#joaquin torres fluff

[robertsfloyd]

Sidekick

your friend, ex teammate, needs help with his new 'sidekick'

joaquin torres x reader

"i need a favour."

hearing those words from sam wilson always had you pulling a face. it always had you denying him, telling him you wouldn't help, and eventually agreeing.

it was sam, how could you say no?

for the first time since steve went back in time, you told sam where you were. you'd been helping remotely since steve left, not quite willing to jump back into super hero life. but you still did what you could to help.

you told him where to find you and waited. waited in your garage kitted out for super hero training. even if you weren't willing to jump into superhero life, you were ready for it.

you watched as the truck pulled upon your driveway. living in the middle of nowhere, it could be nobody else but sam.

"you're late," you called, arms folded over your chest as you looked at him.

sam raised his hands as his passenger climbed out of the car. "traffic," he called, his usual smile on his face.

you rolled your eyes, stood up and accepted the hand sam offered to you. "it's good to see you, cap," you mumbled as he wrapped his arms around you.

"good to see you too, kid."

you stepped away from him, looked at the young man just past him. your eyebrows went up, eyes moving to sam. "is this it?"

you didn't mean it like that, but it was the same thing you'd said when tony stark brought peter parker to you. you knew what you were doing.

he was cute, dark curls and muscular arms. not bad to look at, actually. but you weren't looking at him in that way. you were looking at the amount of work you needed to do.

"he wants to be the next falcon," sam said, a chuckle leaving his lips.

your poses were matching, arms folded over your chests and legs just slightly parted as you looked at the young man. "what's your name?" you asked, nodding towards him.

his smile was enough to light up your garage. "joaquin torres," he answered, starting towards you. his hands were clasped together, eyes shining like stars as he looked at you. "it's an honour to meet you, ma'am."

you laughed, shaking your head. "none of that ma'am shit," you mumbled. "makes me fee old."

striding towards him, you look in every inch of him. military, you just weren't sure what kind. army, navy, air force. he was bound to be one of them.

"so, you wanna be a superhero," you said as you circled him, a predator observing its prey. you wouldn't strike, not until you'd readied him to strike back.

"i can work with this," you said. it was more than tony stark had given you in peter parker. "hands up, soldier. show me what you've got."

joaquin raised his hands. fists at the ready, protecting his face. he looked at you, waited for you to do the same.

you swiped his legs out from beneath him. a yelp left his lips as he crashed to the mats beneath his feet.

"lesson one, don't just guard your face."

it was a simple lesson, one that shouldn't need to be taught. but you knew superheroes. fighting them, beating them, training them to beat you.

you offered him your hand, pulled him to his feet. even though you had sent him crashing to the mat, he was still smiling.

his hand was warm as he got up and brushed himself up. "ready to go again?" you asked.

he opened his mouth to reply, but you swept your legs out form beneath him once again. he gasped as he went down, but he grabbed your leg, pulling you down with him.

"hey!" you cried, unable to stop your fall. but you couldn't deny that you were impressed.

"let me guess," he said, the both of you still on the floor. "be ready for anything?"

"be ready for anything," you echoed.

but, suddenly, you were on top of him, keeping his arms pinned with your legs. he tried to move, tried to flip you off of him, but he couldn't. he could have used his legs, could have driven his knee into your side to dislodge you, but he didn't.

"lesson three, if you go down, don't stay there."

"got it," he said, voice squeaking.

finally, you got off of him. turning away from him, you walked towards sam. "kids got potential," you mumbled, folding your arms over your chest.

footsteps on the mat, that was the only way you knew he was coming towards you. you turned quickly, drove your elbow into his chest before he could get to you.

he went down, gasping for breath. "shit!" you cried, hands covering your mouth. "shit, don't do that!"

he raised his thumb as he tried to get control of his breathing. "got it," he gasped and took your hand when you offered it to him.

***

it had been weeks of this arrangement. eventually, sam stopping bringing joaquin by, he just came on his own.

he strode in, jacket on his body. he didn't look ready to get his ass handed to him.

"falcon," you said as he strode into the garage.

his usual bright, pretty smile came onto his face. shrugging off his jacket, joaquin dropped it into the corner of the garage and stepped onto the mat. "not too sore today?" you asked as you copied his pose, both of you ready to strike.

you'd transformed him. where he once was a lamb, he was now the lion. "ready to go," he replied, still grinning.

you grinned right back.

he got the first hit in, but you blocked it. hit after hit, you blocked all of them, but he backed you up until you stepped off the mat. his eyes travelled down, enough of a distraction for you to knock him to the floor.

joaquin pulled you with him. he hooked his leg over your body, keeping you on the floor as he climbed on top of you. joaquin's chest heaved as he sat on top of you, trapping your arms under his legs. "do i win?" he asked with a grin.

you tipped your head to the side, a hum leaving your lips. "maybe," you replied and drove your knee into his side.

joaquin fell to the side and you rolled on top of him. "no," you said, sitting on his stomach. "i win."

his hands were on your hips. his arms and legs were free, he could have dislodged you and taken the win for himself. but, instead, he placed his hands on your hips, his thumb rubbing over the exposed skin above your shorts. "you win," he echoed.

he pulled you forward slightly. your hands met his chest as you stared down at him. "what're you doing, falcon?" you whispered.

you could have moved, could have climbed off of him if you were uncomfortable. but you weren't uncomfortable, not in the slightest. you had been in this position several times since sam first brought him to you, but it had never been like this.

but you weren't complaining.

"i think i wanna kiss you."

his hands travelled up, settled on your back as you leaned towards him. your hands travelled from his chest to the mat on either side of his head. "i think i wanna kiss you, too."

he kissed you and you kissed him. it didn't matter who made the first move. his grip on you tightened, holding you close. but the two of you kept things sweet. eyes closed, no tongue involved.

you pulled away from him, sat back and stared down at him. his hands travelled back down to your hips as he grinned at you. "i win," he said, this thumb moving again.

"wrong again, falcon."

[gay-dorito-dust]

I’ve seen fics where Joaquin is hurt, so I thought why not do things a little differently…I’m unhealthy addicted to this man. (Have since the show but didn’t capitalise on writing for him then, grave mistake tbh though there still wasn’t much for him back then either.)

The mission with Sam and Joaquin was a success but one reckless misstep caused you to be put right into a hospital bed with a uncharacteristically quite Joaquin by bedside, his hands clasped together tightly in front of his face as his beautiful dark eyes seemed distant and unfocused as they gazed at the wall across from him.

‘You can quit mentally going over funeral arrangements for me, I’m still alive to continue being a pain in your ass.’ You tell him once you had awoken, but it seemed as though your attempts of making light of a serious situation only seem to put Joaquin even more in a sour mood.

‘You sure have a weird way of trying to comfort me you know? Making jokes about your own hurt and thinking that I’ll just laugh along?’ Joaquin said as he looked at you, eyes sharp but filled with worry as they looked over your bandaged figure. ‘Is nearly dying really a funny experience for you?’ He then adds rhetorically. It was obvious that you being hurt had more of an affect on Joaquin then it did you, maybe because you had time to be accustomed to how dangerous the job was, which resulted in giving you a weird sense of fucked up humour when you find yourself on the hospital bed.

‘Joaquin-‘ you began as you reached out for his hand but it seemed as though your friend and mission partner wasn’t quite done.

‘Do you know how I felt when I found you hurt?’ Joaquin starts, unable to keep the feelings with him any longer then he already had, hating how helpless he felt upon finding out that you were hiding an injury as serious as this as though you didn’t view yourself as someone valuable. ‘And the fact that you kept it from us, from Sam but most importantly,’ Joaquin paused when he felt himself letting his emotions rise to the surface as tears brimmed his beautiful eyes, ‘you kept it hidden from me, we’re meant to be partners y/n, partners.’ He adds in a way that made you know that what he felt towards you was a lot deeper then you two just being partners.

‘Are we not partners?’ Joaquin asked.

‘Of course we are!’ You replied without hesitation, reaching out and grabbing his hand and intertwining your fingers together. ‘You’re my best friend and the best mission partner I could have ever asked for-‘

‘Then why did you feel the need to hide your hurt from me.’ Joaquin interrupts you, though you noticed how tightly he held onto your hand as though he was scared to let go of you, and in the moment you hated yourself for making Joaquin worry over you like this. You truly were the worst when it came to these things but with Joaquin you wanted to be as transparent as possible with him, expect when it came to needing help and your feelings for him it seems, and you couldn’t help but feed into the idea that due to this Joaquin deserved better…better than you at least.

‘The mission comes first Joaquin you know this as well as I, so why should it matter if I’m hurt or not.’ You said to him, hating how it seemed as though Joaquin could see through you whenever you looked in his dark eyes, bringing you under the impression that he seems to know you better then yourself and you feared that that was the truth. You wish you could hate him but you knew you’d be lying if you ever said that because you knew you’d love the man until you couldn’t, making you fear how far you’d actually go for him and vice versa.

‘Well it matters to me! You matter to me! So sorry for not wanting to watch my best friend and love of my life die on a hospital bed.’ Joaquin exclaims suddenly, taking you both aback by the outburst of repressed emotions but Joaquin pushed through as he moved his hand from your grasp, moving to hold your face within his hands instead as he rests his forehead again yours. ‘Especially not when I have so much to say to you that I should’ve said far, far sooner instead of hiding.’ He adds softer this time as he moved to press a tender kiss your forehead, making you smile softly at the feeling, before pressing his head back against there.

‘And what would those things be my dear falcon.’ You asked analog sheepishly as your hands reached to keep his hands again your face, caressing the backs of them with your thumbs, smiling at how while this wasn’t the ideal place for you to admit your feelings but it didn’t feel any less magical then it did right now.

Joaquin smiles for what felt like the first time since he’s been sat beside you. ‘We’d be here for a really, really long time if we want to go into specifics,’ you both laughed at this, knowing that you would spend just as long listing of the things you loved about him in return, ‘but to keep it short all you need to know is that you’re the best part of me, my better half and the one person who could make me feel like this when I’m under the impression that I could one day loose you forever.’ Joaquin sighed and closed his eyes, leaning further into you as though trying to convince himself they you were still here with him.

‘I don’t ever want to see you like this ever again, not as long as I can do something about it to keep you safe from this day onward.’ Joaquin admits and you felt yourself becoming warm and giddy it made you forget why you were in the hospital for brief moment in time, for you were too focused on the beautiful and brave man in front of you holding you like you were everything and to him you very much were.

‘Then I can only promise to be more carful on missions from here on out if it’s to keep your heart from breaking, for I wouldn’t want to hurt someone as important to me as you Joaquin,’ you then moved your hand to wipe away the unshed tears from his eyes, taking your time with it as well as you caressed his tear stained cheeks with care and held the weight of a death as though you were in fact scared of hurting him. ‘I never went to see you shed a single tear more of my reckless ass.’ You add and this time Joaquin laughed along with you as he kissed your palms sweetly, smiling against them.

‘Then I guess you’ll have to deal with me being a little overprotective on the future missions.’ Joaquin says barely above a whisper.

‘I wouldn’t mind that at all, not a single bit.’ You replied, kissing his nose and smiling, happy to know that your feelings weren’t unreciprocated like you originally thought, but also happy knowing that your heart was in the safest hands you’ve ever known.

[queenariesofnarnia]

the future mrs. torres {j.t}

Joaquin Torres x Reader

gif not mine!

wc: 633

a/n: just a fun little thing of Reader and Joaquin stressing Sam out.

🩵🩵🩵🩵

This weekend you were finally off to visit Sam. You were so excited to meet the new Falcon as well, Sam has talked about him a lot. Your flight to Virginia wasn’t bad, you rented a car driving to Sam’s place from the airport to surprise him. You pulled up behind his truck, leaving your bags in the car heading up to the door before knocking. When the door opened, you inhaled deeply hoping your surprise would be a welcomed one.

“Shut up” Sam was in disbelief looking at you before he pulled you into a hug. “You’re actually here” he pulls away getting a good look at you. “You grew up too fast go back to being the annoying teenager again”

“Absolutely not” you laugh remembering how Sam had the privilege of raising you, being your father figure.

“I can’t believe you’re really here Peaches” using the nickname everyone called you growing up.

“I finally got the time off and wanted to surprise you. Hopefully I get to meet Joaquin since you speak so highly of him” you say with a smile. At the sound of his name Joaquin happens to walk by, let’s just say the both of you were momentarily speechless. Sam being the protective father figure he is he waves his hand in front of your face.

“Nuh uh. Absolutely not” he starts but you just sidestep him, offering Joaquin your hand introducing yourself, but letting him know Peaches is also okay. He shakes your hand eagerly.

“It’s nice to finally meet you” you say with a smile.

“It’s nice to finally meet you! Sam and Bucky talk about you all the time” his smile made your heart flutter a bit.

“Please tell me they say good things. Sam loves to embarrass me” your tone was playful, and Joaquin was definitely one to match that energy.

“I promise they said good things. However, if you have anything on them please tell me. I’m all ears” he says finally dropping your hand.

“Absolutely not. Get away from him Peaches” Sam interrupts pushing you away from Joaquin.

“Sam come on we just started a conversation” you try pushing back, looking around him to see Joaquin laughing .

“Yeah Sam come on, I just met the future Mrs. Torres and you’re not letting me be great” Joaquin sends you a wink. You’ve never seen Sam move so fast when he turned around.

“Stay away from my kid” he points at Joaquin, you take the moment to go to Joaquin’s side hugging him, and his arm goes around you too.

“But daddy I love him” you quote The Little Mermaid. Sam rubs his hand down his face.

“I’m walking away before you get annoying” Sam turns away walking off.

“I promise to treat her right Sam�� Joaquin yells after him.

“Where am I supposed to sleep?” you call out.

“There’s room in my bed” he says loud enough hoping Sam hears. Before you could answer Sam’s head pops back in the room glaring at you both.

“You better not” he warns you.

“You’re no fun Pops.” you say laughing making Sam crack a smile.

“I have to go call my mama and abuela” Joaquin announces removing his arm, “Have to let them know I just met my future wife” he smiles walking off.

“Tell them I said hello” you call after him, before looking at Sam “Sooo can I move in?” you ask him with a smile.

“Whatever Peaches” Sam rolls his eyes, “Let’s go get your bags” he wraps his arm around your shoulder pulling you out to the car.

“I think being Mrs. Torres doesn’t sound too bad” you comment walking out to the car.

“Don’t make me send you away” Sam jokes, knowing that you might actually become Joaquin’s wife.

[happypopcornprincess]

Under the Same Sky

Pairings - Joaquin Torres X fem!Reader (TFATWS AU)

Premise - You have your heart guarded for the longest time. But when you encounter a stranger on the same mission, will you be able to do the same?

Word Count - 4.5K

Warnings: Some strong language, references to Pop Culture, allusions to SMUT

a/n - I wrote this while I was falling in love with someone. This one is for everyone who ever fell in love, hope you guys have a happy ending that you truly deserve <3

Click here for Part 2

“I swear to God Barnes, if this is some kind of dipshit prank you are playing on me, I’ll give your number to that sweet server lady from Yori’s Japanese place and record your introverted ass trying to strike a conversation.” You grumbled into your phone as you locked your door and walked down the stairs of yours (and Buck’s) apartment building.

After making you spill your morning coffee over the couch while telling you about him evading the country, breaking Helmunt Zemo out from prison, going to Madripor and Karli threatening Sam’s family, he had the goddamn audacity to ask for your help with the entire situation.

You were, of course, rushing to Louisiana for Sarah and the kids, because afterwards you get to murder him in cold blood.

“If this wasn’t for Sam’s family in danger, I would not have asked for you. And by the way, I am not an introvert. That’s you. Now hurry up, my guy’s waiting.” his annoyingly calm voice spoke through the phone.

“Is your guy about to be a wrinkly old pervert trying to get high by speed walking?” you almost screamed, reaching the ground floor and pulling open the back door towards the alleyway. The chill air makes you shiver a bit, and you find yourself colliding with a person, “oof” you hear a muffled sound coming from him.

“I’m so sorry- I-“ you began to explain yourself, but the other person spoke up first, “y/n?”

Your hand hovered over the concealed weapon on your waist, “uh, yeah?” you murmur, taking a step back in caution wondering how he knew your name.

“Yeah, I found her.” He speaks into his cell and cuts the call.

Dressed in casual clothes, he held a duffle bag in one hand, his eyebrows raised as he was looking at you. He smiled, waved at you, and Bucky spoke into your ear, “found my guy?”

“This is your guy?” you said pointing at him.

Bucky only laughed, “meet us in Louisiana. Take care y/n.” he cuts the call. Bucky’s guy was not a wrinkly old pervert, but this insanely good-looking man with great posture and a warm smile.

And to your horror, he was hot.

His warm, sun-kissed complexion hinted at his Mexican heritage. His hair added an air of rugged charm and you swore you never saw anyone with eyes so dark brown that drew you in instantly.

“You are…” you extend your hand after shoving your phone in the pocket of your overcoat.

“Lt. Torres.” He grimaced, embarrassed, “Joaquin. Joaquin Torres.” He extends his hand.

You shake his hand and oh god why are his hands so warm!

“Marines?” you ask, trying not to think about his hands.

“Air Force, ma’am.” He says, stepping back for you to get out of the doorway.

“Please, just call me y/n.”

You fumbled with your bag as he raised his eyebrows, “let me take that for you.” He offered.

“Oh no, no it's fine.” You laughed out, and he raised his arms in defeat.

He was walking to the end of the alley beside you, cold air escaping his lips.

Pink, soft, how would they feel on your lips and…

You concentrate on walking, trying not to look at him where his neck met his shoulders and goddammit what is wrong with you y/n can you stop daydreaming about this guy?

What you missed while giving yourself a pep talk… was the smirk on Joaquin’s face.

---

The initial car ride was a bit silent, awkward conversation hanging in the air. But then, like magic, the tension dissolved. You stumbled upon a shared love for Power Rangers and the cartoons of our youth. Suddenly, you were deep in conversation, reminiscing about your childhoods, carefree and filled with the magic of childhood. Turns out he isn’t much older than you, just a two year difference.

His laughter was infectious. The way his eyes crinkled at the corners, his teeth flashing in a wide grin – it was a sound that felt warm and comforting, somehow. You found yourself leaning towards him, captivated by the way his lips curved into a smile, the way the light caught the gold flecks in his eyes. The familiar road seemed to stretch on forever.

Finally when we pulled onto the familiar, deserted road leading to Sam's house, two small figures came into view, standing near the porch. 

“Auntie!” Cass and AJ sprinted to you as soon as you stepped out of the car.

“Heyyyy!” you laugh and fall back as they hug you with full force, “ugh, I missed you guys so much.”

“We missed you too!” AJ grinned as he refused to let go of you.

“Who's this?” Cass asked you, pointing towards Joaquin.

Among the excitement of meeting them, you almost forgot the poor guy. Joaquin stood next to the car awkwardly looking at you. You smile and introduce him, “guys this is my friend, Joaquin.”

“Hey.” He waved at Cass and AJ.

Cass looks at him with all seriousness, “Do you play Fortnight?”

Joaquin fumbled, “Yeah. A bit.”

“Cool.” They both replied in unison.

“Okay now let auntie breathe for a minute.” Sarah spoke as she walked towards you wearing an apron, clearly cooking for dinner.

You hugged her tight, meeting the family after so long, “Hey Sarah.”

You look towards Joaquin, how he was laughing with the kids. And then you look at Sarah, your soul sister, and how Bucky had asked you to break the news to her delicately, “Sarah, we need to talk.”

---

Sam and Sarah were your go to destination every summer. 

You saw Cass and AJ grow up after the blip, and stayed with them when they needed help. You might not have the same blood, but they were your family.

They have stayed away from all the mayhem, until now.

You three sat down on the kitchen table and told her everything that you knew about the situation.

“Dear lord.” Sarah sighed as she held your hand, “You think these people… they will come here?

“There is a possibility, but Sarah, I swear I won’t let anything happen, okay?” You squeeze her hand, “We’re here for you and the kids.”

Joaquin spoke up, “We have made arrangements just in case things go south, I’d suggest you to be ready to move anytime.”

“Okay.” looking at the kids playing in the living room, AJ laughing as Cass plays on the console, “I can’t let them be hurt again Y/N, they’ve been through so much.”

“I know.” You look at Joaquin, he gives you a smile and nods, a silent acknowledgement of the promise you were making to Sarah.

You will keep them safe, and Joaquin will be there for you.

---

Starry night sky, the cool lakeside breeze, and the slanted roof of the Wilson residence. 

You took a deep breath as you closed your eyes.

If this was six years ago, from the same spot you could hear Steve and Sam coming up with ideas to locate Bucky, Natasha and Clint in the backyard fighting over something stupid, Sarah and her late husband on the porch setting up the grill, and Wanda making things fly that made Baby AJ giggle.

You opened your eyes, but found only darkness ahead of you. That sliver of hope you had of watching your found family under one roof again was alive for five years… until the minute you saw Natasha didn’t return with Clint, Wanda not even looking in your direction at Tony’s funeral, and Steve going back in time without saying goodbye.

Your throat choked up trying not to cry as you recalled Natasha saving you from the hell called Red Room. She bought you up, taught you everything you know, she was the reason you were alive in the first place. Natasha was your sister in every sense, and she was taken away by fate.

Silently crying, you whisper a prayer off into the night.

“Is this seat taken?” you wiped off your eyes as you heard Joaquin.

He was standing on the attic window, two beers in hand. You shrug as he takes a seat next to you, handing you a beer.

“How did you find me?” you ask him.

“I didn’t actually,” he answers, “I just wanted a place to think for a while.” You notice the tension in his shoulders, he was trying too hard to act cool while something was clearly bothering him.

“Spit it out.” you nudge his shoulder with yours.

His deep brown eyes look at you as you take a sip, and he confesses, “I got a call before I came here. My Abuela.” He takes a deep breath, “She’s cooking up a feast for the local homeless shelter, and I know, I know she’s not well because her voice is raspy and she’s breathing too hard and I begged her to sit this one out, but she’s one stubborn woman, won’t even listen to her only grandson.”

You shock him with a laugh, looking at the dew on your bottle, “Sounds like someone I used to know.”

“Your ex?” he nudges your shoulder playfully.

You laugh, “My sister actually,” recalling flashes of red hair chasing you around the Avengers compound, “yeah, she was a force to be reckoned with.”

“She passed away a year ago.” You admit it out loud, it felt weird to talk about her in the past tense.

You feel his body go rigid beside you, “I’m sorry, I thought…”

“It’s alright.” You look at him, and smile involuntarily, “Natasha was more of a mother to me than a sister, and I can’t believe I’m saying it out loud but… I miss her.”

He acknowledges you silently. But after some time, you hear it in his voice; the moment it hits him, “Natasha… as in… Natasha Romanoff?”

It made you laugh; his jaw wide open in shock, eyes wide. He looked like his eyes would come out of his head. “I don’t go by Y/N Romanoff, for people to react like that.” You point at him and he closes his mouth.

“How… I didn’t know… but you two-”

“- look different?” you bring your knees closer, wrapping your arms around them, “I was adopted.”

“ohhhh.” He drew out the exclamation, taking his sweet time not knowing what else to say.

“She saved me from the Red Room. Took me under the wing, sent me to High School… God knows how that went.” You laughed recalling the absolute menace you were during your teens. “If there was mischief in school, my name was somehow related. And Nat was always there to get me out of it. Except for that one time I blew up the toilets to rebel against the dress code… said I deserved getting suspended.” The fight you had afterwards… Steve and Tony had to interfere or else you both would have torn each other’s heads off.

“My mom once got a call from the local ER when I was twelve.” He spoke up, looking at the stars and a smile spreading on his face, “I drove my bike off of the road and straight into the canal, and hit my head pretty hard. She was mad as hell and Abuela won’t stop fussing about me. I was grounded for the entire semester, but every night we three would sit in the living room to watch whatever was on Cartoon Network.”

There was sadness laced in every word of his, “That was the last summer I had with her. She passed away a few months later.”

You could not say anything.

You knew exactly how he was feeling right this moment, that empty feeling inside your chest left behind after somebody’s gone. You silently hold his hand, acknowledging the hurt he must be going through.

“I must be the last person you want to hear this from, but, know that the hurt you’re feeling right now, y/n,” he gently grasps your hand, “it’s just all the love you have for the person you lost. I don’t want to say it gets easier, but you get better at letting it out over time.”

“Thank you, Joaquin.”

He smiles, taking a sip from his bottle glancing at you. Dark brown pupils looking right into yours.

Damn he’s pretty.

Your heart dropped a beat, a funny feeling in your chest unblurring the next second.

The first thing Natasha and Clint taught you was how to read people. You could tell what was going on in someone’s head just by looking at their subconscious cues. A voice in your head pointing out everything you need to know about them.

It was quite silly to be honest, that voice inside your head that had been quiet for a while now, was screaming at you for not looking at what was right in front of you…

You liked him.

---

“I was not expecting that.” You speak into Sam’s empty room, standing on the doorway with Joaquin.

Cass and AJ had separate rooms, Sarah had hers, and the only empty one was Sam's, which you were to share with Joaquin.

“I’ll sleep on the couch.” He says unprompted.

“No, no, Joaquin, we traveled for the entire day. We’re both tired. We can share the bed.” He was too tall to fit on the couch anyways.

 He picked his bags and settled in, “You sure?”

“Yeah. It’s fine. No worries.”

Worries, y/n, you’re not doing this out of goodwill. I mean… His arms? Just imagine how they would look wrapped around your-

You let out an internal scream and started unpacking your luggage before you did something scandalous, freshened up in the washroom and returned to the room to see him lying on one side of the bed, his back to you, wearing only sweatpants and a white vest. Your eyes were drawn straight to his biceps, they looked like they belonged to some sculpture in the dim lamplight.

Someone works out.

You immediately slapped a hand on your mouth realizing you said that out loud. Frozen with embarrassment, you waited to see if he heard that.

When you were certain he didn’t, you took your place on the other side, and were immediately knocked out by the exhaustion.

---

Next Day

You woke up to the smell of pancakes and the shouts of AJ and Cass from the backyard. You stretched out, thinking of any tasks you had to do today. You'd helped Sarah pack a go-bag yesterday and set up the alarms around the house. The only task left was to have a look at the Attic. The clutter filled there could be the best hiding spot for anyone.

After sniffing the smell of fresh pancakes for the second time, you couldn't resist any longer. You swung your legs over the side of the bed and padded downstairs.

Sarah and Joaquin were laughing in the kitchen, the sound warm and inviting. He was wearing an Air Force t-shirt over his sweatpants, his hair still damp from his shower, and a lazy smile playing on his lips. Of course he's a morning person, you thought, a pang of envy hitting you.

"Good morning sleepyhead," Sarah called out, her eyes twinkling.

Joaquin looked up, his smile widening as he saw you. You realized, with a jolt, that you were still in your Naruto pajamas, your hair a complete mess. Panic surged through you, but when you saw him smiling at you, his eyes crinkling at the corners, you relaxed slightly.

"Morning," you mumbled, taking a seat at the table.

"Joaquin made these," Sarah announced proudly, placing a plate of golden brown pancakes in front of you. "They're incredible."

"They are," you agreed, already taking a bite. "God bless you, Sarah, these are heavenly."

"Oh, that's all Joaquin," Sarah said, pouring you a tall glass of something. "I just made the milkshakes."

"Milkshakes!" you exclaimed, your eyes widening.

"Chocolate and caramel," she said, placing the glass in front of you. "With extra cream."

"Thank you!" You high-fived her, then turned to Joaquin. "And thank you, for the pancakes."

"Anytime," he said, taking a bite of his own pancake. He met your gaze, a slow, appreciative smile gracing his lips. You swore you saw a glint of something in his eyes – amusement? Admiration? Something more? You blinked, suddenly unsure of yourself.

Is my head playing tricks with me? you wondered, your heart pounding a little faster than it should be.

---

“Can I ask you something?”

“Hmm…”

“Uhh… What's the whole deal with John Walker?” Joaquin asked while fixing a sensor on the attic window.

All afternoon you had been setting up sensors anywhere there was a blind spot. You don’t want to scare Sarah, but your gut would not be satisfied until the house was a fortress.

“It’s the government’s doing to be honest. I have a feeling it’s gonna implode royally and they’ll be doing anything to cover it up.” You looked up from your tablet, “including taking down Walker.”

“Damn.” He stopped, climbing down the window still, “you speak like you’ve witnessed this before.”

You let out a dry laugh, connecting the sensor to your tablet, “I saw the Avengers being torn apart from the inside.”

“Wait,” he tilts his head, his hair bouncing while doing so, “you were with the Avengers during the Sokovia Accords?”

“Yep.” You sit along the wall under the open window, with the sunlight pooled into the attic and cool air rushing in, and pat the space next to you, “I was eight maybe, when Natasha and Clint saved me from being an assassin for The Red Room.” You took a deep breath, “Grew up with them, I stayed mostly on the sidelines until the Civil War. Then it was three years of being blacklisted by the government and whatnot.” he takes a seat right next to you, your shoulders touching.

“Enough about me,” you look at him, “What about you? Where are you from?”

“Born in Mexico, raised in Arizona.” He looks at you, his eyes in the sunlight shining bright.

Can eyes sparkle? I’ve never seen someone’s eyes sparkle before.

“Damn. Grand Canyons, huh.” you smile as you imagined him in hiking gear.

“Yeah, I’ve been there many times and believe me… it takes my breath away every single time.”

You huff out, “I always wanted to hike on that trail, never got the chance.”

“Maybe you can come with me after all this is over.” He says coyly, nudging your shoulder, “I can show you around, we can go visit other places, Horseshoe Bend, Havasu Falls…”

Y/n… just say it. He can’t be more obvious than this.

You smirk, “Joaquin Torres,” he looks at you, his cheeks turning red, “are you asking me out on a date?”

“Maybe… if you want to.” He looks at the ceiling, and to your amusement, you realize he was blushing, “And I promise I won’t scam you for money…” you laugh out loud, “I’m always up for hiking the trail, you know, because I work out.”

You groan in between laughing, “you heard that!”

“Yeah, I heard you checking me out…”

“…I wasn’t checking you out!” you fall back on the wall, “You have nice arms. That’s all.” You try not to smirk, but you see him do so from the corner of your eye.

“That’s all? What about my sensor uploading skills?” he wavered his eyebrows.

“10 by 10. You remain undefeated.”

Silence falls over as you keep stealing glances at each other. It’s only broken when he says, “You’re really pretty by the way.”

You laugh, and nudge his shoulder, “just pretty?”

“…and a Geek, you looked great in those Naruto pajamas…”

You hide your face in your hands but he continues, “Where did you get them? Costco?”

“I went on tour to Japan, so…” you look into those chocolaty brown eyes again, his face in the sunlight makes his features stand out, your attention going to his lips.

“Maybe you could take me with you next time.” He says, holding your hand, caressing the back as he looks at your lips.

“Only if you want to.” You whisper, leaning in, praying you weren’t reading this wrong.

Joaquin took hold of your neck, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through you. He pulled you closer, your lips meeting in the middle with a soft, exploratory touch. His lips were soft, as you'd imagined, and his hands cradled your face, his thumbs gently stroking your cheekbones. Your fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, desperate for more. His tongue darted out, tasting you, a low groan rumbling in his chest that sent shivers down your spine. You wanted him to do more, go further, and you pulled back slightly, your eyes searching his.

Before Joaquin could protest, you straddled him, pushing him back against the wall. His eyes widened in surprise, a predatory glint entering them. You crashed your mouth on his, this time with a fierce urgency. The soft exploration of your first kiss quickly escalated into a desperate demand, your bodies pressed together, a primal need igniting within you.

"Fuck... y/n," he groaned, his hands gripping your hips, his fingers digging into your skin. He pulled back slightly, his lips leaving a trail of hot kisses down your neck, his breath fanning against your skin. He found the sweet spot on your pulse, sucking on it with a possessive intensity that made you arch against him. You gasped, clutching at his shirt, your nails digging into the fabric.

He leaned back, his eyes closed, a blissful moan escaping his lips. "God, you taste incredible," he whispered, his voice rough with desire. He kissed you again, this time a slow, deliberate exploration, his tongue tracing the inside of your mouth, mapping every curve.

Every inch of your body seemed to ignite by his touch, time melting away. There was only him, his hands roaming over your body, his lips devouring yours, and the intoxicating feeling of desire that consumed you both.

High Pitched and Grating, a sensor alarm rang through the attic.

You retreat in shock, like two deer caught in headlights, and Joaquin grabs the tablet and sees where this was happening.

Blood drained from his face as you witnessed at least four flag smashers moving towards the Wilson residence, guns armed, maybe a mile away.

He gets up, “East side?” grabbing the tablet and locking the windows.

“I’ll get Sarah.” You reply, already on your feet rushing downstairs.

---

"Halt," Lucas whispered, his voice a low growl in the pre-dawn darkness. The team crouched low, their figures mere shadows against the backdrop of the dense forest. Sam Wilson's house loomed ahead, a beacon of normalcy in the encroaching gloom.

"I see only two people inside," Matt reported, his voice a whisper cutting through the silence. "No kids." He checked the thermal scanners, the infrared images flickering on his visor.

Artie, his face pale in the moonlight, grabbed Lucas's shoulder. "Karli didn't say anything about kids."

"She told us to bring them alive," Lucas reminded him, his eyes fixed on the house. "And they need to be unharmed for negotiation."

Nadia shifted uncomfortably, her hand tightening around the grip of her revolver. "I don't like this," she muttered, her voice laced with unease. "I didn't agree to harm any kids."

Lucas turned to her, his gaze sharp. "Nadia!" he hissed, his voice low and dangerous. "We're doing this. One way or the other. Stop whining and get to work."

He took a deep breath, the metallic scent intensifying. "One World..." he began, his voice echoing in the stillness.

"One people," his team responded in unison, their voices a low, guttural chant.

With a silent, coordinated movement, they emerged from the shadows, their figures gliding towards the Wilson residence, the air thick with anticipation and a chilling sense of foreboding.

---

"Go, go, go!" you barked, adrenaline surging through you. You snatched Sarah's bag, your fingers brushing against the cool metal of the handgun inside. You grabbed AJ's hand, his small fingers clutching yours tightly, and ushered them towards the waiting car.

Cass and Sarah were already running, their figures mere shadows against the encroaching twilight. You threw the bags in the backseat, your movements a blur, then helped Cass and AJ climb in.

Sarah slid behind the wheel, her face pale. "Y/n, what are you doing?!" she gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"I have to stay here," you said, your voice firm. "Make sure they don't follow you." You shoved your Glock into Sarah's hand.

A roar from inside the house cut through the tension. "Y/n! They're here!" Joaquin's voice, amplified by the sudden silence, echoed through the air.

"Sarah, I promise I'll be fine," you said, your gaze locked with Cass's in the rearview mirror. Tears were streaming down her face, but she nodded, her small frame trembling. "You have to go." You shoved your tablet into her hands, a desperate plea in your eyes. "Remember what I told you earlier. You'll be safe here."

"Sarah, go!" you screamed, your voice hoarse.

You watched as the car lurched forward, disappearing down the dirt road that snaked towards the water. A beep on your watch confirmed her location, a fleeting sense of relief washing over you.

Phase One. Over.

Phase Two. Let's go.

You sprinted through the back door, the house suddenly feeling eerily silent. Joaquin was already there, a grim set to his jaw. He was clad in his SHIELD armor, the sleek black material gleaming in the dim light. Guns and your emergency bag lay scattered across the kitchen table, a grim testament to the impending battle. You stole a glance at the tablet, its screen flickering with life as it ran facial recognition on the figures outside.

"Ready?" you asked, your voice a low growl, as you slipped on the bulletproof vest and began loading the magazines.

"Yeah," Joaquin replied, his eyes scanning the room, assessing the situation.

You looked out the window, the setting sun casting long, eerie shadows across the yard. "Let's hope Sam doesn't sue us for destroying his house," you muttered.

To be continued...

Part 2

A/N - Thank you everyone for sticking with me till the end of this fic! if you liked it please let me know through the asks and the comments. Love y'all, Take Care!

Taglist

[nolita-fairytale]

headcanon: reconnecting with your childhood friend, joaquin torres, after the blip

so let's establish right here and now that you were gone during the five years of thanos' snap, even though joaquin was not. all events in this headcanon take place before captain america: brave new world.

you and joaquin grew up in the same neighborhood in miami. your parents owned a small supermarket in the neighborhood which is how your parents meet joaquin's.

the two of you played together as kids and went to school together till high school.

both of your mothers swear that one day the two of you will get married--something you vehemently protest. knowing he intends on joining the military after graduation, you're insistent that: "there's no way in hell I'm becoming some army wife!"

joaquin doesn't take it to heart, instead choosing to tease you for just how much you loathe the idea. “we’ll it’s a good thing i’m joining the air force.”

he takes you to your senior prom, but it's not romantic. you've spent most of high school dating other people, if at all, and you're willing to chalk it up to the fact that you're childhood sweethearts who adore each other, who also have the rest of your lives ahead of you.

in the end, you decide to go to school out of state, and joaquin joins the military, which leads to the two of you growing apart. you're both trying on new things, exploring who you are, who you want to be, and what impact you want to make on the world separately. losing touch is just a natural thing that happens.

you haven't seen joaquin in a little over a year (christmas with your families barely count at this point because you're not exactly spending them with each other) when thanos' snap happens. joaquin helps your father grieve the loss of you and your mother, while he watches your father learn how to raise your little sister, alone. eventually, joaquin realizes he's found himself returning home less and less. it's too sad and there's too much to do to change the world his left living in.

in the years without you, the 'what ifs' are always in the back of his mind, especially because he'll never know now: what if? what if he'd kissed you at prom? what if you'd kept in touch? what if there was the potential for something more than friendship?

when everyone returns, joaquin comes home to miami to reunite with lost family members, his visit, for the first time in a long time, is no longer bittersweet.

what he's not expecting is to see you, helping your mother open up the shop one morning. it's not that he's forgotten, but he's shoved away so many painful memories of returning to a home without you--not to mention the many unknown variables of half of the population just... reappearing after five years--that seeing you again completely takes him by surprise.

"joaquin torres! holy shit is that really you?!" you shout, jumping into his arms before he even has a chance to process that he's seeing you for the first time in 5+ years. "holy shit is right. what's it been? like six-something years?" he teases you. "not funny!" "what? too soon."

though you don't spend much time together solo, your families spend plenty of time reconnecting and cherishing this second chance. and when joaquin is deployed once again to work with The Falcon, this time, you vow to keep in touch.

with his many deployments, you keep in touch as best as you can, which isn't always consistent. a text here and there. meeting up when both of you are in town. it's not much, and it's almost always brief, but it's always with love.

"when was the last time we hung out, just the two of us?" joaquin asks you, the time that your trip home for your sister's high school graduation coincides with the tail end of a longer trip home for joaquin. "i've only got a few days of leave left and i've got some pretty big news."

and how could you say no? he tells you at the diner his dad used to take the two of you when you were kids.

"so i'm sure you saw the news and uh. well, sam's the new cap." "yeah i saw that. so... who's gonna be the new falcon?" "you're looking at him, baby." "holy shit, joaquin!" "dude. can you believe it? i'm gonna be an avenger!"

to celebrate, you decide to get into all kinds of mischief, making your way through miami's nightlife: a bar you once tried to get into with fake IDs, a spontaneous perreo night with some fancy pants DJ (you practically climb on the stage, pleading with the DJ to play joaquin's song request because "he's gonna be an avenger!), and accidentally crashing the tail end of a wedding party where everyone was way to drunk to realize that neither of you were invited.

the night ends with the two of you eating pb&j sandwiches to sober up, while reminding each other that you have to be quiet as you sneak into joaquin's childhood bedroom. as the two of you drunkenly squeeze into his full-sized bed, you're all giggles and smiles, glowing from a night of celebration and reconnection.

"i'm so glad we did this." "me too." "you still gonna have time to do this kinds of stuff when you're an avenger?" "for you? i'll make the time."

and right as you're saying goodnight, joaquin leans in and kisses you. for a moment you kiss back, and you both know you're too drunk for it to go any further. with one more peck on the lips, you drift off to sleep, snuggled up to him.

in the morning, as you wake up, neither of you acknowledge the kiss. you're leaving that night anyway, so you decide not to make it awkward, especially since joaquin carries on as normal. instead of saying anything, you decide to hold onto the promise that, regardless of what that kiss may or may not have meant, you want to be in each others' lives again.

a/n: hi hello! it's been forever and ever amen since i've posted a fic on here. i've mostly been reading and enjoying and reblogging and pouring my creative energy into other things because it be like that and we only have so much!! anyway, i have an idea for a oneshot that takes place AFTER the events of CA: BNW so i'm dropping this headcanon almost as a prequel. it's very possible that i might write this as a fic in the future, but for now, i've decided i'm just gonna test the waters and see if i still have something to say on this app.

[creamecafe]

I currently want to write more for Joaquin Torres because he's such a pretty boy but I haven't seen the Captain America movie. So I don't have more personality points or character plots to write for him besides The Falcon and The Winter Soldier 😭

[tom-whore-dleston]

Cover Me Up, Cuddle Me In

Created for @the-slumberparty’s December Daze challenge

Imagine spending your first holiday with Joaquin. What starts off as a light snowfall turns into a storm that causes everyone to stay indoors. You were bummed because you were looking forward to meeting Joaquin’s family. However, Joaquin still wanted to share this holiday with you in a special way so he brought all of his family traditions to you. After a whole night of quality time and learning each other’s traditions, you were surprisingly tired by the end of it. You cuddled into Joaquin’s warm body and fell fast asleep. Joaquin threw a handmade quilt over the both of you and held you until he fell asleep as well.

[kyleraynermybeloved]

Don't You Dare

Pairing: Joaquin Torres x GN!Reader Summary: Whoever said nothing wrong could happen with baking was wrong! Warnings: just fluff Word Count: 530 A/N: I thought maybe a nice domestic drabble would suffice. I love Joaquin and I hope you enjoy this!!!!! Masterlist

Joaquin finally had a day off after being on so many missions. You wanted to surprise him by baking some of his favorite treats, chocolate chip cookies and cupcakes. He had come home in the early morning, looking exhausted and you turned him to the bedroom telling him to get some sleep which he reluctantly did after seeing how determined you were to see him rest. 

A little after midday Joaquin woke up to the smell of freshly baked cookies, leading him to the kitchen where you stood with the cute Valentine’s apron you donned most days, placing the fresh batch onto the counter to cool. The kitchen was getting warm from the oven being used, it felt amazing compared to the cold weather that was slowly seeping into the house. 

Once you caught your sleepy eyed lover inhaling over half of the still cooling batch you smacked his hands away with a grin, persuading him to help you with the cupcakes. Batter already done, he helped you pour it into an even amounts in the liners. The only thing left was to make the frosting and that was going well until you gave him full control of mixing.

“Don’t you dare. Don’t you even think about throwing that at me!” you shrieked, running away from where he had a spoonful of frosting readily aimed at you. He chased after you with his own laughter bouncing off the walls of the small kitchen, circling you around the island before firing at you, hitting your cheek as you retreated back, almost fully out of the way.

“There, I think that’s more fitting for your sweet personality, my love.”

You stood with a glint in your eyes as you came up with an excellent idea. 

“I hope you're prepared for the aftermath that’s to come. Would be a shame if-” inching closer to the island counter, keeping eye contact with him, a smirk on his face as he took you in. You grabbed some flour and immediately threw it at him, “This was to happen!”

He stood there for a moment, taking in what just happened, dusting flour off his face. “Oh, you’re in for it now. Get back here!” 

An all out war occurred, flour, powdered sugar, and frosting going everywhere as you giggled, followed by his laughter whenever your shots were blocked. All prior activities long forgotten in favor of the sweet, carefree and joyful moment.

Joaquin catches you, pulling you into his chest, swaying you both in his embrace. He hums, nose nudging your cheek, “Thank you for the treats, and the forced nap. I really needed this after the exhausting few weeks I’ve had.”

“Of course, I’m glad I was able to alleviate some of the tension for you. But remember, these are supposed to last you for the next two days so don’t eat them all in one sitting, you glutton.”

You turn back to the oven once the alarm goes off, not wanting them to burn. Glancing back at him you see him looking at you with a loving smile, feeling your cheeks heat up and you shy away moving back to the task at hand.

[blackbat05]

Mixup

Joaquin Torres x Reader

Plot: You meet a charming stranger due to a mixup in orders.

Genre: Fluff! Prompt: realizing they ordered the exact same drink when they both try to grab it at the same time.

A/N: For @tom-whore-dleston creator challenge (that I’ve already submitted two others😅) Thank you for giving me the opportunity and ideas to write love!💜

The buzzer takes your focus away from your book, waking Bubbles, your golden retriever in the process. She sits upright, as if ready to sniff out danger.

“It’s alright girl, it’s just my drink.” You tell her and she calms down by lying back down under the table that you occupied at the corner of the cafe.

Once you made sure that she was alright, you walked to the counter to collect your drink. Only to see a man in a leather jacket reaching for your mocha blend that was waiting to be collected. Speeding up, you walked towards him.

“Excuse me! I think you got the wrong drink?” You tapped him on the back. The man turns around, sweeping the curls out of his face. A look of confusion flashes across his eyes.

“That can’t be right,” he frowns. “My buzzer just went off.” He points in the direction of the counter where the barista was busy making the orders.

“Well, that’s crazy because mine just went off too.” You showed him the buzzer that was still beeping. Before both of you could say a word, a barista comes running, holding the exact drink that you ordered.

“I’m so sorry, the buzzers must have mixed up the orders. This should be yours sir.” She passes it to the man who now looks slightly flustered. He wordlessly passes the cup in his hands to you as the barista walks away.

“Gosh I’m so sorry.” He scratches the back of his head. “I really thought that was mine. I swear I’m not some weirdo!” His sudden confession made you crack a smile before bursting into laughter.

“Easy there, I don’t think you are. Trust me, I’ve seen weirdos before.” You see that he’s standing awkwardly out of place amongst the dozen of office people and students getting their coffee fix and you decide to make the first move.

“Um… Are you looking for a seat? You can sit with me. It’s hard to find a seat especially at this time.”

A wave of relief washes over him and he gratefully accepts your offer. As the two of you return to the table where Bubbles is waiting, you see the man’s face lit with pure childlike joy.

“I take it your a dog person?”

He smiles sheepishly. “Yeah, that would be an understatement. I really love dogs.” He sits across you with his drink, carefully approaching Bubbles. It’s as if a silent conversation is going on between them, and Bubbles finally approaches him for rubs.

“You’re really good. Bubbles usually takes some time to warm up to people.”

He continues to rub Bubbles serenely. “So, I didn’t catch your name earlier.” He seems more relaxed when you first met him. “My name’s Joaquin.”

“Y/N. And this pretty girl here is Bubbles.”

He grins, giving a soft hello to Bubbles. “And what brings you here?”

“Oh, just taking some time off. A little self care.” You waved your hands dismissively, suddenly intrigued to know more about the attractive Joaquin in front of you. “What about you?”

“Business mostly. Today’s my day off. Thought I would leave the compounds for a while to get some fresh air. Didn’t expect to meet a pretty lady. Well- kinda met.” He laughs heartily, causing your stomach to do a couple of flips.

You maintain your composure, taking a sip of your mocha. “What do you?”

“Military. I’ll love to tell you more but unfortunately the rest is classified.” He turns his attention back on Bubbles, as if scared to hear your response. Somehow, your gut feeling told you that he wasn’t too enthusiastic going down this line of conversation. So you went with the flow.

“Of course. Hey, if you’re not too busy. How about spending some time with Bubbles? She really seems to like you and we were thinking about heading to the beach to get some air.”

At the mention of her name and the beach, Bubbles’ ears perks up, barking happily at the sheer thought of running around on the sand. She leans her body into Joaquin’s legs, as if begging him to come along.

“Of course I’ll come Bubbles! How can I not when you’re giving me those sad little eyes.” He teases and she barks joyfully once more. “Perhaps I can even talk a little more with your mama here, see if she’s alright getting dinner with me?”

You pause, blinking at his subtle invitation. Just like how Bubbles had unleashed her charms onto Joaquin, he does the same to you, with round and expectant eyes. Two can play at that game.

You pretend to tap the bottom of your chin, mulling over the offer. You would have gone on for a little longer if not for Joaquin’s genuinely nervous expression.

Honestly, with good food and good company? There wasn’t much for you to deliberate on. Your answer was easy.

“Sure Joaquin, I would love to.”

[itsleilabxtch]

Sweetest shit ever

I'm kinda beginning for a part two🧎

Or any Danny Ramirez content. Like I need my fix 😫

For your summer sleepover 🩵 neighbour!Joaquin + saying goodbye at the door

pairing: neighbor!joaquin torres x female reader

words: ~500

a/n: thank you bb for this ask! <;3 I decided to go with the fluffy/funny route with this

You linger a little watching your new neighbor carrying your big pot from your car to your door. His muscular arms peeking under his black t-shirt, a glimpse of a golden chain shining at the back of his neck and the way he just seemed to want to help, it all made you incredibly attracted to you.

"Is this spot alright?" He asks as he turns around with a big smile on his face. God you could get lost inside it, it felt like he could power through the whole world with the warm energy he emitted.

"Yes." You stammer a little, you have no idea where you want your pot anyway, it's not like you can remember.

"I can place it anywhere you like." You chuckle as you come close to him.

"I think my mom wants it next to the door, she'll move it when she comes back from work."

"I can come by later, we'll be at the house shaping it, it's no problem for me." God, his friendly nature made you want to jump right into his arms.

"Oh, we wouldn't want to impose ourselves too much, honestly if I dragged it a little, I'd make it."

Joaquin smiled and pointed at the big heavy pot. "Well, no reason for you to break your back when I'm around."

You tried very hard to control yourself and not say something completely unhinged. Joaquin shrugged at your silence and awkwardly gestured to leave.

"Wait." You shook your head." You gotta let me make it up to you, somehow."

"Hmm." Joaquin mused and pointed at the lemon tree right next to your porch. "If you got any homemade lemonade that's my favourite."

You widened your eyes and looked between him and the tree and almost panicked because you can't remember if you got any.

"You know what." You smiled, "What about I collect some and I make you some freshly squeezed this afternoon?"

Joaquin nodded his head and beamed. Thank God your brain worked only momentarily.

"Tonight then."

"Tonight." You nodded and looked at him. You both spent a few moments looking at each other not really wanting to leave even though you had already made plans for tonight. You both stayed there smiling at each other until a honk was heard pulling you back to reality.

"Oh, shit, I gotta get to work." Your friend frantically waved from the driver's window. Joaquin chuckled bid you goodbye and headed down the street.

"New piece huh." Your friend giggled as you got inside the car. "Oh, shut up." You turned the volume up and pulled your phone up googling how to make lemonade.

[joeliz99]

"You, Always." - Danny Ramirez

Warnings: Slowburn, RPF Fic, Multi-part series

(In case you missed the first chapter, click here)

Part One

Time to start over.

Second Chapter

February 20. Three years prior. Two different people. 

Nobody expected them to become such close friends. Sure, both (Y/N) and Danny had naturally easy-going personalities, and they were good at making friends, but it wasn’t obvious at first why they clicked so well. Time passed, and somehow, they just fit.

They only had one class together, but they shared a solid group of mutual friends.

(Y/N) was a couple of years younger than most in their circle. She'd transferred from abroad to attend NYU Tisch, pursuing her passion for the Institute of Recorded Music.

Danny, on the other hand, had transferred from Miami after realizing he wanted more than just picking up random acting gigs for cash. He wanted to perform. But that didn’t mean giving up sports. If anything, sports had always been his first love. So, he joined the football team.

There were only three games left in his final season before graduation. That Saturday, everyone gathered to watch him play in one of them. The field was packed with fans, both sides screaming as the second half kicked off.

You could see the players weaving across the field, coordinating in real-time, dodging tackles as they pushed forward. Danny was in his element, shifting his body to avoid opponents, eyes locked on the end zone. He stretched his arms wide, ready to catch the ball as it soared toward him—and he did.

The roar from the NYU crowd surged around him. His friends cheered from the stands, urging him on, though the noise barely reached him over the rush of adrenaline.

“Come on, Danny! Let’s goooo!”

Everything was perfect—until it wasn’t.

It came fast. First, he felt the impact. A collision—his body slammed against a larger, heavier frame. Everything blurred for a moment as his body crashed to the ground, dragging the other player with him. The ball slipped from his hands.

A tense silence followed before a sharp scream cut through the air. Danny's hand shot to his shoulder, his face twisted in agony as pain exploded through his body. His teammates rushed to him, but the crowd’s energy faltered, replaced by uneasy murmurs.

On the bleachers, Yason’s face twisted into a frown, his body tensing.

“Something’s wrong.” (Y/N) stood up, eyes fixed on the field as the medical team rushed toward Danny. “Guys, he’s not okay.”

“Come on.” Yason was already moving, the rest of the group following suit.

Chaos broke out. Some players argued with the ref, accusing the other team of a dirty hit. The assistant coach had to step in to calm things down. Meanwhile, Danny was carefully lifted onto a stretcher, his arm and shoulder stabilized.

It wasn’t looking good. The decision was made. He needed immediate medical attention.

The paramedics, already standing by, exchanged positions with the athletic trainers. They spoke in hushed tones as they assessed Danny. A fracture could be involved. He was out for the rest of the game.

“Can one of us go with him?” Amelia’s voice cracked as she asked, her face twisted in worry. She followed the group down the steps toward the field, urgency in her step.

“One of the trainers is going with him,” Yason replied, not missing a beat. “We’ll meet them at the hospital.”

“And how are we supposed to get there, Yason?” someone asked, their voice tight with frustration. (Y/N) didn’t answer. Instead, she fell into step with the paramedics, keeping close behind them as they made their way off the field. Danny lay on the stretcher, his face pale, sweat clinging to his skin, his features twisted with pain. His eyes were shut tight, his frustration evident, but he still didn’t allow the tears to fall.

“Hey, Danny. It’s okay.” (Y/N)’s voice was quiet but firm. He didn’t look at her, his jaw clenched tight. The anger, the pain, the sadness swirled together on his face. But she didn’t need him to answer. “You’re gonna be okay. We’ll see you at the hospital.”

It didn’t take long before most of the group piled into an Uber heading to the hospital that had been chosen to treat Danny. The atmosphere was thick with tension; everyone was on edge, worried about his condition. Getting any information out of the nurses was a challenge—they only spoke with the assistant coach, who, for now, was the one legally responsible for Danny.

Hours passed before they finally got an update. As expected, his shoulder was fractured, but thankfully, it was a closed reduction, and the area was immobilized to allow for healing. He’d be sent home soon, but the recovery time meant he wouldn’t be able to finish his final season. It was over for him.

(Y/N), who had interacted with Danny’s mother more than once, was the one who had to break the news. Of course, she was concerned—this was the second time he’d been injured like this—but (Y/N) made sure to reassure her that he was okay and that they would take care of him. After all, this was the family he had in NYC.

Danny was discharged and sent back to his apartment, the reality of his situation setting in: his passion for football had just been ripped away, again. Why did this have to happen to him? Why again? He was furious—at himself, mostly—even though no one could have predicted the injury.

Nearly two weeks passed, and Danny barely left his apartment, only going out for classes and work. He didn’t want to see his team; he couldn’t bear the thought of them treating him like some fragile charity case.

One night, he was lying in bed, reading a book, when someone knocked at his door. He barely moved, his eyes flicking to the door but remaining silent, waiting for the visitor to announce themselves. The guys never knocked.

“Uhh... Are you gonna let me stand out here waiting?” (Y/N)’s voice rang through the door. He hesitated for a moment before answering.

“It’s open.”

Her head popped through the door as she opened it, her eyes quickly scanning both him and the rest of the room before she stepped inside.

"Had to make sure you were in decent shape before I came in," she said, her voice light but with a hint of concern. Danny glanced at her, still confused, and then noticed the items she was carrying—food, along with a few other things he couldn’t quite make out.

"Aren’t you supposed to be at a rehearsal?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but it got canceled. I figured we could hang out since you seem to want to be MIA."

He settled back against the pillows, placing his book on the nightstand just as she walked in, dropping everything she’d been carrying and casually sitting down beside him with a quiet sigh.

"So, did you miss me?" she asked, her voice light but with a spark of mischief in her eyes. Danny rolled his eyes, purposely avoiding the way she looked at him with that teasing smile, or the gentle nudge to his good arm. She was the one person he didn’t mind being around—but he wasn’t about to let her see that.

"You just came here to bother me, didn’t you?"

"Maybe," she replied, her grin widening as she relaxed beside him, clearly enjoying the back-and-forth. A subtle smile tugged at his lips, despite himself. "But seriously, you don’t mind me being here, right?"

He sighed, his tone softening without him quite realizing it. "You know I don’t, (Y/N/N)."

Her smile deepened, and she stood up to grab the takeout food from the table.

"Good. Let’s eat, then. Maybe watch a movie. You can pick whatever you’re in the mood for."

Danny nodded, reaching for the remote. He wasn’t exactly in the mood for anything in particular, but she’d made the effort, and he appreciated it. 

Soon, they found themselves lying in bed, full from Chinese takeout, with a movie playing quietly on Danny’s computer, positioned between them.

The only sounds in the room were the occasional low comments they made to each other and the soft hum of the city drifting through the window. The night hadn’t quite settled in, but the room was darker than usual—thanks to the heavy curtains that shut out the chill of the lingering winter air on a typical March afternoon. Their shoulders brushed occasionally under the large blanket that covered them both.

(Y/N) glanced at her phone now and then, tapping out notes as they popped into her head. It was a habit—she noticed the little things, let them simmer in her mind, and later, they’d find their way into her music. Whether the outcome was good or not didn’t matter much. It was just how she kept her creativity sharp and her mind awake.

Danny glanced at her screen and smirked before turning back to the movie—one he wasn’t really paying attention to anymore.  

“Do you even want to be doing this?”  

(Y/N) blinked at him, confused, until he nodded toward her phone.  

“Oh. I’m sorry. I just don’t want to forget what I’m thinking now.” she admitted, setting it down.  

Danny hummed, his gaze steady. “I know how your mind works,” he murmured. “I just want this moment to be about me, you know?”  

A teasing smile played on his lips, making her roll her eyes before nudging his shoulder.  

“Please, you’re not that special.”  

He grinned. “Am I not? Look who you chose to spend your afternoon with.”  

His confidence was effortless, but she didn’t quite match it this time. Instead, she glanced away before shifting in her seat.  

“Are we really going to pretend like everything’s fine?”  

Danny’s jaw tensed. For the first time, he broke eye contact.  

“I’m not pretending.”  

“Danny.” 

He let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “What? You want me to say I’m pissed? That I feel like I wasted my time? That I don’t know why this shit keeps happening to me?” His voice was sharp, but not loud. “I’m not the type to complain, (Y/N). It’s over. That’s it.”  

A quiet pause stretched between them before she spoke again, softer this time.  

“Life’s not over just because you didn’t finish this goal, Danny. There’s more to do after this. You just have to figure out what’s next.”  

He turned toward her then, their faces inches apart.  

“And what if I don’t know what that is?”  

(Y/N) exhaled, tilting her head slightly. “Then thank God you decided to pursue acting instead of football. Or soccer. Or whatever else you’ll be obsessed with in the next couple of months.”  

For once, he didn’t have a comeback. 

Instead, he just looked at her, his head resting on the bed frame and just mere inches away from her. Both stayed silent, not really having anything else to say. She was right, and he knew it, but instead, he could only now concentrate on the fact that he was thankful to once again have a moment where there were only the two of them. 

Danny stayed quiet for a moment, his gaze lingering on her before he looked away, his head resting against the bed frame, just inches from hers. There was hesitation in the air, the weight of their conversation still hanging between them. After a beat, he nodded slightly, as if coming to terms with something unspoken.

"Thank you," he murmured, the words soft but sincere.

They both fell into silence then, the tension easing as they were left with just the quiet presence of each other. She was right, and he knew it, but for now, he didn’t even care—thankful for this rare moment where it was just the two of them, with no distractions or complications.

His head dipped slightly, forehead nearly brushing against hers. The touch was barely there, but somehow, it felt like everything.

Her heart stuttered in her chest.

There it was again—that look. The same one they’d been avoiding for a while now.

(Y/N) swallowed.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Danny exhaled, his breath fanning over her lips as he shook his head lightly. “You know, (Y/N)...”

Her lips parted, but she didn’t speak. The weight of the moment pressed down on her chest, heavy and real.

Danny let his head rest against hers fully now, his touch featherlight, hesitant in a way that made her stomach flip. His hand—his good one—lifted, fingers brushing against her jaw, barely touching. It had been happening for months now—longer, maybe. The glances that lingered too long, the way their conversations drifted into something quieter when they were alone. The way he always found an excuse to touch her, whether it was knocking his knee against hers under the table, tucking her hair behind her ear, or the way his hand had found the small of her back at an event a few weeks ago when he guided her through a crowd.

And then, the park.

That was the moment she had known—really known.

They had been sitting on a bench listening to music, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows, when he reached up, almost absently, and ran his thumb along her cheek. Like it was the most natural thing in the world.

And she let him.

She let him because, deep down, she wanted it. Just like she wanted this.

(Y/N) swallowed hard, her lips pressing together as she finally forced a breath out. “I—”

But he didn’t let her finish.

His fingers tilted her chin slightly, just enough to make her meet his gaze head-on, and before she could talk herself out of it—before either of them could—he closed the space between them.

His lips brushed hers, a question rather than a demand. 

It wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t an explosion. It was quiet, hesitant, like the moment itself was holding its breath.

 And then, it happened. A soft inhale, a shift, and the slow press of lips meeting lips.

(Y/N) felt her hands curl into the fabric of his hoodie, grounding herself in something, anything. Danny sighed against her mouth, his hand settling along the curve of her jaw, his thumb brushing the skin there as if he wanted to memorize it. For a moment, they lingered, as if neither of them wanted that moment to end. It was too good, too unreal.

But the world around them came rushing back, and (Y/N) slowly pulled away, her breath shaky. She didn’t want to admit it, but the words slipped out before she could stop them. 

After a beat of silence, she finally whispered, "What are we doing?”

_____________________________________________

March 24. 1,095 days later. A long way to go. 

It was the day before the wedding, and the air was thick with the rush of last-minute details. Amelia and Yason were both stressed, so their loved ones were either trying to help or staying out of the way.

(Y/N) was on a mission to buy Amelia some comfortable shoes for the wedding reception, having forgotten them back at her house. As she walked out, she bumped into Danny, standing with a coffee and a book in his hand, looking completely at ease.

“Oh hey! Glad to see you survived last night,” he joked, a smile spreading across his face.

“Yeah, been awake since the crack of dawn, trying to help with this wedding,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “I’m heading out now. Need to find some stuff for Ame.”

“Want some company?” Danny asked, not even overthinking the proposal.

She raised an eyebrow, surprised. “You’re coming with me to buy shoes?”

“Why not?” He shrugged, glancing down at the book he was carrying. “I was gonna go for a walk anyway.”

“Okay... Then let’s go.”

After navigating shoe stores, coffee breaks, and a few rounds of aimless window shopping at thrift stores they used to visit back in the day, they found themselves at a quiet little park. The sounds of the city faded into the background for a moment, the sun high in the sky, casting a golden glow on everything. Neither of them felt the need to rush back to the hotel just yet.

They sat on a weathered bench, their backs leaning against the rough wood, shoulders brushing lightly every so often, but neither acknowledged it. There was something comfortable about the silence, something that wasn’t forced. It felt like they were picking up where they had left off—only now, there was something different. Something they couldn’t quite name yet.

Danny took a sip from his coffee, looking out at the patch of green in front of them, fingers tapping the side of his cup absentmindedly. (Y/N) kicked her feet lightly, the tips of her sneakers brushing the ground.

“So…” he began but stopped himself, glancing at her, then back at the park. “It’s funny, you know? I always thought if we saw each other again, it would feel like... like we were complete strangers. Nothing left of who we were.” 

She raised an eyebrow, her gaze still on the half-full coffee cup in his hands. "The people we were? " she said, a dry chuckle escaping.

Danny’s lips quirked up at the corner, a little embarrassed but not backing down. "Yeah… I just thought time would do its job." He turned to face her fully now, his tone softer. "But I guess I never really imagined it would be this easy to talk to you again."

She glanced at him, holding his gaze for a beat longer than she intended. "You think it’s easy?"

He smirked, setting his coffee down next to him. "I don’t know. Maybe ‘easy’ isn’t the right word." He paused, his smile fading a little as he looked out into the park. “It’s just... surprising, I guess. How normal it feels. Like, it’s been years, but you’re still here. And I’m still here. Like we were never gone, you know?”

The simplicity of it hit her—this was what they had. A kind of unspoken understanding, wrapped up in years of lost time and unresolved feelings.

(Y/N) kicked the dirt lightly with her shoes and looked down, trying to brush off the heaviness in her chest. "Yeah, I get it. It's like... nothing really changed, even though it did.” 

Danny chuckled softly, but it wasn’t the teasing laugh she remembered. It was warmer, more grounded. " Mhm… I guess we’ll have to talk about that too. I don't know it now's the right time, though.”

They both sat there in silence again, but this time, it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was just them, existing in the same space, figuring out what it meant to pick up the pieces after everything that had happened.

Still wanting to read more? Here are some other Danny's shots to read. You're welcome!!!!

[gay-dorito-dust]

Imagine being Joaquin’s favourite avenger -after Sam of course- and Sam figures this when one day Joaquin made a passing comment regarding you, in hopes of coming across as subtle but Sam knew Joaquin and he was anything but subtle when it came to his fanboy side.

‘You were on the same team as y/n right?’

Sam raises a brow at the young man. ‘Yeah, joined at the same time, why? You’re not going to tell me you’ve got a poster of them that you want them to sign do you?’ He says, his voice teasing when he saw Joaquin shift his weight on one foot to another, a habit he had noticed only recently but one that only made his job in teasing the poor lad all the more easier.

‘No.’ Joaquin says almost defensively, crossing his arms over his chest, feeling as though he was being seen through by Sam right now. ‘Just think it’s cool that you were on the same team and they’re cool too, that’s all.’ He adds as he rubs the back of his head sheepishly as a small smile crept across his lips. Oh yeah Sam could see through Joaquin as though he were glass and he was doing a poor job at hiding his true feelings.

Sam smiles when he recalls on all the times that he could tell Joaquin about you that were uncool, but you would have his ass for it as your relationship was that akin to siblings, you took the piss out of one another for tripping over thin air but were straight to defending one another if anyone stepped out of line. So when he feels as though someone has even the slightest hints of attraction towards you, Sam feels the need to size them up and see whether or not they’ll be worth your time and energy, something you expressed embarrassment over multiple times but it never stopped Sam from being overprotective; yet he has this feeling at the back of his head that Joaquin would somehow be different.

‘They are cool, but they’re also a pain in my ass.’ Sam replies, giving Joaquin a pointed look as though he was about to give him a very vital history lesson. ‘So don’t let their sweet and pleasant words fool you because it’s a trap, and before you know it salt is being put in your coffee because you apparently stole their 20inch plushie of a blue highland cow, when in actuality it was misplaced.’ He finishes and the look on Joaquin’s face was priceless as his brows were furrowed and his head tilted to the side, not knowing how to process all this information.

‘Ooookay?’ Joaquin laughs as his eyes shift, not knowing how to fell in getting some insider knowledge about you outside of your avengers persona, finding the fact that you supposedly had a 20inch blue highland cow plushie was cute, but he wasn’t sure why Sam was telling him this stuff to begin with. It wasn’t as if he was ever going to meet you to begin with anyways, having believed that you might’ve retired along with most of your fellow avengers after the battle against Thanos, so Joaquin was more or less under the belief that meeting you was only something that would ever happen in his dreams.

Disheartening? Yes but what could he really do.

Sam watched the young man with observant eyes, clearly seeing the inner teenage boy that has a raging crush and or admiration for you within Joaquin’s every move, every shift in his expression along with the singular bead of sweat dripping down the side of his temple. What the young man had no idea was that Sam had invited you over to meet him, and the moment that a rhythmic knocking on a door sounded throughout the room, a knowing smile blossomed across Sam’s face as he pats Joaquin on his shoulder.

‘They’re here.’ Was all he says as he went to sender the door, leaving poor Joaquin confused as his mind racked any and every possibility of who this ‘they’ Sam could be referring to. The answer was one he least expected, unless it was the plot point of a fanfic or a dream as Sam came back to him with his arm thrown over your shoulders as you shared a laugh over something he didn’t hear.

‘So this is Joaquin?’ You asked Sam, who only hums in agreement as you looked over to the starstruck man in front of you. ‘He’s cute and he’s got promise.’ Joaquin almost felt his heart stop at your compliment as he found himself shifting his weight from one foot to another, smiling to himself as he repeated your words within his head that only made heat rise to his cheeks faster.

Sam squeezed your shoulder. ‘You’ve been here for five minutes and are already flustering the poor lad, look at him!’ He points to Joaquin, who silently was cursing Sam out for putting him on the spot as you only smiled and reached out to pat his arm. ‘Oh shush, if anyone’s flustering the poor lad it’s you pointing it out!’ You replied as you looked into his beautiful eyes, giving him a reassuring smile towards him. Joaquin was indeed a handsome man with dark hair, dark eyes and a smile that many would swoon over but his attractiveness was the least of your concern when Sam was teasing him senselessly, not giving him any room to breath.

‘It’s nice to finally meet you Joaquin, I’ve heard a lot about you from this loser here. I’m sorry you stuck dealing with him.’ You gutted a finger towards Sam, who gasped behind you dramatically.

Joaquin laughs, slowly feeling himself relax within your presence. ‘Good things I can only hope.’ He says, his eyes darting across your face to memorise your every feature in hopes of it being engraved within his head. ‘And Sam’s been nothing but a great mentor, really and I’m not just saying that because he might not be so kind to me in future, especially if I show favouritism toward you over him.’ You chuckled at his words and Joaquin felt as though he was on cloud nine as his eyes president twinkled with happiness, all the while Sam looked between you both with his arms over his chest, only to soon realise that the slowburn between you two has just begun.

[late-to-the-party-81]

Who doesn’t love Idiots in Love?

And yeah, he’s a cutie-patootie 🥰

Ojos Asi - Part 1 - The Beginning

AN: I'm back with another one-shot that turned into a mini-series. Our boy Joaquin Torres doesn't get enough love, so this is my way of helping to remedy that. Set post TFATWS and could tie into my SamBucky post canon 'verse

DISCLAIMER - I know nothing about any Air Force, US or otherwise.

Beta'd by the wonderful @yarnforbrains, dividers by @firefly-graphics and mood board by me (credits to those who took the photos)

Series Master list

Find my master list here

Pairing: Joaquin Torres x Fem SWORD Agent! Reader

Chapter Word count: 2.8k

CW: a pinch of misogyny but mostly fluff, pining and good-natured teasing from one JB Barnes.

“…no, you gotta have it so tight that it almost hurts. Otherwise it could fall off mid-flight and no-one wants that, least of all you…”

Watching Sam and Joaquin talking together, you couldn’t help but smile to yourself. Your best friend, Joaquin, had a look of concentrated confusion on his face, whilst Sam half-smiled at him indulgently, explaining, once again, how the Falcon wings worked. The pair of them had worked hard, with Bucky’s help, to get them working again. You could tell Sam was a little emotional. He had a lot of memories tied up in those wings, and despite having his shiny new vibranium set, there was just ‘something’ about the original ones.

“It’s rude to stare, you know.” A deep voice rumbled from behind you, and if you had been anyone else maybe you would have jumped or been embarrassed.

“That’s like the pot calling the kettle black, Barnes.” You dragged your gaze away from the scene in front of you and whirled around to walk past the Sargent. However, you were brought to a jerked halt by a vibranium hand clamping around your upper arm.

“Hey, where you going, doll? Don't cha wanna be here when your boyfriend manages to actually get up in the air?”

“Lieutenant Torres is not my boyfriend.”

“And whose fault is that, doll? You planning on telling him any time soon that you like him?”

“None of your business, Barnes.”

“It is, if it affects how effective you are in the field.”

You glared at him and gritted your teeth.

“There is nothing to affect my performance. Now let me go.”

Bucky sighed and shook his head, but removed his grip.

“Whatever, doll. Whatever.”

You squared your shoulders and walked away from him, leaving the hanger with as much aplomb as you could muster.

You and Joaquin had become friends when you joined the Air Force, straight out of college. You’d both been on the Ground Support Team, but it was a while before you were both assigned to the same op. You got on like a house on fire, even if he was a bit arrogant at first, not uncommon for a guy in his early 20’s.

You’d spent your morning going over your first assignment with your CO. You might have joined the Air Force, but your expertise was in computers, both hardware and software. Wanting to test your skills, the CO had challenged you to make as many working laptops you could out of all the damaged ones kicking around the base. Not having anywhere specific to set up, you’d commandeered a couple of tables and set them up in the corner of one of the little-used hangars. You had your magnifying goggles on and the soldering iron in your hand, along with a whole host of other tools, as you tested each part and put it back in place on the motherboard. It was going well, until a peal of raucous laughter split the air. You placed your iron down with a huff, not wanting to catch yourself with it more than already had done.

“Hey guys,” you shouted out. “Do you have to be so noisy? Some of us are actually trying to work.”

You glared at the three guys, who were messing around with each other. Realising you were there, one of them, a cocky looking blond, jogged over, casting his eyes over the bench.

“Sorry, sweetheart. We disturbing your jewellery making?”

You crossed your arms over your chest and glared up at him. You’d hoped to avoid this bullshit for a couple of days, but you supposed it was good to get it out of the way sooner rather than later.

“Yeah, you are. I was making a special ring for your dad to wear. It’s gonna help him satisfy me all night. Why, do you need one too?”

He had the decency to blush, and his two friends failed to hold back their laughter. The taller of the two, with dark hair and sparkling brown eyes, clapped his rude friend on the shoulder.

“She burned you there, Mike. Serves you right, man.” Then he turned back to you and stuck out his hand.

“I’m Torres, Joaquin. This here is Damien and the neanderthal is Mike. He’s a good guy really.”

You raised your eyebrow.

“I’ll reserve judgement.”

“You’re really sparky, you know?”

“I know. See you later Torres.” You turned your back to them and carried on with your work.

It had been easy to become friends with Joaquin. He was always smiling, always able to see the good side of everything and everyone, and it was a smile that always went all the way up to his eyes, making them shine and sparkle. And over time you softened towards Damien and Mike as well, although they were never as close to you.

There’s a comradery when you’re in a team like that, but that’s strengthened when something goes wrong. The team had been heading out in the hum-vee, en-route to set up for an op when it hit an IED. One moment you had been chatting with Joaquin and Mike, whilst Damien drove, the next you were flying through a fire, your ears ringing and your vision went black.

You came to, to find Joaquin leaning over you, tapping you on the face.

“C’mon, Sparky, wake up, damn it!”

Your head hurt as you opened your eyes and spat out a mouthful of sand.

“I’m up! I’m up!”

You tried to sit up, but the world span. Bile rose in your throat, and you leaned to the side as you vomited it up. Joaquin passed you his canteen, and you rinsed your mouth out.

“’the fuck happened?”

You wiped your hand over your face, and it came away bloody.

“IED.”

For once Joaquin wasn’t smiling. You took a proper look at him. His face was covered in ash and sand. He had a graze across one cheek and his arm…his right arm hung wrongly from the shoulder socket. You looked around and felt a sense of panic rising.

“’Quin, where are Mike and Damien?”

“They were in the front, Sparky. They didn’t make it. I’ve called for back-up. Looks like this was just a random device and not an ambush. There’s no-one out here taking pot-shots.”

“Shit!”

“Yeah, I know.”

The pair of you huddled together and waited for your evac. You had some cracked ribs, plus minor cuts and bruises, whilst Joaquin had a dislocated shoulder. You’d both been lucky, unlike Mike and Damien.

You’d finished out your tour in the time period after the Snap. Like Joaquin, you hadn’t been one of those who had disappeared, melting to ash in the blink of an eye. Unlike him though, at the end of your tour you wanted out. You’d gone on to get a job with SWORD instead, using your skills gained from your time in the Air Force to help protect against more unique threats.

You still ran into Joaquin from time to time, and you always marvelled at how handsome he was and how you could get lost in his dark eyes. Not being his teammate anymore allowed you to give yourself permission to notice these things - things that could have made working together awkward. Still, you never told him, not wanting to jeopardise what you had. He’d never given you any reason to think that he wanted more.

After your uncomfortable conversation with Barnes, you’d retreated to the office to go through some paperwork when Joaquin appeared, sweaty, out of breath and smiling.

“Hey Sparky!” His arms wrapped around you, pulling you into a hug.

“Eeeeww, ‘Quin. You’re all moist!” You pulled away from him as he laughed.

“Oh my god; it was amazing! I was up in the air, and I was flying. And Sam only had to catch me twice, but still! Oh my god!”

His enthusiasm and bright smile were infectious, making your heart beat harder in your chest and butterflies swirl in your stomach. You couldn’t help but smile back.

“Well, I promise I’ll watch you next time.”

“Hey, and maybe, once I’ve got the hang of it, I can take you for a test-fly?”

You smacked at his chest, trying to ignore how the damp material clung to him like a second skin.

“Trying to sweep me off my feet, Torres?” You loved to tease him, but he didn’t need to know what was really going on in your head.

He wrapped his arms around you again, lifting you off the floor and spinning the pair of you in circles.

“Wouldn’t be the first time, Sparky!”

You playfully pounded your fists against his shoulders in a demand to be set back down. God, his eyes were beautiful.

“Put me down, Fly-Boy! You’re gonna rub your stink all over me.”

You couldn’t break his gaze as he lowered you, your body sliding against his as he did so. You stared at each other for a moment, before he pressed a chaste kiss to your forehead.

“I’ll see you later! Don’t fly off with anyone else ‘til I see you again.”

“Get outta here ‘Quin.”

You smiled as you watched him leave, then added “And get a shower!”

Would you ever be brave enough to tell him how you felt? Tell him that, no matter where you’d been or how long you’d been away, as soon as you saw him, looked into his beautiful brown eyes, you felt at home again. How you trusted no-one else the way you trusted him. You’d seen a lot in your life, been to a lot of places, but nothing compared to him. His beauty, his spirit.

It intoxicated you and kept you captive.

Fuck.

You had to admit it, Joaquin got good with the wings fast, and he was beautiful whilst he did it.

He’d sent you a text when he was on his way down to the air-field for his second training session with Sam. You got there just as he was suiting up, Sam hovering around him like a mother duck watching her duckling go for a swim for the first time. He flashed you a grin and a wave before turning his attention back to all the straps and buttons that would ensure his safety in the air.

Bucky joined you as the two winged men took to the air.

“I’ll never tire of watching him do that. It’s one thing to think your man is an angel, but another thing to actually see it come to life.”

You pinched the bridge of your nose.

“Barnes, for god’s sake. He isn’t my man.”

“Look, I know I give you shit for it, but come on, doll. It’s fucking obvious how you feel. And take it from someone who has been around for a while, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

“Why do you even care?”

“Because contrary to what Sam says, I am actually human. I care about people, doll. I care about you. I care about Torres. And after the shit you’ve both been through you deserve some happiness. He’s always going on about you. Sparky this and Sparky that. Maybe if you actually resolve all this fucking pining I won’t have to listen to him ramble on so much.”

You chuckled at Bucky’s attempt to be petty and grumpy. No wonder Sam loved the man; he was pretty cute when he was being disagreeable.

“Maybe I’ll never say anything just to keep winding you up then?”

“For the love of god, no!”

The pair of you were still sniping at each other, good-naturedly, as Sam and Joaquin came in for their landing. Sam made it look easy, but ‘Quin did look cute as he stumbled to a stop.

“Take it easy, Fly-Boy. You don’t want to be eating sand. And you Sam, looking good as always!”

“Hey sweetheart.” Sam smiled as he pushed his goggles up off his face. “What were you and Bucky-bear laughing about?” “Oh, just how I love doing things that piss him off.”

Sam’s smile turned into a laugh.

“My favourite past-time. Although I’m watching you – he might be taken as a form of flirting and I don’t share.”

“Eww, Sam, that’s like accusing me of flirting with my brother or my uncle. Yuck! Come on, Joaquin. I need a beer to wash that awful taste outta my mouth. Bleugh…”

“I’ll meet you in the mess in fifteen, Sparky. Don’t want you to tell me off for being stinky again.”

“Don’t be any longer, or you’ll owe me two beers, Falcon...”

“I like the way you say that.”

“Phpht, you like everything I say…”

You both walked off in your separate directions and Bucky and Sam watched you go. The White Wolf reached out, wrapping his arm around his partner's waist and drew him in close.

“You think she’ll ever tell him?”

“I hope so. He’s so gone on her, and I don’t think he even realises. If we have to wait for him to work it out I might end up throttling him.”

“Young love, ey.”

“You’re a sappy shit, Jamie Barnes.”

“Back at you, Sammy Wilson.”

A couple of months down the line and Joaquin had been cleared to go on active missions with the wings. He was now officially using Sam’s old call sign of Falcon, and no-one could pry the smile off his face or the joy from his eyes. He’d been especially happy to discover that you were going to be the SWORD agent in charge of his first sanctioned mission.

“So, you’re going to be my boss on this op then, Sparky?”

“When am I not bossing you around? You know you love it, and anyway, you’d be lost without me.”

He slung an arm around your shoulders and pulled you in for a side hug.

“You got me there!”

Sam and Bucky just smiled indulgently at the pair of you, trying not to laugh when you glared at them.

You and your colleagues at SWORD had been keeping track of various nefarious groups and their activities over the last half a year. The intel you’d gathered suggested a bunch of malcontents hiding out in the mountains of northern Montana. Their motivation was nothing outside the ordinary - they were upset about the fact that they had lost their jobs and been displaced due to the return of the ‘blipped’, which was understandable. However, they had resisted all offers of help from the GRC, seeming to only be happy whilst they were complaining and stirring up trouble. Normally it would have been left to local law enforcement to deal with them, but the chatter was that they were planning something big and had access to weaponry they shouldn’t have, possibly extra-terrestrial in origin.

You stood with Sam, looking over the map laid out in front of you.

“If Bucky and I set up here as ground support, then you and ‘Quin can fly in here, from the south. We think they are camped out here…” your finger pressed a push pin further into the paper, “so you should get a good run up, and be high enough they won’t spot you, at least at first.”

“Is there a good enough route from that look-out for you and Bucky to make ex-fil if you have to?”

“Yeah, I’ve been in worse spots.”

“That’s not the point, and you know it.”

“It’ll be fine, Dad!”

Sam seemed to forget that you’d been doing this longer than he’d known you and was sometimes, in your opinion at least, a little overbearing.

“I’ll have Bucky with me. I hope you’re not implying that you don’t have faith in him.”

Bucky, who was sitting on the other side of the room checking over his sniper rifle, tried to hurriedly tamp down a chuckle. Sam just glared at you and raised one eyebrow.

“You did not just go there, Sparky!”

You grinned in return, and after a moment Sam grinned too, shaking his head in amusement.

“Fine, fine. I trust you. It’s your op. You know I’m just a worrier.”

“That he is!” Bucky’s voice rang out sardonically.

“Quiet in the cheap seats, Barnes!”

“Make me, Sammy!”

“Not in front of the kids, Bucky-Bear!”

You loved their petty bickering; you swore it was one of their love languages. Looking over at Joaquin you rolled your eyes at him, and he covered his mouth with his hand to hide his own smirk. God, he was so cute.

Pulling yourself back to the task at hand you clapped your hands together.

“Right, let’s get this show on the road. Move out, guys!”

Part 2

Tag list: @christywantspizza @jobean12-blog @tinnedowl @bucky-bucky-bucky-bucky @tuiccim @beelicious-barnes @sidepartskinnyjeans @maladaptivexxdaydreaming @krissy25 @bodeckersdiamonddoll

[happypopcornprincess]

Under the Same Sky Part 2

Pairings - Joaquin Torres X fem!Reader (TFATWS AU)

Premise - You have your heart guarded for the longest time. But when you encounter a stranger on the same mission, will you be able to do the same?

Word Count - 4.2K

Warnings: Gore, blood, SMUT, minors DNI

a/n - I'm sorry for being late about the second part, a relative of mine passed away after new year and I was with family. This part is dedicated to all the lover girls by heart out there. may you find your lover and have an amazing story. Hope you guys like it <3 Take care.

The wind picked up speed as Lucas and his team stepped on the backyard of the Wilson Residence. Guns drawn, stance ready, they took the steps to the back entrance.

Nadia and Artie moved in first, Matt in tow and Lucas in the end. They hear not a single sound around them. Matt signaled clear after checking the rooms and the kitchen, Nadia let her shoulders relax watching him sign.

“Where are they?” Artie whispered.

The radio in the kitchen turns on its own accord…

Can't stay at home, can't stay at school

Old folks say, "Ya poor little fool"

Down the streets I'm the girl next door

I'm the fox you've been waiting for!

Lucas shoots the radio; the broken device fell to the floor with a thud. A scratched-out sound of Cherry Bomb still playing on.

“That’s a shame…”

Nadia was too slow to turn before you hit her head with the butt of your Glock, “I love that song.”

Artie fell on the floor as Joaquin kicked him in the back, you advanced towards Matt. The first thing that bastard did was to kick off the floor and punch you square in the jaw, but you duck in record time, just to kick his feet off the ground and lose your Glock in the process.

Joaquin got busy with Artie and Lucas, who had teamed up to defeat him. Lucas ducked a kick on his chest, and Artie tried to stab him in the neck. Joaquin got a knife out of his belt and fought with all his might, after throwing Lucas on the kitchen table.

Matt was twice your size, he got up in no time trying to throw you off your feet but you were smarter than that, you ran on the wall, kicking off it and using the velocity to climb his shoulders. You pull a hidden wire from your wrist, falling back and choking him in the process. Matt fought hard to get a hold of you, but you pressed on harder. His movements slowed down, and eventually he stilled as you released the wire.

Joaquin was pinned down on the ground with Artie on top of him, his blade inches away from his windpipe. Joaquin pushed hard on his end of blade, trying to nick off his collarbone. Lucas came rushing towards them now recovered from being thrown on the table… Joaquin threw off all his strength to turn his entire body sideways, which in turn put Artie on the side, giving him a chance to stab him just where his neck met his shoulder.

You got up to rush to Lucas, but fell face first feeling a stronghold on your ankle. Turning, you meet a very pissed off looking Nadia with blood covering her face.

She held a Glock, your glock, aiming at you. You kick her in the face, grabbing your knife in the holster. You sit up to stab her in the back, just an inch away from her heart.

So why was it that you felt a sharp jab on your shoulder?

You look at the source, only to see a blade sticking out of your right shoulder. Nadia’s hand being the holder. She looked you right in the eye as she twisted the blade deeper. You grunt, stabbing the woman again and again until she stopped.

Unbearable pain clouded your senses, but Joaquin’s voice brought you back to your senses, turning towards him to see him spar with Lucas, taking punches and pulling ones. You got on your knees to snatch your Glock from Nadia’s dead fingers, keeping an eye on Joaquin.

Blood ran down his elbow from his palm, he staggered on his feet trying to get a jab at Lucas, but found himself covered in his brains once you shot Lucas in the forehead.

You sighed, feeling your tank top getting wet with blood. It felt like an out of body experience, Natasha’s voice echoing somewhere inside your head; “Your brain is in shock trying to process the pain. Get the blade out, press on a cloth and get the hell out of here before one of them wakes up.”

“y/n, look at me.” Joaquin grabbed your face, making you look at him. He glanced at the knife sticking out of your body. “This might hurt.” Saying so he pulled on the blade, prying it off.

You screamed out loud as he pressed hard on your shoulder with a cloth bandage.

How are you lying on the floor?

Joaquin lifted you up like you weighed nothing, “We gotta go. Come on…” resting your head on his shoulder, you try not to pass out looking at the blood running down his face.

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

Seeing double with an open stab wound was never good news. Joaquin’s jacket did enough to hide the blood and bandage on your shoulder, but it was only a matter of time until some keen observer in the hotel lobby looked at you long enough to know you were unwell.

Leaning on the wall next to you, you watched as Joaquin came towards you and wrapped his arm over your shoulder, careful of your wound, he whispers, “you alright?”

“Kinda.” Your words came out slurred.

“Let’s go.” He led you towards your room, and despite knowing there was no chance of you being followed, you still looked over your shoulder.

As soon as the door opened, you limped towards the bed and Joaquin closed the door and the blinds. Taking off your jacket, you made the rookie mistake of taking a glance at yourself in the mirror.

Your hair was unkempt, your tank top’s strap was torn to pieces, the entire right side of your body covered in blood. The open wound right under your collarbone stared back at you through the mirror.

The room suddenly felt too small, the taste of metal heavy on your tongue.

“whoa!” Joaquin grabs your left side before you fall to the floor, his eyes find yours, and it is then you see the hidden fear in his eyes. He acted fine until now, witnessing the amount of damage on your body.

He helps you sit on the bed, and lean back on the headboard while pressing his jacket on your torso before tearing off your straps. Holding out a piece of rolled up fabric, he holds out to your mouth, “you’ll need this.” You’ve been through this before, never on this scale; but you don’t argue with him before biting into it.

The last thing you felt before blacking out was the burning sensation of rubbing alcohol on your skin and Joaquin’s hand holding yours.

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

The smell of spirit lingered in the air, as you were woken up from deep sleep by a gentle voice. Opening your eyes, you see the bedside digital clock showing 02:18, and your eyes travel to Joaquin sitting on a chair next to the bed. His white vest had spots of blood, your blood, on it. His right hand was bandaged poorly, and the cut above his eyebrow had two butterfly tapes.

“You scared me for a while.” He says while gently caressing your forehead.

“What happened?” you groaned, trying to sit up, he placed a pillow behind you as you leaned back on the headboard. You look down at your body to find your tank top gone, and you wore Joaquin’s Air Force T Shirt. You look at him again to see his shoulders slumped with exhaustion, his eyes heavy. He hadn’t slept the entire night.

“You passed out while I was cleaning your wound, I woke you up to give you some medicines, and you fell asleep.”

“I don’t remember that.” You huffed out, looking at the ceiling.

Joaquin holds your hand, and you feel the rough bandage on your skin, “are you alright?” you look at him and his line of vision, which were trained on your hand.

“yeah.” You sit up straighter, and take his hand in yours, “I’m fine Joaquin, hey,” you gently hold his face that makes him look at you, “I promise.” You smile.

You rest his injured hand on your lap and open the bandage to redo it properly. The next few minutes are spent in silence, the occasional honk and sound of passing vehicles outside being the only noise. You take a proper look at his hand after you’re done, and you bring it to your lips to kiss.

Joaquin inhales sharply as your lips touch his fingers, and your eyes lock on his.

“I thought I would lose you today.” He says, his eyes flickering from yours to your lips.

“I ain’t going anywhere Joaquin. I’m right here.” Your voice came out as a whisper, and he held your face in his hands.

He looks into your eyes again, silently asking for your consent, and your reply wordlessly by leaning towards him.

The kiss was gentle.

Joaquin’s lips were featherlight on yours and you closed your eyes to feel him whole. Holding the back of his neck you brought him closer as you fell back on the headboard, and he climbed the bed to hover over you.

You kiss each other slowly, letting go of the fear of losing each other flow through it.

You savor it; the warmth of his body, his breath on your face, his hands on your waist. He continues to kiss you as his hands traveled your body, and you didn’t open your eyes in fear that it was some kind of dream. 

He cautiously pulls you down on the mattress, your back meeting the sheets of your motel bed. Joaquin gets on his knees to take off his vest, tossing it on the floor. Your eyes couldn’t leave his toned torso, and his broad shoulders covered you entirely when he leaned forward, trailing kisses on your neck. The contrast in the touch of both his hands; one bandaged and one not… you closed your eyes yet again to just feel his touch on your skin. You couldn’t breathe by the way he bit your neck, and you arched your back as his hands gathered the t-shirt to roll it up to your ribs.

“We can stop if you want to.” He says in between kisses, and you moan, “no, please… don’t.”

“As you wish…” he says, his breath hot on your neck. He kissed you right in the valley of your breasts, and sucked on your skin.

You locked eyes with him as he carefully removed the t-shirt off of your body, leaving you in only your jeans. You grabbed a fistful of his hair as his lips left open mouthed kisses on your nipples, you heard him moan as he squeezed your breasts, a sound that made you pull on his hair harder, which only made him louder.

Joaquin made quick work on his belt as you quickly removed your jeans, but he clutched your hand halfway, “wait…” stumbling on his words, “uh… you’re hurt… let me…” he held your jeans and you let them go, as he pulled them down your legs and on the floor.

His hands caressed your thighs, and his gaze lingered on your body. The intensity of it made you shiver, but it wasn’t lust you saw in them.

He wanted you, needed you. Recalling the kiss that you shared earlier today; this was the complete opposite of it. This was pure adoration. 

You were his reverence.

While the shadow of his tousled hair masked his forehead, he locked eyes with you. As he lowered his body bringing his face closer to your thighs, you didn’t dare look away. You arched your back as Joaquin’s arms held you down, his muscles flexing as he kissed your inner thigh, and a loud whine left your lips as he tasted you on his tongue. 

He stopped only when your moans turned into screams, and when you looked at him while heaving for breath, he was gasping for air, his pupils blown, but the gaze still gentle.

You locked your legs on his waist before you could stop yourself, and tossed him on the bed. Now he was under you, and you could feel how eager he was as you looked down at his tented boxers.

Joaquin caressed your waist, “take it easy, y/n.” as he shifted his gaze to your injured shoulder.

“Sure.” you breathed out, heart racing, as you lifted yourself up while he removed his boxers. As soon as you touched him to stroke, he fell back on the bed, his brows knit in pleasure. You laughed; watching how he was reacting to your touch.

“Huh… that wasn’t funny, querida.” he huffed, and you gasped as he grabbed your waist to pull himself up.

Joaquin was now inches away from your face, his chest pressed to yours as he locked his arms around your waist. You tried to wrap yours around his neck, but you hissed as a sharp pain shot through your injured shoulder straight to your neck.

“Ow!” you buried your face on the nape of his neck, as he stiffened within you.

“Told you to take it easy.” he whispered as he caressed your hair, “you wanna stop?”

“No,” you whined, lifting your face to look at him, “no… I…” you huffed out, “I want you.”

He exhaled, replying with a warm smile, “okay.”

Joaquin gently held both of your wrists and brought your hands to his face to let you hold on to his neck, and you gladly did. He tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, and closed his eyes before leaving a kiss on your lips. He pulled you closer as you lowered yourself on him, moaning in each other’s mouths. As you moved, he kept on kissing you. 

Your pace increased as you felt his heartbeat on your skin, his hands grabbing your back. He kissed your face as you lifted your chin, leaving trails on your face and reaching your neck, but you grabbed his hair, pulling him back and exposing his neck to you. Sucking on his neck, you hugged him back, the sharp jab on your shoulder now least of your worries. He pushed into you as you continued to suck and bite his skin wherever you could. He tried his best not to pull your hair, but failed as he grabbed a handful by the end only to bring you closer.

Fighting for air, you kissed him on his mouth… stroking him even after he came inside you.

Joaquin fell back on the bed, bringing you into his arms; exhausted, spent, the two of you fighting for breath. 

You shifted to your uninjured side and you held him while resting your head on his chest; groaning, he adjusted himself so you could lay your head in his arms and stroked your hair,

Both you and Joaquin couldn’t tear your eyes away from each other. He was a sight to behold—his unruly hair sticking to his forehead, his face flushed, and the marks you left on his skin gradually shifting in color.

“You good?” he whispers, his fingers gently tracing the curve of your bare back.

“Yeah. You?” you murmur, feeling the weight of sleep beginning to settle in.

A chuckle bubbles in his throat, and you can't help but smirk when he slaps a hand over his eyes, letting out a soft laugh.

“Penny for your thoughts?” you tease, poking his cheek.

“You are…” he sighs, his voice serious but amused. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re really skilled with what you did earlier.”

You raise an eyebrow, unable to suppress a giggle. “You mean the way I body-slammed a Flag Smasher? Or are you talking about…”

“Uh…” He glances up at the ceiling, and you swear you see him blush. “Both.”

You both burst into laughter, and he pulls the covers over you, tucking you close to him. As your eyes meet, your heart skips a beat when his fingers trail over your bare back once more.

“Can’t we stay like this forever?” he asks, his voice soft. “This feels like a dream.”

“It’s real.” You reach up, your fingers gently brushing the cut over his eye. “And even if it is a dream, it’s the best one I’ve ever had.”

His gaze softens at your words, and with a gentle kiss to your forehead, he confesses, “Stay right here, will you?”

You nod, your voice a quiet whisper. “Yes.”

And with that, you slip into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

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

Three Weeks Later, Wilson Residence

Karli was dead, the Flag Smashers were wiped out in a mysterious blast (which Zemo swore he had no part in), and John Walker had vanished off the radar. Sam was now Captain America. You and Joaquin had managed to sit that one out due to injuries, and life—relatively speaking—was almost back to normal.

The last three weeks had been the most peaceful stretch you’d had since the Thanos attack in New York. After a brief visit to Sarah’s newly renovated house—where Sam had to fight you off when you offered to pay for everything—you and Joaquin were finally heading to Arizona. He was finally going to take you to see the Canyons, a promise he’d made all the way back in that attic you two had shared.

It was night now, the kids were asleep, but the dinner table in the Wilson residence was anything but quiet, as Sam and Bucky were recounting the first time they met Spiderman.

“…and we got this kid climbing on the roof, he slams Bucky onto the floor, and screams out something about impressing Tony…”

“…and then he webs you to the escalator…” Bucky grumbles in-between.

“…I was getting to that! Anyways, I let redwing take care of the rest and send him flying through the airport and dump him midair. Ha!” Sam laughs, waiting for a reaction.

Sarah leans forward, utterly bewildered, “So you dropped a kid midair because he webbed you to an escalator?”

Bucky stops her with a laugh, “In our defense, he was on the opposite team!”

You couldn't help teasing him, “Still, you attacked a kid.”

Sam threw a baby carrot at you. “Okay, okay! Stop throwing food, Sam. What are you, five?”

Sam was about to throw another one at youtube bucky grabbed the baby carrots bowl and passed it to sarah, who gladly put it out of his reach.

You shifted your attention to Joaquin, who was looking at the whole ordeal trying not to laugh. The cut above his eye had almost healed, only a faint trail of new skin the only sign that there ever was any injury. 

“We have something to tell you guys,” Joaquin said, his voice a little too casual for the tension in the air. He reached under the table to take your hand, his thumb brushing over your skin.

You squeezed his hand in return, giving him a warm smile before you turned to look at Sam, Bucky, and Sarah.

Joaquin looked at you, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, and then he said it: “Y/N and I are dating.”

The table went silent for a second, and then Sarah’s face lit up, her eyes sparkling. “Oh my god, I’m so happy for you both!”

Sam laughed loudly, throwing his head back, while Bucky froze, fork halfway to his mouth.

Bucky stared at the two of you in disbelief, his fork clicking loudly as it dropped to his plate. “Wait a minute... how long has this been going on?”

You winced. “About three weeks, maybe?”

Bucky groaned as he leaned back in his chair. “Three weeks? So, you’ve been hiding this from us?”

Joaquin shifted nervously in his seat. “Yeah, about that.”

“I swear, if you hurt Y/N—” Bucky's voice turned deadly serious, his Vibranium arm rising as he pointed it at Joaquin. “I’ll make sure you regret it.”

Joaquin quickly held up his hands. “I would never—”

“Good.” Bucky nodded, satisfied. “Just making sure, You two gross me out.” Bucky side eyes you as you respond by leaving a loud smooch on Joaquin’s cheek.

“Yeah, I’m gonna throw up.” Bucky grimaces and gets up from the table with his beer.

“Get outta here old man.” You scream, all in playfulness as he slams the porch door. Bucky had a knick of theatrics, and you knew deep down he was happy for you.

“He didn’t mean that, Buck’s a secret romantic and I bet you ten bucks he’s crying happy tears on the back porch.” Sam tells you both as you begin to clear out the table.

“I know.” You laugh, helping Joaquin with the dishes.

As Sarah and Sam left for their rooms, you and Joaquin took over cleaning the kitchen. The house fell into a quiet rhythm, the only sound the soft hum of the water running in the sink as you both washed the dishes.

“That went well,” Joaquin said, nudging your shoulder as you stacked the plates in the drying rack.

“Don’t worry, Sam and Sarah adore you. Bucky does too, he’s just... well, too stubborn to show it.” You rolled your eyes, feeling his hands wrap around your waist from behind, pulling you close.

He kissed your neck lightly as you finished stacking the last of the plates. “That was the last one,” you said, leaning back into him, letting yourself enjoy the closeness.

“Mmm-hmm...” You smirked, resting your hands on his as he tightened his grip around your waist.

“Everyone’s asleep,” he whispered, his lips brushing the back of your ear.

“I know,” you murmured, leaning back further into his chest. You could feel the warmth of his body against yours, his breath soft in your ear.

“Can we take this to the bedroom?” he grumbled, his voice low and inviting as he hugged you tighter.

You chuckled, glancing over your shoulder. “We’re sleeping on the couch, babe.”

His hands moved slowly to your hips as he nuzzled your neck, “Wanna take this to the couch then?” His playful tone was backed by the softest puppy eyes you’d ever seen.

Before you could even consider it, footsteps echoed down the hallway.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” Bucky’s voice rocked through the silence, causing both you and Joaquin to spring apart. You quickly went back to acting busy with the already stacked plates, trying to look as innocent as possible.

Bucky sighed loudly, his eyes toward the ceiling. “Please, for the love of god, tell me you two weren’t... doing that in Sarah’s kitchen.”

Joaquin let out a nervous, “...no.” His face flushed, making you stifle a laugh.

Bucky groaned, rubbing his temples. “I swear, you two...”

“Bucky,” you said, turning toward him with a teasing smile. “Were you crying?”

His eyes went wide, and he immediately shot you a glare. “No. I’m just... tired.” He slumped his shoulders dramatically. “And I’m taking the couch.”

He threw up his hands in exasperation. “You two can take the mattress on the floor. But if I hear so much as a whisper from either of you, I’ll kick you out myself.”

With that, he stormed off, muttering under his breath.

You turned to Joaquin, fighting back a grin. His face was bright red, and his embarrassment was almost too adorable to handle. “Looks like we have to wait until we’re in Arizona,” you said with a sympathetic swat to his arm.

Joaquin groaned, “You know, I’m starting to think Bucky’s secretly shipping us.”

You shot him a wink as you walked out of the kitchen, “He’s just really protective. Come on.”

You patted his arm sympathetically, but then, with a mischievous grin, said, “What about the attic?”

Joaquin raised an eyebrow. “You’re kidding.”

You opened your mouth to say yes, as your heart raced just by remembering his touch on your skin, but before you could, Bucky’s voice shouted from the other room.

“I swear to god, I will get a restraining order against the two of you! Don’t even think about it!”

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

Taglist

@tuiccim @parkjammys @akinrawsx @asteph22 @iamthebeth  @thefandomqueenuno @onlyhereforthefics @yikesdameron  @savedfanfics1992 @amigaytho @samwilson-mylove @jenniweaslee-faves @anna-phora @fluffyprettykitty

A/N - Thank you everyone for sticking with me till the end of this fic! if you liked it please let me know through the asks and the comments. Love y'all, Take Care!

[ex0rin]

just saw the funniest hate post about you, you haven't even written any non-con samquin and they were bitching 😭

anyways i love your writing <3 link to the post but please always be careful when clicking random anon links

https://www.tumblr.com/ontoutside/775610444007260160/to-all-my-samquin-shippers-i-hope-you-know-ex0rin?source=share

hello!! thanks for the heads up! (and thank you for the sweet compliment, i super appreciate it 😘)

before i answer this, for those of you who don't wanna click that link and head on over there:

okayyyyy so first of all i would like, probably never noncon samquin - to me their ship is super wholesome and adorable and i'm all about that mentor/ mentee relationship JUST LOOK at the way sam slides towards him in the hospital uwu etc:

(daddy daddy daddy dot gif)

but like, torres?? and noncon?? oh, baby bird was meant to be whumped and we all know it. everything to do with him thus far has been about bruises and broken bones 😌

and hey, look, if that's not what you're into? no big deal! i also write some cute-as-hell vaguely fluff with him just like CHECK THE TAGS?? you know, like you should be doing anyway

BIG FAN of ship and let ship (and whump and let whump tbh). everyone do what they want forever with the character (ie: not a real person) who's been gifted to us

i've been doing this with Torres since he first showed up in 2021 so this shit isn't new to me and if you don't like my vibe? the block button is there, it's all good but this call out mentality is so toxic babes - just live your life and i'll live mine 💖

[creamecafe]

Tell me why when I'm writing a fanfic for Joaquin Torres today to post, and I search up his age because I don't know how old he is...I FIND OUT THIS MAN IS SUPPOSED TO BE 17?? IM CLOSE TO THE SAME AGE AS THIS MAN AND HES 17? I THOUGHT HE WAS IN HIS MID 20S