#Maria hill one shot

[brooooswriting]

Your fault pt. 2

Maria hill x reader, Natasha Romanoff x reader (past)

*knock knock knock* Maria groaned as she opened the door of her quarters, she had just come back from a very exhausting mission and was ready to go to bed. But the constant knocking was too annoying to be ignored forever.

“Y/n? What are you doing here?” She asked as soon as she saw you.

“I have to talk to you. You know how after the whole thing with Nat fury didnt let me back in until I went to therapy? So I went a couple of times while you were on the mission and then this woman has the audacity to tell me that I am suicidal and careless, that I wanted to end up dead on my last mission and that the person who made me feel like that was Nat” you hurried, making it hard for the brunette to understand anything.

“Wait- what did she say about you?” She asked, very unsure if she heard you right.

“Maria! That’s not important right now” you scolded her before continuing “she made me realize that Natasha is pure toxin for me. She also made me realize that I love you. It all made sense when she hinted at the fact that you’re the place I look for comfort. Because I do, you’re the first person I wanna see and the only person I always wanna talk to. I’m in love with you Maria” you told her, a smile on your face. The first real smile she had seen in months.

“I- why don’t you come in? I don’t think I can follow you right now” the door opened further for you to come in. You hurriedly followed her to the kitchen where she poured you a glass of water while you admired her.

“So what was that about you being suicidal?” She asked again as she pushed the glass towards you. Her eyes focusing on you.

“This is what you took in? Maria, I said I am in love with you and I mean it. I’ve been to 12 therapy sessions in the last 6 weeks and in every session all I wanted to talk about was you, how you saved me, how save I felt with you and then I realized it. I let Natasha treat me like shit for so long that I didn’t feel like you’d want me as soon as I realized that I do want you.”

“Y/n, are you sure about this? I don’t want to be a rebound and I don’t want to ruin our friendship” she said, her hand lightly grazing over yours that was placed on the counter. Her smile was a mixture of happiness sadness and uncertainty.

“Maria, I’ve never been surer about anything. You are the most amazing and beautiful person I have met and I wish I would have realized sooner. If you don’t feel the same, just say so and I’ll disappear and leave you alone with this topic. Our friendship can stay the same, I promise” everybody could have heard the sadness in your voice.

“I’ve been in love with you since our first mission but two weeks later you came in with Natasha holding hands. I didn’t wanna do anything if you were happy so I shut up. But now I’m so happy that I at least stayed close” she told you, leaning in carefully. Her eyes started to close as she noticed that you were also coming closer.

You were. At least until your hand suddenly stopped her, pushing her back lightly. “I - I thought” she immediately stumbled out making you smile lightly.

“You thought right but there’s something that I haven’t told you. I haven’t broken up with Natasha yet, I know what that sounds like but I was kinda scared, you know how toxic she can be”

“What?”

“I was scared and you weren’t here so I wouldn’t have had anywhere to go. Not anywhere I felt safe at least. And I don’t want to kiss you before I’m free” your hand carefully caressed her cheek as you explained, your heart feeling lighter as soon as she leaned into your touch.

“It’s okay. I’ll be there for you every second okay?” You nodded and fell into her embrace.

That night you decided to call it quits with the redhead, now that Maria was by your side.

“Natasha, we have to talk” you said as you walked into the kitchen, placing yourself on the other side of the table while Maria waited a couple of seconds before waking to the fridge.

“What about?” She was clearly uninterested in whatever you had to say and you had to hold back an eye roll.

“I think we should break up. No wait, I am breaking up with you. We just don’t fit together anymore and I don’t want to be treated like this anymore” you told her, your voice confident as you felt safe with the shield agent behind you.

“Yeah whatever” she said and walked out of the kitchen leaving you stunned.

“It’s over” you whispered to the woman as you sat on the counter next to where she was cutting some food.

“Finally. Now i can do this” she smiled as she pressed a light kiss to your lips. “And tomorrow I wanna take you out on a real date” she whispered against them before pulling away to plop some fruit into her mouth.

That night you fell asleep in one of Maria’s shield hoodies back in your own room after years and you haven’t felt as free as you did in forever.

Three weeks later

Natasha stood alone at Tony’s party watching Maria push you against a wall to make out with you. Her heart broke as she saw you smile against the brunettes lips. She’d never forgive herself for loosing you but it was too late now.

[literaryavenger]

Happy Birthday

Summary: It's your birthday and the only person who doesn't seem to be excited about it is you.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warnings: Mentions of death. Angst. Fluff. Language probably. My poor attempts at being funny.

Word Count: 2.5K

A/N: This story was completely self-indulgent, but I hope someone out there likes it!

Masterlist

You’ve always been very reluctant to celebrate your birthday.

You haven’t had a birthday party since you were 12. The following year your mom died a couple of days before and neither you nor your family were in the mood to celebrate anything.

It wasn’t by any means unexpected, she had been sick for a few years, but it still hit you hard.

You were the youngest and were far too young when she first got sick to really understand everything going on.

You were 8 and all you really remember is watching your mom get more and more sick until eventually there was nothing more the doctors could do.

Her death hit you hard and you closed yourself off, never talking about it or even crying after the day of her funeral. To this day you’ve still never cried, in front of others or even by yourself.

You started exercising to channel all your energy, refusing to do anything more like the therapy your family suggested. 

When you were 15 you discovered SHIELD and decided you wanted to help others, so you signed up for the SHIELD Academy, working your hardest and pushing yourself to your very limit.

You ended up being not only the youngest cadet ever, but the youngest to actually graduate and then the youngest recruit at SHIELD at only 16 years old.

Natasha was very impressed when she heard about you and took a liking to you, convincing Fury to make you part of her team during her missions and teaching you everything she knows.

That’s how you ended up in the Avengers Initiative, not that you felt you didn’t deserve it since you know how hard you worked and everything you gave up to work towards this achievement. 

The team themselves were initially skeptical since you were barely 18 during the battle of New York, but they were quickly proven wrong when they saw how well you handled yourself against the Chitauri. 

You were devastated when SHIELD fell, but carried on as an Avenger, battling Ultron and then moving to the Compound with the team.

You met the actual Bucky for the first time when you were 22, during the whole Civil War thing with Baron Zemo. Like Natasha, you were on Tony’s team, fighting mostly Pietro, but the conflict eventually ended. 

It took Tony some time to get over the whole “Bucky killing his parents while brainwashed” thing, but, as he likes to say, he can’t call himself a genius without admitting that Bucky didn’t have much of a choice. 

Thanks to Tony’s help Shuri was able to find a solution to Bucky’s brainwashing faster than she would’ve alone, meaning Bucky didn’t have to go back into cryo and was pretty quickly cleared to join the team, about a year after the airport battle in Leipzig.

You were warmly accepted by everybody and, the more the team grew the more you felt at home with these people.

And now you wish you could burn down the whole compound because, somehow, Tony convinced you to have a birthday party for the first time in 13 years because, in his words, 'you only turn 25 once'.

Good news is you managed to make him limit the guest list to the team and other people close to you like Maria Hill and Fury. Bad news is you’re still gonna be the center of attention, which you hate.

You couldn’t stop Tony from making everyone dress up for the party, and you couldn’t stop the team from getting you gifts even though you insisted all you wanted was everyone together and to have fun with them since for the longest time nobody ever even knew when your birthday was. 

What you didn’t realize was that the only person more worried than you about your gifts was Bucky.

Since he joined the team the two of you have gotten close, starting with his first training with the team where he very loudly told Steve about his disbelief that someone as young and small as you could actually be an asset to the team.

You quickly put him in his place by taking him down after less than two minutes of sparring, taking full advantage of his underestimating you because he “didn’t want to hurt a pretty little thing like you.”

Admittedly he was impressed and wasn’t shy about letting you know that, while the rest of the team snickered at his initial shock when you pinned him down.

You became friends after that, not as close as you’d like but friends nonetheless.

If you were honest with yourself you’ve been harboring a little crush on the supersoldier, but he’s never shown any interest so you resigned yourself to just being his friend.

Something that you did come to treasure, though, is your and Bucky’s late night talks.

It started with you walking in on him in the kitchen on a late night where you couldn’t sleep, nothing new to you, but the two of you barely talked other than acknowledging each other.

You took a bottle of water and left.

A couple of days later you ran into him again and you stood there in silence while you made yourself a cup of tea and then left for your room.

A few days later again he was just sitting there and said nothing as you made your tea, except this time you put a cup in front of him and silently took a seat next to him at the counter.

Two nights later when you arrived at the kitchen he was already there with a cup of tea in front of him and one in front of the seat next to him.

You didn’t want to assume it was for you, but you took a chance when you noticed it was the cup you always used, a blue mug with Stitch on it that says “Let’s get weird”. Your favorite in fact.

You hesitantly sat down next to him and, without you having to ask or without even looking at you, he told you that the nights you stay up late because you can’t sleep you tend to be more quiet during the team dinners and while you hang out afterwards.

You didn’t say anything in return and just sat there, trying not to overthink how much he seemed to watch you.

But the more nights you spent like that, the more you two talked and you gathered quickly that Bucky is a very observant person, nothing more.

You loved the time you spent together after dark where you’d talk about everything and anything, but come morning it was almost as if it never happened, which you came to accept.

It weirdly made the nights you spent talking even more special, which was almost every night.

But back to the present, you’re currently getting ready with Natasha and Wanda, who know much more than you about hair and makeup and are always happy to help you out with getting ready for Stark parties. 

You put on the black cocktail dress with rhinestones all over the corset and a slit down the left side, then the three of you make your way to the party room and you take a deep breath before entering.

Everyone is already there, all dressed up in fancy clothes as they all shout “Happy Birthday”.

You laugh and say hi to everybody while they all take turns hugging you, there’s not too many people but everyone important to you is there.

Even Laura and Clint’s kids are there, which you consider a second family at this point, since Laura always did treat you like a daughter.

You hate to admit that it's a nice party.

Knowing you, everyone makes an effort to not put you too much at the center of attention and you just go around talking to your friends like every other party.

Eventually time comes for the cake and, the moment you kind of dreaded, opening the gifts.

Since it's the first birthday you allowed the team to celebrate everyone decided to go all in for your gifts, which you picked up on from the very first gift you open.

Pietro got you a first edition of “The Picture Of Dorian Gray” which is your all time favorite book, Wanda and Maria got you a leather jacket and an amazing pair of boots that you knew were expensive because you were all out shopping together when you came across them.

Steve got you a gold heart-shaped locker with a picture of the team inside it, Natasha got you a charm bracelet with a little charm to represent everyone on the team, and Sam got you a cute necklace with your birth stone on it.

When you open Fury’s gift you start laughing since it's a gun, a SIG SAUER P226 to be precise, which is very Fury.

“It was my first gun when I joined SHIELD.” He says with a smile and you smile back, knowing how much thought he put into this gift.

You open Clint’s gift next, a bow and arrow that he already taught you how to use, and Laura got you a pair of diamond earrings.

Your heart melts when you open Lila, Cooper and Nathaniel’s gifts, respectively a friendship bracelet, an Avengers action figure of yourself and a Stitch plushie.

The three of them hug you tightly as you say thank you and now you only have two gifts left, Tony’s and Bucky’s, and they’re both little boxes. 

You open Tony’s next, thinking it’s some fancy necklace or earring but you frown when you see a car key.

“Is this the key to your car?” you ask Tony, knowing full well you’re holding the key to an Audi R8 Spyder, the car Tony’s let you borrow so many times you’re now wondering if he’s gifting you his spare set of keys.

“No.” He says casually “It’s the key to your car.”

You’re even more confused and simply stare at him with your mouth gaped, not really processing the information.

“Y-you… You got me a car?!” You almost yell out of shock and everyone else starts laughing at your antics when you start basically jumping up and down and hugging Tony, squealing like a little girl.

“Well, come on, let’s go see it!” Tony says enthusiastically after you’ve calmed down, and you get up, just as enthusiastic, but are stopped by Steve’s voice.

“Wait, wait. You have one gift left.” He says, picking up the small box and giving it to you. “It’s from Bucky.”

You were so pumped up by the car, you almost forgot about it and completely miss the mischievous look Steve gives Bucky and the murderous glare Bucky gives back.

You also miss Bucky starting to protest before you open his gift, but he instantly shuts up when he sees your face falling the second you open it.

It’s a small necklace with a blue rose in it, it really looks like something you’d give a little girl more than a 25 year old woman.

You look at it for a minute, running your finger on it before you raise your head and look at Bucky.

The whole room goes silent as they all watch you worriedly, everyone noticing immediately that tears are streaming down your face.

Nobody understands what’s happening and nobody knows how to react or what to do, it’s like they’re all frozen by the sight of you being vulnerable for the first time ever. 

Meanwhile Bucky’s heart is beating so loud he’s sure everyone around him can hear it, and he feels himself starting to panic at the thought of having ruined your birthday with that stupid gift.

Everybody else got you expensive gifts and all he did was get you a small, cheap necklace that reminded him of a story you briefly talked about once on one of your late night talks about a necklace you had as a kid.

He saw it at the mall while looking for a gift for you, remembering the sweet smile you had on your face when you mentioned it and the fleeting sad look he thought he saw when you told him you lost it when you were 12.

He was really proud of himself for that gift, but the more he saw the other gifts you got the more he regretted his choice, especially after Tony gave you a fucking car.

And now you were crying, not saying anything while just looking at him.

He doesn’t know what to expect from you at the moment, nobody does, he thinks you might yell, throw his gift back at him, tell him how much you hate it and him.

But you surprise everyone by throwing your arms around Bucky’s neck, hugging him tightly while crying into his shoulder.

You honestly forgot telling Bucky about that story and certainly didn’t expect him to remember it, especially since you always got the feeling that he didn’t care about your talks as much as you.

You just assumed that come morning he deleted everything you told him to make room for more important things, and you didn’t blame him.

But he didn’t.

What you didn’t tell him about the necklace is that your mom gave it to you because blue roses were her favorite, you had that necklace since you were born but you somehow lost it the day of her funeral.

That day you lost the two most important things in your life and cried yourself to sleep, and that was the last time you allowed yourself to be weak and cry.

Until today.

Bucky hesitantly wraps his arms around you, rubbing your back hoping to get you to calm down. He looks around at the rest of the team, panicking a little and not knowing what to do.

Everyone else is as clueless as he is, never having seen you in such a state before.

Bucky starts apologizing, his heart breaking at the sight of you crying, and he feels horrible that it’s because of him.

You shake your head quickly and pull away a little to look at him, wanting to reassure him you’re not sad or angry but incredibly happy, but words refuse to come. You take a deep breath to calm yourself and finally manage to speak.

“Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.” It’s quiet, but it’s something, and it’s enough to make Bucky let out a breath of relief at knowing you don’t hate him or his gift.

He brings you back in for another tight hug, almost forgetting about everyone else in the room as you hug him back without hesitation.

You’re honestly not even embarrassed at crying, all you care about at the moment is Bucky, his arms around you while he lets you bury your face in his neck, like you’ve been wanting to do for years now.

“Happy birthday, doll.” He whispers in your ear and, for the first time in 13 years, you really feel like it is.

[wandamaximoffsbadgirl]

Bad girl.

Domme!Maria Hill x fem!reader

Word count: 1.1K

Warnings: 18+ MDNI, impact play, pussy slapping, bondage, degradation and praise, control, denial

Authors notes: This will in fact be my last Maria fic. I don't feel like I know her well enough to do more than these little scenarios for kinktober

Maria’s gaze is cold and unyielding as she stands over you, arms crossed, her lips a firm line of disapproval. You can feel the weight of her dominance in the room, thick and palpable, making your pulse quicken. She hasn’t even touched you yet, but your skin tingles with anticipation—and the fear of what’s coming.

"You think you can get away with that?" she asks, her voice steady, clipped. She doesn't raise it. She doesn’t have to.

Your breath hitches as she steps closer, her boots thudding softly on the floor. You try to sit still, legs pressed together in a vain attempt at modesty, but she notices and raises an eyebrow.

“Don’t even think about hiding,” she says, her voice lower now, sending a shiver down your spine.

Her hand comes down on your shoulder, firm, before she grabs your chin, tilting your head back so you meet her gaze. Her touch is rough but not painful. “I’m going to teach you a lesson,” she murmurs, her tone dark and promising. “And you’re going to thank me for it.”

You swallow hard, knowing there’s no way out. She steps back, releasing you, and you try to brace yourself for what comes next.

“Take your clothes off,” she orders. There’s no room for hesitation in her voice, and you comply as quickly as you can, your hands trembling as you strip down, laying your clothes neatly to the side.

Maria’s eyes roam over your body, not with lust, but with control. When you’re completely bare, she nods, gesturing to the bed.

“On your back. Legs apart.”

Your heart pounds in your chest, but you do as she says, crawling onto the bed, spreading your legs wide as you lie back. Maria takes her time approaching, watching you squirm under her gaze.

You feel the cool leather of her belt brush against your skin as she secures your wrists to the headboard, not tight enough to hurt, but enough to remind you who’s in charge.

Then, without a word, her hand comes down sharply between your legs, landing with a sting that sends a jolt through your entire body. You gasp, your hips jerking up off the bed involuntarily.

“Count,” Maria says, her voice still impossibly calm, like she’s discussing the weather, not punishing you.

“One,” you breathe out, your voice shaky.

She slaps you again, harder this time, and you whimper, feeling the heat bloom between your thighs, pain and pleasure mingling in a way that has your mind spinning.

“Two,” you manage, biting your lip.

Maria keeps going, her strikes measured, deliberate, each one timed to keep you on the edge, never knowing how hard the next will be or how long she’ll wait before delivering it. Each time, she makes you count, her voice soft yet commanding when she prompts you, making sure you stay focused.

By the time she reaches five, your body is trembling, your breath coming in ragged gasps. Your core aches with a mixture of the stinging pain and a growing arousal that you can’t suppress. She hasn’t touched you anywhere else, hasn’t given you a moment’s reprieve, but you feel yourself growing wetter with each slap.

“Look at you,” Maria murmurs, crouching down beside the bed to inspect you more closely. “Such a needy little thing. Do you understand now?” Her fingers brush over your inner thigh, teasing the sensitive skin, but never quite touching where you want her to.

“Yes,Commander,” you whimper, desperate for more, for her to finally give in and touch you.

“Good,” she says, straightening up, a satisfied smirk playing at her lips. “But we’re not done yet.”

Her hand comes down again, and you moan as you count the next one, already feeling yourself  fall deeper into the intoxicating mix of pain and pleasure, the sensation becoming overwhelming as your body responds with uncontrollable need.

"Six," you whimper, voice cracking as Maria’s hand strikes you again, the stinging heat pulsing through your core.

“Seven,” you manage, your legs trembling now, hips twitching as if searching for something more than the punishment, something that you can’t ask for.

Maria watches your body react, her sharp eyes noticing every twitch, every gasp. She’s testing you, pushing you just far enough, knowing exactly how to keep you teetering on the edge without letting you fall over into the release you so desperately crave. Another slap lands, harder than the last.

"Eight," you choke out, and you’re not sure how much more you can take. The sharp sting fades into a dull ache between your thighs, but beneath it, you’re dripping, desperate for any form of relief.

Maria’s fingers brush your thigh again, teasing, never giving you what you want. “Look at you, soaked from punishment,” she says, her tone almost mocking but filled with a hint of approval. "This is what happens when you disobey me. You understand that now, don’t you?"

"Yes,Commander," you gasp, barely able to form words through the haze of pain and lust clouding your mind.

“Good girl,” she murmurs, her voice like velvet against your skin. “But we’re still not finished.”

Her hand comes down again, and you cry out, your body jerking as the pain mingles with the pleasure building inside you. It’s unbearable, too much and yet not enough. You’re drowning in it, lost in the sensations she’s creating.

“Nine,” you moan, your back arching off the bed as tears prick at the corners of your eyes, the overwhelming need for release nearly driving you mad.

Maria leans over you, her lips ghosting over your ear as her breath tickles your skin. “Last one,” she whispers, her tone sending shivers down your spine. “And you’re going to thank me for it, aren’t you?”

"Yes,Commander," you beg, voice hoarse. "Please."

Without warning, her hand comes down one final time, harder than before, sending a wave of searing pain and pleasure ripping through you. Your body reacts before you can even think, your hips bucking upward as a strangled moan escapes your lips.

"Ten!" you cry, barely able to catch your breath as the sensation lingers, your whole body trembling.

Maria finally eases back, her fingers lightly brushing over your swollen, sensitive skin, teasing you without providing the release you crave. “You did so well,” she murmurs, her voice low and soothing now, a stark contrast to her earlier dominance. “You took your punishment like a good girl.”

Your chest heaves as you try to steady your breathing, your body aching with the need she’s stirred up inside you. Maria smirks, watching you squirm beneath her, your wrists still bound, your body spread open and vulnerable before her.

“Now…” she trails her fingers over your thigh, closer to your soaked core, “I think you’ve earned a reward.”

[arlana-likes-to-write]

Rescue by Lauren Daigle

Summary: Natasha doesn’t have a lot of regrets, everything she’s done in her life has gotten her to where she is now. An Avenger, a hero to young girls, and trying to remove some red from her ledger. But the one thing she does regret is giving you up. But when a word gets out that you are in trouble, she will come to rescue you. 

Pairings: Natasha x Maria, Natasha x Maria x daughter!reader, past Natasha x Bucky

Warning: gun shot violence, implied rape, death, cannon typical violence, gambling, the reader needs a hug but so does Natasha  

Word count: 7.1 k

“Mail call,” Wanda said, walking into the common area with a few pieces of mail in her hand. 

“Who the hell gets paper mail?” Tony asked, pouring coffee into his mug. 

“Some of us like to do things without technology,” Steve said as Wanda handed him the newspaper. Tony looked at the super soldier with disbelief. It was rare that the Avengers got mail but each one had specific memberships. Vision received a copy of the newest National Geographic and Pietro got Sports Illustrated. Sometimes Sam received a letter from his service buddies and Steve always got the newspaper, he did take the comics out for Peter. As Wanda handed out the mail, Natasha waited with bated breath to see if she received a letter. It was rare but she was excited nonetheless. The Sokovian smiled at the Black Widow and handed her a letter. It was addressed the same way, her name and her current address with no return. 

“Thank you,” the Black Widow said, leaving her unfinished lunch on the table and heading for her room. She barely heard Tony question her odd behavior but she didn’t care. When she was safe behind her bedroom door, she opened the envelope. There was a single picture of a young girl with fiery red hair standing at a picnic table. A birthday cake was lit and presents stayed unwrapped around you. Natasha smiled, moving her finger across your face. Her daughter, whom she only got to hold once on the day she was born. When she defected to SHIELD, she gave up for you to live a normal and safe life. But she was promised that you would go to a good family and on birthdays Natasha would receive a photo. The most important thing was if there was any sign of trouble she would be called in. 

“It’s about that time of year,” Maria appeared at her door. “Did you get a photo?” Natasha nodded as her girlfriend sat down next to her. Not counting the agent, four other people knew of your existence. Maria was one of them but not even the Deputy Direction knew of your true location to keep you safe. The agent gently took the picture and smiled. 

“She’s spoiled rotten,” Maria teased. The Black Widow chuckled, letting her head fall onto Maria’s shoulder. It was times like this that Natasha questioned if she made the right choice. She wished she could be there for birthdays and every school accomplishment. Maria kissed her head. “I know, baby, I know.” 

*

“Miss. Romanoff,” FRIDAY said. Natasha stopped her assault on the sandbag. “Your presence is being requested in the conference room.” 

“Do I have time to shower?” 

“No, Director Fury said it’s urgent,” it was never a good sign when Fury was involved. She quickly grabbed her water off the floor and headed for the conference room. When she entered, Fury and Maria were standing by a screen and her sister and Clint were sitting at the table. Oh, she did not have a good feeling about this. 

“What’s going on?” She asked, not bothering to sit down. 

“Does the Winter Soldier mean anything to you?” Of course, it did. He was one of her trainers in the Red Room but also the father of her daughter. In hindsight it was the perfect companionship; one of the Red Room’s best assassins and HYDRA’s most feared weapon. Their child would be the ultimate fighter but they didn’t need to know that. 

“Yeah,” Natasha said, crossing her arms. “He’s credited for over two dozen assassinations in the last 50 years.” 

“So, he’s a ghost story?” Clint questioned. She shook her head. 

“I was escorting a nuclear engineer out of Iran, somebody shot at my tires near Odessa. We lost control, went straight over a cliff,” she said, remembering every part of that day. “I pulled us out, but the Winter Soldier was there. I covered my engineer, so he shot him straight through me,” it was heartbreaking as she stared into the eyes of a man she once knew but there was no recognition in his eyes. She lifted her shirt, revealing a bullet wound on her stomach. “A Soviet slug, no rifling. Bye-bye bikinis.”

“Yeah, I bet you look terrible in them now,” Maria sarcastically said. Natasha smirked. 

“Ew,” Yelena said. “He was also a trainer in the Red Room. Before my time but the guards would talk.”

“Why are we here, Fury?” Clint asked. Natasha was wondering the same thing. 

“We picked up chatter that was concerning,” he nodded to Maria, who pulled up a recording and played it. The audio was all static and it was hard to hear but Natasha could make out two distinct voices and they said your name and the Winter Soldier. 

“Send me there now,” she said. The audio was still playing and Maria quickly stopped it. 

“Nat..” 

“Don’t ‘Na’t me,” Natasha cut her girlfriend off. “When I gave her up I asked for two things; a picture once or twice a year and to be notified if she’s in danger. In return, I’d never reach out to her.”

“We need you here to run point and we are going to send Belova and Barton to look after her,” Fury instructed. 

“Like hell, you are,” Natasha was slowly losing her composure. “She’s my daughter.”

“You don’t have any claim to her,” Natasha’s jaw clenched. Fury sighed. “Can I please speak with Romanoff alone?” Each one of her closest acquaintances left the room and tried to reassure her in their way but she ignored everyone. Her eyes never left the man. When the door closed, Fury sighed again. 

“Natasha..”

“Don’t Nick,” she said, walking over to the man. “Don’t say another word because I’m very close to throwing you through a wall,” Fury smirked. 

“I’m trying to look after you,” he said. “Your name was mentioned. It could be a trap.” 

“I don’t care,” she said. “She’s my daughter even if you don’t think she is,” she saw the smallest clench of his jaw. “I hear her SOS. I will never stop marching toward her. So I’m going. You can’t stop me.” He thought about it.

“Fine,” he relented. “But Maria is coming with you as your backup.” 

“Clint will run point and I want Yelena on standby if we need it.” He nodded. 

“What do we tell the team?” She wasn’t sure. For the longest time, she’s kept your existence a secret to ensure your safety. But now it may have been all for tonight. No, she couldn’t think like that. You were going to be fine. 

“The truth,” she said. “It’s time they know.” 

*

“Hurry up,” your best friend called out. You giggled, running over to her. She climbed up to do the monkey bars. 

“You got this Sarah,” you cheered as her arms began to shake when she reached halfway. She fell to the ground unable to go the entire way. “Nice try,” you smiled, beginning your turn. You liked the challenge of the monkey bars, the burn of your arms and hands. Unlike Sarah, you didn’t feel your arms shake and you made it all the way across. Sarah rolled her eyes. 

“No fair,” she pouted. “How are you so strong?” You shrugged. It was a mystery to you and something you attributed to your biological parents. In PE class, you learned to hold yourself back even though you could beat all the kids in your class. No one wanted to be friends with the abnormally strong girl. 

“I don’t know,” you said. 

“Come push me on the swings,” Well besides Sarah, she didn’t care that you were stronger than her and she used it to her advantage. You smiled, running after her. She jumped onto the empty swing and you began to push her. It wasn’t long before your mind began to wander as you looked around the park. There was a small party at the pavilion and a small-sided soccer game. A few black vans were parked on the far side. You found your parents sitting at a bench speaking with a man you knew well. Agent Cruise. He was present at every birthday party and family gathering. According to your mom, he was the one that found you when your birth mother abandoned you. Why was he here? 

“I’ll be right back,” you told Sarah and walked over to the trio. Agent Cruise saw you right away, a smile on his face. 

“Hi firecracker,” he held out his fist and you pumped it three times then gave him a side hug. 

“What are you doing here?” You asked him. 

“I was in the area and I thought I’d say hi to the family.” That was a lie but you didn’t question it. If he was lying for a reason, it had to be a good one. 

“Everything is fine, sweetheart,” your mom said. “Go back and play with Sarah.”

“Okay, love you guys,” you turned around to go back to the playground but a gunshot froze you in your spot. It was a sound you heard on TV and in movies and never expected to hear it in real life. A body crashed into yours pushing you into the ground as another shot went off. 

“W-Will,” you stuttered. 

“Eyes on me, okay?” You nodded, staring into his brown eyes. “My car isn’t far. I need you to run and I’ll cover you.” 

“What about -” Your eyes found your parents, slumped against each other and blood pouring from a single shot in their head. “No,” you whispered, tears pooling at the corner of your eyes but you didn’t let them fall. 

“Firecracker, run,” he got off of you and began to fire. You scrambled to your feet as he shot at a man walking towards you. His bullets made him take cover but you locked eyes with him. They were blue, similar to the color of your own eyes. His brown hair was shoulder length and half of his face was covered with a mask. But the most striking feature about him was his metal arm that shone under the California sun. 

Finding his car wasn’t hard and it was unlocked when you opened the backseat. You slammed the doors closed and tried to calm your racing heart. You mimicked the breathing technique your dad would do. Breathe in for 5 seconds and hold it for 5. In for 5 seconds and out for 5. Soon your heart rate calmed down but your eyes burned with unshed tears. They died, killed right in front of you. You heard voices outside the car and you covered your mouth to keep quiet. His windows were tinted so they couldn’t see in but they would be able to hear you. 

More gunshots and yelling made you yelp and the silhouettes of the men outside disappeared. You removed your hand and listened outside. Soon the car door swung open. You bite back a scream that almost left your lips. “Hey, it’s okay,” you weren’t expecting a woman with red hair and green eyes wearing a black tactical suit. You knew her. Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, and Avenger. “You're safe but I need you to come with me,” you stayed frozen, staring at the woman in front of you. “Look, we are running out of time. Please come with me.” She held out her hand and you took it, hoping you could trust her. 

*

This wasn’t how Natasha wanted to meet you. She had so many other ways that didn’t involve your adoptive parents murdered and an assassin who happens to be your biological father hunting you. Nothing was easy for the Black Widow. “Put this on,” she handed you a helmet. “Get on,” she got on the motorcycle and she felt you get on behind her, hesitant arms wrapping around her waist. Natasha kicked up the kickstand and the engine came to life. “I got her,” she said over the comms. 

“Well, you got company,” Maria said. Natasha looked behind her and saw 3 vans turning down the street; they were one and the Winter Soldier handing out the window with an AK-47. “Stick to the side streets,” she continued. “I’ll get you both back safely.” Natasha trusted Maria to do just that and started to drive. 

“You have to trust me, okay? When I lean, you lean,” Natasha said over the wind. “If you don’t, they will catch us and kill you.” She wasn’t sure if you heard her until she felt your head and squeezed her waist. 

“Take your next right,” Natasha let out a shaky breath and turned right. Your body leaned with hers. Okay, the Black Widow thought, maybe they’d get through this. 

*

The motorcycle stopped and you took off the helmet. You were in an alley between 2 apartment buildings. The Black Widow got off and helped you down, your legs shook and were a little unsteady. “Come on,” she said, leading you to a door. “We can rest soon.” She opened the door and led you up 2 flights of stairs. The redhead stopped at a door, room 324, and knocked three times. It took a minute for the door to open. In front of you was a woman with black hair, pulled back into a bun. Her brown eyes were sharp but they landed on Natasha and they softened. 

“Glad you're alive,” she said, stepping out of the way. You hesitated but followed the Black Widow inside the apartment. 

“Did you have that little faith?” Natasha teased sitting on the couch. You could see the tension leave her body. 

“What the heck is going on?” You asked. “I just watched my parents die in front of me, a mystery man with a metal man was chasing me, and an Avenger shows up,” you looked at the other woman. “I have no idea who you are or what is going on.” 

“I’m Maria,” she waved, sitting down next to Natasha. It was nice to have her name but that did not answer any of your questions. 

“We can’t tell you everything right now but you're safe here,” Natasha said. You stared at the redhead, the color so similar to your own. Now that you looked at the Avenger you saw a lot of your features in her. 

“How can I feel safe when you won’t tell me the truth?” Her green eyes locked onto your blue ones and she looked away. 

“We can’t,” she said. “Not right now.” Your jaw clenched. 

“We may be here for a while,” Maria said, standing up. “I’ll show you to your room.” You continued to stare at the Black Widow, wanting her to look at you or wanting to grab her by her shoulders and yell - ‘are you my mother?’ but she wouldn’t look at you. You sighed, following Maria. 

“Here you go,” it was a simple room. A bed pushed up in the corner, no TV or posters of any kind. It was a stark contrast to your room. “I know this isn’t ideal,” you skimmed your hand over the bedsheets. “But we will keep you safe.” You looked at Maria. 

“She’s my mom, right?” Maria had an excellent poker face but it was a game you’ve been playing since you could talk. She was surprised by your statement so there were a few ways she could go about this; lie, tell the truth, or deflect. You were leaning towards deflection. 

“There are take-out menus on the fridge, figure out what you want to eat.” Deflection. It was the easiest way, to tell the truth without betraying someone’s trust. 

“Right,” you sat down on the bed. “Thanks.” She nodded. 

“Come find us if you need anything,” you didn’t respond as she closed the door. You leaned against the wall, looking out the window to the street down below. People were going about their day unaware of how your life was altered forever. 

*

“How is she?” Clint asked over the computer. They just finished a meeting with the rest of the team back in New York to come up with the next phase of the plan. She ignored Tony's thousand and one questions regarding you. Overall he seemed hurt she never told him, since ‘we’ve been through so much together.’ Natasha felt bad, they were her team, her family but sometimes the thought of you hurt too much. But a plan was made which consisted of you, Maria, and Natasha to head to Norway to lay low while the rest of the teams tracked and captured the Winter Soldier. Easier said than done. Now she was only talking with Yelena and Clint while Maria tried to get you to eat. 

“She’s quiet,” Natasha knew that was to be expected. “She hasn’t said anything since Maria showed her to her room.”

“Does she know?” Yelena asked. Natasha sighed, nodding her head. 

“Yeah, she asked Maria but she didn’t give her a yes or now,” You were smart, maybe a little too smart. “But I haven’t told her.” 

“Are you going to?”

“Do we know how they found her?” Natasha deflected. She didn’t have an answer to Yelena’s question. Clint nodded. 

“Her adoptive father got into some gambling debts,” he said. “Ripped off the wrong people.” 

“But why go after her?” Yelena questioned. “Why do they want her alive?” Now Natasha knew that answer. She pinched the bridge of her nose. 

“Her biological father is the Winter Soldier,” she told them. “That is why they are after her. If she falls into the wrong hands, she could be an unstoppable weapon.”

*

You couldn’t sleep. Every time you close your eyes, you saw the metal man with a gun and your parents dead at your feet. Natasha came into your room to tell you that all three of you would be leaving bright and early and to try to get some sleep. You didn’t respond as she left saying goodnight. So you lay awake, staring up at the ceiling. Finally, you sighed and stood up leaving your small room to venture into the rest of the apartment. The other bedroom was on the opposite side of the apartment but you tried to be quiet as you went through the bare kitchen. In the last drawer you opened, you found what you were looking for. A single deck of cards. You grabbed it and sat down at the dining room table. Game night was common practice that took place with you and your parents almost every night. At a young age, they taught you poker, blackjack, pitch, rummy, and spades. You never left home without a deck of cards as a simple game of poker square or solitaire could calm your racing mind. So, you set up a poker square game. It was a game of strategy, patience, and a little bit of luck unless you could count cards. Another skill your parents taught you. “Couldn’t sleep?” The Black Widow questioned. You didn’t answer, glancing up at the redhead as she got two bottles of water and sat across from you. “What are you playing?” 

“Poker,” you answered. 

“Poker? Aren’t you a little young to know how to play poker?” You rolled your eyes. It was the same thing said to you by every adult when they found out you could play. 

“Poker isn’t just a way to gamble all the money in your pocket,” you didn’t look away from the cards. “It can teach you emotional stability in changing situations, to think analytically, and how to read people. But also how to be deceptive, you have to make everyone believe you have something in your hand when in reality you have something else,” Finally, you looked up at the Black Widow. “You’d be good at it. Your poker face is shit though.” 

“Excuse me?” 

“You know I thought about you all the time,” you went back to your game. “It kept me up some nights questioning why my mother gave me up. Maybe I wasn’t good enough or a mistake or she didn’t love me,” a glance up and you saw everything you needed in her eyes. They softened as her other facial features stayed stoic. 

“Not your mom, kid,” she lied. 

“From an emotional standpoint, sure, you aren’t. But biologically, I know I share your DNA,” you flipped the last card, placing it in the final spot. Taking a moment to look over how you did, you gathered up the cards again. “Shit poker face remember. It’s all in your eyes, they give too much away,” you shuffled the cards and began to play again. “Not that it’s a bad thing,” you added quickly, not wanting to offend the woman sitting across from you. “Just surprising,” you took a sip of water she gave you. “Can I ask you something?” 

“Go for it,” she said. “You can ask but that doesn’t mean I’ll answer.” Her smirk mirrored your own. 

“Say we don’t share any biological relation, why would the Avengers come and save me?” You began to play again. “I'm nobody,” you said. “It would probably cost less to have them kill me,” you saw her flinch slightly at your blunt comment. 

“You're not the only one he’s after,” you looked up at her. 

“Why?” You questioned. 

“I don’t know,” she answered. You hummed, nodding your head. 

“First time you were honest with me,” you cleaned up the cards. “Goodnight, Natasha,” you took the cards and the water bottle.

“Night, kid,” her voice followed you to the room. When the door closed, you rested your back against it. Your poker face was failing. You felt the cracks. Letting out a shaky breath, you pulled back the covers and climbed in. You were surprised at how quickly you fell asleep. 

*

Norway was beautiful. It was your first time leaving the country. You sat in the backseat of the white car with Maria in the passenger seat and Natasha was driving. You stayed quiet, playing with the charm around your neck. It was a turtle dove, a  Christmas gift from Agent Cruise, who had a matching charm. You wondered if he was okay. Maria tried to make conversation asking about your likes and dislikes. You kept your answers short. Natasha drove through a dirt road through the woods and when the car emerged you saw a camper in the middle of a clearing. The driver's side window was down and you heard water. There was nothing for miles around. “It’s not much but we’ll stay safe,” Natasha said, parking the car. Maria got out and opened your door for you to get out. The wind caused goosebumps to form on your skin as you followed the couple. 

The camper was simple, a couch that faced a small TV and a kitchen. Natasha walked towards the main bedroom, passing a bathroom. When she opened the bedroom door, there was a man fast asleep on top of the bed. The Black Widow hit the man on his foot, who jerked awake. “You're in our bed.”

“I’m..I’m not even under the covers,” he sat up, looking at Maria then you. “You're new. Who are you?” His voice was laced with a British accent. 

“I’m not telling you,” you said, not missing the way Natasha smiled at you. 

“Did you get everything on my list?” Natasha asked, walking back into the main part of the camper. You sat down on the couch as the three adults stood around the kitchen countertop. 

“Got passports, entry visas, and a couple of local driver’s licenses,” he handed the couple a white envelope. “There is a generator outside. It’s petrol-powered and the septic tank will need a flush in a couple of weeks,” he spun around, leaning against the counter. He was looking at you. “You’ll have to haul your rubbish into town. It’s about a 20-minute drive,” he continued. Finally, you couldn’t help but stare at him. 

“Can I help you?” You questioned. He smiled. 

“No, just looking,” you rolled your eyes. 

“Take a picture and it’ll last longer,” you mumbled, standing up and leaving the camper. You followed the sound of running water to a small stream. You sat on the bank and got lost in the water. 

*

“She’s a spitfire,” Mason said, turning to face the couple. Maria picked up the envelope on the counter and hit his arm. “Ow, what was that for?” He rubbed the spot that was just hit. 

“Leave her alone,” Maria said. “You're lucky I hit you and she didn’t.” Mason rolled his eyes.

“Does she know?’ He questioned. “She must, right?” Natasha walked over to the window and watched you. You were kneeling by the steam’s edge. “I mean it’s like I’m seeing double.” Mason continued. 

“She does,” Natasha whispered. “Not sure how she feels about it.” 

“Have you asked?” He asked, standing behind her. The Black Widow shook her head. 

“She’s been through a lot. I don’t want to add more to it.” 

*

The three of you fell into a routine. You slept on the pullout couch while Maria and Natasha were in the main bedroom. By the time the Black Widow was up for her morning run, you were up playing with the deck of cards you brought from the apartment. Maria would cook breakfast and the two Avengers spent the majority of the day doing Avenger duties, trying to help their teammates in any way. While they were doing that, you explored the surrounding woods and walked up and down the creek. When they needed to go into town, you went with them and a movie to end the night. Repeat. Repeat. And repeat. The repetition of the days wasn’t bothering you but the lack of conversation with the Black Widow was driving you insane. Maria was making an effort and you enjoyed talking and playing cards with her. Every time Maria invited Natasha but she would turn her down, coming up with a bullshit excuse. You knew what she was doing. She was building a wall between you and her. It would be fine if you didn’t catch her longing looks at you or hear Maria and Natasha fight one night when they thought you were asleep. Maria called her girlfriend out on her stand-offish behavior and Natasha claimed it was better off this way, it was only temporary.

Temporary. You were only a mission. Once the metal-armed man was dealt with you would go back home. But where was home? The only parents you knew were dead, no one spoke about Agent Cruise, and you were beginning to feel safe with the couple. Even though Natasha’s behavior was upsetting you. You wanted her to acknowledge you so were going to push her buttons. 

*

She just got off a meeting with the other Avengers and you heard the last of it as you came back into the camper for some water. The man disappeared. There were no signs of him. Natasha sighed, closing her laptop. You stared at the Black Widow from the kitchen, finished the glass of water, and placed it on the counter. “I want to go home,” you suddenly said. Her head snapped to you, you thought she was going to give herself whiplash. “They said he’s gone so it’s safe for me to go home.”

“And where are you going to go?” She questioned. Your jaw clenched. 

“Anywhere is better than here,” you mumbled, ignoring the flash of hurt across Natasha’s face and walking back outside. You heard Natasha behind you. 

“You know if you go back to the States he’ll kill you,” you stopped. “That is what he’s waiting for you. He will find you and kill you.” 

“Then use me as bait,” you turned to face her. “Have the Avengers stand guard, he’ll come, you’ll play hero, and we’ll go our separate ways.” 

“That’s not happening,” her face was hard to read, not even you could read her eyes. She had been practicing. Shit. “Even if I thought that was a good idea, which it isn’t. You aren’t ready,” you heard a car pull up as Maria returned from a quick trip to the store. “You have no idea how to survive in this world. It will chew you up and spit you out.” 

“I hate you,” you said, tears swelling in her eyes. You couldn’t help it. Natasha shook her head. 

“No, you don’t. Shit poker face. Your eyes give away too much,” repeated the same thing you said to her. “Not that it’s bad, just surprising.”  

“Screw you,” you snapped and ran towards the woods, ignoring Maria calling your name. 

*

“Do I even want to know what happened?” Maria asked. Natasha put her hands on her hips and looked down at the grass. 

“She wants to go home and I told her that as soon as she sets foot into the States he’ll kill her,” she sighed. “She said we could use her as bait and I may have said some other hurtful things.” Natasha heard her girlfriend sigh and walk over to her. With gentle hands, she lifted Natasha’s head to force her to look up. Green eyes stared into warm brown ones. 

“Why are you pushing her away, my love?” Maria whispered, gently pushing away a tear. Natasha didn’t realize she was crying. 

“This won’t last,” Natasha whispered. “Once she’s safe she’ll go back to a new family and I’ll never see her again. I can’t,” she cleared her throat. “I can’t handle growing close to her and then having her ripped away from me,” Maria brought her into a hug, cradling her head. Natasha felt her fingers run through her hair. Maria’s steady heartbeat helped the Black Widow’s heart calm down. Maria smelt like sandalwood and rain but it reminded Natasha of home. Maria stepped back, keeping her arms wrapped around her. 

“But wouldn’t a little pain be worth it so you experience having her now as you’ve always dreamt about,” Maria pushed a piece of hair behind her ear. “Love her now because you have the chance to.” Natasha let out a shaky breath. 

“I love you,” the Russian whispered. “I don’t think I could do this without you.” Maria kissed her softly. 

“I’m not going anywhere, baby, I’m right here.” 

*

“Kid,” you spun around to see the Black Widow behind you. You weren’t surprised she found you on a small rock near the stream’s edge. “You said you want to go home fine but I’m going to train you.” 

“Train?” You questioned. 

“Yes,” she crossed her arms. “Once word gets out who you are, that man won’t be the only one after you. I was right when I said you won’t survive this world so I’m going to make sure you can. I won’t always be around to save you,” she added on quickly. Her statement made your stomach drop but there was a crack in her pocket face. She was lying. 

“Okay,” you whispered, instead of calling her out on it. 

“Okay,” Natasha repeated. “Come on, Maria is cooking enchiladas.” You stood up, wiping the dirt off your pants, and followed the Black Widow back to the camper. 

*

Training started the following morning. You were up when Natasha went for her run and you joined her. It's been a while since you had to use your full speed to catch up with someone. Natasha was a lot faster than your 5th-grade classmates. After you ran, it was a quick breakfast then strength training and hand-to-hand combat. Maria would stop the two of you for lunch then it was weapon training. That was your favorite. Instead of nightly movies, you spent your time watching fight sequences and going over old mission reports to enhance your battle strategy.

It has hard and back-breaking work but you loved it. It reminded you of when your dad would take you to his poker games and gave you the job of reading his opponents. No one expected a little girl to have a better poker face than a 40-year-old man. Even though Natasha was yelling orders at you, it was the closest you felt to the Black Widow. Was it the healthiest way to bond with the mother that abandoned you? No, but she and Maria were all you had. You liked the proud smile Natasha tried to hide when you did something well or Maria’s gentle hands to help clean the cuts and bruises you received from the day’s training. It was nice, you felt like a family no matter how grueling the training sessions were. 

*

“You're holding back,” Natasha said. You were sparing with the Black Widow with Maria off to the side, watching. You were exhausted. The couple already put you through a 5-mile run and intense strength training. Natasha promised this was the last thing for the day if you managed to pin her. Easier said than done. “Come on, kid, push.” 

“I’m trying,” you said, putting your hands over your head, trying to get more air in your lungs. 

“When you're tired this is how you grow and learn. Now come get me,” you rushed her but Natasha grabbed your arm and threw you back to the ground. You groaned, staring up at the blue sky. “Come on get up. Do you think he’ll or anyone will let you have a break?” You huffed and stood back up. “This is how you survive. You get knocked down 100 times and you keep getting up because if you don’t you will die.” You sighed, wiping the sweat off your forehead. Think and breathe. Think and breathe. It was like a game of poker. You had to make her think you were going to do something then change your attack. Who knew your parents were training you to be an Avenger? Natasha said you were holding back so you weren’t going to. You sighed, bouncing on your toes, and sprinted towards her. She expected it since it was the same move you went for prior but when she went to grab your arm, you grabbed her and twisted it behind her back. She was quick to escape and you jumped back, creating distance between you and her. There was a smile dancing on her lips but you ignored it. You had to focus. 

She made the first move and punched with her right but you blocked it with your forearm. You blocked a few of her blows and hit her a few times in the stomach. She stumbled backward and you surged forward. You grabbed one of her arms and the other went behind her neck. You turned into her, sticking your right foot into her leg, and used the momentum to fling her over your body and onto the ground. You put your knee into her chest and stared down at her. You stared at your reflection in her green eyes. You didn’t recognize the look in your blue eyes but you’ve seen it before. The man with the metal arm had the same look in his blue eyes. It scared you, seeing your eyes void of all emotions and mimicking the glare of that man. Your eyes were dark, losing the light that your parents loved so much. They were void of the color so many people envied. You were terrified of yourself. 

With shaky legs, you stepped away from Natasha and Maria was already walking over. “That man who's after me, what’s his name?” You asked, trying to keep your voice from shaking. Natasha stood up and the couple had a silent conversation with one another. 

“He’s called the Winter Soldier,” Maria said. “HYDRA’s deadliest assassin.” You recognized the name HYDRA, a name said in passing at one of your dad’s poker games. You looked at Natasha. 

“Who is he to me?” You questioned. Her jaw clenched. “Tell me!” You demanded.

“He’s your father,” she said simply. You weren’t sure if it made it worse or better. “The Red Room decided to work along with HYDRA to create the perfect weapon,” there was a deep sadness edged in every one of her words. She looked away from you and towards the woods. Your stomach turned. You were a product of a forced relationship. 

“Does he know?” Natasha shrugged. 

“I don’t know,” her voice shook. “They did this horrible thing to reset him and wipe his memory. I don’t even think he remembers me,” Maria gently took her girlfriend’s hand in hers. You felt cold all of a sudden. Every one of the weird quirks that made you different now had an explanation. 

“Uh okay,” you nodded your head. “I need a minute.” You turned around and walked into the camper, making a beeline for the bathroom and closing the door behind you. Your hands shook as you turned on the water and splashed water on your face. You tried to regulate your breathing; in for 5, out for 5, in for 5, and out for 5 but it wasn’t helping. Bile was rising in your throat. Did Natasha have a choice? Did they have a relationship together or was it forced? You closed the toilet seat and you sat down, your legs finally gave out. 

HYDRA was a name whispered once or twice at your dad’s poker game. Your parents must have known who your biological parents were. Did they care? Did they realize the mistake they made before it was too late? You sighed, biting down on a towel and letting out a scream. You hoped the towel would muffle it. 

*

Maria found you sitting on the couch with one of Natasha’s pistols and a timer. Like playing poker or another card game, you found that dismantling a gun and putting it back together calmed your racing mind. You glanced at the agent. “Where’s Nat?” You asked. 

“Ran to the store,” you nodded. Maria sat down next to you, taking the gun from your hands. “Maybe we should talk instead of playing with a gun.” 

“There is nothing to talk about,” you stared at the TV. “I mean I find out my biological mother is an Avenger and my father is a feared assassin who is trying to kill me,” you felt your throat burn as tears threatened to escape. “My adoptive parents are dead and I’m pretty sure they were the reason he found me,” you folded your hands together, squeezing them. “I finally have answers to so many questions but now I don’t want them because I feel so alone,” you sighed, angrily whipping your face. “But I’m so fucking fine.” 

“Language,” she gasped. You looked at the woman and laughed at the teasing smile on her face. “I want to show you something,” she stood up and grabbed a small box next to the TV. She handed it to you. “It was part of the arrangement,” you opened the box and saw pictures of you at all stages of your life. “Natasha agreed to give you up in return she got pictures of you and was notified if you were in trouble.” Maria sighed, picking up one of the pictures. “I know it’s very hard to see but she loves you very much even if she doesn’t say it,” you closed the box, whipping away a tear that fell. “And you aren’t alone. You have us.” 

“But when the mission is over, what happens to me then?” You asked. 

“What do you want?” You weren’t expecting the question, not thinking you had a choice in the matter. 

“I know what I want,” you answered. “But I don’t think I can have it.”

*

Natasha didn’t join you and Maria for dinner. She was outside, drinking from a bottle of vodka when you joined her. The only light was from the stars and the small camping light. You sat down next to her on the top of the picnic table. “Are you hungry?” You asked. “I can go get you something.” She smiled. 

“Not hungry, kid, but thank you.” You nodded, watching her take another sip from the bottle. 

“I’m sorry,” you told her, looking up at the stars so you couldn’t see her face. “This probably hasn’t been easy for you since I’m a constant reminder of everything. Plus I know I haven’t made it easy for you.” 

“This is not your fault. I should have been honest with you from the beginning. It just,” Natasha sighed. “Hurt too much.” You nodded, that you understood. Silence fell between you and her. 

“I asked Maria what was going to happen to me once the Winter Soldier situation was over. She asked what I wanted,” you looked at her. “Do you know what I want?” You asked. She shook her head. “I want to go live with you and Maria and meet the other Avengers.” The shock was evident on her face. 

“Why?” She whispered. 

“Because you're my mom,” you whispered back. “And I know I’ll be safe as long as I’m with you.” Natasha let out a breathless laugh, shaking her head. 

“Your innocence was stolen because of all this,” she whispered, pushing some of your red hair behind your ear. “I will send out an army to find you even in the middle of the darkest nights. I will rescue you,” she whipped away a few of your tears that fell. You didn’t realize you were crying. “There is no distance that cannot be covered. I’ll be your shelter and armor. There was never a moment you were forgotten or I wasn’t thinking about you.”

“I can’t,” your voice shook. “I can’t lose any more people in my life. I think it will break me.” She pulled you into a hug and something inside you snapped. You cried. You finally cried against her. 

“Sh, dorogoy (sweetheart),” Natasha whispered, rubbing soothing circles on your back. “I’m right here. I won’t go anywhere.” You heard the camper door open but you didn’t move from the Black Widow’s arms. You felt the table move as Maria sat down on your other side. Without looking you intertwined your fingers with Maria. She squeezed your hand. “We won’t leave you. We are right here.” You nodded your head against Natasha. You so wanted to believe them but there was a theme of people coming into your life and leaving. Maybe you were the problem. 

“Come on, sweetheart,” Maria whispered. “Let’s go to bed. We have a long day tomorrow.” You nodded, removing yourself from Natasha. ‘Along the day,’ you thought, ‘It’s been the longest few weeks of your life. What’s one more long day?’ 

Part 2                                                                                    

[huntfeld]

Echoes in the Fog

Pairing: Maria (Silent Hill) x Reader (Y/N)

Summary: Maria feels an overwhelming sense of emptiness wandering through the fog-shrouded streets of Silent Hill without Y/N by her side. The town's eerie silence and unsettling creatures only intensify her loneliness. Maria, who was created to manipulate and torment, finds herself yearning for Y/N’s presence, something she never anticipated.

The mist never cleared in Silent Hill, and neither did the lingering ache in Maria's chest. Her heels tapped rhythmically as she moved through the town, searching for you. It had become a routine: walking the empty streets, calling your name in a whisper that faded into the fog, hoping you would find her before something else did.

She stopped by the lake, its waters hidden beneath a dense layer of mist. Memories tugged at her, of the times she had felt so close to you—yet always just out of reach. The way you'd looked at her, torn between recognition and confusion. You wanted her, didn't you? Even if you couldn't admit it, she knew the truth.

The wind tugged at her short skirt, the air cool against her bare skin. She leaned against a tree, wrapping her arms around herself. Even in this town of horrors, the thought of being with you sent a warmth through her body. She had always felt something when you were near, an undeniable pull that made her heart race.

And then, as if her thoughts had summoned you, she saw a shadow through the mist. Her pulse quickened, and she pushed herself off the tree. "Y/N?" she called softly, hope trembling in her voice.

The shadow grew clearer, and there you were, stepping out of the fog like a dream. She was afraid you might vanish if she blinked. You looked at her, your expression torn between surprise and something deeper—desire, maybe? She felt it every time you were near, the unspoken tension between you, as though both of you knew what you wanted but were too afraid to reach for it.

Maria smiled, walking slowly toward you. "I knew you'd come back to me," she murmured, her voice soft and seductive. "You always do."

Your eyes scanned the surroundings, wary of the dangers that lurked in Silent Hill's shadows, but your gaze kept returning to her. There was something irresistible about Maria, something that called to you despite the chaos and fear this town held. Maybe it was the way she moved—confident, sensual—or the way her eyes seemed to know what you wanted, even when you didn't say it.

She stepped closer, until the space between you was almost nonexistent. The warmth of her body contrasted with the cold air, and her fingers gently grazed your arm, sending a shiver down your spine. Her lips curved into a playful smile, but her eyes told a different story—one of longing, of desperation to be seen by you, truly wanted.

"You don't have to run from me anymore," she whispered, her breath warm against your skin. "I'm not Mary. I'm what you need."

She reached up, her fingers brushing your cheek, drawing your face closer to hers. Her touch was soft, intimate, and yet there was a fierceness in the way she held you, like she was afraid you might disappear again.

The fog seemed to tighten around you, enclosing the two of you in your own world, a world where there was only her, her touch, her breath. You hesitated for a moment, unsure if this was real—if she was real. But as her lips hovered just inches from yours, the need to feel her, to be with her, overwhelmed the doubt.

You closed the distance, your lips meeting hers in a kiss that was both gentle and urgent. Maria's breath hitched as she pressed against you, her hands sliding up your chest, holding onto you like she'd never let go. The kiss deepened, filled with all the unspoken emotions between you—the loneliness, the fear, but also the desire. Her body molded against yours, and the heat between you grew, pushing away the cold of the fog.

She pulled back just slightly, her lips still hovering near yours, her voice breathless. "You feel that, don't you? I'm not just some dream. I'm here, for you."

You nodded, your hands instinctively moving to her waist, pulling her closer. Her eyes lit up with something primal, and she leaned in again, kissing you with more intensity, more need. Every touch, every brush of her skin against yours sent a spark through your body, and the world around you seemed to fade away.

Maria's hands slid under your shirt, her fingers tracing the lines of your skin, sending shivers down your spine. Her lips trailed along your jaw, down to your neck, and she whispered, "I've wanted this for so long."

The fog swirled around you, but it was as if the town itself was pausing, giving you this moment. Her touch was intoxicating. The way her body moved against yours with an urgent grace. You couldn't remember the last time you'd felt so alive, so connected with someone.

But as the moment built between you, the fog seemed to shift again, the sounds of the town returning faintly in the distance. Maria's eyes found yours, and for the first time, there was something tender there, beyond the desire—a vulnerability she rarely showed.

"I don't care about this place, or what it wants from you," she said softly, "I just want you to want me."

You leaned down, kissing her again, this time softer, slower, as if reassuring her that she was the only thing that mattered. Her breath hitched, and when she pulled back, there was a tear in her eye.

"Take me with you," she whispered, "We don't have to stay here. We don't have to keep running. We can be together. For real."

For the first time, the idea of escaping this cursed place with her seemed possible. Maybe you weren't meant to live in the shadow of the past anymore. Maybe you could start something new—something real.

You held her close, feeling the warmth of her body, the beat of her heart, and nodded. "I'm not leaving you behind," you whispered.

Maria smiled, a genuine smile that lit up her face, and in that moment, the fog seemed to lift, just a little. The town might still be full of nightmares, but here, in this fleeting moment, you had each other. And maybe that was enough.

[olsenmyolsen]

Once Before

master list

dark master list

(WandaNat)

Summary: After a mistake, Wanda stops by her old place with her- Natasha, where old memories are brought up.

Word Count: 1.1K

Content: Feelings, Memories, Implied Cheating, Hurt Little Comfort, Yelena Mentioned

Wanda Maximoff walked into Natasha Romanoff's apartment as the rain pattered against the New York apartment window.

The clouds outside matched the mood in the room.

Grey.

Wanda swallowed as the redhead closed the door behind the two. Silence building and building as Wanda dragged her feet to the pile of boxes and bags on the dining room table. Things Natasha took care of over the last couple of days.

"That's the last of it," Natasha spoke up, her voice still sore from the screams of hurt.

Wanda didn't turn around. Instead, she nodded and said: "okay." with a broken voice.

She walked up to the box on top. She should pick it up and start moving things down to the car, waiting with her brother downstairs, but instead, she opens the cardboard flaps and feels her heart sink.

It's a movie ticket from their first date. Underneath that are more pictures along with a copy of the receipt for the burger place that closed two years ago.

Wanda is too busy thinking about what was that minutes ago by, and she doesn't hear Natasha shuffle her feet closer until she's looking over Wanda's shoulder. Silent for a moment until Wanda's hands bush up against an old postcard she received when Natasha was on a mission in Morocco.

"I didn't see that earlier..." Natasha quietly speaks up, making Wanda jump slightly before she pulls out the postcard. "I missed our four-month anniversary while on that mission."

Wanda nods. She remembers it.

She remembers how Natasha called once the clock struck midnight. Even on a mission, she was precise. The postcard was just a bonus.

Wanda flips it over.

"Hey Wands,

I've never done this before, but I haven't done a lot that I end up doing with you. I saw this in a movie once, so I hope you like this. I won't mail it. I'll just give it to you when I return from the mission.

I miss you.

P.S.: Can we cuddle when I come back? (Please don't show this to anyone.)"

Wanda's eyes sting as she drops the postcard back into the box.

She shuts her eyes... she hates herself.

Slowly, Wanda turns her face to Natasha, who is standing next to her. The redhead has her eyes full of water. "Natasha-"

Natasha shakes her head, stopping Wanda. A tear slips and falls from her face when she starts speaking. "Please just grab your things and go." The words hurt Natasha just as much as Wanda.

Yet Wanda doesn't move away. She moves her body closer to Natasha.

Natasha freezes up as Wanda reaches out to grab her hand. "Natasha, I'm sorry... I truly am. I never meant for it to happen." Tears fall down her face, and the same happens to Natasha.

Natasha moves her head slightly. Green eyes find each other. Both wishing this moment would never happen.

She could feel herself slipping. She wants what they had weeks ago back more than anything, but she needs to remain strong. So, as it kills her, Natasha pulls her hand out of Wanda's.

"Please... please grab your things and go."

"I didn't mean for it to happen," Wanda says again in a last-ditch effort to stay in Natasha's presence just a little bit longer.

"But it still happened." Natasha's lips quiver. The sight of that makes Wanda feel more guilty than the thoughts of the other person's body pressed against her. "I let you in..." Natasha takes a staggered breath as she can't stop crying, but she needs to tell Wanda what her heart is saying. "I gave you more of myself than I knew I had."

Wanda wipes her tears before they reach her own lips.

"I thought you loved me."

"I do love you," Wanda argues back.

Natasha can't bear to hear it, whether it's true or not. "You can't say that! You slept with someone else. You can't say that love me." Natasha raises her voice before she finally breaks.

She covers her face with her hands.

She continues to cry.

Wanda cries with her, but through her eyes, she knows they will never return what they had. They will never be together again. Wanda moves her body to Natasha's and places her hands around Natasha's wrist.

Natasha lets her, and as slow as ever, Natasha's red face is revealed to Wanda for the last time.

Wanda catches her breath as Natasha looks into Wanda's emerald eyes.

"I'm sorry. I am. I hurt you and gave what should've been only for you to someone else. I'll never forgive myself. I don't know why I did it. But..." Wanda catches her breath again through her choking tears. "You deserve more. Someone will bring you happiness after me. I loved and will always love you. Believe it or not. But it's true, Natasha."

Natasha looked at Wanda's eyes, and just like weeks ago, when she asked Wanda a question no one ever wants to ask their partner, she saw the truth in Wanda's eyes.

Wanda was sorry.

Wanda did love her.

Wanda would always love her.

But today was the end of them—the end of a chapter.

"I loved you," Natasha says quietly. Wanda nods. "I know Natasha. I know." Natasha stares into Wanda's eyes before shutting them and turning away from her. She wipes her eyes and does her best to regulate her emotions before she moves towards her coat on the hook.

Wanda watches as Natasha starts putting on her coat and boots.

"Just leave the key on the counter. I'll be back in an hour..."

Natasha stops as she hears soft sobs continue behind her. She glances behind her. "Wanda... please be gone by then."

Wanda nods and watches Natasha fight with herself to stay before she closes the door and leaves.

Pietro doesn't say anything when Wanda brings the last box down to the car. Instead, he holds the door open for his sister and closes it once she settles in.

As he looks both left and right before running to his side of the car on the city's busy streets, his eyes catch Natasha across the street.

The two of them share a solemn look before Pietro opens his car door and drives his sister away.

Six months from now, when Wanda walks by the apartment building, she'll look at the call box and find Natasha's name gone.

Three years from that point, she won't know about Natasha Romanoff and Maria Hill's wedding.

She won't know about their cat Liho or their struggles with human adoption for years. 

She won't know about Yelena's battle with breast cancer.

Wanda won't know about any of that until she receives a postcard from Natasha.

"Hey Wands,

I've only done this once before...

dividers by @/benkeibear

[mothman-can-write]

Have a little snippet from my current wip that has accidentally ended up with the working title of 'tractor fic'. its not even about a tractor. the tractor plays a minor roll. there is ten thousand words about the tractor. (its about maria visiting clints farm and being incredibly awkward about it) (she visits to fix the tractor and then ends up staying much longer)

Cooper sits on the other side of the table as he munches on his own sandwich and he stares at Maria with all of the open intensity of an eight year old child. “Is this your boss?” he says to his dad without swallowing. 

Clint laughs as he finishes making Lila’s lunch and Maria takes a sip of the lemonade if only so that she doesn’t have to answer. It’s a little tart, but sweet enough that it goes down easy. She isn’t sure she could make better lemonade herself. 

“I guess she is, yeah,” Clint says eventually, folding ham neatly within the borders of the bread. “She’s sort of everyone’s boss.” 

“Everyone?” Cooper swallows his mouthful at last. “She can’t be everyone’s boss.” 

Natasha places her drink down in front of her, sitting a space away from Maria and directly opposite him. She leans forward ever so slightly, conspirational over the table as she lowers her voice. “Oh, she is. She even tells the president what to do sometimes. If someone has a boss, it’s her. Even your mom.” 

She straightens up again with a glance to Maria, picking her drink back up to hide her smirk around the straw. Maria tries not to roll her eyes as Cooper gawks. She downs the rest of her lemonade, avoiding eye contact as long as possible, and the moment she sets it back down, Laura is there beside her to fill it up again. She’s trying not to laugh along with everyone else and it makes it that much harder for Maria to keep a straight face too. 

“That’s right,” Clint says from the kitchen counter. Maria watches him cut the crusts off of the bread before handing the plate to Lila. “That means you have to listen to everything she says when you’re in the barn.” 

Cooper nods into another bite of his sandwich, his eyes wide, and Maria gives him a tight sort of smile. Natasha is still looking at her too, even as she eats her own lunch, and Maria suddenly feels like a bit of a spectacle. It makes Natasha’s eyes crinkle, just so, and that really doesn’t help.

[scar-lie]

Hi everyone :)

I'll be starting to do commission, starting today, cause I could use some extra income specially I'm gonna start collage soon and I don't want to just, ask everything I need and wants to my family

If you're interested PM me, don't be shy I don't bite and it's fine to asked me about commission

[poguehearted77]

Wild Child

summary: after being sent away to boarding school for being a wild child you're finally back and celebrating your return in the only way you see fit.

smut: pool party, ragers, drug use (alcohol, vapes n weed), size kink, Rafe is cocky, mentions of old flings, manhandling, hot tubs, they do it on her parents' bed, rough sex, step-mom slander, reader is such a flirt n a tease, curvy reader, dom! rafe, bratty! reader, skinny dipping, mentions of body shots, choking, spanking (like once).

The morning sun was ascending high into the sky when you finally managed to get yourself out of your king-sized bed, fit for someone of your status and your parents' financial standing.

Your socked feet took padded steps towards your window where you overlooked the hills of figure eight. This was the first time you'd looked out your bedroom window in years. With a deep inhale a soft smile etched its way across your lips. You were finally home, and you had the house all to yourself. Or so you thought.

Your ears pick up on muffled indistinct chatter that managed to travel from the kitchen, down the halls up the elaborate staircase and into your room. Quickly, you headed for the source of the voices and were disappointed to see your dad and his wife plaything, Maria, conversing over coffee at the kitchen island.

"I thought you said the Jet leaves at dawn? What are you guys still doing here?" You try not to sound too curious, arms crossing naturally with your inquiry. With a clearing of his throat, your dad speaks up, "You only just came back two nights ago. Maria and I just don't think it's the right time to leave you alone for the weekend."

You scoff, "Why? You still don't trust me after what happened last time? Get over it, I'm twenty-one now, you can trust me." As you walked over to the fridge for a glass of water, you heard a muted exchange of ideas behind you.

"You can't expect us to forget about all the damage you caused. We still haven't found anyone to repair my crystal vases." You take a long sip, trying to swallow your toxic thoughts with the water.

She thinks she can just waltz up and down the house with that huge ring on her finger and think that her opinion carries any value to you.

You took a deep breath and plastered on a fake smile, pitching your voice to become as sweet as honey.

"I can never apologize enough for what I did back then, but how will I ever earn your trust if you don't give me the chance." Your doe eyes land on your father, specifically his weakened composure.

You're about to break him, you can see it.

He exhales, all the air escaping through his nostrils.

Broken.

He glances down at his watch, "Fine, but if you throw another party so help me god Y/n you'll never see grass again." You play it cool, thanking him with a simple hug and completely disregarding Maria before you make your way back upstairs.

It's as though a weight had been lifted off your chest. You needed them out of the house, you'd been planning this party since you got back and made sure all the guests knew to keep it on the down low, just until they were gone.

The hours fly by, and you hardly keep track of time as you and some of your long-time friends set up the house for the party that you shouldn't be hosting, but you're Y/n Sinclair. Parties are your thing.

"Macy, you let the people in, kay? I'm gonna go get changed." The sun was beginning to set and the music was already blasting, vibrating over the marble floors of the house. Every lyric was punctuated with a shaking of the speakers that could be felt even outside.

The neighbours hated to see you coming.

You know your dad's jet was en route to Fiji and he wouldn't be able to reach you until he landed which wasn't for another six hours at minimum but by then the damage will be long done and far too late to stop.

You make your way up the stairs, the bass thumping through the house and vibrating beneath your feet. As you step into your room, your reflection catches your eye, excitement sparking in your gaze.

With a quick flick of your wrist, you reach for the strappy black and red two-piece, slipping it on, the cool fabric hugging every curve just right. Each strap crisscrosses elegantly, bold yet balanced, making you smile at how perfectly it all came together.

Next, you grab the sheer cover-up, wrapping it loosely around your waist so it drapes with a hint of movement, a playful edge that sways with you. You run your fingers through your curls, scrunching them gently to bring out their bounce, each coil framing your face in soft waves. Reaching for your lip gloss, you swipe it carefully over your lips, catching the light with a glossy shine.

One last look, and you’re ready, your heart beating in rhythm with the music below. The speakers are already blaring, the energy practically calling you back down. You step out with a final tousle of your curls, ready to join the night.

The energy crackles through the backyard as you make your way to the top of the outdoor staircase. The sun has slipped beneath the horizon, casting a dusky glow over the massive pool below, illuminated by floating lights that shimmer across the water.

The bar is buzzing with people grabbing drinks, and in the corner, the foam pit is already filling up, laughter and splashes mixing with the heavy beat of the music.

A neon sign hangs across from the bar, glowing boldly against the evening sky: The Queen of Kildare is Back. You grin, amused at the sight of it knowing it was 100% Macy's doing, and take a step down. Conversations hush, replaced by the roaring blast of excitement as heads turn your way. Hundreds of people, from familiar faces to those you only vaguely recognize from your past in Figure Eight, pause and look up, anticipation brimming in their eyes.

As you descend, your cover-up billows behind you, revealing the bold lines of your black and red two-piece. The crowd’s reaction is instant, erupting into cheers, whistles, and applause that echo across the yard.

"Y/n! Y/n! Y/n" They chant and you laugh. Every step closer to the party, you feel the atmosphere thicken, charged with that infectious blend of excitement and admiration. By the time you reach the bottom, someone’s already handing you a drink, while friends rush over to pull you in for hugs and greetings, their voices nearly drowned out by the music and shouts.

"Y/n Sinclair, s'Been a while."

There's a voice all too familiar addressing you from behind, prompting you to pivot to come face to face with a much taller Rafe than your brain could recall.

"Rafe Cameron. Long time no see." He goes in for the hug, your arms reaching over his broadened shoulders while his longer ones wrap around your waist before pulling back. He not so subtly checked you out, his tongue darting out over his lips briefly as he took you in and you did the same.

The buzzed hair sharpens his features, you think. Making his eyes seem darker, more intense, as they focus on you. His open linen shirt falls loosely over his frame, giving glimpses of his toned chest and the subtle gleam of a thin chain resting against his skin.

The shirt flutters with the breeze, barely hanging on his shoulders, hinting at the strong lines of his arms and drawing your eyes down to his relaxed, dark swim trunks.

He’s saying something, leaning slightly toward you, and his voice cuts smoothly through the bass of the party. Your eyes wander back up to his face, catching the faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as if he knows he’s caught your attention.

"You look good, too good. How long's it been?" It's hard for you to think with the heat of his gaze on you, but you don't falter, never surrendering to this never-ending game between the two of you.

"About 3 years." He hums, the way he looks at you, casual yet purposeful, makes your pulse quicken, and suddenly, every sound around you fades, leaving only the warmth of his presence and the way he looks right at you, but you remind yourself to focus.

Rafe looks around the scene, eyes lingering over the wet t-shirt contest and then the game of chicken being held in the pool while others lounged on the various floaties or indulged in ungodly amounts of alcohol at the bar. As he does so, the pungent scent of weed drafts across your nostrils.

"Your old man know you're hostin' tonight?" You had to laugh, "Oh please, like he would ever let me have any kind of fun while he's in town. He and the skank are in Fiji."

The slight smirk that etches over his perfect lips taunts you. "So the house is yours?" He leans in, a little closer, closing the gap between you. "Until he comes back and banishes me again," You place a confident hand against his chest, pushing him away, "But for now, I'm here to party, and you should be too."

With that said you walk away from him, letting your hips sway with seduction radiating with each step. Rafe lets his thumb and fingers stroke over his jaw, feeling the weight of the pressure you'd just applied.

God, it was good to have you back.

The party raged on, slowly approaching its peak, body shots were going on at the bar, girls were doing lines in the bathrooms and the guys had insisted on a drunk game of volleyball in the pool.

Rafe took a break from the events of the party and watched from the sidelines on the couch, taking another hit of the vape that someone had passed to him, he's not sure he can remember who, and it wasn't relevant anyway.

The only person he had his sights set on is you. Watching you have the time of your life with your friends on the platform in the middle of the pool. Your little group, clearly intoxicated danced carefree while you'd begun to put your hands on the ground and throw your ass in circles.

Rafe choked, sitting up, some smoke coming through his nostrils at the interrupted airflow. He leaves his shirt behind on the couch with the abandoned vape, just as he heads for the pool topped hands him a beer which Rafe accepts before he gets in.

Maintaining a straight face as his body acclimatizes to the cool water he's almost immediately swarmed and roped into a round of whatever the current pool game was.

His icy gaze looks up to the center of the pool where you once were but are now nowhere to be found. "Looking for someone?" Your voice was mocking and he was grinning before he even turned around.

"I am actually." With little ripples in the water, he steps towards you maintaining a respectful distance that was driving you insane. "I was looking for someone to join me at the bar," He puts on a convincing facade but you roll your eyes, feigning innocence.

"Let me know if you find her," He slowly steps towards you and step back, "Don't play dumb with me, Y/n." Your plush lips form a gut-wrenching pout, "What do you mean?" Another step forward, another one back. The cycle repeats itself until he has you backed up against the edge of the pool.

Rafe’s hands find your waist, and before you can react, he’s lifting you effortlessly, placing you on the edge of the pool. You're reeling at the slutty display of his sheer strength.

Your legs dangle, brushing against his chest, and he steps closer, slotting himself right between them. His hands rest on either side of you, his arms framing you in as he looks up with that sly grin, every bit as teasing as you are.

“Always out here playin' games, aren’t you?” he murmurs, his voice low, a quiet rasp just for you. “Gotta say, I respect it—always sticking it to your old man, doing your own thing.” He leans in, his gaze drifting down to your lips before meeting your eyes again. “Not many people around here have the guts for that.”

You scoff lightly, though your heart skips as his gaze lingers on you, intense and challenging. “Oh, please,” you tease, rolling your eyes. “Since when do you care about any of this?”

A quiet laugh slips from him as his fingers trace slow, deliberate circles along your thigh. “You think I haven’t been paying attention to you all these years?” he murmurs, leaning closer, his breath warm against your neck.

“You might’ve been gone a while, but don't think I forgot all those nights we had our fun.” His words hang heavy between you as he pulls back slightly. Now his hand rests on your waist, his voice dropping lower.

He tilts his head, studying you with that familiar glint of mischief. “Now that you're back, I think we should relive some of our traditions, for old time's sake,” he says, leaning in until his lips brush against your jaw, light and teasing, close enough to make your pulse race. He pauses, his thumb skimming your cheek, his lips hovering just above yours, waiting. “But don’t act like you don’t want this as much as I do.”

Before you can snap back, his mouth claims yours, the kiss charged with all the years of pent-up tension and that all-too-familiar heat. His hands slide up to cradle your face as you wrap your legs around him, pulling him even closer. The kiss deepens, and when he finally pulls back just enough to catch his breath, he watches you with a smug, knowing grin.

“There it is,” he murmurs, his voice a low rumble against your lips, his thumb tracing your jaw as if memorizing every inch. “That look you get right before we make a mess of things. I knew it—you missed this just as much as I did.”

If only someone could recount how the two of found yourselves stumbling up the stairs towards your room, your soaked sheer cover-up left forgotten somewhere in the house after Rafe pulled it off of your frame.

"Shit-- Rafe," your teeth dug into the flesh of your bottom lip as you reached to open your bedroom door, horrified to see two other people had monopolized it. They hadn't even noticed the door was opened so you quickly closed it.

"What the fuck, I thought everyone knew my room was off limits." With a quick scan, you noticed items were hanging off almost all the guest rooms in the hall letting others know the room was occupied.

"Shit, there's nowhere else to go in here?" You think quickly on your feet before rushing off to get something before returning with a key in your grip.

Rafe pulls you close with a smirk as you clutch the key to your father’s room, the gleam in your eyes daring him to follow. “Breaking all the rules tonight, aren’t we?” he murmurs, his voice low and thick with approval. His hand slips around your waist as you unlock the door, both of you glancing down the hall to be sure no one’s watching.

You twist the handle and push open the door, and his hand slides down to squeeze your hip, pulling you against him. “I knew there was a reason I liked you,” he whispers against your ear, his lips grazing your skin, sending a thrill down your spine.

Once inside, you barely have a chance to lock the door before he has you pressed up against it. His lips are on yours, urgent and fierce, his hands roaming over your body with possessive ease. “Do you have any idea what you do to me?” he breathes between kisses, his fingers tracing the bare skin of your waist as he lifts your top, letting it fall to the floor. “Thought I’d forgotten?” you tease.

Rafe just about growls, dipping down to kiss along your collarbone, his hands sliding lower as he backs you towards the bed. His fingers hook under the waistband of your bottoms, tugging them down with a smirk that sends heat rushing through you.

Your heart races as you feel the cool, forbidden sheets beneath you, the thrill of defying every rule and having Rafe look at you like you’re the only thing he’s ever wanted. His hands slide up your thighs, lips trailing down your neck as he leans over you. “You know,” he murmurs, voice heavy with desire as he takes in the sight of you sprawled out before him, “I always knew you were trouble. Guess that’s why I can’t stay away.”

With a smirk, he leans in, his lips brushing over yours as his hands explore, both of you savouring the thrill of being tangled up in each other once again.

"Look at these perfect fuckin' tits." He curses, big hands cupping your breasts, kneading them and rolling your nipples between his index and thumb. Your back arches slightly with a gasp, chest pressing up into him and he laughs.

"Still so sensitive here, angel? Some things never change." He reminisces and you roll your eyes, "Fuck off, Rafe." With the blink of an eye, his much larger frame was caging you in from above, his bulging biceps giving him an erotic juxtaposition in comparison to your head.

Balancing himself on one arm he slinks his palm around the expanse of your throat with a weighted pressure. "Been gone so long you forgot your manners? Mm? That's fine, I'll be sure to fuck some sense back into you."

Your eyes flutter shut at his filthy words as you feel his hand move and begin to work you between your legs. "Your pussy's fuckin' soaked--shit." He hisses, gaze hungry and his body acts on his thoughts faster than you can register.

A particularly loud moan slips from you as you feel his tongue skillfully lap over your folds, splitting you open as the warmth of his tongue protrudes into your core. "Yes, fuck! Please, don't stop Rafe." You moan, one hand reaching down to hold him by the hair and it hits you that he'd shaved it all off.

You let out a frustrated gruff, both hands fisting the sheets while you're forced to feel the vibrations of his sick laugh running through you at your dramatics. Even the tip of his nose had been covered in your slick, your juices running down his chin as he ate you out like a man starved.

He wouldn't be surprised if they could hear you from outside, but he knows everyone is far too high, too drunk or both to hear you. It wasn't long before your legs were beginning to shake and came with his name falling from your lips over and over like a prayer.

Taking deep breaths to recover from debatedly the best orgasm you've ever experienced, Rafe walked over to the far wall, out of sight, doing something you couldn't see before returning.

Without speaking he scoops you up into his arms, bridal style, another shameless display of his strength but it would be a lie to say it didn't drive you crazy. "What-what are you doing?" Your questions are ignored until he approaches the bubbling hot tub.

A wicked smirk curls across his lips as he eases you onto your feet in the warm water, his hands lingering on your waist, keeping you close. He gazes at you with that knowing glint, the steam rising around you both.

“Feels nice, doesn’t it?” he murmurs, his eyes trailing down your figure, unapologetic. His fingers skim over your sides, sending a shiver through you that’s from anything but the water.

“Are you really just gonna stand there?” you call, feeling the thrill of his attention but wanting to turn the tables, your voice laced with playful challenge.

“Oh, don’t worry,” he chuckles, unfastening his swim trunks and letting them fall to the side with a carefree grin. “I plan on joining you,” he says, slipping into the water and closing the distance between you two with smooth, unhurried steps. You take a hard swallow at his size, you don't remember him being this big.

He was going to destroy you.

You raise an eyebrow, matching his smirk. “Pretty bold of you, Rafe,” you say, your voice teasing as he wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you flush against him. “Just like old times, hmm?”

“Better than old times,” he murmurs, dipping his head so his lips graze your ear, his voice a low rumble. “Because now, nothing is stopping us.” He punctuates his sentence by pressing his body up against your back, elevating you a bit so your torso leans over the edge of the tub, granting him easy access to you.

"Fuck, can't believe your ass got even more fucking perfect since last time." His hand raises and comes back down with a loud spank that pulls a sinful moan from your throat. "Rafe, stop teasing." You whine, arching your back and pressing back against him.

His composure already weekend, he decided to let you get away with it this time before he lined up the swollen head of his thick cock with your entrance, "Better grab onto something." That's the last thing you hear before you're being impaled on his dick, your upper half immediately falls forward, and he stills, giving you a second.

You're breathless, it feels like his cock was taking up all the room in your lungs. Some water had splashed over the ledge but that was the least of your worries. Your mind was hazy and focused on Rafe's grunts that escaped him with every snap of his hips.

"Wish you could see how hot you look right now. The Sinclair wild child knows how to take big dick like a champ." His words run straight through you like electricity, fanning the flames of the burning heat that was beginning to form in your belly.

"Shit--This pussy was fuckin' made for me, y'know that?" You moan at his possessive statement. You can only nod, your body had gone limp long ago as he drilled into you. "R-rafe! I'm-" As if you weren't close enough, his fingers begin to rub over your clit aggressively and you jolt with a shriek.

"Oh- fuck, don't stop! Fuck! I'm gonna cum! Please, Rafe." You beg, over and over, arms hanging onto the edge of the tub for dear life as more water splashes around you.

"Wait for me, hold it until I say you can come." You're chewing your lip raw, desperately trying to hold yourself back as he wrecks you from the inside out, his moans getting more frequent, a little more airy and breathless as he tumbled toward his edge of pleasure.

"Cum with me, Angel." Your body spasms as you finish together and he leans his weight against your back, his laboured breathing fanning your ear as you come down from your high.

"Not bad, princess." You couldn't respond and Rafe took note of this, carefully holding you up with one final smug remark, "Hope I didn't wear out the queen of Kildare."

[autisticshadowthehedgehog]

OK Guys. I get the skepticism esp after the Knuckles disaster, but we also need to keep in mind "this is a trailer that won't spoil literally everything about the movie." ESPECIALLY in regards to GUN. They're not gonna put in the trailer "the military shot a little girl and that's why Shadow is mad so Sonic is going to never work with them ever." That's a great way to get parents to bring their kids to the theater, especially in America. (/s)

It's WAY more effective as a plot twist halfway through, where Sonic thinks that he's finally being accepted onto Earth via working with the government only to find out that they're exploiting him and Shadow the same. I can't guarantee this is gonna happen obviously but it's like a 90% chance just knowing how, like. writing works.

Esp considering the government has not had a good track record in the last two movies, I dunno if they'd do a heel-face turn into "actually they were always right" in the movie where a little girl needs to get shot by the government.

And I'm not gonna say "trust and form a parasocial relationship with a film director" but we should keep in mind that Jeff Fowler got his start working on Shadow's title game and has stated in interviews that he understands how important Shadow's backstory is to his character. Not to mention how the internet has been exploding the last two years with enthusiasm over this story actually getting shown onscreen, enough that a studio would fucking notice at the very least that this is what the people want. I can't guarantee they'll actually listen, but saying that they're absolutely not because "Sonic was in a GUN helicopter in the trailer" is insane. Especially with the fact that GUN is not with Sonic when he goes to Eggman. We just see Team Sonic alone meeting with Stone, and I will bet you it's because there's no way in hell GUN would let them near him, what with the Robotnik connections to the ARK.

Also the Gerald thing is rather worrying, esp with the lack of shit they gave Pachacamac in the miniseries, but honestly I think that was just a marketing push of "Jim Carrey will be playing TWO characters!!!" Considering he's only seen in one trailer scene AT the ARK (where all of Gerald's technology was and, more importantly, where the Eclipse cannon he needs someone to set off is) AND we know from movie 2's credits scene that there was a fifty-year timeskip, I severely doubt that's the real Gerald who's just completely unaffected by his granddaughter being murdered.

And ofc there's things to be concerned about in the trailer. The lack of Rouge for instance– I obviously keep posting my theory that Krysten Ritter's character will be her undercover but the fact we don't know how much time she'd actually have with Shadow, if at ALL, is worrying. The fact that Rouge might not be here period. The weird pacing of the Knuckles show and the fear that could bleed over into the movie. But there's also stuff to get excited about– the epic fight scene choreography, the brief glimpse we got of Maria and Shadow's bond. Reeves's voice actually fits Shadow and at least from what the trailer showed us it looks like the Green Hills storyline is taking a backseat to the action and mystery of Project Shadow.

tl;dr guys calm down for like five minutes. if the movie sucks in december we can riot then. right now let's just band together against mufasa

[brooooswriting]

Can we get prompt 22 & 25 with Maria Hill (angst w/ hap end (maybe slight smut if ur comfortable)) PLEASE 🙏🏼

22. “You can still use your legs, so don’t say that I was jealous again”

25. “Don’t cover my bite marks, or I might just have to add more”

A/n: so this was my first time writing Maria and I didn’t wanna immediately write smut. Sorry :/

Maria was normally a totally closed off person, the team often tried to engage her and it took several years for her to finally tell them something. But it was never something really really personal which made them even more surprised when she brought a girl to Starks party. On her arm was a beautiful y/h/c girl wearing a shorter dress and gazing up at her with utter admiration.

“Oh wow, who’s that?” Sam asked Steve who was also starring at you. Next to him on the couch, Natasha, Bruce and Wanda were also starring at you.

“I do not know but I am going over there” Wanda said and walked over to you. By now you were standing at the bar, ordering for you and your girlfriend. “Hey there” the brunette spoke up as she slid next to you, shooting you an overconfident smirk.

“Hello” you smiled at her friendly before looking straight ahead again, you weren’t really interested in having a conversation.

“You know, I would have thought that god would keep an angel like you to himself” She asked coming a bit closer again. You had to bite your lip to stop your laugh.

“Is this how you talk to everyone here?” You asked with a grin and turned towards her.

“No, just pretty girls. My names Wanda” she stretched out her hand for you to take, her smile even cockier than before.

“I’m y/n and I gotta go” you said after shaking her hand as your drinks arrived. While Wanda was nice and kinda funny you’d rather be with Maria. So you took your drinks and walked away and past the couch were the others sat.

“What was that?” Maria asked once you were back, taking the drink from your hand. She eyed Wanda who walked back to the couch with a small pout.

“She just wanted to say hi” you weren’t going to tell her the flirting stuff because you didn’t want the agent to hurt her. But she could see through your lies and only gave you an ‘mhm’ before continuing her conversation.

The whole evening went like that, somebody’ either from the team or somebody else, came to you and tried to flirt. It annoyed Maria unbelievably but she didn’t wanna cause a scene and she trusted you. So she let you be on the other side of the room, but always keeping an eye on you, just in case somebody made you uncomfortable.

You could see Maria’s face turn red once Wanda came back and started to touch you. They weren’t forceful or anything, her hand on your arm or your shoulder, sometimes innocently grazing your thigh. It was hard to hide your grin, so you turned your head the other way.

At one point nearly everybody left except the team, some dudes you didn’t know, you and Maria. Fury even came to visit once it was just you guys, he was the one who wanted to introduce you. “Everybody, this is my assistant and new agent y/n y/l/n. She will be here the next couple of days when we have our conferences” he said and gave you a pat on the shoulder before sitting down. You sat down between Maria and Sam which turned out to be a big mistake.

“You know, you could assist me in my bedroom tonight” he told you with a smile, his arm laying behind you on the couch.

“I’ll pass but thank you” you mumbled leaning further into Maria. You wanted to climb on her lap and hide your face in her neck but she didn’t wanna tell the team so you just scooted away a bit.

At one point Natasha came to rescue and made you sit next to her and on the edge of the couch. Sure she was flirting too, but it wasn’t as sexual and way more funny. Plus, you kinda liked the way Maria looked at you once Natasha was flirting with you and she wasn’t close enough to stop it.

“Alright, it was really nice to meet everyone but you know, early day tomorrow. So I’ll see you then, thanks again Tony” you said as you stood up, waving everybody except Natasha and Wanda who decided to hug you. Much to Maria’s dismay.

You waited outside for about ten minutes, knowing that Maria wasn’t gonna take long. A small grin on your lips as you leaned against the wall, purse in hand. It took her longer than you thought to come down, 25 minutes passed when you finally saw her. But your smile fell when your girlfriend came down the stairs with one of the dudes you didn’t know, his arm slightly wrapped around her waist and a smile on both of their lips. They talked for a short moment, Maria typing on his phone before he leaned down. You weren’t stupid and Maria wasn’t either, be planned to kiss her, probably hoping to take her home but she turned her head in the right moment for him to kiss her check.

You were fuming when she came over to you. A stupid cooky smile on her damn face. “What the hell?” You asked with a strong voice, an annoyed look on your face.

“What? You think you’re the only one who can flirt?” She asked walking to the car before you could answer. You rolled your eyes and sat in the passenger seat.

“Flirting? I was being flirted with, I didn’t do anything actively. You were the one who gave a dude her number and he nearly kissed you” you tried to stay reasonable but it was no use. “God what the hell were you thinking?” You shook you head looking out of the window.

“You started all of this, they were all over you” her eyes flickered over to you as you stood on a red light. She watched as your brows furrowed and your head lightly shook.

“So what? I didn’t do anything except being nice, they’re your friends!” You told her as you got out of the car, house key already in your hand. Both of you walking through the door and letting everything fall to the floor.

“Oh so suddenly being nice means whoring yourself out?”

“What the hell? I was being nice, you were the one who flirted around and nearly kissed somebody else! You wanted to keep this secret and now you can’t deal with the fact that other people might want me too”

“Please, this is not what this is about” she screamed back making you roll your eyes and turn around. “What are you doing?” She asked.

“I’m leaving Maria, this is useless. You don’t trust me but you wanna keep me a secret. This won’t work like that and I do not feel like arguing with a brick wall right now” you argued back, your keys already in your hand.

“You’re being pity, y/n” this time you couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m being pity? You’re the one who’s pity, you’re jealous and you can’t deal with it Maria” you told her sternly, pulling of your second stiletto with an annoyed sigh.

The next sound that escaped you was a yelp as the brunette had picked you up and carried you into the bedroom. “Wanna say that again?” She asked teasingly as she threw you onto the bed. You were in for a night.

A couple of hours later, Maria fell next to your own sweaty body. She waited a couple of moment before doing so to make sure you had calmed down. She then stood up to get a cloth to clean you. “Open your legs love” she mumbled which made you whine but do so nonetheless. “You can still use your legs, so don’t say I was jealous again” she told you with a raised eyebrow and a grin.

Once she was done cleaning you and got you a glass of water she laid behind you, her arms wrapped around your waist as she carefully intertwined your legs. “I gave him the wrong number by the way” she suddenly whispered into your neck, placing a soft kiss there. “I wouldn’t have given him my number under any circumstances” she added, her thumb carefully stroking your hand.

“You better” you mumbled before falling asleep.

The next morning Maria woke up before you, but instead of getting up she decided to stay in bed with you a bit longer as she admired her work on your neck. There were countless hickeys scattered across your neck, your shoulder, your breasts and your thighs. She couldn’t wait for the moment you saw them.

Not long after your alarm started to ring which made you stir, immediately turning towards Maria and hiding in the crook of her neck to avoid getting up. “Come on sleepy head, we gotta get going” she mumbled and pressed a kiss to your head before getting into the shower. Once you were awake enough you followed her, the bathroom already full of steam, covering the mirror.

You showered way longer than you actually should have, but if you have the opportunity to shower with your really beautiful and smart girlfriend, you don’t say no. So you hurried out of the shower, grabbed some clothes and dried your hair before returning into the bathroom to do your makeup. Your mouth fell open once you looked into the mirror. “Maria hill! You better move your ass in here right now” you screamed.

When she came in she was already wearing her annoyingly sexy smirk which meant that she definitely knew what this was about. Her arms wrapped around your waist as she stood behind you, holding the hand that was getting the concealer down. “Don’t” was the only thing she said as she smiled at you through the mirror.

“What? I can’t go to work like this”

“Don’t cover my bite marks or I might just have to add more” she said sternly, “you know I mean it” a heavy kiss was placed on your neck before her arms unwrapped themselves.

“This is gonna be fun” you mumbled as you put down the concealer and tried to move your hair so it was covering most of your neck. Unsuccessfully so.

The moment you set foot into the conference room it was clear that this was going to be the most embarrassing day of your life. You were still standing at the door when everybody’s eyes were on you. “Damn! Y/n got lucky last night” Tony laughed causing your face to turn red. You were teased her and there before Maria came inside, her hand immediately going from your waist to your ass as she pulled you closer and led you towards your seats.

She was quick to turn around and send Sam and Natasha a wink before pulling out your chair. Now it was their turn to blush and look down which made you chuckle. “Who would have thought?” Clint said clearly surprised as he watched you and Maria while Tony grinned.

“Maria” he called out and threw a piece of paper towards her to gain her attention. “Nice” he said with a nod and a proud look on his face which made everybody laugh.

“I will just say this to be clear, the next person who flirts with her is gonna get their ass handed. Is that clear?” Suddenly she was back in full commander mode as everybody nodded at her. She smirked before placing a kiss on your lips, a happy sigh leaving her.

So maybe, jealousy wasn’t always the worst thing.

[literaryavenger]

Careless

Summary: Part 2 of Thoughtful.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Avengers!Reader

Warnings: My poor attempts at being funny. No use of Y/N. Fluff. Angst. Tony being kind of an asshole. Bucky's self-deprecating thoughts. Reader being clueless.

Word Count: 1K

A/N: I keep having no idea what this is, I have no endgame but I hope you enjoy!

Masterlist | Part 1

Stark parties are a hassle. Tony always insists on the team dressing up, cocktail dresses, tuxedos and all that.

So that’s why you’re all dolled up right now, a black sparkly floor-length gown that highlights your curves perfectly with a slit that goes up your left thigh with black stilettos, your hair curled perfectly and your make-up on point thanks to Natasha and Wanda, gold hoop earrings finishing the ensemble.

The only thing that looks like it doesn’t belong on your right now are Bucky’s dog tags hanging from your neck.

Things with Bucky have been going relatively good, you’re not really dating but neither of you let a moment pass without trying to flirt with each other. You enjoy the attention he only gives you and he enjoys making you flustered.

You’ve even managed to make him blush himself a few times.

You haven’t taken his dog tags off since that morning Bucky put them on you, and that’s not gone unnoticed by the team who have had a field day teasing you about it. Just never enough to bother you and make you want to take them off.

Until now.

“Come on, they look so out of place!” Tony says while chuckling as you roll your eyes, drink in hand while you stand in the middle of the party while talking with Tony, Scott and Maria.

“Leave her alone, Stark.” Maria comes to your defense and you give her a grateful smile. All the girls think it’s adorable that you wear Bucky’s tags.

“He’s not wrong, though.” Scott chimes in. “That’s a beautiful get up, but the tags stand out, and not in a good way.”

Anyone else, you’d be creeped out, but you know Scott is in a happy relationship with Hope and he doesn’t mean anything by it. He’s more of a girlfriend at this point.

“I don’t care.” You say simply, sipping your drink. “I like them, and I’m not taking them off.”

“You haven’t taken them off in weeks.” Tony points out, a dangerous smirk starting to grow on his face. “Could it have anything to do with the particular soldier that gave them to you?”

You roll your eyes, knowing where Tony’s going with this because he’s gone there countless times now.

“It has nothing to do with Bucky, I just like them.” You say causally.

“You like him.” Tony says childishly while the other two snicker at your groan. “Maybe you even love him.”

You scoff and almost glare at Tony. “I don’t love him.”

“Then prove it.” Tony says without missing a beat. Obviously he has you exactly where he wants you. “Take them off.”

“What would that even prove?” You roll your eyes again.

“Prove to me that they don’t mean as much to you as I think they do. Take them off.” He keeps grinning at you, challenging you.

“You’re a child.” You say simply, having no intention to accept this silly challenge.

“Yes, I am.” He says and all four of you chuckle, before Tony takes it one step further. “Take them off for a week and I’ll give you ten thousand dollars.”

You give him an unimpressed look. It’s not a surprise, Tony’s known to do this kind of thing all the time. He once bet Sam twenty thousand dollars if he went streaking for at least 4 blocks around the tower.

His ‘falcon’ was on the paper the next day.

“Come on, if you’re so sure I’m wrong, why not make some money off my arrogance.” Tony says with a smirk when you narrow your eyes at him, he knows you’re considering it.

“Fine.” You say after a pause. You hesitantly take the tags off and put them on Tony’s outstretched hand. It’s only a week and it doesn’t mean anything, you tell yourself.

Unbeknownst to you, Bucky saw the whole thing from a distance. And it meant plenty to him.

He couldn’t hear what you were saying even with his enhanced hearing because you were far away and the party noise was almost deafening, but Bucky saw you clearly as you took off his tags and gave them to Tony.

To Tony.

Did they not mean as much to you as they did to him? Was this whole thing just a joke to you? Was he making a fool out of himself thinking you liked him as much as he liked you? Maybe you just liked the attention. Maybe you were fucking with him, having fun at his expense because he convinced himself you like him, because how could he even think someone like you actually likes him? Maybe you’ve been laughing behind his back while he’s been falling for yo-

“Hey, Sergeant Grumpy.” His thoughts are interrupted by your playful voice that just a minute ago was the single greatest sound that he wanted as the soundtrack of his existence for the rest of his life.

But right now, it’s making his nostrils flare with barely contained anger while he almost glares at you.

You think nothing of it, convincing yourself that maybe the party is making him anxious like it usually does. After all, Bucky doesn’t do good with strangers.

Or maybe Sam has been getting on his nerves more than usual tonight. Whatever it is, you want to make him feel better.

So you wrap your hand around the tie of his suit and pull him towards you a little, copying the move he’s now done countless times with his dog tags around your neck.

“You wanna hear something funny?” You ask playfully, wanting to tell him about the bet you just made with Tony and thinking Bucky will get a kick out of it and it’ll take his mind off of whatever has him in a bad mood.

But you get no chance to say anything more since he takes your hand away from his tie.

“Leave me alone.” He says with a harsh tone you’ve never heard him use towards anyone, let alone you. “Forever.”

That said, he walks off and out of the room in the direction of his quarters without giving you a second glance, leaving you to look after him, too dumbfounded as your mind tries to play catch-up.

What the hell just happened?

Requested Taglist: @marvelcasey05 @ordelixx @alltoounwellread @capswife @sapphirebarnes @rio-reid-whoreee @theunknownmarveluser @alltoowellread @a-very-fictional-girl @geeky-politics-46 @winters1917 @yujyujj @blackhawkfanatic @hot-cheeto5739 @shortnloud @disneychic8 @unaxv @ziyahs-world

[wandamaximoffsbadgirl]

Bound By You

Domme!Maria Hill x subby!fem!reader

Word count: 1.3K

Warnings: 18+ MDNI, bondage, D/s dynamics, light BDSM, begging, overstimulation, degradation

Authors notes: I've never written Maria Hill before so I hope I did her justice

Maria stands tall beside the bed, her presence alone commanding your attention. Her stern, authoritative gaze sweeps over your body as she begins to bind your wrists. The ropes are soft against your skin, yet firm as she ties them with practiced precision. You can feel the coolness of her fingers brush against you with each knot she secures, the tension in the ropes building with every pass.

“You’re doing so well for me,” Maria says, her voice low and velvety, tinged with approval. She tilts her head slightly, her eyes locking onto yours, making it impossible to look away. You feel the heat of her gaze travel down your body, and your breath hitches in response. “Stay still,” she commands, her words sharp but intimate, pulling you further under her control.

Once your wrists are secured to the headboard, Maria steps back to admire the sight of you. Bound, vulnerable, completely hers. The corner of her mouth lifts in a slight smirk as she traces her fingers down the length of your body, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. Her touch is teasing, light, yet purposeful. “You look perfect like this,” she murmurs, her voice rich with satisfaction, but there's an edge of possessiveness behind her words that makes your pulse quicken.

She takes her time, circling the bed with slow, deliberate steps, letting the anticipation build. The room feels charged, every second ticking by with an intensity that leaves you trembling beneath her watchful eyes. “Do you know what I’m going to do to you?” Maria asks, her tone deceptively calm. She leans down, her lips brushing against your ear as she speaks, sending a shiver down your spine. “Everything I want.”

Her hands roam across your body, lingering on your thighs, your hips, your chest, but never quite giving you the relief you crave. Each touch is calculated, designed to make you squirm in the bindings, yearning for more. Yet Maria holds back, savoring your desperation. “Patience,” she whispers, her fingers lightly tracing the ropes that hold you captive, a silent reminder that you’re completely under her control.

When she finally stops at your side, Maria's hand trails down to your chin, lifting your face to meet her gaze once more. There's a softness in her eyes now, just a flicker, but it's enough to remind you of the tenderness that lies beneath her dominant exterior. “You trust me, don’t you?” she asks, though it’s not really a question. She already knows the answer. Her thumb brushes against your lower lip as she continues, her voice a quiet, commanding hum. “Good girl.”

Maria moves between your legs with deliberate intent, her presence powerful and unwavering. The mattress dips beneath her weight, and your breath catches as her thigh presses firmly between yours. You feel her warmth radiating through your body as she pushes herself against you, the friction igniting a spark of need deep within you.

Your back arches involuntarily, hips instinctively lifting to meet her. The ropes around your wrists pull tight as your hands tug against the restraints, but there's no escape. You’re completely at her mercy, and the sensation only amplifies the tension building between you.

Maria watches your every reaction, her sharp gaze never leaving your face. A smirk curls at the corner of her lips as she feels your body respond to her. "Struggling already?" she teases, her voice low and sultry. Her thigh presses harder, moving slowly, deliberately, as if daring you to beg for more. "You’re not going anywhere."

Her hands glide over your hips, fingers digging in just enough to leave an impression, to remind you who’s in control. She moves with precision, pushing you closer to the edge but never quite giving you the satisfaction you crave. The slow, measured grind of her body against yours is intoxicating, leaving you panting and pulling harder on the restraints, your need for release overwhelming.

“Look at you,” Maria murmurs, her voice soft but laced with dominance. “So desperate. So eager.” She leans down, her lips brushing just shy of your own, teasing, never giving in to your silent plea. “Do you want more?” Her words are a command disguised as a question, her breath hot against your skin.

You nod, your body trembling beneath her, every nerve alive and pulsing with need. But Maria doesn’t give in just yet. Her thigh withdraws slightly, the loss of contact making you whimper, but she keeps you on edge, her lips grazing your neck, her fingers tracing the line of your jaw.

“Good girls ask,” she whispers against your ear, her tone dripping with control.

"Please Ma'am can I cum? Please allow me to cum for you." You beg of her.

Maria's smirk deepens as she hears your desperate plea, the sound of your voice trembling with need. Her fingers trail up your neck, lingering just beneath your chin as she tilts your head back, forcing you to meet her eyes. “Please, Ma’am?” she repeats, her voice a slow, teasing purr. The way she says it makes your stomach twist in anticipation, a reminder of just how much control she has over you.

You nod frantically, your body trembling as you pull against the restraints. “Please, Ma’am… can I cum? Please allow me to cum,” you beg, your voice barely a whisper as you look up at her, your chest rising and falling with shallow breaths.

For a moment, Maria says nothing, simply watching the desperation in your eyes as you writhe beneath her. Her thumb brushes across your lower lip, and she leans in close, her lips hovering just over yours but never touching. The tension between you feels unbearable, and the slightest brush of her skin against yours sends waves of desire coursing through your body.

"You’re so eager," she muses softly, her lips ghosting over your ear as she speaks. "So desperate to be good for me." Her thigh presses against you again, the pressure just enough to send you spiraling, but still, she holds back.

“I could make you wait longer,” she murmurs, her voice low, almost a threat, but there’s a gleam in her eyes that suggests otherwise. Her hand moves down to grip your hip, holding you in place as her body moves against yours, slowly, agonizingly. “But since you asked so sweetly…”

Maria’s lips finally press against yours, firm and demanding, swallowing the moan that escapes your throat as her thigh grinds harder between your legs. “Go ahead,” she whispers against your lips, her voice dark with command. “Cum for me.”

Your body trembles violently as Maria’s command settles into you, a wave of heat rushing through every nerve. The instant she gives you permission, you feel your control slip away. Your back arches, head pressing into the pillow as your entire body goes white-hot, the intensity of it overwhelming. Your vision blurs, the edges of the room fading into a dizzying haze as you surrender completely to the release she's allowed.

"Thank you, Ma'am!" you gasp, voice breaking as you feel the overwhelming rush wash over you, your words almost drowned by the pounding in your ears. Your hands pull at the restraints, muscles tightening in response to the intensity surging through you. Even as you come undone beneath her, the gratitude spills from your lips like a mantra, "Thank you, thank you, Ma'am..."

Maria watches you closely, a satisfied gleam in her eyes as you shake in the aftermath of your release. Her hand remains steady on your hip, grounding you as you ride out the waves, her touch a reminder that she’s in complete control, even now. “That’s it,” she whispers, her voice low and soothing, though still laced with the commanding edge that made your body obey. “Good girl.”

Her fingers trace delicate patterns over your skin, allowing you to catch your breath. She doesn't release you from the bindings just yet, but the pressure eases as her thumb gently strokes the inside of your wrist. Even in your dizzy, hazy state, her control is ever-present, a constant reminder of her dominance—and your submission.

[arlana-likes-to-write]

Life Goes On by Ed Sheeran

Part 2 of Eyes Closed by Ed Sheeran

Summary: For the past year, your mom never left you for long and if she did you would come with her. But now duty calls and you can't go with her. Will she keep her promise of always coming back to you?

Relationships: Maria x daughter!reader, Yelena x niece!reader

Warning: Secret Invasion Spoilers, Major character death, grief, angst with small fluff, guilt, everyone is sad and everyone needs a hug

Word count: 4.7k

“Are you sure you have to go?” You asked for the 100th time as soon as you learned your mom had to go off on a mission. You were lying on her bed, feet dangling over the side as she packed her bag. Without looking, you knew she was suppressing a sigh and pinching the bridge of her nose.

“You know I wouldn’t go if it wasn’t important,” that was her response every time you asked and you believed her. For the past year, Maria refused any mission that would take her away from you. If she needed to travel you went with her or stayed with your grandmother. You traveled to DC, California, and Texas with her. But now you had no idea where she was going. She grabbed your hands and pulled you up to a sitting position, smiling at the pout of your face. “I won’t be gone for long, a month at best, and you’ll get to spend time with your grandma and the Bartons.” That sounded fun especially since your grandmother loved to spoil you but you wanted your mom.

“Why does it have to be you?” You whined. You knew you were acting like a child, throwing a tantrum but you didn’t care. “Why can’t Uncle Nick go?” This time your mom didn’t suppress your sigh. It was a sensitive topic regarding the former director of SHIELD, who took off after Tony’s funeral and ignored all her calls.

“Have you packed?” She deflected your question with one of her own. You nodded with a smile. “Good, I have something for you.” She let go of your hands and opened the drawer of her nightstand. She pulled out a small box and she sat down next to you as you opened it. It was a golden heart-shaped locket. You placed the box next to you and opened it, one side was a picture of you and your moms, and on the other side was a solo picture of just them. You smiled.

“Can you put it on for me?” You asked, handing it to her. She took it and the cold metal was placed around your neck. “Thank you,” you smiled and turned around to hug her. “I love it.” You held onto her tight as she kissed the top of your head.

“I can see the smoke coming out of your ears because you are thinking so hard,” you giggled as she tickled your sides. You rested your head on her lap and looked up at her. She was smiling down at you, patient as you got your thoughts together. With a sigh, you played with the locket.

“Have you heard from Yelena yet?” You asked. That was another wild ride that occurred within the past year. When Clint was spending time with his kids in the city, he somehow got involved with the Tracksuit Mafia, and a Black Widow assassin was hired to kill him. That assassin so happened to be your aunt. He called your mom for help. In the end, Yelena didn’t kill him but she disappeared. You and Maria were trying to get a hold of her as you so desperately wanted to meet her.

“No,” she said. “But she has spoken to Kate a few times,” you liked Kate. She was full of energy and her dog was cute. “She’ll reach out when she’s ready. Black Widows are very special.” She tapped you on the nose.

“Can you tell me the story of you and Mama met again?” It was a story you’d heard thousands of times from Natasha telling it one way and Maria telling it another. It was your favorite story. Maria stole a glance at the clock and you watched the internal debate she was having with herself but she smiled.

“Of course, I can,” she moved so her back was resting on the headboard and your head was still in her lap. “So you know Uncle Clint was supposed to kill your mama but he disobeyed a direct order and gave her a chance to defect to SHIELD,” your mom started. “I didn’t trust her at first and I thought it was a horrible idea to bring her into the organization but your mama,” she sighed but her smile told you she wasn’t sad. “Was persistent and did everything to win me over. She flirted with me every chance she got,” you giggled. If Natasha was here to tell this story, the roles would be reversed. “But I kept my guard up until Fury assigned us to the same mission and she saved my life.” Your mama took a bullet for her. “I sat by her bedside for three days.”

“And when she woke up, you yelled at her.”

“Hey,” she gasped. “Are you telling the story or am I?” You laughed as she tickled your sides. “We didn’t officially get together until she became an Avenger but she,” you frowned as you watched a tear leave her eye and fall down her cheek. With gentle hands, you whipped it away. “She was my best friend.”

“Second to me, right?” You teased and it pulled a deep laugh out of her.

“Oh 100%,” she lay down and cuddled up against you.

“I’m gonna miss you,” she sighed, kissing the top of your head.

“I’m going to miss you too.”

*

You exited the airport with your suitcase in hand and backpack tight on your shoulder. The air in Iowa was so different than the city air. Your mom said it was cleaner. “Hey squirt,” you turned around at your nickname and saw Clint standing by his pickup truck, a sign in his hand with your name on it. The sign was cute but what caught your attention was the one-eyed golden retriever that sat next to him.

“Lucky!” You ran over to them. The sound of his name being called caused the dog to get excited and tug on the leash. He didn’t have to wait long for you to kneel at his level. You dropped your suitcase and wrapped your arms around his neck as he attacked your face with kisses.

“What am I chopped liver?” Clint said, throwing his arms to the side. “I almost died for that dog.”

“Oh, you are so dramatic,” you looked up to see Lila hanging out the passenger window. “Humans like dogs more than people,” you giggled and stood up.

“Hi Uncle Clint,” you said. He stared at you, blinking once then twice.

“You have dog drool all over your face.” He deadpanned. You used your shirt to clean your face before he hugged you.

“I didn’t know you guys had Lucky,” you said, opening the door to the back of the truck. The golden retriever jumped in and followed. Clint helped you with your luggage. Once you were buckled in, you sent a quick text to your mom and grandmother that you were with Clint.

“Just for a few more days,” Lila said. Clint got into the driver’s seat and started the drive back to the farm. “She’s helping Yelena free a few Widows.” You saw Clint glance at you through the mirror. Your mom must have told him of your desperate attempts to meet your aunt.

“So they’ll be here to pick up Lucky?” You scratched the dog underneath his chin.

“Probably just Kate,” Lila said. “Yelena doesn’t come over much. She still has a lot of guilt for you know trying to kill my dad.” You smiled at that but your heart ached. They got to meet Yelena, the one person you could ask what your mam was like in Ohio. Natasha told you about the mission and how the Red Room gave her a loud mouth, annoying blonde of a sister.

‘I think you’d get along with her,’ Natasha said, decorating a cut-out Christmas tree cookie.

‘Yeah?’ You questioned, not looking up as you were very focused on decorating your star with yellow icing. ‘What makes you say that?’

‘You can get anyone to like you,’ she tapped your nose. Her finger was covered with green icing. ‘And you are a great reminder of family. She needs that.’

“So, what’s she like?”

*

You loved spending time with your grandmother. For two weeks, you visited the zoo, bookstores, and the candy store that was right down the road. But you were excited to have people to hand out that were your age. Being at the Bartons also meant you reached the halfway point and you were two weeks closer to your mom being home. You missed her so much. Almost every night, you would speak with her on the phone and if she couldn’t she would send you a text goodnight. You were counting down the days but until then you were having fun with Lila, Cooper, and Nate. You played video games with the eldest, had sleepovers with Lila, and put up with Nate’s crazy games of make-believe. When Kate would come to visit, you would join the archers in the makeshift training area Clint built. But your favorite was driving the four-wheeler, and exploring different parts of the property. Lila and Cooper showed you a fort they built, that not even their parents knew about.

However, Yelena refused to meet you. You caught Kate a few times on the phone with her talking about you. The archer would give you a sorry smile and walk away continuing the conversation. She was desperate to get to know you through other people but refused to meet you. It hurt more than you wanted it to.

*

“You’re going to be gone for another month,” you said, pacing the length of the porch. Your mom sighed.

“Something came up and it’s going to take a little bit longer to clean it up,” you did not like the sound of that. “And I won’t be able to call you as much.” That stopped you from pacing.

“Mom, what’s going on?”

“You know I can’t tell you that,” you sat down on the steps and played with the locket around your neck.

“Right,” you sighed. It aspect of her job was so frustrating. “And your being safe.”

“Yes I am,” you heard shuffling on the other end. She must be lying down. “Just a few bumps and bruises. Enough about me, come on tell me about everything you are doing in Iowa. Are you giving Clint a hard time?” You giggled.

“Always.” Once you were done on the phone, you stayed outside and took the photo out of your pocket. “I’m scared,” you confessed to the photo. “I need her to come home, okay? Please keep her safe.” You heard the front door open but you didn’t bother to turn around to see who it was.

“How are you doing, sweetheart?” Laura asked, sitting down next to you. You rested your head on her shoulder.

“I want her to come home,” the mother of three sighed, wrapping her arm around you and kissing the top of your head.

“I know you do,” she said. “She’ll be home soon.”

Limited contact missions were your less favorite. You would send her good morning and good night texts, and texts throughout the day but she wouldn’t respond for a day or 2 after. You never knew when she was going to respond, it was maddening. The Bartons knew you were upset and they tried to keep you busy - fishing, swimming in the pond, archery practice, and day trips to the nearby town. It was fun but it wasn’t helping the ache you felt in your chest and a nagging worry that grew at the base of your neck. For a week, there was no response to your never-ending stream of texts and your worry only grew.

*

You were in the kitchen, getting an afternoon snack when the house shook. It was the tale sign of a plane visiting the farm. Dropping the apple, you ran to the front. By the time you made it outside, a ramp was lowered and Clint and Laura were waiting to see who would exist. “Hey,” Cooper said, running over to you from the barn. “Is your mom back?” He asked.

“I don’t know,” you heard the front door open.

“Whose here?” Lila questioned. On cue, you watched Nick and your grandmother descend the ramp. Where was your mom? Where was she? You saw Nick speak with Clint and the archer kept glancing over to you, his hand rubbing his face.

“No,” you whispered. “Get off the jet.” You pleaded. “Get off.” But no one else came off. The group of adults began to walk back to the house. Not again. You couldn’t go through this again. The world began to spin around you. You needed to get out of here, you needed to run. So you did. Sprinting towards the barn, you jumped one of the four-wheelers that was left out. The sound of the engine roaring to life drowned out the call of your name. You began to ride, past the pound and into the woods. You were half tempted to never get off because as soon as you would reality would set in. The hard, soul-crushing reality that your mom broke her promise.

You stopped at Lila and Cooper’s fort. Your legs barely could hold you up as you got off the four-wheeler and collapsed into the shelter. No tears fell. Even though you wanted to scream and cry and plead for the universe to give her back. But you were numb. So numb. Why did this keep happening to you? Was it you? Were you to blame for all this death and misery? You were the common denominator for everything; your biological parents left, and Natasha and Maria left. Who was next?

*

“Shit,” her father said, coming to a stop next to Lila. He ran his hand over his face but Lila was more focused on her distraught friend ride off.

“Where is she going?” Lila assumed the woman was your grandmother. She heard you talking to her on the phone.

“We know where she’s going,” We do? Lila thought. “Come on,” he grabbed Lila by her hand and dragged her to the other four-wheeler. Cooper jumped on first and handed her the helmet.

“Cooper,” Lila whispered. “Is Aunt Maria-”

“I don’t know,” he sighed. “God, I hope not. Hold on tight.”

*

You heard the sound of the other four-wheeler turn off and two sets of footsteps approaching the fort. “Mind if we join you?” Lila asked. You didn’t want them to be here. You came out here because you wanted to be alone. They took your silence as an invitation to join, Lila sat next to you and Cooper sat in front of you.

“Dad is going to give you a hard time about riding without a helmet.” Cooper joked. On any other day, it would have made you laugh or smile but you stared down at your lap. Their voices became white noise. You knew they were trying to get you to talk but you couldn’t. You were so angry and sad and scared. There were so many emotions swirling inside you didn’t know which one to focus on.

“You could be a Barton,” Lila said. “And you can come live with us.”

“No,” you finally spoke. “What if I join your family and something happens to your parents?” You looked up at them. “I’m cursed. My biological parents left me, Natasha left me, Maria left me,” finally the tears began to fall, “Everyone leaves me.” You sobbed. Lila pulled you in a hug. You wanted to push against her, scream at her to let you go but you didn’t have the energy to fight her. Instead, you slumped against her and you heard Cooper sit down next to you. He brought you and Lila into a hug.

“It’s going to be okay,” he promised. “You’ll find your place whether it be here or somewhere else.” You weren’t sure if you believed him.

*

“How is she?” Clint asked his wife when she entered the dining room. The plate she brought up with her wasn’t in her hand anymore so he saw that as a good sign. Laura sighed.

“I didn’t get to talk to her,” she sat down next to Clint. A bottle of whiskey was already open and being passed around the three adults. “Cooper is standing guard,” she poured herself a drink. “According to him, she doesn’t want to talk to anyone.” Clint rubbed his head, letting out a sigh of his own.

“What’s going to happen to her?” Elizabeth asked. The archer had only spoken to her a few times on the phone to organize pickups and drop-offs. They never met in person. Clint hated that Maria’s death was the reason they had to meet. It seemed unreal that Maria was gone. For the longest time, she seemed untouchable, unkillable. Life appeared to have other plans. He took a sip of his drink.

“Romanoff and Hill wrote in their will that Clint and Laura were her godparents,” Fury said. “They left it up to the three of you to decide what is best for her.” There was a rage building inside Clint as he stared at Fury. The man ran to space as soon as the funeral was over and was never heard from again. Hell, Maria thought he was dead for how many calls he ignored. Now the man was back and another one of Clint’s closest friends was dead, leaving behind a daughter who lost so much.

“I can take her,” Elizabeth said. “You already have a full house.”

“But it could be good to be around kids her age,” Laura countered. “We are more than happy to keep here.”

“She doesn’t want to go with any of you,” the group turned to see Cooper walking into the kitchen to clean off the dirty dish.

“What do you mean, son?” Clint asked.

“She doesn’t want to be a Barton or live with anyone. She thinks she’s cursed. That if she joins another family something bad will happen to them.” Clint’s heart broke for you. It was so unfair the cards that life had dealt you. You’ve been incredibly strong but how much more could you take?

“What does she want?” Fury asked. Cooper scuffed, crossing his arms as he sent daggers to the most powerful person in this room.

“Cooper,” Clint warned but his son ignored him.

“Did you just ask that?” He asked, walking over to the table. “She wants her mom’s back. But that’s not possible, is it sir?”

*

The house was once again quiet. Elizabeth was staying at a hotel in town until they figured out what to do next. Fury on the other hand took off, not answering where he was headed off to. Clint sat on the couch, a picture of him, Maria, Natasha, and Laura in his hand. It was back in their SHIELD days. They were so young then. Unaware of what life was going to throw at them. Laura sat down next to him, the archer wrapped his free arm around her shoulders. “How are you doing?” She asked.

“Tired of losing people,” he admitted. “I know we signed up for this but it’s so hard.” Laura hummed, resting her head on his shoulder. “I keep thinking it could have been me.”

“But it wasn’t.” No, it wasn’t him at the bottom of Vormir or meeting his end in a foreign country. He even escaped death from a Black Widow assassin. A knock on the door pulled him out of his thoughts. “Are you expecting someone?” Laura whispered, sitting up. Clint shook his head, putting his finger to his lips, and stood up. He grabbed a pistol that he kept in a nearby drawer. Guns weren’t his preferred weapon but his bow wasn’t available. Unlocking the safety, he opened the door.

“Clint Barton,” Yelena smirked. “Are you going to shoot me? After everything we’ve been through.”

“Yelena,” the archer said slowly. He blinked at the blonde in front of him. “What are you doing here?”

“To see my niece,” she simply said. “Where is she?” Yelena walked past him, bumping her shoulder against his. Clint put the safety back on and closed the door.

“Time out,” he set the pistol down as Yelena waved at Laura. “You can’t just barge in here like you own the place and demand to see her.”

“And why is that?” Yelena asked, turning to face him. He could see her clearer now. The Black Widow was wearing her white suit, she must have just returned from a mission. He knew she wasn’t working for Valentina anymore.

“Because you refused to see her for the past few months when she desperately wanted to meet you,” he was trying to keep his voice quiet, not wanting to wake the rest of the house. But he saw the hope leave your eyes every time Kate joined them at the farm without Yelena.

“What has changed?” Laura asked. The blonde looked down at her feet. He could see the guilt eating up at her.

“I wasn’t ready to meet her,” Yelena admitted. “And now she’s lost someone else.” She looked up at Clint. “We both know how uncertain this life is. I’ve wasted enough time.”

“You have.”

“We can’t guarantee she’ll talk to you,” Laura said. “She refused to talk to anyone besides our kids.”

“Thank you,” Yelena sighed. “I appreciate it.”

*

When the door opened, you pulled your eyes away from the Polaroid and locket. “Oh,” Laura said with a smile. “I wasn’t expecting you to be awake.” You weren’t sure how to tell that you couldn’t fall asleep. Every time you closed your eyes, you saw them die over and over again. “There is someone that wants to meet you downstairs.” You refused to move. She sighed and walked over to, sitting on the edge of the bed. “You don’t have to talk to us or your grandmother or even Fury but you need to talk to someone about what you are feeling,” you had nothing to say, everything hurt. But you were curious about who was here.

“Who is it?” You finally spoke. Your voice sounded foreign to you. Laura smiled.

“Your aunt.”

Every step you took your heart was thudding against your ribs. The mixture of grief and nervousness was making you sick to your stomach. Once you entered the living room with Laura by your side, Clint and your aunt stood up from the couch. You stared at the blonde. For the longest time, you created an image in your head of what the blonde was like through stories your mama told you and the way the Bartons and Kate talked about her. As you stared at the woman in front of you, she seemed nervous - a stark contrast to the bad-ass assassin you imagined. “Hi,” her accent was deep.

“Why are you here?” You asked. Your blunt question took the room by surprise. The couple excused themselves, saying that they wanted to give you some space. When they left, you joined Yelena on the couch. But you looked forward, unable to look at her anymore. “Mama told me so many stories about you and I was so excited to meet you. I don’t understand why it took my mom dying,” your voice cracked but you refused to cry in front of her. “For you to come and see me.” The blonde sighed, leaning back into the couch.

“I wasn’t good enough,” she admitted. “You needed someone better, someone that was good.” You glanced at her. She had a far-off look in her eyes. You’ve seen that look before when your mama woke up from a nightmare or had a particularly bad day. You saw a lot of her in Yelena even though they weren’t related by blood.

“Are you good now?” You asked.

“I’m not sure but you need me,” you chuckled and rolled your eyes.

“I don’t need anyone,” you said. “I’m going to be fine on my own,” it was Yelena’s turn to laugh.

“So that’s your plan. You are going to set off by yourself and ignore everyone who loves you. What are you like 10?” Your jaw clenched. “I know exactly what you are doing. You are going to push and push everyone away so you don’t feel this pain again. It won’t work,” you refused to speak so she continued, “That pain will only hurt more.”

“What do you expect me to do?” You snapped, jumping to your feet, and looked at her. “It’s like I was hit by a train, I ran out of words. So tell me how my life goes on with them gone?” You asked, pounding your fist against your chest. “It’s like I’m sinking like a stone and I’m so afraid.” You whispered. Her green eyes softened in a way that your mama and mom would look at you. “Don’t look at me like that, please. I’m cursed.”

“Oh, milaya devushka (sweet girl),” Yelena whispered, catching you in her arms as your legs gave out. She gently rocked you, whispering Russian words in your ear.

“Stop it,” you pleaded. “Stop caring,” you weakly hit against her chest.

“That’s not happening,” you ended the hug but Yelena held onto your hands to keep you from running away. “You are not a curse,” she said it so adamantly that you almost believed her. “What happened to your mamas was not your fault. Unfortunately, they knew the risk when they signed up for this lifestyle. I am so sorry they were taken from you so soon,” you stared at your connected hands. They felt like your parents; warm and calloused.

“What am I supposed to do?” You asked.

“I don’t know but life goes on,” you looked up at her. “They made their choice. We have to live with it.” You weren’t the only one to lose someone. Yelena lost her sister. “I know your gut is telling you to run away and hide but you can not do that.”

“Where am I going to go then?” You loved staying with the Bartons and your grandmother but you knew it was temporary. At the end of the day, your mom would be there to pick you up. Now you weren’t sure where you belonged.

“Well,” Yelena slowly said. “You could come with me.” Her offer shocked you. “I could take you to meet my mama and papa or take you back to the city in Kate’s apartments with Lucky or to Ohio, or Canada, or Mexico. We could go anywhere. As long as you don’t run away.”

“Okay,” she seemed surprised by your sudden approval to drop everything you knew and live with her. You smiled. “What? Did you not expect me to take you up on your offer?”

" I wasn’t sure what was going to happen.”

“Natasha always said that she thought you and I would get along,” you told her. “She dreamed of getting a house for all of us. You, me, Maria, and her so we could all be together and safe,” you let go of one of her hands to wipe away your tears. “Maybe part of her dream can still come true.” Yelena nodded, her green eyes glossy with tears.

“Life goes on,” she repeated. You were experiencing deja vu when your mom told you the same thing. It was a weird feeling and couldn’t repeat it back. Instead, you smiled.

“Can we get a dog?” You asked. Yelena laughed.

“I have one but we can get another.” You were still afraid that another wave was going to knock you off your feet and no matter how hard you swam to the surface, no one was there to grab you. You knew Yelena was watching you intensely. A soft whistle broke the silence of the Barton house. You never thought you’d hear that whistle again. You smiled at your aunt and whistled back. They were both right no matter how many people you lost life unfortunately goes on.

_

Remember when we saw that Maria was going to be in secret invasion and we were all excited then they killed her in EP1. Still not over there but whatever! This will probably be the last part of this little AU unless someone requests one or I think of soething else lol

[huntfeld]

Safe in Your Arms

Pairing: Angela Orosco x Muscular!Protective!Fem!Reader

Summary: A protective reader shields Angela from James Sunderland in Silent Hill, providing her with comfort and safety amidst the town’s horrors.

@fallenvervain hope you like it. enjoy! :)

———

Silent Hill was an endless foggy maze of dread and echoes. Every step forward seemed to pull you both further into a place where time didn't make sense and shadows clung tightly to the edges of broken streets. But with Angela at your side, you felt a fierce sense of duty—a fire that burned brighter than the murky horror surrounding you.

You were built like a fortress; your muscular frame was a source of strength and assurance. Years of training had honed your body into a powerful presence, and you often found that it intimidated those who would dare to threaten your loved ones. Angela walked close to you, almost hiding behind your shoulder whenever the silence broke with strange noises. Her vulnerability tugged at your heart, igniting your protective instincts.

"Y/N, do you think... we’ll make it out of here?" she whispered, casting a cautious look around as if expecting something to jump out from the shadows.

Your jaw tightened at her words. You squeezed her hand firmly, feeling the warmth of her skin against your calloused palm. “I’ll make sure we do, Angela. Just stay close to me.”

The two of you continued through the desolate streets, passing abandoned, decaying buildings that loomed like watchful giants in the fog. Every creak of the structures and rustle of leaves felt magnified, but you remained alert, your body ready to respond to any threat. You were her shield, and nothing would get past you.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the fog. A lone man with a cautious expression, a flashlight in one hand and a tense look about him. You squinted against the dim light, recognition washing over you.

James.

Angela instantly tensed up, her body pressing against yours, and you felt it ripple through her like a chill. Instinctively, you stepped slightly in front of her, shielding her from his view with your broad shoulders and solid stance. Your muscular build created a formidable barrier, and you could see James hesitate, taken aback by your presence.

“Angela?” he asked, looking past you with concern.

You felt Angela cling to your arm, her fingers digging into your bicep, seeking reassurance. Without a second thought, you positioned yourself more firmly in front of her, crossing your arms. “Back off,” you said, your voice low and unyielding. “Whatever you want, keep it to yourself. Angela’s with me now.”

His brows knitted in confusion as he glanced between you two. “I didn’t mean to scare her. I’m just… trying to find someone.”

Your gaze didn’t waver, and your muscles tensed, ready to protect Angela from whatever this encounter might bring. Silent Hill had a way of twisting intentions, and you didn’t trust him, not for a second. The last thing you wanted was for Angela to feel even the slightest bit uncomfortable. She’d already been through so much.

Angela’s grip on your arm tightened, and you could feel the tremble of her body against yours. You glanced back at her, noticing the haunted look in her eyes, the way her lips parted in a silent plea for safety. In that moment, you wanted nothing more than to wrap her in your embrace and shield her from the world outside.

“Please,” Angela whispered, her voice barely above a breath. “I don’t want to be here.”

You turned your attention back to James, your expression unwavering. “She doesn’t need your help, James. Whatever’s going on with you, it’s not her problem. We’re leaving.”

James opened his mouth to protest, but you were already stepping away, taking Angela with you. You felt her relax slightly with each step that distanced you from him, the tension in her shoulders easing just a bit.

“Thank you,” she murmured after a while, her voice small, a hint of gratitude lacing her words.

You looked at her, softening your gaze as you gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Angela, I’ll do anything to keep you safe. No one in this hellhole is going to hurt you while I’m here.”

As you continued onward through the fog, the oppressive weight of the town seemed to lift, if only slightly. You could feel the remnants of adrenaline coursing through you, a primal instinct to protect the person you cared for most. Each time a shadow flickered in your peripheral vision, your muscles would tense, ready to spring into action. You wouldn’t let anything harm her.

“I just… it’s hard to breathe in this place,” Angela confessed, her voice trembling as she glanced around. “Everything feels so heavy, and I can’t shake the feeling that something is watching us.”

You kept your arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer to you. “I know it’s overwhelming,” you said gently, your heart aching for her. “But remember, I’m right here. If anything comes for us, I won’t let it touch you.”

Angela offered a small smile, a flicker of hope in her eyes. With your strength beside her, she felt emboldened, if only a little. The fog thickened, wrapping around you like a shroud, but you could feel the warmth of her presence against you.

You pressed forward, your senses heightened, scanning the streets for any signs of danger. Each crumbling brick and shattered window seemed to hold secrets, echoes of the past lurking just out of sight. But your resolve was stronger than the darkness around you.

“Do you think we’ll find a way out?” Angela asked quietly, glancing up at you with a mix of hope and fear.

“We will,” you replied, your voice firm. “I promise you, Angela. As long as I’m standing, I’ll find a way for us both.”

As you ventured deeper into the mist, your heart raced—not just from the tension of the unknown, but from the determination to keep Angela safe. You could feel her trust in you, a bond forged in the fires of this nightmarish world. No matter what Silent Hill threw your way, you would stand by her side, a steadfast guardian against the horrors that lurked in the dark.

The shadows shifted, and you steeled yourself, ready to face whatever came next. Together, you would confront the terrors of Silent Hill, hand in hand, your strength guiding her through the darkness. You would protect her, no matter what it took.

———