#every 6-8 years they just make More x-files | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

d0wnb4df0rf1cm3n · 2 years ago

Text

Someone's there.

Bucky x Reader

Summary: When you walk home from the office, someone seems to be following you home. Your best friend is not happy about that.

Word Count: 2.5K

Warnings: Stalking/Stalker-Ex BF, Domestic Abuse, Anxiety, Angry!Bucky, Protective!Bucky, Panic Attack

AN: This is definitely not what I intended to write when I started but anyway. Have good day my dudes!!!

You stepped out of the office, pulling your coat tighter around you against the night. It was mid-November and New York was getting colder and colder every day that passed by. You were excited about Christmas - it was one of your favourite times of the year. The lights that went up from apartment to apartment, the tree and ice rink in Rockefeller center that you and your boyfriend - Nathan - visited every year, you and Nathan driving up to Boston to meet your family. Well, your ex-boyfriend.

You'd broken up a month ago. He'd been laid off about a year ago and taken up drinking to fill the time. Nathan was not a very nice drunk. He'd yell and throw things when he was angry, which was most of the time when he was drunk, and then beg you to come back, saying that he needed you and that he'd clean up his act as soon as he got a job. You had a well-paying job - secretary to the Avengers - but Nathan was always the higher earner of the two of you. You could hardly sustain his lifestyle on your job, but you stayed. Why? You had no idea.

Nathan was a smart guy, he got picked up by some major firm headquartered in Manhattan just over a month after he got laid off. He was back to his old routine of leaving the house at 6 and coming back by 8 - you hardly saw him anymore.

And much to your dismay, the drinking didn't stop. Sure, he slowed down. He couldn't risk ruining his reputation at his new workplace. So he limited the drinking to after work. But he never stopped.

The throwing vases became throwing punches, the yelling became constant threats, consoling words became consoling sex.

You did well to hide the new bruises from your colleagues, although your act was not good enough to fool everybody. You'd let your guard down in the toilet, rolling your sleeves up to wash your hands, just as Natasha Romanoff. Yes, Natasha Romanoff aka the Black Widow aka the world's best assassin.

She didn't mention it there, but you were called to a meeting with her soon after. She sat you down with a glass of water and asked you a simple question: "Are you safe?"

Your wide eyes and trembling figure gave you away.

Nat implored you to break up with him or to at least come and live at the compound for a while - just until you figured out what you wanted to do.

You turned her offer down, stating that you were fine. You'd be fine. She fixed you with a stern glance, but even Natasha Romanoff couldn't force you to do something you didn't want.

Bucky, on the other hand, was a completely different story. He'd noticed the bruises long before Nat had, and gone out of his way to try and make your life easier. He sent you less paperwork to file, fewer menial tasks to do, and even put in a request for you to be moved to the New York office. In his eyes that meant you'd be further away from Nathan.

The next week, you both moved to Manhattan.

The bruises started to get darker, and more visible around your body. You dropped the short-sleeved dresses and low necklines in favour of long-sleeved turtlenecks with trousers.

Bucky worried for you. The dark rings around your eyes, the ghostly pallor of your skin. He was determined to save you. The only issue was he had no idea where you lived. New York was a big enough place that he'd never run into you. He knew you didn't live in Brooklyn, but that was about it.

The night where it all came to a head was after a Stark Gala. There was a group photo, where Bucky's arm rested on your hip while your arm rested on his. Nathan was pissed. He'd been sitting on the sofa when you came home, the photo open on his phone and a half-drunk bottle of whiskey in his hand. He pushed you into a wall and slapped you, his rings cutting into your face. He yelled every manner of words in your direction, calling you a 'slut' and a 'whore', and telling you that you were worthless. You cried, fresh bruises forming on your neck where he gripped you and blood dripping down your face.

You took his berating for the next few hours until Nathan retreated onto the sofa, sitting down and muttering under his breath. You opened your mouth, trying to defend yourself. Wrong move. Nathan stood up, even more agitated than before. He grabbed the bottle of whiskey that was almost finished and brought it down on your head.

The next thing you remember was waking up to 4 white walls. You were in a hospital, your hand being gripped tightly by someone. You tried to escape from the vice-like grip when a thumb ran over your knuckles. You knew those hands.

"Bucky." You whispered, your eyes still adjusting to the light. Your voice was sore from disuse, but the way that Bucky's eyes lit up, you would have thought that you were singing a love song just to him.

The calmness in your heart faded as soon as your brain caught up with you. You tried to convince Bucky that he needed to go but he shushed you gently.

"Shh. Don't stress yourself out. You're safe. I promise." The red rings around his eyes gave him away. Bucky had been crying. Over you.

You held his hand tightly that day. And the day after. And even the day after that. You weren't sure if you would ever find the strength to let go.

By the time you were out of the hospital, you'd moved back to Upstate New York - Bucky had made sure that you would never have to set foot in the city again if you didn't want to.

You returned back to work as normal - the restraining order you had filed against Nathan made your mind rest easier. The whole team was happy to have you back and smiling again, but they made sure to check in with you a hell of a lot more than they used to. Clint would swing by with an apple, and accidentally leave it at your desk - the first time, you'd felt bad and tried to return it, but you quickly caught on to his tactics. Nat would bring up game nights and movie nights, begging you to come, even if it was just you both.

But most of all, Bucky. Every day, you'd wake up to a text from him, wishing you a wonderful morning and spewing some inspirational affirmations for the start of the day. He'd bring you coffee, made just how you like it, as soon as he was back from his morning run. He'd spent a while perfecting the drink - making sure it was exactly to your standard. He'd walk you to your apartment for your biweekly 2pm therapy sessions (that he'd set you up with after he had realised how much difficulty you were having sleeping), and then off to lunch at some random hole-in-the-wall spot that he knew you would love. He'd call you as you got home, making sure you got home safe, and then a goodnight text to fall asleep to.

To others, his persistent need to be around you would be stifling. But after 4 years of having your needs be put lower than the damn cockroaches in the walls, it was nice to feel wanted.

You set your life up - personal bank accounts, new social media - anything to separate that part of your life from your new one. You got a new phone (courtesy of Tony, who insisted on buying you the latest iPhone, no matter how hard you tried to convince him that he didn't need to do that because 'where on earth would you find the money to pay him back?' He scoffed at that, "I'm a billionaire hun, I think I can afford to buy my secretary a new phone). You went to get your haircut, the shorter length was something you knew Nathan would have hated.

You'd walked into the compound the day after you got it cut, worried that no one would like it as much as you did.

As soon as you made it to the kitchen, you heard a loud wolf whistle. Nat was sitting on the sofa with Sam, and they both cheered loudly as you posed for them.

Bucky's jaw dropped as he walked into the kitchen. You were still showing off for Nat and Sam - you hadn't seen him walk in.

He walked over, reaching behind you to get a pod for the coffee machine, leaning down to whisper in your ear, "Looking good, Doll." His hot breath against your neck sent shivers down your spine.

You smiled up at him, before grabbing an apple and heading back toward your desk. You glanced back at Bucky and your eyes drifted downwards to a very large and very prominent issue. You stifled a giggle before getting back to work.

You'd continued to tease Bucky for a while, inconspicuous brushes and a few comments here and there. Enough to make him flustered, but not enough to make him suspicious.

He continued being the perfect gentleman. Helping you when you needed him to, being there when no one else was.

You started your normal journey back home, getting out of the compound was sometimes a tedious affair because of the thousands of security gates between the compound and the outermost gate. Given that this is where the Avengers live and train, it's justified. Still tedious though.

It was a quarter mile from the compound to the bus stop that took you home - you didn't like driving, especially in the frost and the dark. You put your headphones in, picking back up on the podcast you started this morning. It was an interesting one - some new True Crime podcast that your best friend had recommended to you.

The hair on the back of your neck stood up as you walked through a dark and lonely street. You gripped your bag tighter around you and sped up. There was someone following you.

You glanced behind you, your eyes catching sight of brown hair and a blue t-shirt. It had Palm Springs emblazoned on it. Funny. You'd bought Nathan a similar t-shirt a few years ago.

You fished your phone out of your pocket, quickly dialing the one person you felt safest with.

"Doll?" Bucky picked after the first ring.

"Bucky, cred că cineva mă urmărește." You said, your voice loud enough that the other person could hear you were on the phone.

"Tell me where you are, Doll, I'll come and get you." You could hear Bucky pulling on a jacket and grabbing his keys.

"Umm, cred că sunt aproape de Joey's."

"The pizza place?"

"Da, îl văd de unde sunt." The footsteps behind you seem to be getting louder, but you forced yourself to remain calm, "Am să te aștept acolo. Vă rog să veniți repede."

You ducked into the pizza place, walking straight up to the counter. By now, you were sure of who it was - but Nathan didn't follow you into the pizza place. Maybe you were just overreacting. Joey's was mostly empty, with a few teenagers here and there - probably camping out after some house party that got shut down.

"Same as always, kiddo?" Joey asked, and you nodded with a slight grin. You and Bucky came to Joey's Pizza Place a lot - Bucky used to say that it felt like home. You were inclined to agree.

"No metal man with you today?" Joey enjoyed teasing Bucky. His dad, also named Joey, had fought alongside Bucky in the war. Joey had grown up on stories of the greatness of the Howling Commandoes and it had been one of his greatest pleasures to serve him pizza every time they came.

"He's coming - got caught up in traffic."

"Busy men, huh?" You giggled at that.

The door opened again. You turned around to find yourself face-to-face with someone you hoped you'd never see again. Nathan's sister.

"Thought I'd find you here, bitch."

June stalked over to you, her face filled with rage. She had been good friends with you before Nathan and your relationship started going wrong, but when you had confided your pains with her, she'd turned her back on you. Blood is thicker than water. She'd called you names before - filling your comments with every vile comment she could think of, texting and emailing you death threats, anything to remind you of just how broken and damaged you were.

Before you knew what was happening, her hand collided with your cheek. The whole place burst into action.

Joey jumped around the side of the counter as June hurled insults at your face.

You tried to push her away as she swung at you again, but her hand hit your shoulder.

Joey pushed you behind him, as one of the kitchen hands stepped out to pull June back.

A teenager was on the phone with the police.

You tried to cover your ears as the noise built in your head.

The door swung open, letting in a draft.

Boots on the linoleum floor. Familiar boots.

Sirens.

"We were in the neighbourhood, Sergeant." Something about a noise complaint.

A hand pulling you into a firm chest. Tears streaming down your face. Your favourite voice whispering sweet nothings, stroking your hair, begging you to calm down.

"You're doing so good for me, Doll, just keep breathing." Bucky's pulse was steady under your hand. Slowly, your breathing evened out and you lifted your head to meet Bucky's eyes. He kept his arms wrapped tightly around you to stop you from collapsing.

You stayed in Bucky's embrace while the police wrapped up - June was being taken to the local PD for the altercation and also driving under the influence. Bucky told you that Nathan had also been arrested for violating the restraining order. Your heart sunk.

"I'll never escape him, will I?" You whispered to Bucky, as you sat down in your favourite booth to eat.

"You can, and you will," Bucky reassured you, squeezing your hand in his.

You ate your pizza in relative silence after that - most of the shop had cleared out with the police. Joey gave you your pizza for free, along with a tight hug on the side. He told you that you'd always be safe in here, "although metal man seems to have that covered." Bucky glared at the nickname, making you both laugh.

You walked hand-in-hand to Bucky's motorbike - his fingers ghosted over the bruise on your cheekbone from the slap as he fastened your helmet on your head.

"It's nothing, Buck. I've had worse." Bucky gave you a pointed look, "Too soon?"

He threw his leg over the bike and you settled behind him, resting your cheek on his spine. "Forever is too soon for my liking."

You smiled at that and nuzzled further into his back.

"Where to madam?" He said, putting on an exaggerated British accent. You leaned up to whisper in his ear.

"Take me home, Buck."

#bucky barnes imagine #bucky fanfic #buckybarnes #bucky #bucky imagine #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x reader x steve rogers #bucky barns x reader #bucky barns imagine #bucky barns fanfiction #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky barnes comfort #bucky barnes #no y/n #bucky angst #bucky x y/n #tw panic attack #tw ab*se

2K notes · View notes

wardenparker · 7 months ago

Text

Hummingbird Has Landed, ch 10

Marcus Pike x female reader Co-written with @absurdthirst

After the debacle of his failed engagement and relocating to Washington to take charge of his task force, newly minted Special Agent Marcus Pike is ready to get back out into the dating pool once more. A slew of bad dates has him feeling a little down, and he takes an old friend up on an invitation to get away and get his head on straight. Imagine his surprise when he finds not only fresh air, but his soulmate as well - hiding in plain sight but in the unlikeliest of places.

Rating: Mature, but this blog is always 18+ Word Count: 12.3k Warnings: *Blanket warnings for this series: occasional mention of American politics, pregnant character, food/alcohol consumption, mentions of clothing/regulated dressing for occasions, mentions of therapy because we believe in self care here, reader is in a previous relationship, love triangle, reader is mentioned as turning 30 during the course of the story, dom/sub dynamics* In-laws (nice ones though!), passing mention of federal agents possessing guns, family dynamics, that one family member that married someone awful, the mystery of Agent Bailey begins to unravel, discussion of life in the public eye, planning for the future, discussion of collaring. Summary: After a rather dramatic birthday, heading to Texas to meet Marcus's family seems like a walk in the park. Notes: I am 100% certain that I have missed errors this week, loves. But alas, ya girl is back to working five days a week and she is SO tired. ✌ Please enjoy the chaos that is the Pike extended family!

Ch1 ~ Ch 2 ~ Ch 3 ~ Ch 4 ~ Ch 5 ~ Ch 6 ~ Ch 7 ~ Ch 8 ~ Ch 9

The flight from Washington DC to Dallas is just over three hours long and you had agreed that it would be better to leave early in the morning on Saturday to arrive at his family's compound before lunchtime. The last two weeks have been a dream as you and Marcus spend basically all of your extra time together, sharing dinners after work and alternating beds for overnight stays. He's even come to his first Friday Night Dinner with your family, which makes it all the more appropriate that you're now flying with him to meet his.

Airline points used, Marcus was well aware that on a commercial flight, Agent Bailey would be much more comfortable with First Class and boarding the plane last. Allowing for the rest of the plane to embark so they were not filing past her and you. Now that the flight is closed and you are settled into your seat, he looks over at you with a smile. "Ready for chaos?" He asks playfully, picking up your hand. "My family is....energetic."

“I’m excited,” you assure him. You’re also nervous, but that’s natural. His big family is having their annual springtime get together for the start of baseball season and — according to Marcus — this is the biggest Pike family get together of the year. It’s a week of pickup games with his cousins, big family meals, revisiting old favorite haunts, and catching up on life. It used to be a way to help distract Marcus and his Mom as his Dad started out the new season every year and started traveling, but now it’s just their favorite reason to get together.

“Don’t feel like you have to do anything you don’t feel like.” Marcus insists. “Plenty of times half the cousins or wives and husbands end up in the stands watching and shit talking.”

“Baby if you think I’m not playing at least one game, you’re nuts.” Marcus has been so sweet about reassuring you and making sure you know nothing is expected of you on this trip, but frankly it just sounds like fun. Like the kind of happy chaos that is a complete break from your normal life.

He flashes you a grin. “I was hoping you’d say that.” He admits shamelessly. “After the games, we grill out or eat whatever we threw on the smoker that morning.” He shrugs. “It’s a party the entire time.”

“I’m looking forward to it.” You have been, and you are, and seeing him get excited would make the whole thing worth it even if you weren’t.

“Everyone is excited to meet you.” He promises. “Oh and mom asked if you had any allergies? Food or otherwise?” He shoots you a sheepish grin. “Forgot to ask.”

“Nothing at all. I’ll eat anything you put in front of me and sniff whatever weird Texas plants you guys have got.” A teasing grin counters his embarrassed one. “My brother and I did a campaign stop in Texas; I don’t think there was anything too sniffly in Austin. But I know the state is big.”

“Huge.” He snorts, smirking slightly. “You know what they say. ‘Everything’s bigger in Texas’.” He jokes.

"Oh yeah?" The smirk that forms on your face is immediate and you lean over to nudge his shoulder. "Is that how you grew up so big?"

“Not that big.” He chuckles. “My cousins – the males – are bigger.”

Snorting slightly, you can't help but laugh as you nudge Marcus again. "That sounds painful."

“Shit.” Marcus chokes and shakes his head. “I didn’t mean that.”

"Well good," you're still laughing, juvenile sense of humor on full display even if you're quiet. "Otherwise I'd feel bad for their spouses."

He snorts and leans into press his lips to yours. “I’m the biggest.” He boasts, completely lying and he winks to acknowledge that. Not like him and his cousins have compared…since before puberty.

"Naughty." It's chastising, but you giggle as you steal another kiss as you both settle back in your seats for a short but comfortable flight.

Marcus hums as the flight attendant comes by. “Do you want a mimosa?” He asks softly. “Start our vacation off right?”

"Why not? Let's have a fancy flight." First class is already a bit of an extravagance, and you smile at the flight attendant gratefully. They are well aware of who is on board – Agent Bailey had background checks run on the flight crew as a precaution – and discreetly point out your agent to the gentleman. "And a cup of coffee for the woman in the suit right over there? She'll say she doesn't want anything but I know she'd love a cup right about now."

“Yes madam.” He nods and smiles back at you, finding it refreshing that you aren’t over demanding like some political figures. One asshole really set his teeth on edge last month.

"Thank you so much." The last thing you want to do is make a fuss for the flight crew, and you sit back with Marcus's hand in yours. As nervous as you might be, this is going to be a good week.

“Anywhere you want to see in particular?” Marcus asks, stretching his legs in the extra space the first row gives you. “We don’t have to rent a car. Although I know Agent Bailey will want one of the Secret Service vehicles to follow.

"I want to see whatever you want to show me. Any place you used to hang out when you were growing up, or favorite local places, or even places you've never been that you've always wanted to go." It's his hometown, after all, even if he wasn't born there. Texas is where he became the Marcus that you know and love.

“There’s a band that’s playing Friday night.” Marcus tells you. “At the bar where I used to play.” He chuckles. “It’s my old bandmates.”

"One hundred percent." Your agreement is absolutely instant and there is a giant smile on your face. "No contest. It will be the perfect way to spend our last night in Dallas. Well...last night for now. I know we'll come back plenty of times."

“Awesome.” His grin is wide, happy that you would want to listen to some music and hang out. Potentially meeting old friends. “Then that’s what we’ll do. You’ll like the place.”

"I'll love it." Just like everything else this week, you're looking forward to it because it's something that you'll share with him. It's the early memories of your relationship, as you share the things with each other that made you who you are.

The family compound is exactly that. A compound. Built during the first contract with the Yankees, Pike’s Place as it was fondly referred to, had started out as a way for Marcus’s dad to build the retirement home of his parents’ dreams and ended up being the multi-generational property it is today.

There are more than a half dozen buildings in the property, a large pool and a garden, and even their own personal baseball diamond. It’s like having a resort built specifically for his family. Stuck smack in the middle between a ranch to the south and another large family property to the north, no one would even have any idea that neighbors existed around here if they weren’t told about it.

The main house is a beautiful American Craftsman-style building with a deep front porch and a swing out front, painted bold blue and white against the yellow Texas sun. Matthew and Donna Pike’s house is well-appointed but far bigger than it looks on the outside, and all around it is a stunning garden that they keep together as a shared hobby. The backyard sprawls on endlessly, but for right now you can see more cars than people. It looks like everyone is congregating with Uncle Matt and Aunt Donna.

Marcus’s smile gets visibly wider the closer you get and when the car stops, he’s almost vibrating with joy. He’s not nervous at all, knowing that his entire family will adore you. “Are you ready?” He asks again, not even waiting to the reply before he is shooting out of the car to open the door for you.

“You didn’t tell me you grew up in the cutest place on Earth,” you tease happily, practically giggling at how picturesque it is as you get out of the rental car.

“It’s home.” He looks around the property proudly. “Even when we were living somewhere else because of dad’s job, this was always home.”

“It’s beautiful.” You squeeze into his side and grin back at Agent Bailey as she gets out of the second rental car. “I hope you get to relax a little while we’re down here, too. It’s got to be a hell of a nice change of pace from looking at the inn every day.”

Agent Bailey notes the fence that seems to stretch around the property with approval. “We might be more secure here.”

“Glad to hear it.” Anything that makes her more comfortable is more than okay with you. With as hard as she works, she deserves to be able relax whenever she can.

“Dad installed a fence when he had some fans come up to the house when he was on an away trip.” Marcus explains. They had done one of those ‘where the star athletes live’ things in the Sports Illustrated magazine and someone figured out where it was.” He shakes his head. “Dad was furious, and the compound got an upgrade.”

“Sounds like a solid response to me,” the Secret Service agent agrees as she looks around the property.

“Although, he does open the compound up for youth programs. Training, spending the day with baseball players.” Marcus smiles proudly.

“I love how proud of him you are.” You slip your hand into Marcus’s again and give him a beaming smile. “Time for the chaos, baby. Let’s do it.”

Marcus laughs as the two of you hear the playful shouts from the backyard. The little welcoming barbecue that your father had insisted on was already in full swing. He can’t wait to see how you take all of his cousins and nieces and nephews wearing name tags.

It only takes about a second before someone notices you, letting out a boisterous shout across the yard and garden. “Well, looky what the cat dragged in!”

“Charlie.” Marcus leans in to tell you as every head turns your way. “First cousin from my mom’s side. Can’t believe he’s the first one.”

“Is Charlie not usually this friendly?” You ask under your breath, smiling and waving as more and more heads turn your way.

“Just…unobservant.” Marcus hums, smiling wider when his mother drops her platter of finger foods on a table and rushes forward. “You made it!”

Dr. Donna Pike is a tall woman with a wide smile and honey brown eyes, but right now her most noticeable feature is her long arms which reach out to fold out her only son like a protective mama bird. "Flight was okay?" She asks, smiling at Marcus's nod before she shifts over to hug you in turn.

When she had been told that Marcus had found his soulmate, she had been thrilled. Not because he had to be with his soulmate, she wasn’t narrow minded like that, but because he’s always had so much love to give. She can only hope that you will do well receiving it and return a fraction of it back to him. The others hadn’t seen how pure his heart is. She says your name and squeezes you tight. “How are you? It’s such a delight to meet you.”

"Thank you for having me." Her hands are on your shoulder and it's instantly obvious where Marcus's beaming smile comes from. "I've heard so many wonderful things from Marcus about his family, I'm really excited to meet everyone."

“Well if anyone is too much, or we all are, you just tell us to go away.” She snorts, shooting you a grin. “We are a bit much as a collective.”

"I promise my threshold for much is very high." It has to be, with the kind of people that are always around political figures, but this week is not about you. You do smile again, though, and urge Agent Bailey to come closer than her usual three steps away. "And thank you for understanding that things are not very conventional for me right now. This is Agent Bailey. She's my duty agent and an absolutely superb human."

Donna smiles at the agent, although she doesn’t attempt to hug her. Aware that it might be deemed as threatening. “She is also extremely welcomed.” She nods and offers her hand. “I hope you can relax and have some fun as well, Agent Bailey. We have a comfortable room set up for you at the top of the stairs, just down the hall from them.”

"Thank you, Dr. Pike." Agent Bailey accepts the handshake gratefully. Some people perceive her presence as threatening and that just isn't the case. Especially not here.

“Please, call me Donna.” She insists. “Now, we’ve told the children they are not to ask about your gun, but I do hope that you will change out of your suit into more weather appropriate clothes?” She asks. “Texas is too hot for bespoke all day.”

Agent Bailey actually laughs at that, and you smile when she nods. "I'll be dressed down while I'm here, don't worry about that. Being conspicuous doesn't do much good in protection most of the time."

“Good.” Marcus’s mother smiles. “I’ve also taken the liberty of moving Marcus’s gun safe into your room. For when you are needing to secure it.” She frowns and looks towards Marcus. “Did you bring your own, sweetheart? I didn’t think to ask.”

"Very kind of you, ma'am, but not necessary." Agent Bailey assures her. "I have a portal safe in my luggage. Agent Pike also has his firearm so we'll both be secure and safe that way."

“Told you.” Matthew Pike snakes his arm around his wife and kisses her cheek. “Always overthinking. But I love it.”

"Precautions are good, sweetheart," Donna reminds him, but she smiles.

Marcus and his father could be twins, except for the older man has more pronounced wrinkles from a career spent in the sun. “So this is the gorgeous creature the universe paired you with?” He unwinds his arm from around his own soulmate to pull his son into a bear hug. “Aren’t you a lucky man?”

"I swore I was only going to do this once while we were here." Standing beside Marcus and practically vibrating, you know you probably look silly but you don't care. "Mr. Pike, I am a huge fan and I promise there will be no more fangirling from this point on, but I just wanted to say that once."

There’s a grin that matches his son’s, currently on both of the Pike men’s faces. “Marcus….she has taste.” He teases, winking at you and pulling you in for a hug. “You can fangirl all you like, sweetheart.”

“I’m just very excited to be here,” you admit, laughing as you hug your soulmate’s father in turn. “Marcus…he’s absolutely amazing. I hope you’re as proud of him as he is of both of you.”

“More-so.” Matthew promises, already liking you. “Although, let’s get you settled and a first drink in your hand before we introduce you to everyone else, hm?”

You and Marcus follow his parents through the house and Agent Bailey notes the features of the house with interest but doesn’t interfere. So far, everything is straight forward. She just hopes it stays that way. For your sake.

The tour of the house is easy. A large, open concept main living area is perfect for entertaining, and lines of sight. “Our bedroom is downstairs.” Donna explains. “So you kids will have the top floor to yourselves. Everyone else is staying in the bunkhouse this trip.”

The bunkhouse, as it has been explained to you, is the largest building on the compound which basically amounts to a Pike family motel. Plenty of parking and plenty of rooms to stay in makes it the place that is customarily occupied by Marcus's enormous brood of cousins. "And I'm sure Marcus told you," Matthew glances back at you as the five of you walk together. "But the basement is a game room. Foosball table, game systems, all that kind of thing."

“I was going to show her.” Marcus admits with a shrug. “But she’s bowled in the White House, I doubt our game room would impress her.”

"You are seriously underestimating my love of foosball," you assure Marcus. "I'm terrible at it, but I love it."

“Don’t worry.” Matthew chuckles. “My son excels at pool but cannot figure out a foosball table.”

"Then we can be terrible together," you decide, thankfully garnering a laugh from both Marcus and his parents.

“Which will be a lot of fun.” Marcus chuckles. “When bad weather rolls through, we enjoy the game room and there are people everywhere.” He warns. “One time, we had a checkers tournament, so all the little kids could be involved too.”

The group of you stop in the kitchen for large glasses of sweet tea, and Agent Bailey excuses herself to bring her things upstairs and change into some more civilian-oriented clothes. There are pictures of the family all around the house, but none as prevalent as the pictures of Marcus. His graduations, his triumphs, and some absolutely adorable childhood photos adorn the walls of the house, and you smile at every single one. At one time his wedding picture must have hung on these walls too, or other pictures of him and Lara, and for a moment your heart clenches with regret that he was ever hurt but swells with the knowledge that he’ll never be hurt like that again. The next wedding pictures on these walls will be of you with him, and those will never be coming down.

“Home sweet home.” Marcus hums, watching you take in the space that he had mostly grown up in.

“Ready kids?” Matthew Pike chuckles, opening the sliding kitchen doors to the backyard with great ceremony.

“Don’t worry.” Marcus quickly assures you. “Everyone has had their rabies shots. So they aren’t as feral as they seem.”

For all the teasing, the hugs from his cousins are immediate. They descend on you like a swarm of eager birds, flapping their wings and chattering away as they all introduce themselves and say how happy they are to see Marcus and to meet you.

Marcus smiles at every one of them. Greets them like long lost friends, which they are. They are the friends of his entire childhood and he's happy to introduce you.

A man wearing a name tag that marks him as Uncle Rob holds up two more name tags proudly — one emblazoned Marcus and the other Birdie. “Marcus told us you prefer your nickname,” his father explains with a grin.

“It’s perfect,” you assure them, taking the name tag with a bursting heart. “Absolutely perfect.”

“Uncle Rob is a treasure.” Marcus tells you as he is pulled into a hug and slaps his uncle’s back.

"Uncle Rob is his mother's younger brother," the man clarifies with a happy grin. "Four of the cousins are ours, but I won't quiz you on the family tree just yet."

"I appreciate that." Your laugh of acknowledgement comes easily. "But I've been studying, I promise."

Marcus laughs, knowing how worried you had been over this visit, and it seems as if you are blending in well. He reaches out and squeezes your hip affectionately. “She’s a quick study.”

"Probably mandatory." One of his cousins – her nametag says Selena – teases as she offers you a hug. "Can't imagine the way family debates go when your Mom is the President."

"They're....active." You admit with another laugh. The hug is readily accepted, too. Pikes are apparently very huggy people. "I'm just glad we don't have to come up with opening and closing arguments."

She laughs and nods. “No, but here you might be asked the ERA or RBI stats of anyone you are a ‘fan’ of.” She advises. “So beware.”

"I can absolutely handle stats." For some reason Selena's energy is a lot more calm and reassuring than some of the other cousins, and you feel a little more at ease with her at the moment. "Most of the time I've got those on lock even when nobody's asked."

“How do you take your hotdog?” She asks, narrowing her eyes playfully. “Get it right and we can be friends.”

"It's not gonna be what you want it to be," you laugh, though you do appreciate the way Selena measures her new acquaintances. "I'm from Philly, so pepper hash and spicy mustard."

Her frown is replaced by a smirk and she nods. “You didn’t say ketchup, so you’re good in my book.” She smirks, eyeing Marcus who is huffing and rolling his eyes. “I don’t claim her.” He snorts.

"Too bad," you tease back, looping your arm through his cousin's. "She's delightful and I'm adopting her immediately."

“She’s not housebroken.” He warns, ducking the playful swat she aims towards him.

"Neither is my brother, and we let him into the White House," you snort, laughing even harder when Selena snickers.

Matthew chuckles and he pats his son on the shoulder. “Too late now, son, Selena has charmed her.” He advises.

"I steal hearts," the woman beside you jokes, throwing you an exaggerated wink. "My parents named me after Selena Kyle. It's not my fault."

“Last year you said you were named after Selena Quintanilla-Pérez.” He reminds her with a grin, slapping away her hand again and tapping her chin fondly. “You were lying?” Of course she was, considering she was nine when Selena rose to fame.

"You should keep the Catwoman reference," you advise her with a grin. "Mysterious and nerdy. Very sexy choices."

“See?” Selena smugly grins at Marcus. “Your soulmate has taste.”

Marcus can’t help but grin at that. “So I keep hearing.”

“I have the very best taste.” You agree with that assessment wholeheartedly, leaning back over to Marcus to kiss his cheek.

That makes him laugh quietly and he leans in to hug Selena. “You do. Especially in soulmates.” He teases.

“Oh no.” Pretending to be grossed out, Selena rolls her eyes dramatically but is smiling fully at seeing her cousin happy. “Did you finally find someone as gross as you are when you’re in love?”

“Grosser.” Marcus hums, grinning at you lovingly. “My perfect match.”

“Stop hogging them!” A voice calls out from halfway down the yard, and yet another of Marcus’s smiling cousins can be seen lounging on a picnic table. “We all need to get our annual harassment in, ya know!”

“Oh god.” Marcus hangs his head, even as he laughs. He knows everything is in good fun and he will be harassing them right back.

Thank god for the nametags. You'd be utterly lost without them, even after the flashcards you made for yourself with permission from Marcus to scout his Facebook page for photos of his family. There are just too many of them. The conversations swirl and so do the introductions, but Marcus sticks with you. By the time everyone starts eating the conversation dies down a little and you find yourself at a table with Marcus, his parents, Selena, and her twin sister Harper. Plates of barbecue and cold salads come with fresh glasses of cold sweet tea or cans of soda, and the most relaxed atmosphere of chaos you've been in the middle of in a long time. In your book, this is vastly preferable to a State dinner.

“So what do you think?” Even Agent Bailey has a plate and a drink in her hand, talking to Rodger, one of his dad’s oldest friends. He always comes to these weeks. “She’s gonna relax some?”

"Seems like it." The sight of Agent Bailey socializing is like a miracle to you. A unicorn in real life if ever you saw one. "Any chance your Dad's friend is a beer guy? I found out last week that Agent Bailey brews her own as a hobby and I am endlessly fascinated by all the niche hobbies I keep finding out she has."

Marcus chuckles. “Rodger owns the brewery that supplies the Rangers with the Pike’s Pints.” He explains. “So he’s kind of a renaissance man when it comes to beer.”

"So she has a new best friend?" You laugh, leaning into his side as you eat. "That's fantastic. I hope she has some new ideas to be excited about by the time the week is out."

“My question is this…when does she have time?” He asks, shaking his head. “She’s always with you.”

"I don't think she sleeps." It's a question you've asked yourself plenty of times, but have yet to find an answer. "Apparently she has a dog and a husband and everything? A whole damn life. I'm so glad that doing the job she does hasn't kept her from it."

“Holy shit.” He snorts and looks back at the woman in question with more than slight admiration. “She’s a superhero.”

"She really is." There's no denying that whatsoever.

The meal progresses and his mother smiles at you. “So please, tell me about your inn.” She insists. “Marcus said that you have created a beautiful oasis.”

"It's my happy place." The question – and the description – make you beam. "And...sort of my first child, as well. I bought it from the previous owners a few years ago and my best friend runs the restaurant. It's a beautiful historical property in Alexandria, just outside of DC."

“It sounds like it’s your baby.” She smiles happily and nods. “He has had nothing but praise for it, and you, since his first phone call.”

"He's been wonderfully supportive. I couldn't ask for a more understanding or helpful partner." You do flash him a grin, though, and decide to rat him out to his mother just a tiny bit. "I do think the restaurant is at least half the reason he spends so much time there, though. It's amazing."

“He has always led with his stomach.” Donna snorts, shooting you a conspiratorial grin. “When he was a teen, he was always starving.” She intones dramatically.

"Isn't that how all teenage boys are made?" The laugh you share isn't at his expense, just shared amusement, and you pick up your sandwich again. "At least, my brother was always that way. I swear he ate six meals a day from ages twelve to twenty."

Marcus laughs and Donna rolls her eyes. “Marcus still sometimes eats six meals a day.” She snorts. “At least that’s the way it sounds when he calls. Always snacking.”

“That’s probably my fault these days,” you admit with a guilty grin. “I’m a snacker. Maybe that’s just another fun little quirk in the broad scheme of things.”

“I just have to run more.” Marcus chuckles, picking up a pickle spear and biting it in half. “So I can still beat everyone here stealing second.”

“We’ll see.” Selena narrows her eyes at him in challenge. “I’ve been training.”

“Oh you have, have you?” Marcus snorts and winks at his cousin. “Twenty bucks says I steal more bases than you.”

“Fine,” Selena shrugs, smirking as she leans back in her seat. “I’ll be out there stealing more hearts, anyway.”

“I’ve already got the heart I want.” Marcus informs her, picking up your hand and kissing the back of it dramatically.

“I love you, too.” Over the weeks, the promise has become stronger between the two of you and little daydreams about the future don’t seem so far off anymore — though you haven’t really planned anything beyond agreeing that you want to be together.

"See?" He smirks towards Selena with a fluttering of his lashes. "She loves me, so I am complete."

“You’re completely gross and I’m very happy for you,” Selena teases back. “You’ll have the picturesque wedding you always dreamed of, and a million kids, and make an east coast version of Pike Place.”

"Ohhhhh." He tilts his head curiously as he looks back at you. "Modern day Kennedy Compound?" He suggests. "Our version of Hyannis Port at the inn?"

“That’s a lot bigger than a little colonial cottage at the back of the grounds,” you remind him, but the idea makes your chest swell with absolute love. “But I think if we build at the back of the property we could do a bigger house and get away with it. People wouldn’t even be able to tell the two are connected.”

He smiles at the idea. "We will have to find out who owns the property adjoining yours." He hums. "Expand."

“So you’re already talking about a family, then?” His father, obviously enamored of the thought, smiles broadly. His son has always been a family man, even when that definition just meant his best friends were his cousins.

"We are planning out a lot of things." Marcus admits with a grin, unable to contain the happiness at the idea. "Not sure when that's going to happen, but we are on the same page."

“Maybe sometime before we’re too old and gray to travel all the way to DC?” Matthew jokes, although he’s only half joking.

You groan quietly and Marcus smirks as he looks at you expectantly. "Told you." He laughs. "You said your parents would be first, but I knew it was going to be mine."

“I’m still shocked my Dad didn’t bring it up at dinner last night,” you admit. You had been absolutely certain that your folks would use Friday night dinner as a chance to interview you about your intentions as a couple.

"I'm sure he wanted to." He laughs. "But we've classified that as Need To Know." He jokes.

“That may be the only way to survive with them.” Still, you can’t help but let the smile grow on your face. “By their standards, we’re taking positively forever.”

"I guess that means we should just run off to Vegas and get married." Marcus teases with a wink. "Really mess with their expectations."

“We would have four parents very upset with us,” you remind him. Every time you joke about getting married or have a little daydream it just sounds better and better, but you would never push him to elope. His family means to much to him, just like yours does to you.

"Yes they would." Donna points her fork at him playfully. "I don't care how you get married, I just want to be there."

“Yes ma’am.” That gets an instant agreement from you — not at all ready to set the precedence of going against your future mother-in-law about something like this.

"Good." She smiles in approval and smirks at her husband. "We will clear our schedules whenever they decide on a date."

"Well," you laugh, leaning into Marcus's side. "I guess you were right about not needing to worry over their approval."

“The fact that I love you is all my parents ever need to know.” He smiles and Matthew nods. “Marcus has a good head on his shoulders and a heart of gold. With you being his soulmate, you have to be the same.”

For dinner on your second night in Texas, Marcus promises to take care of everything and disappears with a grin on his face while his mother and Selena take you on a long walk around the large gardens of the compound. Anticipating a little girl talk and some bonding with his family, you had readily agreed.

“So how are you liking Texas, Birdie?” Donna asks curiously as the three of you stroll in the warm morning. You have been a dream to have visit and it’s obvious that you adore Marcus, so she has loved you being here. She just wants to make sure the feeling is mutual.

“It’s beautiful.” It’s not too hot yet, being the beginning of April, and walking around the compound is a nice way to settle in and work off the big breakfast everyone had this morning. “I’ve only been here once before and this is far less stressful.”

“I am sure the campaign trail was never relaxing.” She sympathizes softly. “Although, if you have to take up the trail again, we can offer you a respite from the questions and prying wherever we can.” With being her baby’s soulmate, she will be just as protective over you.

“I’m sure when re-election comes, I’ll be volunteering to come to Texas again just to be able to see my in-laws.” The thought is actually relaxing, to be able to take respite with such kind people, but the in-laws part excites you a bit.

“In-laws.” She beams when you say that. “Now I promise I won’t insist that you call me ‘mother’ or anything, but I hope that we can be friends.”

“Let’s start with Donna and Birdie and go from there,” you suggest, smiling just as broadly as she is. “I absolutely want us to be friends. Marcus loves you all so much and I know it means the world to him.”

“He is our only child, and we want him to be happy.” She promises. “But that doesn’t mean smothering him or not letting him live his life.” She laughs. “Matthew almost had a heart attack when he came home one break to find Marcus with shoulder length hair and an earring. But he never said a word.”

“Oh, please tell me you have pictures of that.” Marcus had told you about his long hair phase, but claimed no photos remained. You’ve been hoping that his parents have one tucked away somewhere.

Donna grins. “I have them all.” She promises. “Snuck them up to the attic before he could burn them.”

“He looks like the nerdiest member of Nirvana,” Selena snorts, giggling with the jovial malice only family can truly master.

“He was…too polite to really pull off the grunge look.” Donna admits, smiling at Selena’s almost evil outlook.

“He’s such a sweetheart.” There are hearts in your eyes when you say it and you don’t care to hide them one bit. “It’s—he’s better than I could have dreamed of for myself. Truly.”

“I have to confess….” Donna looks out over the gardens and sighs. “I have been so very worried about Marcus. He’s is such a loving man. He always has been, from the time he was a baby. But when he called me to say he had discovered his soulmate…” she looks back at you. “I was so very afraid that you wouldn’t understand his heart.”

“How do you mean?” She obvious cares for her son very deeply, and you do want to make sure that the relationship you have with her is honest. No misunderstandings if you can help it — which means asking for clarification. “Because he’s so giving and quick to jump in headfirst?”

“Yes….and no.” She admits. “Marcus is….well, he’s a caretaker. A fixer. You have a problem, he comes up with a solution. You feel tired and down, he will take some of your burden and try to cheer you up.” She sighs softly. “Oftentimes, so many women have been conditioned to be strong, independent, so they view that as misogyny or finding them helpless. It’s insulting to them and they resent him for it.”

“They don’t understand that offering care is his way of being supportive. It’s not that he doesn’t think they can do it themselves, it’s that he views being helpful as a romantic gesture as much as anything else.” You nod, understanding that entirely. “I think the hardest part for Marcus and me right now is that we’re both like that a lot of the time. Which means we’re constantly doing little fixes or giving little gifts or making little gestures. We’re still finding the balance.”

“That makes me feel better.” She admits with a smile. “You understand his need in doing it.”

“He wants me to know I don’t have to do it alone,” you acknowledge, offering her a smile as you walk. “And I want to make sure he knows the same.”

“You two truly are soulmates.” She chuckles. “And I have never been more happy to say those words.”

“Just as happy as I am to hear them, I promise you.” Stopping in your steady tracks, you touch her arm gently and offer her a slightly more serious look. “A lot of people interpreted the things I said on the campaign trail to mean that I’m against soulmates, but I’m absolutely not. I just don’t think anyone should be discriminated against for who they love. Anyone, and unfortunately a lot of people still believe only soulmates should be able to get married.”

“Those people��in my most professional opinion…” Donna snorts. “Are assholes.”

“Agreed.” You nod your head but Selena snorts at her aunts phrasing as the three of you start walking again.

“Do you have any specific plans while you are here?” Donna asks, curious if you had wanted to spend the entire time at the compound.

“I want to see whatever Marcus wants to show me.” It seems like an easy answer, but honestly you’re just here to meet his family and spent time with your soulmate. Anything more is a bonus. “Or anything you guys have in mind. I just…” you shrug in admission. “I never take vacations. So I’m reminding myself not to worry about work and trying to relax.”

“A workaholic.” She smirks slightly. “Something I’m very well-versed in.” She teases.

"Can't exactly stop yourself from taking work home with you when you live at work," you admit with a grin.

“As long as it’s work you love, I don’t see a problem with it.” Donna tells you.

"I really do." They already know that, of course, from how much and how proudly you talk about the inn. But still, you're beaming. "Marcus suggested we look at building our house on the property since I already own it, and I think it's only going to be a little while before we start in on that plan."

Building something together is something that Donna highly approves of. She nods. “Word of advice?” She offers with a smirk. “Have a general contractor negotiate any and all disagreements.”

"Noted," you agree instantly, knowing that Marcus's parents have a whole lifetime of experience in this particular area.

“It will solve a lot of arguments.” She rolls her eyes and laughs. “Over tile size!”

When Selena snorts out a laugh you have to suppose it's a family joke or at least and a family story, and you laugh too. "It's always something small, isn't it?"

“Yep.” She shakes her head and laughs. “One fight was about if the dishwasher should be on the left or right side of the sink.” She huffs. “Matthew rarely loaded the dishwasher, but thought that it continuously unfair to live in a right handed world as a leftie.” She rolls her eyes again, although it’s more amusement than annoyance.

Small things always seem large when they're under the microscope, and you can see how those things could get out of hand. But fortunately, from what you and Marcus have talked about so far, you're mostly on the same page right from the start. "I can see us tussling over little things pretty easily, but I think it will all turn out pretty well in the end. It's definitely a solid way to work through our skills in compromise and communication, though."

“Marcus knows how to communicate.” She promises. “He’s good at it, and if he’s not, I’ll give you free sessions.” She jokes, knowing the last thing any couple would want is to have an in-law involved.

"You'll be glad to hear that I have an excellent therapist to help me handle stressors and any manner of other unexpected event in my life that I need extra help in processing." The importance of simply having an impartial third party is not lost on you, but having a professionally trained and educated one is all the more important when possible stressors could include death threats sent to your family members.

“Very glad.” She nods and reaches out to pat your hand gently. “You are under a lot of pressure. That is obvious.”

"When we get back I have a meeting at the White House." Though you shudder for dramatic emphasis, it is unnerving. Those meetings about social outreach and the image of the First Family had gone well for Junie and Alex but since you're fairly certain what your mother will ask of you, you're dreading it.

“If you ever want to talk, just to vent, you can call me.” Donna offers softly. “Not in a professional capacity, although anything you say would be kept between us.”

"I really appreciate that." It's not something she has to offer. Not at all. But you're so grateful that your soulmate's parents have so far turned out to be wonderful people.

“Of course.” You might not take her up on the offer, but she wanted to extend it.

"And I hope you know you're always welcome in DC. Anytime, no hesitations." You swing back to grin at Selena on your other side. "You too. We could use another partner in crime."

“I am absolutely going to come visit.” Donna promised, and Selena nods eagerly. “Me too! I want to see this inn.”

"If you want to come and stay there, I'll have a word with the owner," you joke, and throw in a wink.

“And the food.” Donna insists. “Marcus has raved about your best friend, Sydney.”

"She's an absolute goddess." You promise them both. Building up your friends and loved ones is always easy for you. "Just the most talented chef you could possibly imagine. And an amazing person, to boot."

“She has to be.” Selena isn’t joking this time. “Marcus doesn’t waste time on people who aren’t amazing.” Now she gives a small, preening grin. “Which is why he loves me so much.” She jokes.

“I know what it is.” After about one full day of hanging out with Selena, you’ve narrowed down why it is that you are so comfortable with her, and it makes you laugh endlessly. “You’re exactly halfway between my best friend and my brother. Who are two of my top three favourite people in the world, despite the crap I give my little brother on a daily basis.”

“That sounds like a high compliment if I’ve ever heard one.” She laughs. “I’m the little sister Marcus never wished he had.”

“He loves all of you like siblings.” Even if he hadn’t said so explicitly, it’s easy to tell.

“We grew up together.” She agrees. “Even if we lived apart, summers together were important. Holidays spent driving each other and our parents crazy.” There’s a fond smile on her face. “Hopefully our kids will experience the same things.”

“I hope so, too.” The idea head settled into your bones and made you sunny with daydreams. “My siblings’ kids, too. The biggest family we can possibly make for them, since we never had any cousins growing up.”

“Pikes tend to assimilate the families that join them.” Donna shoots you a grin. “They are like the Borg.”

“That’s how we collected friends when I was a kid,” you laugh. The Pikes are definitely not like the Borg — they all feel far too much for that and you adore it. “Make friends with one of the three of us and suddenly you were just another family member.”

“That sounds familiar.” Selena snorts. “We love having people around. The more the merrier.”

“Absolutely.” The morning sun has hit the top of the sky but it’s not too hot, just making you stop warding off the crisp breeze as it disappears into a mellow midday.

“If you don’t mind me asking…” Selena hesitates. “There was some talk about you dating a Congressman?”

There it is. You were wondering how long it would take someone to ask the very fair question. At least it’s Selena and not Cousin Terry’s wife Hannah who seems to distrust you purely for being the daughter of a politician. Which…is also fair…just not a stereotype that applies to you personally. “I was. For almost a year. I was still seeing him when Marcus and I met, but…” you shrug your shoulders a little, with honesty in the sheepishness. “I fell in love with Marcus so fast, and so deeply. Even if he hadn’t turned out to be my soulmate, I still would have ended things with my ex.”

“I didn’t want to pry, I just hadn’t seen anything about a break up and wanted to know if you were ‘public’ yet.” Selena reassures you. “There’s already been a message in the family chat about not posting while we are here on social media. So we don’t potentially ‘out’ your relationship.”

“It will be out by Easter.” Breathing a sigh of relief isn’t subtle, so you swallow it down and simply tighten your smile into an affirmative. “He’s coming to the Easter Egg Roll at the White House with me. After that, just…try to be conscious of people asking about family photos? If you’ve got ones with Marcus and me in them, we’ll just ask everyone to keep them private. You know, friends only.”

“We are used to that.” She nods and sends you a smile. “We’ve got your back. Don’t worry. No one here is going to judge you. Besides Hannah.” She snorts. “And let’s be honest, she’s a bitch.” Donna chokes out a laugh, quickly smothered, and swats at Selena’s butt from behind you. “Selena!” She scolds, obviously still trying not to laugh.

“Oh.” This time the relief whooshes out of you, but you end up laughing. “So it’s not just me?”

“Hannah is…the least comfortable with the easy, familial closeness of our family.” Donna snorts. “When she first started coming, there was an…accusation.” She hums delicately.

“What could poss—” As soon as your mind spins on it for long enough to actually ask the question, your mouth falls open in horror. “Oh my god! That’s—obviously, obviously I don’t think that. Please know that I have never ever thought that.”

“You don’t think I’m sleeping with Terry?” Selena snorts. “Thank God!”

“No, I definitely do not think you’re sleeping with your first cousin,” you laugh but still shudder.

“Apparently, Hannah doesn’t believe men and women can be friends. Not even relatives.” Selena shrugs. “So if it seems like all the female cousins keep their distance from Terry, it’s not because he’s a pervert. He’s actually amazing. His soulmate is just fucking nuts.”

“Got it.” Even though you flash a thumbs up in acknowledgment, all you can think of is how glad you are that Marcus didn’t stay with Vanessa. She would have hated this for the exact same reason. Probably been Hannah’s only ally.

“Hannah isn’t all bad.” Donna adds, trying to soften it some. “Just….a little…set in her ways. But honestly, this is the only time of year they come. They rarely join other holidays.” She looks over at you. “And pleased don’t think that we expect you to come for every holiday, but we will invite you.”

“We’ll come as often as we can.” You can promise that easily, though you know sometimes he’ll have to work and you’ll have to be at official events with your family. “It…will be easier once my mother is out of office.”

“I understand.” Donna is well aware of the demands of public figures. She had to be seen at a certain number of games and it was her own personal mission to attend the post seasons games any time Matthews’s teams made it. “Just know that we want what is best for you.”

“And that is so much more appreciated than you could know.” Maybe she does. Maybe she understands every bit of it. But because you appreciate the honesty of the words from your soulmate’s mother so much more than you expected to, you leave the phrasing as it is. No stumbling or correcting.

Donna winks at you and links her arm through yours. “You and I are going to be good friends.” She predicts with a happy smile. Marcus is over the moon in love with you and from what she could see, you are much the same. There is nothing more than Donna could ever wish for her baby, to find a smart, loving, good person – and you fit that bill perfectly.

Most of the day is spent in the massive pool down by the bunkhouse, with a little day drinking and a whole lot of horsing around and even a little heckling when some of the cousins got into a competition over best diving form — which quickly degraded into silliest dive. Now it’s sunset, and you’ve thrown a shirt and shorts over your dried out swimsuit for Marcus’s surprise.

“Hey babe.” Marcus finds you again, smiling at the relaxed smile on your face and he hands you a new drink. “You look like you’ve had a good time.”

"Well howdy stranger!" A slight affectation in your voice is just to make him laugh, and you grin when it succeeds. "Where have you been all day? Did you have fun with your Dad?" Matthew Pike had disappeared after breakfast along with his son, and when you had remarked on it to Donna during your walk, she had just said not to worry.

“Of course.” He grins, unable to stop himself as he moves over to caress your neck. “I was taking care of a few things for tonight. Why? Did you miss me?”

"Every second." And you don't care who knows it either. You sit up in your chair and stretch a little more to kiss him, catching the fresh scent of the bodywash he favors as it mixes with his bergamot and musk cologne. He's fresh and clean and it makes you wonder what he's been up to as much as it makes you want to drag him up to his bedroom.

“Good.” He smirks against your lips and offers you his hand as he steps out of your sphere. “Come on.”

"Ooo, is it surprise time?" The look of delight on your face is undisguised as you readily take his hand to pop up from your seat. "I'm all yours."

“Yes you are.” He beams about that fact as he pulls you closer. “Say goodnight to everyone, Birdie.” He hums quietly. “We probably won’t see them again tonight.”

"Good night everybody!" You wave immediately, wrapping your arm around Marcus's waist and barely sparing a backward glance in favor of grinning up at him.

“Damn.” He whistles as he guides you away from the pool and over to the truck. He’s already talked to agent Bailey and cleared things with her, so he just nods as the two of you pass by.

“Damn what?” You pose, laughing a little as you wonder if he’s amused at how quickly you’re ready to leave just about anyone behind to spend time with him.

“I could be a kidnapper and you would just go willingly.” He teases, reaching out and tugging on your ear gently.

“You’d be the best looking kidnapper around and Agent Bailey would have a hell of a time bringing me home,” you tease, hopping into the pickup when he opens the passenger door for you.

“Yep, you have Stockholm Syndrome.” He teases, leaning in to steal one more kiss before he closes the door and hurries around the hood.

Once he’s back in the cab beside you, you flash him a grin. “Belle got a library, I got the softest dom in the whole world and awesome in-laws. I’m okay with it.”

“Softest dom?” He snorts, tilting his head while he tries, and fails to look offended. “I’m a hard dom.” He protests.

"How hard you fuck me when we get going is not what I mean," you clarify, settling into the corner of the seat as he starts to drive the two of you across the compound. "You have the softest heart in the world and I feel very lucky to be the one you've decided to give it to."

“I know.” He promises. “I was teasing. I want you to be happy, healthy and loved. That’s all I want.”

"I am. All three, absolutely." Leaning against his shoulder on the drive, you hum slightly and end up sounding a little sheepish as you look out the window. "I missed you today. Even though we weren't apart too long."

He chuckles slightly and lifts your hand to press a kiss to your knuckles and scrapes his teeth over the delicate skin. “I’ll show you how hard of a dom I am.” He teases. “I’ll put a collar on you.”

Not expected that reaction from him, you make a remarkably incoherent noise of interest and surprise before turning your head to look at him. "Don't tempt me with a good time, Pike."

He had been joking, but the way you react has him pausing. “Is that something you’re interested in?” He keeps the question casual, not wanting to seem like he’s pushing or judging, he’s doing neither.

"I always thought it sounded kind of sexy," you admit, wondering if he was just joking and not serious at all. "I mean it's not like...like something mandatory for me to be happy in a relationship, obviously. If--if you're not into that and at all and you were just joking—"

“Baby.” Marcus squeezes your hand. “Anything you are interested in is something we can talk about. If it’s an absolute no, then I’ll explain why. But I think it sounds kind of sexy too. Collars don’t have to be spiked dog collars where I pull you around on a leash and make you bark.” He snorts.

"A lot of day collars just look like cute little necklaces." Alright, you may or may not have done a little looking into it a few years ago with the guy you were seeing at the time. He was long gone now, but the idea had remained in your head. It was not something Sam would have gone for so it had never been brought up to him.

His brow ticks up, noting your interests and he hums. “They do.” He agrees. “Something sexy about being claimed, isn’t there?”

"Absolutely." He turns left at a pair of apple trees on the western part of the compound and keeps going, while you continue to snuggle next to him like a contented house cat. "I mean...I'm wearing a Pike family nametag. That's about as claimed as it gets."

“Not quite.” Marcus chuckles. “There’s definitely more claiming that can be done.”

"Is that a promise?" You tease, grin growing a little wider when he turns toward a tree line up ahead.

“Absolutely.” He follows the less worn paths through the trees, although it’s obvious from the tire marks through the grass road that someone has been there recently.

"So can I have a hint about where we're going?" This isn't a part of the property that you've been to yet and it's beautifully woodsy in a distinctly Southwestern way that you're finding fantastic.

“You’ll see.” The tree line gives way to clearing and Marcus smiles as the pond comes into view. “Right now.”

The little clearing in the trees is picture perfect. It looks more like a movie set than real life, the tree-lined pond ringed with fairy lights sitting side-by-side with a red and white checked gingham blanket and large picnic basket, and a small cooler to boot. "Baby," you sigh out the endearment excitedly. He knows you love surprises -- your family told him so -- but you weren't expecting anything. That, of course, it was makes surprises so wonderful.

“Now you know what I’ve been doing all day.” He tells you as the truck pulls to a stop close to the picnic sight. “Wanted to make this perfect.”

"It's gorgeous!" You breathe, practically squeaking with excitement as you turn to snuggle into his side as soon as he parks the truck. "Is this your old make out spot? Because if it is? It's an awesome choice."

“Maybe a few times?” Marcus shrugs his shoulders and gives you a boyish grin. “Not too many times.”

"Could make it one more." The exaggerated wink you aim at him makes both of you laugh. "If you wanted to, I mean."

“That was my evil plan.” Marcus admits without any remorse. “Bring you out here, woo you, make out with you.”

"Pretty good plan." Right about now he could undo your seatbelt and haul you into his lap in the truck and you wouldn't protest even for a second. "It's absolutely gorgeous, baby."

“Wanted to give you a special night.” He’s explains, unlatching his seatbelt so he can open the door and walk around to help you out.

“Every night with you is special.” As soon as you’re out of the truck you press in to kiss him, enjoying the lingering warmth of the early evening.

“So you’d rather go have dinner with everyone else than have a romantic picnic by the pond?” Marcus asks, reaching for the door handle. “We can go back…”

“Ohhhhh no.” You shake your head immediately. “We’re staying right here. In our perfect little oasis.”

“I thought you would say that.” Marcus chuckles as he takes your hand to guide you over to the blanket. “I brought wine, but we don’t have to drink anything stronger than lemonade.”

“Wine sounds nice.” You’ve been moderate in your drinking today, having two cups of water for every alcoholic beverage and making sure to eat, so you’re not worried about being too inebriated. “And very romantic, but I don’t ever doubt that from you.”

“Well. I know that it might not be the fanciest, but I wanted to make an effort.” He grins at your praise and both of you sit down on the checkered spread.

“You’re perfect level of fancy for me.” Once you sit down here starts to unpack things, and you fidget slightly on the blanket. “But…Speaking of…of that? I wondered if I could talk to you about an idea that I had.” The actual thought has been rolling around in your head for a while for uncomfortable reasons, but now that it’s Marcus it’s actually a nice thing you don’t mind dreaming about a little.

“Speaking of fancy….” He chuckles. “Alright. I’ll pour out the wine. You pitch me your idea and we will strategize.” He jokes as he opens the top to the wicker basket and produces two, picnic friendly wine glasses and sets them down to retrieve the wine from the cooler.

“Unless you had something else you wanted to talk about?” Maybe that’s what this beautiful picnic is and you’ve usurped the purpose of the night by jumping the gun, you can’t be sure.

“I’m wanting to talk about whatever you want, my love.” He promises as he uses the corkscrew to open the bottle.

“Very accommodating of you.” But that’s Marcus and you know it. Instead you focus on opening up the containers he’s packed away that are holding your dinner. “Do you remember I told you that my mother wants the three of us kids to all do…sort of…family publicity type stuff? Like Junie getting a dog and being willing to be public about it?”

“Yes.” He nods and pours out the wine into each glass. “You didn’t sound terribly enthusiastic about it, although you tried to put on a good front.”

“I’m not terribly enthusiastic about it.” You can admit that, especially to him. “Which is why I’m not sure if this idea is selfish or not.”

“Honey….” Marcus hands you the wine and takes the container with the cheese from you to open. “You are not a politician, you don’t seek the spotlight. Sharing yourself with the public in a way you need isn’t selfish.” He’s pretty much guessed that it has to be some idea about your relationship, and he’s okay with that.

“It’s selfish because it’s something I’m asking you to do with me.” The wine glass is cold in your hand, a soothing and grounding change from the warm day. Although now that the sun’s down it will be cool sooner rather than later. “Because I’m more comfortable and more confident with you beside me in that spotlight.”

“Whatever you need.” Marcus promises. “Undercover work was never exactly fun for me, and I’m out as a UA now that the picture of us dancing was posted in the papers.”

“I feel like I ought to apologize.” The wine he chose is fruity and dry, much more complex than you would but for yourself despite his claim that it’s not fancy.

“No, sweetheart, please don’t.” Marcus shakes his head. “I was aware pictures would be taken. It was my own choice. And I don’t regret it for a second.”

“I didn’t know art crimes required undercover work. Though I suppose it makes perfect sense now that I think about it.” And you’re definitely stalling, but you push it further by assembling a charcuterie bite from the containers around you.

“It’s rare, but I only took the last assignment where I went undercover was because I needed to get away after things ended with Teresa.” He explains.

"Well, you'll have nothing like that reason ever again." The idea of Marcus with a broken heart is too much to stomach, and the coping mechanism of assembling the perfect charcuterie bite for him now pushing the thought out of your mind.

“I know.” It’s freeing to know that you two are very much in the same pages. Despite the fact that being soulmates does guarantee happiness, you and him will do everything to make sure that your story is a good one.

"So...the thing I wanted to talk to you about..." Enough stalling. Time to be an adult. "Is not because I want to push you, or rush you, or anything like that. But...because I keep thinking about it and thinking that getting ahead of the curve is the only way to really control it, and controlling it will be so much less stressful and make half as much work in the long run."

You’re cute when you’re flustered, Marcus leans back on the blanket, completely relaxed as he takes a sip of his wine. “So are we talking televised wedding? Or just pictures?” He asks.

"We are not broadcasting the wedding." That's the point at which you draw the line, you already know that. It's too much. Too invasive even for a family in the public eye. "I was thinking more like...letting photos be released along the way. Like sharing engagement photos, or photos of dresses that I don't pick. Things like that?"

“I’m perfectly fine with that.” It’s an easy agreement, one that has him lifting a brow. “That was all?”

"Even if that includes sharing photos of your bachelor party or sitting down with a reporter yourself?" The fact that he's willing to agree to it so easily is utterly shocking to you, and you feel like you have to do your due diligence and double check. "Or even share part of the proposal?"

“Whatever you feel comfortable with.” Marcus agrees. “It’s like the family days at the parks or when mom and dad would have interviews.”

Sometimes you really do forget that he already has a frame of reference for all of this. That he understands being a family in the spotlight. You take a sip of your wine and build him another bite from the charcuterie containers, offering it to him with a grateful smile. "I love you. Completely. I really hope you know how grateful I am for you."

“Why don’t we plan to have photos released from our engagement, you and I can sit down with a reporter about the expectations of soulmates and politics. There can be a website for all this with links to charities or causes that you want to champion or bring to light?”

"I don't understand how you get even more perfect." When he takes the cracker from your hand you run a finger under his jaw and end up feeling heat in your cheeks all over again. "When we get back I'll talk to Mom and whoever from her team is supposed to be coordinating my media stuff. And..." That same hand of yours squeezes his knee gently. "This is not me trying to rush you into anything. I'm sure we'll get enthusiastic and rush all on our own."

“Us?” He feigns surprise and smirks slightly. “Maybe we will, maybe we will surprise ourselves.” He turns and kisses the palm of your hand. “But I doubt it.”

"I doubt it, too." It's a kiss from his lips that you want most, and lean forward to steal it without shame. "But I love that we're on the same page so easily."

“So after that birthday….um, debacle…” he makes a face. “Are you totally opposed to the idea of a surprise proposal or what?”

"As long as it's you proposing, a surprise is fine." Debacle is the right word, and you roll your eyes slightly. "I actually do love surprises. Mom told you that."

“You might have changed your mind.” The sun is setting and right on cue, the fairy lights that he had spent the majority of the day stringing around the pond come on.

The way you coo at the change in lighting is full of delight, and you lean into his side on the blanket with nothing short of delight on your face. "See this is why I love surprises. For things like this."

“I was hoping you would like it.” Marcus grins as you stare in loving awe of the lights as they play off the water and the sunset.

"You know...the back of the property at the inn has a little pond like this." You lean back against him and enjoy the view around you. "There's nothing around it really, so I haven't thought about putting a garden there or anything. But...it could be in the backyard of our house if we wanted it to."

“I think we could do that.” Marcus smirks and reaches out to touch the rim of his glass against yours. “Our own little escape.”

"And it's far enough back from the inn to soothe your very sweet concern over historically matching buildings." Which you love, but you don't want him to get so hung up on it that he ends up sacrificing another aspect of the house he might truly love.

“You have something else in mind?” He asks, wondering if you want something different for how you raise your children and where you live.

"I don't really know a hell of a lot about architectural styles," you admit. "I just don't want us to miss out on our dream house because we got stuck on making the buildings match. We can set our house back enough that it will have its own space."

“Any house that has you and our family in it is my dream house.” He promises, smiling at you happily.

"I love you, too." In a way that makes you feel like your heart is going to swell right out of your chest, but in the absolute best possible way.

“I know you do.” Marcus murmurs softly, wondering how he got so lucky with you. “I am a lucky man.”

Leaning back lets you kiss him, just a soft thing but tender and full of desire and promise before you pull back and smile at him softly. "I guess we're both lucky, then."

“Oh!” Marcus pulls out his phone, forgetting that he had programmed it and opens it up to the music app to start playing music. “Forgot that part.” He huffs. “Too eager to pour wine.”

You know even on the first song that it's a playlist of love songs. There is nothing more supremely on point for Marcus than a night like this, with all of the magic that he's infused into this beautiful little dinner. "I don't know how, but you keep making it better every second."

“That’s high praise.” He hums, putting together a bite for you and holding it out for you to eat. “I’ve enjoyed having you to spoil.”

“And you’re about the only person in the world I’ll ever let do it.” The admission comes with a laugh, and you place another soft kiss on his cheek. “Thank you for suggesting this trip, love.”

“I’m glad you got to come.” He admits with a smile as you take the offered bite and groan at the taste. “I know it was hard to take off last minute and I appreciate it. Next time we will have it planned better.”

“It’s less that it’s hard and more that I get very determined about being hands on,” you admit. “Malachi can run that place in his sleep during the day, and my managers are great. I just…always worry.”

“It’s your baby.” Marcus acknowledges easily. “It’s like a case for me. My team is incredibly proficient at their jobs, but if there is a stake out or some kind of op to be run, I like being there.”

“I’m grateful you understand.” Others hadn’t, and so the fact that Marcus is supportive of your need for work as well as your need for a family is very much appreciated. “And Sydney was joking about sending care packages to your stake outs if you wanted them, so I think your team is about to be very happy, too.”

“If she did, she would become an unofficial member of the team.” Marcus snorts. “They wouldn’t be happy with pizza anymore.”

“I’d have even more FBI agents on my doorstep,” you giggle at the image. “There’s already three of you, we’ll need to designate a dining room or something.”

“The Fed Room.” Marcus snorts, grinning at the idea. “It would never be empty.”

“Syd may have thrown a tiny bit of a fit when I told her I don’t want her to cater any of our wedding stuff,” you admit, cringing slightly as Marcus starts to open another round of containers from the picnic basket. “But she’s my best friend and will be my maid of honor. I want her there by my side, not stuck in the kitchen.”

“How about she can cater the engagement party?” Marcus suggests. “That way she’s involved but it’s not taking over her enjoying your wedding day.”

“I wasn’t even thinking about an engagement party.” The compromise makes you turn up your chin to look at him with wide, starry eyes. “It’s perfect. Just like you, love.”

“We have to have a party.” Marcus teases, kissing your nose. “The press can have the story of my proposal and the engagement party. That’s also a good way to keep our actual engagement to ourselves.”

“I’m so fucking glad you’re with me on this.” The honest laugh is stifled but full of relief as you lounge with him in the blanket. “I would never think of any of this and I’d just end up stressed out or going along with whatever anybody else planned to avoid having to think about it.”

“I will fix anything you ever ask me to.” Marcus promises. “But if you ever don’t like something, you never have to worry about me being upset by that.”

“And the same goes for you,” you promise him, with the same measure of seriousness in your eyes and honesty in your voice. “I hope you know that.”

“I know.” He picks up a grape to pop into his mouth. “You and I are very communicative.”

“I feel like I should apologize.” Your voice lowers slightly, the unsureness seeping through it.

“Why?” Marcus frowns slightly, not liking that comment at all. You have nothing to apologize for. He loves that the two of you are talking and planning your lives together.

“Past relationships…have not been as okay with my tendency to talk everything out at length.” It’s not something that you really ever planned on bringing up, since Marcus likes to dream and plan and plot like you do. But maybe it’s good that he knows, since it has slipped out without you meaning to. “I always felt like I was bothering them with it. And ended up apologizing a lot.”

He frowns even more, reaching out after he sets down to his wine glass and pulls you close. “Sweetheart, I want to talk things out. Even if it’s as mundane as brunch locations or if the entryway table should be moved.” He promises. “Please never feel like you should apologize. I want to hear everything you have to say.”

“You might regret saying that when I get going about the logistics of booking rooms for large parties.” It’s a decent attempt at a joke, even if it’s wry, and you lean into Marcus’s comforting warmth with a sigh. “I’m still getting used to the idea that you are as straight forward and wholeheartedly enthusiastic about this entire relationship as I am. It seems surreal but it’s too wonderful to be a dream, so I’m just doing my best to process the whole thing.”

“You process however you need to.” He kisses your forehead. “I’ll be right here to reassure you again. You’re my partner, my lover, and my friend.” He murmurs. “The most important person in the universe to me.”

______

Master Tags: @pixiedurango @chattychell @winter-fox-queen @lady-himbo @artsymaddie @princess76179 @paintballkid711 @missminkylove @pedrosbrat @ew-erin @sarahjkl82-blog @sharkbait77 @justanotherblonde23 @lv7867 @recklesswit @mylittlesenaar @f0rever15elf @gallowsjoker @steeevienicks @athalien @sherala007 @skvatnavle @thatpinkshirt @jaime1110 @girlimjusttryingtoreadfanfics @goodgriefitsawildworld @greeneyedblondie44 @littlemousedroid @harriedandharassed @churchill356 @ajathegreats-blog @haylzcyon @beardsanddetectives @kirsteng42 @ladykatakuri @adancedivasmom @madiebear @tanzthompson @emilianamason @bigsdinger @xocalliexo @pedr0swh0r3 @avaleineandafryingpan @charlyrmv @avidreader73 @iceclaw101 @loveslide @elegantduckturtle @becsworld @julesonrecord @its-nebuleuse @itsrubberbisquit @mikeyswifie @guelyury @lizzie-cakes @for-a-longlongtime @vabeachazn @purplerain04 @weho2kcmo @madnessofadaydreamer

HHL: @haileymorelikestupid @anoverwhelmingdin @storiesofthefandomlovers @missladym1981 @babeincolor @angelofsmalldeath-codeine

My Masterlist!

#Pedro Pascal #Pedro Pascal character fanfiction #Pedro Pascal fanfic #Marcus Pike #Marcus Pike x you #Marcus Pike x reader #Marcus Pike x female reader #Marcus Pike x f!reader #The Mentalist #soulmate au #First Daughter reader #Juan Badillo #Graceland #Juan Badillo x f!OC #Juan Badillo x OC #love triangle

120 notes · View notes

imtryingbuck · 1 year ago

Text

Come back

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x fem!Reader

Summary: The team lose their friend (I’m bad at summaries sorry)

Word count: 3,919

Warnings: Angst. Sad times. Swearing. A grave gets dug up. Brock Rumlow.

Masterlist Series Masterlist

In Loving Memory Of Y/n L/n

Killed In Action Saving 5 Innocent Children

Dedicated Agent

Friend To Everyone

10/05/1990 - 10/05/2017

“Pass me a donut will ya”

Everyday since the plaque went up 5 years ago, Bucky always reads it. Everyday a small chuckle will leave his lips when reading the quote Tony made sure was engraved in the marble. ‘She always said it and she did tell me once that when she died to have it on the plaque they HAD to give her’ Tony repeated that conversation when they deciding what would be put on the plaque. It was true, did she always say it. He can hear her voice saying the words he reads every day.

Putting his two fingers to his lips he lightly kisses them, the gently places his fingers on her photo. Her ID photo took 8 tries to take because she wouldn’t sit still or she wouldn’t keep a straight face. In the end they settled on the final one, her with a huge smile on her face. She told Bucky once when he had asked-

‘why are you smiling in your photo?’

‘Because a smile a day keeps the dentist at bay’

‘That’s not an expression’

‘Well it should be’

He missed her more and more every day. Today however left a bitter taste in his mouth, today was the anniversary of her death.

Every year since they watched their friend die, the team makes sure they don’t have missions just so they can celebrated her death as well as her birthday.

Every year on that painful day they gather in the common room and watch all of her favourite films and play all the board games she went crazy over, they would order and/or cook her favourite food. Then they would each blow out a candle on the large donut Tony had specially made for her birthday.

He remembers that day when Tony surprised her with it a few years before her death. Her squeals made everyone laugh, she made everyone blow out one candle ‘it’s my birthday and I want everyone to get a wish’ and as the years passed they still did it.

They were halfway through the third film when director Fury walked in.

“I’m sorry to interrupt but you guys need to hear this”

“What is it?” Tony asks sitting up from where he was slouching.

“Earlier today there was an attack at SHIELD headquarters”

“How many are dead?” Steve asks.

“The real question you need to ask is how many are alive Rogers”

“Well?” Natasha speaks up from where she sits next to Wanda.

“None. 28 people are in critical condition” each member of the team murmur their different abbreviations of ‘oh god’.

“Who was it do you know?” Steve questions.

Walking around the sofa and sitting down on the lone chair Fury sighs “There’s was only one person. With a symbol on their back, take a wild guess which one”

“Hydra” They all speak at the same time.

“Yep. Now heres the reason why I’m here. The computers were tampered with, the IT department has managed to find out what was deleted”

“Go on” Tony says when Fury trails off.

“The file.. the only file to be downloaded and deleted was Y/n’s.”

The teams reaction was different from one another’s however Bucky, Bucky’s heart stopped, he’d gone cold and clammy at the same time, so many questions circled his mind. Why hers? Why now? Why couldn’t they just leave her alone? Why her of all agents?

It was as if Steve could read his mind because it was him that asked “Why hers? She’s been dead for 6 years now. Why would Hydra want her file?”

“We-I don’t know. Now here’s the part you guys are not going to like. Ross wants Y/n’s body to be dug up”

Before anyone get say anything “Absolutely fucking not! You touch her grave I’ll kill you myself!” Bucky shouts.

“Then I’ll bring you back to life just to kill you again” booms Thor.

“Listen to me, I don’t want to do this! Ro-“

“I don’t care what Ross wants. It’s bad enough her headstone needs to be replaced every two months because of arseholes keep wanting a piece of it, now you want to dig her up? It nearly killed all of us watching her coffin go into that hole now you want us to watch it come back up?” Bucky’s left hand is balled tight in a fist as he paces back and forth.

“You don’t have to watch and you need to watch your tone” Fury shot back.

“What are you going to do with her?” Wanda asks before Bucky can say anything.

“We’ll put her somewhere different- safer. It’s just a precaution and we have no idea what they want with her file. We don’t know why they picked her out of all active agents and Barnes I don’t like this anymore than you do, Y/n was” taking in a deep breath “I miss her too. I’m sorry but I’m going to give Ross the go ahead on this. You guys don’t have to to be there when it happens and when we find out what’s going on we’ll bury her again. I promise”

For a full 20 minutes after Fury left they were sitting in complete silence each trying to wrap their heads around the information they were just given. SHIELD headquarters had been attacked by Hydra - using just one person to assassinate so many agents. Out of all the Agents of SHIELD alive or dead they pick their friends file, their friend who they loved and adored the same friend who always had a smile on her face no matter what, the one person who could light up a room just by walking inside of it. A person who was so full of happiness and sunshine yet deadly and damn right terrifying when she needed to be.

Now said friend who they have grieved for, for the past 6 years was about to have her resting place disturbed. Like Bucky had said to Fury, it nearly killed each and everyone of the Avengers and the Guardians - who came to Earth just to attend her funeral - they knew that the probability of dying on the job was high, of course they did, they just never expected it to happen to her, they had to watch as their friend, confidant, colleague, the better half to all of them lay in a box surrounded with 4 camera crews broadcasting their every move just so the whole world could watch them in their most vulnerable moment. They watched as her coffin was gently placed into the ground, knowing that it was going to be the last time they would ever see her after the soil would cover her.

They broke. Plain and simple, they broke. Worst part of it was is that the world lapped it up, the images of Natasha more famously known as the Black Widow standing at the grave of her best friend in bright colour clothing crying, was every where - people joked about how the deadly assassin was crying, saying she wasn’t as strong as everyone made her out to be because she cried. Y/n was undoubtedly the only person Nat felt comfortable with, the one person who saw Natasha as Natasha, not the Black Widow but her friend Natty. She was actually the first person in a very long time to see Nat cry, it was when the goldfish - that Y/n had brought her after she found out that Nat had always wanted one - had died, she felt so unbelievably stupid for crying over it but all Y/n did was hold her, told her to stop being silly for calling herself stupid. They buried it near the lake, just the two of them. Y/n even had bagpipes playing on her phone which made the redhead chuckle.

Wanda was called a crybaby because guess what? She was crying, she was crying because she was burying her best friend! The first person other than Steve to treat her like a human being. The first person to show her that not all people were bad, the one person who wasn’t scared of her that time when Wanda had lost control of her powers making people run in fear, not Y/n though nope she was the one who managed to help Wanda ground herself.

Steve was also mocked for crying for the loss of his friend, ‘Captain America weeps at funeral’, ‘Captain America is weak’, ‘Steve Rogers needs to give up the shield’. Y/n was the one who taught him how to use technology, showed him how the modern world worked and operated. She was the first person on his side when he wanted to track Bucky down. He loved her, not romantically, but he loved her so much. She made him feel normal, she never treat him like he was nearing a 100 years old who was missing 70 years of his life, like he actually was.

Sam just like the rest was called weak for crying at his friends funeral. The two of them drove the whole team insane when they were together (which was pretty much all the time) Like Steve he loved Y/n, she was his sister, his angel as he always called her. She was his best friend, favourite person in the world. The photo of Sam falling to his knees at the side of his angels grave was blasted all over the internet.

The photos of Tony clinging on to his now wife Pepper made front pages as well. ‘Billionaire Tony Stark cries at funeral of dead agent’. ‘Billionaire Tony Stark has to be held up by woman at funeral’. He saw Y/n as his daughter - shit she called him dad and he introduced her to anyone as his daughter. She didn’t see him as a bank, nope she hated it when he would give her money, one time she had to ask him if she could borrow money from him doing it with tears in her eyes because she felt ashamed of herself for asking. A few weeks later she gave him the money back with interest, when he told her to stop being silly and for her to keep it they argued for nearly 3 hours. She managed to slip the money into his pocket without him even realising it. Tony loved her so deeply, when he and Pepper found out they was having a baby girl they already had her name picked out - Morgan, Y/n’s middle name.

‘God of Thunder Thor spotted crying at funeral’ Like everyone else of course he was crying he lost his friend, she made him laugh, she made confused - once she convinced him that she was invisible and that he was the only person who could see or hear her, for 3 weeks he was absolutely convinced he was the only person on planet Earth who could see her. It wasn’t until Sam got back from a mission that the whole jig was up. He was truly captivated by her but even more so especially after she was able to lift Mjölnir higher up than Steve was able to, waved his hammer around like it weighed nothing. He, like Bucky, blamed himself for her death, he thought no believed it was his fault she was no longer with them. So yes of course he cried.

Bruce wasn’t allowed to attend his friends funeral because when she died he couldn’t control the big green beefy fella - as Y/n called him - from coming out. Fury and Ross said it would be bad and take the attention away from Y/n if the Hulk was there. He agreed. Y/n loved Hulk like she loved Bruce, she wasn’t afraid of the Hulk - Christ she once tried to have an arm wrestle with him! She didn’t once make Bruce feel like he was a freak or a dangerous monster as small minded people called him. No she treat him with respect and kindness. It took 2 months for him to go from being Hulk to being Bruce again.

Clint turned his hearing aids off for months after her death, he remembered her asking him to teach her how to sign language just so he didn’t have to always wear them. That was an interesting experience to say the very least. Clint adored her, adored the spark she carried around, adored the warmth and tranquillity she oozed. Her strength, willpower and willingness that no one could dream of having been one of the many things he loved about her, and what he misses. The day after she died he went home, home to his wife and children where he collapsed in Laura’s arms and cried himself to sleep that night. He too was mocked for being weak.

Then there was the photos of Bucky who was struggling to stand strong. ‘The world’s deadliest assassin cries’ was the headline on magazine’s for weeks or his personal favourite one ‘Winter Soldier more like Weak Soldier’ Like Nat he too was mocked because he wasn’t wearing all black but bright colours - hell they all were, it was what she wanted and whatever Y/n wanted, she got. Her death hit him the hardest. He loved her. He still loves her after 6 years of her being gone. ‘True love is what them two idiots have’ Tony would say. He blamed himself for what had happened to her, he had just turned his back for a second to hand a child to an agent when the whole building came down trapping her inside, he should of done more he always tells himself. Other than Steve she was his best friend, the one person who wasn’t afraid off his arm, the only person who could calm him down after a nightmare. She was the first person he opened up to and not once did she judge him or called him names, after he finished telling her all the things he remembered she got up and walked over to him and pulled him in for a hug, crying her heart out and apologising over and over again. The worst part for Bucky other than losing her was that he never got to tell her how madly in love he was with her.

“It doesn’t make sense” Steve was the one who broke the silence.

“Which part?” Tony asks.

“Everything. The attack, Y/n’s file, Ross wanting her to be dug up. Nothing makes sense”

“We need to figure this out. We can’t let them do this to her” Sam shakes his head, whilst trying to keep the tears he was fighting back at bay.

“Fury let me into his thoughts. They think they’re trying to find out how to recreate her genes.” Wanda finally speaks.

Once again the room went quiet. Y/n back story was still a bit of a mystery to the team. It was just something she never spoke about, they knew of the scars that covered the majority of her body and they did know of her mutant gene and that was it.

Y/n was exactly like Logan, better known as Wolverine. Though Logan’s a Beta level mutant whereas Y/n was an Alpha level, the only one of her kind. She had complete control over her abilities, her fighting skills were untouchable and unmatched. She was a part of the Weapon X program, when she was a young child she was taken from the orphanage she was placed at as a baby - and unknown to the team she was subjected to the worst abuse imaginable at the hands of The Facility. Unlike Logan though her Adamantium claws weren’t poisonous.

And what made Y/n even stronger was just like Wanda she had telekinesis abilities, though Y/n was a bit stronger than the other woman.

They didn’t know that Logan had found her when she was 16, with a chain wrapped around her neck that was connected to the wall, in a dark room that only had a toilet - nothing else. Logan had managed to get her out, which wasn’t easy considering she didn’t trust him and he wasn’t her handler. Logan kept her with him for roughly three years, moving around place to place, keeping each other safe. He was growing weak and unable to keep his promise to her, promise being he’d keep her safe. With a heavy heart he took her to Fury, begging the other man to take care of her. And since then she was a highly respected SHIELD agent and member of the Avengers.

They knew if Hydra were trying to recreate her genes they would have an army that would be unstoppable.

“But why dig her up? Hydra has her file so therefore they… they…”

“Tony? You okay?”

“Other than finding out my daughters grave will be disturbed, I’m fine”. He gets up and walks away.

One by one they follow his lead, leaving Bucky and Thor to blow out the candles - making the same wish as the previous years.

For her to come back.

The very next day they all gather at the cemetery and watched with a heavy heart as her grave gets dug up.

Three days later Fury gets a phone call “Fury you need to come to the Pentagon as soon as you can and don’t tell anyone”

“On my way”.

As soon as he got there he meets with Ross. “What’s all this about?”

“It’s not her”

“What are you talking about Ross?”

“Y/n… it’s not her in the coffin.”

“Hold on, you fucking lied to me you told me you wasn’t going to touch her!”

“Fury we brought a dead agent to the Pentagon for a reason”.

“A dead agent? Remember that dead agent saved you life how many times? Oh yeah six. Six fucking times she saved your arse Ross.” The anger coming off Fury made everyone in the room shift foot to foot.

“Sorry, we brought Y/n to the Pentagon for a reason”

“Why?”

“Simple. We wanted to make sure that they hadn’t gotten to her so we checked, and it’s not her. If-if you just look to your left Nick you’ll see the body that was in her coffin”

Fury stood there for a few minutes just staring at Ross before he looked over to where he had pointed.

There laid the decaying body of a woman, that was most definitely not Y/n.

“H-how is this possible?”

“We don’t know. It’s a possibility that Hydra got her body first, but it doesn’t explain why they would put this person in her place”

“Or she could be alive?” Fury asked hopefully.

“She’s not” Ross puts a hand to Fury’s shoulder “I checked the footage of the attack and it’s not her, I asked some of the agents that could talk if the person had claws and they all said no” Ross hated himself for calling her ‘a dead agent’ even if she was just that, but like Fury had said, she saved his life more times than one. When Y/n was introduced to him, he had to admit he was intimidated by her. But as time went on they gained each others trust and respect.

“Fury you can’t tell the Winter Soldier about this”

“James. His name is James and you honestly expect me not to say anything to the team?”

“We have no idea how any of them will react, especially him and Thor”

He hated to admit that Ross did have a point, there was no idea how the two men who blamed themselves for her death, would react.

Sighing “What are we going to do?”

“I’m not sure. Let’s just hope and pray that they don’t have her I guess”.

The screams of pure terror coming from civilians were muffled by the gunfire and explosions, the bodies of civilians and SHIELD agents scattered amongst the wreckage. Hydra made another attack on the Capital.

The Avengers were able to stop Hydra agents from pushing further forwards. But when the ground started to shake they all looked at each other.

Both Steve and Bucky gulped at the sight of the Uber Tank, memories of seeing it during the war flashed through their minds.

“What the fuck is that!” Tony questioned.

“T-that’s Hydras Tank - I thought I destroyed it” Steve answers.

The rain pour of gunfire came to a stop on both sides, agents of Hydra smirked, agents of SHIELD looked terrified. The rumbling stopped, the only sound that could be heard was rubble still falling in the background.

When the hatch came open they waited with bated breath. Rumlow.

Brock Rumlow climbed up and out of the tank, standing on top with a megaphone.

“Do you like her? She’s a real beauty isn’t she? Took us longer than I care to admit to rebuild her but here she is!” He laughs “Hey so the attack the other week on your headquarters, sorry about that. We just needed something, take a wild guess what” Not receiving an answer he sighs and tilts his head to the side “It was to get your friends file! Jesus do I have to do all the work around here?”

“I’ve got a clean shot” Voiced Clint from where ever he was at.

“Not yet” Steve says.

“Truth to be told guys we didn’t need her file, we just wanted to give you a heads up to what was going to come” Waving his arms towards to chaos “I knew if we took her file it would get your attention, and it did didn’t it. I also know that her coffin was taken to the Pentagon, and I also know that Fury’s been keeping a secret from the almighty Avengers”

“What are you talking about?” Steve shouted.

Rumlow chuckles “It’s about time you spoke Captain America, the secret is… how about I just show you huh?” Stomping three times on the Uber Tank “Little bird why don’t you come out so you can play”

The hatch comes open again, a figure all in black - very similar outfit that the Winter Soldier use to wear - emerged and moving their way to stand next to Rumlow.

“Our little bird here is even stronger than she once was. We gave her the serum and it just enhanced her strength.” Moving closer to the person he whispers something none of them could hear. “Look I’ve gotta go, don’t worry I’ll be taking this beauty with me so no need to cry. I’ll let little bird have all the fun, she deserves it” Placing a kiss to the side of the woman’s head, he pushes her off. “Good luck everyone, you’re gonna need it” Climbing back into the tank, the tracks started to rumble once again before leaving the same way it came.

Nobody moved even long after Rumlow and the Uber Tank had gone. That was until some Hydra agents started to drop to the floor with foam spilling from their mouths.

Little bird as Rumlow called her took one step in front of the other until she was roughly 100 feet on the Avengers.

Her hand slowly came up to her face, removing the bottom half of her mask then the glasses.

They couldn’t believe it.

They didn’t want to believe it.

“Y/n?”

Tags: @bethexo07 @doublebassallie

~ banner credit goes to @sweetpeapod ~

333 notes · View notes

overtrred28 · 2 years ago

Text

Time Bomb | Criminal minds x fem!reader

Summary; Y/N’s mind is overworked and tired from case after case after case and the team begins to notice, prodding her until it gets too much.

Parings; BAU team x BAU!reader, no romantic relationships mentioned. (she/her pronouns)

Warnings; angst, mentions of chronic headaches/migraines, swearing, physical and emotional pain

Words; 1.7k

No one is permitted to steal, copy, or reblog my work as their own!!

Gif is not mine. @book-place

It wasn’t unusual for Y/N to have a migraine, let alone a simple headache. She was diagnosed with atypical migraines when she was 15 and has been dealing with them since. But joining the BAU 6 months ago really seemed to ramp things up for her. Since the day she left for that first case, the severity of her headaches increased, impacting her working abilities.

She knew it wasn’t going to be an easy job, the commitments alone were tough but what was worse was trying to leave every painful detail of a case behind and move onto the next one, especially so quickly. She felt like she was doing work 24/7, whether she was on a plane flying across the country, stuck at her desk filing reports or thinking about cases when she got home. Everyone else on the team had been there for much longer than her so they had it down packed. But Y/N was still struggling, not that she would let anyone else figure that out.

She became quite good at compartmentalising, hiding her emotions from her colleagues, family and friends. But all of this stress, tension and hurt came through in her migraines. Having suffered in pain for almost 10 years already, she was good at moving through the pain, pushing it aside, but lately it began bothering her more than ever, and the team began to notice.

Derek was the first to pick up on her change in mood when she didn’t acknowledge his daily “Good Morning Firecracker”. Instead of her normal response, she flipped him the bird and kept walking to her desk in silence. He was quite insulted at her actions but took it as a bad morning. The other surrounding team members took note of this unusual behaviour from Y/N, all beginning to watch her closely.

Reid noticed her mental distance during a case when it repeatedly took her 8 seconds longer than usual to answer a question or hear her name being called.

It was then Emily who tried to comfort her, but was brushed aside and ignored by Y/N. It happened yesterday, the team were in the office, working on files from the previous case and Emily noticed the younger team member had been silent all day. She watched with concern from her desk as Y/N held her head in her hands, rubbed her temples and took painkillers every few hours. As the day ended Emily approached Y/N, tapping her on the shoulder lightly to get her to raise her head off the desk.

“What?” Y/N turned to Emily with tired eyes and an exhausted expression.

“Sorry, I just wanted to check that you were okay? You’ve been quiet all day.” Emily removed her hand from Y/N’s shoulder.

“I’m fine, Prentiss.” Y/N used Emily’s last name for the first time in months and it shocked everyone in the room. Y/N gathered her stuff and quickly left towards the elevators, brushing Emily’s shoulder on the way out. The whole team, including Rossi and Hotch who’d left their offices, stood in shock at the agent's actions. Something was definitely wrong.

~~~~~~

This morning Y/N slept in for the first time in weeks, and not on purpose. She had slept through three alarms and would officially be late for work, but it didn’t bother her. The pain pounding through her head was insufferable. It felt as if her skull was squishing her brain, waiting for it to explode. So she took her time getting ready, pausing every few minutes to sit and attempt to not pass out or throw up. Could she have just opted to take the day off? Yes. But she was too stubborn for that.

She eventually made it to work, slowly making her way through the glass doors, now almost an hour late according to her watch. But when she finally looked up from the floor, no one was at their desks, or in the kitchen, or milling around the bullpen. It was silent. As much as she admired the peace and quiet, it was bugging her, where the hell was everyone else. Curiously she made her way up the stairs, peeking into Hotch and Rossi’s empty offices, then towards the conference room that suspiciously had the door closed and shades drawn.

She opened the door slowly, expecting to also find no one, but was wrong. The whole team was sitting at and standing around the table, previously talking lowly amongst themselves.

“What the hell is going on? Why are you all in the fucking dark in silence? It’s weird.” Y/N’s voice caught the attention of her friends and boss, everyone staring at her with shock or concern plastered on their faces.

“Come sit down Y/N.” Hotch finally spoke up, his hands crossed at his chest nodding his head to the empty chair in the centre of the table.

“Fine.” Y/N snickered, moving slowly towards the chair. “What is this? An intervention?” Y/N laughed as she sat down in the chair, sliding down into a comfortable position. The room stayed silent. “Will someone please fucking say something!” She waved her hands in the air and looked to Emily, then Spencer then Derek.

“Y/N.” Derek sighed, moving away from the window where he was previously leaning, catching the attention of Y/N. “We’ve all noticed some changes in your behaviour recently and we just wanted to see what was going on.”

“Yeah.” Emily’s voice perked up from beside Y/N, moving to place her hand on top of the other agent’s. “We’re all worried for you, you haven’t been yourself. You get mad at the smallest of things, you’re constantly tired and falling asleep everywhere. Is there something you need to tell us? Are you-” Emily couldn’t even finish her sentence.

Y/N shook her head in disbelief, they probably think I’m an alcoholic or drug user. Unbelievable. “Wow!” She laughed out, snatching her hand away from Emily’s. “Okay, so how about you guys take a guess at what’s wrong with me and I’ll tell you if you’re right.” Everyone’s jaw dropped at her outburst, not wanting to say anything to make it worse. “Hm. Go ahead. Or are you too scared?” Y/N stood up from her chair.

“That’s enough Y/L/N.” Hotch sternly expressed to the agent, urging her to calm down.

“No, Hotch. I’ve had enough! This is bullshit.” Y/N began walking towards the door behind her, only to be stopped by Derek. “Move.” She argued but he didn’t budge. “Stop it Derek, let me leave.”

“No.” He uncrossed his arms, now softly holding her forearms.

“Derek,” She was really frustrated now, tears began welling up in her eyes. “I swear to god.” She shook her head at him, her voice was breaking. The physical and emotional pain was getting too much. The pounding in her head was so loud she thought her ear drums were going to burst. Derek saw her pain, swiftly moving to pull her into a tight hug, one that she didn’t reciprocate but also didn’t try to remove herself from. She broke down, for the first time in months she’d finally let go. She stood there, crying into Derek’s chest as he held her tight, protecting her, the room was quiet besides the sound of Y/N crying.

This was the first time any of them had seen her cry in the 6 months of knowing her, not even after hard cases. They looked at each other, hearts breaking for their colleague and friend. After a moment she began to move and Derek’s grip on her loosened. She wiped her bare face and held her head down as she went to sit back down. “Talk to us honey.” JJ was now in the seat beside her, stroking her back lightly.

She took a deep breath before she spoke again. “I have chronic migraines. I have since I was 15. And since working here, they’ve been worse than ever. Especially today.” She stopped, I sound so stupid, she thought to herself. Emily squeezed her shoulder encouraging her to keep going. Y/N sniffled, “I guess the heaviness of the cases, the workload, the stress has been getting to me a lot more recently. And don’t get me wrong, I love this job and you guys,” She lifted her head to look at her friends who were now all sitting or standing in front of her. “But sometimes it’s just too much and the emotional pain turns into physical which then turns into anger and a bad mood.” She looked back down at her hands, picking at her nails.

“Well why didn’t you tell any of us you were struggling?” Rossi spoke kindly from across the table, meeting eyes with Y/N.

Y/N’s mouth twists before speaking, trying to stop the tears. “I didn’t want to burden you. You guys have your own lives. And I’ve been dealing with it by myself for so long I thought I had it under control.” Her voice cracks at the end causing everyone’s hearts to shatter. How did they not see this earlier? They all thought to themselves.

“Y/N, look at me.” Derek was now behind her, she looked up behind her shoulder. “You are not a burden. You are an incredible and important asset to this team and this family. That’s what we are.” He smiled down at her.

“And that means that we’re always here for each other, good or bad.” Penelope’s sweet voice spoke next from further down the table. “Okay?” She asks when Y/N looks like she doesn’t believe her.

She stayed silent for a while, thinking about their words. Slowly she began nodding her head, careful not to increase the pain. “Okay.” She smiled at her team.

“How about you go sleep off the pain in my office for a bit?” Rossi offered, she almost rejected because she didn’t want to let them down but Rossi continued before she could open her mouth. “Just until we get a case, okay?” He hoped that would do the trick, and it did.

“Thank you.” She sniffled. “And I’m sorry for how rude I’ve been, it wasn’t intentional I promise.” She looked specifically at Emily and Derek who had received the brutal end of her outbursts.

So now the team was fixed once again, now knowing how to help Y/N on her good and bad days.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#Criminal Minds #criminal minds imagine #bau team #bau x reader #fem!reader #chronic migraine #angst #fluf #derek morgan #emily prentiss #aaron hotchner #jenifer jareau #spencer reid #david rossi #penelope garcia #bau/reader

999 notes · View notes

lavenderdreams22 · 2 years ago

Text

A Court of Dawn & Dusk - Azriel x Reader (Part 9)

Summary: Rhys and Y/N receive an unexpected invitation. Azriel tries and fails to come to terms with a decision that Y/N makes.

A/N: I hope you guys like it. As always, comments and feedback are always welcome!

Warnings: cursing and a bit of angst, but I think that's pretty much it. Quickly edited.

*****

She hadn’t looked up from her book yet. Azriel wasn’t even sure that she had seen or heard them come in, but that was perfectly okay with him. She poked her tongue out as she scribbled something down on a piece of loose parchment and he felt his heartbeat pick up just at the sight of such a simple thing. She had turned him into a lovesick fool, and he couldn’t have been happier about it if he tried.

Amren sat across from her at the table, her own book flipped open and her own piece of parchment sitting out. Her hand was poised over it as if she were about to jot down a note, but her knuckles were white as she gripped the pen so tightly. Azriel was sure that if he listened hard enough, he would hear the way the metal and plastic groaned under the pressure.

Why are we standing in the shadows? Rhys asked, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes alight with amusement.

Just wanted to look at her for a moment longer. Azriel replied, not bothering to hide his emotions from his best friend, his brother.

Rhysand turned to him, searching his eyes for a moment before offering him a small smirk.

You can stand here and watch her for as long as you want. Rhys’ voice was gentle.

Before either of them had a chance to step out from the shadows, Amren let out an annoyed sigh and looked into their dark corner with narrowed eyes.

“We know you’re there.” She snapped. “Come out before I drag your asses out of the shadows myself.”

Azriel shuddered as Rhys let out a nervous chuckle. Amren, though tiny, was terrifying. They stepped out together, making their way slowly to the table the two females occupied.

“About time.” She grumbled. “I was beginning to think that you would continue to creep around for the rest of the afternoon.”

Y/N snorted as she watched Azriel over her shoulder, her eyebrows raised in a silent question. She had pulled her bottom lip between her teeth to hold in her laughter. He pulled her into a kiss as soon as he was close enough to touch her, relishing in the way she always seemed to taste of strawberries.

“You’re addicting.” He murmured against her lips.

She giggled against him, and he filed the sound way in his mind as he had done with every other laugh or smile that he had earned from her. Because it wasn’t just her kisses that were an addiction. It was also the way that warmth spread through his chest every time she touched him, making him tingle from the very top of his head down to his toes, or even the way that she made him feel safe. Made him feel as if he had finally come home.

That’s what she was to him. She was Azriel’s home. And he had never truly had one of those before, at least not in this sense. The House of Wind, or even the townhouse, had come close. But now he knew, without a doubt, that he had somewhere he belonged, even if every building in Prynthian burned to the ground. As long as she was with him, he was home.

Everything about her was his and everything about him was hers and neither of them blinked at any of the terrible things the other had done. There was no judgment, only love and unbridled acceptance and so much warmth that he worried that it would burn. It was as if he had been dunked head first into a vat of sunlight after years of being frozen solid in the thickest, most impenetrable ice. Even his shadows seemed to calm their frantic whispering in her presence.

Amren cleared her throat, and his surroundings rushed back into his peripheral. He hadn’t realized that he had still been kissing her. From the looks of her swollen lips, it had been more than what he had intended. He always seemed to lose track of time and space whenever she was around.

Azriel shook himself from his thoughts and finally pulled away from his mate, the love of his life, the future mother of his children. The loss of her warmth made him want to light himself on fire to feel it again, so he pulled a chair close to her side and plopped into it, laying a hand on her thigh so that he did not have to go another moment without touching her.

Rhys rounded the table to sit next to Amren.

“What have we found?” He asked, his violet eyes scanning both of the females faces.

Y/N pushed her piece of parchment towards him. Rhys plucked it from the table to look it over, his face carefully neutral.

“Nothing much. Nothing that we didn’t already know, anyway.” She shook her head and worried her lip between her teeth, the gesture so different from the way she had bit her lip only a few moments before.

The worry in her eyes had Azriel on high alert. Sitting straighter in her chair, he squeezed her leg in an attempt to calm her. When she offered him a small smile and placed her hand over his, he relaxed, but only by a fraction.

“Amren?” Rhys asked, turning in his chair to give her his full attention.

Azriel tried to listen, he really did… But the feeling of his mate’s hand on top of his made his head fuzzy, full of thoughts of her.

It never mattered how much time he spent by her side, every smile and laugh and touch felt new. He looked at her, his eyes full of love.

I wish I had found you sooner.

She grinned at him, bringing his hand to her lips for a quick kiss as if to return the sentiment.

Before he could tune back into the conversation, a disheveled Cassian appeared beside the table.

“Rhys, Y/N… You two got an invitation.” Cassian started, refusing to meet Azriel’s eyes. “Delivered to Hewn City by a Hybern soldier.”

Azriel straightened his spine again, all of the ease bleeding from his body. The lovesick look slipped from his face and was replaced with the cold mask of the Shadowsinger.

“Us?” She turned wide eyes to the High Lord. “Why would we be the only two invited?”

Cassian shrugged before passing the envelope to Rhys.

“You’re not going.” Azriel growled, not bothering to wait and see what the invitation was for.

Y/N opened her mouth to protest, but Rhys cut her off with a raised hand as he opened the letter with the other.

“I agree with Azriel.” Rhys stated, keeping the unreadable mask in place as he scanned over the invitation. “If something goes wrong, which it most likely will based on their track record, I do not want you in the crossfire.”

Again. The word went unspoken, but Azriel knew that it was implied as Rhysand’s eyes flicked up and met his.

“Will you at least tell me what the invitation is for?” Y/N asked.

Rhys cleared his throat. “I hereby invite Y/N of the Dawn Court and Rhysand, High Lord of the Night Court to the first annual Masquerade. Hosted Under the Mountain.”

“Amarantha?” Cassian asked, though everyone already knew the answer.

“Yeah, she’s signed her name at the bottom.” Leaning back in his chair, Rhys eyed Y/N. “You’re not going.”

Azriel grumbled his agreement, his grip on her thigh tightening.

“You can’t do this on your own.” Y/N said, her own voice hard and unmoving. “And you can’t really stop me. I was invited, too, after all.”

Azriel felt his mouth go dry. He knew that tone, the way her shoulders and jaw were set. It was the same way she had spoken to him the day he had been too injured and she had almost died.

“I’m coming with you, then.” Azriel ground out, his teeth clenched so hard he was surprised he hadn’t cracked a tooth. “If you’re so determined to put yourself in harm's way.”

“You weren’t invited.” She snapped, shooting him a glare.

He laughed, the sound low and dangerous. He felt the shiver that ran up her spine as he dipped his head closer to her ear, his breath fanning over her. Normally the reaction would have caused a different feeling to erupt in his chest, but right now all he felt was anger and dread.

“I don’t care.”

Her breath hitched in her throat.

‘’Let’s come up with a plan instead of arguing the matter like a bunch of children.” Amren stated with a roll of her eyes.

*****

I flopped on the bed, bouncing Azriel a bit as I let out a sigh. He tossed his boots across the room, anger radiating off of him in dangerous waves.

“Can you just look at me for a moment?” I asked, placing a hand on his back.

His muscles tensed under my touch.

“I have a bad feeling about this.” Azriel grumbled, taking a deep breath.

“I know you do, but I’ll be fine.” My words didn’t sound as reassuring as I hoped they would.

“And how do you know that?” He asked, meeting my eyes over his shoulder. “How do you know they won’t try to gut you again?”

“Because Rhysand will be there. He would kill them all before they could raise their swords.” my hand trailed up his back to his shoulder.

He turned away from me, staring at some unknown thing in the distance that only he could see. His shadows grew, blocking out bits of my view of him, their whispers getting louder as if the thought of me being out of their sight was painful for them, as well.

“I can’t protect you if I'm not there.” He said, his voice breaking on the last word.

I tucked my feet underneath me so that I sat on my knees and pressed myself against him. His wings relaxed under the weight of my body.

I didn’t have the words to tell him that everything would be okay. Deep down, I knew he was right. Something was… off about this invitation. Amarantha had proved to us all that she had less than pure intentions since she had stepped foot in Prynthian.

The longer the silence stretched on, the more I could practically hear the wheels turning in his mind.

“Talk to me, Azriel.” I whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of his wing.

“I can’t let you just waltz back there.” He turned again, looking at me over his shoulder.

“Short of locking me in the house, I’m afraid you can’t stop me from going.” I kissed his wing again. “I don’t want Rhys to go by himself. Someone needs to look out for him.”

“He can handle himself.” He growled. “You’re not going.”

Even though he sounded angry, I could hear the desperation and breathless agony that laced each word.

“The last time you were anywhere close to a Hybern soldier, you almost died.” He turned fully, taking my face in his hands. “I can’t lose you.”

“I was chosen by the mother, the cauldron, or whatever other powers in the universe to be your mate because I am your equal in one way or another. I can handle myself.”

He just stared at me, his eyes growing sadder as he looked me over. It was almost as if he were committing this moment to memory.

“We will go, get the information that we need, figure out what the hell she wants, and then we will leave. And I will come back to you in one piece. I swear it.” I placed a hand over his heart, resting my head on his shoulder as he pulled me into a bone crushing hug.

I wasn’t sure how long we had sat there, tangled in each other's arms.

“It will be fine.” I kissed his shoulder and then his neck, pushing the rising sense of dread that had started to wrap itself around my own heart to the recesses of my mind.

I, too, had a terrible feeling about this.

*****

Three days later, Azriel and I stood in a small dress shop on the Rainbow, sorting through racks and racks of different colors and materials.

He had barely smiled since I had told him that I was going to go and he didn’t have a choice.

“What about this one?” I asked, pulling a black silk slip dress from the rack and holding it up to myself.

He looked it over, his eyes darkening as he pulled his lip between his teeth.

I chuckled and cocked my head to the side. “Words, please.”

He gulped, the fire in his eyes remaining. “You’d look beautiful in this… Dangerously beautiful.”

He shook his head to try and snap himself out of his lust, but I didn’t miss the change in his scent. Just as I was sure he didn’t miss the change in mine.

“I wonder if there’s a mask that would go with this…” I mumbled to myself as I ran a finger over the material.

As if I had summoned her, the shopkeeper appeared at my side, scaring the living hell out of me. Where had she come from? I whipped my head around, looking for any hiding place in the vicinity.

When my gaze landed on Azriel, he was holding back a laugh with a hand over his mouth. I resisted the urge to reach over and smack him. He had probably known she was close by.

“Mask, you say?” She hobbled back to the counter, seeming not to notice that she had almost given me a heart attack, and beckoned me with one wrinkled hand. “We have several back here.”

Ariel followed behind me silently, a hand on my lower back. He tried to always keep some sort of contact with me. It always brought me comfort, but for the last few days, I was sure the contact was more for him than it was for me.

I took a quick glance over my shoulder, and I could still see the humor dancing in his eyes. I shot him a smile, and his face changed to one of soft adoration.

When we approached the counter, she lifted two black masks, holding them up to her face in turn so I could get a good look at them. I snuck another look at Azriel over my shoulder.

His shoulders were tight as he stared at her. I had no doubt that he had just remembered what we were shopping for in the first place. When he met my gaze again, the look from before had vanished and he forced a another small smile that looked more like a grimace.

I gestured to the woman, asking him without asking to choose one of the options she had in her hands.

“The one on the left.” He said, his voice tight.

I turned back to look at his choice. It was a simple black silk with an overlay of lace. The swirls reminded me of his ever present shadows.

“I’ll take that one.” I nodded, lifting the dress to the counter. “And this, please.”

I moved to take out my coin purse, but Azriel stopped me with a hand and a shake of his head.

“Add it to my tab, Irene.”

“You have a tab in a dress store?” I asked with my hands on my hips, my tone laced with unnecessary irritation.

The lady behind the counter shook her head, tsking at Azriel as she took the dress from me and put it gently into a garment bag.

Azriel only chuckled, leaning down and pressing a kiss to my temple.

We were halfway home before he started laughing again, drawing the attention of people that were milling about nearby. The sound was magic to my ears.

Gods, how I had missed his laugh the last couple of days.

“I’ve bought you three or four dresses from that same shop, you know.”

“You have?” I stopped, staring at him with wide eyes.

“Yes.” He eyed me for a moment before clearing his throat. “Do you remember that cobalt blue dress that Mor had you wear to the ball?”

“Of course, it was beautiful.” I said, before adding under my breath, “if not a little revealing.”

“Well,” a grin broke out over his beautiful face. “I bought that one. Wanted to say sorry for being such a prick… Also, a pretty big part of me wanted us to match. Thought it might repel any potential competition while I tried to get my shit together.”

I leaned into him, grabbing his free arm and nearly swooning at the hard muscle underneath.

“You’re such a softy.” I grinned.

He shook his head, still grinning. “Only for you.”

*****

Tomorrow… Tomorrow was the day that she went into the one place he never wanted her to set foot in again. Tomorrow was the day that he would figure out if this awful feeling in the pit of his stomach was either proven right or that he had been worrying for no reason.

He trusted his intuition. He had to, especially since he had become the High Lord’s Spymaster. He was rarely ever wrong about these things.

The inner circle sat around the table for dinner as they always did, and Azriel tried his best to shake the feeling of dread that had been following him around like dense fog… One that only seemed to get thicker with every passing moment. His shadows were louder than usual, and he was almost surprised that no one else could hear their constant worrying.

Well, no one other than his mate. Who could somehow hear them on a typical day. She hadn’t asked, but there had been moments that she flinched when they got particularly loud as they reached out for her.

Cassian waved a hand in front of his face in an attempt to snap him back to reality. He hadn’t noticed that he had been spacing out, but when he shook his head and glanced around, he saw that every pair of eyes was turned towards him, full of worry.

“You alright?” Rhys asked, his spoon full of soup paused halfway to his mouth.

“Fine, just tired.” Azriel picked up his own spoon, staring down at a plate of lettuce and various other vegetables.

When had the plates been cleared? A quick glance around showed that everyone but him had soup in front of them.

“He hasn’t been sleeping well.” Y/N said from beside him as she handed him a fork.

“I’m fine.” Azriel said again with a little more conviction.

“Maybe we should turn in early tonight?” She asked, leaning forward to catch his eye.

Azriel felt bad for not confiding in her, for not telling her that the idea of her leaving made him feel like his heart was being ripped from his chest, even if it was for just a single night.

How would he even broach the subject without sounding like he was trying to control her and the situation? Or without making her feel like he didn’t believe in her?

“Good idea.” He pushed back from his spot at the table too quickly, the scrape of the chair making her flinch.

He wanted to slap himself for putting the look of worry on her beautiful face.

He was moving before she had the opportunity to stand, but she followed, bidding everyone goodnight.

When they reached their room, he spun on her and pulled her to his chest in a tight embrace.

“I don’t know what’s going on with you,” she breathed. “But please talk to me. You’ve been distant since we got that stupid invitation.”

His heart ached for her. She had gone days thinking he was mad or upset with her. So, instead of talking, he pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“I’m just scared.” He whispered.

“Scared of what?” She pulled away to meet his eyes.

“I can’t shake the feeling that I’m going to lose you.”

“I’m not going anywhere, my love.” She pressed a kiss to his chest. He felt the heat from her touch through his leathers. “We’ll go and be back before you even have a chance to miss me.”

“Impossible.” He pulled her closer to him. “I miss you always.”

“Azriel….” She tried to pull out of his grasp, but as his eyes filled with tears, he held her tighter to keep her from seeing them.

He knew she had to be sick of hearing about how scared and worried he was. Hell, he was tired of feeling that way… But until he had her safely back in his arms, he wouldn’t know peace.

“Y/N, listen to me.” His voice cracked and she stilled against him at the sound of it. “The first sign of danger, you winnow as far away as you can and then you make your way back to me.”

“I will.” She squeezed him tighter. “I swear it.”

*****

The next night came far too quickly, and he wished that he had spent more time with her and less time brooding. His hands slipped over the silk that covered her beautiful body as he kissed her lips.

“I’ll see you in a few hours.” She said between kisses. “I love you.”

“I love you, Y/N.” He said, his heart warring with his head. “I’ll see you later.”

And with that promise hanging between them, she stepped back to Rhysand’s side and took his hand. Azriel’s arms were still outstretched when they disappeared into the night.

*****

Cassian shook him awake. He wasn’t sure what time it was, or when he had fallen asleep, but the look on his face had Azriel sitting straight up in his bed.

“What happened?” He asked.

Cassian just shook his head, his brows pulling together. Azriel felt his heart pull, the bond growing tight and then dimming.

“Cassian… what-”

Before he could finish the sentence, Mor threw the door open. She was in her pajamas, her long blonde hair tied into a knot on the top of her head. Her eyes were wild as she met Azriel’s stare.

“She trapped them.” Her voice was thick with tears, and he felt his own well in his eyes.

“What?”

“She trapped them. Rhys sent word, we’re to protect the people and Velaris until they can find a way out.” Cassian said, his voice surprisingly clear.

“I… I have to get her out.” Azriel started to move, but Cassian clapped a hand on his shoulder to keep him in place.

“Magic has been dwindled down to nothing.” Cassian shook his head. “We need to reserve our power.”

Azriel was shaking with unreleased sobs. He knew this had been a bad idea. He knew he never should have let her go. But he had listened to her, not to reason, when she had told him she would be fine. And now she was trapped… in enemy territory. And there was nothing he could do about it.

He hung his head, letting a sob break free. Cassian sat on the bed next to him, his own tears sliding down his face as he slung an arm around his shoulders.

She wouldn’t want them to fall apart. Rhys had given them orders. Rhys had given them something to do. And he desperately needed something to do, or he would fly there, magic be damned, and tear the entire mountain to the ground.

But she wouldn’t have wanted him to fall apart and because of that, he wouldn’t allow himself to. So he steeled his nerves, pushed back the sadness that was pounding in his head, and cleared his throat.

“Someone get Amren.” Azriel muttered. “We need to have a meeting.”

*****

Taglist: @brekkershadowsinger @mis-lil-red @judig92

#acotar #azriel shadowsinger #acomaf #acowar #azriel x reader #azriel spymaster #azriel x you #azriel x y/n #azriel #azriel acotar

152 notes · View notes

sweethoneyrose83 · 1 month ago

Text

Five Nights at Freddy's Hospital AU Writing prompts:

1. Animatronic Doctors and Nurses

After a freak accident, you're admitted to a hospital where all the staff are animatronics. Each one has a specific specialty: Freddy as a surgeon, Chica as a nurse, Bonnie as a therapist, and Foxy in charge of emergency care. You soon realize they have an unsettling way of "treating" patients. Can you escape before your "treatment" begins?

2. The Midnight Shift

You’re the new night shift nurse at Freddy Fazbear's Hospital for Animatronic Injuries. The hospital runs like a normal one during the day, but at night, the animatronics become strange, following you through the halls. Can you survive the shift and uncover the secret about the patients?

3. Possessed Medical Equipment

Strange things happen at Fazbear Hospital, especially with the medical equipment. The X-ray machine shows images of animatronics, the heart monitor beeps in eerie rhythms, and the surgical tools sometimes move on their own. The hospital seems alive, and it wants something from you.

4. A Mysterious Patient

A new patient is brought into the hospital’s restricted ward, heavily bandaged and unconscious. Rumor has it that they’re an animatronic, but their file says they were human. As part of the night staff, you’re tasked with watching over them. One night, you hear them whisper your name.

5. Animatronic Rehabilitation

After years of malfunctioning and being hostile, the animatronics from Fazbear’s Pizzeria are sent to Fazbear Psychiatric Hospital for rehabilitation. You’re the only human nurse assigned to their care. They claim they aren’t crazy—just misunderstood. But every time you let your guard down, something terrifying happens.

6. Infected by the Virus

A virus spreads through the hospital, infecting both human staff and animatronics alike. The symptoms are different for each, with humans becoming aggressive and animatronics behaving in strange, almost human ways. You’re immune to the virus, but that makes you a target—by both groups.

7. Haunted Pediatric Wing

The pediatric wing of Fazbear Hospital is said to be haunted by the spirits of missing children, and the animatronic toys in the playroom are acting strange. As the new pediatrician, you start hearing laughter in the middle of the night, and some of the toys seem to move when you aren’t looking.

8. The Therapy Program

Glamrock Bonnie has been reprogrammed as a therapy bot for patients with PTSD and anxiety. However, during your sessions, you begin to feel like you’re the one being manipulated. Bonnie’s behavior becomes more unsettling, asking personal questions about your past, and you begin to wonder if this "therapy" is more dangerous than healing.

9. Underground Lab

Beneath the hospital is a secret lab where failed animatronic experiments are kept. One day, you accidentally stumble upon it during your rounds. The animatronics aren’t dead—they’re waiting. And now that you’ve seen them, they aren’t letting you leave.

10. The Visiting Hours

Patients complain about strange visitors that come during the night—dark figures resembling animatronics but with glowing red eyes. The hospital denies any late-night visits, but you’ve seen the shadows. What do these "visitors" want from the patients, and why do they seem to linger near you?

11. Animatronics in the ICU

After a devastating incident at Freddy Fazbear’s Mega Pizzaplex, several employees are rushed to the ICU of a nearby hospital. However, as they recover, strange things begin happening at night—flickering lights, odd noises, and glimpses of animatronics wandering the halls. Are they hallucinations, or is something sinister lurking?

12. The Pediatric Ward

The children in the hospital's pediatric ward love the animatronics visiting to cheer them up during the day, but one night, one of the animatronics doesn't leave. The nurses dismiss the children's claims that Freddy is watching over them as nighttime paranoia. However, the night shift nurse soon discovers that not all animatronics are friendly.

13. Vanny's Surgical Game

Vanny poses as a new surgeon in the hospital and begins experimenting with new "procedures." Staff begin to disappear one by one, and the hospital staff must uncover the truth behind their new colleague before they become her next patient.

14. Possessed Life Support Systems

A patient in critical condition is hooked up to a state-of-the-art life support system. However, the machine begins to malfunction—blaring unsettling noises and playing Freddy’s jingle. When a nurse investigates, she finds evidence that the equipment has been hacked by none other than the twisted spirit of a former employee, now inhabiting the hospital’s systems.

15. Glamrock Bonnie’s Hidden Wing

While working a late shift, a security guard stumbles upon an old, forgotten wing of the hospital that isn’t on the blueprints. Inside, they find animatronic parts scattered among outdated medical equipment. As they try to leave, they realize they're not alone—Glamrock Bonnie, who had disappeared from the Pizzaplex, is hiding there for reasons unknown.

16. The Night Shift Experiment

The hospital staff on the night shift are aware of strange new patients being admitted—patients whose charts are suspiciously blank. Each one has vague connections to the Fazbear Entertainment franchise. As the night progresses, the staff start encountering disturbing apparitions of animatronics and feel an unsettling presence as if they are being watched…or hunted.

17. Springtrap in the Morgue

After a series of brutal accidents at Fazbear locations, several bodies are brought to the hospital’s morgue. Unbeknownst to the staff, one of the bodies is housing the vengeful spirit of Springtrap. Strange occurrences start happening in the morgue—body bags are ripped open, and a decaying animatronic figure begins moving.

18. Vanessa’s Recovery

After a near-fatal accident, Vanessa is taken to the hospital for recovery. As she drifts in and out of consciousness, she sees a white bunny mask hovering over her bed and hears whispers urging her to act. Is Vanny trying to break free, or is something even darker at play?

19. Possessed Equipment

The medical equipment in the hospital begins to behave strangely, with heart rate monitors playing the music from Freddy Fazbear's band and X-ray machines showing shadowy animatronic figures inside patients. A few staff members notice, but when they try to speak out, they are met with dismissals or disappearances.

20. Freddy's Therapy Session

A hospital psychologist is assigned to work with a patient who claims to be haunted by memories of Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria. As the psychologist delves into the patient's history, they realize that these memories aren't just psychological scars—they're signs of something much more real and dangerous.

7 notes · View notes

mytardisisparked · 2 months ago

Text

Tagged to do this Fic Writer Q+A by @more-better-words! Thanks!

1. Why do you write fanfic?

Because if I don't do something creative on a semi-frequent basis I will shrivel up like a little raisin.

2. Which of your posted stories do you think about the most, even though the story is “finished”?

I think about "And Still, The Sea Is Salt" a lot. It's a Pikeuna fic which, while I still ship them, I don't really think about them frequently these days. But this fic is still, IMO, some of my best work and so I think of it often.

The other fic I think about a lot is "The Ghost of You," which is an MSR fic. It's another one that feels like some of my best work. I feel like this, and "Salt" are fics that I am constantly trying to replicate in terms of quality.

3. If you could give yourself fic advice from when you first started writing fic, what would that advice be?

Take your time. Chew on it. Let it simmer.

4. What’s your relationship to fic stats?

I love looking at comments but, otherwise, I don't pay attention to stats. I always appreciate comments and kudos and bookmarks but I'm not aiming for a certain number or anything. I appreciate them on an individual basis, I guess.

5. Is there a pairing or scenario or friendship you miss writing? If so, why? If not, why not?

Hmmmmm sometimes I miss writing JC or Obitine, but I am totally at the mercy of my hyperfixations so I am usually content writing whatever pairing or friendship I am currently obsessed with.

6. What motivates you to write?

The gremlins in my head. Also whenever one of my writing or art buddies goes "hey that's a good idea" when I pitch a fic to them.

7. Why do you write for the fandom(s) that you write for?

I'm currently writing for the X-Files because it makes me feel insane. I also still love writing for the Voyager Threshold!AU because it's SUCH a tasty story and it's full of great people to work on said story with.

8. If you’re stuck writing a WIP, what do you do?

I usually let it simmer for a bit and then come back to it. If that doesn't work I typically go paw at @singeart's door and bounce ideas around with her.

9. What do you wish people knew about comments?

I cherish every single comment - no matter how long or short - like someone just left me a vast fortune in their will. Also PLEASE don't stop yourself from leaving comments on older fics. Getting a comment on a fic I wrote 4 years ago is like getting willed a vast fortune and then finding out it grew a ton of interest at the bank. Fic writers love comments on old fics.

10. Maybe there’s a question you wish had been on here. What’s that question (and answer)?

Will you wear wigs? Maybe.

No-Pressure tagging: @singeart, @thursdayinspace, @jellybeansarecool, and anyone else who wants to because I am having a heck of a time figuring out who has and has not been tagged to do this lol

#fanfiction #personal

8 notes · View notes

something-tofightfor · 1 year ago

Text

Nightingale - Part 8

Pairing: Jay Castillo x Female Reader

Word Count: 10,334

Rating: Not Safe For Work. Explicit. There’s lots of things going on here. (including a first for Reader)

Summary: As your relationship with Jay turns from a friendship into more, both of you are wary about taking it too far, too fast - but sometimes, a push from the least expected place is all you need.

Author’s note:

A literal year later, and here we are. I’m so, so SO sorry that it’s taken so long to get back to these two. We’re back with a literal bang, so I really hope anyone that reads this enjoys it. And if you’ve stuck around while I went off on quite a few tangents with other characters ... thank you from the bottom of my heart.

There are only a few more parts of this story to come, so hopefully I can knock them out in a more timely fashion. We’ll see.

Catch up on the first 7 parts here: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7

When he woke up the next morning, the first thing he registered was the sound of your quiet breathing. It surprised him - especially after months of sleeping alone in the loft. For a few seconds, Jay was too stunned to speak, the man’s eyes easing open only enough to take in the sight of your head on the pillows next to his.

He hadn’t known how the previous night would go. And he hadn’t been lying when he’d told you that his motivation behind inviting you over hadn’t been the intention to make things physical. But he would have been lying if he’d tried to convince either of you that he hadn’t wanted it. And I still want it, even though we’ve already…

Jay took a deep breath and held it, closing his eyes and shifting so that he was closer to you. You stayed asleep, and it was another thing that he filed away for future reference - much the same way he’d done with your drink preference, the food that you’d ordered, the TV shows you’d showed interest in, and the way your body responded to his touch. Because it’s all useful.

He moved his hand beneath the blanket and slid his fingertips up and over your side, keeping his touch light. At that, you did move, but it was only to sigh and shift closer to him, your breathing staying even and deep, even as your eyelids fluttered.

After eating and watching the tail end of a B-horror movie with your legs tangled together as you laid on opposite ends of the couch, the two of you had made your way back to Jay’s bedroom, stripping off each other’s clothes a second time and then falling back onto the blankets.

It hadn’t been as frantic that time; the kisses slower and deeper, Jay taking the time to let his lips move over every inch of your body - but you’d stopped him just as he’d used both large hands to push your legs apart, his mouth hovering only a few inches above your core. “Not tonight, Jay.”

He’d been confused, but hadn’t questioned it, nodding twice and turning his head toward one thigh, mouthing at the skin there. That you hadn’t objected to, and when he’d pulled himself up and onto his knees a few seconds later, you were waiting with another of the multicolored condoms in hand and a small smirk on your face. “I picked purple this time.”

He’d lasted longer the second round, making you come twice before he’d finished. By that time, it was almost two in the morning, and both of you were thoroughly exhausted.

You’d forced yourself to get out of the bed and into the shower for a quick rinse, though. Despite nodding off in the few minutes you were gone, Jay did the same when you returned to the bedroom, knowing that he’d appreciate it in the morning.

Somehow, while he was in the shower, you’d found his extra bedding. And when he climbed into bed next to you, you pulled a clean blanket over your bodies, your eyes remaining shut as you explained that the other one had been ruined.

Neither of you talked much after that, and it had only taken Jay a few minutes to fall asleep - your back pressed against his bare chest and one of your hands covering his where it was resting on your stomach.

And she didn’t move too far away while we slept.

He had no idea what time it was but he didn’t care. He had no appointments that day, and knew that you were off, too. But getting breakfast might be a stretch. He let out another breath, the sound loud in his ears, and then Jay dozed off again - his arm still around you.

“Hey.” Your voice woke him, Jay’s eyes opening all the way at the sound despite the fact that you were speaking quietly. “Jay, it’s almost eleven.”

“Is it?” Narrowing his eyes, he groaned as you nodded, your cheek moving against the pillowcase. “Shit.”

“That’s two days in a row I’ve gotten to sleep in. I’m getting spoiled.” He laughed quietly, stretching out. “Your bed’s comfortable.”

“It is.” Jay propped himself up on one elbow, looking down at you. “I’ve stayed in it all day a hell of a lot more than I like to admit.” He saw something in your expression then, a brief look of questioning, but then it passed as you rolled onto your back, bringing both hands up to your face.

You covered your mouth as you yawned, humming. “I know you suggested breakfast, but I’m alright if you just want me to head out. I don’t want to take up your whole -”

“Hey.” He said your name, waiting until you were looking at him again to continue. “I’d be more than happy to stay here with you all day today.” Your eyes widened, but you stayed quiet, waiting. “But I am hungry. And I’m sure you are, too.” Blinking a few times, he leaned closer. “And if you’re not, then I need to know your secret, because I worked up one hell of an appetite with you last night.”

“And this morning.” Pressing your lips together, you rolled back toward him, reaching up to settle your hand on his shoulder. “I am hungry. I just didn’t want you to think that I was trying to make this something that it isn’t.” Not at all.

“There’s a diner a couple blocks away. Nothing special, but the food’s good. Shouldn’t be too busy now because the early morning crowd will be gone.” He paused, leaning closer. “They have great coffee.”

That was all it took - your laugh filled the room, the sound genuine. I like the sound of that a lot. “Alright, Jay.” As soon as you agreed, he swooped in, covering your body with his and burying his face in the crook of your neck, lips on the warm skin just above the neckline of your t shirt. “What are you -” But you didn’t move away, instead wrapping your arms around him and letting your hands run slowly over the skin of his back and shoulders, your hold on him tightening as he kissed his way up and toward your mouth. “Good morning.”

You mumbled the words just before your mouths met, and even though it was a quick kiss and nothing more, when he pulled away, both of you were smiling. “Good morning to you.” He knew that it was stupid - he’d just received the papers detailing the progress in the dissolution of his marriage the day before. But Jay couldn’t push down the happiness he felt at your presence in his bed. The man’s smile grew as he let his gaze wander over your face, one hand rising to let his fingertips trace over your brow. “If we get dressed now, we can be sitting in a booth in twenty minutes.”

“OK.” Without breaking eye contact, you turned your head to the side and kissed the inside of his wrist, the motion of his hand stilling. “I could definitely use some coffee.”

—

Over the next few weeks, you got to know Jay better in a variety of ways.

You talked occasionally on the phone, though the majority of your conversations happened through text messages or voice notes, the sound of his laugh brightening even the most annoying days at work.

He’d been to your house, the man stopping over twice at your request for a late dinner after finishing at the shop - the meals turning into lounging on your couch and watching part of a movie or an episode of some random show before moving into your bedroom. You’d spent the night at his loft again, too, sitting back and watching as Jay worked on art in the sunlight that streamed in through the large windows, or under the artificial light from the bulbs he brought out at night.

You went out for dinner or drinks a few times, meeting at hole-in-the-wall bars that smelled like stale beer, or casual restaurants that gave you a chance to relax and not think too hard for a few hours.

It was easy with Jay in a way that you hadn’t expected, and even though you’d ended up back in bed with him at the end of the night more often than not, you weren’t in any rush to put a label on what it was that you had between you.

He kept you updated on the dissolution, Jay surprising you a few times by reading messages that Kat had sent him and asking what you thought they meant.

That had been a shock, the man’s deep brown eyes locked with yours while he waited to see what you’d say. He was anxious about it - you knew that much - and you were honest with him when you told him that they seemed like nothing more than someone attempting to pass the time while they both waited for the six month period to end.

Part of you wondered when the other shoe was going to drop; when you’d find out that Jay was hiding something, or when he’d message you and tell you that he and Kat were going to give things another try because they’d both thought long and hard about what they wanted.

But that didn’t happen, and as the days passed, the weeks left until his marriage didn’t exist decreasing in number, you really let your guard down… and so did Jay.

“I’m thinking about tattooing myself again.”

You were sitting at the same coffee shop he’d taken you to the morning of your appointment, and though the beach was less busy that day because of the cold, it was still relaxing.

“Are you?” You took a sip, raising an eyebrow as you swallowed. “What and where?” He finished his drink and pushed the cup to the center of the table, shrugging.

“My other leg, probably. Knew a guy that tattooed his own chest by looking in a mirror, but I don’t think I could handle that.” What? Ow. “Figured I’d start kind of small, on the top of my thigh, and then see what happens.” You nodded, taking another drink. “And I don’t know what yet. But I don’t think I’m going to cover my entire leg, because two full leg sleeves is -”

“Hot?” You wrinkled your nose, grinning at him. “Would be a pain in the ass to let it heal, but you’re already halfway there, so it’s not like it would be a shock to anyone.”

He watched you silently for a few seconds and then reached up, running his fingers through his hair. He was letting it grow even longer than it had been in older pictures you’d seen of him, and you liked it. It’s starting to curl around his ears. “You really wouldn’t mind?” Jay sighed, gesturing toward you with the same hand he’d just had in his hair. “I mean, the weather here means I wear shorts a lot, so if I ever met any of your friends, they’d see all of my tattoos.”

“And?” You didn’t know where he was going with the conversation, but you had a feeling that the easy and casual portion of your friendship was coming to an end. And then … what? “It’s your body. I’m pretty sure the majority of my friends have tattoos, even if they’re smaller. Why would it be a big deal that yours cover more area?”

“Because…” He sighed. “When her family saw ‘em last summer? I know they didn’t like them. Kat wasn’t as bad about it. She was actually pretty cool, but I could tell she..” He sighed, swearing under his breath. “Her reaction to seeing all of them was not the same as yours.” Oh. Oh, that … It made sense - she would have met him fully clothed, and even if he’d told her that he had tattoos, the amount of his body they covered was still shocking. Even though they look great. “It didn’t fit with what the rest of her family expected her to marry into, and I guess … I don’t know. She never really said anything, but the way she looked at me sometimes was…”

He was twisting the empty cup between his palms, the man’s shoulders slumped. How dare they make him feel that way. You were mad on his behalf, but knew that aside from being straightforward with him, there wasn’t much else for you to offer.

“First of all, I think they’re sexy, and there’s really no other way for me to say it.” He sucked in a breath at your words, his eyes widening. Yes, I mean it. “But my opinion of your tattoos isn’t what’s important here.” You finished your drink, too, and then stood, tossing the empty cup into the trash before taking a seat next to him. “Even if you and I were dating, Jay, I’d still never make you feel like shit about the ones you already have or tell you not to get one if you wanted it.” You paused, leaning over and nudging his arm with your elbow. “I might ask you more than a few times if you’d thought carefully about it if you decided you wanted to cover your face or neck… but it’s not my choice.”

“So you wouldn’t like it if I went full Mike Tyson?” He grinned and turned his head toward you. “Or like one of those Internet musicians that looks like a kid’s coloring page?”

“Well if we’re talking a coloring page, Jay, I might be alright with that.”

You both laughed and you weren’t surprised when he slung an arm around your shoulders, pulling you closer and kissing the side of your head. “Thank you.” He murmured the words against your hair, the man sighing deeply. “I’m glad we’re friends.”

“Yeah, me too.” It was the truth, but it also made you wince, the sound of the word friends coming out of his mouth and cutting through you. I think I want more, but I don’t… he might not be ready and I don’t want to ruin anything. “You’ll have to let me know what you decide.”

“Oh when I do it, you can come watch if you want.” He stood, reaching a hand out to pull you to your feet. “I’ll be doing it in the shop after hours since I’m booked so far out, so …” The two of you walked back toward Inkwell, side by side though you weren’t touching. “If that’s something you’d be interested in seeing, we can make it happen.”

“I’ve been thinking about getting another one.” You turned to look at him, watching as Jay’s eyebrows rose. “Don’t look at me like that. I feel sort of … unbalanced. Maybe I need something on my other arm.”

“Got anything in mind?” He winked at you, “I might know someone that could draw up a design for you.”

“I don’t, actually. But…” You sighed as the two of you reached the sidewalk in front of the shop’s doors, Jay peering inside before returning his attention to you. “When I figure it out, do you think I’ll be able to find an artist to do it? My usual guy just told me that he’s got a full appointment book.”

“Oh, that hurts.” He opened his mouth in mock irritation, holding his hand up to his chest. “You’d go to someone else after I took such good care of you the first time?” Wrinkling your nose and shrugging, you stayed quiet. “He definitely doesn’t want that to happen.” Jay leaned in and kissed you on the cheek before turning his head so that he could speak into your ear. “I have it on good authority that there’s always room for you on his books…no matter what.”

You separated then, Jay going inside to prep for his afternoon client - a young father of two that was coming in to get drawings his kids had done tattooed on himself - and you heading for your car.

Just as you reached it, your phone went off, the screen bright with a message that made you grin.

Just to be clear: You *are* my friend, but I’ve been thinking of the time we spend together as more than that. If that’s not how you feel, you should let me know.

You waited until you were strapped in and had the heater running to reply, the smile still on your face as you typed.

I definitely have, too. I just didn’t want to assume.

You didn’t expect a response from him but got one a few seconds later, the simplicity of it making your entire body heat as a shiver raced through you.

Good.

The single word was accompanied with an emoji blowing a kiss, and even though you wouldn’t have expected it from him, it didn’t shock you.

Instead of replying, you set your phone down and pulled out of the lot, glancing up and through the front window. You couldn’t see Jay, the man likely sitting in his booth and bent over his desk, drawing out a stencil … but you knew he was there, likely with one side of his mouth lifted into a smirk.

And that was enough.

—

You were out a week or so later with him, the two of you strolling hand in hand down the Embarcadero and toward Pier 39. It was chilly, and you were dressed for the weather. Both of you wore hooded sweatshirts and jeans, Jay’s hood pulled up and over his head while yours remained down.

The plan was to grab dinner at Taco Cantina and then donuts from Trish’s before you took the sweets to go, sitting and watching the sea lions until it was too dark to see anything. You were spending the night at his loft before heading out to Muir Beach the following day. It was the first actual trip you’d planned with him, even though it was only about an hour away and swimming wasn’t an option since it was so cold out.

Both of you were excited - the man’s bag had already been packed and waiting in his living room when you’d arrived, dropping yours off next to it. And that enthusiasm carried over to the conversation you had while you walked, both of you paying only enough attention to what was going on around you so that you didn’t crash into any of the other people on the pier while you walked.

That was why you didn’t hear it at first.

But when someone stopped in front of you, repeating his name, both of you stopped. Jay didn’t let go of your hand - instead, he tightened his grip on it. “Uncle Jay?” The blonde girl blinked, looking between you. “You look different.” Uncle Jay? That must mean …

“Natalie!” He let out a breath, reaching up with his free hand to push his hood off as the three of you stepped to the side and out of the walking path. “I didn’t realize it was you, I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s cool. There’s lots of people out here.” She turned her gaze to you, her expression unchanging. “I’ve never met you before.”

“I -” You glanced over at the man, taking a short breath. This is going to be awkward. “No, you haven’t.” You introduced yourself, unsure about whether or not to extend your hand for her to shake. Ultimately, you decided not to, keeping your free hand in your hoodie pocket. “Jay tattooed me a few months ago. More than a few, actually, but we became friends, and so…”

The girl was still looking at you, though her eyes had narrowed slightly in contemplation. Are you going to say anything, Jay? You assumed that the girl was the same one that had told him about Kat’s infidelity, but didn’t know if he wanted her to know that you knew who she was. Because that would mean that … “You look happy.” She looked back at Jay, nodding twice. “Much happier than the last time I saw you, anyway.”

“I am.” He replied immediately, squeezing your hand again. “How are you, Nat? How’s your brother? And your mom?”

“We’re all OK. Boris got detention a couple times because he’s an idiot, but …” She shrugged. “Everyone’s still acting like we should get a pass because of my dad, so it could have been worse. Christmas break can’t come soon enough.” She fell silent, lips pressed together for a few long moments, and then the girl took a breath, tilting her head to the right. “My mom isn’t home much. I don’t know what she’s doing, but … she’s different, too. Sadder.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He shifted his weight, taking a half step closer to her. “Your mom’s tough, though. It’ll get better.”

“I know.” Natalie reached up, scratching the side of her head and then pushing hair behind one ear. “Are you and Aunt Kat divorced? I don’t mean to be rude, but she doesn’t … she doesn’t ever talk about you at all, and she’s still seeing that -”

“We’re on our way.” He sighed. “It’s kind of complicated, because it’s not an actual divorce, kiddo. But in a couple months, it’ll be like we weren’t ever married in the first place.” You felt awkward listening in - like you should have stepped away to give them privacy. But from the way Jay was gripping your hand, he didn’t want that to happen. I’ll stay right here then. So you remained fixed to the spot, trying to control your breathing. “Nat, if you’re thinking that -”

“Can I see your tattoo?” Natalie’s expression turned into a grin, the girl pointing at you. “Or is it somewhere private?”

“It’s actually on the inside of my arm.” You bit back a laugh. Oh, this girl’s going to be trouble. “I’ve got a long sleeved shirt on under here, so it would be a little hard to …” You glanced down, frowning. “I can show you a picture, though?” Natalie nodded and Jay finally let your hand go so you could reach for your phone. You wasted no time unlocking it and scrolling through the images until you found a good one of the healed tattoo. “Here.”

Handing the device over, you watched the girl’s eyes light up, a smile overtaking her face. “You can tell he drew this one.” She laughed, pinching the screen to zoom in. “I like it a lot.”

“I do, too.” You took the phone back when she handed it to you, darkening the screen and slipping it into your back pocket. “Thank you.” She stuffed both hands into her jacket pockets again and took a deep breath, running her tongue over her lower lip.

“Thank you for not telling her I told you about that guy.” It took you a second but then you realized she meant Ramos - and what she’d shown Jay in the picture and video. “You deserved to know, but she’s… she’s family, and -”

“No problem.” Jay reached out, squeezing the girl’s shoulder. “I said I wouldn’t tell, Nat. I meant it.” She smiled then, rolling her shoulders back. “Are you here with friends again? This is kind of far from your place.”

“I’m actually meeting my boyfriend.” She blushed when she said it, the skin of her cheeks noticeably changing color in the early-evening sunshine. “He works at the aquarium. They close at 6, but we’re meeting after. I was just wandering around and waiting for him and I saw you guys walk past the tree.”

“Boyfriend?” She nodded, her lips twitching. “How long’s that been going on?” You heard it in his voice - the man’s interest more than casual and instead protective in nature. At that, it was you that squeezed his hand harder, your admiration for him rising more than a few notches. They’re not related anymore and he still cares. Kat is such a fucking moron.

“Two months.” Her smile widened. “I’ve known him longer, though. He was one of the people I met for dinner the last time we saw each other.” He nodded slowly, and you let yourself get caught up in the vision of Jay interrogating an 18 year old, making him promise that he was going to be good to the girl. Because her dad’s gone and she’s got … no one. It made you sad for a moment, but then Jay spoke up again, breaking you out of your thoughts.

“He better treat you right, kiddo. You have my number if he doesn’t. Just because I’m not your actual uncle anymore doesn’t mean that I’m not around if you need me. You know that, don’t you?” She nodded again and then checked her phone, chewing on her lip as she put it away.

“I should go. He’s going to be done soon, and we’re going to try and pick out presents for his mom and sister before we see a movie, so..” She paused. “I won’t say anything to Aunt Kat if I see her, even though it would be kind of nice to rub it in her face.” What? Rub what? “Be nice to him, OK? It’s not his fault his jokes aren’t funny.” The three of you laughed at that, Jay letting go of your hand to pull Natalie in for a quick hug.

“They’re just not funny to you because you don’t understand them.” She stepped back, rolling her eyes. “And I appreciate that. I’m… we’re not hiding anything, but what I’m doing isn’t your aunt’s business anymore.” He put an arm around your shoulders, pulling you toward his side. “But if you don’t like her, text me after we walk away and let me know, because -”

You elbowed him hard enough to make him gasp, Jay pushing you away with his opposite hand. Both you and Natalie started laughing, the man’s lower lip pushed out into an exaggerated pout. “It was nice meeting you, Natalie.” You smiled, locking eyes with her. “I hope you have a good date. I’m going to go and feed this one to the sea lions. Don’t tell anyone.”

“You’d have to pay for your own tacos, then.” Jay stepped back to your side, opting to flatten his hand against the center of your back that time. “And nobody wants to do that.” Grumbling, you rolled your eyes as Natalie continued to laugh, her eyes darting between you two.

“For the record, I like her.” She grinned. “And it’d probably be a better idea if you feed him to the sea lions after dinner. I’ve seen him with tacos before, he’ll be much heavier and he’ll sink straight to the bottom.”

She turned away soon after that, leaving you and Jay standing under the small awning, focused on the girl’s back as she headed toward the front of the pier. “Well that was unexpected.” He took your hand again, lacing your fingers together. “But that’s Natalie, Marta’s daughter. She’s always kind of butted heads with Kat, but I figured it was just teenage girl stuff. Now… I think it’s more than that.”

“Maybe she has a crush on you.” You bumped shoulders with him again, that time more gently. “Maybe she’s just pissed that because you and Kat aren’t together, she’s not going to see you at holidays and family stuff anymore.” He scoffed at that, pulling you in the direction of the restaurant before he said anything else.

“Who knows. But seeing her here … it brings up some interesting things for us to talk about.” It does? “C’mon. Let’s get dinner and then we can talk while I convince you not to sacrifice me to the sea lions.”

—

“We didn’t need 36 donuts, Jay!” You laughed as he placed the order, telling the teenager behind the counter to make half cinnamon sugar and half powdered. “We just ate, and -”

“We don’t need 36 right now, but think about how great it’ll be to eat ‘em while we’re driving tomorrow.” He pointed. “And they’re mini donuts, which means that you’ve gotta eat what, five of ‘em to be a whole one?” He was grinning. “So really, I only ordered about seven donuts for the two of us.”

“You just wanted the bucket.” Putting one hand on your hip, you sighed as they started scooping your dessert into the container. “You’re falling right into the most tourist-trappy bullshit that - “

“Maybe I just wanted to make sure you didn’t have your hands full holding donut bags because I wanted to hold one of them.” He took the bucket by the handle, turning to face you. “You ever think of that?”

“That’s the cheesiest line I’ve ever heard in my…” Jay raised an eyebrow and the bucket, holding out his other hand. Oh, it wasn’t a line. He meant it. “Alright. You win.” You took his hand again, one side of Jay’s mouth rising in a semi-smirk, but neither of you said anything until you were seated side by side on one of the raised platforms a few minutes later.

It had gotten chillier, and so your hood was raised like his had been, though Jay hadn’t put his back up after dinner. Staring out over the marina, you sighed. One of us is going to need to say something. Licking your fingers clean after your second donut, you turned your head toward the man sitting next to you. “Dinner was good.”

“It was.” He had his eyes on the water, focused on the space where the animals were, though you couldn’t see them clearly in the darkness. We can hear ‘em though. “Glad we got a table as fast as we did. It’s busier here tonight than I thought it would be.”

You agreed, taking a breath - and another donut - and letting your thoughts run. Neither of you had considered that it was the first weekend of December when deciding to grab dinner on the pier, so not only had parking been difficult, but the restaurant had been busy. You’d planned on getting to the viewing area with enough light to watch the animals for a little while, but plans had changed, and even the few minutes you’d spent with Natalie had delayed you further. Not that I mind, but … “You said we needed to talk about something?”

You heard a loud splash followed by a few cheers before he replied, but when Jay said your name, you once again turned to look at him, waiting. “Nat earlier … mentioned something I’ve wanted to ask you about for a little while. I didn’t know how to bring it up, though.” Using one thumb, he wiped some sugar from the corner of his mouth before licking it away, the action much more attractive than it had any right to be. “Have you told anyone about this? About … us seeing each other?”

“Not a lot of people, but yeah. I’ve … told my friend Kenzie and her husband. I’ve talked to a couple people at work and said that we’ve been out a few times. My family knows I’m dating, but … I haven’t mentioned you as my boyfriend or anything like that, because we haven’t talked about it.” Are we going to talk about it now? It feels like we are. “Why?”

“I’m not interested in seeing anyone else.” He shifted, angling his body so that he could look at you, the man’s knee pressed against your thigh. “I know it’s only been a few weeks, and I’m technically still married, but …” Jay took a breath, running a hand over the top of his head and then used it to flip his hood up, squaring his shoulders at the same time. “How would you feel about that? About us being… together?”

There were plenty of ways you could have answered - surprise, laughter, a long-winded explanation that you didn’t want him to make an offer he wasn’t ready to make because he thought it was what you wanted. But instead of any of those, you gave the most honest one you could.

“I’d feel great about that.” Your heart slammed against your ribs as you clasped both hands in your lap, nodding. “I just didn’t know how you felt about it. I didn’t want you to think that -”

You didn’t get another word out because Jay leaned in, one hand sliding between the material of your hood and the skin of your cheek as he turned your head for a better angle. He kissed you softly, inhaling just before he pressed his mouth to yours. You felt relief in it, the slight curl of the man’s fingers relaxing the longer the kiss continued.

You didn’t normally like PDA. You hated anything that drew attention to yourself in a crowd, but no part of you wanted to pull away. You didn’t even consider it, instead parting your lips enough to invite him to deepen the kiss if he wanted to. Jay didn’t, though, pulling back with one eyebrow arched. “That’s not a good idea.” He winked. “Wouldn’t want to get carried away.”

“Oh, it isn’t?” You reached for a napkin, cleaning the sugar from your fingers. “I’ll remember that.” He snorted back a laugh, Jay’s attention going back to the edge of the pier and the floating docks beyond.

“Here it isn’t a good idea. At home, though?” Reaching up, he scratched at his cheek, relaxing his shoulders before he looked over at you. “At home’s a different story.” You wondered what would change between you by making it official, and for one fleeting second, you also wondered what people would think if they knew your situation. It’s definitely the messiest thing I’ve ever been a part of, at least on the surface.

But if they actually knew the man’s history, knew that his marriage had been over almost before it had begun and not by his choice - that the two of you had been only friendly despite your almost immediate attraction to each other, that it had taken physical proof of his pending dissolution for either of you to feel comfortable acting on your feelings, it wouldn’t have been as bad. Not that it’s bad, but just …

“Hey.” After pulling his hand away, Jay ran his fingers over your knuckles, the frown returning to his face. “Are you alright?”

“You don’t think this is too soon?” Turning your hand over, you took his, Jay’s palm pressed flat to yours. “Too premature? We’ve been having a good time, but if you just want to keep things the way they have been until everything’s official with you and Kat, I’m … I’m alright with that.” You were - it wasn’t a lie. But I hope he doesn’t walk it back. “I don’t want you to regret jumping right into another …” He squeezed your hand, murmuring your name, and when you met his eyes again, you saw the sincerity in them.

You saw more than that, too - understanding and compassion, gratitude, a little fear flickering across his handsome features before he nodded twice, never looking away. “The only thing I regret is waiting as long as I did to see what was going to happen after she left. We could have been having this conversation weeks ago instead of now.”

“You’re worth the wait, Jay.” You meant it, and needed him to believe you. “I’m really glad that Hanna couldn’t do my tattoo.” He smiled at you, the dimple appearing in his cheek. “Or the next one.” Both brows rose as he opened his mouth in surprise, and you wrinkled your nose, the tension broken.

“The next one? Does that mean you made a decision about what you want?” He wet his lips. “Because ever since you mentioned it, I’ve been thinking about what you -”

“I’ve been thinking about it, too.” Pulling your hand free, you wiped both of them on the tops of your thighs, scanning the darkness over the water. “Weighing my options, you know?” He was still smiling, the man waiting for you to continue. “I figured if I get it done soon, it’ll be completely healed for summer and beach season.”

“Well when you figure it out, you know where to find me.” Reaching up, Jay used his thumb to rub at one corner of your mouth, the tip of his tongue poking between his lips. “You had a little bit of powdered sugar right there.” The man’s touch was so gentle it often took you by surprise - especially with the way it contrasted with how focused he got in the bedroom sometimes.

“I do.” You sighed, nodding. “And speaking of, we should probably head back to your place, right? We’re leaving pretty early tomorrow, and it’s getting late.”

He agreed, and only a few minutes later, the two of you were walking back to where you’d parked, once again hand in hand. He carried the leftover donut bucket, the half-full container swinging next to his hip. “Natalie made a good point earlier. I still haven’t done my Christmas shopping this year. I have no idea what to get my sister, and I should probably make a decision.”

“Well if you need some ideas, we can talk about it in the car tomorrow.” I still have to figure out what to get him. I didn’t want to assume he’d want a gift from me, but now … Making things official raised the stakes, in your opinion.

You wouldn’t go overboard, since the relationship was so new, but you wanted to do something special for the man, especially with it being the first holiday that you were together. I’ll figure it out. I always do. “That also reminds me … what do you do for Christmas, Jay? Do you spend it with your sister, or -”

“Nope.” He sniffed, shaking his head. “She’s got a family of her own, and my grandparents don’t like to do anything day of, so it’s usually just me hanging out and I see everyone either right before or right after. You?”

“A lot of my family is out of state, so we also do the “pick a time where airfare isn’t four times the normal price” thing. I’ve got a couple relatives here and I rotate between them every year, but it’s nothing huge.” And I’m usually home early anyway.

“Interesting.” You reached your car, unlocking the door for him to put the donuts into the back seat. “Well that makes my next question a little less awkward.” What question? “Would you like to spend the holiday with me?”

Things were moving quickly - hours earlier, you’d been looking forward to spending a day out of town with your friend. Now, it’s… Leaning against the side of your car, you eyed him, trying to decide how you wanted to play it. Like we have been. “I don’t know, Jay. That depends on how you feel about spending the day in pajamas and eating leftovers and -”

“You’re forgetting one thing.” He held up a finger and then pointed behind you. “We live in San Francisco, and there are plenty of restaurants that are open on Christmas day.” He’s right. I didn’t even think of Chinatown before. Shit. “I see that look in your eyes.” Jay grinned, leaning closer. “Say yes.”

“Well, since you’re promising food…” Laughing, you reached out and hugged him tightly, nodding. “Yeah, Jay. I’ll spend Christmas with you.” You pulled back, narrowing your eyes. “But only if you agree to get a tree for the loft, even if it’s a small one. Gotta set the mood.”

“Get in the car and I’ll start setting the mood as soon as we get back.” He smirked when you inhaled sharply at his words. Oh, he’s different now. If this is what he’s like in a relationship, I’m sad we didn’t do this sooner too. “How’s that sound?”

“It sounds great.” You pushed him away from you and then turned to open your door, sliding into the driver’s seat. No, it sounds fucking amazing.

—

He hadn’t planned on making things official before running into Natalie.

But the simplicity of the girl’s line of questioning started the thoughts turning in Jay’s head, even as he stood next to you. You were basically already together - just without the label. You were doing everything that defined a relationship already, and waiting longer wouldn’t change anything.

So why not? Why not now? He’d paid attention to you at dinner, focused on the way you didn’t seem at all bothered by the thought that Natalie had brought Kat up, or the way that referring to you as his friend just didn’t cut it anymore.

He didn’t know what your response would be to his line of questioning, but at your admission, he felt the tightness in his chest all but disappear. She was waiting for me. She didn’t want to rush me, and … fuck, I’m lucky. I

He turned his head to the side so that he could look out the window as you drove back to his loft, but he smiled the whole way home - and unless he was mistaken, you did, too.

There wasn’t much talking as you got ready for bed that night, rechecking that your bags were ready to go in the morning before the two of you headed into the bedroom and bathroom, taking turns. It wasn’t quite a routine - yet - but Jay liked having you in his loft.

The sight of you lounging in his bed, scrolling through your phone in the light of the bedside lamp made him pause as he stepped through the doorway, and for long seconds, he just watched you, arms crossed over his bare chest, one shoulder resting on the frame. “Are you going to get into bed, or stand there and stare at me all night, Castillo?” Smirking, you peeked up at him. “Not that I mind, but -”

“I’m looking at you and wondering why you have so many clothes on.” Pushing himself upright and stepping fully into the room, he held one hand out toward you. “First night you stayed here, you had less on when we went to sleep, but ever since …”

“Maybe I like it when you help me take them off.” You plugged your phone in, flipping it over so the screen faced downward. “That alright with you?” Sitting upright, you swung your legs to the side and over the edge of the bed, flattening your hands on the mattress.

“More than alright.” He crossed the room, stopping in front of you. “And I like it when you return the favor.” You laughed then, reaching for him and tugging at the tied waistband of his pants. He wanted to let you keep going - wanted you to loosen the knot and ease the soft cotton down and over his hips so that he could step out of it and then climb into bed with you. But I want something else more. “Stand up.”

The elastic snapped back into place and you rose to your feet, Jay’s hands immediately going to your waist. “Yeah?” Your arms went around his neck, the edge of one thumb nail dragging over the skin at the back of it. “I’m standing, what -”

“I know we haven’t been doing this for very long,” he started, both hands pushing beneath the material of the shirt you wore and along your lower back. “So if this is … out of line, I get it.” You nodded, meeting his eyes. “There’s something I wanted to ask you about because I haven’t yet, but -”

He saw the look in your eyes change in the same moment that you surged forward, your hold on him changing as your lips pressed to his in an almost desperate kiss. She’s afraid? Of what? He kissed you back for a few seconds but before it deepend, he stilled the movement of his hands, craning his neck backward. “Jay?” It was only a whisper but he heard it, the man wincing at the sound. Shit.

“Hey. Hey, hey, hey, no, it’s alright.” He raised one hand, cradling your cheek. “What’s wrong?”

“If you’re going to ask what I think you are, I don’t…” You swore, looking down and shaking your head before you brought it back up. “Fuck, nevermind. Just ask.” He wondered what you were thinking - wondered what had almost spooked you, but instead of continuing to second guess himself, he took a long breath and decided to go for it.

“All I was going to ask,” he sighed, leaning in and letting his forehead rest against yours. “Was if there was a reason you always tell me no when I try to use my mouth on you.” He’d tried three times in the weeks since you’d started sleeping together - not wanting to press the issue, but at the same time wanting nothing more than to know what you tasted like - what you would look like when he peeked up at you from between your thighs. He wanted to know what it felt like to have your heels digging into his back, your muscles pulsing against his tongue as you came apart. He wanted the chance to explore every inch of your body, if you’d let him.

“Jay, I -” You breathed the words out, both hands finding purchase on his shoulders. “Fuck, this is …” He hoped that he hadn’t brought up a part of your past you weren’t ready to share - hoped desperately that there wasn’t a memory you’d tried to forget associated with the act. She would have told me. We talked about past relationships, and … “No one’s ever done it before.”

He froze. What? Of all the things that you could have said, that was the last thing he’d expected to hear. “What?” There’s no way. “Did you just say that no one’s…”

“I did.” You laughed quietly, nodding. “I figured it was going to come up sometime, especially since you’ve already tried a couple times, but I just…I’m sorry I didn’t say anything.” You sounded nervous and Jay used one finger to tilt your chin upward, urging you to look at him.

“Don’t apologize. I won’t ask again, I just … you haven’t hesitated when it comes to me, and I’d love to …” His fingers tightened briefly on your hip before they relaxed. “Return the favor. Not that it’s a favor, but…”

You smiled then, just a hint of the one you usually wore, but it being there was a relief. “It was like the first thing you tried, Jay, so I’m not surprised we’re having this conversation.” It was his turn to laugh, Jay’s eyes closing as you ran your hands up and down his arms. “There’s no real reason it hasn’t happened, either. At first, when I was younger, it just felt … weird to think about letting someone do it. I always worried about what the guy would think, or if I was doing something wrong, and then from there I guess I just never dated anyone that wanted it enough to make a big deal about it after I distracted them the first couple times.”

“And now?” He frowned, tilting his head to one side - and deciding to press his luck. “What do you think about it happening now?”

“I don’t know.” You sounded nervous and he caught the worry in your eyes again. “It’s just a reflex to me to say no at this point. I don’t …” He wet his lips, nodding. Don’t push. “Is that something you want to do, Jay?”

No one had ever actually asked him before. With other women - including Kat - it had just happened; they’d been in bed or fooling around, and either he’d ducked his head and taken the initiative, or the woman had guided him into place and they’d gone from there. But that’s not how this is going to go.

He would have been lying if he’d said that the thought of being the first to put his mouth on you didn’t turn him on, but he knew he couldn’t tell you that. Because it’ll seem like I’m trying to force it. “Very much. But only if you do.” He swallowed, his hands back to their previous positions and roaming over your back and sides, the man’s eyes locked with yours. “I won’t ever push you into anything you don’t want to do. But…” He nodded, letting a smile creep back across his lips. “I want to do it, and I think you’d like it.”

“Do you?” He nodded, his expression solemn. “Hmm.” You dragged your nails over the back of his head, letting out a quiet sigh. “Well then maybe next time… maybe next time you try, I won’t tell you to stop.”

He didn’t know if that was an invitation or not, but instead of questioning it, Jay just kissed you again, his mouth slotted over yours. You tugged on his hair, the palm of one hand flat against the back of his shoulder, and Jay didn’t waste time before probing at the seam of your lips with the tip of his tongue.

There was no resistance from you. You opened your mouth to let his tongue stroke along yours, groaning as you tightened your hold on him. Jay swallowed the sound down along with a quiet moan of his own. He slid his hands downward, fingers catching on the waistband of your pajama pants, and when you nodded in agreement, he pushed them all the way down.

His hands returned to your skin, roaming over your hips and then to the backs of your legs. When Jay spread his fingers wide, gripping as much of you as he could, you finally pulled away with a gasp, your eyes wild. “You’re very handsy tonight.”

“Are you complaining?” He smirked and squeezed one more time before letting you go. “Get in bed.” You did, Jay leaning over and reaching into the top drawer of his nightstand for one of the condoms there. He’d bought a new box after the first night, not wanting to go through the entire stash of the ones from Monte - and even though you’d given him a hard time about it, Jay knew you were only teasing.

The t-shirt you wore was long but still didn’t cover everything, and as his eyes raked over you - half propped up on his pillows, your legs stretched out and slightly spread, he took a breath. We just talked about it, so maybe… maybe it’s a good time to…

He wouldn’t know until he tried, and so after tossing the foil square onto the bed, he climbed in, guiding your legs apart with one hands and then reaching for your shirt as he knelt between them, still in his sweatpants. You raised your arms and let him pull the material off, exposing your entire body to his eyes. And you didn’t hide from him, staring up at the man with a half smile on your lips as you raised your hips, settling into a more comfortable position beneath him.

It felt different to him - having you in his bed and knowing that you were together, and Jay didn’t want to waste the opportunity to make the first night memorable. He trailed one hand languidly up your body, that thumb swirling around your nipple. Your back arched at the touch - like he knew it would. Without pulling his hand away, Jay leaned down, his other hand slipping behind your head to angle it for a kiss.

You went for it that time, teeth biting into his lower lip and forcing a quiet yip out of him. But he went along willingly, his hand moving from your chest and then down the center of your body, Jay’s arm twisting so that he could dip his fingers between your legs. He could feel himself, too, the bulging material of his pants pressed against the inside of his forearm, and the pressure was welcome. “You tell me when it’s enough, alright?” Jay whispered the words into your ear, your breath hot against his cheek. “You say stop and I will.”

“Yeah. Alright.” Dragging your nails up his back, you nodded. “Alright, Jay.” He kissed you again before moving his mouth to your cheek and then down along the side of your neck, teeth grazing the thin skin there before he dipped his tongue into the dip at the base of your throat. You gasped at that, one hand dropping away from him, those fingers curling into the blanket you were laying on.

He continued to kiss his way down your body, tongue rolling over one peaked nipple before moving to the other, Jay sucking the bud between his lips briefly before working even lower. You squirmed beneath him, even though you made no real move to get away. And she’s not saying anything either, so …

As he worked his way down, he touched you, too - the tips of two fingers gliding between your legs, though he made no move to push them into you. He wanted to tease you - wanted to work you up, but keep you focused on other things, and so when he scooted back, he ran his knuckles down your side and then over your hip before rotating his hand and pressing his palm flat against your leg.

He stayed bent over you, mouth still on the skin of your abdomen, the hand that wasn’t between your legs kneading the flesh on your hip. Jay stayed honed in on the way you were reacting, his ears attuned to the noises you made and alert for any sign of discomfort or unease. “You’re teasing me.” He glanced up, finding that you were watching him with a small smile on your face. “Don’t think I don’t realize it.:

“Oh, I know you do.” He winked, looking back down at your body. “I’m counting on it.” At that moment, he slipped one finger into you - pausing only partway in before he withdrew it. The sound of your gasp was exactly what he was going for, and when he repeated the motion, he also kissed his way toward your thigh, mouth hovering over the crease of your hip before he dragged his teeth over it.

He expected you to call his name out, urging him back up your so that he could kiss you. Instead, you widened the spread of your legs, exposing more of your inner thigh to him - and Jay took advantage. Mouthing at the skin there, Jay sped up the motion of his other hand, the fingers on your leg dimpling the skin as he urged it to the side. When you gasped at the bite of his teeth, the hand you still had on the back of his shoulder pressing down instead of pushing away, Jay smiled.

Lifting his mouth from you, he returned his attention to the space beneath your belly button, and pressed a single kiss there, lips parted enough so that he could lick between them. He felt your stomach muscles tighten - but you still didn’t tell him to stop, and so Jay turned his head in the opposite direction, attention focused on your previously untouched thigh.

He switched hands when he did that, smoothly inserting two fingers into you on his next stroke. Let’s see what happens when I do this. Jay’s lips latched onto your skin and he sucked, the gasp he heard from you going straight to the pit of his stomach. Oh, she likes that. Releasing you with a soft pop, Jay moved an inch or so closer to the apex of your thighs before settling his mouth back on your skin.

That time though, he bit down - just hard enough to make you gasp, both fingers still working slowly in and out of you. Jay moved his mouth again, closing the distance between his lips and his hand, and when he paused, risking a glance up at you, he nearly came right then and there, untouched.

You were propped up on one elbow, the other hand still on his shoulder, and the way you looked at him made his breath catch in his throat. There was trust in your expression, your lips parted in what he could only interpret as pleasure based on the way your chest was heaving. He bit down on your inner thigh again, flexing his fingers slowly, and you collapsed onto the pillows, your grip on his shoulder tightening again as your hips bucked upward.

Both fingers slid all the way in, the tips of them curled slightly - and when he heard you moan out his name, Jay smiled against your skin. Alright, here goes nothing.

There were mere inches between his mouth and his hand, and before you’d even stopped speaking, he closed the distance, keeping his eyes on your face as he tilted his head - and put his mouth on you for the first time.

It started out with a gentle kiss, the man’s lips landing on your mound and resting there for long enough to give you the option to tell him to stop. When you didn’t, Jay slid them lower, still keeping his eyes on you. He felt you freeze - but when you still didn’t urge him away, instead rocking your hips once more, he took it as a sign and tilted his head down.

The first taste of you was little more than a tease, the man’s tongue flicking out and over your damp skin twice before he raised his head, not even daring to breathe. He found you staring down at him, your mouth hanging open - but he couldn’t read your expression. Oh, no. No, I - Jay’s hand stilled when he inhaled, his muscles tensing as he readied himself to pull away - but then you spoke, only two words.

“Stay there.” He could feel you trembling, but the words werre accompanied with a tiny, quick nod… and Jay listened.

Without breaking eye contact, he lowered his mouth to you again, fingers sliding all the way in as he sealed his mouth over you, lips parted enough that his tongue fit through them to lave against what was beneath them.

You swore, the sound barely reaching his ears. And when your eyes closed and you relaxed against the blankets, Jay finally closed his eyes, too, the motion of his hand speeding up as he increased the pressure of his lips.

You moved one leg without his encouragement, hooking it over his shoulder. At the feeling of the added weight, Jay hummed in appreciation, moving backward to soften the arch of his back. As he switched from sucking to dragging his tongue against your skin, you shifted on the bed, hips rocking upward and toward him. She likes it. She wants more, she …

The thought dizzied him, Jay’s pace increasing as he squeezed the thigh you’d thrown over his shoulder. His touch spurred you on, your leg tensing, and he got his wish - the heel of your foot digging into his back just to the side of his spine.

It was his turn to moan at a sudden rush of fluid against his tongue, and without even thinking, he pulled his fingers free, using that thumb to spread you wide open before licking into you.

“Oh, holy fuck, Jay.” You were louder then, your body lifting from the mattress, and when he slid the hand from your hip to the back of your thigh, urging you to keep it that way, you whimpered, agreeing.

He’d never heard sounds like the ones you made as you discovered what you’d been missing out on before, but even in his distracted state, he knew he’d never forget them. And I want to keep making her make them.

Your hand had slipped from his shoulder at some point. But as he focused - tongue moving back and forth before he switched back to long, slow strokes of it over you - it made its way back into his hair. He felt you scraping your nails over his scalp before you gripped the locks; not pulling just holding, and when Jay risked a glance up at you without lifting his mouth, you were smiling.

It was a lopsided little thing, closer to a smirk than anything else. When he saw it, he finally pulled away and took a deep breath. It gave you plenty of opportunity to see that his mouth and chin were wet, evidence of your arousal coating his skin. See what you’re doing to me? “You alright?” He began to circle his thumb over you, the pad focused on the most sensitive area on your body in an effort to keep you on the edge while he checked in.

“Yes.” Your voice wavered - and so did your lower lip - but when you continued, it was stronger. “You like this, don’t you.” He nodded, taking another breath. “You were right. I do too.” He grinned then, turning his head to kiss the inside of your thigh. When he looked at you again, he raised one brow.

“Want me to keep going?” He licked his lips, leaning into your touch as you swiped your thumb through his hair. “Or is that enough?” He watched you contemplate the question, and when only moments later, you gave him your answer, it didn’t surprise him - though the challenge in your voice did.

“Go ahead and finish what you started, Castillo.”

With a quiet laugh, Jay nodded. But instead of going immediately back to what he was doing, the man urged your other leg over his shoulder, too. It gave him less room to work with, but he didn’t mind - especially when he heard his name tumble from your mouth a second time, even more breathless than it had been the last.

I can do that.

—

tag list reblog coming soon!

#jay castillo #jay castillo x reader #jay castillo x female reader #pedro pascal #pedro pascal character #nightingale #nightingale masterlist #red widow #red widow fic #pedro pascal masterlist

64 notes · View notes