#and our stories have developed over that time

[smurphette98]

So, I did this not with a villain, but with an NPC from a D&D campaign I’m running on a day where the group didn’t meet. It’s under the cut if you wanna give it a read!

(CW: discussion of death, resurrection, the afterlife, and murder)

Subreddit: r/relationshipadvice

Title: I haven’t seen my husband in 5 years (because I was dead) and I just found out that he left our daughter with his mother for that whole time.

Posted by u/Lovemordian

Apologies in advance if my Common isn’t great; it isn’t my first language.

I (21F) was recently resurrected by a party member of my husband’s (now 26M) after dying in his arms five years ago. Admittedly, the experience was wonderful, since I had always hoped that magic was real and not just the stuff of children’s stories, and I am not upset at living once more. The afterlife is…well, it’s beyond what I need to discuss here.

The issue I am having is this: while I was dead, I was comforted in the knowledge that our daughter (now 8F) was not going to grow up completely parentless even if I could not be with her. However, when I saw her again after returning to life, she mentioned that her grandmother, my husband’s mother, had been caring for her this whole time. She did not grow up with her father, and the one thought that had kept me sane while wandering the fields of the waiting became a lie.

He says that he left her behind with his parents to ensure that no one would use her to pressure him, that the Flesh Collectors wouldn’t use her as bait to get to him. Though I understand the logic of this, I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed. It feels like he’s trying to be the man he was 5 years ago, but I know he’s gone through much in my absence and I wish he would just be honest with me about it. Does anyone have any advice for how to talk to him about this? In some ways, it does feel a bit as if I’m approaching him as a stranger once more.

Update: Thank you to all who replied with your advices and your recommendations. I do want to answer a few of the questions I saw most frequently:

1) Apparently, he tried to avenge my murder after the judge had been paid off, stealing a highly advanced prototypical weapon designed by a classmate of ours (27 NB) to do it. This is why the Flesh Collectors were after him and why he apparently joined a guild for thieves and assassins that, if I understood him right, was run by a staff member at the university? I don’t know; he seems more comfortable speaking Common than Lamordian, so I may be misunderstanding things.

2) Flesh Collectors are sort of like a police force, but more than anything they are scavengers who harvest body parts that scientists need for their work. The “ethical” ones wait until a body is dead to harvest. The majority of them are not ethical.

Now, onto the update: I had the open conversation with my husband that so many of you recommended. I just asked him to tell me what kinds of things had happened while I was dead, and he was honest with me, just as I always remember him being.

While he was on the run for his vengeance, he fell in with the guild I mentioned and did “less than honorable things” to put aside money for our daughter’s future. At first, I thought he was implying that he had sold intimate favors, but he clarified that it was killing people. He did put aside quite a bit, over 10,000 gp, so I do think it was well-meant. And our daughter seems to hold no resentment toward him, so I don’t suppose I should either. For anyone out there who has been resurrected after a while, is this distance I’m feeling just a symptom of that, or is it something I should be concerned about? Perhaps I should speak to my mother-in-law, as she has always been a source of wisdom in my life. I don’t think I will need to update further, but if more developments happen, I will be sure to let you all know.

if you're trying to get into the head of your story's antagonist, try writing an "Am I the Asshole" reddit post from their perspective, explaining their problems and their plans for solving them. Let the voice and logic come through.

[traveler-at-heart]

Doctor's In - Part 9

Wanda Maximoff x Doctor!R

Summary: New Year, new... relationship challenges? Sharing a home isn't all fun and games.

A/N: Everyone, please don’t tell me how much you hate where this story is going just because it seems like R will cheat on Wanda. There’s more to the plot and it’s not something I’m doing just randomly, I’m spending time and effort into creating a fic that is a bit more nuanced or at least I hope it is.

Natasha is not a people person.

Which is funny, considering her profession. She’s created a system that allows her to interact with patients as little as possible, and to focus on what she understands best: the human heart.

Not as a metaphor for sentimental stuff, but as a perfect machine.

She’s out of her element now, and considering the stupid drunk that is shouting in the middle of the ER, Natasha thinks it’s better to check if you’re around later.

“Is anybody going to take a look at this?” the man raises his messed up hand, slurring his words. He approaches Natasha, and she busies herself reading a chart. “Are you going to help or not, hot stuff?”

“I don’t work here” she grumbles, deciding that she’ll have to wait for you somewhere else.

“I was hoping you could take care of me. Where are you going? I'm talking to you” he says when she turns to leave, his good hand flying to grab her by the elbow.

Natasha is ready to throw a punch, but she never feels his touch in any part of her body.

“Lay a hand on her and I will strap you to a hospital bed and give you a colonoscopy without anesthesia” you say, surprising him with your strenght. “Now, sir, sit the fuck down and someone will be with you shortly”

“I’ll handle it” Barnes, the new nurse, approaches with his signature frown. He is equally attractive and terrifying, though most of the nurses ignore the latter.

“Thank you” you smile, watching the man become quiet as Barnes grabs him by the shoulder, knowing he won’t be able to say anything stupid to him. “Hi, Nat”

“Hey, stranger” she smiles at you. “I was hoping I’d run into you here”

“Is that why you were wandering the ER? You could just text me” you smile, walking with her to the cafeteria. “My shift ended an hour ago, which is why I wasn’t the one dealing with that asshole”

“Thank you for that, you are such a gentlewoman. I am dissapointed, though. I was hoping you’d stay for our first lesson today”

“Of course I am. I wouldn’t miss it for the world”

Most of the hospital was buzzing with excitement at learning the new surgical technique that had earned Melina Romanoff a Nobel Prize. The exception was Tony, but that was only because he was convinced the Romanoffs had a secret, evil plot to take over. Even Pepper had told me to chill in front of everyone.

You sit at the front, saving a spot for Darcy and follow every word Natasha says. She’s just going over some of the theory and the process of how the research came to be, which is still very interesting to you. Medical research required patience and focus that you did not have, so you had turned your professional development to trauma, as well as search and rescue training.

“We’ll meet on Wednesday to start the first exercises” she finishes the presentation, and winks at you discreetly.

You smile, leaving the conference room, Darcy right behind you.

“What was that?”

“What? Were you expecting exercises from the get go?”

“I meant the wink. Why was she winking at you?” Darcy insists and you shrug your shoulders.

“I don’t know. Friends wink at each other. I wink at you!”

“If you winked at me, I’d think you’re having a stroke” Darcy insists, and you have to roll your eyes. “It was flirty”

“Natasha knows about my relationship, we are just friends” you say, eager to finish the conversation.

“I just think there’s something fishy about this”

“You too? Stark got to you, Lewis” you mock, nudging her shoulder. “Come on, it’s all fine. I gotta get home, though, I forgot to tell Wanda I was staying longer”

“I hope she kicks your ass for that!” Darcy says as you run out of the hospital.

“Yeah, yeah”

As you drive home, you stop by the shopping street to get Wanda some flowers. You don’t think she’ll be too upset about you being late, but it never hurts to be safe.

Still, as you park in the driveway, you take a couple of minutes inside your car, looking at your old home in the rearview mirror.

Truth be told… you’re stalling. Though you love everyone inside the Maximoff house very much, you’ve had so much work these past two weeks, and it’s always a bit exhausting to get home and find the kids running around or Pietro complaining about something.

As someone who went from living alone to sharing a house with four other people full time, it was definitely overwhelming to say the least.

You take a last, deep breath and step inside the house, Pietro watching a show while the twins play in the backyard.

“You’re late” he comments.

“Work stuff” is all you say, not feeling in the mood to justify your tardiness to someone who isn’t Wanda.

But, as you enter the kitchen and your eyes meet hers, you can tell she’s also a little upset.

“Sorry, work ran long” you apologize, offering the flowers. She tries to smile and you put them down on the counter. “I really am sorry, Wands”

“No, it’s ok. I’m just behind with the book and the kids were a little difficult today… I could have used your help, that’s all”

I could have used some rest, you want to say, but that won’t help. It’s not forever, you keep thinking. Pietro will get better and move out, and things will be less crowded.

“I’ll be here all day tomorrow, I can take care of anything you need” you promise, saying goodbye to the prospect of a good nap. To keep yourself busy, you take out stuff to make a sandwich, sighing when you notice you’re out of cheese. “Like going to the grocery store, I guess”

Pietro keeps eating everything and by the time you’re home, there’s barely any food left.

“And you’re coming to the twins game on Wednesday, right?”

“Oh” you pause, scratching your neck. “I have to go to the hospital”

“Again? It seems like you’re there all week” Wanda protests.

“Well, yeah, we’re understaffed, between people being sick and others taking time off. I have to go and head the department, it’s my job, Wanda” you say, suddenly not hungry.

Nothing’s enough, you’re not good enough.

“I just… miss you. That’s all” Wanda says, and you sigh, feeling like an asshole.

“I know. I’m sorry. It’s always crazy during January, plus we’re doing a new training with a doctor from Boston. Things will settle in a couple of weeks, I promise”

“Ok” she nods, smiling as you approach her, kissing her temple. “But you’ll have to make it up to me”

“I have a few ideas for that, Miss Maximoff” you smile, pulling her against you and kissing her temple. “And none of them include clothes”

“Good” she laughs, standing on her toes to kiss you.

—

You wanted to have a good day, you really did. Wanda needed some work done on her new study so you dropped off the kids and drove to the hardware store, trusting Pietro could be fine on his own for a while.

What really ruined the mood happened on the way back home.

While turning on a busy street, your mother calls and instead of pressing the ignore button, you answer.

“Fuck” you mutter and it’s too late to hang up. “Hey, mom”

Wanda perks up at that, curious about your mother. She has never even heard her voice, let alone watch you have a conversation on the phone with her. She can tell your posture stiffens.

“Hello, Y/N. I missed your call for the holidays”

“Had lots of work” you lie.

“Oh, well. Hope you liked your birthday present” the woman says in a kinder tone and you almost want to laugh.

“Yeah, thanks. Really appreciate it”

“So, I don’t have a lot of time, wanted to let you know we’re flying there next week but we’re just gonna stay for three days. I don’t think we’ll have the time to meet you. Plus, it’s just us family, you know”

“Right” you try to sound disappointed, but are actually tempted to stop the car and dance around the street. “Some other time”

“Just make sure you’re available in case we need anything. It’s the least you can do”

“Of course” you agree, looking out of the corner of your eye at the confused expression on Wanda’s face. “Have fun, say hi to everyone for me”

“Ok, you take care now”

The minute she hangs up, you let out a huge sigh of relief.

“What was that?” Wanda says, frowning.

“Which part, love?”

“Everything! Ok, first of all, the birthday present. What did she get you? I didn’t see anything delivered”

“Wanda, she doesn’t even know where I live. What happened was, someone walked by and she pretended to be nice. She’s always done it” you explain, feeling irritated. All you want is to be happy that you won’t see her, but Wanda is pushing the subject.

“And what about them coming? And not making the time to see you? Just us family? You’re her daughter!”

“Wanda, please, drop it” you plead, parking outside your home and stepping out of the car.

“Why is she like this? Why don’t you call her out on it? And I’m sorry, I just can’t understand someone being so horrible to their own child”

“Wanda!” you snap, slapping the trunk of the car. “I know, she’s horrible. I don’t care if she lies about getting me a birthday present and I don’t care enough about her to call her out for being mommy dearest. I am just so damn happy that I don’t have to be around her anymore, can we please focus on that?”

“I am just trying to understand. You never tell me anything about her” Wanda protests and you can’t believe she’s still talking about this.

“Everything there is to know, you already know, Wanda. What else would you like to learn? That sometimes I went to bed without having dinner because she thought I was getting fat? Or that when I got a summer job and was out too late she only let me sleep on the porch? What other fucking twisted things would you like to learn about that awful woman?”

“I…”

“If I say it’s complicated or I don’t want to talk about it, maybe just listen once. Here” you toss the car keys her way, not caring if she catches them or not. “I’m going for a walk”

You’d do more than walk if you were wearing different shoes and it wasn’t so damn cold. Still, you don’t make it very far, running into a black and white bunny in the middle of the street. None of your neighbors have pet rabbits, not that you can recall.

“Where did you come from?” you say, hugging the little thing and feeling relaxed as it moves its nose and settles in your arms.

“Señor Scratchy!” Agatha yells from her porch, and you turn around.

“I take it he’s yours?”

“Yes, Rio gave him to me. Señor Scratchy, what are you doing outside?” the woman says with a soft voice, taking him back. “I don’t know how he got out”

“Maybe your fence? Let’s take a look” you walk around to her backyard, pointing at an old part of her wooden fence. “Aha!”

“Oh, great. It will take forever to find someone to fix it” she grumbles. “He’ll have to stay inside for the time being”

“I can fix it. It will only take an hour or so” you say, eager to stay out of the house for a bit longer.

“Well, aren’t you a sweetheart?” Agatha squeezes your cheek and then slaps it gently. “Just remember, I’m already taken, hot stuff”

“I’m just fixing your fence, Miss Harkness” you wink. “I’ll be back with the stuff we need”

Wanda seems to be in her study when you go back home. The fact that you feel relieved instead of sad for making her hide does make you a little guilty.

Truth is, you’ve never lived with anyone you had a relationship with, and neither did she. Maybe you’re both expecting things to be perfect, and it’s just not realistic. Disagreements are bound to happen when you share a home.

Right?

As you work on Agatha’s fence, you keep thinking about a way to make things work for everyone, because you’ve had a couple of fights with Wanda in the span of two days and you really don’t want to make it a habit.

“Did that fence do something to you?” Agatha interrupts you, handing over a glass of water.

“Huh?” you look up at her, taking it and nodding your thanks.

“You're nailing that wood a little too hard, hot stuff” she says, dragging a garden chair and sitting next to you. “Spill”

Saying it’s nothing won’t stop her from asking, so you keep working and tell her everything that has been going on. How the house feels too crowded sometimes, and work is kicking your ass. It takes a minute, but you admit that Wanda really upset you, questioning why you didn’t stand up to your mother.

“I don’t know, I guess it’s something I’ve always wondered myself. Why didn’t I say something instead of being weak. It struck a nerve when Wanda said it out loud”

“Did she call you weak?” Agatha says, frowning.

“No, that’s me being dramatic” you chuckle.

“Look, it’s what I told you the other day. Not everyone understands it, because most people have a semi functional relationship with their parents. And from the sound of it, Wanda’s were straight out of a sitcom”

“I guess”

“She doesn’t have to understand it. She just has to respect your boundaries” Agatha says and you nod, still thinking about everything. “Have you ever thought about going no contact with your mother?”

“Is that what you did?”

“Oh, honey, my mother’s dead. So unless I pull out a Ouija board, we’re no contact already” she cackles, which makes you laugh.

“I don’t know. If she needs something, I guess I would try to help her. If she was a bad mother, that’s on her. But I won’t be a bad daughter”

“You’re too good” Agatha pats your back, and you smile at her.

“Alright, well, your fence is fixed. Can we call it even with the therapy session you just gave me?” you stand up, making sure everything’s in its place.

“Nu-uh, you owe me” Agatha jokes, taking the bunny out to the backyard. “You’ll be fine. Tú puedes”

“Duolingo?”

“Rio’s been teaching me Spanish. The other stuff I can’t say it to you because it’s dirty and for her ears only” the brunette winks, which makes you blush. “Bye, Y/N”

“Bye, Agatha” you roll your eyes at her antics, feeling better as you walk back home.

You figure it’s better to start working on what Wanda needs, so you carry the stuff upstairs and knock before entering the guest room turned into a study.

“Hey” you say, as Wanda looks out the window instead of working.

“Hi”

“I’ll fix the lights and then adjust your desk, or do you need to work now?” you ask, unsure if she’s also upset at you.

“No, that’s fine. It’s not even important, you should rest, work has been crazy for you” she finally turns, and you can tell she’s trying hard not to cry.

“Hey… come here” you step closer, pulling her into a hug. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m really sorry for pushing the subject. I can’t imagine someone being so awful to you, and I made you… I should have kept it to myself”

“It’s… yeah. It wasn’t nice and I really don’t like to look back at everything that happened. But I know you didn’t mean any harm, ok? I love you, baby” you kiss her temple, feeling her relax in your arms. “Why don’t you go check on your brother? He’s been too quiet, which can only mean he’s getting into some sort of trouble”

“Or buying more stuff from Amazon. We barely fit here” Wanda grumbles and you laugh, kissing her. “I’m sorry”

“I know. You’ll make it up to me in bed” you joke, which makes her laugh.

“Maybe now that he’s busy…”

In that precise moment, her brother decides to call for Wanda.

“Go” you kiss Wanda again, wishing you had more time just with her.

—

Natasha’s not excited about the day ahead, the only silver lining being that she gets to see you. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. She’s flirting and constantly eyeing you, but nothing’s gonna happen.

Not on a lack of desire on her part. It’s pretty obvious you’re not the type of person who cheats. Pretty ironic, she finally meets a decent woman and you’re already taken.

What does that girlfriend of yours have that she doesn’t? Aside from two kids that adore you. Is the whole housewife thing really that appealing to someone like you?

As she enters the room for the next lesson, Natasha notices you’re sitting a few rows behind. That’s a little disappointing. Still, your eyes follow her every move and she feels a little surge of pride at that.

If only you were single, Natasha might get you to roleplay that teacher-student fantasy she’s had.

Still, as she finishes her explanation, you walk up to her, smiling.

“That was brilliant, Natasha” a brunette doctor walks behind you, and you reach out to stop her. “Hey, come meet Doctor Romanoff, Darcy”

“Pleased to meet you. We’re loving the lessons” she says, not wanting to make small talk. “Y/N, come on. I’m starving”

“Oh, I was thinking we could go out for a bite if you’d like?” you turn to Natasha, smiling.

“I’ve got surgery in half an hour” Darcy says, glaring at you.

“Nat?” you turn to the woman, smiling. “Bishop can take care of the ER for me”

“Yeah, I’d love to” Natasha says, kicking herself over how fast she agrees to doing anything you ask.

“Awesome, I know this great place” you begin saying, but she gets a phone call. Natasha looks at you apologetically, but you smile, while Darcy is pulling at your sleeve and giving her a strange look.

“I’ll only take a moment” Natasha promises.

“Yeah, that’s fine”

“A word, Y/N?” Darcy finally gets your attention back and you frown.

Natasha doesn’t care much about the new doctor, unless she’s also fighting for your attention. She finds an empty room to take the call, shutting the door behind her.

“What is it, mother?”

“How’s the second lesson?”

“Fine. Do you keep a timer on your desk?”

“I just like to know if the study plan I designed is working, Natalia. That way, when we move to the next one, it can be more efficient until we manage a global, scalable solution”

“We? I’m only doing this here and then I’m going back to my research, you agreed” Natasha reminds her, blood boiling.

“This is your legacy too”

“Then how come I wasn’t up there getting the Nobel with you?”

“Natalia, those are insignificant things compared to what we can acheive” Melina scoffs.

“I’m not going to spend another month in a different hospital just because you’re too paranoid about someone stealing your research”

“Fine, then get me a new Head of Trauma for Boston and we’ll consider it even” Melina says. “You know Yelena wants to focus on that, she needs someone who can teach her”

“There are tons of applicants. Choose one from the pile in your desk, Mother” Natasha sighs, knowing where this is going.

“What about that doctor you told me about? You sounded so enamoured last time”

“She wouldn’t move to another city, her girlfriend’s here” Natasha says.

“Girlfriends aren’t wives. Well, even spouses can get divorced. Maybe she just needs to hear the right offer” Melina insists.

“Mother…”

“You’re not resuming your research until you find a new Head of Trauma. That’s final, Natalia” the woman loses her cool, hanging up on her daughter.

Natasha feels so stupid, of course this would happen. Melina never cared about anything other than herself and her accomplishments.

“Fuck” the woman says, kicking one of the chairs. You walk inside that precise moment, jumping at the outburst.

“You ok?” you say, locking the door.

“Yeah. It’s nothing”

You let out a sigh, sitting next to her in the bed of the on call room.

“We can skip lunch if you’re not hungry”

“It’s not that. I mean, I’m not hungry anymore, my mother just pissed me off” Natasha shakes her head, trying to calm her racing heart.

“You got one of those too, huh?” you chuckle. “I’m sorry, Nat, honestly. It’s the worse feeling in the world. Someone who should support you trying to bring you down, and then no one believing you because there’s this collective denial that mothers can be bad people”

“Yeah, that’s exactly it. To everyone else she’s a genius. To me, she’s the woman who’s always reminding me how ordinary I am compared to her” Natasha fiddles with her hands, not used to being vulnerable. Not with someone who understands her so well.

“You’re not ordinary, Natasha” you say with so much conviction that the redhead looks up, eyes meeting yours. “And if your mother thinks that, I’m sorry to say that she’s not as smart as I thought”

Natasha laughs, blushing a little at the compliment. You nudge her with your elbow, standing up.

“Want some coffee instead? If you’re not hungry anymore” you place your hand in the doorknob, checking if she’s ready to step out.

“Yeah, sure”

As you nod and open the door, Natasha stands up, reaching for your wrist.

“I… thank you. You’re too kind to me” she says in a low voice.

“I guess I know how isolating it can be. If you ever want to talk, I’m here” you squeeze her arm in return, smiling at her.

Natasha is about to say something else, something probably really stupid, when a voice calls behind you.

“Detka, there you are”

“Wanda? Hi, what are you doing here?” you step out of the room now, looking at your girlfriend. Wanda, however, is focused on the very attractive redhead that follows behind you, noticing you were alone seconds ago

“Am I interrupting something?” she says, eyes not leaving Natasha’s figure.

“What? No, this is Nat… eh, doctor Romanoff. She’s the doctor from Boston who is giving us the course” you explain, looking between both women. Natasha is the first one to give up the staring contest, extending her hand to Wanda.

“Nice to meet you. Y/N has told me so much about you and your boys”

“I’m happy to hear that”

Happy that you know she’s taken.

“So, uh… what are you doing here?” you ask, still thrown off by Wanda’s presence. Ever since Pietro was discharged, she has never been back to the hospital. If you recall correctly, she said she had enough of hospitals for a lifetime.

“I need to talk to you for a second. Alone”

“I’ll meet you in a second” you smile as Natasha walks back to the conference room and she nods. When you turn to Wanda she has a strange look in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“You never told me she was this pretty”

“Who?”

“Natasha”

“I didn’t notice” you mumble, scratching your neck. “And anyways, that’s not why you’re here, is it?”

“Right. I just… I wanted to apologize again for yesterday. And make sure we’re ok. I know these past few weeks have been hard. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had to come over and see you”

“Hey, we’re ok” you promise, pulling her by the waist. “I love you, you love me and we have a pretty nice family, don’t we? Even with stinky Pietro”

“I’m trying to convince him to shower daily” she laughs against your lips. It’s pretty clear that he was clean during his hospital days because he got sponge baths.

“It’s either that or hosing him down in the backyard”

“I’d like to see that” your girlfriend laughs and you take her hand, bringing it to your lips. “I’ll let you get back to work”

“Ok, if I can I’ll leave early” you kiss her cheek, squeezing her waist until you’re hand goes dangerously lower. “And maybe we can have some makeup sex”

“Mmhm you’d like that wouldn’t you” Wanda slaps your shoulder. “Go”

But as you wave goodbye and walk up to meet Natasha, Wanda doesn’t miss the look on the redhead's eyes.

She knows it, because it’s the same way Wanda looks at you. And that’s all it takes for her to decide, she doesn’t like the other woman.

—

It’s not as late as you thought, because when you get home everyone’s finishing dinner.

“She lives” Pietro says when you walk in.

“He bathes” you say, noticing his wet hair. “Did Wanda tell you I was going to hose you down?”

He doesn’t get to reply, because the kids jump in your arms.

“My stinky minions! Did you win the game today?”

“No, you have to come to the next one. You’re our lucky charm” Billy says.

“Pinky promise, I will come to the next one” you nod, moving to kiss Wanda. “Hey, gorgeous”

“Moya lyubov” she says and you smile, always loving that accent. “Come have dinner while the kids shower”

“Can you read us a story when you finish?” Tommy asks.

“Of course. Now go with Mom, I’ll be there as soon as I’m done”

The kids cheer as you get a plate and serve some delicious lasagna. Now you really don’t regret coming home early.

“Alright, I’m calling it a night. I’m exhausted” Pietro says.

“From showering?” you joke, but he fake laughs as he pushes his wheelchair away. “Leave your plate, I’ll clean it up”

“Thanks, sestra”

As you eat, you remember to send a text to Natasha, asking if she wants to have lunch with you tomorrow before she heads back to Boston for the rest of the week.

The kids are ready for bed and you walk upstairs, sitting between their beds and reading Dragon Feathers, which was your father’s favorite bedtime story to tell. Billy and Tommy laugh as you make different voices, the way your dad did when he told you the tale.

As soon as you’re done, they settle in bed, and Wanda’s the one who tucks them in, joining you at the door.

“I missed this” you say against her temple.

“I missed you” she agrees, leaning against your side. “Come to my study, I want to show you the drawings I made for the book”

The new working space was starting to grow on Wanda. Even if it was smaller, she had enough room to fit everything she needed, and her view was much better from the second floor.

You admire the sketches she hands you, looking at every detail and stroke of her pencil.

“Could I see you work one day? I don’t think I’ve ever done that, baby” you say, in awe of her talent.

“I don’t know, I might get too nervous”

“Please?” you pout, hoping that will change her mind. Wanda rolls her eyes and leans forward, standing on the tip of her toes to kiss you. Her movements turn more frantic and she catches you off guard when she pushes you against the small sofa, straddling your lap.

“Tell me more about her”

“About who?” you say, completely lost in the way her shirt strains against her breasts.

“That new doctor”

“Natasha?” you blink, trying to form a coherent thought. “Why?”

“Because. You’re working a lot, and apparently it’s next to a very beautiful woman whose name I hadn’t heard up until I saw you walking out of a room together”

“We were just talking” you mumble, more focused on undoing the buttons on Wanda’s shirt. She takes your wrists and pulls them away, forcing you to look up.

“I hope she knows your girlfriend is incredibly possesive and jealous” she whispers against your lips. “Or I might have to remind you who you belong to”

“I haven’t forgotten” you promise, looking at her lips intently.

“Then show me” Wanda says, her nails digging in your scalp. Whatever you were about to say dies in your lips as she kisses you, biting your lip and making you forget your name. You open your mouth, allowing her to explore it with her tongue and you carry her to the desk, pushing away everything so she can sit on it.

Wasting no time, Wanda holds her hips up so you can pull down her pants and underwear, and you kneel, moaning against her center when you begin to eat her out, desperate for her taste.

It feels like forever since you’ve had the chance to worship her body.

“That’s it” she moans as you bite the inside of her thigh, pleased with the way her legs close around your head. “I’m gonna…”

“Hold it”

“No, please”

“Did I fucking stutter? God, you are so impatient” you say, squeezing her throat as you move up, sliding two fingers inside her wet cunt. “Why can’t you just let me fuck you?”

“Oh, God” she says, getting wetter at your words.

“I think you’re the one who’s forgetting her place, baby” you say, hitting her G spot over and over until she can’t speak.

“Fuck” Wanda sighs, biting your neck as she finally gets her release. You kiss her, muffling her moans until her breathing evens out. “I missed that”

“Mhm” you smile, letting Wanda taste herself in your lips. “Come on. Let’s go to bed”

As you get changed and clean up, your phone pings several times.

“Work?” Wanda asks, but you’re smiling as you type.

“Huh? No, not work” is all you say, getting in bed and kissing Wanda. “Night, baby”

“Goodnight” she says, watching the screen of your phone light up again. You don’t notice because you’re already asleep, exhausted.

Wanda has to resist the urge to look at the text you just got.

You’ve never given her a reason to doubt you.

And yet, as she goes to bed, looking at your sleeping shape, Wanda can’t help but feel, there’s a part of you that’s not being honest.

[ratasum]

We've got so much stuff we've reworked and I have so few places to talk about it lmao.

But I will at least share that our stuff has Logan dying in Arah during the assault on Zhaitan and Eir surviving in the jungle, except the significant injuries take her out of commission.

[buckets-and-trees]

Oh, I'm so pleased that you like this Bucky! (I think you like him?) Because this. Bucky. is. so. fascinating. to me! I haven't written/spent as much time creating for him yet, but the fictional men in my muse's library who haunt me incessantly while I'm thinking over plots and stories are Cedar Trees Steve, Exiled Nomad, IYM Andy, and this Alpha Bucky! Because his intelligence, his calculating nature, his alphaness... they're spinning together in a specific way I haven't played with before - he's got shades of some of the themes I like, but this is Mean Alpha Bucky.

OMEGAVERSE BONDS! OMEGAVERSE BONDS! They're one of the things I love to see explored! They're physical and a vulnerability (for better and for worse) and they're so powerful. I can't wait to show more as the story develops...

And that line. 😏

😏

[INSERT EVEN BIGGER SMIRK EMOJI]

EVA! I scribbled down that line of dialogue months ago and I wasn't sure who I was going to use it for/which WIP, but I knew I was going to use it, and it was our ruthless Alpha Bucky who stole it and delivered it with a blow!

But you're also one of the people on the top of my list I have been so eager to share it with so we could SCREECH TOGETHER! AND SO I'M JUST DOING DANGEROUS FLAPPY HANDS NOW!!!!!

thank you for sharing your reading thoughts with me always 🥹

Entanglement

Characters/Pairings: mean Alpha!Bucky x curvy Female!Omega!Reader Word Count: 4.9k Summary: After spending the night with Alpha Bucky, the two of you address the shape of things moving forward. (not a stand-alone read)

Content/Warnings: omegaverse; reluctant attraction; power dynamics; manipulation; threats; dirty talk; explicit smut: somnophilia (mentioned/off-screen), knotting, vaginal fingering, edging, orgasm denial, unprotected vaginal intercourse and insemination; beefy Bucky; size kink; semi-public sexual situation

Author Notes: Surprise! It's been almost three months, but TA DA I STILL WRITE BUCKKY FICS! Excited to finally get back to this specific AU, too... It didn't start as a series, but now that it's transformed into that in my head, I have so much in store for you!!! This is the fourth fic for my Birthday Jubilee.

Previous: Every Minute of It | Series List

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You moan as you come into consciousness. You’re naked in bed with your naked alpha, and he already has your leg hitched up over his hip, cock sunk into your cunt. Your body responds immediately, rocking against him as he lazily thrusts into you. Bucky's stubble scratches against your neck as he nuzzles insistently against one of the bonding marks.

"Good morning, Omega," he murmurs, his voice still rough with sleep.

"Alpha," you breathe, tilting your head to give him better access. Your body is rested but you feel the aches of having been thoroughly used - even through your sleep.

He picks up the pace slightly, grinding his hips more forcefully against yours. One of his hands slides down to grip your ass, pulling you tighter against him. You moan as the new angle allows him to hit deeper inside you.

"Always so wet for me," Bucky growls approvingly. "My perfect Omega, always ready for her Alpha's cock."

You whimper at his words, feeling yourself grow even slicker around him. He rolls onto to his back, and pulls you over the top of him.

You gasp as you sink down fully onto Bucky's thick cock, the new position allowing him to penetrate even deeper. His hands grip your hips tightly as he guides you into a slow, rolling rhythm.

"That's it, ride your Alpha's cock," he growls, his eyes dark with lust as they roam over your body.

You brace your hands on his broad chest and begin to move more forcefully, lifting yourself up until just the tip remains inside before sinking back down. Bucky groans in approval, his fingers digging into your flesh hard enough to bruise.

"Such a good omega," he praises. "Taking me so well."

His words send a fresh wave of arousal through you. You increase your pace, chasing your pleasure as you bounce on his cock. Bucky's hips begin to thrust up to meet yours, driving himself even deeper.

Your movements grow more frantic as you chase your release. Bucky's hands roam over your body, squeezing your breasts and pinching your nipples. You can feel a knot starting to form at the base of his cock - your knot, for you. The sensations of his cock filling you and his hands on your sensitive flesh have your omega side keening and spiraling quickly towards orgasm.

"Yes, cum for me," Bucky growls. "Let me feel that tight pussy squeeze my cock."

His words push you over the edge and you cry out as your orgasm crashes over you. Your inner walls clamp down on Bucky's thick length as waves of pleasure course through your body.

Bucky groans at the sensation of your clenching pussy. He grips your hips tightly and begins to thrust up into you hard and fast, chasing his own release. The overstimulation has you whimpering and clutching at his chest.

"Take it," he growls, and you feel his knot swell and lock inside you. You whimper but throw your head back as his hips stutter and then he spills his hot seed inside you, continuing to thrust as much as he can. Your walls clench to milk him.

“So deep inside you,” he snarls, “every drop is yours, every shudder is mine.”

You collapse onto Bucky's chest, panting heavily as aftershocks of pleasure ripple through you. His arms wrap around you, holding you close as his knot continues to pulse inside you. You nuzzle into his neck, inhaling his musky alpha scent.

"Such a good omega," Bucky murmurs, stroking your back. "Taking your alpha's knot so well."

You hum contentedly, basking in the praise and the feeling of being filled and claimed. Your body feels languid and sated. This is why he so dangerous to you. Bucky shifts slightly, causing his knot to tug at your sensitive flesh. You whimper at the sensation.

"Shh, I've got you," he soothes, continuing to stroke up and down your spine. For a moment, you allow yourself to forget about the complexities of your situation and simply enjoy the intimacy, the physical connection, tapping into the primal part of you he awakened the first instant he touched you.

After several minutes, Bucky speaks. “So you want a more traditional alpha and omega co-habitation. You want the physical connection – the sex, my knot. But what else do you want?”

Reality crashes back in and you tense slightly. Bucky notices immediately.

“What do you mean?” you ask.

There’s a rumble of a laugh in his chest. It’s not mirthful, it’s still cold, but it’s not heated or angry.

“Omega, let’s acknowledge the reality of what exists here. I wanted to annex your lands, to take over your people and your pack, and to have you as my bonded mate to unequivocally consolidate my power in this region. You’ve had a week to sit with that. I know you didn’t want to see me only to get my cock in your cunt, but while I have you here, knotted and unable to move, I want you to be honest with me. What do you want from our situation?”

You let out a trepidatious chirp - a sound you have never made before.

“I’m open to hearing what you want.”

You study his eyes, his expression is guarded but closed off, reflecting his claim to openly hear you.

You take a deep breath, steadying yourself. "I want to be involved in the governance of our territory. Not just as a figurehead or trophy omega, but to have real input and influence. I was raised for this. I know my people, our needs and challenges. I can help you rule more effectively."

Your father had already been having discussions with you about the possibility and timing of stepping down from his position as governor to ensure a smooth transfer of power rather than risk the danger of anyone challenging your claim to take his place when he died, female and omega that you were.

Bucky's eyes narrow slightly as he considers your words. "Go on."

"It's in both our interests," you reply carefully. "Happy, well-governed subjects are less likely to rebel. And as your bonded omega, my fate is tied to yours now. I have no incentive to work against you."

He's silent for a long moment, his piercing gaze searching your face. Finally, he gives a small nod. "I'll consider it. Coming into this, I knew the potential that could be forged with having you as the omega by my side. But make no mistake - I know you will have your own agenda, and I will be watching you closely. Do not work against me. Where we align, there will not be a problem. One hint of betrayal, and I’ll make good on my threat to make this apartment your isolated prison.”

You nod, accepting his terms. "I understand. I'm not looking to undermine you.” That may not be fully true, but you knew you needed to commit to the cause and do what you could for the greater good. “I want the people to be safe and prosper and I want to have a voice in decisions that affect them."

Bucky studies you for another long moment before speaking. "We'll start small. You can attend council meetings as an observer. If you prove yourself trustworthy and valuable, we can discuss expanding your role."

Relief - even a small, reserved amount of excitement - courses through you. It's more than you'd dared hope for so soon. "Thank you."

He shifts his hips, causing his still-swollen knot to tug at your sensitive flesh. You gasp at the sensation.

“I won't betray you, Alpha."

His hands slide up to cup your face, tilting your head to meet his gaze directly. "See that you don't. I can be a generous alpha when pleased, but cross me and you'll regret it deeply."

The intensity in his eyes sends a shiver down your spine. You know he means every word.

“Now, let’s seal it with a kiss again,” he says, closing the gap between your lips.

You melt into the kiss, your body responding instinctively to your alpha's touch. It’s heady and possessive, but slow. You wonder how much of this kiss is for him and how much is for you. Through the bond, you can feel a hunger and a satisfaction for his part. For you, you’re under no illusion of how much the physical interactions with your alpha continually draw you more into him, tapping into psychology, biology, and chemistry.

As the kiss deepens, you feel a renewed stirring of arousal. Bucky's hands roam your body, igniting sparks of pleasure wherever they touch. His knot has begun to subside, allowing him to rock his hips slightly. You moan into his mouth at the sensation.

"Ready for another round, Omega?" he murmurs against your lips.

You whimper as he begins to move more purposefully, his cock sliding in and out of your sensitive channel. The overstimulation borders on too much, but you can't help but push back against him, chasing the pleasure.

"So eager," he growls approvingly. "My insatiable omega."

He rolls you both over, pressing you into the mattress with his weight. His cock, still hard, slides deeper inside you. You moan at the sensation, arching your back to take him even further.

Bucky sets a slow, deliberate pace, each thrust deep and purposeful. His eyes lock onto yours, intense and penetrating. You feel pinned by his gaze as much as by his body.

"Mine," he growls, punctuating the word with a particularly forceful thrust. "My omega."

The possessiveness in his voice sends a shiver through you. Your omega instincts revel in his claim, even as part of you remains wary.

"Yours, Alpha," you breathe, your body responding to his every move.

Bucky's pace increases, his hips snapping against yours with growing urgency. You wrap your legs around his waist, pulling him deeper. Your nails rake down his back as the pleasure builds, leaving red trails in their wake.

"That's it," he growls. "Mark me."

His words surprise you, but you don't have time to dwell on them as he shifts enough to slide his hand between your bodies to manipulate your clit.

You cry out as his fingers expertly circle your sensitive bud, pleasure building rapidly. Bucky's thrusts grow more forceful, driving you towards the edge.

"Cum for me," he commands, his voice low and rough. "Let me feel that tight pussy squeeze my cock again."

His words, combined with the relentless stimulation, push you over the edge. You arch against him, crying out as waves of pleasure crash over you. Your inner walls clamp down on his length, pulsing rhythmically.

Bucky groans at the sensation, his hips stuttering as he chases his own release. With a final, deep thrust, he buries himself inside you and you feel his cock pulse as he spills his seed, but blessedly there is no knot this time.

You both pant heavily, coming down from your shared high. Bucky's weight presses into you before he rolls off, pulling out his softening cock. You whimper at the loss of fullness and his seed trickles out of you as he pulls you up to stand on shaky legs.

"Go shower," he orders with a smack to your ass. "The escort team will be here in forty-five minutes. All of your personal effects will be moved after our departure.”

You nod, still dazed from the intense mating, and make your way to the adjoining bathroom on unsteady legs. The hot water feels heavenly on your skin, soothing aching muscles and washing away the evidence of your activities. As you lather your body, your mind races with thoughts of what's to come, reflecting on the unexpected turn your conversation with Bucky had taken.

Attending council meetings is a start, but you know you'll have to tread carefully. Bucky's warning echoes in your mind. You can't afford to make any missteps, not when you're just beginning to gain a foothold. It's more than you'd dared hope for when you first thought to speak with Bucky - he was right, you had wanted more than just a night of sex. But you're also wary. Bucky is cunning and ruthless - you can't afford to let your guard down or mistake this concession for weakness.

You're so lost in thought that you don't hear the bathroom door open. Suddenly, the glass shower door is pulled open and Bucky steps in behind you.

You gasp as Bucky's large frame fills the spacious shower, steam swirling around his muscular body. The multiple shower heads spray warm water from various angles, creating a misty cocoon around you both. Droplets cascade down his chiseled chest and abs, following the defined lines of his physique. Your eyes are drawn to the trail of dark hair leading down to his impressive manhood, which hangs thick and heavy between his legs even in its flaccid state.

Your body tenses in anticipation, expecting his hands to roam your wet skin or for him to press you against the cool tile wall. But Bucky simply reaches past you for the soap, his arm brushing tantalizingly against your breast as he does so. The brief contact sends a shiver through you, your nipples hardening despite the warm water.

He begins to lather himself methodically, starting with his broad shoulders and working his way down his sculpted chest. Your eyes follow his movements, mesmerized by the play of muscles under his skin as he moves. Soap suds trail down the planes of his abdomen, outlining each defined ridge.

You expect him to turn his attention to you at any moment, to pull you against his slick body and claim your mouth in a hungry kiss. But he remains focused on his task, seemingly oblivious to your presence.

Bucky turns to rinse, giving you a tantalizing view of his muscular back and firm ass. Water cascades down the curve of his spine, and you have to physically restrain yourself from reaching out to trace its path with your fingers.

He turns back around, and your eyes jump up to look at his face. He’s smirking. “Show’s over, Omega.”

He steps past you and grabs a towel as he exits the shower.

“Hurry up. Professional dress today - your timing lands you a chance to prove yourself at a council meeting this morning.”

The shower door closes behind Bucky, you're left alone again with your thoughts as you resume your shower routine, and those thoughts fixate on the alpha who just left.

Bucky's presence had filled the shower completely, dwarfing you with his sheer size. You recall how his broad shoulders nearly spanned the width of the stall, how his head nearly brushed the ceiling. Even among alphas, Bucky is exceptionally large - a mountain of a man, all hard muscle and raw power.

A shiver runs through you that has nothing to do with the water temperature. Bucky could crush you without breaking a sweat if he wanted to. The thought should terrify you, but as you are no small woman, you’ve never felt so small, so delicate, as you do when he's looming over you or manhandling your body. You have been with betas before - some of them almost as large in stature as your alpha - yet none of them had come close to his strength.

As you lather your body, your hands glide over your curves and you're struck by a realization. With Bucky, you haven't once felt self-conscious about your body. In the past, with other partners, you'd always been hyper-aware of your perceived flaws - the softness of your stomach, the stretch marks on your thighs, the way your breasts weren't perfectly symmetrical. You'd strategically angled yourself during sex, tried to keep certain parts covered, worried about how you looked in various positions.

But with Bucky, all those insecurities had vanished. From the moment he first laid hands on you, he'd appreciated every inch of your body with a fervor that left no room for doubt. His large hands had roamed your curves with hunger, desire, squeezing and kneading appreciatively. He'd kissed and licked every stretch mark, every dimple. When his hands roamed your skin, they didn't shy away from the areas you usually tried to hide. He’s not soft or reverent for you like a lover, but he seems to revel in satisfaction over your body and that you’re his omega.

You finish your shower quickly, mindful of Bucky's warning about time. As you step out and begin to dry off, you catch sight of yourself in the large mirror. Your skin is flushed from the hot water and recent activities, and you can see faint marks where Bucky's stubble had scraped against your neck and chest. Your fingers trace over one of the bonding marks, still tender and slightly raised.

Once you’ve dried off, you wrap up in a silk dressing robe, and set to brushing your teeth, finishing up your skincare, fixing your hair, and applying some makeup.

You choose a sleek, professional outfit from your wardrobe - a tailored blazer and pencil skirt in a deep navy, paired with a crisp white blouse.

You're applying one last finishing touch to your makeup when there's a knock at the door. "Time to go, Omega," Bucky's voice barks through the door.

“Yes, Alpha,” you respond.

You exit the bathroom to find Bucky already dressed in a sharp dark suit. He's adjusting his tie in the mirror when he catches your eye in the reflection.

Bucky's eyes rake over your form appreciatively, appraising you from top to bottom. "Ready to play politics, Omega?"

You nod, smoothing your skirt. "Of course."

Bucky turns to face you, closing the distance between you in two long strides. His large hands settle on your hips, pulling you flush against him.

"Remember," he says, his voice low and intense, "you're there to observe. Don't speak unless spoken to. If you have any insights, you share them with me privately first. Understood?"

You swallow hard and nod. "Yes, Alpha."

He studies your face for a moment, then leans in to capture your lips in a searing kiss. It's brief but passionate, leaving you breathless when he pulls away.

He’s doing this on purpose - plying you with the physical connections he must be able to sense have your omega bending to him as your alpha.

"Time to go,” he commands and strides out of the room.

You follow after him down the hall and to the small entryway to the apartment he’s kept you in.

You stop short when you recognize the escort team to be members of the infamous STRIKE team.

Their expressions are impassive, but you can feel the weight of their scrutiny. These are the same ruthless operatives who helped Bucky seize control of your territory. The memory of their efficiency and brutality during the takeover is still fresh in your mind. None of these men and women were people you had ever wanted to see again.

Their presence is intimidating, a stark reminder of your new reality, but you force yourself to keep your chin up and your gait steady as you follow and take up a position next to Bucky as he speaks with the one you remembered went by Rumlow.

One of the other men near you, the name Rawlins emblazoned over his chest, sneers at you. “I’m surprised you’re able to stand.”

Your eyes widen, and your gut roils with humiliation, but before you can even respond, Bucky turns, and the room goes silent. You notice his hand clenched into a fist at his side.

His voice is low and laced with warning as he addresses the team. “If any of you ever lay a hand on my omega, you’ll lose that hand. Glance at her with a look of anything other than protection, and I’ll take your eyes out. Now that my expectations have been communicated, I do not expect any problems.”

There’s a collective murmurs of assent from the team.

Bucky's hand settles on the small of your back, a possessive gesture that both steadies and unsettles you. "Let's move," he orders, and the team falls into formation around you both.

“Oh, and Rawlins? You’re being reassigned to security in Jacksonville. You can leave once we’ve departed from here.”

As you exit the apartment, you're immediately encircled by the STRIKE team's tight formation. At the end of the long corridor, the elevator arrives with a soft chime, its polished doors sliding open to reveal a spacious interior lined with rich mahogany paneling and gleaming brass fixtures.

Bucky guides you inside with a firm hand on your lower back. The STRIKE team files in around you, their bulky tactical gear a stark contrast to the elevator's luxurious ambiance. As the doors close, you catch a glimpse of Rawlins' scowling face before he disappears from view.

The descent is smooth and silent, the only sound the soft hum of the elevator's mechanisms. You can feel the tension radiating from the STRIKE team, their bodies coiled and ready for action at any moment. It’s unnerving, but Bucky seems completely used to this atmosphere.

After descending ten floors, the elevator doors slide open with another soft chime, revealing a vast underground parking garage. The cool, damp air hits you as you step out, a stark contrast to the climate-controlled building above.

The STRIKE team moves in perfect formation around you and Bucky, their boots making barely a whisper on the ground. You can't help but wonder at their efficiency and silent communication - a well-oiled machine of lethal precision.

Approaching a line of identical black SUVs, you notice the subtle differences that mark them as military-grade vehicles. The windows are thicker, clearly bulletproof, and the body seems reinforced. You wonder briefly what kind of firepower these are designed to take.

Bucky guides you towards the middle SUV, his hand still firmly on your lower back. One of the STRIKE team members steps forward to open the rear passenger door. Bucky ushers you inside first. The interior is plush leather, but you notice the reinforced paneling and what looks like hidden compartments - likely for weapons.

Bucky settles in beside you, his large frame taking up most of the backseat. Two STRIKE members climb into the front, while the rest disperse to the other vehicles. As the convoy pulls out of the garage, you feel a mixture of anticipation and trepidation about what's to come. The council meeting represents your first opportunity to observe the inner workings of Bucky's administration and potentially begin to carve out a role and strategy for yourself.

The ride is silent save for the low hum of the engine. Bucky seems lost in thought, his gaze fixed out the window. You take the opportunity to study his profile - the sharp line of his jaw, the slight furrow between his brows.

His hair is neatly styled, but you can see a few strands threatening to escape, curling slightly at the nape of his neck. You remember how those strands felt between your fingers when you gripped his hair in the throes of passion.

His brow is furrowed slightly, creating a small crease between his eyebrows that you have an inexplicable urge to smooth with your thumb. His eyes, a stormy blue-gray, are focused intently on something outside the window, when he says, “Like what you see with the clothing on in the light of day?”

You feel a flush creep up your neck at being caught staring. "I was just..." you trail off.

Bucky doesn’t turn to face you, but his lips quirk into a small smirk. "Just admiring the view?" he finishes for you, his voice low and teasing.

You swallow hard, suddenly very aware of how close he is in the confines of the SUV. "I was thinking about the council meeting," you lie, trying to regain your composure. Though it wasn’t a total lie.

"Is that so?" He asks skeptically. His hand slides onto your thigh, the heat of his palm searing through the thin fabric of your skirt. "I shouldn’t have let you shower before we left. Having my cum leaking out of you would serve as a good reminder of who you belong to. "

Your breath catches in your throat as his fingers begin to trace slow circles on your inner thigh. "Alpha," you breathe, your voice barely above a whisper. Your thighs clench involuntarily at his touch.

Bucky's hand slides higher, pushing your skirt up as he goes. "You're mine, Omega," he growls softly, his fingers brushing against the edge of your panties. "Don't forget that when we're in that meeting room."

You bite your lip to stifle a moan as his fingers press against your clothed center. Even through the fabric, you can feel how wet you've become.

"I won't forget," you manage to say, your voice breathy and unsteady.

You glance nervously at the STRIKE team members in the front seat, but they seem studiously focused on the road ahead, giving no indication that they're aware of what's happening in the backseat.

Bucky's fingers hook under the edge of your panties, pulling them aside. You gasp as he slides a finger along your slick folds.

"We shouldn't..." you start to protest weakly, but your body betrays you as you unconsciously part your legs slightly.

"Shouldn't what?" he asks, feigning nonchalance though there's a predatory gleam in his eyes when he finally turns to look though there's a predatory gleam in his eyes when he finally turns to look at you. His finger continues to tease along your folds, gathering your slickness. "Shouldn't remind you of your place? Shouldn't make sure you're properly prepared for the meeting?"

You bite back a moan as he slowly pushes a thick finger inside you. Your hips buck involuntarily, seeking more friction.

"That's it," he murmurs approvingly. "Take what your alpha gives you."

He begins to pump his finger in and out at an agonizingly slow pace. You clutch at the leather seat, torn between the need for more and the awareness of your surroundings.

"Alpha," you whimper, your voice barely audible. "Please."

"Please what?"

"Please..." you breathe, struggling to find words as his finger continues its torturous pace. "We're almost there."

Indeed, through the tinted windows you can see you're approaching the majestic capitol building for the territory.

You bite your lip hard to stifle a moan as he adds a second finger, but maintains the same slow pace. The wet sounds of his ministrations seem obscenely loud in the quiet car, and you pray the STRIKE team members can't hear.

Bucky leans in close, his lips brushing your ear as he whispers, "I want you to remember this feeling when we're in that meeting room. Remember how easily I can reduce you to a quivering mess, how your body responds to my touch. Remember you’re mine."

His fingers curl inside you, hitting that spot that makes you see stars. Your hips buck involuntarily as pleasure courses through you. You're teetering on the edge, so close to release.

But then Bucky abruptly withdraws his hand, leaving you aching and empty. You whimper at the loss, your body still thrumming with unfulfilled need.

"Alpha," you plead softly, your eyes wide and desperate.

Bucky smirks, bringing his glistening fingers to his lips. He maintains eye contact as he slowly licks your arousal from his digits. "And I’ll have this pretty cunt begging for me whenever it suits me.”

You open your mouth to respond, but at that moment, the SUV comes to a stop. You glance out the window to see you've arrived at the capitol building. The neoclassical architecture looms over you, its white marble facade gleaming in the morning sun.

"Fix yourself," he says.

You quickly smooth down your skirt and adjust your panties, trying to compose yourself as the STRIKE team begins to exit the vehicles. Your heart is racing, a mixture of arousal and anxiety coursing through you.

Bucky gives you a predatory smirk before his face settles into a neutral expression. As the door opens, he steps out first, then turns to offer you his hand. You take it, grateful for the support as you exit on slightly shaky legs.

The cool morning air helps clear your head a bit as you follow Bucky up the grand steps of the capitol building. The STRIKE team forms a protective perimeter around you, their eyes constantly scanning for threats.

Inside, your heels click against the polished marble floors as you make your way through ornate hallways. Portraits of past leaders line the walls, their stern faces seeming to judge you as you pass. You wonder how long it will be before you feel confident in these halls again instead of conquered.

You try to focus on your surroundings, taking in the grandeur of the building you once knew so well. But your body is still humming with unfulfilled desire, making it difficult to concentrate. You can feel your arousal dampening your panties with each step.

Approach the council chamber, you see a group of men in suits waiting outside. They straighten up as Bucky approaches, a mixture of fear and respect in their eyes. You recognize some of them as former advisors to your father, now serving under Bucky's regime.

"Gentlemen," Bucky greets them, his voice carrying authority.

“Everyone is assembled and waiting, sir,” one man steps forward to report.

“And no excuses or absences?”

“No,” he answers.

"Wise of them," Bucky says with a nod. “Let’s not keep them waiting any longer.”

more to come...

So maybe I didn't forget about Bucky Barnes after all, my hoes! 🤭

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[compacflt]

So Miles is pitching for a Top Gun: Rooster and I dont think we need a sequel tbh but if we do get a sequel to TGM what would do you think it would look like/you want it to be like?

i don’t care. the storys over.

Let’s do an indy 5/cars 3 situation (gotta keep the IP alive) where mav is in an old persons home with dementia and multiple replaced joints and divorced but somehow the navy still needs him and just him to train the new 20 year old female protégé (maybe amelia for tie-in bonus?) after rooster volunteered to fight in ukraine in 2022 and got shot down and killed a week into the war… And somehow it’s maverick and only maverick who gets behind the yoke to save the day (OMG Tom cruise wins against all odds again)

fun for the whole family and it makes a lot of money 🥳🤑

[wizardsix]

so I'm wondering what the general consensus is on the companion relationships bc from what ive seen so far they're so lackluster compared to the previous games.

(putting the rest under the cut bc this got unintentionally long...)

and you know what? yeah, I will compare it to bg3, bc I vividly remember so many developers, including bioware ones, being against bg3 being the standard. maybe they meant graphically or scale wise, but it's obvious that we meant the diversity of choices and quality/depth of the companions. larian made it a point that they wanted the relationships to be complex, it wasn't about pressing all the right dialogue for approval, and that sometime you have to challenge your friend's beliefs, sometimes you have to argue w loved ones. and when it came to romance, it was especially stressed that sex wasn't the end goal like so many other games have treated romance.

so yeah, the veilguard companions are disappointing, because it is a massive step backwards from their previous complex companions. you can't be friends, you can't be rivals, and you certainly can't have any kind of deep or complex romance. you don't even have a say in recruiting these people. there's no options for any kind of player, because bioware clearly only had a very specific player in mind. no matter what you do, it forces the illusion of friendship with characters you might not even like, it forces you to be nice and supportive no matter what, stripping the player of the agency and roleplay we were promised.

and there's the part I'm the most sore about. if bioware wanted a more linear game with a more fixed protagonist, fine, but 1) da2 exists and there was still more choice there, and 2) don't fucking lie about it. bioware lied up and down about this game for ten years straight and everyone just accepted it right up to release day. we shouldn't have to accept the bare minimum, especially from a $90cad game. that's money most people don't have to spare anymore, the least you could do is be honest about what people are paying for, especially when those who will buy it are faithful dragon age fans who thought this game was going to be faithful back and finally give them answers about the world they cared so much about.

(and don't get me wrong, larian isn't perfect either and I've made a lot of posts criticising them too, but bg3s success shows that people Do appreciate depth of choice and complex companions (see astarion's success))

to me, it feels like they only included romance bc the previous games had it and they knew people wanted it, but they didn't really care for it or just ultimately had no idea Why these romances worked. I don't get any feeling of care or effort went into these relationships (minus emmrich, but especially with lucanis') and it continues to puzzle me as to why writers even bother writing stuff they don't like or care for. and I don't want to assume it's just for money, bc I want to hope people actually do care about the work they do, so im not saying that, but it definitely doesn't feel good. I've said this before and I'll say it again, I would rather have a few characters with depth in friendship/rivalry with no romance, rather than ones that clearly have depth but is never explored. it's so frustrating to see wasted potential and it's even more frustrating to have my time and money wasted.

[qulizalfos]

fighting demons all day . should i post this poem.

[marypsue]

Yanno what, I like high fantasy just fine, but the older I get and the more I read, the more I'm starting to think I like high fantasy better when it's in-universe fantasy fiction for a different story instead of like. Me, directly reading/watching/etc it.

[arolesbianism]

Some swap au Olivia and Jackie concepts for the main 3 universes 👍

[llycaons]

I got mad about how genuinely pretentious and condescending people on here about things that honestly don't even matter that much and so I went oh I know and I went to a mutual in law's blog because I KNOW they have the exact same views as me on them but they articulate them so much better and bam I got like six posts in a row of excellent compassionate measured responses to the very mean-spirited and meaninglessly cruel culture on here surrounding 'anti-intellectualism' and also calling people virgins in a derogatory way. like thanks! gotta jet

[fragmentedblade]

Not to be a jingfu on main, but it's so cute that Jing Yuan thought of Fu Xuan with those jelly beans

[eyesocketinchworm]

i'm not going to complain about shadow and bone too much because i could obviously just like. not watch it. but just know that ohh my god. oh my god

[midgardianqueenreturns]

#will never not be mad that OPLA sidelined Sanji in his own introductory arc

There’s something really distinctly American about OPLA Sanji arguing with Zeff over what food he wants to make because ignoring the fact that he never did this in the manga… Since when was his character about rebelling and growing out of Zeff’s shadow? Wasn’t he holding himself back because he thought he owed his life to Zeff? Why would he disrupt the Baratie’s operations with his supposedly very innovative dish, resulting in it getting thrown away and WASTED?? Why did they frame Zeff as an old and unskilled chef that had to be surpassed by his “better” protege??? Animanga Sanji was a little shit but he was also the sous chef for a reason, he’s not some wannabe new talent who wants to perform?? Did they do all this just so they can skip over all the Gin/Don Krieg stuff? Just to clog up the runtime with Nami “bonding” with Zoro and reading him a bedtime story?

[freckleslikestars]

The kids I teach think I’m magic because I have a puzzle ring that falls apart when I take it off but stays together when I wear it. It’s just very sweet.

[reasonsforhope]

"In 2021, scientists in Guelph, Ontario set out to accomplish something that had never been done before: open a lab specifically designed for raising bumble bees in captivity. 

Now, three years later, the scientists at the Bumble Bee Conservation Lab are celebrating a huge milestone. Over the course of 2024, they successfully pulled off what was once deemed impossible and raised a generation of yellow-banded bumble bees. 

The Bumble Bee Conservation Lab, which operates under the nonprofit Wildlife Preservation Canada, is the culmination of a decade-long mission to save the bee species, which is listed as endangered under the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation...

Although the efforts have been in motion for over a decade, the lab itself is a recent development that has rapidly accelerated conservation efforts. 

For bee scientists, the urgency was necessary. 

“We could see the major declines happening rapidly in Canada’s native bumble bees and knew we had to act, not just talk about the problem, but do something practical and immediate,” Woolaver said. 

Yellow-banded bumble bees, which live in southern Canada and across a huge swatch of the United States, were once a common species.

However, like many other bee species, their populations declined sharply in the mid-1990s from a litany of threats, including pathogens, pesticides, and dramatic habitat loss. 

Since the turn of the century, scientists have plunged in to give bees a helping hand. But it was only in the last decade that Woolaver and his team “identified a major gap” in bumble bee conservation and set out to solve it. 

“No one knew how to breed threatened species in captivity,” he explained. “This is critically important if assurance populations are needed to keep a species from going extinct and to assist with future reintroductions.”

To start their experiment, scientists hand-selected wild queen bees throughout Ontario and brought them to the temperature-controlled lab, where they were “treated like queens” and fed tiny balls of nectar and pollen. 

Then, with the help of Ontario’s African Lion Safari theme park, the queens were brought out to small, outdoor enclosures and paired with other bees with the hope that mating would occur. 

For some pairs, they had to play around with different environments to “set the mood,” swapping out spacious flight cages for cozier colony boxes. 

And it worked. 

“The two biggest success stories of 2024 were that we successfully bred our focal species, yellow-banded bumble bees, through their entire lifecycle for the first time,” Woolaver said. 

“[And] the first successful overwintering of yellow-banded bumble bees last winter allowed us to establish our first lab generation, doubling our mating successes and significantly increasing the number of young queens for overwintering to wake early spring and start their own colonies for future generations and future reintroductions.”

Although the first-of-its-kind experiment required careful planning, consideration, resources, and a decade of research, Woolaver hopes that their efforts inspire others to help bees in backyards across North America. 

“Be aware that our native bumble bees really are in serious decline,” Woolaver noted, “so when cottagers see bumble bees pollinating plants in their gardens, they really are seeing something special.”"

-via GoodGoodGood, December 9, 2024

[river-taxbird]

The most common mistake people make when thinking about prehistory and how to avoid it.

In "The Dawn of Everything, A New History for Humanity" David Graeber gives what I think might be the best piece of advice I've ever heard for understanding deep human history, and that is to get your mind out of the Garden of Eden.

People speculating about prehistory before modern archeology were quick to frame early humanity as existing in a "state of nature", either with pure innocent tribal communism, or being brutish barbarous cavemen, then something happened to bring us from the state of nature into "society". Did we make a Faustian bargain by domesticating plants and animals? Why is evidence of intergroup violence in prehistory so rare? How did we fall from the innocent state of nature? This, of course, smacks of the biblical creation story, so even if people don't believe it literally, they seem to have a hard time letting go of it spiritually even in a secular context.

This is pretty much nonsense, of course. Humans have existed for over 2 million years. Anatomically modern humans have existed for at least 300 thousand years. Behaviourally modern humans (with symbolism, art, long distance trade, political awareness) have existed for at least 50 thousand years, from our best evidence, but possibly a lot longer. The time between the Sumerians inventing writing and urban living 5,000 years ago and now is only a narrow slice of human history.

If we want to understand human history properly, we shouldn't understand people of the past as fundamentally different from us. They were intelligent, politically aware people doing their best in the world they found themselves in, just like we are today. We didn't fall from innocence with the development of behavioral modernity, religion, farming, war, money, capitalism, computers, or anything else. The world has changed a lot, but people have been experimenting with different ways to live for as long as there have been people, like this example I've posted before about disabled people's role in late pleistocene Eurasian society.

People have been the same as we are now for at least the last 50 thousand years. We have lived in countless different ways and will continue to experiment. There was no fall, and we don't live at the end of history.