#jury duty x reader

[siriusly-parker]

ok…ig i’m gonna be the one to say it. but i NEED more ronald gladden content. or at least more jury duty. gimme fics. the reader can be an actor, the one non-actor. idk. idc. i just need more 😭😭 i’m in love with my boy ron and i think we should acknowledge that and write for him. (or even just platonic! jury duty cast x reader, like cute interactions) the concept is just too good fr.

[recreationalfanfics]

Hello, I really love how you seem to have such a good read on RoR characters! Kinda shy asking this because I swore I read Record of Ragnarok for the action and backstories but it’s hard to contain my simping…. (๑꒪̇⌄꒪̇๑)

May I request some headcanons for Poseidon x a shy but kind human fem!MC? The idea I had in mind was that some thousands of years ago, Aphrodite, annoyed with Poseidon’s indifference to her charms, “cursed” him with a soulmate. This soulmate turned out to be MC who wasn’t even born yet back then. The plot will take place sometime before the actual human vs. gods battles start, so maybe during some preparation period where they’re setting up the stadium and all that? During this period, the human audience had already been “teleported” there (I don’t think they ever elaborated on how the humans all just end up watching the ragnarok) MC is one of these humans and coincidentally happened upon Poseidon during her stay. Of course, the soulmate stuff won’t magically make Poseidon have a complete change on humankind, but I was hoping he’d gradually soften up to her even if he won’t admit it.

As for what kind of soulmate AU, maybe the type where the first words your soulmate says to you is inscribed somewhere on your body? I think it’ll be fun to have her say something to him, he realizes but doesn’t say anything back so she just doesn’t know until much later.

Hopefully this isn’t too detailed or convoluted (๑•́‧̫•̀๑) And thank you so much in advance if you decide to write this! And if it’s not too much to ask, please don’t kill off Poseidon, but I also don’t want Sasaki to die either… maybe Poseidon will choose to forfeit (after fighting at first) because his soulmate is amongst the humans that will be eliminated if gods win? •ू(ᵒ̴̶̷᷄ωᵒ̴̶̷᷅*•ू) )੭ु⁾⁾

THIS REQUEST IS SO CUTE OMG!? I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO WRITE THIS FOR YOU BUT ALSO, UR SO VALID FOR WANTING NIETHER OF THEM TO DIE, IDK WHY BUT THIS ANIME MAKES ME ATTATCHED TO BOTH THE GODS AND THE HUMANS-

Either way, I hope I did well, this was my first time writing for Poseidon!

- Consider how vain these two can be sometimes, it's only natural that they would butt heads often but when Poseidon dared to claim that Aphrodite truth wasn't as fair as she claimed herself- no, that she KNEW herself to be- she just couldn't allow this injustice to stand.

- He cherished absolutely nothing, he appreciated absolutely nothing. So she took it upon herself to change that. After all, it was HER who was the Goddess of Love. So she decided to pull a little trick

- Now, lets flashforward (to modern? ancient? Idk, man, heaven time??) and Poseidon has been summoned to his match. A match he felt was pointless but, whatever, who was he to deny his brother?

- Gracing the God's hall and going to his room to prepare and shield himself from sharing the same air as humans; imagine his surprise when he sees you.

- You're pathetic. Skittish, looking around like a confused mutt, and looking as disgusting as the rest of your kind. He knows your human alone and he's offended that you had the AUDACTIY to walk INTO THE AREA WHERE THE GOD'S RESIDE, AND EVEN STAND IN FRONT OF HIS DOOR.

- In reality, you weren't trying to piss anyone off. You had gotten separated from the rest of the humans and accidentally found yourself in a part of the arena you weren't familiar with.

- You were so relieved when you looked and saw another person in the hallway with you! Maybe you could ask them for directions. Poseidon did not know why you were approaching him so casually but he did NOT like it, like, AT ALL.

- Since your soulmates, maybe the reason why you don't feel his threatening aura like other gods and humans do is because some part of you just can't find it in you to fear him. He takes this as a sign of disrespect.

- You do feel anxious, however, he was such an attractive man but he absolutely did not look pleased to see you and you assumed he was just having a bad day.

- "H-Hello, I don't mean to trouble you!" You call out, your voice quiet and filled with uncertainty.

- He narrows his eyes at you, absolutely enraged by the idea of you approaching him so casually. You filthy little worm, he should destroy right-

- But then he takes a look at his wrist, he doesn't know why he does, a subconscious decision perhaps. But he side eyes you...odd, he makes sure to check his wrist. Oh well, he may as well grant you a few seconds of life.

- Then he checks his wrist and sees that the very first words you said to him...were on it. He looks from his wrist to you, who has no idea what's going on and honestly just wanted to find a way out of this big hallway.

- "U-Um, sir? I-I'm sorry, but do you know the way out?"

- He merely narrows his eyes at you before summoning his trident into his hands and thats when you realize; you're standing before a God. He says nothing to you and you instantly want to apologize but before you could, he just points in his trident into the direction he came from.

- You look at him, scared and confused, and he continues to stare at you with cold eyes. When he doesn't say or do anything for a few minutes you finally realized he was pointing the direction out.

- You apologize for the trouble and run like hell, his gaze following you.

- He observes you closely after that, believing this may be some kind of mistake. Thats why he didn't say anything to you, because a part of him was nervous. But he was mostly angry.

- It showed by when he barged into Aphrodite's room to DEMAND her what trickery she had stuped too and to undo it, she just smiles slyly and asks him: "What trickery?~"

- After some frustrating interrogation that goes NOWHERE...he finds himself staring at you quiet often, the mortals all cowering in fear when they feel his divine prescence. Not you, though, you never seem to notice him until you follow their stares and see his cold eyes, staring you down like you were gum under his new shoes.

- It's a very odd exchange, overall. Everyday, he'd show up at the most random of times and causing a stir among everyone else but yourself. Sometimes it'd even be multiple visits a day. Either way it confused you because the matches hadn't even started and already, you had somehow invoked a God's wrath.

- At least, that's what you thought at first until you noticed that he never did anything to really threaten your safety. Yes, watching you was a bit odd, but you find that you aren't really all that nervous about it anymore. Especially since with every visit, you believe that his gaze softens when they're set upon you.

- He kept his distance at first but then, once you started to take notice of him, you'd offer him to sit next to you as you sat in the beautiful fields that surrounded the arena or would be reading in one of the vast nearby libraries. Originally he would just walk away and as time went on he slowly began to warm up to you.

- Like a cat. tbh.

- He couldn't help it, at least, it FELT like he couldn't help it. He didn't know if it was your bond as soulmates, the unyielding kindness that he originally saw as foolish and niave, or overall just your quiet nature until you saw your friends.

- Either way, the more he began to see you, the more he could look past your flaws (which was being a human) and start to appreciate the things about you the made you beautiful.

- Don't get me wrong, he was definetly in denial for the longest time so he would kinda start off with small things. Like it goes from: "Oh, at least they bowed their head to my statue, thats a redeemable quality, at least." to "She is the epitome of perfection♡"

- You wouldn't really ever know that Poseidon's feelings towards you have grown, he hides it very well behind that stoic face that he wears and he hasn't even really spoken to you, yet. He doesn't know why but he feels like...the time isn't right. Despite his growing feelings, he truly isn't ready to accept a human as his soulmate yet.

- You just assumed he didn't talk much so you never pushed him too. Yeah, it mightve been a bit awkward at first but you appreciated his prescence, it brought you a new sense of comfort and peace that you never felt, not even when you were alive.

- When you made flower crowns in the gardens, you'd ask if you could decorate his trident for him and he gave you a deadpan stare before nodding his head in approval. He'd silently gesture you to follow him and show you a private pool whenever a say seemed a bit too hot for you and watch as you played in it, a soft smile growing on his face.

- He would even feel a bit of anger when he was with his fellow gods, listening to them generalize their hatred towards humanity. Usually Poseidon would join them but he couldn't bring himself too. After all, humanity was pesky and troublesome but some of them weren't that bad.

- They could be sweet, they could be unfailingly kindhearted and empathetic...They could be you. So he'd just glare distastefully but never say anything, but he didn't need to as everyone slowly stopped talking after sensing they somehow upset him.

- He spent a lot of his time with you during the days that led up to his match, you were unsure of who to root for; since it's true that humanity would be wiped out if the God's continued to win but at the same time, you didn't want to see Poseidon get hurt.

- He picked you out from the crowd immediately and made eye contact with you, not even acknowledging his opponent as he stepped into the ring.

- Did he still look down on humanity? Yes. But...he supposed there were some good aspects to it. Good aspects like you.

- As the mythical creatures and gods from his side cheered him on, shouting insults towards the humans, and telling him to destroy them like the ants they were: his eyes were locked on your (e/c) eyes before he finally made a decision. Internally, he had just lost a battle within himself in that moment...but he wasn't upset about it.

- So he interrupts Heimdall's introduction speeches as he addresses the whole crowd, "I FORFIET THIS MATCH!"

- Shock and bafflement was all that could be heard from both sides of the arena. They couldn't have possibly heard him right, though, after all: He was Poseidon, the beautiful God of the Sea, there was no way he would just-

- Then he looked at you and your heart leapt at hearing his voice for the first time. His eyes became gentle as they stared into yours, "I will fight for humanity. For some of you are worthy yet."

- You didn't respond for a bit, not noticing how the words "I will fight for humanity" appeared on your wrist, but he did. And he knew that even if Aphrodite had "cursed" him, that it truly didn't bother him. You were made for him. His perfect mortal♡

- This was only proven when you broke out of your shocked trance faster than anyone and cheered his name happily, your shyness lost as you joyfully cheered his name, causing him to visibly smile in front of everyone.

[pseudosis]

JET’S best way, and most favorite way, to show you off is to have you ride on the back of his motorcycle for everyone to gawk at you. Hot piece of ass perched up on the back of the seat, back arched forward to cling to his middle firmly, and skirt so damn short, when it flies up everyone behind you two could surely see your panties.

He likes it that way, it’s an excuse to not only shoot birds at people and curse at them for being a weirdo to you, but to be able to get to your cunt easier.

Stopped somewhere in an empty parking lot adjacent to a nearby local park, he had you laid down on the seat and head resting against the steering handles, legs pulled wide apart and panties hanging off from one ankle in the air. JET worked his tongue through your lips, gummy texture of your clit smoothing out on his tongue. He rolled his head in it, nose growing sticky from your slick that caught itself digging through your pussy.

He especially feeds off of how you moan all cutely when he flicks over a particularly sensitive area of the bud. How you hitch and whine at the mixing sensations of his tongue running through your entrance and venturing over your walls. Tip just barely massaging the area that’ll have you gasping and grabbing his nest for hair.

Taking his thumbs to spread you apart further to mutual benefit, his eyes began to roll to the back of his head and eyebrows scrunched together to truly relish in the taste and scent of your need. Groaning, all smashed up against your sex, caused you to feel this heady euphoria you only had when you two smoked.

This was a nightly thing where you two would fuck on his motorcycle in public, patrol officers lurked around the perimeter of the park, making it a whole lot more interesting. One time almost getting caught red handed with his dick balls deep in your throat, down on your knees to hide behind the side of the motorcycle you two were on.

Or another time when he had you bend over to lean on the vehicle to slide into you from behind. Holding your hips and skin clapping down loudly in contact, alerting the curious minds of the officers. JET loved to fuck with them, only because he hated police officers with a passion.

[zetobii]

Ahaa finally ✨ here’s another piece for the lovely @hellfirenacht 💕💕💕 thank you, dearest 🤗✨

[pearlessance]

Idle Threats MASTERLIST

Joel has watch duty with Jackson’s twenty-year old, smart-mouthed brat and gets more than he bargained for.

Warnings: Explicit sexual content MDNI, brat taming, religious imagery and symbolism, catholic guilt, dom/sub undertones, canon typical violence, age gap (32years), mean!Joel, jealousy, reader is given a backstory to progress the plot, size difference, mention of sexual assault, mention of loss and death, mention of sexual assault of a minor, (no explicit details), renouncing of god, desecration of a church, JOEL POV

i: Watch Duty

ii: Locked Doors

iii: The Hand that Feeds

iv: Feelin' Empty?

v: Faith in Me

vi: Her Love Endures

vii: Dig Two Graves

viii: Forgive Me, Father

ix: Judge, Jury, Executioner

x: 32:1

[completed on AO3!]

divider by @tsunami-of-tears <3

bottom graphic by @saradika-graphics <3

[wanderingsoul6261]

Match has been Made

credit for gif goes to k-wame

james beaufort x reader

synopsis: Lydia plays matchmaker for James and her friend

Note: I have Jury Duty next week, so I want to try and get everything done before then, but if not, I will try to have most finished so that I can post them periodically through next week so that I can still provide y'all with content. I also want to start writing for other fandoms, such as Call of Duty, NCIS, Criminal Minds, Uncharted, etc) so if you are interested in more works, keep an eye out for those.

Not a big fan of this one honestly. Might delete it later and do a better version of it. Just didn't have any other ideas for it, so if anyone has a better way for this to have gone, let me know, and I will definitely consider redoing it after some of the others are completed.

Lydia wasn't as stupid as James and Y/N. Maybe stupid wasn't the right word, as oblivious seemed fitting, not that the two were stupid. Although, they were definitely oblivious. Lydia had wanted to strangle them both, considering how blind they were. James, staring all the time at Y/N, not thinking anyone would notice. Lydia definitely noticed. And then Y/N, not even noticing James looking at her and how long he would do so. Lydia also noticed that too. 

Many who also noticed had just thought that maybe Y/N wasn’t interested in him, but Lydia had taken to disagreeing. Y/N was a good friend of Lydia, and therefore, she was also a good friend of James. Y/N and James had initially butted heads quite often at the start of the friendship between the two girls, but over time, it had gradually stopped, and had actually turned into a playful teasing. 

Now, Lydia could tell James was smitten with Y/N just as much as she was smitten with him, and this had sparked Lydia’s plan into getting the two by themselves and admitting their feelings. 

Initially, it also meant getting their driver, Percy involved. He would have a large part to play in the plan, helping her get one or both of them to the Manor, hopefully when their parents were away on their upcoming business trip, and then leaving with Lydia. Percy and Lydia would then find something to pass a few hours by. Whether she went over to a friend’s house, or she treated Percy to a friendly night out for all his work done for the family. 

Percy was inclined to help, considering he too had noticed what was, or the lack of what was happening between James and Y/N. It didn’t matter how he spent the time afterwards. Him leaving the manor would then mean that neither James or Y/N had a way to leave. 

It was a sound plan, and Lydia knew that the probability of it working was high. 

—

“Hey! Y/N!” Y/N turned around at the sound of her name being called. Behind her, Lydia hurried over to her. She stopped, waiting for her friend to catch up so that they could walk side by side. “What are you doing tonight?” Lydia asked. Y/N shrugged. 

“Nothing really. Mom and dad are home but I don’t have anything planned with them. I was probably just going to watch some movies and call it an early night.” 

“Would you want to come over for a bit? Do some swimming. Maybe stay the night? Our parents are out of town for a few nights for a business trip.” Lydia had explained. 

“Who all is going to be there?” She had asked. 

“Just me and James, plus you. Figured the three of us could hang out without the suffocation of a party.” Lydia had explained. 

Y/N thought about it. Admittedly, getting out of the house for a little bit had seemed like a better idea. Lydia could tell she was contemplating it. The way Y/N tilted her head and bit the inside of her cheek, some of the very few mannerisms she possessed that gave away when she was truly thinking about something told her so. Mannerisms that James had appeared to have fallen in love with. 

After several moments, and pausing in the hallway of Maxton, Y/N had given Lydia her answer. 

“Alright. I’ll come over.” 

“Cool! I’ll have Percy pick you up at about 5!” Y/N agreed, telling her that that worked for her, and left her friend behind so that she could move on to her next class, which she also shared with James. 

Lydia watched as Y/N met up with James outside of their next class, a smirk on her face, and then left quickly, before either of them noticed that she was watching. 

“Hey.” James smiled at Y/N as they walked into the classroom. “So did Lydia talk to you yet?” He asked, as they set their stuff down on the shared desk and took their respective seats. “Something about just us three. Swimming. Maybe some movies. Something like that.” 

“Yea, actually. Just before I came here. I told her that I should be free to come over. She said she would send Percy later to come get me.” 

“What about your driver?” 

“Sick. I gave them a few days off.” Y/N flipped through her notes, trying to find where she left off. James watched as she did so, his eyes on her fingers as they flipped through the pages, before he turned his attention to her face. She was concentrated, focused on trying to find where she left off in her note taking. 

“What time did she tell you?” 

“Percy will be at my place at five.” He nodded slightly as she finally looked up at him. “She said I could also potentially stay the night. Mentioned something about how your parents are out of town for a business trip?” 

“Yea. Meetings with potential business partners for their next clothing line.” He explained. “They will be gone most of the week.” She nodded in understanding. James flashed her a smile, one that she had returned as their professor walked in, introducing their topic for the day.

—

Percy was a few minutes early, rolling the car in the driveway of her family manor at about quarter to five. Stepping out of the car, he greeted her politely, flashing her a small smile as she advanced over to the car. 

“Good evening, Percy.” She flashed a smile back at him, thanking him as he opened the back door for her. He had taken her overnight bag, putting it in the trunk of the car. 

“Good evening, Miss Y/L/N. I hope you are well.” 

“I am. Thank you. I hope Lydia and James are treating you well.” She teased. He flashed her a smile of amusement as another voice rang out, just as she climbed into the vehicle. 

“We are treating him just fine.” Y/N was met face to face by James, who flashed her an amused smile as she took her seat next to him. The door closed and the two flashed each other a smile. 

“Miss me?” she asked. Percy climbed into the driver side seat, putting the car into drive and taking the three of them back to the Beaufort manor. James smiled brightly at her.

“Always.” 

Percy watched them from the rearview mirror, taking in the interactions to the two of them. Lydia had been right, about the way the two of them look at each other. The way James looked at her when she was talking, like he wanted to take in everything she was saying and have it memorized. The way Y/N watched as he drew in his sketchbook or the way he watched her as she watched the numerous trees and other flora as they drove. Lydia was right when she told Percy all those days ago about how oblivious they were. The emotions in their faces surely show how they feel about the other, but both are too oblivious to say or do anything.  He smirked, turning his eyes back on the road. 

Arriving at the manor, Percy had stayed with the car, while James and Y/N had gotten out. James took her bag inside, handing it to another person to take to Lydia's room, where she would likely be sleeping. 

Lydia was already outside at the pool when the two finally joined her. She looked up and back at them, a smile on her face. Standing up from where she was dipping her toes into the pool, she walked over to them. She bypassed James, who only playfully rolled his eyes as she hugged Y/N. 

“Glad you can make it. You guys enjoy the water and snacks. I’m going to go and get changed. Be back in a jiffy.” And with that, Lydia was gone. James, who was already wearing some swim trunks with a t-shirt when they picked up Y/N, had taken off his shirt, leaving Y/N the only one who had yet to show her swimsuit. 

Her eyes were on James body for several seconds and had stayed focused on him for several more seconds after he had jumped into the pool.

Y/N had been smart, having put her swimsuit on underneath her clothes before Percy and James arrived at her home. She had slipped off her shirt, exposing her skin and the bikini top that she wore. James had caught sight, his eyes on her before he dipped underneath the water before she could catch him staring. When he had come back up, she had already pulled her shorts off, fully revealing herself in her two-piece bikini. 

While James slowly swam around the perimeter of the pool, Y/N relaxed on a floaty, drifting around the pool. The two relaxed like that for a little bit until one of them realized that one of them was still missing. 

“James.” He had looked over at Y/N, who now sat on the end of the pool, a water bottle in her hand. 

“Hmm?” 

“Did Lydia come out at all?” She asked. “I would have figured that she would be out here by now.” James stopped swimming, moving to stand in the shallow end of the pool. He looked past her, towards the open doors that led into the house. 

“No I haven’t.” He finally answered. His eyes drifted back towards Y/N, where some droplets of water rolled down her stomach. Her hair was wet, meaning that she had slipped into the water at some point and he didn’t notice. She tilted her head in thought, turning her body around as well to look inside the house. 

James watched as she stood up and walked over to the chairs. She didn’t find any sign that Lydia might have even been there in the first place, and no phone was found. 

“Her phone isn’t here. Maybe she has it. I can give her a call.” Y/N walked back over to her own phone, picked it up, and easily dialed Lydia’s number. James watched as she pressed her phone to her ear, but after several seconds, put her phone back down. “No answer.” 

“She’s probably okay. Probably just got caught up doing something else. Maybe she’s taking a nap so she can conserve energy for movies later.” James reassured her, and Y/N agreed. James wasn’t sure where his sister went, and it definitely wasn’t a part of their plans. 

Unless it was a part of her plans. 

Y/N shrugged and had gone back to sit on the side of the pool, her feet dangling in the water. James went back to floating around the pool. His eyes moved over to Y/N several times. They were alone and she was right there. He could say what he wanted and make his move. If he was rejected, no one would know. 

Her eyes were on the book she was reading, invested in the pages and the words that told the story within them. He hovered in the water for several moments before he finally decided to slowly make his way across the pool. 

His eyes had remained on her, watching her movements as he neared her. The way her fingers flipped to the next page. How her expression changed based on the scene she was reading. He was happy to listen to her when she went on and on about a book that was either currently reading or had just finished, having loved the way that she got so much joy and excitement from something so simple. 

When he finally reached her, his hand reached out for the book, gently setting it aside without getting it wet. Y/N was confused, a noise getting caught in the back of her throat as James put his palm on the edge of the pool, hoisting himself partially out of the water and slightly closer to her. He made eye contact with her, before he looked down at her lips. She caught the movement, relaxing as she waited. She knew what he wanted at that moment, and when he didn’t make the move first, she did. 

Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him even more closer, and pressed her lips against his. He quickly melted into it, one arm wrapping around her waist. James tugged her into the pool once more, before pinning her against the side of it. Her arms remained around his neck, while his arms looped behind her, settling the edge of the pool. 

It was a slow and gentle kiss, allowing the two to enjoy and savor it. Her hands tangled themselves into his hair, and one of his hands moved to her back, his fingers splayed across her skin. James was running out of breath, as was Y/N, but the two hesitated to separate, as both of them seemed to have wanted their first kiss together to go on longer than what was physically possible. 

And when they finally pulled away from each other, they rested their foreheads against each others, breathing heavily, a small smile on their lips. 

“Do you think Lydia left?” Y/N asked. 

“I think this was part of her plan.” James agreed. “Get us alone together. Means Percy was probably also in on it.”  Y/N laughed a little. 

“You sister, playing matchmaker, and Percy helping. Who knew.”

“My guess is that they knew something we didn’t.” He had smiled, kissing her again, this time with a bit more energy. James had stared at her lips, before moving away and planting kisses along her jaw, pressed one final one to her forehead, and then moved back down to her lips. He was kissing her like a man starved of it all.  

“How about we watch those movies?” He finally asked, after finding the heart to stop kissing Y/N and finally allowing her to breathe. She gave him a smile and nodded. 

That was how Lydia had found the two of them. They were laying on the couch in the shared living area that Lydia and James shared, the tv going on in the background. James was on his back, his head against the arm of the couch, and Y/N was asleep on his chest. Her arms wrapped around James, and a blanket was wrapped around her. 

Lydia had smirked, snapped a photo to show Percy that the plan had worked, and wandered off to get ready for bed, leaving the two by themselves.

----

taglist: @honethatty12 @lifeonawhim @ashamedtobewhitemanswhore27 @maryvibess @wheredidmyeyesgo @imasimptoowth @avada-kedavra-bitch-187

@sillyfreakfanparty

[moonstruckme]

Hi! Could I request a plus size!reader with James? Maybe where she gets upset because she can’t wear his clothes and she can’t do cute little girlfriend things like him picking her up and stuff like that?

Thanks for requesting babe!

cw: size insecurity

modern au ig because new girl

James Potter x plus size!reader ♡ 956 words

“I’m kind of thinking of jumping back to season four,” you call towards the bedroom. “Jess is about to leave for jury duty, and I don’t like those episodes as much.” 

“Pretty sure you’ve got them all memorized anyway,” James says back. “Why don’t we just watch Friends instead?” 

Your mouth twists even though he can’t see it, but luckily, the feeling behind the expression carries in your voice anyway. “Because it’s not as good.” 

“Okay.” James rolls his eyes lightly as he emerges from your bedroom, now clad in pajamas to match you. “We can do New Girl again, but I need my pillow, please.” 

You sigh heavily, feigning reluctance as you uncurl your legs from underneath you and prop your feet on the coffee table. James hurries over, sprawling out on the couch and settling his head on the cushion of your thighs. He’s due for a haircut. His thick curls spread out around him like the sun’s rays. He smiles up at you, dopey, and you tamp down a grin as you start the episode. 

Not ten minutes in, there’s a flashback about when one character was in college. Bigger, dorkier, romantically inept. It’s played for a laugh. You glance down at James. He’s wormed a hand under your leg and is kneading the fat there like putty. It’s an absentminded gesture, nothing critical about it, but you wonder if he’s correlating you with the actor on screen, bumbling and the butt of the joke in his fatsuit. 

You comb a hand through James’ hair, and he looks up, catches you watching him. He’s never been one to mind being observed. He shoots you a smile, catching your hand with his other and pressing it to his lips. 

You smile back. “Do you ever wish you had a skinny girlfriend?” you ask him. 

If he’s surprised by the abruptness of the question, he doesn’t show it. “Nope,” he answers. “Never. What would I do for a pillow?” 

You consciously keep your smile in place, fixing your eyes back on the screen. The one character is telling the story of how embarrassing it was to lose his virginity. Like sex was borderline impossible, just because he was chubby. 

You feel James’ head shift on your legs, and look down to find he’s turned towards you. “We manage just fine,” he whispers conspiratorially. 

You exhale amusedly through your nose. “Yeah? I don’t near crush you every time?” 

“It’s really cute that you think you could, lovie.” 

You roll your eyes, letting them land on the TV. “Sometimes I wish I could do more…quintessential girlfriend stuff.” You can feel James’ eyes on you, but he keeps quiet. “Like when girls steal their boyfriend’s hoodies and stuff.” 

You look down, and James’ eyebrows have lowered slightly. “You could borrow my hoodies if you wanted to,” he says. “Angel, you know I think you’re the perfect size, don’t you? Do I not tell you that enough?” 

You give him a little smile, shoulders coming up bashfully. (He does. He makes little comments all day long—how pretty you look, how he loves your thighs, how soft and warm you are when you’re cuddling, how lovely and squishable your ass is in his hands.) “It’s not you,” you say, “it’s just hard not to think about those girls who, like, drown in their boyfriends’ clothes, you know? And your stuff fits almost tight on me.” 

James looks at you considerately, nodding. You and he aren’t vastly different sizes, with James’ bulky frame and wide shoulders. You just…he treats you like you’re precious, but sometimes you wish you looked precious standing next to him, too. You wish he could pick you up with one arm or make jokes about you being tiny like a chihuahua or whatever else it is the boyfriends of petite girls do. 

“I realize this is rather selfish,” James says, “but I actually quite enjoy that I’m able to borrow your clothes from time to time.” He glances pointedly down at his shirt, which you now realize has been pilfered from your wardrobe. “And if it’s baggy clothes you’re looking for, I could always get a couple loose-fitting hoodies, wear them around and get ‘em all smelled up, and then pass them on to you.” You must look about as lovesick as you feel, because his smile returns, brown eyes sweetly knowing. “Does that sound like something you’d like?”

“Yeah,” you say, biting your lip to keep from beaming too embarrassingly. “Yes, please. Thanks, Jamie.” 

“Course.” He gives your thigh a hearty squeeze, turning his head to press a wet smooch to your skin. “You know, those other girls are missing out on things, too,” he says. “I doubt their boyfriends spend so much time lounging on them, and I know how much you love it when I make your legs fall asleep.” 

You snicker. “You’re right, I do love that.” 

James’ smile spreads wider at your response. “I know you do, lovie. All for you, of course. Also, I know it’s not a hoodie, but I have that one red jumper that’s pretty big on me. You know the one?” 

“Oh my gosh, yes!” You sit up straighter. “I totally forgot about that. Could I use it?” 

“What’s mine is yours.” 

“Thanks.” You scoot out from under him, and James sits up, upset. 

“Oi! Where do you think you’re going? I was comfy!” 

“To change,” you call back from halfway down the hall. 

“Never change, angel!” You roll your eyes at the stupid joke, grinning to yourself. “I love you just the way you are!” 

[sinkovia]

Black Market

Hitman Simon Riley x Doctor Fem!Reader

In desperate need of money to clear a million-dollar debt, you accept Simon's offer to become his personal doctor, earning twenty percent of each contract he completes. But as you plunge back into the black market, ghosts from your past emerge, threatening to unravel everything you've worked so hard to run away from.

Mention of Kidnapping.

Masterlist - Black Market Masterlist

Simon sat in his dimly lit house, the dim glow of his computer screen casting shadows across his face. He leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping impatiently on the keyboard as he navigated through the depths of the black market.

His eyes scanned the screen, brows furrowing in frustration as he scrolled through the listings, weighing the risks against the potential rewards. Contract after contract flashed before him, each promising a hefty sum of money in exchange for services rendered.

But to Simon, they were all the same—assassinations, espionage, sabotage. The thrill of danger had lost its appeal long ago, replaced by a sense of weariness and disillusionment.

Cursing under his breath, Simon scrolled through the listings for hire, his frustration growing with each passing moment. There were no personal black market doctors available for hire—every reputable one was already taken. It seemed like luck was against him today.

With a heavy sigh, he closed the browser window and turned his attention to the stack of mail sitting on his desk. Among the bills and junk mail, there it was – a jury duty summons.

He groaned aloud, rubbing his temples in frustration. Spending hours in a stuffy courtroom was the last thing he needed right now. It meant taking time away from his work, time that could be spent securing lucrative contracts and staying ahead of the game.

But there was no avoiding it. He knew he'd have to fulfill his civic duty, no matter how inconvenient it might be. With a resigned shake of his head, he tucked the summons into his pocket, another burden to add to the weight on his shoulders.

You find yourself slumping down on the hard concrete steps in front of the courthouse, the weight of defeat heavy upon you. Having lost your case and now facing a million dollars in debt, the world seems to close in around you. With a resigned sigh, you reach for your pack of cigarettes, seeking solace in the familiar routine.

"Mind sharing your pack?" A deep, coarse voice breaks through your thoughts, and you glance over to see a tall man dressed in black leaning against the railing beside you. Without hesitation, you extend your pack to him, and he takes one before returning the pack to you.

Simon curses to himself, realizing he's forgotten his lighter, confiscated earlier by a courthouse officer. "Mind lighting me? Fuckers at the courthouse took my light," he grumbles, frustration evident in his voice.

You smiled and handed him your lighter, the flame casting a warm glow on his face as he lit his cigarette. "Jury duty?" you asked casually, observing him take a deep drag before exhaling a cloud of smoke.

"Yeah, you?" he replied, his tone resigned but with a hint of intrigue.

You laughed wryly and took another drag, the bitter taste of nicotine mingling with the heavy weight of your circumstances. "Just got sued for a million fucking dollars."

"Bloody fuck, what did you do?" Simon's eyebrows shot up in surprise, his interest immediately piqued.

You couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. "I replaced a man’s heart with a pig heart," you confessed, fully aware of how crazy it sounded.

Simon's eyes widened in intrigue, and without hesitation, he walked over and sat down next to you, his curiosity now fully ignited. Knowing how to perform a heart transplant suggested a level of medical expertise that interested him. 

"And how the bloody hell did you do that?" he asked, his curiosity evident in his voice.

“I was just sitting at the intersection for ages waiting for the light to change, when I noticed a guy getting mugged. Without thinking, I grabbed my emergency kit from the car and rushed over. Since I have O negative blood, I used my own blood for a transfusion to stabilize him. Then, I spotted a truck nearby loaded with pigs. I didn't waste a second - I hopped in, grabbed a pig, and performed an open heart surgery right there on the sidewalk. Sure, the guy ended up with a pig heart, but he's alive because of it. And now he's suing me? Unbelievable. Should've left that fuck to die.”

Simon couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all, but beneath the laughter, a plan began to form in his mind.

"So he was standing in the courtroom with a pig's heart?" 

You shook your head, a wry smile playing on your lips. "No, he ended up getting a proper heart transplant. One that would never have happened if I hadn't stepped in. The bastard would've bled out and wasted all my blood before the paramedics even arrived."

"Are you a licensed doctor?” 

Open heart surgery on a sidewalk and having O-negative blood? You were better than any doctor he could hire on the black market.

You shrugged nonchalantly. "No, I had my license revoked a few years back. They said my practice and way of thinking were unconventional, that I should be working in a lab making more Frankenstein’s than helping people. I took it as a compliment though. Those doctors were just scared of what I could do, of how far I would go to save someone." 

Simon smiled and took another drag before smashing the cigarette on the floor under his boot.

"So you're looking for jobs?"

You sighed, mirroring his action with your own cigarette. "In desperate need for a job."

"I think we could help each other," Simon suggested, his tone shifting slightly.

You slowly side-eyed him, then awkwardly laughed as you leaned away. "I'm not looking for jobs like that."

Simon's eyebrow quirked up before he realized how he sounded, and he shook his head with a smile. "Not like that, love. I meant that you could work for me, and I'd pay you."

You relaxed a bit and leaned back, intrigued. "What do you do?"

"Let's just say, you stay with me as my personal doctor, and I pay you twenty percent after each job I complete. You'll have your money in a couple of months," 

"A million dollars in a couple of months? What kind of jobs are giving you that type of money-" realization dawned on you, and a chill ran down your spine. Simon was involved in something much darker than you anticipated, and memories of your own past involvements in the black market came flooding back, making your palms sweat with unease.

"I'm sorry, but I can't take your offer," you said, your voice firm but polite. Simon furrowed his brows in confusion and frustration. He had just given you an opportunity of a lifetime, one you so desperately needed, and you turned him down?

Internally sighing, Simon knew he'd have to resort to more extreme measures now.

You got up and dusted off your butt before looking down at him. "Thank you for the offer, but I'm going to head out," you said, offering a weak smile before turning and heading to your car.

That night, Simon tracked down where you lived and noted your home address. He packed his duffle bag and got into his car, making his way over to your house. With careful precision, he snuck into your backyard and opened your back window before silently slipping inside.

Meanwhile, you were sitting at your desk, scrolling through job offerings in your pajamas, feeling the weight of impending debt pressing down on you. With a heavy sigh, you turned off your monitor, resigned to your fate. That's when you noticed it—the faint outline of a man in the dark reflection of your monitor screen.

Simon attempted to cover your mouth with a rag, but you reacted swiftly, elbowing him hard and knocking the wind out of him. Turning around, you landed a solid punch to his jaw, leaving Simon in disbelief. He had underestimated you.

As you ran, trying to reach your room, Simon quickly pinned you to the floor. Despite your resistance, he managed to overpower you, but you fought back fiercely, headbutting him in the face. Simon grunted, trying his best not to harm you.

You nearly reached your nightstand where you kept your gun, but Simon pinned you down again, this time on your stomach. Desperately, you struggled against him, but Simon pressed a rag against your mouth and nose, forcing you to inhale its contents. Despite your efforts to resist, you eventually succumbed to the effects, your body going limp in a matter of seconds.

Simon breathed deeply as he stood up, his chest heaving with exertion. Opening your nightstand, he retrieved your gun with a heavy sigh. "Bloody hell, love," 

Simon headed to the bathroom in search of your medical supplies. Finding what he needed, he grabbed a trash bag and hastily gathered a few of your clothes and essential items. With a sense of urgency, he tied up the bag and threw it over his shoulder, carefully picking you up and carrying you to his car.

Tag list: @shinchanboi @talooolaaloolla

[importantstudentbusinessspy-blog]

Reunion - Friends

Masterlist

Pairing: Dick Grayson x (f)reader

Tags: SFW, platonic, friends, jealousy, feelings, blood, death, crime, guilt

It's been a week since your embarrassing parting with Dick. Since then, you threw yourself into your work and studies. It was difficult to rip yourself away at first, but the longer you kept at it, the easier the routine became. Each day became structured, starting with the gym, then classes, studying, and your internship. On top of that, you and your friends always had something planned for weekends or evenings, so you were seldom bored as you were kept plenty busy.

The routine drew you back to your old self, the one that was comfortable and wasn't concerned about the intentions or treatments of some man. It felt great!

Today, you were attending your first jury duty selection. You fixed the collar of your blouse and flattened your palms down your blazer, then skirt, taking one last look in the mirror before exiting the bathroom. You were still going over the transcripts of your case as you made your way to the courtroom, not careful of where you were going. As a result, you bumped into a hard wall of muscle. "Mph!" You blinked a couple of times, adjusting to your surroundings. "Sorry!"

Said wall turned around to face you. He wore a brown leather jacket over a black t-shirt, with his detective badge tucked on the side of his belt. And he smelled like old spice, all six feet three inches of him. Your friend Tony smirked down at you. "Sup dude?"

He started law school with you and then transfered to the police academy when he decided he wanted a more "hands on" approach to fighting crime.

You grinned up at him brightly, opening your mouth, ready to greet an old friend. But then you remembered where you were and composed your festures quickly. "Good morning, Detective Ericso-"

"Oh, don't give me that shit." Tony groaned before puling you into a bear hug. "I'm off duty. Plus, I'm still a cadet."

"Well," you looked down at your now disheveled outfit. "I'm not off duty. So I have to be Profesional." Then you smiled excitedly. "I have my first jury duty selection today."

"No shit." He snapped his fingers in an exaggerated way. "Look at you, miss lawyer!"

"I know," you channeled Monica from friends as you couldn't help but grin at him. He was always a ball of energy.

"Listen, a couple of friends are meeting at Richmond's tonight for a beer. Come with us." He said.

"I..." you began to think of your plans in the evening and came up short. "Okay, I'm free. What time."

He rolled his eyes. "Around eight. And as if you had any plans to begin with, you studious loser."

You raised your arm to smack his, but then you made eye contact with an important looking man in a suit and lowered it again. "Eight. That's when i finish my day. I'll see you there! I gotta go now."

"You better!" You heard him say as you opened the door and stepped into the courtroom.

The couple of friends Tony had mentioned turned out to be two young cadets and Dick grayson.

You froze for a mere second when you walked in through the familiar doors of the bar. It was odd, yiu realized. You expected to feel a pang of something upon seeing him, but... you felt something mild. It was not pain, just... acknowledgement. Tony spotted you and waved you over. When Dick followed his friends' gaze to you, he offered you a shy smile. Surprisingly, you were very comfortable offering him one back.

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Dick smiled suggestively at you, tilting his head in the direction of the bar. "That guys been eyeing you since we sat down."

You, along with the rest of the table, turned to see who he was talking about.

At the bar, facing your table, a group of young men in suits sat drinking beers. Finance guys, by the looks of them. Not exactly the Bruce Wayne high fashion enterage, but they could have been consultants for a big firm. One of them - a cute blond with gelled hair - saught your gaze and gave you a small nod before raising his bottle to his lips. The gesture made you smile back before turning back to the group. "He's cute."

"Go talk to him." One of the other cadets, Anna, gave you a light nudge.

"Nahh." Dick drawled, leaning back in his seat. "She doesn't have to. The guy's making his way over here right now."

And surely enough, a moment later, the blond suit showed up to your table, clearing his throat. You looked up and met his gaze.

"Is this seat taken?" He asked you, glancing to the open chair beside you.

You shook your head.

"Lucky me." The blond grinned a charming grin and sat down beside you. He had a gorgeous pair of green eyes, a chiseled jaw peppered in a three day stubble and beautiful full lips that seemed really kissable. You looked down at your heart, wondering if you were really that much of a lightweight so as to be so affected by a man.

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Dick was happy.

He was happy you were comfortable around one another again. Happy your could talk to each other and laugh together. Most importantly, he was happy that you were happy. He watched you and the finance bro chat and laugh to each other, smiling at one another's jokes, exchanging contacts. Finance bro began to brush your knee with his fingers as his gaze became a little bit more heated.

You didn't seem to mind, Dick noticed. In fact, if the slight blush on your cheeks was any indication, you enjoyed the attention. You offered him a timid smile, biting down on your bottom lip.

Dick felt his smile falter.

Oh no.

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You laughed into your wineglass as your friend Tony reached to give Dick a light smack upside the head. Dick dodged at the last minute, and Tony missed.

"Dicky, how is it possible that after that many years on Earth you've never seen Harry Potter?!" Tony asked, incredulous.

Dick shook his index finger in return. "Na uh, you don't get to judge. You haven't seen Love, Actually -"

You smiled to yourself. Of course Dick Grayson was a love, actually enjoyer. You pictured him watching the romcom and tearing up at the emotional scenes.

"Dear god!" Tony dropped his head into his hands. "Apples to oranges, man! Y/n, help me out here - oh yeah. I forgot you're busy being in love."

"You're so dramatic." You murmmered, looking at your phone. "I'm literally emailing my prof."

"Oh? A contender for finance, bro?" Dick raised his brow suggestively.

"Wouldn't you like to know." You smirked. "And 'finance bros' name is Eric."

Dick raised his hands in mock surrender for in truth. He really didn't care. He also didn't like that you called finance bro by his name. He was finance, bro. A faceless fuck. Not Eric, some guy whose name, personality and life you possibly knew.

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Dick was ready to knock Tony out if he mentioned finance boy one more time. He sat on your apartment floor, wearing an ugly Christmas sweater that you knitted him as his secret Santa.

Tony sat gleefully in his hanukah sweater that your friend got for him. He was positively drunk when he raised his half finished glass of beer and announced. "I have an announcement."

The rest of the people at your apartment went quiet, patiently waiting for Tony's next words.

The young man smiled, opened his mouth to speak, and let out a long burp. The room burst into groans and murrmers of disgust.

Dick was too busy receiving an emergency alert into his earpiece.

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Dick arrived at the bank just as the day surrendered to the night. The sky above Gotham was tinged in dark blue as the bank’s alarms blared into the street.

"I’m at the location, Oracle," he murmured into his comm.

"Roger that," Barbara’s voice came through. "Security cameras show several men in ski masks inside."

"Copy." he replied, scaling the building in silence. He scanned the scene through a window: two civilians - a mother clutching her child - and a bank teller stood cowering in the corner as the masked robbers rifled through drawers.

"Need any backup?" Tim’s voice cut in.

"Negative, Baby-bird. This’ll be quick," Dick replied, his voice steady. "Enjoy your Christmas eve."

"God, he's so sappy." His brother, Jason, groaned into the comm.

"Police are en route, Nightwing," Barbara updated.

"Thanks."

He took out his batons and moved into action, precise and controlled. This was second nature - an exercise he could do in his sleep. Within moments, he had incapacitated the leader and taken down the four remaining men, who barely had a chance to react. In under a minute, every robber was either knocked out or tied up. Just as Oracle said, the police cars pulled up a moment later. Armed officers running into the bank, followed by a stoic commissioner Gordon walking in.

"Oracle, any more assailants?" Nightwing asked, breathing a little harder as he led the mother and teller toward the exit, carrying the giggling child in his arms. The little boy poked his chubby finger against Dick’s cheek, and despite the situation, Dick found himself smiling, cooing gently to reassure him.

Then, a gunshot shattered the air. Dick froze, his heart plummeting as a horrible, familiar dread took over.

"No!" he gasped, handing the child back to his mother before sprinting toward the sound.

As he rounded the corner, he saw it: one of the police officers lay in a spreading pool of blood, a discarded gun a foot away from a handcuffed robber. The scene played out, each detail sinking deep into his mind. He couldn’t look away. But... how? He's either tied or knocked all of them out!

He stumbled to Commissioner Gordon, who was kneeling beside the officer, hands trembling slightly as he took in the fatal wound.

"Is he…" Dick’s voice caught.

Gordon stood, his expression etched with grief. Slowly, he removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, drawing in a heavy breath. "He’s gone, son."

The weight of those words felt like a punch to the gut, hollowing Dick out from the inside. This was what he fought against, what he trained his entire life to prevent - and tonight, he had failed. Despite every life he’d saved, it hadn’t been enough.

Hours later, Dick trudged back to his apartment, feeling like a ghost. The image of the fallen officer haunted him, replaying every step of the night until it blurred with exhaustion and guilt.

As he opened his fridge and reached for a beer, Batman’s voice came through his comm, quiet and firm. "Nightwing. What happened tonight wasn’t your fault."

"Yes, sir," he replied, swallowing against the lump in his throat, the words barely audible.

“Dick… I've gone over your body cam. You did a good job incapacitating them. It was just bad luck." Bruce’s voice softened.

"I know," he whispered, his grip on the bottle tightening.

A heavy silence hung between them before Bruce added, “Get some rest.”

The comm went silent, and Dick felt something inside him finally break. The weight of his grief, the frustration, the helplessness - all of it spilled over as he sank to the floor, alone in the dark, and let himself cry.

[multific]

Love In Oil Colours

Chapter 6: A Little Grey in the Colour

Astarion x Fem!Reader

Summary: You just wanted to see the paintings. To see what new exhibits there were. You never expected for a simple oil painting to reveal so much about you and your past.

Your lover left you again. 

Leaving you in an empty house.

His duties called as he explained.

He promised to destroy the man responsible for his pain.

He promised he would return and you believed him. He always returned. He had to. What else would you possibly do without him?

But it didn't stop your heart from worrying. 

You knew he would return. 

Even when men came into your home.

Even when they deemed you a witch and burnt down your home. 

Even when you were taken into town and they all wanted to see you burn.

Even when you stood in front of an unfair jury.

You knew he would return.

Astarion would come and save you from all the bad. Just like he had done for many many years now.

And he did.

The night before they would have executed you at the stake. 

He arrived and you could imagine how angry he was.

You only heard the cries and the flames.

He came to save you and he did.

With you, in his arms, he returned to the woods, behind you the town burnt and dead.

You didn't know then, but this was only the beginning.

Each morning you woke up tired. It truly felt like you were seeing someone’s life being played in front of your eyes. 

Memories instead of dreams.

They consumed you.

And no matter what you did, they only ever appeared at night. 

Even if you tried to sleep during the day, no dreams came.

Only at night, in the dark.

The above photo is not mine! Credit goes to the owner!

Series Masterlist

Oil Taglist: @b33l1ghtfu11h0n3y @usuallyunlikelyfox @andromeda-gaylaxy @girl-with-an-orange-cat @joyfulfxckery @perseny @a-tong

Taglist: @fleursirvart @greenarrowhead @thisismysecrethappyplace @sincerelyfan @theoneanna @aestheticsandmarvel @rororo06 @castellandiangelo @destynelseclipsa @spilledinkindumpster @capsiclesdoll @puknow @alwayshave-faith @alex12948 @lxdyred  @imagines-by-a-typical-fangirl @anonymoussherlockandmarvelgeek @praline357 @trshngyn @avengers-r-us @violet-19999 @top1bbgloak   @manduse   @jacalineiscomingforyou  @mandoloriancookie @noname2246

~Masterlist~

ˇAO3ˇ

DO NOT STEAL, REPOST OR TRANSLATE ANY OF MY WORKS  

[ronearoundblindly]

Sneak Peek!

a Steve Rogers x Avenger!Reader excerpt

Summary: Steve reaches his breaking point when you return to the field after severe injuries.

Warnings for a touch of the spice and a vicious/hot argument. WC ~550 *This work is not in final edits yet. All mistakes are my own.

“You’re not my superior officer, and if you think for one second I did anything wrong out there, go ahead and report me. From where I’m standing, I did the work, got cleared for duty, helped out the team, and stopped you from being shot in the head.”

“Fine," Steve shouts, arms crossed over his chest, "but quit acting like a selfish coward.”

“A what?”

“You heard me.”

“If you’re gonna throw a hissy fit every time I get a scratch—“

“THREE BULLETS IS NOT A SCRATCH.” He tries—he visibly, painfully tries—to keep his cool one last time. “You weren’t ready,” he concludes, judge, jury, and executioner all poured into one star-spangled package.

“Say’s who?” You’re stepping closer, getting in his face because this is bullshit and unfair. “Last time I checked, you’re not a doctor, and you should be thanking me for saving your ass—“

“It’s not your job to save me.”

“We have the same job, Steve! We are both perfectly capable of—“

“I know that,” he barks.

“Do you? Because you don’t seem to think I can’t handle myself." You push weakly at his chest like it's a game. "Maybe you need to walk it off, buddy.”

Oh shit. You’ve done it now.

“Walk it off?! WALK IT OFF?!”

Steve charges like a bull seeing red, crowding you against the far wall, a derisive finger pointed at your heart.

“You were injured. You didn’t make contact. You went dark for days, and you could have died. Alone. Out there. Who knows how long it would have taken us to find you. No—“ he cups your chin in a tight pinch “—you want to talk about a job? It’s protocol to check in. It’s common courtesy to let me know you’re alive, and it’s goddamn rude to ignore your own safety.”

There’s a deep line of frustration carved between his brows. His nostrils flair as he waits, daring you to refute him.

“Well, isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black.”

“Excuse me?”

Steve lets go of you, smacked away by your cutting tone.

“Oh, whatever, Rogers,” you taunt, rolling your eyes. “Play martyr all you want, but we both know you don’t have the authority to bench me.”

“Like hell I don’t,” he growls, grabbing your wrists and throwing your arms above your head. He weaves your hands through the cargo net behind you. The loops are tight and complicated in seconds, he’s so fast.

You can’t wriggle away.

Steve roughly throws the zipper of your uniform down, letting the jacket hang open to show nothing but your sports bra.

“Let’s see how you like feeling paralyzed—“ he dexterously undoes your belt “—exposed—“ your pants and underwear are yanked down to your ankles “—and afraid.”

His last word thickens the air on the jet. 

How can this man launch you into unbridled lust in the space of two syllables? Who. Fucking. Cares. How.

Steve’s fingertips teasingly glide over the swell of your breasts, brush down your belly, and tick their way in a casual walk between your legs.

“Maybe I should leave you wondering how it’ll all play out, leave you wondering if I’ll ever touch you again, wondering if…”

“Yes,” you breathe.

a/n: Tentatively planning to have this done to post on Sunday since the original was a 'Sweet Sunday' ask. Per usual, don't quote me on that, but I got a huge chunk done today which was likely the hardest part. Thank you to all those who sent messages of support! I won't let you down 🫡

[Main Masterlist; Old Dog, New Tricks; Ko-Fi]

Tags: @supraveng @1950schick @patzammit @whiskeytangofoxtrot555 @yiiiikesmish @ashesofblackroses @bucky-fricking-barnes-reads @fallinallinmendes @deandreamernp

[lilith0fthevalley]

Even Angels Can Fall~ Fallen Angel! Miguel O'Hara x Fem!Reader Chapter 3

Inspo: FALLEN ANGEL by Chris Grey

~~~

Previous || Next || Series Masterlist

Since the confrontation in The Garden, Y/N hadn’t been able to focus. Not when she sparred with Celestial Interceptors, nor when other Ethereal Guardians prodded her about her assigned town. She was absent-minded when a Dawnbringer Herald relayed a message, and even during her training sessions with Liora. This culminated in her being summoned to Liora’s desk.

“Y/N. I’m concerned. You haven’t been yourself lately.” Liora’s tone was soft, almost maternal, her cold gray eyes seeming to soften with genuine worry for the young guardian.

Y/N shifted uncomfortably, the weight of her thoughts pressing heavily on her chest. “I’m fine, Archangel. Just… a lot on my mind.”

Liora leaned back in her chair, her wings folding gracefully behind her. “You know you can speak freely with me. Is it the mission? Something about your assigned town?”

Y/N hesitated, unsure how to voice the doubts swirling in her mind. “It’s just… things have been different since…” She trailed off, not wanting to directly mention Miguel’s name.

“Since Miguel fell?” Liora interjected, her voice steady yet probing. “I understand how difficult it is to adjust after such a loss. He was a bright star, even if he chose a path that led him away from Heaven.”

“Yes, but…” Y/N bit her lip, feeling the urge to defend him. “It’s hard to ignore what happened. The way everyone speaks about him… as if he’s nothing more than a memory to be forgotten.”

Liora’s expression turned serious. “We must not dwell on the past, Y/N. Our duty is to protect the Mortal Realm from darkness, to uphold The Code. That is our focus.”

Y/N nodded, but her heart felt heavy. “I know that. It’s just… I’ve been thinking about what we’re really protecting. Is it right? The way Heaven treats those who stray from The Code?”

Liora’s eyes narrowed slightly, the warmth in her gaze fading. “What do you mean, Y/N? You’ve always understood the purpose of our duty.”

“Yes, but… I’ve heard things. Miguel—”

“Miguel!” Liora’s voice sharpened, cutting through the air like a blade. “Is a fallen one, Y/N! A traitor to our kind. His words are nothing but poison, making a vain attempt to taint your divine resolve.”

The coldness in Liora’s voice sent a shiver down Y/N’s spine, but she steeled herself. “But what if he didn’t deserve to fall! There were circumstances… things he never explained. What if he was right? What if we’re protecting a system that punishes the innocent?”

Liora straightened, her patience wearing thin. “You’re a guardian, Y/N. You must remember your place.” Her once kind eyes gave way to a violent storm hidden away in her gray irises. “To question Heaven’s motives is to undermine the very foundation of our existence. Miguel’s downfall was his own doing, and to romanticize his choices will lead to your own downfall.”

Y/N felt her heart clench at Liora’s harshness. “I thought you wanted to help me,” she murmured, the hurt evident in her voice.

“I do want to help you,” Liora replied, but her tone had lost its gentleness. “But you must choose—commit to your duties or be prepared to face the consequences. If you cannot uphold the integrity of our mission… Then perhaps you are not fit to serve as an Ethereal Guardian.”

The severity of Liora’s words struck Y/N like a blow. In that moment, the archangel felt less like a mentor and more like a judge, jury and executioner. The cold gray of her eyes offered no comfort, no hint of the nurturing spirit Y/N once thought she saw.

“Do you understand?” Liora’s tone softened slightly, but the authority remained. “Your future hinges on your decisions. I implore you, do not allow yourself to be swayed by the words of a traitor.”

Y/N nodded slowly, her heart heavy as the realization settled in. She was left standing at the precipice of her beliefs, torn between her loyalty to Heaven and the haunting whispers of doubt Miguel had planted in her heart.

As she turned to leave, the door behind her felt like a barrier she could never cross back over. Liora’s voice followed her, firm and unyielding. “Remember, Y/N. Strength lies in your conviction. Do not falter.”

Once outside, Y/N took a deep breath, the cold air filling her lungs, and fought to steady herself. As she moved through the corridors of Heaven, Miguel’s face loomed in her thoughts, a specter haunting her resolve.

And she realized, as she traversed the halls, that she could no longer ignore the storm brewing within her. She needed answers, and she needed to find them soon—before the walls of Heaven closed in on her completely.

Y/N’s heart raced as she fled from Liora’s office, the walls of Heaven feeling like they were closing in around her. She needed to breathe, to think, and most importantly, to confront the truths that gnawed at her. The Garden called to her like a beacon, a refuge from the weight of her doubts.

As she arrived, the familiar sights enveloped her—a sanctuary where light filtered through the leaves and the air was thick with the scent of jasmine. Her wings fluttered as she maneuvered through the overgrown paths, leading her to their spot.

“Miguel!” she called, her voice echoing against the stillness of The Garden. “Where are you?”

Moments later, Miguel stepped from behind a bush, his presence striking and shadowy against the vibrant backdrop. “Y/N,” he said, a hint of surprise flickering across his face. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Cut the pleasantries,” she snapped, urgency coursing through her. “I need to know the truth about why you fell. Liora—she—she said you betrayed Heaven. But I can’t believe that’s the whole story.”

Miguel studied her for a moment, his expression shifting from surprise to a knowing smile. “You shouldn’t be here, Y/N. It’s dangerous.”

“Dangerous?” she echoed, feeling the anger bubble beneath the surface. “Dangerous is living in ignorance! I need to hear the truth from you, not the lies Liora spun.”

He sighed, stepping closer with a deliberate slowness that felt almost predatory. “Very well. But I have to warn you—what I say may shatter everything you believe.”

Y/N felt a chill run down her spine, but she nodded, determination hardening her resolve. “Tell me.”

“Alright,” he began, leaning against the trunk of a nearby oak, his tone smooth and calculated. “You know the story of my fall. They say I sought power, that I betrayed our kind. But the truth is far more insidious.”

Her breath caught, anticipation hanging in the air. “Then what happened?”

“I was merely asking questions—questions that make angels like Liora very uncomfortable.” He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle in. “I wanted to understand why we stood by while the demons suffered. I wanted to know why we were so quick to punish anyone who strayed from the path. And that, Y/N, is a dangerous thing to do in Heaven.”

Y/N frowned, uncertainty swirling within her. “But they wouldn’t just… they wouldn’t just cast you out for that, would they?”

Miguel chuckled softly, the sound almost condescending. “Oh, they would. They needed a scapegoat. I became the perfect example—a warning to anyone who dared to question their authority. Liora was all too eager to oblige.”

The realization hit her like a wave. “So, you were just… collateral damage in their game?”

“Exactly,” he said, his eyes glinting with a mix of mischief and cunning. “But it’s not just about me, Y/N. It’s about you, too. You’re so bright, so full of potential. But the moment you start asking the wrong questions, you might find yourself in my position.”

Y/N’s heart raced as she absorbed his words. “What do you mean?”

“Imagine what it would be like to be free from all this,” he gestured around them, a hint of a smirk on his lips. “To walk away from their lies, their manipulations. To choose your own path without their chains holding you down.”

“Walk away?” she repeated, disbelief coloring her voice. “But Heaven is where we belong!”

“Is it?” Miguel stepped closer, his presence looming yet strangely magnetic. “You’ve seen the cracks. You’ve felt the dissonance. Liora is not the protector you think she is; she’s a warden, keeping you in line. The moment you become too much of a liability, they’ll discard you, just like they did me.”

Y/N felt a stirring within her, the embers of doubt igniting into a flame. “You can’t be serious…”

“I am,” he whispered, leaning in, his voice smooth as silk. “You’re at a crossroads, Y/N. You can continue to serve a system that will never truly embrace you, or you can embrace the truth and join me. There’s power in knowing—power in stepping away from their façade. Together, we could forge our own path.”

Her heart raced, confusion battling with a sense of liberation. “But… what if they find out? What if Liora comes after us?”

“Then we show her what happens when you refuse to be silenced.” Miguel’s eyes gleamed with a fierce intensity, a flame of rebellion that was hard to resist. “You’re stronger than you know. Don’t let them take that away from you.”

Y/N felt a chill wash over her, but there was a heat to his words, a dangerous allure that pulled her in. “I… I need time to think,” she finally managed, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

“Of course,” he replied, stepping back but keeping his gaze locked on hers, a mix of encouragement and challenge. “I’ll be here when you’re ready. Just remember, the truth will always find a way to the surface, no matter how deep they bury it.”

As he faded into the shadows, leaving her alone with her racing heart, Y/N pressed her hands together, the familiar words of prayer catching in her throat. But no amount of prayer could quell the small, treacherous part of her that wondered—what if Miguel was right? What if the truth could set her free?

Previous || Next || Series Masterlist Angel Hierarchy Guide

~~~

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[star-girl69]

Ultraviolence

Natalie Scatorccio x Fem!Reader

—-

a/n: i hope you all enjoy!!

warnings: animal death, blood, knives, mentions of sex, death, murder, dead bodies, mentions of drugs, tell me if i missed anything!!

Chapter Nineteen - The Horses are Coming

Chapter Nineteen - The Horses are Coming

—-

2021-

While Natalie is off getting her big idea, Shauna stares at Adam’s dead body. That’s what his name is, you’ve now learned. Adam Martin, a struggling artist shacking up with a married woman.

Blood stains through the sheet you had placed over him, a little red blooming flower in the midst of his cold, neutral apartment.

Someone knocks on the door- but it’s more like banging, so Taissa takes the hand she was biting from her mouth and opens the door.

She scoffs and turns around.

Misty walks in carrying a bag of what you can only assume be cleaning supplies.

“Well, aren’t we a bunch of Gloomy Gusses. Who died?” she laughs, placing her bag on the counter. “No, but, seriously. Who is this guy?”

She leans down and pulls back the sheet, revealing a pale Adam Martin, his eyes still open.

“Misty. Really?” Shauna asks, looking at Natalie, unimpressed. “This is your big brainstorm?”

You sigh. “Tell me who else is gonna get us out of this?”

“Yeah,” Nat sneers. “Do you have a better idea?”

“I think what you mean to say is, ‘Hi, Misty. It’s so great to see you after all this time. Thanks for swinging by and helping us cover up a murder.’”

“Hi, Misty,” you say, wanting to stay on her good side. Adam Martin is not worth trouble with the law. She smiles.

“Why does everyone keep using that word?” Shauna asks. “It’s not like I woke up this morning and thought, ‘Hmm. What am I gonna do today? Oh, I know, I’m find out my boyfriend is a creepy stalker and stab him to death.’” Taissa shoots her a look, silently saying to calm down. “I’m going to prison. I’m going to prison for the rest of my life.”

“No, you’re not. None of us are. As long as you listen to me and do exactly what I say. Okay? So, if you haven’t already turned off your phones-” she grabs her own from her pocket, hitting a few buttons- “I suggest you do that now. Where’s his?”

“I-I took it home, and I put it in my safe.”

“Okay, as soon as we’re done here, you’re gonna go home. You’re going to wipe it and destroy the SIM card. All right? And do the same thing to yours,” Misty nods to herself, studying the body. “I didn’t see any security cameras. Did anybody- neighbors- see you come in here?”

The few gathered around Adam’s body shake their heads.

“I-I don’t think so,” Shauna says after a moment.

“Okay, great! Then we’re just destroying evidence. Shauna, you’re the best with a knife, clearly,” she laughs, adjusting her glasses. “So you’ll handle the body.”

Silence around the circle.

“I mean cut it up.”

“Oh, God, are you okay to do that?” Tai asks.

“Yeah,” Shauna says after a moment.

“I’ll help you,” Nat says, sending Shauna a look you can’t help but frown at.

“So, then, it’s just us three on clean-up duty,” Misty smiles. You can’t help but cringe at the dead body. “Whew. Boy, he sure was a gusher, huh?”

—-

“Woah, I just got the craziest case of déjà-uv,” Misty chuckles, wringing out a bloody cloth in the sink.

“And here I thought the worst thing that was gonna happen to me this week was losing the election,” Taissa sighs.

“Really?” you ask, scrubbing hard a small bit of particularly stubborn dried blood. “I mean, you were always the smartest out of us. I thought you would win.”

“Yeah. And I voted for you,” Misty says. “And I only registered so I could get jury duty.”

Tai stands up and chuckles.

“When do they call the results?” you ask, standing up as well.

“Tomorrow,” she shifts on her feet, and the bathroom door creaks open. Shauna walks out, carrying a bright red bag at arms length. “Oh, God, is that the…?”

“The rest is, um, draining in the tub.”

“Okay, perfect. So, when that’s done, put it in his suitcase and bury it out at Hacklebarney Park. I’ve got a shovel in my trunk which you can borrow. I do want it back, and I also took the liberty of packing up seine of his clothes, some books and toiletries and stuff. And I’ll take this with me and get rid of if. That way, if anyone comes looking for him, it just looks like he went on a trip.”

“Then after that? What if an animal digs him up? What if a hiker’s dog sniffs him out?” Taissa says.

“Well, it won’t matter. I mean, torso’s are useless. Duh,” she chuckles. “That’s the whole point! You only have to worry about the head and the hands.”

“So, what’s the plan with those?” Nat asks, who you hadn’t seen walk in. She’s always been haunting you.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle it.”

“Misty,” you sigh, watching as she wipes her hands. “If we both weren’t covered in blood, I would hug you, you crazy bitch.”

She only smiles, proud.

—-

1996-

You and Natalie eventually made your way back to the cabin in the early hours of the morning, catch another hour of sleep in a more proper bed- a pile of blankets on the floor, rather than the cold ground.

Metal clatters near the fire as the two of you, Jackie, Coach Ben, Tai, Van, and Misty waited for the girls who had participated in the hunt to wake up and come back.

You watch Misty as she stares harshly at Ben, more so just glaring at him- not even trying to hide it. Your place your hand over Natalie’s on the porch and move closer to her, and she looks over.

“Hm?” she hums, letting her fingers press against yours against the hard wood of the porch you sit on.

“Misty’s insane,” you mutter, and she follows your gaze. She lets out a small snort, and you look back at her with a smile.

Why even have a heart if it’s not meant to get broken? Why even have a heart if it’s not meant to stay with you through the ups and downs? Why even have a heart if it’s not going to love her?

Slowly, the girls come through the woods and into the clearing around the cabin, covered in dirt and smeared makeup, their dresses torn and dirty. Lottie leads them, abandoning the weird crown she had been wearing last night.

“Hey, I, uh, I boiled some drinking water,” Coach Ben says. “If you guys are as hung over as I am.”

“Has anyone seen Jackie?” Shauna asks.

The porch creaks behind you. Everyone turns to find Jackie standing in the doorway.

You’re still not exactly sure what happened to her last night, but she looks scared- even still.

She crosses her arms as soon as she realizes who it is.

The two of them stare at each other, Shauna’s ruined makeup giving her a ghost-like look.

“I have nothing to say to you,” Jackie says after a moment, her face curling up into disgust. “To any of you. I mean, what the fuck?” she laughs.

“Yeah, like you’re so innocent,” Mari mutters.

“Hey! I’m not the one who went completely fucking insane last night.”

“Right, no. You were too busy screwing Travis,” Van says, sarcastically, and you notice that there’s no bandages or anything on her face.

“You had sex with Travis?” you ask, looking up at her and frowning. The entire night, it hadn’t been a secret that Jackie had wanted Travis, but you didn’t think that anything was going on between them was reciprocated.

Jackie rolls her eyes and scoffs. “Why is it any of your business?! He chose to have sex with me, okay?”

“Well,” Natalie starts, “You’re fucking announcing to everyone, Jackie, so I think that makes it everyone’s business.”

Jackie looks between the two of you and rolls her eyes.

“So, what? The two of you start fucking and decide you’re better than everyone else? Because you’re not. Travis was a lame fuck, Y/N is a two-faced bitch, and you, Natalie, are a slut-”

You look over a Natalie, who seems more pissed off than anything, but you’ve spent so much time with her in the wilderness- you can see the sadness in her eyes.

And as much as you tell yourself that it’s just Jackie taking out her hunger and embarrassment on everyone else-

“Hey!” Coach shouts. “I’m sure all of us did stuff last night that we regret, on account of the shrooms, but there’s no need for any of this. I think that the best thing for us to do is-”

“Wait, wait,” Shauna says, and you notice the confused looks on everyone’s faces. They must not know. And you didn’t know either, not until Natalie told you. “Shrooms?”

“Okay, yeah,” Van sighs, and you can’t help but look at Misty out of the corner of your eye. “That makes sense.”

Natalie places her arm around your shoulder, casually, and you find that it’s the easiest thing about this day. Touching her. Being with her.

“Oh, shit. The broth,” Tai sighs.

“You drugged us?” Akilah whispers to Misty.

“No. I didn’t.”

She stands up and takes a step forward.

“Okay, yeah, it was an accident. T-they were meant for Ben.”

“Oh, my God. Do you have any idea how crazy you are?” Mari asks.

“They were my mushrooms. And you stole them to put in your stupid soup. Besides, you know, none of this would have even happened if he wouldn’t have tricked me into falling in love with him!” she’s breathing heavily by the end of her speech.

“Oh, Misty, would you-” Coach Ben says, cringing.

“Wait. Stop!” Lottie shouts, and then you all hear it.

Something moves in the brush of the forest, rustles the trees ever so slightly- and if ever bring else wasn’t still, you would have thought it a gust of wind.

“Do you hear that?”

Everyone turns, and you and Natalie stand, listening to the rustling become louder, get closer-

“Holy fuck!” you screech, watching the bear emerge out of the forest, watching Natalie’s eyes light up in terror and blood lust.

The girls all start running to the porch, back into the cabin, and Natalie turns to run inside.

“Travis has the gun.”

Natalie looks over at Taissa, her eyes wide.

“What the fuck do you mean he has the gun? Where is he?!”

“We saw him,” Akilah says, and you look at Natalie, and she looks at you- and you get a suddenly flash of the night before.

And I-I wanna die with you, Natalie. I wanna die with you.

“Shauna,” Lottie whispers, standing in front of the bear in her white dress. “The knife.”

Shauna hands her the knife after she looks between the blade and the bear.

Lottie takes a step forward.

The group erupts into a small chorus of her name, a prayer, over and over again, telling her don’t.

But she doesn’t listen, and you watch Lottie, for some reason something nagging in your head, like the beginnings of a headache.

“We won’t be hungry,” you whisper, feeling like you should have said it ages ago.

Natalie grabs your hand and squeezes, hard, once then twice.

“Shh,” Lottie says, and the bear lets out a low snark as she steps forward, bordering on a roar.

Lottie and the best walk towards each other, until they meet. Until she’s close enough.

The bear lays down before her, onto the ground like a puppy dog. How could something so vicious and wild remind you of something like that is beyond you.

Lottie stares at the beast for a little longer, before raising the knife high, and bringing it down on the bear’s head.

It screams, as much as a bear can, and the pain in its voice that you know isn’t pain like you know makes tears well in your eyes.

Blood drips down the bear’s head like antlers.

Lottie steps back while the beast lets out a few more labored breaths, before it all stops, and the forest is silent again.

Your mouth waters.

—-

taglist:

@sweetdayme4427 @dreaming-for-an-escape @peachydokii @happysparklingshadows @zhivaxo @maraudeerrs @karsonromanoff

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@emilynissangtr

[enchantedchocolatebars]

Fred Fredburger x Reader Headcanons 💚 💕 💚 💕 🐘

💚 Original headcanons 🐘

🐘 Ao3 version 💕

• You two met in the frozen yogurt shop!

• You were hungry on that day, and your stomach was in the mood for a cold, creamy treat, so why not head over to the frozen yogurt place that’s conveniently down the street.

• As you walked in, you noticed a tubby green elephant-like demon who… looked as though he was having trouble deciding on what flavor to get.

• Being the helpful and kind person that you are, you help the demon out by telling him that you plan on getting mint chocolate chip and ask him if he’d like the same.

• Mint chocolate chip? Sounds good to him!

• You order two chocolate mints and pay for both of your desserts.

• As you both take a seat at the table, the green elephant thanks you for your help! It was just so hard for him to pick a single flavor since they all looked so good.

• You convey to him that it’s not a problem and that you’re always happy to lend a helping hand!

• You learn that the demon’s name is Fred Fredburger.

• Fred was… quite the character. He seemed very childish, but you found him to be adorable! You loved hearing him ramble on about his interest in nachos and his mother’s baking.

• You ask Fred if you and him could hang out more, and he excitedly says yes!

• You noticed that he tends to say that word a lot.

• Your friendship soon turned into a romance as the both of you eventually started dating.

• One day, you decide to buy your elephant boyfriend roses and chocolates, and he happily thanks you for them. He sets the chocolates in his flower vase before stuffing the roses in his mouth and eating them.

• Fred decides to draw some pictures with his crayons and shows them to you. You find them to be absolutely beautiful! The pictures were all drawn in an adorable child-like art style. The first drawing was of you and him eating nachos together with a heart drawn around you both. The second drawing showed Fred as a superhero with huge muscles saving you from a burning building, and the last drawing depicted the two of you getting married.

• Fred loved hearing you laugh everytime you and him were summoned for jury duty. He didn’t know what was so funny though, all he wanted was some nachos for you and him to share, so he kept asking the judge repeatedly for them.

• Fred introduces you to his spider friend, Jeff!

• Whenever you hung out together, you three were the ultimate trio.

• Fred jumped for joy when he found out that you were a cartoon fan too! A past time activity that you both enjoy doing is talking about your favorite animated shows! Fred’s favorites were the show about the orange monkey who went to summer camp and the show about the imaginary friends, while your favorites were the show about the three kids who went around the neighborhood scamming other kids for quarters to buy jawbreakers and show about the three superpowered little girls who fought crime and saved the world before bedtime.

• When he takes over the world again like he did at the end of “Billy and Mandy’s Big Boogey Adventure”, he makes you his king or queen and the two of you rule over Endsville together while summoning all the nachos and frozen yogurt in the world.

[futureplayboibunnie]

‘‘WICKED GAME’’ PT.1

Dr Strange x fem!reader

- i’m finally doing a multiple chapter fic and damn the ideas i have for this one is simply unpalatable. i’m so inspired by the songs ‘wicked game’ by chris isaak and ‘lover you should’ve come over’ by jeff buckley for this fic. it completely captures the smokey, moody, neo-noir atmosphere i’m trying to get across.

i’m basically going for enforced proximity, two cold and heartless people falling for each other, SO MUCH TENSION, SO MUCH ANGST. the ‘touch her and i’ll kill you’ type or dynamic that you WILL have in the forseeable. i don’t want to give too much away, but i love u sm <3

There was never really a job description for this kind of thing.

Drills were expected, training was a necessity but when push came to shove, you would have to save the fucking world from evil or entities no one really knew how to deal with.

But what no one truly could grasp was the evil lurking underground, the corruption and illegalities were strenious and massively interconnected to the point where everyone in the Avengers had special training when it came to undercover work. And once every few years, the rings of corruption bore its ugly head again; everyone had to take turns undercover, it was almost never the people whose true strengths relied upon the sorts but it was simply the rules. It was the equivilent of jury duty: unmissable and boring as fuck.

What made it more interesting is that it was coupled up in pairs, and no one had a say in the matter. It was a mission and it had to be done, for the greater good. This year it was you and Doctor Strange which was actually very strange considering he had more experience in the exact opposite. Seeing him take down a ring would be interesting as his strengths and ambitions lie upon the cosmos and time itself not just a bunch of goons with hard drugs. You and Natasha were far more qualified for this than anyone else.

You never really interacted with Strange that much, you'd hardly uttered a word to him and he you. It was different. Stephen was quiet, he wasn't that hard and arrogant sorcerer people believed him to be anymore- he didn't have time to be in over his head.

From what you could survey, Stephen was cold and calculating, he would rather die than get his hands bloody or dirty- and that's where you came in. The fists of it all. You knew that Stephen's brains would be useful in all of this, it would definitely get this chore done quicker...

Though Tony did have one rule, no fraternizing with your opposite partner. It would sidetrack the mission and he didn't have time for it.

Now you were both here, in a crappy motel stuck for a year with each other; you barely knew him. You didn't really build an impression of him but you wanted to understand what made him tick, what made him so distant, so cold. It intruiged you to see that nothing ever affected him, it was is if everything was surface level and you couldn't help but want to dig deeper into his psyche- even though it wasn't in your right to pry, you were just colleagues after all. This was all just a professional courtesy. Just two people doing their jobs.

Did you really need to get to know him either? It would probably be difficult to live off the land by only exchanging a curt 'hello', 'I have a plan' or 'are we getting food or cooking?' You'd have to stick it out.

Stephen watched you as you lugged your bags into the room, he wondered if this was some sort of cruel joke Tony was playing- he could obviouslv pay for just about any type of infrastructure in the city, something a lot better than this. But with a little bit of deliberation he came to the conclusion that this undercover shit had to be believable and spending a year in the most expensive studio apartment in the city would be highly suspicious.

The room wasn't too small actually, it was unexpectedly clean. It had a kitchenette with an island and a small dining table and thankfully: two bedrooms. Crisp, snowy sheets and a plumped up pillow was all he needed, he was grateful for the two seperate rooms for at least a slight modicum of privacy; though he expected he wouldn't be getting much of that.

Although Stephen didn't have a choice in the matter, he had no idea how he would be useful in an undercover mission- his powers were quite literally unmissable and there were plenty of other people more qualified for this but rules were rules. He could just take out the entire drug ring by conjuring a portal to the literal depths of hell but no, Tony insisted that this be handled delicately. They had connections from all over the city and the mayor insisted that this be completely covert not a public spectacle for prying eyes to criticise.

Believe it or not, Stephen wanted to get his fists bloody. So bad. He was aching for it.

It wasn't even about powers and his ability anymore, he wanted to watch his knuckles bleed and turn white with every punch and every hit. What made it hilarious is that people believed the opposite. Stephen was just so angry and irate all of the time, it was like the testosterone was building inside of his body cemented by his own primal nature. He just wanted to be messy, maybe this was what he needed: to watch himself completely lose it and spiral into oblivion but then again...you would be the one with his mess on your hands.

Then again...it was you that was working with him.

The recluse. The moody. The cryptic.

Stephen was too busy watching your wild eyes dart to every corner of the room, giving nothing away in the process as usual when you percieved your surroundings. When he closed the door and dropped off his bags, he took the split second to survey you at your most candid. You were still acting like a hardass, completely unpleased with this outcome but your face seemed lighter...probably due to the unexpectedness of the room actually being clean. Stephen wondered if he could break through this exterior, it would make his life a hell of a lot easier and he needed that right now.

You darted to one of the bedrooms and scanned it eagerly, letting out a flat ‘’This one's mine. Unpack and then we'll pull some files on these goons.’’ You sounded so fucking done already and he was onlv mirroring that reaction silently as he retreated to the room you so kindly left him.

Stephen let out a sigh as he closed the door. The window offered a pleasant view of the concrete jungle outside, the neon signs gleaming ruby and lagoon as the argon lit up his room dimly. The blackening sky outside seemed to blacken his thoughts, he was straying already- attempting to grasp the broken thoughts of a damaged man working with a woman he barely knew and trying to understand how he could stick this out for a year.

It was just a mission after all. A fucking year long mission without any outside communication except for each other. A year to dismantle the drug ring that just keeps coming back and now you both had to end it once and for all.

You seemed to get unpacked fairly quickly, your mind was running rampant which only transferred to your physical movements. You still couldn't wrap your head around Stephen but right now you had to focus on your first moves by going through the files Tony gave you. It'll be a banal and tedious task indeed and you were simply keening at the idea.

Ugh. How was any of this going to work if you barely even talk to each other? All you knew is that he would rather die than get his fists bloody, that's the only type of impression you got from him already.

Stephen finally creaked open his bedroom door and through the small slit he viewed you wandering and pacing up and down the kitchenette absolved in your own thoughts. You looked panicked...worried, yet Stephen wasn't concerned about it. He finally got out of his room and the noise of the door closing behind him made you whip your head around. He looked...for a lack of better words, like hell. It was so fucking late, neither of you should be up at this unholy hour.

"Oh, hey.’' You sounded breathless but stephen noticed your eyes slightly softening at the sight of him.

'’Hey. It's late.’’ Stephen said in response and it made him internally cringe a little at the incessant need for small talk.

‘’Yeah, I'm hungry.’’ You said coldly and it made him raise a brow at how quickly you could change your tone, is this something he needed to be concerned about? Hmm, he'd sleep on it. ‘’I can’t be bothered to make anything.’’

Thank God for Tony stocking up on supplies and actually allowing you to use your weapons.

‘’Could order something. I'm hungry too.’’ Stephen suggested as he sat on the small dining table, he was just as impassive as you were and he didn't know if it was a good thing or not. Your breath halted a little. Eating? With Stephen? As if you were friends? Was this something you could handle? You paused for a second, using the fleeting moment you had to look at him in the eyes.

‘’You like Thai?’’ You asked placidly and he nodded.

Jesus Christ. If it was going to be this boring you needed to do something about it.

The food came just in time for the silence to border on incredibly awkward. But now you were both just sat on the dining table, cursed with dim lights and a palpable silence but blessed with delicious food in your lap. Stephen knew you wanted to brief him on these idiots with a boatload full of heroin and he wasn't dreading it but he wasn't thrilled about it either.

The silence was lingering and big. You stole glances at him. He stole glances at you. As if you were trying to assess who would utter the next word, it made you...nervous. A word you would never associate with yourself with. You tried to focus on the food, the pad thai was soul replenishing but all of this felt so clandestine, your mind was straying to the man in front of you. It was becoming an annoying problem to the point where you were staring at your fingers.

‘’Were you given the files?’’ Stephen asked you, cruelly dragging you out of your thoughts and catching you out of your daydream. He was trying to talk about work rather than address what was going on here.

‘’Yeah, it's a big operation and they just seem to be coming back after every bust- Tony's expecting us to be done cleanly and quietly.’’ You retained your sentient composure enough to say that.

‘’It's a big sting, we're going to have to-‘’

You cut Stephen off before he could finish, your lips were moving faster than your brain.

‘’Speaking of us and 'we'…’’ Stephen gave you a puzzled look at your interference. ‘'Who are you?'’

You cocked your head and stared at him intently opposite you, his hard exterior was still in full motion. Stephen was searching for the unexpected words, tripping up at any type of answer at all to such a question.

Stephen leaned forward and lowly asked '’Who are you?’’

‘’I know nothing about you.’’ You stated it in a way that wasn't destitute or insulting, it was just a matter of fact. ‘’We work in the same organisation and yet I can't recall a single conversation we've ever had. How am I supposed to work with you now?’’

Stephen stared at you blankly, not revealing a single thought to you when his eyes bore into yours. When you blinked at him so sure of yourself, Stephen felt as though you were stripping away at his soul, like you could see every dark secret, every lonely feeling and the anger that coursed through his very veins. He questioned if you saw it. If you saw the true version of himself he's trying to hide from everyone. The arrogance that was actually acrimony and animosity.

Was this the path he was destined to lead? Could he be able to decieve you of his true identity for an entire year? Spending a few hours with you already had him asking questions he wasn't ready to face. Stephen wondered if this was how you talked to everyone you haven't conversed with, just calling them out on it without a sprinkle of shame. He admired your forwardness…but he could be like that too.

‘’I like music.’’ Stephen said simply, his voice softening at the sentiment- he was thawing. Stephen never thawed.

‘’You act as if your emotions don't exist, yet you love music.’’ You crossed your arms, a little taken aback by his honesty.

‘’That's not a question.’’

‘’It's a statement.’’ You quickfired.

‘’A question then.’’ Stephen gave you leniency but his voice was stern; he didn't know for what reason, you left him a little stunned but he would rather die than show that.

You paused for a beat, eyes still interconnected as if to throw down a challenge. You were up for it to say the least.

‘’Favourite song?’’

Your lips tugged up to a crooked smile and Stephen felt as though the world halted underneath him, the world must be spinning on it's axis the wrong way, the equator must be diagnal at this point. His eyes flitted to your lips, the white of your teeth were just peeking through and stephen had never seen you smile before. His gaze was lingering a lot longer than it should but he felt special for seeing you loosen even if it was just a little bit. A little bit was better than nothing.

Your lips were plump, they looked...soft. Stephen wanted to see you smile like that again.

He was dragged out of his looming when he registered your question. Does he want to reveal such an intimate part of himself? He did open this floodgate up though, it was all on him and now he was dealing with the ramifications of it: being seen.

‘’Wicked Game.’’ Stephen mumbled.

‘’Wicked Game.’’ You repeated so obviously fascinated, your face darkening at such an admission.

‘’If the world was on fire no-one could save me but you.’’ Reciting the words made you ponder upon what else this conspiracy of a man could be hiding. ‘’'Isn't that too...emotional for you?’’ You weren't insulting him, you were genuinely curious and Stephen was uncertain if he wanted to entertain it or not.

‘’Your turn.’’ He demanded.

‘’Lover, You Should've Come Over.’’ You replied bashfully, a little sense of whist pulled at the pricks of your ears at the sentiment. It's the most incredible love song of all time, you couldn't be a hardass and act like it didn't affect you at all because it did. Love songs were a weakness within you. Poetic love songs not that platic poppy crap.

‘’Jeff Buckley. 1994.’’ Stephen remarked trying to feign his surprise at such a song.

Speaking of emotional. Damn.

‘’My kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder.’’ You bit your lip at the words attempting to imagine and unable to fathom how one could risk and sacrifice everything for a carefree exchange.

Imagine being loved that deeply. Scorchingly. It made your heart wilt a little knowing you'll never have it.

‘’She is the tear that hangs inside my soul forever.’’ Stephen's eyes dialated against yours as he continued the saga of lyrics.

Your lips parted as your pupils decided to have a mind of their own, your gazes daren't oscillate- it felt like he saw you raw. He saw you real. Delicate. Desperate to be loved and missed so uncontrollably. It made you feel pathetic but you couldn't deny what your heart was yearning for under all this hardness and resentment. You were a hopeless romantic.

Could you keep this charade up forever? Was it in you?

Love is silly stupid thing and your responsibilities rely elsewhere, you didn't have time for it and it would only hold you back. This was the only constant you had with love: that it wasn't worth your time and it would make you weak.

Stephen was afraid he caught you out and overstepped, you were quiet and still and he could practically hear your soft intakes of breath. You looked at him as if you saw him in a new light, not the version of himself he'd been trying to portray. Stephen was worried. He didn't know what of but he was and it rattled him.

It was 1:42 in the morning and the rain was beating heavy against the windows. At this rate, you would spend all night just getting to know one another- you could not have that.

You suddenly went to your feet and stood up from your chair.

‘’I'm tired.’’ You said hastily, your voice cracking a hair. ‘’Goodnight.’’

And with that, you walked away into your room closing the door. You left him in the wind, completely dazed at your sudden exit and at this moment he knew it'll be a difficult entrance into getting to know you. Right now he had a crumb of you but for some reason, he wanted to know more. He was mystified.

Now he only had you for the year. You needed to get used to the company.

[constant-mason24]

The Fall of Raccoon City- Chapter Three (Leon Kennedy x Reader AU)

Leon sees some action on the job, but (Y/n) keeps getting the runaround.

Prev chapt | prologue | Next chapt

♦♣♥♠

(Y/n) felt so guilty over the fact that she could not remember this man’s name for the life of her. It was… something Payne… was that right? Wilson? She felt like it was Wilson…

Either way, the man was about the same height as her, which is to say, rather small. His thinning hair was beginning to grow the same shade of gray as his suit, and his mannerisms made him seem almost pathetic in nature. Still, the man was a well-off lawyer, and he probably hadn’t been shot in the last few months. As far as (Y/n) was concerned, he had one up on her for sure. 

The sub sandwich shop they had agreed to meet in was quiet and out of the way, making it perfect for a nice casual lunch talking about the court trial of the man who attempted to murder her to cover up his other crimes. Totally professional. 

“Thanks for meeting with me, Miss (L/n).” Payne’s voice was whiny and obnoxious, and (Y/n) wondered if he sounded like this in court. “I was hoping we could iron out these last details on your appearance at the trial.”

“Oh, well, actually,” (Y/n) has no idea how to broach this subject. At all. “I’m afraid I can’t make it to the trial.”

“What?!” The man nearly began sweating on the spot. “You’re one of our key witnesses. You took a bullet from him!”

“I know, and I’m genuinely so sorry,” She winced. “But I’m afraid I’m being called away for work.”

“You’re one of the officers on that elite force, right?” the lawyer sounded even more defeated and pathetic now. 

“Yes, the S.T.A.R.S. team.” She handed over the envelope Wesker had given her. “My captain said these should cover everything for you. Of course, if there’s anything I can do to help now, I would love to.”

Payne placed the envelope to the side, looking worse for wear. “I appreciate the offer, Miss (L/n), but if you won’t be able to attend in person, then there isn’t much I need from you that I don’t already have.”

(Y/n) nodded solemnly, feeling terrible about not being able to help him.

“I assume this goes for Mr. Redfield as well?” The man all but sighs.

“I’m not sure,” she answered honestly. “I wasn’t told anything about his involvement in the trial.” 

‘He doesn’t seem to care much either,’ she thought to herself. ‘He only ever cares about the action. Never a desk jockey.’

“I’ll try to contact him.” The man mutters to himself. “I suppose that’s all I can ask of you for now, then.”

“Wait.”  (Y/n) stopped the man before he stood to leave. “I usually work on the apprehension side of the law, rather than the punishment side. I was under the impression that a court of law takes precedence over everything else. Like with jury duty and whatnot. How is possible that I was just… excused? Especially considering I’m not just any witness, but a victim!”

“It’s… difficult to explain.” The man reached out and took a napkin from the table, dabbing at his forehead as gracefully as he could when sweating bullets. He almost seemed more frantic now. “But I assure you, this is a perfectly acceptable outcome, even though it is a bit disheartening.”

(Y/n) leaned back in her seat, thoroughly disheartened by the man’s explanation of her upcoming absence- or more accurately the lack thereof. What ‘strings’ had Wesker pulled to have the key witnesses of this trial removed from the courtroom, police work or not? Something felt off about this, and about the man’s reaction to it as well. But there was nothing she could do.

“Alright. Thank you, though. Sorry to disappoint you.” 

“No need to apologize.” Payne stood now uninterrupted. “I’m sure everything will turn out right anyway.”

The man bid her farewell and left her alone at the table, looking out the window at passing traffic as she thought. 

♦♣♥♠

It was transitioning from late afternoon to evening time as Leon Kennedy and Riley Stevenson returned to the RPD. It had been a busy afternoon, and Leon now had his first full load of paperwork to do. Yay, him. 

“I feel bad for ya, rookie.” Stevenson looks over at the younger man.

“Why’s that?” He asked, stepping through the ornate front gates of the station.

“It’s your second day in the force and we’ve already put you through all this bullshit.” He huffed. “You deserve to settle in a little before facing this stuff head-on.”

“I survived the academy,” He joked. “Probably better to dive in headfirst now, anyway.”

“Maybe.” the older officer conceded as they entered the main hall. “Still, that was a lot.”

Leon just shrugged, not knowing what else to say. In truth, it was a lot, and he still felt shaken from the whole ordeal, but this was the job he signed up for. The way Leon saw it, it was better to get straight to the dirty, scary, unfun parts of the job rather than let himself settle into an unrealistic little fantasy of what the job would be. 

He turned his attention away from the cop to his right, instead looking at the people bustling throughout the whole police station. He could see a couple of officers having a conversation above him and to the left, standing around on the second-floor balcony. He wondered if they were discussing work until one of them laughed, causing him to smile softly. Everyone here seemed so friendly with each other.

He looked over to a woman scolding a young teen boy who had clearly just been reprimanded by an officer as well, probably for something dumb and rebellious, like vandalism. A man was being walked down the hall in cuffs, and judging by the interactions between him and the other policemen, it wasn’t his first time here. Countless people were filling out paperwork, having conversations, and just generally moving about the large station hall. It almost looked like a living painting, all these people going about their lives on the grand and elegant backdrop the RPD provided. It was certainly the fanciest-looking police station he’d ever seen, and in this moment that really shone through. 

He stops his dillydallying and follows his partner into the west office, seeing more officers moving about there. A few sat at their desks: Phillips and Ford among them. A couple more officers stood near the wall talking, and it looked like (Y/n) (L/n) was amongst them. She turned in his direction as he walked in and grinned at him. She walked away from the other cops, moving to lean against his desk as he met her in the middle. 

“And here comes my rookie. First day out in the field and he’s already playing hero.” She shook her head at him and he laughed. 

“I don’t know what else you all expect from me. I did agree to this when I signed up.”

“Did someone else give you crap over this too?”

“No, Stevenson just seemed apprehensive about letting me tag along.”

“We just don’t want you to jump in too fast, too soon.” She placed a hand on his elbow comfortingly, almost making him blush again. “This job will eat you up if you let it. Just ask Roberts.” She turned around to gesture at one of the men she had been speaking to earlier.

“Fuck you, (L/n).” He laughs, and she gasped. 

“Not in front of the rookie, Roberts! We want him to think we’re nice!” She turned back to Leon, a playful grin reflecting in her eyes. “Well, either way, you went out there and did it, and I think you’re a real American hero.”

Leon chuckled. 

“Well, I can’t take up all of your time, I suppose.” She stepped away from his desk. “Just wanted to double-check you didn’t take any bullets. 1/10, would not recommend.”

“Yeah. No bullets taken. I promise.” 

“Good. I’ll see ya later, rookie.”She waved at him as she left the room, and Leon sat at his desk with a sigh, glaring at the paperwork that sat on the surface. (Y/n) was really nice and really pretty.

And fuck, he thinks he’s into her.

♦♣♥♠

Entering the S.T.A.R.S. office, (Y/n) sees that the door to Wesker’s office is closed, and it looks like he and Rebecca are talking inside. Jill, Barry, and Joeseph are all at their respective desks. (Y/n) takes her own seat, booting up her computer as she sets begins rifling through the folders  sitting in her drawers. It doesn’t take long for Jill to wheel her chair over to (Y/n)’s desk, not sitting very far away in the first place. 

“Hey, you and Rebecca are coming out to lunch tomorrow, right?” She asks.

“Yeah. Are you joining us?” (Y/n) wonders if maybe Jill was the other party in the ‘we’ Rebecca had mentioned.

“Mmhmm.” The senior officer nods before turning her attention over to Barry. “Hey, you’re still going out to lunch with Chris tomorrow, yeah?”

“For sure.”  Barry smiled at her. “You girls go have your fun!”

“Thanks, Barry.” Jill smiles at him, and (Y/n) realizes she asked Burton to play babysitter for Redfield… Damn, she’s good. And whatever it is that she and Rebecca wanna tell her about must be big to make her keep Chris out of the loop. What could be the cause of such a secret meeting?

Her thoughts are disrupted as Wekser and Rebecca emerge from the office, and Wesker addresses the room of elite officers.

“I want everyone here early tomorrow morning. We’ll be briefing this new mission as soon as everyone is present. Drag Redfield in by the collar if you have to.” And then he turned and left. 

(Y/n) turned to ask Jill a question, but she was already knee-deep in her own work again.