#i guess being soft has its perks fellas

[explvrer]

my ex once told me that she fell in love with my writing first. that she was enamored by the way i saw the world and how i put pen to paper. i don't think she realized that one day she would be the reason i write (out of love, out of grief). maybe she wouldn't have liked my writing so much.

[noctuaas]

AS YOU WISH

synopsis; in this tale of romance, revenge, and treason, you, a beautiful commoner, are set to become the princess of aobajousai. will your one true love be able to save you in time?

pairing; kuroo tetsurou x reader

content; princess bride au (heavily based on both the movie and novel), medieval au, torture, mild violence, drama, fantasy/adventure, murder, minor character death, fem!reader

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02 ; THE GROOM

PRINCE OIKAWA WAS A MAN of great renown. There wasn’t a person in Aobajohsai that couldn’t recognize him in one swift glance; he walked through the kingdom with a swing in his dainty hips, which contrasted his mighty barrel thighs and broad, sinewy shoulders. His steps were surprisingly soft, and if he wanted to become a ballet dancer, he would probably find surprising success. But Oikawa didn’t want to be a ballet dancer. He wasn’t even in much of a rush to be king (considering he practically ran the kingdom anyway, what with his mother and father being too old and senile to do it themselves). Everything took second place in his affections, save for one thing.

Tracking was his love.

He made it a habit to never let more than a few days go by without tracking something down or training his hounds. It started when he was a young boy, with his parents’ two Irish Wolfhounds—off he would go with them, chasing rabbits through fields to add the stew that the palace cook was making for supper. Before long, he started studying other tracking sports, from fox hunting to coonhunting to even scenting out other humans, and became a talented tracker in each field. Once he was determined, once he focused on a target, the Prince was relentless.

For a while, Prince Oikawa traveled the world, acquiring hounds from the most prestigious lineages and persuading masterful hunters to mentor him. As his skill increased, he took to training and breeding his own dogs, creating Aoban pedigrees that had a name in and of themselves. Unfortunately, travelling consumed time, and the time away from Aobajohsai became increasingly worrying. Oikawa’s father was growing old, and as the only male heir to the throne, it eventually became time for the Prince to return home.

Instead, he took to roaming the Aoban countryside on weekends, accompanied by Count Iwaizumi on the horses he trained. (The Count always was a better horseman than the Prince.) Sometimes they paid visits to the far corners of the kingdom, but more often they stuck to day trips near the castle.

Prince Oikawa was walking out of the barn, two horses in hand, in preparation for one of these trips when news of his father’s health taking a turn made its ultimate intrusion. The sun hadn’t been up long, dew still heavy on the grass, when Count Iwaizumi made his appearance.

“There you are!” the Prince chided him, “You’re running behind, you know?”

(Other nobles of Aobajohsai might have gotten in trouble for such tardiness, but the Count was an exception. After he and the Prince grew up side by side, Iwaizumi was the only person that could raise his voice or lay a hand on Oikawa without consequence.)

“There is news,” Iwaizumi did not bother apologizing.

“Of?” Oikawa handed off the Count’s horse.

“I have the report of your father’s annual physical.”

A pregnant pause.

“He’s dying.”

Prince Oikawa sighed, a frown creasing his otherwise flawless cheeks. He wasn’t surprised by this news—the king’s health had been questionable for years now—but it certainly wasn’t how he would like to have started his morning.

“Well, I guess it’s about time I get married then, huh?”

“Looks to be that way, sire.”

Four of them met in the great council room of the castle: Prince Oikawa, his greatest confidante, Count Iwaizumi, his father, the aging King, and his evil stepmother, the Queen.

(She wasn’t really evil. In fact, she was actually one of the most beloved people in the kingdom, and had been married to the King since long before he began mumbling. Prince Oikawa had been but a child then, and since the only stepmothers he knew of were the mean ones from fairy tales and bedtime stories, he had decided she must be evil.)

“Alright,” the Prince began once they had all been assembled. “I must marry soon, so we have to pick a bride for me.”

“Yes,” the King said, “I’ve been thinking it was about time we found you a bride.”

(In actuality, he mostly just mumbled it, like, “Yesss, I’ve beennn thumbleee about temmmm wefumbbble bridddde.”)

“You couldn’t be more right, dear,” the Queen patted the King’s shoulder. She was the only person that could decipher his words during these little episodes.

“What did he say?”

“He said whoever we decide on will be getting a wonderfully handsome prince for a lifetime companion,” the Queen replied.

“Ah, well thank you, Father. You’re looking quite well yourself,” Oikawa chuckled back.

“It’s the new miracle maker, I’m sure of it,” the King piped in, wiggling a finger. (It came out mumbled again: “I’ssss the nmumble mumble.”)

“What did he say?”

“He said a man of your importance shouldn’t marry just anyone.”

“I suppose,” Prince Oikawa rested his chin in his hands before sighing.

“What about that Ushijima?” The Queen suggested.

“It would be a good match politically,” Count Iwaizumi admitted, though he knew how much the idea revolted Oikawa.

Prince Ushijima was from Shiratorizawa, the country that lay across the Aoba Channel. (They put it differently in Shiratorizawa; Aobajohsai was the country across the Channel of Shiratorizawa, according to them. The two countries had a history together, spending centuries warring each other. There had been the Rice War, and then the Tuna Fish Discrepancy, which nearly sent both nations into bankruptcy, the Fern Fiasco, which did end up running them fiscally dry, but it was followed by the Great Emerald Boom, during which they both got rich again.)

“He’s a handsome young man, I think we should bring him over for a discussion,” the Queen said. She was always the peacemaker in the royal family, a diplomat through and through.

“No, absolutely not!” cried Prince Oikawa. If it had been any other person, had Ushijima had a sibling or something, perhaps he would have mulled it over, but that wasn’t the case. Oikawa simply could not marry Ushijima.

“There’s no other heirs in any neighboring countries that would benefit us,” Count Iwaizumi reminded him, though he knew it wouldn’t change the Prince’s mind.

“I’ll marry a commoner before I marry that Shiratorizawa filth!”

“Boo, no Shiratorizawa filth!” the King chimed in. (“Booo, numble shumble zumfle!”)

The room quieted for a moment; they seemed to be stuck. Finally, the Count perked up.

“Maybe you can marry a commoner.”

Dead silence again.

“Look, your people have been a bit tense with us nobles the past few years,” the Count continued. “You could bridge the gap by marrying a commoner.”

“A commoner as the princess, what a fun idea!” the King said. (“Commumble as theprimmmble, whumble fum idea!” His words were becoming a tiny bit clearer; he seemed to be coming out of the episode).

“What did he say?” Oikawa still asked.

“Whoever it is must look the part of a noble. They should at least look nice,” said the Queen.

“Of course! I’ll find a commoner so beautiful that when you see them, you stop and stare, and say, ‘Wow, that Prince Oikawa must be some kind of fella to marry someone like that.’ That’s what I’ll do! Search the country, no, search the world!”

Count Iwaizumi furrowed his brow in thought.

“No, I think she is already found,” he said. An uncharacteristic smile crossed his face.

The next day at dawn, the two young noblemen reined in their horses at the hilltop by your farm. Iwaizumi rode a massive black gelding, stout and bulging with muscles. Prince Oikawa rode one of his whites, leaner and elegant. His mare made Iwaizumi’s mount seem like a lowly plow puller.

“She delivers milk from her family’s farm to the market square in the mornings,” Count Iwaizumi told him.

“And she’s truly-not-a-shadow-of-a-doubt-without-question beautiful?” Oikawa asked.

“You calling me a liar?”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Oikawa chuckled.

“She was something of a mess when I saw her,” admitted the Count, still grinning in amusement. “But she was still one of the most beautiful people I have laid eyes on.”

From the bottom of the hill, you appeared, turning your horse (whose name now seems quite ironic) onto the path to the farm. Even from this distance, Oikawa knew Iwaizumi was right.

“I must court my princess, now.”

“Good luck,” the Count teased, unknowing that the Prince might actually need it.

And so the Prince rode on, maneuvering his horse quite expertly down the hill until he was at your side.

You blinked curiously when he approached. You had never seen such a man, riding such a brilliantly shiny horse and wearing such extravagantly crafted clothes.

“Are you Miss (y/n)?”

“I am. Who’s asking?”

“Your prince,” Oikawa grinned a dazzling grin. “I’ve come to ask for your hand in marriage.”

Marriage? You continued riding, with one eyebrow quirked incredulously.

“I’m sorry, sire, but I refuse.”

“You can’t refuse.”

“I just did.”

“But refusal could mean treason, and treason means death,” explained a very confused Prince.

“Kill me then,” you told him.

“But…” the Prince trailed off. For the first time in his life, he was left dumbfounded. Speechless. Shellshocked. He had not been prepared to be turned down, not even slightly.

“But I’m your Prince! And—” Oikawa was beginning to stumble over his words. “And I’m not that bad. How could you rather be dead than married to me?”

“It’s nothing personal, sire,” you soothed his ego. “But marriage involves love, and love has never been particularly kind to me, so I’m sworn to never love again.”

Prince Oikawa’s brows furrowed, creasing his otherwise flawless forehead.

“Love? Who said anything about love?” he said. “Look, here’s the deal. There must always be a male heir to the throne of Aobajohsai. Once my father dies, there will only be a king: me. All I ask is that you marry me so that I can provide a new heir to the throne.”

You stared at him silently.

“You’ll get to be the richest and most powerful woman in the country, and give away turkeys at Christmas and meet people from foreign countries. You could even provide us nobles insight to better help commoners like yourself. So won’t you be my wife?”

You paused again, looking back over at your family’s humble little house. Your father was growing older, and milking the cows everyday was becoming difficult with his aching joints.

“I won’t ever love you.”

“If that is what you wish,” Prince Oikawa said.

“Then by all means, let us marry.”

[sxveme-2]

blueberry pancakes // bucky barnes

MASTERLIST

Description: A single mother. Juggling being a mom, a full time pediatrician, and a difficult ex who believed now would be the best time to finally be a father. A soldier ripped out of time. Ex-assassin turned superhero. Learning how to balance a new domestic life with handling demons of his past, while facing the trials of the future. a love story began over something as simple as chocolate chip pancakes with hidden blueberries.

Disclaimer: I do not own any original Marvel characters! All canon plots and canon characters belong to Marvel Comics and Marvel Studios. This is an original work. You may not publish it anywhere else

Status: Edited

Note: Takes place after endgame. I have elected to ignore Tony's death and Steve's leaving. Did not happen. Quick Reminder! My works are only published here, AO3 and on Wattpad, thank you.

Chapter Five: The One with the Burnt Pancakes

Warnings: N/A

Word Count: 2516

    Coming out of a divorce unscathed was more uncommon than its counterpart. Typically, a bit of baggage attaches itself to one or both parties. No matter whether or not divorce rates are through the roof in today's modern era, it still hurt more than words could describe. Especially when it's due to an affair. It creates this sense of unworthiness, and as though you weren't good enough. And when the pair has a child, it makes it ten times more difficult. Knowing that you'll have to break it to the child that their parents will no longer be together, and that they will most likely spend more time with one in comparison to the other.

But, when your child already has a bit of distaste towards your partner, it can make the blow a little softer. Sure, every mother wants their child to have a relationship with their father, other mom, etc. Whatever the situation is, parents, want that. They want to be able to see their child's face when they see their ex-spouse, but sometimes, there's nothing you can do about it. Especially when your ex never put in the effort, to begin with.

Above all, your perception of love changes. and that's exactly what happened to Lily. She lost all belief in herself and didn't believe she could ever find someone who would love her, along with the baggage that she carried alongside her. And that broken heart that she has yet to mend, and honestly, she wasn't sure if she'd ever find someone who could help. To cup warm hands around the two halves and hold them together until they combined once again.

Other things she deemed impossible, was her sitting in a kitchen with the avengers. Earth’s mightiest heroes. The people that destroyed an entire army. travelled to space. Some even having been ripped out of time and thrown into different roles and periods. These people had stories people couldn't even dream of, lived lives people only wished to be able to experience. And here sat Lily, a single mother of an 11-year-old boy, who lived in a domestic area, and worked as a pediatrician. She was minuscule in comparison to the Gods and soldiers that sat around her.

"So, is Hunter’s father around?" a soft voice asked, an accent dripping from the words. It had pulled Lily out of her thoughts of astonishment, as she tried to wrap her head around what was currently happening.

"Hm? Oh, no," Lily spoke, her voice as soft as the gentle ripple of a pond, while she sipped the coffee they had given her. Glancing up, a few of the superheroes looked at her with inquisitive eyes, wondering where he may be, or if he even was to be anymore, "We uh, we divorced four years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that," the girl continued. Lily had placed her as Scarlet Witch, or Wanda Maximoff. Hunter adored her. He ranted and raved about how cool her abilities were and how she could probably take down an entire army by herself if she wanted to, "He's cute. I've always wanted kids."

Lily nodded along as the conversation continued around her. She stayed as silent as a sleeping lamb, her green eyes glancing around as she tapped her fingers against her coffee mug. She wasn't sure what they wanted her to say. It had been proven time and time again that Lily was the farthest from a talker. Deep inside of her mind, the little voice of self-doubt had convinced her that no one cared about what she had to say. That the only reason people even spoke to her, to begin with, was because it was polite. But she's also been told that the world around her found that shy demeanour endearing, and mysterious. As if she held secrets behind those sealed lips when in reality, Lily was scared that if she spoke, she'd create secrets. Letting the world in on the pain she hid, that she kept locked away in a vault deep within her mind. protecting herself from being destroyed again.

"...So if you ever need a babysitter," Wanda’s voice sang again, yanking Lily away from her deeper thoughts once again, as though the two were tethered. the young blonde's attention perked up as the young girl continued speaking, "I'm your girl."

Was the Scarlet Witch, offering to babysit Lily's eleven-year-old? As in, seriously? Like to pick him up or come down from upstate New York to deliberately take care of him? If it weren't for the fact Lily rarely left the house, and if she did, it was with Hunter, she may have considered the idea. But Lily wasn't one to go out. The noise that came along with the idea of partying or going out on the town always got Lily's heart beating at a much too fast pace. If she was going out, it was to gen's cafe, or with three glasses of wine down and a whole bottle to go. The world was loud and intimidating, and could easily crush Lily's fragile heart and mind with a simple touch. And where would that lead her? Nowhere good, that's where.

"Oh that's sweet, but I don't typically go out, and when I do, he comes with," Lily stated, lips forming a tight smile as she ran her finger along the circular hole atop her mug.

"Really? A girl that's as beautiful as you must get tons of guys and go out on dates. and I see no ring on that finger," the infamous Tony Stark teased while shifting his weight to look at the blonde, "unless there's already a lucky fella."

A laugh of almost disbelief escaped through Lily's full lips as if the idea of Tony Stark calling her beautiful was too good to be true, "Oh no. my best friend tries but I don't date. Already have my hands full with work and Hunter."

"Where do you work?" Steve's voice now chimed in, pushing off the counter he leaned on as Bucky worked away, staying silent. He hadn't spoken a word to Lily since Steve walked her through the threshold of the kitchen, merely a gruff hi before returning to the feverish work he was doing on the pancakes. It was as though he was trying to make them perfect.

"I'm a pediatrician at Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital down in Manhattan," Lily answered, her eyes averting from looking at any of the intimidating people around her. Why were they so interested in her? Why did they seriously care so much about her personal life? She just brought Hunter here for a tour, not an interrogation...was this what people did? Like...they wanted to learn more about her? It didn't make sense, she was pretty basic. There was nothing special to her, Lily thought.

"Oh, that's awesome. I have a few-"

"SHIT!"

The large outburst caused everybody to immediately turn their attention to where it came from. Behind the counter, Bucky was waving smoke away from his face that seemed to be billowing from the pan on the stove. He burnt the pancakes. Lily felt a small smile tug at the corners of her lips as she watched him throw a towel at the counter, his face turning a crisp shade of red, like a cherry. The moment his eyes landed on her though, his entire body lit up in a hue of pink it seemed. He grew flustered, biting down on this ever so soft lips he had. Lily was only human, she couldn't help but avert her eyes down to the thin layer of skin. And as if on cue, Wanda let her voice ring through the kitchen.

"Damn it, Barnes! I told you not to cook, and you decide to challenge your abilities in front of our guest?" The ginger exclaimed while standing from her chair, going to help the built man clean his mess.

A few of the others in the room whined, and Lily guessed they had been waiting for a bit to eat. She felt a twang of guilt deep within her, as though it was her fault. But it really wasn't, she wasn't the one making the pancakes. no, she was merely answering the personal questions they all seemed to have for her, as well as constantly glancing at the hall or behind her to see if Hunter was on his way back. Instead, he was now outside with Sam, looking at all of the different artifacts and things that weren't able to be kept inside of the compound.

"You much of a chef, Lily?" James Rhodes (Warmachine, she reminded herself), asked. No matter the amount of mental effort it took, Lily couldn't help but allow the tinge of rose to decorate her full cheeks. They seemed to want to get to know her, and she felt almost...accepted? No, maybe more so welcomed, by these beings of immense power and ability. She allowed her shoulders to relax, and her grip on her mug lessened.

"Nothing impressive, but I do know my way around a kitchen," she responded, tilting her head to the side, causing her blonde locks to dance across her shoulder, "Most nights, I try to make homemade meals for Hunt and I. It's important for a child's development." she finished but noticed how all of their eyes were glued to her. Raising her left eyebrow ever so gently, she let a giggle escape from her throat, "but sometimes I give in and order pizza."

"You should help Bucky out, he's never been the best cook. Got used to boiling everything in the forties, so he makes a mean hot dog," Steve teased, sauntering over in all of his Captain America excellence, "Anything else? Completely lost on him."

"It's a good skill to have. But difficult to master, I suppose." Lily shrugged, crossing her legs over one another as she rested her elbow on the glass table, cupping her chin as she sipped the hot liquid in her cup. She couldn't seem, however, to take her eyes off of the culprit of the burnt pancake smell. The way the muscles in his neck rippled whenever he clenched his jaw. How his metal arm glinted as a small stream of light entered through a window, creating a bright reflection. How his scruff along his chiselled chin seemed to be a bit overgrown underneath.

Her mind began to wander momentarily, a gentle and soft vision dancing itself into her brain. Him sitting on a chair in her bathroom, Lily sitting comfortably on his lap, facing him. His eyes sleepy and his hair unkempt. Her skilled and nimble hand resting on the side of his face as she trimmed underneath his jaw, getting those areas he seemed to miss. His lips parted as he seemed to slowly drift off again, as though Lily's gentle hands were willing him to...

A hand waving in front of her face snatched Lily out of her odd fantasy land. She cleared her throat and looked around her, eyebrows knitting together in confusion, as though she had been paying attention to the whole conversation she just missed. Holding her lips inside of her mouth, Lily shifted once again in her seat, attempting to play it cool as the blush that had formed on her cheeks seemed to grow rapidly.

"Sorry, could you repeat what you said?" she asked, her voice weak as her eyes shifted to look at the man behind the counter once again. She couldn't help it...he was beautiful.

"I said you should help Buck out making the pancakes. Most of us haven't eaten, and if you're as good as you say, maybe you can help." Steve grinned, a knowing glint in his sky blue eyes. The way he looked at Lily, as though he could see inside of her head, sent a shiver down her spine. The idea of anyone knowing where her mind just wandered was basically mortifying for her. Being such a conservative person, the idea of that getting out? Yeah, no.

"Oh no I shouldn't...I'm positive he's capable of making pancakes." Lily chuckled, her voice cracking halfway through. This caught everyone's interest, and Lily had to hide her face with her mug as the dark liquid slid its way down her throat.

"He isn't. We don't normally let him in the kitchen. C'mon Lily, show us whatcha got." Steve continued to pry, leaning back in his chair as the others encouraged the entire idea.

Lily's head turned back to where Bucky stood, an almost pleading yet bashful look gracing his perfectly sculpted features. Just the way his eyes seemed to call out for her, was enough to allow the eldest Osborne to give in to the peer pressure of her new acquaintances. That was something Lily believed to be impossible, being friends with these heroes. These people that laid their life on the ground multiple times, saving her and her son by protecting the world around them. She was in debt to this group, everybody was. They've kept them protected for countless years. But how would one even begin to thank them?

"Okay okay, I'll do it," Lily mumbled, finishing her drink before pushing herself out of the chair that probably cost the same amount as her dog. She pulled a hair tie from her wrist and securing the blonde locks at the nape of her neck as she gracefully floated towards the kitchen. Glancing around, she couldn't help but let out a laugh at how expensive the items around her were. Sure, she didn't live in a house with run-down appliances, but these were top-of-the-line, high-end, see-on Food Channel things. A far reach from Lily's budget, "Well, first of all, Bucky, you need to turn on the fan."

After preparing everything to ensure not only safety but also to optimize space and time, Lily turned towards the man she had just moments ago daydreamed of. For a moment, she found herself lost in those steel-blue eyes he had. As though he had captured the moon and made them his own, adding a tinge of the blue from the sky above. How with every flicker across her face, a story was told. The pain and suffering he had endured etched into the dips and creases of his face, especially around those beautiful orbs. A part of her wished that the other members of the group were gone and that she could grip the sides of his face and kiss those lips he kept licking. His tongue darting out to wet them, creating a slight chapped ring around the pink layer of skin.

"Hey if you two are done gazing into the eyes of each other and looking like Hollister models, the rest of us are hungry." Starks’s voice rang, snapping Lily out of the trance the ex-soldier had put her under for a few seconds.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, coke can," Bucky muttered while turning his gaze away from Lily's and focused on washing the blueberries, "I'm just cleaning fruit."

[slash-em-up]

A Second Chance: A Logger Fic

Ben gets a second chance to make a life for himself.

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

1951

Ben grimaced at his shabby reflection in the store window.

Despite his best efforts to clean himself up in the river earlier today he still looked more like a bear than a man.

His beard was patchy and uneven; having been cut with a knife and the reflection of his small hand-mirror instead of a proper razor and scissors. He probably should have done away with it altogether; but the recollection of the men in the logging camps calling him ‘baby-face’ and ‘sweet’ stayed his hand. His brown hair was overgrown and hung in shaggy curtains over his ears; and the single spare outfit he was currently wearing looked like it had spent the day being beaten against a rock and sun-dried.

Probably because it had.

But after… three, maybe four weeks in the woods it was the closest to sane he could make himself look.

Only slightly rabid… Still, more likely to be arrested for loitering than not.

He pulled his coat tighter and shivered against the chill night air. His legs and back ached from the weeks of near constant travel. His best guess was that he was about a hundred miles from the site of his massacre, and he hoped that was far enough. The heavy pack over his shoulder was readjusted, and the tall man continued down the street.

The small Washington town was one he vaguely remembered having traveled through on his way to Seattle once or twice. Not much more than a main road and a handful of cookie-cutter suburban homes. A clinging relic of the past centuries mining operations and the last decades of logging.

Ben thought it was charming, in the way that most people unfamiliar with small-town living often do.

A vending machine filled with the local newspaper caught Ben’s eye, and he made his way over - quickly scanning the front page for anything pertinent to his search for information.

Nothing. No article or mention of anything untoward in the state besides the usual problems that came hand-in-hand with society.

This allowed the man a sliver of hope; but reason told him that nearly a month past in a small town miles and miles away might not be the best temperature check for his situation.

The sound of a heavy door opening brought Ben back to the present, and he involuntarily tensed as a pair of drunk-looking men stumbled out of a building across the street then shambled down the sidewalk.

Now there was a thought.

Swiveling his head from side-to-side, Ben stepped into the street and crossed. He glanced at the neon-sign covered window displaying a multitude of alcoholic beverage names as he approached the building the men had just exited.

The large wooden bar doors had an enjoyable weight to them, Ben thought as he stepped into the dark interior of the building… and upon inspection, he found that was about the nicest thing he could say about the place. A man sitting beside the door - assumedly the bouncer, although the three other patrons in the open room seemed far too drunk to offer any resistance if they were to be escorted out - gave Ben a once-over as he moved further into the bar before flicking his magazine back open and continuing to peruse the pages.

The walls were a mess of more neon interspersed sporadically with posters of scantily clad women drinking one of the advertised beverages. A dart board near the back of the room hung sadly askew against a ply-board wall.

Ben grimaced at the feel of his boots sticking to the cheap carpet covering the floor.

An old rifle sat entwined in the antlers of a mounted deer’s head over the back wall behind the bar; and Ben raised a brow at what looked like a pipe stuffed in the poor animals’ mouth.

An older man in a stain-covered apron approached Ben as he took a seat at the bar, jacket catching on the rough wood covering the top.

He didn’t seem the least bit concerned at Ben’s raggedy appearance, and silently the younger man concluded that he probably wasn’t the first odd ball to cross his path tonight.

“Evening. What can I get ya?”

Ben dug around in his jacket pocket, producing a crumbled $5 bill, which he placed on the counter before answering.

“Whatever whiskey’s on well. Double. Neat.”

The bartender nodded, grabbing the money from the bar and moving with practiced ease to pull a slightly cloudy glass and a bottle from behind the bar; pouring the alcohol before returning to place it in front of Ben.

The logger sipped the glass silently, contemplating how to frame his inquiry to the bartender before he jerked back as a massive grey head popped up over the bar and barked straight in his face.

“Roosevelt!! DOWN, god dammit!!”

With a whine and a sad look, the gigantic dog dropped his paws off the bar and trotted around the structure; coming to a halt beside Ben’s stool and sniffing him curiously.

Ben’s lips twitched in a small smile as he offered the large animal his hand to smell.

The bartender looked exasperated as he returned to the loggers’ side.

“Sorry about him. He’s friendly, just doesn’t know when to stop being a pest to customers.”

“Not a problem…” Ben murmured, clearing his throat before continuing, a bit louder this time. “… Nothing wrong with a friendly dog.”

He scratched Roosevelt behind his floppy ears, making the dog close its eyes in bliss as its long pink tongue lolled out.

Smiling, the bartender refilled Ben’s glass, which had sloshed across the bar when he’d jerked away from the sudden canine appearance.

“What brings you to town?”

Ben paused, thinking through the question, before deciding that as close to the truth as he could get would be the best way to play this.

“Passing through. Looking for a place to settle for a bit.”

The older man chuckled.

“Well, congratulations on finding us. It’s a little remote up here unless you’re moving through to Spokane.”

“Seems like a nice town.”

The man nodded.

“It is, it is… Been on the decline over the last few years as the mines started to close; but the logging keeps us afloat.”

Ben contemplated his next question.

“… Any problems with the loggers? Looked pretty quiet coming in; but you hear stories…”

Another chuckle.

“I don’t think a big fella like you has anything to worry about; but no. Generally, they only come down on the weekends looking for a drink. Otherwise the town’s mostly left to its own devices.”

Roosevelt huffed and placed his head on Ben’s thigh. The grey-haired man smiled down at the dog as Ben continued to slowly rub his soft ears.

So, nothing, that was surprising… and good… it wasn’t exactly a fool-proof inquest; but if the bartender didn’t know anything about the killings, Ben didn’t want to be the one to bring it up.

“He likes you… Yup, we’re just a couple of old men tryin’ to keep the bar afloat. Ain’t fancy; but it’s honest work. Right, Roosevelt?”

The dog’s ears perked at the sound of his name and he let out a small ‘whuff’ against the fabric of Ben’s pants.

Ben laughed lowly at the dog’s antics, then lifted his gaze to grin at the older man.

“Sounds pretty good to me.”

The bartender extended a hand over the expanse of the bar.

“I’m James; but most folks around here call me Jimmy.”

Smile growing a bit wider, Ben reached over and shook the man’s hand.

“Ben.”

Jimmy released Ben’s hand and set his own firmly against the bartop.

“Well, Ben, let me be the first to officially welcome you to town.”

“I appreciate that, Jimmy… You wouldn’t happen to know where I could get a bed for the night, would you?”

Jimmy huffed, looking vaguely annoyed before nodding.

“I do. There’s a little hotel a few blocks down… but I’m gonna tell you right now, looking like you do, Arlene - the lady who runs the place - won’t let you in the door much less rent you a room.”

Ben hummed. He thought that might become a problem at some point.

“That’s alright. Just have to wait and visit the barber tomorrow…”

Hopefully the rain would hold off until the morning so he could get a dry night’s sleep. One more night in the forest wouldn’t kill him.

Jimmy’s mouth pressed into a line and he seemed to be contemplating something as he stared at Ben.

“Am I right in assuming you’re gonna be looking for work around town?”

Ben blinked.

“Yeah…?”

The older man tapped his fingers a few times against the bar as he continued to watch the younger man.

“Alright. Here’s the deal. I need a hand doing the heavy lifting around here - I’m not getting’ any younger - and in exchange I’ll let you crash in the back room until you find a place of your own. Sound good?”

Ben straightened up, looking seriously at the man.

“…What’s the catch? That sounds a bit too good…”

Jimmy laughed.

“Trust me, it ain’t. The back’s colder than an ice-chest and the hours are long… but like I said, it’s honest work. I’m puttin’ an awful lot of faith in you that you won’t just get drunk and bolt once I close up.”

Ben’s brow furrowed.

“Why? You don’t know me.”

“Roosevelt likes you… and sometimes you gotta have a little faith in people. Let ‘em surprise you.”

The logger’s mouth opened, ready to let the man know that was the dumbest thing he’d ever heard before he paused. A memory of his mother, back before she’d gotten sick, surfaced in his mind. He recalled her telling him something similar - that was something she’d always tried to instill in him, even as a child… Faith in people.

Ben clenched his fists under the bar.

The last decade had done a number on any modicum of ‘faith’ the young man had. Death and loss and violence were what he saw. Faith was for the blind. But maybe… once more… for Rebecca…

“Alright. Deal.”

Jimmy smiled broadly, slapping his wrinkled hands against the bar.

“Good! Glad to have you on, Ben.”

The brunette nodded, letting a small grin slid over his lips as Roosevelt began to thump his tail loudly against the thin carpet.

Maybe this would work out after all.

[wastelandlovingscenarios]

Everything has changed [Sturges/F!SS | Chapter 1]

so i was requested to post this on my blog, and here it is! <3

if you guys enjoyed this chapter, please don’t hesitate to leave a kudos on the actual story on ao3, thank you!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26400847

****

A month had passed by since the Institute's destruction and the Commonwealth was a step closer to finding the closest thing they could find to peace in this chaotic world. The minutemen were finally taking back the Commonwealth piece by piece, bouncing back from the hole they were dug into thanks to a particular person. There was no other way to celebrate such a huge step forward but with a party dedicated to the hero herself.

The usual silent night was filled with an abundance of music, laughter, and chattering that seemed to overlap one another. Sweaty bodies filled the streets of Sanctuary, dancing against one another or simply exchanging a few drinks and words. The bars were filled with people who drank the night away while telling tales that seemed too far fetched to be considered true. It wasn't everyday a party was commenced, so the settlers saw this as an opportunity to lay back and relax with each other, throwing away any thought of danger clouding their minds.

Sturges leaned against the wall, arms crossed as his eyes scanned the settlement with a smile. He wasn't very keen with social gatherings such as these and preferred to shy himself away from the crowd unless a person were to confront him first. Even then, he wasn't really strong with carrying conversations, which could easily make him very boring to many people. Besides, he'd rather spend his night working on some power armor or fixing a wall - well, anything that could keep his hands busy, really. With a soft sigh, he lifted the glass he was holding and brought it to his lips, feeling the whiskey burn as it went down.

As he withdrew from his drink, his ears perked up at the sound of Jun's voice through the wall he was leaning on. Guess it wasn't as soundproof as he thought it'd be. Sturges turned his head towards the opposite direction, hoping that the sound of music would distract him from the conversation between Jun and whoever he spoke to, but found himself mindlessly taking in their words despite his attempts.

"I-I love you. You know that, right?" His voice sounded muffled, but Sturges could make out every word he was saying. He had heard a soft sniffle in response, but heard the familiar voice of Jun's wife, Marcy Long, respond with a raspy, tired voice as if she'd been crying for quite a while.

"I know that you do."

"So why are you crying? Is it cause of me? I-If it was, you can always tell me." He lightly tapped his glass with his finger, hearing the sound of rustling echo throughout the room.

"It's not you, Jun. It's not even sad tears, I'm just-" A sigh left Marcy's mouth, "I'm wondering if Kyle is at peace now. Now that we're safe and growing, I wonder if he's watching us."

Sturges felt a twinge at his heart hearing that statement. It was sorrowful; how they lost their son within moments. He'd never forget the look on their faces the day it happened, the sound of Marcy's screams and Jun's cries for help as their son passed haunted him. Despite Marcy constantly being an ass to every settler, he knew that she was suffering from the loss of her son and this was her way of expressing her grief. He had never spoken an ill word to her despite her attitude and instead, tried to lift the two up from time to time. It worked on some days, but most days, it hadn't. He continued to listen, despite his mind pleading him not to.

"I-I believe he is. I know I've been a mess lately, but everyday gets a little better and I want you to know that we're never alone." Another sniffle.

Before he could catch Marcy's response, a familiar voice jolted him on his two feet, allowing him to stand straight instead of leaning on the wall. "Hey Sturges, I was getting worried you were working on some power armor instead of enjoying yourself."

He slowly turned around, coming face to face with Preston, who smiled and tipped his hat towards him. He smiled awkwardly, tapping the glass with his finger once more. Dang, maybe he really should've just worked on something - his hands yearned for it at this point. With a soft chuckle, he responded. "Nearly gave me a heart attack."

Preston slightly grinned, "Didn't mean to scare you, just thought you'd like some company. You look pretty lonely here."

"Lonely ain't the word that quite fits my mood. Maybe the word 'content' suits it a little better, but I don' mind your company." Preston let a laugh evade his lips before leaning his back on the wall besides him. "Why don't you join the others up there, it's not as bad as you think. Maybe a few drunks here and there, but you should be fine." Sturges leaned near him, staring down at the drink in his hand. "You know I'm not a fella to party. Not much of a talker either."

"I guess I wouldn't want you any other way." Preston took a swig from his bottle, a smile never escaping his lips. "I'm proud. Proud of how far we came. After losing all those people, I never thought I'd move past that." Sturges looked at Preston, who took off his hat. "But we're here now. Never thought I'd see the day. I can't take all the credit, though, Sole was the mastermind behind all this." Sturges let out a hum of agreement.

"Without that little missy of ours, we wouldn't have been standin' here in the first place. We really do owe her one."

"Of course. Big time." Preston let out a sigh, "Without her, I don't think I could've made it. This party isn't enough to repay her for the deeds she's done for us." Sturges' eyes scanned his surroundings, looking for the familiar face being mentioned. Preston made a point - It was her party, so why couldn't he see her around? With a party like this, he'd imagine her usual cheerful self running around and having fun with everyone, but none of that was happening.

"Where is she anyway?" Preston let out a thoughtful hum, tapping his chin in wonder. With a surprised expression, he pushed himself off of the wall, looking around.

"Huh, I guess I don't remember seeing her either. Maybe I'll try asking Hancock or MacCready. They might know." Preston tipped his hat once more at Sturges before turning around to go into the crowd, "I'll catch you around."

He nodded, sending him a small, simple wave. "Yeah, hope you find her." He watched as Preston lost himself in the sea of people and looked down at his feet. Though he tried to perish the thought, he continued to ponder her whereabouts, wondering if something happened. He stood up straight, dusting his coveralls and headed towards the streets of Sanctuary. Maybe a little work on some pre-war tech wouldn't hurt.

**

Sturges yawned tiredly, reading a manual Sole had given him from her adventures. He was restless and couldn't put a finger as to why he was. It wasn't very often he couldn't catch sleep - it would only ever happen if he was immensely anxious or troubled but he was neither of those things tonight. He rubbed his eyes before shutting his book and laying it on the nightstand near his bed. He stood from his bed, gently throwing his sheets off of him.

Sturges made a mental reminder to fix those once he returned from his walk. Before exiting his room, he grabbed the white shirt hanging on the chair and slipped it on to avoid the chilliness in the air. The party was now over and the only sound that could be heard outside the walls were the crickets chirping.

He quietly crept towards the front door, carefully shutting it behind him to ensure he didn't wake anyone. Even if he did shut it carelessly, they'd probably be too blacked out to be pulled out of slumber. With a relieved sigh, he walked towards the bridge in hopes to clear his mind of anything that clouded it. Unfortunately for him, he was unsure of what it was. As he approached closer to his destination, his eye had caught a familiar figure leaning over the railing, a bottle in their hand. He knew that glow from their wrist from anywhere, its what pulled her apart from others. Well, besides the whole saving the Commonwealth thing, of course.

Sole didn't notice the man creeping out near her and nearly shrieked, pulling the gun on him as she felt a touch on her shoulder. Sturges backed away quickly with a shocked expression, holding both his hands in the air.

"Woah, woah! It's just me, darlin'. Ain't here to hurt ya or anythin', I swear." A look of horror crossed her face as she quickly retreated the gun from his chest. "Oh god, Sturges! Don't do that. I almost pulled the trigger on you!"

He slowly put his hands down, making his way to the free spot near her. "Wouldn't blame ya if ya did." He leaned his back on the railing, watching as sole moved back to her previous position, taking the beer bottle to her lips. The bottle lingered there for a bit, much to his concern.

"Now, now. We both know that stuff won't do anythin' good for ya." His words probably meant nothing to her; she could do whatever the hell she wanted and he knew that. As usual, she replied with the same playful sarcasm she put out for anyone and everyone.

"Sorry, mom." Sturges couldn't help but chuckle. She sent him a smile of her own before staring back at the stream under her that seemed to stretch endlessly. His brow raised in a questioning manner as her smile dropped as fast as it formed. He didn't want to bring it up directly to her, deciding to just beat around the bush to make things a little less suspicious.

"You know, that party wasn't really kickin' without ya. I'm not the only one who's noticed you've been gone." Sole glanced at him for a moment before looking forward once more, taking another sip of her drink. Oh how he wished he could smack that bottle out of her hand. She already looked miserable, that dreading beverage probably wasn't helping her in any way.

"What are you talking about? I was there, in the shadows, watching you," she bantered, hoping that maybe he'd drop the subject, "Better get your eyesight checked, pretty boy." He flushed at the nickname, his eyes widening for a mere second. Sturges wasn't really used to the whole nickname topic and had never personally received one from anyone besides Mama Murphy. Sole giggled at his expression, "If your eyes go any wider, they might fall and roll out."

Sturges snapped back to reality, an embarrassed smile playing on his face. "Oh, uh, right. But I was serious, y'know." Now it was Sole's turn to lean back on the railing; she gave her full attention to the pip-boy that wrapped around her wrist. The light illuminated on her face and he felt his words die as he caught the redness of her eyes. Guess that explained why she hadn't looked at him straight in the eye. Had she been crying?

"I just needed time alone. All that noise was hurting my head." Whatever she was going through, he didn't want to pry into it. It was her business, yet, he couldn't help but wonder what was going on in that mind of hers. His eyes flickered from her to the device that lightened the darkness between them.

"You can always chat with me. I ain't gonna judge ya'." Sole shook her head gently, her eyes never leaving the screen of her beloved device.

"I know you won't judge me, Sturges. I'm fine, really." She lied through her teeth, sucking in a breath to avoid the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. He didn't buy it, not one bit but decided that if she was ready to talk about it, she would. The last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable, especially with the condition she was in.

"Alright, darlin'. Just know my offer always stands. If ya ever need me, you know where to go." He pushed himself off the railing, fully facing her. "Let me walk ya' home, things can get pretty dangerous during this time. I ain't about to leave you out here in the open, 'specially while you're drinking that stuff."

With a sigh, she nodded, not having the energy to fight back with him. "Good." He said, walking side by side with her towards the direction of her home. By the time Sturges dropped her home, he waved at her as a goodbye and they departed without another word. Once he reached his bed, he felt his body grow heavy with exhaustion. He looked outside his window, looking at the curtains on Sole's bedroom window. Before he knew it, his vision blackened.

[bangtan-hoe]

Masterlist

Jungkook x reader

a- angst

f- fluff

m- mature

*- favourite(s)

It Takes Two (m., f and a)

Oneshot

You don’t need to retrospect to tell that dating a coworker was a bad idea. Two months after your breakup, he seems to have move on to something new- quite happily, if his social media is to be believed. Meanwhile the only thing in your life is your roommate, Jungkook, who seems nice enough. Just nice enough to coax into your company’s annual holiday party and more handsome to show off just a little bit. Or, as it turns out, a lot.  

{This oneshot is from one of my fav author- Junghelioseok. Its soo fluff and who does not love soft koo...}

Clandestined (m., f, a and **)-ongoing

Series

Forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest.

{Ahh!! The noona romance~ I love the subtly flirt Jk in this book and especially whenever he gets jealous. This book is also from Junghelioseok. And my fav part was the one when they were in bathroom doing it and then Jimin comes. The plot is really interesting.}

True care (m.)- ongoing

Series

Your (endearingly) shy bodyguard- hired by your father- would do anything for you. even though you roll your eyes at his persistence and pretend there’s no need for him to follow you to every and any place you go, there might be many more hazards in your life than you let on. and you might end up needing him in more ways than you- or your father- would ever think.

{I never knew I would want a sub Kook before this series. The plot is amazing and there’s a Jk in tux!! And the fact that he is you bodyguard is a turn on in itself!! This story is written by Joonsgalaxy.}

Falling skies (m., f and a)

Oneshot

Jeon Jiyeon was your childhood best friend; her brother, jungkook, was something else entirely. once upon a time, she had called you her sun and him her moon; it was fitting, given the constant push-and-pull between you two. you used to consider him a friend, but then he had gone from endearingly frustrating dumb boy to card-carrying fuckboy so fast it had given you whiplash. 

you often wondered how jiyeon wasn’t bothered by his behavior. in fact, she often seemed to encourage it. what you failed to see was that she was just trying to show you how he reflected your light. jiyeon had realized he was in love with you even before he did, but of course she knew. it was a twin thing. 

so despite the fighting and teasing, you always found yourself drawn back to him. you knew he was one of two constants in your life: the jeon twins were - and had always been - your one indisputable truth. you were the sun, jungkook was the moon, and jiyeon was the sky holding you both up when she died, it ripped a black hole right through you. {This fic was.... sad. BUT it has a happy ending and a good angsty plot!! I love it when Jk calls you with a special pet name. Read to find out. This fic is written by Fortunexkookie.}

Frost Impression (m., f, a and *) 

Oneshot

Jeongguk is so disgustingly smitten with his new coworker that he ends up making a terrible first impression, and neither of them realize they’ve actually been in love with each other for the better part of a decade.

{This is the fiction!! I beg you to read it!! I love the plot and the characters!! And Jungkook... What to say about him. He is so so o funny and nervous and shy in this book that you’re gonna want to kiss him while punching him. I love the way he rambles in front of the oc. I would highly recommend to read this book. The author of this crackfic is again the amazing fortunexkookie. Do check her out!! 

Ps. She is an amazing author. you are gonna love her writings.}

Roommates (a and m)

Series

Letting your best friend’s baby brother live with you didn’t seem like a problem until well… you discovered how hot he had become.

{I HATE THE COCKY JK IN THIS SERIES!!! Oh the story is such a slowburn and the fact reader is also sooooo obvious about the signs(Jk is not that much subtle either.)But still> Do read this amazing fic by tayegi.}

Beneficial (f and m)

Oneshot

You’ve been friends for as long as you can remember. So you guess it has its perks.

{My fav cliche of Friend with Benefits. This is one sad emo plot that is gonna bring both sad and happy tears in your eyes but it is a happy ending. The way Jk feels about Y/N but never tells her and the way Y/N is onvious about Jk’s crush on her- you are gonna shout while reading this. This fic is written by Jiminables.}

Canceled (a, s and *)

Oneshot

Jungkook has a passion for camo pants, science, and debating with strangers on the internet. Usually, he wins arguments, but when you show up in the comment section of one of his his blog posts, shit goes down and he's left wanting more than a virtual conversation.

{Heh... The ‘porn with plot’. I love how the characters meet online and Jk’s charactr too. This book is all bout smut my fellas. And the ending smut- Whoosh! That was hot. This fic is written by zibermuda.}

Hot boy bummer (a, f, m and **)

Oneshot

When jungkook offers you a proposition of just sex, no strings attached, how can you possibly say no? After all, what are best friends for?

{The theme of casual talk even while sex bring tears of jpy in my eyes. I really love the fic. And this one too is Friends with Benefits au.(Ps.- I told you I am obsessed with it.) This amazing work is by Jungkxook.}

Blizzard (a,f,m and **)

Oneshot

When a blizzard hits your town, you and your shy awkward roommate are forced to spend time together, not being able to leave the house due to the strong snowstorm. To make matters worse, the power gets cut in the middle of his shower. Which also means no heating.

{OMG!!! SOFT KOO!!! This fic is soo cute and surreal. I loved it. My cheeks were hurting while reading this. The plot is sooo cute and soft and fluff and domestic. Jk was giving the ideal husband vibes. This is so cute. I AM STILL SOFT> DON’T TOUCH ME. This fic is written by the amazing Curly-bangtan.}

[high5nerd]

The Misadventures of Fanty and Pitch Black---Chap. One

Okie doke, here goes the series of chapters I post of The Misadventures of Fanty and Pitch Black I co-wrote with my old fanfic friends back in...2014.

Thank you Mystichawk, Xion5, dragoscilvio, Starskulls and Lil Angel 927 after all these years.

Oof.

THE MISADVENTURES OF FANTY AND PITCH BLACK, CHAPTER ONE

Again, I write nothing like this anymore.

This is the story of how I saved the world. Don't worry, this is gonna be a good story and in fact, I don't save the world at all. This whole story all started with...a booby trap.

My name is Fanty! Nice to meet you. I used to live in the city, but a while ago I moved to Burgess upon the demand of my friends. The town is really friendly! The only problem I see with it is that the kids here are ballistic. Okay, I'll say that a bit nicer….different? All the kids in Burgess talk about these people called the Guardians, and the leader of these kids is some boy named Jamie Bennett. I slightly knew Jamie, because Angel babysits him and his sister, Sophie. Sometimes those little buggers would come over to her apartment for baking and watching movies 24/7. Honestly, Jamie is probably one of the well respected kids I've ever met! His stories really put faith in everyone, and it's something I admire.

Ever since Jamie shared his stories of this dude named Jack Frost and the Guardians to my friends and I, we became determined to see if this was all real. My friends and I all live in the same apartment building, and honestly, I bet the landlord regrets ever going into the apartment business. We're a rowdy bunch! Well, besides Drago. She's a real sweetheart that keeps herself under control, which is something I totally admire. Trust me, I'd love to be like her, but with my energy and the quirks to being Fanty, it isn't possible.

Allow me to introduce my lifestyle. I live in Apartment 4B, right across from Xion, under Mystic and above Star. My apartment isn't really...um "sparkling clean." I mean, it is, its just not….uh. Shut up, I haven't gotten to washing my dishes or cleaning the bathroom yet, okay?! I work at Building Block Day Care...yeah, doesn't sound like a promising job, does it? Don't worry. I'm just waiting for a job to open up somewhere else in Burgess. I wanna go into the graphic design business, but Burgess kind of has a lack of that. But thanks to Angel's knowledge of kids, I'm favorited there! My boss is really nice and always makes sure her employees gets a paid vacation at least once a year, which is awesome. My guess is that she thinks the kids have supernatural powers to watch her 24/7, so she acts all pleasant and talk to us like children just in case. But that's just a crazy thought. I love the kids, I just don't like the little treasures they leave for me as gifts in their diapers.

Being Fanty has its perks and downsides, though. When Xion, Mystic, Drago, Star and Angel come over and we have our biweekly hangouts and someone brings the soda, I go all over the place. Hyperactive energy is my middle name. I'm an artist, and I put that art to good use! I make a little money off of my art, which is very nice.

...Oh, and if you ever hear of Star talking about my "graffiti incident", that never happened…

Gah! I'm getting distracted from the story! This isn't the point I'm trying to make! Sorry, you're dealing with someone who easily gets distracted. You're lucky a moth hasn't flown by, or else I would've gotten onto a high speed rant about moths instead of this story I wanted to tell.

Well! You're probably wondering, 'What's the importance of telling us about Jamie Bennett and the kids and their stories of weird Guardians?' Well, that's exactly why you're here.

One day, Angel brought Jamie and Sophie over to my apartment because her apartment was too cluttered for kids. Luckily, that was the day my boss sent home a bunch of toys from the daycare to be cleaned. Sophie immediately took a liking to the giant set of mushy building blocks, especially squashing them between her hands. Jamie happily sat on my couch and watched Spongebob Squarepants as Angel and I talked in the kitchen about her work and how her week has been going.

"Honestly, it's been a little strange." Angel shook her head, folding her arms over her chest.

"You always say that when you babysit the Bennetts." I said, stuffing another sugar cookie in my mouth. Angel slapped my hand away when I reached for the jar again, and I mewled at the stinging pain.

"I'm serious! Jamie said he saw Pitch Black near his house when he and his mom were coming back from his uncle's birthday party. What do you think of that?"

"Cosplay." I grinned, wiping my lower lip.

"Fanty! I'm serious! Someone's lurking in Burgess, and Jamie's not the only one getting fidgety." Angel sat down and stared at me seriously.

I thought for a moment, trying to recollect whatever could possibly relate to this. Finally, I snapped my fingers and pointed to her. "You know Jamie's friend Pippa, right?"

"Yeah. She came over to play one time while I was babysitting, along with some kid named Monty." Angel broke a cookie in half and took a bite.

"Pippa and her mother came over to the daycare once to drop off some donations, and Pippa told me about this shady guy she saw in her friend's closet when she was over at some sleepover. I think they stayed up watching High School Musical for too long," I shuddered, "Yick...Zac Efron and Sharpay gives me the willies."

"Fanty."

"Don't worry, buddy!" I patted her hand, smiling brightly, "I have an idea to see if this is all true."

I stood up and did a somersault over to Sophie, who squealed and giggled at my silliness. I ended up sitting on my bottom, right in front of her. I grinned, liking Sophie's bountiful happiness. She handed me a blue block, and I gratefully took it and placed it on her head.

"Fanty, no! Tip top!" Sophie giggled, standing up and waddling over to me for a hug.

I smiled as I hugged her, and started to laugh as she put the soft blue block on my head as well. I shook my head like a dog, and then turned to Jamie. He boredly turned the TV off and turned towards me with a shy smile.

"So! Angel told me you saw some fella named Pitch Black." I said, balancing Sophie on my leg in a side hug.

Jamie perked up at that name, and then crawled over to me as if he were to tell a secret to me. I heard Angel come over and sit next to me, taking Sophie's fairy wings near her discarded sneakers and flapping them playfully near her. She giggled and turned her back with her arms out, and Angel slipped the wings on. One of the wings fwapped me on the cheek, and I spluttered at the contact, making Jamie snicker.

"Yeah! He's the Boogeyman. Why do you wanna know about him?" Jamie crossed his legs in an Indian position as he sat on the couch, staring down at us girls.

"I was thinking we'd have a little bit of a joke on him." I grinned at Jamie, whose eyes widened with astonishment at the idea.

"Are you kidding!? Jamie exclaimed, a wild smile growing across his face, "That would be hilarious!" but then his face fell, pondering about something that made me slightly worried. "He may get angry, though."

"So what?! I can take him!" I grinned, and held up my fists in a fighting stance.

Angel rolled her eyes with a grin as I punched at the air, and Sophie made a grab for my hands, trying to stop my quick motion. She got up and ran over to the tower, making sure I wouldn't knock it over. I grinned and put my arms down, glad Jamie got my point.

"Jamie, tell Fanty what he looks like." Angel said, tucking her legs underneath her.

Jamie got on his knees and held up his hands to a good measurable length. "His hands are kind of big, like a man's, but his fingers are skinny and kind of long. His skin is grey, and he wears a black robe thing."

"Wow. What a fashionista." I snickered, already finding this description hilarious.

"He's got black hair that goes up in the air like this," he made a wave like motion up in the air and then continued, "he's got goldish-silver eyes and he's super tall. He runs really fast, and he appears by shadows and such."

"So what time do you expect we take action?" I looked at Angel in case she had any ideas.

"I think midnight would be cool. Like in those stories!" Jamie grinned eagerly.

"Cool beans," I grinned in response, then became serious, "Okay! Here's the plan!"

I whipped out a large piece of paper that looked like a scroll, and a stick of charcoal. Angel gave me a look of confusion and asked, "Where the heck did you get those that quick?"

"I keep stashes of paper and some sort of writing tool around this place in case I come up with ideas if I'm not near the computer or I don't have my sketchbook with me," I said, drawing the layout of my apartment floor plan. I suddenly snapped my fingers, gaining everyone's attention, "That reminds me! I need to restock the paper under the coffee machine and above the microwave. Most of my ideas come from food."

"That I know." Angel laughed, and Jamie and Sophie joined in unison.

"Alright! Listen up, cadets!" I said like an army sarge.

"Cadets! Cadets!" Sophie clapped her hands, liking that word.

I drew a dot right in the room where I slept in, and then outlined a rectangular shape around it. "This is where I sleep, and here," I drew another box on the far left of the room, "Is my closet. Most likely, he'll come out of there. There's too many boxes of art supplies under my bed for him to fit in. What we're gonna do is set up a device-"

"Like a booby trap?" Jamie asked, looking up at me for approval.

"Exactly. The floor will be covered with netting, but only the area around the closet will be triggered. Once he steps into this area," I circled the spot near the closet, and looked up at them, smiling, "he'll be ours!"

"Yay!" Jamie cheered, and Sophie clapped happily.

"I think the best person to set that up for you is Mystic," Angel turned towards me, a grin on her face, "she's got knowledge of snares and traps like Katniss Everdeen herself!"

"Who's Katniss Everdeen?" Jamie asked, tilting his head to the side.

"A character from a book and movie. You're too young to watch or read that stuff." Angel waved her hand, as if to cast that question away.

Jamie stuck out his lower lip, but then leaned forward to get a better look at the battle map I created. "What if that one fails?"

"Mystic taught me how to set up a booby trap of a water bucket on the door, so I'll easily set that up. Angel! Call Mystic. We might as well need her now. Do you have netting?" I turned towards my good friend, who whipped out her phone and started punching in her number.

"No, but she does. She's got half a closet full of them. Trust me, I checked." Angel held up her phone to her ear as it started ringing.

"Good!" I evilly rubbed my hands together, cackling maniacally.

Sophie looked at her own hands, and then mine, and started rubbing them together as if she were washing her hands. She giggled at her intimidation of me, and I smiled down at her attempt to look evil.

"Hey! Don't go teaching my sister that sort of evil stuff!" Jamie demanded, playfully wacking me on the forehead.

"Jamie! No hitting!" Angel snapped.

"WASSAHP LIL GAL!?" Mystic's voice sounded at the end of the phone.

That sent Sophie, Jamie and I into hysterics. Angel tried shushing us, but it did no good.

"Mystic? Yeah, we need your help." Angel said, trying to suppress a smile.

I grabbed the phone from her hand and whispered, "It's Operation Booby Trap!"

[imagine-loki]

The Black Bunny

TITLE: The Black Bunny

CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Part One AUTHOR: goddessofmischief ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine if Loki accidentally turned himself into a bunny through some sort of magical mishap, and, not being able to properly care for himself, he kind of awkwardly nibbles on things and writes out what happened with the shreddings. 

RATING: T

NOTES: I could not resist writing this short, yet sweet, story, as I thought the idea of Bunny Loki was downright adorable. Full of fluff, and very silly (compared to the more serious fics I write). Also, it’s just in time for Easter! haha ♥︎ It is loosely based off of the imagine above and there will be two parts, hope you enjoy!

Part One

It was a Monday, and I was running late… again. I hurried to the subway, but I had then discovered that I left my metro card at home and by the time I bought another card, the train that I usually took to get me to work on time was long gone. Today was already not my day.

I lived in a tiny apartment all the way downtown, near Battery Park, and it took me awhile to get to my office in Midtown: my office being the one directly besides the infamous Stark Tower - and yes, my words are dripping with sarcasm. 

Ever since the huge attack on New York, which occurred over a year ago, I was not the biggest fan of the Avengers, despite how they actually saved the city from being blown up, and also prevented a psychotic man from reigning over the entire world. It was only my luck that the company in which I worked for was situated right next to a building that would only attract further trouble and mayhem.

I exited the subway at 42nd street and hastily made my way to my office, passing by Bryant Park and impassively regarding the way in which it began to rain. I let out a sigh as I opened up my umbrella, as it was truly turning out to be a terrible day already. But then, I heard something. My ears perked up at a peculiar noise that I could hear above the footsteps and low murmurs of the morning rush hour crowd. I stopped and looked in the direction of the shrubs that surrounded the park, a large man bumping into me as I did so and calling me out on it: “Must you stop in the middle of the sidewalk, little girl?!” On other days, I would have turned around and not let him get away with ridiculing me, especially in regards to my size, for I had enough of that at work. But my attention was already fixated on the soft whimpers that were emitting from a nearby rose bush that could only be accessed from within the park. I changed my route completely and headed to the nearest stairs that entered into the park, and retraced the distance I had gone to find the approximate bush where I had heard the heart wrenching noises of an animal that was either all alone and frightened in the big city, or injured.

I clicked my tongue lightly and kneeled onto the ground. “Won’t you come out?” I then reached into my bag and took out a container of spinach and other greens, as well as carrots, that I intended to have for lunch. I looked over my shoulder and saw that I caught the attention of various passerby’s, who wore bewildered expressions on their faces. I doubted that they never before witnessed a young girl, kneeling on the muddy ground, talking and holding out a piece of spinach to nobody in particular, on their daily morning commute. But then again, it was New York, and perhaps it had happened before.

But as I was looking away, a small black bunny had come out of the rosebush and hopped over, greedily eating the spinach out of my hands. It wasn’t until I heard the soft sounds of the animal chewing that I turned back around. “Oh, hello there, little fella.” I said with a smile. The black bunny’s bright green eyes blinked and he tilted his head slightly, observing me closely. “Would you like some more? I have carrots too.” To this statement, the bunny nodded. I thought this was rather strange, for it seemed like the bunny had fully understood my words. Instead, I pondered over whether it was a wild rabbit, but this was highly unlikely for Bryant Park. Central Park, on the other hand, was a more plausible source of small, wild animals. It must have gotten away from it’s previous owner and was now all alone in a big city. Poor thing. I fed it more spinach, and some carrots, as it hopped closer to me and sat under my umbrella. Then, unexpectedly, it hopped up into my lap and settled comfortably on top of it. “Oh, b-but you see… I must be going. I have to go to work. I’m already late.” I said. It gazed up at me with a saddened expression that tugged at my heart. Why did I have to be such an animal lover? I sighed and patted the bunny’s head affectionately. “I guess I can call out sick… again.” It then purred in response to my words, and I again had the strange sensation that it fully comprehended what I was saying.

I pulled out my phone and dialed my office, only to be met with a panicky HR woman on the other side of the receiver. I told her that I wouldn’t be able to make it in, but she immediately said that I was the only smart one for not doing so. She urged me to stay home. “Why? I asked, perplexed at her urgency. “They have just announced that the entire city is on lockdown.” She said briskly, hanging up before I could question her more. Strangely enough, right after she said this, deafening alarms began to sound throughout the streets and everyone was now running throughout them, trying to get away from the impending danger - whatever that might be. I picked up the bunny in my arms and hurried back to the subway station, which, to my good fortune, was still running. I just hoped that it wouldn’t break down midway towards my journey back to the southern tip of the city. I was able to catch an express train to South Ferry Station.  I wrapped the bunny underneath my wool coat and held it close to my chest as the subway continued its journey downtown. With a sigh of relief, I got out of the station and hastened to my apartment. Once inside, I set the black bunny down onto the floor and ran to my TV to put on the news. I immediately sat down as a sense of dread overwhelmed me. On the screen was a large picture of a man, smiling wickedly, with silky, raven black hair, a golden horned helmet and otherworldly armor. In his hand was a large glowing scepter. It must have been one of the pictures that had been taken of him in the midst of the battle that he had ensued on New York over a year ago, for a few members of his alien army could be seen behind him, and the entire street was destroyed and filled with rubble. Below his picture read: Loki Laufeyson has escaped from Stark Tower. New York City is now on a citywide lockdown.

I felt something nudging my feet, and I looked down at the curious black bunny. “Well it looks like we may be stuck in this apartment for quite some time, little fella. It’s a good thing I went grocery shopping yesterday - and that I especially stocked up on lettuce, fruits and vegetables for you.” I giggled, even though I was still frightened by the thought of having that madman on the loose again. “I hope we will both be safe.” I whispered as I picked the bunny up and placed it back onto my lap. I had thought that bunnies didn’t like to be touched, but this one didn’t seem to mind. “I should name you! But I am not entirely sure of your gender. You seem to be a male…” I scratched behind its large ears as it studied me, and then I noticed that it was faintly nodding again. “Wait, do you understand me?” It, he, nodded again. I gasped. “Oh my goodness. Well, I guess your previous owner somehow trained you to understand the human language.” After I said this however, I furrowed my brows and bit my lip at how bizarre this actually seemed, but I soon thought nothing more of it. “But back to your name. I think I shall name you… Cornelius. A scholarly name for an intelligent little bunny. What do you think?” The bunny nodded with approval and then jumped playfully into my arms. I chuckled as I cradled him and rubbed his stomach. “I’ve never had a pet before, but I promise I’ll take good care of you. My name is Emma, by the way.” I confided my name to him, solely because of how clever he appeared to be, and that I was glad to have a pet around.

It had continued to rain for the rest of the day, and I was extremely grateful that one of my neighbors down the hall, who owned many different pets, kindly lent me a litter box and hay. She had also given me some advice in regards to caring for rabbits.

“You see, Cornelius, I don’t really have the best of luck with making friends.” I admitted to my new pet while I tucked myself under my floral duvet. I had taken it upon myself to unfold to the bunny all of my troubles, especially those in regards to work. Cornelius seemed attentive, which only served to encourage me to divulge more things about myself. “People find me rather, uh, peculiar. But, I guess I am.” I let out a drowsy laugh. It was already dark outside and I was quite exhausted, so I shut off the lights and said goodnight to the bunny. I wished for nothing more than to fall asleep to the gentle raindrops hitting my windows, but I found that I was restless since the sirens would occasionally come back on in full force. “Ughhh.” I groaned, without opening my eyes. “Curse the Avengers for disrupting my sleep!” I then realized that there was a weight on my neck and chest, that had not been there when I had initially dozed off. I opened my eyes and met the green eyes of Cornelius, which seemed to be the brightest entity of the dimly lit room. He wiggled his nose at me adorably. “Oh, hey, Cornelius.” The bunny answered me with humming noise and began to nibble my neck. I giggled wildly, as this, and his whiskers, delicately tickled my neck. I cuddled him more closely and rubbed his ears. “If only these sirens would stop.” I murmured, as I closed my eyes and desperately tried to drift off to sleep again. “Do you know your ears feel like velvet, little fella?” I whispered, practically asleep.

❧

When I awoke the next morning, I turned on the television in my room and found that the city was still on lockdown. They showed video footage of the Avengers searching through deserted, yet undisturbed, streets. It seemed that no battles had erupted overnight, which made me relieved. So instead, I became concerned about another matter: Cornelius was no longer on my bed, nor in my bedroom. “Cornelius, where have you gone?” I called out, not leaving my bed just yet. Then, rather unexpectedly, the black bunny jumped up into my bed and began hopping wildly about. “You seem quite happy this morning, little fella. What exactly have you been up to?” He came closer and settled down in front of me. He seemed eager about something, and looked in the direction of the door. “I hope you haven’t made a mess out there.” The bunny replied by wiggling its nose before jumping back off my bed and hurrying outside. I followed the small animal uneasily, for I was unsure of what type of trouble I would find. What I did find caused me to gasp loudly. Scattered about my kitchen floor was all bits of yesterday’s Times, which had been carefully laid out to read: “MORNING, EM” “What in the world…?” I whispered in awe, before turning to the bunny who sat besides his creation rather proudly. I raised a brow quizzically. “Who exactly was your past owner?”

After breakfast, and after I assembled the shreds of paper into a small pile so Cornelius would be able to reuse them, I became incredibly bored. Cornelius sat on my lap as we watched the news, only to hear the same story over and over again: Loki Laufeyson was still on the loose and that it was still unsafe to venture outside. They continuously would either show images of city streets with policemen scattered about, helicopter footage from above the city, or various images of the criminal himself, which made me cringe. “Any suggestions to what we could do, little fella?” I turned to the observant bunny at my side. He nodded before bouncing off into my bedroom. I ran to follow him, but he had disappeared from my sight completely.”Do you want to play hide and seek?” I perceived a low purring from below and found that Cornelius had sprung into a chest, which was filled with small teddy bear outfits that belonged to my older brother’s 4 year old daughter Margaret. I kept them here for when she came to visit me, which was regularly. “Oh, would you like to play dress up then?” Cornelius answered this by digging deeper into the chest and pulling out on costume in particular: a mini sailor uniform. “Guess you’d like to start off with that one, huh?” Cornelius nodded quite vigorously and I chuckled at how this situation was becoming even more bizarre.

I proceeded to dress up Cornelius in different costumes, such as a doctor, policeman, firefighter and even a tuxedo Mickey Mouse costume (which he especially liked). The bunny, however, would not touch the Captain America nor Hulk costume that was mixed into the bin and every time I held them up to try to persuade him, Cornelius would growl at me. I hadn’t even been sure that rabbits could make such sounds of disapproval… “Alright, alright. I guess we both aren’t overly fond of the Avengers.”

He ended up wanting to try on most of the outfits in the bin, and each time he had on a new costume, I would take a picture with my phone. And the weird thing was that Cornelius would seem to pose for me. Given that I had nothing better to do, as I was confined to my apartment, I actually relished in this childish activity. Once we were done, the small bunny insisted on keeping a green ribbon, from one of the costumes, tied into a bow around his neck. I had over thirty pictures of Cornelius now and looked through them while exclaiming how adorable he looked. An appealing idea came to mind, and I laughed out loud over how silly it was for a woman at age twenty-one to even concoct such a thought. “Oh, Cornelius,” I said in between laughing. “I think you’re going to be Insta-famous!”