#if it was me though let's just say i'd believe it was fate ❤️

[the-arisen]

i really wanna understand how some of you can make the courier "forgive" benny and end up having a happy lovey-dovey life with him afterwards because i'm very petty i just can't do it 😭

[deliciousangelfestival]

The Imperfect Couple - 18

Character: politician!Bucky x ex-wife!reader

Summary: A separated couple must pretend to be happily married while the husband runs for Vice President, dealing with old issues and political pressures during his election campaign.

Warning: Triggering conversation. Mentioned about sexual assault.

Series Masterlist

Main Masterlist || If you enjoy my work, please consider buying me a coffee on Ko-fi 🙏🏻

Author Note: After this, you will hate Steve more.

Thank you to everyone who has read this chapter. Leave a comment and Reblog, please. I'd love to hear your thoughts. ❤️

The news spread like wildfire: The First Lady has passed away from a sudden heart attack. The entire nation reeled at the announcement. It was a tragic day for the country, and the collective grief was palpable. You and Bucky struggled to believe it, exchanging shocked glances as you watched the news unfold on screen.

The twins, pale with grief, approached their father with questions in their eyes. “Why, a heart attack?” one of them whispered.

Steve’s expression was controlled, his answer calm. “Because with that, everyone will stop asking,” he replied. A sudden heart attack is understandable. Even General Carter died of one.

Just as Steve had predicted, people accepted it readily. “A heart attack? That’s horrible,” they’d say, before letting the matter rest. It was as if the finality of the explanation sealed Peggy’s fate in a way no one dared to question. And yet, to you, something felt out of place.

Only two weeks earlier, there had been news that Peggy had collapsed, and the doctors advised her to rest. You found yourself shaking your head as you spoke to Bucky. “She was so healthy, so careful with her lifestyle. Doesn’t it feel… odd?”

Bucky’s gaze was hard, thoughtful. “It does,” he admitted. “It really does.”

🌸🌸🌸🌸

The day of Peggy’s funeral arrived, a somber, overcast morning where gray clouds seemed to hang like a veil over the city. Dressed in black, the crowd of mourners filled the space around the somber cemetery, their faces etched with grief and disbelief. The country mourned the First Lady’s loss, and people lined up to pay their respects to Steve and the grieving family. You and Bucky observed from a distance, your expressions reflecting both sorrow and skepticism.

Caroline and Julius were also present, looking somber as they approached Hazel and Julius, standing silently nearby. Carol, her face set in sadness, touched Hazel’s arm gently. “Let’s go give Steve our condolences,” she whispered.

“You two go ahead,” Hazel murmured, looking away. Her eyes shifted, and a shadow of guilt crossed her face. She couldn’t bear to look at Peggy’s sons, William and Charles, standing on either side of their father, too young to fully understand the depths of their loss.

Carol frowned. “Hazel, don’t be stubborn,” she said softly. “Come on, Julius.” The two of them moved toward Steve, leaving Hazel standing there with her head bowed, biting her lip.

Julius, his voice low and respectful, extended his hand to Steve. “We’re deeply sorry, Steve. Peggy was a remarkable woman.”

Carol echoed his sentiments. “Yes, Steve. She’ll be missed so much. Our hearts are with you and the boys.”

Steve nodded, his face a well-practiced mask of grief. “Thank you both. Peggy loved you both very much.”

As the guests continued offering their sympathies, Natasha appeared at Hazel’s side, touching her arm and gesturing discreetly. Hazel hesitated but glanced over, catching your eye. You nudged Bucky, motioning in Hazel’s direction, but he shook his head. “Let them go,” he said quietly. “Not here, not now.”

Following Natasha, Hazel found herself being led to a private corner, away from the public’s eyes. Steve was already waiting, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. As Hazel approached, she looked pale, her posture small, as though she wanted to shrink away.

“Why do you look like you want to hide?” Steve asked, arching an eyebrow, his voice a low murmur.

Without a word, Hazel handed him her phone. Her hands were shaking. Steve took the device and glanced at the screen. What he read there made his expression falter, if only for a moment. The message on the screen was Peggy’s final words:

"I’ll give him to you. But know that each time you’re with him, I will always be the thorn between you two."

Hazel’s voice trembled as she spoke. “I found this after she…after she died. She sent it before… God, Steve, she’s gone because of me.”

Steve stepped forward, gently placing his hand at the back of her neck, pulling her head to his shoulder. “No, Hazel,” he murmured, his voice smooth and unyielding. “None of us lifted a finger. It was her choice. Her own doing.”

Steve held her tightly. “You’re my only anchor now,” he said softly, his hand stroking her hair. His tone was oddly calm, as if nothing truly rattled him.

Hazel gave a slight nod, though her face remained haunted. Steve’s grip around her tightened, but his gaze held a glint of satisfaction, a twisted sense of relief. Peggy’s demise, as he saw it, had finally cleared the way.

Later, as guests continued offering their condolences, Bucky made his way to Steve. His handshake was firm, his voice steady. “Steve,” he said, his eyes meeting his in an unreadable gaze. “My deepest condolences. Peggy was… well, she was a force.”

Steve’s expression was solemn, though his eyes glinted with something inscrutable. “Thank you, Bucky,” he replied smoothly. “I know Peggy always respected you.”

Bucky paused, holding Steve’s gaze a second longer, as if searching for something beneath his composed exterior. “If there’s anything you or the boys need, don’t hesitate to let us know. We’re here for you.”

Steve gave a small nod. “I appreciate it, Bucky. Really. This will be hard for the boys, but we’ll get through it.”

Bucky’s jaw tightened as he stepped back, his gaze never leaving Steve’s. “Take care of yourself. And of them.” He glanced briefly toward William and Charles, whose solemn faces seemed carved in stone, their small hands clutching each other as they mourned.

When Bucky returned to your side, he was silent, his eyes hard with an unspoken realization. Both of you had been deceived by Steve’s flawless facade for years, but now, something dark and undeniable seemed to lie beneath.

🌸🌸🌸🌸

Three Weeks Later

Carol sat on the sofa, her eyes fixed on the TV screen where Steve’s face appeared at an international summit, calm and composed, every bit the statesman. She frowned, resting her chin on her hand. “It’s not even a month since Peggy’s passing, and already there’s talk about him looking for a new partner,” she muttered with a casual nonchalance. “Should I introduce him to one of my friends?”

Julius, seated across from her, snapped his head up, a look of disbelief etched onto his face. “Carol… you were Peggy’s friend. How can you talk like this?”

“Because I was her friend, I want what’s best for Steve,” Carol replied, dismissively scrolling through photos on her phone. “Peggy would want someone from our circle by his side, someone appropriate. Maybe Emily? Or Kelly?”

From across the room, Hazel’s voice interrupted, quiet but firm. “Mom, you don’t have to go through all that trouble.”

Carol looked up, her eyes sharp. “Oh, but I insist,” she said with a sigh of self-importance. “Steve’s in his prime. Women would kill to be with him. Even women your age, Hazel.”

Hazel paused, her teacup clinking against its saucer as her hand trembled slightly.

Carol turned to Julius with newfound excitement. “Maybe we should introduce him to your cousin who just got divorced. She’s still young, and she can bear children—Peggy would approve of someone in our league taking her place. Steve has a mistress. I don't want that woman took Peggy's place.”

"Carol. Stop," Julius said, his voice sharp, cutting through his wife rambling.

A flicker of annoyance sparking in her eyes. “What? Imagine having someone actually related to the President by blood," she insisted, folding her arms, her tone dismissive as if Julius didn’t understand the gravity of her idea.

Julius took a step closer, his face tightening. "We already have," he replied quietly.

Carol looked at him in disbelief, then scoffed. “I don’t mean Bucky," she shot back, waving a hand as if the idea were absurd. "He's still just the Vice President. And I don't even want to think about him having kids with that woman.”

Julius’s expression darkened, his jaw clenched as he leaned closer. "He won’t forgive you if he hears that," he warned, voice low and tight, the threat clear. He knew how much Bucky loves you, even Bucky already gave a warning to Caroline, she still won't accept it.

She felt the heat of his words but only tilted her chin up defiantly. Julius took a deep breath, struggling to contain his frustration. "Carol," he said in a grave tone, “I’m giving you a warning. This is the last time." His hand closed into a fist, and the silence that followed was thick, crackling with unspoken tension.

“Mom. You can stop now,” she said, her voice edged with a firmness that made both her parents turn. “There’s already someone from our family related to the president”

The room fell silent. Carol’s fingers froze on her phone, and Julius looked up from his drink, confused. Hazel met their eyes steadily.

“Nate,” she said, her voice just above a whisper, yet each word felt as though it struck with the force of a hammer. “Steve is Nate’s father.”

There was a stunned pause, a dead silence before Carol’s phone slipped from her hand and hit the floor with a loud clatter. Her face turned pale as her mind scrambled to process the revelation, her hand covering her mouth in shock.

“All this time,” Hazel continued, her voice quiet but steady, “you wanted to know who Nate’s father was. Now you know.”

Carol’s face twisted, disbelief transforming into a horrified expression. She lunged forward, gripping Hazel’s shoulders tightly, her nails digging in. “Tell me this is a joke,” she hissed.

“You… you always kept things to yourself, dropping these bombshells when we least expect it. You came home one day, huge belly, and just announced you were pregnant, like it was nothing.” Her voice wavered, a mixture of anger and desperation. “You made me hide my face from our friends, miss every gathering because of you!”

Hazel stayed silent, even as her mother’s words lashed against her.

“Haze—Hazel,” Julius interjected, his voice a strained whisper, barely able to meet her eyes. “Is this true?”

She nodded. “Yes, father.”

“But why him? Of all people… what could he possibly give you that we haven’t?” Carol’s voice quivered, the shock laced with bitterness.

Hazel met her mother’s eyes, unflinching. “Because he listened to me. He understood me.”

Julius’s face hardened. “We gave you everything, Hazel. How can you say that?”

She drew in a breath, her expression bitter. “That’s the problem. You gave me everything I never asked for. All I ever asked is for both of you as my parents to listened to me.”

Carol scoffed, her face paling as realization settled in. “Listening?” she muttered, rubbing her forehead as if it hurt. “You keep talking about that. I don’t even know what you mean.”

Hazel’s hands trembled slightly, but she steadied herself, her tone cold. “Do you remember when I told you my ballet teacher kept touching me? That’s why I quit. But you didn’t believe me because he was ‘experienced,’ and you said I was overreacting.”

A silence so heavy settled in the room that even the ticking clock seemed deafening. Carol’s face twisted with a fleeting look of guilt, but it passed quickly.

Hazel’s gaze shifted to Julius. “And you—do you remember when I told you I was drugged by your best friend’s son at that party I didn’t even want to go to? You made me go. I came home, barely able to stand…” Her voice broke, the words hanging heavily in the air.

Julius covered his face with his hand, his shoulders slumping as the reality crashed down on him.

“I am your daughter!” she yelled, the hurt and anger of years pouring out. “And all you did was listen to their excuses. That was my breaking point. That’s why I left.”

Julius’s face fell, and he murmured, almost to himself, “Then… you met Steve.”

Hazel nodded, her voice softening slightly. “I was vulnerable. And after hearing me out just once, do you know what he did?” She looked at her parents, her gaze hard and unwavering. “He made sure that ballet teacher never danced again. And that boy? He’ll never see daylight without a drug in his system.”

Carol heard the news that the former ballet teacher got into an accident, leaving him unable to move his fingers or toes. As for Julius, he heard from his friend that the son ended up in rehab. His case is worse than Shawn's.

Carol gasped, horror dawning in her eyes. “You’re the woman Peggy mentioned. The mistress…”

Hazel’s voice was a whisper, calm yet unyielding. “Yes. I’m the other woman. The homewrecker. Whatever you want to call me, I am it.”

For a moment, a heavy silence settled in the room. Hazel scoffed, looking from her mother to her father. “Isn’t this what you’ve always wanted? Your grandson is the President’s son, your son the youngest Vice President. Now you can tell that to all your friends.” She shot them a hollow, bitter smile, watching as her words landed. Carol looked down, her face flushed with shame, while Julius couldn’t bear to meet her gaze.

Turning, Hazel strode from the room, leaving her parents in stunned silence. For the first time, the weight of Peggy’s suicide note no longer haunted her. Steve had been right. Peggy’s death wasn’t her burden to bear. And with that realization, she walked away, shoulders straight, head held high.

In the deafening quiet that followed, Caroline sank onto the couch, feeling a mix of shame and a deep, gnawing guilt. She was beginning to understand. All those times she had cursed the “mistress” Peggy hinted at… it had been her own daughter.

“Julius,” she whispered, voice cracking as she reached out for her husband’s hand.

But there was no answer. Julius sat, staring into space, his face ashen. When she touched his shoulder, his body slumped.

“Julius!” she screamed, shaking him, but he didn’t respond. Her world spun as panic surged, echoing her daughter’s revelation with one devastating blow after another.

Julius suffered a stroke and required emergency surgery, leaving the family on edge as they gathered at the hospital. The fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting a harsh glow over the sterile waiting room. You and Bucky arrived, and he turned to you, his brow furrowed with concern. “Where’s Hazel?” he asked, scanning the area for any sign of her.

“Don’t. Mention that name,” Caroline snapped, her voice taut with tension. “That girl has ruined Peggy’s marriage.”

Bucky’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You knew?” he pressed, the shock evident in his tone.

Caroline's eyes flared, realization dawning on her. “Wait! You knew all this time?” She stepped forward, her hands gripping his collar, her fury palpable. The Secret Service agents on standby instinctively moved closer, but Bucky raised a hand, stopping them. “Stand outside. This is a family matter, and keep this secret,” he commanded. They nodded reluctantly, stepping away but keeping their ears perked for any sign of trouble.

“No wonder why Steve chose us,” Caroline sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly as the weight of the situation settled in. “But I still can’t accept this. No, I don’t. He used Hazel's innocence.” Her laughter was manic, echoing off the walls, a bitter sound that filled the room.

“Does he think he can underestimate me? He’s just a nobody without a strong background. He’s nothing without the Carters.” Caroline’s voice dripped with disdain as she spat the words, but when she noticed Bucky’s silence, her eyes narrowed.

“You have a plan, don’t you?”

Bucky nodded, his expression serious. “I do.”

“Good. Me too,” Caroline replied, her tone fierce. “I won’t accept being humiliated.”

🌸🌸🌸🌸

Bucky turned his gaze to you, his expression shifting from determination to concern. “Dear,” he said, his voice steady but laced with urgency.

“Hmm?” you replied, sensing the gravity in his tone.

“I’m telling you right now,” he began, his eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that sent a shiver down your spine, “from this moment, everything is going to turn ugly. You might end up hating me in the end.”

You felt the knot in your stomach tighten. Why is he telling me this?

“I told you before, you could stab me, poison me,” he continued, his voice unwavering. “I meant it. You could do it when you felt that I was way out of line.”

He’s serious, you thought, a mix of fear and disbelief coursing through you.

“You should’ve said this before I married into the Barnes family,” you shot back, your tone sharper than intended, but the weight of his words hung heavily in the air between you.

Bucky’s eyes softened slightly, yet his resolve remained. “I never wanted you to be caught in the crossfire.”

His jaw tense, and he took a deep breath as if preparing for the weight of the world. “If this is too much for you,” he said, his voice steady but low, “you could leave.” Also, the one-year agreement to help him is coming to an end.

The finality of his words struck you like a punch to the gut, and you felt a flicker of panic surge through you. “No. I won’t leave,” you responded fiercely, the conviction in your voice surprising even yourself.

Bucky’s brow furrowed, and he studied you, as if searching for signs of doubt in your eyes. But all he found was unwavering resolve. “You really mean that?” he asked, his voice almost a whisper, a blend of surprise and hope.

You nodded, a small smile breaking through the tension. “The first time, it was me helping you become vice president,” you reminded him, your heart racing with the unspoken promise that lingered between you. “Now, I’ll be beside you as you become president. I won’t let this position slip away to another woman.”

“Then let’s face this together,” he murmured, his breath warm against your skin. The space between you charged with anticipation, every unspoken feeling bubbling to the surface. The world outside faded away, leaving just the two of you in this moment.

A slow smile spread across Bucky’s face, warmth radiating from him. The tension that had permeated the air shifted into something different—something electric. In that moment, the world around you faded, leaving only the two of you and the undeniable connection you shared.

Bucky leaned in slightly, closing the distance between you, and your breaths mingled in the charged space. The weight of your words hung in the air, promising both conflict and a shared future. You reached out, your fingers grazing his jaw, feeling the warmth of his skin under your touch.

He moved closer, tilting his head slightly as if to capture the moment forever. The longing that had been building between you ignited, and without thinking, you both closed the gap.

The kiss was genuine, filled with unspoken promises and a shared understanding of the battles ahead. It was tender yet passionate, a release of the tension that had held you both captive for far too long. As your lips met, time seemed to stand still, the world outside forgotten. In that moment, you were not just allies in a political game but partners, united in a bond deeper than either of you had anticipated.

When you finally pulled back, your foreheads rested against each other, breaths mingling in the charged air. You could see the reflection of hope and determination in his eyes, and for the first time in a long while, you felt like you could face whatever challenges lay ahead—together.

Author Note : The next chapter will be the end.

Join the tag list:

@thezombieprostitute

@scott-loki-barnes

@mostlymarvelgirl

@dexter99

@missvelvetsstuff

@kjah97

@krissydclayton93

@itsteambarnes

@toldyouitwasamelodrama

@lassie-bird

@bighappypiels

@buckitostan

@barnesxstan

@bada-lee-ily

@mrsstuckyboo

@florie1

@cjand10

@sidraaaaaaaaa

@aritoocute

@crazyunsexycool

@mcira

@touchstarvedforbuckybarnes

@pattiemac1

@elizalexwil

@gingersnap-2

@whitexwolfxx310

@marvel-wifey-86

@kumointhesky

@hnnhbananananana

@je-suis-prest-rachel

@nouis-bum

@thebuckybarnesvault

@unaxv

@hzdhrtss

@blackbirdwitch22

@darsynia

@lokislady82

@bonkybarnes106

@kandis-mom

@imrandomstuffsblog

@chimchoom

@wintrsoldrluvr

@greatenthusiasttidalwave

@sebastians-love

@kythefangirl25

@mrsnikstan

@identity2212

@justsebstan

@clairoscharm

@billyseye

@g1g1l

@sxnshinebxcky

[navybrat817]

Dark and Light

Pairing: Winter Soldier x Female Reader, Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Summary: You learn the real reason why Hydra wants to keep you.

Word Count: Over 2.65k

Warnings: Threat of dubcon/noncon, minor character death, violence, canon divergent, captivity, brainwashing, slight feels (it's me, okay?), Bucky Barnes (he's a warning, okay?).

A/N: It's been almost 3 years since the last part of Soldat and Sparrow. Are you lovelies still interested? ❤️ Not beta read and written on my phone, so any and all mistakes are my own. Divider by the talented @silkholland . Please follow @navybrat817-sideblog for new fics and notifications. Comments, reblogs, feedback are loved and appreciated!

The cell they kept you in this time was larger than your last. It didn't make it any less uncomfortable. The thick gray walls surrounding you made the room suffocatingly quiet and hollow. You only knew the color thanks to the singular lightbulb in the center of the ceiling, too high for you to try and make a weapon out of the glass. Without windows, you didn't know it was dark or light outside.

There was no escape, but you couldn't give up hope.

It was maddening not knowing the time of day as you played the waiting game on the worn mattress in between meals and sleeping. The screams of your lover played on a morbid loop in your mind and you had to will yourself to not let tears surface. Other than temporary relief for your emotions and aching heart, crying would do you no good. It never did.

What you needed to do was focus.

The man on the bridge.

He triggered something inside of the Winter Soldier. Something Hydra wanted to keep locked away. But what was it?

Bucky. He called him Bucky. He knew him. But how?

Two hard knocks on the door pushed the thought away before it swung open. Narrowing your eyes as Brock walked in, you wondered if he could’ve been a good man in another life and fought for the people who needed it most the way he pretended to. This wasn’t that life though. He chose his side.

The wrong side.

“You know, I don’t get it,” he said, crossing his arms as he stood in the doorway. He didn’t hide the lust from his eyes as he looked you over. “I mean, the Asset does his job well, but it’s like he forgets all about being a soldier when he’s deep in your pussy.”

“What can I say? I guess my pussy’s just that good,” you sneered, not in the mood for his taunts or anything else.

“Is that right? Maybe he should fuck your ass next to get the stick out of it,” he snapped back. “Or are you too stuck up for that?”

Pierce had a range of prostitutes lined up to satisfy his soldiers, but Brock didn’t hide how pissed off he was that you were “given” to the Asset after that fateful training day. He claimed it was special treatment. He dropped the issue almost as quickly as it was brought up, which led you to believe he was either reprimanded or given something to shut him up.

“Is that what bothers you, Rumlow? That I'd rather fuck him than you?” You asked, tilting your head as you regarded him. “And just so we’re clear, I’ll never want you.”

Brock clenched his fists as he took a step forward. “You really are a fucking-”

“Let her be,” a melodic voice ordered behind him, making you stiffen as he moved out of the way.

The doctor, or Doc as most called him, stepped into the room with a kind smile on his face. Unassuming in stature, you knew better from the start than to judge him by appearance. The man was a snake in the grass ready to spread his venom to unsuspecting victims.

“How are you?” He asked.

You kept your eyes on him as he moved closer, doing your best not to show any emotion. The doctor somehow made you more uncomfortable than Rumlow and that said something. “How do you think I'm doing?”

“Hmm. Not well, I'm sure.”

“You guessed correctly,” you said.

You didn’t know why he bothered asking. Maybe he thought he was better than the others because he didn't physically hurt you. If anything, his indifference to the evil around him made it worse. It told you that he either justified or accepted it.

Either way, he disgusted you.

“Don't worry. You'll have the Soldat back soon and I’m sure you'll feel all better,” he assured you.

“You wiped him,” you reminded him, your voice cracking.

His screams echoed in your mind again, your heart aching as you tried to block it out. When pain knocked on the door, it didn't wait for an answer. It broke it down and made itself at home. But in the pain Hydra inflicted, the soldier found solace with you and you found the same with him. The light for each other within the darkness.

While you failed to protect him and couldn't stop what they did to his mind, you had to believe you’d help heal his soul once you had him back.

“We did indeed as we have many times.”

You knocked his hand away as he tried to place it on your shoulder, your stomach turning from his words. “Don't touch me.”

He held his hands up in surrender as he took a step back. “I mean no harm.”

“All of you mean harm,” you whispered.

The Soldat was your only bright spot in this nightmare. Ironic that he thought you were fire, bright and warm. The truth was you burned because of him. He was your eternal fuel that made the flames grow.

“I only want what is best for you,” Doc argued, his eyes void of any emotional depth behind his rimless glasses.

“Liar,” you whispered.

An exasperated sigh left his lips. “Now, now. I really do want what’s best for you. Don't you realize how important you are?”

“I'm not important,” you said. You never were. “Pierce made it clear that I don't have a purpose.”

But if that was the case, why were you still alive?

The doctor's chuckle made your blood run cold. “That's what he wants you to think. You see, the more they cut you down and make you question your worth, the easier it becomes for you to comply. Because by that point you’re so desperate for survival you'll do what is asked of you,” he explained, pushing his glasses up. “Yet you still only comply to an extent. It’s rather fascinating.”

He stared at you like you were a bug under a magnifying glass. And wasn’t that what you were to him? An experiment or something for him to study? “I haven't complied. I won't.”

“Oh, but you have,” Brock chimed in. You almost forgot he was still in the room. “Those missions you completed. The lives you took.”

Bile rose in your throat as images of violence and blood flashed in your mind. They would haunt you for the rest of your days. “No, I didn't want to hurt anyone.”

“Of course, you didn't. It’s as I said: desperation. You did what you had to do to survive,” the false sympathy from Doc grated on your nerves. “Don't let the weight of those souls wear you down. They were meaningless. But you? Oh, you are meant for more.”

He attempted to touch you again, but his hand moved toward your stomach this time instead of your shoulder. “I said don't touch me!” you snapped, scrambling backward to put distance between the two of you. As much as you wanted to hurt him, Brock was still there and could do a lot of damage.

The doctor pressed his lips together before he smirked. “Pierce and Rumlow are right. You have a hold on him. Even with his programming and orders, it all comes back to you,” he said, your body going rigid. Where was he going with this? “And it’s you that we want to carry his child.”

Your stomach churned again, but you weren’t sure if it was more at the thought that he wanted to force a child on you or that he’d try and force your soldier to impregnate you. “Care to repeat that?”

“You’re going to carry his child. You’re going to give birth to the perfect soldier. And you’ll keep doing so,” he said slowly like you were a petulant child, standing tall and proud as your mouth fell open in horror. “You’re the perfect incubator.”

Your stomach sank as you looked between him and Brock, wishing it was a sick joke. “No, I won't.”

“You think you have a choice?” The doctor questioned nonchalantly, like he was asking what you wanted for dinner. “And do you think the Asset needs to remember exactly what you mean to him to fuck you? I guess we'll see if he does. Science versus instinct.”

The room became eerily silent as the doctor gave you his first genuine smile since he walked in. You struggled to get your bearings and process the words. That was why you were still alive. They were going to make you an incubator. Force your soldier to breed you. They would take another choice away from him. And raise your children in captivity.

In Hell on earth.

“Well, that shut the bitch up,” Brock chuckled.

Before you could think, you launched yourself from the bed. The doctor’s eyes widened as you tackled him to the ground, unable to brace himself as you landed the first blow to his face. You straddled his waist, the second hit knocking his glasses away as fury rushed through your veins like a wildfire. He didn’t try to fight you off.

You could’ve cried. Screamed. Anything to keep him from making his twisted plan a reality.

The sound of a gun cocking stopped you from hitting Doc a third time.

“I won’t kill you,” Brock said, your fist frozen in the air as you looked toward him. Your chest heaved as you stared down the barrel of the gun. “But I’ll make it hurt if you don’t get up.”

“Go ahead,” you said through clenched teeth.

The doctor coughed, but held up a hand. “No shooting,” he croaked as you looked at him out of the corner of your eye. “No harming her.”

Brock’s eyes nearly rolled into the back of his head. “She can still lie down and take a cock if-”

None of you could have foreseen the metal hand punching through the wall. Before you could blink, the hand closed around Brock’s shoulder and pulled him through, his cry of pain silenced almost immediately by the sound of a gunshot. The doctor beneath you was long forgotten as you scrambled to your feet just in time to see your soldier step into the room through the hole, his face obscured by his typical mask and goggles.

But you felt his gaze on you as he stood like a dark angel ready to avenge you.

Hope launched into your chest like a shooting star as you smiled. “Soldat,” you whispered.

He came for you. Found you. But the star that filled your heart quickly faded when he didn’t move toward you or say “Sparrow”.

The dread grew stronger when he holstered his gun and took out his signature knife.

Was this the beginning of the end?

The doctor smiled as he wiped the blood from his lap and slowly stood up. “You really think he’s here to save you? Oh, no. He just doesn’t want any competition near his breeding partner,” he taunted as your eyes stung. “Back from your assignment early, Soldat? Good. Now you can complete your mission.”

The Winter Soldier tilted his head before he took a step forward.

You remained rooted to the spot, casting your fear that he’d force himself on you aside. “Bucky,” you said, using the name you heard. His real name. A tear rolled down your cheek when he flinched and tightened his fingers around the handle. “I’m not going to fight you. Or hurt you. Do you know why?”

Another step forward, your heart pounded as you stood as still as a statue. “Why?” He asked, the word clear to you through his mask.

The tears flowed freely as he stopped in front of you and slipped his goggles off, your heart breaking when he dispassionately looked at you. “Because I’m your Sparrow. Remember? My fire burns for you and you only,” you told him and pointed to your chest. You needed him to remember. “We swore we’d be free together. Somehow.”

“Don’t listen to her. Breed her and be done with it,” the doctor ordered.

The soldier’s brows furrowed before his metal hand came up around your neck, not squeezing or bringing you any harm.

But it felt like a warning.

“You won’t hurt me,” you breathed out, placing your hand on his arm as you kept your panic at bay. “They won’t break me. And I won’t leave you,” you promised, echoing his words when he took you the first time. “I’m yours.”

No matter what they forced him to do to you, he would never be to blame.

The doctor had the gall to smack the flesh arm when he made no move to shove you down on the bed or remove your clothes. “Finish your mission. Now.”

“It’s okay,” you mouthed.

Somehow, it would be okay.

“My mission…” the soldier began mechanically, not taking his eyes off you as he plunged the knife into the doctor’s jugular. You weren’t sure you could breathe. “Is to keep my Sparrow safe.”

An intake of air caught your sob as the metal hand fell away, the doctor collapsing as he tried in vain to stop the blood from leaving his body. It was useless. And a kinder death than he deserved.

“Hail,” he gurgled, his fingers stained red. “Hydra.”

“Just shut up and die,” you snapped as your soldier ripped his mask off. “Soldat,” you said, softer, almost crying all over again.

“Sparrow,” he whispered.

There was nothing gentle or sweet in the way pressed his lips to yours, but it was warm and safe as he pulled you against you. Your arms slipped around him as you returned the kiss, your cheeks still wet from crying. For a second there, you thought you’d lost him. For once, fate decided not to be cruel to you.

It brought you back together.

“I’m sorry I couldn't get to you sooner,” he said when he allowed you a moment to breathe, quickly scanning as much of you as he could. “Did they hurt you?”

“No, I’m okay. I just thought…” you trailed off with a shake of your head. “You came back to me.”

But how?

“I’ll always find you, Sparrow,” he said, touching your cheek as your heart swelled. “Steve helped me remember a lot of things. Including you.”

“The man on the bridge? You saw him again?” You asked before an alarm sounded, the blaring force echoing in the room.

“Yes. And his friend is sending reinforcements, so we need to go,” he said over the noise, nudging the doctor’s body with the toe of his boot before he stepped on his glasses.

“Where are we going?” You asked.

Where could you go since you no longer had a home? You had so many questions, but understood that you’d have to wait for answers. Getting out of there in one piece was your priority.

“Somewhere safe,” he answered, fear flickering in his eyes for a moment. “Do you trust me?”

“With my life,” you promised without hesitation. And anything else you had to offer him.

The next kiss was one of gentleness, relief, and thanks. “One thing before we leave.”

“What’s that?” You asked as he took your hand.

Love and determination filled his eyes as he glanced back at you and put a gun in your other hand. “We burn it down.”

You could hardly contain the fire inside you as you smiled. “Together.”

You didn’t know what the reinforcements would do or what would await you once you got out. It didn’t matter. Your soldier found his way back to you and you would follow wherever he went. The two of you would finally leave Hydra behind.

In a pile of rubble and ash.

But you’d find out soon enough that the man on the bridge wouldn't let your soldier go either.

I'll try not to let so much time pass before the next update. Love and thanks for reading! ❤️

Masterlist ⚓ Bucky Barnes Masterlist ⚓ Ko-Fi

[love-and-deepspace-fanfic]

Another delulu for our fishie! And this time of course will be for his newest steamy card “Omnipotent Perception”!

This will be the lighter version with different approach (suggested by LnD contest theme) but I hope to still be able to capture Rafayel’s complexity and profound feelings.

This personally is my favorite card (I know I know I had so many favs now huhu) but definitely on par with Private Trip and Floral Promise for me.

This journey of discovering Rafayel inner feelings has been quite a treat for me and I look forward to seeing more of these in the future.

Hands up to LnD dev team! Excellent job as always ❤️❤️❤️❤️

PS: I would also appreciate if you can check out the post on X as well!

Now is the time for our delulu!

Rafayel and I were enjoying our vacation on an island miles away from where the Lemurian ruins were discovered then fate found the better of us…

The Unspoken Feelings

"Today’s forecast: Sunny and breezy, perfect for picnics and outdoor sightseeing..."

The ding of a text message with a weather alert pulled me from my slumber. As I looked around the unfamiliar room, I realized I was on an island southeast of Linkon City, about miles from the discovered Lemurian ruins. Rafayel and I had come here for a summer vacation. A big yawn reminded me of how well-rested I felt thanks to him. Last weekend was hectic, but now I can relax and enjoy my vacation with Rafayel, with whom I want to spend the rest of my remaining time.

Even though this was my third day waking up to the colorful sunlight filtering through the blue-tinted windows of my room, as if I were submerged in the sea, I still couldn't stop marveling at this place.

An island surrounded by the sea, like a lone oasis in a desert. I'd heard rumors of mermaids living here, but only those who'd seen them could confirm the truth.

Not only the island itself but also the way someone had furnished this guesthouse intrigued me. It was very nautical, or rather, very Rafayel.

In my bedroom, beside the large blue-tinted windows, small sea-themed decorations were scattered on the shelves: seashells, pearls, coral, scented candles that smelled of the ocean, an hourglass, and a pot of bright red lilies.

If someone told me this was Rafayel's house, I wouldn't hesitate to believe them.

But when I asked if he had lived here for a long time because this kind of decor is usually found in places for people with long residences, he simply said that a friend had given him the house, so maybe that friend had decorated it in his style and left it there in case he needed it in the future.

I knew this was his usual way of avoiding an answer if he wanted to hide something. And it made sense. Why would Rafayel have a house on such a remote island, except for the local residents or curious people who wanted to explore the Lemurian ruins? If that were the case, it meant he had a past he hadn't told me about. I suddenly realized I might not know him as well as I thought.

When my phone buzzed a third time, I realized I'd been spacing out for quite a while. Grabbing my phone from the nightstand, I could immediately guess who had been texting me all morning. It was Rafayel who kept asking if I wanted a seafood breakfast, and really, only he would suggest something like that so early in the morning. Just as I was about to touch the screen to reply, I heard the door open, and the smell of the ocean mixed with his distinct scent and food filled the room. When Rafayel saw my dazed expression, still lying in bed, he chuckled and said,

'Cutie, it seems your sleep is about to turn into a fairy tale about a sleeping beauty.'

Without waiting for me to speak, he went straight to the round table by the corner of the wall, carrying the plate of food he had in his hand. The faint smell and vapors from the food also let me know that this was something he had just prepared. Before I could say anything, he went straight to the bathroom. The sound of running water echoed, and a moment later, a wet towel was draped over his arm along with a basin of water. His fluid movements left me stunned as I could only watch. Rafayel chuckled at my naive and silly expression. He sat down beside me and lifted my face to gently wipe it.

As he traced the lines of my face, Rafayel looked at me and teased, 'Haiz, I think I'm losing money on this deal. I hired you as my bodyguard, but it turns out I do more serving you than you do for me. I wonder if I can get a refund.'

I was silent, enjoying his gentle care, until I caught the distinctive salty smell of the sea.

'It's your honor to serve me, Mr. Rafayel. Now tell me why you got up so early this morning to go to the beach. You're not usually the type to wake up early, are you?'

'Silly girl, don't underestimate me! I need to exercise too, especially when I have the chance to come back here. Watching the sunrise and then immersing myself in the sea. The feeling of sinking into the water and forgetting all my troubles is the best way to de-stress.'

Rafayel flicked my forehead. 'If you're still feeling troubled by work, you should try it. I'll do my best to accompany you.'

I hit Rafayel, and he reflexively yelled. But before he could complain, I immediately pointed out a flaw in what he had just said.

'Rafayel, didn’t you always say you wanted to watch the sea or the sunset with me? So why didn’t you invite me this time? And by the way, what do you mean by getting de-stress?'

Rafayel sighed, looked at me, and stroked my hair from my temples to my face, then gently pinched my cheek.

‘You’re overthinking it, it’s just simply because I saw you sleeping so soundly, and I didn't want to wake you up, so while I was waiting for you to wake up, I had to do it by myself and for de-stressing, maybe from…not getting enough attention from you?’

Noticing a slight irregularity in Rafayel's voice, before he could finish, I quickly grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly, then looked straight into his bright cerulean blue eyes covered in fiery red with a determined expression and said,

"I want to do that with you from now until the end. So next time, don't forget to take me with you, no matter what happens, okay?"

Rafayel was momentarily surprised, but then he smiled softly, leaned down close to my cheek, and placed a kiss on it, watching the blush spread from my cheeks to my ears.

When satisfied with his handiwork, Rafayel replied, "Okay."

After we finished eating, it was time to carry out the plan that Rafayel had already set up, and the reason I emphasized that this plan was personally arranged by Rafayel was that he was determined to let me relax without a care in the world. It was in executing this plan that I realized Rafayel was more familiar with this place than I'd thought.

And that surprised me because he usually would proactively tell me things I needed to know, but perhaps this land, along with the buried past here, was something he didn't want me to touch. Not only that, deep in his eyes, there was a nameless sadness, like a fleeting nostalgia that quickly passed like a fish's tail gliding quickly across the palm of my hand, leaving me no time to grasp. Maybe I didn't understand Rafayel as much as I thought. I thought I understood a large part of him, but the chain of events of the past few days had revealed to me that I still had a long way to go.

I tried to learn more about what he hadn't revealed, but whenever I wanted to mention a part of that past, he would just pass it over with a calm tone as if it were just one of those trivial matters that didn't need to be mentioned - from the villages he had been to, to the streets he had walked. Everything he told me was like a third-person narration, not from the direct perspective of someone who had experienced it. I also asked if he was really happy when talking about those past times, and fortunately, because I knew he was a truthful person, instead of glossing over it, his answer through silence was proof of what I had guessed.

And that made me want to know more and more about him. So when I looked at the schedule for the last day, packed with places to go, from the harbor to the art gallery to the night market, I suddenly felt that I didn't want him to keep reminiscing about the unhappy memories anymore. I wanted to see him in a place where, although there was still a hint of nostalgia, he wouldn't feel suffocated. And that place was the guest house where we were staying.

That meant there was a possibility that today, both he and I would do nothing but look at each other. When he heard my suggestion, Rafayel was quite surprised and observed me for a moment as if trying to find something different about me, until he sighed and agreed.

"If you want, cutie..." he took my hand and gently kissed it. "I don't mind spending the whole day with you without doing anything. Luckily for us, I just found a flyer stating that there will be a seaside market near the shore around the afternoon when the fishermen have finished fishing, and they will also hold a small festival to celebrate the summer, so there will be fireworks by the shore. What do you think? That's also like doing nothing in this place, right?"

Fireworks and a seaside market? That's a great idea! I'm sure Rafayel would love it!

So I agreed immediately without hesitation.

The detailed plan for today was simplified drastically to "sit idly at home until there is a seaside market and fireworks in the late afternoon."

**************************************************************************************

The sounds of fishermen and vendors mingled with the excited chatter of shoppers, signaling to Rafayel and me that it was time for the seaside market. Conveniently, the market was located right next to the guesthouse Rafayel had arranged.

Hand in hand, we wandered towards the tents set up for the festival. It was quite different from what I had expected. Instead of just selling seafood, there was a wide variety of other items characteristic of the region. From seashells to thatched hut decorations, necklaces and bracelets made of pearls and stones, created mysterious sea colors. To emphasize the summer atmosphere, a multitude of Hawaiian-style shirts were sold everywhere in the stalls. Before I could tear my eyes away from all the goods, Rafayel had placed a straw hat on my head, having bought it from a nearby stall without me noticing.

“You’ll need this when walking by the sea in the afternoon, or you’ll end up like a dried fish,” he said with a smile. Seeing him wearing a similar hat, I couldn’t resist taking a photo of this memorable moment.

“Then I have to save a picture of you before you turn into dried fish too!” I teased. Rafayel grabbed my phone. “If we share the fun, we have to share the misfortune!”

Our laughter somewhat eased my mind as I thought about the part of Rafayel I didn't know. I told myself perhaps now wasn’t the right time to delve deeper.

But fate had other plans.

As we took photos, a heated argument erupted at a nearby stall. A customer, with a fierce expression, was holding a pearl and was berating the young boy behind the counter. “A trivial pearl like this, and you dare to say it’s priceless and charge a sky-high price? Do you know the price of pearls is going down? If you don’t sell it cheap, no one will buy it!”

The boy, almost tearful, replied, “No...this pearl is truly priceless...very precious...I can't sell it to you like that…”

Just as the customer was about to get physical, Rafayel intervened, grabbing the customer's hand and examining the pearl.

“Hmm, a very fine, aged pearl. Truly priceless, not something you can buy with money. Unlike someone who didn’t even know its true worth and still dared to make himself a bargain.”

Rafayel glanced at the customer and with a force only the man could feel, he snatched the pearl, wiped it with his sleeve, and handed it back to the boy.

“You're right. This pearl is priceless, and priceless things shouldn't be sold carelessly.”

The boy stammered, “But...I need money to…”

“Alright,” Rafayel interrupted, “if you want to sell, I can buy it and give it back to you, and of course, I won’t do it for free. So the condition for returning it is that you let me meet the owner of this shop, is that okay?”

The boy looked from Rafayel to me and then to the angry customer. After a moment's hesitation, he nodded and said he would tell the owner.

When the owner met Rafayel, I felt indescribable, as if they were old acquaintances who hadn't seen each other in a very long time. As they went into the hut behind to talk, I grabbed the boy and asked about the stall owner.

The boy called the owner “Grandpa”. Grandpa was the one who had taken care of him as he once lived in an orphanage. The boy also said that “Grandpa” was very knowledgeable about the island, everything from tides to weather. He loved “Grandpa” very much, but “Grandpa’s” health had been declining lately as if he was sick even though Grandpa always told him there was nothing to worry about. With his small mind, he only knew that if “Grandpa” was ill, he would have to see a doctor, which would require a lot of money. But “Grandpa” rarely asked for help, especially from people wearing white coats, and Grandpa also forbade him from selling anything except for what Grandpa caught or made, and the money earned from those small items was very little. So while Grandpa was resting behind the stall, he had tried to sell the gift the man had given him: a pearl as bright as the moonlight shining on the sky when the tides ebb and flow. That's how we were able to encounter the scene today.

After putting everything together, I had a feeling of who the stall owner was. There may be some things I need to ask to clarify.

As I finished my conversation with the boy, Rafayel and the stall owner emerged. Before I could speak, Rafayel took my hand and said,

"Let's go, there are still many other stalls waiting."

He turned to the stall owner and said in a serious tone, "As the old saying goes, if you need anything, we're still here."

The stall owner laughed as if this was something he often heard. "I know, I know. If you keep saying that, you'll become an old man. But let me have a few words with this young lady."

Rafayel looked at me as if asking for permission, and I nodded without hesitation.

As I approached, the stall owner looked at me for a long time and sighed, "That boy, although he talks a lot and has quite a sharp tongue, still withholds a gentle nature. So would you mind taking care of him?"

"Don't worry, that's my plan!" I proudly replied. Seeing my sparkling eyes, the old man sighed as if a weight had been lifted from his heart. He looked directly at Rafayel and me and suddenly bowed, surprising me a little.

But before I could stop him, he looked at us and said, "Well, I wish you both a happy outing. Be careful because..." He whispered, "It will rain tonight, so you'll have to find something else to do."

To my surprise, the old man and the boy waved goodbye as Rafayel held my hand and led me away from the stall, leaving behind a multitude of unanswered questions.

The sun was setting, turning the sky a deep red. The stalls were winding down as people eagerly awaited the evening's fireworks. Yet, between Rafayel and me, there seemed to be an invisible divide.

Since our encounter with the mysterious stall owner, who seemed to be an old acquaintance of Rafayel's, his mood had been down, despite his attempts to hide it by avoiding more profound questions.

He could explain the stall owner's background but seemed reluctant to discuss the man's current condition or why he was on the island in the first place.

There were too many intertwined secrets, and I had an intuition that these secrets held the key to understanding Rafayel's true self, a facet of him I had yet to discover.

This led me to bolder speculations. Perhaps this was the true emotion he had always held, and I had only realized it now because he had hidden it so well. While I acknowledged that his genuine, happy smiles were always associated with the moments he spent with me, it was only when he mentioned his "past," the time before we met, when he was still in Lemuria, that he seemed distant. And it was largely due to my inattentiveness; I hadn't truly focused on learning more about him.

Determined, I decided it was time for Rafayel and me to break through this invisible veil. I wanted to understand him better, including the things that might have hurt him in the past and the scars he tried to hide from me.

I wanted to know everything, to understand him better, only because I loved him as much as he had, was, and would love me.

Taking a deep breath, I took Rafayel's hand, who was still busy introducing the stalls in front of us. A determined look in my eyes conveyed my steadfastness, catching him off guard for a moment. But finally, he sighed in defeat. He squeezed my hand and stroked my palm gently as he said.,

"There's an open space on the other side of the dunes. Would you like to sit and watch the sunset while we wait for the fireworks?"

I nodded gently. The four footprints treaded side by side towards the base of a tree on the other side of the dunes.

The gentle breeze carried the salty scent of the blue sea mixed with the sand, creating a slightly itchy damp feeling, like rolling in the sand while still wet. It was uncomfortable and stuffy. Perhaps that was also the feeling the Lemurians had to face and adapt to when they first hesitantly set foot on the shore.

We both remained silent, watching the sun gradually set on the horizon until I decided to break it.

"Rafayel, you don't have to tell me more details. But at least you can share the basics about you. After all, those basics will help me understand you and your origins better."

Rafayel rested his head on his hand and looked at me intently. "What do you mean by basics?"

I took a deep breath and looked straight at him. "By basics, I mean things revolving around your daily life or at least how you feel. For example, how did you, as a merman, feel when you first stepped onto land? Did your feet, accustomed to swimming, hurt when you first learned to walk? Or did you feel lonely in a strange place? You may not need to tell me what happened, but at least how you felt when experiencing those."

Rafayel's eyes seemed covered in darkness immediately after hearing my questions. He lowered his head and let out a bitter chuckle before looking back at the sky, which was gradually darkening as the sun had set.

"So if I say it hurts, or I'm lonely, what will you do? I'm not naive. Who's to say that those past experiences and feelings weren't all fabricated by me to trap you?"

"Rafayel!"

I took his chin and pulled him to face me. "Look into my eyes."

Rafayel, startled, slowly turned his gaze from the dark sky to meet mine. "...Why? Why do you insist on knowing this? Isn't it easier to not know?"

Just as I was about to reply, a loud clap of thunder echoed through the sky, followed by heavy rain. Oh...just like the old man said...it's raining...

Before I could react, Rafayel quickly wrapped his arms around me, trying to shield me from the pouring rain. But the rain was coming down so hard that everyone had to seek shelter in the stalls being cleaned up, except for me, who was still in Rafayel's arms and protected by him.

But I didn't want to be protected like this...I wanted to face it with him.

My impulsiveness caused me to act faster than I thought. Amid the heavy rain, I grabbed Rafayel's hand and ran straight towards the guesthouse.

The sound of the rain pattering on the ground seemed to separate Rafayel and me from the outside world. This separation became even clearer when we finally reached the door and got inside. It was just him and me in our own space.

The heavy breaths mingled with the raindrops gradually falling to the ground made the atmosphere around us change invisibly.

When my sudden sneeze broke the silence, Rafayel quickly grabbed my hand and led me towards the bathroom. The sound of running water carried the warmth that gradually emanated from the bathtub. While Rafayel was still focused on preparing the bath, I continued to look at him and said what I hadn't been able to say in the downpour earlier.

"I want to know, Rafayel. Because I love you and want to understand you better, including the aspects you consider ugly and not worth mentioning."

After a long silence, Rafayel sighed. He approached me, touched my cheek, and said with a gentle voice.

"Alright, I can start by writing a book or telling you 1001 stories of the Lemurian people. Now go to the bathtub and rest, I'll wait for you.”

As Rafayel was about to leave after ensuring I was settled in the tub, my hand quickly grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. My sudden action caused Rafayel to pause, and before he could pry my hand away, he lost his balance and fell into the bathtub.

Silence enveloped us until Rafayel took a deep breath and chuckled as if he had no choice.

Rafayel leaned against the side of the tub opposite me. The hem of his bathrobe was askew, almost like an invitation.

"So you want me to stay here? In this state? Just to find the answer to what you've always wondered?"

I looked at him and reached out to where his heart was beating. "Yes, I want to know more about you."

Rafayel took my hand and rubbed it gently on his cheek. "So what do you want to know?"

"You don't have to be specific, but you could start with...how your Lemurian people express affection?" I firmly acclaimed.

"You really want to know?" Rafayel moved his hand from my wrist to my fingers and gently placed a kiss on it, slowly saying, "When Lemurians fall in love with someone…All our senses are committed to perceiving them without questions."

Before he could finish, I moved my finger to touch his lips and stroked them. "You mean...like this?"

Rafayel chuckled. "Your way of triggering my “sense” has only touched the surface."

I chuckled too. Because, of course, this touch didn't stop there. To prove my point, my hand gradually traced along his neck and went down to where I had touched earlier.

Rafayel's body stiffened with each movement of my finger, signaling that he was also becoming tense. "You...are all humans so foolish...this isn't just about touching..."

Before he could finish, my finger went even deeper to places I wouldn't usually wander. And by now, even Rafayel couldn't stay calm. His eyes darkened, only faintly lighting up when lightning flashed across the dark sky, illuminating the entire space for a moment, revealing shades of deep blue and fiery red. Before I could react, he pushed me onto my back while holding himself above me with his arms. My whole body was submerged in water, enveloped by his strong body.

Rafayel looked straight at me with a frown.

"Do you know what you're doing?"

With his words, the thunder roared continuously, signaling something big was about to happen. I knew what it was, and I was the one who was looking forward to it. "I know. And I know you're looking forward to it, too."

Rafayel looked at me intently with eyes I'd never seen before. It was as if I were prey being watched by a predator, and in the blink of an eye, I could be attacked without a chance to fight back.

Our heartbeat gradually filled the silent air, drowning out the thunder outside. Even I couldn't tell whose heartbeat was so strong, mine or the person I loved who was facing me. But no matter who it belonged to, I knew the hidden intention.

Rafayel finally spoke after his hand gently stroked my lips. "I'm looking forward to it because it's from you."

His entire body leaned down as he pressed his lips against mine. A warm sensation appeared between our lips. From the familiar, it gradually turned strange. This kiss...was different...so intense...so passionate...and so unfamiliar... Could this also be another part of him?

Our heavy breathing continued after the passionate kiss he had given. It was frantic, as if devouring. There was no more thinking or reason. Only passion and intensity. My warmth caused him, a merman, to exclaim, "And you’re warm, I like that."

Somehow, those words touched my heart. They recalled many legends I had once heard, and one vaguely mentioned how mermen didn't like the heat and how difficult it was for them to adapt to the warmth. But for him to say that he loved my warmth, how much had he had to endure to adapt to that extent?

When Rafayel looked at me intently after the passionate kiss ended, I couldn't help but reach out, hold his face within my two palms, and gently caress it, which was unfamiliar and slightly different from usual. I uttered the words that I thought from the bottom of my heart.

"Rafayel...this different side of you...is it still you?"

Immediately after hearing that question, his eyes sadly looked down for a moment, but as if reassuring himself, after a moment, he looked up at me and said, his voice mixed with a little self-doubt and a touch of pleading, "So will you still love me no matter what I become?"

I suddenly realized. It turned out that he was worried about me no longer loving him after discovering his past?

Silly Rafayel, how can I tell him that my love for him can no longer be taken back?

Ignoring all reason, my body acted on the most primal instinct. I grabbed the necklace around his neck and pulled him down hard, leaving a bite mark on it. I bit down fiercely as if to leave a strong and unfaded mark, a mark to say that he belonged to me no matter what might happen.

And to his surprise, I reached out and touched the bite mark, uttering the crazy words I had hidden deep in my heart and now had the opportunity to express. "Rafayel, just to let you know, when you’re madly in love, human often have the urge to mark their territory. And this mark of yours is no different."

His eyes were filled with a thousand emotions, and one of them I could see was relief. It seemed that he, too, understood my feelings for him as much as he had always had for me.

So Rafayel, please don’t be hesitant to open yourself up to me as well.

As if reading my mind, Rafayel pressed his body against mine again and whispered a word only he could understand the depth of. "If you say so, then join me. Let’s drown in the ocean. Together."

Despite the pouring rain and the constant thunder in the sky, in that room, only two minds were sinking together into the current of the waves of love.

**********************************************************************

On that unforgettable night, as I drifted off to sleep, I heard Rafayel's faint voice telling me the first story he had promised in the collection of 1001 Lemurian stories. As mentioned in his first story, I vaguely recalled the image of the Sea God in the dream I had afterward.

Like in a film, I saw the image of that sea god swimming from under the sea to the shore. Then, from the shore, he wandered aimlessly in the endless night. I desperately wanted to reach out but couldn't get close. And that scene repeated over and over until I finally took on a definite form, the form of a traveler standing on the shore after my countless silent prayers just to get closer to that sea god. But instead of the Sea God, in front of my traveler form was the image of a merman whose eyes I was familiar with. And even before the merman raised his singing voice, I rushed forward and grabbed his hand, his cold, lonely hand, and hugged him tightly and gave him the warmth only I could give. And in return, I received from him a warmth that comforted my soul despite all the chaotic melodies in the outside world.

A breeze blew past me, carrying the salty scent of the sea, gradually waking me up from the bittersweet dream I was encountering. Facing me was the sunrise on the horizon hidden behind the seashore. And I was wrapped in warm blankets and cuddled deep in Rafayel's warmth.

Rafayel….he always remembered…no matter what I said despite how nonsensical they were sometimes.

Thank you, Rafayel, for always keeping your promise to me.

So this time, let me also make an unbreakable promise.

Lying quietly in Rafayel's arms and watching the sunrise, I made a silent wish.

I hope that you and I will always be together.

Forever. Despite all obstacles.

All for love.

[bellarkeselection]

Dr. Halstead to the Rescue

Hi Shy Anonymous asker here is your request. I hope I did it justice ❤️- Reader is new in Chicago, to start a new life away from her abusive ex. Will soon gets to know that she's all alone in Chicago and he begins to care for her especially after she's released from the hospital. I think of Will is slowly gaining her trust, nursing her back to health

Some people believe in fate or destiny. I wasn’t one of those people during most of my life until one night changed everything for me. I only remember pieces of the accident that night. It was raining heavily in Chicago where I was looking for a hotel for the night. I had jumped on the first available flight away from my abusive ex boyfriend.

Driving down the road that night I saw his phone number come through the phone where I took my eyes off the road for a split second. “You’ve got to be kidding. It’s not going to happen Tony!…argh!” Headlights came right up behind me and rear ended me at the stoplight throwing my head against the steering wheel.

My ears were ringing and when I brushed my hand over my head seeing blood on it when I drew my hand back. Blinking my eyes my vision was slightly blurry when someone knocked on my driver window. “Are you hurt?” A guy with auburn hair could be seen outside.

“I think I’m okay…woah geez.” I opened the door and he stepped away helping me out of the car and I stumbled into his embrace feeling dizzy.

The stranger quickly reacted, sweeping me off my feet and up into his arms. He carried me to his car and he drove me to the hospital. “Don’t worry we’re going to the hospital nearby.” He kept turning his head looking at me concerned until I passed out.

Now I had been at the hospital for a few weeks and I learned the guy that hit me and brought me here is a doctor and his name is Will Halstead. Sitting up in my hospital bed I flipped through some tv stations finding that they were playing Iron Man 3. “Hey sorry to bother you. But I wanted to check on you when I finished my rounds.” Will peaked his head inside the room moving the curtain open.

“Hey Will, you really don't need to worry about me. Nothing serious has happened since you came to check on me 10 minutes ago.” I shake my head with a chuckle while laying the remote in my lap.

He lowered his head face turning slightly red. “Sorry Y/n. I'm just really sorry about rear ending your car that night.”

“It wasn't all your fault. I took my eyes off the road to look at a stupid text from my ex. So seriously please don't take all the blame.” I raised my hands in surrender, needing him to understand the situation since he seemed like a really nice guy who wanted to please everyone.

Will looks down at my chart shrugging his shoulders. “Okay let's see. You're labs and ex Ray came back all good. I did have to mark down the bruising on your back, arms and thighs though since I wasn't sure they weren't caused by the accident until a few days later. But otherwise you should be cleared to be discharged.”

“Really…that's great.” I perked up with a smile on my face until I realized that my car was totaled and I didn't have anywhere to go. My parents were a few hours away from here but were both at work. So I'd need an apartment or somewhere else to go for a couple days. “Actually I think I'm screwed.”

Will sat the chart underneath his arm meeting my nervous gaze. “Why what's wrong?”

“I don’t have anywhere to really live at the moment. I hopped on a plane and was on my way to find a hotel room the night of the accident.” Dropping my hands in my lap I didn't say much more. Even though Will was awfully kind and caring I wouldn't allow myself to open up to him just yet.

My ex Tony had done a real number on me. I didn't pretend like he and I were fine after he first started hitting me. So when he left for work I took what money he had left me and the extra I had in my wallet and I bolted. Trusting people, especially new guys, is now going to be a lot more difficult than it used to be. But I didn’t think Halstead had feelings for me, he's just doing his job. “Oh well how about you live with me for a little while until you find your own place and can get back on your feet?” He suggested laying my chart on the foot of the bed.

“Will, I can’t ask that of you.” I declined his generous offer not wanting to be intruding in on his private space.

Yet the young and attractive dr was instant when he sat down as close as he could on the bed. “I know you're not asking. I'm offering.”

“I…that's awfully nice of you.” I complimented seeing a smile grace his face brightly. “So I'll accept it, Dr. Halstead.”

Will got back up to his feet grabbing the chart and drawing open the curtain that showed the rest of the hospital floor to patients. He glanced over his shoulder at me. “I'll go start your discharge paperwork and then we can go get you some better food then what they serve here. My shift gets done at five but I'll take you to my apartment a little earlier so you can get settled in.”

“Dr. Halstead, why are you really being this nice to me. Is it because you feel guilty about the accident or is it some other reason?” I questioned with a tilting of my head trying to figure him out but my mind was still going blank.

The Dr shifted his body so he was facing me when he answered my question with that cheeky smile he had every time he came to check on me. “I dp feel guilty for what happened, yes. But that's not the only reason.”

“What's the other reason then?” I asked curiously.

He smiled back quickly, shifting his gaze to his shoes when his face turned red. “I fairly sure there is a slim chance you feel the same but…I don't know how it happened. I just found myself developing a crush on you.”

“Oh wow. I'm flattered.” I covered my heart with my hand feeling my face turning red for some unknown reason.

Will rubbed the back of his neck finally leaving the room. “Yeah uh…I'll come see you later to leave. Enjoy your movie.” I watched him leave the room before turning the TV back on to play the movie. Shifting around in the bed to lay down in a better position my mind wandered away from what I was watching and I found myself thinking of Will.

He seemed like an amazing guy compared to how Tony treated me. And maybe just maybe if I was brave enough someday in the future Will would know that I also found myself having a crush on him.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

[call-me-doll-face]

These Ties That Bind

Chapter 1 / Chapter 2

Warnings for chapter: slight angst

A/N: Sorry guys, this is a rewrite of the story i posted the other day! I didn't feel like I'd done the chapter justice. This is just getting to know the characters and setting the feel for the story! It's my firs time writing for avatar so please be patient! Any feedback or constructive criticism are welcome! Let me know what you think, if you like it I'll keep updating! @jakesullyfatjuicypeen thank you for giving me the confidence to try this! ❤️

“Hey, I’m Jake.”

“Rory. Nice to meet you.”

“Right back at ya, doc.”

Jake Sully had been right about one thing, the most dangerous thing about pandora IS that you may grow to love her too much... and love her I did.

I had been filled with a sense of wonder when I'd first arrived to be grace Augustine’s assistant. I thrived on the need to learn, the need to devour the information put in front of me. Grace really enjoyed that, i dare say she even respected it.

I was there when jake Sully arrived. I was witness to all his chaos, fell victim to his cocky tendencies a time or two. We struck up an unlikely friendship (that was very involuntary on my part) and that was the end of it.

Or the beginning... depends how you look at it.

“Will you stop following me? I have work to do jake.”

“You work too much, doc. Spend some time with your favorite cripple.”

“Jake!”

I was with jake every step of the way.

When he'd gotten separated on that fateful outing with grace and they couldn't recover him before nightfall, id sat beside his link unit for hours. I'd refused to leave, even though I had been completely and utterly exhausted.

“Where is jake?” I ask as grace and the others return from their outing, eyes searching for the obnoxious man and not finding him.

“What happened, what did you do?” I instantly start accusing, fear coursing through me. Grace gently grabs my shoulders, forcing my brown eyes to meet her own before speaking to me.

“Rory, he’s going to be fine. There was an incident and he got separated. He will pick him up tomorrow morning.” My hands shove her away from me. How dare she, how dare she downplay the seriousness of the situation.

“Why did you leave him out there! How could you! Rules be damned, they can go to hell!”

I'd been the first one he'd seen when he finally woke from the link, gasping wildly, filled with excitement, and instantly telling me about where he was, who he was with. Honestly, he talked so fast I could hardly keep up.

“Jake, open your eyes. Jake, look at me, come on you stubborn ass.” I say, tapping his stubbled cheek in attempts to get him to wake from the link. My breath leaves me in a harsh exhale when his pretty blue eyes slowly blink open. “Yeah, there you are… there you go.”

Gripping the back of his neck I help him sit up, eyes moving over him with worry. He just gives me a blinding smile, laughing as his hands grip my arms.

“You’ll never believe where I am doc!”

There were nights when we’d just sit laughing as he’d tell me about the wonders of the land. He’d teach me the language as he learned it, both of us giggling as he’d imitate how Neytiri would call him names.

“The stars are so different here… I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.” We lay side by side, shoulders touching as we look up at the Pandoran sky.

“Nah, they’re the same stars. Just different perspective.” Scoffing over at him, all I can do is roll my eyes before looking back to the sky.

We lay there in silence for a little while. Every now and then his finger will lightly run over mine, seeking the warmth and comfort from the physical contact.

“Do you know which one is earth?” My voice is soft as I ask him the question, not willing to disturb the peacefulness of the moment. When the silence stretches on for another couple minutes, I start to think maybe he won’t answer.

“Yeah, its right-” Leaning up on an elbow, his big body leans over me slightly, pointing to a bright light in the sky. “-There.”

“It’s beautiful.” I whisper softly.

“Yeah… They are.” He murmurs, eyes that look like molten gold studying my face.

I got to watch how his affection and admiration of the Na’vi woman grew.

“I just… She makes me feel so alive doc!” Jake motions excitedly as he follows me, trying to get in front of me so that he could have my full attention. Needy man. “I’ve never met anyone like her. She’s fierce, proud, always keeps me on my toes!” When he once again gets in my way and interrupts my work, I glare up at him in aggravation.

“She sounds wonderful, jake. Now please, every time I try to work you make it impossible. Go. Away.”

The good also came with the bad though… I was on his side every step of the way when things went to shit. I stayed in that little trailer in the hallelujah mountains, hiding from Miles Quaritch.

Jake somehow got the clan to accept grace and I, though they were very wary of us. What had happened with the school grace and ran had a lasting affect on them… who could blame them right? Humans always have a way of destroying everything they touch.

Seeing that I was always the one to tell jake how it is, the two of us always butting heads, it was only natural I was the one to yell at his over mating with Neytiri. I love her, but she was promised to tsu’tey, they both had their responsibilities to the clan and pig headed jake had gone and fucked it up.

I’d gotten over it quickly of course, knowing how much he loved her.

Then the attack on the home tree happened. Then grace.

“JAKE! JAKE, WHERE ARE YOU?” I shout out as I stumble through the destruction. My skin in hot to the touch, some spots burnt. Soot and ash cling to my skin and hair and my throat burns due to the heavy smoak surrounding us.

The Na’vi people scream and cry around me. Some stumble around, shouting much like I am in search of their families… others sit on the ground, sobbing as they hold someone to their chest…

I refuse to let my eyes settle on the bodies... I know that if I see them, if the reality that these people had been massacred in front of me sinks in before I can find jake… God I might just lose it.

“I’m here! Doc!” I hear him before I see him, his big blue body emerging through the smoke and barreling towards me.

“Oh god, oh thank god!” a sob is torn from my burning throat at the sight of my best friend, very much alive and moving towards me with desperation in his eyes.

We reach each other at the same time. He couches down, gathering me in his arms before standing to his full height, lifting me easily off the ground. Usually, I would complin when jake uses his strength to treat me like a rag doll but right now all I want is for him to pull me closer.

“Are you hurt? Doc, focus, are you hurt?” He cups my face, hand covering the entire side of it, fingertips pressing into my hair and onto the back of my head. Those pretty eyes of his search my dirty face. Hand shakes my head slightly to get my attention on him, prevent me from spiraling out of control.

“I-I’m okay… Neytiri?”

“She’s okay. She’s safe.” Pulling me back into his chest he presses my ear to his chest, letting me listen to his heart as his body heaves under me. He’s sweaty, dirty much like I am but I just cling to him as he shushes me gently, chin resting on my head.

Devastation had consumed my very being… I felt like I was dying inside as I took in the destruction around me. Everyone had lost so much, and all for greed.

When Jake had become Toruk Makto and united all the clans in order to fight the sky people, I’d been so proud. However, when the day came, I couldn’t stop the tears from pouring down my face.

Jake had seen this, his face dropping, and confidence quickly replaced with worry.

His big hands gently gripped my arm, knowing how easily he could hurt me in his avatar body, and pulled me aside. “Hey, hey, hey. What’s with the tears, little bird?”

I can’t help but laugh at the nickname. He’d given It to me the first time he’d taken me for a ride on his ikran, Bob. He’d laughed at how happy I’d been in the sky, flying with the wind in my hair. Had said with a fond yet teasing voice that if I weren’t born a human, I would have been a bird. Probably had been, in a previous life.

The nickname had obviously stuck.

“I can’t lose you too Jake.” My voice comes out small, so unlike my normal loud self. I’d be ashamed of the way I’m acting if I weren’t so afraid I’d never see him again.

“Oh, come on. You know damn well that I’m too stubborn to die.” He laughs light heartedly, trying to cheer me up as he kneels so he can be level with me.

Even with me standing, my face is level with his while he kneels. Any other time the size difference would make me laugh… now I just can’t bring myself to find it funny.

When I don’t give him a response and continue to stare at the ground, he lets out a heavy sigh. “Come on kid, I don’t want to leave here knowing you’re upset… just in case...” He doesn’t have to finish. The words go unspoken but we both hear them clear as day.

In case I don’t come back.

His hand engulfs the entire back of my head as he pulls me forward, pressing his forehead against mine in a rare display of affection between us. I don’t fight him for once, just lean into the embrace and breathe him in.

Neither of us notice Neytiri approach, but I jump when I feel her hand on my shoulder. “I’ll take care of him, human.” she says gently.

Neytiri hated me at first, telling jake that I needed to be with my own kind. Over time, seeing how much jake cared for me had softened her. After that it didn’t take long for me to grow on her as well.

“Take care of yourself too.” I demand as I hug her tightly. Well, it probably didn’t feel very tight to her, but you know.

After that I watched them fly away.

“Come on tiri, you got this! Come on, just one more push!” Her screams fill the mauri as she tries to push the baby out. Jake and I are flanking her on either side, letting her grip our hands as the pain wracks through her.

She whimpers, head rolling to the side so her tired eyes can meet mine. I can tell she wants to give up, the labor being complicated and long, taking everything out of her. Jake is panicking, worried to death something is going wrong and that something will happen to her or the baby. Right now, I have to be her strength, so I stroke her hair out of her face and give her a stern look.

“One more. Give me one more.” Sweat rolling down her face, tears filling her eyes, she nods her head to me. Gripping my hand tightly once more I watch in amazement as she gathers her strength and once more lets out of loud scream as she pushes.

My eyes widen and my head whips to the side as a cry, strong and mighty, is heard.

I’d never seen anything so beautiful, watches as the little blue baby is cleaned and wrapped in a blanket. “You have a son… You did so good, tiri. He’s beautiful.”

“Thank you, little human.” Neytiri is wrecked, absolutely exhausted but she still reaches a hand out to stroke my cheek in thanks.

“Come here little bird, come meet your nephew.” Jake says, and my heart has never felt so full.

“Oh, I’m going to get you, you little rat!” I threaten, lunging after Lo’ak as he squeals in mock fright.

I chase him in circles around his mom and dad, both laughing at our antics.

“Oh no! neteyam, save me!” He shrieks diving to the side.

I gasp loudly as the older boy (who is damn near the same size as me) jumps onto my back, sending us both to the ground in a pile of giggles.

“Dog pile!” Jake shouts and I quickly send him a glare before all of the kids jump onto me, laughing and screaming.

“No, no! mmph!” I gasp as I try to wiggle out from under the little brats that are my nieces and nephews. “Help!... Can’t… breathe!” I wheeze out, greatly exaggerating that fact.

Of course, stupid jake makes absolutely no move to help me.

‘I hate you.’ I mouth to him, and he just sends me a cocky grin.

‘I hate you more.’ He mouths back, playfully flashing his fangs.

“What is it, sweet boy?” I ask as lo’ak walks to me, dropping his head onto my shoulder while I chop fruit. I’d grown a soft spot for the younger boy, so much like jake when I’d first met him that my heart grows with joy.

“Nothing.” Instantly I can tell he’s lying to me. Dropping the knife, I turn to him, sitting so we face each other, knees touching.

“You have never been able to lie to me. What is it?”

“Nobody sees me. All I am is a disappointment to the family. They all want me to be like Neteyam, the perfect son, But I never will be.” He refuses to look at me, but I can still see the water that gathers on his lash line. His ears fold back, tail winding around himself and giving away just how badly he feels.

Reaching out, I run a soothing hand over his ear. “I see you, sweet boy. I am so proud of you.” Scooting closer to him, I gather him in my arms, which is comical given how much bigger he already is than me.  “I promise your father is also proud of you, lo’ak. He just doesn’t know how to show it.”

---

“DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND HOW YOU’RE MAKING THEM FEEL, JAKE? HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO THEM THE WAY YOU DO!” I shout at him, hands shoving at him as he flashes his fangs in anger at me. We are standing in the middle of their mauri, all the kids kneeling on the floor while me and their father fight. Neytiri stands to the side, ears folded against her head and watching us with sad eyes, but not stepping in.

“I AM THEIR FATHER, ITS MY JOB!” he shouts back, stepping into my space threateningly as his chest heaves with rage. His hands tremble at his sides, tail whipping behind him.

“THEN ACT LIKE IT! THEY ARE YOUR SONS, NOT SOME RANDOM SQUAD! EVEN NEYTIRI HAS TRIED TO TALK TO YOU AND YOU JUST BRUSH HER OFF!” The argument is getting more and more heated, tension levels rising to an almost catastrophic level.

“Tsmuke… it’s fine, really.” Lo’ak says in a quiet voice, not wanting his dad and I to fight because of him, feeling like he’s already caused enough trouble.

“Yeah guys, please don’t fight.” Neteyam agrees, trying to play mediator.

“No boys. No.” it takes everything in me to not snap at them, take my anger out of them. Instead, my words are just stern, firm. I watch as they duck their heads and nod in compliance before turning back to jake. “Fix. This.” I hiss, before turning and storming out of their home.

---

“I got nothing. I got no plan. But I can protect this family. That I can do.” My heart breaks at his words, not looking at them as they share a moment of intimacy. “Little bird.” Jake says to get my attention and finally I look up at them.

I let him take my hand, let him gently tug me into the circle of their arms. “Wherever we go, this family is our fortress.” His words are full of conviction, and my heart breaks further as I gently pull away from them. They both watch me with confusion, not understanding why I all the sudden need space from them.

“Jake, Neytiri…I...” my voice breaks off as I try to remain strong. How do I tell two of the most important people in my life that I can’t go with them? That as much as I’m dying inside, I NEED to stay here…

Thankfully (and selfishly) I don’t have to. Much like he always does, jake picks up on the words I’m not saying. I watch as his big body stiffens. My golden eyes narrow on me harshly, ears pressing back and baring his fangs as his tail whips in anger.

“No. No, you ARE coming.” He snarls, and I raise my chin defiantly. I know he doesn’t mean to be harsh, I know he’s just scared and doesn’t want to lose me.

Neytiri senses the tension rising and presses a gentle hand to Jakes chest to calm him before looking to me, ears folded back as well. “Why, Yawne?”

My heart breaks further as the softness of the voice, the pain lacing it.

“I’ve been teaching the children here… making a difference... they need me...” I see jake open his mouth to retaliate, already knowing what he’s going to say, I need you, but Neytiri senses there’s more and sends him a silencing look. “I’m not Na’vi jake… I won’t be accepted into another clan after everything that’s happened… I can’t go... this is my place.”

Nobody says anything after my confession, a heavy silence filling the marui and suffocating us. I can see that jake is having a hard time accepting it, every bone in his body wanting to fight it, but finally his shoulders fall in defeat.

Letting out a shaky breath he pulls me against his hard chest, cradling me there. “What will I do without you, little bird?” He asks, and all I can do is hug him tightly as I squeeze my eyes shut.

----

Shortly after that, with a heavy heart, I watch as them and the children leave the clan.

Jake doesn’t look at me as he walks past, knowing if he does, he won’t have the strength to do what needs to be done.

Neytiri just sobs loudly, gripping my forearm before forcing herself to move on.

Kiri and tuktuk wrap me in tight hugs, whispering how much they’ll miss me and wish that I’d come with them.

Lo’ak is quick to pull me in, pressing his forehead to mine. “Nga yawne lu ere (I love you)” he says quietly, and I murmur it back to him before letting him go.

Neteyam is last, and he just gives me a sad smile. Taking my hand, he presses a beaded bracelet into my hand, and upon further inspection I see it’s not a bracelet at all. My eyes widen as I look up at the boy, gripping the song cord. “For when we meet again, tsmuke. (aunt)” and then he’s gone.

They’re gone…

But that’s just the beginning of the story.

[dreamwritesimagines]

Dreammmm killing with GoS once again! I was in awe of Enamored and can’t stop thinking about Cherie in comparison to Clover 😂

Can we pleaseeeee see like what it would be if they met and their conversations, especially regarding their respective Bridgerton Baes??

Omg darliiing thank you so much! ❤️

Aw a Cherie and Clover conversation sounds so much fun, let's have a HC with it! 😍❤️

So I absolutely think Cherie would know about how it happened because I feel like Benedict and Clover would get engaged after Cherie and Anthony got married ❤️ So they would be walking around the park together and Cherie would be like,

"Just as I would always say to my friend Marie back in Paris, love and fate are always entwined."

"I doubt that. This marriage is a sham-"

"You're in love with each other!"

"I don't believe in love."

"I swear, sometimes you remind me of Anthony. He was the same as you, with his nonsense belief that marriage is nothing but a transaction-"

"I can't believe I'm saying this but he's right."

"That belief changed completely."

"Well, maybe you two are an exception."

"I'm definitely putting you in the love column, I don't care what Anthony says."

"Hm?"

"Anthony and I have this bet every season- nevermind. Anyone can see how you and Benedict look at each other, and I admit that the fact that you got caught played some part in your marriage-"

"That's the only reason why we got married."

"Mm hm, you forget that I know what you were doing when you got caught though."

"That was...that's not important."

"I'd say kissing is very important."

"Shh!"

"I used to think that's how ladies got pregnant."

"...Sorry, what?"

"Long story. But anyway, sooner or later you will realize that you're in love and that it's the greatest happiness in the world!"

[werejustlefttodecay]

"You've all I thought about since New Years." 🎆

Pairing: Fezco/ Lexi Howard ❤️

Summary: My version of the long awaited couch scene!

Warnings: Flirting, kissing, swearing

Author's note: I'm still unsure about requests at the moment, as this took me incredibly long to even write. I'll let you guys know as soon as I'm taking them though!

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

"It feels like for the first time in my life, I'm doing something for myself."

Lexi didn't wake up today thinking her day would end up here, on Fez's couch. But here she was. Talking about everything and nothing with the blue eyed man she'd been thinking about since that fateful New Year's Eve party.

---------

"What was your name again?"

"Lexi."

She'd heard about Fezco before, of course she had.

Everyone in a mile radius of her had gotten all sorts of party favours from him. She had heard all about him of course from Rue whenever she was high off her ass on something.

"Lexi, that's a nice name."

Her chest palpated when her name rolled off his tongue, she had to look away to keep the blush from showing on her cheeks, she really liked the way it sounded coming from him. It was like he was savouring every syllable of her name.

She'd never felt so understood until that very night. They talked for what felt like hours, she spoke about not believing in god, the pagans, everything. Anything that popped into her head she spilled to the man next to her. He seemed to really take it all in, truly listened to her like she wasn't just another extra in someone else's life.

"Damn Lexi, you fucking fearless."

That statement seemed to ingrain itself into her brain ever since.

"Thanks."

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

"I dig that Lexi, for real your doing your own thing." Fez took a hit from the blunt he had between his fingers before exhaling and turning towards her, a shy smile across his face.

"You know, this play really sounds like something I'd be interested to see." Fez leaned back, head against the sofa when he noticed the way Lexi blushed.

He loved being able to make her blush.

"Yeah?" Her tone unsure, Fez bit his lower lip nodding, confirming her question. Lexi couldn't help but grin at that, laying back against the sofa she looked into those cyan eyes of his, wondering how lucky she managed to get being here with him right now, in this moment.

Nothing could break this, they were in their own little world.

Lexi finally broke the silence between them, her eyes falling to her hands nervous for what she was about to say. "I don't care if no one else comes. As long as you're there, I'd be happy." She looked over at him again and noticed the way his eyes had shifted, a tenderness to them.

"Yo Lexi, don't do that to yourself." His voice sending waves through her with how gentle his tone was.

She was confused "What do you mean?" She shifted in her seat bringing her arm up to rest against her cheek.

"Like, doubting yourself and shit. You're the most interesting person I've ever met Lexi, I know damn well that most of that school is gonna turn up to your play."

He meant it, every single word of it. Her heart was melting right there on that sofa.

She was the most interesting person he'd ever met?

Lexi was biting back a smile as she shifted on her side to get more comfortable "Has anyone ever told you how amazing you are Fez?" Her bright eyes burning into his.

Fezco was taken back by that. He rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous habit he'd developed from deals over the years. There was a warmth creeping up his neck at her statement. It was safe to say that no girl had ever made him feel like this before, but fuck- Lexi wasn't just a girl to him. She was starting to be the thing he looked forward to when he first wakes up in the morning.

He finally turned to look at her, a gentleness in his tone "You know, you'd be the first to say that kinda thing, Lex." it was then he noticed Lexi had gotten closer he could feel her warmth from here.

Fuck, now his senses were in overdrive.

He could smell her shampoo, apples? He thinks. He desperately wanted to thread his fingers through those auburn locks of hers. His eyes landed on her gorgeous red lipstick, the minute she walked through the door he wanted nothing more than to cover her mouth with his so it stained his lips too.

"Fez?"

Lexi's concerned tone brought him out of his lingering thoughts. His cheeks reddening even more if that was possible.

"Yea, Ma?" His eyes never left hers as a shy smile came across her lips.

Lexi was moving towards him and suddenly Fez's heart was in his throat. His eyes darting to her lips before his mind could short circuit he felt her hand come up to cup his cheek, her soft lips slowly pressing against his.

Fezco's mind went completely blank.

His hands immediately went to her cheeks cupping them softly, breathing her in. All he could feel was Lexi against him, he felt her smile into the kiss as her hands rested on his chest. His heart was pounding against him as he slowly pulled away looking into those chocolate brown eyes of hers.

"Lexi." He sounded breathless, his eyes taking in her whole face. She was a sight to behold, a blush across her cheeks.

He was so fucked

Her forehead against his, both breathing heavily now "I've wanted to do that for a while." a nervous laugh escaping Lexi's lips.

Fezco brought both of his hands up to caress her cheeks once more "Yeah?" A boyish grin appearing across his lips.

"You're all I've thought about since New Years Fez."

He didn't think it was possible for him to be even more elated than he already was. His stomach was doing flips at the thought of her thinking about him just as much as he did over the past few weeks.

"Shit Ma, you've all I been thinkin bout too."

"Really?" She sounded so unsure, he never wanted to her to feel unsure about his feelings, especially not now.

"Hell yeah really." He pulled her in again, cradling the back of her head as their lips met once more. Endorphins rushing through him as Lexi threw her leg over Fez's lap straddling him, her fingers tracing the back of Fezco's scalp.

God, he was already so gone for this girl.

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

So there it is! I'm so damn obsessed with these two together, I couldn't help but write about them!

Much love and appreciation to my girl @lilaalouuxx for giving me the courage to finally post this! ❤️❤️❤️

Hope you all enjoyed! ❤️

[mrsgiovanna]

Seeing all these yandere giorno asks has made me full of ideas! (I hope you aren’t too sick of them yet😅), but I was curious, if he did have to resort to kidnapping his darling, how would he deal with them being absolutely terrified of him? Shaking, crying, and pleading with him every time he sees them, and how long it’d take them to even get slightly comfortable in his presence. I imagine he’d be so broken-hearted. I just love him sm and want him to be happy 🥺 oh well I hope your week has been good to you!♥️🐸

Hii my sweet 🥺 (can I just say your icon is the best😂)

Lolol awwww I know there's been a small influx for Yan! Giorno😅, it's okay though I'm not tired of them, (it's Giogio, I doubt I'd get tired😂)

Ooof more ideas👀, you're welcome to share them if you'd like. Well, I think that if he has to resort to kidnapping his darling, he expects that period of adjustment during which they're going to be scared, lost and hateful towards him. I do think however, that prior to him resorting to abduction, he will try other means to get them to him- the subtle and gradual sabotaging of their independence to push them further into his grasp. However if this doesn't work, and he has simply run out of patience, he will take them, perhaps slipping something into their drink on a night out, and darling magically wakes up in their sanctuary. Violence is not something he would resort to.

Prior to bringing darling home though, he would make sure that they have everything that they would need in their own room, he wouldn't resort to physical bonds like chains and shackles, darling is precious, and deserves to be treated as such, so their room will be filled with beautiful things, and all the requirements for them to engage in their hobbies and interests.

Once darling is in the villa, he's patient, able to endure the awkward silences or fear responses... Eventually darling will be able to see him for what he believes he is- a provider and protector. He'd talk them down in his gentlest voice during their moments of panic, and soothe them when they're upset. He's able to withstand their anger, but he is only human, and if darling tests his patience, he will isolate them in their room for a few days... They need to think about their actions... He would arrive just in time, like the first ray of sunshine after a storm and let them out before they crack, he doesn't want a broken darling, just one that's going to be slightly more accepting of his suggestions, he does know best after all, you don't get to where he is by being foolish.

As the weeks turn to months, darling slowly warms up to him- its inevitable, he's kept them away from everything they know, and has treated them with the utmost kindness, and they realize the more they open up to him, the more freedom he grants them. So once they've accepted their fate, they can go anywhere and do anything... Within the confines of the villa, or under his supervision when he does decide to take them out. Eventually he does get his happiness, and so does darling... Well that's what they tell themselves everyday...

I hope you're well too hun, have a wonderful day /evening 💖🌟💕🌠🤲❤️🐞