#romanticgumchewer masterlist

[anniesocsandgeneralstore]

Hi! Welcome to my Masterlist! I write OC fanfiction, so if that is not your thing please turn back. I do have to put a disclaimer here and say that there is no guarantee that any of the fics here will actually be finished. I am distracted by many WIPs. But below the cut I have DCEU, The Maze Runner, Teen Wolf, and MCU fanfiction! So enjoy if you would like to!

The Power of Suffering

Summary:  Gally was one of the toughest and one of the strongest fighters the Right Arm had ever seen. He took no shit, lead with an iron fist, and had a wit like a whip. But combat medic Joan got to him in a way he couldn’t really describe. She was kind to the point of stupidity, honest, and always saw the best in people. She broke down his walls and forced him to face the vulnerable part of himself he wanted to bury. But what happens when these two opposites are forced to face their feelings for each other instead?

OFC: Joan

ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR | FIVE | SIX | SEVEN | EIGHT | NINE

Status: In Progress

Darkness and Light

Summary: Sloane is a local Gotham artist asked to paint a portrait of Thomas and Martha Wayne. During this process she meets their son Bruce, a recluse who has seemingly forgotten how to interact with the world. Over the course of several months, Sloane brings out a different side to Bruce Wayne, while also somehow continuously running into The Batman. But will she eventually connect the dots?

OFC: Sloane Di Marzio

ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR | FIVE | ?

Status: In Progress

Of Mermaids, Werewolves, and Men

Summary: Maggie Whittemore never wanted to become a werewolf, let alone a mermaid. But there she was, a junior in high school, a cross country runner, film buff, and a long thought lost healer ally of the local werewolf pack lead by one of her best friends. After her twin brother is brought back from the dead and her first boyfriend Matt is killed, she tries to escape to some normalcy in London over the summer. But she comes back from that trip with new found feelings for her best friend Stiles.

OFC: Maggie Whittemore

ONE

Status: Finished?

If I Go, I’m Goin’ Crazy 

Summary: There was a reason Amanda Waller always seemed to be three steps ahead of everybody. Only no one would have guessed that she had an actual psychic at her side at all times. But when this psychic sees the death of one Colonel Rick Flag, who is so kind to her, she can’t help but warn him of his impending doom on missions - again, and again, and again. 

OFC: Delphia Holman

masterlist babey

Status: Finished?

Youthfully Felt (Gaius Chau - Into the Badlands)

Summary: Song Page has lived at White Bone manor her entire life, being trained by her Healer mother and Clipper father for something they never told her about. But the mundanity of her life is turned on its head when Gaius Chau, the Baron’s son, walks into the infirmary when her mother is away. 

OFC: Song Page

ONE | TWO | THREE | ?

Status: On Hiatus

Someone In Brooklyn Misses You

Summary: There are some people who are meant to be together in this world, some people who are meant to drift apart, and some people who are never destined to meet. Rose Rigby and Bucky Barnes are all three of these things at once. Two people who were meant to be together from the beginning, meant to be separated by lifetimes, and that, once separated, should never have come back together again. 

OFC: Rose Rigby

ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR | FIVE | SIX | SEVEN | EIGHT | NINE | TEN

Status: On Hiatus

Grow Old With You

Summary: There was once more of this fic, and this is all that remains. So take this as a: What if Din settled down on a farm and had a baby with a fellow Mandalorian who has been with him since the beginning? 

OFC: Ara Obagh

Reykha’s Birth

Status: finished

Normal Love and Superheroes (John Blake - The Dark Knight) ABANDONED WORK

Summary: Leena Duckett has had a hard year after being cheated on by high-school sweetheart Jacob Grayson. She's working two jobs, living in a studio apartment with long-time friend Jamie, her art career has yet to take off, and she hasn't been on a date in a very....Very long time. But things take a turn when she meets friendly officer John Blake and billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne. Just when it looks like Leena is finally getting turned around, Jacob comes back into town with the intent of getting her back. The only question is: Who will she choose? The officer or the boy she's familiar with?

OFC: Leena Duckett

the orange streak of lightning | my city | superdawgs | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 

Status: Abandoned

The Second Hand Ticks (Arthur - Inception)

Summary: Sarai Jourdain and Arthur Darling are longing to retire to the French countryside. However, in order to do so, they need to finish this one last job with mutual friend and colleague Dom Cobb. The job turns out to be more difficult than they thought, and something neither of them ever expected was their mutual ex, Warren Eames, to come back into their lives. 

OFC: Sarai Jourdain

ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR | FIVE | SIX

Status: On Hiatus

Your Power Over Me (Frank Shaver - Project Power) ABANDONED WORK

Summary: Frank Shaver has more reasons than loving New Orleans to want Power out of his city. 

OFC: Michelle Shaver

beginning | motivation | power | home

Status: Abandoned

[a-reader-and-a-writer]

The Colonel and the Sergeant (Part 2)

Fandom: DC, Marvel, The Suicide Squad, Avengers, Rick Flag, Bucky Barnes

Word Count: 11,959

TW: Whump, Language, Semi-Graphic Medical Procedure, Near Death Experience, Mentions of Pregnancy, Vomiting, Angst, Heartbreak, Hurt/Comfort, Blood

Thank you so much to @romanticgumchewer-reactivated and @loverhymeswith for beta reading for me!

Tag List: @viinchester, @tesla-pigeon,@justmad, @littlestatesman, @lacontroller1991, @n1ght5h4d3-24, @reysorigins, @princessxkenobi, @romanticgumchewer-reactivated, @loverhymeswith, @edgycatx, @river9noble, @emmaflag17, @tanyaherondale, @taternuts, @weallhaveadestiny, @lanatheawesome

Series Masterlist

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Alternate Ending

Bucky sighed in annoyance as his phone began to ring. He had just gotten out of the shower and was looking forward to a quiet afternoon for once. But no one ever called him unless they needed something. Glancing at the caller ID, he hesitated at the UNKNOWN CALLER displayed on the screen, debating whether or not to just let it go to voicemail. Oh, what the hell.

He answered the phone with a half-hearted, “Hello?”

“Bucky?…. I’m so sorry, bu-but I didn’t know who else to call…”

Bucky snapped to attention immediately at the sound of your quivering, tear-filled voice. “Y/N? What happened? What’s wrong?”

“The mission… everything… And Rick-” A massive sob cut you off. Bucky waited with bated breath for you to continue. Finally, you choked out, “Rick’s hurt real bad. I-I don’t know if….Oh God! Bucky, I need help.”

“Whatever you need. Just tell me where you are, and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“We’re on Corto Maltese.”

That was all Bucky needed to hear. He had been watching the news coverage just before getting into the shower. He knew what had happened down there, and he could only imagine the kind of trouble you were currently in.

“Okay, doll. I’ll get a Quinjet together as quickly as I can. How many of you are there?”

“Seven- no wait, six. I forgot Abner…. there are six of us left. But uh, one of us is not exactly human sized.”

“How big are we talking?”

“Smaller than Hulk, but bigger than any normal person we know.”

“Got it. And besides Flag, is anyone else hurt?” Bucky quickly threw his jacket on as he began looking around for his boots.

“Cuts and bruises but nothing too serious. But Rick…he needs a lot of help.”

“I’ll bring what I can, but the SHIELD base down here isn’t really equipped for medical operations. And even once I take off, it’s going to take me a while to get there. Are you going to be okay until then?”

Bucky could only hear some soft sniffling on the other side of the phone. Just as he was about to ask again, you said, “We’ll have to be.”

“I’m on my way, doll. It’s going to be okay.”

“Bucky….please hurry.” And the line went dead.

As Bucky descended the ramp of the Quinjet an hour and a half later, he could see you sitting on the ground with a man’s head (presumably Flag’s) resting in your lap, a blanket wrapped around your shoulders despite the sweltering South American climate. When your eyes landed on Bucky, you bent down and kissed the man’s forehead, then slid over as a pale woman in a disheveled red dress took your place. Blanket falling to the ground, you took off running as quickly as you could even though Bucky noticed your obvious limp. He rushed to meet you, stumbling back as you threw yourself into his arms.

You buried your face in his chest as you whispered, “Thank you, Sarge.”

Bucky gave you a tight squeeze then pulled back to examine you. He gently brushed his fingers over a large gash on your forehead. “Are you okay? This doesn’t look good.”

But you just shook your head. “I’ll be fine, but we need to get Rick help. Now.”

You grabbed his hand and led him to where everyone else was gathered around the body on the ground. Besides the woman in the red dress, there was also a man holding a massive gun, a younger girl with a rat sitting on her shoulder, and what Bucky could only describe as a half-man, half-shark hybrid. But after meeting creatures like Rocket and Groot, nothing really phased him anymore.

Bucky got his first good look at the colonel as he approached. Gone was the strong, confident, handsome man he had met less than a week ago. Instead, the soldier was now a shade of his former self.

His face was pale and ashy while his eyes danced wildly behind half-closed lids. You had tried to wrap your jacket around the piece of porcelain that was jutting from the center of his chest in an attempt to slow the bleeding, but it didn’t seem to be doing much good. His bright yellow shirt was stained red and brown from the massive amounts of blood that had seeped into it over the past few hours. But his breathing troubled Bucky more than anything. It was shallow and labored, with long pauses between each breath, leaving Bucky worried that each one might be his last.

But you scrambled carefully to his side, ignoring all of that. Bending over so your forehead rested on his, you whispered, “Rick, baby, Bucky’s here with help. We’re going to get you out of here. Please, just hold on a little longer. You’re doing so great this far, but I need you to keep hanging on. Okay?”

Bucky saw Flag’s eyes flutter open just slightly more than they had been as they struggled to focus on you. He couldn’t tell if any words actually left the man’s mouth, but Bucky could clearly read his lips as they formed, I love you. Then his eyes rolled back into his head as he slipped back into his half-conscious state. A single tear rolled down your cheek as you whispered, “I love you too, Rick.”

You lightly placed a small kiss on his cheek before the younger girl gently took your shoulders and moved you out of the way so Bucky could approach. He wasn’t sure if the man could hear him or not, but Bucky said, “Hey, Colonel. We’re gonna get you fixed up, but this next part’s really gonna suck. And I’m sorry for that.”

He motioned over the medical team he had brought with him, and they wheeled over a stretcher. Getting a firm grasp on the injured man’s broad shoulders, Bucky lifted him onto the stretcher as two members of the medical team handled his legs. A low, pained moan escaped Flag’s lips at the harsh movement, and Bucky could hear you sob as you watched. As soon as he was secured to the stretcher, the team rushed Flag up the ramp and into the Quinjet. You quickly rushed after him, giving Bucky a small nod of appreciation as you passed.

Bucky turned to follow you when the pale woman popped up directly in front of him. She was giving him a slightly crazed smile that put Bucky on edge but when she spoke, it was with an upbeat, singsongy tone, “So, you’re the sergeant, huh? God, she sure knows how to pick ‘em.”

Bucky didn’t really know how to respond. “Thanks, I guess….” He started to walk away but the woman shot out a hand and stopped him with a vice-like grip on his arm, her expression now more of a death stare. He gawked at her, confused about the sudden shift in attitude.

“Listen, Sarge. She might seem okay at the moment, but she’s far from it. She’s been slipping in and out of shock since we found them. Also, she blew chunks earlier and I’ve never seen her get sick…ever. I may no longer be a practicing MD but I can see that she’s right on the edge of a complete breakdown. She didn’t tell us everything that happened and all we know for sure is the guy who did this got some pretty good licks at her before Flag took that blow that was meant for her. I’ve never seen her like this and I’m kinda worried. So, keep an eye on her. We need her to come out of this in one piece. Flag needs her to come out of this in one piece.” Bucky nodded and the woman let go of his arm, her crazed smile once more plastered on her face. She playfully twitched her nose as she sauntered off. “Just thought ya should know, hot stuff.”

He stared after her, dumbfounded as she walked up the ramp into the Quinjet, but a voice from behind him snapped him back to attention.

“Don’t mind Quinn. She’s a bit of an acquired taste.” Bucky turned to see the man from your team walking towards him. He stuck out his hand. “Robert DuBois. We appreciate the pick-up. Flag’s an old friend and I may have only known his girl for a few days, but she’s one of the first people I’ve met in a while who actually gives a fuck about what happens to us, so ….thank you for the help.”

“Bucky Barnes. And no thanks necessary. I’d do anything for her. And I actually got to meet Flag last week, he seems like a good guy.”

“One of the best. Though… I’m hoping he pulls through more for her sake than for his.”

“Quinn said she’s not handling things well?”

DuBois sighed as he shook his head. “She’s blaming herself. Best we can piece together is she and Flag found some proof of some messed up shit the government was doing. Our government. They decided to expose it and one of the team members, Peacemaker, tried to stop them. Then the building started to collapse, and they were separated. She ended up on the side with Peacemaker. They fought and just as he was about to kill her, Flag found ‘em and pushed her out of the way. She somehow managed to drag him far enough out of the building that they survived when it collapsed.”

“And Peacemaker?”

“No longer a problem.” DuBois stared at Bucky as if challenging him to ask more details, but the soldier knew better. So, the man continued, “We traded the information for our freedom, but she doesn’t trust our boss to keep her side of the bargain. We told her we would find our own way back home, but she insisted on helping us get back to the States. And since you were coming down to get Flag, we figured we could kill two birds with one stone.”

“Wait, what do you mean you traded the information for your freedom? Freedom from who?”

DuBois chuckled. “She didn’t tell ya? We’re all criminals. You’re transporting what’s left of the fuckin’ Suicide Squad.”

Bucky looked around at your team members, realization suddenly dawning on him as to why everyone looked so familiar. He turned back to the man, the criminal in front of him. “So, Robert DuBois…. You’re Bloodsport.”

The man grinned. “I’m surprised you’ve heard of me.”

Bucky faced the ramp where the rest of the team had gone. “And Quinn…. That was Harley Quinn?! No, actually, that makes a lot of sense.”

DuBois chuckled again. “Yeah, I told ya, she’s something else. The little one’s Ratcatcher 2, or Cleo, and the big shark bloke’s Nanaue.” He hesitated for a moment. “I hope this is still okay with you. We assumed she told you who she worked with.”

“Except for when I ran into her and Flag the other night, I haven’t talked to her in almost three years. And all she said was they worked with a task force based at Belle Reve. I guess I should have put two and two together, but I didn’t give it much thought.” Bucky shrugged. “But if she trusts you, that’s good enough for me.”

DuBois raised an eyebrow. “You’re taking this pretty well for one of the good guys.”

Bucky chuckled humorlessly. “Well, I wasn’t always one of the good guys. Besides, I’ve worked with my share of fugitives and criminals in the past. Hell, I’ve been both.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard of you too. The Winter Soldier. They say you used to be one badass motherfucker once upon a time.”

Bucky clenched his jaw. “I was. I was a heartless, robotic killing machine. But not anymore.”

“And she helped you do that?”

Bucky gazed longingly at the Quinjet you now resided in. “That and so much more. I owe her everything.”

DuBois slapped him on the back. “Well, I guess this gets you one step closer to being square.”

“I guess so…..” He noticed one of the medics waving at them. “Looks like they are ready to take off. We better go.”

As they walked over to the ship, Bucky couldn’t help but think that DuBois was wrong. This pick up was nothing compared to everything you had done for him in the past. If he did want to try and even out their score, he still had a lot of work ahead of him.

Forty minutes later, the Quinjet landed in Miami. You hadn’t wanted to chance going back to Louisiana just yet and Miami was the closest SHIELD based medical facility anyway, so it was a win-win situation. Flag had been given an IV, a blood infusion, and an oxygen mask but nothing could be done about the fragment of porcelain protruding from his chest until he was in an actual OR. And now, as the medical crew hurried to ready him for transfer, Bucky glanced over to where you were still sitting.

Ever since boarding the Quinjet, you hadn’t moved from the seat next to Flag’s stretcher, Harley on one side of you and Cleo on the other. Every so often, you would break out in uncontrollable shakes, your whole body shivering as if you were in the Arctic without a coat. Whenever this happened, your teammates would wrap their arms tightly around you to try to warm you up as well as to still the tremors. It would usually help after a few minutes, but soon the whole process would start again. Harley shot Bucky a worried look after a particularly bad episode, but he was helpless to assist in any way. All he could do was stand and watch.

And it was there, leaning against the far wall, that Bucky got his first good look at you. Dust and blood coated every inch of you, from your hair all the way down to your boots. Besides the gash on your head (which the medics had hastily slapped some gauze over), there was a large tear in one of your pant legs and the dark blood stain around it explained your limp (this had also been wrapped in gauze). And once, as you exposed your neck to rest your head on Harley’s shoulder, Bucky could make out distinct fingerprint shaped bruises encircling your throat. He was glad DuBois had taken care of Peacemaker because if he hadn’t, Bucky would have gone back and done it himself.

Harley helped you to your feet as everyone prepared to leave the ship. You had already been told that Flag would be rushed to be prepped for surgery immediately and you would have to wait in the lobby or in his hospital room for him to return. As they wheeled him into the hospital, Bucky could see the pain and fear carved into your face as you watched him get farther and farther from you. But, ever the professional, as soon as he was out of sight, you snapped back to commander mode. After providing the squad strict instructions to avoid detection, you gave each member a tight squeeze of gratitude as you wished them luck.

As they turned to leave, you grabbed Bloodsport’s arm, holding him back. Once everyone else was out of earshot, you said. “DuBois. I need you to watch after them. Waller might have said she was letting everyone go, but she doesn’t lose that easily. Get them somewhere safe and stay there. If anything happens, drop everything and run. I’ll find a way to get in contact when I can, but you need to lay low for now. I need….I can’t deal with this-” you motioned to the door they had just wheeled Flag through- “if I’m terrified what’s happening with the team. So please, promise me you’ll keep them safe. At least until I can come back. I know you never wanted to be a part of this, but I’m asking you as a friend, as Rick’s friend, can you do this for us?” Your lip quivered slightly as you finished your plea.

“Of course. We’ll be fine. You just focus on what’s going on here.” Then the older man pulled you into a tight hug. “Listen, he’s gonna pull through. He’s too stubborn, too determined, and he’s got too much to live for. He’s not gonna let something like a shitty piece of toilet take him down. After all, he’s Rick Fuckin’ Flag.” A hysterical chuckle burst from your lips as you nodded furiously into his chest. DuBois pulled back and stared directly into your eyes. “He’s Rick Fuckin’ Flag. Don’t forget it.”

You nodded again. “Rick Fuckin’ Flag…. Thank you, DuBois.”

He nodded back, then catching Bucky’s eye, he performed a two-finger salute before turning and following the rest of the team out of sight.

As you waited to hear if Flag was in surgery yet, Bucky managed to convince you to try and clean up a little in the bathroom. Between the dirt and the blood, you were leaving a trail everywhere you walked. Reluctantly, you had relented.

It was then, as he was sitting in a chair outside the bathroom waiting for you, that the nurse found him. “He wants to talk to you.”

“Okay, let me go grab her.” Bucky started to stand up.

“No, not her. You.”

Bucky froze in his half-risen position. “Me? Are you sure?”

“Yes, he was very clear about it. He said the man who brought him in with the metal arm. I assume that description only applies to you.”

Bucky sighed as he stood up the rest of the way. “I guess so.” He glanced towards the bathroom. “Can you stay here and let her know where I went if she comes out?”

“For a few minutes, but then I need to get back to work.”

“Thank you. I don’t think this will take very long.”

As he entered the OR prep room, he noticed Flag looked just as bad as he had on the plane, the only difference was now his eyes were open. When he noticed Bucky in the doorway, he weakly, clumsily managed to tug down the oxygen mask obscuring his mouth, careful to avoid the shard still stuck in his chest. After a few labored breaths, he rasped out, “Sergeant.”

Bucky nodded at the man. “Colonel.”

“Thank you. I know why you did… did it. And it wasn’t… for me. But still, thank you.” Flag’s low, gravely voice was slightly slurred as he struggled to complete his sentences, his southern accent sounding more pronounced than before. “I already owe you…my life. But I need… somethin' else…”

He paused to take a few deep breaths from the oxygen mask before continuing. “I need you to… look after her… She’s gonna need…. you….”

Bucky shifted uncomfortably. “Come on, man. The doctors said they have a high probability of success with the surgery. You should be back on your feet in no time, then she’ll have you to look after her.”

Flag shook his head slightly. “We both know….it’s not that easy. And I….know her. She’s blamin' hers-self right now….I can’t be-be there to set her straight….. You..you have to help her…through this………Please, Barnes.” It was the first time since they had met that he had addressed Bucky as anything but Sergeant. Bucky could see past the pain in Flag’s eyes to the desperation and pleading which lay underneath.

So, he nodded. “Yes, sir. I will protect her with my life.”

Flag sank back into the bed, satisfied with the answer. But just as Bucky thought he should probably leave, he spoke up again, weaker than before. “And one more thing…….There’s a ring….in a suitcase in my closet at home….Can you…. make sure she….If I don’t….get the chance….still want her to know…. Might be too late…. but she should…know…” His eyes rolled back in his head as he struggled to catch his breath. Bucky quickly bent down to readjust the oxygen mask over his mouth and Flag seemed to relax slightly, though his eyes remained closed.

Unsure if the man could still hear him or not, Bucky firmly grasped his shoulder. “I swear, Colonel. Whatever happens, I will always be there for her, I will always keep her safe. And if it comes down to it…I’ll make sure she gets that ring.” For just a brief second, Bucky swore he saw a smile tug at the corner of Flag’s lips under the mask.

A nurse came in and told Bucky they were ready to start the surgery. Casting one last look at the fallen soldier in the bed, Bucky left the room. As he headed back to find you, he pulled out his phone and hit the speed dial. “Sam? Have you left yet or are you still in Louisiana?..... Good. I need you to pick up something for me…..”

Bucky was once again sitting in one of the chairs when you exited the bathroom. He decided not to mention he saw Flag because he was afraid it would upset you to know you missed the chance to speak to him. Besides, he wasn’t quite sure what he would tell you about what they had discussed.

You looked a lot better now that you had been able to clean up a little. The dirt and blood was gone from your face and arms and you just looked overall more refreshed. You were chewing on a piece of gum, probably because they hadn’t found you a toothbrush yet. You were still wearing just your filthy tank top and bloody cargo pants, seeing as your jacket was currently somewhere drenched in Flag’s blood, and Bucky made a mental note to try and find you something a little warmer.

You plopped down in the chair directly next to Bucky, your arms bumping into each other. He glanced over and noticed something that had previously been covered in grim.

“That tattoo’s new.” He nodded to the messily scrawled “SKWAD” on your right bicep.

You smiled softly as you gazed at it. “Yeah, Harley started the tradition. Anyone who makes it through their first Task Force mission alive gets one. And everyone takes turns tattooing the others.”

“Who did yours?”

“Rick. It was just luck that it happened to be his turn, though his tattooing skills leave much to be desired. It hurt like a mother.” You bit your lip, lost in thought. “His tattoo was on his left arm, so I chose to have mine on my right. That way, when we stood next to each other, they’re side by side. Even after only one mission, I knew that’s where I always wanted to be.”

You were quiet for a moment before letting out a long, forlorn sigh as you whispered, “He’s gonna hate me.”

“What?”

“Rick. When he wakes up and finds out what I did, he’s gonna hate me.”

Bucky stared at you in confusion. “Doll, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’m pretty sure no matter what you did, Flag could never hate you.”

“We risked our lives to get that drive. He’s only in here because we wanted to expose it to the world. And the fact I traded it to save him…. He’s gonna hate me for that.”

Bucky took your hand. “I know I only really met Flag that one time, but it was obvious he is deeply in love with you. He’ll understand why you did what you did. And it wasn’t just for him. It was for your whole team. That’s got to count for something, right?”

You shook your head. “You don’t get it. Rick is…. complicated. He’s a good man, but he doesn’t live in the black and white world people like Steve Rogers lives in. He lives in the grays and shadows. He’ll get his hands dirty if he has to. He doesn’t like it, but he understands that sometimes that is what’s needed.

“But, all those things he’s done, he’s done them because he was told it was for his country. And that is something he takes so seriously. His dad, his grandfather, hell, his great-grandfather, were all soldiers. It’s all he’s ever wanted to be. Because he believed in what he was doing. But what we found out…” You hesitated. “It’s bad, Buck. I mean, it is horrifyingly bad. And I watched something break in Rick as he saw what his country, the thing he put all his faith and loyalty into for all these years, saw what it did. What it hid from everyone. All the morally gray things he has done, all the people he has hurt or killed for that idealized greater good, the weight of that hit him all at once. I could see it on his face. Hear it in his voice. I’ve never heard him like that…..”

Bucky shifted uncomfortably in his chair. You both knew the reality of what the government was capable of. You had both seen the corruption and greed firsthand. So, if whatever you had seen bothered you this much, it must be truly horrendous. But he also knew you had been sworn to secrecy in exchange for your freedom, so he didn’t bother asking about it. Instead, he simply said, “Flag may have to come to terms with a lot of things. But he will understand what you did and why you did it. Even if he is a little mad at first, he’ll get over it.”

“I ‘ope so”, you mumbled, and Bucky noticed you were barely hanging on to consciousness.

“Hey, when was the last time you got any sleep?”

“I don’t know….Got a few hours in the jungle a few ‘ights ‘go.” Your head began to droop into your chest before you snapped it back up. “Sorry. I-I guess I am a little tired.”

“Well, get some sleep. We’ve got time.”

“What if some’ing ‘appens?” Your head began to droop again.

Bucky eased you over until you were leaning up against him. “I promise, if anything happens, I’ll wake you up immediately.”

“Swear?” Your eyes were already closed, and your breathing was slowing down. Even after all of the horrors from the last few days, you actually looked peaceful. Just like when you used to fall asleep with him on the couch in your shared apartment.

Bucky smiled down at the beautiful sight he thought he would never see again. “Swear.”

While you were asleep, Steve and Sam arrived to check on how you were holding up. Bucky had called them as soon as the Quinjet had originally taken off from Louisiana and filled them in on the situation. Both of them were concerned about how well Bucky could handle being this close to you again and finding you asleep on his shoulder did little to lessen their fears. He swore to them he was okay, but he could tell they didn’t really believe him. Not wanting to wake you, they had promised to come back later and insisted Bucky call if he needed anything. Just before they left, Sam slipped Bucky the ring box he had picked up from your apartment. Bucky jammed it in his jacket pocket without looking at it, but he could feel the weight of it dragging at him even as he just sat there. Just before you had left him, Bucky had gone to a few places to look at rings. In fact, he had narrowed it down to two, but he had never gotten the chance to make a final decision. It felt like a lifetime ago, and yet….

Bucky glanced down at you asleep on his shoulder. He wrapped his Vibranium arm around your waist, pulling you closer, onto his chest. A small smile spread across your lips as you nuzzled against his neck. For the first time since he had picked you up in Corto Maltese, he saw your muscles slowly untense as you relaxed into him. Bucky softly kissed the top of your head, thinking how nice it felt to be holding you in his arms again. It was just like old ti-

“Rick.”

Bucky’s heart clenched as the name slips from your sleeping lips. Your smile had shifted into a full-on ray of sunshine as you dreamed you were in the other man’s arms. Instinctively, Bucky tightened his hold on you, causing you to finch awake. Glancing around, your face fell as you remembered where you were. As your eyes met and you registered whose arms you had really been sleeping in, Bucky saw fresh heartbreak flash across your face. Standing quickly, you mumbled a weary apology. “I’m sorry, Buck. I didn’t mean to…. I just forgot…”

“Hey, it’s okay. You were asleep. You didn’t know any better.”

“No, it’s not okay. I shouldn’t be putting all of this on you. I mean, I haven’t even talked to you in almost three years and then I show up and expect you to still….”

“Still what?” He stood and took a step closer to you.

You looked at the floor, unable to meet his eye. “Still be there for me. To still care.”

“Doll, no matter what happens, I will always care about you. Just because we’re not together anymore doesn’t mean I stopped….”

You both awkwardly stood there in silence, neither sure what to say. Finally, you mumbled, “I should go-go check in on Rick.” You turned and started walking down the hall.

Bucky took another step after you as he blurted out, “Why do you cry when you watch Titanic?”

You stopped and turned to face him, confusion etched on your face. “What?”

“When you took that phone call the other night, Rick and I got to talking and he mentioned you always cry at the end of Titanic. You never once even got misty eyed when we watched it. So, what changed?”

“Really? We’re talking about this now? Why does it matter?”

“Because I need to know.”

“Bucky, it doesn’t matter! It’s just a movie. Who cares?”

“I need to know!”

“You already know!” Pain was etched on your face as you yelled the words. You bit your lip as you looked away.

Bucky nodded sadly. “I have an idea but even if I’m right, what I can’t figure out is if it bothered you that much, why did you keep watching it?”

Softly, you whispered, “I thought it would get easier. Every time, I thought ‘this time will be better. It will hurt less and I’ll know I’ve started moving on’. But every time, it hurt just as bad. Every time Rose promised to always hold on and then immediately let go…. Turns her back on her love…allows him to sink back into the frozen abyss alone…. Just like I did to you.” You finally worked up the courage to look Bucky in the eye. “I promised you I would be there for you, always, but then…. I just left. I don’t know why I thought you would understand why I left when I didn’t understand myself. But…

“After the other night, I really started thinking about us. And about me and Rick. And about why I felt like something was missing with us, but it was there with him, and I think I finally figured it out. It was you. You were what was missing.”

Bucky was taken aback. “What the hell are you talking about? We were together all the time! And if I did go off by myself, I always asked you first.”

“Exactly. And that’s the problem. You never made any decisions for yourself. Everything was always about what I wanted or what I thought about something. Do you remember what you asked me the last time we watched Titanic together?”

Bucky thought for a moment. “Yeah, I asked why we always watched the same movie. Why you never chose a different one.”

“Yes, why I never chose another one. Up until that moment, I hadn’t even realized it was the only thing we ever watched, but it was true. And I also realized why. It was because you always made me pick the movie. Even when I asked you to, you insisted we watch whatever I wanted. And then, I began to realize the same thing happened with everything we did. I always picked where we would go to eat. I always picked which bar we hung out at on Friday night. I always picked where we went on vacation. And every time I asked you for the smallest amount of input, you always just said you were happy with whatever I wanted to do.”

You hesitated for a moment before continuing. “I don’t know if it was left over from whatever HYDRA did to you, made it so you didn’t know how to make your own choices or if it was because you held me up as this beacon of perfection, your savior that could do no wrong and deserved whatever I wanted in this world – don’t you dare deny that, you know that’s exactly how you saw me – But whatever it was, it all just became too much. And even though I couldn’t understand what was happening at the time, I knew that I needed something more.

“And I found that with Rick. When I’m with him, things are different. Sure, he listens to what I want, but he also lets me know what he wants. When I say we should watch Titanic for the hundredth time, he reminds me of a new movie I wanted to see that we both would enjoy. When he doesn’t feel like going out to the Italian restaurant I recommend, he asks if we can just order a pizza instead. He never demands his own way, but he’s not afraid to say what he wants either. I never felt like I was the one making all the decisions, we were just…. partners.

“And that’s what a relationship is supposed to be. It’s taking parts of each person and making something new. With us…. We just became me. And that’s what was missing. There was no you in us. And when I left, I felt like the exact same person I was when we met. A few more scars, a few more wrinkles, but ultimately, I had remained unchanged for four years. But from the moment I met Rick, I transformed, evolved. He challenges me every day, and with him, I feel like I’ve become the best version of myself.”

Bucky didn’t know what to say. He just kind of felt numb. He had always thought the two of you had the perfect relationship until the end, and now you were telling him it was fundamentally screwed up from the beginning. That it was all because of him.

You stared at him expectantly, like you wanted him to say something, but he didn’t have the words to express how he was feeling.

Just then, a doctor rounded the corner and sped up as his gaze landed on you. “Ah, there you are. I’ve been looking all over for you two. Colonel Flag just got out of surgery.”

You turned all your attention to the doctor, your conversation with Bucky all but forgotten. “How is he?”

“Not bad, all things considered. The object penetrated his chest severely, but it only slightly grazed his heart. However, any deeper and he would have been dead in seconds. He was lucky his attacker didn’t get a chance for a second hit. We patched up as much damage as we could, but anytime you have to mess with the heart, complications can arise. At the moment, he is stable and resting but we need to monitor him for the next day or two. He is still unconscious, and we will know more once he wakes up. They will be bringing him back to his room shortly and you can wait with him.”

You threw your arms around the man’s neck. “Thank you so much, doctor! This is…this is so much better than I hoped!”

The doctor blushed slightly and cleared his throat. “Yes, well… as I said, he’s not out of the woods yet. And he will probably have a long recovery, but for now, we are hopeful. Now, I have other patients to see but please let me or one of the nurses know if you need anything.” He patted you on the shoulder and walked away.

Before Bucky could say anything, you whirled around and headed off towards Flag’s room, leaving him to watch you walk away.

Bucky stared at you through the glass window of Flag’s room. Eyes closed as you slumped in the chair next to the bed, anyone could have easily mistaken you for sleeping except for the fact your mouth never stopped moving. Ever since the doctors had brought him back to the room and told you that just talking to Flag was the best thing for him, you had refused to shut up. After the first hour, you had started running out of things to talk about. So, for the next two hours, you had been summarizing the plots to any movie, tv show, or book that popped into your head, adding your own personal opinions and commentaries as you thought of them. Bucky’s favorite had been the twenty-minute tangent you had gone on right in the middle of summarizing Die Hard to explain in emphatic detail why it was, in fact, not a Christmas movie. Now as you approached the three-hour mark, your head was beginning to sag, and your voice was growing scratchy with overuse, but you still refused to quit.

After your last conversation, Bucky had remained out in the hall but he could hear every word you said. He hadn’t been quite ready to face you after the truth about why you had left had finally been revealed. He was hurt and confused at first, but the more he thought about everything, the more he realized you were right. When he started getting his memories back after escaping HYDRA, he had a hard time reconciling the man he had become with the man he used to be. It became so unbearable that he had almost given up the thought of ever finding peace. But then he met you. Well, formally met. You had been working with Steve when they discovered he was the Winter Soldier but a roundhouse kick to the face wasn’t quite what he called an introduction.

From before your first conversation together, you knew who he was and what he had done. And you did not care. You found a way to get through to him, to help him come to terms with everything that had happened and, just like you said, he worshiped you for that. You were the light of his life, his perfect angel who could do no wrong. And it was only now that he realized what kind of pressure that must have put on you. And how in his attempts to give you the world, he really hadn’t given you his true self. Just as you hadn’t realized the truth until it was too late, neither had he. And he was paying the price for it.

But he would have to come to terms with these revelations later. Right now, you needed him. So, Bucky entered Flag’s room with an extra-large coffee he had bought for each of you. Your head lolled lazily towards the door when you heard him approach, but your eyes lit up when you saw the drink in his hand.

“Oh my god, please tell me that one’s for me.”

“Oh, did you want one? I was just really thirsty and thought I would get two for myself.” Bucky smirked.

Rolling your eyes, you held out your hand. “Just hand it over.”

“Magic word?”

“What are you, five? PLEASE, hand it over.”

“I was actually looking for ‘You are the best’ but that works too.” He handed you your cup.

“Well, that goes without saying. Plus, that is more than one word.” You took a long sip of the coffee, a blissful sigh escaping your lips. You smiled up at Bucky. “You remembered just how I like it.”

Bucky chuckled. “Of course I did. You had me pick you up one almost every day. And the one time I got it wrong, you never let me live it down.”

You set the drink down on the table next to you. “Well, who mixes up caramel and hazelnut? They’re not even in the same flavor category.” The smile dropped from your face as you paused and stared down at your hands. “Bucky, about what I said earlier… I just wanted to make sur- Wait..” You stood up and took a step closer to the monitors displaying Rick’s vitals. “That’s not right…. His heart-”

Your words were cut off as the irregular spikes plummeted to a straight line and a continuous *BEEP* filled the air. Your eyes grew wide as panic swept over your face. You placed one hand on his chest as you ran the other through Flag’s filthy hair. “No, no, no, no…. Oh, come on, Rick, don’t do this to me. Come on, baby. I need you, please, don’t do this. You are stronger than this. Please. No, no…”

When nothing changed, you dove for the wall, pounding every call button or emergency alarm you could find. “Help!” The desperation in your voice shook Bucky to his core. “Please! Someone, we need help in here!”

Bucky dashed out into the hall, trying to find a nurse or a doctor. Rushing down to the nurse’s station, he yelled, “We need help in room 806. The patient’s heart stopped.”

Without waiting for a response, he hurried back to the room. You were bent over holding Flag’s hand, tears streaming down your face as you rocked back and forth, muttering, “Please, please, please, please, not like this, please Rick, please baby, please, please, please, please….”

As Bucky heard the flurry of activity in the hall getting closer, he gently tried to pull you out of the way but you lashed out at him wildly. Wrapping his arms around you, he whispered in your ear, “It’s going to be okay, but they need to get to him so they can help him. Come on, doll. Please let go.”

“I can’t leave him.” Through the tears, your eyes looked wild and manic as you stared down at your lifeless boyfriend.

“I promise, I won’t make you leave. We just have to get out of the way. We can just move to the corner, and you’ll still be here while the doctors fix him up.” He took your face in his hands and gently turned your head to look at him. “I swear, I won’t let anyone make you leave until you want to. But we have to move.”

You nod frantically. “Okay, okay.” You kissed Flag’s forehead as you whispered, “I’m still here, baby. I’m not going anywhere, so please, come back to me.”

It looked like it physically pained you to let go of Flag’s hand, but the second you did, Bucky whipped you away from the bed just as a team of doctors and machinery came crashing through the door. Bucky kept his arms tightly wrapped around you as you both watched the team quickly examine the still body. One doctor began performing CPR, but it did nothing to improve the situation. After a moment, another doctor pulled out a defibrillator and slammed the paddles to Flag’s chest. Once everyone was clear, a jolt of electricity was sent coursing through his system. His body jerked harshly on the bed, causing a gut-wrenching sob to erupt from your mouth. Another few shocks, each accompanied by another sob, still did nothing to change Flag’s condition.

By this point, Bucky’s tight grip around your waist and chest was the only thing keeping you vertical. You had collapsed weakly against him, but your eyes never left the bed. A nurse tried to escort the two of you from the room, but Bucky motioned her off. No matter how badly this experience was affecting you, he had promised he would let you stay, even though he was really regretting it. Your entire body was shaking uncontrollably, and a low, continuous wail was tumbling from your mouth. Bucky thought things couldn’t get much worse, but then the doctor pulled out a scalpel.

Bucky turned his head and hid it in your hair as the surgical scar on Flag’s chest was reopened. He had seen enough of this kind of thing back in the makeshift camps when he was a soldier in the 40’s. He had heard the screams, smelt the blood, and watched in horror as good men were hacked up in front of his eyes all in the name of saving their lives. He wanted nothing more than to run from the room, but he wasn’t about to leave you behind.

He suddenly realized that you had stopped shaking in his arms. Instead, you had gone completely rigid. Peaking at your face, he could see it frozen in what could only be described as terror. Eyes wide, jaw clenched, and skin paler than he had ever seen it, not a single muscle in your body so much as twitched as you stared unblinkingly at the bed. A quick glance at what you were looking at left Bucky wishing he hadn’t.

Flag’s chest was currently pried open as a doctor firmly squeezed his exposed heart in an attempt to manually restart it. But still the monitors continued their monotonous steady *BEEP*. Your face looked like it could have been carved out of stone, you were so still and unmoving. The extent of which, suddenly caused Bucky concern.

Muttering in your ear, he said, “Breathe, doll, you have to breathe.” Still, you didn’t flinch, so Bucky tightened his hold on your chest in one quick, jerky movement. “Breathe.”

You involuntarily inhaled, forced by the sudden pressure on your lungs. At the same instance, Flag’s heart monitor jumped to life. You tried to fling yourself at the bed, but Bucky held you back. As the sound stabilized, you crumbled into a mass of tears and sobs in Bucky’s arms. He slowly lowered both of you to the floor where you curled up in his chest, fingers gripping frantically at his jacket.

The doctors ignore the pair of you as they begin wheeling Flag’s bed out of the room. A nurse came over and gently bent down next to Bucky. In a soft, kind voice, she said, “They are taking him into surgery to stitch him back up. It shouldn’t take too long. A doctor will come talk to you once they are done.”

Bucky nodded his thanks, and the nurse gave you a sad smile before exiting. The two of you remained huddled on the floor in a heap, one sobbing uncontrollably while the other was helpless to ease your pain.

Bucky waited outside while the doctor talked to you. He couldn’t make out what was being said, and your stony expression gave nothing away. Finally, the doctor rested a hand on your arm then exited the room. He gave Bucky a sad, tight smile as he passed but didn’t say a word. It didn’t seem like a good sign.

Bucky slowly entered the room. He noticed your forgotten coffee sitting on the table, ice melted and condensation dripping slowly onto the floor. You had collapsed back into the chair, the hood of the oversized jacket Bucky had found for you pulled low over your face, hands shoved deep in the pockets. You were staring numbly at the tiles on the ceiling. Not sure what to expect, Bucky called softly from the doorway, “Hey, doll. What did the doctor say? How is he?”

You were silent for a long moment, not ever acknowledging you had heard Bucky speak. Just as he was turning to leave, to give you some space, he heard you mutter in a flat, monotone voice, “Six minutes….. He was gone for six minutes. They have him stabilized now but they’re not sure what kinds of complications might have happened due to the prolonged lack of oxygen. The doctor said there is a good possibility of some permanent brain dam-dama…” You swallowed hard as your face contorted in pain. You finally looked at Bucky, and he could see the tears threatening to fall. “How is he supposed to be okay after all of this? Even if he pulls through, what kind of life is he gonna have?”

Bucky hurried to your side, resting his hand on your arm. “You don’t know yet what condition he’ll be in. You said the doctor told you it’s just a possibility. He might be fine.”

You shook your head violently. “No, Buck… I mean, how is he supposed to be okay after everything, not just the brain stuff. I…I saw his heart. I saw his literal heart.” Your eyes took on a haunted quality as you stared shellshocked at the memory. “I have seen so many horrific, unspeakable things in my life. Things that haunt my dreams every night. But I have never seen something as terrible a- as terrible as watching them cut him open like a Thanksgiving turkey, and seeing his still, lifeless heart sitting unmoving in his chest. I can’t unsee it. Everywhere I look, every time I close my eyes, all I see is his unbeating heart and I can’t…” You pulled your legs up into your chest, wrapping your arms tightly around them.

Bucky thought about the ring that was still sitting in his pocket. Was now the time to give it to you? Would you be comforted knowing that Flag loved you so much he wanted to marry you, or would the idea that he might never get the chance be too much for you to bear? But he had promised to give it to you….

Bucky reached into his pocket but just as he opened his mouth to speak, he saw a sudden shiver pass through your body. Your face took on a sickly green hue as you bolted from the room, Bucky worriedly followed close on your heels. You made it halfway down the hall before realizing you weren’t going to make it to the bathroom. Instead, you plunged your head into the nearest trash can as you vomited violently. Bucky softly began rubbing your back as convulsed for a second time. Finally, you weakly collapsed back against the wall, chest heaving as you tried to catch your breath. Glancing over at Bucky’s concerned face, you just muttered, “You don’t happen to have any gum, do you?”

Bucky blinked in astonishment. “What was that?”

“What was what?”

“That! You just got sick. And don’t tell me it was because of what we were talking about. I’ve seen you handle some of the grossest, goriest things imaginable without even blinking. Has this happened before? I’m pretty sure Quinn mentioned you got sick before I came to get you. That’s it, I’m finding someone to check you out.”

“Buck, stop. I’m fine.”

“No, I told you. You should have gotten checked the minute we got here. You had a damn building fall on you. For all we know, you have massive organ failure or are bleeding out internally.” He started to look around for a nurse.

“No, Bucky. I said I am fine. I don’t need to be checked out.”

Bucky ignored your pleas as he continued down the hall looking for help. “It’ll just take a few minutes. We should have done this hours ago. We need to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m pregnant.”

Bucky instantly froze as his blood ran cold. Slowly, he turned to face you. “You’re what?”

“I’m pregnant. Almost three months.” You wrapped your arms around your middle, avoiding his eyes as you bit back tears.

Bucky didn’t know what to say. He opened and shut his mouth a few times before the words just tumbled out, “Is it Flag’s?”

“No, it’s yours….What do you think, you ass? Of course, it’s Rick’s!” You furiously push past him as you head back towards Flag’s room. “Is that seriously the kind of girl you think I am? Fuck you.”

Bucky hurried after you. “I’m sorry. I-I just hadn’t realized you were trying for a kid.”

“We weren’t.” You sighed as you reached Flag’s door. While you were gone, they had wheeled him back in and you gazed longingly through the glass, your finger tracing his sleeping form. “But you know how it is. The adrenaline after a mission, the rush of still being alive. Mistakes happen. Precautions aren’t always taken.”

Bucky did know. Your legs wrapping tightly around his bare waist as your fingers curl into his hair. Lips smashing together, bodies melding into one, his metal hand slipping lower- Bucky quickly pushed down the memory. It wasn’t his place to think about you like that anymore. Especially now….

“Does he know?”

You shook your head softly. “No, I just found out the other day. After everything that happened at the bar the other night, I only ended up taking a few sips of that beer. Yet, the next morning, I was as sick as that time Thor and Steve challenged us to a drinking contest. So, I had someone at the prison check me out. I just never thought…. I was planning on telling him as soon as we got back.”

“Why did you still go? Once you knew.”

“I didn’t have a choice.” When you turned to look at him, Bucky saw a spark of actual fear in your eyes. “You don’t know Amanda Waller. She’s the most ruthless, cruel, stone-cold bitch I’ve ever met. And she had just enough leverage on me and Rick to make us do what we were told. Though I don’t think even she would have the balls to actually ever come after me, she knows who I used to team up with, who my friends are. But Rick… His ex-girlfriend was the team’s first mission. She was possessed by the spirit of… you know what, it doesn’t matter. Waller used her to get Rick to do whatever she wanted, then kept records of everything that made it seem like he was dirty. So, if either of us tried to go against her, she would destroy Rick.

“When I told her I was pregnant and I had to bow out of the mission, she refused to let me. Said everything was already a go with me on the team and she didn’t have time to change the plan. Well, I told her I had had enough of her bullshit, and I didn’t give a fuck about what she tried to do to me, but I wasn’t going.” Your shoulders sagged as you bowed your head. “But then she told me the whole plan. How there were two teams going to Corto Maltese, one as a distraction and one as the real deal. And the distraction team had left minutes ago, led by one Colonel Rick Flag. She said the only chance he had of making it out of there alive was for me to lead the second team. What else was I supposed to do? Plus, she said the second team’s part of the mission was supposed to be pretty safe. I thought everything would be okay.”

Bucky could understand your reasons for going, but it still didn’t explain your behavior afterward. “Okay, I get why you went, and it does seem like it was really your only option. But why haven’t you let anyone here check you out? You need to make sure everything’s okay, and not just with you.”

“….Because I’m scared.” The answer came out barely a whisper. Tears filled your eyes as your lip quivered and you wrapped your arms around your stomach. “What if something happened? What if…what if I….lost it? If something happens to Rick, this baby is all I’ll have left of him. I can’t lose it. And after what happened in Corto Maltese…”

“But that’s exactly why you need to be examined. And you need to be resting. And getting fluids and food. “

“I know, okay!” Your dam finally broke as your emotions burst forward, tears streaming down your face as you roared at Bucky. “I know what I should have been doing! But I couldn’t leave Rick. And when I realized he wasn’t going to be improving anytime soon, I told myself to get help then. But I had waited so long, I was afraid of what might have happened because I put it off. Which made me put it off longer, which made me more guilty and worried, and on and on and then Rick DIED for SIX whole minutes, and I wasn’t sure if he was going to make it an-and I… I just….I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO!” You dropped to a crouched position on the floor, face buried in your hands as you sobbed.

Bucky wasn’t sure what to do either. Part of him wanted to scoop you up in his arms and tell you everything was going to be alright. But another part of him knew that there was a chance that everything wasn’t going to be alright, and he didn’t want to give you false hope. And a third part of him was gutted, still trying to process the news that you were carrying another man’s child. Part of him had always hoped you would find your way back to him. But after seeing your devotion to Flag, your earlier revelation about why you had left, and now the kid, that hope had all but disappeared. And it hurt more than he wanted to admit. But right now, you needed him. So, Bucky forced all the worries and all the pain aside and approached your crumpled form.

As he tried to take you into his arms, you pushed him away. He remembered this side of you. The one that needed to show you were strong enough to deal with whatever was thrown at you. The one that would rather crash and burn than accept help. In the past when you got like this, he had just left you alone until you wanted to talk. However, at the moment, he knew that being alone was the last thing you needed. So instead, he wrapped his arms around you tightly, pinning your limbs to your side so you couldn’t escape his embrace. You struggled against him for a few moments before your body and spirit gave out. As you limply collapsed against him, Bucky once again found you sobbing in his arms.

After a while, you calmed down enough that Bucky felt comfortable letting you up. He got to his feet then gently helped you off the ground. You looked embarrassedly at the floor as you mumbled, “Thanks, Buck…. And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I just didn’t know…”

“How I would take it?” You nodded. “Yeah…. I definitely wasn’t expecting that news. Especially not after as much as you said you didn’t want kids when we were together. But now it seems like you’re all in.”

You gave a halfhearted shrug. “I told you, it’s not like I planned this. And besides, Rick…” You trailed off, not quite sure what to say.

Bucky turned his back to you as he whispered, “Oh, so, it was just me you didn’t want to have kids with.”

“Bucky, no! It’s not like that at all!” You walked around until you were once again in front of him, taking his hands in yours. “Rick told me he would like to have kids one day, but I told him the same thing I told you. I wasn’t sure if that was the life I wanted. I loved the lives I had with each of you. Nothing holding us back, free to come and go as we pleased, nothing to worry about but the two of us. And I loved being an Avenger, just like I loved being part of Task Force X, minus Waller. And kids just didn’t fit in either of those lives.”

“So, what changed?”

“At first, nothing. When I found out I was pregnant, I was really close to just having the doctor take care of things right then and there. But then… I had a flash of Rick holding our baby in his arms for the first time, and I have never wanted something so much in my life. And now, I’ve only known about it for less than a week, and if anything happened to it…” Your voice began to shake once again, and you rubbed furiously at your damp eyes. “Damn these stupid hormones! Like I don’t have enough to deal with right now!”

Bucky pulled out a napkin he had crammed in his pocket when he had gone to get coffee and handed it to you. You took the crumpled ball gratefully and blew your nose with a loud, snotty blast. Tucking the nasty, wet lump into your pocket, you smiled softly at Bucky. “Even after all the terrible things I have said to you over the past few days, all the harsh truths I’ve shared, you’re still looking out for me.”

“Always.”

You cupped his face between your hands, forcing him to look you straight in the eye. “Buck, I need you to know, it wasn’t you. I guess I just never seriously thought about kids. With anyone. But I did think about us when I was flying to Corto Maltese. About what we could have had if I had let us. And I think we could have been happy…. I’m sorry I took that from you.”

Bucky shook his head sadly. “No, doll. You didn’t take anything from me. I threw it away. I wasn’t the man you needed me to be. I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier and you’re right. I was so grateful for everything you had done for me, I would do anything to make sure you got anything you wanted. And in the end, I did tie my identity to yours. I think part of me was scared to try to figure out who I was after everything that happened, and it was just easier to latch onto you instead of facing that. But all that ended when you left. I know who I am again. And I am done letting you make all the decisions.” He grabbed your hands from where they still rested on his face, and he began pulling you down the hall.

You stumbled to keep up as you stared, brow furrowed and mouth slightly agape. “Uh, Sarge? What are you doing?”

“I’m taking you to be examined.”

“What? No! We just went over this!” You tried to pull away but between his Vibranium arm and his super soldier strength, you were no match for him.

Bucky just smirked at your futile attempts to escape as he continued dragging you towards the nurse’s station. “We did just go over this. And I said how important it was to get checked out. Plus, I told you, I’m not blindly following what you want anymore. I make my own decisions now.”

You glared at him, but under the halfhearted anger, Bucky could see the hints of a proud smile pulling at the corners of your mouth.

The nurse refused to let Bucky in the room for your examination. He begged, pleaded, demanded, even tried pulling rank, but the answer was still no. On one hand, he understood. The nurse had said it was because they needed to ask you some very sensitive questions and they didn’t want the answers to be influenced by someone else being in the room. However, he still couldn’t get the image of your terrified face as the door closed between you out of his mind. He had sworn to Flag that he would keep you safe, would protect you. But how was he supposed to protect you from this? If something had gone wrong, what was he supposed to do?

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, you emerged from the room. Immediately, you were in Bucky’s arms, tears dampening his shirt. Bucky’s heart plummeted until you whispered, “It’s alright, they said everything was alright with both me and the baby.”

Bucky pulled back to look at you. “Yeah?”

“Yeah!” Tears still streamed down your cheeks, but he could now see the radiant smile that split your face in two.

He pulled you back into his embrace as he stroked your back. “I’m so glad, doll. I really am.”

“They want to put me on an IV for fluids but they’re going to set it up in Rick’s room so I can still stay with him. And I need to get a lot of rest, but we both kind of already knew that.” Your voice dropped to a reverent whisper, “Buck…. I got to hear the heartbeat. It was so strong and-and amazing even this early.”

Bucky felt a twinge in his own heart but ignored it. “Of course this kid’s going to have a strong heart. Look at who its parents are.”

You clutched him even tighter. “Thank you, Sarge. Thank you for everything.”

Bucky was so grateful you couldn’t see his face at that moment. He squeezed his eyes shut as he swallowed hard, trying to keep his breathing even. Just running into you the other day had thrown him for a loop. But these last two days…. Every word, every touch, every embrace. Every time, it made him feel like he was in heaven… just to drag him back to hell as he remembered these moments weren’t really about the two of you. That there was someone else you wanted in his place. And it was all too much. But it didn’t matter. He had made a promise, both to you and to Flag, and Bucky wasn’t going to let either of you down.

So, he stood in the middle of the hall, arms wrapped around the woman he loved, as you basked in the love of another.

An hour later, the two of you were back in Flag’s room. A nurse had set up your IV and you were seemingly nodding off in your chair next to his bed. Bucky was sitting next to you, texting Steve and Sam an update on everything going on here. He didn’t mention your pregnancy, but just said that you had finally been checked out and everything was fine. Once again, they asked how Bucky was handling things, but he ignored the question.

Suddenly, your sleepy voice broke the silence, “What if he doesn’t remember me?”

Bucky tucked his phone away as he leaned over closer to you in his chair. “Why do you say that?”

“They said there may be some brain damage. That it could include stuff like loss of motor function, cognitive issues, and memory loss. We’ve only known each other for less than two years. What if he forgot about me?”

“Doll, you’re not the type of person who can be forgotten.” Especially how it feels to love and be loved by you. Believe me, I’ve tried.

“I’m serious! What if-what if he can’t remember? What would that mean for our future? Our future.” You put a hand softly on your stomach. “How would I be able to tell him we’re having a baby if he doesn’t even remember who I am?”

Bucky sighed. “I wish I had the answer, but I don’t think there is one. But hey, speaking from experience, just because a memory is lost, doesn’t mean it can’t sometimes be found again. HYDRA wiped out who I was, who I knew, everything, but I was able to get it all back. It took time and a lot of work, but it is possible.”

“Sarge, it’s a little different when someone hides your memories versus your brain just deciding to delete them…. But I get what you’re saying.”

“And you don’t know that will happen. The doctors also said there was a chance there won’t be any lasting effects from the lack of oxygen. He may be perfectly fine. You really need to try and not worry about it until we know for sure.”

“I know, but it’s so hard not to think about all the worst cases scenarios.”

“Yeah, well, you’re worrying for two now, and that’s not good. So, for the kid’s sake, try to not dwell on it, okay?”

You sighed heavily. “God damn it. I hate it when you’re right.”

Bucky smiled as he poked your shoulder, leaning even closer so your faces were only a few inches apart. “Ah, come on. It’s bound to happen every once and a while.”

You opened your mouth to return the witty remark, but you both froze as Flag’s vitals picked up speed, both his heart and brain monitors increasing. You ripped the IV out of your arm as you ran to look at the machines. The confusion on your face made it clear you had no idea what the read outs meant, and you rushed to the door. Bucky stood and hurried to your side as you called down the hall for a nurse. But a small groan from the bed caused you both to turn around tentatively.

Ever so slowly, Flag’s eyes flickered open. Cloudy with sleep and pain, they roamed the room, trying to get their bearings. Finally, they settled on you. Flag blinked sluggishly a few times but didn’t show any signs of recognition.

Hesitantly, you took a tiny step towards the bed, and in a small, trembling voice whispered, “Rick?”

For a moment, nothing happened. Then Flag responded in a croaky grunt, “Darlin’? I-I didn’t recognize you for a second.” It felt like all the air was sucked out of the room before…“Were you always this beautiful?”

Sobbing, you threw yourself onto your boyfriend. Flag groaned as you landed on his chest, but he held you there as you tried to pull away. “I’m so sorry,” you wailed, “I’m just-I just-Oh Rick, I thought I lost you!” Burying your face in his neck, you continued to sob uncontrollably. Bucky was actually quite amazed you were still able to produce any more tears after the sheer volume you had cried the past few days, but then again, you were always an overachiever.

Flag muttered soft reassurances to you as he stroked your hair softly, his hands shaking a little as he tried to regain control of his functions. He squeezed his eyes shut as he pressed a firm kiss to the top of your head. This moment felt so intimate and private that Bucky felt that he shouldn’t be watching it. Slowly, he began to leave the room. But just as he started shutting the door, Flag looked over and the two men made eye contact. Neither one said a word, but they both understood what the other was feeling. Flag gave a small nod, his eyes shining with joy and gratitude. And Bucky nodded back, thrilled that it seemed you were getting everything you were hoping for, and hating himself for that small feeling of disappointment deep in his chest.

He closed the door to give the loving couple some privacy and he walked down the hall. Alone once again.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you all for the support and reception to this story! I am so grateful for every like, reblog, and comment!

I have one final part in the works that should be out soon! If anyone wants to be added to the tag list for this or any of my fics, please let me know!

[a-reader-and-a-writer]

The Colonel and the Sergeant (Alternate Ending)

When I was writing the final part of The Colonel and the Sergeant (Part 3), the original last few paragraphs were very different. However, though I loved it, the tone felt off and I decided to change it. So, here is original ending. Let me know which one you guys like better!

TW: Some small sexual references, language

DO NOT READ until after reading the rest of the series

Series Masterlist

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Tag List: @viinchester, @tesla-pigeon, @justmad, @littlestatesman, @lacontroller1991, @n1ght5h4d3-24, @reysorigins, @princessxkenobi, @romanticgumchewer-reactivated, @loverhymeswith, @edgycatx, @river9noble, @emmaflag17, @tanyaherondale, @taternuts, @weallhaveadestiny, @inthetikiroom, @okei888, @fairchildflag, @calaofnoldor, @lanatheawesome

You and Rick stood on the other side of the pavilion, quietly watching as Bucky and Diana talked. You couldn’t hear what they were saying, but you saw Bucky smiling from ear to ear as Diana spoke, his shining eyes never leaving her face. You beamed as you leaned into Rick’s chest.

“I told you they would like each other. I mean, there are very few people left who would understand what it was like living back in the 30’s and 40’s, they’ve both fought in at least one World War, they’ve both had to lose people they care deeply about, they’re both crazy talented fighters as well as being unbelievably strong, and, coincidentally enough, they both care deeply for a man named Steve. Speaking of which, I’ve always said that her morals and views on the world basically made her a female Steve Rogers. Or I guess she’s older, so it makes him a male Diana Prince. But either way…”

“And she’s pretty easy on the eyes.” Rick blanched suddenly, realizing what he just said. “Of course, she’s nothing compared to you, darlin.”

You rolled your eyes. “Uh huh. I may be slightly overconfident when it comes to my self-perception, but I’m not delusional. She’s a literal goddess! She’s freakin’ gorgeous! Look at her! I mean, I wouldn’t kick her out of bed, that’s for damn sure.”

“Really…. That’s interesting…” Rick gave you a coy smile.

You looked at him incredulously. “What do you think’s going to happen? They get together and we all have a fourway?”

Rick shrugged, taking a sip of his beer. “I mean, it would be a little weird for me with it being Bucky and all, but I’m not saying no.”

You smacked him hard on the arm repeatedly. “Richard Flag! We are about to be parents……… don’t tempt me with those kinds of ideas.”

Rick snorted in surprise, leading to a thunderous coughing fit as his drink ended up in his nose. He stared at you in disbelief for a moment before his shock melted into adoration. He shook his head as he pulled you in close and just before his lips met yours, he growled, “I fuckin’ love you.”

You smiled back, reflecting the same love and affection that was on Rick’s face. “I fuckin’ love you too.”

And as you pressed against your fiancée’s lips, while your baby softly shifted within you, and your best friend chatted happily nearby, you realized you had never been happier.

[anniesocsandgeneralstore]

@a-reader-and-a-writer requested: 24. Letters to Santa

Romanticgumchewer's Christmas Spectacular - DAY FOUR - Santa's Mailbox (AU!Rick Flag x AU!OC))

Summary: Foxglove gets really into Christmas and Rick has never really understood the tradition of the North Pole Village downtown...that is until Delphia drags him there with all her Christmas cheer.

Pairing: Tattooist!Rick Flag x Florist!OFC (Delphia Holman)

Word Count: 2602

Warnings: flufffff, hallmark levels of cheese factor going on, rick flag is in love

if i go masterlist

The Little Flower Market was decked out for the Christmas season. There was a wreath on the door, lights strung up over the awning, the window display was a beautiful scene from the Nutcracker itself — cotton-covered table for snow, a little nutcracker and ballerina, frosted trees and all. The inside was completely changed for the season as well. Poinsettias were the only flower for sale. Ornaments and custom wreaths lined the walls, garland and ribbons in beautiful sparkling gold, silver, green, and red.

The shop was packed with people, Christmas music blaring over top of all the excited chatter. Their little town of Foxglove was famous for only two things: A senator sex scandal (which no one liked to talk about) and The North Pole Village. People traveled from all over the state, all over the country even, to get just a hint of the Christmas spirit that seemed to pour from the place during this time of year.

And it seemed like The Little Flower Shop was the place to be — or at least that was how it felt to Rick Flag as he walked into the place at what he thought was closing time. He also felt that he didn’t seem to match the general excitement and dress of the crowd. He had not gotten the memo that he was supposed to wear the ugliest red and green thing in his closet — but Delphia definitely had.

She was standing behind the cash register with a grin as wide as her face. A reindeer headband was on top of her head and she was wearing a red and green striped Christmas sweater, a scene of snowmen with real carrot-shaped buttons and pompoms sewed onto it. It was hideous, and it made Rick nearly burst out laughing. When she spotted him from across the shop her smile only grew, her hand instantly shooting up into the air to wave at him.

He moved his way through the people with polite excuse mes, and when he finally reached the counter it felt like it had taken him ages.

“Isn’t it five minutes till close?” Rick asked her as he glanced over at the woman next up in line to check out.

“We’re staying open later cause of the Village,” she explained at a rapid pace before turning to the woman, “Just one second Judy — Cleo’s coming to relieve me.”

Rick internally groaned. The Village. To others, it may have been a source of Christmas cheer, but to him, it was only a nuisance. For nearly an entire month four streets in the middle of town were blocked off from all traffic and it made driving to and from work a chore. And when he mentioned to Delphia that he had never actually been to it, she practically demanded that they go for at least one evening. He had rolled his eyes but relented.

Judy, a plump, older woman with a severe grey fringe grinned up at Rick. “You two goin’ on a date?”

“Uh, yeah?” Rick replied with a furrowed brow, watching helplessly as Delphia disappeared into the back to fetch Cleo.

Judy put a finger to his arm. “You take care of that one — we’re all rather fond of her.”

“So am I, ma’am,” he said, a soft smile that no one would ever guess a man like that was capable of producing, pulling at the corner of his mouth.

“Oh, Judy.” A small, ancient-looking woman peeked out from around her shoulder. “I think he’s in love with her.”

Before Rick could refute, or say anything at all really, Delphia was coming back out from the backroom with an exasperated-looking Cleo in tow. She smiled at him as she untied her apron and hung it on the hook behind the register, grabbing her coat instead.

“You ready to go?” she asked sweetly.

“Er — yeah. Yeah. Let’s get goin’.” Rick grabbed her outstretched hand as she walked around the counter, keeping a wary eye on those nosy old ladies.

“You two have fun now!” Judy called to them as Rick pulled her towards the door.

The chilled night air had a slight bite to it, nipping at their cheeks and noses as they practically burst through the front door of the shop and out onto the sidewalk. Delphia quickly pulled out her earmuffs and clapped them over her ears — overtop the antler headband of course. And if Rick thought the inside of The Little Flower Market was festive, downtown Foxglove was absolute madness.

Every street lamp was tied up with a larger-than-life, lit-up candy cane. Every storefront was lined with lights and garland. And it only got more and more festive the closer to the actual town square they got. The courthouse at the center was all aglow, lights strung from the center spire cascading down to create a canopy of sparkling wonder over the entire square. There were temporary booths set up all over the closed-off streets that sold handmade ornaments, home knitted scarves and hats, hot cocoa, mulled wine, beer cheese soup and sausage. There was an entire elf village for children to play in, a temporary ice rink for skating, actual reindeer for people to feed carrots to, and of course an opportunity to meet the Santa and Mrs. Claus. But the piece de resistance was Santa’s Mailbox.

“Did you bring your letter?” Delphia asked as they moved towards the North Pole Village.

Rick hung his head with a sigh, feeling the envelope deep in his Carhart pocket. “Yeah, I brought the letter.”

“Did you write anything?” she questioned skeptically.

“I wrote somethin’,” he defended, “I just don’t see what the big deal is.”

“The big deal — ? Rick.” She looped her arm through his with a serious look on her face that he couldn’t help but smile at. “You’ve lived in Foxglove for three years and you have not once been to the North Pole Village — you haven’t put your letter to Santa in the mailbox yet. It’s tradition when you live here.”

“Yeah, for little kids maybe.”

Delphia looked up at him from beneath her lashes, antlers flopping with her harsh movement. “Rude.”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that — I — “ Rick huffed, a heat creeping up his neck.

“I know what you meant.” She bumped his shoulder with hers and he sighed in relief. “Christmas is a bit childish — but it’s also magic and joy and generosity. And who wouldn’t want to get in on that?”

The way she looked up at him then, cheeks pinked by the bitter cold and a grin on her lips, Rick really wanted to kiss her. To maybe siphon off of her just a little bit of that magic, that joy, that generosity that she described. Because he wanted to feel it, he wanted to feel it so badly for her. For this woman that had brought so much magic, joy, and generosity into his life already — just in a few short months. But he just wasn’t feeling it yet. He never had been good at getting into the Christmas spirit. Made even worse now that he was an adult with responsibilities and no real place to go for the holidays besides his empty house.

But there were two days till Christmas — and Delphia Holman, that cute little flower shop owner, had invited him to her house for Christmas Eve dinner, to stay the night and enjoy presents with her in the morning. She admitted to him with a look of guilt that she had already bought him five presents, and that she hoped that was okay. God, it was more than okay. It was more than he had ever gotten from someone in his entire life and he didn’t know what to do with it all. With all that kindness she gave him with no strings attached, expecting nothing in return. How was it that she could be so soft in all the places he wasn’t and she still cared about him? Still had feelings for him?

The beauty of the North Pole Village couldn’t be denied though. It was breathtaking. As they stepped into the pedestrian-filled street, it was like walking into a postcard. Or a super cheesy Hallmark movie. There were people everywhere. Lined up to meet Santa, petting the reindeer in the pen, admiring the decorations. Children screamed in delight as they ran through the elf village, couples giggled together as they held hands and glided across the ice. And while Delphia looked around at it all with a sigh, a grin, and a look of pure wonder on her face — Rick couldn’t help but look at her instead.

“Come on, let’s skate!” she said, taking his hand and pulling him towards the rink.

Rick was used to people staring at him. He was a big guy and with all the tattoos people gave him sideways glances a lot. But he had to wonder, as people looked over at the two of them while they skated, what people were thinking. And that was something he had never considered before — what other people thought of him. But he had to consider that the two of them together was a sight. He was wearing his usual all-black, hair slicked back and neck tattoos on full display. While Delphia couldn’t have been more opposite in her bright pink puff coat and matching earmuffs, her bright red hair flowing behind her as they moved across the ice.

Delphia expertly spun so that she was skating backwards, her hand reaching out to hold his loosely so she wouldn’t fall. She laughed as she looked at him, hair whipping in her face. Rick smiled softly in return.

He would never let her fall. Not ever.

After they had skated their fill they got some beer cheese soup, sausages, and warm pretzel bread. They shopped around, Delphia unable to resist a little Santa ornament made from a lightbulb. And the more activities they did, the more and more Rick was starting to feel that Christmas cheer. In every encouraging smile Delphia threw his way, in every giggle of hers that rang in his ears like church bells, in every gentle touch she would give his fingers or his arm. She was passing off the magic, the joy, the generosity.

“Wanna meet Santa?” Rick asked with a chuckle as they walked by the little stage where he sat on a golden throne, a screaming baby on his jolly lap.

“Oh, God, no,” she laughed, “Meeting Mrs. Claus is fun though — she gives you recipes if you ask. Wanna do it?”

His face fell. “I was only joking.”

“I thought so,” she said with an understanding smile, “Come on, let’s go drop our letters in the mailbox.”

Santa’s Mailbox was right next to the courthouse with its own pergola strung up with lights and a small line of people in front of it waiting to drop their letters in the slot. It was an oversized, red mail dropbox with a wreath on the top and the same cloth sign pinned to the front they had been using for nearly thirty years that said: “to the North Pole”. Rick sighed as he stepped in line with Delphia at his side, hands stuffed inside his coat pockets to feel the letter there again.

He wrote it last night. Though he had struggled to begin writing a letter to Santa for the first time in a very, very long time, once he started he found he couldn’t stop. He filled the entire page with wishes and longings he had never put much thought into. None of it was physical, however. He had everything he would ever need in that regard. Rick glanced over at Delphia. At her bouncing excitedly on her toes and then looking over at him with such joy and love in her blue eyes that it made his insides feel like they were melting.

“What’d you ask for?” she asked as they finally stepped up to the mailbox.

The envelope she pulled out of her pocket was bright red and Rick laughed. Of course it was.

“I can’t tell ya that,” he said as he pulled out his own envelope, smoothing his thumbs over the paper almost anxiously.

“So you’ve gotta believe in the Christmas magic a little bit.”

He watched her plant a kiss on her red envelope before she slipped it into the slot. Rick was quick to come up behind her and fling his in as quickly as possible, hopeful that no one actually saw him do it. Then the pair of them ducked out from under the pergola so the next person could put in their letter.

“One last thing I gotta show ya,” Delphia said.

She slipped her hand into his pocket and interlocked their fingers. There was a little alley in between a coffee shop and art gallery off to the side of the North Pole village. It was usually bedecked with chairs for coffee shop patrons to enjoy their beverages and the brick walls painted with elaborate murals from the gallery artists. But at this time of year the chairs and tables were moved inside and a beautiful tunnel of lights was set up from one end of the alley to the other. And when Rick and Delphia walked up to the alley’s open gated entrance, there wasn’t a single soul around.

“S’beautiful,” Rick commented as they stepped through the gate.

“Isn’t it? S’my favorite place when the Village is set up. It’s always quiet — thought you would like it.”

“I don’t want you to think I haven’t been enjoyin’ myself,” he said, “Cause I have. I’ve loved spendin’ time with you, baby.”

A blush instantly overtook her face as she looked towards her boots. That was the first time he had ever called her baby. But it felt good and right and he wasn’t about to take it back. She squeezed his hand inside his coat pocket.

“Me too,” she whispered bashfully.

They walked under the tunnel of light in silence for a while. Rick wanted to tell her what he wrote in that letter. Because it was this. All he asked for, what he filled an entire page with, was to be with her. Because even though she was soft and he was hard, even though she was pastels and he was all black, even though she was sunshine and he was thunderstorms, he loved her. I love her, I love her, I love her he had written. And it felt so good to get it off his chest, even though it didn’t feel like the right time to say it out loud.

“Hey — um — “ she started as they came to a stop at the other end of the alley, “Why don’t you stay the night tonight, too? We can order pizza and watch a movie, maybe? I’ve got those old claymation specials on DVD.”

“Sounds perfect,” he replied easily.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Rick spotted the mistletoe hanging from the arch right over the top of their heads. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he pulled his hands free from his pockets and cupped her cheeks — cold to the touch but warming with a blush. He hoped she could feel his love in these gentle touches — could know before he said a thing. And as his eyes slipped shut and he eagerly pressed his lips to hers, he knew.

She felt all that Christmas magic, joy, generosity, and love.

Taglist (if you would like to be tagged in future installments, just let me know!): @bbygrgu @a-reader-and-a-writer @slayerx147 @xoxabs88xox @kasey-puff @witchygagirl @the-pink-petite-princess @blooo0ooop @woodlandmouth @csigeoblue @rexorangecouny @h-hxgirl @thisisthewayrose @blondiekook @darkestbeforethedawn16 @runic-belova @weallhaveadestiny @oopsiedoopsie23 @nerdgrrlramblings @ocfairygodmother @reysorigins @hawsx3

[anniesocsandgeneralstore]

@loverhymeswith requested: 10. Putting up lights around the house and someone falls from the roof

Romanticgumchewer's Christmas Spectacular - DAY FIVE - Arose Such a Clatter (Rick Flag x OC)

Summary: Dee has always dreamed about having a house with beautiful lights all aglow for the Christmas season and Rick wanted to see that dream come true....no matter the cost I guess.

Pairing: Rick Flag x OC / Squad Family & OC (Delphia Holman)

Word Count: 1222

Warnings: fluff, falling from a roof, injury

Timeline: December 2021

if i go masterlist

A/N: please look at the timeline date before reading, all of these Christmas pieces are taking place different years!

“Babe, I’m gonna be fine! Go back inside!” Rick called.

He was standing on the roof of their house in North Carolina, tool belt slung around his hips and a massive pile of Christmas lights piled at his feet. While he was gathering the lights and climbing the ladder not minutes ago, he recalled all those December’s in their Louisiana apartment when Delphia would tell him that she couldn’t wait to have a house to string lights on. Now, they had the house, it was December, and he was determined to make her long-time dream come true.

“Are you sure?” Delphia yelled back, arms wrapped tight around herself to stave off the cold, “I could get Abner or somebody to be up there with you!”

“I got this!” he laughed, “Just go inside, baby girl!”

“Fine, fine.” She raised her arms in defeat as she disappeared from his view.

Rick grinned in triumph. He knew the last few months had been stressful for her, with moving states and housing a bunch of criminals. And he just wanted to do something special for her that she had always wanted. To show his appreciation for everything she had been doing.

The measurements were taken, the lights were checked and untangled, the correct equipment had been purchased. Now it was all a matter of lining the gutters and windows with beautiful, twinkling lights.

He started placing the light clips into the gutters first, making sure to space them out so there were plenty to use for the windows after as he moved along the porch roof to reach the upper gutters. He stood back with his hands on his hips once he was done. Admiring the work that took him less time than he thought, he smiled to himself. He was going to be done in record time — maybe even in time for lunch.

Then he took another step back, thinking there was plenty of room but that he was farther away from the lights he needed to string up. But then he felt his boot catch on the gutter, his balance tip. For a moment Rick thought he could correct himself, put all his weight on his other foot and throw out his hands to steady. The pull of gravity was too strong, however, and suddenly he felt weightless.

Plummeting towards the frosted ground.

Delphia had reluctantly gone inside. She just had a feeling that Rick stringing up the lights by himself was a bad idea. But she couldn’t deny the excitement at having a fully decorated house that was all her own.

Now she sat reading in the front room with Abner, sat at the couch that had its back pressed up against the windows that overlooked the front yard. It was easy, while she sat there and read about the myth of King Midas and its historical connections to the Turkish settlements of the Greek empire, to almost forget that Rick was outside on the roof. To forget all her worries and focus on something that she enjoyed and intrigued her.

But it vaguely itched at the back of her mind when she saw a dark shape fall past the window and a thump echo from outside. Abner looked up from his own fantasy novel from the armchair beside the couch with a furrowed brow. He and Delphia looked at each for a moment, both of them wondering if the other saw what could have been a figment of their imagination through the window.

Delphia decided to set down her book and investigate first. What she found didn’t necessarily surprise her, but it was a culmination of all her fears and a wave of panic instantly took over. There, lying in the grass by the sidewalk, was Rick flat on his back.

“Oh, my God!” Delphia gasped as she shot up from the couch.

She didn’t even bother to put on her shoes before she was yanking open the door and running outside. The ground was freezing to her socked feet but she didn’t care. Rick was laying spread eagle on the ground after falling at least twelve feet — he could be seriously hurt. He had probably been through worse in his life, but it was still terrifying.

“Rick!” she yelled as she dropped to her knees at his side, checking him for wounds or injury, “Are you okay? Is anything hurt?”

He groaned as he peeled open his eyes. He seemed okay. Nothing appeared broken or out of place. He was definitely going to be feeling it for the next few days — but at least he hadn’t landed funny or worse: on his head.

“Just my pride,” he grumbled.

Delphia sighed in relief. “Come on — let’s get you inside. Can you move?”

“Yeah, yeah.” With her assistance, Rick slowly sat up, feeling a sharp pain go up and down his spine with a wince. “Did — Did anyone else see that?”

“Just Abner,” she replied, smoothing a hand over the back of his head to make sure he wasn’t bleeding or anything, “He wouldn’t tell anybody — and if he does I’ll beat him up.”

Rick huffed in response. Then he allowed Delphia to help him to his feet and lead him inside with an arm around his waist. Every step ached, his back screaming at him to just lay back down in the dirt and hope he sank into the earth. He was now remembering fondly a time when he would bounce right back up from a fall like that. And all that pain was only serving to remind him that he wasn’t a young man anymore — and that maybe he should have had somebody up on the roof with him.

Hours later, Rick was still laying up in bed — Delphia had even brought him his lunch. He was laying on his stomach with a heating pad and an ice pack laying across his spine all at once. It now only really hurt when he moved, but what ached more than anything was definitely still his pride.

“Hey, baby,” Delphia said as she crept into the room, “You doin’ okay?”

“M’alright,” he muttered as he attempted to sit up.

A grimace pulled at his face as the ice pack and heating pad slipped from his back. He then moved up the bed so he could sit up against the headboard.

“You sure we don’t need to go to the doctor?” she asked as she stuffed the heating pad back behind him.

“I’m sure,” Rick sighed, “Just feel bad I didn’t finish the lights for ya.”

She sat down on the edge of the bed and gave him a look. “Rick, I appreciate you wanting to fulfill my Christmas decor dreams — but I don’t want you killing yourself over them either. As long as you’re with me on Christmas…I don’t need anything else.”

“What about the food?”

“Okay, yes, the food is pretty important.”

“And the movies?”

“Hmm, you have a point.” She smiled as she leaned closer to him. “I do love Christmas — but I love you more.”

“Wow,” he whispered with lifted brows, “Now that’s sayin’ somethin’.”

Delphia kissed him soft and sweet, but when he moved to deepen it he winced something fierce — his back spasming.

“Maybe we just stick to cuddles and White Christmas?” she suggested.

“That sounds perfect.”

Taglist (if you would like to be tagged in future installments just let me know!): @bbygrgu @a-reader-and-a-writer @slayerx147 @xoxabs88xox @kasey-puff @witchygagirl @the-pink-petite-princess @blooo0ooop @woodlandmouth @csigeoblue @rexorangecouny @h-hxgirl @thisisthewayrose @blondiekook @darkestbeforethedawn16 @runic-belova @weallhaveadestiny @oopsiedoopsie23 @nerdgrrlramblings @ocfairygodmother @reysorigins @hawsx3

[anniesocsandgeneralstore]

@a-reader-and-a-writer requested: 1. "Are you eating cookies right now? It's 3 AM! "If Santa can do it so can I."

Romanticgumchewer's Christmas Spectacular - DAY SIX - Milk and Cookies (AU!Rick Flag x AU!OC)

Summary: Deadknight and Colonel Holman have to stay late in the office on Christmas Eve going over new prisoner profiles - and as the night goes on, neither of them really want it to end.

Pairing: Criminal!Rick Flag x Colonel!OC (Delphia Holman)

Word Count: 1519

Warnings: language, enemies to lovers (strictly reluctant coworkers in this lol), sad vibes, missing home

if i go masterlist

A large stack of paper fell onto Delphia’s desk with an unceremonious thump. She looked up from wasting time in her empty email inbox, to see Waller smirking down at her with a very Grinch-like twinkle in her eye.

“New inmate profiles,” she explained, “I want all of these assessed and on my desk before you leave today. Merry Christmas.”

Waller spun on her heel and walked out of Delphia’s office with a saunter, letting the door shut gently behind her. Of course she would do this on Christmas Eve while she went home to her empty penthouse apartment, or her torture dungeon — wherever it was that she lived. There was no way this many new inmates had been processed just this week. Waller had been saving them up just for this precise moment of torture.

“Jesus, what’d you do to deserve that?” Deadknight asked from the little desk in the corner she had exiled him to.

“I have no idea,” she sighed, picking up the first few papers from the foot-thick stack and beginning to read.

It realistically could have been a mirade of things. That time Delphia went against direct orders in order to save a teammate. That time Delphia pointed out a stain on Waller’s blouse in front of a few people in the hallway. That time Delphia had made a not so discreet joke about her while on mission, knowing that everyone in the control room could hear. Maybe this was payback for all of those things. Waller abided her time long enough and concocted the perfect revenge. Keep Delphia for as long as possible on Christmas Eve knowing that she had plans to fly out and be with her parents for Christmas Day.

What a bitch.

Delphia heard Deadknights chair screech as he pushed away from his desk. And she did her best to just keep her head down and not acknowledge him at all. Abner Krill, calls himself Polka-Dot Man, literally shoots polka-dots at people. But then his large frame, bedecked in prisoner’s orange, was in her direct peripheral. He picked up about half of the stack of profiles and then walked back to his desk. She took in a deep breath when he was finally out of her presence. Intoxicating and infuriating all at once. Shameful and hopeless.

Her phone vibrated wildly on her desktop, the sound echoing in the quiet space. Her mom was calling. Shit.

She answered the phone with a sigh. “Hey, Mom.”

“Hi, Ducky, just calling to make sure you’re okay. You usually call when you get to the airport — “

“I’m not at the airport.”

She looked over her shoulder to see Deadknight already staring at her, red pen between his fingertips and an unreadable expression on his face. She really wished he wasn’t here right now.

“Amanda?” Fanny asked with a knowing tone.

“Yeah, Waller.” A childish sort of frustration tugged at her heart, squeezed at her chest. “I’m gonna catch the next flight as soon as I get off.”

“Alright, Ducky. Just don’t rush and stress yourself out. I know how you get.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Delphia rolled her eyes with a little smile. “I’ll call you as soon as I get to baggage claim.”

“Well, send us the details and we can track your flight — pick you up from the airport,” Fanny suggested, pots and pans clattering in the background.

“No, you guys aren’t picking me up. It’ll be late — or early. Whatever. I’ll just grab a taxi or something.”

“Alright, alright. Your dad doesn’t like it but we’ll stay home,” she said, “Just be safe, okay?”

“Okay, okay,” Delphia sighed, swiveling her chair and catching a glimpse of Deadknight again.

His head was bent over his desk, but the pen in his hand definitely wasn’t moving. He was listening in.

“I love you, Ducky,” her mom said.

“Love you too!” her dad called in the background.

It all hit her at once. A kind of longing that ripped and tore at her insides. A desperate need that she hadn’t felt since her first deployment. Tears pricked the backs of her eyes as she sat up in her seat. No, she wouldn’t cry. She couldn’t cry. Not when Deadknight was sitting right there.

“Love you guys, too,” she replied, voice wavering despite all her attempts at control.

“Merry Christmas, Ducky.”

“Yeah, Merry Christmas.” She sniffed, fist thumping harshly into her thigh to keep her tears from falling. “Bye.”

She wanted to be home. She wanted a hug from her mom and her dad to smack her harshly on the shoulder with a smile. She wanted her mom’s homemade mulled wine. She wanted to curl up on the carpet in front of their old wood burning fireplace with their cat and just forget about everything for one goddamn second. She wanted to feel like it was Christmas. She didn’t want to be in this stupid office, with this stupid paperwork, with stupid Deadknight sitting in the corner.

Her vision blurred with tears as she shot up from her desk.

“I’m gonna go take a lap — you, stay there.” She pointed vaguely at Deadknight.

“Yes, ma’am,” he grumbled.

Out in the hallway, it seemed cooler and more open than in her office. No eyes watching her. Only the blank linoleum floors and bright fluorescent lights keeping her company. And as she went down the hallway at a brisk march, those frustrated, childlike tears finally fell.

It was over an hour before she finally came back. Every time she even came near her office door a fire ignited in her chest that wouldn’t allow her to go inside. At this point, she was just pissed off. What she wanted to do was march down to Waller’s office, even though she knew she wouldn’t be there, and tell her that she wasn’t doing the evaluations. She was going home for Christmas. But Waller was her superior and the Army had ingrained in her that she was supposed to respect those in charge, no matter how shitty they are.

And when she did manage to go back inside her office, she found Deadknight sitting there with his feet thrown up on his desk and a sugar cookie between his fingers.

“Are you eating cookies right now?” Delphia looked down at her watch. “It’s three AM!”

“Hey, if Santa can do it, so can I,” he replied with a slight smirk before shoving the entire cookie in his mouth.

She shook her head as she continued towards her desk. Then she noticed that familiar tin sitting by Deadknight’s feet, the lid off and sugar cookies she should have recognized sitting inside. A tin her mother had given her ages ago with Santa’s jolly face painted on the lid, trying to encourage sharing amongst her battalion members.

“Those are my cookies,” she pointed out as she sat back down in her chair, swiveled to face him.

“Yeah, and what exactly were you saving them for?”

“Nothing, I guess.”

She had been saving them for something though. It was meant to be a type of peace offering between the two of them. They had been arguing and fighting a lot recently, more so than usual, and because of the season of forgiveness and generosity, she had decided to make some cookies. The idea was to share them and make up for how shitty they had been to one another. But then she stored them away in her desk and hadn’t brought them back out again. The sentiment and plan were forgotten as soon as he said something else snarky.

“Just give me a damn cookie,” she said, with her hand outstretched.

She caught the one he tossed easily, taking a bite of the easily two week old cookie.

“These things’re dry as fuck,” Deadknight commented, “How long you had these in there for?”

“Like two weeks.”

“Eh — still taste alright, though.”

Delphia shook her head as she opened one of her desk drawers. “Since you were pilfering around in my desk — “

“Oh, pilfering. Way to crack open a thesaurus, Colonel.”

“Shut up.” She glared at his smirking face as she pulled out a brown paper package and tossed it at him. “Thought you would’ve noticed this.”

He stared down at the box with brows furrowed as he pulled his feet from his desk and sat up straight. Delphia had to look away once he started tearing off the paper. A sudden embarrassment, like wildfire, creeping up her neck. Once the tearing and rustling stopped, she looked up to see him holding up a brand new scarf — nearly identical to the one he had used to save her life — dangling from his hand.

“You got me a Christmas present?” he questioned skeptically.

“No — no — “ She pointed a finger at the scarf. “This is just me replacing something that I ruined with a lot of my blood.”

Deadknight leveled her with a look as he wrapped the scarf around his neck. “You got me a Christmas present.”

“Fine, whatever,” Delphia huffed as she turned back to the inmate assessments.

“Merry Christmas, Colonel.”

“Yeah, Merry Christmas, Flag.”

Taglist (if you would like to be tagged in future installments just let me know!): @bbygrgu @a-reader-and-a-writer @slayerx147 @xoxabs88xox @kasey-puff @witchygagirl @the-pink-petite-princess @blooo0ooop @woodlandmouth @csigeoblue @rexorangecouny @h-hxgirl @thisisthewayrose @blondiekook @darkestbeforethedawn16 @runic-belova @weallhaveadestiny @oopsiedoopsie23 @nerdgrrlramblings @ocfairygodmother @reysorigins @hawsx3

[anniesocsandgeneralstore]

@a-reader-and-a-writer requested: 5. I saw mommy kissing Santa Clause

Romanticgumchewer's Christmas Spectacular - DAY EIGHT BONUS - Mommy Kissin' Santa Claus (Rick Flag x OC)

Summary: Leo still believes in Santa. And when he sneaks out of bed to get a look at jolly old Kringle, what he finds is not what he expected.

Pairing: Rick Flag x OC (Delphia Holman)

Word Count: 958

Warnings: language, fluff, suggestive language

Timeline: December 2028

if i go masterlist

A/N: another fic for this Christmas Day because I forgot how to count for some reason. please look at the timeline date before reading, all of these Christmas pieces are taking place different years!

Leo bolted up in bed when he heard a thump echo from downstairs. After living and growing up in the Squad House for the last five years, he had learned not to be troubled by most bumps in the night. It was probably just Auntie Harley doing who knew what. But tonight — it was Christmas Eve. And a noise on Christmas Eve could be none other than Santa Claus himself.

And Leo wasn’t about to miss getting a peek at the man of the hour himself, or any of the gifts he was about to leave under the tree.

Throwing back his dinosaur blankets, Leo jumped from the bed and ran as quietly as he could over to his closed bedroom door. He paused to press his ear to the wood and see if he could hear anything else. Maybe he had just made that thumping sound up.

“Oh! Santa!”

That was his mom’s voice. His mom was getting to meet Santa? That’s so unfair! Leo quickly pulled open his door and dashed out into the hall on tiptoe. He was unsure if trying to catch Santa on Christmas night was considered a bad thing — bad enough to get him on the naughty list just as his presents were getting put under the tree. All of them taken back and replaced with coal. He shuddered at the thought. Maybe it was best if he just stayed on the stairs and tried to catch a quick look. If Santa didn’t see him he couldn’t put him on the naughty list, right?

So Leo took the stairs one at a time, trying to be as quiet as possible. Making sure to avoid the one step he knew was super squeaky (thanks to Cleo’s instruction on how to sneak around the house). Soon enough, he was settled at the bottom of the stairs with the perfect view into the glowing living room where he heard his mom giggling.

He heard boots thumping on the carpet. The soft jingle of bells. And he couldn’t help the wonder struck gasp that escaped him when he caught his first glimpse of that classic red suit by the fireplace.

It was Santa Claus.

“Babe, where on earth did you even get that?” Delphia asked on a chuckle as she lowered herself onto the couch, cup of hot cocoa in hand.

She had just finished wrapping the last few presents and stuffing everyone’s stockings. The mantel above the fireplace was jam packed, but the fullness of it made her happy. This was how Christmas was supposed to be. Full of family that you were born with — and the family you make along the way.

“Picked it up while I was gettin’ Leo’s stocking stuff,” Rick replied as he adjusted the lay of the white beard in the mirror above the fireplace. He turned to her with a performative flair. “I just couldn’t resist.”

It was the entire ensemble. Fake white bear. Red hat with the pompom tip. Red coat and matching pants, boots and belt. He certainly looked the part of Santa Claus, that was for sure.

“He’s gonna lose his little mind if he sees you in that,” she said.

“Ah, I didn’t even think about that! That’s be amazing!”

Delphia eyebrows furrowed as she set down her nearly empty mug of cocoa. “What were you thinking about when you bought it, then?”

She could see a pink tint take over his cheeks through the white hairs of the beard as he moved over towards the couch. “Thought it was…kinda sexy.”

“Sexy?” she laughed.

“Yeah.” He held out a mitted hand to her and she took it with a shake of her head. “Sexy.”

Rick pulled her up from the couch with ease, his hands trailing down her shoulders and sides till they found a home on her hips. He squeezed the flesh gently, a bit more plump than it used to be. Babies and age tended to do that to a person. But he really thought she was all the more beautiful for it. It was like watching Delphia, this woman he had loved for so many years, become more and more herself as the years went on.

“I would make a good young, hot Mrs. Claus,” she commented with a sigh as she played with the collar of his red velvet jacket, “I’ve already got the hair for it.”

“God, you’d make such a hot Mrs. Claus,” Rick groaned, hands roaming over the curve of her ass, “Would I make a good young, hot Santa?”

“Oh, absolutely, baby.”

Delphia grinned as she pulled down the fake beard covering his mouth, the elastic stretching as she finally unveiled his smiling lips. Then she leaned up and kissed him. Soft and sweet and yearning despite all those years behind them. Because there were so many years ahead of them too. And how cherished they were going to be.

A gasp was heard from the direction of the foyer and the stairs. Delphia whipped around, the elastic of the beard smacking back into Rick’s face. In the darkness, she caught a glimpse of bright green pajamas as a little body ran back up the stairs towards his bedroom.

Leo just saw his mommy kissing Santa Claus.

“Well, that’s gonna come back and bite us in the ass,” she sighed as she turned back to Rick who had pulled off the beard completely.

“Yeah,” he sighed, but then he was wrapping her up in his arms again, “But it can come back to bite us in the ass later though. Cause I’m not finished with you yet, Mrs. Claus.”

They fell back in a giggling mess onto the couch, lips exploring and hearts warmed with Christmas cheer.

Taglist (if you would like to be tagged in future installments, just let me know!): @bbygrgu @a-reader-and-a-writer @slayerx147 @xoxabs88xox @kasey-puff @witchygagirl @the-pink-petite-princess @blooo0ooop @woodlandmouth @csigeoblue @rexorangecouny @h-hxgirl @thisisthewayrose @blondiekook @darkestbeforethedawn16 @runic-belova @weallhaveadestiny @oopsiedoopsie23 @nerdgrrlramblings @ocfairygodmother @reysorigins @hawsx3

[anniesocsandgeneralstore]

@loverhymeswith requested: 9. Meeting Santa at the village at the mall and it goes terribly

Romanticgumchewer's Christmas Spectacular - DAY SEVEN - We're All Getting Coal (Rick Flag x OC)

Summary: Dee just wanted to take Leo to meet Santa, maybe get a cute picture to show her parents. That's all she wanted.

Pairing: Rick Flag x OC / Squad Family & OC (Delphia Holman)

Word Count: 540

Warnings: a little language, found family shenanigans, mall chaos

Timeline: December 2022

if i go masterlist

A/N: please look at the timeline date before reading, all of these Christmas pieces are taking place different years! This one ended up just being headcanons because my brain is tired lol

Neither Rick or Delphia liked the idea of meeting Santa at the mall

They hated doing it as kids and they really hadn’t even thought about taking three month old Leo to go see him

But Delphia’s parents practically begged for them to do it, saying it would be so cute and that they should just do it for their sakes

Plus everyone needed to finish their Christmas shopping anyway, so everyone in the Squad Fam was dragged to the mall with them

The little “First Christmas” onesie Leo wears, with the santa face socks and little green hat is too cute for words

Malls are so gross this time of year. They’re packed full of people, children are running about with little to no supervision, it’s so fucking loud out in the concourse areas you can’t hear yourself think, you can’t find anything you’re looking for even though there are so many stores, people are just STANDING where they need to be WALKING. The decorations are always pretty though lol plus warm pretzels and cheese.

The line to meet Santa is long with lots of screaming, unhappy children

But Leo is happy as a clam, being passed back and forth in his parents arms sleeping like a rock

They’re standing there for little under an hour and it’s beginning to be tortuous, plus Leo is finally waking up and starting to get fussy. Of course that happens when they’re only one family away from it being their turn.

Then, slowly but surely, the rest of the Squad Fam joins them in line

Mostly because they’re done with their shopping and are surprised they haven’t gotten the picture taken yet

And by the time they’re stepping up to the plate to go meet the jolly old Kringle, literally everyone is standing there with them. Harley, Cleo, Abner, DuBois, and Nanaue of course (wearing his little fake mustache that Delpiha got him for Christmas last year, so far the disguise seems to be working)

And as soon as Leo is out of Delphia’s arms and in Santa’s lap (which she hates him being in the hands of a complete stranger but this is for her parents and it will only be like five seconds) Leo immediately starts screaming his head off. As baby’s do.

Nanaue instantly starts freaking out cause that’s his homie right there!! And someone is hurting him!!

He rushes the little Santa meet area, Rick is trying with all his might to stop him

They end up knocking over one of the giant ass Christmas trees. Dozens of the bulbs break. The star on top goes flying directly into Santa’s face.

Delphia snatches Leo away while Santa quite literally starts bleeding everywhere

The elves are like “y’all need to leave”

But they start getting too shovey for Harley’s taste and she’s like “oh you want a piece of me sucker” so she grabes one of the giant plastic candy canes and starts wacking elves with it.

“Please, ma’am, it’s Christmas!” “IT’S DECEMBER 10TH”

The whole Squad gets escorted out of the mall by security and get told to never, ever come back

Rick and Dee are like “understandable we don’t really want to come back anyway”

They did however, end up snatching one of the pictures that got printed off. It's perfectly timed to where Leo is beat red and screaming, and Santa is getting hit in the face with the star. Rick and Dee honestly think it's perfect.

The end

Taglist (if you would like to be tagged in future installments, just let me know!): @bbygrgu @a-reader-and-a-writer @slayerx147 @xoxabs88xox @kasey-puff @witchygagirl @the-pink-petite-princess @blooo0ooop @woodlandmouth @csigeoblue @rexorangecouny @h-hxgirl @thisisthewayrose @blondiekook @darkestbeforethedawn16 @runic-belova @weallhaveadestiny @oopsiedoopsie23 @nerdgrrlramblings @ocfairygodmother @reysorigins @hawsx3

[anniesocsandgeneralstore]

@a-reader-and-a-writer requested: "Is-Is Santa real?" "What? No, of course not." "Oh." "(name), you're 30."

Romanticgumchewer's Christmas Spectacular - DAY EIGHT - Breaking the News (Rick Flag x AU!OC)

Summary: Abner, having grown up in a lab, doesn't really understand a lot about Christmas traditions - and when Rick sneaks in Christmas cookies during a holiday mission, he has some questions.

Pairing: Rick Flag x Criminal!OC (Delphia Holman)

Word Count: 1080

Warnings: language, theft mention, decapitation mention, general Squad shenanigans

if i go masterlist

“I’can’t believe we’re goin’ ta New York on Chris’mas Day!” Harley gushed to Delphia on the transport plane over the wind roaring just outside the metal hull. “S’the most magical place this time’a year! The Rockafella tree, the ice skatin’, Times Square.”

“Yeah,” Delphia agreed, even though she had actually never been to New York City before, “Too bad we’re gonna be in the sewers firing out a rat the entire time. No offense, kid.”

Cleo looked up from nearly dozing off in her seat across from them with a smile. “Oh, none taken.”

“Alright, y’all, touchdown’s in ten — and I wanna give y’all somethin’ before we land.” Rick walked back from watching the pilots navigate with a rifle slung across his chest and one hand held behind his back.

“For fuck’s sake, Flag. A Christmas present?” DuBois groaned, “We’re not five.”

From behind his back, Rick pulled out a large circular tin painted green, red, and gold. From her position seated beside him, Delphia could just make out the wintery scene delicately embossed onto the tin’s top. Where on earth had he gotten that from?

“I thought you’d enjoy some Christmas cookies over whatever the cafeteria had cooked up for ya today.”

Rick handed the tin to Delphia first. The smile he flashed her was gentle and full of something else that she took note of with a warm feeling spreading in her gut. He really needed to stop doing that while they were on mission — but she wasn’t about to tell him to. She popped off the lid of the tin easily. The cookies stowed away inside were too nice and well decorated to be hand-made by Colonel Flag himself. But the gesture was still nice. He didn’t have to go out and buy anything for any of them. They were all dirty criminals who were getting what they deserved: life sentences in the worst place on earth. But Rick always saw them as more than that. He saw them as his team and he wanted them to have just one nice thing on Christmas. It made Delphia’s heart squeeze tight inside her chest as she took out a cookie shaped like a Christmas tree.

She passed the tin off to Abner next, who was sitting on her other side. He took out a cookie shaped like Santa himself then handed the tin over to DuBois.

“Where’d you even get these, Flag?” DuBois asked as he took out a cookie.

“Santa gave ‘em to me to pass off to you guys,” Rick responded with a cheeky grin.

“Oh, very funny,” DuBois grumbled before taking a bite of his star cookie.

Abner leaned into Delphia’s side, holding up his Santa-shaped cookie with a furrowed brow, and whispered, “Is — Is Santa real?”

“What?” she asked around a mouthful of the sugary treat, crumbs flying as she looked over at him bewildered, “No, of course not.”

“Oh.” He looked slightly disappointed as he took a small bite from Santa’s red frosting hat.

“Abner…You’re thirty.”

“Yeah, well — “ He heaved a heavy, weighted sigh. “That’s what happens when you grow up in a lab I guess.”

Delphia looked down at her lap. She forgot about that sometimes. Abner’s childhood was somehow even worse than hers. He had a mother, but she experimented on him and his brothers and sisters to the point of death. Even now he still saw her in everyone that he looked at. An ongoing torture that he could never escape from. And of course, that same woman wouldn’t give those kids a real Christmas — or even tell them if Santa is real or not.

“I found out Santa wasn’t real when I was eight — just busted out of Belle Reve,” she said, trying to lighten the mood as they continued to munch on their cookies, “There was a Santa at the Gotham mall, giving away little coloring books and shit to kids who met him. And I thought he’s gotta have better stuff than that. So I followed him after he left for the night and…tried to rob him. I accidentally ripped his beard off.”

“You tried to lift from Santa?” Harley suddenly butted into the conversation.

“Wouldn’t you if he was real?” Delphia questioned back, “Dude’s absolutely loaded up with shit once a year — he would be the ultimate mark.”

“Nah, you know that fat dick’s gotta be packin’ somethin’ on the sleigh,” DuBois chimed in, “At least a shotgun. He’s been doin’ this shit for a long time.”

“One shotgun? Seriously?” Delphia scoffed. “Easy. I’ll wait out behind the chimney. He lands the sleigh. I cut off his head with Ether and then I’ve got the magic bag full of presents. Easy.”

“What about the reindeer?” Cleo questioned, “You can’t just leave them attached to the sleigh to die.”

“Fine — fine. I cut the reindeer loose and send them back home. Then I’m off with all the goodies. The ultimate pull.”

“Somethin’ is seriously wrong with you people,” Rick said, face pulled back in bewilderment at the conversation they were having.

“Thought you knew that already, Flag,” Delphia replied with a smirk.

“I thought I did. But now yer talkin’ about murderin’ and stealin’ from Santa. That’s just messed up.”

The transport plane landed with a thump and slowly came to a stop. An “unscheduled” flight into JFK. The back ramp opened up once the plane was pulled into the correct spot where no one would see them getting off and everyone on the team unbuckled. Everyone shuffled out of the plane one at a time, Rick standing at the top of the ramp to make sure that there were no stragglers. But of course, there weren’t. That team would follow him anywhere. Not because of the bombs in their necks, but because he was a good man who brought them Christmas cookies when he didn’t have to.

Delphia was the last in line to go down the ramp. Whether that was by accident or design no one could really know for sure. Except Delphia and Rick though. They knew. They knew all too well that she hung back on purpose, took the extra time and care into unbuckling her seat belt, and made sure that all of her gear was good to go.

She squeezed his arm as she walked past him, paused at just the right moment to see him mouth so the comms wouldn’t pick up what he had to say.

Merry Christmas, Dee.

Taglist (if you would like to be tagged in future installments, just let me know!): @bbygrgu @a-reader-and-a-writer @slayerx147 @xoxabs88xox @kasey-puff @witchygagirl @the-pink-petite-princess @blooo0ooop @woodlandmouth @csigeoblue @rexorangecouny @h-hxgirl @thisisthewayrose @blondiekook @darkestbeforethedawn16 @runic-belova @weallhaveadestiny @oopsiedoopsie23 @nerdgrrlramblings @ocfairygodmother @reysorigins @hawsx3

[anniesocsandgeneralstore]

@a-reader-and-a-writer requested: 3. Snowball fight

Romanticgumchewer's Christmas Spectacular - DAY THREE - Snowball Fight! (Rick Flag x OC)

Summary: Everyone was just trying to have a nice time in the first snow at the new place, too bad somebody had to open fire.

Pairing: Rick Flag x OC / Squad Family & OC (Delphia Holman)

Word Count: 1492

Warnings: language, found family goodness, snowball violence

Timeline: December 2021

if i go masterlist

A/N: please look at the timeline date before reading, all of these Christmas pieces are taking place different years!

Cleo was the first one awake. A very, very rare occurrence. She stumbled out of her room, rubbing at her eyes with Sebastian nodding off on her shoulder — mind focused on the couch in the living room and going back to sleep. She wasn’t even entirely sure why she had gotten out of bed in the first place. Was she thirsty? Yes. That must have been it. The sun was already up, coating the hallways and the downstairs area in fresh morning light.

Thumping into the kitchen, she pulled a glass from the cabinet and went to the fridge to fill it, eyes barely peeled open. The couch was calling her name from the living room, singing its siren song of sleep and warm blankets. But then her eyes, hooded and bleary with sleep, caught on the window above the sink.

Cleo instantly perked, a gasp falling from her lips as she pulled her cup from the fridge door and moved to stand completely in front of the window.

It snowed last night. A big, thick blanket of it had fallen over the entire backyard. It was beautiful and sparkling and untouched. And she had never seen anything like it in her entire life. Growing up on the streets of Lisbon, she only saw the slush of the city and saw snowfall as something to fear because of the cold. This was the first time snow seemed like a wonder, a gorgeous thing that she couldn’t wait to sink her feet and hands into.

But she wanted the rest of her new family to be able to experience it with her.

She dashed back up the stairs, now fully awake, Sebastian squeaking and hanging onto her shirt for dear life. Rick and Delphia’s door was up first. Cleo pounded on the hard wood with a grin, unable to keep still as she waited for one of them to respond.

“Someone better be fuckin’ dead,” Rick grumbled from the other side of the door, clearly half asleep.

“It snowed, Colonel Flag! Look!” Cleo called.

“Is that Cleo?” she heard Delphia question, “What’s she talkin’ about?”

“It snowed I guess,” Rick said back.

“Really?”

Cleo heard through the door as someone got out of their bed, an excited gasp, and then Delphia was yanking open the door as she pulled on her plush robe.

“It looks beautiful!” Delphia breathed, “Wanna go out there?”

“Yes! You read my mind, Dee. Let’s wake everyone else up!”

So the two of them went down the rest of the hall, banging on doors and yelling for people to get up. The first snow of December was here, the first snow while they were all together as a new kind of family. Abner shuffled out of his room with barely cracked open eyes and heavily disheveled — but curious enough to see what all the fuss was about. Harley came out to the hallway just as excited as Cleo and Delphia. Nanaue side stepped out of his doorway asking if it was time for breakfast, and when Delphia explained to him that they were going to go out in the snow, he matched the general glee of the house. DuBois was the only one who refused to come out, claiming that it was “fucking stupid” to go out into the snow just for “shits and giggles”.

Delphia pouted to Rick once everyone was heading downstairs to get their coats and boots on. He chuckled as he pulled her into a hug, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. He was tired, the entire night before spent unpacking the last of the boxes from his DC storage unit, but God did he love that look of pure, unadulterated joy that was on her face when she saw all that snow.

“We’ll get’m down eventually,” he said.

“Oh, alright,” she sighed back before making her way down the stairs herself.

The snow was even more beautiful than through all their windows. The air was bitterly cold, stinging their cheeks as soon as they walked through the door. But the snow was soft, crunching underfoot and sparkling in the morning light. Even the trees that lined the yard from all sides were coated in a layer of snow, each branch now bearing a white weight that occasionally fell like powder as animals moved among them. It was wonderful and magical and felt like the perfect thing just before their first Christmas as a family.

Harley was the first to collapse back into the snow, arms outstretched and feet wide. She landed on her back with a crunch and a flurry of giggles before she started moving her arms and legs, creating a mischievous snow angel. Cleo joined her in the activity immediately, finding great joy in it and instantly begging Abner and Nanaue to make angels as well.

Delphia and Rick wandered over to the gazebo, snow domed on its top and coating the railings, taking in the general splender of a fine December morning. The laughter of four ex-cons echoed in their ears and it brought a smile to Delphia’s face. A fresh start for all of them. Where snow was something that could be enjoyed. Not dreaded because it meant they would freeze, or something they could never dream of going out and playing in. She stepped into the gazebo with her hands shoved in her coat pockets and a bright smile on her face.

“What’re you smilin’ about?” Rick asked with a grin of his own as he joined her under the roof.

“This.” She gestured out towards the yard, to Cleo and Harley now throwing snow at DuBois’ window screaming at him to join them. “This life. We did pretty damn good, Colonel, if I do say so myself.”

“Yeah — we sure did.”

Rick leaned back against the railing and grabbed Delphia by the hips, pulling her into him with a knowing grin. She reached up, hands fiddling with the zipper of his carhart.

“I wanna kiss you,” he muttered.

“I’m not gonna stop you,” she replied.

But just as he began to lean in, eyes slipped closed and all, a snowball smacked into the back of his head. It exploded in a beautiful white flurry that had Delphia instantly covering her mouth to hide the laughter that wanted to burst out of her. But Rick heard it, of course he heard her whoop of laughter just before her hand clapped over her lips. He took a deep breath before opening his eyes and glaring playfully down at her.

“I didn’t do it!” she chuckled out.

He turned towards the yard with his hands on his hips. Everyone was standing around trying to act as casual as possible. But DuBois was standing directly behind him, several feet away, with his hands behind his back and whistling. Rick narrowed his eyes.

“Who threw that?” he asked, though he didn’t sound actually angry about it, try as he might.

“Wasn’t me!” Harley sang from her spot by the patio.

The rest of them chorused similar sayings. Not wanting to give up the culprit — even though Rick was pretty positive of who was guilty.

“Well, whoever it was,” he spoke slowly as he krept back out from the gazebo, leaving Delphia to inch herself down behind the railings for what she knew was coming, “They’re about to get a face full’ve snow.”

He crouched down, formed a perfect snowball in his hands. But as soon as he was standing, everyone on the squad hurled their own snowballs at him — each one hitting their target expertly. A perfectly formed plan that Rick honestly had to give them credit for as he spluttered and shook off the clinging snow.

“Every man for himself!” DuBois yelled as Rick let his first snowball fly.

It turned into an all out brawl that Delphia had a front row seat to. Snowballs flew through the air in perfect archs and went across the yard like arrows finding their target. Shreeks of delight filled the yard, along with laughter and noises of triumph. But then, Nanaue created a massive lump of snow the size of a small child and dashed across the yard — guffawing with such joy. He found three of his teammates huddled behind a quickly slapped together snow wall, Harley, Abner, and DuBois, and smashed the giant snowball down over their heads. Effectively burying them in snow.

Delphia popped up from her hiding place, concerned. Everyone stopped flinging snow at one another long enough to see if they were okay. Eventually, their heads popped up through the snow.

“Fuck! Nanaue!” DuBois groaned as he pulled himself up, shaking off the snow with a shiver before he helped Harley and Abner up as well.

“Maybe now would be a good time for a truce and hot chocolate?” Delphia suggested.

“Yes, please!” Everyone replied.

So they all trudged back inside. Cold, slightly damp, but happy and free.

Taglist (if you would like to be tagged in future installment, just let me know!): @bbygrgu @a-reader-and-a-writer @slayerx147 @xoxabs88xox @kasey-puff @witchygagirl @the-pink-petite-princess @blooo0ooop @woodlandmouth @csigeoblue @rexorangecouny @h-hxgirl @thisisthewayrose @blondiekook @darkestbeforethedawn16 @runic-belova @weallhaveadestiny @oopsiedoopsie23 @nerdgrrlramblings @ocfairygodmother @reysorigins @hawsx3

[anniesocsandgeneralstore]

@a-reader-and-a-writer requested: 14. Making snowmen

Romanticgumchewer's Christmas Spectacular - DAY TWO - Frosty's Ugly Cousin (Rick Flag x OC)

Summary: Rick and Dee make a snowman in her parent's front yard...it doesn't end up as pretty as they had in mind.

Pairing: Rick Flag x OC (Delphia Holman)

Word Count: 807

Warnings: fluff and that's it I think

Timeline: December 2019

if i go masterlist

A/N: please look at the timeline date before reading, all of these Christmas pieces are taking place different years!

“You kids have fun!” Fanny called as Rick and Delphia walked out the front door.

It was a beautiful Christmas Eve day in Baltimore. The ground outside seemed to glow in the midafternoon light. Pristine white snow blanketing every surface from the snowfall the night before. The brick houses that lined the street Delphia had grown up on looked like they were pulled straight out of one of those painted puzzles. Thick quilts of snow covering the roofs, Christmas lights strung up along the porches or lining the gutters, decorated trees glowing inside the warm homes, children in technicolor coats playing in the empty streets.

“She does know we’re adults right?” Rick asked over the crunching of snow beneath their booted feet.

“Yes. Two grown adults about to make a snowman.” They stopped in the middle of the front yard, underneath the giant oak tree, and Delphia grinned up at him as she clapped her mittened hands together. “You work on the base while I get some rocks and twigs?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

They split up. Rick began working on rolling up the large base for their snowman, while Delphia went back towards the front door to the snowed over front garden that she knew her parents covered with a generous layer of stones. She needed enough of them for the buttons, the eyes, and of course that classic smile. The carrot for the nose was already stowed away in her pocket, as was the scarf that would go around his neck.

It hadn’t taken much convincing that morning to get Rick to brave the snow with her. She was expecting to have to practically beg him to join her in her snowman making adventure. But all it took was one simple question and a pushed out bottom lip for him to concede. Arlo had called him a pushover which made Rick chuckle.

I just really love your daughter, sir, he said.

Those words made a heat rise in Delphia’s cheeks even now.

After digging through several inches worth of snow, she found the rocks she had been looking for with numb fingers. With a small noise of success, she pulled out as many of the dark stones as she thought would be necessary to decorate their snowman. And when she turned to look at Rick’s progress, her head cocked to one side in bemusement. He was standing next to the massive ball of snow with his hands on his hips — cheeks red and hot breath billowing up towards the sky. He looked proud of himself. Even thought that was the lumpiest snowman base Delphia had ever seen. But there was still time to save it. The middle and the top couldn’t go as badly right?

Wrong. The middle section turned out looking like more of an egg than a sphere. Then the head of the snowman ended up way too small — so the two of them packed on more snow to even it out and accidentally made it too big. Rick and Delphia looked at each other before looking back at the erected snowman. It certainly wasn’t the prettiest thing either of them had seen.

“Maybe with the other stuff on it’ll look better?” Delphia offered with her hands on her hips.

“Don’t see how it could make it worse,” he said.

They pushed into the packed snow each of the rocks. Three for the middle to look like buttons, a few for the crooked smile, and two for the eyes. Rick added the carrot nose, accidentally pushing it all the way through to the other side of the snowman’s head — causing both of them to burst out laughing. Delphia expertly wrapped the scarf around the snowman’s neck, making sure to get it tight enough so that it wouldn’t blow away in the wind. They took a step back when their work was done. Hands on their hips and heads cocked to one side.

It still looked terrible. The face was lopsided, the carrot nose now barely poked out of the front, and one of the stick arms was definitely way lower than the other.

“Well,” Rick sighed, “Certainly ain’t no Frosty the Snowman.”

“Frosty’s ugly cousin, more like,” Delphia mumbled back.

He laughed as he pulled her into his side. “You had fun though?”

“Of course I did,” she said, looking up at him with a smile, “I’m with you.”

The smile he gave her was so soft, made even more boyish by the redness of his cheeks and nose. He planted a kiss on her hatted head, nuzzling into the hand knitted fabric as he pulled her into him even closer.

“Let’s head inside. Your mom said somethin’ about mulled wine and my interest has been piqued.”

They walked hand in hand back inside her childhood home, feeling cold but filled with a warm joy.

Taglist (if you would like to be tagged in future installments, just let me know!): @bbygrgu @a-reader-and-a-writer @slayerx147 @xoxabs88xox @kasey-puff @witchygagirl @the-pink-petite-princess @blooo0ooop @woodlandmouth @csigeoblue @rexorangecouny @h-hxgirl @thisisthewayrose @blondiekook @darkestbeforethedawn16 @runic-belova @weallhaveadestiny @oopsiedoopsie23 @nerdgrrlramblings @ocfairygodmother @reysorigins @hawsx3

[anniesocsandgeneralstore]

@a-reader-and-a-writer requested: 19. Putting up the Christmas tree

Romanticgumchewer's Christmas Spectacular - DAY ONE - Merry Christmas, Rick Flag (Rick Flag x OC)

Summary: Rick doesn't really feel in the Christmas spirit and Delphia, certified Christmas spirit expert, is willing to do anything to get him in the mood.

Pairing: Rick Flag x OC (Delphia Holman)

Word Count: 2015

Warnings: flufff, language, grief mention, rick and dee are so in love it hurts

Timeline: December 2017

if i go masterlist

A/N: please look at the timeline date before reading, all of these Christmas pieces are taking place different years!

It was officially December first. Christmas music was starting to play in the supermarket and lights had been strung up all over downtown. But Rick Flag couldn’t have felt farther away from that Christmas spirit feeling.

Waller had him absolutely swamped with work. New recruits for the Task Force, writing up new reports over missions that were completed months ago, and general office drudgery that could have been done by anyone else — but no, it just had to be him. He had a sneaking suspicion it was payback for what happened at the Halloween Party. But he really couldn’t be sure of anything with Waller. Plus, on top of that, it was December and it was only fifty degrees outside. He remembered fondly those Maryland winters, with snow up to his thighs and icy roads that caused weeks' worth of snow days. His mom would make her famous hot chocolate and dry his snow-soaked socks over the fire.

His mom loved the Christmas season. It had been thirteen years since her passing, and it was always this time of year that he missed her the most.

But it was Saturday. He wasn’t in the office and neither was Delphia. It had been a slow morning full of bedroom cuddles and fresh baked cranberry and orange muffins for breakfast. Now he sat on the couch, sipping the last of his coffee and reading the news on his phone while Delphia showered.

She came out with her red hair slightly damp and a smile on her face, wearing a big cable-knit sweater and bicycle shorts. Rick grinned gently back as he set down his phone.

“Alright, whaddaya wanna do today, babe?” Delphia asked as she sank into the couch beside him.

“Oh, I don’know, baby girl,” he sighed, smoothing a hand over her bare thigh, “I just feel…real tired.”

“You sleep okay?” she asked as she threaded the hairs at the back of his head through her fingers.

“Yeah, slept fine. This week was just…a lot.”

“Hmm, sorry, baby.” She planted a soft kiss on his cheek. “I think I know what’ll make you feel better though.”

“What?” he chuckled.

“Helping me make Christmas cookies!”

She lept from the couch with a wide grin and hopped over to the kitchen. He should’ve known this was going to happen. He hadn’t let her start with the Christmas stuff as soon as Halloween was over — telling her she had to wait until at least after Thanksgiving. But now it was December first and Delphia could no longer contain her Christmas spirit. It was bursting out of her all at once and Rick nearly felt bad for how Scrooge-like he felt. He really didn’t want to help make cookies — no matter how delicious her recipe was. It was like there was this weight sitting on this shoulders, holding him down and creating a sinking feeling in his chest. And he didn’t want to ruin her fun by being grumpy the entire time he helped her.

So he came up with the excuse: “S’alright, baby girl. Think m’gonna take a shower.”

“Oh.” Delphia turned from the mixing bowl with a slightly disappointed look on her face. “Okay. Well, you can help me decorate after?”

“Sure.”

Delphia watched him walk back to the bathroom with a furrowed brow. Something was up with him. She knew that Waller had been down his throat the past week, absolutely because of what happened at the Halloween party. But there was something else there that she couldn’t quite pick out. A kind of sadness that she couldn’t place.

And what greater way to make him feel better than spreading a little Christmas cheer?

With a determined look in her eye, she turned on the mixer to cream the butter and sugar and then turned on the Christmas music. The holiday season was the best time of the year, in her opinion. The lights, the scents, the snow (even though they didn’t get any in Louisiana), the joy, the giving. Every Christmas ever since she could remember she had a hand in decorating, baking, cooking, gift wrapping, carolling, getting everyone to go to the Christmas market no matter how freezing it was. Which made Delphia into a certified Christmas spirit expert. So she formulated a plan.

The perfect plan to get Rick Flag into the Christmas spirit.

The first step ultimately failed. After his shower he did help her decorate the cookies with the piping bags full of multicolored frosting. But he wasn’t as into it as she thought he would be. He decorated a handful, creating messy Christmas trees and Santa hats, but after that he gave up. Opting instead to just eat the cookies and watch her make her delicate little designs.

Then the second step also failed. Once the cookies were iced she dragged him over to the couch and put on his favorite Christmas movie: The Muppet Christmas Carol. At first he laughed at the jokes and mouthed along to the songs. But eventually he lost interest. About a quarter of the way through the film he picked up his phone and never looked at the television again. Delphia sighed as she watched him scrolling through Twitter out of the corner of her eye.

Well this was not going how she thought it would at all.

She sighed, eyebrows pinched together, as she turned her eyes back to the movie. But she wasn’t paying attention to it anymore either. What else could she do to help him feel better? She could feel it sitting next to him. That weight that was holding him down. It broke her heart that he felt that way. But it couldn’t have been just Waller’s attitude that caused him to be like this. They both had been working for her for years — he was used to it by now. There had to be something else.

“Rick, baby?” she asked quietly, placing her hand on his thigh and giving it a squeeze.

“Hmm?” he hummed back, finally looking up from his phone.

“What’s really goin’ on?”

He sighed as he pulled a hand through his hair. “Nothin’ baby girl, just tired.”

“Oh, that’s bullshit and you know it.” She gave him a look. “Come on — I wanna help.”

Rick stared at her for a moment, hazel eyes swimming with something she couldn’t quite place. Maybe a mixture of embarrassment and uncertainty. This was only their second Christmas together as a couple. What if he actually didn’t like any of this stuff and he had only been faking the year before to spare her feelings? That would be a huge bummer. Could she actually even be with someone who didn’t like Christmas?

“God, this’s so stupid. I’m a grown ass adult.” Delphia’s heart sank at his words. Oh, no. “My mom…she loved Christmas. Always tried to make it special after Dad died and — always makes me miss’er.”

Delphia’s shoulders slumped once he was finished. She felt her throat close up as tears threatened to fall. Rick Flag was such a good, caring, loving man. He missed his mom on Christmas — even after all this time. A love built up in his chest with nowhere to put it. He was staring at the floor, moving his phone slowly from hand to hand, his eyes lost somewhere else. On good memories that made his heart ache. Delphia angled her body to lean into him, put her hand on the back of his neck to massage gently at the tense muscles she found here. The hand on his thigh slid up his chest to cup his cheek, forcing him to look over at her with those big, dark eyes.

“I wish I could’ve met your mom, sounds like we would’ve gotten on well,” she said, encouraged by the grin that quirked his lips, “But I don’t think she would want her memory to make Christmas sad for you. We should do like she did — make it special now that she’s gone.”

Rick’s eyes slipped shut as he breathed into her, forehead colliding with her’s softly. He pulled her in with searching hands like gravity — tugging her into his lap as his fingers trailed up her sides.

“She would’ve loved you,” he whispered.

“Y’really think so?” Delphia petted his cheek softly, smoothed her thumb over the crest of his cheekbone.

“Yeah,” he breathed with a grin, “Ya sound just like her. Y’would’ve been two peas in a pod.”

“Oh, geez, don’t say I sound like your mother. That sounds terrible,” she laughed.

“It’s true though — what you said,” he chuckled, finally opening his eyes to look at her properly, “She wouldn’t like me feelin’ this way. Especially when I’ve got someone like you tryin’ to cheer me up.”

Delphia smiled at him with a scrunch of her nose. “Wanna put up the tree?”

“Absolutely, baby girl.”

They got out the bins of decorations and the prelit tree from the closet out on the balcony. Delphia put on their favorite Christmas hits, real classics that they knew all the words to. The tree went up in its designated spot by the balcony doors so everyone driving by could see the Christmas cheer — and so that it was always in their line of sight no matter where they stood in the main room of their tiny apartment. Rick helped her wrap the red, sparkling ribbon around the tree and broke into the bins of ornaments excitedly. He unwrapped the papertowels from around a few with special care. His mother’s old ornaments that he hadn’t had the heart to just throw out when he was going through her things all those years ago.

“Oh, my God — is that you?” Delphia asked as she peered over his shoulder at the ornament he was inspecting.

It was a wreath made of out puzzle pieces spray painted green — holly berries made of beads hot glued to the top. And in the middle was a blurry picture of a little kid Rick Flag. He hadn’t exactly figured out how to smile yet, it was all crooked teeth and his chin was nearly tilted down in a creepy way. But she would recognize that sandy blonde hair anywhere.

“Uh, yeah,” he chuckled, letting her take the ornament from him, “Made it when I was like eight — Mom would never let me throw it away.”

Delphia examined it closely with a grin. There weren’t very many pictures of Rick from his childhood. That was what happened when all those photo albums were left in the hands of a twenty-five year old in the army. Most of them were still in the storage unit he had up in DC. She ghosted a finger over the photo lightly. She could see why his mom loved this one so much.

“I love it,” she said, moving towards the tree, “This one is definitely going on.”

They decorated for hours, taking a break for lunch, and letting the sun slowly set as time went on. Delpha couldn’t just stop at the Christmas tree. She needed to pull out her little village to put at the table by the front door. Garland and lights needed to go around the balcony’s railing. The pillows on the couch needed to be switched out. The ancient and chipped Santa shaped cookie jar just had to be out on the counter. Pretty soon, their little apartment was a Christmas wonderland. And as Delphia set up the last of the little trees around the little village, The Christmas Song came on.

“Dance with me?” Rick asked as he stepped away from adjusting the star on the top of the tree.

“Always,” she replied.

He pulled her in close with a smile, one hand holding her own while the other latched onto her waist. She fit into him like a puzzle piece, hand on his shoulder and head on his chest. Delphia could feel it now. That weight was lifted off him in relief — replaced by a warmth and joy that really only Christmas could bring.

“Merry Christmas, Rick Flag.”

“Merry Christmas, Delphia Holman.”

Taglist (if you would like to be tagged in future installments, just let me know!): @bbygrgu @a-reader-and-a-writer @slayerx147 @xoxabs88xox @kasey-puff @witchygagirl @the-pink-petite-princess @blooo0ooop @woodlandmouth @csigeoblue @rexorangecouny @h-hxgirl @thisisthewayrose @blondiekook @darkestbeforethedawn16 @runic-belova @weallhaveadestiny @oopsiedoopsie23 @nerdgrrlramblings @ocfairygodmother @reysorigins @hawsx3