#and ofc the straight bros tried to defend how straight this was and it was just a bRoMaNcE

[jasonsbruce]

Batman: The Bisexuality Within - The Telltale Series

[gogolstoelicker]

You think you can do a Komi Shouko!MC with the Dorm Leaders + Ace & Deuce?

Dorm leaders + Adeuce duo with a Komi Shouko!MC

You're a shy and sweet individual. You suffer from extreme social anxiety and communication problems, often trembles like a leaf if you're forced to speak.

While you appear gracious on the outside, your nature is a little silly at times. You're a very detail-oriented and meticulous person. You're also curious about experiencing new stuff, often enthusiastic about it. You could also be surprisingly competitive.

Riddle:

kind of confused on why are u not speaking up

and kind of annoyed honestly

until he noticed how you're literally shaking so much

now he is concerned because????like??? are u ok????

at first he kind of just assumed you're scared of him bc of his reputation as a tyrant

so he tried to be patient and try to approach u first slowly

but then realized you're like that with everyone

so he tried asking why you're like this

ofc, no pressure. if u don't feel comfortable telling him, he won't force u!!

and if he found out why you're like this? he spends his time researching what to do to help

and now you're in riddle's lesson class

good luck😰riddle's a good teacher but u might need that goodluck

he's really patient with u and won't force u to do anything if you're still uncomfortable

will collar anyone who dared to talk abt u in a bad way bc of ur anxiety

straight up stomping their way with his uh wand??? round magic thing??? wtf is it called yolanda???? ready to swing

he's very surprised that you're competitive but its not like its not an unwelcomed surprise

will compete with u fairly

probably how yall got close idk my brain is fried after school

Leona:

thought you're scared of him too💀

so he just leaves u alone

well u had no choice but to still interact with him anyway because the god of storyline wont let yall not interact

hes observant, he'll finally notice it then

honestly? not big of a difference lol

he doesn't wanna deal with people so he mostly just leaves u alone too💀

might defend u if someone talked bad abt u tho🤔

only if its in front of him ofc

"i dont want any troublesome things to happen in front of me"

he may have said

but now u wanna be his friend

be his friend = errand runner + pillow

you'll help him with errands just fine

well sometimes

no promises with ur two friends and ur cat by ur side

but being his pillow? thats where the problem starts

literally shoots up like when a cat saw a cucumber

leona: ??????!!!!??????

u startled him so much the first time, he actually woke up for the rest of the day💀

he was annoyed but he just lets it slide bc he can't really get mad at u for smth u cant control

he'll need that level 10 friendship before he'll ever be able to make u his walking pillow

which means more effort from him head in hands

leona realizing he needs to put an effort into smth again:

he won't underestimate u or make fun of u

Azul:

he's friends with idia and even tho idia doesn't like being in crowds, that doesn't mean he's dumb

plus hes just as quiet as u when he was younger so like🤔

doesn't mean he won't try to make a contract with u

oh u want friends??? WOULD U LIKE TO HAVE A DEAL WITH HIM????

cue him and the tweels chasing u around school with a contract in hand /j

literally tried to come up with smth to help u with ur anxiety bc you're actually willing to make a contract with him

you apparently desperately want some friends bc you're pretty lonely or smth

so now azul is working his ass off to help u

whenever u help him or smth, he will think its a sign that u wanted him to hurry up with his potion to help u

listen man, he's not used to kindness alright🤷‍♀look at the people he's around with all the time

won't knock out of it until u shakily said you're just helping him just because u wanted to (and bc u wanted to be friends with him)

azul stayed awake for a whole week trying to decode what are u trying to say to him

bro almost became a human research genius

until the tweels just go "...yeah we better just say it to him before he pass or smth😰"

he ended up passing out after the tweels told him anyway

bc the exhaustion finally caught up to him

that and bc hes shocked you willingly wanted to become his friend??? after??? all???? that???

but he recovers pretty quick don't worry‼️

plays board games with u

and the tension was so bad bc yall were so competitive like chill out its just a board game😰

Kalim:

might accidentally made u uncomfortable at first bc of his extroverted vibe as idia said

quickly apologies and tried to make up to u in the most extravagant way ever

which made u even more nervous and uncomfortable💀

but it is ok! jamil is here to save the day‼️

he then spends the rest of the day telling kalim why are u shaking and looked nervous

which leads to the next day

he, unfortunately, is still very loud

so he deadass shouted ur name and ran up to u

but he gave u a whole ten page essay on why hes sorry as soon as hes in front of u so uh🤔

tried his best to tone down his enthusiasm for ur sake

more excited than u abt getting u friends than you being excited trying to gain new friends

dragged the pop music club to meet u and be friends with u

and then he dragged the second years to meet u

and then he went to drag u to meet all of his dormmates

out of everyone, hes probably the only one whos actively dragging people/dragging u around to find u some friends💀

mans even promised he'll make u meet his siblings so that they'll be ur friends

well uh with kalim by ur side, im sure you'll have more than 100 friends soon‼️

Vil:

it is ok, VIL WILL HELP😘🤗‼️

now u have like two teachers trying to help u with ur anxiety

he may be busy but he can never pass up the chance to make someone who has a lot of potential shine brighter than they alr are

will step on anyone who dared to talk bad abt ur anxiety

but then again, he doesn't wanna dirty his shoes with trash so like🤔

he tried to push u into things little by little until u get more comfortable with the change and getting out of ur comfort zone

hes very patient with u do not worry‼️

Idia:

u wont get out of ur comfort zone overnight, he understands that so that's why hes taking small steps with u until u get more comfortable

when u told him u wanted to make 100 friends??? hes all abt it

literally gave u any advice u may need to gain friends, he might even introduce u to a person or two if u ask

the savior friend to introverts who goes "excuse me, they asked for no pickles"

the one you're probably most comfortable with

i mean hes the mom friend so can't really blame u🤔🤷‍♀

is more than happy to know that you're competitive and smart

like thats a really good quality to have so he really encouraged it

more than happy to compete with u

dont think he'll go easy on u just bc he has been a little soft on u‼️

ah, if it isn't his kind of person

he kins u

you're both smart but u both have social anxiety

the only difference is that idia dislikes people and u kind of like them and wanted to be friends with them

yalls first meeting are gonna be so funny LMFOAOAOA

it was ortho's idea btw (our wingman)

literally just two people struggling to speak up to each other

but uh since yall are kind of similar to each other, its easier to get comfortable with each other🤔

Malleus:

ortho is the translator for the both of u during that time

"brother feels you're kind of relatable!"

"they said you feel relatable too, brother!"

gaming buddy

thats how yall bond

yall are really competitive abt it, ortho actually got worried friendship could be broken from this

hes probably the second or third person you're most comfortable with??🤔since u guys are so similar

but he cant really help u in social situations bc like

he doesn't even go out💀

he might help u from his ipad tho

if he feels confident enough that is

if not, he'll just make ortho go to wherever u are and help u

thought u were scared of him bc of how much u were shaking so he avoided u for ur own good💀

it takes like a week of convincing from lilia for him to even talk to u again

ah, you're just shy and is suffering from anxiety, he sees

teleports back to the library or smth to find ways to help (after yall finished talking ofc)

and honestly? he tried his best to give u advice and all that

mans even went to take some advice from lilia abt this for u

i dont think anyone will even say a thing abt ur anxiety with malleus by ur side💀

they could just mention ur name and malleus will look at their direction

which scared the students and they haven't even said anything😭⁉️

nobody wants to fuck with him thats for sure

malleus: 🤔????

he's confused on why did they stopped talking abt u when all he did was look😔

he wanted some of those juicy gossips abt u and how you're doing too yknow😔

heard of ur problem and he couldn't relate more

he too, wants some friends and is having difficulties trying to have one

suggest u two have do this quest where u both try to get friends together

bc hey!! u two will have each others' back!!

which failed pft💀friendless behavior

i mean, oh no thats so sad im so sorry

well i mean its ok!! u guys have each other ig😁!

Ace:

ur very own walking translator to people

but hes just like google translator

and by that, i mean he will give out the wrong translations sometimes

someone asked if i coukd tutor them and u wanted to say yes? ace said u said "fuck off"

someone is making fun of u? the same thing but louder and more threatening

someone is praising u and is making u uncomfortable? same thing

someone wants to eat lunch with u? same thing with the added "this table is full🙄"

doesn't really understand much why u cant speak up but tries to🤔?

he may be confused but at least he got the spirit‼️

will try to speak up for u when the professor called on u to answer some questions

which sometimes helped sometimes got u both into trouble for no reason💀

is there on ur quest to make friends

which lowkey drive them away bc they don't wanna get into trouble and all of u got into trouble often woops💀

compete with each other the most i say

it got to the point a small crowd is gathering around yall bc they're so interested in whatever u guys are competing about

be it uno, monopoly, who did the most math questions or smth, yall get so competitive abt it with each other

Deuce:

if someone makes fun of u because of ur anxiety, he will send them flying

someone is unconsciousnessly making u uncomfortable? he's alr warning them

like he straight up became a goku kinnie if someone made u uncomfy or said smth bad abt u

not even one word can get out of their mouths before they blink and deuce is in front of them with his fist up

ngl he had a hard time communicating with u too since uh

you're kind of like shaking a lot and he naturally became nervous too

so ace and deuce had to help yall warm up to each other

is really gentle and nice with u‼️

literally so scared that he might have made u uncomfortable in one way or another so he often asks for ur reassurance before anything

he usually gets u to tutor him

and hes really proud that hes ur only student that he'll wear a badge about it

honestly? he does not get these uh anxiety thing either

so he spends hours in the library and internet researching how does anxiety even work

he may be confused but at least he got the spirit‼️(2)

tried his best to help u when you're having difficulties saying smth to someone

he may butchered up a thing or two and almost made the person fight u or smth but hes a pro now‼️

literally smacks ace if he said "fuck off" again even tho thats not what u wanted to say

u wanted friends??? WELL HE CAN TRY TO HELP YES‼️⁉️

spends day and night planning how to get u 100 friends in a day💀dawg thats now humanly possible calm down

[asmolemmeeatyouout]

The Boys With an Autistic MC HC !! (SFW !)

(aka I’m projecting bc sad) (I also have adhd so there will be adhd moments)

Lucifer:

This boy has so much work yet he still find the time to help you put together a routine

WILL make sure you stick to it

He will rearrange the entire school if it will help you

If any demon and I mean ANY demon is even the slightest bit mean to you they go mysteriously missing the next day

Sometimes he infantilises you but he doesn’t mean to, tell him to cut it out and the shame will rip through him

In line with that you will probably find him cutting the crusts off your sandwiches and rearranging your stuffies, up to you if you want him to stop that (I hate crusts and my teddies deserve to be comfortable too)

Makes sure you’re accommodated everywhere in the devildom not just rad and and the hol

One day you realise his suit jacket? Perfect fabric for stimming

He starts dressing according to the fabrics you like

Let’s you hold his sleeve arm when talking bc it’s a good stim

Will put his jacket on you when you’re overwhelmed and need some familiarity

You start to associate his smell with safety

Mammon:

Pretends he doesn’t care

Treats you the most normal out of all the brothers

Has actually memorised your routine and knows your stressors/meltdown/shutdown triggers

White knights you very subtly

You think demons are very accepting in the devildom but in reality mammon does the same as luci but his approach is much more ‘stop it before it starts’

Buys you stimmies bc he loves the way you look when you’re happy stimming (yes BUYS not steals)

Too embarrassed to give you them so they just appear in your room

He’s just coincidentally in the hallway when you come rushing out to show people

You eventually realise it’s gotta be him bc he’s always there when you find em so you just start running directly to him

Loves it if you have echolalia

Tries to get you to repeat ‘the great mammon’ as much as possible

If he finds you repeating words/beeping at the microwave he will engage and do the same until you happy stim (then he will try get you to repeat ‘mc’s first man the great mammon’

If you start calling him that ?! The boy will melt. (I get intense echolalia with ‘mammonie’ and i think he would straight up die hearing mc go ‘mammonie mammonie mammonie’

After all it makes sense that the great mammon is constantly on your mind

Levithian:

Another nerd ?! Heck yeah!! !

Very glad you aren’t a normie

Perhaps relates the most to your experience against the allistics as ppl don’t like him bc he’s a ‘yucky okatu’

Loves when you talk about a special interest (SI) because you’re just as obsessive as he is

Will try and get you obsessed with anime and manga if you aren’t already

Is a shut in so he gets that people are overwhelming and scary at times

Is uncharacteristically vulnerable and open with you bc he feels like you understand his existence at a deeper level

If you like squishes (and show him first) he will start asking for the deep pressure hugs when he feels he needs them

But ofc bc you’re both you, the method for asking is just repeating the word squish over and over while you hug

Eye contact !? Oh hell no

Most of your conversations are done facing away from each other

Asmodeus:

Same clothes? Comfort items? No no no no no you gotta look beautiful like you are!

Does not entirely get it at first, how can anyone want to wear something more than once?

Once you explain it he will drag you shopping (to high end shops, using avoiding crowds as an excuse to pamper you) to find a signature, beautiful, comfortable and easy to put on outfit for you to wear

He will then buy 30 of them just in case you lose anything

He WILL give you presents randomly after you told him you like to wear clothing with emotional significance

Bonding time includes decorating your ear defenders and sunglasses

If your SI is anything to do with fashion or beauty or just asmo things in general this boy will NEVER leave your side. You become the only person he wants to talk to

If you excited stim by bouncing, hand flapping or squealing he is right there with you creating a feedback loop of excited stimming

When he finds out you like routine he will check you’re doing the beauty routine he made for you every night

If you’re too tired he will do it for you (or even if you just ask he loves being close to you)

If you’re touch repulsed he will ask every time before he even gets close to you (EVERY DAMN TIME ! This man understands consent and the fact that some days touch is too much others it’s not)

Satan:

Acts like lucifer visa the routine n rad but with no infantilising

Reads every study ever done on autism and neurodivergence ever

ANGOR at human world autism studies bc they’re dumb and there’s so much more interesting things to investigate to do with being autistic

He does go to the human world and he does stab a$$ and those involved

If you let him he will study you

Tracks your sleep, eating habits, and mood regulation (after he asks ofc)

Meltdowns? No that’s a regular day in Satan’s head

He lets you use his rage room (he definitely has a room exclusively for smashing stuff) if you feel even a little stressed

Likes talking about your SI’s with you bc it’s rare he finds someone so knowledgeable on a subject

Beelezebub:

The kindest most patient boy

Helps you find foods that don’t mess with your texture issues

Checks to make sure you’ve eaten in case you’ve been distracted and not realised you’re hungry

Doesn’t understand AFRID because food is good?? But is willing to help you with it (see previous points)

Stims with you because it makes you happy

Will let you info dump for hours even if he doesn’t get it

Is generally very warm so he makes the perfect person for squishes

Perfectly happy to just sit in silence and not talk or make eye contact

Belphagor:

Definitely understands the exhaustion that comes with being disabled

If you even look overstimulated he will kidnap you for a nap (whether than be physically or if you’re touch repulsed he will fake an emergency (the emergency is you being over stim Ed) just to get u out, it’s the only thing he puts effort into)

Shares his secret super soft blanket stash bc you are the only one who can appreciate how freaking soft the texture is

Best person to look after you in a shutdown bc he kinda gets it

Gets his own ear defenders and sunglasses so he can sleep in class (claims it’s solidarity with you)

Just enjoys your company like his bro so ditto on the silence thing

(There’s more I can think of but this is already really long, comment if u want part 2)

[mianmiansimp]

mdzs au: the one with wen xu (pt 1)

>>wwx has his bisexual epiphany much sooner in life bc Reasons

>>so when he starts crushing on lwj Immediately at cr, he knows it too

>>anyway: sometime pre-cloud recesses, wx and wwx cross paths and wwx is being his usual mischievous self

>>he's very dramatic and flirty and running around on roofs

>>wx is like Hey You're Cute but doesn't catch his name

>>wwx is oblivious so he didn't know who wx was lol

>>they cross paths a few more times

>>wwx just knows wx as 'that one gongzi i see sometimes'

>>then cr happens and they meet again when wwx is heading back to cr with his alcohol

>>wx is like my how charming

>>the next morning the wens show up and wc pisses everyone off

>>and then wwx is telling him off and wc gets pissed and tries to fight wwx while also insulting his status

>>and jc is like EXCUSE YOU and draws his sword bc i'm a sucker for protective jc and will throw in as much yunmeng shuangjie as i want

>>but then wx shows up and tells off wc (bc of wwx) and tells everyone to calm down

>>wx learns wwx's name, wwx learns who 'that one gongzi i see sometimes' is, only one of them is happy with the revelation

>>wx is being weird and oily to everyone and the lans begrudgingly accept the 'apology'

>>wx is publicly weird to wwx, wwx is publicly uncomfy, jc is publicly offended and pissed and defensive and also has an inkling of where wx's head is at

>>cue jc aggressively glaring at wens and shielding wwx from them

>>nhs, who's more aware of what's happening than anyone else bc nhs, helps

>>doesn't stop wwx from adopting wn as a bestie but wn is a kitten so it's ok

>>cr arc is largely the same, wangxian shenanigans, yunmeng shuangjie shenanigans, alcohol shenanigans, you know the drill

>>except for two major things

>>one - wwx has been crushing on lwj since day one but he Knows it

>>and he gets sad sometimes when lwj rejects him

>>so jc is not only angry at the wens but he's angry at lwj's audacity too

>>lwj, who hasn't a clue about anything:

>>two - wx sometimes shows up randomly to 'check up'

>>he isn't, he just drops by to make wwx uncomfy via unsolicited gifts and flirting

>>jc usually passive aggressively intervenes

>>or nhs makes some excuse that is usually 'jc wants to see you'

>>there's an incident during a wx visit where wwx panics bc he really doesn't want to deal with him

>>and essentially bolts from the vicinity and runs right into lwj

>>lwj almost starts telling off wwx but he sees quite clearly that wwx is Not Ok

>>and then they hear wx approaching and wwx basically begs lwj to Get Him Out

>>lwj dislikes wx far more than he dislikes acknowledging his affections for wwx

>>so they quickly run into and hide in a room

>>cue bonding moment where lwj and wwx have a Talk and lwj says they're friends for the first time

>>and then immediately goes silent bc wwx is looking at him with complete adoration and he has to force himself not to kiss him lol

>>this is also the point where lwj has it confirmed that wwx very much does not like wx's presence

>>which is how lwj joins the defend wwx against wx's advances club

>>jc isn't happy about it bc wwx is mooning for lwj still but he lets it slide

>>wn actually joined the club accidentally and discretely

>>jc's like why couldn't wwx get This wen to crush on him i like him so much better???

>>lwj vinegar moment + flustered wn who just thinks wwx is really cool and nice

>>wq catches wind of what's going on and is worried about wn's involvement

>>but also greatly dislikes wx and doesn't want some random innocent boy to suffer

>>which is how she too accidentally joins the club

>>mianmian joins too but loudly bc she's friends with wwx and lwj and also wx sucks

>>jzx is friends with mianmian so he gets dragged in

>>and he might be an arrogant prat atm but he's not a bad guy and wx's behavior is very despicable

>>jzx has some um Revelations about himself and his family

>>and accidentally becomes an honorary member of the club

>>they're all kinda friends now, it truly sucks, thinks jzx with a small smile

>>xuanli engagement is not broken/salvaged much earlier on bc of this whole

thing

>>anyway that's how all the major sects' youth became so closely entwined

>>lqr was very proud that his lectures enacted firm inter sect relationships

>>lxc is just egging on wangxian while also becoming an honorary member of the club

>>waterborne abyss and stuff still happens

>>jc is even angrier at the wens and straight up completely hides wwx the next time wx comes around so he doesn't even catch a glimpse

>>wx is not happy, especially when lwj is silently passive aggressive the whole time

>>cr study ends, there's this whole lingering wangxian moment when they say their goodbyes

>>wwx and lwj are close now but also lwj can sort of admit it instead of shoving it under years of repression and gay panic

>>lwj agrees to visit at lotus pier and wwx looks so enamored that jc gags and drags him away

>>mianmian snickers and pokes lwj in jest, who actually pokes her back

>>lxc is so proud, his brother has Friends

>>wx is a bit more careful around lotus pier, but he does visit once

>>jfm greets him and is very polite but yzy is very blunt and pissed

>>jc upon getting home had immediately spilled all the info on the wx thing

>>yzy doesn't like wwx but she hates the main wen and wx was being vv disrespectful

>>so she kinda tells wx that wwx isn't here (not a lie, he's on a nighthunt) and that he can go jump a cliff now thanks

>>wx is rather irritated when he leaves

>>comes back again on a later date, but this is the day that the cr friends are all hanging out

>>which isn't really an issue bc wwx is a social butterfly, it's part of what wx likes about him, obviously he has friends

>>but he sees the way wwx looks at lwj, and happens upon a moment where they're alone

>>he is Not Happy

>>in the meanwhile the cr friends are all chilling together and making fun of jzx flustering around jyl and eating lotus pods and whatever

>>yzy for once is like not overcome with irrational rage at wwx's presence bc he did something right for once in her eyes

>>so wwx gets some peace of mind at lotus pier

>>madam jin is also very delighted at the xuanli progress and approves wwx for enacting it

>>no one outside of jiangs + cr know why exactly xuanli are doing so well

>>so madam jin assumes wwx just kinda did some wingman stuff and doesn't know about the wx thing

>>anyway, wangxian is progressing quite nicely, and jc is all the more miserable for it

>>jzx kinda doesn't care lol, the rest of the club are delighted by the entertainment, yzy is further not angry at wwx bc wangxian engagement = lan-jiang alliance = advantageous

>>fast forward and we're at the discussion conference

>>jc is scowlier than usual and is literally holding wwx's hand the whole time

>>and wwx is like bro ty and ily but also this is a bit much

>>jc eventually lets go of his hand but he is never more than a few inches away from wwx's side

>>the state of wangxian at this time means we have wangxian blatantly and publicly mooning and everyone's like :eyes:

>>wx is not happy, shows up and immediately starts seeking out wwx, everyone is uncomfy

>>jc at one point grabs wwx and shoves him into the middle of all the jiang disciples

>>kinda doing that zebra camouflage thing but with jiang disciples lol

>>whenever it looks like wx is gonna ask him about wwx he crosses his arms and scowls severely

>>wx takes his seat very unhappily and the discussion conference proceeds as normal ig

>>but the friends are all taking part in the hunt together

>>wwx and lwj have a lil competition for who snags the most shots

>>lots of flirting during the competition, much to jzx and jc's chagrin

>>wn is just :pleading_face: the whole time but he does excellently and gives everyone a run for their money

>>the wc thing goes a lil differently in that wc is more incensed about wwx's existence bc he knows wx likes wwx

>>targets wwx, it backfired bc of lwj, wc leaves in a huff

>>lwj closely attaches himself to wwx after that, jc is pissed bc that's 2 wens who are making problems about wwx

>>the ribbon incident goes a lil differently

>>it happens after the competition, in front of all the sects

>>wx basically

goes oh your ribbon is crooked and fixes it gently and smiles at lwj and lwj says nothing, just quietly nods and thanks him

>>lqr approaches qi deviation, the sects are shocked, wwx is oblivious, lwj is smug, lxc and the friends are all metaphorically eating popcorn, wx is mad, wrh doesn't care, wq is worried bc wx

>>wx actually corners wwx at one point during a banquet when wwx's alone

>>interestingly, it's jzx who steps in to save the day

>>wwx doesn't need saving tbh but there's sociopolitics to consider + he's a lil scared of wx's persistence tbh

>>and he has a crisis bc on the one hand wwx can just run his mouth and hope for the best except he realizes that wx Likes when he runs his mouth

>>so yea jzx steps in and says something about jyl and wwx is like ahaha duty calls again and yeets

>>jzx just says compliments about jyl as they walk back to the jiang under the pretense of wanting to discuss the engagement

>>wwx reluctantly decides he's ok

>>the jiang keep a firm grip on wwx for the rest of the conference after that

>>jyl uses the shijie card to her advantage to get away with dragging wwx with her everywhere

>>the conference ends and wwx is relieved

>>oh btw wwx placed first by a small margin, lwj and wn following, then jc and jzx tied

>>so the sects are leaving and ofc wwx has to say goodbye to lwj

>>and lwj is like what is your request bc you won

>>and wwx is almost like kiss me but then he Doesn't ok

>>so instead wwx is like lemme think of something interesting :wink: to cover his pining

>>and lwj says mn and Smiles at him and wwx melts on the spot

>>wx catches the interaction and is very unhappy

>>fast forward to the burning of cr

>>there's a reason why wx did it personally, and targeted lwj especially

>>fast forward a bit again, wwx is a lil mopey bc his letter from lwj should've come a few days ago

>>they're pining pen pals bc ofc they are smh :rolling_eyes:

>>at this point, news of cr's destruction hasn't spread to lotus pier yet

>>jc is annoyed and yeets him into the lake and makes him swim off the pining

>>cue yunmeng jiang lake shenanigans

>>and then mf wx shows up to personally deliver the invitation to the wen indoctrination

>>jfm and yzy simply Do Not acknowledge wwx's existence at lotus pier in front of him

>>it's a very tense but quick conversation

>>and then wx leaves and hears wwx and heads in the direction of the latter's voice

>>he gets to the lake to see the jiang disciple swimming in the lake, but no wwx

>>bc jyl knew he had come and quickly run over to the lake to warn and hide wwx

>>jc perched himself on a roof to watch wx and let them know when he was gone

>>that meal they had in cql? yea it goes differently this time around

>>it's mostly yzy hissing at the wens and also having a conundrum over whether or not wwx should go

>>jc votes no, wwx votes shut up jc i'm coming with you

>>jfm concedes, jc is irate, wwx and jc go to the indoctrination

>>but jc makes wwx promise to not ever leave his side

>>and wwx is like that's kinda the whole point?? but ok

>>and then ofc that whole opening scene at nightless city happens

>>what with them standing around and then bam an injured lwj

>>ft the cr friends being all fhkjhkjsghk (/neg) internally

>>except wwx, he's very open about his concern

>>wc shows up, spends half the time glaring at wwx

>>he was supposed to be make it hell for lwj

>>but quite frankly he'd be happy if lwj snatched wwx

>>he very much dislikes his brother's infatuation with wwx

>>so yea it's roughly the same, those first few days

>>except wn secretly visits the disciples

>>slips snacks, gives info, exchanges messages between them, and treats lwj

>>wq finds out, scolds him, and then does the same, mostly treatment

>>and then the dungeon day comes

>>by which i mean that day wwx ended up in the dungeons with the dog thing

>>it goes the same as usual, except wc is particularly harsh, and is focused on wwx

>>so it happens sooner, and only wwx is involved

>>spends the night with the wolf thing, wn comes, yk the drill

>>except he knocks out at one point and wx gets him

>>and he wakes up

in a room and wq and wn are treating him

>>he's quickly given a coded warning

>>and then wx comes

>>wc had been forced out of leading the indoctrination and someone relatively competent is in his place

>>wx doesn't really let wwx go back tho

>>just makes wwx stay with him and basically invades his privacy and harasses him

>>for like. quite some time.

>>wwx also meets wrh a few times and it is. not fun.

>>wrh makes thinly veiled threats about war and attacking lotus pier and stuff

>>and wx reveals he was the one who requested and took charge of cr burning

>>and wwx is angry at wx but then wx gets angry and snaps threats

>>and wwx quiets and realizes wx is relentless

>>and that his connections are putting ppl he cares about at risk

>>it all kinda piles up and wx's insistence gets to his head

>>and then the bell scene (which started all this) happens

>>it might seem kinda ooc this whole thing but like

>>sexual trauma is very different from standard child abuse/classic asian toxicity

>>and you have to consider wwx's position as he has to put up with wx's everything

>>am i projecting? probably, but my au my choices

>>so the bell scene begins with all the heirs and their entourages gathered at that. place

>>idk what it's called but that place from cql where wc was lecturing

>>wc's substitute indoctrinator is like so. y'all can go home now. here's your swords.

>>and everyone's like omg????? but also cr friends are like ok where's wwx :upside_down:

>>and it's a very complicated moment

>>and then they give suibian to jc

>>and he almost kills someone bc he thinks they killed wwx

>>and then they're like no he's alive he just won't need that :upside_down:

>>jc is like WHAT does that even MEAN

>>and it's about to be a whole thing but then wwx shows up

>>and it's all ok for half a second

>>bc yes he's here but he is very obviously not ok

>>and it Shows, wwx is doing such a bad job hiding how not ok he is

>>cr friends are like. what did they do. who am i killing.

>>so now we enter - The Bell Exchange

>>wwx comes forward and (very poorly) tries to lighten the mood and tease jc and is like aw did you miss me

>>jc who was very much terrified is just like yes ofc come here Now let's go home

>>and wwx has this look on his face that's summed up as love and affection but also deep apology and secrecy

>>he slowly goes to jc and his hands are shaky as he takes off his bell and grabs jc's hands to give it to him

>>and wwx is very vague about it he's just like i won't be going back it's ok you're all free to go now i'm making sure of it go back home be safe

>>and jc is having the nth meltdown rn bc wwx what did you do

>>nhs has an idea of the gist, and all the c friends are very concerned

>>and then wen xu shows up and wwx does this silent flinch but in his bones and straightens up

>>and wx is mocking the others and stuff and then wraps an arm around a very uncomfortable wwx and is like

>>"you should be grateful to my fiance for his generous nature"

>>wwx is very obviously not having a good time and is not ok with this

>>he looks like he's going to launch himself from a cliff (hehehe) to avoid this

>>everyone is silent for a minute as they realize what happened

>>a lot of the disciples here were at cr indoctrination

>>so they know at least somewhat of wx's pursual of wwx and the unrequited feelings

>>and it becomes obvious that wwx exchanged something - his freedom, hand in marriage, etc - to set all the disciples free

>>jc draws sandu and is about to go for wx's head bc how Dare he

>>but wwx stops him and tells him very firmly but desperately to not try anything, just go, tell shijie i'm sorry, it'll be ok

>>lwj does that death grip on his sword, 2 seconds away from taking wx's head himself

>>jzx is having lots of feelings about this and a lot aren't nice

>>especially with the weird sort of parallels as far as betrothals

>>also he kinda likes wwx?? they're kinda friends?? and they're brother-in-laws to be anyway

>>and even despite all that, the whole situation just Sucks and jzx is kinda an airhead but he's actually pretty noble

>>mianmian is

like So offended and enraged on behalf of everyone she's ready to throw hands

>>nhs is half horrified for his friend and half cold rage and plotting

>>what really worsens the situations is just how bad wwx is taking it

>>bc he always covers up his pain and worries, and very well at that

>>the fact that he can barely even fake a smile now, and has resolved to outright desperate pleading, not even teasing anyone, says a Lot about how bad things were while he was gone

>>they have suspicions about what wx might have done to wwx while they were alone

>>tl;dr: cr friends kinda have an idea of what wx has done and really want him dead

>>but wwx is forcing them out, and eventually they all do leave, miserably

>>they don't know what had happened for them to be let go with their swords and without consequences

>>and they don't want wwx suffering for their (not really helpful atm) stubbornness

>>jc is stiff and clenching his jaw the entire way home, trying to figure out ways to get wwx out

>>lwj is drowning in his emotions as he goes back to the burnt cr

>>mianmian, jzx, nhs are having very complicated thought processes about everything

>>nhs actually goes with lwj to cr first, to make sure he doesn't do anything dumb and to be a friend

>>drops him off, and eventually heads out after a few days (lqr is appraised of the situation)

>>and lo and behold, he happens to find lxc on his way home, and brings big bro lan back to cr

[ main . ao3 ]

[sparkles-and-trash]

Stalker, Chapter 3

A Sweet Pea x Reader fanfiction

“You keep on talking, shut it up You keep rubbing salt into the cut Broke the cycle, need to reconstruct”

Warnings: Abusive behavior (stalking), swearing, use of the homophobic f-slur, fighting, sexual content in later chapters

Word count: 3.K 

Notes: Tag list is still open, let me know if you want to be on it! I might have lost control over it a little bit, so if you’ve asked to be added and aren’t on it on this chapter, let me know!! Also, I don’t dislike Chuck as much after the Carrie episode, but he was voted to be the guy Y/N doesn’t get along with, so ofc I made him worth not liking, so don’t hate me for that please, haha! 

Ships: Sweet Pea x Reader, Kevin x Fangs (later chapters), Choni, Bughead, Varchie

Summary: Y/N is a Senior at Riverdale High with her best friends Kevin and Cheryl, and lives mostly on her own on the Southside of Riverdale. But when she starts getting weird notes, letters and pictures delivered to her, and as the feeling of being followed seems to be very real, she finds herself getting help from unexpected places and people to keep her safe, and to find out who is stalking her.

Prologue - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 -

Sweet Pea’s POV

Ever since Southside High shut down a couple of years ago, Sweet Pea had genuinely tried to stay positive about getting to attend Riverdale High. 

The facilities were great, the classrooms had wifi, the teachers were mostly good, and the electives were interesting. He even joined the basketball team last year. 

But, nothing is ever perfect, and the school was proof of that. 

Because, with a great school, came great jocks and assholes, like Reggie Mantle and Chuck Clayton, who both were currently standing around Y/N, chatting casually. 

It took every ounce of self-control Sweet Pea had to keep him from going over there and tell them to fuck off, but it did help that Y/N didn’t show any signs of being uncomfortable. 

It wasn’t like he was jealous or something, but with everything going on with her right now, he didn’t like people he didn’t really know hanging around her. 

Also, he might have a tiny problem with how she was laughing and smiling with her ex, but he didn’t have time to think about that right now. 

As if on cue, Josie entered the room, and Reggie hurried over to her to give her a kiss and take her hand, and then they left the student lounge. It seemed like the lounge were emptying out in general, as next period was about to start, but Sweet Pea had a free period, so he decided to just stay seated where he was.

It seemed like both Y/N and Chuck also had a free period, as none of them left their spot by the vending machine. 

Now, however, Y/N didn’t seem to be very comfortable anymore, and just as Sweet Pea was considering going over there to find an excuse to get her away from Chuck, her eyes met his, and she was clearly silently asking for his help.

Sweet Pea tried his best to  stay calm as he rose from his chair and walked over to Y/N and Chuck, but he could feel the anger stirring trough him already. 

Chuck was leaning on the wall, towering over Y/N and clearly invading her space, but with the vending machine in her back and the wall to her side, there wasn’t really anywhere for her to avoid him. 

The way the other boy so clearly invaded her space without a care made Sweet Pea’s blood boil. 

“Hey, Y/N, do you have a minute to go over that English paper that’s due tomorrow?” he asked as casually as he managed, and Y/N looked up at him with a relived look on her face. 

“Yeah, of course, I-” she started, but Chuck cut her off before she could finish.

“Bro, seriously?” Chuck asked him, and gave a sly smile. 

Sweet Pea raised his eyebrows at the other boy.

“Seriously what, Bro?” he shot back, a mocking tone on the “bro” part. 

Chucks smile disappeared quickly, as he took a step closer to Sweet Pea, looking him up and down.

“Just back off bro, Y/N were clearly busy talking to me, so your English can wait.” 

Sweet Pea clenched his fists and took a slow breath. 

“Well, Y/N just said she wanted to go, so if you don’t mind?” he said, and felt Y/Ns hand on him upper arm, softly holding him back.

“He’s not worth it, come on, Pea.” she said and shot Chuck a cold stare, and Sweet Pea couldn’t hold back a victorious smirk towards Chuck.

Just as they turned to leave, Chuck grabbed Y/Ns arm, and she flinched a bit, making Sweet Pea see red. 

“Come on baby, why don’t just work on the paper with that little fag bff of yours later, and let Snake Boy here figure it out himself?” 

Y/N‘s eyes went from annoyed to straight up furious in less than a second, but she didn’t even have time to open her mouth before Sweet Pea had whipped around and grabbed Chuck by the collar, slamming him against the wall.

“What did you just say, douchebag?” he growled in a dangerously low voice.

Chuck raised his palms and grinned slyly. 

“Come on, Serpent, it’s true, isn’t it? The Keller kid is, indeed, a fag, and-” 

Chuck didn’t get to finish that sentence however, as Sweet Pea’s fist connected with his jaw. 

He was honestly planning on leaving after one punch, but when the other boy recoiled and slammed his own fist into Sweet Pea’s face, he lost it. 

The combination of him harassing Y/N and the straight up homophobia, was enough to make Sweet Pea forget everything else, and just throw himself into the fight.

Luckily, only a few more punches were thrown before Chuck was on the ground clutching his nose, and Sweet Pea felt a small tug at him free hand, and realized Y/N was still in the room, right next to him. 

“Come on, Rocky, let’s get out of here before someone comes in and starting throwing blame.” she said in a soft voice, and tugged his hand lightly again, and he found himself following her  out of the lounge and towards the exit. 

“Did you drive your bike today?” Y/N asked him, and he shook his head silently, eyes still focused on their intertwined hands. 

“Well, I drove, so we can take my car.” she said simply, and Sweet Pea once again found himself unable to use his words to answer.

After a little more walking, he realized they had came to a holt, and look up to see Y/N looking at him with a worried glance. 

“Here,” she said, and gave him a paper tissue, “it’s all I have, but it’s better than nothing until we get to your place.” 

Sweet Pea just stared dumbly at her for a few seconds. 

“Your lip, Sweet Pea, it’s busted, and I don’t want you to bleed all over my car!” she said with a small grin, and Sweet Pea felt himself grin back at her, even though his lip did, indeed, hurt quite a bit. 

He looked behind her, and realized they were standing in front of a big, rather old, black Jeep Cherokee, and he look back at Y/N with raised eyebrows. 

“Wait, this is your car?” he asked, shaking his head slightly.

“Yeah!” she grinned proudly, giving him a gentle nudge. 

“Now, get in!” 

Sweet Pea did what she told him, and got into the passenger side as Y/N climbed into the drivers seat.

"Do you like it?” 

Sweet Pea turned towards her and raised his eyebrows.

“What..?” he mumbled, feeling stupid. 

“The car!” Y/N laughed, as she started the engine. 

Sweet Pea smiled a bit and shook his head.

“Yeah, it’s... not what I expected you to drive, I guess. But it’s cool.” 

Y/N backed out of the parking space a bit too fast for Sweet Pea to believe she actually had control, but to his surprise she didn’t bump into anything. 

“Honestly I got it because it reminded me of Jurassic Park, you know?” she said, as she drove out of the school property. 

“I fucking love Jurassic Park.” 

Sweet Pea couldn’t help but laugh, which he instantly regretted, both because it made his lip bleed more, and because it made Y/N look all amused. 

“What? Dinosaurs are awesome. You live at Sunnyside, right?”

Sweet Pea nodded, to both statements, really, and Y/N looked pleased.

“Good. I’m gonna stitch you right back up, just wait and see.” she said as she was slamming her hands on the steering wheel to the song on the radio. 

“What?” Sweet Pea asked, suddenly unnerved. 

“Relax, I’m joking, I’m not gonna stitch anything, but I will fix your face back up.” she said, and shot him a stern look. 

Sweet Pea felt a mix between excitement at the thought of him and Y/N alone at his trailer, and terror because of... well, thought of him and Y/N alone at his trailer. 

“You really don’t have to-” her started, but she cut him off.

“No, don’t even start!” she said, sternly. 

“You just fought a asshole defending both me and my best friend, the least I can do is help you fix up your face again.” 

Sweet Pea rolled his eyes, but at the same time couldn’t hold back a smile. 

He didn’t really mind time alone with Y/N, and every moment he knew she wasn’t alone and potentially stalked or hurt by the crazy person doing the stalking, was a good moment to him. 

- * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - 

Y/N’s POV

Y/N was honestly already almost dead with embarrassment when she pulled her beloved Jeep up next to Sweet Pea’s trailer.

All that freaking dinosaur talk, what the hell was wrong with her?! 

“Yeah, you can just stop right here, next to the bike.” 

Sweet Pea’s voice luckily dragged her out of her trains of thoughts, right before she drove her car right into the poor guys trailer.

Yeah, maybe she wasn’t the best driver. Whatever.

They were both silent as she turned of the engine, and the two of the exited the car. Y/N walked a few steps behind him as he approached the trailer, taking a look around. 

She had always been kind of fascinated with trailer homes, they looked so small on the outside and the inside was like... a house? Mind-blowing, honestly. 

Sweet Pea cleared his throat as he turned the key around, and Y/N turned back to him, hurrying to catch up to him. 

“Sorry it’s kind of messy, I wasn’t exactly expecting company today...” Sweet Pea mumbled, and Y/N waved her hand as if to wave away his words.

“Nah, it’s fine, it takes a lot to scare me.” she said as she followed him into the living room part of the trailer. 

“Yeah, that’s what they all say.” Sweet Pea mumbled into the now blood-soaked tissue.

Y/N shook her head as she plopped down on the couch.

“Nuh-uh, my aunt is like an actual hoarder, we’re talking an actual on TV level hoarder.” 

Sweet Pea’d eyes widened for a second and Y/N grinned, pleased to have taken him by surprise. 

“You’re joking, aren’t you?” he asked, and Y/N sat upright and pointed an accusing finger at him. 

“I am not, there’s an episode to prove it! Now, leave my taxidermy loving aunt alone, and get the medical kit I hope you have somewhere, so I can do what I came here do to, huh?” 

Sweet Pea chuckled and rolled his eyes, but turned around and disappeared into what Y/N guessed was the bathroom, before he came back out a minute later, carrying an actual medical kit. 

“Great, look at you, being all prepared!” Y/N smiled, as she got up and gestured for Sweet Pea to sit down at the couch. 

As she opened the kit and messed around a bit to find what she needed, she could feel Sweet Pea’s eyes on her, and tried her best to seem cool and calm. 

“Did you know they think dinosaurs may have had feathers?” 

Great job, Y/N. If he wasn’t into you already, he’ll no doubt be now. 

Idiot. 

But Sweet Pea didn’t laugh at her, at least not to her face, he just looked up at her with a questioning look on his face.

“Is that what you think about when you see my face, dinosaurs with... feathers?” he asked, and Y/N couldn’t hold back a grin.

“What can I say, you’re like... really tall, you know? And that fighting technique you showed earlier was kind of T-Rex like, really.” 

Sweet Pea finally gave in and let out a laugh, quickly causing him to wince as he stretched his mouth so his lip, who had just stopped bleeding, started bleeding again. 

“Fuck.” he mumbled, and Y/N rolled her eyes. 

“Okay, I know I’m amusing, but I would be great if you could keep it together for like, two seconds, as I work.” Y/N said sternly, earning her a small smile from the boy in front of her. 

They both fell into a comfortable silence as Y/N finished cleaning and and bandaging up Sweet Pea’s face. 

“There!” Y/N proudly exclaimed a few minutes later. 

Sweet Pea looked up at her with raised eyebrows. 

“You’re done?” he asked.

Y/N nodded as she cleaned up the medical kit. 

“Yep.” 

Sweet Pea got up and touched his lip and sore cheekbone carefully.

“Thank you, Y/N, seriously.” he said in a low voice, looking at her with a genuine look that made her knees weak. 

“Pfft, don’t worry, you know, you were helping me first, remember?” she said, way too fast, but luckily Sweet Pea seemed to have heard her.

“Still, I really appreciate it.” he said, and Y/N nodded.

“And that asshole has it coming, seriously, who still uses words like that today? And talk about not taking a hint, what an douche, seriously.” he added, and once again, Y/N nodded. 

“Yeah, he’s not exactly my favorite person either, you know?” she said and shivered. 

Sweet Pea looked at her with narrowed eyebrows. 

“You don’t think he could be the on who’s stalking you, do you?” he asked, and Y/N shrugged. 

“I don’t want to say for sure it’s not, but I honestly don’t see him bothering to do something like that. And, I’m pretty sure the football team have had several practises and games while this person must have been around me.” 

Sweet Pea nodded, and leaned on a counter with a serious expression, while Y/N sat back down on the couch.. 

“Did Jones an Cooper figure anything out?” he asked, and once again, Y/N shrugged.

“I don’t really know, to be honest, I haven’t seen them much. Cheryl talked about asking everyone who was there last weekend to meet up Friday or something, to talk.” Y/N looked down at her hands, biting her lower lip.

“It feels kind of stupid you know, making such a big deal out of this, and getting so many people involved.” 

Sweet Pea shot her a surprised look, and quickly moved across the room to sit next to her on the couch. 

“Are you serious?” he asked, and she shrugged sheepishly. 

“This person roofied you, Y/N! And follow you around, watching you in your home, that’s some scary shit, and you should not be dealing with that alone!” 

Y/N sighed, before she nodded a bit and gave Sweet Pea a small smile. 

“I guess you’re right.” she said, as she checked her phone, to see it was way later than she thought, and she sighed. 

“I should really get going, it’s Wednesday, and that’s the day my mother pretends to care, so she stops by to check that I’m still breathing!” Y/N said as she got up from the couch, and Sweet Pea did the same. 

“That’s... nice?” he tried, and Y/N smiled as she shook her head.

“I honestly think she’s just scared I’ll run away or something, and it’ll end up with her and Mr. Sleaze having to look for me.” she said, as she slowly headed for the door. 

Sweet Pea rolled his eyes. 

“Parents.” he mumbled, and Y/N nodded. 

“You don’t say.” 

They reached the door, and Y/N stopped with her hand at the handle, unsure of what to say.

“So, I... well, thanks for going all T-Rex on Chuck, Sweets.” she said, and Sweet Pea shook his head, a small smile on his face. 

“Well, thanks for fixing my face and telling me about dinosaurs.” he said, and Y/N shook her head, smiling back at him. 

“Well, I’ll... see yah?” she said, raising her eyebrows a bit and biting her lower lip.

“Yeah.” Sweet Pea nodded, a small smile on his face. 

“And, you know... if anything happens, you can like, call or come over or whatever, okay?” he added, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. 

“Thanks, Sweet Pea, I will.” Y/N answered, as she made her way out the door, and into her car.

The whole afternoon left her all mixed up with so much anger at Chuck, and so much awkwardness from herself, and most off all, the nice conversation with Sweet Pea, and the uncharacteristically sweet things he had said as she left.

In fact, Y/N was so giddy and exited she didn’t even notice the note someone had carefully left under her window wipers until she was parked outside her house, and even then, she was way too stressed about her mother being home to do anything but stick the note in her pocket. 

That was just the first mistakes on Y/N’s part in the next few days. 

taglist:  @anotherr-fine-mess @purespidey @irishfangirlxx @jaazzzzz @hurricane--amelia @bellejeanx @poolpartyingwithjaws @enticinghell @southsidemistress  @vinylrosess @riverdal-writter @abigailcavanaghhh @floralchlxe @h-e-a-v-y-l-e-a-t-h-e-r @oldwanderingsoul @secretlovexo @magicwithaknife @corgibuttscandoanything @chaarrlieeeeee @mellxander1993 @superhalsteads @citizenofmars @woeme @madaboutlili @ssserpentjes @blogpsych @celestialcastiel @pity-mee @k-is-cray @genius2050 @thewisebosomblog @blakesvaldez @mvmakki @aframeofbones @thatangrymardleschick @chipster-21 @maybeidontwannachooseaname @soutthhsideserpentt @styomi @kateintheuntouchedspace @talesfromriverdale @floralchlxe @acidparadox @bake-motherfucka-bake @dolansbeanies @riverdaleserpents04 @anninhiliation @knights0fkylo

[andinewton]

Healing the Hurt - Avengers Redemption Series - Part Two - Chapter 42

Characters: Bucky Barnes, Amelia Richards (OFC), pretty much everyone from the MCU appears at some point!

Pairings: Bucky x Amelia (ofc)

Warnings:  Chronic pain, physical disability, implied smut, eventual smut, swearing, fertility issues, pregnancy, angst with a happy ending, Stark has a heart.

Word Count:  151372 (complete with additional epilogues added)

Summary: 
Everything is going well at Avengers Tower, Bucky is integrating into the team slowly but surely; he longs for his confidence back but knows it's going to be a long road, never more than when he meets the new secretary at his doctor's office.

Amelia Richards is a career SHIELD agent, recruited straight out of college into the "company" but now she finds herself passed around from department to department, her latest position as a secretary at Avengers Tower proving monotonous compared to her former life, but when James "Bucky" Barnes walks into her office one Friday evening everything changes…

Join Bucky as he rediscovers parts of himself he had thought long lost with someone who considered herself broken for a long time, helping one another heal in more ways than one…

Master List

Chapter 42

Summary:  When you're feeling better and have spent the day being poked and prodded there's nothing better than dinner with a super soldier while you make plans for what you miss.

The medical team had been very thorough. Amelia spent the entire day enduring tests, from various scans and x-rays to more blood samples. When the doctors, and that is a good many doctors, additional specialists having been called, were done with her, it was almost six and she was worried Bruce and Tony would have been twiddling their thumbs waiting for her, even though she had let them know and they said it was okay, they would start when she was ready. Bucky stayed with her, for the most part, bringing her food and drink when she needed it, and most importantly keeping her company, but she had finally been released to await the many results.

Amelia sighed both out of relief at being let go and frustration. She felt like she had wasted the entire day laying on examining tables or answering questions, repeatedly, and as the results may be several days she didn’t feel she had gained anything by doing the right thing and heading to medical. Part of her wished she had just taken her chances and carried on as though she didn’t feel so different, that she hadn’t potentially been imbued with super soldier healing serum, but the pain that she kept still expecting to jump out and surprise her hadn’t returned and it was so far from her normal that she had to concede defeat, it was worth it to know what was going on. ‘You look torn, doll.’ Bucky commented as they made their way back to the common areas. ‘I am, a little.’ She shrugged, tucked in as she was under his arm snugly. ‘Let me guess. You feel like you wasted the day when you could have been working with the science bros?’ ‘That.’ She nodded, slipping out from under his arm and taking his hand instead, walking backwards. ‘But this is such a novelty, and I know all the tests were necessary to see how far it goes. Even if I just get a couple of days to feel normal, I’ll treasure every second.’ ‘You’re a treasure, sweetheart.’ He smiled warmly at her and raised his arm, twirling her as they walked. ‘We’ll make the most of this, and even if it is temporary we won’t regret it.’ ‘Just enjoy the time we have.’ She smiled as he stopped and she twirled into him, his arm curving around her. ‘In case I break down again.’ ‘You’re not broken, beautiful.’ He held her close, his metal hand coming up to caress her cheek in a move that was so natural it surprised him. ‘Even when you’re hurting you’re perfect.’ ‘You’re too nice.’ She reached her arm up around his neck and met him halfway for a soft kiss. ‘Oh, you know what we should do?’ She asked as they parted. ‘We should go for a walk!’ ‘Whatever you want to do.’ He smiled at how happy she was, the potential for doing something so normal pleasing her immensely and he wanted to help her enjoy every minute of it. ‘What about if we order takeout for dinner, go for a walk until it arrives, then movies and food?’ ‘That sounds even better.’ She said as her fingers played with the hair at the back of his neck. They went back to Amelia’s room, chose their food and placed their order before dressing warmly and heading outside, leaving instructions for FRIDAY to call Bucky when the food arrived. Amelia still had Natasha’s phone but she felt a little weird using it. They walked for half an hour, making small talk and hardly noticing the cold, until it began to snow. The sun had almost completely set and in the twilight the flakes were almost ethereal, and Amelia laughed at just how great it felt to be out in the snow and not suffering for it. Seeing her so free content made Bucky say a silent prayer that the serum had worked in a permanent way and that she could always be this happy. Finally they got the call their food had arrived and they headed back to the building, snow clinging to their hair but not caring as they were still arm in arm. 'You know, doll,' Bucky started as he held his fork of noodles towards her to try, 'you should make a list of what you want to do and we'll do it, all of it.' ‘That could be a hell of a list.’ She said before taking the food he offered her. They had decided to stay in the common area and were sitting on the floor with cushions from the couches by the full length windows, watching the snow fall while Bucky’s phone played random songs, Amelia occasionally skipping one she didn’t like or making sure Bucky listened to a particularly good one. ‘But I think build a snowman will be on there.’ ‘We could do that tomorrow.’ He noted the snow settling on the grass outside. ‘I have to work with Tony and Bruce on the files tomorrow, get them started. The information is too important to ignore.’ ‘Lunch break, you gotta take one of those.’ ‘Okay, lunch break snowman it is.’ She offered him one of her miniature spring rolls and he took her hand, she assumed to steady it for a bite, but instead he kissed her wrist before doing so and it warmed her heart. ‘We have a full team debrief tomorrow at eleven so you’ll get some peace when the science bros attend that.’ ‘Good, my brain will probably have melted into a puddle by then, after a whole morning with them.’ ‘You can hold your own against them.’ He defended her. ‘Maybe in the tech stakes, but when it comes to biology I’m not exactly a natural.’ He quirked her a sideways smile that suited him perfectly, his eyes crinkling in amusement. ‘I don’t know, sweetheart, you seem to know just what to do to get results from me.’ ‘You’re too sweet.’ She leant forward and he met her for a soft kiss that quickly became a lot more, and he tangled his hand in her hair, holding her close. ‘PDA, ew!’ Tony’s voice from the other side of the room had them break their contact and they both turned to stare at him as he came towards them carrying a small box. ‘It’s hardly public, when we’re the only ones here.’ Amelia retorted at the smirking playboy. ‘Public area. You want to do that take it to one of your rooms. Oh, Chinese food!’ He came and sat on Amelia’s other side and helped himself to a piece of prawn toast. ‘Missed you in the computer lab today, Lex.’ ‘Sorry about that.’ She said unnecessarily as Bucky’s hand stroked through her hair, gently caressing her back as he did. ‘No apologies, your health comes first. As you’re sitting on the floor making out with Inspector Gadget I guess the pain didn’t come back yet?’ ‘So far so good.’ She bit back a laugh at Tony’s nickname for Bucky. ‘Great. Providing you guys don’t get too crazy tonight, can you be at the lab for eight?’ ‘Not a problem.’ ‘Good. Here.’ He passed her the box and she frowned at it. ‘New phone. You’ll figure out how to set it up and migrate your data in no time, I bet.’ Amelia opened the box to find a state of the art Stark Phone. ‘Wow, this is amazing, thank you, Tony.’ ‘Least I can do is have us all on the same tech.’ He shrugged away the compliment. ‘I had your number transferred over so you’ll be good to go once you set up.’ ‘It’s great, thank you.’ She leant forward and kissed his cheek, and he cast a smug look at Bucky. ‘Yeah, I’m gonna go before your date tries to kill me.’ He stole another piece of prawn toast before getting up. ‘Ask FRIDAY to transfer over all the teams’ numbers once you set up. You never know when they might come in handy.’ ‘I will.’ ‘Goodnight.’ He nodded to them both and left, silently initiating a privacy setting on the common area so they wouldn’t be disturbed again. ‘Runaway mouth but not all bad.’ Bucky said once they were alone again. Amelia put the phone she had been admiring back into the box and turned to face him again. ‘Not all bad. Still not my favourite Avenger though.’ ‘Let me guess, Nat?’ He teased. ‘She comes in joint second.’ ‘Has to be Steve.’ ‘You get one more guess.’ ‘Can’t be Sam.’ He pulled face as she leant into him. ‘No, not Sam.’ Her lips brushed his. ‘I might need a clue, darlin’.’ He murmured against her lips. ‘You’ll get it.’ She whispered, pressing her lips to his, and all thought of teasing left him for some time.

Chapter 43