#also i escalated a bit this was supposed to be like 1.5k words but i did more than double that

[bright-molina]

tara needs her time now… bc im in LOVE🤗🤗😭🤭

tara would 100% be for pda. no further comments

a/n YOU ARE SO RIGHT BABES this got way out of hand and its honestly more,,subtle (?) pda but i'm absolutely down for another addition to this with more relationship-esque pda

synopsis tara is, in fact, incredibly obsessed with you. it really isn't hard to tell.

wc 1.5k

TARA CARPENTER LOVE OF MY LIFE

No because she’s really into pda but is also just super clingy in general???

Oddly enough I don’t think her love language is physical touch (i think it’s quality time but that’s a different story) she’s genuinely just so very addicted to you

Before you start dating she gravitates towards you like nothing else

She knocks on your door at the very start of the day with breakfast in her hands and she hugs you for a little bit too long in greeting

You’ll get out of class and she’s there within seconds to walk with you to wherever you have to go next, her hand brushing against yours every few seconds (sometimes she’ll gather the courage to lock her pinky with yours and neither of you say a word about it but you both smile the rest of the day)

Whenever everyone in your little group is sitting around doing something she’ll casually ask whoever's next to you to go get her something and take their place within seconds of them getting up and she’ll revel in the feeling of your body pressed next to hers

Anyone asks her about it though and she’ll deny it with every fiber of her being, never wanting to be seen as even the slightest bit vulnerable

“Tara, do you like y/n?” “What? Shut the fuck up” 

“Aww you have a crush” “I’ll crush you if you even think about saying another word.” “That’s adorable.���

“Have you seen y/n?” “Why are you asking me?” "You’re just always with her is all” “What’s that supposed to mean -”

But then she sees you and you have this way of breathing out her name and smiling at her and she can’t get enough, she gets this weird feeling in the pit of her stomach and when you move around the room to say hi to everyone else she just so happens to follow you and - yeah okay she definitely has a crush. She can't deny it anymore

And you? Oh you’re driving Tara insane and you don’t even know

You gravitate towards her as much as she does to you, it genuinely feels weird not being in close proximity to her

You’ll put a hand on the small of her back and lead her through a room at parties to go get another drink with you

You’ll sit down next to her in the single class that the two of you share and move your chair closer to her bit by bit until you’re the perfect distance away to lean over and whisper to her whenever you want to

When it gets late you have no shame in taking her hand and begging her to stay with you in your dorm for just a little bit longer because “I just really like talking to you” and she obliges you every single time

The bolder you get, the bolder she gets and you're truly both thriving

Neither one of you has any kind of idea when is starts escalating, all you know is that one day Sam comes home and sees Tara laying across the couch with her head in your lap while you brush her hair back gently and her voice goes really high when she asks you if you wanna stay for dinner

She asks you both later “when did this happen?” and when tara answers “when did what happen?” Sam looks ready to rip her hair out. She doesn’t say anything else all night. Not even when Tara pops her head into her room later to inform her that you’re spending the night.

And it’s not until a few nights later (you’d somehow spent the last four days sleeping in her bed instead of your own) at another party Tara dragged you to that it even occurs to you what it is that Sam meant

Tara’s got you leaning back against the wall, hands set firmly on your waist, holding you to her while she leans in close with the half assed excuse of it being too loud in the house. She’d very quickly crossed the line from craving your touch to being addicted to it.

“Shit,” you laugh as you reach forward and brush her hair out of her eyes and Tara smiles. “What is it?”

Tara doesn’t hear anything you say. She only watches as you blink at her slowly and then watches how you bite your bottom lip to keep from smiling. Your mouth moves and she guesses you’re telling her something but whatever words you’re saying don’t process in her brain at all

She leans in closer, impossibly so. She pulls you down, forehead resting against yours, and stares at the pretty color staining your lips. A color she imagines everywhere. It’d taken every single bit of self control since you’d started staying with her to not give in to the urge to kiss you

You see the dazed look in her eyes and giggle a little bit, “You didn’t hear what I said did you?” and it’s as you thought, she hums and doesn’t utter a single word

“Okay fine,” you’re watching her carefully as you keep talking. “You’re so pretty, you know that?” Tara absentmindedly nods as she starts playing with the necklace you’re wearing. ���I like you. Like a lot, a lot,” She utters this soft uh huh as she traces the chain up until her hands disappear in your hair. “Your sister thinks we’re dating and maybe we should be,” Her eyes start scanning your face. She looks into your eyes for a moment, a lazy smile playing on her lips as she gets a little bit lost, before trailing down and zeroing in on your lips and that pretty color she was so obsessed with.

Tara watches as your lips curl into a smirk and her brows furrow as she frowns, tuning back into the words you were saying for the first time in a bit and she can’t remember how she got so lost in you. “But since we aren't, maybe I’ll just go back to my dorm tonight.” “Wait what?”

You laugh a little bit and her smile returns. She moves back just enough to leave the haze you put her in without knowing and she looks you in the eyes again. The look she gives you is gentle and a little bit pleading as she begs, “Stay. With me. Please?”

“I will if you can tell me what I just told you,” Your hands fall onto her waist and you pull her closer when a group of people walks past the two of you. She stumbles into you a little bit and you only hold her tighter.

And Tara is determined to figure it out, she really is. Except the two of you are practically molded into one again and her mind is a little hazy from the drinks she’d had and she just feels so warm and comfortable when she’s with you and nothing is processing.

You watch as Tara tries her hardest to concentrate, tries her best to recall anything at all, and it really does take all your self control to not close the space between you and kiss her all soft and slow until she’s in an even deeper haze. The words she practically shouts at you break you out of your own thoughts.

“I like you,” Tara leans into you even more and her hands are pulling you in closer. “Like a lot.”

It’s a desperate attempt, she knows this, trying to get you to forget the little wager you’d made her while also spilling the feelings she’d felt for longer than she even knew. She hopes the way you smile is a good thing.

“You wanna know something?” You press your forehead to hers again and Tara fights to keep her eyes on you and listen to what you’re trying to tell her. “That was exactly what I said to you.”

That’s all you have to say. That’s all that’s needed before Tara grips your shirt and pulls you the last short distance and kisses you. Feverish and a little rough and so desperate to feel you all over her. It’s all she’s thought about.

You pull away from her only to slip your hand into her own before turning to leave the party, “Come on.” “Where are we going?” “Back to your apartment.”

You say it so simply, so easily, and you’ve got that soft, innocent smile she loves so much on as you look at her and it makes Tara’s mind run at a million miles a minute again. She stops you before you can keep walking and you turn to face her again, this time a little questioning and she watches as concern fills your eyes.

“Will you stay?” It’s a quiet moment amidst everything else. It’s genuine and vulnerable and yet Tara isn’t afraid of your answer. She trusts you, trusts that you’ll take care of her. She knows she’s right to when you step forward and kiss her again. Soft and sweet and she chases after you when you pull away, reveling in the way you give in and kiss her a few more times before really pulling away.

You’re so very serious when you look at her and tell her, “Of course I will.” Tara can see it. She gives you that smile she saves just for you before taking the lead and holding you close. She doesn’t let you go.

[leviathanswingman]

killing me softly, chapter 12: actions speak louder than words

Lucifer was sitting in his study, stacks of paperwork on his desk in front of him. He was meticulously working, going through paper after paper. The big celebration was in a day and he still had a lot of catching up to do. After having pulled another all-nighter, he had almost finished all of his tasks. Next to him was a trash bin, filled to the brim with white and blue rose petals, a few single buds mixed in with stems and thorns.

Exhausted, he allowed himself to rest for a moment. In front of of him were a cup of coffee Barbatos had brought over and an untouched slice of apple pie which Beelzebub had unceremoniously dumped in front of him. Lucifer took a big gulp of coffee and leaned back in his chair, letting out a deep sigh. The warm coffee felt like medicine to his sore throat.

As he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of the rich scent of roasted beans, suddenly, the doors burst open and Asmodeus barged into the room.

Surprised, Lucifer almost threw the cup of coffee over his shoulder. Quickly, he kicked the overflowing trash bin under the desk, almost making it tip over in the process. It swayed dangerously before finally coming to a halt.

„Asmodeus!“ he growled as he got up from his chair. „How many times have I told you to knock? Looking at your behaviour one could assume you'd been raised by apes. I suppose you must have a fairly good reason as to why you have disobeyed my rules once again.“

Asmo smiled at him recklessly. „Oh, I do! I'm on the most important of missions!“ he exclaimed as he crossed the room and walked around the table with a spring in his step. Elegantly, he then sat down on top of Lucifer's mahogany desk, one leg crossed over the other.

„If you don't want me to cancel all of your beauty subscriptions, you better speak up. Now.“

“Oh come one, Lucifer. You wouldn't do that!”

Lucifer held eye contact with his brother as he picked up his DDD and dialled a number. “Good evening, is this-”

“No!” Asmodeus yelled as he grabbed Lucifer's DDD and threw it out the window. From far away they could hear a distant thud, followed by an angry yell. “OW! If I find out who threw that DDD, I swear to fuck-”

“Sorry Satan!!”

Then, there was the sound of a garbage can getting kicked out of its socket and Asmodeus shrugged nonchalantly.

For a moment, Lucifer simply stared at his brother. Normally, now would be the perfect time to punish Asmodeus, make him learn from his mistakes and most of all, make him refrain from overstepping his boundaries ever again. However, Lucifer was extremely tired. The last two days he had worked tirelessly, attempting to make up for the time he had spent in Lord Diavolo's chambers. Adding to the exhaustion that came from his overworked mind, Lucifer was also suffering under the fits of hanahaki that had gotten progressively worse over the last two days. The only blessing that had emerged out of this situation was the fact that his enormous workload was effectively keeping him apart from Diavolo.

With Lucifer holed up in his study and Lord Diavolo busy preparing for his guests, there was no time left to mull over that pesky disease. Everything was working completely in Lucifer's favour.

“Are you trying to sign your death warrant?”

“Not actively, no,” Asmo answered, tilting his head playfully.

“Oh, really? I can make that happen, you are aware of that?” Lucifer threatened half-heartedly. It took much energy being threatening and angry, energy he definitely couldn't spare at the moment. He just had to make it through the celebration, both literally and figuratively.

Lucifer was most aware of the fact that he did not have much time left. Aside from the obvious hanahaki attacks, his breathing had worsened immensely and he had started to get random nose bleeds.

As Yuuta would say, he felt like hell, which was quite ironic, taken his current place of residence. Lucifer had one last task left to fulfil: making it through the celebration without raising any suspicions. If he managed to do that, he could die without regrets; could die with the knowledge that he didn't have to sully Lord Diavolo's name.

After Barbatos had caught him, resting in Diavolo's arms, he had spent evening after evening laying out all of his options and had come to one conclusion. If he were to allow himself to be with Diavolo, if he were to alleviate their relationship to a romantic level, he would sooner or later bring shame to Lord Diavolo. As the current demon prince, a romance with his right hand man would be one of the biggest scandals all around devildom. Although the demon king was not present at the moment, he would certainly not be willing to give his blessing for a union like that.

Lucifer snapped out of it and sighed deeply. In moments like this, he couldn't help but feel a saddening kind of softness. After all, this was one of his last days with his brothers. Almost his entire life he'd portrayed himself as the serious, untouchable older brother. Today, he was allowed to be lenient for once.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and turned to Asmodeus. “Pray tell, what is this mission of yours?”

A quick smile flashed across Asmo's face. “Actually, you are my mission.”

Lucifer raised his eyebrows in a silent question. “I am your mission? In what way is this supposed to make sense?”

His little brother put his hands on Lucifer's shoulders and beamed with excitement. “Well, sorry for saying this, but you look terrible, like absolute garbage.”

“You know you can't hurt my feelings with crude language like that. I'm a busy demon and work always comes first. So what are you trying to accomplish?”

Asmodeus sighed in annoyance. “You don't get what I mean. You probably have to be at Diavolo's side the entire party, right?” he questioned, head cocked to one side.

“It's a celebration, not a party, but yes. It's what's expected from me. Diavolo and I will be responsible for our honoured guests.”

Asmodeus didn't skip a beat. “Looking like that?” he murmured sweetly, yet still loud enough for Lucifer to hear.

Of course, Lucifer had allowed himself to be somewhat kind during his last days, but that didn't mean he'd let his brother bully him without reason. With a strong hand, he whacked Asmodeus in the back of his head.

“Ouch! What was that for?? Lucifer, you're such a meanie! I was just trying to help!” Asmo wailed. “Don't you think you should look perfect for the party? It's no secret that you're blessed with good genes, but right now, you're looking like a zombie!” He rubbed the back of his head as he averted his eyes. “Don't you want to look good for Lord Diavolo?” he added, his expression obviously fake lost in thought.

“What was that last part about?” Lucifer asked coldly, a sickly sweet smile painted on his face as he gripped Asmo's wrist a little bit too tight.

“Oh, did I say that out loud?” came the answer. “Whoopsie.”

“Stop it with your little games, Asmodeus. We both know you have come here with an agenda. Knowing you, there's no way to persuade you to just leave it. So what are you here for?” With a deep sigh, he twirled his hand in a circular motion, signalling his brother to keep talking.

Asmodeus basically lit up. “I'm giving you a makeover!”

Lucifer simply glowered at him. As soon as Asmodeus recognized the look on his brother's face, he corrected himself.

“I'm not saying you need a makeover, after all you are gorgeous Lucifer, I just think you need a bit of last minute skin care to perfect your complexion. Both your exhaustion and hana-”

At the mention of his disease, Lucifer threw Asmodeus a threatening look, making him freeze in place for a second.

“Both your exhaustion and your illness,” he corrected himself, “have taken a toll on you. Wouldn't our beloved guests get worried if they caught you walking around like the living dead?” Asmo concluded.

After a few moments of silence, Lucifer surrendered and sat down on his chair. Deep down he could tell that this wasn't just another one of Asmodeus' shenanigans. There was a bigger picture he wasn't quite aware of.

Still, that didn't erase the fact that his brother had a valid point. If he were to attend the celebration looking gaunt and exhausted, people would eventually end up gossiping. Lord Diavolo already had a hard time proving himself to be as good of a leader as his father had been, rumours about his overworked right hand man were the last thing he needed at the moment.

Lucifer felt a petal working itself up his throat again. He coughed once, trying to alleviate the discomfort, but to no avail. Given the fact that Asmodeus was already in the picture, he felt little shame in pulling the trash bin out from under his desk. Forearms leaning heavily on his thighs, he leaned forward and quickly heaved a load of petals into the already overflowing trash bin. For a few moments he stayed in that position until he could feel his elbows digging into his thighs harshly. Tomorrow, there would probably be bruises there. Lucifer now leaned back, letting the back of his head hit the chair's backrest.

“Do not say anything, I don't need your unnecessary comments,” he said, voice croaky. “Save it.” Suddenly,he felt something trickling down his nose. Blood.

Asmodeus squeaked at the sight of it. “Tip your head back! Tip your head back, oh my god!! Wait, don't tip it back I think you're not supposed to do that! Towel.. towel!” He hurried across the room, scurrying to find anything to stop the bleeding. Eventually, he found one of Lucifer's handkerchiefs and ran back to his side.

“That's not necessary,” Lucifer started as he held the palm of his hand pressed to his nose, blood trickling down to the slightly protruding bone of his wrist.

“Just let me do this!” Asmo exclaimed as he shoved the handkerchief in Lucifer's face. Lucifer let out a few grumbles, but still grabbed the handkerchief and held it to his nose. “So, we were discussing your plan?” he continued their former conversation, acting as if nothing had happened.

Asmodeus looked at him intensely and for a second, a look of suppressed anger cracked through the mask he had carefully crafted. However, it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. After breathing out heavily, he fixed his bangs with steady fingers and put on a smile.

“Of course. So, I've been thinking about what we can do to make you look less like you're about to drop dead and more like you're drop dead gorgeous, right? I still have a few amazing creams and tinctures which can save you from literally anything. We are going to use those on you. With that, problem number one will be solved,” he snapped his finger, “just like that.”

Lucifer folded the bloodied handkerchief in half and pressed it back against his nose. He wasn't the biggest fan of all of Asmo's flowery perfumes and creams; admittedly, the heavy scents gave him migraines, but if it would help him look more presentable for his last duties, he would have to suffer through it. “I understand. What else?”

Asmodeus clapped his hands once. “Problem two is mostly me being nitpicky, but I just know it will make you shine so much more and take everyone's attention off your illness. I'm not trying to be rude here, but you do have a track record of being terrible at hiding,” he motioned towards the full trash bin, “that. You have to show me your outfit and I'll work out how we can perfect it.”

Perfection. Exactly what Lucifer wanted to portray, almost to an obsessive degree. Everything had to be neat and tidy for his final performance.

The bleeding had finally stopped and Lucifer threw the handkerchief into the bin on top of all the sickly smelling petals and buds. “Alright then, follow me to my chambers.”

“So?”

Asmodeus was standing in the middle of Lucifer's room as he waited for his brother to bring out his fit for tomorrow's party. He knew Lucifer could tell something was up, but seeing as he had only a day left and his pride to maintain, he had budged. Well, he had budged very reluctantly. Taken the fact that they were talking about Lucifer however, it was a wonder he had given in to begin with.

When him, his brothers and Yuuta had formed their plan, Asmodeus had immediately known what exactly he had to say to Lucifer to get him to involuntarily cooperate. Catering to his pride had been their only realistic option and it had worked incredibly well.

We're not gonna let you go, you stubborn brother of ours. We're annoying like that and you are all that we have left, Asmodeus thought to himself for a moment.

He was nervous to a certain degree, but out of all of his brothers and Yuuta, he was the one with the most viable poker-face.

Asmodeus prided himself in being distracting and eye-catching, turning conversations around was his forte. Now he completely had to rely on those skills of his. Everyone was depending on him to make this work somehow. He hid shaking fingers behind his back as Lucifer stepped back into his field of view, holding a pristine black suit. It was neither too plain nor too ornate, perfect in a marriage of respectability and beauty. Thoughtfully, Asmodeus nodded his head as he circled the suit once, looking at every inch of fabric closely.

“We can work with this. Waistcoat and shirt?” he then asked, his pointer ghosting over his lips.

“Red waistcoat, the dress shirt is a regular black one,” Lucifer answered, handing over the suit to his brother. Asmodeus laid it out on the bed, careful not to crease the suit.

“The waistcoat is a good choice, but drop the black dress shirt.”

Lucifer furrowed his eyebrows. “What is wrong with a black dress shirt. It's professional yet elegant.”

“That's exactly the point. This is not a business meeting, this is a party.”

“Celebration,” Lucifer cut in.

“Par-ty,” Asmo insisted. “Lord Diavolo and you are there to entertain and mingle with the guests. Dress like it. Aren't parties there to impress and wow the crowd?” He winked at his brother. “Or do you want me to have all the attention to myself? Oh Lucifer, I didn't know you were this considerate! Anyway, the shirt gets switched out with a black dress shirt made out of lace, no getting out of this one.”

Lucifer glowered at him. It was almost hilariously obvious how badly he wanted this situation to be over. “Are you done?”

“Am I done? I've barely even started! Show me the shoes!”

After crossing the room again, Lucifer brought over a pair of elegant, black dress shoes. Asmodeus stared at them in blank horror. “Ew. Ew ew ew. Nope, we are certainly not doing that!”

With a bit too much force Lucifer sat down on the bed, barely suppressing a deep grumble. “What's the problem now?”

“What's the-? Everything! Lucifer, how did you manage to woo Lord Diavolo with clothes this unadventurous?!”

“I told you before, I do not-” before he could finish his sentence Asmodeus raised one finger and dashed out of the room.

Lucifer sprung up from his bed and quickly grabbed the nearest handkerchief, coughing into it violently. His throat hurt to the point that one, two, three more buds didn't matter all that much anymore. He tasted blood, but kept coughing until what had been clogging up his windpipe dislodged. Two bloodied buds were now lying in the handkerchief between his hands, a blue rose and a white rose.

Images of those mesmerizing eyes, all honey and smoke, flashed through his mind again. Nowadays, the mere mention of Diavolo was enough to send Lucifer into painful fits. Still, he had made his decision and he was going to have to live with it. Or rather, he had to die with it, but that was just semantics right there.

Just as his breathing calmed down again, Asmodeus barged back into the room, holding something in his hands.

In the middle of wiping blood from the corner of his mouth, Lucifer looked back up, realizing what exactly his little brother had brought over so excitedly.

“You cannot be serious about this.”

Asmodeus flashed him one of his signature smiles, a smile few could say no to. Although Lucifer was different from regular demons, even he himself found it difficult to refuse his little brother when he exuded this kind of energy. But Lucifer knew his brothers better than anyone else. Asmodeus' smiles were infused with his powers. Whether he did this on purpose or not was a completely different question though. Awareness generally lowered the impact Asmodeus' powers had on you.

“Yep! I'm completely serious about this. I will come by 2 hours before the party starts so I can do your make-up.”

Without batting an eye Lucifer crossed his arms. He had worn make-up on multiple occasions, a little bit of concealer or foundation here and there to hide his tiredness and exhaustion. Knowing his brother however, this was not going to be where it ended.

Apparently Asmodeus saw the distrusting look on Lucifer's face, since he hurriedly scrolled through his phone, turning it to Lucifer to show him the picture he had just looked up.

“Like that,” he said. “Doesn't that look just darling? We'll use a little bit of red eyeshadow, which will work great with your eyes, then apply a tiny bit of eyeliner and then finish it off with mascara. Subtle yet enticing.” Slowly, he looked up at his brother who seemed to study the photo for a moment.

“Enticing? I would rather say it's quite daring, taken the fact that I am Lord Diavolo's right hand man.”

Asmodeus sighed deeply. “I promise, I'm not trying to make you look like a whore! This is gonna look so sophisticated! You're gonna look hot!”

Finally, Lucifer gave in, not because of his brother's last comment, but because it was his last day with his family. With Lord Diavolo. Going out meekly had never been quite his style.

“For once, I entrust myself to you. Do not disappoint me, Asmodeus,” he threatened, but his brother was barely listening to him as he had already jumped up and hugged Lucifer tightly, nuzzling his chest with his head for a moment. Surprised, Lucifer froze for a moment, but then resorted himself to awkwardly patting Asmo's head. A few moments later, Asmo let go again.

“It's settled then, I'll see you tomorrow!” he beamed before leaving the room with a spring to his step.

Lucifer sighed deeply as he let himself sink back onto his bed. Suddenly, his eyes settled on the clothing item Asmodeus had brought over before. Boots with a heel, approximately four inches in height, which would reach over his knees, hugging the beginning of his thighs in an almost promiscuous promise, made of the richest of leathers. They were beautiful works of craft, there was no denying that.

Lucifer's gut feeling was telling him that tomorrow would be the most interesting of days. No matter how much he would have preferred a calm passing, the fact that his brothers were involved in some way or another told him that chaos would inevitably ensue. After all, it always did.

There was only one certainty about tomorrow's evening in the ballroom: it would undeniably be Lucifer's last day alive.

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6 , Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 13

*nsfw chapter

taglist: @el-does-photography

[mojofun]

There's a bit of green in the blue of your eyes (Steve Rogers x OC)

Hello there. This is an entry for a writing challenge launched by @blisfvll​ for reaching 1.5k followers. I doff my cap, that’s awesome! Congratulations again. This story was meant to be shorter, but it turned into a multiple chapter thing which is still not over (but I’m working on it). It displays Steve being the adorably blind, stubborn and hotheaded dorito we all know and love. Enjoy!

Gif not mine, credits to @captainsamerica​

<<This is unacceptable!>> Steve bellowed, almost kicking the meeting room door open, rage etched on his features.

Behind him followed Aadya, the newest member of the Avengers, also known as Lone Wolf.

Her black hair was still perfectly straight, though it was slightly grimy from various explosions; so was her dark leotard, which she kept dusting every now and then.

She was no superhuman, but she was still a valuable resource for the group- a badass agent through and through.

It looked like rolling her eyes was one of her powers, so annoyed was she at the Captain’s outburst.

It was the first one of the day, but not the first of the week, or month: she and Steve had been butting heads ever since she joined the team, while the other Avengers made bets on who would win the arguments each time.

The bests were also beginning to escalate, since the tension was progressively rising. Who would triumph in a hand-to-hand fight?

Let’s just say that not even the Central Bank could boast a more proficient turnover.

<<For goodness’s sake, Steve, nothing happened! Stop making such a big deal out of it!>>

<<Nothi- Nothing happened?!>> He exploded <<You ventured inside the Hydra base even though I specifically told you to wait for my orders!>>

The female rolled her eyes again, sighing theatrically

<<Yes, I did, but my plan went well in the end>>

<<You pl- You didn’t have a plan!>> The older agent shouted, his face growing red <<You just winged it, like you always do!>>

Tony chuckled under his breath, observing the scene

<<Looks like Capsicle’s about to blow>>

Clint shrugged

<<I don’t see why he’s always so mad at her>>

<<You’re really blind, Birdbrain>>

<<Shut up you->>

<<I completed my mission!>>

<<I’m just saying that if you want to wing it, go be an improviser! There’s no place for hot-heads here!>>

Bucky snorted. He was just about to reprimand his friend, but Aadya beat him to it

<<Oh, you’re the one to talk!>>

<<What’s that supposed to mean?>> The blond hissed

<<You don’t get to act all high and mighty with me! You are the walking, talking, living definition of hothead, Mr! Don’t try to deny it!>>

Uh.

The brown-haired super soldier snickered: he’d always liked that girl. She never took shit from anyone, not even the sainted and revered Captain America.

The very same guy who snuck alone inside Schmidt’s base to free him and other soldiers, defying his general’s orders, was giving someone a lecture about recklessness. Talk about hypocrisy

<<I always abide by the rules>>

No, he didn’t

<<And I do not endanger my teammates with my actions!>>

Well, Bucky snorted… That was debatable.

Aadya flew into a rage. Despite the height difference, she looked every bit as intimidating as the blue-eyed super-soldier.

They all knew he’d hit a sensitive topic: she was incredibly loyal and devoted to each one of them- yes, even the Captain himself. Perhaps, she cared more about him than about the others…

At that moment though, it looked like she would enjoy nothing more than to clobber him with a sledgehammer

<<Our teammates can also be endangered by indecisiveness!>> She growled.

Steve froze, as did all the other Avengers.

Aadya too had hit a sore spot, and she knew it. She did not know just how sore though…

But it was made clear soon enough

<<That’s it; you’re out of the team>>

Gasps of horror echoed among the others, but the two contestants were two busy glaring at each other

<<What?>> Aadya snapped

<<You heard me: you’re out of the team>>

Silence fell in the room.

All the eyes were fixed on the Lone Wolf.

Everybody expected her to be furious, to lambast him… To have some sort of reaction. Instead, all the fury was suddenly wiped from her face and she just muttered

<<Fine>>

Spinning on her heels to walk out of the room, while the other agents stepped away to let her through.

They just… They just couldn’t believe what was happening.

Nevertheless, the most stricken one was Captain America himself.

From up close, he’d seen all the emotions fighting in her eyes while her countenance grew colder: disbelief, indignation, rage and… Pain.

A lot of pain. Much more than he would have expected.

He didn’t actually mean those words, he was just mad…

Damn, he was hotheaded alright.

Deep down he knew that she was right, and he was just being unreasonable… After all, their job was anything but safe, and things went awry most of the time, no matter how prepared they might have been.

Fuck, why did he have to be such an asshole?

<<Steve…>> His best friend called

<<What?>>

<<You’ve been too harsh on her>>

<<I- I- It’s not my fault! She has to learn to obey her superiors!>>

Why was he still going with that?

<<Still>> Tony piped up <<Kicking her out is way past the limit>>

<<Yeah. She’s one of SHIELD’s best recruits>> Natasha sighed

<<I mean, Fury recommended her himself!>>

<<Besides, you know she is right>> Bucky scolded <<You are the king of hotheads, and you just proved her point>>

That was true.

That was so fucking true.

He bowed his head shamefully, silently agreeing with them.

The sound of doors slamming caught everyone’s attention, and they turned in that direction

<<Mr Stark?>>

<<Yes, Jarvis>>

<<Miss Larrence wants to inform you that she will send you the report on the mission via email. She also asked me to tell Mr Rogers to “fuck off” and “go sit on a cactus”

Despite how sombre the situation was, no one could hold back their laughter- except Mr Rogers, of course

<<Harsh>>

<<She’s spunky>>

<<Oh for crying out loud->>

Before his companions could even turn around to look at him, he ran out of the room, looking for the feisty brunette.

He had to find her immediately.

Thanking Erskin for his serum -he was certain he’d never run that fast, not even on missions- Steve darted through the corridors.

Luckily, he spotted her just as she was about to walk inside her room

<<Aadya!>>

She did not even turn to look at him

<<Aadya!>> He panted.

With one last sprint he managed to grab her by the arm before she vanished behind the door.

At that point she did look at him; there was so much hatred in her eyes that he balked, but he did not let her go

<<What the fuck do you want, asshole?>> She snarled.

He was kind of intimidated, and very repentant

<<I… I’m sorry, I was out of line. But you need to understand that->>

<<No, you need to understand>> The woman barked, poking him in the chest <<You’re taking away everything from me.

This is not just a job to me, this is my life. My family>>

He sucked in a breath, feeling worse and worse as she went on

<<I don’t have parents or siblings, or any other relative waiting for me at home. Heck, I don’t even have a home.

Well, I did, up to ten minutes ago>>

<<Aadya->>

<<And you’re taking it away>>

Her eyes were glazed over. Fuck.

<<So thank you, Rogers. Thank you for being such an asshole>>

The agent shook her arm out of his grasp, doing her best to hold back her tears

<<I’m sorry, but you have to listen to me! You can’t question your superior’s orders during missions!>>

<<Don’t give me that crap>> The female hissed.

<<Aad->>

He tried to reach for her again, but she thrust-kicked him in the chest, sending him flying against the wall. He could have blocked the attack, but it was so unexpected…

<<You are not my superior, oh great star-spangled man with a plan.

Touch me one more time and you’ll be seeing stars for the next two weeks, and I’m not talking about the ones on your uniform>>

Steve sat up with a groan, massaging the spot where she’d hit him; he had to admit, she was a force to be reckoned with

<<I… I…>>

<<You, you, you… It’s always you. Well, fuck you, Steve Rogers>> The brunette snapped, putting on her sunglasses <<I hope to never see you again>>

That said, she shut the door with a bang.

The Captain stayed put, leaning against the wall. There was an ache in his chest, but it was not due to her hit. Unfortunately, it was due to his idiotic behaviour…

Later in the evening, in the living room, the team -minus Aadya- was having a chat

<<Man, I saw the video: she got you pretty good, didn’t she?>>

<<Stark, drop it>> Steve groaned from the couch.

The billionaire chuckled

<<There’s a dent in the wall where you hit it, Rogers. I guess what’s actually wounded is your ego though, more than your body>>

<<I still don’t understand why you were so rough with her, dude>> Sam sighed, sitting beside the blond <<Sure, she is rash, but she is also very reliable and an extremely good agent>>

<<I know>> The other man groaned, hiding his face in his hands

<<Then why don’t you cut her some slack?>>

<<It’s cause he likes her>> Tony cackled, sipping his coffee.

The Captain flinched, almost as if he’d been hit -again-

<<What?>>

<<Oh, don’t give me that crap, Capsicle. You like her, and you know it>>

Steve’s face grew redder than the stripes on his shield

<<Cap… Is it true?>> Sam asked

<<I…>>

<<I have to side with Stark on this one>> Bucky announced <<You like her, and it’s incredibly obvious>>

The poor man blushed even more

<<Wow, Frosty agrees with me!>>

<<Sod off, Stark>>

<<You know, Steve>> Natasha soothed <<You should go apologise. She’d appreciate that>>

He nodded weakly

<<Is she… Is she still in her room?>>

His voice was barely a whisper

<<Mh, let’s see… Jarvis?>>

<<Yes, Mr Stark?>>

<<Is the Lone Wolf still cooped up in her room?>>

<<No>>

Steve could have sworn his heart missed a beat

<<In the training room?>>

<<No>>

The apprehension rose even more

<<The kitchen, then?>>

<<No, Mr Stark; Miss Larrence has left the building permanently>>

And then all the hopes shattered.

Everybody looked at the Captain, whose expression was horrified

<<No, that’s- that’s impossible>>

<<Mr Rogers, I’m afraid Miss Larrence was simply following your directives>>

<<But I didn’t- I didn’t mean it!>> He cried out, almost pulling his hair out <<It was just something I said->>

<<In the heat of the moment?>> Tony provided, and Steve acknowledged the hit.

He was the walking, talking, living definition of hothead, and he was also the walking, talking, living definition of asshole.

Gosh, he felt horrible…

<<I swear, I didn’t mean it… I didn’t mean it…>>

<<We’re not the ones you’re supposed to tell that to, Cap>>

<<I know! But how do I find her now?>>

<<We’ll help you, pal>> Bucky reassured, patting his best friend’s back <<It will be ok, you’ll see>>

[juniper-and-lamplight]

Recent Reads -- May 12, 2019

It turns out that I start to feel itchy if I don’t do a round-up of my various one-off recs every few months or so? Though there are some new recs on this list too (helloooo, Lix Storm). As usual, it’s a multifandom mix--DGHDA, Harry Potter, The Hour, and just a bit of Sherlock and The History Boys. Recs under the cut, so you don’t have to scroll unless you want to :)  Enjoy!

Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency I'm So Queer I Can't Even Think Straight (But To Be Fair, You're Not Helping) - @dont-offend-the-bees - 2.2k, T, Dirk/Todd "'His mind was buzzing, his heart pounding, his lips tingling, even now five, ten, however many minutes later. But if nothing else, he’d got past the phase of the whole holy shit Dirk just kissed me thing going round and round in his head, stuck in there like a bad song. But holy shit Dirk just kissed him.' In which Todd shows his hand, and Dirk takes a leap." So funny and charming that I’m almost mad about it? The Comic happened, we all lost our minds, and Bees was there with fic on the SAME DAY.

A Thousand Butterflies Can't Be Wrong, (But I Think I Might Be.) - electricteatime | @kieren-fucking-walker - 6.2k, G, Dirk/Todd "It’s a lot, he knows it’s a lot, and he almost wishes he’d stopped to think about his answer before just blurting his feelings all over the place. But then he supposes he’s always been a little like that, and it hardly makes sense to change that now. If Todd feels the same he already knows what he’s signing up for. If. For two small letters, it really is a big word." OF COURSE post-s2 Dirk thinks that Todd and Farah will be together and leave him, because historically, that's how things go for him...bless his heart and his inability to cope with Todd's eyebrows.

Leave What's Heavy Behind - electricteatime - 5k, G, Dirk/Todd "A semi-poetic semi-character study of one Todd Brotzman, the lies he tells himself, and the truths Dirk Gently knows." So beautifully, painfully REAL?!? I may never stop having feelings about this fic.

song for the heartsick (better days are near) - embraidery - WIP, T, Bart & Suzie Boreton "Suzie Boreton, rescued from death at the hands of the Mage's goons by the dirtiest woman she's ever seen in her life, faces a question: would she like to go on a road trip with her savior? No, Suzie thinks, but when she opens her mouth, Yes comes out. And so begins the weirdest road trip ever." This is such a fascinating premise, I can't wait to see where it goes.

To sleep, perchance to dream - @flightinflame - 2.4k, G, Mona & friends "Mona is sick, and loses control of her abilities. She tries to hide it, but it becomes too much to ignore." This is? So soft?! And also quirky, and playful, and just plain heartwarming.

the intricacies of triangulation - reptilianraven | @actualbird - WIP, T, Farah/Dirk/Todd "'Todd. Us. Us and Todd. We need a plan for this,' Farah says. Or the one where Dirk and Farah get together (they’re surprised about it as well) and try their best to get Todd to date the both of them in the most roundabout ways possible." In just one chapter this fic had me HOWLING with laughter.

or make a home - reptilianraven - 6.6k, T, Dirk/Todd "Or Todd’s adventures in dating Dirk Gently, the mundanities of which unsurprisingly turning out to not be very mundane at all (featuring, among other things: intergalactic wormholes, regular periods of lying down on the floor, and several annoying habits that concern toothpaste and toothbrushes.)" With a combination of absurd humor and honest emotion, this fic absolutely nails the joys (and annoyances) of loving/supporting/living with another person.

put that baby back where it came from, or so help me - reptilianraven - 7.6k, T, Dirk/Todd "A case drops a telekinetic baby into the agency’s care and Dirk feels...overwhelmed whenever he sees Todd competently, wonderfully, lovingly taking care of a child." Tropey and ridiculous, but in the BEST WAY. My favorite line in this fic is ALL of them.

Though Your Breath Racks Your Ribs and You Throb with Pain; There's a Juice on My Lips for Each Purple Stain - @sexycoinkidicks - 7.4k, E, Dirk/Todd "In which Dirk shows Todd where it hurts. Angsty emotional smut, based loosely on a scene from the play Kiss of the Spider Woman (VERY loosely- no prior knowledge needed!)" Claustrophobic sadness and Extreme Emotional Intensity, with a slight edge of hope.

An Interlude; or, Compulsory Heterosexuality Made Me Do It - @teacupsandcyanide & @gallantrejoinder, - 1.6k, G, Farah & Todd "Farah and Todd did, in fact, make out while on the run. They also both realised some very important things about themselves. But not the things you might expect." Todd and Farah are glorious disasters, and I love them <3 This fic made me giggle from start to finish.

The Situation - teacupsandcyanide - 8.5k, M, Dirk/Todd "Todd raises his eyebrows at him. 'You gotta admit. We would get into this … situation.' 'What, the situation where we flee from the weekly hired goons into a badly aging knock-off of the Ritz, get shut in an empty room with no escape, and find ourselves compelled to make loud, gratuitous sex noises in order to put the aforementioned lackeys off the scent?'" In which Dirk and Todd have wildly different interpretations of Dirk's "coming out," and the only thing preventing them from getting together was their inability to have an honest damn conversation. Sensual and full of Big Emotions, as is only fitting for these two.

The Butterfly Effect (Love Is Love Is Love Is Love) - teacupsandcyanide - 7.2k, T, Dirk/Todd "Dirk kisses his best friend on their balcony in front of the Pride Parade. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Things escalate wildly into identity issues, old hang-ups, anguished declarations of love, and inopportune sabotage of the situation by their tiny bastard cat." This fic left me an incoherent, keysmashing mess. I might have actually clutched at my own heart after reading it.

Harry Potter Midday, Midnight - @aryastark-valarmorghulis - 8.5k, T, Remus/Sirius "During the summer of 1976, between fifth and sixth year at Hogwarts (and after The Prank), Remus goes outside the Lupin's cottage and he finds a big, black dog in his garden..." The character voice in this fic is so authentically teenager-y; Remus is so deep in his own head. I also enjoyed all of the sensory details, which create such a vivid image of the Lupin home, and the feel of a summer's day (and night).

Aural Gratification - birdsofshore - 10.9k, E, Harry/Draco "Harry's not gay – he just likes listening to exciting stories about Aurors. It's not his fault that the narrator's voice is so smooth, so expressive... and really rather hot." I know I’m waaaaay late to the party on this one (as I often am with Drarry fics), but worth it. As a person who listens to audiobooks for both fun and profit, I could not resist it :)

Letting Go - LuminousGloom - 6.1k, E, Remus/Sirius, Remus/Kingsley, Remus/OMC "A number of lusty, intimate encounters. Although for Remus, it's really only ever been about one person. And it's never quite right, until it's right." I love that each of Remus’ encounters is not only distinct and sexy, but also that each highlights different facets of him: forthright, secretive, curious, ashamed, conflicted, joyful, soft, rough, broken, and (eventually) unbroken.

like tea and knitwear - @songofwizardry - 2.4k, G, Remus/Sirius "There are probably easier and faster ways of showing one's affection than learning how to knit so one can make the object of said affections a jumper. Fortunately, Sirius has never been fond of picking the easy route." As soft and warm as a hand-knit jumper, but with just enough snarky humor that it still feels Marauders-y.

Sky Full of Song - @writcraft, read by semperfiona - 2k, 13min, T, Harry/Draco "Draco turns up at Harry's birthday party unexpectedly and Harry takes a leap of faith."  A wonderful blend of angst and humor and realistically messy emotions.

The History Boys Don't you know you're life itself? - Philipa_Moss - 5.5k, M, Scripps/Posner “Dakin thinks you’ll get bored of me,” Posner says, out of the blue, and Scripps says, automatic and habitual, “He doesn’t.” This fic feels so perfectly lived-in--all of the relationships (partnerships, friendships, whatever) are well-worn, complex, and shaped by choices in a way that rings true to life, and to the characters.

The Hour (Guess who watched all of The Hour this winter and was left wishing that there was another series entirely about Lix Storm?)

The Small Hours - deathorthetoypiano - 1k, T, Lix/Bel "Lix stayed at Freddie's funeral, despite her instincts - and old habits - telling her to leave. She stayed for Bel, because she might need rescuing or a shoulder to cry on, someone to make sure she was alright, or at least as alright as she could be, given the situation." A quiet, bittersweet coda.

My thought is not changeable - @lbmisscharlie - 1.5k, E, Lix/Bel "Freddie will return – sometime – he must – and Bel is never aimless when Freddie’s around, not like she is now, eyes intent on Lix’s mouth and one stockinged foot rubbing uncertainly against her calf and their smallest fingers just touching where their palms are braced on the floor." Sharp poignancy and tons of sensory--a perfect stolen moment.

Light gathered in you - lbmisscharlie - 1.4k, E, Lix/Bel "Bel looks at her, sidelong. Her lashes are long, mascaraed dark, and her mouth coral pink. “I did wonder,” she says. “If you were – a Sapphist.” She says the archaic word so delicately that Lix has to laugh, which makes Bel pink up and drop her gaze. “I’m – not fussy,” Lix says. She shifts her weight just so, her forearm brushing Bel’s elbow. Bel doesn’t look up, but takes a breath, lifts her glass to her mouth, and swallows her wine down." Everything about this--tone, dialogue, dynamics--feels spot-on.

The Most Marvellous Place to Get Lost - peninsulam - 8.5k, E, Lix/Bel "It is late spring in Tangier, and Bel feels as far from home as she has been in her life." Gorgeous, poignant, evocative. You know, just generally breathtaking.

Immoral Support - @thisbluespirit - 420 words, T, Lix/Bel "Bel winds up where she always does after a bad day; in the safest place she knows..." This is lovely, and manages to nail their dynamic in fewer than 500 words.

I'd like to explore you - rainbowsuomi - 604 words, unrated, Lix & Bel "Lix’s mind is already somewhere else when Bel tells her to think about it and exits the office, picturing herself in front of the camera, describing bars where girls had their hair cropped and styled with grease, smoking cigars and slipping their hands, elegant, long and white, under flowing, frilly skirts, caressing stockings and corrupting young ladies." A beautifully characterized slice of life (and Lix’s history).

Sherlock Roads, Not Shrouds - verdant_fire | @viridiandecisions - 3.4k, T, John/Sherlock "He's perfectly happy to live out the rest of his life in monastic devotion, feeding John and loving John and provoking John just enough to distract him from what Sherlock did to their kitchen table." Lovely and lyrical and heartfelt (without getting treacly).

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