#Bringing my own oc to the table like ‘hey can I play dolls with you’

[justagaycryptid]

draw sorgo or perish

I am being actively threatened!!!

[hubbytaeil]

Hiiiii can I request a hyuck smut with 6, 16?? Like oc being super cocky and bratty and him not being able to keep up with her sometimes so he just has to fuck her up a little bit, idk maybe turn her fierce personality into a pillow princess? I can’t believe I’m gonna ask for this but can him suck/lick her cheek?

Thanks so much for sharing your works✨💕

Donghyuck + #6 It’s a real shame that no one asked for your opinion &  #16 Did you hear something

genre: smut

contains: swearing, way too many petnames, praising

word count: 2525

a/n: this has been sitting in my drafts for a while (hence the santa claus joke) but hey she’s here, hope you like it <3

-ˏˋ⋆ ̥ prompts ̥ ⋆ˊˎ-

"Did you hear something?" "What?" Donghyuck turns his head, following where your gaze has posed. It gives you enough time to steal a punch of fries from his plate and stuff them in your mouth. When he realises what you're doing (for the umpteenth time during lunch), he is the face of disappointment. "I'm going to break this plate over your head if you do that again." He replies with the straightest look you've ever seen on him. "No, you wouldn't." You assure him, sending him a flying kiss to which Donghyuck answers with fake gagging sounds. "Drama queen." You hiss, biting onto your hangover burrito. "Oh, look who's talking." "Oh, shut up." "Someone's forgotten the scene she caused last night." You munch shaking your head left and right. "I have no idea what you're talking about, are you sure it wasn't you?"

 You tease after swallowing the big bite. "I wasn't blacked out drunk, clinging on my friend and whining like a little bitch." You snicker at how offended he looks, fists tight on the edge of the table. "So what? Are you mad you couldn't get any pussy because of me?" Donghyuck's eyes widen in shock as the restaurant falls silent. You have a sneaky look in your eyes, perfectly aware that every single client has heard your not so ladylike remark. You bite into your plastic straw and Donghyuck is not sure why his cheeks are flushed now. "I wouldn't worry too much, Hyuckie." You say after taking a sip of soda. "It's not like you would've gotten any if I wasn't there anyway." Donghyuck gives you a dry laugh, glaring at you. "As a matter of fact, you didn't get laid either, missy." "At least I got some offers" "Oh, yeah? From who? The stripper that was dressed like Santa Claus?" You chuckle remembering how absurd (and hot) that guy looked. "No, from Mark." Donghyuck's jaw drops to floor, as you finish your drink, purposely exaggerating the sounds coming from the can. "You fucked Mark?! What the fuck, y/n." "We didn't fuck." You affirm, standing up to get the bill. 

Donghyuck haunts you all the way back to your apartment until you spill every detail. "So, he chickened out?" Donghyuck laughs, anticipating the moment when he will be able to tease Mark about the entire incident. "I guess he was taken back, the poor thing." "By what exactly?" He looks at you from head to toe mockingly. You hit his shoulder purposely hard and he whines. "We weren't doing anything crazy once we got back to his place, just the usual... some groping, some kissing..." Donghyuck shakes his shoulders vigorously letting out disgusted sounds, trying to shake off the vision of his friend Mark in a sexual situation. "But then I started talking dirty and he just sort of... stared at me. Like, just staring. He looked like a deer in headlights. Just stood there." "Oh my God." Donghyuck bursts out a big laugh as he imagines everything you're saying. "Please, tell me what you said to him." He is more than ready to take written notes if that means embarrassing Mark Lee. "Well..." you hesitate, wondering if you're getting a bit too personal. "Something like 'yeah baby, I know you want to fuck this pussy, come and get it you bastard'." Donghyuck stops his steps on the concrete, not expecting to hear these words flow out of your mouth at 2 p.m. on a Sunday. You turn around and see him take in the little too graphic information. Slowly, he starts massaging the bridge of his nose, sighing, feeling unexpectedly bad for his strictly vanilla sex-oriented friend. "Y/n, of course he chickened out, Jesus. I mean... I guess you don't know him that well." You shrug your shoulders unbothered. "Whatever, he looks like he only does it in missionary." you both resume your walk. "And he probably does." Donghyuck chuckles. "I guess no one can tame me." You joke, but Donghyuck doesn't take it as such. Those word stick with him until you reach your door. It doesn't help when the wind swiftly blows under your dress while you're unlocking your door, teasing Donghyuck with a quick glimpse of your white laced panties, you don't even notice. That's when he realises, he's been staring at your ass.

The afternoon continues lazily, both of you still feeling the final effects of last night's drinks. You put on some classic rom-com you both saw thousands of times just to kill another few hours and have the excuse to slack on your couch. Every time the handsome male lead comes on you let out a weird strained sound that annoys Donghyuck until he can't take it anymore. "He's not even that good looking, y/n." "It's a real shame that no one asked for your opinion." You fire back, lifting up your leg to hit him with your foot. He groans but doesn't do anything to stop you, so you just keep on going, curious on how long he'll last. "Y/n, stop." His tone is lower than ever, he's not even looking at you but it's enough to make something snap in you. "What if I don't?" You whisper, tapping your foot on his thigh restlessly. He finally turns to you, setting up little flames all over your skin with just his eyes. He goes from your cocky smile, to the slightly visible line of your breasts, and down to where your dress is barely covering what's under it. Donghyuck grins without moving any other muscles. "Really, y/n?" "What?" You protest all the while 'casually' exposing the panties Donghyuck couldn't stop thinking about for the past forty minutes. His throat runs dry at heavenly sight, but he doesn't break. "I'm not going to fuck you just because you couldn't score some dick last night." He states, biting the inside of cheek. You huff, annoyed at him wanting to play hard to get at a time like this. You let your left leg hang off the couch, just to give Donghyuck a better look. "Then you're just going to watch." You affirm before letting your hand trail along your thigh as you reach your wetness. You had been ‘in the mood’ for quite some time, if one counts last night’s complete failure, and you noticed just how wet you were already just by touching the outside of your underwear. Donghyuck holds his breathe while his eyes scan every single movement of your fingers. You chuckle way too innocently when he coughs in the back of his throat. You never take your eyes off him as you work your way towards pleasure. You've done this so many times, it's like applying an obvious mathematical formula to you. But having someone watch you do something reserved to the intimacy of your bedroom is new kind of thrill. It feels especially thrilling with Donghyuck gawking at your skilled fingers caressing your folds with the perfect amount of pressure. You feel your breathe shortening, throwing your head back on the cushions. You pull your panties to the side and Donghyuck suppresses a low moan when you eagerly put a finger in, chasing after your high like a wild animal. He waits a few moments to enjoy the view of you pumping in and out of your heat, juices making lewd sounds that fill up his ears. "You dirty girl." Donghyuck whispers before dragging your hand away from yourself to which you whine loudly. "You want someone to tame you, uh?" Donghyuck mutters before putting your fingers in his mouth, savouring your taste. You can't help but moan at the contact, feeling sensitive in every inch of your body. "Think you can?" You blurt out and within seconds your friend has you pinned on couch. You sigh loudly when he swiftly resumes the work you had left unfinished, all the while securing your hands above your head. Donghyuck doesn’t need to ask how his fingers feel inside of you, he can read in your more than satisfied expression, he can hear it in your ever so delighted moans that come straight out of a porno. “Fuck, I should bother you more often.” you whimper in between chuckles and whimpers, struggling to keep your legs apart, overwhelmed by bliss. “I think you do that way too much already, doll.” Donghyuck remarks before aiming for your neck to place sinful kisses. His fingers work skilfully to find out when to slow down and when to speed up, you grab his bicep encouraging him whenever he hits the right spot. You start wondering why you haven’t done this earlier. Your mind is too cloudy therefore you are taken by surprise when you perceive Donghyuck sucking slightly into your cheek. You hold your breathe, surprised at your own enjoyment and you both smile at each other. You are quick to connect your lips to his, brushing your tongue against his as soon as you get the chance. “Greedy, aren’t we?” Donghyuck groans, amused and aroused at the sight of your neediness. You just hum in response, palming his member over his gym shorts. “I need it.” you plead, showing him your best puppy eyes. “I know you do, baby.” he smirks as he says this, taking his fingers out of you, completely soaked in your juices. “Look at this. Look at how needy you are.” you nod desperately at his statement and Donghyuck is beyond pleased. You, caged under him, not being able to put into words how badly you wanted to get fucked. A sight to see indeed. “How do you want it?” he asks, helping you out of your dress and underwear and removing his t-shirt afterwards. You open your legs once again, not needing an explicit answer. Donghyuck clicks his tongue in disappointment, showing off an indecent smile. “I thought you were against missionary.” he reminds you, but you are fast to bring your hands to his, pulling him over you. “I never said I was against it.” you whisper, at this point consumed in your lust. Donghyuck takes his time to caress your hair, your cheek, until his fingers ghost over your hardened nipples and over your stomach. You take in the sudden affectionate gesture, then you feel his weight over you shift and you see him rummage inside your bag from the night before that had been forgotten on the coffee table. You’re not shocked when he pulls out a condom, given that you were the one who had put it there for ‘good luck’. “I guess we can finally put this to good use. Don’t we, babe?" You hum happily, savouring his assertive yet considered tone. You sit up on your elbows admiring every second of him putting it on. “Now, where were we?” “Need a reminder?” You suggest getting closer, ghosting his lovely lips with yours. He smirks amusedly before pinning you down once again. “Ready, baby girl?” the pet names were driving you crazy in a way you had never experienced before and Donghyuck had been taking note of that every time you moaned at the sound of those words. “Interesting, knowing you I thought you might’ve like being called a whore or something.” he mocks you, aligning himself at your entrance without giving you full satisfaction. “How do you want to call me?” you moan softly in response, revealing to him your most docile nature that surely you hadn’t let a lot of people witness, let alone lovers. And you knew that he was enjoying every second of it. “Let me think... I quite like babe.” he utters as he delivers a first thrust. You throw you head back, feeling more than joyful in receiving what you had been craving. “Baby girl is nice too.” A second hip movement, this time painfully slower, in between frustration and gratification. The slower he goes the more you can feel just how much he fills you up perfectly. “I think I’m gonna go with baby girl.” you cry desperately at the third thrust, both at the pleasure and the words he whispers in your ear. “Yes, yes, call me like that.” you almost scream when he finally speeds up the rhythm. Lewd sounds of skin against skin fill up the living room, now you understand why they call it afternoon delight. “You feel so good around me, baby girl.” You smile at his statement, squeezing around him purposely, to which Donghyuck grunts happily. “Let me take care of you.” he then positions your arms around his shoulders, setting his head in the crook of your neck, delivering even deeper thrusts that make your eyes roll in the back of your head. You can’t help but turn into a moaning mess, unable to answer when he asks you how good he’s making you feel. He chuckles at the gibberish that comes out of your mouth followed by a long and strained sigh that is music to Donghyuck’s ears. “This is what you wanted, didn’t you? Getting fucked until you can’t function?” he groans before giving a sloppy kiss that can only muffle your now uncontainable whine. “Hyuck-ah.” His name is all that you can mutter as he pushes himself into you quicker and quicker. Donghyck knows that he can’t hold on any longer, not after hearing his name flowing out of your lips. “God, I want you to fuck me all the time.” you blurt out. It’s no use say that your brain can’t filter your words anymore. “All the time? Oh, don’t tempt me, y/n. I could fuck you on this couch for hours, until you can’t take it anymore.” Your mind runs wild, imagining getting stuffed with Donghyuck’s cock for hours on end, in every corner of the house. You haven’t finished yet and you’re already lusting for more. Electricity sparks throughout your body when Donghyuck balances himself on your knees, spreading your legs even further apart. “C’mon, baby. Come all over my cock, you’ve waited long enough.” He’s not wrong. Those words are enough for you to crumble under him, perceiving the familiar grip in your stomach you had longed for far too long. “That’s it baby, let go.” you can’t help but do as he says and when your high finally hits you the ungodly sounds you release are out of this world. When you finally open your eyes, you see Donghyuck still painfully hard inside of you, the pulsation almost hurting you. “Cum on me, Hyuck.” you whimper, wishing for him to feel just as good. He is more than happy to do so as he removes himself from you, discarding the condom and grabbing his member right above the space between your breasts and your stomach. “Fuck, y/n.” “Let me do it.” He lets you do as you please, letting you milk his cock with so much fervour, moaning with him, encouraging him just like he has done with you. It doesn’t take long for him to shoot his cum all over your breasts, you hum at the feeling of the warm liquid. Donghyuck takes his time to admire the sinful vision right below him. “We... are gonna need to do that again.” “Touché.”

[managedmischiefs]

north//chapter nineteen

genre: fluff!! some angst

warnings: mentions of prison, ptsd and its symptoms (flashbacks, kinda)

word count: 6.1k

summary: spencer gets home and amelia helps him keep his head on straight.

pairing: season twelve/thirteen spencer reid x oc

AMELIA

Stepping back into my apartment after being away for over twenty-four hours is such a relief. Spencer, for some reason, didn't want to go back to his own apartment, so I happily bring him right to mine.

He's half asleep in my passenger seat, his head resting against the window and his hand smushed against his cheek. Despite the challenging circumstances, at every red light, I gaze over to admire how adorable he looks with puffy cheeks and flushed skin. He's fighting sleep as we journey to my apartment, and even though I've told him that he doesn't have to, I still see him forcing his eyes open every few seconds.

When we're just a few minutes from my apartment, I finally speak up. "So," I murmur, and he lifts his head slightly, "do you wanna do anything when we get home, or do you wanna go right to sleep?"

Spencer shakes his head and adjusts his position so he's leaning more towards me, his head almost resting on my shoulder. "I'm really tired but I'm hungry. And I wanna shower too. Do you have my stuff at your apartment still?"

"Of course I do, doll," I smile, reaching my hand over to rest on his cheek, keeping my eyes on the road. "I have your go-bag too. So a shower, some food, and then sleep. We can do that," Spencer turns his head and kisses my palm, capturing my hand in his and bring them into his lap. I pull up in front of my apartment and park my car, smiling over at my hazy and sleepy boyfriend. "Here, Spence."

We climb out of my car and go trudging up to my apartment, and I push my keys into the lock. I twist it but it doesn't make the clicking sound to tell me it's unlocked, so I pull out the keys. I put them in again and twist one more time, and when the lock doesn't click, I pull the keys out for the second time. I figure that my friends might just be major idiots and have forgotten to lock the door after they left yesterday, so I tuck the keys in my pocket and twist the knob. It pops right open. Great. My door has been unlocked for over twenty-four hours.

Spencer isn't paying much mind to this though as we trudge in, kicking off our shoes. I hang up my jacket and turn to Spencer to ask for his jacket so I can put it in the washer, but his gaze is somewhere else. I follow where he's looking and find that the balcony doors are slightly open, and I roll my eyes. This keeps happening to me. These damn balcony doors. Between the balcony and front doors being open, I'm surprised that all of my belongings aren't completely gone.

"Don't worry about it, Spence," I tell him, dramatically flipping the lock on my front door so we can both hear the clicking noise and then padding across my apartment to flip the lock on the balcony door. Honestly though, my hands are trembling as I touch the knobs. Why are my door continuously unlocked? I try to brush it off for Spencer's sake. "My friends were here when I left to pick you up and I'm sure they forgot to close and lock everything. It's fine. It's not a big deal. Don't worry about it."

Spencer nods and rubs his eyes, then begins to speak through a loud yawn. "You should yell at your friends."

It's just another moment of the old Spencer shining through the armor that the new Spencer is wearing. This exhausted and bleary and witty version of my boyfriend is who I have embedded in my brain, not the version who yells at me and throws books at walls and jumps away from my touch. I wish I could frame this moment and hang it on the wall.

"Come on," I wave him towards the kitchen and he follows me blindly, falling into a barstool at the island, leaning his elbows against the granite. The sleeves of his dress shirt are rolled up and his forearms are far too distracting for anyone's good, and I have to tear my eyes away from him before I get carried away. I'm just too deprived of sex and satisfaction that maybe any intimate sight of Spencer will get me going. Even if it's his hands, or his forearms, or his fingers-- oh god, look away.

"Is there anything specific you want?" I take a glance through my fridge at the ingredients I have before turning back to him. His hands are on his cheeks now, distorting his face in that same adorable way it was in the car. "I'll make you whatever you're feeling."

"Just something, um," he speaks quietly, "easy. Pancakes, or something."

"Sure, I can do that," I reach into the cupboard and pull out the pancake mix, retrieving a bowl and a skillet.

"I'm gonna go put a record on," Spencer drags himself out of his chair and into the living room and I can hear him rummaging through the mess in there.

He's utterly exhausted. I've seen him tired after cases, but never liked this. He can barely even speak a full sentence or walk in a straight line. So I combine ingredients quickly, hoping that the stove warms up at lightning speed so I can cook these pancakes as fast as possible. I want to get Spencer food, and then into a shower, and then into bed. I couldn't care less about my needs. I just can't bear seeing him dragging himself around like this anymore.

My ears perk up when the record scratches and then the music starts, and State of Grace by Taylor Swift starts playing. I watch Spencer come back in and sit down again, his eyes closed as he absorbs the music. I expected him to put on one of the many classical records I have, like Mozart or Beethoven or Brahms. But no, he put on Taylor Swift. I choose not to comment on the music choice and instead, I pour the batter on the hot skillet.

It's only five minutes before I have a stack of pancakes and I've run out of batter. I turn off the burner and divide up the pancakes onto two plates, grabbing two forks and the maple syrup from the fridge. Spencer gives me a tiny smile as he reaches for his plate, digging in without even waiting for the syrup.

I drizzle a fair amount of syrup on my own pancakes and then pick up my fork, about to eat my first meal in twenty-four hours, but then I look at Spencer. He's scarfing down his food like his life depends on it, and I wonder if he's even chewing it at all. His head is bowed all the way down, nose almost touching the pancake stack as he snakes his fork under his chin, and his free hand is on the table with his fingers spread, and before I can blink again, he's halfway through his plate.

"Hey, hey, Spence," I reach my hand out for him, but he doesn't react. This is what happened when he threw the book. He got in his head, then I touched him, and he freaked out. I can't let that happen again. So I sit up on my knees and lean toward him, placing my hands flat against the table so, again, he can see that I don't plan on touching him or using them against him. "Spencer, look at me," he digs his fork into the pancake but his hand falters, slowing down. "Eyes up here, dove."

Spencer's eyes slowly travel up until they lock with mine, and they hold the same panicked qualities that they did post-book-throwing. I offer him a smile, but he doesn't give one back, not that I expected him to.

"Spencer," I speak slowly and calmly, "nobody's here. It's just you and me. You can slow down. You have all the time in the world to eat," Spencer takes a labored breath through his nose and shakes his head, closing his eyes. "I promise, dove, and you know I don't break my promises. You can slow down, you can just be with me. You're with me, and that's it."

"It's just--" he hangs his head and then opens his eyes, staring at his half-empty plate, "sitting like this. It feels-- it feels like-- it just-- it's--"

For some reason, I understand what he can't say. From how he's sitting in such a defensive and protected position and now he's saying that there's a problem with how he's sitting, it makes sense to me. Somehow, sitting like his makes him think of sitting and eating in prison and having to, I don't know, protect his food, maybe. I don't know much of anything about prison but I didn't think that it would change the way he eats meals.

"Okay, okay," I cut off his stuttering, nodding softly so I can seem as understanding as possible. "Come on then," I pull back my hands and grab my plate, sliding off the barstool and pressing my back against the kitchen cabinets, slowly sliding down. "How about we sit on the floor? Would that be okay?"

Spencer stares at me sliding onto the floor and it takes him quite a while to grab onto his plate and join me. He slides down beside me and extends his legs in front of him, setting his plate on his lap. He takes a long, deep breath and starts slicing into his pancakes again, much slower this time.

"Is this better?" I ask softly. "You can tell me if it's not because we could move somewhere else," I start to cut into my own food again, keeping my eyes on him.

"Yeah," he murmurs, and then he slumps down a little bit more so he can rest his head on my shoulder. Spencer is eating like a snail now, moving his hand so slowly that I have to keep looking down to make sure he hasn't fallen asleep on my shoulder. We just eat in tense silence, and as badly as I want to touch him and comfort him and smother him in love like I imagined I would be by now, I get the feeling that he would hate that and it would overwhelm him.

Not surprisingly, Spencer finishes his pancakes before me and gently places his fork down on his plate, setting his trembling hands flat on his lap. I expect Spencer to get up and discard his plate in the sink or the dishwasher and then head upstairs and jump in a shower, but he doesn't move. He stays right beside me with his head on my shoulder so I start to pick up my eating pace so we can get going. If he's not going to move without me then I don't want to make him sit here forever.

"Can I take your plate for you?" I whisper once I've finally finished my pancakes. The sun has fully risen and is blaring through the windows, and it feels so twisted to be so exhausted, so early in the morning.

Spencer nods, but he doesn't offer the plate up to me. I pick it up off his lap gingerly and wait for Spencer to lift his head before standing, putting them in the sink to deal with later. I turn back to Spencer, who's still on the floor, and hold my hands out to him to help him up. He looks at my feet first, and then incredibly slowly drags his eyes up my body until his eyes lock with mine. He seems so distant. He seems so far away and so far gone. His eyes are glossed over and his movements are like that of a sloth, starkly contrasting his quick actions just a few minutes before.

I very gently thrust my hands forward again, wiggling my fingers in his direction to get his attention. "Let's go get you in a shower, okay? I bet it'll make you feel a lot better."

Spencer looks up at me with a heartbreaking gaze, as if he can't even see me. As if he's staring right through me. As if he can't even see me at all. But then he pushes himself up by his lonesome and runs his hands down his face.

"Um," he breathes, his voice so low that I barely hear it, "thank you for-- you know, for the food," He keeps his eyes down on the floor, his body turned slightly away from me as if he's cowering from my touch again.

"No need to thank me, love. But let's just head upstairs and get you into a shower, okay?" I wave him out of the kitchen and he slumps off towards the stairs.

I watch him go, and once he gets on the first step, I go into the living room to shut off the record that Spencer has put on. Taylor Swift, huh? I have to make a mental note to ask Spencer about that when we're better rested.

Once I've put the record away, I follow Spencer up the stairs and I find him rummaging through my closet, already having dumped out all the items from his go-bag on the bed. His back is turned to me, too focused on finding clothes in my closet. I go to the pile of clothes and separate the work clothes from his pajamas, making two separate sections for him and trying to smooth out wrinkles from the fabrics.

"Sweets," even when I speak, he doesn't acknowledge my presence, "what are you looking for in there? I know you've got some clothes in there but you've got two whole sets of pajamas right here. They're clean, I've cleaned these clothes."

"I need a white tee-shirt," Spencer tells me and his voice is sharper now. It's not quiet and timid like in the kitchen. It's the exact opposite of the man that was just in my apartment a moment ago.

"Why?" I look down at the pair of pajama pants and the crew neck on the bed in front of me, right next to a different pair of pajamas, a matching silk set that Spencer commonly wears to sleep. Why isn't this good enough for him? If anything, this will keep him more comfortable during bed than just a tee-shirt. "There's two pajama sets right here for you that--"

"I need a white tee shirt, okay?!" Spencer snaps, turning his head to me, but still never looking me in the eye. "I need to wear a white tee-shirt to bed!"

I let out a shaky breath at the venom dripping from his mouth, reaching for the clothes in front of me and just grasping them in my hand, grasping for something to ground me. Although, maybe I'm not the one who needs the grounding right now.

I hear Spencer sigh behind me as he finds a white tee-shirt, and when he comes to the bed beside me, he takes a pair of pajama pants and boxers out of my hands. I move around him to put the other clothes back into his go bag, setting it in the corner of the room and then sifting through my closet for a crew neck and a pair of shorts. I do everything in my power to forgive and forget the moment that is making my hands tremble and my head dizzy. Spencer never yells. And he definitely never yells at me.

I hear the bathroom door open as I put my clothes onto the bed and pull off my tank top, but when I don't hear the water turn on, I turn to check on Spencer. He's still standing in the doorway, clutching his clothes in his hands and staring at the shower door.

"Spence?" He jumps when I speak his name as if he momentarily forgot that I was in the same room as him. And when he turns to me, he's back to the man he was in the kitchen. Quiet, timid, desperate. His eyes are pleading for me, and I feel helpless knowing I don't know exactly how to help him. I disregard my clothes and walk toward him, but don't make an effort to touch him. "Love, you can shower, it's okay. You'll feel much better when you wash off all the sweat and grossness of the--" I pause, wanting to say one certain word but knowing I shouldn't. I settle with a safer word, "day."

Spencer pouts his pretty lips and his hands tighten around the pile of clothes in his hands. "Could you-- um-- could you come with me? I don't wanna be alone right now," and perhaps it seems like a rude comparison, but he looks like a small child. He looks like a child who's woken up from a nightmare, clutching his pillow to his chest, asking his mom to come to his room to scare away the monster under his bed. But I'll never be able to scare away the monster under Spencer's bed. We both know that and we both seem to be ignoring it. For now, we'll pretend that I can remedy every issue in the world and continue on with our day.

I toss my tank top into the hamper across the room and then walk over to Spencer, leaning against the doorframe across from him. "Are you gonna be comfortable with that, dove?"

Spencer nods quickly, his hair falling in front of his eyes. "I'll be okay. I really don't wanna be alone. I want you."

I glance at the shower and then back at Spencer with his greasy hair and his half-lidded eyes and his hunched shoulders, and I nod. If he gets uncomfortable again, I'll just get out. He needs a shower more than me anyway, and if I need to get out of the shower because he doesn't want me touching him, then it's not the end of the world. Spencer breathes a sigh of relief and steps fully into the bathroom, setting his clothes on the sink counter. I grab two towels from the closet and start the shower, leaving the door open a crack so the steam can escape.

Spencer strips off his clothes before I do and, holy shit, I almost gasp. Now, for the millionth time, I have no idea what prison is like. I only know tiny bits of what Spencer went through, like getting beat up and eventually stabbing himself and getting thrown into solitary confinement. I don't know what he did during the time that he was stuck in his cell by himself, or what he did to pass the time when he wasn't in his cell. Honestly, I don't really know what he did at all in prison.

But holy shit. Spencer's arms are far more toned than I remember them to be and his stomach is too, and if Derek Morgan were here, I'd bet good money that he would be impressed. Even Spencer's calves and quads look more toned than before, and every time he moves, every one of his muscles flexes in the most delicious and sexy way. How much did he work out in prison? Did he work out every second of every day? I wasn't expecting this type of transformation from him, but he's been full of surprises. And after a moment of staring, I wonder if this is a good change or not.

"Why are you staring?" Spencer has just reached for the waistband of his boxers but paused when he saw me standing still and staring, then his hands stilled.

"Um," I have to physically jerk my head to the side to break my gaze and force my eye line up to his pupils, "sorry, I was just-- you--"

"I what?" Spencer retorts, and thankfully, he doesn't sound angry. He sounds genuinely curious.

"You just look different. More, you know, muscular," I try to choose my words carefully because I don't want to offend him. I don't want to make it seem like I hate his body now, or that I hated his body before prison because neither is the case. I could never hate his body. I'm not with him for his body. His body is beautiful regardless. This is just such a difference from what I'm used to seeing from my boyfriend. This is just another part of him that has been taken away from him. His soft body is gone as if he has morphed himself into an intimidating alpha male. I never wanted an alpha male. I've only ever wanted my Spencer.

"I worked out a lot," Spencer mumbles vaguely. He barely tells me any details about prison. The most he told me was while we were eating. And even still, he didn't give me specifics during dinner. He left me to guess exactly what was wrong. It's all been vague so far. I'm not sure if that's because he's protecting me or because he just can't bring himself to talk about it yet.

"Let's get in the shower so we can get some sleep," I want to nudge him towards the open shower curtain and the warm, streaming water. But Spencer moves on his own, shuffling towards the shower and quickly discarding his boxers.

He seems hesitant to get into the water at first, just standing at the edge of the tub and letting the water hit his toes first. Spencer stares at the stream of water, reaching his foot out a bit more to get his ankle and shin wet. I watch him carefully for a moment, just to make sure he doesn't freak out like he has a few times already today.

Spencer's head turns to me and he gives me a pleading look, his eyebrows scrunched up and his bottom lip between his teeth. He's clearly keeping tears at bay, trying to prevent his chin from quivering. "Lia," he stammers, but doesn't say anything else. A single tear falls down his cheek.

I quickly pull off my undergarments and move the shower door back a little bit more, stepping into the tub so I'm in the stream of water. I hold my hands out for him, and this time, he actually grabs onto them. I draw him closer to me. Not closer to the stream of water, but just closer to my body.

"It's just water, Spence," I tip my head back and wet my mane of curls, matting them down to my head. "It actually feels really good."

"It's just," Spencer shuffles just a little bit closer to me. The tips of his toes touch mine, his whole body flinching when a droplet of water ricochets off of me and hits his chest, "the showers were always cold."

"Oh," I turn and look at the knobs behind me that control the water temperature, "I can make it cold if you want. It's not a big deal if--"

"No, no, I don't want that," he shakes his head, clutching my hands tightly in his. "I don't wanna take another cold shower. It just feels weird. I'm not used to it."

I scrunch up my nose, unlacing our hands and tracing my fingertips up his forearms. I wonder if I should even let myself touch his biceps because if I do, I might completely lose my cool and want to jump his bones. Clearly, he's not ready for sex or any kind of physical intimacy. I didn't even expect us to be showering together any time soon. "I don't like cold showers, either. You know that. Do you wanna get under the water?"

Spencer nods and grabs my hands again, switching our spots so he's directly under the stream. I don't let go of him as he sighs of relief, the water falling over his face and making his hair stick to his forehead. He closes his eyes, dropping his shoulders down. This is, by far, the most relaxed I've seen him all day. He seemed to be relaxed in the car, but now, he has completely let his guard down for the first time. It's a beautiful sight, truly. It's beautiful to see him running his hands through his hair and reaching for his shampoo and fluttering his eyelids. He's always been so beautiful.

I shave my legs while Spencer washes his body, and he spends quite a lot of time doing so. I'm not surprised that he wants to wash every germ off his body, I'd expected that much. And we keep in silence, just washing away the stress and drama and hardships of the last few months. I wish that a simple shower could wash away all the pain that we've been cursed with, but I know that this pain may never go away. The pain of this time will always linger, no matter how hard we try to eradicate it.

"Are you gonna shave?" I ask, switching places one more time with Spencer so I could wash my face.

"You said you liked it so--"

"Yeah, but it's your face. If you wanna shave, then shave. Don't let me stop you," I wipe away the soap from my eyes and smile at Spencer, gesturing to where his razor still sits along the wall.

Spencer runs his hands over his face, feeling his mustache and beard on his fingertips. "I'll keep it for now. Maybe tomorrow I'll clean it up a little but I don't wanna deal with it today."

"Well let's go get some sleep, okay?" I turn around and shut off the water, wringing out my hair so it doesn't drip onto the floor. Spencer gets out and quickly wraps himself in a towel, and when I step out a moment after him, he hands my towel to me. "Thanks."

I head out of the bathroom and reach for my clothes, pulling on a pair of underwear and one of Spencer's old tee-shirts. I dry off my hair a little bit and sit on the edge of the bed, putting lotion on my legs and keeping my eyes on the bathroom door for when Spencer eventually comes out.

He takes forever to get dressed, but when he does, he's wearing a pair of sweatpants and a white tee-shirt, his hair soaked and hanging over his forehead. He drops his towel in the hamper and then he turns on his heel to join me in bed, but freezes in his spot when he sees my towel on the floor. He quickly picks it up off the floor and puts it into the hamper, then he scans the floor of the room for anything else that could be out of place.

"Babe?" I close off the lid on my bottle of lotion and put it away, watching him put a pair of my shoes into the closet and then jam the door closed. "Spencer, if you really wanna clean, do it when you can actually keep your eyes open. Come get some sleep, please."

Spencer lets out an exasperated sigh as his hands drop from the closet handle, and then they smooth through his hair. He nods silently, and his toes drag against the carpet as he brings himself towards the bed.

He falls onto his side, pulling back the duvet and slipping under, letting out a sound close to a moan as his body sinks into the bed. His head falls onto the pillow and he moans louder, his body wiggling under the covers. I smile at his pure and unfiltered ecstasy and pleasure, doing the same and slipping under the duvet with him.

I keep a bit of distance between us though. Usually, I'd slide my leg through his and wrap my arms around his waist and rest my head on his chest and get as close to him as I possibly can. But he's so caught up in the familiarity and comfortability of my bed that I don't want to overwhelm him by touching him. I want him to enjoy his first time in a proper bed in months and not worry about my hands on his skin.

I let out a roaring yawn, rolling onto my side to face Spencer. Now that I'm laying in bed, my exhaustion is setting in yet again. I pull the duvet up to my chin and close my eyes, trying to let myself drift off to sleep.

I'm just about to dip into dreamland when I feel Spencer shift beside me, facing me. I try to ignore it, try to bring myself closer to sleep, try to let us both get the rest that we so desperately need. But I can sense Spencer's gaze on me, and as hard as I try to, I can't ignore it. I just want him to go to sleep. I want him to sleep so he can regenerate and hopefully feel better whenever it is that we wake up. But my forehead is burning with his stare and I can't stop feeling it. Clearly, something is affecting him and that's why he hasn't tried to sleep yet.

To my surprise, Spencer's voice is the one to break through the silence. "Baby?" He's shaky. He's trembling. He's unsure.

I open my eyes, seeing tears pouring down his cheeks and his hand in midair, just a few inches in front of my face. "Spencer," I breathe, watching his hand drops onto the bed between us. "What's wrong?" Spencer squeezes his eyes shut, and his hand clutches the bed sheet until his knuckles turn white. He breathes in harshly through his nose and he draws his knees up to his chest, curling into a tiny ball. "Dove, talk to me."

Spencer's other hand comes down to the bed to join his other, squeezing so tightly that I fear he might rip a hole in the fabric. I see his arms start to shake with the force he's using to hold the bedsheet, hot tears streaming down his cheeks and staining the pillow. He hiccups, but not too loud. Barely loud enough for me to hear. "Lia," he sobs, completely breaking down right before my eyes, "please hold me."

I want to jump his bones. I want to get on top of him and smother him in love and affection and kisses. I want to give him everything I know we've both been craving for months. I want to give him exactly what he's asking for. But I've spent most of my day doing what I can to not overwhelm him and that's not going to change now.

I debate for a moment on how I should touch him first. Should I wipe his tears? Should I hold his hand? Should I wrap my arm around his waist? Should I drag my fingers along his arm? What could I do that won't freak him out?

But then I notice, again, that his eyes are closed. His eyes are squeezed shut and he's not looking at me. I remember how he reacted in the round table room when I touched him when he couldn't see it coming. He jumped and cowered away from me. He didn't take well to getting touched without seeing it.

"Spencer," I whisper, "open your eyes." His eyebrows scrunch up at my request but he doesn't follow it. "Come on, baby, I wanna see your pretty eyes. I haven't been able to see them in so long. Open your eyes for me," I watch Spencer carefully as he holds his breath, forcing his eyelids open, releasing more tears. "There you go, Spence. Thank you, lovey. So pretty. Your eyes are so pretty."

I raise my hand and let it linger in the air for a moment before reaching towards Spencer's face. I drag my fingers along his jawline then lay my hand flat against his cheek. Spencer's lips part when he lets out a shaky sigh, nuzzling his cheek against the palm of my hand. I give him a moment to revel in this type of contact, just staring into his eyes and gauging his reaction. He isn't cowering away and he hasn't screamed at me yet, so I take that as a good sign.

I bring my other hand forward and press my fingers against the back of his hand, feeling him already start to ease his grip. I can't attest for his other hand, but he flattens his hand against the bed, allowing me to lock our fingers together in an awkward, backwards handhold.

"I've got you," I whisper, swiping my thumb across his cheeks to rid his skin of stinging tears. His eyes are locked on mine and he doesn't dare to avert his gaze from my blue eyes that I know he loves so much.

Spencer sucks in a breath and tugs on my hand, wanting me even closer. So I wiggle my hips to diminish the gap between us, leaving some space still. I move my head so we're sharing a pillow, the same pillow that I used to clutch when I was missing Spencer so intensely that I needed to smell his cologne and remember that he would come home to me soon.

"It hurts," he slurs, and his eyelids are so heavy that he can barely keep them open. But he fights with all his strength against the sleep that wants to suck him in, sticking his eyes to me. His eyes plead for help, a type of help that I don't know if I can provide.

"Oh, my baby," I coo, bringing my face right in front of him, "you're safe. You're home. You don't have to go back to that horrible place again. You're right here and you can rest, okay? It's okay to rest now."

I feel him moving under the sheets and it takes everything in me to not look at what he's doing. But I feel his legs touching mine, and then one of his slips between mine a moment later. Even though he initiated this contact, I wait, yet again, for his reaction. His face doesn't change.

"Can I touch you some more?" Spencer nods quickly, his facial hair scratching my palm. "Can I hug you?" He nods again, and with this obvious consent, I almost sigh of relief.

I slide my hand down Spencer's neck, then down his arm, and to his stomach. I wrap my arm around his waist, pulling my body forward so I'm flush against him. With this, he finally lets his eyelids flutter closed, lips parted as he breathes heavily. His skin feels so warm against mine and I can already feel beads of sweat collecting at my hairline, but I ignore their presence.

"Go to sleep," I murmur, bringing our entwined hands up to the pillow between our faces. "I'm here right now, I'm gonna be here when you wake up, I'm gonna be here tomorrow, and the day after, and the next day, and every day after that. I'm not going anywhere. And if you need me then don't hesitate to wake me up. But I need you to get some sleep, okay? Can you do that for me?" Spencer nods yet again, and he flips his hand around so we can properly hold hands. I smile at his responsiveness. "Let me hear you say it, doll."

Spencer nuzzles his cheek against the pillow, scooting a bit closer to me. "I'm gonna try to get some sleep."

"Good," I slip my hand under his tee shirt and rest it flat against his hot skin, earning a small gasp from him, but I don't do any more than that. "I'm right here, baby boy. I'm not gonna let go of your hand and I'm not gonna get out of bed before you. I'll be right here the whole time. I promise, I'm not going anywhere."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

"I love you," Spencer whispers but his words are barely coherent as his exhaustion becomes too much to handle. His lips are barely moving and his grip on my hand, and on the sheets, are loosening.

"I love you too, dove."

I watch him closely until I know, for sure, that he's fallen asleep. I wouldn't want his eyes to pop open again and for him to panic. But I keep my promise and I don't let go of his hand, or move my hand from in his shirt, or get out of bed. I just close my eyes and drift off into the most restless sleep I've had yet.

TAGLIST

@babybloodstonebones @bxnnywriting @blameitonthenight21 @feralreid @anepiphany @reidscardigan @itsmyblogandillreblogifiwantto @4x24 @whollytaciturn @thegingerfairchild @yasminwashere @shrimpyblog @anamelessfacelessnerd @wonderlandhatter @whxt-to-write @just-call-me-non @imagining-in-the-margins @boldlyvoid @homoose @gubler-me-up @thundergunexpresss @eideticmemory @andiebeaword

[obeywho-meduh]

Valentine’s Day with MammoNeru

Commissioned work for @otromeru

Thanks again for letting me write for your adorable OC and Mammon!

⚠️NSFW WARNING: SoftDomMammon, Penetration (vaginal), Toy Play, Bites

“..back..Neru..love..”

Neru groaned in her sleep, was that a dream? She stretched out her hand, feeling around the bed sheets next to her but upon not feeling him beside her, Neru rubbed her eyes and slowly opened them. “Mammon?”

Seeing the space in front of her was empty, she rolled over to see if he would be on the other side of her, however he didn't even seem to be in the room. She puffed out her cheek, where was he? The two of them were both excited for today so she figured he’d at least want to wake up with her, especially since he told her not to get him anything; which, of course, she still did.

Compared to the previous two Valentine’s Days, mornings were definitely much louder by the time she opened her eyes. The silence of this morning was unnerving. Neru stretched before getting up, thinking Mammon was probably getting something ready for her, like a surprise maybe, waiting for her outside his bedroom.

———————

“Morning Neru! Say hiiiiiiii to my fans!” As she walks into the dining room Asmo bombards her with his phone in hand to wave at his live feed.

“H-Hey!”

Asmo whispered in her ear, “And happy Valentine’s Day~”

“Happy Valentine’s Day!”

“From our little human to you all! I’ll be back on later this evening for more fun! Bye bye~” Asmo winked then disconnected from his broadcast.

“Is he finally done?” Levi groaned as he glanced up from his game.

Neru looked around for Mammon at the table, but he wasn’t there either. Maybe... He’s in the kitchen with Beel?

“Oh you’re only moody because you haven’t gotten your fan letter from Ruri-chan for Valentine’s Day yet. It’s coming, it's still morning after all~” Asmo patted Levi’s shoulder as they sat down.

Levi pouted a bit before returning to his game. Neru sat down and looked down to see Belphie’s feet sticking out from under the table, so he’s sleeping. Cute. “Have you guys seen Mammon?”

“He’s not here, he was actually rather loud when he left this morning. It almost interrupted my reading.” Satan huffed as he walked in and proceeded to his seat. “I fully expected you to have been with him since it is Valentine’s Day.”

Asmo cooed and then leaned over the table, “Oho~ that is an interesting question, why aren’t you with Mammon, Neru? Not that we’re complaining because it’s always great to see your sweet face~”

'So, he left this morning'. “He told me not to do anything today and that was it.”

“Odd," Asmo clucked, half-interested in Neru's predicament, but also watching the comments and reactions pour in from his broadcast.

“Yeah it is.” Satan's soft hum followed, garnering the attention from the fifth-born.

Asmo chuckled as he sat back into his chair. “Aww are you agreeing with me Satan~”

Before either of them countered the other, Beel walked in with the breakfast, making three trips to and from. The whole length of the table is quickly filled with buffet-esque food. As Beel sits down, Lucifer comes in and pauses, taking in the sight of the excessive amount of food before pinching the bridge of his nose. “Beelzebub.. Did you make all the food we have in the kitchen?”

“It’s Valentine’s Day.” Beel tilted his head, stating matter-of-factly, looking at his eldest brother who then exhaled heavily before taking his seat as well.

“There won’t be leftovers, looks like delivery for dinner again.” Asmo stretched out his arms, “Not that I’ll be here but still~”

Neru watched as Beel pulled Belphie up and into his seat and ruffled his twin's hair before attempting to pass a plate to her with a mound of food. Belphie grunted, passed the plate to Neru, and lowered his head back down onto his pillow to fall back to sleep. As a thanks, Neru patted his head and began eating her breakfast along with the brothers.

————————

“Are you sure you don’t want to just come with me honey? He isn’t back yet and you deserve to have at least some fun on Valentine’s day.” Asmo rubbed her back as they walked down the hall to the front door.

“No, I’ll wait for Mammon. He must have something planned if he told me not to do anything.”

“Alrighty well you know where I’ll be and I’m just a text away~” Amso kissed her head and smiled before heading out the door.

Neru’s shoulders slumped a bit as she turned back to head to Mammon’s room. Valentine’s Day was already almost over and as she walked into his room, it’d never felt so empty. Clutching her necklace, she went and laid on his bed and sighed, “Where are you..” Rolling over in the sheets, she heard a loud bang coming from the hallway outside his door.

She sat up as further commotion continued to grow louder, seemingly getting closer. Getting up from his bed, Neru crept towards the door before it violently flung open,

"NERU!?” Blinking for a moment at his sudden entry, she took the second to look at Mammon, his face littered with scratches and him holding his hands behind his back. “Why ya in here?? Thought ya’d be in yer room??”

She didn’t know where to begin. Neru wanted to ask him, ‘where’d he been?, ‘did you forget what day it was?’, ‘I wanted to do so much with you but you told me to leave it to you…' Neru mimicked his stance, also putting her hands behind her back and looked up at him, smiling lightly, “I figured I’d wait in your room..”

It’s nice seeing that blush of his, but she still felt discouraged. Then Mammon used his foot to close the door, doing his best not to show what was behind his back, but also struggling to maintain what he’s holding. He gets down on his knee and shows his half-cocked smile, and looking up at her, he brings his hands around, “Sorry… Took longer than I thought, this one is pretty stubborn..”

Neru paused, she couldn’t believe what he'd held out to her. “Mammon.. Is this.. A baby crow?”

Mammon got up as he glared down at the bird, “Itssa Magpie. Smaller than a crow, but smart like one and protective.” It pecked at his hands making him let go before it landed on her shoulder and glared at Mammon. She could see his frustration, as he put his hands in his pockets and pouted, “But it’s also supposed ta know you’re mine!” Mammon reached out to quickly hug her, but the Magpie instantly responded by attempting to swoop at him.

Mammon ducked and it flapped around the room before perching on the second level’s railing, blatantly eyeing him.“I gave ya a lot of food ya know, it wasn't cheap! I should just turn ya into Beel’s next meal.”

It then attempted to swoop at him again, “Don’t hit Mammon!” She got in the path of it, and the bird quickly redirected itself and landed on her shoulder again, then nuzzled into her. Its feathers tickled her cheeks and she tittered a bit before lightly petting its underbelly and it cooed. “You’re pretty, but you have to get along with Mammon okay?”

It made an almost scoffing noise of its own, “Pretty! Pretty!” It nuzzled her again before it glided off her shoulder and flew back up, and landed on Mammon’s car and settled in on top of it.

“Still needs a name too..” He looked up at it and scoffed, “Tch.. rotten jerk.. Won’t be given ya anymore treats—” His words were interrupted as Neru embraced him, gripping onto his jacket as she buried her face in his shirt. “Ah-Ah-Neru?!” He looked down at her but couldn’t see her face, while his cheeks flushed over with red.

“Toto..” She mumbled through his shirt.

“Ha?”

“That’s their name..” Neru looked up at him with teary eyes, “N-Not rotten jerk..”

“O-Oi! Why ya cryin’?!” Mammon cupped her cheeks and started to wipe away her tears.

“I’m not crying!”

“Yeah ya are!”

“S-Shut up!”

He chuckled a bit then brought his head down to her and rubbed his nose against hers, “I know I’m late but Happy Valentine’s Day shortcake.”

Neru’s face went red as she sucked in her lip but then grabbed his collar and kissed him. He’d been gone all day, hadn’t said a word and then brought such an adorable and heartfelt gift. His hand held the base of her neck as the other wrapped around her torso as he returned her kiss, while slowly guiding her backwards up the steps to his bed.

As they both fall onto it, Mammon’s body between her legs. Neru breaks the kiss, taking a breath, “Mammon, I--”

He kissed her again, deeper as his tongue pushed its way between her teeth and started to play with hers. His body pushed against her before she patted his shoulders trying to push him back while his hand started to go up her shirt and he pulled away.

Neru panted as she looked up at his reddened face.

“I don’t think I can hold back doll, I’ve been thinkin’ bout ya all day. I took longer than I wanted and I’m not gonna let ya go for the rest of the night. ‘Specially not with how ya look right now.” He brought himself down and kissed her forehead as his fingers softly glided up and groped her breast, massaging it slowly. Neru whimpered, biting her lip as his brushed against her ear while he whispered, “Yer so fucking cute, ya wanna hear bout all the things I thought of doing with ya today?”

Feeling her body shiver she pushed him back from her, causing him to fall to her side but he still held her against him.

Clasping onto his wrists, she stopped his hands’ movements, “W-Wait a minute!”

Mammon pouted slightly then nipped her ear, “Best I can do is 10 seconds.” He moved his hand out from her shirt, “10..” His hand traced the top of her shorts before unbuttoning them while his fingers slipped under the fabric of her underwear. “5..”

“How are you at 5 already?!” She watched while he smirked and his digits moved to start to tease her, Neru inhaled sharply before she gripped his wrist harder, “Mammon!” Her eyes turned and locked with his and he hesitated before he withdrew his hand. “Thank you,” She smiled as he pouted, “I didn’t get to say Happy Valentine’s Day to you.” Neru wrapped her hands around his neck and rolled on top of him, their faces holding a faint pink color while they both took the moment to look at each other, “Happy Valentine’s Day my Great Mammon~” She pecked his lips, “Now let’s enjoy the r-rest of the night.” She pulled back and stuttered as Mammon’s hands wrapped around her waist and he smirked up at her.

“Ya really know how ta get me goin’ shortcake. Hope yer ready.”

——————

He felt as her apex convulsed against him, continuing his movements with her pinned to the wall. Neru’s legs clenched his sides, his fingertips were buried in her asscheeks as he thrusted inside her. Her moans echoed in the room mixing with Mammon panting as he peppered her chest with kisses and bite marks. “Yer gettin’ close again, my good girl.”

His hips bucked, hitting her deeper while stepping back from the wall and turning to the bed while holding his cock inside her. He laid her down then resumed his pace, his tongue traced her collarbone before creeping down to her nipple as he bit down gently and suckled it.

Her toes curled as her feet pushed up from the bed to allow him to go deeper, her eyes fluttered as she held his head to her chest. Lacing her fingers through his hair and her apex tightened around his member. “M-Mahh..mmonn!”

He gripped the sheets as he felt her orgasm, feeling her fingertips move from his head to his arms. “That’s..mmghh number three..” His thrusts slowed as he grinded pushing himself deeper inside her, “I think we.. f-fuck yer so tight.. should try a lil somethin’.” He rolls them over, getting her on top of him taking hold of her hand while he reaches over to the nightstand with the other.

Neru took the moment to breathe as she watched him rummage through the drawer. Looking back down at his body she slowly traced the lines of his abdominal muscles.

Before she had a chance to comprehend what he'd said, Mammon sat up to face her. “W...What?”

“So.. ya know Asmo had me this year for secret santa?”

She raised her eyebrow, remembering what Asmo had gotten him. “Yeah, he got you… a plushie ‘me.'"

“That.. wasn’t all.” Mammon wrapped an arm around her waist, grinning as he showed her his pointer finger, adorned with a small yellow bullet-shaped item. His grin widened as she heard a click and it began to vibrate.

Her lip quivered as her walls pulsated around him. “W..Was that it?” Knowing Asmo, she considered this just a tease, a glimpse into the 'lil somethin' Mammon wanted to try.

“Excited ain’t ya?” Mammon chuckled feeling her squeeze him, “There’s a few more toys but let’s start with this.” He ran the vibrator steadily up from her navel to her nipple, “I can’t wait ta see how fast I can make ya cum.” Changing their position, keeping himself inside her, he turned her around in his lap. His chest heaved against her back as his hands reached in front of her, “It’s got 10 levels.” He kissed down the back of her neck as he pinched her nipple between the vibrator and his finger, he rocked his hips against her.

The vibrations seemed more intense, her sensitivity heightened after how long they’d been going, her mind grew hazy as his hand worked its way down her before finally reaching her pearl. The intensity mildly increasing in sync with his thrusts, “Mmmaam~”

“Nnghh.. ya want me ta turn it up don’tcha?” He turned it down by one, “Ya want it more then ya gotta say it.”

Neru’s cheeks burned, her reservations were always easily torn down by him. “Please Mammon m-more.”

“Haaaa~ More what? Ya better with words than that.”

She whined as her hand moved down to meet his, trying to trigger it on her own he brushed away her hand.

“Whatcha tryin’ ta do? That’s not askin’,” Mammon bounced her in his lap, as her hands grip his thighs. “That’s not how we ask for things Neru.”

Panting she turned her head to the side to look at him, “S-Says the one who just t..takes..”

Mammon paused in his ministrations and then hugged her to him, “Ya caught me, like always. I’ll let ya get this one, just cause it’s Valentine’s Day.” Biting down on her shoulder as he turned up the level of the vibrator while leaning them forward letting it cover her clit.

Once the sound of their hips clapping became outdone by the vibrator, her legs shook as his member throbbed inside her, their moans resonating around them.

Neru tried to form words as she started to reach her climax, Mammon’s body huffed as his finger continued to play with her clit as his arm cradled her close as his cock drilled deeper. She threw her head back onto his shoulder, her body convulsed as they came together. Neru cried in euphoric pleasure as she muttered his name.

He kissed everywhere he could as he laid them down, reluctantly pulling himself out from her. They both pant as their bodies begin to relax into one another. “I think.. I need to sleep..”

“Suppose ya earned a break.”

“A break?”

“Mmm, its the weekend tomorrow so we gotta whole two more days ta celebrate.”

Neru groaned as she put out her lip.

“Alright alright, sleep. But I still haven’t had my fill of ya.”

She kissed his cheek, “My greedy boy.”

He chuckled as he pulled the blanket over them, “My little human.”

Her voice lowered as she yawned, “Oh yeah, I meant to ask, did you say something to me this morning?” Neru’s nuzzled her body back into him, his warmth radiating and comforts her as it always does.

“Hm? Mmm.. oh yeah, before I left I said, ‘I’ll be back later and..” He smiled as he kissed the back of her head, "I love you, Neru.’”

—————

—————

—————

Satan: What is that Neru?

Neru: *looks at Toto on her shoulder* This is Toto.

Satan: Wait.. So you can have a bird but I can’t have a cat??

Neru: Lucifer tried to take Toto but uh..

*Lucifer walks by with some feathers in his jacket missing*

[wiypt-writes]

Stark Spangled Destiny

Ch 1- Breaking Point

Chapter Summary: Struggling to cope following the birth of their youngest, Katie has been hiding her feelings from Steve until an incident at home causes her to blow. Later, she takes a drive to clear her head and ends up in a familiar place, where she encounters an even more familiar face.

Chapter Warnings: Bad Language words. Deals with the subject of Post-Partum Depression so please avoid if this triggers.

Chapter Pairings:  Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

A/N: So this little Mini-Series is coined from an idea @icanfeelastormbrewing​ sent to me a while ago. It deals with some gritty subjects and is going to be quite angsty in places. I really hope I’ve done this sensitively.

Please let me know what you think- comments and re-blogs muchly appreciated.

Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction and classified as 18+. Please respect this and do not read if you are underage. I do not own any characters in this series bar Katie Stark and the other OCs. By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer.

Stark Spangled Destiny Masterlist // Main Masterlist

Chaos. That was the only word to describe the Rogers household at that point in time. Flossie was teething and screaming as a consequence, whilst Katie was trying her best to soothe her, but to no avail. Emmy was supposed to have taken Jamie and Rori out for the day, but she’d been invited out with friend and because Katie didn’t want her to have to spend her spare time helping her out instead of doing something fun, she’d told her not to worry about it and that she’d manage. And for the most part of the morning she had.

But not now.

Katie sighed as the yelling from the Den grew louder and rolled her eyes. She turned to the only one of her kids that was quiet at that time, Harry, who was sat at the kitchen table colouring, his little tongue poking out in concentration.

“You okay for a minute baby?” Katie looked at Harry as she juggled a very grumpy Florence in her arms.

He nodded, not looking up from his activity book. “Yup.” She looked at him, before she headed to the den to see what carnage awaited. When she walked in the door she saw Jamie stood there, the body to Rori’s Barbie doll in one hand, head in the other. Rori was screaming and stamping her feet.

“What the hell is going on?”

“HE BROKE MY ARMY BARBIE!” Rori screamed.

“Not on purpose!” Jamie countered, rolling his eyes.

“YES YOU DID!” Rori continued “You PULLED it and said that…”

“Okay, okay.” Katie sighed, cutting her off. “Jamie, why did you even take it from her in the first place?” “She was hitting me with it.” “Rori is that true?” Rori looked down at the carpet, dragging her toe slightly across the light blue rug. “Maybe.”

“You know, I don’t need this today.” Katie sighed. “Flossie’s mouth hurts, your dad is busy with stuff at work…” “It’s a Saturday.” Rori pouted “He should be with us.” “Yes, and he said he was sorry.” Katie looked at her “But he explained to you this morning he had to help some of his students as they have exams next week. He’ll be home soon and said he would make it up to you both tomorrow.” “But I want him here now.” Rori stamped her foot and Katie felt her temper starting to snap.

“Well, too bad!” She said loudly and Rori looked at her, blinking. “Sorry, but you’ll just have to put up with me, and I know I’m a huge disappointment compared to your father.” she shifted Flossie in her arms who had finally stopped crying. “Now, Jamie, go put the doll on the side in the kitchen.” Jamie walked out of the room as she turned to Rori. “Daddy will probably be able to fix it when he gets home.” “Okay.” She nodded.

“And In future, don’t hit your bother with your toys” Katie looked at her “Because then stuff like this happens.”

Rori opened her mouth to argue but one look from Katie made her shut it again. “Now, why don’t you bring the Scrapbook and do it at the table whilst Harry colours? Let Jamie play his computer in here alone.” “Okay, Momma.” Rori nodded.

Satisfied that splitting them up would at least, for the time being, solve the issue, Katie waited for her to gather the various bits of craft stuff she wanted to use and she pottered into the kitchen. Jamie was stood next to Harry who was enthusiastically pointing at something on the page and talking to him animatedly. She had to give it to her eldest son, when it came to Harry and Flossie, he had the patience of a saint but Rori…well, she pissed him off and to be honest Katie could understand why. She could be a damned nightmare and when she was in one of those moods, the only person that seemed to be able to quell her bad behaviour was Steve. One annoyed look from her Daddy and she would stop dead, it normally took Katie a little longer and as for anyone else, well, they might as well just all go to hell.

Taking a look at Flossie who was now mouthing at her collar bone, she moved to the freezer, grabbed a teething ring and settled her in the little bounce chair, the five month old seemingly calmed for the time being.

“Mom, can I see if Seb can come over?” Jamie asked.

“No chance.” Katie shook her head. “You just broke Rori’s doll, absolutely no way is your friend coming over.” “What?” Jamie blinked.

“Actions have consequences, Jamie.” She shrugged.

“But it was an accident.”

“Yeah, the doll’s head just fell off in your hands did it?” She looked at him.

“No, it was-” “Did you pull it?” “Yes, but-” “So what exactly where you trying to do if not break it?”

Jamie fell silent.

“Exactly,” Katie shrugged, “so no, he’s not coming over. If you behave then maybe tomorrow he can come stay, you can play in the pool.” “Dad said he was taking us to Coney Island tomorrow!” Jamie whined “So Seb can’t come then!” “Oh, how hard it must be to be you.” Katie rolled her eyes sarcastically “Choosing the Fair or your friend.” Jamie glared at her, folding his arms. “Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.” “My dad always said it was a metric for potential.” Katie shot back, shrugging as she turned to the dishwasher which she had been halfway through unloading before until Flossie had started screaming. “Guess I’ll be a great woman one day.”

With her back to Jamie she smiled gently at the memory of the words her father had once said, and Tony’s reaction. And had she been any deeper in her memories she wouldn’t have heard the little jab that Jamie made.

“God living here sucks.” “Well feel free to pack a bag and leave.” Katie shrugged simply as she turned round to look at her son. “In fact, tell me where you wanna go and I’ll drop you off myself.”

“Maybe I will.” He shot back.

“Like I said, go ahead, I’m not stopping you.”

“Whatever, Mom.” He rolled his eyes. “You can’t kick me out. I’m only ten!” “I’m not kicking you out. You said you wanted to go, I’m simply not stopping you.” Jamie arched an eyebrow, his action making him look even more ridiculously like Steve and his hands dropped to his hips. “Fine, then I’ll just go to Uncle Bucky’s.” “Okay,” Katie nodded, closing the dishwasher. “Go pack a bag, Uncle Buck can deal with your attitude because I don’t want to anymore.” She held Jamie’s gaze, refusing to look away. Eventually her son’s eyes flickered away from her and he turned around with a groan. “Sometimes you’re like the worse mom in the world.”

It shouldn’t have annoyed her as much as it did, because God knows she’d said far worse to Tony when she was younger, and it was a stupid flippant comment, she knew that. But, coupled with everything that had gone on that morning and how much she’d been struggling in general with the kids recently, her patience which had been hanging by a thread, finally snapped. She could quite happily have slapped him right across the face but instead she took a deep breath and shook her head, glaring at him.

“You know what? I’ve really had my fill of you today James, get up to your room.”

“What?” “You heard me!” Katie’s voice rose as she pointed to the door. “Get out of my sight and up those fucking stairs now!”

Jamie blinked at her, she had never sworn at him like that before and his mouth dropped open and he swallowed.

“I’m telling Dad you used bad language.” He stuttered in response and Katie gave a sarcastic laugh. “Oh, are you? Well guess what? I don’t give a shit. You can tell him about that one too!” She blazed “Now I won’t tell you again. Go. To. Your. Room.” “I hate you.” Jamie seethed, and with a final glare at his mom, he wheeled round and stomped from the kitchen, his feet echoing loudly down the hall and up the large staircase. Katie heard his door slam before she leaned on the kitchen counter hanging her head, her eyes filling with tears. And then Flossie started to cry again.

“Momma?” Harry asked tentatively and she wiped her eyes and looked up, smiling.

“Yes, honey?” “I no hate you.” He said softly and she gave him a little smile.

“Me neither.” Rori whispered softly. “Jamie was mean.” Katie shook her head as she crossed the room to pick Flossie up. “He’s just angry because I told him off, don’t worry about it. Now can you two just behave in here for a second whilst I take Flossie into the living room and try calm her down, please?”

“Promise, Momma.” Rori nodded and Katie smiled softly. This was the other side to her daughter, the sweet, gentle, sassy but well behaved one that nine times out of ten the little girl displayed. She took Flossie with her, gently rocking her and soothing her again until her cries became little sniffles. And then she pulled her phone out of her pocket and called Steve.

***** Steve had just finished with the last small group of Students when Katie’s call came through.

“Hey, Doll, that was good timing.” He smiled gently, “I’ve just this minute finished.” “Hi, I just wanted to check what time you’d be home.” “Oh, erm…” Steve hesitated, “look, about that. Bucky called before and asked if I fancied meeting him and Sam for a drink before I come back for pizza like we promised the kids. Just I’ve not seen them in a few weeks really and-” “Oh. Okay.”

Steve frowned, that wasn’t like her. Normally she didn’t give a shit about stuff like that, in fact half the time she encouraged him to go out and socialise. “Sweetheart, if it’s a problem I can come home straight away?” “Please, I wouldn’t normally ask but-” And then to Steve’s horror she began to cry.

“Baby, what is it?” He grabbed his car keys and his jacket before he picked up his briefcase and strode from his office, locking the door behind him.

“I just…” she took a deep shuddering breath, “the kids have been driving me crazy. Well, okay not all of them, but Flossie is teething and won’t settle, Jamie and Rori have been fighting and Jamie pulled the head off her doll…” “Hang on.” Steve frowned as he walked out of the main door to the Art Faculty and took a right towards the parking lot. “I thought Emmy was taking those two out to give you a chance to keep an eye on Floss.”

“She cancelled earlier, said she’d been invited out. I didn’t want to spoil her plans, I mean like she said, they’re not her kids to babysit-” “Woah, she said that?” Steve reached his car and unlocked it, his frown growing deeper. “She actually said those words?” “Pretty much.” Katie sighed. “But she’s right, Steve. They’re our kids, my issue to look after them. Emmy has been working all week and-” “Katie, you asked her for one favour. One favour because Flossie hasn’t been well. It’s not like you ask her all the time. She shouldn’t have said that.” Steve tossed his jacket into the back of the car, shaking his head in frustration at his eldest. “Well that’s two of us saying things we shouldn’t.” Katie sniffed

“What do you mean?”

“I really lost it at Jamie. I wouldn’t let him invite Seb over because of the doll and then when he threatened to leave I said I’d pack his back and drive him wherever he wanted to go and then he called me the worse mom in the world and-” Steve paused, leaning against the open door of his car taking a deep breath.

“He hates me too, apparently.” Katie continued with a sniff. “And I know he’s lashing out and saying stupid crap because he’s angry but I lost it at him, told him to get up the fucking stairs and, Jesus, Steve I really wanted to hit him.” She started to cry again and Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. He hated hearing her like this. She had been up and down since Flossie had been born but had insisted it was merely hormones and tiredness. As he stood there, the guilt washing over him at the fact he’d left her alone today in the first place, he was starting to wish he’d forced her to go to the Doctors months ago instead of accepting her insistence that she would be fine.

“Did you hit him?” He asked softly, already knowing the answer.

“No, of course no!” She bit back, angrily “What do you take me for?”

“I don’t take you for anything, Sweetheart.” He replied not rising to her anger, despite the fact he felt equally as pissed at his son’s attitude. “I’m merely making the point that it doesn’t matter what you felt. The fact is you didn’t.” “But-” “Honey, stop.” He spoke firmly but gently “Look, I’ll be home in about half hour. I’ll deal with him then and I’ll take them all out for a walk with Stark before dinner okay? Give you a little peace.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t want to ruin your plans or-” “You haven’t. They’re my kids too. We’re a team, we always will be.”

She sniffed again “Okay, see you soon.” “Yeah, hey. I love you.” “Love you too.” He cut the call and got in the car, starting the engine and as soon as his Bluetooth had synched up, he instructed the voice control to call Emmy.

“Hey Pops-” “Don’t hey pops me, I have a bone to pick with you Emily Jayne Rogers.” He spoke sternly as he set the car into reverse. “Did you actually say to your Ma that you weren’t helping out with Jay and Rori today because, and I quote, they’re not yours to babysit?” There was a pause “No, that’s, those weren’t my exact words.” “Well what were?” He asked, pulling the car out of the parking lot and onto the road.

Emmy sighed “I just said that I’d been invited out and seeing as I’d been working all week and they’re not actually my kids, I didn’t want-“

Steve let out a growl “For fucks sake Em!”

“Woah, hang on-” “We asked you to help us out today because Flossie’s been bad with her teeth and your mom needed a bit of time to just concentrate on her.”

There was a pause. “Well why didn’t she just say that before?” “Because she’s your Mom, and she won’t ever ask you to do something like that when you don’t want to, you know this.” Steve replied. “And now I’ve just had her on the phone, crying her eyes out as Jamie’s told her he hates her…” he sighed

“Sorry Dad.” Emmy said quietly. “I didn’t….if I’d have realised it was that big of an issue…” “We know they’re not your kids but if we ask you to help out it’s a last resort.” Steve continued, “I’m well aware you and Queens have your own life to lead too and we don’t want to take it for-granted that you can drop everything to help out, but sometimes, well, especially with everything that happened with Flossie, your Mom just needs a hand ok? She’s done enough for you over the years. She still does.”

“I know.” Emmy sighed, her tone contrite. “I’m really sorry.”

“Okay, well let’s leave it there then.” He said, his tone softer. “Are you home tonight or…” “Yeah, I’ll be home around ten. I’ll apologise to Mom then too“ “Fine, I’ll see you later.”

After another apology from Emmy, Steve cut the call and took a deep, calming breath as he slowed to a stop at a set of lights. He was dreading what he was going to walk into when he got home. He hated being ‘Bad Cop’ but there was no way Jamie was getting away with what he said, regardless of whether or not Katie had snapped at him.

True to his word he arrived home just under thirty minutes after speaking to Katie. He let himself in, giving Stark a quick pat hello before he was accosted by a flurry pink t-shirt, green corduroy dungarees and brown hair.

“Hi, Daddy!” Rori grinned at him as he swept her up into a hug.

“Hey Princess.” He smiled, giving her a kiss to her cheek. He then smiled at Harry who was toddling towards him, and with his other arm he easily picked him up too. “Hey, Buddy.”

With a kid in each arm, he followed Flossie’s soft cries to the living room.

“Hi, Sweetheart.” He said, smiling at Katie who looked at him as she gently rocked their daughter to and fro in the little rocking crib that stood by the sofa. He took a deep breath as he looked at her face. She was exhausted, he could see that. Her eyes were red from crying, she was pale but she still managed a soft smile at him.

“Listen, can you two go play and let me speak to momma for a few minutes? I promise I’ll come through in a little while okay?” Steve looked from Harry to Rori who gave a dramatic pout but one look from Steve stopped her in her tracks and she sighed.

“Ok, Daddy.” “Thank you.” He smiled as he placed them both down and they headed out of the room.

“C’mere.” He sighed to Katie as he dropped down next to her and she leaned straight into his open arms as he pressed a soft kiss to her head. “You wanna tell me properly what happened?” So she did. She explained all about the fight between Jamie and Rori, the broken doll, her argument with Jamie afterwards. She was sobbing by the time she finished, and Steve simply sat still, his arms round her as she pressed her face into his chest.

“So you cursed at him.” Steve said, and Katie nodded “I’m sure he’s heard far worse from TV and Bucky and Sam for that matter.” “That’s not the point.” Katie shook her head, pulling back. “I lost my temper, big time. I shouldn’t have done. I could have quite happily smacked him straight across the face.” She sniffed “What kind of mother feels that?”

“Katie, what he said was downright nasty. I’m not surprised you reacted the way you did.”

“I know he was pushing the boundaries and what he had said was out of order but still, he’s a kid.” Katie swallowed. “I should know better than to argue back with him or scream at him the way I did.” “Honey, you’ve had a really, really stressful year one way or another.” Steve took a deep breath and wiped her tears with his thumb. “I do think though that you should see a doctor, just to talk about things.” Katie shook her head. “I’m just tired Steve.” “Katie, you said this the other month when I suggested it and you’re clearly not just tired.” He replied, a little sternly.

“Steve I don’t need to see anyone.”

“You trying to convince me or yourself?”

“I just need a nap. I’m exhausted.”

“Katie…” “Just leave it, Steve.” She said a little louder. “Please.” Steve took a deep breath.  “Fine, I’ll leave it for tonight. But this conversation is not over.”

She looked at him, her green eyes flashing angrily before she shook her head and stood up “Whatever, I’ll be upstairs if you need me.”

“Do you want me to order you any dinner?”

She shook her head “Just get what they want, I’ll eat something later.”

He watched her go before he glanced down at Flossie who was sleeping and headed through to the kitchen.

“Daddy we get eeza?” Harry looked up at him from where he was once more sat colouring and Steve smiled, dropping his hand to the back of his head.

“Sure are.” He smiled “What kind d’ya want?”

“Ham and ‘ineapple.” He nodded.

Steve pulled a face “Pineapple does not belong on pizza.” “Does.” Harry insisted giggling. “You silly.”

“Oh am I?” Steve asked, his hands shooting down to his son’s side as he tickled him slightly, Harry giving a squeal as he squirmed away from his touch. Steve chuckled and dropped a kiss to his head as Rori watched him.

“I agree with Harry.” She said. “Ham and pineapple is the best.”

“Well I’ll get you a large one and you can both share it, that okay?” Rori nodded and Steve smiled. “Good, now Princess, I need you to do me a huge favour. I need to go and speak to Jamie. Flossie is sleeping but if you hear her wake up I need you to come get me okay?”

“He broke my doll.” Rori said, frowning, “Look.” She pointed to the side and Steve looked up, taking a deep breath as his eyes fell on the beheaded toy.

“I know, and that’s what I’m going to speak to him about.” He looked back at his daughter. “Now, Rori, I want you to tell me honestly, what were you doing to him to make him break it?” She looked at him, her green eyes round as she blinked and then looked down at the table. “I hit him with it.”

“Why?”

“He was being annoying, he wouldn’t let me watch my programme on TV.

“You shouldn’t do that.” Steve looked at her sternly. “That was naughty.”

“I know. Sorry.” She looked down again before she glanced back up. “Momma said you might be able to fix her.” “I’ll have a look.” He nodded

“If not then Jamie can buy me a new one with his allowance.” Rori shrugged.

“No he can’t.” Steve shook his head. “It serves you right for hitting him with it in the first place.” “But, Daddy!” Rori exclaimed, utterly horrified.

“Aurora,” Steve looked at her, shaking his head, “don’t argue with me.” She pouted and then let out a dramatic sigh. “Fine.” “Now, can you do what I asked whilst I go speak to your brother? And then once I’m done we can go to the park for bit before we order dinner.”

“Yay! Park!” Harry cheered as Rori nodded. Steve ruffled her hair before he headed up the stairs.

He knocked on Jamie’s door and then walked in, closing it behind him. Jamie glanced up at him from where he was sat on his bean bag playing on his Xbox, and one look at Steve’s face made the ten year old avert his eyes.

“Yeah, you might as well look like that.” Steve spoke sternly “James, I’m so disappointed in you. Do you have any idea about how upset your Mom is after you told her you hated her?”

“I didn’t mean it.” Jamie looked down at his hands, his voice quiet.

“I should hope not.” Steve shook his head, sitting down on the edge of Jamie’s bed. “Why did you say it?”

“Because she was shouting at me and she made me angry.”

“You make us angry too sometimes.” Steve looked at him. “How would you feel if we told you we hated you?”

Jamie looked down, swallowing as she shrugged a little. “Sad.”

“Exactly.” Steve watched him. “Now, you know why was your mom was shouting don’t you?” “Because I was fighting with Rori and broke her doll.” Jamie said, before he took a deep breath “But she was hitting me with…”

Steve cut him off, holding his hand up. “Yes, I know she was being a pain in the ass but she’s younger than you and sometimes you just need to rise above it. We’ve told you before, if she’s annoying you, you come find one of us to deal with her.” “But Flossie was crying so I didn’t want to give Mom more to deal with.” Jamie sniffed and Steve saw him reach up to wipe his eyes. “I’m sorry.” “It’s not me you should be apologising to.”

“I know.” Jamie looked down. “Is Mom still upset?” “Yeah, she is.” Steve nodded “But she’s gone for a nap so you can apologise later when we get dinner.”

“Okay.” Jamie nodded “Do you think she will forgive me?” “Of course she will, she’s your Mom. She loves you, we both do, more than anything.” Steve spoked softly, watching as his boy raised his head to look at him. “But that doesn’t mean what you said is okay or that it won’t hurt anymore. And if I ever hear you saying that to your Mom, or anyone of us for that matter I’m gonna be really mad, you got that?” Jamie looked down, his tears falling onto his carpet. “Yes, Dad.”

Steve took a deep breath and then spoke again, this time his voice was a lot gentler. “You know Rori wants me to make you buy her another Doll out of your allowance.”

“I will if I need to.” Jamie shrugged and Steve smiled, reaching out to gently lay his hand on his son’s head.

“Well, I’ve told her if I can’t fix her doll then its tough luck because she shouldn’t have hit you with it” Steve shook his head. Jamie looked up at him and gave a soft smile. “But that doesn’t mean you breaking it was acceptable.” Jamie nodded to show he understood.

“Okay, well, I’m gonna go check on your momma then we can take Stark for a walk. Get some fresh air at the park. But when we get back, you’re having dinner and going straight to bed. Actions…”

“…have consequences, yeah I know.” Jamie let out a sigh.

“Alright, get your stuff and grab Stark’s leash and I’ll meet you downstairs in a minute.” “Okay, Dad.”

Steve stood up and headed out of Jamie’s room, over to the landing. He quietly opened the door and as suspected Katie was curled up on the bed, the TV playing gently in the background, her eyes closed as she slept. He walked over to her, dropped a kiss to her head before he turned off the TV and headed back out of the room, closing the door behind him.

*****

When Katie woke the house was quiet and empty. It wasn’t quite six pm yet, so she assumed Steve had taken the kids out as he had suggested before. But the quiet was as suffocating as the noise had been earlier and she needed to escape. She headed into the hallway, grabbed the keys to her Range Rover before she hesitated, and with a smile took the ones to her Camero instead.

She drove and drove, not paying any attention to where she was going. Just letting the feel of her beloved car sooth her as she turned the steering wheel, the leather smooth in her hand, the noise of the engine reminding her of the day Tony had given it to her, singing along to whatever her shuffle threw up over the speakers.

When she finally focused on her surroundings, she realised she had driven herself to the old compound perimeter fence. She kept going a little further round, finding the parking lot for the Memorial Gardens before she parked and climbed out. She hadn't set foot on the Garden grounds since that day, five years ago almost, when the President has opened them. Once the rubble had been cleared from the grounds, the remaining area of the facility had been refurbished and she had agreed with Pepper to donate it to a Military Charity, although Katie had her suspicions that Ross had gotten his claws into it, even if she couldn't prove it. That area stood behind a huge fence but the rest of the grounds has been converted into public gardens. The lawns were well kept. Shrubs pruned, flower beds well-tended. You would hardly know that a brutal battle had taken place here. But Katie knew, she remembered it like yesterday, and her eyes could pick out that spot from here.

The spot she had watched her brother succumb to the injuries he sustained from wearing the gauntlet. She didn't need the little plaque that told her where it was. She could find it in her sleep. Her eyes strayed to the right, to the path that led to the woods round the side which contained the clearing where she had spent so much time with Steve and Nat, and suddenly she craved for it. She craved the peace and sanctuary that little clearing has given her. She strode over the lawns, ignoring the curious looks she was getting from some people who were out in the gardens and slipped through the gaps in the oak trees and headed along the now overgrown track until she came to the little clearing. Smiling, she saw the initials still carved into the tree. SR KS in a heart, Steve's joke one afternoon as they'd snatched half an hour at lunch between his training drills.

“Seriously?” she snorted as Steve turned to her, grinning as he folded his pocket knife up and slipped it into his utility belt.

“This is what we did in my day, Doll, no graffiti.” He grinned and she’d shook her head, snorting.

“No, just vandalism on a poor, defenceless tree.” She laughed as his arms circled her waist, his chin dropping to her shoulder.

“Not like the tree can feel it.” He replied with a shrug, kissing her neck.

She gave a little snort at that, wondering what exactly Thor’s friend Groot would do if Steve tried to carve their initials into him... The ground was dry thanks to the summer weather so she happily dropped to the grass, her back to the trunk of the aforementioned vandalised tree and pulled her knees to her chest. She took a deep breath, allowing the silence to wash over her, to calm her. She thought about all the times she had spent here and on the compound. The good times had far outweighed the bad, in fact one of the happiest days of her life had been on the lawns out there- her wedding. What a beautiful day that had been some fifteen years ago. A time before The Accords, a time before Thanos, a time before the death of her best friend and her brother had ripped a huge hole in her life. Laying her head back against the rough bark she took a deep breath and her mind flicked to the events of the day and how bad she felt about her outburst at Jamie. No one had told her motherhood would be easy. In fact, quite the opposite. But she had coped. And to be honest she thought that her and Steve had done a pretty good job so far. But Flossie had been hard work from the start. She had struggled to feed, struggled to settle at night, the only one out of her and Steve's four biological kids to ever fall sick for longer than a day at a time and all this coupled with the fact it had taken Katie almost two months to recover from her operation had left her feeling helpless.

She hadn't been able to drive to any of the paediatrician appointments, any of her follow up hospital appointments, hadn't been able to take the kids to school, sports clubs or take Flossie out anywhere to escape the house without help. Steve had stepped up, because he was that kind of man, a good one doing right by his wife and kids, but still the fact she was limited to leaving the house when Steve or someone else was there to lend a hand had been hard on her mentally. This hopeless, dark despair had festered in her chest and she felt useless because she hadn't been able to look after any of her kids alone. And then, as if by magic, the cloud had lifted. She had still been a little down on some days, but on the whole just better. She was given the all clear to exercise so threw herself back into that, losing not only the baby weight from Flossie but taking it a little further and finally ridding herself of the extra 15lb Harry had given her before that. She felt good, she looked good all things considered, and it showed. She felt happier at work, happier at home and far happier in the bedroom, Steve seemingly couldn't keep his hands off her...but she knew that he would have been like that regardless of what she looked like. That was one thing in her life she was confident in- that her soldier loved her no matter what.

All this meant the noise in her head had quietened to a point where she could shut it out completely, she could get on with life, concentrate on her husband and children, control her emotions, well, until her outburst today.

Fuck, maybe Steve was right. Maybe she did need to speak to someone. They had warned her at the hospital that she’d feel some mood swings- all part and parcel of recovery as her body went through the damned menopause, thanks to her hysterectomy, and they’d told her that support was available…but the thought needing it made her feel even worse. After everything she had faced, through her SHIELD and Avenging days, her suffering at the hands of HYDRA...she’d never once had PTSD or depression beyond a few nightmares and panic attacks. The thought that she now might need counselling of some description because she was struggling to cope with her baby and her damned emotions made her feel weak.

“What kind of mother can’t cope with her own children?” She mumbled out loud to herself. “I mean, what on Earth is the point of me even being in their lives if that’s the case?”

She fell silent again, as she wiped a tear from her cheek before she closed her eyes, remaining quiet simply listening to the birds and noises of the stream which ran through the woods to the lake…and then a voice spoke. A voice she hadn't heard for seven years bar in her dreams. A voice she had known all her life. A voice that had comforted her, disciplined her, argued with her, encouraged her...

"I like what they did with the place. A little smaller memorial than I would have liked, but, suppose it’s the thought that counts." Her breathing grew erratic and her eyes flew open, the tears now steadily pouring from them. With a shuddering breath, Katie scrambled to her feet and looked straight into the deep brown eyes of her bother.

Her dead brother.

Her dead brother who was standing in front of her, dressed in one of his usual three piece Tom Fords, that typical Tony Stark smirk on his face as he glanced at her, his smile growing even wider.

“Hey Kiddo.”

 **Orignal Posting**

[kaiparker-avengerssmut]

CURSED: CHAPTER TEN

"the angels never arrived"

Kai Parker x OC!Mack Grace

Series synopsis: "We're both cursed, in a way."

We all know the story of Kai Parker, but he once lived in a very different life. Do you ever wonder what that life looked like?

Chapter summary: Christmas get a little...deadly

Warnings: violence, death

Masterlist | Series Masterlist

VIOLENTLY bright and tacky lights were strung through the halls, spare corners and classrooms decorated with paper snowflakes and plastic Christmas trees and the general spirits of student was lifted at least thirty percent by the approaching break. Mack sighed and closed her locker, turning to face Jo as she filled her in on everything that happened when she was away.

"So who's this mystery guy that keeps coming up then?" Jo urged with a raised brown, poking Mack in the side playfully with her elbow.

"Just that. A mystery." Mack retorted, scoffing and rolling her eyes at the overly invested girl.

"A mystery, huh? Well I do love a good problem to solve." Jo teased. "If I can't know who he is, at least tell me what happened." No suggested. After a long pause to mill it over, Mack finally caved.

"Okay, so - don't freak out, but I may have slept with him." Mack all but whispered. Jo cupped her ear with her hand and said:

"What was that? I couldn't hear you." Mack chewed her bottom lips before repeating.

"I slept with him. Twice." Jo's eyes went wide.

"Twice?!" Mack but her lips and nodded. Suddenly an arm was thrown over her shoulder and Mack turned to see a grinning Kai.

"So what's this?" He asked, mock shock on his face.

"Mack finally found a way to forget Ben." Jo stated.

"Ooooo, so Kenz's finally getting some?" Mack rolled her eyes. "It's about time really, I was getting fed up with her cranking attitude and-" he cut off when Mack hit him in the shoulder and he retracted his arm, shooting her a knowing look.

"It's not like that. It was a spur of the moment kind of thing, I doubt it will happen again." She dismissed, giving Kai a warning look.

"If you say so. Hey, this is me. Catch you guys later!" Jo said as they reached her class.

"Won't happen again, huh?" Kai husked lowly in Mack's ear once Jo was gone.

"Yes. So don't try anything." Kai's mischievous grin worried Mack and before she knew it he had grabbed her hand and pulled her into Janitor's closet and pressed her against the closed door.

"Like this?" He whispered, nibbling softly at her earlobe. She put her hands on his chest and pushed Kai back slightly.

"Yes, like this."

"We have a free period, may as well use it." He shot back with arched brows. He stepped closer to her again. "I know you want to." His minty breath fanned over her face, intoxicating her further. Mack looked away, and before he could get another word in she smashed her lips to his, her arms wrapping around his neck.

Kai was taken back at first but he quickly melted into the kiss, bracing a hand on the door beside Mack and his other settled on her hip after running over her curves.

"This is the last time this happens." Mack mumbled against his lips, gasping as Kai picked her up and wrapped her legs around his waist before crashing her back to the door again.

"Okay." He murmured back, knowing full-well it wouldn't be.

...

"So what are you guys doing for Christmas?" Mack wondered aloud as Kai drove her and Jo home.

"Yeah, our family is going to San Francisco to see our cousins." Jo explained. "Well Kai isn't, as usual." she added almost accusingly.

"So you're gonna be on your own for Christmas?" Mack's question was directed at Kai now. he scoffed.

"So?" he seemed completely disinterested. Mack's eyes were wide.

"So?! What are you on about? It's Christmas!" Mack exclaimed, shocked. After a moment of thinking she came up with a solution. "Why don't you join my family for Christmas? It's only my dad, my sister and me but it's normally quite funny and we could always use some extra company." she quickly added, "and you can probably cook better than any of us."

After a moment of no answer Mack spoke again.

"You don't have to, I just didn't think you'd want to be alone. Think about it." She said as Kai pulled up to he house. "Thank you for the lift, bye!" and with that she climbed out Kai's car, slinging her bag over her shoulder and opening her front door.

"Hey dad." she said, dumping her bag on the table and grabbing an apple from the fruit bowel.

"Hey sweetheart." he chimed back, focus still on his notepad in front of him. "have a good day at school? How's Kai?" Mack took a bite of her apple.

"School's..." she trailed off, thinking about the Janator's closet, "fine, I guess. And Kai's good too. Speaking of Kai, can he spend Christmas with us? His family is going away and he'll be alone." Mack put her pleading face on.

"Of course he can, that boy has been a great help to you these past few months and I'd love to finally meet him. Do you want to give him a call?" he suggested, finally looking up from his work.

"I'll call him later. I've got homework to do, so I'll just be up in my room if you need me." Mack said, walking towards the stairs.

"Oh honey," her dad started. she turned back to face him.

"Yeah, dad?"

"Kim's boyfriend is also joining us this year."

"Boyfriend?"

"Yeah, they started going out recently. I think he's younger than her - maybe your age. I am yet to meet him, so she thought Christmas would be the perfect opportunity."

"Okay." Mack walked up the stairs, the cogs of her mind churning, trying to figure out who her sister was dating.

...

"Kai! Finally, I thought you'd never come." Mack greeted cheerfully, smiling widely at Kai would held a few stacked trays covered with tea-towels in his hands.

"And miss seeing you in this little get-up?" He gestured to her red dress and Santa hat, "not a chance in the world, sweetheart." Kai grinned back, placing a quick kiss on her cheek as he walked into the house.

"You must be Kai!" Her Dad said as he saw Kai, Kim taking the plates from him as he mouthed a thank you before returning to her dad.

"Correct. You must be Mr Grace." Kai mentioned, shaking his hand firmly.

"Oh, please call me Ian." Ian waved off, releasing Kai's hand.

"Well, it's good to meet you, Ian. Thank you so much for having me." Kai thanked.

"Oh, it's no big deal. It's nice to have some more company for a change." Ian smiled. Kai turned to Kim.

"Ah, the sister." He said with a tight smile.

"Ah, the boyfriend." She mimicked. Kai had an amused smile at that.

"Not quite, just the best friend for now. I don't think she's quite over-" he was cut off when he heard Mack's horror filled voice whisper.

"Ben." She stood completely frozen, the door wide open and a smirking Ben stood on the other side, a small box tucked under his arm.

"Hey doll, how are you?" He said with a sickeningly cheery smile that made Kai clench his fists. After the moment of awkward silence, Kim walked over, pecking Ben on the lips and taking his hand, leading him into the house.

"So, everyone. Ben is my boyfriend, we started talking a few months ago. And we're really happy." Kim announced, standing hand-in-hand with a grinning Ben. Kai put his hands on Mack's shoulders, looking into her eyes with concern.

"You gonna be okay?" He whispered, thumbs stroking her shoulder soothingly. She swallowed thickly before nodding, still looking straight ahead with a look of emptiness in her eyes. She closed the door, sticky heading towards the sofa and pulling Kai down to sit next to her.

They zoned out the interaction currently happening, Mack's body slumping against Kai until she laid down, her head in his lap. He played with her hair, trying to quell the building anger inside him.

"So, Ben - long time no see?" Ian said with a bright smile and mockingly-sad tone. Ben smiled at the man from where he sat beside Kim, his arm slung over her shoulder.

"Yeah, well, after me and Mack decided to end things, it got lonely for me. Then I bumped into Kim at the diner down the road and we just got to...talking." Ben mused, but Mack could tell by the mischievous glint in his eye they did something, but talking was not it. "And ever since then, we've been practically inseparable." He finished, entwining his hand with Kim's and smiling down at her with warmth, but a dark undertone still lingered in his gaze.

"Well, I hope it isn't awkward between you kids." Ian joked, gesturing from Ben to Mack with his hand, which had a bottle of beer comfortably settled in it. Ben chuckled and Mack forced a smile, but Kai was practically seething, it glare emitting nothing but anger as he shot an icy stare at Ben. Mack noticed this and gently tugged him away.

"We'll go get dinner ready." She said with a small smile as she pulled Kai into the kitchen, slamming the door behind him and looking into his eyes - which remained fixed on the door as his nostrils flared and his face burned crimson. "Hey, hey. Look at me." Mack soothed as she placed her hands on the sides of Kai's face, stroking his cheekbones softly with her thumbs. His gaze broke and he looked down at her, his expression softening at the sight of Mack.

"I'm sorry, Kenz. I just- I can't stand him." Kai seethed and Mack shushed him gently.

"I know, but I need you to stay calm for me." She whispered and he nodded slowly. "Now, how 'bout we get this food ready?" Mack suggested and Kai's anger seemed to melt away at the mention of food, his shoulders relaxing and a wide smile replacing his frown. He leant down, kissing Mack languidly before pulling away and walking over to the oven.

"You do the veg and I'll handle the Turkey?" Kai grinned and Mack smiled warmly.

...

"This is delicious, Kai. Thank you so much for bringing it." Ian commented, mouthful of food as he eagerly wolfed down the plate of Christmas dinner Mack had served him.

"Yeah, I guess you can cook much better than you can throw a punch, huh?" Ben jeered with an amused grin. Mack and Kim grimaced and Kai had to stop himself from dropping his fork. Or stabbing it into Ben's hand, for that matter. Kai looked up at Ben with a fake smile.

"I guess so." He chuckled and Ben followed, the tension melting as they all continued to eat. "But, you know, just for the record." Kai started and Mack put her knife and fork down, burying her face in her hands as Ben raised a brow and Ian looked between the two boys. "I think you're a much better conversationalist than boyfriend." Kai mused.

"And what makes you say that?" Ben prompted.

"Well, from what I  can tell you can make it through a whole conversation with out hitting someone, unlike your relationships." Kai snapped and Ian's eyes widened, Ben's jaw ticked and he gripped his fork tightly. "Notting to say to that, sick bastard?" Kai taunted and Ben's jaw clenched and he abruptly stood.

Kai followed soon after. Mack reached out for him, placing a hand on Kai's arm but he shrugged her off. Kim seemed to be frozen and their dad looked completely lost. Ben made the first move, stepping around the table. Kai was soon to copy him but as Ben threw his fist Kai caught it with ease. He smirked at Ben.

"Still wanna tell me I can't throw a punch?" Kai asked with raised brows and Ben's angered face melted into one of fear and he coward away from Kai. "Didn't think so." Kai muttered before twisting Ben's arm round and holding it against his back as Ben cried out in pain. "Now, why don't you leave and stay the fuck away from Kenz, huh? I know how much you like to lay your hands on her.." Kai trailed off and let Ben go, who stumble forward and practically bolted from the house, the door slamming with a bang behind him the reverberated from the walls like thunder.

"Get. Your. Fuck-buddy. Under. Control." Kim spat at Mack before storming off, the sound of the legs of her chair scraping bitterly against the floor was punctuated awkwardly but the slam of the door behind her. A thick tension rose, thick enough that a knife could slice straight through it like it was cutting cheesecake.

"Well.." Ian began but Mack was gone, the last thud of the door causing both Kai and Ian to flinch as the wood smashed against the battered frame.

"I'm sorry-" Kai tried to apologise, turning to face the man but Ian held up a hand, halting Kai's words.

"No. You did the right thing, boy. I can't believe I let that boy in my home - near my daughters!" Ian gritted out and Kai's jaw clenched. "I should have been a better father..."  he murmured.

"No." Kai said harshly, making Ian's head snap up to look at him. "You are not at fault. Ben is a vile creature who deserves to rot in hell." Kai spat and Ian nodded. "And if you think you're a bad father, you are strongly mistaken. If you knew how much Kenz appreciates you,     you'd-" Kai's little sprang was cut off when a violent buzzing echoed from his pocket. Kai pulled out his pager to see Mack's number and instantly rushed to the phone.

"Kenz? Oh my god, Kenz! You had us worried sick! Where are you? I'll come pick you up-"

"I killed him, Kai. He's - he's dead."

[kieraelieson]

Sticky Notes

G/t OC prompts 2/100

Masterpost

Borrowers Can’t be Scared of Heights Chapter 4

AO3

It was only a day later when Aisha held up a box excitedly. Holli smiled, trying to make it look more genuine than it felt.

Her mind was torn. Again.

One the one hand, she’d helped pick out the clothes, and was excited about new, warm, pretty things to wear.

But on the other hand, a human was about to dress her up like she was a doll. That was always, always a bad sign. In all the old stories, it was barely a half-step from being thrown around like a doll.

But back to the first hand, she was already negotiating her position as a human’s pet very well. She wasn’t even the slightest bit hurt, and she was being fed and even given gifts like these clothes. The hardest part was climbing up and down the ladder in the morning and evening. And since she was doing so well already, perhaps she could negotiate this also?

But humans could never be controlled. One push too far and they’d snap, and the snapping was often a bone. All her ‘clever negotiations’ would fail at some point. She’d only been digging her own grave these past two days.

But… she’d been starving on her own. And now she was more or less comfortable.

She felt a headache coming on, and forcibly shoved the thoughts into the back of her mind, focusing instead on Aisha, and playing along with what she wanted.

“So I think, if I lay out the clothes on the table, and then open the bottom of the box, set it up on its side, and drape a towel over the openings, then you can use it almost like a little changing room. What do you think?”

Holli nodded, pasting on a smile.

Aisha pulled several outfits worth of clothes out of the box, and then tore at the flaps of the box until they came off. Holli paled. Aisha was just happy and excited, and tearing into pieces something as large as Holli’s entire house while still smiling.

“Which one do you want to try on first?” Aisha asked.

Holli blinked. She hadn’t been paying attention. “Oh, um…” She looked at the clothes that Aisha had laid out. There was a light blue dress, some white pants with a pink sweater, a very frilly white thing that was most likely a dress, and two jackets, one white and one blue. As much as she loved the idea of wearing new, warm clothes, they now looked… almost painfully human. They would be much more fitted and decorative than she was used to, and probably more difficult to move around in. They were pretty, certainly, very pretty, but she was scared to feel hindered and closed in, especially around a human.

Aisha had been a good human though.

So far.

“I think I’ll try these first,” Holli said cheerfully, picking up the pants and sweater.

“Oh that’s a good choice!” Aisha said, draping a dish towel over the box.

Holli smiled up at her and went inside the box to change into the new clothes. They really were very fitted. And warm. Softer than she would have expected. She hugged herself tightly, trying to reconcile the conflicting rush of feelings before she had to go out and smile again.

“Hey, you know, I was wondering...” Aisha said from outside the box. “I left you all kinds of messages on sticky notes.”

Holli stayed silent, a pain running through her chest as she realized that Aisha might have taken offense at the ignoring of the notes.

“Did you not realize what they were?” Aisha continued. “Or… oh, sorry, I didn’t realize you might not know how to read.”

“Uh, yeah…” Holli said, trying to sound embarrassed instead of panicked. “I’m not very good at knowing what the writing says. Just a little.”

“That would make sense,” Aisha said musingly.

Holli tried hard to take slower breaths and calm down. It was fine. Everything was fine. Aisha hadn’t done a single thing wrong. There was nothing to be scared of. She was fine. This was just a bad day for some reason. That was it.

And she needed to come out of the box now anyway. She swiped at her eyes, trying to put on a smile again. Her mind was racing, and the fabric was touching her everywhere, and she wanted to go home.

To her empty, lonely, cold house…

She was better off here. She really was. Even with the stress and the panic, she was warm, she was being given free clothes and food, and she had company. Even though the company was human it still was company.

“Are you doing ok?” Aisha asked.

Holli stepped out of the box, her lips pressed together as she tried not to cry. “I’d like to be done with this for now please.”

Aisha instantly looked concerned. “Oh, no, what’s wrong? Do you not like them?”

Holli shook her head. “I do. They’re very warm and pretty. I just want…” She wasn’t sure what she wanted. She swiped at her eyes again. “I don’t want to do this right now.”

Aisha nodded slowly and carefully. “Alright. Do you know what you would like to do?”

Holli shook her head miserably, still trying not to cry.

“Ok. Well then what if I get us a snack and we do something like watching a movie? That should be nice and calm.”

Holli shrugged and sniffed, staring down at the tabletop and hugging her arms.

••^*^••

Aisha settled on making something sweet. Something was up with Holli, and there wasn’t much better than sweet treats to help with hard emotions. Though she did wish she knew which hard emotions they were dealing with.

She made some hot tea, making it very sweet and adding some milk, and then got out some oreos she had saved for special occasions.

She put the snack in the living room and came back for Holli.

“Should I hold you tight to carry you, like I did last time?”

Despite the new sweater, Holli shivered. “If you’re carrying me, then yes, I don’t want to fall.”

Aisha set a hand on the table and Holli climbed shakily into it. The poor girl was trembling all over. Was just the short exposure during the changing of clothes enough to cause this? Aisha wouldn’t have thought so, but it would certainly explain why Holli wouldn’t want to try on more outfits. It would be so much easier if Aisha could look up more about Holli and her kind. She wouldn’t have suggested trying so many clothes on if she’d known that it would make Holli so cold.

She closed her other hand overtop of Holli, even more concerned when Holli just kept shaking. She tried to make the trip to the couch quick and smooth.

“Here we go,” she said gently, setting Holli down on a pillow.

“Thanks,” Holli said, offering her a very wobbly smile.

“You’re welcome.” Aisha broke an oreo in half and set one piece next to Holli, and then considered how she could share the tea. She finally settled on a bottle cap, and went back to the kitchen to uncap one of her water bottles and bring the cap back.

With some food and tea, Holli started looking a bit better.

Aisha carefully sat down, not wanting to make the couch dip too quickly and tip Holli’s pillow. She turned on the tv, not really caring what started. It resumed some cheesy romcom she’d stopped watching in the middle a few days ago. That’d be fine. She was more focused on Holli anyway.

“Would it help if I did the-“ Aisha stopped herself before she said ‘the petting thing’. That certainly wouldn’t help. “If I rubbed your back?”

Holli looked up at her, and then stared at her hand, something like fear in her expression.

“If it wouldn’t help you feel better, I can just stay here on my side of the couch.”

Holli looked down at her tea and cookie piece, and when she spoke it was quiet. “You can try. If… if it doesn’t help… would you still…?”

“If you don’t want me to do it anymore you just have to say so and I’ll stop,” Aisha promised.

Holli nodded.

Aisha slowly reached out, sure to move slowly and clearly, with her hand half-limp, to not be threatening. Holli hunched in on herself anyway.

Very lightly, Aisha stroked a finger down Holli’s back. Holli was so… tiny. Aisha could rub her back with a single fingertip. Her little hands were gripping a piece of cookie that would barely be a crumb to Aisha. Even the bottle cap she was drinking tea out of was like a wide bowl, and she had to use two hands to lift it. She was just so small and still perfect. Just exactly a teeny human.

Aisha patted Holli’s head very gently, and stroked down her back again, very pleased to see her relax.

She turned her head to watch the movie, hoping it would make Holli feel more relaxed. Her attention was still entirely on Holli though, and on rubbing gently up and down her back. Holli gradually got more and more relaxed, especially after she’d finished eating and had drunk most of the tea. Aisha was glad. She wasn’t sure what all had caused the problems before, but she was relieved for them to be gone now.

The movie ended, and Aisha just started the next suggested one, not caring at all what it was.

Holli shifted, and laid on her side, watching the movie still, but with her eyes slowly drifting shut.

It was the most adorable thing.

Aisha kept rubbing her back gently, glancing over every few minutes to see if she’d fallen asleep yet.

It hit her then that Holli must trust her a lot. To fall asleep with someone so much larger. She’d never, ever even think of doing it, but Holli would be even more aware than she was that she could press too hard, even on accident, and hurt her badly. So for Holli to relax and even sleep it meant a lot.

••^*^••

She was drifting. She was warm, and full, and Aisha’s touch was pleasant. But more than that, Aisha was happy again. That first intentional slump forward and Aisha had smiled slightly. By the time Holli had laid down, and seen Aisha’s larger smile, she knew she was doing it right.

It wasn’t so hard, being a human’s pet. She’d worked her way through something very unpleasant, and even managed to get Aisha happy again. And gotten a really pleasant hour out of it too.

She was drifting to sleep. She couldn’t wake herself back up without being suspicious. She didn’t want to sleep. But hopefully, with Aisha being happy now, she’d stay happy and it would be ok to sleep for a little bit. And it was all soft and warm and comfortable anyway. She wasn’t sure she could resist at this point.

As dangerous as it all was, she really was pretty good at being a human’s pet. Good enough to get this nice treatment. She just had to hold onto it and not let herself break character.

But as she drifted to sleep, Aisha’s smile came back to her. It was so pretty and nice. Someday, she wanted to see the smile directed at her, actually her, when she wasn’t acting. Perhaps if she was good enough at being a pet for long enough, it could someday change to something more.

[hailbop1701]

Down The Rabbit Hole: Extra Chapter

John Kennex X Female OC

Okay here is the extra chapter of "Down The Rabbit Hole"! @zecklein I hope you like it! I'm using a different format so tell me what you guys think! Let me know if I should stay with my old way or keep it this way! No beta for this so as usual expect typos!

-H❤🖖

Thea sat back stiff, her eyes narrowed at the woman sitting across from her. The woman’s hair was wild and the firetruck red dye was slowly fading showing her blonde roots. She sat there with a wicked grin her hand neatly folded on the table in front of her, “Harriet, I came because I was ordered to find out if you’ll be willing to give up your partner,” Hatty sat back in her chair eyes briefly flashing worry before it faded back into an insane mask. Thea nodded crossing her arms, 

“Yeah we know about them, the DA is willing to take the death penalty off the table if you’re willing to cooperate,” she said voice hard. Harriet chuckled leaning forward again, “What’s the fun in that?” she purred her cuffs clinking together. Thea sighed and Harriet continued, “ I just wanted to meet the woman who beat my game; well-done detective,” she congratulated and slowly clapped her hands in mock applause. Thea pressed her lips together to keep from talking back ‘It’s what she wants,’ she thought bitterly.

 “How many did you have to lose to figure it out?” Hatty asked with a deadly smirk. 

Thea gritted her teeth and kept her face blank; the heavy door opened behind her with a sliding clang, “Sorry detective time’s up,” a guard said apologetically. Harriet chuckled darkly, 

“Someone’s protective,” she sang leaning so she could see around Thea into the hall where detective John Kennex stood with his arms crossed. He gave Hatty a warning glare as Thea moved to the door, 

“It’s funny detective, death being both of our next great adventures,” Harriet called out cryptically. The door slid shut with finality when Thea stepped back out into the hall; John stood there with a worried expression on his face,

 “Are you okay?” he asked the scratches and bruise on his face still visible. Thea swallowed and took a breath, she started moving toward the exit without saying anything, 

“Thea,” John whispered placing a hand on her arm. The female detective stopped to look up at the man, 

“I’m pissed, I’m scared, I’m guilty, I am a lot of things right now John and all I know is that...if I pick an emotion I will fall apart. So I don’t want to feel at the moment,” she ranted huffing out ragged breaths. John nodded in understanding, the security door opened to allow them back into the main hall of the prison away from death row,

 “I get that more than you know. But I also found out the hard way that if you keep it all in, it will destroy you. I know you’re obsessing over the partner but please make sure you’re taking care of yourself, cause sweetheart you look like crap,” John advised with a smirk. Thea rolled her eyes and half-heartedly smacked John on the arm. They stopped at the main desk to get their weapons and ID’s back, 

“What did she mean when she said that death was the next big adventure?” Thea wondered aloud Harriet’s words repeating in her head over and over again. 

John was silent as they trekked out to the parking lot where Dorian and Max were waiting, “I think she’s just trying to freak you out but I wouldn’t let it go. Better to be safe than sorry,” he murmured. Thea grimaced and opened her car door, John held the door open for her “I’ll pick you up tonight, okay?” he gave her a look and she finally smiled.

 “I’ll see you tonight,” she whispered before shut the car door. Max sat in the passenger seat, “I recommend you dress up, the restaurant is four stars,” he said emotionlessly. Thea rolled her eyes “I swear Max,” she grumbled starting the engine. 

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Thea was smoothing out the wrinkles in her little black dress when the doorbell rang, heels clicking against the hardwood floor of her apartment Thea rushed over to the door. Opening it Thea smiled, John stood there with a single rose in his hand.

 “Hey,” she breathed: John gave her a crooked smile, “Hey back, I uh I got you this,” he murmured holding out the rose to her. Thea’s smile grew bigger, taking the rose she sniffed it contently. 

“It’s beautiful John thank you,” she whispered butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Holding the door open wider Thea invited him inside, 

“Let put this into some water and we can go,” she said scurrying off to the kitchen. John stood in the entryway with his hands in his pockets, his black shirt sleeves rolled up to almost his elbows. Thea walked briskly back to him a jacket slung over her arm,

 “There,” she whispered breathlessly. John grinned taking her jacket and holding it out so she can slip her arms in. “It’s damn cold out,” he said with a wrinkle of his nose, Thea chuckled a quip on her lips but a sudden bang on the front door made them both jump. 

John furrowed his brows and held out his hand indicating for his date to stay back. He yanked open the door and looked down the hallway on either side. Empty. Turning John froze, there jammed into the door was a knife, and the knife was holding up an envelope with Thea’s name on it. Yanking the blade from the door John took the letter and turned the weapon carefully in his hands. Thea rushed over and snatched the letter from his fingers, she opened it and paled. 

“Dear Detective Redding, The capture of my love and partner will not stop the bodies from piling up. How many will it take before you figure it out this time? Let’s start with one. I hope to end with you, yours truly The collector” Thea’s mouth went dry after she read the note out loud. A polaroid photo fell from the envelope onto the floor depicting a young girl frozen brutally in time. She had a look of horror on her face, eyes wide open a silent scream on her lips. She was dressed as a ballerina posed in a glass case like a life-size doll. Under the photo in black ink, it says, “See a performance for your first date,” 

John snatched up the photo his phone already at his ear, “Go pack a bag,” he ordered. Thea numbly did as she was told. She ran up the iron spiral staircase up to her room, she grabbed an old duffle from her closet and started shoving clothes inside. She kicked off her heels and ran to the bathroom to grab her toiletries, shoving them haphazardly into a cosmetics bag she flew back into her room. John leaned against the railing of the stairs that led back down to the living room, phone still pressed against his ear. He watched her flit back and forth from her dresser to the bag that sat on her unmade bed. Zipping up the duffle Thea grabbed a pair of jeans and a simple long-sleeved shirt and raced into the bathroom. 

“Captain we have a problem,” John growled into his cell when the woman finally picked up, 

“What happened I thought you were on a date?” the older woman asked voice showing concern. John sighed, 

“I was about to be but it was interrupted, Killer’s partner showed up. Left a knife and note stuck in Thea’s front door,” 

“Is she packing?” Sandra asked the sound of shuffling erupted from the background.

 “Yeah she’s getting changed, we’re going to head over to her PD when she’s done,” he muttered sourly.

 “No, bring her to a safe house, I’ll call her captain,” Sandra said voice tight and John hummed in agreement. He was about to hang up when Maldanado whispered one last thing, 

“John be careful, both of you,” 

Thea opened the bathroom door dressed and hair hastily pulled up into a ponytail, her makeup was still in place and pair of combat boots were in her hands. She sat heavily down on the bed working to pull them onto her feet,

 “Did you call your Captain?” she asked breathlessly. John ran a hand through his hair, 

“Yeah she’s calling yours to fill him in and we’re going to a safe house,” Thea deflated at his words glaring slightly. “John-” he cut off her argument with a look of his own, 

“Thea it’s dangerous now, this guy made it personal and now it looks like he wants you. It’s my job to protect you now,” he said strode forward. He grabbed her duffle and swung it over his shoulder. He then grabbed a leather jacket from the railing nearby and held it out so she could put it on. Thea let the subject drop  ‘For now John,’ she internally growled. 

John ushered Thea out the door and toward the stairwell of the apartment complex. “Best we don’t risk the elevator,” he grumbled holding her hand as they went down the stairs at a quick pace. The sound of their echoing footsteps will the empty stairwell until they burst into the lobby, the man at the front desk jumped and Thea gave him a slight smile. John pulled her out the door over to where he parked his car; he clicked the starter stopping them several feet away. Nothing happened and they both sighed. John jogged over with Thea in tow, he opened the passenger door for her before opening up the backseat and tossing her duffle into it. Closing both doors John rounded the car and got in. 

“So much for our first date,” Thea muttered dryly. John snorted keeping his eyes on the road,

“I was hoping for a nice steak but I guess we’re gonna have to settle for MRE’s,” and Thea groaned at the mere thought. 

“It’s going to be a really long first date,” she warned sounding apologetic. John smiled a little, eyes flitting to her for a moment, 

“I don’t mind,” 

Yes I did keep it open just in case I wanted to play around with it in the future! 😉

Everything Tags:

@thottiewithashotgun

@lauraaan182

@writerdee1701

Down The Rabbit Hole Tags:

@zecklein

[saiilorstars]

Princess

Ch.3: March

// Part 1 • Part 2 // 

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female OC

Chapter Summary: As time passes, whatever is happening between Chloe and Bucky seems to solidify. During a birthday party, 2 very different thoughts come to each of their minds. Chloe wonders when exactly is Bucky's birthday while Bucky wonders when, oh when, will he get to dance with Chloe?

Taglist: @ocfairygodmother​ @anotherunreadblog @maaaaarveeeeel​ 

[If you’d like to be added to this specific OC’s stories/edits, send me a message!]

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

A/N: I literally have no idea where this came from but it did and now here it is :))

"I can't believe Steve had the audacity to be born on the 4th of July!" Chloe wouldn't believe it even though she learned that piece of information a very long time ago. It was simply too ironic. She shifted her body on the ground but there was no possible way to be comfortable in the training room's dirty ground. She was just too tired to stand up. "The nerve of that guy, honestly." She smirked when she heard the heavy footsteps coming towards her.

"Please don't bad-talk my best friend." Soon enough, Bucky was towering over her with a staff in hand. "And get off the ground, will you?"

Chloe propped her upper body up with her elbows. "Make me."

Bucky pointed the staff at her, his warning look doing nothing for her. So, naturally, he poked her left shoulder until she lost balance in her left elbow and she fell flat on her back. Now he was the one smirking.

"That's not funny!" Chloe huffed and pulled herself up from the ground.

"Got you up, didn't it?"

"I really hate you." Chloe reached out for the staff but he pulled it behind his back. "And I meant what I said about Steve. Like, is he serious?"

Bucky very seriously nodded his head. "I think it's pretty serious, yeah."

Chloe shook her head at him. "You are really something, you know? But that's an argument for later. For now..." she sauntered up to him with a innocent smile on her face. "The party — your thoughts?"

"My thoughts about a party that Stark's organizing?" Bucky raised an eyebrow at her. "You're kidding me, right?"

Chloe rolled her eyes at him. Her fingers started dancing their way up Bucky's arms until they came to rest on his shoulders. "I meant...what do you think about going to this party together?" She knew it was a testy question that could potentially lead to some disagreements, but she had to ask.

The question quickly unsettled Bucky. "Chlo..." He pulled away from her but made it seem like he was simply putting the staff back in its place. "We agreed on how this would work best for now."

"Yeah, I know, but I'm also not suggesting a full-on public date." Chloe folded her arms over her chest. "I still owe you dinner, after all." Bucky looking back at her with a smirk did make her relax a bit. He wasn't upset. "Look," she brought her arms to her sides as she walked towards him, "I know that this—" she gestured between them, "—is fairly new and you don't want to bring a lot of attention to yourself so if that's it then...okay. I just had to ask."

With a sigh, Bucky turned around. "Hey, it's my problem, not yours. Everything is always about me and, yeah, it's as bad as it sounds. I'm sorry."

Chloe shook her head. "I don't need an apology. I get it, trust me. Your health comes first," she brought a hand up to his cheek. "But I will see you at the party, right? Tony's making it—enforcing it, really—a 1940s party."

"Of course," Bucky rolled his eyes.

"He says we all have to come dressed for the part. I'm excited." And it showed on Chloe's face too. Her eyes dazzled once she started going on about the opportunities to get dressed up for the occasion.

Bucky let her go on until her face would turn purple from how fast she was rambling. Nobody would take the fondness from his eyes. He would love to take her to that party as his girl. He had no doubt that she would look like an absolute angel in whatever she decided to wear.

~ 0 ~

When Tony announced his proposition to host the surprise birthday party, everyone immediately presumed it would be something over the top. Seren specifically warned him not to even try doing something along those lines. Steve wouldn't want it and much less desire such attention.

The party was within the compound's ground and even then Tony still managed to go above and beyond. For one, the damn party wasn't even inside, it was out on the grass. And truth be told, things did look very nice. Twinkling string light bulbs hung from one wooden pole to the next, adorning the corners of the party. Several tables were set up but what really got one's eyes was the clear dance floor in the middle. An old fashioned band was playing softly with the tune that only the 40s could produce. Everyone was dressed as if they were actually in the 40s.

"It looks nice," Chloe hummed with the sight she and Seren had before them.

"Yeah, Tony outdid himself," Seren nodded. "And he kept it subtle. I will give him his credit. I just hope we got the clothes right..."

Chloe did a double take at her own dress. "I mean..."

"I can confirm that they are indeed," Bucky came around to greet them but more specifically to get closer to Chloe to see what she had chosen to wear tonight. He wasn't disappointed in the least.

She wore an off the shoulder, sky-blue satin dress with a v-neckline. She chose no necklace and inadvertently (he presumed) showed off an exquisite view of her neck. Her long tresses of curls had somehow been tucked into shoulder-length do that he often used to see on the girls back then. A soft pink shade stained her plump lips and cheeks. She looked like an absolute doll.

"Really?" Chloe was unusually doubtful of her appearance. "Seren and I...we're not the most normal of girls..."

"You're telling me," they heard Seren say, "You have an alien tech piece in your head and I'm actually an alien."

Bucky couldn't help but laugh. "Well, nobody can tell a thing. But listen, the, uh, birthday boy was asking for you."

"Really?"

Chloe barely held in her snort at how obvious Seren was being. If Bucky saw it too — unless he was suddenly blind — he didn't make it clear.

"He's inside," he nodded to the compound behind. "Must have missed him but I'm sure he's waiting for you."

"Uuh...I guess I should go find him..." Seren started backtracking. Her hands came to press against her dark emerald dress. "Chloe, do I look okay?"

"Yes," Chloe assured her. "Green is your color, now go!" With a beam, Seren hurried off. "She's hopeless," Chloe said afterwards with a heavy sigh. "One of the smartest woman I know and it vanishes all for a guy."

"Well..." Bucky swayed his head, the smirk coming to his lips like an automatic instinct.

Chloe whacked him on the chest. "Don't even try it with me. If I remember correctly, you were pining for me."

Bucky had two options and the first one involved wasting time bickering over something that was clearly true. Being in public, especially at a party with the rest of the team, meant their time together was extremely limited. They had to be very careful how they acted in front of others, they had to watch their words too and how loud they were about it.

"You look beautiful, doll." He wasn't going to waste any second.

Hearing his words had Chloe's faint pink cheeks turning brighter. "I got the appearance right, then?" She gently patted a tucked curl near her right ear. She didn't want to say it so bluntly that she tried her best to look like one of the girls Bucky would see in his time. Maybe he would think it was stupid or something.

"Absolutely," Bucky nodded. "If you'd been in the era, you would've had all the boys after you."

Chloe chuckled. "Really?"

"Look at you — who wouldn't want a dame like you?"

"I am so close to swooning right now," Chloe laughed out of sheer embarrassment. She brought a hand up to her mouth in hopes of keeping her laugh quieter. Her other hand came to rest on Bucky's arm, an act that she wouldn't consider dangerous. "Is this how you would get girls in the past? Because if so..." her face scrunched as the struggle to say the truth got to her, "...well done," she said through gritted teeth.

It was Bucky's turn to laugh. "I accept all congratulations."

"You jerk!" she whacked him on the arm. "Egotistical jerk!"

"Hey honey, I'm just taking the compliments you're sending my way."

Chloe shook her head at him. Of course he would say something like that, and of course she wouldn't mind it. "You look handsome tonight too." Because like her, he'd gone back through time with an old dark blue suit. Chloe truly appreciated how nicely it fit that she had to remind herself to not stare so much. "God, this party is going to kill me. Thanks a lot, Steve."

Bucky smiled. "I don't think this is his fault."

"Mhm," Chloe folded her arms over her chest. "So, when's your birthday?"

"What?"

"Your birthday, when is it?"

"Why the sudden interest?"

"Because I want to know when I have to start planning your surprise party."

"Ah, I don't think so," Bucky shook his head. Unfortunately, he was long past celebrating his birthday now. He was genuinely happy that Steve could still celebrate his. "I'm not very much into it anymore."

"Not even for me?" Chloe pouted. "I promise I'd make it a fun party."

"Oh, I know that you would."

"C'mon, give me a clue or something."

"There's no point, Chloe. Don't waste the night trying to find the date."

Chloe huffed, clearly put out that he really wasn't going to tell her anything. She looked past him towards the dance floor. There were a few people dancing already, amongst them Sam — of course — and Wanda who had the unfortunate luck of being his partner. Chloe almost laughed. Her eyes then flickered back to Bucky.

"Ask me to dance," she said quietly.

Bucky looked over his shoulder to the dance floor. "Oh Chlo..."

"Don't tell me 'no' please," she touched his flesh arm and gave it a light squeeze.

"You know I don't want to say 'no'..." Bucky hated the disappointment that crossed her angelic features, "But it'd be too much display."

"C'mon it's just dancing. Look at Sam and Wanda over there," Chloe discreetly nodded at the pair who were having the time of their lives trying to figure out how to dance to the different tune. "No one would think twice when they saw us. I don't know how to dance your music but I sure would love to learn it from you."

Bucky smiled at her. He'd love to dance with her just like he used to in the old days. Holding her and swinging her to the music. "Wouldn't that be nice?"

Chloe sighed. She didn't want to argue, not when she knew that he was just being cautious. "Okay," she patted his arm. "I'll just...be around then." Bucky nodded. It was the best thing to do for them. She smiled briefly at him then walked off.

~ 0 ~

Tony Stark knew how to throw one party. Even though the rhythm of it was, at times, a bit too fast for Steve, he did make it clear that Tony had done a good job.

"I just can't dance like that," he told Bucky but it wasn't that big of a secret.

"Well..."

"Be quiet! I don't need the commentary; a simple nod will do." Steve exhaled deeply and gazed out to the dance floor. He had tried his hand at the swinging steps but it seemed like he needed some more practice.

"Ah, you'll be fine if just go out there again. I'm sure Dimples wouldn't mind another round," Bucky was barely able to hold his smirk in. "It's a good thing she's got some extra alien strength because stepped-on-toes from you is a whole other world of pain."

"Ha, ha," Steve rolled his eyes but Bucky could see the flush in his best friend's face. He had not planned on making a fool out of himself in front of Seren but, as usual, things didn't go his way.

"You'll be fine," Bucky clapped his shoulder. "I've only been here a few months and even I know what's going on. Just go, apologize, and then ask her to dance again. Something tells me she'll say 'yes' again."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

Steve turned to Bucky, his expression deadpanning. "I know there's something going on between you and Chloe."

Because he was a master at a straight face, anyone else would think they'd just made the wrong assumption. "Come off it, punk. Me and Winters?"

"Yeah, you and Winters," Steve mimicked his tone. "I'm not an idiot. First, you stop the sessions and you're even worse with the attitude. Then, you start the sessions again and you actually start smiling again. Seriously, I'm not an idiot."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Steve studied his best friend's face but it seemed like something on the dance floor had caught his attention. "So, you're okay with the fact Stark is now dancing with Chloe?"

Straight-face begone. Bucky knew there was no way in hell Stark would ever try something with Chloe but he wasn't going to stand there and say he loved watching Chloe giggle as Stark twirled her around. She'd definitely found a dancing partner and it wasn't him.

"Ah, it's a good thing you're not involved with her because that—" Steve pointed a finger at Chloe and Tony, "—would definitely piss me off."

"Go find Dimples or something," Bucky muttered and moved on himself. He didn't want to be angry, he didn't want to be upset at all but it was a mighty hard thing to do when Chloe looked like she was having the time of her life. If he'd said 'yes' to her earlier, that would've been him making her giggle. He would've had the privilege of dancing with her. It was his unfortunate luck that Chloe didn't even realize he was watching them.

She was just having fun dancing.

"Is this how you dance with Pepper?" she couldn't stop laughing, even more so when Tony yanked her up to him.

"No, she would've smacked me for trying to spin her in the first place," he answered calmly.

"You're terrible!"

"But a good dancer." Tony had the audacity to smirk at her. "Admit it."

"You want to know something? This song isn't even from the 40s," she smiled sarcastically. "Last time I heard, Fernando came from the 70s. You're about 30 years off."

"I like the song." And just for show, Tony had dipped her.

Chloe laughed loudly again. "Show off."

"Definitely." Tony pulled her back up. "But also a good dancer."

"Yeah, I guess so." Chloe wouldn't say that as much of a good dance he was, she would still rather dance with someone else...someone who was wan't all flesh.

~ 0 ~

As the night progressed, the party went on as planned. There were drinks served and the traditional birthday cake along with gifts here and there. The night was soon winding down but the music wasn't. Chloe, however, wasn't part of the dancing anymore. She'd moved away after dances with several people.

She'd come into the kitchen for a genuine break on her phone. She was all comfortable when someone suddenly grabbed her from behind.

Bucky let out a howl of laughter when she yelled with true fear. She whirled around with the angriest of faces. "Son of a bitch, it's you!"

"Ooh, my girl's got a colorful vocabulary," he reached out for her arm only for her to smack him twice on the chest.

"That wasn't funny!" She breathed heavily until something struck her. "Did you say...am I...?" She tucked a curl that was beginning to loosen up on the bottom of her hair. "Am I your girl?"

Bucky straightened at the question. He didn't even realize he said that so casually, so...automatically. He supposed he'd believed that was true a while ago. And looking at Chloe's face, he couldn't bear to take it back, not even to calm the nerves that had risen in the last few seconds.

"Yeah, if that's okay with you," the words nervously tumbled from his mouth.

Chloe seemed surprised but thoroughly enlightened. "Y-yeah, I just didn't think you thought of me like that."

"What—"

"You've just always been deflective about...us, which I totally understand!" Chloe ended up exclaiming. "This thing's not very...normal." She swallowed hard. "I never want to place labels where they don't belong."

"You have to understand that if I'm deflective it's not because of you..."

"Oh, I know, it's not that big of a mystery to know that you still think with that mentality." Again, I'm not accusing you, I'm just...treading lightly."

"Being cautious," Bucky understood that perfectly but he hated that Chloe had to force herself to act that way because of him. "You know that you don't have to go through any of this."

Chloe sighed. "Bucky—"

"You really don't. Of all the things wrong with me, being blind isn't one of them. I see heads turning your way all the time."

"Oh c'mon—"

"I'm serious!" Bucky walked her up against the kitchen isle. His hands came to rest on her waist, keeping a tight grip around them so Chloe wouldn't try to get out of the situation (literally). "You know back in my day, there was always one girl that all the guys drooled over..."

"Oh, and let me guess, you got her?" Chloe smirked even when he gave an understandable sway of his head. She laughed. "Of course!"

"I'm not making up excuses but she was really pretty..."

"And you were the alpha male," Chloe rolled her eyes upon the smirk that crossed Bucky's lips. "Seriously..."

"She was the alpha woman," he shrugged. "And in this situation, in this era, you are the alpha woman."

"Now we're getting somewhere I like," Chloe smirked just as proudly as Bucky had seconds ago.

He chuckled. "Of course you would, but the point is that you're the alpha woman which means all eyes are always set on you. Me, however, I'm nothing like that anymore. I have an endless baggage that you have no business being dragged into. You don't need to be here, Chlo. You can be out there—" He pointed behind him in the party's direction, "—having fun."

"I did have fun," Chloe said with a casual shrug of her shoulders. "But I'd have more fun if you were out there with me. I don't care about this alpha nonsense. That's so last century. You're in my time now, sweetheart." She dragged her hands from his chest to his neck. "And in my time most girls don't date a guy because they need to, they date because they want to. Because they like the feeling of doing things like this..." She pressed a feather touch kiss over his lips. "Among other things." Her body was pressed against when she went in for a rougher kiss. "So it's about time you stop thinking that I'm here because I need to be. You make me feel good. I want to make you feel good too."

"I do," Bucky gripped her arms, for one moment deliberating whether or not to step away from her. "Really good sometimes, actually."

Chloe did not hesitate to smirk at him so openly. "Only 'sometimes'?"

He had to pick the girl with the mouth, didn't he? He sighed. "Chloe..."

She giggled. "I'm kidding...for the most part. C'mon Bucky, let's not do this. In all these words we've said, I'd like to stick to the parts where you said I was your girl and where I said that you make me feel good. Are those not the best parts?" She came to lean against his chest, leaving her arms draped over his shoulders. It was unclear if her expression had softened purposely or not. Either way, Bucky knew he was a goner.

"Yeah," he ultimately agreed with her. "I guess I just have to try harder to be someone you deserve."

"I think you're doing a fantastic job," she smiled up at him. "You've been working hard to recuperate but it's going to be a long process so...maybe taking one night off wouldn't hurt you." There went that soft look again. Maybe it was done on purpose.

Either way, once again, Bucky lost. He took her chin with his fingers and placed a light kiss on her lips. He loved her smile afterwards. She should always be smiling. "How about we dance?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Seriously?"

Bucky nodded. "I think it's about time I take my girl out for a dance."

Chloe barely contained her excitement and the only reason she eventually did was because she had a brand new idea. "I'd love to...but not out there."

"What? But I thought that's what you wanted—"

"Are you kidding me? My reputation is ruined after that dance with Tony! I'm going to have one very important conversation with Pepper tomorrow and it'll involve my deepest condolences for her feet!"

Bucky rolled his eyes at her. "You didn't look like the dancing was bad."

"Yeah alright, but I still don't want to dance out there."

"Then where...?"

Chloe grabbed her phone on the isle then took his hand. "My room."

"What—" She had already tried pulling him but, of course, that wasn't possible until he would give in. "Chloe, I don't get it. You were so upset earlier that I didn't want to dance out there and now you don't want to dance outside?"

Chloe shrugged. "I change my mind a lot. I want you all to myself. Got a problem with that?"

"...no, I absolutely do not." It was at that moment that Bucky finally let her pull him away. "Hopefully nobody notices that we're gone."

Chloe snorted. She brought him into her room and walked up to her dresser. "Oh please, they're all too drunk."

"Steve can't get drunk."

"Yeah, but he's not exactly focusing on us tonight. Not while Seren's in that dress — you're welcome, by the way!"

Bucky raised an eyebrow at her. "You did that for us?"

Chloe was all too smug about it. "For her, of course, but making sure she looked good meant that Steve wouldn't pay any attention to the whereabouts of his best friend tonight."

Bucky stared at her long and hard while she went through her phone. "That is...sneaky...and attractive."

"Of course I am." She finally found what she was looking for on her phone and planted it on her dresser. "And so we'll have all the time in the world for dancing."

"I like the sound of that but I'm not sure there's enough space for a proper spin..."

Chloe chuckled. "It's alright, I'm kind of done with 40s music for now, but I'm still going to hold you for that dance later on. I'd rather show you some of my favorite songs..."

"And what would those be?"

Chloe pressed her finger to her phone and had 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World' playing. "1985," she swayed on her own for a few moments. "Everybody wants to Rule the World. Iconic."

"Never heard of it," Bucky's 'joke' was met with a deadpanning look that brought his laugh.

"You must have missed it while you were, uh, brainwashed." She held her hands out for him to take.

"Must have..." He grabbed her hands but slowly let his hands wander to her waist while Chloe's draped over his shoulders. "Different," he said after a moment of just swaying. "Everything's so different, even simple things like these."

Chloe nodded. "I'm sorry, but I promise to show you the best songs of the decades. And, if it makes you feel better, I wasn't even born when this song came out. I heard it way afterwards."

Bucky chuckled. "Yeah, it does make me feel better. The lyrics, though...they're a bit..."

"Serious? Yeah," Chloe shrugged. "It's all about power, what people desire..." She looped her arms around his neck. "What do you desire?"

For the first couple of minutes, Bucky said nothing. He stared at her with an unreadable expression. Ever since he had a more clear mind, he really didn't know what he wanted besides getting rid of everything Hydra packed into his head. It wasn't all that simple anymore. He wanted more. It wasn't a clear list of what he wanted but he knew — he was absolutely sure — that it would heavily involve Chloe.

The music sounded like it was louder with the silence that fell over them but Chloe didn't press for an answer. She quite liked the moment of simple dancing. While others often claimed she loved attention — which wasn't a complete lie — this wasn't a different type of attention she was receiving. It didn't make her feel like she was on display. Her insides felt like they would turn into putty if Bucky didn't stop any second now. Was this what an actual dance felt like? Your partner was supposed to look straight through you? Through your firkin soul?

"Whatever I desire, it'll include you," Bucky finally answered her. An immediate smile crossed Chloe's lips. He leaned closer and left a soft kiss on her forehead. His lips lingered over her skin when he asked, "What about you?"

"Mm, I'm not sure." But the way she smiled indicated the opposite.

"There's gotta be something. What is it?"

"Well, maybe there is something."

"What is it?"

"I...want to know when your birthday is."

Bucky blamed himself for not seeing that one coming. Chloe giggled when he spun her around so that her back was against his chest. "Why so much interest in that?" he murmured against her ear. "Can't you go asking the computers or something?"

Chloe felt his arms gripping her waist. "Yeah, but I want to hear it from you. C'mon, are you afraid of the party I'd throw you? Because if it's that, rest assured that I would tailor it to your likes."

"I just don't see the importance of it when I'm like 90 years old."

"Aw, you're cute..." Chloe reached up to pat his cheek, "You think you're only ninety years old."

"I'm leaving it at that number!"

"So you have vanity issues. Not surprising since you used to be an alpha male."

"Chloe..."

Chloe started humming to the song and focusing more on swaying. For a minute, Bucky let it be. He couldn't get enough of their moment. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder.

Chloe tilted her head back and lazily smiled up at him. "Much better than dancing outside."

Just as she said that, the song ended but they continued to dance as if it hadn't. They didn't need the tunes.

"You were right," Bucky agreed. Simply unable to help himself, he kissed along her shoulder.

Chloe loved the sensation of his lips pressing against her skin. "I'm always right," she hummed. "Learn that. It'll save you a lot of arguments in the long run."

Bucky laughed. "Whatever you say, doll."

"And you should start..." Chloe wiggled her way from his arms to turn around, "...by telling me your birthday."

"You're not going to let this go, are you?"

"Nope!"

"Let's just play another song, yeah? Show me what other music I've missed out on." Chloe smirked. Bucky got the faint feeling that she was up to something. "I have been trained to be a deadly assassin but that face—" he pointed at Chloe, "—actually scares me."

"I'm honored." Chloe stepped back and started undoing her tucked curls. "I'm getting that birthday date out of you."

Bucky was outright bemused. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah, but enough of this 40s stuff. I look good but it's not my thing. I'm doing this my way now." Chloe shook her head and released her long curls down her back. "21st century me."

"And what does that entail, exactly?" Bucky struggled not to laugh as she came up to him.

She hummed and tapped her fingers up his chest. "I'm rather convincing. Ask around."

"Oh, I know you are," Bucky nodded. "What do you have in mind?"

Chloe smirked at him. "Sit down." She backtracked him a couple steps towards the foot of her bed.

Bucky had to laugh. She was so demanding and he loved it. "But—"

"Sit. Down. Sergeant," the sharp words flew from Chloe's mouth.

He probably shouldn't be getting that thrill but he was against ending it, so...he sat down. His eyes never left hers. "Now what?"

Chloe seemed to consider her options. Truth was, she was admiring him. She often did that while he wasn't looking. "I don't know, I'll come up with something." She pressed the sides of her dress down then promptly sat on his lap. "I'm sure I'll come up with a good idea."

"Scary," Bucky bopped her nose.

Chloe put a hand over his cheek and leaned close. "Is it August?"

"No."

Chloe's lips were close enough to brush over Bucky's when she guessed again. "September?"

"Not even close," Bucky whispered to her. He barely held his smirk in at her clearly disgruntled face.

"October?"

"Nu-uh."

"I'm going to figure it out," Chloe swore and this time Bucky chuckled. "I will."

"Yes you will, doll. You've got a few more months to go through." He kissed her lower lip. "My detective."

"You jerk," Chloe narrowed her eyes at him.

Bucky nuzzled his nose against her cheek. "I don't hear another month being asked about?"

Chloe felt his breath tickle her jaw. She let her eyes fall shut as his lips ghosted over her skin. She was far too weak for him. "N-November?"

Bucky chuckled at her breathless guess. "Absolutely not."

"Aah, I really hate you."

Bucky pulled away enough to meet her gaze. Chloe waited for a smart-mouth response from him but all he did was stare at her for the longest time.

"...March," he whispered. Chloe's eyes were widening when he added, "You figure out the day."

Chloe beamed. "I can do that." She grabbed the sides of his face. "The 1st?"

"Nu-uh!"

Chloe scrunched her face. "I'm going to figure it out." She planted a kiss on him. "And for every day that I guess, I'm going to get a good kiss out of you, do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am." Bucky smirked.

"The 2nd?"

"No."

Chloe dove for another kiss. Bucky held her tight to thoroughly kiss her. They were each going to have their own type of fun.

[deathvalleyusa]

sugar, sugar.

Summary: Chrissy tries not to expect anything from Billy on Valentine's Day. Billy manages to surprise her.

Pairing: Billy x Chrissy (OC)

A/N: Just some sweet fluffy goodness for Valentine’s Day. Takes place during SATC after Billy and Chrissy’s date. Y’know, while she was grounded.

Warnings: Swearing, smoking, teenagers being their asshole selves.

She felt like a complete idiot.

In the day after being grounded, Chrissy knew she wouldn’t trade her freedom for the night with Billy. Finally knowing him so intimately, getting what she had put off for weeks, felt like a rebirth. She was addicted to his hands on her now, and getting her next fix was the only thing on her mind.

But now, realizing that Valentine’s Day was soon approaching and she was imprisoned in the lovely craftsman on Elm Street, she was regretting everything said to her parents. Her defiance in the face of new rules felt warranted at the time. Now, it felt like she had signed her death warrant.

Chrissy had never gone a Valentine’s Day without a boy on her arm, a bundle of cheap flowers, or a date. Apparently, 1985 was her year to break that streak. No plans, no flowers, and the boy she had attached herself to couldn’t seem to care less about a pithy holiday like this. 

Perhaps it was for the best, she thought. It was an excuse for both of them. For Chrissy not to get excited and later disappointed, and for Billy to not have to cater to her whims when they weren’t even going steady. 

Valentine’s Day landed on a Thursday that year. Hawkins High was fully decked out in pink and red, paper hearts and crepe streamers plastered on walls and door frames. The annual candy-gram was going on. Little bags of candy hearts and chocolates painstakingly made by the student council could be purchased that week to raise money for upcoming dances. Chrissy knew the drill: students would flock to the table to buy a bag for another student, choosing to address it from themselves or a secret admirer. She’d gotten her fair share from both, but this year she wondered if she’d get any from a certain blonde.

Nah, she thought, scrunching her nose as she tapped a pencil on her notebook. He’s too macho for that kind of thing.

This year was no different than the others in that respect. Second period she had gotten her first bag. Quickly, she checked the tag. 

From: Dan W.

Chrissy screwed up her face in disgust. He seriously still had a torch lit for her after all the shit she had said about him? That baggie had gone straight in the garbage, Chrissy knowing full well he sat on the opposite side of the classroom to see it. Get a fucking grip, Dan.

The second and third bags came during Spanish. A secret admirer and some boy she could barely place from last semester. Her frustration was beginning to grow.

It was hard to not be cold towards Billy when lunch rolled around. He was all hands, now the norm after she’d given him access to what he had been waiting for. She was passive, allowing but not returning the affection. After a bit, he seemed to give up in frustration, instead focusing on his food and the banal conversation from Tommy and Carol. Chrissy secretly wished Annette was at school; she had come down with the flu and missed the last couple days.

“So, I got three candy-grams so far,” Chrissy said, casual as she picked at her food.

Billy made a noise to acknowledge her, busy with the taco bowl in front of him. Tommy tried to swipe the holiday-themed cupcake from his tray, only to get a smack on the arm.

“Hey, fuck off,” he scolded. “Eat your own food, you spaz.”

“Three already?” Carol asked, obviously interested in Billy’s lack of concern and Chrissy’s now dour face. “Wow, aren’t you Miss Popular? They all secret admirers or did some of them have the balls to say who they were?”

“Oh, they’re getting bold this year,” she said, snickering. “Only one secret admirer. One was this guy named Taylor and the other was Dan.”

“No.” Carol’s voice was hushed. “Dan? Like Dan Weiss?”

“The one and only,” Chrissy replied, sitting back in the plastic chair.

Tommy started to cackle. “He really thinks those chalky candy hearts are gonna make up for his ‘premature’ problem?”

She snuck a furtive glance at Billy. He was still eating, taking in the conversation with calm eyes. The lack of emotion on his face only served to frustrate her more.

“Looks like you have competition, Hargrove,” Tommy continued, a smarmy grin on his freckled face. “You get her a candy-gram? ‘Cause Chris here’s very fickle. Easily swayed by presents.”

“Shut up, Tommy,” Chrissy and Billy said in unison.

“Did you get me a candy-gram?” Carol piped up, nudging at Tommy expectantly. “You should worry about yourself because I’m still empty-handed.”

“Day’s not over, toots,” Tommy replied, peeling the wrapper off his own cupcake. “Little patience would do you some good.”

All the while, Chrissy noticed Billy’s lack of reply to Tommy’s question. Perhaps he hadn’t bought one for her. The week and a half after their date had yielded some surprisingly sweet gestures, and part of her had hoped this would be another one for the books.

Billy let out a sigh through his nose, gathering his tray up. He gave Chrissy a nudge.

“You wanna have a smoke before lunch is over?” he asked, expression bored.

“Sure.” She stood to join him, giving Carol a tiny wave. “See you guys.”

><><><><><><><><

“So,” Billy said slowly, “you gonna tell me why you’ve been acting like an ice queen all lunch?”

“Give you three guesses.” She watched as he took a deep drag, looking down at his feet before those baby blues tried to read her face. 

“Jesus,” he sighed, rubbing at his nose. It had gone rosy in the cold, as had his cheeks. He had finally learned to layer up since the snow had picked up, but it wasn’t enough to stop the cold from making him look like a little doll. 

“What?” Chrissy asked, irritated by the lack of follow up. She watched as the ash on the end of his cigarette grew, blowing away with a small gust of wind.

“You’re really that fixated on that stupid candy shit?” he huffed. “Why do you care?” 

“I just want to know you care!” she shot back, annoyed. “God, boys are so stupid. It’s not that hard to buy a dollar bag of candy to make someone happy.”

“You got three today. How do you know the secret admirer one wasn’t from me?”

“Was it?” Chrissy’s eyebrow quirked up.

“No,” he said, a smirk starting to form on his face. “I think that’d be worse than not getting you one.”

“So you did get me one?”

“No.”

And even though she had told herself a thousand times today to not be disappointed, something in Chrissy sank. Billy must have noticed the change in her demeanor; his arm draped around her shoulder, chin resting on the top of her head. He muttered something too quiet for her to hear.

“What?” she asked, flicking the ash off her cigarette.

“Got something better,” he said, a little louder. Almost embarrassed. “I was gonna give it to you when I drove you home, but since you’re being a crybaby about it, I can give it to you now.”

Chrissy bounced a bit on her toes, trying to bring warmth back into her body. Lunch was almost over, and she had skipped 5th period too many times the past week. If Wes heard, that could be another week on her sentence. She let out a distressed noise, staring up at the nearly whited out sky.

“I can wait,” she finally said, sliding her hand up her shoulder into his. “Promise.”

><><><><><><><><

The rest of the day was pure torture. Billy had gone out of his way to steal a couple of steamy kisses before their last classes, prompting her to wonder what the gift could be. The more Chrissy thought about it, the more she realized it could just be a sexual favor. God, she hoped it wasn’t. There was nothing remotely romantic or sentimental about getting fingered in the back of his Camaro with stolen time after school.

When the last bell rang, she shot out of her desk, nearly slamming into another student as she made her way out of the classroom. Chestnut hair bounced against her back as her gait quickened, locker in sight. The locker combination she knew by heart was somehow harder than it had been in days past; she tried twice before getting it open. 

“Hey,” came a gruff voice to her side. “You ready to bounce?”

There stood Billy, beautiful and slightly amused by the hurried pace Chrissy had set for herself. Lidded eyes watched as she grabbed the last of her things.

“Yeah,” she breathed, “I’m all set.” 

There was no wait outside the car today, cigarette smoke billowing in the wind as they watched for ginger hair amid the sea of middle schoolers. No, today Chrissy had plopped herself down in the passenger seat, brimming with excitement as Billy took his damn time getting in the car. Impatience started to bubble up in her.

“So?” Chrissy asked, leaning towards him expectantly. “Do I have to close my eyes? Are you gonna take me somewhere?”

“Jesus, calm the hell down,” he laughed. “And no. it’s in the glove compartment. You got hands, grab it yourself.”

She rolled her eyes. “Such a gentleman.”

“Never said I was one.”

The metallic click filled the car before Billy turned on the stereo. Inside the glove compartment was a small white paper gift bag, Billy’s blocky handwriting scrawling her name in Sharpie on the side. Inside was a box of Milk Duds, a pack of bright warm-toned scrunchies, and a mixtape with the words REAL MUSIC written on the case. 

Chrissy sat quietly, eyeing up her gift. Next to her, Billy shifted uncomfortably. 

“It’s just stuff I thought you might like,” he explained with no prompting. “And the music is a bunch of stuff I like that, y’know, you should listen to. Play it real loud to stick it to Wes.”

She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. Billy didn’t seem to know what to do at first, but returned the hug with a bit of hesitation. Lips met each other before Chrissy started to beam.

“Thank you,” she said happily, staring again at the mixtape. The back had a neat list of songs and artists written in his penmanship. Mercyful Fate, Krokus, Accept. Names she was vaguely familiar with from Billy’s mess of tapes in his car but had never heard.

“Better than that shit candy?”

“Way better.” Ripping off the laminated holder, she tied her hair back with one of the scrunchies. “I can’t believe you bought things for my hair.”

Billy shrugged. “Yellow’s your favorite, couldn’t pass ‘em up while I got the Milk Duds and smokes.”

She planted another kiss on his cheek, moving to his lips. They lingered together for a second, Chrissy deepening into another kiss before tugging at his lower lip with her teeth.

“So, do I get a Valentine’s Day present?” he asked, voice raspy. 

“Is Max getting a ride today?”

A frustrated sigh blew through his nose. Taking a quick glance down, Chrissy could already see the strain of his erection against the light denim of his jeans. 

“Yeah,” he grunted, a sour look on his face. 

“Then you only get part of it,” she said sheepishly. “Sorry.”

Billy’s eyebrows raised as he leaned back into the leather of the seat. “You got me something?”

“Uh, duh? ‘Course I did.”

“You sneak out of the house to get it or what?” he teased, leather creaking beneath him. “Or did Wes give you a free day?”

“Annette helped,” Chrissy admitted as she dug through her backpack. “Just thought it was something you’d want.”

The package, wrapped in shiny red paper embossed with hearts, traded hands. Billy stared at it, clearly unamused by the girly wrapping. He tore it open, eyes lighting up at the sight of a new set of headphones.

“You said yours broke,” Chrissy smiled, shifting to take in the glee in his face better. “They aren’t, like, the highest quality but they should do until you can get better ones.”

“Shit,” he said, smiling with such genuineness it made her heart thud against her ribcage. “Thanks, Chris.”

“I’m the best, I know,” she said, puffing out her chest. 

Billy took her close, taking a hungry taste of her as she giggled. His happiness from the gesture was unexpected, but lovely all the same. Any time he was unguarded like this it felt like another piece of the Billy Hargrove puzzle fell into place. 

A rapping came from her side of the car. Max stood outside, bundled up and red faced from the cold. Chrissy gave her a sheepish smile and a wave. 

“The other half of your present is gonna have to wait till tomorrow,” she said to Billy, unlocking the door.

“Tomorrow?” he said, giving a small smile.

“Yeah,” Chrissy grinned back, shifting to get out of the car. “If we cut early, I know how to get into the auditorium. Nice and private for your gift.”

[issa-me-addy]

Better Than Words (OC x Bucky Barnes)

Dinner & Wine

PART FIVE/?

A/N: This chapter is spicy I hope you enjoy. And this is the last time I’m going to include this reminder because five times seems more than enough: This takes place in an AU after Spiderman: Homecoming (except in this AU Tony never relocated upstate, they are still in the OG Stark -> Avengers tower in the city) where the Avengers have reassembled and the following all live in the Avengers tower: Tony, Pepper, Steve, Bucky, Natasha, Wanda & Vision. Peter Parker’s identity is still intact and he spends his free time training at the Avengers tower under a “Stark internship.” 

Word Count: 2131

Warnings: mentions of alcohol, fluff, mild angst, and lots o slow burn :D 

“Hey, I was looking for you downstairs. The girl at the counter told me you’d be here.” Bucky shifted his feet and leaned his shoulder onto the door frame.

Maya’s eyes finally drifted from Bucky’s and she looked down to see a copy of Harry Potter in his hands with little colored tabs sticking out from various places in the book. “Oh! Did you finish the book?” 

He nodded. “I was wondering if you wanted to go downstairs and talk-- I’ll get you that pastry I owe you.” 

Maya turned her head to the kitchen and back to look back up at Bucky’s face, “I would love to! It’s just, you just caught me off guard. I literally have dinner in the oven right now.” 

He had already begun to turn on his heel. “Don’t worry about it! I could just come back another time.” 

“No! No, it’s fine I’m really not doing anything. If you haven’t had dinner yet, you’re more than welcome to join me.” Maya stood aside and Bucky nodded, stepping through the threshold. She closed the door behind him, very grateful for the fact that she’d just spent the latter half of her afternoon cleaning the apartment. “I hope you like Italian.” 

He spun around, waiting for Maya’s direction of where to go. “Yeah, sounds great, doll.” 

Maya grinned, gesturing towards the couch and sitting on the far right, and bringing her legs up to tuck them underneath her. “Come sit! Tell me how you liked it.” 

He followed suit, taking his jacket off to show a fitted black t-shirt. Maya’s eyes watched the way the plates on his arm shifted as he settled on the cushion beside her. He caught her eye while resting the metal arm on the back of the couch.

Maya closed her eyes and shook her head, looking directly at Bucky once her eyes opened again. 

“I actually really enjoyed it. I do agree on what you said about it being a completely different world. I’ve even talked to Friday and she showed me all the real life theme park places they’ve modeled after it.” 

“Uh, who’s Friday?” Maya tilted her head to the side. 

“Tony’s computer thing. She’s like magic honestly. You just call her name, ask her questions and she answers.” 

Maya nodded, “Oh, cool. Well, she was right for showing you the theme parks. There’s also films that the theme parks were modeled after. Obviously the books are almost always better than the movies but, I do think that they did quite good with the Harry Potter ones.” 

“Yeah, Stevie’s already started talking about watching them after he finishes all the books.” 

“And have you told him about your little reading secret yet?” she asks, cocking one of her eyebrows up. 

He shakes his head no. “Nope, not yet. Part of me wants to finish the series before he does and then surprise him with random knowledge while we watch the movies. I know he won’t really give me any choice when it comes to watching them with him.”

Maya giggles in response. “Alright, well tell me what your favorite part was! Characters, chapters, just whatever you enjoyed.” 

He picks the book up from the small space between his knee and Maya’s to thumb through and check the little bookmarked pages. “I really enjoyed the big lug, Hagrid. And the bit where they have to play life-size wizards’ chess was really fun to read.” 

Maya grinned. “Hagrid’s one of my favorites too throughout the series. And God, what I’d do for a real wizards’ chess set.” 

Then the oven timer rang and Maya excused herself to go check on the baked pasta. 

“I’ll just make the garlic bread and then we can eat. Feel free to watch something while you wait,” Maya said, gesturing towards the TV remote sitting on the coffee table. “Or browse my collection.” As she finished her sentence, she was pulling the casserole out of the oven, placing it on the stovetop and then picking ingredients out for garlic bread. 

“I could help you.” Bucky suggested, placing his book on the coffee table and walking towards the kitchen. “Before you say no, I make pretty good garlic bread.” Maya stepped away and he grinned, taking the head of garlic, chopping board and chef’s knife to a clear spot on the counter. 

Maya found herself kind of awkwardly floating around the kitchen, watching Bucky’s knife skills and admiring the way the metal plates on his arm shifted as he moved. Although very sure he knew she was staring, she tried to play it off by setting the table and rummaging through her fridge for any dinner additions. 

She bit her lip and thought for a moment before sticking her head up from behind the fridge door to ask, “Would you like any wine? I have a merlot that my parents gave me when I moved in.” 

Bucky gave her a small grin and nodded. “I wouldn’t mind. I must warn you though, I might go through that bottle. The serum kind of makes it harder for liquor to do its thing.” 

She shrugged her shoulders and popped the bottle out of the fridge, placing it on the table so she could grab a pair of wine glasses. “I don’t mind. I’m a bit of a lightweight so it's like you’ll be drinking for me.” 

He let out a soft, low chuckle. “Of course you’re a lightweight, doll. Anyone with your stature would get drunk just by smelling a good dark rum.” 

She scoffed, a smile growing on her lips thinking about how grateful she was for her height, or lack thereof because his sheer height made her want to press her thighs together. “I will have you know, I like being this height.” 

As she said this, Bucky was opening cabinets in search for a black pepper grinder. “Do you also enjoy not being able to reach the top shelf?” He teased. 

“I can reach!” She defended herself. “It just takes a bit of climbing sometimes.” 

A deep laugh bubbled up from his stomach as he spread the butter and garlic paste against the slices of baguette. “Well, if you ever need to reach something, just give me a call, sweetheart.” 

She blushed a bit and turned her back to him, pretending to be looking for the bottle opener while really trying to compose herself. She couldn’t help but swoon at this concept of Bucky in such a simple, domestic setting. 

“Alright, doll. I think these are ready for the oven. Excuse me,” he hummed, asking her to step aside.

Once she found the bottle opener, he stood with his flesh hand leaning against the granite countertop, watching her struggle to get the screw into the cork. 

“Would you like me to help you?” 

She shook her head, eyebrows furrowed with determination. “I can open a bottle of wine, James.” 

He put his hands up in surrender for a moment. “I bet you can, but just because you can doesn’t mean you have to do everything on your own.” He held his hands out to replace hers. 

She contemplated for a moment before deciding to not argue with him further. Her shoulders dropped and she said, “Thanks.” She smiled softly before pushing the bottle and cork screw towards him. 

He opened the bottle in a matter of moments and they both sat down to eat. For the rest of dinner Maya managed to keep up with the book discussion while still pondering what he meant when he said that she doesn’t have to do everything alone.

Yes, maybe she was overthinking it, but in her mind it was nice to think about a life with Bucky. She thought to herself: maybe he wants to be the one to make sure I’m not alone. Maybe, he could be into me. I am quite surprised that we’ve gotten through dinner without a severely awkward moment. It’s actually quite nice having the company. I wouldn’t mind it if he spent more nights here with me. 

Before she knew it, the casserole was nearly empty and the wine was long gone. She felt the alcohol flowing through her veins and making her skin warm to the touch. She couldn’t help but wonder if he noticed the pink on her cheeks.

Bucky on the other hand looked the same as he did when he walked through the door about an hour prior. 

Maya pulled her hair down from its bun and shook her fingers through her roots, massaging her scalp. “You were right. That was some of the best garlic bread I’ve ever had.” 

He beamed in response, watching as her hair fell into a new shape. “Well, you’re not a bad cook either. The pasta was very good.” 

“Well, thank you, sir. I think the two really complimented each other.” She stood as she said this, stacking the dishes and moving them into the sink. 

“I could help you clean up.” Bucky said, bringing his own plate to the sink. 

She shook her head. “No, it's fine! Thank you though.” Without thinking she placed her hand on his chest as he stood squarely in front of her. “I got it. Don’t worry.” 

He looked down at her, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “If you say so, doll.” 

Maybe it was the wine, or the initial infatuation, or the fact that he was so close she could smell the woodsy scent of his skin but she felt as though she might do something she’d regret. So, she patted his chest softly before finally removing her hand. 

She made quick work of clearing the table and drinking the very last bit of wine straight from the bottle. 

Bucky just leaned against the counter and watched her in admiration before following her back to the living room.

“Do you want to borrow the next book?” Maya asked, facing him in the middle of the studio, seemingly closer this time. 

He nodded. “Sure, doll.” 

Without even thinking Maya’s lips parted to ask, “Do you call everyone doll?” She was already kneeling down to look through her collection before Bucky opened his mouth to respond. It was as the words fell from her mouth that she realized she shouldn’t have asked. 

He chuckled in response though, which relieved her the smallest bit. “I definitely don’t call Stevie ‘doll’.” 

She stood back up, making note to keep a considerable distance between the two of them and holding the book out in front of her. “Hm, now that’s a bit shocking.” She teased. 

He grinned, his head falling to his right shoulder and pressing his tongue into the side of his cheek. “Come on now, that joke’s getting a bit old. Steve’s like family,” he explained before taking the book from her.

“Yeah, yeah.” She rolled her eyes and smiled, her chin turned up ever so slightly to look at him.

He rolled his head around his neck, small cracks barely audible. “To be honest with you, I don’t think I’ve called anyone that since before I was frozen.” 

Maya cocked her head to the side and pouted her lips. “Aw, so I’m special!” 

Bucky chuckled, taking a half step towards her. “It seems so, doll.” 

She smiled in response. 

Neither of them moved a muscle for a moment as their eyes bore into each other and it seemed as though they were faced with their first mutually awkward moment of the night.

Bucky dipped his head and thanked her for dinner before picking up his own book from the coffee table. “I should be heading back now,” he nodded his head towards the door. “I had a really good night though, Maya.” 

“Me too,” she responded, taking the first step to walk him out. 

~ 

She opened the door for him and he turned around to face her before descending down the stairs.

“I’ll see you soon.” He said, although it sounded more like a question. 

She gave him a singular nod, pressing her hip into the door to stabilize herself. “Get home safe, James.” 

Their eyes locked for maybe a moment too long before Bucky finally turned his head and started walking down the stairs. 

Maya closed the door and locked it behind her. She stood there for a moment, her mind foggy and her emotions truthfully running wild. She screwed her eyes shut and shook her head a bit before making a beeline to the kitchen sink hoping scrubbing dishes would also clear her mind of all the what ifs. 

Meanwhile, Bucky took the books back to the tower and straight into his bedroom. He read by a dim light until his 5AM training session the next morning with Steve. 

-- 

I am aware that its been a very long time, you know how it is but! 

Taglist: @asuperconfusedgirl @amisutcliff @k-n-e @lovelyxmayari

[emily-strange]

Growing Pains...

Chapter 6! Honestly the feedback has been so kind. Thank you to everyone still giving it a go :)

Summary: Emmy has been with the gang since she was a little girl. Her mother moved on, leaving her to be raised by Dutch, Hosea and Susan. Arthur and John are her brothers (argue and she will fight you). Becoming a woman is hard when everyone still sees you as a child. Since the Blackwater mess she’s trying to find her feet while dealing with her new feelings for the gangs resident douchebag.

Pairing: Slow burn Micah x female OC.

Warnings: Swearing, Sexual Themes

Chapter 6

From a young age Hosea could see that washing and sewing wasn’t going to be my lot in life. I admire Susan for her ability to keep any camp going despite our circumstances and I do help out here and there but no, Hosea decided early on that my talents would lie elsewhere.

When I was 7 he took a considerable amount of money out of the camp funds to purchase me a fountain pen. Only the rich folk had them so without a lavish plan he wasn’t going to be stealing one. “Now I see all those little writings you’ve been doing. You got good penmanship,” he told me. “This, this right here will be your gun. I’ll teach you to write properly and then you’ll help me with a few things”.

I felt so useful! After that I’d spend 5 or 6 hours a day reading and writing with Hosea. He’d have me copy people’s handwriting from Dutch’s cursive to John’s chicken scratch and that’s how I found my place. So along with the general thieving, when something needs forging, like a letter or a bond, they come to me.

Since Blackwater there hasn’t been much of that but Hosea has made sure that I kept on top of my craft so to speak. In Colter I had to use Arthurs pencil and journal since we didn’t have any ink. I’d work from the back of the book as to not see any of his private stuff and he trusts me not to go sneaking through it. We lost pretty much everything in Blackwater but my pen, my pen I kept with me the whole time.

Although despite Hosea’s wish, Arthur decided that an actual gun should be my gun, you know, just in case. He gave me my revolver when I turned 10 and took me out shooting whenever he could. If he couldn’t then John took over although Arthur wasn’t always thrilled about that. He used to say that if I spent too much time practicing with John, I’d probably come away with a few bad habits. I think that was more about their bickering than anything though.

I lost that gun when we fled but was given a new one a few weeks ago. Something that I’m extremely happy about right now as I sit waiting for Micah to return with our drinks. He rode us to a dingey little saloon in the corner of nowhere and told me to grab a table. As I walked through the busy bar, men’s heads turned my way. I have to say, their leers aren’t flattering in the slightest.

“1 beer and a whiskey shot for the lady” Micah says as he puts them down in front of me and I thank him. He sits down across from me and takes a long swig of his bottle. Rum I think.

“Won’t lie Mr Bell, I’ve been to some iffy places but this one probably comes out on top.” I laugh and start on my beer.

“Ah it ain’t so bad” Micah chuckles while looking around “and why we at ‘Mr Bell’ again?”.

I shrug and give him a coy smile “I dunno….kinda like it. Has a nice, authoritative ring to it. Don’tcha think, Mr Bell?” I ask while I lean on the table with my elbow and put my chin in my hand. I have no idea what’s got into me but I kinda like it. So does Micah apparently.

“Oh really now” he smirks “well…” but before he can continue, our eye contact is broken by the appearance of a young woman in his lap. I’m no stranger to working girls, I’m an outlaw for goodness sake, but I’ve never had one try to seduce the man I have a stupid crush on. Urgh, ‘crush’, how old am I!? I like him. I think. This would be the perfect opportunity to find out if there wasn’t a very, very, sexy woman in the way.

“Hey sweetie” she drawls while winding her arms around Micah’s neck “Ain’t seen you in here before.”

My stomach drops when Micah hums and puts his hand on her waist, “We’re just passin’ through” he says smiling that sickening grin men do when they’re feeling flattered. For a moment I consider slumping back into my chair and just downing my beer. Run out to Jett and be home before dinner.

But before I can actually make good on my despair, Micah carries on speaking. I down my shot, and his, while I continue to listen.

“And I’m just having a drink with the lady here so,” he says, patting her waist “be a pal and hop off.” I can’t help the smile that graces my face and when the woman turns to look at me, I take a sip of my beer to try and hide it. I do however frown when she scoffs and glances around at the clientele in the bar. To my disgust, a few men are still looking my way.

“Oh darlin’ there’re plenty of men here that would suit this little doll better. They like the inexperience. Why don’t we..” but before she can finish her sentence Micah tightens his grip on her waist, somewhat painfully if her face tells me anything, and brings her close.

“Well, darlin’,” he mocks “let whoever they are know, that if I even so much as see them looking at her, they’ll die cockless.” he finishes with a growl. Micah roughly shoves the woman off his lap and she almost collapses onto the floor before finding her feet. She just spares me once last glance, fixes her dress and saunters off to her next mark. I watch as Micah takes one of his pistols from his gun belt and slams it down hard onto the table, causing the few leering men to turn back to their drinks.

“Take your gun out” he barks and it almost makes me jump “you show people you won’t be got and they don’t even try it.” He nods towards my satchel and I take out my revolver placing it on the table. He laughs, “Oh sweetheart, we need to work on your poker face.” And I can’t help but laugh along with him.

“Apologies, I don’t have as much experience in intimidating drunken men as you clearly do” I smirk. Micah hums and takes another drink from his bottle.

“You know, you um, could’ve. If you wanted to. Free country. Well, you know what I mean” I say and despite my best efforts it comes out a bit shaky. Micah just watches me for a moment with that look on his face again. The one that makes me feel like I’m speaking a foreign language. Before I can ask why he looks so confused by what I’ve just said, he’s changed the subject.

“So how’d you know you won’t be in trouble with the boss-man once we get back?” and it takes me a second to catch up with the change in topic.

“Oh, well, when Dutch and Hosea go fishin’ they’re gone till dark. Sometimes Hosea likes to stay out even when it’s dark so I figure if I’m back before evening I’m safe.” I explain. Micah nods and finishes his drink. I down the rest of mine and ask if he wants another.

“Why not. We’re on an adventure after all” he says while lighting a cigarette. I get up and walk with my money to the bar. I turn around while waiting for the bartender and see that Micah has shifted to sit more next to my chair than opposite. It’s so nice not to be coddled. I didn’t have to fight to get my own drink and despite the fact that he’s obviously moved to keep an eye on me, it feels more comforting than suffocating.

I get our drinks, I buy us a couple each, and take them back to the table with absolutely no interactions from the men around me. Won’t lie, it was a confidence boost. They all know it’s not worth their life to bother me.

“So” I start when sitting down “I think we should play a game.”

“What kinda game?” Micah asks warily “Roulette?” he says holding up his gun. I roll my eyes, “No, has to be something difficult for you. I know you’d jump at the chance for an adrenaline rush.”

“You know me so well” he laughs and I shake my head.

“Actually Micah, I don’t. But I’d like to.” I reply and really hope he catches onto my attempt at flirting, but all he does is clear his throat and gives me that ingenuine huff of a laugh he does sometimes.

“Ain’t no woman wanna know Micah Bell” he scoffs and takes a long swig of his drink.

“Well” I say cheerfully “this woman does. So, lets play. Ask me anything.”

“That the game? Questions?” he asks and I just smile. “Yep. And if for some reason, we don’t want to answer a question, we have to do a dare.” I explain and with that Micah laughs and holds his hand out to me.

“Alright, game it is. But only the truth.” He whispers and I agree, “Only the truth.”

Micah takes all of 2 seconds to decide his first question for me and as I thought, he’s trying to shock me. I figured out very quickly when he joined the gang that he’s always trying to size people up. What their weak spots are, what makes them retreat. I don’t know why he does it but the only way to find out is to remain unshocked. Well, try to.

“You a virgin?” he asks and I’m not surprised considering our little chat with sexy, working girl not long ago. “No” I say simply. I did promise the truth and he smiles like he’s surprised by my honesty.

“My turn. How many women have you slept with?” I ask figuring I’d stay on topic a bit. I’ve only had 2 beers so I can’t be drunk but that giddiness is back making me feel like I am. Micah pretends to think looong about his answer. “Oh hurry up” I laugh and throw a stray peanut from the table at him.

“I’m just making sure I tell the whole truth and nothin’ but the truth” he says holding his hand up, “Uh I’d say somethin’ liiiiike. I dunno. A lot. 100 odd maybe”. I have no idea if that’s his attempt to shock me again but I just nod and have more of my drink. “Your go” I say after.

“Hmm okaaay” he squints at me like he’s picking a question from somewhere on my face “You happy?” he suddenly asks and my attempt to remain composed is long gone. I was mid sip of my drink and I inhale causing me to cough. Micah laughs and leans forward patting my back a bit too roughly. “There ya go” he laughs when I stop.

“Jesus Micah, in a million years I’d never think you’d ask somethin’ like that” I wheeze out while wiping my mouth. Micah laughs and gestures for me to answer. Why has he asked me that? We went from 100 sexual partners to ‘are you happy’ in the space of a few seconds. Well done Micah, you’ve shocked me.

“Umm, Iiiii, wow,” I laugh humourlessly while looking at my beer bottle “that’s. That’s a question.” Is all I can think of to say in the moment. Micah, again, surprises me by staying quiet. I didn’t know he was capable of not making a comment. I clear my throat and meet his eyes awkwardly. “No” is all I can muster. I shake my head as if I can clear it that way and decide to just get us back on track. Well, on my track. I take a long glug of beer and ask my next question.

“Did Bill really threaten to tell Dutch if you didn’t follow me?” I ask and Micah chuckles.

“You’re quick ain’t ya?” he laughs and the compliment, at least I think it’s a compliment, makes me smile. “No, he didn’t”. I open my mouth to ask why he followed me then but Micah cuts me off.

“Ah ah, my turn.” He reminds me and jumps right in with his next question. “Who do you hate the most in the gang?”. I groan and put my head on the table which I instantly regret. It’s gross. “Come on sweetheart. Gotta be honest now!” he chortles.

“How did I not see this coming!?” I groan but have to laugh along with him. He’s persistent in his need to know that everyone is just as dysfunctional as he his. “Okay, I’ll be honest….at the moment I really don’t like Dutch.” I answer.

Micah opens his mouth to say something but I cut him off, causing him to chuckle louder. “Oh! And Strauss. He’s always kinda creeped me out. And jeez can Pearson wash once in a while. All the other men manage to. Well maybe not Uncle but he’s, ya know, Uncle.” I blurt out and Micah shoves my arm.

“Wow once we get ya started it allll comes out” Micah laughs and honestly, it’s infectious. I clap my hand over my mouth and stifle a snort. Seriously, 3 and a bit drinks in and I’m fine complaining about them all. There’s just something about Micah that makes me feel safe to admit out loud what I only record in my journal. But I really need to be careful. I scold myself internally at my loose mouth.

“Okay,” I shake my head “you can’t tell anyone.” I say and make direct eye contact. He smirks but doesn’t respond. “Please?” I ask more seriously. Micah just gives me one nod. Which I feel is his code for, I promise. We’ll see I suppose. I guess I can always pretend like he’s lying. Stop thinking about it!

“Right, my turn.” I say while starting on my last bottle. I don’t know if it’s because we’re out in the middle of nowhere with no one we know around, but I’m feeling emboldened by the feeling of freedom. I clear my throat and lean into Micah.

“Do you see me as that woman does? Just a young….‘doll’?” I ask quietly and I realise as soon as the words leave my mouth that I’m scared of his answer. Why did I ask that!? God, how stupid can I be. Of course he does. Everyone does.

Micah takes a deep breath and seems to inhale the remains of his last drink before taking mine and having a swig. He clears his throat and leans in close enough that I can feel his breath on my lips. He smells of the smokes he’s had since being here and whiskey. God I want to touch the scar on his chin, I need to know how he got that. Maybe run my tongue over it while sitting in his lap.

I realise I’m staring at his lips when he begins to speak and I’m sure he’s noticed.

He smirks and just utters one word.

“No.”

[x-ximenas]

Love Means Trouble: Chapter 5

Prompt: Hurricane by Halsey, which you can find in this playlist.

Pairing: OC/Nikki Sixx

Warnings: Alcohol and drug consumption, mentions of kissing and sex (not graphic tbh, not even a bit)  and my terrible grammar and punctuation remember English’s not my first language.

Word Count: 2,894 words

A/N: It's been a while, huh? I'm so so sorry for leaving this story unattended, but med school continues to be a pain in my ass and as I come closer to the end of this semester I have enough time to sit down and write. This chapter starts right where the last left it off, so I'd recommend you to go back and read chapter 4 <3 Also, if you liked this bit, I’d love to hear some comments! If you’d like to be added to a taglist for upcoming parts comment, dm me, ask me… just talk to me!

A/N 2: If you’d like to listen to the songs I mention in the story, here’s the playlist where you can find them.

// Prologue // Previous Chapter //———————————————————————————————————–Fuck.

Was Nikki's last thought as he lead his blonde-haired company back to the couch. Circe was predictable in the worse way possible, he knew he had to figure out how to get around yet another round of her teasing after tonight's turn of events. Nikki was never good at keeping promises, but he excelled at making them sound realistic.

They never agreed they would interrupt their dynamic, but after the words they shared in Circe's apartment he knew he had definitely slipped and she was going to make him pay for it. He saw that characteristic glint of mischief shine brightly in her otherwise dark eyes, he just didn't know that was Circe playing with his doped brain.

As Nikki silently pondered on how to tackle the situation at hand -a scenario yet to be presented- Circe was coughing out smoke with a laugh, Nikki's slightly shocked and panicked expression engraved in her brain. It took her a couple of minutes for her giggles to settle, but once it did she heard Vince snort out a laugh by the window.

"What?" She asked the blond at her right, a smile sneaking up on her lips.

"You're asking me? You're the one laughing by yourself" He said with a knowing smile, Circe shrugged.

Then, Vince handed her her "Here, you left it inside."

"Oh, and to what do I owe this display of chivalry?" Circe asked the blond to her right, digging her elbow on his ribs playfully.

"Can't I just bring my gorgeous female friend her drink without her implying there's a bigger plan?" He teased back, swaying his hands as if to make him look posh.

"No, no, you can, but it's just so... what's the word... so not Vince-like."

"Thanks, tho." She said in a lower voice, her head now resting on his shoulder, Vince mumbled something back as he wrapped an arm around her frame.

Silence settled between the pair. As the wind blew, Circe's head ran through similar moments she had shared with Vince before, a small smile tugging on the corners of her lips. The peaceful environment around them was interrupted by the blond vocalist who cleared his throat.

"Well, just so you know, I came out here to see if you were kicking Nikki's ass over the blonde chick situation." Another nasal laugh left Vince, Circe turned to him and started to hit his shoulder repeatedly, causing him to break out laughing.

"You fucker." Circe said, dragging out the r as she chased Vince back inside the apartment, people parting to make room for the pair.

Circe had tuned out the voices around her, but she swore she heard Tommy encouraging her to hit Vince over the head and Mick laughing a little. Her focus left her as she bumped into someone.

She mumbled a half-assed apology, but this change in her path had made her lose sight of the blond-haired singer. With a defeated look on her face, she decided to take a seat on the band's table only to find her prey laughing at her.

"Haha, very funny jackass," Circe said a frown sketched on her face.

"Oh, c'mon you're gonna get wrinkles, dude." Vince teased, earning a smack on his shoulder by both Mick and Circe.

"Dude, you should have seen Nikki's face when you bumped into him." Tommy chimed in with an amused expression. Circe's eyes widened slightly, but a laugh still left her slightly parted lips.

Before she could gather her thoughts to answer Tommy, Vince handed her a cymbal with some coke lines cut up for her enjoyment. She leaned down to snort one of the two lines Vince had cut for her; then she straightened her back, scratching the tip of her nose as she tried to come up with something to say, dusting some of the excess coke in the process. Like Circe came with no logical response to Tommy's comment, she just shrugged and laughed again. Then she leaned back down to snort the second line, a good girl naturally tumbling out of Vince's lips accompanied by a pat on the back.

After that point the night seemed to slip through Circe's fingers, time passing by her as she engaged in conversation, laughing fits leaving her breathless and kisses shared with complete strangers in her smoke breaks were the only things that kept her entertained. As the apartment was quickly emptying, Circe was left sitting by herself in the dining table, a nearly empty bottle of vodka, music and the distinctive sounds of sex being her only company. She rolled her eyes as she drank what little was left of the clear liquid, dropping the bottle on the floor carelessly she headed towards the window, ready to go home unaccompanied when a hand grabbed her by her forearm.

"Hi" said the blonde girl Nikki had been chasing all night long.

"Hey" answered Circe with a small smile.

"You're leaving?" the blonde inquired.

"Yeah"

"Oh, okay." was her reply, a tinge of disappointment laced the two words. Circe smirked just a smidge, her hand came up to the blonde's chin, lifting it as to make her eyes meet.

"C'mon, doll." Circe offered her hand as she walked out the window, the blonde took Circe's hand in her own.

"Wait here, we'll leave soon." Circe said before peaking her head inside the apartment once more, her eyes meeting with Nikki's surprised expression.

"Sixx, if you see Tommy or Vince tell them I finished the vodka." And with that said, she parted with the blonde.

Both girls had been walking for a couple of minutes, their high heels were worn as bracelets by now. The silence was comfortable, no one really trying to break the calm atmosphere they had settled in, embracing the drastic change.

"You live nearby?" Circe asked.

"Yeah, I just didn't want to walk home alone."

"It's cool, sorry if I made you uncomfortable with the doll thing."

"Meh, I didn't mind it."

As the pair headed to the blonde's place, Circe noted the change of behaviour but stayed quiet nonetheless.

"So Nikki? or Vince?" the blonde girl teased with a giggle, earning a breathy laugh from Circe.

"Neither."

"Wait, Vince?" Circe continued after a moment of silence, her voice clearly amused.

"Yeah! Quite a scene you made back there."

"That's just us being, well, us. Nothing beyond that." Circe vaguely informed her.

"If you say so." The girl said in a singsong voice.

"Anyways, this is me! Thanks for walking with me..."

"Circe"

The blonde girl repeated the name to herself in a lower voice. "Josie." Circe rose an eyebrow.

"My name's Josie" she clarified with a smile. "Well, thanks, Circe ."

"Anytime, Josie. " Circe answered, making a point by repeating the girl's name.

As Josie headed to her door, Circe cleared her voice, making her turn to face the brunette with an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah?"

"I kinda get Vince, but why did you ask about Nikki?" Josie laughed to herself at the brunette's curiosity.

"Instinct... question mark" Josie answered, unsure of herself. Circe stared at her in disbelief but decided not to push the topic, instead, she snorted out a laugh.

"I better go home, bye."

"Bye."

And with that, Circe found herself alone one more time, not that she minded. The walk back to her apartment was short, not more than five minutes and she probably would have taken less if she hadn't bumped into an adorable stray cat or if she had actually walked instead of danced and sung all the way back home.

"No place for hidin' baby, no place to run " Circe dramatically sung in her best Paul impersonation, as she tried to open her door.

"You pull the trigger of my love gun."

As those last few notes left Circe, her door finally budged open. Clothes and items were carelessly thrown around the living room, and Circe nearly fell flat on her face after tripping with the clothes she had brought home from work. Circe tried her best to navigate to her room in the dark, in the process bumping into furniture and even a wall, curse after curse falling off her lips. Once she found herself in her room, she let herself fall on the bed, her hand reaching under it to pull out a half-drunk bottle of Jack.

"You can't forget me baby, don't try to lie. You'll never leave me, mama, so don't try. I'll be a gambler, baby lay down the bet. We get together, mama you'll sweat" She restarted her singing as she took a drink from the bottle, then she laughed to herself, clearly amused at her attempt to sound like Paul.

She took another swing of the bottle, as she felt her body swaying, the same feeling you would get when floating in water. Her eyes were teary from the laughter, and her head started to pounce at the thought of work, but she didn't stop drinking. Despite the upcoming headache, she tried to keep herself focused on what she'd like to do with the clothes instead of letting her mind wander off to Josie's question. But before her mind could cave in, she fell asleep.

———————————————————————————————————–

"Rise and shine, sunshine" a male voice, sung from her left. Circe's hold on the bottle tightened as she turned her body to the side, ignoring the man -whom she assumed was Tommy.

"Fuck off" Circe answered, her voice raspy and low, afraid that it would make her headache worse.

"Tommy sent you breakfast c'mon, Ce" At the mention of Tommy, Circe shoot up straight, something her body resented instantly.

"Here, take this" Vince handed her a glass of water, the blond far too relaxed, considering he had broken into her apartment while she slept.

She mumbled a quiet thank you to Vince and took a gulp from the glass, then asked: "What the fuck are you doing here, Neil?"

"Athena came over, she left some food for you, so Tommy gave me your key me and told me to bring it over."

Circe stood up from the bed, holding the cold glass of water to the side of her head while taking a drink from the bottle of Jack. She placed both drinks on the floor as she started to remove her clothes, Vince in her room currently being the last of her concerns. She pulled from her closet her jean overalls and put it over last night's bandeau and panties.

"C'mon, I'm starving."

"Also, that's 10 bucks for the show" She added with a small laugh, then she took a drink from the glass of water before pressing it to the side of her head.

"Ass" the mumbled curse made Circe laugh harder.

Vince followed Circe out of her room, stealing the bottle of Jack in the process, then he flopped down on the couch, throwing his legs on the small coffee table. Circe, on the other hand, headed to her kitchen and decided to brew some coffee, in hopes that the caffeine would ease her headache.

"Bring the syrup, Athena sent you chocolate chip pancakes" Vince yelled from the living room as he made himself comfortable in the couch, taking gulps from the whiskey every now and then.

Circe nodded but huffed at the realisation that she had virtually nothing in her kitchen, meaning she had to eat dry pancakes, again.

"What? No syrup?" Vince asked without looking up, too busy picking some chocolate chips, earning a smack over the head from Circe.

"No, I haven't gone grocery shopping" Circe stole the bottle of Jack back from Vince, pouring some in her coffee. Then she grabbed the plastic fork that came with the pancakes and started eating, offering Vince a piece of pancake every once in a while.

"You know?" Vince wondered out loud. Circe hummed, waiting for him to continue.

"I thought I might find the blonde chick leaving or something."

"Nah, she just wanted someone to walk her home" Circe shrugged, a hand covering her mouth to prevent her pancakes from spilling out of it.

"Ah, man, I thought you had stolen Nikki's toy-for-a-night" Vince said, leaning back into the couch, his eyes covered by his hands.

Vince stayed quiet for a while, before saying: "So... no sex last night?"

"Nah"

"Wanna change that?" Vince teased.

"What? You offering?" Circe asked back with a playful smile. Vince shrugged.

"It's been a while, huh" Circe pondered.

"You had no tattoos back then, Ce."

"So like, a long, long while" Circe laughed a bit.

"Yeah" Vince laughed as well.

"Was it before or after I left my parent's house?" Circe asked.

"Really? Both, it was around the time I left my parent's house, and then you left your parent's house, so we kinda coexisted in Tommy's place" Vince answered, taking Circe's fork and a bite out of the pancake.

"Right" Circe mumbled, deep in thought before snorting out a laugh.

"You finished?" Circe asked, pointing at the pancake Vince was currently eating.

"Yeah" Circe offered her hand to take the container, but Vince took it upon himself to dump it in the trash.

"Hey, do you think Athena is still in your place?"

"Maybe, wanna go?"

"Yeah, why not" Circe answered, shrugging her shoulders.

"Just let me clean my face, I probably look half dead."

Circe made a quick job out of cleaning her face, mainly worried about removing the eyeliner that had smudged under her eyes and the lipstick that had somehow ended up all over her cheek. As she headed back to meet with Vince in her living room, she redid her bun.

"Ready?" Circe just nodded. As they made their way out, she took her keys and two packs of cigarettes, perfectly aware that she had finished Tommy's last night.

Closing and locking the door behind her, they headed to Vince's place. Halfway through Circe decided to jump on Vince's back, claiming she was too tired to walk and she felt sick, the blond man just rolled his eyes all too accustomed to her antics.

"Honey, I'm home" Circe jokingly sang at the sight of Tommy's little sister, Athena. Vince dropped Circe back on her feet, letting the two girls hug.

"Thanks for breakfast, I had nothing left to eat" Circe said. She pinched Athena's cheek before jumping on the kitchen counter.

"Thought so, I don't get how you can live off drugs and booze" Athena replied, directing her sentence to all four people. Tommy shrugged.

"A mystery" Circe and Tommy said simultaneously, then they high-fived earning a barely audible groan from an otherwise silent Nikki.

Tommy frowned at Nikki's reaction but decided to not address his sudden change in attitude. Tommy's gaze shifted between both his best friends, confused as to what had caused the shift in dynamics. Circe rolled her eyes at the sight of Nikki throwing a silent temper tantrum, not once making eye contact or directing a word to her since the day before. Circe decided to pay him no mind, directing her focus on Athena instead, unaware the younger Lee was soon to leave.

Athena pinched Circe's cheek, making her chuckle. "What?"

"You should go visit mom and dad, they've been asking about you."

"I'll think about it, 'k? Maybe I'll give them a call."

"You better, Ce" Athena said, patting her on the knee.

"I'd say this was a pleasure, but-"

"Fuck off" Tommy interrupted his sister with a laugh, "C'mon, I'll drive you home."

Once both Lee siblings left through the window, Nikki stood up from his place, taking long strides towards Circe only stopping once he was right in front of her.

"What?" Circe asked, uncrossing her legs as if to make room for Nikki between them. Still, she had a hard time pushing her smile down.

"Nice stunt you pulled last night." Nikki's words were laced with a tinge of bitterness.

"Which one?"

"Both."

"Huh, I see, you're all grumpy cause you didn't get laid." Circe teased, her smile nothing but sweet despite the jabbing demeanour of her words.

"Fuck o-" Nikki muttered, and Circe chuckled. Then, she pulled Nikki back between her legs by grabbing him from his pants belt loops.

"C'mon, Sixx. Chill, we said we'd play fair, didn't we?"

"You call that playing fair?" Nikki questioned, grabbing Circe by the waist pulling her closer to him.

"I wasn't the one with a pretty blonde on my lap last night, wasn't I? I was only trying to rise up to the occasion." Circe playfully pushed Nikki's chin up with her index before coaxing him to reduce the distance between them.

"I call that playing fair." Circe's voice was breathy, Nikki could practically taste the pancakes she had eaten earlier that day along with the Jack and coffee she had used to gulp them down.

Nikki leaned in to close the small gap that was left between them, but Circe pushed him off her.

"As much as I would like to see where this leads, I have work to do, and you definitely don't figure in it."

Circe jumped off the counter as she said those words, her smirk only getting wider as she spoke. Nikki was shocked and momentarily lost the ability to both move and speak, so as the brunette walked through the window and out his apartment, he stood still.

[pinkykitten]

Roses

The Good Doctor

Neil Melendez x female! reader

Warning: abusive ex, talking about abuse, violence 

Specifics: angst, romance, fluff, comedy, race neutral reader, one-shot

People: neil melendez, shaun murphy, greg (oc)

Words: 2,344

Requested: By anon Okay hi I'm thirsty for a fluffy protection type fiction. Like maybe Niel Melendez brings his girlfriend out for a nice dinner and shopping day and they end up seeing their abusive ex that decides to confront them so he gets protective (he's got them big muscules so 😂) and idk take it fron there i guess? Please and thank you! 💙💙

Authors Note: ok first off this is a very touchy subject and if u r in a abusive relationship or know some one who is in one pls get help, u dont deserve this treatment and ask someone for help, call someone, call the hotline for ur area this is a very serious subject. i hope i did justice in that area for survivors. i also chose this gif because i luv seeing my bby kissing and like hes just soooo handsome, us good folks all deserve a melendez in our life! also i read that flower in japanese is hana if its not im srry i found it on google.

“So you’re gonna join me at 7 tonight right?” Your boyfriend Neil asked as he stepped behind you, kissing your head. 

“Babe we’re at work,” you chuckled, turning around and greeting his precious, handsome face. His lips curled into a smile, “you think I care, I’m showing my girl some love.”

You wrapped your arms around his neck and kissed his lips lightly, “of course I’m gonna be there. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” You pecked his cheek and then whispered your parting into his ear, “I can’t wait for you to see how tight my dress is on me.”

“If you keep talking like that I might just want to skip dinner and eat something else instead.”

You rolled your eyes, hitting his shoulder playfully, “forward aren't we today Neil!” As Neil was about to proceed in his flirtatious attitude Shaun showed up and gave his innocent face to the two of you. “What are you two discussing?”

You found that it was your time to leave so you gave a little wave and let Neil take that embarrassing question for the team, “I know babe you’ll come up with a good answer to Shaun.”

You were very excited to meet up with Neil for dinner. He was taking you somewhere that you always wanted to go, according to him. See, the dinner or more like where it is taken at is a surprise. You have not a clue where Neil is taking you. It made you bubbly on the inside towards the day. 

Taking the day into your hands you got out of work early so you could have time to doll yourself up. 

When you arrived home you took a shower, put makeup on, and then slipped on your dress. As you took a look in the mirror at your self you were unsure. “I don’t know, is this too much?” You questioned a loud, peering at yourself from side to side. Thats when you heard a knock at your door. “Oh well too late now.”

You touched up on your lips real quick with your makeup and ran to the door in your heels. Taking a couple of breaths you opened to find Neil.

“Hi babe, wow you look,” your words were stuck in your throat. You eyed him up and down and swallowed harshly. “Wow, you look so, so, so-”

“Look at you,” he whispered, almost like to himself. He was looking at you up and down as well but he looked at you as if you were the most beautiful star in the galaxy. His eyes shone with love, having a little twinkle in them. He was head over heels for you, he was in love. “You look gorgeous baby.”

You smiled away, bashful, “You look amazing as well.”

Neil brought his hand out for you to take hold. He guided you to his car, opening the door for you like a gentleman, “oh you didn’t need to do that.”

Neil bent down to capture your lips in a kiss, “I wanted to though.”

On your way to the surprise restaurant you couldn’t help but try to guess where he was taking you. He would sternly give you a look and then you would pout making him give in and give you hints. 

“Okay we’re here.” Your head shot up to the restaurant. E/c eyes opening wide and bright you squeal in shock. “No way babe, you got a reservation for this restaurant? I’ve wanted to come here for so long, how did you know?”

Neil took a hold of your hand and was giggling at how adorable you were acting, “y/n you talk about this place all the time. Let me tell you it wasn’t easy getting reservations but I kinda had to pull a few strings.”

You embraced Neil and kissed him repeatedly all over the face, “I. LOVE. YOU. SO. MUCH!”

“I love you too, now c’mon.”

You two walked to the restaurant and it was as if you stepped into a fairy tale book. There were chandeliers gleaming and sparkling like diamonds, hanging delicately from the roof. There was gold embroidery on almost everything. A live band playing jazz music was there. All the guests look so sophisticated and glamorous with their outfits on. You were astonished. “Oh my god this is so classy, I can’t believe I’m here.”

Neil places his hand on your lower back to escort you to the table that the waiter had for you two. You both sat by a window, overseeing the city. The lights were bright and small making it seem like fireflies. As you looked down below you could see people walking, minding their own business. 

“Thank you for taking me here. I’m so happy to be here with you. This is the best surprises.”

Neil grabbed your hand and kissed it, “well get used to it. There’s gonna be more surprises along the road. You chuckled and lightly touched his leg with yours, “who knows maybe I have a surprise up my sleeve for you today.” You flirted to him as he raised his brow. 

You two dined fine that afternoon. Laughing, flirting, just having yourself a good time that is until you saw him. You look up into his eyes, your heart and world seem to stop. Its only him and you. It is your ex from your college days, only a couple of years ago did you break up with him. He was a monster. He would abuse you verbally but also physically. Your eyes widen and you are brought back in the present with Neil’s voice. “You okay sweetheart?”

You almost choke on your food but nod not wanting him to worry, “yes I’m fine.” The ex comes to your table with a new woman. She seems to have a bad attitude. “Why if it isn’t y/n l/n. How are you?”

As he gets closer to the table you see clearly his face again. That dam* face, still to this day gives you nightmares. Neil never knew about him because you felt that it was not necessary to tell him of this information. You were quiet with your answer, looking down and not at him, “fine.”

Neil took note of this and knew something was up, he was worried. “How do you two know each other?”

“Oh he’s just an old-”

“We used to date, I’m Greg.”

Neil was about to give his name when Greg stopped him, he shook his hand and said, “no need Mr. Melendez. I know all about you. You’re that doctor in that hospital with that autistic kid. Must have a hel* of a lot stories with him.”

“Actually he’s very good with his job, he’s one of the best.” Neil answered back. 

“Now what do you do again y/n?”

“I’m a doctor at the same hospital. We work together.” Your hands found themselves twisting and clutching the table cloth. You did not act like yourself. 

“Oh how nice, are you two together?”

Neil nodded and grabbed your hand, reassuring you and showing that you two are together to your old ex, feeling a bit jealous. “Yes we are actually. She’s the best thing thats ever happened to me.”

“Thats funny I remember when I used to say that. Man, it seems like a million years ago.”

You could tell Neil was getting over protective of you the way his jaw clenched whenever that wrenched man ever talked about your past relationship with him. 

“I always told y/n though, when she told me she wanted to be a doctor, to reach for something more...possible. Now look! She’s done the thing she wanted to do, maybe I some what some way encouraged her.” He laughed evilly at the end of his statement.

“Well I’ve always told y/n that she can do anything she puts her mind to. She’s very hard working and that is one of the many things that I love about her,” Neil was almost about to break the knife he was holding. His eyes were burning with anger. He was boiling on the inside. His jaw was clenching and he was almost shaking at how rude this man was to you. 

The man took notice of it and wanted to play with fire. He placed his tough hands that were rough looking on your shoulder, close to your neck. “Its a shame, as I recall me and y/n had some wonderful times together. Didn’t we sweetheart?”

Your breathing was coming out in short breaths, your nostrils flaring. Tears almost about to spill. You were frightened. If Neil wasn’t here you would of gotten up and ran away, but you didn’t want to form a show. You nodded to his question. His hand lingered too long on you for Neil’s liking. Greg’s fingers stroking where he used to strangle you when you two were together and then as you were about to pass out he would let you take a breath. He liked to be the leader, the man capable of deciding whether you lived or died. You started to shake with fear and Neil had enough. He abruptly stood up, his muscles showing full well through his tight suit. He looked as if he wanted to punch Greg straight in the jaw. Neil walked so close to Greg you were worried they were about to fight. 

“Don’t touch her.” Neil ordered, his voice rough almost a bark. 

“Excuse me?”

Neil pointed a finger at him, “I said don’t touch her. Get your ungrateful hands off her.”

Greg looked like he was the victim and placed his hands by his side. “You can have the whore, she wasn’t good any ways.”

Neil almost lunged himself at the man but you blocked Neil and stopped him. You placed a hand on his cheek to get him to only pay attention to you. “Hey babe its okay look at me, please don’t worry about him.” Neil tried to focus on his breathing and his temper, leaning his forehead against yours. As he sat down, almost calm, you saw that he bent the knife all the way so that it looked like a c. As things were settled you felt the heat of it all on you at that moment and needed fresh air. 

“I think I’m done here,” you wiped your mouth with the napkin and ran to the exit. Tears streaming down your face. 

Neil tried to stop you, calling out your name. He was very worried about you. 

You sprinted outside and sat on a nearby bench away from everyone. There you sobbed, all of the monstrous things that Greg did coming back to you and haunting you. 

“Baby,” you heard Neil’s voice as he came up to you. “Baby whats wrong?”

He sat beside you and looked at your face. Your cheeks stained with tears. Neil’s arm found themselves around your shoulder. “Please y/n tell me whats wrong?”

“That man inside the restaurant. Its true what he says that we were together, but when I was with him he, he beat me. Neil he used to beat me so many times a day, he hurt me so bad.” You sobbed uncontrollably in Neil’s chest. Neil embraced you tighter, kissing your forehead. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“He scared me Neil, I was so scared!”

Neil was shaking with anger. “I’ll kill that man! I’m gonna kill him.” He was being very over protective over you. You were his life. 

“No please babe, please don’t. I don’t want you to get into trouble, please.” Your eyes said it all when he looked into them. They were begging.

Neil closed his eyes, they were watery. “Okay.” Was all he could say.

You clutched onto Neil as hard as you could. Just wanting him to be with you and to just have his presence. He made you feel safe and calm. 

“I promise nobody will ever hurt you again,” he whispered into your ear. Kissing your face then your lips, showing you how much he truly loves you. 

Neil was there for you. He comforted you by patting your back and whispering how much he loves you. 

“How are you feeling?”

You sniffled and looked up at Neil. Neil wiped your tears away and kissed your cheek. You smiled and basked in his love, “I’m doing better thanks.”

“Why don’t we do something that’ll cheer you up. I mean you look so beautiful I don’t want this beauty to go to waste.”

“What did you have in mind?”

Neil grabbed your hand and brought you to an unknown store named, “Hana.”

“Hmm what is he up to?”

After a few minutes Neil came out of the store. He hid something behind his back, his dimples showing on his handsome face as he grins at you. 

“Another surprise?” You asked as you tried to see behind him. 

“Here its for you, to make you feel better.” Neil pulled the gift from behind. It was a bouquet of roses. 

You felt like crying...again! This man treated you so spectacularly. He treated you like a princess, always wanting you to feel happy. It was silence, you looked at the roses and started to tear up, “they are so beautiful babe.”

“I thought you needed some cheering up. A gift to show you how much you mean to me.”

You smelled the roses but then placed them delicately in the bag. You placed both your hands on Neil’s face and inched closer to him, “I love you so much.”

Your lips joined in unison. You opened your mouth wider to kiss more fiercely. You moaned in the kiss, “I love you so much. I love you so much.”

You two separated and Neil brought you protectively close to him. His arms feeling like a comforting cage around you, they were thick and strong. “I love you too baby.”

You two walked together, enjoying the rest of the night and not caring about any body else except you two’s love.

Tag list: @harrington-lover, @angelgl16, @perfectlybeautifulsuit, @hyehoney, @haven-prelude (wont let me tag), @leasly, @totally-alexa21, @creamy-pasta-boi, @multireese, @fanfictionrecommendations-com, @prentisskelley, @malereaderforkpop (wont let me tag), @guardian-of-cookies, @justafangirl-97, @teenageshitposts (wont let me tag), @andreaoreas, @dippergravity (wont let me tag), @some-booty, @fromfoolishpeopletodeadpeople, @collectiveyou, @wtfisalltherandoms, @fangirl-4-life415

wanna be tagged in my crap? comment!

[wiypt-writes]

Stark Spangled Destiny

Ch 4- Get Busy Living, Or Get Busy Dying

Chapter Summary: We check back in with Steve and the Kids, before Katie is taken back to a time a few weeks post the Battle of New York, where she desperately tries to get through to a despondent Steve.

Chapter Warnings: Bad Language words.

Chapter Pairings:  Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

A/N: So these chapters contain flashbacks of sorts- but they’re not flashbacks as Katie is watching the events unfold in front of her-a “Time heist” of sorts. However, to keep it clear and hopefully not confusing, the events she is watching are depicted in itallics instead of me trying to keep calling her 2010 v 2030 Katie…

This was originally finished and posted on the day that we all learned of Chadwick Bosman’s passing.  I sure can read the emotion I was feeling when I wrote it, and therefore I still dedicate this to him.

 Rest in power, King. Wakanda Forever.

Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction and classified as 18+. Please respect this and do not read if you are underage. I do not own any characters in this series bar Katie Stark and the other OCs. By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer.

Stark Spangled Destiny Masterlist // Main Masterlist

When Steve arrived home, Emmy’s car was already in the driveway. Rori gave a little squeal at the fact her sister was home and shot off to the front door of the house, bouncing on the step.

“Hurry up, Daddy!” she turned to look at him.

“Alright, alright.” He chuckled, reaching her with a few strides and pressing his palm to the access pad. The door clicked open and Rori shot inside, running down the hallway shouting Emmy’s name, Harry toddling behind her as fast as he could followed by Stark, his nails causing him to slip on the wooden floor as he ran, sliding ass first into the small table which thankfully didn’t fall over.

“Rori, hush!” Steve hastily tried to quiet her for fear Katie was asleep, but to no avail. With a sigh he pushed Flossie’s stroller in and then once Jamie had followed him inside he closed the door, the security system clicking back into place.

“Am I banished to my room now?” Jamie looked at him.

Steve took a deep breath, before he shook his head. “Not yet no, but you’re going up after dinner.”

“Okay.” Jamie nodded as he kicked off his sneakers and picked them up, placing them in the rack by the door. “I think I’m gonna go up anyway.”

Steve looked at him, and nodded, watching as he headed off to the stairs, his shoulders slumped a little. He hated it when any of his kids were upset but this was Jamie’s own doing. With a sigh he gently picked Flossie out of her stroller, bent to retrieve the flowers that they’d all chosen from the little meadow and headed into the kitchen where he could hear Rori gabbling on excitedly.

“Hey Dad.” Emmy looked up at him, a little sheepishly given their earlier exchanged and he smiled at her as she came towards him, arms outstretched. He passed Flossie over and then placed the flowers on the side before retrieving the empty vase from the windowsill, giving a small groan of frustration. This vase was never empty, he usually made sure of that by always bringing Katie some flowers home once a week or so, but as he filled it up with water for the flowers the kids had picked, Steve realised he’d been as guilty of neglecting her and taking her foregranted a little as anyone else in the house had been.

“I take it Mom’s still sleeping?” Emmy asked and Steve turned to look at her.

“Yeah, she must be.” He nodded. “I’ll go wake her in a little while once we’ve ordered dinner.”

“I really am sorry.” Emmy began and Steve held his hand up.

“I know, it’s done okay?” He shook his head. “We just need to make sure in future we help out a little more, an I include myself in that.”

“Daddy?” Rori tugged on his jeans and he looked down “Can you try and fix my doll now?”

“Yeah, sure.” He nodded, looking at the offended broken Barbie doll on the side. Whatever had happened between Jamie and Rori, Jamie had managed to snap the head off from the neck. He took it in his hands, had a quick look before he disappeared into the laundry room for the superglue. After a little careful application he’d managed to reattach it reasonably well.

“All fixed.” he walked back in, holding the damned doll upright as Rori gave an excited squeal “But you need to leave it to set for a while.”

“Daddy you’re the best!” She hugged him tight and he chuckled as he passed it to her.

“Be careful.”

Rori nodded as she looked at the doll and then her face fell. “But I can still see the break.” She whispered.

“I can’t do anything about that, Princess.” Steve sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“I can…” Emmy said suddenly. “Rori, go grab your craft kit.”

Rori looked at her, then to Steve who shrugged, before she thrust the doll back at him and disappeared into the den. Steve gave Emmy a questioning look and she simply winked as she placed Flossie down in the pack and play in the corner of the room, where the baby let out a loud shriek and wiggled her legs and arms excitedly at the activity station above her, grabbing at one of the rattles.

Rori came back in, carrying the little plastic box that she kept all of her stuff for colouring and sticking in the Crap Book, and set it down on the table as she scrambled into a seat. Emmy dropped next to her and opened the lid.

“Okay, so…” she began sifting through the stuff in the box and then pulled out 4 little squares of material that Rori had in there. “Which one is best?”

“Erm…” Rori looked at them before she pointed to a bright pink piece. “That one.” “Good choice.” Emmy nodded. She reached into the box once more and pulled out the crimping scissors that were in there because Rori liked the shape it left on the edge of things. Steve watched as his eldest carefully cut a thin sliver of the material off. “Dad, can you pass me headless Barbie?”

Steve smiled and headed the doll back over and Emmy wound the material round the doll’s neck, tying it in place at the front with a knot.

“There.” She said as Rori gave a huge gasp and a smile. “Line gone and Barbie now has an on point kerchief.”

“That’s awesome!” Rori grinned, giving her sister a hug. “Thank you, Emmy.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Now, Aurora,” Steve looked at her and she glanced at him, her face falling at the use of her full name, because she knew full well what it meant, “if I find out you’ve hit Jamie with it again, it’s going straight in the garbage, you understand me?” “Yes Daddy.” She said, her eyes falling down to the table.

“Good.” He nodded before he looked at Emmy. “Now, I don’t know about you, but I could use a beer.”

Emmy smiled “Sure. Sounds good.”

“Can I-“

“No.” Steve cut Rori off. “You can have a juice box. What flavour do you want?”

“Can I have apple please?”

“Sure.” He turned to Harry who was sat at the table, pushing a small car across the surface. “Hey Buddy, you want a juice box too?”

“Owange pwease.” He looked at Steve who nodded and moved to the fridge. He passed the kids each a drink, piercing Harry’s with the straw for him before he moved to the wine cooler and pulled two beers out of the beer section at the bottom. He flipped the lids on the opener set into the unit and slid one over to Emmy as Rori hopped down from the table and announced the was going to the Den.

“Any luck on the apartment hunting?” He asked and she wrinkled her nose.

“Not really.” She shrugged. “We can’t agree on anywhere. I like a place, Pete isn’t so keen, he likes somewhere, I’m not sure.” She looked at Steve “How did you and Mom agree on this place?”

“We just walked in and knew it was right.” He shrugged. “We were in a slightly different position though. We’d been living in our apartment and the compound for so long, I think this place just ticked everything we wanted. Plus, your Mom was pregnant with Jamie so we saw past the tiny little niggles we had and focussed on the good bits and there were far many more points we liked. We changed the bits we didn’t eventually.” He looked around the kitchen “And it’s nice. It’s home.”

“Pete’s not really comfortable with you and Mom saying you’d buy us somewhere.” Emmy said gently and Steve smiled, chuckling.

“I wasn’t comfortable with your Mom basically buying this place either.” He shrugged. “But, well as she pointed out, we were married by then, it was a moot point.” He took a pull from his bottle. “Did she ever tell you about the house we viewed before we got married?” Emmy grinned and nodded “Danni with an I, remember?” Steve snorted and then shrugged. “Yeah, so I had a hard time with that because I had nowhere near as much money as your Mom to put down but, it’s just money Em. Easy to say when you have it but if you and Pete are ready to settle down and be together then it shouldn’t be an issue. You want me to talk to him?” “No.” Emmy hastily spoke. “Absolutely not. You already scare the sh…” she stopped herself swearing and Steve arched a brow. “You scare the life out of him.”

“Good.” Steve grinned “I’m your Dad. That’s my job.”

Emmy rolled her eyes and Steve bit back a chuckle, checking his watch. It was almost seven. So much for an early night for the kids.

“Right, I’m going to order dinner. Fancy doing me a favour?”

“Sure.” Emmy shrugged

“Can you get Harry a bath and into his pyjamas? I’ll round the other two up once you’re done.”

“No bath from Emmy.” Harry mumbled “Momma gives me my bath.”

“Momma’s sleeping buddy, but she’ll come down in a little while for dinner ok?”

Harry looked at him and then grinned “Emmy…daddy got momma wet yesterday.”

Steve spluttered on his beer as Emmy looked at him, arching an eyebrow.

“He means at bath time.” Steve hastily explained “Harry was splashing and it ended up in a slight water fight…”

“Well of course, what else could he mean?” Emmy rolled her eyes before she groaned “God that’s a disgusting image…”

Steve blushed a little before he shook his head, pulling out his phone. “Pizza?”

Emmy nodded before she frowned “Actually, whilst I’m okay with whatever, surely mom would prefer her favourite if she’s feeling down?”

Steve pondered. “Good point. I can order from both. You want a burger or…”

Em nodded. “I’ll have the same as mom, double cheese with a side of chilli fries…oh, and can we get some mac and cheese to share?”

Steve shook his head. “I don’t share food, I’ll get two.”

Emmy smiled and then stood up grinning at her younger brother. “Okay Squirt, let’s go get you bathed.”

Harry looked at her, before he shook his head, “nope,” and in a flash he was off his chair, sprinting out of the room, cackling to himself. Emmy shook her head and with a snort took off after him. Steve watched them go, smiling to himself for a second before he set about ordering their dinner. ***** “Hey…” Katie looked at Steve as he emerged into her tower penthouse. “You okay?”

“Yeah, no, actually I dunno.” He sighed, “I’m sorry to barge in and bother you but…”

“It’s okay, I’m not busy.” She looked at him frowning, “what’s up, Soldier?”

“I had a meeting with Fury before.” Steve bit his lip, “he was going on about the academy and stuff he has planned for me and…” he trailed off

“Say what’s on your mind.” Katie encouraged, gently as she took him in. It had only been two weeks since the battle of New York, and Steve looked absolutely exhausted. She could tell he wasn’t sleeping. She’d seen him a handful of times over the past fortnight and he’d started to look more and more drawn with each visit.

“It’s overwhelming.” Steve replied eventually, shaking his head “Everything. God, it’s so noisy and…” he swallowed, “look, sorry, I’m just, I don’t know what I’m doing here, Katie. The world is so different. This isn’t me.” Katie pondered something for a minute, before she had a sudden wave of inspiration.

“Ever seen Niagara falls?”

“What?” Steve frowned, utterly perplexed at her change of subject. “No, but what’s…”

“I think you need a little head space.” She mused, before she spoke. “JARVIS?”

“Yes, Miss Stark.” The AI responded and Steve jumped a little. He wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to the voice belonging to a man that didn’t actually exist.

“Can you patch through and get one of the jets ready. Set a course for Niagara, I want to take a trip.”

“Of course Miss Stark.” Jarvis replied. “Give me a moment.”

“We can’t just fly to Niagara.” Steve looked at Katie horrified, “I mean…”

“The beauty of having a personal, private Jet is just that, Steve,” she grinned, “I can go where I want, when I want, with anyone I want. Well, most of the time anyway.”

“Isn’t that a little...”

“Self-indulgent? Eccentric? Arrogant?” She looked at him, arching an eyebrow and he sighed, shaking his head.

“I didn’t mean that. I wasn’t…”

“Well if you did mean that, you’d be correct, of course it is.” She shrugged. “But I don’t much care. It comes in handy, and as part and parcel of being friends with a Stark, you get the privilege too. Oh, and if you’re worried about the environment, don’t be. They run on self-sufficient energy sources, like this place.” She waved her hand around the apartment and Steve gave her a small smile.

“Sorry,” he looked at her a little sheepisly, “I didn’t mean to sound rude.”

Katie shrugged, “no offence taken, it’s okay.”

“Miss Stark?” JARVIS spoke again. “The Jet will be ready to leave in half an hour. Would you like me to organise a car?”

“No need, I’ll take mine. Can you have Happy sort the clearances for myself and Captain Rogers, and a car at the other side?”

“Of course”

“Thanks J.” She said, then she looked at Steve. “How about it Cap? A little spontaneous fun might be just what you need.”

“I don’t know.”

“Oh come on!” She pleaded. “You need to learn to let go, live in the moment. Not everything has to be so serious and daunting.”

Steve looked at her as she raised her eyebrows before he rolled his eyes. “Fine.”

She gave him a grin and nodded, “okay, wait here, gonna grab my jacket.”

“Do I need anything?” He asked “Like to fly or…”

“No, you’re good.” She tossed over her shoulder as she headed into her room. Shoving on a pair of sneakers and grabbing her leather jacket she walked back out to find Steve stood in exactly the same place he had been, his hands twisting together almost nervously. She took him in for a moment, he was wearing a pair of light grey slacks, a blue and white plaid with a white t-shirt just visible where the top three buttons where undone and a brown leather jacket. “What’s your schedule like next week?”

“I err, I don’t have a….what?” He frowned, utterly perplexed. .

“Never mind, I’ll sort it. We’re going clothes shopping.”

“No, absolutely not.” He shook his head.

“Steve, you can’t walk around dressed like that forever.” She scoffed “You want a quiet life? You’re gonna have to blend in a little.” As she watched his face fell and she cursed herself, hastily adding, “it’s not that you look bad. You don’t, at all. But trust me, the more you can embrace the changes in your life the happier you’re gonna feel.”

“Who says I want to embrace it?” He mumbled.

“Don’t you?” She challenged, looking at him. He gave a sigh and shrugged. “Well, that’s up to you. I can’t make your mind up for you.” “No? You’ve done a pretty good job of that today so far.” He quipped and she looked at him.

“If you really don’t want to go then we don’t have to.” She replied, not a shred of annoyance or anger in her voice. “I just thought it might be nice to get away from the noise. Both out there and in here…” She reached up and gently tapped his temple. There was a moment’s pause before Steve took a deep breath and smiled.

“No, I know. You’re right.” He nodded. “Lead the way.”

“God, I never realised how forceful I was.” Katie mused, watching as her past self and Steve headed into the elevator. She turned to Tony. “I was worse than you!”

“Hmmmm,” Tony rotated his hand in front of him on a so-so motion, “maybe not quite.”

“He needed it though.” Katie let out a breath from her nose. “God, he was so down for those few weeks after New York. I hated seeing him like that, so sad and lost.”

“You don’t know the half of it.” Natasha muttered and Katie turned to her, frowning.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll see.” Natasha said, airily as she too headed to the elevator “Come on.”

They made their way down through to the parking lot in time to see Katie unlocking the white range Rover that had ended up buried under the Triskellion. Steve hopped into the passenger side, and Katie said something to him. He turned, reached for his belt, clicked it in and then looked at her, arching his brows. She nodded and then pulled the car out of the spot.

“He hated seatbelts.” Katie smiled fondly before she imitated his deep baritone. “They didn’t have these in my day…”

“Seatbelts, toasters, microwaves, headless and faceless voices,” Tony ticked them off on his hands, “mobile phones, TVs…” “Flashy billionaires in red and gold metal suits.” Katie nudged him, and he turned to look at her, his trademark smirk on his face. She sighed “He didn’t take long to come round, all things considered.”

They hopped into Tony’s car and emerged into sunny Manhattan from the underground lot. Katie smiled, taking it all in fondly. It had changed, dramatically following the events of the Snap and was still a very different place to the one she had once loved and called home. And then sure enough, the scenery was changing once more and they were pulling into the parking lot at Nigara Falls State Park. They all climbed out, and Katie followed Tony and Natasha through the throng of sight seers, taking the route she could remember with Steve. She could recall this trip like it was yesterday. They’d spent a few hours walking around, down to the Cave of Winds…which seemed to be where they were heading now. And, sure enough, after a little time walking Tony stopped and nodded to where her past self and Steve were stood on the Hurricane Deck, both in bright yellow ponchos. Katie knew what was coming and her face split into a grin as she watched.

Suddenly a sheet of water blew right over them, drenching them both. Steve’s face arranged itself into utter shock and Katie burst into laughter as she glanced up at him, his hair flattened to his head, water dripping down his face.

“I told you to put the hood up!” She howled, tipping her head back as she laughed. He glanced at her, wiping his face, before another wave blew over them.

“What the hell!” He spluttered, before a grin split his face in two and he gave a chuckle as well, shaking his head. He turned to look at the waterfall, taking a huge breath, closing his eyes. After another few rounds of being drenched, Katie tapped his arm and jerked her head, the pair of them heading a little further down the trail. Steve reached up and brushed his soaking hair back from his face, looking at Katie who grinned back at him.

“Everyone who comes to Niagara has to feel the spray on their face.”

“That wasn’t spray!” Steve scoffed. “We might as well have jumped into the damned fall itself.”

“Now there’s an idea.” Katie mused “I reckon they’d let you if we asked.”

“Yeah, I mean I already did one plunge to my supposed death into icy water.” Steve looked at her “What’s another?”

“Ooh was that sarcasm?” Katie arched her eyebrow and Steve rolled his eyes.

“Maybe.” He shrugged and she laughed, shaking her head.

“Come on, we can head back up and grab a coffee. Take in the view where we’re safe and dry.”

Together they weaved their way back through the visitors, and Katie’s eyes were taken by a gang of people who were all pointing at Steve and nudging one another. “Don’t bother.” She said loudly, and they looked at her, frowning.“It’s not him. He just looks very similar. Makes a killing as tribute act.”

“What are you talking about?” Steve looked at her.

“Tell you in a bit.” She grabbed his elbow and steered him up a narrow, step-lined path towards a small outdoors coffee stall. “What’s your poison?”

“Erm. Just normal, I guess?”

“Can I get a large Latte and an Americano.” Katie turned back to the barista before she looked at Steve. “You want cream or…”

“Please.” He nodded. He’d drunk it black mostly when on tour in the army, but that was because there wasn’t much of an option for any other way. Katie nodded to the barista, thanked him and reached for her purse.

“Oh, I’ll get it.” Steve said quickly, fishing his wallet out and handing over a note. Katie looked at him, smiled and thanked him and they moved further down to wait for their coffee. “So who makes a killing as a tribute act?”

“You.” She shrugged. “Well, so I told them. They’d recognised you, I think.”

“Oh.” Steve looked around “Right.”

“It’s okay, I threw them off.” She smiled, taking her drink. She moved over to the table at the side, adding a sugar to hers and stirring. Steve did the same, another thing that had never been possible in the war and once they were sorted the two of them headed over to the little viewing area, which gave a safe look out over the expanse of the waterfalls.

“You’re right, it really is beautiful” Steve looked around, taking a sip of his coffee, his aviators placed on his face.

“Yeah, I like it.” She smiled.

“You come here often or…”

“Not been for years. In fact, the last time was just after my 21st. Me and Tony came for a day out, well, I say day, we actually stayed over. Made a weekend of it. It was fun.”

“Fun.” Steve repeated. “Yeah, I remember that.”

Katie sighed. “You know, I get that you’re pissed and confused, I would be as well, Steve but you’re being your own worst enemy now.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He asked, a little defensively. She turned to him, completely nonplussed by his tone and eyed him shrewdly.

“You know, there’s a quote from one of my favourite films that sums up you and your ‘situation’,” she framed the words with quotation marks using her fingers, “perfectly.” She looked at him. “’You can either get busy living, or get busy dying’.”

Steve took a deep breath, his face still trained on hers and she saw him swallowing a little.

“The world has changed Steve, there’s no escaping that,” Katie reached out to take his hand, giving it a little squeeze, “but that doesn’t make it any less beautiful.”

She watched as he took a deep breath and turned away from her, his hand still linked in hers as he looked back over the waterfall. He didn’t reply.

Katie wiped at her eyes as Tony dropped an arm round her shoulder, totally swept up in the emotion. “Fuck,” she swallowed, “I…”

“I know.” Tony said gently as she leaned into him, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“He just looks so,” Katie glanced at Steve, “defeated. That’s exactly how he looked in Wakanda when…” She trailed off. “I hate seeing him like this.”

“I know but remember this didn’t last long.” Tony soothed her. “You got through to him.”

“Big time.” Natasha added, gently. “Nova, this was a pivotal moment in Steve’s life. He always told me that ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ was a personal favourite of his, and this is why.”

“Yeah, I know. He’s told me.” Katie sniffed. “In fact, he told me not long after we started dating that this moment was what made him kick himself up the ass, realise that he had to try and move forward. It’s why we came back here a few times. But it didn’t make it any easier for him you know? He still struggled.”

“No, but you did.” Natasha looked at her. “You made it a hell of a lot easier for him. You know this.”

Katie nodded. “Yeah, like I say, he’s told me plenty of times. Still, guess he had no option. Not like he could go back was it?”

“Well, he could have.” Tony shrugged. “When I cracked Time Travel.”

“I mean at the time.” Katie shot Tony a glare. “Stop being facetious.”

“Yeah, about that, that isn’t strictly true either. Well, maybe not the Time Travel thing but…” Natasha trailed off as Katie looked at her, frowning.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll see.” Nat smiled. “Come on.”

Katie looked at Tony who simply shrugged before she tossed a glance back over to her past self who was now stood with Steve, both engaged in a conversation. She fondly recalled how it had taken a lighter turn, Katie telling Steve about her experiences in London, and he his, both of them sharing a laugh about how the two were very different. She made a mental note to tell him they needed to come back to Niagara soon, with the kids this time. With a final, fond look at the back of her soldier, she turned and followed her friend and brother towards the car.

*****

“Now this takes me back.” Katie smiled, fondly looking around the inside of Steve’s New York apartment that SHIELD had put him up in. It was clean and tidy, nothing out of place. Not unlike his home in DC had been, well, that is until she had descended upon it and caused chaos. She used to take great delight in moving things around and seeing how long it took him to notice and especially wearing odd socks which she would flash when she kicked off her sneakers and either dropped her feet onto the coffee table or up on the sofa besides him. He had hated that, so much so that for her birthday the first year he’d known her, he’d jokingly bought her a bumper pack of the items which were labelled with the days of the weeks on. More fool him though, as she’d simply mixed them all up and started wearing them on the wrong days. Rori now wore odd socks too, copying her, and Steve simply rolled his eyes every time he saw it, chuckling to himself.

Just another way he had come so far from the uptight man he had been all those years ago.

She wheeled round as she saw Steve walk into the apartment, in the same outfit as she had been in at Niagara. She glanced at the calendar on the wall and realised it was the same day, this must have been the night they had gotten home.

Curiously, she followed him into the kitchen where he pulled out a beer and popped the lid with his hand.

“Show off.” Tony mumbled and Katie snorted.

“He still does that you know, not all the time but, when he’s feeling like wants to be particularly macho.” Katie smiled fondly.

The three of them watched as Steve sat down at the small table, both his large hands cradling his drink as he sat still, his eyes fixated on a spot on the wall, his face deep in concentration. Katie felt her chest contract a little, he looked so damned lost.

He reached for his phone, pulling it out, looking at it. It was a Samsung, Katie had shown him how to use it, she remembered and she also remembered showing him how to take photos with it, which she knew he’d done at Niagara, testing it out.

This was strange for her to watch, as she hadn’t been here for this moment previously. So she couldn’t know for sure what he was thinking as he looked at his phone. She took a step towards him, peering over his shoulder as she glanced down at what he was looking at. It was a picture of the water fall he’d taken as they stood with a coffee, and then he swiped to the next one which was the first ‘selfie’ of the pair of them ever taken, one which still sat in a frame on the side in their hallway. Steve had crouched down to get into the frame, as Katie couldn’t quite reach far enough otherwise and he’d smiled, a little awkwardly, but it made for a good shot all things considered. She’d teased him relentlessly about being the Poster Boy of the damned War, but being so shit at actually taking a photo. So much so at one point he’d threatened to throw her over the railing. She’d laughed than and slapped his arm, drawing a chuckle from him in response.

Steve gave a little sigh as he looked at the photo, before he turned the screen off, drained his beer and pushed his chair back from the table. Picking up his jacket he left, locking the door behind him.

“What…” Katie looked at Natasha who nodded to the door.

Katie frowned, opened it and stepped through…and found herself in an office. Only this wasn’t at the Triskellion, it was at their base in New York. Steve was stood in front of Fury, who was lounging in a chair.

“I take it from the demand to see me immediately you’ve come to a decision?” Fury eyed Steve and the soldier took a deep breath.

“Yes, I have Sir.”

“And?”

“I don’t want to go back into stasis.” Steve spoke clearly. “I was tempted but, well, I’ve been given a second shot at my life. I owe it to those men, all my friends who didn’t, not to throw it away.”

Fury took a deep breath and nodded. “Good, I’m glad. Like I said a few months back, the world could still use a man like you, Cap.”

Steve nodded. “I’ll take the position in SHIELD it it’s still open. Just tell me where I need to be and when.”

Fury smiled. “Consider it done.”

“Thank you.” Steve said, before he nodded to the door. “I’ll see myself out.”

As he turned to go, Fury stopped him. “I’m curious, what changed your mind, other than owing it to the dead?”

Steve hesitated and turned to the Director, a small smile on his face. “Let’s just say I had my eyes opened. The world has changed, but it’s still a beautiful place.”

Katie’s breathing was deep as she watched Steve leave the office, “He…he was going…” the words caught in her throat as she looked at Natasha, completely in shock at the scene she had just watched.

Natasha nodded. “Fury offered him the chance to go into stasis, to be frozen again, and brought back out if we ever needed him. Just like HYDRA did with Barnes.”

“He never told me that.” Katie sniffed, her eyes stinging with tears. “He never mentioned any of this to me, I can’t…”

At that point she began to cry and she turned to Tony who wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed into his chest. The thought that Steve had felt so lost he had even considered this broke her damned heart and she couldn’t stop the tears as they continued to fall. And more so, she couldn’t understand why he had never told her.

“‘I’m only strong because you’re by my side.’ Remember those words?” Tony spoke gently.

“Of course I do.” Katie sniffed and wiped her eyes, stepping back a little to look at her brother. “It was in his wedding speech…”

“Exactly.” Tony smiled, reaching up to brush her tears away with his thumbs. “You gave him the strength to keep going when everything and everyone he knew was lost.”

“Without you being there, Rogers would have ended up as nothing more than a Soldier, wheeled out by SHIELD when they needed him.” Natasha sighed gently. “It’s twisted, I know, given Barnes’ history, but that’s the way it is. Captain America would have been SHIELD’s version of the Winter Soldier. But you showed him there was a life to live, and he made that decision to damned well live it.”

Katie took a deep, shaky breath. “I wanna go home.” She whispered, gently. “I wanna wake up, I’ve seen enough. I want my kids, I want Steve.”

“Just give us one more stop.” Tony soothed, softly “One more, please Kiddo, there’s something else I want you to see.”

Katie looked away as more tears brimmed in her eyes before she glanced back at her brother then to Natasha.

“I can’t.” “Do you trust me?” Tony looked at her and she sighed.

“Of course I do.”

“Then let me show you one last memory. And then, well, then we can say goodbye.”

“Jesus Christ, Tone.” Katie cried, her voice cracking. “Don’t say it like that.”

“Hey, look at me.” Her brother instructed, and she turned to face him, swallowing as tears poured down her face, her chest aching with raw emotion. “You know this was never permanent. We’re gonna have to go at some point.”

“I know, I just…” Katie shook her head. She glanced back over at Fury who was furiously talking into his phone, most likely to Coulson from the snippets she caught as he discussed Steve, and she took a deep breath, steeling herself and turning back to Tony.

“Okay, let’s get this over with.”

“That’s the spirit.” Tony smiled, dropping an arm round her shoulder.

As they headed into the corridor, Tony looked around, taking the surroundings in as they walked to the elevator.

“Do you remember my speech?” He asked as he hit the ground floor button. “At your wedding, I mean.”

“Of course I do.” Katie smiled “I remember yours, Steve’s Sam’s…Steve nearly died at Sam’s comment about being friends with Captain America doubling your chances of getting laid”

“Yeah, it was pretty funny, but mine was better.” Tony shrugged flippantly, and Katie rolled her eyes, snorting a little as the elevator doors closed.

 **Original Posting**

[eerythingisshaka]

Mr. and Mrs. Stevens

This is my submission for @hoopshoney and @purple-apricots Black Panther Anniversary/Valentines Fic Fest!  Not sure if this fic goes with the theme of the fest and if its a bit....I don’t know, however I did a thing and that’s that on that!

Warnings:  Violence, Language, Sexual Situations

Word Count: 4k

Erik Killmonger x Black!OC

Prompt: “Try not to get blood on your clothes. We have dinner reservations in half an hour.”

Her phone trills in her bra as she checks herself out in the mirror.  The shift she picked up for a friend starts in 15 minutes and she hates when he calls beforehand.

Picking up the call she answers.  “Hey Erik.”

“Wassup baby girl?  You at work?”  His voice carries extra loud in her ear and kind of scratchy.

“Yeah actually.  So why are you calling?”  She asks in annoyance while applying her lippie.

“Aww, now don’t be like that.  You -- money tonight e--?  So don’t trip!”  His voice crackles in her ear.

She takes a step back to look over herself in the mirror, pushing her braids back and turning around to check her behind.  “The only thing I’m tripping over is why you obviously aren’t using the new AirPods I got you last month?  I can hear the 10.99 drugstore quality in my ear, it’s bringing down my mood.”  A loud sniff interrupts her train of thought as she sees a brunette leaning over the rim of a sink with a rolled up dollar bill.

Erik tuts at her.  “Come on, you know I’m a traditionalist when it comes to the audio experience!  I gotta, I gotta have, you know, an immersive, like, surround sound type of thing and like, the cords help-”

She leans on the sink in front of her.  “You lost one at the gym today huh?  When I called you and you said ‘shit shit shit!’ that was you dropping my money down the drain, huh?”

“Your money?  Since when is it your money only?”  Erik asks out the side of his mouth.

A girl taps her on the arm, wiping her nostrils as she holds out the dollar bill with a line left on the sink.  She shakes her head with a polite smile.  “Since I been doing all the work here.  These long nights, planning my own appointments, working these guys for tips with only my own damn wit, when they obviously want more!”

“Pssh, aight aight, calm down.  You know I appreciate this.  It’s OUR thing though, so don’t get your butt on your back with me.  I know you nervous cuz a high roller comin in today.”  Erik says calmly.

She picks up her bag and stuffs it in a locker, slamming it closed.  “Yeah, it’s basically now or never, Erik.  If I’m not what he’s looking for, he’s moving on and then we ain’t got shit!”

Erik shushes her softly.  “Chill, trust me.  You what he’s lookin for.  Guys like him love bitches like-”

“You better be kind and rewind that for me!”  She demands.  Erik always slipping his tongue at the wrong times, ignorant self.

Erik laughs.  “I don’t mean you!  He likes ‘females’ like you.  He studies them the most, you know?  That better?”

She sighs, choosing to ignore the still derogatory term.  “Fine.  You just be here when it’s all said and done.  I need you in times like this.”

“You do, huh?  I need you too, if you wearin whatever was in that bag you packed.  Shit looked tiny, so you ain’t covering much.”

She cackles out loud, her laugh bouncing off the walls of the room.  “Shut UP!  Don’t be silly right now!”

“Ain’t nuthin silly!  WE ain’t playing, you feel me?”  Erik says authoritatively.

She kicks her heel at the ground, biting her lip.  “I might be in a mood to see my friend backstage tonight.”

“Oh, so you claiming this dick right now?  Cuz, I thought this was MY dick!  Since I put in all the work around here, getting hard, staying hard, breaking your fucking back so all you gotta do is take it and you can barely handle that-”

“Oh Erik, fuck on with that.  Buh-bye!”

“You get it now?  Be good, DeDe.”

---

Johnny Rocket’s Adult Entertainment Club has a reputation for high profile clientele and catering to every kink imaginable.  Politicians, celebrities, CEOs, and anyone with a 7 figure or more annual salary has the possibility of getting in any night, however the waiting list was 6 months back, minimum.  If your name is powerful enough, you may receive a bump for the inconvenience, but there’s no way that list would move, as people kept looking for a chance to have an extravagant night inside.

One did not have to be looking for a touch from a stranger in order to enjoy themselves there, the club scene is just as hopping with exquisite seating, expensive liquors and miscellaneous party favors for the bold.  Tonight, Johnny Rocket’s is packed wall to wall for a birthday party of the man who runs the Upper West Side of Las Papeleras, of that’s what he would call it.  Mark Foley is the embodiment of greed; a shark tank businessman with a lust for power.  His monopoly of the financial district kept his pockets running over and the local law enforcement’s lined to keep his shady dealings going at an accelerated rate.  

His dealings started off with drug trades across the southern border of the United States, renting out the time of immigrants on the promise of Visa documents and safe keeping of their families on the road to citizenship.  This was a messy business however, as many of his vulnerable employees would be caught shortly after a drop or killed for being intercepted to ensure the details of his operation remained unknown.  It wouldn’t take much to cover his trail with his buddies in DC anyway.  Even with a successful run, Foley would instruct his subordinates to drop off the grid, leaving his pushers high and dry until ICE came for them eventually.  

But he was out of that game, now it is all about real estate.  Foley knew exactly where to upstart businesses for friends and confidants that would make him the richest man in America.  

“The rundown, dangerous, and poverty stricken  neighborhoods are nestled so conveniently between downtown and the burbs.  We just need to get those low lifes sucking off the teat of our taxpayer dollars to get off some extra dough, or get the fuck outta there.”  Foley slurs his words, picking up his tumbler of 12 year old whiskey.  

One of his associates respond, shaking his head.  “Ahh, come on, Foley.  Those people have been living there for so many fucking generations!  How could you uproot them like that, changing there way of life at the drop of a hat like that?  Where’s your heart?”

Foley blinks his eyes a couple of times, staring at his acquaintance from across the room for what seemed like hours.  The flashing, multi-colored lights of the club blur his vision as the bass of A$AP Rocky pounds at their temples.  

“Really?”  Foley asks loudly over the music, frozen with his drink in his hand.

The man laughs out loud, banging the back of the couch as he leans his head back in blissful humor.  “Fuck no!  I’m just fucking with you Foley, come on!”  He boasts, picking up a bottle of whiskey, clanging it against Foley’s glass.

Foley shakes as his hoarse laugh builds in his gut.  “Ohh, man, you had me going there for a second!  You can’t joke like that with me man, you’re still on probation with me.”

The associate combs his hair out of his face, adjusting his tailored, chocolate suede jacket.  “Let me have some fun, huh?  Anyway, you know what to do.  Call up Johnson to get in touch with Hesson about his eminent domain clause on the block, and kick those sons of bitches out on the concrete.  They’ll find a way, roaches never die, you know?  They just skedaddle on to a new nest to infest.”

Foley lights up a cigar, pointing it his way.  “Exactly.  I consider this motivation to do better for themselves.  Hell, once I clean up the pigsty, they can bring their credit score and occupation info, if they have one, and make a deposit with 6 months rent to settle in to the swanky new digs I transform those rat traps from!”

A waitress comes over in a leather miniskirt and thigh high boots with a fringed crop top that rests off her shoulder.  Half of her braids are bound on top of her head, with the rest cascading down her back.  Even in the dark room and the intensity of the strobing lights, her melanin shown beautifully rich, bringing the table to her full attention.

“Can I get you gentlemen another round?”  Her voice said with a sultry timbre, leaning forward to pick up bottle and adjoining glasses.    Some of her braids fall in the face of a hypnotized Foley who reached his thick hands through them, sniffing.

“Mmm, if you mean the juice, that’s not what I need another round of, sugar.”  Foley says wagging his eyebrows.

She looks over at him, pulling her braids back and out of his hands.  “You are Mark Foley, correct?”

He nods slowly, mouth half hanging open.  “I like the way you say my name, doll.”

“My name is Sade.  Your friend here made arrangements for us to...get to know each other a little better…”  Sade bites her lip, using her almond shaped eyes to invite Foley into the possibility.

He didn’t need too much convincing as he clapped his hands looking over at his associate.  “You sly dog!  You planned this for me?”

He shrugs. “Nothing but the best, for the man who holds my old hood in his hands.”  Raising the bottle up again in solidarity, Foley springs up out of the booth, grabbing Sade by the waist.

“This EXACTLY what I need!  Let’s not delay, drop those glasses at the bar and let’s boogie!”  Foley exclaims, leading Sade along and leaving his associate with the bill.

Foley’s hands were lit up over Sade’s body, feeling her soft and firm portions of her body with no shame as she led him to the quieter, private rooms in the bottom level of the club.  A black door marked with the number 8 in gold is where Sade took them before pausing to turn around and face him, snapping her fingers to regain his sober attention.

“Once we cross this threshold, you will need to behave yourself.  I won’t ask you again, otherwise consequences will be set.”  She says calmly.

Foley looks around the hallway, rubbing his hands together before whispering.  “Whatever you say, mistress.  I am at your command.”  His Dad-bod practically vibrated with excitement as she opened the door.  As it closed with a clang, Foley peers around to inspect the various chains, harnesses, chairs with binding mechanisms that decorated the room.

“Whew, this is-”

“SHUT UP!”  Sade yelled with a crack of a whip.  Foley turned around quickly in shock.

“Sade, I wasn’t-”

“Are you speaking out of turn after an order?”  Sade snarls.  In the midst of Foley looking around the room, she has put on a black lace mask covering her face and a nine tailed whip in one hand with ropes in the other.  

Foley shakes his head excitedly.  “My apologies!”

“Turn around and get on your knees.”  Sade says walking around the perimeter of the room like a lioness tracking her prey.  Foley does as he is told, fitting the profile of sub perfectly as he avoids eye contact.

“You are a stupid, worm-grubbing quim aren’t you?”  Sade says matter of factly, playing with the nine-tails in front of him.

Foley nods aggressively.

“ANSWER ME!  Don’t you have a tongue?!” Sade demands, this time cracking the whip across Foley’s arm.  

He shrieks.  “Agh!  Yes! Yes mistress, I am!  I do!”

“Hm, we’ll see about that later...Do you have a problem with authority?”  Foley stammers, not sure how to answer.  “A man of such wealth and status must know a thing or two about breaking rules….Are you going to break mine?”

“No mistress.  I’ll listen to every word!”  

Sade puts her heel into his chest, leaning against him on her knee as she speaks in his face.  “Have you ever let a Black person tell you what to do?”

Once again, Foley is at a loss for words as Sade runs a gloved hand through his thin, short strands of hair, before bringing the palm of her hand square across his cheek with a hard SLAP.

“That ends today.  Tell me Black Lives Matter.”  Sade commands with a dig of her heel that makes him wince.

“Ahh, Bl-Black Lives Matter.”  Foley says hesitantly.

Sade takes her foot off of him before cracking the whip on him again.  “LOUDER!”

“Black Lives Matter!  Thank God, they matter!”  Foley says more enthusiastically.

Sade looks him over with disgust.  “Take off your clothes as you recite every Black person you know that has contributed to the fabric of our nation.  Go!”

Foley starts with the buttons on his jacket and an ode to Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr.  (Sade had to whip him for leaving off the Jr.)  getting down to his briefs before stuttering on names, giving up before after he said Bill Cosby, holding his hands in front of his manhood.

“It’s not cold, put your hands down!”  Sade demanded.

He does do quickly, looking embarrassed at the small protrusion he can’t seem to control.

Sade shakes her hand tutting him.  “I’m glad you’re having fun.  It’s a shame though, how little you know.  The American private school system really failed you.  However I am in a generous mood and have every  intention on catching you up to speed.  With a little help from a friend.”

On cue, the door opens and in walks his associate.  

Foley protests.  “Whoa, hey, this may have been incorrect info you got.  I’m not into THAT.”  

Sade grips his hair at the root.  “Have my boot as a snack while the adults talk.”  Stomping her foot in front of him, Foley bends down on the concrete floor to kiss and lick her shoe.

Sade sighs, wiping her brow.  “Babysitting is so hard.  What took you so long Erik?”

He unbuttons his jacket sighing.  “His fucking card wouldn’t go through upstairs.  So this muthafucka owe me his life and some change now.”  

Erik picks up Foley’s pants, ruffling through his pockets for his wallet.

“Whoa, bro, what are you doing?  You aren’t a part of this!”  Foley says.  

Sade was not pleased with this interruption, bringing her boot around to land it squarely with his chin.  The crack of the impact echoed in the room as Foley flopped on his back, writhing in pain.

“What...the….FUCK!”  He yells out, blood starting to coat his fingers.

“Damn, Sade!”  Erik exclaimed, staring at his girl.

Sade inspects her boot.  “Shit, he got a damn scuff in it, now I’m really pissed.  Tie his ass up so we can move on.”  

Erik handles Foley like a ragdoll, turning him over and using Sade’s ropes to tie his hands behind his back.

“You fucking niggers don’t know who you’re dealing with!”  Foley says through clenched teeth.  

Erik pulls him up by his arms over to a part of the wall with a collar and chain attached to it.  Turning Foley around, he hooks his neck up to the contraption.

“You really want them to be your last words, bitch ass cunt?”   Erik says, tightening the collar on the last possible notch.   “Gotta use they language to get to em sometimes.”  Erik says to Sade.

Foley laughs nervously as tears fill his eyes.  “I could make you rich, man.  Get your mom out the ghetto.  You got any siblings?  You could take them anywhere!  I’ll turn your life around in ways you never seen, just let me out of here with this bitch!”

Sade sits on a stool trying to buff out the mark on her shoe.  “Erik, his voice is annoying me…”  She says in a sing-songy manner.  

Erik pulls out Foley’s phone from his pants pocket, holding it up to his face to unlock it.  

“Fuck!  I shoulda known that facial unlock would bite me in the ass.”

Erik opens his camera to take some pictures.  “Aww, shit!  You finna be the Belle of the Ball once these circulate through your contacts.  No way your bros at the Capitol can clean this mess up.”  Erik laughs, showing the gallery to Foley, who is whining for mercy.

“Come on!  Don’t do this!  Let’s talk this over!  You need some money?  Let me give you something something, and we can work this out.  No harm no foul!”

“Give him your bank login, we’ll handle the rest.”  Sade instructs from across the room.”

Foley shifts, blinking the sweat out of his eyes.  “I-I mean, you don’t wanna give me a figure first-”

Erik sends a strong blow to Foley’s gut, knocking the wind and dignity out of him.

“O...k…” Foley rasps as he coughs through his username and password for Erik to set up a transfer.

“Thanks for the paycheck, bro.”  Erik, takes some leather gloves off of a table, sliding them, flexing his fingers.  “No way in hell you can help me while you still got breath in your body.  And ain’t shit you can do for me.  That neighborhood you wanna run over so fuckin bad ain’t yours to take.  White folks can’t never miss out on a land deal, fuckin colonizers.”

Foley struggled against his bindings, becoming agitated.  “I am providing a service!  Something that will make their world better!”

Erik punches the wall next to his head, cracking the concrete.  “A world you ain’t got no plan to let them in?  They already got a place to stay, and you want them outta there cuz the living is too cheap and they barely affording that.  So instead of working for them, you’re just gonna build shit that they can’t afford, segregating them even more until they gotta leave.  Turning half the shit into fucking parking lots any damn way.”

Foley breathes heavily, swallowing hard.  “It’s so disappointing to hear you settling for less, bro.  It really is…”

Sade comes up behind Erik, handing him a club and brass knuckles.  

“I don’t need that shit, I got this.”  Erik insists with a wink.

Sade rolls her eyes.  “Try not to get blood on your clothes.  We have dinner reservations in an hour.”

As Erik takes off his jacket and dress shirt. Foley says, “Aye, what was it you said before?  Roaches always surviving?  What’s it to you when they’ll find another hole to crawl into?  Making babies and killing themselves, it’s the circle of life.  I'm just tired of seeing your Black asses fucking with my city.”

Erik reaches behind his back near his waistband to swiftly take take out his military issue knife, grabbing Foley by his neck, slamming his head into the wall.  As Foley neck folds sheath his hand, Erik brings the knife slowly to his eye socket as Foley closes his eyelids tightly.  That only makes the process more messy as he screams in excruciating pain while Erik skillfully gouges him.

“There.  Now you aint gotta see shit. That better?”  Sade says, walking away at this point when all she heard was the pounding of Erik’s fist in bone.  Foley’s feebled cries in pain didn’t last long when Erik socked him in his mouth, making him swallow his own teeth.  Sounded as if he even indulged in the knuckles and the club after all, as he dared Foley to say something again, until it was impossible to do so Sade sat in her seat, reviewing her manicure as the cacophony of pounds into Foley’s body turned soft.

Erik’s breathing was the only thing left as he made his way back over to Sade with a wild nature in his eyes, and blood coating his knuckles and face.

“Ohhh, look at you!  You’re never careful when I ask you to!”  Sade scolds him as she pulls out a handkerchief and water, wiping down his hands.

“You know how I get carried away in the moment.”  Erik says, voice gravelly as he stares at Sade.

Sade finishes off his hands, reaching for his face to clean.  “Mhm, I know.  Lucky for you, I brought a spare undershirt to change.  What about your pants…”  Sade brushed some dust near his crotch, feeling his dick twitch under her touch.  “That is enough!  I’m not cancelling this dinner.  It's been weeks in the making!”

Erik bites his lip, leaning over Sade as she digs through her bag.  “You blaming me when you out here dressed like that, kicking white folks in the face and not expecting me to wanna fuck you for that?”

Sade reaches for the collar of his shirt, tearing it halfway off his him with a blade between her teeth.  She takes it and aims it over his chest.  “You know how we celebrate…”

Applying pressure, she drags it slowly across his skin, red liquid bubbling along the length of the cut as Erik seethed.  The satisfying release of his skin allowing the penetration of her blade made her breath hitch in her chest. “We got another one, we mark the occasion.  Without him contacting his people in DC, no way they can settle a vote to gentrify now.”  

Sade runs her thumb along the blood trickling out, wiping it clean before bring her face in his chest to lick his wound.  The soft, muskiness of his skin is too tempting for her to let go as she caresses his chest.

Erik sighs deeply, taking one hand to grab her ass and the other wraps her braids around its knuckles pulling her face back as he devours her mouth hungrily.  Erik lifts her up and onto a nearby table with a thud, pulling her skirt up to her waist as she reaches to free him from his trousers.

“Ooh, dont make me scar your back up now.  This is lucky number 57?”  Sade chuckles as Erik brings ankles to his shoulders, leaning over her.

The way Erik looks at her, one might think she was his sworn enemy.  But this is Erik’s favorite time with Sade.  Not just fucking, but taking out white folks that aren’t doing shit for anyone but themselves, leaving a trail of dead brown and black bodies behind them.  Doing this vigilante justice together never got old.

“Try me. And a lot more to come.”  Erik promises as Sade kisses his keloid riddled arm, biting down once he entered her.

Sade peppered Erik with affection as they fucked.  Their roles easily switched from business to pleasure.  Sade being the brains behind most of the operations, and Erik being the muscle, all he needed was to be told where to go and he had the rest.  But as lovers, Erik took control of her, and she needed that change of pace.  

As Erik reaches for her throat, he put his weight on her, lapping at her neck as he digs her out desperately.  Sade gasped with each stroke he dropped inside of her, seeing stars as her breath quickened.  Her head fell to one side as she got a full view of the damage Erik did to Foley’s body.  The bruising, the bone jutting from his skin, blood pooling near his collapsed skull was all too much for Sade.   She came so hard, Erik nearly slipped in her wetness flooding between them, tightening up on Erik until he contributed his own fluids to their celebration.

Erik lays still on top of her panting.  “How much time left we got on the room?”

Sade rubs his back, still smooth but hopefully not for long once they continue their mission.  “45 minutes.”  She smacks his shoulders, willing him to roll off of her.  “You’re cleaning up by yourself this time.  Your dick is making me miss dinner, I’ve suffered enough.”

Erik laughs slow and deeply as he rubs his face, satisfied all the same.  “You need a mop-iana?”

RagTag  (it’s been so long since I wrote, I’m forgetting who likes to be tagged)

@chaneajoyyy @bidibidibombaclaat @wakanda-inspired