#rodent control for businesses

[websubmission]

Commercial Pest Control Services in Gurgaon: Expert Solutions by K.S. Pest Control Services

Pest infestations in commercial establishments can be extremely disruptive, affecting not only the health and safety of employees and customers but also the reputation of the business. Gurgaon, being a hub of corporate offices, retail outlets, restaurants, and industrial facilities, is particularly vulnerable to pest-related challenges. In such environments, businesses cannot afford to let pests harm their operations. K.S. Pest Control Services offers reliable and effective commercial pest control services tailored to the specific needs of businesses in Gurgaon.

Why Commercial Pest Control is Essential

Pests such as rodents, cockroaches, ants, termites, and mosquitoes can cause numerous issues in a commercial setting. From contaminating food and products to damaging the structural integrity of buildings, pests can have a severe impact. Here are some of the key reasons why regular commercial pest control is crucial:

Health and Safety: Pests can carry harmful bacteria and pathogens, which can contaminate workspaces, products, and food items, leading to health issues among employees and customers. This can result in financial losses, legal penalties, and damage to the company’s reputation.

Compliance with Regulations: Businesses, particularly those in the food business, must follow strict cleanliness and health standards. Failure to maintain a pest-free environment may result in regulatory fines, temporary closures, or even permanent shutdowns.

Reputation Protection: For any business, reputation is paramount. Pest infestations can quickly ruin the credibility and reputation of a company, especially in sectors like hospitality, retail, and food service. Word of mouth and online reviews can spread quickly, making pest control essential to maintain a positive image.

Avoiding Property Damage: Pests like termites, rodents, and ants can cause significant damage to commercial properties, including the building's infrastructure, electrical wiring, and stored goods. Such damage can lead to costly repairs and replacements if not addressed in time.

K.S. Pest Control Services: Trusted Experts in Commercial Pest Control

At K.S. Pest Control Services, we understand the unique challenges that businesses face when dealing with pest problems. We offer comprehensive pest control solutions designed to eliminate pests quickly and prevent them from returning. Our services are customized for different industries, including offices, retail outlets, warehouses, manufacturing units, restaurants, and hospitality establishments.

Our commercial pest control services include:

Rodent Control:Rodents, such as rats and mice, can cause property damage, food contamination, and disease transmission. We offer comprehensive rodent control solutions that include traps, baiting, and exclusion strategies to ensure that they are removed from your facilities.

Cockroach Control: Cockroaches are notorious for spreading bacteria and allergens, which can lead to health hazards. Our experts use a combination of safe, eco-friendly treatments to eradicate cockroach infestations in commercial spaces.

Termite Treatment: Termites can cause structural damage to buildings, resulting in costly repairs. We offer termite control solutions that include pre-construction and post-construction treatments to protect your property from termite infestations.

Mosquito and Fly Control: Mosquitoes and flies can be both a nuisance and a health danger at business enterprises such as restaurants, cafes, and hotels. We offer personalized mosquito and fly control services to keep your surroundings clean and pest-free.

Bird Control Solutions: Birds, particularly pigeons, can create mess and damage rooftops and ventilation systems. We offer bird control solutions like netting and spikes to keep birds away from your commercial property.

Ant Control: Ants can invade workspaces and contaminate food. We use targeted treatments to eliminate ant colonies and prevent them from returning to your premises.

Our Approach to Commercial Pest Control

At K.S. Pest Control Services, we prioritize customer satisfaction and take a proactive approach to pest management. Here's what sets us apart:

Customized Solutions: We tailor our pest control plans according to the specific needs of your business, taking into account the size, location, and type of pests affecting your property.

Safe and Eco-Friendly Methods: We prioritize the safety of your employees and customers by using eco-friendly, non-toxic pest control solutions. Our methods are effective while minimizing environmental impact.

Trained Technicians: Our team consists of certified pest control technicians with extensive experience in dealing with commercial pest problems. We follow best practices to ensure thorough and long-lasting pest control.

Regular Monitoring and Prevention: Our pest control services go beyond one-time treatments. We offer ongoing maintenance and monitoring services to ensure pests do not return to your commercial property.

Contact Us for Expert Pest Control

Do not allow pests to impede your business operations or destroy your reputation. Trust K.S. Pest Control Services to provide the most effective and reliable commercial pest control services in Gurgaon.

Address: Shop No.17, Ram Market, Rajiv Nagar, Gurugram-122001

Phone: +91 7065877247

Email: kspestsolution@gmail.com

Let us safeguard your commercial property from pest infestations and ensure a healthy, pest-free environment for your employees and customers. We are committed to providing top-notch pest control solutions tailored to your business needs.

[americanpest-management]

[meangreenpest]

Pest Control Services in Ballston Spa: Protect Your Home from Unwanted Pests

If you live in Ballston Spa and are dealing with uninvited pests, finding a reliable pest control company is essential to keep your home safe, clean, and comfortable. This article delves into the importance of pest control services in Ballston Spa, outlining why you should trust a professional pest control agency in the area to handle your pest problems with expertise and efficiency.

Why Choose Professional Pest Control Services in Ballston Spa?

Whether it’s ants, termites, rodents, or other invasive pests, these creatures can cause significant damage to your property and health risks for your family. Home pest control services in Ballston Spa are designed to not only eliminate these pests but also prevent them from coming back. Professional pest control services in Ballston Spa offer comprehensive inspections, treatments, and preventative measures that DIY solutions simply can’t match. By choosing a reputable pest control company in Ballston Spa, you can ensure a thorough and effective approach to managing and eradicating pests in your home.

The Role of a Pest Control Company in Ballston Spa

A qualified pest control company in Ballston Spa brings expertise, experience, and the latest technology to handle pest infestations effectively. Many pests are not only a nuisance but can also damage your property’s structure. For instance, termites and carpenter ants can cause extensive damage to wooden structures, leading to costly repairs if left untreated. Similarly, rodents can chew through wiring and insulation, creating safety hazards. Hiring a pest control company in Ballston Spa means you’ll get tailored treatments that address the specific type of pest affecting your home, minimizing risks and offering long-term solutions.

Benefits of Hiring a Pest Control Agency in Ballston Spa

Choosing a professional pest control agency in Ballston Spa gives you access to licensed technicians who understand the local pest species, seasonal trends, and the most effective treatment methods. Pest control agencies often offer a range of services, from one-time treatments to ongoing pest management plans. This flexibility allows you to select a pest control solution that fits your needs and budget. Additionally, pest control agencies use environmentally friendly products and methods whenever possible, ensuring the safety of your family, pets, and the local environment. Working with a pest control agency in Ballston Spa also means you’re choosing a service that’s responsive and equipped to handle emergencies, giving you peace of mind that help is readily available.

Types of Home Pest Control Services in Ballston Spa

Home pest control services in Ballston Spa cover a variety of pest-related issues, from the common household invaders like ants, cockroaches, and spiders to more challenging pests like bed bugs, rodents, and termites. These services include:

• Inspection and Assessment: A professional technician will conduct a thorough inspection of your home to identify signs of infestation and the pest species involved.

• Targeted Treatments: Based on the inspection results, your pest control service provider will implement targeted treatments using safe and effective products.

• Prevention Plans: Preventative measures, such as sealing entry points and providing ongoing monitoring, help prevent future infestations.

By investing in home pest control services in Ballston Spa, you can rest assured that your home will be well-protected from pest invasions.

Choosing the Right Pest Control Services in Ballston Spa

Selecting the right pest control company in Ballston Spa can make all the difference in the effectiveness of the treatment and the safety of your home. Look for companies with positive reviews, certifications, and a proven track record. A reputable pest control agency in Ballston Spa should be transparent about their methods, offer a guarantee for their services, and be willing to answer all your questions. It’s also essential to choose a service that aligns with your needs, whether you’re looking for a one-time treatment or an ongoing pest management plan.

Conclusion: Keep Your Home Safe with Pest Control Services in Ballston Spa

Dealing with pests doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. By partnering with a trusted pest control agency in Ballston Spa, you can effectively protect your property and family from the harmful effects of pests. Professional home pest control services in Ballston Spa provide a thorough and reliable solution to pest issues, ensuring your home remains a safe and comfortable space. Don’t wait for an infestation to worsen—contact a pest control company in Ballston Spa today and take the first step toward a pest-free home.

[zooophagous]

I'm gonna be contrarian here for a minute and rant about "cats aren't even good pest control."

Which, one study that found cats don't do well against rats is not the be all end all of reality. A cat may not go after Norway rats, which are large and aggressive, no. An adult male wild Norway rat is large enough to give almost any cat a run for its money.

But Norway rats aren't the only thing that exist and get into houses and barns. It is very cold where I live, and while I see mice and packrats and voles, I have never once seen a wild RAT. Wild RATS don't get into my garage. Deer mice do. Bushy tailed pack rats do.

And you know what fixed it?

My cat. He's not even an outdoor cat. He's 100% indoors, or in the garage but only with the door closed so he can't leave.

He single handedly removed my packrat problem. I didn't need to resort to poisons and while I did set traps, none of them had even half of his success rate. Cats were domesticated primarily because of how good they are at catching small rodents. Their success knocked other animals such as trained ferrets off the popular spot for the task. Claiming a cat is useless as pest control is just plain not true.

Cats are decent pest control WITHIN CERTAIN PARAMETERS. They're good for certain types of small pest, and cats need ro be CONTAINED. Much like poisons, you can't just throw cats around willy nilly because they'll kill a shitload of non target animals.

A barn or shop cat is a good option for long term mouse control *if* it is actually confined to that barn or shop and not free to just leave. A semi feral cat that lives in a large warehouse and is vaccinated and desexed and vetted and kills whatever tiny pests get in to chew on stuff is the best case scenario for an adopted feral.

What I do NOT get however, is the insistence that terriers are better and you should just get one of those.

A dog is not an easy animal to keep and nor is it one you should go purchase because you want long term pest control in your barn. If you want a pest control solution call an externinator. If you want a dog that's intelligent and driven and needs dedicated training and care and you're happy to put in the energy to actually focus its chaotic energy into something useful then go get a ratting terrier.

These little dogs do not fill the same niche as a barn cat and their care is quite a bit more intense in general especially if the dog is going to be a house pet as well as a worker. They're intense and destructive and can and will pick fights, often fatal fights, with other animals. Stop telling people to go get one when all they need is to get some squirrels out of a shed. Buying a dog and buying pest control are not the same thing.

You could *hire* a ratter to do a sweep, but unless you're also removing the conditions that made your property popular with rats to begin with you're going to have to keep bringing them back.

The kind of people who leave feral cats outside to roam and breed freely are the last fucking people who have any business keeping a working line terrier.

[seat-safety-switch]

Everyone is all up in arms about what kind of energy source will power the cities of tomorrow. Is it natural gas, the invisible menace that leaks out of shitty welds? Could it be nuclear energy, the thing that makes cool-looking cooling towers and rocks you're not allowed to touch? Or could it be simply harnessing the power of the sun and sticking them into a bank of batteries?

If you ask my local recycling depot, which is stuffed to the absolute gills with scrapped solar panels, the answer is "however many of these things you can carry." And since the power had been cut off at my place ever since my landlord didn't come back from that vacation, it's my answer, too.

Solar companies have been going out of business in my area, claiming that there are unforeseen problems to be solved in the "actually installing solar panels on customer homes" challenge. The venture capitalists who control them have basically decided that any obstacle at all is too many obstacles, and shut the companies down rather than spend five minutes trying to think of a solution, as you do when you have no useful value to society.

It didn't take me long to put these things on top of my house. Turns out that the bolts you need to mount them with are basically the same as the ones I'd been smuggling out of the Pick N Pull in my pockets for the last few years. Something new called "met-ric." A couple spritzes of shoplifted Windex later to clean up the cells, and we were making enough electricity to cook any squirrel that was stupid enough to climb onto my roof.

At first, everything was going great. I could now microwave burritos, and probably other kinds of things if you labour under the pointless delusion that there are any other things to eat that are better than a burrito. Then the sun went down, because it was night. Now having been cruelly denied the thing I only just recently became accustomed to, I began to freak out.

That's when it hit me. Batteries were the answer. Energy storage.

Thanks to the local Wal-Mart and their incredibly lax loss-prevention department, I now have electricity 24 hours a day. All I had to do was shoplift enough flashlights, AA batteries, and duct tape to make it through the night. Sure, it's a pain crawling up there every evening to tape the flashlights onto the panels and make sure they have fresh batteries, but to be honest I would be up here every night trying to knock all the charred wildlife off the wires anyway. Don't you rodent bastards know that I'm trying to save the environment up here?

[stevebattle]

Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre by Nolan Bushnell (1977), Atari. Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre was created by Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, who wanted to expand video-game arcades to family-friendly venues. The Cyberamics animatronic control system was developed by Pizza Time Theatre and used in-store from 1979.

"In May 1977, a new pizza place opened for business in San Jose, California. At the time, calling it “unique” might have been an understatement. The brainchild of Atari cofounder Nolan Bushnell –and, initially, an arm of that company – it featured entertainment provided by a cast of robotic characters led by a giant cigar-smoking rat with a bowler, buck teeth, and a Jersey accent. The place – as much a strip-mall Disneyland as an eatery – was called Pizza Time Theatre, and the rodent was known as Chuck E. Cheese.

Atari artist Bob Flemate designed Chuck E. Cheese and other characters. Engineers such as Larry Emmons and Ron Milner of Atari’s Grass Valley, Calif. think tank, Cyan Engineering, provided the mechanical designs for the first characters, and an artist named Harold Goldbranson designed the flexible character skins that would aesthetically bring them to life. Mike Hatcher programmed many of the robots’ movements, which were powered by pneumatic pistons and triggered by computer control from signals on pre-recorded reel-to-reel tape that could be shipped to each store." – Robots, Pizza, And Sensory Overload: The Chuck E. Cheese Origin Story, by Benj Edwards, Fast Company.

[y-rhywbeth2]

Next stage in the 'who has a bigger body count' competition Astarion started yesterday, while praying I can use a calculator correctly:

Bhaal VS Cazador: Deaths in Baldur's Gate over the last 15 years.

I counted about 22 active Bhaalists (including Orin, Sarevok and Durge), who, having to murder once every ten days, have about 12,045 kills between them. However, as briefly mentioned in game, most of them do not reside in Baldur's Gate and also Bhaal's clergy are usually a little nomadic, so this wouldn't have been too highly focused on the Gate.

They do need to kill a living thing every day, so that's also another 108,405 dead things which may or may not be human/oid.

As for the vampires, assuming they don't have a massive herd of blood dolls:

While vampires do need to feed a little less as they age, it's still not that much lower.

A typical Fledgling vampire must drink 12 hit points worth of blood in every 24-hour period. The source of this blood is immaterial; it can come from living victims, fresh corpses, animals, or even sealed “caches" of chilled blood. - Van Richten's Guide to Vampires

The typical person, people with adventuring classes being rarer, has 4 hit points. Or less. Sometimes you're lucky and 5e upgrades them to 1d8 with an average of 4. Add in older editions and level drain and normal people do not survive being fed on by vampires.

Judging by talking to Astarion, Cazador does drain his prey dry more often than not.

So on average Cazador has needed 3 kills a day, and over the past 15 years that's 3 kills every one of 5,475 days. Which is apparently 16,425 dead bodies. (7000 is small change to vampires and Archdevils alike, apparently. I keep coming back to this, but Mephistopheles' deal is extremely and suspiciously cheap.) Each spawn has needed about 12 rats each: 65,700 rats dead each, 459,900 rats altogether. I assume they feed the corpses to the ghouls.

Cazador forbidding his spawn human blood actually makes perfect sense. Aurelia and Astarion have been with him for most of that 200 years. Cazador has murdered at least the equivalent of 73,000 people, if those two also feed properly it's now 219,000 people. Petras and I assume Violet, are about 100: 109,500 kills each (or more). 438,000 people. Yousen is 60 (65,700), Dalyria less than 50 due to being a Peer (54,750); Leon's less than 12 (13,140). Altogether this 'family' would have killed aprox. 571,590 people over the last two centuries.

The Western Heartlands' city and town populations, circa 14th century, were:

Baldur's Gate: 42,103 Elturel: 22,671 Evereska: 21,051 Berdusk: 20,242 Iriaebor: 16,193 Scornubel: 14,574 High Edge: 9,716 Asbravn: 5,668 Hluthvar: 5,668 Beregost: 2,915 Secomber: 1,417 Daggerford: 891 Corm Orp: 810

Census indicates the Western Heartlands' total permanent population was 163,919, of which Cazador would have consumed the equivalent of 44.53%. I can only assume that he either fasts a lot or mixes in some animal blood (which would not have made him fun to be around for the spawn), or we're drawing off of VtM logistics and he has control of blood banks and a herd of living people he keeps alive plus just feeding off of his spawn to top him up between murders (which does explain the human staff).

I'm not counting the amounts of rats and mice consumed, but honestly I think there's money to be made hiring your spawn out as a pest control service. Assuming they don't drive themselves out of business.

There is absolutely no way the 7000 spawn in the cells should be anything but feral howling messes who are scrabbling for rats and bugs and cannibalising each other, assuming they haven't just shrivelled into the state of torpor from lack of blood to fuel the magic keeping their bodies animate. There is no feasible way to keep them fed. I don't even think there are enough rodents in the city to feed them...

Meanwhile Bhaalists have been active for 130 years since the end of the Bhaalspawn crisis, and have killed around 4,745 people each in that time. Luckily, they've been quite low in number, mostly nomadic, and only recently had a revival (which is still low population) so that probably not too many.

Verdict: DnD maths is poorly thought out and the vampires win the murder competition by goddamn miles. While Bhaal wins overall, due to having 1300+ years of murders to his name, Cazador's recent activity is higher, and Astarion has been accomplice to the number of murders that Durge only dreams of. Durge is still winning in the sadism and first degree murder count though.

[hes-a-rat-whisperer]

"let me show you real magic!"

(sorcerers and swindlers AU part 1)

RP with my wonderful sweetheart @surprise-sausage-party <3 <3

"come one, come all!"

right in the middle of the plaza a small crowd formed, only getting bigger the more the well dressed gentleman in its midst spoke.

why was that?

why, that guy was no ordinary man! he was a man of magic!

"see what my powers allow me to do! with just a single wave of my hand, I am now capable of controlling these rodents!" the man said, leading the crowd's attention towards the small table he was standing next to.

He waved his hands around as he said, and amazingly, the three rats aimlessly running around on it came to a halt, swaying from side to side as if it a trance.

there were still some sceptics in the audience, but that feat alone already earned him a couple of 'ooooh's.

"now watch this!" the man said, snapping his fingers and making the rats move.

two of them stood next to each other, their snouts facing the crowd, as the third rat suddenly leapt on top of the two others' heads, it's little hands in the air as if it were striking a pose.

"oooh!!" "that is incredible!!" "how did he do that??"

the man chuckled, basking in his fame.

up until someone from the back piped up.

"how do we know those things aren't just well trained?" they said, earning agreement from the others. "right! they could just be well trained!" someone said, acting as if they were making a new point, despite the fact they were just parroting the other.

the magician only chuckled in response.

"why, there are limits to how well you can train a rat, aren't there?" he explained.

once again, he snapped his fingers, putting the little ones back into their trance.

"how about some suggestions?" he asked the crowd, challenging the notion that he trained them, by letting the crowd lead his magic.

this chance of participation excited the audience as they waited for the magician to pick someone.

however, what those poor people didn't see, were the other rats..

while three of them were busy amusing them, five others scurried around between their legs, picking their wallets out of their pockets without being spotted.

with a few hops, they ran behind the magician, dropping their loot into the bag beside his feet.

[i4mask]

MY KÖNIG HEADCANONS, #BACKSTORY EDITION. Written by @i4mask, aka Daniel.

DISCLAIMER: In no way am I claiming any of this is canon, it’s entirely fictional and borne of my own imagination. If you don’t agree/like what you read, please simply just scroll. I also wrote this at like, one AM, forgive me of any errors.

WARNINGS: Mentions/brief descriptions ONLY! of child abuse & violence against children, domestic abuse, alcoholism, murder and trauma.

• KÖNIG was born at home by his Mother with the help of a Midwife and Doula, as well as his Father. He grew up on a large plot of land at the bottom of the Austrian Alps, owned by his Father, who was a well-known Gunsmith to the village a few miles down South.

• KÖNIG was homeschooled by both of his parents in different fashions. He did not have much technological entertainment, instead using nature and the outdoors as means of stimulation. He was often exposed to the elements, but knew how to handle himself amongst them. He grew up learning to hunt, scavenge, identify, plant, etc.

• He did not have many friends aside from his siblings as well as KRUEGER, who I headcanon to have lived in the same area as him for a short period of time. KÖNIG’S lack of social practice is also what contributed to his anxiety and aloofness later on in his life.

• He is the eldest son, having two brothers and two sisters. Emmerich, Rafael, Gisela and Anna. (ORDERED OLDEST TO YOUNGEST.)

• KÖNIG was initially taught to shoot a gun by his Father, who started him on an old revolver at the age of seven. Unfortunately, he struggled in shooting due to his inability to sit/stand still, often missing his marks. He was also quite clumsy, motor skills lacking finesse, leading to his Father believing he was a lost cause when it came to the art, even as he grew older, he struggled with the same problems.

• When KÖNIG proved that he was no good with fire arms, his Father turned to his brothers Emmerich and Rafael, but did not teach his daughters, believing they had no business near such things.

• KÖNIG had a complex relationship with animals, especially small ones. From a young age, it was difficult for him to control the wide range of his own strength. His siblings often disliked allowing him near rodents such as rabbits, mice, or rats, as he often had a habit of injuring or even killing them, even if he didn’t mean to.

• His Father became an alcoholic within his early childhood, his first victim of cruelty being KÖNIG’S Mother, and then KÖNIG himself, who grew up with a lack of confidence, low self-esteem, distrust towards others, anger-hostility, and a sense of general worthlessness because of the continued verbal, physical and emotional abuse.

• KÖNIG began to hate his face since an early age, mostly due to the fact that his Father would often use a knife to cut him, in an effort of intimidating him and preventing him from intervening in the abuse of his Mother (of which he loved dearly.)

• Despite this, KÖNIG grew an emotional attachment/crutch to the very weapons his Father threatened his family with. He had become very familiar with knives since a young age, viewing them as his “neutral guardians”. Knives offered a sense of protection that he had never received as a child, since he used them in many other helpful situations. However, the fact that they were also used against him brought him conflict. He soon came to the conclusion that the only thing which mattered was the person holding the blade.

• On a similar note, he had grown infatuated with fire arms, not dissimilar to his own Father. Despite his own failures with them, he had gone on to silently teach his sisters how to use them.

• KÖNIG tended to idolize his own growth since an early age. He believed that the day he was finally taller than his Father was the day he would be able to “free himself” and his family from the shackles of his father’s violence. He constantly, discreetly measured himself against the other, in both height AND stature, as well as strength.

• Rather than being a male figure to look up to, KÖNIG’S Father was a figure to look down upon. He often used his Father as an example of what NOT to become, which helped him to better manage his own temperament.

• As the abuse escalated, KÖNIG’S mental health took a downward spiral. He often confided with his only friend at the time, SEBASTIAN KRUEGER, who at one point said, “It would be a shame if your father fell down that ravine near your house, wouldn’t it?”

• SEBASTIAN, who had a penchant for violence of his own since a young age, had subtly encouraged KÖNIG over the expanse of many weeks to find a particular solution to his problem, one which, KÖNIG, after turning seventeen, took upon himself—and then later had KRUEGER aid him in covering up the true nature of his Father’s untimely, unfortunate end.

• With his Father as the family’s only means of income, as his Mother did not work nor was she mentally capable enough to do so after the years of abuse she had experienced, KÖNIG knew that his family’s well-being was left up to him. This, in turn, is what prompted him to join the military, and act as fast as possible to begin a steady income.

• After saving enough up, he moved his family away from Austria and into Germany, where his siblings could attend an official public school and his mother could get the help she needed. He sent his family money quite frequently until his siblings managed to grow their own lives and leave the nest.

• In his free time/leave, KÖNIG visits his Mother, who had decided she wanted to move back into their Austrian home. He only agreed as long one of his siblings stayed with her, to which his younger sister, Gisela, had.

To anyone who made it to the end, I applaud you, and thank you for reading. You may read “SCHADENFRUEDE”, a series on Ao3 in which I write snippets of memories from KÖNIG’S childhood according to this post on here:

[inkubuzzz]

WIP Weekend (9/14-9/15)

What Am I Working On? (Works with progress in the last few days only)

1: Untitled, dragon!MBJx adventurer SQH

Summary: Shang Qinghua is part of the Cang Qiong Adventurer's Guild. He has been sent on a mission to investigate a mountain where there have been supposed dragon sightings recently. Things go wrong, and Shang Qinghua has to find shelter from a blizzard in a random cave. In that cave, he just so happens to find the dragon he was looking for.

Favorite part (so far):

"Of course, Shen Qingqiu had been the one to suggest Shang Qinghua go. Why couldn’t Shen Qingqiu go? He was too busy with his werewolf husband!! Apparently, the full moon was coming up and his husband needed his full attention. He used the excuse that Luo Binghe would go on a rampage if Shen Qingqiu didn’t tend to him, but Shang Qinghua was fairly certain that was just an excuse to get some time off with his husband. So that left Shang Qinghua to go look for a dragon in this icy wasteland!"

Word count (so far): 1447

2: Untitled, exploration of MBJ's teleportation ability

Summary: Mobei Jun's teleportation ability relies on his ability to control shadows. It's an ability unique to him, and he has always kept it to himself. However, he finds himself wanting to share it with Shang Qinqhua.

Favorite part (so far):

"The shadows had always listened to Mobei Jun. He could call upon them and travel through them as easily as he could ice. Even amongst his kin, this ability had always been unique to him. Even Luo Binghe, the only other demon Mobei Jun had ever met who could teleport, relied on his ridiculous sword in order to do so. The shadows were something for Mobei Jun alone.

But now, he wished to share them with someone for the first time. With Shang Qinghua."

Word count (so far): 253

3: Untitled, Witch!SQH x Familiar!MBJ

Summary: Shang Qinghua should have summoned a familiar years ago. Everyone has been pestering him as to why he hasn't yet. Finally, he gets sick of all the questioning, so he decided to summon a familiar. He expects something simple, like a rodent or maybe a cat if he's lucky. But what's this??? He managed to summon a demon lord?? And the demon lord agreed to be his familiar?!

Favorite part (so far):

"Shang Qinghua looked down at his spell book for what seemed like the millionth time. He was certain he hadn't fucked up the spell. There was absolutely no way. It was perfect down to a T. So…

Why the fuck was there a demon king in his room???"

Word count (so far): 328

[callmespikey]

IT'S NOT ME ED

IT'S NOT ME ED is a Ed, Edd n Eddy fanmade heist webcomic. In it, The Eds in disguised as thieves, there plan is to break in the Candy Store at night in order to shoplifting as many as jawbreakers as they can. But of course they will meet a bigger threat how will try to stop them.

Created by CallMeSpikey and it was published on Tumblr on 21.10.23 ext.

Plot:

We observe three shadowy figures against the backdrop of a luminous full moon. The Eds approach the Candy Store at midnight, and while Eddy notices a back alley behind brick walls, they spot a surveillance camera. To avoid detection, they shoot a spitball through bubble gum at the camera without attracting any attention to themselves. Meanwhile, Eddy directs Ed to fling the bag onto the roof. Without hesitation, Ed tosses it into the sky only for it to land directly on top of Eddy's head. Although impressed with himself, Ed receives an irritated look from Eddy who shifts focus and proceeds to explain his plan on how to break into the store and how he anticipates it will work out for them.

Ed seems to be on board with Eddy's plan for excitement, while Edd expresses concern about breaking and entering at midnight and committing a criminal act. However, Eddy interrupts Double D to convince him that this is not the same old scam as before and to stay calm. Ed joins in by taunting Edd for being the teacher's pet and suggesting that rules are only for nerds. This upsets Double D, who chastises Ed and Eddy for calling him a geek but ultimately agrees to go along with the plan.

The Eds get to work by climbing onto the rooftop and unpacking supplies such as an antenna, controller, butter toast, and Kevin's TV (which they most likely stole beforehand). Meanwhile, Double D prepares his new invention - the Lock & Roll 3000 - which includes spider-drones designed to transmit signals to Kevin's TV in order to record specific locations. Ed comments on how it reminds him of a video game he has played before.

Eddy couldn't care less about Double D's invention; instead he orders him to place one of the drones inside the vents, press the power button, activate it and start going through them. 

Initially, the drone appears to fulfill its purpose of scanning the area and ensuring safety for entering or exiting through vents. The Eds observe the transmission on TV while Edd is responsible for controlling the bot. As the drone navigates deeper into the vents, Eddy points to an air duct on the left, prompting it to zoom closer and directly view inside a sweet shop where jawbreakers are displayed. Further investigation leads to an eager rodent appearing out of nowhere and interrupting the drone's work. Double D attempts to scare it off by spraying with clean soap perfume, resulting in apparent victory when the rodent runs away and leaves them alone. The drone goes back to business as usual.

Unfortunately, matters worsen when more of these rodents appear seeking revenge against the drone teaming up by biting off cables as if they were legs that could fall apart at any moment. Regrettably, this leads to complete destruction of both cable connections and renders TV views useless as white noise dominates screens everywhere leaving no other options but going inside Candy Store in person according to Edd who tells his friends Eddy and Ed about their predicament.

The only means of accessing the interior is through the roof, descending down a vent. Edd imposes strict rules against entering due to an abundance of dirt, dust, bacteria and other allergens. Despite this, Eddy urges his friends to venture inside the vent with greater force until they all become overwhelmed. The trio are propelled at lightning speed through a labyrinthine network of passages, hurtling ever faster until an interminable hour has passed. Undeterred by the twisting maze-like passages, they persevere and eventually burst out into an open crawl space vent - careening in a dizzying ride that launches them completely outside of the ventilation system. After taking a brief interval to regain their composure, they inexplicably find themselves standing before an unfamiliar office room.

In a fit of fury, Eddy seethes with indignation as he realizes that they have mistakenly entered the wrong room. Edd promptly retrieves the planning map and scrutinizes their current location, informing his companions that gaining access to the sugar confections is impossible due to all doors being locked at night without an employee key. While Eddy appears on the verge of scrapping their entire plan, panic sets in for Edd who fears repercussions from his own parents for engaging in criminal activity - branding himself as a contemptuous burglar and bringing shame upon society under the guise of justice. 

As Eddy and Edd engaged in a heated argument, Ed espied an open door on their right. Intrigued by what he saw, he made his way towards it with the others in tow. Upon closer inspection, they discovered that it was a CCTV control and monitoring room replete with antiquated computers, outdated hardware, a well-worn telephone for convenience, remnants of sandwiches past, ten cups of coffee and eight TV monitors showing mostly B-movie monster flicks and black-and-white noir crime dramas. However, as they were about to delve further into their investigation, they suddenly became aware that they were not alone after all. A security guard sat in the chair before them watching something on television while munching on snacks simultaneously. As this happened, his personality quickly revealed its true colors as he began to unleash spiteful curses and insults at the TV screen before him.

Double D cautions the group about underestimating the appearance of the formidable guard. Upon spotting the keys on a desk, Eddy recognizes an opportunity but lacks knowledge on how to retrieve them. Ed's mind suddenly conjures up an idea inspired by a movie he has watched countless times called "The Revenge of Dr. Maize." Despite its absurdity, Eddy allows Ed to proceed with his plan as it is their only option. Ed distracts the security personnel by pouring a noxious mixture consisting of gravy and ancient cheese from his closet along with other unsavory contents straight into his coffee cup while placing a filthy cocktail umbrella atop it for good measure. After two minutes, the guard lifts up his cup and consumes all its contents which causes him to spiral into insanity and fall asleep due to hallucinations induced by what he drank. Surprised that their plan worked flawlessly, Eddy commends Lumpy's creative imagination but swiftly forgets about it as they focus on obtaining their target jawbreakers stored behind a locked door. The trio successfully retrieves as many jawbreakers as possible until they hear strange sounds emanating from within one of the vents where they discover that a previously damaged drone has inexplicably reactivated itself before careening out through another vent and landing squarely onto the panic alarm button causing it to wail incessantly in warning.

Naturally, the security guard awakens in a state of confusion as he is unsure of what has transpired. However, he does not dwell on it as he hears the alarm and rushes to the sweet shop. Upon arrival, he witnesses three amateurish youngsters attempting to pilfer the entire store. The guard's demeanor changes drastically as he unleashes his true nature and enters into an enraged mode, relentlessly pursuing The Eds. They proceed to wreak havoc on the shop as if playing a game of cat and mouse. Eventually, all three culprits flee from the scene through the exit door.

A tranquil morning is abruptly interrupted as The Eds gleefully exit the Candy Store with their hands full of jawbreakers, reveling in their victorious success. However, their elation is short-lived as Peach Creek's police officers arrive and apprehend them. To make matters worse, a fuming guard approaches from behind, causing The Eds to scream in terror at the impending punishment that awaits them.

As the next day goes by in Peach Creek Jr. High at The Football Field The Eds unsuccessfully didn't steal the jawbreakers as plan should be, they now have to do push-up all day while Frank is there as a gym teacher watching them very closely to make sure as the punishment is fulfilling for committed crime of burglary. Meanwhile, Kevin and Rolf arrive and proceed to deride them with disdainful laughter, as if their predicament could not conceivably deteriorate any worser.

Trivia:

Eddy’s thief outfit is the same one from Christmas special episode Ed, Edd n Eddy’s Jingle Jingle Jangle.

Throughout the comic, there is several references to real life film, theater, and TV shows are made:

Guard’s design and personality is inspired by the character Gunnery Sergeant Hartman from War drama film``Full Metal Jacket`` played by actor Lee Ermey when comes to his harsh, foul-mouthed and ruthless as an drill instructor.

When the guard is watching on the camera monitors, he says ``You ding-dong!`` This is a reference to the Tokusatsu film ``The Last Dinosaur``(1977) and the quote by the actor Richard Boone.

When Ed is distracts Guard on duty by pouring gravy, a very stinky old cheese being in Ed's closet for many years and taks of his shoe to his coffee. This is a reference to a scene in British comedy film ``Mr Bean: The Ultimate Disaster Movie`` (1997.)

The Webcomic Title IT'S NOT ME ED is a reference to the song ``It’s Not Me by Arthur Benson.``

There is a moral lesson in this webcomic. Do shoplift, but not like this." Under capitalism, much which is illegal is nevertheless ethical.

The Mechanical Crank is used as a tool to get up at roof top of the Candy Store, before it was use in 8th episode of Season 1 ``Virt-Ed-Go`` when The Eds build their own clubhouse.

In the left on top of camera monitor screen-on CCTV, is a cameo of Fish Bowl 2 which first appearance in 2nd episode of Season 1 ``Nagged to Ed.``

Please note that this project is a work in progress, as I am still learning my skills in various aspects of the craft such as drawing, writing, storyboarding, background and character design, dialogue composition and coloration. What you are currently reading is merely an idea that exists within the confines of my imagination. I am also going to rewrite the webcomic in order to improve upon any grammatical errors.

[haveyouplayedthisttrpg]

Have you played The Underground : A Sam and Fuzzy RPG

By Damocles Thread Development

Our game takes place on a divided Earth. Aboveground, humans like us live in a world seemingly just like our own. But deep underground thrives a secret, surreal second world of everything humanity can't handle: vampires and werewolves, robots and cyborgs, ninja mafiosos and squid samurai, rodent gangsters and cat monarchs, and plenty of other strange creatures and criminals both organized and disorganized. Both worlds are secretly controlled by the Committee to Maintain the Status Quo – an association of powerful business owners and crime lords who force humanity to live in carefully controlled ignorance for the good of global stability. (And profits.) Anyone who threatens to upset the balance or reveal the truth is quarantined in the Underground by the Erasers -- the Committee's army of enforcers. The few inhumans who do live among humanity on the surface must agree to do so in secret.

[meangreenpest]

Looking for expert bat control services in Saratoga County? Mean Green Pest Services offers humane and professional bat removal services in Saratoga County to protect your home or business. Our team uses safe, eco-friendly methods to remove bats without harm, ensuring they don’t return. As a trusted pest control agency in Saratoga County, we specialize in comprehensive pest solutions, including prevention strategies. Call Mean Green Pest Services today for a free consultation and keep your property safe from bats and other pests!

Visit our website https://meangreenpest.com/bat-removal-service/ or call at (518) 650-8000 to schedule a free inspection.

[alderlock]

Ivyoliene Pet Service Full CC

Okay, I put full CC on pet business lot this time since I found it less interesting with only Maxis versions. I added a few animals that can be categorized as pets, so there will be a few glitches that can happen along the way, therefore I suggest you download recommended pet cc and mods for fixing some issues you might encounter.

The floor plan is similar to Pepe Pets, however, this is its remake version. I always thought that Pepe Pets has potential it just needs to be expanded and upgraded. The lot size is 3x3, enough for every pet service we usually have daily. I added the cow plant just for fun, but if you want to feed him/her you need to make your sims to be able to teleport (since it's dangerous to have townies get eaten hehe) otherwise your cowplant might die of hunger. Since my cowplant was already named I suggest install this mod by Episims, and this mod by Pforestsism

Unfortunately, this lot has already been used for quite some time, because I need to see whether this lot is safe to play for you guys, and turns out it does give a lot of problems; mostly burned trees (use it at your own risk :3). To prevent glitches I suggest you download these fixes:

FFS Lot Debugger: for force errors

Fire mod V2: preventing sims from going nuts

Rug Fix

Visitor controller: To prevent bad witches

Stuck Object Remover: So you don't have to constantly use 'move objects' cheat, make sure you don't nuke your selectable sims on the lot otherwise they won't be able to comeback, sims inside or on the objects are safe to nuke

Book of Talent: for those who are too lazy to go on vacation hehe

If your customer happens to leave before the bar is full, that's because the tree is invisibly burned, to fix it you either nuke the tree with stuck object remover or just manually remove it, and the fire will spawn on its own. All you need to do is to get Fire Safety Skills to extinguish it or get a fire alarm outside.

List of Pets:

Deedee Sims Rabbit Pen

Delonariels bird tree fix

Rodent and Lizard

Pet Goat, Sheep and Ilama

Okay, that's all for now, if you encounter more problems on the lot please let me know.

Download

PS: If you happen to be stucked with caged pets I suggest you nuke them with the SOR and rebuy them.

Thank you and hope you guys like it ^^

Credits to

Tumblrs

@deedee-sims, @tvickiesims, @episims, @pforestsims, @veranka-downloads, @jacky93sims, @midgethetree,@keoni-chan,@fracturedmoonlight, @lesyasun, @mustluvcatz-reloaded, @delonariel, @beautifulnerdkitty

Others

Aroundthesims2, NoFrills, ShakeShaft, Adelana, CripsandKerosene, Moune, Rebecah, Michelle, MintCherry, J.M Pescado, Shastakiss, Nikki041498, Sims2artist, Cyclonesue, Ung99, Tamaki, blake_boy, Sophie-David, Huge Lunatic, Treeag, modthesims

[smaptain-smerica]

Spare me your Time

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader Summary: After a rough start to life, Y/n accepts her dream job continuing her father's research. Someone from the past comes back into her life, and she hesitates to establish a connection. He spared her life, will she spare him some of her time in return? Word Count:9.4K Warnings: Death of father, cursing, Forceful obedience, insomnia, the reader has the serum

You usually worked late. All your required assignments were completed in record time, earning you a high standing among the other scientists and engineers. Granted, not everybody knew that you were the boss's daughter. 

The company that your father and his brother had started always remained a secret to the world, even to you in some ways. What you could gather from short dinner table conversations was that they were collecting research on how medicines affect different kinds of people and attempting to create unique medicines based on physical and mental assessments. 

Growing up around this secret medicine world inspired you to want to become a biomedical engineer just like your father. You wanted to follow in his footsteps and revolutionize medicine and technology for the better. 

They would take volunteers to do the scans curate a medicine specifically for them. It would take into consideration their mental age, physical age, and physique to determine the best equations and medicines to help them. The end goal was to be able to take a simple scan of someone's body and output a pill designed perfectly for them in minutes. The only thing they managed to successfully create was personalized allergy medicine. For over a decade of work, it seemed like a small accomplishment, but your father always said it was only the foot in the door. 

What was happening under the company's surface was shady dealings by your uncle. One day when your father was out of town on a business trip, your uncle asked if you’d like to sit in the machine for a scan. Your father never let you before so of course you said yes. Your uncle discovered the unmatched potential you carried with you within your brain and body. He kept the scans a secret from your father, even you, and he began to scheme his way toward evil. 

Your uncle had heard about the Winter Soldier and the secret HYDRA program they were creating for it. He heard tales of horror from the scientists he regularly kept in touch with. Ultimately, he decided that he could create a serum ten times better than the one HYDRA had used. His serum would eliminate the need for brainwashing and mind-controlling commands. His version of the serum would subject the recipient to obedience. How someone would control them was still in the works, but he began working secretly on the serum, testing it on various rodents until he thought it was perfect. 

It was your 15th birthday, midnight on the dot when your uncle woke you from your sleep saying he had a surprise. Hoping it was a new car, you got up to follow him. He knocked you out cold and strapped you to a chair in a lab in the basement. He had injected you with his version of the serum, fire pumping through your veins and melting you from the inside out. In a groggy state, you watched your father burst into the room, frantically trying to find you. He was furious, more furious than you had ever seen him in your life. Unfortunately, your uncle was faster, shooting him square between the eyes with a concealed weapon, as though he was waiting for this moment. 

For a few months, your uncle has put you through a series of tests. Your speed, strength, and durability had increased, but not in the way he had hoped. There was only a 75% increase in physical attributes. Instead, it was your mind that had been maximized to its full potential. Suddenly you gained a photographic memory with the ability to memorize quickly. You could see or hear instructions for something once and instantly perfect it. He sat you in the library, forcing you to watch countless videos and read countless books. You had become fluent in 15 different languages in only 6 months and knew every Jiu-Jitsu move there was and more. Though you might not have been as strong as the Super Soldiers, your uncle had hopes you could outsmart them.

So, from 16 and on you earned the highest education possible. Graduating high school at 17, college at 20, and finally, a master's degree in biomedical engineering at 23. You were halfway through earning your Ph.D. when someone walked into your life that changed it forever. 

The serums effects weren’t 100%, but you were only the first test subject. There was some free will in the sense that you could go and do whatever you want, but unless someone told you otherwise, it was in your nature to listen. Stay here, never leave, work on this project, go get me this, when you were younger you didn’t even realize this was happening. People just told you that you were helpful and kind-hearted. Your uncle knew though, and used it to his advantage. 

One of your favorite songs played ever so softly next to you from a small speaker while you worked in the lab. The only light was a desk lamp over your workstation. It was in the early hours of the morning, so you had to be quiet to not bring suspicions to your project. You sang gently to yourself as you squeezed a drop of blood onto a microscope sheet and then put your work-in-progress anti-serum serum over the top of it. You brought your eyes to the scope, examining what was happening within the red and white blood cells. 

The sound was hardly noticeable but still caused you to freeze up. Slowly, you straighten your posture and turn around. Your hand shut off the music as you listened intensely, but only the sound of your heartbeat was in your ears. 

Finally, a dark figure appeared in the small ring of light around you. Your eyes widened and you took a step backward in fear, knocking over the stool in the process. In front of you stood a tall man with dark, long hair and a face covered by a mask. You wouldn’t have recognized him if it weren’t for the silver, metal arm that hung from his shoulder. 

Your uncle told you stories of him, you’ve read about him and yet, still didn’t think he was real. 

The winter soldier. 

“I know who you are.” You choked out, embarrassed by how small your voice sounded. He didn’t move, didn’t blink, you could have sworn you saw his head tilt ever so slightly. 

“Did you come here to kill my uncle?” Your voice hardly came out as a whisper. As terrified as you were for your own life then, you hoped he would say yes. 

The winter soldier nodded.

“Did you do it?” You asked. 

He nodded again. 

You felt relief flood over you. You were free. Your body let go of a weight that you didn’t know was attached to you as the confirmation settled in your mind. 

“Thank you.” You whispered, half to the mysterious assassin before you, and half to the universe. 

He raised a pointer finger and seemed to aim it directly behind you. You glanced back at your work and then back at him. 

“What am I doing?” You asked. 

He only responded with a nod. A man of few words, you thought. 

You sighed. Oddly enough, he was the inspiration behind it. He, you, and all the other people your careless uncle killed trying to create the “perfect” soldier.

“I’m trying to fix it. Fix us.” You responded grimly. 

Your attention is fixed now on his eyes. His blue and enticing eyes seemed to sparkle with some emotion that was hard to place as he looked at the table and then back at you. The winter soldier hesitated it seemed. Looking at your work, then you, down at his hand, then back up again. You were scared he was going to kill you for even being a witness. But he didn’t. He took a few steps backward, disappearing out of the light and into the dark before he swiftly left the lab. 

You let out a breath that you hadn’t realized you’d been holding. The fear of coming close to death exited your body like an exorcism. Your legs wobbled as you caught yourself on the workbench. What were you going to do now? You were free. Free from your uncle's grasp, and the experiments, you could leave the house. Hell, you could move states. You turned around and looked at your work. Seeing that your current antidote failed, you sighed in defeat and gathered up your notebook. You would- no, needed- to finish this. But it could wait. Now, you were going to take everything you had and discover a new life for yourself. 

If one thing hadn’t changed, it was that you still worked late into the night. By textbook definition, you were a night owl. It was hard to get to sleep and stay asleep with your mind constantly reeling with thoughts. You were just coming back from a run around the compound at 1:30 am. The Avengers compound was so peaceful at night. The gentle sounds of the water and the humming of crickets were your favorite. 

Water from the kitchen was the first place you wanted to go. When you opened the fridge you spotted a few Gatorades. You knew they were Clint’s, he had explicitly told you not to touch them. However, Clint was gone for the week, visiting his family. That was plenty of time to cover up your crimes.

You headed back to the lab, having thought of another formula to scribble down while on your run. To your surprise, the light to your lab was on. None other than your boss, Tony Stark, was flipping through one of your sketchbooks. It wasn’t a surprise to find him snooping through your drawings. You and he were collaborating on a prosthetic contraption for his friend Rhodes. It was odd to see him here this late, however. 

“Burning the midnight oil, Mr.Stark? Now you’re taking after me.” You teased while leaning in the doorway. 

Tony looked up at you and gave you a crooked grin. 

“No shit, Sherlock.” 

To you, it wasn’t just an expression. Your photographic memory stood out to Tony the first day you met. He called you Sherlock Holmes because of your ability to memorize and analyze every single detail of a picture while only seeing it for one second. The real reason Tony had hired you was because he was fascinated with you and your fathers' research. He agreed to fund your research in its entirety as long as he got to slap a stark label on it when it was finished. 

“I’m liking these designs, kid.” He pointed to the paper at one drawing in particular. 

“How quickly do you think you could whip up a prototype for this one?” 

You walked over to him and peered over his shoulder. You hummed in thought. 

“A carbon fiber prototype, a couple of days. But a functioning one I would need about 3 weeks if I halted my other projects.” 

Tony tapped his fingers against his chin and nodded. He hadn’t taken his eyes off your designs for the entirety of the conversation. 

“That’s great. Yeah, that’s perfect. Get a prototype of these put together for me would ya?” 

You brought your fingers to your forehead and saluted him. 

“You’re the boss.” 

Tony smiled at you, placing a hand on your shoulder before heading for the door. 

“Tony!” You called after him which caused him to halt and face you. 

“Why did you actually come down here?” You asked. You could sense it, there was something that he wanted to say but either changed his mind or couldn’t gather the courage. 

“Your uncle worked with super soldiers, right?” He asked. You were shocked by the unexpected question and suddenly nervous. Nobody on the team knew you had some variant of the serum coursing through you. It was part of the reason you worked out at night when everyone was asleep. So nobody could see the obvious above-average strength that you carried 

“He was fascinated by them, yes.” You finally replied. “He tried many times to recreate the serum but failed.” 

“Are you trying to recreate it?” 

Your heart nearly stopped beating and your face went ghostly white at the question. Tony pulled out one of your older notebooks from behind his back. It was the one you used for antidote equations. 

“Please give that back.” You asked quietly. 

“I was looking for your research on the medicines, because I’m allowed to do that since I fund your whole project, and I came across that. I didn’t mean to, but now that I have I’m concerned.” 

“No, it’s not like that. I was…” you were scared to admit it. You were scared that the truth might slip up and come out. You weren’t ready for that to happen just yet. 

“I was trying to figure out how to reverse it.” You finally admitted, avoiding eye contact with Tony. 

Tony looked deep in thought at the book for a moment before tossing it back in your direction. You caught it with ease by the spine.

“You are one of the smartest people I’ve ever met.” 

That was his way of leaving the conversation. Your heart swelled with pride at the compliment as you looked at the book. Maybe it was time to start looking into this once again. 

The next morning the compound was alive and buzzing with commotion. Unfortunately, because you were often late going to bed you were also late to rise. It was unusual for you to get out of bed before 10:00 am. It was a good thing your boss was generous.

You often worked with the Avengers in your lab. Over the short few years there developing your father's research you accidentally created an ointment that could heal any external superficial wounds. Punctures, scrapes, and lacerations, all of which happen to be occupational hazards for the enhanced superhumans. They were fully stocked with the ointment in the med bay but, for some reason, they liked to bother you more.

Natasha was drinking a coffee and reading a book at the island in the kitchen when you strolled in still in your pajamas, looking for what scraps were left of breakfast. 

“Good morning, y/n.” She spoke smoothly. 

“Morning.” You yawned, picking up a cold piece of bacon off the plate and began munching. 

“What’s with all the commotion?” 

Natasha set down her book and turned her attention fully towards you. 

“New recruit. A friend from Steve’s childhood.” 

“Steve’s childhood?” You asked, astonished. “Isn’t he, like, 100 years old?” 

Natasha hummed a chuckle. “Yes, he is. We’re having a meeting to discuss it, I’m sure Tony wouldn’t mind if you sat in.” 

“Oh, no,” you responded quickly to the offer. “I gotta get to work. I’m sure I’ll run into him at some point.” 

Natasha smiled and stood up as a way of saying goodbye. You smiled at her as well before taking your breakfast to go towards your lab. 

You rounded the corner and stopped in the doorway, noticing a young teenager standing in the lab. He must have heard you because he whipped around and looked at you wide-eyed and surprised. 

“Hi, um, I’m Peter. Mr. Stark told me to wait here for you.” 

You chuckled at the awkwardness of his stance and speech as you walked into the room. 

“Hi Peter, I’m y/n. I’ve heard about you, you’re the spider kid, right?” You asked, noticing that he had been flipping through the notebooks you left open on the table. 

“Yeah, um, spiderman, actually.” 

You smiled at him. Tony told you about a genius superhero kid he wanted to recruit. Tony called you kid, and being 26 you definitely weren’t. You just didn’t expect this recruit to actually be a kid. You did some research into him. Even gained access to his school transcripts. He was a wickedly smart kid, particularly in science. You were looking forward to meeting him. 

“When Tony discovered you, he asked me to look into how you get around. Your webs.” You remarked. 

Peter looked down at his wrists briefly before returning his gaze to you. 

“What about them?” 

You smirked a little. 

“Do you think we could play around with them?” 

About an hour and a half later you and Peter had created a mess of your lab. Webbing was hung in every corner. Different colored webbing strands caused your lab to look like an entire case of silly string had exploded. 

When Tony walked into the lab, you and Peter were hanging in bunk bed-styled web hammocks, Peter asking you questions about his chemistry homework while you scribbled down some notes on one of the high-tech tablets. 

Both your attention turned to your boss and then you looked at each other. Tony sighed, bringing his hand to the bridge of his nose and pinching it out of frustration. 

“I should have known. Alright, y/n get back to work. Peter, you’re with me.” 

Peter's face was bright red after being scolded by Tony. You were used to it. He never punished you really, he knew you’d get your work done. Once Peter had left, you looked around the room at all the webbing strung everywhere. Peter said it would dissolve over time, but how long would that be? 

When you got to work on the prototype, time flew by. Your lab door remained closed while blasting all your favorite music. Tony had stopped by around dinner to bring you a plate and let you say goodbye to Peter before you continued in your work trance. The next time you checked to see what time it was, it was just after midnight. 

You took a moment to admire your work. Surprisingly, you’d gotten most of it done in record time. You decided you would take a break to go for a run and then stay up the rest of the night to finish it. You would sleep when it was completed. 

You had taken the long route on your run after deciding you would stay up to finish the project. You picked a trail through the trees, enjoying all the crisp earthy smells that entered your lungs. The moon was bright enough outside that you didn’t need a flashlight. You took the time to have FRIDAY read you the information available to you about the new recruit. You discovered there were a lot of information files that you didn’t have access to. You didn’t have a high clearance since you weren’t a world-saving Avenger, but it still piqued your interest. 

Once you returned from your run, you decided the best way to wake yourself up was a cold shower and a shot of espresso. You’d need the small extra boost of energy to power through. While you waited for the coffee to brew, a noise drew your attention. 

Your brain never allows you to forget a face. The photographic memory always brings a picture to the front of your mind. This picture brought back a feeling of fear and dread. Those eyes, those captivating blue eyes, and the long, dark hair. It was him. The man that terrified you, but spared your life. 

“Um,” he spoke, drawing your attention from the depths of your mind back to the dark kitchen. 

“Your coffee?” 

You looked back to the espresso machine that was spilling out onto the drip tray below. You cursed to yourself as you quickly put a cup underneath the spouts. 

“Sorry, you just… startled me.” 

You hesitated on how to continue the sentence. Surely he remembered you, right? Probably not. The winter soldier had been around for decades. 

It now made sense how he could be Steve’s childhood friend. 

He threw a half-hearted smile your way while sitting down at one of the bar stools. 

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting anybody to be up this late.” He spoke quietly. You examined him for a moment. Broad shoulders and a long-sleeve shirt with a pair of gloves hid his arms, the real tell sign he was the winter soldier. Maybe you were wrong, maybe he was just a normal guy who got cold. Or maybe he had eczema. But those eyes, you could never forget those eyes. 

“Nobody usually is. I can just never get my mind to shut off long enough to sleep.” You admitted, throwing back the shot of espresso. Your face twisted up at the extreme bitterness as you turned around to rinse out the glass. 

You heard him chuckle a little. 

“I understand more than you think. But it doesn’t look like you’re trying to sleep, either.” 

It was your turn to hum a small, amused chuckle in response. 

“No, Stark’s got me on a project and I’m almost finished. I’m just going to pull an all-nighter.” 

While you were watching him, the way he moved and talked, he seemed gentle. He was trying his best to make himself seem smaller than he actually was. It was odd, this was the same man that was in front of you that day but with an entirely different demeanor. What was once rigid and intimidating was now gentle and enticing. You still couldn't get past the whole murderous assassin thing, if it weren't for that you would be enjoying the company of an attractive man. 

“Really? What do you do?” He asked. 

Your work was your passion. It’s all you wanted to do. Create medicines and machines to help people. Naturally, your face lit up as you spoke. 

“I’m a biomedical engineer. Tony is funding my fathers' research on personalized medicines. What I do is I take a scan of your brain and body, then it gives me a series of equations to create the perfectly chemically balanced medicine for you. They were only successful once with a volunteer's allergies, but I’m hopeful it will expand.” 

His face lit up slightly while watching you go on a tangent. His gaze softened and a smile crept up to his lips. 

“You look awfully young to be this far in your career.” He commented. 

“And you look awfully young to be 100.” You snapped back subconsciously. Realizing what had just come out of your unfiltered mouth, you gasped and clamped a hand over your mouth. 

“I am so sorry.” 

He chuckled from where he was in his seat and shook his head back and forth. 

“No, don’t apologize. That was good.” 

“I have a photographic memory.” You blurted out before you could embarrass yourself further. 

“I’m somewhat of a genius, by technical standards I suppose.”

“That’s very lucky. Your father must be proud.” He hummed. 

“He would be.” 

Your heart sank a little. You knew your father would have been proud of you. Especially with everything you’ve been through. Truthfully, you didn’t feel your gift was luck. It was forced upon you. Not that you weren’t grateful to be smart, it just wasn’t something you would have chosen willingly. A gift laced with guilt and shame. It was part of the reason you wanted to create an antidote. Just in case there was part of you that wanted to go back to simpler things, and maybe that would be available to him one day as well. 

The man seemed to notice the past tense of the phrase you used and frowned a little. It was obvious he tried to switch topics very quickly. 

“So, what are you working on with Tony?” 

You were grateful to be off that topic, happily jumping to the next one. 

“We’re working on some prosthetics for Rhodes. I’m going to use the brain scanning technology to try and create an external neurotransmitter system that will allow him to have full function of his limbs as if they were never injured. All, with a sleek design that would be practically undetectable when worn underneath clothing.”

He stared at you for a moment, his eyes wide and bright as a smile formed on his lips. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman as extraordinary as you.” 

You felt a heat rise to your face that you quickly dismissed with a wave of the hand. On one side of the coin, that compliment nearly made your heart jump from your chest. On the other, he was still the world's most notorious super soldier assassin. And he was acting like he didn’t know you. Or perhaps, didn’t remember? 

“There’s this great running trail through the trees. If you go down to the training center and out the east door it’ll lead you right to it. It’s usually what I do when I can’t sleep.” You offered, deciding it was best that you got back to your work as quickly as possible. 

The man’s face lit up once again as he looked out the windows and then back in your direction. 

“That sounds great, actually. I’ll do that. Thank you, um…” he paused, looking to you for confirmation of your name. 

“Y/n.” You realized you had gone through that entire conversation not introducing yourselves. You had remembered his name from the file and just assumed he knew you. You aren’t an Avenger so it was a silly thing to assume.  

“And it’s James, right?” 

“Yeah, James. But you can call me Bucky.” Bucky replied, standing up from his chair. 

“Bucky it is then. It was nice to meet you.” You introduced yourself. 

“I’ll see you around, Y/n.” 

Your feelings were conflicted the entire time you continued to work on the project. You enjoyed the conversation and enjoyed his company. Truthfully if you didn’t need to get back to work you could have talked to him all night. If it weren’t for the damn fact that you could remember his face. The Winter Soldier. Of course, you would find yourself attracted to him. 

“Fuck me.” You grumbled. 

After what felt like hours of working, you took a step back to look at the wire-covered model on the mannequin in front of you. You smiled gently. It was exactly how you had drawn it. And, to make it easier on yourself, you had created it in a way that if Tony liked it you could start right away on the actual model. You looked down at your watch to check the time. 

8:27 am. 

Well, it’s not the longest you’ve stayed up, but it certainly is the longest in months. You exited your lab and made your way down the maze of hallways. The unfamiliar sound of chatter made itself present as you approached the kitchen for a snack before heading to bed. 

You rounded the corner, the sunlight from the floor-to-ceiling windows blinding you. The white noise of conversation stopped and by the time your eyes adjusted to the light, you discovered everyone was staring at you. 

“What?” You asked, picking up an apple off the counter. 

“It’s 8:30 am,” Steve commented from his place at the stove, flipping pancakes. 

“Thanks, captain obvious.” You grumbled before taking a bite of the apple. 

Snickers broke out in the group before Natasha spoke up next. 

“You’re never up this early.” 

“That’s because I haven’t gone to bed yet.” You smiled as the group broke off into another fit of laughter. You noticed Bucky sitting off to the side, somewhat isolated but still close enough to engage in conversation. He smiled at you gently, which you returned. 

“If anyone sees Tony tell him my prototype is complete. But from me, good morning, good afternoon, and goodnight.” 

A symphony of different farewells followed you from the group as you made your way to your room. You didn’t bother to change, falling asleep as soon as your head hit your pillow. 

Bucky hadn’t stopped thinking about you from the moment he met you. From the moment he saw you, there was a pull. He felt it in his heart like a magnet. 

While he and Steve were throwing around the shield on the front lawn, he asked questions about you. What did you do during the day, where was your lab, and what were you like to be around? Steve answered all the questions with a mischievous smile. 

“Leave it to you to get the hots for a girl on your first day.” Steve teased. 

Bucky laid in bed thinking about it. He thought about your face, how familiar you looked. He wasn’t stupid, he knew the face you made whenever you first laid eyes on him in the kitchen. The face of someone who had met the winter soldier. For the life of him, he just couldn’t remember where. 

There was no way he was sleeping. Not for a while at least, if at all. He got up and got dressed in some workout clothes. He figured he would take this opportunity to ask you to go on a run, and maybe get to know you better. 

He knew he was screwed when he started to wonder what you would think of his outfit. He changed his shirt twice before grumpily giving up. Using the instructions Steve had given him on how to get to your lab, he was off on his quest. A pep in his step and a nervous flutter in his stomach. 

Your lab was at the end of a hallway, the wall lined with glass windows and a glass door so he could see what you were doing. He watched you sway to the music while you tinkered with some wires on the table. He looked at the prototype on the mannequin's legs and smiled. You really did work fast. 

As he approached the closed door he could hear the music playing. It sounded familiar to him, but he wasn’t sure why. He slowly opened the glass door but it was obvious you didn’t hear him because you didn’t look up. You kept singing along to the song playing. 

I finished my mission. Eliminate Harold L/n and leave no witnesses. It was quite easy, an unmarried man in an estate too large for his own good. Nobody would miss him. 

As I was heading back to the exit, I heard a soft voice talking. No, not talking, singing. I growled in annoyance. Of course, someone was here at this ungodly hour of the night, why wouldn’t they be? It was just my luck. 

I followed the gentle sounds of the song down a flight of stairs to what looked like an unused basement. To my right, I saw a faint yellow light coming from the window in one of the doors. I slowly approached, opened the door, and slipped inside. 

As I approached, I noticed it was a woman. She had heard me because the music shut off and she looked around frantically. She hadn’t seen me yet, but she already looked terrified of getting caught. 

I stepped into the light and made eye contact with her. Big, round, beautiful e/c eyes staring back at me. The fear turned into recognition. What she said to me took me by surprise. 

“I know who you are.” 

She knows me? How could a scientist have known who I was? It was more likely she was in on the serum recreation. She probably had to learn about me and study me. 

“Did you come here to kill my uncle?” 

Her uncle, great. Family member as a witness. Let’s hope his brother isn’t around anymore. 

I nodded in response to her question. 

“Did you do it?” She asked again, her voice coming out with a twinge of desperation. Confused by her question, I simply nodded again. 

Then, she did something unexpected. Her whole body relaxed like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, and she thanked me. She thanked me. It nearly made me tear up hearing those words. It has been a very very long time since anybody has shown me gratitude. Especially for killing their relatives. I was even more confused now about how she knew who I was. Was she forced to research the serum? Was that what she was doing now? Surely not, not this late anyway. 

I pointed to the work behind her and she accepted my action as the question I was trying to ask. 

“I’m trying to fix it. Fix us.” 

I was left with more questions than answers. There were probably a million different things that she could be talking about. My mind held out hope that one was true; the serum. And us, made me think she had it too. 

I looked down at my gun, then back at the woman. If HYDRA found out I had left a witness, there’s no telling what would become of me. Although, something deep inside of me pulled for her to survive, to spare her. In the small chance, it was the serum she was trying to reverse, I needed to let her live. So despite direct orders, I left. 

“Earth to Bucky!” 

Y/n’s voice brought Bucky back to reality. The memory had hit him like a truck. The song you were listening to triggered the memory back into his brain. He was right, you had known him. Why didn’t you say anything?

“Huh, what?” Bucky responded to your attempt at grabbing his attention. 

“I said are you okay, do you need something? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” 

You were sitting in your rolling chair, arms across your chest as you watched him, your head tilted. 

“No, I’m good. I forgot why I came here actually. Goodnight.” Bucky said to you as he tried to leave the room as quickly as possible. He had hardly let you get out the words good night before shutting the door and disappearing into the compound. 

For the last half hour, you had been thinking about how odd Bucky had acted. He came to your lab, opened the door, then changed his mind and left. In truth, it disrupted your thoughts so much that you had to stop and take a break from work. 

You made your way down to the training center, preparing your headphones for your run through the trees. Had to take advantage of the moon being at its peak. 

Once you entered the training room you noticed a familiar figure at the punching bags. There was one already broken and seeping sand on the floor. You swallowed as you approached, hoping to catch his attention before you got there. 

“Bucky?” You asked, but he kept going. 

You walked around to his left side, standing to the side. Now there was no way he could use the excuse of not hearing you. 

“Bucky.” You said but got ignored again. 

Now frustrated, you shifted your positioning so you were now looking him in the eyes while he wailed into the punching bag. Frustration boiled inside of you. So much, so that while he was in the drawback of one of his punches, you stuck your hand out and caught him before it hit the bag. 

Your hand stung as it collided with the hard surface underneath his boxing wrap. Instinctively you brought your hand to your stomach and held onto it. 

“Holy shit that hurt.” You hissed as you doubled over and favored your hand. 

You looked up at Bucky and saw the shocked expression on his face as he stared at you. 

“You couldn’t have worn a short sleeve shirt or something? Shit.” You flicked your hand to try and shake the pain away. 

“How did you do that?” He asked. You looked at him, making strong eye contact as your heart began to beat out of your chest. 

“I used to do jujitsu.” You attempted to explain. 

“That wasn’t jujitsu, you stopped my metal arm mid-swing. How did you do that?” Bucky started to get more demanding. You hadn’t told anyone you had the serum, you wouldn't let anybody here figure that out. So to avoid that conversation, you turned to walk away. 

“That’s not important. I was going to invite you on a run but you can forget about that now.” You said sassily. 

“I’m sorry I was just-“ Bucky started, watching you walk away from him. “Wait, please.” 

The command triggered the obedience in your mind, causing you to become frustrated. Although, you were good at working around it. He said to wait, he didn’t say for how long. So you only stopped for a second before you kept walking. 

“Stop walking away and talk to me, y/n,” Bucky called after you again. 

Your feet stopped moving before your brain could even register the sentence. This time you couldn’t work your way around it. The command was direct and specific. No trying to cheat the system now. You turned around sassily, standing with your weight on your dominant foot. 

“What?” You responded dryly. 

“How did you do that?” He asked, a slightly demanding tone to his voice. 

“It’s not your business.” You responded quickly. 

“Be honest with me please y/n.” 

You fought with the internal motive within your body. You struggled not to outright admit to it. Usually, you could control your own verbal choices with a little mental override effort. 

“You once told me that you were trying to fix us. Do you have the serum?” 

Your heart nearly dropped out of your chest. 

“You remember.” You marveled. 

“I didn’t until earlier. Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“I’m sorry, I assumed you remembered.” 

It wasn’t until Bucky brought his hands up to his hair that you noticed the blood-stained boxing wraps around his knuckles. 

“You’re bleeding.” You commented, taking a step towards him. 

“And you’re a super soldier!” He spat out the words like they were poison. 

You stormed up to him, inches from his face with fire coming out of your ears. You brought up an accusing finger in warning. 

“Shut up. You don’t speak another word of this. Nobody else knows. I wanted to keep it that way.” 

You didn’t consider yourself a threatening person, but Bucky’s eyes widened as he nodded with understanding. The little bit of power you felt in that moment was an ego boost. You reached down and grabbed him by the wrist to guide him back to your lab. 

Once you were there, you shut and locked the door behind you. 

“Sit.” You commanded him. He obeyed, taking a seat in the rolling stool as he watched you walk around your lab to gather an ointment and a wet towel. 

You sat down in front of him and unwrapped his knuckles. It was clear that he started without his fists wrapped and then decided to halfway through. 

“Yes. My uncle used me as a test subject for his version of the serum.” You explained while cleaning the area of the wound for him. 

I opened the ointment jar and pulled out a generous amount. 

“This shouldn’t hurt, but it might tingle slightly.” You warned. 

“What is it?” Bucky asked. 

You began applying a thin layer to his cracked knuckles as you explained. 

“An ointment I accidentally created. It heals pretty much all superficial wounds within minutes.” 

Bucky was silent as he watched you work. Once you were done, he watched his knuckles carefully. It began to generate a dull tingle on the edges of the cracks. He watched as the small cracks in his skin began to mend and heal before his eyes. 

His eyes returned to yours with a look of amazement. 

“That’s incredible.”

“Thank you.” You responded while trying to clean up after yourself. 

“Your uncle… What was he trying to change with the serum?” Bucky asked. 

It was difficult for you to decide whether or not to tell him. You hardly knew him, but something inside of you wanted someone to confide in. If anyone was going to understand it was going to be him. You thought about opening up to Steve, but he was always so busy. This was a huge secret that you didn’t want to get out. 

“It was a long time ago.” 

“You might be the only person that understands me.” Bucky said quietly, Causing you to turn around and look at him. His face was lost, almost puppy dog-like. You could almost see the desperation in his blue eyes. He held out his hand for you to take. You hesitated, wanting to reach out but that part of you so long ago kept your hand restrained. 

“I’m sorry, for everything,” Bucky whispered, the look on his face sincere. 

“I promise I won’t hurt you. That’s not me anymore. If you could spare me a bit of your time, I’ll prove it to you.” 

You couldn’t help but feel your heart ache for the man in front of you. It was clear to you that maybe he needed someone to confide in as much as you did. You reached your hand out and took his. 

Bucky looked relieved, his head dropping to look at his lap as he squeezed your hand. 

“Thank you.” 

You pulled up a stool to sit in front of him, preparing to lay out your biggest secret to him. 

“My uncle wanted to create a serum that would allow him to control armies of soldiers without having to use brainwashing. His serum would make them obedient to a fault so that they wouldn’t know what they were doing was wrong in the first place.” 

You could see the fear in his eyes when he asked; 

“Did it work?” 

“Well, I only got about 75% of the strength, but for some reason, the serum made me extremely smart. It’s what gave me a photographic memory.” You explained. 

“What about the obedience?” He seemed to be the most concerned about that bit. From what you could guess, he was worried that it would have been successful. 

“It didn’t work entirely.” You were hesitant to explain out of fear it could be used against you. “I can control it most of the time. Find ways around it but, a direct command is a direct command. And my body won’t let me ignore it.” 

Bucky’s face dropped into devastation. Truthfully, you had never seen anybody look more distraught. 

“In the training center when I told you to stop,” 

“No,” you jumped at the chance to interrupt him before he could continue. 

“Don’t-“ 

“I am so sorry.” He looked genuinely upset. 

“Don’t apologize to me Bucky, you had no idea.” 

“No, y/n, you have no idea how much this means to me.” 

He met your eyes, an intense seriousness to them. You remembered at that moment that the winter soldier was controllable by whoever said the code. Why had you thought he would use it against you? If anything, he was the only one who understood what you were going through. 

Bucky stood up and began to pace the room. You could almost see the thoughts gathering together in his mind. 

“I promise you, that will never happen again. I’m going to make sure that never happens to you again.” 

“Nobody else knows about this. Not even Tony, please don’t tell anybody.” You begged. 

“Nobody is going to know.” He snapped in such a serious tone that it surprised you. 

The room filled with a silence that was neither comforting nor awkward. You looked down at your hands while Bucky was standing off somewhere in the room. You were going to have to get over this irrational fear of being around him. You from years ago would need to let go of everything because you now needed a friend, and The Winter Soldier might just be your unlikely friend. 

After gathering some courage, you stood up from your chair, catching Bucky’s attention. He turned to face you and looked at you expectantly. You slowly walked towards him until you were only a few feet apart. You held your breath as you pulled him towards you and entrapped him in a hug. He hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around you and gave you a gentle squeeze. 

It was comforting to feel his heart racing just as badly as yours was. You finally let go of a breath you didn’t realize you were holding. 

“Thank you for listening.” You whispered. 

A hum vibrated around inside Bucky’s rib cage before he replied; 

“Thank you for trusting me.” 

It had been a little over three weeks since you started the Rhodes project and you were between a rock and a hard place. Each day was another attempt and each day a new failure. You had stopped sleeping, and even skipped meals to ensure you had extra time to work on the project. Due to the heightened abilities of your mind, the lack of sleep affected you differently.  Was it healthy, probably not. Could you still function? Yes. 

Bucky often came to sit with you and visit you. He would try his best to understand what you were trying to do, even trying to help where he could. But most of the time, he would bring you meals, and the two of you would just sit and enjoy conversations. 

Other times, he knew that he could get some alone time away from the other Avengers if he needed it. It didn’t happen often, but when it did he just sat in the corner and read books trying to catch up on the last few decades. 

Unfortunately, the last couple of days most of the Avengers were out on a mission so you hadn’t had a lot of company. You worked endlessly trying to figure out where you were going wrong. The last few days blended and you couldn’t recall the last time you had slept. 

While making yourself a cup of coffee in the kitchen, Tony strolled in for the morning. He stopped in his tracks when he laid eyes on you. 

“You look like shit, Sherlock.” He remarked. 

You rolled your eyes a little, being sleep deprived made you a little irritable. 

“Thank you, that’s great to hear.” 

“When’s the last time you slept?” Tony asked. 

You stayed silent, looking down at your coffee as you aimlessly stirred it around. 

“Y/n-“ 

“I’m really close, I can feel it!” You protested. 

“Go to sleep, right now. Go to your room and sleep.” Tony instructed. 

You felt your heart tighten in disappointment slightly. You knew that Tony wasn’t upset, he cared about you just like the rest of his staff. No matter how badly you wanted to stay up and finish your project, you had to listen. 

With your head hung low, you left the kitchen and walked towards the hallway where the bedrooms were. You had only made it about halfway down the hallway before a hand caught your arm. 

You looked up to meet the eyes of Bucky who was looking down at you with a sad expression. 

“Do you want to?” 

“What?” You questioned, your body subconsciously trying to slowly pry itself away from his grasp to go to your room. 

“Do you want to go to sleep?” He said again more gently this time. 

You sighed. 

“I need to, but no. I am frustrated that I can’t figure this out.” 

Bucky bit his bottom lip like he was deep in thought. 

“I have an idea that might be able to help you. But after that, you really should get some sleep. You look tired, doll.” 

You smiled at him and nodded, excited for what his idea might be. 

“Do you want to go back to your lab?” He asked. 

“Yes, I do.” You responded. 

Bucky had kept his promise to help you have control of your actions. You had noticed he changed his wording around you. He carefully chose his words so that he was never directly instructing you. Whatever he did, he always left you a choice. You also decided that if you were ever doing something you didn’t want to do, he had to ask permission first to redirect your mind. It was a sweet gesture. You never had to implement it until now. 

“Then get back to your lab.” He said with a cheeky smile. 

The two of you walked back to your lab, careful as to not be seen by Tony as you ran for the elevator. Once you were in your lab, you locked the door and asked Friday to dim the windows so nobody could see inside. 

“Alright,” you turned eagerly towards him. “What is this thing to help me?”

Bucky gave me a weak smile as he began to take off his jacket, revealing a short sleeve shirt underneath. For as long as you had known him, he always wore a long sleeve shirt or a jacket. He never let his metal arm show out of fear of making others uncomfortable. You’d be lying if you said you hadn’t thought about asking him to look at it for your project, but that thought only crossed your mind once. 

“I thought that maybe you could look at my arm and it might push you in the direction you need to go.” 

A wide and bright smile covered your face at his gesture. The vulnerability he was showing you right now caused a new light to shine down on him. He trusted you, and you weren't going to break that now. 

“Let's try it! Sit down on the chair, please.” You instructed. 

Bucky nodded, walking over to one of the rolling chairs and taking a seat. You approached him and took his metal hand in yours. You ran your fingers up the cold, smooth material until you hit the sleeve of his shirt. You looked at the cotton fabric and then sideways at Bucky who met your gaze. You were embarrassed to ask, but you needed to see the full piece. You avoided his eye contact and felt a heat rise to your face as you asked. 

“Could you take this off for me?”

Bucky smirked a little as he grabbed at his shirt and easily slid it off his torso. “I usually wait until someone’s bought me dinner first.”

A burning heat rose to your face at the comment and you grumbled a curse word at him playfully. It was hard to ignore that he was a lot more muscular than you first thought. As awful as it sounds, you forced yourself not to stare. 

Your hand slid up the smooth metal of his arm and felt all the moving pieces and joints. Considering how long ago this was created, the technology was seriously impressive. 

“I’m going to put my hand on your shoulder, is that okay?”

 You asked and he nodded in response. 

You gently placed the palm of your left hand on the scarred area where metal met flesh. You felt your heartstrings tug slightly in sadness for what he went through. You pushed away that feeling and kept working. You held his arm in different positions and instructed him to stretch his fingers and then make a fist. Your right hand slid down the metal arm and you took his hand in yours while keeping your left hand on his shoulder. “Squeeze my hand please.” You instructed. Bucky gave your hand a gentle squeeze. When you were satisfied, you moved the placement of your left hand and asked him to squeeze again. He followed your instructions. 

You pulled your hands back and looked at him. He had an unfamiliar look on his face. A combination of a soft smile and wondrous eyes. 

“What?” You asked, suddenly feeling bashful underneath his blue gaze. 

“I just love watching you work.” Bucky shrugged. 

A head radiated on your face that you had to shove aside to move on to the next step in the process. 

“Would you mind going into the scanner? It'll only take 5 minutes.”

He looked back at the machine and then back at me with a hesitant look.

“I’ll be there the whole time.” You reassured him. 

Bucky looked up at you with a soft smile and a nod. You opened the glass door to the scanning machine and gestured for him to step inside. He followed instructions, standing in the center of the machine while the door slid closed. You made sure he could still see you through the glass door while you pulled up the computer and booted up the system. The machine first took his height, weight, and BMI, and logged it into his profile. While it was scanning him, you filled in the physical descriptions for the volunteer applicant notes. 

You kept an eye on the scanning program while filling out the form. As the scan developed you noticed something that forced you to flip over to his scan. Abnormalities in the prefrontal lobe and hippocampus, the two main regions of the brain that store memory. 

His scans were almost completed when you started to notice something. The machine took a scan of the internal structure of his metal arm as well as the outside. You zoomed in on the components within the mechanism. You noticed the way that the nerves of his arm connected to the wiring of the arm. It was a sloppy job, you could have done so much better. 

While staring intensely at the screen, you noticed something within the wiring and connections that gave you an idea for your project. As your brain was processing the information you were seeing, Bucky exited the scanner and walked over to you by the computer. He leaned down over your shoulder to get a closer look. 

“Woah, is that me? That’s pretty cool.” 

He noticed your intense staring at the computer with a look of shocked realization on your face. “Are you okay?” 

“That’s it.” You whispered. 

“What’s it?” Bucky asked, trying to get you to say your thoughts aloud. 

“That’s it that's exactly what I needed!” Your excitement and joy were obvious in the tone of your voice. You looked over at Bucky who met you with a smile as equally excited as yours. 

“I could kiss you! Oh my gosh, thank you!” You raved as you scrambled for a tablet to write down all the thoughts in your brain. 

Bucky chuckled and straightened his posture. 

“Don’t let me stop you.”

Instincts took over as you rolled onto your toes and pressed your lips onto Buckys. He was too shocked to react before you pulled away from him with a smirk on your face. His face was red with a growing smile creeping its way onto them. 

“Did I do that?” he asked, scared he might have made you do something you didn’t want to do. 

“No.” You responded with a sweet smile. 

“I did.” 

A smile filled with adoration appeared on his face as he looked at you. Bucky leaned down and kissed your lips again. His lips were slightly chapped and the stubble on his face tickled your chin. He tasted sweet and minty, leaving you wanting more as he pulled away.

“I’ll cover for you while you work.” Bucky offered before placing another quick kiss on your lips. He headed for the door, grabbing and putting on his shirt on before reaching the handle.

“I thought I had to go to sleep?” You questioned. 

Bucky paused halfway through the door and turned to face you. 

“We both know you’re not going to sleep until it’s done. 

Your project was complete and fully functional. It felt like you had just climbed mount everest for this accomplishment, but it was done. 

You left your lab in the late evening, sleep finally catching up to you. You entered the common room from the elevator and noticed most of the Avengers watching a movie in the living room. You made a lazy attempt at greeting your friends. 

“Y/n,” Tony called which stopped you in your tracks.  

“I told you to go to bed six hours ago.” He commented, checking his watch for the time.

“You did.” You agreed. 

“The prosthetic is done, by the way. Now I’m going to sleep.”

You dismissed yourself from the conversation, but not before making eye contact with Bucky who sat next to Steve on the couch. He smirked a little and gave you a wink. You reciprocated it before continuing to make your way toward your bedroom. Before you shut the door, you heard Tony say; 

“Did you have something to do with this, Barnes?”

Part 1/2

A/N

I would love to take inspiration from readers any put them into stories and shorts! Please don’t hesitate to message me directly or use my ask inbox! 💜💜