#she gets to do her job as superhero AND kiss the boy she likes. she’s optimized her fights

[purplecatghostposts]

Enemies AU with Chat Noir and Argos except while Ladybug and Chat Noir are having a complicated Enemies-To-Tentative-Allies-To-Friends(?)-To-Genuine-Trust-To-Lovers Arc with Argos suffering just watching the whole charade of dancing around each other, the moment Ryuko comes into play, they speedrun that arc in record time and suddenly the tables have turned with Chat Noir third wheeling Feligami’s (Ryargos’?) flirt-fighting while he and Ladybug are still stuck in between the Friends(?) and Genuine Trust stage.

Ladybug would lecture Ryuko to stop making out with the enemy… If it weren’t surprisingly useful at keeping Argos at bay. (Should she start making out with Chat Noir? For tactical reasons, of course. She definitely doesn’t think about making out with Chat Noir for any other reasons, uh-uh.)

Also the tables have turned further because usually Chat Noir is giving Argos heart attacks with how reckless and self-sacrificial he is but now Chat Noir has to try and shake some sense into him because, “Félix, Félix, she can TAKE your brooch if she’s that close to you— she almost did!” And Argos, having recently made out with Ryuko, is still very dazed and in Loverboy Mode so he’s there like, “It’s… Fine. I can keep it safe.” Very unconvincingly and Chat Noir is like, “Do you think she’ll stop trying to take it??” And Argos smiles softly and says, “No.” and Chat Noir just. Stops trying to convince him not to kiss her and just tells him to be careful.

[syrma-sensei]

→ Somewhere In Your Heart, Ch.1: Tenderly.

pairing: Soldier Boy x fem!reader.

rating: explicit.

setting: pre-canon; in the early 1980s.

warnings/tags: Ben's foul mouth, sexual innuendos, misogyny, racism, antiquated mentality...

summary: soldier boy lives through the ennui of his peak, but everything is about to change when he has a shift in his heart.

Soldier Boy rolls his eyes at Legend, “No, ain't doing another stupid song. Let Noir do that shit, the kid's been so fucking eager to see his star shine.”

“It wasn't that bad, people loved it. Your fans loved it, and they want more from you,” Legend tries to reason, “Plus, can't win a Grammy award for best record of the year if it sucks. Moreover, it's pretty popular among the young folks.”

The supe sneers, taking a gulp from his drink, he relishes in the burning in his throat even if it's momentarily, “The young folks can suck on my balls. Honestly, the fuck went wrong with young men these days, huh?” He clicks his tongue, “Christ, it is true; good times do create weak, sappy men.” His head jerks to the side sardonically, “Bunch of pussies seeking some women's attention with shitty songs and snivelling lyrics. Chicks don't want no men like that.”

“Yeah well,” Legend shakes his head, a sly grin on his face, “The world's changing, Soldier Boy, if you don't keep up with it, you might end up outdated, just saying.”

Soldier Boy raises a conceited eyebrow, “I'm America's son, hero of all heroes, an actual fucking legend; people practically worship the ground I walk on. In what fucked up sense would that seem to you outdated anytime soon?”

“Time is a tricky thing,” Legend answers with a sigh, “But only for us I presume. I mean look at ya, your sixty-fourth birthday was last month and you don't look a day past thirty. Some lucky bastard you are.”

Soldier Boy grins smugly, placing his glass on the coffee table in front of him where they sat in the living room of his personal quarters in Vought America tower.

Legend decides not to take the time topic any further, because he knows better, such discussions with the strongest supe ever lived are futile and meaningless. Furthermore, he doesn't want to poke Soldier Boy's massive ego, the latter isn't infamous for his temper for nothing. Legend is back to ground zero. So, he tries another way.

“You'll be doing it, though. It's your next mission.” The playful tone from Legend's voice vanishes, a more professional, assertive one replaces it, “It's nothing you can't do. Think of the gals who'll cream their panties when they hear your voice singing their favourite hit.”

Soldier Boy’s lips flip pensively, “Tempting. But still no.”

“Can arrange a collab with whoever female singer you want.” Legend tries again.

“Can ya pair me up with Monroe?” Soldier Boy gives his manager a shit-eating smile.

“For fuck's sake, Soldier Boy,” Legend says with a frown. The little shit, greatest superhero or whatever else, can honestly be a huge pain in his ass. “Be serious.”

“Oh, I'm dead serious,” Soldier Boy grumbles, “Can you do it or not?”

“She died thirty years ago for Christ's sake, of course I can't pair you up with her.”

“Then the answer's still no. I'd rather spend time rubbing one out at Pauline from Donkey Kong than contributing to entertaining a pansy dogshit audience.”

Fuck you. Legend really wants to spit it out loud but he carefully curbs himself. He pinches the bridge of his nose, “Can't help but notice that making my work harder everyday is your new favourite sport, isn't it?”

“C'mon, don't be such a wuss,” Soldier Boy drawls, “Where would be the fun of an easy job? I'm doin' ya a favour; making you truly earn each penny you get paid. It's something we used to call 'hard work' back in my days.”

“Hard work can kiss my ass in that case,” Legend says humorously, shaking his head. Soldier Boy shares an amused chuckle with him.

“Seriously though—”

“Noir's cut out for that shit, not me. He'll be thrilled to do it.” Soldier Boy smirks wickedly as he interrupts him. The kid may not be funny. Fuck, he ain't, and that's precisely why he didn't get Axel Foley at Beverly Hills Cop — but it'd be hilarious to watch him fail in singing. Even if he didn't, nobody can beat Soldier Boy's performing talents.

Before Legend can answer he proceeds, “And tell him while you're at it that he has me to thank for giving him a window like that. He may as well make it fucking count. Make sure he does.” Legend shakes his head.

Soldier Boy and Legend continue to discuss business for another half an hour. Among the offers though; Nintendo wants to make a video game about Soldier Boy.

“For fuck's sake, do those Nips have any dignity?” Soldier Boy jeers.

“Well, it's all about business nowadays.” Legend says. “Arcade games have a large foot in the market, y'know. And, we're hiring many Japanese developers into our new entertainment department. So, I friendly remind you to tune down your slurs.”

Soldier Boy scoffs again. “I’ll see about that…”

When the talk is done, Soldier Boy dismisses the Director of Superhero Management of Vought.

“See ya at the wedding.” Legend says before he steps out of Soldier Boy's quarters.

“Hope fucking not.” The supe murmurs, taking the last gulp of his drink.

This evening Soldier Boy is to attend Dr. Jonah Vogelbaum's daughter's wedding as the guest of honour. The bride is a huge fan of his; her father has personally invited him to the wedding. What more honour can one get than having the greatest superhero ever lived as a guest at their wedding?

Soldier Boy heads to his dressing room to choose a formal outfit for the occasion. He's not going to wear his supe gear even though Vogelbaum made it very clear that he should. But Soldier Boy takes no shit from a nobody, and who the fuck Vogelbaum thinks he is to tell him what to do? Plus, that attire is for business, and him going to that wedding is a mere pursuit for pleasure. He isn't on some mission tonight but to find a good fuck for himself. Women, nonetheless, would throw themselves at his feet regardless of what he puts on. However, fancy tailored suits and bowties seem to pull women more effectively into his charm. When he clads in his supe suit, he's more intimidating; a god walking among men. Women would sigh at his sight and eye-fuck him, but beneath the layers of infatuation, he can perceive the lick of fear in their eyes. Like he's an invincible idol that cannot be touched by lesser hands. Not that he doesn't fucking relish in having such an impact, but he still prefers to pluck a catch in such occasions. Some nice chick who's eager to warm his bed in fearless vigour, some girl who can actually handle his raw strength and superhuman stamina. Especially when Countess won't be up his ass sulking like the bitch she is whenever he pays another woman his attention.

His relationship with Countess is nothing but for show. Pure business. Vought thought they looked good together and had an appealing chemistry in the public eye. Power couple and that shit. But in fact, Soldier Boy has no ounce of romantic feelings for her. Sure, they fuck around every now and then, but nothing more to add to it.

When he's fully dressed and spruced up he looks at himself in the full-length mirror and nods in approval. He'll definitely make the ladies' panties drop tonight.

Soldier Boy arranges a few lines of coke for himself on the coffee table. It'll help him  handle all of the cock-sucking kiss asses he's going to interact with tonight.

God fucking damn.

It takes the mightiest of his steel aplomb not to roll his eyes or hiss a curse. The moment he arrives at the wedding in the swanky hotel, he has everyone's attention all to himself. Guests swarming around him with hearts in their eyes, already forgetting about the wedding. Happy shrieks emit from the gals, and full admiration in the eyes of pals.

Ben puts on an expertly-feigned and charming smirk as he nods his head and shakes hands.

“Oh my Gosh, it's really him!”

A pretty woman in a dashing white dress wobbles down in his direction. The fucking bride. Soldier Boy's grin couldn't get any wider. The girl practically left her fucking husband standing with his groomsmen and came marching to him. Something huge and satisfying sprouts in the depths of his chest when he sees the young man briefly stink-eye in his way.

“If it ain't the queen of the show,” He drawls with a stentorian voice and a conceited raise of his brow. The bride holds a breath, her companion bimbos of bridesmaids sighing dreamily, “Well, congrats on tying the knot, darlin',” Large hand taking the bride's gloved one as he leans down to press a light kiss on her knuckles, and the girls squeal.

“Thank you, sir,” The corner of Soldier Boy's lips curls up into a half grin as he hears the groom's curbed voice, “A huge pleasure for us having the greatest man alive honouring our wedding,”

The man extends his hand out for a shake and Soldier Boy doesn't disappoint. “What can I say, Sonia is one of my best girls,” He sends a playful wink to the bride, and her groom's face rises in colour. However, she giggles timidly with blushing cheeks, and covers her mouth slightly.

“Thank you again, sir, for coming,” Sonia chirps, “Means a lot to us… to me, right, darling?”

Her new husband answers with tight lips, “Yeah, of course, please enjoy your time here, sir.”

Sure hell I'll do.

After signing some autographs, which mostly came from the bridesmaids on this special occasion, Soldier Boy lets out an elongated sigh before plucking a flûte of champagne from a server wandering around with a full tray of pleasantries. With the first sip invading his strong taste buds, he regrets it instantly. That shit is extra fruity with enhanced floral notes, it made his face controt in disgust.

“You're late,” The Doc's voice comes curt when he appears next to him, eyeing him disapprovingly. His unpleasing presence made the twitch of his face worse. The little shit. He should be kissing his ass and thanking him for wasting his time on this crap. Soldier Boy should hand it to him, though, he's got some balls. He scoffs. Ever since Vogelbaum gained Stan Edgar's infinite corroboration and support, he's become insufferable. And perhaps sometimes looming dangerously close to make Soldier Boy's hackles rise.

Ben grins indifferently at him, “Had a tight schedule,” Be glad I'm here you ungrateful old fuck.

Vogelbaum stretches his lips and nods, “You have my thanks anywho,” He grumbles, “Though I strictly told you to honour us with your presence in your suit.”

“Yeah, you did,” Soldier Boy replies with a shit-eating grin, “But wasn't in me to steal the light away from your breathtaking helluva daughter,” He patted the doctor's shoulder, “Cheer the hell up, Doc, it's your daughter's wedding and you have the greatest man ever lived as your guest!”

Ben can't endure another second of this man's company. He hands him the flûte and threads his way to the bar to order a drink. A real fucking drink. He sights a vacant stool next to a pretty woman who seems to be without company. He grins to himself when he catches a better angle of her. She is a beauty. Maybe she's the lucky one tonight. He smoothes his suit jacket and adjusts his bowtie before sliding nimbly on the stool.

He orders a strong liquor from the bartender and the beauty next to him cooes, “Make it two, please.”

He turns his head to her with an arched eyebrow, because fuck does he appreciate a woman who's not a lightweight, “Tough night?”

Her painted mouth curls up into an inveigling smile, “Should I ask you the same question?”

Brave. Tempting. He loves brave. Whereas most women are intimidated by him, this one here though, she looks unfazed. He likes it. He wonders what she's gonna sound when he's balls deep inside of her. Timid, brave, strong, weak, they all sound the same in his bed when he touches the magic button. One thing he was certain of was she'd sound pretty in her throes of pleasure.

He gives her figure a quick scan; she isn't one of bridesmaids that's for sure. She's wearing a forest green dress. Her skin is glowing beneath the velvet, and a pleasant fragrance emitting from her body. Her neck and ears are adorned with gold and rubies. She looks hazily beautiful.

“Groom's or bride's?” He asks when their drinks are served.

She flashes him a grin with those tempting lips, “Why wouldn't you hazard a guess like when you do on a minefield?” She winks, taking a gulp of her drink.

Interesting, he raises an amused brow. At least she ain't playing easy. He has to give her that; she's making his night way more entertaining. He likes to play prey and predator let alone when she's practically inviting him to do so.

A playful grin graces his lips, replying, “Can't risk bursting a pretty lady like you tho, can I?”

She lets out a small laugh, “God forbid, what kinda superhero would you be then?” His eyebrows knit together slightly as he watches her grabbing her purse and preparing herself to leave.

“It was nice running into you, sir,” She remarks, “But you'll have to excuse me…”

“Sure, sweet cheeks…”

She nods as she moves away with such grace and swiftness. Ben doesn't realise he was holding his breath until it clicks within him. Fuck, he forgot to ask her her name. But nothing to worry about, he catches her entering the powder room. In moments, he'll go after her and take this rather interesting conversation somewhere else.

He waits though. For more than fifteen minutes. Vogelbaum makes his way on the stage to raise a toast to his daughter and her groom, and he doesn't forget to give Ben a word of gratitude for being here. People cheer and applaud when the lights shine upon him, and he smiles and nods at them. On another occasion, he'd enjoy this to the fullest. His mind, however, is occupied by finding a pretty seductress. Can it be that she left? No, he doesn't think so. Fuck, if only he could distinguish her voice out of the many nattering and yapping voices despite his superhuman hearing. He considers asking Vogelbaum about her later. Maybe the man would be useful to him for once. But he will not have to, though.

The lights of the hall ebb away, save for the ones above the music stage.

A wide grin slips into his lips when he sees her behind the microphone, and their eyes lock for a moment. She gives him a teasing wink.

The little minx, he thinks.

Tender music emanates from the piano and she starts to sing with a silky voice.

The evening breeze caressed the trees tenderly

Damn, he likes that song. And her voice couldn't be more on brand for it!

The trembling trees embraced the breeze tenderly

He feels the said breeze of her cooes and it makes him shiver.

Then you and I came wandering by

And lost in a sigh were we

Ben conjures a vivid image of her sighs of pleasure.

The shore was kissed by sea and mist tenderly

She's the shore, and his mouth is the sea.

I can’t forget how two hearts met breathlessly

Your arms opened wide

And closed me inside

You took my lips

You took my love

So tenderly

A loud applause erupted from the guests when she finished, and Ben found himself amongst the riveted clappers.

God fucking damn.

Ben knows a lot of singers, hell, he works with them sometimes. But never has he ever heard such a mellifluous voice like this one! How come he hasn't known of her before? A new face, he guesses. He wonders if Legend knows her.

Ben stops clapping as his conversation with Legend that afternoon flashes through his mind. That's it.

Shortly after the wedding, Ben heads back to his quarters in Vought's tower, impatiently dialling Legend's number.

“That sappy song you wanted me to do—” He says right away.

“Well, good evening to you too,” Legend drawls from the other end, “As happy as I am to hear that, Ben, but I'm kinda fucking tired to talk business right now. Despite my marvellous traits, I'm still a human.”

“I'll do it.”

Soldier Boy could hear Legend switching the handset of the telephone to the other hand. And before the latter says anything he proceeds.

“Only on one condition...”

🦅 Next Chapter: A New Window.

🦅 Somewhere In Your Heart Masterlist.

🦅 Soldier Boy Masterlist.

Taglist: @thebiggerbear, @zepskies, @deanbrainrotwritings, @deansbbyx, @deans-spinster-witch

@venus-haze, @kaleldobrev, @k-slla, @ketchupjasmin...

[mattslovergirl18]

What best friends do (Jason Todd x F READER (Titans)

Ok so this is requested By - Someone

TW - SMUT,

Omg I'm in love with JASON TODD

(Y/s/n) YOU'RE SUPERHERO NAME

Y/n and Jason are best friends they only had each other well that's how they felt, Jason parents died and y/n parents were nice but her dad went to drugs and her mother killed herself then her father did the same so y/n and Jason stuck by each other sides but when batman took Jason in he also took you in aswell you had a power that was good you could control wind batman called you Y/S/N, it was good, you and Jason would have so much fun, but to fast forward you were now with the old robin in his tower with the titans he called us. No one and when I say no one I mean no one could ever tear Jason and y/n apart they did everything together their first kiss their first scary movie everything

"Jason is that you" y/n asked as her door opened at 3am "mhm" Jason murmured "well come cuddle" y/n said puting her arms out for a hug, Jason walked in the bed and cuddle y/n, in the morning y/n woke up with Jason still in her bed she smiled and looked at the sleeping boy she really liked him but she didn't wanna ruin her friendship with someone she could never live with out, "Good morning sleeping beauty" Jason said puting his hand in her hair, she rolled her eyes at him, her door opened suddenly the two jumped away from each other "Hey y/n have you seen ja- oh um did I interrupt something" dick asked and he looked at us "No um I couldn't sleep so I came in here I always do um I'm sorry" Jason said getting up going to leave and then he turn and said "Good bye my lady" Jason winked, y/n blushed "y/n" duck said sitting on my bed "What?" She answered "BE careful and if anything make sure he wears a condom I don't want little babies in here" dick said leaving.

Jason had his arm around you watching TV with you it was Sunday day that means no training "What a cute couple" Gar compliments "Fuck off Gar" y/n saids "Yeah we're just friends" Jason said, ouch friend zoned "R can you tell you're little boyfriend to leave me Jason lone please" y/n asks not taking her head away from the tv "Sure but not my boyfriend" the girl answered taking him somewhere else, Y/n made it to jason lap cuddle into his side but she felt something hard she realized she was gonna say something but decided she's gonna make a move, she started to moved pretending to get comfortable "Y/n stop it" Jason said under his breath "Why I'm just trying to get comfortable" y/n replied, she started to move again but Jason grabbed her hips "Y/n I know you feel my boner now don't start something you can't finish" Jason said before letting go of her hips, turned around on his lap so they were face to face "What if I could finish it" y/n replied, Jason didn't know how to respond to that he just looked in to the girls eyes but he found himself slowly moving his eyes down to her lips, neither of them noticed that they were getting closer and closer till their noses touched, they both connected their lips, y/n rocked her hips back and forth, Jason picked her up and brought her to his room and put her on the bed He climbed on top of her and started to make out with her "Jason what if they hear us" y/n asked "Then that's means I'm doing my job right" Jason answered, y/n nodded then she told him to take off his shirt and she would take hers off so he did and she did but y/n did not have a bra on "Holy shit" Jason murmured, he put his mouth on the left boob and his his hand on the right one "Jason" y/n moan he went to her neck and suck a few purple marks he went down and then we down and pulled her pants and panties off.

He licked his lips , he went closer to her pussy and licked it, y/n moaned Jason knew what he was doing so he knew she would be a moaning mess, Jason sucked her cilt hard and added two fingers in her "Jason!" Y/n Nearly Screamed, Jason took that as a sigh not to stop so he didn't he went faster "Jason stop" y/n moaned "How did that feel" Jason asked the girl "Amazing" y/n replied, y/n wanted to repay the favor so she filped him over "what are you doing" Jason asked "Repaying the favor" she answered going down and pulling off his shorts and boxers, his dick was huge, y/n put him in her mouth all the way "Fuck baby girl you trying to kill me" Jason asked moaning, y/n couldn't fit him in her mouth she took her hand and rubed the part that couldn't fit in her mouth while she sucked him off "Fuck baby girl stop I wanna cum in you" Jason moaned, she took her mouth off of his dick, Jason filp her over "you ready baby girl" Jason asked "yes jason I'm ready" y/n answered back, Jason pushed in this was y/n first time so it hurt at first but after a while and Jason in her it felt good "Fuck baby girl youre so tigh" jason said "move please" y/n moaned, Jason didn't need to be asked twice, he pulled out almost all the way out and slammed back in "JASON!" He grind and did it again and again but harder everytime, "Jason Fuck!" Y/n Screamed, Jason hit her G-Spot "Baby girl who makes you feel like this" Jason asked slamming into her, y/n couldn't form a sentence, y/n tried to speak but it came out as a moan, Jason laughed, He loved that he made you feel like this he loved that you're eyes roll in the back of you're head because of him he loves that he made you moan he loved everything about this about you " I'm almost there Jason" y/n moaned "Me too Me too" Jason moaned "JASON!" Y/n cried she orgasmed "fuck baby girl I think they heard you" Jason laughed, y/n Squeeze around his dick he came right in her "good thing I'm on birth control" y/n laughed Jason laughed with her, Jason stayed in her for a couple of minutes but then got dressed they walked out of Jason's bed room and into the living room everyone was in there "Not you're girlfriend huh" Gar asks "wasn't" Jason replied "so you all heard it" y/n asked she was so embarrassed "Yes we did" dawn said "and even if we didn't you have marks on youre neck" kory said " God" y/n said "we you two safe" dick asked "No" Jason said proudly "WHAT!" Dick yelled "I'm on birth control" I told dick "oh thank god" dick said "we can not leave you guys alone" hank said "What this is what best friends do" jason said y/n rolled her eyes and then grabbed Jason hand went to go lay down because she was tried they went in her room and layed down her played in her hair falling asleep

THE END

[sosa2imagines]

Misunderstanding. Part 8

Warnings- Fluff, little angst --------------------------------

Natasha's expression softened a bit, seeing Steve’s remorse. “You hurt her,” she pointed out bluntly. “You accused her of something she didn't do, without even hearing her side of the story.”

Steve's guilt intensified as he replayed the scene in his mind. He could still see the look on your face when he yelled at you. “I know...” his voice trailed off, “I screwed up badly.”

Natasha stopped searching for a moment to face him directly. “You need to apologize to her,” she said firmly. “A real apology. Not just a passing remark. She deserves that much.”

Steve nodded, knowing she was right. He knew he had hurt you deeply with his words and accusations. “I will. As soon as this is over, I'll apologize to her properly.”

Natasha gave him a final stern look before resuming her search. “You better!” she said. “She didn't deserve, to be on the receiving end of your misplaced jealousy. Ever since she is back, you have treated her badly, even kissing someone else.”

Steve winced at her reminder. He had been so caught up in his own emotions that he had forgotten that she knew about him kissing another woman. “I didn't kiss her...she forced herself upon me...”

Natasha shot him a skeptical look, not buying his excuse. “Really? She forced herself on you?”

Steve nods and tells her the whole truth.

Natasha shook her head, her annoyance evident. “You're an idiot sometimes, you know that, right? Actually, you both are idiots.”

Steve didn't argue with her assessment. He knew she was right. He had made one mistake after another when it came to you.

“I know...” he muttered, his voice filled with remorse.

Back on the other side,

“What do you mean Tons?” you ask.

“Oh boy,” he starts, “Back when Pepper and I were still figuring out our relationship, Matt decided to swoop in like the charming idiot he is.”

Matt chimes in with a playful grin, shrugging his shoulders modestly. “I was just doing my job.” he repeats, as if it's no big deal. Tony rolls his eyes, still annoyed by Matt's nonchalance.

“Yeah, he told me and Nat, that he was your lawyer in the past, and due to some advice, you have problems with him?”

Tony's mood shifts, and a mix of frustration and amusement crosses his face. “Problems? More like a persistent headache.” He leans back, shaking his head at the memory. “Let's just say his ‘advice’ didn't exactly go according to plan.”

Tony shoots a glare at Matt, who just smiles innocently, clearly enjoying getting under Tony's skin.

“Wait, what problem did you have with Steve?”

Tony gasps and look at Matt with a disbelief look. “You told them?”

Matt just smiles, “I don’t lie to pretty women.”

Matt chimes in with a grin, relishing the memory. “Yeah, I still remember that day.”

Tony interjects with a groan. “I still curse the day I asked you for advice.”

“But what was the problem?” you ask, too curious and eager to know.

Matt takes this opportunity to recount the story, enjoying the chance to annoy Tony. “Well, Mr. Billionaire here...” he gestures to Tony “had a disagreement with Captain America.”

Tony rolls his eyes, clearly not pleased with where this conversation is headed. Not wanting to let Matt take the lead on this story, he cuts in, ready to give his side of the drama.

“Cap was being a pain in my ass-”

“Don’t you dare lie!” you cut him.

“Why do I keep forgetting about your love for him?”

Matt interferes, “It was about an article...more like fashion article.”

Tony's face turns red with embarrassment, and he glares at Matt for airing out the secret. “Damn you!” Tony mutters under his breath.

Matt continues, enjoying Tony's discomfort. “Tony had a rather unflattering photo in the papers, and it stirred up quite the media frenzy.”

“But what's the connection of Steve in this?” you ask.

Tony crosses his arms, still annoyed at the memory, while Matt smiles, relishing in stirring the pot. “Cap happened to stumble upon that photo, and in true superhero fashion, he decided to give his two cents on the situation.”

“He wanted to sue Steve, for that?” you gasped.

Matt chuckles, “No, he wanted to sue the damn newspaper. And our dear Mr. Billionaire here had a brilliant idea.”

Tony grumbles, still not over the fact that the “brilliant idea” turned out to be a mistake. “Shut up.”

Matt turns to you with a grin. “Our genius friend over there wanted to sue them for 'defamation of character'.”

Tony looks like he wants to strangle Matt but decides to finish the story himself. “They claimed the photo had negatively impacted my image, that I should become more responsible and rational. I wanted compensation for that.”

Matt couldn't hold back a chuckle, amused by the absurdity of the situation. “So, being a good lawyer, I had to bring him crashing back to reality.”

“Hey they printed a wrong photo of me and they have the audacity, to say it's a negative impact for my image?!” Tony tells you.

“And let me guess, Pepper was impressed by your work and Tony here got…”

“Don’t you dare kid!” Tony warns. “Okay...” you laugh covering it with a cough.

“Now, see? This is why I'm clearly her favorite superhero.”

Tony rolls his eyes, clearly not amused, but tries to keep his snarky remarks coming. “In your dreams, devil boy.”

Tony refocuses his attention on the task at hand, muttering under his breath about Matt as he dives back into deciphering the code system. “I hate that guy.”

Matt just grins, clearly amused by Tony's annoyance, while Tony continues working silently.

Tony dives deeper into the code system, his genius mind working at full speed. He takes a moment to study the patterns, the sequences, and the peculiarities of the bomb's circuitry.

“Alright...just a matter of time...” He carefully examines different components of the bomb, running numerous calculations in his head. Then, suddenly, his eyes light up as he makes a breakthrough.

“Eureka, I figured it out!”

Meanwhile, Steve and Natasha continue their search for the remaining wires, meticulously checking every room and hallway.

Suddenly, Natasha spots something under a desk. She crouches down and finds a hidden compartment connected to some wires.

“Found it!”

Steve immediately rushes to her side, his gaze fixed on the newly discovered wires. “That's the one.”

Natasha leans in for a closer for further inspection. “This is where they are all connected.”

Steve nods, sharing her sense of urgency. As Natasha continues tracing the path of the wires, the sound of his comm crackles to life.

Tony's voice speaks through the comm. “Hey, guys. I've deciphered the code.”

Both Natasha and Steve exchange a glance, “Copy that, Stark. We've found the main connecting point.”

Part 7 - Part 9

Taglist- @blackhawkfanatic @ordelix @sapphirebarnes @differenttyphoonwerewolf @vicmc624 @thezombieprostitute @lillyxlillian @nekoannie-chan @ashley202 @lovely-geek @redbloodedgurl

[mr2swap]

The babysitter

I hate my job normally people who work as babysitters say that, but Charlie is a very special boy maybe too special for his own or my good, How every weekend Charly's parents went out to their "business" meeting Or at least that was his excuse to get rid of his little monster for the whole weekend.

I would have quit my job long ago if I didn't need the money for my university, I have to admit that this job has its advantages: I can work only on Saturday and Sunday and get paid like any other employee.

But here I am again in the body of this annoying and pampered little dwarf, Charly has a strange ability that allows him to exchange the bodies of him and another person, in this case, me throughout the weekend was the only way his parents could control that he did not get into trouble during his “business” trip

The first time Charly exchanged our bodies, I panicked when I found myself in Charly's small and delicate body of a 12-year-old boy, especially because of how huge and imposing my body looked from the height of a small child. -I think the one who has to take a bath is now you, isn't it? "Charly"-He held me with his now bigger and stronger arms and dragged me against my will towards the shower, seemed to have fun playing "big brother"

I tried to resist how I could but in Charly's small body he forces me now it wasn't enough to contain the university man who had me under his power. It was really humiliating to have to put up with him treating me like a little boy or his toy. -Oh, come on! Stop crying “Charly” If you are a good boy I will return your body to you before my parents arrive-

 He quickly undressed me and got me into the hot shower and started playing with me like I was some kind of doll. I was still too shocked to have my body in front of me to even try to escape from this weird situation after the shower. She dried me off and put her little superhero pajamas on me and led me to the dining room - "your" parents stopped eating this, and you won't get up from the table until the whole plate is clean-In front of me was a plate full of rice and vegetables that I had to eat until I was full surprisingly I ate a lot less than I was used to.

 After dinner, he carried me up the stairs and into his room, decorated with various Marvel movie posters. He put me in bed and tuck me in,-rest little baby on your parents will be here soon and don't worry he has been a good boy, so you will get your body back this time-

He locked the door and left me in the dark for some reason I was very tired, and it was still 10 p.m., I assumed it was because of the body I was in now while trying to sleep I heard the sound of the television on the floor of downstairs who knows what the hell he was doing with my body, I didn't even know at the exact moment I fell asleep the camera was so comfortable I was so tired I couldn't resist.

Hours later I opened my eyes I was no longer in the boy's body or his room now I was in the living room with him with his parents looking at me with a small innocent smile, They sat with me and explained the whole situation with Charly and his little "gift" Before I could react to all the explanation and say anything I was offered a big wad of cash, and offered to watch it for the entire next weekend Damn if you don't need the money I'd really like to quit.

This routine continued for several months. I came home, Charly stole my body and I fought to get it back and in the end, I got tired Little by little Charly got used to being an adult he started going out in my body with my friends and pretending to be the only advantage I have in Charly's body It's, so I can concentrate on my studies and doing my homework at the university Although it's a bit difficult to get used to using the computer with such short fingers.

This weekend as soon as his parents left Charlie we swapped our bodies he took my car keys and gave me a little kiss on the cheek - I'm sorry shorty I have plans all weekend, so you know what that means mommy I leave food in the fridge and I don't want to see you awake when I get back - hours passed And I had no choice but to bathe, dress and feed Little Charlie's body as if it were my own.

- Oh damn! Charly managed to get into my Instagram again where is he?, I hope he's not drinking again In my body last time I woke up with a huge hangover in some roadside hotel with a naked man next to me, I guess I'll have to charge extra, therefore-

You can read my more than 200 stories on my patreon and at the same time support me to keep writing more stories.

[trashcapableofsentience]

okay I can't keep making separate posts about my reactions to this show so

The unsynchronised superhero walk down the corridor to O&D made me chuckle

So did Mark and Burt straight up defecting from the church while still holding Kier as God, Martin Luther is turning in his grave

still haven't learned Mrs selvig's 'innie' name but she has a good singing voice that was a shock to hear

I don't think the break room is going to work this time chief

THE SOLIDARITY OF MARK AND MISS WHATEVER IT'S GREAT

ngl I've skipped over the dates with the midwife because second hand embarrassment but now they're cute?? wtf

also dude don't bring up your ex wife 😭 tbf she started it bringing up kids

THEY'RE ACTUALLY SO CUTE TOGETHER WTF JOKING ABOUT SEVERANCE I LOVE IT

the tense music stopping the moment ricken comes in I bet he never lets anything finish

what the fuck how is Mrs selvig getting this job. WHY is she getting this job. how the fuck does this help lumon. also how does she know what the score is doing

'holy shit is this my house??' Dylan my beloved... ALSO HE HAS A KID!! waaaaa I hope his outtie loves the kid with all his heart

Mark stop involving Alexa in your corporate espionage it may be a cute date idea but I think she deserves better than whatever lumon has in store for her

'no filming you fuck' this better be for not wanting police/lumon to know rather than copyright reasons

LET MARK SAY FUCK YOU LUMON 2K24

and he GETS TO FUCK YEAH

Aw they kissed :) I'm glad outtie Mark is forming some connections

Doug x Harmony hate fucking will happen I prommy

huh they slept together. hope he let her finish unlike ricken

I'm glad Mrs selvig didn't get the phone out the bin like I thought she would

WHAT'S WITH ALL THE ISOMETRIC SHOTS first there was the senator and his wife now it's Mark on the phone why are we mimicking the opening sequence... or was the opening sequence mimicking it?? I don't think so I know that guy he has a lot of isometric stuff in his work

'who is this?' 'uh...' mimicking the handbook, standard response = unknown

'can you meet me now' this is why you don't mix relationships with corporate espionage mark. now Alexa is going to wake up and think you abandoned her in your own house mark. do you want that on your conscience mark

why don't they just fire the mdr employees and get new ones? it would be easier than this secret villain lair door atp

moving swiftly on to ep 7

Why does the school look like it's from the set of 1984?

Is this the chick - WAIT I REMEMBER HER HER MAKEUP WAS SO GOOD IN HELLY'S SURGERY anyway is this the chick harmony and doug are after?

'you brought him into this world without his permission' damn if that isn't every emo kid arguing with their parents

DOUG WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE YOU NASTY ROACH

brutal pipe murder more women should get to murder people mark shut the fuck up and help hide the body

the blood covered card 'now get the fuck out of here' woo I love women

Boy Mark's Petey related PTSD will NOT get better will it that boy's gonna be closing his eyes and seeing The Horrors

Alexa's still in his bed right??

'where were you' Mark don't you dare gaslight her she deserves better than you

'are you okay?' aw Alexa <3 'do you want me to go?' she's so understanding and sweet and ughhhh but also I'm slightly worried there may be a 'woman can fix man' thing happening here

huh he cleaned the business card of blood

Don't dispose of your bloody clothes in the bin mark that's how people get caught

Milchick up at 5am dang does this guy get compensated correctly I sure as fuck hope so this guy may be evil but even evil henchmen deserve dental

Wait is Burt G up at 5am too? Also poor guy went to the break room

'can you tell me his name' DYLAN BABY :( also Zach cherry is such a good actor I loved him in Fallout as well

love how we the audience never get to know the way from the lift to mdr

milchick is so fine idc who reads this

The way Mrs Selvig just slammed that doll on the table 😂

Mrs Selvig... are you feeling compassion??

so mark got depressed and couldn't work... sounds familiar

Dylan stop being homophobic let the old man yaoi yearn

why is milchick wearing something different he's so fineee

Oh Dylan... it's not the same now you know life means something outside...

PLEASEEEEE can we get mark and helly dancing together pleasepleasepleaseplease

why am I attracted to milchick so much. his lil boogie intrigues me to such a degree

why are the disco lights the alarm lights

Dylan literally that picture 'they don't know I have a son'

Milchick so fineeeee wtf and I know irv sees it because he quickly looked the other way

okay nvm I'm scared of this man dancing next to Dylan Dylan darling smack him right now you deserve it FUCK YES HE DID IT

he bit him?? Dang dude metal... weird but understandable

oh no not the music dance experience. anything but the music dance experience.

'he was so happy to see me' I KNOW no one has been that happy to see him

time for ANOTHER. BADASS. HERO. WALK.

Irving really chose love over freedom dang

no one's in the panopticon. dang maybe this is a lesson we should apply to our everyday life or something

irving brushing his moustache to go see his beau. that's it. that's the note.

harmony can be so terrifying if she wants to be. no notes.

o&d having a melon party... Burt got fired didn't he

Oh this is how Irv has to learn 😔

Irv falling in love with everything about Burt... including his outtie... 'I just like you very much'

'Are we being punished?' 'You smug motherfucker' I love Irv go crazy go wild fight the man GET YOUR MAN

THE HANDSHAKE... just make out already it'll be worth it prommy

'Let's burn this place to the ground' IRVING YOU STAR YOU LOVESICK FOOL

mark binge drinking oh darling :(

'I think you're a mess right now' yeah he's drunk and just wants sex good on you Alexa for leaving

If I had a nickel for Zach Cherry being in a show that features oldies-style tunes semi prominently I'd have two nickels

It's about grief and recovering and mental health and loving and the love not having anywhere to go

WHAT THE FUCKKKK GEMMA IS MENTAL HEALTH LADY?? WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK

But she she DIED what the FUCK

right it's 1am and I promised I wouldn't stay up too late goodnight but WHAT TBE FHCK

[samuraiicecream]

Day1: Pretend relationship turned real

The life of superheroes required the Robins to always be ready for anything. But neither the League of Assassins nor the school of Batman could prepare for what Tim and Damian heard that evening.

Vicki Vale has taken up her "who's behind the masks" investigation again and turned to her old friend Tam Fox for answers.

"Do Tim and Damian often disappear unexpectedly?" "Did she notice any strange behavior in them?" "Do they remind her of Red Robin and Robin?" "How many cups of coffee does Tim drink a day?"

Under a flurry of questions, the girl was confused and gave out the first thing that came to her mind.

"Lies for good or How to quit your job in 2 minutes" – this was exactly what the headline of the Gotham morning newspaper should have been. But no, the inscription read: "THE TWO HEIRS OF WAYNE INTERPRISERS ARE REALLY SECRET BELOVERS".

Apparently, the girl had not learned to lie since the last time, so now she was begging for forgiveness on her knees. Tim looked at her, but saw a pleased journalist running away with a piece of gold. His brain system had malfunctioned. In disbelief, he looked at Damian, but saw only the same horror in the green eyes - Tim wanted to cry and scream.

Tim counted to a hundred the next morning before entering the kitchen. The whole family has already learned about the "secret romance" from the newspapers and even managed to spread the news to the rest of the superhero community. Real gossipers.

So the chance to tell the truth quickly reached zero.

But what is surprising is how positively everyone reacted.

Steph was jumping for joy and hugging them. Cass joined her. The Duke chatted endless congratulations.

Dick was crying with happiness because they were only pretending to fight when they "really" were secretly dating.

Alfred wished them all the best and rushed off to prepare a festive dinner.

Bruce... He behaved like a loving and caring father. Putting his hands on their shoulders, he said that he approved of their relationship, and hugged. At some point, the guys were pleasantly embarrassed, but after a second they realized that now they definitely couldn’t get away from it.

From Barbara came SMS with congratulations, however, many decided to write that day. But Jason was a shit. The man found them in the library. As usual, they sat on opposite sides of the sofa, but Jason interpreted this in his own way. He told them not to act like they didn't do anything until he interrupted their idyll and they had to quickly sit down. Needless to say, the obvious is that Jason was immediately pushed out of the room with pillows and improvised items.

In the company it was no better. Everyone cried with happiness that the two heirs were together and there would be no duel for the inheritance. Employees hugged: they no longer have to listen to constant quarrels and bickering. In honor of the full-fledged merger of the company, a large-scale corporate event was organized. Tim and Damian felt very embarrassed that they were holding the entire Wayne Enterprises at bay.

Then their friends joined in. If Damian was still able to somehow calm John down (although he didn’t find out the truth), then Tim’s friends simply pushed him into a deserted place and staged a test in the style of “how sincere your feelings are”. It's funny, but he passed the test. When they said a bunch of bad things about their couple, Dami, who was not even going to react at first, suddenly showed his fangs: “You have no idea what we are having to go through! You should be ashamed to say that behind your friend's back!" Such an angry cat they clamped in a vise and approved for their boy.

Nobody knew the real reason, and they really had to play the role of couple. All their indecision to openly show affection was attributed by those around them to embarrassment, but how long the family of detectives woulld feed on this thought is a question.

So after the patrol, Nightwing and Spoiler casually started talking about a kiss goodnight. They were not afraid to speak loudly. There was nothing to do. Tim went up to the younger and kissed him on the forehead. Damian knew it was all for the sake of imagery, but the imprint of Tim's lips was so tangible that his cheeks burned. There were giggles to the side, and he shushed them. He didn't have to answer, but still he stood up on his toes and pecked the elder in the jaw, whispering "Good night."

Damian ran away, and Tim remained standing, covering the kiss with his palm. They laughed at him for a long time.

Sometimes Tim and Damian wanted to do a facepalm, but overall they did a pretty good job. Hugging or holding hands became something commonplace that they didn't pay as much attention to. After all, they were just pretending.

It all went too far when one day Tim was chatting cheerfully with Bernard. Dami just watched them indifferently with his usual expression, thinking about his own, but Jason took it differently. He approached Tim like some kind of bandit and kicked him in the ass, so that the guy flew off to a distant flower bed. Damian nearly spit out his drink, staring in shock at Todd, who just patted him on the shoulder and told him not to get upset about "that idiot." There were a lot of judgmental looks on Tim that evening.

Then Tim decided to make a formal apology. With a bouquet of roses, he got down on one knee and apologized so that the whole family could see.

“Why? We could have ended this right now,” Damian whispered as he leaned over to the elder, accepting the flowers.

“I’m sorry I don’t want everyone to think I’m an asshole,” it sounded quite logical, so Dami clicked his tongue loudly and “forgave his poor lover”, but then Stephanie ran up and pulled Damian disapprovingly, throwing his “dry broom”, as she put it, at Tim.

“But he apologized.” Damian was horrified at her grip on his shoulders.

Touched, Steph hugged the younger to her chest.

“Oh, innocent you, my flower. I see how much you love him, but such a scoundrel cannot be forgiven so easily. You have every right to be offended by him for the rest of your life.

Damian thought that was too long for a fake relationship. He chose acting to the maximum and put his hand on his heart.

“Still, I’ll give it a second chance.” Stephanie wiped away a tear, and the rest of the onlookers sniffled.

Tim was free, but the girl grabbed Damian and took him to her room to talk about all the secret deeds and shameful stories from Tim's past. Damian only had time to look at Tim in a silent plea before he was taken into the female well of knowledge about exes.

It's been three weeks since Tim and Damian have been in a relationship. And, to tell the truth, there were many pluses in the current situation. Surprisingly, they worked together and acted like a real team on patrols. The atmosphere at work became lighter and more pleasant, as if the employees threw off a heavy burden from their shoulders, although they were afraid of the thought that if their bosses disagreed, they would cause a whole earthquake.

On a second rigged family date, Tim and Damian ended up at an amusement park. Hide behind a family trip and then suddenly disappear - such an obvious plan to give the cute birds privacy came up with the great knights of Gotham. The guys did not even try to pretend that they were looking for them. They sat on a bench and watched people scurrying up and down the park. Everywhere the hubbub and fun.

"I'm sorry about Bernard. You would make a good couple," Damian said after a while.

"Never mind. He still moves to another city."

Damian nodded in understanding. While they were silent, he swirled the glass of his drink, and Tim, noticing his drooping gaze, put his hand on him, urging the boy to turn around.

"Hey, it's not your fault, you know?" Damian understood this, but he still had an unpleasant feeling. Tim nudged him with his shoulder and Damian snorted.

"I know."

“Then relax. We're at an amusement park, and we're on a date, too, so why don't we have some fun?“

Damian arched an eyebrow.

"Drake, are you asking me out on a date?"

“For you, Tim, my love,” the guy smiled, having fun with all his might, and Damian could not resist and rolled his eyes, but a blush appeared treacherously on his cheeks. “Moreover, everything has already been prepared for us “. Tim waved the tickets that their siblings had thoughtfully bought with Bruce's money.

“Where do you want to go first, beloved?”

Tim's eyes widened at the painfully familiar nickname, and he covered a trembling smile with his hand. If they haven't left their last competition yet, now Damian equalized.

“I think we need something to cheer up.“

“How's the roller coaster?“

“Yes! But first I have to win a toy for my boyfriend.“

“Roller coaster with Cat-Batman?“

Tim looked at him questioningly.

“They have a Cat-Batman?! We just have to get it!“

Tim took Damian's hand and dragged him to the nearest shooting range, where, of course, he knocked the toy out without even breaking a sweat.

“Would you like me to hold him while we ride?“

“No, this is my gift.“

Tim looked puffed up until Damian kissed the young man on the cheek.

“Thank you dear, I will take good care of our first Batman cat, although Damian himself could easily win a prize for himself. At the same time that Tim realized what had happened, he blushed. Damian quickly took his hand and led him to the next attraction, no less embarrassed.

And so ended the operation "Date of the Damitims", and all its participants rejoiced on their positions. And no one ever found out about the fake headline, because it's not fake anymore.

[braveclementine]

Chapter 11

Warnings: None

Copyright: I do not own any Marvel characters or locations. However, I do own a few OCs like Elizabeth, Katherine, Stacy, and Jessie. I do not condone any copying of this.

"Hello My Queen." Loki said, coming up behind you to kiss you on the cheek. You turned to face him and he knelt in front of you, placing his hands on the bulge of your stomach, kissing the bump. "Hello my little Princess."

You smiled, brushing his hair back from his face. "Hello Lokes."

He got to his feet, pressing a sweet kiss to your lips. "How was your day today?"

"It was good." You said, turning back to the stove where you were in the middle of making dinner.

Dinner was going to be hamburgers and cheeseburgers. Pork and beans along with green beans as vegetables. Dill pickles were in a jar on the table already since you were almost done cooking the meal. Chips were also a part of todays meal and you also had pigs in a blanket for the kids.

"Is the table already set?" You asked as you started to load up the circular patties onto a larger platter.

"Yes, and I've got this." Loki said after you placed the last one on top. He picked the platter up to take it outside.

You grabbed some of the condiments, carrying them out after Loki.

Steve, Clint, Bucky, Sam, Thor, and T'Challa were running around on the grass with Marcel, Vincent, James, and Lloyd shooting water guns at each other. Lloyd wasn't really shooting guns. Thor was showing him how to shoot one though. Lloyd was only two and he was Thor's son. Lloyd Heimdall Marvel. Although his last name could also be Thorson.

And then there was Lloyd's twin-fraternally- sister: Vera Shuri Marvel. T'Challa's daughter. First to have more than one child to his blood.

Of course, all of them treated all of their kids like their own. And to distinguish between fathers, they simply called all of them 'daddy' and then their name. Lucy had a fun habit of calling T'Challa 'Daddy Allalalala.'

Minerva was still living with you guys, though it had been about three years since they had left. Wanda and Vision had twin boys of their own now by the names of Billy and Tommy. So Minerva had been left with you guys while Pietro, Jessie, and Katherine never even came back to visit.

It frustrated you beyond belief, but there wasn't really anything you could do. Minerva was probably better off in your guys' home anyways. She had grown and she really did seem like she was a part of the family.

At the moment, Minerva was sitting at the outdoor eating table next to Tony. He was showing her something he had made and she was listening attentively- or maybe she just liked that it was shiny. Stephen sat next to Tony, a small smile on his face while he rocked Vera in his arms.

Minerva looked up to give you a radiating smile when she saw you. You smiled gently, before moving back into the house.

Once everything was on the table, you took a spot on the other side of Stephen, putting Temperance on your other side and then Fury.

You loved the summer months. It was some of the best times that you had with the family. Plus, it meant you were in the best time of the business.

The others hadn't exactly taken a break from being superheroes, however, they were trying to back away from it, especially with how many kids you guys had now. So, Steve had pitched the idea that they get somewhat normal jobs.

It came from the fact that it just didn't seem fair for Tony to have to pay for everything- even if he didn't mind. And Steve said if they were going to start retiring their weapons, then they needed to get some sort of job to make money.

But you had pitched the idea for running a farm. It had been Elizabeth's original idea and you decided to give it a shot.

The others agreed, and now you were all running a full fledged farm here in Ohio. You had chickens, pigs, cows, sheep, even a couple of goats and some horses. You had both meat and egg chickens, milk and meat cows, and then the goats were for goat milk. The sheep were simply there for wool.

You were growing all sorts of crops like fruits and vegetables. There were also plenty of herbs, along with wheat and a few other products.

For the most part, you turned a lot of the stuff you collected into food or clothing for your own family. But there was still a lot that you ended up sending to market, which was where you made a lot of money.

Tony was good at branding and instead of calling it food from 'Stark Industries', it was known as the 'Avengers Farm'. And wouldn't you rather buy your butter from the Avengers instead of Kroger? 85% of American said yes.

So yeah, quite a bit had changed in your life. A few more kids, less missions, less fighting. Things just seemed more peaceful. Everyone was less stressed out, and it seemed as though everyone was enjoying their lives even more.

Loki was extremely excited about having his own kid. The baby girl in your stomach was the only one in there but Loki couldn't care less. His excitement was enough to kindle your own whenever he was around.

"Come on Tempy, you've got to eat the vegetables." Fury said to the little girl who was turning her nose up at the peas.

"Don't wan pwes." Temperance scrunched her tiny nose up.

"Peas are good for you." Fury said. "All superheroes eat peas, right Tony?"

"Yep!" Tony lied enthusiastically as he despised peas. "Peas are delicious Tempy."

His words worked at least and Temperance reluctantly opened her mouth to let Fury feed her.

Minerva was starting to fall asleep at the table and Tony pushed back to take her to her room.

"I've got her." You said, pushing back from the table, picking her up in your arms.

"You sure?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, of course." You kissed him on the lips and then made your way back into the house. Minerva hadn't quite fallen asleep when you laid her down in her princess bed.

The rooms had been slightly redone with the growing number of kids and the fact that they were growing older. This room was all of the girls and it was designed like a large castle, each small 'tower' having a bed in it.

"Aunty?" Minerva mumbled sleepily as you were going to leave the room again.

"Yes Minnie?"

"Will you tell me about my mama?" She asked.

You smiled sadly and came to sit down on the end of her bed. "What do you want to know?"

"Was she pwetty?"

"She was one of the most beautiful women I ever knew." You responded. "You look a lot like her. She had brown hair and brown eyes. She was a very strong woman, but she was also very free with her emotions. You knew exactly when she was in a bad mood because she would show it and you knew when she was happy because she would sing and dance. She loved to cook. She was full of love and joy and she loved Harry Potter. And most of all, she loved you and your father very, very much."

"Did she sing to me?" Minerva asked.

"She did. She had two very special songs that she would sing to you every single night." You responded.

"Can you sing them for me?"

Tears pricked your eyes. "Of course."

You slowly got up off the bed, turning off the lights, setting the purple night light in instead. You tucked her in with the sheets and then sat next to her, hugging her into your side.

"London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London Bride is falling down, My fair Lady. . ."

***

"How is she?" Tony asked as you settled into his and Stephen's room last night. He was very attentive towards Minerva, whether because she reminded him of himself a little bit, or just because he was a very sensitive man, you weren't sure. Your other soulmates didn't pay her the same attention as the others and both Tony and Stephen tried making up for it.

It wasn't their faults, of course. That was the bond. They took care of their soul kids first. It just worked that way. But you had taken care of her since she was young and that was how it was. But still, every night when you tucked her in, you cursed Pietro for his stupid decision.

"She asked about her mother again." You sighed.

Minerva knew her parents were gone, but she wanted to know all about them. You supposed it was fair.

"I'll have F.R.I.D.A.Y. find some pictures for her." Tony promised, sliding into bed next to you. Stephen was just finishing up in the bathroom.

"You know she hasn't even met any of her brothers?" You asked angrily. "Skylar, Billy, Tommy, and we both know that they just had a new little girl! It's not fair to her!"

"I know Y/N." Tony sighed, pulling you into a hug.

Stephen came out of the bathroom, turning the lights off as he made his way to the bed. "We'll figured something out darling, you don't have to worry. Besides, Minerva fits into the family well. I don't think Elizabeth would mind us taking care of her daughter."

"I know but. . . I'm afraid when she grows up she'll feel the difference." You admitted.

Neither of them said anything. It was to much to hope that the others would treat her as their own. Soulmate bonds. . . well they just didn't work like that.

***

Minerva stumbled along on her tiny feet, trying to help you with the laundry as you hung it up on the line. She would pick up a towel out of the basket by your feet and hold it up to you. You'd take it, hang it on the line, and then take the next towel from her.

She was quiet as she helped you, and you enjoyed her presence and her help. It was really adorable to watch, like a baby duckling or something.

You finished hanging up the laundry and then picked up the basket to go back inside. Thor approached you, kissing you and saying, "Do you want to watch something later?"

"I would like that." You said with a smile.

"Up!" Minerva said excitedly. She really liked being on Thor's broad shoulders.

Thor lifted her up to put her on his shoulders before turning back to you. "Do you know what you want to watch or do you want me to pick?"

"Something funny." You said with a smile. "Adam Sandler probably. Or something with Kevin Hart in it."

Suddenly, Thor's hammer shot skywards into Minerva's hands. She lifted it in one hand, grabbing Thor's hair in the other and proclaimed, "mew mew charge!"

Thor just stood there in shock, trying to figure out what had just happened. You gaped, staring at the sight in front of you.

"Well. . . that was interesting." You said. "But Lloyd can pick up the hammer too."

"True." Thor said. "I just did not expect this."

You smiled. "Minnie, give Uncle Thor his hammer back, okay?"

"Mew mew!" She cried happily, before lowering it, "Here Uncwle Twhore."

You giggled quietly as Thor took the hammer back and then lowered Minerva off his shoulders. She ran off on the farm and you and Thor looked at each other again.

"I'll be in the basement at eight." You said, kissing him on the cheek.

"I'll see you later Princesse." Thor smiled, before chasing after Minerva.

***

"That's awesome!" You said with delight through the phone while you stirred the spaghetti in the pot. "I'm really happy for you guys Y/S/N! So where do you have to move to?"

"Idaho." Y/S/N said glumly. "I mean, the job is great and of course, everything's cheaper there so Ben will make even more money since we won't be spending as much, but still- Idaho?"

"I don't know. It sounds kind've peaceful. Like my house." You said with a smile. "You might like it."

"I'm more of a city girl." Y/S/N sighed. Suddenly, there was loud crying in the background of her phone. "Well, she didn't want to sleep for long."

You laughed. "I'll talk to you later. If you want any help with the move, just let me know. I love you."

"Love you too."

You hung up, placing the phone on the counter as you finished off cooking dinner. You dished out the plates, setting the table, and then called everyone down for dinner.

"Look at these." Steve said with a grin, pulling you back into the kitchen as the others started to sit around the eating table.

He showed you one of the old milk jars that you guys had. He'd tied brown string around it into a bow and then filled it with wild flowers. "Thought you'd like to put these in the bedroom."

"Thank you." You whispered, taking them from him and kissing him.

"Let's eat!" Clint shouted from the other room.

You giggled and the two of you went back out there to join the others.

The kids made a mess, eating the spaghetti and you loved watching their fathers clean then up.

"That's it!" Sam declared, lifting Lloyd out of his seat. "You need a bath."

The two year old squealed, kicking his feet, but Sam wouldn't let him go as he disappeared out of the room.

"So, anything exciting happen today?" Clint asked the kids.

"I lifted mew mew." Minerva stated simply.

The others looked at Thor. "She did what?" Steve asked in surprise.

"I'm so proud of you sweetheart." Tony said, winking at Minerva. "Means you're worthy."

"But did she actually?" Loki asked, a huge grin on his face.

"She did." You confirmed. "It was actually quite adorable."

"I wanna lift mew mew!" Lucy squealed.

You bit your bottom lip. Yeah, that was going to be a problem if they all argued over it.

"Are we weally starting school in Augwust?" Vincent asked excitedly.

"Yeah, but it's a sort of home-school project." T'Challa said.

None of you had felt comfortable about putting the kids in a public school setting, but you had also wanted them to interact with other kids. The win-win solution was a home-schooling program where they met with other home-schooled students three days a week for five hours at a church nearby.

"Alright, c'mon, you guys gotta wash up and then get ready for bed." Fury said twenty minutes later.

They grumbled, but they were good about getting up and doing as they were told- especially if Daddy Fury was the one telling them.

"Mama, come tuck us in!" Lucy begged you.

"Alright, if you're in bed when I come upstairs, I'll tuck you in and sing to you, okay?" You said. She scampered off and you looked over at Thor. "Maybe more like eight thirty."

Thor grinned, "I'll be waiting."

"I thought you were with me tonight." Loki glared at Thor.

"We're watching a movie. I'm still with you tonight, don't worry Lokes." You grinned, before you got up from the table and headed upstairs to where the girls were all waiting in bed.

"Now will you sing to us?" Lucy begged.

"Of course Lucy Loo." You smiled, brushing back her black hair. "Do you know what you want me to sing?"

"The one with the bears!" Temperance giggled from her bed.

"Yeah!" Lucy and Minerva agreed.

'That one is kind've creepy.' You thought, but you didn't say that aloud.

"Alright." You said, turning out the lights.

You headed over to where Vera was already falling fast asleep, kissing her forehead and started to sing,

"If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise If you go down in the woods today, you'd better go in disguise For every bear that ever there was Will gather there for certain because Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic

Every teddy bear who's been good is sure of a treat today There's lots of marvelous things to eat and wonderful games to play Beneath the trees where nobody sees They'll hide and seek as long as they please That's the way the teddy bears have their picnic

Picnic time for teddy bears The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today Watch them, catch them unawares And see them picnic on their holiday

See them gaily gad about They love to play and shout They never have any cares At six o'clock their mummies and daddies Will take them back home to bed 'Cause they're tired little teddy bears

If you go down in the woods today, you'd better not go alone It's lovely down in the woods today, but safer to stay at home For every bear that ever there was Will gather there for certain because Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic"

They were all fast asleep. You smiled, leaving the room, and closing the door behind you. Then you went downstairs to join Thor and Loki for the movies.

I don't know. This Chapter was kind've everywhere. I was kind've trying to explain what they were doing with their life and also trying to keep the story moving. But I also really wanted to explain why Minerva was still there, etc. I don't know. This wasn't the best chapter. I'll do better- promise.

[dibs4ever]

Overhearing

Dick and Barbara’s son overhesrs them in their bedroom and has concerns

Dick and Barbara lay in their bed cuddling. This was the first night in weeks that they had been able to be alone, without the distractions of a mission or a case or kids, and take the time to do one of their favorite things to do together.

.....Have intercourse

As a married couple, they tried to take time to have sex at least once a week. It was something Dinah suggested was a key to healthy relationships. Being that she was not only their friend but also a licensed therapist they believed her.

It also was something they had no problem doing. Heck if they had the opportunity they’d do it every night. But given that they had day jobs, were secretly Nightwing and Batgirl/Oracle and that they had a 5-year-old and 3-year-old it was something easier said than done. To top it all off the past 3 weeks had been exceptionally busy with the mission they had been on. But now that it was finally successfully finished Dick and Barbara made sure to wrap up patrol early and make time for each other.

“Do you hear that?” Barbara said softly

Dick had his arms wrapped around her, he pulled her closer against him, her butt making contact with his belly button “Hmm the sound of your racing heartbeat? Yeah, we worked up a sweat didn’t we Mrs. Grayson?” He ducked his head kissing her neck

Barbara turned her head to make eye contact with him “No, listen.”

He was quiet and listened closely, now hearing what she was referring to “Is that-“

“Sounds like Nathan is crying.” She spoke referring to their 5-year-old.

Dick sighed, releasing his wife he slid out of the bed “I’ll go check on him.” He grabbed his sweat pants slipping them on “I love our babies and normally I want them in the bed snuggling with us but-“ he paused flashing Barbara the same daring smirk he’d been giving her since they were 11 years old

Barbara grinned “I hear yeah Man Wonder, I want you all to myself tonight too. Go calm our son down and get your butt back in here so I can show you how much you’re all mine.”

“Yes ma’am “ Dick spoke lowly as he made his way out of their bedroom

Barbara sighed. She still couldn’t believe this was her life. Over 5 years later and she still felt like one of these days she’d wake up and it all had been a dream. It seemed too good to be true. She and Dick. Married, with 2 kids, still crime fighters. Together forever.

She heard her bedroom door open and sat up “Well that was quick.”

Dick was chuckling at her from the end of the bed “He wants to see you.”

“Me?” Barbara pointed to herself “I thought he was getting better about only wanting me.”

Dick crawled back into the bed “Well he was fine with me coming to comfort him, that, wasn’t it. He says....he heard lots of screaming coming from our room and is afraid that you are hurt.” He explained

Barbara’s eyes widened “Oh my God.”

Her husband continued to chuckle “I’m sure that’s one of the things he heard you scream .”

She rolled her eyes playfully swatting his bare chest. Now it was her turn to roll out of bed. Slipping on a pair of spandex shorts and Dick’s t-shirt “What am I going to tell him?”

Dick shrugged “Tell him Daddy was helping you feel better.”

Barbara rolled her eyes “Not funny.”

Dick smirked “It kinda is.” He smiled

smacking her bottom lightly as she walked past him “I’m sure you’ll think of something Babe. In the meantime, I’ll be waiting for your return .”

Barbara turned in the doorway “You better not fall asleep on me.”

He smiled back at her “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Barbara tip-toed down the hall toward her son's room.

She opened the door, hearing his little sniffles as she entered. There her 5-year-old son lay in his bed with a Green Arrow Bed set, he clutched his. Green Arrow plushie tightly to him. It was ironic how obsessed the boy was with Green Arrow. Little did he know who his family’s secret identities were. She didn't care that The Green Arrow was his favorite superhero. But it was entertaining seeing some members of the Bat fam try to convince him to like other superheroes instead.

“Hey Baby, daddy said you wanted to see me?” She sat beside the boy in his bed.

Nathan immediately jumped into her arms, lying on her. He wrapped his arms around her neck, burying his head into her chest. Barbara threaded her fingers through his dark locks of hair “Oh mommy, I could hear you screaming. I was so scared that you were hurt. Then you and Daddy’s door was locked when I went to go check on you. I was scared something bad was happening to you so I came back to my room in case it was a bad man in the house. You’re not hurt mommy are you?”

Nathan looked up at her, his bright blue eyes were puffy, tear stains evident on his cheeks. Barbara sighed “No Nathan I’m not hurt.” Her mind began racing with ideas of what kind of excuse to use.

She moved her son so he was lying in his bed, then repositioned herself to be lying on her side so she could look down at him. Slowly she began to brush a finger along the bridge of his nose. Something she’d been doing since he was a baby that always seemed to soothe him. Whenever she did she admired the freckles along his nose, one of the things he inherited from her.

“You remember how mommy has been saying her back hurts?”

Nathan nodded “From sitting at your desk at the library.”

Barbara smiled, it wasn’t a complete lie. Some of her back soreness was from that....most of it was from crime fighting. “well daddy was giving mommy a message to work out all the sore spots in her back and sometimes those messages can hurt in order to get rid of the sore spots“

Her son’s breath caught, what could she of said that caused her son to worry “So daddy was hurting you?” He asked wife eyed

Quickly she shook her head “Oh no no no. The opposite, Daddy was making me feel better. It only hurt till he worked out the knots. Now I feel better.”

Nathan nodded “So you were screaming 'cause daddy was working out your knots. But now your back feels better.” The 5-year-old stated. Confirming he heard correctly

Barbara nodded “Yeah something like that. So for the record. Mommy is okay and I wasn’t being hurt at all. Alright.”

The little boy nodded “I’m sorry mommy, I just love you so much, and whenever I think about you getting hurt I get scared. “

She leaned down and kissed her son's temple “You're the sweetest. I love you to the moon.”

Nathan turned kissing her cheek “I love you to the stars.” He cuddled into her side. Barbara continued stroking the bridge of his nose til he was back to sleep before tip-toeing out and back to her room.

“So, how’d it go?” Dick asked as soon as she reentered the room

Barbara crawled into bed “He’s back asleep. I told him you were giving me a message, and working out knots can hurt sometimes .”

He laughed pulling her to him, resuming their position from before. “so you took my advice?”

Barbara interlocked their fingers “Something like that. She reached up to thread her fingers through his hair “Thank you for giving our son your caring personality.”

Dick snuggled into her neck “And thank you for giving our daughter your fiery one.” He tickled her sides

Barbara giggled “I love you.” She whispered as they settled into a cuddle again

“And I love you,” Dick spoke softly before kissing her lips

[queen-of-writing-bad-things]

Henry Danger Reader Insert | Captain Man x Reader: SEASON 5

Episode 33: Rumblr (SMUT)

Season 5 Masterlist

*Welp, we now all know what's happening in Danger Force Season 3. Am I happy? No. Do I want the writers to wake up to a million insects in their underpants? Yes. Can I do anything about it? Nope. 

I'll figure out a way to make it work when we get to that, but for now, SMUT FOR EVERYONE. It's a little further down, so I'll tell you when to dim your brightness and order your mum to go away, so enjoy this one! Needy, moody, sad, and grumpy Ray is my favourite <3

Everyone knew that Captain Man was meant to be a legend. 

When the people of Swellview talk in the future, his name will be mentioned in awe. He will be in the hall of fame, one of the greats, a hero revered by children after hearing all the grand stories from their elders. 

For Ray, his job was control. It was freedom dripping from his fingertips, an ichor promising him eternal youth. For Ray, being a superhero was everything magical and thrilling.

But loving (y/n) was like breathing. He needed her. 

She was more, everything magical and beautiful and extraordinary, and for whatever reason or whatever good deed he did in a past life, she was his. His sweet girl. The one he was going to marry. 

And she was gone. 

Not gone gone. Just away. A family reunion in her home town - a big event that demanded her presence, no matter how much she insisted that her job wouldn't let her leave so easily. 

(y/n) hated those reunions. It was just a chance for her snooty aunties to ask where her wedding ring and children were, for her cousins to pry into her elusive job, and for her parents to wonder why that nice young man she was marrying couldn't attend. She hated the constant questions and distasteful jokes, even if they were her family, but she hated leaving him more. 

They'd both agreed that it was for the best. Someone had to stay to protect the city; Captain Man and Miss Danger simultaneously couldn't be away, so Ray waved her off, promising he'd cope in her absence. 

Have fun, see your family, and don't worry, sweet girl. We'll be okay here, he'd said. 

Unfortunately, he wasn't okay, and he certainly couldn't cope. 

Ray fell apart when she got in the cab, watching until the car disappeared past the horizon, instantly wishing he could kiss her one last time. After that, he returned to the Man Cave, convinced he'd be okay. It was only a few days, and she never got to see her family because of him, so it was right to let her go. At least, that's what he told himself. 

"He's miserable..."

"Oh yeah, he's definitely pining for her." he heard Henry and Charlotte whisper the next day, watching him mope around the room with a scowl on his face. The place was too quiet, and all the rooms seemed too dark without his darling girl's sunshine to brighten them. She was his wife - or she would be - and he hated being separate from her. 

Four days later, his situation nosedived into pure hell as time passed. There was no point in getting dressed; his fiancée wasn't here to see him, so pyjamas it was. There was no point brushing his hair and teeth; she wasn't there to kiss or fuss over his handsome looks. There was no point in shaving; he didn't want to go outside. The world would go on without Captain Man, but he couldn't go on without his sweet girl. 

That's how he ended up on the ratty, old couch in Junk-N-Stuff, stuffing stale cereal into his mouth and drinking milk from the carton. Despite his melancholia, Jasper couldn't move him - he was still the boss, even if he wasn't acting like one. He crashed there on the third day, clad in a dirty t-shirt, pyjama bottoms and a dressing gown because his bedroom reminded him of (y/n) too much. 

So, the boy was reduced to serving customers, apologising for the tramp in the corner, and dodging around the mess he made. 

"Wake up, lil' snoozy!" Jasper exclaimed as he used a handheld vacuum to clean up the cereal the man had spilt down his front. Just because this was a junk store didn't mean they had no standards, something (y/n) had taught him from day one. Oh, how she'd hate to see her doofus now. 

"Jasper, turn it off! It's too early for vacuuming," Ray snapped, wishing to be left alone to wallow in his self-pity. His body ached, longing for his sweet girl and the completeness she brought him, but he knew she was far away and doing much better than him. 

He waited for her to phone him every night, and like clockwork, she did. He played it cool, acting like he was functioning like a normal human being when he asked about her day, who she'd seen, and what she'd done. He didn't tell her how much he missed her; he didn't want to spoil her trip. As long as she thought everything was okay and she was happy, he could last until she came home. 

Until then, he hugged her pillow at night, pretending it was her in his arms, and when the clock struck three, the first tears fell. Every single night she was away. 

God, he missed her. God, he was a mess. And god, he made a pathetic sight. 

"It's three in the afternoon," the boy replied candidly, glancing across the store as he awkwardly hovered near the man. A shower or a change of clothes wouldn't hurt him, and he wished he'd stop shovelling the old cereal into his mouth, but Ray wouldn't listen. 

"If that were true, Junk-N-Stuff would be open!" He grumbled, having dozed the day away since his heart stopped aching only when he was asleep, but even then, his dreams featured a radiant beauty giggling and calling him her doofus. 

Was he sad? Possibly. No one else ever became so depressed when their partner left for a few days, but this wasn't just a partner. This was (y/n) he was talking about, and for as long as he could remember, she'd always been there. Not having her around felt unnatural now, like a piece of him was missing. 

"It is," Jasper revealed in a frustrated voice, and Ray opened his eyes enough to see what he meant. Jasper felt sorry for the man, knowing how not a day went by when he didn't see (y/n), so this was a rare experience for him. 

Still, customers had been complaining about him all day. The old lady waddling through the store, staring at him curiously, wasn't different. No one needed to see him in his dirty, crusty grandpa slippers. 

"I like your robe. Can I buy it?" The strange lady requested, making Jasper frown. He didn't want to think of the last time it had seen a washing machine; (y/n) wore it once last week, meaning Ray didn't want to wash away the memory of her in it. 

"No," he scoffed. It was comfortable and faintly smelt like her perfume, giving him succour whenever he nosed the collar. How could he give it away when he remembered how cute she looked as it dwarfed her on the couch?

"I'll give you two bucks," the lady proposed, eying up the cheap fabric.

"...Deal," Ray sighed. As much as he loved the memory, he wasn't in the mood to argue and couldn't bear any reminders of his beloved fiancée, so he threw his box of Captain Man's Her-ohs! cereal to the side and stood up to strip off the robe. 

"Okay, let me just get your real money from right here in my not-empty purse..." she said slowly, rummaging in her bag to convince the scruffy man she'd pay him when in reality, she had no intention of giving this schmuck anything. Ray didn't see through the deception, though, handing over the clothing without a second thought since they were clouded by his loneliness. 

However, the second she took the dressing gown, her sweet, little old lady act dropped, much like Ray when she used her meagre strength to push him to the floor. After four days of eating nothing but crap, Ray was wobbly on his legs, and his grief didn't help, meaning he fell like a domino into a crumpled, teary heap. 

"See ya, sucker!" The woman hissed through her false teeth, sneering at the man as he slumped against the dusty rug, making no attempt to get up or fight back. What was the point? He could feel Jasper's stare but couldn't care less when everything felt floppy. His world had lost its colour - it faded when she left in a taxi. 

"That lady stole your robe!"

"So what? (y/n) always said it was ugly, anyway..." he muttered, nuzzling into his arm before slowly shuffling onto his knees. He sniffed at the mention of his sweet girl, wondering if she was having fun with her younger cousins or hearing family tales from her granduncles. He wished he'd gone with her, but he didn't know her loss would make him feel like this. 

"She's getting away!"

"Ehhhh, who cares? I'll just steal a robe off someone else later. Circle of life," Ray shrugged, plonking back down on the couch to return to his cereal. (y/n) was due back at the end of the week anyway, so he might as well eat his feelings. Y'know, instead of calling and telling her how much he missed her. 

"Actually, she's having some trouble getting up the stairs, so...still time to get it back before you do something (y/n) wouldn't approve of," Jasper said, watching as the old woman tried to get her aching joints and creaking knees up the few steps to the door, but her hip replacement couldn't do it. 

He knew the man was lost without his soulmate, but he wouldn't steal anything from anyone. He didn't have the heart or energy. 

"Oh, I don't care about a crappy---" Ray argued, his words slurring at the end, proving the kid's point. He couldn't be bothered to do anything, so the pensioner made her getaway, skulking out of the store with the stinky robe bundled in her arms. Well, that was the last time he'd see that. 

"What's wrong with you?!" Jasper snapped, knowing the answer, but he wanted to hear the man admit it. He swore he was fine, viciously bit off anyone's head who mentioned his fiancée, and insisted he wasn't missing her. What a load of shit. 

"Nothing!" Ray whined, chewing more cereal before looking down and seeing how grubby he looked, "clean my shirt."

"You know, if you're missing (y/n), you could just call her," the teen suggested, sighing as he stepped forward and began vacuuming whatever unknown chunks clung to his off-white t-shirt. Ray glared at him; his heart clenched at imagining her voice again, hearing her soothe all his worries, telling her he hated being so far away from the love of his life. But how could he be so selfish?

"No, thank you. (y/n)'s with her family... She won't want me to ruin the celebrations, so it's better if I--I'm fine. Fine. Totally fine, so leave it," he stammered, realising he was letting his true feelings slip too much and to Jasper. 

In all the years he'd known (y/n), she'd been away plenty of times for various reasons, and every time, he'd always survived. However, he just wished he remembered how much it always sucked. 

"Four days, man..." Jasper sighed and continued cleaning him up, shaking his head at his bullheadedness. He knew the heroine was probably feeling the same way, longing for her doofus, but neither would say it, so he said nothing. 

"Ray!" Suddenly, a shout came from the back room, and Henry, Piper and Charlotte ran into the room. They burst through the beaded curtain, panting and tired from sprinting into the elevator, but they needed their boss. Their whining, lonely, pathetic boss.

"We've got an emergency call."

"The Toddler just escaped from Swellview Prison," Piper described, thinking it was a difficult situation, given the notorious criminal, but Ray didn't even bat an eyelash. No point in fighting crime when Miss Danger wasn't there to look all pretty and hot by his side. 

"He greased himself with baby oil, and no one could grab him!" Charlotte added, hoping to inspire some energy into the man, but he shoved another handful of Her-ohs! into his mouth. 

"Ha! Slick move. Let's bounce!" Henry chuckled, satisfied with his little pun, but his jovial mood soon stopped when Ray stayed on the couch. He'd had enough of this; the moping, the crying, the snappy mood, and how every emergency had fallen to him. He might as well have taken the flight with (y/n). 

"Ah, who cares about The Toddler? We catch him, and we throw him in jail. Six weeks later, he's back out on the street..."

"Are you still sad 'cause (y/n) left for her family reunion? Dude, it's been four whole days!" Piper exclaimed, thinking Charlotte was joking when she mentioned that Captain Man didn't do well without his other half. This took the biscuit, though, 

"I don't miss her! Why do people keep saying that?!" Ray hissed, throwing a fistful of grained hoops in her direction. Of course, he fucking missed her, but he couldn't say it out loud. They'd phone (y/n) and inform her of how sad he was; his pride couldn't bear that. It was just a little heartache, nothing he couldn't handle. 

"'Cause you look disgusting and have done ever since she left," Charlotte retorted in her classic dry tone. Little did he know that (y/n) was counting down the seconds until it was socially acceptable to leave, divulging to the girl that seeing her family meant nothing if he wasn't with her - the family she had to choose. 

"I know what to do..." Henry whispered to the girls, aware his boss was too stubborn to say anything else. Out of everyone, he had the most experience with man-child tantrums, and he had a rough idea of what to do. Fair enough, he didn't have a sweet touch but was trying his best. 

With his sister and friend watching him curiously, the boy kneeled beside his boss, who didn't take much notice, even when a mysterious beat came out of nowhere. Maybe it was cringy, but singing worked before, all those months ago when Frankini cursed Swellview and Ray skipped town. 

"Remember when you took The Toddler, bro?" He started the song, slowly looking up at the man's brooding face, hardened by his ten o'clock shadow and unimpressed stare. Despite it being his best effort to try and cheer him up, Ray didn't appreciate the gesture, shutting it down before the second lyric could leave Henry's lips by throwing cereal in his face. 

"I don't need the Pump-Up Song!" Ray snapped, standing up with a sweeping fury. He gulped down what he needed; an urge to admit he was lovesick and to hear his sweet girl's reassuring voice. But what if that wasn't the only thing?

"I need new guys to fight!" He growled, throwing his hands up as he crossed the store. That raised a few eyebrows and made the kids look at each other because Captain Man was out of action. After all, Miss Danger was too. No one said anything about this twist - the fact that he'd grown tired of a twenty-year-old routine was a surprise. 

"You mean you need (y/n) to come back and cuddle you?" Piper proposed, assuming he was making excuses or something. However, the look he threw her could kill, indicating he didn't appreciate the hint he was a loser. He was a loser, but not just because his fiancée was out of town. 

"I. Am. Fine! I'm just sick of fighting the same criminals over and over again. I'm bored!" 

"And missing (y/n/n)," Charlotte remarked smugly, giggling because she knew it was true. But Ray wasn't joking. Yes, he ached for his pretty girl, but even crimefighting hadn't taken his mind off it. In the past, he used to throw himself into his work to distract himself from anything - his unrequited love to a disastrous date - but this time, it hadn't worked. The itch was still there, the one that told him to do something, but he couldn't scratch it. 

"Charlotte, I swear--"

"Try going on Rumblr," Piper said before he could give her friend a good talking to, making his head tilt in a manner (y/n) would find adorable. 

"Huh?"

"I can't help with (y/n), but try going on Rumblr," the brat suggested casually, shrugging because it was up to him to change his mood. All she could do was try and help him, and whilst she couldn't fly (y/n) home, she could try to find him a fight worthy of scratching the itch. 

"What's Rumbler?" Ray asked, sounding like such an old person with his poor, elderly pronunciation, much to the amusement of the teens. 

"Nah, it's Rumblr!"

"Yeah, Rumblr."

"It's an app."

"Called Rumblr." Jasper, Charlotte and Henry worked together to explain it to him. Perhaps not in the best, most efficient way, but it got through to Ray. Probably. He looked a little lost, making Piper chuckle since he got so confused when his precious fiancée wasn't around to spell things out for him in his old age. 

"I sometimes forget how old he is..." She joked with her friends, causing the hero to grumble and set his lips in a firm line. Just because he was older didn't mean he was foolish; besides, he had experience, just not with these newfangled application things. 

"What's Rumblr?" He asked, mushing the syllables together as they did, so he was down with the kids as he stood there in his disgusting t-shirt and grandpa pyjamas pants. 

"Well, it's like a dating app, but instead of matching women with creeps, it matches heroes with villains," Piper explained, flicking the app up on her phone so he could see. 

They didn't have things like this in his day, and Ray immediately doubted its credentials about why a villain would actively seek the law. Life was hard when he didn't have his darling girl around to help him, and it made him realise how used he was to have her around. 

"Why would a villain want to find a hero?"

"Attention."

"Publicity.

"Yeah, think about it. Any bad guy that fights Captain Man ends up all over the news," Jasper said after the girls, describing how the hero brought the villain status and respect amongst their vicious circles. That's how The Toddler and Doctor Minyak gained notoriety, thanks to Captain Man, even if they never managed to defeat him, not even when he still worked alone. 

"And if they actually beat you in a fight..." Charlotte started, making Ray scoff at such a thought. As if he'd let that happen--he was too awesome to let that happen, honestly. 

"Boom! Evil sponsorship. They've just turned their villain hobby into a villain career."

"Yeah, well, no one's gonna beat me in a fight," the large man smirked cockily, tossing another cereal nugget into his mouth. Depressed, lonely or sad, he could still kick ass when needed. He just didn't want to do it when his sweet girl wasn't with him, something the kids saw straight through. 

"Big talk from someone who's afraid to get on Rumblr," Piper sassed, earning some bemused noises from the group. They oohed at the man's wariness, making him wrinkle his nose and shuffle from foot to foot because it made him sound like a coward. 

"I'm not afraid to get on Rumblr!" Ray snapped with his mouth full, putting his walls up again because he didn't like talking about his feelings. These were the kids he cared for (more than their parents) - they didn't need to hear his problems. 

"I just like to meet villains the old-fashioned way, that's all. I bump into them at a crime scene, we start to banter a little, my sweet girl says something clever, one thing leads to another, and suddenly, I'm fighting this bad guy, and it's amazing," he fantasised, crinkling the box in his hands. 

He could practically taste the scene. It was dark, dingy, and disgusting - everything a hero loves. Miss Danger and Kid Danger were by his side, fighting for their lives--everyone in Swellview's lives, and it was all explosions, adrenaline, and danger as they threw punches, kicks and insults at the bad guy. That's how battles were meant to go...

"Yeah, dude, that's not how villains and heroes meet these days," Henry chuckled, deeming his boss so stuffy with his rose-tinted views on heroic meet-cutes. 

"Yeah, well, it should be!"

"Just try it. Get the app, make a profile, and put yourself out there," Charlotte told him. She knew he was nervous; doing something like this without (y/n) was out of his comfort zone, and he wouldn't have her to turn to, but they were with him. All he had to do was take the first step. 

"I don't know... (y/n) normally helps me with this sort of thing..." Ray muttered, scuffing his foot against the floor, but they heard him clearly - maybe felt a smidgeon of sympathy for him. 

"Ray, what if your perfect villain is out there waiting for you right now? What if you could introduce them to (y/n) when she gets back?" Jasper came forward, placing a warm hand on his shoulder as he tried to offer the guy a tiny sliver of hope. He smiled at the thought of having his girl in his arms again, but then, he remembered whose hand was touching him, and then, well, his imagination got the better of him. 

"Yeah, well, what if I end up fighting some guy I don't even like, and I accidentally spill mustard on my butt, and he spends the whole evening calling me Mustard Butt?! What then?! Huh? What then?! I can't tell my sweet girl about that!" He exclaimed, rambling as he thought about everything that could go wrong.

No matter how improbable, they were still mortifying and not something he'd want (y/n) to know about. 

"Did that happen to you before?" Charlotte asked, thinking that scenario sounded too detailed to be a fevered imagining. 

"No!" Ray denied, gazing into his cereal box, even though it made him seem guiltier. 

"Because that's a very specific concern."

"It didn't happen!" He insisted, nibbling a little more as Henry smirked. It probably happened, and he would love to know which villain called him that, but they quickly moved on when he clammed up. The man was too shy to agree to anything and hated the thought of going alone, so Piper had a suggestion. 

"What if you and Kid Danger went together?" She said, knowing her brother would support him and be his wingman. Ray still looked unsure; with something as tender and delicate as this, he needed his favourite girl, but Henry would have to do. 

"What, you mean, like, go on a double fight?"

"Sure! Come on, man. How often do we even fight crime anymore? Maybe once a week? Only on Saturdays?" The kid smiled reassuringly, leaving the cash register to approach the man debating the offer, but could he go through with it without his sweet girl? Would she be mad knowing he went fighting without her?

"Listen, just come! It'll be fun! (y/n) would want you to do it! Come on, please!" Henry begged, wearing down his boss' resilience.

"Fine--okay!" Ray groaned, sniffing as he tilted the box into his mouth and drowned himself in cereal. Most of it went onto the floor, with only some going down his throat, but the teens didn't say anything. They didn't expect him to agree, making it a pleasant surprise that they'd get to create his Rumblr profile and find him a hot fight. 

"Great! Aw, man, seeing you like this again is so good! You've been such a loser since (y/n) left!" Henry grinned, slapping his older friend on the arm as he finished his snack and looked at him dryly. Swallowing the dry grain with a wince, he turned to the children, who giggled at what the kid said - nothing but the truth. 

Ray, of course, didn't see it that way. He clutched the box tightly and stared at each of them, sighing when their mischievous smiles didn't budge. Piper made kissy noises, making her boss blush and growl because he didn't like the taunting as much as he didn't like the implication that he fell to pieces when his wife left. 

"I am not a loser! God, you make it sound like I can't function when she leaves!"

"Well, you can't! Just look at yourself. Without (y/n) around, you get all grumpy, gross, and moody," Charlotte replied, gesturing to his grotty clothes, unshaven face, and tousled hair. 

Ray looked down at himself and shrugged, thinking it had been a rough few days, and he didn't have to be perfect. And the correlation between his mood, appearance and (y/n) was nonsense. Girls occasionally left their lovers, and nothing happened to them, so why were they convinced by this narrative that he wasn't sleeping, eating or living correctly? Perhaps because it was true. 

"Look, I loved her for ten years and survived whenever she left!"

"That was when you were a chicken! Now, you don't spend a single minute apart from your sweet girl, meaning now she's gone, you've become a loser!" The girl chuckled, watching as the man grew increasingly frustrated, throwing his hands in the air as their words got to him. All too real words - so true he struggled to admit they were wrong. 

"Yeah, and it's only been four days. Imagine how much he'd miss her if she went for two weeks?" Piper added, sharing a smile with her friend as Ray lamented the thought. 

He wanted her so much. At least she was with him all those years ago, so far yet so close, and he could revel in her friendship. They were correct, though; back then, he lived with the heartbreak of believing she didn't love him every day. Maybe he was too spoilt nowadays, waking up to her in his arms every morning, safe, soft and smiling. Perhaps he'd grown too accustomed to such niceties, or possibly, his perfect girl made him weak-hearted. 

Ray wasn't sure. All he knew was that he couldn't give them the satisfaction of his confession that he was indeed a loser. 

"Oh my god! I don't need (y/n) to function because I certainly don't miss her! Why won't anyone accept that I am fine?!" 

"Well, I beg to differ from where I'm standing, doofus," a gentle voice suddenly said from behind him, making everyone look over in shock as the T-Rex roared fire and the door opened. 

It was like time had stopped. There, in the doorway, smiling brightly, dressed in mismatched, rumpled clothing, and looking like she'd been to hell and back (or an airport), was (y/n) in all her glory. 

A small, floral-print suitcase was by her feet, a raincoat tucked under her arm, and another bag hitched over her shoulder as she stood there excitedly at finally coming home, although earlier than expected. A tugging on her heartstrings told her a week was too long, and besides, her family had driven her up the wall from day one. Why stay when she'd already had enough after the first dinner?

"(y/n/n)! Didn't expect to see you home until at least Tuesday!" Henry remarked, grinning as brightly as her as she laughed and glanced at her feet, obviously quite bashful at her dramatic entrance. 

Oh, Ray's face was an absolute picture. His mouth was propped open slightly, and perhaps he was drooling slightly at the pretty sight she made, although Henry couldn't tell. He'd gone pale and silent as he took her in, blinking furiously to check she wasn't some melancholy-induced dream, but no. His sweet girl had come home, and she, wearing a faded hoodie and her oldest pair of jeans, looked drop-dead gorgeous. 

"Eh... My aunts had a fight with one of my uncles over divorcing their sister for the babysitter. Just another happy family reunion, so I decided to cut it short, and I'm glad I did," she shrugged, dismissing the memory of seeing a man plead for his...unmentionables since she'd yet to go to a family event where there wasn't a punch-up. Next time, however, she'd definitely take her husband - she hoped he'd be - considering how goddamn awful he looked.

"I leave for four days, and everything goes to pot? Oh, Raymond..." she said softly, meeting his big, sad eyes as she draped her coat and bag over her case, hoping to take all the pain away now she was back. 

She'd never seen him like that - not even in the old days when he returned from another failed date. Not even the prettiest model used to make him fall to pieces after dumping him, so she was shocked to see her doofus in the filthiest of clothing, having not bothered to get dressed, surrounded by a puddle of cereal she swore she'd thrown in the trash, and looking like a hobo with his rough stubble. 

She moved to walk down the steps, to take him into her arms and assure him she had no intention of leaving in the foreseeable future, to fuss over him for not taking care of himself simply because she was out of town, but she never got the chance to. 

In the blink of an eye, Ray, having regained the use of his brain after it shortcircuited, dashed towards her at speed, becoming a blur for the kids as he was there one second and gone the next. (y/n) gasped as his arms circled her, his head buried in her chest since the stairs gave her a height advantage, but Ray didn't care. His strength allowed him to pull her up and keep her there, lifting his sweet girl off the floor as he crushed her in a tight hug born of desperation and yearning. 

With her tiptoes hovering above the floor, the woman had no choice but to return it, offering no complaints, save that he really needed a shower, as she squeezed him and cradled his head to her neck. There was no way she'd ever leave again after the phone calls and late-night longing for the man she could hear but not see, feel or touch. 

What was it her great aunt said? 

"Husbands and wives are meant to be together, so separating them rarely makes the heart grow fonder. Just forgetful and bitter. It's unnatural... Plus, we're all dying to meet the man you daydream about. Don't think we haven't noticed, young'un. You've got a boy on your mind, and that ring says it all."

"I've missed you, (y/n). So much..." Ray confessed hoarsely into her skin, making her sniffle too when she felt his eyelashes wet her collarbone. How could she leave him when he was nothing but a sweetheart to her?

"I missed you too, doofus. Every day," she replied, watching the kids roll their eyes and shake their heads at his theatrics. 

They'd tell her how many times he denied that over the past few days and why she couldn't ever leave again--to save their sanity. But, for now, they left the lovers alone to reunite, knowing they'd come down to the Man Cave in their own time once Ray convinced himself it wasn't just a dream. 

He was still nuzzling into her body, inhaling lungfuls of her perfume and the distinct whiff of the taxi she'd taken from the airport, but he could ignore that. She was here; she was real, and he promised himself at that moment he'd never let her go again. The place wasn't the same without her, and he just couldn't cope. 

"Welcome home, sweet girl..."

~

*DIM YOUR BRIGHTNESS. MOTHERS LOOK AWAY NOW. IT'S SMUT TIME. I know doing the boom-boom in the shower is impractical and fairly dangerous, but I don't care :) 

5000 words of smut coming up, hot and steamy. literally. 

As hard as it was to leave, a reunion between lovers was always special. It nearly made up for the restless nights and arduous days.

The plan had been to go straight downstairs and do the Rumblr thing for Ray - after he told his sweet girl about it. However, after hugging and kissing in Junk-N-Stuff for ten minutes, he and (y/n) discovered they weren't quite ready to mingle yet. 

He kept stroking her hair, pecking her lips and whispering in her ear, apologising for falling apart without her around, but he added that he couldn't help it. Ray refused to set her down, preferring to keep her in his hold as he returned downstairs, fed up with the weird stares he got from the stuck-up customers. 

After spending so long apart, he wanted to drop her on the bed and welcome her home properly, but as much as she wanted to be underneath him, (y/n) couldn't bear it. Not when he hadn't washed, shaved or changed his clothes in days. 

That's how they ended up where they were now; in their en-suite with Ray standing at the sink. The basin was filled with warm water, his cheeks were sudsy from shaving foam, and his fiancée was sitting on the counter with a razor in her hand, helping him reach all the tricky contours of his face. 

He could do it himself after thirty years of practice, but she wanted to, enjoying the closeness as his hands ran up and down her legs and he studied her features. She was so pretty, concentrating on not hurting him, even if the blades couldn't nick his skin. 

"You could've called me, y'know?" (y/n) muttered as she swiped the razor down his cheek, wiping away the foam and stubble underneath. His hands stopped exploring her nude legs, squeezing her thighs after she'd stripped to her underwear for the intimate activity - jeans and a hoodie would just be uncomfortable. 

"You didn't have to suffer in silence, doof. Especially after all those phone calls."

"You were busy eating stews and watching your family rip each other apart. Didn't want to get in the way," Ray replied quietly, closing his eyes and swallowing as she cupped his jaw to tilt his head upwards. Swishing the razor through the warm water, she went again, resting her free hand on his bare chest as she raked another stripe down his throat. 

His stubble was sexy, rough and prickly against her skin, and secretly, (y/n) longed to feel it between her legs - an extra sensation- but it had to go. Captain Man was clean and polished, so she'd have to wait another day for her fantasy and let his wandering hands satisfy the fluttering heat growing in her core. 

"You never get in the way, Raymond," she told him sternly, poking her tongue out cutely as she rolled the razor under his chin. "They were all asking about you, wanting to know where my hunk was..."

"Hunk? Would that be your Aunt What's-her-name? Should I be worried?" Ray chuckled, pushing his touch up the apex of her thighs so he could grasp her waist. He'd only met the old lady once, but she'd crooned over how handsome he was, asking for his arm whenever she needed to stand up and congratulating her niece on hooking such an attractive catch. 

"Well, if she was thirty years younger...she still wouldn't have you because you're mine," (y/n) giggled, cleaning the razor again before leaning forward to kiss the clean section of his face. His skin was perfectly smooth underneath her lips, and when she pulled away, she saw Ray's intense, smouldering stare. He stared at her hungrily, feeling his yearning for her grow at her words and seeing her clad in practically nothing made it worse. 

"Anyway, that was before she called Candy a man-stealing hussy."

"Did your uncle get his truck towed after they slashed his tires?" He asked, rubbing his thumbs over her hipbones as they swapped gossip. Maybe he would go next time, anything to see this drama in action...and hear all about how he'd pulled the loveliest girl in her hometown. 

"After he put an ice pack down his pants, yeah..." (y/n) giggled, finishing him off before giving him a once over for any missed patches. Oh god, he looked so hot and clean-shaven, and her giggles died down when she rubbed his face with a towel and noticed his stare...

"All done?" Ray asked, lifting a hand to feel his smooth jaw, impressed when he noticed the excellent job she'd done. She nodded and set down her utensils, looking proud of herself as she felt the other cheek, chest...and abs. He was in his underwear, too, standing tall and broad between her legs as she pulled the plug, watching the water swirl down the drain. 

"Yep... Glad my doofus is still underneath all that fluff."

"Hmmm... Think you deserve a reward, sweet girl," the man hummed, holding her steady as she slid off the counter, knocking some toothpaste over on her way down, but neither cared. Glancing down, (y/n) could swear the bulge in his briefs was more prominent than when they first started, and she longed to take him in her mouth again - for the first time in a week.

It had been too long since they were intimate, and he looked gorgeous, skin pressed against skin.

"Oh, yeah? What were you thinking?" She asked teasingly, squealing when his damp cheeks brushed against her neck as he kissed the skin there, sliding his hands around her to grab her ass cheekily. 

"Shower with me?" Ray offered, smirking against her skin before biting down on her collarbone. (y/n) squealed at the sharp sensation, scraping her nails over his shoulders as he kneaded her flesh. 

God, how he'd missed that sweet ass of hers, fondly pulling and squeezing her cheeks, landing a short, sharp spank on the right one. The tingle dragged another gasp from her, and she hooked a hand around the nape of his neck, bringing his lips down to hers. The man groaned at her taste, immediately upping the intensity to a near-makeout session as his hands left her ass to her hips and down her outer thighs. 

It was so tempting to push her back onto the counter and spread her thighs to have her there and then, but it had been a long week, a long trip, and too long since he'd seen her naked. He had to get her in the shower. Now. 

"Mmm, doofus... That's a tempting offer...and I happily accept," (y/n) grinned mischievously, breaking the kiss when their lungs burned and muscles ached. They panted in unison, breath mingling as he reluctantly released her - he had to; otherwise, he'd never get his wish. 

"Come on then, darlin'," Ray muttered, pecking the space between her eyes before moving away from her, sights set on the spacious cubicle in the corner. 

Ray wasn't one for decor; he could be put in a room with gold leaf walls, scarlet carpets, and tiger-print sheets, and he'd like it. Not because he enjoyed the gauche style but because he didn't care. Who cared about what a room looked like when it functioned perfectly fine? That's why he insisted on having the Man Cave's best bathroom. (y/n) came in with her woman's touch and did the decorating, and he chose the best shower money could buy. 

Large, beautifully tiled with Schwoz's finest plumbing work and a big, multifunctional shower head that sprayed at different speeds and intensities. It even had a small, built-up ledge that acted as a seat--something he and his sweet girl made full use of many times. 

It was the best shower, so he had no problem rolling his shoulders back, hooking his thumbs into the elastic band of his underwear, sliding it down, down, down--until they dropped to the bathmat near the sliding doors. Kicking them off without another thought, he opened the shower and began twisting the knob until the spray blasted to life. 

"Fuck, that's cold--" he grunted when the icy water hit his hand, but it soon warmed, allowing him to dip his fingers in, then his wrist, forearm, shoulder, and chest, and then, he stepped in. 

Behind him, (y/n) was smiling to herself, possibly looking insane, but she didn't care. Her doofus was in front of her, as bare as the day he was born, preparing the shower for them to share, so she could scrub away the airport and cab smell from her body. Who wouldn't feel blissful?

"You comin', sweet girl?"

"Of course, doof. Gimme a minute," she muttered, not bothering to unhook her bra and slide it down her arms properly. She had no time for that, impatient enough to yank it over her head like a t-shirt and let it fall to the floor. 

Peering through the steamy glass, Ray hardened at the sight of her exposed, unashamedly staring at her body as she teetered toward the half-open door. He couldn't wait to pull her into his arms, but in the meantime, he hungrily drank in how she slowly pushed her panties down. Maybe she was teasing him, or perhaps he was just thirsty, but he longingly stared at how she moved, revealing his favourite spot in the entire world inch by inch. 

"Were you staring?" (y/n) asked as they skimmed past her knees, landing next to his when she stepped out. The door opened quickly, and Ray wasted no time grabbing her wrist and dragging her under the warm water, making her giggle at his bold impatience. 

"I wouldn't do that," the hero told her, but the laughter in his voice said otherwise. 

"Sure... I've missed you, Ray. Thought about you every day," she murmured as they assumed their natural showering position, her palms flat against his chest and him holding her waist as the rain fell and warmed their skin. It was nice to stand and have each other adjust to the perfect sanctuary of the shower; bedrooms could be invaded, but no one ever bothered them in there. 

"You have no idea... Thought I was going crazy without you here, my love," Ray replied, holding her close, enjoying the intimacy of having his fiancée in his embrace again. 

His eyes squeezed shut at the lonely nights, and solitary dinners flashed through his mind, but he didn't let it win. That was then, this was now, and he had the girl of his dreams, wet, naked and entirely focusing on him. 

"I kinda guessed the minute I saw you, doof..."

"Couldn't eat...couldn't sleep...needed my sweet girl."

"Raymond. Next time, you c--in fact, you're coming with me for the next reunion. So I can make sure you're taking care of yourself," (y/n) told him firmly, looking him in the eye, silently making him promise. Whether she was out of town or not, he had to look after himself--so she'd have her doofus to return to. 

"Me goin' home to your momma's cooking? Don't tempt me, darlin'," Ray smirked, reaching around her body to grab a bottle of shower gel from the shelf. It was floral-scented, very girly, and not the sort of thing Ray would've had in his bathroom five years ago. But it smelt of her, and she smelt of home, which he needed more than anything. 

Behind her back, he poured a small amount into his cupped hand, twitching a smile at the deep jewel-red colour before leaning away from her. 

"May I?" He smirked, swiping the soap over her chest anyway since she never refused, although his ordering was slightly off. With him cleaning her body, starting with her shoulders, (y/n) studied her lover from his freshly shaven face to his broad shoulders, toned chest, abs...

"Most people wash their hair first, doof..."

"I'm taking a new approach," Ray mumbled, paying extra attention as he moved down her arms, fingertips gliding effortlessly with the suds he left. With his eyes on her body, (y/n) enjoyed the moment, feeling pretty under his gaze as he returned to her chest. The only way to go was down; she knew what his approach meant. 

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" She whispered, head lolling back when he cupped her breasts, washing them more thoroughly than her arms. She sighed as his thumbs brushed over her nipples, turning them into hardened peaks and making him stiffen with them. 

Cracking an eye open, she glanced down, noticing how his cock was noticeably thicker than it had been minutes earlier. She gulped at the sight of it, core fluttering from his touch and the thought of being filled, but Ray seemed to be taking his time - the man known for being incredibly patient. 

"Turn around..." he ordered his pretty girl gently, making her whine since she didn't want to lose this precious sight, but then, he explained - albeit with a sly sparkle in her eye. 

"Gotta wash your back, darlin'." It sounded euphemistic, so she did as he asked. Her movements were jittery, ruled by adrenaline, as his arms slipped back around her, cupping her tits again when his lips met the back of her neck. 

Letting her head fall against his shoulder, she sighed, biting her lip when she felt his solid length against her back, slotting into the space between her cheeks. He soaped up her torso, exploring her soft tummy and back up to her breasts, but never the one space she wanted him to touch - the aching, throbbing slick between her thighs. 

Ray growled against her neck, rutting into the small of her back when she whined, unable to stop himself when she pressed her ass backwards. She needed him inside her; it had been too long, and perhaps it was the steamy environment, but the tension between them was electric, with neither remembering a recent time when they were this desperate. 

"Thought you were gonna wash my back?" (y/n) asked smugly, only to gasp when his touch slid down to her pussy, two fingers immediately circling her clit to make her writhe against him. 

"I've got the love of my life letting me touch her up. Any man would get distracted," Ray replied, equally smug when she became jelly-like against his body, moaning quietly as he played with her. The woman was speechless by how he ran his fingertips through her slick lips, relaxing against her doofus, so he could use her as he pleased, and Ray was eager to please both of them. 

"But if you want me to wash your back, sweet girl, put your hands on that wall and bend over."

"Yes, Captain," she muttered, eagerly following his command by facing the wall and sticking her ass out. 

It would provide her with enough support when combined with his iron-like grip on her hips, so she wouldn't fall, but it wasn't the usual comfort the couple was accustomed to. Ray liked space and comfort to fuck his girl to heaven and back, and (y/n) loved lying there and taking it, but this would do to scratch the itch. The burning, feverish, all-consuming craving willing them to return to carnal instinct. 

"That's it, sweet girl. Show me this pretty pussy--fuckin' missed it," he groaned as she braced against the wall with her ass pointing his way. The angle meant he could see her glistening centre perfectly, ready for him to plunge into after too long apart, and how she eagerly presented for him made his blood drain south. 

Fully hard and standing to attention, the hero took himself into his palm, pumping his length as (y/n) parted her thighs. It wasn't surprising how quickly things escalated, given how much they'd missed each other, and they were used to fucking every day. The quicker they got it out of their systems, the sooner they could complete the shower and return to bed, where Ray automatically assumed they'd go again, making him grow feral. 

"Please, just fuck me already, Ray. 'S been too long," the heroine whined, wiggling her hips to tempt him, but if he was anything, Ray was meticulous when it came to her pleasure. 

Dragging the bulbous head through her slick, he planted his feet next to hers, giving himself enough space to fuck her freely and not topple over in the slippery environment. Lining up with her entrance, he could feel how his hand shook - a new sensation that made him gulp. He'd never been this frantic, thinking if he didn't have her now, he'd go insane, and it was all for the panting beauty before him. 

"You want me, pretty girl? Want my cock inside you? You need it?" Ray teased, rubbing himself against her entrance, daring to slip inside by half an inch before retreating. Anything to make her whine and squirm against him. 

"Stop teasing, doofus. Fuck me now...fuck me hard," she growled, making her lover grin at how riled up he'd made her. Not wanting to leave her aching any more - he was too on edge and horny anyway - a taunting dip turned into a full sheath, pressing his length into her tightness with a long groan of her name. 

They cried out together, relief flooding their veins at what felt like fucking coming home. Ray didn't stop until his pelvic bone met her ass, fully wrapping her around him as his hand left her hip. After missing her for so long, the hero craved contact, intimacy, and the feeling of her body against his. He placed his forearm on the wall against her head and curled an arm around her tummy, pulling his sweet girl as close as can be as he bottomed out. 

"You want me to fuck you hard, I'll fuck you hard, little girl. Missed this pussy so much..." he groaned, biting where her neck met her shoulder to smother the guttural noise when he dragged his hips backwards. The electric pleasure made (y/n) squeal; her warm cheek squashed against the cool tiles as he tested a hard, brutal rhythm. 

Ray plunged into her steadily, cautious since it had been a while, but his sweet girl didn't want gentleness and kind words. She'd had enough pleasantries and polite smiles for one week; now, she wanted him to take what he needed and give her the fucking she yearned for. 

"I won't break, Ray. You can fuck me harder than that."

"Bad fucking girl," Ray grunted savagely as he snapped into her, forgetting his slow, steady introductory pace for a brutal pounding slap-slap-slap.

He knew when she was taunting him--daring him to go faster, even when he didn't want to hurt her. But (y/n) knew he could never, not when she was practically moulded to his cock, so she moaned, spurring him on to go faster, harder, deeper.  

Days apart meant Ray was up to the challenge, quickening his movements rapidly, finding a rhythm that made the flesh of her ass jiggle, and the room filled with the sound of skin hitting skin. Lips found her cheek, neck, shoulder--anywhere he could nip, bite, suck, and leave fleeting bruises. 

Meanwhile, his free hand drifted both sides of her navel, sometimes preferring to tweak her nipples, hold her tits or slap them. But after playing with them for a while, he searched for something else, running his fingertips down to her pussy, where, to his satisfaction, toying with her pulsing clit made her clench and slump against the wall. 

"R-Ray-gonna cum--" (y/n) stuttered, feeling the blinding heat creep up on her suddenly, and before she knew it - before Ray gave permission - she was tightening around him uncontrollably. The slightest touch of her slick nub and a few thrusts were enough to push her over, perhaps from having no contact for so long, with nothing more than her own hand to take the edge off during those boring nights, alone in her childhood bedroom. 

The man groaned at how tight she became, thrusts stuttering since he didn't expect her to cum so quickly. Half a second later, he snapped back into reality, realising what had just happened, and he pressed her to the wall, snarling in her ear as she rode the high. 

"Fuck--shit, that was hot. This pussy must be so needy, sweet girl. Not been around to fuck it properly, and now look at you. So desperate to cum, you'll do it before I say the word." 

"I--I'm sorry, C-Captain. I--" (y/n) stammered, breathless and still reeling from the sudden climax. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire as her heart pounded in her ears, telling her she'd done something wrong. Ray always loved being in charge, telling her when and how he wanted her pleasure, ensuring she paced herself correctly, but as she floundered, he couldn't help but nuzzle into her neck with a smug smirk. 

"Don't apologise, darlin'," he insisted, returning to a slow, painfully tender speed, rocking into her like he hadn't just been rearranging her guts. It was almost like he was thinking...taking his time to ponder his next move as she recovered...waiting until the sensitivity passed. 

"Now..." the man muttered, more to himself than her, as he brushed his thumb over her breast, making her mouth open and hips push back into him. The slowness was maddening, and as swiftly as the relief came, (y/n) found herself needy again--just as Ray found himself hooked. 

"How about another?" He asked smugly, finding her clit again, making his girl shriek when he hurriedly circled it without mercy. The hiss of the water hitting their bodies masked her cries of pleasure, his near-evil chuckle, and the soft slaps of their bodies meeting as he brought her to a gentler climax. 

Unlike the last, when he fucked her at an almost inhuman speed, he wanted this one to be gentle in a soul-destroying way, so he kept his thrusts shallow and unhurried whilst his assault on her clit was lightning. 

Furiously tracing figures of eight on it, he edged her towards her second orgasm, keeping himself as still and steady as possible since any proper pace would make him cum on the spot. Instead, he simply wanted to give her something to cum on, knowing his poor, sweet girl had been alone and empty for too long, aching for his cock to pump her full like he did every day--night--afternoon--whenever. 

"Ray--"

"Cum for me," he commanded, and no sooner than he did, like her pleasure was his to pluck, she did. 

All it took was a little pressure on her pussy and his fat cock deliciously stretching her walls, and she was cumming again, gasping as it hit harder than before. What was sensitivity earlier brought intense pleasure this time, making her choke and scream his name for no one but him to hear. 

For a long moment, he stood still, not moving an inch as she spammed around him, rock hard inside her, thick and pulsing and breaking her open - but he didn't move a single inch. He kept himself there, continuing to rub circles around her clit and giving her precisely what he wanted her to have.

Something to cum on.

His head buried into her neck, nosing her dripping hair, panting against her skin as he mumbled praises and curses into her ear. He stayed like that, circling her clit hard and regaining his speed, knowing if he prolonged his own end, he'd burst into flames or go insane. With his fingers still cupping her cunt, he returned to work, soothing her whimpers, cock flexing and throbbing hotter than sin, building her pleasure into an intense, slow crescendo.

"Fuck me so good, Ray..." (y/n) cried, swearing she couldn't take any more--that if he made her cum again, it would be her petite mort - the little death, but she couldn't find it in herself to push him away. She needed more, craved everything he could give her, and vowed to do anything to get everything she could. 

And it seemed her swimming head didn't realise her lips moved until she goaded him, not that she cared. 

"Sweet girl..."

"Do you know how many times I had to get off alone without you there? You know my fingers aren't enough, doofus, but I had to--thought about that weekend we had at Lake Tahoe. Y'know, when we broke the bed..."

"Fuck--you looked so gorgeous beneath me. Just like you do now," Ray groaned, screwing his eyes shut at the memory, and he could practically taste it on his tongue as he indulged in her sweet heat. 

He remembered that trip perfectly; the clandestine skinny-dipping, the many hours spent tangled in the sheets...having to sign a check to the hotel manager for damage done. But the imagined image she painted in his mind made a scorching heat lick up his spine. Picturing her smothering her moans as her hand slipped into her pyjama shorts at midnight, her secretly cumming to the thought of him made him go harder, seeking a much-needed release. 

"So good to me...my good girl. Give me another one," he muttered, fucking into her as he mouthed her neck and kept rubbing her clit, wringing out her cunt once more. 

"Oh fuck---Ray!"

"Yes--give it to--me--feel it coming. Give me a g-good one, darlin'," he grunted as he chased his end, burying himself into her a final time before she fell apart, taking him with her. Ray sank his teeth into her neck as he shot his load into her, overwhelming pleasure making his muscles tense and relax as it hit him harder than expected. 

Everything squeezed around him tighter than usual, her back arching into him, her hand finding his forearm on the wall, so she had something to grip instead of uselessly clawing the smooth tiles. 

Convulsing in pure bliss, part of (y/n) wondered if she was hurting him, judging from the stuttered groans he released into her hair. But then, he rasped "good girl" into her ear, and her walls fluttered again, proving how pleasantly tired and satiated she was once the sparks died down. Safe in his secure hold, she peeled her face off the wall and rested it against his shoulder, turning her face to lovingly rub her nose against his jugular as his movements ceased. 

No movement. Tightly immobile in his arms, Ray remained silent behind her, removing his hand from her pussy as she fell back to reality, humming soothingly when her body jerked from the tiny jolt to her clit. 

"I--I liked t-that reward," she croaked, licking her lips, despite the water reigning over their heads. 

It only struck her then how it was now lukewarm, obviously struggling to maintain the temperature the longer they were in there, but the man holding her was like a furnace anyway, affectionately rubbing her tummy, pelvic area and breasts as he became soft and adorable again.

"Good," Ray hummed, chastely kissing her cheek - a far cry from their debauchery, but they needed the sweetness just as much. Time to reaffirm their love through precious gestures and gooey words. 

"How about we finish up in here and then have a nap? You must be tired, sweet girl..." he offered, pulling out of her with a soft grunt and turning her around, so he could see her pretty face. 

Travelling all day had sucked the energy out of her. Part of him felt guilty for succumbing to his desires before allowing her to rest properly. Still, as he tenderly cupped her cheek, it wasn't tiredness he saw in her eyes. 

"I guess I am a little tired, doof," she shrugged, watching as he glanced off to the side to find her favourite shampoo, knowing he wanted to get her in bed as soon as possible. And whilst she liked that idea too, she figured it was for an entirely different reason...

"But it's been nearly a week since I last saw you. I'm not sleeping until we fuck at least two more times..."

Oh, it was good to be home. 

~

SAFETY. That was a meaty one. I think Ray knows not to let his sweet girl go again. Not without learning how FaceTime works--

I already know this is going to be a twenty-something thousand-long chapter, so without further ado--let's get into it!

An hour later, the lovebirds joined their little family in the Man Cave, wrapped in each other's arms and tripping over their feet. It was hard to hug and walk simultaneously, but they managed it, too handsy and affectionate to let go as they stumbled down the steps. 

As Schwoz, Jasper and Piper worked on getting the perfect photo of Captain Man, Henry and Charlotte created his Rumblr profile. Ray had to look perfect if he was going to find the perfect villain, so he did the pouting, and the teens at the supercomputer did the typing, knowing he wouldn't do it himself. 

"Okay. Name--Captain Man. Interested in--criminals," Henry muttered as he typed in some essential details. Meanwhile, the man of the moment was finding his feet in modelling, throwing Schwoz some of the smoulderiest smoulders he could muster as his sweet girl cheered on from the sidelines. 

"Ray, we need that pic for your profile."

"You can't rush art!" Schwoz snapped from his place on the floor because he needed the hero's best angle as he flexed his muscles in front of the picturesque backdrop. 

Honestly, Ray didn't know what he was doing, finding himself snatched from the sanctuary of his and his precious girl's bedroom and placed in a world he didn't understand. 

"Smile with your eyes, not your mouth!" The small man instructed, making the man tilt his chin down to make his gaze look soulful and doe-like. Flaring the whites of his eyes made him look a little crazy, but (y/n) thought he looked hot anyway, ogling his muscles and handsome face with little shame. 

"Show me your soul! No, no, no, your other soul. The better one!" Schwoz growled, snapping a few more pics as Ray changed positions, finding the perfect angle that showed off his best features - flawless hair, sharp yet gorgeous features, broad shoulders, cinched waist, whole lotta abs. 

"That's it...that's the one. I'm on a five," the haughty photographer announced, tossing his expensive camera up in the air for Piper to catch. She and Jasper acted as his assistants to clean up his messes when his artistry became too much to bear. 

"Great work, Schwoz!" The girl complimented, catching the device before it smashed into a million pieces. However, Piper, being Piper, saw herself as the senior assistant, and if her boss was on a break, then so was she. 

"I'm on a five!"

"Whoop--why am I holding everything?!" Jasper gasped as she threw the camera over her shoulder. It took all his effort to catch it, juggling it with everything else he had to carry; a towel, a bag, a water bottle...

"Don't care! On a five--byeeeeee!" Piper ignored him, disappearing behind the backdrop as Ray adjusted his gloves and headed toward the computer, meeting his sweet girl halfway. She wrapped her hands around his bicep, hugging his beefy arm to her body since it helped calm his nerves, which were getting the better of him in such unknown territory. 

"You looked really hot there, doofus."

"I did?" Ray asked quietly, looking genuinely surprised when she said that--as if he couldn't believe he could be desirable in this situation. She giggled and nodded, pressing her cheek to his bicep since it wasn't often she saw him in uniform as plain old (y/n) (y/l/n). Fighting crime and avoiding death didn't give her much chance for drooling - maybe she'd ask Schwoz for copies of those photos. 

"Mhmm... Couldn't take my eyes off you," she remarked with a Charing smile, stopping to kiss him gently before the kids at the computer caught on. Looking over their shoulders and seeing them canoodling wasn't unusual, but they had a job to do, no matter how uneasy the boss felt. 

"Okay, Ray...Favourite book?" Charlotte asked, ready to provide some juicer details for their prospective villain, but that would be harder than she and Henry first thought, considering they were working with a guy whose world revolved around a handful of things. 

"I don't read," Ray replied dryly, shrugging off something so dull in favour of holding his precious fiancée to his chest. No one could blame him for being so touchy after not seeing her, but he had to focus. 

"Favourite poem?"

"Same answer."

"Hobbies?"

"Fighting and Miss Danger." So far, they had a limited list. That pretty much summed up Ray's life; when he was fighting, he was with Miss Danger, and when he wasn't fighting, he was with (y/n) - one and the same person. He wasn't interested in much else, even though his sweet girl rolled her eyes at being considered a hobby. 

"Likes?"

"Fighting and Miss Danger."

"Dislikes?"

"Reading."

"You're a fascinating man, doofus," (y/n) giggled, hugging him gently to stop him from squirming and shuffling his feet. She knew he wasn't comfortable, but this idea didn't sound too bad, and if it prevented him from being so antsy and restless, she'd go along with it. 

"Okay, describe your perfect fight," Charlotte told him whilst Jasper sorted through the dozen photos of Ray's pouty face. That was a tricky question because the hero had been in thousands of fights during his career, so he had a lot of material to work with. Now, what to choose from?

"I don't know...I don't know..." Ray floundered, overwhelmed by the experience, making his sweet girl coo and lovingly stroke his bicep. How could he choose one scenario when he'd seen it all? It felt impossible, especially when he realised his answer might decide whether he got himself a hot fight that night. 

"Don't overthink it. Just be yourself," Henry advised him, so Ray took a deep breath. With (y/n) soothingly rubbing his pec, he closed his eyes and imagined the perfect scene, unlikely to happen but his dream nonetheless. 

"Okay, uh..." he swallowed for a second, dithering for another before he saw it, "it's midnight. I'm on top of a blimp...and suddenly, there's this bad guy. Sparks fly, and so do our fists. I defeat him, obviously, and I jump off the blimp right as it explodes into my sweet girl's arms. And she gives me the best reward I could ever ask for..."

"Oh, yeah!" Henry complimented, ignoring the mushy ending for the rest of the man's perfect fight because...wow. It sounded epic, something Henry would love to be a part of, and (y/n) didn't mind the idea of being there for her doofus at the end of it all. 

"You sure it's not too much?" Ray asked, unsure if he was asking for too much, but dreams are meant to be outlandish - no harm in going big. 

"Oh, no!"

"Okay, I think we have our profile pic," Jasper announced, tapping a button to send his chosen image to the supercomputer. He'd gone through all of them, and this one was the best, impressing the teens and loved-up couple when Ray's burning smoulder finished uploading. 

"Wow!"

"I'd fight you..." (y/n) remarked as she admired her doofus, secretly gloating that the hottie on the screen had his heart set on marrying her. Ray blushed at her words, squeezing her in a side hug as he pecked her temple, enjoying the affection from her in the knowledge she fancied him. 

"Totally!" Jasper agreed, simply saying that his boss looked good, but when he got too close to Ray's other side, daring to put an around his shoulders, he went too far. The hero stiffened under his touch and shrugged off his arm by stepping closer to (y/n), kissing her instead of surrendering to the boy's touch. Well, he wanted to kiss his sweet girl anyway...

"All right. Profile's done. Let's take this puppy live," Henry said, seeing they'd ticked all the boxes, dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's, so it was now just a matter of waiting for replies to come in.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait..." However, Ray stopped him, laying a hand on his sidekick's shoulder to stop him from hitting the button. His nerves wouldn't let him do this; putting himself out in the open wasn't his style. 

"Nah--" Henry ignored him and uploaded his profile anyway. He who dares wins - that was his motto, and Ray wouldn't find himself a new and exciting fight but just waiting around in his hideout. 

"No! What are you doing?! I said wait!" The large man exclaimed, shocked that the kid would expose him like that, but a strange ping came from his phone before he could give Henry the third degree. Odd - it didn't sound like his usual text tone. 

"What's this?" He asked, gingerly taking his phone from his belt to analyse the notification, but he couldn't make heads or tails of it. He showed (y/n) first, most comfortable with her, but she shrugged too, gesturing for Henry to come and interpret the technobabble. 

"That's a match. Somebody wants to fight you," the kid revealed, smirking at his boss's stunned face. Ray looked at his pretty girl and Charlotte in shock, wondering how he managed to find someone so quickly, but he had to be decisive here. He didn't want any old idiot.

"Huh, okay--oh..."

"More matches!" Henry grinned as the beeps began coming thick and fast, constantly pinging Ray's PearPhone. Every villain on the app wanted a chance to fight Captain Man, which definitely didn't go to the man's head. He assumed everything was a waste of time; no one would want to fight little old him...

"Is that a smile, doofus?" (y/n) teased, brushing her pinking against her lover's crooked cheek as he struggled to contain his happiness. 

"No..." Ray lied, using all his strength to not giggle when her touch tickled his skin, but she saw through it anyway. She knew when he was relieved and snuggled into his side with an even greater grin, happy that he was pleased - even if she didn't like the idea of virtual fight-finding. 

"Yeah, it is!"

"Maybe..." Ray broke out in a smile, unable to contain it, when she peered over his bulging bicep, watching his fight requests stretch into double digits. He honestly couldn't believe that they were right, and not only was Rumblr legit, but he now how plenty of fish to choose from. 

They could be selective, choose the most suitable, and not worry about only getting the mingers. Some genuine contenders were in that extensive list, from those who also hated books to the criminals who had the hots for Miss Danger. And that meant Captain Man would have to bring his A-game, not that he was worried. 

How bad could it be if his sidekicks were going with him? Although, it would be the strangest triple date (y/n) had ever been on - well, the first. 

No one said she was returning to normality. No, her home was very much for the weird and wonderful. 

~

Fifteen minutes later, the stage was set. 

Charlotte was still sitting at the computer, readying the list of potential matches for everyone to judge. The spectators had gathered, eager to see who wanted to take on Captain Man, meaning Henry and Piper had taken their seats on the couch, a bowl of steaming popcorn straight from the auto-snacker set on the table between them. 

Of course, the girl returned to see the action, rubbing her hands at the thought of a judging session, but she didn't expect a show before the action started. Across the room, Ray was bench-pressing, lifting double his body weight to try and gain some last-minute muscle. (y/n) told him it was useless and a waste of energy, but she would never deny herself the gorgeous view. 

Every time his arms flexed, his muscles bulged and rippled underneath his skin, making her drool as she stared at his exposed chest. He'd stripped out of his uniform and the shirt he'd picked after showering, exposing an unfairly attractive, sleeveless, azure tank top, which perfectly showed off his torso. 

Pair that with how he was reclining on the bench, and she was practically on fire--begging to be allowed to sit in his lap. As encouragement, of course. To help with his heavy load. Although Jasper swore, that was his role. 

"Don't touch my bar," Ray told the boy firmly as he routinely lifted the weight, barely breaking a sweat since he did it every day. However, Jasper thought he needed help if the great hero overstepped his limits. 

"I'm not touching it. Just here if you need me."

"I don't need you," Ray grunted, wishing the boy would go away while he did his thing. He wanted to impress whoever he met later on and, better still, impress his sweet girl. 

The man may have been dense, but he knew when his fiancée checked him out, so he wore the tank. It showed off his best features, and he wouldn't mind if she sat in his lap and...aided his concentration. 

"Here if you do."

"I won't. Sweet girl, tell him," he whined, pressing effortlessly, aware of what he could do, and if he wanted anyone watching his strength, it wouldn't be Jasper. The kid had arms like ramen noodles. 

"Safety first," Curly insisted like that would convince him. Ray only dropped the barbell once when (y/n) entered the gym wearing...things, wondering why her soon-to-be husband wasn't in bed. This was different. 

"I'm indestructible!" 

"Here if you need me."

"Despite being indestructible, doofus, I'd prefer if you were as unharmed as possible. Jasper's just helping out," (y/n) spoke from the foot of the bench, ogling from the perfect angle since she had a bird's eye view of his broad shoulders, narrow waist and...fuck, those muscles. 

"If I get hurt, darlin', you can just kiss it better," Ray flirted, smirking as he pushed through the burn in his arms. He didn't need to look to know her cheeks were scorching, fluttering her eyelashes, and smiling coyly, feeling his chest swell with pride.

"Ray, stop pumping up your glamour muscles, (y/n) stop drooling over them, and both of you get over here, so we can start looking at these matches," Henry called out from the couch, ruining the flirtatious moment between the couple. 

He and Piper were growing bored, and Charlotte was ready to show them their options, meaning the hero needed to stop preening himself and bring his sweet fiancée over. 

"Yeah, dog. I wanna look at pictures of other people and judge!" Piper added, waving the ice-cold soda in her hand dramatically. 

"All right, we're comin'. Jasper, take this," Ray grunted as he lifted the weight into Jasper's waiting hands. He left the bench and took his sweet girl into his arms, unaware that the boy was no superhero. He didn't have endless, nudging muscles, so he struggled to hold it, stumbling before gradually taking it to the floor - with himself. 

"Now, I'm going to show you all the bad guys that saw your profile and want to fight you," Charlotte told her boss, ignoring the clatter of Jasper and the barbell, not to mention how her friend stroked the man's biceps like they were priceless. 

"Let's get to the judging!" Piper bellowed in a deep voice, locking eyes with Charlotte so they could smirk over (y/n)'s blatant goo-goo eyes. Suppose she didn't pick up her tongue. In that case, she'd trip over it, utterly besotted with her doofus and his bare arms - the ones curled around her body, keeping her close to his chiselled torso. 

"Okay. If you don't want to meet up with them for a fight, you swipe left. If you do want to meet up with them for a fight, then swipe right, and the app will automatically set up a meeting," the girl at the computer continued, explaining the Rumblr app, which seemed simple enough, even for a very impatient man. 

"Y'know, it's funny. I feel like ten minutes ago, I told you I wanted to see my matches, but you're still talking. I haven't seen any," Ray sniped snarkily, hoping to get to business quickly. Still, he just came off as rude, something Charlotte, with all her hard work, didn't appreciate. 

"And I'm on a five!" The girl huffed, tossing the PearPhone into the air to slope off and escape the man. He was insufferable, and god knows how (y/n) put up with him, big, muscly asshole that he was. 

"Raymond! What have I told you about being rude?!" The woman scolded her lover, smacking his arm, although that could've just been another excuse to feel his skin. However, she looked genuinely upset with him, throwing Char an apologetic look before the girl disappeared behind the secret door. 

"If I want to make friends, I have to be friendly?" Ray asked, already knowing the answer, but he grovelled for her forgiveness anyway. Even if Charlotte was the one who deserved it, he craved his pretty girl's approval and affection more than anything. 

"Exactly, you doofus!" She exclaimed, trying to be stern, but it melted when he whined and pecked her cheek, casually handing Piper the PearPhone over his shoulder. She was in charge of everything technical now and brushed past her boss and friend without staring when he kissed her neck. 

"Okay, so just look at these pics and tell me if you wanna swipe left or right," she told him before quickly moving on to the first applicant. Tyler Mayhem - a funny-looking guy whose chosen quote was, "The first rule about Rumblr, you do not talk about Rumblr". He may have thought he was hot, but Ray wasn't too impressed. 

"All right. This guy says his likes are--"

"Left," he said immediately before Henry could read his profile. He didn't care if he liked homemade explosions and soap-making; the guy looked weird. 

"Okay... This guy is from--" Henry quickly moved on, noticing his boss' unimpressed face. Mop Man was a vegan, part-time cleaner at the Swellview Cineplex from Bordertown who claimed to "mop up heroes" - what a loser. 

"Oooh...left."

"Wow," Henry muttered flatly, growing frustrated since he wouldn't even give the potential fights a chance. Ray kept swiping left, finding a fault in everyone, whether their weird hair, lack of prowess or pathetic alter egos, which meant Bad Guy went straight out the window. 

"Wow, this villain once robbed a--"

"Big left!" 

"Are you serious, dude?!" The kid exclaimed, thinking he looked okay. Perhaps a little weedy, but the guy looked like he'd be worth a minor scuffle. 

"What?" Ray looked at him innocently, wondering why his sidekick looked so grumpy when all he was doing was holding his precious girl, occasionally kissing her forehead, and taking orders. It wasn't his fault that all these villains were noobs. 

"You're not even giving any of these villains a chance."

"That last one's name was Bad Guy. I'm not gonna match with anybody who can't come up with a better name than that," the hero hissed, grimacing at the poor persona before turning his back on the screen.

He was strutting around like a peacock, puffing his chest out as he sauntered past (y/n), making her giggle, but Piper found his words hilarious. 

"Yeah, okay, Captain Man," the girl chuckled sarcastically, thinking he was one to talk with his bland name. He must've devised it in five seconds all those years, yet Ray was still very protective of his name. 

"What did you say?" The man growled, taking a step toward the brat, who didn't even work in his Man Cave. One snap of his fingers and she'd be out, and she'd do well to remember that. 

"Okay, okay, okay, doofus! It's a lovely name, and y'know, I love calling you Captain..." (y/n) intervened, stepping between Piper and her fiancé so they didn't fight. With her eyelashes fluttering and palms pressed to his chest, Ray couldn't help but forget about the argument, his smouldering gaze following her hungry one as he got her meaning. 

"More matches, more matches, more matches--we're gonna do more matches," Henry rambled, seeing how the couple lost focus, and he'd worked with them long enough to know that look. The hungry look. Bedroom eyes. The "I want to see that tank top on the floor" face. 

"Let's do this, one guy. This guy, right here. What do you think of him?" 

"Too short," Ray shrugged, draping a tree trunk-like arm around (y/n)'s shoulders, encouraging her to snuggle into his side. With Bubble Brain being five-foot-eight - with socks on - Piper swiped left, giving Ray another option, yet he was quickly turned down too. 

"Too tall." Rock Sampson went, too, no matter if he was a "walking German murder machine". So, she pulled up the next guy - The Writer. He was the perfect height and loved complaining, but it seemed like the pen was mightier than the sword here, and Ray couldn't bear to be seen fighting a noob. 

"Just right..."

"Nice!"

"But ugly. Pass," he said flippantly, irritating Henry again as his sister moved on. There had to be something wrong with the guy, but he was presented with the most beautiful women, models and Miss World winners, yet he chose (y/n) out of them all. His taste was specific, subtle and unpredictable but specific. 

But the next guy...he had something about him. Something specific. 

"The Lawn Ranger?" Ray read out, his heart thumping as he viewed the guy's profile. He looked nothing short of incredible; he had a cool name, handsome, boyish looks, a brief but practical introduction, and even his dream fight was identical. Rumblr said he was the best, but suddenly, the hero felt jittery. 

"Yeah, man. You guys are a ninety-seven per cent match for each other, and look! His dream fight is on top of a blimp," Henry said calmly, noting how quiet the man had gone. He held (y/n) closer but never took his eyes off the screen, studying this Lawn Ranger and his beautifully sculpted face. 

"At midnight. Just like yours!" Jasper exclaimed, thinking the guy's suitability was uncanny. 

"Yeah, but, I mean, it's not like he wants to--"

"...Jump off it as it explodes-- Yes, that's exactly what it says, doof," (y/n) cooed, squeezing his arm as best she could, unable to get her fingers to meet around it. Ray couldn't believe it, acting toughly vulnerable as he got closer - it had to be too good to be true. 

"You really think that this bad guy could be the one?" He asked quietly, unsure if he should expose his feelings for something so risky. 

"Yeah..."

"Yeah, dude."

"Let's do it."

"You know you want to, doofus," his family encouraged, thinking they wouldn't find anyone better, but Ray was still nervous. He looked at (y/n), wanting her to tell him this was stupid and to back off--to stay safe--but she just smiled and nodded. If his sweet girl thought it was okay, then...

"I guess we could swipe right..." he said anxiously, much to his helpers' delight. Before the hero could change his mind, Piper accepted the fight, creating a match between Captain Man and The Lawn Ranger, which pleased Ray more than he let on. 

"Okay! Looks like you got a fight set for an hour from now at TBD," Henry read aloud, recognising the initials, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Ray, however, being the superhero he was, had heard of every scum-filled hole in Swellview. 

"Oh, The Beating Dungeon!"

"Oh, yeah! That underground fight club!" (y/n) grinned, squeezing him tightly, and finally, the excitement began to eat away at Ray's nerves. He was looking forward to the fight, but as one wave of anxiety passed, another came. 

"Oh my god, it's happening! What am I gonna wear?"

"Your Captain Man uniform?" (y/n) suggested, seeing how he was overthinking it. All he had to do was be himself; after all, he was the great hero of the city, but she understood his nerves. She had been the same when preparing to go on her first date with him, deeming her wardrobe inadequate and her face a let-down. 

"Yes, that's perfect, sweet girl! It looks great on me!" he exclaimed, seizing her by the shoulders and pulling her into a swift kiss. He'd hear no argument from (y/n), who regularly checked him out in the super-suit, seeing no imperfection, unlike Ray, who suddenly felt inadequate. And don't get him started on his face. 

"But I gotta go lift some weights first."

"Here if you need me!" Jasper offered again, ready and eager to be there for the hero in case his vast bulk failed him. As if. 

"I don't need you!" Ray insisted, running to his weight-pressing bench with (y/n) hot on his heels. He'd never let her do something so dangerous, but he wouldn't deny her the show, loving how dark her eyes got when he got his arms out. However, a little help would be good. 

"Henry, come give me a spot."

"What?!" Jasper gasped, wondering what his best friend had that he didn't - save for the fact Ray liked Henry a lot more. But the kid was busy, speeding through the Rumblr app because if the man wanted him and (y/n) to tag along tonight, they'd need fights too. 

"Hang on, dude. I gotta set up my Rumblr profile."

"You haven't set it up yet?" Ray asked worriedly, the determination draining from his face as he curled his arms with the barbell. Fabulous; now, he was worried that the kid wouldn't get a date in time, and when he looked at his precious fiancée, she didn't look particularly hurried, either. 

"Relax. I'm done," the boy said calmly, flicking through his phone as the alerts started to fly in. Like Captain Man, every villain in Swellview wanted to fight Kid Danger, so he had the quantity, yet he wasn't fussed with the quality. 

"Lot of matches, so..."

"Let's see 'em! I'm ready to get my hate on!" Piper said excitedly, hoping to have more input from her brother than with Ray, but Henry wasn't in it for the fight. This was just his way of upholding his side of the bargain. 

"Nah. I'm probably just gonna pick the first one."

"You're gonna swipe right on the first villain you see? Do you think that's wise, kid?" (y/n) asked, placing her hand on the boy's shoulder, using all her resilience to tear her gaze away from the Greek god pumping iron. 

"Henry, don't do that. You deserve so much more," Jasper agreed with the woman, stepping into his friend's personal space in a borderline creepy manner. Suddenly, his face was too close for comfort, making Henry recoil whilst Ray put his weights down and came over. 

"Whatever. This guy seems fine. Just gonna swipe."

"What's his name?" The hero questioned, finding his sidekick's disinterest in who he was fighting concerning. 

"Uhh...Kyle."

"Mmmm. Sounds like a dud." Henry scoffed at Ray's criticism once he'd accepted the match. Just because he had a dull name didn't mean he wasn't worth the trouble; this night was for him. Who cared what Henry did?

"Says he likes energy drinks and punching holes in walls." That didn't sound too bad. A little psychotic, but Kyle was meant to be a villain. 

"Sounds like my uncle..." Jasper joked, making (y/n) chuckle. She knew that feeling, shivering upon remembering her ill-fated reunion, but the memory was interrupted by a notification beeping on Ray's phone. 

He pulled out his PearPhone, glancing at the screen before gasping. It was like he'd seen a ghost; all the colour drained from his face, and suddenly, his hands couldn't stop shaking. Whatever was on his phone made the renowned Captain Man nervous. 

"It's him! It's him! The Lawn Ranger sent me a message! Oh my god!" He squealed, dancing on the spot like a teenage girl getting a text from her crush. 

"What did he say?" Piper asked.

"I dunno. I'm too nervous--you read it, darlin'. You read it..." Ray panicked, assuming the worst, despite having mutuality with the guy. So, he passed the device to (y/n), who took it with a bemused eye roll, wondering who this fangirl was and what she did with her doofus. 

"I'm excited to get to mow you," she read, feeling like she was back in college when she was always the third wheel. Being a major in mechanical engineering will do that to you, but for Ray, the nerdy, cheesy pun was the funniest thing he'd ever heard. 

"Mow you! 'Cause he's The Lawn Ranger," he laughed, unlike his companions who didn't see the hilarity.

"You're not gonna get that kind of wordplay from Kyle."

"Just...go back to your weightlifting, you big doofus," (y/n) sighed, shaking her head as he dreamily skipped across the room, twirling and holding his phone to his chest like the boy had texted back. 

Henry giggled at the strange sight he made; he could deal with the underhanded insults about his upcoming match, but the kid found his boss' newfound obsession funny. It reminded him of when his boss used to jump through hoops to get a second glance from his sweet girl, unaware she was in the other room, melting after the slightest interaction with him. 

And speaking of the girl, she seemed remarkably un-busy. Less focus on his and Ray's fights and more on hers - wasn't Miss Danger attending tonight?

"What about you, (y/n/n)? Who's gonna be your villain for tonight?" Henry inquired, having thought this was supposed to be a triple-fight, and the sudden question made Ray drop his weights again. 

"Oh, I don't think I'm gonna bother," (y/n) shrugged, tapping the PearPhone still in her pocket, but a little explanation wouldn't have hurt. Ray's face flashed with panic for a second as he concluded she didn't want to attend, leaving him to suffer with Henry because he couldn't fight with her support. 

"What?! But sweet girl, you said you'd come! You have to! I can't do this without you! What if I forget how to fight? Or if I fall over and forget how to walk? What if this is one big joke, and I don't have anyone with me?..."

(y/n) blinked at him for a few seconds - one, two, three - before bursting into laughter. It wasn't mean, vindictive, or anything like that, but he worked himself into such a panic she couldn't help but chuckle. Ray looked at her, completely bewildered, as she embraced him, wrapping her arms around his neck to run her fingers through his hair. 

"Doofus! Don't be a doofus all your life..." She said gently, leaning up to softly kiss him, silencing his screaming worries because when Ray kissed his sweet girl, all was right in the world. 

"You'll not forget how to fight or walk, so stop worrying! This guy seems legit, and anyway, I'll be there the entire time."

"What about your fight? You don't have a Rumblr profile..." the hero said quietly, hoping she wasn't going just to sit and watch. That didn't sound fun, and he didn't want her sitting at some grimy bar, accepting drinks from every asshole in Swellview because he was off fighting The Lawn Ranger. 

"And I don't want one, doof. I'm perfectly happy just going to The Beating Dungeon and waiting for the right villain to come along. Ladies don't like to be rushed into these things. We want them to make the first move," she teased, hyper-aware of his bare arms around her--so close to ripping that tank top down the middle. 

"You sure you don't want to arrange a match, (y/n/n)? You just wanna go and scout the crowd?" Henry asked concernedly. He'd existed around their lovey-dovey moments long enough that he didn't care if he was interrupting, and he wasn't affected by Ray's glares, either. 

The kid never thought he'd say it but agreed with Ray. Going alone sounded so risky, and whilst he didn't doubt Miss Danger's allure and popularity, Captain Man would patrol anyone who dared go near her. No one would be good enough to fight his sweet girl, and he could see a brawl erupting when the hero said something...inflammatory. 

"Nope. Call me old-fashioned, but I want to meet a villain properly, have them buy me a drink, and take it slow. This online fighting will never catch on..."

~The Beating Dungeon~

No one could say The Beating Dungeon wasn't impressive. Maybe it needed cleaning - scum-filled from the floors to the bar to the people who frequented it - but it was really cool. 

Everything was designed to tend to any villain's needs and welcome any hero who wanted to fight there. From the neon lights to multiple platforms and weapons for them to choose from, there was everything they wanted, away from the prying eyes of Swellview's Police. Good thing, too, because the joint was packed tonight. 

Captain Man, Kid Danger, and Miss Danger walked in to see a hero and villain tumble to the ground in a scrap. The brawl impressed Ray, skipping like a child as he led his sweet girl hand-in-hand into the club, ecstatic at the prospect of his upcoming fight. 

"This is so exciting! I love that there's a place where everybody's down to fight!" The man exclaimed as they worked their way through the crowd. Many recognised the three brightly dressed figures crossing the floor, some showing a flicker of interest when (y/n) offered them a friendly smile, only for her doofus to scare them off with a cutting scowl. 

She wouldn't get much action tonight at this rate.

"Oh my god! It's Captain Man, Miss Danger, and Kid Danger!" A feminine voice cried behind them as they neared the bar's edge. Looking over their shoulders, the trio saw two interesting characters bound up to them, dressed in lizard-themed costumes that made them look almost identical. 

"Yeah... What's up?" Henry asked casually, keeping it friendly, even though their green, scaly skin, flickering tongues, catlike eyes and smooth heads creeped him out. 

"We're the Lizard Twins. We'd love to fight you one day," the male lizard said, twitching his head to the side with his sister in a reptilian manner. They took their aesthetic very seriously; unfortunately, (y/n) had never been a fan and only wanted to hide under Ray's arm when they looked her way. 

"We couldn't believe it when we saw your profiles on Rumblr," the girl said before her eyes flickered to (y/n), who shuffled nervously under her keen gaze. 

"We didn't see yours, though, Miss Danger. Are you off the market?"

"Oh, no, nothing like that. I'm just waiting for the right offer," the heroine said with a polite smile, but her open-ended statement sounded like a proposal. 

"Oh, do you guys wanna fight right now?" The guy asked. He and his sister raised their hands in an elegant yet creepy manner, with Ray instinctively raising his fists. Anyone would love to take on Captain Man and his sweet girl, but sadly, they couldn't accept. 

"We can't..."

"Sorry, guys. We're actually here to fight someone else," Henry apologised, gesturing to him and Ray as (y/n) gently shook her head and declined the offer. 

Honestly, she saw organising a fight as trouble and much preferred to save her resources, skills and energy for when they were needed, not when she felt like flexing her super-regeneration. 

"Aw, Bumblr!" The male lizard sighed, sad to know someone else had beaten them to the chase. 

"Yeah, I matched on Rumblr with The Lawn Ranger, so..." Ray bragged, looking smug as he boasted bout the epic fight he had lined up for himself, but strangely, the Lizard Twins didn't fall on the floor in admiration. Instead, they turned to each other and snickered, finding something funny whilst the trio missed the joke. 

"What's so funny? Do you know this Lawn Ranger guy?" Miss Danger asked, squinting her eyes in suspicion as a low, uneasy feeling settled in her stomach. 

"Yeah. He's right over there," the scaly girl smirked, looking over her shoulder as her brother snorted, unable to hide their amusement. 

"Eating chilli!" The pair ran off with their hands clamped over their mouths to stop any other giggles escaping, so to see what was so damn hilarious, the heroes looked across the room. And that's when they saw the elephant. 

He was huge. Big, tubby and soft. His outfit looked like it had been shrunk in the wash. Cheap, patchy and...grassy. His face looked like it was made from rubber. Flabby, pasty, and stained with chilli sauce from where he'd slurped from the bowl. 

The Lawn Ranger looked nothing like what he had done online, and (y/n) instantly suspected his Photoshop skills fixed the sharp jawline and blemishes on his profile, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was the sinking feeling in Ray's stomach as all the good feelings drained away, and he certainly didn't want to talk to the elephant in the room. 

Suddenly, he felt cornered. Humiliated. Cheated. 

"Oh, noooo..."

"Just pretend you don't see him." Henry hissed, turning his boss away from the chubby guy, praying he hadn't seen them in the crowd. What had been perfectly arranged was quickly falling into a nosedive, and the kid knew he and (y/n) needed to act as damage control, but things only got worse. 

"He looks nothing like his pictures!"

"Yeah, you got catfished, doof. I'm sorry," (y/n) said softly, stroking the man's back to be supportive as she held back something along the lines of, "I knew this would all end in tears."

"He looks stupid!"

"He's right behind us..." Henry told them curtly, playing it cool as he glanced over his shoulder to the weirdo strolling up to them. The Lawn Ranger had definitely seen them, probably because they weren't hard to miss in those uniforms, so now, all they could do was tolerate him. And the stench of damp grass. 

"Hi!"

"How are you?"

"Who might you be?" They asked politely, but their smiles looked a little too friendly--crazy, even--as the grass-wearing oddball cleared his throat and boldly addressed the heroes - like he wasn't a walking bush. 

"It's me! The Lawn Ranger!"

"Yeah, I didn't recognise you. Probably because you didn't look absolutely nothing like the pictures you posted," Ray replied cuttingly, his voice harsh and accusatory, making (y/n) dig his fingernails into his bicep to make him watch his tone, not that she could blame him. She was pretty pissed and feeling quite protective of her doofus. 

"I know... I should probably update those," The Lawn Ranger shrugged, having the decency to at least look guilty, but his enthusiasm returned in leaps and bounds, "but I can still fight!"

Ray didn't look too impressed as the so-called villain tried to start the grass trimmer in his sweaty palms - his weapon of choice - like he would mow his enemies into submission. However, he proved pretty clumsy as he dropped the garden tool onto the floor, missing the pull string entirely. 

"Oopsie..." he said quietly, offering the unamused heroes a small smile before bending over to pick up the trimmer. A loud, sharp ripping sound surged through the air, making (y/n)'s cheeks turn pink and Ray's mouth flop open because everyone knew what that sound was. 

"That was my pants..." the guy chuckled nervously, avoiding anyone's eyes during the worst introduction in the history of the human race, which proved too much for Henry to bear. He had to look away - to spare the man's dignity. 

"Yeah, I got that..." Ray retorted flatly, wondering if he should shield his precious fiancée's eyes from this debauchery. If it wasn't the massive hole in the man's ill-fitting pants, it was the expanse of exposed, hairy, flabby stomach hanging from his too-small shirt that would offend her eyes, and Ray didn't want her seeing any more of The Lawn Ranger's...man-garden. 

"Excuse me, gentlemen--milady. I'm just gonna scooch by you real quick. Back in a jiffy... You and I could fight once I'm done with Captain Man. Eh, Miss Danger? I'm a huge fan!"

"Haha, yeah... Nooooo," (y/n) laughed courteously before she let her fake smile fall once he'd run to the bathroom, thinking she'd rather die than be seen fighting that guy. It wouldn't be fair, and she believed she gave all her opponents a fighting chance. 

"This guy is a loser, sweet girl!" Ray hissed in her ear, resenting the idea that he A) thought the fight was still on, B) assumed he could beat him in a fight, C) dared to ask Miss Danger out, and D) hoped she might say yes. 

"You're telling me. Look, why don't we just go? This was obviously a big mistake--" the heroine said gently, wanting to remove her doofus from the embarrassing situation before anything else could go wrong. But suddenly, a booming, commanding voice came over the speakers as the lights dimmed, and an electric guitar riff replaced the background music. 

"Heroes and villains, put your hands together for the hottest villain in Swellview!" The host bellowed, making his fellow villains scream in delight as a shadowy figure dropped through the glass ceiling. 

A man dressed in an orange basketball uniform landed gracefully in a puddle of broken glass and spotlight, a deranged scowl on his face when he stood up. The unknown villain accepted an energy drink from someone in the crowd, cracking it open to take a long swig before crumpling the can on his forehead.

"Who's this freak?" (y/n) asked, not knowing whether to be disgusted or impressed as he tossed the can to the floor and howled at the sky like a savage animal. 

Everyone, give it up for Kyle!" Judging by the cheers from the crowd, Kyle was hot stuff, and Ray felt his heart sink a little lower as he recognised the name. (y/n) did too, and when she looked at Henry with his gobsmacked expression and awe-inspired eyes, she knew why. 

"Dude! Dude! That's Kyle! That's Kyle! That's my match! Oh, he's even better than the pictures!" The boy said excitedly, unable to believe his luck at how his apparent "dud" was the hottest villain around. 

However, as much as (y/n) congratulated him, Ray found it impossible to be happy for his sidekick, standing there with his arms folded and a pitiable frown ruining his handsome features. 

"I'm ready to go," he said haughtily, utterly done with the charade. He'd been humiliated, mocked, and had become a spectacle, so his bed was only calling to him now, where he could hide in soft sheets and his sweet girl's arms. Anything to forget the name Rumblr and everything to do with it. 

"What?

"I'd like to go."

"Are you serious, dude? What about Kyle?" Henry spluttered, marvelling at the man's mardy selfishness. This was the chance of a lifetime, and whilst he knew this started at Ray's night, he'd be insane to pass fighting Kyle - and Ray would be cruel to stop him. 

"I'm ready to go." But the hero wouldn't budge. 

"Can't you just wait while I fight Kyle?" Henry asked, looking at (y/n) pleadingly, hoping she'd get through to her fiancé if he couldn't. The woman felt for the kid, squeezing his upper arm supportively as she turned to her lover with her diplomatic head on. She felt for Ray, her heart bleeding because she knew how torn up he'd think over this let-down, but taking it out on the kid was unfair. 

"Couldn't we wait until Kid Danger is finished with Kyle, doofus?" She asked sweetly, using all of her best tricks to try and soften his hard, bitter exterior, but she fell in love with the man - and his stubbornness. 

"What are we supposed to do, darlin'?"

"Let's just...I don't know...fight the grass guy! Just to blow off some steam!" (y/n) suggested, although she didn't sound sure of herself as the couple glanced at The Lawn Ranger to see him taping the tear in his pants. Oh god, he made a tragic sight, bent over without a sewing kit, making Ray look at his lover, unimpressed and bored. 

"Ew! Sweet girl, are you serious?"

"Look, you matched with him, right? There's gotta be something between you. You're both interested in Miss Danger--give him a chance!" Henry exclaimed, trying to convince him, but one look at The Lawn Ranger and Ray knew he wouldn't give him any chances. He didn't fight guys with tape on their asses.

"I'm interested in Miss Danger because she's my wife--or she will be! This guy is a loser. Like she said, this was a mistake!" 

"Yo, this is just part of putting yourself out there. Okay? You leave now, and you'll end up sad, covered in cereal, and moping around your wife!" Henry sighed, predicting an inevitable future where Ray returned to his slump until the next big fight came. And who knows when that will happen. 

"I like cereal! And I don't mope..." the hero argued, growing pouty and defensive since the boy assumed he fell apart when not entertained, turning to cheap fixes, poor hygiene and his poor pretty girl. 

"You mope, doofus. You're the mopiest moper who ever moped when you get sad. Besides, we can't ruin this fight for the kid," (y/n) chuckled, rubbing her hands up and down his chest as Ray whined, vying for her affection to soothe the pain in his chest. 

She'd admit that fans like The Lawn Ranger weren't her favourite, but he would fill their time significantly as Kyle grew impatient to start his match. 

"WHERE'S KID DANGER?" He bellowed, scanning the crowd, and Henry couldn't contain himself. Maybe it was against orders and a little embarrassing - how loud he screamed - but god, he was so ready to throw fists. 

"I'm right here!"

"Come on, man. Don't leave me here with this guy!" Ray begged, practically tearing up when his sidekick eagerly walked away, but there was nothing he could do to stop him - just hug his precious fiancée tighter. 

"You have Miss Danger! Have fun!" Henry grinned before slinking into the crowd, leaving the couple alone with The Lawn Ranger. (y/n) untangled herself from her doofus, keeping close since he needed the contact, but she couldn't ignore the guy, no matter how pathetic he was. 

"Hi," Ray said tightly, knowing he had to keep it civil for the sake of his girl and out of respect for the people around them. However, his so-called perfect match made it so damn difficult not to...deck him. 

"Grass attack! Grass attack! Grass attack!" The Lawn Ranger grunted as he chucked fistfuls of grass clippings at him and (y/n). Thankfully, the vegetation didn't do anything - because it was the most ridiculous and ineffective attack either had ever seen - but the sheer audacity had Ray fuming. 

"Um, I think I'm gonna sneeze..." (y/n) coughed, rubbing her nose as the grass caught her face. The pollen made her eyes run and her nose itch, which was the final straw for Ray, who could cope with the humiliation, but no one agitated his precious girl's sensitive sniffer. 

"Who is the adversary here? Will you excuse us for a second?" He asked, hurrying his fiancée away from The Lawn Loser before she went into a hay fever fit. Unfortunately, during their escape, they happened to stumble across the Lizard Twins, who couldn't help but giggle and snigger after watching the entire exchange. 

"Don't you two have anything better to do?" Miss Danger hissed, placing her hands on her hips as she confronted them. Whilst Ray wanted to mope at a spare table in a shadowy corner, she needed to make them see - no one made fun of her doofus. Especially not nobodies like those two. 

"You're marrying a dork! Do you seriously wanna be tied to a guy who matched with--"

"Shut up!" The heroine snapped, yanking the laser control from her belt quicker than the Lizard Girl could blink. 

She didn't get to finish her sentence before she and her brother hit the ground, thanks to a couple of amber plasma bolts for opening her poxy mouth. The Lawn Ranger watched with an open mouth as they lay there, lifeless, but (y/n) didn't care. Ray was her priority, and she didn't want him out in the open like some roadside freak show, so she took his hand and guided him to what he wanted. 

A small, isolated table in a shadowy corner. 

"Thank you, sweet girl. You didn't have to do that," Ray said quietly as he sat on the cheap bench, resting his arms on the table. She sat opposite him, reaching out to interlace her fingers with his. 

"Yes, I did. You're not a dork. You're a doofus. My doofus. And I hate seeing you like this... I'm sorry it didn't work out," (y/n) replied softly, lifting his hand to kiss his knuckles, her tummy fluttering when the affection made him crack a small, sad smile. Whilst she could give him company, there wasn't much else she could do, just sit with him and be a shoulder to cry on - take his strain for all the times he took hers. 

"It's okay. I'm sorting it..." the hero muttered, squeezing her hand like a lifeline as he fished the PearPhone from his belt. 

His sweet girl looked at him curiously, taking a moment to figure it out, and Ray could pinpoint when it clicked. He loved that about her--how things connected so quickly for her. He only wished he could do the same. 

"Running away won't help."

"Right now, darlin', I just want you and me to go home. Or anywhere. Anywhere but here," Ray sighed, thumbing a specific contact on his phone, which started the achingly long dialling tone as he waited for Charlotte to pick up. 

Charlotte was the one to call in an emergency. That girl was brilliant, so she'd help him out, arrange for them to be picked up, and then he could escape this nightmare. (y/n) still didn't like it, hoping the night wouldn't end like this, but he was determined to run. 

"What's up, Ray?"

"I wanna go home!" He sounded utterly miserable when Charlotte finally answered, and she didn't seem too pleased to be disturbed so early into the night. 

"What's wrong?" The girl sighed, having been enjoying some downtime with her fellow helpers. A disaster involving the man and his planned fight was almost predictable, but she'd expected him to last longer than this. 

"The Lawn Ranger is lame. Kid Danger left me. And I'm not even kidding--I sat down in some mustard, and it's all over my butt!" The man cried, making (y/n)'s mouth open in sympathy as he avoided all eye contact. She was ready to cry for him now if she had felt sorry for him, knowing exactly why he didn't mention it earlier. 

Did she really wanna be tied to a guy who matched with The Lame Ranger and unknowingly sat in some jerk's spilt mustard? Of course, he stayed silent. 

"Oh, doofus..."

"Isn't (y/n) there with you?" Charlotte asked, wondering how it could be so bad when his fiancé was there to support him. She could vaguely hear her voice in the background, so, putting two and two together, she guessed the woman was tending his wounds and drying his tears. Why she was needed was beyond her. 

"Yeah, but we--I don't wanna be here. I wanna be in our bedroom, in bed, with no one watching, so we can--"

"Gonna stop you there!" Charlotte exclaimed hurriedly, wanting to know none of the finer details--for the sake of her innocence. Instead, she changed her focus, glad to know someone was sitting with him, although she felt for (y/n) and all the moping she was putting up with. Because he moped. A lot. 

"Where did Henry go?"

"He's fighting Kyle, who's awesome," Ray sniffled as the kid of the moment was thrown through a window. His fight had led him to the building rafters, where Kyle had momentarily gotten the upper hand, meaning he took a tumble. 

"Holy shit!" (y/n) gasped, feeling her heart thud against her rib cage when the boy landed on his back with a grunt. Her boy. Her kid. Beaten like a punching bag. Tossed around like a rag doll. And yet strangely, he seemed to be enjoying it. 

"This is the best fight I've ever had in my entire life!"

"I'm gonna destroy you!" The couple watched in shock as Henry got to his feet just as Kyle broke through the window's remains. It was all fun and games for them, witty banter passing between the two as Henry pulled out a grappling gun and shot the hook across the room. 

"Where'd you get a grappling hook?!" Ray questioned, almost speechless at how their relationship had blossomed; from humble beginnings to solid sparring partners, both were fighting for their lives - all in good fun. 

"I took it off Kyle! He knows exactly what I like!" Henry grinned before zipping off, flying away before his opponent could thump him. Kyle landed before he could get a hit in, but he was still tenacious, hot on Kid Danger's heels to resume the spat. Seeing Henry having so much fun infuriated Ray, so he returned to his phone. 

"I wanna go home! Tell Piper to come pick Miss Danger and me up!" He begged, pulling (y/n) beside him this time. It was a tight squeeze in the booth, but they managed it, her practically sitting on his knee, but Ray liked it. He craved it. The close contact until they could go home. 

"Just drive yourself!" Charlotte told him, knowing they'd taken the Man Van.

"Kid Danger has the keys! Come on! Piper has a license--we've established this!" The man whined down the receiver, stamping his foot as best he could with (y/n) so close. He sounded like a child, tragic and annoying, as he begged for help, clutched the phone and nuzzled into his sweet girl simultaneously, searching for support and comfort where he could. 

"Y'know, it's funny. I feel like ten minutes ago, I told you to drive yourself, but you're still talking and not driving," the girl sassed, recalling her boss' words earlier that afternoon when he'd been so rude to her. 

"When I said that to you earlier, it was hilarious, but when you say it to me, it's just mean!" Ray sniffed, hoping she'd put her unkindness aside to rescue him and his girl. However, his suffering was what Charlotte wanted to hear. Satisfied he was moping, she hung up, much to her pleasure and Ray's despair. 

"What?! No! She hung up on me!"

"I won't lecture you on being friendly again, but just remember that what goes around comes around, doofus. And now, we're stuck here," (y/n) sighed, resting her head on his shoulder, pausing to kiss the edge of it. 

Ray hummed, aware she was right, but he didn't want to repent, apologise, or grovel. He wanted to go home. 

"This night is a bust," he sniffled, wallowing in self-pity and misery as he turned to kiss her head in return. 

Perhaps he'd reflect on this moment later and deem it the highlight of the evening - a quiet spot and a private conversation with his darling girl, who put up with more of his shit than she deserved. But right now, nothing seemed to shine, not even as they slipped their hands together and rested for a second.

"It'll be over soon. We'll just wait for the kid, and then, we can slip out. I mean, what else can go wrong?" (y/n) chuckled humourlessly, rubbing her cheek against his uniform's silken sleeve as they assumed all that was left was a long wait for Henry to finish...until a voice came from behind. 

"Grass attack incoming!" The unmistakable sound of The Lawn Ranger exclaimed, appearing from nowhere, making Ray sigh, but nothing could've prepared the couple for what he planned on doing. 

Suddenly, a grass shower rained on their heads, making (y/n) gasp softly and lean into her doofus, voicing her annoyance with a disgruntled whine. He'd been told to back off, yet he'd returned, throwing handfuls of grass over them, ruining her hair and making her nose itch again. 

"What the--"

"Grass on your head! Grass on your back!" The Lawn Ranger grunted, explicitly aiming for Ray, but given his proximity to Miss Danger, it was inevitable some of his attacks would scatter over her too. A stony expression fell on the hero's face, drawing a line between himself and his fiancée because she didn't sign up for this harassment, and honestly, neither did he. 

"Grass on your shoulders! Supergrass attack!"

"ACHOO!--Sorry...allergies," (y/n) sniffed, holding her nose to try and stop herself from losing it again, but the itching wouldn't stop. 

That was the final straw for Ray. He usually found her sneezes adorable, but now, he'd reached the end of his rope. 

"I can't do this. Come on, sweet girl..." he muttered, moving to leave with Miss Danger; he didn't know where, but he had to get away from this loser. Rising from the table, hands still joined, they stepped away from The Lawn Ranger, who looked shocked at the man's rudeness. 

"What's wrong?"

"Look, you seem like an awful person," Ray sighed, meaning it in the kindest way since he was a villain. Apparently. 

"Thank you!"

"And any hero would be lucky to fight you..."

"What are you doing?" The guy asked worriedly, sensing something was wrong from how Miss Danger avoided his gaze and Captain Man spoke - his words sounding like the end game. 

"I'm breaking up this fight," Ray said, ripping off the bandaid instead of dragging it out. Maybe it was cruel, but fighting the dweeb would be worse, knowing one punch would finish him, so no matter how much he whined, he didn't want to be associated anymore. 

"No, I can change! Literally! In the winter, I turn brown!" The Lawn Ranger reasoned as if that would make it any better. 

Of all the things he could've said, becoming a sad, crispy colour didn't impress, not like Kyle did with Henry as the two streaked past, the former dodging lasers as the kid spammed his controllers. 

"Kyle is everything!" Kid Danger grinned before continuing, sparing no time for his boss since he enjoyed himself so much. That did it for Ray; the humiliation was too much, and he didn't care if he had to wait on a park bench in the driving, pissing rain. 

"And we're leaving. Miss Danger, are you coming?"

"Of course," (y/n) nodded, darting under his arm as she braced herself for the stormy night, but they couldn't leave until The Lawn Ranger stopped whining. 

"But why?! I haven't even asked Miss Danger for a fight yet!"

"Look, it's not you. It's me. I'm...too good for you. And believe me, my incredibly hot fiancée's way outta your league," Ray replied, leaving (y/n) unsure whether he regarded her superhero skills or more feminine ones--like she'd be interested in the guy. 

Regardless, that's where they left it, turning to leave before things got ugly, but without looking where they were going, it was inevitable they'd bump into someone. Unfortunately, the Lizard Twins had to be another stroke of luck. 

"Sorry..."

"We didn't see you there--"

"Hey! Thanks for swiping us!"

"Yeah, can't wait to fight you," the brother-sister duo said, confusing the couple as they stared at Ray with their reptilian eyes. The hero had no idea what they were talking about, with the last thing he wanted being another fight. 

"I didn't match with either of you."

"Yes, you did," the guy argued as he and his sister took out their phones, and to the heroes' shock, there it was on the Rumblr app. Captain Man had been signed up by some unknown power to fight the Lizard Twins - his account had accepted the fight proposal. And that wasn't the worst bit. 

"These guys say you matched with them, too," the girl said, gesturing over her shoulder, where a whole hoard of villains stood, each presenting their phones to show that Ray had arranged to fight everyone. 

He and (y/n) gulped as they studied his phone, wondering how it could've happened, but as far as the villains were concerned, he was fair game. 

"Let's rush this fool!" One bellowed a battle cry, rallying his fellow bad guys to take on Captain Man. 

"Care to fight, Miss Danger?" He asked, glancing at his sweet girl as they dug their heels in and charged. There was little time to decide, and Ray would understand if she wanted to duck for cover behind the bar, but that wasn't how (y/n) rolled. His fights were hers, no matter how outnumbered they were. 

"Oh, Captain... It would be my pleasure," she smirked, clenching her fists before charging with him, taking on the stampede head-on. 

Immediately, they were pushed to the centre, fists and feet coming out of nowhere as they clawed at whoever they could touch--and in the middle of that lot, there was plenty to handle. No one could tell who was hitting who, but it felt good to work out the frustration, even if it meant taking a few dozen blows to the ribs. 

Eventually, they fell to the floor, pummelled down by the onslaught, but it was better down there despite being trodden on a few times. In the madness, Ray managed to find his lover, gripping her hand as he yelled in her ear to start crawling; there had to be an exit somewhere. 

Crawling on their bellies, the couple made it out alive, a little sore and breathless but pumped with adrenaline, raring to go back in. Henry was too busy with Kyle to notice the mass brawl in the middle of the room, but that was okay because they'd found their own entertainment - a veritable scrum. 

"This is barbaric," (y/n) panted, rolling her shoulders back as the bruises and internal bleeding fled her body. Being in the middle of the brawl was awful, but being a spectator was worse; the sheer savagery would make anyone turn conscientious objector. 

"I know...wanna go again?" Ray smirked, nudging her elbow once they'd caught their breath. It was savage, dangerous, and bloody, which made it fun. Exhilarating. 

"With you? Always, doofus," the heroine giggled, becoming breathless again when he pulled her into a hurried kiss--all tongue and clashing teeth since Ray was running on adrenaline, yet he needed his fix. Miss Danger was hot when she fought; he liked girls who could hold their own. It was an impulse. 

Breaking apart as quickly as they connected, they bared their fists again and went for it, screaming and diving for the crowd, but then...nothing. No welcome. No returned battle cry, nothing. 

Standing back and observing allowed the couple to see the fight for what it was; a mass scrabble for anyone bored enough to have some excess energy. Even though Captain Man was the one who started it, he wasn't missed. 

Hell, he wasn't even sure if his so-called matches even realised he was missing, the final blow coming when The Lawn Ranger pushed him aside, knocking his large frame into (y/n)'s simply so he could rejoin the fight. What happened to his eagerness to fight the legendary hero?

"Guys! I found more grass outside!" He said joyfully, receiving no reply, but he joined the fray anyway. 

"Hey, I thought we were...weren't you fighting me? And Miss Danger? Guys? Remember? We matched? Guys? Lawn Guy?" Ray called out in vain, drawing no one's attention as the fight drifted outside, where the competitors would have more room to try and Kill each other. 

That told them everything they needed to know, and to her sorrow, (y/n) could pinpoint the moment Ray's heart shattered. 

"They're gone, doofus. I, uh...think they forgot about us," (y/n) told him gently, emphasising the final word because she realised how lonely the place felt now nearly everyone had left. There were a few stragglers, but they looked only there for the music, company and booze. 

No, they were alone now, and she didn't want Ray to feel such a terrible thing by himself, yet his face said everything. Not sad, dejected, angry, or rejected, just hopeless. The feeling that comes when everything is over. 

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be, darlin'. You've been...amazing. It's just...this day is the worst," Ray sighed, slipping out from underneath her supportive hand to slump on a bar stool. Everything had drained from his body; he had nothing to give except sagging over the bar with her standing between his knees. 

"What can I do to make it better?" She asked gently, hands stroking his cheeks as she prepared to do anything to cheer him up, but suddenly, something happened neither of them had expected. 

"Eh, yo, excuse me," the bartender caught their attention, unphased by the Captain's melancholic stare and Miss Danger's protectively suspicious squint. Perhaps he was interrupting, but he didn't care. 

"We didn't order any drinks," (y/n) told him slowly, baffled when the man placed two glasses in front of them - one containing fresh, creamy milk and the other her go-to cocktail. An odd combination but an uncanny one because few people knew her order. 

"These are from the gentleman at the end of the bar."

"Who?..." Ray asked, only for the words to die on his tongue as their gazes fell on a lone figure not two metres away. 

There, perched on a stool, drinking warm milk from a sippy cup, was The Toddler. The actual Toddler. He didn't shout nonsense, pull a ridiculous weapon, or even vow destruction on Swellview. All he did was give the awestruck couple a friendly nod and a warm smile - the kind you'd get when seeing an old friend for the first time in years. 

"Toddler?" Ray frowned, a million questions racing through his mind, but the man-child didn't speak. He jerked his head to the stool next to him, wanting to talk privately rather than shout across the room.

"Come on, sweet girl..."

"Wait, doofus," (y/n) stopped him, holding onto her lover's bicep when he tried to guide her over there. She wasn't scared or anything stupid like that, but she felt there was a time and place for everyone, and right now, her calling was to wait for him, sip her cocktail, and leave him to talk without her. 

"Go talk to him. I'll be right here if you need me."

"Are you sure? I don't like leaving you here, especially in this dump," Ray replied worriedly, glancing around the room like someone would try something on Miss Danger with Captain Man so close. His worries were unfounded there, but leaving her out still didn't seem right. 

"I'll be here when you're done. Go to him," she implored, pecking his lips before gently pushing her doofus away. Shuffling on the bar stool, she crossed her legs and took a long sip through her curly straw, meaning Ray knew she meant business. He circled the bar slowly, tentatively, gingerly, feeling her eyes on his back with The Toddler's on his face - watching his every move. 

"Well, well, well...Captain Man," The Toddler said, smiling warmly like he was meeting up with an old friend - and he was, in a way, just not in a way Ray ever expected. 

"What are you doing here?"

"I, uh...been a little bored lately. Fighting the same heroes over and over again," the villain sighed, clenching his fingers around his sippy cup as he retold a story that was eerily familiar to his adversary. 

"Right?" Ray chuckled quietly, relaxing against the bar's edge. Sitting down made him feel vulnerable, so at least like this, he could still be on his feet and ready for action - plus, he could smoothly turn his head to check on his sweet girl. 

The Toddler noted his wariness, eyes sliding to Miss Danger over the way, but he said nothing, knowing they were in a unique situation. 

"So, my younger brother--"

"The Newborn?" 

"Yeah, he talked me into making a profile on this app called Rumblr," he said, shocking Captain Man because it was like he was telling his story. How a slightly annoying but lovable younger brother convinced him it would be a good idea to sign his soul to the goddamn devil of online fighting. 

"I did the same thing! That's why I'm here!"

"Same, but I don't know... It's not for me," The Toddler sighed, staring at his warm milk because his night had been terrible like the hero in front of him. A total disaster. He was tired, back at square one, and didn't know what to do, but at least he'd found a kindred spirit. 

"Thank you!"

"I mean, Rumblr set me up tonight with this hero named Kicky McGee. And he didn't look anything like his picture!" The villain exclaimed, looking fed up with everything. 

Across the bar, (y/n) dropped a few eaves and smiled into her drink, knowing some heroes and villains are just made for each other - there was no shame in exploring old partnerships. 

"Yes! Who does that?!..." Ray agreed, leaning against the bar again as the two fell silent for a second, unknowingly sharing the same thought. 

"I like to meet my heroes the old-fashioned way."

"I like to meet my villains the old-fashioned way," they said together, their faces becoming severe when they realised how much they had in common, despite being sworn enemies. Hero stared at villain, and villain stared at hero. And both were on the same page for the first time in their long history. 

"You know, Miss Danger said that before we came, but I, uh...didn't think it was true," Ray said nervously, licking his lips as he tried to find the right words. His sweet girl was onto something with that thought, making the men look over their shoulders to see her drinking alone, resting her chin on her hand as she stirred what was left in the bottom of her glass. 

"Hmmm..." The Toddler hummed, pensive, as he tipped another splash of milk into his mouth before speaking, "You've got yourself a great girl there, Captain Man. Excuse me if I sound disgusting for a moment, but she makes you an even greater hero. I'd hate to see anything bad happen to her."

"I know... She's everything to me," Ray replied wistfully, his eyes growing soft when Miss Danger noticed them staring and smiled. Toddler chuckled quietly when he saw how Captain Man switched off, utterly enchanted by such a simple, sweet smile, but he'd known from the minute he first saw them together. She was the only thing in his eyes. 

The serenity didn't last. Before they could settle into the comfort and, strangely enough, the safety of a moment's ceasefire, Henry burst onto the scene. He'd been run ragged by Kyle, panting and aching from the non-stop combat, but he had no complaints. That had been the best night of his life. 

"Ahhh, what a fight! That was amazing!"

"Congrats!" The Toddler remarked, not in a snarky manner, but maybe with a hint of jealousy. At least someone's night went well, but upon the sound of one of his greatest enemies, Kid Danger's hackles went up, his chest puffed out, and his expression hardened. What was Ray doing sharing a drink with...him?

"Toddler?!" He spat, clenching his fists like he would thump him one. This was too good to miss, and past altercations couldn't be ignored, yet the boy looked at his boss with pure betrayal when he stopped him from getting any closer. 

"Hey, easy, junior. I'm off the clock," Todd reassured him, showing the sidekick his drink so he knew he meant no harm. Henry looked baffled but backed off, seeing how relaxed Ray felt--enough to leave (y/n) alone over two metres away. 

"Well, I guess I should get going anyways," the villain sighed, thinking he'd overstayed his welcome, but there was a mischievous glint in his eye. He hopped off his stool, taking his drink from the bar, but not before smiling coyly at the duo. 

"I gotta swing by Swellview Airport and...not skyjack a cargo plane full of blankies. Sure would be a shame if someone tried to stop me," he said, saying one thing and meaning another, but he didn't push it any further. 

"Well, see you around."

"Thanks for the drinks, Todd," Ray called after him gratefully, knowing he and his sweet girl needed a pick-me-up after their night. It was a surprisingly sweet gesture, and despite their differences, the hero genuinely appreciated it. 

"Toddler..." the man-child corrected him for old time's sake, his smile full of mirth and...fondness as he tipped them his drink before walking away.

Leaving the hero and his sidekick to chat, The Toddler circled the bar, searching for one person. 

Still sitting on her stool, Miss Danger looked rather bored, having reached the end of her cocktail, and she had no doofus to entertain her. She was so lost in her own thoughts she didn't hear him approaching, noticing the villain only when he was by her elbow, dwarfed by the height she gained on the tall chair. 

"Can I get you another drink?" He asked smoothly, making her laugh as she pushed her glass toward the bartender. 

"No, thank you. Technically, I'm on duty," (y/n) replied, gesturing to her bright uniform, which dictated that she was meant to be working, not overindulging. Even if there weren't any apparent threats, she liked to stay sharp, something The Toddler silently admired as she straightened herself out and gave him a polite smile. 

Captain Man sure knew how to pick them. 

"Oh, right, right... You and Captain Man..."

"What about us?" (y/n) asked cautiously, turning to give him her full attention. It was difficult to relax entirely in his presence, but she had to admit; he'd piqued her curiosity simply by talking to her and not going home. 

"You're good for each other," the man-child said casually, shrugging as if they weren't entering dangerous territories - crossing their personal lives with work. The woman raised an eyebrow at that, wondering why he'd bring it up after years of knowing her and Ray and showing no interest in what they were like as people. 

"Since when are you a romantic?"

"I'm not..." he replied, showing no interest as he pushed off the bar, making her wonder why he'd come over to talk. Surely, he didn't just want to compliment her and Captain Man's relationship; otherwise, he could've just said it the next time they fought. 

"But, uh...me and the Captain have a little...something arranged, and I was wondering if you want to join us?" The Toddler offered, shuffling his feet, making her giggle. Was he nervous? Because of her? Well, consider her flattered, although a little hesitant. 

"Are you asking me to a...fight?"

"Yeah...

"Well..." (y/n) paused, gaze flicking to where Ray and Henry were nattering, the latter clearly trying to convince his boss to go after him - to have the fight they both obviously wanted. But the man hadn't actually said yes, and from the looks of things, he was dithering about whether he wanted to go, which made her reluctant. 

"I don't know... I came here for Captain Man. It wouldn't be right to leave without him," she said sadly, trying to let him down as gently as she could. It wasn't a straight-out refusal or an unreserved yes, but The Toddler understood her position. He still had hope. 

"Hey, I get it. But if you change your mind, I'll be at Swellview Airport all night... Feel free to bring your boyfriend if you want," he smiled, strolling away with a soft smile like he already knew what she'd do.

He'd just gotten to the exit when the entire conversation caught up with her - not some crazy fever dream where she and her doofus were friends with The Toddler for a few minutes. It had happened, and if he could tease her, she could tease him. 

"Fiancé!" She called after him, loving the small yet significant correction. Todd did not indicate whether he heard her, but she didn't need it. 

Looking a little crazy as she sat there, grinning, she lost herself in her thoughts again, spurred on by the fluttering in her tummy from thoughts of him. Her doofus, who hurried to her side - out of nowhere - with more energy than he'd had in days, was inspired by Henry and his insistence that The Toddler wanted more than a drink at the bar. 

"Sweet girl! We gotta go to the airport! Toddler's gonna skyjack a plane!" Ray exclaimed as he skidded to a halt, seizing her forearms because he wanted to chase after the villain. And he wanted her to go with him...if that was all right with her. 

"Oh, was that what he was talking about? Big fight, is it?" (y/n) asked, sliding off the stool and stepping into her lover's space. Ray's fingers slid down her arms and curled around her waist, pulling her closer until their navels touched. 

"Huge. Just what I need to bounce back..."

"Then, what are you doing standing here? Go after him!" She exclaimed, wondering why he was making the villain wait when he'd ask for a fight - the old-fashioned way, just how they both liked. Ray sighed, cupped and stroked her cheek with a soft gaze, thinking his place was standing there with her. 

"Only if you come with me," he replied, unphased, when she looked surprised as if she couldn't imagine him wanting her there. 

"Doofus, this is your fight. Are you sure?"

"Do I want to see Miss Danger kicking ass in this skirt? Hell yeah, I'm sure," Ray chuckled, growing hot under the collar from the mere thought, and his lifted mood made her smile. It was nice to see him happy again, and now that she thought of it, Toddler had invited her too, so it wouldn't be intruding. 

Come to think of it, when was the last time she and Captain Man fought side by side with nothing to stop them? Maybe she needed it as much as he did; the offer was more tempting now. 

"So, darlin', what do you say? Wanna go on a fight with me?"

"It wouldn't be the first time you asked me out," (y/n) joked, leaning up to kiss his cheek before pulling away to give him her answer, "but yes, doofus. I would love to go on a fight with you."

"Then, what are we doing standing here?" Ray grinned, looking ten years younger when the emotion stretched across his face. 

He conjoined their hands tightly without further prompting, pulling her away from the bar with a feverish need that the bartender knew all too well. He saw those goo-goo eyes the hero gave to his fiancée, so his assumption wasn't unfounded, meaning he smiled and shook his head as he watched the lovers race for the door. 

On the way out, they passed a familiar face - The Lawn Ranger, holding a slab of freshly dug grass for the long-gone brawl. He looked at the couple longingly, expecting to bag himself a fight now everyone else had left, but Ray was ready to plough down anyone in his path, even tubby, grassy weirdos like him. 

Releasing a long battle cry, and with his hand still clutching his sweet girl's, he charged at The Lawn Ranger, swinging his fist and landing a brutal blow on his nose. It splattered across his face, making the so-called villain clutch his face in pain, but he never got a chance to grass attack them. 

Before he could blink, the heroes were long gone, stealing away into the night since they had a prior engagement. And a flight to catch. 

"That was so mean, Raymond," (y/n) hissed as they ran into the rain, making her squeal and shield her head, not that she had any chance of saving her hair. Part of her didn't care for the pathetic man, thinking he was weird, but she was too sweet not to feel a sliver of guilt, wondering if they should've stuck around a little longer. 

"Trust me, sweet girl, we've done him a huge favour. No one would want to fight him, but at least now he can say Captain Man punched him in the face," Ray bragged, holding his muscled arm over her head to act as a makeshift umbrella. 

"True...and I can say Captain Man took me home tonight," she giggled, hurrying along the sidewalk as they headed for the dank, dirty alleyway where Ray parked the Man Van. 

It wasn't a long walk, but the chilly air made her shiver and duck into his side, stealing the warmth radiating from her human furnace. Ray laughed, bringing her closer since he knew her uniform wasn't built for heat retention, and if they didn't stick out like sore thumbs, they'd look like any regular couple hurrying down the road. 

"That was never in doubt, my love. I'll choose you every time," he promised as they ducked into the alleyway. 

No one noticed the heroes' presence in the shadows, how they whispered each other's names and paused against the wall. Ray dipped his head and pressed his lips to hers, leaving her breathless more than the frigid air ever could - kissing in the rain.

[freezegirl]

👫 war kie :)

headcanon time // @ghoulsplay's warren peace

1: one year before will stronghold arrives at sky high and stumbles his way through power placement, warren peace and khione goossens do the same. khione goes first. turns the gym into a winter wonderland. and because coach boomer thinks he's got a terrific sense of humor, he picks out warren afterwards even though he swore he was going to do this alphabetically. warren easily melts the ice and snow as he turns the gym into a sauna. khione attempts to slip outside before she melts completely. but before she does so, she turns back to look at him and he looks back. one look was all it took for her heart to skip a beat. khione has been drawn to him ever since.

(to this day, she remembers how beautiful he looked, all powered up. like he was agni, the god of fire, himself.)

2: powering up beside him during homecoming was a leap of faith that surprised her. khione figured that she could allow herself to have this one thing. especially now that both of them survived royal pain's masterplan. then he takes her hand and she doesn't want him to let go, ever again. he warms her up, she cools him down. and after the night ends and she gets home, her parents' former sidekicks call her before she can call them - jawaharel has precognitive abilities and he saw a dance of icy twin flames. farzana sheds a few tears when khione tells her that she's "in love, like you and jawaharel are".

3: the only reason why khione doesn't tell warren what happened to the first boy she ever kissed is because mr medulla shows him. well, he shows everyone during a telepathic training exercise. in response, khione goes subzero and it takes warren the majority of the day to get kie to thaw out of her ice form again.

4: during their senior year, nurse spex dies. everyone is heartbroken. khione reaches out to nurse spex's grandson, valerian, in order to extend her condolences and an olive branch. instead, he takes his frustrations out on her. warren steps in and when principal powers comes to break up the fight, kie tries to explain to her that warren didn't start it. warren and kie end up in detention with valerian anyway. ever since the royal pain fiasco during their sophomore year, kie's been claustrophobic. warren is the only reason why kie doesn't freak out then and there in the detention room.

kie's parents don't show up when she walks the stage. instead, farzana and jawaharel show up and kie officially introduces warren to them.

5: the transition period between high school and college is a tough one, considering that's when will's paternal grandparents come to town. theodore stronghold - the founder of sky high and sky u - has nothing nice to say about any of his grandson's friends. especially not warren. his wife, ann-marie, chimes in with pointed remarks about kie.

several members of the sky high faculty like mr boy, coach boomer, jeannie elast and principal powers have since been offered well paying jobs and have since made the transition from sky high to sky u.

6: during warren and kie's first year at sky university, baron battle escapes the maximum security prison he was kept in, rampages through maxville and kidnaps ethan bank - resident boy genius. the group comes together and they get ethan back but he's never quite the same afterwards and he refuses to talk about his time spent with baron battle.

7: kie's parents' marriage falls apart in the wake of the revelation that zach braun is kie's half brother. (warren is the only one who's not surprised as kie has told him her suspicions before she told anyone else.) the secret comes to light after mr medulla - who accepted a job offer at sky u - fed the class a self-made truth serum for an experiment. zach's parents divorce. kie's parents pretend that they're still in love and renew their vows during the second season finale of the fabulous lives of superhero wives. kie is forced to make an appearance. and she does.

8: during warren and kie's second year at sky university, kie gets kidnapped by katherine "katie" baxter. katie's twin brother, michael, is still in lockup for aiding baron battle the year before.

the stronghold seven (or six, in this case) comb through maxville until they figure out that katie keeps kie at maxwellness, a wellness and beauty center in the richer part of town. katie has sound based powers and used to work at maxwellness as a sound healer, specializing in sound wellness.

they save kie in the nick of time. had they been any later, she would have died. it takes months for kie to get back to her former power-level, and herself, and she grapples with this more than she cares to admit but ends up talking to warren about this regardless because she trusts him.

9: during warren and kie's third and final year at sky university, josie stronghold dies. ms stronghold has always been more of a mother to kie than her own mother has ever been. and so she goes to the funeral and grieves. (she will never forget will's haunted eyes nor steve's anguished scream).

the majority of the superhero community show up for the funeral, khione's parents included. and after a quick chat with principal powers, kie goes off to find warren and the others. the stronghold seven end up sneaking into the paper lantern after hours and tell each other their favorite josie stronghold related memories.

during this year, mr medulla reveals himself to be an undercover villain with immense knowledge, telepathic and telekinetic abilities. he is working together with baron battle, who is still out there too.

after warren and kie graduate from sky university, the stronghold seven is officially formed: the team consists of the leader and namesake, will stronghold; layla williams; warren peace; magenta lewis; zach braun; ethan banks and khione goossens.

they often work together but it is not uncommon that the group splits up into smaller teams: zach, ethan and magenta work together and will, layla, warren and kie work together too.

more often than not, however, kie and warren work together as a duo.

[chatonnoir]

“you’re just mad because it’s not ur favorite side that’s canon!!!11!!1″ no lol I would’ve been annoyed if they went with pre-reveal ladynoir too because it would’ve been taking the easy way out of having Marinette face her fears regarding Adrien. Some of us do actually care about satisfying development in our ships rather than just wanting to see them become canon I know it’s a shocking concept

and y’all somehow still aren’t getting it because y’all really think the lovesquare sides are just surface level: Adrienette is not the “endgame” or “true” ship or whatever y'all call it when y’all are like “obviously adrienette was always going to be endgame when the masks came off” etc etc. The dynamics from all sides meld in to one post-reveal. When they’re married post-reveal and comfortable with each other and joking and being playful with each other as a grown married couple they will not have gotten that from the Adrienette side, that’s literally going to be the Ladynoir in them and that’s that 🤷🏽‍♀️

The show wants me to believe Ladynoir can’t be together pre-reveal because they have secrets and can’t share their identities!!!!! But then Adrienette can apparently date while keeping enormous secrets from each other, secrets that neither of them knows the other has whereas at least Ladynoir knows exactly what they can’t tell each other yet. Sure jan

ML pretty obviously takes insp from Spider-Man/the Rami Spider-Man movies but the whole “Mary Jane gets over her infatuation for Spider-Man and realizes she loves Peter Parker” plot point from those movies was not needed here!!!!!!! Adrien Agreste is not Mary Jane or Lois Lane because he is Chat Noir and his love for Ladybug is true and deep and based in a real bond and not some celebrity infatuation ~~~bLiNdInG~~~ him from seeing Normal Girl Marinette!!!!!! ~Getting Over Ladybug And Noticing NormalGirl~ was never the character development he needed to go through!!!!! Yet this plot point seems to want to me to think that ackshually Adrien forgetting Ladybug and going after Marinette really was the only thing that needed to change for them to get together, everything else was fluff to extend the runtime

And yet even with that plotpoint those Spider-Man movies didn’t let Mary Jane and Spider-Man get together till AFTER Spider-Man’s identity reveal (same with Amazing Spider-Man where they kissed immediately AFTER Peter revealed his identity to Gwen). Spider-Man did it better: Peter pined after Mary Jane for the whole first movie while she only saw him as a friend, before she finally realized her feelings and confessed she loved him, only for him, in a heartbreaking twist at the very end, to tell her that he could only be her friend, all because he realized being with her would put her life at risk. Peter endured breaking Mary Jane’s heart and watching her be with another guy and they didn’t end up together until after Mary Jane learned his identity and understood why he really rejected her and what he was going through in the 2nd movie.

these tags basically summed it up yes this plot point is stupid af because if I’d wanted some generic shy awkward girl x popular boy school romance plot I’d have chosen to watch something like Kimi ni Todoke which does a much better job of it, I chose to watch ML because I was sold a four-sided Love Square and advertised a superhero romance and instead I opened the box to get another generic school romance with the other sides left dead in the dust lol. Something appealing to me about lovesquare was that many of the dynamics within it bring something unique and hard to find elsewhere to the table and frankly pre-reveal adrienette dating is not one of them.

and apparently Marinette not being ready to kiss Adrien is a whole invented drama within this arc that I have to sit through now too even though she had no problems doing so in Chat Blanc god give me a break y’all are creating this fake suspense even though y’all already HAD a real adrienette kiss and pre-reveal dating plot in Chat Blanc just to repeat it again while negating that characterization for what

Apparently 4 seasons of lovesquare development didn’t really amount to anything because Marinette didn’t really need to face her fear of rejection and confess anything and Ladybug didn’t really need to fall for Chat Noir and the identities were never really a pressing matter because according to this plot all they really needed all along was for Adrien to forget about Ladybug and ask Marinette out. Soooo easy! Love to see that 4 seasons of developing Ladybug’s feelings for Chat Noir amounted to 2 whole days of loving Chat Noir followed by Ladybug and Chat Noir ...... literally giving up their kwamis with apparently zero concerns or hurt feelings over not getting to say goodbye to their best friend and once-crush. Fuck “us against the world” I guess??? They were just going to ghost each other in order to get laid and just weren’t going to worry about each other at all???? What happened to “I’ll never abandon you Kitty,” is Ladybug not at all worried about disappearing on Chat Noir again, and Chat Noir isn’t worried about losing Ladybug??? Apparently the whole of the s4 conflict really was just about making Adrien ~gEt OvEr LaDyBuG~ and realize she'd never love him in order to get him to focus on Marinette, not about bringing them closer, because clearly they're unconcerned about ditching their best friend. Dude what show am I watching??? If this isn’t at all addressed in part 2 I’ll go insane. Adrien’s just all about Marinette now to the point that he forgets about Ladybug and Plagg within 2 seconds of giving up his ring because weee I can go to Marinette’s house! And the fandom seems to be the same like who cares about how weird any of this is when uwuuuwuu they’re so cute obviously it was always adrinette 4everrrr

The kwamis also just shouldn't be able to get in the way of them making their own decisions smfh if Marinette was going to tell Adrien she's Ladybug then it should've just happened. It was literally the perfect point in the story to have them reveal!!! To think we could’ve been having a grand ol time having all these eps being PRPR, the best dynamic and the one with so much potential left untapped and unexplored and the one that would’ve been so interesting to watch unfold over the season as they tried to get used to each other’s identities and how to act in their New relationship dynamic while getting closer and closer, but no instead I have to sit here and pretend I'm not snoring over this pre-reveal generic school romance and invented drama “when will they finally kiss?????” suspense

y’all try to talk about how adrienette needed this development to happen like no, they needed it to happen while they were friends, they needed to get closer like this 2 seasons ago, skipping the pointless love rival bullshit plot that only exists to extend the time they spend apart and skipping all the nonsensical sabotaging of marinette’s actual genuine attempts to spend time with adrien and instead showing them spending more time together and as friends and letting marinette grow more comfortable and gain the confidence to face her fears regarding adrien. If not that, then have them get closer in post-reveal pre-relationship. They did not need to date at all pre-reveal for this development. making it easy for marinette by having her already know her feelings are requited is not satisfying development lmao. it’s disappointing to me when as of the start of s5 adrienette’s friendship is still sorely lacking in closeness and comfort and trust compared to ladynoir and it’s baffling that y’all somehow think it’s satisfying for them to start dating while still barely out of that state and that Dating is somehow the best way to develop their underdeveloped Friendship

also baffling that this show decided to sell $300 romantic ladynoir statues and base all their advertising imagery on ladynoir and make some of the most emotionally charged episodes like glaciator and chat blanc focus on ladynoir when apparently the resolution to this love story was always going to amount to "adrien and marinette forget about their superhero partners and decide to start dating but oh noooo marinette can't kiss adrien yet even though she was perfectly fine doing it before and the next half of the season will be focused on this dynamic!!!!!"

friendzone ladynoir and pre-reveal romantic adrienette is the most boring asinine route they could’ve gone with lovesquare actually idc

[bensolosbluesaber]

Secret Identities (Marc Spector, Steven Grant, and Jake Lockley x reader)

Summary: There’s part of your life that Steven, Marc, and Jake don’t know about. A big part... namely that you’re an Avenger. But they’re about to find out, and it’s not exactly how you wanted it to go

Fluff, some angst, mostly fluff

Pairings: Marc Spector x reader, Steven Grant x reader, Jake Lockley x reader

A/N: I did my best to accurately represent DID, I had an unfortunate moment where I defaulted to she/her pronouns instead of making this gender neutral as intended, I think I corrected it all, but please tell me if I missed anything

Based on this request: If you take the requests, can I ask for Marc/Steven/Jack with a reader formerly Avengers but rather unknown to the public, and one day some agent from an organization interrupts the reader and Marc/Steven/Jack to ask for help in settling a case since reader is "one of the last remaining active Avengers and one of the people who fought Thanos to protect the universe" and Marc/Steven/Jack are just - wait what?!

----

It was probably your own history that made a relationship with Marc, Steven, and Jake possible. As an Avenger, you were used to having the people you loved returning home with bumps and bruises and often worse. It was only natural that you’d end up in a relationship with a superhero, not an Avenger, but the boys certainly could be.

Not that you were going to ask them to join the Avengers, mostly because they don’t know about you. You hadn’t told Steven on the first date, nor the second, nor any after. You hadn’t told Marc when you met for the first time and he explained their DID. You hadn’t told Jake when he showed up to your flat in a black and white suit, covered in blood and told you through pained gasps that he was the Moon Knight. That would have been the ideal time to confess your own masked exploits. Hindsight is twenty-twenty and all that.

At this point it seems strange to bring up your real job. Part of you is afraid that the men won’t want to be with a superhero. It would worry Steven to no end to know you’re off on life-threatening mission not work conferences in hotel ballrooms. It would worry all of them, but Steven would really let it show. Jake had a protective streak a mile wild, not that he would stop you, but he’d want to. Then there was Marc who hated seeing you hurt or in pain. He had bruised your thigh during sex once and felt so guilty he wouldn’t touch you for a month.

So no, they don’t know about the Avengers, and the Avengers don’t know about them.

“Alright there love?”

You perk up at the English accent, grinning broadly as your boyfriend strolls down the museum steps.

“Hi,” you greet him with a kiss on his cheek that makes him blush. “How was tour guiding?”

“Friday’s field trip day,” he sighs as way of answer, but there’s a little smile gracing his lips. Steven loves this job, even the rough days.

He takes your hand, interlocking your fingers and rubbing his thumb over your palm absentmindedly. 

“You really have a weekend off?”

“Yes,” you lean into his arm as you walk hand in hand. “Work phone has been off since three. It’s just us.”

“And me and Jake.”

“Marc wants you to know he’s here too.”

“Marc knows what I mean,” you laugh. “My place tonight?”

You walk with Steven all around the city, grabbing food from several different food stands or open cafes. Occasionally Jake or Marc fronts for a few blocks - that’s why you end up getting so much food - but this is mostly your night with Steven. The two of you get to your place late, stopping to feed Gus on the way.

Once you both change, you fall into bed together, too tired to do anything more than cuddle. You’re in a spooning mood, so you lay on your side, back to Steven and wiggle your butt a little.

“Give me the body!” Marc begs.

If Jake could have rolled their eyes he would have. Steven does it for him. Still, he lets Marc front. Spooning is really Marc’s thing; he will hold you like this for the entire night without complaint.

“Hi baby,” he wraps an arm around your waist and pulls you back against him, grinding himself on your ass just a little.

“Hi Marc,” you grin at the hint of a Chicago accent, the forwardness of the movement.

He wears a shit eating grin at he kisses your cheek and holds you tightly to him. Eventually and reluctantly you turn your head away, still sporting that small smile as he nuzzles against the back of your neck and leaves little kisses everywhere you can reach until you drift off to sleep.

The sound of someone saying… shouting your name wakes you a few hours later. A banging sound fills the room, and instantly you are wide awake, reaching under the mattress for the gun you keep concealed there.

“Open up, Y/N! Right now!”

You jump out of bed, gun drawn, moving slowly toward the door. Behind you, Marc is stirring softly.

You wrench the door open, see one person, and grab them by the shoulder to pull them into your flat. No need to make a public scene. The door slams behind you, and that finally jolts Marc awake, white fabric already surrounding his body as he subconsciously processes the threat and summons the suit.

You kick the back of the intruder’s knee out, shoving him to his knees, and slamming him against a wall face first. Your gun pushes firmly into the base of his neck. Only then does it occur to you that Marc is watching everything, that he didn’t know you have a gun or the skills to take down anyone. The thin wall between your life as an Avenger and your life with Marc, Steven, and Jake has just shattered. But this isn’t the time for those thoughts.

“Who are you?” You growl.

“SWORD,” the man replies with surprising calm. “ID’s in my jacket.”

You fumble around in his jacket and produce the ID. Yeah, he’s definitely SWORD. Son of a bitch. You lower the gun and step back, hitting the lights as you move away.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” You bite out.

No agents of any sort, Fury’s or not, are supposed to interfere with your personal life. In the corner of your eye you can see Marc’s costume fading away, the bewilderment on his face. He’s not an idiot. He knows what SWORD is.

“Watched the news recently? Attacks in New York? We’re bringing everyone in.” 

The man stands, brushing off his impeccable black suit. Very subtle outfit choice, Fury.

“New York doesn’t have enough heroes?” You remark dryly.

“Not for this.”

“I’m sorry,” Steven says. “What is this?”

He gestures between you two. Marc must be pissed to let Steven front right now, but you know he and Jake are really confronting with Steven right now. You should have told them. They didn’t deserve to find out like this.

“I…”

“Are you serious?” The SWORD agent looks at Steven thoroughly confused. “This is one of the last remaining Avengers. One of the people who fought Thanos? Saved the universe? Those Avengers.”

“Shut up!” You snarl at him, and turn back to Steven whose eyes are wide and bewildered. “I was going to tell you…”

It’s not enough. You can tell by how violently his eyes roll back that the switch is not easy.  

“Are you fucking with me?” Jake growls, expression unreadable.

“No,” you whisper. “Jake, you have every right to-”

“I knew it,” he interrupts you. “All the guns hiding around your flat. Business trips that coincidentally happen around major world events.”

“You knew!?” Marc is shouting.

“And you didn’t think to mention?”

“I suspected something,” Jake clarifies.

“Give me the body now!”

Jake shoots you an apologetic grin and his face shifts, more gently this time, until you’re looking at Marc again.

“So it is true,” the agent says in awe.

“What?” You and Marc both snap at the agent, not looking away from each other.

“You and Moon Knight. There’s this big betting pool at headquarters…” he trails off, realizing too late that this isn’t the time.

Headquarters knows about Marc, Steven, and Jake. How do they know that? Of course SWORD knows about Moon Knight - he’s hardly a subtle superhero - but now they know his identities too.

“I’ll be out. Give me a minute,” you reassure the agent not unkindly.

You’re eyes are still trapped in Marc’s piercing glare as the other man leaves.

“You told them,” Marc growls, stepping close to you. “About me. Is that what this was? A spy op?”

“Marc, you know that’s not fair.”

“I didn’t tell them who you are,” you reach for Marc’s hand, but he pulls it away. “I didn’t even tell them we were together. I’m not an agent, Marc. I don’t answer to them… after Hydra, Thanos, the blip… it doesn’t work like that anymore.”

Marc stares at you, the brutal honesty painted on your face, the worry in your eyes as you beg him to believe you. He wants to believe you, Steven and Jake certainly do, but everything good that has ever happened to Marc has turned out to be a double edged sword. Everyone he loves turns on him. Why should you be any different?

“You made us keep the DID secret for months,” Steven tries to reason. “Secrets get out of control.”

Jake tries next, “When I came through the window that night, there’s no way they already knew about Moon Knight... Ya know, this definitely only stayed a secret so Steven wouldn’t worry.”

“Screw off mate.”

“Marc? I love you. This- this is real,” you watch emotions play across his face, knowing Jake and Steven are talking to him. “I should have told you sooner, but this has always been real.”

“I know,” he breathes finally because he does believe you, does trust you completely. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry. I kept meaning to tell you, but I was… I was scared.”

This time when you reach for his hand he lets you take it and run your fingers across his bruised knuckles (a result of Jake’s activities the night before). An idea forms.

“Come with me. I’m not asking you to be an Avenger, but you’d like them. Matt will love Jake. Steven and Spidey will be best friends. Steven might even get him to reveal his secret identity. Maybe Thor can put Khonshu in his place.”

He says nothing, then lets a small smile form on his lips.

“Alright,” then more strongly. “Alright. Jake, you’re going home.”

You grab a bag, already packed and change quickly. Marc has his own bag ready and follows you to the elevator.

“Mates, what do you think their costume looks like?”

“Cool it, Steven,” Jake growls back, but there’s amusement and some awe in his voice.

“I’m dating Avenger,” Marc says, testing how it feels to speak the words out loud.

Jake and Steven are quick to correct him, “We... we are dating an Avenger.”

A/N: My first request! Thank you! I loved writing this and hope you enjoy it.

EDIT: Part 2

[rizlowwritessortof]

Centerfold

It’s 1973, and you are the assistant to the most famous photographer in the U.S., who just happens to be doing the photoshoot for Playgirl Magazine’s first-ever centerfold. Who better to start things off with a bang than America’s favorite superhero?

Pairing: Soldier Boy/Reader

Word Count: 2823

Warnings: None except the usual smut 😊

Fic header was made for me by the FANTASTIC @editsbymichele (Instagram) - thank you again, my friend, you ROCKED IT as always!!!💕

1973 was a wild year.

U.S. troops pulled out of Viet Nam. Secretariat won the Triple Crown. The Supreme Court ruled on Roe vs. Wade. The Watergate hearings began and Nixon swore ‘he was not a crook.’

And Soldier Boy became the first Playgirl centerfold.

The magazine launched in 1973, putting men on display in a way that had always been reserved for women. And what better way to kick things off than to get the country’s biggest supe to pose buck naked for every thirsty fan to see?

Your 1973 had been eventful so far, as well. A struggling professional photographer, you had applied to be assistant to the eccentric and extremely famous photographer Giada Ricci, never dreaming that you’d get the job. But she had been impressed by your work, hired you on the spot, and you had never worked harder in your life. You were grateful, absorbing everything you possibly could about her technique and tucking away any advice she gave to be used when you moved on to be on your own once again. Being known as a first assistant to someone like Giada could make a photographer’s career.

The first few weeks with her were a whirlwind. You helped move lights and props, made adjustments on models’ clothes and poses, loaded film… the list was endless. You got a phone call the morning of a shoot with the address you were to report to that day, and you simply hailed a taxi and showed up there, preferably early, to await your orders. When you arrived at the address on this particular day, however, you stopped dead in your tracks in front of the building. Playgirl Magazine. Well, fuck.

You walked inside, smoothing your hands over your plaid miniskirt, your white button-down shirt tucked in, your platform sandals clacking against the polished floor as you made your way to the reception desk. “Can you tell me where Giada Ricci’s photo shoot is happening? I’m her assistant.”

The receptionist smiled, giving you directions to the studio, then sighed. “I wish I had your job today! Imagine getting to see him naked, in person!”

You smiled back, not bothering to ask questions. You’d know soon enough. Today was going to be an interesting day.

“Ah, bella! Come, help me set up these props.” The older woman was rushing about, directing the male aides on loan from the magazine to move the heavier items into place. You have never been able to determine her age, but you’d guess she is near 70, although you’d never know it from her energy level. She was wearing her usual shapeless, flowing garb, made of some brightly-colored silky fabric, looking for all the world like a giant parrot, her hair dyed an absolutely hideous shade of red. You fell in beside her, following her instructions, helping decorate an obviously very patriotic scene for the shoot. Before you could ask who the subject was, his voice rang out, loud and clear, as he entered the room. “Giada!”

“Ben, darling!” she gushed, rushing towards him, enthusiastically kissing him on both cheeks. “You look positively wonderful!”

“So do you, gorgeous! Missed you at Herogasm this year, though.”

“Oh, you silly boy, I’m getting much too old!”

“Bullshit! Never too old.”

You listened, teeth clenched to keep your jaw from hitting the floor. It was him. Soldier Boy. In a silky gold kimono and sandals. And you were going to see him stark-ass naked. Oh. My. God.

He walked up to you next, a knowing smirk on his face. “Well, hello there. And who are you?”

You managed to stutter out your name, somehow. “I-I’m Giada’s assistant.”

His smile widened. “Well. I’m looking forward to seeing more of you today. And you’re gonna see a lot more of me.”

You managed to smile, even though your cheeks were probably glowing. “I guess so.”

The shoot began shortly after that, and you were too busy to think about anything but your job. You were running for this or that, or adjusting the draping of the fabric on the backdrop, or putting film into the camera, barely time to even glance at the delectable form of the man being photographed. Giada took shots of him standing, holding his shield; sitting with his legs sprawled in front of the American flag; and holding a huge gun braced against his hip, one foot propped up in front of him. You were definitely going to buy a copy of this magazine.

Finally, it was time for the centerfold shoot. The patriotic background still in place, she instructed him to lie down on his side, propped up on one elbow, the other arm draped over his hip and his back leg up, bent at the knee. She had him move a tiny bit here and there until she declared it “Perfect!” and you had to agree. The man was an Adonis, the most perfectly-formed man you had ever seen. And then… “Almost perfect - darling, go perk him up.”

You looked at your boss, your eyes wide. “What?”

“The nipples. They should be perky. We are going in close up, I want them to be all lovely and perky.”

“Perky?” You could hear your voice crack a little, and from the corner of your eye, you could see him smirk.

“Yes, perky. Go!”

You cleared your throat, walking a little hesitantly towards the reclining superhero, who was watching you approach with absolute mirth in his eyes. “Well, princess, perk me up.” You closed your eyes, then stared at his chest and reached out slowly, jumping when he spoke again. “I’m not gonna bite you. Unless you want me to. Later.”

Oh, he was enjoying this way too much. You took a deep breath and brushed your fingers over his nipple, trying with everything in you to ignore his soft moan, done solely for your benefit. You refused to look into his grinning face, continuing to the other nipple, trying to do as you were told with as little contact as you could manage. When you glanced up, he was staring intently down your shirt, his tongue peeking out between his teeth a little. “Good! Perfect!” Giada called out, and you took a relieved breath. “And now the penis.”

“The - the what??” Panic bubbled up in your chest, your heart pounding, and Soldier Boy’s deep, low chuckle sent goosebumps up your arms.

“His penis. It should be lying up on his thigh, not tucked behind. People want to see him in all his glory. Don’t tease it, I don’t want it hard, just in full view.

“Can’t he – um – adjust his own penis?”

“No. I don’t want him to move, he’s perfectly arranged. Except for the penis. Come now, bella, you’ve surely touched a penis before.”

“Yeah, princess – you have touched a penis before, right?” he teased, the tone of his voice sparking your temper.

You cleared your throat. “Yes. Of course,” you managed to say with a little glare at the thoroughly amused man. You leaned over, then hissed, “Stop it,” as he growled softly at the even better view down your shirt.

“Bet you’re a little perky right now, aren’t ya, kitten?”

This had to be the most humiliating thing you’d ever done in your life. And he was practically laughing at you. But Giada was waiting, and you had no choice. You reached down and grasped him lightly with one hand, telling yourself to stop thinking about perfectly shaped his cock was, and how large he was even without an erection, and how absolutely glorious he must be if he was hard… You forced yourself to focus on laying the impressive organ on top of his thigh, wondering what other task she could possibly come up with to add to your abject embarrassment. “Splendid! Well done, bella, now come back.”

You forced yourself to walk, not run, back to her side. She snapped shot after shot and you watched, acutely aware that his eyes were focused on you with an intense smolder that made you clench your thighs together. Giada finally finished, declaring the shoot a smashing success, and you barely heard her tell him she was finished and he could put on his robe.

Soldier Boy approached Giada and you immediately walked away, beginning to gather the props that belonged to her and avoiding the man completely. You’d never be able to look him in the eye, let alone speak to him. You busied yourself, refusing to even look his way, until Giada called out to you. “Come here, my darling, I need you.”

When you turned, he was gone, and you breathed a sigh of relief as you hurried towards her. “Yes, Giada?”

She put a hand on your arm with a smile. “You have made quite an impression on Ben. He would like you to join him in his dressing room. He said he’d like to get to know you better.”

“He – wants me to…”

“Completely your choice, bella. I would never demand such a thing from you. But you really would like to go, I think? You may never have a chance like this again, my girl. Consider your answer carefully.”

She was right. Of course, you’d just go and talk to him. Who wouldn’t want to spend a little time with America’s favorite hero? So you found yourself knocking on his dressing room door, and stepped inside when he called out, “Come in.”

He was still in his kimono when you walked in, sitting on a red velvet sofa with a glass of some kind of liquor in his hand, and he smiled when you entered, closing the door behind you. “Hello, princess. Glad you decided to accept my invitation.” He nodded towards the small table nearby that held another glass and a decanter. “Help yourself to a drink. It’ll calm your nerves.”

You smiled, nodding. “Good idea.” You poured yourself a drink, taking a swallow, then two. “So. What made you decide to pose for Playgirl?”

“They asked me. And they told me Giada was doing the shoot. She’s the best. Besides, Burt Fucking Reynolds posed nude for Cosmo last year – I can put that son of a bitch to shame. Couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”

You laughed softly, taking another drink, feeling the warmth begin to bloom in your belly. The rest of your body began to catch up when he spoke again, his voice low and tempting. “Come here, princess.”

You moved closer, standing in front of him, letting him take your hand in his. “Why don’t you slip off those shoes and come sit on my lap.”

Yeah. You’ll just talk to him. Well, fuck that.

You bent to slip off your shoes, his eyes glued to your cleavage. Then you straddled his lap, your knees tucked up close on either side of him, letting out a little squeak as he grabbed a handful of your ass with each hand and snugged you up tight against his hard on. His fingers went to work on your buttons, opening your shirt wide to his hungry gaze. He tugged the cups of your bra down, humming in approval as he filled his hands with your breasts. “You have got some beautiful tits, kitten. If I had more time today, I’d fuck ‘em. But my schedule’s kinda tight, and I’d rather be in that warm pussy.” He leaned you back a little, sucking a nipple into his mouth as he tugged and pinched at the other. When you were writhing on his lap, panting helplessly, your fingers gripping his hair, he bit down, making you gasp. He soothed it with his tongue, then latched onto the inside of your right breast, sucking a dark mark there. After leaving a matching bruise on the other side, he lifted his head, moving his fingers between your thighs, stroking them over your slit. “Bad girl, got your panties all wet. Better take them off.”

You stood again, your legs shaky, and did as he asked, his eyes never leaving you as he opened his robe. You had been right – his erection was glorious. “Well, hop on, princess. Let’s see if it’ll fit.”

You climbed over him again, up on your knees, your hands on his shoulders for balance as he ran his fingers through your slick and then shoved two thick fingers inside you. “Gonna be tight.” He pumped his fingers into you a few times, then pulled them out and put them in his mouth. “Mmmm, fuckin’ delicious.” You lifted yourself a little higher as he took his cock in hand and bumped the head against your clit a couple of times, smirking as you whimpered. The whimper soon became a moan as he notched into your opening and you began to lower yourself down, the stretch intense.

“Oh my god,” you whined, wondering if you’d be able to fully take him in, and he gave a low, dirty chuckle.

“You can call me Ben, doll. Come on, keep going. Take it all.” You worked yourself down slowly, until there were only a couple of inches left, but he was done being patient. You gasped as he grabbed your waist and shoved you down, burying himself inside you to the base. “Breathe, princess, don’t want you passing out on me.” He grinned. “At least, not yet.”

“Very funny,” you managed to force out, slowly beginning to relax, the sensation of him filling you completely making your every nerve sing. You shifted just a little, and he moved his hold to your hips, bucking up underneath you. You moaned, loud, and Ben laughed.

“Keep that up and everybody in this place is gonna know what we’re doing in here.”

“Everybody already knows what we’re doing in here, so I might as well enjoy myself.”

He laughed again, then thrust up hard, big hands and fingers pressing bruises into your hips as he began to hit a rhythm. “My kind of girl,” he grunted out, then focused on driving up inside you, forcing lewd moans from you, interspersed with the filthy words spilling from his mouth. “Squeeze that pretty cunt around me, princess, feels so fucking good.”

Fifteen minutes later, he was still going strong, he had wrung two orgasms out of you and you were on the edge of a third. “Ben… Please… I can’t…” you managed to rasp out, and he reached down between you, rubbing rough circles on your clit.

“Give me one more, and I’ll fill you up, doll.” You began to moan, one long, endless wail, and you wrapped your arms around his neck, holding on for dear life as he bounced you hard on his cock. You shouted his name as you began to shake again, clenching around him, and he let out a low roar as he  began to throb, his hot seed spurting inside you.

You clung to him, sweaty and spent, his hands stroking over your skin. “That was nice, princess. I should get moving, though. Much as I’d like to spend more time with you – so many more things I’d like to do to you. Maybe I’ll do another shoot for Giada sometime and we can – uh – continue where we left off.”

“Maybe.” You wince as he lifts you from his lap, pulling himself free, his come beginning to trickle  down your thighs. “Is there a bathroom in here?”

He smirked, his eyes on the mess he’d left, then gestured with his head. “Yeah, just past that wardrobe.” You gathered your clothes and headed that way, avoiding looking at him.

You cleaned up as best you could, dressing again and straightening your hair. When you came out, he was dressed except for his shirt, another drink in his hand. “So, I suppose I should go,” you said with a tentative smile. “I know you’ve got things to do.”

“A superhero’s work is never done. C’mere,” he said, downing his drink and setting the glass on the table before circling an arm around your waist and pulling you close. He kissed you for the first time, his lips claiming yours possessively, his hands roaming over you again. When he finally stopped to let you breathe, you looked up at him, eyes wide.

“I thought you had a schedule to keep.”

“Well, you know what? I guess they’ll just have to do whatever Vought bullshit they have to do without me today. I think you and I should spend a little more time together, at my place. Unless you have somewhere to go?” He was kneading at your breast, his thumb rubbing over your nipple through your clothes, and your legs were beginning to feel weak.

“Can’t really think of anything better than spending the day with Mr. June,” you answered breathlessly.

He smiled, a look in his eyes that sent heat flooding through your veins. “Knew you were my kind of girl.”

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[milexa2000]

4⭐️Town when they are jealous

A/n: This is a request soooo.. It might suck😅😅 And also thank you @shigekoaoi7 for the request🖤

WARNINGS: maybe harrasment idk..AND FLUFFF

_________________________

Robaire🎤

He knows you live him from the bottom of your heart, buttt he doesnt like when seeing other guys talking to you

He would watch both of you if anything bad is happening

When the guy trys to hold your hand. Robaire had ENOUGH

he would walk up to both of you and holding you back

I feel like he would cuss the guy out in French and the guy is just there like "🤨😰"

"What do you think your doing?!" or "shes already taken man, sorry." and would walk away with his arms around you

You would thank him cause the guy made u uncomfy

"No problem Mon amour, im always here for you."

he can trust you cause he knows when you feel uncomfortable with other guys you dont know

So he will always have your back🥰

_______________________________________________

Tae Young🕊

sometimes he doesnt mind of you talk with other guys if only they are your friend

But when he sees that guy try touching you, oh mannn hes pissed

He would walk up to them and yell in their face

You look at him and Awe, hes like a superhero saving your day

When the guy rolls his eyes and walks off, tae turns to look at you. THEN GRABS YOUR CHEEKS AND CHECK IF HE KISSED U OR SUM

"Dove, are you okay?, "did he kiss you?"," what did he tell you? ". He just keeps asking you questions

You giggle and hold his face, telling him that your fine and thanking him for saving you.

He starts blushing when you said you saved his life "ohhh stop it y/n." he says making SUCH A CUTE POUTY FACE

you cant help but kiss all over his face which makes him chuckle

_________________________

Aaron T🧢

UH UHH HE IS NOT GONNA LET ANYBODY TOUCH HIS GIRL

Hes a spy, hes really good at hiding

he watches the both of you just talking about god knows what

He walks up to you both, very chill yk

You dont get suprised when you feel arms around your waist cause you know its him

He kisses you on the cheek which males the guy so mad💀

"Sorry man, she's already mine" he says with a smirk on his face

While the guy was finally gone, you immediatly give him a tight hug which he returns

You cant stop thinking him because of how scared and uncomfy ehen the guy was talking to you

He looks at you and says "dont worry baby, its my job." with this face "😌"

__________________________________

Aaron Z🏀

Z dan be very shy sometimes, but when he sees you with another guy that he doesnt know, oh boy hes about to get madddd

He thought yoy we're cheating on him but he realized the look on your face

U look... Nervous and uncomfortable when the guy is trying to talk to you

You see him walking up to you both which excites you cause ur bby boy is coming to the rescueeee

You go behind him and hold him tight when helds you behind him protectively

He trys to be calm but he can't

He tells the guy?, "don't touch my girl or else we gonna have a problem." and the guy immedietly nods his head and runs off

He starts to feel bad, then he feels someone tap his shoulder which he turns to look at you.

you hold his face.... AND KISS HIS ALL OVER. HIS CHEEKS, HIS LIPS, HIS FOREHEAD

you kept telling him how proud you Were of him for saving you

He makes a suprises face and blushes. He loves when you cheer him

__________________________________

Jesse🎨

Like Aaron T, he would be a spy watching you and the random guy

He makes this face "😧" when he sees the guy touching you, thats when hes ready to confront the guy

When you see him coming your day, you run up to him and hug him tightly

He looks at the guy, pissed off. "Don't you DARE put your Hands on her, shes mine! and they guy freaks out and runs off which you cant help but goggle

While the dude is gone, Jesse looks at you with a worried face.

"Are you okay baby?" , "thank goodness your okay." he holds you so tight like a big bear

You tell hin that your fine and kiss him which makes him smile☺️

You thank him for saving you and tell him that there is nothing to worry about

Which makes him smile even more and you both tried to forget what just happened💀

_________________________

A/n: I HOPE U GUYS LIKE ITT. Plz send me some request of 4Town. Thanks🥰

-Milexa

[miekasa]

Spider-Man kiss w Spider-Man eren!!

Now when you said this so many different scenarios came to mind: Eren stopping to kiss his gf mid-battle or before a fight, dropping her home and kissing her at the window, kissing after saving her... many many possibilities... have one of them below... set sometime before Eren tells you that he’s Spider-Man... also, yeah I’m making Levi a part of this universe but what did you expect from me 🤒🤒

“I don’t get it,” you speak in-between bites of popcorn, vaguely gesturing towards the TV, “This whole ‘Spider-Man kiss’ thing seems like a really bad and obvious marketing ploy to me.”

Eren stiffens a little next to you. He tries to neutralize his expression before turning his head, tries to remain causal, “What—uh—what do you mean by a marketing ploy?”

“I just mean to make him all popular and shit,” you reason, resting your cheek against Eren’s shoulder, “But it’s kinda dumb. If I were in danger, and I found out Spider-Man was too busy kissing random brunettes to do his job, I’d be pissed.”

“He wasn’t really kissing anybody!” Eren exclaims, a little too quickly, and way too loudly. You flinch a little, looking up at him with wide and confused eyes, and Eren coughs before reigning himself in, “I mean, the kissing stuff was photoshopped… lots of, uh, tabloids admitted it. So, he’d definitely still save you if you were in real danger, you know… and everyone else, too!”

You look at him like you don’t believe him, and it makes Eren want to scream. The implications of his super-hero persona being a playboy aside, there’s no way Eren would have stopped to kiss Pieck, of all people. He could admit that she was pretty, but Eren himself has spoken no more than seven words total to her in his entire life—and Spider-Man was hardly any different. He was just helping her, and he just happened to be upside down in front of her face, when some idiot with a camera snapped a picture that would go viral.

Not to mention that while Spider-Man was single in the eyes of the media, Eren Jaeger was not. And if he ever planned on telling you he was former, he certainly wouldn’t want you believing that he was a cheater with a super-suit on.

“Whatever,” you roll your eyes, “Real or not, I don’t get the appeal. It doesn’t seem practical, even for a spider-boy hanging from a thread.”

“Okay... what do you not like about Spider-Man?” he questions nervously.

“What is there to like? He’s another freak flying around New York and fucking up the skyline in the process. He and Iron-Man get to be all buddy-buddy with aliens and shit while the rest of us get stuck on trains for six hours.”

Eren does his best to refrain from grinding his teeth. He takes a deep breath, then another, and a third—reminds himself that your judgement isn’t being cast on him, but rather on the media-crafted persona of Spider-Man; and factoring in your hesitance about superheroes in general, he figured Spider-Man wouldn’t be an exception.

Still, he wishes you could cut him some slack. He always tried to minimize civilian interaction and damage, but sometimes, it couldn’t be helped! Plus, Mr. Ackerman always promised to help fund and rebuild damaged property! That’s the best they could do when there was an inter-galactic threat to his home-town and all his loved ones.

Instead of reasoning that, Eren lets out a noncommittal hum, the conversation naturally diffusing as you cuddle yourself back into his shoulder, and the news switches topics; but Eren’s stuck on your last comment. He had no intentions of kissing Pieck—he had no intentions of kissing anybody that wasn’t you, no matter how the news tried to spin it—but he doesn’t know if he agrees with your conclusion that a kiss like that would be impractical.

He’s no physicist, but it should work, right? It’s not like you’re both upside down—but if you were, wouldn’t that be the same as you both being right-side up? One person hanging upside down shouldn’t make that much of a difference. Now that he thinks of it, he doesn’t even hang upside down all that often, whoever took that picture really caught him at a bad time. If this ‘Spider-Man kiss’ persists to shape his reputation as a hero, he might just end up a villain.

Eren shifts his view down to you, a hand absent-mindedly reaching to caress your cheek. He figures an upside-down kiss shouldn’t be too different from when you tilt your head up to kiss him in this position—or something like that, anyway. Eren’s kissed you a bunch of different times, a bunch of different way, so it should work like that, right?

He carefully untangles himself from your hold, and marches right around the back of the couch. You don’t seem to pay him any mind—too caught up in finding a better channel—only redirecting your attention to him when his hands cup your face, and very carefully tilt your head back.

He supposes you’re the upside down one like this, but even so, Eren thinks you’re pretty. His thumbs swipe against your cheeks once, twice, before he leans down and gingerly kisses your lips. He chuckles ever so slightly when he hears the remote thud against the ground, and your now free hand reaches up to caress his face.

You’re the first to pull away, a gentle smile on your lips that charms him even in this position. You let your hand creep up into his hair before questioning, “Was that in defense of Spider-Man?”

“Maybe,” Eren laughs, low and steady before leaning down to kiss your lips once more, “Maybe I just wanted to kiss you.”