#These posts Usually come through and start showing up on the dashboard but only after being hidden for anywhere between like
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Text
I'm perpetually confused by whatever algorithm tumblr uses to autohide posts like I just got away with posting a drawing of my OCs like .000005 seconds away from dry humping, with large and prominent areas of skintone, but can't get seven uncolored stylized drawings of animals through
#I mean the first version I attempted to post included an un-detailed stylized erection (in the context of art of a fertility related#deity and like nothing you don't see in ancient art) but I cut it out and it still won't post. That's not even what the#algorithm was detecting. No goddamn clue.#These posts Usually come through and start showing up on the dashboard but only after being hidden for anywhere between like#15 minutes and 15 hours so it's mad annoying
10 notes
·
View notes
Text
Oh hi. I heard it's gifs tips'n'tricks time.
View this as a little addition to this post I made a while back.
This time I thought I'd take you through my gif making process. It'll be very specific to Photoshop CS6 but maybe some of you will find parts of it helpful regardless.
And since our biggest nemesis appears to be ~The Tumblr 10MB File Size Limit~ I decided to go for the absolute worst premise for a gif: Lots of stupid wobbly particles and gw2 bloom and transparency effects. Because huge gifs love these.
Aah, a horrifying amount of those in this single scene. Perfect!
Let's start with a little timelapse video, and I'll get into the details with screenshots below then.
So this actually went smoother than expected? Not super much fiddling needed in the end, but here's how it went in detail:
Load the raw footage into photoshop.
You can do this in two different ways: What I do is simply drag & drop the video file into the program and it'll open with a video timeline and some rudimentary video editing options.
What you can also do is File -> Import -> Videoframes to Layers and select your source video, which will give you a timeline of separate still image frames instead.
It comes down to preference, I used both methods in the past but nowadays I find the video timeline more intuitive.
Cut the footage to roughly the right length.
From experience I know that most of my gifs are around 3-4 seconds long. This can of course vary depending on different factors. Don't get too attached to the exact seconds you selected, you might have to shave off a bit depending on how evil the file size decides to act.
Optional: Change footage speed
Depending on the gif and its purpose, I slow the footage down. I usually do this for the visual effect (especially nice for showing off animation details) but it also has the practical side effect that it can help with file size. Say you want a gif that loops after 4 seconds. At 100% speed your gif will move at your original framerate (in my case 60 fps); if you slow it down but keep the same length in seconds it'll logically use less frames. That's less data to blow up the size! Yey.
Crop the image.
Now this is probably one of the most crucial parts when it comes to your final file size, and your gif looking nice on tumblr. Since the tumblr dashboard displays images at a width of 540px, you want this to be your absolute minimum image width to ensure a crisp image. If I can, I'll make the gifs larger (I like starting at a minimum of 600px and then reduce the image dimensions if needed).
With that in mind.... choose your image crop wisely.
A "widescreen" image like this will be the most merciful in terms of file size, but might not always be what you want in terms of composition.
Given tumblr's very vertical nature, this kind of approach will look great in posts (if it fits your image composition of course), but at 540px minimum width tends to be a file size monster.
For the gif I'm attempting to make here I opted for a more square approach. The subjects of the scene fill out the image's space nicely, and it's still a nice size for tumblr posts overall. Let's see what the file size will say about this.
Replay your footage after cropping to make sure you didn't accidentally cut off any motion you didn't mean to cut.
Next up: optional colour corrections
I tend to crank up the saturation for gifs way, way more than I ever would for regular screenshots since I find that often the limited web palette can make them look fairly dull. But like everything else so far, this greatly varies depending on the scene you're showing.
Note that colour correction can increase or decrease file size depending on what exactly you're doing. The more different colours you have, the larger your file size will be.
Reduce image dimensions
Since my original video footage was fairly zoomed out, the cropped area only left me 575px of width to begin with. In an earlier attempt (that I absolutely did not fail to capture and therefore had to record the whole thing a second time) I tried to leave it at these dimensions, but the 10MB size limit did not like that so now I knew better and immediately reduced the width to 560px.
Note: After you've changed the video's dimensions it won't let you edit the speed anymore (for some reason), so make sure you've got that settled.
After all the adjustments are done it's time for the moment of truth...
File > Save for Web...
This beautiful window will open and...
Aww almost.
But honestly? That's not bad at all. I've had completely different disasters to deal with in the past (starting somewhere in the mid 20MB, good luck trying to make use of every size-reducing trick you've got up your sleeve).
Before I do any adjustments to shave off the last few KB though, I preview the gif to make sure it loops correctly. I want the Chak to sway seemlessly. Turns out it didn't, so I back out of the window to remove a few frames from the footage. And when I open the "Save for Web" window again....
Well that's anticlimatic. Apparently those few frames were enough to get the file size where I need it. (Note: Sometimes Tumblr likes to be a little b* and pretends your file is too big when you're this close to the 10MB limit. It be like that.)
While my gif journey theoretically ends here, I want to at least show you a few more things that could have helped if I had needed to get the file even smaller.
So this dithering thing I keep making a big deal of...
It can make or break a gif. In my experience this is so, so crucial to the final file size and quality of the gif.
In my own very amateurish words, dithering is a way to emulate colours that aren't actually part of the images colour palette. This is especially needed for in-game transparency effects like fog, glowy stuff, or smooth gradients. And that is part of why I chose this hell scene of all the ley line glow and the typical gw2 bloom that's particularly bad in this area.
PS CS6 offers you three different kinds of dithering techniques: Diffusion, pattern and noise.
My go-to is diffusion dithering, which has adjustable quality levels.
In my opinion it's generally the type of dithering that's often the least noticeable and creates the smoothest looking images. Unfortunately, it's also the one that creates by far the largest file sizes. Another downside is that it doesn't work super well with heavy DoF/fog etc. effects and is prone to really ugly banding, especially visible the more you decrease the quality. It looks awful for this particular scene. (Look at the glow around my asura's headpiece if you don't know what I'm talking about. Or... just the entire background.)
Both noise and pattern dithering will get you smaller file sizes, luckily.
I've never used noise so far (it tends to look messy in my opinion), but pattern gets the job done! Especially for gradient heavy gifs it's a lifesaver. It's definitely more noticeable than the diffusion dithering on static parts of the gif, but it absolutely makes up for it by not having any ugly banding effects. This is also what gave me the neat little 9.99MB file size in comparison to the diffusion dithering's 15.31MB.
Last but not least, if fiddling with the dithering or image dimensions doesn't help you get below that magic 10MB mark...
Limit the colour palette
You can either manually colour edit your image to use less colours for a more artistic approach, or you can let Photoshop limit the palette to its best abilities.
Additionally you can double click each individual colour to replace it how you see fit. (I've done that in the past when Petthri's yellow eye colour got erased and I had to bring it back manually.)
In this gif's example, reducing the palette from 256 to 128 colours has brought the file size down from 9.9 MB to about 8 MB. It can have a big effect, but doesn't always in my experience.
SHOW US THE GODDAMN GIF ALREADY!!!
Not the best quality gif we've ever seen on tumblr, but given the extremely unfavourable source material I think it turned out alright. I have to admit I'm actually surprised it worked at all.
Oh well! This got long (once again). I hope this was at least a little bit helpful to someone out there. Happy gif making!
70 notes
·
View notes
Text
Loss of Life’s Passion - Ch3 Motive Reveal 5 (post 1/2)
8 PM, once again the PA system rang. It was the third night of motive, and judging from the ding of the intercom, everyone was still alive. As this dragged on, the more exhausting it had become. Even if this and the last round had been mildly easier than the face-off of the sisters round, but certainly the easier streak couldn’t hold up for long, right?
“BAD EVENING!! Everybody get up and get over here! Clap clap clap!” She stated this verbally rather than actually clapping. “We have an appointment in the flower garden I’m sure you’ll just looooove~ 15 minutes, make it snappy!”
And suddenly, it was 8:01 PM. Another 8 has come and gone. Those who hadn’t already gathered to the flower garden in preparation for this made their way to the area for the summons, all 13 present and accounted for. Everyone gathered into their usually cliques, awaiting the news from the scientist standing at the front and the little bot doing its best to keep things in order.
“Greeeeat! We’re all here. It’s getting a little boooring now, though, isn’t it? Since no one’s gone yet, I decided to shake some stuff up for the next round, maybe make it a little spicier. But BEFORE THAT!! I’ve got a little vote tally for y’all!! Come take a look!”
An tapped a button on her tablet as the screen shifted from the usual thirteen feeds to a count of the next set of votes.
Ex-partner - 20 Mentor - 16 Default - 1
An snickered softly, apparently some kind of amused at the results.
“It’s amazing how much power buying extra votes can do, huh? Though now it’s going to be harder for you to buy more in future rounds. There’s only so many extra VR runs you can buy til you’re flat broke!!”
An tapped the tablet again.
Ex-partner - 21 Mentor - 16
She clicked her tongue and shook her head.
“Not that it actually would have made a difference here, but defaulting is quite the risk compared to what the actual public opinion was, huh? Well! I think that’s enough information so I’m moving onto the next stuff!! You know what I mean. The punishment, of course!”
An giggled, once again transitioning the screen.
The feed starts blurry, but refocuses itself automatically after a moment. On the screen, a slender blonde man with short, wavy hair stands before a tall but empty set of shelves, cradling an object in his hands. The focus sharpens a little more, revealing the item he's holding to be an antique camera. After fondly gazing at it for a moment, the man kneels to place it in a box near his feet, gently nestling it among what looks like scrap newspaper for a bit of cushioning. Satisfied, he then stands, and exits the room by a door on the edge of the camera's view, box in hand.
The feed cuts to an interior shot of a car, taken from the dashboard looking backwards. It's dark outside, but through the back window, the blonde man can be seen placing the box he just packed into the trunk of the car. There are a few other boxes in the backseat, and from this angle it's just barely possible to make out several more in the trunk. Carefully, so as to avoid damaging the cameras within, the man shuts the trunk and walks out of view. He appears again a moment later, climbing into the driver's seat.
The video dissolves into static briefly, and when it returns, the car is in motion, driving down the street in the dark. The driver's phone sounds, the distinctive noise of a ridesharing app notifying him of a potential passenger. He glances down at his phone to dismiss the notification, and during that brief lapse of attention, something violently strikes the back of his car from the side. The car's interior is thrown into turmoil, boxes flying, as the vehicle rolls over and over, and eventually the feed cuts out entirely.
After a brief moment, a new camera angle replaces it, showing the completely totaled car from above. It's practically bent in half. The trunk was jarred open by the impact, and a magnificent trail of shattered cameras and scattered newspaper covers the road behind the car. In the middle of the wreckage, the blonde man kneels, head in his hands.
0 notes
Text
Hournite Fic- First Date
I started writing this fic prior to tonight's episode (definitely inspired by @hournites post from yesterday). But I also wanted to do a service to the fans. We're all a mess right now after finding out about the cancellation and I wanted to do this for us. We all matter and I wish things were different.
I want you all to know I appreciate everyone who came together the last few years and uplifted this amazing show.
I'll have more to say once we get closer to the finale, but today, I "Got Ya".
(You can also read my fic on my ff.net)
As always, happy reading!
------
A soft autumn breeze ruffles the orange and yellow leaves on the black pavement of Blue Valley as day turns to night. The street lamps flicker on one at a time, lighting the litter free streets full of light. A yellow mustang travels down the street at a safe speed, heading to its destination for the evening. Soft music plays in the car, calming the nerves of the teen behind the steering wheel. Ever so often, his hazel eyes would glance at the clock on the dashboard, hoping he’d make it on time to make a good first impression.
The passenger seat was occupied by a single sunflower. Rick glances down at the flower and then back at the road. A soft smile gracing his usually annoyed complexion. Tonight was their first date and he wanted to make sure it was perfect.
You know something will go wrong, Tyler.
Rick shakes himself of his negative thoughts as he pulls up to the old Victorian house. He glances up at the house and sees Beth walking past her bedroom window. His heart jumps to his throat seeing her. He remembers the first time he felt this feeling for her…over two years ago. When he caught her after Yolanda pulled her out of the window and she flipped into his arms. He knew from that moment on he was doomed.
Mustering up all his Hourman courage, he turns his car off and steps out of the vehicle. His converse hitting the ground is the only sound for miles as he makes the long walk up Beth’s driveway.
Taking a deep breath, Rick pushes the doorbell. The sounds was deafening as he can hear a faint “coming!” from somewhere within the house. Rick runs a hand through his dark hair as he waits for his best friend to appear.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beth had just finished putting on her mascara when she heard the distinct sound of the mustang engine roaring down her block. She walked past her window to see the vintage yellow vehicle parked outside her home.
She giggled to herself as she moved past the bay window and to her white dresser. She looked herself over one last time; Courtney let Beth borrow one of her dresses, a deep orange velvet dress with brown buttons down the middle. She paired it with a white long sleeve shirt underneath to keep warm and a pair of black booties, giving her a few inches of height. Beth blushes when she thinks about what Yolanda said when she handed her the pair of boots.
“You know,” Yolanda teased. “so Rick doesn’t need to lean down too far when he kisses you.”
To say the least, Beth was mortified as she left the Montez household earlier that day.
It was well past six in the evening when the doorbell chimed at the Chapel household. Beth glanced at the clock reading 6:50PM in bright red. Beth smiles knowing Rick made a great effort to be on time. Their movie doesn’t start until eight, but they wanted to stop at Richie’s for a quick dinner before the new superhero movie they planned on seeing.
“Coming!” She yells as she grabs her phone and her small yellow leather crossbody bag. Typically Beth would bring her backpack, but tonight was different.
Tonight everything will change.
She checks to make sure her goggles are in her purse before making her way down the stairs. Beth pauses at the large mahogany door in front of her. She takes a deep breath to calm herself.
It’s just you and Rick. Nothing new…except now your feelings are out there.
Shaking herself from her doubts, Beth opens the door and is rendered speechless.
She knew Rick was handsome, but the boy standing before her is not what she expected. His usual lax style was replaced by a less baggy attire, and more form fitting. His signature hoodie replaced by a brown leather jacket. His old warn jeans replaced by black straight leg jeans and a new dark blue sweater Beth has never seen before.
“Rick…” She steps forwards and tugs at the end of his jacket and then glances up at him. She was surprised by how much effort he put in and her heart swells that he did this for her, for them. “You look very nice.”
He grins bashfully and looks away somewhat embarrassed. “I uh, wanted to look my best for you.” He admits and takes her hand in his. He looks her up and down and smiles, “You look beautiful, Beth.”
The flutter was back in her stomach as she smiles wider at Rick, “Thank you, Courtney and Yolanda were a big help.” And she was glad they intervened when she told them Rick had finally asked her out. She never been more unprepared for a moment like this. But it was worth it, the way he was looking at her…she wanted to remember this moment forever.
Breaking the silence between the two, Rick tugs her hand in the direction of his car. “We should get goin’ so we can grab a bite before the movie.”
Beth nods in agreement and lets him lead the way to his car. He opens the passenger side door, but before she can move to slide in, he reaches down and picks up the sunflower on the seat. Beth feels her breath catch in her throat, he got her a flower. But not any flower, a sunflower. Awhile ago, when she and Rick were at the Pit Stop working on her goggles, she noticed he had put a sunflower next to her name in his phone. She never understood why at the time, but she get is now.
“Is that for me?”
He looks down to the flower between his rough hands and back up to her, “This is gonna sound so stupid…”
Beth tilts her head in curiosity, “No, please tell me.” She steps forward and place her hand atop of his holding the dark green stem of the flower. He looks down at her hand on his.
“Awhile back, you had these sunflower earrings and necklace on and it was just so you. And this was at the beginning of all this. Us becoming a team and friends.” He spoke softly feeling as thought saying this too loud would sound ridiculous to Beth. “And whenever I see sunflowers it always reminds me of you.” He pushes the flower into her hand and grins. “Zeek also said it was improper not to properly woo a lady.” He joked.
Beth laughs, taking the flower from him and hold it close. “Awe, that’s so sweet, Rick!” She brushes a soft kiss across his cheek. Rick’s eyes widen at the surprise affection. It felt like when he turns over the hourglass, a sudden rush of feeling that completely blinds him.
Still standing there in shock, Beth giggles to herself. “We should get going.” She slides in to the car and lets Rick shake himself from his stupor and shuts the door behind her. As he take the walk around his car all he can keep thinking about the small brush of her lips against his cheek and how if she actually kissed him, he would be a goner.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was almost 11PM when Rick pulled up to Beth’s house. If Rick were being honest, he doesn’t think his life can get any better than this. At the diner, everything felt just right. At first, him and Beth sat across from each other in their usual booth, but when dessert came around, a slice of Maria’s homemade three layer chocolate cake, Beth motioned for Rick to sit next to her to share the dessert. He laid his arm on the back of the booth and Beth settled into his side like it was the most natural thing in the world. He never realized how they always seemed to gravitate towards one another. If anything, he’s noticed more recently during JSA meetings he would pull his stool closer to Beth or sit behind her on the steps. He wanted to be close to her and he thought it was his imagination when she’d lean closer to him or settle back against his leg on the steps.
He genuinely believed he made it all up.
But after tonight, he doesn’t think he can go back to how things were between them. The longing stars from across the garage. The shared looks when Courtney says something ridiculous and they always seem on the same page when it comes to her antics. Or the random or not so random subtle brush of hands when they walk down the hallway at school…
So deep in thought, he didn’t even realize Beth was speaking to him.
“I’m sorry, I totally zone out. What’d you say?” He turns to her, seeing her completely swallowed by his leather jacket. At some point during the movie, he noticed Beth shivering and offered his jacket. When she put it on she pulled it tight around herself and leaned her head against his shoulder. After that, he seemed to forget the movie they were watching and just watched her reacting to it.
Beth giggles, “I said ‘can you walk me to my door?’”
Rick turns his car off, “Yeah, of course.” He hops out of the car and walks over to the passenger side. He holds a hand out to Beth which she gladly accepts and steps out of the vehicle. He shuts the door behind her and they walk hand and hand up to her front door.
Beth puts down the sunflower on the wooden bench outside her door and takes a step closer to Rick. She was close enough that she didn’t have to strain her neck to look up at him, courtesy of the boots she was wearing.
Rick seemed to realize at that same moment how much taller Beth was in those heels too. Not significantly but enough that he can tilt his head down and their lips would brush. Being this close to Beth was already making his brain short circuit, his palms were sweety and his heart racing a mile a minute.
Slowly, Beth trails her hands up his soft blue sweater, settling them against the back of his neck. Instinctually, Rick wraps his arms around her waist, touching the soft velvet of her dress. He tils his head down causing his nose to brushes against hers.
“Is this okay?” he softly asks. He watches the emotions play out on her face before she answers, “Yes. It’s okay.” Hesitantly, Rick eliminates the space between them and pulls her close. He never thought much about who and where he would have his first kiss. But he’s glad it was with his best friend. Someone he knew he couldn’t help but care for and quite possibly be in love with. It wasn’t what he expected it to be like either. He figured he’d be a mess and fumble to get to this point, but Beth always had this aura about her that calms him down and helps him think clearly.
But right now was not a think clearly kind of moment, especially when Beth threads her finger through his hair and tilts her head to deepen the kiss. Any thoughts he had are far gone as he pulls her closer and enjoys this one normal moment in his life.
Beth eventually pulls back and rest her forehead against Rick’s catching her breath. Her hand falls to his heart, feeling his heart beat erratically against his chest.
She gazes into his eyes and smiles, “Well that happened.”
Rick chuckles, “Yeah, it finally did.” He tilts her chin up and brushes a soft kiss across her lips and reluctantly pulls away from her. “I should get going.” Beth nods in agreement and removes herself from him. She picks up her flower and opens her front door. Before she shuts it she turns back to him. He was leaning against the door frame watching her with this serene look in his eyes and a small smile gracing his lips.
He's never looked at me like this before…
“I’ll see you tomorrow?” She asks hopeful that this wasn’t just one night. That they will continue to have these moments for however long he will let her.
He nods, “See you tomorrow, Chapel.” He winks at her and turns, making his way down her driveway and back to his mustang.
She shuts the door and falls against it, letting out a girlish squeal and runs up the stairs to her room and to her bay window. She watches as Rick looks up to the window and waves before getting into his car and driving off.
A few moments of watching the empty street her phone begins to ring.
INCOMING FACETIME CALL: COURTNEY
Beth stares down at her phone in disbelief, how did they know she was home?
“Hey!”
Her phone populates with Courtney and Yolanda’s faces.
“BETHHOWDIDTHEDATEGOT”
“TELLUSEVERYTHING”
Beth’s eyes widen at the onslaught of questions.
“Whoa guys, one at a time!” Beth says. “Also, how did you know Rick just dropped me off anyways?”
Courtney’s blue eyes widen in disbelief, “Beth Chapel, did you blow curfew?!”
“Beth, is that Rick’s jacket?!” Yolanda gasps. “He gave you his new leather jacket?!”
Beth rolls her eyes, “I’m not telling you guys anything.”
The two teenaged girls groan in unison.
“Oh, c’mon, Beth!” Courtney groans. “You gotta tell us something!”
Beth laughs, “Fine. I’ll tell you one thing and only one thing. Okay?”
Both teens squeal in excitement.
“Yolanda.”
“Yes?”
Beth blushes. “You were right about the shoes.”
Yolanda’s jaw drops. Courtney looks between the two in confusion.
“YOU AND RICK KI—”
Beth ends the call and falls back on her bed with a happy sigh.
You kissed Rick!!
She pulls Rick’s jacket closer to her and smiles to herself feeling over the moon. She never thought she could feel so many emotions all at once, but she’s happy they took this step.
And she knows she’ll never look back.
#hournite#hournite fic#stargirl#rick tyler#beth chapel#hourman#dr. mid nite#rick x beth#courtney whitmore#yolanda montez#first date fic
24 notes
·
View notes
Text
Dangerous | Helmut Zemo
AU! Race car driver Zemo 😎
Gender neutral reader
Collage by @realremyd
[Masterlist]
[Next chapter]
Part 1
All around you were racing drivers and their cars. People were gathering around them, taking pictures, chatting. You were just walking through the lane, looking at the cars more than the drivers.
You didn't know cars all that well, but you certainly enjoyed looking at them. Race cars always looked cool.
It was a friend of yours that brought you here today, but as soon as she spotted the driver she had come to see, she was off. You decided to take a walk.
Up ahead there was quite a crowd. They were gathered around a car that stood out amongst the other. It was a dark purple colour. Very nice, very sleek. You stopped beside the crowd the admire it.
Then the crowd began to get quite noisy.
You turned to see what all the fuss was about. A man was approaching the car. Dark hair, brown eyes, his racing suit matching the car in front of you. Clearly the driver.
He smiled at the crowd.
You didn't know who this was. You didn't really know racing, but he was obviously a big deal. Everyone was calling for him.
"Zemo! Zemo!"
Zemo? You took your phone out and looked him up. This guy was a big deal. You scrolled a little, seeing posts about him, photos being uploaded from the day.
They call his name again and you look over. He's having his photo taken with people.
You hear your name from behind you. Turning sharply, you look around to see your friend waving at you. You glance once more at Zemo before joining your friend. She doesn't seem to take much notice of the loud crowd behind you.
"I wondered where you went."
"I was looking around. Have fun?" You ask, knowing she had definitely spoken to her favourite racer.
"Tony Stark is amazing! He's won before. Twice."
"What about him?" You turn to look back at Zemo. He was getting into his car now.
"That's Helmut Zemo, this is his first big race. Apparently he was really promising in the lower ranking races, but I haven't seen him against any of these guys." She looks around at the other racers. They were getting into their cars.
"I guess we better go before the race starts."
She guides you back the way you came and you follow the crowds to the stands. You both get a really good spot. You would have a great view of the finish line.
You have to wait a short bit before all the cars take their places. Your eyes focus on the purple vehicle below. You were curious. Ahead of him was Stark's car and another car you didn't know the owner of.
Your friend leaned in.
"Stark starts in the number one position. That's exciting, isn't it?" She says, making a slight fuss.
"Yeah," you reply, but not really paying attention.
The crowds go quiet. You watch eagerly. Then, the coolest sound roars loudly. The engines revving. It's loud and noisy, but suddenly you're filled with so much excitement.
The crowds were cheering again, and before you knew it, the cars were off. You were leaning forward as if that would give you a better view. The cars were out of sight very quickly and your eyed were drawn to the monitors, the cameras picking up the race.
The main focus was on Stark. He was putting so much distance between himself and the others already. The car right behind him belonged to a Stephen Strange, but he was struggling to shake the purple car off his tail.
Zemo. Round the next bend he gained his advantage, overtaking Strange who was worried they would collide if one of them didn't slow down just a tad.
Zemo was left to close the distance between him and Stark on his own now.
Your friend cheered loudly, calling Stark's name as if he would be able to hear her all the way down there.
Zemo was right behind him now.
One more bend until the finish line. Your eyes watched the corner, waiting for those cars to come racing round it. You nibbled at your bottom lip, anxious to see those cars again.
First around the corner is Stark, but Zemo is right there, just a nose behind him. You watch as they race down the last length, both cars over the finish line so very quickly. The other competitors still somewhere in the dust these two left behind.
A whole wave of people move to make their way down to the barricades. You look up at the monitor, waiting for the final result. They were so close at the end.
Stark's name flashes up on the screen.
You know your friend will be over the moon, but as you turn to see where the purple car had pulled up, you couldn't help feeling disappointed.
Zemo climbs out of his car and removes the helmet. He wipes at his brow and turns to look over at Stark, his car now surrounded by people.
He was so close.
You leave the stand and make your way down. You walk straight last the crowds and head over to where Zemo's car sat. No one seemed to be paying much attention as you looked at it.
The drivers were called for their rewards of today's race. You watched as they left, not missing the way Zemo had glanced back at his car, and therefore you, before he left.
You reunited with your friend when the drivers were awarded. The moment it was over, she dragged you away. It was all over now. The drivers would go celebrate, the cars would be taken care of, and that was it.
Still, you found you might have a new interest in racing cars.
As you were leaving with your friend, she suddenly came to a halt and turned around. Stark was leaving the track in his own car, stopping to wave at the crowd of adoring fans. Unable to resist, your friend left your side to go over and see him.
You sighed as you watched her squeal when Tony turned to talk to her. He was flirting with his fans.
A convertible came out next. Your eyes trailed over to see who that was. Your heart skipped a beat at Zemo in the drivers seat. He had pulled up to glare over at Stark.
Your friend rushed to your side.
"Stark is inviting us all to go celebrate with him. We should go."
You glance at the crowd behind her.
"You go, I just want to go home."
She looks a little defeated, and torn, but after you insist she goes to enjoy herself, she leaves your side to spend the night on Stark's company.
You walk away.
Zemo had noticed you. He saw the girl run over to you, say something, and then walk back. You were left on your own. Normally he wouldn't bother paying attention to such things, but he recognized you. You were standing by his car earlier.
And you were walking away from Stark.
Zemo ignores what's happening in his left and drives forward. He cruises up along side you, stopping when you turn to see.
"Need a ride?"
You look startled. You look around you quickly. He couldn't possibly be talking to you.
"Me?"
"There is no one else here," he chuckles.
You look at the car. It looks expensive. You glance back at your friend, who was still fawning over Tony Stark. Looking back at Zemo, you see him smiling softly at you.
"Alright."
You climb in, not entirely sure what you were doing. Yet, you were drawn to this man in front of you. Your sanity had gone out the window ages ago.
Once you were strapped in, he drove off.
"Where to?"
"Oh, uh," you pull out your phone and tell him the name of the hotel you were staying at. Zemo knows exactly where to go.
Silence falls between you as you look out at the scenery. It feels strange sitting next to a man who you only found out about today, and yet were so drawn to. You had never been to a race before today, so why were so drawn to him?
"I saw you earlier, after the race."
You turn to look at him, but his eyes were on the road, as they should be.
"You did?"
"You were looking at my car. You do realise I didn't win today, yes?" He glances at you.
"And that means I can't come look at your car?"
The way he laughs a little makes you feel a little shy. He could probably tell you had never been to a race before.
"Well, no. You can go wherever you like once the race is over. It's just more of a usual habit for for people to go congratulate the winner."
"I guess Stark just didn't interest me at the time."
He glances at you again, trying to figure you out. You were a curious person, to him at least.
"Your first race?" He asks, smiling to himself.
"That obvious, huh."
"A little. Did you enjoy it?"
"Yes." You look at him. "I was on the edge of my seat. I've never really given racing a thought before, but the sounds of the engines, the way you all disappeared around the track, that ending. I never realised how much I would probably enjoy something like that."
He chuckles. "Was it enough to make you want to go again?"
"Yes, I think so."
"The next race in two weeks. Can I interest you?" He looks at you.
"Yes," you say, rather quietly. You only know he heard you by his smile.
"Good."
The smile remains on his face as he drives down the straight road. Wind whips through your hair as you admire his side profile. You watch the way he taps his fingers against the steering wheel, how one hand rests on the gear stick.
He's a professional driver. For whatever reason, to you that was thrilling.
As if he could feel your eyes on him, he turned to you. His lips curled into a grin. You narrowed your gaze at him, but you soon realised what was going through his head.
The car sped up.
The way he handled the vehicle changed instantly. He was showing off now. Showing you what he could do. His eyes returned to the road.
"Tell me to stop and I will."
You didn't.
Faster. He went faster. With one hand you clutched the seat below you, the other placed on the dashboard.
He laughed.
You did too.
He sped up a bit more, going as fast as was willingly wanting to go on a public road. There were very cars about, and he weaved through them like it was nothing.
You laughed louder.
The wind in your hair, the scenery blurring past you, the cars honking their horns at your ridiculousness. Adrenaline flooded through you.
This is how it felt in his world. He was giving you a taste.
The smile on your face, the laughter tumbling from your lips, the pure excitement on your face. It was all satisfying for him. You were a perfect stranger who had just appeared in his life, and as he looked at you beside him, he wondered if it was at all possible to hold onto this.
If you cane to the next race, maybe he would know.
Zemo only slowed down the car when he approached the town. Pure joy was still etched onto your face as he made his way to your hotel.
He pulled up outside.
You turned to him.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
You hesitated to climb out. That was the most thrilling ride of your life and you didn't want it to be over.
The way was looking at you suggested he may feel the same, but he didn't say anything.
"Can I expect you to be there in two weeks time?"
"I expect so."
"I'll have a ticket sent your way. I expect to see you at my car on the day."
"You'll be waiting for me?" You ask, surprised by his foward words.
"Yes."
"You don't even know my name," you chuckle.
"Then tell me."
You smile and give him your name. He smiles in response and tests it out on his tongue. The way he says it with his accent sent shivers down your spine.
At last the spell is broken and you get out of the car. Even after closing the door, you stand there and look at him.
"It was nice meeting you, Zemo."
"The honour is mine."
You step back away from the car and watch as he pulls away, driving off. You wait until he's gone before heading inside the hotel.
You're already in bed when your friend returns to the room. She stumbles in, giggling. Clearly, she had been having a good time.
You go back to sleep. You'll deal with her in the morning.
You had to wake her up for breakfast. She complained the entire time, mostly about her headache, but she got ready and joined you in the food hall.
She spent the entire meal telling you about last night. Stark had taken all those fans out to celebrate at some super popular club he was a regular at. He bought everyone drinks, danced with them, and supposedly flirted with her.
Not once had she asked what you had got up to. It was then you decided you wouldn't tell her. Your meeting with Zemo would be your little secret, at least, you had intended it to be.
A member of staff approached your table, an envelope in hand. She handed it to you, saying a gentleman had left this for you.
It was here your friend perked up.
"What's that?"
"A ticket," you said, pulling it out. A little note was inside too. The handwriting was spectacularly neat. You smiled at the way your name was scribbled on the top.
"For the races? You're going again?"
"Uh, yeah. Yesterday was fun, I thought it would interesting to go again."
Your friend watched as you read the note, smiling as you did so. She wasn't dumb, she knew something had happened. Originally she wasn't going to ask because she assumed you immediately returned to the hotel. On your own. She had no idea.
Darling Y/N,
Here is your ticket for the next race. Inside you will also find a pass. It will allow you more access around the track. I will be waiting for you.
Helmut Zemo
"Who is that from?"
You bite your lip, peering at her through your lashes. A blush dusted your cheeks as you glanced back down at his name on the note.
"A friend."
She didn't look she totally believed you, but she didn't push it. She just smiled at you with a knowing look.
You tuck the note, ticket, and pass back into the envelope and keep it safe.
You would do whatever you needed to be at those races in two weeks time. You wanted to see Zemo again.
@ajeff855 @moonstuffsteve @sky-writes-stuff @lieutenantn @lostghostgirl94 @friday18eo @yaskna @my-blood-is-maple-syrup @gingerwriter97 @lunamooney2406 @wilder-fangirl
#helmut zemo#zemo#helmut zemo x reader#zemo x reader#marvel#tfatws#the falcon and the winter soldier
243 notes
·
View notes
Note
Requesting some Karlnapity fluff! Don't really care about the sizes! Maybe with a focus on touch?
Yessss thank you Karlnapity is one of my favorite things ever rn
Also if you don’t mind I’m gonna make it the first written post of my borrower au cause I’ve had a cute scenario in my head for a while that fits this prompt so thank you <3
So yeah!! Official written thing for the au!! Hope you like it cause I will be writing more! Btw, if you have no idea what I’m talking about, check the #cynborrowerau hashtag, where you can find world building and specifics about asks for this au :)
(Btw I specifically left some things vague or confusing to add to lore >:) if you have any questions or guesses as to who some of the unnamed characters may be, leave an ask about it)
Karl couldn’t believe it. He was on a date with two humans. Well, one human and whatever Quackity was. He was pretty sure most humans didn’t have wings. He seemed almost like a hybrid, like Karl, who’s ermine ears and long tail showed off his hybrid nature. And maybe it wasn’t a date, since Sapnap had just asked Karl if he wanted to hang out with him and Quackity, not go on a date. But still, he was there.
He’d had a crush on Sapnap since he’d moved into his house. Rather, the walls of his apartment. And it certainly hadn’t gotten better when Sapnap’s neighbor and best friend Quackity started coming over to stream with the humans of his apartment, and Karl’s heart was hooked once again. His other borrower roommate had called him stupid for having crushes on humans. Not in a mean way, but he still told Karl he thought it was idiotic and dangerous. But what did he know, Karl would bet any money that he had a crush on Sapnap’s roommate George. And since he knew the humans, he didn’t really see the harm. That may have been from a rather…untraditional borrower childhood, according to some, but he didn’t mind. He felt safe around Sapnap and Quackity.
Which led to his current spot, sitting on the dashboard of Sapnap’s car, which was currently parked at a drive in movie theater. They were parked more towards the back so no one could see Karl or Quackity, who for once had his bright yellow wings out. Q had once told Karl that he hated having his wings out, usually resorting to bandaging them behind his back and throwing a hoodie over them, but it was extremely uncomfortable to do that all the time. Karl could understand having to hide them for his job, since he was in front of thousands of people a day, but Quackity just seemed to hate them in general. Though Karl didn’t pry, since it clearly wasn’t something Q wanted to talk about and wasn’t any of his business anyway.
But out of no where one day, Sapnap had asked Karl if he wanted to go somewhere with him and Quackity for the day, and he was ecstatic. He had only met Quackity a few months ago when he had moved to the apartment next door, and wanted to get to know him better after Sapnap had talked about him for so long. And even though he lives with Sapnap and sees him often, he was great to be around.
So the three of them sat in Sapnap’s car, watching an old movie through the dashboard, Quackity leaning on Sapnap’s right shoulder in the passenger seat as Karl sat on his left.
Eventually though, Sapnap wanted to get up and get out of the car to get snacks, since he was the only one who could. He went to ask Quackity to move before realizing that the man had fallen asleep on him. Sapnap laughed a bit before slowly shifting him to be laying on the door to his right and set Karl down in between the seats and left.
Karl had been alone in the car with a sleeping Quackity for a few minutes before Q’s phone buzzed. It was laying right in front of Karl on a charging chord, so as much as Karl didn’t want to pry, he saw a text come in from Quackity’s roommate, who he’d only met a few times but seemed nice enough.
‘How’s your date with Sap going?’
Karl froze.
The small hybrid flinched a bit in shock as the door to the driver side opened and Sapnap slid back into the car, waking up Quackity. Karl looked up at the them both, wanting desperately to know if he’d done something wrong, but he kept his mouth shut. Everything had been going so well, and he didn’t want to be awkward.
Sapnap saw Karl looking at him from the corner of his eye, but he looked away quickly as the human made eye contact. Something was wrong. He looked over at Quackity and without a word could tell that he knew something was up, too. Sapnap moved slowly and gently tucked his hands under Karl, raising him to eye level.
“Are you ok? You seem off.” Sapnap looked worried, and it made Karl’s heart hurt. “Yeah, I don’t mean to pry, but you look upset.” Karl turned to Quackity as he said this, noticing the avian had the same look as Sapnap. It had been a fun night, Kar didn’t want to ruin it by acting miserable. He had been hoping for something way out of reach, anyway.
“I’m fine, man, don’t worry about it.” Karl shrugged, putting on a fake smile. It didn’t seem to work, though, as Quackity quirked an eyebrow and Sapnap’s frown deepened. “Karl, I’ve know you for long enough to know that that’s bullshit. What happened?”
Karl sighed in defeat, eyes glancing between the two for a long awkward pause before he finally had the courage to speak out. “I saw the text on Big Q’s phone…”
Sapnap and Quackitys’ faces shifted to confusion as Q got out his phone and saw the text Karl had read. He only seemed to get more confused, however. “Karl, you didn’t know me and Sapnap were dating?”
Karl refused to make eye contact, instead choosing to stare down at the palm he was sitting on. Upon seeing this, Sapnap looked more confused as well. “Karl, we’ve been dating for months. Did you honestly have no idea?”
Great. Just great. First Karl had gotten his hopes up for nothing, and now he just felt like an idiot. How had he not realized? He lived with Sapnap for fucks sake! “Sorry for third wheeling, I guess.” Karl responded, trying to hold back tears.
Quackity’s expression softened and he gently took Karl from Sapnap’s hands to hold him in his own, holding him out at chest level for him and Sapnap to both see. Karl slowly looked up at him, and Quackity smiled back softly. “You haven’t been third wheeling at all, dude, we wanted you to come. Actually, truth be told, me and Sapnap have been talking about something….” Quackity’s express turned serious as his face turned a bright pink. Sapnap looked over him and stifled a laugh at his flustered boyfriend before directing his attention to Karl.
“We want you to join the relationship. I know that might sound weird or uncomfortable to you since you’re way smaller than us, so if it’s not ok you have every right to say no-“
“You mean it?!” Karl shouted, interrupting Sapnap mid sentence, making the human laugh again.
“Yeah, really, I just didn’t think you’d be so up for it. You’re sweet and funny and pretty…” Sapnap trailed off, taking his turn at being flustered. “If course, we planned on asking you thinking you knew that me and Sap were dating, so I guess it’s our fault we never clarified.” Quackity apologized.
The tears Karl had been holding back earlier streamed down his face, this time not from sadness or embarrassment, but happiness. This had all seemed so out of reach just minutes ago, but now it was actually happening. They were his boyfriends now, and both were currently fussing over him as he cried, saying something that Karl couldn’t process over the noise of his own thoughts. Sapnap leaned down with a distressed look on his face towards Quackity’s hands to see if the borrower was ok, which Karl responded to by wiping his eyes and leaning forward to kiss Sapnap on the cheek.
Sapnap’s expression immediately brightened as he laughed and kissed Karl right back, his lips taking up Karl’s entire chest. Quackity lifted Karl up to face level and pressed Karl against his cheek in a makeshift hug. Karl leaned into the warmth that radiated from Quackity’s skin, doing his best to huh him back.
The three decided that finishing the rest of the movie at the drive in wasn’t important, and instead all curled up together in the back of the car and took a nap, Sapnap holding Karl against his chest as Quackity leaned against the him in a hug, his wings wrapped around his two boyfriends protectively. Karl was the last to fall asleep, taking all the conscious time he could to savor the comfort that being held by the two gave him, looking up to the two sleeping giants with a flushed smile. He had never been happier.
#⍙⏃⏁☊⊑ ⋔⊬ ⌇⏁⎍⌿⟟⎅ ⏃⍀⍜⏃☊⟒ ⏃⌇⌇ ⏁⍀⊬ ⏁⍜ ⍙⍀⟟⏁⟒ ⍀⍜⋔⏃⋏⏁⟟☊ ⍀⟒⌰⏃⏁⟟⍜⋏⌇⊑⟟⌿⌇ ⌰⋔⏃⍜#cyncerity#cynborrowerau#mcyt gt#mcyt g/t#mcytg/t#mcytgt#tiny!karl#giant!sapnap#giant!quackity#g/t karlnapity#I know I’ve said this a hundred times at this point but please send asks for this au ive spent a lot of time on it <3#cynwrites
125 notes
·
View notes
Text
Something More (the mandalorian x reader)
CHAPTER 1: INTO THE STARS
Rated: Explicit (not this chapter, but future chapters will be)
Warnings: light descriptions of violence
Summary: Meeting the Mandalorian was like colliding into the rest of your life at a moment’s notice. Like oh, there you are. It was both jarring and familiar at the same time, like stepping into a minute with no intentions and stepping out of it in deja-vu. You had always been told you made too much out of everything, that you blew up every circumstance to fit some kind of grand destiny, some huge significance. If anyone asked, you’d swear up and down this was different. It was different. The Mandalorian sweeping you off your feet and out of your back alley haunts and narrow escapes was something kismet. Something cosmic. Something more.
Or, a slow burn love story across the stars featuring you, Din, and your little green baby. With love, angst, lust, and everything in between following you across the galaxy.*this deviates from canon for the most part, the plot begins at the very end of season 1 and will deviate for about half of season 2! there is LOTS planned for this (i already have 19k words written & will be posting regularly) so i hope you all enjoy!! <3 muah*
this is 1000000% completely inspired by the incredible behemoth SUPREME Mandalorian fic Rough Day by our lord & savior @no-droids but it will have its entire own plot & more of a slowburn in both love & smut, specifically for suffering long haul romance lovers like myself!
i already have 19k words written & will be ATTEMPTING to post updates regularly (and if i get excited about getting new chapters up, they might come early. i'm gonna try to post Saturday evenings every week, extenuating circumstances notwithstanding <3
hope you enjoy!!! more to come VERY SOON!!!
Meeting the Mandalorian was like colliding into the rest of your life at a moment’s notice. Like oh, there you are. It was both jarring and familiar at the same time, like stepping into a minute with no intentions and stepping out of it in deja-vu. You had always been told you made too much out of everything, that you blew up every circumstance to fit some kind of grand destiny, some huge significance. If anyone asked, you’d swear up and down this was different. It was different. The Mandalorian sweeping you off your feet and out of your back alley haunts and narrow escapes was something kismet. Something cosmic. Something more.
You met him on Nevarro. You weren’t even supposed to be there. You were supposed to be back in the Mid Rim by that point, long gone from your last mission gone sour. Your ship had broken down and you narrowly escaped a crash landing, and you’d hiked for hours through the unyielding lava fields for the closest town, with nothing but a handful of credits and the clothes on your back. Somehow, miraculously, you were able to grab the last of your water and your mother’s necklace from where it was hanging on the dashboard before the magma had bubbled up and claimed the better half of the old X-wing before you could go back in for more.
“Dank ferrik,” you seethed, and the curse felt alien under your tongue. There was no one out here to hear it but yourself, the lava, and the sulfuric air, anyways, so you grumbled out a few more before the ship fully sank into the magma in front of you.
The ship itself wasn’t a big loss—you’d only gotten it because it was the cheapest after you lost your own to that smuggler, but being stranded on a planet that was so aggressive towards any sort of survival wasn’t the best circumstance in the galaxy. But here you were, stuck, unmoored, anchorless, on a planet not known for anything except its rivers of lava and a bounty hunters’ guild you’d heard about and tried your best to stay away from. That town was the only landmark you had, though, so you begrudgingly trekked across Nevarro’s molten surface in search for any form of civilization.
The sky had started to slip off into darkness, and the small flecks of the other Outer Rim planets glistened lightyears away from where you were hiking when you stumbled over something and nearly fell into what you assumed was a dormant vat of lava. It was only when you scrambled away from the hot pocket of ground that you realized it was a stormtrooper helmet. A stormtrooper helmet with a head still in it. You gasped and skittered away, pushing off the heels of your hands to get upward as fast as you can, not even registering the heat eating through the skin of your palms. You didn’t have a weapon—the old blaster you’d carried for the last few years had been eaten up with the X-Wing—and as your eyes adjusted to a collection of white armor and bodies on the ground, you kicked yourself from not prioritizing the gun over getting out unscathed.
You didn’t scare easy. You grew up on a slowly abandoned Rebel base back on Yavin, and even after your parents’ deaths, you were surrounded by a legion of people who took care of you and taught you how to fight. Really, you were good at getting out of sticky situations that looked too dire to survive—take the crash landing an hour back for example—but you had a giant blind spot of earnestness to believe the people you went into business with were being sincere. That’s how the ship had crashed in the first place, you exchanged a repair of your original starship with providing Alderaanian liquor to a smuggler and his droid back on Dantooine who had both cut and run with it before fully repairing the vitally broken control panel. It was a rookie mistake, which you definitely weren’t, but he had just seemed so earnest in his need for the alcohol, and your fatal flaw was that you always trusted people who needed help. Even to your own detriment.
It had been your downfall back home, and at least twice when you were adventuring through the Outer Rim, and when you narrowly escaped a Deveronian when you had first started out on your own, because you were too close to a scumbag in friend’s clothing who fumbled the bag and left you for dead. He even stole your ship, then, and you had to make a series of sordid deals to get off Polis Massa, let alone find a place where you could crash safely for weeks before you could work up enough credits to get the X-Wing, which was, quite ceremoniously, dead now.
You shivered with the realization that you might be in danger, too. There were so many bodies scattered across this ridge and the next, and a handful of crashed TIE fighters. The sight of them didn’t strike fear into you—they never really had, you were raised in the Alliance and you could outfly the Empire since you were six years old—but they made you feel uneasy. Nevarro didn’t have a Rebel base, and you had never met someone in the Alliance who was from the planet. With the obvious show of Imperial affiliation and the bounty hunters’ guild, Nevarro was seedy enough that it kept you on edge as you walked, hopefully towards a town with people who didn’t want anything more from you than an easy job.
It must have been near dawn when you finally made it to the edge of the town. It was at best shot to all hell and at worst absolutely obliterated. Your heart sank. There were more dead suits of white armor scattered across the dirt and sand. There were helmets on pikes that looked far too fresh. Your hand twitched near your thigh where your blaster was usually strapped. All of this was a bad idea. You shouldn’t have left the blaster in the ship. If you were really playing the game of regrets, though, you never should have helped the smuggler. You should have paid the fifteen more credits to get the X-Wing fixed on Tatooine instead. You should have stayed on Yavin after your parents died and shouldn’t have been so earnest to make it on your own and—
“Hey.” The voice came from behind you, and you whipped around so fast your hair fell from where the clasp had been hanging on to nothing but a prayer since your crash landing. You shook it away from your face, eyes squinted at the figure that seemed to materialize behind you. “Where are you from, pretty thing?”
“Coruscant,” you lied through your teeth. The name of the planet you’ve been trying to avoid for years burns a hole through your belly.
“You don’t belong in a place like this.” He stepped into the light, and he wasn’t human. You didn’t know what he was, exactly, but his tone made your skin crawl. You held your ground.
“You’re right. I don’t. I’m looking for a mechanic.”
“I’m a mechanic.” Like hell he was. You clenched your jaw, trying to look menacing. The grease and sweat from the hike there was smeared on your face, your pants had gotten ripped while climbing out of the crash. You didn’t like how his eyes fixated hungrily on the flesh of your exposed thigh, and you had to shake the thought away while you walked into a voice much more brazen than your own.
“Do you know how to fix an X-Wing?” You stepped forward, and the Rebel insignia on your necklace glinted in the low light. Around these parts, after the fall of the Empire, you’ve heard Rebels strike fear into the local folk. Suddenly, the guy took a step backward, and you reveled in your menace for a split second before you realized someone was standing behind you.
He didn’t speak again before he took off. You stuttered, the sudden appearance of the figure behind you catching in your chest, and it rose to a cut off yelp when a red blast knocked the one who had hit on you off his feet, spiraling over a stormtrooper body, falling to the rocky floor. Dead. He was dead. You spun, praying that your heart hammering in your chest was just leftover adrenaline and not a signifier of a new threat.
Standing behind you, outfitted entirely in silver reflective armor, was a Mandalorian. “Nevarro doesn’t have mechanics.”
You squinted. You were completely taken aback by his presence, his hulking realness, but suddenly his statement overpowered your revelry. “I find that hard to believe.”
“That X-Wing crashed out there is yours.” It isn’t a question. His voice is deep, a baritone that spreads warmth even blocked by the modulator in his helmet. You’d only heard of Mandalorians in stories, legends, around the campfires growing up. You didn’t expect one to ever materialize in anything other than myth, let alone stand in front of you, electric.
You nod. Did he follow you all the way to town?
“You aren’t looking for a mechanic.” His voice is so sure, so big. Your world spins on its axis, the feeling foreign and familiar all at once. He had spoken three sentences to you, and already, you felt that dizzy, magnetic pull that you tried to convince yourself was there much more often than it was.
“I…” You trail off, staring up at his visor. He seems larger than life, much larger than you, at least, and for some reason, the hugeness is cutting off all of your words before they can fully form. “No. I need a way off this planet, though.”
“Can you fly?”
You balk at his question, annoyed—obviously, you could fly—and then remember the only track record you have in the Mandalorian’s eyes is your ship, crash landed and then immediately swallowed by lava. “I’m a pilot. A runner. I’ve been flying since I was six years old.”
He takes a minute, completely silent. The noise of the scattered stormtrooper bodies around you suddenly seems deafening. You aren’t scared of him. You think. Your heart is still hammering, but it’s nothing like the fear that rushed through you when the alien talked to you a few minutes ago. It’s different—not adrenaline, exactly, and not fear. You place the feeling when it washes over you again, warm and unexpected—Excitement.
“Okay.” He moves, and you startle. You didn’t realize the conversation was over.
“Uh,” you stammer, “Do you… do you need a pilot?”
“No,” he says, over his shoulder. His strides are long. You step forward, almost pulled after him, then stuttered to a stop. “But I might be your only ride out of here.”
“Oh,” you manage, and then follow him. The dim light spreads over the horizon as you walk, stunned into silence by his own, trying to mimic his step, his quiet. It doesn’t happen. You’re clunking along beside him, the noise made even louder by the silence in his gait. “I’m not picky, where we go, you know—I was heading away from the Outer Rim, so I’m in no rush to get back there, but—I mean, I’m thankful that you’re taking me anywhere—”
“I can’t pay you. But you don’t have to pay me, either.”
You blink, feet stuttering to a near stop, buffering before you remember to keep following him. “I’m sorry?”
“You can fly, right?”
You blink, eyes darting up to the back of his helmet. It might just be the modulator, but there’s no air in his voice, no struggle to cross the hard, hot terrain. It’s impressive. “I can, but you thought you didn’t need a pilot—?”
“You were a rebel.” His voice is curt. Quick.
Your eyebrows furrow, looking down at the insignia on your necklace and then back up at him. There’s a dry breeze over the molten moors, and his cape catches in the wind. It flutters. It’s the first sign of something gentle about him. It’s the memory you take with you for months later, savoring it for when he’s leaving you on the ship while he goes and catches his bounties, one by one. You cling to it in the long lapses of time where he doesn’t offer you anything but silence. You’ll hold onto it, a butterfly of a memory, for weeks—until he offers you something softer, something warmer. Something real.
You don’t know that in the moment, though. Right now, he’s asked a question, and you’re struggling to answer it honestly. “I was.”
“You don’t scare easily.”
It’s like he’s putting together these impossible puzzle pieces of your life. How is he guessing this? He’s known you for maybe ten whole minutes. It swells in your chest, a thunderbird of a thing, and you don’t know why.
“I’d like to think so,” you manage, as he tilts his helmet back to search you for your answer. Your breath hitches in your throat at the thought of his eyes on you, and you wonder what color they are. Maker. Where did that come from?
“Good.”
A ship seems to materialize out of nowhere, but it seems more likely that you were so caught up in the mystery of the Mandalorian and keeping your gaze locked on him that his ship was in the periphery of your vision. You follow him, still confused, up the descended gangplank. Sitting in the middle of the ship is a tiny green baby, with eyes ten times the size of its nose, with peach fuzz lazily dusting the top of its head. It’s holding a tiny silver ball in its three-fingered hands, looking up at the Mandalorian with outstretched arms.
You watch, in stunned silence, as the giant hulking silver figure crouches down to pick up the baby, meeting its little coos with soft words right back. It’s as soft as his cape fluttering in the wind, an unexpected, fleeting feeling of warmth. You don’t know what to do with yourself. The warm breeze buffets the small of your back, ruffles your loose hair. You just stand there, entirely enamored with this tiny green baby in the Mandalorian’s arms, speechless.
“You don’t scare easily,” the Mandalorian repeats.
You shake your head. “Nope.”
He holds the baby up to you. “How about now?”
You blink, confused. “Am I supposed to be scared of it?”
“Him.”
You take a tentative step forward, gaze flickering between the two of them, wondering what would have happened if you had crash landed literally anywhere else, at literally any other time. Something big and ceremonious swells somewhere deep in your chest.
“I’m not scared,” you finally say, and when your eyes find his visor again, you hope he knows you mean you’re not scared of either of them. You could be—most people with common sense are struck with fear at the sight of meeting a Mandalorian, especially one associated with such a widespread bounty hunters’ guild—but fear just keeps getting pushed away as the seconds pass. A small voice in the back of your head whispers that this is another mistake of being too trustful, but the larger half of you knows how to handle yourself if you find trouble. Besides, he has a tiny alien kid, and something tells you the Mandalorian wouldn’t put the baby in a situation that he deemed unsafe. As the door zips shut behind you, you step forward into the ship—into the place you’ll eventually make your home—heart still hammering on and on, thrumming as the three of you lift off of Nevarro’s surface and into the stars.
#the mandalorian#the mandalorian x reader#the mandalorian x you#fanfic#the mandalorian fanfiction#star wars#fanfiction#i hope y'all enjoy!!!!!#something more
395 notes
·
View notes
Note
💜✨ This is an Amazing Creator Award! Your creations are incredible, and they light up every dashboard they land on. Pass this on to eight of your favorite creators to show your appreciation and let them know their art is loved! ✨💜
Bready, my wonderful friend. Thank you for this ask, it really made me smile. You're an eternal delight and I want to say thank you for your thoughtfulness and constant kindness. Have some silly Lambskel as a token of my gratitude.
CW: Clowns (which reminds me of this post)
Children grew up at an alarming rate. Eskel could have sworn it was only a few blinks ago that Geralt took guardianship of baby Ciri with Yennefer. Now, she was turning six and Eskel had been roped into chaperoning a birthday party. Again. Though he did have a scrawled invite arrive in the post, painstakingly stickered, glittered and signed by Ciri. It was nice that she wanted him there but Eskel knew that if she hadn't invited him as a guest then Geralt would have been gently bullying him into helping out on the day anyway. Not like Eskel minded, he loved Ciri and would happily do anything for her.
The big day rolled round and Eskel turned up early at Geralt's house. There were already balloons around the door, the house inside was decorated with birthday banners and, in true Ciri fashion, dragons. That year she had very sweetly demanded a clown for her birthday and Eskel was curious to see whether Geralt had given in despite his strong dislike of them. Why someone felt the need to put on so much makeup and parade around in ridiculous clothes was beyond reason. Once, while drunk, Geralt had admitted it made him uneasy to the point of it actually being a fear.
"Ah, you're here," Geralt said as he stepped out of the kitchen and spotted that Eskel had let himself in. "I need to have a word with you."
A strong hand wrapped around Eskel's bicep and tugged him into the kitchen. He went willingly enough, curious as to what secret Geralt was going to let him in on this time. They stood in silence for a moment, Geralt watching him with serious eyes.
"Don't fuck the clown."
Frankly, Eskel was a little offended at the request. "Is this because of the demon stripper Yen hired for your birthday?" The look Geralt gave him was answer enough. "Come on, she was hot, was off the clock by the time I took her home. And she kept her horns on."
The punch to the arm should have been expected and Eskel grumbled as he rubbed the soreness left behind. Before he could complain, movement in the garden caught his attention. There was the clown, hauling a large, colourful bag to the small gazebo that had been set up. Suddenly, Eskel understood Geralt's request and he promptly decided it wasn't something to pay attention.
"Oh."
"No." Geralt said flatly as Eskel took one last look at the clown and turned to go out into the garden. "Eskel, I'm serious. No! Don't fuck the clown!"
"I won't," Eskel called over his shoulder. "I'd let him fuck me."
Unfortunately for Eskel, Yennefer was in the garden and seemingly in on the "don't let Eskel fuck the clown" mission. Which was quite rude on several levels. Firstly, Eskel was offended that the other two thought he would jeopardise Ciri's birthday party for the sake of a fuck. Secondly, he was an adult who did not need to be guarded and protected. If he wanted to stick his dick in someone, nobody but he and the intended person had any right to object.
As it was, he still found out the clown was called Lambert and, if Eskel focused then he could make out the most sinfully plush lips under the layers of makeup. It was on pretty thick but Eskel couldn't feel like he was in a place to judge, he'd never had to dress up as a clown before so that slathering was probably normal. It was difficult to make out the true features of Lambert under all of it but Eskel knew for sure he was handsome.
There was no time to get to know Lambert any better because Ciri and her friends turned up in a wild, screaming mass and it was all hands up deck. Balloon animals were the start of Lambert's entertainment and Eskel had to give it to him, he was good. Especially when he looked at the parents with a half made giraffe that most definitely looked like a cock before becoming something more child friendly. Eskel didn't think he'd snorted that hard in a long while. It actually hurt.
Next came the cake and Lambert took a well earned break. Well, not quite, because he happily made crowns for all the adults, showing them how to untwist them into swords if they wanted a fight later on when the children had gone. And he winked at Eskel when he gave him a crown and a dubious looking sword that was most certainly two twists away from being a cock.
"Just how many balloon cock shapes do you know?" He had blurted out and quietly adored the smug smirk Lambert sported.
"All of them. But I like to model them on real life ones. And I don't have a model at the moment."
Eskel barely held back on a guffaw at such a blatant come on. It was only Geralt's grip on the back of his neck that held him in check, along with the low growl of "you will not fuck the clown."
"Not while he's wearing large circus trousers," Eskel had agreed.
His composure was totally wrecked by Lambert cocking an eyebrow at him. "Want to see what's under the big top?" Because yes, Eskel really did.
After cake and presents Lambert had a set of magic tricks to show. it started off quite well, nothing impressive but the cards were fun to follow and Eskel saw how sleight of hand worked.
"And now," Lambert announced, pulling a top hat from under the table. "I will make a rabbit appear!"
The top hat did indeed look empty and Eskel was curious whether it would be a real rabbit and whether Lambert kept it to a traditional white on. Getting the children to join in with the chanting, Lambert tapped a wand against the hat and reached into it, only to frown. Rummaging in the hat, he cursed much to the children's delight.
"It seems our magic has gone a bit wonky," Lambert said, not hiding his agitation very well. "Rather than manifesting a rabbit in the hat, we have conjured him up somewhere in the garden."
"Maybe he's up your sleeve?" Ciri called. "You should check!"
There was no way the rabbit was up his sleeve but Lambert dutifully reached in. He pulled out a card, a couple of coins, an unending row of silk tissues, another wand that erupted into a bouquet of flowers. All of it was met by loud laughter and cheering from the children who were rolling around laughing the more frantically Lambert pulled things out.
By pure chance, Eskel gazed out over the garden, only to spot a large white rabbit merrily hopping towards the house. Quietly, he went to grab it, cradling the obviously well loved and spoilt creature, petting it out of habit. Watching Lambert grit his way through a few more rather lacklustre and failed magic tricks, Eskel couldn't help but be thoroughly charmed. He almost missed the growling sigh from next to him.
"Fine. Fuck the clown." Geralt looked utterly resigned.
With Lambert looking a little frayed around the edges, Eskel finally took pity on him. Walking up behind the children, he cleared his throat.
"There I was, trying to have a slice of cake when this suddenly appeared on my plate instead. I don't suppose any of you know anything about it?"
The cheer from the kids was deafening but Eskel only had eyes on Lambert and the almost palpable relief rolling off him in waves.
"Maybe if Lambert would care to whisk this rabbit away, it might bring my slice of cake back."
Rabbit carefully handed over with one last scritch between the ears, Eskel stepped back and happily joined in with the chanting to hide the rabbit in the top hat again. Thankfully it was a success and no rabbit was visible when Lambert showed his audience with a flourish.
After that the children were ushered away and Lambert was left in peace to pack away. Well, mostly in peace. Eskel lingered and watched, curious to see Lambert without the clown makeup.
"That was an entertaining set," Eskel commented, sorely tempted to casually lean against the leg of a gazebo. But it would never hold his weight so he refrained.
"Fucking Rabbit," Lambert growled, much more rigid and tight now that he wasn't performing for children. "I'm going to eat him for dinner if he does that again."
"And how often do you threaten him with that?"
After a telling silence, Lambert snorted. "Every other day. He's a bastard."
Valiantly, Eskel held back from commenting how pets usually turned out like owners. But then he'd have to admit to Lil Bleater being an absolute menace and what would that say about him? Instead he straightened up and sauntered closer to Lambert.
"So, the offer of seeing a pitched tent still available?"
He crowded against Lambert who gave him a once over before nodding. It was all the permission Eskel needed before kissing him, heedless of how makeup smeared against his skin. Behind them, the door to the house was slammed shut and Eskel had to pull away with a chuckle.
"I'm under strict instructions not to fuck the clown." His eyes were dark as he took in the smudged and ruined makeup around Lambert's lips. "So, either the clown fucks me, or you can take your makeup off."
There was hesitation in Lambert's expression. He was obviously torn, lower lip caught between his teeth. "I'm not-" he broke off and his shoulders hunched. "I'm not handsome like you under the makeup."
"I think you're plenty handsome enough. Why don't I help you take it off?"
Another pause before Lambert gave a nod. He sat on one of the chairs after handing Eskel the makeup remover and wipes. It was slow progress but the more Eskel saw, the more he liked. One half of Lambert's face was done and he flinched away from Eskel's touch.
"It's not pretty," he warned and Eskel nodded before reaching again. That time Lambert didn't move away but he was tense as a scar was unveiled.
"You worry that it's not pretty," Eskel rumbled, "yet you called me handsome with all my scars. Double standards much?"
There was no reply but Lambert couldn't meet his eyes. Gently, Eskel wiped the last of Lambert's makeup off and sat back with a grin. "Knew it. Utterly, devastatingly handsome. I'm afraid it's terminal."
That drew a laugh from Lambert at least and Eskel leaned in to kiss the giggled from his lips.
"I think Geralt and Yennefer can handle the kids from here on," Eskel purred. "Why don't I take you home?"
As they left, he sent a cheeky wave to Geralt who was watching them from the kitchen window. Eskel couldn't resist sending him a text from the car though.
"Thanks for the fun afternoon. Don't worry, I didn't fuck the clown. We'll play it safe though, he'll keep the shoes on to keep my knees comfortable though."
The reply from Geralt didn't bear repeating but it had Eskel throwing his head back and laughing.
#lambskel#lamber/eskel#lambert#eskel#geralt of rivia#the witcher#modern au#tldr: eskel beds clown lambert
48 notes
·
View notes
Text
illicit love
Pairing: Jensen Ackles x reader
Summary: Jensen loves you, but sometimes love isn’t the right thing.
A/N: Hey, guys! All we needed was a newish fic to say that I was really back, here it is! This one goes for @negans-lucille-tblr 6k challenge. So glad you got to another millestone, honey. It's like I was posting my part for your 5k celebration just yesterday! xD Prompt in bold.
Warnings: age gap, cheating
Jensen Ackles kept squinting through the bricks of his memory in an attempt to recall where it all began. Maybe it was when he drove off the road he had known for years with the dumbfounded desire to take the trails yet traveled, threading his fingers through your hair on the night of September 7th. He could’ve chosen the easy out and say it all started to crumble with the first kiss, but no. The actor, father, and now horrible husband highly doubted that. No, as he unwound the convoluted wires in his mind, it wasn’t the first clandestine meeting that he saw as the beginning, not the first kiss or the primal stolen glances. It wasn’t even the lies or the way he pushed his body against yours in an act of illicit faith.
Like any grand mistake, it was way before that. Just like how the church not-so-gently advised, it all starts with craving something you never thought you would want.
It happened when he landed the job in a new series after leaving a fifteen-year-long rollercoaster, pushing away any real witness to the fact the old show that swallowed part of his soul was over. There was a certain shock of excitement misplaced by the fact he was going to be working with Eric again, and that the show was an abrupt change considering what he had been doing previously. Now, he believed it was his body’s particular way of telling him that — as the savage animals can sense rain or a calamity — this, baby, this is gonna change your life.
JENSEN ACKLES CAST AS SOLDIER BOY!
‘’Since when have you read comics?’’ Jensen arched his messy eyebrows at Dee’s curiosity about the Homelander and Soldier Boy panel making it to the screen. Shaking the comic book in his right hand slightly, he continued: ‘’Especially that kind.’’
‘’Never,’’ Danneel stated plainly, “but I have Google. It was pretty much the first thing that appeared.’’
‘’Well, Eric said that scene won't be on the screen. Besides, the portrayal won't be that Soldier Boy, but the original one who died in the war. ‘Course, he wouldn’t have died there in our show, but it ain’t the panel one.’’ He shrugged, bringing her closer to his side as she snuggled against him. ‘’There’ll be a bunch of Herogasm, which is basically drugs and sex. Just not with Homelander.’’
Danneel nodded at his explanation, humor clinging to her words as she added: ‘’Guess the only man I have to share you with is still Jared.’’
‘’Hey, you knew what you were getting yourself into.’’ Jensen scoffed playfully before kissing her cheek. ‘’Can't wait to start the show.’’
Jensen leaned forward to rest the comic that he had been religiously studying to form a psychological character profile on the dashboard of the Impala. The actor was spending plenty of hours inside his most palpable Supernatural souvenir -- Baby. His safe place. He sure as hell needed one of those, as molding a whole character that has a bunch of source material wasn’t as easy as he pictured. With Dean, he was putting himself and the script in one until it made his imaginary best friend. It was love at the first sight. Soldier Boy, however, was a long story short. Jensen figured he should do both, honor the character created and add his own special ingredients to it. It was a brand new kind of passion that he hadn’t done for a series in the longest time. Still, his glance trailed back to the woman by his side in the backseat.
‘’Let's hope it won't last another decade,” she mocked.
Jensen shook his head with a chuckle, relaxing against the leather seat. Even the mere smell of the Impala was enough to settle his nerves. ‘’Eric has plans for five seasons.’’
Danneel’s features contorted as if having war flashbacks. Sort of. She never imagined Supernatural would make it that far, and now with three kids, signing on for another excessively time-consuming idea for a new show didn’t seem too appealing either. Yet, she would support Jensen in any decision he’d take regarding his job. “Remind me the last time I heard that line before?”
‘’Come on.’’ He let out a wry huff, poking her side in a playful manner. She couldn't help but laugh, returning the gesture with tickles to start a very light-hearted battle. He seemed happy with the new job, something Danneel truly thought he would have more difficulty with. She’d pushed her weathered worries away with his easy-going laughter for now.
SOLDIER BOY’S LOVE INTEREST?
Eric Kripke threw the gossip magazine on the table, his eyes not straying from his long-time friend’s. He could’ve simply added the digital article to an irate email and be done with it, but he was a simple man with extravagant taste. That had been usual through his whole career, especially regarding the Supernatural aesthetic. Yet, in those mundane situations, Jensen almost found it too much. That wasn’t the case, though. If anything, the plain, yet still overpowering words that his green eyes scanned made his body sweat. He could even hear his organs working from the absolute silence of the blame that covered the room. Kripke’s room had never seemed more like an interrogation chamber than now.
The magazine in question held Jensen and your picture on the cover, his arms wrapped around your torso as he pulled you close. The most sequin smile hung from your lips like happiness was something that could be touched on that sunny day in the private park near the studio. Giant and garish letters made the headline along with the subline: Jensen Ackles wearing his Soldier Boy costume caught sharing a passionate kiss with the new arrival of The Boy’s Team: Y/N Y/L/N, also known on-screen as Cangaceira!
His voice came out as an accusation: ‘’What’s this, Jensen?’’
‘’We were…’’ The director just waved his hand to interrupt.
‘’Don’t try saying you were practicing a scene because I wrote the Soldier Boy and Cangaceira kiss, and it wasn’t here.’’ Acid tainted his words with no space for fake niceties on his set. Jensen remained in the chair, not even daring to make the most subtle move. Eric knew where he was hitting, and Ackles deserved a punch in the jaw. “The sex scene wasn’t here either, but you two added a lot of erotic subtext. Trust me, I know.’’
His shoulders fell in exhaustion. ‘’Eric…’’
‘’You’re lucky we were going to make those two a couple anyway. I can just put the kiss here and save your ass. What if that wasn’t the case, huh?’’ the director continued, more interested in spilling out his anger than listening to dumb excuses. ‘’What about Danneel, Jensen? You have a wife and kids, for God’s sake!’’
The breaking point. Jensen rose to his feet with sudden frustration, a growl leaving his lips as he pushed the chair to the side with uncharacteristic brutality. How could Eric bring up his family like this? And how could Jensen’s heart not bring them up when he kissed you before? It was all a fucking mess, and he had no choice but to choke down whatever came out of it, even if it was poison and spite.
‘’Fuck, Eric! Do you think I don’t know that? Do you think it doesn’t pull me apart every time I go home and know I’m lying to the people who love me?’’ The vein on his neck popped as he spoke, emotion gushing thicker through his arteries than blood. Woe remerged under his skin as he swallowed dryly, resting his hands on the table and looking down. That wasn’t him. He had done a lot of things that weren't him lately. ‘’I have enough guilt here, pal.’’
Eric just glared down at the man’s outburst, furrowing before asking, ‘’What’s going on, Jay? You don’t just get up and cheat on your wife. That ain’t you.’’
He shook his head. ‘’I don’t know. Y/N’s just…’’
‘’At least 20 years younger than you,” he stated. ‘’Just starting her career and might be getting the homewrecker title if someone finds out.’’
‘’I won’t let that happen.’’
‘’How? You are gonna be more careful or will you cut it out and go back to your wife and three kids?’’ When Ackles didn’t respond, Eric sighed. ‘’Just stop this, Jensen. Let her go.’’
Jensen scoffed humorlessly. ‘’I can’t.’’
Kripke felt like talking to a teenager. He shook his head as he got up. ‘’Do you have any idea what you’re doing here? This could destroy your family, destroy Y/N’s chance to make a name when you already have your own. That’s selfish in all proportions, Jensen!’’
‘’I know, I know.’’
‘’She deserves more than this and —’’
‘’I know.’’
‘’You are gonna mess up everyone’s lives —’’
‘’I know!’’ He slammed the table and winced, turning around with his hands on his head. If only he could stop his thoughts for a second and reorganize his feelings. ‘’Do you think it doesn’t rip my heart out that I can’t love her?’’
‘’Who?’’ The burning question was ready to set everything ablaze. ‘’You can’t love Y/N, or you can’t love your wife anymore, Jensen?’’
He couldn’t love you in public. He couldn’t love Danneel anywhere. Love just escaped through his reaches when you spoke his name like a prayer, and it was time to accept that.
‘’Both.’’
NO CHICK FLICK MOMENTS: SOLDIER BOY AND CANGACEIRA TALK ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THEIR RELATIONSHIP
‘’It's amazing to portray with Jensen. I’ve watched Supernatural since I was like twelve, which probably isn't advisable.’’ You chortled, answering the reporter’s question. Your body could barely contain your excitement under your skin, although, why would you want that? You did it. You got the job you had dreamed and worked hard for. To a bonus, you were working with Jensen Ackles! If there was someone that had earned the right to scream to the sky until your face was the color of the red carpet your heels currently stood on, it was you. ‘‘I was even a Samgirl!’’
Jensen faked a gasp next to you, a light spectrum surrounding the interview. ‘’Really? Me too!’’
You pushed his shoulder playfully while he chuckled. ‘’Anyway, I'm very excited to be here and portray a strong latina superhero. The representation’s very important, and to be able not only to cherish it, but to be a part of it doing what I love and inspiring people like me is… mythical.’’
‘’Wow, woman!’’ Ackles pursed his lips, clapping a little before shifting his gaze from you to the reporter. ‘’She likes the big words. I swear, dude. She’ll just come and in like, a casual conversation, say something like gelid or whilst, and then she's gonna say dumbass. Both sound smart as heck.’’
You winked. ''It's the accent. Makes everything sound nice.”’
Jensen nodded but was quick to sprinkle in an incendiary remark to his compliments. ‘’Yeah, I have never seen someone confuse coach and couch before. Go sit on the coach got a lot of wrong ideas.’’
‘’Hey, you sat on the coach!’’
‘’Because I’m a good boy.’’
You rolled your eyes despite the grin on your lips. ‘’Sure, mister hours-to-get-ready.’’
‘’Hey, plenty of face masks are needed to keep this — ’’ He pointed at his face. ‘’at fourteen.’’
‘’All I hear is that you’re old.’’ Your eyebrows knitted together. Jensen licked his lips at the sight. On any other day, he’d pick you up, say I’m gonna show you who’s old, and enjoy where your teasing had gotten you two, but he couldn’t do it now. You’d get what was coming to you after the event, perhaps even under the table if your dress allowed it, or in the bathroom, if you kept going.
The mischievous smirk on your cherry-stained lips proved that you knew what was going through his mind. God, you were his sweet death. Nonetheless, Jensen sighed dramatically and looked at the camera. ‘’This is what I have to deal with every day.’’
The reporter went on, happily surprised about how comfortable you and Jensen seemed together. Usually, new coworkers were timider around each other during interviews, especially when they were a romantic pair. The journalist decided to try getting a little sneak peek of the couple aspects of Soldier Boy and Cangaceira.
‘’It's definitely interesting.’’
‘’But not in the best way.’’ The only thing more messed up than Jensen’s relationship with you was the correlation between your characters. At least you and he had the purity of love, even if it was twisted enough to turn heads and churn stomachs
‘’Certainly not in the best way.’’ You agreed, bringing him back into reality as always. ‘’It's really nice to explore a couple that doesn't consist of two white people getting to it like most main characters of the shows in our current climate. It’s not the kind of relationship you should be rooting for — not because it's interracial or anything, that's pretty much the biggest, if not only, positive aspect about those two — but because they aren’t healthy at all, just as all main relationships in our show. It's not a romance series, and we certainly don't treat our couples like it.’’
‘’Told you she is the beauty and the brains.’’ His cheeks dimpled with joy and pride as he looked at you. Jensen knew how excitedly nervous you were about that interview. He couldn’t wait to tell you how great you were like you were born to sell dreams and magazines. ‘’But yeah, it’s a messed up relationship like any other in The Boys. After all, it's not a respectful, wholesome show. It's about gritty superheroes that ain’t got heroism. Soldier Boy isn't a good guy, and it translates in his relationship too.’’
You nodded in agreement, brushing his arm to keep you sane. ‘’It’ll be an interesting dynamic to see on-screen to our show standards, but it's not an actual picture of how a relationship should be.’’
THE BOYS 100TH EPISODE PARTY!
The glimmer of his green comet eyes caught your undivided attention in the throngs of people. The crowd had gathered for his family, his arm around his wife's waist as you both shared a tender, stolen look. You savored her wine and yearned for the man in her arms.
It was just a small celebration due to COVID’s lasting effects on public events. People from the set and their significants together were in the Ackles house for a couple of drinks, small talk, and a cake with The Boy’s comics printed on it.
‘’Aunt Y/N!’’ JJ tugged your dress, her mix of Danneel and Jensen’s features almost haunting your soul. Almost. You would never despise a kid for that — you didn’t even have the right to. If anything, JJ was the one that would graduate to hating you someday. You didn't have enough youthful stupidity not to know the risks of being in love with a married man. ‘’Auntie!’’
You leaned in the most that you could with the red skirt, glancing at the child. ‘’Yes, honey?’’
‘’That’s my new Barbie! I bought a beach one! She looks like you!’’ the blonde kid said with a childish joy that ached in your heart. You could end up destroying her family’s stability if Jensen went any further, yet there she was; buying dolls that looked like you and so happily babbling about it.
You were a monster. Love opened you up and planted greedy seeds, and now you were a monster growing like a beautiful tree that could never be strong enough to hold a kid as they climbed up. The fact that you could sense Jensen’s eyes on your ass didn’t help one bit.
‘’She does! That’s so cute, JJ.’’
‘’You can be her. I have one who looks like mommy, I’ll be her, ‘kay?’’
Your nausea was replaced by a pageant smile and a nod, and so you spent the night sharing longing stares with the dad and playing dolls with the daughter. It was a role that was never yours.
ILLICIT AFFAIR? JENSEN ACKLES SEEN ON THE BEACH WITH Y/N Y/L/N
‘’I can’t believe you did this to me, to our family,‘’ Danneel screamed exasperatedly as she threw her clothes in a bag and heart on the wall. Jensen just stood there, accepting the deserved fury. ‘’Ten years of my life, Jensen, and you just threw it away for a mistress! I gave up on my job to be a stay at home mom because you didn’t want a babysitter. I supported you in every moment. I loved you!’’
‘’I’m sorry…’’
‘’You don’t get to be sorry,” she howled, glaring at him with the hatred of an overthrown nation. She felt like he got to the podium and forgot to say her name. ‘’You let that woman get in my house, drink my wine, talk to my children…’’
Reflexively, he said, ‘’Our.’’
‘’Shut the fuck up! There’s no ours anymore, no us!’’ Her words had garnered a learned violence, much louder than the sound of the zipper closing her duffel bag. She threw the CC exclusive on the floor, holding onto the handle for dear life. He didn’t deserve to see her breaking, only her anger. ‘’You destroyed our family, you destroyed me!’’
He pleaded, unable to discern if it was for her or the guilt: ‘’Dee.’’
‘’I hope you’re happy. I hope you go to her, get her to sleep on our bed, and be happy for a month.’’ She gulped, pursing her lips. Her glossy eyes coupled with the pink hue of her lipstick brought back a treacherous memory of their wedding day. ‘’And then, I hope she cheats, like you did to me.’’
The next headline didn’t call it love.
Comment & reblog. Feedback is magic! Check my masterlist ♡
TAGS IN REBLOG!
WANNA BE TAGGED? SEND ME AN ASK/DM
#jensen ackles#jensen ackles x reader#jensen ackles x you#dean winchester x reader#bees6krollthedicechallenge#soldier boy x reader#the boys#the boys x reader#dean x you#supernatural#dean winchester#dean winchester imagine#supernatural imagines#spn reader insert#dean winchester headcanon#dean winchester imagines#jensen ackles imagine#jensen ackles imagines#jensen ackles the boys#soldier boy#soldier boy jensen ackles#dean winchester x you
321 notes
·
View notes
Text
Denial
Chapter One of Memories Reforged ( Din Djarin x F!Reader )
Word Count: 8.2k
Summary: After crash landing on the planet of your next job, you learn another mysterious mandalorian bounty hunter is working the same contract as you and you decide to investigate.
Warnings: descriptions of blood and death, canon level violence, grief, there's a nightmare sequence but nothing crazy!
A/N: I’m super nervous to start posting this, but I hope you all enjoy it! Let me know if you find any mistakes or have any criticisms/advice! Theres a lot of mystery surrounding you for the first couple chapters, but I promise they will be explained soon enough!
Everything around you is happening so rapidly, in flashes. Red, surrounding you, clouding everything around you...
It’s blood. Blood--blood on your hands, you realize. Blood on the ground around you, on you--on everything. Your vision is so blurry you can barely make out the shapes around you. You’re sobbing, your chest aches, burning, smoke and ash in your lungs, you try to cry out but barely any sound comes through. A rushing in your ears so loud you can barely hear.
You're desperately applying pressure beneath you, but the bleeding won’t stop. You beg and plead to the maker, the universe, whatever could possibly hear you, whatever could possibly help you, you're so desperate. you’re trembling, shaking so hard you can’t keep steady despite trying so hard to keep the pressure on the gushing wound beneath you...
Another flash, you can’t see anything anymore, everything is too blurry, but you feel something brush up to your cheek, you lean into it. It’s comforting, but the burning in your chest only gets worse, your sobbing doesn't stop. The brush on your cheek is so tender, so precious, but so painful. So bittersweet...
More red, another flash, and now a sound, cutting through the white noise that fills your ears--a steady beeping. Through your clouded vision you can barely make out the light flashing on the bomb that's been set to detonate in his hand. You press your forehead to something cold, and you squeeze your eyes shut, blackness engulfing your vision, only the faint blinking of the light shining through your eyelids...
Suddenly, everything is crystal clear. The feeling of his hand tangled in your hair, pulling you tighter against the cool metal of his helmet, the warmth of the blood gushing out of the wound you are still so desperately applying pressure to, and when you open your burning, sobbing eyes, the crystal clear reflection of the bomb blinking in the corner of his visor. The light growing brighter, and the beeping growing faster, louder, and louder---so LOUD-- You shoot up with a sharp gasp in your seat, absolute panic still consuming you, the beeping from the bomb still going off rapidly--no...you realize suddenly. The beeping from the cockpit of your ship, you're dropping out of hyperspace.
You’re shivering, covered in a cold sweat, things slowly starting to come back to you. It was another nightmare. You must have fallen asleep while you were still in hyperspace. You glance over to the helmet in the copilot seat next to you, the familiar visor staring at you, hollow. The stars reflecting off the tint of it, and the beat up, once glossy copper accents framing it. You try to get your breathing under control while you shakily take hold of the ship's controls, flicking off the alarm and getting ready to break through the atmosphere of the planet thats suddenly in front of you.
This is going to be rough. This ship, if you can even call it that, is a piece of shit. It’s barely holding together, you were shocked it was even able to make the jump into hyperspace in the first place. It's trembling dramatically under you, as you try to hold her steady while you descend.
“Talk about a bumpy ride,” you barely mutter to yourself through gritted teeth as you struggle against the violent rattling of the hunk of metal surrounding you, suddenly very thankful you were already buckled in. Suddenly the whole ship lurches violently despite your firm hold on the controls as you break into the atmosphere, and alarms start blaring deafeningly throughout the cockpit, the ship is barely holding together at this point. You clench your jaw tight, this is going to be a rough landing. Another violent jerk of the ship and you feel something big break off. You can’t even begin to think about what it is though, because you are quickly losing control entirely. You are descending much too fast, and there's nothing you can do about it. Alarms blaring in your ears as you try to make this the softest crash landing possible. The sandy surface of this planet is coming quick, until it's all you can see. You violently collide with the ground, you can't see anything, sand shoots up all around the ship blinding you. You had tried to hit a good angle coming down, but your ship slides through the sand, bounces back up, and rolls twice. You get roughly knocked around in your seat and you wack your head pretty hard on the dashboard in the collision, you black out.
You groan, slowly coming to, clutching the sore spot on the side of your head while you try to collect yourself. Maker, it HURTS, you can feel the pulsing behind your eyes and you’re seeing stars, your vision blurry from the impact. You shakily undo your seatbelt, and try to lift from your seat, hand still clutching the side of your head. Everything on you hurts, you know you’re going to be covered head to toe in bruises despite being buckled in the whole time. You tap the nav console in the center of the dashboard, but nothing, unresponsive. The whole ship has gone completely dead. No more flashing lights and blaring alarms. Just the slight groaning of the metal struggling to stay together after the crash.
“Well fuck…” you sigh out, but then the dread and anger hit you all at once. A pit pooling in your stomach and rising up tight in your chest like an inferno, You had scrounged together every last credit you had for this piece of shit, and now it's absolutely trashed. It would cost you more than its worth in repairs, if it can even be repaired. You would bet all your remaining credits it was far beyond saving. You violently slam your fist down into the control panel, cursing loudly into the cockpit. You needed this ship, badly. How were you supposed to collect bounties without it? How could you afford a new one? You bang your fist into the control panel again, then slump down defeatedly back into the pilot's seat, resting your elbows on the edge of the control panel and leaning forward to burying your head in your hands.
You take a deep breath in and run one of your hands through the hair framing your face as you lean back in the seat and let the same breath out. You turn your head slightly to look over to the copilot's seat, but you shoot back up to your feet when you find the seat is empty. Your heart is racing again. Where is it? Where did it go? You frantically scan the floor of the cockpit, desperately looking for even the smallest glimpse of it. When you finally catch sight of the familiar hunk of metal in the far corner, you rush over and drop to your knees next to it. You carefully pick up the heavy beskar helmet and rotate it so the familiar T of the visor is staring empty at you. You breath out heavily as you press your forehead to it, clutching it so tightly in your hands. You pull away to inspect for any damage--well any new damage at least. The helmet was in bad shape. It had a couple dents and gashes in it, the paint that once coated it so beautifully now chipped and worn, the small crack in the corner of the visor catching the light. You sigh at it, realizing you probably wouldn't even be able to tell what's new and what's not at this point.
“Well,” you breath out to the helmet as if it could hear you, “no point in wallowing, right?” You stand from where you were kneeling on the floor, tucking the helmet under your arm. “We’ve got a bounty to catch.” And with that you step into the hull of the ship, trying your best to ignore the mess caused from the crash, all of your belongings thrown about and scattered unceremoniously throughout it. You find your go bag and sling it over your shoulder. Then head to the exit ramp to leave, but pausing before you step out into the sandy environment to slowly slide the helmet from under your arm, over your head, with a click.
---------------------------------
You hate desert planets. You're burning up under your bulky beskar. It barely fits you, so you have to bulk up under it to make sure it stays on properly. It doesn't look as awkward as it feels, and no one can tell how much you're sweating under the helmet, but maker, you’re miserable. With every step you can feel the soreness lingering from the crash earlier. It was quite a walk to the nearest settlement. You’re in some kind of marketplace. It’s bustling and busy, vendors lining the sand covered streets selling all kinds of wares, a lot of it junk.
You’re in a terrible mood. Between crash landing your one and only ship, the heat of this planet baking you alive under your armor, and the sand that you can feel working its way uncomfortably into your boots, you’re seething with anger. You swear it would only take one local giving you the wrong look for you to snap and break their neck with your bare hands alone. You bet it shows in the way your walking, you're used to people staring at this point, it comes with wearing beskar, but the way people are quickly stumbling to get out of your way as you angrily stride through the streets, crowds parting for you so you can pass, you know you probably seem more intimidating than usual.
Stepping into the nearby cantina, is instant relief. It’s much cooler in here, but you try not to relax too much and lose that power in your stance as you enter. Something feels off, when you notice the reactions in the bar. The stares and hushed whispering were normal to you, but something about it was different this time. Maybe the heat was getting to your head. You stride over to the bar and silently take a seat. The patron in the seat next to yours, quickly gets up to move away from you, and you don’t even bother to look in his direction.
The bartender in front of you, polishing glasses speaks before you get the chance, “Let me guess, you want information on the bomber.” You tilt your visor up to him a bit surprised. How did he know? “You’re friend already came by, I told him everything I knew, I’ve got nothing else for you.” Now you’re really confused. You cock your helmet slightly to the side quizzically without saying a word. Friend? You don’t have any friends. And definitely not any you would be working on a bounty with. Not anymore at least. The bartender seems to catch your confusion so he continues, “The other mandalorian.” Other mandalorian? There was a mandalorian here hunting your bounty? when you don't move he elaborates, “The big one, uh you know--real shiny guy, all chrome and whatnot…” the bartender trails off not knowing how else to describe him. Well, that's surely interesting. Suddenly you decide maybe you need to investigate this...shiny mandalorian. You nod at the bartender as a quiet thank you as you rise silently from your seat at the bar. You toss a couple credits onto the counter for the information, even if it's not what you were initially looking for. The bartender at the sight of the credits points you in the direction of where he had seen this mysterious mandalorian head off to, likely understanding now, that the two of you were most likely indeed, not friends.
It doesn’t take long to spot him. He must have just left the cantina not too long before you arrived, he was close by, and the reflective beskar stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the crowd that was parting for him in the same way it had for you. You kept your distance, keeping out of sight but trailing behind just enough that you wouldn't lose him. You knew damn well, that he probably knew you were following him, any truly skilled bounty hunter would realize that fact, let alone a mandalorian. Your theory was proved correct when he suddenly took a turn and dipped into an alleyway. You weren’t trying to sneak up on him, but you still kept your distance, turning the same corner and following him until you lost the crowd completely. The both of you walking to a part of town with no one, the bustling of the marketplace becoming faded white nose in the background. He makes a few more turns and you follow a few feet behind, until you go to turn the next corner and he's gone, no longer in front of you.
But you’re no fool, in a flash you whip around behind you, your blaster unholstered and pointed straight in front of you. He’s standing there, his own blaster mirroring yours. You both stand there, perfectly still, unmoving, blasters pointed to each other, fingers on their respective triggers. He speaks first, “Why are you following me?” but he doesn't move an inch “Why are you hunting my bounty?” you quip back. Making sure to stress the fact that this is your bounty, not his. You need those credits, you can’t afford to let them slip away from you when you have no way off this sandy shithole.
He tilts his visor at you slightly but doesn't reply. So you continue, “The bomber is mine, I suggest you find someone else to hunt down. I’ve got this one handled.” and by that, you mean if he does anything to compromise your ability to collect this quarry, you won't hesitate to kill him too, and you know he knows it...doesn’t he? The mysterious mandalorian doesn’t say anything, doesn’t move a muscle and neither do you. The silence between the two of you carries a tension just as deadly as the blasters you have pointed at each other.
With him standing in front of you like this, you’re able to get a better look at him. You look with only your eyes, careful not to move your head at all, as to not give him any indication you’re looking anywhere other than his visor, which is staring deadpan into yours. The bartender wasn’t exaggerating when he said this strange mandalorian was shiny and chrome. His beskar armor is unpainted, and beautiful, not a single flaw. You’ve never seen anything like it before. Whoever forged that for him was truly skilled in their craft.
“Your beskar,” You suddenly nod in his direction after the silence drags out far too long, “it’s new.” He still doesn't say anything. He’s giving you nothing. You’ve been doing this job awhile, there's usually something you can pull from, a slight change in breathing, tensing on the shoulders, anything to know what your enemy’s intentions are, but him....he's giving you nothing. “I’m looking for a forge master.” You hope by elaborating, you make your own intentions clearer.
“An Armorer?” he questions, and you nod once slowly. “Don’t have one in your clan?” He tilts his visor at you in inquiry, and you slowly shake your head once.
“I have no clan,” and you can sense his confusion so you continue, “I’m no mandalorian.” you confess, and instantly his blaster arm straightens and you hear the click of his safety switch off. You expected nothing less.
“Beskar belongs to the mandalorians. Hand it over.” His voice is dark and firm in his demands, but you can't help but scoff.
“I may not be a mandalorian, but this armor is mine.” your voice darkens threateningly, “It belonged to someone very important to me, passed down in their family for multiple generations. They’re gone, so now it's mine and I will die defending this armor in their honor.” “Did you inherit it from your father?” his voice through the modulator is firm, unwavering, and when you shake your head, he tries again, “Your mother?” You shake your head again. “Then it’s not yours, take it off...or I will” he threatens taking a step forward.
You take that step forward as an attack in itself, there's no way in hell anyone will take this armor from you, you quickly lunge towards him in a flash and he goes for you. You go to grab for his blaster, but at the same time he grabs yours and next thing you know, both your blasters are skittering across the sand in opposite directions. You both snap your gaze back and your visors meet each other, pausing for just a second before you're immediately swinging in his direction, aiming directly for his unarmored throat. He catches your fist, and swings with his free hand, you duck expertly out of the way and knee him right in the gut below the beskar chest plate. He doubles over, but manages to kick out one of your ankles causing you to stumble, and he goes for another swing. You jump back the best you can, and punch him perfectly in his unarmored side. He groans loudly at the impact, and stumbles back, but then before you know it, he gets you right back, and then again, his beskar fist colliding with the side of your helmet. It knocks you to the ground, your vision blurs again reminding you of your earlier injury from the crash. You shake your head and try to regain your footing, but he lunges down to grab you. You both struggle on the sandy ground before you get a hold of one of his arms and kick him up with both feet, hauling him over you, so he lands roughly on his back behind you.
He scrambles to get up, but you’re too quick, you’re on top of him pressing the mouth of his own blaster under his jaw. He doesn’t move and the only thing that can be heard is the rough modulated breathing of the two of you through your helmets. He moves the slightest amount, you're not sure if it's to adjust or to try to get up but you won’t risk it. You press his blaster farther to the underside of his jaw and click the safety off, a threat you think he understands well. You will absolutely not hesitate to kill him if he makes a wrong move. You’ve had a bad day, blowing a hole through his head would be the first good thing to happen to you, but at the same time, he clearly knows where to find what you're looking for and you want to get that information from him before you kill him.
“The armor is mine,” you say gruffly through your heavy breathing. You nudge the blaster into him again, just to make sure you’re being clear, “and if you, or anyone so much as lays a finger on it, I will kill you.” He doesn’t say anything, doesn’t move an inch. Neither do you.
Instantly heat blasts against the side of you, and white noise erupts in your ears, a powerful force sends the both you flying sideways and slamming into the wall of the other building next to you, smoke and sand fly up and surround the air around you. You’re groaning as you slowly try to pick yourself up off the sandy floor, the heat from the fire building next to you quickly heating up your armor. It takes you a second to realize what's going on. The bomber. You had almost forgotten about your bounty, you were so transfixed on the strange mandalorian next to you, grunts coming from his modulator as he struggles to his feet. There's another explosion next to you and you try to keep steady scanning with your visor through the smoke to see if you can catch a glimpse of your quarry--and there! It's quick, but unmistakable as you see his heat signature duck away behind the roof of a neighboring building.
“Stay out of my way.” you spit darkly at the rival mandalorian, before turning and breaking into a sprint in the direction of your bounty.
It doesn’t take you long to catch up to him. You're running through the alley beneath the cloaked bomber while he jumps from roof to roof above you, desperately trying to shake you off his tail. He throws explosives in your direction, but you evade them expertly, bursting through the clouds of smoke and sand just when he thinks he's gotten you. He thinks he's being smart when he decides to throw another explosive ahead of you this time, blocking the rest of the alley with rubble from the surrounding buildings as their walls crumble. He lets out a loud and victorious laugh as he continues to run, celebrating far too early, not realizing he's made a critical error.
Instead of the rubble halting you in your pursuit, you use it to your advantage, nimbly leaping off a large piece and hauling yourself into the roof. Now that you're level with him, and off the maker forsaken sand, you start gaining on him, quick. He looks back in horror at you and tries to speed up, but you both know it's futile. You would have shot him already, but you left your blaster in the sand, forgetting to pick it up after the explosion, so you have to use other means. You grip the vibroblade strapped to your thigh and unsheath it. You’re just about to lunge for him, grab him and pull him to the ground, but something hits him and he drops instantly onto the roof below him.
You come to a screeching halt, almost tripping over his body. What the hell happened to him? You look down at him, convulsing on the floor, he's been stunned, quite literally electrified. You immediately know who's responsible and angrily look up to see that damned shiny mandalorian a few roofs away, lower his rifle and start to stride across to you. The sun reflecting off the top of his helmet in such an irritating way.
“I told you to stay out of my way!” you shout in his direction, “This is MY bounty! I’ve got it handled!” you grab a pair of cuffs off your belt and drop to your knees to cuff the bastard below you roughly despite his lack of resistance.
“You were too slow.” he says matter-of-factly as he approaches you. Oh you could kill him, you're tempted. The fact that he not only had the audacity to take down your bounty, but now dares to mock you? It would be an absolute pleasure to sink your blade into his neck.
Your thoughts are cut short when a gloved hand holds your blaster down to you. You look at it in confusion, then tilt your helmet to look up at the reflective beskar staring down at you. He nods towards you and nudges the blaster towards you again. You snatch it from his grip and put it in your holster without a word, and haul yourself up onto your feet with the bounty. Keeping a firm grip on his cuffed wrists behind his back while he struggles to hold himself up, “Bounty is mine.” you remind him, your visor burning a hole through his with how intensely you stare.
“I shot him down,” he reminds you.
“I had it handled,” you shoot back at him. Suddenly you’re curious, and you have an idea. You tilt your helmet up at him, if this works, you might have a solution to your crash landing earlier. “How much are they offering you? For the bounty.” He doesn't answer, you assume it's because he doesn’t trust you, so you offer your commission price readily, “Mines ten thousand.” with the way his visor snaps straight ahead in response, you know you have him beat. Probably by a lot. “I’ll tell you what,” you continue, “let's split the reward.” He cocks his helmet to the side in surprise...or possibly confusion? Maybe both. You can't really tell. So you repeat yourself, “let's split the reward. Five thousand between the two of us.”
“What's the catch?" Well, it’s not a no, so far so good.
“I need a ride,” you admit with a modulated sigh running through your helmet, “I had a bit of a rough landing. My ship’s scrapped."
"Five thousand credits isn't enough for a ship."
"That's not your problem. We'll part ways after we split the credits. We got a deal or not?"
"Only if you hand over that beskar when we split the credits."
you pretend to mull it over in your head, but you know that nothing in the universe could possibly convince you to give up your armor. you will die with it, and even in death you will take it to your grave.
"I'll consider it." you say finally. you know it's not what he wants to hear, but you hope it will be enough.
"Then it's a deal." He nods and doesn't say anything more, just starts walking in what you assume is the direction of his ship, so you kick the heels of the bounty you're still holding up by the cuffs.
"Move it." you snap at him and start pushing him forward as you follow the silver armor ahead of you. the bounty is still barely hanging onto consciousness, dragging his feet, you're doing most of the work for him.
Then suddenly the bounty stops all together like dead weight, digging his heels in, refusing to budge.
"I said move it!" you nudge him again roughly, more aggressive this time, but the bomber doesn't comply. His shoulders start shaking, rumbling beneath you, it takes you a second to realize he's laughing. "what's so funny?" you jostle him lightly to encourage a response. and at that, he throws his head back and starts laughing maniacally. That shock bolt from earlier must have done something to him, fried his brain or something. He just keeps laughing, like he can't control it. the mandalorian in front of you has stopped walking, and turned back around to you and the bounty to investigate the commotion.
"You're too late" the bounty spits out darkly between laughs, and he roars out louder, finding whatever it is he's going on about absolutely hysterical.
"What are you talking about? you roughly yank him around to face you and his laughing subsides leaving a sickening smile ripping across his face. He cranes his neck to look back at the bustling marketplace and begins roaring with laughter once again. but he's cut off at the sound of multiple pieces of metal hitting the tile of the roof in front of him.
"Talking about these?" the mandalorian asks, tossing another destroyed detonator bomb to the bounty’s feet. and the bomber looks at the pile horrified. it doesn't take long for you to put two and two together. This shiny mandalorian must have caught onto the bomber's plan early on and found all the hidden explosives long before you ran into him.
The bomber continues to stare down at the destroyed explosives in distress, realizing his plan failed, before that same sickening smile breaks out across his face and he chuckles out, “You missed one.”
He bursts back into a horrible laughter, and you suddenly have a pit in your stomach at the sound of it, you yank the bounty roughly by the neck, “Where is it?” your voice is rough and threatening, but he just continues to laugh maniacally. You can’t take it, todays been too much and his horrible laughter pushes you over the edge. Still grasping at his throat, you slam your armored fist hard straight into the center of his face, cutting his laughter off all together. He hangs his head limply, blood dripping down from his mouth, where his disgusting smile once was. “Where is it?” you grit out, pulling him in close to your visor with your grip tightening around his throat.
The bounty in your grip lifts his head just enough so his gaze meets your visor, and he smiles again brokenly, blood continuing to drop down from the middle of it. “Who knows?” he shrugs. Then spits blood at your visor, chuckling again weakly at you. Your veins turn to ice at the blatant disrespect and you can’t help yourself. You slam your fist into him again, harder this time, sending him flying to the ground at your feet, unmoving, out cold from your attack. Your stare lingers on the bloodied bounty beneath you too long, violence swirling through you. How dare he--how fucking dare he disrespect the armor like that--how dare he disrespect him like that.
Your fists clench at your sides, as you try to calm yourself. Your helmet snaps to the chrome mandalorian besides you, his visor shamelessly staring directly at you. You wonder if he can sense the anger whirling inside of you. “Where did you find the others?” You manage to grit out through your tight jaw. “The explosives.” Everything about you is rigid and tense from the altercation.
“At vendor tables he was harassing a few days ago, after the first bombing at a neighboring settlement. I checked all of them.” The chrome helmet doesn't move its gaze off of you. He's standing statuesque, unmoving. You look back to the bomber still unconscious on the floor. You’re trying to rack your brain, think where the last explosive could possibly be. You haven't even had the chance to investigate anything yet, you didn’t even get a chance to gather information, you immediately ended up tangled up with the strange mandalorian next to you when you made it into town. That’s when it hits you--the cantina. “Did you check the cantina?” you snap your visor to meet his again, and he shakes his head. “Keep an eye on him,” you nudge the bounty on the floor with your foot, then take off in the direction of the bar without another word. You have to be quick, you don’t know how much time is left until the bomb detonates and kills everyone in that cantina.
The bartender greets you when you rush in, “Ah! Your back! Did you find your friend?” but you ignore him, you don't have time for pleasantries. You start scanning the entirety of the bar rapidly, looking for any sign of anything unusual. You don’t even know where to begin, patrons staring at you and murmuring to each other while you silently search around--but then you hear it. The faintest of noises barely cutting through the hum of the scene around you. You follow the sound of the achingly familiar beeping, it's at the bar, close to where you sat earlier today. The bartender mistakenly thinks you’re walking over to him directly, and panics at the way you’re striding over in his direction, with purpose. “H-hey, listen-- I don’t know what I did, but i'm sure we can work something out--there's no need for any un--unnecessary violence...,” he backs up nervously, his hands out in front of him trying to show he's unarmed and willingly surrendering.
You continue to ignore him, and he swallows audibly as you make it to the edge of the bar, but you immediately drop down to reach below it, snatching the blinking explosive from where it's stuck under the bar and rising back up, holding it in your hand. He stares at you--stunned. Now realizing what your intentions were as you toss the explosive to the ground and crush it with your boot. The light fades from within the device and you pick it back up, staring at the cracked device in your hand. Your mind wanders for just a second as you remember your nightmare from earlier, the painful memory that still haunts your dreams. The environment of the cantina fading entirely until it's just you, and the broken metal in your hand. You swear you can almost still see the faintest of light blinking from inside it.
“Thank you.” you snap back to reality at the bartender's words, suddenly realizing where you are. You nod at him once accepting his gratitude. “Drinks are on me--always! Forever! Anything you want, you can have, I owe you that much…” he fades off looking down to the destroyed explosive in your hand. You smile at him, knowing he can't see it, and nod again.
You’re about to reply, but the bartender cuts you off, looking behind you, “Ah! I see you found your friend!” You turn to look towards the entrance of the cantina, where you find the shiny and chrome mandalorian standing, the unconscious bounty slung over his shoulder, while his visor is staring at you. You hold up the destroyed piece of metal in your hand for him to see, and at that, he's already turning to head out. You go to follow him, but stop when you hear the bartender start to speak again, “Maker,” he breathes out, “I’ve heard stories of mandalorians before. Never thought I would see one in person--let alone two!” he chuckles to himself.
You turn your helmet in his direction over your shoulder without turning fully towards him, “I’m no mandalorian...” your voice ringing through the modulator at an audible volume, despite how quietly you feel you say it. You don’t wait for a response, you immediately continue your way outside of the cantina to catch up to the stranger carrying your bounty ahead of you.
----------------------
When you finally arrive at his ship, just on the outskirts of town, you’re a little surprised to see his ship isn’t much nicer than yours was. It’s old and worn down. It looks like it's been abused to no end. “Are you sure you’re able to give me a ride? She doesn’t look like she would last the journey through the atmosphere…” “Where’s your wreck? We’ll stop by so you can grab what you need.” You know he ignored your question on purpose, and he hits a button on his vambrace, which triggers the slow lowering of the ship's ramp, kicking up sand around it.
“I’ll punch the coordinates into your nav comp. Just get that asshole in carbonite.” You’re already climbing up the ramp to his ship, not waiting for an invitation, and walking into the dark of the ship's hull, its armored owner following close behind you, your bounty still slung over his shoulder unconscious. You take a quick look around as the ramp closes behind the two of you, dim lights illuminating the space. It’s not big by any means. You make note of all the crates and other miscellaneous goods neatly tucked around the hull’s nooks and crannies, it’s surprisingly cozy.
While the mandalorian moves past you towards the carbonite chamber, you take that as your sign, and you make your way up the ladder of what you assume to be the cockpit of the ship. Opening the door once you make it to the top and stepping inside, you let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the control panel. It’s familiar enough, thank the maker. With how old the ship is you were expecting the controls to be unrecognizable and ancient, but you could pilot this. Easy. You step up to the navigation panel and punch in the coordinates of your wreck.
You go to sit in the pilot's seat and initiate for takeoff, but stop suddenly. This isn’t your ship, you should wait for him. You’re going to be stuck with this stranger of a mandalorian in hyperspace for an unknown amount of time, you don’t want to overstep and cause another scuffle. He's, unfortunately, your only way off this planet, and he's got your bounty. You should be considerate seeing as you’re a guest, and he's doing you a favor. A five thousand credit taxi ride...maker what a shitty deal you negotiated yourself into.
You settle into the copilots seat, and groan slightly as you sink into it. The soreness from the crash earlier is starting to settle in now that all your adrenaline from the day has worn off. Your glaring headache is becoming more and more unbearable. You reach up and, with a click and a hiss of the release, slide your helmet off your head and rest it in your lap. You breathe in deeply, maker...nothing beats the initial hit of fresh air when your helmet comes off. You lean back further in your seat trying to relax against the plush, worn leather seat. Everything aches, you're exhausted. You close your eyes and continue to breathe deeply as you enjoy the feeling of air hitting your face without your helmet. You don’t even hear the door to the cockpit slide open while you take a moment to relax.
He says something, as he approaches behind you, but you didn’t quite catch what it was, so you spin in your chair to face him, “Sorry,” you shake your head slightly, “I was zoning out, what was that?” but he doesn't say anything or move. The armored wall of a man looks frozen, tense, his body language is all rigid and weird compared to how he usually stands. You just stare back at him confused. Is there something outside? You look behind you and out the windows of the cockpit, feeling your hair brush against you at the movement. Nothing there. You turn back to him, “Uhh? Everything okay, shiny?” He continues to stand there staring at you, stiff as a board, before he suddenly looks away from you and makes his way to the pilots seat, sitting down without a word and initiating for take off.
What the kriff was that about? You continue to stare at him confused, hoping for an explanation, but he continues flicking the controls and grabbing hold of the thrusters to take off without a word. You know he's focused on flying, but at the same time, it's really starting to feel like he's purposely avoiding looking anywhere in your direction. You can’t help the way you tilt your head at him in suspicion, but you decide to let it go. You just met the guy, he doesn't owe you anything other than the ride you agreed on. But maker, is it going to bother you the whole time.
You ride the rest of the way to your ship in silence, luckily it's not too far and you make it there relatively quickly. The second his ship touches the sand next to yours, you jump out of your seat tucking your helmet under your arm. “I’ll be quick. I don’t have much.” you wait a second for a response, but he’s still avoiding looking at you, and doesn't say anything. You tilt your head at him again with growing suspicion, but head out regardless without another word.
Stepping back onto your trashed ship feels surreal. Looking at all your belongings scattered around and trying to decide what to take is upsetting. This isn’t the first time you’ve done this, having to leave behind the majority of your belongings and start over, but it never gets easier. You pack mostly practical things, the essentials: clothes, medical supplies, rations, whatever weapons you have. You figure you should probably bring your blanket, you aren’t quite sure how long your journey will be and hyperspace is cold.
When you head over to your cot however, your gut wrenches seeing what you still had of his things scattered throughout the space. The old box you kept some sentimental items in had spilled, scattering the contents across your bed. Some of his old clothes, a crumpled note he left you once, you chuckle lightly to yourself at the memory of it. A necklace, he got it for you as a gift on Coruscant. You pick up his old sleep shirt that's bundled up in the corner and bring it up to your face, taking a deep inhale. It still smells like him. Despite sleeping with it every night, his scent still clings to the material. It's faint, not as strong as it once was, but it's there. Your heart aches, not a day goes by that you don’t miss him. You gingerly and lovingly fold it up neatly and pack it away with the rest of the belongings you plan to take with you.
You haul the large bags of your belongings over your shoulder, off your own ship and carry them up the ramp of the stranger mandalorian’s ship. You hit the control panel on the wall once you're inside, closing the ramp behind you. You set your things down in an unoccupied corner and make your way back up to the cockpit, helmet still under your arm. When you enter the cockpit however, you pause.
There’s a strange cooing coming from the pilot's seat where the mandalorian is sitting. Was...was that sound coming from him? There’s no way. You slowly make your way over so you can peer over his shoulder, you gasp at the sight of the green creature bundled up in his lap. It’s big dark eyes staring into yours. “What is that thing?” you mutter out, barely able to squeeze the words out as you stare at it curiously.
“A child.” You furrow your brows together at his answer. Well no shit. That was clearly a baby, but not like any baby you’ve ever seen. You don't recognize its species. Let alone the mystery as to why the mandalorian in front of you has it in his possession. “Is it...yours?” you're not quite sure how to vocalize all of the questions running through your head. Is the mandalorian the same mysterious species under that beskar? How has he managed hunting bounties with a youngling on board?
“For now.” You wait for him to elaborate, but he doesn't. You slowly lower yourself into the copilot’s seat, not once removing your gaze from the green baby in his arms.
“And that means?” You tilt your head and the baby mirrors you, cooing at you.
“He is mine until I can reunite him with his own kind. I’m looking for a jedi to take him on.” the baby reaches out to you babbling happily. You go to hold him, reaching out to take him from the mandalorian’s arms, but stop in an instant when his visor suddenly snaps up to look at you. He's doing that thing again, just staring at you intensely. You decide to ignore it, more transfixed by the baby. “May I?” you tilt your hands still outstretched in front of you, not wanting to overstep any boundaries. You’re suddenly very aware of the fact that he still doesn't trust you. He just met you, another bounty hunter, and now you're asking to hold his baby. Much to your surprise however, he allows it and cautiously hands the baby to you, his visor never moving from your face.
The baby coos happily and reaches up to you as you pull him to your armored chest. He’s adorable, the way his little teeth poke through his smile, it swells through your chest. Oh he is absolutely precious. You wiggle your finger at him and he latches his tiny green ones around it. You haven't even noticed the mandalorian still staring at you. “Does he have a name?” you press your finger lightly to the baby's nose and his little green smile grows larger as he giggles in response. You can feel yourself smiling too, you can't help it, it's contagious.
“Grogu.” You can still feel his visor on your when he replies. “Little Grogu…” you repeat softly, stoking the baby’s cheek. His big ears perking up at the sound of his name. He reaches up with his little fingers, so you hold him up a little higher against your chest, and he grabs onto a piece of your hair. You chuckle lightly at how captivated he is by you, in the same way you are with him. “He’s adorable.” you finally break your gaze from the baby in your arms, looking up to the shiny wall of beskar sitting next to you. Your smile fades into a frown when you see he's still staring at you. Okay, this is getting weird. “What's your deal?” you snap out at him, the baby still babbling away in your arms, his little hands reaching out to touch your face and hair. “Why are you staring at me like that? We got a problem?”
The mandalorian quickly averts his gaze to the control panel, and begins initiating take off again, punching coordinates into the navigation. “No, sorry.” He mutters, barely audible through the helmets modulator.
“Then what is it? Is there something on my face?” and with that he pauses. Stops flicking switches for just a second too long, before continuing. “No.” He grabs a hold of the thrusters and pulls back, lifting the ship off the ground, and taking off. Maker, his responses are so--frustrating. Absolutely infuriating. How many more questions do you have to ask before you get to the bottom of this? You decide to give up again, it’s not worth your efforts. Let him be difficult if he wants, you’ll forget about him soon enough when you part ways. You turn your attention back to Grogu, immediately your irritation dissolves into nothing. Maker, you’ve only held this child in your arms maybe five minutes and you are already absolutely enamored with him.
By the time you make the jump into hyperspace, the child has fallen asleep soundly in your arms. The mandalorian stands, and carefully takes him from you, descending the ladder into the hull with him to put him to bed, you assume. Now that you're alone in the cockpit, you look down to the helmet in your lap with a sigh. You grasp onto it lightly and tilt it up to stare into the visor. You reflect on your day; the crash, the scuffle with the strange mandalorian, the rush of trying to find the last bomb your bounty hid. Nothing ever goes smoothly for you anymore. Everyday feels like a struggle now that he's gone. It's been over a year since he died--almost two, you realize suddenly. The nightmares still plague you almost every night. You clench your eyes shut, and shake your head lightly trying not to think about any part of that horrible day. You should have died with him--you were supposed to. Whatever kind of sick joke the maker was playing, saving you and not him, you’ll never understand. You flutter your eyes back open, another sad sigh escaping your lips, as you stare back into the familiar visor. The smear of stars through hyperspace reflecting off of it. Hollow...empty. You gently hold the beskar up in your hands, and lean forward to press your forehead into it, taking a deep breath as you do so.
You gasp lightly when you hear the cockpit doors open, and pull away from the helmet in your hands as the new and mysterious mandalorian you just met enters and resumes his seat in his respective chair. You’re suddenly embarrassed, hoping he didn’t see that. Such a personal and intimate moment you don't want to be witnessed by anyone, let alone someone you just met... and quite frankly don’t like. You relax slightly after a moment of silence, and lean back into your seat, resting your aching body against the back of it, closing your eyes against the streaks of light coming through the window.
“Who did it belong to?” His modulated voice ringing out through the silence catches you off guard.
“Hmm?” you open your eyes and turn your head slightly against the back of your seat to face him. He hasn't moved his gaze from the cockpit window.
“Your armor. You said it belonged to someone important to you.” You suddenly get the feeling he definitely saw you earlier, when you had your forehead to the helmet in your lap, and you tense a bit. You’re just staring up at him cautiously, uncertain if you can trust him.
You’re quiet for too long before you let out the softest of sighs and take another deep breath in, “Maybe another time...” is all you can manage. You’re not sure why, but the idea of telling him seems impossible. It's not a secret by any means, you haven't hesitated to tell anyone before. Maybe it’s because you're not sure you can trust him, or simply the fact that you don’t like him. Maybe it’s because he's a mandalorian...
It's probably all of those reasons and more, all mixed up. It doesn't really matter, there's no reason for him to know. You will be parting ways with this mysterious mandalorian soon enough. Thankfully he doesn’t press the issue. In fact, he doesn’t say anything. The two of you ride your way through the silence of hyperspace without another word. Only the low rumbling of the engine beneath you filling the air. *** MASTER - Next
#the mandalorian#din djarin x reader#din x reader#the mandalorian x reader#the mandalorian x you#din djarin x you#mando x reader#mando x you#reader insert#mandalorian fanfic#fan fic#the mandalorian fanfic#the mandalorian fanfiction
73 notes
·
View notes
Text
So The Son Of Bigfoot is this film from 2017 and it's completely nutty.
The opening scene is this science man getting chased through a forest by a load of helicopters, men with dogs and a pointy-faced dude with very blonde hair. The lot of them have stupid hairstyles. Science Man climbs a cliff, is cornered by the helicopters and then jumps off a waterfall. End scene, cut to title, then the main stuff starts. (I think I'm going to explain the entire film, so anyone who wants to watch it (and I heartily recommend you do so) leave now.)
The main plot is about this kid who gets bullied by three morons with stupid haircuts. Here they are:
(Sunglasses has this silly little goatee thing at the back of his head)
The three morons stick a load of gum in his hair, so his mum has to chop it all off. Next day, it's all grown back, and kid freaks and tries to chop it off himself - which goes badly. He finds his dead dad's old hat in a draw to hide it, goes to school and basically has a weird thing where his hearing suddenly increases and so does his shoe size. The kid's feat literally bust out of his shoes. Kid ends up in the PE hall to escape the noise and surprise! the three bullies turn up, he accidently punches one in the face and so they beat him up, steal his backpack and throw it in a basketball hoop. The lot of them get called to the headmaster's office to be punished (suspension), in which the kid - Adam - meets some blonde girl who flirts with him, gets his bag back and is told to remove the hat, revealing that his hair has grown back completely. Before he has time to contemplate this, the bullies turn up again, chase him home and throw a rock through his window. Rock hits a vent, breaks it and hits something metal, so Adam sticks his arm down and finds a tin full of letters from his dead dad and an address carved on bark. He reads the letters and his mum gets home, he accuses her of keeping his dad's living-ness a secret. Yelling ensues, Adam runs away, y'know - the usual.
Meanwhile, this massive hair company (Hair Co) are trying to make some serum to make hair grow. It's run by the pale dude from before, who never gets named, so I'll refer to him as Asshole. Asshole is showing these three dudes around and nattering, and then they get to this science lab. A short old science man shoots an intern in the ass with a dart thing that causes him to grow an afro. The afro then promptly bursts into flames.
We return to Adam, next to a highway trying to hitchhike in the pouring rain. Truck driver stops and Adam guilts him into taking him to the address on that bit of bark. Turns out it's literally just a post box in a woods next to the road. Adam gets out, truck drives off leaving Adam alone and so he ventures into the unknown. He wanders around for a bit looking for a house or something, yelling "Hello?" into the void. He climbs a small cliff, yells again and hears something behind him. Sees some bushes moving, so he throws a rock at them. The bushes go "ow" so he runs off and right into a bear trap. He falls, skidding the rest of the way down to the road. During said skid, his backpack falls off. This is important. Adam gets knocked out by the impact and is left sprawled in the middle of the road. Some trucker - I'm going to call him Carl - is driving down it, reading a magazine and singing something. He sees Adam at the last minute, slamming on the breaks. He's clearly going to hit Adam, but before he can, this blurry humanoid figure runs out into the road, scoops up Adam and runs off again. Carl is very confused, so plays it back on his dashboard camera. He goes "Well, I'll be" and reaches for his phone. It has no service. Carl ends up at a diner with a phone box, calls 911 and reports that he saw Bigfoot. 911 hangs up on him. Carl then proceeds to call the magazine he was reading and gets told that his sighting will get published.
Back at Hair Co, Asshole sees the report and smirks at the short science man, whom I'll be calling Billingsley, as that is his name. Billingsley wants to go after Bigfoot but Asshole says that they gave up the search ten years ago, leading to the question: 'What the fuck, Hair Co?' They eventually decide to go after Bigfoot again after seeing Adam in the photo.
Carl, back at the diner, is talking to the serving lady who I've named Sugar. They talk about the Bigfoot sighting, and then a load of black cars and a freaking helicopter turn up. Sugar shouts for someone to raise the prices.
Turns out all the men in black people are Hair Co looking for Bigfoot - and Asshole is with them. Carl explains about where he saw Bigfoot and an agent finds Adam's backpack (I said it was important) and his address in it. Asshole smirks again.
Two of the Agents of Hair turn up at Adam's address, break in and find the letters. Meanwhile, Shelly - the mum - is driving to the address on the bark in search of Adam.
This is where it gets a little nuts. Adam wakes up in some tree next with Bigfoot - inexplicably in a pair of jeans that look far too small for him because of all the fur - is standing over him. Adam understandably freaks out and tries to leave, only to nearly die from falling. Bigfoot grabs him before he does and explains that he is Adam's dad. His not dead, very much alive, rather furry and never named dad. (For that reason I'm going to keep calling him Bigfoot.) Adam calls bullshit and threatens him with a twig, then sees that the middle of the treehouse is decorated in photos of him and his mum. This somehow proves to Adam that Bigfoot is his dad, and I'm sure you guessed from the title. He then freaks out again, calling his dad a monster and Bigfoot makes the most funny offended face in animated history.
He then accuses Bigfoot of running away, to which Bigfoot responds with "Woah." He then explains that someone *cough* Hair Co *cough* *cough* were hunting him and he had to leave to keep Adam and Shelly safe. Adam then asks him what he meant by 'lab rat', making Bigfoot change the subject to Shelly and whether she knows Adam is here. Adam lies, his dad catches it, and they argue for a bit before Bigfoot says "Your mum must be worried sick."
Cut to Shelly driving up to a blockade set up by the Agents of Hair. They say they're looking for her, and she tries to escape but the Agents of Hair stop her.
Back at the treehouse, apparently Bigfoot and Adam have stopped arguing and Bigfoot is going on about being sorry he missed Adam's childhood and how Shelly sent everything to him. Adam then asks if he's going to have Bigfoot stuff happen to him - mostly refuring to the fur (I'm not sorry for the pun) - and Bigfoot says no. He then explains that he's already thirteen and hasn't shown any signs of being a bigfoot. Adam says "Yes I have. My feet went weird and so did my hearing." They eventually work out that Adam got all of the cool stuff about being a bigfoot and none of the fur. Cool stuff? I hear you and Adam ask. Turns out bigfoots (bigfeet?) have healing powers (which is how Adam is walking on a leg that got caught in a beartrap), run really fast, hear super well (like things around a mile away) and can talk to animals. They then zipline down to the ground, do some weird surfing thing and fall over. During the next 20 minutes, we meet two racoons, a squirrel and a woodpecker. Oh, yeah, and a giant bear. There's some nonsense with two idiotic hunters, baseball, some geysers and then they end up back at the treehouse. This sickeningly sweet bonding shit is interrupted by the raccoons who report that the Agents of Hair are scouring the forest looking for Bigfoot. Bigfoot blames Adam, which is fair but also really not, who then decides to give himself up to Asshole and the Agents of Hair. They take him to his mum and he tricks them into climbing into a geyser. This pisses of Asshole who, in a plot to lure out Bigfoot, traps Adam in a car and sends him into a forest fire the Agents of Hair started. When Bigfoot shows up to try and save Adam, he gets Adam out of the car but is shot by Asshole with a stun dart. The massive bear whose name is Wilbur saves Adam but a burning branch gets in the way of him going back for Bigfoot, who is captured by Asshole. Adam then blacks out from smoke inhalation. When he comes to, Wilbur and the other animals decide to leave, but Adam convinces them to help him save Bigfoot in a Mission Impossible style heist.
Back at Hair Co, Billingsley has almost perfected a hair formula and shoots the intern again, causing all his hair to grow prolifically. Asshole is pleased by this.
While that's happening, Adam and the rest break into Hair Co's nearest facility, and during the commotion, all of them but Adam get captured. Adam makes it to his dad, who then refuses to leave in a plot twist everyone saw coming, aside from Adam who is confused. Asshole has apparently promised to care for Shelly and Adam and not kill them in exchange for Bigfoot allowing them to run experiments on him. Adam, who is not crazy and doesn't trust Asshole, tries to convince Bigfoot to leave but then Asshole himself turns up and takes Adam out of the lab. Asshole talks about how Adam is going to like being rich while Adam spots a fire alarm, breaks it and causes the only door in to seal itself with him on the inside. This greatly pisses off Asshole, who yells for security to open the door and that the fire is a false alarm. Security guy, who Adam and co knocked out earlier, comes to, hears fire and sounds the evacuation alarm. Asshole gets taken to the bridge, leaving only Adam inside.
Adam then steals an access card from a guard he knocked out, releases all the animals, including the ones used by Hair Co to test stuff on (who all leave the compound and follow the evacuating Agents of Hair), and cause chaos. During said chaos Adam gets a flare gun. He goes back to Bigfoot and this time succeeds in convincing him to leave, threatening to tell Asshole that he's a Bigfoot too. This sentiment is quite sweet as he says that "If you don't leave, then I'm staying. It's the two of us here or the two of us out there, but I'm not loosing you again." They leave and Bigfoot decides to go into a large production area and break all of the gas pipes, deciding that Hair Co is going to be put out of business, permanently. They break many gas lines, leading to the door to be sealed so no gas escapes. They escape through a vent and come out at the top of Hair Co, and zipline down to the bridge using the cables holding it up.
Asshole is there waiting for them. He has found out that Adam is also a bigfoot and shoots Bigfoot several times with stun darts then kicks him off the bridge. Adam, with the most 'fuck you' look, shoots the flare gun's flare into Hair Co, igniting the gas and exploding the building and making the bridge collapse.
Adam then runs to the end of the bridge and climbs down to try and find his dad. Asshole also falls off the bridge because of his own stupidity and the Agents of Hair being incompetent.
In the gorge below, Adam finds his dad badly injured and dying. He cries at first, hugging his dad and his hands glow with blue swirls of light that disappear as soon as he takes his hand away from Bigfoot's arm. He then remembers the healing powers his dad told him about, and uses them on his dad. The blue magic makes Bigfoot's body rise into the air as the healing powers try to heal him, then gently place him back on the ground after Adam is done.
Bigfoot doesn't move.
"No!" Adam cries out, sobbing again. Then Bigfoot moves and wakes up, they hug, the animals show up and it's all very sweet, blah blah blah.
And then along comes Asshole, looking rather deranged and pointing a stun gun at them. He starts monologuing about how "it did not have to end this way" and then is shot in the ass by Shelly. Bigfoot, Shelly and Adam decide on "no more hiding". Meanwhile, the male raccoon discovers that Asshole has been wearing a toupee the entire time.
It turns out that Billingsley and the intern survived.
A few weeks/months later (it's actually only about a week later) Bigfoot and the animals are living happily with Shelly and Adam, who is returning to school after his suspension.
On the way, the bullies return and try to beat up Adam, only to be scared by Wilbur the massive bear. They end up with broken bikes (curtesy of the raccoons) and bruises. The blonde girl from the office shows up at the end of the confrontation and asks to walk to school with Adam. She also asks what happened to his shoes, as his feet bust out when the bullies show up. He jokes that he should switch to sandals, and the film ends on them walking away with his shoes hanging from a telephone pole.
It's a wild ride and I'd honestly recommend it to anyone with an hour and a half to spare. Despite what it looks like, I didn't get in everything and the whole film is a lot funnier that I said here.
This film got an 8/10.
#son of bigfoot#movie review#movie recommendation#go watch this movie#seriously#spoilers#plot summary#this is the plot
24 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hi sweetheart!! Could you teach how to make gifs with hd quality?
hello! i’m honoured to think that my gifsets are high quality enough to ask for a tutorial. a lot of my work has been through trial and error and a little help from sharpening actions. i’m going to base a little off chloezhao’s gifmaking beginner tutorial, except i use video to frames and not screencapping.
let’s get started!
program: adobe photoshop 2021
i find that the majority of gif makers use some form of adobe product whether that is premiere or photoshop, but i just use the most recent photoshop version adobe had to offer.
this tutorial applies for macOS and windows so don’t worry, any version of program that contains the “timeline” feature will do.
1. download HQ OR HD videos.
i find that the best gifs that come out with HD frames are 1080p quality or 1440p. anything below that might come out to look a little pixelated. at least that’s what i’ve learnt over the time that i started making gifs (a little over a month ago). for me, i can also screen record my videos if it seems like it’ll be impossible to download a high quality video but it’s only in a dire situation.
the website that i use is called savieo, and it allows you to download videos from naver, youtube and vlive. this is great especially if you’re a kpop related tumblr account like i am. this is useful as sometimes, the quality of gifs can be severely degraded if uploaded to youtube vs. naver. this has rung true for music show performances. for this gif, i’m going to take a video off naver where sunmi has done a performance on MBC’s music core for you can’t sit with us.
2. importing video to frames.
secondly, i import my video to frames. since i work with short videos (3-10 mins) instead of 2 hour movies like some gif makers on tumblr, i feel more comfortable importing my downloaded video into photoshop, clipping it to an appropriate size and converting it to frames in one program.
importing:
➤ after your video has downloaded, in photoshop go to file > import > video frames to layers.
➤ browse for the video. mine is usually in the downloads folder.
➤ once opened, you will have a window much like this. for this section of gif making, you have to select a short clip that you want to turn into a gif. for this example, i’ll do sunmi’s ending fairy section. keeping in mind that the bottom sliders select your clip!
➤ this will take some time to load depending on the length of your clip but as mine is short i estimate it’ll be around 50 frames (which is the average amount you want, or else the gif file size is too big and tumblr won’t accept it).
➤ after it finishes loading it should look something like this. if you don’t have the timeline open, go to window > timeline.
3. rid of excess frames.
➤ i like to get rid of frames i don’t need. as you can see above, we have the ending shot but not a close up of sunmi being an ending fairy. so i simply scroll through the timeline until i find the last frame of that scene, and shift and left click on it. now we can delete it using the trashcan icon. and i do the same for excess frames on the right hand side.
➤ now select the marquee tool. this depends on how you want the gif to look, for me i chose the dimensions 1920px x 800px.
➤ once that’s been selected, you can crop! i have a short cut assigned to this already, but if you go to image > crop you will get the same effect. this will take a while if you have 90 frames like i do. but it will take less time if you have 40-50 frames.
4. resizing
for all gif makers the dimensions differ depending on how they want it to look on tumblr. for me i like to make the width 810px for a nice big high quality gif, or 540px (the width of a tumblr dashboard post). to do so, go to image > image size and put in new dimensions. for this gif i’m making the width 810px. this will take some time to load!
that’s how to make a basic gif with no sharpening! you can now export it if you wish, by going to file > export > save for web (legacy).
note: if you take a look at the timeline you can play the gif from frame one using the controls. also, if the play back speed bothers you when you’re exporting to save it to web, do what i show below.
reducing gif speed:
end result with no sharpening:
4. sharpening.
for this, we’re going to have to convert to video timeline. our current timeline is a frame animation timeline! on the right hand side of the timeline there will be 3 lines stacked on top of each other, much like an options menu. click on that and select convert to video timeline.
➤ the timeline will now look like this.
➤ go to select > all layers. the layers should then be highlighted on the right hand side.
➤ now right click on any of the highlighted layers and press convert to smart object. smart objects are essentially a new layer that contains image data of EVERY layer you have selected. so any effects you apply to the smart object will now apply to every frame layer from the gif. it will look like this:
➤ keeping the smart object selected, go to filter, then smart sharpen. i go for a singular smart sharpen but some users like to smart sharpen twice, much like chloezhao’s tutorial that i linked in the beginning of this tutorial.
these are the settings used:
➤ and save with export to web!
5. colouring
now for colouring at present i have NOT explored colouring my own gifs that much and i stick to psds from deviantart or tumblr. the one i’m using today is no. 1 psd by bbyhyuck @ deviantart. click here.
when dropping a psd onto a gif file, ENSURE THE TOP MOST LAYER IS SELECTED like so !!
to drop a colouring onto your gif, open the psd and drag it into a separate window of its own like so:
and then select the folder and drag and drop it on top of your gif preview (mine is sunmi’s face!) the folder should now be above the top most layer.
and that’s it! export it and it should now look like this.
tumblr is extremely finnicky with me uploading my gifs in a text post so click the above link to view the results (pre sharpening, post sharpening and post psd.)
23 notes
·
View notes
Text
Love me for who I am now
Bucky x Reader ( Chapter 7)
Previous / Next (8)
Summary: You apply for the Stark internship and end up getting it, so now you have 5 months to make a good impression to continue working with the Avengers.
A/N: This delay wasn’t planned everyone. My computer had enough from online classes and decided to crash on me a couple of days ago. I had to send it for repair, but we are back now. I will post a bit more often from my usual schedule for a few days to try and compensate. Hope yall like this, sorry for any mistakes made. Enjoy.
Tag list: @vicmc624 @yasminwashere @darkacademic2
Word count: 4,301
Warmings: fights, harsh language, not part of the original MCU
Y/N- Your name
Y/L/N- Your Last Name
--------------------------------------
“ I am sorry to cut this lovely reunion short, but we are still in a HYDRA base and honestly I am sure I hear a clock ticking.” You pointed in the direction of the gentle muffled clicking sounds
“Guess they plan to level this place to the ground just in case.” Bucky pinched in
“The way it sounds, I plan to watch the fireworks from inside the car on our way AWAY!”
Peggy still in Steve’s arms, felt being lifted off the ground again like she was made from feathers, as he dashed through the now missing doors towards the premade exit. She kept silent for most of the escape, seeing how the situation was confusing as it is, there was no need to fuel the adrenalin more. The bomb was enough for now.
The grip Cap had on Peggy loosened, letting her jump in the backseat with his shield. Bucky’s big frame settled next to Steve in the front seat, but not before he threw you towards Agent Carter, less gently than his friend did.
“I am not a bag of groceries Barnes!” you kicked his seat, yet ended up getting ignored for the most part
With determination, Steve’s foot hit the gas making the car roar out – snow creating a cloud behind the tires.
The empty space filled with loud beating hearts, skipping and missing beats, going one over the other – starting to calm down only after some distance was put between them and the building.
“Guess I misunderstood the tiking sou-“ the whispers coming out from your lips were engulfed by the huge explosion following the thankfully small pieces hitting the rear of the vehicle. You and Peggy ducked your heads for safety measures. The men in front seemed too immersed in the road, couldn’t even notice the musical notes coming from Bucky’s metal arm, his body leaning out the window, as particles ricocheted off it .
“Barnes!” your fingers reached over to grab onto his weapon belts, pulling him back inside. This man had no regards to his life, making one stupid decision after the other. It didn’t help that Steve wasn’t even noticing it all. Sometimes it felt like they both shared the ‘stupid’.
“Calm down doll. I am trying to see through the dust cloud. Wouldn’t want Stevie to throws us off a cliff.”
“I. Can’t.Believe.You.Are.Joking.Right.Now!” each hit perfectly timed thumping off his broad shoulders
“Stop it you two! Call Stark.” The blonde man demanded, pulling Bucky’s attention from you and onto the earpiece. The deep stern voice of authority cut your upset streak immediately.
“Hey ladies, how was the ball?” Tony’s playboy tone rung through the car, presumably while he was twirling onto his work chair.
“Delightful.” You hissed between your teeth
“What is wrong Cinderella? Lost a shoe?”
“No, but we gained a member.”
“Calling Barnes a dog isn’t nice now.”
“Stark!” Bucky launched towards the dashboard, but Steve stopped him with his free arm, before clasping the gear stick again.
“HYDRA were doing something in there that might have worked.”Cap began talking “ Tony, we don’t plan on stopping at a safe house. I am driving us directly towards the compound. How fast can you meet us there?”
The mic picked up on Tony’s shifting body guessed by the screeching sound of his work chair “ I don’t know. How far are you from there? Fuck, I will call Happy to get me from Stark tower.”
“I am sorry to intrude in this discussion, but do you by chance mean Stark as in Howard Stark?” Peggy placed her hands onto Steve’s seat, pulling her body closer.
“Usually people don’t think of my father first thing when they hear my name.” Tony huffed out, a bit of pride bubbling in his long blood of geniuses.
“You are Howard’s son?!” she gasped audibly
“Umm, I thought people knew that about me already, as well as handsome, playboy, genius, billionaire. Google gives a good explanation too. Steve is this our new addition? I would be worried if the answer is yes.” The car fell silent for a couple of seconds “I will take that as my answer.”
“We are close.” Cap didn’t know how to deal with all this still, he just had to cut it short till everyone was gathered and maybe ignore the problem for the time being. Very bad coping mechanism.
“How many vodka shots do I need for this?” Tony’s equivalent to pre-workout when it came to Avengers related work. Maybe the only thing keeping him sane most of the time.
“Grab a bottle for me too.” You voiced loud and clear from the leaning position your body was resting in
“A bottle?! Fuck my life.” The earpiece cut off the conversation making Bucky place it back onto his ear. Silence laced the atmosphere once more, this time with no sound, but the motion of the car to keep company. Your eyes laid over everyone inside one by one, scanning them and their calm exterior. The drive was long and a bit suffocating to a point, where you had to open the window on your side to let some fresh air in.
“Ah, sorry.” You sighed out looking at Peggy’s scattering hair “I should have asked before opening it.” Her hand gently pushed the flying strands behind her ear flashing you’re a smile.
“It’s ok. I know how much you hate tight spaces, we used to find diners with tables next to open windows because of that.” There it was again, a chunk of true information about you throw directly out of the 40s at you in the 21st century. Steve’s gaze focused onto the reflection in the car mirror switching between his love’s soft gaze and your confused look thrown back at her.
“Calm down, we are almost there” Bucky’s fingers Morse coded a quick message to his ,on the edge friend, earing a nod and refocus back on the street.
The moment you entered the city again, Peggy’s eyes darted towards her side of the car scanning everything happening. The buildings were huge, people were dressed so different, their manners and way they carried themselves, it felt weird not what she grew up with and knew by memory. It felt lonely maybe, or sad that she had no means of going back, yet the man sitting in front of her was a dream come true. Something she had wished for for years now.
“I am not…home anymore am I?” no one answered her, giving just enough information to make her own conclusion. With a small flair Steve drove the car into the compound, parking it at its usual space. The blonde soldier opened the door slowly, reaching his hand out for the agent to take, as baffled as she still was at this point. You found it so sweet how he was showing his feelings towards Peggy without saying a word, still lost in the mission. While Bucky was fixing himself up, he noticed the way your gaze laid over the two lovebirds in a longing stare. A gentle smirk pulled on his lips, before pushing out of the car and gripping your door handle. An unlocking sound shot your head, throwing your hair in the opposite direction.
“What are you doing?” you asked him, tripping over the end of the question lightly
“Something you will never admit you want.” His flesh arm reached out for yours to take, letting you marvel at his huge stance for a moment. The hesitation dissolved with the reflection of yourself inside his ocean blue eyes.
An old melancholic memory blew over you like a ghost, pushing your hand into his palm. Even though Bucky was the one who offered this, his body froze when you accepted his touch. His eyes ran over your hand, up your shoulder to your face, locking with you. His fingers slowly pulled your hand closer, clapped gently as he ran his thumb over your knuckles.
“I am glad that at least you brought my car back, for once.” Tony’s figure, standing next to the elevator with spread hands, pulling you two out of the time capsule. For a moment, for just a split second you saw in front of yourself a man. Short messed up dark brown hair, his smile reaching up to his eyes, shaping them slightly into crescent moons. His shirt unbuttoned tinted a dirty olive green letting his chest show – a metal chain laid upon it. His pants were messed up, his face muddy at places. It went like it came, a mist like whisper of the past.
“Tony we need to gather everyone.” Steve pushed the keys into the billionaire’s chest, letting them drop in his hands
“Already did-“ it didn’t take much time for him to notice Peggy “Is that?”
“Agent Peggy Carter.” She walked up to him with a confidant stride leaning for a handshake, which Tony didn’t hesitate to finish “Well aware of your identity agent Carter. Stark, Tony Stark.”
She flashed him a smile with a small nod before walking into the elevator.
“F.R.Y.D.A.Y. conference room.”
Yes Sir
The doors slid open causing the confused agent to jump a bit. You made sure to grab onto her, stopping a potential injury inside. The big almost ceremonial hall sized room revealed itself in front of Peggy, adding to her list of amazing and possibly impossible things.
“How did the first mission go Y/N?” Nat swung her legs jumping off the table, just to be stopped in her track by the unexpecting young lady behind Steve
“Everyone take your seats. This will be a long one.”Tony rushed to pour himself a drink, downing it faster than he could refill it. Peggy took Steve’s spot as he requested of her, taking his big frame to the front of the room.
“The HYDRA base was active. Except the usual goons there were 3 men, one of them was a scientist. Y/N.” he pointed towards you, directing the attention at you for a moment “Was able to retrieve the information, hopefully all of it, from them.”
“May I?” you asked, coaxing a nod from Steve. He turned towards your empty chair ,as you took his place in front of everyone. Taking over Tony’s tech you inserted the USB, but didn’t project anything yet to them. “They are trying to re-activate plan Winter Soldier and I am worried that they are pretty close to doing that.” Bucky’s body tensed up after he heard that name uttered from your lips “ I am guessing that they are opening a portal back in time using the tesseract. I don’t know if they plan to steal the serum, but it won’t be as simple as we think. F.R.Y.D.A.Y. the projector please.”
As you wish Miss
The wall became illuminated by different pictures and texts meticulously organized by you on the screen under your fingers. “I found old files, but no matter how much I scan them, I can’t get any information out of them.” Your head moved from the wall over to the tablet between your palms “All I can tell you is this Phase2-“
“Winter Soldier Phase2 The Return.” Peggy spoke out, her body rising slowly from the chair
“Everyone.” Your hand let go of the tech and turned the palms up pointing at her “Agent Peggy Carter, the one who walked through that very light ring a couple of hours ago.”
“She traveled through time?” Clint looked at Rhodey shaking his hands in front of his body “Is that something we can do now? Doesn’t it mess up some time space stuff?”
“Yes, basically. Just don’t tell Strange, we should be fine” You explained
“Noted.”
“Well since she seems to know something about this, let’s let her explain.” Tony swung his whiskey in the expensive crystal glass, the ice hitting the walls melodically.
“Before this all happened, I was on a mission to retrieve the second half of that exact document.” She began
“You have read the first part ?” Steve asked earning an positive answer from her
“The experimented soldiers were cryo-frozen for future use, I am guessing in this day and age. The first file spoke of the process and the scientists involved in the whole operation by name. They planned to use one of these men to make a super soldier embryo.”
“HYDRA wants to mingle some of their soldiers to make a baby? Wouldn’t want to be that poor girl.” the playful note was easily distinguished
“They could inject the serum inside a pregnant mother.” Vision leaned his body onto the table offering his two cents on this already sadistic topic
“ This whole ordeal could be a way for them to try and retrieve the lost files. Going back in time is a big thing on its own. Guess they are very confidant in this operation to begin with.” Wanda jumped in with an idea following a lead
“That is an option, considering that their plan with unfreezing those popsicles ended up with all them dying in the first place.” Tony pushed off his desk, leaving the glass to rest on the coaster empty. “What else did you find on that USB?”
“That two soldiers survived that time difference.” Pressing the screen Bucky’s file popped up on the wall “James Buchanan Barnes, as we know went through the cryo freezer, but the second soldier doesn’t have any intel on methods of survival. Yet the more I looked into it, the more information I found about him. The files are much fuller than those of Bucky, almost like they had a personal deal of sorts, which got me thinking. So turns out this mystery soldier was in HYDRA as a family business. Him and Bucky were the best duo they had, almost perfectly engineered team. Taking orders and finishing the job. Our Mr.2 didn’t go under the memory eraser as much as Bucky did, only 5 recorded cases in here. ” You tried to dig for a picture to offer them a face, but you could only find a burned one of a dog tag with a missing name, only the numbers left “ It is almost like he had been in the organization since a child.”
“What a family.” Nat commented “Basically we have another Barnes running around out there and we don’t know what he is capable of or who he might be?”
“I don’t remember any of this.” Bucky rubbed his head, either a headache creeping onto him or the anger of not being able to be of help.
“The problem might go deeper than that.” Steve rolled his shoulders back, hands crossed in front of his chest “Peggy seems to know Y/N.”
“Pardon my French but what the actual flying fuck?” Sam laughed out “ You can time travel of something now?”
“Not that I know of.” You shrugged “I am as confused about this as you all are.”
“Peggy?” his blonde hair flew around his head, as his eyes focused onto her figure
“We, me and Y/N are friends. Both of us met awhile after Steve’s….disappearance. Probably a couple of years or so. We used to go out from time to time and enjoy some food or a casual walk. Nothing suspicious. ”
“You said we haven’t seen each other since a few months now?” you asked her
“Yes, last time we met you had to leave earlier because of family problems with your uncle. It was pure coincidence, but I saw that the man who picked you up was James.”
It felt like something snapped your head towards Bucky, eyes meeting in a mix of shock and confusion. The whole room couldn’t take a breath in until their brains calculated all that just got released as information. Tony frozen in one place as his eyes began to widen.
“I think I will be saying the thing we all are thinking about but…” Bruce trailed off trying to delay this as much as he could this rough interruption “ If Miss Carter is 100% sure she knew Y/N, the one here right now that we see and she also has seen her and Bucky together during that time. The information we got from that USB can lead only to one possible conclusion.”
“Are yall saying I am 100 something years old!?” your exterior was mirroring your inside state “We don’t know if it is a woman or a men, but you can’t just start pointing fingers like that.”
“I am sure it was Y/N. I followed you back then. After recognizing James I thought…” her eyes looked at Cap softly “ If he was alive than maybe Steve was as well.” The atmosphere was dark, heavy, but also like thunder crackling, hitting you with buzzes of something.
“What we are saying is that you could be working for HYDRA and we would never know.” Tony took a few steps towards you, his finger of the suit trigger button “A few years off your daily life are missing under the alibi that you were living with your uncle. You show some interesting symptoms from time to time to.”
“I don’t work for HYDRA!” agitating words and lack of memory began taking a tole on you “Wanda, Wanda look inside my head. Tell them I don’t work for HYDRA!” you were shaking her body vigorously, hoping for assistance maybe at least from Vision, the walking infinity stone.
“Ok, calm down.” You took a seat while Wanda began gently entering your mind. She was gentle, taking her time going past one memory and into the other. Seeing thoughts and unsaid wishes. After what felt as an eternity she pulled her fingers away from your head and her presence out of your mind.
“She is telling the truth.” You slumped into the chair, taking a sharp breath in after what she said. For a moment you thought you heard faintly Tony disengaging the repulsion canon on his suit.
“But…”
“But what?” eyes wandering over Wanda in expectation
“You have missing memories, not exactly forgotten maybe suppressed or hidden. Things just don’t feel natural in some places in your head. They seem periodical.”
“Now that we have calmed down.” Bruce walked over to you, helping you get up and shielding your body from Tony’s sight “Let’s take her to Stark tower. Tony your lab there is much bigger we can figure this thing out.” Everyone in the room waited for the ultimate decision, which he took his time on making.
“F.R.Y.D.A.Y. prepare the lab.”
Yes Sir
“Thank you, Tony.” You whispered
“Don’t mention it kid.” His hand landed onto your shoulder, giving you a reassuring squeeze, that he himself might have needed at that moment “Barnes you will be in a car with Steve, Clint and Peggy, Y/N will be with me, Bruce and Natasha. We don’t need you two that close for now. Wanda, Sam and Vision can just fly there. Rhodey grab Happy and wait for us there. You.”he pointed at Thor “Go ask your messed up brother if he worked with HYDRA or lost the Tesseract for sometime before we made Vision .”
Thor summoned Bifrost off Midguard, Wanda grabbed onto Vision disappearing into the wall. Everyone else headed down to the garage. The elevator was packed, the silence felt like a rope around your throat choking you with each floor passing. The space seemed tighter than before. It felt like the elevator was slowly filling with water, the pressure crushing your bones. Your body warmed up going past the normal temperature, when an icy like cooling sensation rolled up from your waist. Jolting threw you slight back hitting something soft yet firm.
“Calm down, it is me.” A deep voice whispered letting your body sink into this hold turning into pudding. He was the only thing keeping you standing, melting away the worry. Your hands crept up grabbing onto his vibranium arm, holding tight almost like he might disappear if you let go.
Sir, the garage.
F.R.Y.D.A.Y. ‘s voice echoed sliding the metal doors open. Tony threw a pair of keys over to Steve, unlocking his own.
“I got her.” Natasha smiled at you, showing Bucky that he can entrust you to her from here on. As much as you didn’t want him to let go, you felt his body leaving yours. “ It will be ok. No one really thinks you are on their side.” She told you “We just have to make sure that if this is all true they didn’t mess with you in ways they did with the metal fossil.”
“Nat.”a jingle like giggle left your lips, tapping her arm post joke. She knew what to say at any given moment.
“Ladies mind having your giggle fest in the car, we are busy people.” Tony snapped his fingers in a flashy way, ushering you both on the back seat.
“What is the plan then?” worried or not, there was no point trying to change something outside your grasp. You were still scared, worried but sometimes wearing adult pants was needed. You worked hard to reach this spot, there was no way you could let go of your future like this. Determination was unlocking something inside you, strength in situation most people wouldn’t be able to be composed in.
Tony threw a look at you before continuing to drive towards Stark tower “Glad to have you back agent.” Nat rubbed your hand in partnership with Tony’s words “ These are all theories, but having Peggy Carter so sure in knowing you could have revealed something about you and or HYDRA.”
Sir, a message incoming from Falcon
“Put him through.”
“Hey Tony! Sorry to cut your show short. I am getting a police report of a road shut down by some black jeeps heading up on yall.” Sam was flying over the cars
“Check on it.” The big metal wings shadowed over the road and flew in front, almost disappearing between the clouds.
“Who would have guessed that someone would try and stop us from going to the lab.” Bruce laughed at his comment, but Tony and Natasha seemed too serious
“We shall see how much of this was the job of a little fairy.” The car slowed down coming up on the barricade of cars standing, tinted windows not allowed a correct assumption of human number
“Smells fishy to me. Someone let the octopus out.” Natasha pulled out the gun from her case sitting calmly next to her leg. Tony prepared his bracelets.
“Dusty, you get ready too.” He shot you a serious glance “I don’t think these fine gentlemen want our autographs.”
No one made a move for a couple of minutes, before one of the jeeps opened and threw a man out of it on the floor. Bloodied up, tied in a brutal way. His head was hanging low enough for people to figure out he was an adult male, but not enough to figure out any facial characteristics.
“Great they have a hostage.” Steve’s voice echoed from the intercoms
“It’s HYDRA.” Bucky added “Couldn’t forget these disgusting faces even if I tried.”
“ Could have guessed that much myself from the logo on them metal boy.” Tony hissed knowing damn well they had to save whoever that man was.
“Don’t be shy, we won’t shoot. Yet.” The HYDRA agent laughed out “Do you need more motivation?” his leg generated enough kinetic energy to roll the man over to the exposed sun light, making you yell out “UNCLE!”
“What?” Bruce’s body swung towards the backseat
“Great!” Tony hit the stearin wheel aggressively “Now we gotta do something. Avengers, out of the car.”
Like a command you jumped out of the vehicle , trying to make sure you weren’t just guessing blindly, but it was him. It actually was your uncle, could he have been kidnapped all this time? The letters he stopped answering to could have been a sign you were too blind to notice. But why him?
“Now that we have acquainted ourselves , we want a deal.” The tall man spoke out braking your thought process “Give us our soldier back and we give you this one here.”
“How about we punch you in the face and you give us the hostage ?” Bucky hissed out, his arm clenching in front of your eyes
“Honestly, I liked you better when you didn’t talk.” the smirk ripping this man’s face was disgusting, filled with pride.
“Y/N?” you uncle coughed up a bit of blood next to himself, a sight tugging on your heart strings.
“Aw such a sweet view. Almost a bit sad don’t you th-“
“Not as sad as you will be in a bit!” full speed down from the sky, Sam ripped the clouds landing a hard kick on the back of this guy’s head. Knocking him a couple of feet back. You dashed over to your uncle, who mustered enough power to get up and try to reach you. He collapsed half way, falling into your arms just in time.
“Uncle, uncle!” you kept calling out to him, brushing his hair off his sweaty forehead, who knows what this man went through at a HYDRA base by himself.
“I am ok sweetie. D-don’t worry.” You lowered your head trying to hear him better between the heavy breathing he was huffing and puffing, sending you a comforting smile.
“We should help them.” Steve and Bucky went towards you to give a hand in charring your relative.
“Steve wait!” Peggy grabbed his sleeve, when Bucky suddenly got the wind knocked out of him, his back denting one of Tony’s cars. The sheer strength needed to throw a big man like James back only possible by Steve, or another super soldier.
#marvel fanfic#marvel fic#marvel aus#Marvel AU#marvel fanfiction#marvel scenarios#marvel hero au#marvel hero imagines#marvel imagine#marvel fanfic series#marvel x reader#marvel x you#Marvel x Y/N#marvel x female reader#marvel heros x reader#avengers fic#avengers fanfic#avengers fanfiction#avengers scenario#avengers scenarios#avengers fanfic series#avengers au#avengers AUs#bucky imagine#bucky x reader#bucky fluff#bucky x you#bucky x y/n#bucky imagines#bucky fanfic
32 notes
·
View notes
Text
Superior Specimen - Chapter 9 (Final)
Summary: One night when you are following the Archaeology tag on instagram you stumbled across a fun looking dig… and an even more interesting Paleontologist who soon follows you back. Over the following weeks you start chatting and a friendship soon grows.
Relationship: AU Henry Cavill x Female Reader (No race or body shape mentioned)
Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8
Warnings: Slow Burn, NSFW, 18+, Mutual Masturbation, Phone Sex, Drunken Piggy Back Rides, Oral Sex (Female Recieving), Drama, Theft, Amateur Heroics, Hospital Visit, Shower Sex, Oral Sex (Male Receiving), Blow Job, Fingering, Lavish lifestyle, Henry is loaded, The Shard, Expensive Gifts, Sixty nine, Unprotected Sex, Multiple Orgasms, Public Sex, Exhibitionism, Angst, Argument, Jealousy, Talk of car crashes, heroics, rough sex, use of safe words, Anal play, Hangovers, Vomiting, Workplace Disputes, Crying, Declarations of Love.
I do not operate a tag list, but please follow @angryschnauzerwrites and put that blog onto notifications, as you will then be notified whenever i post something new.
I don’t have a masterlist, but all my works are on AO3, link here. Usually i post oneshots to Tumblr and AO3, and multichapters exclusively to AO3, but as this is my first henry story and its going to be a short series, i’ll post to both places.
Chapter 9
You woke to a head that was pounding so much you thought someone was trying to crack it open with a hammer. Curled up in a huge white duvet you opened one eye and immediately regretted it, the hangover from hell hitting you like a tonne of bricks. Groaning you pulled the duvet over your head yet the pounding still came, and that’s when you realised it wasn’t just your head, it was something in Henry’s flat.
Swinging your legs over the side of the bed you glared at the world around you, slowly walking to the doorway before you found the source of the repetitive pounding noise; Henry was running on a treadmill.
“Morning Princess!” he said cheerfully, pressing buttons on the screen as he started to slow his pace.
“Oh god, you’re one of those people that don’t get hangovers, aren’t you?”
Stopping altogether he grabbed a towel that was hanging over the rail, wiping his face as he smugly swaggered towards you;
“Had a bit of a headache but pounded that out on the treadmill” he wrapped a sweaty arm over your shoulders but you recoiled away;
“Oh god… you stink...” your stomach lurched at the strong scent of sweat, and you quickly ducked away from his arm, running to the bathroom.
As you retched into the toilet the contents of your stomach came back to haunt you, the acrid stench of red wine filling the room. With each burst you thought it would be the last, only for your stomach to lurch again and another mouthful of bile filled vomit to come surging up your gullet.
You felt a large hand press against your back, softly rubbing, before you felt Henry pull some of your hair out of your face. As your stomach continued to empty itself he held your hair without a word, before finally you were empty. He wrapped a large fluffy towel around your naked body as you sat on the bathroom floor shivering, not realising you were still completely naked.
“Hold tight, i’ll get you a glass of water”
He disappeared, only to return as promised a few seconds later with some water, your acid burned throat croaking out a thank you as you sipped it.
At arms length he lightly cupped your chin;
“Are you feeling better now?”
“Kind of…”
“You really aren’t a wine girl, are you?”
“Only expensive £600 a bottle champagne” you said with a weak smile; “That’s why i tend to stick to Gin normally”
“Hey, let me get you some painkillers then i’ll jump in the shower”
“Do i have to move or can i just watch?”
“You can watch, you little perv”
You smiled at him, watching as he moved around the bathroom before handing you some Panadol from the bathroom cabinet.
As he started to strip out of his sweaty workwear he decided to hum along to a striptease, making you laugh before immediately regretting it as your head pounded. You rested your head against the wall as you watched him get into the shower, the large bathroom having a ‘wet-room’ corner to it which provided almost no privacy, but as your eyes followed the bubbles as they flowed down each curve and plain of his sculpted body, you quietly got to your feet and walked over to him.
Wrapping your arms around his torso you pressed your face to his wet chest, letting the warm water pour down over your body to help wash away the sins of the night before. There were no words spoken, instead he just held you for the longest time before reaching for a sponge and started to gently wash you down.
-
Sitting at the countertop you sipped on a cup of tea as Henry unloaded the dishwasher, chatting away as you nursed your hangover;
“Did you want anything to eat?”
“Toast? Can you do toast?”
He smiled;
“Yes, i can do toast. I’ll even butter it if you want”
“Just plain is fine. My stomach is still lurching every now and again”
Minutes later he was setting a plate down in front of you before leaning against the countertop, the tea towel hanging over his shoulder;
“So, what did you want to do today?”
You bit into your toast and shrugged;
“Chill. Going to have to head back to my place at some point seeing as my week off has been ordered to end for my review tomorrow morning” you set the toast down; “Urgh, i hate catching the tube on Monday mornings, its always the busiest time”
“So let me drive you” you raised an eyebrow as he continued; “Let’s pack your stuff up, i’ll pack a bag, and we’ll spend the night at your place. In the morning i can drive you”
“You’re at the museum tomorrow?”
“Not quite, but i’m nearby. I have a meeting with an international contact and then i’ll be making some conference calls from here”
The rest of the morning was spent finding your belongings around Henry’s flat, he himself managing to pack everything he needed in the space of five minutes into a suit carrier and small holdall. As you left he carried your bags for you and still managed to open doors like a true gentleman.
The drive across central London on a Sunday lunchtime was slow at best, the streets filled with tourists and locals, out-of-towners taking advantage of no Congestion Charge on a sunday meaning the streets were filled with people that didn’t know what lane to get into or would stop at flow through traffic spots. When you finally reached your place there was thankfully just one space left in the residents area;
“I’ll need to run up and grab the flat’s parking permit, otherwise you’ll get clamped”
Running out of the car you ducked your head down against the light rain that had started to fall, and minutes later when you returned to the car Henry was already standing with all the bags in hand, before taking the permit and sliding it onto the dashboard of the Audi.
“Urgh, c’mon, let’s get out of this rain. I don’t know about you but an afternoon on the sofa watching movies feels appropriate right about now”
And that was exactly what you did. A movie marathon where neither of you were paying much attention, instead you spent it curled up on Henry’s chest, encased between his thighs as he propped himself up on one end of the sofa, the only times you were apart were for bathroom or tea breaks. Pizza delivery came and went, and as you tossed the crust of your last slice back into the box you sat back and groaned, before standing and unfastening your jeans. Henry sat back, his hands behind his head and a smirk on his face;
“Ooh an after dinner show…”
“Ha-ha… my head is still pounding, and now i’ve eaten too much pizza to get comfortable so these are coming off, don’t get any idea’s big boy”
He pouted but patted his lap, and you sighed contentedly as you settled across his thick thighs, resting your head against his chest.
The movie was halfway through when you felt him shift beneath you, and you became aware of his hardness pressing against the underside of your legs. As you moved he let out a quiet moan, you turned to face him he caught your lips with his own, the kiss soft yet demanding.
His hands moved to your hips and he was lifting you, moving you to straddle him whilst his lips never left yours. Your hands found their way beneath his t-shirt, running your fingertips over his stomach and up to his chest, feeling his coarse hair curl around them. In turn his own massive hands first found your hips, pulling you down onto his lap, before they found the waistband of your panties and he slid his warm palms between the fabric and cupped your ass, pushing his hips up to rut against your clothed core.
You needed to feel his skin against yours, and with eager hands you pulled his t-shirt up, letting him take it off completely before he divested you of yours, your bra following soon after as it was flung across the room. Palming your breasts he nuzzled his face against the soft skin, his stubble giving a delicious burn that was only salved by his lips and tongue as they traced wet trails across your skin until he took first one nipple then the other into his mouth, sucking the hardened nubs until you were arching your back with pleasure.
His hands fumbled with your underwear, trying to pull them off without letting you off his lap, but in the end with a giggle you stood, letting him pull them down before your shimmied your hips to let them fall to the floor. He quickly stood and unfastened his jeans, pulling them and his boxers down to his knees, sitting back down again and pulling you back onto his lap. You wrapped a hand around his hot and aching shaft, feeling the hard muscle beneath the velvet skin, your thumb gently smoothing the clear bead of liquid over the wide crown, before positioning yourself over him, dragging him through your folds to douse him with your wetness, before you slowly sank down onto him;
“Oh god, Henry…”
He smoothed his hands up your back, pulling you to his chest as me gazed adoringly at you;
“Princess, you feel so good around me. You make me want to be inside you at all times… can you ride me, or would you like me to fuck you?”
“Fuck me, but go slow… i’m kinda hoping the orgasm gets rid of my headache…”
“Here… let me try something...”
He slid one hand all the way up your back, carding his fingers through your hair before gently grasping a large handful and slightly pulling. Your head arched back, the pull on your scalp just the right pressure and immediately releasing the tension in your mind. His lips found your neck, kissing along your jugular before his teeth scraped at your skin. All the while his hips made tiny thrusts up into you, your body taking him with a familiarity of an old lock and key, fitting together perfectly as you were meant to be.
You could feel your body tightening, your orgasm imminent as Henry’s breathless pants and sighs filled your senses, the closer you got to the end the louder his moans, until you were coming hard, his hand still pulling your hair, and as your body clamped down on his you felt him release deep inside you, filling you with his seed.
You sat breathless in his arms, his hands now resting warm on your back, your face against his neck. When he spoke his voice was low and you felt the deep rumble in his chest;
“Are you watching this film?”
“I don’t think i’ve been paying attention for about the last hour”
He grabbed the remote and shut the TV off;
“Lets go to bed”
-
Monday morning arrived and you could hear the rain pouring outside, making you curl up under the covers to get closer to the warmth of Henry. Soft cuddles turned into gentle caresses, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth whilst he still kept his eyes closed;
“What time do you need to be at work?”
“9am”
“What time is it now?”
You glanced at the clock on your nightstand;
“Just before seven”
“Hmmmm that’s enough time”
He was suddenly rolling you over until he was pressing you into the mattress, your arms around his neck as he nudged your legs further apart with his knees, lining himself up with your entrance before sinking all the way in on the first thrust;
“I could spend every morning like this… in heaven between these thighs…”
He ground his hips into yours, a smooth curve as he managed to hit all your spots with every single pull and thrust, his efforts speeding up with each push until he was fucking you hard into the mattress, your back arched with pleasure as he did his best to obliterate your pelvis before the first working day of the week;
“You feel so fucking good, fucking made for me. Can feel you squeezing me, fuck, i just want to take you back to my place and fuck you, have you suck my dick as i take my conference calls…”
Just the thought of being Henry’s fuck toy was enough to make you cum, crying out as he increased his thrusts and fucked you through your orgasm, moments later shooting another load deep into your trembling walls.
As you both lay there, bodies still connected you looked up at him and smiled;
“I could get used to mornings like this”
-
You seemed to work around each other without any issues, both finding your places to do your morning routines, and as you left the flat ready for your day you chewed on a slice of toast.
“Are you going to drop crumbs all over the inside of my car?” he asked playfully
“Yes”
“Okay then”
Traffic through Fulham was busy, and you found yourself checking through emails on your phone as he swore under his breath at other drivers. One in particular caught your eye; from your roommate. Opening it you were surprised to see that he’d been approached by someone wanting to buy the flat as an investment, happy to keep your tenancy agreement under the same terms for the rest of the three year tenancy, with rent kept frozen for that time. Apparently the meeting was scheduled for that day, so he would know a more definitive answer by the end of the day. At least that was one thing off your mind for now.
By the time Henry pulled into the service road at the back of the museum it was ten to nine. He waved at the security guard as he quickly ran around to your side of the car as you climbed out, kissing you somewhat more chastely than usual;
“Let me know what happens. Yeah? It’s probably just because your little crime fighting incident, they don’t want to be sued for some minor heroics”
“Mmmm. I’ll call you later”
-
Sitting in your bosses office you stared at him in disbelief. You had been utterly sideswiped by their ambush, pulling out the staff terms and conditions. The weasley little man glared at you from behind his desk, his ruddy face covered in its usual sheen of sweat and grease;
“You are aware of the regulations regarding inter company relationships?” he stated as a question but it was more of a declaration
“Sir, that is a load of rubbish. Everyone knows its direct line management. My relationship with Dr Cavill is of no consequence to my daily duties”
“But what if you suddenly use it to demand additional leave or time off? Or to pass favour to gain a promotion” he closed the 300 page manual with a loud thud; “Rules are rules. It states no member of staff can engage in a relationship with a person of a higher position than themselves”
You stood up, anger seething through your pores;
“This is utter bullshit and i’m taking it to the director”
“You will do no such thing, as he’s already in agreement. Your stupidity last week got us into the Evening Standard, so you are already on the last thread” he glared at you, not used to any member of staff talking back to him; “It’s your job or your silly little fling, you choose, if you are not at your desk come tomorrow morning at 8am you will have your employment terminated with immediate effect”
-
Henry was happy, he was smiling to himself as he slowly climbed the staircase in his building, swirling his keys on his finger as he whistled cheerfully. It may have been raining all morning but it had been a good morning; waking up in bed with you, the amazing morning sex, and then the meeting had gone perfectly, the long distance call working out all the finer details of a last minute project. Now he was looking forward to his afternoon of calls to go through the digs and projects he had planned for the winter.
However as he climbed the last flight of stairs he slowed, surprised to see you sat on his doormat, your head against your knees as you hugged your legs, soaked from head to toe;
“Princess?”
You looked up, your tear stained face making his heart sink to the pit of his stomach. He rushed to you, crouching down;
“What is it? What happened?”
You sniffed, a fresh flood of tears falling down your face;
“M-Mr Taylor… he…said...” your sobs meant the rest of your words were incomprehensible, and Henry quickly unlocked his door before lifting you into his arms, carrying your soaked body into his flat and kicking the door shut.
He set you down onto the sofa, going to the bathroom to grab a towel and wrapping it around your shoulders, before he sat on the coffee table in front of you, taking your cold and shaking hands in his;
“What happened? Did you walk all the way here in the rain?”
You nodded, wiping your nose with the back of your hand before you finally found your voice;
“They found out about us”
“Who did?”
“Management. They were pissed that the Evening Standard ran a story about the robbery and how a member of staff saved the day. They don’t like press that brings to light any crimes that happen in the museum”
“But… you literally saved the day! And what about us?”
“They pulled the employee handbook out on me. No inter company relationships that cross between levels of management” you took a deep breath; “I’ve got to choose between you and my job Henry…”
You weren’t paying attention, your vision blurred by tears so you didn’t see the anger rising within him, how he stood and paced to try and calm himself down;
“That’s ridiculous! Everyone knows it’s ‘line management’. I’m going to call Piers…”
He was referring to the museum CEO, but you stood;
“Henry… its why i’ve come here…I have to decide today...” He turned, his face dropping; “... I’ve come to say goodbye”
His eyes went wide;
“Princess? Please…”
“Henry, I’ve got bills, student loans, i’ve got to pay my rent…”
He crossed the room, cradling your arms in his large hands;
“Please, don’t do this… you don’t have to do this…”
“Henry, i don’t have any choice!”
“Yes you do! Don’t throw this away, this, what we have, it’s special!”
“I KNOW! But my life isn’t some fairy tale, i have responsibilities! Even if i leave the museum in my own time, i’ll still need a reference, i just just quit!”
“I FUCKING LOVE YOU!”
You took a deep breath, your eyes filling with tears;
“I love you too, but love doesn’t pay the bills…” you turned to leave, but he caught your wrist with one hand;
“It doesn’t need to”
“My new landlord isn’t going to accept ‘love’ as payment”
“Yes he will”
You stopped, looking at Henry, his expression softening as tears pricked at his eyes, his voice quiet;
“I bought your flat”
Your lip trembled, and with a gentle tug of his arm Henry pulled you into his arms as you sobbed against his chest, relief coursing through your veins. After the longest time he gently hooked a finger under your chin, lifting your face to his and you saw his cheeks were wet. Without a word he kissed you, his touch soft and caring. Finally you realised just how cold and wet you were, a full body shiver shaking you and he smiled;
“Let’s get you out of those wet clothes”
-
You spent the afternoon curled up quietly sleeping on his sofa, wearing a borrowed t-shirt and work out shorts. Although the t-shirt swamped you, your ass filled the shorts out nicely, and as he wound up his final call of the day you sat back and watched him, listening to his conversation. When he finally hung up he set the phone onto the table before pulling you to sit across his lap.
“The last time we were sat like this was 24 hours ago…” you smiled at him
“I haven’t forgotten”
“We should really talk. I mean properly talk, about everything…”
He smoothed a hand over your hair;
“You don’t need to worry Princess… i can take care of everything”
“But you don’t have to… plus, we are rushing into things… i just need to know what happens if everything turns south in a few weeks time where we haven’t thought things through”
He nodded;
“As you wish… but i want to let you know my intention, to be utterly honest with you; you don’t need to worry about money. At all. Whatever you want to call this, whether its a sugar daddy or kept woman or a sponsorship, whatever, I have the finances for you to follow your dreams, i can make them a reality, and i hope you let me come along for the ride” he paused, cradling your face with his massive hand; “I’ve loved you for so long…”
“Hen… it’s been three weeks?”
“No, it hasn’t. I figured you would have forgotten… we were on a dig together. My very first dig as site lead, and you were in your first year at University. The excavations around Salisbury Plain…”
“The Stonehenge route?”
“That’s the one. I remember trying to organise a dozen Uni first years and being completely shit at it”
“I...I don’t… how???”
“I didn’t look like i do now. I was this skinny bean-pole, a mop of hair that was always in my eyes and i thought made me look like I was in charge or like a Professor should look. You were this wild child that was always full of enthusiasm, pink streaks in your hair and baggy combats that made you look like you’d been to a rave, you’d be out digging in the sandy soil in all weathers, prancing into the finds tent in all weathers with your t-shirt plastered to your skin from the rain and without a bra… i swear there were times i was surprised you didn’t poke someone’s eye out with how perky your nipples were”
“I… I was rebelling against conformity... we didn’t believe in bra’s…”
“Well i spent most of the six week dig trying to either hide my boner from you or attempting to resist taking you back to my tent when we would get wasted on three litre bottles of White Lightning from Iceland”
You looked at him, for the first time you really looked at him, taking in the slight curl that was appearing in his hair, staring into his eyes and as you saw the tiny spot of brown in his left eye your gaze went wide as the hazy drunken memories of your first summer at University came flooding back to you;
“Oh god… that dig… the last night I spent in the supervisors tent…”
Henry smiled, a genuine soft smile that was unlike any other. He looked younger, the awkwardness of someone who in their mid 20’s hadn’t been confident in any way.
Your lip trembled, and you nodded;
“I love you Henry”
“I love you too”
_________________________________________________________
Authors note: Thank you for reading. This has been my very first Henry story, and what was meant to be a oneshot grew into this epic 20k+ word story. It was my first time in a very long time that i was writing ‘English’ characters, and this i made a deliberate mental note of to include a more ‘English’ dialect than other stories. Rather than Americanise things, its been kept as the names, brands, and places that i know and am familiar with. If anything has not made sense just drop me an ask and i’ll explain what something is in a more generic term.
I also know i could have taken this story on for thousands more words and multiple chapters, following the lives of these two idiots in love, but as this arc has now run its course, i may add to these two’s story by making future oneshots.
Epilogue >>>
180 notes
·
View notes
Text
just practice - chapter twelve
thanks for reading! i promise i didn’t mean for it to be so angsty, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions or whatever the idiom is. anyhow, i hope you enjoy it, and it would mean a lot if you took the time to reblog or comment on AO3! i have been replying to every comment chapter 8 or 9!
read on AO3
The January sky was gray. It was not late, but darkness had already fallen. Snowflakes fell in a flurry, only briefly illuminated when passing beneath a street lamp. It collected on the roadside and turned to slush beneath the wheels of cars passing by. There was something about driving in the dark that had always appealed to her. Something about the gentle whirring of the motor, the luminescent lights on the dashboard, lurid in their juxtaposition with the velvet dark, and the effortless way the wheels glided against the tarmac had a way of putting her at ease.
The scenery was similar to the night of New Year’s Eve but duller. Grayer. The image of Percy, wreathed in a halo of moonlight, arose again unbidden in her mind’s eye, but there was no sight of the moon tonight. The clouds had seen to that.
She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the not-kiss. Ever since that night, the sense of lack had never left her. It carved a hollow for itself in the center of her chest and consumed anything that trespassed its event horizon. Like a black hole, not a void.
Annabeth had spent nearly everyday agonizing about the feeling and what it meant, but it defied any attempt to be known. All she could decipher was the sense of dissatisfaction, like hunger, that gnawed at her, but there was no urgency to it. It merely sat there, an immovable object. She found it grating, but not enough to where it compelled her to act. So she tolerated it.
She pressed her lips into a hard line and pulled into the Seneca Falls high school parking lot. She was late, like always. Percy’s meet had started nearly a half-hour ago. Annabeth stepped out of her car and ducked her neck behind the collar of her jacket as she jogged to the front door.
It was dark inside the school. Only half of the lights in the hallways were lit, and those that were flickered erratically. Annabeth followed the signs posted to the wall, guiding her to the pool. She was baffled by the fact that it took her nearly five minutes to find the pool, at the far end of the building. But eventually she drew close enough to hear the noise of the crowd rumbling from behind closed doors.
Annabeth opened the door tentatively to peer inside and was immediately accosted by the smell of chlorine. Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. There was a heat going on. She prayed that it wasn’t Percy’s. Otherwise, the entire drive down to Seneca Falls would have been for nothing. Annabeth craned her head further inside, trying to make out the competitors, but she was too far away to tell.
When the heat ended, she released a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding and slipped inside. On her way to the bleachers, she scanned the crowd and felt a rush of relief when Piper waved to her from the fourth row. She had to squeeze past a family to reach Piper, and the seat was uncomfortable when she sat down. The screwheads dug into her thighs, making her grimace.
“Please tell me I didn’t miss Percy’s heat,” Annabeth said.
Piper popped a cheeto in her mouth and shook her head. “Nah, you’re totally fine. Want some cheetos?”
Annabeth shook her head. “Those things have texture like cardboard.”
“More for me then,” Piper said, shrugging. “I was worried you weren’t going to show.”
Annabeth raised an eyebrow. “I just had some stuff to deal with after school, and then it started snowing like crazy outside so I had to drive slower than normal.”
“Is it that project or whatever for Mrs. Dodds’s class? Jason has been complaining about it all week,” Piper asked.
Annabeth shook her head. “Taking AP Chem with that harpy is like getting your fucking teeth pulled. I just needed to review something for the english paper with Edmonds.”
Piper sighed melodramatically. “Still, so diligent. Truly a model student.”
“Fuck off.”
Piper balled up her now empty bag of cheetos and shook her head incredulously.
“I seriously can’t believe you aren’t feeling even a little bit of senioritis. Jason’s like that too. A pair of freaks, the two of you are. Mayhaps it has something to do with the fact that you’re both blonde. Seems to give one a proclivity for masochism.”
“I thought that the fact that we both unironically enjoy running stupidly long distances would have tipped you off about that by now,” Annabeth said lightly.
There was a pause before Piper cleared her throat conspicuously and said, “So what’s new with you, Annababe?”
“That was a real smooth transition there, Pipes,” Annabeth said.
Piper rolled her eyes and said, “Fine, you win that round. Happy? We can go back to the part where you were answering my question now, please.”
“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but there’s nothing new on my end,” Annabeth lied.
“How are things going with Percy?”
Annabeth snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you going to ask me that everytime you see me?”
“Yes, now spill.”
“You know? You can be a real piece work sometimes, McLean.”
Piper threw an arm around Annabeth’s shoulder, grinning, and pulled her in close to press a kiss to Annabeth’s cheek, making her scowl.
“I bully you out of love, darling.”
Annabeth gave her a weary look. “So you admit that it’s bullying.”
Piper waved a hand dismissively. “Semantics, shemantics.”
“How come you never harass Percy like this?” Annabeth grumbled.
“Oh, I do,” Piper said brightly. “All the time, in fact.”
“Really? And what does he say when you do?”
“He usually comes to me on his own, funnily enough,” Piper said pointedly. “Though, I will admit that it has been a while since I’ve had the chance to have a proper talk with him.”
“I know this might boggle your mind, but some people appreciate privacy, Piper,” Annabeth said, rolling her eyes.
Piper opened her mouth, undoubtedly to say something clever, but Annabeth’s attention was pulled away by the fact that Percy was lining up in front of the pool. Three of his teammates stood in front of him, and it took Annabeth a moment to figure out why.
“Wait, he’s doing a relay?” Annabeth asked. “I thought he was doing freestyle, like always.”
“Fuck if I know,” Piper said, shrugging.
“State is next month,” Annabeth said, frowning. “What is he doing?”
Although Annabeth knew how intensely he practiced, she was still taken aback by his decision to not compete for the event he was doing at State: freestyle. She tried to glean some insight from his body language, but she found herself quickly distracted when Percy interlaced his fingers and stretched his arms away from himself, making the muscles of his upper back flex in response.
All at once, she found herself hyper-aware of the fact that practically all of his body was up for display. Her face flushed immediately, but she couldn’t force herself to look away. She’d seen him compete at meets countless times, but there was something different now.
Since when had his shoulders been so broad? How had she never noticed the beautiful curve of his spine or the sharp line of his jaw when he set it in concentration?
Over the years, Annabeth had heard her fair share of vulgar comments made by girls in her school about Percy’s physique. It wasn’t uncommon for many of them to show up at swim meets just to ogle at him. She had always found their behavior disgusting and objectifying. More than anything, it angered her that people talked about her best friend like that without even knowing him, like he was just a slab of meat. Annabeth had even snapped and chewed them out for it on more than one occasion.
Now, however, Annabeth couldn’t help understanding where those comments had come from, even though they were repulsive. She could no longer deny the fact that her best friend was gorgeous, even when he stood among other swimmers. Some of them were more physically impressive, sure, but Percy was imposing in his own right, trading impractical bulk for something more lithe and graceful. The untamed intensity that competition teased out of him was just the cherry on top.
Annabeth caught herself staring and immediately felt nausea and self-loathing rolling through her. She was acting like a fucking creep.
“Well, that might be the first time I’ve ever seen you checking Percy out so shamelessly,” Piper said, smirking.
Annabeth turned to her sharply, her face prickling. “I-It feels gross. Like I’m one of those groupies that show up at his meets just to perv on him.”
Piper snorted and said, “Annabeth, you’re nothing like them. You actually know him, for one thing. Besides, it’s not wrong to check out your boyfriend, you know.”
Annabeth mustered an uneasy smile and nodded. She tried not to squirm in her seat and to focus on the race instead, but her skin was hot. Uncomfortably so.
The first members of the relay stepped and took their places on the platform. Once they were settled, the official blew his whistle and they dove into the water. Westwood’s first swimmer did well, managing to stay in second place before handing it off to his teammate. She didn’t really pay much attention though. As long as there wasn’t too big a gap between first and second, they were fine. Percy was anchor for the relay and he was fast enough to make up that distance if push came to shove.
Still, Annabeth couldn’t help thinking that there was something off about Percy. She couldn’t say what it was, but he looked more tense than normal. As a competitor, one of the things Annabeth envied most about him was how relaxed he was at meets. Annabeth always had to wrestle with anxiety, but Percy had confessed to her that he barely ever felt nervous. If it was there, his focus was so finely honed that it didn’t even register to him. This was the first time that she had seen him look so jittery at a meet.
Her suspicions were only further solidified when Percy finally dove into the water. Usually, he barely disturbed the water when he breached it, but this time the water burst like he had belly flopped. It wasn’t a great start but they were still in second, so as long as he didn’t panic, there was no need to worry.
But he looked oddly sluggish. There was something wrong with his form. It lacked its usual effortless finesse and looked almost awkward. He slipped into fourth place by the time he kicked off the opposite end of the pool, and it didn’t look like he would be able to recover the distance.
Annabeth slid to the edge of her seat and worried her lip, praying that Percy would be able to figure something out, but at the end of the relay, Westwood finished in 5th place.
Percy stood there with a hand pressed against the pool wall and stared into the water blankly, his shoulders hunched. Eventually, one of his teammates helped pull him out of the pool, but they all looked as confused as Annabeth felt. This was uncharted territory for all of them.
His teammates look at one another, at a loss for words, before his coach pulled him away and had a hushed conversation with him. Annabeth couldn’t make out what they were saying over the noise of the crowd, but Percy’s posture never changed. His coach gave him an awkward pat on the shoulder and left to go deal with the team. Percy stood there for a few seconds before eventually dragging himself into the changing room.
Annabeth turned to Piper, hoping for an explanation, but she only reflected the worry Annabeth felt herself. They made their way down from the bleachers and waited at the entrance of the changing rooms. They had to wait for longer than she’d expected. Even though Percy had been the first to enter, he was the last to leave. When he did finally exit the locker room, his hands were curled tightly around his swimming bag and his hair was sopping wet, like he hadn’t even bothered drying it.
When he noticed them, he mustered a weary smile. “Ah, look! It’s my two favorite girls.”
Annabeth and Piper exchanged glances before Piper cleared her throat and softly said, “How are you feeling, Perce?”
Percy stopped smiling and pressed his lips into a thin line. “Not so hot, honestly.”
“Is there anything we can do for you?” Piper asked.
Percy rubbed at his eyes with his palms and shook his head. “Um, no— I-I’m just tired. I’ll be fine once I get some sleep.”
“You just had an off day,” Annabeth ventured. “It happens to the best of us.”
He set his jaw and looked away from them. “I really don’t wanna talk about it.”
Annabeth balled her hands into fists. She was utterly useless in situations like this. The situation only felt worse when Piper remained uncharacteristically silent. This was supposed to be her forte, not Annabeth’s — if she didn’t know what to say, Annabeth was screwed.
Piper glanced at her, trying to communicate something, but Annabeth didn’t know what she was trying to say. They stood there for a few more moments before Piper deflated with a sigh and shoved Annabeth towards Percy without warning, making Annabeth stumble.
“Well, I suppose I’ll let the girlfriend handle this,” Piper said with affected cheer. “Gotta go pick Jason up from the library anyhow.”
Annabeth turned to glare at her, but she paused when she caught the tick of Percy’s jaw when Piper said the word ‘girlfriend’. The gesture stoked the flames of helplessness burning inside her to even larger blaze. Annabeth turned to Piper in one last desperate attempt to ask for help, but Piper had already turned on her heels and walked away.
It seemed that Piper had thrown her to the wolves. Annabeth balled her hands into fists and tightened her jaw, feeling utterly lost. Piper was expecting too much from her. She didn’t know what the fuck she was supposed to do. She didn’t even know where to begin.
She tried looking at Percy for some insight, but he just looked utterly dead inside. There was something so wrong about that, like someone had extinguished the sun.
The floor squeaked underfoot when she shifted on her heels and wracked her brain for some combination of words that wouldn’t make the situation worse. It took all of thirty seconds for her to realize that she wasn’t going to come up with anything, so she decided to start with something easier.
“C’mon, let’s go to Martha’s,” Annabeth offered. “I’ll even buy you a milkshake.”
Percy dragged a hand across his face and said, “I’m exhausted right now. I just wanna go home.”
Annabeth shook her head. “I can’t let you do that. You’ll just spend all night beating yourself up if I let you go.”
Percy didn’t disagree with her, but he didn’t decide to go with her either. Annabeth screwed her eyes shut and exhaled fully. Then, she stepped forward and took his hand in her own and gave it a squeeze. It was enough to get Percy to actually look at her for the first time all night. She was struck by the fragility she saw in his eyes. No, fragility wasn’t the right word. More like vulnerability, more raw, more open.
“Look, I just don’t want you to be on your own tonight, okay? But if you really do want to go home, I won’t stop you,” Annabeth whispered.
There was a pause before Percy murmured, “Martha’s is fine.”
She almost asked him if he was sure before she thought better of it. “You should dry your hair or you’ll catch a cold again. It’s pretty brutal outside.”
Percy nodded and set down his swimming bag and dropped to a crouch. He tried to unzip the bag to find his towel, but the zipper was caught on something and wouldn’t budge. He tried to get it to work three more times, each attempt more violent than the next, until he stopped and sat down, shoulders hunched.
“It’s not working,” he said blankly. “Why isn’t it working?”
Annabeth crouched beside him and gently tugged the bag out of his grasp, saying, “Here, let me.”
It took her a few seconds to figure out part of his swimming trunks were caught under the zipper. Getting it out of the way took longer than she would have liked, but eventually she managed to tease the bag open. Once she did, she rummaged in the bag for the towel buried at the bottom and turned back to Percy with victorious smile.
“Took some work, but I managed to-” Annabeth’s smile dropped.
Tears were flowing silently down Percy’s face, and he bit his lower lip to keep it from quivering. Before her mind could catch up with her body, Annabeth dropped the towel and threw her arms around him. His breath hitched at first, but then he melted into her embrace and buried his face in the crook of her neck. It hurt to feel his tears straining her shirt and the spastic way his shoulders shook behind her palms.
“Hey, it’s okay. It’s okay. Just let it out. I’ve got you,” Annabeth whispered.
“I’m s-sorry. The stupid zipper. It- It wasn’t working,” Percy sobbed.
Annabeth ran her hands down his back, hoping it would be at least somewhat soothing. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault. It’s alright.”
“Can’t even open a fucking bag right,” Percy said tightly. “God, I’m so fucking useless.”
Annabeth pulled away and held him by the shoulders. “Hey, that’s not true.”
Percy looked away from her, coating her hands in tears. “It is.”
“It isn’t,” Annabeth said firmly. “You’re exhausted and having a really shitty day. It’s okay if you couldn’t open your backpack, alright? It’s not your fault.”
“Of course it’s my fucking fault,” Percy said, voice cracking. “I-I let them all down, Annabeth. They were counting on me, and I fucked it up like I always do.”
It took her a second to realize he wasn’t talking about the backpack anymore.
“You had an off day, Percy. It’s nothing to beat yourself up about. I can guarantee that none of them will blame you for it, I promise,” Annabeth said.
“And how would you know that?”
“Because I’ll kick their fucking asses otherwise, that’s how.”
That tore a watery laugh from him before he slumped back against the wall. Annabeth hovered near him, unsure of what to do. Percy rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand and took a deep breath.
His voice was more steady when he said, “I’m supposed to be the captain. I’m supposed to be reliable. They put their trust in me, and I let them down.”
“They trust you for a reason,” Annabeth said. “They know how hard you work, how much you have given for the team.”
“But I still failed them when it mattered most,” Percy muttered.
Annabeth sighed and brushed her hair out of her face. “Literally none of them think that. They were just worried about you. I could see it in their eyes.”
When he remained silent, she added, “If one of them were in your shoes and had an off day at a meet, would you think they had let you down?”
“They aren’t captain,” Percy argued.
“So just because you’re captain, you have to be absolutely flawless, all the time?”
Percy opened his mouth before closing it again and looked down at his lap. Annabeth ground her teeth together. What could she do to make him understand? Why did he always hold himself to such unreasonable standards? He always shouldered too much responsibility, but didn’t he realize that, at some point, he would have to run out of things to give? Not even Percy could carry the world on his shoulders forever, but he would be damned if he didn’t try.
“Sometimes I wish people would stop putting their faith in me,” he whispered.
“I know but it’s not entirely their fault. There’s just something about you that makes people want to follow you,” Annabeth said.
Percy shook his head and said, “I don’t understand what they see in me. I’m not special. I can’t be who they need me to be. I wish I could. I really, really do. But I can’t. I just can’t. Even today, I lost us the relay because I couldn’t shut my brain off and focus. I just can’t stop thinking about the-”
“Can’t stop thinking about what?” Annabeth asked, frowning.
Percy swallowed and turned away from her. “It’s nothing. Just ignore what I said.”
A spark of anger that rushed through her. “No, that’s bullshit. You don’t get to do that. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“I-It’s not a big deal.”
“Then you should have no trouble telling me,” Annabeth said.
When he remained silent, she crossed her arms over her chest and said, “I’m literally not leaving until you tell me what’s going on. Even if that means staying here all night.”
When Percy looked up at her, the mix of fear and resignation in his eyes reminded her of a lamb being led to slaughter. A lump formed in her throat. Since when had things gotten so difficult between them?
She forced herself to take a breath and said, “I’m your friend, Percy. I’m not going to hurt you. So, please, just talk to me.”
There was a pause before Percy ran his hands through his hair, almost violently, and nodded. “I- I can’t stop thinking about New Year’s Eve.”
Annabeth furrowed her brow. “What about it?”
Percy looked down at his lap and clenched his shirt with one hand, right at the center of his chest.
“I almost kissed you.”
His voice had been so quiet, Annabeth had almost missed it. It took her a few seconds to process what he had said and what it meant.
“And that’s why you’re beating yourself up so much?” Annabeth asked, trying not to gape.
He looked up at her sharply and said, “I almost stole your first kiss, Annabeth. You deserve to have it with someone that you actually like, not wasted on a stand-in like me.”
“Percy, first kisses are not that big a deal,” Annabeth said exasperatedly.
“They are to me,” Percy said quietly.
Annabeth didn’t know how to respond to that. Honestly, the whole conversation made very little sense to her. She couldn’t understand for the life of her why this was causing him so much anguish. Besides, there was that comment he had made, about being a stand-in. It was technically true, but there was just something wrong about it.
“The worst part is that I wanted to,” Percy whispered. “Even though I knew from the start, at that moment, I didn’t care. I almost did something awful to you.”
There was a brief pause before Annabeth exploded.
“Christ, boys are so fucking stupid sometimes.”
Percy looked up with wide red-rimmed eyes, surprised by the hostility in her voice. Annabeth pulled him by the collar of his shirt so that they were face to face, close enough for her to see the dried tracks his tears had left on his face, and dropped her voice to a deadly whisper.
“Listen to me very carefully: you didn’t almost ‘steal’ anything that night. I could have stopped the kiss at literally any point if I hadn’t wanted it to happen. It was just as much my decision as it was yours, okay? I’m a person, not a fucking mannequin. Stop treating me like one.”
Annabeth set her jaw and glared at him, daring him to challenge her, but Percy held his breath and nodded once, slowly. She stared at him for another second before she turned to pick up the towel. Her hands were trembling. Annabeth was surprised at how angry she was. She dropped the towel twice because of it.
She turned back to him and said, “Turn around.”
Percy blinked owlishly before he did as she commanded. Annabeth took a moment to run her fingers through his hair. It had dried some, but it was still wet. Annabeth started to towel dry his hair, and Percy flinched, almost immediately, like she had expected.
He caught her wrist and peered up at her. “You don’t have to do that.”
“God, Percy, just shut up and let me take care of you for once,” Annabeth said, sharper than she would have liked.
A beat passed before Percy nodded reluctantly and turned around. Annabeth took a moment to swallow and returned to her task. She took her time. There was no rush, after all. Nowhere they needed to be. Nothing they needed to do. Nothing to stop them from being who they were. So Annabeth tried her best to do with her hands what her words could not.
She was careful with him. Thorough. Gentle. Tension drained out of him, allowing his shoulders to open up, and he leaned into her touch unconsciously. The repetitive motions lulled her senses and the world felt less sharp. The dim lights in the hallway flickered erratically and hummed like a droning bee. His hair was soft and tickled her fingers. She wondered if any of his former girlfriends had known that. They probably had. They probably knew more than she ever would.
“Annabeth?” Percy whispered.
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry. And— thank you. For everything.”
Annabeth hummed in acknowledgment. A beat passed and Percy’s lips pulled upwards in a half-smile.
“It’s been a long time since you’ve gotten mad at me.”
“You sound far too pleased about that. Am I going to have to kink shame you or something?”
That tore a tired laugh out of him, and Annabeth smiled. Now, with her work done, she threw the towel back into his swim bag and stretched in place. Percy’s back was still facing her. Annabeth knocked her forehead lightly between his shoulder blades and grinned when it startled him. He turned around and raised an eyebrow.
“How are you feeling?” Annabeth murmured.
“Um, better, I think?” Percy replied. “Definitely more relaxed.”
“I- I didn’t make things worse right?” Annabeth asked tentatively.
“No, you helped,” he said quickly. “More than you probably know.”
Annabeth swallowed and looked down at her lap. “Okay, good. Just making sure.”
There was another pause and then Percy asked, “Should we go home?”
Annabeth met his eyes and nodded. “Yeah, let’s go home.”
#just practice#percabeth#percabeth fic#percabeth angst#fake dating au#percabeth fake dating au#i dont even know if this chapter is good anymore lmfao#i reworked it so many times#also ur boi is two followers away from 1k so if you could let people know that would be dope
75 notes
·
View notes
Text
van life
I wasn’t gonna post this because it’s just like an overload of unrealistic softness but now that we know that they’re selling the van I think now is the best time if I’m gonna do it lol.
Also I’m sorry I can’t make this shorter on your dash by putting a ‘keep reading’ break. Tumblr is shitty and permanently fucked on my desktop where it just won’t load the page once I’m logged in so I have to do everything through mobile🙄
6k
warnings: fluff, smut, kinda unedited
***
MJ sighs as warm morning sunlight kisses her skin through the passenger window of the tiny house van. She and Grayson had decided to have a beach day to themselves — the first one of summer — and she could’t be more excited. Nothing makes MJ Macias more content and at peace with her life than laying under the Pacific sun until her nose freckles and her skin takes on that healthy golden hue. Wrinkles are a risk she’s willing to take as long as she has a nice, long podcast, something to munch on, and, of course, a good view of her boyfriend in the surf.
That view of him rivals the one of the ocean in her opinion, which is just past his window as they cruise down the PCH on their way to Malibu. MJ wiggles her white-painted toes on the dashboard and smiles as she watches him sing along quietly (and off-key) to the Tame Impala song filling the cabin of the van. She loves his profile so much: the perfect slope of his nose; his full lips; the chunk of hair that swoops across his forehead.
She lifts their clasped hands from where they rest on her thigh with their fingers threaded together, and kisses the back of his wide palm.
“You’re so handsome, Bear,” MJ murmurs against his skin.
Grayson stops singing long enough to look over at her and smile brightly, his eyes hidden behind his black Louis Vuitton sunglasses. He pulls their hands towards himself so he can copy her kiss, only to her her own soft skin.
“My pretty Peach,” he returns with a squeeze to her palm, making MJ flush the color of her pet name. “Always so beautiful in the mornings.”
MJ hums and takes her turn returning their hands back to her lap, trailing her long nails up and down his muscular, veiny forearm. Apparently they’re equally as headass for each other today. “Just in the mornings?” she teases, tickling the sensitive patch of skin near the crook of his elbow.
She can’t see his eyes roll, but she imagines they do as his grin turns playful. “Of course not, but especially in the mornings. Your hair is in that cute braid and your skin is all silky soft and your eyes are extra green.” He takes his eyes off the road for a moment to appraise her looking exactly as he described. “And, you know, usually on the weekends you’d still be naked at this time. I like that part about mornings, too.”
“Oh, Lord,” she laughs with a shake of her head. “Grayson!”
She gasps his name and giggles harder as he completely catches her off guard by moving their hands right over his hardening cock. MJ squeezes him reflexively, and Grayson gives a little grunt as he shifts in his seat with a smirk.
“What?” he asks in mock defense, placing both hands back on the steering wheel. “I had to show you how much you affect me! I only have to think about you naked in our bed and it goes up.”
“That’s sweet,” MJ says, stroking his dick one more time before moving her hand further down his thigh, “but if you think I’m giving you road head in this car on this twisty road, you’re very mistaken.”
Grayson makes an obnoxious little whiny noise in defeat, pouting playfully and muttering dejectedly, “I knew we should have taken the Tesla.”
MJ raises an eyebrow. “Well, we wouldn’t have been able to bring your surfboard. Or be the first ones to christen the tiny house.”
“Oh, shit,” Gray says quietly, surprised. MJ smiles at the small victory of teasing him, her eyes diverting back to the beautiful scenery ahead of them as her mind wanders to all the things they can do in that makeshift bed.
“How about road hand, then, to start it off?”
She lets out a frustrated huff, his request interrupting her daydream. If there was ever a scenario where she didn't trust Grayson, it was one in which he was receiving any overt sexual pleasure whilst controlling a giant motor vehicle.
“Gray, I love you, but you’re pushing it.”
“Understood.”
***
It takes about half an hour for them to reach their destination, but MJ knows it was worth the drive as soon as they exit the car and she inhales the clean, salty air. They park at a little camping lot they had reserved a spot in for the day, the glittering ocean a mere few hundred feet away.
“Surf looks good,” MJ remarks, her hand shielding her eyes as she gazes out at the water. It always makes her a little nervous when Gray goes out in big swells, so the mild waves are a happy sight for her. “Nice and small; just how I like ‘em.”
Grayson looks out as well as he climbs on the roof of the van to retrieve the surfboard. “Funny, I happen to know for a fact you like ‘em long and wide,” he jokes. He just couldn’t help himself, apparently, his wide smile looking down at her from the top of the ladder a clear display of how proud of the stupid joke he is.
MJ watches the exposed muscles in his arms and shoulders ripple under his skin as he begins wrestling with the hooks and ties securing the board to the roof racks. The sight combined with his words and thoughts of what transpired earlier in the car makes her center pulse dangerously.
Needless to say, he’s successfully turned her on despite her best efforts.
“You’re insufferable, Dolan,” she says with a shake of her head. Her body feels heated from his innuendo and also the midmorning sun that is steadily raising the outside temperature. She pulls off the hoodie she had thrown on in the chilly early morning and steps into the back seat to haul out the cooler and beach bag.
“Yeah, but you love me,” his voice comes from right behind her. She turns around and yelps in surprise when she sees Grayson peeking his head upside down into the cab from the roof. He’s inches from her and is just dangling there like an overgrown monkey, which makes her fall back in the seat in a fit of giggles. He wags his brows at her playfully. “Ooh! Spider-Man kiss!”
MJ rolls her eyes good-naturedly and happily scoots over to clasp his cheeks in her hands, granting his wish by planting a sweet kiss to his lips. The scruff on his chin tickles her nose peculiarly, but she’s not mad at it. “Too much. I love you too much, you goof.”
Finally, with all their beach supplies in hand, they walk together towards the ocean. The private beach that they can access with their camp site is quiet and secluded. Best of all, it isn't clogged with tourists or people in general, which they both greatly prefer. Less people means they’re less likely to be bombarded by fangirls, or paparazzi, or any other unwanted distractions from what MJ hopes will be a perfect day.
As soon as the texture under her feet changes from firm concrete to sunken sand, MJ is stopping to remove her flip-flops so her toes can dig into the fine powder. This moment of first stepping on the beach is one of her favorite experiences, as minute and insignificant as it seems.
She looks up at Grayson, who glances back down at her questioningly. “Race ya,” she challenges suddenly, hauling ass to a perfect open spot on the wide expanse of beach. If there’s one thing she and her boyfriend have in common, it’s a highly competitive spirit.
“Cheater!” Grayson calls after her. He has the surfboard under one arm and the cooler slung over his shoulder, but everyone knows Grayson Dolan is the last person to turn down a competition. Which is why he does his best to catch up to her even with the obstacles in his arms holding him back.
The finish line is also only in MJ’s head, so she stops when she finds a spot she likes. She drops their bag and turns around with her arms raised like Rocky. Grayson isn’t very far behind her, being as in-shape as he is he’s reached her quickly, but he slows down earlier than he really needs to so he can take her in. Her breasts heave beneath a leopard print bikini top, loose hairs escape from her messy french braid, and her long legs glitter with the sand she had kicked up on her run.
She’s the most beautiful, dorky, amazing woman he’s ever seen and she is his.
MJ watches smugly as her boyfriend stalks over to her. “I wi—“
Grayson releases everything he’s carrying to the sand and grasps her face in both hands, pulling her in for a long, lingering kiss. MJ lets out a little squeak of surprise, but she melts into him half a second later. Nothing warms her soul more than his lips on hers, and she wraps her arms around his middle to bring them as close together as possible.
When he pulls back, Grayson stares at her with complete, obvious adoration. Ethan would have called him a simp if he were there, that’s how sappy his twin looks. Grayson can’t help himself, though; he is a simp for MJ, and, truthfully, he doesn’t give two shits who knows it as long as he makes her smile up at him like she is now, every day.
It’s why yesterday he had casually opened a new browser window, convincing himself he was just curiously window shopping on the ring section of Tiffany’s and the like… even after he got sucked into the customization tool on one website for nearly two hours.
Shaking his head and biting his lip through a grin, he traces the freckles on MJ’s cheek. “I want a rematch later.”
MJ squeezes him and smacks his ass playfully before releasing him and reaching into the bag for the big blanket. “You’re always such a sore loser,” she teases, unfolding the cloth and weighing it down with Grayson’s help. She digs through the bag again and hands him his wetsuit. “Go catch some waves. I have to catch up on this podcast by this really sexy guy and his twin brother.”
If there could be snapshots of the rest of the day, they would have been out of a picturesque rom-com. For a while, MJ rests on her tummy as she watches Grayson glide through the water, his deep voice simultaneously reverberating in her ears through her AirPods.
Eventually, when he’s done surfing — looking like a beach Adonis when he walks up the shore with the top half of his wetsuit folded down at his hips, surfboard under his arm and his wet abs glistening in the sun — he joins her on the blanket.
In the early afternoon MJ props herself up on her elbow, appraising his form with hungry, appreciative eyes as he tans on his back next to her. He has his hands pillowed behind his head, which causes his biceps to bulge and her thighs to clench. MJ is lost in him as she trails her finger over the features of his face — down his button nose, smoothing over his arched brows, across his rosy cheeks, against his pillowy lips. She smiles as he sighs contentedly and drops a peck to the tip of his nose before settling with her cheek on his chest. He smells like tanning oil and ocean and that clean, woody musk that MJ knows as him.
Later, they wade around in the sea between batches of sun bathing. At some points, he’s holding her waist-deep in the water with her legs wrapped around his middle and arms around his neck, lips connecting occasionally amidst easy conversation. Other times they have full-on water fights that have her squealing and him laughing as they splash each other back and forth.
It isn’t until the orange and pink hues of the sunset paint the sky that they’re brought back to the beach for good. Once they rinse off and have all of their things collected, they head back to the van.
MJ removes her bikini inside while Grayson reattaches the surfboard to the roof. She slips on her sweatshirt and a fresh pair of soft shorts just in time for him to carefully crack open the back door to make sure she’s decent.
Grayson smiles widely as he crawls in on the already made bed where she sits and is piling her damp hair into a messy bun. “So fucking beautiful,” he murmurs, giving her a lingering kiss while her hands are still mid-twist in her long hair.
A pleasant warmth swoops through her belly at his compliment; it had taken her a while to get accustomed to not only how often Grayson rains sweet praises like that down on her, but how sincerely he means them, too.
She hums into his mouth right before he pulls away. “I left your shorts there, baby,” she says, gesturing behind her with her head. Gray thanks her and she starts to dig through the cooler as he tugs his swimsuit down his inked legs, following them back up with the clean shorts.
They eat dinner with the back doors wide open, a perfect view of the sun setting below the ocean’s horizon right in front of them. A pleasant breeze floats around them in the van, cool and refreshing from being picked up right off the water. MJ nuzzles her cheek on Grayson’s bare shoulder, and he presses a kiss to the top of her head as she chews her last bite of tofu.
“Thank you for such a perfect day,” MJ says a minute later, gazing up at him while he takes a sip of La Croix. “Seriously, I can’t remember the last time I felt so…carefree. Loved. In love. Not that you don’t make me feel those things every day, but… y’know. Today was just great.”
Her hand reaches to caress his stubbly cheek, a soft smile at the corner of her full lips. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Gray.”
Grayson looks down at her silently, but his eyes say everything his lips don’t. He tucks his can and their empty tupperware back into the cooler, tossing the bag into one of the back seats behind them so it’s out of the way.
He cups her cheeks in both hands, wasting no more time in bringing their mouths together. MJ sighs and shifts so she’s that much closer to him, just as his tongue prods gently at her pliant lips to coax them open.
They make out like that, slow and deep, with the soundtrack of crashing waves wafting through the open doors. Gray lies her down and supports the back of her head with his forearm, his free hand swooping up and down her side before settling in the dramatic dip of her waist as he pulls away just barely.
Eyes closed, their breaths come heavy and mingle sweetly in the minute space between them. Grayson suddenly lets out a little incredulous huff, shaking his head and diving back in blindly to suck softly on her bottom lip. MJ lets out a little moan and digs her nails gently down his bare back, her eyes fluttering open.
“What?” she asks with a little smile of her own, nuzzling her nose against his in an Eskimo kiss.
Grayson’s hazel orbs meet her green ones, and the hand resting on her waist comes to cup her face once again so he can stroke the new freckles that litter her high cheekbone.
“I’m gonna marry you,” he answers, chuckling at her shocked little gasp. He hurries to clarify himself. “One day, when we’re ready. You’re my world, MJ. Maybe it’s selfish, or self aggrandizing, but hearing you say that makes it so obvious to me that you’re the only person I’d ever want to spend the rest of my life with. Because I feel the same about you. I only ever want to make you feel that way; nothing makes me happier.”
MJ is stunned into silence. Grayson isn’t exactly the most eloquent person, so somehow she reasons that his perfect delivery of such meaningful words means they’re truly heartfelt. Not that she would have doubted him either way, but their relationship has suddenly shifted even deeper in the matter of one day. One simple, amazing day.
She feels the prickle of tears behind her eyes, and bites her lip through a watery smile as she raises her hand to run her fingers through the back of his hair. No matter how happy she is, her instinct for dealing with any emotions is to deflect with humor. “Can’t wait ’til I pop out a few of your babies. From the sounds of it, you’ll be worshipping the ground I walk on.”
That hits him right in the baby fever, his dick hardening even more behind his shorts at the thought of her belly swollen with his child. Joking or not, she’s absolutely right.
“Fuck,” he whispers, grinning as he ducks his head to nibble her favorite spot just behind her jaw and right under her ear. “How many of my babies? Hm?”
“Mmm,” she sighs, scratching lightly at his scalp, considering the question seriously. “Four little Dolan babies, I think. Three boys and a little girl.”
“Yeah,” Grayson agrees easily, making his way across her jaw with soft little suckles. “But make that three girls and a little boy, and you've got a deal.”
MJ giggles and grabs his face so they’re staring each other in the eye again. “No actual baby-making until there’s a ring on this finger.” She wiggles the digits of her left hand, which Grayson grabs and kisses the back of with a smirk. If only she knew just how close that moment might be. “But we can always practice in the meantime.”
Grayson nods and hitches her leg up his hip as he ducks down for a surprisingly chaste kiss considering her invitation a second before. As much as he wants her, he has a need deep in his chest just to be close to her for the moment. To feel her hold him and nuzzle into the warm crook of his neck, sucking gently on that freckle there to make his head swim like after a nice glass of wine.
MJ is just as happy with that arrangement, and she lets her body be still and her breaths tickle the sensitive skin at his collarbone. The ocean breeze billowing through the open doors of the van is cool and salty and comforting.
“It’s crazy,” Grayson whispers after a few peaceful minutes, his fingers starting to trail up and down her covered back slowly. MJ pulls back a little so she can see his face. He isn't looking at her, but rather out the open van doors at the last moments of the sun setting behind the water. “I remember feeling exactly this way the first day we met, only now it’s…more. You felt right then, so right it was scary. And here we are. How did I know that you were my person as soon as you let me walk you back to that tent?”
MJ smiles and her belly swoops. She thinks back to that night, how scared she had been and how instantly — well, as he said — right Grayson had felt the minute they crossed paths.
“I did kind of seduce you,” she chuckles, lifting her head to nibble at the underside of his chin and reveling in the sensation of his deep chuckle vibrating against her lips. “Maybe you’re just under my Black Widow spell. Have I never let it slip I’m only after your money?”
Grayson laughs louder, squeezing her to his body tighter. “Nope. But that’s the MJ I remember falling head over heels for in a matter of hours. Smart and witty and sweet and so fucking pretty with her green eyes and bright smile.”
MJ stares up at him with stars in those emerald eyes he adores so much. He is unreal to both see and hear; his skin has turned olive and his hair has the crisp of the ocean still in it, and the fact that he can still pinpoint the little things he liked about her from so long ago…
“Do you love me?” she asks quietly. It’s so ridiculously unnecessary to ask, he tells her multiple times a day, every day.
“So much, Peach,” he murmurs back predictably, finally swooping down to capture her lips like she wanted earlier, tongues meshing instantly.
He tastes so familiar and sweet. She wants to devour him slowly, intimately, like she has a thousand times before.
“Close the doors?” MJ gasps after the simple swipe of his thumb over her nipple through her sweatshirt makes her thighs tremble and her hips grind onto his half-hard erection. Something about the heartwarming intimacy of the day has translated to her body being physically sensitive beyond belief.
Grayson nods and sits up, reaching for the switch of the fairy lights MJ had hung up a few weeks ago before slamming the doors shut on the nighttime scenery.
While he does as she asked, she scoots up to rest her head on a pillow and watches his bare, chiseled torso glow in the dim, sensual lights. Right as he turns around he catches her struggling to free herself from her hoodie.
“Let me do it, Peach. I wanna do it,” he breathes, dipping down to kiss her soundly before tugging upward on the hem of the soft fabric. MJ drops her head to the pillow to break the seal of their lips, lifting her arms up so he can pull the garment over her head.
Grayson flings it to the front of the van and brings their mouths together so quickly, like he simply can’t be away from her lips for longer than a second. His hands reach up and cup the pliable mounds of her breasts, which are several shades lighter than the rest of her chest. Clearly, he could care less, and MJ sighs softly as he massages them firmly, his calloused palms creating delicious friction on her hypersensitive nipples.
“Still the prettiest tits I’ve ever seen, too,” he smirks, making his way across her jaw. MJ smiles too, eyes closed in bliss as he kisses the familiar trail down her sternum. Predictably, his warm lips suction around the bud of her left breast, and she lets her mind wander through the pleasure to flash back on the first time he did this.
“We’re still kind of in a tent, too, y’know,” she gasps as he switches sides, letting out her first moan of the night when he scrapes his teeth against her. “Just…more bougie.”
Grayson hums, quickly getting lost in the feel of how soft her tits are and how much he loves the sensation of her hard nipples under his tongue. He drops his hips down so he can grind his full erection against her hot center, eliciting wanton gasps from both of them.
MJ groans again, the feminine sound literal music to his ears and the perfect reinforcement to keep going. She hooks her legs around his waist to hold his hips against her, thrusting up against him as he continues to bite and lick and suckle her breasts.
“Holy shit, Gray, right there… I’m gonna cum,” she whimpers, grasping at his hair to hold him down where he was sucking perfectly on her breast, and continues to grind roughly on his dick. Sure enough, a few seconds later she’s shuddering with the most intense orgasm she’s ever had without manual stimulation. Even from Grayson.
Grayson himself can hardly believe it; they have a great sex life, but he can’t remember the last time he had gotten her off just through some intense dry humping.
He isn’t going to question it, though, because it only means one thing: she’s as voracious for him tonight as he is for her. He growls when she starts to come down and surprises her with his mouth planting roughly back on hers. MJ kisses him back lazily as her mind clears some, smiling and fluttering her eyes open to meet his dark gaze when she feels his middle finger replace his tongue in her mouth. She closes her swollen, pouty lips around the digit and sucks, holding onto his hand and maintaining complete eye contact with him when he moans softly. She pulls his hand out of her mouth and pushes it into her shorts.
“Fuck,” he rasps, collecting her slippery cum against his finger, swirling it against his thumb before trailing his middle finger up to her clit. He soaks in her expression as her eyes roll back at the first contact, his favorite reaction she has to his touch. “Fuck, MJ. So fucking wet for me.”
MJ nods quickly, opening her eyes again to watch him watch her. “Lemme taste,” she whimpers.
She pulls his hand back up and doesn’t wait for permission or leave him time to process her demand as she sucks the slick moisture straight off his finger, the taste of herself gracing her tongue causing her pussy to gush even more. When his brain finally catches up, he’s immediately ripping his hand away from her with a harsh groan and hooking it around the back of her neck to kiss her deeply. His tongue plunders her mouth as he searches for traces of that sweet, earthy tang he knows oh-so well. MJ’s hands distractedly push at the waistband of his shorts, desperate for the feel of his dick in her hands.
“Please, baby,” she whines against his lips when they break for air, using the moment of clarity to tug more determinedly at his shorts. “Need you.”
“Need me where?” he teases, backing up so she can’t reach him as he pulls her own shorts down her long, newly tanned legs. Once he flings the scrap of fabric to join her sweater, he ducks down and swipes his tongue quickly over each of her nipples. “Here?”
MJ groans and shakes her head, her brain not operating at enough capacity to tease back, it’s so clouded with desire for him. “Gray…”
Grayson smirks and grabs one of her hands that are coasting down his back and attempting to pull him down against her. He cups her petite palm against his pulsing erection, sighing a little when her fingers wrap around him through his shorts instinctively. He drops his hand and brings it to her pussy, his fingertips dancing delicately against her swollen lower lips. His head swims at how wet she is and how the solid feel of him seems to have brought her mind back to earth, because as soon as he lets go of her hand she delves past his waistband to grip him directly.
“My dick, baby, you need my dick?” he asks softly, his voice a little high and his breath pitchy as she strokes him steadily now.
MJ moans and her pussy throbs simply at his words. She nods hastily. “Need it in me,” she manages, meeting his heated gaze as she gives him a firm squeeze. “Love your dick.”
“Yeah,” he sighs, his touch leaving her as he helps her in getting him completely naked, kicking his shorts off when they reach his ankles.
He takes a moment to gather himself and to slow down, trying to get himself back in that intimate headspace they were so deep in earlier, so that this doesn’t turn into just a hot, hard fuck. They love that, and it’s kind of their bread and butter in the bedroom. But he wants to hold her close and savor her body, to pass that loving energy between them in the most special, physical way.
MJ’s chest heaves as she watches Grayson hover above her, staring at her, and she parts her legs to welcome him back into her space. He looks like a fucking Greek god in the low light, his hair curly from the saltwater and sweat, his skin golden and his muscles bulging. She can’t possibly want him any more than in that moment.
“C’mere,” she whispers, reaching her arms out and making grabby hands at him. She can’t allow another second to go by without the sensation of his smooth skin against hers.
Grayson smiles sweetly at her, eyes sultry as he lowers himself at her request and presses their bodies together from chests to centers. She cups his cheeks and scratches her fingers against his scruff as they kiss slowly, deeply, desire building intensely once again as they grind together at the middle.
“Please, Grayson,” she finally says again.
All thoughts of any more teasing are out the door as Grayson obliges her. He dips his fingers in her pussy, testing her readiness and using her sweet juices to coat his dick.
MJ spreads her legs up and out, bent at the knees, and she throws her head back with a gasp as he enters her in a short thrust; a little more on the second, until he bottoms out with the third.
“Fuck me,” she whimpers, her hands pushing on the firm globes of his ass.
Grayson obeys with a groan, drawing his hips in and out steadily. “Wanna fuck you slow,” he says in her ear, thrusting all the way in and all the way out. The warm clutch of her perfect pussy is so intense at that tempo that he shudders and his eyes roll back. “Slow and deep, Peach.”
“Yes,” MJ agrees, her breaths coming in fast despite the maintained speed of his dick. He’s working her up so good, and she leans forward to bite into the junction of his neck and shoulder out of habit to keep her sounds muffled.
“Yes, baby,” she squeals quietly when her minute adjustment shifts the angle just right for him to hit her spot over and over. Her nails claw at his back, scraping over the work of art that is both his rippling muscles and the picture of the lions inked into them. “Oh my God, keep fucking me like that.. like that…”
The air confined in the van is warm and thick. Sweat drips from the ends of his hair, his hot breaths fan over her forehead, and his chain dangles enticingly across her face as he stares down at her all blissed out beneath him. Nothing turns him on more than her words of encouragement, which are usually muted due to the fact that his omnipresent twin brother lives across the hall. But now that they’re alone, in nature — just like the night they met — all filters are off. It makes him even more determined to get her to cum so hard she forgets any of those sweet praises she’s mumbling other than his name.
It’s already so, so good, but as soon as he gets on his knees just enough to gain more leverage to thrust even harder into her, that knot in MJ’s stomach starts growing in a fantastically unfamiliar way. Her eyes roll back and Grayson reaches a huge hand up to support her head against his shoulder, sensing how perfect the angle is for her and wanting to help her maintain it. She’s getting tighter and wetter around him, so much so that he has to grit his teeth and hiss to avoid having to pull out and stop.
“MJ,” he moans into her ear, tugging on her lobe with his teeth, an unspoken warning that he’s close. He’ll hold on as long as he can, but he absolutely needs to get her there first.
In the back of her mind, she comprehends his cue. But she’s so focused on reaching the bursting point of that expanding ball behind her belly, she can’t help but selfishly draw every ounce of pleasure she can from him. She thinks she knows what’s going to happen, and it will be a first-time experience for both of them.
It’s only going to take a few more deep, hard thrusts, and she’ll be there. Almost there…
“Gray!” she squeaks, squeezing a hand between their bodies to push against his abs, just in time for him to pull out and her to gush all over him and the blankets serving as makeshift sheets beneath them. It’s an indescribable release that washes over her, her own loud, shaky squeals of pleasure distant noises in the back of her head. She can only see colors behind her closed eyelids, greens and blues and lavenders sparkling in her mind’s eye like a mystical fog.
Grayson can’t believe what he’s seeing. His shocked and aroused groan sounds obnoxiously loud and foreign in his own ears; the fact that he doesn’t bust his nut right there on the blanket next to hers is a miracle. Instinctively, he reaches his fingers down to help her through it by rubbing her clit, huffing out an incredulous laugh when her thighs clamp instantly around his hand and a little more of her juices come out, soaking his hand. His name tumbles repeatedly out of her lips, just like he was aiming for and unwittingly exceeding his own expectations.
He’s painfully hard as he leans over her again, kissing her through her mindless whimpers as she starts to slowly come-to, her damp thighs opening once again and allowing him to slip between them. Right where he belongs.
“MJ?” he whispers, stroking her brow softly and watching her face intently. “You okay?”
Eyes still closed and breasts heaving, MJ takes a second to respond, but she moans quietly and nods, puckering her lips in invitation for him to meet with his. He obliges, indulging her for a moment until he can’t wait anymore. “Where do you want me to cum?”
“Inside,” she breathes at once, reaching down to grasp him and bring him to her dripping pussy. Grayson flinches at her sudden grip on him and the overwhelming wetness against the sensitive head of his dick. “Come on, Bear. Want you to cum hard inside me.”
With a groan, he slides back inside her, and a few hard, sloppy thrusts later, he’s shooting deep in her pussy. He’s never cum so hard in his life, and he whines into her mouth with the timing of his spurts. She hums contentedly, obsessed with that feeling of warmth that comes with, well, his cum.
“So good,” he murmurs when he’s finally done, pulling out of her slowly. He grabs a spare towel and cleans up the liquid white that follows him dripping from her center. “That was incredible, MJ. You’re incredible.”
MJ shakes her head in agreement, clapping a hand to her forehead and giggling softly, her knees bent and swaying side to side. “I thought we had done everything to try to get that to happen. Turns out we just had to go back to the beginning.”
Grayson lies down next to her, turning her head with a gentle hand on her cheek so he can press their lips together. “I love you,” he says simply. “My pretty Peach.”
MJ grabs a blanket and tosses it over the both of them, brushing her nose against his once they’re cuddled together. “And I love my Gray Bear. Mine.”
“Yours,” he whispers in affirmation, tucking her head into the crook of his neck until they’re both lulled to sleep in their cozy little bougie tent.
#dolan twins#grayson dolan#grayson dolan smut#dolan twins fic#grayson dolan fic#grayson mj#grayson dolan oc
176 notes
·
View notes