#Daniel and open face helmets are my favourite things | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

maaaddiexo · 5 years ago

Text

Chapter Three | Peter Pevensie

[Red Series Book Two: Ribbons]

Rosemary returned to England to find things just how she left them - her father and brother missing and her mother drinking in her bedroom. But Rosemary wasn't going to give up this time. She took charge of her family as the Pevensies took charge of a country.

But it's been a year since all five of them returned to England, and when they are called back by Susan's magic horn, they return to a completely different Narnia. Magic has been dormant for centuries and men now rule Narnia but with brute force and terror.

The Pevensies know why they've been called back to Narnia but Rosemary is once again left in the dark. And with Aslan making himself sparse, the five kids are left to their own devices to answer their own questions.

Do they trust the exiled prince? Can they save Narnia again, and this time without Aslan swooping in to save them? And in Rosemary's case, why was she called back?

[Chapter Four] [Series Masterlist] [Masterlist]

When Rosemary first heard her name, she thought it was Daniel and she was already being called back to England. Maybe Narnia had made a mistake and didn't actually need her. But it wasn't Daniel or James' voice - it was Peter's.

"Peter? Peter!" Rosemary dropped the blueberries she'd been picking and raced in the direction of his voice. She hadn't heard his voice in a year and yet she remembered it perfectly.

"Rosemary!"

Rosemary desperately looked around, searching for movement in the woods. "Peter, where are you?" She continued running, jumping over fallen logs and dodging low-hanging branches. She stopped again, looking around. Something white moved in her peripheral vision and she spun around, hoping desperately it would move again. It reappeared to the left of a thick tree and Rosemary could make out a white dress shirt and dirty blonde hair.

She almost didn't recognize Peter. He'd sent a picture from his family Christmas dinner to her in a letter, but it didn't seem to capture just how different Peter appeared. He was taller and broader. He held his head high and walked confidently. There was no self-doubt in his posture.

"Peter!"

She watched him whip around upon hearing his name being called but she was already running toward him. Much like she had when she saw Aslan, she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around Peter's shoulders. Yeah, he was definitely more muscular.

"Rosemary," Peter breathed, tightening his arms around Rosemary's waist. They pulled apart and she beamed up at him, her green eyes sparkling in the sunlight. They were the same colour as the fields he used to gallop through on his stallion, Talon. "Please tell me this is real."

Rosemary smiled again. Without thinking, she lifted her hand and brushed Peter's hair out of his eyes, dragging her fingertips across his cheek. He's so handsome. "I told you to call me Rose."

Peter laughed loudly. Definitely real. He snatched Rosemary up by the waist, spinning her around and smiling at the squealed laugh she let out. Peter positioned her over his shoulder and began walking in the direction of his siblings. "I found her!"

"Peter!" Rosemary shrieked. "I can walk, you know."

"Oh, I'm perfectly aware. But you see, Miss Bennett, I am not letting you walk away from me again." Rosemary was so happy that Peter couldn't see her face because it was bright red at the moment. "Ed! Look who I found lost in the woods."

"I wasn't lost," Rosemary argues. "And put me down. I want to hug my favourite Pevensie boy."

Peter scoffed at Rosemary's comment but let her down anyway. She spun in place, flicked her hair behind her head, and then pulled Edmund into a hug. He laughed and wrapped his arms around Rosemary, closing his eyes. He'd spent the least amount of time with the blonde girl, but he missed her just as much.

"Rosemary!"

Lucy and Susan raced towards the small group and she hugged both of them. Lucy had gotten so much taller in a year, her hair brushing her collarbones instead of her shoulders. Susan's eyes seemed less guarded but were still so curious. Some things never changed, it seemed.

"I know it's only been a year for you, but it's been so much longer for us," Susan said, bringing Rosemary in for another hug. "I really missed you, Rosemary."

The group of five turned back towards Cair Paravel and walked slowly. Rosemary was between Susan and Peter, but she stuck closer to the latter, brushing her hand against his. "I missed you all too. But it's just been so busy and with my father's death..."

"It's okay, Rosemary," Edmund said. "We haven't had the best year either." Like Rosemary, their father had been killed in the war and all four children and their mother were struggling to pick up the pieces.

They re-entered the clearing where Cair Paravel once stood and Rosemary took in a deep breath of salty air. Edmund walked ahead, looking around curiously. There were large rocks placed randomly around the ruins and he frowned, bending down.

"Catapults," he whispered.

"What?"

Edmund looked up at Peter. "This didn't just happen. Cair Paravel was attacked."

"That's what Aslan said," Rosemary murmured. "I was hoping he was wrong."

"You've seen Aslan?" Lucy gasped.

"Briefly. He's in hiding like the rest of Narnia. This isn't a free country anymore."

Peter nudged Edmund and looked towards the arched nook. Wordlessly, they walked to the wall began and pushing it to the side.

"A secret door?"

Susan smirked at Rosemary. "Cair Paravel had a lot of secret passages that we discovered over the years. This secret room was made just for us."

Behind the grand stone wall was a rusty and brittle wooden door that Peter broke down with ease. A mouth of darkness stared back at them.

Peter grunted as he cut part of his shirt off and wrapped it around a fallen branch. "Don't suppose you have any matches, do you?"

"No, but," Edmund opened his bag, rummaging around for a moment before pulling a brand new flashlight out. His eyes were teasing. "Would this help?"

Peter threw his makeshift torch over his shoulder. "You might have mentioned that a bit sooner."

The three girls giggled as Edmund smirked and turned the flashlight on and began descending into the secret room. It was musty and dark, and Rosemary kept both hands on the walls to help guide her.

The main room was brighter, the high ceiling broken and allowing sunlight down into it.

Rosemary gasped at what she saw. There were four chests, each in their own alcove, with immaculate stone statues behind them. No detail was spared anywhere in the room. Every inch was beautiful.

"I can't believe it. It's all still here," Peter gasped, walking over to his statue. It stood untouched and he sighed sadly at the sight of the beard. He missed being able to grow a beard. He lifted the lid of his chest and smiled at the sight of his sword and shield right where he had left them hundreds of years ago.

From across the room, Rosemary watched as Peter unsheathed the sword. The same look of reverence and awe was on his face now as it was when he first received the sword from Santa Claus.

"I was so tall," Lucy remarked, holding a purple dress up to her body.

"Well, you were older then," Susan replied.

"As opposed to hundreds of years later...when you're younger."

Rosemary giggled at Edmund's words before bursting into laughter at the sight of him. He was wearing a helmet far too big for him. When he turned his head, it turned too, and suddenly, it was on backward.

Lucy stopped looking through her belongings when she saw Susan with an armful of things. "What is it?"

"My horn. I must have left it in my saddle the day we went back."

"This place is incredible," Rosemary said, running her fingers over a pure gold chandelier that was sitting on the ground. There was a thick layer of dust and dirt on it and took a bit of scrubbing before she could see the shiny metal.

"Do you want to know a secret?" Lucy smiled, placing a dress back down in her chest. "This wasn't just made for us."

Rosemary cocked her head in confusion. Lucy giggled and walked over to Rosemary. She turned her around to face a fifth alcove. Instead of a statue of a person, an image had been carved into the wall. A rose.

"You didn't."

"We did," Peter came to stand beside Rosemary. "We were hoping you would return while we were still here, so we had one made for you. There are clothes in there, your bow, and some other random things we thought you might enjoy."

Rosemary felt the familiar sting at the back of her eyes and let the tears spill over onto her cheeks. Slowly, she walked to the chest - her chest - and carefully lifted the lid. Inside, her bow and a quiver full of arrows rested on top of clothes and books.

Rosemary was at a loss for words. "I don't know what to say."

"How about 'thank you'. It was Peter's idea."

The High Kung flushed and briefly had the courage to make eye contact with Rosemary. Her eyes were glossy, her cheeks were wet, and her lower lip wobbled. She stepped forward and Peter let her into his arms, rubbing her back soothingly. He knew the tears soaking his sweater vest were happy tears but he still didn't want her crying. He wanted to see her smile instead. Her smile was beautiful.

"Hey, hey. You know, had you stayed you would have been right up there with the rest of us. You're one of us."

"I don't regret going back but I also regret not staying here. Had I stayed, my life would be so different. I wouldn't have lost fifteen years with you and I will always miss the time I never had with you."

Peter smiled sadly, wiping her cheeks. "We're all here now, Rosemary. That's all that matters."

•

Back in the clearing, Rosemary ran her fingers over a tombstone sadly.

"You made them."

Rosemary nodded but didn't look back at Susan. "I wish I could have spent more time with them."

"After you left, we all still talked about you. Sometimes I would catch Peter and Lucy talking to the stars like you were up there. We all missed you. Not a day went by that we didn't think about you. I'm sure that they continued to miss and talk about you after we all went back to England."

Rosemary smiled gratefully up at Susan. She hated to admit it but one of her fears was that they forgot about her after she left. Not a day went by that she didn't think about the Pevensies and her friends back in Narnia. She didn't have a lot of friends in England whereas the Pevensies had each other and a kingdom full of people.

Rosemary stood up and wiped the dirt on her new forest green dress, pushing her blonde locks behind her shoulders. Lucy was collecting apples from a nearby tree and the boys were getting changed down in the secret room.

She adjusted her bow and quiver on her back as the boys appeared back on ground level. They stood in a circle in silence for a moment, appreciating the presence of everyone. Finally, Peter put his hand out in the middle and everyone piled their hands on top.

"I think it's time we found out what was going on."

[Chapter Four] [Series Masterlist] [Masterlist]

#narnia #the chronicles of narnia #chronicles of narnia #peter pevensie #susan pevensie #edmund pevensie #lucy pevensie #william mosely #prince caspian #peter pevensie x oc #peter pevensie x fem!oc #peter pevensie imagine #peter pevensie series #peter pevensie fanfiction #love #romance #fantasy #action #adventure

16 notes · View notes

niknaksstuff · 7 years ago

Text

“Forget I even asked you.”

This is my attempt at another of the Five Word Prompts issued by @amaradangeli

“Carter,” Jack O’Neill, barked after his 2IC, who seemed intent on avoiding him after disappearing down the first available corridor she came across.

Colonel Samantha Carter stopped in her tracks and with a mixture of defeat and frustration on her face, she turned to face her commanding Officer.

“Finally!” Jack sighed. “You’re more difficult to catch up with than Daniel.”

Sam smiled weakly and then looked him fully in the eye.

“I’m sorry, Sir,” she whispered.

“What for, Carter?”

“For earlier, Sir... you know... when I...” Sam stuttered awkwardly.

“Oh... earlier...” Jack threw his upturned thumb over his shoulder. “When you invited yourself to my cabin?” He knew he shouldn’t tease her, he could tell by the alarmingly pink flush to her cheeks that she was beyond embarrassed but the temptation was too strong and he loved making her blush.

“Yes... that.” She squirmed. “Forget I even asked you.”

Whilst making Sam Carter blush had become one of his favourite pastimes over the years, making her so uncomfortable that she looked like she might just burst into tears, hadn’t. So much had happened lately and he’d been finding it hard to come to terms with it himself, let alone Carter who had only a few weeks earlier, buried her father.

Jack reached out and placed his hand on Sam’s arms which were firmly crossed against her chest and gently guided her to a secluded part of the corridor away from prying eyes.

“It’s not that I don’t want you to come with, it’s just that...” Jack dipped his head so that he could make eye contact with her. “I’m not sure your fiancé would be too pleased... that’s if you were going to tell him?”

“I wasn’t.” Sam replied, bluntly.

“Ah.”

All of a sudden, the already uncomfortable atmosphere became a whole lot worse.

“Do you want to talk about it, Carter? I mean as your CO I have a duty to make sure you’re okay...”

“A duty? Is that all it is... Sir.”

“Carter,” Jack’s tone told her that she was stepping over the line and God forbid they did that!

“Look, I told you, forget I said anything. You go and enjoy your weekend at your cabin,” Sam snapped. “Permission to leave, Sir?”

Jack nodded and watched bemused as Sam rounded the corner and disappeared from view.

........

It was a gamble and a pretty risky gamble at that. He had no idea if Sam would be alone or if Pete would be there when he called. But, he’d been so perplexed by her behaviour the previous day that despite his better judgement, he knew he had to find out what was wrong.

He’d spent years inviting her to his cabin and she’d always turned him down. She’d been the one with the willpower, or so he’d always thought but perhaps she didn’t have any, he mused and that’s the reason she never felt able to accept his invitations.

He turned the corner into her road and stopped a short distance from her house. There was no sign of Pete’s car which was encouraging but just as he was about to start up the engine again, he spotted the door to her garage slowly lifting. Once fully open, he saw Sam pushing her motorbike out onto the drive. She was obviously preparing to go for a ride. It was now or never. He started up his truck and put it into gear.

He reached her drive and parked across it before she’d even straddled her bike. Sam rested her helmet on the saddle and turned to face Jack as he stepped down from his truck.

“Sir... I thought you’d be on the road long before now.”

“Yeah, I should have been but I realised that I’d forgotten something,” Jack shrugged his shoulders.

“Oh, I see. Must be something pretty important.”

“I think so,” Jack stared at her intently.

Sam shifted awkwardly, “Was there something that you wanted?”

“Yes... you.”

“I beg your pardon, Sir. For a minute there I thought you said.. “

“Yep, I did. The thing that I forgot, Carter, was you. Now... go pack a bag.”

Sam stared at him with her mouth agape. “But... I don’t have anything ready.”

“Carter, we’re going to my cabin for the weekend. You don’t need many clothes.”

As soon as he’d said it he knew that it had come out all wrong and her shocked expression confirmed his worse fears.

“What I meant to say was, we won’t be doing anything but fishin’ and chillin’ so you only need a change of clothes,” he smiled trying to reassure her.

“I’m not sure it’s such a great idea,” she shook her head.

“You’re the one that suggested it in the first place,” he shot back at her.

“Yep, well, you certainly made your feelings clear when I did.”

“Carter, don’t have me make it an order... please.”

Sam closed her eyes and shook her head, “You’ll have to give me five minutes, is that okay?”

“Sure,” Jack grinned. “I’ll wait in the truck.”

Sam had indeed only been five minutes. Just like he was, she was an expert at hasty packing. She’d lost count of the number of off world missions where things had gone fubar and they’d had to get the hell out of some God forsaken place in the blink of an eye.

Sam hauled her pack into the back of Jack’s truck and slid into the passenger seat.

“You better drive before I change my mind,” she said, warningly.

“Yes, Ma’am.” Jack saluted her before putting the truck into gear.

......

The journey took forever. Early on, Sam had fought to keep her eyes open but too many sleepless nights had finally caught up on her and she quickly succumbed to sleep.

Several hours later, the motion of the truck coming to a halt, woke her from her slumber.

She didn��t become fully aware of her surroundings until Jack opened her door and gave her a gentle nudge.

“We’re here,” he smiled as he grabbed their bags from the back of the truck.

He’d been quite glad that Sam had fallen asleep. He got the feeling that their journey could have been a bit awkward to say the least if they’d had to make small talk all the way. He knew they needed to talk but he wanted to do it amidst the tranquil surroundings of his cabin.

As Sam looked around outside, Jack took the bags inside. He opened up the windows to let some fresh air in and opened up the door to the back porch.

Sam had made her way onto the jetty and was looking out over the pond. She’d heard him behind her but she didn’t turn, she just continued to look at a couple of birds that were diving and darting over the surface of the water.

“It’s beautiful,” she sighed, contentedly.

Jack leaned in and nudged her shoulder. “I told ya.”

“Thank you,” Sam smiled warmly as Jack raised his arm so that she could nestle against him “... for not forgetting me.”

“I could never do that, Carter.”

They stood for what seemed like an age, just looking and soaking in all the natural beauty that surrounded them.

The rest of the day was spent fishing, mostly in a companionable silence. There was so much that he needed to know but for now, Sam needed to heal and the solitude that surrounded them seemed to be just the medicine she needed.

With supper over, Jack set the fire. It was a beautiful traditional open fire and the damp logs hissed and crackled as the flames took hold. He sat back into the sofa and Sam chose to sit on the rug with her back resting against a chair. The air was chilly but the heat from the fire soon warmed her bones.

“How’re you doing, Carter?”

Sam turned to him and he could see that her eyes were glistening in the glow of the fire.

“Okay, I suppose,” she shrugged.

“Really? It doesn’t look that way to me.”

“Ah... this is you and your duty asking me, right?” Sam asked, somewhat sarcastically.

“Nope, this is me asking you because I care.”

Sam took a deep breath and hung her head. “I’m sorry, Sir. I guess I’m not doing all that well.”

“I guessed as much and Sam, cut it out with the Sir. When we’re here, it’s just Jack.” He slid off the sofa until he was sitting next to her on the rug. Their shoulders touched and they both stared into the dancing flames of the fire.

“I thought I was okay with losing Dad. I was at first. I was just grateful that he’d had the extra time to know about all the things that I knew too. But since the funeral I’ve started to get angry, I hate him for leaving me. How fucked up is that?” Sam sighed.

“I think it’s pretty normal,” Jack began to fiddle with a loose thread on the rug. “There are a number of stages that you go through when you grieve and anger is definitely one of them.”

Of course, she realised, he would know better than most about grief and she also knew that his words were born from an immense pain that he had been forced to endure after the death of his son.

“I’m sorry... Jack. I didn’t mean to drag up the past.”

“Don’t be sorry, Sam. You’ll never forget your Dad, but you will forgive him... one day.” Jack dropped the thread and looked up. “Do ya talk to Pete about how you feel... ‘cos you should.”

Sam shook her head. “Pete’s the reason I asked if I could come here with you.”

Jack’s brain immediately began to go into overdrive and conjure up scenarios that he’d really rather not contemplate.

“He hasn’t done anything to hurt you has he? Cos I swear, if he has.” Jack pushed himself upright and turned to Sam.

“Hey, calm down.” Sam placed her hand on his chest. “He hasn’t hurt me. In fact, I’m the one that’s been doing the hurting.”

Jack screwed up his face in an attempt to figure out what she meant.

“You see I’d made my mind up way before Dad died but it was the fact that I didn’t want the comfort and understanding that Pete was prepared to give that made me realise that I was fooling both of us. I didn’t need to tell Pete about coming here because we’re not together anymore.”

“You broke off your engagement?” Jack asked. He was surprised and relieved all at the same time.

“Yep, that’s why I wanted to come here. I couldn’t tell you at the base, I tried but it didn’t seem right,” Sam was embarrassed and unsure of how Jack might react.

“How’d he take it?”

“Err... not so great, I think he probably went away and sulked for a while,” Sam laughed nervously.

“Yeah, that figures. He struck me as the ‘toys out of the pram’ type of guy,” Jack didn’t want to sound too smug but he really had never liked him and even if he hadn’t been dating Carter, he still wouldn’t have liked the man.

They sat in silence for a while, watching the flames flicker and spark as they began to die down.

“Don’t you ever get tired of being on your own?” Sam asked him tentatively.

“I guess I don’t get much time to think about it. I’m hardly ever off base.” Jack was being honest but he also knew that if he didn’t see Sam every day as a matter of course, then he would indeed feel as if there was a huge void in his life.

“Well, I do. I’m lonely, Jack and even when I was with Pete, I still felt lonely.” Sam took hold of Jack’s arm and lifted it so that she could snuggle next to him.

“When Dad was dying he told me that I could still have everything that I want and I thought I already had it but then after his funeral I realised that I didn’t want Pete to be the one who comforted me and told me everything would be okay... I wanted it to be you.”

Jack pulled Sam closer to him until their bodies were flush against each other, side by side. Sam rested her head on his shoulder and he placed a kiss on her forehead.

“I told you that I’ll always be here for you and I meant it, I will but I can’t and won’t ruin your career by getting you court martialled.” Jack’s free hand was now stroking her hair whilst the other traced gentle circles across her back.

Sam sighed heavily, “Dad also told me that I shouldn’t let rules stand in my way. I’ve always done things by the book but it’s time to start thinking about me now. We can have what we want, Jack, I think we deserve it, don’t you?”

Sam looked up from his shoulder and placed her hand softly on his cheek.

“I’ve loved you for what seems like forever and I know that I’ll never be able to have a relationship with anyone else. You’re the only one that I want to spend my life with and I hope that maybe you feel the same way about me or I’ve just made the biggest jerk out of myself since asking you if I could come...”

Jack cut off her words by covering her lips with his own. Sam immediately responded and opened her mouth slightly so that their kiss deepened.

“We’ll find a way,” Jack gasped as they broke apart, “because I love you.”

#sam and jack #fanfic #fivewordprompt #fluff #angst #jack o'neill #sam carter #stargate sg1

40 notes · View notes

diinofayce · 7 years ago

Text

Like A Whisper In The Night -8

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x OFC (Layne Hardin) | Word Count: 5,564 | Warnings: Language, Angst, Drinking, [one sentence of fantasizing suicide] | PREVIOUS CHAPTER

Layne sat there staring blankly down the alley after her brother’s back before the sight of Tony in full suit zooming after him broke her out of her reverie. Wanda had run up behind her and hooked her under the arms to help her stand and help her into the van to untie the girls. Bucky and Sam had both secured the two men up in the cab of the van while Loki calmly spoke with authorities. Vision just stood by unsure of where his help was needed. Layne pushed her emotions down until she was numb, she couldn’t let herself be upset or confused right now these girls needed her.

Layne and Wanda had handed out trauma blankets to the girls to keep them warm as they sat shivering in the back of the van, waiting for Steve to come and break it to the Minneapolis police that the Avengers were in control of this particular situation. Nothing pissed local authority more than then Feds coming and taking over. Layne sat on the back bumper of the van with Wanda next to her, Bucky and Sam were talking to Tony who had come back empty handed. She knew that Tony saw her freeze, she knew she would be scolded for it and then she’d have to tell them who the man was and she wasn’t sure she was ready for it.

“Your heart hurts,” Wanda said softly, reaching out with her cold fingers and wrapping them around Layne’s. “I’m not prying, it just makes mine hurt as well.”

“’M sorry, Wands. There are just a lot of ghosts in these streets, this was a lot harder than I thought,” Layne sighed softly, her eyes widening as one of the officers approached the two girls. “Son of a bitch…”

“Layne? Layne Hardin? I heard you skipped town, are you supposed to be on the list with the rest of the girls?” The officer asked, looking at his notebook. Chief Melbrooke had tried to charge Layne and the rest of her band twice for insighting riots and disturbing the peace - both instances having been thrown out at court. He made it a point at all of her shows to try and get her for any little charge, it was okay, it made her careful and kept her safe. They had a love hate relationship, Layne would like to think. But then he had taken reign of the Oliver Grant case and their whole dynamic switched, it was one of the reasons that Layne was so anxious to leave Minneapolis - it was like everywhere she went Trent Melbrooke was watching from the shadows waiting for her to slip up again.

Layne gritted her teeth and forced it into a pleasant smile, but knew it was more Cheshire than it was convincing. “Chief Melbrooke. It’s good to see you again, I like the mustache,” Layne stood up and shook the man’s hand. “I’m actually with the guys in armor and tiny pants.”

“No shit. Well, I’ll have to cross check that, you know if Captain America shows up,” he responded with a sarcastic tone. “It’s quieter around here without you, I’m not sure how New York is handling you though. I was glad to hear Marcus had extra security to keep your show in check tonight, only had to put three cars out front. No mysterious deaths either tonight, I was quite pleasantly surprised. Not so surprised when I showed up to this and saw your face.” As they were talking Steve, Clint, and Natasha showed up and Layne nodded at them beckoning them over.

“Chief Melbrooke, I’d like you to meet my commander; Captain America. I’ll leave you to it,” Layne had to bite down her smirk at the chief’s awestruck expression and stepped back. Natasha had already started carefully asking the girls in the van questions and that left Layne unsure of what to do with herself. She sighed and looked over to where Tony and the others stood, steeled her back and walked over to them.

“So, you lost him?” Layne asked nonchalantly as she approached the men. She was trying to keep her emotions in check, she knew that Bucky had probably heard everything the chief had said to her and wondered if he was translating to the others.

“Well, technically, you lost him. What happened?” Tony asked, his mask flipped up. Layne always thought he looked ridiculous with the mask up, like he was sausaged in there, his cheeks all squished up.

“I’m sorry. I just…I know him and it took me by surprise.” Layne ran her hands up and down her arms. She wasn’t cold from the weather, she just couldn’t get herself to stop shaking.

“You know him? How?” Sam asked, his goggles fogging slightly from the cold outside.

“Not here, little ears,” Layne said jerking her head towards the local police that were milling around. “I checked out the girls in the van, all eight are Inhumans. The cuffs work really well, Tony. Thank you.” Layne was trying to get on his narcissistic good side, placate him a little bit so she would get scolded less later.

“Good, I want to see them when we get back. There’s a few tweaks I want to make to them. Well, team meeting back at the hotel when this is done then,” Tony said and stomped forward towards Steve to see if he could help wrap things up. His mask came down on his helmet, but not before Layne saw the pleased blush on his cheeks.

Bucky noticed Layne shivering and stepped forward, sliding off his leather jacket, but Layne just glared at him and turned away sharply returning to Wanda and Natasha. Bucky’s stomach sank a little, but he just shook his head and pulled his jacket back on. He didn’t know why he said what he did the parking garage, it was stupid. He knew he had no right to demand anything out of Layne outside of the boundaries of their work experience. She had made it quite clear that she didn’t want to enter a relationship with him yet and here he was acting like an overbearing asshole. Bucky sighed and pulled the tie out of his hair, raking his fingers through the knots and relieving the tension on his scalp.

“You okay there, Romeo?” Sam snickered.

“Shut the fuck up,” Bucky grumbled, stomping away from him to lean against a building until he was needed. Sam just continued to laugh at him and left Bucky to his moping.

~*~

Back at the hotel the team was gathered in the suite that Natasha, Wanda, and Layne shared. Layne lead everyone in and immediately made her way to the mini bar, cracking open three shooters of vodka and pouring them in a tumbler glass. Vodka was no where near her favourite, but she was not in a picky mood. She dropped a couple cubes of ice into the glass and swilled it around in a circle, staring into it’s clear depths.

“Okay, kid, you said you knew the guy in the back of the van,” Tony started, sitting down on the end of one of the beds and staring at her with his arms crossed.

Layne bit her bottom lip and tried to get her hand to stop shaking, the tiny clinking of the ice in her glass giving her away. In a swift move she slammed the vodka and set the glass on the table. Crossing her arms over her chest she took a steadying breath and looked Tony in the eyes as she leaned against the wet bar and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“It was my brother. It was Daniel.” Layne carded her fingers into her hair, pulling at the tresses in stress.

The whole room erupted in shock and questions and concern on how to handle the situation from here. Layne sighed, her stomach twisting and turning and her shakes getting worse. Her breath was tight in her chest and her vision started to tunnel. All she could picture was little movie snippets of her and Danny growing up. They were closest of all the siblings and were basically inseparable. The shock and emotion that Layne was trying to keep suppressed was starting to becoming too much. Suddenly Steve was in front of her, his hands on her forearms giving her something to ground herself to.

“Hey, Layne, I need you to look at me and breath,” Steve said softly. Layne brought her eyes up to Steve’s warm blue ones, he smelled of pine trees and sweat. It shook her slightly how very different the blues in his and Bucky’s were; Steve had little flecks of green and Bucky’s were icy and pure like a clear winter afternoon. Steve breathed slowly and exaggerated so that Layne would match him, he had grown accustom to helping Bucky through his panic attacks so this was nothing out of the ordinary for him. Her shaking settled and her chest decompressed, Steve smiled softly and untangled her fingers from her hair. “See, you’re okay, you’re with us.”

Layne nodded, swallowing a hard lump in her throat, smiling softly in thanks. She pretended not to notice Bucky glowering at the two of them as he leaned against the tall windows across the room. “Did you check any of the dumpsters in that alley?” Layne asked looking past Steve to Tony. Tony’s brows furrowed in confusion and he shook his head.

“No, I have heat vision and there was nothing. He just disappeared.” Tony answered.

Layne shook her head, biting her lip as Steve stepped away to give her space. The only problem was that Layne didn’t want space right now, she wanted something to ground her and the loss of having someone physically near her just made her want to pour another drink or go out for a smoke. God, a cigarette seemed fantastic right now and she hadn’t smoked for almost five years.

“Your heat vision wouldn’t pick him up. Danny is an Inhuman, except he’s the opposite of me,” Layne explained slowly.

“Come again?” Tony asked, leaning forward onto his elbows. Layne looked around at the rest of the team, all focused entirely on her and took a deep breath.

“Danny is like a ghost. He can fade into shadows and make himself entirely untraceable; no heart beat, no heat signature, nothing. I’ve never been able to find him when I’m projecting, I’ve never been able to take him over. Jordan would get so mad when we were kids because he could never find Danny when we would play hide and seek,” Layne chuckled softly remembering her second oldest brother throwing temper tantrums to their mother whenever they would play games. He was always a poor loser. “He also has the whole persuasion thing that I have.”

“Are any of your other siblings Inhuman?” Natasha asked.

“Did you always have your powers?” Wanda asked at the same time.

“No to my other siblings, yes to always having powers. At least, I think we did. That’s why I was studying genetic ramifications of being Inhuman. I don’t know if either of my parents are, they’re rather unpleasant people towards anything out of the quote-unquote ‘normal middle class white family’, but I’ve heard stories of where my paternal grandmother talked herself out of some intense situations that didn’t exactly seem normal. I thought that might be where Danny and I got our juice from, but she was passed before I was born,” Layne explained.

Her phone went off in her bra and she fished it out. Layne read the text from Sue about picking up her equipment or getting it dropped off and clicked her tongue. She told Sue what hotel they were staying at and room before refocusing on the others. They had been arguing her brother’s involvement and where to move from here.

“Obviously we tell team Chicago to run their mission tomorrow. That has to happen in case Danny is with Hydra and he reports to his higher ups that we were onto them. We need to bring Mae Ling in,” Steve was saying and Layne felt her stomach twist.

“Listen, if Danny is working for Hydra then it’s because he doesn’t know any better. I’m by far the youngest of us four, but Danny and I were close. There’s no way he’s working for Hydra willingly if he knows what they do,” Layne argued.

“What exactly is your sibling span?” asked Clint, the only one of the Avengers who actually has children.

“Michael was the junior prom baby and I was the ‘Dammit, June, I thought you already had menopause’ baby. So, about 22 years between Michael and myself.” Clint let out a low whistle at her explanation and Layne winced. She knew it wasn’t the normal, to have parents that were into their sixties and a brother in his late forties, but she had grown passed the time where she had been ashamed. She wasn’t ashamed of her parents age or their choices as a couple. Michael had spent his whole life bragging about his success despite his mother being a ‘teen mom’ that Layne just liked to gloss over anything to do with her folks.

“If Danny is running around Minnesota do you think he’s had any contact with your family?” Natasha asked.

Layne shook her head. “Michael doesn’t like any of us, never has. He spent his whole life trying to be better than us, to get our parent’s recognition. He wanted nothing to do with any of us other siblings. Jordan is still in prison, I think, if he’s not he’ll be back in prison soon. I haven’t talked to my parents since I left Wisconsin over four years ago, but I feel like that would be a voicemail I would get, if Danny came back around. He was reported as a missing person about three years ago.” Her phone chimed again and Layne unlocked it, seeing that Susanna was in the lobby.

“If you guys will excuse me for five minutes, I just need to get my things that I left back at the venue,” Layne pushed passed everyone before they could argue with her and ran to the elevator. Tapping her foot on the twenty floors down, she bolted through the doors when they opened seeing her best friend in the lobby.

Layne ran up and grabbed her things and hooked Sue’s elbow. “To the bar, with me, now,” Layne demanded steering her friend to the hotel bar. They grabbed stools with their backs to the door, Layne tucking her things under the chairs. She let out a huff of air and tugged at her hair some more, Sue silently rubbing her back in large circles.

“What are you really doing in New York, Layne?” Susanna asked softly, ordering one Jack on the rocks and a Jameson-Coke.

Layne sighed again and looked up out the window across the way, her eyes focusing on the drunks trying to get a cab across the block. “I’m a fucking Avenger, Suzu,” Layne whispered, her voice cracking. “And I’m so far out of my depth.” She still couldn’t believe it sometimes when she said it.

Susanna let out a low whistle and pushed a twenty at the bartender when he passed them their drinks, throwing a couple singles down when he gave her the change. “Because of your projection thing?”

Layne and Sue had had many long and drunk conversations about Layne’s abilities and the things she had done on accident. How she had problems discerning what memories were hers and what memories weren’t. How she was afraid of being stuck in someone forever, how she was afraid she would kill someone, how broke she was after she did. Sue had never judged her, had never told her she was a freak or a monster, had only been a safe place for all the baggage that Layne Hardin carried around with her everywhere.

“Yup,” Layne said, popping the p and taking a deep swallow of her drink. “And the touching thing.”

Susanna nodded, taking a pull from her Jameson-Coke and watched the scene unfold outside with Layne. She had been on the receiving end a few times of Layne’s persuasion when the younger girl wanted to stay out later at the bars. “So, do you love him? The stage security guy?”

Bucky had come down to the lobby in the search for Layne. It made both him and Wanda nervous that she hadn’t come back up yet and the Sokovian asked Bucky to go down for her. He had spotted the backs of Layne and Sue in the bar and was approaching them when he heard Sue’s question. He ducked back behind the doorway and leaned against the wall, quickly picking up a touristy brochure and skimming it while trying to keep his face neutral.

A smile crept up Layne’s face, meeting her blush at the tops of her cheeks. “You mean Bucky Barnes? The Winter Soldier?” Layne giggled softly, swishing the alcohol around in her glass.

“Shut up! He had his arm covered, god, what a beefcake. Think you can get me Falcon’s number? That’s who that was, right? Or you could introduce me to Captain America, right? I mean, they’re supposed to be war buddies, right?” Sue laughed, knocking her shoulder into Layne’s.

Layne laughed and then shrugged her shoulders somberly. “I mean, I don’t know. I’ve only been there a few months and he’s only been acknowledging my existence with anything other than exasperation for like a week. I like him, yeah, but everyone has a past in that damn place, you know? I just…I don’t want to add my crazy into their already full buckets. I’m not worth that.” She watched as the drunken trio across the street managed to get a taxi and pile in successfully.

In the lobby, Bucky’s hand tightened around the paper in his hand. He didn’t know how to take her statement, did she not want to get involved because he was crazy? The idea that whatever happened to her adding so much extra burden to him that he wouldn’t want to be with her was both laughable and infuriating. Bucky had given up on every feeling any sort of romantic feelings towards someone, he didn’t think he deserved it. But now to actually be feeling the hints of something like that only to have the person he was drawn to feel inadequate was heartbreaking.

Susanna turned her green eyes to Layne, her expression suddenly serious. “Do they take care of you? Are you safe?”

Layne’s jaw clenched. “It’s not the job that’s going to kill me, Suzu. But, yeah, they have my back. I wish I could have theirs more, but what can you do? Kick boxing and basic karate as a teenager doesn’t really do much for my value.” Layne finished her drink and waved down the bartender for a refill, passing him a tenner and refusing the change. Layne had a secret death wish, the raw hope that she’d get sent on a mission where she could save everyone and not come back was a dark fantasy of hers. Die a hero, not have to deal with any of the bullshit of day to day living anymore. The idea was almost too good to be true.

Sue nodded and finished her own drink. “You need to find some way to let go of your ghosts, Layne. You’re a good person and I wish I could come to New York and remind you of that every day. But you need to be able to tell yourself that now, okay? I have to go drop off Kloud’s equipment to Kaylee. Will I see you again before you leave?”

Layne shook her head. “No, we fly out in the morning. You can always come visit. I found some decent bars with open mics.” Susanna nodded and wrapped her long arms around Layne’s small frame. They sat like that for a minute, Layne’s face buried in Sue’s neck, forcing the need to cry down her throat. They thumped each other on the back as Sue stood and handed Layne an envelope with Layne’s pay for the show. Layne forced it back into Sue’s hands with a sad smile and a kiss on the cheek. “Use it to buy the next round of drinks or a plane ticket out to me. I’ll see you, Suzu.” “Take care, kid.”

With that Layne was left alone at the bar, she finished her second drink quickly and ordered one more. She was just starting to feel light headed, her lips and finger tips having gone numb the drink prior. Sue bumped into Bucky on her way out of the hotel, she gave him a stern look and he nodded in understanding before turning to join Layne in the bar.

Someone taking Sue’s vacated seat next to her had her turning her head slightly. Scoffing she raked her fingers through her hair again, resting her head in her hand - elbow up on the bar. She didn’t know if she was ready to deal with Bucky quite yet. Layne had so many emotions rampaging through her body that the alcohol wasn’t numbing her down fast enough. It had been almost a decade since Layne let her emotions run over her powers but she could feel the feather light brushes of it on her skin and was in that moment extremely grateful for the bracelets that Tony designed. She could feel them dampening her and wondered if it was intentional or just a side effect of keeping her tethered to her body.

“Come to tell me off for drinking too much again? Or for apparently lying to you?” Layne asked bitterly as she paid the bartender.

Bucky frowned and ordered one for himself. “No, I’m not your mom…or your boyfriend. Or your boss, even.” Bucky paid the man and took a small sip of the amber liquid. He was sent down to bring her back up to the rooms, but Bucky figured she looked like she just needed to exist away from everyone for a while.

Layne stared at him with heavy eyes, raking her gaze over his prominent cheekbones and sharp jaw line both covered in dark stubble. His blue eyes seemed so sad and disappointed and it made her gut clench thinking that it was her fault that he looked that way. He blinked, his long lashes dusting his cheeks, and caught her gaze in his. Bucky gave a small half smile and clinked his glass against Layne’s, taking another sip.

“I kind of like Minneapolis. It’s like New York, only smaller,” Bucky said, looking around the little hotel bar.

“I didn’t want you to come, you know. I almost switched you and Loki on the roster, but I needed you in front of that stage. I’ve had some fans try to do some crazy shit to get up there with me and I just needed you there - which was a good call, you caught those crowd surfers really well. But when I saw Darren and Mike there too…I knew they would talk, they gossip like old hags, but I really fucking hoped you wouldn’t listen,” Layne responded bitterly. “I guess I should just be thankful nothing like a crazy ex-flame showing up…or my parents. Yeah, I think one crazy family member is enough for one trip.”

Bucky watched Layne talk, watched the way her whiskey heavy tongue slammed her words together. Watched how her brows furrowed a little rut above her nose and how her nostrils flared a little as she stared down into her glass. What killed him was the disappointment in her eyes.

“Doll, I’m sorry. I just feel like you have so many walls around you that I can’t get passed and hearing things from people who know you so well I clung to them a little. I’m just trying to understand,” Bucky tried to explain. He wanted to reach out and rub the wrinkles away from between her eyes.

“You think those guys know me? They see me sing about the darkest parts of my heart, they see my pain and watch me suffer and they watch me try to hold myself together with this shit,” Layne spat, pushing at her glass. “They don’t know a damn nice thing about me.” Layne took a shaky breath and shook her head. Bucky opened his mouth to apologize and Layne held up her hand. “It’s okay, Bucky. It just sucks…because I kind of really like you and out of all the people in my life you’re the one person I don’t want to see me as some train wreck.”

Bucky’s heart fluttered in his chest and he reached out to cup her chin and force her eyes to his. “Layne Hardin. I will never in my life think you’re a train wreck.” He smiled softly as she relaxed a little and dipped her chin out of his hold. Layne couldn’t help but notice he never made any comment on his feelings for her. It was to be expected really, her layers are being slowly pulled back to reveal a more rotten layer under it.

Layne’s expression darkened suddenly as she stared into the bottom of her glass. “Do you think Danny is…is doing this on his own. Do you think maybe they…” Layne trailed off, not wanting to ask Bucky of all people what the chances were of Hydra brainwashing her brother. But all she could picture was that cradle that Bucky had been put in, mouth guard shoved in between Danny’s teeth before the top engulfed him and sent electric shocks throughout his body.

Bucky stared at her sadly, he could feel her pain radiating off of her. Her dark hair was disheveled and knotted in it’s tie, the black makeup around her eyes smeared, the lipstick long rubbed away. She looked so small and frail in this moment, nothing like the powerhouse he had seen on the stage only an hour before. It was like she had two different women trapped inside of her and she didn’t know how to make them work in sync. Bucky understood how that felt almost too well.

“It’s possible that he’s being controlled, we shouldn’t count that possibility out. We also can’t count out the possibility that he’s doing this of his own volition,” Bucky said softly, watching as Layne dipped her fingers in her drink to pull out an ice cube. He winced as she crunched it between her teeth and groaned slightly. “Oh, you’re one of those people,” he said with a shiver of displeasure.

Layne flushed and smiled softly. “Sorry,” she whispered, washing down the crushed ice with a large gulp of whiskey. “I just need to make sure I can still feel my teeth.”

“Can you?” Bucky asked, raking his vision over her face trying to determine how drunk she was.

Layne shook her head. “No,” she answered, chuckling darkly.

“How are you not dead yet?” Bucky asked in astonishment, laughing softly as he brushed some stray strands of hair out of her face.

“I like to think it’s ‘cause I quit smoking.” Layne leaned into his touch slightly, letting out a soft hum of comfort. She felt his fingers falter and pull away. The smile fell from her face, the light from the chuckles dying in her eyes. He didn’t want her, she had too many walls and he didn’t want to help her tear them down. She was too much work. “I was so excited to leave this place, you know? When Tony showed up at my apartment I didn’t even need time to think about his offer. I’m a runner, I don’t like to face my problems head on, not when there’s a whole country I can put between them or a bottle I can drown them in. But now I’m back and my problems just grew and it’s all just so fucked up, Bucky.” Layne tried to hold back her tears, they clung to her lashes and she wiped them away harshly with the back of her hand. “I hated my family for such a long time, did everything I could to remove myself from them. But I don’t think I can fight him, Bucky.”

Layne hiccuped and Bucky sighed. “No one is going to make you fight him, doll. We talked more after you left about how to handle this because there’s a bit of a conflict of interest. You’ll be staying at the compound and running interrogations on the people we find and bring back. You’ll also be working with Steve on strategies and infiltration points. You were never supposed to be on the front line, Layne.” Bucky reached out carefully and interlaced his fingers with Layne’s. She gave a watery smile and squeezed his hand gently. Bucky’s heart leapt in his chest. He could live with this, these small moments with her, he would survive if this was all she ever wanted from him. He was willing to sit outside at the base of her walls until she was ready to let him in. At least, he could convince himself of that.

“But it has to be me, Bucky. I can’t keep running and I can’t keep doing this shit to myself,” Layne scoffed, finishing her drink and pushing the glass from her. “I think I’m getting acid reflux from it.” A dark chuckle slipped from her lips and she placed her forehead in her hand. Bucky reached down and grabbed the bottom of her stool, pulling it close to his, he draped his arm around her back and set his chin on her shoulder fiddling with her fingers with his vibranium hand.

“This isn’t running, doll. It’s just the way war works. You have your foot soldiers on the front line and your commanding officers who stay back at the base.” Bucky whispered, his warm breath on her neck causing her to shiver slightly.

“Then make me a soldier, Barnes.” Layne murmured as her eyes slipped closed. Bucky listened as her breathing slowed and evened out, her thumb which had been drawing circles on his wrist stilled and went lax. He fished a twenty from his wallet and signaled the bartender, asking for Layne’s things to be brought up to her room before he hooked an arm under her knees and the other around her back.

Bucky walked slowly and carefully to the elevators, trying not to jostle her. He leaned against the wall of the elevator, her weight against his chest and her head on his shoulder. Bucky closed his eyes and breathed passed the smell of whiskey to the blackberry and vanilla perfume she always wore and he swore he could get drunk on that alone. He tilted his head to press a kiss to her forehead before the doors opened and he walked with her down the hall. Coming to the door of the girls room he knocked softly, smiling sheepishly when Wanda answered and looked at him accusingly.

“You were supposed to not let her drink. I asked you specifically when you went down after her,” Wanda whispered at him harshly as Bucky slipped passed her and laid Layne on one of the beds.

“Have you known about her drinking, Wanda?” Bucky asked softly, crossing his arms across his chest and looking at her sternly.

Wanda pursed her lips and double checked to make sure Natasha was still in the bathroom. “I’ve been keeping an eye on her,” she silenced Bucky with her magic when he opened his mouth to snap at her. “Don’t start pretending like you’re invested now, Bucky Barnes. You have to trust her to make her own choices, no one else does.”

Bucky frowned and looked down at Layne who was snoring softly, her hair wrapped around her in a tangle. He looked back at Wanda and nodded. “Yeah, okay. I’ll see you three in the morning.” He patted her on the shoulder and let himself out of their room, closing the door quietly behind him. In the hallway he stood outside his, Sam’s and Steve’s room and leaned against the door frame.

He was anxious to get back to New York, he knew Layne said they would address where they stood when they got back, but he felt like something had shifted in their relationship. Layne was so good at putting up walls and barriers that it was like their afternoon tumble never even happened and the thought that Layne could push it aside so easily made Bucky feel like his heart was being shattered in a million pieces. Which was terrifying to him because he had never thought someone could make him feel this way. But she had said she kind of liked him, what exactly was kind of? Like how she kind of likes grapes but loves wine or how she kind of hates socks but recognizes their purpose? Bucky looked back down the hall at the door to the girls room and frowned.

“What are you doing to me?” he whispered to himself before sliding his keycard in the door and letting himself into his room.

NEXT CHAPTER

Tag List

@tilltheendwilliwrite @inumorph @vaultingphilosophy @this-kitty-has-claws @suz-123 @fiveftofury @hippie-taco-lady @magellan-88 @winterbuttmunch @part-time-patronus @amandarosemire @lloeppky @ruinerofcheese @marvel-lucy (I’m so sorry, I realized I’ve had your SN wrong!) @antares1980 @lbouvet @epicbooklove @sarahp879 @champion-ofthe-sun @youngmoneymilla @oddone92 @reids-curls @zombienaomi

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky x ofc #bucky fanfic #bucky fandom #marvel fanfiction #avengers fanfiction #avengers fanfic #marvel fandom #marvel fanfic

100 notes · View notes

villa-kulla · 7 years ago

Note

Is it possible to ask for a DVD commentry for Chisolm's 7 for either the planning the heist scene in chapter 3, from "I can't believe you" to 'And they all went back into the casino, getting ready for the final sprint' in chapter 10 or the faraday/vasquez scene in chapter 8? This fic is one of my favourite fics of all time, you kept me on the edge of my seat untill the end and how it all came together in the end was beautiful. Thank you so much

Thanks for the lovely ask, and sorry about the wait! I went with the “I can’t believe you” scene:)

For this chapter, and the Billy ‘twist’, hopefully the audience would still be unsure about Billy’s motivations, right up until Red drops out of the ceiling and says “nice shot”. I wanted it to be believable that Billy might have sold them all out if he’d had a good enough reason to, that reason being getting out of Bogue’s employ. I’d hoped that would be just believable enough to work as a ‘con the audience’ moment, although if no one fell for it, you are all genre-savvy readers and I’m not too put out about it haha. But what about Sam and Goody getting arrested??? Read on for the behind-the-scenes!

“I can’t believe you.”

“Goody –”

“I cannot. Believe you.”

Let’s play a game where we see how many italics I use in the following conversation lol

The two armed guards escorted Sam and Goodnight through the halls, their rifle butts digging into their backs. But Goodnight could barely feel them he was fuming so hard.

“I didn’t think he’d –”

“You weren’t thinking at all!”

Writing Goody chewing people out is immense fun, and I’m not sure why lol but he’s entertaining when ‘righteously indignant’

“Hey!” said one of the guards as they passed another group of security, prodding Goodnight in the back with his gun. “Keep it moving.”

Goodnight clamped his mouth shut furiously as they walked through the halls. The taller of the guards went ahead and pushed open a door to the outside, leading them into an parking lot for the loading dock, empty at this time of night. And the second the door swung shut behind them, Goodnight was twisting his hands out of the pair of fake handcuffs, and swinging around murderously to Sam.

I’m really not sure how many people actually fell for the whole ‘twist’ but I hope the fake handcuffs made people sit up straighter like ‘oooh!’:P

“I am going to kill you, Sam Chisolm!”

Sam worked his wrists out of his own handcuffs, actually looking sheepish.

“Okay, so maybe I didn’t think he’d get that mad.”

Goodnight let out a hysterical laugh and threw up his hands.

“Well what was your master plan if he did? Nothing! Jesus Christ, if Faraday hadn’t stepped in when he did…and what kind of alternate universe have I stumbled into where Faraday has more good sense than you?!”

“Thanks man,” Faraday said amiably behind him, breathing hard as he pulled off his SWAT-style helmet.

“Fuck me, how do real guards wear these things?” said Vasquez who was doing the same beside him, wiping his brow.

okay and I hope this was another ‘ayyyyy!’ moment lol. While I didn’t want to copy the whole SWAT team ruse from the original Ocean’s 11 for the actual heist (because that’s unoriginal) I did want to pay homage to it. And I thought Faraday and Vas would be good candidates for anonymous burly SWAT team members. And I hope this moment was at least somewhat surprising and satisfying lol

Sam looked like he was about to ask them something but Goodnight jabbed a finger in his chest, eyes blazing.

“Oh I am not done with you,” he said to Sam, and Faraday and Vasquez looked at each other and started backing slowly away from them, the boots of their guard costumes clunking heavily.

lol, subtle

“Goody, I’m sorry –”

“Sorry?! For what? Nearly giving me a heart attack? Or for being a goddamn idiot and deciding to give the bad guy a speech! Who does that? Christ man, even I know how to keep my mouth shut when we’re almost out!”

Goodnight has watched his share of movies and is much more genre-savvy than Sam lol. But I needed that link to the movie of Sam losing his cool

“He started talking about family and I just got mad!”

“Well no wonder you don’t want to make jobs personal if you’re gonna act like a damn hooligan every time! Tell me, Samuel, was it personal enough for you when he had a gun to your head?”

There’s this wonderful moment in Ocean’s 11 where Carl Reiner addresses Danny as “Daniel” in a beautifully warning tone, and the ‘Samuel’ here is my own little personal callback to it

“Well I didn’t think there’d be a gun down there now, did I?” Sam protested indignantly. And then his forehead creased. “Hey, did you know Billy was going to have a gun?”

This fic is peppered with references to other heist movies, and Sam’s general disapproval of using guns comes from The Italian Job. It was also a convenient link for why Goodnight’s character probably felt comfortable working with him post job-gone-wrong

“No,” Goodnight said honestly. Billy had shown up right on time, exactly as they’d planned, ready to ‘catch them in the act’. But the gun hadn’t been in the plan. Sam didn't like guns on jobs and he'd told Billy to just corner them without one, but Billy must have not wanted to chance it. He’d certainly seemed regretful though when he was apologizing for it, right before calling Bogue –

My rather abrupt explanation for the cliffhanger at the end of chapter 9, all like ‘HEY GUYS, HERE’S WHY THEY WERE STILL ACTING SURPRISED WHEN THEY SAW BILLY, IT WAS JUST BECAUSE OF THE GUN, DID I FOOL ANY OF YOU??’ lol honestly this fic probably works best if you read it all in one go, but there was no way I was going to write the whole thing before posting, given how long it was

“Oh god, Billy…” Goodnight said, his face going white at them having left Billy down there with Bogue probably still in a murderous rage.

“ – is fine,” Vasquez said from over by the wall where he was tapping on a series of screens while working his way out of his fake SWAT suit at the same time. “He and Red are running the money through the ducts now.”

not even pretending he wasn’t eavesdropping lol. Also how many screens does Vasquez even have on him?? Lol let’s pretend they’re small screens that...fit together somehow. I have no image what kind of set up he’s working on here but wtv

Goodnight immediately let out a breath, his legs suddenly feeling weak. “Oh thank god.”

Vasquez touched a finger to his ear, listening on one of his other lines, and nodded. “Red says that Billy says the gun was empty anyways.”

Oh. They all relaxed at that, realizing they probably should have assumed that in the first place. But then Goody was whirling around at Sam again.

“See?” he said, waving his hands. “Billy has common sense. Where’s yours?”

“Goody…”

“Sam, you scared the hell out of me,” Goodnight said desperately.

“Goody.”

“What?”

“Thanks,” Sam said quietly. “For trying to get Bogue’s attention back to you down there anyways.”

“Not like it did much good –”

“But thank you. Really.”

Sam was looking at Goodnight with genuine gratitude for Goodnight’s attempts to save him from Bogue. Goodnight deflated.

“Yeah well,” he grumbled. “You went to prison and I didn’t. Least I could do.”

“You never owed me for that.”

“Well I especially don’t now.”

Sam genuinely doesn’t think Goodnight owes him, since he feels responsible for their last job getting derailed. But Goodnight is definitely still guilty, so narratively they did need something to balance the scales in their relationship, hence Goodnight attempting to get Sam off the hook and take the heat

Sam gave him a small smile and clapped him on the shoulder as he turned back to Vasquez and Faraday who were now in their black team outfits too. Vasquez was tapping away on a screen, and Faraday was fiddling with a keypad on another door that would bring them back into the casino. Both were acting like they hadn’t been eavesdropping on every word.

“Vas, how’re those files coming?”

“Almost done splicing the surveillance footage…” Vasquez said, voice muffled by a stylus between his teeth. “Saving…and sending…now.”

The ‘send the surveillance footage to the real FBI to pin the robbery on Bogue’ was a little haphazardly done of me but IN MY DEFENCE, THIS FIC HAD AN AWFUL LOT GOING ON IN IT. And I felt an elaborate explanation of them setting him up would have slowed the action down, especially at this stage in the game. The last act should be the briskest imo (oh what do you know, ‘briskest’ seems to be a word)

Sam nodded. “Alright. Red and Billy should have gotten about a quarter of the money through by now. Let’s go start putting it together.”

They nodded and went to the door Faraday was working on. He’d pulled out the wires from the keypad, rubbed them together, and the light blinked red then green. He held it open for them and Vasquez and Sam walked through. Goodnight was about to follow, but then he hesitated.

Faraday just ‘hot-wiring’ a door lol. I don’t know how technology works, but I’m not about to let that stop me

“Josh.”

Faraday glanced back curiously and Goodnight shuffled his feet a little.

“You come up with that suit-camera stuff down there on the fly?”

Faraday shrugged. “Seemed like a good idea at the time.”

Can’t buy portrayals of ‘dumb Faraday’ tbh. He has a lot of bluster but I really like writing him as pretty sharp underneath

“Well it was,” Goodnight said quietly. And then he looked back up guiltily, and he and Faraday both spoke at the same time:

“Look, I’m sorry I snapped at you the other night –”

“Sorry I was such a dick to you on the last job –”

“– no really, I was being a jerk and shouldn’t have said all that –”

“ – and it was stupid of me to say that to Billy –”

“ – and I feel like I’ve misjudged you and –”

“ – and I still feel bad about the last time, really, but I was an asshole back then –“

“ – and you were great down there, really, and –”

“ – well, a bigger asshole back then, and –”

“ – and I just wanted to say sorry.”

I felt there had to be a proper reconciliation for them, given their tension in this fic. I can’t say I blame Goodnight for snapping at him in the earlier chapter, but I just like everybody to be friendssss

They stared at each other hesitantly, and then each cracked small smiles.

“Square?” Goodnight asked sticking out his hand.

“Square,” Faraday said relieved as he shook it. And then he took on a devilish grin as he yanked Goodnight towards him, catching him in a headlock.

oh you. Well it was sweet while it lasted lol

“Gerroff me –“

“Aww, Robicheaux, you do like me!”

“Not anymore –”

“Yo!” Vasquez said, sticking his head back out the door. “What’s the hold up?”

“We’re kissing and making up,” Faraday said, pressing a messy kiss to a squirming Goodnight’s forehead.

“Hot,” Vasquez said patiently. “Now would you get in here? We’re on the clock here, muchachos.”

idk why, but the flow of ‘“Hot,” Vasquez said patiently’ amuses me very much. He’s gonna have a lot to put up with ahead of him lol, but he’s extremely up for it

“Si, señor,” Faraday said smartly as he released Goodnight. And they all went back into the casino, getting ready for the final sprint.

side note, I’d liked to have worked in a side-plot where it turns out Faraday is completely fluent in Spanish lol, he just likes messing with people/being underestimated. But maybe I’ll save that for another fic:P

Thanks again for the ask!

#thanks again! I'm always open to these DVD commentary asks #asks #fiveelephantsonaturtle

7 notes · View notes

tilly-and-her-books · 8 years ago

Photo

I cannot express my joy when I discovered that this book was real...and that it was also free to purchase as an e-copy through amazon (it's like under 100 pages so it's a quick read). However, that joy was short lived when I actually began to read this book. Maybe it's because of my lifestyle of memes, puns and general shit-post humour but I was expecting a book with copious amounts of chicken puns, knights wearing KFC buckets as helmets and well...a lot more steamy romance between our darling Harland Sanders and Madeline. I feel as a long time Colonel Sanders and KFC fan I have a duty to make this story cringe worthy and yet oddly satisfying to those readers who are just like me. So grab a delicious, crispy chicken wing, ignore my spelling mistakes, general crappy grammar and enjoy. And to cover my own ass, all these characters belong to KFC and I mean no offence to anyone. Also I apologies because this got way out of hand and there's a lot of dirty insinuations involved. Take a bible with you. Also I didn't read this over because I'm terrified of having these thoughts in my head again. (GOODREADS REVIEW LINK:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1996014517?type=review#rating_117050525)

Of all the things that Lady Madeline Parker disliked about her life, the one that constantly stuck out in her brain was her hatred of beef. There was something inherently pointless about it's boring, bland flavour and particularly chewy meat. Even now as she sat at the table, sawing at a rather pitiful piece of it she couldn't help but sigh. Around her at the table, her family watched with a secret dancing between them. Even Madeline's younger sister, Veronica who was obviously talented at every thing pursed her lips as though to stop herself from speaking. Veronica looked beautiful, even after she'd been outside doing yoga for the last two hours. Maybe it had something to do with her new gluten free diet she bragged about constantly. Madeline looked at her beef and for just a moment and considered this strange, gluten free idea but she quickly returned to her senses. What a ridiculous idea, she thought. Winston, Madeline's favourite sibling cleared his throat and gave a pointed glare at Mama. Finally, Mama spoke, just as Madeline managed to hack my way through a string of fat. "I have some wonderful news," She declared. "It's about you, Madeline." Madeline dropped her knife and fork onto the table and bared her teeth. She was fed up with beef. She was tired of feeling so underwhelmed and unsatisfied after every meal that involved in. How could someone live a in a world like this? It wasn't even porterhouse but a measly, flank steak. "This beef is terrible Papa, how could you allow us to suffer by eating it?" Mama and Papa looked at each other and shared a silent conversation before Mama looked at Madeline again. "Well, my dear if the meal is so unpleasant you will be glad to hear the news. Duke Reginald has asked for your hand in marriage and we have allowed it." Madeline couldn't contain her gasp of horror. Duke Reginald was a well known man in the county. He was rich, handsome and from certain rumours it was well known he was talented at clapping with only one hand. Everything Madeline would look for in a man except that Duke Reginald had a deal breaker and it was one that she could not look past. "Mama!" She screamed. "He's...He's a...He's a vegan!" Despite Mama's face turning red and angry it was Veronica who spoke first, her voice enraged. "How can you be so selfish, Madeline! That man is the only one in the county who would ask for your spoilt hand in marriage and all you care about is his lack of meat! If you weren't so selfish you would accept this marriage and spend your days as a duchess." Madeline opened her mouth to retort just how important meat was to her when her Papa, who doesn't have any other role in this story besides being the enforcer, spoke. "Madeline...You don't have the option to accept this marriage. We have already done that for you. You will be married to Duke Reginald by the end of the month and you will not have anything else to say about it tonight, understand?" Madeline looked down at her steak. Suddenly, it didn't seem so bad. She stood there as Mama, Papa and Veronica all left the room and this story. They weren't important anyway. Rumour has it, they don't even like gravy. However, Winston loved gravy almost as much as he loved his sister...who are we kidding, he loves it more than Madeline. She's a KFC. Kinda Foolish Chick. No one loves a Kinda Foolish Chick. He pushed away the thoughts of gravy and took his sisters, cold hand. "Maddie, you don't have to do this, you know? You could run away from this wedding." She looked at him wide eyed. "Winston, where would I go? I've never left the safety of our home. All I know is beef, scrabble and how to tie a string bow tie." "Just get on your horse and ride. Go towards the coast. Maybe try fish?" Madeline curled her nose at the thought of fish. Sure, the beef here was deplorable but what other meat could she eat? Winston squeezed her hand before he stood up and turned to walk out of the room. Before he left, he looked over his shoulder dramatically. "Let me ask you this...could fish be worse than being a vegan?" Madeline listened to her brothers footsteps as he walked away. No...she decided. There was nothing worse than being a vegan. Unless you were a vegan with a gluten free diet too but no one would be that silly. And so that night, Madeline didn't pack a bag because she's a spoilt brat and expected a maid to do it for her, climbed aboard her horse and rode towards the coast. Little did she know what would be waiting for...or who. ***** The ride towards the coast had started well for Madeline. Her horse Persephone galloped ahead, the wind whipping through her mane. However, things took a turn for the worst when Madeline realised...She didn't know how to ride a horse. Persephone headed straight for a very spooky looking forest that mostly likely hid a band of thieves that liked to prey on young women like Madeline. Spoilers? No, because it's happening right now! A thief jumped out from behind the tree grabbing a hold of the leather reins and pulling Persephone to a grinding halt. Madeline released a shrill scream that could be heard from miles away. However, it was cut short as a thief leapt up towards her, his arm snaking around her waist and yanking right from her steed. "Well what have we got here?" The thief sneered. Madeline wriggled out of his grasp and quickly faced her back to a large tree. She looked at the three thieves that stood before her. They were triplets. All of them had long, skinny legs. Their hair was bright red and styled in a type of deflated mohawk. And for some strange reason they had attached feathers to their old clothes. They looked like...weird ducks. "What do you want with me?" Madeline whimpered. One of the thieves laughed and looked at the brother to his left. "Damn, Daniel!" He exclaimed. "This girl is KFC." Thief Daniel nodded his head in agreement. "Ain't nobody got time for that. We should just take the horse and leave her in distress." The third brother didn't seem so sure as he took a step closer to Madeline. "What's your name?" he asked. Madeline swallowed the lump in her throat as she decided to lie. "It's...Felicia." He squinted his eyes at her before he released a deep, throaty laugh. "You're right boys, she is KFC! Let's get outta here." They turned their backs on Madeline, leading Persephone away with them. Madeline was in such a shock she didn't even move to stop them. Not even as Thief Daniel waved at her and said, "Bye Felicia!" before disappearing with her horse and her only way to get to the coast. It was only when Madeline heard a branch snapping in the distance did she finally move from the tree. "Who's there?" she screamed because alerting your presence in a forest filled with bad people wasn't a bad idea. In this case, it was a terrible disaster as a talking goat clambered out from behind the trees. It's horns were coated in blood and it's white goatee touched the ground. It's eyes were bright red as it focused it's attention on Madeline. The air around them grew tense as Madeline idly looked around for any form a weapon but she was in the middle of a forest and not armoury. So she curled her fists and looked the goat in the eye. It's first words, were terrifying. "I crave that mineral," It bleated and then it was running towards her, tucking it's chin down so his horns could be used to their full extent. Madeline didn't have time to scream before there was a huge thud and a great, white shape took up in front of her. It took her but a few seconds to realise that this shape was in fact a man. He wore a stark, white suit. It's sleeves cut off at the shoulders. He wore a helmet that was white and red. Madeline couldn't see his face but as he spoke, her knees went weak. "It makes you a chicken to attack a young lady in distress. I ought to deep fry you, goat." The goat bleated in response before Madeline heard his little hooves, trotting off back into the trees. He didn't put up much of a fight but judging from the bulging muscles on the knights arms, she wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of him either...maybe the right side though. Or underneath. He turned around slowly, Madeline's eyes assessing every inch of the man. From his white leather shoes, to the cardboard bucket on his head, the eye holes cut out unevenly. She couldn't see his face but her eyes settled on the only non-white thing he wore...a string bow tie. It was then, Madeline knew she was in love. "You...saved me." She breathed, casually sticking out her chest. "Whatever could I do to repay you?" The knight cleared his throat as he took a tentative step towards her. "You can repay me by giving me your name." "It's Madeline. And what's yours?" His hand reached up and ever so slowly pulled of the helmet, shaking his head. His thick, white locks bounced around until they finally settled in place, shaping his magnificent face. He was the most handsome man she'd ever laid eyes upon. "Sanders," He said with a smile. "Harland Sanders. How can I help you, Madeline?" Madeline asked Harland if he could take her to the coast, despite the fact that the man had no horse, no need to go there or any favour owed to her but because this is a love story, he said yes. Along the way she told Harland her story and her secrets about how her parents had wanted her to marry rich but she had run away. She spoke about how she would never want to be in that situation again and all she wanted to do was have a normal life, like any other normal person. And then she asked Harland about himself. "What's your secret?" She smiled. "Who told you about the eleven secret herbs and spices?!" He gasped. "Excuse me?" Madeline said bewildered. Harland looked shocked for a second before he shrugged it off with a laugh. "I mean, I don't have any secrets that I'm going to reveal upon meeting you...I mean, I'm just a simple man. A sailor. A romantic. A string bow tie enthusiast." Madeline didn't even know that she'd wanted all of those things until now. It was like she was living in a hazy world until she'd met Harland. They continued on their journey until they reached a coastal town and they found a hotel to stay out. I can't be very descriptive because I've just realised there's a word count and it's slowly creeping up on me. You guys can just fill in the blanks with your imagination but keep it clean...for now. ***** Madeline sat before the big open fire, a cup of beer in her hands as she listened to Harland talk about life as a sailor. From what she could see on his face there was sadness there. Like something had happened to him and driven him to a life on the seas. What life did you have before Harland? Madeline thought to herself. What life would you want with me? She was surprised by her second thought. She was also a little scared to have fallen in love with this stranger so quickly. As she watched him though, with that glint in his eye she knew that she needed to be with him. So she decided to wing it and interrupted him before he'd finished speaking. "Harland...I think we should get a dinner for two...or a giant feast. I want to share something with you..." She reached over and ever so carefully, took his hands in hers. "I want to share a lot of things with you." (PLZ remember word count, I can't spend a lot of time focusing on them falling in love and not on the actual spiciness) Harland looked torn for a second before he allowed a smile to cover his face. "Oh Madeline, I'm so glad you feel it too. But I need to tell you something first..." Madeline felt her heart sink a little as she took in the desperation in his voice. "What is it?" Harland stood up from his seat. "Well, I can show you. If you'll come with me?" Madeline didn't hesitate as she sculled the rest of her beer. Her Mama didn't raise no quitter. She stood up and allowed him to guide her up the stairs towards the bedrooms. It was only when Harland reached his own room that Madeline started to fret. She was a woman of noble birth and it was already scandalous that she'd run away from home before her own wedding, let alone that she was now entering another mans room! But as he opened the door she was greeted by an irresistible smell...Oh my. Madeline closed her eyes as she breathed deeply through her nose. Harland let go of her hand but Madeline just wanted to embrace this smell for a few seconds longer. When she finally mustered the strength to open her eyes she gasped. Harland had his back to her but he'd taken off his white pants as he had begun to take of his shirt. "What are you doing?" She screamed. Harland looked over his shoulder and smiled at her knowingly. His hands were playing with something near his waist. Strangely, Madeline only felt a warmth spread through her body at that and it caused her to step further into the room, closing the door behind her. This only caused him to smile more before he spoke. "I do have a secret I need to share with you, Madeline. Especially since you're my one true love. I...like to cook. And I want to cook you something now. Something I'm famous for." He spun around, his eyes looking from his hips, to her. Madeline, processed his words but she was too busy looking at down at his cock. The poor thing was being choked by Harland's hands. "What are you doing to that poor rooster?" Harland, laughed before he lifted it higher in the air as it squawked. "Madeline, this isn't a rooster. It's a hen and it's my specialty. Don't be a chicken, come closer and I'll show you." She was terrified but as she looked at Harland she could see the passion on his face. He loved...whatever he was about to do. In this case, murder to that poor hen but we're going to overlook that because it's all for the greater good. "Sit down," He told her. "I'll tell you my story as I prepare for you the greatest meal you'll ever taste." And so the night wore on. Madeline sat at the table between eleven small dishes filled with herbs and spices. She watched Harland, with splatters of blood dotting his skin, feathers littering the floor around him as he told her about his past life. His parents owned a chicken business across the sea and he was to be the heir of the business...but he had been too afraid. He was scared he wasn't good enough especially because he planned on franchising the business to become even more famous and wealthier. He broke a chair into pieces and started a fire right in the middle of the room as he crumbed the chicken with spices and flour and all that other stuff you use to make delicious pieces of heaven. As the food began to cook, the smell that had been in the room intensified and Madeline found herself becoming more and more relaxed but also eager to taste Harland. Uhm, Harland's food. Finally, he set a box down in front of her. Inside of it was 10 pieces of freshly prepared Original Recipe chicken, 2 large chips, large coleslaw, large potato & gravy, and a 1.25L drink™. Madeline looked from the food up to her Harland. As he told her the last part of the story. That his parents had died a really hazardous death when the chickens fought back and smothered them before they even really had a chance. And so now it was his. The business, the home, the life he had before. He was now a rich man and he was to take back the family name. He was Colonel Sanders and he was still the love of her life. Madeline pretended to forget that she'd said earlier she wanted a normal life because let's be real, who would pass up a life of wealth and chicken? She couldn't wait to rub this in Veronica's face. Madeline, reached over and took Colonel Sanders hand. "I still love you," she declared and then looked at the food. "There's so much here, I don't think I can eat it all on my own." Colonel Sanders smiled cheekily. "This, my love, is the Family Box." "The Family Box!" She exclaimed. "But there's only two of us..." He smirked and looked behind him at the bed. "Baby, After we've eaten that chicken, i'm going to give you some stuffing and we're going to create a new beginning for us." Madeline had never eaten food so fast, she barely had time to register the crispy skin and slightly dry chicken, the under-salted chips and the disappointing coleslaw that no one really likes. But the gravy, oh god the gravy was perfect as always. She drank her 1.25L beverage but not all of it. She'd leave a little bit in it so it felt like a waste to throw it away and then just let it go flat over the next few days before finally throwing it away. And only when they'd eaten the last piece of chicken did Colonel Sanders swoop down, picking Madeline up and sweeping her off the feet (just like in the COVER YO) and carried her to the bed. He planted a kiss on her lips and they both savoured the delicious taste of chicken. "You're KFC." She said seductively. "What does that mean?" He growled, removing her clothes. She blushed, a little embarrassed. "You're...Kinda Fucking Cool." Colonel Sanders laughed. His hand now trailing down to the apex of her thighs. Madeline let out a moan of passion. Colonel Sanders thought about those words. "I like that...KFC...Kicking Fat Children...Klassy Fried Chicken...Kentucky Fried Chicken!" And just like that, he had found his restaurant name! "Now, you just need a slogan." Madeline purred. Colonel Sanders waited until Madeline had screamed his name euphorically and then lifted his hand between them, looking at his fingers. "I think I just found that too..." He said, looking into the camera like he's on The Office. "Finger. Licking. Good."

#mine #tender wings of desire

83 notes · View notes