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the-marvel-imagines-blog · 5 years ago

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Madness | Chpt. 29

Chapter Title: “Only Forever”

Pairing: Loki x Original Female Character (Eva)

Word Count: 7,554

Warnings: Fluff, angst (what else is new?), soft Steve

Name Pronunciations: Hjalmar: “He-all-mar” | Aaldir: “All-deer” | Ephinea: “Eh-fin-ee-uh”

Summary: After Ezra’s departure, Eva is confronted by Steve with a bouquet of flowers and a letter.

A/N: Thank you all so much for being patient. My mood has lifted in recent days, and I decided that it was finally time to post an update to my favorite piece that I’ve ever worked on. It may not seem like much, but this chapter meant a lot to me. Thank you all a thousand times over for reading this; it truly means the world to me.

Tagged: @teddyboobear @alledeglyfunny @xletmetaste-yoursmilex @itsknife2meetu @mynameisyara @j-j-ehlby-writes @jillilama-blog (anyone who wants to be tagged can message me and ask. It’s not a problem at all)

After Ezra’s departure, I had time to think about what was to come. My time on Midgard was coming to an end, and I wished to leave as soon as possible. At one point, I had a nearly nonexistent desire to return to Asgard, for my role as a leader was being questioned by the Allfather. With time, though, I knew the danger that was quickly closing in on my home. No matter how badly I wished to live in peace, I couldn’t bring myself to do so while there was war raging on throughout the universe. In the silence, I made a silent promise to myself that this would be my final night on Midgard before I left the following morning. I would say no formal farewells to my companions, for if I watched the sorrow build in their eyes, my fear was that I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to leave. They knew that my return to Asgard was inevitable, but my date of departure wasn’t set in stone, or so they thought.

I thought of the life I could create with my children and Loki once the threat from Cul was eliminated. A seed of hope was planted as I imagined all that would follow this war should Loki and I live through it together. We would marry and have as many children as we desired. He would meet his daughter, and he would be there for the birth of our next child and every single one that followed. I yearned to return partly to hold him close and divulge the information that Tony had figured out in only a handful of interactions. Gods, I should’ve known better than to think that I could hide anything from that man. Even Ezra was aware of my “condition,” which made me even more fearful for the life of my unborn child. If he knew, it wasn’t too hard to believe that Cul would also know.

Just as my thoughts began taking a darker turn, my hands trembling just as violently as my knees-like leaves in the wind-there was a knock on my bedroom door. I wrung my hands, calming my nerves as I turned to face the door, “come in,” I called out, my voice quivering as my fear remained on the surface.

The door opened just wide enough for Steve to slip his massive frame into the room. The sight of him took my breath away. He looked stunning. He was dressed in an eerily similar outfit as the one he had worn on the night we met. Deep brown trousers were held up by a pair of matching suspenders with vertical gold stripes that matched the color of his hair. His white button up dress shirt was well pressed, and his brown and gold striped tie. In his hands, he held a record and a bouquet of daisies, flowers I watched him draw during the war from time to time. He would sit alone, and I would lower the veil over his eyes as I sat beside him, not wanting to bring him any ounce of confusion or fear. He drew the flowers over and over again, and I was left in awe as I watched him. I furrowed my eyebrows, but before I could ask what he was doing, he answered for me, “Tony tells me that you plan on leaving soon, so...I gotta take my chance,” he said, giving me that familiar coy smile. He was still the same man I met at the expo all those years ago. He was still the shy, innocent, marvelous young man that earned a place in my heart the moment our eyes met.

I gazed down at myself, feeling underdressed in one of the many day dresses Natasha pressured me into buying the day Tony gave her his credit card to take both Aurora and I shopping. Aurora grew out of her clothes quickly, but I could sense that her growth was coming to a gradual halt. A few too many of the clerks at the various stores we went to had commented that Aurora and I looked so much alike, causing me to wince at their words. Natasha played it off and laughed about how it was just “phenomenal genes” to keep them from assuming any further into our relationship. With Tony’s credit card, Natasha pressured me into picking out more and more clothes until I had an entire wardrobe, even though I insisted on leaving as soon as possible. She claimed that even if I left before wearing them all, I’d have them for when I returned, not willing to think any differently. Natasha had lost enough, and it would be unfair for me to ask her to willingly lose me as well. As I stared down at the dress that reached my knees, a soft green that Nat claimed made my eyes look “even more stunning than usual,” I clasped my hands in front of my waist. There was a bashfulness that I was filled with as Steve’s eyes drank me in, “I’m definitely underdressed for the occasion,” I claimed, our eyes meeting and dancing with that familiar friendliness.

He grinned, “you’re even more breathtaking than yesterday, and you’ll be even more beautiful tomorrow than you are today. You could wear a paper bag, and I’d still be the one who’s underdressed,” he joked, his eyes still sparkling the same way they did when we first met. He knew war just as I had, but it didn’t break his spirit. The man he used to be, the fighter with a youthful spirit, was still alive inside him. That same boyishness got the best of him when his eyes reconnected with mine after he seemingly studied every piece of me. He cleared his throat with a deep blush rising to his cheeks, “I got these for you,” he stammered, closing the space between us in a few graceful strides as he held out the bouquet of daisies. His eyes flickered away from mine, and I was reminded of the shy boy I met all those years ago.

I reached out for the flowers, our hands brushing against each other when I gripped the stems. I brought them up to my nose, breathing in the sweet smell of them. Admiring them, I spoke, not thinking of the impact my words would have, “you used to draw these in your notebooks at night,” I murmured, my fingers trailing delicately over the smooth white petals. Steve’s breath hitched, and there was a stunned silence that fell between us. I would have to explain that to him. I glanced up at him, “I used to sit right beside you in your isolation, and I’d watch you draw these all day. You’d draw them in vases, growing wildly, in the hands of a woman-”

He cut me off, “they were yours,” he interjected, his eyes searching mine for any ounce of disgust or shock. I knew that there was a love between the two of us that was more than just platonic, that he felt things for me that I couldn’t bring myself to feel for anyone else but Loki, and the man who stood before me was never upset with me over that. He found none of the disgust he feared, but I watched my eyes fill with surprise as his response sunk in. Steve continued, “daisies symbolize purity and innocence...love. Not a day went by that I didn’t think of you. I’d go to sleep and dream about you-the most incredible woman I’d ever met in all my life. You were more than just your outer beauty, and I knew that the moment we shook hands the night of the expo. No other woman even gave me the time of day, brushing me off like I was a pest, but you looked me in the eyes and treated me like I mattered. You were at the forefront of my mind every single day after that, and you embodied exactly what the daisies symbolized: purity, innocence, and love. I always dreamed of coming back from the war, finding you, and giving you a bouquet of daisies. You were the purest thought I had during the war, so I drew the daisies as I daydreamed of you...the girl I should’ve danced with when I had the chance. With that said, I have a chance now, so I was wondering if you would care to dance with me?” he asked with hope-filled eyes.

I smiled up at him as he waited for my answer with bated breath. He looked at me with the same anticipation as Loki did when he asked me to marry him. Both men had entertained the scenario that I would deny them of their proposition, but they both should’ve known me better, “I may step on your toes,” I murmured, recalling the words he once said to me.

Those blue eyes lit up with pure joy, “well, as long as I can step on your toes a few times, we’ll make a great pair,” he echoed the same words I used all those years ago. Stepping away from me, he walked over to the record player in the room; Tony had them littered throughout the tower, vastly preferring the sound of records over anything else. He had an old soul like his father. I placed the bouquet of daisies on the nightstand, “I heard this song the night of the expo after we parted ways, and it’s been my favorite song ever since. This record was the first thing I bought after they...defrosted me. It was my touchstone to the past where I thought I left you, and I mourned you every night after they brought me back to the world. I thought I’d never see you again, so I listened to this song and cried, thinking of how stupid I was to pass up the opportunity to dance with you.”

The music began, and he turned to look at me. We closed the space between us, but once we stood before each other, the confidence he had only seconds prior seemed to disappear as the bashful young man returned to him. He chewed on the inside of his cheek, gazing down at me behind those long lashes. I stepped closer to him, pressing my body against his and snapping him out of the trance he seemed to fall into. His right arm snaked around my waist, and he held my right hand with his left one, pressing it to his chest, covering it with his own. My left hand rested delicately against his arm, “dance with me like it’s the last time,” I pleaded, gazing up into his eyes as I lost myself in the sheer love I felt for him. My future was uncertain, and it could very well be our first, last, and only dance.

He smirked, “well, if this is the last time I’ll ever hold you, you should know that I’m never letting you go,” he murmured as we began to sway back and forth to the gentle melody. The lyrics carried a great weight for Steve, and with every new verse, his arm tightened around me. He mourned me more than once before, and he was terrified of ever having to go through that again. He rested his head against mine, and I listened intently to the gentle humming that was born deep in his chest. Midway through the song, he sung the lyrics that clearly held a deeper meaning to him than I realized, “do you think I’ll remember how you look when you smile? Only forever-that’s putting it mild,” he sang, his voice becoming thick with tears. I did the only thing that felt right in the moment, and I pulled myself even closer to him, our bodies flush against the other. I rested my head on his shoulder, breathing in the sweet smell of him. He buried his face in my hair, and we danced through the remainder of the song in complete silence as I drank in every lyric because it was his way of professing his love to me.

His hold on me tightened as our song came to an end and the next one began. The sudden lift in the tempo didn’t stop the slow swaying of our bodies. He didn’t pick up the pace, and neither did I. It was as if he wasn’t even listening to the music anymore, but instead, he listened to me the way I listened to him. I listened to the sound of him shifting his weight from side to side, his steady breathing, the slow rhythm of his heartbeat, and the sound that occurred when my fingers danced along his shirt. We lost ourselves in the moment and each other. I was brought back to a simpler time when I was in his arms, a time when Loki and I loved without boundaries and restrictions. Steve brought me back to simplicity, and I found myself able to enjoy the little moments of silence once more. I loved the noise-the constant sound of life-but there was a beauty in the silence that I had forgotten about until that moment in his strong arms. After two songs of the two of us swaying back and forth, casting wordless glances at one another, I finally spoke, “you’re missing the jacket,” I noted, remembering the one article of clothing he was wearing the night we met that he wasn’t wearing when he entered my room to ask me to dance.

He snickered, “it was a tragedy that I wore that thing in the first place,” he joked, burying his face into my hair before he kissed the top of my head.

I pulled back just enough to catch the blue eyes that warmed my very soul. He was deeper than others witnessed. They saw the tip of the iceberg, not the fullness of it that rested beneath the surface of the water. I saw through the blue eyes that were flecked with green and bits of gold, and I saw right into that remarkable soul. So many people saw the hero but failed to see the man; they failed to see that the hero was the man, that the two were interchangeable. I smiled up at him, which caused that adoring grin to tug at his own lips, “you were a very handsome young man back in the 40’s, Captain, and you’re still just as handsome. Not a single thing changed in my mind. You got taller, and you grew into the clothes, but you’re still the same hopeless romantic, honorable, selfless, spectacular man. Don’t sell yourself short. The jacket looked good on you,” I replied, stroking the back of his neck with my left hand.

“The jacket was what sold you on me, huh?” he laughed, the room brightening around us even as the night drew nearer. It was the last night, and it could potentially be the final hours I would spend with some of the people I loved so dearly. The laughter fell away, and he cleared his throat. I furrowed my eyebrows, wondering what happened to turn the moment into such a solemn one, but I couldn’t speak when I caught the tears in his eyes. My heart began to ache as he spoke, “I dressed this way because...I can’t have that night back. That was the last night of love and laughter...the last carefree night I had in my life, and I took it for granted. I took you for granted. I wanted to keep just one piece of it alive because the only other thing that stayed the same was you. We aren’t hearing the music live, and you don’t have on that stunning blue dress, and Howard isn’t jumping off of a stage to get your attention, and Loki’s not standing beside you with his pinky brushing yours every few minutes, and...Bucky-” his voice faltered as one single tear betrayed him. The second it fell, he reached up to wipe it away, but I was faster. My fingers brushed the tear from his cheek, and I cradled his face in my hand, waiting for another one to fall. His bottom lip quivered, but he pressed through to finish what he started...he always finished what he started, “Bucky isn’t looking at you like you’re the only woman in the world-like you’re the only person he’s ever even seen-even though he brought two pretty girls with him that night. Howard isn’t here, Loki isn’t here, and Bucky isn’t here, so I had to do everything in my power to trick myself into thinking that we were hurled back in time to when things were simpler, better, happier,” he explained, swallowing back his emotions.

I stopped swaying with him, and he followed suit, his body coming to a halt in my arms. My hands cupped his cheeks, our eyes melting into each others like the ocean meeting the land. Pushing myself up, I pressed a kiss to his forehead, lingering there for a long moment as the bittersweetness he felt poured into me, our two souls bleeding into one just like it had so long ago. We felt the sorrow and the joy together. He leaned into me, his right arm pulling me flush against his strong body. Pulling my lips from his forehead, I pressed my forehead to his, drinking in the way it felt to have someone hold me the way he did. Loki held me like I was his love from the beginning of time; the way he held me was familiar and filled with beautiful sentiments. Steve held me like every moment was our very first moment, like he was falling in love with me for the first time every second he held me, but I couldn’t love him the way he deserved. His nose brushed against mine, causing a sad smile to flicker across my lips.

I leaned back once more to gaze up into his eyes, “you’re right, Steve. Bucky and Howard aren’t here. Loki isn’t here. You and I, though...we are here,” I reminded him, knowing that he was still living in the past-something I did far too often. The world around us became heavier and heavier with each passing day, and there were moments in our history that were filled with the warmth of love we wished to drown ourselves in, warmth that didn’t exist in our present. Still, there was goodness in each moment, little specks of light in even the darkest night, moments of peace in the chaos, moments of joy in the misery. I continued to stroke his cheek as he leaned into my touch, “I don’t like dating myself, but...I’ve been alive for a long time-over a thousand years-and losing people, especially people you love so dearly, never gets easier. You dressed like this to bring back that night when there were three other people with us who aren’t here anymore. One of which, you may see again someday, but Howard and Bucky…” my voice broke, and I knew that I couldn’t continue down that path without breaking down into a mess of tears, “the point is that we can’t find our only happiness in the past, Steve...that’s no way to live. Neither of those men would’ve wished that on us, especially not on you,” I murmured, clearing my throat to hold back the tears that threatened to fall the moment my voice broke. In a desperate attempt to lighten the mood, one of my most endearing memories of Howard surfaced, and I let out a laugh that seemed to come from nowhere, “you know, Howard asked me to marry him that night. After Bucky left, Howard and I danced, and he asked me to leave Loki to marry him instead. He told me that he’d buy me the biggest, most beautiful ring in all of New York, and we’d have the most lavish wedding. Gods, I can remember it like it was yesterday.”

“I would’ve gone dancing just to see that!” he exclaimed before the two of us lost ourselves in a fit of giggles, remembering the man we both harbored such a great love for. Steve wasn’t around to see Howard’s downfall, but I was. Still, I had a deep love for the man. As our laughter died down, another song began, and Steve began swaying once more, pulling me back into the movements with him. We fell into a perfect rhythm with one another, continuing to snicker at Howard’s lack of subtlety when it came to his feelings for me. He was bold, but he was normally much more charismatic and smooth. With me, he was upfront about his intentions, and he was a man of spontaneity at one point in his life. Once the laughter died away completely, Steve’s voice pulled at the one loose end I didn’t want to talk about, the string that was attached to the one person I could no longer imagine a single day without. I kept hearing her, and I felt her presence day in and day out. It was making it impossible to even consider leaving without her, but I had to, “she wants to get close to you, Eva. I know you don’t want to believe it, but she does,” he spoke, his voice wavering as he brought up the subject that I so diligently fled from.

I shook my head, “I won’t let her,” I murmured, my heart aching at the very idea of letting her close enough to tear down the wall I built up between us. I worked so hard to keep her at a distance, knowing that the safest place for her was as far away from me as she could get. Then, I was swept right back into her love like I never left in the first place, which made me realize that I was still just a scared little girl, afraid to lose the people I loved. She was the most important person in my story, even if I had to make her a background character to keep her alive until the end.

“Why not?” he asked, his voice suddenly filled with conviction, “I mean, I know that this is killing you, and it’s killing her, too. She’s intrigued by you. She knows there’s something different between the two of you,” he explained, pulling away just enough to gaze down into my watery eyes. Speaking about her was almost as hard as looking at her. Knowing that I introduced a light into the universe and then abandoned her-the wish and dream I hoped for every day and night for as long as I could remember-made me sick to my stomach. I was no good for her. I abandoned her like I had been abandoned. I knew the pain of not knowing and the confusion that came with trying to figure out the solution to a puzzle that was missing too many pieces. I put my own child through that, and that made me a monster. Steve continued through the lump in his throat that formed the moment he saw the tears in my eyes, “the day we got here, she caught a glimpse of your face, and that was enough for her. That girl slept on the floor outside your room every single night because every time she tried to come in, she was given a reason not to. I caught her in here with you one day, holding your hand and just watching you as you slept, like she was sitting vigil at the bedside of her closest friend...her mother. You didn’t get to see it, but I did. I saw love in its truest form when I watched her with you. All she wants is to know where she belongs, and she’s being pulled to you by fate, just like I am. If you opened up to her and let her in, if you gave her back the knowledge of who you are-who she is-there’s nothing to be gained from this but happiness and love. You’re worthy of those things, Eva. You may not believe it, but you are.”

“You wouldn’t care for me if you knew where I came from,” I murmured, my voice low with shame as I thought of the darkness my life was born from. It was only a matter of time before I found my way back to that darkness, and I couldn’t pull the people I loved there with me, “you’d probably hate me,” I forced a laugh that was cut short when my eyes filled to the brim with tears. One lone tear broke away from the whole and streamed down my cheek, but it wasn’t quick enough because before it could make it to my chin, Steve’s delicate fingers swept it away before resuming its place covering my hand that rested on his chest.

“I don’t think I would,” he argued, shaking his head as he dismissed the very idea that he could ever bring himself to hate me. I didn’t know why it seemed so unfathomable to him, though. I hated myself since before I could even remember, hated the very essence of who I was because how could I love myself when the people who were meant to love me couldn’t even bring themselves to do that? I hated myself even after I learned that my mother’s decision to give me up wasn’t born of disdain but for a fear of what would come of my future if I was close to her. I hated myself because even after finding out where I came from, what I was meant to be, I realized that I was the embodiment of every childhood fear I ever had. Unlike Hjalmar, I wasn’t afraid of the dark as a child, and that always confused my father; however, it made sense to me when I discovered who I was. I wasn’t afraid of the darkness because I was the darkness-I was born in it, lived it, felt it. I was afraid of death, and I became the embodiment of that, the offspring of death and destruction. That was my beginning, and I used that knowledge to fuel my self-loathe. Steve couldn’t see it, though. He loved with no logic or reason...and I saw it written all over his face that day. I heard it in his words, “we don’t have the liberty of choosing our beginnings.”

Smiling at the purity of his words, I shook my head, dismissing them the same way he dismissed my insistence that he would hate me. He would understand someday, and if he didn’t understand, I would make him understand, “Odin doesn’t see it that way. I’m a threat to the whole of Asgard. He knows who my parents are, and he never had any great love for Loki. Odin treated me like I was a castaway in Asgard all my life until I made a name for myself and pledged to fight for the throne. The first time I received any acknowledgement as an Asgardian was when I promised him my blood and life. I wanted to prove myself, but Odin continued to harbor resentment toward me, a resentment I never understood until recently,” I noted, my voice falling low once more as the image of her flashed before my eyes. It seemed like only yesterday, she was this tiny infant in my arms, a little life that I brought into the world with eyes that matched mine and hair that was identical to her father’s. She was perfect. She was everything I always dreamed I could be and more. She was my dream-the dawn of my new life. My bottom lip quivered, “Aurora is the product of two of the beings Odin fears the most. She was born of my blood, which is the same blood that runs through the veins of one of the most powerful and dangerous Asgardian Gods in history and Death herself. All this time I thought that I could somehow make our realm safer for her by rehabilitating Loki, but...I am the reason why she’ll never be safe.”

Steve didn’t even bat an eyelash at the revelation that I was the daughter of Death, that the very entity that embodied darkness and mortality was the very being that brought me into existence. There wasn’t even a fleeting look of fear in his eyes. He was the first person I told, the first of my loved ones who I trusted with my parentage, and he didn’t even pay it any mind. It was the same reaction he would’ve had if I told him that my favorite color was blue. All he did was smile down at me, determination clear in those crystal eyes, “then come back,” he insisted, his voice filled with hope that I would agree to the idea that he was about to lay out for me, “I have some free space in the apartment, and you can stay as long as you want. You told me that you managed to free Loki once already, so do it again and bring him here. He may have a difficult time getting people to warm up to him after...everything that happened, but we all just want to see you happy. I know him from before. I know the man he used to be, and if you say that he’s returned to that person-if you say that he’s even half the man he once was-I’d be glad to call him a friend again. You’re the glue that holds this team together, Eva. There’s so much love here for you, and there’s more than enough to spread that to Loki, too.”

Tears of joy streamed down my cheeks as I felt the warmth of Steve’s loyalty to me. It was the kind of warmth that pierced right through the surface of my skin and spread the comfort right into my bones. He brushed away the tears as I smiled up at him. The mere idea that I could piece my family back together-the idea that so many people were willing to help me accomplish that-was overwhelming. It dawned on me that it was the perfect moment to tell Steve. The tears dried, and I tried to fight back a grin, “you say that there’s more than enough love to spread to Loki, but...what about someone else?” I asked, hinting to the secret that only Tony knew about. The process was happening just as fast as before, and it wouldn’t be long until my secret was visible.

“Absolutely!” he exclaimed, his eyes bright with excitement, “Tony told us about Harley and Kaia when he was giving his full recollection of what happened. They’re more than welcome to come with you if you decide to come and stay with me. They belong wherever you are. Aurora has her own room right now, but she’d have no problem sharing her space. She barely even sleeps in there anyway. I usually find her on the floor by one of the windows in the middle of the night,” he added as the small piece of information hit my heart like a train. I had my theories as to why she did that, but I needed to hear it from her.

Not wanting to give Steve another reason to worry about me, I proceeded, a glimmer of excitement amongst the overwhelming fear, “no...I mean...what about one more?”

“Your father?” he asked, still not getting the hint. I felt like I’d have to all but shout it at him for him to realize what I was insinuating, but before I could hint at it again, he continued, a fond smile on his face at the thought of my father, “Aaldir was here for as long as he could before he had to go back to Asgard, but he and I got along really well, actually. Tony might have the most amount of space, but I can make a good argument as to why you should stay with me. My apartment might be a tight fit, especially with three Asgardians, two children, and myself, but the more the merrier. Your father is more than welcome to come along. I sleep on the couch most nights anyway.” I laughed at his obliviousness and silently hoped that he would never change. The world was unkind to him all his life, but he maintained that boyish innocence through it all. “I’m glad to make any renovations you’d need, too. I’m handy with tools,” he added, hoping it would sway me in the right direction. The man was willing to do absolutely anything for me.

I let out a long breath, one I didn’t know I had been holding until my chest fell. The weight slipped from my shoulders the moment our eyes met, “what about a nursery?”

His eyes brightened with life, and he pulled away even more as those twinkling blue eyes flickered between me and my loosely covered abdomen. The purest smile plastered itself on his face, “wait...you...are you pregnant?” he asked, struggling to find the right words, unsure of how he should ask.

His pure joy at the mere idea that I was with child caused my heart to swell with love. Too emotional to speak, I simply nodded my head, biting my bottom lip to suppress the smile. The fear of the future bled away as Steve’s excitement took hold of me. He threw his arms around my waist. The warmth of his life essence encircled mine and surrounded it with the love and care I was in desperate need of. No matter how much bloodshed I had caused or how much I had seen-no matter how many battlefields I stood upon-there were times when I needed someone to hold me and times when I needed to feel protected. As I buried my face into his shoulder, my grin became even wider, “all I know is that the situation in Asgard needs to be resolved before this child is born, and then I’ll be free to commit treason and bring Loki here. Then, I can finally have my family the way I always dreamed of: together.”

I felt the sudden change within him, which caused me to pull away just enough to see that the joyous smile was evicted from its home on his lips, and it was replaced by a tight frown. The idea of me riding into a war that could potentially claim my life was upsetting for him, and I knew because the tables turned between us, “if you need help, you always know that this...strange and dysfunctional family is here for you. We would bleed for you, Eva. Never forget that.”

The mere thought of them taking on Cul and Ezra caused a wave of fear to crash into me, nearly causing my knees to buckle. A chill rolled through me. I knew that they would fight and bleed for me, that they would die for me, but I wouldn’t let them. I refused to risk the lives of my people even if it was for the greater good, “Cul and Ezra are my problems, and-”

He cut me off, his voice strong and stern, “and you’re ours! You came down to Earth during some of our greatest times of need, and you risked your life to protect us. We’re willing to do the same for you. I’m willing to be thrown into space if it means I can help keep two-three-” he gestured down to my abdomen, “-of my favorite people safe and reunite my other favorite person with her family,” he added, smiling at the mere mention of Aurora.

“You’re so good, Steve Rogers-far too good for this world and all you’ve been through,” I noted, resting my head back onto his shoulder as our swaying picked back up again.

“I could say the same about you,” he smiled, his heart rate slowing back down as he pushed the idea of the future away from us, trying desperately to focus on the present. Every so often, his heart would speed up and skip a beat, and I wondered if it was because he caught himself thinking about the future and all the unknowns that came with it. After a few long moments of silence between us, he laughed, “I guess we're both a bit lucky that our dance took this long to come about. My clothes fit much better, and I’m a little less clumsy.”

I smirked, gazing up into his eyes, “but you’re still the same man you were all those years ago, and I wouldn’t change that for the world.”

“I haven’t changed much, but I can finally manage myself around you, which is probably the biggest change aside from the fact that I’m taller than you now,” he teased me, taking pride in the handful of inches that he stood above me.

“You seemed to do well back then,” I noted as the fingers of my left hand began stroking the back of his neck. Occasionally, they would rake through his soft golden locks, but his hair wasn’t long enough for my fingers to lose themselves-not the same way they did in Loki’s wild raven hair. For a moment, I wondered what Steve would look like with the long hair that so many Asgardian men donned, and the thought of it made my cheeks flush with color.

Even though he couldn’t possibly know what I was thinking, I watched as blood rushed to Steve’s cheeks the same way it did to mine. He fought back a coy smile, trying to hide his blush, but I had already seen it. Knowing that I wouldn’t call attention to it, he cleared his throat and proceeded with the conversation, “you clearly don’t remember it the same way I do. I would’ve stepped on your toes over and over again because I would’ve been hopelessly lost with a woman like you in my arms. I’m still just as lost, but I can mind my feet a little better,” he grinned, clearly not giving himself enough credit. The moment I opened my mouth to argue against his claim, he continued, his face becoming solemn, “I still have the biggest crush on you. I’m not afraid to say it. I’m still madly, hopelessly, irrevocably in love with you, and that will never change. I sit up most nights, and I tell myself that in another life-in another alternate reality-maybe there’s a version of me who is living his happily ever after with you as his wife. He’s the one who got the happy ending with a dog and a handful of kids with you. He had the courage to dance with you that night in 1943, and you fell just as hopelessly in love with him as he was with you. I tell myself that he’s in his own reality, happier than ever because he can grow old beside the woman of his dreams, but this version of me...I’m happy because you’re on your way to being happy, and that is all that matters to me. I know I can’t have you, but you’re the love of my life, Eva, and that’s just how the story goes.”

Our swaying came to another abrupt halt as his words began to sink in. I wasn’t taken aback by any of them, but what I was taken aback by was his willingness to tell me with so much confidence. He was still the shy man that he used to be, but he spoke his truth with conviction. As I turned his words over and over again in my mind, he took the opportunity to keep speaking, “I have something for you,” he murmured, reaching into his pants pocket. He didn’t give me much time to process what he said previously before he changed the subject, but I knew that I would have plenty of time to think about it later in the night. From his pocket, he pulled out a folded piece of paper. He gazed down at it, clearing away the lump in his throat before he spoke, “Bucky...” he stopped, the mere mention of his late friend bringing about a sadness that left me feeling the hole in my chest once more. The one I couldn’t save. The soldier. Bucky. He pressed on, tears forming in his crystal blue eyes, “he left me two separate letters the day he was shipped out. One was for me, filled with some sentimental words and some words about you. The other...well, he asked that the other be given to you if I ever saw you again. He didn’t care if it was a year down the line or even if it was after he...was gone. I think he knew in his heart that we would find each other again, so...I kept it on me ever since. It’s time that I gave it to its rightful owner.”

He held his hand out. The fragile, worn piece of paper looked like it had been through it all, which it had. Steve kept it on his person, and it showed. In Steve’s hand rested the final words I would have from Bucky. They wouldn’t be the ones filled with fear and sorrow that I heard when I held him in the snow. The words in the snow were fearful, but they quickly bled into ones of amazement and love. He kept claiming that he knew it would be me that he would see in his last moments, that he was right. I didn’t want him to be right. I didn’t want there to be a final moment for him. As I stared down at the letter, I was left in disbelief. He thought of me right before he left. He made sure to write a letter for his best friend and for a girl he only met once, a girl he danced with for a handful of songs, a girl he held for only a fraction of his life. He thought of me enough to write me a letter, almost like he knew that he didn’t want to leave me with the words in the snow with blood all around us. I was unable to speak. I was rendered completely and utterly speechless as I stared down at the folded note. I couldn’t even move it to take it from Steve’s hand.

Sensing my inability to even move, Steve brushed past me and placed the note on my nightstand. I watched him, my eyes wide as I continued to process everything that was happening. All the while, I was also busy trying to shove my last memories of Bucky back into the box that made that loss more manageable, “I know you plan on leaving tomorrow,” Steve blurted out, his back facing me as he positioned the note just so on the nightstand. When he turned to face me, I saw the fear of the unknown in his eyes, but I was just as fearful that someone else knew. How could he know? I didn’t tell anyone or even write it down for anyone to find. Perhaps he could simply feel it, “I know that there’s nothing I can do to stop you, but...you need to come back. I’m telling you that I need you to come back because I’m not finished. I will never be finished. There may be a few chapters of my life without you, but I won’t settle for a story that ends without you still by my side as my best friend, the love of my life, and the woman who would’ve let me step on her toes. I can’t kiss you the way I want to or love you the way I want to or marry you, so...please don’t make me live my life without you, too, Eva. I can’t do that. Don’t ask me to do that,” he begged before a rapid knocking on the door pulled our attention.

Steve called out the invitation to enter the room as I still hadn’t recovered from any of what just happened, but he seemed to be doing fine. I suddenly took notice of everything. Every single one of my senses felt like it was on overdrive. I heard the light squeak of the doorknob as it turned and the way the air caught the door as it opened just enough for Natasha to poke her head into the room. I heard the way she shifted on her feet, and I smelled the sweetness of her delicate perfume from all the way across the room. I was hyper-aware of everything around me. Natasha smiled, adding light to the room that seemed to darken in my sadness. My heart-like Steve’s-skipped a beat as I was brought back to the present, “when you two fossils are done with your love-fest in here, we have a movie night to tend to. The cookies are finally perfected, thanks to yours truly, so I’d better not be the only one eating them!”

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littleshebear · 6 years ago

Note

Zavala x Hawthorne: “I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”

This was only meant to be a drabble but it completely got away from me. 2000 words and a lot of fluff later, here we are. This is the sappiest thing I’ve ever written.

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED.

“Are you serious?” Suraya shakes her head as soon as the words leave her mouth. Of course he’s serious. Zavala is always serious but she’s never seen him look as nervous as he does now. His only answer to her entirely pointless question is to hold her gaze with wide, earnest eyes. His brows creep together slightly, deepening the worry lines on his forehead.

Suraya glances at the falcon perched beside her on the balcony as if for guidance, then clasps her hands together to keep them from shaking. She swallows hard before speaking again. “I didn’t even know Guardians did this, is this a thing for Guardians? This is a thing.”

“This is indeed a…thing for us, yes.” Zavala’s lips twitch into a tiny smile at her anxious babbling. “I would term it a tradition.”

“But-but,” she stammers and takes a shuddering breath, “People might not approve, you’re the Commander and I’m…” She tails off, unsure of exactly how to describe herself in this most nerve wracking of moments. “I mean, they might not like it, they might think it’s a conflict, it could make things difficult with the Consensus, the factions might-”

“I don’t care what anyone else thinks.” His voice is as even and calm as hers is staccato and fearful. “I want this. But only if you do too.”

She nods slowly, then gradually faster as the realisation hits her. “Yes.” Another nod. “Yes. I do.” She breaks into a grin and yanks off her gloves before dropping them unceremoniously to the floor. “Yes.” Her vision blurs with tears as she watches Zavala’s trembling hand remove the Ring of Eternity from the little velvet box perched in his other palm.

“Heavy ammo available.” Shaxx lolls in his chair, cupping his helmeted head in his hand and contemplates designing a medal for “Dullest Crucible Match Ever.” A perverse part of him thinks such dedication to pedestrian combat should be rewarded somehow. He is about to muster the energy to fetch more coffee when Arcite chirps happily at him.

“Communiqué from Commander Zavala, My Lord.”

“What’s he saying?”

“Message reads, She said yes.”

Meanwhile, in the Vostok arena, a warlock is poised to leap. They fudge their jump and careen off the edge of Felwinter Peak after being shocked by Shaxx’s sudden, deafening bellow of triumph.

“This doesn’t make any sense.”

“It’s perfectly straightforward.” Arach Jalaal sighs. “What is it you don’t understand, Executor? We’ve been invited to witness Commander Zavala and Suraya Hawthorne’s wedding. They’ll make vows, people will watch them vow, some may cry, I suggest you bring tissues. Afterwards, there’ll be a celebration, you can bring along a plus one to that. A plus one is a friend, assuming you have any.”

“I understand what a wedding is, you fool,” Hideo hisses. “I just didn’t think Commander Zavala was the marrying type. Certainly not the type to marry someone of her…Character.”

“I fail to see how this could be surprising to anyone,” Lakshmi states in that metallic purr of hers. “The attraction was obvious.”

“Yes, if you have a machine that lets you spy on potential futures, I suppose it isn’t surprising.”

“You don’t need a vex scrying device to see it,” Jalaal says, rolling his eyes. “I knew.”

“How?” Asks Hideo, incredulous.

“Because I have eyes. You’re just blinded by the fact that you can’t imagine a man you admire so much having opinions that differ from your own. That, and your ego still hasn’t healed from that bloody nose she gave you.”

Hideo scowls and does his best to ignore the smoky chuckle Jalaal’s jibe elicited from Lakshmi. “I’m not going,” he states, tossing the invitation on the table for emphasis.

“Do as you please. I’m sure the Acting Head of the Consensus won’t take that as an insult to himself and his bride. No repercussions for New Monarchy, I’m sure.” Lakshmi’s build doesn’t allow her to smirk but the condescension dripping from her words is obvious.

“Fine.” Hideo sighs. “I’ll show my face. But I’m leaving early.”

“Oh, be nice,” chides Jalaal. “Let them have this. Let them have a little fun before the planet blows up.”

Osiris idles in the Infinite Forest, waiting for his echoes to bring him some news of anything that might require his attention but it’s a quiet time. He decides to search for a busier time to stave off the boredom. He cannot believe Ikora cancelled plans to help him build a new simulation. She reneged to help plan a wedding. A wedding. Of all things.

“She’ll be back next week,” Sagira assures him. “You’re just grumpy because you weren’t invited.”

“I am not bothered in the slightest. I have no wish to partake in trivial social niceties. I have far more important things to focus on.”

“Don’t worry,” Sagira continues, unconvinced at his display of disinterest. “I’ll tell you all about it.”

“What?”

“I was invited.”

“You were what!?”

“You seem sad, my dear.”

Ikora glances up from her draft table plan at the sounds of Eva’s gentle inquiry.

“No, I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

“It’s definitely something.” Eva eases herself down into the chair next to Ikora’s. “You’re distracted. Look, you’ve put Shaxx next to Saladin at the High Table.”

Ikora laughs and hastily re-arranges the name tags. “That was remiss of me. It would be entertaining, for certain, but not fair on the happy couple.” Ikora’s smile fades when Eva lays her hand on hers.

“Come on. You can talk to old Eva.”

“It’s just…” She shrugs helplessly. “I keep thinking about where Cayde would sit. He would have loved this.” She allows herself another wan smile, “He was a secret romantic.”

“He would have. He’d be driving Zavala to distraction with completely unworkable ideas by now, I’ve no doubt.” She gives Ikora’s hand a squeeze. “He wouldn’t want everything to stop on his account. So we have to carry on. Do what Cayde would have wanted.”

“Cayde would have sat Shaxx next to Saladin.”

Eva chuckles. “Pick out a place for him. We’ll set a glass of that terrible green goo he used to drink there.”

“Isn’t that a little morbid for a wedding?”

“It’s a mark of respect. I’ll clear it with Suraya and Zavala but I’m sure they’ll appreciate the gesture.” She pats Ikora’s hand before releasing her. “Now,” she leafs through a folder with cloth swatches and decoration ideas. “Zavala gave me his preferences for the decorations colour scheme. I propose we ignore it completely.”

“I concur.”

“I still can’t believe it.” Sloane absently trails her fingers through Amanda’s hair. “I mean, you think you know someone.”

Amanda rearranges herself on the couch to lay her head in Sloane’s lap. She wrinkles her nose in confusion. “Are you mad about it?”

“No, I’m just surprised. I’ve known Zavala a very, very long time and I just assumed he was married to the job. You know?”

“He never does anything by half measures. All or nothin’ with him. It’s great though. I’m real excited. Will you come shopping with me tomorrow? I need to pick out a dress.”

“Sure. I need to buy a suit.”

Amanda sits bolt upright. “A suit?”

“You don’t like that idea?”

“Nah.” She straddles Sloane’s lap and circles her arms around her neck. “I love that idea.”

“Mmm…” Sloane mumbles against Amanda’s lips, “Anything to make my girl happy.”

Amanda breaks the kiss and pulls back to regard Sloane with a wicked smirk. “Anythin’?”

“Uh-huh…” Sloane affirms with more than a little suspicion.

“So you’ll help me catch the bouquet?”

Sloane gives a resigned chuckle. “Commander Zavala, what have you unleashed?”

“Don’t let your fears define you.”

“This is not a battle.”

“But you’re still scared.” Saladin smiles at Zavala. He pats down the lapels on Zavala’s suit before gripping his shoulders. “Don’t be. She’s not going to get cold feet.”

“She can be a little…” Zavala takes a deep breath. “Flighty. At times.”

“Not this time. Everything will go smoothly. Eva and Ikora have everything in hand-”

“They ignored my colour scheme-”

Saladin bites his tongue before he can make a comment about how badly orange and teal clash. “But they’ve done a good job. And I promise I won’t flub my lines.”

“Thank you, for agreeing to officiate. For everything.”

“It’s my honour.” He steps back, giving his former pupil an appraising look. “I still remember you, limping into camp, dressed in tattered furs. Look at you now. You’ve come a long way.”

Zavala laughs softly and looks at his feet. “I still feel like a cold apple seed some days.”

Saladin takes him by the shoulders again and adjusts his posture. Titans should not slouch, especially not on days like today. “It has been a privilege to watch you grow. I wish…” He stops himself at the sight of Zavala’s concerned frown. He does wish Jolder were here to see this. He does wish she could have met Zavala’s intended. Suraya is a spirited woman, Jolder would have approved. He does wish Jolder were here now, fussing over Zavala. He wishes it with all his heart. But he won’t say it. It isn’t right. “I wish you every happiness.”

“I’m not sure about this dress.”

“It’s a little late to change it now.” Marc hunkers down in front of her and takes her hands in his to stop her grabbing fistfuls of fabric. “Relax, you’re creasing your skirt.”

“I’m just not sure it’s me, you know, it has lace. What was I thinking? I don’t wear lace. It’s too fake, he won’t like it.”

“Shhh, darling, you look beautiful. Besides…” He begins running his thumbs back and forth along her knuckles in an attempt to soothe her. “You could walk out there dressed in a burlap sack and he’d still think you were the most beautiful woman in the world. Which you are. That’s just a fact.”

Suraya casts her gaze sideways and nods. “Burlap is definitely more me. Okay!” She tries to stand, “Let’s go with the burlap.”

“Ah ah ah, no,” Marc pushes her gently back down into her seat. “The dress is perfect. You’re perfect. It’s going to be perfect. You loved this dress when you picked it out, never mind what anyone else thinks.”

“I don’t care what anyone else thinks. I care what he thinks. I just…” Marc finds himself having to hold her hands again because she abandons crumpling up her skirt in favour of picking at her nails. “I just want to make him happy. He’s been through so much, he deserves to be happy.”

“You will.”

“What if I’m not good enough?”

“Suraya. Of course you’re good enough, you are more than good enough. This is just nerves, it’s normal. Before I got married, I was beside myself. I was convinced I’d trip over my shoelaces, or get my vows wrong, or that Devrim would run out on me. All of that melted away when I saw him waiting for me at the altar.” He lapses into a wistful, lop-sided smile. “I remember it so clearly. He was tugging at his collar before he realised I’d come in. He never much liked wearing his dress uniform but I’d never seen anyone more handsome. He may as well have been the only person in the entire world in that moment. It’ll be the same for you.”

“Promise?”

“Pinkie swear.” Suraya laughs as she hooks her little finger around his. There’s a light knock on the door and Devrim slips into the room.

“All right, it’s time. Oh…” He stops dead in his tracks, clasps his hands together and raises them to his lips as if in prayer. “Oh, look at you.”

Suraya stands and smooths out her skirt. “Is it okay? Is the lace too much?”

“You look absolutely radian-” He swallows hard and starts dabbing furiously at his eyes. “Sorry…”

“Oh no, Dad, don’t!” Suraya protests, gulping down a lump in her throat. “You’re going to set me off too.”

“I knew this would happen,” Marc sighs as he fishes a couple of handkerchiefs out of his pocket. He hands one to Devrim then sets about very carefully dabbing away Suraya’s tears.

“You look good too,” she tells Devrim with a watery smile.

“Thank you, darling. The collar chafes awfully though.” Devrim runs his finger around his collar while Marc and Suraya exchange an amused, knowing look. “Very well. Are you ready?”

There’s a pause while Suraya exhales a long, slow breath before nodding. She hooks her right arm through Devrim’s and her left through Marc’s. When she steps out into the bazaar and makes her way to the plaza, she’s keenly aware of how many eyes are on her. Normally, she would consider that amount of attention tantamount to torture but today, she could not care less. She beams from ear to ear when she catches sight of Zavala. He stands tall. Proud. He’s smiling more than she’s ever seen before. Marc was right.

#my writing #steelponcho #commander zavala #suraya hawthorne #zavala x hawthorne #here be fluff #so much fluff #ask

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olivia-lovecraft · 6 years ago

Text

Olivia and the People Important to Her

Rules: Try to write at least three answers in each category, but don’t sweat it if you only come up with one. The ‘creator’ refers to you, the mun.

OC: Olivia Lovecraft

Who has influenced them in a good way: “Let’s see, there’s Quin, one of my first true friends. He’s been a remarkable influence on my perception of love, life, and good food. Then there’s Quinaeris, my closest friend. She and I are wicked in all the same ways, making us practically sisters. And, of course, there’s Ranek,” Olivia smiled fondly. “He’s been and done so much. I love him dearly.”

Who has influenced them in a bad way: “Well, as I mentioned, Quinaeris and I are wicked in the same ways. She is a devilishly bad influence, but it is part of her charm. Then, Alice, who is an absolute imp when she wants to be. Finally, on a more serious note, there would be Tristan. I used to call him Helriel, but he’s on a new path now.”

Habits they picked up from other people: “Honestly, I can only blame my bad habits on myself. However, I have picked up a few good habits. As I mentioned earlier, Quin has helped me adjust my perspective of things, so I no longer read overly tragic love stories anymore. Well, at least I don’t read ‘Romulo and Julianne’ so often. Ranek has been a great influence on my health, encouraging me to exercise more regularly and eat better. And although I have not seen her since her fiancé passed away, Sylaera’s rigid posture has encouraged me to stand a bit straighter. I will never achieve her height, but I feel a bit taller.”

Who gave them a valuable lesson: “My mother is owed credit for the first valuable lesson I ever learned, even if I didn’t realize its weight until recently. ‘Between birth and destiny, there’s the path you take,” Olivia sighed after reciting the words. “Tristan was the next person, you could say. His lessons were many and all were valuable. Finally, the Alle is taking up the mantle of teaching me life lessons.”

Whom they have/had major influence on: “Ranek talks about the influence I have had on him, but I really don’t know that it’s all that major. He’s got so much more to him than he knows. I hope to be there when he realizes it.” Olivia took a few seconds, sipping her wine and letting the air clear a bit before speaking the other name. Time and space had to continue to separate the two, even if she was speaking to those who did not know the reason. “Tristan is the only other person who comes to mind. I can only hope the influence of my memory aides him on his new path.”

Who has picked up some of their habits: “Alice tends to mimic my pensive actions, now. Tapping her lips when she thinks and smiling even when she would rather scowl. That is the only person who comes to mind. Perhaps everyone drinks a bit more when I’m around or eats more sweets. I would take credit for that.”

Who would like to be more like them: “Hopefully, no one!” Olivia laughs. [Maybe Temperance Thornton.]

Who got a valuable lesson from them: “Past beau’s have learned what is to love a monster,” Olivia replied with a shrug. “Though, I am sure they would prefer if their names didn’t cross my cursed lips.”

Their character traits they share with their creator: [Strained family relationships (biological), a growing chosen family, and situational touch aversion.]

Their character traits their creator wants to have: [I would love to be as confident in social situations as Olivia.]

Who besides the creator helped to shape them: [Both the muses and muns of Teren, Quinaeris, Subject Ragnar, and Ranek.]

What characters inspired them: [A lot of Olivia’s original inspiration was based upon ‘a wolf in sheep’s clothing.’ Her backstory and the scaffolding of her personality are adapted from a character I played in Rift. Her name was Sicaaria and she was a lovely elf with truly evil streak.

As far as specific characters in popular media, Vanessa Ives, for sure. In fact, Olivia’s face claim is Eva Green, who played the role of Vanessa in ‘Penny Dreadful.’]

Mentions: @subjectragnar , @beautiful-beacon , @ranekvilmas , @alas-ward , @tristan-forester , @allebeithloch , @tempthornton , @marquis-teren-kiden

Tagged by: @kuzi-the-hunturr [Thank you!]

Tagging: Anyone who would like to do this. Seriously! If you do this thing, tag me. I love seeing how other characters have developed!

#prompt

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reivenesque · 7 years ago

Text

A Chriseva Christmas Ficlet V

Twas the day before Christmas and in that moment Eva felt a bit like Eve when she was in the Garden of Eden which is that she was in a shit load of trouble.

Chris was set to arrive in ten minutes and Eva was freaking out.

They were going to dinner; she didn’t know where, she didn’t whether it was just the two of them or they were going with his parents or if it was going to be a group thing. She’d met the basic requirement needed with venturing out of the house into civilization in that she was actually dressed and looked somewhat decent.

She found a dress her mom had bought for her during one of her trips buried under mountain of discarded clothes in the back of her closet. It was still in the box with the tag still on it and everything, but luckily it looked decent and was still wearable. As a matter of fact, Eva thought she looked pretty good in it too.

It was a velvety red thing, with a flare skirt that reached to just below her knees, short capped sleeves and little pale flowers embroidered along the hem. It was too cold to go out in just the dress so Eva managed to dig out a pair of thick black leggings to go with it.

Eva wasn’t the best when it came to make up (she knew it, Chris knew it, her friends knew it and probably the citizens of Oslo all knew it) so she decided to go with just the barest minimum; a brushing of mascara on her lashes, she did her eyebrows a bit and slapped on some gloss on her lips. Her hair she let down in lose waves.

She gave herself a once over in the mirror before she heard the sound of a car pulling into the street in front of her house and the sound of a horn honking. She could feel her heart jump into her throat at the sound.

Chris was there. Chris had arrived. Chris was right outside the door.

Eva grabbed her little purse and coat and hesitantly reached for the little wrapped gift beside it.

Chris was just going to have to settle for the socks cause Eva was out of ideas and the three days she spent angsting about it hadn’t not helped at all.

The knock at the door nearly startled her out of her shoes but luckily they were the strappy one and took some effort to get off. Eva wore then in the very real possibility that she was going to have to run out of the dinner in shame and she didn’t want to have a Cinderella situation where she’d end up trudging home with only one shoe and an intense amount of guilt.

She took a deep breath before she pulled open the door.

Chris was standing on the stoop in crisp, smart suit and he looked so good Eva could do little more than stand there gobsmacked for a solid minute.

“Wow.” Both Eva and Chris breathed the word at the exact same time.

“You look gorgeous, Eva,” said Chris and Eva went from standing there with her mouth slightly open, to standing there with her eyes averted trying not to let Chris see the blush that had slowly but surely creeped onto her cheeks.

“You too, Chris,” she said after a moment. “You look very handsome.”

Chris smiled and Eva nearly melted.

They were having dinner just the two of them at some fancy restaurant Chris had made reservations at and Eva wasn’t sure whether she was relieved or even more terrified at the prospect. But then she’d glance over at Chris and he looked just so damn good and his smile was just so genuine and love when he turned to meet here eyes that bit by bit she could feel the apprehension slipping from her shoulders.

Chris looked as excited and nervous as she felt on the inside and that alone managed to ease the nerves knotting up in Eva’s gut.

The restaurant turned out to be more homely than fancy, though it was one of the most expensive ones in town and one of those that Eva only ever walked by on her way to a snack bar. It wasn’t exactly a place she’d go herself or go with her friends, and her choice in the matter was obviously not without merit cause the moment she walked in (after having been greeted as Mr. and Mrs. Schistad which admittedly gave her pause – though she hadn’t decided whether it was a good kind of pause of a bad kind of pause) and was greeted by the sight of couples, at every table. Older, younger, middle aged, same-sex – but only couples.

She turned to Chris beside her and found that his eyes were already on her. “Is this okay?” he asked quietly. Eva could sense the nervousness in his voice and found her own stuck in her throat, so she just nodded. Chris offered his arm out to her which she took after a split second hesitance, linking her arm around his elbow as he leader her deeper into the restaurant following the maître d'.

They didn’t talk for a while after they were lead to their seat, just sitting there in silence looking awkwardly around and at the menu in their hands.

Eva didn’t really know what to do or how to act. She was so far out of her comfort zone she might as well have been in Narnia. Never in her life did she ever expect to find herself in that kind of fancy restaurant much less with the company she had in that moment. Especially considering the weird and rather humiliating foot their relationship had started on.

But looking at Chris looking so handsome in his suit, and the way he beamed so brightly when he looked up to see Eva already staring at him; the way he always looked so happy to see her and to interested in everything she had to say no matter how dumb she herself thought she sounded. The way he made her feel so… happy all the time. Eva thought that there was nowhere else and no one else she wanted to be with than Chris in that restaurant at that very moment.

“Merry Christmas,” she said, smiling.

“Merry Christmas, Eva,” said Chris. “I – uh… I got you a little something.”

All of a sudden Eva wanted to stick her head under the table and never come out again. He raised her hand immediately to stop him midsentence. “I got you something too,” she said quickly. “It’s embarrassingly small and really pathetic and just let me give it to you first before you give your present because I’ll feel all self-conscious about it and not want to give it to you at all.” She practically shoved the little parcel into his hands, looking away almost immediately but not before blurting out; “It’s socks!” as if it would somehow lessen her shame.

Chris chuckled, though his beaming smile didn’t fall even a fraction. “I was definitely in need of a new pair of socks,” he said happily, tearing open the wrapping. His smile didn’t fall, if anything it actually grew when his eyes fell on the socks in his hands. He didn’t look upset or angry or disappointed – Eva was looking for any signs of those negative reactions but Chris looked genuinely happy with his gift; Eva was somewhat relieved but it didn’t completely lessen how bad she still felt on the inside. “I love it, Eva,” he said.

“Are you sure? You’re not just saying that cause you don’t want to hurt my feelings? Cause on a scale of terrible gifts, it’s a pretty shitty one.”

Chris laughed. “No, I really love it – if nothing, cause it’s from you,” he said.

Eva was sure she’d turned as red as her dress at that point.

“This is for you,” he said after a moment, standing up to hand a neatly wrapped box to her. It was about the side of her palm and Eva for the life of her couldn’t guess what it was. It might have been a book.

The moment she tore back the wrapping and laid eyes on the green velvety box that could only be from a jeweller, she felt her heart plummet to her stomach. “Chris, you didn’t have to,” she said.

“Don’t be silly, Eva. I wanted to. Open it!” he said, seemingly more excited for her to see the present than she was to actually get it.

Eva sighed, tearing open the rest of the paper and took a deep breath before she opened the box.

Inside was a fine, glittering silver chain leading down to a small, intricately carved pendant that held one of the prettiest stones she’d ever seen. It was white but gleamed almost blue in certain lights.

“Chris,” breathed Eva in awe. “It’s gorgeous,” she said, her eyes wide and her mouth almost gaping.

“You like it?” he asked excitedly. Eva couldn’t find the words so she just nodded. “It’s a moonstone,” he said, “I read that it’s the birthstone for people born in June.”

Eva didn’t know what to think or what to say. Not only had he gotten her such an expensive, gorgeous present, the fact that he’d put so much thought into it, researching her birthday and the stone and doing all that.

Eva felt warm tears prickling in the back of her eyes. Chris’s face immediately feel when he saw which made Eva feel terrible.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, concerned.

Eva immediately shook her head. “Nothing’s wrong, just… no one’s ever gotten me such… such a thoughtful, beautiful gift like this. I’m just – I just… I don’t know what to say,” she said, “And I got you a stupid pair of socks.”

Chris laughed. “A. the socks aren’t stupid at all, Eva. I genuinely love them. Besides I don’t really care about getting presents that much anyway, I just want you to be happy. I like seeing you happy,” he said.

Eva heard the sound of the chair scraping against the floor and Chris walking up behind her. He reached for the necklace in the box, pulling it out and moving behind Eva, leaning down to fix the chain around her neck. Eva brushed her hair to the side, out of the way to it would be easier for him, looking down at the gleaming stone now sitting comfortable on her chest, almost like it belonged there.

“Gorgeous,” said Chris when he stepped to the side, surveying the necklace and the pendant that fell down to just below the curve between Eva’s collarbone; “And the necklace looks pretty too,” he added, once again causing the blush to creep onto Eva’s cheeks.

“Thank you, Chris. This is… one of the nicest things anyone has ever gotten me,” said Eva once Chris had retaken his seat.

“You’re welcome,” said Chris. “Thank you,” he added after a moment, “For spending Christmas with me.”

Eva actually beamed at that. “I’m glad we’re spending it together.”

“Me too,” said Chris with a smile.

Twas the day before Christmas and Eva was finally at peace.

#chriseva #skam #reiven fics #a chriseva christmas ficlet

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evakfanficsrecs · 7 years ago

Note

Hey sweeties! Do you know fics in which Even hates Isak or Isak hates Even and they slowly fall in love with each other?

Hello, love!

Listen, I was about to link you to our Hate to Love!au tag, but then I realized that we haven’t actually done a proper rec list of those for months??? So saddle up, lovely, because this has been a long overdue and it’s bound to get pretty long! ;)

ONESHOTS:

thought i had you in the palm of my hand that night by hippopotamusSummary: They’re roommates, and they don’t get on at all. Until they do, at which point Even decides to develop a useless crush.

I call'em as I see'em…But Sometimes I Don’t See So Well by HazyCosmicJiveSummary: Isak just wants to study, he doesn’t want a new roommate who walks around naked all the time and constantly tests his patience.

just a silly phase by thekardemommeSummary: Isak and Even don’t like each other. (Also: Isak and Even play 7 Minutes in Heaven.) Time heals all wounds.

CHAPTERED:

You Don’t Even Know Me! by cuteandtwisted Summary: “Let’s keep our daddy issues out of work,“ said Even. “Excuse me?!” Or: The one in which Isak and Even are interns who start on the wrong foot and don’t like each other at all (except that they do).

take me to the stars by iriswestsSummary: Isak thinks Even is pretentious and impractical. Even thinks Isak is arrogant and uptight. They’re not each other’s biggest fans, even if they do happen to have spectacular sex on a very, very drunken night. And Isak doesn’t mean to do it again, but he does, anyway, so now they’re establishing ground rules and deciding that maybe they can keep doing this, no strings attached, no commitments, no feelings, and, most importantly, no need to stop disliking each other.And then it’s not quite that simple anymore.

The Notion of Falling by smokeshop Summary: Isak hates Even and Even hates Isak and Sana is the only one who knows why.

Come On, Set the Tone by boxesofflowers & EeyoreneedsahugSummary: Isak is a recently out popstar who wants to prove that he is not just another pretty face in pop music and has the skills to make his own way in the musical world (just like his newly found idol, Even Bech Naesheim). Even is a self contained, indie singer songwriter who takes shit from nobody - anyone in his cult following will tell you (including a certain popstar). Shortly after a public feud between the two begins, they’re forced together for a nationwide tour. 9 weeks, 50 shows, and countless hours (together) on the tour bus leave Even writing cryptic love songs and Isak wondering if he should leave everything he knows behind. Ft. BL!SS, Balloon Squad, Wireless Problems, Jonas, and the Wobbles

Not in the stars to hold our destiny by Stria (Asia117)Summary: “What the fuck,” Even murmurs, and Isak almost wants to mock him, but he refrains. He’s not 16 anymore. “Everything okay, Isak?” “Peachy.” Isak doesn’t look at him. “Go find someone else to talk to.” Miss him with that shit. “Wow, what the fuck. Get off your high horse.” Even sounds irritated, too. Good. Isak just snorts. “When you’ll take off that stick from your ass,” he hisses, and then goes up to Mikha. He doesn’t need to make a scene in front of everyone. (Or, the one in which Even and Isak can’t stand each other, but they still end up together eventually.)

in the morning you’ll dance with all the headache by bluesterekSummary: “Why do you hate me? Is it still about that kiss in first grade?” “You kissed my crush in front of me, Even.” “Yeah well, sorry about that, but that was like a century ago. Besides, you don’t even like girls.” “Excuse me, what?”. Or, Isak hates Even. Even hates Isak. But fortunately, Sana is going to make everything work.

Not Everything Is About You by HazyCosmicJiveSummary: Isak hates his neighbor. He’s loud, he’s inconsiderate, and he’s loud. When he finally gets a well deserved break from his obnoxious neighbor, somehow the asshole ends up flooding his entire apartment. He doesn’t want to do it, but with nowhere else to go he ends up taking the guy’s offer up and staying with him until his apartment is useable again.

If You Don’t Love Me, Don’t Tell Me by quickwitlipsSummary: Even’s two sided personality is what drives Isak’s hatred towards him. An asshole frat boy at night while he parties, then a top student by day who charms everyone with his bright smile. Except, Isak doesn’t believe that Even has any good intentions.

Not A Chance by bashfulisakSummary: Isak and Even don’t know much about each other - but while in the cafeteria, they can’t keep their eyes off each other and eventually they can’t keep their hands off, either.

helium hearts (we’re on fire) by itjustkindahappenedSummary: 10 Things I Hate About You!AU. Eva enrolls at Hartvig Nissens VGS in Oslo and falls headfirst for the popular and pretty Vilde Lien. Vilde, however, is not allowed to date until Isak—her sarcastic, misantropic introvert of a step brother—does. Together with her new group of friends, Eva comes up with a plan to set Isak up with the school’s rumor-ridden bad boy Even Bech Næsheim so she can take her crush out. Featuring stargazing, parties, and endless pining.

Crystal Dust by LiolnySummary: “Right. Some advice for the future -” His eyes were glinting with something that could almost be described as playfulness but nonetheless screamed mystery. “Since I’m assuming you’re not some kind of MARVEL character” he paused “- looking through my head to see that clock,” he continued, pointing a thump over his shoulder, “is probably not gonna happen. I’m also sure your MacBook is more than capable of informing you about the time.” Isak was startled to say the least. He also just so happened to be the last person to be mocked by anybody, no less some arrogant prick, who thought he could just be smug in Isak’s face without consequences. Or: Even Bech Næsheim is a mystery and apparently there is no way in hell that he could be Isak’s soulmate.

Caught in the Crossfire by CrochetingWordsSummary: AU where Isak and Sana are police officers and partners working for the Oslo police department. Even used to work for the Oslo police department and is now Oslo’s most well known private detective who assists the department in cases while documenting them on his blog. Isak is not impressed with the famous good looking detective is already at the crime scene he was called out to…

blue and green wrapped in gold by beanievaltersenSummary: “You know, that blush really suits you"Isak choked on air, ducking his head down a little, his entire face feeling like it was on fire.“Shut up!” Isak said, daring to sneak a glance back up at Even.He was grinning. Of course he was. Fuck you. Or, a hate to love uni!AU with 19 year old Isak and 21 year old Even.

Breathe Me Gently by i_once_wrote_a_dreamSummary: Isak Valtersen. He doesn’t like him. He just doesn’t. The kid has everything too easy. Good grades. Good friends. Probably has parents that love him. Even fucking hates him. Alternatively, a Being 17 au.

–A

#answered #anonymous #hate to love au #evak hate to love

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winchester-writes · 8 years ago

Text

Fall 1913 (Love&War Part 2)

Chauffeur!Dean x Noblewoman!Reader

Word Count: 1,461

Warnings: language

Summary: Dean becomes your families new chauffeur and throughout the year of working for your family he soon becomes your forbidden lover. But what happens when World War 1 strikes? Is he safe from the enlisters? Or will he be drafted and sent off to war?

A/N: Each new part will be posted on Saturdays @ 8pm EST. I hope you all seriously enjoy this next part!!! Feedback is greatly appreciated!!

Part 1

A few months have passed now and the weather was starting to get cooler as the leaves on the trees turned their various colors of yellow, orange, and red. It was now fall time at your lovely home and the decorations your mother chose never let anyone forget. It was her favorite time of the year. Which is why when your cousin announced that she would be getting married at the end of September your mother just about squealed in excitement.

“We’re going to be there at least two weeks before the wedding date, Y/N. Dorothy said she would like our, well my input on a few things.”

“Mother that’s in two days! I’m no where near prepared! I don’t even have a dress for the wedding yet!” you had tried your hardest not to raise your voice, but it was proving difficult. The least your mother could have done was warn you ahead of time that you all would be leaving earlier than expected.

“Don’t you use that tone of voice with me young lady! That is not my fault, I remember specifically telling you weeks ago to go get one yet you came back empty handed. What was so important that you came back with nothing?”

Internally you were smiling, you remembered that day very well. You had Dean drive you into town, except the two of you didn’t quite make it into town. Instead of going his normal route, you had him turn down a dirt road that was off to the side on the main one. There was this old abandoned house that sat there, you used to play there when you were younger with the children who used to live there. Sadly they moved away and no one else had inhabited the home since.

Once Dean had parked you dragged him out of the car and ran hand in hand with him up to the house. You both laughed running around the house playing hide and seek. You remembered the small crack in his voice when he actually feared he couldn’t find you but you ran up behind him covering his eyes with your hands, laughing. You remembered how he quickly turned grabbing you by the hips and holding you close to him. You remembered the exact moment his lips touched yours and how amazing he tasted. You also regrettably remember him pushing you away while shaking his head and repeatedly saying “I shouldn’t have done that.”

So he ended up just driving you back home and you haven’t had the chance to talk to him since. Not privately at least. Every time that he’s had to drive you somewhere, one or both of your parents were in the car as well.

“I didn’t find one that I liked. I’ll just find one here and wear that. I have a blue one that should work. I’ll go upstairs to pack now.” You huffed out as you made your way towards the door.

“I want to see it to make sure it’s okay enough. What if you happen to find a man there?” Your mother shouted after you causing you to roll your eyes.

“Mother. Leave it alone.” You said through gritted teeth as you left the room entirely. Making it up to your bedroom you grabbed your suitcase and started to pack some clothes, shoes, hats, and few other things you might need. You pinched the bridge of your nose, sighing as what your mother had said ran through your head once more. “This is going to be a long two weeks.”

Leaning against the outside wall of your house under your parasol you watched Dean carefully. You watched as he moved, stacking the suitcases in the backseat of the car while some went on the top. You took notice of the way his shoulders would flex under the weight of a heavy case and the way those uniform pants accentuated his butt when he would bend down to pick up another. The way he gripped onto the cases made you sigh, you wanted nothing more than to be the one under his grip, just like a few weeks ago. You hadn’t noticed how long you had been staring and definitely didn’t realize that you were biting your lip until your mother’s shrill voice cut through your wild imagination.

“Y/N let’s go!” You noticed that she was motioning towards her car and you just shook your head.

“I think I’m going to ride with Dean, give you and father some alone time.” You didn’t notice but Dean’s eyes went wide when he heard his name come out of your mouth and his heart rate increased.

“There’s no room darling, you’re being ridiculous, let’s go.” She pointed to the door and you once again shook your head as you closed your parasol and made your way towards Dean.

“Of course there is, I’ll sit in the front with him. Besides, it’s a long way there and I feel bad that he has to ride all alone with no one to keep him company.”

“M’lady that’s not really necessary, you don’t have to ride with me.” Dean tried to convince you that it was okay and that he didn’t need any company but you weren’t having it.

“Nonsense, I’m joining you.” You leaned over the front of the car just loud enough for him to hear, “And don’t call me m’lady.”

“Y/N get your bu-”

Your father sighed and rubbed at his eyes when he heard your mother speak up again, “Just let her ride with whomever she wants, you know she is just going to do it anyway. Leave her be and let’s go.”

You mother huffed but complied and sat down next to her husband, gripeing the entire time she got herself situated.

As soon as you got in the passenger seat and got comfortable, Dean was just getting inside to turn the car on. You didn’t say a word to him until the two of you were out on the road. He wasn’t planning on saying anything to you either, he was hoping for a quiet ride to himself but you see how that turned out.

“Dean we need to-”

“Y/N, please just don’t. What I did was uncalled for and I could lose my job for something like that. I don’t know what came over me but it will never happen again.”

You heart sunk and your eyes cast down to your feet, “But...what if I want it to happen again?”

“What?” Dean looked over at you, his brow furrowed, thinking to himself why a girl like you would want anything to do with a guy like him.

“What if I want you to kiss me again? You’re really good at it ya know?” You noticed the proud smirk flash across his face as his grip on the steering wheel relaxed.

“Oh yeah?”

You couldn’t help the giggle that escaped nor the blush that rose up to your cheeks as you nodded, “Yeah, the best kiss I’ve ever had actually.”

“You get kissed a lot sweetheart?” There it was, that fucking nickname he gave you. Every time it left his mouth you couldn’t help the flips your stomach did.

“No, not really. Mother and father are trying to get me to find someone already but I don’t want just anyone. I want someone that I am completely and utterly in love with, someone who can be my best friend and make me laugh when I need to. Someone who loves me for me and not for my wealth.”

Dean pursed his lips and nodded, feeling his stomach drop when he thought of someone else touching you or that significant person not being him, “I get what you mean, well the true love part not the wealth part. Everyone deserves that special someone in their life, that person that makes them happy no matter the circumstances but we need to find them in our own time, no someone else’s.”

“Exactly! You sure do know your way with words for a chauffeur, Winchester.”

You felt as though your heart completely stopped as he reached over and took your hand, bringing it up to his lips to place a soft kiss there. “There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me yet Y/N. I surprise even myself sometimes.”

“Then I guess we better start getting to know each other. We have at least six more hours in this car together.”

Dean chuckled and got that smirk on his face yet again when he felt you intertwine your fingers with his. He turned to face you and gave you a small wink, “Alright, what is it you’d like to know sweetheart?”

Part 3

Love & War Tags (You can add yourself HERE if you’d like. Sorry to those who are crossed out, I couldn’t tag you): @blacktithe7, @sandlee44, @deansdirtylittlesecretsblog, @atc74, @torn-and-frayed, @thing-you-do-with-that-thing, @latinenglishfandomblog, @mamapeterson, @iwantthedean, @chaos-and-the-calm67, @dancingalone21, @spn-and-daddy-issues, @jezzula, @archer-whovian-violinist, @bringmesomepie56, @the-awkward-writer, @jerkbitchidjitassbutt, @paigeinastory, @lilacs-lavender, @maui137, @thebabeontheback, @petrovadixon, @mrswhozeewhatsis, @quiddy-writes, @iamflanneltrash, @pureawesomeness001, @schweinchenpig, @oriona75, @myrabbitholetoneverland, @crzcorgi, @stardust-and-snake-venom, @cookie_dough_lova, @castielsarmcandy, @silver-and-green, @yoursmilemakesmeloveyou, @deansbloodyvalentine79, @deansbaekaz2y5, @faith-in-dean, @winchesterswantmypie, @charliebradbury1104, @winchester-family-business, @spn-4-eva, @writingbeautifulmen, @faegal04, @impalaimagining, @insane-hamilton-imagines, @pearlparty, @27bmm, @therewillbeblood, @flowxrsforyourgrxve, @nightchanges25-blog, @ultimatecin73, @artisticpoet, @deanwinchesterxreader, @smoothdogsgirl, @ravenesque, @acdcintheimpala, @celmiea, @deepdisireslonging, @emma-1967, @randompolypodizia, @winchesterenthusiast, @danslittlecurl, @bemyqueenofdarkness, @avengersgirllorianna, @sofiadiaz04, @angelofwinchester17, @fernwinchester326, @juniorhuntersam, @bloodyheartsx

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