#ratchet took care of her and she imprinted on him

[autobotmedic]

dinobots 🦖 or predacons 🐉 ?

This or That?

"... This is going to sound. Odd. But because I have raised a Predacon and I care for her dearly, that is my answer. I am sorry to the Dinobots, it isn't anything personal; it's parental priorities."

[lurking-umbra]

Bad things happen bingo fill #8: time loop, as requested by @milesnsmiles and Ben and Juno, as requested by @geode-to-joy​ TWs: blood, death mention, vomit mention

"You took your sweet time getting here. What's the matter? Had something better to do?" Sarah Steel asks as soon as I approach the apartment. She's waiting outside of the front door, which strikes me as odd. Ma rarely went outside without a purpose, and the way she is leaning next to the door makes me worry that she was waiting for me. I have no idea what she means, but my stomach drops either way. She is angry at best, and furious at worst, and the best time to handle Sarah Steel is when she is out cold. It doesn't matter how long I've been out of this place, the fear of Sarah Steel that ran through my veins as a child doesn't go away easily. I don't see Ben anywhere in view and for some reason that sets off all of my internal alarms. The need to find Ben, to see him and know that he's alright pulls at everything in me. Ma lets me open the door to the apartment without a fight, but Ben isn't in immediate sight. 

"Where is he?" I snap as my heart thuds in fear, feeling like it might burst out of my chest at any moment.

"It's been months since you've seen old Ma, and I don't even get a hello?" She asks instead of answering my question as she follows me inside. The door closes behind us and a small part of me wonders if I just cut off my escape route.

"Tell me where..." I start, and she cuts me off so that she can rant instead. I'm not sure what she means by it, but the dread I'm feeling grows as she trails me throughout my search of the apartment. 

"...'it's alive!' and it wishes it was dead. Just like you gave me," she finishes.

"What the hell are you--?" I start, whirling around to look at her. As she monologues about having control over life, about rowing and paddling and oars, the panic in my chest builds. Ben isn't in the main room, or the kitchen, and he hasn't come in to check on us at the sound of our voices. I try the door to our room... his room, now that I've moved out, and it's locked. This isn't exactly unheard of, but for some reason, this time makes my skin crawl. "Ben? Benten? Are you in there?" I call, banging on the door. Sarah continues speaking, but I'm too caught up in the feel of my heartbeat thudding in my throat in an attempt to choke me. "Benten!"

"Why are you shouting?"

"Give me the key," I demand.

"Why? You know what's in there. I smashed your oar like you smashed mine," Ma explains. She says more, but that's the part that sticks in my ears and echoes in my brain. "Why!" I ask, but don't bother listening for an answer. If she did what she claimed she did, her answer doesn't matter anyway. I bang on the door once more, hoping against hope that she's wrong, that she's just hallucinating, or maybe she missed and Benten is still alive behind that door.

"I couldn't even do this right. No control left. Nothing," she snorts and shakes her head, as if any part of this is funny or even amusing. "I've been thinking about it, though, and I think this is better. Much better. Go see him, then. And see how fast the current takes you." She tosses the keys in my direction, and I'm too focused on getting to the right one to argue with anything she said. Sarah Steel has never been as important to me as Benzaiten anyway. 

It takes me a few tries to get the keys in the lock and turn it the right way with the tears that have started to stream down my face. I know what Ma said and what she meant, but I can't help but hold out hope that she's wrong somehow. When I finally get the door open and call out for Ben, the first thing I notice is the blood. It seems like there is far too much for one body, a metallic stench filling the air. My stomach flips just looking at it and I worry that I will make an even bigger mess by getting sick. A sob tears its way out of my throat as my knees decide that they are done holding my weight and collapse to the ground. I lean over Ben's body, my hands shaking as I try to feel for his pulse. Based on the amount of blood on the floor, it's a useless endeavor, but I can't bring myself to give up on Benten just yet.

-

When I wake up the next day, I remember what had happened the day before. My heart stalls in my chest as I remember that I am now half of a pair, and not even the better half. I'm not sure how long I spend in a panic, my breathing fast and shallow as I remember the pool of blood Benten had been laying in, the way his blank and lifeless eyes had seemed to bore into mine. I stay like that for a while, my brain caught in a loop, until I hear the chiming noise of a message on my comms. I almost don't check it, too caught up in my sorrow to care, but something else in me urges me to check. It's a message from Benten, and that is what gets me sitting up to stare at my comms.

It's the same message as the one he sent yesterday, and as I read it over and over, I realize that it's more familiar than even that. This is... this is the last message I have from Benzaiten, but he died twenty years ago, not yesterday, even if sometimes the pain was so intense it felt as though it had. So if Benzaiten had died twenty years ago, what was I doing here, staring at his last message to me? What was happening that made me remember everything that had happened that day like it was yesterday? 

My eyes catch on the message again, even though I haven't stopped staring at it. If this really is that day, maybe I am meant to stop it, to change what happened. What other reason was there for living the worst day of my life over and over again?

I dial Benzaiten's comms number, hissing a curse when the call goes straight to an automated message. "Pick up your phone, Benzaiten," I growl as his recorded voice tells me to leave a message.  "Benten, don't go back to Ma's tonight. I don't know why you're not picking up your comms, but please trust me. Nothing good will happen if you see mom tonight." With that I hang up in frustration. I spend a few seconds staring restlessly at my comms before I fling back the bed sheets and climb out of bed. Maybe if I hurry, I can catch Benten and stop him on his way home.

A few hours later, running out of places to look for Benzaiten, I wonder if I should admit defeat and go to Ma's apartment. The need for me to locate Benten wars with the utter revulsion I have at the thought of willingly entering that apartment. But I've already stopped by Benten's workplace and the dance studio where he practices and teaches lessons in his free time, and Mick hasn't seen him today either. So I get back in my car and drive over, worry building up in my stomach. There's no reason for it to have already happened if I'm meant to stop it. I'm not sure if that is what's going on, but a small part of me I thought I had buried a long time ago hopes so. 

When I get to the apartment building and up to the right floor, Ma is already waiting outside. Whatever little hope I thought I had dies, and I am struck with the urge to turn away. Something stops me though, prevents me from turning away even though I don't want to watch this tragedy happen. I've already done this, and recently even, but this feels so much more real than when I had the Theia Spectrum removed. Ma greets me with the same words as yesterday, the same self-centered rant that is her justifying the murder of Benzaiten. Even knowing how this scene ends, the panic and fear come rushing back, every bit as real as the first time this happened, decades ago. I rush into the room to find my brother sprawled out on the floor dead, the blood that should be keeping him alive pooling beneath him. I live through the whole scene, unable to look away until I wake up in my bed again to the chime of my comms and that same damned message. I'm not sure how many times I go through it, doing my best to stop the tragedy that I know is coming and yet never managing to prevent it. Instead I live through my brother's death over and over again, feeling it all blend into one never-ending nightmare, no matter how hard I try. 

-

When the time loop is finally broken, I find myself lying in one of the beds of the med bay, the sight of Benten as I saw him last still imprinted in my mind. Nausea roils in my stomach and up my throat and I do my best to swallow past it. I feel like someone had dragged me halfway across the desert of Mars and then stabbed me directly in the brain a couple hundred times just for fun. 

"Are you with us now, Steel?" Vespa rasps from where she is sitting beside my bed, checking some of the equipment there as Buddy hovers close by. The red of Buddy's hair catches my eye and I am hit with a much stronger and clearer picture of Benten lying in a puddle of his own blood and I turn my head to the side to retch. Nothing comes up, and the movement only makes me more aware of the ache that was my whole body and ratchets up the pounding in my head.

"Does that answer your question?" I grind out.

"Not entirely, but your terrible personality sure does," Vespa snarks back. She leans over and shines a light into my eye, and that feels like she had decided to make friends with whoever had stabbed me in the brain.

"Oww," I groan as I slam my eye shut, dragging an arm up over my eye for good measure. I retch once more, which only serves to make me feel even worse. "Are you trying to finish the job of whoever tried to kill me?"

"They weren't trying to kill us, Juno," Buddy corrects.

"Then what the hell happened?"

"There was a light hallucogenic in the air of the scene of our last heist. It was only enough to affect someone gradually, which is why we were all able to get out before it hit."

"But why?" I ask.

"Apparently our target was very angry at one of their guests, and the rest of us were caught in the crossfire. They posted a public apology on some type of forum a few hours ago."

"And that's supposed to make it all better that we... what? Experienced the worst moments of our lives?"

"I never said it was a good apology," Buddy drawls, and I suddenly realize just how close she is hovering to Vespa, at least a hand kept in contact with her the whole time. I wasn't the only one affected by the hallucinogen, although when I look around, I note that I am the only one in the med bay.

"How is everyone else doing?" I ask.

"They're about as well as can be expected, darling, given the circumstances," Buddy replies.

"You're the last one to wake up," Vespa explains. "Everyone else has been out of their trance for at least a few hours."

I grimace. "And why am I so special?"

"We're not sure," Vespa replies, leaning over to look at a screen off to the side. "Which is why you're stuck in the med bay for the rest of the night." She rises from her chair and brushes her hands together. "Now that you're up and your vitals are fine, we're going to bed," she says, grabbing Buddy's hand and moving towards the door.

"Hey wait!" I call out. "What am I supposed to do if I need something?"

Vespa rolls her eyes at me, but Buddy beats her to an answer. "We'll send someone in for you, don't worry," she says before she whisks Vespa out of the door. I wonder who they would send in, and then I wonder if I even have a preference. I feel too exhausted and wrung out to fight it either way.

I am thankful when there is a gentle knock on the door and it opens to reveal Peter rather than Rita or Jet.

"Hello, dear," Peter calls as he makes his way across the room, a thermos and package of crackers in hand. I can feel my body relax slightly and for a moment any visions of Benten in my mind take a backseat to the wonder that is Peter Nureyev. I can tell that they are still there, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, but they're quieter at least.

"Hey," I replied, feeling a smile pulling at the corner of my lips.

"Everyone was very concerned about you," he adds as he settles into the chair Vespa had vacated. "Rita wanted to come check in on you, but Buddy suggested you might want a more delicate touch. Rita did tell me to say, and I quote, 'he can fire me if he wants, I don't mind'. I'll admit to not understanding entirely what she meant..."

"It's fine, Nureyev. I know what she means."

"That makes two of us, I suppose." Peter's hand reaches out for where mine is laying limply, hesitating slightly, as if he is waiting for me to startle."I hate to ask it dear, but... did you want to talk about your ordeal?"

Just thinking about that question makes me want to cry or vomit, and I'm not sure which one would be worse. "No," I reply flatly. Peter doesn't react to that much, but he does stop reaching for my hand. My stomach lurches at that and my hand chases after his instead. I remind myself that I am working at not snapping at people when I am hurting, and that Peter ought to know he had done nothing wrong. "I would rather not think about it," I say in a softer tone. "But I wouldn't mind spending time with you."

Peter's mouth pulls up into the slightest of smiles, the corner of a tooth glinting in the low light of the med bay. "Of course, my love."

My face heats up slightly at the endearment and I grumble halfheartedly as I search for something to say. "Yeah, well... what did you do while I was still out?" I ask, genuinely curious about what Peter and the rest of the crew had been up to.

Peter's facial expression doesn't change, exactly, but I can see the tension in his body, feel the way he tightens his hand in mine. "It was rather unexciting, I'm afraid. After I woke up..." Peter pauses and I wonder what scene he relived in his own time loop. "I'll admit that I wasn't very good company at the time."

"I'm sure no one would be," I comment when he doesn't seem inclined to speak any further. "I can't promise that I'll be good company myself." I pause and add, "But I appreciate you sticking around anyway."

"Of course, my dear detective."

"Not a detective," I grumble as I sit up and cross my arms over my chest. His mouth pulls into the first real smile I've seen from him since I woke up at the common disagreement between us. "How is everyone else taking this? I asked Buddy, but you know how she is. How are Rita and the big guy doing?"

"Well, your former secretary seemed to shake off the visions fairly quickly. I must admit that she was the one who dragged me out of my room," Peter says with a flash of a grimace. "Jet seems to be bothered more by the hallucinogenic than whatever vision he may have relived. Vespa and Captain Aurinko--"

"Yeah I think I can just about guess how the two of them are," I interrupt. "They've been sticking together pretty close, huh?"

"There go those detective skills, Juno," Peter says with a grin that shows off the points of his teeth. "I haven't seen one of them without the other since I woke up."

I nod. "That fits with what I've seen of them. Jet is probably worried about maintaining his sobriety. And Rita... well, I'll check in with her when I'm free of this bed."

"That sounds like a decent plan, I'm sure she looks forward to being able to see you."

"Yeah," I say softly. "Hey, Nureyev?" 

"Yes, Juno?"

"Do you uh--" I cut myself off and swallow hard with embarrassment, feeling my cheeks heat up slightly. "Do you think both of us could fit up here?"

"We can certainly try," Peter says as he rises from his seat and I scoot over to the far edge of the bed. It takes us a few moments to find a position that doesn't end up with one or both of us nearly on the floor and we settle with Peter laying on his back as I curl into his side. He has an arm wrapped loosely around my waist, and I can't help but think about how pleasant this is, how relaxed I am now that he's here, even if our physical positions aren't the most comfortable. Lying like this, I can imagine telling Peter about what I saw, about Benten's death and how I wish I could change it. Maybe not right this second when it still feels so fresh, but some time. Soon maybe. As long as I'm being indulgent, I imagine him telling me about his own hallucinations and being able to listen and comfort him in return.

[selanaris]

Optimus Supreme TFA AU Part 2

for @lazyartist04  Part 1 here

Ratchet and Optimus have a father/son relationship. Ratchet was pissed about Omega’s body being used for an experiment, even more pissed to learn they are shoving a young academy bot’s spark into a large frame filled with slave and obeying coding all connected to him

After some time once Optimus’ spark filled to match it’s casing after the aid of the ASD’s injections, no one expected for him to wake out of stasis, but unable to transform, locked in alt mode, so Ratchet set him up with a holoform that matches his former self and together they don’t tell the others and they all assume they just got a new leader.

Prowl was suspicious from the start, he knew a holoform when he saw one, but couldn’t find out why or where the holoform was coming from, until after the bomb on Megatron went off, causing the holoform to flicker for a time, he confront’s Ratchet about it when Bee and Bulk are looking for their leader while the medic is focused on the ship to bring it out of stasis. after this, Prowl begins to understand Optimus more and helps him keep it a secret from Bee and Bulk

Bumblebee and Bulkhead found out after Sari found out, after using the key to fix the parts of the ship to stop the cons underwater, after too much, Prowl just told Optimus to drop the holoform and focus on shooting the cons, to which he did after some hesitation. Bee and Bulk are completely stunned and are given a short, “Optimus is the Orion, now don’t stop attacking!”

Bumblebee gets really excessive with all the questions for Optimus on what it’s like until ratchet and Prowl finally shut him up after explaining the slave coding, now he’s calmed down, but still thinks it’s very cool “Much better than any prime!”

Bulkhead is much more polite about the situation, but is curious none the less, but he likes to go to the ship to clean up the place, and made a promise to change the Orion’s paint job to match what Optimus wants, he really likes that, orange is not his color

Sari is trying to remove the code and get him out of his alt mode, but... it’s easier said than done, but at least it allows them for lots of bonding moments, Sari is like a little sister to him, and his sentinel coding agrees to let nothing happen to her.

Blackarachnia, oh dear, first she can’t poison him, then realizes her attacks do nothing, but after running an electric current though him and fizzling out his holoform does she suspect something, she changes her demands from “give me the key” to “Tell me what that was!” and he does tell. and.... she doesn’t believe him, not at first, not without proof, and when she has proof... well even she doesn’t even know what to do, she feels bad, but she can’t let this get in her way of her goals

Sentinel, Has no idea what happened, everything continues on as normal, until Bee and his big mouth spills to Magnus and Sentinel about Optimus, all the bots face palm, but Bee is too angry at them for letting Optimus fall under such torture. Magnus and Sentinel are surprised and don’t believe it until given proof, then... Sentinel was quiet, not a word came out of him, not even a smart remark, Magnus had to do everything in his power to not break something. They eventually left, originally wanting to take Optimus with them, but he refused to leave Earth unprotected, so they left him, with a full plan to get to the bottom of what happened, Sentinel in a way, is like a jerky older brother, who suddenly realized that his younger brother has been suffering for years without him knowing, and he wants to try to help

Below from discord with @moonlightdeer739 :

Moonlightdeer

I had the idea that, before the crew finds out their captain is their ship, Bulkhead accidentally misses a recoil of his wrecking ball, this is back when they were a repair crew, and it instead crashes into one of the 'Orions' landing gear, leaving a significant dent.

Across on the other side of the space bridge, Op ended up shouting in pain and clutching his pede, a significant dent suddenly in the side of it, Ratchet is the closest and when the others come to investigate, Ratch is already over-riding the holofoms base controls to make it look like he's sucessfully pulling he dent out.

NekoNoKami23

yep!

I love that

Moonlightdeer

Op and Ratch claim one of the boulders lying around came loose and took Op off guard, and when Bulkhead brings up that he may of mangled one of the Orion's landing gear, Op sighs and says he and Ratchet will fix it.

NekoNoKami23

I was thinking Prowl figuring it out after the bomb goes off on Megatron and Prowl is the only one to notice Op disappear before reappearing with a visible show of pain

Moonlightdeer

And a good bit of shrapnel in him that look like exit wounds instead of entrance wounds, almost like the bomb went off... inside him?

NekoNoKami23

all the usual stuff happens, but after they crash, the Orion goes into stasis, and when the team wakes up they realize that Optimus is missing, and Prowl confront Ratchet as Bee and Bulk go to find their boss

Moonlightdeer

"Optimus isn't missing. Is he Ratchet?"

NekoNoKami23

"No... and I think I can't lie to you anymore, He's in stasis...."

Moonlightdeer

Prowl looked to the stasis pods. "And given he's currently not in one of the pods, as we've already ascertained, he... he is the Orion?"

NekoNoKami23

Ratchet nodded, "Yeah... Optimus is the Orion... locked in alt mode and filled with bad code..."

Moonlightdeer

"Is that why he acts so... by the rules?"

NekoNoKami23

"and why he does whatever I say, yes, he will die to protect a single autobot, he's unable to care for himself"

Moonlightdeer

Prowl nodded, solemn. "So... he's and Omega Sentinel."

NekoNoKami23

"Yes, but.... not always..."

Moonlightdeer

"Not... always? What do you mean?"

NekoNoKami23

"I mean he used to be a plain academy bot forced into a giant slave frame, and used as a just in case weapon"

Moonlightdeer

"Oh... and then I'm guessing they locked him in his alt mode and he never even complained? Never resisted? And just went on his way with us when he was made into a repair ship..."

NekoNoKami23

"It's not like he can resist or complain, and he came with us because I'm here!"

Moonlightdeer

"So you're the one he's imprinted to?"

(When the code gets removed. Op: That... that was so fragged up.)

NekoNoKami23

(yep)

"Not like that was my choice either!"

Moonlightdeer

"Oh? How do you mean that?"

NekoNoKami23

"I mean it just happened, I was involuntarily the mentor for Omega Supreme, and then they use his body and throw a young bot's spark into, and suddenly I have to be mentor again, do you really think this is my fault!"

Moonlightdeer

Prowl backs up. "Oh... I'm sorry, I assumed that Optimus was another Omega Sentinel, not Supreme."

NekoNoKami23

"Yes... just... for now help me bring him back online... as the young bots handle what's going on on the surface, and keep this a secret.."

Moonlightdeer

Prowl nodded, and followed Ratchet to do just that.

(might add more later so keep an eye on this post)

[cchellacat]

Frustration (Part 3 of It’s Not A Cuddle)

Love All The Marvel Ships Challenge 

Day Ten ~ Making Out

A continuation of It’s Not a Hug and Vacation.

Three times Bucky and Darcy nearly Made Out and the One Time They Finally Did.

 After she arranged for Sam to be dropped in the vat of slime Bucky finally gave in to his need to admit that he liked Darcy Lewis.  Who was he kidding, he was already in love with her.  

He’d tried denying it for months, but the truth was that as soon as he saw her standing there in the kitchen the day after he arrived in the Tower with flour on her face and her hair piled up on her head with an apron tied under her bust he’d been gone on her like some hormone driven teenage boy noticing a girl for the first time.  When she’d smiled at him with her bee stung lips and great big china blue eyes and offered him a cup cake, he’d pretty much just lost the ability to speak, instead he’d stepped forward and picked her up and ran.  Steve had found them three hours later, Bucky curled up with his head in her lap, arms wrapped round her middle while she ran her fingers through his hair.  After that he’d followed her around from sun up to sun down whenever he could escape from Steve and his mother henning tendencies. The more time he spent with Darcy, the more he got to know her, the deeper he fell.

Darcy was kind and funny. She always knew everything that went on in the Tower at any time.  She was always the first to dive in and help in any situation.  She sassed anyone that tried to give her shit and the way she and Stark smack talked each other had even Steve cracking a smile.  The Soldier in the back of his brain made heart eyes every time they thought about her.  Bucky’s pretty sure the Soldier imprinted on her like a baby duckling, for the Soldier she’s a combination of handler and divine being, for Bucky she’s the embodiment of all the dreams he’s had before the war.

She was a force of nature and for near everyone that lived there she was the heart and soul of the team.

The first time he found himself holding the sweet dame in his arms was at 3am on a Friday morning. He woke to find himself standing in the gym, his whole body wrapped around Darcy like a vice.  He could tell from the tightness of his arms that they’d been standing there like that for a while.  When he let go of her, horror on his face, she had just smiled up at him, kissed his cheek and told him she didn’t mind playing teddy bear any time he needed before walking outta the gym and heading back to her room.  The memories he’s managed to prod the Soldier into sharing were of him wandering the corridors after a nightmare and bumping into Darcy outside the gym.  She’s taken his hand led him inside and asked what he needed.  The Soldier had taken over and gathered her into his arms and cried. Initially Bucky had felt embarrassed, but Darcy’s only response to this had been to coo and pet him and tell him he was safe, that everything was okay now and she’d take care of him.  

After that, anytime he felt like he was about to slip and he was near enough to Darcy he just hugged her close and told her it wasn’t a cuddle.  She just held him back and agreed without any fuss or making him feel stupid.  

Sam said Darcy grounded him, kept him in the real world because he saw her as something more real and alive than anything else.  She was the opposite of all the terrible things he had done and been put through. Then he preceded to tease the crap out of him for it.  That had been the wrong move on Sam’s part, cause Darcy heard about it and quickly planned her revenge.  She didn’t like people pickin’ in him for any reason.  It made him feel sorta warm and fuzzy on the inside that she would go to the trouble of making Sam suffer just for teasing him.

This was reason two that he loved Darcy Lewis, if she took someone under her protection, she would go to the ends of the earth for them.  Move mountains, create miracles, all to keep those she loved safe.  Fiercely protective and loyal as she was, he couldn’t fathom why Steve didn’t seem to like her very much.  Then the Soldier reminded him that Steve was lonely and sad and if the stuff the therapists rambled on about meant anything then they could figure the poor guy was experiencing attachment and abandonment issues.  This made Bucky feel a little guilty and he tried harder to give Steve some slack.  The guy had saved him after all, had come after him at great cost to himself to help Bucky, he owed him.  Even if he didn’t remember everything from before Hydra had him, he knew Steve had been a good friend, why else would he lay so much on the line to save his ass? Besides, Darcy didn’t seem to pay too much attention to Steve’s odd behaviour and was incredibly patient with him all things considered.  She even kept her revenge pranking to a minimum on Steve, only mildly inconveniencing him if he pissed her off.

This led to the third reason he loved her, she was one sneaky, conniving, smart ass with the most twisted sense of humour and justice he had ever encountered.  If she wanted to get even with someone, they’d never see it coming, but when it did it hit full force and was guaranteed to cause maximum embarrassment for the victim to the same level and greater than the transgression she felt they had made.  No one messed with her and survived the experience with their dignity intact.

The first time he tried to kiss her had been after she made him cherry pie and they had watched Sam’s decent onto the bowels of the building and straight into a tank of bright red slime. They’d been sitting cuddled up on the couch talking, Darcy still in his lap, her tiny hands tracing patterns over his jumper while they flirted lightly with each other.  

There had been a moment right there where he’d seen the perfect opening, her staring up into his eyes, the emotion had changed from playful to serious, the air around them electric.  He’d been about three inches from bringing his lips to hers when Steve had walked in and ruined the moment.  After Darcy had reluctantly swept off to feed Jane, Steve had tried in his own strangely mangled way to tell Bucky why he couldn’t get involved with Darcy.  Bucky had stomped off to his room to change then spent the next seven hours murdering punching bags in the gym, the Soldier muttering death threats at Steve in six languages before reaching through and sending their fist straight through the punching bad.

The second time he manged to get her alone they were on the balcony while Tony and Pepper hosted a party in the penthouse.  She’d been dolled up in a classy little number with a sweetheart neckline, her hair half up on one side and the rest curling over the opposite shoulder.  Her dress had been red, and her lipstick had matched. He’d spent the whole night staring at her mouth and thinking about what she’d taste like if he managed to kiss her. The Soldier had had slightly different thoughts, that Bucky thinks as a gentleman, he shouldn’t have agreed with.

He’d followed her out to the balcony just as the band struck up a slow number and he’d asked her to dance. Dancing with her was a different sort of holding than the way he held her for comfort.  It was a language of its own creation between two partners.  The dip of her waist, the sway of her body, curved and pressed into him, her hand held firmly in his, it seemed to say we’re good together.  They way they’d slowly moved closer, pressed hip to shoulder, the tiny noises Darcy had made as her body brushed against his in certain places told him just how good other things would feel.  The song drawing to a close as they stopped swaying, the tension from before returning between them and ratcheting up a notch, Jesus Christ,  he’d been a half a second from taking those sweet cherry lips with his when Steve bounced onto the balcony looking for him and insisting he come meet some painter Tony had invited.  He and Darcy had shared a knowing look, the grip between their fingers tightening in the solidarity of frustration.

Last week he’d pulled her into a supply closet with every intention kissing the living daylights outta her when the Tower alarms had went off causing momentary chaos.  Steve said he’d accidentally set it off when he was doing a security check.  Bucky didn’t believe a word of it.  The man was trying to ruin his love life before he even managed to kiss the dame.

Yesterday he’d found Darcy asleep in the kitchen, bags under her eyes, a pile of paper work at her side, completed.  Looking through it all he realised the majority of the forms she’d had to fill in all centred around requisitions Steve had made, missions Steve had been on and other Steve related material.  He’d about snapped at that.  Steve was driving her into the ground with paper work so Darcy would have less time to spend with him.  

He’d gathered her up in his arms and taken her to her room.  He’d tucked a very sleepy Darcy into bed after stripping her down to slip. She had thanked him prettily and told him she would kiss him properly eventually, then bestowed a soft press to his cheek.  

 If something wasn’t done about Steve soon he was going to murder him in his sleep.  The Winter Soldier in the back of his brain proposed a number of different ways to dispatch him that would be more entertaining than the merciful death Bucky had imagined.  

That morning he’d been on his way to the labs to visit Darcy when he’d overheard her and Steve.  Now, not only was the guy trying to sabotage his love life he was actively trying to warn his best girl away from him.  

He’d snagged Steve and pulled him into a closet and proceeded to have the biggest blow out with him he could ever remember.  They’d shouted and argued and hurled a lot of hurtful things at each other.  By the time they were done Bucky had felt wrung out and exhausted. All he wanted was to see Darcy and get a hug.  Almost on auto pilot he’d let the Soldier slip forward a bit and they’d found their Doll entering the common room, a mischievous smile playing across her lips.  Bucky had stepped forward and pulled her into a tight hug, the kind he hadn’t felt the need to get from her in a month.  When she hugged him back and promised him sunshine, a pool and her in a bikini his brain had nearly shorted out and he wondered how she’d pull it off.

Two day’s later they were on Stark’s private jet heading for Malibu, sans Steve, who had been called in by Fury for an urgent mission.

Bucky is almost afraid to make a move, convinced that even here, several thousand feet in the air Steve would still manage to interrupt them, somehow.

Darcy just smiles and holds his hand in the seat next to him and asks if he’d like to share a room.  He’s embarrassed to admit it took him a good ten seconds before it dawned on him what she was proposing.

“What sorta guy do you take me for, Doll?”  he’d teased her with a lazy grin.

“Am I stepping on your old timey sensibilities Soldier?”

“Nah, just think we should probably have kissed before sharing a bed.”

“Well, there’s nothing stopping you now.”

He decides she’s right, she usually is, he pushes up the arm rest between them and pulls her into his lap. They’re sitting right at the back, tucked away in a quiet corner, no one is paying any attention.

“You wanna make out with me Darcy?”

“You bet your ass I do. I’ve felt like teenager sneaking around trying not to get caught by her folks for the last month.  So yes, I do wanna make out with you.”

For the next three hours they’re left blissfully alone, and Bucky doesn’t let her out of his lap until he absolutely has to.  

They kiss and touch and explore, to the point that it is a miracle they don’t join the mile-high club, but Bucky’s conscious of the others at the front of the plane.  He won’t even slip his hands under her clothes, much to her chagrin, but there’s a nostalgia in taking the time to work each other up with some heavy petting and intoxicating kisses.  

He catalogues every sound and breathy moan she makes, the way the flush spreads over her collar bones and up her neck, the tiny little pants when he runs his hand over the shape of her breast, letting his thumb catch the nub of her nipple through her dress. He doesn’t remember if he’s done this before with someone, not exactly, but he knows what to do and what to say. It’s like riding a bike.  The dirty things he whispers to her while tracing his tongue round the shell of her ear make her whimper, but she’s swell gal and gives just as good as she gets.  She whispers back even filthier things that she wants to do to him once they’re alone, he’s so hard at this point that he considers pushing her panties to one side under the flowy skirt she’s wearing and lowering his zipper right there, because fucking hell she plays dirty.

By the time they get off the plane Bucky has a hard time standing up and has to drape his jacket over one arm to hide the evidence of three hours with Darcy Lewis in his lap. He’s not sure if it’s the frustration of the last month sneaking around or just the three hour make out session, but he’s never been so turned on in his life.  

Stepping off the plane and wrapping his arm around his girl is a heady feeling, he only feels a tiny twinge of guilt that Steve won’t get to enjoy a vacation with them.

When they finally reach the house, Darcy drags him off to their room and locks the door.  The saucy wink and the smile she gives him as she seductively disrobes has him scrambling to help.  Bucky’s pretty sure this is going to be the best vacation ever.

NEXT

@captain-rogers-beard

[this-brownie]

04.03.20

not feeling super inspired right now to talk about anything so ill talk about my past birthdays. when I was younger, the apartment I used to live in was filled with not only Bengalis but children that were mine and my brothers’ age. we always had people to play with whether that was going to the park, going to each others houses, or simply playing on our block or backyard. we also always celebrated our birthdays together— I remember the first time I had my very first Big Mac was during my 9th birthday. in middle school, the birthdays got a little more sophisticated because we would go out to Thai restaurants instead of mcdonalds. in 8th grade, my family moved to a new house, a block away from the old apartment. the next year we all started attending different high schools and I don't rmmbr much, my feelings from the day at all except that we called it early that night and my mom and I slept on the living room sofa, lights off and everything. two of my neighbors came over to my house expecting that we were gonna go out to eat— i opened the door to see them dressed up and all they saw were me in my pjs, house dark and their faces fell. one of them said ‘we always do something for your birthday, we thought we were going to do something this year’ and I said no..not this year and kind of awkwardly sent them on their way. side note, I didnt really have social skills because I was extremely shy and super uncomfortable about being confrontational. 

the next few years in highschool my birthdays were okay—I had more School friends to celebrate with and we always went out to eat. but I never had the money or enough friends to have a huge bash like the way I always fantasized. I rmmbr in 10th grade, a few of my friends pitched in to buy me balloons and delivered them to me before first period— I had to carry them around all day and I felt embarrassed but also incredibly special and happy. I eventually became close with Fariha and we spent the next two birthdays together, always Thai food--Jen joined me for one of those outings— Fariha always took care of my bill but I realized I never extended the same courtesy to her. 

a certain pattern started developing over the years— my mom started picking fights with me and would always have me feelings miserable on the day of or very near my birthday. In 12th grade, we had a massive fight that I wasn't expecting her to remember it was my birthday or do anything about it. but near the end of the night she designed the living room with tea lights and bought me cake and dressed me up in a beautiful sari. looking back, its fucking manipulative to put me in a bad mood on a special day, and then expect those feelings to be wiped just because im presented with gifts. yes I was *eventually* showered with love but at the cost of feeling gaslighted and having to hide my negative emotions because they were considered disrespectful. my next birthday, I turned 18 but I can't rmmbr it at all. for my 19th, I was living in Toronto but I had visited Levi in Boston and for the first time ever I spent an entire week with him. I had recently gotten a credit card so I decided to buy myself expensive lingerie. that was a lot of fun.

my 20th birthday was one of the worst because I remember it had been a few months since I moved back from Toronto and my mom was especially untrusting. she completely disregarded that it was my birthday so that was a very lovely day. I remember I was working at magnolia that day but I can't rmmbr why I didnt go out with my friends…I don't rmmbr but it was a shitty day.

for my 21st, I had already been living in Boston for a little less than a year and Levi insisted I go out with my friends since I always stay in with him, I went out with two girls from the restaurant I used to work at, and another girl who I used t work at bebe with. regina (bebe) and I arrived earl/on time and decided to grab something to eat while we waited for the other two girls. we went to a Chinese hotpot place and it was a lot of fun trying something new to eat. the other two girls came and we went to a hookah place which was kind of ratchet but I remember my mindset at the time was to not plan everything out so meticulously because nothing goes to plan. however, I was TOO flowy because I was underdressed (it was fucking freezing that day) and the wait line for the hookah place without a reservation was ridiculous. I also didnt like the fact that the girls didnt dress up to the 9s like the way I did. they also didnt drink the vodka I snuck in so that was another bummer. the last annoying thing was that regina had to leave early because she used to Dorm, and the campus closed at a certain hour. even though I had more fun than usual, it wasn't the huge birthday bash one expects for their 21st.

the next year, 2015 at this point, I had moved back to New York but I can't rmmbr what I did that year. the next birthday was one of my favorites. I had finally planned out and executed an amazing girls night out. the day started off with me picking up a delicious tiramisu cake from a local bakery and heading over to nadiyas house in Astoria where Jenifer and Syndee also joined. we pregamed while getting ready. the dress code was black only— I had gotten an amazing sheer black maxi dress imprinted with gold stars from urban outfitters. all my girls looked amazing that night. we did our makeup and curled hair and even just getting ready was such fun. nadiya also put out snacks for us which was super cute. our first stop of the night was dinner at “beauty and Essex” where we had tapas like: tomato soup with a block of fried cheese in it; bone marrow with grilled bread, mini tuna tartare tacos, and shots of soup. the place was fucking fancy— they served us champagne in the ladies room, so extra haha. I knew the bill would be expensive so I covered a good portion of it which I didnt mind because I wanted to have FUN without being hindered at all. it was also a good amount of food where we were satisfied, but not too full that we felt bloated or couldn't continue drinking. we took an uber to the next stop to a placed called “beauty bar” which was a nail salon mixed with a club, that also served drinks. we each got ourselves a manicure and a drink. we danced for a little bit but didnt love the music so headed over to our last stop of the night, a nightclub called Cielo. this is where I made a mistake — I got us there a little after 11 and had to pay a $30 fee. if we had gotten there before 11pm, it would have been half the price. I remember sneaking a bottle of wine in, by squeezing it between my thighs, but it ended up being such a waste because we didnt have a bottle opener to even open it with. I ended up leaving it in the bathroom.  second thing wasn't really a mistake but it took points off from the overall day— the thing about nyc clubs is that there is SO many that they have to be different to stand out, meaning they don't play popular music or top 40. they will play what they think is cool. when you're drunk its fine, but if you're sober (like jen was), its less enjoyable. however because I was super drunk, I did enjoy dancing even tho I didnt act totally ratchet. maybe it worked out haha. I also met a very charming and handsome man that night. apparently he checked me out the minute he looked at me (according to Jen) and came up to me and…I can't rmmbr now what he asked but he offered to buy me a drink and I jokingly said back “haha I think my friends are going to be jealous if I drink without them” and then he actually bought me nadiya and Syndee drinks. I didnt expect that— afterwards we all split up and the girls danced with other people. I danced with this guy, whose name I don't even remember, but he was tall, genuine, and very charming. I met his friends and we went out for a smoke and I remember enjoying his company. I remember telling him I had a boyfriend and he will still ver pleasant and sweet, which I appreciated. afterwards us 4 girls and he, his friend and girlfriend all squished into this tiny car to grab pizza. it started raining heavy at that point and I was super drunk - on our way back to nadiyas place, we ended up having a sleepover that night, I dropped my phone into the water and it went blank. I felt horrible after because I never got the chance to thank him for the night— in his mind, I just became another girl that used him for drinks and then took flight. theres no way to change that unfortunately.

the issue with me is that I really want to execute the way I envision things, and when they don't turn out like that I become very unhappy. I started fantasizing, and still do sometimes, about having a perfect girls group thats made up of pretty girls of different ethnicities. for my next birthday I invited Syndee (Thai but can pass for Latina), Lilian (chinese), and a coworker of mine who I had never hung out with before (Mexican, but extremely pale- looks exotic white) to have a birthday brunch. this was the first time hanging out with Lilian after maybe 7-8 years so it was a bit of a reunion. we went out for drinks to a speakeasy after which was really cool too. even though the group of us looked beautiful in photos, the aesthetics of the restaurant was lovely, the food itself was amazing, and the drinks were strong-- the dynamic between all of us wasn't flowing 100%. I wanted so badly for things to look good that I didnt realize the coworker would feel out of place amongst the rest of us who had known each other for a while. so, while the day was nice and nothing bad had happened, it still didnt feel extremely memorable. thats the last time I hung out with that coworker, and the last time I tried to force things together to make them fit.

the next year I was pretty down about and around my birthday— this was the first birthday after being married. I remember Levi asking me what I wanted to do and what gift I wanted. im not super materialistic anymore so I don't like receiving gifts. we did go out to Indochine for dinner which was nice but not as great as it was the previous time we had gone. instead, we went out to see Jim Jeffereys in Madison sq garden. it was okay— he made a joke about taking a shit which lasted 15 minutes. it was annoying. also Levi got mad at me because I went out to get a drink and missed an entire segment. wooh. I am weird because I want people to show me a lot of love— it doesn't have to constant, or grand gestures but I like when its thoughtful. I hate having to ask for attention or affection, it makes it less special if I receive it after that. even though Jen is my best friend, I have celebrated most of my birthdays without her. she's usually unable to come see me during the school term. this year she was at med school and wasn't able to make it because she was busy studying. she's missed out on a lot of them and it hurts because not only is she my best friend and should do things to make me special, but that I always go out of my way for her to make her feel amazing on her day (I will make a separate post for HER  birthdays). I am relatively low key about my birthday too, ever since 10th grade it hasn't been on facebook profile. I don't tell people about it, if they ask for the date I try to evade their questions. I know its strange, but its because I don't like revealing personal info, or things that are meaningful to me, and have others disregard or forget them. most of my friends didnt remember to wish me but I don't hold it against them because I don't make their birthdays special. I only do that with Jen, so I only expect it from her. however, fimo did make me feel special. we went out to eat at a Sri Lankan restaurant and then got ice cream after from a different place. she printed me a cute celebratory card with a picture of me on it and got a beautiful vase (I told her not to get me anything tho!). she gave me black and white triangular shaped earrings and said, I noticed you like geometrical shapes so I thought you would like these (I did like them a lot). she also did something very sweet and unique- she cut out scraps of paper and wrote little compliments and inside jokes we shared on the. that was my favorite because it showed that there are little moments of me that she remembers, and that she has taken time to think of me and what would make me happy. 

out of all my birthdays, the last one where I turned 26 has been my favorite. im not always moody and a downer! this was one of the first birthdays that I actually DID get to spend with Jen. I become very moody around my birthday- in the past because my mom would pick fights with me..these days because I prefer to isolate myself rather than be happy, or optimistic, and then be disappointed. I would want someone to do for me what I do for them. is that selfish of me? maybe. which is why I like to keep my expectations extremely low. Jen had recently broken up with her boyfriend of a long time and she was actually available to come see me, without being hindered or guilted into spending a part of the weekend with him. she asked what I wanted to do and if I wanted anything for my birthday. I feel embarrassed and shy about being given gifts so I always say no to that— I like to have special experiences instead. I gave her an ambivalent answer, showing my hesitation and hinting that ill be working and ill be pretty busy that weekend. the reason I do this is because 1. im manipulative and 2. I'm an asshole. id rather exaggerate to her and make it seem like *IM* the one whose busy and can't make time for her, rather than have her say yes and hope that she's coming and be let down if she can't make it (which has happened in the past before). I also am…apparently unsatisfied by how people show me love. im a scorpio… meaning I am excessive, intense, and “relentless” (according to levi). when I do something, I do it big and I try my best to make it perfect. when people are very lax, like the way Jen is, about certain things it conveys to me that they are not as serious about me. its not necessarily true but thats how I feel. so I tell her im busy, to test her and see whether she will still come to see me for my birthday even tho it may be inconvenient for her. I was wishy washy, but I wasn't completely adamant about her not coming so she decided to ignore my hesitance and come anyway. good decision.

several days before my mom hinted that she would throw a surprise party for me— she tried to be clever about it, in her defense, but when she asked me for fimos number I knew something was up. I played along— I found it very endearing that my mom would do something like this for me. this was part of the reason I decided Jen should come anyway, it would be more fun with her there after all. she came Friday night and we had dinner and talked for a little bit before heading to bed. I had work the next morning; after I came come we both got ready to go to my moms place. she made it seem like we were going to a wedding so I had to get there, get dressed and then we would all head out together. I knew it was gonna be a party so I tried to get Levi to come but he didn't think it was appropriate. once we got there and opened the curtains, I was greeted loudly with “HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYY!!!” it was my two brothers, a couple of my little brothers friends, fimo and her bf, my aunt, and my cousin and his parents. it was very sweet, I was honestly touched to see a room of happy faces all leathered around because of me. my mom was elated, it was so fucking cute. she spent all day cooking a ton of food— making all my favorites ofc— and got this delicious cake adorned with a picture of me. the room was designed with HBD banners and streamers, confetti balloons, and pretty fairy lights. my brothers even got a disco light that displayed different colored lights all over the walls, and champagne candles (the ones that shoot out that pretend fire until they die out). I felt so fucking loved— I feel happy right now thinking back to that night. 

the next morning I had planned to go to the spa with just Levi but Jenifer wanted to join us. I didnt want to at first because I wanted to spend some alone time, but thankfully it ended up being a great time. Levi rented a car and we drove to this luxe spa in New Jersey. it was three floors filled with different temperature jacuzzis, pools, saunas, and steam rooms. the pool on the rooftop was an infinity pool, filled with a ton of instagrammers, but the view was stunning and we caught a delightful sunset. Jenifer being there added a lot to my pleasure and peace— I got to take as many photos as I wanted without being judged and I had fun running around to all the different areas instead of being told to sit quiet. I really do love that girl, but any actions of me being distant or cold are a result of being let down so many times, intentional or not, that I always expect only the worst now. however, her being there that weekend solidified our bond greatly and I appreciated that. we got pizza afterwards which was tasty but not so great. we drove back home and Levi let us off at st marks so that Jen and I could spend the last hour before she had to leave back to Philly. she spontaneously told me she wanted to get a belly piercing, and if I was down. we had gotten one together a long time ago but it fell out and we didnt have it re pierced. I didnt care either way so I went for it. now we have matching bffl belly rings all over again. nice end to a great weekend.

a few days later I met fimo for brunch at an Italian place in Brooklyn, that happened to be near the movie theaters where we planned on going after. brunch was whatever but she got me a fucking $100 Chanel perfume even though I demanded that she not get me anything. the perfume smells heavenly, and I only wear it on special occasions now. but it was too expensive, and I really didnt want that from her. later, we watched ‘Parasite’ at this theatre called Nitehawk Cinema which allows you to eat and drink right while you're watching the movie. we munched on popcorn and drank wine and felt like badasses. Parasite was absolutely amazing and thrilling- a Korean horror/thriller about a family that trick, and uses, a richer family into employing them. the name of the movie makes it seem like THEY are the parasites, but the crazy plot twist is that the rich family’s former employees were doing the same thing. but worse. they were secretly living/hiding out in the rich family basement/bunker. shit gets crazy when current employees find the ex employees. we both really enjoyed the movie, and didnt expect to like it as much as we did. it got nominated for several awards, so we were not the only ones who thought so.

the last person I saw for my birthday was Syndee but it wasn't really a bday hangout. I recently had a falling out with Ivan (more on that on a different post), and had reached out to all my closest friends. Sydnee and I see each other once every couple months so it was time. we got Detroit style pizza at this famous place near my work/home. the food was pretty good and it was nice to catch up with her. I let her know that I would be less busy in the future and that maybe we should start calling each other so that the stretches in person wouldn't feel as long. she agreed, and it was interesting as were catching up that for the first time I had only good news to share and she had not so good news. I told her that I had gotten a new job where I was planning to get promoted, had very recently gotten my green card, and that my mom was finally coming to terms with my marriage. I talked about my birthday, and she casually got the date for my birthday wrong (she was off by two days)— so I guess it really has been a while since we've been thorough with each other. she lamented about having to move out soon from her apt because she and her bf (who pays most of the rent) might be splitting up. she also said she wasn't doing as well at her new job as she had hoped. It was unfortunate that she was going through a tough time but I told her that she wasn't completely helpless, and that she still had options. its difficult for me to hear about people going through a tough time because I want to be able to change that, even if im not always in the position to do so. we did end on a good note and she seemed happy about seeing me which was nice. I am happy and grateful for the friends and the freedom I have. they don't always show me affection in the way I want but they do show it how they can, which I acknowledge and cherish.

[darth-salem-emperor-of-earth]

Enchanted By a Voice [Kyle x Olympia]

I finally, at long last, finished my last ockiss17 prompt! Took me long enough, sorry for the long wait, @nebularogue! 

So here we have for Day Six: Hesitant Kiss: my Kyle Shepard (again) and @nebularogue‘s Olympia King. I brainstormed some settings and decided to have this scene take place after ME1 and a little bit before ME2. I might one day to write a part 2 to this scene because Olympia is up to something but since this is from Kyle’s POV, he doesn’t know the inner workings of her mind. So hope I wrote her well, @nebularogue, and thank you for letting me use for this story. :)

While Kyle enjoyed a good drink every now and then, he was never fond of shady or sleazy bars that simply screamed out half their customers were criminals as well as the same message being extended to the owners and most of their staff. The more innocent or less nefarious employees were the ones that often got screwed over in terms of payment, benefits, and the types of customers they had to deal with. And as much as he wished to change their situation or uncover a way to bring the unsavory bars under more legal or fair ownership, he couldn’t save or help everyone. A fact his friends often had to remind him from time to time.

However, here he was, at another seedy club to find a thug who was extorting from a neighbor of his. While Ivy stayed with the Alliance as the first human Spectre after Sovereign's attack on  the Citadel, he, Izzy, and Ivan spilt up to work their own goals until Ivy would call upon them for support once more. Last he heard of Izzy she was in Omega with that mercenary named Nydo and Ivan was off doing God-knows-what. As for himself, Kyle travelled to Ilium and dedicated his skills set to help others. Ilium may be a luxurious, breathtaking place but there were often serpents lurking about in every nest of paradise.

One of these snakes was Billian Tulk, a batarian thug and loan shark who was known to prey on the desperate, the poor, and the needy. His rates were outrageous and his system was designed to eventually force his victims to concede and either offer up their services or someone else in their place for indentured servitude to work off the debt. It was Tulk’s way of receiving free labor for as long as he wanted. But compared to Kyle’s past experiences and meeting a Reaper, Tulk was small potatoes. Besides, he was use to dealing with low-lives like Billian Tulk.

As predicted, the said batarian was downing shots one right after the other, while making a pass at one of the bar’s singers and clearly failing. Unsurprisingly, he did not take ‘no’ for an answer. “C’mon, baby, is it the extra eyes?” he cajoled to the human singer, whose brown eyes flashed menacingly when he reached out to grab her.

“No, it’s because you’re a lout and won’t leave me and other girls alone when we tell you to!” She bent the batarian’s hand back, almost snapping his wrist if Tulk didn’t have the foresight to quickly draw his arm back in time, forcing the singer to releaser her grasp on him. “Excuse me, but I’m up next and I won’t let you make me late.” Tulk cut her a nasty glare and was about to try his luck one more time yet more aggressively when Kyle beheld the opportunity to step in and distract the thug.  

“Billian Tulk?” he voiced, making his presence known. “We have to talk.”

The said batarian whipped his head around, six four eyes boring murderously at him as he temporarily forgot about the human singer. “About what?” came the snarl.

“You know of a Miss Seveej? Received a loan from you and later paid you back, including interest. And yet, you claim she still missed a fourth of the payment?” There was no way Miss Seveej neglected to pay in full, she documented all her finances carefully and was known to be meticulous—if her small bonsai plants were any indications of her great attention to detail as well as patience.

The loan shark shrugged. “She made an error with her numbers so she still owes me 4000 credits. And that salarian is lucky I’m not ratcheting up the interest rate.” He gulped down another shot, continuing to keep a few eyes on him. Kyle then noticed the singer hadn’t let and was watching them both, curiosity etched on her fair, sharply structured features. “And what is all of this to you? The arrangement between me and Seveej is none of your damned business!”  

“First of all, Miss Seveej is my neighbor and a good friend of mine so when she became my client, your deal became my business too. Secondly, it’s common knowledge you’re involved in other illicit activities, which I am certain the Ilium authorities would love to hear about if they caught wind of your hidden behavior.” Tulk was a man of vices and besides alcohol, he was also fond of dealing with stolen property on the black marker and illegal gambling—mainly centering around two people duking it out on a fighting ring.

The lines in the batarian’s visage deepened as he scowled, a tic starting in his jaw. “Careful there, human. You’re treading on dangerous territory, threatening me like that. Who do you think you are, Commander Shepard?”

At the opening, Kyle had to grin amusingly. “Well, my last name is Shepard and I’m good terms with the Commander Shepard. Maybe I should have to stop by and see how everything is doing around in Ilium.” Out of the corner of his eye, the dark haired singer smirked, evidently pleased to watch Tulk be outplayed. She even shot a thumbs-up while mouthing ‘thank you’ to him. He smiled back in returned.

The enraged, crossed glower was immediately dropped and a more nervous, serious expression flashed on Tulk’s ridged visage, all four eyes a little bit wider than they previously were. “Wait, you actually know that Spectre? And you’re related to her too?”

Technically. He just so happened to share a last name with Ivy, Ivan, and Izzy but that was irrelevant at the moment. So Kyle continued to smile, unsettling the loan shark even more. He didn’t need to utter anything, the silence alone was enough to provoke Tulk to reconsider his offer. The batarian quickly rummaged for his datapad and once found, punched a few buttons before sliding the holographic pad over to Kyle for him to view.

“See, your friend Miss Seveej is off the hook now. Full payment to me, just like she claimed and you asked for.” Kyle would have been skeptical if he wasn’t witnessing the proof with his own two eyes and there was slight tremor in the thug’s voice when he spoke. Guess he didn’t have to go hard on the criminal after all.

“Good,” he replied, feigning indifference. “And if I hear you’re bothering Miss Seveej again, I’ll come back and next time, I won’t be so nice. Are we clear?” There was an edge in the last part, his dark eyes narrowing as a warning signal towards the rather anxious batarian.

“Crystal, as you humans say,” came the sullen reply. And without another world, Billian Tulk finished his remaining shot, paid his tab, and fled, not before shooting a lecherous fleer at the singer, who scowled in response.

“I’m so glad you chased him off,” she told Kyle promptly once Tulk was gone. “He has been an annoyance to me and all of the singers for about a week.”

“If he returns and continues to harass you or anyone else, let me know.” He handed her his business card and she took with an intrigued look, studying the glossy words imprinted on the front.

“Nice to see people doing good these days.” She ran her thumb over his card, brown eyes peering curiously up at him, as if searching for something. “So Kyle...Shepard, want to stay a little longer and watch my performance? I guaranty you haven’t heard a voice like mine.” The way she uttered his name seemed like there was a private jest between them but only she remembered it while he was in the dark. The corners of her lips tugging up into a playful, witty beam and despite his reservations, Kyle had to admit she had a lovely smile.

“Oh, you don’t have to do anything special and bes—”

She snapped her fingers at a server nearby and flagged him down. “Get this man a drink. It’s on the house. He scared Tulk shitless.” She then turned her attention back on Kyle. “What do you usually or prefer to drink?”

Rather reluctantly, Kyle sat down and answered. “Gin and tonic, please. Nothing too fancy.” The waiter departed briskly to fill out his order, rendering Kyle and the singer by themselves once more. “And I’m sorry but I didn’t catch your name, Ms.—”

“Olympia.” She gifted him another smile, this one completely charming and purely arresting. He wondered why she was spending so much time with him, a virtual stranger who just so happened to shoo a thug and loan shark away? Surely simple goodness or kindness weren’t rare in Ilium, of all places. Or maybe he was reading too much into her behavior and getting him a drink was her way of saying ‘thank you’.

Once his drink arrived, Olympia excused herself to get ready for her shift, all the while telling him to enjoy the shower. After about ten or so minutes later, Oympia appeared on the stage, dressed in a stunning purple and white sequin dress with a matching flower tucked behind her ear.  While her arrival brought on countless of cheers, puckish hollars, and woohooing, all chatter and noise ceased instantly when Olympia began to sing and weave her melodious spell on them all. The song was peppy and sassy, matching her lively, upbeat, and straightforward voice and words, fitting the tone of the song oh so well. She didn’t portray herself as ‘the girl next door’, a sultry temptress, a rowdy, spunky rebel, or a force of nature who destroy you and everything you hold dear should you cross her—simply a young woman who wasn’t perfect nor pretending to be. He liked her style so much to his surprise, he ended staying until her warbling act was over and she had a break. Almost immediately, she made a beeline for him.

“I see you decided to stay longer. Was it just my singing?” Olympia bantered, sitting down across the table from. She flagged down a waitress, muttering her drink to them before returning her sparkling gaze at him. “If so, I’m flattered.”

“I’ll admit, I’m not one for music but I didn’t want to leave while you were still singing. I guess your voice entranced me.” Kyle chuckled, swirling the liquid around his glass prior to taking another sip. “It’s been a long time since I enjoyed music like that.”

“Now I am even more flattered.” When her drink arrived, she thanked the waitress and took a huge gulp of champagne, a gasp of relief escaping her as she swallowed and savored the alcohol. “Nothing wets a dry throat better that this club’s champagne. You should try it.”  

“Maybe next time. I already had two drinks of gin and tonic and that’s my limit for today. Besides, I have to head back to Miss Seveej and deliver her the good news in person.” Olympia’s face softened when he mentioned his client’s name, an appreciative gleam in her chocolate brown eyes.

“Of course,” she agreed, nodding, “don’t let me stop you. I’m sure she’ll be happy to learn she’s no longer under that slimebag Tulk’s thumb.” She went back to drinking her champagne as he asked the server from earlier for his check, receiving the bill on his omni-tool. He paid promptly and started to rise from his seat when Olympia swiftly got up to sit down next to him, holding her arm out and halting his actions. Without explaining right away, she simply plucked the white and violet flower from her hair and secured it into his front jacket pocket, tucking the stem of the blossom firmly inside. “A little token to remember me and this club by, in  case you want to return for some fun instead of business.” Flirtation rang coyly in her tone but her winsome, genuine smile was what struck him more and seized him fully. And before he could even reply, she leaned in, hesitating at first, and brushed her lips against his cheek, the kiss light and soft like butterfly’s wings.

When she pulled back, there was a different impression flicking her unwavering gaze, one Kyle couldn’t place but decided not to dwell on the notion right now. The kiss was unexpected, but not unwelcomed. He was more surprised than anything else. “Well, thank you, for the flower and er, the kiss too,” he managed out, feeling his face flush for no reason at all. Why couldn’t he been smoother and in control, like he usually was? He never blushed at a kiss since he was a teenager. “And no worries, I’ll be back. Wouldn’t want to miss any more of your singing.”

Her assertive, amiable, and charming self reappeared, immensely pleased by his words. “I sing on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays and usually in the evening and nights until closing. I hope to see your face this Thursday.” She sent him a little wink and picked up her champagne flute, departing to converse with the singer who was proceeding her prior to waving him farewell as she sauntered away.

Shaking his head in amusement, Kyle exited the bar to find a sky car top head home and deliver the wonderful news to his salarian neighbor. Whoever Olympia was, she was an intriguing woman and probably the only reason he would step foot into that seedy bar again. He wasn’t even aware how much he was stroking or fixing the flower in his jacket pocket during the ride home, marveling at its softness and beauty. There the blossom remained until he finished his business for the night, placing the striking, vibrant flower on his nightstand, its faint fragrance filling the air and evoking memories of his jaunty encounter with Olympia, a singer from a shady club that didn’t deserve her talents. Thursday would come along soon enough.