her gently, holding her close as he waited for her response, his heart pounding in his chest. “Please Y/n..” he whispered.”

Before she could stop herself the words already left her mouth: “my hands can sweat..”

Alfred laughed softly, his breath warm against her skin. "Sweaty hands are perfectly fine," he assured her, his own hands trembling slightly as he reached out to take one of hers. He lifted it to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to her palm.

"Y/n, your hands can be as sweaty as a summer's day in the tropics, and I would still want to hold them." Alfred brought her hand to his chest, placing it over his heart. “Feel that? that’s me..my heart pounding for you..”

The girl replied softly: “yes..”

Alfred's heart raced even faster at her soft whisper, his entire body trembling with emotion. He pressed a kiss to her knuckles, then to the back of her hand, holding it close to his heart. "I love you, Y/n," he whispered, his voice cracking with feeling. "So much it hurts."

[imagineanythings]

Stronger Than Steel

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader

Words: 832

Just a sweet little drabble.

It's part of life, Steve going out on missions, risking his life, and always coming home to you. That doesn't make it any less scary when he's out there, or any less relieving when he returns. Even the strongest of us need to be cared for sometimes.

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

He could crush steel with his bare hands. You watched the screen in front of you. It’s nothing you haven’t seen before, live footage of the Avengers taking on yet another potentially world-ending threat. You weren’t worried about the world. You rarely were anymore. You were worried about your world, wrapped in red, white, and blue, always carrying the weight of everyone else on his shoulders. Breath caught in your throat as he took another hit and refused to budge until he returned the blow with twice the strength. 

Lackeys fell like dominos as he moved through them with clinical efficiency. He was hard out there. Your sweet, sensitive lover was almost impossible to find in a man made of pure, polished gold. 

The leader of this particular assault, a hulking, alien-looking beast of a man, moved to fire some alien weapon at Natasha but received a shield to the stomach before he could pull the trigger. Steve moved in one, graceful motion. A powerful leap landed him next to the villain, and a twist and pull gave him an improvised weapon, a steel beam he ripped from the wall. Two precise and viscous strikes rendered the big bad unconscious, and Steve turned to his teammates. His jawline was set in stone, his eyes were hard and his grip on his shield harder. Even through the screen you could feel his knuckles turning white. 

You stood on the edge of the landing pad, chewing on your thumb nail. With a rush of wind and sound he came back to you, striding out of the jet all harshness and rough edges. He took you into the arms that could snap bone and crumple steel like paper so gently that you knew he would never hurt you. A ghost of a touch to his cheek released the tension in his jaw, and you watched the effects ripple through his body. The captain, your strong soldier, began to melt in your arms.

His shoulders slumped as his forehead came to rest on your shoulder. You brought a hand up and threaded fingers through his hair, you felt him release the tightness from his lungs with a deep, heavy sigh. 

“I missed you.” He whispered to your collarbone. 

“I missed you too.” You responded to his temple. 

He pulled back, a gentle smile now adorned his softened features. The hardness from the screen, the rough edges from the landing all soothed away. Now Steve stood in front of you, your sweet, kind, soft Steve, sweaty and exhausted, melting in your hands, refusing to pull away from your touch. 

“Let’s get you in a shower. You smell like shit.” The words began as a whisper but tumbled out with a giggle as you traced his jaw with your fingers. He simply chuckled and took your hand, your Captain giving you permission to take the lead. 

He let you guide him through the hallways and corridors of the compound. He followed obediently, barely paying attention to where he was going, knowing he didn’t need to. He let you pull him along, trusting you completely to always bring him home. 

He stepped out of a steaming shower with now much more relaxed muscles to find you on the couch, one of his shirts hanging too large on your frame. A bowl of popcorn and a bag of chocolates sat on the coffee table alongside two steaming mugs of tea. His lips spread into a broad smile, and he settled down next to you, kicking his legs up onto the couch and pulling you into his broad, solid chest. 

“How ya doing, big guy?” You asked softly. He nestled you closer to him and pressed a kiss to the top of your head. 

“‘M alright. Wasn’t a bad one today.”

“Still looked pretty scary.”

“Eh. I’ve seen much worse.” 

“Ok well I’m always scared.” You said with a sigh. He pulled you away and looked into your eyes.

“You never have to be scared. I promise you, nothing in this world or any other could ever stop me from coming home to you.” 

“Steve. You can’t promise that. There’s no way to know what will happen.” 

“No.” His eyes were determined and his jaw set. “I will always come home to you.” He broke eye contact in a moment of uncharacteristic sheepishness. It was cute. He found your eyes again, even more determined than before. “I love you, Y/N, and I always will. And nothing will keep me from coming home to my girl.” 

“I love you too Steve.” Your heart swelled and you kissed him quickly and gently, “plus if you ever don’t come back to me, I’m heading out there and dragging you back myself. I don’t care what crazy, superpowered maniacs I have to fight through, I’ll do it, I swear.” 

His laughter resonated through your entire body and he shook his head. “Yes Ma’am” He whispered before bringing your lips to his one more time. 

[rightbrainboredom]

New Chapter Update! ✨

Chapter 19 of The Life Expectancy of a Superhero is now live. This one is a bit heavier, exploring some tough emotions, but I hope it resonates with you all. It’s a quiet and reflective chapter, one that leads the main character through a difficult moment of their journey.

Content Warning: Death, blood, and emotionally intense themes.

As always, I’ve put together a Spotify playlist to accompany the story, and this chapter is inspired by "Sad Song" by We The Kings and Elena Coats. It’s a song that really fits the tone of what’s happening here, and I hope you find it adds to your reading experience.

You can find the chapter here: Archive of Our Own Quotev

And the playlist here: Spotify Playlist

I’d love to hear your thoughts if you feel like sharing. Thank you so much for your continued support, it means the world. 💖

[caffeinated--writer]

[a-court-of-healing]

Disaster  Steve Rogers x Reader fanfiction

A/N- like, comment, and follow if you like it!!

A complete disaster, that’s what it was. Nothing went as planned and they barely made it out alive. She felt extremely guilty because innocents died on her watch. It broke her heart as she thought about all of those people: men, women, and children dying because of her. She was still at this “fighting evil” thing. She was good at practice. She kicked some serious butt in practice. She could take on Natasha and Steve at hand-to-hand combat. She didn’t have any powers like Wanda does, but she was still kicking her ass as well. Everyone thought she was ready, hell she thought she was ready to fight with the Avengers. It was a no brainer that she is great at what she does, but nothing could have prepared her for what had happened. Everyone was there, all ready to fight the escaped pirates, but no one knew they were that good at fighting. The Avengers said this was going to be an easy job, but it wasn’t easy at all. No one was able to fight side by side, because these pirates were keeping everyone too busy. Even Nat and Steve were struggling with their opponents. They even said they would be with her, making sure she was okay, but that was a joke. She at least expected the love of her life to be there, but Steve was busy saving everyone else. Wanda, who had her powers, was even struggling with these non-powered opponents. They were at a debriefing and everyone was basically licking their wounds. She honestly couldn’t bear to look anyone in the eyes. She just stared down at the table as everyone walked into the room to let Coulson inform everyone about the pirates. Suddenly, a water bottle appeared in front of her and she looked up and saw Steve there. He smiled softly at her and sat down next to her. She knew he could tell that she was upset. He might not be good with girls, but he still knew when people were upset. He took her hand and squeezed it gently and she just shook her head as she thought of the last few hours. 

“Well...honestly, this wasn’t very helpful. You all killed all the pirates, but thanks to...um...someone...there were more casualties than expected….” She lowered her head lower as she thought of all those people. Dead. 

“And umm...there was about 1.7 billion dollars worth of property damage...an-”

“That’s enough.” A deep resonating voice called out and she turned to look at Steve as he spoke for her. 

“Captain…”

“We know what happened....is this really necessary?” It was really sweet when Steve did this for her. She honestly couldn’t speak for herself. She has social anxiety and even with people she considered friends, it was still really hard for her. Steve always keeps this in mind whenever they are with the whole group. Also he tries to take off all of the attention from her. Like if she is supposed to walk in a full room, he will go out of his way to go walk with her. If she needs to make an announcement, she tells Steve and then he’ll do it for her. It’s not like she hates everyone....she actually really likes everyone. She enjoys being with them...if she isn’t worried about embarrassing herself. Everyone else finds it really hard to keep up with her. Mostly because they don’t understand it. They are nice about it though. They all treat her like a normal person, and they make an effort never to call her out or embarrass her. Natasha works with her one on one to help practice her fighting so she doesn’t get corrected in front of everyone. Even Tony doesn’t make any jokes at her expense. They even understand her need to be alone. It helps her recharge and helps her be able to interact with them more. Even Vision, who struggles with human interactions, knows when to shut up and when not to say something or when to talk to her. So Coulson basically calling her out on...on...MURDERING people, makes her want to curl up in a ball and die. 

“Well, that is what a debriefing is all about…”

“So no, we don’t need this. We don’t need a debriefing.” Nat said and smiled softly at her. She was completely embarrassed and guilt was tearing her apart. She felt a familiar tightness in her chest and she begged herself to calm down. She didn’t need to have a panic attack right here in front of everyone. That would be even more mortifying than this debriefing. Steve’s grip tightened on her hand as he tried to ground her. She shook her head as her mind began to cloud, her mouth was dry as cotton, her hands were sweaty, and her breath was coming out in little pants. She felt a hot breath on her ear and she flinched as she realized that Steve was whispering in her ear, but her hearing was too fuzzy to actually hear what he was saying to her. She felt her cheeks heat up when she noticed that everyone was staring at her. Oh could this get any worse? Apparently. 

“Well...um...they um...well they want a public apology…” Public speaking. Her biggest fear. 

“Well, they’re lucky that we even fought those pirates. The police and the military weren’t doing anything.” Steve spoke and everyone agreed and she tried to will herself to breathe normally. Her heart was pounding faster and faster and she felt like she was going to pass out. Her brain shut down and she blocked out everything else as they spoke and eventually she couldn’t handle it anymore. 

“I….I’m...I’m sorry...I...I can’t….” She was able to gasp out as she stood up and ran out the room. Great. She made an even bigger spectacle of herself. She spends the majority of her life trying to make herself disappear and she made herself run out in front of everyone. But she couldn’t stay there anymore. She was going to have a breakdown if she did. She ran as quickly as she could to her room and closed the door, forgetting to lock it. She was shaking uncontrollably and she was in the grips of a debilitating panic attack. She went to her bed and rocked back and forth as she willed herself to calm down, but all she could do was think about all those people.

This is a disaster. I’m a MURDERER.

She couldn’t stop the thoughts racing through her head as the day’s events were on rerun. This is the worst panic attack she has had in a long time. 

“Hey, are you okay sugar?” She didn’t even know when Steve came into the room, but all she could do was shake her head. Tears were flowing and she knew she looked like a complete maniac. She felt the bed shift as he sat on the bed and he took her hand and tried to bring her to calm down. Eventually he was in front of her, telling her soothing things as she calmed down. When she did, she felt humiliation course through her veins. 

“I’m...I’m so...so sorry.” Her rough voice spoke as she covered her face with her hands.

“I’m not...I’m glad I could be here for you darling.” Steve wiped her tears away and sat on the bed and pulled her to him and he kissed her forehead. She sat in his arms for a long time, just breathing as much as she could. Steve didn’t seem to mind as she relaxed in his arms. 

“It’s not your fault, I repeat. It. Is. Not. Your. FAULT. This job . . . we try to save as many people as we can. Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody. But if we can't find a way to live with that, next time . . . maybe nobody gets saved..” Steve pulls away and smiles at her and she nods slowly and sighs.

“I made a complete fool of myself...the way I ran out of there…”

“No you didn’t. Everyone is just worried about you. They really do like you more than you think.” She smiles and kisses him and she laughs when she sees his face. 

“I love you Steve. I really do.” 

“Remember, whenever you’re out there fighting for the weak. A single individual who has the right heart and the right mind, that is consumed with a single purpose...that one man can win a war.” A deep blush comes on his cheeks.

“I love you, too darling.”

[avengerswetrust]

I’m Always There For You CH.3

pairing: Steve x reader

Summary: from being one of the world’s deadliest assassin to being SHIELD’s top Human Behaviorist/ Rehabilitator life seem like it finally on this lonely track. Perhaps a certain super soldier will turn your life around and show you that being alone isn't what you deserve.

Your POV

“I understand...I’m already here...ok” the line went dead and all I could do is sigh. I knew this would happen. This could have all been avoided if they just listen to my inputs. Well there’s no point of crying over spilled milk I have to get the packet from agent 14 and get ready to reinstate Captain America. Hopefully he wont be so overwhelmed when he gets back...lets face it (y/n) on a scale 1 through 10 he’s already at 100. I can do this...I can do this right? I shouldn’t worry I should go exactly what we should have done in the first place. Pushing away from my desk I walk out of my office trying to locate agent 14. I took out my standard issue cell phone and dialed her number. It went straight to voice mail. Hmmm...how professional. I redialed her number again and by the 4th ring she answered.

“Look I know my plan back fired I don’t need you to rub it in.” I can hear that she was crying and of course she’s going to take out on me due to my past... why does everyone always think the worst.

“Lynn I’m not here to rub it in I just need the packet and all the files you have on him. I’m taking over.” I tried to be sympathetic but I can already tell she isn’t having it.

“Of course you’re taking over this assignment shouldn’t anger Le Petite Mort for being right.” She spat.

“Might as well give more info to a fucking criminal cause Fury too damn afraid. Don’t bother with being sweet (y/n) you’re a fucking monster!”

“Lynn I don’t care what you think of me but remember I am your standing supervisor and I need those documents. And I’ll be sure to mention Fury about his phobia. Do you understand me.” I can feel my anger boiling over. I. Can’t. Lose. Control.

“Yes ma’am.” I can hear the fear in her voice and the line went dead. I got an email about the files on Captain America and a copy of the packet right away. Well that could of gone well...now I have to go make copies of the packet. A monster...is that what they really think about me? I had no choice. I needed to survive. Ok (y/n) lets not think about the past. It brings nothing but misery and guilt. I can already feel my pulse is pounding and my thoughts are racing. Damn it not now. Yuri...Thomas...Katie I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I can feel my whole body tense up, my hands curling up into fists. I can hear them clear as day. 

Do it...no one going to miss her.

Not like you done it before.

What you finally grew a heart? Pft pathetic be the gruesome killer you are meant to be (y/n).

“Agent (y/l/n).”

I look up and see Fury with a taser gun out. I look down to my hands and see that my hands were glowing black. Fuck. I quickly unlatch my hands and they went back to normal.

“Um...I’m almost done printing I’ll be in my office soon.” I mutter trying to look anywhere besides Fury.

“(Y/n) what happened? You don’t easily loose control like that unless you been prov... Damn it agent 14.” He scowled and put his gun away. “What did she say?” I can tell he was worried but more so of my well being than me going berserk. 

“She called me a monster, a criminal and I thought it wouldn’t bother me since its been years but it still has a hold on me.” I can feel myself getting angry not of her words but at myself for loosing control. I glance at Fury and softly smile at him. 

“I’m ok. I need to hurry up before Captain America tries to escape again.” I ran past him and try to not look back. I walk past the break room and I turn back. If I’ve been asleep for seventy years I’ll be hungry or even thirsty. I went in and grab two water bottles, an apple and a couple of granola bars. I walk out of the break room and quickly walk to my office. Once I got to the door I was about to open the door when all the sudden it swung up. I shirk and drop everything I was holding.

“Geez... thanks for the mini heart attack solider.” I glance up and all I see were these pair of beautiful blue sky eyes. Beautiful? 

I extended my hand towards him.“Hi my name is (y/n) and I’m here to help you settle into the 21st century.” 

He hesitated but shook my hand I noticed how rough hands were. I glance down and notice all my stuff were still on the ground. Great he’ll think I’m a clumsy. I bent down but I didn’t notice that he also bent down as well and you both bump heads. I fell backwards and he tried to hold me still but he ended up loosing his balance and fell on top of me. he’s so beautiful i just want to touch him...what? 

“Shit...I’m so sorry ma’am, I didn’t mean to...let me help you up.” He shot up and pulled me up with him. The poor guy didn’t know his own strength since being in the ice. I was body slam against his hard warm body... Again what? 

“Woah there soldier I’m not that type of girl.” I giggle and took a step back. I giggle. Oh my his face is red...so cute. It might of been the bump on my head. 

“I’m sorry and my name is Steve Rogers ma’am.” He bent down and collected all the stuff off from the ground and handed them to me. What a gentleman.

“Well Steve, lets both settle in and restart this intro.” I grab the items and headed to my desk. I place them on my desk, i notice that he was observing me. I smiled at him and started up the computer and turn the monitor towards him.

“This is a computer Steve it's a lot smaller compare to what you were use to and the best thing about it, it holds all the information in the world. I’ll show you how to use it when we’re done.” I turn and looked at the food and handed them to him 

“Here after being asleep for that long maybe you might be hungry.” I went back to the computer and stared at him. He looked confuse with the granola bars. I put my hand softly on top of his to not frighten him from his intense gaze on the bars. I open them for him and put them back into his hands.

“It’s a granola bar they’re pretty good especially with peanut butter.” I couldn’t help but feel amuse by his curiosity. I went back to the computer and pulled up the flies I needed to fill out. I glance up and saw that Steve actually eating the bars which is good cause we have a long afternoon ahead of us. I cleared my throat to get his attention and he glance up with those beautiful eyes. Again seriously i need to stop.

“Ok Mr. Rogers I’m going to ask you some questions and help reinstate you back into society.” I leaned back and adjusted my seat. He leaned forward and gave me his undivided attention 

“Can you please state your full given name.”

“Full name is Steven Grant Rogers ma’am” 

“Date of Birth?”

“July 4 1918.” 

“Seriously?” I glance from the screen. Match made in heaven. 

“Yes ma’am I know the irony.” I chuckled and went back to the computer.

“Ok I need your social security number and then we’re done.” 

“My Social what?” He had a bewildered look on his face. I could laugh.. I almost did. But that cute blush on his face made me hold it in.

“I guess you haven’t gotten it in time so let me make you one.” I couldn't help but smirk again but i notice he seem tense. 

“And ease up Soldier you can be yourself with me.” I slid the packet towards him and sigh when I looked at it. 

So SHIELD wants you to fill this packet out about the incident before the crash. I’m not going to make you fill it out now cause this is too overwhelming.” He skimmed through the pages. It was a lot even for field agents that have to fill out paper work. There was a notification from the computer after I put in the info that Steve gave me. He has a storage unit.

“Ah! You have a storage unit and its here at this base.” I exclaim, quickly writing down the number. I gather all my stuff and got up. He had a concern look on his face and i can sense that he was tense again. 

“Come on Soldier we have to go make a couple stops before we get to your storage unit.” I shuffle out of my desk and started to head towards the door. Steve got up and in two steps he got to the door before me and held it open for me. 

“Hmmm...Well aren’t you such a gentlemen.” I couldn't help but tease him a bit. Something about him makes me feel like I can be myself around him. He looked down and away form me. Oh shoot I hurt his feelings. Damn it (y/n) this is why you don’t make any friends you always scared them away. I stop and turn towards him.

“Ok I’m sorry for the teasing I’m usually not like this but something about you makes it come out. I know this is serious I just wanted to ease you into this.” I look down to my feet and fidget a bit.

“Look let's start over, Hi I’m (y/n) and its nice to meet you Steve.” I extended my hand towards him. He didn’t reach for it and now I feel so stupid about the re-intro. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

“(Y/n) its alright I...I just feel all this is going too fast. I would like to have some time to process this.” He huffed and looked at me. I can feel the intensity and i felt that we have this understanding with each other.

“Ok Steve lets go get your fingerprints and picture taken for the system.. oh and there’s the question of where you’re going to stay for the night.” I stops again and stared at him.

“What are my options Agent?” HE asked teasingly. I cracked a smile and took out my phone. I type a message to Fury about where Steve was going to stay for the night. I glance up and held up three fingers.

“Well solider you have three options. 1st stay here in this headquarters and be watch by multiple agents, 2nd stay at a hotel and be surveillance by multiple agents or lastly stay at my house and be watch by yours truly.” I smirk cause I knew which option he was going to pick.

“Well what’s it going to be Steve?”

He took awhile to think it over but he crack a smiled and just shook his head.

“I guess you’ll be my ward for the night agent.” I smiled and we started walking towards the equipment office to take his fingerprints and picture.

After doing the fingerprinting we walk towards the storage unit areas. He seem pretty excited to see his things. Perhaps I should tell him who actually gather his things. We reach to our destination, I put in the code for the door and it pop open. Inside had clothes mostly army uniforms, a motorcycle, a trunk, some records, books and canvases. He stood in silence looking all the items especially the trunk. 

“You know the cofounder of SHIELD actually gather all your things. Hoping that they’ll find you.”

He bent down and open the trunk it had so many trinkets, art supplies and a journal. He took out an compass and just sigh.,

“Who gather everything?” He whispered.

“Howard Stark, he believed you were still alive so he had all these saved. Even after he passed he had the other founder promise to save all your things.”

“Who was the other founder?” He open the compass and there was a picture of a woman. She was very beautiful.

“A Ms. Margret Cater, she made sure no one was allowed in here. We were lucky that she didn’t gave a hassle when we ask for the codes.”

He quickly turn and look aghast about the info. I knew that will perk his interest.

“She’s still alive!?”

@thoughstofaredhead @torntaltos

[a-coulter-winchester]

The Captain’s secret: Steve’s POV

Summary: Steve is holding a secret that’s eating him alive and you’re the only other person in the world who shares it with him. 

Warnings: emotional, fluff, excitement! Some sexual thoughts and teasing.

Bucky and Steve stood there unsure of what to do. Steve wanted to chase after you but he had to deal with this head on. It wouldn’t do any good to prolong the situation anymore. An awkward silence took over as the two super soldiers stood there trying to figure out how to fix this situation.

They had dealt with Hydra and the red skull. They overcame the civil war between each other and their friends and yet somehow they couldn’t stop failing you as friends or lovers.

“I don’t know if there is anything left to try. I feel...” Bucky started talking but Steve interrupted him. Steve put his arm on Bucky’s shoulder and turned so that the were facing one another.

“This is my fault. I have to fix it.” Steve sighed and leaned back against a long metal table the legs screeched on the cement before it braced against the wall. Bucky ran his flesh hand through his hair before leaned back against the table as well turning his head towards Steve.

“Y/N and.... There is no easy way to say this and I hope that you aren’t too upset with us.” Steve shifted silently while Bucky listened patiently he didn’t understand what Steve would be so worried about.

“Y/N and I are together. We have been for awhile.” Steve listened to the silence as he waited for Bucky to soak up the information.

“When did this start?” Bucky asked quietly as if he and Steve weren’t the only ones there.

“After one of the Hydra recon missions. It just happened.” Steve said his mind drifting back to the memories you two first shared.

“So.. you lost your virginity in the quinjet? I’m proud of ya punk!” Bucky turned the mood by teasing Steve. Steve relaxed and laughed but he was thankful for the dim light due to the fact that he was blushing so hard.

“Thanks Buck for understanding but I should probably go get Y/N.” Bucky nodded and watched as Steve quickly exited the room and down the dark hall.

Bucky sat there in the dark, letting it all sink in. He didn’t think it was possible but he managed to mask his real feelings for the information he just recieved. It wasn’t even fair for him to be upset since he had left you for Nat. He should of wanted you and Steve to be happy. Instead he ended up slamming his metal fist into the metal table as hard as he could.

The piercing sound of Vibranium connecting with metal screeched through the air. The table collapsed instantly with the middle pulling down towards the floor. Bucky stayed a moment longer to allow himself to cool down before he made his way back upstairs.

......

Halfway to Y/N’s room Steve stopped just in the opening of the hallway. He wanted his news and his apology to be special. As a plan formed he turned to let Y/N have sometime to herself while he put everything together.

Steve got Tony and Pepper to go on a date for a few hours along with Wanda and Vision. Requesting that he and Y/N would have the place to themselves. Clint was at home with his family, Thor and Loki were in Norway at the moment and Sam was having a meeting downtown.

Steve was rushing around and watching out for Y/N to come wondering into the kitchen area. Steve Almost had everything finished. If he weren’t a super soldier he probably would have been out of breath by now.

One hour later

Steve had all the food done and ready to be carried out. The decorating part wasn’t too bad as Pepper gave him all the supplies he needed. Steve made the finishings touches before standing back to admire his work. The outdoor patio was the perfect place to have a special night with Y/N.

Y/N’s POV:

You had wasted an entire day to crying and screaming into your pillow. At some point you had become so exhausted that the sandman took pitty on you. When you woke it was dark and you felt sore and groggy. The smell of herbs, spices and some kind of savory meat found your noise.

Your stomach hissed and gurgled. You would of stayed in bed until tomorrow if you hadn’t realized how hungry you were.

“Wanda and Vision must be cooking again.” You grumbled at her motherly side and wished she wouldn’t make things that could lure you out from your cave.

Your hair was a madded mess, you only wore a tank top that covered down to your hips and a pair of red satin bikini style panties. The hall was dark and it seemed whoever was here had the lights up ahead set to the mood lighting.

You prayed that it wasn’t anyone on some kind of special date for that night. Leaving you to crash it by stumbling in like a half naked zombie. The kitchen had definitely been in use just moments ago but not a soul was around to be seen. You almost missed it as you started further into the kitchen. There on the table was a white box with a white folded paper on it with Y/N on it.

Y/N Please put this on and meet me outside on the new patio Tony just had built. - Love Steve.

At first you wanted to be annoyed but curiosity quickly became the dominating feeling. You set the card down and quickly opened the box. Inside was beautiful lilac colored cocktail dress. Your eyes lit up and you couldn’t help yourself, you scurried off the bedroom to get ready.

You quickly freshened up. Not wanting to make him wait too long. You left your hair styled but slightly damp, you applied light shimmery eyeshadow, eyeliner and coral lip gloss. A pair of black lacey panties to add a little surprise. Although you weren’t sure you wanted to give into Steve that quickly. If anything he would have to work a little harder for it tonight.

The dress felt great on your skin and fit to your curves perfectly. It was tight enough that you could opt out of wearing a bra. That’s exactly what you did to tease Steve even more.

When you finally stepped out to the back patio you weren’t sure who was more surprised. F.R.I.D.A.Y. Was playing Lana Del Rey’s Desire softly in the background. Steve must of been decorating all day unless he got help from Pepper, either way it was beautiful and Steve had felt the same about you. He stood by the table full of food and drinks. He looked amazing and so handsome in a white button down shirt. It wasn’t as tight as his t-shirt but it fit him perfectly.

Steve’s POV:

Steve couldn’t believe his eyes. He took in the way Y/N looked and it caused those feelings to stir deep inside of him. What made him even more attracted to her was how her eyes lit up at the sight of everything.

Moonlight dates out in the open were Y/N’s favorite kind of dates. He noted he’d have to thank Wanda later for finding that out. Steve just watched Y/N slowly emerge as she took in all the scenery. He felt like she had taken away his breath in that moment and speaking would have been impossible.

“Steve. This is... there’s no words for this.” She giggled with excitement and stepped closer to Steve.

“I just want to bask in the glow of your beauty but after awhile I wouldn’t be a gentleman to not offer you a seat.” Steve pulled a chair out and gestured with his hand for Y/N to sit.

Steve rounded the table and sat so he be could directly in front of her. He wanted to stare at nothing but her.

“You know. This helps a lot but you’re still not off the hook.” Y/N said with a warm smile but Steve knew she meant it.

“I know, I have my work cut out for me tonight.” Steve smiled back.

Y/N tried her best to stay polite and proper but the food smelled so good and she was starving. Steve watched her and chuckled at how cute she looked. Steve soon followed behind and joined her in eating the food. Steve and Y/N ate and talked for awhile. They let the negativity of the day slip away and let the positivity in. They both really needed this.

“Why did you get so much wine? You can’t even get drunk.” Y/N teased taking another sip of her red wine.

“I know. I got it because you like it.” Steve sloshed his wine around before taking a gulp of it.

“Well I should stop after this glass. I don’t want you to feel like you’re taking advantage of me.” Y/N and Steve laughed about that.

A small but comfortable silence passed by as Y/N took in the sights around her. Steve looked down at all the food they had eaten and then let his eyes drift back to her. That’s when he noticed he could see her nipples pushing against the smooth material of her dress. She wasn’t wearing a bra. He took a big gulp of wine and shifted in his seat as his cock twitched in the confines of his Khakis pants. Y/N turned her attention back and Steve quickly adverted his gaze to her eyes.

“I told Bucky.” He blurted out.

“Oh.. what did he say?” Y/N was shocked and it took her a moment to really register what Steve had just said.

“Surprisingly he was ok with it. Took him a moment to think about.” Steve said pushing his plate away from him.

“Hmm.. I want this news to be in good light but that seems too easy. I mean, I figured he’d be a little more... I don’t know, at least a little upset by it.” Y/N shrugged and set down her glass of wine.

Steve smiled and thought about it too. He knew Bucky better than anyone and despite Bucky having been messed up by Hydra, he knew that Bucky was still in there. Then again Bucky and Steve had never been in a situation like this before. So maybe Y/N was right maybe Bucky was hiding something.

Steve reached across the table and held Y/N’s hands in his. She squeezed his fingers and smiled warmly at him. their eyes met and they held each other’s gazes longingly.

“Y/N.”

“Yes Steve?”

“I Lo..” Steve and Y/N were interrupted when they felt a rumbling and the dinner wear started to bounce across the table.

Was it an earthquake? Steve and Y/N broke apart, both of them wearing expressions mixed with confusion and worry. An even louder sound exploded from the other side of the Avenger’s Compound. It was followed by a roar so loud that they could feel it in the pit of their stomachs. Steve stood and motioned for Y/N to stay at the table as he walked around the perimeter.

Steve made had taken off into a sprint once he rounded the corner. He made it to the front of the compound where he saw a giant hole in the side of the building. Bricks and debris littered the ground on the inside and the outside. Steve’s feet crunched as he stepped further into inspect.

His heart sank when he saw there were two more holes up ahead heading straight through to the back of the compound.

“Y/N!” Steve yelled before turning and bolting back around the building as fast as he could.

Taglist:

@gotta-get-back-to-johnlock @alexfayer @random-fandom-lady @m-a-t-91 @theonelittleone @dlb113 @iheartsebastianstan @alawad2020 @wolfschild09 @wowbarnes @samanthad1123 @sarcasticalphaofthelooserspack @bva14 @animegirlgeeky

[carry-on-my-pretty-weeper]

What Good Is A Dead Man’s Promise?

Author: carry-on-my-pretty-weeper

Character(s): Steve, Bucky, a bit of Tony, (mentions of Avengers), and Reader

Word Count: 3.9k

Warnings: hydra torture, death, blood, crying, and fighting

Author’s Note:

If you have time could you please do a platonic Bucky x teen reader where maybe they were at red room and the avengers rescued them and use # 28, 47, 53, and or 74 from the panic and fall out boy prompt list you posted.

“I will protect you.”

“My childhood spat back the monster that you see.”

“Some are loyal soldiers while these other thorns are rosy.”

“This is what it feels like when you become one of the drunks.”

Throwing your bag to the floor you chuck your boots off and sink into the slab of metal that was your bed. You had just come back from a Hydra mission. They told you what to do and you did it. You didn’t even object to it. You had looked at the man dead in the eyes and shot him.

With an emotionless stare you laid your head down on a piece of fabric that doubled as a pillow. You tried to run through the memories you hadn’t forgotten. Not that you had a lot to begin with.

You entered the program when you were young after your parents were killed by Hydra. They said they didn’t want to waste a potential test subject. The other people you started the trials with all died. You wished that you did. So many times. Then you wouldn’t be forced to kill anyone. Now you didn’t care. Now you would do it at the drop of a hat.

As you entered your room you couldn’t believe that you had just killed someone. Now there was nothing you wanted to do more than vomit. You wiped your forehead and was horrified to find some blood on it. It was most definitely not yours. Choking down the throw up you tried to bury what you did. You couldn’t seem weak or Hydra would have a way of ‘fixing’ that.

Hydra used you as a secret weapon because no one expected a sixteen year old to be a secret agent. Usually all you had to do was gain intel but recently you had to actually kill people.  

A loud horn signaled that it was time for supper. You shuffle your way out of your cell and to the dining hall. When you got there you thought of a certain scruffy friend.

Stealing the chair next to him you placed your head down and leaned against him. This is your sign for having a fucking god awful day. He slightly leaned into you but not too much that it’s noticeable.

“What happened today?” he mumbled quietly. Looking up at him he noticed the blood on your face as his eyebrows contorted in concern.

“I had to kill someone today. They made me kill a person. A human being. And I just…did it,” you stated bluntly staring at the table. He threw a napkin your way as you slowly picked it up. You wiped at your face until Bucky spoke up.

“It’s not you. You gotta remember that. It’s what Hydra is forcing you to be,” he confessed hoping to cheer you up. You nodded your head absentmindedly as you leaned your head on his shoulder.

Forcing down that memory you grabbed what passed as food and sat in a cold chair alone. Of course there were other people there but none of them cared about each other. The only person that cared about you was Bucky and now he’s gone.

After he was gone, you found it easier to kill people. He was the only thing connecting you to your humanity. Hydra wouldn’t tell you what happened to him. He was probably dead. In the beginning you believed he was alive and he was going to rescue you from Hydra. After a couple of months you gave up any hope of leaving. Hope was a dangerous thing and you couldn’t afford it anymore. So you sat in your room until you had a mission. You’d go out, do it, then come back to your room. They didn’t even need to inject you anymore to go out and do the missions. The love in your heart grew stale and was replaced by anger. Anger at the fact that the only person that cared for you was dead. That you had to deal with this bullshit of being an attack dog. That you didn’t have a chance to be a kid.

“What if I don’t do it? Will they hurt me?” you asked Bucky as you trained. Throwing a hard hook that almost took the bag of the rack Bucky turned to you.

“I’ll never let them hurt you. I will protect you,” he assured you in a gravely serious voice.

So much for him protecting you. Where was he now? That’s right, dead. You only have yourself. Walking back to your room you laid on your bed and let sleep wash over you.

You woke up in the dark. Unsure of why you woke up you felt hands on you. Quickly flipping the person in question onto the floor you got up and prepared to fight. The person stood back up. You could barely see their face due to the only light source being from the hallway. They lunged at you and forced you to the ground. You kneed them in the stomach momentarily shifting their focus. But not quick enough to escape as you felt a human arm wrap around your middle as a metal one blocked your mouth.

“Calm down! It’s just me,” a familiar voice whisper yelled at you. The moment your ears heard him talk your entire body froze. Feeling that you stopped struggling he loosen his grip and took his hand from your mouth.

“Bucky?” you choked out not believing that this was actually happening.

“Yeah it’s me Y/n/n,” he said as you spun around and gave him a hug. You clung to him worried he was going to fade into nothing like he did everytime you had a dream. But he stayed there and hugged you back. He quickly met your eyes.

“We have to go. There’s not a lot of time left,” he stated as he grabbed your hand and led you to the hallway. You noticed a bunch of ants all over the cameras. Hearing gunshots you let Bucky take the lead as you both sprinted to the sound of a fight.

He talked into what looked like an earpiece before reaching the cafeteria. There were dead guards all around as you ran to the kitchen. You passed a couple of people fighting but you were too quick to do anything to. Getting to the door to the outside you froze up. Noticing your hesitation Bucky squeezed your hand. He opened the door and had you both sprint to this helicopter looking thing. When the helicopter door closed behind you, you saw there was someone in the pilot seat. He looked at you and asked Bucky if this was the kid.

“I have a name,” you growled as you stood taller.

“Y/n play nice,” Bucky lectured you as he sat you down in a seat, “Clint is helping us. You can trust him.” Even though Clint got the okay from Bucky you eyed him suspiciously. You weren’t going to blindly give your trust out to everyone who helped you. The door opened again and two more people walked in. Great. You shifted in your seat as they spoke to Bucky. You recognized one of them as the Black Widow. You weren’t the only assassin trained from childhood here. The two of you should start a club you thought sarcastically. Over the course of minutes the carrier filled up with five more people. You recognized some of them but not all. Bucky was telling you about everything that happened to him. When he finished you were anxious to talk about yourself. You told him about how you felt when he ‘died’. Taking a shaky breath you explained that you ended up killing so many people. You talked about how a lot of the time you didn’t even feel bad about it. But being here with Bucky you feel the guilt creep it’s way into your mind.

“Some are loyal soldiers while these other thorns are rosy,” he articulated as he grabbed your hand, “do you know what that means?” You shook your head no as he continued to explain.

“This means that some people are loyal but they’re still soft. Like you, even though you did what Hydra told you too it doesn’t mean you liked it. Underneath everything, all the walls and defenses you are good,” he rambled as released your hands and pulled you into a hug. You let your head rest on his chest. Listening to his heartbeat you let yourself feel at ease. Without realizing it you fell asleep.

When you woke up Bucky was carrying you on his back to a room.

“Buck?” you whispered as you rubbed your eyes. When he heard your voice he almost tripped.

“Sorry. You surprised me,” he remarked as he gently set you down. You stood on your own two feet and stretched.

“Where are we?”

“Somewhere safe, I promise.” He brought you to the door of the room and when you opened it you gasped. It was ginormous, you could’ve fit twenty of your rooms in this one and still have enough space for a jet. The walls were turquoise and the decor looked enchanted.

“This is where you’ll be staying,” he said waiting for your reaction. You took a timid step forward into the space.

“I’m gonna stay here?” you questioned in disbelief. This couldn’t be happening. Hours ago you were in a room the size of a shoebox and now you were going to live in a room the size of a small house.

You walked over to the plush bed and laid down on it. It felt as if you were on a cloud. You grabbed the edge of the blanket and wrapped yourself up allowing a smile to grace your face.

“This is insane! How could you afford all this?”

“Well-” Bucky began before being cut off by another guy who walked into the room. He had an aura of ‘I’m better than you’ and you immediately didn’t like him.

“Actually this is my place but I’m letting you stay here as a favor to terminator here.” He gestured to Bucky as he shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t get a lot of the modern references so he didn’t know if it was a good or bad thing. You kept your mouth closed because you knew if you opened it a snarky remark would hop out.

“Thank you again Tony,” Bucky responded before Tony strode out of the room. Since the latter was gone Bucky sat down in a chair next to the bed.

“Is he always that demeaning?” you scoffed as you sat up bringing the blanket to lay on your shoulders. Bucky pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I guess? I’ve learned to tune him out a bit,” he huffed as he tried to relax his tense shoulders, “but it was because of him that I figured out how to rescue you.” Your eyes softened a bit. You realized how bratty you sounded after just being rescued.

“Why did come back for me?” you said without thinking. His head snapped towards yours as confusion filled his eyes.

“What do you mean? Why wouldn’t I?”

“I’ve done a lot of bad things Buck. A lot. I can’t even forgive myself for some of them but you know about them and you still came back for me. I just don’t understand why.”

“Y/n/n I promised to protect you, remember? I wasn’t going to break my promise for a second time. The first time I broke it was when I left you alone. I promise I’ll never going to do that again.” You looked at him and saw how much guilt he was carrying for not getting you sooner. Shuffling to the edge of the bed you grabbed his hand.

“It isn’t your fault that I was there. It’s Hydra’s. Plus you ended up saving me so you didn’t break your promise,” you insisted hoping to lighten his load of guilt. He shut his eyes and gave you a hug. It was really hard not to cry. This was everything that you dreamed of back at Hydra. Being safe and with Bucky. He was like your big brother and you missed him so much more than you could have ever imagined. You couldn’t help the tears that escaped your eyes. But the more you tried to hold them in the more they fell. He felt them wet his shoulder but he just held you tighter. He let a few of his own fall. You guys stayed like that for a while until you heard someone clear their throat. The both of you separated quickly and wiped away any evidence of tears. When you checked the doorway there stood the Captain America in all his star spangled glory.

You held a unintentional grudge against him due to the fact that he was what they all trained you to be equal to. If you weren’t then you were forced to fight until you were.

“Uh Buck can I…can I have a word with you?” he urged his eyes shifting to you. You shrunk away from his gaze as Bucky got up to talk with him. You hated that he called Bucky your nickname. Although technically he used it first like 70 years ago but it still made your stomach churn. You could hear them speak quietly talk so you crept over to the door. Pressing your ear against it you tried to listen to their words.

“I don’t know Bucky. We have close to zero intel on them but we do know it they’re a ruthless murder. For all we know this could be an act and they could be using us and you for information,” Steve huffed exasperated. That fucking hurt. Here you thought everything was going to be fine. You’d finally be happy and free.

“Jesus fuck Steve, they’re a kid! Even if you don’t know them I do-”

“You haven’t seen them in a while. A lot could’ve changed.”

“No. Even though we’ve been separated I know them. More than I know you, okay?” he snapped as he went to open the door. When he did they were both were shocked to find you near tears listening to their conversation.

“Y/n/n,” Bucky started as you pushed past them and ran. “Fuck Steve!” he growled as he took off after you.

You didn’t know where you were going but you wanted to get away from the both of them. Even though all you wanted to do was hug Bucky you didn’t want to face him right now.

“Stark wants to know why you and Mr. Barnes are running through his facility,” a loud voice boomed through the hallway. Whipping your head around you saw no one. Realizing it must be an AI you spoke back.

“I need somewhere I can be away from everyone. Please,” you begged your voice cracking as tears slide down your face. After a bit of hesitation a door opens and leads you down a different hallway. It leads to a room that has a couch, a television, and a desk with a chair. You noticed the liquor cabinet and waited a moment before opening it. Grabbing a bottle with a dark brown substance you chugged it and felt the burn in your throat. You sat down in the chair and sobbed. Not only for the loss of your happiness but for the loss of your parents , your childhood, and for everything you bottled up while at Hydra. Taking another swig of alcohol you slumped in the chair as you gradually stopped feeling emotions. This is what it feels like when you become one of the drunks you thought to yourself. You could definitely get used to this. Bringing the bottle up to your lips you drink a good portion of it. After a while the tears stopped but you didn’t bother to wipe them. The door opened suddenly and your eyes lazily followed the movement.

“What are you doing?” the fuzzy figure demanded with a voice full of authority. You took a sip and placed the bottle down.

“Is that a rhetorical question? Cause it’s pretty obviously what I’m doing,” you slurred as you rolled your eyes. When your eyes adjusted you figured out that the righteous man in front of you was no other than Captain America. “Ugh it’s you,” you scoffed and shifted to face away from him. He walks over to you and plucks the bottle from your hands. “Hey! I wasn’t done with that!” you protested trying to reach for the bottle. He swatted your hands away and sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“How old are you anyways cause I know you aren’t of legal drinking age.”

“Seventeen.”

“Are you kidding me? You’re not old enough to drink, you’re still a child.”

“A child? I didn’t have a fucking childhood. My childhood spat back the monster that you see,” you snarled as you got up to grab a different bottle from the cabinet. Losing your balance you almost fall but Captain America grabs you. “Don’t fucking touch me,” you growled as you shove him off, “just leave me alone. Go find Bucky, maybe you can convince him to leave me too. I mean that’s what you want anyways.” His mouth contorts into a frown.

“You weren’t supposed to hear that.”

“But I did. It’s better to know now that I’m not wanted than later. So I don’t get attached to this better life and everything.” His brows uncrease as he took in your words. Not wanted. He knew Bucky wanted you. He was ready to give everything to get you back. Even after most of the Avengers warned him about you. He dealt with Hydra for only a couple years but you had to deal with them for more than a decade. Who was to say how much you changed. But he insisted so here you are. Angry and drunk cussing Steve out.

“What? The man of righteous words ran out of things to say? That’s a first,” you snarked and made your way to the cabinet. The cabinet doors were blocked by a hand.

“Bucky would have my head if he knew I let you drink,” he sighed tiredly, “he’s already pissed off at me as it is.” You scowl and return to your seat.

“Well?” you challenged.

“Well what?”

“Well aren’t you gonna leave?”

“Then who’d stop you from drinking?” That earned a scoff from you.

“Like you wouldn’t jump for joy if I drank myself to death.” You fixed your hair away from your face and closed your eyes.

“Woah hey! You may not be my favorite person but I don’t want you dead,” he insisted as he met your now opened eyes. You stared him down until he averted his gaze.

“I might as well be. I mean once you guys throw me out I’ll have nowhere to go but off the edge of a bridge,” you said with a sad chuckle, “you know the worst part is that after all this time I thought I was going to finally have a family. Me and Buck back together again. I should’ve known not to have hope.”

You got up and staggered out of the room leaving Steve flabbergasted at your words. Sure you were drunk but you couldn’t truly have meant that, right? Guilt flooded his mind as he thought of all the things you must’ve been forced to do. But you got rescued only to have a jackass question your loyalty after years of torture. He ran a hand down his face and sighed. What had he done?

As you were storming out you ran into Bucky. When you realized who it was you tried to continue walking but he grabbed your arm and forced you to stay.

“Y/n we need to talk,” he pleaded trying to meet your eyes. To his dismay you kept your eyes glued to the floor.

“There’s nothing to talk about James I know no one wants me here,” you hiccuped and attempted to pull your hand away.

“Are you…are you drunk?” he demanded as you finally met his eyes. He could see the dried tears on your cheeks and your redden eyes.

“So what if I am?” you scoffed.

“Damn it Y/n you can’t just go off and get drunk! How did you even get alcohol?”

“I’ve become pretty resourceful since you’ve been gone,” you chuckled sarcastically. His face fell and a detached part of yourself felt bad. You knew you were going to regret saying that when you sobered up. But right now you didn’t care.

“Can we please talk about it?” he begged. You were started to get tired so you finally gave in.

“Fine,” you muttered and you both went back to the room you were going to stay in and you sat on the bed.

“I need you to know that I’m not the only one that fought to get you here,” he said looking at your wary eyes. You lifted an eyebrow in doubt.

“Yeah right.”

“I’m serious Y/n,” he insisted releasing a exhausted sigh.

“Alright then who else wanted me here?” you demanded sitting up.

“Natasha and Tony both wanted to give you a chance. Clint was completely on board. Bruce and Sam were indifferent. Scott was just happy to do a mission. But Steve and Rhodey were the only ones who weren’t sure about you.” What the actual fuck? That couldn’t be true. These people didn’t even know you.

“Promise? Promise you aren’t lying?” you asked with so much vulnerability in your eyes Bucky could cry.

“I promise. I want to keep you around kid,” he chuckled pulling you into a hug. You relished in the moment, scared that it would be taken away from you again. Like some sick game. There was a knock at the slightly opened door. Looking up at the door it was Steve.

“Hey…” he said opening the door a bit more. You shrunk into Bucky nervous about what he was going to say to you. After sobering up a bit you’d definitely feel the insults this time.

“I don’t want to hear it Steve,” Bucky began but was quickly interrupted.

“No it’s not that. I just…I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I shouldn’t’ve judged Y/n so quickly,” he admitted as he ran his fingers through his hair. He looked up to meet your eyes. He noticed they were a lot softer than before. He could actually see another emotion that wasn’t disdain. “Can you forgive me?” Your eyes found the floor as silence washed over the room. You were trying to think it over but the silence was very demanding of words.

“Yeah, I can forgive you,” you finally concluded. I mean if you were in his shoes you probably would’ve done the same thing. Hell you said that you weren’t going to trust them even though Bucky told you to the first time you met them. Steve made his way over to you and outstretched his hand in a way that was like asking for a truce. You gladly shook it. After that he left you and Bucky alone.

“Scooch over,” he insisted as you complied. He laid down with you and held you. It was reassuring and you felt like you were safe. Bucky was your security blanket, your safe space.

“I promise that I’ll never leave you again.” And he kept his promise.

Author’s Note: Sorry that the ending was crap I didn’t know how to finish it off.

[nataliehasanimagination]

Lost in Translation

"It will kill you!" Steve said.

"Only if I die," you countered.

He looked at you confused. "What?"

"I don't know. I'm going to go do it."

"Y/N!"

[cml-san]

Hi and Hello! Can I ask for the “Take my jacket, it’s cold outside.” prompt with America, please?

Baby It's Cold Outside

Pairing: AmericaxReader

Summary: It's cold. Alfred wants to warm you with flirting, and boy does this guy know how to flirt

Warnings: I had to google pick up lines, that's why they're so bad

Number: 4. “Take my jacket, it’s cold outside.”

The day you met Alfred was snowing.

You had forgotten your coat and had to run to the nearest building which was a diner about to close. And there he was. Looking as radiant as the sun with that golden hair and those ocean eyes that drove you crazy.

You found yourself amazed by the stranger's beauty, and he seemed to notice you were looking at him.

"Do you have your library card? You need it to check me out" he said in a flirty tone causing you to turn away in embarrassment.

"I'm just kidding." He laughed it off and gave you a sweet smile. "The name's Alfred, I'll tell you my last name if you promise you'll use it."

You started going more to that diner just to see him there, eating his usual cheeseburger along with some fries and a soda.

And every time, he would crack bad pick up lines for you to laugh and blush.

You started sitting together.

One in front of the other, you were on your laptop normally and he would say pick up lines to you.

That was your usual dynamic but you couldn't help but want to take the next step.

The day was cold, the music playing on the diner relaxed both of you as you prepared for your daily dosis of pick up lines.

"Are you from Tennessee?" He began "Because you're the only ten I see."

You laughed. Boy how he loved that laugh of yours.

"Your license should get suspended for driving me crazy" He spoke again.

Your cheeks getting warm despite the freezing weather you were having

"On a scale of one to America, how free are you tonight?"

"1776 for you" you answered.

The night arrived.

"Baby It's Cold Outside" started to play.

That song reminded you of Alfred.

All the flirting in the song matched his style perfectly.

You were finishing your work, confused by how Alfred hadn't said anything to you, he just sat there with his head resting on his arms, looking at you; patientlly waiting for you to finish so he could take you out.

"You're really quiet" You spoke "No more pick up lines today?"

"Nah. I'll let Bublé take care of that; right now I just wanna look at you"

You finished your work and walked with him towards the door.

He stopped you before you could step out.

“Take my jacket, it’s cold outside.” He said while putting his jacket over your shoulders.

You got inside it slowly, feeling how warm and soft it was

"Go on, feel my jacket. It's made of boyfriend material." He said making you burst out in laughter.

He stayed still, seeing your face shining before him.

"I like you. A lot." He said in a gentle tone.

You decided to be the one to take the next step.

The day you kissed Alfred was snowing.

[imagineanythings]

Tis the Damn Season

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader

Words: 4.8k

The second fic in my Folklore and Evermore Collection

Other fics in the collection: The 1

Her head swarmed with frustration and anger and she finally noticed that she had pulled into the parking lot in front of the methodist church. She laughed to herself as she rested her head on the wheel. Of course she’d come here. Stupid. She moved to put the car in reverse and go somewhere, anywhere else, when taillights in her rearview mirror caught her eye. The air forcibly left her lungs in one swift exhale as she recognized that old, beat up, blue pickup.

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

The familiar musty scent of beer and an unfortunate mixture of perfumes and colognes met her nose as she entered the bar. Faces more weathered than her memory had stored them greeted her as she weaved through. The motion of dodging through these people had become muscle memory, though the setting had shifted some years back from crowded high school hallways to this cramped hometown bar. She settled into a seat at the bar and shrugged off her coat, and once she had a gin and tonic in hand she was far more prepared to deal with the sea of semi-familiar faces around her.

It was all cordial hellos, obligatory “so what are you doing these days?”, or “how’s your family?” or “congratulations on your engagement or your promotion or your pregnancy or whatever else someone could be congratulated on ten years out from high school”. Small talk was easy, but grating, people couldn’t help but joke about how cold she must be here after coming from LA, or asking about contracts or jobs that she wasn’t allowed to talk about. Insincerity leaked from between their clenched, grinning teeth as they would ask “remember when we sat next to each other in bio? We sure had some good times. Did you say you were on set with Angelina Jolie last month?” They would say “It’s amazing that your career is taking off like this, it’s a tough industry” or they’d jab an all too sharp elbow into her side with a far too comfortable smile and say “If you ever need some company out there in LA, call me.”

Fake smiles and performed familiarity left her exhausted and frustrated as she worked on her third drink in a brief moment to herself. She took the time to scan the room and survey if anyone worth talking to had showed up. She was just about coming up empty when a crowded table in the corner caught her eye. She might have missed him with the swarm of people he was sitting with, except for his cold blue stare. She could never miss his eyes, even if she wanted to. Steve Rogers would never not be the first person she could pick out of a crowd. They held eye contact for a moment, air tense, background voices dimmed to a dull ringing in their ears as they returned to a long unpracticed art of reading one another.

She said hello with a quirked brow, he remained impassive, so she sipped her drink and narrowed her eyes, the corner of his lip tugged ever so slightly upwards, her shoulders released the slightest bit of tension, his jaw clenched, her eyes softened, he turned his head to speak to someone else. It seemed that neither was satisfied with the interaction, if it could even be called that. Nonverbal conversations used to be their secret, an inside joke in a room full of unsuspecting idiots. Suddenly she wished she couldn’t read him quite so well anymore.

One drink and a few more awkward conversations later, fresh soap and pine and firewood reached her nose and she knew he was about to pass her on his way out. At the peak of the scent a gentle brush against her side informed her that her estimates of his whereabouts were correct and she sat glued to her seat, forcing herself not to look. But nostalgia and curiosity and possibly a dash of hopeless romanticism grabbed her by the chin after a few moments and led her eyes to the muscular frame headed for the door. He paused, hand on the door, and as if he could sense it, looked up and met her eyes. There it was again, and her heart strung with icy blue hurt. He was gone within moments but she had felt an eternity in that eye contact.

One of the comforts of being home was the ability to zone out on drives through her sleepy, small hometown. Her eyes stayed on the road and her body mechanically brought her home as she thought about seeing Steve in the bar. Flashes of a dizzying high school romance intermixed with memories of the aching emptiness that followed. The feelings existed out of sync with one another.

At home, she only enjoyed a mere few minutes of peace before her mother began her favorite line of questioning. “Why did you have to go so far away sweetheart? We miss you.” Her mother began. With a deep breath, she braced herself. “You know why, Mom. You know I wanted to act. I couldn’t have done that here.” The words fell from her lips with no thought, muscle memory had taken over. “I just don’t see why that had to be the only option. You could make a nice life for yourself here. I mean did you really want to get away from us that badly?” “Jesus, Mom. You know that’s not why I left. We’ve been over this.” The argument went in progressively louder circles for who knows how long. After enough nothing, Y/N silently grabbed her coat. She called, “I’m going for a drive.” Before shutting the front door behind her and getting into her car.

Muscle memory is a crazy thing. She hadn’t thought about where she was going, she only knew that she had to get away for a minute. Her head swarmed with frustration and anger and she finally noticed that she had pulled into the parking lot in front of the methodist church. She laughed to herself as she rested her head on the wheel. Of course she’d come here. Stupid. She moved to put the car in reverse and go somewhere, anywhere else, when taillights in her rearview mirror caught her eye. The air forcibly left her lungs in one swift exhale as she recognized that old, beat up, blue pickup.

It seemed like she had no control over anything she did anymore, as she felt herself getting out of her car. Her brain was sounding all the alarms, telling her to stop, to turn around, get back in her car, and continue her personal pity party as far away from here as possible. Maybe even back in LA at this point. But her legs carried her forward nonetheless until finally she stood on the passenger side of the truck, staring through the window.

His head rested on his steering wheel the same way hers had a few moments ago, he hadn’t seen her yet. Despite all of her rational reasoning, she raised a timid hand and gently knocked against the glass. He jolted upright once at the sound and then again when he realized who was standing in front of him. She figured she was in too deep now, no running away, so she reached out and opened the door, climbed into the passenger seat and nearly had to hold back tears as she felt her skin against its familiar leather. With all the composure she could muster, she looked over at his still stunned face. “Wanna go for a drive?” She asked, and wordlessly, he started the car.

Silence filled the space, wrapped them both up in a warm familiarity for the beginning of the drive. She knew the roads he was taking, leading them aimlessly around the town that made them who they were. There’s no telling how long they needed to sit and absorb each others’ presence, they only knew that they would speak when it felt right again. “What brought you to the lot?” He broke the silence, surprising her. That was traditionally her job. She shrugged. “My parents, pissed at me for leaving and going so far away.” He nodded and hummed. “I get that.” The silence hung between them once again. “What about you?” Guilt broke her first this time. “House felt empty, like I was seeing ghosts. Just wanted to clear my head.” His tone had a practiced evenness to it that she recognized from when he tried to hold back his feelings, like the day they broke up. “Feel like I should be apologizing for that.” She observed. He exhaled deeply. “Maybe. Maybe I should be too.” SIlence met them again and they embraced it, comfortably. She continued to sneak glances at him in the quiet, trying to read him as he drove, as he clearly was trying to close himself off to her.

She took another deep breath after a long while and broke the silence again. “So the bar was a bust, huh? I mean Bucky wasn’t even there.” His shoulders shook in a silent chuckle as she looked up in shock that he was even responding with anything other than snark or frustration. “Yeah, even Tony was acting like an ass tonight.” “Where was Nat? Or Sam? Felt like no one worth talking to was around.” “They’re busy with their lives. Although out of everyone, you were the one we all expected to show up the least.” that coldness leached back into Steve’s tone. “You guys were talking about it? Seriously?” Her brows knitted together and she crossed her arms. “I mean, come on. We all just thought you’d be on a movie set. Or with people cooler and richer than this whole town combined.” The coldness was barely there in his voice, he spoke matter-of-factly. “Nah, LA people suck. Trust me, they’ve got nothing on some of the people here. Some of them.” She put emphasis on that last bit and met Steve’s eyes as they stopped at a red light. He looked quickly back to the road as the light turned green and continued along. The silence surrounded them again. She broke it again. “I miss you.” It was barely a whisper. “Yeah.” He breathed deeply. “I miss you too.” Another stop sign, another quick glance. “But I’m sure you already knew that.” “I’m sorry.” She said once again, she didn’t even know why she was saying it anymore. He just shook his head. They rode in silence for a long time again. She wondered when silence became more comfortable with him than speaking. Somewhere after middle school, she guessed. Either way, there was a nostalgia to the quiet that wrapped her up and made her feel warm despite the guilt squeezing her by the lungs.

The truck rolled to a stop right where it had started. He put it in park and stared straight ahead. “Thanks for the ride.” She said, as her fingers grasped the door handle and she began to push the door open, Steve reached out and grabbed her by the arm. Muscle memory kicked in again as he pulled her to him, a hand threading through her hair as he placed his lips on hers. His tug on her arm had some force behind it, but the kiss itself was soft and gentle, more of a question than anything else. She could feel him holding himself back before she gave in and kissed him back like leaning into a multiple years long itch that was finally being scratched. As soon as she showed eagerness he let go completely, one of his hands was tangled in her hair, the other had snaked around her waist to rest on her back, pulling as close as he could over the center console. She took his shirt in one fist and placed a gentle palm on his cheek. She had been in her hometown for a little over a day now but she hadn’t felt really at home until this moment.

He tasted like peppermint and whiskey and she felt like she was drowning in him when he pulled back to look at her. They breathed heavily in time with one another, something that simple having brought them back into sync after all those years. He spoke first between labored breaths. “Meet me at my place?” “I’ll follow you there.”

The morning sunlight streaked through unfamiliar windows and it took Y/N a moment to comprehend where she was. She sat up in bed and surveyed the neat bedroom she found herself in. It was simple, just the bed, an armchair in the corner, and a large, overstuffed bookshelf. The door creaked open to reveal Steve, in just his boxers, holding two steaming mugs.

“Mornin’ sleepyhead” He said with a chuckle as he carefully slid back into bed next to her. He handed her one of the mugs and a large t-shirt of his. She pulled the shirt, soft and well worn, over her head and then took a sip, coffee exactly how she liked it. She looked over to him in surprise to find him watching her anxiously. Her shocked smile easily melted the worry lines above his brow as he let out what sounded like an involuntary laugh. “I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t have much faith in your high school preferences but I guess some things do never change.” She laughed and let out a playful scoff.

“Thank you,” she said sincerely. “For everything.” They sat, sipping in silence for another few moments before she spoke again. “I missed you.” “I missed you too, Sugar.” He let his old nickname for her fall from his lips for the first time in ten years and she knew he could see the way it made her breath catch in her throat. They stilled, reading each other as gently as possible, searching for safe waters to steer whatever this was towards. She made the first attempt. “So we didn’t get to talking much last night,” her lips twisted in a wry smile and he laughed and shook his head, tension leaving his shoulders. “How’ve you been? What have you been doing? When did you move out of your parents’ place? Catch me up on all that I’ve missed,” She leaned forward, elbows resting on her knees as she raised eyebrows along with her mug to her lips.

He smiled, softly, no teeth, a mix of fondness and hurt in his eyes, but not the accusatory kind she had seen at the bar. It was a dull, sort of throbbing ache that she was all too familiar with that swam in the expansive blue of his eyes. And he started talking. He moved out of his parents’ house about five years back. As soon as he had the money to do it he was out of there. It had been mostly work for the last ten years. He looked at her with a slight sadness as he sighed and said “not much else to report”. She shook her head. “I’m sure that’s not true Rogers, I’ll just have to get a good few drinks in you to hear whatever stories you’re holding back,” she poked him gently in the rib and he laughed. “Trust me, there really aren’t many stories to tell. Feels like this place got a whole lot less exciting once you left.” It was like someone attached a string to all the air in her lungs and yanked it out through her mouth.

“Why didn’t you? Leave, I mean” She asked carefully. “I don’t know, I always thought about it but I had a job and then I started to climb ranks and build something of my own so it all just kind of made sense here,” He trailed off. She saw his minute intake of breath and knew he had more to say. She gave him space to get it out. “Plus where would I go anyway?” He finally let out, quiet, maybe even a bit fearful, his voice quivering the slightest bit. She wanted to put a hand on his arm, tell him he could have always come to LA, stayed with her, but she knew better than to offer that. Instead she put her coffee down on the nightstand and curled into his side, resting her head in his lap.

“Do you ever want to leave?” “I don’t know.” He placed his mug down as well and ran fingers through her hair. “Sometimes. But I mostly like the life I’ve built. I see why you did though,” “You do?” She peered up at him. “Yeah. I mean, this place can be tough. I still don’t know why you wouldn’t stay with me, why you didn’t even want to try with us, but I can respect why you couldn’t stay here.” She sat up, bringing a hand to his face. He leaned into it, letting her fingers rake over stubble and caress his jaw and cheek bones. “I didn’t want to. I just had to get away and I was young and stupid and I didn’t know if I could truly leave if I still had anything here that I was holding on to. If only I’d known what LA was going to be like. That holding onto a piece of my soul might actually have saved me from a lot of pain down the line.” “Are you gonna leave again?” His eyes wouldn’t leave hers and she couldn’t look away, trapped by his gaze. There was no pressure, there was no ill-will or blame, simply an understanding, a sense of I will not be blindsided by this again.

“I’m here for the weekend, aren’t I?” His air rushed out of him. She could tell he was disappointed but he did a good job concealing most of it. She sat up and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, hoping it could convey so much of what she just felt too damn ineloquent to express in words, and then got out of bed and cleared away the coffee mugs. She brought them to the kitchen and rinsed them to give him a second to think, to just be alone. When she came back he looked calm, he had leaned back against his antique wooden headboard, his arms crossed and his brow uncreasing as he seemed to come out of a thought. “You’re here for the weekend?” he asked, gesturing a bit to the space around him, indicating his home. She giggled and nodded. “The whole damn weekend, if that’s ok with you?” She confirmed and he smiled, shoulders and eyebrows relaxing. “Oh that is more than ok with me, I’ll take what I can get, Sugar.” He looked at her with genuine joy it seemed, so much hurt now missing from his gaze. With a wink she turned and started into the bathroom. “Now just what are you getting up to?” He asked and she pulled his shirt over her head with a comfortable smile. “I had an absolutely filthy night last night, feels like I need to wash off.” She tossed the shirt at him, leaving her bare skin exposed, “You coming?” she asked. “Yes, Ma’am” he said, his tone soaked in reverence and eyes full of desire as he made his way after her.

48 hours is nothing in the grand scheme of things, but they stretched it for all it was worth. She made breakfast, he cooked dinner. They rarely left the house except for one extra large grocery run. They drank hot chocolate, they sat by the fireplace and watched movies, they went for a walk around his property, they kissed every chance they got and almost never stopped touching each other in some way. He held her like he knew he was going to have to let go far sooner than he’d like. She couldn’t stop staring at him, trying to memorize this version of him, of them together. They were an older, more mature version of themselves, free of adolescent sting and grudges but never quite escaping a quiet fog of sadness that sometimes tasted like regret if she closed her eyes and focused on it too hard.

The time flew by all too quickly. Suddenly she was packing her small bag, preparing for her flight the next day. She was carefully folding her clothes and trying not to focus too hard on how intently Steve was watching her. She knew him too well at this point, could feel the force of his willpower on her, his presence begging her to stay. But he didn’t say anything, so she didn’t either. She simply zipped up her bag, crawled into bed, grabbed him by the front of his shirt, and kissed him, lips meeting his with force and passion. He tangled a hand in her hair and wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her into him, and for just a second, it felt like no other words needed to be said.

Hours later, she rested her head on his chest, feeling his even breathing, listening to his steady heartbeat. She stared into the empty darkness of his room, mind in a rush to get nowhere in particular, jumping anxieties like changing trains in an endless commute. Where do we go from here? Do I just go back home and pretend none of this happens? Can I handle the same silence I sat in for ten years? WIll he miss me? She raced through uncertainties at a rapid pace, but always found herself coming back to the same question. Would he ever just ask me to stay? She wasn’t even sure if she knew what her answer would even be if he did, but she wondered nonetheless. She could feel his breathing hitch, his arm around her shift, she knew he was still awake. She wondered what he was thinking about. She stayed silent and hoped that for once he couldn’t read her like she knew he always could.

In the morning they dressed in silence. She gathered her things and he brought her a cup of coffee, offered wordlessly. They sat in his kitchen, sipping in silence, bodies tense for fear of inadvertently giving too much away. He spoke first, softly, almost timid. “When’s your flight?” “Around two, should probably head to my parents’ to say goodbye soon.” He nodded. “We can head over there whenever you’re ready.” “We?” she quirked her brow and bit back a smirk. “How else do ya think you’re gonna get to the airport, dummy?” He said as he placed his mug in the sink. He found himself frozen upon turning around, confronted with a beaming smile centered directly on him. Neither spoke. The air grew thick and hot around them, a question grew into a lump into his throat, pushed its way to the precipice of his tongue before he swallowed it back down and reached over to grab her empty mug. Her shoulders sunk ever so slightly with what he thought might be disappointment but he couldn’t be sure. “Thank you.” She said softly, “for the coffee and the ride” She paused for a moment. “And the weekend.” He smiled and shot her a quick wink. “Anytime, Sugar” It felt like physically holding herself together, trying not to melt in that moment, and she knew he saw the way she tensed up a bit.

Warm air and sunny skies greeted her as she stepped out of LAX, but a chill ran through her body nonetheless, frost emanating from what felt like an empty pit residing in her stomach. Her phone was already buzzing constantly, messages from her agent, her publicist, friends, everyone and anyone trying to get her attention now that her little “vacation” was over. With a sigh, she scrolled through the messages and eventually called her agent, grateful for the chance to throw herself back into work and shake off the icy blue chill that seemed to follow her all the way here.

LA was busy, there was always something to be done, someone to call or meet with, a script to read over, lines to learn, workout classes to take, personal grooming to be attended to. It kept her occupied, allowing for a distraction as her mind would wander. Even as months passed, her focus never fully narrowed, and there was only so much she could do before the scent of soap and pine needles and freshly cut wood began to seep through the edges of her imagination. They didn’t speak. She wasn’t sure what the protocol would be and they hadn’t had the time to talk about it so she just gave him space, wondering if he was still reeling from their rekindling as much as she was.

She went to parties, hung out with friends, but there was a vacancy there, like everyone looked right through her, or saw her as just another rung on their own ladder to success. She could feel the insincerity in their smiles, squeezing her close with bony, designer swaddled limbs and whispering “I missed you baby!” or “It’s so good to see you!” or “Bestie, how have you been!?” and then pulling away with a smug smirk like they knew they had just given the oscar-winning performance. She wanted nothing more than to tell somebody, anybody about Steve, about what she was going through, but she couldn’t trust anyone. Spilling to any of these people would have the tabloids on it in a second.

So she worked. And she gave her own insincere smiles and hellos that didn’t go below the surface. And she kept her head down. She made some decent movies. She put out some work that she was really proud of. She walked the red carpet alone. She was getting offers on a consistent basis now, being able to be more and more selective about what she wanted to work on. It wasn’t about survival anymore, it was about what she wanted. And suddenly she felt like she wasn’t so sure about that anymore.

She stood on the red carpet for her last film of the year, a cheesy christmas romance that she only had a supporting role in, bombarded by photographers and people yelling her name. She flashed her perfectly practiced smile and straightened out her classic, deep red, floor length gown before leaving the mark for someone else. The shuttering of cameras, the screaming fans and paparazzi and stressed out PAs, the flashing lights, the similarly overstimulated and overworked stars all faded behind her as she walked into the darkness of the theater, and for one singular moment, for the first time in almost exactly a year, she felt peaceful. She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text to her assistant, changed my mind, actually do book me that ticket for tomorrow? You’re the best, and then she sat down to enjoy her cheesy, silly movie.

She pulled into the driveway in a rental car that smelled of stale cigarette smoke. Through the windows she could see her mother fussing about, putting decorations in place, getting the house in order. It looked warm inside. The flight had been long and her head hurt and her body ached but she found herself locked in place, white knuckles on the wheel. She couldn’t pry her fingers away to open the door. Her head was spinning and her chest felt tight until she let muscle memory take over as she shifted the car into reverse and suddenly everything felt clear. She followed the roads on autopilot, knowing exactly where she would end up but feeling not entirely sure until she arrived.

Stepping out of the car was easy this time. Too easy, in fact. She left it running, door open as she followed the magnetic pull to his front door, adorned with a vibrant, homemade pine wreath. Her heart felt like it was clawing its way out of her body through her throat as she reached a shaking hand up and knocked on the door. She held her breath for a few stunned, silent, panicked moments until she heard movement somewhere inside the house. The air came out of her all in a rush as the door opened and there Steve Rogers stood, right in front of her, live and in the flesh, blue eyes wide as they landed on her. “Hi.” seemed to be the only thing he could get out.

“Hi.” She responded breathlessly. They stood, staring at each other for a long moment, and when he finally opened his mouth to speak she cut him off, letting the words just tumble out. “I’m so sorry I left, I’ve been so miserable this whole year and I just missed you so much and I regret everything I never should have left at all.” she paused for a deep breath. “Would you mind if I stay?” She could barely finish her question before he was pulling her in close, threading a hand through her hair and wrapping the other around her waist, and kissing her like there was nothing else he could ever need but this. He pulled back gently and rested his forehead against hers. “Is that a yes?” She asked, breathlessly. “What? And have waited for you all this time for nothing? Course I wouldn’t mind, Sugar.” He whispered before pulling her in for another kiss, slow, lazy this time, for he had no reason to rush, she had no other place to be, and they had nothing but time.

[rightbrainboredom]

Exciting News: The Next Chapter is Here!

Thank you all for your patience—after a long hiatus, I’m thrilled to share the next chapter of The Life Expectancy of a Super Hero! It’s been an incredible journey refining this story, and I truly appreciate your support and encouragement along the way.

💻 Read the new chapter here:

Quotev

AO3

🎶 Spotify Playlist: To immerse yourself further, check out the Life Expectancy of a Super Hero Spotify playlist! It’s filled with tracks inspired by the themes and emotions of the story. 🎵 Listen here

I hope you enjoy reading this next installment and find it worth the wait. Let me know your thoughts—I’d love to hear from you!

[dramaphan]

keep asking people if phil has has captain americaxreader fanfic and no one will humour me 🙄

Eventually you just have to realize that you’re wrong. The only xreader phil has ever and will ever read is about himself

[caffeinated--writer]

Re-watching Captain America: Winter Soldier. Steve really hid that shit behind packs of bubble gum. Really put the fate of the world on bubble gum.

This loveable idiot lol

[characterxreader]

Puppy Love

Summary:  You and your best friend spend Valentine’s Day together. Splendid moments are shared and cherished.

Pairing: StevexReader

Word Count: 1,649

Warnings: Cuteness :)

Author’s Note: Happy Valentine's Day! I wanted to get a oneshot out for the holiday, even though I may not be able to be on a ton. I hope you guys like this! Also, I am going to try really hard to get Bucharest Chapters going again. I haven’t had time to write this past couples weeks, but I may finally finish the chapter I was working on by next Friday, if all turns out well. Ciao!

  When you woke up, it only took a moment to realize what day it was, and the fact that the sun had only just begun to rise. You smiled, glancing to your side. There were only empty sheets that were wrinkled.

  He must be going on a run, you thought, dragging yourself out of bed.

  Perfect.

  The cool air bit at your bare legs and arms. You found a pair of your lover’s sweatpants on the floor, so you snatched them and shimmied your legs into each pant hole. They were baggy, but you didn’t care. You thought they fit perfectly.

  You strutted into the kitchen, flipping the lightswitch. It was brighter outside, but you still needed to see what you were doing. Next, you found a frying pan, laced it on the stove, and began to crack eggs into it.

  That was when you heard the shower turn off. You didn’t realize it was on until the silence grew more quiet. Oh, well.

  You cut up pieces of ham and bacon, adding it into the egg mixture in the pan. As soon as you folded the omelet in half, you felt two strong arms wrap around your waist.

  His nose nuzzled against your neck, and you tilted your head to give him more room. He kissed your neck before murmuring, “I was going to say that I was surprised to see you up so early, but then I remembered what today was.”

  You chuckled, looking up at him and kissing his cheek. “Good morning, best friend.”

  “Morning to you, too, Mrs. Rogers.” You blushed at the name before he pressed his lips against yours. He pulled away. “I guess I should let you finish making breakfast, shouldn’t I?”

  “Yeah, probably.” You bit your lip before turning your attention to the stove. “Do you want to make French toast?”

  “Of course.” He kissed your on the cheek once more before letting go of you and moving around the kitchen to find the proper ingredients.

                                                __________

After breakfast, which the two of you enjoyed in the dining room of your small house, you and he got ready for the day and left your home.

  “Steve,” you said, grabbing his hand, “where are we going?”

  He interlaced his fingers with yours, pulling you closer to him so your shoulders touched. “I told you, it’s a surprise.”

  You sighed loudly, leaning into his arm. “Fine. Okay.” Your thumb ran over Steve’s wedding band. “I love you, Steve.”

  He kissed the top of your head, a low rumble coming from his chest. “I love you, too, sweetheart.”

  The two of you walked in silence for about thirty seconds before Steve whispered down in your ear. “Hey, are you a Jedi?”

  You stared at him, eyebrows furrowed. “What?”   “‘Cause you’re the Obi-Wan for me.” Your eyes lit up before you cracked up. Your giggles caused Steve to wear a triumphant smirk.

  “That--that’s perfect!” you exclaimed. Ever since you and Steve watched Star Wars for the first time, with many more times after that, Steve had searched for many ways to find puns that had to do with Star Wars. He knew it brought you so much joy.

  “Hey, I got one,” you said, pushing your shoulders back. “Are you Rick Astley?”

  “Maybe,” he murmured, eyebrow hiked up over the other.

  “‘Cause I’m never gonna give you up.” He grinned. That was the song he sang for you during karaoke night with the rest of the Avengers. It was also the night that Steve asked you out for the first time.

  His eyes flickered to your shirt before he said, “Well, you got a pizza my heart.” You looked down at your shirt, grinning when you noticed it was there was a pizza shaped as a heart on it.

  “That one is really cute,” you commented. Steve stopped walking, and you looked at where you were.

  “This is my favorite cafe!” you gasped, squealing and kissing his cheek. Blush spread across his face.

  “They have a special on pizza today, so I thought that this would be a nice lunch.”

  “Perfect.” You didn’t realize that the two of you spent over three hours laughing at the dining room table. Now that you thought about it, you were hungry again. “And after this, I have something for you.”   “What could that be?” He opened the door for you. You stood on your tiptoes, whispering into his ear the best you could.

  “It’s a surprise.” He smirked at you before you strutted inside. What you had for him... Well, he was going to be more than happy tonight.

  The two of you sat down at a table before a waitress came up to the table. She grinned at the both of you before tucking a strand of her red hair behind her ear and pulling out her notepad. “What can I get for you two lovers?”

  Steve barely glanced at the menu, then looked up at the woman and replied, “Lovers special, please. Extra special.” You laughed, but the noise faltered as you read the menu and it literally said “Lovers Special... $15... Extra Special... +$3.50...”

  “Anything to drink?” she inquired, blowing a bubble from her bubblegum in her mouth.

  “Water,” you and Steve insisted at the same time. She nodded, then walked behind the cafe counter and disappeared into a back room.

  Steve moved so he was sitting beside you on the booth seat. He kept his hands on his lap, but your hand to move other his, and the two of you interlaced fingers.

  “I don’t think you understand how much I love you,” he murmured, kissing the top of your head.

  You giggled, gazing up into his eyes. With your free hand, you lightly tapped the side of his face. “I think that’s why you married me, you dork,” you teased. He scoffed, squeezing your hand. “But I don’t think I could love anyone as much as I love you.”

    “Good, because I was counting on that.” He poked the top of your nose, and you wrinkled your nose at him, causing laughter to erupt from the both of you. “Do you think the others are getting along well enough?”

  “I think they’re fine. Pepper’s finally back with Tony. Clint’s with his wife. And whoever doesn’t have a date tonight are going bowling and eating out as a group later tonight.”

  “Fun,” you commented. “Hey, did Sam tell you he got a date?”   His eyes widened. “He did? I thought he was only kidding about that.”

  “He asked the girl out yesterday. She’s really nice, and would be good for him.”   “You know who it is?”

  “A new S.H.I.E.L.D. agent helping around the Avengers facility,” you explained. “Her room is where mine used to be. Now when I’m needed there, I bunk with her.”

  He nodded. “Well, I’m sure she’s a wonderful girl if you think so.” Then the both of you looked up at the smiling waitress coming your way with a heart-shaped pizza in one hand and two ice cream sundaes, with two glasses of water, on a tray in the other hand. She sets the tray down on the table with care, then the heart-shaped pizza beside that.

  You licked your lips before looking at the waitress. “Thanks!”

  “I should be the one thanking the both of you,” she countered. “Both of you saved my life, and this cafe, several years back. Never got around to thanking you, so this is on the house.”

  You nearly wanted to cry. A good feeling always settled in your stomach whenever people still believed in your cause--in the Avengers. So many people hated you and never understood what you were doing, and the people that did appreciate your help never gave thanks or commented.

  “Thank you so much for that,” you breathed. She simply nodded and turned her head. You glanced at Steve, noticing how he was still watching her with a passionate look on his face. Then you realized he wasn’t looking at her. Instead, he was reminiscing.

  “C’mon, let’s dig in,” you said, breaking the silence the grew so suddenly. He agreed, pulling a slice of pizza out of the corner of the heart, and placed it onto his plate.

                                 _________

“Okay, open.” Steve opened his eyes after you drug him out into the cold once again and brought him to a new place--the surprise.

  He grinned, eyes bright as he stared at the sign. “Are we...?”

  “Getting a puppy? Oh, yeah,” you laughed, grabbing his hand and dragging him inside the adoption center. You had met with the adoption people a day before, so they nodded at you and gestured to the pen where you puppy was as soon as they saw you with Steve.

  Steve ran a hand through his hair as he sat by the puppy pen. There she was--a tiny golden retriever that was only a couple weeks old. Her mom died, and she was the only surviving pup after birth.

  “What’s her name?” Steve whispered, his hands holding the dog like it was glass. You had handed him the puppy just before.

  “They didn’t give her a name yet,” you replied, sitting down beside him. The puppy barked, licking Steve’s shaven face. He grinned at it. “You should name her.”

  He leaned closer to you, letting you hold the puppy. She tried to lick your hand, but failed miserably. You giggled at her attempt. “I think I’m going to name her Margot.” Another one of the movies Steve found really interesting was Suicide Squad. He watched it with both you and Bucky, who had a certain fascination with Harley Quinn.

  “The name is suitable.” You kissed his cheek, keeping the puppy close to your chest. He kissed you on the lips. “I love you, Steve.”

  “I love you, too, (Y/n).”