#I don’t know if that would include Sharon…

[jubshead]

AGATHA ALL ALONG THEORY

OKAY HEAR ME OUT

I was rewatching the 3rd episode of AAA and you know the scene in the bathroom where Lilia says “Try to save Agatha”, so I talked to someone here on tumblr and they said that they think the things she’s spouting are future dialogues she’s going to have when she’s dying, like when she tells them she loves them or starts screaming “get off of me!” and that for me makes perfect sense.

Following this line of thought I kept wondering why would she tell someone to save Agatha specifically, cause they might became close of course, but it’s still weird bc she concentrates only on Agatha, which is out of character considering they have Teen to think about.

So when I was watching this scene again I suddenly remembered this tweet:

“What Agatha craves is peers and colleagues. She gets off the power rush, but she wants to do that with others…”

What if Lilia saw that at the end of the road Agatha’s prize would be to (besides the whole son thing that I’m not sure) be with the friends she made and the found family she got.

So maybe they would all come back from the dead to grant her this prize

Idk this might be a little to optimistic, but it was an idea I had while rewatching the episode, so I wanted to share and hear what anyone has to say about it

[orellazalonia]

Always There, Never Seen

Summary: You're the quiet presence who keeps everything running, always helping but never truly seen or included. You sit on the edges of conversations, offer silent support, and watch others be chosen and loved while you remain in the background. Despite being essential, you're basically invisible and it hurts more than anyone realizes.

Word Count: 1.9k+

A/N: According to the poll, y’all really like angst (and hurt/comfort). So I deliver to you, angst. Also, does it count as Bucky x reader if they’re not pining for each other? Hmmm… Also Disclaimer: Not much dialogue, more descriptive writing than anything. Happy reading!

Main Masterlist | The One You Don’t See Masterlist

You weren’t anyone special. Not in the way the world was used to noticing. You didn’t carry a weapon with confidence, didn’t have a degree that earned you any kind of awe, and you certainly didn’t have a face or charm that pulled people in.

You worked in admin at the Tower. Basically paperwork, scheduling, and making sure the chaos of superhero life ran just a bit smoother. You were the one who emailed team briefings, filed mission reports, and organized therapy appointments like they were just blocks on a calendar, not battles for someone's mind.

And Bucky Barnes… well, Bucky was the kind of person people did notice.

You’d liked him for a while. Quietly. Patiently. In the way someone watches a storm from behind a window. Close enough to feel the pull of it, but far enough not to be noticed.

You liked the way his voice got low when he was trying not to wake anyone in the early mornings. The way he peeled oranges with military precision and always left one for someone else. The way he laughed when Sam or Steve dragged him into something dumb, like water balloon fights or bad TV marathons. You liked him. Not the myth, not the metal arm, not the past filled with ghosts. Just Bucky.

But you were no Natasha. No Sharon. No enhanced warrior woman who could flip a man twice her size or disarm a room with a wink. You weren’t brilliant like Shuri or effortlessly magnetic like Darcy. You were just… the person who knew which printer was working and which one wasn’t. You were the one who remembered who liked what in their coffee. You were the background hum, not the spotlight.

And Bucky liked someone else.

You didn’t blame him. She was kind. Bright. The kind of person who glowed when she smiled. She moved like she’d always belonged on a battlefield, and yet, she somehow made everyone around her feel safe. She was witty, beautiful, strong, and all the things people fell in love with.

You tried not to let it show. You weren’t close enough to him for it to be a betrayal but you were far enough that even your absence would go unnoticed. You smiled when you passed him in the halls, nodded when he grunted a hello, even handed him reports when they were meant for Steve, just for a brief second of acknowledgment. He always said thank you. Always polite. Always… kind.

But never more.

Sometimes you imagined saying something. A small, “Hey, do you wanna grab a coffee sometime?” Nothing big, nothing cinematic. But your voice always caught in your throat before the words could make it to daylight. Because what would be the point? What could you possibly offer him that he didn’t already have?

So you kept your head down. You typed, sorted files, watched him laugh in the kitchen over takeout containers with her. And you reminded yourself that this was enough. And maybe, maybe one day it wouldn’t ache so much. Maybe one day, you’d stop comparing yourself to all the people who stood in the sun while you stayed in the shade. Maybe.

But not today. Today, you’d file mission debriefs, pretend not to glance at him too long, and keep being the kind of person who’s easy to forget. The kind of person no one falls for.

However, even with that reminder in your head, it didn’t make it any more easier to live by. Because you didn’t need super-hearing to know when a room grew quieter once you entered.

It wasn’t tension. No one disliked you. It was more like… when you walked into a space, conversation naturally shifted. Not because anyone was guarding secrets, just because you weren’t the kind of person people thought to include.

You were background.

You were the click of the elevator. The shuffle of papers being filed. The voice that said, “He’s in briefing room three” without ever being asked your name in return.

You sat in meetings and never got asked for your opinion. You brought backup cables, extra notepads, bandages for knuckles bruised in training and when someone needed something, you always had it. You noticed when Natasha’s shoulder was bothering her and quietly adjusted the gym reservation to avoid that day’s sparring. You reminded Steve about appointments he forgot. You updated Sam’s reports so they’d match his fieldwork without making him look careless.

No one noticed.

You weren’t angry about it. Not really. You weren’t owed gratitude. That’s not why you did it. You just… wanted to be part of something. And if you couldn’t be the center of it, you thought maybe you could be its foundation.

But even foundations crack under enough silence.

When they gathered in the common room, you stayed near the doorway, not because you preferred it but because there was never really a space for you on the couch. Not in the way people sat. Not in the way conversations flowed. Sometimes someone would offer a smile in your direction, a wave, a half-hearted “Hey, you’re still here.” But the spotlight never lingered.

Even the interns forgot you were in the room. More than once, you’d heard them gossiping about the others. About Steve’s diet, or Wanda’s mood, or what Bucky might be like behind closed doors. You were there the whole time, filing reports just a few feet away. Not one of them noticed.

Once, someone forgot to list you on a team-wide email thread. You only found out when the others started referencing a meeting you hadn’t heard of. When you brought it up, the sender laughed nervously with a light “Oh, I thought you weren’t on the main team.” You weren’t sure what hurt more: the comment or the fact that no one corrected them.

You ate lunch at your desk. You kept your voice quiet in shared spaces. You never spoke unless there was something directly requiring your words. People liked you best that way.

And Bucky… Bucky was no different.

He was polite, sure. Nodded if you passed him in the hall. Sometimes gave you a distracted “Thanks” if you handed him a revised schedule or a mission detail packet. But it was never more than that. He had others to talk to. Ones who smiled brighter, laughed louder, leaned easily into his space like they belonged there.

But God, some days you just wanted someone to ask you how you were doing. Someone to say your name like they meant it.

You knew what you were. You were safe. Predictable. The person who remembered extra passwords and booked flights without needing thanks. You weren’t charming or brilliant or needed the way others were.

And maybe that was why, even when you were in the same room, you felt so crushingly alone. You were there. You always were. But no one seemed to see it. And worst of all, you weren’t sure anyone ever would. Because you’d grown used to being the person who knew the team without really being part of it.

You knew Bucky’s schedule. When he trained, when he left early to avoid team briefings, which mornings he preferred to drink his coffee in silence. You knew the brand of painkillers Bruce trusted, the way Wanda liked her tea, how Tony hated the buzzing lights in the lower hallway. You knew all these things without anyone ever having told you. Because you watched. You listened.

That was your talent. Not fighting. Not hacking into alien tech or performing heart surgery with a spoon. You were just good at being there. Good at remembering. Good at caring in the background.

Of course, the person you liked had never really noticed. It wasn’t in a cruel way. Not in an “I think I’m better than you” way. Just in the way someone doesn’t notice the soft hum of a computer fan or the way a hallway light always flickers. You were part of the environment. Static. Expected. Invisible.

Because you knew Bucky had eyes only for her.

Honestly, you didn’t know her well. She was new-ish. Sharp and warm, always dressed like she’d stepped out of some other, better life. She smiled with her whole face. She wasn’t arrogant, but she walked like someone who knew she mattered. It was easy to like her, even if it hurt.

She made him softer. You saw it in the way his shoulders relaxed when she walked in the room, in the way his sarcasm eased into gentleness when she was around. He even smiled more, really smiled.

Sometimes you caught yourself watching them. Bucky, leaning on a countertop, looking at her like she was something rare. Her tossing her head back as she laughed at something he said. It was a kind of closeness you knew you’d never be part of. Not just with him, but with anyone. You weren’t made of magnetism or spark.

You were the pause between other people’s sentences.

One afternoon, you found yourself in the hallway outside the training room, flipping through a stack of revised schedules. You were trying to figure out if you could shift Rhodey’s physical therapy without messing up the team’s briefing timeline, and not watching where you were going when you turned a corner right into the one Bucky chose.

“Oh!” She said, catching your arm. “Sorry, I didn’t see you.”

You stepped back quickly. “No, my fault.”

She smiled kindly, open, not patronizing. “You’re the one who keeps everything running, right? You’re the one who fixed the mess with my mission debrief last week.”

You blinked. “That was… yeah. That was me.”

“Thank you,” She said genuinely. “Seriously. No one tells you that enough, but I noticed. You’re really good at what you do.”

It stung, how warm those words felt. Like you hadn’t realized how cold you’d been until someone brought a match close.

You gave a small smile. “Thanks.”

She leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. “You work here all the time. Do you ever get a break?”

You laughed once under your breath. “Not really. I think that’s kind of the point of me.”

She tilted her head. “You don’t talk much.”

You shrugged. “Not a lot of people want to hear it.”

She watched you for a beat too long, like she wanted to ask something else. But then Bucky’s voice called from down the hall, her name, not yours. Her face lit up.

“That’s me. Thanks again,” She said, and jogged off without waiting for a response.

You stood there a little too long after she left, the fluorescent light buzzing faintly above you. You imagined what it might be like to have someone call your name like that. To be the reason someone’s expression softened. You wondered what it would feel like to matter that easily.

Bucky passed by you without a glance as he walked with her. You didn't expect otherwise.

You held your papers a little tighter and turned back the way you came.

Some people were made to shine. You’d never been one of them. You weren’t bitter. You weren’t even that jealous, really. You just knew your place. You were the one who knew how to quiet a printer jam in seconds. Who carried extra pens. Who remembered birthdays but never had her own celebrated.

Bucky Barnes didn’t know your favorite coffee order. Didn’t know you stayed late so others could leave early. Didn’t know how often you looked at the closed doors of conversations you’d never be invited into.

But you were okay. You had your quiet. You had your rhythm. You had the small comfort of being needed, even if not wanted. And that would be enough. Eventually.

[traveler-at-heart]

Doctor's In - Part 16

Summary: Your Westview fam reunites with you and Boston as you prepare to leave the city.

A/N: I believe this is what @jerullium and I would call a filler episode but hey! Enjoy if you like Wanda fluff

-

You know what the call is about.

“Hello?” you practically sing, your eyes on the road.

“Stop that” Wanda warns you.

“Stop what?”

“Changing the music. You know I don’t like that girl!”

“Babe, Chappell is great” you play dumb.

“I’m the only redhead you can love”

“Yes, darling. Have you asked the kids yet?”

“Just about to. I’m picking them up before my mother steals my car and crashes against a police car. Again”

You want to laugh at how annoyed Wanda sounds. Honestly, you’re dying to meet her mother.

“Let me know if they agree to come so I can get your tickets”

“I can do that…”

“You’re all flying first class, and that’s final. Gotta go. Love ya”

“Me too… you’re playing her music again!” she says and you hang up, laughing.

“You guys are adorable” Val says, sitting next to you in the car.

“Yelena likes to call it ridiculously corny”

“So, not that this is any of my business… but why are you looking to work abroad if you are in a relationship with Wanda? I don’t think she’d be willing to move, right?”

“Well… that’s why I was curious about that summer program you mentioned with an NGO”

Valkyrie knew enough people and organizations to find something that wouldn’t mean moving to a different country indefinitely.

And as it turned out, you had a few common friends, including none other than Sharon Carter.

She was a couple years ahead of you in college, but you’d always gotten along. Thanks to Val, you knew she was ready to move back home -her whole family was in Boston- and you were hoping she could take an interest in working for Romanoff Medical Center.

After everything Melina had done for you (even if it was out of self interest to provide Yelena with a mentor), you didn’t feel comfortable just leaving without a thought after your contract was up.

As you go meet Sharon at the restaurant, your mind drifts to Billy and Tommy. Would they be excited at the prospect of seeing you? Wanda had only mentioned they went through a rough patch, but you were always too afraid to ask the details.

The sight of Sharon waving at you brings you back to reality.

“Carter girl” you greet like you did in college, hugging her.

“Look at you, all grown up”

“Look at you, working for WHO”

“It’s nothing, really” she shrugs it off, greeting Val as well.

There’s some talk about work, just chit chat while the waiter was hanging around waiting to take your order. Once he’s done and you have some space to talk more freely, Sharon turns to you, a smirk on her face.

“You still a player?”

That makes you choke on your drink, while Val whistles.

“What? Here I was thinking this one was a family gal”

“Wait, hold up. That’s insane. In college, she used to charm every girl. Not even the ones with boyfriends were safe” Sharon says, making you blush.

“I don’t seem to recall…”

“Jean Grey.”

“Ok, got it. No need to go further into detail” you interrupt her, suddenly remembering that yeah, you had been a bit of a player in college. “Now I’m with someone who has two kids, so I’m looking to return to Westview”

“Romanoff Medical is going to need a great Head of Trauma” Val chimes in.

“The pay is spectacular”

“Mhm. Heard Melina can be hard to deal with” Sharon says and you sigh.

“Honestly? Not as much. Not if you do your job and you’re good at it. Like me” you wink at her.

“Well, I’d be looking to start in a month or so, because I really wanna get some rest and be with my family”

“Timing couldn’t be better… except I need someone to cover for me this weekend. Do you mind?”

“That’s going to cost you a mimosa”

“Done” you say, waving at the waiter.

—

Wanda is stalling.

Things were getting better between her and the kids. There was no arguing, even if Billy had decided to quit the soccer team.

She knew they still missed you, but they were starting to heal. And your relationship was going well, but Wanda was afraid of so many things.

Of screwing it up again. Hurting the kids.

Getting hurt.

Though you’d never ever do it, she trusted you completely.

She’s still thinking about how to bring up the trip to the kids when she gets a text from you.

Y/N: Hey, it’s been a couple of hours. If you’re not ready or think it’s not the best idea to bring the kids, I get it. They always come first. Just know that I love you no matter what :)

Wanda smiles at that.

She decides to leave her study and go to the twins’ room, where they’re doing some homework.

“Hey, do you guys have a minute?” she sits in Billy’s bed, and Tommy joins them. “So, I know we haven’t spoken about Y/N. She’s been living and working in Boston”

“That’s where you’ve been traveling to” Tommy says, looking up.

“Right. And we ran into each other… started talking. She mentioned you could join me on my next trip and we’d all go around the city together. There are some cool stuff to do and see”

“Seriously? That would be awesome! Yes, I want to come with you!” Tommy says, excited. Wanda’s about to ask Billy when he jumps out of bed, running to lock himself in the bathroom.

“Wait here, sweetheart” she asks Tommy. “Billy? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t wanna go”

“Why? Are you angry at Y/N?”

“No”

“Then me?”

“No” he says, this time with less conviction.

“Then what is it?”

“You’re only making us go so you both can give us the talk” he says through the door, and Wanda decides to open it.

“What talk?” she sits on the floor next to her son, running her hands through his hair.

“The same talk Emily’s parents had with her when they were getting a divorce. About how it wasn’t her fault and they’d always love her even if they weren’t together”

“No, that’s not it at all, Billy”

“She just wants to say goodbye to us”

“I promise you that’s not it. We’re both trying hard to fix everything, my sweet boy. Have our family back” Billy turns around to wipe his face, and Wanda sighs. “Would it make you feel better if Y/N told you herself?”

That makes the boy turn.

Wanda takes out her phone, dialing your number and hoping you’re not too busy with work.

“Hey, beautiful. Got any news for me? Will I get to see my boys?”

“Y/N!” Billy jumps up, leaning his head against Wanda’s to hear you better.

“Billy? Hey kiddo. How are you? I’ve missed you so damn much”

He’s so excited he doesn’t even notice the curse word that leaves your mouth.

“I missed you too! Do you like Boston?”

“It’s alright. Would be a lot more fun if you guys came over to visit me. What do you say?”

“We’ll do some fun stuff?”

“And eat ice cream”

“This isn’t to say goodbye?”

“Goodbye? I have my ticket to Westview in a couple of weeks, Billy. You’re not getting rid of me”

“Ok, yeah! We’ll see you soon!” he says, excited. You laugh.

“Alright then. Now let me speak to your mom”

He hands over the phone, running back to his room.

“We have thirty seconds before Tommy comes running to talk to you”

“Ok, I’ll take it to say I love you and can’t wait to see you all this weekend”

“Will we stay at the penthouse?”

“I’m not sure it’s very child friendly so let’s get a suite at a nice hotel” you say, knowing the place was full of expensive things that could easily break with two kids running around.

Like clockwork, Tommy shows up, kneeling next to his mother.

“Y/N! Can we go to a Red Sox game?”

“I’ll see what I can do, buddy” you say. He keeps talking, asking questions about the city.

Billy joins in a second later, and this is the first time in months that Wanda’s seen them so happy and excited.

She can’t wait to have her entire family back together.

—

Rumor has it, Fury has found a replacement. He only schedules interviews when Darcy’s away and he asks goody two shoes Kamala Kahn to deliver all the CVs he needs to read.

She’d never move to the dark side, unfortunately.

Darcy is running out of ideas to keep the job open.

There’s one, though.

“Fuck it” she decides, walking to Fury’s office and ignoring his secretary when she says he’s busy.

He obviously isn’t, signing papers.

“Yes, Doctor Lewis?”

“I’d like to be considered”

“Considered for…” he says without look up.

“The position of Head of Trauma”

Now, that makes Fury pay attention. He smiles, removing his glases.

“I thought you wanted Y/N to come back to her old job”

“Well, she’s taking her sweet time and I don’t want anyone else running the ER. So, I’m your girl”.

“I still have to interview you” he says, pulling out Darcy’s file and reading it. “Darcy N. Lewis. What does the N stand for?”

“None of your business” Darcy snaps, forgetting she’s talking to her boss until Fury levels her with a glare. “Nora”

“Alright. Let’s start, shall we?”

—

Melina’s reviewing schedules when she hears a knock on the door.

“Ah, just who I wanted to see” she says when you walk inside.

“Have I done something?”

“Well, we have a pending discussion about your time with us, don’t we?” the woman says, and you appreciate how she goes straight to business.

“I am leaving after the three months we agreed on” you admit, sitting down in front of her.

“I assumed as much, seeing your girlfriend around these past few weeks”

“I’m sorry, I know you wanted it to not work out” you tease, and Melina huffs, offended.

“I’m not some kind of monster! If you’re happy, I am glad to hear it. I just know it’s gonna be incredibly difficult to find someone who can…”

You interrupt her rant by pushing Sharon’s CV in front of her. She skims through it, raising her eyebrows.

“She worked for the World Health Organization?”

“Mhm. Top of her class, outstanding in every way. She also brings a large network and a lot of prestige”

Needless to say, those are things Melina loves. You’re sure she’d be willing to throw another gala just to show off Sharon.

“We’d have to do a trial, show her around…”

“Already arranged it” you say, smiling. Melina keeps reading the file and you know she doesn’t need any more convincing, so you take your cue to leave. But there’s something more you wanna say, as you stand by the door. “Hey. Thank you for taking me in. You gave me a place to stay and a job when I was completely broken. I can’t imagine what I would have done without your help”

“Just make sure… she’s worth it all. That she values you as much as you do her, Y/N. This is your career, and a big sacrifice at that” the brunette says, her tone softer.

“You’re right. Thank you” you leave with a smile.

—

It feels like everyone decided to fly today. The airport is crowded, you can barely find room to walk and you know Wanda must be struggling with her bag and the two kids who are running around everywhere.

“God damn it” you sigh, hoping they’re managing through the sea of people.

You hear them before seeing them.

“Y/N!” Tommy screams. You don’t realise where he’s coming from until he crashes against your back, jumping as he hugs you.

“Hey, kiddo!” you try to turn around, only to see Billy sprinting at full speed. “Oh, oh”

He gives the final push that knocks you down, and you shriek as they climb on top of you.

“Boys! Honestly, what has gotten into you?” Wanda comes to the rescue a second later. “You ok?”

“Come here, you two” you sit up, hugging them. “Missed you like crazy”

“And what about me?” Wanda pouts. You laugh, standing up and kissing her.

“Of course I missed you too, beautiful”

Right on cue, they both groan and complain as Wanda kisses you back.

“I didn’t miss that” Tommy sasses you and you glare.

“In that case…” you grab Wanda by the waist, pulling her against you and peppering kisses all over her face.

“Baby” she laughs, and you silence her a second later with your lips.

“Blegh” they both say, grabbing their backpacks.

“Are they teens now?” you mumble against Wanda’s ear.

“No, teenage years will be much worse than this. Are you still up for it?”

“In it for the long run, baby”

Wanda has to go straight to a work meeting, but you stop by a second to greet Wendy, and make sure she gets a chance to meet the twins.

“I’ve heard so much about you!” the woman says.

“Tell Wendy what was your favorite story of hers growing up”

“Uh, the one where the kids go to space” Billy says shyly.

“And they take their dog! We have a dog too and we’d take him to space with us” Tommy agrees.

“Alright, astroboys, let them work. We’re going to a baseball game”

“Oh, no! I’m sad I’ll miss it. Have fun” Wanda lies.

You knew she’d be bored out of her mind so you decided it was as good a time as any to take them to the game.

“Yeah, those are so much fun” you say, knowing baseball is incredibly boring for you too. As Wanda says goodbye you pull her close and whisper in her ear. “I’m taking one for the team so be prepared to thank me later, babe”

“Stop” she tries not to laugh, knowing exactly what you mean. “And don’t eat a lot of junk food”

“You heard your mom”

“I wasn’t talking only to the kids”

“Rude”

As you expected, you still have no clue what’s going on but the kids enjoy eating nachos and watching men running around after a ball.

“Wow, Camarena is about to bat!”

“Oh, I met that guy in New York” you say, remembering how Zach was so excited about that player.

You really need to plan something in the summer for him to meet the twins.

As Camarena prepares to bat, you decide to FaceTime Zach.

“Where are yooou?” he says, annoyingly close to the screen. “Without me? Traitor”

“Who’s that?” Tommy says, looking away from the game for a split second.

“My brother”

“Hi, I’m uncle Zach”

“You can’t be our uncle. You’re too young” Billy huffs.

You’re about to tell them to settle when you hear the familiar sound of people cheering and shouting.

“Ah, shit. Not again”

Another ball falls right on your hand.

Tommy takes your phone, lifting it in the air and dancing with his brother as the camera pans to you.

Honestly, why are people so happy over catching a freakin ball?

Pretty soon you hope there’s another coming your way and knocks you down, because Zach is arguing over the phone with the boys.

“We should totally keep it!”

“Are you insane? If he asks for it you can get a picture with him and get him to sign stuff, that’s worth more!”

“It wouldn’t be the same”

Anyway, as the game ends you get called just like last time.

“You again?” the team manager recognises you and you shrug your shoulders.

“Hey, I’m just as surprised as you”

“Alright, how about a picture and a signed bat in exchange for the ball?”

You shake your head no and point at the kids.

“You’re asking the wrong person, pal. Negotiate with these two”

Why are you even surprised when they get all demanding? They are Wanda’s kids after all.

In the end, they get one picture each, two signed baseball balls, one of his hats and a glove.

“Come on, your mom’s waiting for us at the hotel. You two need to shower so we can grab some food”

“No shower when we’re on vacation!” they chant as you drive back.

“Nu-uh, you’re both stinky. Plus you hugged that stinky man”

“Can we have burgers and milkshakes?”

“You had nachos and popcorn and soda. Oh, by the way” you turn to look at them at the red light. “If your mother asks you didn’t eat all that. Just some popcorn”

“We can agree if we don’t have to shower”

“Shower and I’ll take you to the F1 arcade”

Billy and Tommy whisper in the back of the car, considering your proposal.

“Deal”

“Fist bump” you say, throwing one hand to the back seat so they can seal the deal.

You definitely missed acting like a kid with them.

—

Wanda was right. You’d never say it out loud because you don’t want her to get all cocky.

But the kids have been hyper ever since they arrived and you’re a little out of practice with taking care of them.

It’s day two and you’re hoping the museum can provide some distraction while you chill with Wanda.

“You ok, detka? Seems like you ran a marathon” Wanda comments with a smirk.

“I’m super fine. Just ate a lot for breakfast” you lie, but still keep her close to your side, hoping you can sit down and watch the kids run around.

And for a little while, everything’s going well. Until you stumble upon an exhibition.

“Hall of Human Life” you read out loud.

It’s like Disneyland for doctors.

“That’s so cool!” you say, watching the model of an artery with high blood pressure. Tommy and Billy pick up on your enthusiasm, following you everywhere and asking questions as they go through every station of the exhibit.

Apparently, there’s a little contest at the end and you join a group of children sitting on the floor.

“Alright” the staff woman says, looking around. “Who can tell me how many bones are in the human body?”

“206!” you shout from the back, making every kid turn to look at you.

“Correct… uh, let’s just raise our hands to answer” the woman asks, thrown off by the sight of an adult in a children’s activity. “Does anyone remember three parts of the eye? Anyone?”

You’re the only one raising your hand, and the woman gives up with a sigh.

“Sclera, iris and retina”

It keeps happening with a couple of questions and Wanda is torn between letting you crash the activity or ask you to join her in the back.

As you get ready to argue with a 12 year old over an incorrect answer, Wanda decides you better get going.

“Come here, baby”

“Ok, what you said is incorrect. 1 in 500 people have a cervical rib” you keep arguing with the kid while Wanda drags you away.

“Here” she pushes you to the back of an exhibit.

“Hey, I was just…”

“We should let the kids enjoy themselves for a bit, don’t you think?” she asks and you’re about to argue when her lips are on yours.

“Yeah, that’s alright I guess” you sigh, a shiver running down your spine when Wanda bites your bottom lip.

“So, wanna discuss anatomy with a kid or show me what you know in this little corner?”

“I’m definitely staying here” you say, making out like teenagers.

You only notice the activity is over when the kids come looking for you.

“Gross” Tommy says.

“Hey, keep that up and we’ll go through the baby section again”

“Nooo” they both run away, traumatized by the drawings.

“How I missed babysitting the three of you” Wanda laughs.

You walk down the rest of the museum, commenting on your favorite thing in each area. As you discuss if they want to go to the aquarium after having some food, Wanda decides to get some souvenirs from the gift shop, Tommy tagging along in hopes of getting a t-shirt.

“You don’t want a t-shirt, beautiful boy?” you ask Billy, and he smiles when you call him that. It’s his favorite thing, from that John Lennon song.

“I don’t want you to be alone”

“I’ll be fine. Go with Mom, help her shop for something for Pietro and Grandma”

“It’s ok” he insists. You hug him and he leans on your side.

“How have you been? Heard you’re not really into soccer these days”

“No, I only went because Tommy liked it. But it’s not my favorite thing. Plus Daniel was being kind of mean” he mutters.

“Isn’t he Dick’s… I mean, Richard’s kid?” you stumble over the nickname.

“Yeah. He was saying that it wasn’t right that mom was with you and that was why I was weird too”

You take a deep breath, turning to look at him.

“You know that’s not right”

“Yeah. Tommy kicked his ass for that. Don’t tell mom I said a bad word” he remembers and his expression makes you forget the anger for a second.

“My lips are sealed”

In that precise moment, Wanda and Tommy come back. Tommy has some dinosaur stuff that he bought for his brother and they’re busy checking everything out.

“Wow, what’s going on?” Wanda says when you pull her aside.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” you whisper, shaking with anger.

“Tell you what? Y/N, calm down”

“I’m going to kill him”

“Kill who?”

“Dick, Richard, whatever his name is. He hurt Billy and I’m going to…”

“I already dealt with it, please calm down” Wanda asks.

“Unless you ran him over with your car, it’s not enough”

“I did threaten him with that” she says, which makes you laugh. “I’m serious. I did tell him I’d do it”

Wanda puts her hands on your cheeks, forcing you to look at her.

“Are you better now?”

“Yeah. You should have told…”

“I wanted to but you weren’t there. So I had to deal with it the best I could” she says and you hang your head in defeat.

You hope one day the guilt of leaving like a coward can disappear.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I pushed you away, remember? Let’s just get something to eat. Ok?”

“Ok” you kiss the back of her hand, sighing.

“Look what we got you!” Tommy interrupts, unaware of the tension between you and her mom.

He shows you a plastic dinosaur with a cowboy hat and you scream.

“Coolest thing ever!”

“Three kids” Wanda laughs, walking away as you alternate between rawr and yeehaw sounds, holding the dinosaur up in the air.

—

The kids wouldn’t get on the plane until you showed them your ticket to Westview. Even then, they complained that two weeks was a long wait.

But still, they got on the plane and you were  seeing Wanda next Thursday, as it was her final meeting with Wendy’s team.

“Love you two”

“Love you three” they answered and how you missed hearing those words from them.

Everything is still the same when you go back to work. But the kids visit has made you look at things differently.

You don’t feel so alone, and you’re more optimistic about the future. Even Lorne has noticed and is taking full advantage of your mood.

Yelena’s the one with the attitude as soon as you come back.

“Anything interesting happened this weekend?”

“Ask your friend” she says without looking up from her notes.

“What did you think of Sharon?”

“She’s fine. Whatever”

“Fine as in attractive or fine as in capable? I hope it’s the latter because Bishop won’t be happy about the other one…”

“Can you stop being so fucking annoying for a second?” she snaps, standing up to leave.

It’s like that the entire day. You ask her to do something and she complains, speaks through her teeth or simply refuses to acknowledge you.

The only thing you can think to do of is bitch about it to Natasha.

“Is your sister in her late teenage years or some shit?”

“She’s just pissed because you’re leaving” Natasha doesn’t look up either, well aware of Yelena’s behavior.

“Well, she knew I was leaving after three months! That’s hardly a shock”

“You were the one that said you’d never move to Boston and here you are” she levels you with an icy glare. “You can’t really blame her for hoping you’d stick around longer than three months”

“I guess, but still. It’s nothing personal”

“She gets attached easily. Ask mom how many strays she picked on the street”

“So now I’m a dog?” you say, and Natasha smiles.

“Yeah, like a retriever. You’re always goofy. Plus you catch all those balls like it’s second nature”

“Heard about the other game, huh?”

“I’m not going to assume what Yelena thinks or feels, but you should definitely talk to her” Natasha looks at you. “And for what is worth, you’ve made a good impact on the staff. They’re gonna miss you too”

“Are you?” you say when she stands up to leave.

“Nope. I’m taking your parking spot”

“Hey!”

She looks back and smiles. You return the gesture, knowing what she’s trying to say.

“It’s a nice parking spot” you admit. “Closer to the cafeteria”

“Exactly. See you later”

“Thanks. For helping me out with Yelena. And for wanting to be my friend even though I can be an ass” you say.

“You’re a nice ass. Wait, that came out wrong” she frowns and you laugh.

“I got the point”

Natasha smiles and nods your way one last time. And as far as you’re concerned, you’d really want to keep avoiding Yelena, but you better go and find her.

She’s in an on call room, and all but groans when you walk inside.

“I’m leaving in two weeks. Believe or not, it’s not easy for me to make this choice, Yelena. I know staying would be better for my career. Your mom is paying me shitloads of money. And the city has its charm, I’m not gonna lie”

“Ok, is there a point or…?”

“I’m coming back to Westview because… I found the one thing I never thought I’d have. A family that loves me. After my dad passed away I didn’t really have a place to call home. Maybe I shouldn’t have come here at all, because it was unfair to create an expectation. But I won’t lie and say I regret it. You’ve grown so much and you have so much talent. I’m really fucking proud of being your teacher”

Yelena looks away, and you sigh.

“Anyways, better get back to…”

“Thank you. Even if it was for a short time, I’m happy you were my teacher” she finally says, wiping a tear and smiling at you.

“Thanks, kid. We are a good team” you sit next to her, nudging her knee with yours. “One could even say we trauma bonded, huh?”

“I hate you”

—

The last thing you want to hear after a very bad shift is Lorne’s voice proposing to play a game.

“I just feel like I never got to know you!” he insists.

“Walking in on me changing clothes wasn’t enough for you? Glad you’re knocking after that, by the way”

To be honest, it was fun to watch him shriek as he saw you half naked. And how he volunteered to take the sexual harrassment course even though it was pretty obvious he didn’t mean to be a peeping tom.

“No, I mean things like, your favorite cake flavor, or favorite color. And are you a balloon girl? Or more of a glitter gal?”

“Neither. I don’t want a farewell party” you say, knowing exactly what he’s doing.

It’s stupid to throw a party to someone who’s been part of the staff for only three months. And from day one, everyone knew you weren’t staying.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about” he plays dumb and you chuckle, signing forms while you check your watch.

You better get going if you want to pick up Wanda from her meeting.

“Mhm. No parties. Seriously” you hand over the charts, glaring at him.

He nods, but you don’t really believe he’ll give up. If Yelena sides with him, you’ll have to accept your fate.

“Ready to go?” Sharon says, greeting you at the hallway.

She’s been picking up some shifts, to see if she likes the job. Melina made her an offer as soon as she sat down for the interview and you’re convinced the only reason she hasn’t let you leave early is because Yelena would throw a tantrum.

“Yeah, I have to pick up Wanda. How’s everything? You like it here?”

“Very much, everyone’s nice. The facilities are amazing and it’s a very interesting challenge. Don’t tell anyone yet, but I’m accepting the job offer”

“Congratulations. They’re very lucky to have you” you say, smiling.

“Thank you, for recommending me. I’ll let you go now” she says when she gets paged.

By the time you reach the address Wanda sent out, she’s wrapping up the meeting.

“Didn’t mean to interrupt, I’m sorry” you say as you walk in on people chatting around the conference room.

“Not at all, please come in” Wendy says.

“Hello, darling” Wanda greets you with a kiss on the cheek. “We were only talking about tonight. There’s this party with some editors”

“Oh, that sounds nice” you try not to sound disappointed, because you were hoping to spend the evening with Wanda.

“Sorry for the short notice but you’re going to be my plus one” Wanda puts her arm around your waist and you relax against her.

“Can’t say no to my girl”

As you’re saying goodbye, Wendy’s assistant stops by. There’s a wave of excitement as soon as Lily shows off the baby.

“I thought it was a boy” Wanda says, approaching her.

“We did too. Apparently our doctor’s stupid. No offense, Y/N”

“Hey, I just rode in the ambulance. But congrats. What’s her name?”

“Marygold”

“I love that name” Wanda and you say at the same time.

Lily hands over the baby to Wanda, and as she cooes at the little girl, you look over her shoulder, your hand on Wanda’s waist.

“She’s such a cutie”

“You both look good with a baby” Wendy jokes and you smile.

“Babe, they’re conspiring to get us pregnant”

Wanda tries to laugh at your joke, but your closeness is distracting. She wants to focus on Marygold but gives up a moment later, and you intercept the baby before she returns to her mother’s arms.

“You’re gonna have to teach me that move” Lily comments when you sway her gently and lull her back to sleep.

“Natural talent, I’m afraid” you joke.

You’re so focused on the baby that you don’t notice Wanda’s intense gaze on you.

Of course, someone else takes Marygold and you leave with Wanda.

“So, work thing, huh? Sounds fun. Is it more business, casual?”

“Just a small dinner, nothing fancy. And we definitely don’t have to stay for long” she says, looking out the window.

“You ok?” you ask after a few moments of silence, placing your hand on her thigh.

“Yeah” Wanda turns to smile at you.

You miss the way she shivers when you squeeze her thigh, and Wanda’s sure you’re keeping your hand there in an innocent gesture.

But seeing you holding a baby, with your strong arms (that are a lot more buff now) practically made her ovulate on the spot.

She has to be extremely patient, but once you’re in your building and the elevator’s doors close, Wanda corners you, her pupils dilated.

“Wanda?” you say, completely blindsided by the way she has you against the metal walls.

“I want you… fuck. I want you to put a baby in me”

Your attention is split between her words and the fact she’s unbotting her blouse in the middle of the elevator.

“I, technically… biologically, I mean” you stutter as she reveals a black lace bra.

“You’re not even gonna try?” she taunts, undoing your pants and sinking her hand to play with your clit through your underwear.

“Fuck, not what I meant, bunny” you mutter against her temple, while she edges you. “Can you behave until we get there?”

“No” she says against your lips, swallowing your moans.

The doors open into the Penthouse and you’re about to carry Wanda to the bedroom when she pushes you away.

“Why?”

“Give me five minutes to change”

“You don’t need to change, you’re gonna be naked” you whine, taking a look at her cleavage.

“So you don’t wanna see the entire thing? It has stockings. And a thong”

“Can I rip it off of you?”

“No. They were very expensive”

“I’ll reimburse you” you insist. She laughs and you pout, but let her walk to the room, with an extra sway to her hips just to tease you.

You pace around the kitchen, like a caged animal. To be fair, last time Wanda was here you didn’t have a chance to be alone.

That makes you remember the thing you bought and stored inside the safe, just to make sure no one would find it. If Wanda wants to play dirty, you should surprise her as well.

While you adjust the new toy, the bedroom door opens and you practically sprint inside.

“Oh, my”

Wanda’s sitting in bed, her hair down. You take it all in, starting from the heels she’s still wearing, to her beautiful slender legs, the stockings held by a suspender belt.

You kneel at the foot of the bed, and she’s happy to make room for you between her legs.

“No ripping” she warns you as a hand reaches for her thighs.

“I’m not…”

“I’m serious” she says, gripping your chin between her fingers. “Say you understand”

“I understand”

“Good girl”

“You know, you should be the one begging” you say, your hands going up and down her calves while you kiss the exposed skin. “Weren’t saying you wanted me to get you nice and pregnant?”

“It doesn’t hurt to remind you I call the shots”

“Do you, now?” you smile up at her and Wanda holds her breath. She understands a second too late, that you have something of your own to tease her with.

With a chuckle, you push her thong aside and dart your tongue out, tasting her. You both moan and she places her hand in your head, pulling you closer.

You can tell she’s close when you feel her movig her hips against your mouth, so you slow down, until she’s whining.

“I didn’t say you could stop” she says.

“You better watch your tone or I’ll fuck the attitude out of you, baby” you stand up, puling your shirt up. Wanda’s hands go down your abs, which is amusing. Ever since you got back together, it hasn’t been lost on you how she eyes them and tries to get little peaks when your shirt rides up.

“Did you get a new…?” she says when her hand goes lower, feeling the strap on that you’re packing.

“See? I am putting a baby in you” you smile, pushing your thumb past her lips.

Wanda pulls your pants down, and takes the plastic cock between her hands. It takes you by surprise when she spits on it and then smears her saliva all over it. Before you can do anything else, her mouth is on it, and the pressure goes directly to your clit.

“Come on, let me fuck you” you plead, though you’re on the edge.

“Good old missionary?” Wanda pulls you down with her, your lips meeting in a messy kiss.

“God, yes, I want to hear your pretty moans” you say, lining up the toy against her cunt, and you find no resistance as you slide inside.

“Fuck, yes” Wanda moans, holding the back of your neck. You thrust harder when you feel her heels digging on your back, and she’s everywhere. Her scent is invading your nose, you feel her hot breath against your ear and her moans are all you can hear as you keep fucking her, losing control until she practically screams your name.

“Fuck, that was good” she says, as you keep moving your hips, waiting for her breathing to slow down. “I need a minute”

“Ok, I’ll just stay inside and focus on these two” you say, pulling the bra down and sucking on one of her nipples.

Wanda’s protests die down in her throat as you move to the other nipple, readjusting so you’re buried deeper inside.

She pushes you and you’re about to complain when she flips you over, straddling your lap.

“Alright then. Round two”

“Bring it, Maximoff”

—

It’s a miracle you leave the penthouse at all. Between having sex on every surface, eating and sleeping, it’s time to leave for Wanda’s work dinner.

“You look very fuckable, baby” you compliment her mini skirt, knee high boots and long sleeved sweater.

“Isn’t that what you’ve been doing all day?”

“I mean, I could picture pulling that skirt up and just fucking you against a wall” you say, laughing when she puts her head against the headrest.

“Lets forget about this work thing and go back to bed, please?”

“That’s not very professional of you”

“I know. But you’re not playing fair”

“It will be worth the wait, I promise”

Wanda gets out of the car as you talk to the valet. She walks inside, saying hello to a few people and picking up a glass of wine. She’s about to greet Wendy when a man gets in her way. It’s one of the assistant editors, though she can’t even remember his name.

“Hey, Wanda. Glad to see you made it”

“Yeah, of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world” she says, though she would absolutely miss it for more hours of hot sex with you.

“I didn’t bring anyone either, so maybe we could be each other’s date?” he jokes, but Wanda doesn’t smile at that.

“Actually, I…” she tries to say but he completely ignores her.

“As a matter of fact, I regret not doing this sooner, but I wanted to ask you out. And I know this is your last trip to Boston but I was hoping we could…”

You walk in that precise moment, smiling at Wanda.

“Hi there, sorry. Had to make sure they knew how to park the Corvette. I’ll have what she’s having” you turn to the man, who shifts on his feet, clearly uncomfortable.

“Not a waiter. I’m an assistant editor. Working on Wendy’s book. I’m sorry, I didn’t know Wanda was bringing a friend”

“I didn’t know either. Who did you invite, baby?” you play dumb, knowing exactly what was going on.

“No one, my love. This is my girlfriend, Y/N” Wanda leans against you.

“Doctor Y/L/N” you correct her before he can introduce himself. You don’t want to be on a first name basis with this asshole.

“My name’s Bobby. So, what kind of doctor? Eye stuff?”

“Trauma. ER stuff”

“Drunk people and broken bones?” he tries to joke.

“No, more like stab wounds. You’d be surprised how much damage you can do with the tiniest thing” you comment, picking up a tiny fork with a bored expression. “I mean, just the right spot and your entire carotid blows up. Gone in three seconds”

“Oh, darling, not everyone gets your medical humor” Wanda laughs a little too loud, pulling you away. “Anyways, nice talking to you, Bobby”

Bitch ass Bobby.

“Shut up” Wanda nudges your side, but she’s laughing too.

“Did I say that out loud?”

“Yes” she smiles when you pull her close.

“Didn’t like the way he was staring. I mean, you are beautiful and everyone should acknowledge it. But he looked like he thought he had a chance”

“Nothing could be further from the truth”

“Between this and tiny Dick back in Westview I’m thinking I should put a ring on it before they cause any more trouble” you laugh, kissing her temple.

It’s a joke and Wanda can tell, because immediately after speaking you’re gulfing down entrees and talking about your plans for tomorrow, but she still thinks about the ring she found and how it’s been sitting on a box for three months now.

“Everything ok, babe?”

“Yeah, just tired” she says, and it’s not exactly a lie, not after four hours worth of cardio.

“We can relax tomorrow. I’ll cook for you” you promise.

Wendy and other people approach you and you’re charming them in no time. It’s very amusing to learn they all heard the story of Lily’s baby and how you walked in to save the day.

Speaking of which, at some point during the evening, someone calls for a doctor.

“Huh” you comment when you spot Bobby coughing, something clearly stuck on his throat.

“Go” Wanda pushes you, but you lean against the bar, sipping on your drink.

“Don’t worry, it’s fine. He has one more minute before it gets dangerous”

But at Wanda’s insistence, you sigh and put your glass down, walking towards the man.

“Alright, here we go” you say, doing the good old Heimlich maneuver on him. Though your grip might be a little too strong as you squeeze his mid section.

Something comes flying out of his mouth and you put him down, looking bored.

“See? He’s fine” you say when you return to sit next to Wanda. He looks anything but, shaking and losening his tie. “I mean, he’s not dying”

Wanda rolls her eyes, but kisses your cheek. You spend the rest of the evening glued to her side, hands wandering down her back and gripping her waist. It’s like you’re addicted to feeling Wanda’s body against yours.

“You’re making it really hard to focus” she teases when you’re finally alone.

“I’m sorry, I guess I’m gonna miss you. I know I’m going back to Westview next week but I…”

“What?”

“It’s nothing” you look away, sighing.

“Detka”

But Wendy takes Wanda to meet some people, and you stay at the bar, looking around the room. When Wanda finally comes back, she can tell you’re tired and she says goodbye to everyone.

“Lets walk for a bit” she asks, taking your hand and pulling you towards a park. You nod and follow her, still thinking about everything you’re feeling.

Your thougts are interrupted by a street musician, singing a song you’re not familiar with.

“I know this one” Wanda says, reading your expression. “Reflecting light”

“It’s really beautiful”

“Come on” she offers her other hand, and you smile, your hands on her waist as she rests her head on your shoulder.

“What’s wrong?” she finally asks and you laugh.

“What makes you think something’s wrong?”

“I know you”

“I just…” you sigh, looking at her. “I’m going back to Westview and I have to undo the mess I left at the hospital. The city will be the same, but I’m not the same anymore… and I don’t know, I’m scared that everything will just feel wrong, or I’ll screw up”

“Sweetheart” Wanda interrupts your rambling. “I don’t think either one of us is the same. But that’s a good thing. It means we learned from our mistakes and we’re stronger. It’s gonna be alright”

“You promise?”

“I can promise you this. I’m here for better and worse”

"Sickness and health?” you joke, but your heart beats faster when Wanda looks into your eyes, nodding slowly.

“Yes, my love. Through all of that” she promises, kissing you softly.

As you sway to the soft music, you both think about the future together.

It’s looking good as long as you have each other.

[navybrat817]

Where Did the Time Go?

Pairing: Best Friend!Bucky Barnes x Female Reader Summary: You decide not to drink during game night, which leads to an interesting conversation with Bucky. Word Count: 1.6k Warnings: Light angst, tension, friends reconnecting, unrequited feelings (or so you think), slight feels (it's me), Bucky Barnes (yep, he's a warning) Previous Part of AU: We'll Always be Friends A/N: More Dreamboat and Butterfly from my Reconnect AU! ❤️ Beta read by @whisperlullaby, but any and all mistakes are my own. Please follow @navybrat817-sideblog for new fics and notifications. Comments, reblogs, feedback are loved and appreciated!

You weren’t sure what exactly happened between dinner and now, but you decided that the fun game night wouldn’t include drinking. You hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol since your meal. Even then, you were pretty sure you didn’t have much. Sharon brought out a bottle of wine before everyone finished eating and you took a sip of your glass out of obligation. If she noticed you didn’t finish your glass, she didn’t say anything, which you appreciated.

But you should’ve known that Bucky would catch on.

“Not drinking tonight, huh?” He asked as he took a seat beside you on the couch. Steve and Sam set up a game table and were already a couple of drinks in. So were Sharon and Natasha. You weren’t worried about them though. They could hold their liquor.

But can I hold my tongue if I drink? Or am I using that as an excuse?

“Not tonight,” you replied, holding up your cup of water. “Sticking with water.”

“You’re acting like we need a designated driver when we’re not going anywhere,” he joked, throwing his arm around behind the cushion, the same way he had at the dinner table. “Afraid I’ll kick your ass in Mario Kart if you get a little tipsy?” He asked, grinning when you smiled. “We can have a tournament? Just the two of us?”

“Hey, one of us might need to go on a liquor or snack run. You never know,” you said, setting your water on the table before you sank into the couch. “And it isn’t exactly a tournament if only two people are playing, is it?”

“It can be. We make our own rules,” he smiled as he moved a little closer. “Remember the time we had a tournament? We went to that shady looking liquor store after Sam spilled the last bottle of rum. The guy behind the counter had a bunch of clown masks.”

You laughed a little. How could you forget? “Yes! We had to open the living room window so we could breathe. And the cashier was actually a sweet guy, but you glued yourself to my side before that because you were certain the guy had bad intentions,” you said. Bucky and his protective streak made you feel important.

Until you weren’t.

Bucky must’ve noticed the change in your demeanor since he stopped chuckling. “Seriously though. Are you okay? Are you not feeling well?”

“I feel fine. I just don’t need to drink tonight,” you said, touched that he showed concern for you before a weird expression crossed his face. “What? Do I have something in my teeth?”

“No. You’re, um,” he tapped a finger on his knee as he tried to find the words. “There isn’t a specific reason you aren’t, is there? You're not…” he trailed off, but his eyes drifted long enough to your torso to fill in the blank.

You never understood the expression about eyes widening to the size of saucers until you experienced it just then. “Are you asking if I’m pregnant?” You whispered, careful not to speak any louder than that. The last thing you needed was the group questioning why Bucky asked such a question. “If so, the answer is NO.”

The sigh of relief Bucky let out, you weren’t sure what to make of it. “Sorry. I'm sorry. You don’t owe me an explanation for why you aren’t drinking. I just. I don't know why my mind went there.”

You couldn’t exactly tell him you're worried about getting plastered and revealing how you felt about him. Drunk confessions worked for some, but you didn’t think the odds were in your favor. “I still can’t believe you asked that,” you half teased, pointing at your stomach. “Not to mention, I haven’t been laid in ages. So, unless it happens via immaculate conception, that’s never going to be the case.”

The odd expression was back on Bucky’s face. What was his deal? “When was the last time you went on a date?” He asked with more interest than you expected.

“Months ago. Minimum,” you said, looking up at the ceiling as you tried to recall the exact day. “His name was Nick. We went on a few dates and he was nice enough, but he ended up getting serious with someone else. Haven’t gone on another date since.”

The clench in Bucky’s jaw almost made you smile. He had no reason to look so upset on your behalf. “I’m sorry. It’s his loss.”

“Don’t be. I’m kind of used to it,” you said with a nonchalant shrug.

“What the hell does that mean?” He asked, facing you on the couch and blocking the view of your friends at the table. “What exactly are you used to?”

Why does he sound upset? It's not like I’m not his girl.

“It means I’m used to guys not picking me,” you said honestly. As much as it hurt to think that way, saying it didn’t hurt as badly. “Think about it, Bucky. In all the time you’ve known me, when have guys ever flocked to me? When have you ever seen a guy take a chance on me when Natasha and Sharon were there? They haven’t and that’s just the way it is.”

“That’s bullshit. You’re perfect. And maybe people do see you, but you don’t see them,” he argued, quickly closing his mouth when he saw your expression. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean-”

“No, I think that’s exactly what you meant,” you said, sitting up to put some distance between the two of you as hurt filled his eyes. “I see just fine, thanks, but please enlighten me. Who saw me? Who did I overlook? I’d love an example.”

There was no reason to get so defensive, but did he understand how you felt? People gravitated toward Bucky and your friends. They always had. You, on the other hand, were on the outside of the house looking in. It was tiring to be the one knocking on the door.

“What about your old friend, TJ? You’re telling me he didn’t see you?” He asked, a hint of bitterness in his voice. It wasn’t a tone you heard from him before. It didn't suit him.

“TJ?” You asked, confusion written all over your face that you couldn’t fake if you tried. “TJ Hammond? My old family friend? Um, no, he definitely doesn’t see me.”

Not even close.

“He stayed at your place after Steve’s party,” he said, running a hand through his hair as he avoided your gaze. “Bet he couldn’t wait to see you. Probably went over the second you got back from the trip.”

Wait, is he jealous? What the hell?

You laughed a little, unable to help yourself when he raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, he did stay at my place for a bit after Steve’s birthday bash a couple of years ago. He had an issue with his boyfriend.”

Bucky did a double take, which would’ve been humorous if not for the stricken look on his face. “Boyfriend?”

“Yeah. The guy he dated at the time was a HUGE asshole and they had a falling out. His parents refused to let him go back home, so he stayed with me. And I couldn’t kick him out. He needed a friend,” you said, your brows pinching when you recalled how TJ cried on your sofa. It was a heartbreaking sight. “He has a new boyfriend now who treats him well and he couldn’t be happier. And I couldn’t be happier for him.”

Bucky blinked a few times. “So, you two. You never…?”

“TJ and I? No. Never dated, hooked up, anything,” you smiled with a shake of your head. “We adore each other, but in a brother and sister kind of way. I mean, we’ve known each other since we were in diapers. Even if I did find him attractive, nothing ever would’ve happened. You, Steve, Sam, you guys are much more his type.”

Bucky didn’t say anything, his face a bit pale. You worried for a second that he was going to get sick. “I thought you two hooked up,” he said more to himself than to you.

Where the hell did he get that impression?

“No, we didn't and we never will,” you said again before something he said dawned on you. “Wait, how did you know he stayed at my place? He asked me not to tell anyone where he was and I respected his wishes.”

Going through the dates again in your head, it wasn’t long after TJ stayed with you that Bucky brought Dot around as his new girlfriend. You knew you lost your chance to admit your feelings because he had someone by his side. Someone who wasn’t you.

“Come with me,” Bucky said, taking your hand and pulling you up from the couch before you had a chance to argue. It was hard to keep up with his long strides and he didn’t look back when Steve called after the two of you.

“What’s going on?” You asked as he pulled you outside and slammed the door. You watched as he took a few breaths, like he was trying to steady himself. “Talk to me, please.”

“I wasted two years,” he whispered, tilting his head to look at the sky. “Two fucking years.”

What is he talking about?

“I don’t understand,” you said.

“I made a huge mistake and I regret it,” he said, squeezing your hand as he faced you. “And I can't go the rest of this week without telling you. I wasted enough time.”

“Tell me what? Bucky, what did you do?”

And can we come back from it?

That literary edging. I'm sorry! Love and thanks for reading! ❤️

Masterlist ⚓ Bucky Barnes Masterlist ⚓ Ko-Fi

[literaryavenger]

I love you and I hate it - part 2

Summary: After your fight with Bucky, you put all your efforts into avoiding him, convinced that your friendship is over. Bucky, however, has other plans.

Pairing: Best Friend!Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader

Warnings: Reader being dramatic. Angst. Language maybe. Minimal use of Y/N. Fluff. My poor attempts at being funny.

Word Count: 4.5K

A/N: I promise I didn't mean to make it this long, but I couldn't help myself, again, and I didn't want to end on another 'cliffhanger' so here it is! hope you like it!

Part 1

Masterlist

Bucky can't believe what he just heard... You like him?

No, you used the word ‘love’. You love him.

Do you love him?

Certainly, he would’ve noticed if you did... Right? He is a trained assassin, he was taught how to see beyond people’s words and actions.

And he knows you, you can deny it all you want, but he knows you better than anyone. He knows you better than he knows himself.

And if he’s being honest, you know him better than anyone ever has, Steve included.

You feel safe, you feel calm. You feel like the peace he’s always wanted, the quiet he needs.

You feel like home. In a platonic way, of course.

Right?

His thoughts of you are interrupted by Sharon’s voice. He didn’t even realize he was back at the party.

"Where did you go?" she asks and, suddenly, her grip on his arm was just a little too tight for his liking. But it was probably nothing.

"I went to check if Y/N was okay."

"Oh." something in her voice felt wrong, but Bucky tried to ignore it, that is until what she said next.

"Why would you even care about her? All she does is embarrass you like before. She’s useful to no one, I heard the only reason she’s even on the team is because she slept her way to it." she laughed like it was the funniest thought in the world, and Bucky couldn’t ignore it anymore.

Not only was she saying hurtful, untrue things about his girl, but she has the audacity to laugh at her own cruelty?

"How dare you?" he does his best not to yell, but his tone still startles Sharon. "Y/N is the best agent in all of Shield, that’s why she got in the team! She’s not an embarrassment, she’s a valued member of our family and she’s my best friend! Of course I care about her, she’s the most important person in my life! Don’t ever talk about her that way again."

Sharon seems shocked at his words but, looking around, she realizes people are starting to stare so she tries her best to defuse the situation. "Alright, I’m sorry, I won’t say things like that again. Let’s just calm down and have a nice rest of the evening, ok?"

In his head Bucky knew her request was reasonable, he could forget about this and keep having fun with his girlfriend. But in his heart he just knew he couldn’t let it go.

The words were coming out of his mouth before he can stop them, not that he even wants to.

"You know what, Sharon? This isn’t working. We have to break up." He doesn’t even give her a chance to say anything before he’s turning around and making his way to his room.

Meanwhile, on the roof, Steve’s trying to talk you down the ledge. Metaphorically speaking, obviously. 

"He hates me, Steve." you can't stop the tears.

"Stop saying that, sweetheart, he doesn’t hate you."

"You saw what happened at the party, the way he looked at me. And he heard me say that I love him and walked away like it was nothing." You sniffle. "If he didn’t hate me before, this certainly pushed him off the edge."

Steve has nothing to say to that, he knows Bucky doesn't hate you, but he also knows that you’re too stubborn to hear any reason, especially not right now when you're in the eye of the tornado and can't see a way out.

Right now you need a friend and shoulder to cry on, usually Bucky would take on that role, but, given the circumstances, Steve decides to step up and be that friend.

He wraps his arms around your crying body and holds you as you let it all out. Neither of you say anything else, the only sounds in the dark of the night being your sobs, until eventually you calm down and after a few moments of silence Steve glances down to see you fell asleep. 

Not wanting to wake you he carefully picks you up and makes his way to the elevator.

When he gets to the floor you both reside in he finds Sam and Natasha chatting at the kitchen counter, probably about to go to bed after coming up from the party.

Sam gives him a confused look, while Nat seems to understand what is going on right away as she moves without saying a word, walking ahead of Steve towards your room.

She opens the door for him and walks in behind, moving the covers back as he lays you on your bed as carefully as he can, and then Nat delicately takes your heels off before covering you with the duvet.

As they’re leaving your room the door opposite yours opens, revealing a hopeful Bucky but when he sees it’s not you, his face becomes stoic once again. He’s about to ask where you are when Natasha beats him to the punch.

"Leave her alone, Barnes. You’ve hurt her enough already." Is all she says before she steps into her own bedroom.

Bucky looks to his best friend for help but, at his confused face, the blonde super soldier just shakes his head in disappointment and walks away without a word.

Bucky stands there for a few minutes, just staring at your door like he's gonna will you to open it and talk to him.

He sighs and goes back to his room where he spends the next few hours overthinking about you and this whole night, eventually falling into an uneasy sleep.

The next morning when you wake up you feel at peace for about 10 seconds before the events of last night hit you like a truck, and all you can feel is humiliation.

How can you face the team after they witnessed your fight with Bucky?

How can you face Steve after he saw you at your most vulnerable and, apparently, carried you to bed after you cried yourself to sleep?

How can you face Bucky after he heard you say you love him and he walked away from you?

You can’t, that’s the answer.

Should you just move out? Just quit the team, ask Hill to be reassigned? Maybe you could even get transferred to another country...

You’re not overreacting, right? This is a very embarrassing situation and you have every right to want to run away from all of it.

As you’re making up an escape plan in your mind you hear a knock on your door, followed by Steve’s voice. "Hey, are you awake? We just want to make sure you're okay…"

You try to be as silent as you can, slowing down your breathing praying he’ll think you’re sleeping.

You can hear him exchange some muffled words with what sounds like Natasha, and then you hear their footsteps as they walk away, so you let out a relieved sigh.

Okay, step one is definitely getting out of this room, it’s just the most obvious place where to look for you.

You get up and out of your awfully classy dress, take a shower being sure to clean away all the makeup from last night and put on the most comfortable sweats you own.

Just as you’re opening the door you can see Bucky opening his about to get out and, in a panic move, you run back inside your room and slam the door shut.

Very subtle, yes.

You rest your back against the door and can hear him sigh and then walk away.

You wait a few minutes, just to be sure, and then relax a little. Your plan was to go to the gym and work out a bit, but now all you can think about is getting the hell out of this compound.

You grab your purse, make sure to have your phone and keys in it and open the door, making sure no one’s around before getting out.

You’re practically running, taking the stairs for good measure, and in a flash you’re at the garage. You jump in your car and drive away as fast as you can without breaking the law, not even knowing where to go.

Once you’re in the city you stop at a cafe for breakfast near your favorite book store, the one you and Bucky have visited together a hundred times.

Okay, stop that. No more thinking about Bucky.

You spend the rest of the day just going from one store to the other, stopping to have lunch at the diner you always go to when you’re in the city, and trying not to kick yourself for not being able to stop thinking about Bucky.

Seriously, why can’t you stop thinking about him?

It doesn’t help the fact that every one of your favorite places has at least a hundred and twelve memories of Bucky.

God, have you ever gone anywhere on your own in the last two years?

The more memories come to mind the more you think that maybe transferring wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Go somewhere new, get a fresh start.

When it starts getting dark you decide to drive back to the compound, but when you park and turn the car off you can’t find it in yourself to get out.

You take out your phone, which you’ve been ignoring all day, and go through all the messages of your worried friends, hating yourself a little more when you catch yourself looking for his name in your notifications.

Just as you’re about to answer Tony’s texts first, you get a call from Steve. You stare at your phone, unsure if you can stomach answering him right now, but your decision is rendered moot when someone taps against your car window.

Your head snaps towards it and you let out a breath of relief when you see Steve standing there, holding his phone and using it to tap on your window again.

You close your eyes for a second but resign to your fate as you gather your things and get out of the car.

When you lock your car you turn to see that Steve moved to be leaning on the trunk of your car, so you join him and wait for him to say something, not knowing what to say yourself.

"So," he starts, with his arm folded in front of his chest and looking at his shoes "you’re avoiding all of us now?" You let out a sigh, feeling bad for hurting his feelings.

"I’m sorry, Steve. I just…" you can’t even look at him as you talk, so you just look ahead of you at all the cars "I’m just embarrassed. After everything that happened last night, I don’t know… God, you even carried me to bed like a child." you cover your face with your hands.

You finally look at him when you hear him chuckling. "That’s what friends do, Y/N. They lean on each other." he bumps your shoulder with his playfully.

"I know we’re not as close as you and Bucky, but I am your friend too. I’m not gonna judge you for last night, I just want to make sure you’re okay. That’s what we all want. You made us worry that you might run away on us." He says the last part as a joke, but you can’t help looking away from him.

That’s exactly what you wanted to do.

You bite your lip as he keeps looking at you and you feel like he can see the gears turning in your head, like your thoughts are so loud and your guilt so visible that he knows right away he was right on the money.

"Y/N…" it’s almost a warning, but you still can’t find the courage to look at him. "You were seriously thinking of running away?!" he seems almost shocked.

"Okay, it’s not like I’m a teenager running away in the middle of the night after a fight with her parents!" you finally look at him. "I was just considering… I don’t know, maybe asking for a transfer?"

"So you actually want to leave the team just because you had a fight with Bucky?" He scoffs.

"It’s not just the fight, Steve, he knows I love him and he doesn’t even care!" You yell before sighing and lovering your voice.

"Do you realize how much that hurts? And now I’m supposed to, what? Just go back to how things used to be? Pretend like nothing happened? Even if we’re not friends anymore, he lives across the hall from me! I’m bound to see him and it’s gonna hurt every fucking time!" You’re almost crying, again, but you hold back not wanting to go through that again and you look away.

"I know it hurts, trust me, sweetheart, but… what about us?" you look at him again as he goes on. "We’re your team too. We’re your friends, we’re your family... You can’t just leave us. I'm not saying it's gonna be easy, but we can help you make it better. We all care about you a lot." It’s honestly a miracle you’re not crying already. You feel him take your hand, but don’t look away from his face.

"Please let us help you." you squeeze his hand and nod, not trusting your voice not to break and the flood to hit as soon as you open your mouth.

He smiles at you and you can’t help but do the same. "Good. Then let’s go up and have dinner like we always do." He starts walking and taking you with him, his hand still in yours.

While you’re waiting for the elevator you can’t hold yourself back as you turn to him and give him a tight hug. "Thank you."

He hugs you back just as tight. "Anytime, rookie." you snort and let go of him, giving him a punch in the arm you’re sure he didn’t even feel as he laughs with you.

When you get to the big kitchen most of the team is already there and you sit down next to Natasha while Steve sits at her other side.

The seat next to you is quickly occupied by Sam as he bings the pizza to the table. He gives you a side hug and squeezes your arm in sympathy but aside from that nobody even mentioned what happened last night, which you're grateful for.

You eat like always, having conversations, laughing and teasing each other like normal, you didn’t feel like anyone was pitying you and you realized Steve was right: these people are your family, you could never leave them.

And, as you watch Loki and Peter trying to make you laugh by messing with Thor’s hair, putting tiny umbrellas in it while he's not looking, you just know they’re gonna help you through everything.

What makes you sad to notice is that one brooding super soldier is missing, though you don’t bring it up for fear of opening that particular door.

And that’s how you spend the next few weeks: avoiding anything and everything that has to do with Bucky, including the man himself.

You start training with Natasha and realize how easy Bucky went on you.

You do more missions with Sam and Steve and realize that missions aren't as fun for everybody as they were for you and Bucky.

You hang out during your down time with pretty much everyone and realize that you couldn’t have as much fun with everyone as you had with Bucky.

So yeah, as much as you could avoid Bucky and talking about him to anybody, he lived rent free in your head.

Fun, huh?

It also didn’t help the look that Steve gave you every time you basically ran out of a room as soon as you caught a glimpse of your former best friend. 

Everybody noticed the change in your friendship, but it felt like they all took a silent oath to not mention anything to either of you, and you were glad they were respecting your choice to stay away from Bucky.

He, on the other hand, was going crazy.

He hasn’t seen you in weeks, except for those few seconds before you realize he’s in the same room and run away.

He doesn’t hear your voice unless he’s eavesdropping on you with someone else, but even then he never hears his name come out of your mouth.

Nobody will tell him anything about you, the only thing he can get out of Steve is ‘she’s okay, just give her time’.

He’s been trying his best to give you the space you need, but he feels like he’ll lose his mind if he doesn’t hear you say his name soon.

It’s been a month of successfully and not so subtly avoiding Bucky.

There was one time where, as the team about to land for a mission, he got much too close to you for your liking and you thought he was about to say something so you grabbed a parachute and quite literally jumped out the jet, then walked the rest of the way to the Hydra base.

Everyone had to wait for you, some annoyed, but most found the situation too amusing to be bothered by it.

Anyway. 

You’re at the gym for an early morning workout, a habit you took to when you started avoiding Bucky.

You know he usually stays up at night. Occasionally because he still gets nightmares, usually because his overthinking mind tortures him until early hours. So he uses mornings to sleep in when he doesn’t have missions.

You’re on the treadmill when you hear the doors of the gym open behind you but think nothing of it, assuming it’s just Steve replacing his morning run with a workout because it’s too hot to run outside.

When you don’t hear him say anything, you’re about to turn your head to see who it is, but before you can do anything you feel two hands, one cold and one hot, on your waist.

You squeal when they pick you up and take you away from the treadmill, setting you down on the ground in front of it before turning off the machine.

"Bucky, what the fuck?! I could’ve gotten hurt!" you were so shocked you didn’t even fully realize you were actually talking to the person you’ve spent so much time and effort avoiding, or that you were walking backwards while Bucky was getting closer to you.

"Oh please, I’d ever let you get hurt." he’s sounds almost amused, like this is a normal thing between you two, but the truth is he’s just happy that you’re actually talking to him.

When your back hits the wall you realize too late that it’s Bucky in front of you and suddenly you’re looking around you to find a way to escape. But all you find is that he’s successfully trapped you between the wall and his body, his hands on the wall at either side of your head.

You swallow hard and if he notices he doesn’t say anything, but your brain is too busy registering the warmth of his body so close to yours to even be ashamed right now.

"Is this the only way I’ll get to talk to you now?" you almost miss his question, your eyes snapping up to meet his and, where you expected to see a smug look at having caught you not only off guard but also ogling, you found a frown and a slight pout.

Something about the hurt on his face stopped you from lying or straight up kicking him so he’d move and you could run away.

No, Bucky was your best friend, you’ve always felt the need to be honest with him ever since that first day, and even now you owe it to him to tell him nothing but the truth.

"I just need time." You hoped he understood.

"How much more time do you need?" Apparently not.

"I don’t know, can’t you just be patient?" You can't believe you really have to ask him this.

"It’s been a month, doll, I think I’ve been plenty patient. Are you planning on avoiding me forever?"

"Not forever… just… I don’t know." If you were being honest with yourself, you didn’t know how long you would’ve kept on avoiding him.

You were so busy doing the actual avoiding that you didn’t take the time to think about when you’d be able to stop.

You let out a sigh, but didn’t look away from his eyes for a second. He needs to know you meant every word you're about to say. "I was hurting, Bucky. I still am. I get that you have a girlfriend-"

"I broke up with her." he interrupts you.

"You… What?" you weren’t expecting that. "When?"

"The night of our fight. I would’ve told you sooner but it was hard to catch you, you know, with you avoiding me and everything."

You almost lost your train of thought, but it didn’t matter that he was single, he was still the first one to walk away, why was it so wrong for you to do it now?

"It doesn’t matter… I know you don’t owe me anything, but you walked away from me. From my feelings." you can see Bucky’s confusion so, before he can say anything, you explain yourself.

"That night on the roof. I know you were there, you heard me say that I loved you and you walked away like it was nothing. Like I was nothing. I know you don’t like me like that, and I can live with that in time, but it hurt. It still hurts." you don’t know what you were expecting him to say, but it definitely wasn’t he says next.

"Do you remember the day we met?" you furrow your brows in confusion but he waits for you to nod before he keeps going. "We’ve never really talked about it, have we? It's ironic since we’ve talked about pretty much every topic we could possibly come up with. But that day, you introduced yourself and I just got up and walked away. Kind of what you’ve been doing this past few weeks."  he chuckles a bit and you have the impression he's getting closer to your face, but you're probably just imagining that.

"Yeah, I thought I did something wrong, but you were just a rude bitch." he laughs and you can’t help but smile.

"I’m sorry about that, I just… the second I saw you I felt weird. And when you talked to me it was too much, I couldn’t handle it. I didn’t know what I was feeling and my brain just screamed at me to get out, so I did. Then you came to my door and said all those nice things and that weird feeling started to feel more and more comfortable as you talked. It was nice. Then we became friends and I guess I just dismissed that feeling as friendship. It was a different type of friendship that I’d never had... But then again I’ve never been this close to a woman. Emotionally speaking, of course." His hand comes to cup your cheek and you can’t speak, so he takes the opportunity to say everything he needs to say.

"This month has been hell for me, doll. I’ve missed you more than I’ve ever missed anybody in my entire life. Not being able to spend time with you, joke around, talk to you, barely even see you. It's been driving me insane. Being away from you for so long made me realize what that feeling was. You’re not just my best friend, you’re my person. You’re my calm, and my reason. You’re my happiness, my home. You’re the love of my life."

"What?" you're basically whispering, so quietly you’re sure he wouldn’t have heard you if he didn’t have super hearing.

"I love you too, doll. I love you." he holds your face in his hands "I love you."

You feel like your brain shut down all of a sudden. You barely know how to breathe, let alone talk. All you can do is stare at him, the look he's giving you making you weak in the knees.

"You’re killing me here, doll. For the love of god, say something, angel." The nickname seems to snap you out of it, and there's only one thing in your mind left to ask.

"If you love me, why didn’t you tell me on the roof?" He let out a deep sigh, you can feel his breath on your lips, but you try your hardest to focus on his words and not his lips.

"For one I was still with Sharon. And I didn’t really know what I was feeling. Also, I wasn’t even sure you were serious. Honestly, I was just confused about the whole thing, and still mad about the fight. Nothing good would’ve come from me staying and talking to you that night. I probably would’ve ended up hurting you more." All that makes a lot of sense, sure, but it doesn't change the fact that it hurt.

The look in Bucky’s face at the moment though makes you want to forgive him right this second and let this whole thing go. Pretend like the last month didn’t happen. 

So that’s what you do.

"What if…" you start, looking back and forth between his eyes and his lips "what if we forget all of this happened?"

"No." he answered so fast and firmly that it made you furrow your eyebrows in confusion and disappointment. "I don’t want to forget anything about us, doll. Good or bad, it’s all worth it, as long as it ends with you in my arms."

You're melting and can't hold yourself back, you grab his face and bring his lips down to yours.

He freezes, probably not expecting it, but when you're about to pull away, he holds your face to keep you there, deepening the kiss.

After a few moments you hear someone clear their throat and almost throw Bucky off of you, looking behind him while he turns to see who it is and you see Steve and Sam standing there, amused looks on their faces.

"We were just talking." You blurted out and Sam cracked and almost doubled over with laughter.

"Really?" Steve said while raising an eyebrow, almost exasperated and knowing damn well what you were doing.

"Sure they were, Steve, she was obviously trying to get the word out of his mouth!" Sam said to the blonde, still laughing his ass off.

"Oh, of course she was. Tell us, sweetheart, what did you find in Bucky’s mouth?" Steve was now laughing too, and you were so embarrassed you hid your face in Bucky’s chest.

He wrapped his arms around you, barely glaring at the two laughing idiots. "Ok, just get out of here, punks." Fortunately for once in their lives they decided to actually listen and left, their laughs echoing through the halls.

"You okay there, doll?" Bucky was now chuckling at your embarrassment.

You raised your head and, meeting his eyes, you said "I can’t believe Captain Dumbass is making fun of us for kissing."

He started laughing and you gladly joined him, looking forward to making up for the time you missed with him, unknowingly promising each other to never let go of the other ever again.

taglist: @mostlymarvelgirl @spookyparadisesheep @scott-loki-barnes @pattiemac1 @emerald-writes @sapphirebarnes

[marragurl]

Ok so like…. Who makes Ratio’s statues? 

Because every possible explanation just opens up a whole new can of worms. 

I’ve been trying to go through as much info about him as I can, including his character stories, but I can’t find anything??? 

So I’m just left stewing in the dark, which usually leads to my humor coming into play. 

So like… are the statues of Ratio’s own making??

Because that would insinuate that he takes the time out of his busy life to constantly make new statues of just himself, including the multiple plaster heads. And if it’s not him physically and it is a manifestation of his Imaginary powers, he’s still making them right??? 

So he still chooses the poses! 

Why??? 

What is his thought process??? 

Physically made or Imaginary Powers made, it’s still his choice on what the statue should look like right???

And if it’s not a conscious decision, then WHAT DO THE JOJO AND CUTESY POSES MEAN

IS JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURES FUCKING CANON IN HSR??

IS IT A SHOW THAT EXISTS??

ARE YOU TELLING ME ARAKI FUCKING EXISTS IN HSR??

AND RATIO IS A FAN?????? 

DON’T TELL ME IT’S JUST A FUN REFERENCE BY THE HSR TEAM, YEA IT’S META TO US BUT IT’S CANON TO THE REST OF THE UNIVERSE THAT RATIO HAS A STATUE OF HIMSELF DOING A JOJO POSE

On the other hand, if it’s not Ratio himself making them… who is it????

Is Ratio commissioning some artists?? Multiple artists? Only one?!?!? 

Is it some weird form of extra credit for his students???

(Student A: Hey wanna hang out tonight? 

Student B: Can’t. Gotta finish up this statue of Dr. Ratio examining his codex by Friday if I wanna get a passing grade in the class

Student A: You can sculpt???

Student B crying with 100 tabs of ‘how to sculpt’ videos and wikiHows pulled up and no sleep: I’m trying my best here Sharon)

Is he like those Renaissance time rich people who basically paid for their favorite artist’s livelihood in order to just make nice art in return??? Is there now a really well-off sculptor somewhere in the universe who is just constantly being paid by THE Dr. Ratio to make stone statues of the man??? Does the artist just put that down in their tax returns?? 

(back at it again with Topaz suffering from Ratiorine’s antics, she’s the one in charge of Ratio’s Sculptor’s taxes)

THAT STILL DOESN’T ANSWER THE STATUE POSE QUESTIONS

DID THE ARTIST ADD IN THE JOJO POSE AND HEART POSE AS A GAG??? AND SURVIVE RATIO SEEING THEM?? 

WORSE- DID RATIO COMMISSION THE POSES??? WHAT WAS THAT CONVERSATION EVEN LIKE??? DID HE HAVE TO POSE?? DOES THE ARTIST JUST HAVE AN ENTIRE SCRAPBOOK OF RATIO DOING DIFFERENT POSES FOR CONSTANT REFERENCE?

FUCK IT, DID AVENTURINE GET IN CONTACT WITH THE ARTIST AND PAY EVEN MORE MONEY FOR THE CUTESY POSES??

(Whole new thought process, the artist is making statues of Ratio for both Ratio AND Aventurine, and all the cute statues are actually commissions by Aventurine for his little Dr. Ratio idol crush shrine. There’s a constant slapstick comedy routine of Aventurine trying to hide them anytime Ratio comes over to his place and barely getting away with it. Does he ever come clean when they start dating? Do they start dating because Ratio finds the statues? Fuck it, if Ratio is the one making the statues and not an artist, does he teach Aventurine how to sculpt?? Does it become like something they do together to spend time?? Ok damn wait that’s kinda cute wait-)

WAIT ADDING ON TO THAT- DOES THAT MEAN FOLLOWING THIS THOUGHT PROCESS THAT AVENTURINE IS THE JOJO FAN???? HE’S A FUCKING JOTARO STAN???

(wait- brisk MC who’s rude to everyone but soft on those he cares about and has the muscles of a Greek god and eventually goes into academia, oh my fucking god Aventurine has a type)

PLEASE

I NEED TO KNOW WHERE ARE THESE STATUES COMING FROM

EVERYONE SEEMS TO KNOW ABOUT THEM, THEY AREN’T A SECRET

IS HIS HOUSE JUST FULL OF STATUES???

DOES HE HAVE A WHOLE-ASS GRECO-ROMAN-STYLE GARDEN FULL OF HIS OWN STATUES???

DOES THE ARTIST SEE A STATUE DISAPPEAR FROM THE GARDEN AND IMMEDIATELY KNOW RATIO USED HIS TECHNIQUE TO SLAM ONE DOWN BREAKING IT AND JUST GO “fucking hell man, I was just about to go on break! Now I need to start a new one!”

IS IT A HOBBY?? HOW THE FUCK DID HE GET INTO SCULPTING AS A HOBBY WITH HIS SCHEDULE???

ARE THEY GIFTS?? 

FROM WHO, STUDENTS??? ADMIRERS? FUCK IT, AVENTURINE???

DOES THE ARTIST BEING COMMISSIONED EVEN HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE OF THE RATIO STATUES??? DO THEY EVEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO SCULPT ANYTHING OTHER THAN RATIO AT THIS POINT??? HAVE THEY SEEN ANY OTHER BEING OUTSIDE OF THEIR STUDIO AND THE HUNDREDS OF RATIO STATUES???

PLEASE I NEED SOMEONE TO ANSWER ME

[innorogers]

Eclipse

Steve Rogers x Reader (You / OFC)

Summary: Panic clawed up his throat — you were out there, alone, lost in the grip of something he couldn’t fight, couldn’t save you from.

Warning: Angst / Insecure Steve / Protective Steve / Desperate Protective Steve / MINORS DNI / Fight Scene / This one is a action chapter

Characters: OC, John Walker, Sam Wilson, Sharon Carter, Tony Stark, Maria Hill, Bruce Banner.

Also: Thanks in advance for repost or any feedback ❤️ Let me know if you want to be included in the taglist (DM, comment, repost and tag, whatever works)❤️ You don't need to read the previous chapters but it will definitely enhance the experience if you do.

1: Insomnia | 2: Lucid | 3: Reverie | 4: Nightmare | 5: Awakening | 6: Dusk | 7: Hypnagogia | 8: Lull | 9: Vigil

The fear deep within Steve didn’t go away. Not even with the countless times you made love over the weekend.

He took you so hard, so rough, as if he wanted to take you deep inside him, to bury himself in the depths of your soul and become one with you; or to transform into a protective shield, merged into your skin and flesh, that would emerge whenever you needed him to protect you, guard you, and keep you safe.

But that wasn’t enough. Nothing was enough to wash away his fears to the unknown.

You awoke on Monday to find yourself in a fortress.

The compound had been overridden with the strictest and most exaggerated security protocol the entire campus had ever seen, enforced with military precision.

Steve’s expression turned steely the moment you left home; you could see the shift as he transformed into Captain America the moment he stepped into the command room, returning to Steve Rogers only in private moments with you.

He drove you to the center’s facilities as on a typical day, but this time Sam was waiting at the door to take over and escort you to the lab, where he would only leave if one of his fellow Avengers replaced him, never letting you out of sight. Neither Falcon, nor anyone else left you unguarded. Ever.

“Okay…if I didn’t know better, I’d be seriously freaking out.” Dr. Lin admitted, a little nervous, noticing the continuous Avenger presence. Whether it was Sam, Nat, Clint, even Wanda and Vision—all turned up for shifts. Sometimes, the Captain himself took a shift, posted against a wall or seated on a bench, eyes alert and scrutinizing anyone who might look remotely suspicious.

“Like...What's going on? Is Cap so insecure about that military guy hitting on you that a tracking device isn’t enough? Now we have surveillance?” Robert whispered while working at the station beside you. “Everyone’s kind of freaking out, you know? We don’t usually get this level of attention.” He adjusted a few screws, glancing around. “The R&D nerds being protected by the Avengers themselves? That’s a lot.”

You sighed.

A lot didn’t even come close to describing it.

Steve was so anxious about the whole situation that he even let John Walker hang around you constantly.

“The guy could be an extra pair of eyes,” said Captain America through clenched teeth, his knuckles going white.

As much as he hated to admit it, Steve didn’t detect bad intentions from John Walker—except for the irritating fact that Walker wanted to be the new Steve Rogers, along with all the prestige that came with the title, and to date Captain America’s fiancée.

But Walker’s intentions toward you were genuine, and Steve fully intended to kick his ass once this shitshow was over. So, there was John Walker—a regular in the lab now, much to the nervousness of the white coats. He wasn’t doing much harm, though he did have a habit of touching everything, asking too many questions, and getting even more irritating whenever Steve was near.

John was having a blast testing Steve’s patience, whether by using your mug, leaning in close at your desk, or resting his elbows on the back of your chair, making comments about how good you smelled, if you’d changed your perfume, or saying things like, “Hey, remember the coffee you liked last time?”

All this playful tone, smirking remarks made Steve’s veins practically bulge, ready to burst anytime John came within a meter of you.

And, to add a layer of complexity to the fun, there was Sharon.

The New Era Project was still ongoing, and the Command’s Room had decided to keep things low-key until the UN realized they were on the Avengers’ radar. Diplomatic exchanges would carry on as usual, with Walker playing the role of bodyguard without even knowing it, and Sharon just orbiting Steve and Maria, doing... well, nothing much.

She seemed to sense that the Avengers were only maintaining subtle ties, not actually invested in the project. Still, for her own reasons—personal or moral—she went along with it, and of course, it kept her close to Steve.

So, the results of all these people in your daily life were, besides a few coffee cups broken by Steve and you talking to your plants more than usual due to jealousy and frustration, that your sex life had become, well...better, much better.

Every encounter was charged with tension, jealousy, possessiveness, the urge to claim each other, constant longing, and, on Steve's side, fear and anxiety about a forecasted attack that he didn’t know when it would happen.

And they were…frequent, more than usual.

You already had these crazy weekend sex marathons after Steve discovered your Hydra-given experimented body could bear him, but now…they were happening at any place, any time.

Since that once in the dressing room after the Iron Army attack, the encounters seemed to have upgraded to a whole new level.

He'd take you, in a meeting room from behind, with only pulling down your underwear and unzipping his pants; in the lab’s bathroom when everyone was at their lunchtime; finger fuck you at the parking lot's stairways before leaving the center facilities… and if Walker had joked or played around you that day? Oh boy, you were going to be cumming fast and long. Steve’d drive you crazy, and silencing your cries with his hand so you didn’t scream his name in any public space.

Or the other way around, like that day when he heard you called the guy "John" instead of "Captain Walker" so once you were alone and at home, he made sure that was the only name leaving your lips, and the only one you'd remembered after he fucked you so hard and made you undone beneath, on top, or in whatever position he demanded that day.

And he enjoyed it too.

Sharon’s friendly touches, like her hand on his shoulder or a quick pat? Those would end with you pinning him to the wall as soon as you got home, driving him wild with abandon, letting him lose himself completely with you while cumming in your mouth or anywhere he’d want.

There was once, actually, when Sharon straightened his tie… the night ended with you on top of him, fucking him with such purpose, such intensity, that he swore that was the fastest and most satisfying orgasm he'd had in his life.

But after all the ecstasies and excitements these encounters would bring, there was something deep within Steve that you wanted to soothe, and it was his fear of losing you.

That, was not able to be washed away with any kind of desire and lust.

And you knew, it was only going to be cured with love.

So you were always there.

He woke up to you, his first sight each morning, and his last thought before sleep. You held him close, your fingers weaving through his hair, lips gently pressed to his forehead, your body resting against his, so close it was as though even your fingerprints aligned like two halves of a single puzzle.

You were there, you never made him worry, you never complained about being confined to the limits of the compound, of having surveillance on you 24/7, him shadowing you everywhere, or dealing with John or Sharon.

No. You took it all.

You shared his morning coffee, held his hand through lunch, took his desires whenever, wherever.

You’d look up from your work just to offer him a smile. You’d talk to him, hours and hours, just like the first night you’ve met, sharing with him every part of your life with him—your past, your present, your future. You filled the spaces he feared, quieted the looming dread of the unknown.

You were there.

Just as you promised, together. Always with him, by his side, easing his worries, quieting his fears.

Which is why no one understood how it happened.

It was a normal day, a regular day, actually, like any other.

But it was the beginning of Steve’s nightmare.

One that would haunt him for years. And if…if he had known. If only he’d fucking known.

"I’m making beef stroganoff with baked asparagus tonight.” You announced, sliding some toast into the toaster and flipping through a cookbook. "And your favorite Italian wine.”

"Wow." Steve set aside his iPad. "What’s the occasion?"

"Mmm…” You smirked as you approached with a breakfast tray. "Surprise, surprise.” You kissed his cheek, enjoying the intrigued look in his eyes. "The start of a highly-anticipated weekend?”

"Really?" Steve raised an eyebrow, his gaze steady. He knew you were hinting at something more.

"Um… maybe I’m just in the mood for something romantic, intimate, and… well, that wine was just too good to pass up.”

"I thought wine didn’t have any effect on us.” Steve said, taking a sip of his coffee. "You know, the serum and… your Hydra body. Ugh, I hate saying that...I'm sorry honey.”

"Oh, is that why you drink it all at once?” You didn't even mind the Hydra comment, just teased him, genuinely curious. "Did it even have any effect, at all?”Your eyes brightened. "Woooh, can we test it? Like, let’s grab the strongest bottle we can find and see if we could actually get drunk?”

"Been there, tried that. Didn’t work.” Steve chuckled, shaking his head. "Once Thor brought some Asgardian liquor that really… tickled?”

"Wow… the stuff that aged a thousand years just made you… tickle. Remind me why we’re bothering with the wine, then?”

"Because it tastes good.” Steve let out a laugh and took a bite of toast, winking at you. "Especially with stroganoff. But come on, do tell… what’s the occasion?”

"Nothing." You said with a smile, standing up to clear the table. "Really, just excited about the weekend. It’s finally just… us.”

"Uh-huh.” Steve smiled and got up to help, wrapping his arms around your waist and kissing your neck. "Babe? You’re a terrible liar.”

You chuckled, not arguing the truth. You really were awful at lying to him. But you knew he’d respect your timing and the little surprise you had in mind for dinner that night. So you just turned around and kissed him back with a smile.

"Do you think beef stroganoff and baked asparagus with cheese would go better with white, rosé, or red?” You asked later in the lab, from your desk.

"White.” Replied Dr. Lin and John in unison, without a second’s hesitation.

"Why does Captain Perfection always get the good stuff?” John grumbled as he picked up random gear from your desk, trying on a glove and aiming it at the wall as if he was about to shoot something. "Aren’t we friends too? Ever consider cooking for us?”

"Amen to that. Captain Perfection gets the special treatment…” Robert hummed, grinning. "Cause he’s the one who can eat without making a scene about his taste buds going wild. Be grateful, John.”He winked at him. "And seriously? I’m her friend; you’re the guy trying to cross the friend zone border and get on Captain America’s nerves.”

"Well, is the horizon close by any chance?” John said as he shot something from the gauntlet. You and Robert ducked instinctively as the rubber pellet bounced off the wall and hit John in the head.

"Yeah, I'll definitely leave my gorgeous, perfect fiancé for the guy who plays with toys and hits himself, Captain Walker.” You laughed, handing him an ice pack. "The horizon is just a step away, soldier.”

"Could you stop that, John? This is a million-dollar development!” Robert complained. "And it’s actually tailor-made for Hawkeye…” but before he could finish, a huge noise came from outside.

The walls trembled, sending deep vibrations through the floor as the lights flickered, casting erratic shadows across the room. Dust and bits of plaster cascaded from the ceiling, catching in the faint, stuttering glow—it felt like the whole building was holding its breath, caught between an earthquake’s shudder and the unmistakable force of an explosion somewhere close.

The air was thick with the scent of singed metal and faintly acrid smoke, adding an edge of urgency to the unnerving silence that followed.

You held your breath.

This is it.

The fear that was haunting Steve. The attack you were all expecting. Your hair rose in alarm, signaling the approaching danger, and a cold dread crept over you.

"Okay… I didn’t do that, did I?” John said as the complete lab was on silence, instinctively moving to shield you behind him. Though he didn’t have the latest updates, he knew the surveillance around this place, and he understood that his role here was to protect you. Something was close—he could sense it.

"Stay close, Illythia.” He said as Dr. Lin also moved behind you.

John looked up. "Yo, little angel with wings? What’s going on?!” He shouted to Sam, who landed near you in a flash.

"Alright, Barn Protocol in R&D001, now.” Falcon spoke into his comms just as the windows and walls transformed into impenetrable steel shields, his gear fully engaged.

The Barn Protocol activated seamlessly, steel panels sliding into place around the lab's perimeter, locking everyone in. Sam and John immediately flanked you, their stances solid and prepared as they followed the Command Room’s orders: Don’t let anything near her, don't let her out of sight, protect and secure, no matter what.

For a brief moment, everything seemed to hold its breath.

Lab equipment hummed softly, the usual chatter and beeping of devices hanging in a strange silence as everyone waited for something unknown.

And then, piercing through the stillness, an alarm—a sharp, almost metallic shriek—sliced through the air, cutting off just as abruptly as it had begun. It was a deafening sound, something that tapped into everyone's senses, as loud as silence.

You winced at the sound, but as it faded, a strange calm settled.

You looked around the lab, about to reassure Sam and John when you noticed… that.

The others.

The usual faces at workstations and benches were all still—too still. Expressions blank, eyes vacant. And then, in a single, eerie motion, they all turned toward you, faces twisted, almost as if possessed by some unseen force.

"Holy shit." Said Sam and John at the same time.

"This is not good." said the Falcon.

"You… you think?! This is not good?!" Robert was panicking. "Should we… I don't know, RUN?"

"We can't. The Barn Protocol is up. These walls are like the Hulk Container; we're in." Replied Sam, as he put an arm before you: “Stay close. Really close.”

Without warning, the rest of people began to move, hands reaching for whatever they could find, beakers, sharp tools, even chairs—anything to use as a weapon. And fuck, this is the R&D 001 Lab, this, was the second advance tools room after The Crib. And here, are the greatest minds of the compound after Stark, Banner, Cho, and You. There was even a fucking lightsaber in hands of some tech guy, like how the fuck does that work?

An unnatural glint filled their eyes as they closed in, their steps synchronized in a way that felt more robotic than human.

Sam and John shifted instantly, bodies tensed, shielding you even closer as Robert ducked behind you, his breathing erratic. You felt the grip of John’s arm as he pulled you slightly back, a low growl escaping him as he sized up the oncoming attackers.

Sam's voice was low and focused. “Alright, Fake Steve, we’re not letting anyone through, got it?”

"You bet your ass we are." said John with his teeth clenched as he pulled out his weapon. "Bring your pretty faces, nerds."

The first swing came fast—a lab tech lunging with a scalpel raised high. Sam deflected the attack with a swift jab to the wrist, disarming the attacker, who didn’t even flinch but came back, jaw clenched, ready to strike again.

As the lab tech lunged again, Sam knocked him back, quickly sidestepping to push you further behind him.

But this was off, way off. These people, most of them, didn’t even pull up weight or go near the gym, but they were quick, swift—they moved like professional assassins trained all their lives, their technique showing black-belt level skill, and they… it was as if they didn't feel pain. Every hit, every punch John or Sam landed back was into a robot with no physical pain.

It soon became a 1 vs 10 scenario, where John and Sam were trying more to survive than defend you.

“What the fuck is going on?!” John hissed, fists clenched as he scanned the room, watching as more people turned toward you and advanced.

“I don't know.” Sam muttered through gritted teeth, blocking another swing. “But whatever it is, it’s messing with their minds.” He shot a look over his shoulder. “Stay close!”

Dr. Lin clutched your arm, his fingers digging in. “They’re like… like they’re under some kind of mind control! Is that even possible?”

John gave a dry laugh without taking his eyes off the attackers. “Oh, so it's a regular Tuesday, right?” He glanced your way. “But you, yo, Lancaster—any ideas here? You usually have something for us in times like this.”

“Give me a second.” You whispered, heart racing as you took in the sight of familiar faces twisted in unnatural rage. “I have no clue what’s causing this or how we stop it…” Your mind was racing, and then you jumped to get your computer.

"I need that sound, the same sound that made them start acting like this. Robert, get yours, come on, get down!" You said as you pulled your laptop and hid under the desk.

Sam caught a thrown chair mid-air, shoving it back toward the approaching crowd, his jaw tight. He threw a quick glance at you, his gaze firm. “Whatever you’re doing, stay safe and don’t move.”

A sharp crash echoed as someone shattered a lab beaker against the wall, sending shards flying. Dr. Lin yelped and crawled to you; he was trying to pull himself together, running the analysis with you. At this point, only your minds and Sam and John's strength working together were the only beacon of hope he had.

“I think… it has something to do with that alarm. Something happened when it sounded.” Robert grabbed his computer too. "I'll run the surveillance sound analysis and make it replay… you think that’d work?"

"I need Jarvis to analyze what happened when… Steve and I were attacked by the Iron Army. I think we were the distraction, and the real security breach happened here." Your fingers were typing faster than usual. "Jarvis, are you there? Get Maria or Steve on the—" Your voice was interrupted by John, who was thrown against the workbench, rolling and falling before you.

"Oh my God!" Robert let out a cry as he continued typing in panic. “Please, someone tell me we’re going to be okay…”

"Any news?!" Captain Walker asked as he struggled to stand up. "Something like your super boyfriend is coming anytime soon?"

"It doesn't matter!" shouted Sam from the other side of the room, he was already opening fire. "Orders are to stay put, protect and secure—even if the world falls apart, we are not leaving this place!”

“It kinda feels like it is!” screamed Robert, covering his ears at the gunshot noises. "Falling apart?!"

"Is that code ready?!" You asked as something exploded nearby, and Sam's wings shielded you all against it. "Robert! Stay with us! Is that code ready?!"

"It can't be! We are blocked!!" Dr. Lin was losing his composure; he was covering his ears and almost crying. "I need to get to the servers and plug my computer in!"

"That's so damn typical!" John replied as another attacker lunged, and he blocked them with an outstretched arm. "Why is it always like that?!"

"Ugh!" The place was chaotic, Sam was covering almost every angle from the air, John was forming the defense line before you and Robert, everything was being used by the geniuses who invented all these weapons and gears. Not to mention, neither the Falcon nor Captain Walker had intentions of really hurting anyone, so it was getting difficult.

You scanned the place, using everything in your power, and suddenly, you spotted something. So you rolled to a nearby desk, quickly opened the under-cabinet as bullets bounced all over the place, and you pulled it out: a prototype of Steve's shield. It was the newest testing unit, but it would have to do.

"Come on!" You grabbed Robert and used the shield to cover him. "John! Cover us!" As you ran with the shield covering you from the rain of bullets, a screaming Robert and his computer into the server's room, John started to fight back whatever was raining on you.

"Come on, come on, come on!" You pushed Dr. Lin inside and locked the door. "Go, go, go, do your magic!" You both rushed into the server's room and looked for the correct one, but out of nowhere, the guard was there, with the same eerie look and stiff action.

“Oh…no, no, no, no…” You and Robert muttered in unison, both instinctively stepping back.

But it was too late—the guy lunged forward, his expression blank and hostile, arms reaching out with surprising speed.

Before you could even think, your body moved on its own: you ducked his first swing, sidestepped his second, and then your hand shot forward, delivering a quick, powerful blow to his chest. In the blink of an eye, you grabbed his wrist, twisted, and swept his legs out from under him with a precision that left him sprawling on the ground in seconds.

You froze, staring down at the guy on the floor, wide-eyed as you tried to catch your breath. Dr. Lin was equally stunned, mouth open as he looked at you with something between awe and excitement.

"Oh my gawd!" You both said at the same time. “I…” Your eyes widened, looking at your hands, still half-raised in a defensive stance. “I could do that?!”

“Dude…” Robert replied, eyes darting from you to the unconscious lab tech at your feet. “…Since when…?”

“I don’t know!” You interrupted, still in shock. “I didn’t even know I could do that! My body just… acted on its own.”

“Well… whatever it was, remind me not to mess with you. And also warn Steve, just in case. Or John,” he said, raising his eyebrows.

"Oh god, ok, the code?!" You said, remembering both Sam and John were fighting for their lives out there, and pushed Robert toward the server machines.

"Oh, okokok!" Robert rushed into the server machines.

The moment he plugged in the laptop and entered the code, you had a bad feeling, but the instant he hit enter, the sound that transformed all the people out there echoed through the room.

And everything went black for you.

The chaos took about an hour to subside. Not that John or Sam knew anything about it; they just stuck to the protocol and stayed inside the lab with a floor full of unconscious staff, until Steve kicked the door down (or maybe just made a hole in the wall while breaking in) and arrived, his face a mask of panic that only disappeared when he saw you, still locked in the server room with Dr. Lin, and John guarding the door.

Both Commander Hill and Captain America looked rough—not injured (it would take more than an explosion or an army of aliens to scratch them)—but still, they were covered in ash and dust, with bruised knuckles and fingers, a few burnt hair strands, and the remnants of a room that had exploded in their faces.

Steve was panting; after the containment of the explosion in the Quantum and Space Exploration Division, he had run to where you were, ready to throw himself into battle but unwilling to lose sight of you.

“Containment Operations, Protocol 14 in place.” Commander Hill announced into her comms as the walls of the Barn Protocol lifted. She gasped at the sight: a room full of unconscious techs, the lab littered with bullet holes from Sam and John’s weapons, most of the development prototypes destroyed after being repurposed as attack machinery, an injured Sam with a broken wing, and a bloodied John standing guard at the entrance to the server room.

“Where is she?!” Steve demanded, as the team behind Maria sprang into action. Protocol 14 meant everyone needed medical care, inspection, and interrogation; no one was leaving.

“There, in the server room. John is at the door.” Sam said, nodding toward you. Steve exhaled in relief when he saw you through the glass, sitting on the floor next to Dr. Lin, who was still typing on his computer, with John guarding the locked door behind him.

“Oh, thank God…” Steve murmured, covered in cold sweat, rubbing his face as his heart finally slowed. He steadied himself. “Okay, walk me through it.” What a fucking mess. He began walking around the wreckage with Sam.

“There was a sound just after the Barn Protocol activated,” Sam said, frowning as he surveyed the unconscious staff scattered across the lab. “And these guys…” He sighed. “They just…activated.”

“Activated?” Steve’s expression darkened. “How?” He looked down at one of the techs. “That’s James Farber.” Hesaid, bewildered. “He’s been here all his life. He was with Tony back in Howard’s days. He’s core staff, Level 1. There’s no way he’s a…spy or…” He ran a hand through his hair. “A threat.”

“I don’t know,” Sam replied, his face serious as he crossed his arms and exhaled. “They fought like professionals, swift and precise, like trained killers—or puppets.” He looked at Steve, his expression tense.

“This is fucked up, Cap. All it took was a sound. Dr. Lin and I…we played it back to test…” Sam said as glanced at the server room, his face suddenly paling. “Where is she?”

A chill ran down Steve’s spine as he turned and saw the empty spot where you had been. He ran to the door. “Robert!”

Dr. Lin nearly jumped out of his skin at the shout. “What?”

“Where is…?”

Robert looked around in confusion, fear flashing in his eyes. “She said she was going to look for you…”

Steve didn’t wait for more. He tore out of the lab, scanning frantically, fear and panic flooding his veins, drowning him in limitless dread.

His comm crackled to life, and for the first time, John Walker’s voice, panicked and raw, called him by his name. “Steve?!”

Steve could hear the same background noise in Walker’s comm—he was close, his voice desperate. “I’m following her! But…that’s not her!” John’s voice was frantic as he followed you, watching you move with unsettling speed, every step driven, unwavering.

“She’s too fast, damn it. Get the cameras, the drones, whatever you have, now!”

“I’m on it!” Maria’s voice responded, and in an instant, the entire facility surged into action. Cameras, scans, drones, perimeters, doors, alarms—all the 1287 security protocols she had sprang to life around you.

“She’s at your six! Go straight!” Maria directed Steve, and he broke into a run. Five hundred feet—just ten seconds at top speed, but you were nowhere to be seen. “Where?!” He was loosing his shit.

“What?” Maria’s voice faltered as the red dot tracking you vanished from her display, dread pooling in her stomach. “We’re being overridden…”

“What? Talk to me!” Steve’s voice was almost a shout, his panic unmistakable. “Walker! Where are you?”

“I’m at the parking lot!” John’s voice was breathless as he ran. “Where the hell are those bots?! Why is your girlfriend so fast?!” He weaved between parked cars, his eyes locked on you, but in a blink, you were gone.

“Illythia?!” John’s voice echoed through the empty parking lot, and Steve heard his labored breathing over the comms. Steve had never been so afraid in his life.

"Where are you?!" In the parking lot, John was still looking for you. He took a few steps around, assessing, then abruptly stepped back as his military instincts kicked in.

He moved just in time to avoid your first strike. The hypnotized techs had been fast—but you…you were lethal. Every move of yours was precise, each sweep of your palm and strike of your hand cutting through the air like sharpened blades, aimed directly at Walker with the cold precision of a trained assassin. His arm went numb as he blocked your strike with his elbow, barely deflecting the impact.

Holy shit. So this is what a Hydra assassin looked like. John had heard the rumors, and the realization struck him hard.

Now he was grasping the scale of your abilities, the enormous gap that separated him from you in skill and intent. Fighting you was like fighting a machine designed solely to kill.

He clenched his fists, steadying himself.

"Alright. Whoever the fuck you are…" He growled, bracing against the rush of your next attack.

"You are not taking her, not on my watch…"

You advanced swiftly, not giving him a chance to react. He managed to parry one of your strikes, but the force sent him staggering back. Your movements were relentless, each strike calculated, swift, and brutal. John ducked a sharp jab aimed at his throat and countered with a low sweep of his leg, hoping to unbalance you.

But you were quicker. Twisting mid-movement, you spun out of reach and closed in on him again, your eyes cold, unreadable.

“For someone who didn't want to date me at all…” John panted, trying to find an opening, he tightened his stance, his focus sharpening.

"Looks like we are finally getting our first dance huh…"

You launched a kick toward his chest, but he dodged to the side, finally managing to slip an arm around your waist, trying to pin you down. In a heartbeat, though, you broke free, twisting sharply and catching him with an elbow that left him gasping.

Steve tore down the hallway, his heart hammering like it was about to burst from his chest, each step fueled by the sickening fear curling tighter inside him. His mind screamed with desperation, imagining the worst. The thought of not getting there in time, clawed at him with a panic so raw it drowned out everything else. He pushed himself harder, faster, his breaths ragged, almost choking on the terror that something could already be happening, that he might be too late to stop it.

Deep down in his soul, he knew it.

Someone, something, was taking you away.

The little dance between you and John continued fast.

John steadied himself, swallowing against the sharp sting in his throat.

Shit, you were good, you were so damn good. Your movements were cold, mechanical, each step deliberate, your eyes devoid of any recognition, fixed on him like a target.

He barely had a second to brace before you struck again, faster, more precise, as if every muscle in your body was wired to a single, ruthless command.

John dodged, blocking with his forearm, but the force of your blow sent a painful shock up his arm.

“Come on, wake up!” Heyelled, desperation leaking into his voice, hoping his words might break through whatever had its hold on you. But you were relentless, undeterred. You struck again, a perfectly angled jab aimed for his ribs, which he just barely managed to sidestep, the movement costing him balance.

In a single, fluid motion, you enhanced your powers, layers of the room revealing themselves in sharp detail, peeling away until something glinted in the corner of your vision—something small and dangerously sharp embedded within a cracked console panel nearby. You lunged, grabbing the object, its cold weight steady in your palm.

With swift brutality, you slashed toward him, and John blocked, feeling the sharp edge graze his arm, blood blooming where it sliced through his sleeve. He gritted his teeth, pushing back with all his strength, his eyes searching your face, finding nothing of the person he knew.

And in that hesitation, you moved so fast, he didn't even see you. It was only one ruthless, calculated strike as you slashed across Walker’s throat.

The edge met his skin with precision, blood trickling down his neck. John staggered back, clutching his throat, his face twisted in pain and shock.

“Shit…” He choked out, voice raw as he tried to steady himself, his fingers pressed hard to stem the bleeding. His eyes darted around, frantic, searching for you, but you were gone—melted into the shadows, disappearing as swiftly as you'd struck.

And then Steve was there, his breath coming in shallow, panicked gasps as he rounded the corner, barely taking in the scattered debris and overturned tables before his gaze locked on John.

His heart lurched painfully at the sight. Blood trickled from John’s neck, his hand pressed against the wound, his face pale and strained.

“John!” Steve shouted, rushing over, barely keeping the quiver of fear from his voice.

John could only shake his head, gritting his teeth as he fought through the pain.

"Where is she?!"

“…Gone,” John managed to get out, a grimace tightening his face as he met Steve’s terrified gaze.

The realization struck Steve hard, fear gripping his chest with an icy hand. It shattered his world in an instant.

Everything he’d known, everything he’d fought for, had slipped through his fingers in a single heartbeat. He felt a cold, numbing dread spread through his chest, rooting him to the spot, every breath a struggle against the crushing weight of helplessness.

Panic clawed up his throat — you were out there, alone, lost in the grip of something he couldn’t fight, couldn’t save you from.

It was like watching a part of himself walk into darkness, and he couldn’t follow. For the first time, Steve felt fear not just for you, but for himself—he was in hell now.

The End but TBC

Continue to:

Chapter 11: Veil

And that's a wrap for Chapter 10! I can't believe we are in chapter 10 already! Ugh but this is when the angst starts :3 All i could think when I was writing it was: OMG should I do this?? How could I do this to him...but then, I thought about mix it up a little of action like all MCU movies does ;) I enjoyed writing the fight scene with John so much, hope you liked it reading too!

I'll try to post every friday, but maybe next one will be Chapter 1 of another series, will see, stay tuned! :)

Love.,

Moon

Tag list: @vioplay19 / @jamneuromain / @steviebbboi / @heletsmelovehim / @otterlycanadian / hisredheadedgoddess28

*can you let me know if I've missed anyone in the taglist? thanks <3

[pixeldistractions]

May 2088

The dreary winter led into a long and soggy spring, which finally broke now at the end of May. Today they expected their first truly hot day that announced the impending summer.

Especially as the big wedding date loomed closer, Jordan and Ian slept over at the hotel more often so they could wake early and accomplish their outdoor work before the late spring sun got too hot. Given the time crunch and a little persuasion on their part, Sharon offered them a double twin room to share.

And that was quite fine for Ian, who still lived at home with his parents, as well as for Jordan who had a domestic situation of his own to escape. It was kind of fun, even, for someone who never went to college—it almost felt like living in a dorm with a roomie.

It felt like one foot out the door.

The barn build was not only specifically for Stephanie’s wedding in two weeks, but Stephanie was Sharon’s dearest employee and this wedding was going to be the most beautiful they ever put together. Wedding barn included, first time building one or not. It might be close, but he would finish it on time.

Jordan was deeply focused on his work. Ian worked on some calculations on his phone, but Jordan was pretty sure he had a mobile game going. There was some commotion happening in the kitchen. Behind them, the ladies scurried in and quickly back out, hushed voices, something serious. He didn’t know what was going on. He would leave them to it and he was sure Maria would fill him in later.

A while later, sweat in his eyes, sawdust in his hair, he glanced up to see Maria waiting patiently for him to notice her, carefully moving herself between piles of stacked two-by-fours.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“So, the wedding is postponed,” she told him. “Justin’s dad had a heart attack. He, um… he didn’t make it.”

“Oh. Shit.” That was all Jordan could say before his brain flashed back to one of the worst times of his life.

Answer the phone, you asshole. Your dad, he had a heart attack. He didn’t make it. Why aren’t you here? You need to be here! Are you hearing me? He’s dead.

“It was so fast, nobody saw it coming, and he was supposed to be Justin’s best man…”

Maria said some more things, a Maria-shaped fog with sound coming out. Still as a block of stone, Jordan couldn’t even think to move through the cut planks of wood around them, feeling only the news to his core in an ugly ball of memory. Seven years ago now, but it sometimes felt as fresh as yesterday. Someone else’s bad news churned up that roiling ball of grief from its assigned place in the dark pit of his stomach, probably near his gallbladder, spleen, memories of middle school bullies, alien war conspiracies in kindergarten, and all those other useless things he liked to forget were there. He was that same lost twenty-two year old, completely alone in the world, not knowing what to do next. And he was out there when his own father passed, being young and carefree and selfish.

Why aren’t you here, you asshole?

Emerging from his block of stone, he felt Maria’s gentle hands on his wrists, taking the saw from his clenched hand, setting it down on the work table. “Hey, let’s take a little break from the saw, huh? I just made some lemonade. I’ll go get it.”

“Wait,” he said. “Don’t go.” He didn’t know why he said that.

“You don’t want lemonade?”

“I mean, sure.” A nervous laugh came out, though nothing was funny. “Yes, I’ll have some lemonade.”

She looked at him like he had two heads. She looked at the worktable, the sawdust, the sweat dripping down his brow. He must have been a wreck because she watched him carefully, a small pinch in her lips. “You should be careful out here, wearing all that black in the hot sun. You might get heat stroke. You’ve got a couple chairs set up in the barn? Wait for me in the shade? I’ll be right back.”

He went inside the barn, cluttered with his tools, lumber, and wedding decorations that would need to be boxed back up. It was messy in here, but the shade was nice. Maybe he did have a bit of heat stroke. He felt so stupid. His dad was already gone, long long gone. Poor Justin. Poor Stephanie, whose wedding was interrupted. He should offer his condolences instead of having a panic attack and combined sun stroke all together like a weirdo.

— “why are you here? #2: little sparks catch fire” (part 2/6)

notes: wild guess on who left Jordan that voicemail when his dad died??? It’s not supposed to be a mystery, so let me know if you have no idea, lol!

We are also now at the point where this prequel story will begin to intermingle and expand upon some of the previously published chapters for this set of characters. Specifically, for this scene, “my sweetheart #1”, which was told from Cynthia’s POV (Justin’s mother).

Next -> // WAYH #2 start // index

[nekoannie-chan]

How did we come to this?

How did we come to this?

Title: How did we come to this?

Fandom: Marvel, Captain America.

Ship: Steve Rogers X Reader.

Word count: 500 words.

Rating: Teen.

Summary: Steve cheated on you and tried to fix it.

Major Tags: Break up, mention of cheating.

Additional tags: This is my entry for the @caplanbuckybarnes BrokenHearts4Caplan Challenge with the prompt:

“I was nothing to you. I was only a toy for you to manipulate and I fell for it.”

Links: Wattpad, Ao3, Spanish version.

@saiyanprincessswanie

My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistakes, please let me know and I will correct them.

I don’t give any permission for my fics to be posted on other platforms or languages (I translate my work myself) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don't steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other people. The only exception is the ones I gifted 'cuz now belong to someone else. Please let me know if you find any of my works on a different platform and are not one of my accounts. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.

Add yourself to my taglist here.

My other media where I publish:  Ao3, Wattpad, ffnet, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter. 

If you like it, please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog.

Tags: @sinceimetyou @unnuevosoltransformalarealidad @navybrat817 @angrythingstarlight @shield-agent78 @charmed-asylum @pandaxnienke @real-fbi @Smokeandnailz @white-wolf1940 @tenaciousperfectionunknown @xoxonotme @bluemusickid @leyannrae @Harrysthiccthighss @Marvelatthisone @caplanbuckybarnes @sapphire-rogers @lizzieolseniskinda @notyourtypicalrose @hallecarey1 @nana1000night @talia-rumlow @writingshae @alexxavicry @azulatodoryuga @daemonslittlebitch @chaoticcollectivenightmare @endlesstwanted @chemtrails-club  @marigoldreamer @whiskeytangofoxtrot555 @Here4thefanfics @theestorm @patzammit @kmc1989 @somegirlfromasgard @rogersbarber

The rain was pattering softly against the windows of the apartment; Steve was in the living room, standing by the couch, his eyes fixed on the floor. He had confessed what he never thought would come from his lips or happen. Sharon Carter. He had been with Sharon.

“How could you? “How could you do this to me, Steve?

He looked up slowly but was unable to find the right words. What could he say at this moment that didn't sound empty or hypocritical?

“It wasn't planned... “He started to say, but stopped himself, knowing how ridiculous he sounded.

“Planned? “you let out a bitter laugh, full of disdain. That doesn't matter, Steve. The fact is you did it. You cheated on me! And with Sharon, no less.

Steve tried to approach, but you backed away.

“You don't understand, Steve,” you continued. I loved you. I gave you all of me, the best of me, and... this is what I get in return? A betrayal?

“I'm sorry,” he murmured.

“I'm sorry isn't enough. Not after this.

Steve tried to approach again, but you took another step back, holding up a hand as a barrier.

“You know? “I was nothing to you. I was only a toy for you to manipulate and I fell for it.” I thought we were more than that, but I realize I was only a fool who fell for your games.

“ You are not a toy! You are so much more to me; you always have been. I made a mistake, I know, but that doesn't change how I feel about you.

“And what am I supposed to do now, Steve? “Pretend this never happened? Go back to trusting you like it's nothing?

Steve lowered his head, unable to answer. He knew he had ruined everything.

“I don't expect you to forgive me,” he admitted. But I love you, and I would do anything to make up for my mistake.

“What I felt for you...” you confessed, trying to hold back tears. I don't know if I can feel it again. Not after this.

Steve took a step closer, hoping to reach for your reader's hand, but you pulled back again.

“ I can't go through with this, Steve. I can't go on with you.

Steve took a step back, staring at you for a moment longer before slowly turning and walking toward the door. Just before leaving, Steve paused, his hand on the doorknob.

““If you ever... if you ever want to talk,” he said, without looking at her, “I'll be here. I'll always be here for you.

Without waiting for an answer, Steve left the apartment, closing the door softly behind him.

You plopped down on the couch, hugging your knees to his chest, letting the tears finally come out.

“How did we come to this? “you muttered to yourself.

You got up from the couch and walked slowly to your room.

You closed your eyes, letting your tiredness and sadness take over.

[caslutz]

Roy Kent Head Cannons (Part One)

for everyone that told me to be a roy blog, i can’t hold it in any longer, here they are

- was raised by a single father until he was 9 and scouted. his grandfather was so involved because his father was always busy working to keep the lights on for him and his sister (he was also pretty distant)

- a gay king, however he had always entertained the idea he was bisexual and didn’t think more of it. it was only after his break up with keeley that he got to thinking about deeper root of the problem with her. when he starts getting closer to jamie it clicks for him.

- he is actually blind without glasses. he wore contacts his whole career but after he retired he just didn’t want to anymore, but he doesn’t wear his glasses unless he’s at home because he’s stubborn (and maybe a little embarrassed) so at work all he sees is just little blobs on the field and he has to guess who is who (spoiler, he’s not good at it so he just addresses them as “that fuck” and points)

- bonus points: jamie makes roy wear his glasses at home because one, he thinks he should be able to see, and two, he thinks they’re super hot (they are)

- i could make a whole separate post for this, but neurodivergent roy!! roy goes undiagnosed his whole childhood and adult life until he starts to talk to dr. sharon and she picks up on some things. most notably his inability to read others emotions (including his own), his anxiety, and his strong attachment such as his career (and football in general) and jamie tartt.

- roy kent is a swiftie. guys i’m sorry i’ve seen stuff saying he hates music and only listens to EDM, but like come on. roy didn’t even know who she was until phoebe started listening to her, and the same thing with frozen, he now knows all the words and will mouth them, and even enjoys her music. however, this is a secret he will take with him to the grave. when jamie and phoebe want to go to her concert he fights tooth and nail but he’s already bought tickets before they even asked.

okay so these are only head cannons and they are my opinions, sorry if you don’t agree lol. if you do agree i would love to hear what you think, or even more ideas! ask box is open! i also might elaborate on these too idk…

this is probably only part one because i definitely have more that im holding back!!

[questionableratatouille00]

𝓜𝓸𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓞𝓷

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x Fem!Reader

Summary: Your girlfriend, Natasha Romanoff, died roughly 9 months ago. Unable to handle any more time alone in your formerly shared apartment, you decide to join a local therapy group you heard about from a friend. Little did you know, you’d meet a beautiful redhead going through a similar situation. You know you need to get better. For both your sake, and Natasha’s memory.

Warnings (Entire Series): This series deals with mature topics, including, but not limited to: death, mental health issues, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, grief, trauma, general unwellness, illness (both mental and physical), and a most likely inaccurate portrayal of group therapy (though it’s much better than whatever was going on in TFATWS.) Please mind the warnings below.

Warnings: death of a romantic partner, depression, mentions of death of a family member, anxiety.

||Part 2|| 🌻 Series Masterlist 🌻

———————————————————————

𝐈 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 The apartment had never been this quiet. It was never so silent. There had always been some kind of white noise, whether that was the coffee pot or the washing machine running. It had never been completely silent, up until now.

You could divide your life into two parts. Before the accident, and after. Before the accident, your life was awesome. Of course, some pretty awful shit had happened to you, but it didn’t compare to all of the good shit that happened too. You liked living. You liked being alive. Now, well, you weren’t as sure. 

It had been nine months. Nine months since the worst day of your life. Your life had been so full, and now, it felt so empty. 

You get up. You get ready. You go to work. You drive home. You turn on the TV. And then, you just sit. 

It’s been a while since the funeral. You couldn’t remember the last time you’d left your apartment for fun. You went to work and you went to the store. That was pretty much it. 

The last time you’d left for any reason other than those had to be..maybe six months ago? 

You’d gone to a coffee shop with your friend, Sharon. 

“You’ve been so different after..you know. I completely understand, of course, but you shouldn’t have to live like this.” She said after sighing. She takes a sip of her latte from the porcelain mug in front of her.

“After my aunt died, I felt just like you, really. Remember my cousin Dottie? She went to a group therapy thing by the old Target. I don’t think they have it anymore, but some office nearby has to have one. I don’t know. I just think it would be good for you.” She suggested. 

“I’ll think about it.” You said, knowing you were not going to be thinking about it. Part of you felt ignored, knowing that the relationship between you and your late girlfriend was different than that of Sharon and her aunt. You said nothing, staring down at your own drink. 

“Good. I’ll send you some links later, alright?”

You nodded numbly. 

You’d really ended up ghosting her after that, along with all of your other friends. Sharon was the only one who continued to try and reach out, sending you a message every two days or so. She didn’t stop, knowing that you were at least reading them. 

You’d never reply, but that didn’t stop her. 

Your phone vibrated in your pocket as you laid on the couch. You knew exactly who it was. 

Hey! There’s a group near your apartment that’s only just starting up. I have a friend who went there for just one on one therapy, and she said the people were super nice. You should think about it 💕

You sighed, letting your phone drop on your stomach. And then, in an instant, it was like you’d just snapped out of a dream. You looked around your apartment, seeing how dirty it had become. Trash littered on the kitchen table and counters, trash bags stacked in a corner. It smelled gross. You smelled gross. You felt gross. 

“What are you doing?” You mumbled to yourself, standing up. “This is fucking awful.” 

You grimaced, and you realized that Sharon was right. You should think about it.

So you did.

You took out the garbage. You took most of the junk off of the table. You did some of the dishes. You took a nice, long shower. You made some kind of improvement. Even if it wasn’t much, it was at least something.

It was better than nothing. Then, you took Sharon’s advice. Sending her a quick thumbs up emoji, you clicked the link she sent you, opening the website.

A small form later, you were officially signed up. The first meeting would be on Wednesday.

—————————

“What do you think, Nat?” You mumble, adjusting your shirt. You weren’t wearing anything particularly nice, but you could tell there was a stark difference between what you looked like now, and what you’d looked like a few days ago.

You glanced down at the photo of the two of you you’d set on your dresser. Sucking in a deep breath, your phone vibrated in your pocket, your ringtone playing from its speakers. You’d set an alarm for when it was time to go.

The car ride there wasn’t too long. You’d been on much longer car rides before. One summer a few years ago, you and Natasha went on a road trip to a bunch of national parks.

You parked in the parking lot of the large building. Staring up at it, you noticed the logo and name. It was an eagle, you were pretty sure, in a circle. S.H.I.E.L.D. Therapy Offices, white letters on the front of the building announced.

Taking in more deep breaths, you nodded a few times. You were ready for this. Even if you weren't, there's no getting out of it. Not now.

Your legs felt hollow as you walked into the building. You were greeted by a large waiting room, which looked open and friendly enough. There was a reception desk, and a woman with dark brown hair and blue eyes smiled at you.

“Uh..hi,” you greeted awkwardly as you walked up to the desk.

“Hello. Are you here for that group?” She asked, and you felt your eyes widen. How would she know that? Did you look out of place?

“Sorry. We normally don’t have any appointments scheduled around now. Until the group, I mean.” She explained, and you nodded, smiling. Her name tag read ‘Maria Hill’, and you mentally took note of her name.

“Alright, I just need you to fill out this.” She slid a clipboard with some kind of form over the counter.

You smiled again, taking it and going to sit down. There was one other guy already there. He was wearing a purple shirt, his brown hair short. You couldn't tell what color his eyes were as he looked down at his phone.

You filled out the paperwork, going and taking the clipboard back to Maria.

"Thank you. Peter's gonna call you guys in when Dr. Coulson is done." She said, taking the clipboard from you. You went to sit back down, watching your feet.

The door opened, and two men—one short and skinny, and the other was about average height and seemed to have a bit of muscle on him, but you couldn’t be sure—walked up to the reception desk. The smaller one was blonde, with sky blue eyes and pale skin. He wore khaki pants and a t-shirt that was loose on him, and stood quite confidently. Not particularly bold or self-centered, just..open. He seemed very friendly, and you watched through your eyelashes as Maria Hill smiled at something he said.

The other guy dressed with a lot less confidence, and he stood awkwardly next to the blonde man. His hair was brown, and went down to a little above his shoulders. He had a jacket on, even in the warm weather. His eyes were a steel blue, though you only got a glimpse of them.

They quickly filled out their paperwork, and a few more people walked in. Most notably, a redhead. For a sliver of a moment, you mistook her for Nat. You mentally kicked yourself for it. You'd be lying if you didn't believe Nat could just walk through the door of your apartment any moment.

Her voice was warm, friendly. As she spoke to Maria, you could hear it. When she turned to fill out her clipboard, you saw her large doe-like green eyes. She smiled softly at you, before coming to sit a few seats down from you. She was beautiful, you couldn’t deny it.

Pushing that strange thought out of your head, you waited patiently.

A young man, with brown eyes and brown hair, walked through a hallway and into the waiting area. This must be Peter, you assumed.

“You can all follow me this way—Dr. Coulson’s ready now.” He announced.

[sweetmidnights]

A Tentative Ellipsis (the parting of your lips and the ache in your eyes)-- Chapter 4: The world could be burning but all I'd be thinking is how are you doing, baby?

Pairing: Agatha Harkness/Rio Vidal

Summary:

Warnings: 18+, drug use, addiction, manipulation, angst

Words: 8k

AO3

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

2014

The home that Rio and Agatha shared was a large, ostentatious mansion filled to the brim with plants, expensive art, and cat toys.  For as big as it was, it felt very lived in, very human. And, unfortunately, it was incredibly easy to get lost in its rooms, or in this case, stay hidden from sight. 

When Agatha wandered into the living room one Thursday night, a glass of sangria in hand, she cursed herself for ever wanting a home this big because gathered there were all of her bandmates, Mrs. Hart Sharon, Wanda, and some strangely tall man that she couldn’t quite recognize. This was an ambush and it happened right under her nose. 

Rio was standing the closest, fear written all over her face as she held herself, cardigan pulled so tightly across her body that Agatha swore it was the only thing preventing her from falling apart. Around the room, everyone was standing in various states of distress– Billy looked on the verge of tears already, Jen was pissed, Alice was worried, and Lilia looked like she was one wrong move away from wrapping Agatha in a hug. 

Wanda stood off to the side with the tall man. Fuck, who was that guy? Agatha knew that she was supposed to know this. 

“Oookay,” Agatha started, already feeling her hackles rising. “Who’s idea was this?” 

She pointed around the room, scanning and scanning until she landed on Billy who was shaking like a leaf. “It was you, wasn’t it? Of course, it would be you.” 

“Agatha, please, we just want to help,” Wanda interjected, stepping forward from where she was leaning against the arm of a white couch. 

“Want to help? You call this helping? You’ve cornered me in my own house!” Agatha nearly shrieked, feeling like a caged animal. 

“Okay, wait, we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot,” the tall man said, gesturing to a chair placed strategically in the center of the arrangement of sofas and armchairs. “Why don’t you have a seat here, Agatha? Then we can chat.” 

The man reached for Agatha to guide her gently to the chair and she yanked back from him as quickly as she possibly could. “Don’t touch me! I don’t know who you are!” 

“Sweetheart, yes, you do,” Rio said calmly, gently. “You remember Vision? Billy’s dad?” 

Agatha wracked her fuzzy brain for this information, for any recollection of having met him before. It had been what, four years since they met Billy? Had she never met his father before? Especially with how frequently she had spent time with Wanda over the years that wouldn’t have made any sense. Memories started to shift around the corners of her mind, covered in static and unclear, but there he was– a tall, blonde man with ugly glasses and an unsettlingly wide smile. He always seemed to have a hand on Wanda’s back when he was around but his visits were few and far between. 

“I know Billy’s dad,” Agatha retorted petulantly despite the entire room, herself included, knowing it was a lie. “I just forgot for a moment.” 

“It’s normal for memories to become unclear when you’re this far into addiction, Agatha. I am not offended in the least,” Vision said, trying to calm Agatha into sitting in the chair with his body language. 

She wrapped her scarf around her shoulders dramatically and plopped down in the seat. “I don’t care if you’re offended. That’s not my prerogative.” 

Vision nodded and sat in a nearby armchair, the others following suit until Rio was the last one standing, fidgeting on one foot and the other, bringing her thumb to her mouth to chew on the nail. Jen reached out and stroked her back soothingly, which made Agatha’s face twitch into a frown when Rio leaned into the touch and let herself sit down. She was still within reaching distance of Agatha, though, and Agatha figured she wouldn’t have had it any other way. 

“Well, why don’t we let you know ours, then?” Vision said, easily shrugging off Agatha’s hostility. 

“I know what your fucking prerogative is. You think I’ve never seen an intervention before?” Agatha sniped. “You’re going to tell me you’re so worried about me and that you think I need help, blah blah blah. But you’re wrong.” 

As she looked around the room, Agatha knew that there was no way out of this conversation. She could run but Rio would easily catch her. She could fight but Alice and Jen could take her without breaking a sweat. So, she would do what she always did– she would win. 

The purpose of an intervention is to convince the addict that there is a problem and to go to rehab, right? Well, there was no problem, not in Agatha’s mind, at least. So she was already halfway to her victory. Now, if she could just make sure she didn’t go to rehab, she could take her victory lap and claim her gold medal at the Narcotics Olympics. 

“We’re not wrong, Agatha. You’re killing yourself,” Lilia said, that infuriating, concerned mom look on her face. “Look at you! You’re skin and bones. When’s the last time you had a real meal?” 

Agatha quirked an eyebrow and looked to Rio, remembering the night previous. Perhaps if she had thought about it with a clear, sober mind, she would have recognized that it was the kind of tender lovemaking that you only do as an apology for the unspeakable– Rio had already been apologizing for what she knew would happen today. But with the cocaine and the pills and the fruity wine all swirling in her system, Agatha could only recognize it for its crass implications. 

“Nope, not doing that,” Alice interjected, seemingly reading her mind. “The point is that you’re more cocaine than you are human, Agatha. Your body can’t survive like this. Please, you need help.” 

The words slammed right into Agatha’s anger, wrenching at just the wrong place. “I’ve survived much worse. Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do. You don’t control me.” 

“You’re right, we don’t control you,” Wanda soothed, taking a page out of Vision’s book. “We don’t want to, either. We just want to show you that we care about you.” 

“If you really cared about me, you wouldn’t have ambushed me in my own home!” Agatha countered, clawing at any inch she could get. “What, do you not have any respect for the sanctity of my safe space?” 

“Those are some 50-cent words, Ags. I didn’t know you had that much to prove,” Jen pushed, though not unkindly. It was, honestly, exactly the right thing to say to Agatha, to the woman who had everything to prove but would never admit it. 

“I don’t have anything to prove! I’m amazing!” 

A long moment of silence passed amongst the group. 

“No, Agatha, you’re not. You haven’t been for a long time,” Billy said, his words slicing like sharp knives into Agatha’s chest. This was her little buddy, this was the kid who thought that she hung the moon and could do no wrong. “You’re spiraling out of control and it's embarrassing and heartbreaking.” 

“If I’m such an embarrassment, why are you even doing this, then? Why not just set me loose and let me crash and burn all on my own,” Agatha fought back, feeling so many feelings all at once that she couldn’t decipher them, that she didn’t even realize that she had slipped. She had admitted weakness.

“Because we love you, Agatha. We would never let you crash and burn if we could help it,” Lilia said, that maternal tone crowding in on Agatha again. “No matter how dedicated you seem to be to reaching that fate.” 

Restlessness settled under her skin, the drugs crawling up and down her nerves as they slowly recessed from her system. She needed more, she needed them now. 

“Everything is literally fine! You all can go now!” she insisted, standing from her chair. There was a gram tucked in the bathroom just down the hall if she could just get there–

Agatha was body blocked from leaving the room by none other than Rio, her wife’s arms wrapping around Agatha’s middle and pulling her in for a hug. “Sweetheart, please just listen to what they have to say. Please, for me.” 

Her hands were starting to twitch, now, her eyes flicking around the room with no semblance of reason, moving almost of their own volition as she tried to track every single movement in the large space. She finally looked at Rio and the single tear pooling on her water line was nearly enough to make Agatha break. It killed her that she was the reason Rio was upset, that she was the reason that Rio had this pathetic, miserable look on her face. 

That thought was enough to stop her in her tracks so that she could turn to face the others. It was a rare moment of true intimacy between the partners that the others hardly ever got to see. Sure, on stage, they danced and kissed and had fun but that kind of tenderness? That kind of love? That was something sacred, just for them, something they didn’t perform for anyone else. It left Agatha feeling raw and vulnerable like she was on display for the whole room to see. 

Agatha crossed to the window, threw it open, and lit a cigarette from a desk drawer where she kept them stashed. She hardly smoked them anymore, not liking the taste or the smell, but something about this conversation necessitated the sweet, sweet relief of nicotine. 

“So what’s the deal? Are you going to try to ship me off to rehab?” she asked, tapping her fingers on the windowsill. “Threaten to take away everything that matters until I comply?” 

“No, that’s not how we like to do things,” Vision said, turning to face Agatha. 

“Who’s we?” Agatha asked, annoyed with the vague statements. 

“I work for a mental health and addictions clinic here in the city. While I’m not their normal intervention specialist, I am trained in all the protocols,” Vision explained and things started to make more sense. Well, as much sense as it could as her brain was itching for a fix, the need slowly overshadowed every single thought in her mind. 

“Ah, so you brought your dorky fucking husband to come try and therapize me into doing what you want? “ Agatha countered, the vicious venom back in her voice. “Are you even qualified to be doing any of this? Addiction counseling licenses are just for losers who can’t be bothered to do the real thing.” 

It was a low blow and Agatha knew it. But she had to win somehow, right? And if she wasn’t going to be able to convince them that she was fine, she needed to destabilize the authority in this room. If she could convince everyone that Vision was a quack and that he didn’t know what he was doing, she could easily slide back in as their fearless leader, as their foremost authority. 

It was a foolproof plan. 

Unfortunately, a foolproof plan laid by none other than the fool, herself, was always destined to fail. 

Agatha rallied against them all for hours, pacing around the room as they plied her with niceties and their concerns, as they argued with her, as their patience wore thinner and thinner with her antics and her attitude. She was mean, she was cruel, she was damn near violent every time that she felt cornered by their logic, by their rationale. 

“This is the deal, Agatha. We go on tour in six months and if you aren’t sober or at the very least have some semblance of coherence, we can’t go through with it,” Sharon admitted, finally saying the part that no one else seemed to want to say. “We love you, we want you healthy again, and frankly, we don’t want to go on tour with such a big liability. So either we go to rehab tonight or we call the whole thing off.” 

The words felt… they felt… God, Agatha didn’t even know what she was feeling. Helpless, powerless, out of control, all of the horrible, disgusting things she swore she would never let herself be again. Her choice, her autonomy, her everything was being ripped from her hands. 

“You can’t– you can’t do this to me!” she cried out, throwing her hands in the air emphatically. “This is my band, this is my baby! You have nothing without me!” 

Rio sighed and rubbed her hands over her face before she crossed the room to sit on the windowsill with Agatha. She reached out and grabbed both of her hands, holding her so tenderly, so reverently even when she was acting like a complete and utter asshole. 

“Baby,” she started, rubbing the back of Agatha’s knuckles with her thumbs, “You know this band has been one of the greatest joys of my life. Hell, it’s been the best thing to happen to all of us in this room. I don’t want to throw it all away because you’re sick, my love. None of us want that. No one wants to take this band away from you. But we don’t want it to kill you. If I have to choose between the stage and my wife, I’m picking you every single time. So please, sweetheart, let’s get you some help so that you can come back bigger and better than you ever were before. Climb back to the top with me, my love. We will rule the world.” 

It was exactly what Agatha needed to hear, the right twisting of words and manipulation of feelings to make Agatha feel seen, to inspire her to want better for herself. She deflated and dropped her head to Rio’s shoulder, immediately being wrapped in a hug with strong hands rubbing circles into her shoulder blades. 

“I don’t want to go away,” Agatha whined, burrowing her head into Rio’s neck. “I want to stay here with you.” 

“I know, my love. I know. But you have to, okay? We have to get you better, you’re so sick,” Rio soothed, knowing that Agatha’s words were just as much a desperate plea for getting her way as they were her genuine feelings towards going to rehab. But who was Rio to deny her wife this comfort? 

“It’s somewhere up in Napa, away from all the noise and chaos of LA. You’ll be safe there and the facility is known especially for its discretion, so nothing will get leaked,” Sharon said, obviously the mastermind behind the actual logistics. 

“Fuck off, Sharon,” Agatha hissed, not wanting to hear any more from anyone who wasn’t Rio. 

No one else got it, no one else got her like Rio did. Everyone else was out to get her, trying to destroy her and her cushy, amazing life. But Rio? She would never do that to her. Rio would keep her safe. 

“I’ve already gotten everything ready for you, sweetheart. We just need to get in the car and we can go,” Rio said, drawing Agatha’s attention back to her. “Are you ready to go?” 

Agatha huffed and looked down at her hands. “Can I go to the bathroom first?” 

Rio regarded her warily but nodded, not fooled for a damn second even if everyone else was. “Sure, love. I’m going to come get you in five.” 

With that, Agatha stood and fled the room, not giving anyone else a spare glance. She ran frantically to the bathroom and locked herself in before searching the drawers for her secret stash. If this was the start of her new forever, she would go out on her own terms.

Powerlessness never came easy to Agatha. Honestly, she fought it tooth and nail and had for her entire life. But this? This was an entirely new sense of it that made her want to crawl out of her skin. 

On the way to school this morning, three distinct things happened: Stark Records announced the reunion tour, Agatha’s phone was swarmed with interview requests from every journalist in the country, and when they pulled up to the gate for the elementary school, three different photographers were waiting for her and Nicky to arrive. Normally, she wouldn’t think anything of seeing photographers in a wealthy part of LA but when she got out of the car and heard the telltale click of shutters and murmurs of her name over and over, she froze. 

So, Agatha packed Nicky back into the car before both of his shoes had hit the ground and made the executive decision that she would be spending her day at Stark Records making sure that they knew under no uncertain terms that her son’s safety had to come first. And, frankly, it was completely and utterly unacceptable that there was no warning before the announcement went live. 

This was how she found herself in the executives’ office, tearing off the head of not only the director, Natasha Romanoff, but Pepper Potts, the Director of Touring and Live Events, and Maria Hill, the lead counsel on retainer for Stark Records. It was only a small miracle that Wanda had miraculously been there to intercept her and Nicky before she could go on an entire tirade. Her best friend’s soothing words and reassurances were just enough to take Agatha from DEFCON 5 to a mild ecological disaster. 

“Tell me why I get to my son’s school this morning and have to bribe three separate photographers, who shouldn’t even know who he is, with more money than tuition at fucking USC to delete the photos of him because I didn’t know to expect them?” Agatha seethed, her voice angry and cold. She didn’t even care that she hadn’t shut the door behind her fully yet and Nicky likely heard her– she would stop at nothing to protect her boy. 

“Ms. Harkness, please, it was an honest oversight. We did not intentionally keep this information from you,” Pepper said, trying and failing to placate the irate woman. “You signed the paperwork so late in the process, that we must have missed processing you into our communications.” 

“You think that’s an acceptable excuse for putting my baby’s life in danger?” Agatha nearly yelled, barely controlling her temper for the sheer fact that she had promised herself when she became a mother that her violent days were long, long behind her. 

“Until this morning, we were not aware that there was a child to protect,” Maria said, looking over legal documents in front of her. “I’ve drafted up some protections and provisions that we hope to be up to your standards. Fortunately, we have been working closely with Ms. Vidal for years as she’s worked to get custody of her sister, so I have become quite proficient in matters involving children, as well. We have included everything here that we have used over the years for Ms. Vidal and additional protections considering your history of media harassment.”

There was so much to unpack with what Maria said, least of all the question of how she, herself, had let it slip through the cracks that she would need to tell the company about Nicky to keep him safe. She had spent so long keeping him a secret to keep him safe that it hadn’t even crossed her mind that the rug would be ripped out from under them both before she was ready. Guilt gnawed at her, at her own indiscretion regarding the most important person in her life. 

“Let me see those,” Agatha hissed, ripping the stack of papers out from in front of Maria and leafing through them. Had she been in the right frame of mind, she would have admitted that it was thorough and provided her with more than she could have asked for– extra security for when Nicky was at the studio or with them on tour, security for school and increased protections to try to keep cameras and journalists as far from him as possible. Interviews were not allowed to ask about Agatha’s personal life and the documentary crew was not allowed to include film of the child without Agatha’s explicit permission. There was more legal jargon that Agatha flipped through, too, that all seemed adequate enough.

Agatha, however, was not in the right frame of mind. She was angry– at herself, at the studio, at the media, hell, she was even mad at the plant that kept bumping into the window loudly from the air blown around the room by a ceiling fan. And so, she exploded. 

“Every single step of the way, your company and its inadequacy have shown me time and time again that I cannot trust you. Give me one good fucking reason why I shouldn’t pull out of this immediately.” 

A quiet knock echoed against the mahogany door, then, almost perfectly timed. The creak of the hinges was accompanied by the sound of squeaky sneakers on the polished floor. 

“Maybe I can help,” a sultry, smooth voice echoed, then, one that Agatha would recognize anywhere. “I think that perhaps we should talk.” 

Agatha whipped around on her heels to face Rio. “You want to talk? Or do you want to degrade me more without the cameras rolling? Really get in those juicy jabs you wouldn’t want to be documented on film.” 

Rio closed her eyes and hung her head for a moment, rubbing at the bridge of her nose. “Tell her the truth,” she said to no one in particular. 

Natasha stepped forward and held her hands out like white flags. “That was my fault,” she admitted, grimacing. 

“What do you mean it was your fault?” Agatha asked, glare sharp and cutting as she crossed her arms over her chest. 

The director took a step forward and had the decency to look apologetic. “The documentary needs to have a story to drive it forward, it can’t just be clips of you being a band. I want the story to encompass a human interest story. Your redemption arc, if you will.” 

“My redemption arc?!” Agatha shrieked, fury burning through her veins like wildfire. “What am I, just another fucking character for you to push and prod to make the most money? And let me guess, you’re going to just let me fall back to the wayside with no support when I am once again painted as the villain in this story? Oh, why didn’t the Orchids stay together this time? Agatha’s all clean and sober but no one can fucking stand her anymore so it still didn’t work.” 

“That isn’t why it won’t work this time,” Natasha said before freezing almost imperceptibly. She stuttered a bit before she rescued herself. “This is a limited contract. Just a reunion and accompanying documentary. Nothing more, nothing less. I don’t think any of you truly want to go back to this life, do you?” 

“So you don’t deny that I’m just here to be your antagonist? To be the juicy piece of meat to throw to the wolves so you make your millions?” Agatha’s chest was heaving considerably at this point, feeling overwhelmed by it all. “God, I won’t do this again. I won’t take the fall for this again! I’ve spent the last decade being your villain, I’m fucking done.” 

“Agatha, please,” Rio soothed, reaching out to lay a hand on her arm before immediately rethinking the touch and pulling away. She looked to the executives, making eye contact with them in a way that made Agatha uncomfortable. “Can we have a moment, please?” 

The executives all shared nervous looks, silently communicating for long moments before glancing at Rio who gave them a simple nod and held a hand out as if to say, “Trust me, it’s okay”. They all stood and gathered their things, ushering themselves out of the room, leaving Agatha’s blood pressure to spike and her heart to race in her chest. It had been ten years since the last time they had been alone together in a room, ten years since Agatha’s heart had been broken irreparably into tiny, jagged pieces. 

2015

Sober was a strange feeling to Agatha. For the last week, she had been detoxing in the same high-profile facility that she had been forced into nearly a year ago, now. Resentment still stung beneath the surface after her intervention, at the way she lost her agency to their thinly veiled threats and barbed wire-covered care. She hadn’t tried then, not really, and she guessed that’s how she found herself in this mess once again. The call of the drugs was like a siren song for Agatha, something she couldn’t ignore. And, as always, it had nearly killed her 

Her left arm was held in a sling, though that was the only injury she had sustained during her latest display of true idiocy, despite her damnedest effort at putting everyone’s life around her in danger. It was a statistic, she thought, that the drunk driver always came out unscathed while everyone else around her would be broken and destroyed. She hadn’t meant to hurt anyone, she really hadn’t, but they say that the path to hell is paved with good intentions. 

Agatha shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She couldn’t think about it, she couldn’t think about how much damage she had done to someone she loved. So, instead, she looked out the window and thought about the way her dislocated shoulder ached. That was a tolerable pain. Yes, she could live there for a while. 

An inexplicable amount of time passed this way, Agatha poking at her tender, bruised skin every time she felt her muscles twitch for another hit of cocaine until someone knocked at her door– probably a nurse, there were no visitors allowed outside of the common room. But when she turned her head to look, she was faced with her wife in all of her bare-faced, college t-shirt glory. 

“Rio? What are you doing here?” Agatha asked, feeling a bit disoriented. She looked at Rio with clear eyes for the first time in longer than she wanted to admit and noticed the dark circles, the red-rimmed eyes, the puffiness and and bite-swollen lips. “It’s not visitors day.” 

“I–I know. I pulled some strings because I needed to come talk to you,” Rio said, stepping closer but hesitating in a way that made Agatha frown. She patted the edge of her bed, holding out her good hand for Rio. The taller woman sat gingerly but didn’t take Agatha’s proffered touch, instead wrapping her arms around herself so, so tightly. 

“Is everything okay?” Agatha frantically searched Rio’s face for any clue, for something to soothe the anxious, twisting feeling in her gut. She had only seen Rio like this once before in all of their years together, a memory still burned in her mind like a trauma despite not truly being one at all. 

Rio played with the hem of her cardigan, pulling at a loose string until the hand-crocheted piece started to unravel. “No, it’s not.” 

A sniffle. A wipe at watery eyes. A bottom lip pulled between gapped teeth painfully. 

“Baby?” Agatha asked, reaching out now, needing to touch her wife, to comfort her. “Tell me what’s going on.” 

“Fuck,” Rio cried, tilting her head back and looking at the ceiling as if to will the tears back into her eyes. She laughed but it wasn’t joyful, it was sad and devastating. “God, everything is so fucked now.” 

“I know, I’m so sorry,” Agatha said, feeling a stab of guilt. “I’m going to get better this time, I promise.” 

Rio shook her head and looked back down at Agatha, letting her tears stream down her face. “No, I don’t think you will,” she said, though not unkindly. “And that’s the whole problem, Agatha.” 

The older woman’s defenses started to rise a little, feeling attacked by Rio’s choice of words. “You don’t know that, I’m really fucked up about all of this. I think I’m really scared straight this time.” 

It was all platitudes and they both knew it. Agatha would be here for as long as she needed to be to get square with Stark Records again and then she would be right back at it, band or no band. But she would do anything for Rio, say anything she needed to not to lose her. 

Unfortunately, Agatha didn’t know it yet, but she had already lost.

“The police came to our house while you were sedated,” Rio said, completely ignoring what Agatha had said. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Agatha, you could be charged with a felony.” 

“That isn’t going to happen. I’m a rich white woman in Hollywood, you know as well as I do they won’t blink at this,” Agatha said, her arrogance nauseating. 

“Yeah, but I’m not, Agatha,” Rio said, emphasizing her words by flexing her fingers. “Maybe you’ll walk away from this unscathed but I’m not going to.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“It means they took Carmen from me,” Rio said, fresh tears falling down her cheeks. “They’re taking her back to my mom and dad and Juan Luis is paying for their lawyer, now. They’ve gone underground.”

“What? Don’t be ridiculous Rio, they’re not going to give her back to your parents,” Agatha said, frowning and entirely displeased by the conversation. “You’ve proven over and over again that she’s better off with us.” 

“No, they’re not going to, Agatha. They already have. All that work, all the time and money I put into petitioning the courts to let me have her, and it’s all been scrapped because you got in a fucking felony-level drunk driving accident and nearly killed someone!” Rio yelled, her face turning a bloody red. “They deemed me unfit for parenthood because of your fucking addiction and she’s already been sent back.” 

Agatha’s stomach dropped to her knees. “What? That isn’t fair. This isn’t your fault. This is my fault. Let me talk to them.” 

“No, Agatha, you’ve done enough,” Rio said, putting a hand up to stop her. “I might never get her back.” 

“That’s absurd, Rio, you know that your parents can’t keep themselves out of trouble long enough,” Agatha said, feeling so sure of herself. “They’re fucking idiots.” 

“You don’t understand, Agatha,” Rio said, balling her hands into fists in her lap until her nails cut into her flesh. “This is what happened when I was a kid. They got caught once and then kept their cover so cool that they never got caught again when we got sent back. They’re insidious and they know what they’re doing. And with Juan Luis’ money paying for a lawyer? Fuck, Agatha, I’m going to be fighting for her for the rest of her life. This was my chance and I blew it because I was married to you.” 

Agatha froze, a chill ripping up her spine at Rio’s last sentence. “What do you mean was? Rio, we are still married, I’m your fucking wife.” 

Rio laughed again with that same, lifeless sound that cut right to Agatha’s core. “Carmen is more important to me than anything, Agatha. And if I can’t fight for her safety as your wife, then I can’t be your wife anymore.” 

Fat, blubbering tears overwhelmed Agatha in a way that she knew wouldn’t have happened if she wasn’t fresh out of detoxing and in so much physical pain. But her hormones were so out of wack, her body entirely out of sorts as it tried to equilibrate again after so much abuse, and she couldn’t help the torrent of tears that immediately tracked down her face. 

“Rio, please, don’t leave me,” Agatha cried, watching as tears slipped down Rio’s cheeks, too. “Please, my love.” 

Rio sniffed again and wiped at her eyes. “I have to, Agatha. We are destroying each other. I–I can’t keep doing this. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone in my entire life but I can’t keep feeling like this. The papers have already been drawn and I’ve hired a lawyer. It’s done.” 

“No, it can’t be,” Agatha argued, reaching out desperately to touch Rio, to hold her, to do something to convince her that this wasn’t their end. It couldn’t be their end. “No. You’re it for me, Rio. This is it. I can’t live without you.” 

Tears fell hot and fast down Rio’s face now and she looked mere seconds from caving, from throwing herself into Agatha and apologizing and taking it all back. But she didn’t. She wouldn’t. 

Rio stood and put space between her and Agatha, who struggled to her feet and tried to catch her, nearly slipping in her grippy socks in her haste. She caught Rio’s wrist with her good hand, tugging her back as hard as she could, desperate and clawing. Rio slammed into her chest, almost toppling them both over. 

“Rio, I love you, please,” Agatha begged, using her free hand to cup Rio’s jaw. “I will do anything, baby. I will change. I will get sober. I will never do it again. Please, I love you. Please.” 

The taller woman tilted her head against Agatha’s, pressing their foreheads together and closing her eyes. “I know, Agatha. I know you do. And I wish you were telling me the truth.” 

“I am telling the truth! I mean it! I do!” 

Agatha’s desperation was utterly humiliating, the way that she begged and pleaded for the only person to ever love her not to leave her. Rio let out a soft sigh and pulled back, Agatha’s hand falling to her chest. She used both hands to cup Agatha’s cheeks and wipe at her tears. 

“I know you want to.” Rio smiled sadly. “I hope one day you really do.” 

Before she could think about it, Agatha stretched on her toes and pressed her lips against Rio’s for a hard, salty kiss. Her wife kissed her back, if only for a moment, and when she pulled back, Agatha watched as something unrecognizable slid into place– a stranger in the face of the person who knew her the best. And as Rio walked away, Agatha knew that she would never see her wife again. 

Rio was gone.

“I owe you an apology,” Rio started, wasting no time. “A real one.” 

Agatha waited silently, not trusting herself to speak, not knowing if she even could. Memories slammed into Agatha like a freight train, one after the other, of that last, devastating day. 

“Brunch was bad. Like cataclysmically bad. And it’s mostly my fault,” Rio admitted rubbing at the back of her neck. “I know it’s been ten years but I should have known better than to take Natasha’s bait. You didn’t deserve what I said to you– Jen, too, but we both know how fucking stubborn and protective she is.” 

Agatha huffed in agreement. 

“One apology isn’t going to be enough to fix things between us and I don’t expect it to. One apology isn’t going to be enough to convince you to trust me. But I am sorry. I’m sorry for the cruel things I said and I’m sorry that we’ve invited you back into this space that is still hurting you,” Rio said sincerely, extending an olive branch. “If it’s okay with you, I’d like to start over.”

Silence stretched between them as Agatha considered. Every survival instinct in her screamed to walk away, not bite the hand offering her peace. But she looked at Rio, looked at the way her long, dark hair cascaded around her face, at her soft clothes and smudged makeup, the fine lines around her mouth and on her forehead, she looked and looked and could only see the girl in a sweaty nightclub who rescued her and changed her life irrevocably. Her mask was down, she was showing Agatha her true vulnerability in a way she hadn’t been blessed with in over a decade, and Agatha knew without a doubt that Rio meant every word she said. 

“Okay,” Agatha agreed, nodding tersely. “We can start over. But I’m still pissed at you. And Jen.” 

Rio cracked a smile and shook her head almost affectionately. “I would expect no less. I think we can work with that. Nat, too.” 

Agatha crooked an eyebrow at her. “Be careful with all of that, wouldn’t want your apology to be for nothing.” 

“Even if you change your mind right now, it wouldn’t be for nothing, Agatha,” Rio said with disarming sincerity. “You deserve the apology just by yourself. It’s not a means to an end or a manipulation to get you where we want you. You deserve to be treated like a person with feelings.” 

“So what’s the deal, then? Natasha needs a story and I’m not okay with the shit you and Jen pulled even if I know it’s coming,” Agatha said, diverting the attention away from the squishy, vulnerable parts of her threatening to spill out. 

“You think we can’t cook up the drama all on our own?” Rio asked, a playful glint in her eyes. “I may have apologized for brunch but last I checked, you and I still have a decades’s worth of unresolved issues to work through. Plus, the band was in a terrible spot when it all ended, I’m sure there is still a bunch there to work with there, too. Hope is not lost for us yet, dramática.” 

Agatha scoffed and put her hands on her hips. “Who are you calling dramatic? I am perfectly reasonable, thank you very much.” 

“Right, and I’m the Queen of England,” Rio retorted, falling into an old banter that had once been so comfortable for them. 

“Ugh, don’t speak of the witch, you might wake all the dead,” Agatha grimaced, shivering a bit. 

The door creaked open and familiar red hair peeked inside. “I see you haven’t killed each other,” Natasha said before letting herself back in with Pepper and Maria. “So, are you still in, Harkness?” 

Agatha rolled her eyes and slid back into her no-nonsense, jaded persona. “Yeah, I guess. No more orchestrating drama, though.” 

Natasha held up her hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. But I need you ladies to deliver something to work with.” 

Agatha and Rio exchanged looks, ones that were knowing and devious. 

“That shouldn’t be a problem, boss,” Rio said, smirking. “We’re a messy bunch.” 

The clock struck on the hour and Agatha checked the time. She had been here for far, far too long. 

“Send me the updated contracts,” Agatha said to Maria, not mentioning her son out loud, not ready to share that piece of herself with Rio yet. “I will get them signed tonight and sent back.” 

“Understood, Ms. Harkness,” Maria said, nodding curtly. “Get them signed before the first rehearsal so that we can implement the new protocols, please.” 

Agatha didn’t reply and turned on her heel, leaving the room and looking for her boy. There was shuffling in the room as she retreated and vague mumblings about things like custody and apologies for the delayed meeting.

It didn’t take long for Agatha to find Wanda and Nicky, the two of them walking down the hallway toward the parking lot, too. 

“Where do you think you’re going, little man?” Agatha asked, a false authority in her voice that always made her boy giggle. She knew that he wouldn’t be able to hear her as clearly without being able to see her signs, so she spoke slowly and enunciated well. 

As expected, the little boy turned to face her and giggled a little. “Are you feeling better, Mama? Auntie Wanda said that you weren’t angry with me, just scared.” 

There it was, that knife in her stomach, again. She lifted the little boy and sat him in the already-open backseat of their Range Rover so they would be closer to eye level. 

“Aunt Wanda is right, baby. Did you think I was mad at you?” she asked, touching his knees to ground both him and herself. 

Nicky looked down at his hands before looking back up at his mom. “A little. You wouldn’t have been mad if they didn’t take my picture.” 

Agatha smiled sadly and kissed Nicky’s forehead. “I wasn’t mad at you, baby. I would never be mad at you for something like this. But I was mad at the photographers because they were making it dangerous for you. Do you remember what the most important thing in the entire world is?” 

“That I stay safe and healthy and loved,” Nicky repeated back like a mantra he had been hearing his whole life. 

“Exactly, my clever boy. So when someone does something that makes you unsafe, I have to protect you,” Agatha explained. “But sometimes that’s going to make Mama mad, like a bear with her cubs. Remember that documentary we watched?” 

“Yeah! That mama bear was growling so loud,” Nicky said, lighting up at the memory of the nature film. “She needed to keep her babies safe from the hunters!” 

“Just like I need to keep you safe from anyone who might hurt you,” Agatha said, cupping his cheek and rubbing it with her thumb. 

“Are the people with cameras always trying to hurt me?” Nicky asked, a little bit of trepidation bleeding into his voice. 

“No, sweetheart. A lot of the time, they won’t mean you any harm at all. But just like any stranger, you never know, so you have to make the safe choice just in case. You don’t need to be afraid of them, especially when you’re with me or Auntie Wanda or Herb or your teachers at school.”

“Okay, mama. Can we get ice cream?” 

Agatha rolled her eyes and pushed at his shoulders gently so he would climb further into the car, letting her and Wanda in. “Maybe if you eat all your veggies at lunch, darling.” 

“But Mama!” Nicky whined, making Wanda snicker. 

“Yeah, Mama!” she joined in. “We need ice cream when we play hooky.” 

Agatha rolled her eyes even harder, signaling for Herb to take them somewhere with ice cream with just a look in the mirrors. “You two are going to be the death of me.” 

With melting ice cream in hand, Agatha ushered Nicky and Wanda into the backyard half an hour later, sending her son off to play in his playhouse. 

“You’re so good with him, you know?” Wanda said as she settled into one of the chaise loungers under an umbrella. “You’re the best mom that kid could have asked for.” 

“I don’t know about that,” Agatha admitted. “I didn’t even think to make sure there were protections for him when I signed onto all of this. What kind of mother doesn’t make sure her kid is safe?” 

“You’ve been living a mostly solitary life since the day he was born, Agatha. This isn’t exactly something you were expecting to happen and it certainly isn’t in the mothers’ playbook,” Wanda said, wanting to comfort her friend. “Yeah, it was an oversight, but you can’t beat yourself up for making mistakes when you’re treading uncharted waters. You fixed it immediately, didn’t you? You’re still protecting him and he’s no worse for the wear.” 

Long moments passed between them as Agatha sat with Wanda’s words. She knew Wanda was right but that insidious, malicious voice in her head would eat at her for days and days about this until it swallowed her whole. She made a mental note to call her therapist tonight about all of this, knowing that she couldn’t face this new journey on her own unscathed. It may have been years since she talked to her therapist but after the whirlwind of the last few days, Agatha knew that she needed to protect herself so that she could protect her son, too. 

“Why did you want me to do this so badly?” Agatha asked Wanda, breaking the silence. “You’ve been so vocal about how much healthier I have gotten without the band. What changed?” 

Wanda turned to face Agatha, putting her empty cup on the table between them. She bit the corner of her lip before speaking. 

“You were drowning in this house, Agatha,” Wanda said sadly. “Nicky is your world and that’s wonderful but you need more than him. You float around this mansion like a ghost haunting your own home. I know you missed music and when Billy came to me with the idea, he made a good case.” 

Agatha pursed her lips. “Then why not just take me to the studio or get me to finally finish that solo album I never got around to finishing? You had to have known this would be rocky.” 

“I did,” Wanda agreed, nodding. “But I also know that, despite it all, this was a group of people that loved you through all the bad. You need people, you need community, and you’re still so afraid to get out there because of what happened to you after the split. I had faith that they would come around to you and maybe this could be good.” 

She regarded Wanda carefully, looking her up and down. There was a niggling feeling in the back of her head that there was something Wanda wasn’t saying, something that she didn’t know, but Agatha wasn’t sure that she wanted to. For all she knew, it could be something Agatha really, really didn’t want to hear about herself. 

“Well, they seem pretty slow to warm up to me,” Agatha lamented, laying back on the lounger and throwing her hand over her forehead. “I don’t know what the fuck to do.” 

Wanda reached out and grabbed Agatha’s hand, holding it tenderly. “You’ll do what you always do. You’ll charm the socks off of them, take your rightful place on the throne, and have a great tour.” 

“You’re too optimistic.” 

“And you’re too pessimistic. This is why we work.” 

Agatha pulled her hand back, annoyed with Wanda but not upset. “Have you ever thought about pestering someone else with all this cheeriness?” 

Wanda hummed and then snatched Agatha’s hand back. “Nope. You’re my favorite kind of grumpy. Very entertaining, you are. And you come with a cute kid.” 

Nicky, currently, was swinging so high on his swingset that he was about to rip the darn thing right out of the ground. Agatha sat up and made a gesture with her hands until Nicky caught sight of her and calmed it back down, smiling at her sheepishly. 

“So this probably isn’t a totally terrible idea, then?” Agatha asked, more to herself than anyone else. 

“Probably not,” Wanda agreed. “You deserve a little happiness in your life, Agatha. Specifically from something that is just for you, before you start arguing with me again.” 

“I should have just taken up painting or some shit. A lot less stress than facing my family.” 

Wanda smiled a slow, knowing smile, but didn’t say a word, didn’t draw attention to Agatha’s little slip. Agatha either didn’t notice it or was too proud to admit that she had called the band her family. But she had, and it was true. No matter what had happened over the years, no matter the ignored phone calls and glaring mistakes, she knew that these were her people. And maybe, just maybe, this was her opportunity to go home. 

She hoped against all hope it would be true. 

divider: @strangergraphics

taglist: @6stolenangel9

[xco-sm]

With Great Power Comes Love?

Style Fanfic (Stan x Kyle)

AU: Spiderman Stan and Fake Dating

*They are 16-17!!*

*Characters do not belong to me, they belong to Trey Parker and Matt Stone! I own the story!

*Do not publish this story anywhere else without my consent!

This is part 1 of my new fic! I hope you guys enjoy it so far and I can't wait to get chapter 1 out for you all! Any ideas and/or feedback is welcome and will be taken into consideration! I will publish this on ao3 once it is completely finished!

TW! Slurs! TW!

Prologue

Up North of Denver, Colorado, is a town called South Park and there lived a teenage boy named Stan Marsh. He has jet black, messy greasy hair and dark blue almond shaped eyes. Most would say he’s just a basic guy with a classic group of friends: Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman. As well as a typical family of four, including parents Randall and Sharon Marsh and his older sister, Shelly. 

No one would ever suspect that he was the hero that saves their small little town from the crimes that happen. The one they call Spiderman.

Like every other Spiderman in different universes, Stan was bitten by a radioactive spider. He struggled to learn his newly formed powers and adapt them to his everyday life. However, it was made much easier by his super best friend, Kyle Brofloski. 

The pair had been friends since diapers and had been glued to the hip since. Most people would say they are a bit funny… However, they both couldn’t care less about what others thought of them.

Now most Spider-Man's origin stories are all different and unique. Stan’s was definitely unique…

“Ouch! Awe sick dude,” Stan complained with pain. 

He was currently on the ground of a forest (why were they there? Don’t ask) after he ate shit from what Cartman would later call “a pathetic bitch fall.” The boy was pushing his upper body up from the ground when all of a sudden his ass felt like it was getting poked at by hundreds of mosquitos. “Fucking shit, I think a bug just bit my butt dude.”

The other boys all gave a face of disgust and instead of helping the one who fell, they simply started laughing. All except Kyle. “It was probably an ant dude, not a big deal. Now get off the floor, there could be dog shit for all we know.” Kyle walked closer to Stan in case he needed aid.

“No, you don’t get it, it actually fucking hurts dude. I think I might die or something. Can someone check?”

Everyone went completely silent at what Stan just said. It lingered on for at least three more minutes until Cartman practically yelled, “Kyle, you do it, he’s your faggy boyfriend.” Kyle simply rolled his eyes in annoyance and crouched down to where Stan was now rubbing his backside in pain. “I’m sure it’s not bad, I’ll help you get up so we can take you to your place so your mom can check it out.” 

“No! Like I think it was a spider, please check,” Stan pleaded with an obvious pout that would’ve worked if he was still 8, but he wasn’t, he was now reaching the age of 17. 

“Fine, take your pants off.”

Another silence took over the four boys, but instead of minutes going bye, seconds loomed over them. This time it was the blonde of the group to break the silence with a loud and what Kyle would say an obnoxious laugh. Cartman soon joined after spewing something about ‘how fucking gay’ Kyle was. Stan was groaning in frustration and slight pain. “You guys are so annoying Jesus.” He pinched his nose bridge and sighed. 

“No, you two are. It’s sickening hearing you guys make out all the time,” Cartman snorted out amidst his laughter. “ I really don’t want to have to see you guys have sex now, at least get a room.” Kenny nodded in agreement before opening up, “I can’t believe I’m about to witness Stan and Kyle have sex before I turn 18. Like bro that’s crazy-”

“Oh my GOD! TAKE YOUR FUCKING PANTS OFF JESUS.” yelled out an enraged Kyle.

“At least take the poor boy to dinner for Kahl,” Eric mocked, holding onto Kenny during another laughing fit. Stan rolled his eyes for what felt like the millionth time tonight and stood up and walked behind a tree. He motioned for Kyle to follow him to check out the bite and Kyle rushed over to help. 

“Sorry for yelling man, you know I’m not mad at you right?” Kyle said as he waited for the other boy to finish lowering his pants down enough to where the bite had occurred. “Yeah, I know, now check please because I swear if I die because of a stupid bug, I might as well go to hell.” Kyle shook his head and started checking.

It wasn’t unnatural for the pair to do something like this as they have always changed in front of the other. There’s even been times in sleepovers (they won’t admit they still have sleepovers, but they do) where one, typically Kyle, is taking a shower and talks to the other, typically Stan, while he’s doing his business on the toilet. It’s always been the norm for them to be this comfortable around the other, so Kyle was unfazed by practically looking at his best friend’s ass checks. 

“Well? Anything?” Stan prompted impatiently. Kyle stood up to face his friend and shook his head, “Nah man, it doesn’t seem like anything bit you to leave a mark. Maybe it was just your head fucking with you to think you got bit?”

Stan groaned and put his pants back up while walking back to the other two, and shortly after followed the red-head. “Hey guys, gotta bounce! Marj gets to have people over today!” Kenny expressed excitedly. “See you losers later!” He waved out to the group before running off to the girl’s house. Cartman started complaining about something before he said, “I am not waiting around to see you all making out again, I am out!” With that, he left the boys alone in the woods going off to God knows where. 

Kyle and Stan ended up back at Stan’s place after they were rudely abandoned, according to Stan, by their so-called friends. “No, you don’t get it. It was a masterpiece created by God or something dude.” Stan exclaimed. They were talking about Transformers again even though Kyle had already expressed how uninterested he was. “Like it has everything you could ever want. Bumblebee, robots turning into sweet cars, Megan Fox, and I don’t know if I mentioned but Bumblebee! You cannot not be interested in a cool ass movie like this.”

Kyle rolled his eyes while getting comfortable on Stan’s bed sighing at his friends' antics. “Look, it is a cool movie I won’t lie, but I’m just not into it like you are. Not really my thing to be honest with you.” Stan dramatically gasped at Kyle before getting up and crossing his arms. 

“But- but- Bumblebee!”

“Are you gay for Bumblebee or something?”

“Who wouldn’t be?”

Kyle’s eyebrow arched as he chuckled at his friend. “Dude, that a fucking robot. What weird shit are you on?” Stan groaned playfully and dismissed the red-head with a wave of his hand. “Whatever, I’m going to the restroom, I’ll be back.” Kyle hummed in response and went back onto his phone messaging his mom that he would be staying the night at Stan’s place. 

A couple minutes passed and Stan still hadn’t come out of the restroom, concerning Kyle. He got up and walked to the bathroom where he heard Stan yelp in fear. “Shit shit. How do I get this shit off oh my godddddd.”

Kyle’s face shows concern and he raises his hand to knock on the door, “Dude? Are you okay there?” From the outside, Kyle can hear things being dropped and what sounded like marble breaking. “Stan? What’s going on in there?”

“Um… promise not to be mad?”

“What did you do…?”

“It wasn’t me I swear! I couldn’t get it off of me! It was crazy because like someone had to have put glue on it or something. Also everything feels so much more weird like I feel taller you know? What if I’m dead and you-”

Kyle groaned and opened the restroom door to see Stan frozen still trying to pick up a broken toilet seat and a mess all over the restroom floor. Stan looked like he had been sweating from the activities going on in the restroom and almost as if he was going to start crying. Kyle got on the floor with Stan and started helping him clean the mess so it can go back to how it was before Stan’s parents got back home. 

“How did you even manage to get this stuck to your ass dude?” Kyle looked over to the blue eyed boy. He wasn’t too surprised by this, due to shit going on like this in this damn town all the time. However, it was weirder because as they had gotten older, odd stuff slowly stopped happening to them. “I don’t know if I’m honest, and now that I’m looking at it there doesn’t seem to be any glue on the seat. Ugh this is the worst.”

As Stan reached over to throw the piece of marble in the trash, he found that he couldn’t seem to let go of the piece. He shook his hand in an attempt to shake it away but found it did nothing to help him. The boy started getting scared and waved over to his friend who was putting things back to where they belong. “Dude! This is what I’m talking about. Look!”

Kyle turned and his eyes widened in surprise at the scene before him. He almost had to do a double take before putting whatever was left in his hands down. Kyle went over to where Stan was and got ahold of the marble trying to get it off Stan’s hands. “Let it go! What the hell.”

“I already tried too! I physically cannot let it go, what the hell is wrong with me.” Stan smashed his hand down to the floor and to no avail did it unstuck itself. Kyle watched his friend struggle with the toilet seat and decided to see if there was some kind of glue, he grabbed another small piece and threw it in the trash. This gave Kyle all the information he needed to know.

The red-head got closer to Stan and put his hands on the noirette’s shoulders. Stan looked up at Kyle in confusion stating, “Dude, what are you doing?” Kyle rolled his eyes and stared at Stan before speaking, “Don’t you see what’s going on? You said you got bit by something in the forest right? Now let’s say it was a spider…”

“Oh my god, I’m like Spiderman! Dude, that's awesome!” Stan waved his hands up in excitement and like magic the marble fell out of his hands. The two boys started jumping up in excitement as they shouted out all different kinds of things that only made sense for the two of them. 

“Dude! You’re just like Andrew Garfield!” Kyle spouted calming the other, with newly found powers, boy. Stan shook his head and put his arm around Kyle’s shoulder with a narrator-like voice he said, 

“No. I’m your friendly neighborhood Spiderman.”

[askweisswolf]

7. Something written by a character from a previous game about Rook

For the codex prompts!

Thank you so much, this was fun! I ended up writing a codex entry for my second Rook Nessa, though I've also included one I showed you before for Margalit Aldwir. General spoilers for Shades of the Blight and A Cage For Gods.

Regarding Warden Thorne

Laurel, It’s been some time since I’ve had to think back on my days as Blackwall, but you asked for my help on this matter and I like to think that for all my flaws I’ve never let you down. I can only speak to my own memory alongside what I heard from other Wardens who spoke to me after Adamant, but perhaps it’ll still give you a clear enough picture of the woman you’ll soon be meeting. Warden Nessa Thorne has a reputation for getting the job done and being no nonsense while she’s doing it. Once she’s made up her mind, good luck getting her to change it, because she’s apparently as stubborn as they come. She’s from Orzammar supposedly, though I suspect you’d know more about how to deal with that sort than I do, but it’s something to keep in mind because I’m sure it’ll shape how she views you. She’s quite close to Evka and Antoine, if you want to try asking Harding about that. I’ve been warned that she’s not particularly receptive to being talked around, but I think you’ll find a way to win her over as you have a habit of doing. Maker knows if you could hold the lot of us together, you’ll find a way to make her see you’re on her side. I’m sure this is silly of me to say, but please be careful going into Minrathous. I’ve gotten accustomed to having friends in the last ten years, and I’d hate to lose one now. Give my love to Josephine and the children, and if you have need of my sword arm, all you have to do is ask. It may be a bit stiffer than it was in years past, but it’ll still serve you well. Your friend, Thom

This one's not connected but I'm still very proud of it, so hey. I did clean it up a bit to better fit with the format of the first one.

A Letter from Scout Harding to Inquisitor Lavellan

Sharon, I lost her. You have my report on Tearstone Island. I won’t repeat it here. I’m sure you’ve read through it as many times as I have, trying to figure out where it all went wrong, what you could have done if you’d just been– I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m not angry at you. I just keep thinking about it. I can’t stop. Even when I sleep now I can’t stop, because I can dream now. I can have nightmares now. I thought my nightmares from the shade were bad, but this is just… torture. I keep seeing the same thing in my head, over and over again, as clear as if I was still right there. You know the worst part? I wish I was having nightmares. At least if I was having nightmares, maybe somehow Margalit would sense that in the Fade and she’d be able to– In my dreams I’m always back on Tearstone Island. In my dreams I always see Ghilan’nain fall, and I see the Fade overlap with our world. And in my dreams when Margalit grabs the dagger to stop it, I’m always fast enough. I’m able to pull her out of the way, or I can use the Stone to shield her, or I get between her and the tear so I end up in the Fade instead. Even when I end up in the Fade I’m happy, because at least I saved her. At least I protected her. Then I wake up, and she’s still gone. What was even the point of these fucking powers and reconnecting to the Titans if I couldn’t– We’ll get her back. I have to believe we’ll get her back. It can’t end like this. I’m sorry. Again. I’m really not angry with you, I just–I miss her. I know how obvious that must sound, and I know I’m not the only one, but. It’s not the same, with the others. Maybe that’s why I’m sending you this.You get it in a way they don’t, if that makes sense. I’ll see if maybe Emmrich needs my help. I’m not much good with the Fade, but he’s doing all of it alone now with Bellara still missing. Maybe I can keep him company, at least. It’s not like I’m sleeping much right now anyway. I’ll let you know as soon as we have any progress. Yours, Lace

[innorogers]

Vigil

Steve Rogers x Reader (You / OFC)

Summary: For a man who has faced down gods, monsters, the end of the universe, this kind of fear is new to him. It’s not the enemy outside he fears—it’s the thought of losing you, of failing to protect you. Again.

Warning: Mention of sex / Fluff & Angst / Protective Steve / Jealous Steve /

Characters: OC, Tony Stark, Maria Hill, Bruce Banner, Sam Wilson, Sharon Carter, Natasha Romanoff / John Walker

Also: Thanks in advance for repost or any feedback ❤️ Let me know if you want to be included in the taglist (DM, comment, repost and tag, whatever works)❤️ You don't need to read the previous chapters but it will definitely enhance the experience if you do.

1: Insomnia | 2: Lucid | 3: Reverie | 4: Nightmare | 5: Awakening | 6: Dusk | 7: Hypnagogia | 8: Lull

It ended just as expected. Steve cummed twice in the shower—once in your mouth, because, damn, he tasted amazing after cleaning up, and again inside you, because you smelled just as irresistible with that jasmine scent in your hair.

So here you are, three cups of coffee later, and about to nap on your desk. The body Hydra gave you was strong, but you’ve been in a car chase, with the Iron Army hunting you down, fought in a nightclub, and probably had four or five rounds of sex with Steve. You honestly don’t know what was more exhausting. You’d guess the mission that had gone rogue, but honestly, the sex just left you breathless.

"Oh, rough night?" Robert handed you a fourth cup of coffee, eyeing the dark circles under your eyes. "Need the adrenaline shot?"

"Um…" You actually considered it for a moment. Your body metabolized stuff like that too fast, though—it would only last for a couple of hours, tops. "Nah, forget it.” You need your brain clear to process everything that happened. 

“I’ve heard…” Dr. Lin’s voice interrupted your thoughts as he leaned casually on your desk, his eyes scanning the room where your colleagues were clearly whispering about you. “That Captain America had quite the adventure yesterday. Right after leaving the UN, too.”

He tsked and pulled out his phone, showing you a few grainy clips. Footage from CCTVs and some shaky handhelds—probably from people who had their phones out at the right moment. “A broken bridge, streets on fire, and…a fight in a nightclub? You’re gonna need more than coffee to survive this shift, I think.”

You groaned, rubbing your temples. “Too late for damage control, huh? Is it all over the news?” You could only imagine the hell Steve was going through with Commander Hill: ‘I gave you 1,278 security protocols, and you ignored them all?!’ Yeah, you weren’t setting foot in the command room today.

“Not quite all over the news yet—mostly social media.” Dr. Lin was clearly enjoying the UN’s PR disaster a bit too much. “I think they’re working overtime behind the scenes to sweep it under the rug. Captain America gets attacked his first time outside the compound during ‘The Reconciliation of the Century’? Yeah…someone’s having a bad day in PR.”

“Anyway…as I was saying…You’re gonna need more than coffee, we’ve got company today…”

“What? Company?” You were surprised. “They’re letting people in?!” After yesterday’s security breach?

“Seems the first New Era Project agent that the UN sent was a fraud or didn’t work. And since we visited them yesterday already, today, they’re sending some new guys.” Dr. Lin looked at you, lowering his glasses: “Yikes, right? So for today, we need to pretend we’re working. ‘Cause we’re not sharing our real stuff…which will make this day unbearable.”

Oh. You grimaced after Dr. Lin turned around and began “working.” Yeah, you knew everything about how the last agent went wrong. But actually, this ‘pretend to be working’ thing was good—you needed to analyze everything that had happened.

You opened a document connected to Tony’s hub and started typing, outlining the details for him in your usual style. (It was your private little system—documents stored in The Crib, or what the three of you called the ‘Geniuses’ Sticky Notes.’) You’d barely finished bullet point five when someone in a crisp military uniform appeared beside you, smiling next to your screen.

“Hi, Doctor—whose phone number is still confidential. Nice to see you again.” John Walker said smiling, quoting the line you’d once used to refuse giving him your number.

Oh dear Lord, he really should have taken a nap with you when he had the chance, instead of those three—no, four rounds of sex you had in the dressing room and the shower.

Steve thought after suppressing another yawn, trying to focus on the screen, where Thadeus Ross was losing his temper again, explaining why the UN had nothing to do with the attack he and you got yesterday.

But who was he kidding? Steve almost smiled. Nope, no way he’d have preferred the nap over the sex. That was exactly what he needed after being hard almost the entire afternoon. And four times weren’t enough—he would have gone on if you weren’t in the dressing room.

For fuck’s sake, when is this over? He couldn’t wait to get back to your private lab-slash-home, have a light dinner, and get in bed with you.

Oh, that’s a nice thought: a sex marathon for the weekend is all he needs after this hellish week. He started thinking of your intertwined bodies, your begging moans that sounded like heaven... Yeah, okay, he needs to focus. Maybe listen to what the Secretary has to say instead of thinking about your messy hair, your heavy breath, your skin that felt like silky sweet milk, and your mouth... Yup, stop. Let’s hear Ross, so he doesn’t get hard again in the middle of a full meeting room.

He felt a glare on him, so he looked around and saw Agent Sharon Carter staring with her eyebrows raised, as if saying, “Gotcha, pay attention.” Steve suppressed a smile and looked down. Oh boy, this was going to be a long day.

“I thought your super friends were going to be attending this meeting too.” Once the screen was off, Sharon smiled at him while picking up the folders and files.

“Well... Hill and Sam are still in Fraser’s interrogation. Tony and Bruce are tracking back the security breach. Natasha and Clint took over my place in training since I’m busy with other things. So...”

Basically, what happened was that when Tony asked who would be taking this mission, everyone stepped back, and I was the only idiot at the front. Steve shook his head internally.

“In that case.” Sharon gave him the usual confident wink. “I’m glad. It’s been forever since we shared a mission.” She grinned. “Last time almost cost me my career.”

“Yeah...um...lucky, things sorted out on that one...” He was a little embarrassed but still grateful for Sharon’s help during the Civil War chaos.

“I’m kidding with you, okay?” Sharon teased. “It’s not like I almost got into federal prison or anything.” She sighed a little, lowering her voice: “Although, I wouldn’t have minded if I had to.” She said with a soft voice and a sparkle in her eyes, looking at Steve with sincerity, which made him stiffen.

“So, how have you been?” Steve nodded and asked with a polite smile, pressing the elevator button for her as they headed to the cafeteria floor. “How does it feel to be at the UN? I heard the benefits are better than the CIA, though unfortunately, you’ll need to deal with us again.”

"Ah, I don’t know what you're talking about," Sharon said with a wink, grinning playfully. "Every agent’s dream, right? Dealing with the Avengers, working alongside the great Captain America... even if, well, my boss would rather face another alien army than deal with the politics of this initiative."

“Well, that’d make two of us.” Steve chuckled, and opened the cafeteria door for her.

The hum of chatter and the clinking of dishes filled the air. The compound’s cafeteria was large, efficient, and—much to Steve’s relief—quiet at this time of day. It was near lunchtime, but still a little early for food service, so the air was full of a coffee’s aroma that lingered from breakfast. They got in line for coffee and a quick snack, and Sharon gave him a sideways glance, her expression teasing as she grabbed a sandwich.

“Oh wow, you guys have affogato as dessert? I could consider getting back to work with you guys just for your catering service.” Sharon said, breaking the brief silence as they moved along the counter.

“Well, if you consider that, I could make my best effort to get your agent’s number back.” Steve grinned, grabbing just a cup of coffee.

“Oh yes, lucky number, huh?” She stopped for a second as she laughed and said, “Remember that place we went to… Venice? What was it called, the best affogato in the world.”

“Benicio’s?” Steve nodded. “Yeah… it’s closed now. I mean, gone during the Blip, hopefully reopened now.”

“You didn’t have the affogato, though,” Sharon said with a playful hint in her voice. “Mr. ‘I don’t know how to relax since I got into a fight with Stark and we’re on the run.’”

“Hey, I was the international most wanted. I think it was okay for me just to stay out of the loop. Imagine if I got caught because of ice cream. That would’ve been…”

“Funny? Quite a story to tell? Best date I’ve ever had?” Sharon shrugged.

“...Embarrassing.” Steve said with a smile. “Or awkward, or even humiliating.”

Sharon shook her head and laughed. They found a table by the window, where sunlight poured in, and Steve took a seat across from her. He could see the curiosity in Sharon’s eyes, the slight hesitation before she spoke again.

“It really was, actually. One of my top three dates.” Her smile turned more serious, her voice low enough that only Steve could hear over the ambient noise. “Too bad it ended so… abruptly.”

Steve wanted to say, "We would never have made it too far", but he only sighed.

He didn’t want to dismiss her feelings, and he couldn’t deny that something had existed between them. It was brief, but also real. A shared history they couldn’t quite forget or ignore.

Sharon was strong, smart, and capable—someone he admired deeply and cared about. He appreciated her confidence and her courage, but that connection, though meaningful, was nothing compared to what he felt for you now.

That had been a stream. With you, it was tides, waves, the entire ocean.

“We made a good team.” Steve said with a smile, being honest and looking directly into her eyes.

Something about it made Sharon hold her breath. 

She could remember moments in the past when Steve had the same effect on her. He would just gaze at her, and her heartbeat would skip or beat too fast.

Maybe that’s why she hadn’t pushed harder when it didn’t work. If she had fallen, completely and madly, as she’d wanted to, the power he held over her would have been overwhelming.

She had risked her entire career just to help him, and they were… nothing. Just a kiss, just some kisses or dates. So what would have happened if they’d continued? She couldn’t imagine a life where she had so little discipline about her feelings, mind, or heart.

“I know.” Sharon spoke softly, still holding his gaze. She was taking a leap of faith now. Cause she couldn’t help to wonder—could it have worked?

What if…they gave it another chance? They didn’t have the menace of the universe’s destruction now, the chances of Steve (or her) being a fugitive again were none after Thanos, so what… what if…?

“But…” She began, but Steve suddenly turned as something caught his attention.

It was lunchtime, and the employees began to arrive at the cafeteria, you among them, with Dr. Lin at your right and John Walker at your left.

“Captain Walker, I really don’t need a date. I have a boyfriend, no, um… fiancé.” You said as you picked up a tray and started serving lunch on your plate, remembering how Steve just highlighted this morning that the ring was indeed, a ring.

“It’s John.” Said a very cheerful John Walker, who was not stepping back from asking you out, even though you had been determined and clear about your “NO”s and reasons.

“Well, does this fiancé have a name? And where’s the ring?” he said while picking lunch and placing food, walking backward with a gracious wink.

“OH MY GOD!” You and Dr. Lin said at the same time, your eyes widening as you noticed the ring was missing from your finger.

“Where’s the ring? D…did you lose the ring?!” Robert was panicking. Did you just lose the engagement ring Captain America gave you?!

“I don’t know, it was on my finger...” You were looking in your lab coat pockets and in your clothes.

“It’s a tracking device, equipped with the last of Stark technology, how...how can you lose a tracking device?!” Dr. Lin couldn’t believe it. 

“Your boyfriend put a tracking device on you?” John hmph'd with a laugh. “What a douchebag!” He put a hand on his chest. “I promise, I would never do such a manipulative, controlling freak thing to you.” He winked. “I’ll look out for other guys who come close, of course, but that’s another level of jerkiness. Ugh...a tracking device, what is he, a psychopath?”

“It’s an engagement ring,” you replied, frowning, though you didn’t think of giving out too much information to him. You thought back to the last time you saw the ring, which was before you took it off when you entered the UN HQ.

You pulled out your phone, wanting to send a message to Steve just to confirm.

Some strands of hair curved in front of you when you looked down, and John, who was standing in front of you, couldn’t help but stretch out his hand and brush them to your shoulder. His fingers ran through your hair, and his fingertips touched your ear as he accommodated it for you.

Before you could react, a loud crash echoed through the cafeteria, like the sound of a broken cup or mug.

Sharon stood in shock as Steve slammed his cup down so hard the porcelain shattered. His face was livid, veins bulging in his neck, and his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were white.

He abruptly stood, the chair scraping loudly behind him, and stormed in your direction.

"I've got it, babe." Steve said. He didn’t miss a moment of the interaction and was at your side in an instant. He took your hand, his eyes locked on John Walker, and carefully slid the ring back onto your finger. “It was in the pocket of your gear.” 

Both captains exchanged tense, serious looks. You could feel the sparks fly between them as they made eye contact, and after a long moment, Steve finally smiled.

“I’m guessing you're here as a representative of the New Era’s Project, Captain Walker?” He said, placing a firm hand on your waist, his grip tightening slightly.

“Yes.” John replied with a polite but sneering smile.

“The knowledge exchanges from R&D have been…quite enlightening. I can’t wait to see what the best of your team has to offer…to me.” He said as he raised his jaw and tilted his head toward you. You could feel Steve’s body tense, like a bow stretched to its full capacity and ready to snap back.

"Take whatever gear or armory you want, Walker," Steve said in a cold, measured voice, as the entire cafeteria fell silent, all eyes locked on the tension between the two men.

"But the best of this compound is far beyond your reach. And don’t think for a second that you could ever put a finger on that." His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper, teeth clenched. Touch my girl’s hair again, and I’ll cut your arm off.

"Steve." A calm voice cut through the tension as Commander Hill appeared at the doorway. She walked in with steady confidence. "We’ve got news. I need you and Dr. Lancaster in the Command Room."

Steve didn’t immediately move. His gaze lingered on Walker for a few more seconds, with unspoken warnings in his eyes. Then, without a word, he turned to you, gently taking your hand in his, and led you out of the cafeteria. The weight of Walker’s stare followed behind you both, but your focus stayed fixed on your fiance's figure.

No one spoke in the hallway as you walked toward the Command Room. You could see Steve’s rigid expression. He was pissed, his jaw tight, shoulders tense as if holding back more words.

But you were… well, trying your best to hide the curve of your lips. Just like he had back in the car when you sobbed that you’d go to Wakanda and talk to plants for the rest of your life if he ever left you to go back to his gorgeous ex.

Oh, so he was this jealous? Even a little possessive? He got this mad just because a guy touched your hair? Now, if Steve were any other guy, maybe this would seem like a giant red flag, but this was the love of your life, so…

You slid your hand into his palm, pressing your skin to his, and intertwined your fingers with his. 

Steve’s expression softened, and he looked at you, letting out a quiet sigh. He smiled when you mouthed, I love you.

Commander Hill, however, wasn’t in the mood for your lovebird moments. Her face remained stern as she waited for the door to close behind you, sealing the room.

"Agent Frazer was found dead this morning."

The words hung in the air like a punch to the gut. Steve’s hand tightened around yours as his expression shifted from softened warmth to immediate alertness.

You lowered your sight.

Somehow, you had a feeling this was coming anytime soon. It was weird, though. Agent Frazer was not your brother; he just pretended to be for some time (and then actually tried to brainwash slash attack you). But for a moment, you wished that had been true, that your brother was alive, even if he had been turned against you. So now he is dead, and you feel strangely sad.

Your way of dealing with it? Throw yourself into the facts.

“How?” you asked, almost mechanically. “Was it because… his neural synapses overloaded, triggering an energy surge that short-circuited his cerebral cortex in under a millisecond? Like… like someone or something… wired his brain to self-destruct?”

Maria’s eyes widened, and she gave a quick, silent nod.

Steve’s grip tightened, haunted by your words. At that moment, he panicked, cold sweat through his shirt, fear dominating his senses when the possibility of losing you suddenly struck hard in his mind. So, could anyone do that? Snap their fingers and cause you a brain dead? 

His body was merely processing under this thought. He felt the urge to hug you, to feel your warmth and heartbeat under his skin, to feel you entirely safe in his arms. But you were in the command room, so he didn’t move.

“Can we make sure that…” His voice trembled slightly. “What happened to Frazer…” doesn’t happen to you?

Commander Hill noted his panic, so she gave him some time to process.

“Oh no.” You noticed too, so you reassured him, squeezing his hand back: “That won’t happen to me. I’ve only been through one brainwash. It takes more than that—multiple processes, open surgery. And Hydra… they didn’t have the tech to pull it off. Not back then.”

“But…” Your mind raced ahead, piecing things together. “Whoever did this? They’re desperate.”

You rubbed your forehead, and as your hands dropped, Maria noticed it: that look on your face.

The same intense, calculating look Steve wore when he was seeing things no one else could—analyzing every possibility, tracing out the most brilliant, cunning plan, whether on a battlefield or at a table of white collars and power brokers.

“Jarvis, any chance Bruce and Tony are in the crib?” You needed to process your ideas, but you also needed someone who could remember everything you’d said.

“They are on their way here, Dr. Lancaster.” answered the A.I. “Crossing the elevator’s door at this moment.” said Jarvis as both entered the room.

“Please tell me you already have a preliminary conclusion?” said Tony, stepping into the room.

“Okay…” You stood in the middle, your mind moving faster than words as you started laying out the analysis.

“They have access to Hydra files—there’s no other way to explain it. Clearance levels that aren’t just high for regulars; files that were locked, or used to be locked, behind old S.H.I.E.L.D. encryption. And the remains of my file? Only a few could access those after Hydra was dismantled.”

Tony leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, tracking your every movement. Bruce sat at the edge of a table, hands loosely folded, but his furrowed brow betrayed his concern.

“So, leftover Hydra goons or former S.H.I.E.L.D. agents?” Tony asked. He didn't want to say it aloud, but there was also another possibility: a breach, here, inside the Avengers.

“Or both.” Steve raised an eyebrow. “Ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives who went dark when Hydra fell. People who know how to stay hidden but had deep ties to the old Hydra infrastructure.”

“Even if they had the files, they’d need money. A lot of it, if they’re working with the kind of tech that got into Frazer’s head.” Bruce said, swiping through the files on the screen.

“Yeah, this doesn’t sound like some underground merc group.” Maria said, standing beside him as she watched the files on the main screen.

“This is serious, billionaire-level investment. Whoever’s backing them has access to bleeding-edge tech. Retinal implants, memory manipulation… that’s not standard black-market operation. The kind of power they’re throwing around is something only the Avengers or S.H.I.E.L.D. had access to—the old S.H.I.E.L.D. when they were still around.”

“So, they’re gearing up for something big, or they’re hitting a wall. What are they trying to accomplish? Why use Frazer as a puppet?” Tony followed the line of thought.

You hesitated: “I think… They’re close to something. A breakthrough, maybe. Or…” You stopped and narrowed your eyes, thinking aloud. “Or they’re failing. Desperate. They’re making bold moves because they need something critical. And that something is… me.”

Steve’s expression shifted. His fingers locked onto yours, tightly.

“The attack was directed at you. Frazer was pretending to be your brother. And to confirm your existence.” Tony sighed, frustrated and feeling a pang of guilt. He hid you all these years, thinking you would be safe. He should have let you out of the New Eras Project. The Avengers had so many ways of detecting enemies without using your powers. Fuck, he should have listened to Steve when he warned him to let you out of the Project.

“Of the twelve of you, you’re the only one with… those powers.” Steve murmured, almost clenching his teeth. He felt the urge to hug you, as if you were going to disappear or vanish in the next second.

“And a success case.” You said, not wanting to scare him but knowing you all needed the entire picture. “The only survivor, the only… prototype. Still alive. In my body is the source code for why these experiments or creations worked.”

“Wait…” Tony’s glare was fixed on you. “If the endgame is to copy your ability… What could they even use that for?” But it was a self-answering conversation. He was just thinking aloud: “…a soldier who could walk into a building and identify every weak point before the first shot is fired. Or worse, detect something we’ve built to be undetectable.”

“Why stop there, Tony?” Maria’s expression was serious and cold. “Why would there be only one? Hydra made a dozen back then, and they didn’t even have half the tech we have now.”

Bruce frowned deeper, his voice low: “If they’re that close, then we’re on borrowed time. They’ve already brainwashed Frazer, and now they’re playing with neural implants and synaptic overrides.”

“Exactly.” You nodded. “And they are so desperate, they don’t care if we know they’re out there now, because they’re so close they can taste it. Once they succeed, they won’t even fear the Avengers’ powers anymore.”

Tony exhaled sharply, his glare cold. “So, they’re building something. A super soldier, or an army of them—enhanced with tech that would let them see through just about anything.”

“And they’re not far from getting there. But for now, I’m still the key to unlocking that power.”

The room went quiet for a moment as the weight of your words settled in.

“Well, isn’t that just fantastic.” Tony applauded, the whole thing giving him a headache. “We’ve got super soldiers with x-ray vision on the horizon. And they’ve got you in their crosshairs.”

“So basically, we need to see what triggered this sudden desperation.” Bruce leaned forward, and his mind began to analyze: “We could scan for energy centralization around the globe. Human creation needs vast electromagnetic fields to power high-level bioengineering, especially when manipulating neural pathways at this scale. We need to track when or where all this is happening. But…”

His voice was tense.

“I’ve got a feeling they’re at the door already. Because whatever they’re building… they’re almost done.”

The way back home was silent. You could feel the atmosphere heavy with unspoken tension. Steve hadn’t said much since you left the command room. His usual warmth and quiet strength seemed overshadowed by something deeper—fear and anxiety, clunging over him like a dark shadow, haunting him at his heels.

You wanted to speak, but your mind was processing too. You were trying to remember everything you knew about yourself and your siblings, every memory, every piece of paper you’d seen in Hydra labs, every layer of analysis they’d made you go through.

The ride home was silent, his jaw tight, his gaze fixed on the road, even your house slash lab was after all the securities protocols and protective layers Maria had put, he was still alert, as if there were something in the grass and trees of the compound that would attack anytime. You could feel the weight of his thoughts, pressing down like a storm waiting to break.

"Babe there's no need…" You said as Steve moved around the house once you've arrived.

He checked every window, every door, securing them with an almost obsessive care. He paused at the front door, his hand lingering on the lock as if it was the only thing standing between you and the threat he couldn’t control.

You watched him, knowing that this wasn’t just about protecting you—it was about the fear within him.

"Steve, I'm here." You stopped him. Placing your hand on his back: "I'm here. With you."

He turned to you, his face pale. His eyes were haunted, wide with the kind of fear you rarely saw in him. He’s worried.

No, not worried, he’s terrified.

Without a word, he pulls you into his arms, wrapping them tightly around you like you might disappear if he let go. His grip is firm, desperate, as trying to shield you from an invisible danger that only he can see.

His breath is uneven, and you can feel the tension radiating from him. For a man who has faced down gods, monsters, the end of the universe, this kind of fear is new to him. It’s not the enemy outside he fears—it’s the thought of losing you, of failing to protect you. Again.

You don’t say anything at first. Words won’t soothe him. So you just hold him back, resting your head against his chest, listening to the rapid beat of his heart. Slowly, you lifted your hands to gently press them on his neck, cupping his face to make him look at you.

"I'm here. And we will be ok." You say softly.

These words made him tremble. Will you? How can you be sure? How could he know? What if…

He couldn’t imagine what he’d do if he lost you.

“I won’t let them take you.” He said, as a sacred oath, tatooed in his soul. “I’m going to set up more protocols.” He muttered, pulling back just enough to look into your eyes, his expression one of steely resolve beneath the worry. “More security. I’ll have Tony upgrade the system. I’ll have guards outside. I’ll—”

You stayed still in his arms, feeling the rawness of his fear. His body was tense, and you could feel the tremble in his muscles, the weight of his panic pressing against you. He wasn’t just holding you for comfort—he was holding you like you were the last solid thing in a world that was quickly unraveling.

“Steve,” you interrupted softly, placing a hand on his chest. “You can’t protect me from everything.”

His eyes locked onto yours. “I can try. And I will.”

"Babe…this is the Avengers compound. This is…the safest place on earth. Or even the universe."

"It took only one protocol. One permission. Approved by me." He said with teeth clenched. "I gave him clearance. One, to bring Frazer in front of you, I won't ever, ever let that happen again." He said with conviction, his expressions somber as he remembered everything you went through.

But beneath his determination, you could see the cracks: the anxiety gnawing away at him, the overwhelming fear that no matter what he did, it might not be enough.

"Steve…"

“You don’t understand…” His voice is strained, thick with the fear that he hasn’t been able to shake since the moment he realized you were being targeted. “I’ve seen too much. I’ve lost too many. If something happens to you—”

He pauses.

“I can’t lose you.” He whispered, his voice barely audible. He was a man made of iron will and conviction, but here he stood, vulnerable and raw, stripped bare of all his usual defenses.

“Hey, hey, hey…Listen.” You said, holding his face in your hands, forcing him to meet your gaze. “I’m here. Right here. I’m not going anywhere. I'm here, with you, I'm safe.”

He looks at you and feels a pang of pain to your innocent even naive words.

Safe? Were you safe when he was on the other side of the wall and couldn't do anything but watch as you almost fell under Frazer's brainwash? Were you safe when you pressed a tranquilizer to yourself?

The memory of you in his arms, unconcious and slipping away was so vivid.

His hands tightened around you again at that thought, his grip shaking slightly. “I just... I can’t stop thinking about it.” He admitted, his voice strained. “What if I can’t get to you in time? What if something happens and I’m not there? What if…”

“I can’t take that risk.” He mutters, more to himself than to you. “ I can't. I won’t let anything happen to you. Not again.”

You pull back just enough to look up at him, your hands resting on his chest. His blue eyes are filled with a vulnerability you’ve only seen in rare moments— when the weight of the world is too much, even for him.

“Steve.” You say soft but firmly: “We’ll get through this. Together.”

For a long moment, he just looks at you, his eyes searching yours, as if trying to find reassurance in the depths of your gaze. Slowly, he exhales, but he doesn’t let go. That deep-rooted terror of losing you, isn't going away anytime soon.

His arms remain wrapped around you, protective and unyielding, as though he’s made a silent vow that nothing—no person, no secret organization, no force on Earth or beyond—will ever take you away from him.

If only that could be true.

THE End but TBC

Continue to Chapter 10: Eclipse

Alright I'm SO SORRY I'm late!! 2 Full time jobs really is consuming me!! I hope you enjoyed it!! Sooooo I have a really serious question RN, could you doooo me the favor to lmk your thoughts!!

Tag list: @vioplay19 / @jamneuromain / @steviebbboi / @heletsmelovehim / @otterlycanadian / hisredheadedgoddess28

*can you let me know if I've missed anyone in the taglist? thanks <3

[modern-inheritance]

It’s probably me being salty and emotionally fuckywucky but honestly, guys, I know I said it before, but I’m tired.

I say it every time but I put my whole fucking self into these stories. They’re literally the only thing I do besides YouTube, work, dnd, chatting with my Norwegian friend, and walking my dog.

I got to talk with someone from AO3 side of things asking how to increase views and get more feedback. Because yeah, internet dopamine is great. I’m not going to lie, I write because I like to AND because I get dopamine from other people enjoying it and being vocal about it! I love to learn and improve and discuss how I can make MIC better.

I’m bc grateful for the feedback! It also confirmed what I suspected for the last 3-4 years and that’s that MIC will probably never really be popular in the fandom. This isn’t their words, they were nothing but kind and honest, which is exactly was I asked for.

The reason for the lack of interest from the fandom is of course complex and multifaceted, but one of the heaviest and main points is that it’s because a majority of the stories are Arya focused.

People dislike canon Arya so fucking much that they have a tendency to scroll past and exclude stories featuring or including her simply because she is in them.

And from the bottom of my heart I am seriously considering chucking this entire fucking thing and giving up. I don’t want to, but it is so sickening to put so much of myself into this and my AU version of a world and enjoy this so much and then get nutshot every time because I center my stories around Arya. To not even be given a chance to show that MIC!Arya is not her canon counterpart without going directly to random individuals and shoving files and snippets into their DMs makes me feel like shit and I’m getting tired of it.

Making a world or crafting one out of the bones of someone else’s and trying to get others to come and check out your cool little corner of the universe, finding no one wants to because you named put a new city where fucking Detroit or some shit is in their world and them refusing to come and even check out the other places and things you made because ‘Ew, Detroit’s a broken shitty city, gross.’ Would be pretty fucked up, huh?

Also, haha, I’m going to lose even more people with this, but my resentment has reached the point where I find myself actively resenting Murtagh. So there’s that!

Anyway, imma log off for a while. I needed to vent this. I’ll see what the future holds. I’d hate to stop writing, and I know I probably can’t, but I don’t know how much longer I can do this. “Just put yourself out there!” Why yes, Sharon! I did! And I’d rather be vocally shit on than be met with snide indifference! 😁 I’m a 27 year old fucking adult and I am having a fucking hissy fit over fanfiction and being an attention whore! Fun fucking times!