#personal injury lawyer listing

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[kiwriteswords]

Unveiled

Masterlist || Ao3

AN: This has been on my to-write list forever...hope you guys like it!

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x Female Reader

Word Count: 4k

Tags/Warnings: Mild Injury, Mentions of Field Work, Secretive Behavior, Slight Jealousy, Light Swearing, Mentions of Emotional Vulnerability, Secret Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Marriage, Canon-Typical Themes.

Sypnosis: You and Aaron Hotchner have always been experts at keeping work and personal life separate—so much so that the team doesn’t even know you’re together, let alone married. But secrets can only stay hidden for so long, especially when small details start catching everyone’s attention.

The BAU bullpen buzzes with the usual hum of activity. Cases to close, profiles to refine, and endless paperwork to finish. You settle into your desk with a practiced air of nonchalance, tugging the sleeve of your blazer slightly to cover the delicate wedding band now gracing your finger.

The slim band--simple, not flashy, was perfect for both your personality and the line of work you were in. You could count the times on one hand how often JJ had to get her ring fixed or cleaned from the damage being in the field caused. You did not need diamonds or an extravagant engagement or wedding. You had everything and more with the man who had the matching band upstairs. 

You glance across the bullpen, up to Aaron’s office. He’s buried in a stack of reports, his expression unreadable, as always. His left hand is occupied with a red pen, and the thin gold band is barely visible but there nonetheless.

Your lips twitch into a subtle smile as you recall the whirlwind of the weekend: the drive to a secluded courthouse, the soft vows spoken just for each other, the quiet, private moment that bound you and Aaron together in a way only you two could understand--with Jack present, of course. Eloping had been a mutual decision, spurred on by years of hiding, countless near-misses at being caught, and the realization that you were done living for anyone but each other.

Ever the lawyer Aaron was and ever the practical woman you were, you knew marriage was essentially just paperwork. Personally, it did mean a lot more to the both of you in terms of commitment, so that’s why you both decided to do it on a whim, to begin with, but there wasn’t a need for the white dress or all the bells and whistles that you both found overkill. The slim gold bands were enough. The vows were enough. The love you shared was more than enough.

Now, the fun part began.

You turn back to your desk, shuffling through files with purpose as the team begins trickling in. The usual morning energy hums around you, but it’s impossible to ignore the slight thrill of knowing what you’re both hiding—and knowing it won’t be hidden for much longer.

“Hey, Y/N!” Penelope’s voice cuts through the air, cheerful as ever. “Doesn’t this day feel extra special for some reason? Like the world’s just radiating good vibes?”

You let out a soft laugh, shaking your head. “Maybe it’s just you, Penelope. You’re the good vibes.”

She beams, clearly pleased with the answer, before skipping off to annoy Morgan. You catch Aaron’s eye for the briefest second, and the corner of his mouth twitches—a rare, subtle sign of amusement.

The team trickles in gradually. Rossi strolls past your desk, sharp as ever, with his coffee in hand. His sharp eyes flicker to your hand, and he slows just slightly, one eyebrow quirking upward.

“Nice ring, kid,” he says, voice casual but curious. “I didn’t know you were seeing anyone serious enough settle down.”

Your breath hitches for a fraction of a second, but you quickly recover, offering him an easy shrug. “I like to keep my private life... private.”

Rossi had been the hardest over the years to keep at bay. Somehow, it became second nature to be so…secluded in your personal life. It wasn’t that you or Aaron were not sharing with the team, but you never felt the reason to shake things up. You, with your budding career, and him, with his reputation as a leader, why change that? 

Rossi hums thoughtfully, clearly filing that information away for later. You glance over at Aaron again, his focus still trained on the file in front of him. His poker face is maddeningly perfect, but you know he’s listening intently.

It isn’t too long after that a new case brings you to the round table room. You can’t help but feel that there is still an unspoken buzz in the air. Rossi’s comment made you jumpier than you’d like. Not that you’re hiding anything, but the idea of change…makes you uneasy. 

Aaron sits to your right, perfectly composed as always, flipping through the latest case files. His left hand holds a pen, the thin gold band on his ring finger catching the light with every movement. You glance at it, a quiet rush of warmth filling your chest. Your husband. It’s still a surreal thought. You could feel the faintest hint of amusement radiating from him, even if his face betrayed nothing. The quiet thrill of your secret filled the air between you.

You refocus, nodding at something JJ says about an update from the field office, but you can feel Rossi’s eyes on you. He’s seated across the table, his sharp gaze catching every detail. A slow, knowing smile creeps across his face, but he says nothing—yet.

“Anyway,” JJ continues, looking up from her notes, “we’ll need to coordinate with local law enforcement to finalize those interviews.” She glances over, and her eyes snag on your hand mid-gesture. Her words falter for a split second before she quickly recovers. “Morgan, you’ll take the lead.”

Morgan nods, clearly only half-listening. His focus has also shifted—to Aaron, more specifically. His brow furrows as he leans back in his chair, arms crossed. “Hotch, you got something new going on?” His tone is casual, but his grin betrays his curiosity. “That’s one hell of an accessory you’re sporting.”

Aaron doesn’t miss a beat, his voice calm and measured. “I wasn’t aware my ring warranted commentary, Morgan.”

Morgan smirks, glancing at Rossi. “Oh, come on, man. You walk in here wearing a wedding band out of nowhere? You can’t expect us not to say something.”

Rossi leans forward slightly, his fingers steepled under his chin. “And here I thought I was the only one paying attention,” he says, his voice rich with amusement. “Seems our unit chief had quite the weekend.”

The rest of the team snaps to attention. JJ’s head jerks toward Aaron, her eyes widening as she looks between him and you. Penelope, sitting at the far end of the table, gasps audibly.

“Wait,” Penelope exclaims, her voice rising in pitch. “You’re married now? When did this happen? Who’s the lucky lady? Why wasn’t I invited?”

“I’m not the only one,” Rossi interjects smoothly, his gaze now fixed on you. “Looks like Y/N had a busy weekend, too.” He nods toward your left hand.

You glance at Aaron, a silent exchange passing between you. His lips twitch into the faintest of smiles—so brief it’s almost imperceptible. But you catch it.

Penelope’s sharp intake of breath breaks your focus. “Wait a second,” she says, leaning forward, her gaze darting between you and Aaron. “Y/N, is that... a wedding ring?”

Your heart skips a beat, but you keep your voice steady as you respond. “What about it?”

Morgan leans back in his chair, crossing his arms and smirking. “Hold up,” he says, nodding toward Aaron’s hand again. 

All eyes turn toward Aaron now. He calmly finishes jotting a note before closing the folder in front of him. “Is this relevant to the case?” he asks, his tone perfectly neutral.

Rossi tilts his head, his sharp gaze bouncing between you and Aaron. His lips curl into a knowing smile. “Interesting,” he says slowly, leaning back in his chair. “Very interesting.”

JJ’s brow furrows as she glances between the two of you. Her eyes widen slightly as realization begins to dawn. “No,” she says softly, more to herself than anyone else. Then louder, “Wait a second—are you two—?”

You glance at Aaron, and he gives you the slightest nod. With a small sigh, you lean back in your chair and let the corner of your mouth lift into a smirk. “You really don’t know?” you ask, your voice laced with amusement.

Aaron follows up, his tone carrying a faint edge of dry humor. “I thought you were better profilers than that.”

The room goes completely silent as the pieces click into place. Emily gasps, pointing between you and Aaron. “No. No way. You two? Are you telling me you’re married to each other?”

Morgan bursts out laughing, leaning forward with his elbows on the table. “You’re telling me you’ve been dating this whole time, and none of us knew? I don’t believe it. You two are way too good at this.”

Penelope’s jaw drops. “What?! Oh my God, I feel so betrayed! How could you keep this from me? I should’ve been your bridesmaid—or at least in the loop!”

Aaron raises a hand, his calm authority cutting through the chaos in the room. “We made the decision to keep our relationship private to maintain professionalism,” he begins, his tone firm but warm. His eyes sweep the room, landing briefly on each team member before continuing. “This team works best when there are no distractions, and we both agreed that our relationship couldn’t interfere with that.”

He pauses, glancing at you. There’s a moment of silent understanding between you before you speak up, your voice steady but lighter than his. “It wasn’t about hiding, exactly. It was about making sure we stayed focused on the work that matters. But,” you add with a small, wry smile, “we eventually realized we didn’t need to keep it a secret anymore.”

Aaron picks up where you leave off, his tone softening slightly. “Especially now that we’re married,” he says, letting the weight of the words settle over the room. “We didn’t make this decision lightly, and we both value the integrity of this team above all else. That hasn’t changed, and it won’t.”

The room falls quiet again, the team absorbing the revelation. You can see the wheels turning in their minds as they piece together the years of subtle interactions, quiet glances, and the seamless way you and Aaron have worked together all this time.

JJ breaks the silence first, her expression shifting from shock to a warm smile. “Well,” she says softly, “congratulations. You both deserve to be happy.”

Morgan leans forward, his grin widening. “Alright, I’ll give you two credit—this is the best-kept secret I’ve seen in a long time. But man, Hotch, you’ve got some explaining to do. Married? Without us knowing? I’m hurt.”

Rossi chuckles, shaking his head. “I should’ve seen it sooner,” he says, his tone amused but approving. “Still, I can’t say I’m surprised. You two make sense.”

Reid almost looks relieved, “I thought I was the only one who didn’t pick up on things like this.” 

Penelope is the last to recover, her hands flying to her cheeks. “Oh my gosh! This is so romantic!” She gestures wildly between you and Aaron. “Secret agents in love, sneaking off to get married—it’s like a spy movie! Please tell me there are pictures. I need pictures. And cake! Why isn’t there cake?”

You laugh, finally letting yourself relax a little as you glance at Aaron. He gives you a small, almost imperceptible smile—one the others might miss, but you recognize instantly. Beneath the table, his pinky brushes against yours, a subtle reminder that you’re in this together.

“Alright,” Aaron says, his commanding tone bringing the room back into focus. “We still have work to do, and I expect everyone to stay focused on the case.”

Morgan leans back in his chair, still grinning. “Yeah, yeah, boss. But this conversation isn’t over.”

Rossi smirks. “Don’t worry, Derek. Something tells me there’s more to this story, and we’ll get the details eventually.”

You exchange a knowing glance with Aaron as the team begins to settle down, still buzzing with excitement. It’s out in the open now—no more hiding, no more secrets. Just you, Aaron, and the life you’ve quietly built together finally shared with the people who matter most.

The case wraps up after a grueling few days. The unsub is in custody, and while the tension of the investigation still lingers, the mood on the jet back home is noticeably lighter. The team is scattered around the cabin—Morgan and Rossi are in their usual seats, discussing the finer points of profiling techniques, while Spencer is engrossed in a book.

You find yourself seated with JJ and Emily at the small table near the galley. Emily is flipping through a magazine, and JJ is scrolling on her phone, but their attention shifts to you when you pull out your phone and casually unlock it.

“You know,” you say, leaning back in your chair with a small grin, “since you all feel so left out, I figured I’d show you some photos from the elopement.”

Emily’s eyes snap up from her magazine, and JJ’s face lights up with interest. “Finally!” Emily exclaims, leaning in. “I thought you were going to make us beg.”

JJ nudges your arm. “I’ve been dying to see these. Penelope’s already planning a post-wedding celebration for you two.”

You chuckle and swipe to the photo album. The first image you show is a candid one—a shot of you and Aaron outside the courthouse, his hand resting gently on your back, both of you mid-laugh. JJ lets out a soft “Aww,” and Emily whistles low under her breath.

“Look at you two,” Emily says, her tone teasing but fond. “Who knew Hotch could look so... human?”

You laugh, swiping to the next picture, a close-up of your intertwined hands with your wedding bands gleaming in the sunlight. “He’s full of surprises,” you quip.

As you share a few more photos, some with Jack, some Jack actually took of you and Aaron.

Aaron walks by, a cup of coffee in hand. He pauses when he notices the three of you huddled around your phone. “Are you showing them the photos?” he asks, his voice calm but tinged with curiosity.

“Of course,” you reply, looking up at him with a playful grin. “They demanded proof.”

Aaron hums thoughtfully, his gaze softening as he leans slightly over the table. “You should show them the photo from last year. The one from the Amalfi Coast.” There’s an amused glint in Aaron’s eye’s that makes you want to roll your own, but you satisfy everyone anyway.

JJ blinks, looking between the two of you. “Wait. The Amalfi Coast? Together?”

Emily narrows her eyes, clearly piecing something together. “Hold on. Didn’t you both take time off around the same time last summer?”

Before you can answer, Reid speaks up from his seat across the cabin, his voice laced with disbelief. “You mean the trip to Italy? I remember you both mentioned visiting Italy, but I never connected the dots that you were there together.”

Morgan, catching the tail end of the conversation, leans over the back of his seat. “Hold up—that’s what you were doing last year? You two were off in Italy, sipping wine and living the good life, and we had no idea?”

Rossi chuckles from across the cabin, shaking his head. “It’s impressive, really. I mean, a courthouse wedding is one thing, but hiding a vacation together? That’s next-level stealth.”

Emily laughs, gesturing toward your phone. “Alright, show us this Amalfi Coast picture. I need to see the evidence.”

With a shake of your head, you scroll back to the album from the trip. You find the photo Aaron mentioned—a picture of the two of you standing on a sunlit terrace overlooking the ocean, the breeze catching your hair while Aaron stands beside you, looking uncharacteristically relaxed in a linen shirt. You hand the phone over, and JJ and Emily lean in closer.

“This is so unfair,” JJ says, shaking her head with a smile. “You two look like you walked out of a travel magazine.”

“Yeah, I can’t believe we didn’t put this together sooner,” Emily adds, smirking. “I mean, Hotch in a linen shirt? That should’ve been the giveaway.”

Aaron shakes his head with a faint chuckle, taking a sip of his coffee. “I told you we were better at keeping secrets than they gave us credit for.”

You grin, leaning back in your seat and crossing your arms. “Well, now you all know. Mystery solved.”

Reid looks up from his book, still shaking his head. “I feel like I should’ve noticed. The behavioral cues were there...”

Morgan snorts. “Don’t beat yourself up, kid. They had us all fooled.”

JJ hands your phone back, smiling warmly. “Well, for the record, I’m glad we know now. You two really are perfect together.”

Aaron catches your eye from where he’s standing, his expression soft but steady. It’s a look that speaks volumes, and you know you’ll both carry this moment—this quiet joy of finally being yourselves with your team—for a long time.

As the jet hums softly beneath you, you settle into the warmth of the conversation, knowing that the life you’ve built with Aaron is now shared with the people who matter most.

When the jet touches down, and the team unloads into the bullpen, you barely have time to gather your things before Penelope corners you and Aaron. She’s been dropping comments all case long—about needing details, demanding photos, and lamenting her exclusion from what she’s now referring to as The Most Romantic Secret Ever Kept—but this time, there’s no escape.

“Alright, you two!” Penelope exclaims, her hands on her hips as she plants herself in front of you both. Her eyes sparkle with determination. “I’ve been patient. I’ve waited through an entire case, and now you owe me. Spill it. All of it. When, where, how? I need the full story.”

Aaron glances at you, his lips twitching in faint amusement. “I told you this would happen,” he murmurs under his breath.

You chuckle softly and look at Penelope. “Fine,” you say, holding up your hands in mock surrender. “We’ll tell you—briefly.”

Penelope’s expression brightens instantly. “Finally!” she squeals, clapping her hands together. “Okay, start from the beginning.”

Aaron crosses his arms, his authoritative posture intact but his tone softer than usual. “It started a few years ago,” he begins, glancing at you. “Not long after you joined the team.”

You nod, picking up the thread. “It wasn’t planned. We just... clicked. We kept things professional at first, but over time, it became harder to ignore. Eventually, we decided it was worth exploring, but we agreed to keep it private.”

Penelope’s eyes are wide as saucers. “Years? You mean to tell me you’ve been dating for years, and I had no idea?”

Aaron tilts his head slightly. “We were careful,” he says simply. “We didn’t want our relationship to interfere with the team dynamic or the work we do.”

“And we didn’t think anyone would benefit from knowing,” you add. “It was easier to keep it between us.”

“But how?” Penelope presses, leaning closer. “I mean, we’re profilers! How did you manage to keep it under wraps?”

You exchange a knowing look with Aaron before answering. “We’ve always been good at separating our personal and professional lives,” you say. “At work, we focused on the cases. Outside of work... we had each other.”

Aaron nods. “We were deliberate about our interactions here, and we made sure not to let anything slip.”

Penelope looks genuinely impressed, though she’s clearly not done grilling you. “So, no one ever suspected? Not even Rossi?”

You laugh. “Oh, Rossi definitely had his suspicions,” you admit. “But he never said anything outright.”

Aaron smirks faintly. “I think he enjoyed watching the rest of you try to figure it out.”

Penelope groans dramatically, throwing her hands in the air. “I can’t believe this. You two are like... spy-level secretive. I don’t know whether to be mad at you or impressed.”

“Be impressed,” you say with a grin. “It’s less stressful.”

Penelope narrows her eyes at both of you, then sighs. “Fine. But only because you’re ridiculously adorable together. And because I’m still planning a post-wedding party. You’re not getting out of that.”

Aaron shakes his head with a faint smile. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

With that, Penelope finally relents, though she shoots you both one last look that clearly says she’s not done asking questions. As she flounces off to her office, you exhale a soft laugh, turning to Aaron.

“Well,” you say lightly, “that went better than I expected.”

Aaron’s gaze softens, and he leans in slightly, his voice low. “She’ll be back.”

You laugh, shaking your head as the two of you head toward your offices. It’s out in the open now—your story, your love, your life together. And though you’ve enjoyed the secrecy, there’s something freeing about finally being able to share it with your team.

After a long day and an even longer week, the bullpen finally clears out. The soft hum of computers and the faint buzz of the overhead lights are the only sounds left as you and Aaron prepare to leave. You gather your things, adjusting your bag on your shoulder as he approaches with his jacket draped over his arm.

“You ready?” he asks, his voice low and steady.

You nod, falling into step beside him as the two of you head toward the elevator. There’s an unspoken ease between you; the weight of secrecy finally lifted. When the elevator doors close, Aaron glances at you, his lips quirking into the faintest smirk.

“You know,” he says, his tone laced with quiet humor, “we don’t have to stagger our exits anymore.”

You laugh softly, shaking your head. “No more waiting ten minutes so no one sees us leaving together?”

“Or arriving,” he adds. “No more separate cars or pretending to run into each other in the parking lot. We’ve been doing that for years. I think it’s become muscle memory.”

The thought makes you smile as the elevator dings, and you step out into the cool night air. You walk together to the car, and the rhythmic click of your shoes is the only sound. When you slide into the passenger seat, and Aaron starts the engine, the hum of the car fills the silence.

As he pulls onto the road, you glance over at him, the city lights casting fleeting shadows across his face. “Do you ever think about all the close calls?” you ask, your voice quiet but teasing.

Aaron’s lips twitch in amusement. “All the time. Like that day you got hurt in the field.”

You know exactly which day he means. It’s burned into your memory as much as his. “You mean when I dislocated my shoulder chasing that suspect?”

He nods, his tone softening. “I remember standing over you, trying to keep it together while the EMTs worked. I wanted to pick you up and carry you to the ambulance myself, but I couldn’t. All I could do was stay professional and keep my voice steady.”

You smile faintly, your heart tightening at the memory. “I remember how calm you sounded, even though I could see it in your eyes. You hated every second of it.”

Aaron glances at you briefly, his eyes filled with something deeper. “It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Morgan even asked me later why I seemed so shaken. I had to play it off as just another day in the field.”

You let out a soft laugh, shaking your head. “Well, you were convincing enough. I think I was more worried about you slipping than about my shoulder.”

He lets out a low chuckle, his focus on the road. “That wasn’t the only close call. Remember Kansas City? The hotel?”

“Oh God,” you groan, covering your face with one hand. “I thought for sure Morgan would figure it out. He knocked on my door right after you left.”

Aaron smirks, glancing at you briefly. “What did you tell him?”

“I said I was up late working on the profile,” you reply, grinning. “Which wasn’t a lie, technically. I just left out the part where you were with me.”

Aaron shakes his head, amusement glinting in his dark eyes. “How about all the times we shared a room and no one noticed?”

You laugh, sinking back into your seat. “That was a miracle. Every single time. Can you imagine if anyone went looking for you in your empty room?” 

“Or walked past at the wrong moment,” Aaron adds, his voice tinged with humor. “I can’t believe we managed to pull that off.”

You grin at him, your tone teasing. “We probably wasted so much of the Bureau’s money on extra rooms we didn’t need.”

His lips twitch into a smirk. “I think we’ve earned it, considering the hours we’ve put in.”

You let out a soft laugh, shaking your head. “Still, we were playing with fire. Like that time Rossi knocked on your door in Denver. I thought for sure he’d notice something.”

Aaron chuckles, his tone more amused now. “Rossi always noticed. He just didn’t say anything.”

“Probably because he enjoyed watching everyone else flounder,” you reply with a grin. “He was always a little too smug.”

The car falls into a comfortable silence as the memories wash over you both—the near-misses, the stolen moments, the countless times you had to act like nothing more than colleagues. Now, with the secrecy behind you, the memories feel more like a badge of honor than a burden.

Aaron pulls into the driveway, turning off the engine before glancing at you. His expression is soft, his voice quieter now. “No more sneaking around,” he says. “No more separate cars or extra rooms.”

You smile, reaching for his hand. “Just us.”

The two of you walk inside, your home warm and inviting as you settle in for the night. The conversation drifts back to the little things you had to do to keep your relationship under wraps—the cover stories, the excuses, the times you almost slipped. But the laughter and warmth you share now make it all worth it.

As the night deepens, you both revel in the freedom of no longer having to hide. It’s just you and Aaron, building the life you’ve always wanted… with Jack—together, out in the open, and exactly as it should be.

Tag List:

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@khxna

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[miichaelbelll]

How do you define a lawyer for personal injuries?

Personal injury lawyers are a form of attorney that provides legal assistance to those who are injured physically or emotionally because of the negligence or misconduct of a person, business government agency, another company, government agency, or other. They usually handle cases that involve automobile accidents as well as slip and fall accidents medical malpractice, slip and fall accidents, and other kinds of accidents and circumstances that cause injuries. Personal injury lawyers aid their clients seek the compensation they deserve for their injuries as well as other losses like the cost of medical bills, wages lost as well as injuries and pain.

7 Benefits of Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer

Experience Lawyers who specialize in personal injury have the knowledge and experience to deal with the legal complexity of your case. They are aware of the rules and laws that apply to your particular situation and utilize their expertise in your favor.

Resources Lawyers for personal injury can access a broad array of resources, which includes experts in areas like rehabilitation and medicine, that can assist in strengthening your case.

Skills in negotiation Attorneys for personal injury are adept negotiators, and often are capable of negotiating an agreement that is more favorable to those they serve than their clients tried to bargain by themselves.

Experience in courtrooms If your case goes to trial and your personal injury attorney will have the expertise to argue your case in a persuasive and convincing way.

Professional objectivity Legal professionals who specialize in personal injury can offer impartial guidance and assist you in making choices that will be in your best interests.

Time-saving hiring an attorney who handles personal injury cases will save you time and effort, since they can handle every aspect that are involved in your claim, like dealing with insurance companies, and submitting paperwork.

Maximize the amount of compensation you receive Increase your compensation. Personal lawyer for injuries have the experience and expertise to assist you to maximize the amount you are paid for your losses and injuries. They can assist in ensuring that you get an equitable amount for your medical bills as well as lost wages and the pain and suffering.

1. Objectivity And Legal Knowledge

The ability to be objective and knowledgeable about the law are two essential elements in negotiations, as they help to ensure that the agreements are legally valid and fair.

Objective means approaching the negotiations in a neutral , objective approach, taking into consideration all of the information and perspectives that are involved. This will help to prevent emotional or personal motives from clouding your judgement, and also ensure that the arrangement reached is reasonable and fair for all the parties that are.

Legal knowledge Legal knowledge, however is a knowledge of the law and regulations applicable to negotiations. This knowledge will help ensure that the contract is legal and the rights of the parties are secured. It also helps identify possible legal issues that could be arising and assist parties to deal with them effectively.

Being objective and having legal expertise when negotiating will help reduce the possibility of legal issues or disputes that may arise later, and will help make sure that the agreements are fair, legally sound and legally binding.

2. Negotiation Skills

Negotiation skills are an ability to efficiently communicate convince and negotiate with others to come to an agreement that is mutually beneficial. These skills can be improved through training, practice, and mastering effective negotiation skills. The most important elements of successful negotiation are active listening, assertive and clear communication, the capacity of compromise and a clear awareness of the other's needs and desires. In addition, research and preparation are also an essential part in a successful negotiation.

3. Prevention Of Critical Mistakes

The best way to avoid critical mistakes in negotiations can be accomplished by careful preparation, efficient communication, and a clear understanding of the other's goals and needs. Certain strategies that can aid in avoiding critical errors include:

Define and communicate your personal goals and objectives prior to negotiations.

Investigating the other side and the subject matter to be able to anticipate possible obstacles and issues.

Open to compromise and other options.

Being aware of nonverbal cues as well as the tone used in your communication and adapting your behaviour accordingly.

Be aware of and controlling your emotions throughout the negotiation.

Keep an open mind, and adapting your methods as required.

Re-examining and assessing the agreement following the negotiations to make sure it is fair, reasonable , and is in line with your requirements.

Continuously monitoring the progress made in the agreement, and making adjustments whenever required.

By following these guidelines You can reduce the possibility of making costly mistakes, and increase the chance of coming to mutually beneficial agreements.

4. Evening The Playing Field

Making sure that the playing field is level in negotiations is about creating an atmosphere of equilibrium and fairness among the participants. This can be achieved through diverse strategies like:

Studying the other party as well as the topic on hand, in order to anticipate their needs and issues, as well as to identify your strengths as well as their weaknesses.

Communicating your personal desires and issues clearly and with conviction, and emphasising your strengths and strengths.

Be open to compromise and other options.

Be aware of and controlling your own emotions during discussion and not allowing other party to profit of your emotions.

Maintaining an open mind and being willing to adjust your method as needed.

Be prepared to withdraw from negotiations if needed and also having an "BATNA"(Best Alternative to an Agreement Negotiated) in your mind.

Utilizing objective criteria, for example, industry standards or market prices in support of your decision.

If you follow these tips by following these strategies, you can have an equitable and fair negotiations, which will increase the chances of reaching positive and mutually beneficial agreements.

5. Help To Expedite Your Claim

Extending a claim is accomplished through a variety of strategies, like:

Collecting all relevant documents and proof in advance including invoices, receipts, contracts, and other pertinent documentation to back up your claim.

In a clear and concise manner, you must communicate your claim clearly and concisely to the other party, and giving all the necessary details and proof.

Intentionally organizing and maintaining a log for all correspondence as well as communications in connection with the claim.

Being prompt and responsive in giving the additional data or documents requested by the other side.

Contacting the other parties on a regular basis in order to ask about the progress of your claim as well as any improvements made.

Being open to other solutions or settlement options and being prepared to compromise when necessary.

Being able to comprehend the regulatory or legal framework that is applicable to your case and being able argue strongly to support the claim.

By following these steps by following these strategies, you will be able to make sure that your claim is completed as swiftly and efficiently as is possible, as well as increase the chance of a favorable result.

6. Help With Accessing Medical Care

The process of accessing medical treatment isn't easy, but there are many methods that can facilitate the process:

It is important to research and identify possible health care providers in your community such as hospitals clinics, specialists, and hospitals.

Knowing your insurance benefits and coverage and benefits, such as what kinds of services are covered and what your out-of-pocket expenses could be.

Be prepared with all details about your insurance and personal information prior to seeking treatment.

Effectively and clearly communicating with your healthcare professionals, and providing complete information about your health history and current symptoms.

Be open to alternatives or referrals to specialists when needed.

Understanding what your legal rights are as a person, and knowing how to advocate for yourself whenever necessary.

Be aware of resources in the community like Free clinics and hospitals and medical centers that could assist with medical treatment.

Becoming knowledgeable about the healthcare system and the way it operates, as well as understanding the procedures and processes related to accessing medical treatment.

By following these steps to follow these tips, you can improve your odds of receiving the medical attention you require quickly and efficiently method.

7. Providing Peace Of Mind

Giving peace of mind involves giving a sense of safety and comfort for the person. It can be accomplished by different strategies like:

Effectively and clearly communicating and being responsive to individual's concerns and queries.

Being attentive and understanding being attentive and empathetic, and listening actively to the individual's feelings and needs.

Giving accurate and reliable information as well as making clear any risks or uncertainties.

Offering support and encouragement as well as helping the person to feel more in control of the circumstances.

Being accessible and easy to reach and ready to help in the event of need.

Being reliable and consistent as well as delivering on any commitments or promises made.

Honesty and trustworthiness as well as being considerate of the confidentiality of the individual's privacy.

Being aware of someone's emotional state and reacting to the person's emotional state and responding accordingly.

With these methods using these methods, you can give a sense of security and calmness for the person you are talking to and assist them feel relaxed and less stressed about the circumstances.

8. Talk To An Experienced Personal Injury Attorney

Consultation with a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer is beneficial in the resolution of the personal injury case. A personal injury lawyer is able to provide many important services, including:

Analyzing the strength of your case and determining whether you have a valid claim.

We will guide you through your rights and options under the law as well as helping you comprehend the legal procedure.

Collecting and analyzing evidence to back your assertion, including medical records, police reports or witness declarations.

Assisting you in negotiating settlements with the other party , or your insurance firm.

In court, if the case goes to trial.

We will inform you of how much compensation that you can anticipate to get.

Assisting you in dealing with insurance companies and other parties in the settlement.

You can rest in the knowing that your case being handled by an expert who has experience with personal injury laws.

A skilled personal injury attorney can offer valuable guidance and support in the process of settling your personal injury claim which will improve your odds of a favorable resolution and offer peace of peace of.

[the-scarlet-witch-22]

Love & Liabilities: Chapter 5 (Agatha Harkness x Reader)

Summary: While you prided yourself on your ability to always put your work above everything else, what happens when you find yourself haunted by a ghost from the past? (A ghost who brings baked goods, waters plants, and enjoys reminding you of what you’ve been missing)

Word Count: 4.4k

Warning: 18+ Minors Do Not Engage! Mommy Kink, degradation kink, light choking, dirty talk, blow job, strap-on sex

A/N: Lawyer!Agatha is back! Finally returning to this fic and planning on updating as regularly as my schedule will allow. If you'd like to be added to my tag-list, feel free to let me know! (if you changed your handle or aren't on here but were previously please lemme know and I'll add you back) Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy- would love to hear what you think!

Tag-List: @chiar4anna @harknessshi @neverfindmegone @ris-ris-mind @tr333sus @sabstance-blog

Previous Chapter

Present Day

If there was one thing you had learned from practicing law, it was that the world was filled with misconceptions. For many, misconceptions were nothing more than what the word suggests; small errors. However, as a prosecutor you found yourself unable to revel in that life of luxury. 

In your line of work, a misconception could result in something as trivial as having difficulty filling a jury due to anyone with a beating heart finding an excuse to be sent home. Or to the more extreme case of a criminal being able to walk with no consequences.

However, occasionally the opposite would occur, where the details of a case become so warped and misconstrued that someone innocent is found to be guilty. 

But, you weren’t supposed to worry if a defendant was innocent when your entire job revolved around proving why they were guilty. 

That’s what made the past few days so confusing. 

You had looked over the files Agatha accidentally left behind, and found they held more questions than answers. As crazy as it sounded, you couldn’t help but wonder if it was an accident, as any normal person would never compromise such sensitive details to their opponent. 

But then again, most people weren’t Agatha Harkness. 

To your knowledge, one set of the hospital records, Wanda Maximoff’s records, were previously sealed, and you didn’t want to imagine what the attorney had done to acquire them. 

You did wonder if perhaps this was some sort of trap that Agatha was hoping you’d fall into in order to incriminate you, because if there was one thing your former lover prided herself on it was always being ten steps ahead of her opponent before obliterating them in court. 

But that was surely just your paranoia talking.

A few days after Agatha’s impromptu break in you finally finished combing over every last possible piece of information you could gather from the hospital records. The two patients, one of them being Wanda Maximoff, had been involved in a car wreck. Wanda had been eight months pregnant at the time. 

The second patient, Victor Shade, died shortly after being rushed into emergency surgery.

You had scanned and searched the records for more information, perhaps on Wanda’s pregnancy, or even the severity of her injuries. But, and you were nearly certain this wasn’t a coincidence, the majority of the pages were missing.

It didn’t take you long to guess who most likely had a perfectly manicured hand in that.

Agatha Harkness was single-handedly the most pompous, deceitful, domineering individual you had ever encountered, but she was also the most intentional. Every movement she made was calculated, and you knew she had these papers for a reason.

You weren’t Agatha, nor would you wish that particular curse on your worst enemy, but you knew her better than anyone. Or at least you did, for a time. 

Closing your eyes as you rested at your desk, you briefly recollected how intimately acquainted you once were, before remembering how much had changed in the time since.

As you opened your eyes, they landed on the files and a small voice in the back of your head suggested you try calling Agatha. Just to give them back to her. 

You did already get all the useful information that was available, you reasoned. Knowing Agatha, she’d likely question why you had waited so long, but you already had an excuse for that.

You were fairly busy after all, and your paralegal was on vacation, so your normally clear desk now had a mountain-sized pile of papers that made your head spin if you stared at it for too long. If Agatha complained you’d just lie and say they had gotten lost until you sorted through everything.

Besides, you thought bitterly, Agatha lied to you plenty, about things of far greater importance than this. 

Checking the time on your phone, you wondered if nine pm on a Friday night was too late for a phone call, but Agatha had always been nocturnal, often working until the early hours of the morning. You used to find her passed out, slumped over her desk in the home office of the apartment you shared, and you’d drag her back to bed.

Your cheeks grew hot at the reminder of how you’d convinced her to follow you.

Clearing those thoughts from your mind you scrolled through your contact list until you landed on her name. There were a handful of times over the years where you considered deleting it, or blocking her number. But there was this unyielding force within you, prohibiting you from ever following through with it.

Knowing Agatha you wouldn’t be surprised if she somehow cursed you.

Your stomach did sickening flip flops as your index finger trembled, hovering over her name. This is ridiculous, you reasoned, finally pressing down, turning on the speaker setting as you set your phone on the edge of your desk. 

Unfortunately, instead of a familiar ringing noise, you were alarmed to hear an automated message, telling you that the number had been disconnected, before the line went dead.

She changed her number?

Your heart sank as you stared at the bright glow of your phone screen, the contact seeming to mock you. Letting out an agitated sigh, you snatched the device, holding it in your palm. Your hands were unsteady, and you hesitated for a moment, eyes locked on her name. The purple heart that accompanied it had been your idea, her signature color. It felt fitting at the time.

Without another thought, you swiped your finger to the right, permanently deleting the contact before shutting your phone off and tossing it in your bag, leaving your office without another thought. 

She changed her number.

You’d like to say you spent your weekend with your work laptop and phone shut off, enjoying your two days away from the office. But that would be a bold faced lie. You wouldn’t call yourself a workaholic, on the contrary your hours weren’t nearly as intense as when you were still in corporate law. 

Billable hours were a gift from the devil herself, truly.

You weren’t a workaholic, but you were a perfectionist. It was a matter of pride to be detail oriented, to be willing to go the extra mile and find the smallest flaw in a case. It’s what drew you over to the litigation side of things to begin with. Contracts, as thrilling as they could be, didn’t provide the rush of adrenaline being in court granted you.

It was ironic, you swore up and down this side of law could never interest you, but now you couldn’t imagine practicing anything else.

Well, you could, at times, as brief flashes of conversations with the one person you’d felt safe enough to share them with replayed in your brain. But that was a dream you’d given up on a long time ago, among other things.

As it turned out, time could change a lot.

When Monday morning came rolling around, you repeatedly hit snooze on your alarm, not quite feeling rested from your weekend. You took your time for once, even making yourself breakfast. With your paralegal still on vacation you realized how dependent you had become on her for the smallest of things, meals included. 

You should really talk about getting her a raise.

Despite your leisurely start to your morning, you were still out the door before most of the city was awake. You loved the chaos of Manhattan, the crowds of people and thralls of traffic were a warm contrast to the environment you had grown up in. But you’d be lying if you said you didn’t enjoy a morning commute that took under a half hour, as your Lyft zoomed through the relatively light traffic for a Monday morning. 

Since you worked all weekend your email inbox was manageable, and you marked a few messages to reply to later that morning. You were thankful for the lighter workload, as it allowed you to solely concentrate on your case. 

The ticking time bomb of the one month continuance wasn’t something you wanted to worry about just yet. 

Strolling into your building, you were unsurprised to find you were the first person to arrive for the morning. Walking past some of the potted plants near your office door, you frowned, stopping in front of them and examining tiny droplets of water on the leaves.

Did someone water them recently?

Maybe one of the janitorial staff did it, you concluded, shaking the thought from your mind as you fumbled around for your keys. Pulling them out from your pocket, you went to unlock the door, but were alarmed to find the door was already unlocked.

You didn’t have to open the door fully to know she was there, but you did anyway. 

Swinging the door open, you found Agatha already in your office. Only this time she was sitting at your desk, her feet perched up on the edge, her shiny black loafers reflected by the light. She was engrossed in reading something, her thick black rimmed glasses hanging low on her nose. 

“What the fuck are you doing here,” you hissed, slamming the door shut behind you. 

Agatha didn’t look up from whatever she was reading, but you watched her lip curl upwards, forming a cruel smirk. “Good morning to you too, dear. Muffin?”

It was then you noticed the box of baked goods on the edge of your desk. The sweet aroma of pumpkin and chocolate wafted through the room, they were always your favorite. 

No. You knew what she was doing. 

“I already ate, thanks,” you coolly replied, dropping your work bag near the door, before locking it. “You can’t keep breaking into my office. Do you have any idea what my colleagues would say if they saw you coming and going?”

Agatha hummed, dramatically flipping the page, and you felt a wave of anger rush through you. 

“That sounds more like your problem than mine,” Agatha unhelpfully pointed out, finally setting her papers down to look up at you, and removing her glasses. “Although to be fair, it’s almost insulting how easy it is to get in here. You should really talk to someone about investing in more advanced security measures.”

“What are you doing here?” You questioned, folding your arms across your chest. 

“Are you not happy to see me?” Agatha asked, fake pouting as she put her arms behind her head, the bottom of her dress shirt riding up, exposing her toned stomach. 

Agatha gave you a sly grin, and you quickly averted your eyes. She was unbelievable, really. 

You don’t know what you ever saw in her.

Clearing your throat, you took a deep breath. 

“What are you doing here, Agatha?”

“I was just in the neighborhood,” Agatha explained, kicking her feet off your desk, standing up. She pulled what she was reading up from a stack of papers, waving it in front of you. “You had something of mine.”

The file she had left behind. 

You fell quiet, and Agatha took the opportunity to approach you, tilting her head to the side. 

“What a naughty girl, keeping something that doesn’t belong to you.”

Ignoring the embarrassing rush of heat that threatened to pool between your thighs, you glowered at her. 

“Save it, Agatha. You left those here and I had no way of getting in touch with you,” you spat out, quickly losing whatever patience you had attempted to hold onto. “Who the hell changes their number nowadays?”

You froze, and Agatha’s eyes widened for a brief moment, before taking a step closer to you, stroking her chin with her thumb. 

“I should feel flattered you saved my number all these years later,” Agatha teased, voice dripping with sarcasm.

You tensed at her change of tone, her words having too strong of an impact on you. 

“Is everything a joke to you?” 

Agatha paused, thinking over your words, a calculated grin forming as her blue eyes gleamed. “No, actually. The spousal support I owe my ex wife, for example? Not funny at all, although I’m sure she gets quite the kick out of it.”

You found it rather unsurprising that Agatha managed to marry someone even more deranged than she was, but the difference being you actually liked the ex wife more than the attorney in question.

You’d probably have gone mad as well if you had ended up marrying her.

“You have your papers, get the hell out of my office,” you ordered, not in the mood to continue arguing with her.

Frowning, Agatha set the file on your desk, coming closer to you as she brushed a few strands of hair behind your ear before leaning in, breath hot against your skin.

“Do you really want me to leave? If I recall, you used to enjoy our little games.”

Closing your eyes, you tried to ignore the pleasurable sensation of her voice echoing in your ear, as you rubbed your thighs together, wishing she didn’t cause this strong of a reaction anytime she spoke to you. 

“I want nothing to do with you,” you reminded her, stifling a gasp as the attorney blew in your ear.

“Are you sure?” Agatha mocked, her fingers playfully tugging on your blazer. “You’re so stressed, not that I blame you. Imminent doom tends to leave one feeling tightly wound.”

“I hate you,” you breathed out, but your words held no weight as you didn’t move away from her touch.

“Yes, good,” Agatha cooed, pushing you backwards until your back hit the desk, towering over you. “More of that.”

This needed to stop, you knew it needed to stop. Each time you let her back in it did more harm than good. She was parasitic, infecting you with the need to be consumed by her and her alone.

“Agatha,” you protested, shifting your weight around, unintentional brushing against her pelvis, and your eyes widened, shooting her an incredulous look. “You didn’t.”

Agatha feigned innocence, pressing her hips flush against yours, and you moaned at the direct contact, feeling the strap she was packing under her pants. “I didn't do what, dear?”

Your body betrayed you as you craved more friction, and Agatha leered, situating her hands on your hips to help you grind against her. Each roll of your hips made you lose whatever sense of self control you were barely grasping onto. The reminders of why this was dangerous territory slipping away as Agatha’s grip on your hip tightened.

The attorney raised one of her hands to roughly grasp your chin, forcing you to look up at her.

Gasping, you closed your eyes, not wanting to look at her. “You seriously put that thing on to come over here?”

“Bold of you to assume I wore this for you,” Agatha murmured in your ear and your eyes shot open, glowering at her.

Your taste in women was truly questionable.

“I hate you,” you said, choking back a whine as Agatha’s lips latched onto your neck, nipping and sucking on your exposed skin.

“I know you do,” Agatha said mockingly, the hand she had on your hip, moving to the front of your dress slacks, skillfully unbuttoning them. “That’s why I can smell you, isn’t it?”

“You’re insufferable,” you groaned, wriggling out of your pants as they fell around your knees, letting out a pathetic whine as Agatha ran two fingers over your underwear. 

“Soaking through your panties like a whore,” Agatha growled, moving the thin fabric aside to touch your aching cunt, feeling how soaked you were. “Is all of this for me?”

“Fuck,” you moaned, head falling back as you gave in to her once more. “Agatha, please.”

Agatha moved her fingers through your slick, finding your clit with ease as she rubbed, kissing the sensitive spot under your jaw. “Please what?”

Bucking your hips up you tried to indicate what you needed, and Agatha seemed to take the hint, teasing your entrance and you let out a guttural moan, trying to fuck yourself on her fingers. 

Letting out a disapproving hum, Agatha removed her fingers, smirking when you cried out in disappointment. She raised her hand, her fingers dripping as they circled your mouth as you parted your lips.

“Suck,” Agatha whispered, forcing you to take her fingers in your mouth. “Show mommy that you deserve her cock.” 

Your cunt clenched at that, the ache becoming more unbearable every second you were left empty. Greedily taking her fingers you sucked them clean, whining at the taste of yourself on your tongue. Agatha let out a low groan as she forced them deeper down your throat, fucking your mouth.

“Such a good slut,” Agatha praised pulling her fingers out, lightly slapping your cheek. “So obedient when your mouth is full. You just want something to suck on, don’t you honey?”

Breathless, you barely recognized the sound of the whimper that escaped your lips. Agatha released you from her grasp, moving to settle into your high-backed leather office chair, index finger curling in a come hither motion, beckoning you to join her. 

“On your knees,” Agatha ordered, removing her slacks to reveal her strap-on.

The dark purple cock was thick, and bigger than what you had grown accustomed to taking in the past few years, and you felt your cunt clench at the thought of having it inside you, stretching you out. Mouth watering you dropped to your knees, and Agatha leaned back in the chair, wrapping her hands around your hair to position where she wanted to.

“Desperate fucking whore,” Agatha degraded you, each word making you drip more than the last. “Make mommy come and I’ll consider fucking that greedy pussy.”

Wasting no time you eagerly leaned forward, tongue swiping out to lick at the head of the toy. Patience had never been the attorney’s strong suit, and she tugged on your hair, forcing you to take more of the cock down your throat. 

“Fuck, good girl,” Agatha moaned, eyes locked on your own as she watched you struggle to take so much at once. “So pretty for mommy when you struggle.”

Her words served as encouragement for you to put on a show, forcing yourself to take her to the hilt. Choking around the strap you felt tears begin to swell in your eyes as you breathed through your nose, and Agatha groaned louder than before. 

“That’s it baby. Swallow me,” Agatha hissed, fucking your face as her hips thrusted harder than before, getting off on using you as her own personal sex toy.

Swearing, Agatha’s hips stilled, face contorted in pleasure as she came, eyes rolling to the back of her head, fingers intertwined in your hair as she tugged on the strands to the point where you let out a muffled moan. Panting, the older woman released her grip on your hair, signaling you were allowed to remove your mouth.

Her strap was covered in your saliva as you caught your breath, but Agatha didn’t allow you much time to recover, a feral look in her eyes as she rose from her chair, yanking you up by the hair to face her. The attorney’s blue eyes were clouded with lust as she impatiently spun you around, bending you over your desk.

The humiliation of being exposed this way was too much, and came to the conclusion you could get off like this alone. You didn’t have to look at Agatha to know she was smirking, pulling on your hair again to make you arch your back. 

“Tell me you missed this,” Agatha murmured into your ear, hands groping every inch of your body she could reach. “Tell me, and I’ll give you what you want.”

You were almost too far gone to fully think about the implication of what she was saying, but not enough to give in so easily. 

“You wish,” you threw out, moaning louder at Agatha’s responding slap against your ass. 

“Tell me,” Agatha growled, spanking you again, harder than before, cackling at the way your body reacted to it. “So fucking pathetic, no one else can fuck you like this, can they? ”

You remained silent, trying to restrain yourself from climaxing before you felt her inside you again. Agatha spanked you a third time, the slapping sound echoing throughout your office.

“I’ll give you one more chance,” Agatha threatened, and you could tell she was just as far gone as you. “Tell me you missed this.”

“I…I missed this,” you breathed out, the unsaid words hanging heavy in the room, as both you and Agatha knew what you really meant. What she was really asking.

You missed her. 

Agatha rubbed the tip of the strap up and down your cunt, and you whined. She had been torturing you with the teasing, all you wanted was for her to be inside you.

“Mommy, please,” you said, nearly crying.

Without warning Agatha pushed inside your entrance in one thrust, making you take her to the hilt. You nearly screamed, her strap almost painfully deep and your walls fluttered around it. You were so full, the only thought on your mind was how you wanted her to stay inside you forever.

Giving you a moment to adjust to her size, Agatha tugged on your hair again, kissing your neck as her hips rested flush against yours. After a few moments she began to move, thrusting slow but deep, staying buried in your cunt.

“That’s it baby, squeeze my cock,” Agatha moaned, making you feel every inch of her. “Good fucking girl.”

“Mommy,” you whimpered, listening to the obscene sound of your hips thrusting against each other, the noise filling the office. 

“No one else knows what a slut you are, do they?” Agatha mocked, increasing her pace as she fucked you even harder. “You’re just mommy’s little cocksleeve.”

“Fuck yes,” you moaned, feeling a familiar tightening as your cunt pulsed around the attorney’s cock. 

“Say it,” Agatha grunted out, moving at an erratic pace. “Say you’re mommy’s cocksleeve.”

“I’m mommy’s cocksleeve,” you said obediently, relishing in the deep groan that left Agatha’s lips, the sound causing you to clench.

You were so close, you could feel it.

Agatha could tell you were nearing your peak, as she wrapped an arm around your waist, lithe fingers finding your clit and rubbing in time with her unwavering thrusts. Every second teetering you closer to falling off the edge of pleasure. 

“Do you want something?” Agatha teased, as you were left breathless after a particularly hard thrust.

“Please,” you begged, not caring how desperate you sounded. “Please I need to…”

“You need what, slut?” Agatha jeered, removing her fingers from your clit, bringing her hand to wrap around your throat, squeezing lightly. “What do you want?”

“Mommy, please,” you pleaded, gasping as the attorney choked you, the delicious burn nearly causing you to finish.

“Come for mommy, baby,” Agatha said, voice hoarse as she kept her hand wrapped around your throat. “Soak my cock.”

You felt yourself let go, body rippling in pleasure as you came, sporadically moving your hips to meet Agatha’s thrusts as she helped you through your orgasm. The attorney grunted before her hips stilled against yours with one final deep stroke, staying inside you as you came down from your high.

Removing her hand from your throat, Agatha stroked your cheek, a stark contrast to how roughly she just fucked you. You let out a deep sigh, collapsing against your desk. It was unclear how long she stayed inside you before she pulled out, chuckling at your little whimpers from being left empty.

“I never understood why you enjoyed running so much,” Agatha said suddenly, body still pressed against yours as she left kisses on every inch of bare skin she could find. “I’ve always found this to be a much more…pleasurable form of cardio.”

You laughed, the sound echoing throughout the room as you felt your heart rate begin to go back to normal. “Funny, Agatha. Very funny.”

Peeling herself off of you, the attorney gently turned you around before settling back in your chair, allowing you to rest on her lap. 

“That was…” Agatha trailed off, brushing your damp hair out of your face. 

“Yeah,” you said quietly. Agatha didn’t have to finish her thoughts, you knew what she was implying.

You wish this could be easier, this gravitational pull you had towards one another; that things weren’t so majorly twisted between the two of you that you could invite Agatha to dinner and try again. Or to even just have a conversation that didn’t start with an argument and end with both of you naked. 

But that wasn’t the reality of the situation, which finally came back to you as you finally caught your breath. 

This couldn’t keep happening.

“I have a lot of work to catch up on,” you said suddenly, clearing your throat as you got off the attorney’s lap. “Um, thanks for…”

“For the muffins?” Agatha jested, avoiding your eyes as she stood up, helping you find your clothes. “Your sweet tooth is hard to forget.”

You smiled for a moment, a bittersweet feeling overtaking you as you let her words hit you. 

“Yeah, for the muffins.”

Agatha finished redressing, her brown hair splayed messily over her shoulders as she unsuccessfully attempted to tame it. You grabbed a spare hair tie from a drawer in your desk, and held it up to her. Agatha nodded, turning around, allowing you to gather her hair and pull it back. You swore you heard her sigh as your fingers combed through the tousled locks, but you quickly secured it, taking a step back.

The attorney turned back around, an uncertain expression on her face, eyebrows furrowed, her frown line becoming more prominent as she stared at you, deep blue eyes boring into your own. 

“You read the hospital records,” Agatha stated, in a tone so certain you questioned why she chose to say it at all.

“Of course not,” you lied, but Agatha’s piercing gaze saw right through you as she arched an eyebrow. “Okay, fine. Yes, I did.”

“And?” Agatha prompted, looking expectantly at you.

“And what?” You questioned, motioning to where the file lay abandoned on the opposite side of your desk. “The majority of the pages are missing. There’s nothing useful there.”

Agatha’s eyes shifted, looking to the ground for just a second, and when she looked back up her signature smirk had returned. “Of course, right as always, dear. I’ll see you in court.”

She snatched the file in her hands before leaving your office, slamming the door shut, leaving you alone, and wondering what the hell just happened. A sinking feeling in your gut was suggesting this case was far more complicated than you had been led to believe.

[anonymityisfunwriter]

The Twin Flame - Chapter 40: "Is It Over Now?"

"Was it over then? And is it over now?"

Pairing: Sunshine!Reader x Grumpy!Bucky Barnes The Twin Flame Chapter List | The Grumpy x Sunshine Universe

"Hey, Bucky? Why don't you go in? One of us should be there when she wakes up."

Bucky nods, giving Sam a slight smile of gratitude, "Thanks."

Bucky can't really bring himself to care about anything else. His palms itch with the need to be with you.

That's his priority, not listening to some lawyer strategize about how to get General Ross off your back. 

His place isn't out there. His place is beside you. In the small, hospital room. In the uncomfortable, hard plastic chairs at your bedside.

His place is holding your hand, waiting for the moment that you can hold his back. 

His place is stroking the hair out of your battered face, whispering sweet nothings into your ear - even if he's not sure that you can hear him.

That's his place - and there's no where else he would rather be.

His eyes never leave you from the moment he walks into your hospital room. He settles into the plastic chair and prepares himself to stay there for as long as it takes, forever if he has to. 

His eyes trail your face. Down to the ever growing collection of scars, wounds, and injuries. Some fresh. Some from long ago. Each a tale of the hero you were forced to be. He can't help but wonder: would you have chosen it? Was there any part of you that wanted to be a hero?

There's a romantic notion of being a hero that is so intrinsically you. Leaving the world a better place. Saving countless lives. Protecting people that couldn't protect themselves. The selfless act of putting your life on the line so others didn't have to. He can't picture you ever turning a blind eye, not when people needed you. 

On the other hand, he can't picture you ever willingly signing up for this. For the side of heroism that people didn't see. Hurting others, even people who wouldn't hesitate to hurt you. Conflicts that chip away at morality. Losing your sense of self. Looking in the mirror and watching yourself turn into a person you don't recognize. It happened to the best of them.

You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain - wasn't that the saying?

He's not even sure why he's asking himself this. They all knew you weren't given the choice. 

His eyes keep trailing down, bringing his focus back to your collection of hurt. 

Your hands lie flat against the thin sheets of your hospital bed. The one furthest from him with an IV sticking out of it. His hand reaches for yours. His fingers trail over your hand. It was so familiar to him, just like coming home. His fingers run over your palm, only to feel the new roughness from even more cuts and scrapes you collected tonight. 

Your hand is still cold. His own hand covers it, lending the warmth of his super soldier body heat in hopes of bringing you an ounce of comfort. He foolishly wishes that there was a way to lend you his rapid healing, his strength. He'd take your place in a heartbeat. He hopes you know that.

His eyes keep raking over you. The long, jagged scar up your wrist. It still sends a cold shiver up his spine. His gaze trails up, toward the newly restitched graze wound that he tended to in Riga.

There's a thin welt right above it. Another one across your clavicle. Like someone grabbed a piece of piping and was merciless.

The bruise on your cheekbone, the one you wore the night of your reunion and a story Bucky had not yet heard, is now almost imperceptible.

Life had put you through the wringer. That's his takeaway. There was no other way of putting it. Thinking about what you were put through tonight, anger simmers beneath his skin again. Life wasn't fair. Bucky knew that. He wasn't naive. So why did he feel like cursing life itself for being so unfair to you?

You, with a heart that believed that deep down people, that the world, were good.

You, with a warmth that melted seven decades of Bucky's icy walls in an instant.

You, who always saw the very best in him.

You, who deserved so much more.

Your breathing is shallow, soft, and still. It's the only sound in the room other than the steady beeping of your heart monitor. Tonight, he's thankful for both. He's thankful that it's rage brewing beneath his skin and not insurmountable grief. It could have so easily gone the other way. He'll never get the doctor's warning out of his head. Luck runs out. 

But not tonight. Tonight, he gets to be grateful that you will wake up. Tonight, he gets to sit at your side once more. Tonight, his twin flame continues to burn. 

He lowers his head, grazing his lips against the back of your hand, pressing the most gentle kiss he can muster. It's all he can do, except wait and silently will you to open your wide eyes to look at him once more.

He prays to whoever is listening. It would be the greatest gift. The last one he would ever ask for. For you to wake up. Wake up and look at him with those bright eyes one more time. He'll tell you the truth. He'll promise you forever. He'll promise to never leave again. He'll do it all if you would just open your eyes. 

He didn't know what the future held for you two, what life would look like once this was all said and done. But as long as you were still here, he'd find his way back to you. He swears it. You just need to wake up.

Wake up, he begs.

Wake up, he pleads.

Wake up.

A soft swallow of air catches Bucky's attention. Your eyelids twitch. That's his only warning sign.

It's his own warning sign before you violently thrash, coughing and sputtering for air. He reacts in an instant, flying up out of his seat. He reaches for your shoulders, trying to guide you back down before you pop any of your stitches, "It's okay. It's alright. It's just me. You're safe. It's over. You're - you're safe."

"James?" you croak, your chest heaving as you gasp for air.

"I'm here. I'm here."

Your breathing is ragged, shoulders rising and falling like a fresh dose of adrenaline courses through your veins, breathing like you'd been held under water this whole time. "You're here."

"You're awake," Bucky sighs in relief. For the first time since he saw you back in New York, a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. "You're really awake."

You look down at his hand, the one that rests on your hand like it's second nature to him. "You're here. You're okay."

He snorts, leave it to you to be worried about him while you were the one lying in hospital bed. "Speak for yourself."

"I live to fight another day," you chuckle, though it sounds more like a soft exhale than a real laugh. You look around the room, there's only Bucky here, sitting beside you. "What happened? Where is everyone? Sam-"

"Sam is okay," Bucky assures you, lacing his fingers with yours. "He's outside, talking to some lawyer."

That catches your attention. The gravity of the situation hits you like a ton of bricks. You're here. In a hospital. People know you're here in New York. They know what you did. You don't doubt that John would sell you out without a second thought. There's nothing that points to a happy ending for you. "A lawyer?"

"Long story. I'll let him explain. I just - I wanted to be here when you woke up. I didn't want you to be alone."

A smile breaks through your panic. He wanted to be there for you. He wanted to be here, sitting in a hard, plastic hospital chair, just to be by your side. "Thank you."

"I'll always be here for you. Always."

Though he brings you a sense of peace and calm in the raging storm, not even he can shut out all the worry and panic caused by the last 24 hours. So you ask again, "What happened?"

"Well," Bucky takes a long inhale, trying to figure out how best to summarize the chaos of the rest of the night. Or as the sun breaking through the horizon told him, the rest of the night before. "For all this talk about how valuable your blood is, you sure are willing to spill a whole lot of it."

You roll your eyes, a small huff of a chuckle leaving your lips, "I guess I should be more careful next time, wouldn't want to lose the one thing that makes me special."

Bucky's eyes snap to yours. Your hand suddenly feels heavy in his hand. "It's not your blood."

"Huh?"

"What makes you special - it's not your blood. It's not your powers. It's not any of that." His words are forceful, as though he's taken personal offense to what you said. 

Your head tilts slightly, "James?"

"Have I ever said I'm sorry?"

You're not sure if it's the fact that you've just woken up or if he's genuinely not making any sense, but you're not keeping up with what Bucky is trying to tell you. "What?"

"About that day. The day that Steve left."

Your lips press into a tight line. You're suddenly caught up and you know exactly what he means. You shake your head with furrowed brows. "You don't-"

"I need to say this. Please. I need to say it." All your words catch in your throat, leaving you to wordlessly nod once. "Because I heard everything. Sam left his comms on and I heard everything... I heard Sam screaming, the kinda scream that makes your blood cold, I heard Karli crying. And I heard you say goodbye." His voice breaks as he swallows in a shaky breath. Tears burn and well in his stormy eyes. "And I was standing there on the street, listening to you say goodbye and I realized that I never even said I'm sorry. There are so many things that I never said to you because I was scared, but none of it compared to how scared I was when I thought you were gone."

He holds your hand even tighter, but he never once breaks his intense gaze with you. "And I've done a lot of shitty things in my life, but that was one of the worst. And that day - God - that day, I think about that day all the time. You don't know how many times I wished I could take it back. How many times I wanted to call you back. I've done a lot of shitty things, a lot, but telling you that we were nothing, tell you to go away, dropping your hand when you needed me, turning my back on you... I would do anything to take it back." 

You could tell him that it didn't matter, that it didn't hurt, that it was okay, but that's not what he needs to hear right now. He needs you, he needs this, as much as you do. You reach out, wiping away the stray tear that pools in the outer corner of his eye, "I forgive you."

"I lied." He rests his hand on your hand. "And I'm so sorry that I lied. It was real, every second of it, every second of us. I felt it from the moment I saw you in Berlin."

"You remember that." It never occurred to you that the moment was important enough for him to remember. 

"It was real," he confesses, his voice a breathy, desperate whisper. "You didn't see anything that wasn't there. It was. It was real. And I will spend the rest of my life trying to show you that it was real. I swear it was."

"It was real?"

"Every second of it," he promises.

When your heart shatters, breaks into a million little pieces, one of two things happens. Hate slowly seeps in, filling each and every crevice until it’s the only thing holding it together. Or you learn to let the light back in. You were both still learning how to let the light back in. 

You softly inhale as he inches closer to you, you can almost feel his warmth seeping into you. And this time, he doesn't change his mind. He doesn't pull away. 

His head tilts of its own accord, nose grazing yours ever so slightly. He licks his lips as your eyes flutter shut. His lips ghost over yours, so softly you're not even sure that you didn't make it all up. 

But you know you couldn't have made it up. Because nothing has ever felt this way. Nothing has ever felt this right. You couldn't have possibly dreamed up this level of perfection. His lips meet yours, warm and sweetly. His vibranium hand skates up your neck, the cool metal sending shivers down your spine. It finds its home cupping your jaw, keeping you as close to him as possible. He kisses you over and over again, breaking apart for breath, only to pull you right back to him. 

It wasn’t at all what you thought it would be. You thought it would be like a powder keg, burning everything in sight, a passion that nothing could contain. You didn’t need that burning intensity. That spark would always be there, the flame would never extinguish. That's not what either of you needed right now. Right now, you needed calm, you needed a constant, you needed peace.

The kiss is soft, tender, it’s the most care anyone has ever treated you with. He strokes your cheek like he's making sure you're real, like this is real. Your hand leaves his, your fingers curling around the hair at the nape of his neck.

He hums in contentment. He doesn't care that the railing of your hospital bed is digging into his ribcage, nor that the way he bends toward you makes his spine ache. He doesn't notice any of it. How can he when this is the closest he's felt to whole in over seventy years? How can he notice anything else when the way your hands rake through his hair, tugging it ever so slightly, sends shivers jolting down his spine, when a simple touch makes him groan into your mouth?

"I'm so glad you're okay," he whispers against your lips, offering gentle pecks in between his words. "I can't believe you're here, you're okay."

"It got a little crazy back there," you whisper back. "I thought I was done for. Sharon had it- wait, Sharon! Sharon - she's the Powerbroker - And Karli!"

"We know," Bucky attempts to soothe you. "It's okay. Karli's okay. She made it out."

"You know? You know that Sharon's-" your voice trails off as a shudder wraps around your spine. She plunged a knife in your back, or rather, she used Karli to plunge a knife in your back. She had you. She had it all planned out. You almost lost everything. And if she was still running around New York, you could still lose everything. You'll never forget all those threats she made, to Sarah, to AJ and Cass, to Sam, to Bucky. 

"The Powerbroker," Bucky finishes for you. "Yeah, we sorta figured it out when your comms went down after she found you. Then, you went underground, it wasn't hard to put it all together. Karli filled us in on the rest."

"Karli told you?"

"She did. I haven't been told much, but it's over. It's okay now. You're safe. We're safe."

A long breath of relief escapes your lips. That's all you need to hear for you to slump back down into your hospital bed. Bucky smiles from the side of you, brushing the stray hairs out of your face. His fingers lace with yours again, and though you're not sure if it's the exhaustion or the pain medication, but you drift away with him tracing patterns on the back of your hand. 

When you wake again, Joaquin is there, listening intently to each one of Sam's whispered words. Joaquin nods again, a tense, worried look on his face. 

"Is everything okay?" you groggily ask, softly smiling when you feel the warmth and weight of Bucky's hand resting in yours. 

The moment he sees you awake, a bright smile pulls at the corner of Sam's mouth. Sure, Bucky told him that you woke and talked to him already, but this time Sam gets to see you for himself. You're awake. You're safe. "Yeah, nothing you need to worry about right now."

You nod, your eyes flickering over to Joaquin. "Hey, Joaquin."

He smiles, rounding over to the side of your bed. He gently grabs your other hand with a bright smile, "You know, I've got to tell you, I've never had one friend in my entire life scare me as much as you do."

You languidly shrug, "It's a gift."

Joaquin humorously snorts, "I'm so glad you're okay."

"All thanks to you guys for finding me. For a minute there, I thought I was a goner."

"Not funny," Sam grunts. 

"Wasn't trying to be," you softly admit. "I didn't think anyone would be able to find me down there. Wait, how did you guys find me anyway?"

Sam juts his chin over to Joaquin. "That was all Joaquin, actually."

You look over to him, quirking an eyebrow. "Joaquin?"

Joaquin's face immediately flushes, he anxiously rubs the back of his neck as he stammers through an explanation. "I mean, I wouldn't- I wouldn't say that. I just- I did what anyone else would've done. It was no big deal. No problem."

"Torres," Sam admonishes in a knowing tone, without another word, Sam's eyes widen at Joaquin and then flicker back at you. "Isn't there something that you're forgetting to mention?"

"Okay, I might've chipped you."

You chuckle, "What?"

"Well, not you," Joaquin elaborates, spinning the friendship bracelet that you made for him around his wrist over and over again, refusing to make eye contact with you. "Your friendship bracelet, the one you made for me, I sorta, maybe, chipped it."

"You chipped my friendship bracelet?"

"I know," Joaquin winces. "I know it sounds so terrible, but you were being so reckless when we were working together-"

"Joaquin," you try to interject.

Joaquin just continues rambling on, talking right over you, "And I was so scared, you know? I was so scared, I don't think I've ever been that scared, but I was so worried that you were going to get hurt or that you'd like go off on your own or- or -"

"Joaquin!" you exclaim, just loud enough to stop his words in their tracks.

He cringes, "Yeah?"

You offer a soft smile at him, patting his hand, "You're a good friend, Joaquin. You saved my life - twice now. Thank you."

"You - you don't hate me?"

"I couldn't hate you," you promise him. "Besides, Tony did the same thing too, you know? He had one on all of us. Mine was in my friendship bracelet. Thor would actually lose his all the time so Tony just started sneaking it into his food. Steve's was in the strap of his shield. Sam's was in his goggles."

"I'm still pissed about that, by the way," Sam grumbles.

"I guess great minds think alike."

Joaquin beams at the comparison to Tony. "You think I'm like Tony Stark?"

"I told you she wasn't gonna to be mad," Sam mutters.

"Any normal person-" Joaquin refutes, pausing when he hears the words leave his mouth. There was nothing normal about anyone in that room. "Never mind, I answered my own question."

Bucky snorts, "Exactly."

"Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?" Sam interjects. His eyes shift to Bucky and Joaquin, nudging his head toward the door. "Alone?"

Your eyebrows furrow as you nod, "Yeah."

As the two of them leave the room without another word, Sam takes Bucky's seat at your bedside. He takes your hand in his holding it tightly. "I have something to tell you. A whole lot actually."

"Okay?"

"But, first, I just wanted to say I'm glad you're okay. You scared the hell out of me - out of all of us."

"I tried to call for you guys, but she busted my comms and it-"

"I know, I know," Sam stops you. "Karli told everything. She told me you fought like hell."

"Is she alright?"

Sam shakes his head, lowering his voice, "We probably shouldn't talk about that here. I don't think anyone's listening, but just to be safe, after General Ross came to pay you a visit. As far as he knows, I left Karli down there for what she did to you."

You suck in a breath. "General Ross was here."

"That sorta brings me to my first point. He's not the only one that came to pay you a visit. There's this lawyer." The panic gripping you makes it impossible to do anything except to wait for him to continue. "He thinks we can get your life back, but we'd have to fight like hell. It won't be easy. We might even lose a few more times, but it'll be your life. Yours. For good, this time."

"What do you think?"

Sam takes a large gulp of air, uncomfortably shifting in his seat, "I think I would understand if you didn't want to fight anymore."

"What other choice do we have, Sam?"

"You could... die?"

You roll your eyes, sarcastically muttering, "Gee, thanks, Sam."

"I meant... maybe you didn't make it," he explains. "Maybe we tell them we didn't find you fast enough. Nick Fury died, too, now who the hell knows where he is? This could be it. This could be your legacy. Saving those people. Saving New York. Stopping the Power Broker and The Flag Smashers. You fought the good fight - up until your very last breath."

"You mean?" your words trail off. A hero's death. A hero's legacy. A chance to leave the world a better place than the one you entered. And your freedom. It was everything you could ask for. You can't lie, it's tempting. 

Sam nods once, "Exactly."

"I'd have to go back into hiding again?"

"For a while. Maybe even a long while," Sam concedes. "But - but then you'd be free. No more fighting for your freedom. No more Accords. No more running. You'd finally be free."

"And then?"

Sam shrugs, "You'd have to keep a low profile. A real low profile this time. Probably means I wouldn't be able to see you for a while, but-"

Your eyes snap up to him. "We wouldn't be able to see each other?"

"Probably not," Sam acquiesces. "Not until all this new Captain America stuff dies down-"

Suddenly, all the temptation is gone. You would gain everything while losing everything that ever mattered to you. You shake your head just once, immediately replying, "No."

"No?"

You shake your head frantically, over and over again. "No, no, no. No, I can't - then I'll fight - I'll keep fighting, Ross, the UN, I'll do it. I'll do whatever it takes."

Sam takes your hard, squeezing it tightly. As if to remind you that even he's not there with you, he's always with you. Always. "But I thought you didn't want to fight anymore?"

You smile at him, wiping the tears with your free hand, "I think I just remembered what I was fighting for."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." You nod. Despite, that weight being lifted off both his and your shoulders, there's a heaviness in Sam's face that has nothing to do with you fighting for your freedom. "Sam? What is it?"

"There's more," Sam solemnly tells you. 

"Karli?"

Sam silently shakes his head, "No. The Flag Smashers, the rest of them..."

Dread washes over you. On the outskirts of your attention, you hear your heart monitor spike, beeping faster and faster. "Sam?"

"They're dead," Sam finally says. "All of them except Karli. It's just the two of you now."

"What? I thought - you told me-" All your words end in a soft, broken exhale. You can't process it. After everything, you really wanted to believe that their story would be different. You never thought their story would end like that. "I thought they were going to be okay."

"I know. I know."

"How?" you whisper.

"On the way to the Raft. In the truck. They think it was a remote detonator."

"Do they know-"

"No, they don't know who did it. They have suspicions, but they don't know."

You're stunned silent. The words hit you hard. They're gone. The people you worked so hard to save. Those lives, they were gone. You couldn't save them. It was only you and Karli now. You want to ask how Karli is doing, how she took the death's of her friends, her own found family, but you can't be sure who's listening, and you're not sure you have the strength to hear the answer to that question. And you're sure that she's taking it about as well as you did when you realized your found family was gone too.

Sam squeezes your hand. "I'm sorry."

You sit in silence for a long while. You lost. Maybe not entirely, but you still lost.

There's something in the back of your head, a memory you can't place. Tony, Steve, and Natasha, sitting in the Avenger's Compound, in the common room. The memory doesn't hurt, not nearly as much as it used to. You don't know how, why, or even when, but there's a crack in your heart that feels mended. Not healed. Not fixed - but mended.

It frustrates you, that you can't place the memory. Tony whispering that he could never hate you. Natasha telling you that you changed her story. Steve reminding you that there's always someone looking out for you - even when you think there isn't. You spend days, sitting in the hospital bed, staring out to the New York skyline, trying to remember that moment, but it only comes back in flashes, only finds you in your dreams. It feels so real, yet so distant.

Days past in that hospital bed. Bucky barely leaving his self-appointed spot in the chair beside your bed. Sam splitting his time between the hospital, discussions with the lawyer that you still haven't met, and his new Captain America responsibilities. You don't allow him to feel guilty. You remind him that as his sidekick, you're supposed to encourage his heroism, not keep him tethered to your hospital bed. You're not sure what Joaquin is up to, all you know is that Sam promised to fill you in once you were out of the hospital.

You're almost a week into being bed ridden when your eyes flutter open to find Bucky watching you sleep in an otherwise empty room. You groggily groan, squinting at the bright daylight shining through the window. "Where'd everyone go?"

"Sam went to get your things, to get some food. The doctor said you should be okay to leave tomorrow," Bucky morosely explains. 

You chortle, quirking an eyebrow at him. "You don't sound too happy about that."

"No! No! That's not it - it's just -" He shakes his head. "No, it's not the right time to have this conversation."

It's easier to sit up on your own, though Bucky still insists on doing most of the work for you. As you shift upward, Bucky props pillows behind you. "What conversation?"

"The what happens next conversation."

"Oh."

"You'll be going back to Louisiana."

"And you'll be here in New York," you reply. 

"Stay with me," he abruptly offers. His words are frantic, desperate, like he fears the moment the bubble bursts and reality seeps in once more. "Then we don't have to say goodbye any more. You said it yourself, you love New York. We can - we can just.."

Bucky's words stop just as abruptly as they started. He doesn't know the ending any more than you do.

"You don't know the end to that sentence," you solemnly point out.

"No."

You reach out to stroke his cheek. "Neither do I."

"You're not staying, are you?"

You shake your head. "As much as I want to, I can't."

There were a lot of reasons why you couldn't stay. Even if there was a part of you that desperately wanted to. You needed to step into the daylight first. You needed to allow yourself to step into the daylight first. You couldn't put off mourning any more. You had to learn to say goodbye. To learn to live with things that you couldn't change. You needed to mourn. To pine for the people you'd lost. You needed to rebuild your own life with your own two hands. And while you didn't know what that life looked like quite yet, you knew you wanted it to be your life. You needed that. Your life. Standing on your own two feet. Even if it was just for a brief moment.

He softly exhales, "Why?

"Because I don't need you to save me," you whisper. Tears well in your eyes. It didn't matter how many times you had to say goodbye, the words never came any easier. They would never roll off your tongue - especially not where Bucky was involved. "I just need you. I need you more than anything and - and I'm - I'm not ready for that yet."

He shakes his head, schooling his expression the moment he sees tear pool in the outer corner of your eyes. He tenderly wipes them away, "I'm sorry, this wasn't the right time to talk about this. I didn't want to upset you. I don't know what to say. Please don't be upset."

You wipe away a stray tear just as another begins to slip down your cheek. "No, no, I'm sorry, I know I was the one that said -"

"It's alright. I understand." He takes your hand, squeezing it tightly. "And if it means anything, I think you're right."

"I am?"

"Yeah, you are," he admits with a heavy sigh. "I think we've both got some shit to sort out, loose ends and all that bullshit. I just - I really don't want to mess this up again."

"Me neither."

He slowly leans in. "I want to be yours. More than anything. And once you're mine, I'm never letting you go, never again." 

You smile up at him. "I can't wait."

"Look at us," he chuckles through his own tears. "Being emotionally mature."

You laugh along with him, "No one said being emotionally mature was this hard."

"What if we did something a little immature first?"

You chuckle, nodding along with him. "What did you have in mind?"

He leans down slowly, giving you several seconds to stop him before he presses his lips against yours.

Your breath hitches as he kisses you, pressing the sweetest, most longing kiss he can muster. As he pulls away, he whispers against your lips, "Just wanted to do that one more time."

"It’s really hard to say goodbye to you."

"Well, then don’t."

"James…" you sigh, cupping his cheek.

He kisses the palm of your hand, letting it go for the last time. "I’ll see you later. Okay?"

"I’ll see you later."

In another life, it would have been easier. In another life, Bucky would be by your side and remain by your side. 

But more importantly, you know that in this life, and what you hope in every life, Bucky will always find his way back to you. There weren't many certainties in life. You learned that the hard way, learned it over and over. You and Bucky would never be over. It wasn't over then. It wasn't over now. Bucky was your constant, your certainty. He was it. He was it for you

And if you had to let him go one last time, just one last time, you would hold your head high as you had time and time again. You would hold onto the faith that he was your certainty, your other half. Bound to each other in a way that no amount of time, distance, no season of life, nothing, nothing could change. 

Sam lightly knocks at the door, breaking your train of thought. He juts his thumb toward the hallway. "You okay? I just saw Bucky leave."

"I told him I needed time."

"Oh."

"I think that was the hardest thing I've ever had to do." A tear streams down your cheek. You wipe it away with a shaky hand. "Which says a lot considering I almost died like a week ago."

"It's not forever. It never is with the two of you. You two have a way of finding your way back to each other. Apparently, my threats mean nothing to Bucky."

"Thanks, Sam." You look over to your packed bags, the duffle bag that held your life for far too many months. You're ready for your life to begin again. You're ready for the next chapter. You're ready to go home. You're ready to have a home, a real home for once.

You hear the faint, familiar ping of your phone. Once twice. Over and over again. 14 times. 

Sam raises an eyebrow at you, "Jeez... someone's popular today."

You roll your eyes at him, looking around for your phone. "Could you pass me my phone?"

He does so without another sarcastic remark or quip. You're surprised to see who sent you all those messages. All 14 of them from one person.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," you nod. "I think everything is going to be okay."

Hope blooms in your heart as you read message after message, a reply for every one you sent to him all those months ago. 

"I'm okay. Thanks for asking."

"We're okay. I just don't know how to tell you that I miss you more than I should."

"I miss you, too."

"It's not weird."

"I hope you find what you're looking for."

"There is if you want there to be."

"I miss you. I'm sorry I didn't say that earlier."

"That sounds nice. I'd like to see it one day."

"I'm sorry. Apparently, I turn into an asshole when I get scared. Also, apparently, feelings scare the shit out of me."

"I'm not a trucker. Just a little idiotic sometimes."

"I get what you mean."

"I'm here. Anytime."

"We'll talk soon. I miss you."

"P.S. I keep a sunflower in the windowsill of my apartment. It reminds me of you."

You look up from your phone, tears shining in your eyes. You take a large gulp of air to tame your wildly beating heart. A peculiar feels overtakes you, basking over you like the daylight shining through the window, this pain, this grief, it wouldn't be for evermore. "Sam?"

He looks up at you with a slightly confused expression, "Yeah?"

"Let's go home."

The Twin Flame Chapter List AnonymityIsFun Masterlist

A.N.

And that's a wrap on The Twin Flame... Before I say anything else, I just want to say thank you to everyone that stuck with me this far. Originally, this story was supposed to be 10 chapters following the plot line of TFATWS. And it just grew... it grew into something that I'm really proud of. It was a daunting story and there were times that I thought I wasn't going to make it to the finish line, but you guys are just so amazing. Like incredible. I don't know how I got so lucky, but the readers I have are just the best. All of you. Silent readers. Regular commenters. Whether you leave kudos. Funny bookmark tags. The reblogs of crying gifs. I mean that. Every single one of you. I thank all of you.

Moving on before I get any more sappy. We're not technically done yet. (It's me, hello? You thought I was going to end this story like that?) I do have an epilogue that's coming up and some extras that I've got waiting for you. I'm actually really excited to show you guys what I had and what didn't make it in, because let me tell you, it was a lot. A LOT.

And finally, the Grumpy x Sunshine series...at least once a day I think about this series' ending. I'm not quite done yet. And I'm only telling you this because I always get asked. No, this isn't the end for our lovable trio. Surprisingly, I have a little bit more in store for them. It's definitely not a forever series, but I'll be here as long as you guys want me to be.

Thank you. All of you. 💛

As always, let me know what you think! Reblogs and comments are always appreciated! 💛

Taglist: @marianita195 @meli18gonzalez @ludicbouquetfromearth @matchat3a @famousbreadcherryblossomsstuff @valoraxx @blue786sworld @buckyandgeraltsupremacy @geminigengar @ansaturn @ecolle @lexhalstead3 @ybflkmj @mediocre-daydreams @shanye1112 @thegirlnextdoorssister @toomanyfanficsbruh @moonlightreader649 @breathtaking-cynthia @mirikusashes@beans-and-toast @niyahcoca @katiechikin @elxvrr @antiheroxsblog @infamouslyclumsy @krissydclayton93 @buckysbarne @deadheadwbedhead @qualitygiantshoepsychic @whitexwolfxx310 @getosprettyboy @matchat3a @weallhaveadestiny @mostlymarvelgirl @honeydew3064

[zoesblogsposts]

o 625 words to know in your target language o

There is a really interesting blog called "Fluent Forever" that aids foreign language learners in tricks, tips and techniques to guide them to achieving fluency "quickly" and efficiently. One of the tricks is to learn these 625 vocab words in your target language, that way you have a basis to start delving into grammar with ease as you can understand a lot of vocab right off the bat. Plus this list of words are common across the world and will aid you in whatever language you are learning. Here is the list in thematic order

• Animal: dog, cat, fish, bird, cow, pig, mouse, horse, wing, animal

• Transportation: train, plane, car, truck, bicycle, bus, boat, ship, tire, gasoline, engine, (train) ticket, transportation

• Location: city, house, apartment, street/road, airport, train station, bridge hotel, restaurant, farm, court, school, office, room, town, university, club, bar, park, camp, store/shop, theater, library, hospital, church, market, country (USA,

France, etc.), building, ground, space (outer space), bank, location

• Clothing: hat, dress, suit, skirt, shirt, T-shirt, pants, shoes, pocket, coat, stain, clothing

• Color: red, green, blue (light/dark), yellow, brown, pink, orange, black, white, gray, color

• People: son, daughter, mother, father, parent (= mother/father), baby, man, woman, brother, sister, family, grandfather, grandmother, husband, wife, king, queen, president, neighbor, boy, girl, child (= boy/girl), adult (= man/woman), human (# animal), friend (Add a friend's name), victim, player, fan, crowd, person

• Job: Teacher, student, lawyer, doctor, patient, waiter, secretary, priest, police, army, soldier, artist, author, manager, reporter, actor, job

• Society: religion, heaven, hell, death, medicine, money, dollar, bill, marriage, wedding, team, race (ethnicity), sex (the act), sex (gender), murder, prison, technology, energy, war, peace, attack, election, magazine, newspaper, poison, gun, sport, race (sport), exercise, ball, game, price, contract, drug, sign, science, God

• Art. band, song, instrument (musical), music, movie, art

• Beverages: coffee, tea, wine, beer, juice, water, milk, beverage

• Food: egg, cheese, bread, soup, cake, chicken, pork, beef, apple, banana orange, lemon, corn, rice, oil, seed, knife, spoon, fork, plate, cup, breakfast, lunch, dinner, sugar, salt, bottle, food

• Home: table, chair, bed, dream, window, door, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, pencil, pen, photograph, soap, book, page, key, paint, letter, note, wall, paper, floor, ceiling, roof, pool, lock, telephone, garden, yard, needle, bag, box, gift, card, ring, tool

• Electronics: clock, lamp, fan, cell phone, network, computer, program (computer), laptop, screen, camera, television, radio

• Body: head, neck, face, beard, hair, eye, mouth, lip, nose, tooth, ear, tear (drop), tongue, back, toe, finger, foot, hand, leg, arm, shoulder, heart, blood, brain, knee, sweat, disease, bone, voice, skin, body

• Nature: sea, ocean, river, mountain, rain, snow, tree, sun, moon, world, Earth, forest, sky, plant, wind, soil/earth, flower, valley, root, lake, star, grass, leaf, air, sand, beach, wave, fire, ice, island, hill, heat, nature

• Materials: glass, metal, plastic, wood, stone, diamond, clay, dust, gold, copper, silver, material

• Math/Measurements: meter, centimeter, kilogram, inch, foot, pound, half, circle, square, temperature, date, weight, edge, corner

• Misc Nouns: map, dot, consonant, vowel, light, sound, yes, no, piece, pain, injury, hole, image, pattern, noun, verb, adjective

• Directions: top, bottom, side, front, back, outside, inside, up, down, left, right, straight, north, south, east, west, direction

• Seasons: Summer, Spring, Winter, Fall, season

• Numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 21, 22, 30, 31, 32, 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, 60, 61, 62, 70, 71, 72, 80, 81, 82, 90, 91, 92, 100, 101, 102, 110, 111, 1000, 1001, 10000, 100000, million, billion, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, number

• Months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

• Days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

• Time: year, month, week, day, hour, minute, second, morning, afternoon, evening, night, time

• Verbs: work, play, walk, run, drive, fly, swim, go, stop, follow, think, speak/say, eat, drink, kill, die, smile, laugh, cry, buy, pay, sell, shoot(a gun), learn, jump, smell, hear (a sound), listen (music), taste, touch, see (a bird), watch (TV), kiss, burn, melt, dig, explode, sit, stand, love, pass by, cut, fight, lie down, dance, sleep, wake up, sing, count, marry, pray, win, lose, mix/stir, bend, wash, cook, open, close, write, call, turn, build, teach, grow, draw, feed, catch, throw, clean, find, fall, push, pull, carry, break, wear, hang, shake, sign, beat, lift

• Adjectives: long, short (long), tall, short (vs tall), wide, narrow, big/large, small/little, slow, fast, hot, cold, warm, cool, new, old (new), young, old (young), weak, dead, alive, heavy, light (heavy), dark, light (dark), nuclear, famous

[swampbrick]

Y’all have waited so patiently for me to get my shit together and format this post, and for that, I thank y’all endlessly (for not calling me out on my avoidant personality and procrastination xoxo)

Without further ado, I give you…

Swamp’s GhostSoap Recs

PART TWO

(electric boogaloo)

My qualifications to make this post are that I’m neurodivergent and have read over half the damn archive at this point.

If you see your fic featured here and don't want it included in a rec post, just shoot me a dm! Will remove any from the list without question or complaint at the author's request.

Notes: I tried to sort some of them out into some broader categories for easier perusal, however, some fics might touch more than one of these topics. I went with whichever category was the MOST relevant in regard to the fic's content. Fics in italics are under 10K words. Stuff involving religious guilt and heavy religious undertones are marked in orange. Some fics are privated by the author- in that case the link might not work for you if you’re on mobile, so just look it up by author and title once you’re logged into your AO3 account. Happy reading!

Random Fics I Enjoyed and Can't Sort Into Broad Categories

The Wedding Lt. by SomnolentPavana

Like Watching Paint Dry by Grangers_apprentice

Mission Briefs by BleedingTypewriter

Don't be Scared by the Starting Gun by Suliana

Afraid (of Changing) by EmpressCirque

HALO by Cryypticchaotic

Tough Love by The_neurodivergent_nerd

Smooth Sailing on Choppy Water by coderaven

Poison Apple by surveycorpsjean

Punch Drunk by Drolly

Tesco's Finest by Vanemis

If You Don't Stop, I'll End up Believing You by Hochseeperle

Assorted AUs

like the dust (that hides the glow) by ArcadeGhostAdventurer [soulmates]

In My Time of Need by WhisperedWords12 [omegaverse]

lotus flower by exavibus [tattoo artist x florist]

Damaged Goods by Red_Clegane [lawyer x prostitute]

Safety Hazard by Red_Clegane [president's son x secret service]

On Leave

No Reqiuem by ice_hot_13

set your teeth against my throat (give me something pretty to wear beneath my blood-stained clothes) by aetherealmoss

let these hills absolve me by flowersferns (THE SHEERP FARMING FIC SOBBING CRYING)

solemn prayer, poppy in my hair by congee4lunch

A Scottish Bastard's Smile by SnarlingGherkin

The Fairtytale of Manchester by MildLimerence

Injury and/or Discharge

all that's said in the low light by headlocket (my favorite fic of all time actually if you haven't seen my 9000 other posts saying so)

My frozen heart (would melt just for you) by Red_Clegane

Clue by Wispscribbles

I Woke Up Underground by WispScribbles

Vicissitude by crows_and_curses

Yours Sincerely by LeoDoesGames

i'm a fire and i'll keep your brittle heart warm by marviless

Affirmative, Sir by Wixiany

To Drive a Man to Madness by Crypticchaotic

This Is (Mostly) P0rn

After Dark by Sylencia (THE BDSM CLUB FIC WOOF WOOF)

If I ever saw you try to be a saint (I'd be appalled) by Xalethar

Chicago Whiskey by Serpentwyne

Make Me Bad by Serpentwyne

gimme just a little bit (more) by applepieces [09!ghostsoap]

Promise Ring by LXVERSOFFENSE

Want It All by TuxedoHummingbird

A Fool's Gambit by MildLimerence

tame me by MikaelLo

the human condition by bilbhoebangins

All the Sins You Never Had the Courage to Commit by mothbeast

The Worthy Vessel by MildLimerence

Hotline by MildLimerence

Bonus Fic!

Here's a Gaz Centric, Poly141 fic that has ghostsoap in it but does not focus on it heavily enough to go in one of the other categories. This is Kyle's time to shine.

Hand Around My Heart by Grangers_apprentice

[carriesthewind]

i know very little about law, but im gonna be honest, i feel a bit bad for the loduca guy. is it a good look to sign a coworkers work without looking? absolutely not, they are paid to be anal about this stuff. but it feels like such a human thing to do, if you worked with someone for 25+ years, and never had a significant reason to doubt their work, to just kind of visually skim over the thing, and then sign and stample, bc you trust the guy.

and yeah maybe you saw he was having some issues with this case, the opposite side/judge asking for some documents they cant find and therefore think are fabricated, but again, you trust your coworker, trust that they did the job and this is a mistake not on his part, and you probably have your own workload to worry about, your own cases, so you think little of it. idk, while a bit lazy (bad look) it feels like something that would happen at an office, you know?

that being said ive got a feeling those people are not going to be practicing law quite soon. more so i dont recall if the law firm was one of theirs, but i assume even if it's not, it will have a very hard time recovering from this

A bit of a long and rambling answer here on just my own thoughts on the matter, so I'm putting it below the cut!

I do feel some sympathy for him...for the first opposition brief. My sympathy vanishes once he submitted the fake "opinions" to the court.

Because I absolutely get trusting your colleague, especially if you have worked with him for so long. And as lawyers, it is a really serious thing to sign a submission to the court that you haven't at least read - but it is also very a very human thing to do. People, including lawyers, cut corners and make errors all the time.

But part of his problem isn't just that he was skimming and signing something - when you sign a submission as an attorney, you are making a very real (and legally binding - that's the point of Rule 11) promise to the court. LoDuca is still listed as Mata's counsel of record (and his only counsel of record in this case). He told the court that he was representing this dude, and he never really was.

I saw someone - I think on twitter? - say he was covering up for Schwartz practicing law without a license. Which is technically true! But it's also - come on, there is (usually) a practical, if not ethical, difference between letting some random pretend to be lawyer by signing and submitting their documents without supervision, and signing and submitting documents for a colleague in a jurisdiction they aren't admitted to without going through the steps of having him formally act as local counsel, when you know the end result would be the same if you walked through the formal steps. I want to be clear - the second thing is not okay at all, and is very much against the rules. But, I am also 100% confident he's not the only person doing it, and I can the the way that someone would feel like it was a justifiable bending, not breaking of the rules.

But even then, the problem is that as attorneys, we are (supposed to be) held to a high ethical standard. I said this in an earlier post, but when an attorney makes representations to the court, the court takes those very seriously, because we are assumed to be following those ethical standards. If I make a legal or factual representation in a courtroom, there can be immediate and real consequences for people's lives.

It's a self-licensing and a self-policing profession, and we what we do has very serious consequences both on a societal and individual level. Even in a simple case like this originally was, a personal injury negligence case brought by an individual - the complaint says the plaintiff suffered serious, disabling injuries and has been prevented from working, and he is seeking compensation for his medical care and his inability to work. If that's true, this case is about (should have been about) who paid for that needed medical care, the necessities of life.

And I think this case is an example of why those rules can matter - sure, most of the time, someone doing what LoDuca was won't get caught, and maybe it won't matter practically. But part of the reasons we have those rules is to try to prevent - well maybe not this bullshit precisely - bullshit like this from happening. "Other people break the rules too and don't get caught" isn't an excuse.

But again, it still is a very human kind of error, so I still have sympathy. The real problem, for me, is the submission of the fake opinions.

Because once he got the order from the court ordering him to provide copies of the opinions or the case would be dismissed, he must have known something was wrong. That is not a normal order to receive. That order means the court (which has access to all the legal research tools he doesn't) thinks something is very seriously wrong. If he did not read that order and immediately go "Oh fuck" and a) read the defendant's reply and b) realize the cases seem to have been fake, he is not competent to practice law. And I mean that in a very serious way - he has no business practicing in the field with such serious consequences for people's lives if he didn't immediately recognize the problem.

So once he got that order, he has no excuse. At that point, he either consciously perpetrated a lie upon the court; or he is too incompetent to practice.

[aceofwhump]

Have you made a list or notes on whumpy Hallmark and if so where?🥺

You know what, I haven't yet! Let me do that for ya now. And if anyone wants to add their favs please do so!

A Gift To Remember: Darcy (Ali Liebert) hits Aiden (Peter Porte) while riding her bike and he gets knocked out and loses his memory. It’s pretty good.

Love on the Sidelines : Laurel (Emily Kinney) is a struggling fashion designer who finds herself with a job as a personal assistant for Danny (John Reardon), a quarterback sidelined with an broken ankle. Danny is on crutches for most of the movie and is recovery from his injury.

Spirit of Christmas: A young lawyer (Jen Lilley) finds romance with a spirit (Thomas Beaudoin) that takes the form of a human 12 days before Christmas. He was murdered and there are flashbacks to him being attacked and killed.

Christmas Homecoming: Stars Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson from SG1!!) as an Army Captain recovering from an injury in battle. He's got a broken leg and suffers from survivors guilt and ptsd.

Hailey Dean Mysteries: Deadly Estate for some good poisoning whump of a medical examiner. You want unconscious? medically induced coma? respirator? bedside vigils? worry? waking up with a twitching hand? walking down the hospital floor holding onto their iv pole? Then this is the movie for you!

Love Blossoms: one small part when the main guy, Declan, gets sick with a cold during the movie. It’s kind of cute but the rest of the movie's got nothing.

Second Chances: "A badly injured leg forces fireman Jeff, who lost his father in a fire as a young boy, to rent a ground floor room during his recovery. Thus he moves in with Jenny, a 911 emergency call center operator, and her two young children, Luke and Elsie, who soon dote on him as an ideal substitute father and try matching him with their mother."

My Gal Sunday: Henry (Cameron Mattheson) gets shot in the beginning of the movie.

Signed Sealed Delivered Lost Without You: Oliver goes on a hike with his father. His dad trips and gets a seemingly innocuous injury on his leg but the two of them get lost in the woods and the injury turns out to be life threatening.

A Godwink Christmas Miracle of Love: Eric (Alberto Frezza) is run over by a plow near the end of the film. There's lots of surgery, worry, hospital stuff.

Retreat to Paradise: "Jordan is recovering from a shoulder injury and his grumpiness tempts Ellie, his carer, to leave him to his misery. But will romance finally blossom?"

The Christmas Waltz: Roman (Will Kemp) hits his head due to slipping on an icy sidewalk and has to go to hospital

Taking a Shot at Love: "Sparks fly between a ballet instructor and a professional hockey player as she tries to help him recover from the same injury that sidelined her dancing career." It's not got a lot of whump but it is about a hockey player in rehab.

Martha's Vineyard Mysteries series: The whole series. Jesse Metcalfe's character Jeff was shot on a previous case and the bullet is still in lodged in his back and it causes him pain a lot AND he continually has nightmares about the incident. It's great.

Mystery 101: Killer Timing: Travis (Kristopher Polaha) gets blown up and even though the aftermath doesn't last long its still wonderful. He gets knocked out, there's an ambulance and hospital scene (kinda), worried family members.

Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Sweater: Maggie O'Donnell (Ashley Williams) accidentally breaks Lucas Cavelli (Niall Matter)'s arm while carrying a Christmas Tree and offers him a room to stay in when he can't find a hotel room cause she feels guilty.

A Timeless Christmas: Charles Whitley (Ryan Paevey) passes out in 1903 and wakes up in 2020.

Aurora Teagarden A Bundle of Trouble: Martin Bartell (Yannick Bisson) gets shot in the shoulder

Christmas on the Range: Clint McCree (Nicholas Gonzalez) is attacked and beaten up pretty badly.

Mix Up in the Mediterranean: Josh (Jeremy Jordan)'s twin brother Julian gets hurt and can’t do a cooking competition so Josh takes over.

The Christmas Cure: Mitch (Steve Byers) falls off ladder and gets a concussion

Love's Christmas Journey: Sheriff Aaron Davis (Greg Vaughan) gets shot in the leg while chasing a robber. His injury is bad and gets infected. He gets a fever and is rescued by an old man who cares for him. The wound needs cauterizing and he suffers fever, chills, and more.

Hearts in the Game: Diego Vasquez (Marco Grazinni) is a hot shot baseball pitcher who has a panic attack during a game which costs the team the game. Turns out it was triggered by the anniversary of his moms death and he has another panic attack later in the movie as well.

Fourth Down in Love is about an athlete who is sidelined by an injury. Broken ribs I think? 

Rip in Time: Another fun time travel movie. Rip (Niall Mater) gets knocked out at least once. 

Three Wise Men and a Baby: Paul Campbell's character has social anxiety and has a sort of panic attack in the park at the beginning of the movie.

Jolly Good Christmas: Will Kemp's character falls into a frozen river and he comes out shaking and shivering and she gets him a blanket and tea and he needs a hot shower. 

That's all I've got for right now. The bolded ones have the best whump in my opinion so definitely check those out first :) Love's Christmas Journey and the Martha's Vineyard Mysteries are A+ whump hallmark movies. Do those first ;)

[feeshies]

Rosemary "Romy" Ingellvar: estate planning attorney for the dead

Since I don't know a lot about Thedas' jurisdiction, I'm going to be analyzing their conduct under the Model Rules of Professional Conduct.

We'll see if the disciplinary board accepts "having the elven god of lies" stuck in their head as an excuse against MR 8.4(c) which prohibits a lawyer from engaging in conduct involving "dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation."

Here they are ziplining. They're not having fun because they're thinking about how many billable hours they're losing by doing this pro bono work for Varric. They're also making a mental list of all the personal injury lawyers they know because these ziplines seem risky and they might need to refer some work.

[blush-and-books]

7!!!

7. kissing scars (from this intimacy prompts list)

She notices it for the first time when they are in the shower: A small scar, just a line, drawn across his cheek. While his hands are tangled in her hair, covered in soap from shampoo, she traces it under the water.

"Where'd you get this?"

He shrugs it off. "Got in a fight."

She still remembers the way her eyebrows furrowed together, how her thumb pressed into the fading scar harder, slipping with the water. "Was it at the gym? I don't remember you ever getting a cut on your face..."

Spinning them so that she's under the stream of water, he firmly tilts her head back to start rinsing her hair out. "During my mailroom days."

The mailroom days, before she knew him. A piece of him that was embedded into his skin, a part of a version of him that she never knew.

Once her hair is rinsed, she kisses him; it's wet and messy but she loves how easily her lips drag across his, how she can part from him with a pop and watch his pupils fill his brown eyes as she lets her lips slip along his cheek over the scar, and down his jaw.

It becomes a target for her, after that, when she kisses him. She already gives him kisses on the cheek as they say hellos and goodbyes at the start and end of their workday, but she begins to aim for the scar. There is no conscious rhyme or reason to why Donna does it, either; she just thinks of the scars she's watched heal that they can't see inside him, and thinks of a time where he was in pain and she wasn't there to do anything about it. So she makes sure to kiss it every time.

It isn't until months later - they're in Seattle, and in accordance with their autumn season, it is a little misty outside. They no longer have a driver, but their own car, which Donna drives most of the time because the Seattle streets are not made for Harvey's psychotic driving and she is less likely to be running over cyclists.

On this rainy morning when Donna is going to drive them into work, Harvey is clamoring to open the passenger door when his hand slips through the handle and his body jolts forward just as the door is flinging open-

Striking him right in the cheek, almost as hard as a punch.

Harvey's taken enough actual punches to take it in stride, but Donna runs back around the car when she sees it-

"Holy shit, Harvey! Are you okay?"

His hand pulls away from his cheek to show a bleeding cut, right over where his original scar was. "It's fine, really."

"It's bleeding." She presses her index finger into the skin of his cheekbone, and he winces. "And you're gonna bruise. Let me cover it before we head in."

Harvey still is awkward when she tries to play doctor and help him: "We'll be late."

"Please, we've taken enough morning meetings that it shouldn't be unexpected for us to be late once in a while."

Well, she's got him there. They may be wanting to make a good first impression at the new job, but that is no match for their newlywed bliss.

Once they are sheltered back inside, Donna goes about stopping the bleeding and getting a bandage to cover the cut. As the bloodflow finally ends, however, she gets a better look at the placement of the injury-

"It's probably going to scar." Harvey stays silent, looking right over her shoulder as she investigates his cheek. "Is this how you actually got that first scar?"

Harvey's thumbs are twiddling together. He still avoids her eyes, and it's comical - endearing, even, how embarrassed he is about it. Her smile is so wide that he can tell she's about to laugh. "It was a long time ago, I don't completely remember-"

"Oh my God, it is! You said you got in a fight at the gym, you totally lied!"

"I never said I was at the gym, I just said it was a fight! And, technically, I never specified that the fight was with another person."

"You're ridiculous. This is why people say you should never marry lawyers."

"I didn't marry a lawyer."

Donna takes a cotton swab and pours some rubbing alcohol on it before pushing it into Harvey's cut. A loud hiss reverberates from between his teeth, and she only feels a little guilty - he can handle the pain, and he deserves a little sting for how clownish he's acting.

"Okay, okay, point taken."

She removes the offending cotton and goes to put some restoring ointment over the cut: "You're an absolute idiot," Donna tells him, letting her pinky finger gently sooth the inflamed slice in his skin. "But I love you."

Harvey's hand reaches up to wrap around her wrist. "And I love you. And I'm sorry for being an idiot."

"Not the first time, and it won't be the last." A bandage is smoothed over his cheek. For good measure, she leans in and kisses over it - a little of her lip gloss is left behind, but she decides to leave it there. "And, because I love you, I'll let you lie about how you got this scar too."

"You're the best, you know that?"

"You know I do."

[cellsshapedlikestars]

Seeing all your cool home updates && half-watching some HGTV w/my mom while drawing had a simple prompt idea if you might be interested! Basically HGTV reno show Jonsa - Sansa is a designer and finally gets a chance for her own show but loses Rob (her #1 contractor) to an injury before filming starts && Jon jumps in (either to help Rob /or/ the studio execs (maybe Targs?) throw him in) and the two have to work together somehow. Idk idk, just wanted to share! <3

ANON.

No, you have no idea, I already HAVE a house reno wip. It's not super long, but... yeah. I've got that.

Here, I'll post what I have written of it, since we CAN'T GET ONTO AO3.

this isn't exactly your prompt, though I do honestly love yours a lot and sort of want to change mine. If I changed mine, the show Sansa works on would definitely be like Rehab Addict, where she restores old homes to their prior state instead of making them "modern"

But mine is sort of similar? This snippet is just the set up and doesn't include the part where Sansa decides to start a youtube channel for her renovations, (a la WabiSabE, which I used to watch and was probably the inspiration for this fic when I first started writing it like a year ago lol), and everyone starts shipping her with her contractor Jon, who she keeps forcing to be in the videos because she can't really make them without him being in it...

.

Sansa winces as her car hits another bump and jolts her in her seat.

“You owe me,” she huffs out, hands tight around the wheel.

“I know, I know,” Robb's voice comes through her sound system and fills the car. He's distracted, she can tell, and she bites back a snippy comment. Robb's just so busy, he couldn't possibly get away.

That's not fair, the small part of her brain that's still being rational thinks. Of course Robb couldn't drop everything and come out to the middle of nowhere to deal with their Great Uncle Brynden's estate. Robb's got a new baby and his job.

Robb's got a baby, Arya's got her tournaments, Bran has school, and Rickon's still underage. All of her siblings have lives they can't get away from. All except her.

No significant other, no kids. A tenuous career that she can technically do from anywhere.

“Oh no,” she breathes, when the house finally comes into sight through the trees.

“What's wrong?” Robb asks, his full attention back on her.

“Robb,” she whines, the car coming to a pathetic, rolling stop on the overgrown gravel drive. “It's a mess.”

“A mess?”

She doesn't answer, too busy staring at the mansion in front of her. Or, what used to be a mansion, she thinks.

It's still vaguely house-shaped, but... The roof is missing shingles in multiple places, the windows all seem busted out. The steps up to the covered front porch are fine, but the porch itself has a massive sinkhole, and half the wood looks rotted and ready to crumble.

Gods, if this is what the outside looks like...

“What kind of a mess?” Robb asks. She's just about to start listing the many problems when she hears another car approaching.

“I've gotta go,” she tells Robb. “I think the lawyer's here.” She hangs up before Robb can answer, and watches the other car slowly emerge through the trees up the bumpy road, past the broken gates, and onto the circular gravel drive. It stops behind her and a man gets out. She gets out, too, phone clutched in her hand, just in case.

“Miss Stark?” the man asks, and his face splits into a kind smile when she nods. “Perfect, perfect. I'm Samwell Tarly. It's nice to finally meet you.”

Sansa moves forward to shake the lawyer's hand. He isn't what she was expecting. He's young, for one – maybe only a few years older than her. And he seems just as nice in person as he'd been over the phone. She didn't think lawyers came in nice.

“We should have met at your office,” she says, eyeing up the weeds sprouting from between the gravel and brushing against her ankles. “I didn't realize the road here would be so...”

Mr. Tarly laughs. “This place has been abandoned for quite some time,” he agrees. “I never met Brynden myself, but I’d heard about him. Apparently he decided to up and travel the world and left this…”

Sansa looks back at the crumbling mansion and feels her face scrunch up. She tries to smooth it out. “So, how fast do you think I can sell this?” she asks.

That’s when Mr. Tarly’s smile falters. “Well,” he starts, hesitant, “you see, it’s in such a poor state, I can’t imagine anyone would be willing to buy it.”

“But the land must be worth something? They can just knock it down and-”

“Ah,” Mr. Tarly winces, and Sansa’s sentence breaks off, unfinished. “I suppose you didn’t read all the fine print?” At the slow shake of her head, he grimaces. “Riverrun Manor is a historic property. You, legally, are not allowed to tear the structure down. Anything you do needs to go through lots of committee approvals…”

“So what you’re saying,” Sansa says, closing her eyes as reality crashes down around her, “is that literally no one is going to want to buy this.”

“Maybe if you find someone who’s both very rich, and very interested in Riverlands history?”

She opens her eyes and there must be a glare on her face, because Mr. Tarly winces again.

Then she turns back to the manor, and really looks at it this time. Beneath the grime and the moss and the crumbling wood, she can see what it used to be.

“What if I fixed it up a bit?” she asks, turning back to the lawyer. “What if I just did the major repairs, do you think someone would buy it then?”

She doesn’t want to do that, but it beats letting the property sit around even longer and paying the taxes on it. Or, worse, not paying the taxes and having that on her and her sibling’s financial records.

“I’m not a real estate agent,” Mr. Tarly responds, looking at the building thoughtfully. “But this is a good location, lots of historic stuff around. I wouldn’t doubt you could sell it if the building weren’t… well, that.” He waves his hand towards the manor.

“Alright,” she nods. “Maybe we should head to your office to do the paperwork, though? Then I’ll… I guess I’ll look for a contractor?”

Sam nods, and a bright smile lights his face again. “Oh, I know someone you can call!”

[tallerthantale]

the problem is that Johnny Depp also blatantly lied about stuff that was evidently untrue and somehow this did not taint his credibility with the jury. he claimed that damning texts sent from his phone must have been sent by someone else who managed to reproduce his unique writing patterns. he insisted that she broke his finger despite the multiple texts of him admtting to have done it himself. he denied to have ever headbutt her but then got exposed admiting to it on tape. there are entire articles breaking down his lies and inconsistencies on the cross examination.

Credibility is not a binary. I would argue Depp did lose some credibility with the jury, given that he lost on one of Heard's defamation counterclaims.

The texts to the doctor where Depp mentions the finger injury were framed in a way that is very normal for a person who didn't want to press charges at the time. Imagine the classic architype of a battered woman who shows up to a hospital with a broken arm, claiming she fell down the stairs. Imagine she comes into court years later, and the medical records are pulled. Imagine a lawyer grandstanding that "this woman is a proven liar, because when she was still in the relationship, she admitted herself that she broke her own arm hurling herself down the stairs!" I don't buy that argument. Not in the classic case, and not in this one either.

Differences in how events are characterized are pretty normal for witness testimony. Depp describes the 'headbutt' incident as an accidental head to head impact while he was trying to defend himself. In recordings, he accepts Heard's framing of it as a 'headbutt.' I don't think we are required to take the framing either uses in the tapes as face value confessions. Heard argues herself that you shouldn't, because if you take their statements in the tapes as face value confessions, you have to recon with the fact that Heard confesses to an avalanche of horrific things in them. Listen to the full tapes for yourself.

For me the biggest failure of Depp's credibility is how many holes there likely are in his memory. If he says something didn't happen, I'm instantly translating that into he doesn't remember if that happened. I think the mystery text issue falls into that. It is entirely possible that he sent it but has no memory of it. IIRC he also has multiple phones that he switches between based on the country he's in, and has staff handling them. Given his particular life context, I think it is plausible that he would think that he didn't send it.

The list of things Heard has done that damage her credibility on that sort of scale are beyond counting, and I'm not going to rehash them. The reason I bring up the hue / saturation adjusted photo lies is because there is no plausible explanation. There is no room for accident. There is no good faith interpretation. There is no benefit of a doubt to give her. It is not reduced credibility, it is demolished into the negative credibility.

Depp is a very poor quality witness as to what he didn't do, but he generally reads like someone who is at least attempting to be honest. In comparison, Heard will blatantly metaphorically piss on you and tell you it's raining. She treated the jury that way to their face. So by the preponderance of evidence, I think it is reasonable for them to give more credibility to Depp. But also, for the sake of people who haven't seen my previous comments on this topic, I don't rule out the possibility that he abused her at some point, and I absolutely condemn the misogynistic hate mobs that have formed around the case.

Part of why I'm going so hard on raising awareness around the NG allegations (all of which I find highly credible and highly damning) is that I do not trust the news media to handle it well when cases don't fit into stereotypical narratives. The discrepancy between what happened in the Depp v. Heard case and how it was described by the media was absolutely appalling. I followed the full actual case, not people's curated characterizations of it.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hi Steph!

I see that you’ve been asking people to ask you for fic recs to help post some of the lists you’ve had saved for awhile.

So what’s a list that you’re really proud of but is for something kind of obscure that you don’t think anyone will ask for?

(referencing this post)

Hey Lovely!

AHHH Thank you for asking!

Ahhh, not REALLY??? I do have some lists that have been sitting ready to post for awhile, so I'm gonna give y'all one of those ones!

I know that I've been asked for this one a lot in the recent past, so let's do this one! Enjoy!

HURT / COMFORT Pt 4 - 50K+ Pt. 1

See also:

Hurt / Comfort Pt. 1: Under 5K Words

Hurt / Comfort Pt. 2: 5K to 10K Words

Hurt / Comfort Pt. 3: 10K to 50K Words

Triage by scullyseviltwin (E, 51,612 w. || Character Injury, Introspection) – Sherlock’s mind goes exceedingly, devastatingly quiet and gray-blank. When he speaks it’s through a thick haze, it’s through molasses, he’s so disconnected from the words that it may as well be the unconscious shooter speaking.

Coventry by standbygo (E, 52,020 w. || Dollhouse AU || Case Fic, Slow Burn, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, First Kiss / Time, Attempted Rape, BAMF John) – “Let me get this straight,” John said, wondering when his life had become a science fiction film. “Some guy orders up a personality, a person, to his specifications, and they program this into a real live person, who has consented to do this, and she goes to this person and acts as his wife, or lawyer, or Royal Marine, or Navy Seal or what have you, and she has all the skills, all the knowledge, everything? Then you say the magic words, and she follows you back to The House, and they erase it all until her next appointment?”

Lost Without My Blogger by starrysummernights (E, 52,155 w. || Reverse Reichenbach, PTSD, Hurt / Comfort, Fluff / Angst, Psychological Torture, Reunion Fic, Friends to Lovers) – John is abducted and declared dead. How will Sherlock cope without his blogger? How will he react when John comes back from the "dead?" Drama and angst with a healthy dose of romance. Part 1 of I'd Be Lost Without My Blogger

A Hundred Crimson Sols by elldotsee (E, 55,536 w. || Astronauts AU || Mars Exploration / Space Travel, Slow Burn, Shy Sherlock, Scientist Sherlock / Biomed Engineer John, Alternating POV, Mutual Pining, UST, Angst with Happy Ending, Domestic Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injuries, Suicidal Ideation, Zero-G Sex) – Will Holmes is a chemical researcher recognized widely for his contributions to the new Mars exploration program. Thanks to his ground-breaking developments, the IMMC (International Mars Mission Corporation) is one step closer to Martian colonization. Will and his team of scientists are headed out on the first of three manned missions before the first group of settlers arrive. Three days before launch, one of the crew has to be replaced. Will panics because...new people. The replacement is of course one John Watson, biomedical engineer and space hottie who was pretty sure he had retired from actual space exploration and was now content to work in the nice, quiet research lab. Can the crew survive this TOTALLY ROUTINE trip? Will they be able to endure each other for the looooooong trip in close quarters? Gonna be a wild ride... prepare for blast off. Part 1 of the SpaceBois go to Space series

Lunar Landscapes by J_Baillier (M, 57,046 w., 21 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || S3/TAB Fix-It, Slow Burn Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Confessions, Drugs, Pain, Medical, Injury, Sherlock Whump, Mental Health Issues, Panic Attacks, Romance, Secrets, Tragedy, Trauma, BAMF John, Doctor!John, Drug Addict Sherlock, Injured Sherlock, Grieving John, Idiots In Love,  Protective John, POV John Watson, PTSD Sherlock, Sherlock is a Mess, Medical Realism) – An accident forces John to face the fact that Sherlock's downward spiral had started long before his flight to exile even left the tarmac.

Scars by SilentAuror (E, 60,493 w. || Rape / Non-Con / Abuse, Gaslighting, Manipulation, Dub Con Elements, Homophobia, Angst With Happy Ending, Mary is Not Nice) – S3 rewrite, showing Mary’s manipulation of John as he realizes his love for Sherlock. Mary is not having it.

The Burning by SrebrnaFH (M, 60,658 w. || Reverse Reichenbach, Suicide, Depression, Hurt Sherlock / John, Separation, BAMF John, Good Big Brother Mycroft, Angst, Implied/Referenced Torture, Fake Character Death, Rescue Mission, Reconciliation / Reunion, Hospitalization, Marriage Proposal, Illnesses, Physical Therapy, Happily Ever After) – Something went very, very wrong. John had seemed, if not happy, then reasonably content with his life. Sherlock had never predicted something like THIS might have happened. Not in his worst nightmares. He was the lousiest friend ever, apparently. At least Mycroft found him something to occupy his mind with, so that he didn't have to go back to 221B and stare at the walls and the chair, where John Watson would never sit again.

You Have Drawn Red From My Hands by J_Baillier (T, 67,085 w. || Three Garridebs, Heavy John Whump, Hurt / Comfort, Pining, Heavy Angst, Case Fic/Adventure, Slow Burn, Sick Fic, Injury, Guilt & Depression, Just Talk Already Please, Medical Realism, PTSD) –  John getting injured leads Sherlock on a path of guilt and revelations.

Gold Rush by ShirleyCarlton (E, 71,783 w., 17 Ch. || Post S3 / No Mary, Friends to Lovers, Mentions of Past Sexual Abuse, First Kiss, Case Fic, Slow Burn, Alternating POV, Switchlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Marriage Proposal, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Abduction, Anxious/Insecure Sherlock, Miscommunication, Emotional Lovemaking) – John has divorced Mary and pops round to 221B one evening to find Sherlock in the middle of a case. As Sherlock tries to find the identity of a young woman’s stalker, John realises he can no longer deny his feelings for Sherlock – which then, to their befuddlement, turn out to be mutual. Shy kisses and tentative embraces ensue. But will Sherlock be able to cast off a shadow from his past that he thinks might prevent John from wanting to stay?

The Monument of Memory by J_Baillier (M, 79,663 w., 14 Ch. || Post S4 Fix It Fic / S4 is Canon, Angst, Family Drama, Guilt, Case Fic, John Loves Sherlock, Complicated Feelings, Mentalism / Hypnosis, Murder, Grieving John, Sherlock is a Bit Not Good, Team Work, Trust Issues, BAMF John, Psychological Trauma, Protective John, Autistic-Spectrum Sherlock, Parentlock, John POV) –  A genius traumatised by a past he's only beginning to recall. The psychopath sister that time forgot. A missing woman and a mentalist who may or may not be a murderer. And, in the middle of it all, stands John Watson.

Thermocline by J_Baillier (M, 83,557 w., 14 Ch. || Scuba Diving AU || Adventure, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Marine Archaeology, Asexual Sherlock, Horny John, Relationship Drama, Technical/Scuba/Wreck Diving, Slow Burn, Underwater /  Medical Peril, Doctor John, Hurt Sherlock, Anxious Sherlock, John POV, Protective John, Body Appreciation) – John "Five Oceans" Watson — technical dive instructor, dive accident analyst and weapon of mass seduction — meets recluse professor of maritime archaeology Holmes. As they head out to a remote archipelago off the coast of Guatemala to study and film its shipwrecks for a documentary, will sparks fly or fizzle out?

Swallow the Night by ArwaMachine (E, 87,873 w., 15 Ch. || TSo3/Stag Night Fix It, TAB/S4 Divergence, Toplock, Mutual Pining, PWP, Drunk / Public Sex, Anal Fingering/Sex, Alcohol-Induced Amnesia, Everyone Knows Except Them, Emotional Love Confession, Demisexual Sherlock, Internalized Homophobia [John], Parentlock with Rosie, First Kiss, Drug Relapse, Infidelity, Texting, Masturbation, Oblivious John, Emotional Love Making, Angst with Happy Ending, Dreams and Nightmares) – “Do you know how long,” John panted, his cheek scraping against the wall, looking back at Sherlock through half-closed eyes, “I’ve wanted this?” Sherlock pressed himself against John’s back, biting at John’s ear. “Not nearly as long as I have,” he whispered.

Bleed Me Out by antietamfalls (E, 87,987 w. || Vampire AU || Bonding, Vampire Sherlock, Fluff & Angst, H/C, John Whump, Magical Realism) – John isn’t exactly surprised to discover that Sherlock isn't human. His vampirism doesn't pose a problem, even when their relationship gradually grows into something more. That is, until a deadly revelation about John’s blood sends their lives spinning dangerously out of control.

Bakers with Benefits by Raina_at (E, 88,130 w., 14 Ch. || Great British Bake Off AU || Strangers to Lovers, Switchlock, Friends with Benefits, Mentions of Alcoholism / Past Drug Use, Banter, Flirting, Fluff, Light Angst, Semi-Public Sex, Past Sherlock/Victor, Mutual Pining, POV Sherlock, Obsessive Sherlock, John’s Bum) – Sherlock Holmes has a successful YouTube baking channel, but what he really wants is his own bakery. When an old friend sends him a call for the very first Great British Bake Off, he seizes the opportunity to finally win a sponsor for his bakery. Here's the plan: Win Bake Off, get the bakery, don't fall in love with the handsome Army doctor at the neighbouring station. Easy.

Northwest Passage by Kryptaria (E, 95,157 w., 27 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Canadian AU ||  BAMF!John, Canadian John, PTSD, Anal / Oral Sex, Rimming, Emotional Hurt / Comfort, Drug Rehab, Falling in Love, Pining Sherlock, Love Confessions, Sherlock’s Violin, Panic Attacks, Switching, Anxious / Protective Sherlock, Hugs for Comfort, Suicide Mentions, Healing Each Other) – Seven years ago, Captain John Watson of the Canadian Forces Medical Service withdrew from society, seeking a simple, isolated life in the distant northern wilderness of Canada. Though he survives from one day to the next, he doesn't truly live until someone from his dark past calls in a favor and turns his world upside-down with the introduction of Sherlock Holmes." Part 1 of Tales from the Northwest

The Heart In The Whole by verityburns (E, 101,650 || Post-TGG Canon Divergence, Blindness, Drama & Angst, H/C, First Time) – Events after 'The Great Game' leave Sherlock dependent on his best friend and colleague. But John has a secret of his own...

A Study in Winning by Jupiter_Ash (E, 106,658 w. || Tennis AU || John POV, Dirty Talk, Mutual Pining, Misunderstandings, Happy Ending, Sherlock Speaks French, Switchlock, Wimbledon) – John and Sherlock are professional tennis players and it’s Wimbledon. One is a broken almost was at the end of his career, the other an arrogant rising star tipped for greatness. It should have been a straightforward tournament. It really should have been. How were they to know that a chance encounter would change everything? Part 1 of Tennis

Drawn to Stars by Silvergirl (E, 109,272 w., 60 Ch. || S4 Compliant to TLD / TFP Doesn’t Exist, Sherlock’s Italian Adventure, Sherlock/OC and Johnlock, Jealous John, Mutual Pining, Misunderstandings, First Kiss/Time, Idiots in Love, 3 Part Story, Slow Burn, Inexperienced Sherlock, Bottom Sherlock, Introspection, Alternating First and Third Person POV, Separation and Reconciliation, Emotional Love Making, Love Confessions via Letters, Angst with Happy Ending) – After the Culverton Smith case Sherlock is clean, working, and looking for a romantic partner—since John has told him that’s what he needs. Shame John didn’t mention he was interested in that role himself, before Sherlock went off to Rome with a gorgeous Italian copper to try to fall in love and become a complete human being.  Part 1 of the Drawn to Stars series

Two Two One Bravo Baker by abundantlyqueer (E, 114,574 w. || Military AU || Afghanistan, War Story, Thriller) – Captain John Watson of 40 Commando, the Royal Marines, is assigned to protect and assist Sherlock Holmes as he investigates what appears to be a simple war atrocity in Afghanistan. An intense attraction ignites between the two men as they uncover a conspiracy that threatens everything they’ve ever known, but Sherlock is as much hunted as hunter, and everyone close to him is in deadly danger. Can he solve the case in time to save himself and John? Part 1 of Two Two One Bravo Baker Universe

Breakable by MissDavis (E, 117,627 w. || Established, Fluff/Angst, Depression, Paralysis, Happy-ish Ending) – After John is seriously injured, Sherlock struggles to figure out how to help him, keep himself sane, and maybe, just maybe, get their life back to the way it's supposed to be. Part 1 of Breakable Not Broken

To Light Another's Path by BeautifulFiction (E, 128,654 w. || Post-TGG, Sick Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Drug Addiction / Recreational Drug Use, First Time / Kiss, Case Fic) – Teaching John to observe seems to be a losing battle, but when Sherlock falls ill and submits himself to John's care, will he realise that there is more to life than the science of deduction? Meanwhile, there is a murder to solve, and John must try and convince Sherlock not to sacrifice his own health for the sake of the case.

The Bang and the Clatter by earlgreytea68 (M, 137,049 w. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Baseball AU || Slow Burn / Developing Relationship, Possessive/Obsessive Sherlock, Jealous Sherlock, Mutual Pining, Body Appreciation, Depression, Closeted Sexuality, Family, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Ogling Each Other, Anxious Sherlock, Panic Attack, Drunkenness, Talk of Forever, Big Feelings™) – Sherlock Holmes is a pitcher and John Watson is a catcher. No, no, no, it's a baseball AU. Part 1 of Baseball

The Adventure of the Silver Scars by tangledblue (NR [M], 142,458 w., 41 Ch. || S3 Fix-It, Post-HLV/ Post-TAB / Canon Compliant, Case Fic, No Baby, Angst, Humour, UST, Slow Burn, Angry John, Reconciliation, Not Nice Mary / Leaving Mary, Dependent Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Caretaker John, Fist Fights, It’s An Experiment, Virgin Sherlock, Dancing, Drugging, John Whump, Pet Names, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Scars) – It’s been thirteen months since Mary shot Sherlock and John finds he’s still pissed off about it. Sherlock had thought everything was settled: John and Mary, domestic bliss. But when John turns up at Baker Street with suitcases, the world’s only consulting detective might not be prepared for the consequences. A new case. Some old scores to settle. Certain danger. Concertos, waltzes, and whisky.

Proving A Point by elldotsee & J_Baillier (E, 186,270 w., 28 Ch. || Me Before You Fusion || Medical Realism, Insecure John, Depression, Romance, Angst, POV John, Sherlock Whump, Serious Illness, Doctor John, Injury Recovery, Assisted Suicide, Sherlock’s Violin, Awkward Sexual Situations, Alcoholism, Drugs, Idiots in Love, Slow Burn, Body Image, Friends to Lovers, Hurt / Comfort, Pain, Big Brother Mycroft, Intimacy, Anxiety, PTSD, Family Issues, Psychological Trauma, John Whump, Case Fics, Loneliness, Pain) – Invalided home from Afghanistan, running out of funds and convinced that his surgical career is over, John Watson accepts a mysterious job offer to provide care and companionship for a disabled person. Little does he know how much hangs in the balance of his performance as he settles into his new life at Musgrave Court.

Fallen Series by Belladonna_Q, mamishka (T, 222,094 w. across 3 works || Winglock || Angel!John, Angels & Demons, Faes, Christianity, Changelings) – In a world where myth, mystery, and the supernatural flourish beneath the veneer of modern civilization, Sherlock is a master of magic as well as science and deduction. But there are some things that he cannot see, riddles he cannot unravel, even when they walk right beside him in the form of one John Watson…