#I laughed about the Rugrats line for way too long

[munson-blurbs]

Hopper volunteers to play Santa for the kids and reader is an elf.. and things get spicy (once all the kids are gone for the day of course...). I got Violent night Santa look in my head and it's living there. :)

I'm not sure what I've done here but...either I'm sorry, or you're welcome.

Warnings: smut (18+ only, minors DNI), mean!Hopper, costumes, oral (m! receiving), p in v, brat taming, no aftercare, semi-public sex (no one is around), age gap (reader is 21, Hop is in his 40s), degrading language

A/N: Divider credit to @firefly-graphics. Thanks to @trashmouth-richie and @corroded-hellfire for their feedback and patience <3

At some point in their lives, everyone fantasizes about someone they shouldn’t. For some people, it might be their teacher; others may think about a friend’s parent or their boss. 

You? You couldn’t keep your imagination from running wild with dirty daydreams about Jim Hopper: full-time Chief of Police and current Starcourt Mall Santa Claus.

A scowling boy hoists himself onto Hopper’s lap, mouth and fingers sticky with lollipop residue. “Santa!” he barks, tugging on his beard. “Last year, I asked you for a new TV, and you didn’t bring me one. You suck!” He sticks out his tongue and blows a raspberry. “This year, I want a Sega Master. Got it?” The kid jumps off and stomps over to where you’re standing off to the side in your ridiculous elf costume. He holds out his hand and stares at you expectantly. “Um, hello? Candy cane!” You roll your eyes but oblige, placing the candy in his palm as he skulks over to his mom.

“Good riddance,” you mutter under your breath, just loud enough for Hopper to hear you. The usually humorless man snorts lightly, but quickly regains his composure as the next spoiled tyrant demands a list of toys they just need to have.

Tonight is Christmas Eve, which means it’s the final night for you to make your move. For the past month, you’ve been eyeing Chief Hopper, doing your best to discreetly obtain his attention. Rolling your skirt at the waist so he could get a better glance at your ass when you leaned over, wearing a push-up bra so the top of your cleavage was visible to him, or seductively sucking on the leftover candy canes at the end of your shift. Yet every night ended the same–he smoked a cigarette before grunting a goodbye, speeding away in his old Chevy.

You’re determined to make tonight different, and you put your plan into action the moment the last kid leaves.

“Think that’s the last of ‘em,” Hopper announces, stretching his meaty legs from the plush velvet seat. His eyes are tired after a long day of fake smiling and half-listening to whining rugrats. He cracks his neck and rolls his shoulders, groaning. “This is the last time I let the guys on the force convince me to do this shit. ‘Giving back to the community,’ my ass.” He pulls a pack of Camels and a Zippo from his Santa suit pocket and lights up, taking a long drag.

“Actually,” you say, sauntering over to him, “I think there’s one more person who needs to tell you their Christmas wish.” You gingerly sit on his lap, fluffing out your skirt so that only your green tights and lace panties separate you from him. “You see, I’ve been a really good girl this year, and there’s only one thing I want.”

 “Let me guess,” he mumbles, taking another puff from his cigarette, “a diamond necklace? Shiny new convertible?”

You shake your head and use your forefinger to tilt his head towards yours. “I’ve always had a thing for you, Hop,” you admit, unhooking the fake beard from his red-and-white cap, unveiling a thin line of stubble along his jawline. “The way you walk like you own this shithole town, commanding authority wherever you go…it’s really fucking hot.”

Hopper laughs gruffly, nudging you from his lap. “What are you? Twenty?”

“Twenty-one, actually,” you retort, repositioning yourself so you’re now straddling his waist. “And unless you have another pack of cigs in your pants pocket, I suspect you’re into me, too.”

He snuffs out his cigarette on the arm of his chair. “And I’d suspect that you’ve never had a man turn you down. Isn’t that right, princess?”

“You’re not about to be the first, are you?” you ask, pouting as you press your chest against his. “Because that’s not a title I’d wear proudly.” You lean in to kiss his neck, but he turns slightly. “What’s not doing it for you, hm? Tits not perky enough? Body not tight enough?”

Hopper rests his head back and chuckles meanly. “Now, princess, you know that’s not the problem.”

“Then what is it?”

He lets out an exasperated sigh. “I’m more than twice your age, I’m your coworker–”

“Not after tonight,” you remind him pointedly, moving his arms down to your ass. To your surprise, he doesn’t move them. 

“Right, yeah,” he sneers. “Well, that doesn’t change the first part. And I have a reputation of keeping order, and I’m not about to tarnish it by fucking you in the middle of the mall.”

“Interesting,” you purr, pressing soft kisses along his throat. “Because I have a reputation, too. But mine is for getting what I want, when I want. Now, Chief,” you grind slowly against his burgeoning erection, “if you tell me to leave, I’ll leave right now. But I have a feeling that’s not what you want, is it?”

Hop’s eyes flicker to your heaving chest, and you feel him start to cave. His strong hands grip the flesh of your thighs as he bites his lower lip. “I’m no good for you, y’know that?”

“I know.” You kiss him hungrily, brushing your tongue against his. He tastes like smoke and peppermint, and you moan into his mouth. “Can’t tell you how long I’ve wanted this…needed this,” you amend.

“I like this better when you don’t talk,” he snarls, and you nod obediently, fingers flying over his coat buttons as you undo them. He’s wearing nothing but a ratty undershirt, and you whimper at the tufts of chest hair that peek through. He’s a real fucking man, not one of those idiot frat boys that plague your college campus. “If we’re gonna do this, we’re gonna do it my way. Got it, princess?”

“Y-yes, sir,” you whimper. 

“On your knees,” Hop commands, and you scramble to get on the floor. He pulls his cock out of the confinements of his velvety pants, hissing at the release. He’s so thick, with veins straining along the shaft. You’re unsure how much you’ll be able to take, not that you’ll admit that to him. 

He grabs a handful of your hair as he guides you to his length. Precum is already beading at the tip, and you have to bite back a smile at the confirmation that he’s just as turned on as you are. You hollow your cheeks as you suck him off, gliding your tongue back and forth from tip to base and back again. 

“Bet you’re used to callin’ the shots,” he growls. “These dumb guys falling at your feet, beggin’ you to make them feel good. You’ve never had to beg like this before, have you?”

“Mm-mm,” you manage with your mouth full of him.

“Thas’ right,” he slurs, pushing your head down to the thatch of curls near his pelvis. You sputter and choke when his tip hits your gag reflex. “Am I more than the princess can handle?”

“I can h-handle whatever you g-give me,” you whisper hoarsely. You start to make your way back down to his cock, but he stops you, tugging you by your hips back onto his lap. He rips open your tights and pushes your panties to the side, and you gasp at the sudden chill.

“Only good girls get to make me cum with their mouths,” he states, wrapping his palm around your neck with one hand and rubbing himself against your wet folds with the other. “You said you were a good girl, but you seem like a brat to me.”

“Wanna…wanna be a good girl f’you,” you moan breathily. “Do anything for you, sir.”

“That’s better.” Hop smirks. He lines himself up with you, teasing your hole. “Sit on it, princess.” His eyes nearly roll to the back of his head as you take him in, inch by inch. “Pussy’s so tight, so damn good,” he mutters, and this time, you can’t contain your satisfaction as he starts to crack.

“Am I more than you can handle, sir?” you shoot back, eager to use his own line against him.

Hop’s eyes turn sharp at your reply, and he tightens his grip on your throat. “Watch it,” he warns, “or I won’t let you cum.”

“‘M sorry, sir.” You have no time to feel any sense of shame before he’s bucking his hips into you, groping a costume-covered tit roughly. He’s hitting your sweet spot rhythmically, sending shockwaves through your body each time.

“Not good enough,” he scoffs. “Need to hear you beg me to let you cum. An’ you better do it fast, b’cause I’m close.”

“Please, sir; please let me cum. ‘M sorry for being a brat. I’ll be a good girl; I’ll listen to you, I promise. I just need to cum, need you to make me cum.” The pleading ripples past your throat, and you realize you’d promise anything just for an orgasm from him.

“Move your fuckin’ hips for me.” It’s his way of forgiving you, and you snap your hips back and forth. He’ll leave a necklace of bruises with the grip he has on you, and you’ll wear it with pride.

“I’m gonna cum, sir–if you’ll let me,” you plead one last time, desperate for his approval.

He nods, moving his hand from your throat to your hips, stifling some of the pressure as you ride him. “‘M gonna fill you up and leave you dripping with my cum, princess. Want you to see how I fuckin’ ruined you.”

You squeak out an mhmm as your orgasm washes over you, finishing while he thrusts harder. His own release comes just seconds later, and though you thought his cock felt perfect, nothing compares to him spilling into you.

There’s no cuddling or sweet nothings whispered into your ear; Hop simply pulls you off of his softening cock like you’re weightless. His cum drips down your leg and, always determined to get the last word, you scoop it up with your middle finger and lick it off. He cocks an eyebrow.

“Fuckin’ brat,” he says with a shake of his head.

Your tongue pokes out between your teeth as you fix your panties and adjust your skirt. “Am I a good girl yet?” you question, feigning innocence.

Hop lets out an incredulous laugh, lighting another cigarette. “Go home before you get yourself in more trouble.”

“Not too much trouble that the Chief of Police wouldn’t bail me out of though, right?” You bat your eyelashes at him.

He blows out a cloud of smoke and tucks himself back into his pants. “Merry Christmas, princess.”

[shingekinomyfeelings]

Would You Still Love Me? Part 2

Reiner x fem reader; established relationship; college au; comedy-fluff

synopsis: Reiner's love for you is tested in a way neither of you saw coming... The next day, he discusses the issue with his friends. Think they'll be any help?

warnings: none

notes: Part 1 beta read by @reiner69er. Banner made by me. Dividers by @delishlydelightfuldividers. Comments help earthworms grow large and healthy!

taglist: @ariasfandom

“So...” Sasha blinks, peering into the jar that sits on the table in front of Reiner. “Y/n turned into a worm, and… you’re keeping her in a jar now?”

Reiner covers the container with a piece of paper again, stifling a yawn. He hadn’t slept much, and had to admit he had been a little gutted when he’d awoken that morning to see that you were still a worm. He’d hoped maybe you’d… sleep it off or something?

“The jar’s just temporary until the aquarium and things get here.”

“Aquarium? She’s not a fish, Reiner,” says Connie, who is busying trying to finish last week’s assignment before the professor collects them that day.

“The stuff I found online said she’ll do best in a habitat with alternating layers of sand and potting soil so there’s be enough nutrients and moisture. I was up late reading about it.” Reiner tiredly rubs his face as the others stare at him.

Bertholdt, who spent the night at Armin’s dorm, rolls his eyes but says nothing.

“And you brought her to class with you because…?” Ymir prompts, a smirk playing on her lips.

“I just want to keep an eye on her, in case she suddenly changes back or something. I’ve got her phone in my pocket, and if her family calls I wanna be able to tell them I know exactly where she is.”

There’s a deeply uncomfortable pause, and Ymir opens her mouth but is interrupted.

“Well, I think it’s sweet!” Historia declares, trying to avoid an escalation of whatever is going on with Reiner. “Reiner, how can you, uh, how can you tell the worm is a she?”

“Um...” Reiner shifts uncomfortably, a hint of a blush on his cheeks. “Well, Armin says earthworms are actually uhh...”

“They’re true simultaneous hermaphrodites.” Armin finishes the sentence for him. “They have both complete male and female reproductive organs. They can’t self fertilize, though, so in a way, they function as one sex as a time during mating.”

"Yeah," Reiner says gruffly. "But y/n is a she, because she's always been. That's how gender works, right?"

“Oh, that’s beautiful!” Ymir laughs. “You must be relieved, Reiner. You and your hermaphroditic girlfriend-worm make an adorable couple. I bet they’ll even make a Lifetime movie out of your story.”

“Haha, yeah!” Connie wheezes. “They can call it, ‘Worms of Endearment!’”

Reiner is too pissed off to admit that that’s actually pretty funny. You’d probably have laughed out loud, he thinks, if you weren’t currently a worm.

“I wanna see y/n up close and see if she remembers me!” Sasha says, grabbing the jar before the sleepy Reiner can stop her.

She removes the paper and reaches in and picks you up, but you’re wet and wiggly and almost immediately slip out of her fingers, falling several feet onto the filthy floor. Sasha freezes. The fear in the room is palpable as Reiner springs from his seat and dives across the table, falling gracelessly onto the floor and cupping his hands over you to shield you from the many pairs of surrounding feet. His gaze snaps to Sasha, and his golden eyes are icy enough to send the girl into a frantic apology.

“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to drop the girlfriend!! – I mean, your worm! – I, I mean, I –”

With a low growl worthy of a dog guarding a marrow bone, Reiner orders to Connie, “Give me your water bottle.”

Too afraid to question why, Connie hands him the bottle. Reiner pours a little water onto his hands, then gingerly picks you up off of the floor and uses the rest of the water to carefully rinse you clean of any debris, before setting you back down in the dirt in your container. He’s practically holding his breath, watching until you start to burrow back into the soil.

He sighs in relief and gets to his feet and grabs his bag and slings it over his shoulder, then gives Sasha another dirty look before leaving the classroom, holding your jar in both hands as if it might jump away. Everyone watches, wide-eyed.

Ymir scoffs, breaking the tense silence. “Tsh, what a man child. His girlfriend skips their afternoon make out session for a day and he’s already doting on a literal bug and pretending it’s her? Sheesh, no wonder y/n dipped. What a freak show.”

“Well… worms aren’t bugs. They’re annelids.”

“Great defense, Arlert. I take it all back. Makes what he’s doing seem perfectly normal.”

Bertholdt stares at the table. It really isn’t like you to go somewhere without telling Reiner, or to leave your phone behind. Could something have really happened to you? He makes up his mind that he’ll have to find you himself.

As class ends and the room empties, Bertholdt motions to his friends to wait. “Have any of you seen or heard from y/n since yesterday afternoon? That’s when Reiner says she, um, turned into a worm.”

Armin shakes his head. “I asked Mikasa. She said that y/n has an evening class on Tuesdays, so she and Reiner always meet around 4:30 to hang out behind the auditorium. I... don’t know why she knows that. Anyway, she saw y/n leave one of the lecture halls not long before that. She said y/n seemed tired, and Mina Carolina says y/n didn’t show up to the evening lecture. Maybe she felt sick and went home? It still doesn’t quite make sense, though.”

"Could this all be some elaborate prank they're both playing, and Reiner is just a way better actor than any of us ever thought he'd be?" Eren asks, joining them. Armin and Bertholdt filled him in on the details last night.

“His having her cell phone is pretty suspicious,” Armin points out.

Ymir shrugs. “Maybe he killed her. Maybe he just snapped, and then the guilt made him break from reality and convince himself she turned into a worm.”

“Ah, that’s stupid,” Connie waves it off. "Reiner's practically golden retriever in human form around y/n. He'd never hurt her."

“Maybe he’s got a dual personality,” Ymir counters.

“Ymir, please don’t let Reiner hear you making jokes like that,” Bertholdt says with a sigh. “Skipping classes for a weird prank like this is a little extreme, right? Look, my theory is that they had some kind of dispute--”

“And he killed her.”

Bertholdt ignores Ymir’s interjection and continues, “And she told him she wanted to take a break, or maybe even break up. She was probably so upset by that that she skipped her evening class and went home, and Reiner was so devastated that he...”

“...went totally insane?” Connie offers.

“I was going to say, ‘retreated into a comforting fantasy.’”

“Okay, but, he doesn’t exactly seem comforted, does he?”

“It’s a little over the top,” Bert admits. “But even though Reiner acts like a jock, he’s always been really sensitive deep down. When we were little, Porco told him the Rugrats all died in a plane crash and Reiner cried so hard he threw up a little.”

“So, if you’re right, how do we snap him out of it?” Eren wonders.

“What if we get rid of the worm? We could sneak in and take it and let it go somewhere. Maybe once the worm is really gone, he’ll have to face reality.”

“Wow, Armin, that’s cold!” says Connie. “And besides, Reiner might literally kill us. You saw how he looked at Sasha when she dropped y/n by accident.”

Bert thinks for a moment. “I... I don’t think I could do that to Reiner. I think the first step would be getting him to admit something went wrong between them. Then maybe the rest will fall into place. I’ll try to get him talking tonight. In the meantime, I think we should avoid mentioning the worm around him, even if he’s carrying it around. That’ll just encourage his fantasy, right?”

As they all file out into the hallway, the others seem to agree, and as they go their separate ways, Ymir can be heard whining to Historia, “If I disappeared, would you go insane and pretend I’d turned into a worm because you love me so much?”

Bertholdt, meanwhile, wonders where Reiner was headed with the worm...

Part 3 coming soon

[wormstacheangel]

Happy Birthday, Bec ( @chocolatecakecas)! Have some momma Dean and Daddy Cas get together :)

wc: 2.5k

Dean holds the preschool’s scrunched-up flyer in his hand before letting out a heavy sigh. He never thought he would ever celebrate Mother’s Day again, and he especially never thought that he would be the mother who would be celebrated.

He begged Cas not to make him do this, but it wasn’t Cas who he was afraid to disappoint.

Dean stuffed the paper back into his pocket before walking over to the front office to check-in for this Muffin with Mom event. He talked to the school beforehand to check if it was okay for him to show up to this event, but they already knew he was ‘Momma’ to Jack, so they saw it coming. Of course, they did but Dean sure as fuck didn’t.

He walks into the office and follows the signs that lead outside to the big grass area that transformed from a play area to a nicely decorated picnic area. Everything was pink, from the flowers to the plastic table cloths, but it didn’t feel too overwhelming because they were outside. His eyes spotted the small photo op area, and he couldn’t wait to get some cute pictures of him and Jack so Cas can add to his album.

At least that would be worth the embarrassment.

Dean joined some of the familiar faces of the sea of ladies that crowded the classroom doors—waiting for the kids to be let loose and get this party finally started. He smiles and waves at them, knowing them from pick up and playdate parties at their homes.

Dean and Cas know they can never host one at their home in the lakehouse cause while the outside has invisible warding, the inside looked like a crazy person lived in there. It was a heavily warded place that hides them for a good few miles to any supernatural monster— angels included, so it’s a good thing Cas knows how to use google maps or he would always skip their street— but the inside Jack was free to let his wings out and practice his powers.

“Okay!” He looks up to see Jack’s classroom open up. “Go find your Moms!”

He walks closer, seeing little rugrats running past him, and crouches until he meets the gaze of his little angel. “Hiya, bud!”

“Momma!” Jack shouts as he sprints to him and then jumps into Dean’s arms, almost knocking him back with his strength. Jack snuggles into Dean’s shoulder as he wraps his arms around his neck, staying locked in place as Dean stands up.

“Why are you surprised? Told you I was gonna come.” Dean rubs his hand up and down his back as they follow the group of moms to line up for the food. Other classes start to open up, and Dean at least wanted something to damn snack on while he’s here.

“I know.” Jack pulls back and presses Dean’s cheeks together with his little hands, and luckily with none of his strength. “I was just scared.”

“Why?” Dean asks with puckered lips.

“Cause,” Jack sighs before leaning back down to rest his head on Dean’s shoulder. His tiny fist is holding the collar of his jacket in a tight grip. “I know you’re not a Momma like the other Momma’s.”

Dean’s stomach drops at the words.

He quickly got out of line and went inside his now empty classroom so they can talk. Dean hates these tiny chairs, but he sat down anyway, hoping it won’t break from under him, before pulling Jack away to face him.

“Jack,” He was stubborn, but a little tickling always did the trick. Dean takes Jack’s face in between his hands so he would look at him. “I am not like the other Momma’s, but I am still yours. That’s why I’m here, right?”

Jack nods, a small smile on his face that was a carbon copy of Cas’s own.

“I better be, cause I heard you owe me a muffin!” Dean leans forward to gently bite Jack’s cheek, who giggles and screams while he pushed Dean away with child strength.

“Stop! Momma!” Jack laughs before Dean showers his face with kisses so that he could see the pout leave and a bright grin appear. One that made Dean love life so much more than he ever thought he could.

“Love you.” Dean places a final kiss on Jack’s nose. Only for Jack to copy him and repeat, “Love you.”

They went back outside and had to go to the back of the line, but with Jack in his arms, he was perfectly content. He loves hearing his little four-year-old ramble on while telling a story.

When they got their food—a muffin and some damn apple juice, he’s going to have to take Jack to lunch after this—they went to sit at a crowded table that was calling for Dean to join them. Usually, everyone enjoys Cas’s company a lot more than his, but right now, they had Dean to play with, and he didn’t mind getting the attention of all the milf’s in school.

He sat down in the middle of the table with Jack on his lap so Dean can make sure his kid at least eats a bit of the muffin before running around with the rest of his friends. The whole mommy and me event just became a big chance for mommy’s to gossip, and he couldn’t help but wanna be a part of it.

They were all talking about a Mom who didn’t show up and instead sent the babysitter when Jack finally got inpatient and ran off to play with his friends. When Jack was out of earshot, all eyes fell on Dean when he stuffed almost half a muffin in his mouth. He looks at them with raised eyebrows, asking them a silent, “What?” as their smiles spelled trouble for Dean.

“We heard from the secretary that you and Castiel aren’t together...together.” Liz whispers the last word as she leaned closer to him.

“That’s not a secret.” Dean swallows the rest of the muffin and finishes off the apple juice. “Cas and me are friends.”

“Really?” Carmen sat back in her chair, looking as if the universe didn’t make sense anymore. All eyes fell on Liz again, as if she was chosen to be the ring leader to ask all these questions.

“But you guys talk about each other like—I was gonna say like I talk about my husband, but that’s not true. I complain more than anything, but you two are always--you’re like a team. Like an actual team! And the way--the way you look at each other!”

“Okay,” Dean clears his throat, feeling his face heat up. “I don’t know what you are getting at, but Cas and I are best friends. We’re just raising his kid together. My brother helps too. It’s not-It’s just not like that with us.”

“But, do you want it to be?” Carmen leans in again, and Dean looks around at the milf’s that thought Cas and him were a married couple. “Cause it kinda looks like you want it to be.”

Dean opened his mouth to answer defensively cause, of course, he didn’t. He was perfectly fine living his domestic life with Cas and Jack. Maybe they were not a traditional family, but there was no damn way they would ever be with ⅔ of the family being celestial beings. Still, going to bed alone was getting harder each night. The longing stares have become heavier, and all the missed opportunities were starting to weigh on him.

He wanted so much more, but how can he ask for that when this is already the happiest he has ever been and the happiest he has ever seen Cas. He can’t risk making it awkward by expressing his feelings that may not be reciprocated. That’s fucking embarrassing for one, but Dean also didn’t want to risk losing the closest thing he has ever gotten to having a family of his own.

“It’s not that simple.” Dean finally groaned as he ran his hand through his hair. “Things are complicated between us.”

“Well, uncomplicate them!” Liz hits his arm to grab Dean’s attention before he falls back into his head.

“Mommy! Come watch me on the swings!” One of the kids call for them, and all the rest of the kids came running over, Jack included. But by the look of Jack’s face, Dean can tell the superhearing was working perfectly fine.

“Come here, bud.” Dean opens his arms, and while the rest of the mothers got up to watch their kid play, Jack stayed curled up in Dean’s arms as they finish their muffins together.

“Momma?”

“Yeah, bud?”

“We’re a real family, right?”

Dean presses a kiss to Jack’s hair. “Course we are, Jack. Me and your Daddy love you.”

“And you love each other?” He looks up at Dean with those same piercing blue eyes and curious look that he found so fond in Cas.

“Always have.” Dean quickly answers as he squeezes his kid. “Now eat so we can take some pictures.”

Dean ends up taking Jack home, with the preschool arts and crafts presents in the passenger seat, because maybe Dean does have to get his head out of his ass. Cause Dean knows Cas loves him. Was it the same kind of love Dean felt? Who knows? But they are going to find out.

“We’re just gonna pick up Daddy and go out to get some real food in you. Got it, bud?” Dean looks over at the rearview mirror to see a thumbs up and an excited grin.

“Got it, Momma!”

When Dean parks the car outside, he told Jack to wait in the car—the kid can turn on the car and play with the radio with his mind, he’ll be fine— while he went inside to tell Cas to get ready.

“I’m home!” Dean called out as soon as he was in the house and then hears an “In here!” coming from the bathroom. He walks in to see Cas was under the bathroom sink, all the cleaning products spread around him, probably fixing that leak that was bothering him so much.

“Hey,” Dean kicks him gently to get his attention before crouching beside him. “Go get ready. I have Jack in the car; let’s go have some lunch.”

Cas scooted out from under the sink, and when he sat up, his face was only inches away from Dean’s own. He looked utterly unphased from being so close while Dean’s breath hitched at feeling Cas’s sigh touch his lips.

“I don’t even eat, Dean.” Cas wipes his hands on a towel before pushing himself up to stand. Dean took a shaky breath before he stands up too. “And why did you take Jack from school so early?”

Dean follows Cas out of the bathroom and into Cas’s bedroom, “You eat sometimes and cause I wanted to have some family time.” Dean sits at Cas’s bed as he watches the angel change into a clean shirt, his back muscles as beautiful as usual. “And I just, I think we should talk.”

Cas turns around to look at Dean with a curious head tilt. “About?”

Dean stood up to slowly walk over to Cas, not meeting his eyes, as he whispers, “Us.” Dean can see Cas start to look panic at the word, and before Cas could say anything, Dean leans forward to press his lips at the corner of Cas’s mouth. “I wanna know how you feel about us.”

Cas stood wide-eyed as Dean pulls away. He waits for an answer, but the angel was just staring at him with fingers twitching to reach and hold something. Dean took Cas’s hand and twined their fingers together; hopefully, that is what Cas wanted.

“I know we’re just playing pretend here,” Dean continues as he looks down at their hands. “But I’m tired of playing, Cas. I want, fuck okay, shit, I just-- I want to-I want,”

“Yes?” Cas leans in closer, urging Dean to continue, but Dean wasn’t sure he could, so he looks up to see Cas lick those soft lips.

He knows he wasn’t good at using his words, but he has always been good at showing, doing, so he lets out a quiet, “Fuck it.” Before letting actions speak.

His free hand went to the back of Cas’s neck to hold him as their lips crashed together. Dean knew Cas could pull away whenever he wanted with his angel strength, but he also knew Cas was letting Dean take the lead in this. Letting Dean push him up against the dresser and kiss him with panic but also so much love. Cause he loves him. He loves Cas. He was so fucking in love with him that it drove him crazy at times, but he couldn’t imagine doing this domestic life with anybody else.

“I love you.” Dean finally breaths against Cas’s lips. It overwhelmed him to finally have those words said aloud while Cas’s hands were burning his skin from under his shirt, but it also made him feel lighter. To say the words he wanted to scream. “I love you so much, Cas.”

Cas’s grip loosened for a second before it tightened, and Dean took that opportunity to open his eyes to look at him. To read the unreadable.

He leans back to see Cas’s baby blue’s water.

“Cas?”

Cas responds with a few blinks, tears falling freely now, as his expression softens at his name. “Yes?” One of Cas’s hands reached to slowly caress Dean’s face as if trying to see if this was real. If Dean was real.

“Kinda pouring my heart out here, buddy, maybe wanna respond?” Dean turns his head just enough to press a kiss to Cas’s palm, hearing Cas let out a small gasp.

“I’m confused. This morning you left telling me you were gonna kick my ass for sending you to the preschool, and now,” Cas leans forward, slowly and hesitantly, but Dean didn’t move. He closes his eyes and waits until their lips met again. Feeling his heart pound and breath catch as the kiss was softer this time. His head flooded with so much want, but Cas quickly pulls away as he continued, “And now I can do that.”

“Yeah,” Dean’s eyes flutter open as he clears his throat. “Yeah, Momma had a little push from the milf’s this morning, and I just realized that I want— I want you. I want us to be together like a real family. Cause I love you and-and, it would be nice if you fucking said it back sometime soon.”

Cas laughs a low chuckle that made Dean’s toes curl as he leans forward again to press their noses together. “I love you too, Dean.”

“Took you long enough.” Dean was going in for another kiss, but the car horn made them both jump. “Shit, our kid still in the car.”

Dean leaves a kiss on Cas’s cheek, feeling more intimate than the last few kisses. “Get ready. I’ll wait for you in the car.” Dean didn’t meet Cas’s eyes as his blush rose to his cheeks.

Tag List: hello this is long enough to tag you guys :)

@tearsofgrace @nguyenxtrang @smiledean @chocolatecakecas

@blue-eyed-cutiepatootie @shelikestv @spicyspiess @icefire149

@archervale @starlightcastiel @sierraxnevada

@lexies-obsessions-and-memes @castiel-is-a-cat @slipper007

@belacoded @takemetotheworld @imlivingliferightnow

@celestialcastiel @manifestingdestiel @sinnabonka

@confusedisaster @wikiangela @carryonwaywardsquirrel

@my-people-skillls-are-rusty @thefaeriemagic3 @wigglebox

@im-sam-fucking-winchester @becky-srs @thefantasyfiend

@deanwinchesterstentaclefetish @achillestiel @sarahblakenatural

@likepurplemuses @marichankitty @castielkrushnic @bestiegirlboss

@martymar1963 @destielfactory @mjthehumandisaster

@misha-moose-dean-burger-lover @destielskygalaxypalace

@trasherasswood @s-r-clowns @eshaninjer

@readeroftheimmortalbooks

[momolady]

Imaginary Boyfriend: Gentleman Jack 2

Imagine the romance you could have...

Nonbinary Reader (AFAB) x Male Monster

When your grandfather passed away, you made sure to collect the old cigar box that had originally inspired Gentleman Jack. You had often gone back to it, hiding things inside for later. Everything was still intact - the pressed flower from the crown Jack made you, the skipping stone you refused to toss across the pond, the feather you found on a particularly bad day. You took it home, along with some other memorabilia from your grandparents place.

The cigar box sat prominently on your shelf for a long time, and was eventually covered by books and sketch pads. Occasionally, you would have a rotten day and pull out the cigar box to go through good memories. The stone had become smooth over time from being rubbed so much. You put the pressed flower in between sheets of tape because it was starting to fall apart. You added new things, like the first drawing Jesse ever made for you, a miniature of a statue from a museum you took Jesse to on her fifth birthday, a tiny plastic baby bottle from your mom’s baby shower. There were also some concert tickets, a locket from a high school best friend, and as a note from the gender identity support group you frequented.

These were the things you went to for cheering up. Each little, seemingly insignificant, thing inside was a different memory that was well-worn with time and comfortable to move through even on the sharpest of days. The box itself was a memory, a loving one about the best friend you ever had, family, and the rainy day where boredom led to creation.

Today you take out this box because you want to share. You want to stroll down memory lane with Jack, show him the old things you shared with him and the new things you shared with others, and hopefully a place where you could keep new memories.

Early this morning, you see your family off to Jesse’s first mathlete competition. Jesse had always been very smart, especially when it came to numbers. Your stepdad liked to joke that you always had your head in the clouds, and Jesse had hers in books, which is very true. “I’ll call you later,” Jesse says, barely able to contain her excitement.

“Just keep these two in line for me.” You motion to your parents, then hug her tight and wish her luck. “No matter what happens, we’ll go out for pizza when you get back.”

Jesse beams, then urges you closer. “You and Jack have fun, okay?” Why is she being secretive, you wonder?

“I’m sure we will.” you laugh.

Jesse hugs Jack, whispering to him the same way she did to you. You stand by Jack as the car pulls away, waving goodbye until they’re out of sight. You sigh and cross your arms as you both go back into the house. “If I didn’t know that rugrat any better, I say she’s trying to play matchmaker.”

Jack nods and turns to you.

“I mean, I guess it worked,” you scoff. “But what does she have to gain from this?”

Jack taps his fingertips over his chest and then pats your chest, placing his hands together to form a heart.

“You’re an imaginary friend, though. Are you sure this isn’t too weird?”  You pout slightly. “I mean, I know it happens, but people tend to think it’s a weird kink or something.”

Jack shrugs.

“No, you’re the only one, so I don’t consider it a kink.” You look up at him, feeling his gaze fall softly on you. “But I did create you. Don’t you think that that is a bit weird?

Jack tilts his head to the side and presses his finger against the side of his mouth as he thinks. Then he raises his hand, stretching out his fingers before flourishing and bowing to you.

“I don’t get it,” you murmur.

Jack sighs and takes out his notepad. He scribbles something, then hands it over to you. ‘You made me to always be the best companion to you, no matter what happens. Now that we are together again, I am your companion, still the best, still for you.’

You look back up at him, heart pulsing, cheeks flushed. “So imaginary friends can evolve for their creator?”

Jack nods and lays his hand over his chest.

“Then that means, instead of being my imaginary friend, you would become my imaginary boyfriend.” You smile at the silly words, but not the idea of it.

Jack places his hand on the small of your back and nods.

“Is that even possible?” Your eyes flash down for the briefest of moments. “I mean… Never mind, I’m being weird now.”

Jack kisses your forehead, then bops the tip of your nose. He presses his lips to your ear and you hear a low, seductive growl.

“Oh!” you exclaim and break into a giddy smile. “Is that so?”

Jack licks your cheek and ear, his long tongue following its contours before he bites your neck with sharp teeth. You choke back the moan in your throat, covering it with a warbling laugh, and press your palm to his chest. “Easy, tiger. We do have a date tonight, after all.”

Jack bows with a flourish. He takes a card from inside his jacket and hands it to you. Inside is an instruction for you to follow, starting at three that afternoon.

“You’ve really got all this planned out!” you remark.

Jack signs, which you’re now able to understand most of.

“You want this to be the best day? You could have just watched cartoons with me on the sofa,” you chuckle.

Jack pulls you close, giving you a soft, loving kiss. He kisses the tip of your nose, then steals it like he used to.

“I’ll follow the list, don’t worry,” you giggle. “But we do have until three when I have to start. What did you have planned until then?”

Jack places his hand on your back again, leading you into the kitchen. He makes you breakfast, chopping up fruits and making waffles from scratch. This was something he used to do when your mom had work early, or ran late depending. After breakfast, you watch cartoons on the sofa. You start to doze off, and when you do, Jack picks you up and carries you to bed. Half-asleep, you grab his hand as he starts to go away. “You don’t have to go,” you murmur sleepily.

Jack looks down and tightens his hand. He eases down onto the bed, though his long legs hang over the end. You snuggle up to his chest, draping your arm around him. His palm glides up and down your back, coaxing you into a warm, relaxed bliss.

Eventually, Jack eases you back awake. He sits you up in bed and pats your cheeks as you come to. “Is it three?” you yawn.

Jack nods and hands you back the card containing your first instruction. He kisses your forehead, then saunters out of the room. You rub your eyes and open the card. “At three o’clock sharp you will proceed to the bakery, where you will pick up an order under your name. Enjoy your favorite donut while you are there, and a coffee or tea if so desired. You have an hour before you have to return home for step two.”

You change and get ready to go, finding that Jack is already busying himself with something in the kitchen. He shoos you away in a hurry when he catches you watching. You chuckle to yourself and leave, heading to the bakery.

You have a cruller while you are there, and a cinnamon bun iced latte. The order you pick up is wrapped in pink paper, probably so you don’t peek at what is inside. Attached to the box is the next step in your routine. “Once you return home, hand the box over to Gentleman Jack, who will take care of it from there. You will then go immediately to the bathroom, where you will find your next card.”

“Something in the bathroom,” you murmur to yourself. “How very interesting.”

You return home and hand over the box to Jack, who inspects it. “I didn’t try to peek, but I did shake it a bit.” you inform him.

He stiffens and stares at you harshly.

You raise your hands in defense. “I’m joking, promise.”

He points to the bathroom with a sharp finger, and you smirk. “I’m going, I’m going.” You turn, heading to the bathroom. Upon opening the door you see lit candles, and the tub is steaming. There’s a soft aroma wafting in the air, a mix of lavender and eucalyptus. The bathroom has been cleaned and emptied of most of the clutter to make it feel more airy. A robe hangs on the door, with the next note attached.

“It is time to relax. Sink into the tub and enjoy the peace and quiet. I will turn on music for you. There is a bath bomb on the side of the tub, it contains the next instruction.”

You smile as you undress, sinking into the water and letting out a relaxed grunt. “How nice.” You find the bath bomb, its scent heavy and the colors matching the nonbinary flag. Your smile grows and you plop it into the water. The colors froth, mix, and swirl, creating a vivid purple shade in the water.

The note floats to the top, folded into a tiny square wrapped in plastic. You peel away the plastic, opening up the note. “I will knock on the door when the next step is ready. Take the robe and go to your room, where I have laid out an outfit for you, as well as a new sketch pad and some art supplies. Take some time to draw something between getting dressed and when I come calling.”

You hadn’t bought a new art pad in ages. You hadn’t really done any artwork aside from the occasional doodle in forever. You always wanted to create your own comic or cartoon when you were little, as all you ever did was watch cartoons. But you never got the chance, and over time, things got in the way. You accepted these things might never happen, but you would make sure that Jesse never suffered that sort of block.

After a while, Jack knocks on the door. You step out of the purple water and dry off, slipping on the robe. As you step out, Jack gives you a drink and a kiss, ushering you off to your room. He signs before opening your door. “Fun?”

“Yeah, I’m having fun,” you smile. “But my curiosity is running wild.”

Jack kisses you again, opening your door and pulling away as the kiss begins to deepen. He motions to your bed, where you see a box with a big yellow bow on your pillow. He closes the door as you sit down on the bed. Inside the box is a button-down shirt with a rose-and-beetle print, and a fitted blazer that matches the color of the roses. There’s also a pair of high-waisted black pants, and a small necklace with a tiny beetle charm.

You get dressed, doing your brows so your eyes stand out more. The outfit looks amazing, exactly your style with a bit more flair. The high-waisted pants make your tiny legs look extra long, and the red blazer makes you feel like you have some sort of build.

Under the clothes in the box, is the new art pad with a box of colored pencils, charcoal, and fancy pens and pencils. On the first page of the sketch pad, the next note is written. “The next step is easy. Draw something while you wait.”

Under that is another note written by Jesse. “I miss seeing you draw, I miss having your pictures to hang on my wall. I miss seeing you create stuff. Gentleman Jack and I agree you need to do this again and never stop. I love you so much! You’re the best sibling in the whole world.”

Tears prickle your eyes. You had no idea that she even paid attention to that. You sniffle, take out the pencils and get to drawing, feeling a little shaky at first. You doodle as you warm up, slowly creating a set of character sketches. Ideas begin to flow, and childlike wonder erupts in your heart as the excitement of inspiration flows through you freely. Once blocked by a monumental dam, it breaks free, spilling onto the page.

There is a knock, and Gentleman Jack opens the door. You lift your head from your work, not realizing time has passed at all. The side of your hand is covered in black, and there are pages filled with your first artwork in ages. Jack extends his hand to you, and you smile brightly. “You and Jesse planned this all along, didn’t you?”

Jack kisses your hand despite the stain of pencil marks. He strokes your arm and leads you into the kitchen.The candles from the bathroom now decorate the kitchen. The candlelight is warm and welcoming as you sit down at the table. Jack begins to serve, placing a small salad before you and pouring a glass of wine.

“I don’t drink,” you try to quickly cover.

Jack taps the glass, asking you to try it.

You sip and find that the drink is a peach juice. “Oh, good,” you giggle. You raise your glass as he sits down. “This all seems too nice! You didn’t have to go all-out.”

Jack nods, then presses his finger to your lips. He watches as you eat, then he stands and turns on classical music. After the salad he serves french onion soup in a tiny bread bowl. You’re already getting full, but there is still the main course and dessert to go through. He serves your favorite - a big slab of lasagna. You squeal happily and dig in, forgetting you were anywhere near full.

“This is so good.” You take a sip of the peach juice and beam. “I’m having such a good time.” Jack gives you a kiss on the cheek, and you hear that low growl again.

As you’re finishing up, Jack takes the box from the bakery and opens it. Inside is a chocolate cheesecake covered in raspberries.

“Oh, wow!” you marvel.

Jack serves a slice as he clears away your plate. He also serves you a cup of coffee. “Is it okay if I save this for later?” you ask timidly. “I know you probably have an order for the evening, but I’m so full.”

Jack nods and pats the top of your head. He wraps up the plate and sets it into the fridge. You do enjoy the coffee though, taking a few sips as Jack begins to blow out some of the candles to give the room more ambience. He turns up the music, then offers his hand to you.

“A dance?” You stand, moving into his clutches. Just like that night before, he leads you into the dance. You move slowly, almost not moving at all. You rest your head upon his chest, sighing softly as you sway. Jack stills and slips his fingers under your chin. He lifts your head and you close your eyes, tilting your head to accept his kiss. His tongue darts over your lips, then down along your jaw. His growl trembles along your skin, and you clutch the front of his jacket. You feel the next card in his front pocket.

You take the card and read it over. “Your choice from here on out. I am yours and will do all you ask of me.”

You swallow the lump in your throat and gaze up at him, heart pounding, head spinning. You kiss him again, capturing the back of his head. “The bedroom,” you whisper to him. “I want you, now.”

Jack scoops you up off the floor, carrying you to the bedroom. He lays you down on the bed, and you pull him on top of you. “Take off my clothes,” you moan. “Touch me. All of me.”

The growl grows louder as he unbuttons the blazer and your shirt. His fingers drag over your chest, down your small breasts and to the buttons of your pants. He kisses you hungrily, slurping your tongue, biting your lip, nibbling your ear. The growl grows deeper as he looks down upon you half naked.

“What about you?” Your voice trembles. You sit up, remove your shirt, then press your chest against his and rake your hand down. “What will I find?”

Gentleman Jack grins, revealing his sharp, pure white teeth. As your palm reaches below, your fingers sink inside. You pull something out of the dark void of his body. It’s heavy and fills your hand. It grows warmer as you stroke it, velvety in texture, thick, and throbbing. “Oh my,” you breathe.

Jack grabs your shoulders and eases you back down onto the bed. He rolls you over, stripping away your pants and underwear. He grabs your ass, squeezing it and digging his fingers into it. You whimper, burying your face into the pillow to hide your pleasured sounds. His hands stroke down your thighs, opening your legs up and arching your hips more. He goes still, breathing as he waits. You moan, turning your head away from the pillow. “Don’t stop.”

He smirks at you.

You bite your lip. He wants you to tell him everything, to command him. You raise your ass up more. “Please, spank me a little.”

Jack growls and his hand rubs your rear, squeezing it then releasing before giving you a sound slap. You bite your lip harder and arch your back. “Again.”

He strikes the other cheek.

“Harder!” Your voice comes out louder.

Jack’s slap sends electric currents through your spine and legs. He rubs the red mark he’s left, dipping down to kiss it and lather his tongue over it.

“Keep licking,” you mewl. “Right there.”

His tongue presses between your cheeks, going down to the folds between your thighs. He grips your ass hard, spreading you open more. His tongue dances over the wetness dripping from those lips, and a strange laugh gurgles in his throat.

“Bite me.”

His sharp teeth sink into your thigh and cheek. He growls, nibbling and sucking before biting again.

“Jack,” you whimper blissfully. “That feels so good.”

He spanks again, then burrows his tongue deeper, catching the drips that fall from you.

“N-now,” you croak. “I want you inside.”

Jack sits up, placing himself behind you. His shaft rubs your thigh, your ass. He grips tight around your waist, pulling you back. The dark shape slips between your thighs, and you can see it between your legs. He rubs against you, coating himself in your wetness. The tip vanishes inside, and you feel him moving forward, stretching you, filling you.

“Spank me again,” you moan.

He does so, snarling as his palm claps down, then rubs gently.

“Deeper.”

He fits perfectly inside. After all, he was made for you. The pulse inside you flows through your veins, making your limbs quiver and spine radiate. You catch your breath, squeezing your muscles tight around him, feeling every inch. He growls behind you, holding your hips firmly as his own begins to shake.

“Go slow,” you whisper. “Let me feel you.”

He pulses once, twice, taking his time. He rolls his hips, letting you feel even more of him within. You whimper, losing your breath the more he moves.

“Harder,” your commands are growing weak.

He thrusts all at once, shaking you and the bed with his might.

“Harder!” you bleat.

Gentleman Jack jolts again and again, sinking you further into the bed. The headboard beats against the wall, and the growls grow louder in his chest.

“More!” you cry out. “Oh god, don’t stop!”

Gentleman Jack gives you everything, hammering himself inside you until you scream. He throws you onto your back, pushing your legs up over your head, and keeps going.

“Come for me!” you cry out. “I want it all inside me!”

Gentleman Jack bucks and throbs. He arches himself off the bed, straining and opening his mouth wide as a roar comes out. You cry, tears flowing down your cheeks. Your whole body bursts into white-hot radiance, and Jack melts inside you.

Breathing deeply, you lie there with Jack on top of you, his weight and his own breath lulling you into a warm puddle. After a while, Jack lies beside you, stroking your back and hair. You smile and sit up. “Let me rub your back.”

Jack shakes his head and pulls you back down, kissing you softly.

“Then let me show you something.” You take the cigar box from the bedside table and open it. Your hands are still shaky, but you show him each beloved trinket inside. “This is the box that helped me make you,” you tell him. “And everything inside is another good memory I cherish.”

Jack holds the feather between his fingers, then gives you a loving kiss.

“I want every letter from tonight to go inside.” You cup his face in your palm. “And I’m sure there will be more from here on out.”

Jack lifts his hands and signs. “I love you.”

“I know,” you coo. “I love you too. I never stopped.”

[imaginesupply]

Homecoming - Chapter One

Chapter Two can be found here

(Gif’s not my own.)

Summary: The day has arrived, Captain Syverson is going home. For good, this time. He is going home to a civilian life he can hardly remember and a wife he barely knows, with memories of the war still fresh on his mind. Love might not be able to heal everything on its own, but it’s a good start.

Genres: Romance, drama.

Story warnings: Smut (always fully consensual), mentions of PTSD and nightmares and mental health, angst, hurt and comfort, fluff, mentions of war (minor), mentions of cheating (minor), mentions of pregnancy (very minor), police appearance (very minor), violence (very minor).

Notes:

It’s my first time writing for one of Henry’s characters and I’m unsure I did Sy’s character any justice.

This is a Capt. Syverson x OFC (Ada) story, written in 3rd person POV but OFC’s physical description is very limited so it could also be read as Capt. Syverson x Reader, I think.

English is not my first language, so there might be some mistakes. Proofread, but not beta’ed. We die like men and all that.

Timeline is a little wacky: The movie takes place in 2003 and the U.S. forces were withdrawn from Iraq in 2011, but I never set a precise date because I don’t think it’s essential for this story. However, some elements might not be realistic because if we set this story in 2003: Phone cameras  quality was not as good as it’s now, but for the purpose of the chapters, I will need you to imagine you could film great videos with your flip phone haha. Plus, it says Sy is coming back after being deployed for more than three years which makes no sense unless we set this in 2006 or later. I am asking you disregard any time inconsistencies 

Also: I am not American. I only lived in the US for six months and it was in the Midwest, not Texas so please bear with me if I write something stupid.

Finally: This is pretty much a Christmas fic and I intend to post the last chapter (there will be seven in total) on or before Christmas. However, religion is never mentioned in this story and the Christmas-sy elements of this story are limited to family gathering, gift giving and tree decorating.

Chapter One starts after the cut. Let me know if you wish to be tagged in the new chapters.

Chapter One

Chapter warnings: Badly written smut (consensual), marriage awkwardness, alcohol consumption. Maybe OOC Sy, I don’t know. We never saw him being casual.

Sy checked his phone again as he waited for his bag by the baggage carousel. The airport was even busier than usual, it was taking ages and he was impatient to get out of there... and maybe even never set foot in an airport again for the rest of his life.

He read her text again, short and sweet. He sometimes called her that, short and sweet, just to tease her. Ada was considerably shorter than him and full of sugar, when she wanted to be, that was.

'I'm waiting by the gate for you, with a warm cinnabon :) So excited to see you again <3.'

Just then a notification popped up from Harper. It was a photo of the soldier at the airport, finally reunited with his wife and his two rugrats. It made Sy all the more excited to see Ada again, and then as if on cue, his camo bag appeared in the carousel and he groaned with relief.

He stood restless amidst the line, it seemed people in front of him were dragging their feet, but when they noticed his green beret uniform, most parted and let him through. Sy tipped his head gratefully.  

His wife was there, just outside the gate. Sy spotted her instantly in the crowd of people. She was wearing a red dress under her open coat and her hair looked fresh out of the hairdresser. He caught himself grinning at the sight of her. Then, once she spotted him making his way over to her, she started waving her hand excitedly as if there was any way his eyes hadn't already landed on her. He wished he still had his phone in hand to capture this moment for all of eternity, but his memory would have to do, he decided before casting his arms open for his wife. Fuck, did he love her!

°°°

Ada had been biting her nails nervously for the past two hours. She had arrived at the airport way too early. The parking fee would hurt but she couldn't find it in herself to care at this point.

Three weeks ago, she had received a call informing her that her husband and part of his unit had been ambushed. There had been an explosion in some building they were scouting only God knows where.

Only a full week after that did she receive a call from Sy himself. He was coming home. For good, this time. They were sending him home early, a full eight months earlier than what he had originally negotiated with his superiors. She hadn't been prepared for the news. She had spent the days following the call asking herself whether she had heard him right, making sure her mind wasn't playing tricks on her.

Now he was here, stopping right in front of her, his thick arms inviting her right in for a hug. Ada wouldn't have been able to resist the invitation even if she had wanted to. Within a second, she was enveloped in his embrace, her cheek pressed against his chest. She was overjoyed to feel his heartbeat again. Sy kisses the crown of her head before putting her down, his hands never leaving her lower back, his fingers big enough to reach the swell of her bum from there.

They pulled away a few inches to take each other in. His beard has grown a little long, but it was not enough to hide his apparent dimples as he smiled. He looked a little older too, she hadn't seen in seven months, except through a shitty quality facetime call once or twice. Her careful gaze spotted the new scar by his temple, it was the only visible physical evidence of the explosion he had been caught in. She dreaded what she might under his uniform.

Sy caught her eyes and she found herself blushing under his stare. It was always like that the first few hours when he was back, until she got used to his overwhelming presence again and to the fact that this handsome bear of a man was indeed her husband.

"You're looking good, darlin'," Sy grinned, making her spin for him. "I missed you."

Ada couldn’t resist his smile. "I missed you too, Sy." She confessed, handing him the still warm cinnamon roll in its paper bag.

He accepted the pastry with a smile and started eating it immediately but not before throwing his arm around her shoulders as they began making their way to the parking lot. Sy was eager to get her out of the crowd and have her just to him himself.

"So, what's the plan, darlin'?" Sy inquired with mischief to his voice, balling up the paper bag with his free hand and throwing it inside the trash can. "Did you book that hotel with the jacuzzi in the bedroom again?"

It had become a tradition of some sort between them. They would always spend his first night back at that hotel: they'd order some room service and eat in the jacuzzi. Though, usually, they would first end up on together on the bed.

Ada stopped suddenly in her tracks, making him still behind her. She smiled sheepishly. "Don't be mad," she started, his smile falling at once, "but your family is waiting for us in the parking lot. Your mom insisted that we celebrate your homecoming at the restaurant. Something about you missing Thanksgiving just by a couple days."

Sy groaned, thinking about the evening that now expected him. He'd been flying for God knows how many hours, all he wanted was a warm bath and Ada whichever way she'd let him have her, not a damn dinner party.

"I'm sorry, Sy."

He shook his head and leaned down to kiss her forehead again. "Don't worry, darlin'. I know it ain’t your fault."

As soon as they reached the open-air parking lot, Sy's nephew and niece start running up to him, having escaped their parents' grasp. His family was waiting for him with cheers and a 'welcome home, soldier' banner. Sy hated that kind of attention and she found it cringy as well, but she had been unable to stop his mother. Ada watched him hug the kids and lift them up into the air, making them laugh as she walked up to the machine to pay the fee.

Her hand trembled as she inserted the ticket into the slot, missing the opening a few times. She was happy - no, scratch that - she was ecstatic to have her husband back. It's just that, could you really say 'back' when there was never truly a 'before', a 'there'?

They had met when he was already deployed, but on a short leave back in Austin. They spent three weeks together, got married and he returned to Iraq. Since then, the longest stretch of time they had been together had been twenty days. Neither of them had ever gotten settled into married life and now he was 'back'. For good. Which was wonderful and foreign and overwhelming all at once.

Ada paid the fee and returned to join them, finding Sy hugging his mother. She smiled at the sight. She walked over to greet her sister-in-law and her husband, confirming that they'd meet up at the restaurant. With that, she went to the car, deciding to give Sy some more time with his family, and herself an occasion to take a few breaths and calm her buzzing heart.

"You didn't tell me my mom had gotten herself a boyfriend." Sy grumbled immediately as he sat down next to her in the car, putting on his seatbelt.

Ada turned on the engine and backed out of the spot. "I knew you wouldn't like it," she defended before casting a side glance at him. "Besides, I figured it wasn't my place to tell you."

Sy hummed noncommittally, removing his cap to rake his hand through his cropped hair.

"Though, as much as I don't exactly like your mother," Ada added quietly, "she's been on her own ever since your dad passed a couple years ago. With your father gone and you away, she must have felt lonely.”

°°°

Sy spent the rest of the drive mulling over her words in his head. The fuck was that supposed to mean? As soon as a woman feels lonely, she takes up a boyfriend?! Was Ada lonely too while he was away and… He wanted to ask if she was implying anything but then one look at her and he decided against it. Breathing out deeply, he forces himself to relax. He was just stressed out and on edge.

It was inevitable that things would have changed while he had been away. That was something he thought about frequently late at night when he got to be alone. Still, he hoped things hadn’t changed all too much. Ada still looked just as she had on their road trip to Vegas, focused on the road but leaning back on her seat, just one hand on the wheel with a grin on her lips. His wife loved driving.

"You got your nails done." Sy commented, already hoping the whole dinner thing would be over quickly so that he could go home with her.

Ada turned to him with a chuckle for a second, wriggling her graceful fingers and red painted nails, her wedding band reflecting the light. "I wanted to look pretty for you."

Sy huffed. "You always look pretty to me, Ada," he said and then watched her scoff.

"Or maybe, I just wanted to make sure I'd be able to scratch you up nicely," she wife winked.

Yeah, this dinner thing couldn't be over fast enough.

°°°

Ada saw him eat so much over dinner, she couldn’t help but wonder if he was going to be sick later. And, of course, the double serving of smoked ribs had to be accompanied with generous amounts of beer and whisky. She didn0t blame him, though. Out of curiosity, she once researched what they ate while on deployment and it looked anything but tasty. If she had been in his shoes, she'd have been eating her own weight in pizza and brownies right now.  

It also didn’t help that his brother-in-law and his mom's new boyfriend, Phil from the hardware store, kept asking him about Baqubah and even touching on the subject of the explosion. It was obvious how uncomfortable the subject made him, his grip tightening around his knife and his jaw tensing up so tightly, she could imagine his teeth grinding.

So, Sy kept asking for refills, raising his glass, and giving them vague answers, but it seemed they didn't get the hint. At least, the subject changed when his sister interrupted the conversation to announce she was expecting again. A little girl.

Ada used the moments of cheer that followed to excuse herself from the table and go to the restroom. She was still somewhat nervous and her face was damp. She would have given anything for a glass of scotch at that moment but she was driving tonight.

Helen, Sy's mom appeared right behind her just as she was washing her hands. She hoped the woman would just disappear inside a stall but she wasn’t that lucky.

"Jack is back." Helen stated, arms crossed. A shiver ran through Ada's spine, damn she hated that woman. "For good."

Ada dried her hands with a paper towel, looking back at her mother-in-law through the mirror. "He is."

"Now's the time to prove yourself to this family and show us that Sy was right in marrying you.”

Before Ada could ask what the hell that was supposed to mean, Helen finally disappeared inside a stall. Rolling her eyes, Ada went to leave the restrooms when Helen decides to add some more venom. "Maybe a good start would be calling him by his first name, as a wife would."

°°°

"When do you start at Camp Mabry?" Ada asked, looking away from the steering wheel to glance at him for a second. Sy looked exhausted, not that she could she blame him after three different flights and a seemingly endless dinner. They had finally called it a night once the kids had started getting fussy.

"January 15th." He replied. "But they want me to stop by before then to have a look around the base and sign the contract."

"You're going to boss the hell out of the new recruits," Ada laughed, getting him to lighten up and even chuckle.

"You'd be surprised to know I'm actually a fair and considerate captain," Sy defended himself.

Next to him, Ada huffed as she tried stiffing the bubble of laughter, trying not miss the right exit off the main road.

"I just value discipline and compliance a lot," he added, his tone growing teasing.

This time, she was unable to stop her laugh. "Believe me, I know you do."

The drive was a short one to their house in the suburbs and she was soon parking her in their driveaway.

Ada fumbled with the key as she tried opening the front door, nervousness setting back in as she felt Sy standing behind her, holding his duffel bag. He followed in quickly after her, once she had finally managed to open the door.

"Welcome home, captain!" Ada cheered in her silliest tone as he discarded his bag on the floor.

Then, before she could even react, Sy was on her. His arms lifted her up, his body caging hers against the wall before capturing her lips in the most ferocious kiss she could imagine.

Out of instinct, her legs locked around his waist and her hands dug into his shoulders, unwilling to let go of him now that he was finally there. Sy grinned against her lips, amused by her fervour, not that he felt any different.

He broke off the kiss as he pulled them away from the wall, freeing a hand to shrug her coat off her shoulders. "You ain't gonna need that, darlin'," he promised, throwing the coat in the direction of the kitchen, not caring where it landed.

Then his mouth latched on to her throat, forcing a delicious moan out of his wife as he carefully manoeuvred them upstairs, still steady on his feet despite the alcohol. Sy was almost surprised when he pushed open the door to their bedroom with his foot and it didn't squeak, but that thought was fleeting as Ada started rolling her hips against his. Suddenly, nothing else mattered. Not the war, not the explosion or his guilt, only the woman in his arms.

Unceremoniously, he let her fall on the bed, the urgency now flowing through his blood keeping him from doing things the gentleman way. Ada didn't mind, giggling as she unzipped her dress and slid the red thing over her head, along with her bra. Apparently, she had decided to forego panties. Sy stood there, almost mesmerised as he watched her, suddenly not certain if he dared tainting her with his touch but Ada quickly made that decision for him as she got up on her knees.

"A little less staring and a little more undressing, captain," she purred with a smirk, her fingers determined as they made quick work of the buttons on his shirt.

"That's it, darlin'. You're in for it now," Sy roared, pulling her in for another furious kiss before pushing her back against the mattress, making her land on her back as he got undressed in record time. Fuck, was he hard.

"Open up for your captain." Sy ordered and Ada complied instantly, her legs falling open for him as she peered up at him, holding herself up on her elbows and worrying her lower lip between her teeth. "That's a good girl," he praised.

Without losing another second, Sy settled in between her legs, wrapping his strong arms around her thighs and parting them to their limits. He wanted to worship her body the way she deserved, show her exactly just how appreciative he was of her, how much he craved her, but it had been months and Sy was a starving man who had just been presented with the perfect meal.

"Fuck Sy!" Ada screamed out, her back arching off the bed the instant he licked her just where she craved him most. He chuckled against her, marvelling at how wet she already was for him.

She tried closing her legs around his head, rejoicing at the feeling of his beard rubbing against her sensitive skin and never wanting him to leave again, but his arms were too strong for her clenching thighs. She was left defenceless against his assault, with no choice but to obscenely moan her pleasure and let herself cum against his tongue as his thumb expertly massaged her clit.

The coil inside her snapped and her body tensed up before letting go just as suddenly, her now damp back falling back on the mattress. "Fuck, Sy." Ada breathed out, her chest heaving as she tried to reopen her eyes only to find her husband playfully gazing up at her, smirking with her arousal glistening on his beard. The sight alone almost made her cum again. "I'll never let you leave again!"

He smiled in response, placing a kiss on her lower stomach before crawling up her body. "I've no intention to, baby," he promised.

Ada caught a glimpse of his hard, flushed erection as his body slid over hers, realizing in her post-orgasmic haze that she was in for an even bigger treat now. She could taste herself in his mouth as they kissed, his hand slithering behind her back to seize her shoulder and hold her closer. Teasingly, he started rolling his hips, his hard clock rubbing against her slick cunt, coating himself with arousal before finally, he found his way inside her, burying his head next to hers in the pillow.

Ada whimpered as he did so, her eyes tearing up as his clock slid inside her. She had evidently grown unaccustomed to his girth and length in his absence. Sy paused immediately, his muscles tense as he looked at her with concern. “You okay?” She nodded in silence, wanting him to start moving but Sy looked unconvinced, using all his strength to keep still despite his desire to fuck her right into the mattress. Without a warning, Ada tightly wrapped her legs around his hips, making him go deeper. Sy let out a reverberating groan. “God, darlin’. I missed you.”

He started thrusting into her with such vigour, such determination it felt as if he was trying to bury himself so deep inside her, no one would ever be able to pry him away from her again. It did hurt, her cervix was getting battered with each of his hard movements but she found herself enjoying the pain because it was him; it was Sy and he was right there with her, back in her arms, and she could feel his heart beat beneath her fingertips as her hand gripped at his chest.

"Fuck, I'm... I’m," Ada gasped incoherently, her nails now scratching the skin of his back. Sy was sure there would be marks there in the morning which made him enjoy the sensation even more.

"I got you," he rasped. If possible, he pulled her even tighter to him, his pubic bone now rubbing against hers in that delicious way only he was able to do. Her slick walls were now contracting around him, her second orgasm impending. "Fuck," he groaned, his breath coming out in a stutter. "Are you...Can I...?"

Sy didn't have to word it, she knew what he meant. "Cum in me, Sy. Please," she almost begged.

Her words did it. His hips stuttered as he pushed in deep just when his orgasm washed over him, exploding inside her. His face contorted with pleasure and that sight alone had her fast tracking her fall over the figurative edge. He had his face buried on the crook of her neck, muffling his groans and moans against her skin as the dam gave way within her.

°°°

Sy grunted against his pillow, slowly waking up the following morning. He was convinced he was just rousing after a very nice dream and he was ready to toss his alarm clock across the room, furious at the object for interrupting his dream, that for once, had been a good one. With a startle, Sy realized that no blasting alarm had woken him up but the sunlight on his face. Opening his eyes, he felt almost as if on foreign ground. He was home.

As quietly as he could manage, Sy turned around in bed, seeking his wife only to find her side empty. Just at that moment, he heard cursing coming up from the kitchen and scoffed. He’d bet his life Ada was cracking eggs, something she hated.

Feeling rested and in a much more relaxed mood than the previous day, Sy got out of bed and started searching for a pair of boxer briefs so he could go join her downstairs when he caught a sniff of himself. Fuck, did he stink. How Ada hadn’t thrown him out of bed, he didn’t know.

Out of habit, Sy hurried to the en-suite bathroom, wanting to shower as fast as possible before realizing that this time around, it was different. He wasn’t going back, he didn’t have to rush, their time together wasn’t counted. With that in mind, Sy forced himself to take his time, enjoying the act of brushing his teeth in a bathroom that smelled nice and showering with warm water. Ada had purchased his usual brands of shower gel and toothpaste, he noticed, even putting a red bow around his brand-new toothbrush by the sink. Even though he initially wanted to take his time to enjoy it, Sy still ended up rushing as he dried himself with a blue fluffy towel he didn’t recognize from his previous stay. He didn’t bother putting on anything more than his boxer briefs before heading downstairs. If he was lucky, he wouldn’t keep them on for long either.

Sy walked into one of the best sights he had even seen, when he entered the kitchen. Ada was standing in front of the stove, rhythmically tapping the black spatula against her naked thigh as she focused on the eggs and bacon she was preparing. The thin negligee - or whatever she called it, he always forgot - barely covered her ass and that outfit alone was one of the reasons he never minded that she always cracked up the heat so high, he felt like he was back under the hot desert sun.

Silent and stealthy like a predator despite his stature, Sy sneaked up on her from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist, feeling her startle before relaxing once she noticed it was him. She smelled heavenly, Sy thought, resting his chin on the top of her head. "Watcha got cooking, darlin'?"

"Obviously breakfast," she sassed, making him softly pinch her ass in response. Ada squealed and jumped up. "Good morning to you too, Sy," she said but not before slapping the handle of the spatula against his thigh. He decided to let it slide... for now.

"Morning darlin'," he answered, kissing the crown of her head before darting his fingers into the pan and picking up a piece of bacon. It was sizzling hot, but the taste was worth it. He had missed being home! Speaking of being home... "What do you say we take the food and coffee upstairs and have ourselves breakfast in bed?" His tone failed to hide his true intentions.

Ada scoffed, the back of her head rubbing on his hairy chest and she shook her head. "Nice try but I actually intend to feed you. Your mother will have my head if I let you go hungry."

It was Sy's turn to laugh, his hands now roaming her body as she leaned forward to turn off the stove, pressing her ass against his crotch and eliciting a husky groan from him. "I'm hungry enough to eat both breakfast and you, don't worry."

Ada turned around, a huge grin on her angelic face. "Alright, you win. What do you say, we have breakfast, we do the kinky and then go grocery shopping?"

Sy tried hiding his smile but it was a lost cause. He loved it when she talked like that. He loved her, point. "Yes, ma'am."

[widowsofchaos]

Pretty please do #51 with Steve Rogers.

Sweet Dreams

summary: the Captain has only eyes for you.

pairing: darkish!Steve Rogers x black!reader

warnings: mention of alcohol, drunk reader, dark yet soft yandere Steve, somnophilia, vaginal intercourse. dub non-con. Requested prompt 51: “Are you trying to seduce me? Depends. Are you seducible?”

a/n: Finally writing for my fav Captain. <3 requested from this prompt list. shoutout to @punani for helping with the “isn’t this your dream, princess” line for the smut. Thanks so much, boo. <3 xoxo T

do not repost my works!

“You’re doing it again, pal.”

A gruff chuckle could be heard behind Steve - earning a grumble under his breath. The greenery that swirled in his oceanic orbs blackened, and dilated into inky madness; his thick brows peering over his muscular shoulder.

Staring, gawking -- admiring.

“I’m not doing anything, jerk.”

“Punk, please–” an airy snicker, “I know you like the back of my metal hand.” Another snicker, “Even after over seventy years, and you still can’t talk to a dame.” Bucky took a quick gulp of Asgardian ale, his upper lip sneering in satisfaction.

Fueling his mischief.

“Shut it, jerk.” A forced chuckle slipped from Steve’s pink lips, finally facing his long-time companion, grumbling at his best friend’s smug grin. Clicking his jaw tightly, not willing to admit it.

No one can read Steve like an open book like Bucky can.

No one ever.

Brotherly adoration manifested in sibling bickering, always prodding and pushing each other’s buttons.

“Go talk to her.” Bucky’s stormy baby blues searching for a familiar Nubian beauty among the obnoxious faceless crowd that’s festering within the extravagant Stark party.

In his view, he found you sitting on the couch next to Sam, adorable tipsy giggles escaping you. Friendly coziness, you were resting your head on Sam’s shoulder. Now aware why his best friend is fuming at the ears.

“I have no clue what you’re talking about.” A huff of breath escaped through Steve’s flared nostrils. Denial beating against his fractured mind like a Cherokee drum.

A smirk grew slowly on Bucky’s chiseled bearded jaw, he tsked, his eyes focusing back on Steve’s face, “Alright. Good to know.” Bucky deadpanned — with a touch of a tease, deliberately taking small sips, never wavering his eyes from Steve.

Steve’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, “I’ve been meaning to ask Y/n out anyways...” Steve snarled at Bucky. Bucky leaned over, wagging a finger in Steve’s face.

“I’m gonna dunk my dick in her–”, grinning placidly. “Jerk!” Steve roared in a raspy hush at Bucky, punching his metal arm repeatedly, rearing metal meeting Steve’s swinging knuckles.

Tears were forming in Bucky’s eyes as he belly-laughed, doubling-over in his stool— Bucky’s snorts was gaining other party goers’ attention.

Steve’s entire face was reddened – resembling a cartoonish bull fuming — quickly realizing that confused, and amused eyes were zeroed on the super soldier duo.

Nervously his dilated eyes scan over multiple faces, incoherent apologies slip from his lips, only to stumble upon you chuckling, giggles fumbling over your manicured fingertips muffled your lips.

Steve quickly tore his gaze away, his forearms crossed on the marble counter. Sulking and hiding himself against his arms; like an angry toddler.

Muffled embarrassment could be heard within Steve’s arms, his choppy groans and breaths fogging the transparent counter glass, an amused guffaw hissed through Bucky’s teeth.

Patting Steve’s sculpted shoulder blade, “Twah. Don’t worry about me, Stevie. Because tweety over there would probably beat me to the punch. Have you seen the way he gawks at her?” A sing-song jab.

Push. Shove. Goating Steve to grow a pear, hit a nerve for him to finally snap. Knowing full aware that Steve deserves an ounce of happiness – two men forced out of their time, lost possible futures due to out-of-control occurrences, but now?

Why not try to make a new future finally by their own hands? Take what they want. Bucky and Steve deserve it after everything they knew was ripped from them.

Steve’s blonde-head short up, “Don’t say that!” A raspy bark, but no bite — not for Bucky at least. A wolf ready to chomp a particular bird’s head off.

“Then ask her out!” Bucky jabbed his finger in Steve’s chest. “I’m tired of you moping around, staring at her like a sick puppy.” Bucky rolled his eyes.

“All that pining -- just get your dick wet already, Stevie.” A harsh cough caved through Steve’s throat.

“Jesus -- what’s with you tonight?” He grinned at a howling Bucky, a swell of relief but mild humiliation bubbling at the pit of his stomach.

Right before his eyes is a vision from the past, this is the closest Steve has witnessed Bucky to three sheets to the wind in a long time -- a cocky sailor-mouthed Casanova slurring flirty innuendos in a dame’s ear, promising necking behind the church, and a call back that will never occur.

Or the curious sixteen year old, who snuck miniature polaroids of stag porn; claiming it’s from his father’s stash -- gawking chuckles, and bashful gasps stifled in the silent night -- two curious boys beyond their years.

It’s refreshing. Bucky, the one last link to Steve’s past that reminds him of home. Bucky is his home -- but now, there is a beautiful being--not more than five feet away from him--who he yearns to create a garden within her heart and soul; you.

A grin slowly faltering to a genuine solemn smile, “You deserve it, Steve. You deserve her.” There he is. An emotional chameleon, faux cheeky ego veneering battle scars, years thick of abuse, and loneliness -- a molded machine guising a little boy. A flicker of vulnerability sheens in Bucky’s eyes, tittering hope of an old soul.

Steve opened his mouth to succumb to his natural instinct of denial, but Bucky cut him off, “Stop it.” A soft demand, gesturing his hand for Steve to shut it.

“How long are we going to suffer?” a swallow, “Reminiscing on what could’ve been. Imaging years after the war, getting married with kids. The all-American suburban dream.” He was getting misty-eyed.

“A pipe dream -- I’ve finally come to realize that it was never intended for us.” Bucky croaked, laughing it off as he downed more mead.

Steve sniffled, projectile vomit churning -- those aren’t his dreams anymore -- at least, not for a lost era. Those late-night thoughts ending with day-dreams buried in a tear-soaked pillow.

“I used to think if I dated Sharon -- I could regain a piece of Peggy back. Fulfill that hole in my heart.” Remorse, and disgust gurgling inside himself, “But -- I know that wasn’t right -- for either of us.” He stammered, his index finger tracing the rim of his glass.

“Peggy wasn’t the one for me. I just got attached to the first woman who saw me as myself -- she saw beyond the swarny loser.” Steve snorted, his throat constricting.

“You were never a loser.” Bucky spoke tenderly, “A loser wouldn’t have accomplished all that you did.” Bucky gripped Steve’s shoulder, a squeeze of reassurance.

He mumbled a thanks Buck with a curt smile. Steve hung his head a bit, gulping the last drops of his beverage.

Attached. What a silly word to describe the Captain’s past affection for Peggy Carter. He looks back to a time where he would’ve gotten on knee for her, and proposed.

Propose the promise of a better life together, with a bunch of rugrats running around, and saving the world.

Now? It’s a memory. The past. He’s learned to let go, accept his life for what it is -- despite having no choice in the manner. A man out of his time, adapting to the 21st century -- with its entertainments, trends, fashion, and evolved society.

Don’t even get Bucky, and himself started on food. Both men have engorged themselves on cusicines, vowing to never eat plain boiled meals again.

Steve’s genuinely thrilled that times have changed with more liberation for marginalized groups -- people being treated as humans, and exercising their rights.

But if anyone asked Steve Rogers what was the first thing he enjoyed since he got out of the ice? He would say you. Without a doubt, you have brought a light in his life -- a light he has been searching his whole life.

Your strength, poise stature, your sweet voice -- always following his orders on the battlefield, but stood your ground, a perfect dance of partners.

Your beauty is unmatched, classy, but never a prude. Sexy, intelligent -- he can go on, and on.

Steve leered over his shoulder again, his eyes focusing on you. Your head was still perched on Sam’s shoulder, Steve huffed.

How he desperately itches to snatch you off of Sam, and just cradle you all night. He sighed, rubbing his temples, “Hey Buck, I’m gonna take off.” Steve stood up, stretching his muscles, “Awh already, old man?” Bucky teases, snickering. “Goodnight, jerk.” Steve laughed, lightly punching Bucky’s shoulder.

Steve began trekking towards the elevator, passing by buzzed individuals. “Stevie.” A familiar seren voice beckoned him, followed by pitter patter. He turned a little too fast, but he didn’t care. It was you.

“Steve!” a slurred glee shrieked out of you, arms extended out to engulf the sculpted Herculan -- ensnaring him tightly around his neck, curious fingers twirling his combed angel-hair, his ears were forming red. A shiver crawled down his spine -- your touch is intoxicating. Your scent -- mouth-watering.

Quickly stilling your swaying, rubbing your face against his broad chest, “How are you?” your words muffled against the tight fabric, “I missed you.” A surprised huff left Steve, searching for Bucky, only to see his friend wiggle his eyebrows suggestively from the distance.

Ever so the gentleman, he didn’t dare lower his hands to a tantalizing region, locking his grip on your waist, “I’m okay, doll.” He chuckled, “How are you?” Sweetly shifting your body against him by the guide of one forearm on the nape of your back -- petting your curled dome, and swiping wild curls from your doe-eyes.

You hummed, squinty hooded-lids, a blissed placid smile, it's a bit goofy -- adorable nonetheless.

“S’good, Stevie.” Your head bobbled a bit, stifled giggles biting your lip. You lazily titled your head towards the elevator, then sloppily turned back to Steve.

“Where ya’ going, Stevie?” You pouted, and Steve just wanted to trace your bottom lip -- dig his thumb between your lips.

“I’m just gonna head to bed.” Steve’s babifyed his tone, “Sleepy too.” You murmured. Steve internally awed, as your head leaned back on his chest.

“C’mon, doll. Let me help you get to bed.” Steve chuckled. “Oh, how about I put you to bed, Cap--tin?” You slurred, stretching his formal title with a pause -- your eyes fluttered for a second, lazily jabbing his bicep with your finger.

Steve’s ears were dusted pink, shocked at your flirty attitude, catching onto your teasing manner. “Are you trying to seduce me?” Steve’s brazen confidence soared for a momentary lapse. A bit disappointed that most likely, you won’t recall any recollection of tonight’s event.

“Depends. Are you seducible?” You cheekily lightly smacked your lips, with a pout. Steve desperately wants to kiss that pout forever. But he restrained himself.

“Let’s go, Y/n.” He smiled sweetly. Steve lifted you more upward, guiding your feet so you won’t fall on your face.

Walking into the elevator Steve pressed your numbered button, his eyes caught Bucky, who wiggled his eyebrows, mouthing hushed words just for Steve’s advanced hearing, “That’s my boy.” Steve rolled his eyes playfully.

-

During the journey in the elevator, you fell out like a light. Steve carefully hoisted your limp body in bridal style. Steve gazed at you happily, the slope of your nose, your spidery lashes, ruffled curls -- how your breasts heaved under your purple sun-dress.

The ding of the elevator alerting Steve that you both are on your floor, interrupting Steve’s haze, he grumbled a bit but he began walking out towards your room.

Steve gracefully walked to your room, not even paying attention to his steps, focusing on your peaceful sleepy face. The path to your room is already memorized.

“FRIDAY, open Y/n’s door.” Steve pecked a lingering kiss on your forehead, “Of course, Captain Rogers.” The lock of your bedroom clicked open. Steve made himself home, a natural occurrence of him.

Strides towards your bed, gingerly placing you on the bed. Steve gulped, his fists straining at his side; his eyes stared up at the ceiling, counting to five.

Reprimanding himself; reminding himself that he should leave you be. Just like the times before.

But one look at you, and he’s a goner. He has to just touch you — oh God, please.

Shaky palms reach for the hem of your dress, grazing your skin as he perched the fabric upward. Savoring the smoothness against his fingertips.

Toned curves and planes of soft-scented, smooth sepia flesh; his heartbeat drumming out in a rapid rhythm, serene sleepy smile rests on your face. Pouty heart-shaped lips -- Steve’s cock twitch at the mere idea of slipping his veiny dick in your warm mouth, your slurping tongue gagging on his swollen balls.

But not yet. The scenery isn’t fitting -- next time.

Gingerly kneeling on your carpeted floor, Steve delicately seized one of your ankles, pinched tips toying with the leather straps; leisurely unclipping the sandals, he licked his bottom lip.

A wolf playing with its food, favoring the image of an anxious boy unwrapping his prize.

As his nimble fingers unlatched the straps off, steadily he tugged the sandal off, silently placing the shoe on the floor -- he repeated the exact action with the other foot.

Steve internally awed at your dainty feet, a small whine restrained by a tight-lip smirk. Hiking his clutch on your ankle, peppering modest kisses on the tips of your toes.

He couldn’t help but to worship you.

Hosting himself upward, tenderly repositioning your leg against the mattress.

Limbs spread eagle, your forearms perched above your dome like a mid-froze ballerina, the hem of your dress hiked up -- bundled, and wrinkled -- to your navel, exposing your lace thong.

A shuddering groan crawled up his throat,swallowing thickly, calloused fingers skate past the terrain of ankles to legs -- thumbs rubbing, savoring -- to waist, kneading slightly but only to flinch away.

Scared to break you, as if he’s too broken to handle your beauty properly. Steve grew the confidence within him, and quietly began removing your dress off your body.

His fingers sneak underneath the cotton dress, slipping it up towards your chin; clutching one arm to maneuver the short-end sleeve off.

A small groan vibrated in your throat, but you remained in a drunk slumber. Steve’s breath hitched, fearful for you to awaken with him hovering over you. To scare you off -- he just wants a taste.

To feel what’s his.

Presented before Steve was your bare essence; and he just wants to fall to your feet. All his sketches of your sleeping form doesn’t do justice, being able to view the entire masterpiece beyond hidden sketches.

“You’re so beautiful, doll.” He murmured, his lips foraging your chavlices.

You sleepily mumbled, a lazy smile curling just a bit. A lingering kiss on your hairline, Steve lowly hummed happily. Your bare breasts heave with your calm breathing, Steve littered your sheen skin with small kisses, a few kitten licks on your nipples -- the tip of his tongue swirling on the erected nubs.

Little whimpers, and moans swelled Steve’s cock. “My sweet little doll is so responsive … so sensitive.” Steve cooed. With much silent vigor, Steve unbuckled his pants, fumbling the fabric below his ass; just enough space to release his weeping cock.

His fingers hook your flimsy lace, tugging it by the side -- salivating at the mouth at your glistening mound. His thick fingers wrap around his cock, love taps by his swollen tip against your clit. You softly mewled in your sleep, a cute whine. Involuntarily your hips shifted, your body yearning for contact.

Steve tsked playfully at your impatience, “Even in your sleep, you need me.” Steadily Steve inserted himself inside your soft velvety walls, biting down on his lip to prevent a lew groan. He shivered internally, you feel heavenly.

Steve languidly thrusts, his fists crumpling your sheets underneath you. Slowly leaning half of his weight onto you, his light pants fanning on your face. Steve indents his elbow that was sunk just a bit in the mattress, trapping your head between himself.

“Isn’t this your dream, princess? Isn’t this what you’ve desperately wanted all this time?” Steve whispered in your ears, “Flirting with your Captain, naughty girl.” His fingers caressing your arms, soothing you back to a fluid state of sleep, a small loose smile adorning your face.

Licks his teeth, as he gently pushes his girth inside of you. Mumbled whines alert him, he shushes you, pecking little kisses on your cheeks while maintaining an agile insertion. Trembling slightly at the heavenly touch that is you, Steve hissed under his breath.

He preens as he finally is at a full brim. His pelvis against your vee, fully satiated between your thighs.

His heart pounding, snapping his hips slightly, your body jolts a bit underneath him. Steve’s chest tightens, as he pounds into you, the squelching wetness coating his cock.

His limbs twitches, struggling not to groan, or growl in pleasure. Steve’s head glides down to meet your heaving breasts, suckling onto the nipple.

Blinded by lust, he suckles, imagining it’s full of milk, a muffled grunt leaves him as he pictures you swollen with his child -- another on your hip. He rolls his hips, losing his control as the mellow pacing turns faster, more needy.

One day — one day, there will be a ring on your finger; and a litter of your own together. The Rogers — Mrs. Y/n Rogers; oh this is just beginning.

Eyes screwed shut, he keens to feel your rapid breathing spike, tremors shudder throughout your body. His golden hair is sweat slick against his forehead, a little pop from as he detaches himself.

Flickering the tip of his tongue against the nipple. Steve changes the angle of his cock, you jerk in your stupor, high-arch keen off the bed.

“That’s the sweet spot.” He hummed to himself. His voice scraped in a hush, “I can feel you tightening on me, doll.” It’s like a vice on his cock, blurry visions you dream -- his veiny cock pounding into you with no mercy.

“Steve …” You murmur, Steve leans more into you, a goofy grin of joy stretches on his face. “My sweet doll is dreaming of me. You can feel me.” Steve’s is over-joyed, his heart flutters, butterflies are rapid in his belly. You’re thinking of him. Pressing his chest against your breasts, “I’m going to cum, doll.”

Sneaky fingers snake itself between you both, rubbing your clit in circles, a breathy gasp escapes you.

“I love you.” Steve whimpers, painting your walls white -- not daring to let any ounce of cum escape. Biting his lips till it draws blood, preventing any roar.

His nose scrunches up, his muscles tighten. You exhaled, you slick dripping down Steve’s pants.

He kisses your lips gingerly, “Sweet dreams, doll.”

[fuzzy-melonlord]

From the whereexomeetsfandom otp ask meme, 1-7, 12-16, 24-29, 34-37, and 40-50 for water hyacinth

huxley might be invasive to gemmas heart but this ship is invasive to mine - asher

askdfhklasfdj i love these two so much, thank you for sending theeese! and ngl writing these made me love these two even more oh my gods.

also for people who don't know Water Hyacinth is a ship between Huxley and my water elemental OC Gemma.

Under a cut cause it's long af

1. Who wakes up first? - Huxley. He's used to getting up in the mornings for early practice and from when he lived at home with his moms. He'll do his best to not wake up Gemma, and ends up making breakfast too.

2. Who wants to stay in bed just a little longer? - Gemma. She has trouble waking up and so she's very grumpy in the mornings and always wants to go back to sleep. Hux thinks it's adorable. Unless he is having to make sure they wake up for their OWN team's practice.

3. Who takes longer getting ready? - Neither honestly take too long. Gemma probably only takes longer because it sometimes takes a bit to brush out her hair since it's so long and is pretty thick. Hux loves helping her brush her hair.

4. When they can't sleep, what do they do? - Gemma just...won't sleep. If she can't sleep she just stay us all night. If she doesn't come to bed though he will wake up and try and help her. When Hux can't sleep, he usually tries to tire himself out. He might go take a lap outside or something else <.<

5. Who falls asleep while watching a movie? - Gemma, she isn't a big movie person. she likes them but something about the ambiance and stuff just makes her sleepy.

6. Who falls asleep last, watching the other with a small affectionate smile? - Gemma, she would never admit to Huxley that she does this. but it's one of the few times she can watch him without getting flustered by something he does. Huxley also won't ever mention that he knows she does this.

7. Who comes up with the cheesy pick-up lines? - Huxley. he doesn't start this until after they start dating. but he does it to make Gemma laugh, and it's so far never failed.

12. Who does the hand-over-the-eyes "guess who" thing? - you can not look me in the eyes and say that Huxley doesn't do that. That this big sweetheart wouldn't see his partner across the way and go to surprise them by putting his hands over her eyes all playfully.

13. Who points out a dog when they see one? - Gemma, because she know Huxley loves dogs and she's just a bit more observant at times. So if she sees one she points it out to him.

14. Who's prone to road rage? - Also Gemma. that girl has a temper. she has been in fact mistaken for a fire elemental because of it.

15. Who's prone to wearing socks indoors (or to sleep)? Huxley. His feet get cold easily so he keeps his sock on when he sleeps so he doesn't accidentally touch Gemma with his super cold feet.

16. Who reminds the other to put on sunscreen before going to the beach or pool? - Huxley! Gemma is stubborn and doesn't think she needs the sunscreen but Hux will ask her super nice to do it, bribe her with a kiss and then she'll let him help her put on the sunscreen.

24. Who's the better cook? - They're both pretty even with their cooking skills. Hux is just a little better. His mom's taught him a lot of recipes before he left for Dahlia.

25. Who mistakes salt for sugar? - Gemma, her clumsy nature isn't just limited to hurting herself, but also things like this. Which is why she labels...everything.

26. Who puts the fork in the microwave? - Gemma again, she just...forgets sometimes and she always catching what she's done before anything goes wrong but it's still a good moment of panic.

27. Who cooks at 2 in the morning? - Once again, Gemma. remember what i said about her just...not sleeping sometimes. Well sometimes she'll back. It's that rugrats meme where stu is making pudding.

28. Who lets the microwave play the loud beeping sound at 1am? - honestly, neither of them. they're both super conscious about trying not to wake the other up if it's late.

29. Who licks the spoon when they're baking brownies? - Huxley. Gemma makes sure to save it for him because she thinks it's really cute that he finds such joy in something so simple.

34. Do they go on dates? What are they like? - It's not often but they do but they'll go see their favorite sports teams together. They both get really excited about the events, and Hux loves getting to see Gemma just let loose while watching.

35. What do they smell when they smell amortentia? - Gemma smells freshly ground dirt, hyacinth flowers, and Huxley's cologne. While Huxley smells petrichor the smell after rain, Peppermint tea, and the laundry detergent Gemma buys.

36. Which one is the secret snuggler? - It has to be Gemma because Huxley is not secretive about his snuggling.

37. Which one offers their jacket to the other when they complain they feel cold? - Even if Gemma DOES offer her Jacket, it wouldn't be big enough for Hux. BUT she started carrying an extra jacket for him in her bag just incase. she pretends it's just one she bought that was too big for her and she just keeps forgetting to return it. But Hux knows better.

40. Who is the most affectionate? - OUR BOI HUXLEY! He is so affectionate, he loves holding Gemma just all hours of the day. He's like a koala almost when they're at home. Which is a hilarious thought considering their height difference (i hc him at like 6'3. where she is 4'9")

41. Who is the big spoon/little spoon? - So most of the time, Hux is the big spoon just like you would expect. But on those days where he is overwhelmed or he just feels blue. Gemma will take over, holding him and he always makes sure to tell her how much he loves when they switch roles. Gemma does it more often after that.

42. What is their favorite feature of their partner? - Gemma loves his nose. She thinks it's silly but she just likes running a finger down the bridge of his nose and watching it scrunch up. She of course, only does this when he is asleep because it would be way to embarrassing otherwise. Huxley loved Gemma's smile. it's not often he gets to see if but everytime he does it just brightens his whole day.

43. What is the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for the other? - Well to begin with Gemma legit starts AVOIDING Hux because she stops knowing how to act around him without getting flustered. Huxley on the other hand just...wants to spend time with her when he realizes he loves her and he honestly doesn't care if she loves him back or not. He just likes being around her.

44. What are their nicknames for each other? (today you guys get to find out how bad i am with nicknames)

Hux - Gem, Dude, bro, babe, precious

Gemma - Hux, Dork, big lug, my rock, my home.

45. Who worries the most? Over what? - Gemma, and about everything. She is a very anxious person. it's the biggest reason why she is a Tsundere because her anxiety makes her very bad at dealing with people and her own emotions.

46. Who initiates kisses? - 100% Huxley, all day every day. but he only does it Gemma says it's okay. he wants her to be comfortable in their relationship and surprising her with kisses might make her anxious. There are quite a few times where Gemma will want to kiss him but be too nervous to do so and he can just kinda...tell, so he'll be all soft and ask if he can kiss her and she'll just nod. and aafhlksef i love them.

47. Who says I love you first? How did it happen? - OKAY So imma write this out as a full fic eventually BUT it was Gemma. and she did it on complete accident. It was when she started avoiding Hux cause she realized she liked him and didn't know how to deal with it. So it's been a few weeks and eventually he confronts her, trying to figure out if he did something wrong and that's why she's avoiding him. one thing leads to another, she gets frustrated cause she knows he is hurting and she hates that she's the one who hurt him and eventually she just yells that she loves him. i wont say anymore cause i really wanna write this scenario so i dont wanna give too much away.

48. Who tells their friends/family about their relationship first? - you KNOW Huxley told his mom's that fuckin night. He called them all happy and updated them because he obviously had told them he had feelings for someone.

49. What do they do when they're away from each other? - Well Huxley sends memes that he knows will make Gemma laugh. and Gemma will regularly message him, talking about seemingly nothing but she's really just checking that he's okay

50. Who gets overwhelmed by small acts of kindness? - Gemma, she's still getting used to having people that she hangs out with besides Xavier. so sometimes it's just a little much for her and she has to step back. Hux knows to let her have some time to herself when this happens. but he always worries.

[samwrights]

Baby Fever

I’ve said it once, I’ll say it 600 times. I need Hanamaki Takahiro to put a baby in me. Y’all are going to be so tired of me after this one. Fluff and slight NSFW. @dreamyjaems not totally daddy related, but pretty darn close ;)

Hanamaki;

The first time he notices it is when you’re both out with another pair of couple friends.

They’d been married for six years, while the two of you were entering three years together, and they’d just had their first baby less than a year ago.

Despite never mentioning a future desire for them, Makki watched the way you interacted with that little girl and he knew straight away.

Haha, I’m in danger.

The way your eyes soften when you hold her or the way you’ve created a new, soft persona that only spoke in high pitched gibberish

The way you were constantly buying the baby’s clothes for no reason. At all.

It becomes more apparent when the two of you are out shopping and you somehow end up in the kids clothing section.

Baby vans is where Makki draws the line. Do y’all know expensive baby vans are? I’d draw the line too.

“Sweetie...sweetheart...love of my life...” Makki has a grin on his face, his eyes aren’t open, and he’s holding your guys’ statement for your joint bank account. “Mind telling me why the fuck you spent $138 at the vans store when you didn’t buy any new vans?”

“How do you know that I didn’t?”

“Because you would have shown me them.” His grin drops into an entirely unamused look. “What did you do?”

Sighing in defeat, you walked over to a nearby shoe closet, pulling out three boxes of baby vans in varying colors and sizes. “They were just so cute 🥺”

Makki takes a seat beside you on the couch, hunching over his knees while covering his face with one hand. “I wish you’d just talk to me about this first before you went splurging on a kid we don’t even have yet.”

Yet?? Y E T??

“I was under the impression you didn’t want any.” And that wasn’t necessarily wrong, per se. The two of you were still young, trying to work through college debt, and weren’t as stable as you could be. But Makki was in this for the long haul, and he would be lying if he said he didn’t want you to be the mother of his future children.

“I mean I’m not opposed to the idea of trying.”

“...wanna start trying right now?”

“You son of a bitch, I’m in.”

Iwaizumi;

Iwaizumi was going to tear his hair out if he heard you coo at a baby one more time.

At first, it was fine. Yeah, the baby you spotted while the two of you were in line at Starbucks was cute. Even cuter when the baby waved to you, he wasn’t denying that.

But nearly every chance you got when the two of you were out in public, you’d smack him on the arm when you’d see a baby.

Legit, it was like you had a fucking radar on you.

“Haji, Haji, look! Look at how cute the wittle baby is!”

It was endearing, really, because he’d see the pout form on your lips as you tried to catch the infants attention. But again, that damned radar you had was driving him wild because it seemed to happen everywhere you went.

If there were toddler siblings or, heaven forbid, twins, you absolutely lost your shit. You fawning over one was bad enough but two? Or more? Good god.

Iwaizumi has banished all walks to the park. Walking your dog together? He made a new route away from the nearest children gathering place.

He couldn’t even bring you to McDonald’s anymore because you’d just stare at the fucking play place.

“D-do you really just not want kids, Hajime?” You’d asked him one time after seeing how red he turned with near anger? Maybe anger wasn’t the right word.

“That’s not it...”

???

He groans out of embarrassment cause he really doesn’t wanna admit this out loud. “Every time you talk about kids, I literally just wanna go home and fuck a baby into you.”

“Okay, so what the fuck are we waiting for?”

“College graduation???” Damn him and his logical rationalizations.

“We’re almost done with school—if we start now we’ll have already graduated before the baby’s even born.”

“You’re gonna be the death of me.”

Oikawa;

Oikawa actually entertains your baby fever—which is no help at all.

I see him totally being the dude that indulges watching 16&Pregnant, Teen Mom, etc. with you.

Half the time, you guys make bets over which couple’s going to break up, who loses custody of their child, so on and so forth.

But one thing remains consistent with the two of you—who the cutest babies are.

A constant topic of conversation between the two of you during these times is how idiotic some of the parents were. Have y’all ever seen Unexpected? Diego was the worst, and both of you had a unanimous opinion on that.

Unfortunately for you, these shows really start piquing your curiosity as to how yours and Oikawa’s little one would actually be.

And how the two of you would be as parents. It does upset you a little bit, considering he’s heavily focused on his pro career.

Oikawa notices the lack of desire to watch any of the aforementioned shows, despite that being a typical Friday night thing for the two of you. Friday night (baby) Fever.

“Alright, what’s wrong, love?”

“Nothing? I just feel like we should do something else.”

“Uh, no. I know you’re dying to see what the hell Max was doing while Chloe was giving birth.” 💀💀💀 he’s not wrong.

You gnaw on your lip while you make dinner—as per usual for your Friday nights. You always made something that required a bit more love while Tooru kept you up to date with his career.

“Do you think we would be better parents?”

“Duh,” he responds without skipping a beat. “both of us know how to make a bottle and change diapers.” He adds, referencing to the multitude of times you’d babysat friends’ kids or his newly born niece.

“Tooru, I’m serious.” A dry yet light laugh leaves his lips before he’s standing behind you, wrapping his arms just under your breasts and resting his chin on your head.

“I am too. I’ve just been waiting for you to give me permission.”

Oya? Wait, shit wrong person sorry

Needless to say, y’all don’t need to watch anymore pregnancy shows after this—too occupied with your own journey into parenthood.

Matsukawa;

Oh Mattsun, my clueless bunny.

He probably wouldn’t even notice, tbh, that you literally are in near tears when you see a cute baby.

Cause I imagine his s/o would be one that cries over all the cute things. Puppies? Cry. Kittens? Cry. Otter pups? Double cry.

But he seems to be missing the key theme here—b a b i e s, Issei.

He kinda dense.

You’ve always been good with kids without really trying, he learned, when you started watching your best friend’s five year old son once a week.

The little bean was your best friend, besides his mom and Issei of course. Every Thursday, you got up early so you could welcome the boy, make him breakfast, and hang out with him all day.

At first, it did funny things to Mattsun to see the way you’d glow while making slime or watching your favorite kid’s movies with him.

He learned quickly you could quote the entirety of Hercules and Mulan, and often acted out the singing parts with great theatrics.

When your best friend would come for her son, you’d get a little sad, enough for Mattsun to notice. He’s not that dense.

But dense enough not to notice the way you longingly stare at mothers holding the hands of their toddlers or carrying their babies while the two of you are out grocery shopping.

You’ve never wanted anything more than to have a kid with Issei. Even if he is kinda 💀💀

He’s so good to you, and it kinda hurts your heart the way he brushes off hanging out with you and the kiddo. Like he doesn’t want children period.

So, like any other healthy relationship, you actually decide to sit down and have a talk with him about this. Low key, it kinda scared him cause he thought you were about to dump him. “Do you see yourself having kids in the future?”

“Babe, I physically cannot.”

“I fucking hate you, Issei. I’m being serious.” Despite your words, you try not to laugh. You failed.

“What brought this on?”

“You just never seem to want to hang out with me and the rugrat when he’s over.”

“Not gonna lie, it’s just really hot watching you play mom.”

“You know, I don’t have to play mom.”

“Bedroom. Now.”

[cakelanguage]

A very self-indulgent fluffy piece for RiVer. I just want these two to have a happy ending so I’m giving it to them! I hope you like this :)

You can also read this on AO3

--

It wasn’t even noon when V got a ping on her Agent from River. A small smile graced her face despite being in the middle of taking out another gonk for Wakako. The gig wasn’t hard - a simple in-and-out retrieval of some intel that’d fallen into the wrong hands, but even simple jobs sometimes involved taken out a guy or two. This one was harmless, not even worth the street cred it might get her for taking him out so she simply knocked him out and stuffed him in one of the bins conveniently posted outside the room.

Really it was like they were asking for people to just dump bodies in them. Actually, that was probably exactly what they wanted to happen. Fewer cleanups for the police to have to deal with and all.

Pocketing the shard that’d been on the desk, she pulled up River’s text.

Hey babe, you busy?

She grinned and quickly sent a negative to him. She barely found time to hang out with River, what with all the Arasaka and Johnny bullshit she’d been dealing with the past few months. Now that she wasn’t in imminent death from the Relic she honestly just wanted to spend some time with her boyfriend. Fuck if she wasn’t going to take advantage of River and her not being busy.

You available to call?

For you? Always. xoxo

She could almost hear Johnny groaning at her being mushy. She felt a pang of loss as she thought about the rockerboy and placed a kiss on her fist before she raised it to the sky. She hoped Johnny was out there somewhere giving the corpos hell from the deepest levels of cyberspace.

The call popped up and she quickly answered as she walked toward the drop-off point.

“Hey River,” V chirped, quickly taking in his appearance in the little window in the upper corner of her vision.

“V, hey yourself,” River said, a lop-sided grin settling easily on his face. “How’ve you been?”

She hummed noncommittally. “Can’t complain too much, definitely been missing morning cuddles though.” And perfect cups of coffee. And the polarity of temperatures between River’s cybernetic hand and the warmth of his skin. And kisses.

She felt needy, missing him so much and all the little things he did. But maybe needy wasn't so bad.

“I’ve missed them too.”

“Think we can change that then?”

“Yeah, case is closed and I’ll be back by this evening.”

If V could’ve purred with delight she would have. “Mm, I’m a lucky girl.”

River laughed, shaking his head. “I’m the lucky one.”

Warmth flooded her cheeks and she didn’t even try to hide her pleased grin. “As much as I’d love to just talk about how lucky we are to have each other, something tells me this isn’t strictly a pleasure call.”

Her boyfriend gave her an abashed smile. “You caught me,” he admitted.

She laughed. “Well go on, let’s hear it,” V teased. “What do you need? A contact? A lead? Someone, to do some super sleuthing?”

“No, no, nothing like that, it’s uh- it’s actually kind of a favor for me and Joss.”

Since she’d met River she’d steadily been getting closer and closer with Joss. It was nice to have another girlfriend, though with Judy and Panam, not to mention Misty and Rogue (if she could count Rogue), she wasn’t exactly lacking in them.

But Joss was different. She was a single mom who busted her ass to provide for her family. It reminded her starkly of her older sister back when the Bakkers were still around. And though Joss sometimes brought up painful memories for her, she loved the woman.

“I don’t mind helping you two out,” V reassured, finally dropping off the shard. She’d get the eddies within the next half hour and if need be she could split her earnings to give to the family. “Anything you need, I’m your girl.”

A husky chuckle echoes over the coms. "Anything, huh?"

"I helped take down one of the leading corpos in the world with an engram of a rockstar slowly taking over my brain - I'm open to just about anything at this point."

"Fair enough." River let out a breath of air. "Joss asked me if I'd meet her this afternoon at Heywood General Hospital to pick up Randy."

V's eyes widened. "He's been cleared for release?" She hadn't thought Randy would be released for another few weeks. It'd been touch-and-go at the beginning and although he'd come a long way since the farm, he still had plenty of recovering to do.

"Yeah, I was shocked too, but I've been visiting him and he's doing a lot better than he was."

Anything would've been better than the drug-induced catatonia that he'd been in when River and V had found him in that barn. She was still haunted by the half-lidded eyes and slack jaw that had been behind that plastic mask. "That's great," her shoulders relaxed from their previous position, "I'm glad he's doing better."

"Me too, and Joss is happy she gets to bring him home."

"He gonna be in his trailer again?"

River made a noncommittal noise. "That's up to him really. We don't know how he'll feel about being alone now but we've decided to let Randy feel his way through this one."

Made the most sense to V. "Alright so you and Joss are going to pick up Randy and you want me too…?" V asked, shifting their conversation back to the favor River and Joss wanted.

"Oh uh right yeah," River scratched the back of his neck. V wanted nothing more than to ease the man's nerves about whatever he was going to ask. "Since Joss and I are going to be getting Randy, we need someone to watch Dorian and Monique." He didn't pause to let her get a word in edgewise. "Usually one of the neighbors can watch them but most of them are busy and then I might've suggested that we could ask you." He scratched at his cheek and shifted his gaze to the side. "You can say of course, but I figured-"

"Babysitting the little rugrats?" V asked with a grin, interrupting her boyfriend's spiel. "You trust me to watch 'em?"

"V," River had that tone to his voice that was part scolding and part fond, "you're their 'Auntie V,' they'll be cheering when they find out you're watching them."

"I don't know, you did joke that I was the one who needed a babysitter."

He snorted and raised a meaningful brow. "And sometimes you do, but I have total faith in you on this. As does Joss."

"Well I guess I can trust Joss' judgment," V teased. "I can be there in twenty."

River's shoulders sagged at her acceptance. "Thanks, babe."

That mushy feeling returned with vengeance and V was sure she had some stupid look on her face. “Want me to make something for dinner?”

Her boyfriend whistled. “Got myself a lady who can kick ass and offer to make dinner.”

“Riv, come on,” she rolled her eyes trying to appear stern, “Dinner a yes or no?”

“Dinner would be great, to be honest. Joss and I were planning on picking something up on the way home.”

That wouldn’t do at all.

“Uh-uh, nope, no way am I letting Randy’s first meal out of the hospital to be some fast food soy protein that’s no much better than the shit you can get with a kibble card.”

“Hey, I’ve seen you eat that crap before,” River argued, though he looked more amused than anything.

“Details, details,” V waved a dismissive hand, “Randy have any food restrictions or favorite foods?”

Food had been a big part of V’s life growing up with the Bakker’s. Food didn’t just mean fueling the body, but feeding the soul. Her mother had once told her that a good meal could heal the body just as well as medicine. Looking back, V knew her mother had been exaggerating but she’d taken the statement to heart because a good meal showed someone you cared for their wellbeing.

Her boyfriend pondered her question as she pinged Jackie’s bike to meet her so she could leave.

“Well, he liked my jambalaya when I snuck some in for him to try last week.”

“Hot or mild?”

“Believe it or not, spicy.” His smile took on a bittersweet edge. “Told me it was the first thing he’d been able to taste since everything went down.”

“Then it’s good he got to taste something delicious,” V said.

River’s smile lost that edge and regained the softness he only showed when he was talking about his family or V herself. “Feel free to keep stroking my ego.”

V shook her head with a snort. “Maybe later,” she offered while mentally going through the repertoire of recipes she still remembered. Something spicy, strong flavors that the whole family would like. “Think he’d eat gumbo?”

“Gumbo?”

“Yeah, learned to make it back when my family was still together...”

She remembered the crowded prep stations, her underfoot as she helped as much as she could under her mother and sister’s tutelage. She remembered her uncle sneaking bits from the cutting boards and popping them in his mouth, sending her a wink and an exaggerated shushing motion to not say anything.

River didn’t interrupt her musing, instead, he waited patiently as she sorted her thoughts. He understood that if he interrupted V she wouldn’t finish talking about her past.

“Mealtime was one of the few times we all tried to be together and pause from our other duties,” V explained. “We made all kinds of stuff depending on who was in charge of dinner, but I know gumbo was my favorite and it’s similar to jambalaya.”

“A family recipe and your favorite, huh?” River commented, “I look forward to trying it.”

It didn’t matter that V hadn’t made gumbo in two years. She wanted to do something for her new family. "It’ll probably take me a little longer to get home since I’ll stop and get them on the way.” She revved the engine and patted the side of the bike. “See you, River, tell Randy we'll be waiting for him at home."

The silence stretched over the line and V had to make sure her Agent hadn't malfunctioned and dropped the call. But River was still connected, just stared at her with this shocked look. "You okay?" V asked.

Her question shook River from his stupor and he gave her a besotted look. "Yeah I'm fine," he reassured, "see you at home after Joss and I pick up Randy."

"Preem."

She snagged the veggies from an Aldaecado who sold some of their crops at the Sunset Motel and picked up some synthetic meat that didn’t look too bad and set course for the trailer park. The ride was as peaceful as ever and V cranked Jackie's bike to the max speed down the straightaways, shaving off five minutes from her ride. The Badlands were some of the best places to go full-throttle without having to worry about a bunch of traffic.

Joss stood on the porch while Monique and Dorian listened to whatever she told them, playfully jostling each other as much as they could get away with. As soon as they spotted V though, they dashed towards her with the exuberance that was only ever found in children. V knelt down with a laugh and opened her arms in invitation.

"Auntie V!" Monique cheered, reaching her first and throwing herself into V's waiting arms, scooping the little girl up into a full-body embrace.

V had quickly discovered how much the two kids liked their hugs and who was V to deny them that?

Dorian quickly followed, wrapping his arms around her legs. "Mom told us you're gonna watch us while she and Uncle River bring Randy home," Dorian said. "Which means we can play together again!"

V laughed and shifted Monique to her hip so she could ruffle Dorian's hair. "Only if you're willing to take this rookie under your wings," V said.

The two giggled and reassured her that they'd show her the ropes, both puffing up with pride.

She managed to slowly walk towards Joss with the two limpets clinging to her laughing and cheering. She saw the poorly hidden laughter that Joss was trying to cover up as just a smile. V was glad she could make the crow’s feet on the women's face crinkle instead of deepening the worry lines that were far too prominent on her friend's face.

“Hey Joss,” V greeted, shifting Monique enough so that she could pull Joss into an awkward one-armed hug.

“Hey, V,” Joss replied, pulling out of the hug. “Thank you so much for being willing to watch the kids.”

“Willing? I’m more than happy to watch them, you know that.”

V and the kids got along like a house fire and she cherished all the little games they’d play together. It gave V an excuse to check-out of adult stuff and focus on entertaining River’s niece and nephew. It had done wonders for her mental health.

Joss smiled and reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind Monique’s ear. “Still, I know it’s last minute. Neither River nor I were expecting them to give Randy the okay to leave the hospital.”

“And Randy’s probably been chomping at the bit to leave that place, right?”

The woman scoffed, shaking her head. “If he could’ve, I’m sure he would’ve broken out of there after the first five days.”

“A boy after my own heart.”

Despite going to a number of ripperdocs, regular hospitals, and trauma centers left her nervous and itching to leave ASAP. River practically had to drag her to the hospital just to get a full brain scan after the Relic incident.

Joss rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “We shouldn’t be more than a few hours at most. Pretty sure it’ll mostly be paperwork and finding out any home care we need to know about for Randy’s recovery.”

As usual, Joss was fairly matter-of-fact about the whole thing but she couldn’t hide her worry. V figured she’d be just as worried if her baby had gone through what Randy had. It didn’t help that her relationship with her son had been strained before and no matter how much they’d talked since the incident there was still the unknown of how their relationship would go once he was home again.

“He’ll be excited to see you,” V said, setting down the girl in her arms.

Monique tugged at Dorian’s shirt and the two were off chasing after each other.

Joss remained silent but her shoulders relaxed some. Finally, she seemed to shake herself out of her thoughts. “If the kids get hungry-”

“Feed ‘em something that won’t give them a sugar rush,” V dutifully replied. “I know, Joss don’t worry, I can handle these two just fine.”

Joss sighed. “I know you can, but a mother can’t help but worry,” she managed to give V a sly smile. “You’ll understand when you and River have a kid.”

V made a choking noise as her face flushed. “J-Joss, we-we haven’t even talked about marriage yet.”

“Hop to it, V,” Joss joked with a clap. “Need you to make an honest man out of my gonk of a brother and I want to be an aunt at some point in the near future.”

It was a nice thought, getting married and starting a family with River. It sounded terribly domestic and kind of wonderful if she was being honest.

But her and River could talk about that later.

Much later.

“Go on, get going,” V shooed, “Randy’s waiting.”

“Alright, alright, we can talk about giving me nieces and nephews later,” Joss relented. ‘If you want to get takeout, I have a few menus in the kitchen with Dorian and Monique’s favorites circled.”

“Actually I was gonna make gumbo,” Seeing Joss’ surprise she continued. “It’s a family recipe and I haven’t made it in a while but River said that Randy liked his jambalaya so I figured he’d probably like gumbo too since it also has a strong flavor. But uh if they won’t like it-”

“V,” Joss interrupted with a grin.

“Hm?”

“I really hope River does marry you.”

V blushed and returned her grin. “Yeah me too.”

She’d managed to make the roux for the gumbo while Monique and Dorian were playing tag and now she just had to let the gumbo simmer which meant she was completely free to play. The two were more than ready for her to join them, bouncing around her as she quickly donned the AR set.

The blue tint to ‘Trouble in Heywood’ flooded her vision and she took in the kids’ game personas: Captain Joan McClane and Lieutenant Henry Callahan. It still made her laugh when she saw them, the two rough officers that looked like they were ex-Militech before joining the force. It didn’t help that the backstories they’d given them were so serious.

“Didn’t know if you’d come back, rookie,” Captain Joan, Monique said, her arms crossed and her face stern behind her shades. “Thought what you’d seen when we took down El Chamuco Endiablado was still clinging onto ya’.”

Lieutenant Henry Callahan, Dorian scoffed. “Nah, the two rookies we worked with for the takedown were good, and that’s coming from me,” he argued.

“Sounds like we might’ve grown on you two lone wolves, huh?” V teased, cocking her hip as she checked her gun.

“Don’t get cute with me, rookie,” Captain Joan said.

V raised her hands. “Fine, fine,” she bounced her eyes back and forth between the two. “What’s the situation today?”

“With El Chamuco Endiablado gone, we created a power vacuum and the force is flaggin’ under the pushback,” Captain Joan explained.

“Which is why they’ve called us in,” Lieutenant Henry added, “Regular force just won’t cut it, gotta call in the best of the precinct to take these goons down.”

“We called you in for backup, rookie. All you gotta do is keep up and watch our backs, we can handle the rest.”

“No doubt about that,” V said, “But y’know, I gotta make it home to my partner, promised him I’d make it back.”

“The other rookie?” Lieutenant Henry asked.

“The one and only.”

Captain Joan shook her head and cocked her gun. “Battlefield’s no place for emotion, rookie,” she advised. “We need to dedicate ourselves to taking this filth out.”

V nodded her head and squared her shoulders. “Yes, ma’am,” she saluted, “Are we ready to start?”

Lieutenant Henry gave her a wild grin. “Those bad guys can’t escape justice.”

They ended up playing three different rounds of ‘Trouble in Heywood,’ each round further expanding the narrative. In the last game, Lieutenant Henry had gone rogue to zero José Luis, a Valentino who’d gotten away with murder because the NCPD “didn’t have enough evidence to convict him.” According to Captain Joan, Lieutenant Henry had been harboring secret feelings for the murder victim and he was out for blood.

Honestly, V wasn’t sure where the kids pulled these plots from, but they were endlessly entertaining.

She looked up from the pot she was stirring and made sure the kids were still sitting at the table she'd sat them at with a snack. It didn't look good to her, but Monique and Dorian cheered at the sight of it so at least they liked it.

She tapped her spoon against the rim of her pot and set it to the side. "What do you two wanna do now?" V asked, taking a seat beside Dorian.

"Mom usually makes us practice our reading and math," Dorian grumbled, his eyebrows scrunching together. "We aren't even going to school yet, it's like lightyears away."

"Lightyears, huh?" V mused, propping her chin against her hand. "That's a pretty long time."

"I know!" Dorian threw his hands up. "She says she wants us to be ready and stuff but it's so boring."

"The worst," Monique agreed. "But maybe since Mom isn't here…" She trailed off and gave her puppy dog eyes.

Yeah, that wasn't going to work on her. "Oh no-"

"Please, V?" Dorian begged.

Then it became a cacophony of pleading words and promises to work harder tomorrow. Taking them on one-at-a-time, but both of them at once? Not even worth considering arguing.

"If I let you skip this lesson time," she started, the kids already whooping beside her. "I said if. "

The two nodded seriously, “We’ll do it,” they promised readily.

V shook her head, squinting at them with a skeptical look. “I haven’t even said what you have to do if you skip your lessons.” Monique and Dorian traded confused looks before turning back to her. “The first rule of any kinda deal,” she held up one finger, “you gotta listen to the whole deal, otherwise you might be signing yourself up for something worse.”

“You wouldn’t do that,” Dorian insisted.

“How can you be sure?”

“Cause you’re nice,” Monique said. “You wouldn’t do that.”

“Maybe not to you guys, but I’ve conned my fair share of gonks.” Their faith in her left a warm feeling in her chest. “Alright, but back to the deal. I let you guys skip, but you guys have to help me make a welcome home sign for Randy.”

Two pairs of wide eyes stared at her, mouths agape. “We’re gonna make a billboard?” They asked.

V bit her lip and shook her head. “Not a billboard, little short on time and really out of our budget.” She rifled through her pockets and pulled out a small device. “Had this bad boy for a while now, usually I use it to pull up my schematics or tweak one of my daemons, but I’ve got an app that’ll just let us create a design we wanna display.” She fiddled with her Agent and turned the phone towards them. “I’ve got the words, but I need two experts to really make it shine, figured you two would be perfect for the job.”

“Really?” Dorian whispered.

“Really really.” She leaned back, her smile relaxed and open. “I can do some graffiti or graphic style stuff, but you guys know Randy best.”

Monique kicked her legs back and forth and stared at the screen with a frown. “Last time we saw Randy, he didn’t want to hang out with us and said we were annoying him,” she mumbled just loud enough for V to hear.

Her heart sunk at the solemn tone of the girl’s voice. That was when Randy had been in Peter Pan’s grasp when he was being gaslighted with promises of understanding and promises of help.

You can tell a kid that their sibling loves them and what they were going through, but it didn’t erase the hurt that kid felt. And they didn’t fully understand.

Even so, reassurance was better than nothing.

“When Randy last talked to you,” V stated, making both kids look at her. “He was going through some tough times.” She picked at her nail as she tried to find the right words. How much did they know about what happened to Randy? “Do you know what happened with Randy?”

Dorian hesitantly shook his head. “We knew he went missing, and Mom said that you and Uncle River found him and brought him back,” he said.

“And he’s been at the hospital because he was hurt when you guys found him,” Monique added.

V nodded her head. “That’s the gist of it,” V admitted. She hesitated before continuing. “Randy thought he had a… friend, but when he went to meet this friend, he turned out to be a bad guy.”

“Like… the bad guys in our game?” Dorian asked.

V fought a grimace. “Worse.” When her statement was met with silence she continued. “Randy was captured and was hurt real bad while he was held captive.”

She’d never get the image of those kids gassed up and comatose, hooked up to those fucking machines out of her head. No matter what she did, she still remembers the frantic way her hands shook as she checked pulses on cool bodies and tugged out crusted IVs from limp arms.

“According to your Uncle River, Randy’s doing much better,” she reassured, trying to assuage some of their unease. “But he’s gonna need you two to help him, even if he’s grumpy and being mean.” She playfully punched her palm. “Sometimes you just gotta break through their defenses and make them understand. Which is why,” V gestured to her Agent, “We’re making him a special welcome sign.”

“And… it’ll help Randy?” Dorian asked.

“Showing him you care and are happy to see him can sometimes be exactly what a person needs.”

Monique and Dorian turned to each other and nodded before turning back to V. “You can count on us!”

V clapped her hands. “That’s what I like to hear!”

[fandom-imagines-stories]

Makayla Part Four

Sam Winchester x Reader

Words: 3673

Part One, Two, Three

Summary: You race to save Makayla and Sam from Montgomery and his fellow vampire creeps. Dean confronts you about the past and Sam finally gets some answers. But will everyone live to be one big happy family?

Notes: Alright, here it is! The final part for the Makayla series (or is it?) I’ve had so much fun writing this series and you guys have seemed to enjoy it. Like The Deal, I made sure the end of this series had a little bit of a cliffhanger so make sure you’re paying attention to future posts! You may see more Makayla sooner than you think. 

Special shout out to my amazing beta reader Sarah, @suckmysupernatural​ . I love her so much and honestly, she’s helped me so much in getting these imagines out for you and she has some absolutely killer writing of her own!

Want more Supernatural? Find it HERE

- “Makayla! Sam!” You opened the door to the garage, Dean and Mary both close behind you. A rush of cold air chilled you to the bone. “Dean, is the garage door usually open?” You gulped. 

“No.” He pulled his pistol out from his waistband and you did the same. The three of you creeped towards the exit cautiously. Something was wrong. You could feel it. When the coast seemed clear, you ran out, eyes scanning the area for any sign of your daughter. 

“Makayla!” You screamed. Nothing. “Sam!” Still, nothing.

“Uh, guys.” Mary motioned to a spot on the cement where a red streak sent your mind into an absolute panic. It was blood. 

“Oh my God.” You felt sick. Four years on the run, you’d never felt like this before. You started to hyperventilate and Dean grabbed you by the shoulders, trying to snap you out of it. 

“Hey, listen to me.” He ordered, giving you a hard, determined look. “They’re both gone, which means that they were taken together. Sam is with her. He isn’t going to let anybody hurt your little girl, okay?” 

“This is all my fault. I should never have dragged you two into this.” You said, trying not to look him in the eye. “They want to hurt me, Dean. Now they have my daughter and they have Sam…” 

“We’re going to find them.” Dean went into planning mode, trying to keep his emotions in check. This was personal. Not only had those fanged sons of bitches taken his brother, they took his niece. “We’re going to need to split up. Mom, you go with Cas to find traffic cam footage and find out what direction they headed in. They can’t have gotten far, so my money is that they found some place here in Lebanon to hole up.” 

Mary nodded and rushed inside to find the angel. 

“And Y/N…” Dean turned to you with fire in his eyes. “You’re with me.” 

-

Sam woke up to the sound of quiet whimpering and distant screams. It took a minute for him to remember what was going on. He bolted upwards, but found that his wrists were tied to one of the beams holding up the ceiling. It must have once been some kind of a barn. His eyes scanned the room, trying to adjust to the dark. It wasn’t long before he found the source of the crying. 

“Oh God, Makayla!” He called out, her teary eyes flashing up at him from across the room. 

“Daddy! You’re okay!” She exclaimed. “I-I thought you weren’t gonna wake up. I thought the bad man k-killed you.” The terrified tears streamed down her face and stung Sam’s heart. 

“I’m okay, sweetheart. Everything is going to be okay.” He spoke gently, though the anger was starting to burn through him as his eyes adjusted. She was in a cage. Those bastards put his daughter in a dog kennel. “Did they hurt you?” 

“N-not really.” She curled up, seemingly hiding her leg from him. Sam gritted his teeth, but tried to keep his voice calm. 

“Makayla, honey, you need to tell me what happened so I can help you.” He pulled against the rope, feeling the rough material rub against his skin. Makayla slowly showed him her leg. Sam gulped. It wasn’t too bad, but the skin of her knee was scraped and bleeding. 

“When the bad man hit you, the mean lady tried to pick me up. So I bit her.” She smiled proudly. “She didn’t like that and she pushed me. I hit my knee.” She pointed at the scratches from the cement. “But it doesn’t hurt, Daddy. I’m too tough for that.” Sam chuckled, shaking his head. She was definitely his kid. 

“Oh look, Papa Brat’s awake.” A woman sneered, strutting towards him with a smirk. She pulled a knife up to his chin. “Now we can have some fun.”

“Leave my daddy alone!” Makayla yelled, standing up as tall as she could in that kennel. 

“Kayla, honey, it’s okay.” Sam stared the vampire down. “Do you really think your little toothpick scares me?” She shrugged. 

“No,” She crossed back towards the cage and smiled, “but this might.” She put her hands on either side of the kennel and started shaking it. The metal clanged in Makayla’s ears as she was jolted back and forth, colliding with the sturdy bars of the cage. Her screaming cries pierced her father’s heart. 

“Stop it! Leave her alone!” Again, he pulled hard against his restraints, only making the rope burn worse. The vampire laughed. 

“You’re lucky Montgomery has bigger plans or else the Rugrat would be an afternoon snack.” Her nostrils flared, staring down at the bloody scrape on Makayla’s knee.

“Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?” 

“Oh Samuel…” 

“It’s Sam.” She ignored his sass and continued. 

“We have other plans for you.” She smiled and Sam looked helplessly at his frightened daughter. 

“Then let her go.” He bargained, Makayala stared back at him, her lip trembling. 

“No! I won’t leave you, Daddy!” She yelled, trying to put on a brave face. “S-she doesn’t scare me.” The blood sucker slammed her hand down on the cage and Makayla screamed. With an annoyed glare, she looked back up at the younger Winchester.

“See, little Kayla is here to make sure everyone does exactly what they’re supposed to.” Her eyes darted across the room at another vampire emerging from the darkness.

“Sarah, would you be a lamb and grab Mr. Winchester’s phone for me?” The man’s drawl was too sweet and it made Sam’s skin crawl. She obeyed and the new vamp stepped in between Sam and the kennel, blocking his view of his daughter. “My name is Montgomery. I would like to start by saying that I have no grievances with you or that machete-happy brother of yours, Samuel.” 

“You do now.” Sam growled. The anger had been boiling inside him and he was ready to bust. Montgomery peaked back at the trapped little girl. 

“Ah, yes, the little one. She is an unfortunate byproduct of the tangled mess that Y/N has gotten you into.” Montgomery looked hungrily down at Kayla. She cowered away from him. “Not to worry. As long as you and your brother do exactly what you’re told, Miss Makayla here will be safe and sound with her family.” 

The woman came back in, carrying Sam’s cell phone, dialing Dean’s number. She handed Montgomery the phone and whispered something in his ear. Whatever it was made him smile. He put the phone to his ear and Sam could hear Dean’s growling yell on the other line. Montgomery clicked his tongue. 

“There’s no need for that kind of language, Dean.” He scolded, earning another string of curse words. 

“Where are they, you son-of-a-bitch?” Dean boomed. You jerked your head towards him. You’d been driving for the past hour with nothing to show for it. Dean’s face changed as he listened intently to the vampire’s words. His fingers tightened around the steering wheel. “You’re a sick son of a bitch, you know that?” 

“What is it?” You tried to take the phone, but he sent you a death glare. He hung up. “Did he say where they are?” He didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled the impala to the side of the road. “Dean!”

“Yes.” 

“Then what is it?”

“He wants me to trade you for Sam.” He said, intensely staring you down. “And believe me, sweetheart, I wouldn’t blink.” You tried not to show how much that stung, but you still winced slightly. “But everything is different now that Kayla is in the picture. That little girl needs her mother. I, of all people, know that. We’ll figure out another way to get them. One where Makayla gets to walk out with both her parents.” 

“Dean, if giving  me up is the only way to save them-”

“I already said no.” Dean started to car again and the two of you rode in silence. You pushed your ego aside and gulped. 

“Dean, can I ask you something?” 

“I’d rather you didn’t.” You ignored his annoyance. 

“Why didn’t you tell him?” Your voice was sincere and Dean let out a sigh. 

“Because I made you a promise.” His eyes slid from the road to you and you felt shame burning in your cheeks. “He looked for you for years, Y/N. Even when I told him to give up, he kept searching for you. And when you showed up here… I saw that same thing light up in him again. So when the dust settles, you can explain to him why you took off.” 

You looked out the window, avoiding his gaze. Dean watched your body stiffen and felt his burning anger towards you grow as he drew his conclusion. 

“You’re leaving.”

-

Five Years Ago

You already had three missed calls from Sam. He would have realized you were gone about an hour ago and, having read the note, he knew that you hadn’t been taken. You left. You didn’t even know how long you had been on the road for and your stomach was growling. The bus stopped in a town called Casper, Wyoming and you got off. You slung your duffle bag over your shoulder, weighing down on you despite your lack of personal items. It was the emotional toll that was back breaking. 

You missed him, even having only been gone for a short time. You wanted to go back. To write this all off as a lapse of judgement and curl back up in his arms. But eventually, Sam would realize that you weren’t the one. You weren’t Jessica. And you would just end up getting hurt. 

You found a fast food joint that was less swamped by the lunch rush and bought yourself a sandwich and a Coke. When you stepped out into the parking lot, the sleek black car had you frozen in place. Dean leaned against the car door, arms cross and eyes boring into you. 

“Get in the car.” 

“Dean, I can’t-”

“Get in the damn car.” His tone didn’t give you a lot of hope for winning the argument, so you climbed into the front seat. 

“Where’s Sam?” You asked cautiously. 

“He’s back at the motel trying to get a hold of you and get some answers.” Dean snapped in reply. “But you already knew that.” He didn’t start the car like you expected. He just sat there, staring furiously at you. “A note? Are you serious, Y/N? You’ve been with my brother for two years and all you leave is a ‘I have to leave. Don’t come for me.’?”

“I couldn’t stay, Dean.” You tried to keep your voice level. You were sure of this. You had to be. 

“Is this about that shifter? Y/N, Jessica died a long time ago.”

“It’s not just Jessica, Dean. It’s the life Sam was supposed to live. The life you and I can never have.” His shoulders tensed. You had hit a nerve. “Sam deserves that life. He deserves family and happiness and I pray that someday he finds it. But when he does, he’ll know that I can’t be a part of it.”

“So you’re just dumping him before he can dump you, is that it?” Dean scoffed. “Christ, Y/N, this isn’t high school. You’re part of our family. Sam loves you, Y/N.” You brushed away tears as they fell and tried to keep your head up high. 

“He won’t. Not when he realizes that I’m not what he wants.” You looked Dean in the eye, waiting for his response. 

He knew what this was. This was you protecting yourself from the idea of getting hurt, even if it meant hurting his brother in the process. You were only interested in saving your own skin. So if you wanted to burn this bridge, fine. 

“Don’t tell him about this.” You pleaded when he didn’t say anything. “Sam will think this is his fault and he’ll try and find me. Promise that you won’t tell him we talked.”

“Oh you don’t have to worry about that.” Dean reached across you and opened the door. “Now get the hell out of my car.” You nodded silently. “Y/N?”

“What?” Couldn't he see that you felt bad enough about this? Dean spoke through gritted teeth. 

“Down the road, when you figure out how stupid this all is and you need us… don’t come back.” He slammed the door behind you and took off, the impala disappearing down the road. 

-

Present Day

Montgomery paced in front of Sam mockingly, standing just out of his reach. If he could just stretch his leg out a little further… no. He would just fall flat on his ass. There had to be a way out of this. If he could find something sharp, he could cut the ropes and decapitate the cocky vamp. 

“This should be very quick and simple, Sam. Your brother hates Y/N, so I’m sure he’ll have no hesitation to hand her over to me in exchange for your life.” Montgomery said haughtily. “Not that I blame him. I mean, after what she put you through.” He shook his head. “I feel for you, Sam, I really do.” 

“Why don’t you shut the hell up?” Sam snapped. He had had enough of this. 

“Language, Mr. Winchester, you forget we have a young lady with us.” Montgomery knelt down by the kennel and Kayla hid her face in her hands. 

“Stay. Away.” Sam’s entire body was ready to pounce. “What’s your obsession with Y/N, anyway?” If he could keep Montgomery talking, maybe it would buy him time to plan an escape. If anything, it would keep him away from Kayla. 

“When we killed Makayla Emerson all those years ago, my wife went to finish off our little witness. Y/N cut off her head and ran.” His fists clenched as his sides. “She started a war that night. A war that ends tonight.” 

“About that.” Dean burst through the door, holding you by the hair with a gun jabbed between your shoulder blades. 

“Mommy!” Makayla cried. She didn’t understand why Uncle Dean was hurting you. 

“Everything is going to be okay, sweetie.” You assured her. Dean tugged your hair, dragging you in the direction of Montgomery. 

“Ah, I’m glad we could come to an agreement, Dean.” The vampire gave you a wicked grin, licking his lips. He snapped his fingers and two more blood suckers appeared from the dark, grabbing Dean by each arm. 

“What the hell?” Dean exclaimed, trying to break away. 

“There’s just been a slight change in plans.” Montgomery smirked. “I made Y/N here a promise that I am more than happy to keep.” He pushed you down to your knees and you let a terrified expression cross your features. 

“No.” You gasped. He held his arm over you, prepping a blade to slice his skin and draw blood. 

“And to think, I have gathered your whole, twisted family to witness your transformation.” He mused with a disturbing giddiness. 

“Well…” You stared up at him, a sly smirk spreading across your lips. “Not quite.”

A loud crashing sound signaled the arrival of Mary and Cas. Dean elbowed one of his captors in the face and broke away, grabbing a pair of machetes from inside his jacket. He tossed one to his brother and Sam quickly freed himself from the rope. Furious, Montgomery lunged at you, but you quickly rolled out of the way, grabbing your own blade from your boot. 

Sam and Dean made quick work of the two vamps that had ambushed Dean. Heads rolled towards the door where Mary burst in, clothes splattered with blood and blade swinging in her hand. You battled with Montgomery, finding your footing and slashing at him with your knife. He got a hold of your arm. 

“You. Will. Bleed.” He seethed. 

“Bite me.” You spat, head butting him hard enough to stun both of you. 

Sarah joined the battle, screaming as she jumped onto Dean’s back. While the boys struggled with her, you regained composure, your head still spinning from the impact. Montgomery landed a kick to your stomach, sending you back into the beam Sam had been tied to. 

“Mommy!” You barely heard Makayla’s shouts over the sounds of the fight. Her scared voice distracted you long enough for Montgomery to grab you by the color of your shirt, lifting you up in the air. 

“Don’t worry about her, Y/N. Once the Winchesters join you in death, I will raise her as my own. She will be a killer. She will be-” 

Sam tackled him to the ground before he could finish. Taken by surprise, Montgomery didn’t stand a chance against the taller hunter. Sam’s eyes connected with yours and you knew that he was waiting. He was saving this kill for you. 

You stood over the monster that had killed your best friend. The monster that had hunted you for almost a decade. The monster that had changed your life. You didn’t have a final clever quip for him. He didn’t deserve it. 

“Makayla… close your eyes.” With one strong, swift motion, the vampire was dead. 

-

Dean’s coolness towards you had only grown since the fight. He wouldn’t even look you in the eye. Whatever had happened, Sam could sense it and kept sending questioning glances your way. You held a trembling Makayla in your arms as everyone filed back into the bunker. 

“I need a beer.” Dean announced gruffly. You moved to follow, but he shot you a glare. “You’re not going anywhere.” Sensing the tension between you, Mary offered to take Makayla back to your room. Sam looked even more confused. 

“Dean, can we not do this now? We’re all tired and covered in vampire guts.” 

“You don’t get to just pretend like everything’s fine and disappear again.” Now both Winchesters were staring at you, hurt filling Sam’s eyes. 

“What?”

“I haven’t decided on anything, Sam-”

“You’re going to leave!” He yelled, making you flinch. “What about Makayla, huh? You bring her into my life just to take her out?” You were silent. Sam’s jaw dropped. “You want to leave her here?” 

“You were right, Sam.” You admitted hopelessly. “I dragged her into our screwed up life and I was making her as screwed up as we are. And I know, I can’t change. But with you, she can have a life. A family. You can finally have the life that I wanted for you. The one I couldn't give you.” 

Sam’s anger fell away, replaced by understanding.

“That’s why you left.” He sighed, years of wondering finally coming into focus. “You thought I’d always want something else?” 

“Sam, I’m not what you need. I’ve never been what you needed and I’m sure as hell not what that beautiful little girl needs.” Your voice cracked and you pushed back tears. “I love you both too much to try and force my life onto you.” 

“You’re her mother.” Dean interjected. 

“Which means that I am the most likely person to mess her up.” You exclaimed. You couldn’t see any other way. “You said it yourself, Sam, I’m doing what John did to you.” 

“He made the mistake of trying to do it alone.” Sam put his hands on your shoulders. “But you are far from alone.” His eyes softened and you watched them fill with hope. “You’ll both move into the bunker- it’ll be safest here- and we’ll hunt together, but someone will stay here and watch Makayla. We can do this. We can be a family.” He gave you a tearful smile and even Dean felt himself dare to wish. 

“Would you be happy? I mean, really happy?” You asked. It’s all you wanted for him and for your daughter. Sam laughed. 

“I can’t think of anything that would make me happier, Y/N.” You still looked unsure so he continued. “Say you’ll stay. Say we can be family together. Because I’m not letting you go again.” 

You were speechless. All these years, and here he was, telling you what you’d only dreamed about. Sam closed the space between you and pulled you into a kiss, five years of yearning built up into one moment. It was the life he wanted. A life with you.

-

You and Sam made up. You really made up. Which left Dean alone in the kitchen when Makayla wandered out looking for her parents. 

“Uncle Dean, where’s mommy and daddy?” She asked. Dean’s eyes went wide. 

“Um- they’re- um- well-” He tried to think of something fast. “They’re watching a movie.” She pouted her lips. 

“They’re watching without me?” 

Dean just panicked. 

“It’s an adult movie.” Luckily, his niece was four and didn’t understand innuendos. She accepted his answer and climbed up into the seat beside him. “What are you doing up anyway, kiddo? Did you have another dream about the shadow man?” A big grin spread across her face. 

“He doesn’t scare me anymore!” She exclaimed happily. “He said he wants to be my friend and that he’s sorry for scaring me. He didn’t mean to. He’s just shy because he used to be in time-out. He’s not anymore and he wants somebody to play with.” Dean nodded, half listening and half thinking about how he was going to strangle his brother. “He said he’s daddy’s guardian angel, like Uncle Cas is for me. He even showed me his wings!”

“That’s really nice, Kayla.” He stood, knowing that he was going to regret this. “How about you go pick out a movie for us to watch on Netflix and I’ll make popcorn?”

“Really?” She squealed, latching onto his leg. He smiled, unable to resist those big blue eyes. “Thank you Uncle Dean!” She ran off to his room and Dean braced himself for some cheesy princess flick, putting Makayla’s new angel-friend to the back of his mind.

-

General Tag: @rae-gar-targaryen; @takemepedropascal; @childhood-imagination;  @mylovegoesto; @yellowbadgergirl; @itmejado

Supernatural: @desimarie12; @deandreamernp; @vicmc624; @halesandy​ @livshaes​;  @d-whinchestergirl87​;  @mrspeacem1nusone​

Sam Winchester: @theamuz;  @adeliness​

Makayla Series: @rhiannon-the-troublemaker​; @hoboal87​

[multifandomwriter56]

A Corn Labyrinth for the Soul

A/N: Day 8 of 31 Days of Halloween

Word Prompt: Corn Maze

Characters: Tony Stark, Pepper Potts (Stark), Morgan Stark

Requested By: Anon

Warnings: spoilers for Avengers: IW, angst, talks about losing family, this is set between IW and Endgame, language

Word Count: 1,032

"Dad, hurry up! We can't wait any longer!" Y/n shouts from outside their father's lab, a giggling Morgan beside them.

"I'm coming!"

Y/n looks down at their sister. "He's lying."

Morgan nods in agreement.

At the exact same time, the two siblings turn on their heels and shout, "Mom!" getting the reaction they were hoping for.

"Alright rugrats, I'm ready." Tony exclaims as he opens the door.

The siblings high five in victory.

The drive to the county corn maze takes about a half hour, and the two mini Starks are ready. 

Some people recognize the famous family, but every since Thanos wiped out half the universe, people rarely approach the Iron Man and ask for photos and autographs. 

A young mom does approach them as they make their way to the small, waiting line. 

“Thank you, Mr Stark for hosting this festival. My two boys really needed a distraction. Halloween was their sister’s favorite holiday. She loved scaring her brothers.” 

The family silently watches the mom break down and pull herself back together, all in a span of five seconds. Sadly, this has become normal for most people; for those who’ve lost loved ones.

“You can thank my eldest.” Tony gestures to Y/n before continuing. “It was their idea, I just have the money.” He tries to lighten the mood and the young lady huffs a genuine laugh, but that’s all she has the strength for. 

Y/n just smiles at the woman when her gaze lands on them. Sometimes being one of the rare families that were able to stick together after Thanos can be a curse. “I hope your sons have fun. It took awhile to design the maze to make it fun for kids but also challenging.”

“You designed this?”

“Yes ma’am. Don’t worry, I’m not participating. I want everyone to have a chance to win. I’m going to supervise my sister and let her do all the work.”

“Hey!” Morgan protests, but there’s a smile on her face. 

All three adults chuckle at the now bickering siblings. 

The woman nods her head, one last “thank you” escaping her lips before she heads to the front of the line where her boys are waiting. 

Tony wraps an arm around his eldest, kissing the side of their head. “I’m so proud of you.”

Pepper gently cups their cheek. “We both are.”

Y/n’s face warms at the attention. “Thanks.”

They don’t have to wait long before they make their way to the front. Y/n signs Morgan’s name on the sign-in paper for those competing to find the exit in the fastest time. 

The lady at the table gives Morgan a time watch. “I will start the timer once you tell me you’re ready.”

Morgan looks up at Y/n who nods. “Ready.”

The woman pushes the start button. “Good luck!” 

Morgan, of course, takes off into the corn maze, forcing Y/n to pick up speed.

“Be careful!” Pepper calls out.

“We will!” Y/n assures. “See you on the other side!”

Pepper sighs in relief when Y/n takes Morgan’s hand in their own. She looks to her husband and instantly rolls her eyes. “They’re going to be fine, Tony.”

“I know they are.” He tells his wife, the confidence he thought he was showing is not there.

Instead of reassuring him for the umpteenth time. Pepper pulls Tony into the maze. “We better get started if we don’t want them to wait too long for us to find the end.”

“Morgan! Morgan, slow down!” Y/n shouts as they try to catch up to their sibling. They figured she would be worn out by now and finally start walking instead of running through the towers of corn. 

“Y/n, which way?” The four year old asks when she comes to a fork.

The eldest Stark sibling tsks. “We agreed, Morgan. I’m not helping you win. You’re going to do this all on your own.”

The young girl pouts for a moment before smirking when an idea forms. “If I tell you to go one way, will you tell me if it dies?”

“You mean if it’s a dead end?” Morgan nods. “Fine, but I’ll only go in the direction you tell me to.”

Morgan points to the far right lane. Barely containing their smirk, Y/n nods and heads in that direction. 

“Stay here till I get back. It won’t take me long.” They promise.

They almost stop halfway, knowing it’s a dead end; but remembering everyone else would have to go a few feet more to know, they continue walking. 

They only take a couple of more steps when they hear moaning. What the hell?

Stretching their neck as far as possible so they can see past the slight curve, Y/n regrets the action as soon as they do it. “Oh my Thor!”

“Y/n?” Pepper calls as she shoves Tony away from her face. 

“Yeah, it’s me.” 

“Where’s Morgan?” Tony asks.

“At the beginning of the fork. Please tell me you’re not doing what I think you’re doing.” Y/n begs as they finally face their parents. 

Tony’s smirking proudly while Pepper’s face is turning red from embarrassment. Pepper may not be Y/n’s biological mom, but she’s still their mom. 

“We were only planning on going to second base.” Tony admits. 

“DAD! TMI!” Y/n shouts while Pepper smacks him on the arm.

“Okay, I’m going to go back to Morgan, tell her this was a dead end, and pretend this never happened.”

“Oh good, that means we can pretend you never interrupted us.”

“Tony!” Pepper tries to be firm, but her giggles replace the firmness in her tone.

Y/n rolls their eyes, pretending they hated every second of it; but in all honesty, their happy their parents can act like high schoolers, even if it’s just for a few moments. 

Morgan wasn’t the first kid out of the maze, but she made up for her lost in the other contests. 

Overall, Y/n would have to say it was a good day. 

Even if they can’t unseen the image of their parents sucking on each other’s faces.

Forevers: @beautycinders​ @desiredposion​ @theseakrakence​ @simonsbluee​

[yuzuriha-sayori]

Hey hun💕 Could I please request a SFW Benimaru x Reader firework festival one shot, where Benimaru tries to win the giant rabbit plushie at one of the game stalls for reader? Love you 😊

I got way too carried away with this 😭 be it my first request, btw THANK YOU I LOVE YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS 💕💕💕 but I really hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

Shinmon Benimaru x Reader SFW where Benimaru tries to win a giant rabbit plushie for x reader!

Watashi no Usagi

"Waka, it seems the kids have brought a guest." Konro began as he entered through the noren of Company 7's Guardhouse, using the back of his hand to push it out of the way. Orange light pierced in through where he entered, indicating night was just a few hours upon them.

"Aah?"

Lazy crimson eyes darted to the entrance where the tall Lieutenant appeared, but he had moved himself to his right in order to make way for incoming. The captain sat on the genkan step with furrowed brows and pursed lips. "Tch, what did these little rugrats drag in this time?"

Laughter and squeals bubbled loudly with their fast approach as the twins, Hika and Hina came running in, pulling another person in each hand right through the cloth entrance.

The young girl stumbled in, surprised in the strength of these two kids that she had no time to react well. She wore a thick silk deep blue kimono with sleeves long enough to potentially graze the ground. A light purple juban could be seen and was matched with a similar colored obi, with blue wisteria decorating the sash.  Slightly disoriented, she struggled to catch her footing and teetered side to side a bit before righting herself looking up and taking in her surroundings.

'Oh no,' she thought. These youngsters dragged her right into the den of the beast. The Destroyer of Asakusa. While he had a good reputation among the townspeople as the Captain of Company 7, he was also known to be rowdy at bars, and very ill mouthed.

"S-S-Sumimasen!" She quickly blurted out, bowing unnecessarily low. Her [h/c] spilled over her shoulders as she did so. After quite some silence, she cautiously glanced up, her big [e/c] eyes meeting his slightly displeased ones. One eye a crimson circle, the other with a crimson X. 'He's quite handsome...' She could feel the heat of embarrassment on the tip of her ears.

"Hika. Hina." The raven captain spoke very blunt, not taking his eyes off the stranger that was dragged into the guardhouse. The sudden words made the stranger's shoulders jump. "What did you two bring in here?"

"Ahaha.." Hina sheepishly laughed while both the twins ran to jump on his shoulders. "Hika and Hina brought a friend for tonight!" Hika exclaimed, dangling from his left shoulder, while Hina was climbing up the right.

"For tonight?" The young man's eyebrow twitched in confusion and seemingly slight exhaustion. These kids really knew how to be a handful. The girl, still bowing, uprighted herself. She began to speak, her lips barely parting open before being interrupted by the very tall man standing to her left.

"The festival tonight. The one you promised the girls you'd take them to." The Lieutenant spoke. He then turned to the girl with a gentle smile, and a wink after saying, "I'm assuming they brought a friend in case our young master decided to ditch." The girl gave a small giggle, visibly relaxing just a smidge.

"I'm Sagamiya Konro, the Lieutenant of Company 7. That brazen young man over there is our captain, Shinmon Benimaru. Forgive him for his rudeness, he lacks a bit of tact. What is your name young miss?"

"M-My name is [l/n] [f/n]." She said softly, giving a more proper and curt bow than the one she did earlier. Konro's eyes lit in realization, "Ah is that so? You're [l/n] Shiyou's daughter correct?" She nodded in response.

"The girls started visiting for mother's cooking whenever she makes yakitori for the hikeshi. She doesn't like to stay home during the rebuilding, so she rides with father and cooks for the men during their breaks." The girl gave a small smile to the man in front of her, but he still didn't seem to understand.

"Who the hell is [l/n]?" Benimaru, still sitting on the genkan steps, grumbled. Something told him maybe he should know, but he didn't really care too much about it. It was clearly evident with how he ignored how proper the young girl was dressed.

"Waka," Konro said sternly, eyes locked on the shorter male, "it would do you well to at least be courteous with the young miss. After all, her father runs the business that keeps us supplied with materials. You know, the ones needed to rebuild homes and the shops of our town after they're demolished every other day."

Ack, well this was going to be one hell of an evening. He didn't care much for respect, but Shinmon Benimaru was going to have to do at least some tongue biting. "I guess it would be...rude not to escort the old man's daughter around during a festival. After all..." He looked away and let out a sigh, rubbing the back of his head with mild irritation, "I do owe that old fart quite a lot."

----

"Yaaaaaay! Festival time! Festival time! Hika and Hina are gonna eat all the candy!" The twins chimed while jumping up and down off the sleeves of Benimaru's yukata. The sun was beginning to set and they were making their way to the festival. The lights could be seen glowing over rooftops of Asakusa just a few blocks away.

"Oi, don't tug on the sleeves, they might tear with all the weight you two have eaten in snacks already." The captain complained and he pried them off of the navy blue cotton sleeves. Konro, walking behind him, wore one of matching color.

Hina puffed her cheeks, "Not our fault you take forever getting ready."

"We got hungry!" Hika stuck her tongue out. "No candy for you then!"

"I don't like sweets anyways." Benimaru retorted. "Konro, where did the brat say she was going to meet us?"

Konro let out a deep sigh, "By the mask stall if I remember correctly." He'd mainly came along to make sure his captain didn't lose the kids but he was more concerned with Benimaru causing problems with [y/n].

"I guess your memory isn't going just yet," Benimaru joked while pointing in front of him. The joke earned a smack to the back by his Lieutenant but Konro looked in the direction his captain was pointing in and spotted [y/n] waiting patiently. She was standing in front of a mask stall at the beginning to one of the entrances set up for the festival.

"I wonder how long we've kept the poor girl waiting." Konro jest, walking up beside Benimaru and giving him a slightly disapproving frown.

"Tch. I got it, I got it." Benimaru made his way over to the young lady waiting. "Sorry..." He managed to get out, "I took too long finding my yukata."

She gave a small yet soft smile, something that was becoming usual for her, he noticed. "It's okay. I wasn't waiting long. Besides, I'm glad you were able to find it. It looks good on you." She hadn't realized how that could come off and she immediately flushed red after understanding their positions.

Benimaru however seemed unfazed. Though, he did give her outfit a scan and noticed it was fairly...appealing? She wore her [h/c] hair up in a loose bun, a mahogany wooden hairstick with a glass lotus at the end of it with jewels dangling. Her yukata was a light pink decorated with darker pink lotus and tied with a similar color sash. He had to avert his gaze after noticing he was staring rather long.

"Lets go." He said and pursed his lips, walking onto festival grounds. [Y/n] followed along after grabbing both Hika and Hina's hands. They had ran up to her with hands out to her. Konro felt as if it was going go be a looong evening for him.

The beginning of the festival was filled with much food consumption. Mainly by the twins. They made it a point to stop at almost every food stall they could.

"[Y/n] try this! They only have these during festivals!" Hina had a small brown puff on a toothpick. What appeared to be an octopus appendage stuck out in the cooked dough. [Y/n] bent down and opened her mouth for Hina to feed her was was delighted and the sweet and savory ball of goodness.

"Mmm it's delicious! This isn't a flavor from here is it?" [Y/n] gushed, her cheeks pink in pure happiness.

Benimaru had been watching the whole thing, and while the girls droned on about food, he kept watching her. The way her lips closed around the takoyaki and the way her cheeks puffed up as she chew. She kinda resembled...a rabbit. When [y/n] looked up at him, to ask if he wanted to try one too, he jerked his head away.

She looked slightly downcast but he didn't want her to see his cheeks burning with embarrassment. Just for being caught staring. It was impolite to stare, he told himself. He didn't want to acknowledge the real reason for it. 'I'm too grown to be acting like a teenager.' Had Konro heard those words, he'd have probably shot the sake he was gingerly sipping on right out his mouth.

"Shinmon-sama, won't you try one?"

Benimaru's head snapped back. [Y/n] was looking up at him with her big [e/c] eyes while holding a takoyaki up to his mouth. Not close enough to threaten his personal space, but just close enough that it was too inviting not to eat. Especially from her.

"Tch, fine." He said while opening his mouth and taking the small streetfood into his mouth. [Y/n] beamed. She thought maybe he didn't like her, but that feeling was slowly going away.

"[Y/n] look, look! Toys!" Hika and Hina chimed, tugging on the taller girl's sleeves. The [h/c] haired girl looked up and saw a booth that had toys lined up in several shelves. People were walking away with all sorts of arrangement of toys. The two younger girls darted for the booth and the three adults followed before someone tried to grab them. For the safety of whoever would try to, the two males hoped no one would dare.

"Step right up. Step right up. You have 3 chances to hit your target. Who would like to go first?" The stall owner boasted loudly.

Hika and Hina almost exploded in excitement but Konro stopped them. "This is [g/n]'s first time to an Asakusa festival. You should let her try first. Afterwards, I'll let you two try as many times as you can in 10 minutes." 

"Okay!" The twins exclaimed, fire in their eyes.

"I guess I'll go first." [Y/n] said nervously while stepping up and dropping a few coins into the older stall keeper's hands. He handed her three white balls. They weren't that heavy and probably wouldn't knock down the giant pink bunny plushie she'd been eyeing. "I still have to give it a shot..." She mumbled.

Pklunk. "Darn it." Pklunk. "For the love of..."  Pklunk. "Hmmmm...." [Y/n] hummed loudly in slight frustration. She'd hit her targets. But the balls didn't have enough force to even make the giant plush move one bit.

"Sorry missy, better luck nex--" [y/n]  slapped more money into his hand as he tried to shrug in a 'sorry' gesture. She was not leaving without that plush. Benimaru, who had given up hiding the fact he'd been eyeing her, let out of 'hmmph' of amusement.

Again, she didn't make any knock the pink bunny down. Paying for another round, she furiously threw two out of the three balls at it and they just bounced off and to the ground. "Son of a fuck--"

"Ah our little 'Oujo-sama' can have a potty mouth." Benimaru mused at [y/n].

[Y/n] shook a little before turning to glare at the man a good bit taller than her, the bottom rim of her eyes slightly red from tearing up and cheeks puffed from holding ber breath in frustration. "Pffffttt" He couldn't hold back laughing and [y/n] was so close to smacking him had he not slipped his fingers into her hands and gently pry the last white ball from her fingers. This action caught her so off guard, she almost really did stop breathing.

"The pink rabbit right?"

[Y/n] nodded in defeat and watched as Benimaru lined the ball up. Holding it like a marble ready to shoot. With an audible flick, it shot from his hand, right into the pink rabbit's face.  He knocked it over with so much force, a normal person might've had whiplash...or a very ugly bruise.

Eyes wide in surprise, [Y/n] squealed. Once handed the plush, she burried her face on the top of it's head and spun around. It was a little more then half her height. After letting out most of her excitement, she looked up and smiled warm up at Benimaru. "Thank so much, Shinmon-sama."

A blush began creeping up his neck as he looked away again, "I didn't want you to start crying and scaring all the kids away." He proclaimed. [Y/n] was beginning to feel that his rudeness quite often times might be a little misunderstood. She hoped at least. "Oh, and you can call me by my first name."

"Benimaru-sama?" She said taken by surprise. She wasn't the only one though. The crimson eyed man wasn't ready for her to use his first name so quickly that he couldn't hide the instant unsettling blush on his face. He stormed off down the street in confusion.

"W-Wait!" [Y/n] exclaimed. She turned to Konro and the twins. The lieutenant gave a gentle flick of his hand, as if signaling for her to make her way after his captain. "I have to help these girls carry all the toys they're about to siphon out this poor man." [Y/n] gave a confused expression but turned and darted after Benimaru.

"Hehehe. Hina and Hika are gonna take all these toys!" They dropped all their money on the counter and collected as many balls that could sit on the counter. The sounds of toy after toy hitting the ground echoed past several neighboring stalls as the twins windmilled ball after ball at the wall of toys. The poor stall keeper huddled in the corner shaking in fear, for these balls came flying with more force then he'd ever seen in his life. 

Konro gave a tired and strained smile. He was going to have a lot of carrying to do.

----

"Please wait up!" [Y/n] called out. Benimaru turned to glance at her before continuing to make his way away from the lights and crowd of people. "Then hurry up, the fireworks are about to start soon."

[Y/n] faltered in her dash towards him. A smile spread on her face. "O-Oh okay!" She followed him towards a hill with not quite so many trees. One with a clear view of the sky. He sat down with his legs crossed, not waiting for her to sit down first. [Y/n] smoothed the fabric of her yukata behind her and sat next to him, still clutching her overly large rabbit. Her face burried in it's head.

The first pop of a firecracker shot up in several colors. A basic round one in colors of red, blue, and green. There where sparkles of excitement in [Y/n]'s eyes that Benimaru couldn't keep his eyes away from. She turned to look at him and smiled.

"I think I'll name him Bunnymaru." She giggled and turned back to the fireworks that started coming in more frequent succession. She turned just in time to miss his eyes go wide in surprise, his neck, ears, and face a red so bright that he thought he might actually overheat.

"Tch. Whatever."

As much as he wanted to focus on the fireworks, he kept stealing glances at [Y/n]'s excited face. She was much more like a rabbit herself. In one day, he had noticed she was nervous, skittish, but really bubbly. A bubbly he didn't hate that much.

"My rabbit." He mumbled just as more fireworks sounded off, masking his words. Much to his relief. He didn't mean to say 'my' and he nearly choked in realization. He glanced at [y/n] again, eyebrows furrowed and lips pursed in his usual expression as he watched her enjoy the display in the sky.

'Ah what the hell,' he sighed inwardly, 'It won't hurt if she was...'

[whatcouldgowrong-ohthat]

Us and Andie Ch. 9

Summary: Bucky works as an Avenger because it’s what’s right. He feels he has sins he’ll never be able to make up for, but he’ll spend the rest of his life trying. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when he comes across Andie, the daughter of recently divorced Y/N. The life he had once “maintained” in hopes of surviving changes as his heart warms for a tough-as-nails nurse and her wonderful daughter.

Pairing: Bucky x Singleparent!Reader

Word Count: 3790 words

Series Masterlist - Masterlist

“Tony!”

Tony turned around, raising an eyebrow when he heard Steve shout his name. Until he saw Steve and Sam trying to catch up to a fuming Bucky. “Whoa, Manchurian Candidate,” Tony said, stumbling through holograms. “Calm down.” But Bucky would do no such thing. His left hand wrapped around Tony’s throat, lifting him in the air until Tony’s back met a wall. He squirmed, wriggling around as his hands wrapped around Bucky’s wrist. He knew he wasn’t in any genuine danger. If Bucky wanted to, he would have killed him then and there. 

No, Tony was just very thoroughly stuck.

“Bucky, put him down.”

“Not until he explains why he thinks Ethan and Zemo are connected,” Bucky growled.

Tony pointed to the hand around his throat. “Hard to – “ He wheezed. “Talk when you’re…do-doing the whole choking thing, big guy.”

Bucky dropped him, earning a sigh of relief from everyone in the room. However, it wasn’t going to be that simple. Bucky stayed close, invading Tony’s space and waiting for answers. The two stared one another down as if a silent conversation was passing between the two of them.

“Should one of us say something,” Sam asked Steve.

“Not necessary.” Tony peeked around Bucky, realizing in this particular moment that he was much smaller than Bucky. Glancing at Bucky, he asked, “And are you still doing those crazy work outs?”

“Not the time, Tony.”

Tony looked at Steve with that same: “Duh, but I almost choked to death so give me a second” look. “F.R.I.D.A.Y.”

Yes, Sir.

Immediately the holograms Tony had pulled up moments before, reappeared around them. They were various things – photos of Ethan out and about, at mutant hate rallies, his resume. It was anything and everything Tony could have found on Ethan.

Bucky frowned, remembering when he had come to talk to Tony about Andie’s bedroom. “I recognize some of these photos.”

“Yeah, when Andie and Y/N started spending more time with us, I wanted to start taking a deeper look.”

“Tony,” Steve sighed. “That invaded her privacy.”

“For good reason,” Bruce pointed out, now standing in the doorway. “He was an extremely active member of Friends of Humanity.”

Sam raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“A mutant hate organization,” Clint spoke up. “Imagine being such a vital member only to have a kid with that same gene.”

Bucky clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth as he stared at those images. He never should have left. Hell, did Andie even know he still cared? Or did she think he dropped her as easily as Ethan had?

Steve noticed the wild look in his eyes, the fear and rage that threatened to surface. “Okay, so he’s an asshole.” Steve nodded, looking back at the images. “So why do you think he and Zemo are connected?”

“Because,” the images changed. Bucky took a step closer, the blue hue of the images lighting his face. Andie was smiling, playing with Ethan and his sons. It was several days worth of photos. In some of them, he saw Y/N in the background somewhere. She looked so… He looked at the floor for the briefest moment as the images changed again. “Ethan has been spending an awful lot of time with Andie while you guys have been away.”

Natasha frowned, pointing at the images as if they made no sense. “I thought Y/N was in charge of visitation.”

“She is. But imagine the betrayal Andie would feel if she thought her mom was keeping her from having a relationship with her dad.”

“Come on, Andie’s smarter than that,” Sam argued.

Bucky shook his head. “She’s still a kid. And she’s finally seeing something that looks like love from the guy that’s supposed to be her father. Smart or not, emotions are going to affect choices.”

The images changed again. Some of Ethan, Zemo, and another guy that none of them recognized. “I only found these photos earlier today. I’m guessing it’s when Zemo wanted me to find them.” He pointed to the third person. “That is Quentin Beck. My former employee.”

“Only you would manage to piss off an employee enough to get him to work with a terrorist,” Sam muttered.

“Sam.”

“Anyway,” Tony said, sending an appreciative look at Bucky. “I wasn’t looking into any of this to an extreme degree until they stopped coming around. That was about a week after you two left.” He walked over to his desk, picking up a file and tossing it on the table in the center of the room. Photos slid out of it, stopped by Steve’s hand. “And then earlier today, these photos were found in Andie’s room.”

“I thought it wasn’t possible to sneak into the compound.”

“It’s not supposed to be. I’ve been adjusting things, fixing it, ever since these showed up.”

Steve frowned as he turned the photos, taking a better look at them. His shoulders slumped as he picked one up and handed it to Bucky. “He’s been here this whole time.”

Bucky scowled, taking the photo. It was grainy and peeking through the windows of Y/N’s god-awful apartment. They were laughing and eating, watching some movie. It was such a personal, private moment where Y/N’s guard was completely down.

And it had been violated.

Turning the photo over, he saw the back was dated three days after he left for the mission. Written in sharpie were the words: Always forgetting to protect what’s most important.

“He sent us on some wild fucking goose chase so he could watch them?” He looked at Tony and Steve, hoping for some sort of explanation. But none of them had one. “Learn their patterns?”

Tony sighed, nodding ever so slightly. “Zemo holds grudges like nobody else.”

“When he couldn’t tear us apart using Bucky, it just came down to revenge,” Natasha spoke up, putting the pieces of the puzzle together faster than anybody else.

“So you think Ethan and Zemo are working together to…what, kill Andie and Y/N?”

Tony pressed his lips into a thin line, looking at the holograms. He glanced at Bruce, hoping the other scientist had a way to explain this. Bruce looked at the others in the room, knowing Tony needed his help. “There’s no way for us to know what their plans are for us, Andie, or Y/N. But the first and foremost thing we need to do is get Andie and Y/N and bring them here.”

Bucky didn’t need to be told twice. He was already out the door and on his way to Y/N’s apartment.

-.-.-.-.-

“You in your pj’s?” Peter called from the living room, already setting up Treasure Planet for Andie to fall asleep to. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but Andie hadn’t been herself all night. He guessed it was because she wasn’t used to Y/N going on a date, but by the time he had shown up, Y/N was already gone.

Andie came shuffling out, dressed in some thin cotton pants covered in rainbows and a too-big, black t-shirt that looked like it had been stolen from Bucky’s closet.

“Hey, ready for the movie?” Andie grabbed a water from the fridge before she joined him on the couch. Peter watched her for a moment and pressed play, frowning as he asked, “What is it, Rugrat?”

“Please, don’t call me that,” she mumbled, cuddling the pillow.

“Why not?” He tugged on her arm, pulling her over and having her rest against his side. She stayed silent as he lightly traced her arm. “You know you can talk to me about anything, right, Andie?”

She nodded, eyes fixated on the screen. “I just…Bucky used to call me ‘Rugrat’.”

Peter smiled, remembering the first time that had happened. He and Sam were watching the Rugrats movie with Andie and Bucky had been watching from the doorway. Peter would never say it out loud, but he had seen the look on Bucky’s face. The guy he thought was so cool looked like a proud parent as he watched Andie. Ever since – Bucky called her that silly nickname.

“Do you miss him?”

“I guess…”

Silence fell for a bit. Peter started tickling her, trying to get a smile and laughter out of her. It had been too long since he’d seen someone other than Ethan or Y/N get that smile out of her. She burst into a fit of giggles, trying to push away his hands as her giggles turned into raging laughter. “Stop! Stop it!”

Peter did, letting her catch her breath as she settled back into her side. “Talk to me, Andie. I thought you were happy. But every time it’s just us, you look so sad.”

Andie glanced up at him before cuddling into her pillow. “I used to sneak out all the time just…just to see them. To see the whole not-broken family thing. But…” She bit her cheek, scared of her own feelings. “Would I be a bad person if I didn’t like my dad? If I liked my brothers, but…not him?”

Peter looked down at her, eyebrows practically buried in his hairline. He was so surprised. “Not at all. Why?”

Andie shifted, watching the screen as Jim listened to his mom talk to Dr. Delbert. She thought back to earlier, when she watched her mom getting ready. Before Y/N had even noticed she was there.

Andie noticed the fingerprints on Y/N’s arm. She was applying makeup to them, hiding the dark purple color that made Andie sick to her stomach. Her mind flipped to the park – when she and Ciara had come back from getting hot cocoa. Her dad’s grip was there. That had to be what those bruises were from. The guilt that settled in her stomach made her feel sick. Why did she agree to Mom going on a double date?

“Mom?”

Andie shrugged, biting her lip. “I thought we were spending so much time with Bucky and the other Avengers and I just…I thought they were becoming our family. I thought Bucky was…” Her voice trailed off.

“I know.” He hugged her, squeezing her tight. “But being a superhero…it’s a big responsibility.”

“You’re Spiderman and you still take care of me.”

Peter’s whole body tensed as his gaze fixated on her. She said it as if it were nothing! Like she was talking about the weather! “How did you – “

“Your Spidersuit was sticking out of your backpack. Made more sense than you getting it dry-cleaned it for your ‘internship’.” She looked up at him, grinning from ear to ear. It seemed the subject of Bucky and “family” was now forgotten.

So, he looked back to the tv and lightly traced her arm, trying to calm her down enough to fall asleep. Then he could tuck her in and wait till Y/N got home. He wanted to talk to her about the Avengers and Bucky. He wanted to talk to her about what Andie had said.

However, those plans were cut short by a knock at the door. Andie and him both glanced that way before Peter rose to his feet. He looked back at Andie, neither of them expecting company. He wondered if maybe it was Bucky? But wouldn’t he have called? “Hi, can I help you,” he asked through the door. He peeked through the peephole, not recognizing the man on the other side.

“Hello, I’m here to visit an old friend. Y/N Y/L/N?”

Peter frowned, ready to open the door and tell him that Y/N wasn’t there. But when he grabbed the doorknob, that stupid “spider-tingle” went off in the back of his head. He kept the door closed, silently bolting it as he said, “It’s pretty late, man. How about you come by tomorrow?” Peter glanced at Andie, jerking his head for her to go hide in one of the other rooms.

Andie nodded, grabbing his backpack and silently taking off to her mom’s bedroom. Y/N had raised her to go over there because it was the one room that had access to the fire escape.

“I’m afraid I’ll be leaving in the morning,” the stranger’s voice said. “And I was really hoping to catch up.”

Peter silently moved across the room, watching the person jiggle the doorknob before taking off to Y/N’s room. When he got there, he heard the front door kick open. Immediately, Peter scooped Andie up in his arms and carried her onto the fire escape. “Start climbing, Andie,” he told her, closing the window. He grabbed his web-shooter, slipping it on and webbing up the window. “Only one?” He tried finding the other before realizing it had been left behind – now far away and in Queens. Groaning, he covered the last of the window and caught sight of the man walking in.

Their eyes met and immediately that spider-tingle started going haywire.

“Time to go.” Peter slipped his backpack on, grabbing his mask and pulling it over his head. He quickly picked Andie up and carried her up to the roof. “F.R.I.D.A.Y! I need you to call Mr. Stark!”

Calling Tony…

Peter crouched in front of Andie. He saw the tears in her eyes, the fear she had now that she realized what had just happened. “Okay, Andie, you’re a mutant, right?” Andie nodded, tears slipping down her cheeks as he brushed her hair back. “Hey, hey, hey, don’t cry. It’s okay. I just need to know what you can do. If it can protect you. Everything’s going to be okay.”

She pulled out of his grip, sniffling and stumbling back. Her heart was pounding in her chest. “What’s going on, Peter?”

“I don’t know. But we’re going to figure it out, okay?”

“But what if this is because of what I said about my dad?”

“No, it isn’t,” Peter assured her, shaking his head. “This has nothing to do with him. Nothing at all. But Andie, I need – “

“Hey, kid. What’s up?”

“Mr. Stark!” Peter jumped, pressing a hand against his chest. “Look, there’s some creepy guy here at Y/N’s apartment. I’m with Andie, but I have no idea what’s going on and – “

“Okay, Peter, slow down.” Peter looked back towards the fire escape, taking her to the opposite side of the roof. “Is it Andie’s dad? Ethan?”

“No. It’s someone else.” Peter looked down at Andie. In any other situation, this would be easy. Web up the guy, maybe accidentally destroy the apartment…but this was different. He had to keep Andie safe and he didn’t want to risk scarring her more than she already was. “I don’t know if he’s a big threat or not.”

“Okay, focus on getting Andie safe. I’m going to send your coordinates to Bucky. He’s already on his way. Where’s Y/N? Is she with you?”

“What? No.” Peter looked down at Andie. He saw the slight sparkle in her cheeks, the rainbow effect that came with her powers. “Y/N’s not here.”

“Then where the hell is she?”

“I’m not sure,” Peter stuttered before he saw Andie running back the way they had come. He ran after her, grabbing her arm. “Where are you going?”

“I have to get Bucky’s hat! I left it behind!” She tugged at her arm, twisting out of his grip and earning a hiss from Peter. “Please!”

“Ouch! Hey, wait! Where’d you learn that move?”

Andie glared at him, moving to take off again before Peter picked her up.

“Peter? Kid? Is everything okay?”

“Um – Well, you see…” Peter tried to find the right words, stumbling back. He tripped, landing on his ass as Andie collided into his chest. His wrist slammed into the room and he heard the familiar crack that sounded like it came from his web-shooter. He coughed, moving his hand to his ribcage. The wind was knocked out of him. “Andie, we can get you another hat. I gotta keep you safe.”

Andie ignored him, but Peter’s grip was stronger. Sparing a glance at his web-shooter, he silently cursed. There was no way he could use it now. He sat up, jumping when he saw the man that had broken into Andie’s house. He stepped over the edge of the roof, walking closer to the pair. “Um…Mr. Stark? How long do you think until Bucky gets here?”

“We’re on our way, kid. Just stay put.”

“I don’t know that that’s an option anymore.

“I don’t really appreciate all of this extra drama,” the stranger told Peter. He glanced at Andie, noticing the way more of her skin was shimmering and glowing. When Ethan told him that Andie was a mutant, he believed him. But seeing it in person, he was curious what her abilities were. Were they useful?

Peter’s gaze shifted to the gun in the guy’s hand. “Fair. I mean, who likes drama? I certainly don’t.”

“Now is not the time to play dorky neighborhood Spider-man, Peter! Get to safety! Now!”

He hurried to his feet, moving Andie behind him and ignoring Tony in his ear. All Peter could think about was having to buy time for Bucky to get there. “But I think it’d definitely cut out some of that drama if you told me who you are.”

“Zemo.” He held up the gun, aiming for Peter’s head. “Helmut Zemo.”

-.-.-.-.-

Scott breathed a sigh of relief when they finally hit intermission. This was definitely not his cup of tea. He had no idea how Hank and Janet could stand these things. Rising to his feet, he put on a brave smile for Hope. She smiled at him sympathetically, knowing he was struggling. “I appreciate the effort,” she teased, placing a small kiss on his shoulder.

“Seriously, am I the only person who has no idea what she is saying,” he whispered in her ear, a slight panic to his voice as they exited the theatre.

Hope laughed, shaking her head. “No, you are not alone. But aren’t you enjoying this? At least a little?”

“I – Oh, look! Y/N!” Scott grinned when he saw her familiar face through the crowd. During the time she and Andie had spent at the compound, he had gotten a chance to trade ‘single parent’ stories with her. He had missed having someone around that related to that, but he figured she’d been busy between work and Andie. A place like this didn’t really seem her style. And judging by the uncomfortable smile on her face, he was right. Who was that guy she was with?

Scott pulled Hope along, wanting to get a chance to say hi to Y/N, ask how she and Andie were doing. “Should I be jealous that you’re trying this hard to talk to her,” Hope teased.

“No, we just have that whole ‘single parent’ friendship is all,” Scott assured her just as Y/N turned upon hearing his voice.

“Scott!” That uncomfortable smile of hers finally looked real, natural. “Hey, how are you?” The two hugged and Hope noticed how her shoulders relaxed. Who was Y/N with that would make her so tense?

“I’m good. I didn’t think operas were your thing though.”

Y/N laughed ever so slightly. “It…isn’t. Really.”

“So what?” Scott glanced at Hope before looking at Y/N. “It’s Bucky’s?”

Y//N flushed, turning pink from her roots to her collarbone. “Uh…Bucky and I were never…a thing. You know that, right?”

Scott’s eyes grew and he stuttered around a reply, immediately regretting that he had managed to put his foot in his mouth. He needed a better filter. “I’m sorry – I just thought that it was one of those things that was sort of destined to happen.”

Y/N’s uncomfortable laugh and smile were back as she hugged herself, shrugging. “Guess not. I haven’t heard from him in a month and I…” She sighed, fingers twisting around her locket. “I have a life to live.”

Hope glanced down at her arm, noticing something that Scott didn’t. However, before she had a chance to speak up, they were joined by the rest of Y/N’s group.

“Y/N?” She flinched ever so slightly, closing her eyes for the briefest moment. “Who are your friends?”

Y/N smiled easily, looking from Scott and Hope to this stranger. She was at a loss for words and Scott was more than aware of that. He held out a hand. “I’m Scott. This is my girlfriend, Hope.”

“Quentin Beck. And this is Ethan and his wife, Lori.”

Scott recognized Ethan’s and Lori’s names from conversations with Y/N, but kept a straight face, refusing to react. He wouldn’t put Y/N on the spot. But immediately, a red flag was raised. He looked at Y/N, offering her a reassuring smile before starting to say, “So is this – “

The lights flashed above them, followed by the signal that intermission was almost over. Scott watched Y/N carefully as Quentin whispered something in her ear, taking her hand and tucking it in the crook of his elbow. “We should probably go find our seats. It was nice meeting you,” Quentin said, charming smile back in place. He and Ethan led Y/N and Lori back inside and Scott watched every step. When Y/N looked back at him, he recognized that look in her eyes.

“You need to call your friends,” Hope whispered. “Her arm is covered in bruises.”

Scott looked down at Hope, kissing the top of her head. He whispered into her hair, “I was thinking the exact same thing.” He pulled out his phone as Hope told her parents to go find their seats. He turned away, listening to the phone dial. “Come on, pick up. Pick up, pick up.”

“Scott? Can I help you?”

“Cap!” Scott took a shaky breath, trying to calm his nerves.

“Yeah. You called me.”

Scott winced. He might have been fan-boying a bit too hard. “Look, I’m here at the Met and I ran into Y/N. She’s with her ex husband and some creepy-charming dude. Like I don’t quite know how to explain him, but he is eerily charming in that sleezy sort of way.”

“Hey, Scott. Slow down. We’re actually trying to get ahold of Y/N right now. I need you to keep an eye on her and if you can, get her away from those guys. Alright? You said you’re at the Met?”

“Yeah. We just finished intermission.” Scott looked back at where he had seen Y/N. “She already went back inside.”

“Well, Sam doesn’t call you Tic Tac for nothing, right?” Scott grinned from ear to ear, already ready to grab the suit tucked away in his pocket. He looked at Hope who was already back at his side, listening in on the conversation. “Sam and I are on our way. Think you can handle this?”

Nodding to her, he told Steve, “We’re on it, Cap.”

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

@buckyssoul

@amnahs9695

@booktease21​

@mr-robot-x

@purplekitten30

@lets--be-honest

@niahmariec

@maggyme13

@littleredstarfish

[hippiebuckyharrington]

Some Unspoken Thing

This is my harringrove for australia fic for @wingedbears! Thank you so much for your bid!!!!@harringroveweekoflove prompt: accidental confession. 

Read below or on ao3 here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22686796

It takes him too long to figure out what that noise is, the annoying shrieking from somewhere beyond the warm cocoon of his blankets. He shoves his head under the pillow, willing it to stop. It does, and Billy breathes a sigh of relief, settling back to sleep when it starts again.

“Mother Fuck!” He groans, hauls out of bed, and rips the bedroom door open. He blinks into the dark hallway, and finally places the noise.

“Who the hell is calling at three am?!” He shouts at the phone, glaring at it when it dares to ring while he’s yelling. He scrubs his face tiredly. He grabs the phone roughly from its cradle and smashes it against his face.

“I swear to god, whoever you are better have an in-fucking-credibly good reason for calling me!” He barks into the receiver. Someone takes a shaky breath.

“Billy, it’s me.” Max whispers. Billy instantly feels like he’s been doused in cold water.

“Fuck. Maxine, tell me you’re ok, and you didn’t go monster hunting.” He mutters voice low, leaning forward to drop his forehead to the wall next to the phone.

“I’m fine. I’m not hurt. And the monster is gone, now.” Max says, voice still soft.

“Then why the fuck are you calling me at the asscrack of dawn?!” Billy demands.

“Because…. Uh…. Well, I’m not hurt, but…” She’s stalling. Billy’s blood, which was feeling less icy at her original answer, freezes again. If Max is stalling that means only one thing. He can hear someone in the background mutter at her to just rip the band aide off.

“Tell me it’s one of the rugrats. Tell me Whiny Wheeler got hurt, or Sinclair. Tell me you are calling me because you’re tired and need a ride. Hell, tell me you’re calling because you need to talk to me about boy trouble and this is the only time you have.” Billy begs. Max swallows so loud Billy hears it through the phone. Panic is coiling in his gut, cold and heavy.

“It’s not Mike, or Lucas. Everyone else is fine.” She pauses, ignoring his last hopeful comment, and sucks in a deep breath. Billy holds his. “Steve got hurt. He jumped in front of the demo dog to protect Dustin. It got him, we’re at the hospital.” Max says, all in a rush. Billy’s legs buckle.

“Fuck.” He says, as he lurches further into the wall.

“They just took him back. There was a lot of blood, and his side and back are all ripped up.” Max says, a little breathlessly. She knows him well; knows he needs the details with no sugarcoating. “Joyce and Hop are here, and we called Owens. I don’t know when we can see him.” She adds. Billy nods, feeling numb.

“I’m coming.” He whispers.

“He will be in surgery or asleep for a while, you don’t have to come right this second. I just wanted to let you know.“ Max says, but kind of like she doesn’t think it’ll dissuade him. "But I wouldn’t be mad if you came.”

"I have to be there. I can’t just sit at home if he's… if he’s….” Billy says, and then he hiccups a little.

“We’re in the waiting room.” She whispers, the line clicks as she hangs up. Billy takes a deep breath and slams the phone down in its cradle.

He runs to his room and yanks on his boots, doesn’t even lace them. He grabs a ratty sweatshirt hanging out of the dresser and pulls it on, then stumbles out to his kitchen, yanks on his jacket and grabs his keys. Billy dashes down the metal stairs to his car. A neighbor shouts at him to keep it down, but Billy isn’t listening. The Camaro roars to life, and then tears out of the parking lot.

It takes 3 minutes and 43 seconds too long to get to the hospital, and Billy parks like an asshole, but can’t bring himself to care. He runs inside and immediately spots the cluster of people he’s looking for. They all turn and look at him.

“Billy?” Joyce Byers says, standing a little. “Are you ok?”

“Steve…” Billy croaks out. Joyce’s face softens a little, and she shoves some coats off a chair for him. He collapses into it.

Max tucks herself into the chair next to him and leans against his shoulder. He kisses her hair and stares down the nurse’s station in the corner.

“Dustin.” Billy calls, and the boy jolts and looks up. “Tell what happened.”

“El found the demo dog on accident checking on the town. We were at Steve’s house already, for movies and pizza.” Dustin starts.

“I know, Dustin. I was invited too, but I had to work.” Billy says, and he feels a coil of guilt wriggle in his gut. He moved out of his Dad’s house the second he could, and into his own apartment, but he has to work two jobs to pay for it. It’s worth it, and Steve comes over a lot, for movies and food, or to just sit around together. And Max is over all the time. But the two jobs mean he misses a lot of the Party gatherings.

“Oh, right.” Dustin continues. “Anyway, we all decided to go scope it out, and then call Hop if anything happened.”

“You should have called me right away.” Hop grumbles from his spot next to Joyce.

“We know, but we didn’t. Anyway, we went to where El had seen it and we were just listening and look for rot, or anything similar to last time. It snuck up on us, he saw it first. It was coming straight for me, he shoved me out of the way, and turned in time for it to grab him in the back. It was weak, had been trapped outside of the upside down for a while. El got it with her power and it died. We rushed him here.” Dustin says. Billy nods.

“Stupid fuckin hero complex is gonna get him killed.” Billy mutters.

“Are you mad at me?” Dustin hedges. Billy sighs.

“No, I’m not mad. I’m mad at him for being an idiot, and I’m mad at you, Maxine, for not calling me, and you all were stupid, but I’m not mad at you, Steve’s Favorite.” Billy says. Dustin grins.

“I love that nickname.” He mutters, Billy smiles a little.

“Sorry I didn’t call.” Max whispers. Billy tugs her close.

“You know I would have come in a heartbeat.” He mutters.

“I know, but you worked a lot yesterday, and you were tired. We thought we had it handled.” She says. Billy sighs, kisses her head again.

“I’m never too tired for my family, why do you think I’m here?” Billy mutters. Max grins up at him, and then tugs at his jacket. He shrugs out of it, and drapes it around her shoulders. They all settle around the room then, because it’s early, and there isn’t much else to say or do. Billy goes back to staring at the nurse’s station, and throws an arm around Max. She curls up under his jacket and yawns.

“I’ve never seen him without his hair done.” Will whispers to his mom, an indeterminate amount of time later. Joyce laughs a little, glancing up from her magazine. Max is asleep on Billy’s shoulder, Mike and Lucas are stretched out across several chairs, sleeping. Hop went to go talk with some cops about the demo dog, and Dustin is dozing in the corner. El is asleep on Max’s other side, under Hop’s jacket.

Billy touches his wild curls a little nervously, still staring at the nurses.

“He left in quite a hurry, and his hair is the least of his worries. He had to check on Max.” Joyce whispers back.

“He’s gonna be ok.” Will leans forward to tell Billy.

“He better.” Billy grits out.

“Is that Steve’s sweatshirt?” Will asks. Billy glances down at it. Steve is over so much, when Billy isn’t working, and sometimes when he is, that some of Steve’s clothes have just migrated there. Billy hadn’t meant to grab that sweatshirt necessarily, just reaching for any warmish shirt but he’s glad he has it now.

Joyce smiles at him gently, and turns back to her magazine.

“Yeah it is, he must have left it. I just didn’t want to show up shirtless.” Billy whispers. Will smiles a little, knowingly, and turns back to lean against his mom. Billy pulls the collar of the sweatshirt up to his nose, and breathes deep. It still smells a little bit like Steve, even though Billy has worn it multiple times. He takes a deep breath and leans back in the chair, closing his eyes.

It’s 6:30 in the freaking morning before an exhausted looking doctor walks into the waiting room, handing a clipboard to the nurses as she does. Billy instantly straightens, leaning forward a little, jarring Max awake.

“You folks all here for Mr. Harrington?” The doctor asks, moving her long braid off her shoulder. Everyone nods.

“I work with Dr. Owens, I’m Dr. Forest. He was called out of time, so I stepped in. I am aware of the nature of the injuries Mr. Harrington came in with. He is out of surgery. We repaired all the damage that we could, and stitched him up. He lost a kidney, but is stable now. He’s still sleeping, but should be waking up soon.” Dr. Forest smiles, and glances at all of them. “I’m afraid that all of you might be too much in the room at a time, and it’s not technically visiting hours, but I can let some of you go sit with him until he wakes up. Only two at a time I think.” She says. Billy swallows thickly, practically shaking, needing to get to Steve.

It’s quiet for a beat, a mostly nonverbal conversation flying between the people around him. Billy doesn’t see it, focused entirely on the doctor, who’s smiling.

“Billy can go see Steve.” It’s Dustin who speaks. “When Steve wakes up the rest of us will go check.” Dr. Forest turns her dark assessing eyes on Billy, and takes in the worn flannel sleep pants, still unlaced boots, the old, ratty sweatshirt, and his messy curls. She smiles, and nods, turning and motioning for Billy to follow.

Max squeezes his hand, and suddenly Billy stalls.

“It shouldn’t be me, he… you guys go.” Billy whispers, but he doesn’t relax.

“Go on honey, we know you need to see him. I’ll take some of the kids’ home if they want, and we’ll come back later ok? You sit with him. Go on.” Joyce says. Billy takes a deep breath and follows Dr. Forest.

“He’s gonna be fine.” She assures him as they get in the elevator. Billy just nods. Dr. Forest shows him down a hall and to a private room at the end of it. She opens the door. Billy’s breath stutters.

Steve is lying on the hospital bed, sleeping. He’s pale, and he’s got a bruise forming on his neck and jaw, but otherwise the damage is obscured by the blankets and the hospital gown.

“He’s going to be fine. The kids brought him in time, we fixed him. He’s gonna need time to heal, but he’s gonna be ok.” Dr. Forest says, smiling at Billy. “I’m sure he’ll be glad to see his boyfriend when he wakes up.” She whispers. Billy jolts.

“uh… I’m… We’re not….” He says. Dr. Forest smiles again.

“Whatever you say. Go, sit with him.” She urges. She squeezes his shoulder and then disappears. Billy walks quietly into the room, and drags a chair closer to Steve and sits down. He reaches out and picks up Steve’s hand gently in both of his.

“You should have called me, pretty boy.” Billy whispers. “I should have been there. I could have helped you. I’m gonna kill you when you wake up, we are gonna have words, I swear Harrington.” Billy whispers. He reaches out and brushes some of the damp hair from Steve’s face. “I’m gonna sit with you until I can yell at you for being stupid. I’m gonna be right here, pretty boy, so you sleep and when you are ready for the yelling you wake up, ok?” Billy says, debating if he should say more.

But Steve can’t hear him so he just holds Steve’s hand tight and tries to memorize his face, assuring himself that Steve’s ok.

He eventually drops his head to the bed, and closes his eyes, listening to the beep of machinery and Steve’s breathing.

“Billy?” A soft voice asks. Billy jolts awake and looks up into tired brown eyes.

Steve smiles a little. Billy glares at him and lurches up.

“You’re such an idiot Harrington.” Billy snarls, pacing at the end of the bed. Steve looks confused. “What the hell did you think you were doing, jumping in front of one of those things like that?! You could have died!”

“But I didn’t? Why are you yelling?” Steve asks, and he sounds confused and hurt.

“Because you are stupid! Because you went out there with the kids, and you didn’t even fucking call me!” Billy cries, causing a nurse to come running over. Steve shakes his head at her.

“He’s just mad at me, he’ll yell for a while and be fine. Though I don’t know why he’s yelling.” Steve says, the nurse shoots Billy a look and then turns to Steve. They check his vitals, and smile at him.

“I’m gonna give you a shot of something for the pain, it should ease some pain, and help you sleep when the yelling stops.” The nurse says, and grin. They inject the stuff into Steve’s IV and then scribble some things on his chart.

“You can keep yelling hun, I just gotta wait and make sure the dose was enough and that Mr. Harrington here doesn’t react badly to it.” The nurse says.

Billy is still all amped up, and the sooner he finishes yelling the sooner he can get to fussing over Steve.

“Why were you so stupid?! Harrington, you could have died?! And then what, then what was the plan? Huh? What would Dustin have done, if you’d died? What would all your little brats have done?! What the hell then?! There were better ways to handle this! You could have called me, for one, you could have called the damn police chief for another, because he has a gun?!” Billy yells.

Steve looks a little loopy now, and he smiles a little at Billy.

“I didnnnn’ die though.” He slurs.

“Yes, but you could have! That’s the whole point, Harrington, you could have died!!! Do you not understand that? You can’t keep doing this!” Billy yells. Steve sighs, and looks at the nurse, who is measuring his heart rate.

“He’s mad at me.” Steve whispers. The nurse chuckles.

“Yeah, he is.” They say.

“It’s ok though, he’s pretty cute when he’s all worked up. I’sss gonna marry him somedayyyyy, cause we’sss in love, ya know?” Steve says, brown eyes going liquid and wide. “He jusss’ don’t think I lovvve him, and he’s had a life you know? Do you know? And so I cannnnn’t tells him, cause he’d get scared.” Steve slurs. The nurse raises their eyebrows and turns to Billy who is just gaping at Steve.

“The meds hit some people really hard, and he’s had a long night. He probably isn’t aware of what he’s saying. I’d save your yelling for when he wakes up again.” The nurse smiles gently. “Steve, sugar, you sleep it off, alright? I’ll be back to check on you later.” The nurse grins and leaves. Billy continues to stare at Steve, who blinks sleepily.

“Come ‘ere. You’re so farrrr. Billllllly.” Steve pouts and lifts his hands. Billy walks over, still staring at him.

“Yous all red.” Steve mumbles, and continues to make grabby hands. Billy shakes his head and walks around the side of the bed, sitting on the side of it, and taking Steve’s hands.

“You said you loved me, so yeah I’m all red.” Billy says, feeling his face get even warmer.

“Who toldddd?!” Steve cries, looking scandalized. “Issss a secret!”

And Billy cracks up. Because only Steve could do this. He leans forward and presses his head to Steve’s, and takes a deep breath.

“Get some sleep Harrington, we can talk when you wake up.” Billy says.

“Mmmmkay, but you’re gonna stay, right? I donnnn’ wanna be alone.” Steve says petulantly. Billy laughs.

“I’ll be right here when you wake up, promise.” Billy says. Steve nods, and then promptly falls asleep.

Dr. Forest comes in to check in on Steve a little later, and hands Billy some Stephen King novel, saying he looked bored, and says she’ll call Joyce and Hop to update them.

Billy’s reading a few hours later, not looking at Steve, so he misses when the other wakes up.

“Oh god.” Steve moans from the bed. Billy drops the book and leaps up.

“What, do you hurt? Are you bleeding? What’s wrong?!” Billy asks, sitting on the edge of the bed and staring at Steve, who’s covered his face with his hands.

“Did I get high on pain meds, and tell a nurse we were gonna get married?” Steve whispers. Billy laughs a little.

“Yeah, you did.” Billy says, laughing a little.

“And… and did… uh did I say that I loved you but you didn’t know and I couldn’t tell you because you’d be scared?” Steve mutters.

“Uh… yeah you did. But don’t worry, I know it was the drugs.” Billy mutters. Steve sighs.

“I wasn’t lying. That really wasn’t how I wanted to tell you, but I mean it.” Steve whispers and parts his fingers to peer at Billy.

“Wait. What?” Billy mutters.

“You didn’t know? You’re smarter than me!” Steve says, and starts to sit up. He winces, and Billy leaps up to help him, fluffing the pillows behind him, and easing Steve back onto them.

“We’re friends.” Billy explains. “Right?”

“Billy, of course, you’re my best friend in the whole world. But I went and fell for you, and it’s obvious that you love me too. But Max told me that you’ve had so much in your past, and I figured we’d just figure it out eventually.” Steve mutters.

“I do love you.” Billy breathes.

“I know.  You sat in a hospital all night and then yelled at me. And you’re wearing my shirt, and your hair isn’t done. I know, Bills.” Steve says, and he reaches out to take Billy’s hands. “I’ve never doubted how you felt about me, I just thought you knew how I felt about you. I’m sorry, I never wanted you to doubt.”

“So, you just thought I was making you wait?” Billy mutters.

“I thought you weren’t ready. That it was just some unspoken thing, and you’d talk about it when you were ready.” Steve murmurs.

“You’re still an idiot Harrington, but I might be a bigger one.” Billy mutters.

“Don’t you say that Billy Hargrove!” Steve says, and leans forward as much as he can and pecks Billy’s lips. Billy chases him, and helps him ease down onto the pillows before kissing him again.

“OH! We can come back!” Someone yells from the doorway. Billy pulls away, but tips his head against Steve’s forehead.

“Come in Steve’s Favorite, I know you all want to see him too.” Billy says.

“My kids are here?!” Steve says, and turns to see them clustered around the doorway, shoving Billy aside slightly.

Billy moves, and Steve opens his arms. The kids all launch at him, hugging him tight, but gentle, mindful of his bandaged middle. Max turns and hugs Billy tight.

“About time.” She whispers. Billy chuckles.

“Did he yell?” Dustin asks.

“Oh yeah. There was a lot of yelling.” Steve says.

“But then he got high on pain meds and told me he loved me, so I stopped yelling.” Billy teases. Steve’s eyes sparkle.

“Yeah, but he loves me too so it works out.” The kids all make disgusted noises, but Billy’s just looking at Steve, and his big brown, very much alive eyes.

[chickensarentcheap]

Best Part of Me -Chapter 33

Warnings: none

Tagging: @c-a-v-a-l-r-y​, @alievans007​, @innerpaperexpertcloud​

It’s six thirty in the morning when he steps out onto the front porch; barefoot and blurry eyed, still clad in just a pair of boxer briefs, cup of coffee in one hand and phone in the other.  After Nik’s call he’d fallen into a restless sleep; dreaming of Dhaka and the night at Gaspar’s house when he’d been given the five million dollar deal. This time he’d made a different decision; willingly giving both Ovi and Esme up in exchange for money and his freedom. Asif had been there, sitting in a darkened corner; watching and listening. A pleased, victorious smile on his lips as his right hand man brought over his two new favourite playthings. They’d been drugged; minds and eyes hazy, their movements sluggish and uncoordinated.  He’d had a change of heart at the last moment; offering his life in exchange for hers. Begging and pleading with Asif to ‘take me instead of the girl’.  Asif had just laughed, then grabbed her by the hair and forced her to look at Tyler. Mocking her, telling her to look at the big, strong man now; crying like a baby and bargaining to save her. How did that make her feel? Knowing he could be so weak? That she was the one capable of making him that way? Is that really what she wanted? Someone so pathetic? Or did she want a real man like him. Then he’d his hand had moved to her throat; fingers digging into the soft flesh with enough power and pressure to steal her breath. And he’d kissed her. Savagely. Brutally.

And she’d kissed him back.

Tyler woke up breathless; near sobbing. Tears spilling down his cheeks,  his heart thundering, and chest aching. Initially panicking at the unfamiliar surroundings and bolting upright, wide -almost terrified- eyes taking in everything around him; the furnishings, the color of the walls, his old friend sleeping soundly across the room, the cattle dog sitting beside the couch, curiously watching him.  And it hadn’t been until he’d glanced out the window and caught sight of the mountain range, tree line, and brush that reality had finally settled in.  He was no longer in Dhaka. Not at Gaspar’s outside the city limits.  It was seven years ago. Not now. He’d turned down the offer and Asif hadn’t been there; he’d never laid a hand on her and he’d never kissed her. None of that had ever happened. Just his mind -broken and in tatters- playing tricks on him. They’d made it out of Bangladesh. She was saife. At home. In bed. THEIR bed.

He’d been tempted to call; just to hear her voice; needing that extra bit of reassurance that everything was fine. SHE was fine. But he knew what the mornings could be like; up before the sunrise with the baby, then tending to Declan and getting breakfast made and three kids up and ready for school. Ovi would be there; promising to keep an eye on things and lending a hand whenever it was needed. Kyle couldn’t be relied on; too busy getting his rocks off with Salena. Or whatever the hell her real name is. And Tyler had briefly wondered if getting into Kyle’s life had been part of whatever the new neighbor was up to; a way of weaseling her way into their lives for some fucked. The uncertainty eats at him; knowing that something isn’t quite right yet not being able to prove it or get the information that he needs. Way too many things pointing towards trouble; the Jeep with the stolen plates and the driver with the earpiece that had been watching him and the kids. Salena getting out of the passenger seat with a stack of folders under her arm and no record of her actually existing. All the ingredients, everything needed, to create a huge goddamn mess.

His head throbs. A mixture of lack of sleep and not eating properly. The cravings are intense. When he’d gone into the kitchen to make himself a coffee, he’d been greeted by all the whisky and scotch bottles that littered the counters and shelves; some empty, others half full, a handful still sealed.  And his hands had been shaking as he’d considered it; one on a glass and the other around a bottle of scotch. His brain exhausted from dealing with the nightmare,   trying to piece together the bullshit with the neighbor, and the call from Nik and the threats she’d made.  A single wouldn’t hurt. That’s what the demon on his shoulder had been telling him. That he could stop at just one and walk away; get enough to satisfy the craving, get the taste of it on his lips and tongue.  And he’d been close. So close. Seconds away from pouring the scotch into a glass.  And then as quick as the desperation and the need had come, it had disappeared. Leaving him feeling  weak and shamed and completely disgusted with himself.

Now he sits on the edge of the porch, feeling ground with his feet pressed against the damp earth. It had rained considerably last night; puddles of mud, lower temperatures, and a fresh and familiar earthy smell in its wake. Sadie hasn’t left his side since he’d arrived yesterday; now pressed tightly to him, chin resting on his thigh as he sips his coffee and checks his text messages and emails. Skipping over the angry rants left by Nik and the irritated ‘clearly out of fucks’- one that Yaz had contributed. Tyler hasn’t heard from him since New Zealand; the one other man taking it as a personal slight that he’d given it all up and walked away without even a glance back.

There’s dozens of emails from the contacts he’d reached out to; mercs wanting to work for him and offering their services, retired guys wanting to get back into the game, people who can supply him with weapons and ammo and every other accessory and piece of technology he can imagine.  Even mail from former clients; guys he’d done jobs for and had been so impressed with his efficient -and successful- work. They’re pleased  that he’s not only   back in action, but that he’s actually still alive. They have resources for him; supplies, money, names and numbers of other high profile people that may need some work done.  And he sees the emails that his wife has returned, smiling as he reads her replies; concise, confident, intelligent. As if she’s never spent a single moment away from the job; smoothly and effortlessly transitioning back into her old life.

It won’t be easy; balancing the job and running a business while trying to keep a marriage afloat and raise five kids. But there’s no doubt in his mind that they can do it. They’re stronger together than they are apart; they always have been. And if they can survive the past seven years -especially his addiction issues and a six month separation that should have broken them-, they can survive anything.

He sends a text message. Telling her how much he loves her. Misses her. How he can’t wait to see her. That he’s proud of her. Not just the way that she’s handling the business side of things, but EVERYTHING.  The way she’s always fought for them. For HIM. How she raises his kids. Pouring his heart out with every letter that appears on the screen. He’d not normally that ‘type’, grand displays of affection and sincere, romantic words not his strong suit.  But the nightmare -especially the way Asif had kissed her and she’d reciprocated- has left him feeling unsettled; needing to get things off his chest. The things he feels but always struggles to say.

She quickly sends a text in response. I LOVE YOU. SO MUCH. WE MISS YOU.  Accompanied by a selfie of herself and Millie lying in the middle of their bed, both with sleepy smiles and messy hair and hands down the two most beautiful girls in the world. And he thinks of what Koen had said; about how lucky he is and that any woman who would stuck his side -through everything- was a woman worth holding onto him. She could have easily left that day on the bridge; he wouldn’t have blamed her if she did. But she’d ignored Nik and stuck around and put her own ass on line in an attempt to save his. And that’s nothing you easily thank someone for.

“You really are out of your damn mind,” Koen grumbles, as he wanders out onto the porch, his own cup of coffee in his hand; hair messy from sleep and eyes stilly glassy from all the booze he’d consumed. “Up at these hours of the morning.”

“This is pretty normal for me. Has been since I got clean.”

“Probably used to getting up with the rugrats,” Koen reasons, and takes a seat beside him. “Everything okay?” he nods down at the phone still clutched in Tyler’s hand. “At home?”

“Yeah. Everything’s good. Just checking in on everyone. Making sure they haven’t driven their mom crazy yet.”

“She must already be crazy. Having that many kids with the likes of you. How the hell she puts up with you is beyond me. I’d only be able to stand looking at that ugly mug for so long.”

“You must not look in the mirror very often.”

Koen smirks. “Smart ass. You always were quick with the shit head comments. Thought maybe all that oxygen you were deprived of might have slowed you down a bit. But here I am, dealing with your crap.”

“Admit it. You missed me.”

“About as much as I miss my two ex wives,” Koen scoffs, and then digs a playful elbow in Tyler’s ribs. “You miss it? Living out here?”

“Not really. I have a better life now. A nice place right on the beach. Tons of property. Perfect for raising kids. Wouldn’t have been able to do that out here. We probably would have tried, bt…” he sips his coffee and shrugs. “...we’re happy where we are.”

“Smartest thing you ever did; coming home. No better place to bring up a handful of kids, if you ask me. It’s weird as hell though,” he chuckles. “You doing the whole daddy thing all over again. Never thought I’d see the day, to be honest.”

“Neither did I,” Tyler admits, and he thinks about the picture he’d received just minutes before. Millie with her messy, unruly hair and those huge blue eyes that crinkle at the edges when she smiles. How’d he cried when she’d been born and a nurse had placed her in his arms; tears of both relief that she’d made it safely and immense gratitude that he’d been given that chance again.

After Austin had passed away and his marriage disintegrated, he’d thought that it was it for him. His life had been a mess...HE’D been a mess...and he couldn’t imagine meeting someone that he’d be able to have that kind of experience with. That he’d trust enough to let his guard down around and that could tolerate him and his bullshit long enough to actually fall in with him. That he’d ever find someone to fall in love WITH.

“She’s going to be a heart breaker that one,” Koen says. “The oldest. Those eyes of hers? All the boys are going to be tripping over themselves to get to her.”

Tyler frowns. “They’re going to have to get through me first.”

“Poor bastards. They’re going to be scared shitless when they walk up the house and you’re the first one out to greet them. I feel for them; trying to date a girl that has you as their father. They’d have no clue that you’re capable of tearing them in half.”

“Anyone touches either of my girls, no one will ever find their bodies. No boyfriends. No dates. No dances. None of that. No one is getting close to them. Ever.”

“Yeah, good luck with that,” Koen chuckles, and takes a swallow of coffee. And for several minutes they sit in silence;   enjoying the feel of the breeze and the smell of fresh, damp earth.

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” his friend says. “With the whole merc business. I thought one brush with death would be enough. Apparently not.”

“Things will be different this time. I won’t have to go out in the field as much. Only if things really go to shit.”

“Don’t they always go to shit?”

“Sometimes. Dhaka was the worst, but it wasn’t the first time things went wrong and it won’t be the last. Hopefully we can avoid that level of shit show. I know what I’m doing. I’m not some rookie going into this blind. It was my life for years.”

“But why do you need it to be your life now? Look what you’ve got going for you. You’ve got a wife and little ones. Stability. Why put all that on the line for who you used to be?”

“You having second thoughts?”

“Nope. I said I’m in, I’m in. I’m just worried about you. I don’t you throwing your life away. I don’t want you losing your kids and that pretty little wife of yours. You got a thing going. A damn good thing. You don’t need to fucking that up.”

“It’s something I need to do,” Tyler says. “I need to get back out there. Get back that piece of who I was. I need to feel like I’m doing something worthwhile with my life.”

Koen frowns. “You don’t think you are? Doing something worthwhile?”

“What am I doing? I don’t have a nine to five job. No skills outside of what I learned in the military and on the job. I pick up odd shit here and there. Nothing steady. I spend more of my time in the gym or out in the water or spending time with my wife.”

“And you’re complaining about that last part? Spending time with the likes of her? What the fuck is wrong with you? Give her to someone who’d appreciate her then.”

“I’m not complaining. Far from it. I’m just saying there needs to be something more to this life. I feel like I need to be doing something more. I need to feel useful again. Like I’m not just washed up, broken down ex soldier with a drinking problem.”

“You’re a husband. And a dad. You help raise little human beings. There’s nothing useless about that. You should be sitting back enjoying your life. Appreciating what you have right in front of you. How you gonna feel if all this blows up in your face? If things go to hell and you lose everything? What the hell you gonna do then?”

“I don’t know. Put a gun in my mouth?”

Koen scowls. “I’m being serious, mate.”

“So am I.”

“All I’m hoping is that you got your shit together and you know what you’re doing. Because this is some serious stuff here. Getting back into being a merc. And you’ve got a lot to lose now. You’ve got everything to lose. That’s all I’m saying.”

Tyler smirks. “When did you become so sensitive and sentimental?”

“Don’t be a dick about this. I’m just worried about you. I don’t want you going back into this and losing what you have. Because you finally got your shit together and got a life that’s worth living.”

“I appreciate you worrying about me and all that, mate. I do. But I’ve got it under control. I know what I’m doing. This isn’t going to be like last time. I won’t let it be.”

Koen sighs. “You always have been a stubborn sonofabitch.”

“I know what I’m doing,” Tyler insists. “And I wouldn’t be doing it if I couldn’t handle it. Things will be alright. Esme and I are in this together. We’re on the same page. We’re not going to let this break us.”

“I hope not,”  Koen says. “Because I don’t think you’d survive that.”

***

His flight arrives on time, touching down shortly before noon hour at Cooktown airport. She parks the truck on the tarmac and waits; a pair of aviator style sunglasses covering her eyes, fingernails drumming against the steering wheel. She gives the pilot a small wave and a pleasant smile when he nods in her direction; they’d met briefly two days before, when he’d come to the house after Tyler had sought out his help.  Short and broad shouldered; brown hair cropped tightly to his head and kind green eyes that sparkle when he smiles. The quintessential ‘boy next door’ with his youthful wholesome good looks and his khaki pants and crisp white golf shirt.  Quite the juxtaposition compared to Tyler; all power and muscle and the tattoos and scars that tell of a hard life spent living on the edge.  

This is the furthest she’s ever gotten into the job; not only helping organize and run things, but the acquiring of weapons and ammo and other supplies, and the handling of money -big money-  aside from her own payouts. It makes her anxious; knowing that she’s one of two people that others will come to now. Instead of being approached with work and offered jobs,  now she’s in charge of finding and assigning them. Gathering intel had been one thing; she’d spent years honing those skills. Being boss is an entirely different animal all in itself.

So much for not getting ‘too involved’.

Four large and heavy locked trunks are placed in the bed of the truck, followed by several smaller duffle bags that are loaded into the back seat. All containing a shockingly generous amount of automatic and semi automatic rifles and handguns, various types of grenades and their launches, knives, and utility vests. Whatever immediate gear that a merc would meet. All would be placed in a storage facility on the outskirts of town, save for a handful that would be kept in the two locked and secure  gun lockers  that already exist at home; one in their garage and the other in the attic.

Once things are safely loaded, an envelope of money is exchanged. Everything being handled off the books; no paper trail that can connect the pilot to the or the very illegal transport of weapons. You never know who is watching. Now that word has gotten out and spread like wildfire, support and interest are pouring in. But it isn’t just the good-intentioned that are paying attention; a man like Tyler Rake burns a lot of bridges and makes a lot of enemies. Evil, dangerous people who feel as if he wronged them and have been holding onto grudges and fantasizing about revenge.

“Hey,” she cheerfully greets, as he slides into the passenger seat. “How was the flight? How…?”

His mouth is on hers before she gets the rest of the words out; a hand tangling in her hair as he aggressively pulls her into him.  The kiss is long and soft and sweet at first; his lips bearing a hint of coffee and a touch of mint. But then things quickly take a more intense turn; his tongue pushing its way way into her mouth, the miss much more ravenous and needy. Desperate.

“Wow…” she breathes, when he pulls away, forehead briefly resting against hers before his lips brush against the bridge of her nose. “...what was that for?”

“I wanted to kiss my wife. That’s not allowed?”

“Of course it’s allowed. And encouraged. But that was...intense. That wasn’t your usual ‘back after only twenty four hours’ kiss. That was your ‘I’ve been gone for two or three weeks’ kind of kiss.”

“Guess I just missed you.” he reasons, and then presses his lips to her temple before settling back into his seat and reaching for the belt.

“Okay, something is going on. You kissed me like THAT and you’re letting me drive your truck?”

“You had to drive it here, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, but you’re here now and it’s your baby and usually…”

“It’s just a truck,” he says with a shrug, and buckles his seat belt.

“Something is definitely going on with you.”

Tyler chuckles. “There’s nothing. I didn’t sleep well last night and I have a killer headache and it’s probably just better if you drive. That’s all.”

“Do you have a killer headache because…?”

“I wasn’t drinking iof that’s what you’re going to ask. I stayed sober. I told you I wasn’t going to be like that again and I meant it.”

“What was the dream about?”

“Can’t remember. I just know it was fucked and I don’t want to have it again.”

Her eyes narrow as she watches him, noticing the way he grimaces when he stretches his legs out in front of him and the frown on his face as he rubs at his troublesome knee. The scar is long and jagged; starting three inches above and stopping four inches below. There’d been complications; the surgeon discovering more damage, bone fragments and scar tissue than he’d initially expected and having to not only replace the knee, but repair ligaments and tendons that were nearly severed.

“What’s this about?” She reaches over to tussle his hair. The length on the top is the same as when he’d left, but the sides and back now shaved as close to the skin as possible.  High and tight; a Marine cut.  

“Just something I thought I’d try.”

“You’re going back to the old hair aren’t you,” a slow smile spreads across his face. “You’re going to let the top grow out.”

“It’s the look you liked the most, yeah? Now you can’t say I never do anything nice for you.”

“Baby…” she leans across the space between their seats and presses a kiss to his cheek; his beard still full yet trimmed and tidier. “...you’re the best. You know how to keep your girl happy.”

He grins. “Sometimes.”

“All the time,” she says, and places a kiss to the corner of his mouth before settling back into her seat and starting the ignition.  A companionable silence falling between them as they pull out of the hanger and head for home.

****

“ARE you okay?” Esme asks several minutes later.

“Fine,” Tyler replies, his head tilted back against his seat, eyes closed; one hand on his stomach, the other on her thigh, thumb continuously brushing against her skin.  “Just tired. It was a long night. Couldn’t fall asleep and when I did, I had that fucked up dream.” “And you don’t remember what it was about?”

“Nope. It wasn’t one of the usual ones, though. Never had this one before. But it was messed up. I remember that much.”

How do you explain a dream like THAT? That you’d been  willing to sacrifice someone’s life for five million dollars; knowing that a drug lord would have used and abused them  in horrific and degrading ways before killing them? She doesn’t even know about the whole truth about what happened at Gaspar’s. For nearly seven years she’d assumed that the deal had been for Ovi; that Gaspar had been hell bent on killing him and Tyler refused to give the kid up and all hell broke loose.

“Hmmm…” she turns her full attention to the road, chewing absentmindedly on her bottom lip. She’s used to this; his constant need to keep everything inside and shoulder every single burden on his own. It’s his protective nature; not wanting to add any extra stress or worry to her already overflowing plate. “...and things went okay?”

“Everything went fine. Got Koen on board, got everything we need to get started. Things went good. Place doesn’t even look the same anymore. Not inside, anyway.”

“And he’s still okay with letting us stay there?”

“Yup. Just said to make sure we change the sheets. Said he doesn’t want to be lying in our ‘business’.”

She laughs at that.

“Did Nik call you?” he casually and calmly asks, hand sliding onto the inside of her thigh; fingertips against the bare skin just below the hem of her shorts.

“Nik? Why should she call me? I’m probably the last person she wants to hear from after that night at the restaurant. I’m sure she blames me for Kyle calling things off.”

“Well in all fairness, you did kind of instigate the whole thing. Hooking him with the neighbor. Even after I told you to stay out of it and mind your business.”

“Hey, it’s not my fault it was instant lust between them. We know all about that, don’t we.”

He grins.

“But no. She didn’t call. That’s kind of a weird thing to ask, About Nik.”

“She called me,” Tyler admits, and he notices the way both of her brows arch. “Last night. I only answered because I thought it was you and that maybe something was wrong at home.”

“Why would she call you? Was she having a lonely night? Wanted to have phone sex?”

“I didn’t have the energy. I’d already had phone sex with you, so…”

“Boy that must have broken her heart; the fact you keep shooting her down. Maybe she feels if she keeps bugging you enough she’ll wear you down and you’ll give in.”

“Not gonna happen. I already told you; I’m not a cheater. I don’t want anyone else but you. And she actually called to give me shit. I guess word travels faster than we thought it would.”

“Well it was going to happen sooner or later.”

“Later would have been nice.”

“I take it she wasn’t happy.”

Tyler smirks. “That’s one way of putting it. She lost her shit. She’s taking it personally; thinks I did it to purposefully fuck her over and put her out of business.”

“Mercs are jumping ship left, right, and center. I can’t keep up with all the messages and the emails. She’s not going to have anyone left.”

He shrugs. “Guess she shouldn’t have let things go to shit.”

“They went to shit seven years ago when she made the decisions she did. That should have been the end of it; when she was so willing to leave you on the bridge to die. She totally fucked you. And not in a good way. Like whose dick is she sucking that she keeps her job?”

A grin tugs at the corner of Tyler’s mouth. “You’re feisty today.”

“I hope you do put her out of business. I hope she loses everything. Because she fucking deserves it. She’s done a lot of shitty things and I’m glad karma is finally biting her in the ass.”

“She’s not going to go down without a fight. She’s pretty pissed. And pretty determined to make my life hell.”

Esme frowns. “She said that? That she’s going to make your life hell?”

“Not in so many words.”

“Well what did she say? Did she threaten to show up and kick your ass? I’d love to see her try.”

“She just said some shit. About us. When I said something about how my wife and my kids will always be around, she made a comment about how she’ll ‘see about that’.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t know. But I told her I wasn’t fucking around. Don’t threaten my family. It didn’t end well for the last person who tried it and it won’t end well for her.” “Nk hardly seems the type that would hurt kids. There’s no doubt in my mind she’d come for me. She’s been wanting me out of the picture for a long time. But to do something to hurt the kids? I can’t see her stooping that low.”

“I don’t think it was a physical threat. Nik’s all about screwing with peoples’ heads. Look what she did to me. She knew I was messed up and she knew exactly what buttons to push to get me to do what she wanted.”

“You think that’s what it is? Psychological warfare? Because she’s never gone up against me and that's a  battle I will not lose. I’ve gone up against bigger and better than her and I’m still here to tell about it. Besides, what could she possibly say that would bother me that much? After everything I’ve been through in the past seven years? Nothing could unnerve me that badly that it would screw things up between us. Look at everything we’ve been through. That shit we’ve survived.  She doesn’t even know HALF of it. Trust me, there’s nothing she could say that could hurt us.”

“It’s Nik. She’ll make shit up if she has to.”

“She can save her breath. I know all your deepest and darkest secrets. So if she thinks she has something to surprise me, she’s got another thing coming. I do, right?” she casts him a sidelong glance. “Know everything I need to know?”

“There’s nothing I haven’t told you. I told you most of it in the first couple of days. Everything else you’ve lived through with me.”

“Then let her make shit up,” Esme shrugs. “I think I trust you word over hers. After everything she’s pulled,  I wouldn’t believe a goddamn word she says. And the fact she’d even threaten you? Like, she knows who she’s talking to, right? Someone who killed two people with one garden rake. That’s really who she wants to go up against?”

“She probably thinks I won’t retaliate. I don’t give a shit what history we have. You don’t threaten my family. Ever.”

“Normally I’d tell you you’re being paranoid and you’re way too overprotective, but this side of you is kind of hot.”

He grins. “Kind of?”

“Totally hot,” she admits, then giggles and shoves his hand away when he slides it towards her crotch. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“What’s gotten into you the last few days? You’re a little...I don’t know...assertive...when it comes to the whole sex thing.”

“I’m not allowed to want to have sex with my life? First I can’t kiss you a certain way, now I can’t have sex with you either?”

“It’s not that you can’t. You’re just a little more...demanding...than usual. Needy.  Needy is a good word for it. And we’ve always had a lot of sex but lately, you’ve just been...extra...about it.”

He gives in an amused smirk. “I’m extra?”

“In a good way,” she assures him.

“Look, I love you. You’re beautiful. You’re sexy. And I want to fuck you. So…”  his hand once again slides along her thigh, slipping under the leg opening of her shorts. Fingertips grazing against the edge of her simple cotton pants. “...when we get home, that’s what we’re going to do. Fuck.”

“Addie and Declan are there. Ovi’s watching them.”

“Send them to his place. Tell him we need half an hour kid free. He’ll know what that means.”

“A half an hour?” she playfully inquires. “When has it only taken half an hour?”

“I’m in a mood,” he replies, and slides a finger under her panties, and she swallows noisily and her entire body tenses when it pushes through her folds and grazes over her clit.

“Obviously. And you’re going to put me in a mood!” She squeezes  her thighs shut, trapping his hand between them. “Stop! I’m trying to drive!”

“Just relax. Let me do this.”

“You’re crazy!”

“Come on…” he grins. “...do it. I know you want to. It’s something we’ve never done before. You can’t tell me you don’t want to try. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Oh I don’t know, Tyler. I could crash and kill us both and our kids would be orphans. That’s pretty much the worst.”

“Do it…” he encourages. “...open your legs...let me do this for you...let me make you feel good.”

She glances at him out of the corner of her eyes.

“Our little secret,” his grin widens. “I promise.”

“You're insane. You really are.”

“Maybe. But I can feel how wet you are. “I know you want it just as much as I do. Just do it. Just this once. Let me to this for you.”

She sighs heavily, thighs releasing the grip on his hand.

“That’s my girl,” he praises, swallowing noisily when he slips another finger between her folds, watching her face as the tips press against her clit. Noticing the flush that creeps into her cheeks and the tips of her ears, the way her teeth dig painfully into her bottom lip.

“You really are a bad influence,” she half-heartedly complains.

“Yeah,” he agrees, as his fingers continue their ministrations.  “But you love me though.”

She doesn’t even attempt to deny it.

[theolddarkmachine]

Imaginary- Chapter Twelve

Midoriya Izuku’s life was turned upside by fate.

Eri’s life was turned upside down by circumstance.

And Bakugou Katsuki is about to learn that even imaginary friends need to grow up.

Also on AO3

A/N: I won’t lie to you, I’ve been a bit on the fence about this chapter, which is why it’s taken so dang long to get out. Like, I like it, but the longer I look at it, the more I start to wonder if I really like it. Sooooo here it is, before I just keep sitting on it and not posting it XD apologies in advance.

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The sun is a pleasant shade of golden, and even more pleasantly warm as it shines in through the windshield. It coats Izuku with its gentle heat, leaving his skin dusted in its gilded warmth in a calming way as the car idled at one of the few stoplights in the town.

An equally bright pop song sets itself as the soundtrack for the morning and he finds himself humming along as he bobs his head in time with it.

Life had seen a quantifiable upswing since the aquarium several days prior.

Eri had been happy, almost overtly so; work had been great; and the sun had been shining every single day.

Yeah, life had been going well, and for the first time in a long time, it felt like the ground was finally back beneath Izuku’s feet where it belonged.

For the first time, in a long time, he actually felt like maybe he could be the dad that the young girl deserved.

Flicking his gaze to the rearview mirror, he watches as Eri keeps her attention turned toward the window, kicking her feet and swaying along to the song. The ever present smile on her face is bright, rivaling that of the sun. Izuku hadn’t realized how little he had seen that smile until it was a constant, and he knew exactly who they had to thank for that.

Slowly sliding his attention back to the road as he eases onto the gas, letting his mind wander over the blonde who had torn into their lives like a whirlwind. Gold and ruby flits across his mind’s eye as his heart flips in his chest before speeding up, hammering itself painfully against the back of his ribs.

Bakugou’s presence had grown up through the cracks of their lives, the roots twisting and turning around the hard earth that had been their previously until it was like he was always meant to be there.

And Izuku owed him so much for that. So much more than he could ever give in return, but he knew he had to try. If nothing else, he had to make it known just how important Bakugou was to them.

Was to him.

Heat rolls slowly across Izuku’s cheeks at the intrusive thought. Quickly shaking the words out of his mind, he pulls the car into the parking lot, settling on the spot furthest from the entrance if only to avoid the trap of the parking lot and its parking vultures.

“You ready for a good day?” He asks Eri, gaze meeting her’s in the rearview as he turns the car off. The colorful pop song goes quiet as the power cuts, leaving a momentary pause before Eri’s smile pulls wider.

“Yeah!” She says excitedly before undoing her seatbelt and wiggling to the edge of her booster seat. Her excitement was contagious, making Izuku’s veins hum as he undid his own seatbelt and got out of the car. Opening Eri’s door, he offers her a hand as she slides out of the backseat, her shoes making a loud tap as she lands.

Grabbing for her backpack, Izuku holds it in his fist as he kicks the door shut, not bothering to lock up for the short walk from their spot to the entrance.

Eyes set downward in a vain attempt to not be blinded by the sun’s bright rays, Izuku listens to Eri’s happy humming as they walk, biting down on the edge of his grin as they went. A breeze twists around them and he can’t help but think that it feels like a near perfect moment.

“Kacchan!” Eri exclaims suddenly, hand tightening around Izuku’s. Her sudden proclamation makes his heart squeeze in his chest as his head snaps up in time to see the blonde just ahead of them at the walkway to the front doors. The tense line between Bakugou’s eyebrows smooths as he looks in their direction, mouth quirking ever so slightly as he raises a hand and gives a half wave.

“Kacchan!” Eri says again, dropping Izuku’s hand and leaving him to follow as she runs towards Bakugou. The wind snatches at her hair, leaving it a shiny silver wave behind her as she opens her arms wide before making a leap into Bakugou’s arms.

Catching her easily, he gives her a quick spin that makes her laugh ring louder in the courtyard. It fills Izuku’s insides with something warm and saccharine as he stops just a few feet from the pair as Bakugou carefully set Eri back down.

“Hey rugrat,” he says, fondness turning his usually rough tone into warm honey. That soft sound of his voice smooths over Izuku’s skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake as he watches the pair. Standing there in a perfect snapshot moment, he takes in the way Bakugou smiles at Eri before tapping her gently on the tip of her nose.

“Ready to kick today’s ass?” He asks, settling back on his haunches as he speaks to her. Izuku knows he should say something about he’s crude term usage, but he can’t bring himself to as he watches Eri push her arms out to give him two thumbs up.

“Yeah!” She answers loudly before cocking her head. “Are you?”

A sharp snort makes Izuku jump slightly as Bakugou lifts his hands in front of him, mirroring Eri as he returns the gesture.

“Who do you think you’re talking to, of course I am,” he growls before uncurling his hands, leaving his palms open to her. There’s a sharp slapping sound as she smacks their hands together in a double high five.

“Good girl,” Bakugou says, dropping his hands to his knees and tilting his head toward the daycare. “Now get in there.”

Her answers is a high peal of laughter as she turns on her heel, grabbing for her backpack from Izuku before running toward the front doors. Watching as she disappears behind the bright red of the entrance, Izuku turns his attention back to Bakugou just in time to see him stand and shove his hands deep into his pockets.

Standing there, he doesn’t look as hard and callous as usual. Instead, the sharp line of his mouth, usually downturned in a harsh scowl, is pliant and curved slightly up.

It’s a good look on him, Izuku thinks before pushing down the stray thought.

“How are you allowed around kids?” He asks, words laced with teasing. It earns him a pointed scoff that pulls his grin higher at one edge.

“Because they recognize that I have a gift, stupid Deku” Bakugou says, rolling his eyes as he moves ever so slightly closer to Izuku. “Good fucking morning to you too, by the way.”

His own laugh startles him as it pushes its way between them, circling around them both as he shakes his head slightly.

“Good morning, Kacchan,” Izuku offers, shifting his weight to knock their shoulders together. The quick contact zips through him, leaving a tingling feeling crackling behind his belly button as his face warms.

“You and the squirt have a good weekend?” Bakugou asks, nodding his head in the direction of Izuku’s car. Dipping his chin in acknowledgement, Izuku hopes that it does something to hide the pink tinge that’s quickly becoming a common reoccurrence whenever Bakugou was around.

Slowly, they start to make their way to the edge of the parking lot, falling in step side by side.

“Yeah, it was pretty good. Eri did miss her partner in crime, though,” Izuku hums thoughtfully, cutting his glance towards Bakugou as he continues, “how about you?”

If he hadn’t been looking toward him, Izuku may have missed the stormy look that passed across his features, dropping his grin and pinching his brows together. Then, almost as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone as Bakugou gives a halfhearted shrug.

“Just had some work stuff,” he says quickly, keeping his eyes set ahead. A muscle twitches along Bakugou’s jaw as he clenches his teeth around something he doesn’t say.

“They even make you work on the weekends?” Izuku asks, curiosity shading his tone.

“What?” Bakugou returns, setting the full force of his scorching gaze on him. It burns at his sternum, charring the skin and bone beneath as Izuku flicks his gaze toward the daycare building in answer.

“Oh, yeah,” the blonde continues, almost sheepish, as he turns his attention back forward. “Sometimes. When it’s serious.”

The soft shuffle of their feet over the pavement fills the quiet between them as they finally arrive at Izuku’s car.

“Well I hope they’re paying you well for it,” he finds himself saying as he leans back against the driver’s side door and crosses his arms over his chest. Humming darkly, Bakugou turns to face him, tracing his stare across the planes of Izuku’s face.

“The pay is shit, but I at least get to meet some good people.” Bakugou’s words are weighted and heady, and they find their way beneath Izuku’s skin and force his heart to rush faster in his chest. A liquid heat eases along the bones of his ribs, finding the spaces and weaving through them before pulling tight enough to crush the breath that’s in his lungs.

“Yeah, I bet that helps,” he manages to breathe as he looks up at Bakugou. Holding the almost expectant set of his gaze, Izuku searches the near endless depths of his ruby stare.

“Sure does, shortstack,” Bakugou replies lowly, the nickname a sweet endearment hanging from his tongue as he leans closer and presses a forearm to the hood of Izuku’s car. The movement boxes him in, wedging Izuku between the sun warmed metal of his car and the rolling heat from Bakugou’s chest.

Trying to remember how to breathe around the stifling pressure of the blonde’s presence, Izuku watches as Bakugou drags his stare down ever so slowly to find his mouth.

“Thank you,” Izuku croaks suddenly, the sharp sound of it making Bakugou jump slightly as he arches a brow in question. He doesn’t miss the way that Bakugou doesn’t move away.

“Thought I told you there wasn’t anything you needed to thank me for,” he says instead, words erring on the side of teasing. A rush ricochets down through Izuku, turning his insides to mush as he tears his eyes away in hope for just a moment of reprieve from the heat that’s burning him alive.

“I know,” Izuku says far too quickly, and far too loudly. He keeps his attention set on the trees that separate the daycare from the business next door, counting his breaths as he traces their tops.

“I know,” he says after several moments, sliding his stare back to the man in front of him.

“So then stop that, stupid Deku,” Bakugou replies with an ease as if he believes it’s truly that easy. And maybe it is, but looking up into the melted garnet of Bakugou’s eyes, Izuku knows he has to.

“No,” Izuku says, voice iron with resolve as he puffs out his chest. Lightning crackles over his breastbone where their chests brush. “I want to do something nice for you.”

The sudden proclamation widens Bakugou’s eyes as he tilts his head, as if observing him as Izuku continues.

“To thank you.”

Stomach churning as he lets the words rush, he returns the inquisitive stare. Suddenly, everything feels as if its curling in on him, but the one pinpoint of hope is the gleaming red just inches above him.  

“Yeah,” Bakugou finally says, and Izuku feels the small word as it tickles across the bridge of his nose.  “You said that.”

His eyes dart down quickly to Izuku’s mouth, and he pulls the full of his bottom lip between his teeth without thinking. Something dark rolls across Bakugou’s eyes, deepening the garnet into something almost sinister. Something that he swears he can feel branding him.

For just a fleeting moment, Izuku wonders what it would taste like if he kissed him.

“Be at our place at 5pm on Friday,” he says, voice embarrassingly breathy as he catches the way Bakugou’s tongue darts across his lip.

Then, he pushes back. A sudden cooling rush of air wraps itself around Izuku, and for the first time since he’d arrived at the daycare, he feels like he can breathe.

Opening his mouth to say something else, he snaps it shut as Bakugou taps his finger on the tip of his nose like had had done with Eri.

“I guess I’ll see you then,” Bakugou says, mouth blooming into a full, blinding smile that crinkles the edges of his eyes before he turns on his heel. Facing back toward the daycare, Bakugou starts to head back toward the building as he raises a hand in quick goodbye.

Letting his gaze linger on Bakugou’s back until he disappears around the building, Izuku tries to ignore the burning heat that radiates from the tip of his nose where Bakugou had touched him.

Another careful breeze tickles over his skin as he drags another breath through his teeth before climbing back into his car to head to work.

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