#brain can only take so much sudden change in routine Ya Know

[marinecorvid]

Lying back on the floor staring up at the ceiling holding a Kit Kat piece like a cigarette as SoundCloud muffledly plays a random playlist of dance club remixes

[astaroth1357]

I don’t know if this’ll make the cut, but brothers with an MC wearing their (the brothers) clothes, and I’m talking full ensemble not just a random jacket or accessory (you can delete if you’re not comfortable of course)

So when left with the question of whether this was a full on clothing theft or a cosplay of some kind, I'm going with theft because that's just funnier to me. Just a little MC marching around in Beel's tent of an outfit… Hilarious. 🤭

MC Steals the Brothers’ Outfits

Lucifer 

It started out like any other morning, Lucifer woke up early in bed - as he always does - but when he rolled onto his side to stir the MC, he found their side of the bed empty… 

Normally, he’d have thrown up the alarm in an instant, but his mind was still groggy as he tried to recall what happened the night before… He could have sworn the MC slept over… unless…

MC: “Good morning, love.”

Their voice was enough to get him sitting up again and he uh… well he was not prepared for what he saw. The MC was sitting with their legs crossed at his desk, attempting to imitate his “I’m-in-Complete-Control-Here” energy as much as they possibly could, but with an added detail…

They were wearing his clothes. His favorite suit to be specific which was tailored to his much bigger frame, resulting in a frankly ridiculously ill-fitting look on their smaller human body...

MC: *picks up a poisoned apple off the desk, continuing their very best Lucifer-impression*  “You should get up, love. We have an early meeting today and we can’t keep Lord Diavolo waiting.”

The MC appeared to polish the apple with his sleeve for a moment before taking a bite, looking pleased with themselves before their eyes widened in complete horror. It only took a split second for them to spit the unchewed hunk of apple into a nearby waste basket and toss the apple away in panic.

MC: “Ah FUCK!! I forgot I can’t eat these!!! SHIT!!”

Their panic only grew as Lucifer could no longer hold in his laughter, the booming volume of which is enough to wake up all his brothers throughout the House.

MC: “Lucifer, don’t just sit there laughing!! Bring me some water or something!!! LUCIFER!!!”

Mammon

Look, Mammon always gets up late so not being able to find, like, any of his normal clothes was a serious problem! He’d already dug through half his closest and still couldn’t find anything!!

He had a photoshoot that he had to get to in less than hour and he still needed to take a shower, get dressed, get his stuff together, then bolt halfway across town before-

MC: *literally kicks open his door Kuzco-style* “Yo, yo, yo!! What’s up, Mammon??”

First off, the sudden loud bang of his door hitting the wall nearly scared him out of his skin, but before he could even yell at the MC for their weird entrance his brain had to process what they were wearing….

Good news! He found his missing clothes, the MC had thrown them on while he was sleeping - sunglasses and all - and now stood before him with a toothy grin on their face.

MC: “What's the problem, Mams? Lucifer got your tongu-EEEK!”

Apparently, they weren't expecting Mammon to literally lunge at them and capture them in a tight hug, practically lifting them off their feet with a laugh.

Mammon: “What'cha think your doin', MC?? I'm gonna need those back ya know?”

MC: *laughs loud and bright, throwing their arms around his neck* “I know, I know... But I wanted to surprise you!” *stops laughing suddenly and blinks* “Huh…”

Mammon watched the MC experimentally lift his glasses off their nose then put them back down, repeating the action several times before snickering.

Mammon: *frowns* “What's so funny?”

MC: “Nothing really but… Mammon, do you wear these just to make everything look like gold?”

Mammon actually had to pause before responding, pulling the MC closer with a devilish grin.

Mammon: “Nah… I ‘cause got all the gold I need right here~”

MC: *chuckles and nuzzles his cheek* “Nice save...”

Mammon: *his cheeks flush and he frowns* “I dunno what your talkin’ about... But could ya go put on a t-shirt or somethin’? They’re paying me big for this shoot and I really gotta go!”

Leviathan 

Another convention, another cosplay far too complex to ever hope to peel out of… Though Levi would never regret wearing his five piece Lord of Shadow cosplay, it’s a heavy thing and certainly not something he can change out of in a bathroom stall…

When he finally got back to the House, he wasn’t looking to do anything but drag his tired body back to his room and change into some more manageable clothes… but… well…

When Levi opened his door, he saw the MC sitting alone at his computer desk playing a game by themselves. That was all well and good but… WHY IN DIAVOLO’S BLACK HELL ARE THEY WEARING HIS CLOTHES???

When they heard the door, the MC whipped their head back and they both stared at each other in an awkward silence… His clothes didn’t even fit them right!-or maybe they did?? His mind was panicking because they had the collar of his shirt covering their mouth and it looked so moe it was actually ridiculous!

Levi: ……….

MC: ………….

MC: …. “I can explain.”

Levi: ……. “Y-yea?”

MC: “I was having trouble on this one level and you wouldn’t pick up the phone… so I thought ‘What would Levi do?’... and it escalated…”

Levi: “You think??”

Levi felt like he could die right there, but he wasn’t entirely sure if it was from embarrassment or happiness… On the one hand, the MC was  literally trying to be him in order to get better at video games - which was flatteringly adorable… And on the other, the MC is pretty much cosplaying as him, right in front of him… and looked so damn cute doing it too… 

MC: “Is this weird…? This is weird. I’m sorry, I’ll go change-”

Levi: NO-agh! *he throws a hand over his own mouth, surprised by how loud he just shouted* … “U-uh… no it’s fine…”

MC: “Okay...?”

MC: “But could you put your phone down? I think you’ve been taking pictures for the past two minutes…”

Levi looked down at his hand and sure enough he unconsciously pulled out his phone in camera mode and has been spamming the “Capture” button long enough to have his thumb cramping...

Levi: “Oh.” *stops for a moment, then seems to second guess himself*

Levi: “Uh… just one more?”

Satan

When you share a house with Mammon, you grow accustomed to not being able to find things from time to time, but an entire outfit?? 

When he woke up one morning to find that he couldn't find any of his normal clothes, he blamed Mammon right off the bat… 

I guess in hindsight, what would Mammon want with his jacket? But anger doesn't always jump to the most rational conclusion, you know?

After searching for "long enough," Satan stormed out of his bedroom on a warpath. He didn't stop his march until he was banging on Mammon’s door with a closed fist!

Satan: “Mammon!! What did you do with my clothes you useless, money-grubbing asshole!?”

When he didn’t get a reply, likely because Mammon was hiding in his closet or something, he was about to kick the door in when he felt a tap on his shoulder...

When he turned his head, much to his surprise, he found his missing clothes!... They were on the MC - right down to the single sleeve - and the MC met his eyes with a mischievous grin…

They had a book in their hands he recalled seeing once at the library: "101 Ways to Prank Your Partner," open like they'd been reading down the hallway.

MC: … Page 47.

They winked at him before bolting back down the hallway in a fit of giggles and oooh, it was on now.

Satan spent the morning chasing the MC through the House, both laughing and dashing around in reckless abandon. He really needed his clothes back and he wouldn’t mind an extra hour or two with the MC when he got them… 😏

Asmodeus 

Asmo isn’t exactly a morning person… Though he forces himself awake so he can perform his wake-up routine, by the time he comes to the table it’s a hit-or-miss on how irritable he’s going to be...

Of course, his favorite outfit suddenly disappearing from his massive closet did not help his mood in the slightest!

Who would take his clothes?? Well, that’s not even a question - surely plenty of his devoted, adoring stans would kill to even have his scarf, so maybe the better question was, “How??” Lucifer keeps all the doors and windows magically sealed at night! (He would know, having been locked out on numerous occasions)

Asmo was tearing through his closet, wracking his brain for any place he might have left his beloved outfit, before he heard someone clear their throat by his bedroom door.

What greeted him was a lovely look at the MC wearing the missing clothing in question, even with all the grace and style he would himself!

Asmo: *jaw-drops* “MC???”

MC: *smirks at his delight and winks at him* “Looking for something?”

They strutted into the room with the confidence of a mock fashion model and took a silly vogue pose in front of the closet, barely holding in a fit of laughter from their actions.

MC: “… Or just at me?”

Asmo, of course, snatched them right up in his arms with a delighted squeal.

Asmo: “Oh. My. Diavolo!! MC, you look just gorgeous!!!- Because you look like me, of course.” 🤭

MC: *laughs and cups his cheeks to pull him closer* “Who wouldn't want to be you, Asmo?”

Asmo: “So true… But you’re already perfect, my love~” 😘

And he went on to prove that to them all morning long...

Beelzebub 

Beel didn't even get the chance to notice his clothes were missing. He had a tournament the night before and was sleeping even harder than Belphie that morning...

What woke him up was the smell of food: scrambled shadowhawk eggs, hellboar bacon, pancakes with nightshade syrup…. 

Beel's stomach had him sitting up long before his eyes ever opened, drawn in by his nose alone.

MC: “Beeeeel. Wake up!”

Beel's eyes dragged open at their request and what he found had his mouth watering... The MC had brought him a dining cart with a complete breakfast spread, brimming with portions only Beel could ever finish, but for once he wasn’t looking at the food.

The MC, for whatever reason, had decided to put on his clothes… And keep in mind that Beel's built like an ox compared to almost anybody. They were absolutely swimming under all that fabric (thank the Devil for his suspenders…) 

MC: “Congratulations!!!”

They throw their arms up excitedly, making the unzipped jacket balloon out like a parachute behind them… It's a remarkably cute image.

Beel: *blinks* “Oh.” *he gets a little pink, still very confused* ��What did I do exactly…?”

MC: “You won the championship last night, remember? Or did you forget already??”

The MC takes a step to the side and begins pointing at the plates on the cart.

MC: “I thought we'd celebrate with some breakfast! I brought you eggs, bacon, pancakes, toast, cereal-”

As they continued their list, Beel's hand naturally reached out towards the cart eagerly, before something finally clicked in his head. WHY were they wearing his clothes??

Beel: “Wait. MC, why are you wearing-...?”

MC *holds their hand up* “Hold on!”

MC: “-oatmeal, muffins, banana bread, annnd…” *they get onto the bed and plop down onto his lap with a grin*

MC: “Me! Congratulations, Beel!!”

They lean up to peck his cheek while his arms automatically wind around their waist. The combination of their scents already bringing out a different sort of hunger in him…

Let’s say if this is his reward, he'll never lose a game again. 😏

Belphegor 

Belphie was in the middle of his afterschool nap in the library. The day was exhausting, so he didn’t even bother changing uniforms… The couches there were comfortable and the space was quiet, really nothing should have woken him up...

But somehow, for whatever reason, something did. A tug… Something was chasing away his dreams by tugging on the cow pillow in his arms.

MC: “Beeelllppphie….”

The tugging did not cease and he half growled in response, still keeping his eyes firmly closed.

Belphie: “What now...?”

MC: “I need this…” *they tug on the corner of the pillow a little harder* “Can you let go please…?”

What kind of question is that?? No one takes away his favorite pillow!

Belphie: *hugs the pillow tighter* “Go away, I'm trying to nap…”

MC: “Noooo please…! I need it for something right now…!!”

They started really pulling on his pillow now and he only held on tighter in annoyance. Since they wouldn’t leave him alone, he finally opened his eyes.

Belphie: “MC! Why are… you..?”

His voice trailed off as he finally saw the MC standing there in his usual outfit. His cardigan was so long over their arms that they had to grasp his pillow through its sleeves...

While his drowsy mind tried to catch up, the MC snatched the pillow from his grasp with one swift yank.

MC: *grins* “Mine now!”

They turned to bolt out of the library, but Belphie snatched them by the waist and dragged them back to the couch with him.

Belphie: “Fine, but then I get a new pillow.” 😏

The MC yelped as he flopped on top of them, pulling them close like a body pillow and resting his head into the crook of their neck to enjoy the soothing smell of their scent mixed with his.

MC: “W-wait Belphie…!” *tries to wiggle out from under his surprisingly heavy deadweight* “I was just playing around…! Please don't fall asleep on me!!”

Belphie: *yawns and settles in, already drifting off* “Too late… G'night, MC…”

MC: “Belphie!!!” ���

They could complain all they liked, he wasn’t going to let them go for a few hours. Cute or not, MC, nobody takes his pillow!

[arhvste]

MIYA OSAMU - OPEN FOR MIDNIGHT

➵ summary : being roommates with osamu was all fine besides the fear that you could potentially be a burden should you run into him, especially while he’s cooking. little do you know though, every night osamu hasn’t just been cooking for himself but rather cooking with hopes of luring you into the kitchen

➵ genre : fluff

➵ an : this is for @zumisace tee hee i love u lots and sorry it took longer for my teeny tiny brain to write this out properly !! <3

It felt nice living somewhat independently, away from family and free to do as you pleased; within reason of course.

You’d moved away to college last year and you’d nicely settled in and gotten into the swing of handling a domestic and academic routine. Your roommate was nice enough and the two of you were friendly. Things were fine and you were thankful you hadn’t ended up with the nightmare college experience story which you’d heard plenty of beforehand.

The only thing that bothered you was that your dinner times were a little earlier than you would’ve liked. You ate at 6ish every night to avoid clashing with your roommate as the kitchen seemed to be his domain and you never wanted to come across as getting in his way.

Sometimes, he’d offer to cook for you but the thoughts of you being a slight burden stayed prominent in your thoughts and you found yourself declining him more-a-less every single time he offered. You only hoped he didn’t take offence to your decline of invitation and think that it was his cooking that put you off because that certainly wasn’t the reason.

You and Osamu were friends with each other but you were never sure as to what level of friendship you were at. Sometimes you feared as to whether you’d be able to hold a long enough conversation yet talking to him seemed to flow naturally anyway. The feeling of nervousness never once left you though even though there was nothing to be nervous about when it came to Osamu. Maybe it was a fear of judgement or maybe you hadn’t been around him for a long enough time due to your incompatible schedules, you’d only ever run into each other in the morning after his runs and in the evening when you’d both finish your classes at different times. Osamu also took cooking courses a handful of evenings in the week so it’s not like you saw him much on a daily basis anyway.

That still didn’t help your new developed habit of eating your evening meal early though and it bothered you waking up later in the night feeling hungry but too tired to get up. The smell of cooked food would waft in through your door at around 11:40PM and linger about until around 1AM. Whether it was just your hunger making you imagine it or if it was your roommate cooking late, you weren’t sure but, you certainly weren’t going to make yourself find out either. That was your excuse anyway, it was actually a fear of running into Osamu and bothering him. You weren’t prepared to face him in an awkward conversation at 12AM every night and you certainly didn’t want to accidentally wake him up and potentially irritate him if he happened to be in his room sleeping.

Again, you weren’t quite sure what it was about him you were so anxious about, he was a nice man and was genuinely nice to you. Sometimes he seemed a little awkward to talk to though and his somewhat flat tone didn’t always help.

It didn’t matter too much though, you were on good terms and things were fine the way they were. You’d just have to continue waiting till morning to eat until you’d grown more comfortable with Osamu.

It was Wednesday and you’d had the typical college meal of just a quick mac and cheese box and it was safe to say it hardly filled you. It hardly mattered though because you had assignments piling on your desk and you were too occupied with them to even think to give your body an actual nutritious meal.

Burying you head into your building mountain of work, you settled down and did your best to get through them. You had decided that as a reward for completing your work, you’d treat yourself to some self care and a good meal but right now, your goal was to finish the unforgiving pile of work that was waiting to be handed in.

You set yourself to work and began flipping pages through and typing up the essays that were bound to be overdue soon managing to ignore the insatiable hunger in your practically empty stomach and the time.

Osamu had arrived back to the apartment an hour after you finished your sad excuse of a meal and retreated back to your room to tackle your workload. He didn’t miss the quick mac and cheese box by the recycling pile and he shook his head and sighed. He always wondered why you were okay with eating this processed and unhealthy food but you were hesitant about joining him to eat his freshly cooked meals.

Osamu put down his bags and left the fresh ingredients for tonight's meal he was making in the kitchen before returning to his own room to change into more comfortable clothing.

Walking back to his room, he noticed your door was opened slightly and he had a mental debate as to whether he should look in or not. Usually you would’ve called out a ‘hello’ or come out to greet him by now but when he noticed your lack of welcome, he decided they maybe snooping in through the crack on your door was okay. He just wanted to make sure you were okay or if you’d fallen asleep with your door open by accident.

He peered into and saw your back to him and a pile of papers stacked frantically on your desk. He saw the way your hands were typing up a storm on your laptop and the slightly disheveled appearance to your hair.

So you were studying huh?

Smiling softly to himself, Osamu hurried back to his room to change so he could start preparing dinner despite the fact it was 10:38PM already.

Finally, after what felt like hours on no end, you had drilled through the seemingly never ending pile of work and you couldn’t feel your hand or your spine from your posture. Several clicks of your back could be heard in your room as you straightened up and finally moved from your stiff position.

It was now 12:07AM and your stomach finally got the attention that it had been begging for since the start from you. Despite the fact you were hungry, you were also conscious of the time and didn’t want to risk potentially annoying your roommate.

Then again, the familiar scent of fresh food drifted through the crack of the door you’d accidentally left open as though it was demanding to be attended to.

Burying your head in your pillow, you did your best to fight the urge of getting up and following the calling smell outside of your room but your leash of nervousness began to wear down and you found yourself naturally moving towards the door and outside of your room. It was like your brain had just packed up and left your body to function on it’s own as all previous concerns were thrown out of the window and your only goal right now was to track this smell down and potentially consume something more than the ‘meal’ you have previously had.

Padding down the hall, previous concerns about your roommate long gone, you peered into the kitchen and was welcomed with the sight of steaming vegetables and frying what appeared to be dumplings. You inhaled and savoured the scent of the fresh food and allowed your eyes to flutter shut in bliss.

“Smell good?”

You jumped at the sudden voice and was met with lazy pretty eyes staring back into your own.

“S-shit, yeah -don’t scare me like that.”

“Sorry, wasn’t my intention.”

He wandered back over to the deep frying pan and lifted the lid to turn the food over to fry on the other side.

“Ya know,” He began suddenly causing your eyes to flicker up towards him. “I see all the shit ya eat and I don’t think the amount ya consume is normal.”

You shrugged and took a seat at the small island built in the kitchen.

“It’s all I can really do. It’s less time consuming too and besides, I don’t think I’d be able to eat big portions like you do,” You peered over the amount of food cooking. There was definitely more than enough for two people at least. “I don’t need to eat as much as you.”

“What are you trying to say?” Osamu’s tone threaded with teasing.

“I just mean you work out and stuff right? Yeah, I don’t need to eat as much as you because I don’t do that kind of thing as often as you.”

He hummed and turned the stove off and took the vegetables off the stove to drain the stock out.

“Well, as much as that makes sense, this isn’t all for me.”

You hummed and allowed your eyes to trail over his well built form.

“No? Don’t you always make this much food?”

Osamu put the pan down and turned to face you. One hand rose to meet the back of his neck as he sheepishly cast his gaze down to the floor.

“Uh actually, half of this goes to my brother since uh ya don’t wanna ever eat with me.”

“Oh.”

You felt heat rise to your face as Osamu slowly looked up at you.

“It’s not that I don’t want to eat with you it’s just...awkward?” You confessed as Osamu’s face twisted in confusion.

“I don’t think we’re awkward.”

You sighed and shook your head as Osamu reached down to grab two plates and two sets of utensils.

“It’s more like I’m awkward around you. I guess… I find you attractive.” You murmured the last bit quietly and half of you had hoped he hadn’t heard that.

“Hm? Repeat that for me?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

You huffed and glared at the smirking boy in front of you.

“Because you know what I said!” You whined as Osamu snickered, bringing the crockery and food to the kitchen counter.

“Okay, okay fine. But who said I don’t find you attractive either?”

You darted your eyes away from him as you began to grow slightly flustered.

“W-what?”

Osamu started delicately loading the contents of food onto the two plates as he sighed.

“It stresses me out ya know? Like everytime ya turn down eating with me, I’m always worried it’s because ya don’t like my food or...me?”

“No! It’s not that at all! I just told you I’m awkward!”

Osamu laughed and brought the two plates over and placed one in front of you. Your eyes danced over the food and your mouth began to water slightly. You had wasted your time eating processed and unfilling meals when you could’ve been eating like this? What were you thinking?

You muttered a quick thanks and then the two of you said your thanks for the meal before eating. Osamu’s cooking was as good as it looked and you found yourself humming in satisfaction every few mouthfuls.

Osamu smiled softly to himself as he ate his own food, sparing you a glance every so often.

“I’m glad ya sound as if ya like it. Your portions are such a waste going to an idiot like my brother all the time.”

You coughed and looked at the boy in disbelief.

“Maybe if you weren’t so good-looking then maybe I’d join you for dinner and you wouldn’t have to give food to your brother.”

Osamu laughed and looked back down to his plate.

“Well, now I know that it’s not my cooking ya have a problem with, I think I’ll tell Tsumu’ that his portions are being cut off now.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

You hummed and finished your meal finally feeling full and content. You glanced over at the clock that read 12:49AM.

“Why do you cook so late?” You questioned as Osamu hummed and looked at you.

“Because I know yer hungry around now and I didn’t wanna bother you about coming out and eating.” Osamu replied as your eyes widened slightly. So he had been purposely cooking around now every night to try and lure you into the kitchen.

“Oh, I’m sorry… but you don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

“Meaning?”

You sighed and tilted your head, eyes meeting his once more.

“I think I wanna start having meals with you.”

“So it’s a regular date?”

“D-date?” you flushed.

“Yeah, date. Midnight meal dates and maybe I’ll take ya out on a few proper ones soon.”

“Okay Osamu. It’s a date.”

general taglist → @atsumuwoah @bloody-bella @bbymilkbread @miracleboy420 @doggonudez @atsunakaashi @peteunderoos @saturnfarie @toffees-main @zumisace @boosyboo9206 @totorosleaff @27kei

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[ficsnroses]

Friends With Benefits Chapter 9 - Keanu Reeves x Reader

Chapter IX ~ Full Circle.

Part 1  Part 2 Part 3 Part 4  Part 5  Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

❧ Word Count : 3.7K

❧ Warnings : Angst, light nsfw/smut,  (I apologize in advance..)

❧ Series Summary :  What happens when two, lonely friends start seeing each other for sex? A tricky friends with benefits love story, when feelings get in the way.

Notes : Just a couple more chapters after this, series is scheduled to end this month! Thanks for sticking around since I started this in November. I love it with my entire heart, and I hope you do too. Please do leave feedback and comments if ya get a sec. There’s tons of parallels in here from previous chapters, kudos if you can spot em!

Chapter 8 Recap : After leaving Keanu’s house in tears at midnight, Y/N’s car breaks down, and she’s left with no one to call but Keanu. After much persuasion, Keanu convinces her to come back to his house and spend the night; where they end up having sex yet again, only making things worse. In the morning, Keanu reveals to Y/N that he plans on purchasing a new car for her, which offends her significantly, considering their relationship. Y/N ends things with Keanu for good, leaving them both distraught and heartbroken in their own ways.

It all comes down to the last person you think of at night.

That’s, where your heart is.

.

Day after day; week after week, abiding to dreary half executed routines and less than productive projects. It’s been 3 weeks since you’d weary boned, walked out of Keanu’s house,

and perhaps his life

once and for all demolishing the sole, fraying thread of your damaged relationship. As you roam your seemingly emptier apartment, the air around secludes, chilling wavelengths and brisky cold temperate in the atmosphere. On an oak coat hanger, draped in a corner of the living room entrance, a knitted black coat hangs, the same one Keanu had forced you to wear on impromptu evening adventures downtown the LA scene. Neither of you were much for the crowds, yet social affairs seemed…alright. When in the company of the other.

A lot seemed alright when in the company of one another.

Gray ash clouds outside, the LA afternoon falls dark, the dewy gold gleam of a black pine candle illuminating a halo around its part on the coffee table.

It was his favourite scent.

To the hallway wall, a small chip in the crisp white walls taunts you, his elbow bellowed in a charge too fierce when you’d pushed him to it; satin lips on yours in a feverish kiss.

    His baseball cap, long forgotten on the loveseat by the skyline window.

    Two wine glasses stowed away in the glass kitchen cabinets.

    The lighter you kept on hand for him when he’d need a smoke after sex.

    Quiet laughs shared in the moonlit dark within these very walls.

All around, there was him.

You don’t realize just how much someone is a part of you, until they’re gone.

For him, it may have just been sex. For you, you were making love. You were making love the entire time, to him. And now, as you sit alone in your outcast LA apartment, that same love mocks you. Suffocates you. Kills you, because it never really goes away. Just because he’s gone, it

hasn’t

gone

away.

He’d yet to call, and you distrust he will. Lover or not, you know him as the back of your hand. He won’t call, he cares too much. Respects you too much to force himself on you. Loud and clear, you’d made rich, undoubted clarity of the end that dreadful morning. The death of you and him.

And nothing comes back from the dead. All that leaves mark is haunting, cold memories.

Cold comfort. Burning memories of what was. He’s a man of measured words, speaks only when there was reason to. Yet, they’d left you haunted. His words that spoke far too much, far too deep, forced you to fall far too profound when you’d promised each other, it wasn’t ever the end goal.

You’d blinked once; then twice, thrice, until the first tear fell.

Warm, stinging, burning. You’d gotten used to those first couple tears lately; the ones that would come uninvited, without notice.

Even after him, all there was,

was burn.

Out.

You needed to go out, do something, find anything to distract, to quench that burning long inside you. The studio sounded nice, nothing a half finish project to get your brain juices flowing couldn’t fix.

Work had been an outlet; designs, sculptures, drawings, late night sessions locked away in your studio had been rather therapeutic when you’d first moved out.

Therapeutic-before you began finding comfort in Keanu’s king bed, silken sheets and cotton pillows scattered around almost every night.

The lock to the apartment door clinks, keys bustling with a toss into your bag before you start toward the elevator.

This is good. This is okay. The morning is rather low-spirited and desolate, not a soul in the halls or lobby. Perhaps you preferred it that way for now.

Alone. Something so familiar, but revitalising. Or maybe truth be told, right now, for you, if it wasn’t him,

it couldn’t be anyone at all.

His rich chuckle,

His smoky laugh,

That inquisitive, immersed stare with the tip of his lips slightly agape while he listens, breathes in the world around him,

Stop.

With a half executed, drained sigh, you trudge to the brassy elevator doors, sounds of trudging cables and gaudy belts before the doors glide open, the elevator scent of a freshener far too strong, mimicking fresh linen and Californian citrus. The ride down is short, a derisory accomplishment of actually stepping foot out into the world outside your sheltered apartment corridors. With a stop to the third floor below yours, the elevator dings, heavy footsteps and the scent of spiced cologne wafted through the trivial space.

Spiced cologne; a dire contrast to the woodier, pine-ier one of Keanus.

Voice intruding, you pick up deep soundwaves and flashy baritone, a greeting of curious surprise your way. “Y/N?” They speak, snapped out your dreary daydream, thoughts somehow continually reverted back to broken eyes, deadbeat silence from that shattered morning endured three weeks ago.

Curious orbs raised, you perceive him; an old colleague residing in the same complex. He’d been the first neighbour you encountered in the midst of your move here, a heavy box of dishes and cutlery saved by his robust arms carrying them up to your front door that year ago. “Matt?”

“It’s been a while, haven’t seen you around.” He raises, hands shoved into his blue jean pockets, tall frame taking place a mere few inches apart from you.

“Just been busy.” You smile, stray strand of lock tucked behind your ear. Matt had been much help during your move, and you’d kept in touch thereafter. He’d come visit time to time for a piping cup of French coffee; discussions of work and projects mindlessly favoured together.

“Right.” He replies, amiable smile to his full lips. “I saw you’d been working on bigger films.” He starts, admirable sheen to his dark eyes. “Very commendable work.” He praises, a gentle chuckle when the following words flow. “Hey, I have to ask…” The elevator descends further down, main lobby in approach. Sounds of trudging still bellow above, yet the sound of his talk was…nice. It was nice to hear someone.

Apart from failed attempts of your girlfriends to take you out for drinks, you’d heard little rather from the voice that would seep your television; the Netflix catalogue had been getting much devotion lately.

With his brows scrunching, the baritone of his voice raises slight, wondering. “I’ve seen a guy visit you every now and then…was that Keanu freaking Reeves?” timidly chuckled, he takes in your gentle giggle, a nod to his query.

“Yeah, it was.”

“Ahhh.” He breathes, glance at the polished floor. “Boyfriend…?” His voice lingers, a dragged out tone in question, eyes focused to assess your features change.

“Business partner.” You lie.

A cold, dreadful lie that held so much history, so much regard. So much history, thrown away with those two, taciturn words.

“Right.” Matt rakes a heavy palm through his hair, moved to gesture out a peace offering in front of him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to assume.” He apologizes, nervous tone thick with unease, yet held to a certain confidence. Matt had charisma, poise, a pleasant presence.

Voice warm, you overtake, smiling in return. “Of course not.” Sincerely, you compliment. “You look well.” Commenting, the elevator rings open, the main lobby arrives. Matt allows you to go first, leading the way graciously.

“You do too, as always.” He praises, eyes glazing over your features in an admirable glow. Hand tucked back into his jean pocket, a timid silence stays put in the air around, your brows raising when at a loss of what to say next. Features contemplative, Matt’s voice gruffs in his throat, gently coughing a nervous pitch to the look of your welcoming gaze. “I’d actually love to catch up sometime, if you’re free.” He proposes. “Maybe a coffee sometime this week?”

Your thoughts halt in trek, gaze flickering to the pavement below in the distance for a moment. Company…someone to ease your mind off the storm brewing inside….

You think back,

Two wine glasses stowed away in the glass kitchen cabinets. A half drank bottle of Merlot sitting in solitude.

“Do you wanna come over tonight?” You blurt, uncertain of when the words had even fallen off your lonesome lips. Partly wonderstruck you’d extended an invitation so sudden, you marvel if it was too soon. You’d just met Matt again; only shared a meagre 3 minutes together thus far.

You’d only shut Keanu out so soon ago, yet you knew deep inside, he was still stuck in each part of you. But it couldn’t go on like that forever, this couldn’t go on forever. You need something new, potentially someone new.

Someone that doesn’t come with such baggage, someone who doesn’t come with so many complications.

Matt shifts, charming smile plastered to his lips with a quick glance down. His thoughts collect; gaze locked to yours in an admiration filled sincerity. “Yeah, for sure.” He speaks. “I’d really like that.” Controlled and certain, you nod, gesturing to the roads off sight. “I’ve just got a day of errands and work ahead. But I’ll see you at my place tonight?” You offer. “Is 7:00 alright?”

“Of course.” He smiles, giving you a gentle nod, and if you thought close enough, you’d swore his awed eyes sputtered to your rosy lips ever so briefly,

wondering….

3 weeks. 3 long, tiresome, drained week without her. Without her company, without her voice, without her floral scent; roses and lilies to brighten his days. It had felt as if she’d been wiped away, his motionless mind left with nothing but burning memories of their time together.

Laying in his king bed, Keanu wonders what she’s doing right now. Is she thinking of him, the way he thinks of her? Has she forgotten him, the way they were, the things they did? He prays. He pleads she hasn’t forgotten. Three weeks had passed, and time seemed to mock him at every second. A lifetime spent alone, the lonesome days and months, turned mindlessly to years. Her walking away had been perhaps the most gut wrenching, soul eating occurrence to ever break his mind. Her walking away was the sourest sting he’d ever had to swallow.

Because he knows he’ll never forget her. Not now, not today, not in another three weeks.

She was it for him, he’d known it for a while. If it was going to be anyone, if he had a chance to make it right with anyone, it was solely, unconditionally, her. He couldn’t forget.

Couldn’t forget the things they did.

She’d been a dire reflection of him, mirroring his tepid, half sheltered heart. The heart that longs, for so much more. It was only her. It could only be her.

It wasn’t toxicity.

time passed, the days turned to nights, the tick bestowing further, the time spending away, not making either of them younger, he knew. She was it. It all meant something, it was never just sex.

It could never just be sex. What he felt, she had to feel it too.

She had to. No longer was it feasible to suffer. He won’t suffer. This time, now, finally, he won’t suffer. He won’t let it be.

As he turns his side, an exasperated sigh flees his lips, hand bestowed to his feeble forehead in an aching protrude. He wonders what she’s doing right now, if she’s awake, wondering, thinking, missing him like he is her. Longing for him, as he is for her.

Suffering for him, as he is for her.

A glance toward the bedside table shows, dainty clock illuminating the time. He’d seek her in the early morning, and this time, he’d at least try to make things right. Lay his heart out on the line, hoping, pleading she’d accept it. Enough had been enough, dreary thoughts and lonesome nights, burning away, wondering of what could be would perverse no more.

He wonders what she’s doing right now.

11:38pm.

     She couldn’t forget him. He wouldn’t let her.

     Couldn’t forget the things they did.

Words not spoken,

Things not said,

     Regrets; enveloping you.

A finished bottle of Merlot, a shot or two as well. Something crisp…something that,

     burned.

You don’t remember who did it first, who wanted it first, who let it happen first.

His scent lasted longer than you’d liked on your skin, that murky dusk of spiced cologne, his polite, appealing presence. He arrived with a bottle of White, a variety you’d almost never kept on hand in the last couple of months.

Red used to be his favourite; so it was yours.

Perhaps you were vulnerable, perhaps he was too kind. Too charming, too present. But you asked for it, you did it, you wanted it. Or so you think you did.

     It always comes full circle.

You needed someone that night, needed to feel someone that night. You don’t remember who made the first move, seemed as if both of you wanted that mutuality, that connection just as much.

     Back where you’d started.

His skin grazed yours, gentle thumb soothed to your own; wine glass held in a wavering grip, frail to your boney fingers.  You didn’t stop him, didn’t pull away. He moved closer, and maybe you did too. Closer to him, nearer to him.

The gray bedroom walls heard the scene; they saw it all, unadulterated, held the secrets of what you’d done. His lips on yours, his hands on you, your fingers clawing to his back. You let him in, and he took each inch of you. Raw, exposed, desperately attempting to chase that high, that cloud nine feel that came with months gone. You could lay with this man while you thought of him, drawing sorrow deep inside his skin. Scratch his back to forget his face, bite his neck with his name on your tongue, touch his face while you think of him.

It’s an awful feeling, knowing you did nothing wrong.

But did everything wrong, all in the same.

“Y/N…” You cut Matt off by kissing his lips, gracefully on the bed underneath him, hands in his hair with his heavy palms to your hips. Moving diligently, he sulks into your neck, moaning, soft and quiet grunts between bites and nips to your neck. “Faster,” You spill, nerve endings tantalized as he thrusts, your lips stippled to his piercing jawline.

Is it easier for him? you wonder, you ponder,

you guess.

“You’re irresistible…” He whispers, lips browsed to your chest in a warm enhold, skin on skin within the softness of release. Back arching, you lean into his touch, hips bucking along with his when your mind jumbles, an awful realization, the bitter realism. He’s changing your breath with every thrust, working your body in a hot, humid intimacy so foreign, his manhood hastily working your body beneath. So foreign, so…empty.

That familiar stretch isn’t there, the sweet burn isn’t there, he isn’t there. This isn’t him. No matter how hard you try, how tight you clench your eyes hoping you’ll trick yourself into believing it, it isn’t him.

     He’s safe, he’s new, he’s different,

But he’s not him. The façade you show melts away.

He’ll never be him. No one will ever be him.

As he slips out in the midnight light, the bed sinks beside you, and you turn with the comforter held to your exposed chest. The only light in the bedroom filters from the cracked window, the illuminated alarm clock on your dainty nightstand enlightening the while,

11:38pm.

The misty LA morning brought new found hope; new found anticipation. The weather had predicted a storm brewing out soon, yet that wouldn’t be enough to stop Keanu.

Not today. Not when he needs her to know. Not when he loves her, and he knows so deep, so profound that he does.

Sunny California had grayed a dark to its golden rays lately, a frigid mist clings to the air. Heavier rains had been the norm recently, damper months in full fledge. A tug of war impends his mind, should he wait until evening? Should he call? Was this an intrusion of her space? Her choices?

Was she really, truly content leaving things the way she did?

He looks in the mirror; beard longer than it had been since he’d seen her; hair shaggier than she’d left him. He hadn’t had anyone to look good for since she’d gone away. Hadn’t had motivation to present himself to anyone since she’d left.  Some of Y/N’s things still lingered the empty walls of his home; a lacy bra left in his wardrobe, a crewneck sweater mindlessly thrown under his bed; her copy of a Hemingway novel abandoned in his office, a toothbrush for when she’d spend the night.

It had been there the entire time.

Just sex isn’t this involved.

Friends with benefits aren’t this involved.

She’d been there the entire time.

After a quick shower and groom of his rather untamed features, Keanu snatches his keys and wallet, fear filled drive to her apartment drained on his mind. Y/N had to see this through, had to trust him, understand him.

Y/N and Keanu had never really got it right, never quite found the balance. But it could be found, could be learnt, could be when they’d finally accept it.

The balance was always them. Them together, as whole. Half executed attempts at being anything less would suffice no more. What was, what is, was always more.

     It was never just sex.

     It was so much more.

The apartment complex is rather fuller than normal, piercing cold and dewy morning air enveloped around. Crowds had stayed in, and the first murky dewdrops of fresh rain speckled his worn out leather jacket on arrival.

This worn out leather jacket….

He’d placed it on her shoulders when the bitter cold threatened her skin. She’d peeled it off him when they did what lovers do.

     It was never just sex.

     It was companionship.

The wearing pockets had held her special birthstone ring, forgotten in his possession solely for him to have a reason to come to her, sooner than they’d planned.

     It was never just sex.

     It was the feeling of needing someone; having someone.

The fraying insides and ravelling threads felt the weight of her body holding him, chest pressed to his back along the scenic LA mountains, breezy winds and violet sunsets known all too well on destination less rides.

     It was never just sex.

     It was connection; intimacy.

This old, worn out leather jacket, a possession of his he’d held for so long, something that had been through it all, held so much of her. Knew so much of her.

     It was never just sex.

     It was their love. And it was so much more, so much more than just physical.

The ride up and trek to her door seemed endless, racing pace and quick strides in desperate attempt to get to her as soon as he could. Everything had finally fallen into place, he’d finally understood. And he knew so well, that she would too. Takes one to know one; they’d been lonely far too long.

Within moments, Keanu stood firm at her door, abundance of confidence, anticipation, yet a timid nervousness all in one piping cocktail of eagerness flowing through his veins. He hadn’t seen her in weeks; his favourite, the most prized possession in his life, he hadn’t seen in weeks. More than anything, he hopes she had been alright. Taken care of herself, stayed healthy and safe.

A ring at the door bell, and a loud knock.

Seconds, moments, small increments of time passing seem as if an eternity slowly moving by.

Another knock, for good measure.

Hands shaking so slightly, skin crawling, fists clenched with a stare to the floor.

She should be home, it’s only morning.

Trudging elevator belts moving in the distance, footsteps in and around the complex halls, leg bouncing, lip bitten in dreary wait, a nervous sigh when more moments pass until…

Click. The door wavers open, she stands behind, half dressed, features borderline stoic, yet with a gentle hold of sorrowed blues. She looks beautiful as always, and his heart hitches at the sight of her. The woman he loves, so dearly, so much. Hair stowed in a messy bun, fatigue seeps under her eyelids, tired features soft under the artificial hallway lights.

“Y/N…” Keanu speaks above a smooth, buttery whisper; the sound of her name slipping off so naturally, so effortlessly. “I wanted to see you…”

She swallows tight, eyes never leaving his chocolaty, sincere gaze, so love drunk as he stares. He’d engulf her in his arm right now if he could. Hold her for an eternity if time allowed. Kiss her so passionately, so lovingly that it’d take her breath away. Yet he waits; waits to do things right. Do it the right way, for the first time in their tumbling relationship. “Can I come in?” He asks, voice almost choking in his gruffed throat.

She’d hardly moved before he’d caught glimpse; a deep baritone behind her, the sound an intruding shock to his already racing heart. Calm yet collected, Keanu stands, eyes tracing behind as the voice firms in closer,

a man, jacket hung over his left shoulder blade, morning hair just woken ruffled a mess, palm placed to her back with a gentle squeeze as he bids goodbye. “I need to head out, but I’ll call you.” He smiles at her, before locking gaze with Keanu.

“Morning.” He greets Keanu, before giving Y/N’s arm a reassuring, goodbye squeeze, slipping beside Keanu and out the door, disappearing down the hall. Y/N stands in front of him, eyes locked to his still, as if pleading, begging for something…something neither of them could quite understand.

Keanu stills, fists clenched, heart stinging with piercing defeat.

She’d been with another man.

     The love he so desperately longed for, the women he knew he needed,

     had been in the arms,

     of another.

>>Chapter 10>>

➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴

s/o to ma bish @fanficsrusz​ for looking over this cluster fuck for me lol. ily

My taglists will be posted in reblogs from now on. Let me know if you want to be added or removed from either this series, or the permanent! 

[spookyfbi]

Untitled Klaus/Dave fic

Summary: When Dave’s father dies, he tries to pass on a message through Klaus, and Dave wonders why Klaus is so afraid of the ghosts.

———

“…Klaus…”

“…Klaus…”

The strained voices screamed out to him as he lay in the cot, in a tent shared by a dozen or so other men. He tried to get his shaky breathing under control. Tonight was a particularly bad night. After a few more moments, he tossed aside his blanket and left the tent.

“Shut up!” he whispered when he felt like he was far enough away from the others to not be heard. “Shut up! Just leave me the fuck alone!” He took out a joint from his pocket and brought it to his lips. The contraband was difficult to come by here, but not impossible. It was always available when they went on leave, along with any other vice the men could imagine, to keep up morale. But they weren’t supposed to bring it back into the trenches. They had to keep a clear head out here. Still, Klaus knew a thing or two about smuggling drugs around. He lit a match, but a sudden voice spoke words that made him drop it to the muddy ground.

“…Tell Dave…”

He took the joint from his mouth. “What?! Who said that?”

“…Tell Dave… Important…”

“Tell Dave what?”

“…Please tell Dave-“

“…Klaus…”

“…Klaus…”

“… Where’s my Mommy?”

“…Fuck that whore…”

“…What a pretty boy you are…”

The voices began to drown each other out and they all began to jumble together. Klaus covered his ears as the voices grew louder. “Shut up just please shut up!” he whispered through clenched teeth. He tried to focus on that one voice that mentioned Dave but he couldn’t make it out anymore. Who was it? What did it want to tell Dave? Klaus took in a deep, shaky breath. He swallowed hard as he looked at the joint between his fingers. He wanted to light it up so badly, to make the voices all go away. But that one voice had something important it wanted to tell Dave. What was it? Klaus put the joint back into his pocket. Maybe if he held out just a little bit longer he’d be able to make out the whole message. The joint would still be there tomorrow. Just a little bit longer, then he’d take a blissful drag to silence them all again.

———

The next morning the Captain called Dave into his office, and Klaus felt a weight in the pit of his stomach. The voices were still screaming, they had been all night, but none of them were telling him anything he wanted to hear. When Dave returned, he looked pale. He walked to his cot like a man possessed, staring blankly in front of him. He sat down on his cot, still staring at nothing and barely blinking. The dread in Klaus’ stomach grew.

The other men left the tent for their morning routine, but Klaus hung back, not really caring much if it got him into trouble. He sat down gently on the cot beside Dave

“Dave…?” he asked, and Dave began to stir. He turned his head slightly towards Klaus, but his eyes continued to stare.

“My father…” he whispered, “… had a heart attack. He’s dead.”

Klaus’ heart sank. His own father’s death had been a cause for celebration in his eyes, but clearly that wasn’t the case for Dave. He put his hand gently on Dave’s forearm. “I’m so sorry” he whispered.

“I’ve been given a week leave to attend the funeral and be with my family. I have to pack…”

Dave still hadn’t moved or even looked away from the nothingness ahead of him. “Here, let me help you” Klaus said, glad to have something useful to do. He took Dave’s suitcase from the end of his cot and started packing up Dave’s belongings.

Dave looked like he was trying to tear his eyes away from the nothingness but having a hard time of it. “Thanks” he choked out.

Klaus busied himself folding up Dave’s clothes and putting them into the suitcase. Then he paused, holding one of Dave’s shirts. “Do you want me to go with you to the funeral?” It was a stupid question, Klaus realised once he’d said it. Would they even let him? How would they explain it? But under other circumstances, if they were living together somewhere as civilians in 2019, it would be a natural question for a supportive boyfriend to ask.

Dave closed his eyes and nodded, sighing. Then he opened them and finally looked at Klaus for the first time that day. “But I don’t think it’s a good idea” he whispered sadly. Klaus nodded.

“Okay well, you’re just about all packed up.” Klaus said as he finished folding the shirt he was holding and put it in the suitcase.

“Thanks” Dave said again, and Klaus lowered the suitcase lid and closed the clasps.

“Don’t worry about it” Klaus waved, then he put his hand comfortingly on Dave’s knee.

Suddenly, the Captain came back into the tent, and Klaus quickly withdrew his hand. “You ready to go, Katz?” he asked with an odd mixture of authority and sympathy.

Without looking at Klaus, Dave took his suitcase and stood up. “Yes sir,” he said, and he followed the Captain. Klaus quickly got changed into his uniform and joined the other men.

———

The day had been hard without Dave, and without that joint he hadn’t smoked last night, but at least he had the other men, oh and the war and the need to stay alive, to distract him. Klaus was focused enough on the tasks at hand to ignore the voices. But that night was a different story. He hadn’t slept the previous night but he was still running on adrenaline, so he wasn’t really tired. And the voices were still there, loud as ever. He left the tent again and walked a distance so he could talk.

“Dave’s dad? Are ya there?” He took the joint from his pocket again. “If you’ve got something important to tell him, now’s the time. I’m not going another night without this.”

“…Tell Dave…”

There it was. Finally. “Are you Dave’s dad?”

“…Yes…”

“Alright, so what’s the message? Tell Dave what?” Klaus was getting impatient. He was itching to light up

“…Tell Dave…”

“Yeah yeah yeah, tell Dave what? Come on old man, I don’t have all night.”

“…I love him…”

Klaus was a bit annoyed. Was that it? That didn’t seem particularly important or urgent. “Okay, tell Dave you love him, that it?”

“… I’m proud of him…”

“Tell Dave you love him and you’re proud of him, got it. Anything else…?”

Silence.

Klaus stuck the joint between his lips and took out the box of matches. His struck a match against the box. “Last chance…”

“…Thank you…”

The other voices grew louder again, so Klaus lit up the joint and took a nice long drag. And then another. And then another. And slowly the voices faded. By the time Klaus had finished, the voices were no louder than the crickets chirping, and he was finally able to relax.

———

When Dave returned, he was a bit more like his old self. He accepted the condolences of the other men and slipped back into the normal army routine. Klaus knew he had to talk to him, to pass on his father’s message, but the words felt awkward in his mouth. How should he go about saying this? He couldn’t just go up to Dave and blurt out ‘hey Dave, I spoke with your dad, he loves you and he’s proud of you.’ Klaus tried to imagine what it might be like to have a father who was capable of love, of pride, of any emotion really, and how he might like to be told that if he had any expectation or desire of hearing these words. The concept was so foreign to him. He ended up avoiding Dave all day, which wasn’t difficult. Dave seemed pretty distracted himself.

That night Klaus was woken by a rustling sound from Dave’s cot. He saw Dave get up and leave the tent. Okay, now’s the time then. He got up and followed Dave, hoping the words would be there in his brain by the time he caught up.

When Dave stopped, Klaus slowed down. “Hey…” he whispered.

Dave turned his head slightly. “Hey” he replied, but didn’t turn around.

“If you want to be alone I can go back…” Klaus offered, unable to read whether or not his presence was welcome right now.

“No, it’s okay” Dave said, and he did turn around this time, and leaned against a nearby tree, folding his arms.

Klaus slowly approached him. “How was it?”

“Yeah, it was a beautiful service. My brother gave a touching eulogy” Klaus nodded and stood next to him. Dave sighed and focused on a branch stuck in the dirt, nudging it gently with his foot. “I never really felt like I fit in with my family. I always felt like… they could tell there was something…” he glanced briefly at Klaus and then looked back down, “…different about me. Y’know? I was terrified they’d find out. I enlisted in the army so I could prove to them that I was still a man. So they wouldn’t know I was… I guess all guys like us worry about that, huh?”

“Oh, sure” Klaus said, but that hadn’t been his experience at all. Reginald would’ve been just as disappointed whether Klaus was having a picnic with his siblings, or making out with a boy, or starting a fire, if it occurred outside of the designated half hour a week they had for fun and games, so he never felt the need to hide anything about who he was. Until he landed in 1968, of course. And even here his efforts were half hearted at best. More for Dave’s benefit than his own.

“I just wish…” Dave closed his eyes and shook his head. “I don’t know what I wish…”

“Your dad was proud of you, Dave. And he loved you.” The words felt a bit less awkward now, more like an answer to a question Klaus knew Dave was trying and failing to ask.

“Yeah, that’s what I try to tell myself…”

“No, I mean he really is. He told me.” Dave shot Klaus a sharp look, then. It wasn’t that he didn’t know Klaus could talk to ghosts. At least, Klaus had told him a while ago. But maybe he hadn’t believed it. Maybe he just thought the voices Klaus heard were only in his head. “He came to me and he told me to tell you that he loves you and that he’s proud of you.”

“Are you fucking with me, Hargreeves?”

“No! No, he really did, I swear! Trust me, I wish he hadn’t.”

Dave let out a sound that was a cross between a laugh and a sob. “Did he know? Did he know that I’m…?” He let the sentence linger. Dave never liked to put any actual word to his sexuality. Klaus wasn’t sure if it was because he didn’t know the word for it, or if using a word for it would make it too real for him. Either way, Klaus accepted Dave’s reluctance to use a label.

“He didn’t say.”

“Is he still here now?

“No.” Klaus felt a slight pang of… guilt? “No, I smoked a joint so I can’t hear anything now.”

Dave nodded and took a moment to let it all sink in. Then he breathed out a laugh. He ran his fingers through his hair. “Maybe he had an epiphany when he died.”

“Maybe…” Klaus said. Fuck if he knew what motivated the dead.

“Or maybe he was just always proud of me and he never told me…”

“Maybe…” Klaus wasn’t sure which Dave would’ve preferred.

Dave looked at him fully now. “Thank you, Klaus.”

Klaus looked away, feeling a bit embarrassed. “Hey, it was nothing, don’t mention it.”

“I know how much you hate hearing them” Dave said softly.

Klaus shrugged, feeling slightly uncomfortable that the attention was on him now. He looked up at the stars, not at anything in particular but just for something to look at. “Happy to do it” he said, with much less conviction than he would’ve liked.

The two men stood there for a few moments before Dave broke the silence. “Klaus, can I ask you something?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Why do you hate hearing them so much? Y’know, I don’t think they’re as scary as you think. They’re just people who want to want to talk to their loved ones one last time. You could help them. What are you so afraid of? They can’t hurt you.”

“Not physically…” Klaus found himself fishing another joint from his pocket. He wasn’t planning on smoking it just yet, he knew he should probably save it for later, when he really needed it. But his heart was suddenly thumping and he heard the blood rushing in his ears and his stomach was doing flip flops and his hands were shaking and he just needed to relax before Dave saw how much the question had unsettled him. He took the joint between his lips and lit up, inhaling deeply.

Dave looked at Klaus, the earnest expression he wore urging him to go on.

Klaus could think of a million jokes he could say. If it were anyone else asking he’d pick one and be done with the conversation. But Dave was so earnest, so kind, so unguarded with his own emotions that it made Klaus want to reciprocate in kind. For the first time in his life, Klaus felt like he could share his deepest fears and not end up trapped in a mausoleum for his trouble, or something similar.

“I knew things as a kid…” Klaus cleared his throat, not sure if his trembling voice was even audible. “…that no little kid should have to know. A little girl who was kidnapped and left for dead. She didn’t even know she was dead, she just wanted her mom. A man who beat his wife to death and then shot himself. All he wanted to do was tell his kids how much of a slut he thought she was, because she was cheating on him. A psychopathic murderer who was just executed. He took great joy in telling me in excruciating detail what he’d like to do to me if he was still alive.” Klaus felt a tear escape his eye and he wiped it away quickly. He had many more stories like this, but he figured he’d said enough for Dave to understand.

“Klaus…” Dave whispered gently. “Shit… I’m so sorry.”

“They’re not all like your dad, Dave.” Klaus took another deep drag and tried to stop trembling so much. “And they’re not all like that either. A lot of them are scared or angry and just want to lash out at the next person they come across. I guess they are just people, like you said. People who don’t know how to deal with their shit, much less their deaths. Apparently you don’t just get 100 hours of therapy bestowed upon you when you die.” Klaus gave a chuckle to try to lighten the mood. He was starting to feel like he’d ventured too deep into the abyss and couldn’t find his way out. Humour had always been his lifeline. Humour and drugs. He took one last drag and then dropped the joint to the ground, putting it out with his toe. “Anyway, we’d better get back.”

Dave rested a hand on Klaus’ shoulder. It was warm and comforting. He felt steadied by that strong hand, like it could stop his trembling the way it might stop a coin from spinning by resting upon it. “Yeah, let’s head back” Dave agreed. He didn’t remove his hand, but slid it along so that his arm wrapped around Klaus’ shoulders. Klaus wrapped his arm around Dave’s waist.

“I do think your dad’s at peace” Klaus said as they made their way back to the tent. “For whatever that’s worth.”

“Thanks Klaus. I think so too.” Dave stopped as they were approaching the tent. Klaus was beginning to feel calmer. The warmth of Dave’s touch anchored him somehow. Dave turned to look at him. “I really appreciate what you did for me, exposing yourself to them so you could listen to my dad. It means a lot to me.”

Klaus waved him off. “Yeah, sure, I mean it’s fine. Really.”

“You’re a good friend, Klaus.” Dave’s expression was so earnest and so caring and his voice so gentle and his words so pure that it almost made Klaus weak in the knees. Klaus had never been called a good friend before. Hell, he’d never even had a friend, outside of his siblings if they counted, not that they’d ever called him a good friend either. He was Dave’s boyfriend, he knew, but the word friend felt just as warm and loving and beautiful coming from Dave. “If there’s anything I can do for you, just let me know. I mean… I want to be able to do something for you. I…” A quick sideways glance at the tent and a lowering of his voice. “I love you, y’know. I just want to make you feel as good and as positive as you make me feel. About… everything.”

Klaus chuckled. “Sure, of course” he said, having no intention of taking Dave up on that offer. But there would come a night, when Klaus would run out of weed and the voices would get too loud, and he’d ask Dave to read one of his books aloud to him until he fell asleep, to drown out the voices. And as he would focus on Dave’s strong, gentle, beautiful voice, the thought would occur to him that maybe, someday, it could be possible to deal with all this without the drugs.

A/N: I’ve read that “rest in peace” isn’t a thing that Jewish people say about the dead, but one of the honorifics I found on wikipedia is “Peace be upon him/her”, so... Is it okay for Klaus to say that Dave’s dad is at peace? And does it make sense for Dave to agree? If not I’m happy to change it to something else more appropriate. I don’t want to be disrespectful.

[the-starless-sky]

The Cat’s Whiskers x Akan Yatsura / “JUSTICE” voice drama part 2

Exams ended...!! Hello I am alive...!! And very (not) ready for “PRIDE”...!! T_T

“JUSTICE” Part 2

Yohei: So, you bastards… under whose orders did you come here?

Mobs: We’re not working under anyone! That kinda thing doesn’t matter, just cough up the cash, fuckin’ bastads!!

Iori: Tch… so they’re just punks.

Oi, we’ll let you off today, so get out.

Mobs: Don’t look down on us! If ya don’t give us the cash, y’all gonna get hurt!

Yohei: You’re letting them go? You really have that soft spot on you.

Iori: There’s no helping it. No matter what you do, guys like these won’t even get you 1 yen.

Mobs: Makin’ a fool out of us...! You shitheads! Urrah!!

(Mob punched Iori)

Yohei: You bastard... what the fuck did you just...?

Iori: Leave it, danna. I’m fine.

Yohei: Don’t think you can leave unscathed after laying your hands on Iori...!

Mobs: Bring it on, get me!!

(Yohei and the mobs fight)

(The mobs fall down and cough in pain)

Iori: Danna. That’s too much.

Yohei: Huh? Oh. Sorry.

Iori: Well, then...

(Iori forcibly pulled one of the mobs up)

Mobs: Ahh... ah!

Iori: You bastards. Learnt something, didn’t you?

If you pick a fight with real yakuza like us, you ain’t getting away just like this. Understand?

This time, we’ll let you off like this. Be grateful, won’t you?

Mobs: Y-yes... we’re very sorry...

Iori: Haha. Even so, danna. You really overdid it.

It’s gonna take lots of time to clean this up.

Yohei: Sigh. Small fries making us waste so much time.

Jeez, what a pain.

_

Saimon: He-eh, you were very rough, weren’t you, Yohei.

Yohei: Well, ‘cause that time I didn’t have any brains but physical strength.

Zen: If it’s physical strength, then I, too...!

Cough. Then, where does the maneki-neko comes in?

Iori: Wahahaha! Oh yeah, right.

Then, a few days after that uproar, we got called to Boss’s office.

We went in high spirits, thinkin’ we’re gon’ get a reward or something, but...

_

Yohei: Jeez, that damn boss messing around like that...

What the hell’s with giving us this maneki-neko!?

Iori: Hahaha, our guess were wrong, huh.

Yohei: We protected the shop’s name and loaded customers, so he could’ve given us something more... you know!?

Iori: Well, it’s probably simply because he didn’t have anything prepared. After all, those guys suddenly came to our face by themselves and then left just like that. Seriously, it feels like we were wheedled out of it cleanly.

Yohei : Well, when he just up and smiled like that, as he said, ‘I have high expectations for you’, there’s really nothing else we could say.

Iori: Right.

Well, we’ll answer his expectations, quickly get lots of money, and make the boss, us, and the Suiseki group, everyone all merry.

Yohei: Haha, yeah. Let’s do it. I’m counting on you, maneki-neko.

Iori: Ya shoulda said ‘partner’ right there, like, ‘I’m counting on you, Iori’!

Yohei: Oi, oi, you’re talking like Boss now.

Iori: Haha. How was it? I look like Boss when I talk like that, don’t I?

Yohei: No way. Stupid.

Iori: Haha.

Yohei: Hahaha.

_

Saimon: So that kind of thing happened, huh, Yohei? I didn’t know at all.

Zen: To think that that maneki-neko was a gift from the Boss...

Iori: How’s it!? A real good story, ain’t it?

Zen: Yes. A lot of things happened in the past, wasn’t it.

Iori: Well, that’s ‘cause we’ve been workin’ together for almost all the time.

Yohei: It was a story from really long ago, though.

Iori: Come of think of it, at that time there were those Alter Trigger Company guys too, weren’t there?

Yohei: Hah. What unpleasant connection, seriously.

Iori: Seriously an unpleasant connection, it is.

Yohei: Hm?

Iori: Danna, ya also heard of it recently, right? The Alter Trigger Company name.

Saimon: Why do you guys... that...?

Iori: Hahahaha! If ya work in this industry, ya gon’ hear lotsa stuff.

Yohei: And? How much do you know?

Iori: Nah, I dunno the details, but I only know that this bar’s ‘bout to be bought... and who’s gonna buy it.

Yohei: As expected, news travels fast to you.

Yeah. To protect this place, we have to get the one billion.

But this and that have no――...!

Iori: And that’s the deal. So, y’know anything about Paradox Live and Alter Trigger, danna?

Saimon: What are you trying to say?

Iori: The sudden buy-out uproar and the opening of Paradox Live. Plus, the winning prize is exactly the amount of money that y’all needed, one billion yen. Don’tcha think it’s too good a scenario for mere coincidence?

Saimon: In short, Alter Trigger Company is connected to all of it... is what you’re trying to say, is it?

Iori: Who knows?

Saimon: But... No, don’t tell me... that kind of thing is...

Yohei: We’re... being manipulated?

Iori: ‘Sup with that... seein’ that reaction, y’all don’t seem to have any info.

Saimon: ...

Iori: Seems like it’s a fruitless effort on our part. Well, let’s just say I told y’all ‘cause of our old friendly relations.

There’s somethin’ ‘bout this competition. Do your best to be careful.

Yohei: Oi, what the hell’s up about this event!?

Saimon: Anything is fine―please tell us whatever you-

(Bar door opens, and the bell rings)

Ryuu: We’re hooome!

Reo: Big Bro, we’re back!

Yohei: Sigh... seems that the adults’ time ended.

Hokusai: Hey... you said you guys keep cats... where are they?

Shiki: Oh... sorry, we made it so they can’t come into the shop. Right now, they’re probably asleep upstairs...

Hokusai: Even though I brought lots of setarias... [1]

Reo: Don’t be that dejected, Hokusai. Instead, seems like Satsuki will play with that!

Hokusai: Satsuki... really?

Satsuki: Ha? Who the hell wants to play with some wild grass?

Oi, Hokusai, stop looking at me with eyes full of expectations!

Reo: Can’t help it! Then, guess the demon king will do! Heere, come here~!

Ryuu: There’s no way Ryuu will wag his tail to such a grass...

Woof, woof~ Let’s play, let’s play!

Hokusai: Ryuu. Paw.

Ryuu: Woof!

Hokusai: The other paw.

Ryuu: Woof!

Satsuki: No, I told you it’s a setaria! The fuck’s with ‘woof’!?

Hokusai: Ah.

Shiki: U-um, inside of the shop, please don’t...!

Saimon: Haha, it’s alright, Shiki. We’re already closed, after all.

Zen: We’re very sorry that our kids...

Yohei: I feel like I kinda understand your feelings...

Satsuki: Thanks for the food, Big Bro! Raimen-tei’s ramen’s the best today, too! And the change...

Iori: S’kay, just take it, Satsuki.

Satsuki: Seriously!? Is it really ok!?

Iori: Let’s say it’s a tip for printing that one time. ‘Kay? [2]

Reo: Ah, what? Only Satsuki!? That’s unfair! Me too, me too!

Satsuki: Haah!? You didn’t even do anything!

Reo: Haah!? What are you saying? A cute kid like me has a value by just being there. Unlike Satsuki! Right, Shiki?

Satsuki: HAA!?

Shiki: H-hey, let’s not fight...

Satsuki: You ugly! Shiki, back off!!

Shiki: A-ah.... you’re so mean, Satsuki-kun...

Zen: Aah, they’re at it again. I’m sorry.

Oi!! What the hell are you guys on about!!?

(In the background.)

Reo: You’re frustrated, aren’t you~? For not being popular!

Satsuki: Oi!!!

Zen: How many times is it already!?

 Saimon: They seem like they’re always fighting.

Iori: Haha. They’re what you call somethin’ like ‘the closer you are...’! [3]

Ryuu: By the way, what were boss and the others talking about?

Saimon: Hm? Oh, just small talks.

Ryuu: Reeeally? Hmmm? Ah, I know!

You guys were talking about the people standing behind everyone... right!?

Saimon: ...!? Ryuu...!?

Reo: What is it, what is it? Talking about ghosts?

Ryuu: No~ It’s a-dults’-ta-lk!

Iori: Oi. Whaddaya mean? Ya know somethin’?

Ryuu: Know? About what? The ingredients of konnyaku?

Iori: Sonny, don’t be boring and say sloppy things.

Ryuu: To pack... [4] like, packing chikuwa and cucumber?

Saimon: I’m sorry. Could you please not press this child with questions?

Iori: O-oh... yeah, ya right. Sorry, sorry.

This sonny... he knows somethin’?

Ryuu: Hee-eey, if ghosts do appear what do we do~?

Satsuki: Hey, Shiki, is this guy always like this? Even in the ramen shop he just keeps blabbering on whatever comes up on his mind.

Ryuu: Shiki’s arm is really white and boney, huh!? Calcium!!

(Ryuu bites Shiki’s arm.)

Shiki: I-it hurts! Ryuu-kun, stop biting me!

Ryuu: Munch, munch...

Reo: Seriously, how could you live together with that? Ain’t it crazy?

Shiki: No, I’m already used to it...

Ryuu: Woof, munch, munch!

Satsuki: Nothing is scarier than routine...!

Shiki: But, he also has a really kind side to him...

Yohei: Oi, until when are you gonna bite Shiki’s arm!?

Ryuu: Oooouch! Master’s bullying me! I’m against violence!

Hokusai: Shiki, are you okay? It hurts, didn’t it? Good boy...

Shiki: Thank you...

Saimon: Sigh...

Shiki: Owner...?

 (in the background.)

Reo: Come here, good boy, good boy.

Ryuu: Woof, woof!

Reo: Here, here, here, and there!

Ryuu: Woof, woof, woof!

 Shiki: Um, are you okay...?

Saimon: Hm? Why?

Shiki: It kind of looked liek you were spacing out... I wondered if you were tired...

Saimon: Ah... I was just thinking. Thank you for worrying, Shiki. You’re a kind child.

Shiki: N-not at all.

(Iori clapped his hands twice.)

Iori: Well then, it’s already late. Let’s call it a night.

Reo: Yeeees~!

Zen: Even though we said we’ll only have a glass, in the end we stayed for a long time.

Saimon: It’s alright. Come again whenever you want.

Hokusai: It’d be nice if I can meet the kitties next time...

Yohei: Yeah, you can even bring them home if you want.

Hokusai: Really...!?

Reo: No, no. We already have Mr. Monkey in our house, right? By the name of Satsuki!

Hokusai: I see...

Satsuki: Oi, oi, oi, Hokusai! The hell do you mean by ‘I see’!?

Ryuu: Bye-bye, thank you, come again!

Shiki: We’ll be waiting for your next visit.

Zen: Yeah, thanks for the food!

Iori: Hey, brats! Wontcha get outta here fast!?

Reo: See ya~!

Hokusai: Hehe...

Satsuki: Let’s come again!

 Iori: Danna. I’m different from when I’m still chasing after you.

Now, these guys’re my family.

So, to protect ‘em too, I can’t lose on stage.

I ain’t gon’ give ya mercy even though we’re old comrades.

Yohei: Heh. Bring it on.

‘Cause we also can’t lose.

No way i’d lose the bar and my comrades.

Iori: Well then, the next time we meet’s on the stage!

Yohei: Yeah. Just you wait.

(Iori walks out of the bar.)

Yohei: Oi, you’re Gazen, aren’t you?

Zen: Yes?

Yohei: Him... Iori, look after him carefully, wont you? I’m counting on you.

Zen: Yes. You don’t even have to tell me that.

Yohei: Heh. I see.

(Zen walks out of the bar.)

Yohei: Well then, now you all go and clean up! Move quickly!

Shiki: A-ah, yes!

Ryuu: Eeeeh?

Saimon: You too, Yohei.

Yohei: Yes, yes, understood, Owner-sama.

Then, Shiki, you clean. Ryuu, get the dustpan.

Shiki: Yes!

Ryuu: Understood!

Notes

[1] Neko-jarashi, setaria or foxtail, the grass you play with cats with.

[2] I'm actually not sure this is his exact words, but anyways it's a tip for doing some kind of chore.

[3] As in, 'you're so close you fight'or 'the closer you are the more you fight with each other'.

[4] Tsumaranai means boring, but it’s also the negative form of tsumaru (to pack).

[jarofrebuke-transcripts]

Jar of Rebuke Episode 7 Unofficial Transcript

Season 1 Episode 7: Shifts

INTRO

The following audio recording is classified documentation for Case [audio distortion] with the Enclosure. Unauthorized access to this information will lead to immediate intervention. Progress further if proper clearance has been given.

JARED

So today I'm actually recording this from the lab I've had the room to myself for hours, just as it's been for a while now. Ever since my little vacation I've had more and more lab time to myself. It's nice? But also I just feel more lonely. I can play my music or whatever, but I do almost miss Dr. Castillo's presence. I guess I'd just gotten used to it no matter how weird it is at times. But having Grove around has helped immensely with the loneliness at home, at least. He's super cuddly, which I never expected from a literal hellhound. But Milo did mention the possibility of me being... touch starved? Which might also explain why the attention just feels so weird. I had never even heard of that before. I mean Dr. Daman has never brought it up. But again knowing that most hellhounds are not at all the cuddly sort... oh well, I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth. [door creaks open] Oh, uh, hey Jamie!

JAMIE

(to herself) Alright, oh shit! (to Jared) Um, hey! Sorry, I thought this lab would be empty.

JARED

I mean I normally would be out on the field at this time, but it's a bit too cold today. Can I help you with something?

JAMIE

Nah, nah. To be honest, I kind of steal your office to nap during my break. This weather is killer on my body and I'm just, well, I'm tired.

JARED

Well if you need a nap, I can keep quiet? Or I mean, I can even duck out if you'd prefer, I don't want to stop you from getting any rest if you need it.

JAMIE

(small laugh) No no no no no, that's, that's fine. I'm... I'll just go grab a cup of coffee. You want a cup? I can grab one for ya, no problem.

JARED

Uh yeah, yeah, that'd be nice actually!

JAMIE

How do you take it?

JARED

Just grab a handful of sugar and some things of creamer. I like it pretty sweet.

JAMIE

You got it. We get crap coffee anyways. I'll be back.

JARED

[door closes] Thanks! That's Dr. Everett, though she never really lets me call her that. She's great. We've talked a few times in the hall mostly. Sometimes we catch each other in the elevator or end up chatting at the coffee machine. We've never hung out outside of work, though. I mean, hell, the only co-worker I've ever hung out with is Milo. We, we didn't hang out much when we were lab partners, but we started hanging out more recently. I don't know if I'd prefer to have them as a lab partner again or what we have now. It's nice to have, I don't know, friends? Anyways, the weather's getting colder so we've been working inside more. Yeah we bundle up and go out sometimes, but not as much as we were a month or so ago. I've mostly been working with Dr. Castillo to go over old recordings that we gathered. With us being lab partners we typically are also project partners, though not exclusively. It seems like recently she's been assigned to a project that's more in line with what she used to be doing. Something far less dangerous, which she seems to be very happy about. Whatever it is, it's keeping her out of the lab a good amount. So here I am, alone, as usual.

After I got back from my little vacation I went to see Dr. Daman for another appointment. She asked what I got up to so I told her about taking in a dog. I didn't tell her about how Grove isn't, you know, like most dogs, but I told her how nice it is to have Grove around. I mean, heck, that dog knows when I'm waking up from a nightmare and is always by my side! I thought that she'd be happy about it! But she seemed, I don't know, disappointed? She asked if I thought that I really needed to keep a dog around just to manage. Her tone was concerned, but her words? I don't know, it just… it made me feel bad about having Grove around. Made me feel bad for finding him so comforting. I told her I guess not, but it does really help. I've also gotten pretty attached to Grove. It's just nice to have him around even when I'm not in a panic or whatever. She gave a soft sigh and then just moved on, as if she wasn't happy about my answer. Even though she's always taking so many notes I don't know how much of me she really remembers. Like she doesn't really mention my friends by name, ever. I say names like Holly or Darius, or I mention Laura and Ester, and I always have to re-explain who they are. Holly, you know, the person from the snipe hunt? Or Darius, you know, the guy that I hung out with on his birthday? And she just takes more notes. I hardly feel like I'm getting much from her anymore. She asked me about the audio journal again and actually seemed pretty happy that I'm still taking her advice. And listen, I get it, I get it, it feels really good to know that someone is taking your professional advice, and doing this really does help. But I don't like how she presses on it. I mean, I almost want to stop doing this out of sheer spite sometimes.

After a bit of talking Dr. Daman mentioned that there's going to be a change in our sessions. My stomach sank. She said that I need to come in more frequently which was weird considering the fact that I feel like I'm doing fine! In fact, I feel like I'm doing better! But she's insisted that I need more help in this whole remembering thing. Help that she alone can't provide, apparently. I don't know, maybe she could have provided the help if she tried to actively help me remember, instead of just leaving me to remember naturally. So now there's going to be another person getting involved. I haven't met him yet, I meet him my next session. Apparently he's helped patients who have received injuries that have caused memory issues in the past. I wanted to ask why I didn't just see him from the get-go, but whatever. Next session, I am meeting a Mr. Liam Zimmer. Not a doctor, like most of the people around here end up being. He's a psychologist though, and according to Daman, he's a damn good one. Though those weren't her exact words, of course. She spoke highly of his abilities, though by her tone I can't tell how she personally feels about Mr. Zimmer. She's not as blatant in her cheerful disliking of things as Dr. Castillo is. Mr. Zimmer will focus on my amnesia, Dr. Daman will work on my other day-to-day evaluations, and Dr. Rahal is still my general physician for these headaches and whatever else happens.

Speaking of headaches, they've kinda come back again. Not as fiercely as before, more annoying than anything else really. Not debilitating by any means, but my gods! Are they a nuisance. Amir is trying to help me find other methods of dealing with them since medicine doesn't really work. Started drinking more water, which I'm objectively just bad at drinking enough water in general. I also have started some light workouts like twice a week, nothing too strenuous, just enough to get the blood pumping. It kind of sucks but I know it'll get easier over time. Amir said that all of my vitals are normal which is definitely good, but like, I don't know. Still a bit annoying sometimes that I can't look over my own records. I think next time I get a scan done, I'm going to ask to see it. I don't think that he's the kind of person to keep things from his own patients, so I'm sure he'll show me if I just ask.

Not gonna lie I looked up Mr. Zimmer in the work database. After trying to look into Dr. Kelder, I've gotten a bit curious to look and see what I can find about others. And if this guy is going to be helping me do a deep dive into my own brain, yeah I want to know about him. It says he's been with the Enclosure for a few years, mostly working in rehabilitation. But that doesn't explain why they didn't have me see him sooner. Like if he's literally in the rehabilitation program. What the hell have they been considering my case, huh? According to his records there was a period of time a couple of years ago that he was involved in some highly guarded cases. Not the general, you know, “can't discuss my patient’s work file” thing, but I mean high level clearance, password guarded. The Enclosure seems to really shuffle people around a lot. A lot of his methods, by what I could find, seemed to be experimental.

So when I say how unsure I am about all this I cannot emphasize how much I'm not exactly feeling this one. I hate sudden change, and this is kind of a big deal! They didn't even ask if I wanted this, they just told me that this is how it was going to be. Not even Dr. Daman seems too thrilled but considering how often she seems huffy with me that might just be her usual state. She's rarely pleased with any progress I make. She used to at least seem curious but nowadays she's more and more sensitive to me developing my own coping mechanisms outside of what she suggests. And I don't know, it just doesn't feel very good. And it's not like that I can find another therapist anyways. I mean Wichton has a fairly small but a very good network of counselors and social workers, but not any that I could see about my specific needs. To say I need specialists is putting it lightly. I feel like anyone outside of the Enclosure just wouldn't be able to help. I mean, if they are from outside of the Enclosure I can't tell them anything. I wouldn't be able to explain what I do at work. I can't go into my personal relationships are being affected by these things, the headaches, the bad dreams, the not remembering anything! So Dr. Daman and Mr. Zimmer it is.

But I'm also doing more at home to try and work on that stress which is actually really helping. Again Grove has been a huge help, he always seems to know when I need him the most and he'll pull me back into the moment. It's nice! And I've been spending some time with Holly, Darius, and some other folks in town. I've gotten this weekly routine of stopping by Mrs. Weddington's bakery to pick up some sweets and also at least once a week stopping by the Chronicle Inn for a meal to see Laura and Ester. I'm starting with the people and places that I'm most comfortable before I start branching out. Though I'll admit, whenever I go to the Chronicle Inn I can't help but consider booking myself a room again and seeing if I could speak with the Blue Lady. I mean, at least to get her name, at least to ask more questions. Should I get on that? I mean, no time like the present.

I'm also working to not lose myself to fixations, uh, trying to balance work-related studies and well, I guess studies of myself. Balancing all that out with relaxing things. I got another crossword book from Christine. I have no idea where she keeps getting them but they're great, honestly. It's been a bit harder to focus on them recently but I am going to try. I've tried cooking more, but I'm not really good at it. As Holly would say, I somehow burn water. But Darius has offered to come by and teach me some recipes so we're gonna hang out here soon so that he can help me learn some basic dishes. And considering that Holly wasn't too phased by the children knocking at the door, in fact they said it was cool, it makes me feel a little better at the idea of Darius actually spending some time over at my place. Grove is very protective of me, but he got along very well with Holly and doesn't seem to have much issue with people when I'm walking him. I'm pretty sure that it won't be an issue when Darius comes by. I warned him, but he seems excited to meet Grove, so we'll see how that goes. I feel like it'll go well.

[papers rustling] I think here soon, I have to go back out onto the field though. Not today, but I'm expecting within the next few weeks. A file that I have here is something about some kids wandering the woods not too terribly far away from here so I think I'll be going out to investigate that soon. The file says something here about them being the ghosts of victims of some unethical doctor that tested on children suffering from a hydrocephalus or water in the brain. An old haunted mansion with a wide range of things, but the most notable are the lingering spirits of those kids. Or it may actually be the kids themselves? Immortal or transformed into whatever it may be. So I'm probably gonna be going out and taking a look at that here soon. But I'm not gonna worry about it until I get that official email telling me to head out.

Well, uh, a new therapist, potential lead… uh, well my week other than that was great. I didn't really record much after I took Grove in. I hung out with Holly. We watched a few weird movies, played some video games together. They brought over their own gaming system and we just hooked it up to my TV.  It was a lot of fun, and they got along very well with Grove. We did talk a bit about the whole gendered language issue. I started it by telling them about my whole situation with naming Grove, and it kind of just naturally led to the broader discussion of it. I also brought it up with Milo a little while later and both Holly and Milo asked if I'm non-binary. I wasn't expecting that question. I also wasn't expecting how right it would feel when I looked into it. Like, I don't mind people calling me sir or he all that much, but I just don't feel like the man that they see me as. Holly asked if I wanted to try they/them pronouns instead. But the pronouns aren't really what matters that much. I mean, as long as the person is addressing me in a way that I find respectful I don't really care much about pronouns. Milo made a similar offer, saying that if I ever wanted to try a new name or different pronouns to just let them know. I like my name, it's something that I have that's me, the only real tie that I have to my past, you know? And the pronouns thing? We'll see. Haven't talked to Dr. Daman about it yet. I really don't know if she'll care either way, in the dismissive way, not the accepting way. I have a feeling that Dr. Rahal would be accepting, he seems like the sort of type, the sort of person that would be accepting on this sort of thing. I might talk to Darius about it too. I don't know, I just have a feeling that he'd understand. Or at least be willing to listen. We've been starting to really open up to each other more about stuff, getting more personal. With that said I really don't know how much longer I can keep him entirely in the dark about my whole amnesia thing. He's smart, he's definitely gotta notice that I don't talk about my past. I'm surprised that he doesn't find me boring as hell to be completely honest. I mean, I'm glad he doesn't, I'm glad he likes to hang out.

Speaking of ties to the past last time that I was at the Chronicle Inn to pick up more dog treats for Grove, because I may or may not give him more treats than would be healthy for a normal dog. Spoiled rotten. I caught a glimpse of the inn's guest book, names dated back many years, and it was also strange to look over my own entry. I almost hadn't written in it but Ester reminded me on my way out a while ago to fill it out. And how could I say no? It got me thinking, like, should I go back? The Blue Lady insisted that she knew me and that must mean that she knows more about this whole situation. Since my headaches have been a lot better it might be a good time to go check in again and see what I can, you know, figure out from her. Figure out what she knows in a way that wouldn't leave me just with more questions like last time. Hell, maybe I could call work and see if they want to come fix some of my housing again. I'm sure Ester and Laura wouldn't mind if I brought Grove. I mean he may be huge but he's a really well-behaved softy most of the time. He does wander off at night, likely to do general hellhound things, but he hasn't caused much trouble. At least that's nothing that's gotten back to me. Well, I'll look into that.

I'm also pretty excited for time with Darius, I don't know if he'll stay the night like Holly did. My couch is pretty cozy, I mean I doze off on it all the time. But with the knocking at night and everything else, I don't... I'm worried I'd scare him off. I wasn't too worried about scaring Holly off with just, um, how they generally are. But I don't know how Darius would be about it. Guess all that I can do is just give him an heads up and let him decide if he wants to chance it. I mean, Holly's been trying to get Darius and I'd hang out more for whatever reason. [phone buzzes] Oh, alright, time to start getting ready for lunch. Um, I guess I might as well wrap up. This is Dr.- oh uh…

JAMIE

You won't believe the gossip I've got! I had a run-in with Todd in the elevator.

JARED

Wow, quickest way to have your day ruined! What did he say?

JAMIE

(small laugh) Well, he saw I wasn't using the wheelchair today, right? So I got all cocky and asked if my legs were finally working today. Even if I wasn't in so much pain, I wouldn't want to deal with that shit. So I asked him when his brain would finally start working. He looked like he was gonna have a conniption. But what's he gonna do, fire one of his most experienced people? Okay!

JARED

I would give my whole paycheck to be there next time you pull that. I would, god, I wish that I could say stuff like that to him.

JAMIE

Anyway, I was thinking of taking my lunch soon. You wanna pick up something in town? I could use the company.

JARED

Oh that that sounds great, yeah! You've been to the Royal Cow? They've got some pretty good food but their desserts are the best. Here, let me just wrap up here and um, this is Dr. Jared Hel signing off.

OUTRO

Jar of Rebuke is written and produced by Casper Oliver, who is also the voice of Dr. Jared Hel. Voice of Jamie Everett is Jenny O’Sullivan. The intro is read by Vanessa Rosengrant, and credits are read by Ashley Craft, who has created the podcast official graphics. Music was created by Luke Menniss, spelled m-e-n-n-i-s-s, who you can find and support on Bandcamp, Spotify and Twitch. Find us on social media for updates. You can support us on Patreon or Podhero by following the links in our episode description. And special thanks to our patreon supporters, Tristan, Perry, Devin, Becky, Nico, and Joyce.

[mamabearcat]

Daddy Inuyasha

This doesn’t really have a title yet; I’ll think of one later! Written for @dangerouspompadour after this morning (or evening’s) conversation about kids needing to be fed every single night. A Papa Yasha story.

---

“You’re only gonna be gone for one night right?”

“Inuyasha, you’ll be fine”, soothed Kagome, stuffing more clothes into her bag. “I’m really sorry to have to leave like this, but Mama sounded so ill on the phone. I just want to check up on her.”

Inuyasha snorted, continuing to walk around the room with Izayoi’s tiny hands held in his, while their toddler squealed in delight, her little feet balanced on his larger ones.

“And Sango has promised that she’ll come pick her up early tomorrow and take her to daycare”, she continued, “so you’ll be able to get off to work in time. You just have to make sure to pick her up by 6pm, otherwise daycare will charge extra.”

“That’s good. And yeah, I can do that.” He had a meeting with an architect for his current construction project at 7.30am tomorrow morning; they’d only spoken on the phone as yet, but the guy already sounded like he had a stick firmly wedged up his arse. 

His head was still swimming a little. Kagome had got off the phone with her mother, booked a flight, texted Sango and then told him she’d be coming home Monday night all in under half an hour. He knew he’d be fine; Kagome did this all the time when he was called away for work. And he adored Izayoi. Maybe it would be fun? Some Daddy daughter time?

A loud beeping sounded outside the door. “Oh, that’s my taxi already”, squeaked Kagome, shoving her feet into her shoes. She picked up Izayoi and gave her a squeezy hug, smothering her round cheeks in raspberry kisses. “Be good for Daddy baby girl. Mama will be home at bedtime tomorrow okay? I’ll call you tonight.”

Inuyasha bent down to kiss his wife before she could run out the door. “Be safe, okay. Text me when you get there. I love you.”

“Love you too.” The horn beeped again loudly, and Kagome rolled her eyes. “I gotta go. Be good you two. I love you!”

They all moved out onto the verhandah, Inuyasha and Izayoi waving as Kagome ran down the path with her bag and climbed into the taxi, shutting the door behind her. All of a sudden Izayoi’s bottom lip trembled and her soft pointed puppy ears lowered. “Mama go?”

Inuyasha squeezed her tightly against him, dropping a soft kiss onto the dark curls between her ears. “Mama is visiting grandma. So it’s just us for a little while Princess. It’s gonna be fun right?”

The taxi drove away.

“I wa-want Mama!” Izayoi’s soft sobs escalated quickly, and the sound of her heartbreak pulled at Inuyasha’s gut. He hated Izayoi’s tears almost as much as Kagome’s.

“Hey, hey, c’mon now. We’re gonna have fun.” He bounced her a little in his arms, racking his brain for something that would take Izayoi’s mind off Kagome for a moment. “Do ya wanna watch Ponies with me for a little while?”

He braced himself for the usual loud squeal of excitement she let out whenever her favourite show was mentioned, but instead she tucked her head under his chin and hid behind the curtain of his long silver hair. He watched as she silently placed her thumb into her mouth, slow tears trickling down her cheeks.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

 ---

Eventually Izayoi fell asleep on his lap, and he gratefully changed the channel. There was only so much pink and purple and magic of friendship he could take in one sitting. She’d watched the show with her cousin Rin, and she loved it. Kagome didn’t mind it. Him, not so much.

His stomach grumbled, and he angled his neck to look at the clock on the wall. Shit, it was nearly Izayoi’s dinner time. She usually ate earlier, and he and Kagome ate after she was in bed. When it was his turn to cook for him and Kagome he made steak. Or ramen. Both of those weren’t really toddler friendly. Cooking for Izzy was definitely Kagome’s thing. He though back over recent meals he’d seen Izayoi eat for dinner. Pasta. He was perfectly capable of cooking pasta, and he knew Izayoi liked it. Phew, crisis averted.

 -----

“No!”

Inuyasha was taken aback. As far as he was concerned, he’d cooked a perfectly acceptable dinner for a toddler. Pasta with peas and corn, and some fish fingers he’d dug out of the bottom of the freezer. “Izzy, c’mon, you like pasta. Daddy even cooked the ones that look like little bows!”

“No!” she growled, glaring at the plate in front of her.

“Izayoi!” he barked. He took a deep breath. “What’s wrong with the food on your plate.”

“Don’t like red!”

“Red?” And then it hit him. Kagome usually served Izayoi’s pasta with pesto, not tomato sauce. “Uh, we were all out of green. Why don’t you try it Princess, it’s yummy. Look, Daddy will eat some.” He picked up her tiny fork and took a mouthful of pasta. Not his favourite thing in the world, but perfectly fine.

Izayoi’s eyes looked like they were filling with tears again. Oh boy. His mind whirled frantically, trying to avert the tears.

“Hey, do ya know what else you can call fish fingers? Dippy sticks! Look!” He picked up a fish finger and poked it in the napoletana pasta sauce, then took a bite. “Mmm, dippy sticks, my favourite!” He made sure to scrunch up his eyes and twitch his ears for her, and his heart swelled in relief at the tiny giggle.

“I know, let’s have a race and see who can eat their dippy stick the fastest? I bet I can eat mine faster than you Izzy! Ready…”

“Steddygo”, squealed Izayoi, clutching a fish finger in her little fist and mashing it into the sauce. She took a mouthful and smiled at him. “Yummy Daddy!” She eventually ate most of her dinner, leaving the peas. Inuyasha couldn’t blame her, he didn’t think much of peas either. It was his job to put green things on her plate, he wasn’t going to force feed them to her if she didn’t want to eat them.

He scraped the peas into the bin and dumped the dirty plate in the sink, then piggybacked her to the bathroom. “Bath time for my princess. Do ya want bubbles?”

“Yeah!” She threw her arms out as wide as she could. “Lots and lots!” He chuckled.

“Okay squirt, you got it. Toilet first while Daddy runs the bath. You need help getting those shorts off?” he asked, pointing to the button and zipper.

She shook her head. “Nu uh. I a big girl.”

Just for a second, his eyes misted over, remembering the day she was born only three short years ago. One of the happiest days of his life.

“Do you think you could slow down the growing for me just a smidge, Princess?” he asked, watching as she flushed the toilet all by herself and then managed to finish undressing without help. The tiny underpants were a new thing that she was very proud of, because Mama had told her only big girls got to wear them, and she stroked them lovingly as she put her dirty clothes in the hamper. He snorted when he noticed they had purple and pink ponies on them.

She shook her head and stood on her tiptoes with her arms raised up high, grinning cheekily at him. “I bigger than Daddy!”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah!”

“Aw, that’s a shame, I guess you’re too big for me to do…. This!” And he picked her up and blew a huge raspberry on her stomach, then dropped her into the bubbles as she squealed with laughter.

When she was squeaky clean, and Inuyasha had been decorated with a variety of bubble beards and bubble hats, he helped her into her thicker overnight underpants and PJ’s, and snuggled her into her little bed with her favourite white dog toy tucked into her elbow.

“Story and song!” Izayoi demanded.

Inuyasha cringed a little. He’d forgotten about the song part of the bedtime routine. Kagome had a variety of songs she sang, and her voice was pleasant and mellow, perfect for lullabies. His, not so much. “Uh, I’ll do you a deal. How ‘bout, Daddy reads you a story, and we call Mama and she can sing you a song over the phone. How’s that.”

Izayoi blinked at him slowly. “Okay”, she said finally, with a skeptical look on her face, like he was trying to renege on a deal.

“Which story do ya want Princess. Eggs and ham? The one with the baby and the lion?”

“Witch and cat!”

“Room on the Broom it is then!” He grinned, because he liked doing the voices for this one, especially the dragon. He was halfway into the book when she crawled out of bed and into his lap.

“I am a dragon, as mean as can be, and I’m planning to have WITCH and CHIPS for my tea!” Inuyasha growled.

Izayoi clutched onto his shirt. “Dragon scary!”

Whoops. Maybe he’d gotten a little too into it this time. “Hey, it’s okay. We know the witch is gonna be fine because all her friends are gonna scare him away. He’s just a big scaredy dragon!”

Izayoi nodded, the soft pointed ears on top of her head flicking sleepily. She popped her thumb into her mouth as he finished the story, snuggling against him. By the time he was finished, her eyes were blinking slowly. He put the book back on the shelf and tucked her back into her little bed.

“Song”, she whispered.

“One song, comin’ right up.” He fished his mobile out of his back pocket and called Kagome. “Hi love. I have one sleepy princess requesting a bedtime song.”

“What. You’re not going to sing one?” she giggled.

“I think we both know that my talents in the bedroom lie in other areas.” She snort laughed and he grinned. “I’m putting you on speaker.”

Kagome’s soft voice cooed into the bedroom, and both Inuyasha and Izayoi sighed, ears twitching. “Hey little pup. What song do you want Mama to sing for you sweetheart?”

“Mama!” Izayoi said sleepily, her ears twitching towards the phone. “Love you Mama. Train whistle.”

Kagome laughed softly. “I love you too baby. Okay, are you listening?”

Izayoi nodded, and Inuyasha said softly, “Yep, she’s ready.”

Train whistle blowin' Makes a sleepy noise Underneath the blankets For all the girls and boys

Rockin' rollin' ridin' Out along the bay All bound for Morningtown Many miles away

“She’s asleep”, whispered Inuyasha softly, taking the phone off speaker and backing slowly out of the room. He sat down with a thump on the sofa. “How’s Mama?”

“They did some blood tests at the hospital, and apparently she’s really low in iron. They gave her a blood transfusion and she has an appointment to see a heamatologist next week.”

“Shit. Do they know why?”

Kagome sighed. “You know what she’s like. I doubt she’s been looking after herself properly, now that she doesn’t have Grandpa to look after. I was hoping now that she’d retired from the shrine that she’d do things that she loved to do, but I don’t think she’s doing that well Inuyasha.” Kagome’s voice sounded a little wobbly.

Inuyasha swallowed. He adored Kagome’s mother. He’d been a brash belligerent teenager when he’d first started going out with Kagome in senior highschool, and Kagome’s mother had seen it for the front that it was. Kagome had known that he was hurting after the sudden death of his parents in a car accident, and so had she. It was a situation the Higurashi’s were all too familiar with, after the loss of Kagome’s father.

Mama had refused to allow him to push her away, even though shrine families weren’t usually accepting of demons, and had loved him like a son. No one had been happier for them when he and Kagome had decided to get married. He loved her almost as much as he’d loved his own mother. He pictured the once bright eyed, busy woman sitting by herself in a small apartment. She was probably so lonely.

“Kagome. Do ya think she’d live with us? I mean, if she wanted, I could even build her a little house in the back yard. Then it wouldn’t be like she was livin’ in our back pocket. She could visit us when she wanted, and we’d be close by if she needed us. And Izzy would get to see her every day.” Kagome’s quiet sob on the other end of the line startled him. “Hey love, you okay?”

“I’m fine”, she sniffed. “I… I’m gonna ask her, okay?”

“Don’t cry! Dammit, I didn’t suggest it to make you cry, I thought it would make you happy! If she’s not lookin’ after herself, I want her to be closer!”

Kagome giggled. “I’m not really crying, I’m just… you are an amazing husband, do you know that?”

“Shut up.”

“You are! And an amazing Dad. How did dinner go?”

“I stuffed up a bit. Made her pasta with red sauce instead of pesto. But she ate most of it.”

“Good job Daddy.”

He could practically see the beaming smile on Kagome’s face on the other end of the line and he sighed. “I miss you Kagome.”

“I miss you too. Only one night, and then I’ll be home tomorrow.”

“Why don’t you bring Mama too, if she’ll come. We could probably get her an appointment here, couldn’t we?”

“I’ll ask her. You know how stubborn she can be some times.”

“Yeah”, he chuckled, “I know. I got two stubborn reminders that live in the same house as me.”

“Hey!” He heard a soft voice in the background. “Okay Mama, be there in just a moment.”

Inuyasha sighed. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Do you want us to pick you up at the airport?”

“No, it’s okay – it’s usually crazy at that time of night, and it’s too close to Izzy’s bedtime. I’ll just catch a taxi. Good luck with that meeting tomorrow.”

“Thanks”, he snorted. “Can’t say I’m lookin’ forward to it. Guy sounds like a first class prat.”

“Just… hold your temper”, Kagome soothed. “Bottle it up, and you can grump about him to me when I get home.”

“Oh no. I got other plans for you when you get home.”

“Oh really?”

Inuyasha lowered his voice to a rough purr. “Maybe I can get you to sing a bedtime song for me. Last time I went down on you I’m pretty sure you hit a few soprano notes”, he grinned.

“Shut. Up!”

“You love it.”

“You just wait until I get home mister! No mercy!” She paused for a moment. “I’m sorry hon, I gotta go, Mama’s calling. Love you.”

“Sweet dreams, sweet cheeks.”

Inuyasha ended the call despondently. The house just seemed empty without Kagome in it. He traipsed into the kitchen, opened the fridge, then shut it again. He looked in the cupboard, and there was one packet of ramen left on the top shelf. He couldn’t be bothered cooking anything else.

He slumped down on the sofa, clicking through the channels and then snorted in disgust, turning off the tv and his attention to his dinner instead. He may as well go to bed early without Kagome here, just in case Izayoi woke up during the night.

He dumped the plate in the sink and went and had a quick shower, groaning as he wondered if Kagome was in the shower at the same time as him, picturing her generous curves soaped up under swiftly falling water. Gods, he was pathetic. It wasn’t like they had sex every night, but now she wasn’t here, he missed her presence like a physical ache. He was away for work sometimes, true, but it seemed different somehow, when she wasn’t home and he was.

He dried himself off quickly, pulling on his soft grey sleep shorts and falling into the bed that seemed way too big without Kagome in it. He went over his meeting plans in his head, staring at the ceiling, wishing his wife was curled up next to him.

---

“MAAAAMAAAAA!” The high pitched scream had him bolting upright, and he flung himself out of bed, bashing his shoulder on the door frame as he careened down the hallway towards Izayoi’s room.

He kneeled down next to her bed. Her tear filled eyes were easily visible in the soft glow of the night light, and shuddering sobs shook her little body. “A Mons-ster!” she sobbed, trying to get her little arms free of the quilt. “Want Mama!”

“Hey baby, it’s okay, it was just a bad dream”, he soothed, stroking the sweaty hair back from her forhead. “There’s no monster here.”

“He ate Mama!” she sobbed, launching herself at Inuyasha. “Mama gone!” Her hiccuping sobs pulled at his heartstrings, and he picked her up, cradling her against his chest so that she could hear the solid beat of his heart.

“No monster”, he repeated firmly, as he carried her down the hallway towards his and Kagome’s bedroom. “Mama went to visit Grandma, and she’ll be home tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yup. Sango will take you to daycare tomorrow, then Daddy will pick you up, and by the time you’ve had dinner and bath, Mama will be home again. I promise Princess.”

“Pinkie promise?”

It was a concept he had only recently educated in, but he nodded solemnly, viewing it as the sacred pact it was. “Pinkie promise”, he said, hooking his larger pinky finger around her smaller one.

His sleepy brain engaged a little more, and he walked them back towards the bathroom. “You wanna try goin’ to the toilet before you hop into Mama and my bed?”

“Okay.” She stood sleepily in front of the toilet and gazed at him without moving, so he turned her around and helped her pull down her PJ pants and underpants and plonked her on the toilet. He waited silently for a minute, then looked down to notice she was actually asleep sitting up. Chuckling as he fixed her clothes and picked her up again, he padded silently back to his bedroom, carefully placing her on Kagome’s side, hoping her scent on the pillow would help Izzy sleep.

He gazed at his little girl as she sprawled herself out like a starfish, her nose and ears twitching for a moment before she settled back into a deeper sleep. There was a time when he’d thought he’d never want children, because life had seemed to be determined to keep him alone. And then he’d found Kagome, or rather, Kagome had found him, bossing her way into his life and not taking no for an answer. And now they had this beautiful child together. His princess. He dropped a soft kiss onto the dark hair between her pointed ears and then settled back down to sleep himself.

 ---

“Daaaaadddyyyyyy!”

Inuyasha grunted as he felt the full weight of a solid three year old landing directly on his bladder. He opened one sleepy eye. “Yeah?”

“The door!”

“Fuu—iretruck!” he groaned, leaping out of bed at the sound of knocking on the front door. Had he slept in? Nope, 6.45am. He usually got up at 7. He opened the front door a crack, poking his head through. “Yeah?”

“It’s just us!” grinned a smiling Sango, holding Shinzu on her hip. “Miroku’s going to drop off the girls at school, so I thought I’d come over a little early and help you get Izzy ready for daycare.”

“Uh, okay?” said Inuyasha with a puzzled expression.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Kagome texted me and told me you had an early meeting. Did I get it wrong?” She laughed at the suddenly panicked face Inuyasha made as he opened the door wide to let her in. “I take it you do have an early meeting?”

She stepped inside, then grinned teasingly at Inuyasha, pointing at his sleep shorts. “Is this a really informal meeting? Because I don’t think those are going to cut it.”

“Shut up”, he growled.

Izayoi ran towards Sango and hugged her legs. “Saaaango! Baby Shiiizuuuu!”

Sango ruffled the dark hair on Izayoi’s head, being careful of her pointed puppy ears. “Hey Izzy – you had breakfast yet?”

“No. Daddy asleep.” She held her hand over her mouth and giggled. “Daddy snores!” She stuck her fingers in her ears as if to emphasise how loud it had been.

“Way to rat me out kiddo”, muttered Inuyasha, raising an eyebrow at her. Izayoi hid behind Sango’s leg, then giggled some more.

“Go get ready Inuyasha, I’ll get Izzy off to daycare. I’m pretty sure I know where everything is.”

Inuyasha jogged towards the bathroom, then paused. “Thanks Sango, I really appreciate this.”

“Enough to babysit and give me and Miroku a night out?” she asked with a hopeful air.

Inuyasha thought for a moment about wrangling the twins, Shinzu and and Izayoi combined, then shrugged. “I’ll talk it over with Kagome, but yeah, sure.”

“Done. Stop talking and go get ready!”

He was back twenty minutes later in his business clothes, long hair neatly braided and the tie he only wore for meetings with clients already choking him. Izayoi was seated at the table, happily eating yoghurt and fruit. He dropped a kiss on her head. “Be good today Izzy. I’ll be there to pick you up from daycare, okay?”

“Okay, bye bye”, she said happily, making a funny face at Shinzu so the baby squealed in delight.

Inuyasha rushed out the door. “See you later Sango! And thanks!”

“You’re welcome!” she sang out, her voice punctuated by the loud slam of the front door.

 --- 

Inuyasha growled as he gripped the steering wheel, glancing again at the clock on the dash. 5.55pm. He’d already called ahead to tell the daycare director that he was stuck in traffic and should be there soon, but that didn’t make him feel any less guilty.

The whole day had been a write off – filled with pointless meetings with pencil pushers and government know-it-alls that wouldn’t know good construction timeframes if they bit them on the arse. And thanks to them, he was late picking up his daughter, the very first time he’d been asked to do it. Shit.

It took another five minutes to find a parking spot, and he ran the rest of the way. The lights in the centre were off, but he knocked on the door, bouncing nervously, and a smiling lady let him in.

“Izayoi’s in the director’s office doing some colouring – right this way.”

“I am so sorry”, he panted, and the lady smiled at him, holding up a hand.

“It’s okay, you called and let us know what was happening. We let Izayoi know you’d be a little late, and she seemed fine. These things happen.”

Inuyasha poked his head around the office door. “Izzy?”

“Daaaadddy!” She vaulted herself into his arms, and he picked her up, giving her a squeezy hug.

“I’m sorry I was late baby. The car got stuck in traffic on the way here.”

Her bottom lip trembled a little. “Everyone gone home.”

“All the other kids have gone home?” She nodded. “I’m sorry you were the last one here Izzy.” Inuyasha turned his head towards the director. “I really am sorry for my lateness. I got caught up in meetings at work, and didn’t leave early enough to avoid the traffic.”

“That’s quite alright Mr. Takahashi. These things happen”, the director said, making a shooing motion with her hands.

They stopped to get Izayoi’s little backpack, then walked out of the centre.

“You know what?” said Inuyasha, swinging Izayoi’s little hand as they walked side by side towards the car. “Daddy had a grumpy day. And do you know what would cheer me up?”

Izayoi’s ears pricked up hopefully, and her eyes widened. “Ice-cream?!”

“Ice-cream”, he agreed, nodding seriously. “Should we eat it in a cone, or get some to take home?”

“Cone!” squeaked Izayoi, almost dancing on the spot.

Pretty soon they were sitting in an ice-cream parlour, Izzy with a small vanilla cone, napkin tucked into her shirt to save it from the drips, and Inuyasha with a towering triple scoop waffle cone monstrosity with extra fudge. Izayoi sighed happily as she licked, not quite fast enough to stop it dripping down her arm.

“I sticky.”

“Gotta keep licking!” said Inuyasha, turning her cone to the other side so she could lick the drips. If Kagome were here, she’d produce some of those wet wipes that seemed to fix a multitude of problems. Inuyasha snagged a couple more paper napkins from the paper dispenser and wrapped them around Izayoi’s little wrist, tucking the ends in. “There, that might help a little.”

“A bracelet! Thank you Daddy!”

Inuyasha snorted. “Glad to see my Princess is so easily pleased by paper jewellery. Keep licking Izzy, or it’ll fall.”

Once the ice-cream was eaten, it was time to go home. There was a short argument about keeping the soggy napkin bracelet, but after Inuyasha had promised to replace it with a real one when it was her birthday, she finally stopped stomping her small foot, and smiled. Crisis averted.

 ---

Inuyasha felt slightly guilty when he realised that Sango had done the washing up for him. Whoops. Oh well.

“You wanna help me make dinner Izzy?” he asked, hoping that would ward off any dinnertime disputes.

“Yeah!” She was rubbing her eyes a little sleepily, so he knew it would have to be something quick.

“How about boiled egg on toast?”

Izayoi looked at him quizzically, and Inuyasha remembered it was something she usually only ate for breakfast.

“It’s been a topsy turvy day. Let’s have breakfast for dinner!”

Izayoi snorted then giggled. “Silly Daddy!”

“Hey, it’s okay to be silly sometimes. Let’s boil an egg!” He let Izayoi pick an egg from the carton, then helped her place it carefully into the cold water in the saucepan. They put a slice of bread in the toaster, and she pushed down the lever herself, and then looked at him proudly.

“My princess is getting to be such a big girl!”

She nodded excitedly, then yawned.

Inuyasha buttered the toast and fished the egg out of the saucepan, peeling off the shell quickly and mashing it onto the toast.

“You want fingers or a squash sandwich?”

“Squash.” Her eyes blinked sleepily. He’d cut it pretty fine by taking her out for ice-cream; it was just about her bedtime now. Inuyasha picked her up and put her on her seat at the table. He folded the toast over carefully, making it like half a sandwich.

“Just eat a few bites princess, and then you can have a quick bath, okay?”

Izayoi nodded sleepily, then munched her way through the middle of the sandwich leaving all the crust.

“All done? Let’s go take that bath.” He ran a small bath, and washed her quickly; the fact that she wasn’t wanting to play told him exactly how tired she was. He lifted her out of the water and she stood on the bathmat as he rubbed her dry.

“Where Mama?”

Shit. Kagome had texted him that her plane had been a little delayed and she was just getting in a taxi, hopefully she would be home any minute.

“She’ll be here soon, Princess. How about Daddy will keep reading stories until she gets home?”

The bottom lip trembled a little. “Want Mama.”

Inuyasha helped her into her night time underpants and pj’s. “She’ll be here soon baby. Let’s go read those stories, okay?”

“Want Mama.”

Her little nose rubbed against his neck, ears flicking against his chin, and he felt a few warm tears slide down. Shit. C’mon Kagome. He carried Izayoi down to her bedroom, but instead of sitting on the chair, he sat down on her bed with her still cradled in his lap. She stayed curled up, her little thumb firmly in her mouth.

“Sad.”

“You’re feelin’ sad, cause Mama isn’t home yet?” Little nod. “I miss her too when she’s away. I love you and your Mama sooo much. All the way to the moon and back.”

“Moon story.”

“Goodnight Moon?” Izayoi shook her head.

“Rabbit.”

“Sorry kiddo, you’re gonna have to give me more than that. There’s a rabbit and a moon in the story?”

“Big Rabbit. Daddy Rabbit. And Little Rabbit. Izayoi Rabbit.” Inuyasha heart swelled and he dropped a kiss to her head. She was worse at tugging on his heartstrings than Kagome. Or better. Probably both.

“I think I know the one ya mean.” He reached over to her little bookcase carefully, and got a small battered boardbook. The first book they’d ever bought her, when she was still in Kagome’s womb. They’d bought it on the way home from the hospital after the ultrasound at twenty weeks. There were still little teeth marks around the edges where she’d bitten it as a baby.

“Guess how much I love you”, he began. A key clicked in the front door lock, and Kagome’s voice called out.

“Helloooo, I’m hoooome.”

“We’re in Izzy’s room”, he called out quietly, turning the page. “Little Nutbrown Hare, who was going to bed, held on tight to Big Nutbrown Hare’s very long ears.”

Kagome walked quietly into the room, leaning down to kiss Izayoi’s cheek.

“Mama”, Izayoi sighed sleepily.

“You want Mama to finish the story for ya Izzy?” asked Inuyasha. She shook her head.

“Daddy Rabbit.”

Kagome smiled at them both, and sat down on the chair. “I’ll listen too, if that’s okay.” She stroked Izayoi’s hair as Inuyasha read, and the little eyes drifted closed as he finished the last page.

Inuyasha rumbled a pleased sound through his chest. He couldn’t help it. Kagome was home, Izayoi was asleep and no longer sad. All was right in his world.

“Need some help escaping?” Kagome smiled. She helped lift Izayoi up gently so Inuyasha could slide out from underneath her, and Kagome pulled the quilt up over her, tucking her dog toy into her arms, and kissing her forehead. “Sweet dreams, Izzy.”

They tiptoed out of the little bedroom, and back down the hallway. Inuyasha picked up Kagome’s suitcase and carried it to their bedroom, Kagome following behind him.

“Mama didn’t want to come with you?”

“No. She was very definite about seeing the specialist there. Souta is taking the day off to go with her.”

“What did she say about our idea?”

“I think she might say yes. She’s thinking about it at the moment, but the idea of seeing Izzy everyday was very appealing”, smiled Kagome. She curled her arms around Inuyasha’s neck and hugged him tight. “I missed you so much! Did everything go okay with Izzy while I was away?”

“Pretty much. She missed you a lot. I did too.” His hands drifted down her back and over her bottom cheeks, suddenly wrapping around her thighs and lifting her up, snorting in laughter at her sudden yelp of surprise.

“We still haven’t finished the bedtime routine Ka-go-me”, he purred, walking over to their bedroom door and closing it firmly. “You owe me a song.”

[immpeccablystudious]

6 Important Tips to Make Distance Learning Easier

Let me preface by saying, this post will not have the answers to any of your classes to make them easier. Distance learning and, online classes in general, are what you make of them and what you put into them. I have taken online classes for many semesters and while they were never my favorite option (especially for language classes (looking at you, French 101)), I did notice that the more time and effort that I put into those classes, the more I enjoyed and did better in them.

With the added pandemic, this is going to be harder than others, but I’m hoping that my advice from my own experiences will help you for this upcoming semester/school year!

1. Designate your study area

It seems self explanatory and that everyone is saying this and that would be because it is and they are! Having a space that is solely dedicated to work/school/studying is SO important. Whether this is in the corner of your bedroom, a room no one uses within your home, or a lap desk in your living room, make sure that you are using this space only for working. My best advice to go along with that is, if you have the means to, try to revamp your work space to be more inviting and comfortable. I don’t want you to sit in a hard, uncomfy chair for hours on end looking at a blank wall and I’m sure you don’t either. Make your study space a place that you want to be! Swap that old computer desk chair that you’ve had for 8 years for a cute, comfy one instead (this is directed 100% towards me). Add some shelving for cute plants and knickknacks. Add awards or accomplishments to help you keep pushing. If possible, add a cute wallpaper! Anything to spice up the space that you are going to be spending A LOT of time in!

2. DO NOT DO WORK IN YOUR BED

Don’t do it. I spent all that time talking about designating a study area for a reason. Sitting in your bed to do work might seem like a good idea, but in reality, all it’s going to do is make you more tired, frustrated, and less likely to actually do/remember any of the work you try to do. Your bed is made for sleeping, so keep it that way! My space is very small this academic year and it’s very tempting sometimes to leave my desk, walk the 3 feet to my bed and lie there. And there’s nothing wrong with that! Just don’t bring your work with you. Leave it where it needs to be. You want to make sure that your brain isn’t associating your bed with work which could create not so pleasant sleeping habits that keep you from relaxing when you really need to. My advice? Once you get up, stay up*. I’ve found that I’m less likely to get back in bed if I straighten my bed once I get out of it. I’ll head to the living room and watch tv or sit in the dining room and watch YouTube while drinking my coffee/eating breakfast and there’s not as much of a desire to get back in bed after that.

*Disclaimer: Naps are important. Rest is important. This is not me saying do not rest/take naps when needed. Please rest your body it’s very important!

3. Start setting things up early...like now

This includes but is not limited to: your sleep pattern, school supplies, school schedule, finances, work opportunities, etc. As an Enneagram 1w2, Capricorn moon and rising, and INFJ (and generally just a type A person), I’ve been getting ready for the semester since June. Not because I necessarily wanted to, but because over the course of the few months from leaving my community college to my new 4-year, there’s been a lot of overlapping of responsibilities that has lead me to finish with a lot of housekeeping duties early. I’m now in a 3 week limbo, where there really isn’t a lot for me to do other than to wait for professors to start posting their courses on Blackboard. But, starting early has made all the difference. I started with my sleep schedule based on my class schedule. On Mondays and Wednesdays, my first class starts at 9:35am (specific, right?) meaning that if I want to have a slow and productive morning to wake up and be ready for class, I need to naturally start waking up earlier. This is my first weekend since starting my sleep change and I have successfully done it! One thing that I wasn’t really expecting to change as much as it has been is my school supplies list. I love using pen and paper for notes - it helps me think about the subject and helps to remember what I’m learning. But with online learning, I’ve had a sudden urge to try online notes. There have been times before where I would supplement my paper ones for online but it wasn’t often and it wouldn’t last very long. My main hesitation - staring at a computer screen for SO long. Using pen and paper breaks up the amount of time I’m staring at the screen (especially if I get digital copies of my textbooks). It’s the little things, ya know?

4. Let everybody know your schedule

If you’re going to be on a Zoom session at 8am, it’s important to let your parents/guardians/siblings/relatives/friends know so that nobody walks out of their room in their puppy pajamas for the whole class to see. Embarrassing story example: I was on a Zoom meeting for an student org and my brother walked out of his room without a shirt on. I didn’t realize anyone could see him until it was too late and I could see some of the advisors chuckle. Yeah, that was not fun. There have also been times when, over the summer while working, my family would be having loud conversations in the background and I wouldn’t be able to turn my microphone off. Making sure that everyone knows the times when to be quieter is important because you want to get the most out of your classes without the distraction. I would start off with just going over your schedule, when there are times to be a little louder and when things should be a little quieter.

5. Start implementing healthy habits

This goes back to #3, sort of. I wanted this to be separate for multiple reasons. I have struggled with healthy habits for so long but one of the things that helped is setting a routine. When I get into my routine, I feel the difference when I fall off and it doesn’t feel good. For someone that has dealt with iron/vitamin deficiency, taking supplements and vitamins has been my saving grace. I used CareOf vitamins for about a year and LOVED IT. Before the semester starts I do a big grocery shop that involves getting healthy foods to cook with, not so healthy snacks to have for those late night cravings, frozen meals for a quick lunch between classes, work, and homework, and little extras - skin care, body care, etc. I love Trader Joe’s for this because it is surprisingly affordable! If you have one in your area and have never been, PLEASE take some time to stop by soon! It’s my favorite place to be.

6. Planning, planning, planning!

All of my planners are probably already very skilled on this, so for those who want to get started, this is for you! I know that the aesthetic of bullet journals and planners is cute and fun to play around with but if it doesn’t work with you, not only are wasting your money, but you’re wasting your time! One source that I feel like works universally is Google Calendar. You can customize it to use it the best way FOR YOU. Just need a reminder 15 minutes before class? You got it! Need a more detailed schedule to plan out every second of your day? You got it! Need a place to put your to-do list? You got it! Want to see a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly view? You. Got. It! Google calendar has so many bells and whistles to give you the most power and customization possible! I don’t know a single person that has used it and hasn’t loved it.

I hope that this helped at least a little bit as you all start your academic year. Of course, there are plenty of more ideas, tips, and tricks to getting off to a good but I hope these help where they can!

[barnesaintdead]

Pandora's Box Chapter One

Summary: Times have changed, great heroes were gone and all that remained was wreckage and lives to start over. After an alleged attack, Bucky is taken back to the past. With nightmares still vivid in his mind, he must choose between succumbing to fear or standing before it.

Warnings: smut, angst, mentions!abuse/rape/torture, +18

Word count: +1,200

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Mutant!OC

A/N: after Endgame, another Stark Tower was built in honor of Tony and everything he has done for the world. There are lots of details about him all the way in the new Tower. Also, I'm hearing Griss's soundtrack while writing this.

The first thing she noticed when her brain woke up was how cold her body was. The warm sunlight kissed her cheeks gently, seeping under her lashes and making her eyelids flutter open to a blinding white room. Observing her surroundings, she noticed she wasn't alone. A men was sitting next to her bed, a long forgotten book in his hands and low snores coming out of his parted lips. Her entire upper body ache when she tried to sit against the headboard silently. She stayed quiet, watching dust motes travel across the room in the early morning haze. It was a chilly one, for sure. Her last memories started to appear in quick flashes trough her head. She was sleeping peacefully when the first explosion startled everyone in the building, flames already taking over almost everything in the first round. And then a second and a third, and everything was chaos and smoke and her only wish was to crumble down with the building because, fuck, it was happening all over again. The the fourth explosion came, those strong arms that were holding her tight vanished in a split second and everything she knew was the hard ground and the iron taste on her tongue.

"Good morning, sunshine", the man greets, throwing her off of her reveries. He stretched his arms up in the air, joints cracking all the way.

"Why am I here?" She asked under a troubled look. Her eyes darted to the window. From that level, all she could bring up was the Statue of Tony Stark resting above the fountain, his hand aiming at something beyond the horizon. She was in the Stark Tower.

"You know why", Sam answered. "Pandora, am I right? Like in the files?"

The girl nodded once, her slender fingers tugging to the thin fabrid that covered her legs. The moment he called her by her codename, she knew she was doomed and he was already aware of everything she was and everything that was done to her. She wondered he knew a lot more than necessary when he swinged her personal diary in his hand before throwing at her side on the bed.

"I want you to see someone... Do you think you can walk?"

Pandora nods once more and start dragging her feet off the bed's edge, startling herself by the purple marks all along her skin. It wasn't a pretty view. The first steps were difficult, like the ones of a newborn doe, she would have fallen instantly without  Sam's support on her waist. Side by side, they moved slowly towards the room next door.

Once Sam pushed the door open, her entire body tensed as if the blood in her veins had turned into ice. With her knees shaking, she stammered unconsciously:

"Zim... Zimniy s-soldat..." [Winter Soldier].

In his bed, Bucky's head moved to the side and his eyelids fluttered seconds before open slowly. His movements were lethargic by the sedatives.

"Gotov soblyudat..." [Ready to comply]. He flashes a weak smile, his voice nothing more but a growl and he focuse his blue irises on the terrified girl. "Nobody have called me that in a long time".

"Yeah. I call him asshole", Sam scoffed.

Pandora, still petrified, let a diminish laugh scape before forgetting the excruciating pain that was rushing furiously trough her body and let herself collapse against the cold floor. Images of a long lost life before her freedom takes place, filling her mind and projecting painful memories that went straight trough her heart like daggers.‎ Fear hit her hard and suddenly she is out of breath and the floor underneath her seems to disappear. Choking and trying to collect herself hysterically from the ground, she end up falling back onto Sam's grip. He hugged her tight and hid her face against his chest without hesitation, hiding her. Pandora's entire body trembled to the point of chattering teeth, her knuckles already white from tugging his shirt between her fingers.

"It's okay, darling. Nobody's gonna hurt you", Sam assured, whispering with lips touching her hair. "I promise. You can trust me, can't you? I'm here with you, nothing's gonna hurt you".

Sam had seen many post-traumatic stress atacks, more so panic ones. He knew how to deal with it. With her. She was scared and feeling unsafe and probably triggered by whatever Bucky said to her in russian, kidding or not. The first thing he did was lift them both from the ground and place her small crooked figure onto the spare bad next to the wall and covered her with the biggest blanket he could find at the moment. He watched as she started to roll herself up in a messy coccon mode.

"Don't worry, Panda. I'm gonna be here with you. Just breath, darling", Sam is now stroking long caresses across the girl's back. Bucky who had been silent trough the whole situation looked at her fondly, but there was still a hint of pain or guilt in his baby blue eyes. He knew he caused her that crisis. It was his fault. He desired to erase himself from her mind for a moment.

Almost an hour passed until Pandora was stable again. Her muscles were slowly untwining and letting her breathe properly, full deep inhales and long exhales to soothe her aching throat. Sam smiled when she looked at him with teary, but thankful eyes, but he kept his hand in motion caressing her for a while, observing how relaxed she was once she saw that were no danger. Not in him nor in the room or in Bucky's presence. She was now laying with face half buried in the sheets. looking dead into Bucky's figure like she was studying him.

"Feeling better?" Sam finally asks, taking a step back from the bed. Pandora nods and looks at him. "I need to report to Fury and get you both some food. Think you can manage to be alone here with him for a moment?"

"I guess... Yeah."

"I'll be back in a second then. Distract her, Barnes, will ya'?"

Bucky waved at him and whitin a second Sam was out of their sight. The air tensed a bit with the sudden silence, she wasn't much of a talker, neither was him, but they kept the eye contact before Bucky broke the connection to take a look outside the window.

"What happened to you?" Pandora's voice startles him, making him let out a chuckle begore putting his attention back on her. She was more mature, it was visible, there were some new scars, but still the same soft, childish features. Her question was short but complicated. He sighed.

"A lot, after Hydra. They wanted me to murder Steve, but I just couldn't finish. He broke the brainwash and after that I started to remember. When everything crumbled down, I found a place to stay in Bucharest", He lost himself in his thoughts for a moment, looking at his metal fingers. "I started a routine, everything was about remember who I was and be invisible. Then, the enemies came... Zemo, he caused a lot of problems... Thanos and the war. I turned to dust when he snapped his fingers, but Steve and the others brought us back. We fought, we won. I'm very thankful for their help. Shuri, who erased Hydra's poison from my head. I wouldn't be nothing without them, probably dead by now".

"So did you nightmares stopped?"

Bucky remembered his times under Hydra control once again, a specific moment, when he was in a cage. The girl next to him helped him sleep trough his nightmares that day. Pandora helped him even tho she was just as scared.

"Those never go away. They're always there, lurking inside my head", He laughed. "The nightmares never were about the brainwash, but about what I did when I was their puppet".

Pandora's eyes went to the ground. She understood him, her own nightmares almost drove her crazy most nights. She abused sleep pills and alcohol, but not even that made them go away. They would be always there. Her heart sinked into her chest for a second and then she heart his voice calling again.

"What about you?" He now had turned his body a bit to the side, for her to look at his front. The sheet went down a bit, showing his marked skin, so many scars in a tiny piece of him. A cold chill went down her spine.

"I was always running. Everytime something would get out of control, I just ran away to another city, then another state, and another country until I end up in that apartament".

"Get out of control...?" He lifted his eyebrow and she licked her lips.

"The things like those explosions and the fire?" She let out a faint laugh. "I'm used to that happening all time. I bring disgrace to everyone around me and that's why you should let me get out of here as soon as possible. I wouldn't want to ruin your lives."

"You mean you started the fire? You caused the explosions?" He asked.

"No. God, no. I... I didn't do anything is just... It happens around me, like I'm cursed or have this terribly bad luck", she shook her head. "I would never hurt anyone".

Outside the room, Sam and Fury listened carefully to their conversation. They new eachother from another times and leaving them alone was the best idea Sam had to show his boss that the girls wasn't a threat. Fury continued to listen while reading the girl's diary carefully while Sam got out to get the food he promised. When he got back, his boss was watching both of Hydra's best agents talking about their periods of peace and chaos with his hands befind his back.

"You hungry?" Sam asked munching on a big piece of his own cheeseburguer before handing one in the other man's direction.

Fury refused with a hand gesture and handed over her diary. He need to know nothing more, that was more than necessary.

"We're keeping her".

"Excuse me?"

"Project 001: Pandora", Fury repeated slowly, with a mischievous smirk in his face. "We're keeping her."

[hispeculiartreasure]

All We’ve Got is Time - Chapter Nine | B.B.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

AU: If They’d Survived/Post-War/Window Washer!Bucky Barnes

Rating: Teen

Word count: 5,500

Chapter 9/24

Warnings: A bad word, a barely-violent bar skirmish

AN: Thank you for patiently awaiting this chapter! This posting schedule is much, much more suitable. You are all so lovely and supportive. Let me know your thoughts on this chapter! And send me an ask if you’d like to be tagged.

Fun fact, the Commando Cocktail was actually on the Stork Club’s drink menu in the late 1940s! It definitely had a more sensuous namesake but I just took an opportunity and ran with it 😉

Chapter Eight

‘All We’ve Got is Time’ Masterlist

First thing in the morning the bullpen is already abuzz with squeals and giggles. The typists of the office huddle around their sweet friend as she holds out her hand, the square cut diamond sparkling in the morning light.

“It’s beautiful, Dorothy. Congratulations,” you purr, squeezing her fingers after perusing the jewelry close-up. 

“I’m assuming he asked you in an insanely romantic way?” Millie sighs, chin perched in her hands.

“Yeah, tell us the story!” Frances giggles. 

Dorothy settles into her chair, eyes shining. As she begins her tale Suzy leans in to you and whispers, “We’re dropping like flies around here. Alice last week, Dorothy today. And they’re some of the youngest. If you come in next week with a ring I’ll toss you out a window.”

You hide a smile behind your hand. “Relax, Suze. It’s sweet.”

“So sweet my teeth are gonna rot,” she grumbles. 

“Cynicism is not a good look on you.”

Suzy huffs and turns a dazzling smile to Dorothy as the remaining girls continue to ask questions. The two of you take steps toward your desk and Suzy sighs deeply. “All of a sudden people are marrying like there’s no tomorrow. Five years ago if people were getting hitched after courting for six months your parents locked you in your room until the vapors wore off.”

“Are you jealous?”

The redhead scoffs. “No, but. . . the change has got me. . .” she twists to you, the cynic having been replaced by someone much more forlorn. “It’s got me feeling like I’m behind, ya know?”

“Aw, Suze.” You take her hand in yours. “I get it. The war changed a lot of things, a lot of people.”

“Yeah. Guess so.” A moment passes before she clears her throat and takes her hand back, smoothing her skirt before she motions to your desk. “You’ve been busting your tail this morning. Why’d you get here early?”

“I’ve got lunch plans. Wanted Flannery to know I wasn’t shirking my job by staying out long. Would you believe she was here when I came in at 7?”

“Lord, does that woman sleep?”

“Unclear.” You both turn to watch the back of Flannery’s head bent over her desk, firmly ignoring the fuss over the engagement ring.

“Well. Hope you have a good lunch.” With a wink and a bounce of curls Suzy is gone.

Your fingers fly over your typewriter as you eye the clock, praying your boss doesn’t approach your desk with a new task before lunchtime. With a record number of letters typed, addressed, and sealed up you leave your swivel-chair spinning when your break begins.

Wicker basket in hand you savor the sunshine on your skin as you walk a few blocks to the building Bucky’s team is currently working on. You round the structure, lifting a hand to shield your eyes against the high sun as you look for your boyfriend among the people hanging off of the skyscraper. It’s almost laughable how much he stands out from the other men in his crew.

Where most of the boys are thin and gangly, Bucky is lean and formidable. His work was neat and efficient, an obvious routine to his movements. While you did enjoy your view from several stories down. . . 

Bringing your fingers to your mouth you whistle shrilly, causing every head to swivel down to you. You can’t decipher many of Bucky’s features but you can tell he’s smiling the same dopey smile he’d had after you’d shared that first kiss a few weeks ago.

Around the grin he yells, “What’re you doing here, Sixth Floor?”

“Bringing you lunch, Sergeant! Unless you’d rather me go,” you shout back, tossing a thumb over your shoulder.

“I’ll be right down.” You watch as he slowly descends, breathing a sigh when his feet safely meet the ground.

“Hello, beautiful,” a kiss lands on your cheek while he dries his hands on a towel.

“Hungry?”

“Starving.”

You toss him one end of a thin blanket you’d packed. “I’m assuming you’re not too good for a picnic?”

He catches it with a hum and mirrors your unfolding, settling it to the ground beneath the shade of a tree in the courtyard. “I dunno. My delicate sensibilities may be set off-balance.”

“Are your delicate sensibilities offended by sandwiches and fruit?”

“I think they can be persuaded to cooperate, unless you forgot the coffee.��

“You think I’m stupid?” you say as you pull the thermos out of your basket.

Arranging your skirt to maintain modesty you take a seat on your blanket. Bucky sits near before reclining to rest his weight on his elbow, body turned toward you.

“Today been okay?” you ask as he takes the wrapped sandwich you offer.

“Just like any other day. It’s blazing hot up there; one of the guys almost had a heat stroke.”

“Goodness, I hope you’ve been drinking water.”

His eyes soften as he replies, “Yes ma’am. By the way, I have an appointment with a local job counselor next week.”

“Bucky, that’s fantastic!” you enthuse, grabbing his arm.

“Fingers crossed he can help me figure out how to head towards being a mechanic.”

“I sure hope so. I’m proud of you for reaching out to him. This is a great start.”

Before you can ask why he’s gazing at you adoringly he asks, “How’s work been?”

“Busy. Our business year is almost done so our mail has been stacking up. Plus I’m pretty certain Anderson’s mistress broke up with him: he’s been in an extra testy mood. Oh, and Dorothy got engaged last night.” 

“I thought that happened last week?”

“No, that was Alice.”

“Hard to keep it all straight,” Bucky mutters as he guzzles his cup of coffee.

You can’t help a giggle. “That’s exactly what Suzy said. Dorothy seems happy, though.” Bucky only hums in thought.

The next several minutes are quiet, spent enjoying each other’s presence as you people watch and eat.

“Dinner tomorrow?”

“Mhmm,” you hum affirmatively around a mouthful of grape.

You sense a hesitancy in Bucky as he stares at his cookie. After a big gulp he says, “Do ya wanna do drinks after with Steve and Peggy?”

Your stomach drops. “You want me to meet them?”

“I do.”

A million thoughts stampede through your brain in the span of three seconds. This is a big deal. They mean a lot to Bucky. These are his best friends. What if they hate me. What if I’m not good enough, what if one word from them means Bucky never speaks to me again? What if-

“Only say yes if you want to, I don’t wanna pressure you-”

“No no no no,” you blurt, shaking your head. “I want to. It’s just. . .”

“Just what?” Words leave you, an empty silence hanging in their place. “Tell me,” Bucky nudges, hand tangling with yours.

“It’s an intimidating prospect.”

“Because of what they do? Really, they aren’t that big of a deal, just have jobs that-”

“Not intimidating because of who they are. But who they are to you, Bucky.” His eyebrows furrow, so you continue. “Steve has been your lifelong best friend and you’ve been to war and back with Peggy, literally. I’m honored that you want them to meet me but at the same time. . .”

“Wait -” he leans back. “Do you think they aren’t going to like you?”

“There’s always a chance-”

Bucky had the nerve to laugh - not a laugh of derision, but genuine disbelief. “Not a chance in the world. Steve knows you’re special. He knows me better than I know myself, he’s seen how I’ve been since you. And Peggy. . . she may be a harder sell. But that’s got nothing to do with you. It’ll go fine. Okay?” And with his fingers running up and down your arm, who are you to question him?

“Okay.” You shove half a cookie in your mouth to stave off the urgent impulse to run away.

------

“They’re late because they already hate me right?”

Bucky scoffs, leaning his elbows onto the table in the back of the club. “How can they hate you when they don’t even know you? I already told you, Steve called before I left to pick you up. Something popped up at work and a meeting was going to run long. They should be done right about-” he checks his watch, “-now. They’ll be here soon. But to me it sounds like you’re complaining about getting extra time with me.”

You shove at his arm and grumble, “Oh shush.” All he does is chuckle. The band playing loudly from the corner does little to calm your nerves. Every few minutes you pat down your hair for flyways and make sure your dress isn’t wrinkled. You twirl the ring on your right hand over and over before Bucky’s hand stops your fidgeting with a gentle touch.

“You okay? I’ve never seen you like this before.”

“Just because I may always seem confident doesn’t mean I am. Few people get to see me with the jitters.” You slant your eyes to his. “Consider it an honor of yours.”

He opens his mouth to presumably soothe you before something over your shoulder catches his attention. “There he is.” You turn as Bucky stands to greet Captain Steven Rogers and suddenly you understand why Connie is such a fan.

You’d seen the posters and pictures of him in uniform but seeing him sport a suit and tie was another ball game. Somehow his golden hair shines bright under the dull lighting which also cast a beautiful shadow across his broad shoulders. He seems impossibly taller with every purposeful step to your table, jaw set in a firm line. 

But then the biggest smile washes across his face as he steps into Bucky for a hug. As men do, they pat each other on the back and part - suddenly Steve’s attention is all on you. Blue eyes so similar to Bucky’s grow warm.

“It is so nice to finally meet you,” he offers his hand. “You’re all he’s been talking about.”

You laugh and grasp his hand, introducing yourself. You glance to Bucky, worrying he’d be bothered by the admission of him discussing you. He’s remarkably at ease, shoulders dropped, face relaxed.

“Where’s Peggy?” Bucky asks.

Steve gestures dramatically as the three of you take your seats. “She was pulled aside for a private meeting on our way out the door. But she shouldn’t be too long.”

“Never thought you’d be the one in a relationship with work-life balance,” Bucky jabs.

“And you never miss an opportunity to badger me about my work.”

“Yes, I’ve heard you two are quite the pair,” you look between the two men.

Steve raises an eyebrow. “Oh, we’ve got some stories.” As he dives into a story involving a rock mysteriously hurtling through the window of the Barnes’ family home you can’t help but be a bit shocked.

His presence commands attention but his demeanor is overtly disarming, daresay gentle. With a boy-ish charm he animatedly tells the story, strongly disagreeing with Bucky’s adjustment of details. You were expecting a hardened war hero, rough and tumble with scars to show for it. This extremely young man was the last thing you were expecting to walk through the door. You feel a peace settle over you as the men tell their childhood story in tandem.

Bucky gives you a moment of eye contact and his lips twitch to a smile. Not so bad right?

The delightful verbal sparring is interrupted by three giggling women - well, girls. They bounce up to the table, looking barely old enough to be allowed into the bar. Gushing about Captain America this, Howling Commandos that, they talk over each other getting louder by the moment. Steve smiles tight and you take note of how much his posture has shifted. Shoulders squared back, adjusting his tie every few moments. Several autographs later the women are finally guided back to their table by a helpful waitress.

Viscerally experiencing a shift between Captain Rogers to Steve to Captain America had you reeling. Seems the duty of being America’s Golden Boy came with some steep costs. Minutes later the same waitress reappears, apologetically placing a drink to your table.

“A Commando cocktail for you sir, from the same three ladies.” Steve sighs and pushes the drink to the middle of the table, decidedly ignoring the eager glances of the gaggle of girls across the room. “May I refresh anyone’s beverage?”

“I’ll have a Sidecar and she,” Steve points to the empty seat next to him, “will have a whiskey, neat.”

“Make that two,” Bucky adds. 

You indicate that you’re still working on your first before eyeing the gifted drink between you. “The Commando cocktail. . . did your special ops team have a drink named in your honor?” you ask, perplexed.

Bucky moves his head from side to side. “Could be us. Could have a different meaning. I hope to God it’s not us, you’d think someone would have the decency not to mix bourbon and absinthe in our honor.”

Steve changes the subject to avoid any more embarrassment on his part. “I hear you’re a mechanic,” he leans in with interest.

“Was,” you correct. “Now I’m just a secretary.”

“A typist,” Bucky corrects you in turn. “And I’d say your skills are still pretty up-to-date.”

“Updated enough to do a house call? My Harley’s been making a funny noise, maybe you’d be able to fix it,” Steve says with a chuckle.

“I’d love to take a look at it. Is it high-pitched or low? The vibrations in motorcycles tend to knock the batteries dead fast.”

Steve does his best to smother how impressed he is behind his drink. 

“Don’t know what good fixing it will do ya Steve, you’re just going to end up throwing it at something again,” Bucky scolds as he takes his own sip.

“Doing. . . throwing. . . what?” You ask.

Steve blushes, moving to answer when Bucky interrupts him. “This guy has thrown more bikes at enemies than days I spent as a POW. Just ‘cause you’re strong enough to toss ‘em doesn’t mean you should, pal.”

A clipped British accent floats over your table. “Don’t tell me you two are at it again over those motorbikes.”

You turn toward the voice and realize you had not known the definition of intimidation until you’d seen Peggy Carter. She almost perfectly matches Steve’s earlier confident stride except for the click of her heels. After a full day of work her makeup was flawless, accompanied by chestnut hair curled to perfection. High-waisted trousers followed a perfect line to her feet - paired with her simple white blouse and she was one of the most stunning women you’d ever laid eyes on.

The three of you stand as she arrives at the table. “Bucky, always lovely to see you,” she gives him a brief hug before turning on her heel to face you. There’s a sharpness to her gaze as she quickly looks you up and down. “Peggy Carter, pleased to finally meet you.” The handshake you share is firm, inspecting. Just like that, every defense you’d relaxed with Steve was right back in place.

“It’s really nice to meet you, Peggy.” She nods once and narrows her eyes slightly before turning to Steve.

“Hello, darling,” she hums to him with a subtle touch to his arm.

“Did your meeting go okay? Looked intense,” Steve pulls Peggy’s chair out for her before she sits and Bucky does the same for you.

“Bureaucratic nonsense, I’m afraid. I’ll fill you in later,” brown eyes cut to you and Bucky before giving a miniscule shake of her head. “Now what were we discussing?”

“We were talking about the ace mechanic at the table.” Was that a hint of a brag you heard in Bucky’s voice? 

“Ah, yes. I heard of your time working in the factory. Do tell us more,” Peggy says breezily before sipping her whiskey.

You share the same story you’d shared with Bucky on your first date - though slightly less eloquently. While Steve reacts encouragingly and asks questions, Peggy sits in relative silence. Every time you turn her way, she’s watching you. Anyone passing by the table would just see someone listening; you could see the analysis rolling through her mind.

Once the conversation shifts you feel a warm hand gently resting on your knee for the briefest of moments. A sweet, It’s okay gesture from Bucky while he reminisced of their days overseas. Mere weeks into this and he could already read you like a book. Then again, reading each other was what started this whole thing, wasn’t it?

“. . . don’t you think?”

The awkward silence prompts you to shake out of your thoughts and glance around the table, everyone looking at you expectantly.

“I’m sorry, say again?”

Peggy drains her glass before setting her steeled gaze on you. “I was just observing that working with some men can tend to be draining. Have you shared that experience?”

You nod, choosing your words carefully - just as carefully as the question had been posed.

“I believe some men have difficulty accepting that a woman might be more knowledgeable in their field, due to their own presuppositions. I had hoped the way women stepped up to work during the war would have been celebrated but it only seems to have threatened the men that came back. I do hope that changes over time.”

She hums and adds a small, “Indeed” while Steve gives a sympathetic smile. “And how did you come to find out about Bucky’s war record?” The suspicion in her voice is minute, but still detectable.

“He had mentioned serving in Europe on our first date, so I knew he was a veteran. I didn’t find out about the. . . special operations until about a week later. One of my coworkers put two and two together when Bucky visited work one day and spilled the beans.”

Bucky grins in Steve’s direction. “She’s a big fan of yours, Stevie. Practically said she’d marry you on the spot.” Once again, Steve’s cheek dust pink. 

“For which I apologized to Bucky for. It was mortifying. And unfair to have that reveal sprung on Bucky with no warning.”

“It’s not a big deal,” Bucky insists, hand finding yours under the table.

Abruptly Peggy stands, prompting the two boys to jump to their feet. “I’m going to powder my nose. Would you like to join me?” she directs your way.

“Umm. . .” Bucky catches the hint of panic in your eye and tilts his head. What’s the worst she can do? “Sure. Could use some freshening up myself.”

“Lovely. Excuse us, boys.” Peggy leads the way through the clusters of people, past the bar to the restroom. The door clicks behind you and you’re afraid Peggy will be able to hear how fast your heart is beating. She rummages through her handbag for a moment before settling herself in front of the mirror. You take a position to her right, utilizing the other half of the mirror. 

Uncapping a tube of lipstick Peggy expertly applies a fresh coat to her already rose-petal-red lips. Even the way she applied makeup was daunting. And you can’t shake the feeling that she’s waiting for you to speak first.

 You clear your throat as you brush your fingers through your hair. “Thank you for taking the time to meet us tonight. I know how important you and Steve are to Bucky.”

“Hmm, yes, it’s our pleasure. They are very important to me as well. Both of them.”

Oh boy.

“The three of us have been through a war together, after all. You don’t come out of that without feeling a certain level of loyalty. I believe Steve and I share a concern for Bucky’s wellbeing.”

“Have I done something to make you particularly suspicious of me?”

As she turns to you, her softened features take you by surprise. “Whether he admits it or not, Bucky is an attractive, semi-notable public figure who happens to be attached to an extremely public figure. I wouldn’t put it past a woman to use Bucky to try to get close to Steve. Girls have tried before.” She checks one pin behind her ear before stepping to the door again.

You blink several times before responding. “And you think I’m one of those girls?”

“Not anymore.” She takes a few steps back to you. “My main concern for him now is the fact that he’s. . . in a vulnerable place. The war left many soldiers trying to find their footing. I want to make sure he doesn’t get tipped over in the process. I’d hate for him to feel any unnecessary pain if I could have headed it off from the start.”

“I. . . I do care for him, Peggy.” You face your reflection again, hands resting on the sink. “I had absolutely no intention of becoming romantically involved with someone. And then he was so kind to me in an environment where men have been. . . less than kind. Everything I learn about him draws me in closer. The last thing I want to do is be a source of pain or volatility.”

With a shaky breath you search for eye contact again, finding a new warmth emanating from hers.

“Well, I suppose we can work with that,” she offers as she opens the door. The tense air shifts and you give a small smile as you pass through the door and begin to follow her back to the table.

You are just stepping around the bar when a feminine “That’s okay, really. . .” catches your attention. Following the voice, your attention is drawn to a young couple standing by the bartop. Although every moment they were starting to look less like a couple and more like a man with wandering hands. The girl tries to step back which only results in his meaty hand fisting into the side of her dress and pulling her chest to his. Based on her expression what the man had to say was less than proper. She struggles to step out of his grip which only seems to tighten the more she wiggles.

You’ve had enough of that. 

You detour from the route you and Peggy had set toward the table. Peggy picks up on your absence and turns to watch you curiously.

“Excuse me,” you state more than ask. One pair of panicked eyes and another pair of glazed-over ones come to rest on your face. “Is everything alright here?”

“Ev’things swell, sweet dish. We’s just having a lil talk.” 

Yeah, that’s what I thought.

“Is that true, Miss?”

“Um, I- I’m-” she attempts to squeak out before the man bellows again.

“Was my word not good enough for you? You tryin’ ta grandstand your feminine chops for some cool cat?”

“I was speaking to Miss-” you turn expectantly towards the girl who’s looking younger by the minute.

“Cartwright. Helen,” she whispers.

“I was speaking to Miss Cartwright so if you’d please take a step back, sir.”

“I don’t gotta do nothin’ you tell me to.” You pull Helen behind you which only makes the man more belligerent. He starts yelling less-than-appropriate words and soon his anger rounds on you. 

Drawing up to your full height you stare the man dead in the eye. “Is this the way you treat all women? Or just the ones smaller than you?”

A giant hand wraps itself around your forearm, jerking you towards him. “Now listen here bitch, I-” Before he can finish his drunken thought, perfectly manicured fingers clutch his wrist. He’s violently pulled away from you, arm pinned behind his back - his face making intimate contact with the bartop. 

“Now now,” Peggy coos. “That’s no way to treat friends of mine. Seems like you need a moment to cool down.” The brute strains against Peggy’s grip, a foot kicking back every so often. You land a spiked heel directly to the top of one of his feet, digging in for good measure when his howl of pain can be heard over the tune of the band. “Thank you for that, dear,” Peggy says, clearly enjoying the situation. A scuffle is heard behind you but you’re too focused on making sure the boar doesn’t hurt Peggy to pay it much mind.

“Looks like you two have things handled, but could I be of assistance?” Steve strides next to you, honeyed voice contrasting sharply with his stern gaze.

Peggy blows a puff of air at a curl that had fallen in front of her eyes. “Would you mind escorting this gentleman to the curb? I believe fresh air is in order.” 

“My pleasure.” With the back of his collar fisted in Steve’s hand the bully has no choice but to have his face unceremoniously unstuck from the bar and pushed toward a back entrance. Peggy follows closely, speaking in the man’s ear the whole way out, waving off a pair of security guards. 

You can feel Bucky’s presence but turn your attention to the now-shaking young woman, bringing your hands up to her arms. “Helen, are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

She shakes her head. Tears hang stubbornly in her eyes, fighting not to show how shaken she really was over the ordeal. 

“I’m sorry he put his hands on you. Do you have anyone you can call?” She nods, reaching for the purse hanging off of her wrist. “That’s great.” Your eyes drift to Helen’s waist. “Oh dear. Looks like you didn’t make it completely unscathed.” 

Helen’s gaze follows yours before she lets out a dismayed sigh. “I just picked this dress up from the cleaner’s yesterday.” She fingers the ripped fabric of her dress. Now tears are flowing freely.

“It’s only ripped on the seam, that can be fixed in a jiffy.” You look over your shoulder at Bucky and ask him to retrieve your light coat from the table. He’s gone and back in a flash and you drape it over Helen’s shoulders. “Take this to cover up on your way home. Let me find a pen and paper and I can write down the information for my favorite seamstress in the city. Her prices are fair and her work is solid.” A scrap of paper and a pencil are produced from your purse and you add your information at the bottom. “In case you need anything else while you’re in the city,” you explain as you hand the note over.

“How can I get your coat back to you?” Helen asks as she buttons it closed.

“Don’t worry about it,” you dismiss. “It’s almost summer and I was due for a new jacket anyway. Just stay safe, okay?” You wipe a few leftover tears from her face and nod in encouragement as she heads to the phone booth by the entrance.

“Are you alright?” Suddenly you’re hyper-aware of Bucky’s close proximity, his hand gently raising up your forearm toward a lamp on the bar.

“Um, I think so. He grabbed me pretty good but it shouldn’t be too bad.” You rub the area the drunk had gripped and hiss softly at the tenderness of your skin. “It’ll heal.”

“I guess I don’t need to tell you that was incredibly stupid?” Bucky attempts to sound nonchalant but the slight edge to his voice gives him away.

“Probably not. But it’s better this than something even worse happening to Helen because I ignored it.”

“My God, there’s another one of him.” You both face a newly arrived Peggy who is taming her curls, Steve not too far behind.

Bucky grumbles, “Evidently.”

“That took an exciting turn. What say we cut a rug to forget that jerk?” Steve steps to your side. “May I have the honor, ma’am?” He asks, offering a hand to you.

“Me? Oh, sure.” You settle your hand in his lightly, looking to Bucky for his confirmation. He quirks his mouth to one side, nods subtly. He’s harmless.

As Steve gives you a simple twirl onto the dance floor you notice Peggy in Bucky’s arms a few couples away and you can’t help but wonder what they’re discussing. As you and Steve move around the room Peggy speaks steadily, Bucky hanging onto every word.

“You alright?” Steve’s deep voice snaps your attention back to him. He’s watching you empathetically.

“Just been a bit of a rockier night than I expected,” you say with a half-hearted chuckle. You catch yourself relaxing in Steve’s arms - not the way you did in Bucky’s, obviously. But there was still a soothing sense of security coming off of Steve in waves. “I pictured this going much differently.”

He breathes a laugh as he spins you out and brings you back in. “It’s going about as I expected, except I wasn’t the one causing trouble tonight. Thanks for that.”

A genuine smile breaks your sobriety. “Just hope it didn’t ruin yours and Peggy’s opinions of me.”

“Hardly!” he says with glee. “I already knew I would like you and the bit at the bar probably sealed the deal for Peg.”

“Really? Because I got the feeling she isn’t my biggest fan.”

“Ah, she’s just protective and tough. The first time she got really angry with me she grabbed the nearest pistol and fired four shots at me.” Steve laughs at how comically wide your eyes grow. “I deserved it. But there’s a lot of love and care beneath the cool gazes and harsh tone.” He catches your eye and clears his throat. “Although I’m not the one who told you that,” he whispers conspiratorially.

A grin overtakes your face. “Thanks for that. Makes me feel a little better.”

“You’ve got nothing to worry about. It’s driving you crazy not being able to hear what they’re talking about right now, huh?”

You sigh, the pair of you circling around where Bucky and Peggy are in both your sights. “You’re not wrong.”

“Did Bucky ever tell you the specific effects the serum had on me?”

“Made you super strong, super fast? That’s the gist of what I got.”

“To accompany that, all my senses are heightened. I can smell my favorite bakery across the city, can read signs a mile or two away. And,” he looks down at you mischievously, “I can hear just about every conversation in this room.” 

“You can? That has to be insanely overwhelming.”

“It was for the first few months. Then I learned how to tune certain things in and out. You wanna eavesdrop with me?”

You shake your head, “Oh, I don’t-umm, I’d hate to pry.”

“You don’t have to. I’m going to.” Oh, you really like Steve.

Steve turns you so he has a clear view of his best friends and seems to focus intently beyond your shoulder.

“Peggy said something about being careful how quickly he moves forward with you. Bucky just asked Peggy why she was trying to scare you away earlier. She says she was testing your resolve, which stood up better than she expected,” he spares a glance to you, “Bravo to you on that. Peggy says she admired your action with the young woman at the bar. Bucky’s not surprised that you stepped in when there was trouble . . and now they’re just talking shit about me, which is their usual topic of discussion. Did that help?”

“It did. Thank you, Steve.”

“Anytime.”

Quiet follows for a few bars of the song, your brain mulling over the whole night.

After another turn Steve asks, “You haven’t met the family yet, right?”

“Right. Bucky’s dodged the subject more than once. I haven’t pushed it.”

Steve grimaces. “I can’t really blame him. I love the Barneses like they’re my own, but they can be overwhelming sometimes.”

“So I’ve gathered. Honestly, all I know is that he has three sisters and that was only shared in a few asides.”

“Three sisters, all younger. Becca, Rose, and Evelyn. He’s close to his Ma and Becca. Him and Rose don’t have many issues, mostly because they never spent a lot of time together. Things with Evelyn are strained because she’s turning into an adult and Bucky is having a hard time letting her. And his father. . .” Steve weighs his words. “His father is old-fashioned and always will be. They don’t get along.”

“Sounds like that’ll be a fun meeting.”

“When the time comes, you’ll do great.” Steve was so earnest in his reassurance you couldn’t help but believe him.

“May I cut in?” you turn to Bucky’s voice, glad to see him smiling.

“Only if you trade for this gorgeous partner of yours,” Steve teases, mocking a bow to Peggy.

“Oh sod off,” she scolds as Steve pulls her close while the band begins playing a new song.

You nestle into Bucky’s side with a hand tucked in his, relishing in the ease of a moment alone together.

“You good?” Bucky whispers when the song has almost come to an end.

Pulling back, you match his amorous gaze. “Yeah. I’m good.” A soft kiss meets your temple and you practically melt further into Bucky.

“Thanks for coming tonight.”

“Thanks for asking me.”

“Try not to be too much trouble next time, huh?”

“No promises, Barnes.”

Chapter Ten

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[uno-reverse-fic]

Chapter 13

Food.

That was the only thing on your mind for the next hour before dinner. And when the time finally came, your stomach groaned with delight, and so did you. You knew all to well that you were going to eat as much food as you could, you wanted so badly to end the aching pains of your hunger. Katsuki sat down as far away from everyone as possible and pulled you out of his pocket. You settled with a large chunk of chicken that had been torn off, but the second you were about to take a bite Kirishima walked over. Katsuki quickly picked you up and shoved you back into his jacket.

"Just my luck." You muttered to yourself. You just wanted food, cant the universe let you eat in peace. For what felt like the millionth time this week you longed for this nightmare to finally end, luckily it would soon, tonight in fact. From what you could hear there were three other people with Kirishima, most likely Mina, Hanta, and Denki. They had sat down and stayed there for the rest of dinner, so you never did get to eat anything.

Katsuki opened the door to his room and flopped on the bed again, pulling out his phone to check any notifications he may have gotten in the past hour, which wasn't many. You climbed out of his jacket pocket and onto his chest to see what he was occuping himself with, even though you knew it couldn't more important than getting you food. He was scrolling through some social media app that was fairly similar to Vine, the logo was a black background with a white, blue, and pink music note, you couldn't remember the name of it though. You sat down in front of the phone screen, but far enough back that you wouldn't block his view, or what little of it you could block. He continued scrolling through social media for a few more minuets before he stood up, and grabbed you again. He placed you in the drawer, and you heard the shufffling of feet and the opening of a drawer. There was a bit of what sounded like Katsuki rustling through clothes before a sudden stop, and silence filled the room. There was an eerily dark feeling in the atmosphere, and that wasn't just because you were shut in a drawer with no light. After what felt like forever you heard slow footsteps returning towards the desk that you were trapped in. The drawer was yanked open, light flooded in, blinding you for a moment before your eyes adjusted to the sudden change of lighting, and thats when everything started to piece together, and not in a good way. Katsuki's face was blank, with no readable expression, and he was holding a shoe box. The same box that was in his shirt drawer, the same one that you had found the photo in, the photo of him and Izuku. His hand reached for you and completely engulfed you in its suffocating grip, you were pulled out of the drawer and placed on the desk next to the box. Katsuki looked at you one last time with a flash of betrayal in his eyes before leaving the room. You sat down, there were plenty of ways to hide or escape, but you didnt, for some unexplainable reason you stayed. After a few dreadfully long minutes Katsuki returned with a jar held tightly in his left hand, and that same terrifying blank expression. He walked towards the desk unscrewing the lid and placing it on the desk next to you. He picked you up and dropped you into the jar, you did nothing to oppose this, you accepted your fate. The lid, which you now noticed had fairly large air-holes but not big enough for you to escape, was replaced on the jar.

The look in Katsuki's eyes was heart wrenching. That look of pure betrayal and distrust shot like a bullet through your heart, it was enough to make anyone regret any decisions they had made. The ability to shoot regret into anyone at any time, whether it be through a sinister look or a distrustful one, Katsuki definitely had it. He placed the jar on the desk and turned away, not bothering to put the box back into its hiding place in his shirt drawer.

You didn't sleep well that night. The cool glass sent chills up your spine as you lowered yourself onto the floor of the jar. The moonlight shone dimly through the window, silhouetting the curled up figure in the bed on the other side of the room. The shadows stared at you, giving you a sense of unease and watchfulness, as if they were tracking your every move. The feeling of loneliness was mixed with the fear of being watched, it was unsettling and one of the many things that kept you awake that night.

When the morning finally came the sunlight slowly flowed into the room, removing all the insecurity of the unrecognizable shadows. But as good comes and takes away the bad, so follows even worse. The sharp, loud sound of the alarm clock startled you, and you jumped, immediately gaining goosebumps from the cold, bone-chilling glass that surrounded you. Katsuki pushed himself up and barely acknowledged you as he put the box away began his usual morning routine, the only thought he gave towards you was shoving the jar you were trapped in into his desk drawer. You heard the shuffling of him changing int his school uniform before the opening of the door, and a slamming sound quickly following.

The pitch black darkness surrounded you, and for the next half hour you were in denial. Everything was fine and he just forgot about you, he would be back soon, right? You spent next few hours sitting alone in the dark, with the chilling glass surrounding you, as the only comfort you had. Your stomach ached with pain, you were starving and in need of food, it grew with each minute, only adding on to your misery. The darkness cooed at you to fall asleep, the tiredness you felt was immense and you tried to fall asleep but you just couldn't. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn't sleep. For hours you tried to calm yourself, and erase any grim thoughts from your mind, but nothing worked. The seconds ticked by slowly, each one seemingly loner than the last, until finally, after what seemed like forever, the silence was broken, and the doorknob turned.

Annoyed footsteps made there way towards the desk and the chair was moved.

"Bakugo?" You spoke. You usually called people by their first names, mainly to be spiteful, but at this point it didn't matter, you just wanted to be released from this prison. All you wanted was for everything to be back to the way it was, back to normal, you wanted to carry on with your life.

"Bakugo, can you let me out now." You called, this time a bit louder, but still no answer. You kept trying, asking him to set you free,  until eventually the drawer was yanked open, and light poured in blinding you again. Your eyes were met with glaring dark crimson ones. He lifted the jar out of the drawer, and raised to eye level. The expression on Katsuki's face was finally readable, but you wished it wasn't. He had a horrible sadistic look of animosity that made your stomach churn. You backed up and pressed yourself against the wall behind you, trying to put as much distance between the two of you as possible.

"Ya know... you made a huge mistake..." His voice was low and dark, he was trying to sound as intimidating as he could but you could hear the slight unease in it. Your heart was thumping loudly, terrified of what was to come. He slammed the container onto the table and his hands were placed on the back of his lowered head.

"None of this was supposed to happen. If-if you had just stayed back none of this would have happened. But because of you..." he trailed off and you could hear the shakiness in his voice. He lifted his head to look at you, and you were filled with dread and regret in less than a mere second. That face. That expression. He was crying, his mouth was slightly turned into a sadistic crooked smile and his eyes stared into your soul, almost screaming at you 'Why, why did you do this, why did you cause me so much pain!?'

"You are the reason for this. YOU ARE THE REASON, NO ONE WAS SUPPOSED TO SEE THAT! BUT YOU, YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH MY STUFF, YOU COULDN'T HELP YOURSELF, AND NOW YOUR GOING TO MAKE A FOOL OF ME!" he picked up the jar and stormed over to the door. He yanked it open and continued yelling,

"YOU KNOW WHAT, I DON'T CARE! I DON'T CARE WHO FINDS YOU, YOU ARE A WORTHLESS INSIGNIFICANT IDIOT! I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS TOU YOU! I DON'T CARE IF YOU DIE!" That last sentence stung you, the way it rolled off his tongue so easily, it hurt. Your heart hammered wildly against your chest, threatening to burst through, and you were on the verge of crying. With that he threw the jar into the hall and slammed the door shut. The impact sent aches and agony flooding though your body, giving you a fresh set of injuries.

When it finally stopped rolling you stood up, only to collapse onto the ground again in pain and dismay. Hot tears streamed down your face blood seeped from your nose and mouth, large bruises showed evidence of their existence through aching, even though they were invisible. Your heart continued to pound, crimson blood stained your shirt the color of dark cherries, and the image of Katsuki's face flashed in your mind. The look he gave you as he lifted his head was permanently etched in your brain, the dread and regret you felt still evident. You never before had such an immense feeling of abandonment, terror, and heartbrokenness in your life. Everything hurt, and it wasn't just the hunger stabbing at your insides, but your whole body ached with dread and pain, and you didn't notice the gentle, careful lifting of the jar, you didn't notice the comforting voice speaking to you. At least, not at first.

MASTERLIST

[endoftheroad1983]

Wish You Were Here chapter 6

Wish You Were Here

Steve Rogers x Reader.

“That's all she wrote...” A car door shutting brought you out of the story to Nat, “Hello? Are you still there?” You ask as you got no respond.

“Yea, I'm here. I'm just trying to take it in. This is a very sticky situation. I mean Peggy walk in on you and Steve making out, that has to be rough. But Steve is going mad here not knowing where you are.” It was something in Nat's voice that the hairs on the back of your neck began to raise up.

Shuffling outside your door was another give away. You were up on your feet within seconds. You collect your already pack bag, it was a train habit that you keep everything pack at all times.

“Damn it Nattie!” You harsh whisper into your phone.

“I'm sorry But he's losing his shit over your disappearing act!” Nat reason back, not once did she deny that she was a distraction.

“I haven't gone MIA! I'm still talking to you.”

“Steve doesn't see it that way.”

“I'll call you when this is all over.” You hung up the phone before tossing it on the bed. Mental note: always changes phones that you carry with you.

Knocking finally erupted on the door.  

“Y/N, Please I know your in there. Please open the door.” Steve voice rose up. You open the back window and crawl half way out. Steve pounded on the door making the poor old wooden door shake on it's hinges.

“You just can't give me space, can ya?” You snapped at him.

Steve's fidgeting came to a stop when he heard your voice from the other side.

“Please, let me in. I just want to talk.” Your heart sank a bit at the relief in his voice that he had found you. You linger in the window a bit longer. You should've already been out the door, your brain scolded inside your mind.

“There is nothing to talk about.” You answer back with a hint of bitter in your voice.

You climb out of the window and over to the door. You kept your eyes train on the lock and doorknob.

“Yes, there is. Please open the door or not. Just please talk to me?”

“Go on!” You retort back on making a move for the door.

Steve sigh heavily into the door. You could hear his forehead bumping up against the door. Was that a happy sigh? Or a sad one? You couldn't tell with seeing his face. Which meant you would have to open the door. A ping in your chest told you that your heart wasn't ready for that.

“I didn't realise that I was hurting your feelings with Peggy.” His voice had drop to a low whisper and if you hadn't been next to the door. You won't of heard it at all.

You cover your mouth as a single tear slid down your cheek. His words turned you into a frozen statue. Where was he going with this? How much of your heart will be broken again? Your brain brought up but it was hard to hear since your heart was beating loudly from his words.

“It's okay Steve. It is clearly obvious that you two should be together.”

A loud thump next your head startle you to take a few steps back. Steve must of hit the door with the side of his fist.

“No, Y/N. You've got it all wrong! Peg and I had a thing a long time ago but it's over! I'm sorry for the way I have treated you but I was just so happy to see her again that my brain was scrambled. I never meant for you to be hurt by it. Look Doll, When she is gone then...”

And in a flip of a dime, your angry came flaring back. Your brain already finish the sentence.

“When she is gone then what? We came move on like nothing ever happen?” You were quite surprise how your voice turn out soft and gentle. Despite the now constants of bile turning in your stomach as you skin burn hot.

“I'm hoping something like that down the line.” You could hear the soft chuckle in his voice. This only added fuel to the fire.

You watch your hand move to the lock. What the hell were you going to do? But before you could control yourself you had the door open. Steve was standing in the threshold with wide eyes. You could see all his past fears melt away once he laid eyes on you. A starter beard was beginning to form. You want to melt back into his arms but you couldn't. It was the same pattern over and over again.

You look down to see more Y/F flowers in a very beautiful F/C vase. You blink your confusion for a moment before the anger bubble over. And before you knew it, you had pulled back your hand and punch him. Your fist caught his left cheek. Steve was literally taken back as he had to regain his footing. The vase in his hand had slipped out crashing over the concrete path. You look at the shatter mess. Seem to now look like how your heart was feeling.

“Don't bullshit with me any more. When she's gone then what? We move on like a happy couple until she shows up again? Then I get the side bar. No, I'm not doing this! I don't know what we would have become if they hadn't shown up but they did and there is nothing that can change that.”

You chest rose and dropping in heavy beats. Steve held his face as he listen to you carry on in silence. He didn't make any attempt to pledge with you as you spoke. He just stood there drinking you in.

“Peggy and the others can't stay here. We are working on a way to take them back home as we speak.” Steve was at a lost for words. The pain etch over his face shows you that he didn't realise the level of pain you were in.

“And?” You move a hand to your hip.

Steve shook his head with confusion at your question.

“What is going to stop them from popping over again?”

“Tony and the others have talk it out this was a once in a life time accident.” His voice was uncertain of how this conversation was going.

“What about you?” Your question cause some flickering in his stormy eyes.

“Me?”

“Yes, You. Peggy just came back into your life and is going to leave just as sudden. Are you seriously going to look me in the eyes and say that you will switch off all your emotions when it comes? To lose all your friends over again? That your not going to wonder if something like this will happen again? Cause I do every single waking moment since they arrived, I have those questions in my head.”

The sun had finally sunk behind the tree lines leaving you and Steve in a blue hue. His eyes dance wildly as he was calculating what you had just said. The pain of losing his friends all over again fell instantly upon his face. The look was killing you until you couldn't take it any more.

“I'm sorry Steve but you need to leave.” You spoke in a strong, confident tone but you were crumbling inside.

You shut the door before throwing your bag over your shoulder. It was eerie quiet out there as you headed for the window. Did Steve take the hint? Half of you didn't want him to give you up but the other side was hoping to move on from this pain. You slip your body back out the window and quietly jump to the ground below. Your room was on the second story so the drop was a piece of cake. You disappear into the night looking for another hiding place.

What you didn't know was that the moment your feet hit the grass, Steve was back to pounding on your door. He hadn't left like you thought he had. He called your name several times before barging in the room. The room was just as quiet as he had been. The only thing that you left behind to show that you were even there was your cell phone. Steve place his hands on his hips as a lungful of a sigh escape his lips. This was not how he thought any of this would turn out. He collect your phone before heading back out. For once during all this trouble he was at a lost with what to do next.

--------------       ---------------            -------------          ----------------        ---------------   ------------

Three Days Later

You were sitting on top of a picnic table in the middle of a city park. There was a birthday party in the midst as you enjoy the sun beaming down on you. Fury had gotten a hold of your new phone number and  offer you a mission that had taken place on the other side of the Untied States. It was an easy stake out mission that ended just as nicely.

Now here you were enjoying a small break before heading back to the base. You had spent to much time away from the base and needed to get back to your daily routine. You sigh at that thought knowing that Steve had become one of your routing. You hadn't heard from Steve since that night, but that was large part due to the fact that you left your phone in the motel.

A sinking feeling took over your thoughts as a wave of sadness came with it. You laid back on the table and close your eyes. You were suppose to be relaxing in the sun not giving yourself a pity party. The young children seem to be getting louder as you lost all track of thoughts and time.

It wasn't until the children grew suddenly quiet that made your regain your surroundings. They were all huddle over by the swings. You could feel all their eyes on you making you very uncomfortable. They broke out into wild giggling as you made eye contact with them. Now something was totally up.

“May I join you?” A female voice rose suddenly behind you. You gulped down your fear as you knew exactly who it was.  You stood up from your spot.

“Yes.” You drop to the bench across form her.  She gracefully took the opposite bench unlike you. An awkward silence took the both of you over. You study her features through the corner of your eyes.  Peggy Carter was even more stunning then any of those pictures Steve had shown you. Her lips were painted red and her hair was all dolled up.

Another slap to your ego boost was what it was really. There was no way that Steve would ever chose you over her and now you can see it. Peggy's brown eyes scan the area with a hint of worry. You look around to see people on their phones, kids playing with drones and adults talking with one another about the heat index being high.

It was then that you realise that Peggy wasn't use to this sight which was probably causing her to stress out a bit. You could almost bet that she was having a hard time wrapping her head around the technology at the base.

“So what brings you here?” you smile politely as you started this conversation.

“I'm here to talk you about Steve.” Of course she was but why with you.

“Oh what about him?” You played dumb.

“Well it's time for the others and myself to go back and I want to talk to you about Steve and how he would feel about going back with us.” Your heart was in your throat. Was Steve planning on going back to his time period? It was something that never cross your mind.

“Steve would love it. To be back with you and his friends. I don't see him turning down the offer.” You plaster a fake smile as the two of you continue to talk.

Turns out that Bruce figure out how to get the wormhole back open for them and it was going to take place tonight. You could feel the rain clouds hanging over your head. Then you felt a sting of guilt. This was a chance for Steve to be happy. After everything he's been through he deserve to be happy and where he wants to be. Why would you even put your sadness before that?

So you silently agree that this was for the best. You and Peggy ended up talking for over two hours more. Even though she was talking your crush away (excuse me, your ex-crush) you couldn't be mad at her. She was a fascinated woman all on her own. And you were honor to have the chance to sit down and talk to her. Even if it was just shooting the breezes.

[willowdrabbles]

A million dreams part 1

Yutaka Tennoji

Post wedding

words: 2042

I finished rereading the Yutaka Tennoji stories again and my GOD I’m in love all over again. I love bunny floofloo so so much. I had an idea in my head since work and I wanted to get it down. (it may be similar to a scene in Kirisawa’s route but eh, they’re both my babes and I have such a strong love for angst.) 

Anyways, there are spoilers ahead. And I will be touching on a situation in the story that I think would have an effect on their marriage later in life, hence inspiring this little story! With that I hope you all enjoy part 1! Mildly inspired by “A million dreams” from the greatest showman, P!nk cover. 

She was effectively done with bombs. 

That was still putting it mildly. The newest two cases that had fallen upon second unit had them all running down to the bone. A human trafficking ring seemed to be working with a small drug dealing gang. Her brother, being the nosy detectives brother he was, had noticed the shifty behavior of a colleague at the drug rehabilitation facility he worked at. 

Turned out he has a bit of a detective in himself as well. With his concerns he was able to slyly get Ellina the information she needed to crack down on the colleague. The down side was that with that revelation her brother was instantly targeted. And gangs weren’t above using bombs. His apartment was obliterated not long after the first unit publicized the findings looking for a praise. Endangering her brother for their own egos. 

Thankfully he was not harmed. Upset, but not harmed. He enjoyed the attention form female officers and detectives, and was put up in a temporary apartment not far from the precinct, under surveillance. 

‘Planting rehabilitating drug addicts with bombs and using them as ‘scape goats to draw regular authorities off their trail. Despicable.’ She thought to herself, typing as quickly and efficiently as she could to finish up her report from the interrogation. Eiki had gotten so much information in such a little time... Though he had that information from her undercover work. Going in as a woman recovering from an addiction had allowed the perp to open up to her and get the recordings she needed easily. With just her and Eiki working the drug gang side of the investigation, it was sailing smoothly. 

With the two sides scrambling to pick up their trash and get out of dodge before Second unit could crack down on them all, they were making mistakes. The more Ellina and Eiki uncovered, the more clues the rest of the team found linking missing information and clues to the human trafficking ring. Drug dealers getting more money and shipments by promising and luring recovering addicts to the traffickers. When things started getting dicey, they started throwing bombs into the mix to try and deter the law enforcement. 

Why did it always have to be bombs?

She rolled her neck and glared at her screen, her fingers not stopping. The reports were getting longer and longer it seemed. Everyone was so busy lately she had not even spent time with her new husband. 

Normally they would have at least a few hours to themselves in the evenings or during lunches, but she found they had not even done that in weeks since she started going undercover. The only consolation she had was Eiki and Kirisawa telling her how good of a job she had been doing. Even with their bonus information from her brother, they were closing up their side of the case faster than the rest of the unit. If she finished their case first, she could join everyone else in hitting the Trafficking ring base. 

That did not stop her from missing Yutaka. They saw each other a few times in the office, a few words spoken between each other before one or the other left to continue their cases. They left home at separate hours. The only reason she knew he came home at all was she would notice he would take the lunches or snack packs she made when she was there. Otherwise she tried to change at the precinct or her brother's apartment to avoid anyone realizing her background was false. 

Between missing him and her constant dragging schedule, home upkeep, work, reports, undercover, work, reports, home, She probably had lost a bit of weight. She often had to eat at the recovery clinic to keep up appearances. Eiki and her would got food when they could. But running herself ragged was still having it’s effect. Sacrificing that extra pork bowl for work would be well worth it in the end. even if ti did make her a grump to be around in the office. Work and the safety of the people came first. 

The space between them was growing, but she had no reason to worry. They had made promises to each other. They signed up for this knowing what it would entail. Missing him would just make getting back to him sweeter. For now, Eiki was forced to listen to her complain and be in a foul mood without her husband. Not that he let it deter him from being a perfect ray of sunshine. Eiki knew exactly what to say to her to cheer her up and remind her how much they’ve gone through and how much happier she’ll be. 

It was his idea that she take this opportunity to spoil Yutaka when they closed the case. Save her money (and appetite) and take him to a fantastic hot spring trip. He was even sweet enough to help her find one with personal hot springs and a great rating on their food. Unlike Yutaka, she was good at keeping secrets, as was Eiki. She kept her distance the last week so the surprise would no doubt hit him like a train when the time came. 

She felt herself frown as she realized she was thinking too much about the negatives again, and had made a mistake in her report. She would have to rewrite that secti-

“Ellina!”

She jumped at the sudden yell and bang, blinking rapidly as she looked up to see Yutaka leaning over her desk, his hand planted on her desk and his face irritated as ever. 

“Jeeze Tennoji, what?” She snapped at him, looking back at her laptop as she erased the lines she had just written.

“I’ve been callin’ ya for ten minutes you dummy! I’m trying to ask you if you want food!” Yutaka grumbled at her, folding his arms across his chest as he stared at her, his brows furrowed. 

Ellina swallowed thickly. She wanted nothing more than to go get food with him, She missed him so much. Their banter and jokes. Their alone time together. Since being married, the team’s jokes had not stopped. Where as Tennoji was as easily embarrassed as usual, she had developed thick skin to their antics, and now could shoot remarks back. Even at Tennoji’s expense. 

Thinking of how much she wanted the usual happy routine reminded her of what awaited her if she finished her work sooner. She had to finish this report before going back to the clinic with Eiki, otherwise she might fall behind. 

“I’m fine I gotta finish this.” She said simply, finally reaching the point where she had gotten off track in her report and went back to typing. 

Though that only lasted a minute when she felt a weird sensation. Looking up she blinked in surprise as she noticed the whole of second unit staring at her in silent shock. She glanced at each of them in turn, confusion covering her face. 

“What? Do I have something on my face?” She patted her cheek, looking at Tennoji for confirmation. 

“I never thought I’d hear that out of her mouth.” Hanai said, true shock in his voice. 

“Which is surprising considering how large of a mouth it is.” Kyobashi shot at him, the two of them exchanging nods. 

“Rude!” Ellina snapped, glaring at the two of them. 

“Sick....” Asano said quietly, staring at her blankly before going back to his own work. 

“Are you sure you’re feeling alright Kast?” Kirisawa asked, still using her maiden name. (What the team always did to avoid confusing her and her husband.)

“I’m not that hungry yet! Besides I should be done in a little while.” Ellina rolled her eyes and went back to her work. 

“That or she’s filling that big mouth with something else when we’re not looking.” Kyobashi said, obviously trying to get under her skin and stir the pot. 

“Sexual harassment!” Ellina shot at him, not looking up from her computer again. 

“She’s been on top of everything, you guys should leave her be.” Eiki said suddenly, drawing a glance from her. He shot her a quick wink before continuing his own rapid typing. They already had a silent agreement to finish as soon as possible so their plan for her and Tennoji would go without a hitch. She was so lucky to have a partner like him. She flashed him a smile and looked back at her computer for a moment, only to notice that Yutaka had not moved an inch from in front of her desk. 

“You alright?” She asked, glancing up at him again. The look on his face had her leaning back. He looked royally pissed. “Woah-”

“Boss take her off the case.” Tennoji snapped, finally looking away from her to lock Kirisawa with a hard stare. 

“What?!”

Everyone besides Yutaka shouted their shock at him, pausing in their work once more. Ellina shot out of her chair, hands slamming down on her desk as she did.

“What are you talking about?” She snapped at him, bristling as he ignored her and walked over to Kirisawa. 

“You mind telling me why I should do that?” Kirisawa asked calmly, his eyes narrowed at Tennoji in apprehension. 

“She’s obviously not handling the case well! She’s driving herself into the ground and if she keeps this up shes gonna make a mistake!” Tennoji shouted, pointing at her as if it was plain as day. “She’s never home to get sleep, she’s not eating, her brain isn’t even here! How can she finish a case when she’s like this! She’s only doing this because her brother is involved I’m not stupid!”

Her stomach lurched into her chest at that. Sudden tears pricked at her eyes. Though his worry made sense, he had no right to tell her to get off the case. Not when they were this close, not when they could be on a big break. The memory of him telling her he couldn’t marry her over Yukko’s case blinded her. Did he really think she would shut him out like this? She wan’t running off on her own. Eiki was working with her. Tennoji was working the trafficking ring because of his case closing record. He was more qualified for the case to get results and fast. 

“Back down.” Kirisawa said firmly, standing up. “Kast has made great breaks in this case. Breaks that have been the only thing giving you clues for your own case. I’d be a fool to take her off just because you’re worried about your wife.” Kirisawa stared down Tennoji, who only puffed up in response. 

“You’ve gotta be kiddin-”

“Don’t be mad your wife is gonna close a case before you Tennoji.” Hanai joked, obviously taking the chance to make fun of him. 

“Oh I see.” Asano said, smiling to himself as if to agree with Hanai.

“We’re gonna finish this case before you and get in on that crackdown and break your record. I get it now.” Eiki prodded too, snickering to himself. Tennoji didn’t respond, his face slowly turning red.

Ellina frowned, appreciating what they were trying to do, but not wanting them in on it this time. “Enough.” she snapped, slamming her laptop closed and grabbing her bag off her chair. She could finish her report in the evening. Everyone turned to look at her. 

“Whether you think I can’t handle it, think i’m worn down, or just don’t want me to finish this case.” Ellina slung her bag over her shoulder and shot Yutaka a glare as he opened his mouth to argue “You’d best remember I’m not you. I don’t get blinded by my own obsessions.” her voice cut like ice across the room, she looked away the second she saw the flash of hurt in his eyes. The pain in her chest blooming more, she clenched her teeth and headed for the door. “I’m going to the clinic.”

She had just stepped into the elevator and was watching the doors close when a buff arm shot in, blocking the way enough for Eiki to slip in. 

“Well you know how to make an exit.” He laughed, pressing the ground floor button. 

[miss-eucatastrophe]

Chapter 9: Whistl'n Dixie

Pairing: Bucky x PlusSize!OFC/Serum!OFC (Can also be read as a Bucky X Reader fic. Your name is Cassandra. You’re welcome you beautiful bitch).

Summary:Trying to integrate into “normal” life, Bucky slowly falls into a routine. Wake up, run, gaze at the woman who works in the toy store as he passes by, eat, mission, sleep, repeat. But when he goes toe to toe with a thief who threaten’s to trash his routine by becoming an obsession, will he be able to put his bizarre life back in order, or will this woman turn his 21st century world on it’s head?Yep, the Bucky/Serum!Reader story you didn’t know you wanted.

Rated: Explicit (For later chapters. Smut does not occur until Ch 12, everything before that point is T or M.)  

Chapter 9

“No run today huh?”

Bucky stopped hitting the punching bag and turned his head to look at his best friend. He let out a huff of air through his pink lips and shrugged his shoulders. “Just thought I’d shake things up. Try something different.” A metal arm came up to press against the heavy bag to stop its swaying.

“Mm,” Steve hummed simply, already in his usual running gear; a shirt that was too tight and loose-fitting pants. “So, it has nothing to do with the fact that Cassandra doesn’t work in the toy store on our rout anymore?”

“No.” Bucky said flatly… and perhaps too quickly.

It had everything to do with it.

With the object of his affection so close by, what was the point of leaving the tower? Hell, he might never leave the tower again. The only thing that had gotten him in the outside world at all was their run through town all to pass that shop and peek in the window.

Everything he wanted was inside the tower. Fuck socializing. Progression be damned.

Steve smiled knowingly and pushed himself from the wall he’d been leaning on. “It’s just as well. Sam was planning on giving you more grief than you could handle. Said something about a commotion coming from Cassandra’s room yesterday.”

Bucky looked down at his hands, adjusting the tape he had wrapped around his human hand. It wasn’t to express embarrassment, it was mainly to hide his smirk. “Sam needs to quit flap’n his lips.” It was slang like that that showed his age. The 40s died hard.

Steve chuckled, a little smile on his face. It would be a lie if he said he didn’t notice the new light in Bucky’s eyes when he was around Cassandra. It was like having the old Bucky back. Before the darkness. “Well if you change your mind, I’m sure you could catch up.”

The former weapon of mass destruction nodded his head in acknowledgement and turned his back, regarding the punching bag once more. It was several minutes before he was pulled from his thoughts- or rather lack of thoughts. His mind was often blank when he worked out. He heard the door to the gym open but he didn’t turn his head. It wasn’t until he heard the light clearing of a throat that he slapped his hand against the bag in front of him to still it and looked over his shoulder to regard a smiling Cassandra.

“Morn’n Sarge.” She said sweetly, clearly a morning person.

Bucky turned to regard her completely, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. She was cladded in a long, baggy razorback tank top and skin tight black leggings with aqua waves up the sides to match the shirt.

Cute even in work out attire.

As Bucky stared at her, she took the black hair tie from her wrist with her teeth and kept it firmly between her pearly whites while she gathered her long brown hair in two hands, bundling the locks at the crown of her head before holding it tight with one hand and retrieving the tie with the other. She quickly bound her hair into the pony-tail, giving a little tug to secure it. How she’d had all that hair down during their encounters and still fought was beyond him.

Well he was one to talk. His hair wasn’t exactly short for a man.

His eyes were wondering before he had a chance to stop himself, if he wanted to stop himself that is. She’d turned her back to him, walking to the fountain on the other side of the room to fill her water bottle which was also a shade of blue. It wasn’t hard to guess her favorite color. She bent at the waist, giving him a shameless view of her ass. That was another thing they had in common, they appreciated each other’s behinds. Bucky tilted his head to brazenly get a better view and like an answered prayer the girl crouched down to adjust the laces on her shoes, stretching the spandex of her pants over that round bottom. His tongue ran over his lower lip, overwhelmed with a sudden urge to get his hands on her.

“Bucky?” The male looked back up at Cassandra’s face. Had she been talking? When had she stood back up?

Taking in his blank expression, Cassandra rolled her eyes, fighting a smile. “I asked if you would mind some company?”

Bucky lifted his shirt to wipe the sweat from his brow, shaking his head. “No. Not at all. This is your home now too, Doll.”

Cassandra smiled for two reasons. One was the sentiment of having a home with the mismatched bunch of heros, the second was because the Adonis in front of her lifted his shirt to expose skin she hadn’t yet seen. Her eyes darted to his stomach and burrowed a hole there. Stunning—he looked like he was sculpted by the gods, not DNA. No this wasn’t science. This had to be magic. Witchcraft. No man could be so perfect.

So perfect. There was a little pang of despair that hit her chest. He was fit, strong, godlike, why did he have any interest in her at all? Standing next to him—she just didn’t belong. Say this little game they were playing wasn’t a game at all—say it blossomed into something more serious than sexual tension, fleeting looks, and kisses…What would people say? They would say exactly what she was thinking, ‘How could he be attracted to her?’ She was so absorbed in her own thoughts she didn’t notice Bucky had come closer until his crooked finger was tucked under her chin, lifting her gaze to his own.

“You’re thinking too much.” He murmured, a little smile on his face.

Cassandra’s eyes widened. Did he have mind reading powers? No. The serum didn’t do that did it? If it did she got robbed.

Bucky chuckled, having read her expression. “You just looked deep in thought and… By the way that cute nose of yours was all crinkled it probably was a thought I wouldn’t like.” He ran a finger tip over the bridge of her button nose as if to smooth it, making her smile and blush like a child.

The girl looked up and shrugged her shoulders. “Nah. I was just thinking about how each time we spared we got interrupted.” It wasn’t a lie. Because that’s what she was thinking about now. Just not two seconds ago.

That cocky smirk slid across Bucky’s face and a deep chuckle rumbled in that unfairly toned chest. “I had you on the ropes last time.”

Cassandra arched a brow and put her hands on her hips, cocking one as she pursed her lips. “You go’n wacky* on me Sarge? If ya want my two cents worth* I’d say I had YOU on the ropes.” She cocked a brow and leaned forward challengingly, giving her best 40's tough guy tone. “I put you through the wringer*.”

Bucky crossed his arms over his broad chest, the human one flexing with the action as the other whirled. “You sauced*, Doll? In my book* if Stark hadn’t come by, you’d have been done for*.” She cocked his head back in a show of dominance and shrugged his shoulders, enjoying their little play. He hadn’t used slang from his time in quite a while, other than the things that held up over time.

“How’s about a rematch then, Dreamboat*?” She fluttered her eyes wracking her brain for more 40's vocabulary.

“What are the stakes, Cookie*?” Finally, a real match up between the two of them. No dirty tactics, no interruptions. A brawl to the finish.

“If I win…” Cassandra tapped her finger on her chin and looked up and to the side, making a dramatic show of thinking. “You teach me that thing you do with your knifes.” She made a flicking motion wither fingers as if she was twirling an imaginary blade.

Bucky nodded his head, accepting the condition. “And if I win. You let me take you out on a date. A proper date.”

Cassandra smiled, a blush raising to her cheeks. She would have let him do that anyway. “Alright you-“

The man held up a finger, cutting her off as if he wasn’t done. “Dancing.”

Cassandra’s smile faded, as he thought it might. She couldn’t dance. She didn’t have a graceful bone in her body, people would stare, people would laugh, people would rip her apart. There would be videos all over the internet, she could see the titles now. ‘Big chick tries to dance with a stud-muffin’.

Well now she absolutely had to win.

Where Cassandra’s eyes narrowed and a scowl formed on her face, Bucky held his smirk. “Deal.” She said stubbornly, not one to be outdone. “10 second pin required for victory.”

Bucky nodded his approval and stepped away from his opponent, fixing the tape on his flesh hand yet again and adding a wrap around his metal knuckles. Though the metal didn’t need to be protected from cuts and scrapes from his blows like his human hand, he wanted to soften any blows against Cassandra—even if only a little.

He did not intend to go easy on her. Not even slightly. He stretched his arms above his head, listening to the cracking in his spine when he reached just the right way.

Cassandra moved to the side of the gym, picking up some spare tape and doing the same to her knuckles and removing her shoes and socks before walking over to the mat they would try to stay on. No breaking things this time. When the soldier girl turned back around to look at Bucky, his shirt was off and he was using it to dab at his face.

Like so many times before where Bucky was concerned, Cassandra’s face turned red and her almond shaped eyes widened.

Even Bucky’s bare back was chiseled. Every subtle motion of his body sent his muscles shifting under the skin; wound tight with strength and tension. How long had that tension been there? 70 years? With the horrors he’d seen would his body ever relax?

Her eyes followed the curve of his back until he turned around to face her, shirt still blotting his face. She traced his muscles with her eyes, each curve and concave making her knees weak. He wasn’t as barrel chested as Steve, and that was fine, because he was still big—just more toned. Not that size mattered…

Hazel eyes traced from his chest to his stomach, admiring the abdominals and drooling internally when she caught sight of the Adonis belt his motions had hinted at earlier. The V of his hips concaved and disappeared into the hem of his shorts, the waist band of his boxers showing due to how low the shorts were on his hips.

Another word of that V was ‘Aphrodite’s saddle’ and she could see why. Because she suddenly wanted to ride a stallion.

Another pang in her chest.

Doubt. She couldn’t ride a guy… Not without hurting him. And it probably wouldn’t be all that pleasant for the guy either.

“Your nose is crinkling again.” Bucky chided, stepping onto the mat after he too removed his shoes. “Don’t like what you see?” The tone was teasing but… Cassandra could almost hear an undertone of worry.

“Quite the opposite.” She answered before thinking better of it. But it returned the smirk to Bucky’s face, so that quelled her embarrassment.

She paused, assessing the way Bucky stood since he asked that question. His torso was tilted, his metal arm and the connecting shoulder shifting slightly behind him in this stance, like he was trying to hide it.

It was only then that Cassandra took notice of it. Real notice that is.

The scar.

Flesh, burned and stitched webbing over patches of skin, binding itself to the surface around the metal appendage. She locked eyes with Bucky, who’s blue ones held doubt: a self-consciousness she knew all too well.

As twisted as it was, it made her smile. It made her smile knowing that she wasn’t the only one who had insecurities. That this man she deemed as perfect thought of himself as less. How someone so stunning could have any concerns with his own appearance was hard to grasp. Perhaps it’s not what the arm was—but what it had done.

Cassandra approached Bucky like one may approach a wounded animal, slow and unimposing. Opening her hand, she hovered her fingertips above where flesh and metal lay forced together and looked up at him, wordlessly asking for permission.

After a minute of hesitation, Bucky nodded. He shifted his shoulder forward and Cassandra let her fingertips touch the scar. The former war machine’s whole body jolted. It was like he was trying to keep himself from moving away from the touch.

Any time that area was touched it was always to improve the weapon; to make him deadlier than he had been before. It was no wonder the touch held a negative connotation.

Cassandra brought her eyes back up to Bucky’s face, her fingers dipping and gliding over each indent of flesh and overlapping of skin. “Does it hurt?” She asked in a soft voice. She felt as though she truly was talking to a wounded animal, not a dangerous man who could snap a normal person like a twig, or a super soldier who had avoided capture for decades while shaping a century in HYDRA’s image.

“No.” He murmured, voice husky. His eyes stayed on her face, searching for something. Disgust? Fear? Cassandra didn’t know, but she knew she wasn’t displaying it.

She traced a pattern from the scar tissue to the metal arm itself, grazing the patterns that made up its structure. “This isn’t the one Hydra made.” She observed. Bucky shook his head to confirm. “New model. An upgrade.” He murmured. Though it wasn’t the arm he’d killed with, it seemed to still hold the memory of time lost.

Cassandra’s hand made its way down the shifting panels of the arm which seemed to react under her touch. When she reached his metal hand, she smiled and lifted it, holding it in both of hers. She rested the back of his hand in her left hand, using the other to trace the lines of his palm that would have been there had it been human. “It’s gentle.” She whispered, her eyes lifting to Bucky’s which crinkled at the corners with the movement of his brow, displaying confusion.

“Something so powerful… Potentially dangerous… And yet when you use it… It’s gentle.” Her pink lips twitched at the corners, her fingers sliding over his open metal palm. “Can you feel that?” She asked curiously, to which Bucky shrugged. “Not like this one.” He murmured, lifting his flesh hand into her line of sight. “Just… Pressure… I guess. But not the warmth… or the softness.” He mumbled, his voice gruff.

“This one,” he repeated, moving his human hand to graze his roughened fingertips over her silken cheek with a delicate touch. “Works better for that.”

Cassandra let out a breathy laugh. “You make’n a pass at me*, James? Or are ya just whistl’n Dixie*?” She teased, having found more 40s expressions at the back of her mind.

“No Ma’am. I’m ready to roughhouse* when you are.” Cassandra smirked at that, and without warning, she gripped the metal wrist of the hand she once so dutifully admired and gave it a firm tug, throwing Bucky back on the mat and standing over him with her hands on her hips. “Well that’s swell*, Here I was worried my wolf* was so stuck on me* he wouldn’t be willing to fight.”

“Ain���t above hit’n a dame, toots.” Bucky shot back, sweeping his legs under the woman and sending her back on her ass. She yelped and shot Bucky a look. He gave her a shrug. Fair was fair.

She swung her leg over to try and hammer it down on that flawless stomach, but Bucky quickly rolled out of the way, leaving Cassandra’s heel to smack against the mat with a muted ‘thwack’.

“Really go’n at it—aren’t we, Doll?” Bucky asked, his brow arched as he stayed in a push up position to regard the girl.

“I don’t dance.” She said simply, reverse tumbling to get herself back on her feet, springing up at the same time as Bucky.

“Don’t worry,” he gripped her wrist when he found it heading for his face, using it to twirl her and pull her to his body, his stronger arm around her waist as she was forced into a starting waltz pose. “I’ll teach you.” He smirked, holding her firmly to his chest.

A growl of discontent hit his ears, followed by a hardy knee to his side. “You won’t have to.” She said confidently, gaining some distance between them.

Bucky threw a kick at the woman, to which she jumped and twisted on her side, throwing one leg over the other while airborne to throw herself away from the kick.

“Wallflower type, huh babe?” Bucky asked with a smirk, dropping himself down to strike at her ankle as her foot came down on the mat, knocking her off balance.

Cassandra huffed and tried to right herself back on her feet, bringing her knees in to spring upwards, but Bucky was on her before she got the chance. He pinned her left wrist to the mat, his other hand gripping her right ankle as her knees curled in, holding it there.

In the twisted position, she still managed to reach her right to the back of Bucky’s neck. A move that was wide open in his hovering pose over her. She gripped his neck tightly and used her captured leg as leverage to toss him over her, dropping him like a heavy sack.

His grip released enough so she could roll over with him, straddling him. She gripped his arms and pinned him to the mat. “Got cha.” She chirped victoriously. Maybe she was self-conscious about being on him during any potential… naked wrestling, but this was different! She was pulled out of her mental tug of war by Bucky smirking. “Do you?”

The girl arched a brow, opening her lips to speak as she counted the ten seconds in her head, adding ‘Mississippi’ after each number to insure she wasn’t counting too quickly. She was so engrossed in her counting, she didn’t notice Bucky’s strong thighs shifting under her until he bucked his hips, bouncing her as if she weighted as much as a feather, and use her moment of confusion to shift his position under her.

He gained his leverage, pulling himself up on his knees as Cassandra released her grip. By the time she flopped back down from his jolt, she was in his lap, his arms around her. One hand rested at the small of her back, the other at the back of her neck.

“Think I got you.” He murmured with a smirk, their noses touching. Narrowing her eyes, she wrapped her legs around him and pulled back, falling backwards and taking him with her.

Bucky caught himself as Cassandra hit the mat, his forearms bracing against the mat with Cassandra between them, his knees on either side of her hips. She laid caged by his body, but not trapped, she had prepared to shift and knock Bucky away, until he pressed his hand gently to her forehead, his fingers coiling in the roots of her hair as he applied enough pressure to keep her head back and pressed against the mat.

His other hand reached under the arch of her back to press her body closer to him. This his lips found hers.

And she forgot what she was doing.

Bucky’s tongue forced her jaw open and tangled with hers in a different type of spar. One she was happy to let him win. Not that she needed to LET him. He wasn’t going to allow otherwise.

Her eyes fluttered, half lidded as the warm tongue tasting of lush coffee and sugar twirled around her own. She didn’t care for coffee. But she could come to like the flavor if this is how it was delivered. Her body felt warm, tingling down to her fingertips that rested limply on the mat. Bucky pulled back and the girl blushed, a thin string of saliva connecting their lips momentarily as she laid there in a daze. The soldier smirked, licking his lips before leaning down to whisper in her ear. “10.”

Cassandra’s eyes snapped open, realization dawning on her. Bucky sat up, straddling the woman with a triumphant grin and his arms crossed. She sat up, eyes wide and lips gaping at the audacity. “Y-You cheated!”

“Did I?” Bucky asked, feigning confusion.

“You most certainly did you scoundrel! Y-You sexual deviant! Using seduction is against the rules!” She cried out, fists clenching. “I believe the only rule established was, ’10 second pin’.” He purred. Cassandra pushed him off and narrowed her eyes, setting her jaw in a foreshadow of a potential tantrum.

Bucky remained balanced on top of her, that cocky smirk plastered on his features. “If it’s any consolation, you seduce me just by walking through the door. So, I think it’s more than fair.”

“It’s not.” She scowled, her brow crinkling in half-hearted distain.

“Mn, don’t be mad, doll face.” He purred, grinning down at her as he brushed a lock of hair from her flustered face.

Cassandra fought to keep her scowl- but it was difficult when you had an angel on top of you. He pealed himself off of her with much obvious reluctance and helped her to her feet.

“Tomorrow. Eight O’Clock. Wanda and Natasha can help you shop and get ready.” Cassandra’s brow crinkled. “I… Need new clothes?” 

Bucky shrugged. “Unless you just happen to have a 40’s dress in your closet.”

Cassandra blinked. “Huh?”

Bucky stepped off the mat and snatched his shirt from the floor, tossing it over his human shoulder to hang there loosely. “I did say a proper date, didn’t I?”

Cassandra stood there, staring blankly at the door that Bucky had so brazenly left through.

This had either gotten a lot better—or so much worse.

[tony-luvv]

Can you do a prompt of mpreg tony where there trying to figure out who is the father because a lot of guys want to be the father and at the end it's the one person they least expect to be the father.

This is actually going to be different from the mpreg I didnot too long ago, and a bit on the odd ball side of things so.. enjoy?

Real quick, thank you @not-close-to-straight for helping me generate this idea, hope you guys like it.

“Mama, I wan’ a baby bouv’a.” Tony choked on his sip ofwater, a little bit escaping his mouth but most getting caught in the wrongwind pipe.

It took a minute for the omega genius to get his breath backand be able to speak but when he did he turned to his darling baby boy,stuttering out a weak response, “Where did this come from?”

“Some of the kids at school talk about their baby bouv’as andhow i’s hard being a big bouv’a and tha’s wha’ I wan’ ta be.” His littlemunchkin was staring up at him, brown eyes big and pleading working over hismother just like Uncle Rhodey had taught him.

“Oh Petey-Pie…” Tony was at a complete loss, he was an omegaparent of one with no mate. Peter was a lovely surprise but Tony hadn’t evenconsidered more children. He was quite happy of his single parent life with hispup. Of course he had the help of his friends and teammates but for the mostpart it was him and Pete. He hadn’t even been on a date since he discovered hewas pregnant. Much too busy with becoming a parent, running R&D, andconsulting with SHEILD.

“Mama,” Little five year old Peter climbed up on the couchand into Tony’s lap, snuggling close but far enough away he could look hismother in the eyes. Little hands cupped his cheeks and gave him the saddestlittle eyes, “P’ease Mama, I wan’ a baby bouv’a.”

“BRUCE!” Said scientist jumped from his slouched positionover his lab counter. The mild scientist had fallen asleep next to his microscopesometime last night (or was it this morning) and Tony’s surprise visit hadwoken him up. He had been looking at some samples that he collected from theteam when Tony stormed in with Peter a few steps behind him. Bruce glanced athis watch, 8:13 great.

“Yes Tony?”

“Hi Uncle Brucie!” Peter skipped ahead of his mother,jumping a little when he got in front of Bruce.

“Good morning, Peter. What brings you two down here soearly?”

“Mama’s gonna give me a baby bouv’a!” Bruce nodded along, tootired and too used to these two and their crazy shenanigans.

“Oh is he now?” Bruce looked up at Tony. The man looked asif he was on a mission, eyes determined and stance tense but prepared foranything.

“Yes I am, my baby wants a small baby and I’m going to giveit to him. And you’re going to help me. Can you inseminate me?” Tony wasstanding in front of Bruce now, one hand going to mess with Peter’s messy bedhead.

“Why the rush?” Bruce couldn’t help but ask, it did seemvery sudden.

Tony leaned a little closer, lowering his voice, “The fasterI do it, the sooner I can get it over with… and I can’t talk myselfout  of it.”

Bruce snorted, Peter caught on that they were talking above himand glared up at them suspiciously. Both adults smiled down out him, acts ofpure innocence, “Well, you’re in luck, I have some samples I can use.”

“Perfect let’s do this.”

Tony sent Peter off to his room, while Bruce prepped thesample. Once JARVIS assured them thelittle pup was in his room getting ready for the day did Tony and Bruce get tobusiness.

It took all of 15 minutes and then Bruce was sending Tonyoff with strict instructions. If he wanted the donor to catch he would have tobe careful for the next 24 hours. With that little excitement taken care of Brucemade his was over to the couch in the corner and promptly collapsed on it. Hewas asleep within minutes.

He was slow coming too but eventually Bruce gathered some ofhis baring’s enough to speak up, “JARVIS?”

“Yes Dr. Banner?”

“What time is it? And how long was I out?”

“It is 9:15 am on February 2nd, you were asleepfor about 22 hours.” Right, no wonder Ifeel so sluggish, I really need to get on a better sleep schedule.

“Thank you JARVIS.” The AI might have said something butBruce had already got himself caught in his thoughts, wondering over to hisdesk he glanced over his work, trying to get his brain reboot. After making afew mental notes he went to the private bathroom, where he kept a few morningitems for occasions such as these. Splashing a little water on his face alwayshelped to wake him up. Once that was done he got his toothbrush out and startedon his routine.

While he brushed his mind thought back to the last day,checking over the teams samples to compile his data and research, marking anysignificant differences between himself and Steve. Comparing Thor to Sam’s DNAto find any obvious differences. Tony’s unexpected visit and inseminating himwith one of the samples. Cleaning up afterwards and –

In the mirror Bruce stared back at his wide eyed reflection,growing horror at what he done.

A few floors up Tony and Peter were in the kitchen preparingbreakfast for everyone present. Steve was attempting to help but when he burnedthe bacon Tony threw him out, so now he sat next to Clint at the table. Thearcher was whining at Natasha to share her coffee with him while Thor was inthe living room watching morning cartoons.

Sam was on his floor taking a shower, Bucky was most likelystill in bed (he hated mornings) and the Guardian’s that had been staying withthem the past month had been at SHIELD, a meeting with Fury and Coulson.

The people present on the common floor were not expectingthe mild Bruce Banner aka. Hulk come tearing out the staircase.

Curse words were flying out Bruce’s mouth left and right allwhile he ran straight for the startled genius. “FUCK, TONY. DAMN–” He looked atPeter and physically stopped himself from releasing another curse word aroundthe child. “Tony, god I’m so sorry. I didn’t even realize – I’m so stupid.”

“Bruce, wha–” Tony was reaching out for Bruce, he was sodistressed, beating himself up (literally, he kept smacking his forehead withhis palm) and it worried the omega.

“Tony, yesterday when you came to me. I was so sleepdeprived I didn’t even think about what I was doing.” By now the team that waspresent had diverted all attention to the distraught beta. “Tony, I got youpregnant with one of the team’s samples…”

“WHAT!?” Steve and a suddenly more awake Clint jumped fromtheir seats at the table.

**New Text Message**

From: Natasha

To: Sam, Bucky

Get to Common RoomAsap, a congratulations are in order.

Sam had just gotten out the shower when he saw Natasha’stext, he hated when she texted him stuff like this. She lived for giving thebarest details and then not answering any responding text until you sought herout. With a sigh he got dried off and then threw some jeans and a tee on beforehe went to join the others. He bumped into Bucky in the hall way on the way.

“What do you think she meant?”

Bucky gave a barely there smirk (the message must have intriguedhim enough to get out of bed but not enough to get rid of his sour morningmood), “It’s Natasha, I’m not even going to try and guess.”

Sam grunted but he guessed he was about to find out what wasgoing on because he could hear noise coming from the common room. Rounding thecorner, Sam and Bucky both stopped in their tracks.

It was a mad house. Tony and Bruce were together on thecouch and it looked as if the good doctor was upset about something. Head downand face hidden in his hands, Tony sitting directly next to him. Rubbing thedistressed man’s back and talking to him in hushed whispers.

By the windows Natasha stood by Thor and Clint was at herfeet, kneeling as if he was begging her for something. Which was odd seeing asClint was rambling something along the lines of “I’m not ready. I can’t be, no.Natasha why didn’t you stop me?” It only confused the man the more he listenedso he shifted his focus to Steve and Peter.

“Now Peter, I want you to know that this changes nothing.You will be equally loved, ya hear me?”

“Yes Uncle Steve.”

Sam was so busy trying to focus on everyone else that henearly jumped out of his skin when Bucky grabbed him. “Dude! What the–” Buckyslapped his flesh hand over his mouth. Using said head he directed hisattention back to Clint who looked more pissed then terrified. A lot couldhappen in a few seconds when it involved the Avengers.

“What do you mean Thor?” Clint was giving the demi god astink eye, almost sizing him up with a single sweep of his eyes.

“That there is no reason to fret friend Barton. If myunderstanding of Midgard is correct, than the man of iron is not in cycle andhis chances of pregnancy are low. But if he does take then the child willsurely be mine, for I am not only the god of thunder but also the god offertility.”

“You trying to say my sperm wouldn’t take!?”

“Less likely is all. I mean no offense, I am merely usinglogic as Banner and Stark often do.”

“What pregnancy?” Bucky’s steady voice grabbed everyone’sattention, all eyes aside from Banner’s were now on the ex-assassin. Buckylooked at everyone individually waiting for someone to fess up. Finally Tonysighed and waved for the two new comers to come sit with him.

When butts connected with couch Tony dove right in, “Yesterday I may or may not have been inseminated with one of the team’s samples…”

“WHAT.” Sam jumped up from the couch but Bucky quicklypulled him back down. “So you’re saying one of us is the father to your unbornchild?”

Tony hesitated, “…Yes.”

“Worry not everyone, for I shall be a great father once thechild is born.” Thor came to stand behind where Sam and Bucky were sat,clapping them both on the back.

“Hold the phone, what makes you so sure it’s yours?” Clintseemed offended.

“Have I not already explained myself Clinton?” Thor gave himthe best ‘do I really need to dumb it down for you’ face the world had everseen. “Do you believe yourself to be the father?”

“Hell yeah I do.”

“Why’s that?” It was Steve that stepped forward to ask thesuddenly very self-assured archer.

“Because I’ve nevermissed a mark.” The smirk that graced Hawkeye’s face after that statement hadTony desperately wanting to smack it off. Thankfully Natasha did it for him.

A lot of the team got distracted by Clint’s squawking andThor’s posturing. Sam on the other hand was a little trapped in his head, Oh my god, oh my god. Oh. My. God. I’m goingto be a dad.

The next eight months were … there was no single word todescribe these past months. Bucky had entered a Winter Soldier state of mind.His mission: protect the omega and unborn pup. Some days he was attached toTony’s hip, checking his surrounding and deeming things safe enough to sit orenter. Other days he lingered in the shadows, always keeping watch of thepregnant omega but never far away. He even moved into Tony’s spare guest roomon his floor without anyone realizing he moved in there. Only JARVIS and Peterknew, not even Natasha had figured it out until much later.

Sam, the poor man was a walking ball of anxiety. The newsthat he could be a potential father sent him into a wild panic. He immediatelywent out and cleared the local book shop of all books related to parenting anddealing with pregnancy. This trip was followed by a trip to the clinic to getevery available pamphlet for support groups and recommended doctors. Literallyanything he could need to read up on taking care of a pregnant omega and thenpreparing for fatherhood. One day he spent eighty dollars on necessary vitaminsfor Tony that he dropped off on his floor before freaking out. Thinking he hadn’tbought enough he ran back to the store.

Steve had taken to a lot of preparations, putting together anursery for the pup with Peter. The two of them consulting one another on howto decorate the nursery. Picking out furniture and assembling it (which for themost part Steve did by himself). After much debate and a little input from Tonythey settled on a woodland theme. They lived in the heart of the city so it wasa cute contrast. Peter helped put down the main coat but Steve painted thetrees and animals. When he wasn’t working on the nursery he was baby proofingthe tower.

Thor was in and out of the tower, running off to Asgard to collectitems for the child. Strange toys and beautifully made blankets, the softestthing Tony had ever had the grace of touching. Sometimes he’d even bring apresent for Tony, like the scented oils that helped with his sore feet andback. But for the most part it seemed like he enjoyed getting into pissing contestswith Clint. When Tony was really starting to show Thor waited until Clint wasaround to make a comment. “My Anthonylook how big and swollen you’ve gotten, surely the child is mine. Taking afterhis father and all.” Clint was ready to fire something back but they wereboth stopped by a very hormonal Tony who began screaming at them. He wasn’t fathe was just pregnant. When shouting turned to tears a growling Winter Soldieremerged from the shadows and kicked them out.

For the most part Clint bounced between moods. SometimesNatasha couldn’t tell who was more hormonal, Clint or Tony. One week he be allon board, ready to be the father Tony and Peter needed and even taking to spendmore time with Peter. Trying to get a feel for a parenting life. Then somethingwould happen and he would hole up in his room for some time. The first time ithappened it lasted three days, the second time, a day. The third and fourthmuch the same but the fifth time he had an episode he disappeared for twoweeks. Finally when he returned he tentatively approached Tony and asked him ifhe needed help with anything. Tony smiled as said he needed help with dinner.It became a thing, anytime Clint had an episode he’d disappear and then go helpmake dinner with Tony.

Bruce for most of the pregnancy carried a cloud of guiltover his shoulder. He had become a nurse to Tony, helping set up all thenecessary appointments. Keeping the omega on a strict diet and having him takeall the proper vitamins and medications on an equally strict schedule. Hechecked Tony’s blood pressure, sugar levels and more almost weekly, the omegawas normally able to get him to stay on a biweekly schedule for that.

To say Tony was being well taken care of was anunderstatement. He had six potential donor’s fretting over him in the oddestways possible but the one that really made a difference was Peter Quill. The Guardianshad become a rock to the omega throughout everything. Distracting him when hismind wondered and he got panicky over his rushed decision. Comforting him whenthe hormones took him for a ride. Sneaking snacks into Bruce’s strict diet,taking Tony’s aching feet into his lap and rubbing them without having to ask,and the list went on.

Before he knew it he had developed feelings for the otherman and revealed it too.

It hand been a long day of potential donor’s breathing downhis throat and he’d retreated to his room for some peace. A knock sounded athis door and with a sigh he told whoever was there to come in.

“Hey Tony, I hope you don’t mind but I was hoping we couldwatch this movie together, I brought snacks.” In one hand was a DVD copy of TheReplacements, in the other was his new favorite treat. Tostitos scoops withgrapes in them. God why was this man so perfect? He didn’t even realize he hadstarted crying until Peter put everything down and rushed over to him.

“Tony what’s wrong? Did you want to be alone? I’m sorry.”

“I really like you.” Peter stopped fretting for a second tostared at the other man. “Like really like you.”

Peter settled more firmly on the bed next to Tony and tookhis hands in his. “Tony, I know there’s no chance that I will be the father toyour unborn pup. But if you’re will to take a chance I’d really love to bethere for you, Peter and the pup.”

Tony pulled a hand free to whip at his face, trying to clearit of some of the tears. “I’d really like that.” Their smiles could light up aroom, one full of pure glee, the other shy but radiating hope.

Delivery day, everyone was gathered in the waiting room.Nerves burning like a wild fire through the group. Little Peter was sitting inbig Peter’s lap, playing his video game and trying to stay awake. Rhodes was inthe delivery room with Tony, having been there with Tony when he had Peter. Itmade it easier than having to pick one of the potential baby daddies.

Everyone was sitting in uncomfortable hospital chairs exceptSam, who couldn’t stop fretting. Going through the master check list he had onhis phone one last time. Something must have been off cause he cursed quietlyand then took off down the hospital halls.

Of course almost as soon as Sam left the doctor came out. “StarkFamily?”

Everyone stood and gathered around the doctor, this was themoment everyone had been waiting for …

“The delivery was success, although it took sometime Mr.Stark had no complications. Dr. Banner?”

“Yes Doctor?”

“Congratulations, it’s a boy.” Suddenly Bruce’s knees grewvery weak and he fell back into one of the vacant chairs. He hadn’t evenconsidered himself as one of the potential donors. Everyone around him wascelebrating and congratulating him but he was still trying to grasp what wassaid. A boy … I have a baby boy. I’ma father. Despite what Bruce thought was going to happen today, he foundthat he was really happy with this outcome. “Now everyone you’re going to haveto wait a bit longer before you can visit Mr. Stark and the baby but someonewill be out to retrieve you as soon as everything is cleared.”

“Thank you doctor.” Steve shook the man’s hand beforeallowing him to leave.

Later the Uncle Squad found Sam and dragged him to theviewing window. Bucky’s metal finger barely touched the glass as he pointed atthe sleeping pup. Noah Robert Stark was born with perfect health and a strongset of lungs.

Sam stared down at the child, “…It’s white.”

“He’s white Sam.” Steve corrected.

“Right. Wow, cool. Not mine. Does anyone else feel likethey might pass out?” As if voicing it was a switch, Sam dropped like abrick right there in front of everyone.

“I think the drop in stress did him in.” Bucky didn’t evenbother looking away from the sleeping baby. But he couldn’t help joining in whena chorus of laughs filled their group.