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saundraswriting · 3 years ago

Text

Misconstructed

SUMMARY: Stiles and Derek have known each other for years. Stiles fell firmly head over heels for the man who saved his friend during an epileptic event. When he learned he was a magical conduit called a Spark and the door to being a member of Derek's pack opened, Stiles was ready to rush through it. But he waited, wanting to be someone Derek wanted in his pack, Stiles wanted to earn his spot. Derek didn't know how to tell Stiles that he was welcome, had been welcome since Scott had been bitten, but all conversations were turned on their head when Stiles was involved. Then he was gone, off to earn his degree and Derek waited for his return, putting his affection for the young man on the back burner. Talia could see what they were missing and decided to take matters into their own hands.

WARNINGS: No hale fire (does that need a warning?)

NOTES: This is my sterek secret santa gift for @inatshej I finally got around to posting it on tumblr, better late than never.

Ao3 // Main Masterlist // Twitter

When Stiles was 18, he feel in love for the first time. At the age of 22- standing in the local grocery store debating between kettle cooked and baked BBQ chips- Stiles realized he never feel out of it. He watched from the corner of his eye as Derek Hale, paramedic and Alpha in training of the Hale pack snapped at the person on the other side of the heated phone call. Stiles prayed silently that his pulse stayed steady as Derek huffed a sigh. The four years since stiles had seen him did nothing to lessen Derek's good looks. The Alpha power settled well into his jawline and broad shoulders. Derek had always been good looking but now he was almost criminally good looking.

Stiles spent more than enough time with the Hales, and he could sympathize with Derek's frustration especially when Laura was involved. Stiles had spent most of his high school years priming his spark into the beginnings of his witch craft. When senior year came, to appease Talia Hale her husband Michael and his own father Stiles followed his dream to get a masters of Business degree for his own shop one day and along the way he chose to get a teaching certificate to sub for the elementary school if needed.

"Stiles? Is that you? You're back? why didn't anyone tell me?" Derek sounded slightly hurt by being kept out of the loop. Stiles blinked, coming back to the current moment. Stiles could almost smell the sour tinge to his woodsy scent, he just refrained from wrinkling his nose in distaste.

"Derek! Hey, yeah I am back. I graduated this semester but had a couple TA things to finish up so I stayed an extra couple weeks. I officially have my master's in business and teaching with a focus on English and History. So I can run a shop and maybe sub every so often for Beacon Hills School District. I had a gen-ed class that led to me finding teaching really fun but not fun enough to give up my craft. I like kids but not that much. And Math is scary. I barely know it how am I supposed to teach it? The teaching thing added a year to my schooling but it worked out well enough in the end." Stiles said. "And no one didn't really not tell you because I have only been back for like a week. I found a place but it needs a little work, so I am staying with dad while he calls in some favors for me. I have been trying to hide while the shop is fixed up a bit and I can get settled into the apartment above it." Stiles tried to smother the anxious edge in his flowery lilac and sharp magical scent before it got too thick, Derek had the best nose of the entire Hale pack. Stiles didn't miss Derek taking a deeper breath, reading his nervousness in his scent.

"How are you doing taking over the pack instead of your sister? How is everyone?" Stiles tried to change the subject, wanting to move on but not wanting Derek to go just yet.

"We're doing fine. You haven't been home in a while, you missed the new members getting invited in the spring. A few of them you know, I think. They came on Scott's recommendation, last year. The three of them quickly accepted once they heard the benefits. You'll have to come around soon to re-meet everyone." Derek tried to smile but it fell a little flat. The nerves Stiles was unable to smother fully growing again. Stiles had always been receptive to others emotions and since the beginning of the conversation, Derek had seemed disappointed in Stiles.

Derek, smelling the yet to leave nerves and seeing Stiles tense up more the longer the conversation goes on, pulls out his phone. "Is your number still the same? Do you need mine? I can shoot you a text for when the next get-together is." Stiles scent turns even more, stinking up the aisle they are in. Unbidden, Derek reached out to touch Stiles' shoulder wanting to reassure and soothe the man in front of him.

'Did he get rid of my number? I haven't been gone that long, have I? Is he upset I was away? I want to be an asset for him, not a hinderance.' Stiles took a slow breath trying to calm down knowing his scent had developed to rotten flowers, Scott told him his anxiety made his scent sour and gross. "Um. My number should be the same." Stiles peeked quickly at the contact info and nodded once. "Yep, that 's me. Just text me whenever or Laura can, whatever. I-uh-have to get going, dad is expecting me soon." Stiles without waiting for a response hurried to the checkout, resolving to go shopping tomorrow to get the rest of his list.

Derek watched him go, the sour smell of rotten flowers lingering behind. 'Did I say something wrong? Stiles has always been sensitive to others emotions. I wasn't the reason he was so nervous, right?' Derek asked himself. He sighed and hurried through his shopping, wanting to get home and ignore what happened.

Stiles pulled into his childhood home's driveway, hands barely full, walking into the kitchen to drop off his bounty. John was sitting at the table. He could see from the slump of his shoulders, Stiles was ruminating on what had happened.

"Stiles, son. Everything okay?" John asked hesitant.

"Dad, I saw Derek today." Stiles spoke directly to the groceries. John raised an eyebrow at his son's back. "He looks good. The Alpha power settled nicely. He looks good."

"Yes, He is doing well. Talia said he will be a wonderful Alpha. He is a fantastic paramedic as well. A real town treasure." John said, studying his son.

"Yeah, I bet he has girls tripping over themselves right now. I'm glad he is doing well. He invited me to the next get-together, saying how the pack has some new members, I should meet." Stiles said. He finished putting groceries away. "I didn't get everything on the list. I got distracted. I'll go tomorrow and finish. I think I am going to take a nap." John watched in silence as Stiles went up the stairs. He waited until he heard the door open and shut before pulling out his phone.

“Talia, Stiles just came home. Told me he saw Derek at the store. I don't think their reunion went very well."

"Derek came home smelling faintly of Stiles. But it was a sour anxious smell. I know Derek has been in love with him for years, but he seemed sad, like he did something wrong. I will talk to him and let you know what I find out." Talia said on the other side of the call.

"I was the first person Stiles told, when he decided to pursue his craft to be an asset for the Future Hale pack. He studied all through high school and university to hone his spark and be an emissary, and be useful in the future. He didn't spend almost 5 years of his life to quit now. Maybe they are needing some time to get reacquainted with each other." John said. Talia hummed in agreement.

"Let's give them both some time to get used to the idea of each other. If we push too hard this will backfire. Stiles would make a lovely Alpha Mate and Emissary to the pack. He keeps Derek in check like no one else can and Derek helps keep Stiles grounded. They love each other, we just are going to help them see it. I will talk to you later, Sheriff. Have a good night." Talia bid him goodbye before disconnecting the call. John leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling or rather the floor of his son's bedroom. He prayed for his happiness.

Two and half months later, Stile and John had been to two of the pack full moon parties. Stiles getting more and more comfortable each time, especially when he realized the new members of the Hale pack were Lydia Martin-a recently discovered Banshee, Erica Reyes-an once-epileptic who petition for the bite (a seizure in high school had lead to Stiles seeing Derek in acting as a paramedic and falling in love and never recovering), Vernon Boyd-who was asked to take the bite by Derek and Issac-A born wolf who's adopted dad abused him and petition to join the pack. Stiles knew them all from high school, and was incredibly happy they had found a family in the Hale's. They joined Scott-who was bit by a rough alpha sophomore year his mate Alison-a huntress from a strict code following family, Jackson-who had been possessed by a homicidal lizard and needed the bite to break the link. The rest of the Hale family made up the pack: Talia and Micheal, Laura, Derek, Cora, their uncle Peter and cousin Malia.

Stiles's craft shop/apartment/emissary base had finally been deemed livable by everyone and he had finished settling in a few days prior. He had officially moved out of his dad's house and bloomed into a full-fledged adult. He already had a steady following of patrons from his university days, connections formed over the past few years, and the blog he had been managing in his free time. While Stiles had an innate spark in him, he knew that classic witchcraft was nothing to look down upon, manifestation and intention and ingredients all had their own powers. The first day he was open, several dozen people from neighboring towns came in for orders they had placed or last minute items. He was also visited by the Hale Alpha and Alpha Mate and kids.

"Alpha Hale, good to see you. How are you doing? Did you need something?" Stiles asked from the corner of the shop, he was stocking books and journals and the like. "Oh! Derek! Laura! Welcome to Clear Intentions."

"Thank you Stiles. We don't need anything from the shop, but rather we need you. and Dr. Deaton, if we can convince him to come. We have a pack coming from a few states away that have been dealing with a monster problem and some problems with gardens. They are coming to petition us for help-that unless the two of you deem otherwise-we will be giving. Based off the information, it is a Wendingo or maybe a dream-eater. We wanted the two of you to be at the meeting. Alan is my emissary, retired or not and...Well...." Talia trailed off. Derek stepped forward, Stiles gaze locking on instantly.

"Stiles, I Alpha in training of the Hale Pack of Beacon Hills, request you as my emissary for now until fate pulls us apart. I have been wanting to ask you for ages, not only does my pack know and respect you but I do as well. I held back from asking, knowing you wanted to better you skills and grow as a person. I have thought about this for years, I have no one else I want to ask. I need...no..want you as my emissary. Will you accept my offer and become a member of my pack?" Derek asked. Stiles blinked, He didn't know what his face looked like but knew his mouth was hanging open because his lips were drying out. Stiles closed it, licking his lips to moisten his mouth.

"Well. that is honestly an offer I can say I never saw coming. Alpha Hale, you agree with this?" Stiles didn't look away from Derek.

"Never doubted it for a second. I will say Stiles, I have no say over this decision. I can only recommend someone, I can't tell the next Alpha of the pack who to chose. This is all Derek." Talia said. Stiles could tell she was smiling, could hear the laughter in her voice.

"Alpha Derek, I will say this. I accept on a provisional base. I will be your emissary completely through this mission, and the next year. I will work on bettering my Spark, and my business and training your pack. At the end of the year, we can reevaluate or dissolve this agreement. I will also step aside, if you find a better fit, or someone else you would like to reach the offer of Emissary to. In return, I get to advertise that I am your emissary and all the pack affiliate benefits that come with that. Think fake dating to put a show on for your ex." Stiles voiced his terms, like this wasn't news he hadn't been working for years to hear. Derek blinked at him blankly.

"What? Are my terms unsatisfying to you?" Stiles questioned. He breathed evenly to keep his heart rate even, unsure as to why he was acting aloof when everyone in the room knew he would say yes.

"No, I am amicable to the terms. I am more surprised at he existence of said terms. Stiles, you have to know-" Derek cut himself off, shaking his head. "Thank you for your help. I'll call you when we know more, okay?" Derek's eyes crinkled at the corners with his smile. Stiles felt himself relax. Stiles nodded and the Hales all left.

Stiles finished stocking his shelves and did some bookkeeping trying to ignore his rude behavior to the Hales. 'Ever since I discovered my Spark, I wanted to be a member of the Hale Pack, and once my chance comes, I throw it away with useless conditions. What happens when someone better comes along and Derek asks them to take you place?'<\em> Stiles inner voice had always been ruthless. 'You maybe in love with that Alpha to be, but he certainly ins't in love with you, and you know the Emissary is a candidate for mating when the times comes. Are you going to be able to step away from all of that if it came to it?' <\em>Unbidden Derek's face while laughing came to mind. 'Yes. If he was happy, with no hesitation.' <\em>Stiles almost believed himself.

Less than a week went by before Derek contacted Stiles. He wanted him to stay the night at the Hale House for when the other pack arrived the next day. Stiles agreed, after closing up shop he packed a small bag grabbed his craft kit and headed to the House. Over the summer, the Pack had grown unbelievably close in a very small time. Stiles tried to keep his feelings for Derek that he had been harboring for years in check but seeing him grow the ragtag pack of college kids into a well piled pack wasn't helping. Stiles could almost see himself standing by Derek side as their pack accepted the mantle of protector Talia would be passing down. Derek was a wonderful Alpha in training, His authority remained unquestioned pardon Stiles but that was few and far between. He led the younger betas with grace and poise. Stiles was in awe every time the pack met for training. They all got along, working together to be better. The House was tucked on the edge of the Beacon Hills Preserve, giving the pack the privacy they needed and their car's shocks the workout they needed.

"Stiles! How are you?" Derek climbed off the porch coming to a stop by Stiles' jeep. Stiles was apologizing to his beloved Roscoe. Derek paused, knowing the fond, affectionate smile he was unsuccessfully trying to smother was evident.

Stiles turned around to make his way inside and jumped violently, cracking his funny bone off the door of Roscoe. "Shit! Holy fuck, that hurt." Stiles spit out between gritted teeth. "Why is it called a funny bone anyway? This is far from funny. I can't believe it. You are a menace to society. Why in god's name would you creep up on me out of the blue like that? Creeper-wolf." Stiles ranted as he rubbed his elbow, he could fell the small bump that would most definitely bruise.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to scare you. Are you alright? Let me see." Derek didn't wait for an answer before gently taking Stiles elbow, black veins sliding up his arm.

"Hey, you don't have to heal that. It is just an owchie. I've survived worse." Stiles tried to pull away with limited results-limited to nothing happening. Derek huffed, Stiles could tell he was amused though. He wasn't sure how.

"What is the point of having this ability if I can't use it on the people I care about?" Derek locked eyes with Stiles. Stiles was frozen, He felt like he was missing something. Derek was making unnecessary eye contact, like he was trying to say something. After a too-long of a second, Derek let go. He grabbed Stiles' bag leaving the Spark reeling by his jeep. Stiles unsteadily walked in, resolving to speak to Lydia or Alison or even Erica about what happened and get some womanly intuition to help sort out the tangle in his chest.

The next day around 2 in the afternoon, Stiles was watching an impromptu sparring match freeze and the entire pack swivel as almost one to the woods, instinctively they drew up in a circle around the human members. Stiles in response called his spark to his fingers, wanting to be ready.

"Hello! We mean no harm. We are the Dalton Pack from Montana. We came to Petition Help from the Hale Pack. May we cross the boundary?" A confident woman's voice came from just beyond the tree line.

Derek looked at his mother for the go ahead. Derek stepped forward, breaking the circle. Stiles stepped with him, wanting to show a united front. Derek shot him a small glare, Stiles winked in return. "I am Alpha-to-be Derek Hale. I speak for my mother and my pack when I say you are welcome as long as your intentions are honest and true. Please step forward so we may greet you properly."

The Dalton pack was small indeed, if the members standing in front of them were all they had. 6, two women and 4 men. They seemed young and skittish. Stiles could see why they came to the Hales if a true Wendingo was terrorizing them.

"Come in, We have lunch on the table. We can talk after we all had our fill." Talia stepped forward, handling the introductions. THe Daltons were only Daltons for they inherited the pack land and name after a while of them living on it and realizing they we from different places and pulled to the location. Sarah Dalton was the Alpha, Her second in command was Remi. Who was mated to Ashley. then the last two boys: Thomas and Robert were mates as well.

Lunch started out stilted, Awkward silences punctuating the hesitant conversations. Slowly with Stiles and Scott's lifelong friendship leading the way, the packs began chatting and bantering. Any food with a gaggle of hungry teenagers would disappear in minutes but with a pack and then some of hungry werewolves the food was gone in seconds. Everyone lingered over empty cups and plates as they all swapped tales of things that go bump in the night. Scott regaled the table with stories of their misadventures, basking in the second hand amazement of Stiles figuring out his Lycanthropy all by himself.

"I was bitten by a rouge Alpha a few years ago. I was clueless, and scared but also reckless and uncaring. My whole life had gotten turned around in bad day. Stiles refused to let me give up though, refused to let me think that this was a bad thing. He learned how to find an anchor and work through my emotions to prevent unwanted changes. He is pretty stellar." Scott was saying.

"Dude, you make it out like I did all the work. I just used my totally awesome google-fu skills and the scientific method. You were the one who actually did the leg work. Enough about me though. Let's get this party started, I'm taking bets." Stiles clapped his hands and pushed away from the table, the others quickly following suit.

The days passed with the Dalton pack learning from the Hale pack, discussions of how to proceed with the Wendigo problem. Sarah and Derek were flourishing as young Alphas. the packs playing well together. Then one day, dinner came and with it the announcement for the Wendingo.

"Attention everyone. I know you are all hungry and tired but this is important. As the full moon grows closer, we get stronger but so does the Wendingo. We will be leaving tomorrow. I appreciate all of you, and I expect all of you to do your best to end this terrible entity but also protect one another, the Dalton Pack and the people we are going to save. When we get there we will be relying heavily on Sarah and Stiles. We will need the Dalton's expertise on their pack lands. Stiles, will be doing as he always does." Derek smiled. "I am really hoping we won't need any of you 11th hour saves." I want everyone packed by tomorrow, we will be driving out. Now, let's eat." Derek ended his instructions to a chorus of affirmations. When dinner finished up everyone began racing around trying to pack their things, the house was full of chatter and ruckus.

"Lydia, can I share your curling iron? I don't want to pack mine. That seems a little overkill." Erica mused.

"Yeah, as long as you don't hog it." Lydia called back. Erica whooped.

"Are you really going to curl your hair for a Wendingo hunt?" Issac was quickly cut off.

"You never know when a woman's feminine wiles will get you out of trouble, my friend." "or into it" Scott mumbled, he grunted when Alison hit his shoulder.

"Also We aren't hunting as soon as we get there. If I shower and curl my hair on the first day, I should be okay until my next wash day." Erica said, continuing if nothing happened.

"Oh! That is a good idea. With all of us, If i wash my hair before we leave, as long as we have water I can wash when we get there." The girls' conversation quickly devolved into the debates of weekly or biweekly hair washing. The boys handled packing a bag of weapons for the token huntress and emissary in case something goes south.

"Stiles, can you tell me what you want packed." Scott said, opening the weapons cupboard. Stiles walked over pulling out a duffle bag and nudging Scott out of the way.

"You can't pack it. We need lots of silver. I need Silver stakes, knives, and axes. We haven't really talked about the Wendingo, but this will not be easy in any sense of the word. We need to stake the frozen heart, remove it and bury it in a silver box in a church cemetery. While someone removes the heart, the body need to be covered in salt and then burned, afterwords the ashes need scattered. They can control ice storms and tornadoes as well." Stiles said while packing the bag with silver weapons. It will definitely be the buddy system upon arrival. With a typical bait and kill tactic. We will only have one chance at this." Stiles swung a few knives, testing the reach and weight. Once satisfied, Stile zipped the bag up and hung a 'no wolves' tag to prevent unwanted injury. "Pack warmly kids, we will be a bit farther north than you are used to, not to mention the uncontrollable winter storms we may be fighting through. You may heal but hypothermia will kill you." Stiles spoke a bit louder than normal, waiting for the noises of agreement. He didn't want to think about why the hale pack treated his words as seriously as Derek's but they did.

Stiles creeped up the stairs, or creeped as well as he could in a house full of werewolves, coming to a stop outside of Derek's room. He had checked and double checked all the bags, vetoing the unnecessary things and adding some here and there. He had the betas pack the two cars with the bags and coolers of snacks for a seamless transition for the drive. He opened his mouth to speak, unsure why Derek hadn't called out to him already.

"I really want to, mom. They would be a great fit. There wouldn't be an issue with authority or camaraderie. The position of Emissary would be a perfect fit, I wish I had pressed more when we offered it the first time. The hesitation was unlike them. I don't know how to convince them this is what we both want. I want them even more than just my emissary." Derek sighed, Stiles knew from the heaviness he was rubbing his face in distress. Stiles peered around the door frame, his body moving on its own. Derek was facing the door, talking to his mother, looking lost and heartbroken. Stiles knew when he agreed to this with those stupid terms that he very well could be replaced but now he had played as Derek's emissary for too long, he had spent too much time with the pack. He had gone through the territory, casting his own charms and wards. He was the one in love with Derek and wanted to be his mate, but too scared to say anything. 'This is your own fault.' <\em>Stiles tried to calm down, he knew his must look a sight, chest heaving, face blanching, eyes wide and glassy.

"Stiles. You weren't supposed to hear that. Please. Wait. Breathe." Derek reached out, trying to placate him.

"I um-uh-i have to go. Plan a surprise party. For my dog." Stiles swallowed compulsively, unable to moisten his mouth. He could feel his heart breaking. 'Even when replacing me with someone better, he cares about me.' "I will see you tomorrow." Stiles didn't wait, just bolted down the stairs. He didn't get very far when he felt his wrist get snatched.

"Nope. You are not leaving me like that. We are going to talk this out like adults. We can talk in my room. I am not letting you leave while misunderstanding this. I have been quiet for much too long." Derek used his grip to pull Stiles along, passing a grinning Talia on the stairs.

"Why is your mom looking at me like that? it makes me kind of nervous." Stiles said.

"Probably has something to do with how she know I am as in love with you as you are in love with me. She has know for years, she finally decided to push me in the right direction after getting sick of my pining." Derek opened the door, pushing Stiles onto his bed, carefully laying his bulk on Stiles, holding him down.

"What? Wait, What? What?" Stiles heard his brain snap in half.

"I thought you were the smart one. I have been in love with you since I was 22 and saved Erica during a seizure. You were so scared-not of her but for her. I knew then that I would never find anyone else. You were trying to hard to take care of her, she had been having multiple seizures that day, before you finally called 911. You had shortly from then found out about your spark, I wanted to invite you into the pack then." Derek said.

"I have been in love with you since I was 18 and saved Erica when I called 911 after she had several seizures and I thought she was going to die. You assured me she wouldn't. You told me I had done well and I was a goner. I decided to hone my spark, learn business and getting a teaching certificate. I love kids and wanted to teach even a bit. I also wanted to be an asset for your pack. I didn't think I was ready which is why I came up with those stupid terms for being your emissary. I wanted to try to distance myself, in case someone better came along." Stiles began crying.

"You mean to tell me, I can be your emissary for real? The one thing I want in life, I get to have?"

"Absolutely. As long as you answer one more question for me." Derek said, thumbs brushing away Stiles' tears. Stiles nodded, trying to breath normally. "Will you also become my mate. I want no one else. I will want no one else. We can start running the pack together like I have been hoping for years." Derek looked at Stiles intently, eyes lit from within with pure love and adoration.

"Yeah. I would love to be your mate and emissary." Stiles gave Derek a weak, watery smile. Derek ginned back. "Can we just lay here for a little bit? I am not ready to face the others just yet."

A few hours later, they returned to the downstairs, Stiles instantly noticed the unpacked bags in doorways. The rest of the pack sat moping around the table. "What is going on?" Stiles asked accepting the hot chocolate handed to him by Scott. He gave him a small but genuine smile in return.

"I would like to introduce my cousin, Sarah. She is the alpha of the Dalton pack but they are a large well established pack without a wendingo problem. I may have recruited her to help lie to all of you in order for Derek to finally make a move. And it worked. Congradualtions Stiles and Derek. Our Alpha Mates at last. Only took four years but better late than never." Talia clapped, giggling to the silent table.

"My dad was in on this too wasn't he. Also Laura takes after you. Third, I think I need a nap." Stiles rubbed his temples, too drained to say much.

"Mom, I...what?" Derek gaped at her. "This was all a lie? Just to get me and Stiles together?"

"Also to test your Alpha abilities. Good job, hun. This full moon will be very important. You will be mated, Stiles will become your emissary and you will be inducted as Alpha of the Hale pack as I will be stepping down." Talia explained more in depth.

Her news this time was met with thunderous applause from the entire table. Everyone cheering for the two dumbfounded adults in the middle of everyone. Stiles and Derek just shared a glance. Derek pulled him in, pressing a soft warm kiss to his lips. "This is our future, are you ready?"

"I have been ready for years. You and i until the end of time, Derek. The question is, are you ready?" Stiles pressed a kiss to Derek's temple.

"Born ready. Bring it on." Their private bubble was broken by Issac and Scott yelling about no PDA where people eat breakfast. Stiles and Derek pulled away from each other to chase the boys around with exaggerated kissy faces and demands for affection.

#sterek #teen wolf #Angst with a happy ending #stiles stilinski #magical stiles stilinski #sterek as mates #no hale fire

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firstfullmoon · 4 years ago

Note

Do you have favorite quotes related about the importance of small details?

“The precious intimacy of little things.”

— Daphné du Maurier, I Will Never Be Young Again

“On my windowsill when I got home, there was a tumbler with pink jelly in it, and embedded in the jelly, sliced strawberries and bananas… [my neighbour] cooks at odd hours. She must have made the strawberry jelly this morning. When I buy baklava, which is not often because I eat too many, I leave a few for her on her windowsill, with a headscarf over them so the wasps don’t come. For these little gifts we don’t thank each other with words. They are commas of care.”

— John Berger, From A to X: A Story in Letters

“I suppose I could spend time theorizing how it is that people are not bad to each other, but that’s really not the point. The point is that in almost every instance of our lives, our social lives, we are, if we pay attention, in the midst of an almost constant, if subtle, caretaking. Holding open doors. Offering elbows at crosswalks. Letting someone else go first. Helping with the heavy bags. Reaching what’s too high, or what’s been dropped. Pulling someone back to their feet. Stopping at the car wreck, at the struck dog. The alternating merge, also known as the zipper. This caretaking is our default mode and it’s always a lie that convinces us to act or believe otherwise. Always.”

“One of the woman was gently arranging an older woman’s collar beneath her sweater, freeing it from the cardigan’s neck, using both of her hands to jostle it free but also seeming to spend a little more time than necessary, creasing the fold of the collar, the other hand kind of resting on her shoulder, the two of them chatting the whole time, sitting there holding each other, nodding, my head twisting toward them like a sunflower as I finished the stairs and walked by, so in love was I with this common flourish of love, this everyday human light.”

“but her need to share the photo with me [...] smiling and looking at it, smiling and looking at me looking at it, me smiling and looking at her looking at it, which is simply called sharing what we love, what we find beautiful, which is an ethics.”

— Ross Gay, The Book of Delights

“He’s got a fever. He’s all alone. So I’m gonna buy him something to eat.” “The congee downstairs is quite good.” “He doesn’t want congee.” “What does he want?” “Can’t taste anything so he wants sesame syrup.” [...] “What are you cooking?” “I had a sudden craving for sesame syrup.”

“Why did you call me at the office today?” “I had nothing to do. I wanted to hear your voice.”

— In the Mood for Love, dir. Wong Kar-Wai

— Danusha Laméris, “Small Kindnesses”

“It all matters. That someone turns out the lamp, picks up the windblown wrapper, says hello to the invalid, pays at the unattended lot, listens to the repeated tale, folds the abandoned laundry, plays the game fairly, tells the story honestly, acknowledges help, gives credit, says good night, resists temptation, wipes the counter, waits at the yellow, makes the bed, tips the maid, remembers the illness, congratulates the victor, accepts the consequences, takes a stand, steps up, offers a hand, goes first, goes last, chooses the small portion, teaches the child, tends to the dying, comforts the grieving, removes the splinter, wipes the tear, directs the lost, touches the lonely, is the whole thing. What is most beautiful is least acknowledged. What is worth dying for is barely noticed.”

— Laura McBride, We Are Called to Rise

“I’ve never told you this,” she said. “But there’s something about taking the cart back instead of leaving it in the parking lot. I don’t know when this came to me; it was a few years ago. There’s a difference between leaving it where you empty it and taking it back to the front of the store. It’s significant.” “Because somebody has to take them in.” “Yes. And if you know that, and you do it for that one guy, you do something else. You join the world…You move out of your isolation and become universal.”

— Andre Dubus, “Out of the Snow”

“It’s true that, in Vietnamese, we rarely say I love you, and when we do, it is almost always in English. Care and love, for us, are pronounced clearest through service: plucking white hairs, pressing yourself on your son to absorb a plane’s turbulence and, therefore, his fear. Or now—as Lan called to me, “Little Dog, get over here and help me help your mother.” And we knelt on each side of you, rolling out the hardened cords in your upper arms, then down to your wrists, your fingers. For a moment almost too brief to matter, this made sense—that three people on the floor, connected to each other by touch, made something like the word family.”

— Ocean Vuong, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous: A Novel

— Ada Limón, from “The Great Blue Heron of Dunbar Road”

“I’m doing a balancing act with a stack of fresh fruit in my basket. I love you. I want us both to eat well.”

— Christopher Citro, from “Our Beautiful Life When It’s Filled WIth Shrieks”

“One of the primary ways we connect with each other is by eating together. Some of the connection happens simply by being in the same place at the same time and sharing the same food, but we also connect through specific actions, such as serving food to one another or making toasts: ‘May I offer you some potatoes?’ ‘Here’s to your health and happiness.’ Much of our fundamental well-being comes from the basic reassurance that there is a place for us at the table. We belong here. Here we are served and we serve others. Here we give and receive sustenance.”

— Edward Espe Brown, Tomato Blessings and Radish Teaching

“Attention is the beginning of devotion.”

“Now in the spring I kneel, I put my face into the packets of violets, the dampness, the freshness, the sense of ever-ness. Something is wrong, I know it, if I don’t keep my attention on eternity. May I be the tiniest nail in the house of the universe, tiny but useful. May I stay forever in the stream. May I look down upon the windflower and the bull thistle and the coreopsis with the greatest respect.”

“it is a serious thing

just to be alive on this fresh morning in this broken world.”

— Mary Oliver, Upstream: Selected Essays / from “Invitation”

— Wendy Cope, “The Orange”

“After learning my flight was detained 4 hours, I heard the announcement: if anyone in the vicinity of gate 4-A understands any Arabic, please come to the gate immediately. Well—one pauses these days. Gate 4-A was my own gate. I went there. An older woman in full traditional Palestinian dress, just like my grandma wore, was crumpled to the floor, wailing loudly. Help, said the flight service person. Talk to her. What is her problem? We told her the flight was going to be four hours late and she did this. I put my arm around her and spoke to her haltingly. Shu dow-a, shu-biduck habibti, stani stani schway, min fadlick, sho bit se-wee? The minute she heard any words she knew—however poorly used—she stopped crying. She thought our flight had been canceled entirely. She needed to be in El Paso for some major medical treatment the following day. I said no, no, we’re fine, you’ll get there, just late. Who is picking you up? Let’s call him and tell him. We called her son and I spoke with him in English. I told him I would stay with his mother until we got on the plane and would ride next to her—Southwest. She talked to him. Then we called her other sons just for the fun of it. Then we called my dad and he and she spoke for a while in Arabic and found out, of course, they had ten shared friends. Then I thought just for the heck of it why not call some Palestinian poets I know and let them chat with her. This all took up about 2 hours. She was laughing a lot by then. Telling about her life. Answering questions. She had pulled a sack of homemade mamool cookies—little powdered sugar crumbly mounds stuffed with dates and nuts—out of her bag—and was offering them to all the women at the gate. To my amazement, not a single woman declined one. It was like a sacrament. The traveler from Argentina, the traveler from California, the lovely woman from Laredo—we were all covered with the same powdered sugar. And smiling. There are no better cookies. And then the airline broke out the free beverages from huge coolers��non-alcoholic—and the two little girls from our flight, one African American, one Mexican American—ran around serving us all apple juice and lemonade, and they were covered with powdered sugar, too. And I noticed my new best friend—by now we were holding hands—had a potted plant poking out of her bag, some medicinal thing with green furry leaves. Such an old country traveling tradition. Always carry a plant. Always stay rooted to somewhere. And I looked around that gate of late and weary ones and thought, this is the world I want to live in. The shared world. Not a single person in this gate—once the crying of confusion stopped—has seemed apprehensive about any other person. They took the cookies. I wanted to hug all those other women, too. This can still happen anywhere. Not everything is lost.”

— Naomi Shihab Nye, “Gate A4″

“Then there are the things, if you are particularly lucky, that this person has done for you while you’re away: how in the pantry, in the freezer, in the refrigerator will be all the food you like to eat, the scotch you like to drink. There will be the sweater you thought you lost the previous year at the theater, clean and folded and back on its shelf. There will be the shirt with its dangling buttons, but the buttons will be sewn back in place. There will be your mail stacked on one side of his desk; there will be a contract for an advertising campaign you’re going to do in Germany for an Austrian beer, with his notes in the margin to discuss with your lawyer. And there will be no mention of it, and you will know that it was done with genuine pleasure, and you will know that part of the reason—a small part, but a part—you love being in this apartment and in this relationship is because this other person is always making a home for you, and that when you tell him this, he won’t be offended but pleased, and you’ll be glad, because you meant it with gratitude.”

— Hanya Yanagihara, A Little Life

#this is a mim supremacy account #w #compilation #the precious intimacy of little things #john berger #hanya yanagihara #naomi shihab nye #wendy cope #mary oliver #ada limón #ocean vuong #danusha laméris #ross gay

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planetchii · 3 years ago

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THE MEGA NICHIASA SHITPOSTING REPORT

NOW WITH THAT GREAT 2 WEEK LATE TASTE

Tropical Rouge, Culture Festival! Everyone Together, Let's Put Make-Up On Aozora!: The Tropical girls are getting ready for the best time of the year: The cultural festival. And in true Tropical Fashion, the girls decided to hold make-up classes for all visitors. But while planning just the right make-up to teach the novice children and grown adults, Laura gets suspicious that Minori is looking over to her ex, the Literature Club. I mean, when you up and disappear into the library, it's kinda hard to not think that you're looking for an escape route. But it's fine because they totally have enough people to help with the make-up classes. As long as Minori stays in the clubhouse.

That being said, distancing yourself from the rest of the group isn't very cool, Minori. Now you have a suspicious smug fish being all suspicious. And being a detective. And asking questions. A lot of questions. And she would ask even more questions if Manatsuu and the Smug Fish Laura's homeroom booth wasn't short-staffed because the kids with that shift decided to get an early head start on getting their Yaruki power stolen.

Meanwhile, the Lazy Trio has clocked into work, and Chongiri drew the short straw today. Guys, he just wants to cook. He wasn't trained for this. And he certainly wasn't trained for being kidnaped by a bunch of martial artists to run their grilled squid booth. Even if it's the most fun that he's had. At least right up until the point where he remembered he was still on the clock. At least everyone is busy.

I mean, really busy: Sango is still teaching people how to put on lipstick properly, and Asuka is trying to make sure no one cuts the line. The only one who the Broadcast Club could interview for the Tropical Club was Minori. Who turns out to be a secret master of the make-up arts.

The lesson the monster should have taken away was don't touch books. Books are supposed to bring people joy. I feel like I've heard that before. It also turns out that the reason Minori left the Literature Club is because her sempai quite literally read The Great Book and that story was already written, and therefore boring and too familiar and unoriginal. Again, I feel like I've heard this before. But that's okay because Minori's stronger with the Sword of Logos Tropical Club.

Reviving A Legend! The Pretty Cure's Power-Up Makeover!: After getting the results of a contest that the girls were not aware they were part of, The Tropical Club finds out that they came in second in the "hey, this booth is pretty cool" contest. Everyone is so excited that even Kururun even has to say something in front of the School newspaper. In other news, the girls suddenly develop a love of ventriloquism. Before telling Kururun to do their best impersonation of a statue.

Elsewhere, the Witch is waking up from a nightmare when her ex-girlfriend up and left her. If only her ex just didn't have the energy to leave... she probably should have given her ex's money back. But on the plus side, the Butler finally does something! He heads to the nearest watering hole and figures out a way to make polymer slime. While that is going on, Manatsuu and Laura are having a loving conversation over who is the most Tropicool.

After a nice long conversation, Manatsuu and Laura head to sleep, where Manatsuu meets the legendary Precure in a trippy and glowy dream aquarium. Manatsuu probably shouldn't overeat at dinner. Especially when she nearly drowns in her own dream.

But in the morning, the Girls start heading to school, only to have the Butler's slime experiments come up from the depths of the town's canals. So the girls transform and try to find the source of the Yaruki power, only to have the Aqua mirror 404 error on Cure La Mer. But while trying to find the source of the Yaraneda power, Cure Summer learns that Kururun is a good listener and has not moved since the beginning of the episode.

Meanwhile, the villains really still have no idea what their actual job description is. They're now working to form a union because they don't even know why they have to do all of this extra work. They're just a maid, doctor, and cook respectfully. They have also decided that union dues are due at the end of the month. Nuremi will collect.

Elsewhere, Cure Summer has picked up one (1) Kururun but ends up having to sacrifice herself to save the good sealo. And while Summer is now being farmed for Yaraneda power, Kururun becomes the new Cure Summer. All Hail Cure Kururun. Only to get hit with friendly fire via Cure Papaya's eye lasers. RIP Cure Kururun.

But with the power of Friendship (TM) and a new Mirror (buy our toy) Toei actually giving a good budget for an episode and some new barefoot dancing, The Butler's polymer slime experiment is defeated. This type of leadership should be the Student Council President. Revice, The Devil is Just a Bad Guy?!: It's time for a company review of last week's (lol), super conference where FENIX was super happy to show off their belt and their choice for a Rider in front of the whole world and one over-excited family. Since it didn't go too well, someone's getting demoted as punishment. RIP Hiromi's commandership. Perhaps he shouldn't have tried to be a hero, because now instead of a belt, he has a contract to become a magical girl I mean, have a deadman walking around. And now, the one that they wanted to be Revice in Daiji, has become a go-for to get his older brother to sign a contract to also become a magical girl I mean to work for FENIX, since he's not scared of the belt. Daiji can't win.

Meanwhile, in a golf competition, an older brother and younger brother are fighting over who has the better swinging motion, and who has the better golf knowledge. The fighting gets so... well, not intense, but belittling for the younger sibling, so much so that he gets fired as his older brother's caddy.

Don't work for family. (I say that as a younger sibling too.) But at least he was sold this spiffy new contract by a personified alcohol person. Alcohol for your soul. Salespeople are getting real pushy with their selling.

Meanwhile, back at the bathhouse of Happiness, Daiji has come back home to offer Ikki an offer he can't refuse.

Ikki promptly refuses it. Something about needing more bare butts in the tubs. And probably wouldn't want to trigger Vice's fight or fight harder instincts. But in the mists of the "Please, Ikki, there's a 300,000 yen signing bonus" fight to get Ikki to work for FENIX, the dad apparently found a live stream of the golf fight. Fight or Fight Harder instincts fully engaged, Vice possesses a bike to get to the action faster. Regular bikes are for squares; get your demon-powered bike now at your local bike store.

At the golf course, Ikki and Vice transform. And while Ikki was actually doing his not-his-job, Vice went off to do some selling. He'll be denied no fights. At least until the new VStamp pulls him back in to become an Eagle. After beating the older brother's contract deadman, Vice goes back to selling things. At least until Ikki undoes the transformation.

But good news, everyone! Mama is almost completely healed from almost being eaten unceremoniously. And soothes Ikki's fear and tells him that plenty of people have had 2 jobs before. I mean, look at Vice, selling things. He sold the younger golf brother on visiting the Deadmans and getting his own Deadman. That's some A+ selling.

Not the right selling, apparently, since Ikki is pissed. We're not supposed to be selling the Deadmans, we're supposed to be selling the bathhouse. I mean the bathhouse services. And as punishment, Ikki fights this new Deadman without transforming when Daiji notifies them of this new, totally out of the blue and not sold to, Deadman. I mean we can't have other lives in danger.

Tasked with either apologize and fight properly or not fight at all, Vice agrees not to sell shit like Deadmen again and finally gets that magical girl contract. After beating the second Deadman of the day, the two golf brothers make up as much as siblings are willing to, for the low price of their stamps.

Hostage Trouble, What To Do Brother?!: While hanging out at the best-awarded rave place in town, the Deadmen are trying to look for a way to revive their head of ravers, and peanut butter named villain Jif I mean Giff, with a new recruit, a walking hood. Meanwhile, while Mama is trying to support her middle child, in a surprise to all middle children everywhere, an eviction company came to evict the bathhouse. Ikki proudly states that they will never be evicted from that spot, despite the father's best attempts.

Elsewhere, Sakura and her best friend forever Ayaka are going shoe shopping, where Ayaka finds these really nice sparkly shoes. Since Ayaka was not invited to her little sister's photoshoot (instead opting to bring her mom), it was only fair to bring about the shopping therapy. But it turns out that one of them has a stalker following them. And that stalker has some Deadmen foot soldiers. He really has this thing for Ayaka. But Sakura has a cellphone, and calls for Ikki, since we're not doing hide the identity thing.

When Ikki gets to the scene of the crime, he tells them to run, only for the stalker to throw a Pokeball and catch Ayaka. He also demands Sakura, a woman who could probably kick his ass, or he'll kill off Ayaka. But live your dream dude. No kink-shaming here. But they agree because killing people is bad. But is then interrupted by the Kong Deadman. At least Daiji comes in at the right time with the 555 suitcase, now holding the Revice Driver.

While in the midst of a hard-fought battle, the Deadman runs to where the girls are kidnapped, and while chasing this Deadman, Revi and Vice run against another alcohol personified man who wants to make a bargain: The girls for the stamps. This leads the new Go-For Daiji to go back to the FENIX Inc., and retrieve the new stamps, and takes a look at the new P-Bandai belt. Daiji asks if it's possible for him to use that belt, only for George to do his best Ankh impersonation and laughed in his face.

In a sign of kindness, the stalker allows Ayaka to call her mom, who tells her to bug off, she's watching her daughter work the cameras. It sucks to know you're not the favorite.

Elsewhere, the trade is going down, in the following fight allows both of the stamps to go back to Ikki and Vice who pull off their best Den-O impersonation, and end the fight. And in the confusion, Sakura breaks out of her confinements and kicks the ass of the stalker, proving that if Toei doesn't make her a Rider they are missing an opportunity. Sucks that it seems the stalker isn't the actual contract holder.

Back at the Rave Central, The Hooded Intern has these new sparkly shoes.

Zenkaiger, No. 27-kai! A Great Voyage Through Seven Worlds!: After hearing that his mom is still alive and has escaped her deep sleep can on Tojitendo Kikaitopia, The Zenkaiger group starts looking for Kaito's mom Mitsuko. Despite their best efforts, including a massive Google search by Secchan, they still can't find her. This leads to the thought by Gaon that maybe she escaped to a whole other world.

Since it was a good thought, Kaito asks his boyfriend Vox if he can borrow his pirate ship to go look for her. He promises to fill it back up with gas. What does it take, diesel? Regular?

Vox doesn't allow this because Kaito has no driver's license. I mean, neither does Vox, but Flint does and Flint has the keys.

Meanwhile, Stacey hates his job and now is sent on a wild chase to find a woman he may or may not have let out for the sake of his adopted grandma and ice cream supplier. Truthfully, it wasn't entirely his fault. It's not like he attacked the warp gate like the others when he may or may not have left the sleeping pod open.

Back with the heroes, Vroom and Gaon stay behind because Toei's budget is running a little tight. Can't have all that CGI and stuff after spending all that money on the CGI for the other worlds. There are budget concerns to think about, you know. But the remaining heroes board the Pirate ship and Magine sets about looking for Mitsuko with her crystal ball. But because the Pirates have no time for proper seancing, they just start picking the closest worlds to our heroes' world and work from there. Mr. Su is everywhere, by the way.

And after going to worlds where they are called perverts, nearly arrested, and freeze to death, in that order, Stacey arrives with his entourage of other people looking to cash in on overtime and says that all of the other worlds are getting visited, because she didn't just go back home, and not because they shot themselves in the foot. Instead of searching for clues in the Ice World, the Zenkaigers and Twokaizers head off to the Mushroom Kingdom. They did not see any plumbers, however. But, they "find" "Mama" "Mitsune" before Stacey and his crew of merry overtime workers, and a fight breaks out. After beating this wave, the Pirate ship heads off to Earth, much to the relief of Stacey who just wants to make Yatsune happy. Only to be told to follow them. Leading to another battle on Ice World. Stacey better be getting paid time and a half for this. The Zenkaigers win again and head back to Earth. But after the fight, "Mitsuko" takes off the magical disguise to show that it was Me, Magine! (not actually this writer.) with the hope that the bait and switch will get Tojitendo Kikaitopia to leave the other worlds alone, and just focus on them.

No. 28-kai! Weekly Shonen Manga World of Great Illustrations!: Kaito finally got his learner's permit to drive interdimensional ships and is going on a drive with Flint and some of his friends for practice before his big test with the Experienced Driver Flint. Vox has decided that is not his scene and is hanging out at Colorful, on Kaito's dime.

As someone who loves discovery, Vroom has made a big one: Vox is an Otaku. Vox loves him some manga. This is cool since Vroom is also a Manga Sommelier. And so is today's world, Manga World. And Manga World is working on his new hit piece for not-Shonen Jump about the everyday lives of the People of Earth. The pages even move! Now with exclusive Zyuran and Magine chapters! This is a limited edition, so make sure to get yours soon.

Back at Kikaitopia, the entire Tojitendo is still not happy about losing the Eve to their Adam. It'll be fine guys. It's not like there's someone there who'd sell you guys out for one ice cream parfait or something. He's too busy trying to get intel and how to get the father out to really mess with his own dad.

Back at Colorful, the Comics and the Not-Comics are having a conference about how to deal with Manga World. Kaito thinks that because Manga is just "drawing" and "some words" and some "Ink" that anyone can be a Mangaka. That it's sooo easy. This may or may not piss off Vox (and this writer.) about how people think it's so easy to be a Mangaka and storms off. Probably to an art room to make his Manga.

So because plan A didn't work, they go with plan B and buy the latest edition of the most popular manga. And after unbinding the pages of the latest Tankobon of Kimetsu no Yaiba and laying them off on the floor, Manga World starts trying to collect and read the pages. Kaito, thinking he's a ninja tries to steal it while he's reading, only to be caught and sent to the Manga page world. That Limited Edition now has a Kaito Chapter. Only 50 made! (Use the Ninninger or Hurricaneger gear next time.)

But this gives just enough time for Vox to drop ALL of his doujinshi and Original Works onto the floor. The Manga World loves the fact that they're seeing this new work about a pirate in space, looted, in true fashion, from Mangatopia. So much so that Vox does what pirates do best and swipes the limited edition not-Shonen Jump.

Everyone transforms to fight, including the comic pages. And proceed to fight and win, with half of the time acting it out in comic pages. And all the people are freed from their comic pages. I hope you got that limited edition not-Shonen Jump before it was too late.

And while Vox used that manga to save his family, he'd like to get it back now. Too bad Yatsune has ordered that manga back to Mangatopia. If he doesn't tell, will he get to keep it?

#precure #pretty cure #tropical rouge precure #tropical rouge pretty cure #kamen rider #kamen rider revice #kikai sentai zenkaiger #zenkaiger #this is long #very long #shitposting is my passion

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wiypt-writes · 4 years ago

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Stark Spangled Banner

Ch24: Like The Old Man Said…Together Part 1- I Wouldn’t Call It A Comfort

Summary: The Avengers track Ultron and it’s a race against time before the AI can put his plan into action.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

Warnings: Bad language, Smut (NSFW) violence and crazy assed robots. Oh and “Something dramatic, I hope!”

A/N: This chapter now contains additional content which is why It has been split into two parts.

Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction and classified as 18+. Please respect this and do not read if you are underage. I do not own any characters in this series bar Katie Stark and the other OCs. By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer.

A/N: Another massive big up for @angrybirdcr for her edits xx

Chapter 23 Part 2

Stark Spangled Banner Masterlist // Main Masterlist

“I’ve put the boys to work.” Laura gestured out of the window as Katie chewed on her grilled cheese. She’d had a good four hours sleep and was feeling much better after a scalding hot shower. She glanced across the lawn area to where Steve and Tony were positioned at the side of the house, both holding an axe, stood by a stack of large logs and two piles of smaller logs.

“You got Tony doing manual labour?” Katie grinned at her. “Well played.”

Laura chuckled and then began to chat to about her plans for dinner. “Clint suggested comfort food. fried chicken and Mac and Cheese to be specific”

“You’ll win Steve over instantly.” Katie leaned against the counter. “I’m happy to help, lot of people to feed, not to mention Stevie eats enough for three.”

“You wanna take her up on that.” Clint walked into the kitchen and opened a drawer near the door.“She’s a damned good cook is Nova. Obviously, not as good as you, babe.” He added as a quick afterthought. “Smooth Barton…” Katie laughed as Laura threw a tea towel at his head. Easily catching it ant tossing it back, he pulled a tape measure from the drawer and left through the backdoor, still laughing, the kids trailing behind him.

Katie stared at the back door as it shut, the normality of the scene suddenly hitting her. He had a wife, two children, and still managed to hold down the ridiculous lifestyle the Avengers and SHIELD demanded.

“How do you do it?” She blurted out. The woman placed the last plate on the sink to drain and straightened up. “I mean this, it’s so ordinary.” she turned, once more looking out of the window. She watched Steve swing his axe, his light blue Under Armour skin top clinging to every part of his torso.

“It’s possible…” Laura mused, standing behind her as she followed the younger woman’s gaze. You know, to have a domestic life…well, a variation on one, away from the mess.”

“Problem is the pair of us are tangled in the mess.” Katie muttered, not taking her eyes off Steve.

“Well then, you should understand each other more.” Laura pointed out, before she changed the subject. “Here, they could probably use a drink. You wanna take ‘em that jug of ice tea for me?”

“Sure.”

A minute or so later Katie crossed the lawn with a tray sporting a full jug and two glasses towards where both men where stood by the decreasing mound of large logs and the two increasing mounds of smaller ones. Steve’s pile of cut logs was significantly bigger than Tony’s, which was hardly surprising.

And the pair of them were bickering which was also not surprising.

“Is that a problem?” Steve asked, picking the two halves he had just cut up and throwing them onto his pile, bristling slightly at the fact Tony was digging into why he wasn’t as affected by the Maximoff’s visions as everyone else. Truth be told he had been affected, big time, but since he and Katie had talked it through he felt better. But he wasn’t about to tell anyone that, frankly it was no ones’ business what any of them had seen bar their own.

“I don’t trust a guy without a dark side. Call me old fashioned.” Tony shrugged

“Well let’s just say you haven’t seen it yet.” Steve glowered at him, his temper starting to rise. He couldn’t help but feel pissed at Tony, because if it wasn’t for him they wouldn’t even be in this mess.

“You know this is what he’s trying to do right?” A soft voice spoke and Steve turned to see Katie setting a tray of drinks down behind them. They both turned to look at her “Ultron is trying to tear us apart.”

“Well I guess he’d know.” Steve jerked his head in Tony’s direction “Whether he tells us is a bit of a question”

“Banner and I were doing research-”

“That would affect the team” Steve picked up another log. His voice was gaining momentum, and Katie let out a groan, she knew he was getting angry.

“That would end the team” Tony said simply, “Isn’t that the mission? Isn’t that the “why” we fight, so we can end the fight, so we get to go home?”

Without so much as a huff of noise, Steve ripped the log he was holding apart with his bare hands in a fit of temper that aroused Katie far more than it should have done. Tony raised his eyebrows slightly and Steve’s chest heaved as he regained his composure. He turned to look at Tony and spoke, his voice calm and measured.

“Every time someone tries to win a war before it starts, innocent people die. Every time.” He spoke softly but sternly, trying to make his point. Loki, Hydra, SHIELD with Insight.. now this.

“I’m sorry. Mr. Stark,” Laura headed across the lawn towards them all. “Uh, Clint said you wouldn’t mind, but, our tractor, it doesn’t seem to want to start at all. I thought maybe you might…

“Yeah, I’ll give her a kick.” Tony smiled at Laura then as he turned to leave he looked back at Steve delivering his next line with the air of a petulant child “Don’t take from my pile.”

“You know if he wasn’t your bother…” Steve reached for a glass of tea, draining it in one and leaving his sentence hanging. Katie took a deep breath and stood up.

“Cut him a bit of slack yeah?” Her eyes flashed. “The Maximoff girl. She got to him too.”

Steve looked down at her and frowned, that was news to him. “But I thought…”

“It was the day we found the sceptre.” Katie said. “She got to him in Strucker’s lab only he didn’t know what it was at the time. And you wanna know what he saw?” her voice wasn’t angry but she levelled Steve with a look that left him with no uncertain terms she was defending her brother “He saw us all dead because he hadn’t tried hard enough.” Steve inwardly groaned as she finished. “That’s what Ultron is about, that’s why he started it again.”

“Sorry, I didn’t know.” Steve shook his head, gently

“Well now you do.” Katie shrugged and decided to change the subject, “Oh, and by the way, what you did with that log back then-” she mimed pulling something apart. “-kinda turned me on a hell of a lot more than it should.”

He grinned and stepped towards her, closing the short distance they were apart “Well, if we go back inside I can…”

“Nice try, you have wood.” Katie pointed the logs

“Yes and I’d kinda like to do something about it!”

“Steve!” Katie spluttered out through her laugh, as she hit him in the chest, mentally making a note toe have words with Sam for teaching him innuendoes and street slang

He stepped back, laughing and rubbing at the spot where her hand had connected with him. He cocked his head playfully to the right, and was about to say something else about the fact he was feeling pretty horny on account of it being a few days since they’d last enjoyed one another seeing as his plans for her and that tight blue dress had been interrupted post the party, but Katie’s attention was taken by something else.

“Lucky!” She grinned crouching down to pet the dog who was jumping all over her, giving out little barks. “Man you got big!” Steve looked down at his girl and the sandy coloured dog, frowning as he noticed it only had one eye.

“Is this the pizza eating puppy you talked about?” he asked, bending down to pet the dog. “Sure is.” Katie grinned standing up as the dog ran off back to Barton after he whistled. “Not so much of a puppy now though.”

She smiled and made her way back over to the house. Steve looked at the pile of logs, then her, then back and picked up his axe again.

Inside, Katie started to help Laura with the dinner, the pair of them working together easily. Steve and Clint joined them in the kitchen not long after, both men sitting at the table with a beer as Lila scrambled up onto Steve’s knee, Steve waving away Clint’s instruction for her to leave him alone, he didn’t mind one bit. Katie had noticed the small girl sat there, talking to Steve and she’d smiled and turned back to her cooking. She was just rinsing off the salad when she looked up out of the window, seeing something that she really wasn’t expecting.

“I don’t believe it.” She whispered as she watched Tony and the tall, bald headed man with the trench coat and the eye patch walking up the path towards them. She turned to Clint and Steve “We got company, boys.” Both men stood up as the door opened, Lila jumping of Steve’s knee. The soldier’s hands went to his hips, his mouth forming a thin line as his eyes fell onto the man in front of him.

“At ease Soldier…” Fury said, a smile creeping across his face as Tony walked into the room behind him muttering about traitors, Maria Hill and ‘Goth Pirates’

****

“Ultron took you folks out of play to buy himself time.” Fury said glass of water in his hand as he leaned against the kitchen counter. “My contacts all say he’s building something. The amount of Vibranium he made off with, I don’t think it’s just one thing.”

“What about Ultron himself?” Steve asked, he was stood in the doorway to the kitchen, leaning against the door frame, arms folded.

“Ah. He’s easy to track, he’s everywhere. Guy’s multiplying faster than a Catholic rabbit. Still doesn’t help us get an angle on any of his plans though.”

Tony shoved the last piece of the chicken he had been eating in his mouth and walked to the sink to pick up a towel to wipe his hands. “He still going after launch codes? “

“Yes, he is, but he’s not making any headway.”

Katie frowned from her seat at the table, opposite Natasha. “Well that doesn’t make sense. Tony cracked the Pentagon’s firewall in high school for a dare”.

Tony smiled fondly at the memory. That had earned him an ass whooping and a half from his dad.

“Yeah, well, I contacted our friends at the NEXUS about that”. Fury continued

“NEXUS?” Steve questioned.

“It’s the world internet hub in Oslo” Banner explained, he was stood behind Natasha leaning against the sideboard. “Every byte of data flows through there, fastest access on earth.”

At that point Lila ran into the room, a piece of paper in her hand.

“So what’d they say?” Clint asked, turning 3 darts over in his hand from his stance a few feet away from Fury.

Lila handed the piece of paper to Natasha, who looked at her, then the paper, grinning and gave the little girl a one armed hug. She placed the paper down on the table and Katie noticed that it was a watercolour paint picture of a butterfly.

“He’s fixated on the missiles.” Fury drained his glass of water. “But the codes are constantly being changed.

“By whom?” Tony questioned. At that point Clint threw the darts straight past Tony, about an inch or so away from his ear straight into the bullseye of the dart board. Tony spun round to glare at him, Clint shrugged apologetically, grinning at the same time. Hawkeye by name, Hawkeye by nature.

“Parties unknown.” Fury said, a puzzled tone to his voice

“Do we have an ally?” Katie asked.

“Ultron’s got an enemy, that’s not the same thing.” Fury looked at her “Still, I’d pay folding money to know who it is”

“I might need to visit Oslo, find our unknown.” Tony pondered, to no one in particular.

“Well, this is good times, boss, but I was kind of hoping when I saw you, you’d have more than that.” Natasha sighed, leaning back in her chair.

“I do.” Nick looked round the room. “I have you.”

Everyone shared a look round the room at one another. None of them were feeling particularly useful if truth be told.

“Back in the day, I had eyes everywhere, ears everywhere else.” Fury continued “Yet here we all are, back on Earth, with nothing but our wit, and our will to save the world. So stand. Outwit the platinum bastard.”

“Steve doesn’t like that kind of talk.” Natasha looked at him.

“You know what, Romanoff? “ Steve’s tone was dead pan. She smiled mischievously.

“So what does he want? “ Fury continued.

“To become better. Better than us.” Katie looked around.

“Right, he keeps building bodies.” Steve agreed

“Person bodies. The human form is inefficient, biologically speaking, we’re outmoded.” Tony mused “But he keeps coming back to it”

“Yeah, when you two programmed him to protect the human race, you amazingly failed” Katie sighed, looking over at Tony then to Bruce, who was looking at Lila’s drawing over Nat’s shoulder, his arms folded, a thoughtful look on his face.

“They don’t need to be protected, they need to evolve.” The Doctor said, not looking up. “Ultron’s going to evolve.”

“How?” Fury asked.

“Has anyone been in contact with Helen Cho?” Bruce glanced around the room.

There was a pause, and then all at once there was a flurry of activity. Tony whipped his phone out and began to dial, Nat and Katie both stood up, Clint hurried out of the kitchen and Fury was also talking to someone as Steve and Bruce began discussing the intricacies of what Ultron was likely to want Helen for, which centred around the regeneration cradle, a larger version of the technology that had healed Clint after he had been shot when retrieving the sceptre.

“If Ultron is really building a body…” Steve trailed off as they all prepared to leave, his voice dropping

“He’ll be more powerful than any of us. Maybe all of us.” Katie sighed.

“An android designed by a robot” Tony finished.

“You know I really miss the days when the weirdest thing science ever created was me.” Steve raised his eyebrows. Katie and Tony both smiled gently.

“I’ll drop Banner off at the tower. Do you mind if I borrow Ms. Hill?” Fury said, pulling on his trench coat.

“She’s all yours, apparently.” Tony shrugged “What are you gonna do? “

“I don’t know. Something dramatic, I hope.”

Katie found herself slightly concerned that the threat of Fury doing something dramatic didn’t worry her half as much as facing Ultron.

*****

Clint expertly piloted the Quinn Jet low enough for Steve to drop onto the roof of the U-GU-Gin Genetic Research Lab roof.

“Two minutes. Stay close.” Steve instructed as the jet roe again to hover above the building away from any eyes.

A few moments passed and then the crew on the jet heard Steve shout “Dr Cho…are you hurt?” There was a bit of a conversation which they didn’t hear, but then Helen’s voice came over the comms loud and clear, if a little strained.

“The gem, its power is uncontainable. You can’t just blow it up. You have to get the Cradle to Stark.”

There was another pause before Steve’s voice spoke clearly ”Did you guys copy that?

“We did.” Clint said.

“I got a private jet taking off, across town, no manifest.” Katie read the details on the computer screen in front of her. “That could be him.”

“There!” Clint said loudly, pointing out of the front window of the jet. Both Natasha and Katie moved so they could follow his gaze. “It’s the truck from the lab. Right above you, Cap. On the loop by the bridge.”

The jet scanned the truck, confirming their suspicions with the imaging that they all saw on the monitor.

“It’s them.” Clint continued. “I got three with the Cradle, one in the cab. I could take out the driver”

“No.” Katie instructed. “If what Helen is saying is right, that truck crashes, the gem could level the city.”

“We need to draw out Ultron” Steve spoke on the coms. They all waited for a further update and, thirty seconds or so later, there was a loud bang and he followed up his commentary. ”Well, he’s definitely unhappy! I’m gonna try and keep him that way.”

Katie looked down to see Steve was clinging onto the back of the truck and her heart skipped a beat. Making a decision she strode to wing space of the jet and pressed her palm to the pad besides the large locker that contained her suit.

“You’re not a match for him Cap…” Clint said

“Thanks Barton!” Steve replied, sarcastically.

“We need to get down there, give him some back up…” Katie called, turning round to look at Nat as she stepped backwards, allowing her suit to form around her.

“Ok.” Clint said, nodding “I’ll give you the cover up top.”

Nat took off her headset and joined Katie in the equipment store, pushing a small coms piece into her ear. She headed to the back of the ship, straddling the motorbike that was propped up at the side.

“He’s lost his shield. I’m gonna drop you as close to it as I can.” Clint advised as he flipped a few controls.

“Roger.” Katie continued with the final checks to her suit, without JARVIS she was flying this thing herself, just as she had been at Klaus’ base so she needed to make sure everything was right. Clint steered them down towards the road.

“We got a window. Four, three…give ‘em hell.” Clint said, pushing the button for the ramp. Natasha sped the bike off and dropped down with a squeal of tyres before taking the jet higher.

“Us girls are always picking up after you boys.” She said gently and Katie headed to the back of the ramp, her scans watching as Natasha picked up Steve’s shield, following Clint’s commentary.

“They’re heading under the overpass, I’ve got no shot”

“Which way? “ Nat asked.

“Hard right… Now.” Clint instructed. Natasha did as she was told. As Clint hovered over the top of them Katie shot out from the back of the jet and swooped down just as Natasha threw the shield up to Steve. Steve caught it and instantly flung it, sent the AI flying backwards. Ultron wasn’t down for long, jumping up and resuming the fight as Katie landed behind the Robot as he sent a blast of power at Steve, who instantly held his shield up as he was catapulted backwards onto the bonnet of the car behind. She fired a repulsor at the AI, causing him to turn his attention to her as he wheeled round and shot back. She flew out of the way as the shot hit the car behind, the screeches of brakes and grinding of metal hit her ears as cars collided on the road.

“You Starks are like insects.” Ultron hissed out. “Annoying and irritating.”

“Yeah well, some insects pact a bit of a sting.” Katie shot out a static pulse from the shoulder of her suit. It immobilised Ultron for a good few seconds, which was long enough for Steve to climb back onto the top of the truck, hitting him once more with his shield. As Ultron fell forward towards Katie she jumped up, kicking out with her boot, pushing him down into the metal of the truck before landing. Ultron regained control of his functions and the three of them began to fight, Steve and Katie dodging the rays of power as they flew at them, Ultron easily deflecting the beams the Supernova suit sent his way.

“Clint can you draw out the guards?” Nat’s voice came over the comms.

“Let’s find out.” Clint replied simply.

Katie fired another static pulse towards Ultron, but he easily deflected it and shot once more at her as she spiralled away.

“You think I’d let you get me with that again?” he growled.

“No but, made you look.” She grinned, and at that point Clint shot the jet downwards and it fired off a few shots at Ultron, deliberately missing the delicate package the truck contained. It worked and as Katie watched 4 Ultron Sentries fly out and follow the jet upwards. Ultron turned and flew at Steve who spun, slamming him into a concrete pillar by the side of the road. Katie swooped in, firing again but Ultron was ready and caught her with a beam causing her to spin blindly through the air. With no JAVIS to help, it took her a while to regain control but eventually she righted herself just in time to see Ultron spear at Steve, the two of them crashing into a nearby moving train. She shot forward, putting all her power into her thrusters, speeding up to catch it.

"Heading back towards you, whatever you’re gonna’ do. Do it now.” Clint informed over the coms as Katie dropped down so I was level with the train, looking into the windows.

“I’m going in, guys can you keep him occupied?” Natasha questioned as Katie finally caught up with the right carriage to see Ultron sending Steve flying again, landing hard against a metal door.

“What do you think we’ve been doing!” Steve grit out, shaking his head, as once again he stood up, and resumed his fight with the AI as Katie shot a beam through the window, catching the robot unawares and causing him to fly out of the side of the train.

As she flew in through the window, the AI came crashing through one a bit further up and the two of them shot at one another, the beams hitting in mid-air and deflecting off one another, blowing a hole in the roof of the train.

“The package is airborne.” Clint informed us, “I have a clean shot.”

“Negative I am still in the truck.” Natasha said.

“What the hell are you doing?” Katie yelled, as Ultron sent a bench of seats towards her, which she blasted out of the way.

“Just be ready, I’m sending the package to you, Clint!”

“How do you want me to take it?” Clint asked sarcastically as Katie looked up through the hole in the roof to see the truck way above them.

“Uh, you might wish you hadn’t asked that.”

At that point Katie was floored as Steve landed heavily on top of her, having been blasted off his feet by Ultron.

“Ow…” he muttered, rolling over and off the top of her. Katie groaned as her head bounced off the inside of her metal helmet and hadn’t even had chance to right herself when suddenly she was lifted off her feet as Ultron’s hand crushed at the neck of her suit.

“Like I said, insect.” He growled, his grip tightening as she raised both her palms to fire, blasting them both backwards, in opposite directions as Katie crashed into the carriage behind. She sat up and shifted the debris and shot forward, as Ultron came again but he was sent backwards as a blur knocked him off balance- the male Maximoff twin. Ultron took a menacing step forwards and the metal guards shifted red and bent in front of us in a protective manor. The female, Wanda, stood behind Ultron, hands outstretched and glowing red. Ultron turned towards her.

"Please, don’t do this.” Ultron pleaded with her.

“What choice do we have?” Wanda countered.

Ultron turned back around and fired in Steve’s direction. Katie was quicker though, pulling him out of the way as the front of the train blew out. The AI then blasted out the side door and escaped.

“We lost him!” Katie said into her coms, face plate sliding back as Steve made his way to the front of the train, reaching over the driver. “Clint, Nat He’s headed back towards you.”

“Nat we gotta go!” Clint said.

Steve turned back to Katie, shaking his head, he could find no pulse. The driver was dead and the train was out of control heading straight for the end of the line.

“Nat… NAT? Cap you guys see Nat?” Clint questioned worriedly.

"If you have the package, get it to Stark! Go!” Steve commanded, looking up instinctively as Katie reached his side.

“Do you have eyes on Nat?" Clint questioned once again.

"Go!” Steve ordered once again and it seemed Clint obeyed because there was silence on the other side of the coms. Katie looked at him, both of them worried about our friend but equally knowing they had to tackle the problem in hand. The train crashed through the stoppers at the end of the line and carried on, heading straight through the narrow streets.

“There are civilians in our path.” Steve turned to Pietro, once more resuming command. He nodded and sped off in a blur.

“Can you stop this thing?” Katie asked Wanda. She looked unsure but nodded and blasted red tendrils down into the underlining of the train.

It began to slow, but nowhere near enough for them to avoid the building they were heading straight at. Katie slid her face plate back and Steve held his shield out in front of them, protecting them from the impact, and they felt the train starting to slow down, before it eventually came to a steady stop a moment or so later in a street lined with small trading stalls and shops.

As the passengers scrambled to get off the train Steve and Katie remained where they were for a second, Katie’s face plate once more retracting.

“You’re bleeding.” Steve said gently, wiping at her brow.

“Least I’m still here.” She shook her head. “What about Nat?”

“We’ll find her.” He took a deep breath, looking her in the eyes. “I promise.”

He slung his shield onto his back and the pair of them exited the train. Katie spotted Wanda stood next to her brother who was resting against a wall breathing heavily, hunched over with his hands on his knees. As they approached he looked up at Wanda, waving her away

“I’m fine, I just need a minute.” He assured her.

“I’m very tempted not to give you one.” Steve snapped, giving the twins a hard look. The two Maximoffs shared an uneasy glance

“The cradle? Did you get it?” Wanda asked.

“Stark will take care of it.” Steve told her, his tone still clipped.

“No he won’t.” Wanda said incredulously.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Katie glared at the girl

“He will do anything to make things right.” Wanda implored.

Steve turned and gave Katie a questioning look before he spoke into the coms.

“Stark come in. Stark? Anyone on coms?” The only response Steve got was silence. He looked at Katie who tried as well, getting nothing but static. She then tried to route through her phone, but there was nothing there either.

“Ultron can’t tell the difference between saving the world and destroying it.” Wanda pressed “Where do you think he got that from?”

Katie took a moment to look around, squinting against the sunlight. People were gathering, chattering in Korean and pointing at the train stretched down the middle of the road.

“I saw into his head.” Wanda implored. “I saw what he has planned. It’s not what he said, not what he told us he wanted.”

“Oh and what did he say he wanted?” Katie asked, turning back to her, her arms folding across her chest.

“He said he wanted peace” the boy, Pietro spoke.

“Oh, well…” Katie snapped, looking round nodding and clapping her gauntlet clad hands together sarcastically “Good job”

“Look…” Steve stepped forward a little before his girl lost her temper, his hands grasping the buckle on his utility belt. “This isn’t about sides, or what’s happened before. It’s about how we shut Ultron down.”

“So, what happens now?” Pietro asked.

“That depends on you.” Steve answered, putting his shield on his back, keeping his stance non-confrontational. “You’ve worked with Ultron; you know how he thinks. We could use the help stopping him.”

Wanda snarled, lips curling back over her teeth. “We won’t work with Stark.”

“Well, you kinda have two options.” Steve retorted immediately, before Katie had chance to. The authority emanating from him was immense, his eyes steady. “You work with us, or work with Ultron. Your choice.”

Katie looked up at Steve as the twins both exchanged glances. Eventually she got fed up and sighed.

“I’m going back to check on Dr Cho.” she looked at Steve “And then I’m going home to figure out how we find Nat…”

“Katie… wait…” He started towards her as she turned, making to walk off up the narrow street

“I’m done waiting Steve.” She snapped, turning to look at him. “And seeing as you don’t seem to want to give things a second’s thought, why should I?” “What’s that supposed to mean?” He frowned, running to catch up with her.

“You work with us?” She imitated his voice. “How do you know that she isn’t in our minds, right now, and this isn’t some elaborate scam to get us right where Ultron wants?”

A breeze whipped her hair slightly, and Pietro stood at Steve’s side, Wanda in his arms.

“You move too slow.” the young man taunted looking at them. “We’ll meet you at Cho’s office.”

Katie let out a loud groan of annoyance and walked and out onto the main road, looking around. Steve took a deep breath, she was angry, he knew that. His girl held a grudge, far better than he ever could and he had a feeling that Wanda Maximoff wasn’t going to get round her with a simple apology. But they didn’t have time for that, they needed to get home, find Nat and figure out Ultron’s next steps. And the Maximoffs would be helpful.

Sirens were now flooding his ears and the Emergency services were all over the place, freeing people from the cars, crashed buses, you name it.

“Could use a ride.” Steve turned to her, raising an eyebrow. She glared at him for a moment, before sliding her face plate back down. Without saying a word she gripped his harness at the top above where it held his shield and propelled them both into the air.

Dr Cho was going to be ok. Thankfully. The Scientist kindly offered them the use of her QuinJet, which technically belonged to Tony anyway, but they were grateful nonetheless. As Katie thanked the man who had led them to it, Steve turned to the Maximoff twins.

“Go on.”

Katie felt her mouth drop open as Wanda hesitated and looked to her brother who simply nodded and the two of them boarded. Katie watched them incredulously before she rounded on Steve and he winced, awaiting the barrage which hit him full pelt.

“I can’t believe you seriously want to take them back to base.” She hissed at him.

“I told you before, they can help.” He replied calmly.

“You’re out of your mind!” Katie shook her head, the petulant child in her well and truly rearing its head “You know what actually, if they’re going, then I’m staying here.”

“For God’s sake Katie…” Steve groaned exasperatedly, running his hand through his hair, his helmet hanging in his left hand “You’re being unreasonable…”

“I’m being unreasonable?” She rounded on him, her cheeks flushing with anger. “You’re the one who wants to take them right into the middle of our base, give them access to all our technology, when we don’t know if they’re still working for Ultron or not!”

“Katie, just get on the fucking jet now.” Steve’s voice was low, but he was angry. He didn’t have time for this shit, he was tired, worried, and just wanted to get them all together so they could find Nat and end this and she was behaving like a total brat.

Katie looked at him, his eyes were flashing and he had a look on his face she couldn’t ever recall him using on her before. It was enough to shock her into compliance, but only after she shot him the dirtiest glare she could, before she stormed onto the jet.

Two hours later and Katie still hadn’t spoken a word to Steve or anyone else for that matter, she was fuming. Pietro and Wanda had been mostly silent up until that point, exchanging the odd bit of chatter between themselves in Sokovian, but neither approaching either of the other two until Pietro came to the cockpit.

“Miss Stark, I’m sorry, but please, do you have a spare jacket? My sister is cold.”

Katie glared at him, then looked to the back of the jet where Wanda was sat on one of the chairs, her knees pulled up to her chin. Damned it, despite everything Katie felt a small pang of pity for her.

“Sure, just give me a second.” She answered, a little gruffly but less angrily as she stood up out of her seat.

Steve had to smile, despite everything she wasn’t callous, and she knew what it was like to be cold and frightened. Katie glanced down and caught the look he was giving her and she glared at him.

“I will slap that smirk right off your face.” She threatened. Immediately he held his hands up, palms facing her in an “I’m sorry” motion and she walked over to the back of the jet and started looking in a few of the cupboards. Eventually she found a black fleece jacket, emblazoned with U-Gen logo, along with a blanket. In one of the other cupboards she found bottles of water supplies along with some snack bars and bags of chips.

“Here.” She walked over to Wanda and handed her the jacket and fleece.

“Thank you.” The teenager pulled the fleece around her.

“You hungry or need a drink?” Katie offered.

They looked at one another.

“I’m not going to poison you.” She rolled her eyes.

Wanda nodded and Katie handed her a bottle of water and Pietro took a granola bar from her and a bag of chips. Katie glanced at the twins and then suddenly had to ask the question that was on the tip of her tongue.

“Why do you hate us so much, the Avengers?” She blurted out. Steve turned his head slightly so he could listen in.

“I don’t hate the avengers. I hate you and your brother. Well I did. I don’t know maybe I still do.”

“But why?” Katie said, puzzled “You don’t know us?”

“Our home was bombed.” Wanda said, looking at her hands “It hit 2 floors below and blew a hole in our floor. Our parents fell but Pietro grabbed me and we rolled under the bed.” “The second one hits.” Pietro continued gently “But it doesn’t explode. It just sits there, three feet from our faces. And on the side of the shell is painted two words…” “Stark Industries” Katie swallowed, suddenly understanding. “You know we shut the arms side of the business down once we both realised the damage it was doing. I know that doesn’t absolve us of any guilt but…my brother is a good man, maybe he doesn’t always get it right but he tries.”

“But that is my point.” Wanda pressed “Ultron…he wants world peace, but he thinks the way to do that is to kill people, innocent people.”

“That’s not what Tony wants” Katie pressed

“But he created Ultron.” Pietro joined the conversation

“Yes, because of you!” Katie implored.

“Sorry, because of us?” “You made him see something, in Strucker’s lab. A vision, a vision that showed all of the Avengers dead, the world ending and Tony was left alone because he didn’t try hard enough to stop it.” At that point Wanda and Pietro exchanged glances as she continued “You made him believe he needed to do something, something more and Ultron was the result. He was supposed to be the thing that Tony thinks we need, something to bring peace…”

“You know, maybe we aren’t that different to Stark after all.” Pietro broke the moment or so silence that had descended. “I mean, we volunteered for HYDRA.”

“They said that they would make us super-human, like your Captain America over there.” Wanda sipped her water and Steve’s eyes flickered over the back of the jet for a moment before he turned back to the front. “Then we could fight…”

“They didn’t say what it would cost.” Pietro spat. “The experiments. The constant pain.”

“Guess we all made bad decisions for what we thought were the right reasons.” Katie shrugged “What matters now is how we fix this mess.”

With that she left them to it, taking her drink and one for Steve to the front of the jet.

“Thanks.” he said gently

“I assume you heard all that.”

“Super sensitive hearing, Doll, what can I say?” He smiled. She rolled her eyes. “You still pissed at me?” She raised her eyebrow at him, and with a teasing note chastised him. “Language.”

Steve smiled, reached over for her hand and drew it up to his face, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles before he let go and took a drink of water, before he glanced back out of the front window of the jet.

An hour or so later they managed to get through to Clint on the coms.

“Any news on Nat?” Katie asked him.

“I’m trying the old fashioned way. That should avoid Ultron. I’ll find her”

“I don’t doubt it Hawkeye.” She smiled.

“What about Stark and the cradle?” Steve asked.

“In the lab with Banner, why you ask?”

Katie glanced at Steve, his jaw set tightly but that was the sum total of the reaction from him. He didn’t want to voice what was on his mind and risk pissing her off even more. Instead he chose his words carefully.

“Just… well, the twins told us what’s in that Cradle and Ultron’s plans for it. I’m worried Tony could start something he doesn’t understand.” “Twins? The Maximoffs?” Clint asked and then he let out a groan “You’re bringing them here aren’t you?”

“You gotta trust me on this one, Clint.” Steve sighed “They’ve seen Ultron’s end game. They want to help us fight him.” “Yeah well I’ll make my own mind up on that one, I’ll see you when you get back.” “Great…” Katie sighed “Now he’s pissed as well.”

**** “I’m gonna say this once!” Steve’s voice was loud

“How about "nonce”?” Tony shot back.

“Shut it down!” Steve pointed at the cradle.

“Nope, not gonna happen.” Tony shook his head.

There had been a bit of a fight in the lab, shields being flung, repulsors fired, and then Thor had turned up, supercharged the cradle, and it had gotten even stranger when a red man, an android had emerged.

“I’m sorry,” he said sincerely, in JARVIS’ voice “That was, odd. Thank you.” He added nodding respectfully to Thor, before his unnervingly human-looking eyes trailed over Thor thoughtfully. Then he rolled his shoulders and a cape of his own appeared and flowed down his back.

“Thor, you helped create this?” Steve asked

“I’ve had a vision, the world, where it starts, all hope and life and at its centre, is that.” Thor responded pointing to the gold stone in the middle of the man’s forehead.

“What the gem?” Banner asked in confusion. Thor nodded.

“It’s the mindstone,” He explained. “One of the six infinity stones, the greatest power in the universe and it is unparalleled in its destructive capabilities.”

“Then why would you bring it to life?” Katie asked, taking a deep breath, folding her arms.

“Because Stark is right.” Thor said.

“Oh, it’s definitely the end of times.” Bruce sarcastically to Tony’s shocked but proud expression.

“The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron.” Thor continued and the red man politely cut in.

“Not alone.”

“Why does your vision sound like JARVIS?” Katie questioned still cautious of this new being.

“We reconfigured Jarvis’ matrix, to create something new.” Tony walked up towards his masterpiece and examined him.

“I think I’ve had my fill of new.” Steve replied sarcastically.

“You think I am a child of Ultron.” The red man stated rather than asked.

“You’re not?” Steve replied suspiciously still glaring.

“I am not Ultron.” He answered simply. “I am not JARVIS. I am…” He looked down at his hands as if they would hold the answer.

“I looked in your head,” Wanda stated stepping towards him. “I saw annihilation.”

“Look again.” Vision responded in the same simple tone.

“Ha, her seal of approval means jack to me.” Clint snorted, Katie found herself inclined to agree.

“Their powers, the horrors in our heads, Ultron himself, they all came from the mindstone.” Thor said, looking round “And that is nothing compared to what it could unleash, but with it on our side-”

“Is it?” Steve cut Thor off then turned aiming his next question at him towards the red man, needing to hear confirmation “Are you, on our side?”

“I don’t think it’s that simple.” Vision answered truthfully.

“Well it better get real simple real soon.” Clint said seriously.

“I am on the side of life,” Vision continued, “Ultron isn’t, he will end it all.”

“What’s he waiting for?” Tony asked.

“You.” He stated easily, looking around at us all.

“Where?” Katie pressed.

“Sokovia.” Clint supplied helpfully. “Yeah, he’s got Nat there too.”

Katie looked at Clint who raised his eyebrow slightly and he shrugged. He’d found her, just like he said.

“If we’re wrong about you,” Bruce said approaching the man. “If you’re the monster Ultron created you to be…”

“What will you do?” The red man asked and Bruce stayed silent.

“I don’t want to kill Ultron, he is unique, and he’s in pain,” Vision paced slowly around the room, “but that pain will roll over the earth, so he must be destroyed. Every form he’s built, every trace and presence of him. We have to act now. And not one of us can do it without the other.”

He turned back to look at everyone in the room individually, then he did something completely unexpected as he picked up Thor’s hammer from the table. Steve felt his eyebrows raise in shock whereas Katie was looking at Thor, her mouth open, the god was wearing a look of utter confusion.

“There may be no way to make you trust me, but we need to go.” Vision finished holding out the hammer for Thor to take. Thor took his weapon back and the man walked away.

There was a moment of silence before Thor coughed.

“Right, well done.” he said awkwardly patting Tony on the shoulder and followed the red man out of the room.

“Three minutes, get what you need.” Steve announced.

**** Chapter 24 Part 2

#stark spangled banner #steve rogers #steve rogers x ofc #steve rogers x original female character #steve rogers fic #Katie Stark #mcu #mcu fanfic #the avengers #chris evans #chris evans characters

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i-drink-and-i-write-fics · 3 years ago

Text

Family Man

Chapter 3: The New Family

Summary: Reader is hit by an important holiday.

Your room was getting darker by the hour, but you made no move to turn on a light. It almost seemed fitting to sit in the dark. Matched your mood.

How did you not know? You were always so good at tracking time. Always so careful. The holidays had been your job when it was just you and Josh. He would work like crazy and you would do the shopping and cooking. You preferred it that way. When your parents were alive, your mom always had tried to help you in the kitchen. And while you love her and missed her, it had always felt claustrophobic having someone else in there with you. As if they were always in your way no matter how hard they tried.

So Josh would work and you would cook.

You sighed as you leaned against your bed, your butt slowly becoming numb from sitting on the floor. It was the missions that had done it: made you lost track of the days. And sure, you were slowly starting to see the Avengers as friends. But holidays were different. The holidays were family affairs.

“No need to rush with the equipment, kid.” Tony had told you earlier that day. “Evil may not take a day off, but we do.”

“What are you talking about? We always have a few days off between missions, Stark.”

He stopped and blinked at you. “Are you- are you serious?”

You paused in your actions, taking in Tony’s shocked look. “What?”

Sam had popped up behind you and stuck a balloon to your head. This had been a running gag for the Three Stooges every since you had confessed to helping Nat and Clint that one fateful night.

“It’s Thanksgiving tomorrow, Balloon Bandit!” He said with his signature laugh.

“Wait, it is?” Your jaw dropped.

“Yeah, didn’t you get the email?” Bucky joked as he walked in with Steve.

With that small exchange came the tightness in your chest. You put your equipment bag down and excused yourself, running to your room.

And there you had hidden since that morning, trying not to cry over your first holiday without Josh.

There was a knock on the door followed by the voice of your best friend. “Hey, Kiddo. We’re almost done here. Do you need a ride into town?”

You forced yourself to keep a steady voice. “No thanks, Hawkbutt. I’m staying here.”

There was a long pause. “You’re going to what?”

A sigh. “Stay here. I got rid of my apartment once your circus convinced me to stay.”

“Oh hell no. Nat!” His footsteps quickly ran from your door. You had no idea what thoughts sprouted in Clint’s head, but you didn’t think anything good would come from it.

You weren’t given long to contemplate before there was angry pounding on your door. “Get packed, Kiddo! We’re leaving in five!”

“Nat, I already told Birdbrain I’m staying here.”

“Like hell you are. Be out here in five minutes or I’m breaking the door down! And I won’t need Tin Man’s tools! So get packed! And bring a jacket!”

Of course, you weren’t stupid enough to argue with Nat once she got in one of these moods. So you quickly packed a weekend bag and grabbed your brown leather jacket. You had no idea where you were going, but you guessed it beat sitting in an empty compound for the rest of the week.

In the common room, it was clear everyone else on the team had left except Nat and Clint. “Alright, what’s this all about?”

Nat ignored your question. “Nice jacket. Very Indian Jones vibe.”

“Thanks. It was Josh’s.”

Clint and Nat exchanged a look before Clint spoke up. “Yup, this is the right choice. Let’s go, Kiddo. The Quinjet awaits.”

“Wait, what?”

No further explanation was given as the two dragged you onto the jet. The two remained cryptic during the entire flight, asking what types of food and drinks you liked, ignoring any questions you had on where you were going. And outside the jet, the scenery changed from busy cities to smaller towns, until finally giving away to farmlands.

Clint landed the plane in a field by a farmhouse that seemed cut off from everything else. “Ok, all you hitchhikers. We’re here!”

“And where the hell is here, Barton?” You stood up from your seat and grabbed your bag.

“You’ll see,” he winked as he and Nat exited the jet.

Sighing, you followed after them. Outside the air was crisp with the promise of autumn air, the trees surrounding the field halfway between orange, brown, red leaves, and some completely bare of any leaves. There was a barn off to one side where you could hear a few animals stirring, no doubt being kept inside to keep warm. The farmhouse was a faded yellow with a huge wrap around porch, with a porch swing on one end.

Clint was already at the door and Nat looked back at you from the porch steps. “Better hurry up, ____. Or there won’t be any food left.”

You furrowed your eyes in confusion but followed after. Inside the house was a chaos of kids running up to greet Clint and Nat as they stepped further into the house. You hung back as they got their hugs in before a woman stepped in to hug Nat and kiss Clint. This must be his wife, Laura. Which would make the brood his.

The room became awkwardly quiet as everyone finally noticed your presence. You cleared your throat and waved. “Hi. Sorry to intrude. I had no idea where I was being dragged to.”

Recognition flashed in Laura’s eyes. “Oh, you must be ____! I’m glad you were able to join us after all!”

You looked at Clint and raised an eyebrow. He looked away sheepishly. “They, uh, weren’t given an option. But I couldn’t leave them to spend the week alone.”

Laura just nodded her head and came over, her hand reaching out. “I’m Laura. I usually hug when I greet people, but Clint told me you may not be ready yet.”

You shook her hand as your face grew warm. “Um, yeah. Sorry again to intrude on your family time.”

Laura smiled. “Honey, you are family now. Nat comes to every holiday since she also doesn’t have any family and now you’ve been welcomed in. Clint told me everything and I can’t stand the idea of someone not enjoying any homemade food or family time.”

Your face grew hot and your eyes shot down to your shoes. “Uh, thanks. I wasn’t expecting that.”

Laura gently reached over and placed a hand on your shoulder. “Why don’t you come with me into the kitchen? We’ll get you a drink and maybe you can lend a hand with dessert?”

“Uh, yeah. That would be great.” In the kitchen, she handed you a glass of wine. “Thank you. What, uh, what did you need help with?”

Laura blushed. “I’m embarrassed to say, but I forgot to make dessert. Would you possibly make something?”

“Yeah, sure. I love to cook. Is there anything I should know?”

“Only one thing. Our youngest, Nathan, is allergic to pumpkin so as long as it doesn’t have that you’re fine.”

You smiled at Laura. “I think I have an idea.”

As you slowly moved around the Barton’s kitchen taking inventory and grabbing equipment, Clint sat at the table to have a quiet conversation with Nat and Laura.

“Sorry this was so last minute, Laura. We had no idea they didn’t have any plans until today. They still has a hard time opening up about Josh in regards to certain things.”

“It’s quite alright, Clint. With what you’ve told me about them, they needs all the love we can give.”

Nat smiled over her glass of wine. “Whatcha making over there, KIddo?”

You glanced up with a smile. “Sorry, you’ll have to wait for Thanksgiving tomorrow to find out.”

Clint’s jaw dropped. “Oh, that’s just cruel.”

That night, Laura lead you upstairs and into one of the bedrooms. “Sorry, we don’t have more guest rooms, but I promise the bed is very comfortable.”

The room was nice with one bed in the middle and a dresser across the room. A rocker sat next to the closet. It was very quaint.

“Where will Nat sleep?”

“In Cooper’s room. We’re having the boys double up.”

“Oh,” you put your bag down by the bed and felt embarrassed that you had caused one of the kids to move rooms. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to misplace anyone by being here.”

Laura looked at you, her eyes softening. She slowly approached and placed her hands on your shoulders. “It’s nothing the boys can’t handle for one weekend. You’re family now and we want to give you the space you need to feel comfortable here at your own pace. Because this home is yours as well. Anytime you need space from the team, our door is open. No questions asked.”

Your face cracked and Laura instantly pulled you in as you cried. “But why? You don’t even know me.”

“I do. Because Clint does. He told me everything and if you hadn’t been an adult, I would have told him we were adopting you. I will not have a sweet person like you out there on your own. We can’t ever be Josh, but we hope we can fill the hole a little bit.”

You pulled back and Laura gently wiped your tears away. “Thank you.”

“Of course. Now get some rest. We have a big day of eating tomorrow.”

You laughed and then sniffed away the last of your tears. “Will do.”

The next day, Laura was busy in the kitchen and wouldn’t let you help, insisting you had done enough by making the dessert for later. So you wandered around the house until you ended up outside where Clint was teaching his daughter how to use a bow and arrow while his boys were chasing each other all over the vast field.

“Sleep well?”

You looked over to find Nat on the porch swing. Nodding your head, you sat down next to her. “Laura was right: that bed was really comfortable.”

Nat handed you a glass. “Eggnog?”

You raised an eyebrow but took the glass. “Isn’t it a little early?”

She laughed quietly. “First of all, there are no rules on a holiday. Second, this is the kid-friendly kind. We safe the bourbon one for after the kids go down.”

“Good call.”

Clint looked over to watch you both laugh. “Hey, is that the glass Laura brought out for me?”

“No idea what you’re talking about.” You took a deliberate sip as you looked at him.

He narrowed his eyes as you and Nat busted out laughing.

The morning went quickly and soon you were back inside gathering around the kitchen and the dining table. You made your way over to Clint and handing him a glass of eggnog.

“Peace offering.”

He chuckled. “Accepted.”

“Thanks for dragging me out of the compound. I’d probably be sulking in my room right now, wondering if it was worth it to steal Bucky’s snacks.”

Clint belly laughed at that. “Not gonna lie, that would have been hilarious to hear about from Nat. And see the pictures of you running from him.”

“Traitor.”

“Seriously though, kid. I’m glad you came. You’ve become like a sibling to me and Nat and I would never forgive myself if we had left you alone.”

There was a pause from you. “I’m still not telling you what the dessert is.”

“Damnit!”

The meal went quicker than you expected and soon you were bringing out your contribution.

“A pie?” Clint looked at you incredulously. “You hid a pie from us?”

“Not just any pie.” You plopped a slice onto a plate and handed it to him. “Caramel apple. Our mother’s recipe. She would make this every year for us.”

It was quiet around the table before Clint spoke up. “Thank you for sharing this with us.”

You gave him a soft smile. “It’s like you said: we’re family now.”

#fanfic #fan fic #requests #request list #anon request #family man #marvel #marvel cinematic universe #platonic #clint barton #clint barton x gn!reader #gn!reader #gender neutral reader

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merryfortune · 4 years ago

Text

Saving the Best for Last

Relationship: Asuka/Manatsu

Fandom: Tropical Rouge Pretty Cure

Word Count: 2.1k

Tags: Canon Compliant, Missing Scene Fic, Fluff, Pre-Slash, Pining, Coda

Synopsis: Manatsu wants to thank Asuka for inspiring her to try something new with her eating habits.

Manatsu could almost feel her reflexes fighting against her as she moved her chopsticks towards the simmered pumpkins that she had prepared over her usual selection of eating her favourite meat patty first. It was so incredibly tempted to switch back to her normal habits but Manatsu was strong and it was totally worth it. Both for Asuka’s sake, of trying something new, but also for the sake of her mother found it amusing but welcome to see Manatsu change things up.

Her mother delighted to enjoy the simmered pumpkins between them both first. She beamed as she enjoyed them; they were a little wonky regarding flavour and texture but as Manatsu’s mother, Aoi couldn’t have been prouder that her daughter wanted to take up more responsibility around the house and was even taking so much initiative. It made her heart swell and so, she happily ate the simmered pumpkin. Seeing how much hard work Manatsu had put into making it all made it all the tastier.

Very quietly, to herself, Manatsu was aware of the flaws in what she had prepared for herself and her mother, but she ate eagerly regardless. It mightn’t have been her mother’s cooking, but it was her own and she was proud of that. Not to mention, when she had finally eaten through all her side dishes – the cherry tomatoes and the broccoli and even the omelette – the hamburger patty really did taste fantastic at the end of it.

Manatsu couldn’t believe it. Asuka’s advice was unreal. Maybe patience really was a virtue after all. She had been a little bit worried that her meat patty might have cooled down too much but she guess that wasn’t really a problem given how she had devoured her side dishes in preparation of her main course. And it really was worth it. It was a little bit burnt on the underside but Manatsu ate it enthusiastically, nonetheless. It was super tasty with all the other merged flavours of the previous side dishes on her palette.

She just had to thank Asuka later. Her smile permeated the whole of her demeanour as she swallowed down her meat patty.

“You look happy with yourself.” her mother chipperly piped up – and interrupting her reveries.

Manatsu’s eyes went wide and she could have choked on her own spit. She could feel the warm blush in her cheeks and now her ears and it was just getting worse as she realised, she was daydreaming about her friend before her mother had spoken. Aoi, however, only laughed.

“Nothing wrong with enjoying your own food, it’s a good skill to have, believe it or not. Especially when you’re just starting out and experimenting, you don’t want to waste food after all.” Her mother made blithe conversation.

Manatsu giggled awkwardly, pinching tightly onto her chopsticks and tried desperately hard not to think about the fact that she had been thinking about Asuka. She very much wanted to believe the hot blush she felt was because she had been interrupted daydreaming and nothing else. And its not like it was a weird daydream or anything.

She was just thinking about Asuka. Asuka and her pretty, shiny, long, red hair. And her pretty purple eyes which were always so sharp and intense. It was intruging. But enough of that. What Manatsu was really thinking about – and definitely not Asuka’s nimble hands or her tall, fit physique – was that she wanted to practice saying thank you to her very friend. It was kind of important, after all as Manatsu wasn’t exactly the most patient person in the world so Asuka being that anchor of serenity meant a lot to her. She hadn’t enjoyed a meal like this in so long and being so busy, especially with her own family, which was so much bigger than Manatsu’s, she just had to say thank you.

“Thanks for dinner, dear,” her mother said to her – Manatsu blinked, when had her mother cleared the table like that?! – having finished her plates, “I’ll wash up, if you like, it’s only fair.”

“N-No way!” Manatsu rebuked her, rocketing to her feet, making the dinner table tremble and rock in her wake. “You clean up all the time after all the tropica-shining dinners that you make so its only fair that I clean up after tonight!”

Her mother blinked. She hadn’t expected being roared at but given that Manatsu was offering to do chores, she didn’t mind too much. She laughed and let Manatsu go about to the kitchen to do the clean-up.

Manatsu grabbed all the crockery and cutlery off the table to all but immediately dump it in the sink. She all but ripped the faucet out as she tried to turn it on and was incredibly aggressive as she scrubbed them down with hot, soapy water. But at least the job got done quickly and more surprisingly, thoroughly. Her mother was very impressed to see the various plates sparkle once Manatsu was done with them.

“Good job.” she praised her.

Manatsu sighed. She drooped with exhaustion. “Thanks, Mum.”

“Off to bed now, I take it?” she asked.

Manatsu nodded.

She had wanted to do more but scrub the dishes clean, she wanted to scrub her mind of all her over-thinking. It was totally unlike her, but it was really frazzling her. It was bizarre just how thinking about and daydreaming about thanking Asuka for something so cosmically insignificant in the grand scheme of things was doing this to her. So, just as exuberantly as she had marched to the kitchen, Manatsu marched to her room to go to bed.

Even Laura found it strange.

Manatsu tore off her evening clothes and got into her pyjamas, trying to force her head through her sleeve before realising that she had it around the wrong way – and also inside out.

Laura sighed. Humans were a different species to mermaids, and she found them rather incomprehensible and then there was Manatsu. Manatsu, Laura was fairly certain, was another species against compared to the other humans that she had since had the mixed pleasure of observing since emerging from the depths of the ocean in search of the Pretty Cure.

So, rather than flopping out of the Mermaid Aqua Pot to have some quality time with Manatsu who had finally, blessedly, figured out that her head was not supposed to be going into the sleeve of her sleep shirt, Laura settled back down into her own, clam shell-like bed with Kururun who yammered aloud with happy snoring. Laura felt the same. It had been a long day filled with good food and there was nothing better than going to sleep after a day like that.

Even Manatsu, for all her vigour and boundless enthusiasm, had to agree.

Though, she did wrestle with her sheets and her pillow a lot that night as she tried her very best not to think about how she was over thinking something as simple as wanting to say thank you to Asuka.

To no surprise at all, Manatsu woke up the following morning looking like a visible wreck. She had bags under eyes and the usual pep to her step wasn’t quite there. Fortunately, unlike most people who had had a horrid sleep the night before, Manatsu had the advantage of being Manatsu and by the time she had her breakfast, drunk some water, and brushed her teeth, she had more than perked up.

With little resistance, Manatsu was ready for school so she grabbed the Mermaid Aqua Pot from atop her desk and bolted out the door thereafter. She heard Laura shrieking in protest of being manhandled so carelessly Manatsu hardly cared. It was far too important that she arrived at school early so that she could catch Asuka before classes.

With the Mermaid Aqua Pot stuffed in her schoolbag, Manatsu came flying past the school gates and in the blur of the wind and the scenery, she caught a glimpse of red. Shiny, sparkling red. And her heart leapt to her throat. Asuka.

Manatsu smiled a wriggling smile as she cooled off her hot heels. She swerved hard at the tip of how straightforward careening through the quadrangle so she could catch up to Asuka who was still standing by the gates, looking bewildered and gobdmacked at the tornado that had just past her by.

Manatsu smiled wonkily as she ignored Laura’s complaints about her royal chariot was treating her this morning as she approached Asuka. Stiff-legged and eyes wide.

“Okay…. Someone’s acting a little strange this morning,” Asuka said in lieu of a greeting.

Manatsu laughed, straightening up her back and toying with her hair, all shoddily putt up in her usual ponytail but there was bubbles and streaks amid it. “Good morning, Asuka.” Her tone was dragged on.

“Good morning to you to, Manatsu,” Asuka replied, and she folded her arms, her brow quirked, “I have a feeling you want something from me? Something that can’t wait until club activities, it seems.”

“Yep!” Manatsu chirped. “I, er, wanted to say thank you. For yesterday.”

“Oh, yeah, no worries.” Asuka said and she flashed a simmering smile. “I had fun too, teaching everyone to cook.”

“Oh! Um, not that specifically but thank you again for doing it.” Manatsu said. “I tried it last night. Saving the best ‘til last, that is. And it was super-duper delicious. More delicious than usual. Thank you.”

Asuka’s eyelashes fluttered as she was thanked for such an unusual but small thing. She smiled shyly.

“Thanks, Manatsu, and, um, funnily enough…” Her voice trailed off, so she had to clear her throat. “I tried your style of eating last night too.” She confessed quietly.

“No… way…” Manatsu gasped.

“Yes, way.” Asuka laughed awkwardly. “And it turns out, I do prefer my style of eating my favourite things last but its really cute how you put your passions first rather than making them last. I feel like I understand you a bit better now.”

Manatsu blinked. “Really?”

“Really.” Asuka smiled.

“Thanks…” Manatsu smiled too. A big and huge smile that made her eyes truly shine – and that almost detracted from the fact that her cheeks had gone a bit red too.

“Anyways, I was going to help out with the soccer club this morning, they wanted an extra hand to re-pump up some balls and, well, I couldn’t say no for some reason so if you would excuse me but you did catch me at a good time.” Asuka said.

“Yeah, sure go ahead.” Manatsu replied.

Asuka’s arms slipped down from in front of her, she put one hand on her hip and said, “See you later at club activities. I’m looking forward to them more and more.”

“Me too.” Manatsu agreed eagerly. “See you later.”

Asuka smiled and she nodded her head. She sashayed off and Manatsu watched. She felt her heart throb in her chest and was becoming all too aware of just how red her face was getting. Almost as red as Asuka’s hair, she would reckon.

Sighing, Laura poked her head of both Manatsu’s pocket and the dimensional window of the Mermaid Aqua Pot, “You are behaving rather irregularly this morning, Manatsu, just what has…?” Laura’s voice trailed off as she took note of Manatsu’s demeanour. She nodded her head sagely. “Oh, I see now. Someone’s been pinched by the crab.”

“Huh? What crab?” Manatsu asked, all but jumping out of her skin. She didn’t feel pinched by a crab.

Laura just laughed knowingly. “You know… the crab. The one that makes people behave irregularly, even people like you, Manatsu.”

“I don’t get it.” Manatsu whined.

“In due time,” Laura said, “now don’t you have a classroom to get to? Perhaps some homework to do, I don’t recall you doing any last night and didn’t you mention, the day before, there would be a pop quiz today?”

From one extreme – tomato red – to another – white as a piece of paper – Manatsu’s face changed. She had totally forgotten about that pop quiz; she was originally planning to study last night but then things changed because of the Yarane-da and, of course, because she couldn’t stop thinking about Asuka. Manatsu groaned and felt all her energy deflate.

“Let’s go to the library and study there, yeah?” Manatsu suggested.

“It’s your test, not mine.” Laura pointed out before disappearing back into the depths of her mobile home.

Manatsu then wandered off, just hoping she wouldn’t fail if she threw everything that she could at that test but it sure was weird these past couple days. She was happy too though. She had tried Asuka’s way of eating and apparently Asuka had tried her way, even if it did fail her a bit. It still got her heart racing, perking her up even on the brink of scholastic disaster.

She still didn’t get what Laura meant by being pinched as Manatsu most definitely did not feel pinched. Even in a pinch like this one.

#femslash #tropical rouge pretty cure #precure #tropical rouge #cure summer #cure flamingo #asuka x manatsu #manatsu x asuka #manatsu natsumi #natsumi manatsu #asuka takizawa #takizawa asuka #writing tag #saving the best for last

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luccislegs · 5 years ago

Note

ok luna first of all,, i lof u hard :sadcat: second of all, can i pls (very self indulgently) request poly hcs for sanji/reader/sabo bc i love them very much and also i just wanna date them both. perhaps just like “how they met” + cute relationship hcs if that’s ok!! nsfw is optional bc i know that’s a lot but u know i lof me some good smut,, anyways once again i love u and i’ll talk to u soon uwu

okay no queen, i lof u way harder. trust me. and you can have anything you want from me, all you have to do is ask :sadcat:

Sanji was extremely confused when he first met Sabo. He’d been friends with Luffy for a long time before finally meeting his older brother, who had been traveling overseas for a few years. So when he finally did meet him, it was like a swift kick to the stomach as he laid eyes on him. Sanji had always fawned over women and, other than Ace, had never had that reaction to another man. And with Ace, it was always ignored.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t ignore it this time because he wanted to spend time with you and you wanted to spend time with Sabo. It had been far too long since you got to spend time with your friend and, though you’d known each other since childhood, years apart had sparked a new emotion in your. And when you ran to him in the airport, throwing your arms around him, he buried his face in your hair and held tight, unwilling to let go.

When he finally did, he pulled back and marveled at you. “Wow, Laura ___, you look amazing. It’s been a long time. You’re taller,” he said, ruffling your hair. But the familiar touch was shadowed by the look of amazement in his eyes, as if he was confused or mesmerized by your face. The intense look caused you to flush, and he stuck by your side all the way through the airport, causing Luffy to pout at his single-minded focus (as if Luffy hadn’t done that exact same thing to other people innumerable times), and all through dinner his eyes remained locked on you.

Not that you were faring any better. He now sported a scar over his eye, which he gave the story behind over several bowls of ramen. Luffy’s friends had met up with them outside the restaurant and Sabo took notice of the attractive blond right away. Not as much as ___ of course but, he could appreciate. When he found himself seated across from the blond– who’s name he learned was Sanji– and ___, he slowly grew to like the other man.

His plans were to settle down in town instead of setting off on a new adventure, wanting to spend time with his family after so long away. He moved in with Luffy and Law for a time, at least until a room opened up with Sanji when Zoro moved in with Okiku.

That was…an interesting dynamic. Sabo knew of his penchant for fawning over women and he certainly did it more to ___ than anyone else. But the attention paid to Sabo himself was also intense, giving the same vibes as his fawning but quieter, as if he was unsure. It was very fun for Sabo– who knew himself already– to tease him about it, asking him if he liked the view or if he had something on his face as he leaned closer to Sanji’s face.

You spent a lot of time at their place. The “something” between you and Sabo had morphed from longing looks to casual and lingering touches; hand-holding, cuddling on the couch, and dinner dates were common now. Sanji often found the two of you like that and was overcome with a look of longing. Living with Sanji gave rise to more powerful feelings and now when he looked at his roommate, he was filled with the same amused fondness he felt for you.

At first, Sanji felt a lot of jealousy for the man who had your attention. In the days leading up to Sabo’s return, you did nothing but talk about him. “Sabo this, Sabo that, Sabo everything,” and Sanji couldn’t stand it. Couldn’t you see how much he wanted your attention? And then Sabo actually showed up and…well it wasn’t quite like a switch flipped but all those nasty thoughts were muted and, no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t dislike the blond.

As for you, you were unaware of Sanji’s true interest in you. You were so used to him fawning over literally any woman in his vicinity that it was near impossible to tell the difference between his infatuation with them and his true feelings for you. So you allowed him to do his usual thing, ignoring the fluttering in your chest whenever he paid attention to you and the disappointment you felt when he would turn around and give that other woman the same.

It’s actually Sabo that brings up a poly relationship. He mentions it casually one night while the three of you are hanging out watching TV. With you curled up on his chest, his fingers wound loosely in your hair, he mentions a couple he got involved with while he was overseas, telling you that it was the easiest thing in the world.

At first, it sounds strange, trying to balance a threeway relationship between you. You hesitantly point out that Sanji doesn’t view you that way, and the cook is quick to put a stop to that. The words are out of his mouth before he can stop to decide whether they’re the right ones or not. “That isn’t true, ___. I’ve loved you for a long time.”

In the silence that followed, you could have heard a pin drop. Hope flared hot in your chest as you stared at Sanji. You couldn’t see it, but Sanji could read the soft amusement in Sabo’s face, reaching out with his hand to lay it on Sanji’s wrist. His fingers tapped a gentle rhythm, soothing Sanji’s flustered frustration as you processed his confession.

“You really mean it, Sanji? You aren’t just saying that because– because I love you too, you know. I have for a long time,” you said, crawling from Sabo’s arms and kneeling next to Sanji on the couch. Sabo squeezed his wrist once and then let go, leaning back to watch the scene before him play out. It wasn’t exactly what he was expecting, but it was better.

“Yes, I mean it. When you told me Sabo was coming home, you seemed to happy and I got jealous. But nothing’s changed. Except now– maybe, Sabo–” At this, Sanji stumbles, looking at the other blond staring at him calmly. The amusement is still there, faintly condescending in a way that everyone who knows him gets used to after a while.

“I’ve noticed, Sanji. You make it pretty obvious, being honest,” Sabo said, saving Sanji from his flustered stuttering. “I feel the same, but we should probably take it slow. Don’t wanna rush too much into it.” He yanked you back into his chest, nuzzling your hair and flashing Sanji a mischievous grin. His fingers wrapped around Sanji’s wrist and tugged, forcing the man to follow lest his arm come out of it’s socket. “Then again, I think we’ve waited long enough.”

general relationship:

Sabo is a brat. He wants his way all the time, and he’s going to get it. He’s very good at it too, and sometimes that leads to problems when he forces or tricks you and Sanji into doing something you don’t really want to do. After a while, you and Sanji grow tired of it and bring it up to him and when it’s laid out to him from your point of view, he understands that he may have pushed you too far. He’s sincere in his apology to you two and, though it isn’t an overnight change, he works on it more. When you say no, the three of you reason it out and decide if it’s fair.

Sanji never stops his fawning over other women. Sometimes, usually at Sabo’s behest, he comes to find you when you’ve been really down and just dotes on you. No one else with you, no other women, you just lay in bed or on the couch, or go out to dinner or for a stroll. Sometimes he’ll cook you your favorite meals and deliver it to you restaurant style, giving the two of you an intimate meal. He eventually learns that, no matter how beautiful he may find other women, he needs to make you his priority, and to feel more beautiful than all those other women combined. He’s very good at it when he puts his mind to it.

Sabo is pretty laid back about your relationship. He doesn’t have any interest in being with anyone outside of you and Sanji, but he doesn’t mind if the two of you step out. One thing he absolutely demands is open communication. If you or Sanji do find someone, you need to tell your other partners before you just step out. That being said, neither of you are interested, so it’s a moot point.

Sabo tends to…burn things when he cooks. Sanji does not like him being in the kitchen alone. On the other hand, the three of you have fun cooking together. Sanji is obviously good at it and is willing to teach you. It becomes a tradition to spend Friday nights cooking new recipes Sanji has created or happened to find, tweaking them to your liking.

Sabo and Sanji both are very open in their affection. PDA is a pretty big thing, even if it’s just holding hands. Sabo is a little more lax about it than Sanji, though, pulling you into his lap at any opportunity, kissing you passionately in the middle of a crowd, holding you possessively when someone he doesn’t care for is watching with too much interest. Sanji is, oddly enough, more calm and classy. Forehead kisses, hand kisses, keeping you close in a crowd as he leads the way through it, holding open doors for you. Sabo picks up on those habits even if he doesn’t realize it and starts to do them for you as well. When you point it out to him and Sanji, the latter laughs while the other looks puzzled for a moment before he realizes it’s true and chuckles, telling you not to get used to it.

Sanji is the one that does most of the cleaning. Sabo is, unfortunately, a bit of a slob and leaves you and Sanji to pick up the slack. If you ask him to help you, he’s more than willing, but he doesn’t just do it on his own. It’s a bit tiring but he starts working on it when he realizes it’s actually very rude and inconsiderate to the two of you. He may not just pick things up on his own, but once he sees the two of you starting to get moving, he’s quicker to join in and help.

nsfw:

Sanji is a bit hesitant at first to engage with Sabo. He’s just unsure of what to do, still confused about how strongly he feels for the other man. He’s got a lot of repression due to his past. But Sabo is somehow both patient and teasing, not pushing Sanji more than he’s comfortable but also making it known that he’s ready and willing whenever Sanji is. It’s slow going and on your part, you encourage Sanji as much as possible as well.

Sabo is pretty much dominant in this relationship. With Sanji’s insecurity and Sabo’s personality, he takes charge. He’s also very ambitious. He’s fucked you in every room of the house at least once and he intends to do so again. If you’re in the kitchen cooking, he has no qualms about turning the stove off and having a quickie on the counter. He’s also not above stealing into the shower with you– preferably scaring the crap out of you in the process– and taking you from behind until the water runs cold. (Sanji does not appreciate.)

Sanji on the other hand is a total gentleman. Almost always wants to have sex in bed and takes it nice and slow, making sure you’re thoroughly satisfied before seeking his own pleasure. Sometimes he’ll go really extravagant: rose petals on the bed, candles lit, soft romantic music. It ends the same way though, with you over-sensitized and him very smug.

When Sabo and Sanji get together, they feed off of each other. Sanji isn’t very teasing, but Sabo is and when Sanji sees you writhe in Sabo’s arms, he’s instantly hard. There’s something about the way you beg for more that makes him want to both snatch you from Sabo and pleasure you but also ghost his fingers over every inch of your body to hear more of those sweet sounds. That teasing extends to Sanji as well. Sabo very much enjoys tying Sanji up while he takes you, asking Sanji how the view is, if he wants a turn, does he like what Sabo is doing to you.

The first time together for Sanji and Sabo is actually very sweet. Sabo, for all his teasing, really does like Sanji and wants to make it memorable, but he understands Sanji is hesitant. With a lot of cajoling, they get down to it and it’s slow and tender, much different than Sabo’s usual teasing. There’s still a lot of it, but it’s not fast paced. He’s taking his time, asking if Sanji likes what he’s doing, what he likes, if he wants to try this or that. By the end of it, he’s got Sanji wrapped around his finger but the way Sanji begs and pleads has got him just as wrapped.

#sabo the revolutionary #sabo x reader #vinsmoke sanji #sanji vinsmoke x reader #sabo x sanji #sabo x reader x sanji #one piece headcanons #one piece smut

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george-mackay-macfine · 4 years ago

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Dear Diary Prt. 12

December 18th, 2011

Dear Diary,

My date with Tom was yesterday, He’s really nice. He made me feel comfortable, even being in his flat.

We didn’t do anything yesterday, we just made out. Drank some wine and he dropped me home. We’ve got another date planned for when I get home from Christmas break.

December 19th, 2011

Dear Diary,

Is it premeditated murder if you have a good reason to kill someone? Or could it be classified as a crime of passion?

Because I’m about to commit a murder, but it’d be passionate.

Dean, the bloody idiot, has invited Tom over for dinner tomorrow night, with my cooking…

It’s almost like he wants my relationship with Tom to end where it is right now, one night over dinner, and some sweet kisses.

Not only do I have to cook for Tom, but I also have to cook for Henry, Jordan, Harry, Dean, Charlotte and George.

And it’s all thanks to Dean Chapman, the bastard.

They’d tried to reassure me, calming words of ‘You’ll be fine Y/N,’ and ‘Don’t worry Y/N, we’ll order some Indian from the place down the road, put it in some pots and pans, and we’ll say you cooked it… Fake it till you make it right?’

But I’m freaking out,

I like him, I don’t want to poison him!

December 20th, 2011

Dear Diary,

It’s one o’clock in the morning, so technically it’s the 21st, not the 20th, but I’m recounting the events of the day, and it’s my diary so I can do that.

It started off, Okay...

Four PM

“So spaghetti bowl,” Henry began standing beside me in the kitchen. “Super easy, You can’t mess it up,”

“Remember, she burned nacho’s,” Jordan called from the couch with Dean, eyes fixated on the television,

“Don’t forget the soup incident,” Dean added. I turned to Henry unable to control the tremble in my bottom lip.

“I’m going to kill him, he’s going to come here and eat my food and he’s going to die, and then I’m going to die alone and sad.” I cried falling against the counter, head hitting heavy.

“Hey now,” Henry soothed hand rubbing against my back, “We don’t know if you’ll kill him,”

“Henry,” I cried sitting up turning to glare at my friend who was snorting through laughter. “I need new friends,”

“Do you though?” I heard George ask as he pranced through the door, “You’re going to love me,”

“Us,” Harry corrected rolling his eyes, leaning back against the door. “He means you’re going to love us,”

“Why?” I moaned head dropping against the bench again, “Are you magically going to teach me how to cook,”

“Better,” I could hear the smirk in George’s voice, “Harry and I are going to cook for you,” I burst up, eyes glowing with the possibility of a saving Y/N.

“Really?” I looked between the pair,

“You really like him Y/N?” Harry asked still leaning against the door,

“Yeah, I do,” I think I do,

“Then yeah,” Harry nodded his head, “We’re gonna help you,”

“You go for a walk, study or something we’ve got this.” George walked over to me and pulled me out of the kitchen, pushing a coat into my hands.

“You sure,”

“Jordan, go with her,” He added still pushing me.

“Why me?”

“Do you want to cook?” Harry drawled out, bored. “Go buy some nice wine,”

“We can do wine, right Y/N?” I turned to Jordan as George pushed me into Harry. He grabbed me by the waist and held me upright,

“We can,” I nodded. “I think we can, at least,”

“I can help with wine?” Dean offered also standing, “I don’t really want to cook,”

“What if we don’t want you coming with us?” Jordan chuckled pushing Dean back onto the settee.

“Then I say a massive fuck you, and I’m coming anyway,” He stood up smirking at Jordan before walking towards me. “We can teach Y/N how to drive,”

“Really think that’s the best idea?” Jordan whispered loudly to him, “We don’t know what type of driver she is,”

“A bad one,” I substituted, “I’m fine not driving, honestly,” I looked up to Harry and smiled, “Really nice offer, but maybe I’m supposed to be one of those people who just never drives,”

“I’ll teach you one day,” He whispered in my ear, “You guy’s better get going,”

“He’s right, and then when you get back you will be smelling the most delicious meal of your life,” George smirked, “This dish helped me win the heart of Laura Francis,” He looked over to me, “Remember her Y/N,”

“How can I forget,” Laura Francis was the most popular girl at my school, and her popularity only exploded when she hooked up with George,

“Had her begging,” He chuckled to Dean, I really did not want to listen to George talk about his former conquests. “Whatever happened to her?” George asked pulling me over to wrap his arms around me.

“Not too sure,” I smiled up at him, Don’t do this Y/N.

You like Tom.

Why are we lying to each other,

You like George.

“Let’s go!” I clapped, pulling away from him quickly, “Time’s a-wasting,”

“See you when you get back,” Henry called from the kitchen. “Don’t be too long,”

“You got it,” Jordan saluted as we walked out the door. “Should we walk?”

“Do you want to tread snow?”

“I kind of like snow,” I muttered back to Dean who shook his head,

“We’ll drive,” Dean tossed the keys back and forth between their hands. “Should we get some snacks as well? Maybe we can play games after,”

“Sure,”

Five PM

“What else is on the list?” Jordan asked as he pushed the trolley up and down the isles behind Dean and I, “Do we even have a list?”

“No,” Dean replied as he stared at the miscellaneous snack food items. When he thought Jordan and I weren’t paying attention he’d place a few boxes of snacks into the cart like a child, “Maybe some chips?”

“Dean you’ve already added in six bags,” Jordan picked up a handful, “I think we’re good with chips,”

“Dean you’ve already added in six bags, I think we’re good with chips,” Dean mimicked Jordan with an annoying smirk on his lips,

“We need wine,” I muttered as I looked over the boxes aimlessly, “We should hurry, or we’ll miss dinner,”

“We’re going,” Dean and Jordan cried together,

Five Thirty PM

“You guy’s they’re going to be home any minute and it’s all burnt.” Henry’s voice cried out through the door. Jordan, Dean and I all stopped and lent towards the wooden door.

“It’s not my fault. Who knew oil was so flammable.” George cried as a bang rand out through the apartment.

“Everyone George,” Harry moaned.

“I think we need to see what’s happening,” I pushed open the door, smoke billowing out around us.

“We got the wine,” Jordan called as I held the door open for him and Dean, “Lots of it,”

“Someones getting fucked up tonight!” Dean cried carrying the bags full of chips in behind him.

“Oh my god,” My mouth fell open as I looked at the kitchen, Henry, Harry and George were covered in flour, and the kitchen was even worse. “I thought you guys knew how to cook,”

“We do,” Henry replied shaking flour out of his hair, “We just didn’t equate to George being a fuckin’ menace.”

“I didn’t mean too,”

“Oh my god what am I going to do, he’s going to be here in under an hour,” I began to become frantic, running my hands through my hair, “He’s going to show up, and there’s only going to be wine and chips,” I shook my head. “This is going to be the worst night,”

“Y/N,” Harry called, “Don’t worry I’ll order in some food, and we’ll explain to Tom,” He picked up his phone, “Just… go get ready, and don’t freak out, alright everything is going to be fine.”

“Okay,” I nodded my head. “Okay,” I walked to my bedroom shutting the door behind me, “Just get dressed, everything will be fine,”

“Babe?” George’s voice called through the door, I moved away pulling it open so he could walk inside, “You okay?” I nodded my head, “You really like him don’t you?”

“I think so?”

“You think so?” He chuckled walking into the room, the door shutting behind him. “You don’t know?”

“Not yet, it’s too early to tell,”

“How’d you know with what’s his face,”

“You mean Julian?”

“Yeah, him,”

“I don’t know, Sarah said it was a good idea I date him, so I did, and then when I didn’t sleep with him… well, we both know how that turned out,”

“You want to sleep with this guy?”

“I don’t know, maybe?”

“Y/N,” He shook his head a soft smile coming to his lips.

“What?”

“I wish you didn’t say that,”

“Say what?”

“That you maybe wanted to sleep with him,”

“Why?” I whispered suddenly feeling like the air in the room was all to thin for my liking, George pushed himself away from the door and walked towards me, pulling me into him, his hands going to my hair, pushing it behind my ears as he held onto me.

“Because deep down, I’m still hoping you’ll give me the shot I don’t deserve,”

All you’d have to do was ask,

“But then I remember, your worth more to me as my best friend, than as a girl I slept with once,”

Slept with once,

“Friends?”

“Always,” He whispered kissing my forehead, “Now get yourself ready for dinner,”

That was it Diary,

Dinner was fine,

Tom said he enjoyed the evening and gave me a kiss farewell, making plans to see me again once I return from Christmas break,

And my mind wouldn’t stop running circles over George.

#george mackay #georgemackay #george mackay fanfic #george mackay imagine #george mackay smut #Harry Styles #Harry Styles x Reader #HarryStyles #Harry Styles Imagine #Harry Styles Fanfic

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doof-doofblog · 4 years ago

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"I Think You're My Dad!"

Monday 5th October 2020

Good evening everyone! I hope you've all had an enjoyable weekend! I'm so happy to be back posting about a fresh new week on the Square. I'm not going to waste any of your time, let's just get right to it shall we? The episode starts this evening with Linda, obviously reeling from the events the night before. But what is she more guilty about, kissing Max or having a gulp of alcohol?! Mick and Tina join her in the living room, Tina also appears to reeling from the night before. I love the way she comes in complaining about how Frankie has been giving her the eyes all week, end up rejecting her as soon as she makes a move - and of course while Tina is talking about this, the only thing Linda has to say is "Just because you enjoy someone's company doesn't mean you need to stick your tongue down their throat!" - she's obviously speaking about herself and Max there! I love that, how it links with both Linda's situation and Tina's situation, it's brilliant! As Linda leaves the room, she suggests cooking a meal for both her a Mick that night. The next section, Tina is trying to understand why Frankie would give her the cold shoulder, as she's discussing it to Mick, he is - as nicely as possible, trying to persuade Tina to stay away, but Tina takes the conversation completely the wrong way and thinks that Mick is suggesting that Frankie is just shy, Tina then comes to the conclusion that Frankie absolutely fancies her! Is this still going to end in heartbreak for Tina?

At the Atkins household, Mac is trying to wake his Father up. We can see from the state of the room that Gray has been looking through some paper work, is it about Chantelle or could it in fact be revolving around Whitney's upcoming trial? The boy is trying to wake his Dad up, as he is absolutely flat out on the bedroom floor! Something tells me that Gray isn't coping, isn't coping under the pressure of trying to hide the fact that he murdered his wife? The fact the he has Whitney's trail coming up soon? Or is he just simply still grieving for his wife as regretting his huge mistake? As his son shouts at him to wake him, his phone begins to ring ... from what I can make out, the paperwork spread out on the bed, definitely has something to do with Whitney's trial!

At the Panesar's, Suki and Ash are discussing both Kheerat and Vinny. As Suki enters the room she is carrying a basket of dirty laundry. She asks her daughter whether she has seen her brother, Ash informs her that he didn't come back to the house until the early hours of the morning. Kheerat is still devastated about Chantelle, he's still grieving for the woman he grew to love. As Suki is saying that Kheerat needs to move on, (of course she's such a disheartening woman) - she finds Jag's jeans with a blood stain on the bottom, Martin's blood. You can she is absolutely livid, she frets that what if the police had searched the flat and found his stained jeans, the family could've been in huge trouble. Ash tells her not to worry, but I think deep down, Suki is thinking about teaching her son a lesson. As this is happening, Jags is at the restaurant with Habiba, she is praising him of how proud she is of him finally standing up to his Mum, as she is complimenting her boyfriend, Iqra sees them from a distance, it's clear to her that they have been dating, she's glad to see her sister looking happy, she suggests to them to finally come out and make their relationship public, much to Jag's surprise, Habiba agrees and sets a time to tell Jags' family.

At the Mitchell household, it looks as if Phil is running past Callum some things he wants him to check out at the police station, does he want to know how much the police have on him? No matter how small it may be! As Callum agrees, Ben enters the room, to which Phil responds to leaving the room. Ben knows that his Dad his boyfriend to do something. Callum reveals that actually he wants him to check all the files of Raymond's adoptive family, clearly this is going to be Phil's way of getting all the information that he needs to set up a case for maybe fighting for custody? Ben's concern is Callum could lose his job if he keeps helping his Dad, but he reassures his boyfriend that everything will be under control.

Meanwhile, at the Prince Albert, Tina is finally catching up with Frankie. She informs her of how great and successful her Drag Bingo night was! At first the conversation between them both seems friendly, they're both smiling and laughing. It's only when Tina turns to conversation around and mentions her advances the night before, Frankie starts to go cold, Tina tries to reassure her that it's okay to be shy, she in fact finds it really cute. Frankie stands her ground and insists that she's not shy, something is possibly telling me that Frankie isn't really gay? Or maybe she is but yet knows she can't get too close to Tina? I'm unsure. As soon as Tina mentions the photos that Frankie has taken of her and her family, Tina plays - thinking it's because she has a crush on her and reaches for the camera on the side of the bar. As she does so, Frankie lunges towards it at the same time and the camera ends up falling off the bar counter and smashes. Frankie is left devastated as Tina is more than apologetic.

Whilst this is happening, Max finds Linda in the laundrette, you can sense the awkwardness between them. Linda is clearly not wanting to be anywhere near Max right now, as Mick mentioned earlier in the soap, she was meant to be meeting up with Max and children so they could have a little play-date. As Max questions where she had been, Linda shrugs it off and uses the excuse of taking Ollie to school instead. This seems like a reasonable explanation, Max tries to apologise, insisting that what happened between them last night, he doesn't want to affect the children's friendship and play-dates. Linda assures him that the children will still have their time to play together, as he goes to leave the building, a tiny little voice emerges from the back, calling for his Mummy, we see the tiny silhouette of little Ollie. Max turns gets the message instantly as he looks at Linda, with that, he leaves.

Then at the Minute Mart, Suki and Vinny are discussing a message that Jags has sent them all, meeting at the Vic to show them something and begging them to not be angry. Vinny tries to assure his Mother that it'll be an apology for the way he behaved the night before. Suddenly, a Detective enters the shop, as they both clap eyes on him, Suki signals for Vinny to leave the room as she speaks with the Detective. It appears that due to no one coming forward or them not being able to find any form of finger-prints or DNA as to who attacked Martin Fowler and who broke into the shop, they will be closing the case and moving on to other things. Of course this is the news Suki has been waiting for! This must surely mean that Vinny is in the clear?! She puts on a front to the Detective and as she plays victim, but truthfully she'll be as pleased as punch!

The next scene, we're at Ruby's club where Gray is meeting his colleague, Laura. We learn from this meeting two things. One - Whitney's day in court is coming up, and two Chantelle's funeral is tomorrow! Gray is insistent that he is wanting to come to court to fight for Whitney, I guess you could say that he begs his colleague to let him take on Whitney's case. It's true that he's been doing everything he can to win Whitney's case and to stop her going to prison, he has been working so so hard, but Laura worries that he might not be in the right frame of mind, considering he's just lost his wife. But Gray is adamant, he makes the point that he has the rest of his life to grieve for Chantelle, if she'll just let him do this for Whitney. What do you think? I'm not sure what to think of this one, I could be completely wrong, but I think with all the stress and pressure that Gray is under right now, plus I guess you could say he is grieving to - I think he could potentially ruin Whitney's case and balls it all up! That's just my guess, but who knows what's going to happen? Will he be able to pull it off and help Whitney?!

Back at the Prince Albert, Tina is informing Mick about her encounter with Frankie. She tells him everything, on how she's feeling guilty and embarrassed for making a move on the poor girl, to then accidently causing her to smash her camera. Mick tells his sister again that it might be best if she was to stay away, but Tina goes on to mention to Mick the similarities between Frankie and the Carter family. Mainly Ollie, she mentions to him that Frankie supposedly had a younger brother who was Ollie's age, who was also autistic, as Mick is taking in all this information, I think he's come to realise there is something more dodgy about Frankie than he first realised. What is she playing at? What is her game and what does she want with the Carter family? As Mick is bringing together his thoughts about Frankie, Linda calls him, asking him to come an pick his son up. Little do we know that as she hangs up the phone, Frankie has appeared at the laundrette. Ollie is wanting to go to the park, so Frankie offers to take him, much to Linda's surprise. As a precaution, Linda asks her son if he feels comfortable going to the park with her, the little boy nods and Linda agrees to let Frankie take him. Is she making a big mistake? What is Mick going to think when he finds out? As this storyline goes on, I'm really intrigued to see what happens - I can't wait for Frankie's big reveal!

At the Vic, Habiba can be seen looking pretty nervous for what is about to happen. Vinny, Ash and Suki are waiting for Jags to turn up, they're speculating what Jag's news could be. As Suki makes herself comfortable, Jags enters the bar and approaches his family, he announces "I'd like to introduce my girlfriend!" he looks over and Habiba approaches them from the other end of the bar. Ash and Vinny are clearly in shock, Vinny - more disbelief! Ash's response is that her girlfriend, Habiba's sister, Iqra never mentioned anything to her. Habiba is shy and polite as she greets Suki with a cupcake. Suki looks at her up and down, asks the question whether they are serious about each other and that's when Jags and Habiba admit that they do in fact love each other. Everyone is visibly happy for the couple, all except Suki! We can see the glare in her eyes, but once again, she puts on a front and welcomes Habiba to the family. She insists that all that matters to her is her children's happiness, but as she leaves the Vic, we can see that she is less than impressed and chucks her cupcake in the bin!

Back at the Prince Albert, Mick sees Linda approaching, he notices that Ollie isn't with her. He asks whether Max has taken him to the park, but Linda then reveals that he's actually with Frankie. Mick's face drops! Of course, Linda can't understand why Mick is so concerned, she tells him that Frankie is good and she knows about autistic children, but that doesn't stop Mick in his tracks as he dashed off to collect his son. Meanwhile, Callum is shining Lexi's tap shoes all ready for her dance grading. Ben is surprised to his boyfriend at home, asking whether he should be working. Callum assures him that he wouldn't miss Lexi's dance for the world, he'll go to the police station tomorrow instead. He then goes on to explain to his boyfriend that, just because he's helping Phil out now and again, it doesn't mean that things have to change between them. He reveals that the only reason he's helping Phil out, is for Ben alone. As Ben goes to help his daughter find her dress, Callum gets a phone call - from what we can make out, the police station. It looks as if he's needed at the station promptly, he tries his best to explain that he can't do what they're asking him right now, but as he hears more he realises he has to leave. Could this mean he's going to miss Lexi's dance? Will there be more disappointment ahead for Ballum?

Back with Suki, we can see she's in cafe! At first I'm watching this feeling very confused, it looks like she's talking to herself? Is she trying to find the right words to say to Jags about his relationship with Habiba?! We hear her saying things such as looking after her children and not wanting them to make the wrong choices in life ... OH MY GOD! My jaw has just dropped!!! She's only gone and stitched her own son up for the attack on Martin!!! She's sat with the Detective and in a plain see-through bag, we can see Jag's blood-stained jeans. I don't know about you guys, but I think Suki has become one of the most nastiest females on the soap that we've seen for a long time! I don't think there's been an evil female since Janine, perhaps? Is Suki up there with Janine? Do you hate her as much as I do! I'd love to know your thoughts on Suki!

At the park, Mick has finally found Frankie with Ollie. Mick demands to know where Ollie is, Frankie points and we can see the young boy playing happily in the park. Frankie apologises for worrying him and assures him that Ollie is fine. But Mick is having none of her politeness, he knows something about her isn't quite right. He tries to be sympathetic with her, saying that how she losing a young brother must've been hard for her, but he needs to know what's going on. He decides to ask her all the important questions there and then, why is she so interested in their family? Why has she been leading Tina on? Frankie apologises for leading his sister on, she tries to simply say that she just wanted to be her friend, wanted to be Linda and Mick's friend also. But something doesn't fit right with Mick, why did she take the photos? Frankie realises that this conversation is beginning to escalate, she tells him to forget about it, but he simply can't. What does she want with his family? It's then that Frankie drops the huge bombshell - she believes that Mick could in actual fact be her Dad!

Now, as big as that reveal is! My first question is, who could is Frankie's mother? As far as I know, Mick as only ever been with Linda, as far as they've made out, they've been together since school? Mick and Linda are childhood sweethearts, right? So who the hell could be Frankie's mother? Did Mick perhaps cheat on Linda years back? Was it a one-off? Is Frankie the result of a one night stand? I know these are so many questions, but this is what's running through my mind at the moment! We know there's going to be a new character arriving in the Square, and they also have something to do with the Carter family, the name of the new character has not yet been revealed, all we know is that it's a female. Could she be Frankie's Mum?! It might make perfect sense, Frankie appears to be on her own at the moment, we don't know where she has come from or who her family are. Is EastEnders going to be working on a full story for Frankie, is she going to become a more regular part of the soap and have her own Mother move to the Square, just to make life hell for Mick and the Carter's? I think it makes perfect sense! I am so convinced that that is what is going to happen. I could be completely wrong, but I am so looking forward to seeing how Frankie's story progresses, I really like her character and I hope she'll be a part of the soap for the foreseeable future.

Please feel free to leave me message, I'd love to know your thoughts on tonight's episode. I'll be back tomorrow following Tuesday's episode. Goodnight and sweet dreams everyone! xXx

#eastenders #mickcarter #frankielewis #lindacarter #tinacarter #benmitchell #philmitchell #callumhighway #ballum #suki panesar #jags panesar #vinnypanesar #ashpanesar #habibaahmed #iqraahmed #maxbranning #martinfowler

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lightwoodreborn · 4 years ago

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Where We Left Off Part 1 ll Lighthale

Nasir arrived at the club dressed as Steen, which wasn't really that much a costume. He had an A-shirt with jeans. The only part that could really make people think he was as something were the glowing tattoos in each arm made luminous paint. However, that was what was important. What was important was finding Peter in this sea of sweaty men. He was dressed as Dominique the devil, so he shouldn't be too hard to find right?

Peter had just stopped talking to Ivan, hoping their conversation would make some seeds he had planted bloom in the future. Now all that he had to do was find his husband. It was a lot harder than he thought. The club was full of all kinds of scents and with the amount of people either, eyes would just not work. So he tried the next best thing. He texted the man and told him to focus on his voice. "Nasir." He called, hoping he was heard.

Nasir kept looking around and around until he felt his phone vibrate. He pulled out and understood the message. He closed his eyes and tried to separate every sound he heard and tried to focus on Peter's voice. It took a while, but once he got it he started to move, gently in between people until he reach Peter. "Talking about the devil." He teased.

Peter repeated his name over and over again until Nasir's scent became more apparent. Once he saw him he just smiled. "And you know what happens when you find them." Peter said. "You could have gone for a more sexier outfit. You look like how you usually do." Peter said before pulling him close to a hug.

"I know, I know." He smiled and then wrapped his arms around him once he was hugged. "But this is how he dresses. What do you want me to do? Take my shirt off?" He asked.

"Sure why not?" Peter smiled and went ahead and pushed Nasir's shirt over his head. He kept the shirt on his hand, but his eyes went to his husband's chest. "You didn't shave. I thought you would." Peter said and used his free hand to feel it.

Nasir didn't even get to protest Peter's actions. He just let him, but he didn't blush until Peter mentioned the body hair. "I...didn't think it should had been necessary." Nasir said and scratched the back of his neck. "It is sad that you had to, though why can't a demon have bodyhair too?" The werewolf asked.

Peter laughed and patted his husband's chest. "Nasir, I have to make the costume look good and bodypaint on body hair is a pain to get out. This is much easier. Don't worry, it will grow." He told him and poked his nose. "Want to dance?"

"I'll be happy to help." Nasir said with a chuckle, finally feeling his natural skin color return. He did like the body hair a lot, but Peter looked hot no matter what so he could deal. "Sure...just don't expect anything amazing. I was not trained in club dancing." Nasir said.

"Of course. You wouldn't miss a chance to worship my body now would you?" Peter teased and gently poked Nasir's nose. The werewolf however then rolled his eyes. "Even as a joke that's ridiculous. Come on. I'll show you how simply this is." He told him and grabbed his hand, bowed to him before he kissed the hand and started to take him to the dancefloor.

"Of course." Nasir said and tried to scratched his nose by scrunching his nose. Nasir then rolled his eyes when Peter bowed and kissed his hand. He knew he was mocking him. "Yeah, yeah. I'll make fun of you when you make a mistake" He said and allowed him to guide him to a good spot for them to dance.

"I don't mind. I have thick skin." Peter said with a chuckled. It was a little hard to find a spot. It was not just the lack of space, but also the lack of manners from everybody around. He had to nudge a few people here and there before they eventually found a good spot. "I think this works." He told him, staying close to his mate before starting to move his hips to the beat.

Nasir rolled his eyes again, but he found himself doing so even more at how rude some people were. He nearly cursed a few who glared at them. Good thing they found a space before he said something. "Lets hope so." He said and took a deep breath. Nasir then watched as Peter danced and wondered if he could do the same so he tried. Nobody could blame him for that right?

"It does." Peter said and chuckled as he saw Nasir dance. He wasn't bad, but nothing amazing either. He got closed and put his hand on his hip and tried to ease him into it, get him into the pocket of the beat. "Just follow my lead." He told him and kissed his cheek.

Nasir nodded and wrapped his arms around his neck so he was lock with him. He looked at Peter's hips and then at is feet and tried to follow his lead. After all of his years, Nasir had not come to dance at all so you could say this was his first. Incredible right? "Doing better?" He asked his husband and now dancer teacher.

Peter smiled when the younger wolf wrapped his arms around his neck. Didn't exactly make things easier, but it did it make it cuter. It was why he pecked his lips. "We are getting there." The older werewolf said. "Follow what I do and then once you feel like you are moving with the beat, you can let me go so we can dance more freely." Peter explained to him.

Nasir nodded again and kept his eyes at Peter's body. He found it amazing how a man like Peter, whose body was like a god's, could still move his hips like he did. One would think the beefier a man the more stiff he wuld be. Oh how wrong was that thought. Peter's hips move so well to the hip. It was not just hips though, it was his whole body as they were directed by his feet. "Where did you learn how to dance?" He asked him.

Usually looking down while dancing was white down-upon. However, since he was teaching Nasir how to dance he would let it pass. He did chuckle at the question however. "Experience, mostly but we werewolves do dance. Lets just say we have our movements to seduce others." Peter chuckled. Once he saw some hint of Nasir feeling the beat though he let him go. He held his hands however still. "Just follow my lead."

Nasir rolled his eyes at first, but it made sense that someone like Peter would know many things. He just didn't think this would be one of those. "I don't know if that's bullshit, but you can explain more about it later." He told him. The wolf then felt a bit pf panic when he was let go, but he trusted his husband. So he nodded and tried to copy him. .

"I will." He said, "But right now just focus on the music." Peter told him and then pulled him and turned him around so his back was facing his front. The older man then started to slightly grind on him. "You look might delicious by the way. Did I forget to mention that?" Peter told him as he put his hands on his hips again.

Nasir rolled his eyes as Peter pulled him and turned around. Why did he have to do that when he was finally getting it? That was what he thought. He did keep on moving and dancing, just not putting that much effort. "You did. Maybe it was all the delicious men around here that made you forget." Nasir said as a tease.

"Maybe" Peter purred and then nipped his earlobe. "I did actually reunited with an old friend and then also met one of yours." He said, a smirk coming out when he mentioned Nasir's friend. The reason why it was because said friend was someone his husband had a lot of fun with a while back and he found him quite interesting. Interesting enough in fact that he helped him with Nasir's surprise for the night.

Nasir rolled his eyes at the nip "Oh really? Who did you meet?" He said casually. He did not know who he meant when it came to him. It was obviously someone who he was not close with because if not Peter would had revealed their name already.

"I met with Ivan, who you have not met before but probably should soon. He is an old family friend. They took care of Derek and Laura after the fire. They were the ones wo put me in a hospital too." Peter explained to his husband. "He is an alpha now too." Peter said and kissed his husband's cheek. "Now about the other..."

"I think Derek told me about him, but what I know was very little." Nasir said after he listened to him. He sounded like an interesting person so he wouldn't be against meeting him. "What about the other person?" He asked while he kept on dancing with his husband.

"I'll invite him to the loft one day and we will have dinner. I'm sure you two will get along. He is easy to." Peter told him and turned Nasir back so they could look at each other. "I met your friend Cody. Do you remember him?" Peter asked him with a wicked grin that fit right in with the demon costume.

Nasir smiled at that notion. He was always up for a new friend, especially one that would get along with Peter too. "I can cook. It would be nice no?" He said with a smile, but that smile easily disappeared when the other asked him about the other person. "Cody...I don't think it rings a bell. Are you sure I know him?"

Peter just smiled. "Hm really...how about blond, quite handsome, one of the dancers here too." Peter said trying to remind Nasir of what he had done in the past. Even if he didn't remember, he would pretty soon. "Still nothing?" Peter asked Nasir.

For whatever reason it was not hitting him yet. He knew it should feel familiar, especially after Peter's helpful tips, but nothing. "No, not really. I hope he doesn't get mad if I reunite with him."

"Oh he might, but I have a feeling he will love to remind you with that long dick of his." The older werewolf told him. "He might even remind you by doing the same thing you two did in the alley back then." Peter said feeling like dropping that bomb of information was sure to sent a jolt into his husbands brain and make him remember.

And he did. The effect was immediate as he was blushing right away. The memories just washed over him. Nasir went from knowing nothing to knowing everything, even how loud he moaned when the siren was not even penetrated him with his big and long dick. "I...I-I...that was a long time ago." Nasir said very nervously as he couldn't stop the images from appearing in his head.

Peter just laughed and laughed. He didn't stop laughing even when Nasir tried to speak. He only did once he himself had to speak. "Nasir, love, you have nothing to worry about. It was not like you hid this from me. You told me about it remember? So you have nothing to be fearful of" He told him and pecked his lips. "I remember how much you loved it, enough to even become a fantasy of yours." The older man reminded him. "Well to be fair, it became a fantasy because of me. I was the one who planted that seed in you. He just took care of it one day." Peter said and started to laugh again.

He was still blushing even when he Peter was assuring him that nothing was wrong. It is not like there was something wrong. He just felt very embarrassed because everything Peter had said was true. All of it. "It is not a fantasy of mine. Don't even say that." The beta werewolf told him as he laughed. It was why he gently pushed him on the arm.

Peter just kept on laughing. "Yes, it is and I'm the one who made it so. I believe it in so much that he and I had an idea." Peter told his husband while wearing a wicked grin. Oh the plans they had for Nasir.

Nasir was ready to smack his arm, but then Peter mentioned some plans. "What? Huh? I wouldn't have thought...wait what?" The werewolf was so confused. "He remembers me and all?" Nasir asked him.

"Of course he does. Who could forget such a beautiful man?" Peter asked as he laughed again. He was not joking. Nasir was indeed one beautiful man. "Want to meet up with him? He is waiting for us actually." Peter told him.

Nasir rolled his eyes and this time he did get to punch his husband, but he went back to bewilderment when he told him about Cody wanting to meet with him. "What? Does that have to do with the plans you two have?" Nasir asked him.

"Oh yeah." He said and took his hand. He then kissed his cheek. "Come with me. It is going to be fun, trust me." He told him and started to guide him out of the dancefloor.

Nasir was unsure of what was going on, but he didn't think anything bad would happen right? He was with Peter now so even if Cody wanted to do something, he would be safe and it would be permissible and nothing bad would happen. However, that didn't eliminate the curiosity and nervousness of reuniting with the dancer.

Peter was grinning from ear to ear as he took Nasir away from the dancefloor to outside of the club. Cody was waiting for them there so they could revive that moment. He loved the story he pictured in his head when his husband told him what happened. This time however, he wanted to be present to see it.

Nasir thought they were going to meet Cody somewhere in the club, or a table so they could reunite and talk. He didn't expect Peter to take him outside. Confusion came back. That was until he saw the siren. "C-cody, hey...long time no see." The werewolf said nervously.

Peter stood aside and let the other reconnect a little. He wanted the mood to light up a little. Well, more like for Nasir to be calm and collected before they moved to the next event. He was not going back into the club, but he was slowly getting out of the picture.

"Well, well, well, I never thought I’d say this but it’s good to be back." Cody said with a bright smile. Of course he would. Nasir was still so hot, even more without a shirt on and with the facial and body hair.

Nasir rolled his eyes. It was easy to capture his attention. It was perfect since he had not noticed that Peter was behind him and becoming less present. "I didn’t know you had left…but that explains why you haven’t hit on me again."

Cody lightly laughed, but his eyes were still on Nasir as he kept noticing differences from last time. Nasir was a little buffer, a little bigger and totally a lot hotter. "Well, don’t worry about that, I plan on making up for lost time."

And then Nasir rolled his eyes again and then pointed at Peter when he looked over his shoulder. He noticed not only that he was quiet, but also a little distant. "Well we are still happily married, so I won't tell you to stop" He told him. "He won’t stop you either for that and even if you tried to kiss me? He would ask for a picture."

"Happily indeed." Peter agreed, grinning from ear to ear. He could see that Nasir was calming down, becoming a little more confident. He kissed his cheek and laughed. "You know me so well" Peter told him.

"I'm glad that I still can though," Cody said, "cuz not flirting with you is too much work." He bit his lip as he looked at him. "Has anything exciting happened while I’ve been away?"

Nasir smiled and kissed Peter back. He did know him too well, which made him realize something. Was Peter trying to set up something? He was always up to a scheme. "You and Theo…seriously." He sighed. "We are still open by the way....you have not missed anything really? It has been peaceful aside from some things here and there." Nasir said and shrugged. There were some personal things, especially related to Peter, but he didn't think it was his story to tell.

"Me and Theo what?" Oh he knew what he was saying, but Cody was anything but playful. He had to tease. "Oh, don’t tempt me. I know...we all know what happened last time." Cody said with a smile on his face. He winked, but it was at Peter, not at Nasir.

"I’m not tempting you" He said as he rolled his eyes and then remembered something, "By the way I never thank you for the private dance you did for my husband. Thanks for that.

"Oh yeah thanks for that." Peter replied, "Sadly we didn't have as much fun as you had with my husband." Peter said and gently smacked Nasir's ass.

"You’re absolutely tempting me, being as hot as you are." Cody said, smiling from ear to ear. "No offense Peter. You are pretty hot too, like really hot, but your husband is just hotter...by a hair."

"And I’m still wearing my clothes. Most of my clothes." Nasir said as he realized that he was shirtless. "I don’t know why I have such an effect on guys. Peter is way hotter than me. I don't get it."

Peter just laughed and pulled his mate close and pecked his lips. "No offense taken. Nasir is without a doubt the hottest thing in the world. He doesn't see it, but I'm totally glad I'm not the only one who does." Peter said. Did it sting? Sometimes, but he understood it. It was Nasir's innocence that made the difference. It did make him feel better that Nasir didn't see it. That's all that mattered. All that should matter right?

"Because you’re hot, that’s why. He is hot too." He said, "And he wasn’t a disappointment at all, I enjoy large checks....and his large dick and ass and...see? He is pretty damn hot too." Cody said laughing.

"I so do not agree, but that's fine. It is not like anybody is going to change my mind." Nasir said as he shook his head. He glanced back at Cody. "Has to be more than that if you ask me. Glad you left happy though. He seemed very happy too. Maybe who knows, you can do the same to me." He blushed as soon as he realized how that could be taken. "I mean the dance."

Both Cody and Peter laughed because that could totally be taken in another way more so when Cody and Peter also had sex. "Thank you Cody. I appreciate all of those compliments. I'm glad we both had fun."

"No thank you." Cody said and winked at Peter again, but quickly came back to Nasir. "I have no issues with giving you a dance, but oh, trust me, I’d like to do more to you than just dance."

Nasir pouted when both men laughed. His hue did become darker as well because he totally had shot himself on the foot there. He tried to put the focus on Cody and not on himself. "Glad you two had fun...really...but Damn, do you need a cold shower or something? And I mean like…I don’t know, you seem amused, very amused."

Both men started to laugh again when Nasir pouted. This was what he held over Peter. That cuteness, that innocence was just too appealing Peter just hugged him from behind, feeling himself lucky such a man was married to him.

Cody though was laughing also for a different reason. "Nah, I’ll be fine. I’ve got an imagination...and the memories from last time." He said with a wicked grin.

Nasir nearly stomp on Peter's foot, but instead he just kissed his cheek and then nudged him with his elbow. He wished he could do the same to the dancer since he was teasing the hell out of him. It was worse when Peter would join in the fun as well. He then glanced back at Cody." figured that you would want to fuck me again, but the shower was to kill your arousal."

Peter was indeed expecting the stomp, so he was surprised when he got the kiss. It only made sense when the nudge came along. It was why he chuckled.

"I know what a cold shower does. I don’t like to take them." Cody told him in plain language. "Especially when there is a far more fun and effective method." Cody winked at the both of them.

Nasir realized that they not only have been talking for a while, but also Cody had been flirting quite hard in front of Peter. It was not a surprised to him that Peter was enjoying it, but he was mostly quiet and he wondered why. Maybe that was why he flirted back freely. "Not even if one of us was in it?"Nasir asked.

"Is that an invitation?" Cody asked, not missing a beat.

Peter while quiet, he was moving to the side witnessing how the conversation was flowing. He had been letting Nasir handle the conversation for his own purposes of course.

There was it again. It was as clear as day that Cody was flirting as Peter remained quiet. He looked back at him and he saw his husband just smiling. "It was...just a thought." He said and then looked back at Cody. "You are reeking of arousal Cody." He said and did a fake chuckle to not make it sound like an insult.

"Well, you can feel free to have more thoughts like it." Cody chuckled. "I was looking to settle down with someone, but seeing how that's doubtful there are money opportunities for me to have fun with you guys." He said despite that there was something planned already.

Nasir's eyebrow went up. "It doesn't really sound like you really want to focus on that for someone who is flirting as hard as you are and who reeks of arousal" Nasir said.

"You underestimate how hot you are to many people." Peter commented with a chuckle. He then pulled out his phone and sent Cody a quick text.

"What he said." Cody chuckled.

Nasir looked from one werewolf to a Siren. He really did not get it. "You are seriously way into me and my ass.

Cody pulled out his phone and read the message. "I'm not just into your ass. I believe we can be good friends, but all I know is, you’ve got a great ass that I wouldn’t mind seeing up-close again. And some of my body parts want to be acquainted." Cody winked. He then pointed at Peter. "And he agrees."

"Are you trying to do a replay of what we did last time? I feel like I'm almost having deja-vu." Nasir chuckled as he heard the other. He was not going to like, being wanted this hard by Cody did flatter him a lot. He couldn't believe the other still wanted him that bad after last time Nasir was then ready to say something else, but then he pointed at Peter. He looked at his husband, now more confused than ever.

"Peter, what is he talking about?"

#Where We Left Off Part 1

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what-is-your-plan-today · 5 years ago

Text

Stark Spangled Banner Ch24 : Like The Old Man Said...Together

Summary: The Avengers track Ultron and it’s a race against time before the AI can put his plan into action.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

Warnings: Bad language, Smut (NSFW) violence and crazy assed robots. Oh and “Something dramatic, I hope!”

A/N: As part of SSB’s Birthday celebrations I added in another few scenes I cut from this originally. It makes it a little longer but I hope you enjoy.

Stark Spangled Banner Masterlist

“I’ve put the boys to work.” Laura said, gesturing out of the window as Katie chewed on her grilled cheese. She’d had a good 4 hours sleep and was feeling much better after that and a scalding shower. She glanced across the lawn area to where Steve and Tony were positioned at the side of the house, both holding an axe, stood by a stack of large logs and two piles of smaller logs.

“You got Tony doing manual labour…” Katie grinned at her, “Well played.”

She chuckled and then began to chat to about her plans for dinner. “Clint suggested comfort food. fried chicken and Mac and Cheese to be specific”

“You’ll win Steve over instantly. “Katie grinned, “I’m happy to help, lot of people to feed, not to mention Stevie eats enough for 3!”

“You wanna take her up on that.” Clint said as he walked into the kitchen and opened a drawer near the door “She’s a damned good cook is our kiddo…obviously, not as good as you babe.” he added as a quick afterthought. “Smooth Barton…” Katie laughed. Laura threw a tea towel at his head as he pulled a tape measure from the drawer. He left through the backdoor, still laughing, the kids trailing behind him.

Katie stared at the back door as it shut, the normality of the scene suddenly hitting her. He had a wife, 2 children, and still managed to hold down the ridiculous lifestyle the Avengers and SHIELD demanded.

“How do you do it?” she asked Laura suddenly. The woman placed the last plate on the sink to drain and straightened up. “I mean this, it’s so ordinary.” she turned, once more looking out of the window. She watched Steve swing his axe, his light blue Under Armour skin top clinging to every part of his torso.

“It’s possible…” Laura said, standing behind her as she followed the younger woman’s gaze “you know, to have a domestic life…well, a variation on one, away from the mess.”

“Problem is the pair of us are tangled in the mess.” Katie said, not taking her eyes off Steve.

“Well then, you should understand each other more.” She said, before she changed the subject “Here, they could probably use a drink. You wanna take em that jug of ice tea for me?”

“Sure.”

A minute or so later Katie crossed the lawn with a tray sporting a full jug and 2 glasses towards where both men where stood by the decreasing mound of large logs and the two increasing mounds of smaller ones. Steve’s pile of cut logs was significantly bigger than Tony’s, which was hardly surprising. And the pair of them were bickering which was also not surprising.

“I don't trust a guy without a dark side. Call me old fashioned.” Tony shrugged

“Well let's just say you haven't seen it yet.” Steve glowered at him, his temper starting to rise. He couldn’t help but feel pissed at Tony, because if it wasn’t for him they wouldn’t even be in this mess.

“You know this is what he’s trying to do right?” a soft voice said and Steve turned to see Katie setting a tray of drinks down behind them. They both turned to look at her “Ultron is trying to tear us apart.”

“Well I guess he'd know.” Steve said, jerking his head in Tony’s direction “Whether he tells us is a bit of a question”

“Banner and I were doing research-”

“That would affect the team” Steve said, picking up another log. His voice was gaining momentum, and Katie let out a groan, she knew he was getting angry.

“That would end the team” Tony said simply, “Isn’t that the mission? Isn't that the "why" we fight, so we can end the fight, so we get to go home?”

“Every time someone tries to win a war before it starts, innocent people die. Every time.” he said softly but sternly, trying to make his point. Loki, Hydra, SHIELD with Insight.. now this.

“I'm sorry. Mr. Stark,” Laura headed across the lawn towards them all. “Uh, Clint said you wouldn't mind, but, our tractor, it doesn't seem to want to start at all. I thought maybe you might...

“Yeah, I'll give her a kick” Tony smiled at Laura then as he turned to leave he looked back at Steve delivering his next line with the air of a petulant child “Don't take from my pile.”

“You know if he wasn’t your bother…” Steve said, reaching for a glass of tea, draining it in one and leaving his sentence hanging. Katie took a deep breath and stood up.

“Cut him a bit of slack yeah?” her eyes flashed “The Maximoff girl. She got to him too.”

Steve looked down at her and frowned, that was news to him. “But I thought…”

Ok so now Steve felt like shit.

“That’s what Ultron is about, that’s why he started it again.” Katie finished

“Sorry, I didn’t know.” Steve said gently

“Well now you do.” she said, shrugging and deciding to change the subject “Oh, and by the way…what you did with that log back then…” she mimed pulling something apart. “… kinda turned me on a hell of a lot more than it should.”

He grinned and stepped towards her, closing the short distance they were apart “Well…if we go back inside I can...”

“Nice try… you have wood…” Katie pointed the logs

“Yes and I’d kinda like to do something about it!” he quipped.

“Steve!” She spluttered out through her laugh, as she hit him in the chest, mentally making a note toe have words with Sam for teaching him innuendoes and street slang

“Lucky!” she grinned crouching down to pet the dog who was jumping all over her, giving out little barks “man you got big…” Steve looked down at his girl and the sandy coloured dog, frowning as he noticed it only had one eye.

“Is this the pizza eating puppy you talked about?” he asked, bending down to pet the dog. “Sure is…” Katie grinned standing up as the dog ran off back to Barton after he whistled. “Not so much of a puppy now though.”

She smiled and made her way back over to the house. Steve looked at the pile of logs, then her, then back and picked up his axe again.

“I don’t believe it…” she said as she watched Tony and the tall, bald headed man with the trench coat and the eye patch walking up the path towards them. She turned to Clint and Steve “We got company…” Both men stood up as the door opened, Lila jumping of Steve’s knee, the soldier’s hands went to his hips, his mouth forming a thin line as his eyes fell onto the man in front of him.

“At ease Soldier…” Fury said, a smile creeping across his face as Tony walked into the room behind him muttering about traitors, Maria Hill and ‘Goth Pirates’

****

“Ultron took you folks out of play to buy himself time.” Fury said glass of water in his hand as he leaned against the kitchen counter. “My contacts all say he's building something. The amount of Vibranium he made off with, I don't think it's just one thing.”

“What about Ultron himself?” Steve asked, he was stood in the doorway to the kitchen, leaning against the door frame, arms folded.

“Ah. He's easy to track, he's everywhere. Guy's multiplying faster than a Catholic rabbit. Still doesn't help us get an angle on any of his plans though.”

Tony shoved the last piece of the chicken he had been eating in his mouth and walked to the sink to pick up a towel to wipe his hands. “He still going after launch codes? “

“Yes, he is, but he's not making any headway.”

Katie frowned from her seat at the table, opposite Natasha. “Well that doesn’t make sense. Tony cracked the Pentagon's firewall in high school for a dare”.

Tony smiled fondly at the memory. That had earned him an ass whooping and a half from his dad.

“Yeah, well, I contacted our friends at the NEXUS about that”. Fury continued

“NEXUS?” Steve questioned.

“It’s the world internet hub in Oslo” Banner explained, he was stood behind Natasha leaning against the sideboard. “Every byte of data flows through there, fastest access on earth.”

At that point Lila ran into the room, a piece of paper in her hand.

“So what'd they say?” Clint asked, turning 3 darts over in his hand from his stance a few feet away from Fury.

“He's fixated on the missiles,” Fury said, draining his glass of water “but the codes are constantly being changed.

“Parties unknown.” Fury said, a puzzled tone to his voice

“Do we have an ally?” Katie asked.

“Ultron's got an enemy, that's not the same thing.” Fury said looking at her “Still, I'd pay folding money to know who it is”

"I might need to visit Oslo, find our "unknown."” Tony pondered, to no one in particular.

“Well, this is good times, boss, but I was kind of hoping when I saw you, you'd have more than that.” Natasha sighed, leaning back in her chair.

“I do.” Nick said, looking round the room. “I have you”

Everyone shared a look round the room at one another. None of them were feeling particularly useful if truth be told.

“Steve doesn't like that kind of talk.” Natasha said, looking at him.

“You know what, Romanoff? “ Steve said, his tone dead pan. She smiled mischievously.

“So what does he want? “ Fury continued.

“To become better. Better than us.” Katie said, looking round.

“Right, he keeps building bodies” Steve agreed

“Person bodies. The human form is inefficient, biologically speaking, we're outmoded.” Tony mused “But he keeps coming back to it”

“Yeah, when you two programmed him to protect the human race, you amazingly failed” Katie said, looking over at Tony then to Bruce, who was looking at Lila’s drawing over Nat’s shoulder, his arms folded, a thoughtful look on his face.

“They don’t need to be protected, they need to evolve.” the Doctor said, not looking up. “Ultron's going to evolve.”

“How?” Fury asked.

“Has anyone been in contact with Helen Cho?” Bruce looked up around the room.

“If Ultron is really building a body...” Steve trailed off as they all prepared to leave, his voice dropping

“He'll be more powerful than any of us. Maybe all of us.” Katie sighed.

“An android designed by a robot” Tony finished.

“You know I really miss the days when the weirdest thing science ever created was me.” Steve raised his eyebrows. Katie and Tony both smiled gently.

“I’ll drop Banner off at the tower. Do you mind if I borrow Ms. Hill?” Fury said, pulling on his trench coat.

“She's all yours, apparently.” Tony shrugged “What are you gonna do? “

“I don't know. Something dramatic, I hope.”

Katie found herself slightly concerned that the threat of Fury doing something dramatic didn’t worry her half as much as facing Ultron.

*****

Clint expertly piloted the Quinn Jet low enough for Steve to drop onto the roof of the U-GU-Gin Genetic Research Lab roof.

“Two minutes. Stay close.” Steve instructed as the jet roe again to hover above the building away from any eyes.

“The gem, its power is uncontainable. You can't just blow it up. You have to get the Cradle to Stark.”

There was another pause before Steve’s voice spoke clearly ”Did you guys copy that?

“We did.” Clint said.

“I got a private jet taking off, across town, no manifest.” Katie said, looking at the computer screen in front of her. “ That could be him.”

“There!” Clint said, loudly pointing out of the front window of the jet. Both Natasha and Katie moved so they could follow his gaze. “It’s the truck from the lab. Right above you, Cap. On the loop by the bridge.”

The jet scanned the truck, confirming they suspicions with the imaging that they all saw on the monitor.

“It's them.” Clint continued “ I got three with the Cradle, one in the cab. I could take out the driver”

“No.” Katie said sharply. “If what Helen is saying is right, that truck crashes, the gem could level the city.”

“We need to draw out Ultron” Steve said. 30 seconds or so later there was a loud bang and he followed up his commentary. ”Well, he's definitely unhappy! I'm gonna try and keep him that way.”

“You’re not a match for him Cap…” Clint said

“Thanks Barton!” he replied, sarcastically.

“We need to get down there, give him some back up…” Katie called, turning round to look at Nat as she stepped backwards, allowing her suit to form around her.

“Ok.” Clint said, nodding “I’ll give you the cover up top.”

“He’s lost his shield…” Clint said, “I’m gonna drop you as close to it as I can.”

“Roger…” Katie continued with the final checks to her suit, without JARVIS she was flying this thing herself, just as she had been at Klaus’ base so she needed to make sure everything was right. Clint steered them down towards the road.

“We got a window. Four, three...give 'em hell.” Clint said, pushing the button for the ramp. Natasha sped the bike off and dropped down with a squeal of tyres before taking the jet higher.

“Us girls are always picking up after you boys.” She said gently and Katie headed to the back of the ramp, her scans watching as Natashai picked up Steve’s shield, following Clint’s commentary.

“They're heading under the overpass, I've got no shot” Clint said

“Which way? “ Nat asked.

“Hard right... Now.” Clint instructed. Natasha did as she was told. As Clint hovered over the top of them Katie shot out from the back of the jet and swooped down just as Natasha threw the shield up to Steve. Steve caught it and instantly flung it, sent the AI flying backwards. Ultron wasn’t down for long, jumping up and resuming the fight as Katie landed behind the Robot as he sent a blast of power at Steve, who instantly held his shield up as he was catapulted backwards onto the bonnet of the car behind. She fired a repulsor at the AI, turning his attention to her as he wheeled round and shot back. She flew out of the way as the shot hit the car behind, the screeches of brakes and grinding of metal hit her ears as cars collided.

“You Starks are like insects …” Ultron said, groaning “Annoying and irritating…”

“Yeah well, some insects pact a bit of a sting…” She said, sending out a static pulse from the shoulder of her suit. It immobilised him for a good few seconds, which was long enough for Steve to climb back onto the top of the truck, hitting him once more with his shield. As Ultron fell forward towards Katie she jumped up, kicking out with her boot, pushing him down into the metal of the truck before landing. Ultron regained control of his functions and the 3 of them began to fight, Steve and Katie dodging the rays of power as they flew at them, Ultron easily deflecting the beams the Supernova suit sent his way.

“Clint can you draw out the guards?” Nat’s voice came over the comms.

“Let's find out.” Clint replied simply.

Katie fired another static pulse towards Ultron, but he easily deflected it and shot once more at her as she spiralled away.

“You think I’d let you get me with that again?” he growled.

“No but, made you look…” she grinned, and at that point Clint shot the jet downwards and it fired off a few shots at Ultron, deliberately missing the delicate package the truck contained. It worked and as Katie watched 4 Ultron Sentries fly out and follow the jet upwards. Ultron turned and flew at Steve who spun, slamming him into a concrete pillar by the side of the road. Katie swooped in, firing again but Ultron was ready and caught her with a beam causing her to spin blindly through the air. With no JAVIS to help, it took her a while to regain control but eventually she righted herself just in time to see Ultron spear at Steve, the two of them crashing into a nearby moving train. She shot forward, putting all her power into her thrusters, speeding up to catch it.

"Heading back towards you, whatever you're gonna' do. Do it now." Clint informed over the coms as Katie dropped down so I was level with the train, looking into the windows.

"I'm going in, guys can you keep him occupied?" Natasha questioned as Katie finally caught up with the right carriage to see Ultron sending Steve flying again, landing hard against a metal door.

“What do you think we’ve been doing!” Steve said, shaking his head, as once again he stood up, and resumed his fight with the AI as Katie shot a beam through the window, catching the robot unawares and causing him to fly out of the side of the train.

"The package is airborne." Clint informed us, "I have a clean shot."

"Negative I am still in the truck." Natasha said.

"What the hell are you doing?" Katie yelled, as Ultron sent a bench of seats towards her, which she blasted out of the way.

"Just be ready, I'm sending the package to you, Clint!"

"How do you want me to take it?" Clint asked sarcastically as Katie looked up through the hole in the roof to see the truck way above them.

"Uh, you might wish you hadn't asked that."

At that point Katie was floored as Steve landed heavily on top of her, having been blasted off his feet by Ultron.

"Like I said, insect…” He practically growled, his grip tightening as she raised both her palms to fire, blasting them both backwards, in opposite directions as Katie crashed into the carriage behind. She sat up and shifted the debris and shot forward, as Ultron came again but he was sent backwards as a blur knocked him off balance- the male Maximoff twin. Ultron took a menacing step forwards and the metal guards shifted red and bent in front of us in a protective manor. The female, Wanda, stood behind Ultron, hands outstretched and glowing red. Ultron turned towards her.

"Please, don't do this." Ultron pleaded with her.

"What choice do we have?" Wanda countered.

Ultron turned back around and fired in Steve’s direction. Katie was quicker though, pulling him out of the way as the front of the train blew out. The AI then blasted out the side door and escaped.

"We lost him!” Katie said into her comms, face plate sliding back as Steve made his way to the front of the train, reaching over the driver. “Clint, Nat He's headed back towards you."

“Nat we gotta go…” Clint said.

Steve turned back to Katie, shaking his head, he could find no pulse. The driver was dead and the train was out of control heading straight for the end of the line.

“Nat… NAT? Cap you guys see Nat?" Clint questioned worriedly.

"If you have the package, get it to Stark! Go!" Steve commanded, looking up instinctively as Katie reached his side.

"Do you have eyes on Nat?" Clint questioned once again.

"Go!" Steve ordered once again and it seemed Clint obeyed because there was silence on the other side of the coms. Katie looked at him, both of them worried about our friend but equally knowing they had to tackle the problem in hand. The train crashed through the stoppers at the end of the line and carried on, heading straight through the narrow streets.

"There are civilians in our path." Steve turned to Pietro, once more resuming command. He nodded and sped off in a blur.

"Can you stop this thing?" Katie asked Wanda. She looked unsure but nodded and blasted red tendrils down into the underlining of the train.

As the passengers scrambled to get off the train Steve and Katie remained where they were for a second, Katie’s face plate once more retracting.

“You’re bleeding…” Steve said gently, wiping at her brow.

“Least I’m still here…” she said, shaking her head. “What about Nat?”

“We’ll find her.” He said, looking her in the eyes. “I promise.”

"I’m fine, I just need a minute." He assured her.

"I'm very tempted not to give you one." Steve snapped, giving the twins a hard look. The two Maximoffs shared an uneasy glance

"The cradle? Did you get it?" Wanda asked.

"Stark will take care of it." Steve told her, his tone still clipped.

"No he won't." Wanda said incredulously.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Katie glared at the girl

"He will do anything to make things right." Wanda implored.

Steve turned and gave Katie a questioning look before he spoke into the coms.

"Stark come in. Stark? Anyone on coms?" The only response Steve got was silence. He looked at Katie who tried as well, getting nothing but static. She then tried to route through her phone, but there was nothing there either.

“Ultron can’t tell the difference between saving the world and destroying it.” Wanda pressed “Where do you think he got that from?”

Katie took a moment to look around, squinting against the sunlight. People were gathering, chattering in Korean and pointing at the train stretched down the middle of the road.

“I saw into his head.” Wanda implored “I saw what he has planned. It’s not what he said, not what he told us he wanted.”

“Oh and what did he say he wanted?” Katie asked, turning back to her, her arms folding across her chest.

“He said he wanted peace” the boy, Pietro spoke.

“Oh, well…” Katie snapped, looking round nodding and clapping her gauntlet clad hands together sarcastically “Good job”

"So - what happens now?" Pietro asked.

"That depends on you," Steve answered, putting his shield on his back, keeping his stance non-confrontational. "You've worked with Ultron; you know how he thinks. We could use the help stopping him."

Wanda snarled, lips curling back over her teeth. "We won't work with Stark."

"Well, you kinda have two options." Steve retorted immediately, before Katie had chance to. The authority emanating from him was immense, his eyes steady. "You work with us, or work with Ultron. Your choice."

Katie looked up at Steve as the twins both exchanged glances. Eventually she got fed up and sighed.

“I’m going back to check on Dr Cho.” she looked at Steve “And then I’m going home to figure out how we find Nat…”

“Katie… wait…” he said as she started to walk up the narrow street

“I’m done waiting Steve.” she snapped “And seeing as you don’t seem to want to give things a second’s thought, why should I?” “What’s that supposed to mean?” He frowned, running to catch up with her.

“You work with us?” she imitated his voice. “How do you know that she isn’t in our minds, right now, and this isn’t some elaborate scam to get us right where Ultron wants?”

A breeze whipped her hair slightly, and Pietro stood at Steve’s side, Wanda in his arms.

"You move too slow." the young man taunted looking at them. "We'll meet you at Cho's office."

Sirens were now flooding his ears and the Emergency services were all over the place, freeing people from the cars, crashed buses, you name it.

“Could use a ride…” Steve said, turning to her and raising an eyebrow. She glared at him for a moment, before sliding her face plate back down. Without saying a word she gripped his harness at the top above where it held his shield and propelled them both into the air.

“Go on…”

“I can’t believe you seriously want to take them back to base.” she hissed at him.

“I told you before, they can help.” he replied calmly.

“You’re out of your mind!” She said, shaking her head, the petulant child in her well and truly rearing it’s head “You know what actually, if they’re going, then I’m staying here.”

“For God’s sake Katie…” Steve said, exasperatedly running his hand through his hair, his helmet hanging in his left hand “You’re being unreasonable…”

“I’m being unreasonable?” she rounded on him, her cheeks flushing with anger. “You’re the one who wants to take them right into the middle of our base, give them access to all our technology, when we don’t know if they’re still working for Ultron or not!”

“Katie, just get on the fucking jet now.” his voice was low, but he was angry. He didn’t have time for this shit, he was tired, worried, and just wanted to get them all together so they could find Nat and end this and she was behaving like a total brat.

2 hours later and Katie still hadn’t spoken a word to Steve or anyone else for that matter, she was fuming. Pietro and Wanda had been mostly silent up until that point, exchanging the odd bit of chatter between themselves in Sokovian, but neither approaching either of the other two until Pietro came to the cockpit.

“Miss Stark…I’m sorry, but please, do you have a spare jacket… my sister is cold.”

“Sure, just give me a second.” she said, a little gruffly but less angrily as she stood up out of her seat.

Steve had to smile, despite everything she wasn’t callous, and she knew what it was like to be cold and frightened. Katie glanced down and caught the look he was giving her and she glared at him.

“I will slap that smirk right off your face...” she threatened. Immediately he held his hands up, palms facing her in an “I’m sorry” motion and she walked over to the back of the jet and started looking in a few of the cupboards. Eventually she found a black fleece jacket, emblazoned with U-Gen logo, along with a blanket. In one of the other cupboards she found bottles of water supplies along with some snack bars and bags of chips.

“Here…” she walked over to Wanda and handed her the jacket and fleece.

“Thank you.” She said, pulling the fleece around her.

“You hungry or need a drink?” Katie offered.

They looked at one another.

“I’m not going to poison you.” she rolled her eyes.

“Why do you hate us so much, the Avengers?” she blurted out. Steve turned his head slightly so he could listen in.

“I don’t hate the avengers. I hate your brother. Well I did. I don’t know maybe I still do.”

“But why?” Katie said, puzzled “You don’t know him, or me for that matter.”

“Our home was bombed.” Wanda said, looking at her hands “It hit 2 floors below and blew a hole in our floor. Our parents fell but Pietro grabbed me and we rolled under the bed.” “The second one hits.” Pietro continued gently “But it doesn’t explode. It just sits there, three feet from our faces. And on the side of the shell is painted two words...” “Stark Industries…”Katie said gently, suddenly understanding. She didn’t know what to say. That part of Stark Industries had always been one she had never had much to do with and had always absolved herself of any guilt because she stayed away from it, but she had long since realised that didn’t absolve her from any blame at all.

“You know we shut the arms side of the business down once we both realised the damage it was doing…my brother is a good man, maybe he doesn’t always get it right but he tries.” Katie sighed.

“But that is my point.” Wanda pressed “Ultron…he wants world peace, but he thinks the way to do that is to kill people, innocent people…”

“That’s not what Tony wants” Katie pressed

“But he created Ultron…” Pietro joined the conversation

“Yes, because of you!” Katie said earnestly

“Sorry, because of us…” “You made him see something, in Strucker’s lab. A vision, a vision of all of us, all of the Avengers dead, the world ending and he was left alone because he didn’t try hard enough to stop it.” at that point Wanda and Pietro exchanged glances as she continued “You made him believe he needed to do something, something more and Ultron was the result. He was supposed to be the thing that Tony thinks we need, something to bring peace…”

“You know, maybe we aren’t that different to Stark after all.” Pietro said, breaking the moment or so silence that had descended. “I mean, we volunteered for Hydra…”

"They said that they would make us super-human, like your Captain America over there.” Wanda said, sipping her water and Steve’s eyes flickered over the back of the jet for a moment before he turned back to the front. “Then we could fight…”

“They didn't say what it would cost.” Pietro spat “The experiments. The constant pain.”

“Guess we all made bad decisions for what we thought were the right reasons…” Katie shrugged “What matters now is how we fix this mess.”

With that she left them to it, taking her drink and one for Steve to the front of the jet.

“Thanks…” he said gently

“I assume you heard all that.” she said, a little clipped.

“Super sensitive hearing Doll, what can I say.” he smiled. She rolled her eyes. “You still pissed at me?” She raised her eyebrow at him, and with a teasing note chastised him “language.”

He smiled and taking a drink of water, he looked back out of the front window of the jet.

An hour or so later they managed to get through to Clint on the coms.

“Any news on Nat?” Katie asked him.

“I’m trying the old fashioned way…” he said, “That should avoid Ultron. I’ll find her”

“I don’t doubt it Hawkeye.” she smiled.

“What about Stark and the cradle?" Steve asked.

"In the lab with Banner, why you ask?”

**** “I’m gonna say this once!” Steve’s voice was loud

“How about "nonce"?” Tony shot back.

“Shut it down!” Steve pointed at the cradle.

“Nope, not gonna happen.” Tony shook his head.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, in JARVIS’ voice "That was, odd. Thank you." He added nodding respectfully to Thor, before his unnervingly human-looking eyes trailed over Thor thoughtfully. Then he rolled his shoulders and a cape of his own appeared and flowed down his back.

"Thor, you helped create this?" Steve asked

"I've had a vision, the world, where it starts, all hope and life and at its centre, is that." Thor responded pointing to the gold stone in the middle of the man's forehead.

"What the gem?" Banner asked in confusion. Thor nodded.

"It's the mindstone," he explained. "One of the six infinity stones, the greatest power in the universe and it is unparalleled in its destructive capabilities."

"Then why would you bring it to life?" Katie asked, taking a deep breath, folding her arms.

"Because Stark is right." Thor said.

"Oh, it's definitely the end of times." Bruce sarcastically to Tony's shocked but proud expression.

"The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron." Thor continued and the red man politely cut in.

"Not alone."

"Why does your vision sound like Jarvis?" Katie questioned still cautious of this new being.

"We reconfigured Jarvis' matrix, to create something new." Tony walked up towards his masterpiece and examined him.

"I think I've had my fill of new." Steve replied sarcastically.

"You think I am a child of Ultron." The red man stated rather than asked.

"You're not?" Steve replied suspiciously still glaring.

"I am not Ultron." He said simply, "I am not Jarvis. I am…" he looked down at his hands as if they would hold the answer.

"I looked in your head," Wanda stated stepping towards him, "I saw annihilation."

"Look again." Vision responded in the same simple tone.

"Ha, her seal of approval means jack to me." Clint snorted, Katie found herself inclined to agree.

"Their powers, the horrors in our heads, Ultron himself, they all came from the mindstone.” Thor said, looking round “And that is nothing compared to what it could unleash, but with it on our side-"

"Is it?" Steve cut Thor off then turned aiming his next question at him towards the red man, needing to hear confirmation "Are you, on our side?"

"I don't think it's that simple." Vision answered truthfully.

"Well it better get real simple real soon." Clint said seriously.

"I am on the side of life," Vision continued, "Ultron isn't, he will end it all."

"What's he waiting for?" Tony asked.

"You." He stated easily, looking around at us all.

"Where?" Katie pressed.

"Sokovia." Clint supplied helpfully. "Yeah, he's got Nat there too."

Katie looked at Clint who raised his eyebrow slightly and he shrugged. He’d found her, just like he said.

"If we're wrong about you," Bruce said approaching the man. "If you're the monster Ultron created you to be…"

"What will you do?" The red man asked and Bruce stayed silent.

"I don't want to kill Ultron, he is unique, and he's in pain," Vision paced slowly around the room, "but that pain will roll over the earth, so he must be destroyed. Every form he's built, every trace and presence of him. We have to act now. And not one of us can do it without the other."

He turned back to look at everyone in the room individually, then he did something completely unexpected as he picked up Thor's hammer from the table. Steve felt his eyebrows raise in shock whereas Katie was looking at Thor, her mouth open, the god was wearing a look of utter confusion.

"There may be no way to make you trust me, but we need to go." Vision finished holding out the hammer for Thor to take. Thor took his weapon back and the man walked away.

There was a moment of silence before Thor coughed.

"Right, well done." he said awkwardly patting Tony on the shoulder and followed the red man out of the room.

"Three minutes, get what you need." Steve announced.

*****

“Ultron knows we're coming. Odds are we'll be running into heavy fire, and that's what we signed up for, but the people of Sokovia they didn't. That's why our priority is getting them out. All they want is to live their lives in peace, and that's not going to happen today. But we can do our best to protect them and get the job done. We find out what Ultron's been building. We find Romanoff. We clear the field and keep the fight between us. Ultron thinks we're monsters, and that we're what's wrong with the world, but this isn't just about beating him, it's about whether he's right."

Steve certainly felt like he was right when he descended down the ramp and the first thing he saw was a huge mural of himself on a wall to his right. If he hadn’t been so concerned with the word, “fašista” scrawled across it, he might have given some consideration to the fact the art work was pretty good. He looked at the painting, before turning and tossing his helmet back into the jet, almost hitting Katie as she walked down the ramp. Frowning she looked at him, spotted the paining and gave a sigh. She knew that would have upset him.

But whether they liked Captain America or not, the people of Sokovia were getting his help and that of the rest of the Avengers too. Thor and Bruce went underground to Strucker's base to find Natasha and the Vibranium, Tony and Vision went off to locate where Ultron was and confront him so that Vision could do his part. The rest of them focussed on the evacuation, if this was going to end in a fight as it always did, then it was best to get the civilians out of the way as soon as possible. Steve dispatched Clint to a rooftop to oversee events from up there and Katie headed off with Wanda to the bridge that led out of the city. She could feel the younger girl's panic even though she did well to try and hide it

"Do you see...the beauty of it? The inevitability. You rise, only to fall. You, Avengers, a meteor. My swift and terrible sword. And the earth will crack with the weight of your failure. Purge me from your computers, turn my own flesh against me. It means nothing. When the dust settles, the only thing living in this world will be metal."

They seemed to be fighting forever, and Sokovia was getting higher and higher. Just as everything seemed lost and the group looked to be faced with an impossible decision after Tony pointed out that the only thing he could think about was blowing the city before the impact radius got too big. Steve was adamant he was not leaving the city with one civilian on it, when Katie smiled sadly and turned to him.

"I didn't say we should leave." she said softly, and she could feel Natasha looking at her as well from where she stood on her right. Katie turned to Steve, as he looked down at her "There's worse ways to go." she said responding to his silent question, her chest heaving resigning herself to the fact that they might not make it out of this alive, surprised the thought didn’t frighten her more at that point.

"She’s right," Natasha said and Katie turned to look at her. She shrugged and nodded out at the clouds “Where else are we gonna get a view like this?”

"Glad you like the view, Romanoff." all 3 of them started at the very familiar voice that came through the coms. "It's about to get a whole lot better."

That's when the helicarrier came right into view and Katie smiled, her eyes filing with emotion as she felt the relief swell in her chest.

“So this is your ‘something dramatic’?” she quipped and Fury gave a hum of confirmation.

"Nice, right? Pulled her out of mothballs with a couple of old friends. She's dusty," Nick Fury said nonchalantly. "But she'll do."

Katie looked round and noticed that Pietro had joined us, looking at the ship.

"Fury, you son of a bitch." Steve spoke in almost a whisper while shaking his head.

Fury let out a whistle before responded to Steve teasingly. "Ohhh hooo, you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

Their fight led them to protecting the Vibranium Core that was situated in a church which was in the dead centre of the City and of course Ultron followed them. As The Avengers surrounded their precious charge, Thor yelled out to the AI.

"Is that best you can do?!"

Ultron picked his hand up, and what seemed like a million robots began to advance towards them.

Katie groaned, and looked at Steve as he turned to look at Thor, annoyance all over his face. "You haddda ask." He deadpanned, his Brooklyn accent coming out as it often did in these situations, and Thor at least had the decency to look sheepish.

"This is the best I can do." Ultron continued on. "This is exactly what I wanted. All of you against all of me. How can you possibly hope to stop me?"

"Well, like the old man said," Tony said, and Steve turned to look at him over his shoulder "Together."

Hulk then let out a loud roar as the swarm of robots attacked.

The robots began running into the church by the hundreds it seemed, but everyone was ready. Arrows, fists and Steve’s shield flew, repulsors, guns and shock sticks fired, speed and red tendrils of power ripped them apart from the inside, lighting flashed and the Hulk smashed. Eventually Ultron joined the fray and Vision flew at him. Ultron punched Vision into the wall but he retaliated by using the mind stone in his forehead to shoot at Ultron making him stagger back and out of the church.

Vision didn't let up as Thor, Tony and Katie joined the android with lightening and repulsor beams respectively. The Starks surged their arms forward, unloading all the power they had in their suits and the 4 of them combined melted away the outer layer of Vibranium that covered Ultron, which was when they stopped. He could be taken out easily now.

"You know, with the benefit of hindsight – " Ultron began to say but Hulk roared then punched him so hard he went flying across the city.

Hulk growled at the remaining robots who immediately turned and ran away.

"They'll try to leave the city." Thor called out.

"We can't let them, not even one." Tony spoke frantically, calling on their other eye in the sky. "Rhodey..."

"I'm on it!" He announced over the radio. “Oh no, I didn’t say you could leave…War Machine coming at you.” there was a pause as Vision flew in to help, phasing and ripping one of them apart “Ok, what?”

"We gotta move out." Steve spoke as those of them left on the ground re-grouped. "Even I can tell the air is getting thin. You guys get to the boats. I'll sweep for stragglers…”

“I’ll come with you…” Katie said. For some reason she didn’t want to leave him, or more to the point him to leave her. Steve looked at her, and he understood, he really did. If there was a chance they were getting separated he really didn’t want to take it but he wanted her on that carrier, away.

“You go and make sure everyone gets out.” he said “I’ll be right behind you, I promise."

He’d never broken a promise to her yet, so she took a deep breath and nodded.

"What about the core?" Clint asked while turning to look at it.

"I'll protect it." Everyone turned to Wanda, giving her a worried look. "It's my job." She clarified nodding to Clint. Clint inclined his head towards her, before he turned to leave.

“Nat…” he said as Steve started to usher everyone bar Wanda out of the church. I threw one last glance over at Wanda before Katie turned to Steve.

“Be careful.” “I always am…” he grinned.

“Liar.” she muttered watching him go, before she took off again, looking down at the devastation on the ground below. This was far worse than New York. Far worse than Washington. It was horrendous, and Katie wasn’t sure how the people of Sokovia would ever recover.

Clint skidded the car he had been driving to a halt by the lifeboats and Katie landed besides them. There was a roar and she glanced to her left, noticing the huge form of the Hulk throwing around debris of the various robots.

“We don’t have a lot of time…” Clint looked at Natasha meaningfully.

“So get your ass on a boat…” she shot back, jumping out of the car.

Clint and Katie then set off, ushering the last civilians around them onto the last boat as they went. Katie spotted Thor stood a little to her left, his head turned over to his right as Steve appeared from inside a building.

“Thor, I'm gonna need you back at the church." Tony said over the coms.

Thor nodded despite the fact that he couldn't see Tony and then looked at Steve, breathing heavily. "Is that the last of them?" He asked him.

"Yeah," he answered instead, quickly looking around at the evacuations taking place, spotting Katie and Clint boarding the boat "Everyone else is on board the carriers."

"You know, if this works, we maybe don't walk away." Tony said quietly, cutting Katie out of the coms temporarily so as not to worry or upset her.

"Maybe not." Thor agreed in a whisper.

At that point Clint sprinted back past them, but before either of them had time to follow him to help a hail of gunfire suddenly erupted where they standing. Steve held his shield up just in time and Thor dived to the side to avoid the bullets that had luckily been fired in a straight line between them all.

But it was Katie who noticed first what had happened. As the dust settled she saw Clint stood, with a little boy in his arms. He’d clearly tried to shield him from the bullets but it was Pietro that was standing there with bullet holes riddling his torso, the blood seeping through them.

“No… “ she muttered her pleading growing more frantic as she flew over to where they were stood “No, no, no…”

"You didn't see that coming?" the blonde man attempted to joke weakly then wobbled before falling face first and Katie caught him as she landed, just before he hit the ground. She laid him down gently and looked him over.

“Friday, life signs…”.

“Negative…” she said, her voice tinged with sadness.

Katie bowed her head slightly before my face plate slid back and she looked up at Clint. The pair of them exchanged a glance before Steve knelt down and closed Pietro’s eyes.

“I’ve got him…” he said gently, as he bent down and picked up Pietro as easily as if he was a small child. The three of them headed back to the airship, Clint with the little boy in his arms. Once on board, Steve lay Pietro down gently on the floor, where Katie sat by him, her suit making a clunk as she slid to the floor. Clint groaned as he lowered himself onto the row of seats behind her. Someone walked over to see if they needed any medical help but Clint waved him away.

“No, no I’m fine…” he said, lying down across a few seats, his hand resting on the metal shoulder of her suit. “oh it’s been a long day…”

Steve stood on the rock for one final look round, he couldn’t see anyone. But then, with a lurch the city fell with huge force and he turned and gave a jump, grabbing onto the platform of the ship as the city fell. He pulled himself up onto the deck and stood up to see, lightning flashing from the sky. As he watched, the city of Sokovia exploded from the inside out crumbling to pieces and raining down heavily into the ocean below.

He turned to see Katie was stood a few feet away, looking down.

“Tony? Thor?” she said, “Wanda?” Nothing.

She looked over Steve, biting her lip.

“They’ll be ok…” he said, although he wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince her or himself.

There was a slight lurch as the ship they were stood on docked with the hellicarrier and they turned to help Clint but he was already walking, carrying the body of Pietro with him. Katie jumped down onto the tarmac, deactivated her suit and made her way over to Maria Hill who was stood with another agent, directing them where to take the walking wounded, medics running onto the ships to deal with the more seriously injured in situ.

“You guys alright?” She asked as they walked over to her. Katie nodded and then spoke again into her coms. It was a relief to see Wanda’s red hair sat on the deck a few yards away from one of the ships, Vision having pulled her out of the city in time.

“Any news from the others?” Steve asked. Maria sighed.

“Natasha is on the bridge, Banner, I mean the Hulk, he got her out in time but…he went off in a jet after Ultron…I got nothing from Thor or Tony…”

Katie turned to look out over the sky, the airborne dust making her cough slightly as she scanned the clouds, waiting for a sign or anything from her brother.

“He’ll be ok…” Steve said, dropping a hand onto her shoulder. “He always is.” “One day he won’t be.” she said, looking up to face Steve

“Maybe, but that aint today…” a familiar voice rang in her ear and she let out a sigh of relief as her brother spoke. “Kiddo, I think we just won again…”

*****

Refugees crowded every corner of the flying base, sitting in the halls, huddling together, terrified. The dust in the air meant SHIELD couldn't connect to their mainframe or satellites, and the internet-based translators were down. Every person on board who knew even a smattering of any Slavic language was being recruited into helping settle the homeless Sokovians.

Fury was meeting via telecon in one of the conference rooms with the Sokovian political leaders, who were not pleased at being dragged from their homes in Novi Grad in the wee hours of the morning only to then watch their nation destroyed. So with Fury busy, Steve and Katie had to tell Tony about Bruce.

That hadn't been fun at all. Her brother had struggled back to the helicarrier, with barely enough power left to make the landing, Thor hot on his tail, soaked to the skin and staggering with a nasty head wound. Steve helped him inside where he was led to a medic bay and they had all retreated to the comms room where Nat was stood in a corner, staring at a blank screen.

"Where's Bruce?" Tony demanded as soon as he got his helmet off. "We've got to figure out…" He trailed off, seeing the expression on Katie’s face. Then his eyes flashed across to Natasha. The woman hadn't moved a muscle in ten minutes, standing in a corner and staring straight at the wall, back to the rest of the room.

"Tony." Steve's voice was heavy. “He’s taken off… we can’t reach him.” “And I don’t think he wants us to.” Katie added. She had barely finished her sentence before Tony bolted across the room to the computer banks, heedlessly shucking off bits of his armour as he went.

"No," he shook his head, fingers flying across the keyboards. "No, I can find him. I can do this, I can bring him home."

"It was cloaked." Natasha's voice was very even, with absolutely no inflection. She didn't stop staring at her wall. "Your own cloaking devices. And SHIELD's secret tracker was disabled in the fight."

Tony's hand slipped, hitting a bunch of things Steve was sure he hadn't meant to. Swearing hopelessly, he stared blankly at the useless screens.

"Why?" he demanded, very quietly, the furious brokenness in his voice made my heart ache for him. "Why would he…?"

The unfinished question hung heavy in the dusty air. Steve was the one who answered.

"Because," he said, swallowing "When you're in the air, and you're carrying something that will destroy everything you love, that's all you can do. You do go down, and you take it down with you."

Tony’s hands curled into fists, anguish in his snarl. "This isn't the same as your golden boy sacrifice play, Cap. No bombs on that quinjet."

"No, no bombs." Steve said gently, his hand on Katie’s arm as he noticed she’d been about to chastise her brother for his venomous jibe, and he shook his head softly as he dragged his gloves back on over his bruised and bloody knuckles, flexing his hands.. "Just himself," he finished quietly.

"Veronica failed, Tone” Katie said gently, understanding at once what Steve was getting at, Bruce’s actions suddenly making sense “ He didn’t want to come to Sokovia and I guess, well he didn’t want to risk hurting anyone again, and he saw a way out."

Natasha turned on her heel and pushed past them, her eyes wet as she made for the door.

“Nat…” Katie said gently, turning to watch her go. She shook her head, signalling she wanted to be alone as she left. Katie looked up at Steve who hung his head sadly.

But there wasn’t time to think on it. Fury arrived at that moment, clearly pissed at something. He explained to the group that after the explosion that tore Ultron's plans to shreds, he had been set to take the helicarrier to a refugee camp in a nearby country but the Sokovian officials had refused, insisting they be set back down in what was left of Novi Grad. Steve nodded and told Fury to do as they wanted.

"This wouldn't have happened if it hadn't been for us." Steve's jaw was set, and his arms folded. "We owe it to them Fury, like it or not."

Fury hadn't liked it, at all, but he didn't have much say in the matter - not when Steve had that look on his face.

“This isn’t going to be nice…” Steve muttered as the pod had descended back to the ground.

“I know.” Katie said. “But we face it together, right?”

Novi Grad was an absolute mess. Most of the city had been torn up by the roots, and the rim that was left hadn't escaped unscathed either. Buildings had toppled from falling debris and the initial ground-shaking wrench. Water and electricity were out, phone lines were down, and the streets were clogged with cars and people. Children choked on the thick air as parents tied whatever cloth they could find around tiny mouths, trying to protect their lungs.

It was thankless, numbing work. Most of the civilians avoided them, casting wary glances out of the corner of their eyes. A few swore or spat, some cried, but after a while it began to get difficult as a particular group started to get violent, screaming as they threw things at the 4 Avengers. It didn't cause much damage to the Nova or Iron Man suits, but the rocks soon started getting bigger. Katie heard a yell and turned to her left to see Steve stumbling forward, hand clamped over the back of his head. He fell to his knees and Katie moved over to him, dropping besides him.

“Shit…” he mumbled as she heard Thor give a roar.

“Let me see…” she said gently, as Steve winced, shaking his head.

“I’m fine…” he said, getting to his feet, hand still clutching at the back of his head.

Katie glanced up at Tony, who had completely lost his patience.

"Ungrateful brats," he said loudly after the young hooligans who had immediately scarpered after Thor’s show of anger. "Look, why don't you head back to the carrier, see what the next step is?" Tony curled his gauntlet clad hand over Steve’s shoulder as his face plate retracted. Katie looked at her brother, thankful for his suggestion.

Steve shook his head, but even as she did so she saw him sway a little.

“Sweetheart, you’re bleeding…” she said gently, and he looked at his hand. “At least let’s clean you up…”

Steve didn't want to go, but he gave into her as she whispered “Please.”

"Five minutes," he relented at last, and allowed her to lead him away.

*****

As Katie shed her suit, Steve sat on a chair in one of the hellicarrier kitchens, one of the few rooms that wasn’t being used as a makeshift hospital or treatment bay. There were no spare medics so Katie grabbed some gauze, antiseptic and a couple of steri-strip bandages. He would heal pretty fast anyway.

“You know you should have had your helmet on…” she said gently, suddenly realising he hadn’t had it on for the entire time they had been in Sokovia having tossed it back on the jet when he saw the graffiti picture of himself when they first landed. He shrugged and didn’t reply, but he flinched hard when Katie lightly touched the lump at the back of his head.

“Sorry…” she said gently as he waved away her apology, head bent as she cleaned the blood off his hair.

“Doesn’t hurt as much as what they were calling me.” He mumbled, and Katie paused.

“Which was what? I didn’t hear them.”

“fašista” he said, “Fascist.” His shoulders slumped and sudden angry tears stung at Katie’s eyes, but she blinked them back and swallowed the hot anger swelling in her throat. This was a man who had put his life on the line countless times to fight the very things that people were calling him. She leaned forward, slipping my arms around his neck, connecting them in front of his chest as she bent to lay her face against his cheek.

"At the risk of sounding like an old man, everybody's so young these days," Steve said at last as he turned his head to face her "Has it all been forgotten, or have I really become...?"

Katie cut him off, her eyes on his, faces inches apart. "They've forgotten," she assured him firmly. ”You could never be like those monsters. But people, well they can't imagine – I find it hard at times. We never lived through it, never knew what it was like. History books and lessons can only do so much love."

Steve's fingers laced between mine, "'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,'" he whispered heavily.

"True," she said gently as he rolled his head round to face her “But that's why there are people like us, people like you. You will always remember, and because you do, you help us do our best to keep the rest of them safe."

She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips before she straightened up and continued to tend to the wound on his head. It wasn’t as deep as it had looked and was already starting to heal anyway. She checked to make sure there were no fragments of the brick left behind and when she was satisfied she dropped the bloodied gauze into a bin and turned to face him.

"I shouldn't have taken Banner.” He said, and Katie took a deep breath “I knew he was low, but he said he wanted to come, he wanted to help find Nat."

"You can't blame yourself for his choice," Katie reminded him. “He’s a grown man…” Steve didn’t say anything more about it, instead he stood up and took a deep breath. “Come on, let’s go see what’s happening.”

Katie followed him into the corridor and as they turned to head through a service door to use the maintenance walkways, she spotted a small figure huddled at the other side, knees pulled to her chest.

“Wanda?” Katie said, stopping to crouch next to her. Steve knelt down at the other side of the young girl, as she turned her face to look at her. "I'm sorry about your brother," Katie said gently.

Her face twisted suddenly, and she laid her head on her knees, hair falling around her face. Steve looked at Katie before he shifted, reaching out and lightly putting an arm round her. She didn't pull away, instead she lay her head against his chest.

"You know," he said at last, when the silence between them all felt a little less fragile, "You're welcome to stay with us for as long as you want."

She sat up straight and drew back. "At Stark Tower?" she asked, mouth pulling into a half-hearted expression of distaste. Katie sighed.

"At the Avengers Tower," she corrected quietly.

Wanda surveyed her for a moment, and then lowered her eyes and clenched a hand over her mouth.

"I wish I could tell you that it gets easier," Steve told her after a minute. “It won't, not right away. But you don't have to do this alone. We got your back, Wanda.”

Her face crumpled. Then she cried. Katie threw her arms around her and she turned to her, sobbing into her chest.

*****

It took almost two days for relief services to arrive at Sokovia. Steve felt dirty, tired and desperate for a hot shower and his own bed and he wasn’t alone. None of The Avengers had changed in 2 days. All their extra equipment had gone on the missing Quinjet with Bruce, including the change of civilian clothing everyone tried to keep on hand. But their discomfort paled into insignificance when he glanced over at Wanda as they landed at the tower. Katie guided her up to the spare room, ensured she had what she needed and then instructed her if she needed anything else, all she had to do was ask Friday, who would contact her immediately. Wanda nodded and Katie left her to be a lone for a while.

When Katie got back to her floor Steve was already in the shower, and the bed had never looked so inviting, which was why she couldn’t wait to get into it. Stripping off her filthy cat suit and her underwear she walked into the bathroom which was filled with steam and stepped into the shower behind Steve, her hands straying round to the front of his chest, simply laying her head against his back. He didn’t flinch, he simply grasped her hands in his, pulling her closer and dipped his head slightly as she nuzzled into his shoulder, the grime from the last few days whirling down the plug hole as the water rained down on them. Without speaking Katie grabbed his shampoo, and gently as she could massaged at his hair. Steve gave a soft moan, relishing at the feel of her nails on his scalp, happy to bliss out for a moment. He turned to face his future wife, tipping his head back to rinse his hair off and smiled tiredly as he dropped his head to kiss her softly.

“Turn round” he said gently, and she did as she was told as his hands wound into her hair, repaying the favour. She closed her eyes and leaned back into his touch, the intimate moment also serving as a perfect relaxer so much so that she didn’t object when things started to get a bit heated. This was always how things went with them both, they sought solace in one another, the physical relief of losing themselves with someone they loved was how they coped, how they stayed grounded, reminded ourselves that they weren’t alone.

His hands travelled down her body, her back pressed to his chest as his fingers reached between her legs, finding her spot. She moaned, arching back into him as his other hand caressed her breast, his arousal pressing into the lower part of her back and she lazily rolled her head to catch his mouth. As the hot water cascaded down onto them he took her to the brink before he spun her round and lifted her easily, pressing her back onto the cool tiles. He thrust into her without warning and she groaned, her hands gripping his shoulders as he began to pump in and out, his head falling to her collar bone as he gave a soft nip. With each roll of his hips Katie felt her pleasure beginning to mount, soft moans falling from her lips as she dropped her head to his shoulder, the feeling in her stomach beginning to overwhelm her.

“Look at me Doll” he said gently, and she opened her eyes, emerald gems locking onto his as he saw her mouth open, lips part in a soft cry as she came, a deeper groan bubbled over in her throat and her head slid backwards. Steve would never get tired of seeing her like that, ever. It was the most arousing thing in the world to him. His pace began to quicken and he followed shortly, the tight bands in his stomach snapping as he pressed her harder against the wall as he rode out his release.

When they had finally finished in the shower the pair of them were almost dead on their feet. They dried off, Katie shucked on one of Steve’s T-shirts and clambered into bed with him. Neither had any idea what time of day it was but neither cared, the blackout blinds sent the room into darkness. Katie lay her head on Steve’s chest, his hand slid up the cotton of his shirt and he gently ran his fingers up and down her spine.

He managed to do it about twice before the pair of them were out for the count.