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takemeinyrarmy · 27 days ago

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BoyBoy book club⭑.ᐟ

These books have either been mentioned or recommended by the boys, list made to the best of my memory, some notes added for context + little abstract. [(A.) = Aleksa's rec; (L.) = Lucas' rec; (Al.) = Alex's rec] Reply or reblog to add more to update the list thanks!

⊹ Caliban and the Witch: Women, the Body and Primitive Accumulation - Silvia Federici (A.) [Aleksa's commentary: Also 'Caliban and the Witch' by Silvia Federicci is brilliant. It's a great marxist-feminist retelling of the European witch-hunts, it's really really cool. It completely flipped my view of the birth of capitalism... She posits that capitalism is a reaction to a potential peasant revolution in Europe that never succeeded, and situates the witch-hunt as a tool of the capitalist class to break peasant social-ties and discipline women into their new role as reproducers of workers.] || Is a history of the body in the transition to capitalism. Moving from the peasant revolts of the late Middle Ages to the witch-hunts and the rise of mechanical philosophy, Federici investigates the capitalist rationalization of social reproduction. She shows how the battle against the rebel body and the conflict between body and mind are essential conditions for the development of labor power and self-ownership, two central principles of modern social organization.

⊹ The Age of Surveillance Capitalism - Shoshana Zuboff (A.) || This book looks at the development of digital companies like Google and Amazon, and suggests that their business models represent a new form of capitalist accumulation that she calls "surveillance capitalism". While industrial capitalism exploited and controlled nature with devastating consequences, surveillance capitalism exploits and controls human nature with a totalitarian order as the endpoint of the development.

⊹ Anti-Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia - Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari (L.) || In this book , Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari set forth the following theory: Western society's innate herd instinct has allowed the government, the media, and even the principles of economics to take advantage of each person's unwillingness to be cut off from the group. What's more, those who suffer from mental disorders may not be insane, but could be individuals in the purest sense, because they are by nature isolated from society.

⊹ Open Veins of Latin America - Eduardo Galeano (A.) (Intro to LATAM history, infuriating but good.) (Personal recommendation if you know nothing about LATAM.) || An analysis of the impact that European settlement, imperialism, and slavery have had in Latin America. In the book, Galeano analyzes the history of the Americas as a whole, from the time period of the European settlement of the New World to contemporary Latin America, describing the effects of European and later United States economic exploitation and political dominance over the region. Throughout the book, Galeano analyses notions of colonialism, imperialism, and the dependency theory.

⊹ The Origin of Capitalism - Ellen Wood (A.) || Book on history and political economy, specifically the history of capitalism, written from the perspective of political Marxism.

⊹ If We Burn - Vincent Bevins (L.) || The book concerns the wave of mass protests during the 2010s and examines the question of how the organization and tactics of such protests resulted in a "missing revolution," given that most of these movements appear to have failed in their goals, and even led to a "record of failures, setbacks, and cataclysms".

⊹ The Jakarta Method - Vincent Bevins (A.) [Aleksa’s recommendation for leftists friends] || It concerns U.S. government support for and complicity in anti-communist mass killings around the world and their aggregate consequences from the Cold War until the present era. The title is a reference to Indonesian mass killings of 1965–66, during which an estimated one million people were killed in an effort to destroy the political left and movements for government reform in the country.

⊹ The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company - William Dalrymple (L.) [Not read by the boys yet, but wanted to read.] || History book that recounts the rise of the East India Company in the second half of the 18th century, against the backdrop of a crumbling Mughal Empire and the rise of regional powers.

⊹ The Triumph of Evil: The Reality of the USA's Cold War Victory - Austin Murphy (A.) || Contrary to the USA false propaganda, this book documents the fact that the USA triumph in the Cold War has increased economic suffering and wars, which are shown to be endemic to the New World Order under USA capitalist domination.

⊹ Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism - Yanis Varoufakis (L.) || Big tech has replaced capitalism’s twin pillars—markets and profit—with its platforms and rents. With every click and scroll, we labor like serfs to increase its power. Welcome to technofeudalism . . .

⊹ The History of the Russian Revolution - Leon Trotsky (A.) [Aleksa's commentary: This might be misconstrued since I'm not a massive fan of Trotsky... but... his book "History of the russian revolution" is amazing. It's so unique to have such a detailed history book compiled by someone who was an active participant in the events, and he's surprisingly hilarious. Makes some great jokes in there and really captures the revolutionary spirit of the time.] || The History of the Russian Revolution offers an unparalleled account of one of the most pivotal and hotly debated events in world history. This book presents, from the perspective of one of its central actors, the profound liberating character of the early Russian Revolution.

⊹ Rise of The Red Engineers - Joel Andreas (A.) [Aleksa's commentary: It's a sick history book, focusing on a single university in China following it's history from imperial china, through the revolution and to the modern day. It documents sincere efforts to revolutionize the education system, but does it from a very detailed, on-the-ground view of how these cataclysmic changes effect individual students and teachers at this institution.] || In a fascinating account, author Joel Andreas chronicles how two mutually hostile groups—the poorly educated peasant revolutionaries who seized power in 1949 and China's old educated elite—coalesced to form a new dominant class.

⊹ Adults in the Room: My Battle with the European and American Deep Establishment - Yanis Varoufakis (A.) [Aleksa's commentary: The book I mentioned earlier - "adults in the room" - is amazing. There's a great description of Greece's role in the European economy [as an archetype for other, small European countries] and the Union's successful attempts to discipline smaller countries to keep their monetary policy in line with the interest of central European bankers. I'd definitely reccommend it!] || What happens when you take on the establishment? In Adults in the Room, the renowned economist and former finance minister of Greece Yanis Varoufakis gives the full, blistering account of his momentous clash with the mightiest economic and political forces on earth.

Edit: Links added when possible! If they stop working let me know or if you have a link for the ones missing.

#IDK if anyone else is interested in this but in case anyone finds it useful <3 #boy boy #aleksa vulović #alex apollonov #ididathing #ngl most of this r aleksa/lucas recs.... idk if any of them are alex sorry i forgot?

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zepskies · 1 year ago

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Break Me Down - Part 14

Pairing: Soldier Boy/Ben x Female Reader

Summary: You’re a private investigator by trade, but now you happily sit at a desk — leading a surveillance team at Supe Affairs. After managing to end Homelander in New York, Soldier Boy escapes custody. You are recruited for the manhunt, joining Butcher’s team.

Truly, you joined the S.A. for the right reasons. But after you become his accidental hostage, Soldier Boy will break down every single one of them…

💚 Break Me Down Masterlist

AN: Stick around at the end for a special note — new SB fic dropping soon!

Word Count: 6,000

Tags/Warnings: 18+ only! We return to the smut! Plus a healthy dose of fluff, angst, action, moral quandaries, and feels.

Part 14: Safe House

Jon lied in his hospital bed, frowning hard at a computer screen. His arm and collarbone were broken, along with a few ribs. He had a private room, at least, courtesy of Vought.

Stan Edgar strode in following a quick knock on the door.

“Hello, Jonathan. I meant to visit you earlier,” said Stan. Jon stared at his boss, silently simmering. On his laptop played footage of the destruction wrought on the Lower West Side by a major car chase.

“How are you feeling?” Stan asked.

“Why was Black Noir set loose on my wife and daughters?” he seethed through gritted teeth. Damn how the effort of keeping still was almost as painful as moving.

“Ex-wife, isn’t it?” Stan said, raising a brow.

Jon was not amused.

“I gave the order, yes,” Stan acknowledged. “On your eldest daughter.”

Jon was incensed. If he could get out of this bed, he’d very well contemplate strangling the other man. Stan seemed to know it, but considering his personal security guards were standing near the back wall of the hospital room, he also didn’t look worried.

“Why?” Jon asked, genuinely surprised and dismayed. “She’s not a threat.”

“Soldier Boy kept her for a reason,” Stan pointed out. “She brought him to our doorstep, with the intention of helping him assassinate me…eliminating her was a calculated risk.”

Jon shook his head.

“But since Noir has failed, we will have to prepare accordingly,” Stan said.

Jon glared back at him. “You think I’m going to help you?”

“I think you have a job to do,” Stan returned. “It didn’t stop you from breaking your daughter’s ribs, and very nearly her neck.”

Jon faltered, a brief regret weighing his frown.

“That wasn’t…that was to teach her a lesson.”

Perhaps he’d gone a bit too far, but he’d only been trying to subdue you. To get you to listen to him. But you’d always been stubborn.

Stan broke him from his thoughts.

“I am not being attacked, Jon,” he said. “We are. Your daughter is a part of it.”

“Marie and Luisa are not. Leave them out of this!”

Stan merely rose a brow. He folded his hands behind his back and withdrew. He was flanked by his bodyguards as he left the room.

“Rest up, Jonathan,” he said. “I’ll need you soon enough.”

The master bed was actually pretty comfortable, as you and Ben found out.

You clung onto his shoulders after both of you were spent. You panted for breath as he held you to him with his solid arms wrapped around your waist. You two were both kneeling, technically, in the middle of the bed.

Your thighs were molded to his hips, and he was still buried deep inside you. But as of yet, you had no reason to move. You were enjoying your vantage point above him, watching him collect himself with closed eyes.

The simple truth of it was, you’d missed him.

Even when he was being a stubborn pain in the ass, you hated every moment you had to watch him caged, watching him start to think he may never get out.

Your hands slid around to his back. It allowed you to hold him in more of an embrace as you caught your breath.

When his eyes opened, you met him with a smile. You slipped your fingers through his sweaty hair. Holding your free hand at the nape of his neck, you pressed your lips above his brow. Then another kiss to his scratchy cheek. His beard had gotten overgrown.

“You need a trim,” you said, letting out a breathy laugh. You kissed his cheek again. Slow, and with purpose.

Ben let out a sigh through his nose. His eyes closed again at your gentler kisses, your touch. Maybe he reveled in this—being able to hold you back. It felt right.

If he was honest with himself (and this time, he was), you were somehow able to ease the frayed edges of his mind. Edges that had been starting to unravel in that cell.

And there were other things too, that he was beginning to realize, but not yet willing to cement in his mind.

So you reluctantly detangled from one another, but remained in bed. The problem was, for whatever closeness you two had just shared…you weren’t quite sure what to do now.

You hesitated to ask him just what the two of you were doing. Mostly because you didn’t want to ruin whatever this was by labeling it.

So instead, you relaxed against his chest and pulled the blankets over you both. Ben didn’t just tolerate it; he settled a heavy arm across your lower back and over your hip. It made you smile.

“Ben…what do you want from the rest of your life?” you asked.

You didn’t know what possessed you to ask, but you had to wonder what the end goal was for him, after the issue of Vought was settled. After he presumably kept his end of the deal and retired to South America, or Europe, or wherever he wanted to go, really.

His hand came up to pet your hair. “I just got some of it.”

You huffed a laugh, hiding your face into his chest for a moment. You couldn’t see it, but Ben grinned at how easy it was to embarrass you, for how wanton he knew you could be.

“Come on, seriously,” you said.

“Seriously?” he teased.

“Yes,” you said, despite a giggle.

He let out something of a sigh. Meanwhile, his hand drew lazy patterns up and down your naked back.

“I always thought I had time,” he confessed. “To settle down. Have a family…I actually thought it would be Tess.”

That thought was accompanied by a bitter chuckle. Your brows furrowed in question.

“Crimson Countess,” he explained.

“Ah.” You nodded and rested a hand across his lower abs, playing with the thin trail of hair there that led south. He found it strangely soothing, if a hint arousing.

“Was it difficult killing Homelander?” you asked.

Ben scoffed. “Just chock full of questions tonight, aren’t you?”

You sat up and propped an elbow on his shoulder, so he had to look at you.

“Not physically. Emotionally,” you said. God forbid you ask him about his man feelings, but you really were curious.

Ben eyed you with a raised brow.

“I know he wasn’t really your son,” you said. “He was a raging psychopath and needed to go down, but was there a part of you that…was it hard for you?”

Ben’s mood dimmed as his lips pulled into a frown. “He was a true disappointment. Barely a man.”

That didn’t quite answer your question, but you thought you could read some of his true feelings on the matter. You didn’t think he regretted killing Homelander. But maybe he mourned the connection he could’ve had with a son. From what he’d said about Crimson Countess, you knew he wanted a real family.

That softened you. You brushed a lock of hair away from his eyes with delicate fingers.

“He was told he was a god his entire life. That’s what happens,” you said.

Ben scoffed at that, his gaze cutting away from you. You didn’t know what that meant exactly.

“And you?” he asked, turning back to you. “What do you want from all this?”

“Besides my family safe?” you retorted. But then, you considered his words. “I don’t know. I thought I knew who I was before I met you. Now I’m realizing that I can’t control anything in my life.”

Ben raised your chin, and therefore your face up to him.

“You can control you. You’ve been doing that since I met you.” His thumb swiped against your lower lip. “Especially this fucking mouth.”

You smiled. “But you like that though.”

His lips pulled at amusement, huffing in response.

“Come on,” you teased. You moved, slipping a leg over to straddle his lap. You delved into his hair with both hands, and he let you tug his head back as he now looked up at you.

“Admit it,” you said cheekily. “You like my mouth. Talking back to you…on you…and getting you off.”

All while you spoke, you brushed your lips across his cheek, down his jawline, pressed a nipping kiss along his neck, below his ear. Then you returned to his lips. But you also ground down into his lap, feeling his rising length brush against your wet folds.

He groaned deep as you plied him the way you’d learned to do. And your tongue slipped into his mouth with your next kiss. He gripped your hips tight, wordlessly urging you to lower down into his lap and onto his waiting cock. But you resisted.

“Say it,” you demanded.

When he merely smirked, denying you control, you lowered a hand to take a firm hold of his cock. He let out a low hum of pleasure as you pumped him a couple of times, then held him poised at your entrance.

“I’ll give you what you want,” you said, brushing his lips. “But first, tell me how much you missed this.”

His next breath came out sharp as you squeezed his cock in your hand. You knew you’d find his fingerprints on your hips and ass in the morning, but you didn’t care. Because you were about to fucking win.

“Fine,” he said, through clenched teeth. “Maybe I’ve been craving this, more than a fix. More than goddamn sleep.”

Ben’s eyes were dark with lust, and he thumbed at your lower lip.

“And this fucking mouth. Gets you into all kinds of trouble, baby doll.”

You smirked and finally sunk on top of him. His cock slid past your folds and bottomed out inside of you, making you shudder and Ben groan in relief.

You did exactly as you promised. With your hands braced on his shoulders, you moved over him nice and slow.

Well, nice for you. Torturous for him.

He cast his head back to the headboard as he fought not to make you move.

“You’re fuckin’ killing me here,” he growled.

Your mouth curved into a grin.

“Alert the media,” you said. “We’ve got the ultimate weapon against Soldier Boy: a slow ride on his dick.”

Ben’s rich laugh rumbled out, crinkling his eyes at the corners and making you smile. You felt the impact of his laughter deep inside you, which wasn’t unpleasant. But you had mercy on him and finally picked up the pace. He grabbed a fistful of your hair for leverage while your lovely tits bounced in his face.

Then his fingers slid between you, parting your folds to rub at your clit. It made your hips stutter as you let out a mangled moan. Your inner walls started to tighten around him, earning you another muttered curse. He couldn’t help but thrust up inside you, mostly in time with your movements.

But he got impatient.

He grabbed your hips tighter and flipped you over, with your thighs wrapped around his hips.

“The moment I saw you, I knew I’d have you,” he gritted out. “Fuck, just like this.”

You gasped as he pounded deeper inside you. You felt like the bed was going to swallow you up. But you pressed your heels into his lower back and held on for the rest of the ride.

Within moments, Ben spilled into you so hard and fast that it took both of you by surprise. It felt hot and tingling inside you, making you shudder again.

Thank God for IUDs, you thought.

And when his fingers found your clit again in time with his last wild thrusts, it was enough to tumble you over along with him.

Afterwards, Ben braced himself on the headboard as a line of sweat dripped down the column of his neck. You grabbed onto his free hand while you caught your breath. His lips tugged at a smirk, his thumb brushing over the back of your hand.

“And we’re not done,” he said. “Not by a long shot.”

Ben woke to the annoying sound of coffee percolating. A normal man would have slept right through it, but thanks to his sensitive ears, he was up at…

Christ, it’s 11 in the morning. He noted the digital clock on the nightstand and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He actually slept all night. And all morning.

Up until recently, that had been impossible.

He heard puttering in the kitchen, knew it was you because of your soft humming. It drew a smile to his face without him realizing.

He climbed out of bed, showered, shaved and trimmed off the wilder parts of his beard, and dressed casually with the clothing he found in the closet. Wasn’t a perfect fit, but it would do for now.

This house was also not what he was used to. It was small, and too “suburban dad” for his taste. But he guessed it was better than an underground glass prison cell.

He ventured into the kitchen, where the smell of good food made his mouth water, and the sight of you frying bacon (trying not to get burned by the sparking grease) deepened his grin.

All you wore was his discarded shirt from yesterday, presumably over your underwear as it hung around your thighs, and a pair of slippers you must’ve found in the closet.

Maybe you heard him coming, because you glanced back over your shoulder and met him with a smile. But it soon edged into a more serious look as you turned and leveled him with your spatula.

“Okay. I don’t want any smartass remarks,” you warned. “I did make breakfast, because I’m a nice person, but don’t expect this for every meal.”

Ben raised a wry brow.

“Morning to you too,” he drawled. He rested a hand on your lower back as he looked over your shoulder, surveying the plate of cooling bacon, the pan of scrambled eggs, and the toast ready to be buttered on the counter, next to a jar of strawberry jam. “Looks good.”

You watched him steal a piece of bacon, your lips quirking.

“Is that a thank you?” you asked.

He purposefully bit into the bacon instead of answering. You gave him a narrowed look, but you were still amused.

“Even a child can say please and thank you,” you pointed out.

Ben turned to you then and hooked an arm around your waist, suddenly pulling you tight against him.

“All right. How about this?” he replied. His head bowed and kissed you thoroughly. He tasted coffee and jam on your tongue. A surprised moan caught in your throat, and you clung to his arms on instinct. Meanwhile, his other hand went to your hip, bunching the material of the stolen shirt.

When he broke from you, he looked down on your somewhat dazed expression and had to temper his smile. He gave you a nice slap on the ass, shocking a yelp out of you.

You shot him a dry look.

“Is that please, or thank you?” you teased.

Ben rolled his eyes and kissed you again, trapping you against the counter this time. But he didn’t allow himself to get carried away (yet). He swept back strands of your hair and let his fingers skim across your cheek, feeling your skin warming under his touch.

He finally settled on brushing his thumb across your bottom lip, meeting your eyes.

“Thank you,” he said.

It had a deeper meaning, you realized from the gravity of his gaze.

“That fucking bitch probably wanted to put me on ice the second they brought me in,” he said.

You could only assume he meant Grace.

“You’re probably the reason that didn’t happen,” he continued. “And that I’m here now.”

Emotion threatened to choke you, beginning to sting your eyes. You cleared your throat and soothed a hand along his forearm.

“You made the deal,” you pointed out. Ben shook his head.

“You were right. I want the fucking target off my back, once and for all,” he said. He touched where a smattering of bruises from the car accident colored your temple and part of your cheek with fading purple and yellow.

“But I’m getting it off you too," he said gruffly. "You want a deal? Here it is: no one’s fucking touching you again as long as I’m around.”

Your breath hitched as your heart began to hammer in your chest. You wanted to ask what that meant. You wanted to ask if, maybe, he wanted to be with you. If he…

But you lost your nerve.

“The eggs are gonna get cold,” you said in a coarse whisper.

Ben smirked.

“That’s really what you’re fucking worried about?” he asked, shortly before he cut off your would-be reply with a heated kiss.

Your arms twined around his neck, almost of their own volition. He already had you by the waist, and from there he hefted you effortlessly onto a small clean portion of counter space in the kitchen. His hands burned up your thighs, underneath the overlarge shirt. When he encountered nothing but bare ass, his lips curved against yours.

“What a naughty girl. You’re out here cooking with no fucking panties on?”

It was your turn to smirk as you held a hand to his cheek. He did in fact trim the beard.

“You like that, don’t you?” you remarked.

His dark chuckle was your answer as he spread your thighs wider. Your breath came out a bit shakier as his hand went smoothly up the inside of your thigh and slipped between your folds.

“Already wet for me, I see,” he said. His smirk only grew as you whined with pleasure at the invasion of his fingers. First just teasing inside your entrance, working you up. Your grip on his neck tightened, your nails digging into his shoulders.

“Ben…”

“How many fucking times I gotta tell you to be patient?”

“Ugh.” You dropped your forehead into the crook of his neck. “You are the worst.”

His resulting chuckle reverberated in your chest and tingled down into your lower belly. Combined with his teasing, it made your inner walls tighten on nothing from anticipation…until two of his fingers suddenly sunk deep into your heat. You cried out into his ear in surprise.

“Ben,” you breathed, but it ended on a moan as he finally began to give you what you wanted. His thumb found your clit and circled slowly while he thrust and turned his fingers inside you. You gripped at his hair, holding on tighter and tighter as your walls clenched on his hand.

“That’s it, baby doll. I gotcha,” he muttered. Though you teased a grunt out of him when you snaked a hand between you to palm at the bulge in his jeans. If he was going to give you a good morning, you’d be sure to return the favor.

He kept working on you, but with shaking hands you unzipped his pants and aimed to free him from those tight boxer briefs.

Unfortunately, your cell phone ringing halted both of your plans. It was on the kitchen counter, and it vibrated across the tile next to you.

Butcher calling…

Both of your heavy breathing accompanied the shrill sound. But when you noticed the caller ID, you gave Ben a rueful look.

He frowned in annoyance, but he withdrew from you, wiping his hands on a kitchen towel before he grabbed your phone and answered it (even if it took him two or three angry tries on swiping the green button). You put it on speaker.

“What?” Ben grouched into the phone.

“Apologies for interrupting what I’m sure is a dewy morning after,” Butcher said with all due sarcasm. “We’ve got a lead on Neuman.”

You raised a brow at that. Tugging down your shirt back over your thighs, you answered, “Where is she?”

“She’s giving a speech at NYU this afternoon.”

You frowned. You knew for a fact he hadn’t run that by the whole team.

“It’s not a good idea to catch her there. Too exposed. Too many people could get caught in the crossfire,” you said.

“Her next scheduled outing is a fundraiser for the homeless. That any better?” Butcher asked with mock cheer. “At the least the college kiddos won’t be coughing up a lung because their hepatitis A’s on a flare up.”

Ben’s lips twitched at amusement, but your frown only deepened in irritation.

“You’re unsavory, you know that?” you said, rubbing at your temple. “…Fine. We’ll catch her at the college.”

“Wasn’t really up for fuckin’ debate,” Butcher replied. “We head out in two hours.”

This isn’t going to be easy, you thought.

You were teamed up with M.M., Annie, and Hughie on surveillance, sitting in Frenchie’s van on one of the side streets outside the auditorium where Victoria Neuman was giving her speech.

Kimiko and Frenchie had formed a perimeter with Butcher on the campus. After the speech came to a close, Butcher, M.M., and Frenchie had worked out where Victoria would likely be escorted out to get back to her limo.

But you forced yourself to take deep breaths. You watched the various camera angles you and M.M. had been able to hook up to the monitors inside the van. On one of the screens was Ben in his full Soldier Boy gear, sans helmet, waiting for his cue.

You felt M.M. glancing at you, and you met his stare. His expression was tight, but mostly stoic. Still, you had a feeling you knew what he was thinking.

“He can do this,” you said.

M.M. shook his head and faced the screens. “You think you can fucking change him.”

“No,” you said. “But he just might surprise you.”

You weren’t trying to change him, nor were you trying to free yourself anymore. He’d caught you, in more ways than one.

Now, you were just trying to help him. And maybe, help yourself.

“I don’t give a fuck,” M.M. bit out. Annie and Hughie glanced at both of you in thinly veiled concern. You just quirked a humorless smile.

“I think you do,” you replied.

“All right, look alive,” Butcher said on the comm. Victoria’s speech was over. She was shepherded off the stage by her bodyguards while the president of NYU got up to make closing remarks.

She got as far as the hallway leading to the back door of the auditorium before Frenchie and Butcher sniped out her guards. You watched Victoria gasp and flinch at the bullets flying all too close to her. She looked around sharply, but finding no one there, she made a run for the exit.

That was when Ben ambushed her from the side, grabbing her from behind and shoving her through the door of the next room before she could aim her gaze at any part of him.

Ben stalked in after her. You adjusted the camera monitors to connect to the science lab they’d burst into. Every muscle in your body tensed as you watched.

Meanwhile, Ben was wary but not afraid as he kept his shield in front of his face. Victoria raised a hand to a her now bruised arm, but she scrambled in her navy pencil dress and heels to pick herself up.

She looked up at the supe striding toward her, taking in his head protecting his upper body. So she focused her gaze on his right thigh, making him falter as her power made her eyes roll into her head and blast at his suit.

The skin underneath was durable though. It felt like a nasty sunburn, one that Ben could ignore. He approached until he could grab her by the hair and turn her face away from him. She cried out, clawing back at his hand.

He placed his shield onto the holster on his back and got a hold on the back of her neck. He forced her onto her knees while he made her keep looking at the ground.

“Soldier Boy,” she panted. “Haven’t had the pleasure.”

“Cut the fucking chit-chat. Where the fuck is Stan, that dick tease?”

He was about to start squeezing his grip, when he was suddenly thrown into the far wall. He fell into a mess of student desks, beakers, and various scientific instruments.

“Zoe!” he heard Victoria shout. Apparently the woman’s daughter was a supe too. A telekinetic, by the looks of it.

With an angry growl, he picked himself up and shook off the glass from his shoulders. By the time he looked up, Victoria was ushering her daughter out the opposite door.

Ben ran after them, following them into what seemed to be another classroom. This one was full of students busy taking a test, and a professor grading a large stack of papers. Ben zipped through and ignored the gasps and shocked faces, along with a couple of kids that recognized him and immediately took out their phones.

He also didn’t care that his elbow knocked the stack of papers to the ground (to the professor’s outrage).

He bulldozed his way into another empty classroom, where he threw his shield at Victoria’s back. With a cry, she tripped and fell into a desk, and was separated from her daughter.

“Mom!” Zoe cried and reached out for her, but Victoria raised a frantic hand.

“Stay there!” she shouted back at her. Her attention focused back on Ben.

She razed at his face and chest with her powers. Ben winced as heat flared across his skin, blistering to the point of second-degree burns on his arm after protecting his face. He strode forward and grabbed her again, this time with a thumb pressing over one eye.

“You wanna keep your fucking eyes, or you want to tell me where your father is?” he demanded.

“No!” Zoe shouted. She raised her hands, and a violet glow of energy spread between them. Ben picked up his shield, ready to use it as a projectile against the girl.

Until your voice sounded in the comm in his ear.

“Go easy, Ben. She’s not the target,” you warned. He hesitated, his lips twisting in annoyance.

“Zoe,” Victoria warned. His thumb still pressed threateningly against one of her eyes. The other looked up at him, defiant. But her lower lip was trembling.

“You really want your daughter to be a part of this?” Ben asked darkly.

You were on pins and needles. While you watched the screen, M.M. glanced at you.

“We need to do something,” Annie said. She had been antsy the entire time, and when Hughie tried to grab her shoulder, she shrugged him off.

“We can’t extract the girl without Neuman seeing us,” you said. But you weren’t happy about it.

Annie gave you an incredulous look. “So you’re okay with that psycho killing a little girl?”

“Of course not, Annie!” you snapped. “But this is the reality of catching criminals. They rarely go down by themselves.”

She frowned angrily at you.

“That sounds like an excuse for murder,” she said.

There was a tense moment, in which you and Annie stared back at one another. You eventually relented.

“Okay, go. But stay on standby with Kimiko and Frenchie. They’re outside the classroom, 112B,” you told her. She and Hughie raced out, and you let out a breath while you turned back to the tense scene in front of you.

“Look, I don’t know where he is,” Victoria said. “We haven’t exactly been on speaking terms.”

“Then get him on the fucking phone,” Ben snapped.

A tear streamed down her eye, the one that briefly closed, then looked up at him.

“He’s not a bad man,” she said. “Not…entirely.”

Ben snorted in response. “Well, aside from trying to replace me with a bullshit knockoff, shipping me off to motherfucking Siberia. He stole from me. My life. And the bitch of the whole bunch, tried to kill me with a fucking clone, with the help of my own DNA. So excuse me if I’m past the fucking point of forgive and forget.”

“Fine! Fine,” she said, when he started squeezing in earnest. “Let my daughter go, and I’ll help you.”

Ben glanced up at the girl. She was frightened, with her glowing hands still poised to try and take him out. He still had half a mind to knock her out first.

“She’s just a kid, Ben. Let her go,” you said in his ear.

After another tense moment, Ben nodded.

Annie burst into the classroom, followed by Butcher, Frenchie, and Kimiko. Annie reached Zoe with a gentle hand on her shoulder, and she shared a look with Victoria.

“She’ll be okay,” Annie told Victoria, who nodded as more tears slipped down her cheeks. Ben held her firm by the shoulders when Butcher came with a device, no doubt provided by the CIA. It looked like a large metal band that clicked into place around Victoria’s head, covering her eyes.

Kimiko and Frenchie led her out, while Annie and Hughie did the same for Zoe. Butcher shared an appraising look with Ben, who stared back at him coolly.

Meanwhile, you let out a deep breath. You sat back in your seat and ignored the way M.M. gave you some cursory side-eye.

Thank Christ that’s over.

Back at Supe Affairs, Victoria gave them addresses to her adoptive father’s known safehouses. Not because they expected to find him there, but because they might find even more material to leverage against him before they attempted to arrest the man.

While Butcher and the rest of the team ran down the leads, you and Annie made sure Victoria’s daughter Zoe was put in protective custody, again, with Grace’s help.

Afterwards, Ben was waiting for you in the car that would bring you both back to the safe house. You rode there in silence.

When you got inside the house and made your way to the bedroom, Ben followed you. It seemed he couldn’t help himself. His arms were crossed, and his face was tight. You waited on him to speak as you started rummaging in the dresser for a shirt and pair of jeans to change into after a shower.

“I don’t need you yapping in my ear when I’m trying to get shit done,” he said.

You paused in your search, and you turned to him, raising an incredulous brow.

“I wasn’t sure if you were going to stick to the plan. Targeted kills only, remember? Zoe wasn’t the target.”

His frown soured. “She hit me first.”

You stared back at him. Then you raised your eyes heavenward, praying for strength. And you let out a breath.

“She was trying to help her mother, Ben.”

“If you’re grown enough to throw a punch, you’re grown enough to take one,” he argued.

“You’ve never hit me once,” you pointed out. “Is it different because she’s a supe? Were you really going to kill a child?”

“I never said that,” he said, glaring at you.

“Would you have killed Ryan too?” you asked.

Ben expelled a sigh of exasperation. “Would you shut up already?”

“No,” you refused. And you followed him into the living room when he stormed out. “You’re not going to weasel your way out of this. Would you have killed Ryan?”

“I don’t know,” he snapped. “He was Homelander’s fucking kid.”

“And that makes it all right?”

“Yeah, are you gonna say that in a few years? If he turns out just like Homelander, are you going to come crying to me to take him out?”

You glared at him. He was making a valid point you couldn’t refute, but that didn’t change what he was trying to do.

“You’re unbelievable.” You shook your head and crossed your arms. “You’re actually justifying this.”

“Whether you want to admit it or not, a supe is a supe,” Ben said, raising a finger. “No matter how old they are, they’re a threat.”

“It doesn’t mean a child shouldn’t be protected, Soldier Boy,” you countered. “A life is a life.”

“Hey, if you want to be sanctimonious, good for fucking you,” he shot back. “But don’t tell me how to do my fucking job.”

“I’m asking you to keep your word,” you said. “For both of our sakes.”

That managed to shut him up. With a sigh, you tried to ease up by taking his hand with both of yours, holding it with care. His glove was busted, the skin underneath was red and raw. He allowed it, but he still looked down on you with reserved irritation.

You knew you didn’t have to remind him what breaking Grace’s agreement would mean, for both of you.

“Just follow the plan,” you implored. “Targeted kills only. No collateral damage.”

After Ben came out of the shower, he went into the bedroom to change with a towel wrapped around his waist.

You were already cleaned up, a messy bun atop your head, wearing a plain shirt and some shorts, and sitting up in the bed with your new laptop. But you subtly watched him move around the room.

You noticed the burns across his chest. You were still irritated with him, but you couldn’t help it. You set your laptop aside and went to him.

Ben saw you coming through the large mirror above the dresser. His head turned to you just as you raised a tentative hand near the burns across his chest.

“Does it hurt?” you asked with furrowed brows. Your fingertips were light in touching his chest.

It did sting, but it wasn’t that bad.

Still, all Ben said was, “No. They’ll probably be gone in a few hours anyway.”

Your lower lip stuck out a little, like you didn’t quite believe him as you inspected the various burns.

Ben eyed you. He still couldn’t fucking figure you out.

He knew you were into him…and evidently, you cared about him.

Still, you fought him on virtually everything. There were times when you seemed almost disgusted by him, but when he fucked you, you acted like he was the eighth wonder of the world.

Even now, that perfect damn mouth of yours was frowning while your fingers moved delicately over his skin.

“You want some aloe vera?” you asked.

He knew by your face that you were completely sincere. It made him chuckle. You looked up at him in confusion.

“What’s so funny?”

Not unlike this morning, he picked you up (smirking at your squeal) and set you down on the dresser. His hands rested on your hips while yours laid gently on a non-burnt area of his chest.

“For someone as breakable as you, you seem to be real concerned about me,” he said. “...You’re really not afraid of me, are you?”

Your fingertips ran down his skin, unintentionally raising goosebumps. Though you considered his question with a tilt of your head.

“Why, are you going to break me?” you teased.

Ben huffed in amusement. His lips drew near yours, hovering but not yet claiming. He wanted you to come to him this time. Wanted you to let him know if this thing, whatever it was between you two, was heading where he thought it was…

And you didn’t disappoint him.

You reached out and framed his face with both hands, and pulled him into a kiss. For once, neither of you were in a hurry as one languid kiss turned into another.

Your tongue slipped into his mouth, and he welcomed you with a deep, reverberating hum, along with your thighs slipping around his hips. He took a firm grip of you there, while your fingers carded through his hair.

“Still not tired of this?” you whispered against his lips.

He backed off enough to look at you. Really look at you. His brown hair fell above his brows, and as was your habit, you swept some of it out of his eyes.

You read his answer there without him having to say it in words.

So you pulled him back in.

AN: 😏 Was their reunion everything you wanted it to be? Let me know in the comments!

(And do you wanna know where we're going next?)

Next Time:

“Good morning,” Stan greeted, raising his mug. “Care for a cup? Perhaps a donut.”

“Still fucking smarmy,” Ben said. He stood in front of the man’s desk, flexing his half-gloved fingers. He glanced up at the walls of this office, this tower in the sky. “We’ve been doing this dance for a long time, you and I.”

“And yet, on entirely different tempos,” Stan replied. “How can I help you, Soldier Boy?”

Keep Reading: PART 15

Special Note:

I'm releasing a new one-shot soon, set in this story-verse called "Love Actually." It's part of @deanwinchesterswitch's Christmas in July fic event running this month!

Go here to check it out and participate (as a writer/artist or a reader)!

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Series Tag List:

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#Safe House #soldier boy #the boys #soldier boy/ben #soldier boy x female reader #soldier boy x reader #soldier boy x you #the boys season 3 #soldier boy/ben x reader #the boys au #enemies to lovers #frenemies to lovers #private investigator!reader #the boys amazon #soldier boy smut #break me down #Part 14 #zepskies writes

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calaisreno · 6 months ago

Text

The Case of the Missing Bridegroom

The sequel to Reluctant Bridegroom. 1700 words / Prompt: Cold

Summary: Mrs Hudson does not make tea, Mycroft speaks in italics, and Sherlock goes for a walk.

Mrs Hudson is frowning at him; he gradually becomes aware that she’s been talking.

Blinking, he looks up. “Hm?”

“I said, do you like her?”

“Who?”

“Mary.”

“Oh, yes. She’s great. Are you making tea?”

Ignoring his implied request, she continues. “She seems clever.”

“Clever? Yes, she is. Quite.”

…only child linguist Clever part time nurse Shortsighted Guardian Bakes Own Bread Disillusioned Cat Lover Romantic Appendix Scar Lib Dem Secret Tattoo Size 12 Liar…

Liar.

That might be where to begin his investigation.

“Sherlock.” She clicks her tongue. “You must have known.”

“Known? What are you jabbering about, Mrs Hudson?”

“You must have known he’d move on while you were gone.”

He doesn’t have an answer for this.

“He’s just that kind of person,” she adds.

“The moving on kind?”

“No, he’s the staying kind, but you left. What was he supposed to do? He thought you were dead.”

Sherlock puts his head down and mumbles incoherently. Maybe she will take the hint and make tea. And bring up some biscuits as well.

“Sherlock.” She sits in John’s chair. “He’s not like you, love. Not a loner. He needs someone. He had you, and when you died—”

“He didn’t have me, Mrs Hudson. We weren’t like that.”

She gives him the look that means he’s an idiot. “Maybe not, but there was something there. And John needed that. He was lost without you. I’m sure he wouldn’t have found Mary if you’d come home a bit sooner.”

“Well, I’m sure they’ll be very happy.”

She makes a scoffing noise. “You know that’s not true.”

He scoffs back at her. “As I understand it, people who are engaged to be married often go through a period of regret. Cold feet, it’s called. Fear of change. A reluctance to follow through. He’ll get over it.”

“Will he?”

Before Mrs Hudson can explain to him why he’s wrong, his phone buzzes with a text.

John’s missing. M

It takes him just a second to realise it’s Mary.

He never came home last night. Won’t answer my texts. M

I’ll find him. SH

Liar. He opens his phone and begins to type a message. Before he can hit send, his phone rings.

“He’s not an idiot, Sherlock.”

“Where is he, Mycroft? I know you have surveillance on him. What I want to know is why?”

“Let’s just say, he’s attracted the attention of someone we’ve been watching. You need not worry.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Mycroft, I’m not in the mood for—”

“Miss Morstan. What do you know about her?”

“Why don’t you just tell me what you know? As I recall, you said you’d keep Moriarty’s London people away from him.”

“She’s not one of Moriarty’s. Just a freelancer, recently retired.”

“When were you going to tell me? More importantly, when were you going to tell John?”

“Doctor Watson is not an idiot, as I’ve said. His decision to propose to her was rash, I thought, but I’m fairly sure he’s having cold feet since you have returned.”

Mycroft speaks in italics only when he’s amused, Sherlock notes. “Just tell me where he is.”

“I think you can deduce,” Mycroft replies.

I must be getting slow, he thinks. He’s just been to all the places John used to go when he ‘needed some air’ and slammed the door of the flat behind him. He’s been to five pubs, popped into three coffee shops, and walked the perimeter of the park twice.

Home again, he sits on the stairs, conceding defeat.

His phone rings.

“Mycroft.”

“It’s very simple, Sherlock. He’s gone home.”

He nods. It would have been nice if Mary had texted to say—

“Home, Sherlock.”

His head jerks up. Ending the call, he runs up the two flights to John’s room. He knocks and cracks the door open. “John?”

The shape in the bed stirs, rolls over and blinks at him. “Sherlock?”

“John, what are you doing here?”

“Needed to think.” He sits up. “Went around the park a few times last night after I left. More than a few. Decided to sleep here.”

Sherlock steps into the room. When John lived here, Sherlock rarely respected his privacy, barging into the room at any hour. Now, it feels like an invasion.

“May I?”

John nods, and Sherlock sits on the bed. “What’s wrong?”

“You always told me I see but do not observe. I’m a bit slow, but I did actually learn a few things living with you.” He smiles. “After you died, I could barely cope. I sleepwalked through every day. And then, you came back, and it was like I woke up.”

“I’m sorry. I had no idea you’d be so affected.”

“I believe you. As angry as I’ve been, I have forgiven you. Since you came back, I’ve been awake. And I’ve noticed things… that disturb me.”

“What things?”

“In the cab going home that night, Mary kept talking, and I just had this feeling… she wasn’t who she said she was. So I did what you would do. I investigated. I called her job references. I looked up her employment history. I went through her things when she was out. And I made a deduction.”

“Yes?”

“I think you already know, Sherlock. Mary didn’t exist until a couple years ago. I don’t know who the woman I’m engaged to is, but Mary Morstan was an infant who died in 1972. Stillborn. She’s borrowed a name, made a new life. And for some reason, she took a job at my surgery.” He looks at Sherlock. “Maybe she has a good reason, but my spidey-senses are tingling.”

“Spidey-senses?”

“Spider Man. He can always sense danger.”

“Well, you always did. You knew whenever I was getting myself into trouble. So, what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to tell her the truth.”

“You should know, Mycroft’s people have been watching her. She’s freelance, recently retired. It might not be good to confront her with what you know. She may feel cornered, and that could be dangerous.”

“Not that truth, Sherlock. I don’t need to know who she is, but I’m not going to marry her.”

“But… what reason will you give?”

“I’ll tell her…” John looks down at his hands, licks his lips, and whispers, “I’m in love with my best friend.”

“You’re in love with Mike Stamford? Inconvenient, as he’s married and has four—no, five children.”

“Mike is not my best friend.”

“Gavin?”

“Who?”

“Gavin Lestrade.”

“Sherlock, Greg is a friend, but not my best friend. I’m in love with you.”

“Oh. You’re— I see. You will pretend you’re in love with me, which will soften the blow and allow her to bow out without compromising her assumed identity—”

“Sherlock, I’m not pretending I’m in love with you. I really am in love with you. I know you don’t do that—love is a dangerous distraction, sentiment on the losing side, blah, blah… That’s okay. If you’ll let me, I’d like to move back here. I not asking for—”

He doesn’t remember grabbing John and kissing him, but when his brain comes back on line, they’re lying on John’s bed, and John’s looking at him like he’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen.

John loves him.

“I won’t pretend,” he tells John. “No fake relationships. If you’re going to make love confessions like that, just casually dropping I love yous on me, you’d better be prepared for the real thing. I love you. And just so you understand me properly, only one bedroom will be needed.”

John laughs. “Well, that went better than I expected. Now I only have to break up with Mary.”

Sitting up, Sherlock grabs his phone and texts Mycroft. “The British Government can handle that, I think. Now, kiss me.”

@keirgreeneyes @totallysilvergirl @redmondcollege @lisbeth-kk @ninasnakie

#mayprompts2024 #my fics #johnlock

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rifulofthewest · 2 months ago

Text

My take and analysis on why MTP anime adaptations is so bad

(I recently rewatched anime and wrote a whole list of reasons)

1. Intentionally left out details

At its core, MTP is a detective anime.

The details in a detective stories are very important. The writer left them there on purpose, they all lead to something

• Starting with the biggest change: only Albert kills a human being during the first burning of the estate (with his own hands; all the residents died from the fire they created)

Which, from the perspective of the progress of plot, cancels out all Albert's internal conflict.

All the time he worries that it's his fault that Will has become murder. That their joint murders are the only thing that keeps Will and Louis close to him, otherwise they would have long since forgotten about his existence.

This is the reason why Albert moves Jack to their estate, to give Louis more free time to participate in the murders and to convince himself that they will stay with him until the end BECAUSE all 3 of them are killers now.

None of this makes sense if Will only broke a chair for him and Albert was the only one who killed somebody that night.

This is also the reason why adult Albert is almost always absent from the anime. His character no longer makes sense.

2) Ignoring the political component (in political anime, hilarious)

There are many examples here, so I will mention just a few.

• The case of poisoning:

1. For some reason, Mr Burton is working in the aristocrat's garden instead of representing the interests of farmers

2. The whole rent storyline simply doesn't exist when it is Moriarty's main weapon to win good publicity from the townspeople

• the Kidnapping chapter, which was a direct continuation of Will's investigation into drugs at the university (the pregnant girl on opium who was thrown off a bridge)

3) Missing characters and missing backstories of characters who are present in the anime

Moneypenny

The Man with the Golden Army chapters (Sebastian's backstory)

3) The change in perspective was not replaced by anything

In the manga, we - readers - observe everything from the 1st person perspective: right from William's head.

We see his thoughts (sadness, empathy, planning), even if he cosplays a rock and shows no emotion

In anime, we observe from a 3rd person perspective: we act as a surveillance camera.

The characters either have to voice their thoughts in dialogue with others or do something to let us know what they are thinking

Which William does not do. His whole point is that he lies to everyone around him.

Therefore, the adaptation had to either make him more open with one of the characters (Albert was right there❗❗) or keep the first-person perspective and give the voice actor opportunity to voice over silent, emotionless William

In general, rewatching I got the impression that while the manga was actually focused on Moriarty's plan (albeit not to the desired level but still), the anime's goal was to adapt Sherliam only (even here they missed a couple of moments)

#moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #william james moriarty #albert james moriarty

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rinneroraito · 9 months ago

Text

is it really the alcohoL?

L was going through the surveillance tapes for the nth time tonight, taking notes, labeling peculiarities in every frame.

“Let’s entertain the possibility that Light Yagami is Kira again,” he thinks to himself as he types away on his keyboard. “He hasn’t done anything suspicious in the whole week that he had been under surveillance, only keeping up with his studies and engaging with his mother and sister. Assuming he’s only keeping up with his facade as a model student, son and brother, it could either be that he’s really good at it, or he’s entirely innocent.”

The clacking of the keyboard fills the room as he scans the rest of the footage on multiple monitors, pausing on the scene where Light was having potato chips while studying.

“Light, you-”

A faint smell of lemon accompanied by the unmistakable sharpness of antiseptic fills the air. Flavored alcohol. L feels someone behind him and the scent of alcoholic citrus becomes more apparent.

“Miss Uehara, I can smell the alcohol from here,” L says, not looking up at you, a little displeased that you’ve managed to derail his train of thought.

“I’m off duty at the moment, aren’t I? Don’t worry, I’ll be alright in the morning, I have a regimen for this.” you reply, putting an arm on the back of the chair he was sitting on and leaning towards the back of his head. He is surprised by the contact but continues with his work as he tries to get his thoughts back in order, noting them down on his computer. They were important observations and your presence will not be a distraction for these findings to not be written down.

“You want some?”

L looks to his right side to see you offer him the can of alcohol and he silently huffs at the proposal, knowing the brand wouldn’t even be sweet enough for him to try anyways.

“No thank you, I’d like to keep a clear head while working.”

“Why are you even here, Miss Uehara?” He muses to himself. “If you’re not here tonight to help further this investigation, what business do you have? It does not make any sense for you to be here when you’re off-duty, the office hq is not the place to relax in.”

“I figured. You’re such a workaholic, Detective. Such a workaholic.”

“Your speech isn’t slurring yet so I assume you’re just buzzed. Were you pressured by the events as of late? I didn’t expect you to be the type to drink alcohol, actually.”

L replies, still mulling over the reason behind your visit as he continued to note down his observations, the clacking melody of the keyboard being the only thing making an audible sound in the electric silence of the dim office.

“Oh, you didn’t, did you? Well, it has been stressful, but I can manage. This helps.” You bring the can to your mouth, taking a long swig from it, exhaling after. “And I guess, in some way, you’re helping me, too.”

L was very much aware of the effects of alcohol and how it lowers down a person’s inhibitions significantly. The way you were approaching him right now was more daring than usual. Did you come here just to chat him up while he was working? But why? Is it the alcohol? Has the alcohol affected your judgment so much that you’ve become quite inconsiderate? You knew very well how he worked late into the night, you’ve sat through many playbacks of surveillance tapes with him yet now you’re here, and with the lack of a better phrase to describe it, wasting his time. “Would you please elaborate on that, Miss Uehara? Besides helping out with the actual Kira case and that small encouragement I gave you some time ago, I don’t suppose I’ve done anything of significant help towards you.”

You chuckled and he felt a bit of your weight on the back of his head as you leaned towards him. L shifts slightly at the contact but doesn't fuss about it, continuing with his task. He assumes that you were most likely going to leave soon anyways, your inebriation could only keep you awake for so long.

“Because you’re an inspiration to me and well, I like that you’re here, World’s Greatest Detective. It’s like, a biiiig deal to me that I get to work with you, you know?” You ramble.

“You speak rather highly of me, Miss Uehara, I’m touched, thank you.” He speaks in his usual monotone voice. There was genuine gratitude in it, but he also knew right from the start that you looked up to him quite a bit, hearing from Matsuda how you got so excited when he decided to ally with the NPA in catching Kira.

“Also, I think I actually like you, L...”

The keyboard’s clacking stops as he hears the words that escaped your mouth. Not only that, you dropped the usual honorific you called him by, likely influenced by the alcohol.

“Like me?” His forehead knits as he rolls the thought in his head. This is new. He knew you felt comfortable around him but… “It’s the alcohol.” L rationalizes.

He was still, and you continued to ramble on in your intoxication.

“I like the way you stare at things like you’re trying to dissect them before you, your piercing glare so intense that I feel like if you had lasers in your eyes I’d be bisected right in front of you.”

That description was pretty grim but… Why would you like that? Most people did not want him to stare at them as he seemed “eerie” and “creepy” when he did, but… You liked that?

“I like the way you daintily hold things with your thumb and forefinger, and it makes me wonder just how strong your digits are.”

More observations about his idiosyncrasies that most people just found strange. He’s never actually thought about how strong his fingers were, but now that you’ve pointed it out it made him look at his hands for a bit. And he realizes something. You were watching him really close, you were observing him. You had no aversion towards him.

He shifted slightly forwards, and you brought the arm that you had resting on the back of his chair around to rest on his shoulder. The contact surprises him again, but he stays still.

“I like the way you eat your sweets, it’s nice to see you enjoy them.”

You do?

“I like how I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic or you’re just being blunt at times, and it sends the rest of the Task Force in a state of confusion whenever you say something.”

That, too?

You chuckle, pressing your cheek on the top of his head yet he was too lost trying to make sense of what you’re rambling about that he doesn’t move.

“I like your face, the seemingly permanent shadows under your eyes, your sharp jawlines and how long your neck is, your lanky frame…”

L’s eyes just stay wide as he listens to you. The surveillance footage seems to be in freeze frame as you keep talking. Is he just supposed to believe you? That you find him… attractive?

No, wait. Wait.

“I like how you’re so smart and you know that you’re the smartest guy in the room but you give everyone the benefit of the doubt because of the way you look.”

“Miss Uehara…”

It’s the alcohol.

“I don’t know, Detective, maybe I do like you or maybe it’s the alcohol.” Hair strands fall off your shoulders caressing the nape of his neck as you lower your face on the back of his head, his hair brushing against your cheeks.

He was so distracted by your words that he almost, almost forgot that you were drunk. “Your hair smells nice.” You say, and your breath bounces off of the nape of his neck. He bends forwards, away from the warmth of your breath as the proximity makes goosebumps on his skin.

“While I am flattered by your words, Miss Uehara, I have my reservations over accepting them due to your current state. Were the things you just said truthful and you’ve been harboring feelings for me for a while or were they just a product of the mock confidence induced by alcohol?”

He knew asking you right now would be futile because you were still intoxicated, but he just had to make things clear. You have only been working together in person for no more than 2 weeks, so to rationalize this behavior of yours, he’s decided to label it as some sort of callow infatuation.

It was just the alcohol… But, was it really?

He feels you shift your weight while your face was pressed on his head.

“If I remember all of this in the morning and start acting awkward around you, then you’ll know..”

I’ll ask her again when she’s sober.

“Would you kindly stand up so I can move away, please? I’ll have Watari assist you back to your room.” Getting you back into your room where you could sleep the alcohol off was the most rational thing to do right now, and he needed to go back to work anyways. He feels the weight lift from the back of his head as you lean away, exhaling slowly.

“Can I sleep on the couch over there? I don’t..” You sway slightly on your feet.

He turns around and looks up at you, his wide eyes illuminated by the electric lighting of the monitors. He watches you closely, curiously, a faint tenderness that seemed to plead for the things you said earlier to be genuine.

“I don’t want to be alone tonight. I just want to know that there’s someone else within the 4 walls of the room I’m in.”

There it is. The reason you came to the office. You were seeking out a companion in your solitude. To pick him was something he had to find out the reason to later, something he had to clear up in the morning.

“Very well. I’ll have a blanket brought up here for you.” He gets out of his seat and walks around his chair to your side.

“Thanks, Detective.” You step back so you could walk to where the couch was when the rest of the alcohol suddenly hits and you stumble backwards. L, who had been perceptive of the entire situation, was able to grab you by your shoulders before you could lose even more of your balance.

That was close.

“Easy. It seems like the rest of the alcohol you drank is starting to run its course, please hold on to me and I’ll walk you to the couch.”

His grip on your shoulders was firm and secure. You lean on to him and he brings one of his arms around your back as he walks you to the couch by the other end of the room.

L looks at you as you drop yourself onto the sofa, making it seem more comfortable than it actually was.

Your voice comes out a little ragged as he watches you pull your feet up onto the couch.

“Hey, Detective..?”

“Yes, Miss Uehara?”

“I still have the lollipop stick from that day we met.”

“You do?”

That’s another revelation he wasn’t expecting, his brows furrowing in curiosity. But you had already fallen asleep.

You have left L with these alcohol-induced confessions, and he was pondering over them. He’s decided to file them into the back of his head for now, waiting until the morning to ask you about it when you’re awake and sober.

“Good night, Miss Uehara.” He says to a sleeping you before he turns around to walk back to his monitors, resuming his role as the World’s Greatest Detective.

#l lawliet #death note #death note l #l death note #oc x canon #l lawliet x reader #l lawliet x y/n #l lawliet x you #l my beloved

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privateinvestigatorsuniverse · 10 months ago

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How Technology Plays A Critical Role For An Infidelity Investigator

A Cheating Spouse Can Be A Genuine Reason For Your Heartbreak. Well In Simple Terms You Can Call This As Infedility. And When You Encounter Infidelity In A Relationship Honestly That’s Becomes Unmanageable. And That’s When You Need To Knock The Door Of The Infedility Investigator. The Investigator Takes A Prudent Approach To Uncover The Truth. But Yes, To Demystify, They Use Cutting-Edge Technology. Therefore, Stay Tuned And See How The Professional Leverages Technology To Disclose Clandestine Love.

Walking Through Digital Footprints To Track Betrayal

An Infidelity Investigator Punctiliously Follows The Digital Trails Of The Individual Convicted Of Infidelity. They Do Clear Up The Fog Grappled With Suspicious Activities. Now, When You Watch The Whole Thing From The Lens Of The Investor, You Will See That Cyber Detail Unfolds All The Little Information Right From The Call Logs And Social Media Postings. Now, Each Interaction Is Like Dots, And Once You Join Them, You Can Get An Inclusive Picture.

Watching With An Eagle Eye With Surveillance Technology

Cutting-Edge Surveillance Technology Has Undergone A Real Digital Transformation. Infidelity Investigators Use GPS Tracker Devices, Discreet Cameras, And Other High-Need Tools To Supervise The Suspicious Moves Of The Individual. You Can Undoubtedly Expect Real-Time Data In Regard To Interactions And Movements.

Scrutinising Social Media To Unmask Unknown

Social Media Are Always The Virtual Identification Of An Individual. So Private Investigator Goes Through The Digital Platform To Get Insight Into The Whereabouts. They Analyze The Interactions, Private Messages, And Posts To Find The Lead. The Best Part Is That The Investor Does Delve Deeper To Find The Unseen Connections That Might Not Be Visible To The Plain Eyes.

Analysing All The Essential Details With Forensic Data

The Infidelity Investigator Uses Inclusive Data Techniques To Analyze The Devices For Acquiring Hidden Data. They Can Easily Trace The Calls, Messages Which Has Been Deleted Earlier.

Final Say

Thus, These Are The Roles Technology Plays In The Life Of An Infidelity Investigator. So, If You Are In Trouble, You Can Call For Professional Infidelity Investigations Services As Well.

#Infidelity Investigations #Infidelity Investigations Detective #Private Infidelity Investigator #Infidelity Investigator services #Surveillance Investigation #Surveillance Investigation services #Infidelity Investigations services #Infidelity Investigator #Private Investigation Companies #Infidelity missing person #Surveillance technology infidelity

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a-whisper-in-the-forest · 6 months ago

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A deal

Part 1 (Disgraced apple pie) Part 2 (A work of art)

TW: Violence

Hero adjusts the earpiece in their ear. The annoying thing has a tendency to fall out during fights.

“Hero, can you hear me?”

Other Hero's voice sounds through the earpiece. “Yes, I can hear you.” Hero says with a nervous edge in their voice. These fights stress them out every time. Whoever said that it gets easier, has never been in a fight.

The Agency send Hero and their team to investigate an empty warehouse, on the edge of the city. There have been a few sightings of villains and henchmen walking in and out of the building. According to their surveillance team, there should be no one inside now. The perfect opportunity to know what those criminals are doing.

“Alright, there should be a hallway on your left side. Go through there. There should be a big storage room at the end.”

They hear Other Hero crackling through the earpiece. “Got it,” Hero answers, sneaking through the hallway. Sure enough, they can see an open door leading towards a big storage room. When they move towards the door, they hear a voice from inside.

“I'm telling you, Supervillain is going to reward us for this one. They're gonna see how much of an asset I am.” Other Villain's voice echoes through the room. Hero's hair on the back of their neck stands up straight. They don't like Other Villain. No one does. They might not be the most powerful one, but they have no regard for personal safety and will not stop at anything. That is what makes them dangerous.

“I'm gonna get my own lair or something. Something big is going to happen, mark my words,” Other Villain continues. Hero tries to inch closer but stops the moment they hear the other's voice. “For the third time today, shut up.” The cold voice is immediately recognised by Hero. Villain? What are they doing here? Supervillain only sends Villain if it's something serious.

“And for the third time, no. I do what I want. You're not-” Other Villain didn't get to finish that sentence. “Ouch, you motherf- ouch. Why would you punch me like that?” Other Villains hisses in pain. “I told you to shut up, didn't I?”

As Hero scoots closer, they can see behind the corner. Other Villain is walking around while Villain sits on some sort of crate. Both of them are suited up and ready for a fight. If this ends up in a fight, Hero is going to need a whole lot of backup.

All of a sudden, they can hear some muffled cries. As their eyes dart around the room to find the source, they can see a hunched over person bound to a chair. They may be sitting in a dark corner but Hero can easily distinguish the Sidekick's uniform. They quickly go a bit back in the hallway so there's a slimmer chance of being heard. “Other Hero?”

"Yes? Everything alright?”

Other Hero responds through the earpiece. “I think i just found the missing Sidekick from the Other team.”

"Oh, that's great. Are they okay?"

“I don't know, they´re being guarded by Villain and Other Villain.”

“I am calling back up. I will be back in a minute.”

Hero looks around the corner again only to see Other Villain gone. “Did your mother never tell you that it is rude to eavesdrop?” Hero's heart sank as they heard the voice behind them. They slowly turned around. “Hi~,” they say, looking like a deer in headlights.

“If I were you, I'd run.”

Hero didn't waste another second and bolted to the nearest exit. A bright flame flies next to them, hitting a nearby wall. Their earpiece flies out by the sudden movements. They don't dare to look back and keep running. They try to see the building’s lay-out in their mind.There is no way they can beat Other Villain on their own. If they go left on the next corner, there should be an exit close by.

“If you want them to stay alive, I'd stop,” Villain says behind them. They stop dead in their tracks. They turn around to see the Sidekick held up in the air by shadows. “What do you want?” Hero asks, growing desperate seeing the sidekick panic in their shadow bonds. “A little favor.” Other Villain says, having caught up with them. “Like what?” What could they possibly ask for? “All the heroes' personal files would do the trick.” Other Villain smiles, standing with confidence next to the struggling Sidekick. “I can't do that…”

“Well, guess Villain here can have some more fun with Sidekick then.” With perfect timing the Sidekick starts to scream. “Stop, not again! Please!”

They look at Villain. How is this the same person that they talked to for hours in that diner? They looked at Villain's face to expect the same smug grin as Other Villain, or at least a glint of malicious pleasure in their eyes. They didn't find any. They see a sadness they can't quite explain. If they are so against doing this, then why are they doing it anyway?

“So?” Other Villain asks. “Fine, I'll do it. Give them over now,” Hero answers quickly. They were so gonna get in trouble for this. That's a problem for later. They first need to get Sidekick out of here and get them medical treatment. “I don't think so. You can have them back when we have the files. Sounds like a good deal, doesn't it?” Villain gives Other Villain an annoyed look. They stopped hurting Sidekick as soon as the Hero said ‘fine’.

“Alright then,” Hero says reluctantly. “Where do I drop off?”

“You know where,” Villain answers the question. “In two days.”

“Done.” And with that Hero turned around to go look for their team. Villain has a lot of explaining to do next time.

What Hero doesn't see, is a figure appearing out of the shadows, well hidden by Villain's powers. “Good job, you two. Villain, how about you bring our little friend home? Other Villain and I still have some grocery shopping to do. I am giving you your reward by not pushing you into a crowd, which I know you hate.” The figure steps forward and caresses Villain's cheek. “What do we say then?”

“Thank you, Supervillain.”

Next part

Hi! Finally part 3 of this series! I did struggle with this part so I hope it lives up to your expectations. I hope that the next parts come a bit easier :).

#hero x villain #heroes and villains #snippet #my writing #villain x hero #writing

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brynn-lear · 6 months ago

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Case File: Missing Person Investigation

Victim: (Y/n) (L/n)

Date reported missing: 04/20/2024

Reported by: Jelena "Topaz" ███████, close friend.

Circumstances: Suddenly went missing before reaching the airport, hasn't left the country. Missing for more than 72 hours when authorities were notified.

Possible Motive/s:

- Unknown.

Victim's Background:

- An overseas immigrant worker from ██████, registered Penacony citizen for 3 years.

- Full fledged human, no remarkable hybrid bloodline.

- Moved near Clockie Memorial, Penacony City to start the Dreamjolt Cafe. The cafe is heavily supported and funded by retired famous actress, Siobhan.

Possible Suspects:

1. Gallagher

- Description: Victim's flatmate, canine hybrid, possibly a former bloodhound detective.

- Relationship: Lives in the same apartment with the victim. Home is located besides the cafe.

- Circumstances: Unlikely to leave shared home to kidnap or attack (Y/n) due to surveillance footage.

- Suspicions: Suspicions were raised by Jelena but her accounts are shaky and not conclusive.

2. Sunday

- Description: Penacony senator.

- Relationship: Alleged arguments with the victim regarding cafe spot.

- Motive: Possibly interested in victim's cafe spot for the capital's town hall extension.

- Denial: Claims cordial and friendly relationship with (Y/n).

Relevant Information from Witness: Ms. Robin:

- Sunday's Visits: Contradictory statements regarding visits to the cafe near closing time. Sunday often happily remarks prior to (Y/n)’s disappearance that he fondly enjoys listening to them talk. Close friends and regulars corroborate the opposite as he had “never visited the cafe at night.”

- Gallagher's Popularity: Adored by customers, the victim often jokes about him replacing them as owner/barista when they retire. Gallagher declines all their proposals.

- Relationship Status via Prof. Ratio: Victim is “not dating anyone, not looking to date”. Prof. Ratio was very adamant that they were not lovers with Gallagher or Sunday.

- Sunday's Opinion On The Victim: [Audio file attached]

“I'm not sure why you're suspecting me, Robin. Even though (Y/n) thinks little of me, I enjoy their company very much. I have never met someone who has passionately disliked me as much as they do. I wouldn't want to start missing that voice.”

- Family Bond via Kakavasha: Victim has strong bond with family, unlikely to elope. As the family's “breadwinner”, there is pressure for them to send financial assistance.

- Digital Disappearance: All of the victim’s accounts are offline, unreachable by phone. The Cyber Investigations Division has yet to find their cell's last known location. Investigator “SW” is assigned to this case.

- Rumors of human trafficking: Word is spreading that there has been a series of other missing people in the area. Some claim a mafia is involved.

- Rumors of rigged election: Mr. McCoy has been implicated in the ████ elections for his role of (allegedly) manipulating the vote count in Penacony City to favor Senator Sunday.

My personal notes:

04/20/2024: The investigation is ongoing with focus on Gallagher and Sunday as potential suspects. Further inquiries and evidence collection required to determine the whereabouts of (Y/n) (L/n).

They removed me from the fudging case and now I can't do any flipping poop about it. Hecking suspicious that they're so tight-lipped about some cafe owner's disappearance. Ain't no way something political ain't involved here. They won't let just anyone in. They even have the audacity to get Agents Kafka and Yingxing to look for em. Robin thinks Sunday has something to do with it and now the little bird thinks about partnering up with me. I can't shake her off. Annoying, but I don't want to just do paperwork. Gotta do some legwork for fun.

04/21/24: Gallagher looks like he's genuinely confused by what's happenin. But as an ex-cop (?), he's doing a darn commendable Watchmaker Award worthy job of hiding it. Ya'd think he'd be very aggressive, but the old dog's warming up. Slightly. Dunno. He's being kind of a son of a nice lady about this and I have a stinkin' feeling he's going to try and investigate this matter on his own.

04/21/24: Robin isn't feeling well. I wonder why?

Chapters

1) The First Meeting

#$ whodrankit?#$ table of contents #[this page will be frequently updated for every chap that comes out #- so be warned ig?]#[for now here's the general info boothill knows before the start of the comics. btw. if you're reading this-#yes. this will be another choose your own adventure story lmao yes i will do polls after every end of the chapter #so you guys can pick who to investigate. which means you're controlling boothill and other POVs lmao goodluck-]

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bondrees · 1 year ago

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Bond Rees: Your Trusted Partner in Unveiling the Truth

Need answers? Looking for concrete evidence? Bond Rees is your one-stop shop for reliable, discreet, and effective private detective services in the UK.

Bond Rees isn't just a private detective agency; we're your confidant, your partner, and your champion in uncovering the truth. We understand the sensitive nature of your case, and we're committed to providing discreet, professional, and effective solutions.

#Private Investigator #Investigation Services #Surveillance #Background Checks #Missing Persons #Cheating Spouse #Licensed Investigators #Bondrees.com #Professional Investigations #Information Retrieval #Confidential Investigations #Personal Security #Private Detective #Trustworthy Investigators #Investigative Services

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thatsmzbitchtoyou · 2 months ago

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Yes Mama Chapter 3

Summary: Bucky Barnes has made quite the name for himself in the underground mob boss world. But he’s not the boss. Just the face of the Family.

Warnings: violence, subtle mention of drugs, murder, language, possessiveness, smut, mild choking, public sex

Kids: oldest (from Steve) Frankie 12, second (from Tony) Antonia 10, third (from T’Challa) Uuka 8, fourth (from Bucky) Beau 6, fifth (from Bucky) Lottie 5, sixth (from Bucky) Valentina 3

Previous chapter Next chapter

Something was wrong. Shipments were going missing. Weapons disappearing. And any operations or meetings they had planned kept being interrupted by a police raid or presence. Although Y/N had most of the state and local police force under her thumb, there were still a few gung ho prosecutors and officers who were trying to do the right thing that kept making life harder for them. Y/N’s people had clocked that they were being followed, a small detail of undercover cops around every corner. Bucky was investigating as best as he could, waiting for whoever the rat was to screw up and reveal themselves.

They started giving out instructions that were different from person to person in Y/N’s inner circle. All the lower level “employees” wouldn’t know some of the in depth things that had happened, so Bucky suggested setting up traps. They were zeroing in on who it was day by day, until their last two people were in position. They were followed by Y/N’s best spies, and finally, after what felt like months of confusion, distrust and surveillance, they had him.

“No,” Y/N shook her head as Bucky relayed the news. Her eyes watered and her brow furrowed deeply as she frowned. “No, not…not Johnny,” she breathed, her voice wobbling as her emotions overcame her.

Bucky nodded sadly. He personally was never a big fan of John Walker. John was always vying for a special relationship with Y/N like Bucky had, but he had always been a good part of the Family. And yet here he was, working as an informant to the FBI, leaking information about Y/N and the Family to them. She stumbled back onto their bed and Bucky quickly stepped forward, kneeling in front of her as she hung her head in her hands. “I’m sorry, Mama,” he said, his hands gripping her wrists and pulling her hands away from her face. “I’m so sorry.”

“Where is he?” she asked, a venom leaking into her voice that always scared him. It was rare to hear it, but when he did, it meant death was coming.

“Downstairs,” Bucky answered, his eyes minutely widening.

“The kids?”

“At the second house with the nannies.”

“Good,” she said, her eyes closing as she breathed evenly. Her face twisted to a stony expression. “Let’s go.”

Bucky nodded and stood quickly with her as she got up and walked out of their room. He followed her to the house elevator that led into the basement, then they walked through a secret door that led to a lower basement to the same room he’d killed other rats in. Her inner circle were all there, each of them having taken a turn in beating John until he was bloody, swollen and bruised. He looked up at Y/N and Bucky when they walked in and tugged against the restraints that tied him to the wall. “Mama! Mama please! I’m sorry!”

Y/N moved forward at lightning speed and let out a guttural scream as she slapped him across the face as hard as she could. John cried out in pain as his head whipped to the side. “You fucker!” she spat, her voice low and gravelly. “You son of a bitch. All I do is care about you, take care of you, and those you love, and this is how you repay me?!” She slapped him with the opposite hand, making his head whip to the other side. “Why? Huh? Why would you do this to me? Making me have to spy on people I love and care about,” she gestured to everyone else in the room, “making me question my trust in others, in their loyalty. Putting others at risk. After all I’ve done for you. The chances I’ve given, the opportunities, the home, the family, all of it! WHY?!”

“Because of Lemar!” he screamed back.

Bucky shut his eyes and shook his head. Lemar was John’s best friend, and John had vouched for him to work for Y/N. At first Lemar had been a great addition to the Family, but his old army, do-gooder mentality came back to haunt his conscience, and he’d tried stopping Y/N’s operations as she was making a huge merger with an up and coming organization, nearly jeopardizing everything. Bucky had never seen her so livid, and she had given Lemar the full measure of her wrath that day, then killed him. She didn’t kill often, but when she did it was personal.

Y/N’s head tilted sharply as she stared at John. “Lemar,” she scoffed. “You know how this works Johnny, and he was well aware of the consequences of his actions. As are you,” she stepped forward and leaned down in front of him, then gripped his face tightly and made him look at her. John winced at the look she gave him.

“I know, Mama. But you didn’t have to kill him like that. He didn’t deserve that.”

“He deserved every…fucking…bit of it,” Y/N snarled. She looked him over, then shook her head as her emotions got the better of her and her eyes filled with tears again, her lips trembling. “Now I gotta kill you, you bastard. How am I supposed to look your parents in the face, knowing their son was a traitor and I had to kill him?”

John’s eyes widened and he inhaled shakily. “Please, Mama.”

“They won’t suffer for your sins,” Y/N said quietly, and she sniffled as her tears fell. “I always take care of mine. But you,” she paused, her grip tightening on his face and her voice wobbling, “are not my Family.” John was crying as he watched her, and minutely nodded his head in sad understanding. Y/N shoved his face away and stood up straight. She took a step back and then held out her hand towards Bucky. He pulled out her gun from his other side holster opposite his, loaded it with one bullet, and handed it to her. Y/N took hold of it, unlocked the safety and pointed it at John’s head. “Last words,” she demanded.

John shook his head. “I’m sorry Mama, I love you.”

Y/N’s face twisted in pain, her tears flowing even heavier. “No, you don’t,” she whispered, then shot him. John’s body crumpled strangely to the floor. There was silence as Y/N’s arm dropped and she stared at his dead body. She silently handed the gun back to Bucky, who quickly holstered it, watching her carefully. Then she leaned forward, her hands on her knees as she cried heavily, deep, body-wracking sobs and wails flying from her mouth. Bucky walked up to her to try and hold her but she pushed him away. She sharply turned to the people in the room, the people who she loved and trusted the most. “Do you love me?” she pointed at Wanda, one of her long time friends from her childhood.

“Yes, Mama,” Wanda immediately answered, her own tears falling at Y/N’s pain.

“Do you love me?” she demanded, pointing at Wanda’s brother Pietro.

“Yes, Mama,” he nodded. “You and Wanda are my family.”

Everyone else in the room all agreed, nodding and vocally affirming their love and support for her and the Family. Y/N kept crying as she looked at each of them. “You’re with me?” she asked the room.

“Yes, Mama,” they all said in unison.

She turned and looked at Bucky. “Till the end of the line,” he said quietly.

Y/N closed her eyes and hung her head. “You all know I love you, right?”

“Yes, Mama.”

Y/N inhaled and exhaled deeply. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Clean this up…please.” She started for the door but was interrupted by each person walking up and hugging her tightly. Once they’d all had a turn they quickly started cleaning. Y/N walked toward the door with Bucky right on her heels. She made it back to their room, and the second Bucky closed the door behind himself she cried loudly again, falling to her knees on the floor. He quickly joined her on the floor, wrapping his arms around her and holding her in his lap. He stroked her hair, wiping her tears as he whispered reassuring words in her ear.

Y/N’s hands were gripping his shirt tightly, her tears soaking his collar. She sniffled and wiped her face before pulling away to look at him. “Why does this keep happening?” she whispered.

“He was a traitor, Y/N. A rat is a rat. None of this is your fault,” Bucky said, cupping her cheeks and kissing under her eyes.

“Don’t I love my Family?” she asked, looking at him imploringly. “Don’t I take care of what’s mine? Why is it never enough?” She shook her head and shut her eyes tight. “I know I love hard. I wear my heart on my sleeve, which is ridiculous in this line of work. But isn’t it better to be loved than feared?”

Bucky shook his head. “You are loved and feared, Mama. You can have both, be both. You’re too big to only be one or the other. You are loved because you are so feared, and you are feared because you’re so loved. Like the perfect storm. Do you hear me?” he asked, shaking her face in his hands to make her look at him. “You’re my perfect storm. Don’t let the idiocy of a few let you think any less of yourself,” he said, kissing all over her face.

Y/N sighed as he held her and loved on her. “Are you afraid of me?” she asked.

Bucky huffed a silent laugh against her cheek. “Sometimes,” he smiled.

Y/N smiled at him. “Thank you, babydoll. I’m sorry I let my emotions get the best of me.”

“Don’t ever apologize for being a fucking human being,” Bucky said, kissing her lips quickly.

Y/N sniffed and wiped her face, giving him a sheepish smile. “You shouldn’t have to kiss me when I’m all gross and snotty. Let me clean up–”

Bucky kissed her deeply. “I’ll kiss you any and every way I can,” he said, kissing the lines of tears that still fell from the sides of her eyes. “Though if you wanna clean up, I can help with that,” he smirked suggestively.

Y/N’s smirk came back, her eyebrow arching at him. “Oh yeah?” she asked quietly.

Bucky nodded. “Let me take care of you, Mama.”

Y/N sighed, her smirk turning into an adoring smile. “Okay, babydoll.”

#marvel #smut #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fanfic #series fanfic #chapter 3 #mobster!bucky barnes #mob boss

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