#putting those panels side by side... [chuckling and nodding] it's peak

[sanguinesucker]

[weaselbrownie]

forever | d.m

draco malfoy x slytherin!reader

summary : in sixth year draco started to drift away from her leaving her in the dark, until one night when she decides that enough is enough and tries to find out what’s going on in him, leading in her finding his dark mark

warnings : Mentions of blood, swearing, angst, emotional roller coaster draco

word count : 5k

Two weeks 

It has been two weeks since you've had a proper conversation with Draco. You were quite confused why he was ignoring you. Sure you both aren't in a relationship, but you've always been close. You've always had a specific relationship with Draco, maybe even kissed a few times but nothing's official. All you know was that you were his and he was yours, it has always been and it will always be. 

When Draco broke his arm in the second year. When you tripped down the staircase in the third year. When he got in a big argument with his dad in the fourth year. When there was a nasty rumor going around about you in the fifth year. 

It was always the two of you against the world.

Well– at least it was until now, the sixth year, the year where Draco started to drift away from you. You have tried so hard to pull him aside and talk but he won't budge, always in a hurry to go somewhere or do something. You were about to give up before you saw him, he was leaving the room of requirement and into the abandoned boy's lavatory in the west wing. 

From the moment he caught your eye you followed him. Sprinting behind him as the soft wind blow on your face. Draco was walking at quite a fast pace, entering the lavatory he shut the door with a loud bang just as you were about to reach for him. 

Fortunately, he didn't lock it so you could slip in easily. Tiptoeing towards the middle of the cold room your skin littered in goosebumps, not knowing what to expect. You have never been here before so the outline of the room was unfamiliar. You made your way to the end of the room to see Draco scrunched up in the corner of the room by a large panel window, overlooking the dark horizon. He hugged his knees before dropping his head in the middle of it. 

He was still, he didn't even look like he was breathing. You moved away from the middle of the hall and to the back of a bathroom stall to hide your body. Moments later Draco finally picked up his head again and fixed his position to sit crisis cross in front of the large window.  His head tilted up to watch the stars, it was bright tonight. The dark sky littered with millions of shining stars. The full moon adding to the beauty, the soft light reflected onto Draco's pale skin making him glow. 

Slowly you peaked out from behind the stall to walk towards him. He didn't recognize your presence at all, seeing as his focus still laid on the sky above him. 

"Beautiful, isn't it?" You softly said looking down at Draco and then up to the sky. 

Draco let out a surprised gasp before turning around to look up at you. His gaze stuck to you as he didn't move a muscle, he just sat there, bright silver eyes wide open piercing into yours. You took your vision off of the sky and into Draco below you. You let out a small smile before walking a few steps towards him again. 

"Can I sit?" You chuckled again seeing as you will be doing most of the talking tonight. 

Much to your dismay, Draco didn't reply but rather just nodded before turning around to look out the window again. You settled next to the boy and brought your knees up to your chest before wrapping yourself in your robe. Even though it's late you both still sat in your uniform considering you both had extra classes today. 

You smiled to yourself before turning to face Draco. His face was soft and relaxed, you could tell he's been stressed lately and this was calming him down. His eyes fixed staring at one of the constellations in the sky. You followed his gaze that landed on a familiar star. 

"That's Draco right?" You whispered to him while looking at the sky. 

He seems to be taken back considering he broke the eye contact with the star to look at you. He crooked his head to the side before opening his mouth to let out a few soft words.

"How do you know that?"He genuinely asked, confused on how you managed to remember one of the many stars in the sky.

You let out a soft chuckle before turning to face Draco who's already looking at you with big shining eyes. "I listen you know" You smiled at the boy in front of you. 

What you said was true, Draco is known to drone on and on about the topics he's passionate about, one of them being constellations. The two of you have been sneaking off to the astronomy tower since the second year. When the sky was bright and you could see the stars, he wouldn't hesitate to start talking about them. About how he got Draco as his name or how his extended family's name is all made up of all the constellations in the sky. At times you would even fall asleep on him whilst he talks about the stars, he thinks you don't listen but you do, when have you not listened to Draco.

"All those times we snuck up the tower?" He asked with a soft smile dancing on the corner of his lips. 

You returned the smile and nodded. "I've always loved it when you talk about the stars" you softly started looking into his eyes. "Or when you find a new book in the library– and you read it to me" You chuckled at every memory of Draco excitedly reading to you.

Draco's mouth hung open for a few moments letting your words sink in before turning it into a smile. It was a genuine smile, a smile he hadn't shown anyone in the past two weeks. You felt a little better, even just seeing his smile. He was silent but you could read his eyes, how they sparkle in the dark telling you that he was glad you're there. You snuck your hand on top of his and he gladly took them, flipping his palm over to close his big hand around your small one. 

His smile didn't last long, as Draco unexpectedly launched himself at you, bringing you into a soul-crushing hug. He didn't have to say anything and you knew he needed this, so you hugged him back, snaking your arms around his torso and letting your head rest on his shoulder. 

The two of you stayed like that for a while before he pulled away and moved to lean against one of the big pillars by the window. You watched as she scattered on the floor searching for the perfect spot and position. You kept your eyes on him, watching as the front of his white hair fall against his forehead. Not long after he finally settled down and parted his legs before extending it and patting the space in front of him, motioning for you to sit in between his legs. 

You smiled before gathering yourself to crawl over to his arms. You set yourself in front of him, your back connected to his chest. You leaned back getting comfortable in his embrace as you looked over to the right to take in the dark scenery. His arms snaked to your torso keeping you close to him before you felt his chin on your shoulder, huffing out a loud sigh. 

It was moments like these that you cherish most. Moments where you and Draco are most vulnerable in private. Nobody has seen either of you like this, the both of you have such strict reputations. To the world, the two of you were the great big scary Draco Malfoy and Y/N Y/L/N, the two cold Slytherins, the two most heartless students in all of Hogwarts. 

But to the two of you– you're just Y/N, and he is just Draco. You're just kids who’re trying to have fun and pass school. You're just people who want to make it in the real world. You're just two lost souls who need one another to keep going. 

So deep in your thoughts, you didn't even notice Draco calling your name. You blinked a few times before leaning your head against his, slightly shifting towards him. 

"Yes Draco?" you cooed to the boy behind you. 

"Thank you.." He mumbled slowly into your shoulder before a smile formed his lips. 

You chuckled again before turning your head to give him a peck on the side of his hairline. You fixed your position and sunk on the floor even more and leaned back on him. He picked his head up from your shoulder and leaned back to the cold marble pillar, tightening his grip on your torso. 

You smiled to yourself before putting your hands over his to trace his fingers. Whilst playing with his hands one of your fingers traced a bit too far up into his sleeves and you felt something that wasn't supposed to be there. 

The skin on the inside of his left wrist felt different, it wasn't smooth like the rest of him. It was as if someone was harshly scratching on the delicate skin. His grip was strong and so you couldn't see what your fingers felt just seconds ago. 

You start to worry, overthinking in your head. Is this part of the reason Draco has been so distant? What has he been doing? There was nothing more you want to do than just turn around and ask him but right now it wasn't an option. Draco has been avoiding you for weeks and if you ask a sensitive subject now he might just run out of your life forever. Pushing all the bizarre thoughts out of your head you decided to drop it and ask another time. 

So instead of confronting him, you let go of his left wrist and just placed your hands on his forearms. Snuggling deeper into Draco you find yourself drifting. The cool atmosphere of the bathroom and the dimly lit room not helping you fight the urge to fall asleep. So with the last of energy you have, you push yourself up and turned around to find Draco asleep. 

You smiled softly at him before caressing his cheeks and whispered his name to wake him. Draco's eyes flutter and he readjusted his position. Draco sat upright and held your hips, silently asking if everything was alright. 

"We need to head back" You whispered to him with your hands still on his cheek.

He simply nodded before stretching his neck and getting up. You turned around still on your knees before bending down and picking up your bookbag. Standing up with ease you turned around once more to see Draco looking down at you. You smiled at him before you start to head for the door. You could barely get 5 steps in before Draco came next to you and took your book bag from your shoulder and slinging it onto his shoulder instead. You stopped in your tracks and looked up at him, however, Draco didn't stop. He kept walking at a slow pace until he reached the door. 

"Well.. come on now," Draco said looking back at you while extending his hand in your direction. 

You were surprised yes, but that didn't stop you from blushing before jogging up to meet him. You took his hand and the both of you started to wall down the dark hallway hand in hand. 

After that night Draco has made more of an effort to spend time with you, he didn't run off after class like he used to, he even sat down every meal with you. Things were starting to get back to normal, but not quite yet. Every night after dinner Draco always has an excuse, Snape needs him or the prefects’ duties, but you knew he was lying but you didn't want to push your luck– until tonight. 

You decided you've had enough of being kept in the dark and decided to confront him. You were about to do it after dinner but per usual he's already gone, running into the dark spots of Hogwarts. Slightly annoyed you decided it'll be best if you just wait for him in his dorm. 

After Dumbledore dismissed everyone you practically sprint down to the dungeons and into the cold green common room, rushing up the stairs you went into the boy's section, thank Merlin for Draco's private prefect dorm. You opened the door and slowly crept in. His dorm was a little chilly, his books neatly stacked on his desk and his bed nicely made. 

You shrugged off your robe and placed it on his chair before coming to sit on his soft bed. You took a seat on the edge of the bed and took in the scenery of his dorm before collapsing backward and taking a pillow to snuggle. 

Draco left you waiting for around 15 minutes before coming back. The hood of your eyes started to get heavy as it flutters. Before you could completely close your eyes the door burst open revealing a flushed Draco. Your body jolted up in surprise, and you quickly stood in panic. Once you saw who it was you let yourself sit on the edge of the bed again.

"What are you doing here?" Draco blurted out in a not-so-welcoming tone. 

"I was waiting for you," You said slowly as you stood up from the bed. 

Draco eyed you up and down, your hair was slightly messy and your uniform was all halfway done. The top button of your shirt undone and your tie loose, your jumper raised to your hips and your skirt hitched a little higher than usual.

"Now isn't a good time love"  Was all Draco said before turning around to shrug off his robe and placed it on top of yours. 

You fixed yourself a little, pulling your jumper and skirt down before walking a few steps towards him. "Draco–" You started in a slight whisper tone.

"Go back to your dorm, it's late and I'm tired," He said sternly.

"Dray please–" 

"I said I'm tired Y/L/N!" He hissed at you, turning around completely to face you.

You flinched backward at his action, Draco was many things but being aggressive with you wasn't one of them. You weren't scared, Draco would never in a million years hurt you, but you were rather surprised. 

"Draco please, I'm trying to fix something here!" You talked back to him showing him that you weren't going to back down. 

Draco only scoffed and rolled his eyes before taking his book bag that sat on the floor and swung it onto his shoulder. Walking past you and into the side of his bed where a large cabinet sat. You stood there, your eyes wide at his reaction. 

"Can you not be an arse for once Draco!" You turned around and shouted at him which caused him to freeze while putting his books away. 

Draco put the book he was holding on the floor before letting out a dark chuckle and smirked slightly. He picked up his head to look at you. Your face was red from rage and your arms crossed in front of you. Draco's jaw tensed and he backed away from the cabinet to stand straight. He mimics your posture, crossing both arms in front of his chest before slowly walking towards you. 

"I wasn't the one to break into someone else's dorm– just to annoy them with stupid questions– when clearly the other person is too tired to speak!" Draco practically growled at you, his eyes darkening and his smirk dropping. 

"Well forgive me for caring about you" You hissed back at the blond boy standing in front of you. 

"Oh cut the bullshit Y/L/N! I don't need you sticking your head somewhere it doesn't belong" Draco spat at you, walking closer than before. 

You groaned again in annoyance as you threw your hands up in the air, shuffling around in the spot where you stood. "You always do this Draco... Always!" You whispered the last part. "I just want to help you–" your sentence was cut short by Draco's loud groan. 

"Piss off Y/N! I don't need your help with anything, I'm capable thankyou very much" Draco hissed in a sarcastic tone at you. 

"What the fuck is your problem, I'm right here to offer you my hand and you're still pushing me away!" You shouted at him, tears on the verge of your eyes threatening to fall any second now. 

"Well I don't need it– So just leave, I know you want to!" He shouted back at you, taking more steps forward closer to your shaking figure. 

You were tired, your body aches from a long day of school and all you wanted to do was snuggle deep in Draco's warm embrace but here you were, screaming and snapping at each other. As Draco got closer you could see the smallest amount of tear on the corner of his eyes, he was tired just like you were. You pulled yourself together, if you give up now there might not be another chance. 

"Just go– I don't need you here Y/N..." He said sternly, trying to hold back something big. 

Your jaw tensed at his words and your mouth curled to the tiniest pout before you let a single tear roll down your face. You took a deep breath and shook your head a little. Your gaze dropped to your shoes as you were debating with yourself on what to do next. You decide that maybe it's time for a different approach. Trying to get him to talk clearly wasn't helping in any way. 

With your heart on the tips of your fingers, your hand reached up to hold his. His eyes stayed on you, burning a hole into your skull if possible. Your body jolts in electricity as the tip of your warm fingers touched his. Draco didn't move a muscle, he didn't even close his hand around yours like he usually would. 

Not giving up you stepped a little closer to Draco while your hand trailed up his forearm. Before you could move your hand even higher you touched the spot again. The spot you touched on the inside of his wrist many nights ago in the abandoned bathroom. Except for this time, it was a different texture, it wasn't just rough and dry it was damp. In panic, you tore your hand away from Draco and lifted it to your face. Your eyes widen in horror as you came face to face with blood. 

Your middle finger was stained with bits of dry blood, you gasped as did Draco. Before you could do anything he started to shuffle backward, you froze in place trying to process what just happened. 

"Dray–" You started softly just to get cut off once more. 

"I told you to leave Y/N– So leave!" Draco started to panic even more than you did.

You shook your head again before tearing your eyes away from your fingers to look at Draco. He was starting to really panic.  His chest was heaving up and down ad he stumbles while walking backward. His eyes were blank as he shook his head. Draco brought his hands up to loosened the tie around his neck as it was suffocating him. 

You started to move towards Draco, placing your hands in front of you to try to calm him down. That's when Draco broke. All the tears he tried hard to conceal burst down his face, his breath started to get uneven, you didn't know what to do so you watched him as he slowly broke down. 

Your heart aches just looking at him, Draco Malfoy, the boy you've loved for years on end. Draco fell back onto his bed and buried his head on the palms of his hands. Another tear escaped your eyes as you try to get closer to him. You placed a hand on his shoulder squeezing it reassuringly. He didn't look up or moved from his previous position, he just continued to sob into his hands. 

You took a seat next to him before placing the hand that was on his shoulder onto his cheek. Draco finally looked up to see your tear-stained face, he sniffled a little before completely throwing himself on you. His actions took you by surprise but you hugged him tightly back, rubbing his back you whispered sweet nothings into his ear that seems to calm him down a little. 

"Y/N you need to leave..." Draco mumbled into your shoulder, breaking the silence. 

"Wha– No!"  You said a little louder than he did as your eyes widened in surprise 

"I'm not going anywhere Draco– We'll get through this, w-whatever this is– I'm not gonna leav–" You were cut off by Draco once more when he tore away from your arms to stand up. 

"You don't get it Y/N! I'm dangerous–I could hurt you!" He shouted in frustration as his hand flew up to his blond locks

"Draco what could you possibly do to hurt me?" You stood up in front of him, confused about why he wants you to leave so badly. 

Draco shuffled around for a little, groaning in frustration every once in a while before streaming down tears on his face again. You didn't know what to do so you stayed in your spot, hugging your figure as you watched the boy in front of you. 

"Draco I'm sure it isn’t that bad– We can figure something out and then w–"

"I’m a death eater!" Draco shouted at you, shutting you up. 

As if all the love in the world was sucked, you stood staring at the figure in front of you. Your eyes widened at the realization of what Draco just said. You couldn't bring yourself to give a big reaction, you silently stood back let your tears out. 

"N-no.." You chocked out still not moving from your previous state. 

"Yes Y/N, I can't protect you anymore you have to leave!" Draco murmured, looking down onto the floor in shame. 

"No– Y-you can’t possibly be a death eater–" You said to him shaking your head in disbelief. 

"And why not Y/N? My dad's a death eater my whole family are death eaters! I was next in line and it was time–" Draco started as he stutters his words towards the shaking girl in front of him.

"Trust me when I said I would change the past if I could, but truth is I can't! Y/N I cant!" His words got louder as the frustration is getting to him.

"Every day I look on my arm and I see the mark of death, I am marked for death! And I tried to protect you for so long but I can only do so much Y/N– I've lost everything in my life and I can’t lose you too" Draco spat out, choking on his own tears and pain. 

"Dray–" You said, standing still in front of him hugging yourself as you watch him get all his pain and anger out. 

Before you could get another word out Draco aggressively rolled up his sleeve revealing his dark mark– surrounded by red scratches. You gasped as your hand flew to your mouth covering it. "Look what they did to me!" Draco shouted as more tears run down his pale face. 

"Oh Draco.." You murmured as you start to walk towards him. When you were just a few feet in front of him you extended your hand out to take his one. You grasped his hand in yours softly before lifting it higher. Your eyes scan his arm, every detail of the dark mark, every end of scar from his scratches. 

You finally let go of his arm and your hand snaked up to hold his face. His tears seemed to have stopped but each drop was strained on his face. You tore your gaze away from his arms and focused on him. Looking up you could see his bright eyes peaked from his heavy lids and thick lashes. 

Draco seems to notice how you're memorizing every detail on his face, he looked into your eyes before looking into your lips and back at your eyes. You noticed his little glance and decided to just go for it. 

Without moving too much you closed the space between the two of you. Your lips pecked his slightly chapped one before cupping his face with your other hand that previously sat on his arm. Draco stayed still for a moment before returning your kiss with even more passion. You were getting dizzy as if all the crying wasn't already enough to knock you out, you were breathing hard against Draco. His arms snaked to your hips as he deepened the kiss a little. After what seems like an eternity you pulled away and wiped his wet face with your thumbs. 

"You really thought I was going to walk away from you?" You softly asked, breaking the heavy silence that sat in the dim room. 

Draco didn't answer you but rather just nodded in shame. "Can I ask a question?" You said again looking into his face. Draco looked back up at you and silently nodded again. "Why did you scratch it?" You murmured at the boy in front of you. 

"It's stupid, but sometimes it hurts so much that I thought it would just come off if I scratch it deep enough..." Draco said slowly as his jaw tightens. 

Your heart breaks at his answer, all this time Draco has been going through all of this alone in fear that you would run away. All this time you could've helped prevent him from hurting himself but you didn't. You cursed yourself for not asking sooner. You nodded when he finished his statement and hugged him. Your arms making way to the back of his neck as you rested your head on his shoulder, Draco holding on to you tighter in fear you might just disappear if he didn't. 

You lead him away from the spot where you stood and towards his connecting bathroom, stopping at his dresser to take out a jumper and some random sweatpants. You entered the cold bathroom and goosebumps started to form on your skin. Slowly you backed him up against the sink countertop as he leaned on the edge. 

"You need to change," You said softly to the boy in front of you. 

"Can you help?" Draco said as he placed a hand onto your arm when you were just about to leave the bathroom. 

You smiled up to the boy before nodding. You brushed a fallen hair behind your ear before placing your hands on the bottom of his jumper. Slowly you lifted the piece of clothing as Draco held his arm up. When you got the jumper off you started to work your hands on his tie, he kept his eyes on you the whole time. Just when you got his tie off he came down and attacked your lips with his again. You slowly kissed him back as if you've been together forever. Your hands continue to undo the buttons on his shirt, and when you got to the bottom you pulled away from his lips just to reattach them on his collarbone, spreading little kisses on his cold skin. You tugged his shirt off before you moved down your lips to his chest, after discarding him of his shirt you pulled away and place your lips on his once more before completely pulling away to get the fresh jumper sitting on the counter. 

Before you placed the jumper on him you reached for your wand and held up his wrist. You looked up at him silently asking if he was okay and he gave you a nod of confirmation for you to clean his scratched arm. You quickly whispered a spell that cleaned his arms and wrapped them in a bandage. You placed your wand back onto the counter as you brought his wrist up to your lips giving it a quick peck. 

You took the jumper and continued to dress him, doing the same with his pants before changing yourself too. You went over to the sink and splashed some water on your face as Draco copied your actions. 

After the two of you got comfortable you lead him out of the bathroom and back into his room. You continued to lead him to the bed and opened the covers to get him in the warm embrace of his bed. You tucked him in, bringing the covers up to his chest and kissing the top of his head before you started to walk away. Draco grabbed your hand keeping you in place just when you turned around. 

"Stay.." He softly said looking up at your figure. 

You turned around and smiled at him before coming to the other side of the bed and got under the covers with him. You shuffled in under the covers to get closer to Draco as he did the same. You laid your arms out for Draco to crawl in and that's exactly what he did. The scent of citrus and mint wash over you as he snuggled closer to you, resting his head on the crook of your neck. His arms snaked onto your hips and his legs tangled themselves with yours. You closed your arms around his shoulder to keep him close and kissed the top of his head before playing with the ends of his hair. 

"I'm not going anywhere Dray" You murmured into his hair as you felt him shift a little under you and fasten his arms on your hips. 

"Yeah?.." He replied softly not moving from his position. 

"Everything that's gonna happen after this, I'll be here, I'll always be here" You smiled into his hair as you make a promise you know you will never break.

"Forever?.." Draco asked as he snuggled deeper into you.

"Forever"

[belovedwithkindness]

Part 16 of my Nygmobblepot story ‘What Can Fly Without Wings?’

The Riddler has set up Oswald and Ed on a (possible deadly) date to work out their issues.

Sneak Peak of Ch16: Oswald didn’t even have to say anything, he just let his hands drop and gave Ed access which was swiftly taken, a warm quiet settled between them as Ed dutifully tied Oswald’s tie to his high standards he believed his friend deserved and finished with a proud “there.”

“Thank you, Eddie” Oswald chimed, something so familiar and cozy about the simple act and Oswald moved away just to start putting on his suit jacket which matched the rest of his outfit.

Everything about The Penguin meticulously chosen and styled, yet it was the personality that came through those green eyes and smile, just how he carried himself too, Ed couldn’t stop himself as he leaned in for a kiss.

Oswald hadn’t been expecting it so a small surprised squeak was muffled between their lips, but eventually his long lashed fluttered closed and he melted into it.It didn’t last long, but the feelings fuelled into it were strong, and as they parted Ed didn’t move away far as he asked just above a whisper “do you have any idea how important you are to me, Oswald?”

Staring up into Ed’s handsome face, Oswald was half surprised he’d managed to string a sentence together as he replied “if it’s like how I feel for you, I have some idea…”

How did it feel so heated all of a sudden? A magnetism neither could explain pulling them closer to each other and leaning in for another kiss, just shy of contact they flinched as the heard Oswald’s phone buzzing and they turned to look at it.With a small sigh Oswald answered the call, only on the line for a few seconds before hanging up and saying “th-that’s the car” still feeling a little flustered.

Ed smiled and nodded, placing a brief kiss to the man’s cheek before going to collect an umbrella for the weather and his keys to lock up while Oswald went to the box on the desk he had yet to open and pulled out a luxurious coat. By the time Ed stood by the apartment door ready to hold it open for his date, he turned and looked to have his breath taken away in an instant.

On top of the immaculate suit and his glamorous makeup Oswald stood then in a dramatic coat to finish the outfit, panels of it were in a deep purple filigree that glittered in the light while other panels were a luxurious black and the collar and cuffs were lined with black feathers. The soft tufts of feather flirted about Oswald’s delicate looking hands and ivory neck and face. So opulent. So…unashamedly fabulous.

Like a boastful bird and it was a sight that made Ed’s heart happy to see.The whole image together really created a picture of the man, Oswald isn't big or tall, not strong, but fuck, that character, the way he holds himself - Ed gulped, how had he not been on his knees for just a glance from the man before? How had he managed to forget his affections for so long, coming back in greater power now and damned if Oswald wasn’t rubbing it in looking like that.

As though it couldn’t get any better, the finishing touch came as Oswald plucked from one box his trusty cane, complete with penguin head shaped silver handle which doubled as a secret dagger and the change to his demeanour, elevated somewhat, had Ed a puddle of goo figuratively speaking.

“Eddie? you okay?” Oswald asked, tilting his head to one side slightly as he questioned Ed’s rather hazy gaze.

Ed barely moved, he only nodded and managed a small, stunned almost “fantastic” and continued shamelessly ogling him to the point Oswald was sure his blush must be showing through his foundation.

Deciding to just roll with it, and find the gaze thoroughly flattering, Oswald stepped closer to the man he’d dreamed of being with for so long and chuckled “good to know.” Oswald even stood proudly and asked “it’s not too much?” fully knowing the answer and he’d reject anything negative regardless.

“Never too much” Ed answered, his voice deeper as he still couldn’t stop looking, it was only as Oswald passed him by in the doorway that Ed snapped out of it and started to lock the door.

As they reached the ground floor the rain was pouring down and luckily Ed had remembered an umbrella, for once it being him to have one to hand instead of his counterpart, so with a grin Ed opened it up to cover them both. With his height it was simple enough but to stay close, as well as to get close,  Ed offered his arm which Oswald swiftly accepted, locking his arm around Edward’s as they started to make their way towards the car.

“Such a gentleman” Oswald chimed, leaning that little bit easier on his friend and now date. Ed just smiled as they walked as a pair, how they were meant to be.

[ithinkhesgaybutwesavedmufasa]

Addicted To You

Part VI: Hold On Loosely

Summary/Author’s Note: ITS BEEN SO LONG. I MISSED FRANKIE SO MUCH. also. Holy shit, I love you guys. Part I -- has been my first fic to reach 500+ notes and that is just bananas to me and also wild that it was Frankie that did it. He deserves all of the love. 

So, for those who have seen the movie know what is about to happen. But it might not be in the way you think. We get a little bit more Reader and Pope interaction and someone mentioned wondering about her relationship with Benny and I was like Oh perfect timing for this then...Enjoy. Gif credit to @pascalplease 

Pairing: Frankie Morales x Pope’s Sister!Reader Word Count: 4.1k Warnings/Rating: R/18+ Language, TOM (yeah he moved up), No one fucking listening to Frankie, Frustration, Intense situations, FUCKING murder, pining/longing, getting slightly turned on by Frankie piloting again--don’t lie we all do it, Frankie distress, blood/injuries

Part I * Part II * Part III * Part IV * Part V (bold means smut**)

[MASTERLIST]

--

“What’s my name?!” he yelled over the wind of the helicopter behind him.

“I-I don’t know,” She hugged her own body, clutching the duffel bag to her chest and looked at him with uncertainty. The wind blew her dark hair around her face and she made it a point to put herself between her younger brother and the man in front of her. 

“Your buddy back there--” he swung his arm around and pointed. “What’s his name?” She shook her head and he raised an eyebrow. “I can just go ask him!”

“I said I don’t know!”

“Now,” he touched her arm and she had to fight not to shrug him off. He dipped his head and his tone was condescending. “When you two finally had sex--and you rolled over and said, ‘what’s your real name’--what’d he say?” 

“That never happened!” She shrugged him off then and snarled at him. “He told me you served together...and that you were honest.”

“Why’d he say that?” Tom leaned back in mild surprise.

“Because I asked if he trusted you.”

“Why?”

“I was worried about you cheating him…”

The chopper had landed on the Peruvian border just like Pope had promised. They had dropped off the informant and her brother and although you couldn’t hear what was being said, you could tell by Tom’s dramatic body language and the disgust on her face that it wasn’t a pleasant conversation. Your brother handed her their cut of the money and touched her face tenderly as she held onto his arm and they said their goodbyes. 

Tom stormed back onto the helicopter and sat down, crossing his arms and closing his eyes. You couldn’t help but think that he reminded you more and more of a child throwing a tantrum instead of a hardened military veteran leading a mission. It was as if he knew you were staring because he opened his eyes and looked at you. You averted your gaze quickly. 

Pope cleared the threshold of the copter and took Benny’s seat as the younger man went up to take his shift with Frankie in the cockpit. Your brother put his headset on and opened his arm so you could lean against him and hug his side. 

“You liked her, didn’t you?” you asked him, looking up with your head on his chest.

“I’m just glad she’s safe.” He said vaguely and you knew not to push the subject. He rubbed his hand up and down over your arm as if to warm you up and you let out a sigh of contentment. 

“She’s lying,” Tom’s voice crackled through the coms on the headsets and both you and Pope looked at him. 

“No, she’s not.” Pope said firmly and glared at the other man. 

“You know what we should have done?” Tom let his thought remain unfinished and you felt your brother tense under your arms. Your stomach dropped as you realized what Tom meant. Before either of you could say anything, Will spoke up, always the voice of reason.

“That’s one you wouldn’t come back from, brother,” he said. He was leaning back against a few of the duffel bags with his arm propped up to keep his side un-strained.

The four of you were quiet for a long time, each mulling over Tom’s words in your own way as the chopper whirred around you rhythmically. The dark sky was crystal clear and you watched as the city below you slowly started to disappear and give way to the dark tops of the trees. 

“You still doing okay?” Pope asked and you nodded. 

“I’m exhausted,” you said, trying your best to stifle a yawn with his shirt. “But I’m worried if I sleep I’m going to wake back up in that mansion.” It was the first time you had admitted it out loud, but, however ridiculous, it was the truth. Every time you closed your eyes, it was as if you were back in that room, tied to that chair. The darkness that enveloped you wasn’t from sleep, it was the goddamn blindfold being put back over your eyes and it made your heart start racing as panic built in your chest. 

“Hey,” Pope said, dipping his head to look at you. “You know I was going to find you no matter what, right?” He gave you another squeeze. “I wasn’t leaving this fucking jungle without my little sister.”

You released a heavy breath and laid your head back against your shoulder, smiling slightly and forcing your mind to remember that you really were safe. Before you could start to drift off, you opened your eyes and leaned back enough to look at him. “If I promise to try and sleep, will you go check on Frankie?”

Pope chuckled and rolled his eyes before succumbing to your request. “Yes. You rest and I will go check on Fish.” As he got up, he shrugged his jacket from his shoulders and tossed it over you before moving towards the cockpit. 

"The weight drags when we get into higher altitudes so I want to keep it under 5,000 feet until we hit the Andes. We'll hit the ocean in four hours." Frankie's voice came through the com on your headset and you suddenly felt better. Tom's voice came through confirming that they had heard him and understood. 

Four hours. Four hours and you would be headed home. After everything, it seemed like such a small amount of time and with Frankie at the helm, there was nothing to worry about. 

--

When you woke up, it was because you were shivering. The main hull of the helicopter had dropped a considerable amount as it flew through the night and started to rise in altitude the closer it got to the Andes. Your brother was still gone but his jacket was pooled in your lap where it had slipped down off your chest. Both of the Miller brothers were sleeping peacefully and you were glad that Will had finally managed to get comfortable. 

You sat up and slipped your headset back on so you could hear what they were saying. Standing up and stepping into the cockpit, the view out of the front of the aircraft was breathtaking. The mountains were huge, rocky crags that were covered in bright, white snow that reflected the sun off of its smooth surface. 

"I'm gonna try and head for the two peaks I saw on the map. If we can aim for that valley it will be easier," Frankie said.

"Roger," Tom replied and both men looked up as you stepped over the threshold and put your hand on Frankie's shoulder.

"Hey, you," he said quietly, giving a small smile as you gave his arm a squeeze. 

"It's beautiful," you said, clearing the sleep from your voice and nodding ahead of you. There was a clear divide between the lush, green trees on the mountains below and the drastic change in altitude that allowed for the snow to accumulate. 

"It is," Frankie nodded, reaching forward and flipping up a small switch before putting both hands back on the joy stick. "You finally rest?"

"A little," you said. You pulled your headset down to rest on the base of your neck so you could lean forward and kiss his cheek gently. He kept his eyes ahead but the action made him smile, making the small lines at the edge of his eyes crinkle. 

"Can you cut the domestic bullshit please?" Tom said, gruffly. "How steep do you think that is?" He pointed to the nearest peak and Frankie looked at him sternly. 

"It's about 11,000 feet. We can't make that. I gotta find another way." Frankie shook his head and readjusted his grip on the controls. 

"That's the quickest way to the ocean from here. You should go for it."

Both you and the man to your left looked at Tom in surprise and annoyance. Who was he to call the shots like this? This wasn't a matter of choice, this was a matter of if something was possible or not. You put your hand on Frankie's shoulder as the helicopter started to rise up the side of the mountain. 

Frankie dipped his head to look up through the windshield, glancing down at all of the controls and watching as the lights started to flash in warning. You looked over your shoulder as Pope came up to stand behind you and watch what was happening. 

"Alright, baby," Frankie said softly, talking to the aircraft. "Alright, baby, come on now." 

He caressed the controls like he had caressed you. His fingers were familiar with them, what made them tick, and how best to move each dial and joystick. Frankie had always flown with a meticulous care that never failed to impress you--it was his favorite thing in the world. His heart lived in the sky and you loved that about him. A loud and rapid beeping drew you from your thoughts as the control panel started blinking red and orange.

"We're redlining man," Pope spoke up behind you as he pointed to the sensors. 

"It's close though," Frankie grit his teeth and cursed under his breath. "It's too much weight. It's too much fucking weight. We're never going to make it."

"What does that mean?" Tom asked, sternly.

"It means we're losing fucking money."

"You wanna leave 50 million dollars in the middle of the jungle?"

"You wanna get to the ocean?" Frankie snapped finally, his voice not leaving any room for argument from Tom. The other man glared at him for a moment before looking over his shoulder to address Pope.

"Alright, go do it."

The idea that Tom controlled what he imagined to be the fate of the money, but in reality it was all of your lives, was complete insanity to you--especially because he seemed to be so flippant about the importance of the latter. You looked over your shoulder as your brother lowered the hatch on the back of the aircraft and a bitterly cold wind filled the cabin. The Miller brothers started shoving duffel bags filled with money out into a free fall down to the snow covered landscape of the Andes. 

The immediate beeping of the control panel quieted down and Frankie gave an approving nod. “That's feeling better.” He dipped his head lower, leaning forward in his chair as if the movement would help the craft in its painfully slow ascend over the mountains. “Come on. Come on.”

You held your breath as Frankie crested you over the top of the mountain and, just like he promised, there was the ocean. The sun glittered off the water as it rose in the sky and you felt a sense of relief that was comparable to how you felt when Frankie had cut you loose from your bindings in the mansion. Both times he had brought you a sense of safety that made your heart stutter against your ribs. Then the beeping came back. The aircraft paused for a brief moment before it dropped into a free fall.

Your ass hit the metal floor hard and your stomach twisted into knots like you were on a roller coaster. Santiago’s arm wrapped around your waist and hauled you up against him as the copter shook and the metal screamed, alarms going off from multiple places on the dashboard. 

“What the fuck are you doing Catfish!?” Will yelled as he gripped the handle above his head and put a hand over the bullet wound on his side. 

Frankie’s voice came through the headset, calmer than he most likely felt. ”One of the gear boxes is blown--I don't want to go into a spin.” You all continued to fall in the air down the side of the mountain and his voice became strained as he gripped the joystick and tried to balance it out. “We might be in trouble here. I'm losing altitude--we should land. We should land now.”

“Crash land here we all die!” Tom yelled, looking at his pilot with wide eyes.

“I'm trying to get her back to flat--”

“Prepare for a hard landing!” Tom barked behind at the rest of you.

Frankie flew back down over the canopy of the jungle, the snow giving way to the lush green of the treetops as he tried to maneuver towards the village that you all had seen during your first initial climb. Benny leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes as he gripped the handle closest to him. You could feel your brother’s heart hammering against your back, but on the outside he remained calm for the sake of the rest of his crew. 

“I can't land this with the drop bag under us. We should lose the money and maybe we don't die.” Frankie turned and looked at Tom. The man glared at him but remained quiet. The fact that now, looking certain death in the eyes, Tom decided to shut his mouth, pissed you off. And apparently, it did Frankie as well because without Tom’s permission he looked over his shoulder and yelled over his mic on his headset. “LOSE THE MONEY OR WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!”

“Fuck this,” you mumbled as you pulled Santiago’s arm from around you and scrambled to your feet. 

You had been on flights with Frankie enough times that you knew what the external load release looked like. It was the only fucking leaver on the wall, after all. You leaned over Benny and grabbed the red handle and yanked it down. The cargo doors in the floor opened slowly but the canvas net bag full of duffel bags stayed securely attached to the bottom of the helicopter. 

“Frankie! It’s not working!” You called out to him and he glanced back at you again.

“There's a manual override on the cargo hook!” His voice was full of worry as he told you to stop. “Let Benny do it--fuck!”

He cursed, watching as you ignored him and leaned over the open door to find the manual override. The wind from the blades and the altitude whipped your hair against your face and you grabbed onto the rope, feeling for a trigger mechanism of some kind. You cursed as black smoke billowed from the top of the aircraft and obscured your vision. The giant metal release was on the other side of the net and was way out of your reach. 

“Spot me!” You turned and yelled at Benny as he fell to his knees beside you and you ripped off your headset.

Benny nodded and helped you lower yourself through the hatch and onto the rope. He gripped your arm as you extended your leg and landed a firm kick with your booth onto the latch. When the bag fell, the helicopter gave a jolt as the weight shifted and Benny toppled through the hatch with you. You screamed as you heard Pope call your name and you looked up to see that the only thing that connected you to the copter was Benny’s grip. 

“Benny!” Will lunged for his brother and grabbed him by the back of the shirt. The ground was coming closer and closer as Frankie tried to level out the craft and land it in the middle of the field. 

“I can’t hold us both!” Benny yelled back at the blond. “We gotta jump!”

“No!” Pope reached through the hole in the floor but Benny was right. He didn’t give them any time to argue as he let go of the edge of the hatch and the both of you dropped the last twenty or so feet to the ground. 

You hit the ground so hard it knocked the wind from your chest. Bits of dirt flew into your mouth as you gasped and covered your face with your arm. As the helicopter touched down, dirt and debris whipped around in the air and you squinted to try and see through it all. The blade on the tail caught the dirt and the whole craft jerked sideways as huge chunks of metal flew directly toward you and Benny. 

“Get down!” He grabbed you and shoved you back down onto the ground covering you with his body as it continued to spin and jerk. The metal groaned, the blades squealed and all you could think of was if Frankie was still in control of it or if you were all just holding your breath and waiting for it to be over. 

Black smoke and chunks of upturned earth continued to fly long after the craft came to a stop but the blades still slowly continued to turn. Benny moved his body off of yours and helped you stand as you both took off running towards the wreckage. 

“Santi!” You screamed at the top of your lungs.

“Here!” Your brother called back as Will popped the door open and they both started to climb up out of the sideways craft. “We’re fine!”

“Fish!” Benny yelled as he got to the front and your heart stopped. Both Frankie and Tom were not moving as fast as Pope and Will. The glass of the windshield was shattered, but still hanging in the frame and Benny quickly raised his knee and kicked it free in giant sheets.

Tom crawled out onto the grass and coughed, fresh blood coming from an abrasion on his eyebrow. “I’m fine, I’m fine. Help Fish.”

As soon as Tom was out of the way, Benny got down and leaned in, grabbing the other man by the forearms and hauling him out onto the ground. 

“Frankie,” you breathed, running the rest of the way to him. Benny moved to the side as you approached and you threw yours arms around him tightly.

Frankie squeezed you tightly, before leaning back to hold you at arm's length. He dipped his head to look you in the eyes as he gripped your upper arms and shook you slightly. “What you thinking--what the fuck were you thinking?!”

You watched as blood slowly dripped down a fresh, large gash on Frankie’s upper cheek, but he didn’t pay any attention to it. He couldn’t look away from you. His eyes were wild and his chest was heaving and even though his words were harsh, his tone didn’t hold any anger--it held fear. Your eyes burned and your chest felt tight, and the moment he saw it reflected on your face, his resolve crumbled and he pulled you back against his chest.

“You scared the shit out of me, baby,” He confessed as he pressed his lips to the top of your head and shut his eyes tightly. “Fuck.” He shook his head and looked up at the man standing behind you. “Thanks, Ben.”

Benny nodded as he helped Will jump from the door of the helicopter and Pope crawled out behind him, with his rifle clutched in his hand. He started tossing gear down to the ground and they passed around backpacks and guns. Frankie let you go reluctantly as Pope hopped down to the ground and handed him a new bulletproof vest. 

“They’re gettin’ into the fucking net,” Tom cursed and the rest of you looked up to watch as people from the nearby village had flooded the site where the bag had dropped. Sure enough, they were using tools and machetes to rip through the thick ropes of the drop net and get into the duffel bags. 

”What’s the plan here?” Pope said, propping his rifle on his arm and looking around.

“We’re getting that money back over the mountain and to the ocean,” Tom said, fastening his vest and grabbing his own weapon. “Benny, cover us from that treeline there.” He pointed to the right. “Fish, I want you at that vantage point over there.” He pointed to the left and then continued. “That’s cocaine they’re growing, so they could have guns already trained on us from those watchtowers over there.”

“We got working coms?” Will asked and Tom shook his head.

“No, we’ll use hand signals. Pope and I will get out there and look as peaceful as we can--we’ll signal when we think it's secure.” Tom looked to each of them to make sure they understood before nodding once. “Move out.”

As they all started to move in their assigned directions, Frankie moved his rifle to one hand, so he could take yours with his other. “You’re coming with me.” 

You didn’t argue, not wanting to leave his side regardless. You desperately wanted to inspect the cut on his face, but you knew while he was tasked with watching the back of Pope and Tom, Frankie wouldn’t dare think about himself. You could ask, but he wouldn’t let you, so what was the point? He moved you both up the hill and squatted low into the tall grasses of the field, pressing his right eye to his scope for a minute to make sure he had a shot lined up if he needed it. 

As you both watched the retreating forms of Tom and Pope walk towards the farmers, Frankie glanced at you. “Are you hurt?”

“Scratches mainly,” you shook your head and looked down at your palms and arms. “That’s it. You’re bleeding, though.” You nodded towards his face.

“I’m fine,” he said stubbornly, like you knew he would. “Don’t do anything like that again.” His voice was flat and you fought the urge to snap back at him. The adrenaline had been high for you both, the last thing you needed was to fight with the man you currently needed most. 

“We both are going to do what it takes to get home--”

“You don’t have to prove to anyone that you’re a badass--”

“Don’t pull that macho bullshit with me--”

The two of you glared at one another and then his face broke into a small grin. He rolled his eyes and mumbled something about you being stubborn before looking back through his scope. You knew he was just worried. Was it reckless to do what you did on the drop net? Absolutely. But this entire trip had been nothing but the five of them risking their lives for you, and you were tired. Tired of being the reason that everyone you cared about in this fucking jungle was in constant danger. So, when Frankie told you to be smart, it was because he just wanted you home. He just wanted you safe. 

You stayed quiet as you both watched the scene unfold in the field below. Both Tom and Pope were talking with their hands, gesturing, and speaking quickly. Hearing what was being said wasn’t necessary, their body language was more than enough, this talk wasn’t going in their favor. 

“Pope, what's he reaching for? Is that a weapon?” Frankie spoke with his gun against his shoulder as he used the hand that wasn’t on the trigger to press the button on his radio.

No response.

“Pope, do you cop-”

“Frankie,” you touched his shoulder as you remembered the coms were dead from the crash.

Frankie leaned back and glanced at you before looking to his radio and cursing quietly. Pope had his arms out in a defensive position, speaking quickly over Tom who had his hand on his gun. This was bad. This was very bad. Frankie adjusted his grip on the rifle and his body went still. Tom pulled his gun and it was as if everything before you happened in slow motion. 

The villagers yelled and Tom used his handgun to fire into the chest of the one nearest to him. Then again and again. Blood blossomed to life through their clothing and they dropped to the ground. The second one of them took another step forward, Frankie pulled the trigger, doing what he was trained to do--protect those on your squad. 

His rifle echoed and ricocheted back on his shoulder and the man who had stepped towards Pope dropped just like the three before him. You watched as the other men gave the order for the villagers to get back and the screaming continued. Benny ran down the mountain and Frankie stood but you didn’t move. You were frozen in place as you saw Tom raise his gun at the unarmed man, now struggling to breathe, on the ground. You may not have liked him to begin with, but now you knew--Tom was going to get all of you killed. 

--

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[wiypt-writes]

Stark Spangled Banner

Ch54: The Time Heist

Intro: The team split and head to their various places and points in time to retrieve the stones. But of course, it doesn’t all go to plan and one of them pays the ultimate sacrifice…

Warnings: “Language!”, Character death- we all know what’s coming with this one, angst.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction and classified as 18+. Please respect this and do not read if you are underage. I do not own any characters in this series bar Katie Stark and the other OCs. By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer.

A/N: Will the real @angrybirdcr​ please stand up...and take credit for those edits!

Chapter 53

Stark Spangled Banner Masterlist // Main Masterlist

“You’re wearing that?” Tony looked Thor up and down, taking in the scruffy grey-zip up hoody and red sweater he wore.

“Yes, what’s wrong with it?” Thor glanced down at himself.

“You look like Santa Clause with a crystal meth addiction.” Tony replied. Thor frowned, his eyes narrowing as Rocket began to laugh. 

As they continued to bicker about Thor’s appearance, Steve looked up  to see Katie emerging from the locker room, dressed in the first cat-suit he could remember seeing her in. His pants instantly felt a little tighter round the crotch as it clung in all the right places, especially now her figure was slightly different to what it had been eleven years ago. Mind you, she still looked extremely passable as a 2012 version of herself and Steve found himself wondering how on Earth he had managed to actually fight any aliens back then when she looked as hot as she did. 

She caught his gaze, flashed him a smile which he returned and she took one of the GPS bands off Tony as he handed them out to the assembled team. One by one, as the bands were activated, the red and white Quantum Tunnel suits formed around each of the Avengers. Steve picked up his shield, and nodded around to his team.

“Let’s go.” Together they strode through the hangar, Steve leading them towards the large, glass platform with the early morning sun cascading through the large glass hangar doors from where it was just starting to peak over the trees. As they walked, Katie looked over her shoulder at Natasha, winking and the red head grinned back at her, biting her lip excitedly.

As everyone took their place around the glass platform, Banner behind the control panel, Steve looked around and cleared his throat.

“Five years ago, we lost. All of us. We lost friends, we lost family, we lost a part of ourselves. Today, we have a chance to take it all back. You know your teams, you know your missions. Get the stones, get them back. One round trip each. No mistakes. No do-overs.” He took a breath and Katie smiled to herself as he continued “Most of us are going somewhere we know. But it doesn’t mean we should know what to expect. Be careful. Look out for each other.” Another breath. “This is the fight of our lives. And we’re gonna win.”

At that point Tony gave Steve a look, his eyebrow raising slightly, a soft smile playing on his face. Steve met his face, with a determined expression of his own. “Whatever it takes.” He nodded to his Brother-in-Law before he looked around at the team. “Good luck.”

“He’s pretty good at that.” Rocket conceded, his arms folded.

“Right?” Scott jerked his thumb towards Steve and Katie smiled.

“All right. You heard the man. Stroke those keys, jolly green.” Tony called to Banner.  

“Trackers engaged.” Banner nodded before joining them on the platform.

Katie took up her position between Natasha and Steve, making sure her GPS was set to the right time and date.  

“You okay?” Steve asked softly, turning to look at her.

“As okay as I can be given I’m about to time travel back to an alien invasion.” She muttered back and Steve chuckled as she turned to her left to look at Natasha. “When we get back you and me are cracking open that bottle of Kauffman vintage that I know you hid from Thor in your room.”

Natasha gave a grin. “Deal. Hey Rogers!” Steve turned to look at her, his brow arched.

“See you in a minute!” Nat wriggled her shoulders and eyebrows excitement and he huffed out a laugh at her enthusiasm. This was the most animated he had seen her about anything in the past five years.

The machine began to whir slightly as it lit up, glowing like spotlights, and the mechanism above their heads shifted. Their helmets all engaged and a second later they were sucked from the platform and hurtling through the Quantum Tunnel, back through time.

It felt like her entire body was being squeezed through a very small space, and just as it was starting to become really uncomfortable, the pressure released and Katie’s feet landed on the ground in the middle of a side street in New York, a block or so away from the tower. She stumbled a little, Steve’s strong hand catching her arm to steady her and she blinked, shaking off the dizzy feeling. As she turned to look for the rest of her group, the sounds of cries, screams, gunfire filled her ears as the red and white suit vanished from around her.

“All right, we all have our assignments.” Steve looked at everyone. “Two Stones uptown, one Stone down. Stay low. Keep an eye on the clock.”

At that point they all whirled round as 2012 Hulk passed, smashing everything in his way. Bruce put his hand on his face, embarrassed, as Steve turned to look at him.

“Maybe smash a few things along the way.” He suggested.

“I think it’s gratuitous, but whatever.” Bruce muttered, tearing his shirt off. He walked over to a car and lightly punched it, making a small dent, all the while making growling noise which Katie doubted would scare a kitten. Then he picked up a motorbike and threw it at a wall, wincing as it smashed before he continued his journey down town.

The rest of them parted to their own assignments, Tony and Lang taking off, Katie and Steve making their way to the entrance of Stark Tower.

“First rule of not being seen?” Katie stopped at the door and looked at her husband.

“Don’t hide by any chance?” He raised an eyebrow.

“You got it.” “Yeah, well I kinda figured it might be the same as the whole going on the run mantra.”

“Got to hustle, guys. Things look like they’re just about wrapped up here.” Tony’s voice sounded in their ears.  

“Got it. We’re approaching the elevator now.” Steve replied, following Katie as she strode confidently across the Tower Lobby.

She was right, no one paid them the least bit of attention as they stepped into the lift, everyone was too busy running around in a blind panic. Katie smirked to herself as the door shut. Pressing her palm to the pad at the side, she selected the button for the floor which housed Tony’s office, where they were going to hide until it was their time to make a move.

“Uh, Mr. Rogers. I almost forgot that that suit did nothing for your ass.”

Katie sorted and Steve rolled his eyes.  

“No one asked you to look, Tony.” He snapped, exasperatedly.

“It’s ridiculous.”

“I think you look great, Cap. As far as I’m concerned, that’s America’s ass.” Scott chipped, and that was when Katie gave in and began to laugh as the elevator stopped.

“I like your ass.” She grinned up at him and it was his turn to laugh as he followed her out.

“It’s all yours, Baby.” 

***** Up on the Party Floor, Tony was smirking to himself at having managed to successfully wind Steve up again on a job. Well, would it really be an Avengers Mission if he didn’t?

He and Lang ducked out of the way as the elevators opened and the SHIELD-slash-HYDRA team lead by Rumlow and Sitwell entered the floor.

“Who are these guys?” Lang asked.  

“They are SHIELD, well, actually Hydra. But, we didn’t know that yet.” Tony explained

“Seriously, you didn’t? I mean…they look like bad guys.” Lang continued.

“You’re small, but you’re talking loud.” Tony said, an edge to his voice. He was getting kind of tired of people pointing out the various flaws in judgement or errors to their methods when they went back over past missions.

“On my way down to coordinate search and rescue.” 2012 Rogers spoke. Tony had to smirk. Steve always denied he had changed that much, but he really was as far a cry from that pompous, stick-up-your-ass jerk as he could get.  

Tony watched Loki transform into Steve for a second in imitation and the Billionaire had to snort. As far as imitations go it was pretty flawless. Then, as Loki was gagged and lead way by Thor he spotted that his 2012 self was tapping at the security pad on a briefcase which contained the Tesseract.

“All right, you’re up, little buddy.” He spoke to Lang “That’s our stone.“

“Alright.” Lang nodded, speaking from Tony’s shoulder. “Flick me.”

There were so many things wrong with that instruction, but Tony didn’t have time to unpack them right there. Instead he did as he was told, flicking the ant sized Lang straight towards the box where he scrambled up Tony’s arm, to his beard and then down his top.

Tony remembered with amusement the next bit. This was when Hulk had tried to take the elevator. Grinning he watched as his 2012 self-informed Banner that the maximum occupancy had been reached, and 2012 Thor told him to take the stairs. In a fit of temper Hulk punched at the elevator door once it was shut, before grumbling to himself as he headed to the other side of the floor to get to the stairs. With a smirk, Tony backed up, threw himself out of the window, his suit reforming round him. 

*****

Katie and Steve found their floor completely deserted. As such, they’d been stood, hovering by the elevator waiting for the signal which came over their radios not long after they had heard Lang tell Tony to ‘flick him’- yeah, Katie and Steve both thought there was a lot wrong with that instruction.

“All right, Cap, Kiddo. I got our sceptre in the elevator just passing the 90th floor.”

“On it.” Steve hit the call button.

“You remember what happened last time we were in an elevator full of HYDRA dickheads?” Katie looked up at Steve. He snorted, and was just about to answer back to assure her he didn’t intend on flinging them out of the side of this one from almost twenty storeys up, but he didn’t get chance. The elevator doors stopped and then opened. Katie and Steve both glanced at the STRIKE-slash-HYDRA agents, Sitwell and Rumlow both doing a double take as they saw them. Steve gestured for Katie to go in first, and she did, turning to the button pad.  She randomly selected a floor below them before she moved to the middle, standing by Steve.

“Captain. I thought you were coordinating search and rescue?” Sitwell looked at Steve.

“Change of plan.” He stated simply as he turned to face the elevator doors as they closed.

“Hey, Cap. Nova.” Rumlow spoke, glancing over his shoulder at them both.

“Hey, Brock.” Katie smiled. It fell silent for a while, the situation feeling familiar to the two Avengers, as they noticed that the agents were sharing nervous glances. Steve looked around, before he spoke again.

“I just got a call from the Secretary. Agent Stark and I are gonna be running point on the scepter.”

“Sir?” Sitwell frowned, turning to face him. “I don’t understand.”

“We got word there may be an attempt to steal it.” Katie supplied, holding his gaze.

“Sorry, guys, but I can’t give you the sceptre.” Rumlow shook his head and Katie saw he was reaching for his gun.

“Yeah, I’m gonna have to call the Director.” Sitwell began.

“That’s okay. Trust me” Steve insisted as Katie reached out and wrapped her hand around Rumlow’s wrist, fully anticipating there was going to be a struggle, but thanks to Steve’s quick thinking, it never came.

He leaned forward, his mouth close to Sitwell’s ear. “Heil HYDRA.”  He whispered, loud enough for the agents around them to hear. Sitwell looked up at him, Steve simply gave him a knowing nod and Rumlow glanced at Katie. She released his wrist smiling at him.

“You kept that quiet, Stark.” Rumlow looked at her.

“Isn’t that supposed to be the point?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“Touche.”

The elevator stopped and Katie nodded to Steve.

“If you’ll excuse us.” He gestured to the case which held the sceptre. With a slight hesitation, Rumlow handed it to him and Sitwell moved to allow them to step out. They began walking away from the door, exchanging a smug glance as they went, taking care not to hurry or appear suspicious. Then, as soon as they were out of view, Katie turned to Steve grinning.

“Heil HYDRA? You clever bastard!”

“I have my moments.” Steve shrugged. “What floor are we on.”

“Errr, twentieth.” She said as she spotted the floor number on the wall. “Oooh, if we head down the stairs to the fourteenth, that’s where the ceiling of the atrium starts. There’s glass walkways and exposed stairs down to the lobby so we should be able to get a decent view of where Tony’s at.”

She led Steve over to a heavy door which housed the maintenance staircase and they both winced as they could hear Hulk yelling.

“SO MANY STAIRS!” His words echoed and Katie glanced down to see he was a few floors below them. Nodding to Steve, they began their descent.

***** In the Lobby, Tony was watching with amusement, the slight difference of opinion his 2012 self and 2012 Thor were having with Alexander Pierce.

 “Loki will be answering to Odin himself.” Thor shook his head when he was instructed to turn his brother over.

“He’s gonna answer to us. Odin can have what’s left.” Pierce shook his head. “And I’m gonna need that case, that’s been SHIELD property for over seventy years.”

“All right, move it, Stuart Little.” Tony said from his place in the lobby, he was dressed in a SHIELD Tactical Kit, one he had stolen of some guy he’d had to knock out. “Things are getting dicey up here. Let’s go.”

“You promise me you won’t die?” Lang shot back.

“You’re only giving me a mild cardiac dysrhythmia.” 

“That doesn’t sound mild”.

“Do it, Lang!”

“Get your hands off!” 2012 Tony began to yell yelling.

“Window’s closing. Pull my pin!” Tony insisted.

“Here goes!” Seconds later 2012 Tony dropped the case, clutching at his chest.

“Stark? Stark!”  Thor bellowed as Tony watched himself fall to the floor. 

 “Look, he’s convulsing.” Pierce shook his head. “Give him air! Medic!”

“MEDIC!” Tony called, some amusement as he watched his past self, writhing on the floor “This guy needs some help, some help please!”

In the rush and melee that followed, the case suddenly slid across the floor to Tony who grabbed it hastily with a smile.

“Good job.” He spoke into his comms. “Meet me in the alley. I’m gonna grab a quick slice.”

Only he never made it, as right at that point, Hulk mashed through the door from the staircase into the lobby, sending Tony flying to the ground, the case dropping from his hands.

“NO MORE STAIRS!!!!” Everyone began to run from Hulk’s rampage and then all hell broke loose.

Tony sat up, looking round, giving a groan as he realised that the Tesseract, and Loki were gone. 

“That wasn’t supposed to happen, was it?” Scott asked, as he stood on Tony’s chest. Tony sighed and looked around as the 2012 Thor and Tony began frantically talking into their coms.

“Oh we blew it.”

****

“Tony, what’s going on?” Steve demanded as he followed Katie round the corner towards the walkway. “Tell me you found that cube.” 

At that point he bumped straight into his wife who was stood stock still in front of him staring right at his 2012 counterpart.

 “Oh, you gotta be shitting me.” Steve groaned, his jaw ticking.

“Cap,” a familiar voice from behind 2012 Steve spoke and Katie’s mouth dropped open as her 2012 self sprinted onto the walkway, skidding to a halt behind the Steve from her time. “What the fuck?”

2012 Steve’s eyes flitted around at the other four people, before he drew himself up tall.

“This is clearly some kind of spell.”  2012 Steve spoke, and 2012 Katie nodded in agreement as he continued this time talking into his coms. “We have eyes on Loki. 14th floor.”

“I’m not Loki.” Steve put the case containing the sceptre down taking a step forward so he was level with his Katie. “And I don’t wanna hurt you.”

In a flash, 2012 Steve engaged. Steve raised his shield, the clang loud as the Vibranium discs clashed against one another. Katie ducked past the duelling captains to stand in front of her younger self.

“How did you escape?” 2012 Katie looked at her, taking up a fighting stance. 

“I’m not Loki.” Katie shook her head. “And neither is Steve. My Steve, I mean, the other…whatever.” She sighed. “It’s a really, really long story. And also a crazy one so…”

“You’ve seen what’s going on out there?” The 2012 her scoffed. “I doubt there’s anything that could surprise me anymore.”

“Fine, you asked…” Katie groaned. “Look, I’m you, from 2023.” She shrugged as she looked around. “Tony invented a time machine so we could come back and get something we need.” 2012 Katie raised her eyebrow before she laughed. “Whatever,” and with that she launched forward.

Through the corner of his eye, Steve saw his wife starting to engage with her 2012 self, and his moment of distraction cost him. His younger self kneed him in the chest, knocking him down harshly.

“I can do this all day.” 2012 Steve looked down at him, smirking and Steve inwardly groaned.

“Yeah, I know.” He sighed, shaking his head as he waved him away whilst he stood up again. Had he really been that lame? “I know”

 With another flick of his arm, Steve threw his shield as the other him did the same, and with a loud clang the Virbanium discs ricocheted off one another flying over the side of the walkway. Without their shields the men began to fight, furiously. Blows were traded and kicks landed, and one of them, Steve had no idea who, managed to send the case containing the sceptre through the glass side of the walkway, causing it to shatter.

Katie heard the smashing behind her but she didn’t look round, she was too busy going toe to toe with her past self. She was just about getting the upper hand too as eleven years on she knew a lot more moves thanks to Natasha and Steve’s training. As her younger self leaned in with a pretty savage right hook Katie stopped it with both hands and then used her 2012 self’s arm as leverage to push up from the floor. Swinging both legs round in a scissor action she managed to lock her knees round 2012’s neck using the momentum and strength in her legs to bring her past self crashing over backwards to the ground, hard. Before she could get up Katie flicked a widow bite at her and winced as she watched her younger self convulsing on the floor.

She didn’t have much time to contemplate it however, as the sound of a loud yell made her look up just in time to see both Steve’s falling off the walk way, smashing through several glass landings and down a few of the exposed flights of stairs until they eventually came to a halt a few floors down.

Wincing, Steve managed to push himself up, taking a deep breath he swayed slightly and glanced over to where 2012 Steve was brandishing his compass at him, his mouth open and brow furrowed. Of course, he won’t have even gotten the compass back yet, and he wouldn’t do until the following year when he went through his stuff for the Smithsonian exhibit.

“Where did you get this?” 2012 demanded, his voice low. “And why does it have a picture of me and Miss Stark in it?”

Steve didn’t answer instead he ducked trying to retrieve the sceptre, and he might have been successful if he was up against a normal opponent, but 2012 Steve was quick and he placed his foot on the sceptre, throwing Steve off balance slightly. In a flash he was behind him, putting the older Soldier into a choke hold. Steve threw all his power backwards, taking the pair of them to the ground where they began to writhe along the floor, both trying to get the upper hand as Steve tried to manoeuvre them to the sceptre. Unfortunately for Steve, 2012 was just as clever and, as he reached out with his right hand his past self jerked him backwards, his legs round his waist, arms tight round his throat.

Steve knew he had to distract him, so in desperation he spluttered out something he knew would have made his 2012 self stop dead in his tracks. “Bucky…is…alive…” Almost immediately he felt the grip around his neck release, and he fell forward coughing.

“What?” 2012 Steve asked, but he never got his answer as Steve sucker punched him right in the face with his right hand, before he grabbed the sceptre, pointing the tip of it at his chest. 2012 Steve froze in mid-air before collapsing forwards, face down on the ground.

Steve let his head fall back in relief. Jesus that had been brutal. His face, ribs, neck, back all hurt like hell. At that point he heard loud footsteps and jerked his head up to see his Katie vaulting over the side of one of the staircases and landing a few feet away from him, his shield on her arm.

“You okay?” She asked, offering him her hand. She pulled him to his feet and gently cupped his face with her hands, her thumb stroking the bruise that was forming on his left cheek.

“Yeah, you?”

“Had to knock myself out with a widow bite” She grinned, before looking down at the Unconscious Steve and frowning. “What did you use?”

He held up the sceptre, before he reached down and grabbed his compass. Sticking it back in his pocket he took another deep breath before he noticed Katie was looking down at him, or rather his 2012 self.

“Lang’s right,” she mused, “that is America’s ass.”

Steve rolled his eyes, taking his shield from her as a smile tugged at his lips, “Let’s get out of here.”

****

The news they Tony and Scott had lost the Tesseract was devastating, and, as Katie watched her soldier who was glancing down at his feet, she could see he was trying to think. As he raised his head to look at her she could see the utter disappointment on his face and she swallowed, feeling it too.

They’d come so far, and looked to be set to fall at the final hurdle.  

“Are there any other options with the Tesseract?” Steve’s voice was pleading

“No, no, no. There’s no other options. There’s no do-overs.” Scott said loudly “We’re not going anywhere else. We have one particle left. Each. That’s it, alright? We use that– Bye, bye. You’re not going home.”

“Yeah, well if we don’t try, then no one else is going home, either.” Steve’s voice rose a little.  

“Wait,” Katie looked up an idea suddenly popping into her head, “we need more Pym Particles, right?” “Yeah, that’s what I said.” Scott began but Steve silenced him, recognising the look on his wife’s face. She was running through an idea.

“Let’s just go back and get some.” She breathed, astounded the idea hadn’t come to any of them beforehand.

“What?” Scott frowned.

“There has to be some point in time and space that we can get more.” She shrugged. “Let’s just go, steal some, and try again for the Tesseract.” “I can go one better than that.” Tony scrambled out of the trashed car he’d been sat in. “There’s a way to retake the Tesseract and acquire new particles at the same time.” He looked at Steve “Little stroll down memory lane. Military installation, Garden State.”

Katie and Steve looked at one another, instantly understanding before they looked at Tony.

“When were they both there?” Steve asked.

“They were there at a–“ Tony paused. “I’ve a vaguely exact idea.”

“How vague?”  Katie pressed.

“What are you talking about? Where are we going?” Scott frowned.  

“I know for a fact they were there–“ Tony began again but was cut off.

“Who’s they? What are we doing?” Scott’s voice was gathering pitch as he got more and more frustrated.

“And I know how I know.” Tony looked at Katie and she took a deep breath.

Dad.” she said, swallowing and Tony nodded.

“Guys, what’s up? What is it?” Scott demanded to know.  

“Well, it looks like we’re improvising.” Steve spoke, as the Stark siblings were still looking at one another.

“Right. What are we improvising?” Scott asked as Steve turned to him, handing him the sceptre.

“Scott, get this back to the compound”.

“What’s in New Jersey?” Scott tried again.

Katie and Steve began to program their watches to the date and location Tony was telling them.

“Are you sure?” Scott pressed again, before he stepped forward. “Cap. Captain. Steve, sorry, America. Rogers. Look, if you do this, and this doesn’t work, you’re not coming back.”

“Thanks for the pep talk, piss ant” Tony glared a Scott and Steve swallowed. Lang was right, if they were wrong, he’d never see his kids again. They’d never see their kids again. No, he couldn’t let Katie come, not knowing that. Their kids needed at least one of them…

“Katie.”

“Oh no!” She folded her arms. “You are not benching me.” Steve shook his head. “It’s too big a risk.” “So is going just the two of you! Your face is too well known, even more so back then and there, at the first SHIELD base?” She sighed “Don’t forget, half the people in that place are already HYDRA. If you’re recognized…” she trailed off. “Soldier, this needs three heads. Just in case.”

“Do you trust me?” Tony spoke, looking at his brother-in-law.

Steve looked at him, with a deep sigh he nodded. “I do.”

“Then it’s your call.” Tony glanced back at him, then to Katie. Steve was torn, he really was.

“Whatever it takes, Steve.” Katie reminded him. She wasn’t scared in the slightest, she had utter faith in Tony.

Steve took a deep breath and against every bit of better judgment he had in his body he gave her a short nod “Here we go.”

*****

Using some stolen clothes and ID Badges from the locker rooms, they managed to get into the building reasonably easy, aided by the fact that Katie and Steve knew exactly where the secret SHIELD HQ was, having already been there before they took down the Triskelion.

Steve was dressed in an old military uniform, Tony in just a plain suit and Katie in a skirt and blouse, with her hair pulled up into a high seventies style pony tail. They didn’t get challenged, although there was one woman that was definitely giving them a very attentive look over in the elevator. They hit the floor Tony needed, and wishing them luck in a coded message he left, and shortly after it was their turn.

Wasting no time, they exited and as they passed a chair outside a room, Katie noticed some files someone had left behind. Quickly, she scooped them up in an attempt to make herself look like any other normal office worker that was mooching around the area.

Eventually, thanks to Steve’s photographic memory being able to recall a floor map that was on the wall outside the elevator after one simple glance at it, they found Dr Pym’s laboratory and continued down the corridor until they reached an office that wasn’t occupied. Katie distracted everyone in the corridor by dropping the files she was carrying all over the place and making a general load of fuss, whilst Steve slipped inside, unnoticed. He looked down at the phone on the desk and gave a little groan. This hand set was something completely alien to him, but he scanned the various buttons and saw one labelled ‘operator’.

“Not that different, after all.” He mused softly to himself. He picked the phone up and hit the button, asking to be put through to Dr Pym and a few minutes later he was connected.

“Hello. Dr. Pym?”

“That would be the number that you called, yes” 

Sarcastic asshole…

“This is Captain…Stevens from shipping.” Steve winced slightly at his unoriginal name. “We have a package for you.”

“Bring it up”.

“Well, that’s the thing, Sir. We can’t.”

“I’m confused. I thought that was your job.”

“Well, it’s just– Sir, the box is glowing and, to be honest, some of our mail guys aren’t feeling that great.” He paused, waiting.

“They didn’t open it, did they?”

“Yeah, they did.” Steve smiled as the man took the bait. “You better get down here.”

He placed the phone down and glanced out of the door through the small pane of glass. As someone handed Katie the last file they’d helped her tidy up, she thanked them and looked at Steve. He gave her the thumbs up and she smirked, before turning her head to see a frantic looking man in a white coat shoot out of the lab a few doors down and run off towards the elevators.

“Excuse me! Out of the way!”

Once he was gone, Katie headed to the empty lab. She hastily looked around, searching as she passed various filing cabinets, ant farms and numerous desks piled high with research. She stood, hands on her hips, biting her lip as she pondered where else the particles could be. She glanced to her right and her face cracked into a grin.

“Bingo.”  She walked towards the large, class cabinet which bore the radioactive warning symbol on the front. Opening the door, she hesitated, and selected five of the tubes. One each for her, Steve and Tony, and then two spare just in case. She tucked them into the pockets of the skirt she was wearing and headed into the corridor, Steve joining her as she went.

“Got em.” She informed, not looking at him, as the two of them strode towards the elevator, quickly and quietly. 

And they were so close, so close…

“Shit.” Katie hissed as she stopped dead. Steve, who had been checking over his shoulder, looked round and saw the lady from the elevator talking to a number of military security guards.

“And you’ve never seen these two men, or this woman before? “

“No, I’ve got an eye for this. They looked fishy.”

They hastily turned and began to walk back the way they had come when Steve spotted an office to his left.

“In here.” He opened the door and gently guided Katie in before he stepped in after her. He flattened himself against a book shelf, watching through the frosted glass for the figures to pass.

Meanwhile, a photo on the desk had caught Katie’s attention and she felt herself still as she stared at it. She knew that photo…

…because she knew the person in it inside out.

“Steve,” she whispered. He glanced over to see her staring at something on the desk. It took him a few seconds but when he realized what it was he too frowned. It was a photo of him, the one from his SHIELD file. It was his pre-serum self in a white T-Shirt, his dog tags hanging out of his collar.

Katie had a copy of that very same photo in her office because she loved it, but what the fuck was it doing here?

The pair of them looked at one another, before they turned and read the name that was etched into the glass on the office door. And even backwards it was easy to see what it said.

Margaret Carter. Director

He’d steered them into Peggy’s office.

“Katie, honey, I swear, I didn’t-“ Steve began but they were both cut off by the sound of voices behind them causing them to spin back round and watch through the spaces in the blinds which covered the large window into the other side of the office.

Steve stepped forward whilst behind him Katie hung back, not quite sure how to deal with this. She’d been with Steve now for ten years, married for almost eight and she knew he loved her, she truly did but still she couldn’t help that feeling of trepidation which flooded her system. She watched her husband smile as his first love stalked around the other side of the office.

This was Nineteen Seventy, some twenty-five years after he had been lost in the ice. Katie found herself wondering if Peggy ever truly let go of Steve, or if she had merely spent however long in a marriage pining for a man she could never have.

Peggy was shouting at another agent for something, shaking her head in frustration and generally thundering around in a manner Steve could recall very well, and he couldn’t help the fond smile which spread across his face. It was a far cry from the old, frail lady he had imprinted on his mind.

“She looks so, well, good.” He muttered gently. “She’s not ill.” It might have sounded stupid but that was the only way he could explain it. It was nice to see her so happy, healthy and doing what she did best.

When Katie didn’t reply, Steve turned to see her watching him, her arms folded across her chest as if she was hugging herself.

“Yeah,” she whispered, managing a small smile, “she does.”

Steve threw one last glance over his shoulder to see Peggy leaving the room. He walked towards his wife, dropped an arm round her and kissed her forehead, curling her into him. Her body remained a little stiff as her hands slid round his waist.

“You know I love you.” He whispered softly, nuzzling into her hair. “There’s never been anyone who’s come close.”

“Yeah.” Katie nodded, simply to appease him more than anything. She wanted to get out of there now, and back to the compound as soon as she could, she was done.

“Good.” Steve sighed, as he released her and reached for the door handle. “Now let’s go find your brother.”

***** Getting the Tesseract had been easy. What hadn’t been easy was bumping into his dad. Tony had fumbled over his words, walked into chairs, basically lost any of the Stark suaveness he prided himself on having and had introduced himself as Howard.

Howard fucking Potts.

His Dad, however, didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, and Tony had managed to walk right out of the lab with the Tesseract in his suitcase because being with Howard Stark was keeping him from even being looked at. 

All in all, it was the perfect cover and he couldn’t have planned it better if he had tried.

“So, flowers and sauerkraut. You got a big date tonight?” Tony asked.

“My wife’s expecting.” Howard replied and Tony’s mouth fell open. Of course she was, with him. “And, uh, too much time in the office.”

“Congratulations.” Tony smiled at him

“Thanks. Hold this, will you?” Howard asked, passing over the flowers and sauerkraut.  

“Yeah, sure.” Tony took them off him “How far along is she?”

“I don’t know– Uh– “ His dad held his hands out indicating the size of his mother’s bump “She’s at the point where she can’t stand the sound of my chewing. I guess I’ll be eating dinner in the pantry again.

“I have a little girl” Tony stuttered “Well…I kinda have two actually.” “Kind of?” “Yeah, the eldest, well she’s actually my sister. Our parents died when she was very young and I ended up with Custody of her so.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” “I’m not.” Tony shook his head and as Howard raised an eyebrow he started to explain. “I mean I am sorry our parents died but not that I ended up looking after her, you know, wouldn’t have had it any other way. She’s an incredible person, smart, funny, beautiful. Married to a soldier now, couple of kids of her own.”

The other man smiled. “You know, a girl would be nice. Less of a chance she’d turn out exactly like me.”

“What’d be so awful about that?” Tony asked.

“Let’s just say that the greater good has rarely outweighed my own self-interests.”

Tony nodded for a moment, before the elevator stopped and the walked out of the bunker. “So, where are you at with names?”

“Well, if it’s a boy, my wife likes Almanzo” Howard looked at him. What the fuck mom? 

Tony shook his head as they crossed to the middle of the road in between the various military vehicles and troops that were running down it. “Huh, Might wanna let that stew a while. You got time.”   

“Let me ask you a question.” Howard turned to him as they reached the middle. “When your kid was born, were you nervous?

“Wildly. Yeah.” Tony smiled, and he had been. He’d been a wreck in the delivery suite, Pepper at one point ordering him out until he calmed down.

“Did you feel qualified? Like you had any idea how to successfully operate that thing?”

Tony shook his head. “Well, I’d already looked after my sister but this was different, you know. Kiddo turned out well despite me, not because of me so with the youngest, well, I literally pieced it together as I went along. I thought about what my Dad did, and– “

At that point, over his Dad’s shoulder he spotted Steve and Katie stood in the distance and Steve gave him the thumbs up.

“My old man, he never met a problem he couldn’t solve with a belt.” Howard shook his head.

Tony looked back to him from where he had been watching Steve and Katie glancing around cautiously before he spoke to the man again.

“You know, I thought my dad was tough on me. And now, looking back, I just remember the good stuff, you know. He did drop the odd pearl.” Tony smiled.  

“Yeah? Like what?”

“No amount of money ever bought a second of time.”

“Smart guy.” Howard nodded.  

“He did his best.”

“Let me tell you.” Howard smiled gently. “That kid’s not even here yet, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for ‘em”

Tony felt his eyes beginning to well, he simply nodded as Howard walked past him towards his car.

In the distance, Katie squinted and jerked her head questioningly at Tony, trying to figure out why he was holding a bunch of flowers. He raised his briefcase pointing to it, the expression on his face telling her to calm down. She heard Steve let out a breath and a smile crossed her face, their plan had worked. They had the tesseract and the particles. She was about to jerk her thumb over her shoulder to instruct her brother to leave whatever it was he was doing, until she saw the face of the man he had been speaking to. 

“Oh my God,” her voice was a gasp, “that’s, that’s my dad.”

Steve had realized the same thing the minute the guy had turned around to shake Tony’s hand. Besides him, Katie took a step forward and he made to gently grab her arm.

“Katie, you can’t.”

“Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do Steve.” She snapped, her eyes blazing. “You just took your trip down memory lane, and you’re not gonna stop me from taking mine.”

She jerked her arm from his grasp and headed over to where her brother was handing over the flowers and a tin of sauerkraut, of all things, to her dad, before they embraced.

“Everything’s gonna be all right.” She could hear Tony as she approached. “Thank you–“

“Thank you?” Howard frowned.

“He means for everything that you’ve, err, done, for this country.” Katie finished, swallowing slightly as she reached her brothers side. Tony glanced down at her, shocked for a moment, before he hastily re-arranged his face.

“Howard, this is my sister the one I was telling you about. Virginia, meet Howard Stark.” Virginia? 

Katie smiled and shook her Dad’s hand, taking a deep breath. “God it’s good to see you, I mean meet you, you know, after hearing all about your work.” She hastily recovered.

“Your brother tells me you’re married to a soldier. He based here?” “Used to be.” She nodded, her eyes studying her Father’s face for a moment. The man paused and his head tilted to one side, giving her a curious look.

“You know, you look a lot like my wife, only with different coloured hair, she’s blonde.” “Yeah I know.” Katie replied, before she spluttered. “I mean, from photos, I’ve seen, I mean I’ve been told that before so-“

“You’re a lucky girl.” Howard smiled. “She’s a stunner. Now I really have to go. Nice to meet you both.” He shook their hands again and then turned and headed away.

As they watched him go, Tony slung his arm around his sister’s shoulder, as she leaned into him, wiping a rear from her eyes. “Hey, Kiddo, see the guy by the car?”

“Yeah?”

“Edwin Jarvis.” Tony replied simply, and she grinned. Then, with a final look at their father, the siblings turned and made their way back towards Steve.

“We good?” He asked a little tentatively, noticing that Katie was avoiding his gaze a little. He felt his heart sink, but they didn’t have time to go into that now. It was going to have to wait.

“Yeah, let’s get out of here.” Tony mumbled, shooting another look round.

They made their way round the corner to a deserted part of the base before they each tapped their wrist bands to activate the suits and, with a fresh container of particles each they were ready. Keying in the correct time, date and location, they were sucked once more into the Quantum Realm and, as they sped through the void, Katie felt that familiar squeezing sensation again, which suddenly stopped as they emerged onto the platform, her suit disappearing.

“Did we get them all?” Bruce asked. Scott held up the sceptre, Tony waved his briefcase and Rocket was holding a vial containing the Aether.

“You mean to tell me this actually worked?" Rhodey shot back, tossing his own item lightly in the air before he caught it again as excited murmurs rang around the group. Katie looked around eagerly, but paused when she got to the space that Natasha had occupied beforehand.

She wasn’t there. 

Biting back the panic that was rising in her throat she looked to Clint. He was soaking from head to foot and, as she watched, he took a step forward and dropped to his knees.

“Clint, where’s Nat?” Banner asked as the rest of the group caught up with the fact they were a person short. 

Clint’s head remained bowed. He swallowed thickly and, when he finally did look up, his eyes met Katie’s first, then Steve’s. He didn’t speak, he didn’t need to, his broken expression told them everything. Steve looked down, taking a deep breath as his heart plummeted through his chest. Besides him, Katie shook her head frantically.

"No, no, no. She’s not gone. She’s just delayed right?” She swallowed, “Clint, tell me Natasha is going to be here!” 

There was a loud thud as Bruce knelt down, his large fist pounding the platform angrily. Katie looked helplessly from Clint to Steve, her soldier’s eyes were full of tears as he reached out to her.

“Sweetheart.” His voice cracked and she shook her head, moving out of his reach as she turned back to Clint.

"Clint?” This time it was a plea. A plea for him to tell her that her best friend was fine, and that there was just a temporary glitch, one which they could fix.

Clint looked up at her, his own tears now falling as he shook his head.

“She’s gone, Nova.” And with that his head dropped and his shoulders began to shake.

Katie’s jaw began to quiver and she felt two large hands on her upper arms, which gently turned her round as Steve pulled her to him, one hand firmly on her back, the other tangling in her hair. He held her, gently rocking her side to side as she began to cry, looking over her head at Tony who locked eyes with him, wiping his face with his hands.

It was then that Steve’s vision became blurred by his own tears and he buried his face in his wife’s hair, allowing her sorrow to hide his own.

*****

Chapter 55

**Original Posting**

[thecatladywife]

That Time We Met (3)

Taeyong x Male reader

Fluff (Domestic)

Happy New Year to everyone reading those lines, I wish you all the best !!

I’m really getting back into writing these days with NCT inspiring me a lot, I didn’t expect that at all.

I thank every single one of you who liked the previous chapters and I think I’ll write a couple more on this story about Taeyong before getting onto something else (I’ve got a few ideas in mind with Ten, Johnny, Mark and Jaehyun) However since it’s slice of life, I’ll probably get back to it later.

I hope Chapter 3 is as enjoyable as the first two ! Take care !!

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< (2)

Once inside Taeyong looked like an excited kid in an amusement park, rushing in the living room and staring around. He examined every corner, every little things of your daily life which amused you because you would do the same in his stead.

The room was small, there wasn’t much stuff inside but some shelves with books and boxes, a desk on one side near the windows then a couch big enough for three to sit and a tv in front of it.

Taeyong was standing in front of the couch, captivated by the wall full of photos behind it. He could see your younger self with your first bike, you wearing a dirty apron on your first day as apprentice then other pictures more recent with your motorbike chapter, friends, family and finally some pictures of him, selfies he sent you over the months.

Sitting on the couch, waiting patiently for him to be done you looked up in his direction when you heard him giggle. He grinned at you and pointed at one particular photo on the wall.

“Your brothers and you look like three sizes of the same person.”

 It wasn’t the first time you heard that but you were curious to discover which picture made your boyfriend think that too so you turned around. It was the one from your first cousin’s wedding, you were posing with her and your two brothers wearing the exact same suits. You could only to admit that you did look like triplets in different shapes, your younger brother being taller and bulkier than you when your older brother was one head smaller with a leaner body.

 “So… tell me. Which size do you prefer?”

 You tackled him on the couch and tickled him until his giggles turned into a fit of laughter and he started squirming beneath your body.

Taeyong was a mess once you were done with him, his face hot and red and his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. He was so beautiful with his brown eyes full of mirth and his boyish smile, you felt your heart skip a beat.

You grabbed him by the waist and sat up, bringing him on your lap at the same time and waiting for his answer to your question. He looked you up and down, then back and forth between the photo and you, pointing your brothers with his finger.

 “Hm… this one looks as tall as me so it’ll be awkward when we hug… this one is definitely too big, he would crush me and this one…”

 He slid his arms around your neck and cocked his head from left to right, pretending to examine you. You played along with him, giving him your most charming smile and even copying some facial expression you saw him make on photoshoots.

 “Ohh~ this one is really hot but I don’t know, he looks too flirty…”

 You both burst out laughing, holding each other close until you finally calmed down and cuddled a little bit. Taeyong’s head was resting on your shoulder while you caressed his hair softly, kissing his lips and cheeks from time to time.

 “Alright Goldilocks, come with me. I'll show you around then you’ll see why I’m the best out of the three."

 You crushed your boyfriend in a bear-like hug, earning the cutest whine from him then got up. You were still holding him up in your arms as you walked toward your bedroom.

Since your apartment was bathed in light most of the day you preferred to keep the decoration simple, white walls and touches of dark grey here and there for the furniture, a large bed at the feet of which you displayed a big carpet and then drawers and hangers for your clothes. There wasn't much but it still felt cosy.

You carried him around to show him the toilets first then the bathroom, laughing at how excited he got because of the bathtub. In the end you went back to the living room, Taeyong still clinging at you like a koala as you took him out on the balcony to see the view on Paris’ roofs.

From were you lived you couldn’t see the Eiffel tower but you could catch glimpses of other famous places in the capital like Montmartre and a few others you pointed out to Taeyong.

 "You must've impressed a lot of dates with this view. Is that your special move?"

"Not really... but does it work?"

 As you were up several floors, you were holding him securely in your arms like your instincts told you he might drop if you didn’t. Taeyong leaned so his forehead was against yours and nodded slightly before kissing your lips.

 "We could have breakfast here tomorrow morning… with bread and croissants, what do you think, mon coeur?"

"Sounds good."

 You gazed at your boyfriend fondly and let him kiss you again, much longer this time, your lips still against his as you went back inside and laid him on the couch with you above. You felt Taeyong hand passing on your shaven head, making you shiver and press your body a little harder against his in return. He moaned softly when you started leaving kisses from his jaw to his neck, aware that you wanted to take things further than a few kisses.

 “Y/N… the visit isn’t finished…”

 You lifted your head and stared at your boyfriend, thinking about all the rooms you already showed him. From the bedroom to the toilet, you couldn’t think of more and raised a questioning eyebrow at him, clueless.

 “My apartment isn’t that big. I don’t have anything else to show you.”

 Taeyong shook his head vigorously, his big brown eyes staring at you with so much expectation you felt a bit sorry.  

 “Come on! You didn’t even show me your special place !!”

 You oow-ed when you realized what he was talking about, a soft smile appearing on your face as you looked at him sheepishly.

 “I forgot about that.”

 He snorted at you then pushed you off his body. You watch Taeyong get up and stare down at you with a mocking smile.

 “You literally spend your life in your kitchen and you couldn’t even remember to show it first.”

“Like you’re one to talk… you can spend days playing video games.”

 He shrugged before taking your hands and helping you off the couch. You let Taeyong drag you through double windowed door, separating your kitchen from the living room with large glass panels instead of wall.

He looked in awe at how spacious it was in contrast with the other rooms, noting how well organised you kept it before sitting on the huge worktop.

 “I’ve seen you so many times here when we were on the phone… it feels so familiar and also weird to finally see it with my eyes… like a good kind of weird.”

 You chuckled but you knew exactly what he meant. You felt weird too. Having him by your side now was like a dream.

 “You have no idea how many times I wished you were there with me, Taeyong. I would be cooking and then I would look up… picture you geeking on the couch over there then at one point you’d smile up at me.”

 You cleared your throat, feeling embarrassed after this confession and avoiding your boyfriend’s gaze but Taeyong grabbed your hand in his, pulling you closer then kissing your palm to catch your attention.

 “We can realize your dream now if you want? Well, I mean after I’m done with showering… I feel kind of sticky.”

 You nodded at your boyfriend then sent him away with a kiss, to take his long-deserved shower.

Taeyong came back half an hour later and you couldn’t help checking him out as he crossed the living room and walked toward you in the kitchen. He had change into comfy sweatpants and a black sleeveless shirt that gave you a peak of his slender body from shoulders to the bottom of his ribs and was drying his hair energetically with a towel and looking slightly less tired.  

 "God... I really needed this shower!"

“It felt good ?”

“A bath would’ve been better but yes. Now all that's left is a little bit of sleep and I'll be ready to roam the streets of Paris with you tomorrow”

He came to stand next to you while you were busy preparing dinner, sleeves rolled back on your arms and an apron tied around your hips. You smiled at him then focus back on your task, not realizing that you weren’t paying attention to what he was saying afterwards.

Cooking was a serious business to you so much that once your hands were busy with a knife or a pan, you tended to zone out. More than once, when you were on a video call with Taeyong he had to shout your name to get your attention back so when you barely responded to him, he was well aware that you were already “gone” and probably for a long time.

You were done peeling your potatoes and were focused on mincing garlic when you suddenly felt two arms come around your torso as your boyfriend hugged you from behind, his head reaching no further than your shoulder blade. You turned your head briefly to see him grinning lazily at you and you could feel that he had something in the back of his mind.

 “You come with me."

“Where?”

“To take a nap with me.”

 Knife half in the air and hand steady on one mushroom you were about to chop, you jumped when he bit on your shoulder lightly.

 “Tae!”

“Come~”

“What about dinner?”

“Later…. maybe… let’s take a nap Y/N”

 Taeyong was tiptoeing as his mouth ran from your shoulder to you neck, leaving kisses on the way then going back to biting your skin and making you lose focus.

 "Alright…alright. You go first and… I'll join you once I put the meal in the oven"

"Can't we just order something when we wake up?"

 You scoffed and turned around just to give your boyfriend an indignant look that made him roll eyes at you. Yes, you could be pretty dramatic. However, you really looked forward to cook something for your boyfriend once he arrived, as a butcher working with the most renowned restaurants in Paris, you knew your way in the kitchen and it was a bit of a matter of pride.

 "You really think I'll allow that your first meal in France is a take out?"

"I'm sure we can find some really good restaurant that do delivery."

"What the point of having a boyfriend who can cook if I can't even prepare something delicious to welcome you"

 You really wanted to brag and see his delighted face when he'd dig into your homemade meal but when he buried his head in your back and whined a little bit, you knew you had lost the battle against him.

.

"Y/N~ Can't it wait tomorrow? I just want to stay in bed with you"

 You sighed in defeat and let him take you in the bedroom, untying your apron on the way and throwing it on the kitchen worktop. You let yourself fall down on the mattress and opened your arms for your boyfriend to join you which he did, almost leaping onto you then laying down with his head on your hard chest as he giggled.

 "Happy now?"

"Very much"

 Taeyong let out a long yawn then pecked you on your pectoral and scoot closer to your side. You could feel his tense body relax as you cuddled.

 "Y/N...?"

"Hm?"

"Being in your arms is better than food."

"I think your lack of sleep makes you delirious."

 You laugh at his nonsense and kissed his forehead, tightening your embrace and watching over him as he closed his eyes. Enjoying the moment, you waited for his breathing to even out and his head to feel heavier on your chest, both signs that he was well asleep to slip out of bed and back into the kitchen.

[guigz1-coldwar]

'Catch a train': New chapter for "Redemption in a Spirit in a Cold War" is out !

'Catch a train'

"You're going to be an wonderful asset !"

Chapter Summary : As Yirina is having an simple discussion, Park informed her that an unexcepted thing happened.......

To read it on AO3, click here !

Words : +3600

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After that talk with Mason himself, I can say that I was like more intrigued to see who was his man more further. Our similar stories....getting brainwashed by the each opposite side of the Cold War, both knowing well of what happened to them and their desires to get over it and try to no never think about it. One has been facing that pain since the beginning of the 60's and the other....20 years later. One was allowed to live because he was an full-american, the other was left for dead because she was only seen as an full-russian.

Like he said, me & him are both alike because we're trying to survive in an difficult world as our lifes turned to shit but....it was just more than that. People like us are pawns in an chess game....the Cold War....the CIA with Adler & Hudson are the one controlling those 'pawns' against those used by Perseus or the KGB. We could be MI6, DGSE or BND.....it's always the CIA on top of our heads, ready to sacrifice an pawn if it's necessary to do. They sacrified me...'for the greater good' but by luck, that pawn managed to resist and will maybe try to change everything and to free the people seen as pawns.....my friends & Park....

When I was done with Mason, I returned back to Park who has prepared an little something for me before we walk back to work to our desk with Zasha, trying to intercept any weird communications from the KGB or even Perseus even if I was still an bit troubled with the talk I had with Mason earlier. Anyway, Park was progressing an little into decrypting as she got the big experts in the domain, not to brag ourselves. However, the next transmissions we got were not useful for us and to the others too, meaning that we couldn't know more about Ritter except for an file Greta was able to give us about him.

The others came back from their mission at the end of the afternoon with an success thanks to Garrett's intels about what Woods told us giving them some greats improvements for their mission. As the evening was beginning and after we eat, I decided, before leaving the place to put our hands on Ritter, to grab an coffee for me in the kitchen. The room was empty and it was better as I moved to get to the coffee machine.

"Can we talk, Grigoriev ?" An feminine voice came in the room as my back was turned from the door. I peaked my head to see Song, standing up and looking an bit stressed out.

"Uhm..." I started as I look at her, scratching the back of my head. "Yeah, sure." I fully replied, turning around to face her as she walk to get next to the table without sitting. "You might want an coffee or maybe just to sit down ?" I proposed, putting my eyes for an second on the coffee machine but she shook her head.

"No thanks." She gestured at me before she took a seat right into my direction as I prepare an coffee for only me then & hearing that freaking jackhammer noise coming from the coffee machine.....if only I could threw this machine outside...well, Zed is going to kill me for that.....

"So..." I began again as I took my mug filled with coffee to walk to the table, sitting on another chair facing Song. "What do you want to talk about ?" I asked once I was sit.

"Well, I wanted to...apologize." She responded, crossing her arms an bit uncomfortable to talk about it. "Apologize about what happened yesterday night." She added as I was taking an sip from the hot coffee, drinking an half of it to be exact.

"That ?" I exclaimed, the cup in my right hand, looking at her. "You couldn't know about it."

"Maybe but it was like I was forcing to give you that injection to be honest." She breathed, looking away for an second from me.

"I told you, Song. You couldn't know." I repeated again, sure of my words as I drink....it wasn't her fault and she was only making her duty to try to heal me. I have nothing against her. "We don't need to talk about this....or maybe what Garrett told about you." I suggested, knowing that Garrett was aware of my brainwashing as Park told him years ago.

"You're sure ?" She chuckled, having guessed of what I was talking about.

"Yes." I whispered to her directly, launching an weird silence in the room during 2 minutes as I was drinking my coffee and her, not moving at all from. It was akward and I was hoping for someone to get inside the room and start another conversation but nothing...."How's things with Garrett ?" I was the one to launch another discussion, asking this like that to her as I put my empty cup down, having finishing it in the two long minutes.

"Oh, that's nice." She answered with an smile, no more looking stressed or bad towards me. "Gonna say that I was pretty happy to see him back after an month to not be able to be at his side." She added, sounding more good.

"We can say that some weren't so pleaded to hear you during an night." I scoffed about it, making an little laugh as I could see her blush from that.

"I wasn't so loud." She exclaimed, her voice cracking in an funny voice.

"Not what the others says." I continued to laugh as I could see her roll her eyes to me before laughing an little too. "At least, you're happy to be sure."

"Of course." She admitted, putting her arms on the table but as she was going to continue to speak as I could see her mouth open an little, knocks at the kitchen door interrupted her.

"Park ?" I said as I turned around to see her standing outside the room and having her hand on the door frame, she was looking an bit nervous to say.

"You might need to come." She started, removing her hand from the frame. "We may have an little problem with Lukas Ritter." She added and by hearing that, I quickly got up from my chair, putting back the cup on the counter before I left the kitchen, Park awaiting for me outside. "Zasha just got an transmission out and it's bad." She told me as we walked through the safehouse to get back to our desk.

"Bad enough to not have any more leads for Portnova ?" I suggested but she didn't respond until we arrived at the desk, Zasha looking at us.

"Well, it's bad if we're letting this happen." Zasha heard me talking, answered at Park's place. "Ritter is going to try to leave town tonight from the Kiyevsky railway terminal."

"Damnit." I breathed as hearing this could really screw up our chances to find something that could help us to save Portnova. "I guess that it's not the only bad thing, I supposed." I presumed, seeing the two faces towards me.

"Someone in the KGB has ordered everyone in Portnova's team including herself to not leave town for an undetermined time, starting at midnight." Park spoke up, taking an breath as she leaned herself on the desk. "This means that they will be heavily watched except for Portnova."

"We're sure that it's not Portnova herself asking for this." Zasha said clearly, standing up from their chair.

"So, tonight became our only chance to have an talk with Ritter." They both nodded at me as I looked at Ritter's file on the desk. "We can't actually capture him as we can risk an lot if someone in Portnova's team has an little problem."

"Yeah, the KGB or even Perseus can make everyone disappear for a while if something like this happen." Zasha thought, putting their hand on their face, trying to find something to do with Ritter. "What if we're trying to make Ritter realize of our goods intentions ?"

"Like transforming him in an insider that could help us with Portnova...." Park suggested right and Zasha nodded. "Since Ritter isn't going to be followed tonight, we can do it."

"But we don't know at which hour he's going to take the train so we might need to go to the station right now." I proposed as I looked around, seeing the others working to their desk. "It's only going to be the three of us, it's better." Park & Zasha nodded. "Then, let's go to put our hands on Ritter." At the second I said this that we start to prepare ourselve for that improvised mission.

As Ritter was going to be in an very public area, only me, Park & Zasha were able to go into the station to talk to him without bringing too much attention on us and to be certain, no one wanted to make an slaughter into that train station so we only took our pistols with us. Zasha was given one by Garrett back in West-Berlin and it was the one they used to kill that CIA agent back when we 'saved' Sonya Kuzmin....only to learn hours later that they managed to escape...CIA's stupidity....

Going out of the safehouse was an first since we didn't leave the place since we arrived 2 days ago here and to return into the city was kinda make me & Zasha to feel a bit stressed out about this. We couldn't allow to be recognized or to make any stupid moves as the KGB think that we are both dead. We arrived at the station, fully equipped with earsets and our pistols hidden below our jackets before getting ourselves separated even if I was keeping an closer distance with Zasha, wanting to be there in case something's bad happening to them to protect them.

Each one of us were positioning on an bay like ordinary travelers awaiting for their trains while keeping our eyes on the entrances. The place was crowded but not so much, allowing me to breath freely as I was remembering the last time I was in an very crowded place...it didn't end well and I was feeling not so good to be surrounded by an lot of people around me.

"Anyone seeing Ritter ?" Park asked, 10 minutes after we got inside the station, through our earsets as she was positioned at 2 bays from me as Zasha was positioned to the one next to mine. By luck, we could see each other as there weren't any trains between our bays. "Got nothing on my sight."

"Same for me." Zasha replied as I look at their direction, seeing them alone and standing up to see the panel where the departures & arrivals of the trains will be.

"Nothing for me too." I said as I sit back on an bench, tapping with my feet on the ground as I was feeling weird to be here, stressed & anxious at the same time. The civilians could see me as just an woman who is waiting for her train....me, it was because of been in an place like this. "How are you feeling right now ?"  I asked.

"Quite good." Park responded as I could see her, slowly waving at me from her bay as the ones between mine & hers wasn't so crowded at all. "You don't sound too well."

"It's just that I don't like to have all of these civilians around me." I explained, joining my hands together and taking an breath on the bench. "It's not something that I really like."

"You were like that before." I could hear Zasha's voice, sounding sad at hearing me talking. "You weren't an big fan of crowd and you kinda freak out if there's too much people." They added as I looked to them, also looking at me.

"Really ?" I asked.

"Yeah." They told me in an low voice, removing their eyes from me. "It was...."

"Got eyes on Ritter !" Park exclaimed silently through our earsets, inadvertantly cutting Zasha out in their words, making me look around me. "He's at the entrance." She added, I looked at where she said and she was right : Lukas Ritter was there alone, looking around him.

"Okay, let's see which bay is gonna take." I talked before I could hear an train arriving near the bay I was and then, I saw Lukas coming into the bay. "He's moving in : I'm going to stop him before he got into the train." I got up from the bench before starting to move away from it as the train stopped itself near the bay and I moved faster as I could see Lukas also walking more faster than usual. "Lukas Ritter ?" I said as I arrived near him at almost two steps from him to get into the train.

"Uhm...yes ?" He started, looking worried to see someone like me calling him out.

"I think that we have to talk." I spoke to him, giving to him directly my reasons to be her but he rolled his eyes.

"Sorry but I'm not free to...." He wanted to continue as I removed slowly an part of my jacket discreetly, revealing my M1911 in an holstler, making him stop in his words.

"Did I stutter ?" I got close to him, putting my hands on his shoulder more like an threat to him. "That was an order so we're gonna walk back to maybe your car and everything will go fine." I added before I make him look at the entrance. "So now, walk with me outside." I ordered as I stayed behind him, walking away slowly from the bay.

I didn't draw my gun as it was too dangerous and only showing it to Ritter was the only think I could do to make sure that he was going to comply to my order and to walk outside with me. We walked outside, still following him by behind. He was stressing by an lot to have someone like me, making sure that he will not do anything stupid move until we arrived at what I supposed to be his car in an parking well hidden from the public sight, now awaiting for Park & Zasha to come as they both saw me leave with Ritter.

But as Ritter was looking behind him for an second, he somehow decide to try something and to grab my gun inside my holstler. My first reaction was to knee kick him into the chest, removing his hands from my jacket. I tried to knee kick an second time but he managed to grab my right leg before I could put my both legs between the right arm that took my leg and then I make him roll on his car hood, holding his arm strongly. However, he managed to get himself up for an second and to throw me an punch right into my face, next to my lips but thanksfully, it wasn't enough to knock me out except feeling an little bit of blood on the bottom lip.

Right after that punch, I removed my legs from his arm, pushing him right on the ground before I took out my M1911 to aim at him with my both hands and now seeing the scare on his face.

"You try something like that...." I started before I lower my gun to the ground, seeing Park & Zasha running to get to me.

"You're alright ?" Park asked, seeing the blood on my bottom lip as Zasha was getting next to Lukas, making sure that he don't move.

"Yeah, just hit me but it's not so bad." I replied, passing my left hand on my lips to clean the blood on it and then, I put my M1911 back into my jacket "Now, he knows that he can't do an thing." I affirmed before I got next to Zasha, putting my hands on Lukas. "Help me getting him sit on the hood." I ordered to Zasha who nodded, helping me to get Lukas up....he wasn't knocked out....still scared about us.

"Do you think he's gonna talk ?" Zasha asked maybe to themselves as they were finished to have Lukas on the hood. "Don't need to tell me : he will !" They admitted as we needed some intels about Portnova.....and talking about her was making Zasha nervous.

"What do you want with me ?" Lukas questioned to the three of us as he was breathing an bit louder, trying to catch back his breath after that little fight.

"A lot of things and you will help us." Park responded, crossing her arms as she was looking around to make sure no one was looking at us, we were right next to an light pole but still in hidden sight. "Apparently, you have some...'differents opinions' and you're working with Yirina Portnova's team." She took back the same words the KGB used in that transmission. "Are you working with Perseus....or you're trying to defect ?"

"With Perseus." He said in an low voice, looking at her. "Listen, I wasn't willing to work with Perseus and same thing when I was send here to work inside the KGB." He added, mixing between looking at everyone.

"But why did you want to flee as the KGB was going to ask everyone to stay here ?" Zasha demanded him with narrowed eyes. "You did put yourself in danger for what ?"

"I wanted to go home !" He was sounding almost angry in his voice, causing Zasha to be almost scared about it. "I needed to see my boyfriend back....been months that I didn't see him..." He added, taking back his low voice as me, Park & Zasha looked at each other....he was trying to flee to get back to his boyfriend in East-Germany..."Just to be far from Perseus."

"You don't realize that Perseus is everywhere and he will do everything to have you back here ?" I started to say, wanting to make things clear with him. "What you almost did was going to make things worse for yourself." I continued, keeping my cool towards him. "And to make your life better, we need you to help us." I stepped back from him, getting next to Park.

"You're gonna be our insider in the KGB and that's not negociable." Park ordered him clearly, getting closer to him. "Once we're done, the MI6 can help you with your problems...only if you're helping us of course."

"Talk about Portnova !" Zasha told him in an sudden, sounding very curious. "Tell us what she's been doing."

"Well....she's been leading an team of cryptographer inside the KGB but in fact, it's just an team of Perseus spies." Lukas breathed, redressing himself on his car hood. "Portnova....she's been just placed as the leader by Perseus but in reality, he doesn't trust her."

"And why ?" I asked.

"Because even if she's with Perseus, she doesn't share his ideas." Lukas answered, rolling his eyes around. "She's been trying to struggle with an lot of things and Perseus recently removed her from giving the russians weapons from his arms trafficking around the world...He's doing it by himself now."

"So what I hear, Portnova has joined Perseus who doesn't really trust her and now, him or the KGB is going to watch everyone closely."  Zasha thought, getting their both hands in front of their mouth. "You said that you were going to help us, so do it." They added, sounding an bit angry.

"Yes, I will." Lukas affirmed before looking at me, worried. "What should I do ?"

"You will be soon contacted by someone that will instruct you to help us so you will agree." Park was the one to speak up to him as she was the one leading everything in here. "We're going to make sure that you follow our orders because bad consequences will occur if you don't."

"And....and now ?" He whispered

"Now, you're going back to the place you're living, awaiting." Park took an deep breath, looking at him closely. "Our eyes are on us now, don't screw this up because there's people you don't want to see angry." She exclaimed, looking at me & Zasha. "Go." She whispered before walking away from the front of the car.

"Ok, I will." Lukas repeated as he start to move from the car hood while me & Zasha were going next to Park, watching Lukas getting back into his car, Park gesturing at him that we got our eyes on him, looking deadly before Lukas drove away from the place with our orders in head.

"Shit." I whispered to myself as I didn't thought of that to happen....especially that fight I just had with him. "And now, we're awaiting for him to do his job." I breathed away as Park moved in front of me to check my lips.

"I'm gonna clean you up back at the safehouse." She said with an smile, an normal face before looking at Zasha who was recovering from everything they have heard from Lukas.

"Don't worry, Zed." I tapped on their left shoulder, grinning. I just wanted them to feel better, to reassure them that we will save Portnova from Perseus. "Come on, time to go back to the safehouse." I continued before I laugh about something, making me tap their shoulder again......

"I'm pretty sure that an big cup of coffee will get you well."

[xmalereader]

The Mandalorian X Son! Male Reader

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|| Masterlist ||

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Summary: Din has a fourteen year old son, related by blood while the second one is adopted. They run into some trouble and reader saves the day.

Warnings: Plain fluff, badass reader, Langauge.

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“He’s doing it again.” Said Y/n.

Din turns around in his pilot seat to see the child moving the floating silver knob in their air. Y/n was sitting opposite from the child, watching him closely with a small smile on his face. “If he’s doing it again than stop him before he decides to do anything else, last time he nearly destroyed my control panel.” Y/n rolls his eyes dramatically as he reaches out to take the knob from him. “He’s not doing anything wrong and you know he cant control it.” He reminds his father.

Thats right, Din Djarin; the great mandalorian was a father to a fourteen year old stubborn brat. He raised him from a young age and was slowly setting into the life of a mandalorian. Y/n wore his own helmet and beskar armor and since the two are related by blood they were both allowed to see each other’s faces. Din was glad to have that opportunity, he didn’t want his own sons life ot be waisted away with him growing up and never seeing each other’s faces.

Right now, y/n was sitting across the child with his helmet off. Lying on the ground as he reaches out to take the kid in his arms. “Hey little brother” he cooes out. Now that the kid is a part of their family both y/n and Din hadn’t come up with a name for the child so in the mean time y/n would call him ‘little brother’ accepting him into the family.

“Stop spoiling him.”

“I don’t spoil him.” Y/n shot back with a pout on his face.

Din turns around to face the two, his head cocking to the side. “Then explain that—“he points over to the child’s chair that contained two small stuffed frogs. A yellow and purple one. Y/n glances at the stuffed frogs and then back at din. “Umm, he convinced me to buy them?”

Din frowns under his helmet. Y/n groans in frustration, sensing his fathers glare. “Okay! Fine I do spoil him it come on! Look at him, he’s too adorable to resist!” He holds the child out for his father to see. “Look into his eyes and tell me he’s not adorable.” He was shoving the small green child into his fathers face. “Tell me!”

“Alright, alright I get it!” Din calls out and laughs at his own son. “Just stop wasting credits, we needs those for fuel and food.” He reminds the teenager before turning back around to control the ship.

“Okay, fine I won’t spend anymore credits on the little womp rat.” He sets the kid back in his seat. He grabs his helmet and slips it over his own head, hearing his father turn on some switches. “Will be landing somewhere soon.”

“Where?” Y/n moves closer to take a look at their location. “Sorgon?” His voice sounded confused as to why they are returning back to that planet. “The last time we were their we stayed in a small farming village, then we left. Why are we coming back?”

“It’s the closest planet to the area and we need proper rest. I’ll find a job and make sure that we get the credits that we need since you spent half of them.”

“I feel attacked.” Y/n placed a hand over his heart as he whines. “I thought I was gonna help this time?”

“Not today.” Din takes them down to sorgon, flying over the planet as he finds them a perfect spot to land. It was closer to the village, y/n could see a few people roaming around the area. He raises a brow and scans the area, “Dad—“

“Don’t leave the ship you understand?” Said Din.

Y/n watched his father stand up and make his way out of the cockpit, but before he could climb down the ladder he turns to face his son. “Stay here where you are safe and keep the kid safe, got it?” The teenager nods in reply, he approaches his dad and stands on his toes. Pressing his own helmet against his fathers as he sighs. Please he safe too, you always attract the worst trouble and I don’t want to have to save your ass.”

Din chuckled and pulls away, placing a hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Remember you cause the most trouble.”

“Hey!!”

It’s almost been a day and Din hasn’t returned.

Y/n was told that if didn’t arrive the next day that he should take the razor crest and kid and leave the planet. Technically telling him that he was dead and never coming back.

But y/n didn’t give up that easy, remember he was stubborn and he wasn’t going to leave his family behind.

As y/n grabs a blaster and a few blades he turns towards the child and makes sure that he’s strapped in well on his back. “Alright little one, lets go search for dad and hope he’s not dead.” He mumbles out as he steps off the ship and closes up the hatch.

Putting on some heat sensors in his helmet, he looks around to see his fathers previous footprints. “This way.” He whispers as he follows the tracks towards the village.

Y/n continues to walk in silence, checking on the child every once an awhile. Making sure that he was still their with him and that wasn’t snatched off him without noticing. “If I were a Mandalorian where would I be?” He stands in silence for a few seconds before laughing. “Pfft, what am I saying? I am a Mandalorian, gosh you really are stupid.” He says to hismelf.

Following his instincts he decides to go between two buildings; taking him down a dark tunnel. Y/n turns on his night vision, his steps moving slow as he moves further down the tunnel. It takes him awhile to hear some murmuring up ahead, he crouched down behind a wall and peaks out a corner to see a group of old friends.

“Ugh not these idiots.”

He sees his fathers old bounty hunting friends that he had apparently left behind to rot in the prison cells on a republics ship.

“Think you can run away from us, huh mando?” Mayfield says as he chuckles, kicking mando. Y/n glares at the old group, god he really hated these people.

He noticed that Din was cuffed, his was stripped from his weapons and was lucky enough to keep his helmet on even though he knew that the group was desperate to see his face.

“You killed my brother mando and now we’re going to search for that little boy of yours.” Said Xian as she grazed her knife against his beskar helmet. “I’m gonna enjoy killing him, hearing his little cries.”

She was referring to the child; they had no idea that the Mandalorian actually has a son. His own flesh and bone. Y/n remembers hiding well enough during the prison raid, his own father warned him about these people and ordered him to stay hidden until it was over. He couldn’t risk losing his own kid to a group of mercenaries.

“—since he’s gonna Rot here, we might as well and see what he looks like.”

Y/n gasps, he grips for his blaster as he hears the group chuckle to themselves. Mayfield bends down to his fathers height and reaches Under his helmet. Y/n scans the whole room, calculating the place before he attacks the others.

“Let’s see what we’ve got here.”

Din was trying to shake off Mayfields grabby fingers, he uses his leg to kick him off. Hearing the other groan as he’s shoved away roughly, “That’s it!” Xian exclaims. She takes out one of her blades and places it under the helmet, the end of the blade was pricking dins chin as he winces.

“This is for my own brother.” She whispers out and grins at him as she slowly digs the blade further into his chin.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

All three of the bounties turn around to see a second Mandalorian. “What the hell?” Mayfield holds out his blaster. Y/n stands his ground and held out his own blaster towards mayfield and Burg. “Get your hands off the Mandalorian.” He grits out in anger.

Burg chuckles. “This one is tiny, we can easily take him.”

“I wouldn’t underestimate him.” Din suddenly says, catching the others attention. “What’s that suppose to mean?” Xian asks. But Din could only smirk at them.

Without the others knowing Y/n was moving quick, shooting mayfield on the shoulder as he pulls out a blade from his lower pockets, bending down quickly as he blocks Xian’s own blade.

He throws his towards her, aiming for her side but she shifts to the side. Causing his blade to collide against the wall.

Next came burg; now he was bigger than y/n but that doesn’t stop him from trying to take him down. He waits for burg to make his first move, he glanced over to see Xian taking out another blade. Throwing is at his direction causing y/n to jump to the side as burg gets stabbed on the chest. He groans deeply and glared at Xian who only hissed at him. “Get him!!” She shouts.

Mayfield turns around to see the smaller Mandalorian gone. “Where he go?!”

“Up here.”

Mayfield looks up to see the small Mandalorian jump down on him, landing on his shoulders as he wraps his legs around him. Knocking him down to the ground he takes out a pair of cuffs and quickly cuffs him up before he gets thrown back by burg. Slammed against the wall he lets out a small groan and tries to get back up.

“Your small for a Mandalorian.” Said Xian as she walks Over to him. “And you’ll be easy to kill too.”

“I don’t think so.” Y/n recovers quickly and swings his leg under Xian. Knocking her down as he stands up and faces burg, “Hello.” He says to the big and ugly red guy.

Y/n allows burg to grab him by the shirt, yanking him forward as he’s about to slam him down but y/n is quick and grabs his wrists, he uses the wall to push himself forward and slam the bigger guy against the wall, giving him the advantage to climb onto his shoulders and wrap a wire around his neck, he pulls him back and groans. Yanking harder on the wire he could hear the other gasping for air—for once.

As he yanks harder he feels burgs body go numb and tumbled down to the ground. Y/n rolls off him and looks up to see Xian holding Din down with another blade against his neck. “Drop your blaster or he gets it.” She warns.

Y/n knows that his father could easily get out of her grip but he wants to give y/n all the glory. He knows that y/n wants to prove hismelf worthy and show him that he can be a proper mandalorian.

“Put the blade down before I decide to claw your fucking eyes out.!” Y/n shouts out in anger. He noticed Xian flinch at the teenagers harsh words. “I would listen to him if I were you.” Says Din.

Xian’s attention goes to the Mandalorian, causing an easy distraction as y/n runs forward and body slams her against the wall. Hearing a crack as Xian’s body falls limp. “Shit, I think I killed her?” Y/n says as he bends down to check her pulse. “Nope she’s breathing she’ll just have a concussion.”

He turns around to face his father and removes the cuffs. “Good job.” He hears him say as y/n smiles. But before Din could continue on with his praising he slaps him upside the head. “I told you that if anything happened to me you were to leave!”

“What?!—I just saved your life!!” Y/n protests back.

“Where’s the kid.”

Y/n grumbles under his helmet and points down the dark tunnel. At the end of the tunnel the small gremlin peaks out, his legs ears lowering down in worry as he squeaks at the two mandalorians. “He’s safe.” Says y/n.

“Good, but that doesn’t stop me from getting you into trouble. You’ll be getting grounded once we head back to the razor crest.” Din takes his weapons back as y/n gaps at him.

“You can’t do that! Not after what I did for you!”

“Won’t change my mind.” He takes the child in his arms and began to leave the dark tunnels with a hormonal teenager trailing behind him. The two continued to argue with each other as they leave the tunnels and bounty hunters behind.

[vs-redemption]

Crime is Common. Logic is Rare. (Ch. 19)

Chapter Eighteen: High-Ends (HawksxGN!Reader)

Plot summary: You thought your hands were full as a regular quirk geneticist, but then you meet Hawks and things get even more exciting!

Warnings:  

⚠️This story contains spoilers from the manga.

⚠️Some events and plot points have been altered from the original manga

Tag List: @gayforkeigo @marshmallow-witch @redflannel @toyo-shiro @elsasshole @astronomyturtle @iambashfulperson

Next Chapter : Chapter Guide

The rain was coming down in buckets, so you were relieved when you finally made it to Jaku Hospital and could escape the weather. Even though you’d had the sense to use an umbrella, it hadn’t stopped the bottoms of your pants from getting soaked from the puddles. The situation reminded you of the first day you had gone to work at Hawks’ hero agency in Kyushu. You’d arrived late, soaking wet, and extremely embarrassed. It had seemed like a nightmare at the time, but compared to how things were now, those had been much simpler times.

Thinking about your boyfriend only reminded you of how much you missed him though, so you tried to steer your focus onto your mission as you made your way to the secret elevator that took you down to Dr. Garaki’s lab. You had spent the past few days buried in textbooks and research journals. Most of the information wasn’t new to you, but you needed to have it all ready at the forefront of your mind whenever you used your quirk. The easier it was to call on that information, the easier it was for your brain to pick up on clues and make deductions. Hopefully, this would help you better understand the way All For One’s blood was able to bind two different DNA samples together.

“We need to find a way to isolate the genes specifically related to quirks,” you tell the doctor in frustration while backing away from one of the expensive microscopes. “I have no idea how the nomus can function at all with these beefed up chromosomes, but a normal person would never survive this procedure.”

“Except All For One,” The doctor rubs at his thick mustache. He was usually more cheerful when you worked with him, but there’d been a shift in his attitude lately. He seemed more serious and impatient about making a breakthrough with the research you both were doing. Everything would be so much easier if you didn’t have to pretend you didn’t know he was working with the League of Villains. You look closely at Dr. Garaki for a moment as he worried over his slides and samples. He’d responded well to the risks you’d taken in the past, but one wrong move and he could turn on you in a moment. He must realize by now that you suspected him of creating nomus though. He knew you were smart enough to figure it out, so why did he continue to allow you into his lab?

“I need to see a high-end nomu,” you tell him bluntly. He raises his bushy eyebrows and tilts his head towards you curiously.

“That’s the problem, isn’t it?” he asks. “Neither one of us have that level of security clearance with the Hero Commission’s research lab.” You continue to observe him for a moment, wondering how far you should push.

“The nomus I studied from Hosu and Kamino were strong but mindless,” you tell him. “They were just monsters created to destroy anything in their paths. The high-end nomu that fought Endeavor was different. It could think and speak. I don’t know if I’d go as far as to say it had full consciousness, but it was certainly closer to being human that the previous nomus. Having All For One’s DNA helped confirm that it could be used to make the original Nomus, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m working with outdated information.”

“I don’t disagree,” The doctor sighs. “But what can we do about it?” You were starting to lose patience with him now.

“When I showed you my proposal I said the next step of your research would be to try to create a nomu,” You remind him. “We clearly have the means to attempt that, but all we’ve been doing is studying my quirk. You said before that you wanted to use it for something, and I still don’t know what that is.”

“You want to try to make a nomu now?” The doctor looks surprised.

“No,” you admit, “But I don’t think you do either. I’m thinking you’ve got your sights aimed higher, and I can’t help you unless I get my hands on a high-end nomu.” Dr. Garaki takes a deep breath and puts his hands together.

“You’re assuming I have a high-end nomu to show you,” he says flatly.

“I also assumed you had All For One’s DNA,” you shrug, “and I ended up being right.”

“You ought to be careful,” Dr. Garaki tells you, sounding sincere. “It might be better to drop this conversation.”

“Better for me? Or better for you?” You can’t help but ask and Dr. Garaki lets out one of his weird chuckles.

“Better for both of us,” He states plainly. “Don’t you have a pro hero as a boyfriend?”

“Don’t you run a hospital for orphans and old people?” You retort with a raised eyebrow. “I’m not here to judge you. I’m here to learn more about quirk genetics so that people in the future can use that information to benefit humanity. If doing so helps you with whatever your goals are in the process, then that just makes this whole arrangement mutually advantageous for both of us.” The doctor hums in thought before looking over his slides and samples again. After a moment he nods his head, apparently having made his decision.

“Follow me,” He says before leading you to the back of the lab to a metal panel on the wall that you’d always assumed led to a furnace room or some other kind of maintenance closet. There was a slight electric sort of hum from behind the panel that only got louder once Dr. Garaki unlocked it and opened it up. You couldn’t help but be surprised as a long narrow tunnel came into view. The doctor wasted no time in climbing up into the secret passage.

“So you really are a mad scientist, huh?” You try to keep the lighthearted teasing in your voice. “You have not only one, but two secret labs.”

“What can I say,” he almost sounded excited about showing you whatever was on the other side of the passage, “I’m an enthusiast.”

The tunnel was longer than you anticipated, and you had to watch your step because there were thick wires and mysterious tubes running along the floors and walls. It took about fifteen minutes to make it to the other side where Garaki had to unlock another door. The sight that greeted you on the other end was even more shocking than the tunnel.

“Oh my god,” You couldn’t hold back the comment. You’d just stepped into a large space that was crammed with at least twenty giant glass tanks containing black creatures of various shapes and sizes. You knew they all had to be Nomus, but if they were all as strong as that high-end from Kyushu, that was going to be a big problem for the heroes.

“These high-ends are nowhere near completed,” The doctor sighs as he beckons you to follow him through the tight spaces between the tanks. You carefully stepped over the wires and tubes that continued out from the tunnel and branched off in all directions on the floor. “The one that fought Endeavor was the first prototype. Dabi was supposed to bring the body back to me for analysis, but the police got to it before he could.”

“Dabi?” You ask curiously, “Is he that blue fire guy?”

“Yes,” The doctor confirms as you make it to a huge super computer at the back of the room. There were multiple screens showing information about each of the deadly test subjects currently growing around you. You never would’ve expected there to be so many, and it was nerve wracking to be so close to them. The monsters towered over you as they slept suspended in the liquid filled tanks. The top two heroes in the country had barely been able to take down one of these things.

“You want to know how All For One can transfer quirks from other people to himself,” The doctor smiles a bit while waving his arms around the room. “I want to do the opposite. I want to transfer All For One’s quirk to another person.”

“What?” You put a hand to your head to try and comprehend the magnitude of what he’d just said. He didn’t just want to use the super villain’s blood to bind quirks together. He wanted to transfer the quirk itself. All Might had nearly died trying to defeat All For One and all the quirks he’d collected during his lifetime, and now this insane doctor wanted to give that same power to someone else? Weren’t the villains strong enough as it was, especially once all these high-end nomus were finished?

“Do you still want to study the high-ends?” The doctor asks seriously, “I’m sure this is all a little overwhelming.”

“Too late to back out now,” You tell him with false excitement. “My curiosity is officially peaked.”

[storiesforallfandoms]

the photoshoot ~ david budd; bodyguard

part one   part two

word count: 2936

request?: no

description: david learns a secret about his assignment that connects the two together

pairing: david budd x female!reader

warnings: mentions of PTSD, mentions murder, swearing

When David woke up the next morning, he thought he was back home, sleeping next to Vicky. He half expected the kids to run in at any moment and jump on the bed to wake them up. It took him only a moment when he opened his eyes to remember that he and Vicky weren’t together anymore, and he was working on a job. But, if that was the case, why was there someone wrapped up in his arms.

(Y/N) had her face buried in David’s chest, sleeping away soundly. At some point in the night, the two had become tangled together without noticing. David looked at (Y/N)’s peaceful face for a moment, almost not wanting to disturb her. However, he knew all of this was wrong. He could get in serious trouble if they were caught.

Slowly, he untangled himself from (Y/N), as not to wake her. He got out of the nice, warm hotel bed and made his way back to his own room. He ran the sink and splashed cold water over his face, trying to wake himself up more. He had gotten a good night’s sleep the night before, but he still felt exhausted. That was nothing new since he got home from the war, but he was getting better at hiding it.

Once he was dressed and ready for the day, he went around to (Y/N)’s room door and knocked on it.

“It’s me, ma’am,” he called him. “May I come in?”

There was a brief silence before a voice responded, “Yeah, come in!”

David swiped the room key and entered the room. (Y/N) was stood in the bathroom, brushing her teeth. She peered up at David and spit the mouthful of toothpaste into the sink.

“Why didn’t you come through the connecting door?” she asked him.

“I didn’t want to barge in, ma’am. You might’ve been changing or anything.”

She chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Again with the ma’am. Didn’t we agree last night that you’d call me by my name?”

“Sorry, ma’am. It’s just an official thing when I’m on duty.”

She eyed him, a small smile on her face. “You’re a lot different when you’re on duty. More serious. I suppose that’s a good thing, you are guarding my life after all.”

David noted the changes in (Y/N), too. For the first time since they had met, she looked more lively, more cheerful. He wondered if it was just an act she was putting on seeing as she was about to go out into the public, or if she was truly just feeling better.

She lathered up her hands with some sort of “special exfoliating” scrub. “Why did you go back to your room? Did I kick you out of bed or something?”

“I had to get ready, ma’am,” David responded. “Besides, it would be considered unprofessional if we were found sleeping in the same bed. Could cost me this job, I might have to be reassigned.”

“Even if I asked you to stay with me?”

“Even then, yes.”

(Y/N) looked thoughtful at this. She shrugged and turned on the sink to start rinsing her face. As she did so, a knock came at her door, followed by Maggie’s voice calling, “(Y/N)? It’s me, Maggie! Are you up, dear, we have to leave to leave soon!”

(Y/N) moved to answer the door. David raised a hand to stop her. She stopped in place and watched him move towards the door. He peaked out through the peep hole before opening the door just enough that Maggie could see him, but nothing more. She smiled at him.

“Good morning, PS Budd,” she said to him. “Is (Y/N) awake?”

“She is, ma’am,” David said and stepped aside to let Maggie in. She walked past him and into the hotel room. (Y/N) came out to meet her, patting her face dry with a towel.

“You look absolutely gorgeous this morning, (Y/N),” Maggie told her. “You look much more rested this morning. Any nightmares last night?”

(Y/N) glanced at David, begging him not to tell Maggie about the night before. “Nope, I rested quite well. I guess it was being in a new environment had me spooked or something.”

Maggie nodded, believing the lie. “Alright, well let’s get you down to the car then.”

When the three of them exited the hotel, a string of paparazzi swarmed them immediately. They began shouting questions about the threats and the stalker at (Y/N). She tried to shrink back away from them all, back into the hotel is possible. David put one arm around her protectively, and put the other out in front of him, pushing people aside and asking them to move out of his way. The flash of their cameras nearly blinded him, but he found his way to the car eventually and opened the door for (Y/N) and Maggie to get in.

Nearly all three breathed a sigh of relief when David shut the front door and the car began moving.

“What the fuck was that?!” (Y/N) snapped. “I thought nobody knew where I was staying. How did those vultures find me?!”

“Someone must’ve seen us come in yesterday,” Maggie responded. “Tipped off the press. My journalist friend told me that tabloids and news outlets have started offering big money to anyone that can get more details about the threats and the stalker.”

“You have a friend in journalism?” David asked, eying Maggie through the rearview mirror. “Isn’t that a conflict of interest, ma’am.”

“Oh, she’s not worried about silly celebrity gossip,” Maggie responded, waving the comment away. “Besides, it’s not like I’d tell her anything about this anyways. I’ve been a manager for a long time, PS Budd, this isn’t my first time dealing with the press.”

“Never said it was, ma’am,” David responded. “Just asking a question.”

“Well, keep an eye out for any other danger, let me deal with this.” Maggie pulled a phone from her bag and started punching in some numbers. “I have another room in another hotel already booked but it doesn’t start until tomorrow night. I’ll have to see if I can pull some strings and bump it up a night. We’ll send the crew by later to pick up your things.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea, ma’am?” David asked. “Nothing against your team, but maybe the press found out about where (Y/N) was through a leak.”

Maggie looked at him with shock. “You think one of us did this?”

“It’s likely, ma’am. Like you said, the tabloids are asking for a lot of money for a story. Maybe a team member was bribed into leaking some personal information.”

Maggie didn’t look too thrilled about the accusation. (Y/N), however, was running her hands through her hair in stress. “Just listen to him, Maggie, he’s an expert. The three of us can go get my things when the photoshoot is over.”

Maggie narrowed his eyes at David through the rearview mirror. David continued to look forward, pretending he didn’t see it.

~~~~~~

David didn’t believe (Y/N) when she said he’d be bored to tears at the photoshoot, but once he arrived he started to believe her. He stood watching the movie star being put into countless outfits and posing on a white background. Apparently her next movie was yet another Hallmark type Christmas movie, as evident by her snowy outfits and the fake snow being thrown around on her.

The photographer shouted different poses for her to do, hyping her up by calling her gorgeous every now and then. She smiled brightly and turned, giving the camera a show it was definitely loving. She looked so natural, so happy, like she was born to be in front of a camera.

David was so engrossed in watching her for a moment that he fell distracted. He forgot what he was supposed to be doing. He couldn’t help but marvel at how beautiful she was. When she looked carefree and happy, like she wasn’t scared for her life, she looked beautiful.

He didn’t notice one of the crew members carrying a large panel. He didn’t notice him stumble and drop the panel, causing a loud bang to ring out through the set. David jumped at the sound. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. Before the shakes started, before the awful memories he didn’t want to remember, he had to remember where he was. That he was home, and he was okay.

It only lasted a moment, luckily, but when David opened his eyes he noticed (Y/N)’s face had fell. She was staring at the camera but her mind was elsewhere. Her eyes started to gloss over with tears and she raised a hand to her mouth, as if she was witnessing something awful. Then suddenly, she took off towards the dressing room.

David found himself running after her. He caught up with her just in time to have a door slammed in his face. He knocked on the door. “Ma’am, are you okay?”

“Go away!” came (Y/N)’s voice. She was in hysterics, full on sobbing. David could hear her take shallow breaths from the other side of the door.

“I will, I just want to know you’re okay. What happened, ma’am?”

There was no response. David raised his hand to knock again, but realized there was no use. He couldn’t make (Y/N) tell him what had happened if she didn’t want to talk about it. Instead, he told her, “I’m going to stand outside this door just to make sure no one comes. If you want to talk, I’m right here.”

He was about to get in position when the door knob turned and the door cracked open a little bit. (Y/N) didn’t appear, but David understood the silent gesture; come in please.

When he walked in, (Y/N) was sitting down on a couch with tears running down her face, staining her cheeks black from her mascara and eyeliner. She looked up at David and bit her lip to keep back the tears.

“Are you alright, ma’am?” he asked her.

“No,” she said, her voice cracking as she said it.

“Did something happen at the photoshoot? Are you hurt?”

She shook her head. “The noise startled me, that’s all.”

But David knew that wasn’t true. She had the same reaction he had experienced when he first returned from the warn, a reaction he still had from time to time. It wasn’t just the reaction of someone who was startled, it was the reaction of someone who had experienced something traumatic in her past. Something she was still fighting.

David sat down on the couch next to her. She looked up at him, fresh tears welling in her eyes.

“You don’t have to tell me,” he said to her, his voice gentle and nurturing. “I just want to know you’re okay, or that you will be okay.”

(Y/N) breathed in and out, calming herself down. She grabbed a tissue from a nearby stand to wipe her tears, groaning when she saw the black that was coming off with it. “They’re so gonna kill me for this.”

“If they’re going to be upset because you got upset over something, they don’t really care about you.”

(Y/N) took in David’s words for a moment. She looked almost shocked by them, as if no one had told her that before. David realized she was probably used to people caring more about her career and reputation than her wellbeing. Although he had only known her not even a day, David cared more than he probably should have for (Y/N). Something about her just drew him in, something more than just his job.

She wiped her eyes again and balled the tissue up in her hands. “My dad,” she said suddenly, “he...he wasn’t a...fantastic man. He was a criminal defense lawyer, worked all sorts of cases that required him to defend all sorts of awful criminals. It wasn’t what he wanted to do, but when he was first out of law school no firms would take him. He was offered a job that would pay him a large sum at a criminal defense agency. He wanted to turn it down, but mom had just given birth to me, dad had student loan debts he was trying to pay off and neither one of them were working. He took the job, hoping it would only be a few years.”

She shook her head. “Apparently he was the best lawyer they had. They kept him on for years, he defended criminals every day. Some days he came home convinced that his clients were innocent, even if the evidence was stacked against them. Obviously, he wasn’t well liked because of this. People who were robbed, attacked, assaulted by his clients were angry when he’d get them off. He received all sorts of threats, mum got some for a while before the police stepped in. But he never let it get to him. He still walked and talked as if he were on top of the world, like nothing was wrong.”

She looked up at David with her big innocent eyes and he found himself hanging on to every word she was saying. “He was a great father. You have to know that. He gave me everything I could’ve ever wanted, he loved me unconditionally. Always said that no matter what he would always love me. And then...and then one day...” She looked down at her hands, trying to steady her breathing. “One day, when I was 10, we were out together, just a normal father and daughter day. We were so happy. And then suddenly this loud bang rang out, and when I looked over dad was on the ground and he was bleeding. I tried to get to him, but whoever shot him started shooting at me. They were shooting at a fucking 10 year old! A passer by grabbed me and dragged me away from my dying father. They called the police but no one would go near him. He lay there, bleeding. They wouldn’t let me go see him until first responders arrived. By that point, it was too late.”

She was crying again. Suddenly, their conversation about Ella from the night before made sense. (Y/N) had told him to love his daughter unconditionally because when she was Ella’s age she lost her own.

“Did they find who did it?” he asked.

She shook her head. “They couldn’t even figure out where the shot came from. There were no witnesses besides the people who saw dad go down. The suspect list was too long for them to go through them all, apparently. The case was deemed cold within about a month. But I knew it was because none of the police officers really wanted to solve the case. Dad was a dead criminal defense lawyer, it was a win for them. No one gave a shit about his poor daughter that witnessed the whole event.”

She started to shake. David reached forward and took her hands in his. She looked up at him and, despite the runny makeup and the puffy eyes, David thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever met.

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” he told her, raising one hand to wipe the tears from her eyes. “And I’m sorry they never found the person who did it. I promise you, I will never let anything happen to you as long as I’m working for you. No one will ever get close to hurting you like that again, ever. And I’m true to my promises.”

(Y/N) smiled and leaned into David’s touch. Neither had noticed how close they were starting to get. They were mere inches from each other. (Y/N) looked into David’s eyes and something about them was just pulling him in. This started to become literal when he found himself moving towards her.

However, the turning of the doorknob caused both of them to jump away from one another. Maggie walked in and immediately started fussing over (Y/N).

“Oh, honey, are you okay?” she asked. “What happened? You just disappeared. Your make up is ruined and your eyes are bloodshot. What happened to her?”

That question was directed towards David, which came with an accusing look. David opened his mouth to respond, but (Y/N) cut him off.

“I just got startled, I wanted to be alone. David came to check on me,” she explained. “I’m okay, but I think I want to leave soon if that’s possible.”

Maggie nodded. “The hotel room has been bumped to tonight. The three of us can go back to the old place and get your things and have you to this new place as soon as possible.

(Y/N) smiled and thanked Maggie. Maggie nodded and just glanced at David before leaving the room. (Y/N) grabbed a makeup wipe and started washing her face.

“Maggie doesn’t know,” she told him. “No one does. I changed my last name when I became famous so no one would know who I am, although the police kept the whole case pretty under wraps. I don’t...really want anyone to know just yet. So...can this be our little secret?”

David nodded. “Of course, ma’am.”

(Y/N) smiled. “Thank you, David.”

He smiled back. “You’re welcome, (Y/N).”

Tags: @godohammers @letmelivetaylor @rogerfxckingtaylor @rexorangecouny @polarcrystall @emmaelizabeth2014 @sj-thefan @boycrazynotsorry @walking-stressed-mess @laketaj24 @maccasbeard @bookscoffeandotherstuff @badasseddy​ @internet-teenagedirtbag​

If you want to be tagged in future parts let me know!

[herald-divine-hell]

Warming Treats in Cold Days

A/N: Is it winter time? No? Not yet? Well, I don’t give a damn. Have some wintry fluff with Amayian and Leliana as a married couple!

-

When Leliana peaked out from a pulled scarlet curtain, the fabric heavy but recently pressed and swipe of any shrouds of dust, she watched as stars fell, flashing silvery-white beneath the cool strands of pale sunlight, from a blanket of silvery and gray clouds. In the far distant, she could just make out the wavered small dot of the early morning sun, a disc of pearly white. Snow clamped over leafless branches, wooden arms twined in a tapestry of darken browns and glimmering whites. Darkness pooled, with slivers of gray streaked with flashes of white. Mounds of snow piled, and the once bluish-green lake near the gardens, used often for swimming, was a solid smooth ground of ice, splashes of blue and black within the white surface. For a few moments, she watched the colors trembled and twirled, as if the water underneath the lake danced freely within its frosty constrains.

Shivering, Leliana let the curtain fall back into place, pale light cut out aburpt. But there was enough of the amber glow of torches burning in iron-wrought sconces to keep herself from tripping or getting lost. Tugging at the heavy velvet blue bathrobe, regretting not throwing on a blouse before heading out her bedchambers, Leliana began her strode toward the kitchens. At least her feet were warm, stepping on the carpets of blue and red. Before she had walked off, she let her toes flex and wiggle against the soft surface, like she was stepping on a warm summer cloud. Leliana wished that it was summer. The winters in Ostwick was unbearable, somehow even worse than the ones in Ferelden.

The castle was quiet, the only soft whisper of the winter winds pattering against glass window panels, intersected in crosses of iron, and the low chippers from the torches. Leliana was glad that the children did not wake up yet, though she knew partly the reason why they slept so late into the night was because they spent it scavenging the castle for the secret pathways and rooms their father had hinted about. They had only found one, an ancient armory filled with swords, battleaxes, pikes, spears, and arrows. Amayian and her had only just been able to put Jacqueline off learning the spear - she already had her sword-training to do. Yet the girl had as much patience as her father. Leliana was the pinnacle of patience...when it mattered.

Shaking her head, Leliana could not keep the soft chuckle from bubbling at her chest. Jac has heard far too many stories of us. Especially Leliana. Amayian did not waste a moment in story time to praise Leliana’s abilities, fictional or real. The man was as stubborn as a Ferelden.

Pushing the stone doors, laced with hammered silver twined in vines and rearing stallions, Leliana found her husband in a pleasing sight.

A low hum came from the man, who’s neck was bent down, looking at something hidden from Leliana’s view. Though, what she saw was something she would never complain about, either. Scars littered the broad, muscular back, white lines that slash here and others there, some curving around over his side. Some new scratches also accompanied the old battle scars, and Leliana could not keep the small curl of her lips from rising to her face even if she had wanted to. Battles happen on fields or by sea; others in the bedroom. Or in Amayian and Leliana’s case, any surface they could get their hands on. A shiver crawled up her spine in memories, and warmth sparked within her limbs, knitted at her heard, before slowing seeping down between her thighs. There will be chances like that for later.

But besides the lovely sight of her husband, a sweet scent lingered in the air, alongside warmth that caused already blossomed goosebumps to riddle further down her arms and back. The scent caused her smile to grow, lapsing, if not for a moment, the desire into the back of her mind. She trod gently up to her husband, his great size dwarfing her even more so without the help of her shoes.

Arms wrapped around a wide waist, the roughness of scars and the tautness of skins contrasting well with the warmth rolling off him, like some beating fire within a furnace. Amayian never seemed to be touched by the changing of seasons, be it warmth or cold. His body always adapted, but for Leliana, she preferred when he was warm. Her body felt always safe with his unending warmness, and his strong arms around her. She felt small compared to him when she did the same, but she tightened her muscles and nuzzled her face into his back, taking in his earthy scent, touched with something warm, alive; a fire within the liveliness of woods.

A chuckle came from her husband. “Good morning to you, as well, ma cherie.” She could hear the smile upon his lips.

When she glanced up, one eyelid lifting lazily open, she saw Amayian glance over her shoulder, down at her. Golden eyes burned with a touch of scarlet, like flaming morning sunlight capture in pools. A soft rustle and clatter came from beyond her vision, and Amayian turned as easily as a flow of air, smooth and swift. Heavy, muscular arms wrapped around her, a large hand tipping her head back, before soft lips met hers in a gentle molding and graze. A sigh left her lips before she could stop herself, but Amayian’s were gone as swiftly as fall. Leliana could not keep the pout from her lips.

Amayian’s lips were just a shadow of a smile, a mere twerk of the corner of his lips. There was a hunger within Leliana to kiss those lips again, especially the small scar that cut his upper lip. “Tease,” murmured Leliana, softly, but her fingers began to trace the curves and lines of his muscles, and the gentle bumps of his scars over his back. “Good morning.”

His smile grew, and Leliana’s heart ached, beating with affections she once had to keep so hidden and locked away. Now it flourished like a flower in spring, petals flaring out in a need-filled embrace. One of her hands lifted away from his back, raked through the chest hair and over the long jagged scar crossing from his right shoulder down to his left side of his hips - she stopped for a moment to lay a kiss at it - before cupping a chiseled jaw, the scruff of a beard tickling her palm as her thumb roamed gently over the edge of a cheekbone. His dark black hair came in waves, curling at the tips, a little passed his shoulders. Peppers of gray touched his temples. Save for the darkness bagged underneath his eyes, he seemed younger in a way, despite the graying hair. He always looked younger when he smiled, far less severe.

A few moments passed, brown-touched blue eyes meeting scarlet-splashed golden eyes, the calling of flame and wind edged away into near silence. The world bleed away. There was only them, safe and happy and alive.

Leliana stepped on her tip-toes, hands resting on his broad shoulders, and kissed the center where the scar lashed over the skin above his heart. “What are you doing?”

Another chuckle, though this one was touched with shyness. That only caused Leliana to raise her eyebrow. Amayian turned away from her, stepping to the side, and Leliana’s other rested eyebrow lifted alongside the other. Surprise filled her.

Before her were eight silver cups with steam weaving thinly overhead, beneath twirls of some white cream that thinned at a point at the end. “Hot chocolate?” And beside that were platters of sweets, some Orlesian in origins, others in Ferelden or Ostwickan; a few were crusted in white glaze, others dripped with chocolate and crowned with strawberries. Leliana glanced at her husband, smiling. “This is what you’ve been up to the entire morning?”

Amayian nodded, his smile never wavering. It never seem to waver when it came to Leliana or the children. Leliana’s heart was touched with that, the desire before slipping away into something softer, sweeter. He is far too good for me. Regardless of how many times Amayian denied it, Leliana knew it to be true. Stop it. No need to be a downer, not now. He is yours. Be thankful for that. And she was, more thankful than she was had been in her life. Sometimes, however, it felt as if she was unworthy of any affection Amayian gave her. Enough this, you foolish girl.

Once more, she stepped on her toes to press a kiss on his chin. She was too short to give him one on his cheek. Amayian laughed at that, and bent down, pressing a light kiss to her lips that made her breathless, her mind numb, emptying of all thoughts besides the feel of Amayian against her; of only Amayian. “Go ahead, have some hot chocolate. It’s an old family recipe,” said her husband - her husband. How long would it take for her to stop being so giddy at that? - in a low murmur, like the deep echoes of a cavern beneath a mountain.

Leliana pressed against him, his warmth ebbing away the cold, as she reached a hand to grasp the handle of the tea cup. It was silver wrought, with lines of gold twined in elaborate loops which encircled around the sides and rim. Leliana lifted it to her lips, felt the ticklish of the white cream against her upper lip, and than the sudden rush of warmth dancing with the coolness of the cream. Her body shivered. It was just sweet enough to get her addicted, truth be told. When she pulled away, inhaling a sharp of breath that seemed cool in comparison to the drink, Leliana said, “Delicious.”

Amayian’s lifted his own cup, a smirk twerked at his lips. “You now have a mustache, my dear.”

Leliana blinked, raising a finger to upper lift, and a smear of something went over it. She glanced at the white fluffy cream, and giggled. “I suppose I do.” She licked it and smiled. “That too is delicious. Did you make all of this yourself?”

Amayian said nothing, eyes trained on the licked finger, a hint of blush on his cheeks. Leliana smirked at the realization of what she had just done, but Amayian quickly regained his ground with a cough into his hand, and a slow drink of his own drink. “Yes. It took me a while, though you tried it once, you had tried it one thousand times in my family.” He sipped at his coffee again, a white glaze splattered over his own black mustache. He dabbed at it with a napkin. “Let’s get this settled for the kids. I have one last surprise.”

Leliana’s eyebrow rose again, and watched as the platters that contained the cups of hot chocolate and sweets lifted into the air, trailing behind Amayian, as he wrapped his arm around Leliana’s waist and began walking to the living room.

They enjoyed the quiet as they made their way toward the room. When the doors opened without any physical effort, Leliana was alarmed by the transformation.

The once neat room, with high-backed wooden chairs, with cushions of soft velvet, long walls trailed with books in bookshelves, and a marble hearth blazed with fire had been turned into a winter wonderland. Snow fell light and gentle onto blankets of white, some where mounds rose in a gentle lift. Trees of fire twined with branches of scarlet and gold and violet and azure. Ribbons of light danced high into the air, in the currents of winds, some shivering out into a constellation, be it man or dragon or griffin, before returning into those streaming stars. Their couch had been moved, facing away from the fire, toward this great snow-filled play of lights and flame.

Amayian walked toward the coach, the snow never once seeping into itself in the shape of a footprint, and she did her best not to disturb it as well. As they placed the platters and plates onto a table made of ice, with curve legs, and with flaming tendrils playing about underneath in a dance of shadow and light, Amayian drew her close, and onto the couch. Leliana let herself grow limp against her husband, cuddling close as she rose her feet onto the coach, resting it to the side of her body. She still held her cup of hot chocolate in her hand, as did Amayian. Neither of them said anything for a while, taking in the display wrought by her husband. “It’s beautiful.”

“You are,” said Amayian, and when Leliana looked up, she saw that his gaze had never been on the display, but on Leliana. She could feel color rising to her cheeks, but so did the smile on her lips which grew. 

“You’re a fool of a man, you know that?” She had not remembered when a sudden shirt appeared over him. No doubt he had twined snow into one, magically. Amayian had been discovering new ways to use magic with his cousin. Their striking progress at times worried her. But not know. She did missed the sight of him without one, however. In any case, she will see it later.

“You do make me foolish when you smile.”

“That was terrible.” She could not keep herself from giggling, however, before snuggling up closer to her husband, who’s chest vibrated with mirth.

Amayian kissed the top of her head, his arm around her. Warmth surrounded Leliana like armor. “You know I was never good at this.”

“You’ve gotten better over the yours.” She patted his chest. “Though, that was not your greatest performance.” And you always had your own charm about you. It was one of the many reasons why she fell in love with the man.

Amayian hummed, and than turned back to stare at his own creation. “Do you think the children will like it? I don’t want them getting sick, so it will not be good for them to go outside. And-”

Leliana rushed up, kissing the man into silence. “Amayian,” said Leliana firmly, but with fondness that she could not keep away from her voice. “They’ll love it.”

Amayian’s smile was sheepish when she pulled away, that shyness mingling with the concern of a father. “You’re right.” He took a deep breath, eyelids fluttering close for the briefest of moments. “You’re right.”

Leliana hummed as she kissed his cheek, before nuzzling her face into his chest, watching as a ribbon of orange flame twirl into a flying raven, bursting into amber leaves that were carried by the unfeeling winds. Amayian’s breath came steady, soft, content. “At least take the few moments before your handwork is destroy, ma amour.“ Leliana leaned forward and sneaked a star-shaped chocolates-coated pastry into her hand and mouth. “I will, at least.”

Amayian laughed, and Leliana swore it was the lovilest sound she could ever hear. He never laughed when he was younger, not even as Inquisitor. It touched more to see him so calm, especially around her; as she was around him. 

Maybe she did not deserve him - by the Maker, she really did not - but he was as stubborn as a Ferelden stallion, and he was sooner allow himself be corrupted by the Taint than leave her. Truly, she did not deserve him, his smiles, his laughter, his love. But if she held it in a delicate hold, than she will cherish it. It was a promise she made so long ago to the portrait of his mother, and its a promise she will continue to hold until the sun died out and the moon was swallowed into shadow and the oceans dried and turned to mud. He was her flame, and she was his.

[chilling-seavey]

Amoureux (c.s./d.s.) - Chapter Six

A/N Author’s notes are the hardest part of posting but this chapter is hecka sweet I want these vibes

Balls and galas weren’t unusual for Royal Families meaning one was definitely due after two weeks of no parties. Since there was no formal need for celebration, Daniel and Anna were permitted to attend as well, the young girl eager to show off her new pastel pink ballgown and small pearl necklace to anyone who would look at her. The young princess was so charismatic that none of the guests minded her youthful rambling. 

Louisa stood on Christian’s arm as usual, offering simple responses when she was asked a question but kept herself quiet as she was always raised to. The couple they were sharing a conversation with was older and the woman kept staring almost distastefully at Louisa, making the young girl shift nervously under her narrowed eyes. Christian set a hand on hers that was set in the crook of his elbow to help settle her as he spoke to the man, unaware of the uncomfortable stance of his bride to be.

The woman was relentless, brown eyes raking down Louisa’s blue satin gown and her curled strawberry blonde hair as if she was nothing more than a commoner. She was just waiting for her to misstep to call out the future non-English Queen on how she wasn’t fit for the position. Louisa wished to be anywhere else but there at that moment.

Someone snuck up behind her, Daniel taking place on her left, sending the older woman a glare. The woman pursed her lips and turned back to her husband and Christian’s conversation, knowing better than to get on the bad side of any of the primary members of the British Royal Family. Louisa glanced over at Daniel as he stood close to her, his hands behind his back.

“Behind you.” he whispered casually, pretending to be interested in the conversation.

Louisa furrowed her eyebrows for a moment before sliding her left hand behind her and he passed her a small pastry, sticky from sitting in his palm so long but she bit back a smile and popped it quickly in her mouth.

“Want out of this?” Daniel asked softly.

“Desperately.” Louisa mumbled through a fake smile to the couple.

“Pardon me.” Daniel spoke loudly. “Dear brother, I hate to intrude but I was wondering if I could snag your lady here for only a moment.”

Christian had to work hard to smother his angry glare at his younger brother for interrupting his conversation, “I suppose.”

“Much obliged, dear brother.” Daniel took Louisa’s arm, tossing a, “Enjoy your night” to the guests as he pulled her away.

“I was ready to face my death in that same spot.” Louisa chuckled as he pulled her through the crowd.

“I could tell. Good thing you have me to save you from fatal boredom.” Daniel smirked at her.

He stopped suddenly, spotting his mother and her friends standing next to the dessert table. She caught her son’s surprised expression and glared warningly at him.

“Ok. Abort! Abort! New plan.” Daniel said quickly as he led Louisa in the opposite direction from his mother and they emerged out of the stuffy ballroom into the atrium.

Louisa kept her gloved hand in his arm as he led her farther down the hallway, the two pairs of shoes clicking quickly over the wood floors as the rest of the palace was in silence.

“Where are you taking me?” Louisa asked, her free hand holding the front of her dress up a little so she could walk more comfortably behind the long fabric.

“Mother is refusing to let me have any desserts…to not take them from guests…so we’re going to find some ourselves.” Daniel explained, pulling her into the dining room and closed the door behind them.

“Where on Earth are we gong to find desserts?” Louisa whispered, following him down the length of the dining room towards the back door.

“The kitchen, of course. I told you, I know all the secret places.” Daniel sent her a wink before pushing the door open to peek inside. He looked back to her and waved her inside.

They tiptoed quietly into the kitchen, the remaining chefs at the far end of the kitchen making extra finger food for the ball. Daniel and Louisa walked crouched behind the large islands of the palace kitchen, under rows of iron pots and wooden chandeliers hanging from the ceilings. Daniel grabbed her arm and pulled her down quickly to duck behind one of the counters, pressing his finger to her lips. Louisa held her hand to her mouth to smother her nervous and excited laughter, watching him slowly stand back up to peek over the edge before ducking back down again.

“The head chef hates when I’m in here.” Daniel whispered, a mischievous smile spreading over his face. “I swear he’s going to kill me if he catches us.”

“Daniel!” Louisa gaped.

“Don’t worry. He’s all talk. He knows Father would have him fired if he lays a finger on me.” Daniel peeked over the edge of the counter again before grabbing her arm and leading her around the counter when it was safe to do so. The extra desserts were already plated on dishes of gold and silver, lined up on one of the islands, ready to be brought into the ballroom when they were needed. Daniel slunk up behind it, eyes focused on the chefs now only a few metres away. He moved carefully, slowly lifting a plate from the counter and held it out to Louisa. She hesitated a moment but took it from him and he scanned the spread for what he wanted. He must have taken too long because suddenly there was a shout from across the room as they were spotted.

“Run!” Daniel shouted, snatching one more dish as he jumped around the corner of the counter and took off at a sprint. Louisa shrieked as she ran after him, her ballgown billowing in the wind as she tried to keep up with him.

“I warned you, Daniel! Your father won’t be pleased!” one of the men shouted after them, waving a spoon in the air as he tried to smack Daniel on his way past. The young boy dodged him easily, laughing as he reached the door.

“Thanks, Corbyn!” Daniel called over his shoulder as he rushed Louisa back into the hallway, and they ran off through the empty hallways of the palace.

She followed him upstairs, carefully trying not to spill any of the pastries from the platter she carried in her gloved hands. Daniel was filled with energy that she could hardly match, and he yanked her into a door off the second-floor hallway and slammed it behind them, their breathless laughter filling the wood paneled room. He shushed her quickly through a smile and pressed his ear to the door to make sure they weren’t being followed.

“Oh my gosh!” Daniel laughed breathlessly when they were safe.

“That was ridiculous!” Louisa giggled, setting the platter on the table in the round cornered sunroom of the library.

“Did you see his face!” Daniel snorted, eating a pastry as he set his platter down beside hers and fell into one of the chairs. “Oh my God, that was priceless.”

Louisa sat herself down across from him, watching as he loosened his tie and left it to drape around his neck and he unbuttoned the top two buttons of his dress shirt before reaching for another dessert.

“I couldn’t grab any truffles in my haste.” Daniel tisked at himself, kicking his feet up on the edge of the table as he ate another small pastry. “I just needed six extra seconds.”

“I think we pulled off an amazing heist.” Louisa chuckled, taking her own dessert to eat, her curls starting to fall uneven after their race across the palace and she tucked the loose strands behind her ear.

“Indeed.” Daniel nodded through a mouthful.

They sat in silence a moment, just snacking on their stolen treats together. Louisa glanced around the library, the tall walls were filled with packed bookcases and peaked windows, the fireplace in the center of the long room carved with beautiful engravings and stretched to the ceiling. The room was dark except for the moonlight coming in through the large paned windows and sent soft streaks over the table they were sat at.

“This is so much better than talking about boring politics with old men, you reckon?” Daniel smirked across the table, breaking their silence.

“Extremely.” Louisa agreed. “I do not even know who any of those people are.”

“Only the best of the British aristocracy. Almost as stuck up and pretentious as my family but not quite. They would kill to be us…to take us down with whatever information they can get their hands on…although they would never admit it outright.”

“Is that why that woman was eyeing me like she was?” Louisa asked.

“Probably. Waiting for you to scratch your cheek or something equally unladylike so she could go tattle to her tea guzzling friends about how our family is destroying the future of England.”

Louisa laughed loudly, holding her hand in front of her face in light embarrassment at her own outburst. Daniel laughed along with her.

The young French girl put on her best post British accent, “The youngest son is absolutely preposterous. We are so thankful we have his boring older brother to lead our country to another generation of literary genius.”

Daniel nearly fell off his chair with laughter, smacking his hand to his stomach for a moment before straightening up himself, a pastry still tucked between his thumb and forefinger as he joined into her antics, “What a disappointment it must be to have such a savage for a son. He is talentless and uneducated, and nothing compared to King Christian Seavey…all hail! God Save the King!”

“God Save the King!” Louisa held out another pastry and Daniel gently hit their desserts together in a mock toast and they ate them together.

A momentary silence fell as they snacked.

“You don’t feel guilty about poking fun at your future husband?” Daniel asked, wiping his hands on his black slacks, leaving powdery fingerprints in his wake.

Louisa shrugged through a smile, “We’re just having a laugh. What he does not know won’t hurt him.”

“Wish you were sent to marry me instead of that old man.” Daniel scoffed lightly, reaching for another dessert.

“The universe would probably implode if we were together. Too much freedom, the country wouldn’t know what to do with itself.” Louisa giggled.

“First, we would banish anyone named Christian.” Daniel held up one finger as he counted their imaginary goals. He glanced over at Louisa with a playful smile, the moonlight making his blue eyes sparkle from across the table.

“How terrible of you.” Louisa laughed, shaking her head.

[shawtygonemad]

What Is This Feeling: Chapter 11

Fem!9th Doctor x Male!Rose Tyler

WITF Masterlist

"Doctor." A far off voice spoke her name. A very familiar voice that instantly sent shivers through her body.

"Doctor!" This time the voice was closer. She felt her body be shaken.

The Doctor groan and rolled over onto her stomach. Her head was pounding. What had happened? Everything was a blurry and painful. Where was she?

"Did you just come back to get changed and take a nap? I didn't actually think you slept to be honest," Ross prattled on as he set a beach bag they had packed earlier on the ground. "What's that headband you've got on? You trying to accessorize now?" He chuckled.

The Doctor, with her eyes still closed rubbed her head trying to ease the pain. She was on Ross's bed back in their resort's suite. When did she get there? Wasn't she out investigating something? Something wasn't right. What was wrong? There were…. missing persons! Of course! She was out trying to find them. Zamora!

The Doctor's eyes flew open, and she quickly turned in the bed to face the concerned Ross. As soon as her eyes locked onto him there was a warm bolt that went through her body. She felt like a magnet that needed to be connected with him. Her sight hazed over, and all she could think of was Ross. He was still in his swim shorts. His top half bare. She just wanted to run her hands over his perfectly chiseled body, and attach her lips to his…

"Doctor, are you alright," Ross asked, confused by the look she was giving.

"I'm fantastic now that you're here," She gave a lop-sided grin and crawled over the bed to be closer to him. She looked up at him as he stood over her with worried eyes.

"You just seem to be acting different…"

The Time Lord stood up on her knees and reached out her hands to run them through his hair lovingly. "I'm just acting how I've always wanted to act. I'm just not shy anymore."

Her human's eye widened at this. She had rendered him speechless for once. She seemed to be unbalanced, so Ross placed his hands on her waist to steady her. The Doctor ran her hand from his hair, down his cheek, and traced his bottom lip with her thumb. He was completely perfect to her. She just wanted him, so badly. All of him. Her eyes flicked from his brown eyes down to his lips. Slowly she began to lean up towards him. Their lips centimeters apart.

"Doctor," Ross whispered. "What are we doing?" He whispered quietly. He was confused as to why she was starting to act this way now, so suddenly. What had brought it on?

"Everything." She replied as she finally connected their lips.

Her body felt as if it was on fire as she feverishly kissed Ross. Luckily, he had acted just as passionately. The Doctor's hand snaked around her companion's neck as she allowed herself to fall back onto the bed pulling him with her. Her hands roamed over the naked half of his body. She wanted to memorize every inch of him. Every dent, dip, scar, and freckle. The Time Lord wrapped her legs around his waist and used her superior strength to flip them, so she was straddling his waist on top. She smirked at his shocked expression. She lightly pulled his bottom lip between her teeth before nibbling down his jaw, toward his neck. She was going to leave him so many love bites as a blissful reminder of this night.

"You know," she began against his neck which must have hummed in the right way, because it caused Ross to groan. That sent another shock through the Doctor's body encouraging her to continue. "Compared to you, I'm feeling a little overdressed."

The Gallifreyan leaned back and quickly shed her jacket along with her top. Her beautiful pink and yellow stared up at her in amazement. This made her smile.

"Like what you see?" She asked in a low voice.

Her companion replied by flipping them back over on the bed, so he was in the more dominant position. The Doctor shimmied out of her pants as Ross began to caress her shoulders, up her neck towards her head. She was completely exposed below him, only in her undergarments. Ross leaned down for a soft kiss as his hands made it to her temples. He grabbed the golden headband quickly and forcefully removed it from her head. He then tossed it to the side of the room.

The Time Lord gasped against Ross's lips as soon as the article was released from her head. It felt as if a bucket of cold water was thrown at her. Her head instantly cleared, as her stared petrified at Ross. What has she done? She quickly pushed him off her as she sat up. Her face was hot from embarrassment.

"That headband you had on, I think it had some charm over you," Ross deduced as he got up from the bed as well. "Doctor…" he began softly.

The Doctor quickly got dressed as Ross did. "We have no time to discuss what just happened. There is a Junite ship out there with hundreds of kidnaped species on board. I've got to save them."

Ross had changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He was putting his shoes as he spoke. "Right, who's the baddie this time, and how are we going to stop them?"

"You're not coming with," she informed him as she headed for the door.

"The hell I'm not!"

"You'll only slow me down. You have a bum ankle, remember," she reminded him as she left the room. Ross was hot on her tail like always.

"I'm coming with you. I don't care how hurt my ankle is," he said stubbornly.

"Fine. But I don't want to hear you complaining!" She led them towards the TARDIS.

"Where are they?"

"They are all caged up on a Junite's ship hidden below a water fall. We're going to take the TARDIS and pop in on them. I have a feeling that they won't be very cooperative," she explained as she unlocked the door to her ship and stepped in with her human.

She ran over to the console and set the coordinates for the Junite ship. Her mind kept flashing back to what her and Ross had just done. Dread crept into her at the thought of the conversation the were bound to have soon. Her head shook as she rid those thoughts and tried to concentrate. Ross stood back and watched her normal dance around the TARDIS as she landed them onto the enemy's ship.

Once the TARDIS landed the Doctor ran down the ramp and peaked her head outside of the doors. They had landed in the gallery that held all the cells. The Doctor grinned. It was one of the rare times that her piloting had gotten them to the right place at the right time. Her and Ross both stepped out. She nodded her head seeing that there was no panel for her to override the system. She'd have to find the main system and do it manually.

"Right then. Ross, I need to go and find the main controls to override the system and release these cells. As soon as that happens, I need you to corral all the life forms into the TARDIS. We'll have to take them all back ourselves," she informed her companion.

"What about the Junites? What'll happen to them? Can't they be reasoned with," Ross questioned.

"Usually yes. However, I met Zamora and she seems to be one of the very few Junites who are unreasonable. I'll give them one last chance to leave this planet and return home. That's all they get," She told him.

That being said, the Time Lord turned and swiftly exited the doors that had led her into the gallery the first time she was here. She needed to find the main control room. She quickly went up and down the halls scanned for the room that was giving off the most power. Once she located it, she entered the room ready for a fight. To her surprise there was no one in there.

'Well, that's highly unlikely.'

She shook her head, and went to work. Her fingers quickly graced across the controls overriding the ship's system, removing all security, and releasing the cell doors. Once completing her task, the Doctor glanced over the security cameras looking for the one that overlooked the gallery. She grinned as she watched Ross speak and lead each species into the TARDIS. I looked at the other cameras and watched as guards were running down the halls towards they gallery.

"I don't think so," she muttered to herself as her fingers flew across the controls making sure the doors to the gallery were sealed shut. She smiled at herself as she watched them struggle to open the door.

She looked over the panel and hit a button the looked like it was for an intercom. She hoped he was almost finished, because she didn't know for sure if this was going to be projected to the entire ship.

"Ross, can you hear me? How's it going in there," She asked over the intercom. She smiled as she wanted him jump at the sound of her on the monitor.

"Erm, good! Everyone is almost boarded!" He responded.

"Fantastic! Once all boarded, I'll be right down, then we'll be off!" She said as she began to move towards the door.

"That won't be happening Doctor," Zamora's voice came from the monitor.

The Doctor quickly turned around and stared at the screen. It seemed that just as Ross the last of the prisoners onto the TARDIS he was captured by Junite guards. Although, he was smart enough to close the door of the TARDIS before he was captured. Smart boy. The Time Lord's anger flared.

"Release him," she demanded.

"Not until you release my specimen, first."

"No. That is not happening. I won't allow you to enslave all of those species!" She yelled.

"They aren't slaves. They'll live a very luxurious life in their own habitats," Zamora tried to reason.

"That's just not right," The Doctor shook her head in disgust.

"Oh, but I think it is," the Junite began. "Without another festivity as successful as our flora season, our economy will crash! It was the only way our planet was able to be sustainable!"

"There are other ways than enslaving hundreds of species! I can help you! You don't have to do this!"

"We do, Doctor. This is the only way."

The only Stubborn Junite she has ever met. How could she not see the other possibilities? She realized now that they were too far gone. They were never going to see anything else besides their disgusting plan. She couldn't let these corrupt Junites continue roaming the galaxies kidnapping species. She had to end this. Her fingers ran over the controls one last time, silencing the alarm as she set the destruct countdown button off. She had 10 minutes.

"I'll trade myself for him. I'm a much rarer species anyway, being the last of the Time Lords and all."

Zamora's eyes widened. "But, that's impossible… they were all destroyed."

The Doctor's eyes were cold as she spoke, "Who do you think destroyed them all?"

"The last of the Time Lords. That's one hell of a title. People will come from everywhere just to see you…"

"Doctor, don't do it! I'm not worth it," Ross pleaded.

'You have no idea how worth it you are, Ross,'

The Doctor quickly exited the control room and ran down the corridors towards the gallery. Distract them as she got herself and Ross onto the TARDIS? Yeah, sounds easy enough. She rolled her eyes at herself. She found the doors leading into the gallery. She soniced them open and stepped inside. Her eyes instantly landed on Ross. He was still being restrained by the guards, but was otherwise unharmed.

"We will release your human if you surrender yourself to us," Zamora spoke.

"Release him first, then I will go with you willingly," she promised.

Zamora nodded, and the guards released Ross. He instantly ran over to the Doctor and engulfed her into a hug. "You can't go with them," he told her.

"Just go into the TARDIS, quickly. I've got a plan," She whispered to him.

"Really," He looked at her with doubt.

"Do I ever? Just go," she nudged him towards the TARDIS.

He reluctantly obeyed her and went into the TARDIS, but watched from inside the doors. The Doctor turned towards Zamora as two guards approached her. She knew she was going to have to fight her way out of this. She didn't want to get violent, but if she had to.

One guard grabbed her arms and pulled them behind her as the other approached from her front. She threw her head back, and head butted the guard behind her. Which left him dazed. The Time Lord threw her weight back towards the guard behind her which gave her enough momentum to lift both legs up and kick the guard approaching from the front as hard as she could. As her body and legs heavily returned to the ground, she used her strength to throw the guard that was holding her from behind over her shoulder. He landed on the guard she kicked who was starting to get up.

She began to run towards the TARDIS only to be blocked by Zamora herself. The Junite began the grapple with the Gallifreyan. "You will not ruin this for me!" She yelled frustrated.

As they spared, the Doctor finally had an opening that she took. Zamora flew to the ground in a heap. The Doctor took her chance and ran into the TARDIS's open doors.

"You destroyed us, Doctor!" Zamora yelled from her place on the ground.

"You can come with us! I can help you rebuild your planet! We can regrow your flowers! Please, let me help."

"I hope you remember this, Doctor! You destroyed us! You have destroyed us like you destroyed your own people," Zamora roared.

They didn't have much time before the ship destructed. Knowing that Zamora had made her choice, the Doctor shut the TARDIS door. She run up the ramp, swerving in and out all the different species that now filled the console room. The Time Lord didn't her normal dance around the console and send them into the Time Vortex as the Junite Ship imploded.

Once out of danger the Doctor turned towards her many guesses and clapped her hands together with a grin. "Alright. Where to first?"

...

Ross smiled and shut the TARDIS doors after waving goodbye to the human couple, the little boy, and his family. They were safely returned to the resort to Bora Bora. Once the Doctor saw they Ross was safely inside, she sent them into the Time Vortex. She took her time, knowing what was to come next.

Ross would probably demand that he be taken home. This daft old alien had practically jumped his bones. He, of course, went along with it so he could break the spell over her. Ross was a smart one. He knew to just play along. How could she possibly think that he would ever feel the way that she does. He was a human, and she was an ancient alien. The thought probably disgusted him.

"Doctor…" Ross began slowly.

All the blood left her face, and a cold jolt went through her body. This was it. He was going to leave her. Her hearts broke at the thought. She didn't want to be alone again. She couldn't. Madness would finally take hold of her. She couldn't live without traveling with Ross. Her fantastic, brilliant, smart, beautiful, pink and yellow human.

"It was just a spell, Ross. Just let it go," She said through gritted teeth.

"I don't think it was though. I asked her about it while you were running to sacrifice yourself to them. I asked Zamora what that headband was, and why it did what it did…" Ross began.

"It meant nothing, Ross! That headband was just some common love charm…"

"No, it wasn't! I asked her why she would charm you into doing that. She told me that even though it was a powerful charm there still needed to be some affection, or attraction there already for it to even work.

The Doctor refused to look at him, "She was just trying to get to you Ross."

"Why are you lying!" He yelled. The suddenly raise of his voice slightly startled her, making her raise her eyes towards him. He looked completely exasperated.

No… she couldn't lose him. Even if he didn't feel the same way. She couldn't lose him over this. Just then a thought came into her head. Maybe she just didn't have to.

"Oh Ross…" she slowly made her way over towards him. She looked up into his brown eyes as she gently placed a hand on the side of his head.

"Doctor, s'alright. I just want you to know…" he began for the Doctor to tearfully cut him off.

"I'm so sorry," she said quietly, as she placed her other hand onto his other side, and shifted her fingers into the mind connecting positions.

"What are you…" Ross began.

The Doctor forcefully thrust her mind into his. Ross was taken aback.

'What are you doing?' he asked, confused, and slightly fearful.

The Doctor instantly accessed his memories and went to work.

'I can't lose you, Ross. I know you don't feel the same, which is fine. I just can't lose you. So, I'm going to hide that memory from you. I'm not taking it away, just locking it up so you won't have to endure the memory of it.'

"No! Please! Doctor! Please, don't," Ross verbally begged.

'I'm sorry.'

With that, she locked up the memory of them in the resort bedroom and placed it into the deep part of his mind where he'll never have to deal with it again. Just to be sure she also, instantly made him fall unconscious. She carefully placed him on the jumper seat, and went about the console room. She decided to nervously make some repairs on the TARDIS while they drifted in the Time Vortex, and waited for her human to wake up.

It took about 20 minutes for him to finally come to. He groaned slightly as he began to sit up.

"Doctor," he called out.

The Time Lord held her breath for a second, before placing a fake grin on her face as she popped her head out from the other side of the console.

"Hello there, sleeping beauty! Did you enjoy your nap?"

"What happened," he asked groggy.

"You don't remember?" she asked, faking concern. She knew what happened.

"Sorta. S' all kinda fuzzy."

"Well what do you remember," She asked, slightly nervous.

"You left me on the beach," he paused as he thought back. "I returned to the room later on after getting a little sun sick. I found you napping on the bed, so I woke you up…" The Doctor held her breath again at this part. "You jumped up and started to prattle on about Junite's and missing people that we had to save. We went about the ship. You released the kidnapped species, and I corralled them onto the TARDIS. You came back and sacrificed yourself to Zamora, before becoming this badass fighter and took them all out! We then returned all of the species, and then it gets fuzzy again."

The Doctor grinned. "Well after we dropped off the humans at Bora Bora you went over to the jump seat, plopped down, and fell asleep."

"Oh. Well I suppose I am a bit tired. Should probably be off to bed then if we're going to be running around saving galaxies again tomorrow," he grinned at her. "G'night, Doctor," he called as he began to shuffle out of the console room.

"G'night, Ross Tyler!" She called after him with a grin still plastered on her face. Once he knew he was completely gone her face dropped. She laid her head against the console and released a sigh.

She was going to have to watch herself from now on. Things had to go back to normal, or even less so. She didn't want that memory being released. Her hearts broke more at the thought and Ross demanding to be sent home. The TARDIS knew her thief was upset, so she let out a warm hum letting her know that everything will be alright.

"I know, old girl." The Time Lord gave a sad smile, and placed hand on the large column in the middle of the console. "I'll be alright. I always am.

[lostinfantasies38]

Modern AU Prompt

I did not reblog this list, but I saw this prompt and had to write it! I’ve had this Modern AU in my head for a while and this gave me an opportunity to write something for it and lay the groundwork for later.

Tagging those I think might be interested in reading or the prompt list. @kittimau @ginnyq @cartadwarfwithaheartofgold @fandomn00blr @somniaran @bigfan-fanfic @sharkapologists @theaiobhan

#70 from this prompt list from the TOFTS blog. “I am twelve kinds of confused right now. But fuck are you cute.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The hazy atmosphere almost swallowed the riotous lights, a combination of vape smoke and fog effects, so dense it vibrated in time with the thunderous bass filling the crush on the dance floor of the club. Lost in the music, Alistair allowed himself to let loose, holding onto the slight woman in his grasp. Well, girl, actually. Too young, probably not even old enough to drink, but when she dragged him from his spot at the bar into the middle of the room, he hadn’t argued.

She was pretty, in a sorority girl kind of way. Long blonde hair and bright blue eyes, introducing herself over the thump of the heavy bass. He nearly missed learning her name was Mari. He smiled, but did not give his name in return. If she was hoping for a fling, the poor dear would be disappointed. Alistair wasn’t one for casual trysts, for which the guys at the precinct all gave him grief over. Yet, he had no intentions of ever treating a woman the way his father treated his mother.

Keeping his hands in neutral territory, they never strayed from her dainty waist and once the song was over, he thanked her kindly and made his escape before he had to reject her. He was almost off the dance floor when he caught sight of a strange movement along the back wall near the DJ’s booth. Automatically, his large hands sought his pistol on his belt, but he cursed himself when he remembered he was undercover and not wearing his Glock.

Maker, damn it. Of all the blasted luck…

It was hard for him to blend into the crowd when he was at least five inches taller than everyone, but ducking and weaving as though tipsy through the masses, Alistair sidled close to the DJ. Tucking into the shadows he saw the faint outline of a door in the wall's paneling. Hidden in the darkness behind the blinding light display. Smart.

He’d be sure to pass the information along to the team and triple check with his informant to see if he had any new intel. This job was becoming tedious. They needed to catch a break on the damn thing or the Chief would probably tell them to shelve their operation. He hadn’t worked on this case against Kazmer Brosca’s lyrium smuggling for six months to see it go down the drain. Alistair would break the Carta’s stranglehold on Denerim. No more of that shit would kill innocents on his watch.

From his darkened corner he watched the door for signs of movement for a while, but no one entered or exited. With a weary sigh, the tall human turned on his heel. He’d been away from his perch at the bar too long, anyway. As he crossed the dance floor, someone crashed into his lower body and he spun in concern to make sure whoever bumped into him was all right.

A dwarven woman smirked at him from her splayed position on the ground. Delicate features framed by dark hair cascaded in waves down her back and paired beautifully with captivating dark eyes. Her ears and nose glittered with numerous piercings in the strobe lighting, and he struggled to breathe as he wordlessly grasped her petite hand to assist her in regaining her footing. The navy top she wore sat low on her shoulders, exposing her ethereal skin, and he could see more flashes of porcelain through her ripped designer jeans. Ankle boots gave her some height, bringing her mid-way up his chest, but he knew without them, she didn’t even hit five feet tall.

“Hello, handsome,” she murmured in a raspy voice. “Dance with me.”

Alistair laughed nervously. “Are you sure you aren’t concussed? Running into me is like hitting a brick wall. You should… sit down or something.”

Luscious full lips curled into a genuine smile and she snatched his hand, dragging him deeper into the melee on the floor. “I’m perfectly fine, gorgeous. If all walls wore your face, I’d run into them on purpose.”

Something about the way she said that set the gears in his brain whirring and her grin widened. With a smooth nod, she beckoned him to bend closer. “I see you are catching on. And they say Denerim’s finest aren’t very bright.”

“Who -”

“Listen, do you want Brosca or not?” Alistair shut his mouth and nodded tersely. “Good,” she purred.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she tilted her face towards his in invitation and breathed against his cheek. “Kiss me.”

His eyes widened in shock and he opened his mouth to protest, but her eyes flashed warningly even though her smile held, and he realized there might be spies on the floor.

With a groan he couldn’t contain if he tried, Alistair’s hand cupped her neck and pressed his lips to hers. Soft, yet demanding, the dwarf took control, her lithe fingers slipping into his hair, and in seconds their fake kiss turned into a heady embrace. Alistair was sure she didn’t need to sell their stolen moment on the dance floor with this much enthusiasm, which caused his stomach to flutter with excitement. Maybe she wanted to kiss him as badly as he did her.

His other hand settled in the dip of her waist and he moaned into her mouth when he found delicious curves that overflowed his palm. One petite hand caressed the slightly tapered peak of his ear and he growled into the kiss, nipping her lip in response and soothing it with his tongue before she leaned back with a husky chuckle.

“Well, well, handsome. Tell me do all the uniforms in this town kiss like that or just you?”

Smiling smugly, he replied. “I wouldn’t know, since I don’t go around kissing any of them. But even if I did, I’m not the type to kiss and tell.”

Alistair was twelve kinds of confused right now, but fuck she was cute - gorgeous actually, and damned irresistible.

The small woman hummed appreciatively, and he swallowed thickly as her pupils dilated, blown wide with unquestionable desire. He’d never understood the meaning of the phrase “bedroom eyes” until this moment. But Maker, those espresso irises made him want to break every one of his rules and take her straight home.

“That was an even better answer than I was hoping for,” she stated.

Tangling her hands into his shirt, the dwarf closed the gap between them, murmuring against his lips in what looked like a lover’s embrace.

“Tomorrow. Zero hundred on the dot. Western quay. A shipment will be delivered inside shipping containers bearing the logo of a broken ‘S.’ Manifest will be under the name Beraht Zandt.”

Pressing her mouth to his cheek, she whispered. “And I’m sorry to tell you, your informant is dead. You won’t find him, either, so don’t go looking or you’ll attract unnecessary attention.”

Alistair’s hold on her tightened, and he attempted to lean back, pry more information out of the woman, but her grip was strong for such a tiny person.

Shaking him slightly, she hissed in his ear, “Promise me, handsome. You won’t go looking for trouble. Take what I gave you. Use what you find against Brosca, but don’t stir up the hornet's nest or you’ll put a target on your back so large you’ll never escape their reach. Promise me.”

Relaxing his grasp on her curvaceous form, he choked out a harsh whisper. “I promise.”

Unfurling her fingers from his cotton shirt, she stepped lightly out of his embrace, tossing him an inviting smile.

“Thanks for the dance, gorgeous. Maybe I’ll see you around.”

Her stride was quick for such a short-legged woman and in seconds, she melted into the crowd, lost in a sea of humans. The perfect escape route.

What in the Void just happened?

Returning to his place at the bar, his phone vibrated in his jean pocket. With a heavy sigh, he checked the harsh glow of the screen, and waved the bartender over to pay his tab.

They parked the stakeout van in a side alley halfway up the block from the club. The rest of his squad were hunkered inside, monitoring the surveillance footage of the interior and exterior activity of the club. Checking the alley was clear, he rapped his knuckles on the door of the vehicle and clambered inside as soon as it opened.

Immediately his partner, Cullen, rounded on him with a vicious snarl. “What the actual fuck was that, Alistair? You could have blown the entire op with that stunt!”

Scowling, Alistair snatched a piece of paper and messily scrawled the dwarven girl’s intel across the blank page. Spinning the sheet towards his partner in silent irritation, he tried not to gloat as the blonde read the information with wide eyes.

“Shit… if that’s true…”

“Then we have our first lead in six months and Chief can’t shut us down for failure to deliver,” Alistair finished.

Running a hand wearily across his features, Cullen glanced at the other faces of their squad and shook his head.

“We can’t be sure of this information, though. But we don’t have time to vet it, either. Not if the deal really is going down tomorrow night.”

“I know. It’s all we’ve got. We can’t sit on it.”

“No, we can’t,” Cullen agreed. Blowing out a breath, the blonde nodded crisply, as though reaching an internal decision.

“Fine, we’ll make plans for the bust tomorrow. We must all agree not to inform the Chief who your source for the intel was until we make good on it.” Multiple heads in the van nodded grimly.

Alistair snorted softly, his chiseled features crinkled in confusion. “And why not? She’s only a girl. Probably ex-Carta.”

A sinking sensation washed over him at the shell-shocked expressions on his team members’ faces in the van. Cullen barked out a sharp laugh of incredulity.

“Maker’s breath, you really don’t know who she is, do you?”

Crossing his arms, the auburn-haired man narrowed his eyes and replied evenly.

“No, we didn’t exchange pleasantries. I never gave my name, and she never gave hers. Why?  Who in the blasted Void is she?”

At Cullen’s chin jerk, Charter executed a complicated set of keystrokes on the computer. A long-range surveillance shot of the dwarven woman he’d lip locked filled the screen. Her heart-shaped mouth was quirked in the same teasing smirk from the club, and her dark eyes brimmed with cunning intelligence. She stared directly at the camera as though she knew it was there.

The name under the photo stopped his heart.

Sirra Brosca.

Kazmer’s only daughter and favorite child. Codename: “The Carta Darling of Denerim.”

“Andraste’s fucking sword.” Alistair groaned as he sank unsteadily into an empty chair.

“Yeah,” breathed Cullen.

[hopeless-succubus69]

{Safe and Sound} {Part 2}

{Intros aren't needed yet, I'm here to contribute fanfics to my favorite ship in apex legends. I’ll let you know who I am later, it’s not too important. I hope others like this ship as much as I do, please enjoy.}

{Safe and Sound}

{Fluff and Possible Smut in the future}

{Crypto} {Wraith}

{Tae Joon Park} {Renee Blasey}

{1229 words}

•───────•°•❀•°•───────•

Renee shifted, the sun light that peaked through the blinds bothered her tired eyes. She rolled herself over, hiding her face against a pillow. She laid there for a few moments before she sat herself up, realizing she was alone. She hugged Tae's pillow to her chest,  rubbing her eyes as she looked around the room. Her eyes fell upon her hacker toying around with the access panel for the sliding door.  A soft yawn escaped the skirmishers lips as she fell back onto the bed again. She looked up to the roof,  closing her eyes again.  

Moments later the door slid open, then closed again. Tae looked up from the doors control panel, nodding in aprovement at his work. Hack whirred and hovered around Crypto's head. It seemed excited that Tae was happy with his work. Tae stood back up, , letting the camera scan and register him before it slid open.  He leaned back down to close up the panel, and sealed it. He cleaned up his tools then put them away before he looked over to Renee.  

He motioned for Hack to go over and scan her, which the drone did happily before returning to Tae's side. He grabbed the drone, reaching to plug it into one of the ports on the panel. After a few moments, Hack beeped then flew from Crypto's hand. Tae rolled his eyes before turning his focus back to Renee.  

He watched her for a couple moments, his mind wandering to all those nights she had spent in his room, or his nights in hers. Renee had always spent the couple days prior to the games in his room, making sure he was taking care of himself. Making sure he was fit and ready for the games.  

His nights with her were often after the games, with him making sure she was tending to her own wounds. She always seemed to push herself during the games, win or lose, she always pushed herself past her breaking point. Tae shook his head, not wanting to focus on those long night he spent worried over his lovers fate.  

A soft smile formed on his lips and he crawled back into bed with her, his thoughts returning to the fact she was alive and well, and with him. He crawled onto her, resting his head on her chest, he listened to her heart beating. He closed his eyes as he hid his face against her chest. Her arms slowly wrapped around him, hugging his head to his head to her chest. She gently pet his head, her fingers slowly running through his hair as she held him.  

"Did you sleep?"  

A soft chuckle came from Tae as he shook his head and looked up to her. He nodded as he rolled off of her, he reached to take her hand. He lightly rubbed his thumb over her knuckles, his eyes falling to the scar on her arm. He shook his head, turning his attention back to her hand.  

"You’ve been asleep over twenty-four hours, 내 사랑." He gently kissed the back of her hand. "You aren't sore are you?" He kept his lips to the back of her hand as he looked to her.  

She paused her thoughts, pondering what he had told her. She gently took his hand, pulling it close as she softly cuddles herself up to him.  

"I'm fine, a little groggy though." She softly kissed his palm, she looked up to him. She studied his expression, his eyes, his lips. A light blush crossed Renee's cheeks when she realized she was studying him so closely.  

A soft chuckle escaped Tae's lips as he watched her. He pulled her closer to him, gently he pressed his lips to hers. Their eyes slowly closed as their lips met. They kissed softly and tenderly, Renee's arms slowly moved to wrap around his neck. Tae pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist, when a knock at the door interrupted them.  

Tae growled slightly as Renee broke the kiss, her attention turning to the door. He buried his face to her neck and held onto her tighter. Renee lightly kissed his cheek before she started to get up. He tightened his arms around her for a moment, keeping his face against her neck. A soft chuckle escaped Renee's lips as she pet his head gently, she kissed his cheek.  

"Can't we just ignore them?"

"No, we can't." She gently unwrapped herself from his arms before she got up to answer the door. Tae rolled over, a slight frown on his lips as he watched her.  

Lifeline was standing there, her arms crossed as she looked over Renee. She had forgotten to let Ajay know she was back.  

"A-Ajay, I'm sorry."

"Anita said ya trainin was supposed to be yestaday, when ya didn’t show up, it worried us. Yuh neva missed trainin before."  

"I know, I wasn’t planning on.."

Ajay walked past Renee, her finger jabbing the air towards Tae. "And yuh! Yuh need to let us know when shes back, we worry about er too."

Tae squinted as he looked at her, sitting up slowly. He looked down, knowing Renee would get upset if he said anything rude back, But Ajay was right. He let her sleep all that time and despite running into the other legends around the barracks, he had not mentioned Renee being back.  

Ajay, seeing the conflicted look on Crypto's face, let a sigh escape her lips. She sat on the edge of the bed, looking between the two. She motioned for Renee to sit with her. Renee complied, sitting on the bed next to her and Tae.

"Look, wit all dats happened recently.. " Ajay started to speak, searching for the proper words to say. "We all worried sick about yuh two, well most of us are." She looked to her lap, her hands folding. "Yuh two disappea off on yuh own so often.."  

Renee moved to hug Ajay, knowing Tae would be uncomfortable if Ajay had hugged him. Ajay returned the light embrace, holding onto Renee gently.

"I'm sorry Ajay.. We'll be more cautious from now on." Renee spoke softly. "I promise."  

Ajay held the embrace a few moments longer before she let go. A soft smile on her lips now, she nodded as she looked to Crypto, who nodded in agreement. Ajay let a light chuckle escape her before she stood up.  

"I'll hold yuh too it." Ajay looked to them, sighing slightly before nodding. "Yuh should get ready for trainin lata today, Anita's upset wit bot of ya's." And with that, she walked out of the room.  

Wraith and Crypto stayed quiet for a few more moments before Renee turned to crawl back over to him. Tae watched her, gently reaching to pick her up and place her on his lap. He leaned close to her, pressing his lips against her temple.  

"I should remember that you are not only important to me." He spoke softly, now resting his chin on his head. He felt her arms slowly wrap around his chest and she hugged him firmly. He smiled slightly, he always seemed to be smiling with her close by. At times, even during the games, he's found himself smiling with thoughts of her on his mind. He closed his eyes, simply relaxing and taking her in.  

•───────•°•❀•°•───────•

[what-is-your-plan-today]

Stark Spangled Banner Ch 54: The Time Heist

Intro: It’s time...for the Time Heist. The team split and head to their various places and points in time to retreive the stones, Katie, Steve heading with Tony, Banner and Lang to New York 2012. But of course, it doesn’t all go to plan and one member of the Avengers pays the ultimate sacrifice...

Warnings: “Language!” 

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

Stark Spangled Banner Masterlist

**Ok so we all know what’s coming in this one...little bit longer than normal but there’s a lot to cram in. Hope you all enjoy**

"I've missed this suit," Tony smiled, patting Steve on the shoulder. “It’s the very reason I call you Spangles.” “Which is exactly why I have never worn it post New York” The Soldier rolled his eyes, turning to look at Thor who walked into the large room outside the armoury with Rocket.

"You're wearing that to Asgard?" Tony looked him up and down, taking in the grey hoody and red sweater.

“Yes, what’s wrong with it?” Thor asked.

“You look like Santa Clause with a crystal meth addiction.” Tony replied and Thor frowned, as Rocket began to laugh. 

As the three of them began to bicker about Thor’s appearance, Steve looked up  to see Katie emerging from the locker room, dressed in the first cat-suit he could remember seeing her in. His pants instantly felt a little tighter round the crotch. That suit clung in all the right places, especially now her figure was slightly different to what it had been eleven years ago. Mind you, she still looked extremely passable as a 2012 version of herself and Steve found himself wondering how on Earth he had managed to actually fight any aliens back then when she looked as hot as she did. 

She caught his gaze, flashed him a smile which he returned and she took one of the GPS bands off Tony as he handed them out to the assembled team. One by one, as the bands were activated, the red and white Quantum Tunnel suits formed around each of the avengers. Steve picked up his shield, and nodded around to his team.

“Let’s go.” Together they strode through the hangar, Steve leading them towards the large, glass platform with the early morning sun cascading through the large glass hangar doors from where it was just starting to peak over the trees. As they walked Katie looked over her shoulder at Natasha, winking and the red head grinned back at her, biting her lip excitedly. Katie knew she’d been waiting for this for five years, an opportunity to undo everything. They all had.

As everyone took their place around the glass platform, Banner behind the control panel, Steve looked around and cleared his throat.

“Five years ago, we lost. All of us. We lost friends... we lost family... we lost a part of ourselves.” he looked around at his team “Today, we have a chance to take it all back. You know your teams, you know your missions. Get the stones, get them back. One round trip each. No mistakes. No do-overs.” He took a breath and Katie smiled to herself as he continued “Most of us are going somewhere we know. But it doesn't mean we should know what to expect. Be careful. Look out for each other.” Another breath “This is the fight of our lives. And we're gonna win.”

At that point Tony gave Steve a look, his eyebrow raising slightly, a soft smile playing on his face. Steve met his face, with a determined expression of his own. “Whatever it takes.”

He nodded at Tony before he looked around at the team. “Good luck.”

“He’s pretty good at that.” Rocket said, his arms folded.

“Right?” Scott jerked his thumb towards Steve and Katie smiled.

“All right. You heard the man. Stroke those keys, jolly green.” Tony called to Banner.  

“Tractors engaged” Banner nodded before joining them on the platform.

Katie took up her position between Natasha and Steve, making sure her GPS was set to the right time and date.  

“You ok?” Steve asked softly

“As Ok as I can be given I’m about to time travel back to an alien invasion.” She muttered back and Steve chuckled.

“When we get back you and me are cracking open that bottle of Kauffman vintage that I know you hid from Thor in your room.” Katie turned to her left to look at Natasha.

Natasha gave a grin, “Deal. Hey Rogers!” Steve turned to look at her.

“See you in a minute!” Nat wriggled her shoulders and eyebrows excitement and he huffed out a laugh at her enthusiasm. This was the most animated he had seen her about anything in the past 5 years.

The machine began to whir slightly, glowing, and the mechanism above their heads shifted. Their helmets all formed round their heads. A second later they were hurtling back through time.

Katie felt a little bit dizzy as her feet landed on the ground in the middle of a side street in New York, a block or so away from the tower. The sounds of cries, screams, gunfire filled her ears as the red and white suit vanished from around her.

“All right, we all have our assignments.” Steve looked at everyone “Two Stones uptown, one Stone, down. Stay low. Keep an eye on the clock.”

At that point he whirled round as 2012 Hulk passed, smashing everything in his way. Bruce put his hand on his face, embarrassed, as Steve turned to look at him.

“Maybe smash a few things along the way” the Captain suggested.

"I think it's gratuitous, but whatever." Bruce muttered, tearing his shirt off. He walked over to a car and lightly punched it, making a small dent, all the while making growling noise which Katie doubted would even scare a kitten. Then he picked up a motorbike and threw it at a wall, wincing as it smashed before he continued his journey down town.

The rest of them parted to their own assignments, Tony and Lang taking off, Katie and Steve making their way to the entrance of Stark Tower.

“First rule of not being seen?” Katie stopped at the door and looked at him, he raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t hide by any chance?”

Katie snorted “You got it.” “Yeah well I kinda figured it might be the same as the whole going on the run mantra.”

“Got to hustle, guys. Things look like they're just about wrapped up here.” Tony’s voice said in their ears.  

“Got it. We’re approaching the elevator now.” Steve repled, following Katie as she strode confidently across the Tower Lobby.

She was right, no one paid them the least bit of attention as they stepped into the lift, everyone was too busy running around in a blind panic. Katie smirked to herself as the door shut. Pressing her palm to the pad at the side, she selected the button for the sixty-fifth floor which housed Tony’s office- where they were going to hide until it was their time to make a move.

“Uh, Mr. Rogers. I almost forgot that that suit did nothing for your ass.”

Katie sorted and Steve rolled his eyes.  

“No one asked you to look, Tony.” He said exasperatedly.

“It’s ridiculous” Tony continued.

“I think you look great, Cap. As far as I'm concerned, that's America's ass.” Scott replied, and that was when Katie gave in and began to laugh as the elevator stopped and they stepped out.

“I like your ass.” she grinned up at him and it was his turn to laugh.

“It’s all yours baby.” 

***** Up on the Party Floor, Tony was smirking to himself at having managed to successfully wind Steve up again on a job. Well, would it really be an Avengers Mission if he didn’t?

He and Lang ducked out of the way as the elevators opened and the SHIELD-slash-Hydra team lead by Rumlow and Sitwell entered the floor.

“Who are these guys?” Lang asked.  

“They are SHIELD, well, actually Hydra. But, we didn't know that yet.” Tony explained

“Seriously, you didn't? I mean...they look like bad guys.” Lang continued.

“You're small, but you're talking loud.” Tony said, an edge to his voice. He was getting kind of tired of people pointing out the various flaws in judgement or errors to their methods when they went back over past missions.

“On my way down to coordinate search and rescue.” 2012 Rogers spoke. Tony had to smirk. Steve always denied he had changed that much, but he really was as far a cry from that pompous, stick-up-your-ass jerk as he could get.  

Tony watched Loki transform into Steve for a second in imitation and the Billionaire had to snort. As far as imitations go it was pretty flawless. Then, as Loki was gagged and lead way by Thor he spotted that his 2012 self was tapping at the security pad on a briefcase which contained the Tesseract.

“All right, you're up, little buddy.” he spoke to Lang “That’s our stone.“

“Alright.” Lang nodded, speaking from Tony’s shoulder. “Flick me.”

There were so many things wrong with that instruction, but Tony didn’t have time to unpack them right there. Instead he did as he was told, flicking the ant sized Lang straight towards the box where he scrambled up Tony’s arm, to his beard and then down his top.

Tony remembered with amusement the next bit. This was when Hulk had tried to take the elevator. Grinning he watched as his 2012 self-informed Banner that the maximum occupancy had been reached, and 2012 Thor told him to take the stairs. In a fit of temper Hulk punched at the elevator door once it was shut, before grumbling to himself as he headed to the other side of the floor to get to the stairs. With a smirk Tony backed up, threw himself out of the window, his suit reforming round him. 

*****

Katie and Steve found their floor completely deserted. As such, they’d been stood, hovering by the elevator waiting for the signal which came over their radios not long after they had heard Lang tell Tony to ‘flick him’- yeah, Katie and Steve both thought there was a lot wrong with that instruction.

“All right, Cap, Kiddo. I got our scepter in the elevator just passing the 90th floor.”

“On it.” Steve said, hitting the call button for the elevator.

“You remember what happened last time we were in an elevator full of Hydra dickheads?” Katie looked up at Steve as she grinned.

He snorted, and was just about to answer back to assure her he didn’t intend on flinging them out of the side of this one from almost twenty storeys up, but he didn’t get chance. The elevator doors stopped and then opened. Katie and Steve both glanced at the STRIKE-slash-Hydra agents, Sitwell and Rumlow both doing a double take as they saw them. Steve gestured for Katie to go in first, and she did, turning to the button pad.  She randomly selected a floor below them before she moved to the middle of the lift.

“Captain. I thought you were coordinating search and rescue?” Sitwell looked at Steve.

“Change of plans.” He said simply as he turned to face the elevator door as it closed.

“Hey, Cap, Nova.” Rumlow spoke, glancing over his shoulder.

“Hey Brock.” Katie smiled. It fell silent for a while, the situation feeling familiar to the two Avengers, as they noticed that the agents were sharing nervous glances. Steve looked around, before he spoke again.

“I just got a call from the Secretary. Agent Stark and I are gonna be running point on the scepter.”

“Sir? I don't understand.” Sitwell frowned, turning to face him.

“We got word there may be an attempt to steal it.” Katie supplied, holding his gaze.

“Sorry, guys, but. I can't give you the scepter.” Rumlow shook his head and Katie saw he was reaching for his gun.

“Yeah, I'm gonna have to call the Director.” Sitwell began.

“That's okay. Trust me” Steve insisted as Katie reached out and wrapped her hand around Rumlow’s wrist, fully anticipating there was going to be a struggle, but thanks to Steve’s quick thinking, it never came.

He leaned forward, his mouth close to Sitwell’s ear. “Heil Hydra.”  he whispered, loud enough for them all to hear. Sitwell looked up at him, Steve simply gave him a knowing nod and Rumlow glanced at Katie. She released his wrist smiling at him.

“You kept that quiet Stark.” Rumlow looked at her.

“Isn’t that supposed to be the point?” she raised an eyebrow at him.

“Touche.”

The elevator door stopped and Katie nodded to Steve.

“If you’ll excuse us.” he gestured to the case which held the Sceptre. Rumlow handed it to him and Sitwell moved to allow them to step out. They began walking away from the door, exchanging a smug glance as they went. Once they heard the doors Katie turned to Steve grinning.

“Heil Hydra?” she laughed “You clever bastard!”

“I have my moments.” he shrugged. “What floor are we on.”

“Twentieth.” she said. “Oooh, if we head down the stairs to the fourteenth it has a glass walkway that connects the left to the right side of the building, so we should be able to use that to get a decent view of what’s going on in the lobby.”

She led Steve over to a heavy door which housed the Stairs and they both winced as they could hear Hulk yelling.

“SO MANY STAIRS!” his words echoed and Katie glanced down to see he was a few floors below them. Nodding to Steve they began their descent.

***** In the Lobby, Tony was watching with amusement, the slight difference of opinion his 2012 self and 2012 Thor were having with Alexander Pierce. Back then there had been a minutes or so argument until Pierce had snatched the Tesseract from Tony. Thor had then been incandescent with rage. Eventually, Fury had diffused the situation by getting Pierce to back down and allow Thor to take the Tesseract back to Asgard. But that wasn’t for a good few hours, which was why they needed to steal the cube before Pierce took it from the building.

 “Loki will be answering to Odin himself.” Thor shook his head when he was instructed to turn his brother over.

“He's gonna answer to us. Odin can have what's left.” Pierce said “And I'm gonna need that case, that's been SHIELD property for over seventy years.”

“Hand over the case, Stark” a SHIELD or Hydra agent instructed.2012 Tony shook his head and began to protest.  

“All right, move it, Stuart Little.” Tony said from his place in the lobby, he was dressed in a SHIELD Tactical Kit, one he had stolen of some guy he’d had to knock out. “Things are getting dicey up here. Let's go.”

“You promise me you won't die?” Lang shot back.“

“You're only giving me a mild cardiac dysrhythmia.” 

“That doesn't sound mild”.

“Do it, Lang!”

“Get your hands off!” 2012 Tony was yelling.

“Window's closing. Pull my pin!” Tony insisted.

“Here goes!” Seconds later 2012 Tony dropped the case, clutching at his chest.

“Stark? Stark!”  Thor bellowed as 2012 Tony fell to the floor. 

 “Look, he's convulsing.” Pierce said “Give him air! Medic!”

“MEDIC!” Tony said, some amusement as he watched his past self, writhing on the floor “This guy needs some help, some help please!”

In the rush and melee that followed, the case suddenly slid across the floor to Tony who grabbed it hastily with a smile.

“Good job.” he said into his comms “Meet me in the alley. I'm gonna grab a quick slice”

Only he never made it, as right at that point Hulk smashed through the door from the staircase into the lobby, sending Tony flying to the ground. The case burst open and the Tesseract slid towards Loki.

“NO MORE STAIRS!!!!” Everyone began to run from Hulk's rampage and Loki bent down to grab the Tesseract, using it to teleport away, his brother and guards completely oblivious as they were too busy dealing with 2012 Tony’s collapse. Thor held his hammer and tapped it with his palm, sending a bolt of electricity though to 2012 Tony’s chest, bringing him back round instantly. And then all hell broke loose as they realised the case and Loki were gone. 

“That wasn't supposed to happen, was it?” Scott asked, as he stood on Tony’s chest. Tony sighed and looked around as the 2012 Thor and Tony began frantically talking into their coms.

“Oh we blew it.” Tony groaned. 

****

“Tony, what's going on?” Steve demanded as he followed Katie round the corner towards the walkway. “Tell me you found that cube.” 

At that point he bumped straight into his wife who was stood stock still in front of him staring right at his 2012 counterpart.

 “Oh, you gotta be shitting me.” he groaned.

“Cap,” a familiar voice from behind 2012 Steve spoke and Katie’s mouth dropped open as her 2012 self sprinted onto the walkway, skidding to a halt behind the Steve from her time. “What the fuck?”

2012 Steve’s eyes flitted from 2012 Katie to 2023 Katie and back again.

“This is clearly some kind of spell.”  2012 Steve spoke, and 2012 Katie nodded in agreement as he continued this time talking into his comms. “We have eyes on Loki. 14th floor.”

“I’m not Loki.” Steve put the case containing the Sceptre down taking a step forward so he was level with his Katie. “And I don't wanna hurt you.”

In a flash, 2012 Steve engaged. Steve raised his shield, the clang loud as the Vibranium discs clashed against one another. Katie ducked past the duelling captains to stand in front of her younger self.

“Why are you doing this Loki?” 2012 Katie looked at her, taking up a fighting stance “You could have just fucked off-”

“I’m not Loki.” Katie shook her head “And neither is Steve.” “So who are you then?”

“That is a really, really long story.” she muttered “And also a crazy one so…”

“You’ve seen what’s going on out there?” the 2012 her scoffed “I doubt there’s anything that could surprise me anymore.”

“Alright,.so I’m you, from 2023.” Katie shrugged as she looked around. “Tony invented a time machine so we could come back and get something we need.” 2012 Katie raised her eyebrow before she laughed. “Whatever” and with that she launched forward.

Steve saw his wife starting to engage with her 2012 self, and his moment of distraction cost him. His younger self kneed him in the chest, knocking him down harshly.

2012 Steve looked down at him, smirking. “I can do this all day.”

“Yeah, I know.” Steve sighed, shaking his head as he waved him away whilst he stood up again “I know”

Had he really been that lame?

With another flick of his arm, Steve threw his shield toward 2012 as he did the same, the clang loud as the Virbanium discs ricocheted off one another. Without their shields the men began to fight, furiously. At one point Steve was flipped off his feet by his younger self and jumped up, repeating the favour. As the blows were traded and kicks landed, one of them, he had no idea who, managed to send the case containing the sceptre through the glass side of the walkway, causing it to shatter.

Katie heard the smashing behind her but she didn’t look round, she was too busy going toe to toe with her past self. She was just about getting the upper hand too as eleven years on she knew a lot more moves thanks to Natasha and Steve’s training. As her younger self leaned in with a pretty savage right hook Katie stopped it with both hands and then used her 2012 self’s arm as leverage to push up from the floor. Swinging both legs round in a scissor action she managed to lock her knees round 2012’s neck using the momentum and strength in her legs to bring 2012 her crashing over backwards to the ground, hard. Before 2012 could get up Katie flicked one of Natasha’s widow bites at her and winced as she watched her younger self convulsing on the floor.

She didn’t have much time to contemplate it however, as the sound of a loud yell made her look up just in time to see 2012 Steve flipping both Steve’s off the walk way, smashing through several glass landings and down a few of the smaller flights of stairs which connected a some of the other floors together until they eventually landed on the lobby.

Wincing Steve managed to push himself up, taking a deep breath he swayed slightly and looked up as 2012 Steve was brandishing his compass at him, his mouth open and brow furrowed. Of course, he won’t have even gotten the compass back yet, and he wouldn’t do until the following year when he went through his stuff for the Smithsonian exhibit.

“Where did you get this?” 2012 asked,  his voice low. “And why does it have a picture of you…or me, and Miss Stark in it?”

Steve didn’t answer instead he ducked trying to retrieve the sceptre, and he might have been successful if he was up against a normal opponent, but 2012 Steve was quick and he placed his foot on the sceptre, throwing Steve off balance slightly. In a flash he was behind him, putting the older Soldier into a choke hold. Steve threw all his power backwards, throwing the pair of them to the ground where they began to writhe along the floor, both trying to get the upper hand, Steve trying to manoeuvre them to the sceptre. Unfortunately for Steve, 2012 was just as clever and as he reached out with his right hand the younger man jerked him backwards, his legs round his waist, arms tight round his throat.

Steve knew he had to distract him, so in desperation he spluttered out something he knew would have made his 2012 self stop dead in his tracks “Bucky…is…alive…” He felt the grip around his neck release, and he fell forward coughing.

“What?” asked 2012 Steve, but he never got his answer as Steve sucker punched him right in the face with his right hand, before he grabbed the sceptre, pointing the tip of it at his chest. 2012 Steve froze in mid-air before collapsing forwards.

Steve let his head fall back in relief. Jesus that had been brutal. His face, ribs, neck, back all hurt like hell. At that point the door to the stairs burst open and he looked up to see his Katie running over the floor to him.

“You ok?” she asked, offering him her hand. She pulled him to his feet and gently cupped his face with her hands, her thumb stroking the bruise that was forming on his left cheek.

“Yeah, you?”

“Had to knock myself out with a widow bite” She grinned, before looking down at the Unconscious Steve and frowning. “What did you use?”

He held up the sceptre, before he reached down and grabbed his compass. Sticking it back in his pocket he took another deep breath before he noticed Katie was looking down at him, or rather his 2012 self.

“Lang’s right,” she mused. “that is America's ass.”

Steve rolled his eyes, collecting his shield as a smile tugged at his lips, “Let’s get out of here.”

****

“Are there any other options with the Tesseract?” Steve said gently, his voice pleading, pleading to hear that there was another way.  The news they had lost it had been devastating, and as Katie watched her soldier who was glancing down at his feet, she could see he was trying to think but as he raised his head to look at her she could see the utter disappointment on his face. She swallowed, feeling it too. They’d come so far, and looked to be set to fall at the final hurdle.  

“No, no, no. There's no other options. There's no do-overs.” Scott said loudly “We're not going anywhere else. We have one particle left. Each That's it, alright? We use that– Bye, bye. You're not going home.”

“Yeah, well if we don't try, then no one else is going home, either.” Steve’s voice rose a little.  

“Wait,” Katie looked up and idea suddenly popping into her head. “We need more Pym Particles, right?” “Yeah, that’s what I said.” Scott began but Steve silenced him, recognising the look on his wife’s face. She was running through an idea.

“Let’s just go back and get some.” she breathed, astounded the idea hadn’t come to any of them beforehand.

“What?” Scott frowned.

“There has to be some point in time and space that we can get more.” she shrugged, “Let’s just go steal some and try again for the Tesseract.” “I can go one better than that.” Tony scrambled out of the trashed car he’d been sat in. “There's a way to retake the Tesseract and acquire new particles at the same time.” he looked at Steve “Little stroll down memory lane. Military installation, Garden State.”

Katie and Steve looked at one another, instantly understanding before they looked at Tony.

“When were they both there?” Steve asked.

“They were there at a–“ Tony paused “I've a vaguely exact idea.”

“How vague?”  Katie pressed.

“What are you talking about? Where are we going?” Scott frowned.  

“I know for a fact they were there–“  Tony began again but was cut off.

“Who's they? What are we doing?” Scott’s voice was gathering pitch as he got more and more frustrated.

“And I know how I know.” Tony looked at Katie and she suddenly understood

“Dad.” she said, swallowing.  

Tony nodded.

“Guys, what's up? What is it?” Scott demanded to know.  

“Well, it looks like we're improvising” Steve spoke, as the Stark siblings were still looking at one another.

“Right. What are we improvising?” Scott asked as Steve turned to him, handing him the Scepter.

“Scott, get this back to the compound”.

“What's in New Jersey?” Scott tried again.

Katie and Steve began to program their watches to the date and location Tony was telling them- 4th April 1970.

“Are you sure?” Scott pressed again, before he stepped forward “Cap. Captain. Steve, sorry, America. Rogers. Look, if you do this, and this doesn't work, you're not coming back.”

Steve swallowed as Tony glared at him. “Thanks for the pep talk, piss ant”

Lang was right, if they were wrong, he’d never see his kids again. They’d never see their kids again. No, he couldn’t let Katie come, not knowing that. Their kids needed at least one of them…

“Katie.”

“Oh no!” she folded her arms “You are not benching me.” Steve shook his head. “It’s too big a risk.” “So is going just the two of you! Your face is so well known, even more so back then and there, at the first SHIELD base?” she sighed “Don’t forget, half the people in that place are already Hydra. If you’re recognized…” she trailed off “Baby, this needs three heads. Just in case…”

“Do you trust me?” Tony spoke, looking at his brother-in-law.

Steve looked at him, with a deep sigh he nodded. “I do.”

“Then it’s your call.” Tony glanced back at him, then to Katie. Steve was torn, he really was.

“Whatever it takes Steve.” Katie reminded him. She wasn’t scared in the slightest, she had utter faith in Tony.

Steve took a deep breath and against every bit of better judgment he had in his body he gave her a short nod “Here we go.”

*****

Katie and Steve knew exactly where the secret SHIELD base was, having already been in it way back before they took down the Triskelion.

Using some stolen clothes and ID Badges from the locker rooms, they managed to get into the base reasonably easy. Steve was dressed in an old military uniform, Tony in just a plain suit and Katie in a skirt and blouse, with her hair pulled up into a high seventies style pony tail. They didn’t get challenged, although there was one woman that was definitely giving them a very attentive look over in the lift. Katie was glad when it was their floor, and Steve allowed her to step out first. As they passed a chair outside a room, she noticed some files someone had left behind. Quickly, she scooped them up in an attempt to make her look like any other normal office worker that was mooching around the area.

Eventually, thanks to Steve’s photographic memory being able to recall a floor map that was on the wall outside the elevator after one simple glance at it, they found Dr Pym’s laboratory and continued down the corridor until they reached an office that wasn’t occupied. Katie distracted everyone in the corridor by dropping the files she was carrying all over the place whilst Steve slipped inside, unnoticed. He looked down at the phone on the desk and gave a little groan. This hand set was something completely alien to him, but he scanned the various buttons and saw one labelled operator.

“Not that different.” he mused softly to himself. He picked the phone up and hit the button, asking to be put through to Dr Pym and a few minutes later he was connected.

“Hello. Dr. Pym?”

“That would be the number that you called. Yes” 

“This is Captain…Stevens from shipping” he winced slightly at his unoriginal name. “We have a package for you.”

“Bring it up”.

“Well, that's the thing, sir. We can't.”

“I'm confused. I thought that was your job.”

“Well, it's just– Sir, the box is glowing and, to be honest, some of our mail guys aren't feeling that great.” He paused, waiting.

“They didn't open it, did they?”

“Yeah, they did.” Steve smiled as the man took the bait.  “You better get down here.”

He placed the phone down and glanced out of the door through the small pane of glass. As someone handed Katie the last file they’d helped her tidy up, she thanked them and looked at Steve. He gave her the thumbs up and she smirked, before turning her head to see a frantic looking man in a white coat shoot out of the lab a few doors down and run off towards the elevators.

“Excuse me!! Out of the way!”

Once he was gone Katie headed to the lab. She hastily looked around, searching as she passed various filing cabinets, ant farms, a few desks piled high with research. She stood, hands on her hips as she glanced to her right and her face cracked into a grin.

“Bingo.” she walked towards the large, class cabinet that bore the radioactive warning symbol on the front. Opening the door she hesitated, and selected five of the tubes. One each for her, Steve and Tony, and then two spare just in case. She tucked them into the pockets of the skirt she was wearing and headed into the corridor, Steve joining her as she went.

“Got em.” She said, as the two of them strode towards the lift, quickly and quietly. 

And they were so close, so close…

“Shit.” Katie mumbled, stopping. Steve, who had been checking over his shoulder looked round and saw the elevator lady talking to a number of military security guards.

“And you've never seen these two men, or this woman before? “

“No, I've got an eye for this. They looked fishy.” the woman said, turning to walk towards them.

They both began to turn around when Steve spotted an office to his left.

“In here.” He opened the door and gently guiding Katie in before he stepped in after her. He flattened himself against a book shelf, watching through the frosted glass for the figures to pass.

Meanwhile, something on the desk had caught Katie’s attention. A photo. A photo she knew.

A photo of someone she knew inside out.

“Steve,” she whispered. He glanced up to see her staring at something on the desk. It took him a few seconds but when he realized what it was he too frowned. It was a photo of him, the one from his SHIELD file. It depicted him before the serum in a white T-Shirt, dog hags hanging out of his collar. Katie had a copy of that very same photo in her office because she loved it too.

The pair of them looked at one another, before they turned and read the name that was etched into the glass on the office door. And even backwards it was easy to see what it said.

Margaret Carter. Director

He’d steered them into Peggy’s office.

“Katie, honey, I swear, I didn’t-“ he began but they were both cut off by the sound of voices behind them causing them to spin back round and watch through the spaces in the blinds which covered the large window into the other side of the office.

Steve stepped forward whilst behind him Katie hung back, not quite sure how to deal with this. She’d been with Steve now for ten years, married for almost eight and she knew he loved her, she truly did but still she couldn’t help that feeling of trepidation which flood her system as she watched her husband smile as his first love stalked around the other side of the office. This was, what, Nineteen Seventy? Some twenty-five years after he had been lost in the ice. 

Katie found herself wondering if the woman ever truly did let go of Steve, or if she merely spent however long in a marriage pining for a man she could never, or would never have.

Peggy was shouting at another agent for something, shaking her head in frustration and generally thundering around in a manner Steve could recall very well and he couldn’t help a fond smile which spread across his face. It was a far cry from the old, frail lady he had imprinted on his mind.

“She looks so, well, good.” he muttered gently. “You know, not ill.”

It might have sounded stupid but that was the only way he could explain it. It was nice to see her so happy, healthy and doing what she did bed. When Katie didn’t reply he turned to see her watching him, her arms folded across her chest as if she was hugging herself.

“Yeah,” she whispered, giving him a small smile, “she does.”

Steve threw one last glance over his shoulder to see Peggy leaving the room. He walked towards his wife, dropped an arm round her and kissed her forehead, curling her into him. Her body language was still stiff as her hands slid round his waist.

“You know I love you.” he whispered softly, nuzzling into her hair. “There’s never been anyone who’s come close.”

“Yeah.” Katie relaxed slightly into his hold. 

“Good.” he smiled, tilting her face up so she was looking at him. He dropped a soft kiss to her lips, and she smiled at him. “Now let’s go find your brother.”

***** Getting the Tesseract had been easy. What hadn’t been easy was bumping into his dad. Tony had fumbled over his words, walked into chairs, basically lost any of the Stark suaveness he prided himself on having and had introduced himself as Howard. Howard fucking Potts. Howard Stark, however, didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, and Tony had managed to walk right out of the lab with the Tesseract in his suitcase because being with Howard Stark was keeping him from even being looked at. 

All in all, it was the perfect cover.

“So, flowers and sauerkraut. You got a big date tonight?” Tony asked.

“My wife's expecting.” Howard replied and Tony’s mouth fell open. Of course she was, with him. “And, uh, too much time in the office.”

“Congratulations” Tony smiled at him

“Thanks. Hold this, will you?” Howard asked, passing over the flowers and sauerkraut.  

“Yeah, sure.” Tony took them off him “How far along is she?”

“I don't know– Uh– “ his dad held his hands out indicating the size of his mother’s bump “She's at the point where she can't stand the sound of my chewing. I guess I'll be eating dinner in the pantry again.

“I have a little girl” Tony stuttered “Well…I kinda have two actually.” “Kind of?” “Yeah, the eldest, well she’s actually my sister. Our parents died when she was very young and I ended up with Custody of her so.”

“Oh I’m sorry.” “I’m not.” Tony shook his head and as Howard raised an eyebrow he started to explain “I mean I am sorry our parents died but not that I ended up looking after kiddo, you know, wouldn’t have had it any other way. She’s an incredible person, smart, funny, beautiful. Married to a soldier now, couple of kids of her own.”

The other man smiled “You know, a girl would be nice. Less of a chance she'd turn out exactly like me.”

“What'd be so awful about that?” Tony asked.

“Let's just say that the greater good has rarely outweighed my own self-interests.”

Tony nodded for a moment, before the elevator stopped and the walked out of the bunker. “So, where are you at with names?”

“Well, if it's a boy, my wife likes Almanzo” Howard looked at him. What the fuck mom? 

Tony shook his head as they crossed to the middle of the road in between the various military vehicles and troops that were running down it. “Huh, Might wanna let that stew a while. You got time.”   

“Let me ask you a question.” Howard turned to him as they reached the middle “When your kid was born, were you nervous?

“Wildly. Yeah.” Tony smiled, and he had been. He’d been a wreck in the delivery suite, Pepper at one point ordering him out until he calmed down.

“Did you feel qualified? Like you had any idea how to successfully operate that thing?”

Tony shook his head. “Well, I’d already looked after my sister but this was different, you know, she was mine to look after from birth and, well, I literally pieced it together as I went along, I thought about what my Dad did, and– “

At that point, over his Dad’s shoulder he spotted Steve and Katie stood in the distance and Steve gave him the thumbs up.

“My old man, he never met a problem he couldn't solve with a belt.” Howard shook his head.

Tony looked back to him from where he had been watching Steve and Katie glancing around cautiously before he spoke to the man again.

“You know, I thought my dad was tough on me. And now, looking back, I just remember the good stuff, you know. He did drop the odd pearl.” Tony smiled.  

“Yeah? Like what?”

"No amount of money ever bought a second of time."

“Smart guy.” Howard nodded.  

“He did his best.”

“Let me tell you.” Howard smiled gently “That kid's not even here yet, and there's nothing I wouldn't do for ‘em”

Tony felt his eyes beginning to well, he simply nodded as Howard walked past him towards his car.

In the distance Katie squinted and jerked her head questioningly at Tony, trying to figure out why he was holding a bunch of flowers. He raised his briefcase pointing to it, the expression on his face telling her to calm down. She heard Steve let out a breath and a smile crossed her face. The plan had worked. They had the tesseract. She was about to jerk her thumb over her shoulder to instruct her brother to leave whatever it was he was doing, until she saw the face of the man he had been speaking to. 

“Oh my god.” she whispered “That’s, that’s my dad.”

Steve had realized the same thing the minute the guy had turned around to shake Tony’s hand. Besides him, Katie took a step forward and he made to gently grab her arm.

“Katie, you can’t.”

“Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do Steve.” she snapped, a little harshly “You just took your trip down memory lane, now I’m gonna take mine.”

She jerked her hand from his grasp and headed over to where her brother was handing over the flowers and a tin of sauerkraut, of all things, to the man, before they embraced.

“Everything's gonna be all right.” She could hear Tony as she approached. “Thank you–“

“Thank you?” Howard frowned.

“He means for everything, you've done for this country.” Katie finished, swallowing slightly as she reached her brothers side. Tony glanced down at her, shocked for a moment before he hastily re-arranged his face.

“Howard, this is my sister the one I was telling you about. Virginia, meet Howard Stark.” Virginia? 

Katie smiled and shook her dad’s hand “It’s so good to see you, I mean meet you, you know, after hearing all about your work.” she hastily recovered.

“Your brother tells me you’re married to a soldier. He based here?” “Used to be.” 

Her dad paused and his head tilted to one side. “You know, you look a lot like my wife, only with different coloured hair, she’s blonde.” “Yeah I know.” Katie replied, before she spluttered “From photos.”

“You’re a lucky girl.” Howards smiled, “Maria’s stunning. Now I really have to go…nice to meet you both.” he shook their hands again and then turned and headed away.

As they watched him go, Tony slung his arm around his sister’s shoulder, “the guy by the car?”

“Yeah?”

“Edwin Jarvis.” Tony replied simply, and she grinned.

With a final look at their father they turned and made their way back towards Steve.

“We good?” he asked.

“Yeah, let’s get out of here.” Tony mumbled hastily.

They made their way round the corner to a deserted part of the base before they each tapped their wrist bands to activate the suits and, with a fresh container of particles each they were ready. Keying in the correct time and date, they were sucked once more into the Quantum Realm and as they sped through the void Katie looked to her right to notice they had been joined by other members of their team. With a grin on her face she emerged onto the platform, her suit disappearing.

“Did we get them all?” Bruce asked. Scott held up the sceptre, Tony waved his briefcase and Rocket was holding a vial containing the Aether.

Rhodey who was holding up an orb in his hand positively beamed. "You mean to tell me this actually worked?" 

Katie looked around eagerly, but paused when she got to the space that Natasha had occupied beforehand.

She wasn’t there. 

Biting back the panic that was rising in her throat she looked to Clint. He was soaking from head to foot and, as she watched, he took a step forward and dropped to his knees.

“Clint, where's Nat?” Banner asked as the rest of the group caught up with the  fact they were a person short. 

Clint’s head remained bowed. He swallowed thickly and when he finally did look up his eyes met Katie’s first, then Steve’s. He didn’t speak, he didn’t need to, his broken expression told them everything.  

Steve looked down, taking a deep breath as his heart plummeted through his chest. Besides him, Katie shook her head frantically.

"No, no, no. She's not gone. She’s just delayed right?” she swallowed, “Clint, tell me Natasha is going to be here!” 

There was a loud thud as Bruce knelt down, his large fist pounding the platform angrily as Katie looked helplessly from Clint to Steve. Steve’s eyes were full of tears as he reached out to her.

“Sweetheart.” his voice cracked and she shook her head again, turning back to Clint.

"Clint?" this time her question was a plea. A plea for him to tell her that her best friend was fine, and that there was just a temporary glitch, one which they could fix.

Clint looked up at her, his own tears now falling as he shook his head.

“She’s gone Nova.” his head dropped and his shoulders began to shake.

Katie’s jaw began to quiver and, as she turned to Steve, her face crumpled. Steve pulled her to him, one hand firmly on her back, the other tangling in her hair as he held her, gently rocking her side to side as she began to cry. He looked up at Tony who locked eyes with him, wiping his face with his hands and it was then that Steve’s vision became blurred by his own tears. He buried his face in his wife’s hair, allowing her sorrow to hide his own as they both cried for their fallen best friend.

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